American and Chinese Business Cultures

The American and Chinese business cultures have vast differences that interfere with the way business is carried out. The business people in the two regions have certain practices and values that are considered as norm. The differences in the two business cultures have led to some viable and successful business ventures to be turned down due to a misunderstandings or conflicts that were experienced based on the business cultural differences. There are various similarities found between the two business cultures and one similarity is the strict adherence to schedules and time management.The two business cultures value their time and they ensure that it is spent wisely. Failure to manage time in both cultures is seen as an insulting gesture and a sign of disrespect. Moreover, another similarity is the art of appreciation that is highly regarded and the respect given to the senior business men in meetings when they are being addressed. There are several outstanding differences that clea rly exist between the two business cultures and they influence the manner in which business is carried out in these countries.For instance in the Chinese business culture, businesses are owned and managed within the family regardless of their qualifications and experience. Information regarding the performance of the businesses is treated as confidential and when they need funds for their businesses they search for it from their friends and family or within the private sector. Americans on the other hand, seek funds from both the private and public sectors to finance their business. They also reveal all the information about their companies making it public for the public to scrutinize and analyze it.In addition, their businesses are run by qualified professionals. 1. 0 Introduction Culture is a complex way of living that is developed by many people all over the world. It is passed on from one generation to the next over the years for it to be maintained. It is worth noting that cul ture is entails the values and norms followed by a group of people in a society and it describes the way those people should behave and treat each other as they live together harmoniously (Bucknall, 2000). It equally defines the nature of the people in that society and how they relate to the rest of the world.The culture of a particular people characterizes how they can relate to another group with a culture that is quite different. The more the differences that exist between the two cultures the more difficult it is for the two societies to live together and interact. On the same note, the chances of misunderstandings increase when two cultures differ greatly in their values, norms and other characteristics. Additionally, conflicts also increase exponentially when the two societies have not had any interactions among them (Gertmenian, n. d).The American and the Chinese business cultures are a good example of cultures that are different and that continually interact with many challe nges and misunderstandings facing them. Business people who have been trying to venture into the two economies have been faced with several challenges. Some of these business people have gone into business ventures with little or no information about the cultural differences between the two business cultures (Chen, 2003). Their business ideas and ventures have failed despite their capabilities and promise of success and profitability.The reasons that have been cited for the failure of such profitable ventures are the lack of understanding of the differences in the culture between the Americans and the Chinese. Business opportunities continue to increase in the Chinese region and this is attracting a lot of Americans to take up these opportunities. This business people need to understand the different aspects that lie between the two cultures and the business etiquette that is required from them once they are in China.It bears noting that the Chinese community also needs to understan d the American culture with regard to the business practices in order to minimize the chances of misunderstandings and disagreements. Knowledge of the two different cultures is very important to the success of the business. In light of this view this paper will objectively discuss four similarities and four differences between the American and Chinese business cultures. 2. 0 Similarities between the American and the Chinese Business Culture The American and Chinese business culture though depicted in two different countries, share some similarities in the way they operate.These similarities are shared through their strategies and focus that they both have in carrying out business successfully. The similarities that they share are independent and are not influenced by the behavior or culture of the each other. These similarities are however grounded in the way their other cultural practices that they have developed and maintained over the years. a) Business Meetings This is one of th e similar features in the sense that the two business cultures hold business meetings to discuss business relationships between the companies.The business meetings may take the form of lunches or dinners or they may sometimes be carried out in the offices. The meetings are usually arranged in advance and they sometimes require some form of literature that is forwarded to each of the invited guests (Kwintessential, n. d). The meetings are usually arranged on normal working days to avoid inconveniencing the different parties attending and the dress code is usually implied by different factors but in most cases it is formal. The right relationship is first made in both cultures to allow for the development of the business deal.It is worth mentioning that in both cultures business meetings usually involve the shaking of hands when they are being introduced to each other and it shows that they are in agreement. The shaking of hands is taken to be a sign of respect between the two parties . Business cards are exchanged during the meeting either at the start or end of the meeting. It is viewed as a polite gesture in both cultures to take a minute and view the business card before putting it away. When business is being carried out between the two cultures it is important that the business cards are made bi-lingual to ensure that the recipients are able to read them.Refreshments are also offered during the business meetings. In the Chinese culture green tea is usually offered in most of the meeting though some of the international companies also offer coffee as refreshment. In the American culture refreshments usually consist mostly of coffee or tea. During the meeting exclusive sitting arrangements in both cultures are made and each person who attends the meetings has to sit at a precise position allocated to them. There is usually a host in the meetings who ensures that the meeting goes on smoothly and that the guests are well hosted (CBBC, n.d). b) Managing Time In both business cultures time is of the essence case in point. Among the Chinese business meetings start on time and they take the scheduled time needed to ensure that the purpose of the meeting is achieved. Time is not wasted during the meetings and they remain focused to the agenda of the meeting. Punctuality is emphasizes and considered to be very important in both cultures and the attendants are actually encouraged to arrive early. Besides, in the Chinese business community arriving late to any business meeting is seen as an insult to the other members.When the meeting is a Chinese banquet, the guests are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before the banquet starts (Chinese Business Culture, n. d). The Americans on the other hand usually work with tight schedules and they equally value their time. They do not take it kindly when the guests who are supposed to be in the meeting arrive late. It is a common practice to be asked to wait after arriving early for a meeting in the Ame rican culture as the host finishes preparing for the meeting. In both cultures business meeting are carried out within normal working hours that are between 8 am and 5pm (â€Å"Chinese Business Culture,† n.d) and is mostly for the meetings carried out within the offices. Other meetings that take place in the evenings like the dinner meetings are not extended late into the night. c) Protocol In both cultures the seniority levels are strictly followed. The most senior person is introduced first and is usually referred to by their surnames and their positions such as Mr. or Director (CBBC, n. d). This is usually very important and is regarded as a sign of respect for them. Their position may be given when they are being introduced and each person in the meeting is expected to address them according to their titles and position.Protocol is also expected to be maintained in the seating arrangements with the senior person given the front seat. The host normally takes the seat that is placed in the middle of the table and faces the door. The most senior person in the meeting seats on the left side of the host at the middle seat. The rest of people in the meeting get their seating positions according to their status in a descending manner. Seniority in the Chinese business culture is very important especially when the meeting involves state or government officials. When the introductions are being made the senior person is introduced first then the rest follow.When business cards or gifts are being offered, it is polite in both cultures to offer the senior person in the meeting first (Saxon, 2007). In the American culture the same is expected of the government and state officials. They need to be addressed according to their title and their positions. They also get introduced first in the meetings and accorded the respect that they deserve. d) Appreciation Both cultures have a way of appreciating the other parties especially after a successful business deal. Th e appreciation method normally takes place at the end of the meeting when the deal has been finalized.In the Chinese business culture the business people take a lot of time and effort in appreciating their business partners and their clients as a way of supporting and developing their business relationships. They normally give them gifts as a sign of appreciation for the business, celebrating the success of a business deal, a way to encourage future business and to strengthen the relationship between them (Thompson, 2007). In the Chinese business culture the business people may decide to ask the other business people what they would like as a gift. The giving of gifts is usually carried out with a certain intended purpose.When it is given in the absence of a good reason it is usually construed differently. The recipient of the gift in most cases is expected to reciprocate since the gift is seen as a debt. The choice of the gift is usually considered wisely and cash is never accepted as a gift in the Chinese culture (CBBC, n. d). In the American business culture appreciation is a common practice within companies doing business together. The art of giving gifts is however restricted by some of the business companies. Most of these businesses normally prefer giving a note that is gracious and which is very appropriate and acceptable among the companies.For the companies that offer gifts, the gift is given in such a way that it does not appear to be a bribe to the receiving company. In most companies an invitation to a meal is the most common method used among business people. 3. 0 Differences between the American and the Chinese Business Culture There are vast differences that exist between the American and Chinese business cultures that continually affect the way business is carried out. Both countries have had different backgrounds that have led to these differences.These differences are clearly established when it comes to the communication level between the t wo sides duet to the language barrier. Consequently, these differences have led to the failure of successful business ventures between the two countries and the loss of a lot of money. a) Relationships in Business This is a major difference because in the Chinese business community, a lot of emphasis is put on establishing and maintaining relationships. Moreover, the main objective put in most business meetings is the development of business relationships between the parties involved.The relationship in the Chinese culture is seen to be more of cooperation other than just business relationships. For them to do any business, the parties involved need to be friends. They exchange gifts during meetings and host each other in various places to establish their relationships. Most of their business meetings are carried out during meals such as dinners or lunch as they talk about life in general. Such encounters are seen to strengthen their business relationships and develop trust among th em (Chinese Business Culture, n. d). In America however the purpose of business meetings is to close a deal.There is little or no emphasis in maintaining relationships. The American’s keep a certain attitude that business is business and hence there is no need for them to be friends or even remain friends after the business deal is closed. The business meetings are carried out in formal environments and are characterized by concepts and features that are focused on business. The talk in these business meetings also focuses on business and the deal that is supposed to be made with the party that is proposing the deal highlighting gains that the other party will acquire once they accept the deal (Saxon, 2007).b) Availability of Information Another difference that exists between the Chinese and the Americans lays in the way they handle information about their business and the performance. It is considered rude and inappropriate among the Chinese for one to ask about the performa nce of another’s business. The Chinese only reveal this kind of information to their close friends and families and other people that are very close to them. The information is also not publicly available and they do not discuss the performance of their companies. They never volunteer their business information to other people (CBBC, n.d). The business plan is also considered to be an inappropriate document and is not used in the Chinese business world. They do not make such documents since they are considered to portray distrust among them. They prefer to believe each other when doing business and not ask for documents or information that will show the performance of the company or business. Many of the Chinese business people have been known to enter into business opportunities that are worth millions when they know very little about the other company. They rely on trust and they sign these deals by a mere handshake (Thompson, 2007).American business people on the other han d require a lot of detailed information about the companies that are involved in the business. They normally require a detailed company profile and other information that is essential in proving the performance of a company before they even start negotiating a business deal. This information may include the financial statements, the sales figures, marketing strategies and even business plans. For them to make decisions about any business opportunity they need to gather facts and data that will help them support the decisions that they make.Their business information is also made publicly available as they produce quarterly and annual reports that are availed and openly discussed. c) Business Ownership According to the Chinese culture, the businesses are normally family owned and they practice a lot of nepotism. Also, the businesses are controlled and operated by the family members and this is the norm in the country. The business is inherited within the family members despite their qualifications and their job experience and as such it is one of the strongest cultural practices in the business world among the Chinese.The businesses are usually carried out based on the family obligations rather than the pursuit of riches (Thompson, 2007). The owner of the business who is mostly the head of the family carefully makes decisions regarding the business and how it is operated. This individual hires new employees and executes changes that are needed. Besides, the individual in question selects the family member that will take over the critical role of running the business. Other family members and even some close family friends are given other top roles in the business.This practice is usually carried out because of distrust and social status among the Chinese people. The practice tends to lead to them overlooking the qualifications that are needed for the top positions held. In America however the business is usually carried out from a totally different perspective. Nepotism in the American business environment is considered illegal and highly discouraged within the business environment. When one is suspected or found guilty of having practiced it by hiring or favoring a family member in the business rather than a qualified a stranger or an employee of the company, serious legal charges are made.Further, one may end up in the middle of very serious legal charges that may lead to high compensations and legal damage fees arising from the act. Businesses tend to therefore hire employees in terms of merit and qualifications. Decisions are made by the management of the business rather than the family members. They tend to do what is right for the business rather than what might be appropriate for the family (Saxon, 2007). In the American business culture the purpose of the business is to make money rather than to provide for the company.The businesses normally have a purpose that they follow and strive to achieve. They also have a purpose and a cle ar and organized chain of command within the business. The protocol has to be followed in the businesses especially when issues are being raised and during the decision making process. For example middle level managers are not allowed to question the authority at the top. They must follow protocol at all times and direct their issues to the other managers above them before they can get the issue to the top management. d) Future of the BusinessBusiness in the Chinese culture is normally centered on the long term profitability and investments rather than the short term (Thompson, 2007). The business also strives to increase the family honor as status is an important element in the business environment in the culture. The family honor is measured according to the status that the family is given in the community. The higher the respect and status, the more the family honors. The family needs to have the ability to command respect and trust from the society. It is equally notable that th e future of the business is usually focused on ensuring that the family honor is maintained.Each transaction of the business is carefully considered and implemented in a way that invests into the future of the company. Relationships are also maintained and kept for the long term benefits. When acquiring finances to start the business or expand the business to facilitate its growth, the Chinese businesses normally search for funds among the family members. The businesses are largely financed by the family members. They also use family connections to acquire loans from their friends and sometimes use the family investments to act as collateral for these loans.It is very rare for the Chinese businesses to look for methods of finances from the public sources. They restrict themselves to the private sources since they prefer the confidentiality that the method brings (Gertmenian, n. d). They also use these methods since they operate on a trust basis to carry out their business and this m ethod does not require them to provide any documents regarding the performance of the business. When developing their businesses, the Chinese people use the family connections and their friends to make and increase the sales of their businesses.They develop personal connections with all their customers and clients and to ensure that these relationships maintained even in the long run. To maintain these relationships they go to great lengths and incur huge expenses as they stay connected to the customers and the business people who are influential and who make huge decisions. They give tokens of appreciation for services that are offered to them and to their customers (Chen, 2003). It is not unusual for the large Chinese corporations to incur extensive costs in international travel when they have clients from overseas.The American culture of carrying out business normally focuses on the profits that the business makes and achieving the targets and goals made. They take little concern on the relationships that are needed to ensure the future of the business. They rely on several methods to increase the profitability of the business and its future. A lot of marketing and advertising is carried out as they concentrate more on the monetary gains and having the most effective practices that will contribute to the goals of the company in the future.They take sales and marketing activities seriously to boost the company’s performance in the short term and also in the long run. When seeking finances to expand their business or even start off the Americans are used to seeking public sources of finances and selling securities (Thompson, 2007). They prefer such methods as they are able to cater for the financial needs and targets. Most of the companies and corporations are usually publicly owned and therefore they provide their financial information to the public. They are also publicly scrutinized for every decision that they make.4. 0 Conclusion It is true that t he American and Chinese business cultures are different and they interfere with the business development. Most of the failure of the ventures in business in the region is attributable to the neglect by the multi-national companies to understand the cultural differences that exist between the two business environments. It is worth noting that there is need for these companies to understand these cultures to ensure that they are able to successfully develop business opportunities that are continually emerging. Word Count: 3400 Reference ListBucknall, K. (2000). Chinese Business Etiquette and Culture. California: C&M Online Media, Inc. CBBC. (n. d). China Guide. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from China Britain Business Council: http://www. cbbc. org/china_guide/b_culture. html Chen, M. -J. (2003). Inside Chinese Business: A Guide for Managers Worldwide. Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press. Chinese Business Culture. (n. d). Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center: http://chinese-school. netfirms. com/business. html Gertmenian, L. W. (n. d). Cultural Insights on Doing Business in China .Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Pepperdine University: http://gbr. pepperdine. edu/982/china. html Kwintessential. (n. d). Doing Business in China. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Kwintessential: http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/etiquette/doing-business-china. html Saxon, M. (2007). An American's guide to doing business in China:. Massachusetts: Adams Media. Thompson, S. (2007, October 29). American Vs. Chinese Business Culture: In the Family. Retrieved July 14, 2010, from Associated Content: http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/421642/american_vs_chinese_business_culture. html

Conceal to Open Carry

When it comes to the right to openly carry, many feel it's the right thing to pass the OCW law In Wisconsin for a law abiding citizen to rightfully carry a conceal weapon. A normal citizen would feel threatened if he or she encounters a individual who is legally carrying a firearm in public. And a convicted felon or an citizen who does not possess a permit to carry might feel threatened by a citizen who carries his flamer legally when he or she encounters that individual and might pose a threat to that individual or himself to protect their self.With the recent uprising in violent crime this year due to the recent drop of the economy, Wisconsin should not have a Concealed Carry Law as it would increase the already too many guns that are on the street and increase the odds of more gun violence. This issue of open carry a concealed weapon Is becoming an alarming topic In Wisconsin and In Illinois; which feel that allowing this law will help in the decrease of violent crime.However, wit h the recent reports of the top ten cities which have the lowest poverty rate shows that they have a steady rate In violent crime. ND the robbery rate Is astounding. The threat of the latest release of the major cities that is experiencing a drastic drop of poverty are experiencing a rise of robberies and a steady pace of gun violence: with the fact that Milwaukee, WI are noticing a rise in violent crime in 2010, hence the crime rate was at its lowest in five years in 2009[1].The recent uprising of robberies and homicides In Milwaukee are making red flags go offer Legislatures to try to constitute on what can be done so that this recent rise does not continue. In addition, with the big issue of straw buying and open gun shows that with the right to be able o purchase firearms without having to go through any background checks give the right for many illegal firearms to purchase and used in violent crimes. Even though the rate of violent crime in many of the major cities are declinin g with a great rate; the rise of homicides and shootings are rising.In cities such as Detroit. Philadelphia, the State of Ohio and SST. Louis are noticing a rise in gun shootings; which do authorize the right to conceal carrying a firearm (â€Å"Concealed Carry† Laws and Homicide Rates). The legislature of gun laws feel that the right to conceal carry can help eliminate Eileen crime and most states shows a decline In violent crime that firearms are used; but for the major cities that actually permits open carry are still having their share of increase in violent crime.Since 1999 when the US experienced a 30-year low in violent crime, most of these major cities have experienced a dramatic Increase In gun violence. Missouri permitted concealed carrying beginning in September 2003. Since then the murder rate in Missouri has gone up 8. 8% while the rate of rape has risen DAY 14 [2] http://city. Milwaukee. Gob/Deliberativeness/201 October/Policemen)-Reports-11- Straight-Quarter. H TML

How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2018-2019

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, colloquially known at MIT, is often perceived as one of the world’s most prestigious research universities with top programs in STEM. Ranked at #5 by the U.S. News and World Report undergraduate university rankings, applicants to MIT are undoubtedly drawn to the institution’s top-tier education programs. Located just outside of Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT affords students the opportunity to explore their intellectual and extracurricular passions in a thriving urban setting. Beyond STEM, MIT also offers students an equally prestigious business and entrepreneurship program, making its urban environment all the more conducive for both business and engineering opportunities. With only 1,464 students gaining admission out of an applicant pool of nearly 22,000, MIT’s admission rate for the class of 2022 comes in at 6.7%, putting MIT at the same level as many Ivy League schools. Keep in mind that MIT does not use the Common Application, and instead uses its own system called MyMIT . To those seeking admission, MIT requires students to complete 5 additional essays, all of which understandably appear intimidating to approach. However, is here to help and offer our guide on how tackle MIT’s 2018-2019 application! One of the first things to note is the brevity of the response; with only 100 words, there’s no room to be too detailed. Even so, 100 words should be just enough for a few vivid sentences that really show the admissions officer what you do in your spare time. There’s no need to try to squeeze in an introductory or concluding sentence. For this prompt, it’s better to get straight to the point. Next, remember that the prompt is asking for an activity that isn’t required of you . If you’re the captain of your school’s varsity basketball team, then don’t write about basketball (even if you do play for pleasure outside of school). MIT wants to know something about you that they can’t already find elsewhere in your application, something outside of your academic and extracurricular responsibilities. Essentially, MIT is asking you: â€Å"What do you do in your free time?† A great way to approach this prompt is to construct a brief anecdote to illustrate your passions. Do you love reading because you enjoy imagining yourself in fictional worlds? Do you find peace in painting natural scenery? Now is a great time to describe these experiences. What makes each of these examples strong is the employment of imagery and sensory details. Although the response must be brief, you want to make the admissions officer interested in what you love; appealing to the five senses is an excellent way to do so. Don’t tell them that you love photography, show them that you love it by transforming your answer into a story. Be honest — don’t lie for the sake of sounding more impressive. While volunteering at the local homeless shelter may sound very humble, don’t write about that if it isn’t what you actually do in your free time. MIT can spot essays that try too hard and lying about humanitarian efforts is definitely one of those instances. While it’s important to be honest, make sure to also use good judgement when articulating your response. Generally, anything goes for this prompt and you can essentially write about anything you’re passionate about. But if your favorite activity is â€Å"looking at memes,† it might be better to choose something else (especially after the Harvard incident). Although not explicitly stated, MIT is using this prompt to combine two commonly asked questions: â€Å"Why X Major?† and â€Å"Why MIT?† As with the previous essay, there’s no room to provide too detailed of an explanation, but you must still briefly justify your response. The key word here is â€Å"why.† If you’re interested in chemistry but are also looking into a career in pharmaceutical manufacturing, you might write about your interests in MIT’s chemical engineering program. Or if you’re interested in economics, you can praise MIT’s Sloan School of Management, analyzing the ways in which the school will help you hone in and develop your leadership skills. If you want to conduct research in a STEM field, mentioning the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and citing some specific projects can be a great way to highlight your interests. For those looking to study EECS, you can discuss the appeal of MIT’s new curriculum, which offers more flexibility and independence for undergraduate students. Perhaps when compared to other campuses, you find that MIT offers a stronger entrepreneurial culture, a quality that you find necessary for your academic success. If you have hopes of one day launching your own startup or designing your own program, now would be a great time to mention the program’s emphasis on entrepreneurship. Writing about your long-term goals and connecting them back to MIT’s academic culture (demonstrated through EECS example) is a very strong way to approach this prompt, as it answers both â€Å"Why X Major?† and â€Å"Why MIT?† Avoid vague answers such as â€Å"MIT is known for its excellent STEM programs† or â€Å"the Sloan School of Management is among the best in the nation† — these types of answers do not answer the prompt nor do they highlight your interest in the school. No matter what major you intend on studying, remember to show admission officers how you plan to take advantage of MIT’s academic programs. Is there a specific professor you want to conduct research under? Is there a specific course you’re really excited to take? If so, mention it! There’s no need to write a creative response to this prompt; the best approach is to be straightforward and specific. As opposed to the previous two prompts, essay #3 gives you a little more room with 200-250 words; this should be just enough for an introductory sentence, one or two short body paragraphs, and a few concluding sentences. For this prompt, MIT wants to see your selfless side by looking at the strategies you take to help those around you. Don’t panic if you haven’t saved hundreds of lives or discovered the cure for cancer; as the prompt suggests, helping your community can be as simple as lending a shoulder for your friend to cry on. Whether big or small, think of a time that you made a positive impact on one or more people. Maybe you have experience volunteering at the Red Cross or at your local retirement home. Or maybe you founded a club at your school with the goal of bringing education to children in need. No matter what the cause is, show the admissions officers your generosity and willingness to make a difference in your community. What each of these examples succeeds in doing is describing the impact that an action has on others. Whether it be putting a smile on someone’s face or preventing a child from contracting a deadly disease, remember to show the reader what the outcome of your efforts were. Tying in your personal development is another great way to heighten the magnitude of your contribution, as it gives your actions more significant personal meaning (humanitarianism example). Ask yourself: How did you grow from this experience? What changes did you see? Submit your essay and we’ll get back to you with helpful edits. Out of the 5 questions, this one is the most open-ended. MIT is asking this question to see how you have adapted to your environment and how this environment has shaped you as an individual. A great way to start brainstorming for this prompt is to think about your dreams and aspirations first; what do you hope to achieve in your lifetime?    Next, reflect on your surroundings (your upbringing, your neighborhood, your school, etc.) and evaluate how this environment factored into your individuality. Perhaps you were a member of your school’s Model United Nations, and this fueled your desire to work in politics. Or maybe your childhood love for building Lego masterpieces contributed to your goal of becoming a civil engineer. Either way, remember to reflect on your past (or present) and use this reflection to analyze your future. What each of these examples succeeds in doing is analyzing the â€Å"world† that led to a specific realization. The key here is to demonstrate some sort of personal growth or moment in which you discovered your aspirations. For the first example, this could be the juxtaposition between traditional blue skies and the thick smog in Beijing; this was an eye-opening moment and made you look at the world from a different perspective, eventually influencing your career choice. For this prompt, it’s important to be specific. While it seems like this prompt is giving you two options to respond, the idea is relatively the same: discuss a challenge. Whether it is a personal struggle or a challenge you faced at school, MIT wants to know how you handle difficult situations and what you learn from such experiences. You want to construct an anecdote that goes through both the challenging situation and your thought process. When crafting your response, start by briefly describing the challenge, making sure to answer the question, â€Å"What was so significant about the challenge?† Next, go into detail about the steps you took to tackle the obstacle and how you went about this process. Make sure to discuss the outcome of the situation and show the admissions officer how you matured from this experience. As you brainstorm and begin drafting your response, here are some guided questions to get you thinking: Try to avoid â€Å"challenges† that are too trivial; although you may be upset that you got a B on that one calculus test, this is not a significant enough challenge to analyze. For this prompt, it’s important to demonstrate personal growth and maturity, as this shows your capacity to adapt to difficult environments. Overall, there are no secrets or gimmicks to any of these essays. MIT is simply trying to get to know you better, whether it’s by asking you about your interests or your personal experiences. For each of these essays, remember to ask yourself: What do I want MIT to know about me? Don’t try to write something you think the admissions officer wants to hear; be yourself and be honest. Remember to show and don’t tell , and highlight the reasons you think you would be a great fit for MIT. Want help on your MIT application or essays? Learn about our College Apps Program and Essay Editing Program . Want us to quickly edit your college essay? Submit it to our Rapid Review Program , and we’ll get it back to you quickly with comments from our expert team. The Ultimate Guide to Applying to USC Monikah Schuschu September 16, 2016 17 365,000 alumni can’t be wrong: the University of Southern California is an exceptional place to get your education. Among those alumni are luminaries as varied as actor John Wayne, astronaut Neil Armstrong, and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Comprised of nearly twenty different schools, upwards of 40,000 total students, and a rich variety of traditions, USC’s resources and global network present extraordinary opportunities for its students. At USC, high-level technological studies and a renown business school exist side-by-side with a venerable program in cinema studies and strong programs in other performing arts. You can even combine the two — where else could a budding innovator get a bachelor’s degree from a school founded in part by hip hop legend and entrepreneur Dr. Dre? (That would be USC’s Iovine and Young Academy , which focuses on â€Å"nurturing and developing original thought, leading to breakthrough products, systems, technologies and more.†) The sunny setting in Southern California and the amenities of the city of Los Angeles certainly don’t hurt. Are you interested in attending USC? Read on for more information about the different undergraduate programs available, what makes it special, and how to navigate the admissions process. Located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California , only two miles away from downtown LA, the University of Southern California was founded in 1880 on land donated by a number of the city’s notables. USC was originally affiliated with the Methodist Church, but it has been nonsectarian since 1952. From its very beginning , USC has championed fair access to education, refusing to deny applicants admission based on race or gender. In fact, the valedictorian of its very first graduating class (comprised of only three students) was a woman, at a time when admission to many or most prestigious universities was restricted to men. Today’s USC is a large, private research university with a much-expanded total enrollment of over 42,000 students, almost 19,000 of whom are undergraduates. It has also expanded in land area, including its Health Sciences Campus in Los Angeles as well as a number of other facilities, satellite campuses, offices, and a scientific research station on Catalina Island. According to the U.S. News and World Report rankings , USC comes in at #23 in the National Universities category. Its business programs are especially well-regarded. The university is also famous for having the oldest and largest film school in the country. The thousands of undergraduate students at USC are spread out among majors in a grand total of 16 different schools and programs , listed below: Across these 16 schools, students can choose among 174 majors at last count . An exhaustive list of these majors , with links to additional information about each, is available. Since specifying your intended major is part of applying to USC, you’ll have to devote some time to researching the options before you apply. However, we can tell you that the most popular majors at USC are within the fields of business, social sciences, visual and performing arts, and engineering. Life on the USC campus is vibrant and packed with different opportunities. Athletics are an important part of the campus culture, with a number of varsity teams (known as the Trojans) having been extremely successful in recent years. USC’s honor is fiercely defended against such traditional rivals as nearby UCLA and the further-off Notre Dame . Even if you’re not a sports fan, with such a large and diverse student body from which to draw, USC’s student activities and organizations have something for everyone. Over 800 different student groups and organizations are officially recognized by the university. These include an engaged student government, an active fraternity and sorority scene with over 60 individual chapters, performing arts groups, cultural organizations, and volunteer opportunities. Outside of the campus,   students also have access to everything Los Angeles has to offer. The admissions process at USC is quite competitive; during the 2015-2016 application season, the university received a whopping total of over 54,000 applications for its undergraduate programs. 8,920 applicants were accepted, making the acceptance rate 16.2%. USC has not yet released enrollment numbers for the fall of 2016, but in most recent years, the number of students in the matriculating class has hovered around 3,000. All applicants to USC apply through the same basic application process, but depending on your intended major, which you will be required to specify on your application, you may be asked to complete additional materials i ncluding portfolios, videos, essays, auditions, or course prerequisites. When you’re getting ready to apply, it’s important that you thoroughly research the requirements for your particular intended major so that you can make an informed decision. In addition to first-year applicants, USC accepts applications from students at other colleges who wish to transfer to USC. In recent years, the university has received about 8,000 transfer applications per year, and has accepted approximately 25% of these applicants. When USC evaluates your application, it takes into account both your academic and other achievements, and your potential to be a good fit for the USC environment. Successful applicants are generally quite strong academically and have taken challenging courses in high school. Leadership and community involvement are important factors, as is â€Å"intellectual curiosity.† As a university with strong programs in the arts, USC also appreciates students who will bring creative talents to the campus, whether as arts majors or in addition to their other studies. The estimated cost of attendance at USC for the 2016-2017 school year is $69,711, $51,442 of which accounts for tuition. This estimate is meant to cover the entire cost of a student’s attendance for a year, including room and board as well as books, transportation, and personal expenses, but it may vary from student to student, especially for the many students who choose to live off-campus after their first year. Also, some majors and programs require additional fees. About two-thirds of USC’s undergraduate students receive some kind of financial assistance , need-based or merit-based, to cover the cost of their education. Need-based financial aid options include grants, loans, and work-study. Merit-based scholarships include a number of different scholarship programs , and about 22% of students at USC receive some kind of merit-based scholarship. Athletic scholarships are also offered to some incoming students, and may be awarded either as a specific dollar amount or as a percentage of the cost of attendance. Admissions to USC is need-blind for students from the United States, meaning that neither a student’s indication that they will apply for financial aid, nor the amount of aid they require, will affect that student’s admissions decision. For international applicants , admission to USC is need-aware , and international applicants will need to submit documentation certifying that they have the funds to pay for college. Need-based financial aid is not available for international students. However, international applicants are still considered for certain merit-based scholarships, and may have other options to privately finance their educations. Applicants who are undocumented students living in the state of California have some additional funding options. Under the California Dream Act, these students may be eligible for certain California state grants if they have attended a California high school and will be attending a California college. Students who receive these grants may also gain access to additional funding from USC, though the amount of funding available is limited. Domestic students can apply for need-based financial aid by submitting the FAFSA and the CSS Profile , both of which are due by February 14th. Residents of California should also apply for the Cal Grant state financial aid program by March 2nd. After the initial application is submitted, financial aid applicants will need to provide their family’s income tax documents to USC as soon as possible. Additional documents may be requested by the Financial Aid Office under certain circumstances, and these documents should be submitted to the office within 10 days of when the request is made.   Ã‚   Transfer applicants to USC who are from the United States will have to submit the same forms to apply for need-based financial aid, but their FAFSA and CSS Profile forms will be due on March 2nd along with the Cal Grant application. A number of merit-based scholarships are also available to USC students, whether or not they receive need-based aid. (Need-based aid may be reduced if a student receives a merit scholarship as well.) These scholarships range from awards of $1,000 to full-tuition coverage. Some scholarships are open to transfer applicants as well as first-year applicants. Students are automatically considered for some merit scholarships based upon the information they submit in their applications, but other scholarship programs require students to specifically apply to the program itself. A detailed list of USC’s academic scholarship options and requirements for the 2017-2018 school year is available, along with information about how to apply for each scholarship. In some ways, the process of applying to USC as a first-year undergraduate is simpler than at many other schools. All applicants use the same application form — the Common Application — and all apply on the same timeline, since USC has no Early Decision or Early Action option. Most first-year undergraduate applicants to USC will need to submit their admissions applications by January 15th at the latest, and most applicants will receive their admissions decisions by early April.    However, since USC is comprised of a rather large number of distinct schools and programs, application deadlines and requirements for different majors vary. You’ll need to submit your application by December 1st if you’re applying to USC’s undergraduate programs in Dramatic Arts, Cinematic Arts, or Music; the Kaufman School of Dance; the Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation; or the World Bachelor of Business program at the Marshall School of Business. Each undergraduate department may have additional admissions requirements with additional deadlines; USC’s list of additional major requirements is available for viewing. In addition to these program deadlines, if you would like to be considered for merit scholarships , you’ll need to submit your admissions application by the December 1st deadline. Applicants selected to interview for or receive merit scholarships will be contacted by USC in February. If you apply by December 1st and aren’t selected for a merit scholarship, your application will still be considered for admission, and you’ll hear back about your decision in early April. Students who have already completed some college courses can apply to transfer to USC. Just as with first-year students, applicants will submit the Common Application and supporting materials, which may vary depending on which undergraduate program they’d like to join. The application deadline for most transfer students is February 1st, or December 1 for transfer applicants to the School of Dramatic Arts, the Kaufman School of Dance, the Thornton School of Music, and the Iovine and Young Academy, as well as some programs within the School of Cinematic Arts.    Again, some departments have different or additional admissions requirements and forms to fill out, and prospective transfer students can check out the requirements for their program . You’ll be contacted by USC, either with an admissions decision or with a request for spring-semester grades, by June 1st. Now that we’ve introduced you to the USC application procedure, we’ll go over the school-specific questions that USC will expect you to answer on the Common App. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. As you probably already know, the Common Application is an online application system that allows you to enter all your basic information only once and send that information to multiple schools. For some help navigating the Common App, you can refer to the User’s Guide to the Common App , as well as our targeted posts regarding how to fill out the sections on your demographics , citizenship , academics , activities , awards , and more. In addition to the standard Common App questions, you’ll need to answer a number of questions that are specific to USC, and possibly even some that are specific to your intended major . To access these questions, you’ll first need to add USC to your My Colleges list within your Common App account. Once you’ve done so, navigate to your My Colleges page and click on USC. You’ll see the following page, illustrated by a screenshot from our sample student’s profile: On the left, under the USC tab and the heading that says Application, click on the word Questions. You’ll see the following screen: As you can see, there are four separate sections of questions for you to answer, labeled General, Academics, Family, and Other Information. Click on the section headers to access the questions in each section, or click Continue to move on to the next section. For the General section, you’ll answer the following questions: For the Academics section, you’ll answer the following question: For the Family section, you’ll answer the following questions: Finally, for the Other Information section, you’ll respond to the following prompts: Once you’ve finished filling out these questions, you’ll move on to the second part of USC’s supplement to the Common App. This part is often referred to as the â€Å"Writing Supplement,† but it’s more complicated than that — in addition to USC-specific essays, you’ll need to answer a number of short-answer questions and also provide additional information about your academic background. To get to USC’s Writing Supplement, look in the left-hand column under USC’s name. You’ll see a heading that says Writing Supplement, and underneath that heading, the word Questions. Clicking on Questions will bring up the following screen: As with the questions you’ve already answered, the questions in the Writing Supplement will be grouped into a number of sections. First, you’ll address the prompts under the Writing Questions section. Take a look at our blog post How to Write the USC Essays 2016-2017 for a detailed breakdown of these essay prompts and short-answer questions, along with some guidance on how to go about answering them. As you may have noticed from the screenshot above, our sample applicant has been given an additional essay prompt: â€Å"Explain your educational and career interests and why Annenberg is the best match for you.† You may or may not see this prompt when you apply, because this prompt is another example of the responsiveness of the USC application. The sample applicant is receiving this particular essay prompt because they indicated that their first-choice major was within USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. You may be presented with a different essay prompt, depending on your intended major, or you may not find an essay prompt here at all. For more information about the individual requirements you’ll encounter for each major, check out USC’s list of additional major requirements . Next, you’ll move on to the Academic History section, as shown below: Below this question, you’ll see this list of sections: In each of these sections, you’ll self-report information about each academic class you’ve taken from grade 9 to grade 11. For instance, the 9th Grade English, Literature, or Composition Courses section will ask you the following questions: Follow the directions and enter your high school course information here. (If your school doesn’t have a Semester 3, don’t worry about it — you don’t need to fill in every single field.) Make sure to give yourself adequate time to fill out this section. You’ll probably also want to have a copy of your transcript in front of you to make the data entry easier. Along with the Common App with USC-specific questions and essays, all applicants to USC must submit the following: In addition to these general application components, many of the individual undergraduate programs and majors at USC have additional requirements. These range from portfolios and auditions for programs in the arts, to video submissions and additional essays, to prerequisite courses you must have already taken in high school. For some majors and programs, your additional required essays will automatically be provided to you on the Common App once you specify your intended major, as we discussed above. If you complete a requirement using the Common App, you don’t need to additionally submit it in any other way. You can visit the USC admissions website to go over the additional requirements and due dates for each undergraduate program and major. Admissions interviews are not a requirement to apply to USC, and in an average year, less than 20% of USC applicants elect to schedule an interview. The university states that data from past years shows no real difference in acceptance rates between applicants who interview and applicants who don’t. However, USC does encourage applicants to take advantage of on- or off-campus interview opportunities if they can. Applicants who are able to visit the USC campus may be able to schedule on-campus interviews. Program-specific interviews are not available for every undergraduate program at USC, but all visiting applicants can interview with USC’s general Office of Undergraduate Admissions, or choose between the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Marshall School of Business, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and the Viterbi School of Engineering. If you’re planning on visiting campus this fall and would like to take advantage of an on-campus interview, you can check out your options on the USC website . Keep in mind that you’re only permitted to have one admission interview, so you’ll need to think carefully about which program you’d like to interview with. You don’t need to have already submitted your application in order to schedule an interview. USC also conducts off-campus interview sessions in a number of major cities across the United States during the fall application season. If you’re able to make it to one of these cities, you can schedule an interview with an admissions officer, just as you would on campus. Take a look at this website to start the process of setting up an off-campus interview . Again, the number of undergraduate programs that offer program-specific interviews is limited, and availability will vary from city to city, but if you’re not able to interview with your specific program, you can always interview with the general Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Since even off-campus USC interviews are only available within the United States, international applicants who are not able to visit USC have an additional option. These applicants are invited to submit interviews through Vericant, a third-party evaluator with whom USC contracts. (You can use a different third-party interview service if you prefer.) If you’re interested, you can learn more about this process . You should bear in mind that this process will involve additional costs not covered by your USC application fee. Since USC does not have an Early Action or Early Decision application program, most first-year USC applicants will hear back about their admissions decisions at the same time, in early April. (As we mentioned, some students may be contacted earlier if they’re selected for certain merit scholarship programs.) If you’re accepted to USC at this time, you have to make up your mind as to whether to attend by May 1st. If you decide to enroll in the fall, you must notify USC through their online system and submit your non-refundable $300 enrollment deposit by this date. You’ll also need to take care of applying for housing and signing up for an orientation program, about which you can get more information . You may be rejected by USC, in which case you’ll need to move on to other college plans , but may be able to reapply as a transfer student in the future. However, there’s a third option at USC, and unlike at many other schools, it’s not a waitlist . A certain number of USC applicants will be neither rejected nor accepted for the fall term. Instead, they’ll be accepted, but on a delay — they’ll have to wait until the spring semester to attend. If you’re applying to USC during the 2016-2017 application season and receive admission for the spring semester, that would mean that you’d enter the university in the spring of 2018. If you have more questions about how spring admissions work, you can learn more . One thing to keep in mind is that if you accept admission for the spring semester, there is a chance that a slot will open up in the fall class and you’d be able to enter in the fall as you originally intended. Few students are able to make this move each year, but you’ll only be considered for these fall slots if you have already indicated that you’ll attend in the spring. Should you agree to start attending USC in the spring if you’re offered spring admission ? It depends. If you’re certain that USC is your top choice, enough so that you’re willing to wait a while longer, spring admission may be worth it for you. You’ll still get to attend USC and have access to all the same opportunities as students who are admitted in the fall. Some students end up finding their â€Å"time off† before starting at USC very enjoyable and enriching, similar to a gap year . They may use that time to take community college courses, travel, work, or explore other interests. However, accepting spring admission to USC does mean reassessing your post-high-school plans somewhat. Spring admits may or may not graduate â€Å"on time† with the rest of the class of 2021, though taking transferable courses somewhere else prior to coming to USC can help. Some students are concerned about social and extracurricular opportunities, and others simply don’t want to wait to start their college careers. In the end, the choice is up to you as to whether the spring admissions program is a good fit for your needs. Are you excited at the prospect of becoming a USC Trojan? You can learn more about USC’s 16 undergraduate schools and programs on the USC admissions page . Remember, your prospective program choice is considered as part of your application , so you’ll need to make sure you know what your options are. Whether you’re applying to USC or elsewhere, getting through the college application process is a lot of work, and there’s no shame in seeking help to navigate this stressful (but potentially rewarding) time. Let ’s admissions experts help ensure that your applications showcase your achievements and make you as competitive of a candidate as possible. Fill out the form below for a free initial consultation!

Animal testing and research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Animal testing and research - Essay Example Animals thus provides medium for prerequisite test to prove the efficacy of the vaccine in question in human beings. Notwithstanding, the belief has been informed to construe that substitutes of the animals are available for the same (Grayson and Library 145). Initially, animals testing were done without any consideration on the life sanctity of the animals, suffering of the animals either was not considered an issue as the main concern was the study. Fortunately, with the enactment of laws regarding the animals, the animals’ rights have been established to ensure that just like human beings they are protected. The establishment of the laws necessitated research on possible alternatives that were not animals which includes; synthetic skins called corrositex, computer modeling, improved statistical design and the Murine Local Lymph Nodes Assay (LLNA) (Grayson and Library 167). The efforts to avoid the use of actual animals in research is aimed at what is dubbed three Rs; Refin ement, Reduction and Replacement (Grayson and Library 172). The sole purpose of involving animals in testing the efficacy of drugs is to reduce the number of drugs that are tested on human beings. Drugs can only be tested on humans after it has passed the animals models, this means that any drug that fails to meet the required standards do not reach the human trials. These standards may be that they do not elicit enough immune response or proved to be poisonous and is notorious of killing living cells. In such a case, the drugs trials will halt at animals testing (Grayson and Library 197).

Global Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Issue - Essay Example In the same cases, there is a reduction in the consumption and the ultimate increase in the savings as a share of GDP. The weakening in the rates of growth in the richest countries, and in parallel, the improvements in the rate of growths in the countries that are regarded as developing, automatically leads to a reduction on income inequality on the global scale. The inequalities between individuals within every country have a significant impact on a global level of inequalities. It is the degree of life’s variation including various levels of biological organization. Biodiversity considers several diversity existing among various species of plants and animals that live in a particular place. Biodiversity is necessary for the biological cycle in earth. Therefore, its existence is of great concern to humans. Humans should get concerned on biodiversity because the system is like a â€Å"chain creation†. If one part of the cycle goes wrong, then it puts the entire ecosystem in jeopardy, and the whole food web can be destroyed. Man is found at the top of the food chain, and if all other species below get affected or extinct in the process, the ecosystem will be hard for a man to survive. Therefore, biodiversity should be preserved in the environment. The use of rebel organism as an alternative source of energy seems the disastrous to the earthed ecosystem. The organism utilizes the nutrients that are underused thus shifting the environment away from the usual state that man has adapted. Climate change is very real in the modern world. Over several years, the climate of the earth has been changing throughout. Most of the variations seen in the global climate are linked to small variations in the orbit and accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The evidence indicating global changes of climate is compelling and includes the rising sea levels by approximately seventeen centimeters, global increase in temperatures, the ever warming of the oceans,

In-Depth Audience Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

In-Depth Audience Analysis - Research Paper Example Alexandria is situated in the suburbs of the capital city of the country; it is in a very strategic place to receive the best concentration of goods band other quality services that will grow the economy in the community of Virginia. The stakeholders and the persons abiding in the society of Virginia are one of the highest profile ranked employees of the national government. Therefore the town will grow and have a high income due to the value of goods and other high income drawers in the society (Howell, 2011). Therefore the infrastructure in the area is excellent because it is very strategic from the Washington DC the capital of the United States of America. The state’s major favors are also targeted to the society such as the major governmental offices are situated in the area of Alexandria. The government offices are like the Trademark office that was transferred to Alexandria. This shows that Alexandria from the views of stakeholders and audience should be of appraisal to the federal government over the major favors to the community. Question Two – Analysis of the Community Stakeholders and Audience The demographics of Alexandria in the Northern Virginia represent it to be not a very populated society due to the standards of living of the inhabitants of the persons living in that community. The persons who abide in the society of Alexandria are highly ranked persons in the government of the USA and the most inhabitants are personnel from the defense department including the naval center for analysis. The geographical position of the Alexandria society is very strategic in such a manner that it can receive major governmental offices by the government of the United States of America. The short distance the society of Alexandria is from the capital city of the country gives it more advantage to get more favors from the federal government. This gives the society the high economic value according to the good business position of the society (Howell , 2011). Therefore the society of Alexandria is a very strategic state in terms of economy due to the nearness to the business center of the country of America. The lifestyles that are exhibited by the residents of Alexandria are much higher of admirable opportunities by the other persons in all other societies around the country (Smith, 2009). This is because the society is endowed with high rank restaurants and products that are of high caliber persons in the society. This will make the attitudes of the inhabitants of the Alexandria society and their lifestyle that is very high. This is facilitated by the nearness of the society to the capital of the country USA where the state gets a variety of favors from the federal government of the United States of America. On the social scene of the society of Alexandria that is in the Northern Virginia the persons who live in this area must have very improved social standards due to the improved social gathering areas that are endowed by th e society of Alexandria. It is a tourist attraction area and has very improved restaurants. The usergraphics of the Alexandria society are of major importance so as to define the regions of domain of the society that is to be occupied by the inhabitants of the society (Smith, 2009). The webographics are incorporated in the communication and the technological position of t

3.Using an extended example critically discuss the view that a sector Essay - 2

3.Using an extended example critically discuss the view that a sector matrix gives a better strategic understanding of product markets than the concepts of product or commodity chains - Essay Example the incorporation of both value chain analysis and commodity chain analysis, sector matrix analysis stands out as the most effective tool for businesses to generate better strategic understanding of product markets (Froud, Johal, Leaver and Williams, 2006). The sector matrix offer information about complex product markets unlike commodity chain analysis that is based on a linear analysis. This study will first expose the inherent weaknesses in the commodity chain analysis that makes the model ineffective in the modern product markets before embarking on suitability of sector matrix as the preferred tool that should be used to determine business policies. A commodity chain for any given product covers the necessary processes that take place to ensure at the end of the undertaken activities is a finished product. Since the development of commodity chain analysis, researchers have identified number of issues that limits the ability of the concept to provide an up to date analysis of product market situations (Kutting, 2004). This criticism has not only been from scholars outside the commodity chain perspective, but also from within. For instance, the different perspectives by scholars who use the commodity chains concept has resulted in the presence of two schools of thought where there are those in favour of the traditional world systems approach who are attributed with the introduction of commodity chain concept. The other school of thought that includes scholars such as Gary Gereffi and colleagues are in favour of a more encompassing tool for analysis and are therefore credited with the introduction of the global commodity chain (Ba ir, 2005). For instance, the transformation brought by globalization can be experienced when in the clothing industry the raw material is harvested in India but manufactured into yarn in Portugal. The yarn is then transported to Taiwan for colouring then to Poland where it is weaved. The other parts like buttons and rivets are

Online sex offenders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online sex offenders - Essay Example One of the studies revealed that majority of the online sex offenders have testified to contact sexual activities with their victims who are majorly children. For this reason, all online sex offenders should be held accountable for their actions by facing the full wrath of the law. Furthermore, they should be monitored even after serving their sentence because most of them tend to repeat the same offence. There are two types of online sex offenders; type one are those who knowingly take advantage of the innocence of the minors to seek for sexual activities. The second group is the offenders who unknowingly interact with the minors thinking that they are adult. This second group is tricky because the children propagate the act. However, irrespective of the group, all of them are liable for prosecution because it is believed that all the adults must practice responsible sexual relationships. The online sex offenders upon realizing that their prey is a child they employ various tactics with the sole purpose of winning their trust. Majority of them start with an informal introduction where they portray themselves as humble, reliable and trustworthy individual who can be available to assist the minor in handling emotional issues. After getting to know the minor, the offender takes advantage of them by using the information gathered to seduce the child. At this point, the offender exchange pornographic materials such as the videos and pictures to the minor with the goal of luring them into sexual activities.in addition, some even organizes with the minors for meeting where they engage in physical sexual activities. Lack of proper protection laws provides a platform for these culprits to proceed with this vice without being held accountable. Minor solicitation is acts where by individuals who are more than eighteen years old utilize internet to involve minors in sexual activities. The law dictates that there

Flat Tax in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Flat Tax in UK - Essay Example Central government, however, generates its revenues mainly from income tax, national insurance contributions, value added tax, corporation tax and fuel duty. Definition: "A flat tax, also called a proportional tax, is a system that taxes all entities in a class (typically either citizens or corporations) at the same rate (as a proportion of income), as opposed to a graduated, or progressive, scheme. The term flat tax is most often discussed in the context of income taxes."(Expert Report 2005) At first confined to academic conversation and a few small islands, the flat tax has lately been introduced in numerous of the ex-communist countries of middle Europe, counting latest members of the European Union. Additionally, Poland has announced its intention to adopt a flat tax system. As a result far none of the 'old' EU nations has taken this step, though Ireland is introducing a flat tax for companies (Feldstein). Hypothetically we could calculate an average rate of tax under the current multi-rate system, and charge everyone this rate under the flat tax. Though this would consequence in taxpayers (mainly the lower earners) paying more tax. In practice so most flat tax systems propose a single rate approximately the similar as, or lower than, the existing standard rate. This means that no-one will pay additional tax on the transition to a flat tax. Remove most tax allowances and deductions One of the advantages of the flat rate is its minimalism, in that taxpayers and collectors only have to use one rate of tax in their calculations. This straightforwardness is usually extended by removing mainly of the exact tax deductions surrounded by the accessible system that try to give stipend for exact circumstances or incentives for exacting activities. In part this removal of allowances is sensible since once a single low flat rate is introduced they turn out to be less important (HM Treasury, 2003). Greatly increased personal allowance The individual allowance is the basic amount that every taxpayer is allowed to earn free of tax. The majority flat tax proposals engage an important augment in this amount, first and foremost to make sure that all low earners are better off under the flat tax system (in lots of cases by being taken out of the tax net in total), even subsequent abolishing a lot of the precise allowances (Richard Teather). Apparently a flat tax will decrease the largely tax take, at least originally, unless it is set at the present average rate (in which case a lot of taxpayers would pay additional under the reforms than they do at present). Certainly raising the individual allowance considerably will also result in a substantial loss of tax revenue. But how much The majority people

Fallacies Assignment Essay Example for Free

Fallacies Assignment Essay The source in question is a response to the episode of â€Å"Oprah† that featured an â€Å"expose† of puppy mills. The person posting to the site makes several arguments that attempt to support the claim that animal breeders are responsible for pet overpopulation, all based on fallacies. Overall, the writer makes an appeal to the readers’ emotions. One such argument is that â€Å"Ive volunteered in the rescue trenches for over ten years of non-stop blood, sweat and mostly tears. † This statement is not only an appeal to emotion due to the â€Å"mostly tears† statement, but it is also an appeal to emotion in that it focuses on the negative aspects of rescue and with the reference to being â€Å"in the trenches,† the writer compares being in rescue to war (par. 3). The writer makes an appeal to authority, citing Oprah as an example of the desirability of adopting a pet, stating that â€Å"she has been educated† and that â€Å"if [Oprah’s] who she appears to be† that she would adopt her next pet (par. 6). The writer follows up this appeal to authority with an ad ignorantiam, with the question â€Å"how could she not? † implying that adoption would be the only way that a reasonable person, in this case, Oprah, would acquire another pet. In addition, the writer makes a red herring argument about the nature of the purebred dog, stating that it is a manipulated creature and therefore is not worth having. How this argument relates to the argument about overpopulation is never made clear, other than that it demonizes breeders and owners of purebred animals. Finally, the writer makes two statements of innuendo. The first of these is the implication that the reader and Oprah are both foolish if they don’t realize that Oprah can get her purebred Cocker Spaniels from sources other than a breedernot pausing to make the connection that all purebreds have their origin with a breeder, good or bad. The writer also makes the comment that she challenges the reader to volunteer with a breed rescue to get â€Å"a big dose of reality,† implying that the reader is ignorant and that only by doing what the writer has already done can the reader understand the â€Å"truth. † The entire post made by the writer is based on fallacies; there is not a single attempt to support these assertions with fact. Although there is some good argument for adopting a pet from a shelter, the writer seems to prefer to make arguments that will either inflame or confuse the reader, rather than providing good information to the reader. Reference Not all breeders are bad. (2008). Message 17. Retrieved from http://www. oprah. com/community/message/370577 17. Re: NOT ALL BREEDERS AND PETSTORES ARE BAD Apr 6, 2008 3:38 PM The bottom line is that it doesnt matter. The bottom line is that we are in a huge, crushing pet overpopulation crisis. HUGE. How is that conveniently ignored by the people who make more dogs for money? Ask yourself, What is your pet stores motive? Money. Ironically, thats what matters the most in all business. Sure there are responsible breeders. But who cares? These responsible breeders are still part of the problem: adding more pets into a pet overpopulation crisis of unbelievable proportions. Youre still dealing with a really unethical issue here making more dogs for money while millions die. Can you ignore that? How can you make that o. k. in your mind? Ive volunteered in the rescue trenches for over ten years of non-stop blood, sweat and mostly tears. I can sit here right now and tell everyone reading this that you can adopt any kind of dog you want. Any kind. Big or small. Whatever breed. You know why? Because owners are irresponsible and dump the pets like so much garbage because theyre moving. Or theyre having a baby. Or whatever else stupid reasons Ive heard. Its a disposable society. There are rescues working for nothing to save these animals. Who are you going to believe has the best interests of the animals at heart? The non-profit rescues, or the Pet Store/Breeder industries who are in it for one reason only: to make money? The breeders will tell you that theyre doing it for the preservation of the breed or some such thing. The truth is that there are are a whole lot of these same purebreds dying because there arent enough homes. The purebred rescues dont have any shelter facilities they cant afford them, just like any rescue cant. They rely soley on foster homes. When youre full, youre full. So for those of you thinking, Well, the rescues will save them, it just isnt true. There are just too many. Finally, lets think about what a purebred dog is. Its an animal that has been manipulated by man through breeding practices to have certain traits that man wants. Thats all. Purebreed dogs were never just naturally born that way. They were manipulated over the years to become breeds by men. So if you truly want a purebred dog, theres only one: Natures purebred. Never manipulated, never messed with. Thats why mutts are always healthier and have natural immune systems. Thats why Golden Retrievers have such a high incidence of Hip Dysplasia, for example. As for Oprah, she has been educated. All of us, at one point in our lives, didnt know what we know now. If shes who she appears to be, then she will adopt her next Cocker from a Cocker rescue. How could she not. (Btw, there are three Cocker Rescues in the city I live in, two Golden rescues, two Doxie rescues and it goes on and on just like that with every breed. ) To suggest that Oprah could have only gotten her PURE BREED Cocker Spaniel from a breeder is absolutely ignorant and completely ludacris. You are clueless as to what is really going on out there. People dump their animals (which they bought from pet stores and breeders) and the rest of us who care about them and not money are left to care for these innocent animals. A dog is a precious gift, not a purchase that has monetary value and as such, can be thrown away or sold again through the paper. Sorry! I suggest a big dose of reality. I challenge you to go and volunteer for your local Cocker Spaniel rescue. You will not ever be the same again and one day, you will wonder how you could have worked in a Pet Store that sells animals. Ever hear of Petsmart? Huge corporation. They refuse to sell animals. Ask yourself why. And please, go educate yourself. I took in a scarred up two year old Shar Pei mix whom I found wandering on an Indian Reservation. She is the most loving, loyal, gentle, silly, playful and amazing dog anyone could hope for. Are you actually going to tell me that her life is worth less than a purebred Cocker Spaniel from your store Her life and the life of the dogs in your store are all priceless. PRICELESS. Get it? Lets start changing our thinking, people, for the sake of all animals. Until there are no more; adopt. Dont Breed or Buy while Homeless Animals Die. Sorry, but Pet Stores and Breeders are losing ground and for good reason..

Founders Of Infosys Technologies Limited Commerce Essay

Founders Of Infosys Technologies Limited Commerce Essay Narayana Murthy is the Non-Executive Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Limited. He is a living legend and an epitome of the fact that honesty, transparency, and moral integrity are not at variance with business acumen. He set new standards in corporate governance and morality when he stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Infosys at the age of 60. Born on August 20, 1946, N.R. Narayana Murthy is a B.E. Electrical from University of Mysore (1967) and M.Tech from IIT Kanpur (1969). Narayan Murthy began his career with Patni Computer Systems in Pune. In 1981, Narayana Murthy founded Infosys with six other software professionals. In 1987, Infosys opened its first international office in U.S.A. With the liberalization of Indian economy in 1990s, Infosys grew rapidly. In 1993, the company came up with its IPO. In 1995, Infosys set up development centers across cities in India and in 1996, it set up its first office in Europe in Milton Keynes, UK. In 1999, Infosys became the first Indian company to be listed on NASDAQ. Today (in 2006), Infosys has a turnover of more than $ 2billion and has employee strength of over 50,000. In 2002, Infosys was ranked No. 1 in the Best Employers in India 2002 survey conducted by Hewitt and in the Business Worlds survey of Indias Most Respected Company. Conducted in the same year. Along with the growth of Infosys, Narayana Moorthy too has grown in stature. He has received many honors and awards. In June 2000, Asiaweek magazine featured him in a list of Asias 50 Most Powerful People. In 2001, Narayana Murthy was named by TIME/CNN as one of the 25 most influential global executives. He was the first recipient of the Indo-French Forum Medal (2003) and was voted the World Entrepreneur of the Year 2003 by Ernst and Young. The Economist ranked Narayana Murthy eighth on the list of the 15 most admired global leaders (2005) and Narayan Murthy also topped the Economic Times Corporate Dossier list of Indias most powerful CEOs for two consecutive years 2004 and 2005. StartUp (http://www.citehr.com/118434-amazing-infosys-story-how-infosys-born.html) April 26, 2004 What makes Infosys tick? Extract from Infosys Technologies co-founder and CEO Nandan M Nilekanis interview to CIOL: Actually when Infosys was formed, all of us were working with Patni in Mumbai and Narayan Murthy was our boss there, heading the software group. The group strongly felt that there is a need to create a very professional company, one that was based on very strong ethics and values. We also wanted to create a company that really valued people. That is how we started. The fact of the matter is that there were many such companies that started at the same time during early 80s, however, what made us different was that we stuck it out-we realized that it was not a sprint but a marathon and we were long distance runners. We went through difficult times, but none of us digressed from the common vision. All of us believed that Infosys was bigger than any of us and we were willing to subordinate our egos and our desire to larger boats. I think that determination to create a world-class company, to stick together, willingness to keep Infosys ahead of any individual-perhaps these are the charact eristic not many people and companies had to the extent we had. Thats why we were able to last the marathon for last 23 years. Infosys Technologies is one of the few Indian companies that has changed the way the world looks at India. No longer is India a land of snake charmers and beggars. It is now perceived as an economic giant to reckon with, bursting with brilliant software engineers and ambitious entrepreneurs. And Infosys is an symbol of Indias information technology glory. Infosys has many firsts to its name: The first Indian firm to list on Nasdaq; the first to offer stock options to its employees. . . The company crossed $1 billion in revenues for the first time in 2004. TCS, however, was the first Indian IT firm to top $1-bn in revenues. Infosys is an organisation that inspires awe and respect, globally. On July 2, Infosys completed 25 years in existence. This is its amazing success story, illustrated by rare photographs. The idea of Infosys was born on a morning in January 1981. That fateful day, N R Narayana Murthy and six software engineers sat in his apartment debating how they could create a company to write software codes. Six months later, Infosys was registered as a private limited company on July 2, 1981. Infosys co-founder N S Raghavans house in Matunga, northcentral Mumbai, was its registered office. It was then known as Infosys Consultants Pvt Ltd. What was the companys starting capital? US $250. Murthy borrowed $250 from his wife Sudha to start the company. The front room of Murthys home was Infosys first office, although the registered office was Raghavans home. Who were Murthys six friends who joined hands to launch Infosys? Nandan Nilekani, N S Raghavan, S Gopalakrishnan, S D Shibulal, K Dinesh and Ashok Arora. Are all of them still the founding directors? Murthy is currently chief mentor and chairman while Nilekani is the chief executive officer and managing director. Gopalakrishnan, Shibulal and Dinesh are directors. Raghavan retired as joint managing director in 2000. He is currently the chairman of the advisory council of the N S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Ashok Arora worked for the company till 1988 and left after selling his shares in the then unlisted company back to the other promoters. He moved to the United States where he now works as a consultant. Murthy was always broke Murthy was always broke. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I dont have money with me, you pay my share, will return it to you later. For three years, I maintained a book of Murthys debts to me. No, he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after our wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4,000. An excerpt from Sudha Murthys reminiscences. She is the wife of Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy. Those days, Murthy wanted to do something with his life, but he had no money. Murthy was married to Sudha on February 10, 1978, while he was working with Patni Computers. In 1981, it was Murthys idea to start Infosys. Murthy had a dream, and no money. So Sudha gave him Rs 10,000, which she had saved without his knowledge. Murthy and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981. No, it was not in Bangalore, but in Pune that Infosys set up its first office, in 1981. The house that Murthy and Sudha bought with a loan became the first Infosys office. As Murthy ran Infosys, Sudha took up a job as a systems analyst with the Walchand Group of Industries to support their household. In 1983, Infosys moved to Bangalore when it got its first client, Data Basics Corporation from the United States. The first mini computer arrived at Infosys in 1983. It was a Data General 32-bit MV8000. The very next year Infosys switched from mini to main frames with a CAMP application for a Data Basics customer A huge struggle, day in and day out When they began moving ahead with Infosys, the founders Murthy, Nilekani, Shibulal and the others took a firm decision that their wives would not be involved in the running of the company. So after Murthy, it was Nilekani and his wife Rohini who moved to Bangalore. But they had no house to stay. So the Nilekanis stayed with the Murthys at their Jayanagar home in Bangalore. Rohini took care of Murthys son as Sudha helped write software programmes for Infosys. There was no luxury, only struggle, day and night. They had no car, no phone. Murthy later recalled that it was not the luxuries of life, but the passion to create something new and innovative that made them keep going on and on and on. Despite the struggles, the Murthys, the Nilekanis and the other partners took time out for picnics in Bangalore The crisis, and how Infosys began to grow The first years of Infosys were not smooth. Most of the founders Murthy, Nilekani, Dinesh, Shibulal and Gopalkrishnan were into writing codes. And they wanted to make an impact in the American market. So Infosys got its first joint venture partners in Kurt Salmon Associates. Gopalakrishnan, who had spent time working in the United States, was the public face of the KSA-Infosys venture in America. But the joint venture collapsed in 1989, leaving Infosys in the lurch. Gopalakrishnan relives the memories of those days. We had nothing after eight years of trying to bring up a company. Those who studied with us had cars and houses, he says. The collapse of the KSA joint venture led Infosys to its first crisis. The company was on the verge of collapse. One of the founder-partners Ashok Arora was dejected with the way the company was going, and decided to quit. The others did not know what to do. But Murthy had the courage of conviction. If you all want to leave, you can. But I am going to stick (with it) and make it, Murthy told them. The other partners Nilekani, Gopalakrishnan, Shibulal, Dinesh and Raghavan decided to stay. And thus began to germinate the seeds of Infosys enormous growth. The Nasdaq listing It is said that Infosys began getting big breakthroughs from the US market. How? The initial foray of Infosys into the US market was through a company called Data Basics Corp as a body-shop or on-site developer of software for US customers. Later, Infosys formed a joint venture with Kurt Salmon Associates to handle marketing in the United States. Even today, Infosys derives about two-thirds of its revenue from the United States, serving corporate clients like Reebok, Visa, Boeing, Cisco Systems, Nordstrom and New York Life. Infosys is the largest publicly traded IT services exporter in India, providing services to 315 large corporations, such as GE and Nortel, predominantly in the USA. It was the first Indian company to list on the Nasdaq stock exchange in 1999. And the other Infosys group companies? Progeon Ltd: The Infosys BPO arm. Infosys Technologies (Shanghai) Company Limited: The companys base in China. Infosys Australia Pty Ltd: Infosys Australian venture. Infosys Consulting Inc: The companys foray into the consulting business. 25 years sheer determination, and growth In the last 25 years, Infosys has been growing and growing. Today, Infosys is Indias second largest software exporter. It now enjoys a strong liquidity position with over Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion) in assets, including surplus cash. During 2005-2006, the Infosys internal cash accruals more adequately covered working capital requirements, capital expenditure and dividend payments leaving a surplus of Rs 1,612 crore (Rs 16.12 billion). As on March 2006, the company had liquid assets including investments in liquid mutual funds of Rs 4,463 crore (Rs 44.63 billion). This collectively makes the liquidity strength of Infosys at Rs 6,078 crore (Rs 60.78 billion). Where are these funds parked? These funds have been deposited with banks, highly rated financial institutions and in liquid mutual funds. Infosys last year derived an average yield of 4.48 per cent (tax free) from these investments. The company received Rs 647 crore (Rs 6.47 billion) on exercise of stock options by employees and cash equivalents including liquid mutual funds increased by Rs 1,612 crore during 2005-06. Key milestones Year of Incorporation : 1981 Became a public limited company in India : 1992 ISO 9001/TickIT Certification : 1993 Attained SEI-CMM Level 4 : 1997 Listed on NASDAQ : 1999 Crossed $100 million in annual revenues : 1999 Attained SEI-CMM Level 5 : 1999 Crossed $400 million in revenues : 2001 Crossed $ half a billion in revenues : 2002 Crossed $ billion in revenues : 2004 Crossed $ 2 billion in revenues : 2006 Another Note on infosys INFOSYS CASE STUDY ÃÆ' ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Narayana Murthy and Infosys The case study ÃÆ' ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½Narayana Murthy and Infosys describes how Narayana Murthy, set up Indias leading software company Infosys. Narayana Murthy turned a small software development venture that he had set up with his friends in 1981, into one of the leading companies of the country. Infosys grew rapidly throughout the 1990s Narayana Murthy distributed the companys profits among the employees through a stock-option program, and adopted the best corporate governance practices. All this earned him praise and respect. In 1999, the company became the first Indian firm to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. In 2000, Infosys was poised to become a true global company.By 2000, Infosys market capitalization reached Rs.11 billion and by 2001, Infosys was one of the biggest exporters of software from India. Narayana Murthy had built an organization that was respected across the country, with very strong systems, high ethical values and a nurturing working atmosphere.In February 2001 , Infosys Technologies Ltd. (Infosys) was voted as the Best Managed Company in Asia in the Information Technology sector, in leading financial magazine Euromoneys Fifth Annual Survey of Best Managed Companies in Asia. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS With his sound management skills, Narayana Murthy seemed to have taken Infosys to the pinnacle of success with the following key success factors : 1. Leadership team : The leadership team needs to balance vision with practical experience. In most cases, a technology start-up will have a visionary and/or a technical genius (most often, these are the founders) in place from day one. However, all to often, the leadership team is not rounded out by people who actually know how to run a business and how to drive sales. Building a strong balanced team can be one of the trickier aspects of creating a successful start-up because it necessarily requires the visionary and the technical genius (founders) to admit their practical shortcomings and give up some of the control of the business. The idea behind a start-up is often somebodys baby and, quite naturally, they want to control every aspect of its development. Once you move these people away from micromanaging the business, the start-up begins to have a chance. 2. Well-conceived business plan : This is an area where the practical experience of a well-rounded leadership team gives the start-up a leg up. The business plan needs to be practical and detailed. The business plan provides the blueprint for the growth of the company. Perhaps more importantly, the business plan is how you demonstrate the viability of the business to third party investors. 3. A strong product : It is a given that the product needs to be special ÃÆ' ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ something that will differentiate itself from the universe of competing products but there are other important factors. Ideally, the product will be one that can be protected by patent. If the products cannot be protected by a patent, then the start-up has to be positioned to capitalize on being the first to market. Absent patent protection, being the first to market and capturing as much market share as you can before the copy-cats arrive is the next best thing. The product needs to have a ready market meaning that there is a market for it and that either there is no real competition or that the product allows the company to differentiate itself from the competition. 4. Scalability : The scalability of the business may not be critical to the success of every business, but it is critical to drive a start-up to a large scale business. In other words, if the goal is to become a large, valuable company, scalability is key. However, if the goal is a little less lofty, then scalability is a little less important. 5. Adequate capital :. Without adequate capital, the business will struggle. Perhaps the business will have phenomenal sales, but be unable to deliver the product. Or, the business may build the product, but lack the cash to adequately market it. Or the business will be unable to attract the leadership team it needs and the team it has is diluted to ineffectiveness. Or, the business is unable to capitalize on its first-to-market status. While it is true that the management team for a start-up has to be versatile and willing to wear different hats, a capital-starved start-up can force the dilution of the management team to the point of everything being done poorly. Quite obviously, in many cases, the luxury of having adequate capital does not exist from day one. Finding the capital in a timely way can be very difficult. The more that can be done to address the other four points, the easier it will be to find capital. Launch of Infosys Narayana Murthy obtained his Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Mysore in 1967 and his Masters degree in Technology from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur in 1969. He started his career as head of the computer centre at IIM, Ahmedabad.In 1972, he went to Paris where he was part of the team that designed a 400-terminal, real-time operating system for handling air cargo for Charles De Gaulle airport. Narayana Murthy was a left-wing activist and mingled with French communists during his stay in Paris but his outlook changed while traveling around Europe. He believed that the only way to pull India out of poverty was to create more jobs, by setting up new companies.In 1975, he returned to India and joined Systems Research Institute, Pune,(Maharashtra). He then headed Patni Computer Systems Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, (Maharashtra) before founding Infosys in 1981, along with six other professionals. The Strategist From the beginning, Narayana Murthy focused on the worlds most challenging market the US. He had two reasons for this. First, there was no market for software in India at the time. He believed that Indian software companies should export products in which they had a competitive advantage.In 1987, Infosys entered into a joint venture with Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA), a leading global management consultancy firm. KSA-Infosys was the first Indo-American joint venture in the US. People Management Analysts felt that one factor which helped Infosys to grow at a faster pace than others was the low employee turnover.The turnover rate at Infosys was around 11% as opposed to industry average for software companies of over 25% during the 1990s.Infosys retention capability was a function both of its rigorous selection procedures as well as proactive HRD practices. About 80% of the middle and senior level executives were promoted from within the organization Corporate Governance and Infosys Analysts felt that Infosys became one of the most respected companies in India, through its corporate governance practices, which were better than those of many other companies in India. Narayana Murthys move to adhere to the best global practices was driven by his vision to become a global player. Infosys adopted the stringent US Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) many years before other companies in India did Leaders in the Making Narayana Murthy set up a Leadership Institute in Mysore, India, to manage the future growth of Infosys. The institute aimed at preparing Infosys employees to face the complexities of a rapidly changing marketplace and to bring about a change in work culture by instilling leadership qualities. I would like to end with a comment from Sri Narayana Murthy: He said, ÃÆ' ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½It is our vision at Infosys, to create world-class leaders who will be at the forefront of business and technology in todays competitive marketplace This has been at the forefront of their corporate culture !!! 2. Company Profile Infosys Technologies Ltd. provides consulting and IT services to clients worldwide. Founded in 1981, the corporate headquarters are based in Bangalore, India. However, Infosys offices span the globe. Since incorporation, annual revenue has rapidly increased and it reached $500 billion in 2002. Unlike many other Indian IT companies, Infosys has concentrated on building applications and this has contributed to its global success. Infosys Technologies employs nearly 17,000 people worldwide, almost 10,000 of whom are software professionals. 116 new clients in the financial year (FY) 2002 added to the already prestigious list that includes Airbus, Cisco, Nordstrom and Boeing. Retail banking services account for around 4% of total revenue. The company vision is to be the best globally, commercially and ethically. As such, Infosys has developed a C-Life principle of core values that it aims to honour in all aspects of its business conduct.