Role of Technology in Retail Sector

Role of Technology in Retail Sector Today, in the 21st century, retailers all over the world are increasingly obtaining profit in return by delivering customer satisfaction through the adoption of many powerful technologies.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Role of Technology in Retail Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Indeed, technology has substantially shifted the landscape of the retail industry, as more retailers adopt and implement technological solutions that accentuate mobility, efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability (Delgado 2012; Fiorito et al 2010). The present paper attempts to discuss how technology is utilized in the retail sector, how it has impacted the retail business and its customers, and the critical technologies found in the retail industry. Technology is utilized in the retail sector in numerous ways not only to achieve profitability and competitiveness for the organization, but also to generate value for custome rs and change the relationship with customers and other trading agencies (Ko Kincade, 1997). Novel technologies such as Point-of-Sale (POS) systems can be utilized in the retail sector for efficient and effective transactions, proper accounting, â€Å"customer loyalty, CRM [Customer Relationship Management], PCI [Payment Card Industry] issues, back office transfers and receiving, time-keeping and scheduling, and task management†(Delgado, 2010 p. 10). Other technological solutions, such as the Retail Pro system and Microsoft Retail Management System, have been effectively used in retail to, among other things: minimize theft and human error; enhance efficiency and speed in the checkout process; provide extensive tracking of business transactions, discounts and products; avail up-to-date sales productivity statistics; facilitate inventory control and management; undertake purchase order management; and promote customer relationship management as well as payment processing solu tions (Delgado, 2010) Furthermore, some technological solutions such as e-business can be utilized to integrate emerging communication technologies with business processes and management practices via the internet, resulting in overall transformation of the relationships that retailers have with their customers, suppliers and other business partners (Bordonaba-Juste et al., 2012). In discussing the impact of technology on retail business and its customers, extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"web technologies help firms to understand customer needs, to customize products, to adopt product-market solutions, and to take customers’ orders† (Bordonaba-Juste et al., 2012 p. 533).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Retail businesses, in particular, are impacted by newer disruptive innovations such as e-business as they have to reorganize and restruct ure themselves continuously, with the view to integrating the technological solutions into their existing work processes to achieve profitability and competitiveness. Additionally, mobile payment programs have positively impacted the retail sector in terms of faster checkout times and the capacity by customers to receive e-mail receipts that are more convenient since they can be stored on a smart phone and accessed more easily than paper-based receipts (Delgado, 2010). Moving on, it is a well known fact that critical technologies in the retail sector have the capacity to tie a customer to a transaction, and consequently to a broad range of products, not only leading to the opening up of a new frontier for one-on-one marketing (Delgado, 2010), but also substantially changing the way business is conducted through availing important data both within the organization and to suppliers, channel partners and customers (Bordonaba-Juste et al., 2012). Such capabilities have been known to sig nificantly reduce customers’ search-related costs, facilitate the speed of reaction to important market information, provide a better shopping experience, decrease stock-out rate, improve inventory and replenishment rates, assist retailers to predict what is likely to occur and decide what to do next, and enhance access to new products in new channels, hence positively affecting the retailer’s bottom-line in terms of profits and competitive advantage (Fiorito et al., 2010; Ko Kincade, 1997; Puleri, 2011). However, a major negative impact of technology on retailers concerns the fact that â€Å"competitors are more numerous because the marketplace has no barriers and new entrants have access to a global market† (Bordonaba-Juste et al., 2012 p. 534). Another negative impact concerns the fact that some web-based technologies such as e-business avail critical market information not only to customers but also to competitors, implying that retailers must employ strate gies to ensure such information becomes a core competency rather than a disadvantage to the company (Barlow et al., 2004). In discussing the last section of the paper, which concerns the critical technologies found in the retail industry, it can be argued that quick response technologies such as electronic data interchange (EDI), bar-coding, and point-of-sale (POS) data capture act to improve inventory and replenishment rates, optimize the flow of information and merchandise between channel partners to optimize customer value and satisfaction, and improve turn of goods (Ko Kincade, 1997).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Role of Technology in Retail Sector specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is important to note the POS software solutions presently utilized in the retailing sector comprise â€Å" Retail Pro, Microsoft Retail Management System (RMS), and Keystroke POS, while examples of leading POS hardware sys tems are HP’s rp5800 Point of Sale solution, IBM’s SurePOS 500 system, and NCR’s RealPOS 25 system† (Delgado, 2010 p. 11). Other technologies currently used in the retail sector include smart phones, iPods, iPads, tablets, Quick Response (QR) codes, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Individually and collectively, these technologies are known to enhance mobility, efficiency and customer satisfaction, while also providing valuable product information and facilitating the capacity for the retailer to know how much inventory of any particular product they have, right down to size, quantity and color (Barlow et al., 2004; Delgado, 2010). Overall, it can be concluded that the adoption of emerging technologies is the right way to go for retailers in their attempt to revolutionalize the sector in not only achieving profitability and competitive advantage for the businesses, but also in enhancing customers’ value, satisfaction and ability to researc h any product offering and making purchases wherever and whenever they wish. References Barlow, A.K.J., Siddiqui, N.Q., Mannion, M. (2004). Developments in information and communication technologies for retail marketing channels. International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 32(3), 157-163. Bordonaba-Juste, V., Lucia-Palacios, L., Polo-Redondo, Y. (2012). Antecedents and consequences of e-business adoption for European retailers. Internet Research, 22(5), 532-550. Delgado, F.J. (2012). New retail technologies. Sporting Goods Business, 45(9), 10-13. Fiorito, S.S., Gable, M., Conseur, A. (2010). Technology: Advancing retail buyer performance in the 21st century. International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 38(11/12), 879-893.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ko, E., Kincade, D.H. (1997). The impact of quick response technologies on retail store attributes. International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 25(2), 90-98. Puleri, J. (2011). The future of technology in retail. Chain Store Age, 87(7), 22-22.

Judgement at Nuremberg analysi essays

Judgement at Nuremberg analysi essays Nuremberg Trials were trials conducted to put the surviving prominent German leaders on trial for various "war crimes". These trials were conducted by the govenments of United States, Soviet Union, Britain and France. The movie Judgement at Nuremberg depicts one of these trials. It seems the movie makers intention was to show that the people in the Justice Department should also be put on trial for aiding the killings of millions of people. It seems it the movie makers were playing devils advocate. They were trying to convey that these killings were wrong and unjustful and that everybody involved with it should be found guilt ( as seen at the end of the movie that all Judges are found guilty). But also the arguments presented by the defense are strong that could show that the Justices on trial were innocent as they abidded to the law that the time in their country. The prosecution's opening statement states that the individuals on the trial are guilty. They reason that these people were educated, before Nazis came to power. They cannot claim innocence like the young people who were coopted into Nazism. They had power to prevent this. But the defense argues that though the judges were educated they do not make law, but intrepret it and carry it out. That's what these individuals did and now they were on trial. It doesn't matter if they think that it is wrong or right. It seems here the director is trying to send a message saying that the judges that followed the laws of their country it was ok to kill somebody due to their race. So saying that each country's or culture has their own code of conduct. Also the defense lawyer mentions that if these Justices are on trial then all the German people should also be on trial. The director also shows that judge sent to Nuremberg for this case was probably not the best of the available. As he had just lost the elections, and not much liked. The director seems to be questioning this. ...

Evaluate emerging trends in organizational behavior related to Essay

Evaluate emerging trends in organizational behavior related to high-performance workplaces and stress management techniques - Essay Example An organizational culture refers to a system of shared actions, values and beliefs that is present among the members of an organization. For example the corporate culture of Apple computers values the importance of innovation and creativity. Stress can be defined as tension from extraordinary demands, constraints, or opportunities (Schermerhorn, et al., 2003). There different stressors that cause stress in the workplace. Some of those stressors include task demands, ethical dilemmas, physical setting, and interpersonal problems. There are different techniques managers are using to deal with stress in the workplace. An emerging technique that is helping a lot of workers deal with stress is wellness programs. A wellness program involves maintaining a balance between physical and mental health. Providing the employees of a company with a gymnasium is an example of a wellness initiative that can help reduce stress in the workplace. People can reduce their stress by practicing relaxation techniques, meditation, or yoga. A simple way managers can help reduce stress in the workplace is by having several short breaks during a workday. References Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2003). Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

What new problems arose for the Roman Empire during the first two Essay

What new problems arose for the Roman Empire during the first two centuries A.D - Essay Example lous reign of Augustus Caesar (63 B.C- 14 A.D), the empire underwent political and economic downturn under the Julio Claudio emperors; especially at the time of Nero (A.D 54-68). A major blaze devastated Rome in A.D 64 and subsequently Christians were brutally persecuted throughout the empire. It was followed by a number of rebellions until the emergence of Flavian dynasty. Although Vespasian (A.D 69-79) the first Flavian was a good ruler, Domitian (A.D 81-96) was brutal and notably inefficient. The period between A.D. 96 and A.D161 was comparatively peaceful under the emperors Nerva (A.D 96-98), Trajan (98-117), Hadrian (117-138), and Antonius Pius (138-161) respectively. Again the Empire fell in wars against Germanic tribes during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (A.D 161-180). His son and successor Commodus (180-192) being an unfaithful ruler left the great empire to terrible civil wars. The empire was literarily fragmented under various military groups and finally occupied by 7 different dynasties since 193 A.D. In short, during the first two centuries the Roman Empire experienced numerous

Office of Strategic Services Essay Example for Free

Office of Strategic Services Essay The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was created on June 13, 1942 by President Franklin Roosevelt after he decided that he needed a new and different form of espionage group modeled after a British Intelligence agency. The primary reason for the OSS was to gather enemy information, carry out sabotage operations, distribute propaganda to attack the enemies and plan out special operations for different agencies. Willam J.  Donovan was the head of OSS appointed by President Roosevelt, who soon began to recruit everyone he thought was necessary for the job including, consulting, British spy-master Lan Fleming, author of the popular series James Bond. Donovan was born on January 1, 1883 and was a very successful man outside of all of his military duty. He was a lawyer and intelligence officer outside of the battlefield but also was a Colonel during WWI and reached Major General during WWII. Donovan was also named the Coordinator Of Information (COI) and received multiple medals for all of his service including: Distinguished Service Medal, three Oak Leaf Cluster Medals, a Medal of Honor (MOH) and three Purple Hearts. Donovan died on February 8, 1959 and is now a part of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. The OSS was formed from the COI but half of its members stayed to work with the government for the Foreign Information Service (FIS). When the OSS first began, many people didnt like the group because they thought it to be taking over and it was actually banned from all Japanese intercepts and was only allowed to certain German intercepts under FBI terms. The Counterintelligence unit (X-2) was only allowed to operate in the Eastern Hemisphere where the FBI was operated in the Western Hemisphere. However, the British Intelligence services were very helpful to the OSS, understanding what they were going through, British Intelligence helped with OSS training, information and experience. The OSS was separated into three different branches, The Research and Analysis Branch, The Moral Operations Branch and The Labor Division. The Research and Analysis Branch was responsible for employing academics for plan strategies for future invasions. The Moral Operations Branch was responsible for producing all of the propaganda used to attack enemies and The Labor Division was responsible for discouraging activity within trade unions. There were also three, main functional branches which were made of the Special Operations (SO), the Secret Intelligence (SI) and the Counterintelligence (X-2). Weapons and spy gear were a big part of the OSS and all of their success. Donovan created in-house capability to fabricate tools and weapons but by the end of the war there were multiple labs which created mass-productions of weapons and spy gear for all of the OSS to use. There was a Research and Development Branch which was the main-inventing station for all weapons and gadgets. Stanley P. Lovell was in charge of the Research and Development Branch. The OSS is now the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and has the most responsibilities that the OSS did during WWII. The functions of the OSS were split between the Department of State and the Department of War. The State Department received the Research and Analysis Branch of OSS which was renamed the Interim Research and Intelligence Service and the War Department took over the Secret Intelligence (SI) and Counter-espionage (X-2) Branches. The OSS was dissolved September 20, 1945 by President Truman. Over the years, the OSS conducted successful espionage and sabotage operations in Europe and Asia along with employing almost 13,000 men and women.

Herpes Essay -- essays research papers

Herpes Herpes is one of the common of more than 30 different sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) in America today. Herpes is an infection that is caused by one of two closely related viruses, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both of which are very easily caught, have similar symptoms, and can occur on different parts of the body. Even though it is most common to see the virus HSV-1 appear as oral herpes and to see the virus HSV-2 appear as genital herpes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most often herpes is a relatively harmless disease that is rarely life threatening. The most common form of herpes is oral herpes and usually shows up on the lips or inside of the mouth as â€Å"cold sores† or â€Å"fever blisters†. Cold sores are common in young children who acquire them from being exposed to active cold sores of adults and other children. This form of herpes is annoying but harmless in both children and adult, but is however very harmful to a newborn. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish whether or not someone has been exposed to the other form of herpes, genital herpes. This is because there are very often no symptoms that go along with the virus. This is not always the case though and when symptoms do occur they are often seen as a cluster of blister sores, usually on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, or anus. For genital herpes, symptoms may last several weeks, go away but only to return again weeks, months, or even year s later. Symptoms may a...

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Under this contract, the customer selects the capital equipment or property (assets) to be nuanced by the bank and the bank then purchases these assets from the manufacturer or supplier and then leases them to the customer for an agreed period. In conformity with the Shari's, the owner of the assets (in this case the bank) must be paid rent (fixed or variable, as agreed by the lesson and lessee) and must exercise all the rights and obligations that are incidental to ownership such as maintaining, insuring and repairing the assets.The lessee, on the other hand, obtains the use of the asset for the period of the lease subject to paying the rent. The lessee may assume the obligations, such as maintaining, insuring and repairing the asset, in return for a reduced rent. 1 . 3. 2 What is Car Ajar? As mentioned above ‘Jar is basically the transfer of suffuses (defined below) of a fixed asset to another person for an agreed period, for an agreed consideration. Under a Car ‘Jar ag reement the car will be rented to the customer for the period agreed at the time of contract.Upon completion of the lease period the customer in the Means case discussed below, gets ownership of the car against his initial security deposit. Car ‘Jar is a Shari's-compliant car-leasing scheme. It is based on the principles of Jar and is completely free from the element of interest. This product is designed for interpretative individuals, looking for a car-financing scheme that helps in avoiding interest-based transactions. So Car ‘Jar is simply a rental agreement under which the car will be given to the customer in exchange for rent for a period, agreed at the time of the contract.Means Bank, based in Pakistan and a pioneer in this area, purchases the car and rents it out to the customer for a period of three, four or five years. Upon completion of the lease period the customer gets ownership of the car against his initial security deposit. Somewhat confusingly, the Means Car ‘Jar scheme has elements of ‘Jar WA Satin within it. In this case study I propose to follow the Means assumption in using ‘Jar in the sense that it involves car ownership at the end of the maturity of the deal. This is in line with Shari's methodology and terminology. . 3. 2. 1 What is Suffuses? Suffuses is the right of enjoying a thing, the property of which is vested in another, and to draw from the same all the profit, utility and advantage that it may produce, provided it be without altering the substance of the thing. Items without suffuses cannot be leased. It is necessary for a valid lease contract that the corpus of the leased asset remains in the ownership of the seller, and only its suffuses is transferred to the lessee. 1 . 3. 3 In what Sense is Car ‘Jar Interest Free?In Car Ajar, the asset remains under the ownership and at the risk of the bank and the customer only pays the rental for the use of the asset, Just like the rent of a house. 3 Und er leasing or lease purchase, the Islamic financial institution buys the financed asset and retains the title through the life of the contract. The customer makes a series of lease payments over a specified period of time, and may have the option at the end to buy the item from the lesson (and owner) at a pre specified residual value. Leasing was not originally a mode of financing.It was simply a transaction meant to transfer the suffuses of a property from one person to another for an agreed period and an agreed upon consideration. Leasing can be used as a mode of financing, in Islamic banks, as an alternative to conventional car financing. However, the consideration of leasing as a mode of financing should be based on certain notations. It should be understood, by all using it as a mode of financing, that it is not sufficient to substitute the term ‘interest' with the term ‘rent', and use the term ‘mortgage' instead of the term ‘leased asset'.There must be a significant difference between leasing and an interest-bearing loan. It is no secret that an Islamic bank or financial institution will take into consideration the same factors as a conventional bank when determining the rental payments and residual value. These would include the rate of inflation, the creditworthiness of the Jesse, the opportunity cost value of the money (as reflected by market interest rates) and so on. An implicit ‘interest rate' can trivially be calculated from the price, residual value, term of the lease and the lease payment.This fact is not hidden. Indeed Muslim customers are encouraged to ‘shop around' and ensure that the Islamic financial institution is not implicitly charging an interest rate, which is in line with the conventional market. In the final analysis, however, the difference is in the form of the contract. If the lease is structured in accordance with the various conditions within Islamic Jurisprudence, t will contract no rib and e nsure that it cannot contain such forbidden rib in the future (e. G. In terms of late payment fees, etc. ). 1 . 3. 4 What is the Difference between a Conventional Lease and an Islamic Lease? The most important financial difference between Islamic leasing and conventional leasing is that, with Islamic leasing, the leasing agency must own the leased object for the duration of the lease. Therefore, although leasing a car from a car manufacturer or car dealership may in principle be permitted for Muslims (if the contract satisfies the other conditions), Muslims should investigate further.In many cases, the car dealership may in fact use a bank or other financial intermediary to provide a loan for the present value of lease payments, and charge the customer interest on this loan. This would constitute the forbidden rib. Scrupulous Islamic financial institutions ensure that the contract abides by all the restrictions set out in the Shari's (e. G. , subleasing requires the permission of th e lesson; late payment penalties must be handled very carefully to avoid rib, etc. ). The differences between conventional and Islamic financing schemes are described in he sections below. 1. 3. 4. Leasing versus Conventional Financing Conventional Financing The conventional financing schemes provide financing for purchasing a car; that is, in essence the financier is giving a loan and charging interest. 4 Islamic Financing The Islamic car financing – ‘Jar – is based on a lease contract. It is not a financing scheme; rather it is a lease contract. As mentioned earlier leasing is a contract whereby suffuses rights to an asset are transferred by the owner, known as the lesson, to another person, known as the lessee, at an agreed-upon price, called the .NET, and for an agreed-upon period of time, called the term of lease. . 3. 4. 2 Rentals versus Installments A conventional car financing scheme is actually an interest-based loan given by the financial institution, w ith interest being charged on the loan. Islamic car financing is based on pure rentals. In Car ‘Jar the asset remains at the ownership and risk of the bank and the customer only pays the rental for use of the asset, Just like the rent for a house. 1. 3. 4. 3 Ownership In conventional car financing, the car is purchased in the name of the buyer from the dealer. Islamic FinancingUnder ‘Jar the ownership remains with the bank; that is, the car is purchased from the dealer in the name of the bank. This is because it is one of the foremost conditions of the Islamic mode of leasing that an object cannot be leased out unless it is in the possession of the lesson. 1. 3. 4. 4 Risk/loss Since the car is bought in the name of the buyer in the traditional mode of car financing, the risk is immediately transferred to the buyer, whereas in the case of Islamic financing, this is not so. The car is purchased in the name of the bank from the dealer and so the risk mains entirely with the bank.As the corpus of the leased property remains in the ownership of the lesson, all the liabilities and risks emerging from the ownership are borne by the lesson. The lessee is responsible for any loss caused to the asset by misuse or negligence. The lessee can also be made liable for the wear and tear, which normally occurs during its use. But the lessee cannot be made liable for a loss caused by factors beyond his control. (The agreements CIO 5 with traditional car financing generally do not differentiate between these two situations.In a lease based on Islamic principles, both situations should be dealt with separately. 1. 3. 4. 5 Down-payment versus Security Deposit Both the down-payment and the security deposit are one-time payments. The major difference occurs because the buyer can buy back the car against the security deposit in the case of Ajar, whereas in conventional banking the down-payment remains with the bank, and no buy-back of the car can occur against the down- p ayment. With ‘Jar the buyer is required to keep a security deposit at the bank.There is a minimum and a maximum requirement for the security deposit. The requirement is efferent in the case of conventional car financing, where a down-payment is made by the buyer of the car. 1. 3. 4. 6 Return of the Car In a traditional car financing scheme, the customer takes out a loan to purchase the car, which he cannot return under any circumstances whatsoever, unless he pays off the loan. Islamic Financing In the Islamic mode of financing, the buyer has the right to return the car anytime during or at the end of the lease period.Since this is a lease agreement, and the lessee has been paying rentals, he can return the car to the bank and take back the security deposit any time he wishes. . 3. 4. 7 Termination of Contract The buyer of the car has the option and right to terminate the contract and return the car before the contract reaches its maturity in both the conventional and Islamic m ode of car financing. The difference lies in the post-termination phase. In the conventional car financing scheme, if the customer wants to terminate the contract the only option he has is to buy the car by paying the rest of the installments.In the Islamic car financing scheme, the customer has two options: either return the car and get back the security deposit or buy the car from the bank at the market alee plus a certain percentage of spread for the bank. 6 1. 3. 4. 8 Documentation Differences Sequence/process Islam considers the procedure in which any transaction takes place as a significant factor in all modes of financing. The underlying difference between the Islamic and conventional modes of financing is that of the process. To Muslims, not only the end result but also the means to it are important.If the result is correct and the steps are wrong, or vice versa, the entire process is deemed invalid, from a Shari's perspective. According to Shari's principles, lawful steps t o lawful results are very important. The most important financial difference between Islamic permitted leasing and conventional financial leasing is that the leasing agency must own the leased object for the duration of the lease. Ownership of the asset is the prerequisite for leasing out its suffuses. As mentioned, Islam places great emphasis on the sequencing. 1 . 3. The Means Bank Car ‘Jar Scheme Means Banks Car ‘Jar has been designed according to the principles of Islam and is completely interest-free. Moreover the ‘Jar contract and other documentation also comply with Shari's requirements. In contrast, a conventional car-financing scheme s actually an interest-based loan given by the financial institution with interest being charged on the loan. Also, in conventional car-leasing schemes, the lease contract is not in compliance with Shari's law and has rib and other UN-lilacs elements in it. 1. 3. 5. What Makes Car ‘Jar Unique? Some of the key characteris tics of the Means Car ‘Jar are described in the following sections. Rights and Liabilities of Owner Versus User ‘Jar is an asset-based contract, that is, the lesson should have ownership of the asset during the life of the contract. Under Shari's law all ownership-related rights and abilities should lie with the owners while all usage-related rights and liabilities should lie with the user. A conventional lease contract does not distinguish between the nature of these liabilities and dumps all liabilities on the user.This is not permitted under the Shari's. Under ‘Jar all ownership-related risks lie with the bank and all usage related links lie with the user, thus making the lesson the true owner of the asset and making the income generated through the contract permissible (hall) for the Islamic bank. Continuation of Lease Rentals in the Case of Total Loss or Theft of Vehicle If the eased vehicle is stolen or completely destroyed the conventional leasing company wo uld continue charging the lease holder rent until the settlement of the insurance claim.Under the Islamic system, however, rent is consideration for usage of the leased asset and, if the asset has been stolen or destroyed, the concept of rental becomes void. As such, in the above-mentioned eventualities, Means Bank does not charge the lease rental. Is there a Penalty for Late Payment of Rent? If so How is This Permissible Under the Shari's? In most conventional financial leases an extra monetary amount is charged if rent is to paid on time. This extra amount is considered as rib under the Shari's and is distinctly forbidden 7 (harm).The lessee may be asked to undertake that if he fails to pay rent on its due date, he will pay a certain amount to a charity that will be administered through the bank. For this purpose Means Bank maintains a charity fund where such amounts may be credited and disbursed for charitable purposes. What is the Insurance Arrangement under Car Ajar? Being the owner of the car, the bank will be responsible for insurance of the car and for paying the insurance premium. If Tactful (Islamic insurance) is not available, the insurance is done under the conventional system.Can the User Buy the Car Prior to the Termination of Rental Agreement? Yes. The rental agreement contains the purchase price schedule. Is the Product Approved by Means Banks Shari's Board Yes. Car ‘Jar is designed under the supervision of Means Banks Shari's Supervisory Board and is approved by the Board. In order for any Islamic financing technique to be acceptable to the Islamic community it has to be endorsed by the appropriate Shari's Board who will provide a Fatwa (a religious ruling). The appendix to this case illustrates the Fatwa applicable to the Means Bank Car ‘Jar agreement.

The Environment, what are the issues?

It is a fair assessment to say that as a race we humans have not really cared for our environment as well as we could have. As a world we face some major changes to the environment, which can be looked at in three main reason. 1. Increases in the World's population. There has been a major increase in the amount of people who live on the planet. It is estimated that the population has increased by over 75 million per year. That means that it has been predicted that by 2050 the world population is expected to be at 9 billion. 2. The increased use of natural resources, which cannot be replaced. Due to advances in technology we are becoming more reliant on them. We are using up natural resources (like coal, oil and wood) to turn them into energy (like electricity). When these resources are used, they change the environment. They are making by ~ products like carbon monoxide and toxic chemicals. 3. People want more material things than ever before. People who live in countries like ours have a higher standard of living and expect to have a comfortable lifestyle. People who live in less economically developed countries want the same lifestyle. How are people interacting with the environment? If we all lived with the same attitudes to the world, we would not be facing the issues we are today. But we know that every one of us has a different set of priorities and as such are exploiting the environment to achieve our own aims. If we look at the Tropical rainforests we can see this in action. The tropical rainforests cover up to a third of the world's surface. My species of animals live there and many of them are unique to that area. If one area is changed / damaged this will have a knock on effect to the rest of the world. If you like it is a kind of jigsaw that fits together. When one piece is missing, the eco system is not complete. The trees in the rainforests are important for a number of reasons: 1. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. 2. Without forests radiation bounces back into the atmosphere raising the temperatures. 3. This could alter the air circulation (convection). 4. It is also involved in recycling the water in the earth to return as rainfall in other parts of the world. 5. Streams will disappear if the forests are not there to store the water. This is happening now in parts of Africa!

Trust essays

Trust essays Lack of trust is a reoccurring theme through out the three cases. One might ask, why you need trust in any civil society? Lack of trust in a civil society has the society with no real stability. Trust in authority is lacking in each case. The approval rating for Bill Clinton is high. Does this mean that most Americans trust Bill Cliton? Most polls would tell that trust is a serious issue. So, what is the consequences of Americans not having trust in there president? It cant be to bad because the economy is doing great and the budget and finally balanced. Most Americans are happy so what is the problem? The lack of trust is a direct correlation with weak and/or illegitimate authority. Trust with our president has always been a sensitive issue. Richard Nixion broke that trust with the country and sealed the fate for himself and his party for a short term. No one really understood why Nixon had ordered the break in of the democratic offices in the first place. What made matters worse is Nixion never came out and admitted his mistake even when the evidence was overwhelming. Clintons case has some similarities to it. While he finally did come out and admit what he had done he showed little remorse and accusations still remain about a cover up. The lack of trust in a political position in this country tends to the norm. It is created and redefined every day in Washington with a political figure. This creates an image and a strong stereotype for all political figures. This in turn hurts all of our civil society. Without the trust then how do you have the legitimate authority to lead the country. Most would say that Clintons leadership really is not the question but his judgment is. To me, that is a contradiction and that poor judgment leads to poor leadership. His poor judgment leads to his ethics and morals that he has. People with weak family values will have a hard time tru ...

Seventh-day Adventism Professor Ramos Blog

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Financing Education Equitably & Sources of Revenue Essay

Financing Education Equitably & Sources of Revenue - Essay Example But are these funds enough to cater for the rising population? The issue of funds allocation in the education system has over the years been debatable. 1. In the modern century, several trends have come up which detects the mode of allocation and expenditure of the funds. In general the trends are developed to determine the school district wealth. One of the most used methods is the determining of the state’s current operating expenditure per pupil (COEPP). The measurement covers expenditure on curriculum materials and teacher’s salaries. It is also inclusive of administration and student’s transportation charges. Generally, it detects the difference in expenditure costs per children in different regions of the country. This trend however provides a good field to fraud the government. According to Brimley & Rulon (2008) the trend can be easily fraud by increasing the totals in the expenditures which will provide unnecessary inequality. Another trend is the assump tion of activities and projects to be undertaken by a school at the start of every educational year. These assumptions are obtained from the regional school calendar. The calendar contains all the possible events of the year and their financial estimates. Apart from the activities there is also the determination of possible curriculum changes. The teachers’ funds are also included in the estimates. The estimates and assumptions are close to accurate which provides less probability for great deficits. After the allocation of these funds the regional schools are provided with surplus cash which will cover small adjustments in the course of the year. With these allocations, there is prior planning and management of these funds and school projects. However, if in the course of the year there are major adjustments it could be difficult for regions to tackle the issues. Another shortcoming is that schools may be forced to stick to a particular program and curriculum thus preventing elasticity (Brimley & Rulon, 2008). 2 a. Equity: This is the financial benefits of investors after all liabilities have been accounted for. In educational matters if refers to the benefits the students will have from allocation of funds. Generally, it can be referred to the value of an institution or organization’s assets after all debts and liabilities have been cleared. b. Regressive tax: This is a tax whereby the taxation rate reduces while the amount subject to taxation increases. c. Proportional tax: This is tax whereby the tax rate remained fixed. The amount subject to taxation is directly proportional to the amount of the tax. d. Progressive tax: this is a tax imposed whereby the tax rate increases while the amount subject to taxation also increases. e. Tennessee Basic Education Program (BEP): this is a money generating and funding program whereby state education funds are generated and distributed to Tennessee schools. f. ADA: It is the acronym of Average Daily Atten dance. The average student attendance helps in the determining of allocation of funds. ADA is calculated by the number of days of school attendance by a student divided by the number of the days teachers taught in the school (Brimley & Rulon, 2008). For example, if Isaac attended 142 days of the total 142 of teaching days, he has a 1.0 ADA. g. ADM: it the acronym of Average Daily Membership. This is the count of residential and state based

Australian painting, colony to nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Australian painting, colony to nation - Essay Example The essay "Australian painting, colony to nation" discovers the Australian landscape paintings. Landscape art is an art form that depicts the natural beauty of the scenery. This art involves the capturing of features like mountains, rivers, valleys, forests among many others. On the other hand, contemporary arts are works of art from during the post World War II period to date. The Australian Aboriginal art describes the artistic aspects of the indigenous people of Australia whose way of life was nomadic uncivilized. In short, all these forms of art complement one another in describing what Australian historic art entails. They bring out the evolution of art in this isolated island nation that is rich and wealthy. Therefore, this essay will seek to bring out the history of landscape art in Australia in a sense that it was not a progressive discovery. It will blend ideas on the establishment of changing concepts in building pictures that are more appropriate. It will also the cultural construction that tend to out play one another in the complexity of invention web. Since the pre-colonial period, art has been a way of preserving a community’s heritage and pride. The techniques varied between different communities in the world. The artists in these societies used the locally available materials to try to express their concepts. Over the years, civilization led to the improvement in the doing of arts. For instance, during the Paleolithic age the people used to do their paintings or works of art. in walls of caves that existed in their vicinity. These magnificent art works exist to date in museums and cultural heritage sites. Most of them are thousand and thousand years old, but they still portray the way of living for people in that era (Sayers, 2001:19). These paintings have helped archaeologists in writing the history of their nations as they give documented evidence. In essence, the history of art in Australia is no different from the histories of other countries as the stages it took in evolution are relatively the same to the others. Ideally, the art market in the traditional times strongly believed in oil paintings in representing landscapes of Australia. However, contemporary art over took the oil paintings within the domestic market paving way for international accreditation for artistes from Australia (Coombes, 2006:23). With the focus on landscape painting, the Australian landscape is one guided by notions of beauty, style, and decor. The landscape paintings by artists from Australia depicted their artistic tastes and preferences. In essence, paintings do not speak, but they tend to communicate. The expressions within a painting need to have a proper arrangement to depict its social relations to power. The communicative aspect and the social aspect need not separated as they will detract the meaning hidden in the painting (Short, 2005:197). Ideally, landscape painting is a highly selective process meaning that only the eleme nts that are of essence get to select to be part of the painting. However, emphasize is also on some key aspects that trend to portray the meaning of the scenery in question. Essentially, these paintings provide a relation between them and the original landscape where drawn. Remarkably, some foreign painters also managed to paint out the landscapes in Australia despite the fact