Case Study Mexico And Thailand Crisis Example For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1762 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? In this section a case study approach will be used to explain the financial economic crisis in Mexico 1994 and Thailand 1997. In this way I want to explain the reasons why both countries came under the guidance of the IMF. 3.1 Mexico Tequila Crisis To find out what happened in Mexico during the 90s, I first have to explain the economic reforms in the 80s. In the 80s there was in Mexico a stagnant economy and high inflation. The Mexican government intervened and liberalized the trade sector in 1985 and adopted a plan with intentions to ensure economic stability and introduced market-oriented institutions (Gil-Diaz, 1998). To fulfill this task a reform process was started that included i.e. deregulation of economic activity, financial reforms, and signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (Buira, 1996). The intervention of the government led to a resumption of economic growth with an average of 3.1 percent per year between 1989 and 1994. The reforms ensured for a reduce in the inflation rate, for the first time in more than twenty years the inflation was brought down to normal and accepted level (Buira, 1996). The financial performance of Mexico remained not unnoticed for other countries and investors, and th ey suggested that Mexico was ready to make advantages of their economic growth. The economic reforms together with the recovery of the economy brought Mexico in a perfect attractive position for investors and attracted an unprecedented capital flow; between 1990 and 1994 US$104 billion was invested. Foreign investments were mainly due to the low interest rates in the U.S. and the lack of major restrictions on capital flows in Mexico. There became in this way a large capital inflow in the 1990s when there was a foreign-debt renegotiation was formalized. The financial sector in Mexico also underwent liberalization and the government encouraged an increase in the supply of credit. In a short time the credit increased enormously and the (weak) supervisors came into trouble and this resulted in some cases in a scant of capital for some banks, and even borrowers (Gil-Diaz, 1998). Factors that influence the increase of credit were: (1) positive economic expectations; (2) reduction of pu blic debt; (3) availability of various debt instruments; (Hale, 1995) (4) and a boom in real estate and stock market. In the end of 1993 to end of 1994, credit from commercial banks to the private sector rose with 25 percent per year. The credit card liabilities increased with 31 percent per year, direct credit to and for consumers increased with a yearly rate of 67 percent, and mortgage loans increased with an annual rate of 47 percent (Gil-Diaz, 1998). The external credit flow to the private sector went from $193 million in 1998 to $23.2 billion in 1993. In this way there became overindulgence in credit. The share over government securities held by foreign investors during 1990-93 rose from 8% at the end of 1990 to 57% at the end of 1993 (Griffith-Jones, 1997). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Case Study Mexico And Thailand Crisis Example For Free" essay for you Create order 3.1.2 Arise of problems In 1994 there rose some problems for Mexico. In February, the Federal Reserve (FED) began to raise the US interest rates from 3% to 3.25%. Further rises of the interest rate were expected to slow down the rapid pace of the US economy (Griffith-Jones, 1997). In 1994 the US interest rate increased in his total six times to a value of 5.6% (Griffith-Jones, 1997). Furthermore, in 1994 there were some political and also criminal events in Mexico such as kidnapping of prominent businessmen and some armed conflicts in the town Chiapas. The unrest caused an enormous amount of uncertainty, and pushing the exchange rate down to the levels close to the band of ceiling (Banco de Mexico, 2009). In March, President candidate Luis Donaldo was assassinated. The crime itself and the unrest as well the uncertainty which occurred took a caused widespread concern. The reserves of Banco de Mexico, were amounted on US$28.321 billion dollars at the day of the assassinated, the following month the rese rves decreased with US$11 billion (Banco de Mexico, 2009). More huge political events triggered the uncertainty and disquiet even more. Deputy Attorney General Mario Ruiz Massieu had his doubts about the stability of the political system (Banco de Mexico, 2009). Because of the disquiet there was much volatility in the international market, investors were wondering of the government of Mexico could financing its current account deficit of 1995 and this triggered a massive attack on the peso (Banco de Mexico, 2009). On 19 December 1994, the Foreign Exchange Commission came to the conclusion that the current exchange rate regime at that moment, exchange rate band slippage regime, should be replaced with a floating rate regime (Banco de Mexico, 2009). The Mexican authorities devalued the peso with 20% but the market forces a larger devaluation of more than 50% of the peso (de Jong, 2009). Mexicos devaluation of the peso precipitated a crisis for financial institutions and markets tha t continued into 1995 (GAO, 1996). Investors confidence collapsed and provided a large financial balance of payment crisis for Mexico and put an abrupt end of capital flows. External credit flows decreased from $23.2 billion in 1993 to $8.9 billion in 1994 (Gill-Diaz, 1998). 3.1.3 Measures IMF In 1995 the financial crisis in Mexico led to a large financial assistance packed from various parties. The IMF gave Mexico $17.8 billion in financial assistance. This financial assistance over a period of years was in the form of a standby arrangement and was designed to support international reserves and reducing its current account deficit and inflation rate, and reinforcing of its fiscal policy. The IMF wanted that Mexico adopted the next measures: Limited growth of for Mexico, 1.4 percent in 1995 and 4.0 percent in 1996; Bringing down inflation to 19 percent (inflation rate was at a moment 48.46 percent); Wages increases should be limited. Structural reform in industries such as; privatizations in transportation, telecommunications, banking and finance, railways and petrochemical industries. Source: Griffith-Jones, 1997 In response of the financial crisis in Mexico, the US organized also a financial assistance package. The economies of the U.S. and Mexico have been closely integrated. In 1994, the U.S. exported 69% of Mexicos imports and imported about 85 percent of its export. U.S. investors had invested a substantial share of foreign investment in Mexico and have numerous manufacturing facilities in Mexico (GAO, 1996). The U.S. rescue package for Mexico was expand to US$20 billion, including US$6-9 billion of the U.S. swap facility, US$10 billion though the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), C$1 billion from Canada and another $3 billion from commercial banks (Lustig, 1995). The total rescue package was in the end of January 1995 around the US$ 50 billion. The intention of the assistance package was to help Mexico and to avoid defaulting on its debt obligations, overcome a short-term liquidity crisis, and to prevent contagion of the crisis to other countries/emerging economies (GAO, 1996). The package stopped the panic but did not cause its reliability back into Mexico and the market. This was because the funds were not directly available (Lustig, 1995). 3.2 Thailand Currency Crisis The financial crisis in Thailand of 1997 was not the first crisis that the country had to endure. In the early 80s it went through a serious financial crisis and the government was forced to give a large financial injection together with a devaluation of 25% on its currency, the baht (Lauridsen, 1998). Through this crisis, fifteen finance companies collapsed and thirty-two companies were helped by liquidity injections. By an export driven boost Thailand came out of his recession and her financial problems in the year 1986. The export boost was due to the cheap baht and the appreciation of currencies in other East Asian countries (Lauridsen, 1998). There became a massive inflow of direct investments (FDI) from neighboring countries like, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea (Lauridsen, 1998). A speculation on real estate and the stock market led to a doubling of assets during the period of 1986-1990. Interestingly, the focus of the government was not lying on control and regulation of the market, but was more focused on deregulation and competition. From 1989-1993, there was a reform process in the financial sector. The government encouraged domestic savings and the inflow of capital because it wanted to improve the financial sector so that it could compete internationally, by establishing The Bangkok International Banking Facility (BIBF). The Thai government wanted to improve the capability of the financial sector to compete worldwide and wanted to develop Thailand into a financial center for SouthÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ East Asia. 3.2.2 Booming Years The Thai economy increased enormously in the late 1980s and in the beginning of the 1990s. During the 90s the growth numbers of the economy increased, the numbers were around 10% per year, this ensured that Thailand could be seen as one of the Asia Tigers. The boost in the economy of Thailand was largely caused by high investments. In the period 1990ÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ 96 the investment ratio (gross domestic investment as a percentage of GDP) was between 40% and 44%, compared to the 1980s were it fluctuated between 25% and 30 % (Lauridsen 1998). The investments were financed with money that was borrowed from abroad. The interest rate in Thailand was at that time high, higher than in the U.S. The bath was pegged to the U.S. dollar; so there was a large inflow of foreign capital. Investors could borrow in dollars and invest in higher yielding assets denominated in other currencies such as the Bath. Investors will always look for high returns and because of the high int erest rates in Thailand; they could get a higher return on their loans with minimum risk. The net capital inflow in the Thai economy increased from 8% of the GDP in 1990 to 14% of GDP in 1995. The Thai economy experienced in this way a large inflow of foreign capital. The large amount of inflowing capital increased the total debt from US$ 28 billion in 1990 to US$ 93 billion in March 1997 (Sussangkarn, 1998). The outstanding debt as a share of GDP increased from 33.75% in 1990 to 50.94% in 1996. Of the total debt was 36% short term and matured within 12 months (Sussangkarn, 1998). In 1997 the Bank of Thailand revealed that the foreign debt was US$ 90 billion and that 20 billion was due at the end of the year (Lauridsen 1998). Normally, a huge inflow of capital would result in an appreciation of the value of the baht, since 1963 the baht was tied closely to the dollar. During the 1980s the bath was a couple of times devalued and was linked to a basket of currencies, the most impor tant linked currency was the U.S. dollar. Monetary policies kept the baht on a stable level. Before the increase of capital inflows, the Thai public sector had an effective management system (Sussangkarn, 1998). Within this system the authorities could control the size and maturity of public debt (Sussangkarn, 1998). When private debt increased; the government didnt followed an effective management system anymore and there became a lack an effective management mechanism and supervision. The private sector had no strict rules or restrictions and therefore

The Omnivore s Dilemma By Michael Pollan - 2402 Words

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Degrading a Famous Work of Art Free Essays

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James clerk maxwell Essay Example For Students

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The Silver Box monologue from the play by John Galsworthy Essay Example For Students

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Declaration of Teens Essays

Declaration of Teens Essays Declaration of Teens Essay Declaration of Teens Essay do hereby unite together to decal are our rights from our society. For many generations our society view todays teenage therapeutically, in image that mass media has portrayed us. We are seen as b Ewing ignorant, selfish, self indulgent, obsessed with materialism and irresponsible . It is unfair r to be judged so severely and it is now time for us to take over against these injustices. Adults would be so quick to judge teens for their responsibilities when adult s can be just as reckless. Adults say we drink and drive but not all of us do, in fact, some e teens are very responsible and mature and that can be proven with academic grades an d a good armament record with no suspensions. They say we do drugs therefore, we would have drug test on a timely basis. Adults blame us for our foul actions but adults also do wrong. With them teaching us the teenagers they have to be responsible and most of the m arent. In the last couple decades, social media has portrayed teens as a bad thing buy t now it is our chance to prove these generalizations wrong. We, the Teenagers of the Society of the U. S. , hereby declare our rights and show the world that not all teenagers are I irresponsible.

Business Plan For Ex-Steam Boat Willie Entreprises Assignment

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Different modes of Internationalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Different modes of Internationalization - Essay Example There are various methods or strategies in which the corporations enter into the foreign markets. This essay provides a detailed analysis of the options that are available for a company for its overseas expansion. Trade Countries of the world get involved into trading relations with one another in order to get some advantage of the resources in which each of the countries specialises in. The absolute advantage theory of Adam Smith states that the countries that specialises in one particular resource would exchange the resource for something that the other country specialises in. For example one country may have enough amount of wine and a second country may have abundance in cheese. Then these two countries would exchange their resources of wine and cheese with the resource that they have in abundance. David Ricardo on the other hand had put forward his comparative advantage theory in the context of international trade. According to him the countries that have comparative advantage i n the production of one good would export that good to another country which has comparative disadvantage in the production of that particular good. Advantages of Trade Creation of jobs and attraction of investments from various sectors which otherwise would not have operated to the maximum capacity. Introduction and exchange of technology and knowhow of production which adds to the total income of the countries that are involved in trade. Access to the international markets and thereby the customers can buy the various types of products and services Increases the competition among the domestic and the foreign players. Disadvantages of Trade Various issue related to the cultural identities of the nations crop up like most of the companies like Coca cola or Microsoft are built upon the cultures of the US and the other nations are forced to embrace it. The emerging nations are forced to meet the demands of the developing nations and thus they do not often meet the needs of the domesti c markets. The safety standards and the compensation of the workers are often not up to international standards. Political constraints make the trade relations between countries complicated which may lead to imbalances in the BOP position of the countries. FDI Foreign Direct Investment is a form of investment that a company or an individual which is based in a particular country would make in a foreign country in form of investments in new projects or existing projects of local undertaking. The company or the project in the foreign country in which the company invests would prefer to maintain control over it. The economies in which there are prospects for growth and has sufficient resources, there would be considerable amount of foreign investments. There are several ways in which the FDI can be made. Setting up subsidiaries Getting equity control over an existing company in the overseas country Strategic alliances For example a company based in Germany may be interested in any comp any producing electronic products based in China. The company can get into strategic alliance with the Chinese company or may become of

Web 2.0 Technology and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Web 2.0 Technology and Education - Essay Example Indeed, while the use of technology in classroom has addressed the individual needs and requirements of students, its application in myriad formats has opened huge possibilities for students and teachers alike to exploit their potential for higher learning. The advancing technology and Web 2 tools have increasingly emerged as key elements to impact students’ learning outcome and made acquisition of knowledge highly interesting. They have therefore, widened their horizon of educational scope and outcome. Statement of problem In the current times, not using Web 2 tools could pose serious problems for students. Technology is intrinsically linked to development processes and its huge impact on education system has necessitated its inclusion within the curricula to enhance learning outcome. Valdez has emphasized that educators must be ready for technology rich future and promote dynamic strategies and tools within the curricula so that the students are prepared to meet the challeng es of the 21st century (1). The current generation of tech savvy students is no more satisfied with classroom teaching and is constantly seeking real time learning through new tools which can challenge their abilities to explore new avenues of knowledge acquisition (Akyeampong 3860). Web 2 provides the students with interactive media to share their knowledge and at the same time, facilitate their learning processes by sharing experience, opinions and views on different areas and issues (Greenhow et al., 247). Thus, Web 2 has wide ramifications on individual learning and its inclusion within curricula becomes key element of motivation. They help individuals with varying needs to optimize their learning outcome and ensure higher achievement. Thus, not using Web 2 tools could seriously hinder students’ personal and academic achievements. Purpose of the study The major purpose of the study is to explore how the use of Web 2 tools influence learning process and enhance education o utcome. Today, technology has become part and parcel of education system and the use of internet and online learning tools have increasingly become popular within and outside classroom. But the efficacy of the Web 2 tools like social networking, blogging and use of video sharing websites etc. needs to be explored within the academia to study their impact on students’ learning outcome. Most importantly, how it can be exploited for enhancing students’ learning is vital issue that must be explored and evaluated to ensure students’ continued interest in the core academic areas. The huge possibilities of internet based learning offers tremendous scope of growth that needs to be used by educators for enhancing students’ education outcome. Hypothesis 1. What are the main elements of Web 2 that make it attractive for students? 2. Do the Web 2 tools offer different challenges for students with varying skills? 3. How does Web 2 help to influence the learning proces ses of students with varying needs? 4. How does the interactive platform of Web 2 help to widen the understanding of different issues? 5. Do the web 2 platforms promote global values and improve and improvise learning outcome across the geographical boundaries of class, color, race and culture? 6. How do Web 2 tools encourage greater interaction amongst students and teachers? 7. How does it impact reading, writing and comprehension skills of students? 8. How does it keep the students motivated in the academic learning? 9. How can teachers exploit the vast potential of Web 2 tools for enhancing students’ education outcome? What is Web 2.0? According to O’Reilly the Web 2 tools are internet based technologies and platforms of communication like social netwo

Becoming Successful: A Good Business Strategy

Becoming Successful: A Good Business Strategy Becoming a successful entrepreneur doesnt happen by accident or by chance. It is a long process that involves various strategies, characteristics and quality of person who wants to become a successful entrepreneur. Madan Paliwal who is a successful entrepreneur in his state, says Becoming a successful entrepreneur is not an easy task! There are certain qualities and strategies that are absolutely necessary if you would like to become successful in your business ventures. Madan Paliwals example shows that how some characteristics, qualities and strategies support to becoming a successful entrepreneur. He strongly believes in quality rather than quantities. According to Sharma (2009), It is essential to follow some strategies for the growth and strongly development of business. An entrepreneur organizes different types of industries right from inception has different approaches and call for an in-depth knowledge base. The importance is the entrepreneur starts and operates his own new b usiness. characteristic of An Entrepreneur Kant (2000), All the entrepreneur were men of discipline, high integrity and with strong need for achievement. In India Mr. Madan Paliwal CMD of Miraj Group of Industries has following characteristics and qualities which is important: Initiative: Mr. Madan Paliwal used resources and plan for his business. He started his business with Rs. 200 (Â £3) capital. Now Miraj Group of Companies capital cross Rs. 1000 Crore (Â £15000000). The following companies in Miraj Group of Companies: Miraj Products Pvt. Ltd., Miraj multicolor, Miraj pipe fittings, Miraj Hotels, Miraj Engineering, Eye view motion pictures, Miraj developers, Miraj realcon, Asia packs. (Group profile of miraj group) Miraj groups consumer products are tobacco, tea, soap, matches, plastic, stationary, pipes etc. Therefore we can say the entrepreneur should be initiative to use the available resources and plan for all those who are involved in an enterprise. Goal: An entrepreneur should be able to set realistic but challenging goals for himself as well as for others in the organization. At the time of beginning Madan Paliwal had clear goal and he has achieved maximum goal. Involvement for long time: Madan Paliwal started his business on 18th August 1987. He continues involve in his business. Hence commitment from the entrepreneur for longer period may be 5 to 15 years is necessary for conceptualization, building and running an enterprise. Capacity for problem solving: In the initial phases of an enterprise many teething problems may happen and an entrepreneur should be a creative problem solver to turn difficulties into advantages. Madan Paliwals life is full of struggle. He solved many problems in his business. Good team leader and motivator: An entrepreneur builds up his team; he should educate them, keep them on high level of motivation and also provide an environment for creativity and good work culture. Madan Paliwal started his business as a single person but now a days 1000 employees in his companies. Energetic: Managing resources and running an enterprise calls for long hours of work for longer period of time and hence an entrepreneur is a man of high energy level. Madan Paliwal works 15-16 Hrs. daily. According to him -A labour is also do hard work daily in his life but he earns only 100-200 Rs. per day, hence entrepreneur do work hard in right way. ( Paliwal, 2008) Good communication skills: As a leader an entrepreneur communicates effectively with all concerned such as financiers, employees, customers, suppliers and all who are concerned with the new enterprise. Madan Paliwal is also good communicator. Mental ability: Madan Paliwal born at Nathdwara, A small town in Rajasthan (India). He started small scale industries (Miraj industries), now it is converted into Miraj Products Pvt. Ltd. Sharma (2009) An entrepreneur will be a man of high level intelligence, creative, positive thinking and decision maker with clear objectives in mind. Good Human relation: Tactful and warm human relation is an important factor which brings success to an entrepreneur. Emotional stability and keeping himself as a model to others. Motivates the employees to put their best performance at all levels in the organization. Madan Paliwal also follows good human relations. Strategies: Kant (2000) Strategies are the way of performing the target i.e. how to do a particular work for the achievement of predetermined objectives. 2.0 Business Strategies: There are various strategies which are prepared in the business enterprise like- 2.1. Market Strategies Market Strategies includes the companys relationship with existing and potential customers, its knowledge of changing needs and opportunities in the market, the way it identifies and reaches its customers. Madan Paliwal started Real-estate business at Jaipur. He launched affordable homes, Villas, commercial complex etc. His marketing strategies were very good. After getting success in Jaipur he started new projects in Ajmer, Udaipur, Bhilwara, Mumbai other cities in India. He says that the main strategies that are necessary for getting success in market is attract the market to us, Examine managements assumptions, perceptions, predispositions about the market, and determine to what extent they are valid. And finally evaluate new opportunities in the market, new products, collaboration with others etc. (paliwal, 2008) 2.2. Organization Strategies Organization consists of the structures, systems, policies, procedures and activities of a business, the manner in which it exercises authority, takes decisions, communicates, coordinates and integrates its activities. Madan Paliwal is good organizer. He manages more than 1000 employees in his group of companies. He says the main strategies that are necessary for success in organization strategies are: Analyze the jobs of executives, managers, and supervisors to identify tasks that can be delegated to lower levels and the conditions necessary to make that delegation effective. Next establish clear job descriptions for every position, and create a system whereby the responsibilities and authority of each position are clear to other people in the company. Furthermore determine whether we can innovate any new systems that will further improve our performance. Determine if there are systems successfully employed by other companies that could be used by our company. Finally Assess the eff ectiveness of important systems in the company (e.g. Accounting , Budgeting , Personnel information, Planning etc.) in terms of their speed, their personnel requirements, quality of work, cost of operations, and whether fully being utilized.(paliwal 2008) 2.3. Products, sells and services strategies It means the capacity of the company to deliver products and services. It includes the range and quality of products and services it markets, the technical knowledge and skill of sales and service staff, and the level of technology incorporated in its products and services and utilized to carry on business. Madan Paliwal launched affordable homes for middle lower class people in every project because affordable homes selling easily. After selling homes villas he launches commercial complex in project, hence commercial complex (very costly) become successful (interview with paliwal, 2010). He says that main strategies that are necessary for success in Products, sells and services strategies are: Improve the technology of our products and services by adding new dimension into it and Examine every technology in our company employs. And identify ways to reduce cost. Then Match our products and services as closely as possible with the needs of the market. Next Identify and adapt new and recent technologies to better meet the needs of our customers. Furthermore Introduce new or improved technologies internally that will improve the functioning of our own organization. Besides this Make improvement in our organization (structure, activities, systems, job positions, procedure, rules, regulations etc.) that will improve the development and operation of our technology. Finally continuously expand and upgrade the product and services knowledge and technical expertise of our people. 2.4. Finance Strategies This component defines the way in which the company manages monitors and utilizes capital resources for its growth. It includes the quality of systems and skills for accounting, budgeting and financial management, cash and credit management, control over purchasing and inventory, access to capital. Madan Paliwal started his business with only Rs. 200 capital. He follows following financial strategies to manage financial activities in his companies: A. Determine that our company is exploring and taking advantage of every conceivable source of finance to make our business grow. B. Determine how our company can utilize financial information as a positive instrument for tracking and monitoring performance on key activities. C. Determine what can be done to improve accuracy and timeliness of accounting so that information on performance is available as soon as possible after the day, week, the month, or the job is over. D. Determine what type of indicators we can develop as positive motivating tools to help managers and employees evaluate their own performance. E. Determine what are the keys areas in which the company can save money by improving performance. 2.5. Personnel strategies This component covers the energies, abilities, skills, and attitudes of employees that can be harnessed for growth. People and companies grow together. Miraj Group of companies provides maximum opportunities for their people to grow, find maximum opportunities for their own growth (interview with paliwal, 2010). His Group follows the following personal strategies: A. Recruit people with a high level of energy, good health, highest possible level of education and experience and write type of personality to work well in our company and implement its values. B. Review wage and salary scale, and ensure that the compensation for every position is not only fair, but perceived as fair. Whenever necessary, educate people to understand the true value of the companys benefits package. C. Introduce profit-sharing or equity programs to make our people owners of company and develop the physical and technical skills of our people through formal training programs. D. Develop the managerial and psychological skills of our people through formal training, regular and ongoing training, personal guidance and attention. E. Give greater personal attention to the people you work with (not to their work) and encourage them to do likewise with their people. F. Recognize and reward individual efforts to improve the functioning of our organization. G. Maintain clear and effective two-way communication with all employees H. Implement psychological values such as respect for the individual, personal growth, freedom, and harmony to the highest level. I. Give regular feedback to individuals on their performance and what they can do to improve. 3.0. Other strategies Other strategies have been followed by Miraj Group of Companies are: 3.1 Stability strategy Miraj Group has a stable environment, limited number of products, customers, suppliers and competitors, minimum need for skills and so on may follow what is called the Stability Strategy such an organization is satisfied with its existing level of activities and wants the same to continue. 3.2 Growth strategy An organization that wants to raise its level of performance may adopt what is called the Growth Strategy. The following measures adopted by Miraj Group of companies: Development of new products for the existing markets. Creation of new uses for the existing products. Development of new products for new markets. 3.3 Vertical Integration strategy A business enterprise itself may decide to produce the raw materials needed for production to ensure continuous supply. On the other hand, it may also decide to start its own sales outlets to serve its customers better. In either case, the strategy is known as the Vertical Integration Strategy. 3.4 Product Elimination Strategy A business unit may also eliminate products that have become unpopular with the buyers and bring only losses. Such unsuccessful products also damage the image of the business. Thus, the Product Elimination Strategy may be adopted by a firm to avoid loss of profits as well as reputation. 3.5 Merger Strategy It is also possible that identical business units may combine to rationalize production and sales and thereby derive the benefits of economics of large-scale operations. This is what is known as the Merger Strategy. 4.0 Conclusion In the 21st century the concept of entrepreneurship is essentially related to innovative endeavors. It is through to be concerned with introducing something new in the environment of tough competition. Entrepreneur types of individuals who are highly determined, confident, creative and innovative, sales oriented personalities well in tune with trends and who are able to translate a vision into a real small business. They are encouraging young individual to form new business enterprises and providing such government supports as infrastructural facilities (like water, power, Transpiration, Industrial sheds or developed plots, Communication system and tax incentives, to facilitate this formation process. Madan paliwal successfully followed all above mention strategies in his business since many years. All these strategies are very efficiently and effectively followed by an enterprise for the success of his own as well as for the growth of business enterprise As good as the business strategies; the well is the position of the business. It is impossible to become a successful entrepreneur without business strategy. All the strategies which are mention above should be followed by the person who wants to become a successful entrepreneur. Word Count (2183)

Transformation of Global Technology :: essays research papers

The increase in the flow of information between nations has proven to be a critical part of the developing international community. Deficiencies in this field have lead to the ill-preparation by the United States during the Bombing of Pearl Harbor and the attacks on the World Trade Center in September 2001. In both cases, critical data was received from surveillance instruments but was not acted upon expediently enough to avoid disaster. With the transition from a state-based threat to non-state terrorist organizations, the need for more thorough scrutiny then before has become paramount to the national security of the United States. When the term â€Å"global surveillance† is mentioned, it is usually referring to what has been deemed â€Å"signals intelligence.† This is the analysis of the target’s communication signals and it consists of four distinct parts: collection, processing, analysis and dissemination. In 1952, President Truman established the National Security Agency (NSA) with the dual responsibilities of providing information security for the U.S. government as well as organizing and obtaining intelligence information. Most recently, a global communications cooperative between the U.S. and the U.K. known as ECHELON, has been implemented to collect national security intelligence and spread critical information to its members. This program monitors commercial communications both over phones lines as well as the internet. In 1978, the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed which limited the wiretapping of â€Å"U.S. persons† for national security purposes. This legislation developed out of concerns that the United States was abusing its power to unjustly listen to citizens’s conversations. In order to avoid the dissemination of personal as well as national information, cryptography can be implemented to specifically keep unwanted viewers from tampering with internet and mail transactions.

A Study on Comparison Between Chinese Values and American Values

On the culture shock in the film of Gua Sha Culture shock was introduced to descried the anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment, especially when a person arrives in a new country where he is confronted with a new cultural environment. In our modern society, more and more people get this sick. You step into a new culture world. Everything around you is new. You begin to adapt. One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign environment.Culture shock can be described as consisting of at least one of five distinct phases: Honeymoon, Negotiation, Adjustment, Mastery and Independence, are the most common attributes that pertain to existing problems, further hindrances include: information overload, language barrier, generation gap, technology gap, skill interdependence, formulation dependency, homesickness, infinite regress, boredom, response ability. There is no true way to entirely prevent culture shock, as individuals in an y society are personally affected by cultural contrasts differently.But, this process takes time. Generally speaking, culture shock is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse. Culture shock involved two aspects: physical symptoms of culture shock and psychological symptoms of culture shock. And, how can we cure culture shock? The first coping mechanism is called â€Å"repression. † This happens when we pretend that everything is acceptable and that nothing bothers us. The second one is called â€Å"regression. † We forget everything, and something we become careless and irresponsible.The third kind of defense mechanism is called â€Å"isolation. † It is one of the worst coping mechanisms we can use because it separates us from those things that could really help us. Grandfather Xu comes from China to visit the family of his son, Datong Xu, in St. Louis. While there, he gives his grandson, Dennis X u , a treatment of Gua Sha to treat a slight fever. The authorities, however, mistake the harmless traditional Chinese medical treatment for child abuse due to the obvious marks left on Dennis' back. The family goes through hell when the child is taken away by the child protection agency.Meanwhile, Grandfather Xu leaves America because he finds that the living environment is really not suitable for him, as he feels that a simple, harmless treatment like Gua Sha, which is so common in China, is treated as child abuse in America. Furthermore, he cannot converse in English. An American friend of the father, Benton Davi), tries gua sha and proves that the treatment leaves painful-looking marks that are not actually painful or harmful at all. Finally, the father is able to return home and the family is reunited.Returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above. This results from the psychosomatic and psychological conseq uences of the readjustment process to the primary culture. The affected person often finds this more surprising and difficult to deal with than the original culture shock. This phenomenon, the reactions that members of the re-entered culture exhibit toward the re-entrant, and the inevitability of the two are encapsulated in the saying â€Å"you can't go home again,† first coined by Thomas Wolfe in his book of that title.Honeymoon phase During this period, the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new food, the pace of life, and the locals' habits. During the first few weeks, most people are fascinated by the new culture. They associate with nationals who speak their language, and who are polite to the foreigners. This period is full of observations and new discoveries.Like most honeymoon periods, this stage after some time, differences between the old and new culture beco me apparent and may create anxiety. Excitement may eventually give way to unpleasant feelings of frustration and anger as one continues to experience unfavorable events that may be perceived as strange and offensive to one's cultural attitude. Language barriers, stark differences in public hygiene, traffic safety, food accessibility and quality may heighten the sense of disconnection from the surroundings.While being transferred into a different environment puts special pressure on communication skills, there are practical difficulties to overcome, such as circadian rhythm disruption that often leads to insomnia and daylight drowsiness; adaptation of gut flora to different bacteria levels and concentrations in food and water; difficulty in seeking treatment for illness, as medicines may have different names from the native country's and the same active ingredients might be hard to recognize.Still, the most important change in the period is communication: People adjusting to a new cu lture often feel lonely and homesick because they are not yet used to the new environment and meet people with whom they are not familiar every day. The language barrier may become a major obstacle in creating new relationships: special attention must be paid to one's and others' culture-specific body language signs, linguistic faux pas, conversation tone, linguistic nuances and customs, and false fries.In the case of Gua Sha, some develop additional symptoms of loneliness that ultimately affect their lifestyles as a whole. Due to the strain of living in a different country without parental support, international students often feel anxious and feel more pressure while adjusting to new cultures—even more so when the cultural distances are wide, as patterns of logic and speech are different and a special emphasis is put on rhetoric.Again, after some time, one grows accustomed to the new culture and develops routines. One knows what to expect in most situations and the host cou ntry no longer feels all that new. One becomes concerned with basic living again, and things become more â€Å"normal†. One starts to develop problem-solving skills for dealing with the culture and begins to accept the culture's ways with a positive attitude. The culture begins to make sense, and negative reactions and responses to the culture are reduced.In the mastery stage assignees are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host culture. Mastery does not mean total conversion; people often keep many traits from their earlier culture, such as accents and languages. It is often referred to as the biculturalism stage. You step into a new cultural world. Everything around you is new. We should devise defense mechanisms to help us cope with the effects of culture shock.

Meuse-Argonne Offensive in World War I

Meuse-Argonne Offensive in World War I The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was one of the final campaigns of World War I (1914-1918) and was fought between September 26 and November 11, 1918. Part of the Hundred Days Offensives, the thrust in the Meuse-Argonne was the largest American operation of the conflict and involved 1.2 million men. The offensive saw attacks through the difficult terrain between the Argonne Forest and the Meuse River. While the First US Army made early gains, the operation soon devolved into a bloody battle of attrition. Lasting until the end of the war, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the deadliest battle in American history with over 26,000 killed. Background On August 30, 1918, the supreme commander of Allied forces, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, arrived at the headquarters of General John J. Pershings First US Army. Meeting with the American commander, Foch ordered  Pershing to effectively shelve a planned offensive against the Saint-Mihiel salient, as he wished to use the American troops piecemeal to support a British offensive to the north. Having relentlessly planned the Saint-Mihiel operation, which he saw as opening the way to an advance on the rail hub of Metz, Pershing resisted Fochs demands. Outraged, Pershing refused to let his command be broken apart and argued in favor of moving forward with the assault on Saint-Mihiel. Ultimately, the two came to a compromise. Pershing would be permitted to attack Saint-Mihiel but was required to be in position for an offensive in the Argonne Valley by mid-September. This required Pershing to fight a major battle, and then shift approximately 400,000 men sixty miles all within the span of ten days. General John J. Pershing. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Stepping off on September 12, Pershing won a swift victory at Saint-Mihiel.  After clearing the salient in three days of fighting, the Americans began moving north to the Argonne. Coordinated by Colonel George C. Marshall, this movement was completed in time to commence the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on September 26. Planning Unlike the flat terrain of Saint-Mihiel, the Argonne was a valley flanked by thick forest to one side and the Meuse River on the other. This terrain provided an excellent defensive position for five divisions from General Georg von der Marwitzs Fifth Army. Flush with victory, Pershings objectives for the first day of the attack were extremely optimistic and called for his men to break through two major defensive lines dubbed Giselher and Kreimhilde by the Germans. In addition, American forces were hampered by the fact that five of the nine divisions slated for the attack had not yet seen combat. This use of relatively inexperienced troops was necessitated by the fact that many of the more veteran divisions had been employed at Saint-Mihiel and required time to rest and refit before re-entering the line.   Meuse-Argonne Offensive Conflict: World War IDates: September 26-November 11, 1918Armies Commanders:United StatesGeneral John J. Pershing1.2 million men by the end of the campaignGermanyGeneral Georg von der Marwitz450,000 by the end of the campaignCasualties:United States: 26,277 killed and 95,786 woundedGermany: 28,000 killed and 92,250 wounded Opening Moves Attacking at 5:30 AM on September 26 after a prolonged bombardment by 2,700 guns, the final goal of the offensive was the capture of Sedan, which would cripple the German rail network. It was later reported that more ammunition was expended during the bombardment than had been used in the entirety of the Civil War. The initial assault made solid gains and was supported by American and French tanks. Falling back to the Giselher line, the Germans prepared to make stand. In the center, the attack bogged down as troops from V Corps struggled to take the 500-ft. height of Montfaucon. The capture of the heights had been assigned to the green 79th Division, whose attack stalled when the neighboring 4th Division failed to execute Pershings orders for them to turn the Germans flank and force them from Montfaucon. Elsewhere, the difficult terrain slowed the attackers and limited visibility. Seeing a crisis developing on Fifth Armys front, General Max von Gallwitz directed six reserve divisions to shore up the line. Though a brief advantage had been gained, the delays at Montfaucon and elsewhere along the line allowed for the arrival of additional German troops who quickly began to form a new defensive line. With their arrival, American hopes for a quick victory in the Argonne were dashed and a grinding, attritional battle commenced. While Montfaucon was taken the next day, the advance proved slow and American forces were plagued by leadership and logistical issues. By October 1, the offensive had come to a halt. Traveling among his forces, Pershing replaced several of his green divisions with more experienced troops, though this movement only added to the logistical and traffic difficulties. Additionally, ineffective commanders were mercilessly removed from their commands and replaced by more aggressive officers. US Marines during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. National Archives and Records Administration Grinding Forward On October 4, Pershing ordered an assault all along the American line. This was met with ferocious resistance from the Germans, with the advance measured in yards. It was during this phase of the fighting that the 77th Divisions famed Lost Battalion made its stand. Elsewhere, Corporal Alvin York of the 82nd Division won the Medal of Honor for capturing 132 Germans. As his men pushed north, Pershing increasingly found that his lines were subjected to German artillery from the heights on the east bank of the Meuse. To alleviate this problem, he made a push over the river on October 8 with the goal of silencing German guns in the area. This made little headway. Two days later he turned command of the First Army over to Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett. As Liggett pressed on, Pershing formed the Second US Army on the east side of the Meuse and placed Lieutenant General Robert L. Bullard in command. Between October 13-16, American forces began to break through the German lines with the capture of Malbrouck, Consenvoye, Cà ´te Dame Marie, and Chatillon. With these victories in hand, American forces pierced the Kreimhilde line, achieving Pershings goal for the first day. With this done, Liggett called a halt to reorganize. While collecting stragglers and re-supplying, Liggett ordered an attack towards Grandprà © by the 78th Division. The town fell after a ten-day battle. Breakthrough On November 1, following a massive bombardment, Liggett resumed a general advance all along the line. Slamming into the tired Germans, First Army made large gains, with the V Corps gaining five miles in the center. Forced into a headlong retreat, the Germans were prevented from forming new lines by the rapid American advance. On November 5, the 5th Division crossed the Meuse, frustrating German plans to use the river as a defensive line. Three days later, the Germans contacted Foch about an armistice. Feeling that the war should continue until the Germans unconditionally surrendered, Pershing pushed his two armies to attack without mercy. Driving the Germans, American forces allowed the French to take Sedan as the war came to a close on November 11. Aftermath The Meuse-Argonne Offensive cost Pershing 26,277 killed and 95,786 wounded, making it the largest and bloodiest operation of the war for the American Expeditionary Force. American losses were exacerbated by the inexperience of many of the troops and tactics used during the early phases of the operation. Germans losses numbered 28,000 killed and 92,250 wounded. Coupled with British and French offensives elsewhere on the Western Front, the assault through the Argonne was critical in breaking German resistance and bringing World War I to an end.

Essay on Crimes Assault

Essay on Crimes Assault Essay on Crimes: Assault Hate, Bias, and Stranger Crimes What is hate crime? Hate crime are considered misdemeanors and sometimes a felony because it is a violation of the law which is committed against any person or property because of their ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or religion. These crimes are similar to discrimination. Some examples of hate crimes are threats of violence because of a characteristic feature of a person, graffiti on someone’s property, any physical assault because of a person’s race. Bias crimes are similar to hate crimes except that the crimes that are being committed are mostly verbal. Crimes that are in this category include sexist or racist jokes told in public, verbal insults towards a person of color, or even defaming emails sent to a student cultural organization. Stranger violent crimes are crimes that mostly occur everywhere. These crimes include drugs, gangs, cultural values, regional values, personality and instincts. Stranger violence tends to occur in certain geospatial locations kn own for wherever unruly people are jammed together. When an environment has lack of space, violence tends to erupt. Because hate crimes and bias crimes are defined similarly, stranger violent crimes are much more different. The different types of stranger crimes are seen on a daily basis for most people. These crimes don’t include judgment or bias towards other people. In fact, stranger crimes are crimes that are don’t towards other people for the fulfillment of another person. For example, when a robbery is done, it happened only because it was for a person’s satisfaction. Different to bias and hate crimes, these crimes are made to intentionally hurt another’s feelings. The effect that hate and bias crimes have amongst a person is stronger than any violent crime. Discriminating someone makes hate and bias crimes, while stranger crimes are made less on a personal issue. An emotion effect takes place when a hate and bias crimes occur, while physical effects are made by stranger crimes. When a person commits hate and bias crimes, they leave emotional distress amongst the victim. This happens because

Gender issues in asian traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gender issues in asian traditions - Essay Example The Confucians viewed the cosmic order as â€Å"life-giving, relational, and harmonious in the interaction of its parts† and this gratitude for life was visible in their worship of the ancestors (Kelleher 137). Even though Confucianism considered family life and marriage as sacred, relationships, for the Confucians, were hierarchical in nature. As Kelleher points out parents, rulers, husbands and older siblings enjoyed higher social positions whereas the positions of children, subjects, wives and younger siblings were inferior(Kelleher 138). Wives needed to remain submissive to their husbands. The role of women was identified with the earth: Confucianism held that â€Å"the position of women in the human order should be lowly and inferior like the earth, and that the proper behaviour for a woman was to be yielding and weak, passive and still like the earth† (Kelleher 140). In the same way, one can also find similar passive and submissive roles attributed to women in Hin duism. As Young suggests, the role of women and their rituals during this period was limited to maintaining ‘social and cosmic order’. Even though the Vedic women’s role was esteemed as wife and mother, she had to remain as a silent partner in the Vedic rituals. The husband’s role was much prominent as he was the patriarchal head of the family. In Confucianism and Hinduism women were subject to certain codes of conduct. The role of women in Confucianism was very often limited to the family whereas the role played by men was viewed in the wider social-political order. Women were subject to three types of obedience in the family structure: â€Å"as a daughter she was subject to her father; as a wife, to her husband; and when older, to her son† (Kelleher 140). Another crippling factor that restricted woman’s active role was her lack of education. While boys had formal education in history and the classics, girls had to remain at

You decide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

You decide - Essay Example Life is really complicated and we need to understand our aim and to do that we need to sit down and introspect. Many a time we come across situations in life where we have to make difficult choices and these difficult choices also decide our future, this poem is all about choosing the road which is less travelled, it also goes to show the courage of the poet who decides to take a path which is less travelled and there is a possibility of him getting lost but he is brave enough to try something different from others. This is what life is all about, we must be brave enough to trot a path less travelled, it may prove to be a wrong decision or it may prove to be a right decision, it is all about making choices when you are at the crossroads, this is what the poem is all about. At the very end the poet ponders over his choice, his life would have been much different had he taken the other road and this is very true. Our life would also be different had we made different decisions and had we taken the road less travelled, life is all about making the right, the most successful people often make the right choices. The poem has hidden meaning in it; the literal meaning of the poem is very easy to understand. A traveler reaches a fork in the road and is discombobulated because the road shows the traveler two choices, the traveler after much thinking, chooses the road less travelled by people. The figurative meaning of the poem reflects upon the choices that we make in our lives. We can either choose a road which is very frequently chosen by other people or we can choose to walk on a road which is hardly chosen by other people. After making our choice, we would always have regrets because the road not taken would always force us to think about the endless possibilities. This is what the poem is all about and this poem is really popular, Robert Frost became a household name because of this poem. Antithesis is quite conspicuous in the poem, the traveler has to

Health and Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health and Safety - Essay Example Its main provisions are: To provide and sustain as far as is, feasible for workers a working environment that is safer and with no risks to health. In this feature, â€Å"feasible† means doing what can be achieved in terms of: the cruelty of risk or hazard in question; the suitability and availability of ways to mitigate or remove that risk; and the state of knowledge about the given risk and any techniques of mitigating the hazards. Another feature of the Occupational Health and Safety Act is that it sets out a framework to build procedures and policies in which a health and safety board is established. The board formulates, disseminates, and reviews the rules, standards, and procedures to employees associated to safety and healthy that are to be complied or carried out at the workplace. The above regulations are relevant in the World Federation of Engineering Organization (WFEO) because this organization has set a working environment that is geared to the advancement of the engineering profession. The engineers therefore are made aware of procedures, rules and policies of the firm. Since its mission is to create a professional team that helps in disaster reduction through the transfer and exchange of technology from one nation to another, the regulations are vital in ensuring that the technologies are transferred safely with special consideration to the health of the workforce. He or she gives expert skills and knowledge to create and promote a positive health and safety attitudes. This represents a major role in assisting to control work-related risk. They work in collaboration with employees, employers, trade unions, and directors (Murray & Dainty, 2013). The Health and Safety advisor is responsible for making sure that all legislations related to safety are adhered to and practices and policies are adopted. They are also

The American Civil War Essay Example for Free

The American Civil War Essay In analysis of the debate of whether wars are always wrong since they are violent or if they are a necessary evil sometimes, it is important to study both sides of the argument, pro and anti war. War is seen as a resolution of conflicts which could not be solved in any other way, a common example given being the American Civil War. This war was fought to abolish slavery and to eliminate racism in the country and succeeded in giving blacks their rights. War is said to part of the system of nature, where an everlasting struggle to survive persists, in relation to Darwin’s theory. As only the fittest survive, war is said to be a way in which mankind progresses. It also is said to control the population which is continuing to grow in rapidly. It balances the population and resources available. It is also argued that war gives the economy a boost and helps develop infrastructure. War is also seen to play a unifying role in countries which had been previously divided. An example lies in the English Civil Wars. War has a great number of negative effects as well and is not a necessary evil. It is stated that the American Civil War was completely unnecessary as there are a number of other countries which successfully abolished slavery without a war taking place. The possibility of nuclear wars is a very great threat to the peaceful existence of mankind. The possible negative effects are tremendous and under speculations must be avoided at all costs. Overall, war devalues human lives. It compares them to material things and degrades human beings. The anti war stance is humane and helpful for humanity and its good as war has devastating effects on its victims. Are All Wars Since They Are Violent Wrong, Or Are They At Times a Necessary Evil? War is an occurrence that mankind has been faced with every few years, sometimes being apparently inevitable and sometimes being viewed as wholly unnecessary. Always being outright gloomy and terrifying due to the loss of lives and the suffering caused, there are also some effects of war which are seen as being positive and are thus stated to be in favor of war. This has caused for two different opinions, one being that war is always unjustified and should be avoided and the other being that war is essential. As the eternal debate of the necessity of war has been sparked by thousands of years of bloodshed, some argue that it is a necessary evil, while those who keep in mind the value of every single human life claim that war must be avoided at all costs. As both sides of the argument have humongous implications, it is essential to examine each proposal with the utmost care before forming an opinion. It is argued that some conflicts cannot be resolved in any other way. For example, the American Civil War. Had it not been for this war, the black people of the country would have been forced into continued existence as slaves. Their families were being torn apart and they were being deprived of their basic rights. Some say that there was no other way to make the white people give the blacks their basic human rights as they would not choose to pay their workers when they clearly benefitted from slavery. Thus in the case of eradication of discrimination, war seems to have been necessary. There are also those who call attention to the fact that war is required as it is the law of nature. It is said that it is an essential component of nature’s design of the world. As Darwin has proposed that there is an everlasting struggle for survival, this is used as evidence that war is inevitable. It is said that with war mankind progresses as in the struggle for survival only the fittest survive and the weak, who may have been obstacles to progress, are removed. War gives the opportunity for heroism and self-sacrifice and thus human development takes place. (SINGH, n. d. ) War is also said to be needed to control overpopulation. As the population of the world grows rapidly and resources grow scarcer by the minute, war is said to keep the population in check. (SINGH, n. d. ) Population and resources are thus forced to be balanced in this way. Also an attributed to war is the growth of an economy and also the development of an infrastructure. People are provided with a number of job opportunities and thus the rate of unemployment declines favorably. It forces the citizens of a country to rally its resources and work hard of their country. (How wars are good For an economy, 2005) However, this point is highly debated and claimed to be completely untrue by a number of anti-war activists. The arms and ammunition industries may flourish but this may benefit only a small section of the population and is thus frowned upon. War is also said to help in the unification of a country as many wars throughout history have proved to do so. An example lies in the English Civil Wars which took place between 1642 and 1652, which is the time when the country of England was divided. The king of England at that time was Charles I who deprived the people of sovereignty although it was a constitutional monarchy and the people felt that their voice was remaining to be unheard in parliament. The war was forced to begin when Charles I tried to take over Scotland despite having no approval whatsoever of the parliament. In reaction, the parliament constructed and raised its own army in order to stop that of the king. The war lasted nine entire years and after much suffering and severe losses the army of the parliament were found to have victory. Subsequently, the king faced a trial and was found guilty of crimes against the people of England and was thus executed. The war was in the interest of the English people and benefitted them greatly throughout the years as there were many positive long term effects. In result of these wars, the citizens of England were reunited with their sovereignty. Also, the commonwealth took shape and the entire Great Britain was united under it. (war as an evil necessity, 2006) In light of this example it can be said that war indeed does have effects which results in the ultimate unification of a country. The statement that war is a necessary evil is thus further highlighted as war was necessary for the unification of the country but also cost a great number of lives and caused much pain and suffering as well. On the other hand, there are those who claim that war is not an unnecessary evil. They state that war is a wholly unmixed evil in its purest form. Countering the example of the American Civil War are the examples of all the other nations which successfully removed slavery from their countries without the occurrence of horrifying large-scale wars. For example, the Parliament in Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act on August 24, 1833 which became the law on August 1, 1834. Subsequently, an average of about eight hundred thousand black people who were oppressively held in the British colonies became freed. In order to balance off the loss the previous slave owners faced, the British Parliament set aside the monetary total of one hundred million dollars. Slavery was thus abolished throughout the British lands. ‘Emancipation Day’ is celebrated as a public holiday in a lot of countries which were previously British colonies, marking the date of freedom. Another example is in the instance of France abolishing slavery on 27 April 1848, under the Second Republic. In order to compensate the previous slave owners, the state bought the slaves from the colonists and then they were freed. Similar examples of a war-less abolishment of slavery are seen in the histories of Argentina, Chile, Mexico, etc. Thus, in this regard war was not necessary. Slavery could have been abolished through other various means such as education and buying and freeing of slaves instead of the costly American Civil War. (Is War a Necessary Evil? , 2009) A point worth mentioning in favor of the anti war side of the debate is the existence of nuclear weapons. If a nuclear war were to take place in this day and age, any possible benefits would have been eliminated as it is. The effects of a nuclear war would be devastating. For example, the countries of Pakistan and India have been rivals ever since Pakistan’s independence and have had wars of their own. In a model of what might happen if there were to be a nuclear war between the two countries has been created by the scientists at the University of Colorado. According to them, â€Å"A limited nuclear weapons exchange between Pakistan and India using their current arsenals could create a near-global ozone hole, triggering human health problems and wreaking environmental havoc for at least a decade, according to a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder. The computer-modeling study showed a nuclear war between the two countries involving 50 Hiroshima-sized nuclear devices on each side would cause massive urban fires and loft as much as 5 million metric tons of soot about 50 miles into the stratosphere, said CU-Boulder Research Associate Michael Mills, chief study author. The soot would absorb enough solar radiation to heat surrounding gases, setting in motion a series of chemical reactions that would break down the stratospheric ozone layer protecting Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, said Mills. † (Nuclear War is Bad for You, 2008). Also, an estimate of about one hundred million people are to die in the blasts or in the aftermath of the radiation poisoning. It is clear from this example that nuclear war would be wholly unacceptable and the countries must decide some other means of settling their disputes. It also shows that nuclear war must never be resorted to by any other countries in the world as well. War is said to be, in most situations, mostly needed in order to gain material things. By this the value of a human life is being compared to material wealth. It is being considered unimportant and worthless. For when a war takes place and an army of thousands is formed, one single life is nothing in comparison to those thousands. War has taken place for territorial expansion, reducing the value of lost lives to be beneath the value of land. It has also taken place in order to unrightfully gain other nations resources, where fruitful trade could have taken place instead. As war leads to the devaluation of any number of human lives, it is a terrible thing to occur at any point in time in any place and should be avoided at all costs. As for the argument that war leads to human development, it is said that human development is in fact inhibited by the occurrence of war. War leads to death, which leads to pain, suffering, and frustration. This is as if for example, a family’s breadwinner dies at war, the family will be subject to a great amount of helpless pain and a series of negative emotions. They will also have to struggle for survival. War is thus unhelpful in the area of human development. The debate of whether war is always wrong due the violence that inevitably results or if it is a necessary evil has continued for quite a while and seems as if it shall persist in the years to come as well. However, when keeping in sight the above discussed information, the arguments against war prove to be more humane and compassionate, which are necessary traits in today’s world to prevent cruelty and injustice. References How wars are good For an economy. (July 14). Retrieved 5 13, 2010, from rediff. com: http://www. rediff. com/money/2005/jul/14perfin. htmIs War a Necessary Evil? (2009). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from CreateDebate: http://www. createdebate. com/debate/show/Is_War_a_Necessary_Evil Nuclear War is Bad for You. (2008). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from Sandwalk: http://sandwalk. blogspot. com/2008/04/nuclear-war-is-bad-for-you. html SINGH, R. (n. d. ). 101 War Books. Retrieved 5 13, 2010, from Rajput Brotherhood: http://www. rajputbrotherhood. com/eng/articles/101-war-books. html war as an evil necessity. (2006). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from oppapers: http://www. oppapers. com/essays/War-Evil-Necesity/93065

Positive deviance study of malnutrition

Positive deviance study of malnutrition Introduction Malnutrition is the underlying cause of every one out of two deaths in children under 5 years of age. Bryce J, Boschi-Pinto C, Shibuya K, Black RE, and the WHO Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group. WHO estimates of the causes of death in children. Lancet 2005; 365: 1147-52. It is a largely preventable cause of over a third-3.5 million- of all child deaths. Four-Fifths of undernourished children live across 4 regions-Africa, Asia, Western Pacific and the Middle East-. These are high priority nations for action. The first of the millennium development goals was to half between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. U.N.Mellinium Project 2005. Halving hunger:It can be done. London and Sterling, VA:Task force on hunger, 2005. Nutrition is a neglected aspect of child health which is not justifiable as we know that it is a major risk factor for disease. Lopez AD, Mathers CD, Ezzati M, Jamison DT, Murray CJL. Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001:systematic analysis of population health data. Lancet 2006: 367:1747-57. Inappropriate feeding practices and their consequences are major obstacles to sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction. Governments will be unsuccessful in their efforts to accelerate development in any significant long-term sense until optimal child growth and development, especially through appropriate feeding practices, is ensured. WHO Global Strategy on Infant Young Child Feeding Report of the Secretariat 55th World Health Assembly, April 2002(5) The indicator by which progress is measured is the prevalence of underweight in children under five, specifically, the percentage of children aged 0-59 months who fall below minus two standard deviations from the median weight for age of the standard reference population. http://www.unicef.org/progressforchildren/2006n4/index_undernutrition.html World Bank Report on 11th May 2006, there is a dominant focus on food supplementation that detracts from aspects that are more crucial for improving child nutritional outcomes, such as improving mothers feeding and caring behavior For example, only 40 percent of Indian mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding. Also delivery of services is not sufficiently focused on the youngest children (under three), who could potentially benefit most from ICDS interventions Growth-faltering starts during pregnancy, and approximately 30 percent of children in India are born with low birth weight, and by the age of two years most lifetime growth retardation has taken place, and is largely irreversible The flowchart below depicts the interactions between underlying and immediate causes of malnutrition The Positive Deviance concept which forms the basis of this study focuses on two direct behavioural causes of malnutrition at the household level, namely inadequate dietary intake and disease prevention. This study measures childhood malnutrition using the new growth standards that have been recently released by the World Health Organization. The new standards are based on children from Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the US and adopt a fundamentally prescriptive approach designed to describe how all children should grow rather than merely describing how children grew in a single reference population at a specified time. Garza C, de Onis M. (for the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group). Rationale for developing a new international growth reference. Food Nutr Bull 2004; 25 (Suppl. 1): S5-14. Magnitude of Malnutrition Malnutrition is a widely prevalent problem in India and one of astonishing magnitude. According to the National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS III, 2005-06), about a third of Indias children are born underweight, about 44 percent of children under five are underweight, 48 percent are stunted, 20 percent are wasted and 70 percent are anaemic. NFHS II (1992-93), more than half (53%) of children below four years of age are under nourished. In 1998, 29.1% children between 1-5 years of age suffered from moderate and 12.3% from severe under nutrition. This shows only a gradual decrease in the prevalence of under nutrition in India over twelve years. Nutritional adequacy is one of the key determinants of the health and well being of the children. Under-nourishment not only retardsphysical developmentbut also hampers the learning and cognitive process, leading to sluggish educational, social and economic development, according to Sanjeev Kumar in his study Malnutrition in Children of the Back ward States of India and the ICDS Programme. According to the NFHS III data, Tamil Nadu, although considered one of the better performing states, recorded to have nearly 35% of its rural children as undernourished. This value was certainly lower than the national rural average of 49%, but according to the NNMB survey based on the NCHS standards in 2001, there was a rise in the levels of severe malnutrition in both boys and girls in the under 5 age group in Tamil Nadu Therefore the focus of this study is to investigate how some children living in the same surroundings escape the ill-effects of malnutrition and thrive in spite of poverty and limited resources, and use these practices to eliminate malnutrition among the rest. The Positive Deviance Approach and its benefits Positive Deviance is based on the fact that solutions to some community problems already exist within the community and need to be discovered. It is a strength-based or asset-based approach based on the belief that in every community there are certain individuals (Positive Deviants) whose special, or uncommon, practices and behaviours enable them to find better ways to prevent malnutrition than their neighbours who share the same resources and face the same risks. Through a dynamic process called the Positive Deviance Inquiry (PDI), these practices are discovered to contribute to a better nutritional outcome in under nourished child This intervention is designed to enable families with malnourished children to learn and practice these and other beneficial behaviours. The programme actively involves the mother and child in rehabilitation and learning in a home like situation and work to enable the families to sustain the childs enhanced nutritional status at home. The typical session consists of nutritional rehabilitation and education over a twelve-day period followed by home visits. The development of a community-based nutrition rehabilitation model called PD/Hearth was promoted by USAID and other international organizations such as UNICEF. The Hearth approach In the Hearth approach, caregivers of malnourished children practice new cooking, feeding, hygiene and caring behaviours shown to be successful for rehabilitating malnourished children. The selected practices come from both the findings of the Positive Deviance Inquiry and emphasis behaviours highlighted by public health experts. The Hearth session consists of nutritional rehabilitation and education over a twelve-day period followed by home visits. The Hearth approach promotes behaviour change and empowers caregivers to take responsibility for nutritional rehabilitation of their children using local knowledge and resources. After two weeks of being fed additional high-calorie foods, children become more energetic and their appetites increase. Visible changes in the child, coupled with the learning by doing method, results in improved caregiver confidence and skills in feeding, child care, hygiene and health-seeking practices. Improved practices, regardless of mothers education levels, enhance child growth and development. This approach successfully reduces malnutrition in the target community by enabling community members to discover the wisdom of Positive Deviant mothers and to practice this wisdom in the daily Hearth sessions. Positive Deviance/Hearth is an effective tool in discovering the solutions from within. Need for the Study Maternal and child under nutrition is highly prevalent in low and middle income countries like ours, resulting in increased mortality and overall disease burden. It is well recognised that among the basic and underlying causes of under nutrition include environmental and economic factors with poverty having a central role. Thus for a sustainable solution to this very common problem, there needs to be an ecological and holistic approach rather than the current and commonly used approach of the government giving supplementary feeds to those who are malnourished. The latter approach not only puts a financial strain on the government but also make the community members dependent on this external aid. Therefore this study concentrates on identifying affordable and sustainable solutions within a community which can be used to prevent undernutrition. This approach is also not resource hungry unlike the traditional approaches where the focus is on finding and fixing what is wrong and missing in the community rather than identifying what is already working and build on the strengths of existing healthy practices within the community that is protecting them from undernutrition even though they are faced with same constraints of resources. This approach is known as the Positive Deviance approach. Knowledge shared through this approach not only changes behaviour but also changes how a community perceives malnutrition and their ability to change the situation. The Positive Deviant approach has been shown in other studies and projects to quickly eliminate malnutrition and through the sustainable new behaviour; the younger siblings have also received these benefits. Positive deviance is a successful approach to decrease malnutrition and has enabled hundreds of communities the world over to reduce and prevent malnutrition. This approach is also culturally acceptable which helps bring about change in our society. However, there are only a few studies that use this concept to reduce malnutrition in India, whereas the potential here is very high. And , although Tamil Nadu has shown gains in terms of reduction of the problem of malnutrition, it still has a high percentage of malnourished children and therefore this study was undertaken to estimate prevalence in fourteen villages within the rural field practice area of the department of community medicine of PSG Institute of Medical Science and Research and explore the feasibility, sustainability and effectiveness of combating the problem by using the Positive Deviance concept and approach. Tamil Nadu has a high prevalence of malnutrition. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift in the primary focus from Management of Malnutrition to Prevention of Malnutrition. Towards achieving this, strategies and activities have been proposed under various components for the year 2006-07 with priority for greater attention on the health and nutritional status, by the Government of Tamil Nadu. One of the guiding principles suggested to help achieve Malnutrition free Tamil Nadu, is effective nutrition intervention, and communication to bring about behavioural change. To help achieve this goal, this study was undertaken in fourteen villages under the rural field practice area of the department of community medicine of PSG Institute of Medical Science and Research using the Positive Deviance concept. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of under 3yrs undernutrition in 14 villages of Vedapatti. To identify Positive Deviant practices in the community. To rehabilitate undernourished children identified in the most affected village. To reassess families at their homes after 6 months and ensure sustainability of Positive Deviant practices. Review of literature Classification of under nutrition Under nutrition is defined as the outcome of insufficient food intake and repeated infectious diseases. It includes being underweight for ones age, too short for ones age (stunted), dangerously thin for ones height (wasted) and deficient in vitamins and minerals (micronutrient malnutrition) according to UNICEF. Low weight for age is termed as underweight. Weight for age classifications are widely used in assessing nutritional status of children as it gives a picture of both acute and chronic onset malnutrition. The earlier classifications include Gomez, Indian Association of Paediatrics, and Welcome. These classifications use different reference standards, but the current recommended standards are the WHO references. This study uses the WHO references to classify underweight. In a study done by Bridget Fenn and Mary E. Penny across three countries, fewer children were classified as underweight according to the WHO classification when compared to the NCHS reference standards. Another study done by Marc-Andre Prost et al showed contrasting results. The WHO standards gave a prevalence of underweight 3.6 times higher early in infancy,0 4 months (6.1% against 1.7%) and half the estimated prevalence of the NCHS reference in the second half of infancy, 11 15 months(6.6% against 13.6%) Implication of New WHO Growth Standards on Identification of Risk Factors and Estimated Prevalence of Malnutrition in Rural Malawian Infants Marc-Andre ´ Prost1*, Andreas Jahn1,2, Sian Floyd1, Hazzie Mvula2, Eleneus Mwaiyeghele2, Venance Mwinuka2, Thomas Mhango2, Amelia C. Crampin1,2, Nuala McGrath1,2, Paul E. M. Fine1, Judith R. Glynn1 In a study done by P.R. Deshmukh et al , in Anji, Maharashtra, the prevalence of underweight as assessed by WHO standards was significantly lower when compared with the assessment based on NCHS reference (p0.05). Newly Developed WHO Growth Standards : Implications for Demographic Surveys and Child Health Programs P.R. Deshmukh, A.R. Dongre, S.S. Gupta and B.S. Garg Prevalence of under nutrition The World Bank estimates that India is ranked 2nd with 47% after Bangladesh for the most number of children who suffer with malnutrition (in 1998). The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world, and is nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa with dire consequences for mobility, mortality, productivity and economic growth. According to the National family health survey -3 the percentage of under 3 children who were underweight in Tamilnadu were 33.2 % (31.3% in the urban areas and 34.8% in rural areas) The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau observed that in about 40% of the households, the intake of dietary energy by preschool children was inadequate. About 55% of the preschool age children were underweight, 52% were stunted and 15% were wasted. In a study done by Bhanderi D et al, the prevalence of under weight (wt. for age below 2SD) was 43.67%. An epidemiological study of health and nutritional status of under five children in semi-urban community of Gujarat. Bhanderi D, Choudhary SK. A study done to find the prevalence of malnutrition in Uttar Pradesh showed that the maximum over all prevalence of malnutrition was in the age group of 13-24 months. The maximum number of grade IV malnutrition was found in the age group 25-36 months. Harishankar, Shraddha Dwivedi, S.B. Dadral, D.K. Walia, Nutritional status of children under 6 years of age Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine. Vol. 35 No.3 4 2004 Methods of assessing nutritional status Nutritional assessments can be done by both direct and indirect methods. The method used can result in a wide variation in the prevalence of malnutrition. P. Mohanan et al in their study evaluated the efficacy of Body Mass Index, Mid-Arm Circumference and Weight-for-age in detecting Malnutrition in terms of sensitivity, specificity and predictive value and concluded that weight-for-age is the best indicator. P.Mohanan, A.Kamath, B.Motha, M.Philip. Evaluation of Anthropometric Indices of Malnutrition in under-five children. Indian Journal of Public Health 1994 July-September;28 (3); 91-94. A Comparison of Anthropometric Methods for Assessing Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in the Philippines was done to identify the most reliable anthropometricmeasurements that reflect nutritional status and the Dugdales nutritional index, weight/height, was a reliable measurement for malnutrition. This is exceptionally useful when the age of the child is not know. A Comparison of Anthropometric Methods for Assessing Nutritional Status of Preschool Children: The Philippines Study Marilyn D. Johnson, MS,William K. Yamanaka, PhDandCandelaria S. Formacion, MS Factors associated with malnutrition Gender A case-controlled study conducted in a rural area in Tamil Nadu, India, on 97,000 children showed that female gender was a significant risk factor for malnutrition. YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 70 (1997), pp. 149-160. Copyright C 1997. All rights reserved. A Case-Control Study of Maternal Knowledge of Malnutrition and Health-Care-Seeking Attitudes in Rural South India Kaori Saito, Joshua R. Korzenika, James F. Jekel and Sara Bhattacharji Also another study in Tamilnadu on a total of 2954 children attending the TamilNadu Integrated Nutrition Project (TINP), showed that there was an association between female sex and malnutrition. In this study the malnourished children were referred to as negative deviants. Use of Positive-Negative Deviant Analyses to Improve Programme Targeting and Services: Example from the TamilNadu Integrated Nutrition Project MEERA SHEKAR, JEAN-PIERRE HABICHT AND MICHAEL C LATHAM Girls showed only a slightly higher level of prevalence of malnutrition in the study done by The Research and Special Studies Division of the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka A study done in the slums of Chandigarh on 1286 preschool children found no significant gender difference. This study shows similar reports as our study in Vedapatti. H.M. Swami, J.S.Thakur, S.P.S.Bhatia, Vikas Bhatia. Nutriotional status of preschool children in an ICDS block of Chandigarh. Journal og Indial Medical Association; 99(10): 554-556 The sex of the child was found to be significantly high in association to malnutrition. The percentage of female children that were malnurished was higher in school going children. Epidemiology of malnutrition in a rural field practice are of Navi Mumbai By Sumedha Joshi and Santosh S. Walgankar Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine Vol 35, 1 and 2, 2004 Mothers Literacy The Research and Special Studies Division of the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka, undertook a methodological study to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition in children under five years of age, and the factors contributing to such a situation. The study found that 25% of pre-school children that were undernourished had mothers who had not gone beyond the primary level of school education. The effected proportion dropped to 11% when the mother has had at least secondary education. Mother literacy was found in this study to have a positive effect on bringing down the incidence of malnutrition in socio-economically backward villages around Agra. Positive Deviance determinants in Young Infants in rural Uttar Pradesh by Vani Sethi1, Sushma Kashyap1, Veenu Seth1 and Siddharth Agarwal, Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics Volume 74, June 2007. Sandip Kumar et al in a study among 600 under 5 children in West Bengal showed that illiteracy of both parents was a significant risk factor for malnutrition. Sandip Kumar Ray, Anima Halder, Biswajit Biswas, Raghunath Mishra, Satish Kumar. Epidemiology of Under Nutrition. Indian Journal of Pediatrics 2001 November: 68:1025-1030. Socio-economic status This study in 2003 on 4187 children showed contrasting results in Nigeria. The southeast and southwest regions had large inequalities between the poor and the rich whereas northeast and northwest regions had a considerably small gap between the rich and the poor on malnutrition. Using extended concentration and achievement indices to study socioeconomic inequality in chronic childhood malnutrition: the case of Nigeria Olalekan A Uthmancorresponding author1,2 A study done in 1000 under 5 children in Rajasthan showed that 82% of the malnourished children belonged to the socio economic classes 4 and 5. Nutritional disorders in rural Rajasthan A.L.Soni1, R.N.Singh1and B.D.Gupta. Indian Journal of Peadiatrics, May, 1980,Vol 47: 199-202. A case-control study of maternal knowledge of malnutrition and health-care-seeking attitudes in rural Tamilnadu, showed that socio-economic status was a stronger risk factor for malnutrition than health-care availability and health-care-seeking attitudes. A case-control study of maternal knowledge of malnutrition and health-care-seeking attitudes in rural South India, Saito K,Korzenik JR,Jekel JF,Bhattacharji S. Birth order The study done by Vani Sethi et al also evaluated other factors that contribute to malnutrition in the society and found that third or earlier born infants escaped malnutrition Positive Deviance determinants in Young Infants in rural Uttar Pradesh by Vani Sethi1, Sushma Kashyap1, Veenu Seth1 and Siddharth Agarwal21Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics Volume 74, June 2007 Another study in Uttar Pradesh observed that grade III malnutrition was absent in the children whose birth order was one and two. A significant rise in Malnutrition was found in the children of birth order IV and above. Health and Population Perspectives Issues 4(2):106-112, 1981 A community based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Mollasimla village of Hooghly district of West Bengal, showed a significantly higher proportion of malnutrition was found to be present among female children of higher birth order and those belonging to families with lower per capita income compared to the males. Gender inequality in nutritional status among under five children in a village in Hooghly district, West Bengal. Dey I,Chaudhuri RN. PROTEIN ENERGY MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN A CASEFOR THE NEED OF A PLANNED FAMILY Deoki Nandan*, J. V. Singh** and B. C Srivastava A study done by Harishankar et al showed that the highest percentage of malnourished children was seen in the first born children (47.2%) and the least in children with birth order 3 and above (17.8%) Harishankar, Shraddha Dwivedi, S.B. Dadral, D.K. Walia,Nutritional status of children under 6 years of age Indian Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine. Vol. 35 No.3 4 2004 Spacing The same study in Uttar Pradesh, by Deoki Nandan et al also studied the relationship to spacing and malnutrition showed that there was a direct association between Protein energy Malnutrition and less spacing between sibilings. Health and Population Perspectives Issues 4(2):106-112, 1981. Protein Energy Malnutrition In Children A Case For The Need Of A Planned Family Deoki Nandan*, J. V. Singh** and B. C Srivastava Studies using Positive Deviance concepts The successful application of the PD approach has been documented in more than 41 countries in nutrition and a variety of other sectors from public health to education to business. Positive deviance is not specific to nutrition practices, but can be used for many other behaviours. Ref:http://www.positivedeviance.org/PD_Evaluation_Report_for_DEPKES_FINAL.pdf Positive Deviance was used in two Colombian hospitals to combat the spread of MRSA Infection. All hospital staff up to the security guard involved themselves by reminding the visitors to practice good hand hygiene. As a result the infection rates have dropped down my more than 75% from 1.1 infections per 1000 patient days to less than 0.2 infections per 1000 patient days. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/healthcare.html?id=49 In West Bengal, India, ICDS has undertaken pilots projects in the use of the PD approach in Nutrition and Child Care Program (NCCP) in 4 districts to improve the nutritional status of children under three years of age. The projects substantially decreased the number of malnourished children by promoting good care practices. The PD informed project enabled families to break the dependence on donated food, by identifying cheap locally available and bringing it daily to the NCC session to prepare and feed their malnourished children. Every month the malnourished child is weighed and in most cases, mothers find their children gaining weight between 100 and 600 gm. Ref:http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/nutrition.html?id=77 Ref:http://www.unicef.org/india/nutrition_1557.htm In 1990 Save the Children initiated a PD program in Viet Nam to enable poor villages to address the pervasive problem of childhood malnutrition. At that time 60% of children under the age of 5 suffered from malnutrition in Viet Nam. The initial pilot project was in the first 4 villages. In each of the villages, six of the poorest families with well nourished kids were chosen and caretakers were questioned and observed. In every instance where a poor family had a well-nourished child, the mother or father was collecting tiny shrimps or crabs or snails (the size of one joint of one finger) from the rice paddies and adding these to the childs diet along with the greens from sweet potato tops. Although readily available and free for the taking, the conventional wisdom held these foods to be inappropriate, or even dangerous, for young children. Along with these food and atypically strict hand hygiene in 5 of the 6 PD households, other positive deviant behaviors emerged, involving frequenc y and method of feeding and quality of care and health-seeking behaviors. Through the PD inquiries, community members had discovered for themselves what it took for a very poor family to have a well-nourished child. Rehabilitation started as for two weeks every month, mothers or other caretakers would bring their malnourished children to a neighbors house for a few hours every day. Together with the health volunteer, they would prepare and feed an extra nutritious meal to their children. This showed great success by reducing malnutrition by as much as 80%. The project was then applied in large scale reaching more than 2 million people and in 250 communities and sustainabily rehabiliteted 50,000 malnourished children under the age of 5. This is probably the best known and best documented large scale application of PD. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/nutrition.html?id=105 In Nepal a PD project to cover more than 8000 children under 3 years of age from 15 very disadvantaged communities was started with an aim of reducing child malnutrition in a sustainable manner. Positive practices regarding child feeding, caring, health seeking and maternity care are identified from the poor families having well nourished children through the PDI and then are made accessible to the families with malnourished children through a learning by doing process. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/countries.html?id=82 In the year 2000 a Positive Deviance Inquiry to identify specific behaviors and strategies that contribute to healthy pregnancy outcomes amongst poor women was conducted. The inquiry determined that mothers-in-law played a central role in assisting women in obtaining medical care. Low-income women with weight gain greater than 1.5 kg per month in the second trimester of pregnancy reported multiple antenatal care contacts, increased rest during pregnancy, and more consumption of meat and vegetables. These results were incorporated into a program for 200 women that resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of low birth weight. Ref: http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/public_health.html?id=117 The following is illustrative of the impact of Positive Deviance over the last 15 years: Sustained 65 to 80% reduction in childhood malnutrition in Vietnamese communities, reaching a population of 2.2 million people. Significant reduction in childhood malnutrition in communities in 41 countries around the world. Reduction in neo-natal mortality morbidity in Pashtun communities in Pakistan and minority communities in Vietnam with near universal adoption of protective behaviors and social change. Estimated 50% increase in primary school student retention in 10 participating schools in Missiones, Argentina. Community intervention methods to combat under nutrition Traditional nutrition interventions include growth monitoring, counselling and the provision of supplemental foods and micronutrients But over decades the weighing of children undertaken by several National health ministries has brought little or no change to the nutritional status. In fact, in a study done by Sridhar Seetharaman, in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, it was found that the Mid Day Meal did not make any appreciable and significant impact on improving the nutritional status of the children. Impact Of Mid Day Meal On The Nutritional Status Of School Going Children, Sridhar Seetharaman, NIRD, Hyderabad Zulfiqar A Bhutta et al used a cohort model to study the interventions that affect maternal and child undernutrition and nutrition-related outcomes. The interventions included promotion of breastfeeding; strategies to promote complementary feeding, with or without provision of food supplements; micronutrient interventions; general supportive strategies to improve family and community nutrition. They found that these interventions could reduce stunting at 36 months by 36%; mortality between birth and 36 months by about 25%; and disability-adjusted life-years associated with stunting, severe wasting, intrauterine growth restriction, and micronutrient deficiencies by about 25%. Prof Zulfiqar A Bhutta PhDa, Tahmeed Ahmed PhDb, Prof Robert E Black MDc, Prof Simon Cousens PhDd, Prof Kathryn Dewey PhDe, Elsa Giuglianif, Batool A Haider MDa, Prof Betty Kirkwood PhDd, Saul S Morris PhDd, Prof HPS Sachdevg, Meera Shekar PhDhand for the Maternal and Child Undernutrition Study Group, Lancet Volume 371, 8 February 2008, Pages 417-440 Reasons for age selection Care is an important determinant of nutritional status. It determines the delivery of food and health care resources to the child by optimizing the existing resources to promote good health and nutrition in children. Ramakrishnan U. UNICEF-Cornell colloquium on care and nutrition of the young child-planning. F Nutr Bull 1995; 16: 286-92. The first two years of life are the window of opportunity to prevent early childhood undernutrition that causes largely irreversible damage. This is proved by the following studies across the world. Study shows more benefit from reaching all at-risk children