Accountability of public health service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accountability of public health service - Essay Example This paper provides an insightful study of the accountability issues involved in the British National Health Service organisation. The National Health Service is basically the most renowned government backed health care systemIt is the free provision of complete health care from the UK government to the general public that provides funding for its operations. The organisation is run by the Department of Health under the supervision of Secretary of State for Health. As it is a government funded and publicly run health service organisation, the accountability and answerability concerns are of utmost importance in the organisation. Hence, this paper investigates into the accountability requirements in the British National Health System and the types of accountability involved therein.Accountability has been defined several times with several meanings and perspectives such as Ijiri (1983), Robinson (2002), Sinclair (1995) etc. According to Mulgan (2000, p555), "complex and chameleon-like term", which calls for the usage of term as ever changing and available in various forms and ranges. In much simpler words, we can define accountability as the notion of being accountable and answerable for the deeds and doings. Accountability is involved in many forms in various aspects of human lives. For instance, an organisation is accountable to its shareholders, and a minister is accountable to parliament etc (Mosley 2000). Accountability is essential in the sense that it creates a sense of responsibility and sets a value framework for the actions to be performed. Accountability in public health service is of enhanced importance because of the nature of operations it conducts. If the funds provided by the government are to be allocated completely to the desired beneficiaries and if the prescribed operations are to be performed in the best manner, some necessary accountability measures need to be taken. Such strategies need to be undertaken so as to combat misuse of resources, ensure abidance to defined rules, and enhance efficiency in the health care system. Schedler (1999) says that answerability is the vital component of accountability, which refers to the notion of being answerable for the deeds and decisions. Accountability is pre-eminently important in public health service, because it the utmost responsibility of any government in the world to make the provision of best medical and health care facilities to its people. Any lack of accountability can lead to the corruption, mal-practice and misuse of the resources on the part of the government personnel. Brinkerhoff (2001) refers to the following types of accountability that should be enforced in public health care system: Financial Accountability It makes the public officials accountable for their use of financial resources of the organisation with the help of various tools such as accounting, auditing, and budgeting etc. As public health care system is funded by ministries, the government needs to enforce control measure using predetermined budget for specific facilities and setting limit standards for spending power granted to different levels of authority. This type of accountability is needed to reduce the corruption among public officials in the health sector. The Audit Commission and National Audit Office can take National Health Service bodies under investigation but not much of the information is disclosed outside the organisation. However, the recent reforms introduced by the government require the NHS bodies to publish and disseminate the organisation's annual reports plus their business plans. This counts for an enhanced accountability in financial aspect because the uses and outcomes of financial resources can ea sily be analysed through the financial statements. Managerial Accountability Managerial accountability lies in measuring the performance of the organisation in terms of the results achieved out of its various operations. The personnel can be made accountable through the

Demonstrate understanding of the concepts involved in managing Essay

Demonstrate understanding of the concepts involved in managing marketing and make recommendations for improving the management o - Essay Example There are different elements of marketing process such as marketing mix strategy, targeting strategy, market segmentation and product positioning. Market segmentation is used to identify the different segments of consumers with respect to different product line (Kotler, 2008). Targeting strategy is used to recognize the target audience for the particular products. Product positioning is used to identify the region in which the products will compete in a market place. These different elements of marketing process are elaborated in this study in order to understand managing marketing. Introduction Effective marketing strategies and marketing principles increase the core competency of an organization. UK is known for the leading fashion retail chains. Leading companies like Zara, Top Shop, Marks & Spencer, and Miss Sixty are the leading fashion retails in UK (Moore, Bruce and Birtwistle, 2012). Marks & Spencer, the large UK based fashion retailer is being selected in order to achieve th e objective of the study. Marks & Spencer is one of the leading multinational fashion retail headquartered in London. In UK the organization operates with 718 retail outlets. Moreover they have near about 361 fashion retail outlets in 40 countries. Marks & Spencer offers high quality, fashionable and stylish outfits for people. 2000 global suppliers supply cloths for Marks & Spencer. Representing garments of high quality is the biggest strength of this organization. The fashion retail chain is the leading provider of Women wear in UK market. Moreover, the company is gaining high market share in menswear and kids-wear. Apart from business the organization has engaged with several social welfare activities. Marks & Spencer recycles the water, solid waste and concentrates on the reduction of carbon emission in environment by implementing the effective five year eco plan for organization’s green credential. . By providing effective marketing strategy and product of high quality w ith effective customer services, Marks & Spencer has able to produce enormous number of footfall every week. It is the major achievement for the company as a leading fashion retail chain in global market. Marks & Spencer enjoys the advantages of more than 21 million footfalls every week in all the retail outlets. The study will reveal the market segmentation, target marketing and the marketing mix that has been applied in the business of Marks & Spencer. Moreover, the study will determine the competitive advantages of the organization. Followed by these some valuable recommendation plans are being provided in order to overcome the Managing marketing issues. Finally the study ends with conclusion. Problem Statement and issues in Managing Marketing The study is all about the issues related to the marketing orientation and recommendation plans in order to overcome those issues. The problems or the risk factors are identified below. The risk of failure in terms of newly developed produc ts. In adequate customer service, marketing orientation and query controlling may affect the business performances. Difference between Product and Service Marketing Product marketing can be defined as marketing of tangible goods, which can be felt or seen while service marketing defines the marketing of intangible goods (Bhattacharya, 2009). Service marketing may differ from a person to person while marketing of product is

International Trade And Comparative Advantage Economics Essay

International Trade And Comparative Advantage Economics Essay International Trade is the exchanging process of goods, and services across the international border. In 2010, the value of international tread achieved 19 trillion (US) dollars that is about 30% of the world GDP (Abedini, n.d.). That is nearly one third of production of goods and services are exchanged internationally around the world. International trade is the exchange between two people or entities in two different countries. International trade theories are different type of theories that explain international trade (New Charter University, 2012). People want to exchange goods and services because they believe that they get benefit from the exchange. Many economists believe that the participation in international trade increase productivity. Trade theoretical work suggests that the level of productivity and growth may increase through its effects on technology. There are many portion of international trade, which lead to technological change and this increased the rate of economic growth. There are mainly three mechanisms by that technology change: increased competitive pressure, embodiment in imports and knowledge transfer by commercial contacts (Sjà ¶holm 1997) Economists have developed theories to explain the mechanisms of global trade. The main historical theories are called classical theory. This is based on country. After some time theories began to move to explain trade from a firm or company based not a country perspective. This is known as modern theory(New Charter University, 2012). Classification of different theories: http://images.flatworldknowledge.com/carpenteribus/carpenteribus-fig05_004.jpg COUNTRY BASED THEORIES Mercantilism This theory is the earliest theory which developed in the sixteenth century. According to this theory a countrys wealth is determined by the amount of its gold and silver holding(New Charter University 2012). Mercantilist believed that a country should increase its gold and silver by the increase of export and discouraging the import (7). The main purpose of each country was to have trade surplus, and avoid a trade deficit. Through a form of neo-mercantilism countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, and even Germany still favor exports and discourage imports(New Charter University, 2012). Absolute advantage Adam smith offered a new theory called absolute advantage. This theory stated that a country focus on the ability to produce a good more efficiently than another nation (New Charter University, 2012). He said that trade should follow naturally according to market forces. For example if one country produce a good cheaper and faster as compare to other so it is better to focus on specialization on producing that good. Smiths theory said that increase the specialization in both countries would benefit for both countries and trade should be also encouraged (7). This theory state that a country wealth cannot be measure by how much gold and silver it had but by the living standards of its people can be measure. Comparative advantage David Ricardo, introduce the theory of comparative advantage in the 1817(New Charter University 2012). This theory stated that if only one country had the absolute advantage in the production of more than one product, specialization and trade could still occur between two countries. When a country cannot produce a product more efficiently than the other country than comparative advantage occurs. It can produce that product better and more efficiently than it does other goods (Voss Voss, 2008). This theory explains that how countries through imports can increase their welfare by simultaneously selling goods and services in international market (7). Two countries can get benefit even if one country could produce all goods with fewer resources. The other, provide the relative efficiency with which goods can be produce differs between the two countries. (John Sloman) Heckscher-Ohlin Theory (Factor Proportions Theory) Eli Hechscher and Bertil Ohlin, focused their attention on how a country could gain comparative advantage by producing products(New Charter University, 2012). This theory mostly focuses on countrys production factors like land, labor, and capital, which provide funds for investment in plant and equipment. This theory said that the cost of any resource depend on supply and demand. This theory is also known as factor proportions theory. Countries would import goods that were in short supply, but higher demand. For example, in China and India labor cost is cheap hence these countries have become the optimal location for labor intensive industries (Lee, Qian, Julie, and Ying, 2004). Modern or Firm-Based Trade Theories These theories came out after Second World War. Large part of these theories is developed by business school professors, not economist. The firm-based theories incorporate other product and service factors that include brand and customer loyalty, technology and quality, into the understanding of trade flows. Country similarity theory This theory devolved in 1961 by the Steffan Linder (New Charter University, 2012). Linders theory said that consumers in countries that are in the same or similar stage of development would have similar preferences. This theory stated that companies first produce for domestic consumption. It is very difficult to find out similar market as like domestic one, on the basis of customer preference. This theory is useful in decision-making and purchasing processes in understanding trade in goods where brand name and product reputations are most important factors in the buyers. Product life cycle theory This theory stated that every product life cycle has three distinct stages: new product, maturing product, and product decline. This theory developed by Harvard Business School professor Raymond Vernon(New Charter University, 2012). Global strategic rivalry theory Economist Paul Krugman and Kelvin Lancaster introduce this theory in 1980(New Charter University, 2012). This theory based on MNCs and their efforts to gain a competitive advantage against other global firms in there industry. Porters national competitive advantage theory In 1990 Michael Porter of Harvard Business School developed a new model of explain national competitive advantage(New Charter University, 2012). This said that a nations competitiveness in an industry depends on the capacity of the industry to innovate and upgrade. Porter identified four determinants that he linked together (Smit, 2010). The four determinants are local market resource and capabilities, local market demand conditions, local supplier and complementary industries and local firm characteristics. http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0308596104000795-gr2.jpg(15) Assumptions of comparative advantage: Comparative advantage theory is helpful to make a number of assumptions. This theory said that there are no transportation costs or can say transportation cast are ignored. Mostly all costs are invariable and there are no economies of scale. There are only two economies creating two goods. This theory assumes that all traded goods are homogeneous. This theory assumes that factors of production are assumed to be perfectly mobile. This theory assumes that no tariffs or other trade barriers. This theory provides perfect knowledge, so that every buyers and sellers know where they can get cheapest goods internationally. This theory assumes labor is perfectly mobile within the country but perfectly immobile between countries. Doubling the inputs in each country leads to a doubling of total output of company. LITERATURE REVIEW New Zealand is heavily dependent on international trade. Currently import protection of New Zealand is low. Vernon was the first to who alert to rising importance of codified knowledge and key skill as a platform for the product cycle, outsourcing, off shoring and franchising. New Zealand has wage ratios that are less or more typical of the North. So there is one question came out, how can New Zealand firms and government plan future trade capability in this global market environment? The large countries not depend on the external sector as much as the small countries. Small countries depend on the external sector to achieve higher economic growth and maintain a higher living standard. New Zealands is also not potential to generate good economic it is also dependent on its international competitiveness. New Zealand is dependent on export achieve sustainable growth. The major portion of New Zealands external trade of export income comes from bulk commodities such as meat and dairy products, wood and pulp(9). Primary commodities still dominate New Zealands export- in the 60s the share of primary commodities was over 85%. Now days, New Zealands land-based export is 67%.(9) In other developed countries the primary export share is decreasing as manufacturing but service exports are rising. New Zealand produces a large quantity of primary commodities because of good natural resource endowment. The primary sector of New Zealand to export is agricultural, horticultural, and forestry industries(9). The homogenous nature of the New Zealand agribusiness and forestry sectors and New Zealand focus in research, development and innovation in these sectors that can improve the export competitiveness. This focus has positive implication for economies of scale. Between 1999 and 2007 the New Zealand gained and lost comparative advantage in more than 200 products(10). This information suggests that New Zealand exporters want to change market demands and opportunities. Beyond the primary product sector New Zealand has not diversified. New Zealands economic developments start since the late 1890s by the opportunity to sell primary product products like wool, dairy products and meat to the United Kingdom and other industrialized countries(9). But after the Second World War the demand for food and industrial raw materials was increased. This demand increased export activities of many countries including New Zealand. Analysis of export and import of New Zealand Export and import can be a great way to inter into new market and expand business. New Zealand context, policy-induced distortions are perhaps less prominent on the imports side than the exports side. New Zealand exports statistics measure sales by resident firms and individuals to non-residents. The incomes of New Zealand include in investment income rather than exports in balance of payment statement. New Zealand is heavily dependent on agricultural products. More than one-third of the worlds international dairy trade leads by New Zealand. More than 100 million people feed dairy product. New Zealand dairy industry contributes 25% of export earnings(12). In 2009 New Zealands total exports amounted to $26.25 billion, its total imports came in at $24.29 billion (11). In December 2011 New Zealand total export grew by 9.6% to reach $47.7 billion. Australia is the largest exports market for New Zealand, taking 22.7% of New Zealands exports. New Zealands second largest market for export is China. New Zealand nearly export 12.3% to china and New Zealands export to the china grew by over $1 billion in 2011(13). New Zealand export to the USA 8.4% of its total export. In the year of December 2011 the total imports of New Zealand, valued at $44.5 billion. China has good market and New Zealand imports from china were valued at $7.049 billion. New Zealand sourced 15.8%of its total imports from china. The import from Australia fell by $ 300 million to $7.039 billion. The main factor contributed to this decline was the drop in NZs mineral fuel import. New Zealand import valued from the USA at $4.8 billion. New Zealand import 10.7% of its total import from the USA. New Zealand has strongest revealed comparative advantage in product based on the agriculture, horticulture, fishing or forestry industries. These include number of product like dairy product, in particular milk, milk powder butter and cheese. These include meat, frozen sheep, beef offal and many more seafood like mussels, crayfish, and frozen fish. These also include many kind of wool like combed, yarn and greasy wool (10). Some horticultural based products including fresh fruit, clover, frozen vegetable, onions, and honey and ryegrass seeds included in comparative advantage. A number of wood products these primary-based products rely on relatively sophisticated innovation inputs such as research and development. Dairy products are a good example in New Zealands innovation in production, processing, packaging, distribution, logistics (10). New Zealand also has expertise in these areas to develop a high comparative advantage in certain elaborately transformed manufactures. These contain machines for cleaning, sorting, grading, and dairy machinery, agricultural and bee-keeping plant, and milking machines. New Zealand has very good comparative advantage in a verity of manufacturing product and these manufactures are intermediate or capital good used by businesses rather than households (10) (9) CONCLUSION The aim of this text is to provide more insight on the concept of international trade and its impact in global economy. Several theories have been forwarded to explain the dawn of this global phenomenon influencing the New Zealand trade and businesses around the world. Although the theories have started from the classical view point stemming from the fact that trade has it is based on countries, it should evolved to encompass the idea that organizational perspective seems more feasible. The continuum explaining the advent of international trade started mercantilism advocating the need to encourage export and discourage import but with many criticisms from the forefather of Economics Adam Smith with his Absolute advantage theory which seemed much avant-gardes at that time. The relatively recent theory adding to the literature of International Trade is that of Porters national competitive advantage theory preaching the importance of national competitive theory of an industry to constantly innovate. Theories proposed by great researchers have been numerous each criticizing or adding to the existing literatures. However, it cannot be denied that in this era of globalization and interdependency of nations, international trade has become the buzzword of most economists. Despite criticisms and its certain drawbacks, International Trade is now a dominant factor in the global marketplace and nearly-if not all-countries have adopted it. As an ending word, it can be said that International Trade is here to stay.

A Midsummer Nights Dream - A Feminist Perspective Essay example -- Fe

A Feminist Perspective of A Midsummer Night's Dream  Ã‚        Ã‚   At age fifteen, my hormones went wild and I threw myself at every boy in the neighborhood.   Although I didn’t go all the way, I offered as much flesh as I dared. If the suburbs can create such sexual angst, imagine the lust stirred by moonlight, fairies, and a warm midsummer night. In   Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena represents the frenzy of young love when fueled by rejection and driven to masochistic extremes.    As the lovers sink deeper into the fantasy world of starlit woods, the Greek virtue of moderation disappears. Emotions intensify to a melodramatic pitch. Helena, in particular, plunges to a primitive and desperate level of passion. She pleads for attention from the "hardhearted adamant" Demetrius (II. i. 195). Teenage vulnerability, virginal desire, and an adolescent crush combine with the romance of an unobtainable object. Demetrius' hostility only strengthens Helena's willingness to degrade herself.    Shakespeare chooses language of pain and humiliation to express Hele... A Midsummer Night's Dream - A Feminist Perspective Essay example -- Fe A Feminist Perspective of A Midsummer Night's Dream  Ã‚        Ã‚   At age fifteen, my hormones went wild and I threw myself at every boy in the neighborhood.   Although I didn’t go all the way, I offered as much flesh as I dared. If the suburbs can create such sexual angst, imagine the lust stirred by moonlight, fairies, and a warm midsummer night. In   Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena represents the frenzy of young love when fueled by rejection and driven to masochistic extremes.    As the lovers sink deeper into the fantasy world of starlit woods, the Greek virtue of moderation disappears. Emotions intensify to a melodramatic pitch. Helena, in particular, plunges to a primitive and desperate level of passion. She pleads for attention from the "hardhearted adamant" Demetrius (II. i. 195). Teenage vulnerability, virginal desire, and an adolescent crush combine with the romance of an unobtainable object. Demetrius' hostility only strengthens Helena's willingness to degrade herself.    Shakespeare chooses language of pain and humiliation to express Hele...

Latino Culture Essay

Latino culture has many different traditions that contribute to literature by Hispanic writers but the importance of family is one of the most important to Latinos. Many of these other traditions include religion and gender roles. Family life also can affect the way children can develop and how they do in school. And all of this contributes significantly in Hispanic literature. Familismo is the term used by Latin Americans for the close connection that is maintained within the family. They believe family should come first before all individual needs. This can be a good and bad thing. It is obviously good because there is a special bond made within the family that is very hard to break. It could be bad though because your family may be holding you back from your full potential and by giving up your individual goals. In the Latino Family, men and women have dignified roles that differ from different ethnicities. Machismo is a term used for Latino men and it refers to a man’s responsibility to protect, serve, and defend his family. Men are the leader in the Latino household and whatever he says goes. Marianismo is the term used for Latina women. They are encouraged to strive to be like Virgin Mary and try to be â€Å"spiritually strong, morally superior, nurturing, and self-sacrificing†. The family to Latino Americans is an essential piece of their culture that they would do anything for.

Triangular Slave Trade

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade began around the mid-fifteenth century when Portuguese interests in Africa moved away from the fabled deposits of gold to a much more readily available commodity — slaves. By the seventeenth century the trade was in full swing, reaching a peak towards the end of the eighteenth century. It was a trade which was especially fruitful, since every stage of the journey could be profitable for merchants — the infamous triangular trade. Why did the Trade Begin?Expanding European empires in the New World lacked one major resource — a work force. In most cases the indigenous peoples had proved unreliable (most of them were dying from diseases brought over from Europe), and Europeans were unsuited to the climate and suffered under tropical diseases. Africans, on the other hand, were excellent workers: they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they coul d be â€Å"worked very hard† on plantations or in mines. Was Slavery New to Africa?Africans had been traded as slaves for centuries — reaching Europe via the Islamic-run, trans-Saharan, trade routes. Slaves obtained from the Muslim dominated North African coast however proved to be too well educated to be trusted and had a tendency to rebellion. See The Role of Islam in African Slavery for more about Slavery in Africa before the Trans-Atlantic Trade began. Slavery was also a traditional part of African society — various states and kingdoms in Africa operated one or more of the following: chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labor, and serfdom.See Types of Slavery in Africa for more on this topic. What was the Triangular Trade? [pic]Image:  © Alistair Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About. com, Inc. All three stages of the Triangular Trade (named for the rough shape it makes on a map) proved lucrative for merchants. The first stage of the Triangular Trade involved ta king manufactured goods from Europe to Africa: cloth, spirit, tobacco, beads, cowrie shells, metal goods, and guns. The guns were used to help expand empires and obtain more slaves (until they were finally used against European colonizers).These goods were exchanged for African slaves. The second stage of the Triangular Trade (the middle passage) involved shipping the slaves to the Americas. The third, and final, stage of the Triangular Trade involved the return to Europe with the produce from the slave-labor plantations: cotton, sugar, tobacco, molasses and rum. Origin of African Slaves Sold in the Triangular Trade [pic]Image:  © Alistair Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About. com, Inc. Slaves for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade were initially sourced in Senegambia and the Windward Coast.Around 1650 the trade moved to west-central Africa (the Kingdom of the Kongo and neighboring Angola). The transport of slaves from Africa to the Americas forms the middle passage of the triangular trade. Several distinct regions can be identified along the west African coast, these are distinguished by the particular European countries who visited the slave ports, the peoples who were enslaved, and the dominant African society(s) who provided the slaves. For more on the regions where slaves were sourced see this map.Who Started the Triangular Trade? For two hundred years, 1440-1640, Portugal had a monopoly on the export of slaves from Africa. It is notable that they were also the last European country to abolish the institution – although, like France, it still continued to work former slaves as contract laborers, which they called libertos or engages a temps. It is estimated that during the 4 1/2 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal was responsible for transporting ver 4. 5 million Africans (roughly 40% of the total). How Did the Europeans Obtain the Slaves? Between 1450 and the end of the nineteenth century, slaves were obtained from along the west coast o f Africa with the full and active co-operation of African kings and merchants. (There were occasional military campaigns organized by Europeans to capture slaves, especially by the Portuguese in what is now Angola, but this accounts for only a small percentage of the total. )