Assess the dramatic and thematic effectiveness Essay Example for Free

Assess the dramatic and thematic effectiveness Essay The opening act of The Duchess of Malfi is important in terms of the themes that John Webster is presenting. He uses the characters to explore such themes, and subsequently the audience are given detailed descriptions of most of the main characters. Moreover, Webster uses the characters to describe each other not only giving the audience an insight into their personal attributes, but also how each character perceives the other. Although not entirely apparent in the initial acts of the play, the fact that the audience only know about the characters from the other characters descriptions, implies the ideas of secrecy, deception, and spying, and the general theme that there are things that the characters think they know, when in fact they dont. Antonio is the first character to be introduced, and he is initially presented as an outsider returning home from the French court, which he admires. He has a brief conversation with Delio about the French court, and how although it was orderly, it could easily be distorted.  Pure silver drops in general; but if t chance  Some cursed example poisoned t near the head,  Death and diseases through the whole land spread. The rhyming couplet makes it almost seem like a curse, and exerts a sense of doom. This already gives the impression that the court of Malfi is it self distorted, as Antonio describes the goodness of the French court, and then quickly goes onto describe how easily any court could be corrupted, as if pointing a finger at the court of Malfi. Webster uses this contrast quite effectively to convince the audience from the beginning that there is more to the Court of Malfi than it may primarily seem.  Interrupting the conversation, Bosola arrives, and before he even speaks, Antonio speaks of him to Delio, and creating a distinct impression of Bosola. Would be as lecherous, covetous, or proud,  Bloody, or envious, as any man,  If he had the means to be so.  This unpleasant impression of Bosola given to the audience is further supported, as Delio reveals that he was a fellow seven years in the galleys for a notorious murder, making him appear as an evil character who is capable of murder.  Aside from the information the audience receive from Antonio and Delio, the way in which Bosola speaks makes him appear to be very negative. He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools; they are rich and oerladen with fruit, but none but crows, pies, and caterpillars feed on them.  The constant use of dark and distasteful imagery attributes him to be quite bitter, and so completes the overall impression that he is indeed an unpleasant character. However, as Bosola leaves, Antonio says he has heard good things about Bosola, but his railing at those things which he wants overcomes these positive aspects. Tis great pity  He should be thus neglected; I have heard  Hes very valiant. This foul melancholy  Will poison all his goodness.  This indicates to the audience that Bosola may have a good side which he may or may not reveal later. Either way, this is another way in which Webster explores the theme of first impressions not being all that they seem.

Infectious Complications of Kidney Transplantation

Infectious Complications of Kidney Transplantation Introduction: Infections that develop after transplantation may be life-threatening and may affect outcomes. Infection follows cardiovascular disease as the second most common cause of death with a functioning graft in kidney transplant recipients. Post-transplant infections develop in approximately 40% of recipients within the first year in spite of prophylaxis. Both the type and occurrence of infections in the immunocompromised transplant recipient follow a timetable pattern. HBV, hepatitis B virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HSV, herpes simplex virus; LCMV, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; PCP, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; PML, progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy; PTLD, post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder; SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome; VRE, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis; VZV, varicella-zoster virus. Reproduced from Fishman JA. Infection in solid-organ transplant recipients. N Engl J Med 2007; 357:2601-14. With permission from the Massachusetts Medical Society.  © 2007 Massachusetts Medical Society. Risk Factors for Posttransplant Infectious Complications Pretransplant host factors: Underlying medical condition e.g. Diabetes Mellitus Chronic infections e.g. Hepatitis C viral infection Latent infections e.g. Tuberculosis, Dimorphic fungi Colonization with resistant bacteria Recipients preexisting immunity e.g. Varicella Zoster Virus Prior medications e.g. Antimicrobials, Corticosteroids Transplant factors: Allograft derived e.g. Cytomegalovirus Surgical duration, instrumentation, wound, abdominal fluid collections, technical issue e.g. type of anastomosis Blood transfusion Immunosuppression Immunosuppressive agents and additional treatment for episodes of rejection Time posttransplant Epidemiologic exposure Urinary Tract Infections: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infections following transplantation, which develop in approximately 20% of recipients. Female sex, genitourinary tract manipulation during transplantation, prolonged bladder catheterization, ureteric stenting, age, and delayed graft function (DGF) are independent risk factors. UTIs are independently associated with the development of bacteremia, and untreated UTIs are associated with subsequent rejection (3). Post-transplant vesicoureteric reflux occurs in up to 40% of transplant recipients, although is not associated with the UTI risk (4). Ureteric stents mitigate the risk of ureteric strictures and leaks after transplantation. Center practices vary, with stenting of all patients at some centers and more selective stenting at others. Wilson et al. performed a Cochrane analysis of seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) encompassing 1,154 patients that examined the practice of allograft ureteric stenting (5). The incidence of major urologic complications including urine leak and obstruction was significantly reduced (relative risk [RR], 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.77; P=0.02; number needed to treat = 13) by universal prophylactic stenting. However, UTIs were more common in stented patients (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.04 to 2.15), unless the patients were prescribed trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), in which case the incidence was equivalent (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.33). Stents were generally well tolerated, although studies using longer stents (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥20 cm) for longer periods (> 6 weeks) developed problems mo re frequently with encrustation and migration. Typical pathogens include Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. In the case of recurrent infections, abscesses or other nidi of infection should be sought out by means of imaging with ultrasound or computed tomography. Early catheter removal decreases the incidence of UTI in renal allograft recipients. The use of TMP/SMX to prevent Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and UTI has long been the standard of care after kidney transplantation. Wojciechowski et al. performed a single-center study comparing TMP/SMX for 6 months (group 1) versus TMP/SMX for 6 months plus ciprofloxacin for 30 days (group 2) for prophylaxis after kidney transplantation (6). At 1 year, more patients in group 1 developed UTIs (23.6% versus 10.8%; P=0.01) and the mean time to first UTI was shorter. There was a similar incidence of enteric Gram-negative antibiotic resistance to TMP/ SMX (75% versus 80%; P=1.00) and ciprofloxacin (16.7% versus 30%; P=0.39) in groups 1 and 2. For groups 1 and 2, the proportion of first UTIs requiring hospitalization was 48.9% versus 40.6%, respectively. A clean-catch midstream urine specimen should be submitted for quantitative bacterial and fungal  culture. Antibiotic therapy should be tailored according to the offending microorganism and drug susceptibility tests. Septicemia: The incidence of hospitalizations for septicemia among renal transplant recipients is approximately 42 times that of the general population. The urinary tract is the most common source of septicemia, followed by the lungs, the surgical wound site, and the abdomen. Most cases occur within the first six months after transplantation. Among patients with bacteremia, poor outcome is associated with Gram-negative species, multidrug-resistant organisms, and Candida species, especially when the empiric antimicrobial therapy is inappropriate or delayed. Bige et al. retrospectively studied 83 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) admitted for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock to their intensive care unit over a 10-year period (1). The main sites of infection were the lung (54%), urinary tract (24%), and bloodstream (22%). Eighty percent of infections were bacterial. Mechanical ventilation was used in 46 patients (56%), vasopressors in 39 patients (47%), and RRT in 34 patients (41%). The 90-day mortality rate was 22%. By day 90, among the 65 survivors, 39 (47%) had recovered their previous graft function, and 26 (31%) had impaired graft function, including 16 (19%) who were dependent on RRT. Some studies suggest that bacterial sepsis increases the risk for CMV infection because of high levels of tumor necrosis factor-ÃŽÂ ± (TNF-ÃŽÂ ±) or dysregulated immune response to CMV in the context of serious bacterial infections. For detection of bloodstream infection, two sets of blood cultures should be obtained before initiation of antimicrobial therapy. If intravascular catheter-associated bacteremia is suspected, the device should be removed and the catheter tip should be cultured. Pneumonia: The incidence of pneumonia in kidney transplantation is the lowest among all solid organ transplants (8 to 16 percent). However, pneumonia is the most serious infection, leading to death in up to 50 percent of cases. The infectious agent in the majority of patients is never determined. This is likely because of the low yield of blood and sputum cultures and the efficacy of antibacterial therapy. In patients who are hypoxic on presentation or do not respond to initial therapy, a bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is almost always warranted. Patients should be referred if possible to a transplant center to improve the likelihood of diagnosing the etiologic agent. Common causative organisms include Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypable Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and respiratory viruses such as influenza, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Less commonly, patients may present with opportunistic organisms such as P. jirovecii and L. pneumophila. Silver stains for direct fluorescent antibody for Pneumocystis should be done on sputum or BAL specimens. A urine Legionella antigen test should be done on all patients on initial work up. Mycobaterium tuberculosis: Among the infections, tuberculosis is an important cause of morbidity in renal transplant recipients in developing world. The incidence of post-transplant tuberculosis in India has been reported to be highest in the world at 5.7 to 10 percent in various studies. Most cases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in kidney transplant recipients are due to reactivation of latent tuberculosis lesions. Important risk factors for reactivation include nonwhite race, history of active tuberculosis, presence of marked abnormality on a chest radiograph, exposure to person with a confirmed case of tuberculosis, and skin test positivity. In transplant patients, the clinical presentation of tuberculosis may be atypical and extrapulmonary and miliary tuberculosis is seen more frequently than in the normal population. Tuberculosis presents numerous diagnostic difficulties in renal transplant recipients. Because of high frequency of anergy in immunosupressed patients, the Mantoux test is generally unhelpful as a diagnostic tool. e classic picture of apical involvement in the general chest X-ray is seen in only a minority of renal transplant recipients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Demonstration of acid-fast bacilli in the sputum smear requires repeated examination on several occasions and has a low yield. Identification on culture takes four to six weeks. Treatment of post-transplant tuberculosis presents problems both in the choice of antitubercular agents and in the duration of therapy. Rifampicin is a well-known hepatic P-450 microsomal enzyme inducer, increasing the clearance of both prednisolone and cyclosporine A. The dose of prednisolone needs to be doubled and that of cyclosporine increased to three- to four-fold to maintain therapeutic blood levels. e latter increases the cost of therapy and is unacceptable to a vast majority of patients. An alternative regime that has been successfully used for these patients consists of a combination of isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ofloxacin, and ethambutol. e optimum duration of therapy is also a matter of debate but is usually for 9 to 12 months. e duration needs to be increased to 18 months in patients who are on cyclosporine and are not receiving rifampicin. e role of INH prophylaxis after transplant in endemic areas is controversial. Cytomegalovirus (CMV): CMV is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among kidney transplant recipients. Between 60 and 90 percent of adults are seropositive. Symptomatic disease ranges from a relatively mild syndrome of fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated liver enzymes to severe disseminated disease that involves multiple organ systems, such as the lung, liver, and GI tract. CMV disease has been implicated as a cause of acute and chronic graft dysfunction as well as long-term graft loss. CMV can also suppress the immune response which predisposes the host to infections with other viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The incidence and severity of CMV disease has been most strongly associated with the CMV serostatus of the kidney donor and recipient. Seronegative recipients who receive a kidney from a seropositive donor (D+/R-) are at greatest risk for severe primary infection during the first three months post-transplant. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of CMV is important because delayed recognition results in increased morbidity. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for CMV DNA and pp65 antigen detections are the most commonly used means to detect CMV viremia. e shell vial viral culture method remains a reliable way of detecting CMV in sputum. Multiple strategies have been used to reduce the morbidity and mortality of CMV infection and its associated costs (see Table 4). Avoiding CMV sero- mismatching through organ allocation is not feasible or worthwhile. Universal prophylaxis refers to giving prophylactic therapy to all kidney transplant patients regardless of their CMV serostatus. Selected prophylaxis refers to giving prophylaxis to patients at high risk for CMV, namely the D+/R- category or those receiving lymphocyte-depleting therapy. e preemptive treatment approach treats asymptomatic CMV infection in an e ort to prevent CMV disease. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, and there is no de nitive consensus on optimal preventive strategy. Prophylactic Therapy: Prophylactic therapy is effective in preventing CMV disease in high-risk patients. Ganciclovir and valganciclovir are equally efficacious. Ganciclovir 1,000 mg PO three times daily and valganciclovir 900 mg PO once daily are used. Valganciclovir is contraindicated in patients with a creatinine clearance of less than 10 ml/h. Prophylactic therapy is usually given during the first 100 days post- kidney transplant. A concern with the prophylactic strategy is that 20 to 30 percent of high-risk patients go on to develop late-onset CMV disease after the prophylaxis is stopped, and the incidence of ganciclovir resistance may be higher in those who receive prophylaxis. Preemptive Therapy: Preemptive therapy of CMV infection involves monitoring for CMV viremia and starting treatment before the development of signs or symptoms of disease. It has been shown to be as effective as prophylactic therapy in preventing CMV disease. Both oral ganciclovir and valganciclovir have been shown to be effective in treating viremia. Preemptive therapy has the advantage of avoiding the costs and complications of antiviral therapy in low-risk patients while at the same time initiating treatment early to avoid symptomatic disease in high-risk patients. It has also been shown to decrease the development of late CMV disease. Its major limitation is the need to perform frequent determinations of CMV viremia. Ganciclovir Resistance: Ganciclovir resistance is becoming more common among solid-organ transplant recipients. In one study, 6.2 percent of CMV isolates had UL97 or UL54 mutations. Viral strains with mutations in the UL97 gene, which encodes for a viral protein kinase, remain susceptible to foscarnet and cidofovir. Mutations in the UL54 gene that encodes DNA polymerase can result in resistance to ganciclovir, foscarnet, and cidofovir. e emergence of ganciclovir-resistant CMV underscores the importance of optimizing preventive strategies. BK Virus (BKV): BKV is associated with post-transplantation nephropathy, hemorrhagic cystitis, and ureteral obstruction. It has a tropism for genitourinary tract and usually remains dormant in the urinary tract and circulating leukocytes after the primary childhood infection and becomes reactivated during immunosuppression. Adult seroprevalence rates for BKV range from 65 to 90 percent and BKV reactivation can come from the recipient or the donor. BK viremia occurs in 13 percent and BK nephropathy in 8 percent of kidney transplant recipients. Analysis of risk factors for reactivation has underscored the central role played by serologic status of the donor, immunosuppressive regimens, injury to the uroepithelial tissue, and acute rejection. Distinguishing between BK infection and allograft rejection is of paramount importance, since BK infection necessitates reducing immunosuppression and allograft rejection requires the opposite. Among kidney transplant recipients who are receiving immunosuppressive therapy, 10 to 60 percent have reactivation of BKV accompanied by shedding of urothelial cells. Shedding is inconsistently associated with allograft dysfunction. Once the virus has reactivated, an ascending infection via cell-to-cell spread occurs. e overall state of immunosuppression is the primary determinant of BKV reactivation. Viral replication begins early after transplantation and progresses through detectable stages-viruria, then viremia, then nephropathy. Viruria can be detected by PCR for BKV DNA, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for BKV RNA, cytology for BKV inclusion bearing epithelial cells termed decoy cells, or electron microscopy for viral particles. Viremia is a better predictor of nephropathy than viruria. Although higher levels of viremia correlate with the risk of developing nephropathy, there are no established thresholds of viremia to indicate nephropathy. The gold standard for establishing BK nephropathy remains a kidney biopsy with positive immuno- histochemical or immunofluorescent staining for the SV-40 large T antigen. An effective screening strategy is to check blood for BKV DNA by PCR monthly for the first 3 months and at 6 and 12 months after transplantation, at the time of any unexplained rise in serum creatinine, and after augmentation of immunosuppression. Because BKV nephropathy is preceded by BK viremia, asymptomatic BK viremia should prompt empiric immunosuppression reduction and continued monitoring. Currently, no established antiviral treatment is available, and control of viral infection is tentatively obtained by means of reduction of immunosuppression. Treatment attempts have included immunoglobulins without proof of efficacy. Other options include deoxyspergualin, cidofovir, leflunomide, uoroquinolones and gyrase inhibitors. Cidofovir use is limited by its nephrotoxicity. Fungal Infections: The incidence of fungal infections in renal transplant recipients is less than that reported for other solid organ transplant recipients, the mortality from fungal infections remains high and is related to the pathogenicity of the  organisms, site of infection, impaired host inflammatory response, limited diagnostic tools, potential for rapid clinical progression, failure to recognize a high-risk patient, and comorbidities, such as renal failure and diabetes mellitus. Colonization with yeasts and molds occurs frequently in transplant candidates with ESRD and after transplantation because of exposure to broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, domiciliary and hospital exposures, immunosuppressive therapy, especially corticosteroids, and the presence of urinary catheters and endotracheal tubes. Isolation of Candida species from cultures of stool, respiratory, and urine samples occurs commonly in kidney transplant recipients receiving corticosteroids and broad-spectrum antimicrobials and does not necessarily imply infection. However, repeatedly positive fungal cultures from a single or from multiple sites may herald invasive candidiasis in the appropriate clinical setting. Candida species, Aspergillus species, P. jiroveci, and C. neoformans are the most common fungal pathogens reported in renal transplant recipients. Candida infections occur most commonly during the first month following transplantation and are usually associated with transplant surgical technical complications, early rejection, and enhanced immuno- suppression. Candida infection is most commonly associated with an endogenous source of colonization. C. albicans is the most common species, followed by C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis. Speciation is clinically useful because nonalbicans Candida species vary in in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B and azoles. Sites of Candida infection include mucocutaneous candidiasis and esophagitis; wound infections; cystitis, pyelonephritis, and ureteral obstruction by Candida elements or fungal ball; intra- abdominal infections, including infected perigraft fluid collections or peritonitis; and intravascular device- associated fungemia. Renal parenchymal infection most often results from candidemia and hematogenous spread, although ascending infection from the bladder can oc cur. Candiduria is typically asymptomatic but may be associated with cystitis or upper tract infection. Patients with genitourinary tract stents and recurrent funguria often require removal of foreign body to eradicate the infection. Cryptococcus often presents as meningitis but may cause space-occupying brain lesions; pulmonary, dermatologic, skeletal, organ-specific disease; aspergillosis-pneumonia and other tissue-invasive forms, including genitourinary, central nervous system, rhinocerebral, GI, skin, wound, and musculoskeletal disease. Patients at risk for aspergillosis include those receiving repeated courses of enhanced immuno- suppression for rejection and those with chronic graft dysfunction, diabetes, comorbid medical illnesses, or CMV infection. Diagnosis of aspergillus infection depends on a high clinical suspicion, isolation of Aspergillus species from a sterile body site or repeated isolation from the respiratory tract, and typical radiographic findings. Radiologic appearances of pulmonary aspergillosis in kidney transplant recipients include nodules, di use or wedge-shaped opacities, empyema, or cavitary forms. Serial measurement of aspergillus galactomannan in the serum may aid in the early diagno sis of invasive aspergillosis in the high-risk setting. Historically, invasive candidiasis, cryptococcosis, coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and aspergillosis were treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmB). The lipid formulations of amphotericin B are all associated with lower risks for nephrotoxicity, metabolic derangements, and infusion-associated side effects than is AmB. Higher therapeutic dosages can be administered, and broad-spectrum antifungal activity is generally maintained. Voriconazole appears to be superior to conventional AmB for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and also has in vitro activity against a wider range of organisms. Available in both intravenous and oral formulations, the drug is generally well-tolerated, but some patients experience visual hallucinations or severe photosensitivity. Oral posaconazole has excellent activity in vitro against Candida, Aspergillus, and Mucor species, but experience in solid organ transplant recipients is limited to date. Although itraconazole has good in vitro activity against Aspergillus species, its use is generally reserved for treatment of less-severe aspergillosis or maintenance therapy following initial response to lipid amphotericin or voriconazole and for treatment of endemic mycoses. Fluconazole is the first-line agent of the treatment or prevention of reactivation of coccidioidomycosis in renal transplant  recipients. The echinocandins, including caspofungin, anidulafungin, and micafungin, inhibit synthesis of fungal cell wall protein ÃŽÂ ²1-3 glucan and are fungicidal for Candida species, including fluconazole-resistant species. Available only as intravenous formulations, the echinocandins are effective, well tolerated, and have few drug-drug interactions.

Free World Economy :: Economy, Currency, Dollar

In Money, Markets and Sovereignty Steil and Hinds argue that globalization is beneficial for all but because of the uncertainties of the current monetary system governments and globalization clash as governments work to protect their currency. They argue that because of the perceived stability of the dollar the in order to create the most open and prospers economy developing countries should use the dollar in favor of the local currency (131). They show the historical benefits of using the gold standard instead of paper (fiat) money but they also show that it unadvisable for the United States to go back to the gold standard at this point in time (68). Steil and Hinds argue that if a developing country really wants to integrate into the world system they should stop using their local currency instead use the dollar or euro. This is a currency the locals want because of the stability this will bring an end to the countries monetary sovereignty but will lead to economic progress in steil and Hinds eyes (130). This opening of the countries’ economies will lead more investment in the country as investors no longer have to fear the rapid changes in value that is associated with currencies in developing countries. In these countries multinational corporations can find lower production costs and help bring the economy into the world market (111). Countries that have opened there economies to the multinational corporations and outside investment have had their per-person GDP rise which they argue is a great thing (115). This is in comparison to a country with strong monetary sovereignty and closed economy which they call a â€Å"de ad-end street† to prosperity (115). Steil and Hinds argue that money came in to use in the world not by the will of governments but by the will of merchants, then when governments too charge of issuing the money it was usually for personal profit and they routinely changed the value of the money to tax the people using it. (66-67). They also show that the idea of fait money (paper) that is not back by something valuable (gold) is a relatively new thing, the United States got of the gold standard in 1971. The historical gold standard they show to have little inflation and very few on the problems with modern currency that’s value is in the trust placed in it (105). As the main currency in 18-19 centuries the British pound sterling is good example of what was so great about having your currency in gold.

Swot analysis of Tesco plc Essay -- essays research papers

Swot analysis of Tesco plc We all know Tesco as a food retailer, and we know that they are in constant competition with other retailers such as Sainsburys and Asda, yet we do not know much about what goes on beyond the shelves and the tills, the marketing plans and the day to day tactics that have to be devised to stay the number one food retailer in the United kingdom today. I am going to analyse Broughton Parks Tesco and their possible competitors Swot Analysis Firstly, four main goals, under which these particular four are Strengths: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tesco is about a strong UK core business. Last year the industry saw some very marginal growth as a whole, however Tesco continued to grow beyond the market by offering better value for money and through getting cheaper. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be as strong in non-food as in food. The market for non foods (such as clothes entertainment cleaning products) is worth seventy five billion pounds in the UK today. You can see through the growth of their dot.com business which now has over four hundred and fifty thousand users and is the largest grocery online retailer in the world, and through the success of tescos personal finance with over 1,5 million customers that they are making some real in roads into non foods. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  International growth, Tesco have 30% of their stores outside the United Kingdom and plan to make it 45% by the end of next year, and will be approached through central Europe and trough Asia 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To have the most loyal and committed staff. Tesco as a company uses clear values to underpin what they do. Their core purpose is based on â€Å"Creating value for our customers to earn their life time loyalty?Tesco have invested one billion pounds Tesco believe that one of they offer the best quality on a broad range of products and believe that they offer the best value. They have invested one billion pounds since 1996 on the campaign to reduce prices to customers and that continues to build as they go in to 2004. They offer outstanding customer service, every customer is offered help at the checkout. Location and convenience is another reason to choose Tesco, they have introduced a staggering 200 in the last two years that stay open 24 hours a day and they plan another 1540 new express stores, which are Tesco mini sto... ...onsolidated balance sheet Fixed assets  £m Fixed assets Intangible Assets 154 Intangible Assets Tangible assets 11,032 Tangible assets Investments 317 Investments Total Fixed Assets 11,503 Total Fixed Assets Current assets Current assets Stock 929 Stock Debtors 454 Debtors due within one year Short term investments 225 Short-term investments Cash at bank and in hand 445 Cash at bank and in hand Total Current Assets 2,053 Total Current Assets Creditors -4,809 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Working Capital -2,756 Net current assets (liabilities) Total assets less current liabilities 8,747 Total assets less current liabilities Long Term Liabilities -2,741 Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year Provisions for liabilities and charges -440 Provisions for liabilities and charges Net assets 5,566 Net assets Represented by Capital and reserves Ordinary share capital 350 Called-up share capital Share premium 2,004 Share premium Other reserves 40 Other reserves Profit and loss account 3,136 Profit and loss account Ordinary shareholders' funds 5,530 Equity shareholders' funds Minority interests 36 Minority interests Capital Employed 5,566 Total capital employed

The Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858: Causes and Consequences :: British History

The Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858: Causes and Consequences Under the administration of the Marquess of Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848-56), the last of the independent Indian states, including the wealthy Muslim state of Oudh, were annexed by the British. To consolidate this new territory, some degree of Westernisation was introduced: an Indian railway and road system was developed and the first three Indian universities were founded, creating a tier of higher-caste men educated according to the British system but not fully incorporated into those careers of civil service and army awaiting them. Child marriage and the practice of suttee previously had been abolished and, in 1856, a regulation was passed requiring sepoys to serve overseas thereby losing caste. Both the annexation and consolidation heightened tension between government and population and mutiny was inevitable when the Indian section of the army was allocated cartridges smeared with the fat of cows and pigs, unclean to both Hindu and Muslim elements. The mutiny lasted thirteen months: from the rising of Meerut on 10 May 1857 to the fall of Gwalior on 20 June 1858.The sepoys were quickly joined by large numbers of civilians supporting the reinstatement of both a Moghul and a Maratha emperor and by landlords, particularly those of Oudh, penalised by the new administration and its policy of exporting raw materials for manufacture in Britain. Historians agree that the mutiny was characterised by violent reprisals on either side but, at least in British historical tradition, the most significant events are the massacres at Meerut, Cawnpore and Lucknow; post-mutiny literature dwelling on the fate of women and children especially. The mutiny, regarded by many as India's first War of Independence, was to have important consequences and the structure of British India was to be re-organised extensively. Increasingly, India came under direct Crown rule as the British East India Company was dispossessed of its functions and, in 1877, Queen Victoria was crowned Empress. Despite the severity of European reprisal as each territory had been regained and its subsequent defensive proposals of military alteration, a measure of conciliation had been introduced to administrative policy. Integration of the higher castes and princes was now considered important, land policy was revised and plans for radical social change were shelved. The Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858: Causes and Consequences :: British History The Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858: Causes and Consequences Under the administration of the Marquess of Dalhousie (Governor-General 1848-56), the last of the independent Indian states, including the wealthy Muslim state of Oudh, were annexed by the British. To consolidate this new territory, some degree of Westernisation was introduced: an Indian railway and road system was developed and the first three Indian universities were founded, creating a tier of higher-caste men educated according to the British system but not fully incorporated into those careers of civil service and army awaiting them. Child marriage and the practice of suttee previously had been abolished and, in 1856, a regulation was passed requiring sepoys to serve overseas thereby losing caste. Both the annexation and consolidation heightened tension between government and population and mutiny was inevitable when the Indian section of the army was allocated cartridges smeared with the fat of cows and pigs, unclean to both Hindu and Muslim elements. The mutiny lasted thirteen months: from the rising of Meerut on 10 May 1857 to the fall of Gwalior on 20 June 1858.The sepoys were quickly joined by large numbers of civilians supporting the reinstatement of both a Moghul and a Maratha emperor and by landlords, particularly those of Oudh, penalised by the new administration and its policy of exporting raw materials for manufacture in Britain. Historians agree that the mutiny was characterised by violent reprisals on either side but, at least in British historical tradition, the most significant events are the massacres at Meerut, Cawnpore and Lucknow; post-mutiny literature dwelling on the fate of women and children especially. The mutiny, regarded by many as India's first War of Independence, was to have important consequences and the structure of British India was to be re-organised extensively. Increasingly, India came under direct Crown rule as the British East India Company was dispossessed of its functions and, in 1877, Queen Victoria was crowned Empress. Despite the severity of European reprisal as each territory had been regained and its subsequent defensive proposals of military alteration, a measure of conciliation had been introduced to administrative policy. Integration of the higher castes and princes was now considered important, land policy was revised and plans for radical social change were shelved.

Political Science Essay

MSC is a state college funded by the national government and is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education, offering full degree courses in Education, Agriculture, Allied Medicine, Arts and Sciences, Business and Management, Criminal Justice Education, Engineering, Fisheries, Industrial Technology, Information and Computing Sciences, It’s main campus is located at Boac while it has three campuses in Torrijos, Gasan and Santa Cruz Marinduque. Its vision is to become one of the premier colleges in the region, along the fields of instruction, research, extension and production. With the mission of providing quality, responsive, and dynamic leadership in the areas of Education, Technology, Engineering, Environment, Agriculture, Fisheries, Culture, Arts and Sciences to empower God fearing individuals who are innovators and protectors for the sustainable development of the province and the country as a whole. One of its campuses, MSC Santa Cruz offers Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. It is designed to provide students with a broad education in Political Science that prepares students for a wide range of career and employment opportunities. It is considered as the best preparation for a career in law, in government and politics, diplomatic service, and in non-governmental and international organizations. It provides students with formal training in the theoretical and empirical methods in the discipline of Political Science. Students, through their electives, may opt to further specialize in any of the core areas of International Relations, Local and Global Governance, Comparative Politics, Public Management and Political Theory. This study is designed to identify the reasons why students lost their interest in studying a course that is define to be social science dealing with political institutions and with the principles and conduct of government. Furthermore, it strives to identify the contributing factor that affects the continuous decreasing of enrolment of the said course in for the last 2 years. Objectives of the Study The study will focus on determining the reasons why there is a continuous decreasing number of enrollees in the Political Science Course. It will specifically focus on: 1. Determine the profile of the respondents according to: A.) Age B.) Gender C.) Year Level 2. Find the factors that affect the decreasing number of enrollment in AB political Science. 3. Determine the effects of the decreasing number of enrollees to the Political Science Program. 4. Determine the effects of the decreasing number of enrollees of the Political Science Course to the MSC Community as a whole. Significance of the Study This study attempts to determine the factors that affecting the continuous decreasing number of enrollees of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science in MSC Santa Cruz Branch. The result of this study may help the school administration to provide new academic programs and policies to strengthen or increase the enrollment of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science. Thus, MSC Santa Cruz Campus and administration may benefit from the study, for it will give ideas on how to develop and enhance the current curriculum for AB Political Science. This study may also help the institution to develop the commercial in the career program whenever they visit secondary schools in Marinduque. Moreover, the results of this study may help parents be aware of the factors why students drop-out from these courses. It may also help parents improved their relationship when it comes to decision making on what course what course to take in college. Scope and Delimitation Since the primary objective of this study is to cite factors that affect the continuous decreasing numbers of enrollees of AB Political Science course in MSC Santa Cruz Campus, this study limits particularly on: students of Political Science who did not continue or change their course or transfer to other college or university within the S.Y. 2010-2012. The former students will be used as respondents to determine the factors that affect their decision in changing course or dropping out of school. This study considered students’ demographic profile that might have an impact on their decision making such as their age, gender and year level. One on one interview with the respondents, parents and teachers will be done in order to accomplish more in-depth information. This study will be conducted for 3 months within the month of July to October. Questionnaires, Interviews and Observation will be used to identify the Factors that affect the decreasing number of enrolees of AB-Political Science in MSC Santa Cruz Campus. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE During our research, we reviewed these, professional journal articles, mission statements, websites, government reports, school reports and in-depth analyses. Not much analysis has been published concerning our research question. However, many published works discussed some aspects that can help in our research. We discuss the related works below: Political Science Definition (According to Sanorjo, 1992) Political science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government, and politics. Hence, Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior. Political scientists â€Å"see themselves engaged in revealing the relationships underlying political events and conditions, and from these revelations they attempt to construct general principles about the way the world of politics works. Political science intersects with other fields; including anthropology, public policy, national politics, economics, international relations, comparative politics, psychology, sociology, history, law, and political theory. Although it was codified in the 19th century, when all the social sciences were established, political science has ancient roots; indeed, it originated almost 2,500 years ago with the works of Plato and Aristotle. Political science is commonly divided into three distinct sub-disciplines which together constitute the field: political philosophy, comparative politics and international relations. Political philosophy is the reasoning for an absolute normative government, laws and similar questions and their distinctive characteristics. Comparative politics is the science of comparison and teaching of different types of constitutions, political actors, legislature and associated fields, all of them from an intrastate perspective. International relations deal with the interaction between nation-states as well as intergovernmental and transnational organizations. Political science is methodologically diverse and appropriates many methods originating in social research. Approaches include positivism, interpretivism, rational choice theory, behavioralism, structuralism, post-structuralism, realism, institutionalism, and pluralism. Political science, as one of the social sciences, uses methods and techniques that relate to the kinds of inquiries sought: primary sources such as historical documents and official records, secondary sources such as scholarly journal articles, survey research, statistical analysis, case studies, experimental research and model building. (According to Saviours Hub, 2007), the importance of political science is the application of political powers and authority in the realm of government structures. The ordinary citizens may know and learn about their political rights and privileges from a given form of government including the political structure and processes of the state. Therefore, from the understandings of these basic concepts of government, state, laws and institutions those who would study political science must know its importance and function, relationship with other discipline and broader understanding to its specific roles of individual in a civilized society. The students and professionals should not only know the political theories but also deeper insights as to its application in their own field of expertise. Thus the study of political science will also include the empirical investigation of political facts through social research and the application of critical thinking. The key words in the comprehensive analysis on the principles of political science are state, government, law, institution, power relationships, legal process, constitutions and politics. These are the important dimensions to study political science that need to be constantly in touchs to mold the citizens in achieving quality of life to our society. Why students choose Political Science (According to Bellamy Moon), The study of political science prepares one not only for employment, but for life as an informed citizen ready to participate in political activities within interest groups or political parties; related to community organization and political advocacy; or even service as an elected or appointed official. Political science has been called â€Å"the queen of the sciences,† and rightly so. It is the only major where one can obtain practical knowledge and at the same time gain insights into the great issues of our age. What, for example, are the causes and institutional forces behind conflicts between the President and the chairman of a congressional committee? Are nations threatening an armed confrontation? What lies behind this conflict? Is there public and media frenzy over a certain policy? Why do people react this way and is it justified? What is the human condition? What is the meaning of civil society, and what is the individual’s place in it? When you study Political Science you will think about these questions often. You will be able to answer them better than you could otherwise thanks to an understanding of the Presidency and Congress, international relations, political ideologies, and political theory. The knowledge and critical skills gained from the study of politics will enable you to be a more rational citizen, a more constructive participant in public affairs, and a better professional in any vocation that deals with the public domain, including important positions in corporations, government and non-profit organizations. Political Science is a broad and inclusive discipline. Some political scientists are psychological researchers who want to understand why people behave the way they do politically. Some political scientists study institutions such as legislatures, courts, and bureaucracies. Others seek to know the whys and wherefores of judicial processes and constitutional issues. Some study foreign political systems to learn how their political systems work and why they differ from ours and each other. Other political scientists are intellectual historians and social critics who are interested in the quest for the good society. Still others are policy analysts. Some are omnibus students of American politics. Some are statistical theorists and specialists in surveying political attitudes. Some investigate the causes of war and the conditions for peace among nations. Amid this wide diversity of interests and approaches lies a common concern with anything â€Å"political†: issues, institutions, behavior, power, and public goods. Political scientists also share a common interest: the public arena of human society, the uses of power and persuasion, and the ideas which shape it. The different pursuits and the varied methodologies of political scientists all are directed in one way or another toward promoting this common goal of understanding politics. Factors Affecting the Decrease of Enrollment in Schools (According to Charles Pearson, chows Contributor), Education plays a major role in the future economic success and well-being of an individual. Therefore, parents and educators are often concerned when students leave school. However, schools are also often worried about losing funding during periods of low enrollment, especially when a large number of students attend alternative schools or move out of the area. Lower birth rates influence school enrollment. When the general area has fewer children in general, the schools have enrollment shortages that can lead to decreased funding and teacher layoffs. Population affects the enrollment rates. Areas that have people moving away will have lower school enrollments. Also, if no one is moving into the school district, lower birth rates in general can gradually decrease school enrollments. These problems are frequent in rural areas and exacerbate the already limited funding that these schools receive. The number of businesses in a given are a is positively correlated to school enrollment. Geographic areas with fewer businesses have decreased school enrollment. Unemployment rates do not significantly influence enrollment rates, according to studies conducted by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. Some reform policies have decreased school enrollments. For example, in Chicago, reforms designed to prepare students for high school have lead to decreased school enrollment in high school as fewer students pass through the promotion gate. Low achieving students were the most likely to not enroll in high school. The transition into high school often causes students to drop out of school. Many students cannot handle the transition towards more autonomy. Some schools have sought to ease the transition by having extended elementary schools which go until 9th grade, with a greater emphasis on preparing the students for the high school environment. Some students drop out of school so that they can pursue employment. Some students are forced into financial situations in which they need to work to bring an income in that can support themselves and their f amily. Some families do not value education and prefer that their children enter the workforce. Pregnancy sometimes leads to high school dropout. Pregnant teens often cannot handle the stress of simultaneous pregnancy and education. Other times, doctors predict that the teen will give birth around a time when the teen has crucial academic events such as exams that determine whether or not the teen passes. Some students have poor grades or attendance. As a result, they do not feel that they can graduate and instead choose to drop out. Students cannot drop out of high school until they are 16. Therefore, reaching this age provides students with the opportunity to drop out of high school. Some parents choose to send their children to private schools. Other parents choose to home school their children. These decisions are often made because the parents are not satisfied with the academic curriculum provided by the public schools, so they decrease the public school enrollment rates by pulling their children out. As Cost of Education Rises, Dropout Rates among Filipino Youths Soar (According to GLAIZA MAY MUZONES and JOSETTE EMILY DE JESUS, 2009), MANILA — with six children and an extended family to fend for, Edna Espinosa has already conditioned her children that the highest education they can achieve is high school. â€Å"Even if I wish they could finish college, we cannot really afford it,† Edna said in an interview with Bulatlat. Considering that her husband doesn’t earn much with his job as a plumber, Edna seeks the help of her children for their daily expenses. Glenn, one of the two children of Edna who was able to get to college, said that after graduating from high school, he had to stop schooling for three years and work as a dishwasher in a restaurant so he could send himself to school. At 26, he took up a computer-technology course at STI College, with tuition of P20, 000 (about $422) per semester. Earning a measly amount of P4, 000 ($84) a month, he wasn’t able to enroll himself this coming semester because of the increase in tuition. From P20, 000, the tuition soared to P25, 000 ($527), excluding other expenses for school projects. He should have been in second year. Glenn is among many Filipino youth who cannot afford the increasing cost of education due to incessant tuition increases every year. The dropout rate has worsened over the years as school-aged children are compelled to work and help their parents earn money for their family’s daily expenses. Based on 2008 data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), out of 100 Grade One pupils, only 66 finish Grade Six. Only 58 of the 66 go on to enroll in first-year high school and only 43 finish high school. Of the 43 who finished high school, only 23 enroll in college and only 14 of the 23 graduate from college. The Increase of tuition fee is one factor. â€Å"The average tuition rate both at the national level and in the National Capital Region (NCR) has doubled under the Arroyo administration,† Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino said in a privilege speech on May 18 titled, â€Å"The Tragedy of the Philippine Education.† Citing data from CHEd, Palatino revealed that the national average tuition rate has increased by as much as 89.93 percent, from P230.79 ($4.526 at the average 2001 exchange rate of $1=P50.99) in school year 2001-2002 to P437.10 ($9.829 at the 2008 average exchange rate of $1=P44.47) last school year. The Metro Manila average rate, on the other hand, went up by a whopping 94.54 percent, from P439.59 ($8.62) to P855.20 ($19.23) in the same period. Metro Manila has the highest average tuition rate per unit of P855.2 for the school year 2008-2009 This means that for a regular 21-unit load, students are paying P17,959.20 ($403.849) every semester for the tuition alone. Based on its own monitoring, the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) cited several schools in Metro Manila that will increase their tuition this coming school year amid the global financial crisis and despite appeals from CHEd. Among these are Lyceum of the Philippines, with a five-percent increase in tuition and another five-percent increase in miscellaneous fees; University of the East, five-percent tuition increase; Far Eastern University, six-percent tuition increase. The Philippine School of Business and Arts, 15-percent tuition increase; San Beda College, 20-percent tuition increase; University of Santo Tomas, seven-percent tuition increase for incoming first and third Year students and 8.52-percent tuition increase to incoming 4th year students, according to the NUSP Tuition Watch. Palatino criticized the practice of some schools to get profit even without increasing tuition. â€Å"A school can forgo tuition increase and they can boast that there is no tuitio n hike. But it does not say that there is an increase in miscellaneous fees, in superfluous and exorbitant fees,† Palatino said in an interview with Bulatlat. The youth representative said the energy fee, development fee, accreditation fee, athletics fee, internet fee, insurance fee and air condition fee are just some of the questionable fees being collected in private schools. â€Å"Such tactic has proven to be very profitable to school owners. Unlike tuition, miscellaneous fee of all sorts are not included in the tuition increase consultations provided under CHED Memorandum No. 13, the guidelines for tuition hike applications, which was recently re-implemented following the lifting of the tuition cap,† Palatino said in his speech. â€Å"In our country, education is a big business,† the NUSP said in its primer on the state of Philippine education. Palatino asserted that high cost of education does not guarantee good quality education. â€Å"Most private schools are prof it-oriented diploma mills. They exist for profit. They only give out diplomas and make students their milking cows.† According to Palatino, half of the unemployed in the country belong to the youth sector. One-third of newly graduates do not immediately get employed. â€Å"If we have a good quality of education in elementary and high school, not all youth need to enter college. In other countries you can still be employed even if you just finished high school. In our country, you need to finish and have a college degree for all kinds of available decent jobs,† said Palatino. Palatino also criticized the low budget of the national government for the education sector. â€Å"In other countries, tertiary education is highly subsidized by the state. In the Philippines, higher education is dominated by the private sector,† he told Bulatlat. Palatino said that the ideal spending on education should be 18 to 20 percent of the national budget, but the average spending on education in the Philippines is only 13 percent. The amount is equivalent to only 2.3 to 2.4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is way below the prescribed standard of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNICCO), which states that six percent of GDP must be allotted to education. Because of the limited budget given to public schools, the funds provided for the facilities, salary of teachers, learning materials, and even school feeding programs are also inadequate, Palatino said. He said that despite the free tuition in public schools, it would cost around P15, 000 ($316.78) to P20, 000 ($422.38) to send a student to a public school. This amount covers the auxiliary needs of students that include school fees, books, school supplies, uniform, transportation, and food. Due to the small allocation of budget in education, public schools are forced to collect fees for other services. Palatino co-authored House Bill No. 2440 titled â€Å"An Act Imposing a Three Year Moratorium on Tuition and Other Fee Increases on All Educational Institutions,† principally authored by Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino. The three-year moratorium on tuition hike will serve as a temporary relief for students in accordance with the estimate of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) that the current economic crisis would last for three years. The bill is pending in the Lower House. For now, Glenn, like many other Filipino youth, will have to strive on his own to realize his dream. â€Å"I want to go back to college and receive a diploma,† he said.

Globalization in retailing

In the past ten years, the world's economy has experienced accelerated levels. Saturation and restrictive planning let the developed markets have prompted operators to look abroad for growth opportunities. In order to gain the maximum profit form foreign markets, it is essential for global retailers to understand their consumer behaviour as well as the economic and political environments in their regional markets. 4.1 Global consuming At the end of 2001, global retailers were grappling with significant changes in consumer fundamentals. In today's global consumer markets, there are varies elements of commonalities and differences exist. On the global scale, trends influencing the consumption behaviour can be cited as follow: increase in GNP in capita per capita; steady rises in life expectancy; rapid increase of literacy and education levels; growth in industrialization and urbanization among developing countries; increase in share of manufactured exports by newly industrialized countries; advances in transportation and expansion in world travel. Leading global retailing companies such as Carrefour, Ahold, Auchan, Wal-Mart have to identify and meet the needs of the global segmented consumer market. By the increase of purchasing power all over the world, and the establish of the EU, both traditional supermarkets and department stores were not able to meet the consumer's requirements, a more convenient way for shopping, a ‘one-stop' shopping and shopping as leisure. Consequently, huge mass retailers emerged by providing customers with high buying quantity at low cost, the hypermarket format. Today, most leading international retailers consider hypermarket as it key strategic format for their worldwide expansion. In the past five years, the total number of food related stores developed by international operators has increased by 23%. Since 1997, the number of hypermarkets / warehouse club has increased almost double, form 2788 to 4190 worldwide. (see Appendix?) What are the secrets to success, there is no single formula. Use time as a critical strategic component and the flexibility of their strategy during implementation. When Carrefour entered the US, they did not achieve their high expectation. One of the reason is the biggest competitor Wal-Mart, another reason is that they did not understand the consuming format in US, they did not localize their strategy. Americans were used not only to a wide merchandise, and low prices, but also the convenience of shopping without having to drive distances for making their purchases. Whereas, in Asia, Carrefour achieved big success, they adopt the localization strategy. In China, firstly they localized their name from ‘Carrefour' to ‘'. Similar pronunciation, it means, a happy lucky family, which has a huge impact on consumers. They segmented the Chinese market geographically. They understood the local consumers price sensitivity, they lowered their price in order to achieve much more quantity of purchasing. In Indonesia, Carrefour has put it as a key management positions and give them intensive training, and localize their stores display, knowing that local consumer like eating fresh seafood instead of the frozenness. As for Wal-Mart, they expand their market in Mexico, which is a market with huge potential, they build large parking space only to realise that many consumers do not drive cars. They normally travel by bus and had to walk across the large parking space with heavy packages, Wal-Mart responded by introducing bus shuttles for customers. Localization is the key factor for acceptance and success of an international company/brand. It is important to speak to the customers and clients in their own language and culture. The particular concept has developed by leading global brand: ‘Think Local, Act Local. Going Global, has to be going local'. 4.2 Regional Market (Europe, Asia) Asia The greatest opportunities for Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Ahold, Metro, Auchan and all the other global retailers come from Asia. Asia with 3 billion consumers and some of the most populous countries in the world, Asia remains an attractive region for 2003. China, with 1.25 billion people, GDP growth of 10% and nearly 13% per year increase in retail space, continues to attract global retailers. Particularly mainland China. As it is a emerging nation, with its unique features of its economics structure, more than 300 global retailers have invested in the market. In one of the major economic events in 2001, China was voted into the world Trade organization. This should eventually lead to strong increase in trade for world's economies, which benefit many global retailers. Carrefour is consolidating its positions by setting up purchasing centers in 11 Chinese cities. Ikea opened in Beijing May 2003, and Tesco is planning to expand in the market. However, there are certain issues that foreign investors are facing, is that state owned local players are gaining strength. The Shanhai local government pressured 3 shanghai based retailers: Yibai, Lianhua, and the Huanlian, into forming a joint holding company, the Bailing Group. The holding company's ambitious objectives include leading industry consolidation and enabling sustainable leadership of local state-owned retailers. Such move will raise entry barriers for private and foreign investors and create potential advantages for local state-owned retailers. South Korea has recovered economically for its 1998 crisis; GDP growth by 6% in 2002. Wal-Mat almost doubled its store count from 6 to 11 and plans to open even more stores in 2004. Japan, the world's second biggest market after the US tremendous oppourtunities of global companies to penetrate it . Although entering Japan is not easy, due to the restrictive plan which complicated supply chain structure and lack of Japanese 10 years recession is no doubt deterring a number of operators. Europe Eastern Europe, a fast growing region with regional output growth of more than 3%, and most countries are on track to join the Europe Union by 2010. The top ranked country, and the one commanding the highest score increase this year is Russia. With a inflation forcast at 16% for 2003, versus 84% in 1998. and GDP growth of 4 to 5% a year, Russia has become economically stronger. As a emerging market, the retail density is very low, only 6 international players have settled there. This region has a huge potential for global retailers. In Russia, there are 143 million population, according to official Russian statistics, Russians spend up to 80% of their income on consumer good. Auchan an Metro has already settled their expansion in Russia, Wal-Mart which sent a delegation to Russia in 2002 to check out the possibilities. However, foreign retailer still face many issues in Russia, Metro and Auchan have been accused of unfair competition by local retailers. Hungry is the most prosperous economy in the region after Poland and Czech Republic. The country will join the EU in 2004. which make the region more attractive to global retailers. As the merger of European Union, the biggest single market in the world. All the global retailers are try to gain maximum profit, In 1997, Wal-Mart completed of Wertkauf a 21-store German hypermarket chain. In 1999, Wal-Mart announce a $10.8 billion turnover in EU. Britain's third largest super market chain, Asda with 232 stores in England, Scotland and Wales. As Carrefour, it is already became the biggest grocery retailer in EU. Ahold recently has began their expansion in Spain. In Italy, with just seven top 30 retailers operating in its territory, all of which are constitutes the exception between the major countries of Europe, due to restricted government policy and onerous bureaucracy impeding store development.