Development and Globalisation

Development and Globalisation Development A process of social and economic advancement in terms of the quality of human life. Development can involve can involve economic, demographic, social political and cultural changes. Development is a term that can be used in many different contexts whether it is social, economical, political etc. However generally development refers to an improvement in certain areas: †¢ Economic o An increase in the country’s economy with a shift from secondary to tertiary industry which becomes less dependent on FDI. †¢ Demographic An increase in population and a more ageing population as standard of living increases. Birth rates and death rates drop as life expectancy increases. †¢ Social o An increase in the range of services, increased land prices and a more multicultural society. Greater access to education, health care and communication †¢ Political o More democratic and more influence on the ‘global stage’. Stabl e government, no dictatorship. †¢ Cultural development o Greater equality for women and better race relations in multicultural societies. Measuring Development Associated essay: Political Parties Are The Pillars of DemocracyGDP- Gross Domestic Product – the value of all the goods and services produced in a country in a year, in $US, usually expressed as â€Å"per capita† (per person). PPP (purchasing power parity)* figures are more useful. *Adjusted for loss of living GNP- The total value of goods and services produced by one country in a year, plus all net income earned from overseas sources, in $US. HDI- Human Development Index: It is a summary composite index that measures a country’s average achievements in three basic aspects of human development: health, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. Life Expectancy †¢ Literacy Rate †¢ Standard of Living (measured in GDP per capita) It gives a more complete picture of development of a country than GDP alone as it considers social factors and not just economic factors. Development Continuum Originally there were three groupings that made up the development c ontinuum, they were: †¢ First World (those developed countries that had a democratic government and a strong economy) †¢ Second World (communist countries) †¢ Third World (UN developed countries)However as time has gone on newer economies have started to develop caused by different development patterns and speeds. The Development gap †¢ The gap between rich and poor countries †¢ Most commonly, the gap is thought of in terms of income/economics †¢ It also social, environmental and even political aspects There was a suggested North/South divide originating from the Brandt report in 1980, where the north accounted for 80% of GDP but only 20% of the population; however this too requires some artistic licence and is a very general way of dividing countries.There are more accurate ways of grouping countries as listed below and as countries move through the development continuum countries pass from one category to another: †¢ Developed (MDC’s †“ the most well developed countries eg. UK) †¢ Developing (Countries which are undergoing development – arguably they all are. Eg. Malaysia) †¢ LDC’s (Least Developed Countries – eg. Ethiopia) †¢ NIC’s (Newly Industrialised Countries – Have just finished development (10 years or so) Eg. China) †¢ RIC’s (Recently Industrialised Countries – Further behind than the NIC’s eg. Dubai) Centrally Planned Economies (The few remaining communist countries eg. North Korea) †¢ Oil Rich Countries (Countries rich in oil eg. Saudi Arabia) Causes for the Development Gap †¢ Colonialisation – colonial powers took resources from poorer countries †¢ Price of commodities is often controlled by TNCs ensuring high profits for MEDC firms and low prices paid to LEDC producers – Fair trade set up in reaction to this. †¢ LEDCs are now primary producers – producing low cost commodities, e. g. b ananas †¢ Primary commodities have fallen in price, or stayed steady, while commodities they need has increased, e. . oil What is preventing the Development gap from closing? †¢ Many LEDCs main industry is as primary producers – generally low profit †¢ Internatnioal trade dominated by TNCs †¢ Rapid The Asian Tigers Who or what are the Asian Tigers? Asian economies that have progressed economically at such substantial rates that have come to rival the earning capacity and quality of living of those being first-world countries – Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. Globalisation Globalisation: The increased inter-connection in the world’s economic, cultural and political systems. Positives |Negatives | |Allowed the movement of people more easily |Uncontrolled migration | |Increased foreign trade |Inequality in wealth | |More access to food, services, healthcare etc. ll over the world |Heavy environmental cost | | |Loss of countries individual cultures, global cutters | †¢ Globalisation began in the 19th century as there was the beginning of movement of people and goods; †¢ Increase in independence †¢ Increase in trade as well as the spread of industry †¢ Beginning of Trans National Corporations. Globalisation continued in the 20th century and was shaped by a number of factors including: 1.Emergence of free markets (capitalist economy) 2. Deregulation of world financial markets 3. The establishment of the General Agreements of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) –the WTO which sought to lower trade barriers. 4. The emergence of trade blocs 5. The establishment of the IMF and the World Bank 6. Development of global marketing and the continuing rise of TNCs. Flows †¢ Capital o ICT allows cheap, reliable and almost instantaneous communication o Allows sharing information o Allows transfer of capital o Allows Marketing around the world †¢ Labour o Improved transport for people Size of air craft o Low cost airlines o High speed rail links o Specialised workers- doctors, ICT etc. o Unskilled workers †¢ Products and services o Integrated networks o Goods handling o Computing logistics o Container revolution o Improved transport for goods o Global marketing, the world as one market and create products that fit various regional market places e. g. coca-cola and McDonalds Patterns of production, distribution and consumption Manufacturing has gone from developed countries to lower wage economies. This is known as the GLOBAL SHIFT, which is brought about by FDI by TNCs.Many LEDC’S have benefited from the transfer of technology which has meant these countries can raise their productivity without raising their wages to the level of the developed countries. This has lead to the de-industrialisation of richer countries and the focus on tertiary and quaternary industry. There has also been outsourcing of service operations, such as call centres, Mumbai, this extends t he influence on a global scale also the employment costs are a lot lower even though there is a highly educated workforce. Positive and negatives of the global shift Positives for MEDCs |Negatives for MEDCs | |Movement of polluting industries away from their country |Could lead to wide spread unemployment | |Growth in LEDC’s may lead to demand for exports from MEDCs |Loss of skills | |Cheaper imports can keep the cost of living down benefiting the retail |Negative multiplier effect | |sector |Large gap between skilled and unskilled workers who may experience | |Labour market flexibility and efficiency |extreme redeployment differences | |Development of new technologies leading to investment |deindustrialisation of some areas, such as the North | |Help to reduce inflation | | |Positives for LEDC's and NIC's |Negatives for LEDC's | |Development of new industries Rapid urbanisation and rural-urban migration | |Increased employment |Westernised approach to economy | |Helps to reduce development gap |Increased environmental damage die to polluting industries | |Increased FDI and investment which can lead to improved services such as |Exploitation of labour | |infrastructure, health care and education |Disruptive social impacts | |Increased exports helps BoPs, and increases income and GDP |Over-dependant on one industry | |New technologies |Destabilises food supplies, less agriculture | | |Health and safety issues because of tax legislation | Patterns of production and processes In manufacturing there has been a global shift of marketing from MDC’s to LDC’s.This leads to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by the TNC’s. This has led to the de-industrialization of MDC’s but means that they can also be more productive due to the transfer of technology. Newly Industrialised Countries (NIC’s) First Phase †¢ Asian Tigers (Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore) started to appear in the 1960’s, as developed cou ntries looked at their less developed neighbours †¢ Rapid industrialisation due to the increased spread of TNC’s. †¢ They share similar characteristics which allowed for such industrialisation: – Large populations – Well educated populations – Culture – work ethic – Less rigid laws on health and safety – Government support through loans and grants Rely less on foreign support and set up their own businesses such as the Chaebols in South Korea, comprising of companies such as Samsung, LG and Hyundai †¢ This has now become a multinational and located in several different countries. Second Phase †¢ As wage prices increased in the primary TNC’s (The Asian Tigers) †¢ Countries that could offer lower wage prices such as Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines and Thailand, Mexico and Brazil Third Phase †¢ China and India, Turkey, South Africa and the Philippines †¢ China has seen the fastest rate of ec onomic growth of any country †¢ India’s industry is heavily based around services – which accounted for 50% of its total GDP. †¢ New TNCs are now being set up in Indian such as Infosys, Bangalore. Positives of India |Constraints of India | |Large English speaking population |Other countries are beginning to compete | |Costs 37% lower than China |Negative reaction in MEDCs | |Costs 17% lower than Malaysia |Rising wage rates | |Professional salaries ? of UK and USA |High cost of training | |Low telecommunication costs |Negative impacts on quality | |24 hour working to fit with time differences |Corruption and bankruptcy | |Huge labor force for labor intensive jobs e. g. all centers |Command economy, governemtn speding on subsidies rather than investment | |IT college graduates, 2 million/year |Infrastructure beyond major cities is poor | | |Literacy only 61% | Growth in the 21st Century Emerging Economies account for 70% of the global population, countries including the BRICs (Brazil, Russia India and China) as well as countries such as the UAE and South Africa. The increase has been due to: †¢ Raise living standards †¢ Increase opportunities for the population †¢ Increase FDI †¢ Become more of a world player with market to an international standard Countries at very low levels of economic development LDCs †¢ The countries were outlined by the United Nations and of the top 50 33 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are defined by the following: – Low incomes ($800 GDP per capita over 3 years) Human resource weakness, nutrition, health, education and literacy – Economic vulnerability shown by signs of dependency on one industry †¢ Many of them suffer from widespread conflict, disease, geographical disadvantages, urbanisation and fast urban growth (demographically speaking). Quality of Life †¢ Most of the population cannot afford basic immunities †¢ Resources of such countries are not ev enly distributed. †¢ Attempts to reduce poverty †¢ High population growth rate means that numbers living in extreme poverty are increasing. †¢ Many of these countries depend on FDI Debt †¢ From the 1970’s onwards some countries found themselves in a debt crisis because the borrowed large amounts from the developed world. For many countries at low levels of economic development that breaking free of poverty can only ever be a vision. †¢ There are certain policies being put in place by the IMF and the World Bank to help free the HIPCs †¢ They have provided debt relief and interest free loans. †¢ SAPs Structural adjustment programmes o Government spending cutbacks to fund debt repayments o Mexico was the first country o 3 main aims:- ? Promote exports- integration and liberalisation ? Reduce government spending- privatisation and cutting costs ? Encourage foreign investment o Both intermediate and poor countries have had SAPs applied o Some suc cess but SAPs could make matters worse especially for the poorest people because:- Loss of credit and subsidies from the government ? Food production falling ? Devaluation of currency leads to dramatic rises in prices ? Less spending on health and education by government †¢ Another scheme, the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) †¢ Aimed to cancel the debt of the HIPCs †¢ per capita income US$380 a year or less would be eligible for MDRI debt relief from the IMF's resources Social Problems †¢ Lack of income, healthcare, education, sanitation etc. †¢ The Millennium Development Goals were set up specifically to help countries out of the cycle of poverty however they don’t look well to be completed in 2015 (the original target).Global, Social and Economic Groupings Trade Bloc is a group of nations who have joined to stimulate trade and benefit from economic cooperation. The countries involved agree to free trade between them but impose tariffs on goods from countries outside the bloc. Made for a variety of reasons: †¢ To further socio-economic development †¢ To increase alliances and trade †¢ To allow free movement †¢ To prevent war Types of groupings include:- †¢ Free trade areas- tariffs and quotas are reduced on goods between members and restrictions are put in place for goods coming in to the area e. g. NAFTA †¢ Customs unions- tariff on imports from outside the group e. g.Mercosur †¢ Common Markets- like customs unions but with greater freedom of movement of labour and capital, e. g. previously EU, current example East African Common Market †¢ Economic Unions-all of the above as well as member states are also required to adopt common polices in areas such as agriculture (CAP) fisheries, transport, pollution (Kyoto agreement), industry, energy and regional development e. g. EU Positives and negatives of trade blocs |Positives |Negatives | |Greater chance of peace between member n ations. Having to share economic resources | |Faster and smoother economic development |Many countries will have to pay a large sum of money regularly to be in a | |Trade barriers removed |trade bloc | |Higher standard of living. |Elites can hold a disproportionate amount of power. | |Certain areas of a national economy can be supported – eg. Agriculture |If one courty falls in to ecomic crisis the rest of the member states are | |through the CAP. |effected | |People seeking work can move between member states– EU. Non-member states badly affected, lack of trade | |Possibility of a common currency- Euro |Loss of sovereignty | |Greater political influence |Loss of some finacail controls e. g. European central bank | |If countries become indebted member states can help bail out, Greece, | | |Ireland. | | Aspects of globalisation TNCsTransnational Corporations are companies that operate in over two countries – usually having their research and headquarters in the country of origin and locating the manufacturing plants overseas. As an organisation becomes more global, regional R&D and headquarters will develop. TNCs can be split in to three different groups according to what industry they are:- †¢ Resource extraction o Mining, gas extraction and oil producing o ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BP †¢ Manufacturing o High-tech ? Computers, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals ? Hewlett Packard, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca o Consumer goods ? Motor vehicles, televisions and other electrical goods Many of these are assembly industries ? Ford, General Motors, BMW, Sony o Mass produced consumer goods ? Cigarettes, drinks, breakfast cereals, cosmetics and toiletries ? Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, Unilever, Heinz †¢ Service operations o Banking/insurance, advertising, freight transport, hotel chains, fast food outlets, retailers o Barclays, AXA, McDonalds and Tesco Growth of TNCs Why do TNCs expand to different countries? †¢ Larger p opulations with cheaper Labour Costs †¢ Better government policies such as grants, lower taxes and subsidies †¢ Less stringent rules on employment and pollution †¢ Fewer restrictions due to trade barriers †¢ Greater supply of raw materials To take advantage of trade within trade blocs †¢ Allowing them to grow thereby achieving economies of scale, reducing costs, finance new investment and compete in global markets †¢ Allow them to set up in markets that they want to sell in †¢ To acquire geographical flexibility so that they can shift resources and production between locations to maximise profits To serve a global market, TNCs may globalise production by:- †¢ Produce for the market in which the plant is situated †¢ Use one plant to produce for a number of countries †¢ Use integrated production †¢ Source parts in places where they assemble their products close to the market, GLOCALISATION Impacts of TNCs on a host country Positiv e Impacts |Negative Impacts | |Employment |Competition | |Injection of capital into the economy |Adverse effects on local companies which might not be as efficient | |More disposable income will create a demand for more |Environmental concerns | |housing, transport and local services |Less stringent pollution laws so more pollution allowed | |Multiplier Effect |Labour exploitation | |Investment by a TNC can trigger more employment by |Exploit cheap, flexiable, non-unionised labour forces in developing countries | |cumulative causation bringing greater wealth to the |Minimum age | |area |Urbanisation | |New working methods |Factories built in major urban centres leads to younger workers migration to the area | |Transfer of technology will create a more skilled |Negative effects on the rural areas | |workforce. |Removal of capital | |JIT developed |Profit back to country of origin | |Escape Tariffs/trade barriers e. g.Nissan in |Outside decision making | |Sunderland |Plans effec ting the development of plants are made in host country to boost profitability | |To take advantage of government incentives, subsides,|Little consiereation for local people | |EPZs (export processing zones) etc. |Dependancy on TNC | |Lower costs – especially labor |More westerniese approach to life | |To reach foreign markets more effectively | | |To exploit mineral and other resources | | Development Issues within the world Trade vs AidTrade is deemed as the more sustainable path out of the two to economic development as it helps to promote the growth in the volume and value of goods, leading to jobs and greater incomes, some of this income will help to generate domestic demand leading to investment and the multiplier effect. This will also lead to rising living standards and gaining of skills by local people However it relies on three factors: †¢ Adoption of capitalism †¢ Economic growth to ‘trickle don’ so everyone benefits †¢ Promotion of fre e trade This is a similar path that was taken by the MDC's and more recently the NIC's. However many of these NIC's had largely stable governments, a well educated workforce and they employed protectionist policies to stimulate growth e. g. tariffs and import quotas. However there are still problems with trade for a variety of reasons: They cannot be competitive in world markets as they need to invest in equipment, technology and training to make business productive and then infrastructure etc. †¢ Schemes like the CAP undercut mainly agriculturally based LDCs †¢ Wealth does not always trickle down to those who need it, like aid. †¢ Debts mean they would have to make millions before they made profit and due to the cuts imposed by the World Bank and IMF it often means there are public spending cuts especially on health care and education Aid can be either: 1. Bilateral – from government to government. 2. Multilateral – Where collective governments donate t o an organisation (such as the World bank) who the distributes it to suffering countries. 3. Voluntary – Where small NGOs send workers to help. NGOs such as OxfamAid is not always in the form of money sometimes it is in the form of goods or technical assistance. There are also several ways aid can be delivered †¢ Tied aid o Will limit the power of nations and may eventually cause resentment †¢ Short-term aid o Usually following an emergency such as earthquakes or tsunamis o This can be help with rescue operations o Medical supplies, shelter, food and water †¢ Long-term development projects o Improving food availability and farming methods o Helping to provide improved shelter o Health care and education o Developing better livelihoods and improving income o CAFOD, Catholic Agency For Overseas Development †¢ Top down aid Throwing’ money at a country and allowing them to get on with it. o It usually focuses on large scale, expensive projects which are unsuitable for the local community. , such as HEP projects e. g. Nepal o It often doesn’t go to the people who need it most o Usually tied †¢ Bottom up o More helpful to the local community however still bring their problems. o Small scale o Treat the individuals as individuals with creativity and intelligence o They work with people to create what the community most needs and supply the materials o They can undercut local business. However aid is not perfect and may critics say:- †¢ Aid does not reach those who need it the most, it is kept at the top by the government Aid is often used ineffectively on large scale, expensive projects which are often left uncompleted †¢ Sometimes countries don’t even have the correct infrastructure to use the aid effectively †¢ Dependency can be created which is often not sustainable is aid is a large proportion of national income †¢ Tied aid comes with strings attached, in some cases with every dollar given i n aid $7 is given in return Economic vs. Environmental Sustainability ‘Development that meets the needs of today without compromising the needs of tomorrow’ This would be achieved by †¢ Human potential being improved †¢ The environment is used and managed to supply people on a long-term basis †¢ Implies social justice as well as long term environmental sustainability The capacity of the environment to provide resources and absorb increasing levels of pollution is the critical threshold controlling how far population can increase and economies expand sustainably The Rio Earth summit set out the following points for each aspect of sustainability. Environmental Principles: †¢ People should be at the centre of concerns †¢ States have the right to exploit their own environment but should not damage that of others †¢ Protecting the environment is integral to development †¢ People should be informed of projections for the future as well as th e current environmental situation †¢ There should be environmental legislation and standards within states †¢ Laws should be enacted regarding liability for pollution †¢ The movement of substances that are harmful to others should be restricted States should warn neighbours of any environmental unease †¢ EIAs (Environmental Impact Assessments) should be carried out on all major plans Economic Principles: †¢ The right to development must be fulfilled so as to meet development and environmental needs of present and future generations †¢ States should work together to eradicate poverty in order to decrease disparities in living standards †¢ The needs of the poorest countries should be put first †¢ Unsustainable production and consumption patterns should be eliminated †¢ States should cooperate to restore the earth’s ecosystem †¢ Scientific information and innovative technologies should be transferred to improve understanding Stat es should support an open economic system, with few trade barriers and tariffs †¢ National authorities should endeavour to promote the internationalism of environmental costs, taking into account that the polluter should pay For anything to be effective it must strike the right balance between the three core principles – economic, social and environmental. Sustainable tourism myth or reality? As tourism is an increasingly expanding, billion dollar industry, it has increasingly been looked at to become more sustainable. Up until now it has followed this pattern: †¢ The environment attracts tourists for its attractions †¢ The money spent should help to maintain these featuresHowever as tourist flows increase it starts to do more harm than good, particularly to small areas which can’t deal with the massive influx, this can lead to the destruction of farm land to golf courses, and destroying natural habitats such as coral reefs, destroyed by water sports ,e. g. Philippines . Sustainable tourism ‘seeks not to destroy what it sets out to explore’ It attempts to make sure that: †¢ It preserves natural resources for future generations. †¢ The local communities and their culture are recognised as the most important in the tourist sector †¢ Economic benefits of tourism must partly go to those who are local to the area †¢ Everything is guided by the wishes of local people and communities At the Rio Earth Summit an environmental checklist was drawn up to show how the tourism industry could become more sustainable, these included: †¢ Waste minimisation, land use, re-use and recycling Energy efficiency, conservation and management †¢ Transport †¢ Water (freshwater and waste) †¢ Land use planning and management †¢ Involvement of all stakeholders in the planning †¢ Involvement of staff, customers and communities in environmental issues Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to ma king a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while helping to generate income and employment for local people. Tourist can help by: †¢ Being informed of the local culture, politics and economy †¢ Respecting local cultures †¢ Contributing to local cultures and tolerance †¢ Supporting local businesses and traditional values †¢ Use the least amount of local resources Ecotourism Is one of the fastest growing sectors within tourism †¢ An economic process by which rare and beautiful ecosystems and cultural attractions are marketed internationally to attract tourists †¢ Planning and management is an important factor o Capacity is managed o Encourages conservation, by educating local people and tourists o Focuses on the environment †¢ Criticised for being ‘egotourism’ in some cases. Sustainable ecotourism must : o Have a limit to the number of visitors to sustain the environment o Set up and run in cooperation with loca l people Case Studies Measuring Development- HDI HDI = 1/3 (life expectancy index) + 1/3 (education index)+ 1/3 (GDP index) Advantages |Disadvantages | |Political competitiveness |Does not take into account poverty | |More factors and reliable ones |PPP values change very quickly, inaccurate or misleading. | |Easy and cheap to collect data |Little sense of income distribution | |Sign of welfare in the future, improving health and education, |Quality of life does not seem to be that closely linked | |supply-side policies which can indicate the long-term patterns of AS |Doesn’t take account like war or political oppression. | |curve |Based on normative economics. |The success of government policy |Other measures such as access to internet might be more important. | |Easily comparable to other countries |Changes over time – ceteris paribus | Comparing 2 countries, Nepal and the UK |Measure |UK |Nepal | |HDI |28/187 |157/187 | |Life expectancy |80. |68. 8 | |Expected yea rs of schooling |16. 1 |8. 8 | |GNI per capita, PPP adjusted |33,296 |1,160 | |Pop. Living on $1. 25 per day % |0 |78. 1 | |Population with at least secondary education , female : |1. 015 |0. 48 | |male | | | |Sustainability, Change in forest area (%) |9. 8 |-24. 5 | |% of population living in urban areas |79. 8 |19. 2 | Sub Saharan Africa – A country at low levels of economic development †¢ Sub Saharan Africa contains many countries with the lowest HDI ranking in the world. †¢ Many hold backs from development including war, disease, famine, debt, lack of infrastructure etc. They need large amounts of FDI that will not leave them in a worse situation than when they started. †¢ HDI, lowest ranked are Mali, Sierra Leone and Niger (all with an average of 0. 33) †¢ The top, ranked 119th and 120th in the world were Gabon and South Africa. TNC-Barbie in Taiwan -global shift of manufacturing †¢ Barbie, an American company Mattel , was produced a Japan in 1959 †¢ Has seen a global shift in manufacturing since it started. †¢ They moved to Taiwan in the 1960’s to take advantage of cheap labour costs and increased scale of production. †¢ At its peak Taiwan alone made more than 50% of all Barbie dolls in the world. †¢ Within 20 years Taiwan’s incomes began to rise which then led to Barbie moving somewhere else Mattel opened its first factory in China in 1987, wage prices were much lower and gradually production was mover there. †¢ Today Mattel produces Barbie’s in China, Indonesia and Malaysia – taking advantage of the second stage of NICs, the Tiger Cubs. Taiwan has further benefited from globalisation, as it is now home to companies that manufacture most computers and MP3 players such as BenQ TNC-Coca Cola – Global Marketing †¢ A company with a single product in which minor elements are tweaked for a different market. †¢ The company uses the same formulas, one with s ugar and one with Corn Syrup for different markets. †¢ The bottle design is the same and is regulated depending on different countries standards. The only countries in the world that do not sell Coca Cola are Iceland, North Korea, and Antarctica. †¢ It is not sold in Iceland because all bottles must be the same shape as there is a large recycling project and coca cola refuse to change the shape of their bottle as it is part of their brand †¢ Labour costs may be lower in some countries, especially LEDC countries. Low labour costs = higher profits †¢ Legislation on working conditions, workers’ rights, health and safety, and the environment may be less strict in some countries. Relaxed legislation = lower overheads = more profit. †¢ Some countries may try to encourage multinationals to invest in their countries by offering lower tax rates and financial incentives.More favourable taxation = lower overheads = more profits. Unilever †¢ Unilever is a ve ry widespread (branches in 90 countries) – include most countries in N & S America, Europe, Australasia, Russia, China, India, a number of African countries = MEDCs, NICs and some LEDCs †¢ Sales also very widespread: A lot of African countries (many LEDCs and LLEDCs), Greenland, some countries which were part of the old Soviet Union (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikstan) †¢ Very few countries where Unilever has no presence Asian Tiger- South Korea †¢ 13th largest economy †¢ Strong government †¢ Highly skilled and motivated workforce †¢ Large amounts of trade with a positive BoPProblems †¢ Move to democracy takes time †¢ Large aging population †¢ Unequal pay for women and poor working conditions for 52 hours a week †¢ Pollution with poor construction in infrastructure, roads and sewage BRIC economies It is said that these countries will be dominant by 2050, these brick economies, don’t just rely on export indu stries like the 1st generation NIC’s. Brazil emerging economy †¢ President Lula, who began in 2003 took the economy out of dept and is now a stable country †¢ Generates $1. 5 trillion GDP/year †¢ Reliable power, with sustainable sources, such as hydro electric power, sugar cane, bio fuels, sustainable in own Tupi oil fields FDI is the 4th largest in the world, $45 billion each year †¢ Very easy to communicate with †¢ Emerging middle class †¢ Good highly skilled work force However there are some areas where Brazil will need to improve if its development is to continue being sustainable:- †¢ Will become a increasingly aging population †¢ Destruction of the rainforest †¢ Increasing cost of manufacturing †¢ Poor infrastructure †¢ Unequal society †¢ Slow national growth †¢ Increased crime and corruption †¢ 25% of the population live in poverty, favelas, Sao Paulo China – Third Stage of NIC Development â⠂¬ ¢ In 1978 China began to follow the path of development of the Asian Tigers through an export driven road to development. Communist control was relaxed to allow this to do so. †¢ Foreign investment and joint ventures was encouraged. †¢ The internationalisation of the Chinese economy is also called the GUANXI NETWORK referring to the connections that exist between Chinese people and companies scattered all around the world †¢ In order to attract foreign industry in SE China, 14 ‘open’ coastal cities and 5 Special Economic Zones were set up. †¢ They allow tax grants which would give more profit and were in favourable locations, geographically, to work. †¢ Labour was 80% cheaper in these areas †¢ There was a large amount of FDI for the bulk of the 21st Century †¢ Receiving up to $50 million per year. In 2006 they received $63 billion, their highest recorded figure. †¢ Sustained growth of up to 10% – one of the highest in th e world. †¢ China became part of the WTO meaning that trade went from just over $250 billion to just under $1 trillion, almost quadrupling as they got greater access to global markets. Problems: †¢ Dramatic gap between rich and poor †¢ Huge rural/urban migration has left thousands in the countryside isolated as well as a decrease in agriculture meaning that poverty and famine has spread. †¢ Deterioration of environment and use of natural resources †¢ Dependent on the economy of the buyer †¢ Putting other populations before their own †¢ Development of two Chinas, east and westChongqing –largest urban industrial city in the south-western part of china, 32 million people – A major focus on migration and of the western development policy – South of the Gorges Dam – Population grows by 500,000 people a year – Chicago of china – Heavy industry dominates – Large pollution problems, air sewage – 2000 tonnes of waste a day India – NIC driven by services Many people think that the Indian service sector is driven by call centres; however its involvement in the service sector it accounts for 50% of GDP as there is a high population of skilled workers. Software and IT companies have been attracted to India because:- †¢ Second-largest English speaking human resource in the world Investment friendly and supportive government politics †¢ Good infrastructure for power, transport and data communication †¢ World’s third largest brain bank †¢ Stable democratic with over 50 year of independence †¢ Large market size †¢ Investment and tax incentives for exports in certain sectors such as electronics, telecom, software and R The UK and USA has fuelled the service sector in India as Indians migrated to gain skills which they would take back to their home country. Such skills were used to set up companies like Infosys which is now a TNC based in Bangalo re. Bangalore has become the centre of ICT because:- †¢ First state to set up engineering collages First t set up a technology university †¢ Grants and tax incentives for the IT industry †¢ 1991 software technology park was built †¢ Now over 6 technology parks Infosys one of the largest software companies in India †¢ Founded in 1981 and had first foreign clients by 1987 †¢ Overseas offices in Boston and in MK †¢ 455 of workforce based in Bangalore Growth in the 21st century Dubai – An RIC †¢ Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates †¢ Globally central as it is half way between London and Sigapore †¢ Fastest growing economy †¢ Its economy boomed upon the discovery of oil in the 1960’s. †¢ There was a growth of 300% between 1968 and 1975. †¢ There was rapid immigration. To make itself less dependent on oil, Dubai invested in new infrastructure which attracted FDI and now Dubai’s economy is heavil y based around tourism as well as banking †¢ Oil and Gas currently occupy less than 5%. †¢ Borrowed money to fund many projects †¢ One of the country’s most effected by 2008 market crash, massive inflation problems †¢ Chinese and Indian banks brought a lot of Dubai’s debts Social problems †¢ Vast numbers of immigrants †¢ Poor working conditions, 20 hour day in some cases, because people took out loans to get to Dubai, and now due to little work they have to work all hours to get as much money as they can †¢ Live in poor conditions in tent cities out of the actual city †¢ Passports are taken by employers on arrival Environmental problems †¢ High electricity cost and rising carbon emissions Sewage because there is not enough water, as the city is in a desert, water is more expensive than oil †¢ Nuclear waste †¢ Adu Dhabi, must look to help out by providing solar energy Countries facing low levels of economic developm ent Nepal– †¢ One of the poorest countries in the world – 157/177 in HDI †¢ Its GDP per capita is also one of the lowest at $1,049 †¢ Shortage of energy, supplies †¢ Little money to spend on development †¢ Due to relief little transport infrastructure, remote communities †¢ Mainly subsistence farming and tourism †¢ 78. 1% of the population live on less than $1. 25 a day †¢ Little education and health care provisions HIPC- Tanzania †¢ 40% of the population live below the poverty line †¢ HDI is ranked 152 Life expectancy is 58. 2 †¢ Annual GDP per capita is $800 †¢ 75% of employment is based on agriculture †¢ Literacy rate is 64% Reasons for poverty †¢ Topography and climatic conditions – limit cultivated crops to only 4% of the land area †¢ Industry- mainly limited to agricultural products and light consumer goods †¢ Dependant on agriculture which accounts for half of GDP †¢ Prod ucts include coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, cashews and sisal which are highly competitive and have falling prices †¢ Tourism is booming especially in the National Parks Attempts to help †¢ Government: a national poverty eradicated strategy- to reduce abject poverty 50% by 2010 The World Bank, IMF and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania’s deteriorated economic infrastructure †¢ Structural Adjustment Policies, SAP’s, poverty reduction strategy papers †¢ â€Å"Vision 2025† programme set the goals of a high quality of livelihood by year 2025; peace, stability and unity; a well educated society and a competitive economy based on sustainable growth and equity †¢ UN MDGs The results of attempts to help Tanzania †¢ Not improved quality of life †¢ Income and welfare indicators fell †¢ Even more dependent on foreign aid †¢ Increased environmental damage †¢ Pick up in industrial practice including gold and natural gas †¢ Increase private sector growth Recent debt relief in Tanzania One of the poorest countries in Africa even though it had some of its international debt written off †¢ $3 billion will be discounted over the next 20 years †¢ Tanzania’s total international borrowings of more than $7 billion Socio-Economic Groupings NAFTA †¢ USA, Canada, Mexico †¢ Set up in 1994 †¢ Aims – To eliminate trade tariffs between the three countries, pushed by the establishment of other socio-economic groupings like the EU. Mexico saw it as the best option as it had built up debt in previous years. |Pros |Cons | |Trade between member countries tripled in the first 13 years. Canada has been affected by the US increase | |Increased employment in the USA as manufacturing grew |Some US jobs have been lost as the plants have moved to Mexico | |Mexico got increased FDI as other countries wanted to locate inside |Dumping in Mexico | |NAFTA. |Mexico i s being exploited because o less rigid pollution laws which | | |affects surrounding countries | EU 27 member states, set up in 1957 as the European Economic Community Aims – †¢ Promote social and economic progress amongst member states †¢ Have more government influence †¢ Introduce EU citizenship †¢ Prevent war †¢ Create better laws Positive impacts |Negative impacts | |Group activity on waste, pollution control and climate change |Loss of sovereignty over some decisions | |Common currency |Greece and Spain situation | |Large labour market due to ease of movement |Sharing fishing grounds | |CAP support |Power of elite | |Peace in EU |Small areas fell isolated | Unilever– TNC †¢ Set up in 1890 by William Hesker Lever, who owned a soap company which revolutionised Victorian hygiene †¢ Unilever was formed by the merger of the Dutch margarine producer ‘Margarine Unie’ as they had the common raw material palm oil †¢ In 1937 Lipton tea was acquired and in 1957 birds eye joined Colworth House facility near Sharnbrook continued research efforts in food preservation, animal nutrition and health problems associated with toothpaste, shampoo and other personal products. It is one of several R & D centres †¢ In 2008, the companies had over 300 manufacturing sites in more than 100 countries across every continent †¢ Unilever employs over 170,000 people and has annual company revenue of over $50 billion in 2007. †¢ Unilever has had problems with animal testing, child labour and deforestation due to the use of palm oil CAFOD- long term and short term aid Aims are to promote long-term development; respond to emergencies; raise public awareness of the causes of poverty; speak out on behalf of poor communities; and promote social justiceLong-term aid †¢ Improving food availability and farming methods †¢ Helping to provide improved shelter †¢ Health care and education †¢ Devel oping better livelihoods and improving income Short-term aid †¢ Provide aid to disaster stricken countries †¢ Set up temporary shelters for those left homeless Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa & Goma), Ethiopia, Kenya Swaziland – top Down Aid †¢ Top down development is usually difficult as often hundreds of thousands of people’s needs need to be ‘catered for’ and it is difficult to satisfy everyone. †¢ The ideal goal is a communist state with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. †¢ Swaziland is in Southern Africa. It is ranked very low in the world for human development. †¢ Many individual concerns to deal with which weakened the country, AID’s, famine and drought. †¢ The number of orphans was increasing as the death rate did correspondingly. †¢ Several branches of the United Nations which were trying to help them such as the UN food programme, and a many NGO’s. †¢ They were distribut ing imported food to hundreds of thousands of people which was ultimately a good thing. †¢ However, the farmers of the local area were not able to sell the produce that they grew †¢ Therefore not able to take advantage of the wet season that blessed them. †¢ There was also a state of dependency Difficult to draw the line between those who should receive aid and those who did not. Other top down aid include large scale projects such as building dams and HEP stations like those proposed in Nepal, this can lead to the loss of valuable farm land and can limit the water downstream, leading to widespread droughts. Nepal, FoST – Bottom Up Aid †¢ Foundation of sustainable technologies †¢ Treats people as individuals with ideas and creativity. †¢ Due to the lack of energy in Nepal and the reliance on wood, leading to deforestation and help problems in the home due to the amounts of smoke †¢ Subsides the purchase of products including solar cookers an d no-smoke indoor cookers Educates people on how to make briquettes, which produce no smoke from waste, to prevent deforestation †¢ However there are limited resources to make the solar cookers and there for they are limited and rely on donations †¢ Not every community has the money to buy the equipment or has access to finding out about products †¢ Not sustainable in the long run if the donations stop Overall top down and bottom up development are both ways of narrowing the development gap, the gap between rich and poor countries. Both, like anything in life have pros and cons however the possible way forward is through micro-credit loans which give people the credit and respect that they deserve.This creates a successful and sustainable way of life and helps to lift individuals out of poverty. Economic vs. Environmental Sustainability Holes bay |Economic |Environmental | |High unemployment especially in Hamworthy gate |Ramsar and SSSI sites rare birds and invertebra tes | |30 Ha of unused land, power station site |2nd largest natural harbor in the world | |Poor access to Poole town centre | | The construction of the twin sails bridge Environment:- direct flow around the support pillars of the bridge causing deposition behind the pillars, †¢ May affect the tidal flats within holes bay, and Poole harbour †¢ Sediment becoming trapped within Holes bay building up the marshes †¢ Tidal salt marshes, to the build up of humus causing the build up of peat rising the level of the and creating fresh water marshes within Holes bay †¢ Poole harbours marshes could decrease in size †¢ Destroying many habitats for bird’s invertebrates and plants alike. Economic:- †¢ Greatly over budget with its total cost coming in at over ? 37m †¢ Engineers spotted a large crack in the surface of the bridge making it unsuitable for use The development of the power station site will also cause an increase drain on local recourses suc h as schools and the area might not be able to cope, †¢ Increase the flow of traffic over the bridges. †¢ Not enough jobs generated in the area †¢ Increased population density and increased unemployment. †¢ Increased crime Brazil- Curitiba †¢ 2 million people in the population †¢ city wide service to recycle products †¢ Recycling and garbage system prevent waste issues, organic and nonorganic, with two different trucks for different types of rubbish †¢ The rubbish is sorted and distributed and reused this means that 2/3 of rubbish is recycled †¢ It also creates more jobs to help reduce unemployment Jaime Lerner, was an architect and later became mayor and designed the current layout of Curitiba †¢ The city has changed from being an agricultural area to a more industrial city †¢ Flood problems have also been solved by building the parks on the flood plains and making artificial river banks around them this also prevents squatting and slums appearing in the parks †¢ Is home to many multinational industries, such as Nissan, Renault, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, HSBC, Siemens, ExxonMobil, Electrolux and Kraft Foods †¢ The per capita income for the city is $ 17,977 Sustainable tourism Nepal – concentrated in certain areas such as Khumbu, Chitwan National Park, Annapurna National Park and the Sagarmartha National Park, The number of tourists increasing from 526,705 in 2007 to 710,547 in 2011, – Actions must be taken in order to preserve Nepal. – Problems with air pollution from the transport of tourists and fires getting trapped in the valleys due to the high mountains – Increased demand for water and food supplies, taking away goods from the locals – The same tracks are used by all of the tourists, erosion and destabilises the soil – Increased the risk of landslides. – Some tourists are also not respectful of people’s culture and the wildlife  œ Poor sewage disposal – Khumbu region problem with the amount of waste generated by trekking teams – 500kg per team all waste must be taken down the mountain rubbish there have been clean up operations carried out during training and acclimatisation time of people who wish to climb Mt. Everest †¢ for people to pay the Sherpa’s to carry down peoples rubbish †¢ Nepalese Government has begun charging deposits on tourists and are only returned if groups bring down their own rubbish †¢ Nepalese Government that they should limit the number of tourists †¢ Dismissed as it has been concluded that this will bring more harm than good, by limiting one of the country’s biggest industries they could face increased widespread poverty. Kenya, Kigio Tourism is the 2nd largest contributor of GNP after agriculture. One example of where agriculture has been replaced by tourism is Kigio. Kigio Wildlife Conservancy is a 3,500-acre protected Conservancy â⠂¬ ¢ 2 hours drive from Nairobi. †¢ Originally a cattle ranch, sold by the family to the local community who after a few years decided to forgo cattle ranching in favour of wildlife conservation. †¢ The community now receives a regular income †¢ Conservancy fee each guest pays helps towards the maintenance of the conservancy. †¢ Wide ranging habitats †¢ Many wild animals, honey badger, and over 200 bird species †¢ Protecting nearly 100 species of indigenous plant species which are being destroyed outside the conservancy. †¢ The Conservancy is at the forefront of ecotourism in the Rift Valley lakes area.Guests are encouraged to participate in low impact activities – o guided nature/bird walks, o cycling, fishing o Day or night game drives are conducted in open-sided 4Ãâ€"4 vehicles †¢ Lodges work closely with the local community and support several enterprises, schools and an orphanage. †¢ Guests can visit a group of widows that cr aft sisal baskets, a group that makes jewellery from recycled paper and a rug weaving factory. †¢ The lodges only sell what is made by the community and pay a fair price. †¢ A large percentage of the price is donated to the community fund. †¢ Every year, children from the local community and schools are invited to participate in ecotourism workshops †¢ To protect and improve their environment.

Employee Rights Review Essay

â€Å"Acts of Equal Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights† laws make it illegal for employers to discriminate against an employee or potential employee in certain workplaces. The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 was created to grant family temporary medical leave. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 was created to prevent employees from being discriminated against because of age. The Drug- Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires some federal contractors and federal grantees to agree that they provide drug-free workplaces as a precondition of receiving a contract or grant from a federal agency. The requirements for organizations are more extensive because organizations have to take comprehensive, programmatic steps to achieve a workplace free of drugs. In the case, Coleman v. State of Maryland Court of Appeals, Coleman, an employee for the Maryland Court of Appeals, requested time-off for the purpose of tending to serious personal health issues. The request was denied and Coleman was informed he must resign from his position or risk termination. Coleman sued his employer, claiming that by denying him self-care leave the state court was in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. His employer, the state, argued that the case should be dismissed based on the state’s ‘sovereign immunity’. Sovereign immunity is a legal provision that says a government agency cannot be sued unless they agree to be sued. After dismissal by the Federal District Court and the Fourth Circuit Court, the case was heard by the United States Supreme Court. On March 20, 2012 the Supreme Court ruled that a provision of the Family and Medical Leave Act giving workers time off to care for health related issues such as serious illness, pregnancy, or childbirth, is not enforceable in cases involving state employees (Migdal, 2012). The Court justified the ruling by stating that the lawsuits by state employees permitted under the FMLA would violate the constitutional rule that the â€Å"states, as sovereigns, are immune from suits for damages.† Basically, the Supreme Court ruled that state workers cannot sue the states under the Family and Medical Leave Act, essentially stripping public employees of the job protection otherwise provided by the act. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 protects employees of organizations with more than 50 employees in the case of childbirth, adoption, their own medical care or the care of a family member. The law has several stipulations such requiring 1250 working hours in the prior 12 months, therefore, accurate recordkeeping and a process in place to determine FMLA eligibility and compliance is crucial. An example of a company HR policy regarding the Family and Medical leave Act of 1993 may read: â€Å"Employees employed for 12 months or more and who have worked at least 1250 hours in the previous 12 months, may take an unpaid Family and Illness Leave for up to 12-weeks per year. Employees are required to use all available paid time accrued for the leave period prior to unpaid leave.† â€Å"The amount of Family and Illness leave will be based on the amount taken in the 12 months preceding the request for leave, and in cases of serious health condition, require adequate medical certification.† â€Å"Family and Illness Leave may be taken intermittently, or for less than a full day. If the employee remains out on leave for more than 2 weeks, additional medical documentation may be required as allowed by law.† â€Å"An employee returning to work from Family and Illness Leave shall return to the position held at the beginning of the leave, or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and benefits.† â€Å"Employees on a Family and Illness Leave will continue to have the Employer’s portion of the cost for health insurance paid by the Employer during the leave period. It is the responsibility of the employee to make on-time payments for their portion of those benefits while on leave.† Individuals 40 years of age and older are protected with employment by The Age Discrimination Employment Act. Applicants and employees alike have protection under the ADEA. â€Å"The law protects discriminating against an individual with respect to any term of employment, as it relates to age, compensation, benefits, job assignments, hiring, firing, layoff, job assignments, and training† (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). Employers who employ 20 or more employees must comply with the Act. A 70-year-old pharmacist employed by Kmart in Honolulu recently challenged The Age Discrimination Employment Act. The lawsuit charged by the EEOC recognized that Kmart unlawfully discriminated against the pharmacist, and a settlement was reached for $120,000. A Kmart store manager openly â€Å"stated that the pharmacist was too old, should retire and was greedy, for continuing to work at the age of 70† (Inside Counsel, 2012). The age discrimination act protects folks for age harassment. In this case the pharmacist was continually distraught with regard to remarks about her age and the hostile work environment that could have resulted. Employers tend to stereotype older workers as employees’ stuck in their ways, and who cannot adapt to new changes. Additionally, employers believe that training older workers is a cost and not a benefit. The Age Discrimination Act prohibits these scenarios from occurring with people over the age of 40. Regarding the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, certain occupations have an exception to the law if the organization can prove the necessity to enforce an earlier retirement or decrease of job responsibilities. An example of a company HR policy showing compliance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 may read something like this: â€Å"The Company complies with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and prohibits age discrimination in employment practices of individuals 18 years or older. This policy applies to but is not limited to issues involving hiring, discharge, compensation, terms, conditions, advancement, recruitment, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff, training, or privileges of employment.† The Drug-Free Workplace Act â€Å"requires institutions that receive grants and certain contracts from any federal agency to certify that it will provide a drug-free work place† (Office Of General Counsel, 2012). The law was enacted in 1988 and it began with federal contracts of $25,000 or more but was later changed to $100,000 or more where it stands today. The court case that has caused the most controversy is Gary Ross v Ragingwire Telecommunications Inc. After California legalized medical marijuana Ross obtained a prescription for the drug and used it as directed. He was later fired by Ragingwire Telecommunications for failing a drug test as a result of the use of medical marijuana. â€Å"The court ruled that drug testing in the state was legal, that firing an employee for use of medical marijuana was not tantamount to discrimination and that employers are not obligated to accommodate the use of medical marijuana—even outside the workplace† (Schwartz, 2010). This ruling is important because while some states have legalized medical marijuana and protect individuals from criminal prosecution, it remains clear that a drug-free workplace is critical to the safety of the entire workforce. To avoid conflict an organization must establish the guidelines for drug testing and communicate the expectation clearly to employees. The human resources team may establish the process for drug testing and implement a plan to assist employees that test positive on drug screens, such as offering the employee rehabilitation (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). An example of a company HR policy showing compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act may read something like this: â€Å"The possession, use, or sale of illegal drugs while on Company property is strictly prohibited. The misuse of any illegal drugs and/or alcohol while on Company time or during breaks or meals, is strictly prohibited. Any employee under the influence of alcohol or drugs that may impair judgment, performance, or the safety of the employee or others while on Company property, Company business, or during work hours, is subject to discipline up to and including termination. The Company conducts post-accident drug and alcohol testing of employees when an accident occurs during company time as allowed by law. The Company reserves the right to conduct random drug and/or alcohol testing at their discretion for performance or behavior issues. A positive result from any testing conducted may result in immediate termination, or unpaid leave to enter an approved rehabilitation program at the Company’s discretion. These conditions are by no means established as a right of the employee, and may be rescinded at any time without prior notice by the Company.† References Migdal, A. (2012). Blog of Rights. Retrieved from http://www.aclu.org/blog/womens-rights- reproductive-freedom/not-so-secret-war-moms-how-supreme-court-took-protections Swanton, Mary, Inside Counsel, EEOC Wins Settlements in Age Discrimination Cases Involving Senior Citizens, retrieved on December 1, 2012 from website, http://www.insidecounsel.com/2010/03/25/eeoc-wins-settlements-in-two-age-discrimination-cases-involving-senior-citizens U.S. Equal Employment Commission, retrieved on December 1, 2012, from website, http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/age.cfm Schwartz, S. K. (2010). The Drug-Free Workplace v Medical Marijuana. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/id/36179669/The_Drug_Free_Workplace_vs_Medical_Marijuana Office of General Counsel. (2012). Retrieved from http://counsel.cua.edu/copyright/index.cfm Sue Shellerbarger, â€Å"Work and Family,† The Wall Street Journal, August 22, 2001. Retrieved 11/29/2012. http://www.benefitslink/buying-time-off/policy/hr/whitman/press.org http://www2.cortland.edu/offices/hr/affirmative-action/policy-on-the-age-discriminatio n.htm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/index.cfm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_(Equal_Opportunities)_Law,_1988

Solar Oven Written Report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Solar Oven Written - Lab Report Example Internal temperature of the oven cavity normally starts to rise as soon as it is placed in the sun and afterwards reach a constant value known as thermal equilibrium. Consequently, an important activity is to vary the input parameters for the solar oven project and to predict the maximum oven temperature which gives thermal equilibrium. To the developing world, solar oven is an appealing concept given the nature of the energy source. The popularity is attributed to the way energy is harnessed without involving in burning fuels because of it is a renewable source. it’s safe, smoke free which means its eco-friendly, and costs nothing. This makes solar even more reliable because it is plenty in nature and does not require long procedures for obtaining. At thermal equilibrium, basic thermodynamics states that the energy flowing into the oven must be equally balanced by the energy that flows out of the oven and that the power absorbed by the oven equals the power that leaves out of the oven (Sage, 237). This is as illustrated by the following: Goal is to write down equations for both Pout and Pabsorbed, as a function of the design and material properties of our actual oven. Setting these equations equal, we will be able to solve for the internal temperature of the oven in terms of all of these material properties. An equation that is more suitable for our solar oven includes two separate heat-loss terms: a term describing how much heat flows out of the sides and bottom of the oven, and a term that describes how much heat is lost out of the window In this case, a proper design is the use of reflectors, which can perform in increasing the internal temperature of the oven. The reflector increases the temperature through delivering more sunlight to the window and into the cavity of the oven. The significant design constraint considered for the design is that the used reflectors should have flat surfaces and not, in any way, curved surfaces. This is because curved

Issues involving the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity Research Paper

Issues involving the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD - Research Paper Example This stage of assessment is not common in general clinical practice. It requires assessment conducted by Health Professionals trained in Medicine, Psychology, Psychophysiology and Clinical Neuroscience or Nutritional and Environmental medicine. The assessment may include brain function evaluation through neuro-imaging, investigation of diet, nutrition and sensitivities to food. Tests may be conducted to determine the causes of metabolic dysfunctions, recurrent abdominal upsets and chronic ear, nose and throat infections which are probable causes of brain dysfunction and consequently abnormal behaviors and attention deficits (Brown, 2005, p. 21). Rating scales and check lists Rating scales and checklists assist clinicians to obtain information from teachers, parents and others about functioning and symptoms in different settings, which is important for a sufficient assessment for ADHD and monitoring its treatment. The symptoms must be manifested in more than one environment for instan ce in school and at home in order to meet DSM-IV criteria in diagnosing for the condition (Barkley, 2005, p.96). This is only one of many components of a comprehensive evaluation that should include interviews and medical examination. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the most commonly used scales are: the Child Behavior Checklist completed by the parent, Teacher Report Form (TRF), Barkley Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ), ADD-H: Comprehensive Teacher Rating Scale (ACTeRS), Conners Parent and Teacher Rating Scales and the Barkley School Situations Questionnaire (SSQ). The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), says that ADHD-specific rating scales produce more accurate results when distinguishing between children whether a diagnosis of ADHD was initially conducted or not compared to global rating scales and nonspecific questionnaires that assess a variety of behavioral conditions (Barkley, 2005, p. 103).   Behavioral assessments N ot all inattentive, overly hyperactive, or impulsive persons have an attention deficit disorder. This is because most people will at times unintentionally blurt out things, randomly shift between tasks, or become forgetful and disorganized (Jensen & Cooper, 2002, p. 41). To assess for ADHD, several critical questions are put into consideration. Some of these questions include: are the behaviors long-term, excessive and pervasive? Do they happen more frequently than in other persons the same age? Is it a problem that is continuous or just a reaction to a situation that is temporary? Do the behaviors manifest in different settings or only in a specific place? The behavior pattern of the person is then compared against a set criteria and characteristics of the disorder (Brown, 2005, p.33). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM-IV) manual contains these characteristics and criteria. Disorders with symptoms similar to ADHD One of the difficulties of us ing a questionnaire in diagnosing ADHD is that the condition is often accompanied by other disorders. Quantitative EEG which is an examination of brain function can do a better job in differenting between the disorders that have a lot of behavioral overlaps. The following are several of such disorders. Learning Difficulties: Many ADHD children also have a learning disability (LD). This means

Richmond Park - Playground & Horse Track Management plan Research Paper

Richmond Park - Playground & Horse Track Management plan - Research Paper Example Most important of these are the actual physical transformations of the park contributed by additional installation of facilities, buildings and the cultivation of additional trees and animals. For instance, drainage has been added and that buildings are constantly being built, renovated or torn down as new replacements are erected. The park has also seen massive tree planting initiatives, the introduction of deer farming and game preservation. By the turn of the twentieth century, the park has been opened to the public and the ensuing transformation during this period was mostly done to accommodate the invasion of people and traffic. These changes, however, were always faithful to what the park has stood for in years of existence. In 1843, Rowton commented that â€Å"the utter quieted and solitude that reigns in its distant recesses – the poetical character of its scenery, its softy swelling lawns, its noble trees, its placid lakes, and the herds of deer that wander, its nobl e trees, its placid lakes, and the herds of deer†¦ all combine to render it a place to those who would see nature in her sunny and poetic garb.† (p187) This observation still rings true today. Thanks to the meticulous management of the successive park administrations despite the different issues and challenges they faced during their times. One could consider the Richmond Park’s continuous development as some form of evolution that is required in order for this outstanding public space to survive. Indeed, it is still very much in use today and is actually considered by many as an island of natural landscape, and a remnant of old England, deserving of recognition and preservation. The changes have been and will be endured through the initiatives guided by the successive management plans such as the one being outlined by this paper. Introduction: Today, Richmond Park is still the largest of all the Royal Parks in the United Kingdom occupying more than a total of 955 hectares. It is situated in South-West London in Richmond-upon-Thames. The outer fringes of the parkland are bordered by mostly residential and commercial areas, in addition to other public spaces such as the local Boroughs and the Wimbledon Common Conservators. Its main utility lies in its facilities for passive recreations and activities for visitors. For example, the park boasts of an educational centre, cafe, golf courses, ballet school, several refreshment points and the Pembroke Lodge, which could accommodate staying visitors as well those who want to avail of its conference facilities. It is important to underscore that the Park is part of the chains of spaces that are open to the public, strategically placed in West London. The Park is also an internationally significant location because of its nature conservation value. It is specifically recognized for its work on wildlife, particularly in areas of sanctuaries, the preservation of its grasslands as well as its existing san ctuaries for biodiversity. Currently, it has numerous local and national designations such as being part of the English Heritage Register of Parks and Garden of Special Interest, a Site of Specific Scientific

The primary function of human resource management Essay

The primary function of human resource management - Essay Example t kinds of units within the organization and those that encourage directed learning as well as promoting inter-agency communication across the entire company are being increasingly viewed as having paramount importance. Furthermore, Human Resource department must develop a system of recognition and reward for the staff in regards to their contributions to the agency. To create value and deliver results, HR professionals must begin not by focusing on the work activities or work of HR but by defining the deliverables of that work. HRs roles in building a competitive organization include management of strategic human resources, management of transformation and change, management of firm infrastructure, and management of employee contributions (Ramlall, 2003, p. 51) The role of the Human Resource department has gone through substantial changes over the past century. Human Resources (HR) had its beginnings during the industrial revolution and by the early 1900’s many of the modern components of the HR department were falling into place. With the influx of unions, the Civil Service Commission, the industrial welfare movement and scientific research into management and the birth of industrial psychology, personnel departments became essential components of any well run business, from the 1920’s forward. Then as now, HR departments became the responsible sections for areas such as employment (hiring and firing), employee welfare (housing, medical, educational and financial), wage setting, safety, training, and health as well as employee benefits. (Jamrog, and Overholt, 2004) Then, during the middle part of the Twentieth century the human relations’ movement along with the application of knowledge and research from the disciplin es of the behavioral sciences and systems theory enhanced HR’s responsibilities and overall requirements. However, in spite of the tremendous amount of research showing that happy and well trained employees were more productive

Environmental science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental science - Essay Example The goal is to create 16 trillion pieces of lenses  that are 1 micron thick and 60 cm in diameter. These lenses are expected to cover  100,000 square miles of  the earth's atmosphere. So far, Dr. Angels has created a 5-cm thick glass refractor which is tested by etching a diffraction pattern in it and subjecting it to a laser beam. To test if the lenses can withstand the pressure of a rocket launch, a test launch powered by electromagnetic propulsion was conducted. On-board cameras were installed to capture images of the lenses as they launch into space. Unfortunately, at 900 meters into the air, the craft carrying the lenses failed and crashed.    This video shows how the interaction of physical sciences like physics and engineering works to mitigate the effects of global warming. Through physics, a refracting lense etched with a diffraction pattern is created. Through engineering efforts, meanwhile, the task of getting these refracting lenses into space can be accomplished. If successful, these technological efforts can yield ways and means of saving our planet.

Case Study Strategi Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case Study Strategi Audit - Essay Example It was started in the year 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, by Sam Walton. It took a long way to reach an annual sales turnover of $1 billion. By the year 2002, Wal-Mart became the world’s largest retail giant with sales of $218 billions. In the initial days of starting the business, Wal-Mart designed a strategy to build large discount stores in rural areas. Wal-Mart employed the strategy of selling branded products at a very low price. Initially, the management of the firm decided to develop the firm as a one-stop discounted departmental chain store with a vast variety of general merchandise goods to be offered to the customers that too at a low price. The management’s initial focus was on its purchase decisions. The firm focused on exploring each and every opportunity that helped in general merchandise goods. The two important products of the entire Wal-Mart product line on which the firm laid a strong emphasis were health products and beauty products. The stores used to maintain a high stock of these products. When the firma became successful in opening more than 279 stores by the end of the year 1979, the next focus was on designing strategies for expanding the firm aggressively. In contrast, to the other retail stores who built ware houses in order to serve the already existing outlets, Wal-Mart used to first build distribution centers and later started stores around the distribution centers. This strategy of Wal-Mart helped the firm in pooling the advertising and distribution overheads. The firm also focused on the transportation time needed for a customer to reach the outlet. The strategy of aggressive expansion turned out to be a big success because Wal-Mart became the largest retailer and discount stores in United States by the end of the year 1991 which had almost 1,573 Wal-Mart outlets in 35 states. Once the firm attained the position of national discount

Recalls on vehicles at Ford Motor Company Case Study

Recalls on vehicles at Ford Motor Company - Case Study Example Ford is one such automobile company, whose name has been associated with a significant number of recalls in the recent times. The aim of this paper is to make use of online available data to shed light on the number of recalls, reasons associated with them, steps taken by the company to rectify the mistakes and results that these measures have yielded so far. This study will help analyze the causes for mishaps that occur in the automobile manufacturing process at ford. The analysis of the various recalls and reasons for each will highlight aspects that need to be focused upon while processing a product. The analysis will yield a general consensus area that ford, as a company, lacks in and how the company’s strategic decision making should be focused upon strengthening their weak links. The central problem of this paper is related to the significant amount of automobile recalls by the Ford Company in the recent years which hints at its weakness in certain areas of production. The study is important due to its implications in the company, customers and stakeholders equally. By studying the reasons for product recalls, the company’s weak points can be analyzed, helping the company focus on areas that need to be strengthened to curtail further recall incidents. As customers, an insight regarding the problems that ford automobiles can be accompanied with gives them a heads-up regarding what to expect. The company’s dedication towards rectifying their vehicle mishaps through recalls also reflects its intention to provide the best and protect its customers from possible hazards. As stakeholders of the company, the growing number of recalls is a warning sign that reflects the company’s lack of strategic focus upon offering up-to-mark vehicles to the customers. Increasing recalls also calls for resource allocation that would otherwise be utilized

What is the best way to address obesity in the United States Essay

What is the best way to address obesity in the United States - Essay Example If we look at 'obesity' etiologically, we would come to know that it is a multifactor issue caused by poor diet and physical inactivity. Poor diet refers to poor dietary habits include intake of junk food or high calorie fast food and excessive sugar in our diet. Instead of using fresh food, fruits and vegetables in our everyday diet, we prefer preserved or frozen food followed by no exercise or physical activity at all. One of the most common reasons for rapid increase in obesity among U.S population is the increased interaction of people between built in environment followed by technology and social context. "The built in environment encompasses the entire range of structural and social elements that make up the fabric of a community: housing, roads and walkways, stairways, density, transportation networks, shops, markets, parks, public amenities, and public spaces. The structural features of the urban built environment its enormous size, its large and densely clustered population, its social institutions, its psychosocial stressors, its economy, its rapid pace, its violence, the configuration of its streets, parks, schools, and play spaces all affect health, growth, and development of individuals". (Frieden et al, 2003, p. 684) The rising trend in obesity is further followed by the convenience, which is driven by modern technology like the concept of walking is becoming vague by the passage of time; people like to use any mode of transportation in order to travel even minute distances. In this kind of technologically savvy society, modes of entertainment have changed. Gone are those days when parties and social gatherings were considered to be entertaining. Today, entertainment comes through watching television, playing video games and sitting for hours in front of computer. Hence our lives are driven by a sedentary lifestyle escorted by technological advancements. While coming back to 'foods' it is found that often people in United States feel insecure when food is concerned. The diet of food insecure people tends to be less healthy. One reason for the intake of frozen foods is that "canned fruits and vegetables, which tend to have more salt and sugar, are much less expensive than fresh fruits. Leaner cuts of meat tend to cost more. However, according to Dr. Walter C. Willet, "A calorie is a calorie is a calorie." (Willet, 2001, p.44) Theoretically, no matter how unhealthy a person's diet, that person can only gain weight from fat by using fewer calories than he or she takes in. The quality of diet would only affect susceptibility to disease and health problems". (Obesity1) In my opinion there are two reasons for very little choices in food, one leads to the economic infrastructure of United States in which healthy and nutritious foods are often more expensive than junk or fast foods, also they are easily available and accessible by all the classes. The second reason for no choice in food other than fast food is the lack of time. More than half of the population of United States believes in "time is money", whether it is middle-middle or middle-upper class, every individual has to work in order to achieve a better living. It seems there is a social race in which every individual wants his car to move faster and faster, due to which they have no time to prepare and enjoy their family life and so

Nursing Career and its Advantages in doing Higher Education Essay Example for Free

Nursing Career and its Advantages in doing Higher Education Essay Abstract Nursing image is changing every day from ancient gown and cap to colored scrubs. People choose nursing for different reasons. I chose this profession because; I like to be a role model for the new nurses. After I graduated as a Registered Nurse (RN) in 1999 my first patient said, â€Å"If an Angel has dropped from heaven that is you nurse†. R.Mariam (personal communication, June, 1999). This sentence inspired me a lot and gave hope in my career. Job satisfaction is an essential part in any profession especially in this field since, we deal with life and death and it helps to raise patient’s safety, performance, quality of care, patient’s satisfaction and productivity of the organization. Like in any other field, this field also has some frustrations, but facing the problem and coping with frustrations is what helps us to reach the goal. This paper also explains the advantages of doing continuing education since, nursing profession is widely spreading and changing every day and it needs highly qualified knowledgeable and competent employees to serve. Keywords: Nursing profession, Career, Job satisfaction, patient’s safety, quality of care, performance, productivity, frustrations, and continuing education. Nursing Career and its Advantages in doing Higher Education Nursing is an art, science and profession by which we render care for the patients irrespective of all ages, religion, caste or gender who are acutely ill and in critical condition. Nurses around the world make the largest group of health professionals. They are the back bone of the healthcare system. Nurses are not only providing care for the patients, but they are also responsible for the emotional welfare of patients and their families too. Career as a Critical Care Nurse: When I was a kid, I always wanted to pursue a career in nursing or medical field. I have a sister who is a nurse. At the age of 19 years in India, I  decided to go for nursing degree and I graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1999. Nursing profession touched me a lot and it made my career interesting. I started my career as an Operating Room scrub nurse and circulating nurse. It was interesting everyday by not only taking care of the patients, but also managing the operating room activities, ensuring that the equipment’s are safe and sterilized, equipment’s are properly audited and consent forms were filled and signed by concerned members of the family. It is very crucial to be an operating room nurse, as the entire procedure depends on the efficiency and job knowledge. It is the responsibility of the nurse to be the mediator between the patients, families and the physicians. Being an operating room nurse I did not have much interaction with my patients. Almost all patients in operating room gets general anesthesia. As an OR nurse, I felt I am not interacting with the patients well and I am not fulfilling my job as a nurse completely. After few years, I decided to become an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse. Transition from OR to ICU nurse was little hard for me initially, but I enjoy working with the patients and spending enough time with them and their families. At times, I have to be an advocate between the patients, families and doctors because we deal with critically ill patients. Reason for Motivation to continue in Nursing: According to Locke and Lantham (2002), Personal goals play an important part in direction and maintenance of behaviors which is needed to achieve rewards. People who are confident, believe in their ability to achieve goal and believe that the attainment of goal will lead to successful career are the ones able to complete their task effectively to reach their goals (Lent, Brown, Hackett, 1994). Nursing profession is one of the widely expanding fields that call for passion according to (Raye, L. 2006). It is a good choice for people who find themselves more comfortable and satisfied in helping people who are in need to maintain and achieve normal health. Nursing offers wide variety of opportunities according to each individuals interests such as critical care unit, labor and delivery, pediatrics, geriatrics, telemetry, med-surg, oncology, infectious diseases, pain clinic, outpatient clinic etc. And also  it offers continuing education and competencies to keep the knowledge and skills up-to-date (Raye, L.2006). It offers flexible working hours such as three twelve hour shifts or four ten hour shifts (Blanche, J.2010). And due to the availability and shortage for nurses it offers incentive and bonuses for extra hours. It is a lifetime career which is flexible and rewarding. If we lose jobs in one position there are lots of available jobs in the market for talented individual s. It is also well-paying job with good benefits such as tuition reimbursement for higher education, medical benefits, life insurance and child care. Overall it is flexible. The reason why I have chosen nursing career was, a nurse who inspired me in my life and my interest towards, caring for human beings. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (1998, 2008) and the National League for Nursing (2007) identified caring as the foundation for nursing. At the age of 15 years old, my dad had a massive heart attack and he was in Intensive care unit. He was intubated, on the ventilator, with so many drips infusing, with monitor alarming all the time. My whole family was very upset and hopeless. The nurse who took care of my dad was very dedicated , honest and very knowledgeable , she went above and beyond in helping us in that situation, keeping track of vital signs, maintaining his breathing, keeping him hemodinamically stable, giving back care, mouth care, sponge bath and giving emot ional support to the family and explaining what’s is going on with him. Few days later my dad died in the hospital but the nurse who took care of my dad stayed in my mind. Since then I always wanted to be a nurse who is caring, attentive to the emotional wellbeing of the patients and their families, providing emotional support because family place trust and self-respect in our hands. They want us to keep their loved ones comfortable, pain free and monitored all the time and not left alone. My passion for nursing grew when a patient or family member smiles at me and say â€Å"Thank you†, it enlightens me and lights up my day with more energy and spirit. Frustrations in Nursing Profession: The most important thing that frustrates me is the charting. Now most of the hospitals are computerized, but some hospitals still do paper charting and add more and more paper work every day. This means I have to spend more time doing paper charting than taking care of the patients. Sometimes we are short staffed and we have to do not only the registered nurse jobs, but we also have to be a house keeper doing accidental cleaning, secretary entering orders, patient care tech, Phlebotomist doing lab draws and also calling doctors with the patient’s lab and radiology results if we don’t see them on rounds. These are the thing which frustrates me, because it reduces the time which we spend for the patient care. Overall, Frustrations are common and it can happen in any other field but the nature of frustration may differ. Advantages due to addition Education in my Career: 1. Now most hospitals in New Jersey prefer Bachelor’s degree in nursing and there is a â€Å"global shortage for nurses, it gives us job security† (Blanche, J.2010). 2. It offers potential high income for well qualified employees. 3. More choice availability to go back to school to continue in higher education for nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetist and nurse educator. 4. It also helps us to interact with the other hospital nurses and health care professionals in classes which help me to improve patient care and make my job more enjoyable. 5. It gives knowledge and skills in critical thinking in assessment and problem solving in everyday practice. 6. It offers opportunity to be a mentor for the new nurses and to be a resource nurse. 7. By doing Bachelor’s degree in nursing, I am sure by the end of the course I will be well trained in areas such as effective communication, leadership and critical thinking which is very important in today’s nursing practi ce as well as it is necessary for administrative position, research and teaching. References American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (1998). The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Washington, DC: Author. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Washington, DC: Author. Blanche, J. (2010). 10 reasons a nursing degree is a good best in education today. Retrieved from http://www.nurses-forum.com/blog/246/10-reasons-a-nursing-degree-is-a-good-bet-in-education-today/ Locke, E. A., Latham, G. P. (2002).

El estudio de proyectos

El estudio de proyectos 1 EL ESTUDIO DE PROYECTOS 1.1 Preparacià ³n y evaluacià ³n de proyectos Un proyecto es la bà ºsqueda de una solucià ³n inteligente al planteamiento de un problema tendiente a resolver, entre tantos, una necesidad humana. El proyecto surge como respuesta a una idea que busca la solucià ³n de un problema o la manera de aprovechar una oportunidad de negocios. Al preparar y evaluar un proyecto se pretende encontrar la mejor solucià ³n al â€Å"problema econà ³mico† que se ha planteado, y asà ­ conseguir que se disponga de antecedentes y la informacià ³n necesaria para asignar racionalmente los recursos escasos a la alternativa de solucià ³n mà ¡s eficiente y viable frente a una necesidad humana percibida. La Pre-inversià ³n consta de dos etapas. La primera etapa es la Preparacià ³n del proyecto, es decir, se determina magnitud de la inversià ³n, los costos y beneficios. La segunda etapa es la Evaluacià ³n del proyecto, en otras palabras, se mide la rentabilidad de la inversià ³n. Las causas del fracaso o del à ©xito pueden ser: * Cambios tecnolà ³gicos * Cambios en el contexto polà ­tico: cambios de gobierno o variaciones econà ³micas. * Cambios en las relaciones comerciales internacionales * Inestabilidad de la naturaleza * Entorno institucional * Normativa legal 1.2 La toma de decisiones asociadas con un proyecto No existe una concepcià ³n rà ­gida definida en tà ©rminos de establecer mecanismos precisos en la toma de decisiones asociadas con un proyecto. No obstante, resulta obvio seà ±alar que la adopcià ³n de decisiones exige disponer de un sinnà ºmero de antecedentes que permitan que esta se efectà ºe inteligentemente. Lo fundamental en la toma de decisiones es que à ©stas se encuentran cimentadas en antecedentes bà ¡sicos concretos que hagan que se adopten concienzudamente y con el mà ¡s pleno conocimiento de las distintas variables que entran en juego. Evaluacià ³n de proyectos consisten entonces, en un conjunto de antecedentes justificatorios, mediante los cuales se establecen las ventajas y desventajas que tiene la asignacià ³n de recursos para una idea o un objetivo determinado. 1.3 Tipologà ­a de los proyectos: Uno de los primeros problemas que se observan al evaluar un proyecto es la gran diversidad de tipos de proyectos que se pueden encontrar, dependiendo tanto del objetivo de estudio, como de la finalidad de la inversià ³n. Segà ºn el objetivo o finalidad del estudio, de acuerdo con lo que se espera medir con la evaluacià ³n, es posible identificar 3 tipos de proyectos que obligan a conocer 3 formas de obtener los flujos de caja para lograr el resultado deseado: 1. Estudios para medir la rentabilidad del proyecto, es decir, del total de la inversià ³n, independientemente de dà ³nde provengan los fondos. 2. Estudios para medir la rentabilidad de los recursos propios invertidos en el proyecto. 3. Estudios para medir la capacidad del propio proyecto para enfrentar los compromisos de pago asumidos en un eventual endeudamiento para su realizacià ³n. Para el evaluador de proyectos es necesario y fundamental diferenciar entre la rentabilidad del proyecto y la rentabilidad del inversionista. La rentabilidad del proyecto es la que busca medir la rentabilidad del negocio independientemente de quien lo haga, mientras que la rentabilidad del inversionista es la que busca medir la rentabilidad de los recursos propios del inversionista en la eventualidad de que se lleve a cabo el proyecto. Segà ºn la finalidad o el objeto de la inversià ³n, es decir, del objetivo de la asignacià ³n de recursos es posible distinguir entre: a) Proyectos que buscan crear nuevos negocios: en este caso, la evaluacià ³n se concentrarà ¡ en determinar todos los costos y beneficios asociados directamente con la inversià ³n. b) Proyectos que buscan evaluar un cambio, mejora o modernizacià ³n de empresas ya existentes: solo considerarà ¡ aquellos que son relevantes para la decisià ³n que se deberà ¡ tomar. a. Un proyecto de modernizacià ³n puede incluir: i. Externalidad ii. Internalizacià ³n iii. Reemplazo iv. Ampliacià ³n v. Abandono 1.4 La evaluacià ³n de proyectos Si se encarga la evaluacià ³n de un mismo proyecto a dos especialistas diferentes, seguramente ambos resultados serà ¡n distintos por el hecho de que la evaluacià ³n se basa en estimaciones de lo que se espera sean en el futuro los beneficios y costos que se asocian a un proyecto. La evaluacià ³n de proyectos pretende medir objetivamente ciertas magnitudes cuantitativas resultantes del estudio del proyecto, y dan origen a operaciones matemà ¡ticas que permiten diferentes coeficientes de evaluacià ³n. Lo realmente decisivo es poder plantear premisas y supuestos và ¡lidos que hayan sido sometidos a convalidacià ³n a travà ©s de distintos mecanismos y tà ©cnicas de comprobacià ³n. Por otra parte la clara definicià ³n de cuà ¡l es el objetivo que se persigue con la evaluacià ³n constituye un elemento clave para tener en cuenta en la correcta seleccià ³n del criterio evaluativo. Un proyecto puede tener diferentes apreciaciones desde el punto de vista privado y el social. Cualquiera que sea el marco en el que el proyecto està © inserto, siempre serà ¡ posible medir los costos de las distintas alternativas de asignacià ³n de recursos a travà ©s de un criterio econà ³mico que permita, en definitiva, conocer las ventajas y desventajas cualitativas y cuantitativas que implica la asignacià ³n de los recursos escasos a un determinado proyecto de inversià ³n. 2 EL PROCESO DE PREPARACIÓN Y EVALUACIÓN DE PROYECTOS El Estudio del proyecto pretende contestar el interrogante de si es o no conveniente realizar una determinada inversià ³n. El estudio de viabilidad debe simular con el mà ¡ximo de precisià ³n lo que sucederà ­a con el proyecto si este fuera implementado. 2.1 Alcances del estudio de proyectos En tà ©rminos generales, son varios los estudios particulares que deben realizarse para evaluar un proyecto: los de viabilidad comercial, tà ©cnica, legal, organizacional, de impacto ambiental y financiera. Por lo regular, el estudio de una inversià ³n se centra en la viabilidad econà ³mica o financiera, y toma el resto de las variables à ºnicamente como referencia. Estudio de viabilidad comercial: indicara si el mercado es sensible o no al bien producido u ofrecido por el proyecto y la aceptabilidad que tendrà ­a en su consumo o uso, permitiendo determinar la postergacià ³n o rechazo de un proyecto sin tener que asumir los costos que implica un estudio econà ³mico completo. Estudio de viabilidad tà ©cnica: analiza las posibilidades materiales, fà ­sicas o quà ­micas de producir el bien o servicio que desea generarse con el proyecto. Estudio de viabilidad legal: asegurar la existencia o ausencia de restricciones de carà ¡cter legal que impedirà ­an el funcionamiento del proyecto. Estudio de viabilidad organizacional: su objetivo es definir si existen condiciones mà ­nimas necesarias para garantizar la viabilidad de la implementacià ³n, tanto estructural como lo funcional. Estudio de viabilidad financiera: determina su aprobacià ³n o rechazo, mire la rentabilidad que retorna la inversià ³n, medido con base monetaria. Estudio de viabilidad del impacto ambiental: encontrar las normas impuestas en materia de regulacià ³n ambiental para impedir futuros impactos negativos derivados de una eventual compensacià ³n del daà ±o causado por una inversià ³n. 2.2 El estudio de proyecto como proceso cà ­clico El proceso de un proyecto reconoce 4 grandes etapas: idea, preinversià ³n, inversià ³n y operacià ³n. Idea: puede enfrentarse sistemà ¡ticamente bajo una modalidad de gerencia de beneficios, es decir, donde la organizacià ³n està ¡ estructurada operacionalmente bajo un esquema de bà ºsqueda permanente de nuevas ideas de proyectos. Preinversià ³n: se realizan los 3 estudios de viabilidad Perfil: se elabora a partir tanto de la informacià ³n existente, como del juicio comà ºn y de la opinià ³n que da la experiencia. En el estudio del perfil se busca determinar si existe alguna razà ³n que justifique el abandono de una idea antes de que se destinen recursos. Prefactibilidad: profundiza en la investigacià ³n, y se basa en informacià ³n de fuentes secundarias para definir las variables principales referidas al mercado, a las alternativas tà ©cnicas de produccià ³n y a la capacidad financiera de los inversionistas, entre otros. Se caracteriza fundamentalmente por descartar soluciones con mayores elementos de juicio. Como resultado de este estudio, sufre la recomendacià ³n de aprobacià ³n, abandono o postergacià ³n. Factibilidad: se elabora sobre la base de antecedentes precisos obtenidos mayoritariamente a travà ©s de fuentes de informacià ³n primarias. Este estudio constituye el paso final de la etapa de preinversià ³n. El estudio de proyectos, cualquiera que sea la profundidad con que se realice, distingue dos grandes etapas: la de formulacià ³n y preparacià ³n, y la de evaluacià ³n. La primera tiene dos objetivos: definir todas las caracterà ­sticas que tengan algà ºn grado de efecto en el flujo de ingresos y egresos monetarios del proyecto y calcular su magnitud. La segunda etapa, busca determinar la rentabilidad de la inversià ³n en el proyecto. En la etapa de evaluacià ³n, es posible distinguir tres sub-etapas: 1. Medicià ³n de la rentabilidad del proyecto 2. Anà ¡lisis de las variables cualitativas 3. Sensibilizacià ³n del proyecto El anà ¡lisis completo de un proyecto requiere de por lo menos la realizacià ³n de cuatro estudios complementarios: de mercado, tà ©cnico, organizacional-administrativo-legal y financiero. 2.3 Estudio tà ©cnico del proyecto Tiene como objeto proveer informacià ³n para cuantificar el monto de las inversiones y de los costos de operacià ³n pertinentes a esta à ¡rea. Una de sus conclusiones de este estudio es que se deberà ¡ definir la funcià ³n de produccià ³n que optimice el empleo de los recursos disponibles en la produccià ³n del bien o servicio del proyecto. Con este estudio se determinaran los requerimientos de equipos de fà ¡brica para la operacià ³n y el monto de la inversià ³n correspondiente. La descripcià ³n del proceso productivo posibilitarà ¡ conocer las materias primas y los insumos restantes que este demandarà ¡. La definicià ³n del tamaà ±o del proyecto es fundamental para la determinacià ³n de las inversiones y los costos que se derivan del estudio tà ©cnico. Las interrelaciones entre decisiones de carà ¡cter tà ©cnico se complican al tener que combinarse con decisiones derivadas de los restantes estudios particulares del proyecto. 2.4 El estudio de mercado Muchos costos de operacià ³n pueden preverse simulando la situacià ³n futura y especificando las polà ­ticas y los procedimientos que se utilizaran como estrategia comercial. Decisiones como el precio de introduccià ³n, las inversiones para fortalecer una imagen, el acondicionamiento de los locales de venta en funcià ³n de los requerimientos observados en el estudio de los clientes potenciales y las polà ­ticas de crà ©dito recomendadas por el mismo estudio, pueden constituirse en variables pertinentes para el resultado de la evaluacià ³n. Metodolà ³gicamente se deben estudiar 4 aspectos: a) El consumidor y las demandas del mercado y del proyecto, actuales y proyectadas. El anà ¡lisis del consumidor tiene por objeto caracterizar a los consumidores actuales y potenciales, identificando sus preferencias, hà ¡bitos de consumo, motivaciones, etc., para obtener un perfil sobre el cual pueda basarse la estrategia comercial. El anà ¡lisis de la demanda cuantifica el volumen de bienes o servicios que el consumidor podrà ­a adquirir de la produccià ³n del proyecto. b) La competencia y las ofertas del mercado y del proyecto, actuales y proyectadas. El estudio de la competencia es fundamental ya que la estrategia que se defina para el proyecto puede ser indiferente a esta. Es preciso conocer las estrategias que sigue la competencia para aprovechar sus ventajas y evitar sus desventajas. c) La comercializacià ³n del producto o servicio generado por el proyecto Deben tomarse decisiones sobre polà ­ticas de ventas y de crà ©dito, intereses, precio, canales de distribucià ³n, marca, estrategia publicitaria, inversiones en creacià ³n de la imagen, etc. d) Proveedores y la disponibilidad y el precio de los insumos, actuales y proyectados. Se debe determinar la disponibilidad de insumos y el precio que debe pagarse para su abastecimiento. 2.5 El estudio organizacional-administrativo-legal Para cada proyecto es posible definir la estructura organizativa que mà ¡s se adapte a los requerimientos de su posterior operacià ³n. Conocer esta estructura es fundamental para definir las necesidades de personal calificado para la gestià ³n y por tanto, estimar con mayor precisià ³n los costos indirectos de la mano de obra ejecutiva. La decisià ³n de desarrollar internamente actividades que pudieran subcontratarse influye directamente en los costos por la mayor cantidad de personal que pudiera necesitarse, la mayor inversià ³n en oficinas y equipamiento y el mayor costo en materiales y otros insumos. Los aspectos legales pueden restringir la localizacià ³n y obligar a mayores costos de transporte, o bien pueden otorgar franquicias para incentivar el desarrollo de determinadas zonas geogrà ¡ficas donde el beneficio que obtendrà ­a el proyecto superarà ­a los mayores costos de transporte. Uno de los efectos mà ¡s directos de los factores legales y reglamentarios se refiere a los aspectos tributarios. 2.6 El estudio financiero Sus objetivos son: ordenar y sistematizar la informacià ³n de carà ¡cter monetario que proporcionan las etapas anteriores, elaborar los cuadros analà ­ticos y datos adicionales para la evaluacià ³n del proyecto y evaluar los antecedentes para determinar la rentabilidad. La sistematizacià ³n de la informacià ³n financiera consiste en identificar y ordenar todos los à ­tems de inversiones, costos e ingresos que puedan deducirse de los estudios previos. Los ingresos de operacià ³n se deducen de la informacià ³n de precios y demanda proyectada, calculados en el estudio de mercado, de las condiciones de venta, de las estimaciones de venta de residuos y del cà ¡lculo de ingresos por venta de equipos cuyo reemplazo esta previsto durante el periodo de evaluacià ³n del proyecto, segà ºn antecedentes que pudieran derivarse de los estudios tà ©cnicos, organizacional y de mercado. Los costos de operacià ³n se calculan con la informacià ³n de prà ¡cticamente todos los estudios anteriores. La evaluacià ³n del proyecto se realiza sobre la estimacià ³n del flujo de caja de los costos y beneficios. El resultado de la evolucià ³n se mide por medio de distintos criterios que, mà ¡s que operativos, son complementarios entre sà ­. 2.7 El estudio del impacto ambiental Se sugiere introducir en la evaluacià ³n de proyectos las normas ISO 14,000 las cuales consisten en una serie de procedimientos asociados con dar a los consumidores una mejora ambiental continua de los productos y servicios que proporcionara la inversià ³n, asociada con los menores costos futuro de una eventual reparacià ³n de los daà ±os causados sobre el medio ambiente. La gestià ³n del impacto ambiental se tiende a la bà ºsqueda de un proceso continuo de mejoramiento ambiental de toda la cadena de produccià ³n. El estudio de impacto ambiental como parte de la evaluacià ³n econà ³mica de un proyecto no ha sido lo suficientemente tratado, aunque se observan avances sustanciales en el à ºltimo tiempo. Una tipologà ­a de estudios de impacto ambiental permite identificar tres tipos: 1. Cualitativos: identifica, analizan y explican los impactos positivos y negativos que podrà ­a causar al ambiente la implementacià ³n del proyecto. 2. Cualitativo numà ©ricos: relaciona factores de ponderacià ³n en escala de valores numà ©ricos a las variables ambientales. 3. Cuantitativos: determinan tanto los costos asociados con las medidas de mitigacià ³n total o parcial como los daà ±os evitados, incluyendo ambos efectos dentro de los flujos de caja proyectados. Existen distintos mà ©todos que permiten incorporar el factor monetario al efecto ambiental: a) Mà ©todo de valoracià ³n contingente: busca determinar la disposicià ³n a pagar de las personas por los beneficios que se espera produzca el proyecto. b) Mà ©todo del costo evitado: considera que el costo asociado con una externalidad debe ser asumido por el proyecto que la ocasiona, para lo cual incorpora dentro de los costos el gasto de subsanar el daà ±o causado o, dentro de los beneficios, el costo que la inversià ³n evitarà ­a al resto de la comunidad. c) Mà ©todo de los precios hedà ³nicos: busca determinar todos los atributos de un bien que podrà ­a explicar el precio que las personas està ¡n dispuestas a pagar por el. Alcance del estudio: El estudio deberà ­a incluir todos los peligros, riesgos e impactos asociados con las personas, el medio ambiente, la comunidad del entorno y los bienes fà ­sicos donde se inserta el proyecto. 3 ESTRUCTURA ECONÓMICA DEL MERCADO El mercado està ¡ conformado por la totalidad de los compradores y vendedores potenciales del producto o servicio que se vaya a elaborar segà ºn el proyecto. La investigacià ³n de mercado entrega informacià ³n histà ³rica y actual tanto del comportamiento de los consumidores, proveedores, competidores, como de los canales de distribucià ³n para la comercializacià ³n del producto del proyecto. 3.1 Estructura de mercado El ambiente competitivo en que se desenvolverà ¡ el proyecto puede adquirir una de las siguientes formas generales: 1. Competencia perfecta: se caracteriza porque en el mercado de un determinado producto existen muchos compradores y vendedores que no pueden influir en el precio; el producto es idà ©ntico y homogà ©neo; existe movilidad perfecta de los recursos; no hay barreras de entrada o salida y los agentes econà ³micos està ¡n perfectamente informados de las condiciones del mercado. 2. Monopolio: un solo proveedor vende un producto para el que no hay sustitutos perfectos, y las dificultades para ingresar a esa industria son grandes. 3. Competencia monopà ³lica: existen numerosos vendedores de un producto diferenciado y, en el largo plazo, no hay dificultades para entrar o salid de la industria. 4. Oligopolio: hay pocos vendedores de un producto homogà ©neo o diferenciado y el ingreso o salida de la industria es posible pero con dificultades. 4 EL ESTUDIO DE MERCADO El concepto de estudio de mercado se identifica con la definicià ³n del precio al que los consumidores està ¡n dispuestos a comprar, como a la demanda. Los objetivos particulares del estudio de mercado serà ¡n ratificar la posibilidad real de colocar el producto o servicio que elaborarà ­a el proyecto en el mercado, conocer los canales de comercializacià ³n que usan o podrà ­an usarse en la comercializacià ³n de ellos, determinar la magnitud de la demanda que podrà ­a esperarse y conocer la composicià ³n, las caracterà ­sticas y la ubicacià ³n de los potenciales consumidores. 4.1 El mercado del proyecto Al estudiar el mercado de u proyecto es preciso reconocer los agentes que, con su actuacià ³n, tendrà ¡n algà ºn grado de influencia sobre las decisiones que se tomarà ¡n al definir su estrategia comercial. En este sentido son cinco los submercados que se reconocerà ¡n al realizar un estudio de factibilidad: proveedor, competidor, distribuidor, consumidor y externo. Mercado Proveedor: Deberà ¡n estudiarse todas las alternativas de obtencià ³n de materias primas, asà ­ como sus costos, condiciones de compra, sustitutos, durabilidad, necesidad de infraestructura especial para bodegaje, oportunidad y demoras en la recepcià ³n, disponibilidad, seguridad en recepcià ³n, etc. Es necesario conocer las proyecciones a futuro. Mercado Competidor: Se debe tener en cuenta que cuando la materia prima es escasa o los medios de transporte son escasos la competencia por ellos serà ¡ prioritaria. El mercado competidor directo son las empresas que elaboran y venden productos similares a los del proyecto. Es imprescindible conocer la estrategia comercial que à ©stas desarrollen para enfrentar la mejor manera su competencia en el mercado consumidor. El mercado distribuidor: es el que requiere un menor nà ºmero de variables pero no es menos importante. La disponibilidad de un sistema que garantice la entrega oportuna de los productos al consumidor es sumamente importante. Uno de los factores mà ¡s importantes son los costos de distribucià ³n y son los que determinan el precio al que llegarà ¡ el producto al consumidor y por lo tanto la demanda que deberà ¡ enfrentar el proyecto. El mercado consumidor: es probablemente el que mà ¡s tiempo requiere para su estudio. La complejidad del consumidor hace que se tornen imprescindibles varios estudios especà ­ficos sobre à ©l, ya que asà ­ podrà ¡n definirse diversos efectos sobre la composicià ³n del flujo de caja del proyecto. Se deben definir los hà ¡bitos y motivaciones de compra para definir tanto al consumidor real como al potencial. Mercado externo: recurrir a fuentes externas de abastecimiento de materias primas obliga a consideraciones y estudios especiales que se diferencian del abastecimiento en el mercado local. Ninguno de estos mercados puede analizarse exclusivamente sobre la base de lo ya existente. Siempre podrà ¡ haber proveedores que la competencia directa no haya tenido en cuenta o competidores potenciales que hoy no lo son, o nuevos sistemas de distribucià ³n no utilizados, e incluso mercados consumidores no cubiertos hasta el momento. 4.2 Objetivos del estudio de mercado Para fines de la preparacià ³n del proyecto, el estudio de cada una de las variables que se seà ±alaron en el apartado anterior, va dirigido principalmente a la recopilacià ³n de informacià ³n de carà ¡cter econà ³mico que repercuta en la composicià ³n del flujo de cada del proyecto. El objetivo del estudio del mercado como la reunià ³n de antecedentes para determinar su influencia en el flujo de caja, cada actividad del mismo deberà ¡ justificarse por proveer informacià ³n para calcular algà ºn à ­tem de inversià ³n, de costos de operacià ³n o de ingreso. Al existir opciones entre las cuales elegir, el estudio de mercado tambià ©n deberà ¡ analizar el entorno en el cual se mueve cada uno de los mercados para definir la estrategia comercial mà ¡s adecuada a la realidad en donde deberà ¡ situarse el proyecto una vez implementado. 4.3 Etapas del estudio de mercado Se definen 3 etapas: 1. Anà ¡lisis Histà ³rico: pretende lograr dos objetivos especà ­ficos: reunir informacià ³n de carà ¡cter estadà ­stico que pueda servir y evaluar el resultado de algunas decisiones tomadas por otros agentes del mercado, para identificar los efectos positivos o negativos que se lograron. 2. Anà ¡lisis de la situacià ³n vigente: es importante, porque es la base de cualquier prediccià ³n. Sin embargo, su importancia relativa es baja, ya que difà ­cilmente permitirà ¡ usar la informacià ³n para algo mà ¡s que eso. Esto se debe a que, por ser permanente la evolucià ³n del mercado puede tener cambios situacionales cuando el proyecto se està © implementando. 3. Anà ¡lisis de la situacià ³n proyectada: este es el que realmente tiene interà ©s el preparador y evaluador del proyecto. Los otros dos anà ¡lisis permiten proyectar una situacià ³n suponiendo el mantenimiento de un orden de cosas que con la sola implementacià ³n del proyecto se deberà ¡ modificar. Esto obliga a que en la situacià ³n proyectada se diferencie la situacià ³n futura sin el proyector y luego con la participacià ³n de à ©l, para concluir con la nueva definicià ³n del mercado. 6 ESTIMACIÓN DE COSTOS La estimacià ³n de los costos futuros constituye uno de los principales aspectos centrales del trabajo del evaluador, tanto por la importancia de ellos en la determinacià ³n de la rentabilidad del proyecto, como por la variedad de elementos sujetos a valorizacià ³n como desembolsos del proyecto. 6.6 Elementos relevantes de costos Aunque es posible, en tà ©rminos genà ©ricos, clasificar ciertos à ­tems de costos como relevantes, solo el examen exhaustivo de aquellos que influyen en el proyecto posibilitarà ¡ catalogarlos correctamente. Para identificar las diferencias inherentes a las alternativas, es recomendable que previamente se establezcan las funciones de costos de cada una de ellas. De su comparacià ³n resultarà ¡ la eliminacià ³n para efectos del estudio, de los costos inaplicables. Si hubiera que dirigir el estudio de las diferencias de costos, los siguientes deberà ­an considerarse como prioritarios: * Variaciones en los està ¡ndares de materia prima * Tasa de salario y requerimientos de personal para la operacià ³n directa * Necesidades de supervisià ³n e inspeccià ³n * Combustible y energà ­a * Volumen de produccià ³n y precio de venta * Desperdicio o mermas * Valor de adquisicià ³n * Valor residual del equipo en cada aà ±o de su vida à ºtil restante * Impuestos y seguros * Mantenimiento y reparaciones Es necesario insistir sobre el costo de oportunidad externo a las alternativas que pudiera repercutir de manera diferente en cada una de ellas. Todos los costos deben considerarse en tà ©rminos reales para lo cual debe incorporarse el factor tiempo. 6.11 Costos Contables Aunque en la preparacià ³n del proyecto deben considerase los costos efectivos y no los contables, estos à ºltimos son importantes para determinar la magnitud de los impuestos a las utilidades. Como el fisco no puede ir revisando el grado de deterioro de cada activo del paà ­s, define una pà ©rdida de valor promedio anual para activos similares, que denomina depreciacià ³n. La depreciacià ³n no constituye un egreso de caja pero es posible restarlo de los ingresos para reducir la utilidad y con ellos los impuestos. El preparador del proyecto debe velar por recoger en detalle la normativa legar que condicionarà ¡ la estimacià ³n de los tributos. El termino depreciacià ³n se utiliza para referirse a la pà ©rdida contable de valor de activos fijos. El mismo concepto referido a un activo intangible o nominal se denomina amortizacià ³n del activo intangible. La utilidad negativa, en el anà ¡lisis incremental, no significa necesariamente pà ©rdida, sino reduccià ³n de utilidad. Por eso, en el anà ¡lisis incremental, en vez de asociar cero impuestos a una utilidad negativa, se considerarà ¡ un ahorro de costo equivalente a ese porcentaje. Un proyecto de mejora que reduzca los costos de la empresa deberà ¡ considerar que el aumento, menos que proporcional, en las utilidades està ¡ asociado con un aumento en el impuesto que debe pagar. El costo de una deuda tambià ©n es deducible de impuestos y tiene un impacto tributario positivo que debe incluirse en el flujo de caja cuando se busca medir la rentabilidad de los recursos propios invertidos en un proyecto. Para calcular el impacto tributario de una deuda, se debe descomponer el monto total del servicio de la deuda en dos partes: Amortizacià ³n: corresponde a una devolucià ³n del prà ©stamo, y por tanto, no constituye un costo, ni està ¡ afecta a impuestos. Intereses: es un gasto financiero de similar comportamiento al arrendamiento de cualquier activo y està ¡ afecta a impuestos. 7 ANTECEDENTES ECONÓMICOS DEL ESTUDIO TÉCNICO Las diferencias de cada proyecto en su ingenierà ­a hacen muy complejo generalizar un procedimiento de anà ¡lisis que sea à ºtil a todos ellos. Sin embargo, es posible desarrollar un sistema de ordenacià ³n, clasificacià ³n y presentacià ³n de la informacià ³n econà ³mica derivada del estudio tà ©cnico. 7.1 Alcances del estudio de Ingenierà ­a El estudio de ingenierà ­a del proyecto debe llegar a determinar la funcià ³n de produccià ³n à ³ptima para la utilizacià ³n eficiente y eficaz de los recursos disponibles para la produccià ³n del bien o servicio deseado. De la seleccià ³n del proceso productivo à ³ptimo se derivarà ¡n las necesidades de equipo y maquinaria; de la determinacià ³n de su disposicià ³n en planta (layout) y del estudio de los requerimientos del personal que los operen, asà ­ como de su movilidad, podrà ­an definirse las necesidades de espacio y obras fà ­sicas. El cà ¡lculo de los costos de operacià ³n de mano de obra, insumos diversos, reparaciones, mantenimiento y otros se obtendrà ¡ directamente del estudio del proceso productivo seleccionado. 7.2 Proceso de Produccià ³n El proceso de produccià ³n se define como la forma en que una serie de insumos se transforman en productos mediante la participacià ³n de una determinada tecnologà ­a. Los distintos tipos de procesos productivos pueden clasificarse en funcià ³n de su flujo productivo: a) En serie: cuando ciertos productos, cuyo diseà ±o bà ¡sico es relativamente estable en el tiempo, y que està ¡n destinados a un gran mercado, permiten su produccià ³n para existencias. b) Por pedido: la produccià ³n sigue secuencias diferentes, que hacen necesaria su flexibilizacià ³n, a travà ©s de mano de obra y equipos suficientemente maleables para adaptarse a las caracterà ­sticas del pedido. c) Por proyecto: corresponde a un producto complejo de carà ¡cter à ºnico que, con tareas bien definidas en tà ©rminos de recursos y plazos, da origen, normalmente, a un estudio de factibilidad completo. 7.3 Efectos econà ³micos de la ingenierà ­a Las necesidades de inversià ³n en obra fà ­sica se determinan principalmente en funcià ³n de la distribucià ³n de los equipos productivos en el espacio fà ­sico (layout). Serà ¡ preciso considerar posibles ampliaciones futuras. La distribucià ³n en planta debe evitar los flujos innecesarios de materiales, productos en proceso o terminados, personal, etc. Los cà ¡lculos de requerimientos de obra fà ­sica para la planta, mas los estudios de và ­as de acceso, circulacià ³n, bodegas, estacionamientos, à ¡reas verdes, ampliaciones proyectadas y otros, serà ¡n algunos de los factores determinantes en la definicià ³n del tamaà ±o y las caracterà ­sticas del terreno. La relacià ³n entre costos de operacià ³n e inversià ³n serà ¡ mayor cuanto menos intensiva en capital sea la tecnologà ­a. En muchos casos, el estudio tà ©cnico debe proporcionar informacià ³n financiera relativa a ingresos de operacià ³n; es el caso de los equipos y las maquinarias que se deben reemplazar y que al ser dados de baja permiten su venta. En otros casos, los ingresos se generan por la renta de subproductos, como el desecho derivado de la elaboracià ³n de envases de hojalata, que se vende como chatarra. 7.4 Economà ­as de escala Para medir la capacidad para competir debe estimarse el costo fabril de los distintos niveles de capacidad de produccià ³n. Para ello, se debe definir los componentes mà ¡s relevantes del costo: consumo de materias primas y materiales, utilizacià ³n de mano de obra, mantenimiento y gastos fabriles en general. El costo fabril ya definido debe compararse con la capacidad de produccià ³n y el monto de la inversià ³n, a esta relacià ³n se le denomina â€Å"masa crà ­tica tà ©cnica†. Al relacionar el costo unitario de operacià ³n (P) con la capacidad de la planta (C), dado un nà ºmero de unidades de producto pro unidad de tiempo, resulta una expresià ³n de la siguiente forma: P2P1=C2C1-a Donde a es el factor de volumen. Costo unitario de operacià ³n frente a la capacidad Al relacional el costo en equipos por unidad de capacidad (Q), tenemos Q2Q1=C2C1-b Costo distribuido de los equipos por unidad de capacidad Al relacionar la capacidad (C) con la inversià ³n total (I) tenemos: I2I1=C2C1f Donde f es el factor de volumen Costo de adquisicià ³n asoc