Cox Surname Meaning and Origin

There are several possible origins or meanings for the last name Cox. Options include: Form of COCK (little), a term of endearment (i.e. WILLCOX, little Will), often used to denote a leader or chief man.Possibly originated from the Welsh word coch, meaning red.Cox could also be a locality descriptive surname for heap, haycock, or hillcock. Last Name Statistics Old and common last names are often difficult to define, research, or trace. Cox is the 78th most popular surname in the United States. Cox is also popular in England, coming in as the 52nd most common surname. Origin: English, French, Welsh, and/or IrishAlternate Spellings: Cocks Genealogy Resources Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Cox surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Cox query.RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Cox surname.FamilySearch hosts records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Cox surname and its variations. Resources and Further Reading Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004.Cottle, Basil. The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Penguin, 1967.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University, 1989.Hanks, Patrick, editor. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University, 2003.Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German-Jewish Surnames. Bilingual ed., Avotaynu, 2005.Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical, 1997.

Remaining Problems of Sexism and Discrimination - 1756 Words

Throughout history we have made great strides towards gender equality but problems with sexism and discrimination still remain. In America, many people assumed that men and women were biologically different and should have different responsibilities. When the agriculture time was in effect, the women would have different jobs from the men. For an example, the men worked and brought home the essentials, and the women would stay at home, complete house duties and watch the children. These social constraints and guides become moral obligations to obey (Allen, p.199). According to Durkheim, â€Å"a group is moral if its behaviors, beliefs, feelings, speech, and styles, are controlled by strong group norms and viewed in terms as right or wrong† (Allen, p.131). This was the behavior that was supported by many people. It was a social fact and not argued to be changed. According the Durkheim, social facts are sui generis (Allen, p.199). Social facts are ways of acting and thinking, th ey embrace beliefs, practices, which eventually crystallize and limit the possible forms of individuals actions and forms of consciousness (Allen, p.199). As time went on and capitalism arose, societies advanced, money became more important. This led many women out of the house role and into the work force. The solidarity changed due to the division of labor. Division of labor is â€Å"a stable organization of tasks and roles that coordinate the behavior of individuals or groups that carry out different butShow MoreRelatedThe Ethics of Genetically Enhancing Children Essays1633 Words   |  7 Pagesgender discrimination. At first, Savulescu’s Procreative Beneficence seems ethical. It reflects the values of a parent wanting the best for the child and also actively seeking out information to make a good decision rather than remaining willfully ignorant in the advent of new technology. In addition, well-being in human society is boosted. 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Gems, Jewelry and Diamonds Free Essays

The history says that India is known for the birthplace for the one of the strongest metals i.e.Diamonds. We will write a custom essay sample on Gems, Jewelry and Diamonds or any similar topic only for you Order Now Initially diamonds were only mined in India and were exported around the globe and were used as a medium of exchange for the commodities until the people knew its actual worth and how much materialist things that they can buy from it. Currently, India produces 33000 carats of rough diamond and more than 800 million of rough and polished cut diamonds. Few of the Major hubs and producers of diamonds in India.Surat is known for largest market of manufacturing of diamonds in India.Mumbai is known for the wholesaler’s market and where most of the trading takes place at BKC.Delhi is known for its silver jewelry and its manufacturing. There are many other states like Jaipur, Kolkata, Trichur where we can find the precious metals, synthetic diamond and light weighted jewelry respectively around the states in India. Indian Gems, Jewelry and Diamond IndustryOver the years India has been the greatest manufacturing of cut and polished diamond. The sector contributes to around 16% of the export of the country and 93% around the globe. To add more to it Gems and Jewelry has become the second largest industry in earning foreign currency and Gujarat is one of the largest manufacturers of diamonds around the globe. The Diamond Jewelry market has acquired the growth rate of 6% in India and the size of the industry is approximately Rs.6000 crore. Indian has been successful in achieving these goals in cutting and polishing business is all because of the competitive price and ready to work at a low margin. Moreover, India has developed a specialized skill in polishing large and magnificent stones with fancy cuts which again increase the chances of success. Not only this this but most of the small-scale business have introduced high end machinery from which now they can get the best product from a raw or a polish diamond. The Gold demand that the Indian market has rose from 9.13 % to 726.9 tones in 2017. As per the recent records it suggested that India has imported approximately $29 billion during the previous year. To Conclude, India has grown to become such a successful market that countries and companies are now insisting their diamonds to be manufactured in India.Industry Structure in IndiaGems ; JewelryDiamond Jewelry Precious StoneCut ; Polished Gold PearlRough Precious Metal Color Gem Stone Costume/ Fashion Synthetic Stone Market Segment The diamond market has three segments:1. Industrial Diamond: Under this there are all the natural and synthetic diamonds that are manufactured in the industry. It comprises of 25% of the total. Jewelry Diamond: All the assembled products such as the ready-made jewelry and gemstones are categorized under this section. It comprises of 15% of the total.3. Investment Diamond: it comprises of both the rough stones which are very expensive. It comprises of 60% of the total. Market Overview Every year 124 million carats of rough diamonds are being mined by Alrosa, BHP Billiton, De Beers, etc. The market value of these diamond is around $15 billion. Moreover, there has been a significant improvement in the growth by 31%.India has considered to be the largest exporter in gems and jewelry and to our knowledge the industry has played a very important role in Indian economy as it contributes a large part in the foreign reserves of the country. Other then, India, USA, Russia, China, Belgium, Hong Kong are few of the world’s biggest dealers in the diamonds.Export of Gems and Jewelry IndustryIf we see analysis the data we can see that, the net export of the industries gems and jewelry has shown rise of 7.06 % in the annual growth rate. During the previous year the overall net exports were $35.51 billion and has reduced slightly in the current and will surely rise. Notes: * – Data from April-February 2018, CAGR – Compound Annual Growth Rate till FY 2017.Source: GJEPC, Media sources.Import of Gems and JewelryIndia is also of the largest importer of gems and jewelry as well. If we see in the figures the India’s total rose from $11.63 billion to $42.72 billion from the years 2005 to 2012 respectively and since then it has shown a gradual set back during the next year. Again, the market has also gained strength after the fall from $42.72 million to $24 million and now covering back by $28.78 million during the previous years. Notes: * – Data from April-February 2018, CAGR – Compound Annual Growth Rate till FY 2017.  Source: GJEPC  Government Incentives and Strategies Developed by CompaniesThe Government has introduced the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras which will help create skill and provide labor. Moreover, it will provide vocational training to the engaged peoples who are getting training in it. The Make in India initiative will boost the exports and it will provide critical regulatory framework for the proposal Special Notified Zone(SNZs). However, it will also benefit the small-scale businesses (SMEs) that are involved with the industry. The government has proposed to cut down the tax to 25% for the micro and small-scale enterprises which was announced in the recent Union Budget. The government has permitted 100% FDI. After the booming of the ecommerce, many companies have started selling their jewelry online. Not only this but, many companies have tied up with the Amazon to sell their product online at discount. Companies also have provided buy-back option to the customer if they dislike the product but I think there are still terms and conditions to be stringent so that it will ease the procedure.Few of the Key Players in the Indian market are Tanishq, Malabar Gold ; Diamond, Gitanjali, Nirav Modi, PCJ, TBZ, Kalyan, Venus Jewels. How to cite Gems, Jewelry and Diamonds, Papers

Marketing Myopia Summary Essay Example For Students

Marketing Myopia Summary Essay MARKETING MYOPIA: Theodore Levit The first thing that Theodore Levit does in his article â€Å"marketing myopia† is denying the title of forever growth industry to any industry that ever existed and claimed to be so. He believes every industry has been a growth industry at some point of time, but they could not carry the tag along because of several reasons; and none of the reasons being saturation in market. Industries failed to continue their growth because of lack of proper management. They did not realize the need of expanding into sectors adjacent to which they are already working. E. g. railways limited themselves to rail transports and did not cover the other modes of transportation. There are many other such examples listed by Levit in his article. The major mistake of these industries was being product oriented, where they should have been customer oriented. To keep the growth wagon rolling, they were required to modify their services in accordance with the market nee ds. Levit was able to put the reasons of stagnation of ‘growth industry’ in a cycle, which he termed as self deceiving cycle:- 1. Population Myth: rise in population does not necessarily mean rise in the demand of what a particular industry is offering. Sometimes some other product may take over in demand because of unknown reasons. e. g. – petroleum industry made a wise decision by not sticking to the petrol products. They rather expanded to complete crude oil products to save themselves from the descent. 2. Idea of indispensability: the belief that there is no competitive substitute to the industry’s major product would be a huge mistake by the management. Here too, Levit carries forward the example of petroleum industry. The industry had to shift focus several times because of inventions that did not even come from the same industry. Kerosene in lamps was left behind with the invention of electric bulbs, heating system was snatched away by the coal industry and the automobile industry went out of hands because of the invention of internal combustion engines. 3. Focus on mass production: industry under the pressure to retain their growth starts focusing on mass production of their products. But little-do-they-know, this process shifts their focus from marketing to selling. The finished goods become difficult to get rid of. By leaving behind the marketing domain, the industry finds it difficult to anticipate how the customer demands have changed. E. g. Detroit followed the trend of mass production in automobile industry, but in the process left behind the need to take customers along. Thus, it lost business to small scale car manufacturers Theodore also takes the example of Henry Ford, who he believes was a marketing genius rather than production genius. Levit refers assembly line as a marketing exercise, as Ford realized that he could sell million cars with the cost cutting outcome. 4. Inclination towards Research: The industries engaged with heavy technical research (like electronics) live under the illusion that their latest in market will sell itself. There are many possible reasons for this belief – bias towards the complex products over its marketing; scientists tend to take customers as stupid and don’t care for their needs. Even when the companies focus on marketing, they are more concerned about the ads and promotions of the products rather than finding about the needs of the customers that they are trying to woo. CASE STUDY SECTOR: Education INDUSTRY: Coaching Institutes Preface: Recently, a boom has been seen in the education sector, in the industry of providing coaching for various entrance exams. The concept as a big hit right from the point of its inception. Within a couple years, the industry made its presence almost everywhere and made great profits on the way of its growth. In the current scenario, the profits made by this industry are still huge, but the growth seems to have slowed down. Innovation of methodology of teaching is focused, but nowhere else. Myopic Vision: The coaching institutes have faile d to understand the fact that they are losing customers not only because of other institutes, but also because of the self help books and journals that provide the students all what they demand from an institute. .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .postImageUrl , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:hover , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:visited , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:active { border:0!important; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:active , .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46 .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u709a757628e2d80491ec85c95d633b46:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How an Elephant Made a Poor Boy King EssayThus, the competition comes from the publication house industry as well. Analysis of Situation: A lot of students opt out of enrolling to coaching institutes because they feel that self help books available in the market are more than enough for the preparations. Instead of spending thousands of rupees on coaching fees, they prefer to spend a couple hundred on books that have elaborate discussions for better understanding. It has been observed that apart from impressive faculty an institute needs to have a few more things to stay in competition with the rest institutes: To provide the material to the students, coaching institutes h ave been printing the books and other sheets themselves. This means, that the institutes have all machinery as well as infrastructure of a printing press. †¢ The books are being delivered across the city, sometimes country, to reach all its centers; this proves that they have a well managed logistics department too. †¢ To keep a check on the course material, the institutes maintains a staff, although small, for the content development. The point being made is, institutes have all the basic requisites of a publishing house, and still they never make a move to move into the publishing sector too. With a little more push they can easily publish their own books starting with the â€Å"self help† category. On a later level, authors can be hired to develop content for their other categories like fiction, research etc. This way the needs of a customer for self help books and more are fulfilled as well. Submitted By:- ANUJAY MATHUR 2010SMF6576

Global Trade and Financial Institutions

Defining the issue In 1999, something peculiar happened in Europe under the auspices of European Union. Some countries in Europe came together to set up new economic policy arrangements that will govern them economically.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Global Trade and Financial Institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This was one of the most momentous occasions happening in Europe since the adoption of the common market protocol way back in 1957. Chief among the economic policy arrangements was the adoption of a single currency – the euro. Most European countries believed that by adopting this single currency, there would be a positive impact to not only the operations of European banks, but also currency traders (money exchange bureaus). Additionally, the adoption of the euro as a single currency meant to ease trade between countries in the region. The biggest question however is how the euro will manage to break into currency hegemony. There is no doubt that for over five decades now, the dollar has been the most dominant currency in global trade and financial institutions. In fact, its performance in international markets has always influenced the prices of commodities such as oil. This scenario has attracted a series of criticism from financial institutions and international traders. On international trade platforms, the criticisms of the dollar hegemony are getting louder and louder by the day. China has indeed led other countries opposed to the dollar hegemony by practicing quantitative easing, which in turn keeps eroding the legitimacy of the dollar as number-one global reserve currency. T he euro, most probably the second global reserve currency, has tried to break the U.S. dollar hegemony, but with little success.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thi s paper is a case study on whether the euro has succeeded in breaking the dominance of the dollar in global trade and financial institutions. The case study will discuss the impact of the euro as a single currency in Europe, and assess its influence in International Monetary System. The case study will also examine factors that led to the international acceptance of currency, vis-à  -vis the Euro (Chinn Jeffrey, 2005). Case study Before the introduction of the euro, the dollar accounted for 83% of world transactions. Following it closely was the Japanese Yen. Notably, this occurred even when statistics indicate that Europe control world trade at 17% compared to United States at 12%. Nonetheless, the fact that many European countries accepted the euro and opted to use it in trade is a boost of the euro. European countries also prefer to use the euro to trade because of the low transaction costs. (Chinn Jeffrey, 2005) The exchange rate market has been a speculative and free-floati ng nature one. From the graph above, we can see the variations of the dollar vs. euro exchange data.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Global Trade and Financial Institutions specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the dawn of the 20th century, statistics from banks indicated that the dollar was the major reserve currency. In 2007, its share in exchange market was 65.7%, while that of the euro was 25.2%. However, since then the share of the dollar has been on decline with that of euro rising. Analyzing the case data (Chinn Jeffrey, 2005) Both the dollar and the euro enjoy monopoly in the exchange market. By the end of 2012, the dollar reserve share stood at 61.8%, while that of the euro stood at 24.1%. This means that the share of the dollar has decreased significantly. The exchange rate of the dollar to that of the euro at its introduction was 1.1795. It weakened further in the next two years to 0.895. However , as the world became acquainted with it, it rose gradually to 1.000 in 2002 and 1.637 in 2008. Today, a single dollar trades for 1.28 euro. Generating alternatives Marketing The call for the new reserve currency, as an alternative to the dollar is was good news. To realize this, the European Central Bank assumed the role of marketing the euro to all European countries and even outside the region. It also took over the responsibility of creating neutral monetary policies that will favor its exchange rates in the financial market on behalf of member countries. By enacting new policies, the banks expected international spillovers and colossal euro demand in international financial and exchange markets.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is simply because the spillovers will definitely have an impact on exchange rates in addition to enhancing international policy coordination. We have seen international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, G7, and OECD adopt the euro as one of the global currencies. However, although the euro is a global currency, it has not broken the dollar hegemony completely. This is simply because in the oil market, traders prefer to use a dollar rather than the euro. Nonetheless, the euro is common especially in the purchase of other goods not only in the European Union, but in the rest of the world as well. Internalization of the euro In considering which of the two exhibits more influence, we assess the internalization of both the dollar and euro in global foreign exchange markets and various international securities markets. For example, the dominance of the euro in European markets has managed to reduce the dominance of the dollar. In other words, the economic size of the region, the continued liberalization and amalgamation of financial markets are some of the reasons that make the euro perfume better than the dollar in European financial and exchange markets. International creditors also have confidence on euro monetary policies. However, United States does not believe that this is matter of great concern, as it believes it will take a long period for a new currency or any otherworld currency to supplant the dollar. Although the dollar is still the primary reserve currency, there is likelihood that the euro can emerge stronger and take the number-one position. Monetary unification in Europe, United States inflation, and the collapse of the Bretton Woods exchange rate regime, undoubtedly, are some of the opportunities that can strengthen the euro to dominate in world markets. Establishment of euro reserve account Many analysts point out that currency hegemony is a political war that has massive economic benefits. This is the rea son why European countries came together and adopted the euro as a single currency. The amalgamation of European countries to create a geopolitical and financial power base has also pushed international currency system (Kenen, 1995). Selecting decision criteria Here, we analyze the best criteria that will establish the dollar hegemony. Euro as a single agency Usually, in international economy, there are a myriad of factors that significant role in establishing currency hegemony. First, the adoption of the euro as a single currency by many European countries led to its internalization, and this made it strong. Secondly, the players should market the currency internationally in order to make it dominant. Currency wars do not have supranational authority such that traders and financial institutions have no option other than to use the currency. It all depends on the market dominance, economies of scale, and other factors, for example, externalities, ambiguities and asymmetries in the u se of currencies. Analyzing and evaluating alternatives In order to break the dollar hegemony in global trade, the European Monetary Union must consider some alternatives. Use of the euro in oil trade In 2002, something peculiar happened, perhaps boosting the euro to become an important player in foreign exchange markets and international financial institutions. Countries such as China, Russia, and Canada opted for the euro instead of dollars in their reserve banks. Additionally, many countries have also joined the union raising oil purchase from OPEC countries to over 50 percent. Currently, many European countries prefer to use the euro in foreign exchange markets rather than the dollar. However, the euro has not managed to rival the dollar in the oil market segment, as many traders prefer dollars. The reason is that most of the OPEC oil reserves are in dollars and it has not been easy to replace them with the euro. Additionally, if other oil importing countries also opt for the eu ro instead of the dollar, then the euro will advance towards hegemony. Irrefutably, the oil market determines the global dominant currency. Therefore, for the euro to be a competitor to the dollar, and perhaps outdo it, global traders and financial institutions must replace the dollar reserves with euro reserves. By doing so, the dollar will plummet, and a myriad of asset markets will offload excess dollars. On the other hand, this will help millions of poor Americans purchase homes due to the deflation of the property market. Furthermore, this will streamline the United States stock markets and make them more profitable. In other words, the devaluation of the dollar will on the other hand lead to the appreciation of the euro. This is the only way that the euro will dominate global trade. However, as it stands now, the dollar is the most dominant world currency (Kenen, 2002). Empowering the European Monetary Union (EMU) Exclusive invoicing of the euro will strengthen the euro in fin ancial and exchange markets. This means that countries trading with European countries will suffer reduced economies of scale if they do not use the euro. In some instances, one-off arithmetic impact will increase the value of dollar depended trade, and many traders would switch to the euro. Additionally, given the turbulent foreign exchange markets, where the dollar exhibits high volatility against other currencies, many traders have resorted to the euro for bilateral trade. Consequently, this has enhanced chances of the euro outdoing the dollar as an international unit of account (Reinhart Rogoff, 2002). Selecting the preferred alternative Increasing euro reserve share The best alternative of making the euro strong is by increasing the reserve share for oil trade. Many analysts agree that the adoption of a single currency can be a cutting-edge to investment, especially in the oil market. That is why the pricing of oil in dollars established the dollar hegemony, which has stood fo r over five decades now. However, allowing a second currency into the oil market will not only increase the reserve currency, but also avoid the monopoly experienced in the market currently. Statistics indicate that Euro Zone commands a bigger junk of world trade in comparison to United States. In reality, these statistics show that European countries import more oil compared to that imported by United States. Unlike United States, which has vast foreign debt in addition to its trade deficit, Euro Zone offers interests to its oil trading partners in Middle East. Virtually, the European Central Bank has done much to tighten and seal budget deficits in order to boost the purchasing power of the euro. Action/ implementation plan Phrase oil currency plan There is no doubt that the oil market is the one separating the dominance of the dollar in global trade from that of the euro. Therefore, in order to rival this dominance, the Economic Monetary Union should create a plan—the phra se oil currency plan. This plan proposes increase of euro reserve in the oil market. Since its introduction, the euro has had an influence especially in the Euro Zone, and it stands the biggest rival of the dollar. The euro has done well in exchange markets so far. This plan proposes to increase euro reserve to over 50% so that it can equal that of the dollar. By doing so, traders will find it necessary to use the euro for oil trade. In the political arena, the rivalry between United States and countries from the Middle East has had a negative impact on the dollar. This is good news to the euro and for the plan. For instance, OPEC countries such as Iran have openly defied the dollar and instead opted for the euro. In fact, in 2002, out of anger, the Iran government changed it currency reserves into euros, thus, favoring the euro. This has indeed boosted the chances of the euro becoming number-one global currency. Venezuela is also another OPEC that rejects the use of dollars in the oil trade. In fact, in 2000, in a summit of OPEC member states, Venezuela proposed a computerized trade system that will allow countries to trade their commodities without using any currency. Iraq also followed suit by writing to the United Nations to allow it trade it oil products in euros. It also managed to change its currency reserves into euros. Syria has also been exchanging its oil commodities and other products for euro. In other words, by converting dollar reserves into the euro, the euro will become stronger (Mundell, 1998). Conclusion Although the euro has not fully become the number-one global currency, it has managed to rival the dollar in foreign exchange markets and international financial institutions. Within the Euro Zone, the euro is the common currency for exchange. However, the recent Euro Zone crisis posed yet another challenge of making the euro stronger in exchange markets than the dollar. Nevertheless, as time goes by, and many countries change their dollar r eserves into euro, perhaps the euro will become the number-one position global currency by 2020. Reference List Chinn, M. Jeffrey, F. (2005). Will the Euro Eventually Surpass the Dollar? Paper presented at the NBER Conference, G7 Current Account Imbalances: Sustainability and Adjustment. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cohen, B. J. (1997). The political economy of currency regions.  New York: Columbia University Press. Kenen, P. (1995). Economic and Monetary Union in Europe: Moving Beyond Maastricht. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kenen, P. (2002). The Euro versus the Dollar: Will There Be a Struggle for Dominance.  Journal of Policy Modeling, 24, 347–354. Mundell, R. A. (1998). What the Euro Means for the Dollar and the International Monetary System. Atlantic Economic Journal, 26(3), 227–237. Reinhart, C. M. Rogoff K. (2002). The Modern History of Exchange Rate  Arrangements: A Reinterpretation. Cambridge, Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research. This case study on Global Trade and Financial Institutions was written and submitted by user Fernanda R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Swisher Mower and Machine Company

Swisher Mower and Machine Company Executive Summary There are two or more alternatives that managers normally confront in various organizations. It is better to pursue an alternative that maximizes value and profit of the organization. This paper is set to discuss a problem that CEO and President of Swisher Mower and Machine Company face.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Swisher Mower and Machine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is being approached by a major national retail merchandise chain with a proposal that mentions various terms and conditions for a business deal that targets the purchase of 8,200 units of private-label riding mowers on an annual basis. This paper will show why the acceptance of the new proposal may lead to a loss in the organization. Through extensive analysis, the researcher found out that SMC should be able to meet a break-even point of 12,822 units if the new proposal is accepted. Given that the sales of the company as regards to private-labeled riding mowers amount to 40%, it would be risky to accept the proposal since SMC is likely to lose sales via other channels such as wholesale distribution and direct-to-dealer sales. However, if the chains were to accept negotiation over the previous terms in order to reach the break-even point, it would be worth considering the proposal. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult for the chain to accept negotiation given that there are other competitive manufacturers in the industry. Given the current terms, which interfere with the SMC advertisement and promotion, the management of SMC will not consider the proposal. Therefore, SMC should continue advertising and promoting in order to recruit new dealers. This would expand its market share. Problem Statement Swisher Mower and Machine Company began its operations in 1950s. The company deals with a number of products that are concerned with agricultural production and environmental cleaning. Manufa cturing of the best mowers in the lawn and garden equipments industry helped the company gain popularity in the US and in other foreign countries. Max Swisher had been the company’s President Chief Executive Officer for over thirty years. However, after growing old, Mr. Max stepped down to allow his son Mr. Wayne Swisher to manage the company as the CEO and the President. With three years experience in the sales and marketing department, Mr. Wayne was expected to utilize the MBA skills to manage the company in the most effective way.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In early 1996, Mr. Wayne received a proposal from a major national retail merchandise chain inquiring about a private-brand distribution arrangement for SMC’s riding mowers. This is the first proposal Mr. Wayne encountered as the president and the CEO of Swisher Mower and Machine Company. T he administrator thought about the proposal as an opportunity that required keen consideration. This is because the sales of SMC riding mower had stagnated for several years. Nevertheless, Mr. Wayne and his associates had to scrutinize details concerning the proposal since it meant that SMC would change its current distribution practices. This was a challenge for Wayne and the management. Although the company expected high sales from this new deal, Mr. Wayne wondered whether the current distribution channels would be negatively affected. Presently, the firm issues its lawn mowers through farmhouse stores, lawn and garden supplies, home centers, and hardware stores situated in reserve areas. From the company’s financial information, it is evident that three quarters of the SMC sales are made in nonmetropolitan areas. SMC sales its Ride King Mower either directly to dealers or through wholesale distributors who later distribute the equipment to various independent dealers. On t he other hand, the new proposal has come with new terms and conditions that Mr. Wayne considers to be worthy of his consideration. Apart from asking for a sample of 700 standard riding mowers at the beginning of the year 1997, the national retail merchandise chain expects to make an annual order of about 8,200 units. However, the deal appears quite different from the normal business deals the company had with other private-label institutions. The retail merchandise chain needs to purchase a standard mower at 95% of the market price quoted by SMC. Unlike other business deals, this retail merchandise chain did not need any seasonal or promotional discounts but guaranteed low price. In addition, the chain promised to pay for all freight charges. The chain did not want the title to be transferred to it until the goods were transferred from its regional warehouse to a particular company facility. After the chain had acquired the title, payment was provided in 45 following days. The compa ny agreed that for goods staying in the warehouse for more than two months, it would acquire the ownership title and payment would be made in 45 days.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Swisher Mower and Machine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from the title and payment, some changes would also be needed with regards to the appearance of the mower. This effort was focused on differentiating the mowers on the new deal from the Ride King. The changes included a unique seat and a specific color. All parts had also to be American-made or display an American name as the equipment producer. The chain suggested that it would supply all labels using its own brand name. However, the national retail merchandise chain did not propose any mechanical specifications for the mowers that were to be supplied. Other terms in this proposal include the need for the SMC warranty that was required for all parts of the mower. As a result, the chain needed reimbursement of $22 per hour, a cost that was associated with the warranty work. If this business deal was successful, a contract of two years was expected to be initiated after which it could be extended on an annual basis. Termination of any contract would only be validated following a six-month notice. A new price would be negotiated after two years were over. The proposal also clearly indicated that SMC could not mention any relationship existing between the chain and SMC in its advertising or promotion. SMC would be liable for personal injury resulting from the mower maintenance or usage. Situational Analysis Swisher Mower and Machine Company Currently Swisher Mower and Machine Company is utilizing outside suppliers for machine tool work, as well as subassembly. It produces 10,000 units of riding mowers every year on a working rate of 40 hours per week. However, the company currently rents both space and office from another firm. Since its incepti on early in 1950s, the company has continued to focus on customer needs. This has made the company remain customer-oriented meaning that it recognizes and offers goods as per the needs and the tastes of both dealers and end users. The former president and CEO of the company insisted that the company should always maintain a ‘small company image’. This has resulted over the years into great relationships between customers and company. As a result, loyalty has resulted into strong sales. Distribution and promotion The management of the company has always stated that 75% of all sales are made in nonmetropolitan areas. Wholesalers who represent the SMC are located across the country but they only supply products to farm dealers located in the southeastern and south central parts of the United States. While wholesalers account for 30% of sales, direct-to-dealer sales account for only 25% of the total sales. Private-label riding mower sales account for 40% of the total sales. Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company produces Big Mow mowers for Mid-states that are located in Minneapolis and Wheat Belt, which are situated in Kansas City. In addition, the company has distribution arrangements with some companies in Europe and South Pacific that account for 5% of the company’s total sales. Company’s competitors and Industry This market comprised of 10 major competitors in 1995. The manufactures included American Yard Products, Ariens, Honda, John Deere, Kubota, MTD and Murray of Ohio. Others included Snapper, Toro and Garden Way. These manufactures normally sell their products in various lawn and garden stores and other special retailers. However, other manufactures such as MTD, Murray and American Yard Products sell their products to national merchandise chains. The 10 companies engage in production of riding mowers under national brand names. They also engage in private-label production. Companies in this industry produce both nationally branded riding mowers and private labels for mass merchandisers such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and K-mart, as well as home centers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot. They also sell the combination of hardware chains such as True Value Hardware. It has been confirmed that private-label riding mowers has led to high volume sales in the market. and it constitutes about 65% to 75% of sales in the industry. The major competitors in the industry produce mowers at different prices. The prices also vary according to the different retail outlets in the country. The national retail merchandise chain accounts for 24% of the total industry sales. Outdoor power equipment or farm equipment supply stores account for 22% of the industry total sales while Lawn/Garden stores account for 19% of the total sales. On the other hand, Discount department stores account for 13%, Home centers account for 10%, while the Hardware stores account for 2% of the total industry sales. Other distributors account for 10% of the total industry sales. F rom the industry statistics, it is clear that the riding mower unit in terms of volume of sales is cyclical. In 1974, the volume of sales was 1,020,000 units. In the following year that is, 1975, the units sold in the industry dropped to 640,000 units. This was due to the decline in the US economy. In 1979, the units rose to the highest of 858 units while it fell to 620 units in 1981 due to poor economic conditions. The lawn mower industry is seasonal since one third of the riding mowers sales occur in March, April and May while half of the sales occur between January and April. Analysis proposal opportunity and other Alternatives The decision regarding the proposal will mainly depend on the situation of the company and the industry where the company will be competing. The proposal will be analyzed in accordance with the internal and external environment. According to Wayne, it is true that the proposal needs a rigorous and extensive scrutiny to determine whether the proposal is wor th being embraced by the company. The proposal will give SMC an opportunity to expand its level of production. The company stands a chance to benefit from the expanded distribution in the metropolitan areas. The company had extensive distribution in the nonmetropolitan regions. There is a high chance for the company to get the opportunity to sell trail mower. However, the plan for production is underway. However, there are also other negative factors associated with the acceptance of the new proposal. According to the company, SMC had never experienced liability claims associated with the maintenance and use of its mowers. Since the chain had suggested that SMC would be liable for injury resulting from the maintenance and use of the mowers, there is a high likelihood that SMC would be exposed to more liability claims. There is also a possibility that the price will increase by 4% if workers were paid overtime. The overtime will be required because of the increased level of productio n. Increased level of production would call for an additional 1% of the current manufacturing cost. The company is likely to lose 1% of the company’s profits. Other expenses that are expected to increase the costs by 1.5% include additional inventory insurance, additional wear and maintenance costs, pilferage and breakage, and county property tax. Other one-time costs would be associated with the increased production. This includes costs that are incurred while arranging for specific sources and materials that differ from those that were used in the previous production. Rearrangement of facilities that allow the new level of production will also reflect the new increased one-time costs. The one-time costs would range from $10,000 to $12,000. Since the new proposal reflects an additional 2,100 units, there is a high chance that the financing cost will increase. The financing costs are associated with the financing of mower inventories and account receivables. The prime rate of offering short-term funds is 7%. SMC obtains the short-term funds from the local banks at the rate of 9.5%, given that it obtains funds at 2.5% above the prime rate. Given that the chain would need 8,200 units on an annual basis, there is a chance that the already established lines of sales would be cannibalized by the new proposal. From the evaluation, it is likely that SMC will lose about 300 units of Ride King every year. The established SMC dealers would not welcome the new competition arising from the national retail chain dominance in the market. As a result, there is a likelihood that most dealers that associate with SMC will drop the SMC line. According to the proposal, there are aspects that can be negotiated while others cannot be negotiated. Aspects that are likely to be negotiated include the title transfer and the period of payment. However, other aspects are more likely to be fixed. These include the unit price indicated in the proposal. Moreover, the company would be approaching new companies in the market for the same deal. SMC has the advantage since it manufactures highly differentiated and established riding mowers. Other manufactures in the industry offer indistinguishable mowers. Although this is one of the attractive opportunities to consider, SMC should strike a balance between this opportunity and other existing and available alternatives at the market. The new proposal is more appealing because the private-brand distribution is to be made with a major national retail merchandise chain. This chain would offer various benefits to SMC. The negative impact arising from the acceptance of the new proposal includes a decrease in aggressive advertising that is intended to recruit new dealers, as well as helping existing ones. There is also a risk associated with the introduction of the new Tri-Max product under the Swisher’s name. The manufacture’s list price for a standard Ride King is $650. From the company’s financial statements, it has been confirmed that the company earns a gross profit of 15%. For the cost of goods sold, the cost for labor is about $100 while that for parts is $453. The company mowers are of high quality in the market considering that they are designed in a way to allow easy usage, as well as easy maintenance. It also stays for long without the need for replacement. The warranty lasts for one year. As in 1995, the Riding mowers accounted for 63.6% of the Swisher Merchandise Chain sales. However, the Riding mowers only accounted for 57.8% of the total gross profit incurred by the company. Unlike other companies in this industry, SMC is lucky since its current parts are interchangeable with parts that date back to 1956. The company is also lucky because its patent for zero-turning drive unit has expired. Due to this, the company has faced no competition in the market regarding the patent. This is because no company has acquired such patent in the market. Another brand that was p roduced by SMC is T-44. This trail mower has a cutting width of 44 inches. Nevertheless, when the unit is hitched to a riding lawn mower, the unit increases the cutting width by 44 inches. This unit is pulled behind by all-terrain vehicle. According to the financial statements released in1995, the T-44 units contributed to 8.2% of total sales and 13.2% of total gross profit. The self-propelled push mowers contributed 8.2% of the total sales experienced by SMC in the year 1995. These units did not contribute any amount to the gross profit of the company. The replacement parts contributed 20% of the company’s total sales. This is because there is little standardization among the mower parts that are produced in the industry. The replacement parts contributed 29% of the total gross profit of the company. Since 1996, the firm concentrated on widening its production by setting up a high-wheel string trimmer product, such as Trim-Max, a high-wheel walk behind product. The break-eve n point Breakeven point analysis for lawn mower considering its flagship product, Ride King Profit = (Sales Variable Expenses) Fixed Costs Sales = Variable Expenses + Fixed Costs + Profits To attain break-even point, profits must be equal to zero. Therefore, for one to get break-even point, the formula changes. Sales = Variable Expenses + Fixed Costs Fixed Costs Sales and administrative expenses = $264,700 Depreciation = $2,300 Total fixed costs per year = $267,000 Variable Costs per Unit Cost of goods sold (standardized mower price) = (85%*653) $555 Sales Price per Unit = $650 Volume in units for break-even point $650Q = $553Q + $264,000 $98Q = $267,000 Q =2725 If the company chooses to sale its flagship product that is, Ride King, it should sell 2,725 units to meet the break-even point. Given the company makes total annual sales of 4250 units, it will mean that annual sales associated with Private-label riding mower will be 40% of 4250 units. This is because the company’s financial reports point out that sales resulting from private-label riding mowers are only 40%. On average, the SMC sells 1700 units. This means that the company will not be able to meet the break-even point of 2725 units if it only ventures in selling private-labeled riding mowers. With the additional sales such as those associated with wholesalers and direct-to-dealers, SMC is able to reach the break-even point. This ensures that the company does not operate under a loss. Acceptance of the Proposal from the National Retail Merchandise Chain With the acceptance of the proposal, there will be changes in the variable and fixed costs. Changes The payment for overtime will be an additional cost that will reflect 4% in the price of the mower. Additional direct material costs could represent another 1% of the current manufacturer’s price. Additional overhead costs were estimated to be one percent. Other expenses that would be expected to increase the price by 1.5% include additio nal inventory insurance, additional wear and maintenance costs, pilferage and breakage, and county property tax. The chain expected SMC to reimburse it for labor costs resulting from warranty work at $22.00 per hour. The one-time costs would range from $ 10,000 to $12,000. Additional costs Variable costs Raw materials = 4% of manufacture’s price Overhead expenses =1% Other expenses= 1.5% Total increase in variable costs = (4%+1%+1.5%)*$650=42.25 Fixed costs Onetime costs= [(10,000+12,000)/2] =$11,000 Warranty work costs per week=$22*40hrs=880 Yearly warranty work= 880*52= $45,760 Total increase in fixed costs =$45,760+$11,000= $56,760 Total variable costs= 42.25+ 550 = $592.25 Total Fixed costs= $56,760 + $267,000= $323,760 The chain suggested that it would purchase at a discount of 5% of the market quoted price Sale price per unit = 95% of 650 = $617.50 Volume in units for break-even point $617.5Q = $592.25Q + $323,760 $25.25Q = $323,760 Q =12,822 From the calculation presen ted above, it is expected that SMC should be able to sell 12,822 units every year to avoid losses resulting from low level of production as well as low sales. The 12,822 units represent the number of private-label riding mowers that should be sold every year in order to meet the break-even point. Currently, the SMC private-label sales represent 40% of the total sales. Given the chain plans to order 8,200 units from SMC every year, it is apparent that the proposal is not worth accepting. However, freight charges and advertisement costs, which represent reduction in costs of operation, have not been incorporated in the calculation due to lack of accurate costs related to transportation and advertisement. Rational decision From the calculation made earlier in this paper, it is clear that after the acceptance of the proposal, SMC should reach a breakeven of 12,822 units. Considering that national retail merchandise will be making an annual order of 8,200 units, it would be prudent to un dertake a further analysis. The company does not clearly indicate its costs of advertising and promotion associated with 8,200 units. As it has been pointed out, it is apparent that the chain does not need any promotion or advertisement associated with products that would be shipped to its warehouses and stores. This means that there would be a reduction in costs associated with promotion and advertising if SMC accepts the proposal. Since the advertisement and promotional costs are not known, they were not incorporated in the calculation of reduced costs resulting from promotion and advertisements. Therefore, if these costs are known, there is a possibility that a breakeven would be below 8,200 units, which means it would be worth considering the proposal. Another aspect that still leaves some concerns of whether to accept the proposal includes the freight charges. The chain proposed that it would be able to pay all freight charges that were associated with shipping the products fro m SMC premises to the chain warehouses and stores. This shows a possibility of reducing the transportation costs. However, the information given does not indicate the exact amount that is associated with the transportation costs. Therefore, the transportation was not incorporated while calculating changes that might occur after accepting the proposal. This implies that there could be a reduction in variable costs if transportation costs were incorporated into the calculation after the acceptance of the proposal. As a result, the breakeven point would decline below the annual order of 8,200 units. At such point, it would be prudent to accept the proposal given that the chain will be ordering 8,200 units of mowers every year. Otherwise, with the current situation, the proposal should not be accepted. The proposal might thwart SMC’s efforts to expand its share in the market through advertisement and promotion. Implementation and evaluation The private-label represents the highes t sales of the Swisher Mower and Machine Company. However, an interest to pursue the opportunity presented by a national retail merchandise chain would lead to losses. The company should continue with the current channels of distribution. The company should incur costs with an aim of expanding its market share. The company should also find new partnerships at the global level in order to increase its international sales from 5% to over 20% in the next two years. Selling of its products through known chains at the global level would enable it to gain an international presence that would further lead to more sales in the near future. In addition, it should increase the number of retail outlets it has throughout the country to increase the sales resulting from the direct-to-dealer sales. Direct-to-dealer sales should increase in accordance with sales through wholesalers. Direct-to-dealer sales would allow the firm to enhance the design of the mower in accordance with the taste and pref erence of the final user. Wholesalers will help the firm expand its operations. Given that wholesalers are purchasing the Ride King at the market price of $650, and the cost of goods amount to $552, the company is assured that fewer sales would lead to break-even point. If increase in the cost of advertisements leads to increased market share by 20% in the next two years, the company should specialize in such private-label riding mowers. This will be in anticipation of increased volume of production that would be able to meet the break-even point.

THE MACHINE AGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

THE MACHINE AGE - Essay Example He is quoted as saying he would not do it again, that the transplant destroyed his quality of life. A $125,000 dollar settlement was given to his wife in 2003 by AbioCor Corporation based on deceit by hospital patient advocates who had encouraged the procedure while actually working for AbioCor. AbioCor was denied FDA approval to sell the heart to extend life. African Americans represent a large number of medical test subjects, even though they are the minority of the population in the US—and they are even less likely to be able to afford expensive procedures tested on them. Historically, African American women were used as test subjects. Consent forms are required for medical testing, and participants can quit any time. With tests like artificial hearts, however, quitting means dying. AbioCor went a step further and request to be able to test on unconscious subjects that had never given consent. This has been done with PolyHeme artificial blood, but never with a life-threaten ing procedure like an experimental heart transplant. African Americans are 20% less likely to select to participate in â€Å"health proxy† treatments like these, therefore giving the artificial heart without consent would affect African Americans more, making it unjust. Three Big Points (Summary of the Summary, non-essay form, per your request). 1.

How does McDonald's alter its marketing mix between countries a case Essay

How does McDonald's alter its marketing mix between countries a case study of UK and China - Essay Example erm – the performance of marketing strategies is usually depended on the resources available – funds, employees and technology (Luo et al., 2005, 50); however, it is also depended on the cultural and social characteristics and ethics of the targeted market. Through the decades it has been proved that no all firms are able to work internationally; in fact, only those firms that have been able to align their strategies with the ethics and the culture of the targeted market have managed to survive in the specific market – entering a foreign market is not the most difficult part of a relevant marketing scheme (Palich et al., 111999, 587). Another issue is the fact that firms that have been established in countries with totally different social ethics and traditions are less likely to understand – at least on time – the psychology and the needs of consumers in a market with particular culture and ethics (Nakata et al., 2001, 255). Organizational culture is proved at this case to have a decisive role in the ability of a firm to develop the strategies that will be effectively implemented in the targeted market (Armstrong et al., 2009, 34); in this context, marketing schemes that are going to be used for the promotion of p roducts/ services in a foreign market will be going to be successful only if they respond to the characteristics and the needs of local people (Hennig et al., 2002, 230); otherwise they will soon be led to a failure. Current paper focuses on the examination of the ways that McDonalds has altered its marketing mix in order to respond to the needs of two different markets: the British and the Chinese. The identification and the evaluation of the relevant policies is based on two different criteria: the views that have been published in the literature – in relation with the study’s main issue – and the views of consumers in the above two countries. In this context, a detailed literature review has been developed in regard to the structure

Relationship amalysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationship amalysis paper - Essay Example Perhaps the constant communication that we have nurtured over the months could be responsible for the harmonious relationship that we have had. Essentially, H and I have been good friends since we first stepped into the same room. This actually means that even though we have had difficulties in our relationship at given occasions, we have always injected concerted efforts to make the relationship successful. Since H and I share the same room but not the same course, we rarely spend time together unless it is a weekend or in occasions where both of us are free at the same time. With this in mind, it is worthy to note that our relationship had had its successes in the same measures it has had its failures. Speaking of failures, it is important to note that H and I have had our fair share of communication problems in our relationship. Essentially, H is an international student meaning that he studies English as a second language. In this respect, there is always communication breakdown due to some elements of language barrier. Since H is very fluent in Chinese and not eloquent in the English language, we had had to seek a third party for interpretation of certain phrases and concepts. In the spirit of improving on this, H and I have resolved to incorporate more of sign language in addition to him registering for English classes that would lead to improvement in his spoken and written English. Besides the challenge of language barrier, I have to confess that my friend H is high-tempered and had poor listening skills. This has really hampered our relationship in the sense that sometimes he misconstrues what I say to him and this has particularly led to great confrontations in the past es pecially considering his bad temper. His poor listening skill has always landed my relationship with him into the murky waters in the sense that we almost broke up our relationship in the last two months. I have tried to improve on this challenge by minimizing the level

Cassava Brown Streak Virus Infection Genome

Cassava Brown Streak Virus Infection Genome Genome-wide prediction and association analysis for sensitivity to cassava brown streak virus infection in Cassava Siraj Ismail Kayondo, Dunia Pino Del Carpio, Roberto Lozano, Alfred Ozimati, Marnin Wolfe, Yona Baguma, Vernon Gracen, Offei Samuel,  Robert Kawuki  and Jean-Luc Jannink ABSTRACT Cassava (manihot esculenta Crantz), a key carbohydrate source faces unprecedented challenge of viral diseases importantly, cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD). The economic parts of the crop are rendered unmarketable by these viral diseases resulting into mega fiscal setbacks. The remarkable completion of the cassava genome sequence equips cassava breeders with more precise selection strategies to offer superior varieties with both farmer and industry preferred traits. This article reports genomic segments associated to foliar and root CBSV sensitivity measured at different growth stages and environmental conditions. We identified significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated to CBSV sensitivity in cassava on chromosome 4 and 11. The significantly associated regions on chromosome 4 co-localises with a Manihot glaziovii introgression from the wild progenitors. While significant SNPs markers on chromosome 11 are in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with a cluster of nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins encoded by disease resistance genes in plants. Genotype by environmental interactions were significant since SNP marker effects differed across environments and years. Key words: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), virus sensitivity, augmented designs, de-regressed best linear unbiased Predictions (dr-BLUPs), NBS-LRR proteins, QTLs    INTRODUCTION Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz), is a major source of income and dietary calories for over a billion lives across the globe especially in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Edge cutting technologies are rapidly turning cassava into an industrial crop especially tapping into its unique starch qualities hence opening new income opportunities for the poor (Pà ©rez et al., 2011). Cassava brown streak virus disease (CBSD), a leading viral constraint limiting production across SSA is responsible for mega fiscal setbacks estimated at 100 US million dollars per annum at physiological maturity (ASARECA:, 2013; Ndunguru et al., 2015). As a consequence of CBSVs, cassava yields were recorded to be eight times lower than the expected yield potential in Uganda(). Two major strains; Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Uganda Cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV), have successfully colonized both the lowland and highland altitudes across East Africa though newer strains are being reported (Winter et al., 2010; Ndunguru et al., 2015; Alicai et al., 2016a). In addition to uncontrolled exchange of infected cassava steaks among cassava farmers across porous borders, the African whitefly (Besimia tobaci) stands out as the famous semi-persistent virus transmitter under field conditions (Legg et al., 2014; McQuaid et al., 2015). Upon entry, the virus exploits the plants transport system to traverse the susceptible cassava plant resulting into yellow chlorotic vein clearing patterns along minor veins of the leaves. Prominent brown elongated lesions are formed on the stem commonly referred to as brown streaks. While the brown necrotic hard-corky layers are randomly formed in the root cortex of most susceptible cassava clones. In view of the rapid but steadily virus evolution rates and the insufficiency of dependable virus diagnostic tools (Alicai et al., 2016b), breeding for durable CBSD resistance emerges as a timely and economically viable option. Earlier CBSD resistance breeding initiatives have highlighted its polygenic but recessive nature of inheritance in both intraspecific and interspecific cassava hybrids (Nichols, 1947; Hillocks and Jennings, 2003; Munga, 2008; Kulembeka, 2010). The rate of progress to genetic improvement in a traditional cassava breeding pipeline has been slower due to several biology-related opportunities like; shy flowering, length of breeding cycle, limited genetic diversity and slow rate of multiplication of planting materials. Most of the available elite cassava lines have exhibited some level of sensitivity to CBSVs ranging from mild sensitivity total susceptibility. Therefore, a concise but then targeted exploration for potential sources of resistance using the available biotechnology tools could be a promising strategy. The remarkable completion of the cassava genome sequence equips cassava breeders with more precise selection strategies to offer superior varieties with both farmer and industry preferred traits. A study by Bredeson et al., (2016) reports the presence of introgressions segments from the wild progenitors into the elite breeding lines developed by the Amani breeding program in Tanzania. Hence, resistance sources to CBSD exist but may have been reshuffled over generations of recurrent selection thus not fully fixed and need to be exploited. Moving forward, a genome wide survey for existing natural variations as explained by the observed phenotypes for a given series of agronomic traits could facilitate identification of causal loci associated with the inheritance of a trait of interest. This tool, commonly referred to as genome-wide association study (GWAS) exploits the power of statistical analyses to identify such historical recombination events that have occurred over time (Jannink and Walsh, 2002; Hamblin, Buckler and Jannink, 2011). Hence, GWA-studies will complement bi-parental mapping efforts that have been widely applied in cassava breeding in the previous decade (Ferguson et al., 2012; Ceballos et al., 2015). GWA-studies have been widely undertaken by animal, human and plant geneticists to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in close association to several important traits. However, GWAS has been thinly applied in cassava breeding especially in the definition of the genetic architecture of cassava mosaic di sease (Wolfe et al., 2016) and beta carotene (unpublished). In this study, we exploited the reduced genotyping costs using genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to genotype data for our association mapping panel. The goal of this study was to identify genomic regions closely associated with sensitivity to CBSV infection in a diverse regional cassava breeding panel. Fine mapping around the identified regions would guide in marker discovery as well as identification of franking genes for CBSV sensitivity for marker assisted breeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant material The data set comprised of field disease evaluations undertaken across five locations; Namulonge, Kamuli, Serere, Ngetta and Kasese in Uganda. Two different but closely related GWAS panels were evaluated across environments. Between 2012 and 2013, GWAS panel 1 consisted of between 308 to 429 entries that were replicated twice across three locations. Each trial was designed as a randomized complete block (RCB) with two-row plots of five plants each at a spacing of 1 meter by 1 meter. In 2015, GWAS panel 2 consisting of entries ranging from 715 to 872 clones was evaluated in three locations but contrasting sites for CBSD pressure. These entries were evaluated as single entries per site being connected by six common checks in an augmented completely randomized block design with 38 blocks per site (Federer, Nguyen and others, 2002; Federer and Crossa, 2012). The two GWAS panels had one location in common; Namulonge that is regarded as the CBSD hot spot with the highest CBSD pressure. The data was generated from 1281 cassava clones developed through three cycles of genetic recombination with local elite lines by the National root crops breeding program at NaCRRI. These cassava clones had a diverse genetic background whose pedigree could be traced back to introductions from international institute for tropical agriculture (IITA), International center for tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and Tanzania[KI1] breeding program (sup.fig1). Phenotyping protocol for CBSV sensitivity   Ã‚   The key traits were CBSD severity and incidence scored at 3, 6, and 9 months after planting (MAP) for foliar and 12 MAP for root symptoms respectively. CBSD severity was measured based on a 5 point scale with a score of 1 implying asymptomatic conditions and a score 5 implying over 50% leaf vain clearing under foliar symptoms. However, at 12 MAP a score of 5 implies over 50% of root-core being covered by a necrotic corky layer. (fig.1) Clones were classified with a score of 5 if pronounced vein clearing at major leaf veins were jointly displayed with brown streaks on the stems and shoot die-back that appeared as a candle-stick. Clones with 31 40% leaf vein clearing together with brown steaks at the stems were classified under score 4. A Score of 3 was assigned to clones with 21 30% leaf vein clearing with emerging brown streaks on the stems. While a score of 2 was assigned to clones that only displayed 1 20% leaf vein clearing without any visible brown streak symptoms on the stems. Plants classified with a score of 1 showed no visible sign of leaf necrosis and brown streaks on the stems. On the other hand, root symptoms were also classified into 5 different categories based on a 5 point standard scale. Two-stage genomic analyses For the panel 1 which was designed as a randomized complete block (RCB) we fit the model: , using the lmer function from the lme4 R package (Bates et al., 2015).In this model, ÃŽÂ ² included a fixed effect for the population mean and location. The incidence matrix Zclone and the vector c represent a random effect for clone and I represent the identity matrix. The range variable, which is the row or column along which plots are arrayed, is nested in location-rep and is represented by the incidence matrix Zrange(loc.) and random effects vector .Block effects were nested in ranges and incorporated as random with incidence matrix Zblock(range) and effects vector . Residuals were fit as random, with . For panel 2, which followed an augmented design, we fit the model Where y was the vector of raw phenotypes, ÃŽÂ ² included a fixed effect for the population mean and location with checks included as a covariate, The incidence matrix Zclone and the vector c are the same as above and the blocks were also modeled with incidence matrix and b represents the random effect for block. The best linear predictors (BLUPs) of the clone effect (Ć°) were extracted as de-regressed BLUPS following the formula: Broad sense heritability was calculated using variance components extracted from the two step lmer output. SNP-based heritability was calculated by extracting the variance components from the output obtained by fitting the SNPs as a kinship covariate calculated using the A.mat function from the rrBLUP R package and included in a one step model using the emmreml function from the EMMREML R package (Akdemir and Okeke, 2015). DNA preparation and Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) All cassava clones included in the phenotypic data set had their total genomic DNA extracted from young tender leaves according to standard procedures using the DNAeasy plant mini extraction kit (Qiagen, 2012). Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) (Elshire et al., 2011) libraries were constructed using the ApeKI restriction enzyme as used before (Hamblin Rabbi, 2014). Marker genotypes were called using TASSEL GBS pipeline V4 (Glaubitz et al., 2014) after aligning the reads to the Cassava v6 reference genome (Phytozome 10.3; http://phytozome.jgi.doe.gov) (International Cassava Genetic Map Consortium, 2014; Prochnik et al., 2012). Variant Calling Format (VCF) files were generated for each chromosome. Markers with more than 60% missing calls were removed. Genotypes with less than 5 reads were masked before imputation. Additionally, only biallelic SNP markers were considered for further steps. The marker dataset consisted of a total of 173,647 SNP bi-allelic markers called for 986 individuals. This initial dataset was imputed using Beagle 4.1 (Browning and Browning, 2016). After the imputation 63,016 SNPs had an AR2 (Estimated Allelic r-squared) higher than 0.3 and were kept for analysis; from these, 41,530 had a minor allele frequency (MAF) higher than 0.01 in our population. Dosage files for this final dataset were generated and used for both GWAS and GS. Structure and Genetic stratification analysis The extent of phylogenetic relationship and degree of family relatedness within the cassava lines was assessed using principal component analysis (PCA) implemented in R. Genome-wide association analysis for CBSV sensitivity The input binary PED files were prepared from the genotype dosage files using PLINK version 1.07 (Renterà ­a, Cortes and Medland, 2013; Purcell et al., 2007). Mixed linear modal association analysis (MLMA) implemented by GCTA version 1.26.0 was used to generated GWAS results (Yang et al., 2011). MLMA was implemented such that in every cycle of analysis, the chromosome on which the candidate SNPs existed got excluded from the GRM calculation using the modal in equation 3. Where y is the phenotype, a is being the mean term, b being the fixed additive effects of the candidate SNP being tested for association, x being the SNP genotype indicator variable and g is the accumulated effect of all SNPs excluding those where the candidate SNP is located making our analysis model more powerful. We estimated variance components using restricted maximum likelihood (REML). Sub population stratification was corrected for by taking GRM as a random effect term in the model during analysis. A more conservative Bonferroni correction method was used to fix genome-wide significance threshold at Pà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤10-7 as a way of correcting for experimental-wise error. Manhattan and Quantile Quantile plots for all the traits were constructed using R package qqman package implemented in R (Turner, 2014). Genomic prediction models GBLUP. In this prediction model the GEBVs are obtained by assuming , where is the additive genetic variance, and K is the symmetric genomic realized relation matrix based on GBS SNP marker dosages. The genomic relationship matrix used was constructed using the function A.mat in the R package rrBLUP(Endelman, 2011) and follows the formula of VanRaden (2008), method two. GBLUP predictions were made with the function emmreml in the R package EMMREML (Akdemir and Okeke, 2015). RKHS. Unlike GBLUP for RKHS we use a Gaussian kernel function: , where Kij is the measured relationship between two individuals, dij is their euclidean genetic distance based on marker dosages and ÃŽÂ ¸ is a tuning (bandwidth) parameter that determines the rate of decay of correlation among individuals. This function is nonlinear therefore the kernels used for RKHS can capture non-additive as well as additive genetic variation. To fit a multiple-kernel model with six covariance matrices we used the emmremlMultiKernel function in the EMMREML package, with the following bandwidth parameters: 0.0000005, 0.00005, 0.0005, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05 (Multi-kernel RKHS) and allowed REML to find optimal weights for each kernel.For the optimal kernel RKHS we used the kernel weights assigned by emmremlMultiKernel in the first step to construct a single kernel that is the weighted average of the original six. We then used this optimal kernel in single-kernel predictions. Bayesian maker regressions.We tested four Bayesian prediction models: BayesCpi (Habier et al., 2011), the Bayesian LASSO (BL; Park and Casella, 2008), BayesA, and BayesB (Meuwissen, Hayes and Goddard, 2001). The Bayesian models we tested allow for alternative genetic architectures by differential shrinkage of marker effects. We performed Bayesian predictions with the R package BGLR (Pà ©rez and De Los Campos, 2014) Random Forest. Random forest (RF) is a machine learning method used for regression and classification (Strobl et al. 2009, Breiman 2001). Random forest regression with marker data has been shown to capture epistatic effects and has been successfully used for prediction (Sakar et al 2015, Heslot et al 2012, Charmet et al 2014, Spindel et al 2015, Breiman, et al 2001, Michaelson et al 2010, Motsinger-Reif et al 2008). We implemented RF using the randomForest package in R (Liaw and Wiener 2002) with the parameter, ntree set to 500 and the number of variables sampled at each split (mtry) equal to 300. Multikernel GBLUP We followed a multikernel approach by fitting three kernels constructed with SNPs with MAF> 0.01 from chromosomes 4,11 and the SNPs from the other chromosomes. We selected chromosomes 4 and 11 because they contained QTLs for foliar severity 3 and 6 MAP. Multikernel GBLUP predictions were made with the function emmremlMultiKernel in the R package EMMREML (Akdemir and Okeke, 2015) Introgression Segment Detection To identify the genome segments in our germplasm, we followed the approach of Bredeson et al. (2015). We used the M. glaziovii diagnostic markers identified Supplementary Dataset 2 of Bredeson et al. (2015). These ancestry diagnostic (AI) SNPs were identified as being fixed for different alleles in a sample of two pure M. esculenta (Albert and CM33064) and two pure M. glaziovii (GLA XXX-8 and M. glaziovii(S)). Out of 173,647 SNP in our imputed dataset, 12,502 matched published AI SNPs. For these AI SNPs, we divided each chromosome into non-overlapping windows of 20 SNP. Within each window, for each individual, we calculated the proportion of genotypes that were homozygous (G/G) or heterozygous (G/E) for M. glaziovii allele and the proportion that were homozygous for the M. esculenta allele (E/E). We assigned G/G, G/E or E/E ancestry to each window, for each individual only when the proportion of the most common genotype in that window was at least twice the proportion of the second most common genotype. We assigned windows a No Call status otherwise. We also used this approach on six whole-genome sequenced samples from the cassava HapMap II (Punna et al. under Review). These included the two pure cassava and M. glaziovii(S) from Bredeson et al. (2015), plus an additional M. glaziovii, and two samples labeled Namikonga. Because these samples came from a different source from the majority of our samples, we were able to find only 11,686 SNPs that matched both the sites in the rest of our study sample and the list of ancestry informative sites for analysis. Linkage disequilibrium plots LD scores were calculated for every SNP in chromosome 4 with a window of 1Mb using the GCTA Software (Yang et al., 2011). Briefly, LD score for a given marker is the sum of R2 adjusted between the index marker and all markers within a specified window. The adjusted R2 is an unbiased measure of LD: where n is the population size and R2 is the usual estimator of the squared Pearsons correlation (Bulik-Sullivan et al 2015). We calculated the LD between that marker and other markers in a window of 2Mb (1Mb upstream and 1Mb downstream) For the top significant SNP hit in chromosome 11 for the 6MAP GWAS result from panel 1 and panel 2. The LD was evaluated using squared Pearsons correlation coefficient (r2) as calculated with the à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢r2 -ld-snp commands in the software PLINK version 1.9. Candidate gene identification To identify candidate genes for CBSD severity in leaves and CBSD root necrosis we used the GCTA mlma GWAS output obtained for each trait. We filtered the SNP markers based on -log10 (P-value)> Bonf, being these values higher than the Bonferroni threshold (~ 5.9). The resulting SNP markers were assigned onto genes using the SNP location and gene description from the Mesculenta_305_v6.1.gene.gff3 available in Phytozome 11 (ref) for Manihot esculenta v6.1 using the intersect function from bedtools (ref). RESULTS Phenotypic assessment of cassava for sensitivity to cassava brown streak virus infection Most clones showed varied responses to CBSV infection spanning from super susceptibility that represented candle-like die-back of the shoot to tolerance (Fig.). Foliar phenotyping clumped these plant responses into five major classes based on a 1 to 5 scale. The broad sense heritability of the studied traits ranged 0.17 to 0.72 for both GWAS panels (Table 1). Analysis of the phenotypic data showed very significant GxE interactions (P Genetic correlations and heritability estimates We found moderate heritability estimates for CBSV sensitivity for foliar phenotypes at 3, 6 and 9 MAP as well as root phenotypes under five environments (fig..) . Genetic correlation on the traits assayed were performed and revealed that ranged from moderate to high positive correlations among traits studied. Assessment of linkage disequilibrium Genome-wide association mapping often explores the benefit of existence of several historic recombination events over time to associate observed phenotypic variation with genome. Detection of candidate QTLs for CBSV sensitivity in cassava To efficiently a run GWAS, we used SNP data to examine the extent of genetic interrelatedness and sub-population structure of the cassava clones. A principal component analysis (PCA) to account for structure showed no distinct clusters implying that the selected clones were not highly structured (Fig.1). Therefore, we did not include PCs in our GWAS linear modal analysis. The Bonferroni suggestive threshold (ÃŽÂ ± = 0.05) was used to identify loci associated to CBSV sensitivity on both chromosome 4 and 11 that had clear peak signals at the different stages of phenotyping (Fig. 2). The observed P-values initially aligned well with the expected P-values but later differed substantially due the large introgression block on chromosome 4 presumably from the wild progenitors of cassava traceable from the AMANI breeding program (Jennings, 1959). The significant signals on chromosome 11 contained loci with strong association with CBSV sensitivity in a 2 Mb region that annotated well with several candidate genes. Genome-wide prediction for CBSV sensitivity in cassava We did genome wide prediction for CBSV sensitivity based on the identified SNPs with the highest effects found on both chromosome 4 and 11 in order to capture most of the genetic variation. We explored several genomic prediction model methods; GBLUP, RR-BLUP, B-LASSO, random forest, BayesA, BayesB, and BayesC. References Akdemir, D. and Okeke, U. G. (2015) EMMREML: Fitting Mixed Models with Known Covariance Structures,. Alicai, T., Ndunguru, J., Sseruwagi, P., Tairo, F., Okao-Okuja, G., Nanvubya, R., Kiiza, L., Kubatko, L., Kehoe, M. A. and Boykin, L. M. (2016a) Characterization by Next Generation Sequencing Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms Driving the Faster Evolutionary rate of Cassava brown streak virus Compared with Ugandan cassava brown streak virus, bioRxiv, Cold Spring Harbor Labs Journals, [online] Available at: http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/053546 (Accessed 27 June 2016). Alicai, T., Ndunguru, J., Sseruwagi, P., Tairo, F., Okao-Okuja, G., Nanvubya, R., Kiiza, L., Kubatko, L., Kehoe, M. A. and Boykin, L. M. (2016b) Characterization by Next Generation Sequencing Reveals the Molecular Mechanisms Driving the Faster Evolutionary rate of Cassava brown streak virus Compared with Ugandan cassava brown streak virus, [online] Available at: http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/053546 (Accessed 10 June 2016). ASARECA: (2013) ASARECA Annual Report 2012: Transforming Agriculture for Economic Growth in Eastern and Central Africa, Entebbe, Uganda. Bredeson, J. V, Lyons, J. B., Prochnik, S. E., Wu, G. A., Ha, C. M., Edsinger-Gonzales, E., Grimwood, J., Schmutz, J., Rabbi, I. Y., Egesi, C., Nauluvula, P., Lebot, V., Ndunguru, J., Mkamilo, G., Bart, R. S., Setter, T. L., Gleadow, R. M., Kulakow, P., Ferguson, M. E., Rounsley, S. and Rokhsar, D. S. (2016) Sequencing wild and cultivated cassava and related species reveals extensive interspecific hybridization and genetic diversity., Nature biotechnology, 34(5), pp. 562-570, [online] Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3535. Browning, B. L. and Browning, S. R. (2016) Genotype Imputation with Millions of Reference Samples, The American Journal of Human Genetics, 98(1), pp. 116-126. Ceballos, H., Kawuki, R. S., Gracen, V. E., Yencho, G. C. and Hershey, C. H. (2015) Conventional breeding, marker-assisted selection, genomic selection and inbreeding in clonally propagated crops: a case study for cassava, Theoretical and Applied Genetics, [online] Available at: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00122-015-2555-4 (Accessed 25 June 2015). Endelman, J. B. (2011) Ridge Regression and Other Kernels for Genomic Selection with R Package rrBLUP, The Plant Genome Journal, 4(3), pp. 250-255. Federer, W. T. and Crossa, J. (2012) Screening Experimental Designs for Quantitative Trait Loci, Association Mapping, Genotype-by Environment Interaction, and Other Investigations, Frontiers in Physiology, 3, [online] Available at: http://www.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fphys.2012.00156/full (Accessed 2 September 2014). Federer, W. T., Nguyen, N.-K. and others (2002) Constructing Augmented Experiment Designs with Gendex, [online] Available at: https://dspace.library.cornell.edu/handle/1813/32208 (Accessed 2 September 2014). Ferguson, M., Rabbi, I., Kim, D.-J., Gedil, M., Lopez-Lavalle, L. A. B. and Okogbenin, E. (2012) Molecular Markers and Their Application to Cassava Breeding: Past, Present and Future, Tropical Plant Biology, 5(1), pp. 95-109, [online] Available at: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12042-011-9087-0 (Accessed 5 August 2014). Habier, D., Fernando, R. L., Kizilkaya, K. and Garrick, D. J. (2011) Extension of the bayesian alphabet for genomic selection., BMC bioinformatics, BioMed Central Ltd, 12(1), p. 186. Hamblin, M. T., Buckler, E. S. and Jannink, J.-L. (2011) Population genetics of genomics-based crop improvement methods, Trends in Genetics, 27(3), pp. 98-106, [online] Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168952510002301 (Accessed 18 April 2014). Hillocks, R. 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Is There Life After Baby? Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

Is There Life After Baby? During the last few years, my life consisted of frequent outings to movie theatres, days spent fishing, Saturday night dancing, fine dining, and many other activities. On July 18th, 2004, my son, Andrew Martin, was born. He is the first child born to my wife and myself. Moments after his birth, I became very aware that my life was about to change significantly, just as many people had informed me during my wife's pregnancy. In the five and a half short weeks he has been on this planet, it has become keenly aware to me that many changes are to come, some good, some great, and some bad. Virtually each and every week during my wife's pregnancy, at least one person told me how much my life was about to change. This was not a complete shock to me, as I did have some idea that my life would be different once my child came. The extent to which it has changed and will change, however, have been a bit of a surprise. My wife and I were married on April 25, 1998. Prior to our meeting, I frequented WPLJ's dance club in Walnut Creek almost every Friday and Saturday night. That is where I met her. On Saturday and/or Sunday afternoons, I could almost always be found viewing a first run movie in either the Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Concord, or Berkeley areas. If not at the movies on Saturday, I was quite often reeling in a fish at Lafayette Reservoir. Approximately two meals a day were purchased at a restaurant or fast food facility. Marriage did not have a significant change on any of these favorite activities of mine, the only exception being that the number of meals purchas ed outside of the home decreased to about five times a week. My son Andrew is six weeks old today. He has changed the lives of my wif... ...him up to tend to his needs.. He even has his own people who come to see him or who call to ask about him, such as Grandma Loretta or Uncle Carlos. My wife and myself were never this popular! You can be told many things about parenthood by many people, you can read numerous books about raising a child, you can even baby-sit another's child, but until you've had your own child, you have no idea of what you are in store for. My son has completely disrupted my life. He has turned it upside down. Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way! He is a complete joy. Every time I pick him up and hold him or look into his beautiful blue eyes, I know that I am going to love him till the day I die. I look forward to his three siblings that my wife and I plan on having. Most parents would agree with me: a child leads to a lot of sacrifices and is a lot of work, but well worth it!