Federal Emergency Management Agency ( Fema ) - 1652 Words

Federal Emergency Management Agency There exist numerous types of situations that could cause an emergency response, nonetheless, who is supposed to provide emergency response to large scale emergencies? The answer is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); specifically the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Department of Homeland Security was created in lieu of one single event that happened on September 11th, 2001. There stand several entities under the DHS program, additionally; the Federal Emergency Management Agency heads the emergency response efforts under DHS. FEMA was created out of several different initial disaster response agencies such as, just to name a few; the National Weather Service Community†¦show more content†¦It is also designed as a standard, cooperate tool used for managing incidents. â€Å"The concepts contained herein provide for a flexible but standardized set of incident management practices with emphasis on common principles, a consistent approach to operational structures and supporting mechanisms, and an integrated approach to resource management† (Department of Homeland Security, 2015). The NIMS has several functions that work in collaboration to provide the necessary tools for response efforts. These functions include: NIMS Doctrine Supporting Guides and Tools; Training; Resource Management and Mutual Aid; Implementation Guidance and Reporting; NIMS Alerts; FEMA NIMS Regional Contacts; and Incident Command System Resources. These functions work together to produce the Department of Homeland Secu rity’s effective emergency response strategy. The Department of Homeland Security sponsors a program called â€Å"Ready Business.† â€Å"DHS has adopted the National Fire Protection Association 1600 (NFPA 1600) as the American National Standard for developing a preparedness program† (Department of Homeland Security, 2015). FEMA spreads this strategy in efforts to establish effective emergency response preparedness from the businesses initially affected by disasters. This type of program is in place in hopes that it will alleviate a large amount of identified hazards associated

The effect of hyperinflation Free Essays

The main effect of hyperinflation is that consumers struggle in buying what they need. The prices of goods rise continuously, so people do not have enough money to buy the items they would have been able to afford previously. This results in debt, which would be hard to pay off especially if prices continue to rise, or going without, which could cause health issues. We will write a custom essay sample on The effect of hyperinflation or any similar topic only for you Order Now There is also the temptation of theft; in desperation some people might be drawn to thievery to support their family. Even for those few people whose salary kept pace with inflation, it was hard to buy the goods. They needed so much money to buy what they needed that they would physically struggle to transport the money to the shop. In some cases of hyperinflation, people had to transport money in wheelbarrows because they needed so many notes for even small items. An example of this was in Germany 1923, where a single loaf of bread eventually cost 200 billion marks. Another result of prices rising all the time was that workers had to get paid twice a day to rush out and buy their goods before prices rose even more. Furthermore, this meant that wages never caught up with the ever-diminishing value of money, and were insufficient to cover the costs. Another important effect of hyperinflation is that people in general struggled with growing shortages. When small items were equal to thousands, or even millions, of notes, foreign suppliers started refusing to accept the hyper-inflated currency. This meant that imports dried up and shortages of food and other goods got worse, for everyone. In addition, savings, insurance policies and pensions became worthless. This mainly affected the middle class, particularly old age pensioners, and widows. For unemployed people relying on savings and pensions, this was devastating and caused many problems. On the other hand, this worked to the advantage of those in debt before the hyperinflation, who would now easily be able to pay them of as the sums involved became worthless. Businesses were greatly affected by hyperinflation as well, for good and bad. Wealthy businessmen would benefit from hyperinflation because property was cheap and with smaller businesses struggling; the bigger, more successful businesses would take over the smaller ones at low cost. . Unfortunately, it didn’t help smaller businesses as much. They had to pay higher wages which they could not afford and had less buying power. They were also in risk of being bought out by the bigger businesses leaving them unemployed. Leading on from this, the workers would struggle too because when the smaller businesses got taken over, they would lose their jobs and then struggle to pay for goods, whilst unemployed. . On some occasions, one result of hyperinflation was that the government printed more money. This made it better to start with, but ultimately made inflation worse and initiated another cycle. As the prices rose, more money was printed, causing prices to rise again. In conclusion, the main effect of hyperinflation was that people struggled with buying what they needed, however there are many other effects that caused shortages and hardship: savings and debts becoming worthless, bigger businesses taking over the smaller ones, leading to unemployment, and the government printing more money. There are lots of effects of hyperinflation, and although it benefited a few people, on the whole, it caused chaos and misery for the people. How to cite The effect of hyperinflation, Papers

Innovation In Big And Notable Companies And Firms In Kenya - Sample

Question: Discuss about the Innovation In Big And Notable Companies And Firms In Kenya. Answer: Introduction Innovation is a way of doing things that are somewhat different in a good way(Arasa Githinji 2014). When innovation is introduced, work may be made easier or jobs created. This paper demonstrated the role innovation plays in the economy of Kenya and how disruptive technology affects the economy and the society at large. Innovation is a concept that was introduced in the academic circles by Joseph Aloes Shum, a professor of economics at Harvard University(Ndichu et al. 2015). He asserted that innovation was a process that develops an invention so that it is a product that can change an economy. The change to the economy has to be such that it either changes the quantity of the existing product or the quantity of the same. It may also create new markets; develop new supply sources, and later industrial organizations. An example of innovation by this definition is the jet plane or the computer or even television. This innovation as defined by (Koria et al. 2014)is a product innovation and therefore has no room for none tangible innovation which John W. Hawks defines as doing something somewhat differently or doing it totally differently. Innovation, therefore, can be a product innovation or a process innovation both of which have to have a financial or commercial implication to the organization or firm that carries it out. Innovation according to the Gybenz idea is the use of creative thoughts in firms for products, services, management, processes or marketing systems(Mwangi Murigu 2015). The various definitions of innovation indicate that innovation is characterized by the change in product or in the process or manner in which things are done. Without a doubt, companies are able to grow themselves if they are innovative. Competitive advantage is achieved through innovation in companies as pointed out by (Kilelu, Klerkx Leeuwis 2014). Competitive advantage can be realized by businesses that embrace cooperation with their betters. Small organizations can benefit from cooperation with bigger organizations in the market. This kind of cooperation helps small organizations to grow their knowledge and realize the innovation that interests them in the long run(Malonza 2014). For instance, a small law firm can cooperate with an advertising giant and in this cooperation where the advertising firm and the law firm have common interests; the small firm can learn and improve itself hence being more competitive in the legal sector. Characteristics of innovation Innovation has several characteristics. Some of these characteristics are as discussed below. First, innovation creates and relates new products with the market performance. This relationship helps to study how a certain product is thriving in the market. New products accrue a lot of profit to companies when they are still fresh and new in the market. Different flavors can be utilized to make the product seem more interesting. For instance, manufacturers can use different colors, designs and even packages to attract the attention of many potential buyers.(Pisano 2015). The role of technology in helping organizations achieve competitive advantage is crucial. Organizations that innovate technologically or otherwise are better placed to achieve an edge in the market and contribute to economic growth in society. It is argued that developing technological innovations that are successful is crucial for creating and maintaining a company ?s competitive advantage. According to(Cornaggia et al. 2015), some of the major pillars of marketing is extensive research, and the use of relevant innovation methods. (Drucker 2014), also carried out a survey which demonstrated the role of regional innovation, in the success of a product in the global market. Suggestions from this survey indicated that, innovation was an essential factor which determined the profit margins in the market. Firms and companies that have utilized innovation in Kenya Innovations by companies will not only help the company get a competitive edge; it also grows the economy and links society to better products and services. The creation of tech hubs, as well as labs like mlab, Growth Hub, iHub, East Africa and Nairobi, among others, have been great initiatives helping to expedite growth in the sector of ICT(Bain Kleinknecht 2016). This has been made possible through using ideation programs and accelerator programs too. Meet ups, Hackathons, and entrepreneurial coaching have also made it possible for growth to emerge. The sector of education has not been left behind so that institutions like Kenyatta University, Nairobi University, and even Strathmore University has established hubs in their campuses. Educational institutions have also adopted innovation. For instance, in Kenyatta University, the technology of using tablets for personal studies has been widely used. Additionally, both in The University of Nairobi and Strathmore University, CD4 labs have been put in place for smooth teaching-learning process. The innovations in such leading institutions have challenged the government to also adopt inn ovations in technology(Kiraka, Kobia Katwalo 2013). The government has made great strides in supporting ICT through its ICT board. The introduction of digital services and research areas has also shaped the Kenyan ICT landscape. The most prominent projects include National Optic Fibre Broadband Infrastructure (NOFBI), Digital villages, like Tandaa grants, the Huduma centers, Kenya Open Data Initiative (KODI) (Mendi Mudida n.d.). According to(Tigabu, Berkhout van Beukering 2015), there are many disruptive technologies that have helped grow the Kenyan economy, the various companies in Kenya and individuals have benefitted largely from these technologies. The role of technology in the advancement of economies, expansion of companies and society, in general, is quite important. Innovations have been many in the last two decades and have contributed to great growth in economies and make lasting impacts in the life of people in Kenya. ContentManagement Systems in Kenya like Joomla and Drupal and Word press have improved so much so that there are thousands of people blogging today as a result of this innovation. It is also possible for people to create websites, engage in discussion forums and also shopping carts. Thesecontent management systems have made it possible for Kenyans to blog and advertise their products and this thereby has created employment opportunities growing the economy and improving the lives of people today. Innovation in applications and soft wares Another innovation that is being helpful to companies today is the application frameworks. Several application frameworks have been so many in the recent markets. Such frameworks are software appliances which can be used in the making of other advanced technological equipment. The advent of this software has reduced the time spent on the creation of applications. This is so owing to the templating frameworks available and the easy access to databases. The ability to reuse codes makes it even better. The creation of HTML5 introduces major capabilities as far as developing Hybrid appliances goes. These are used in mobile phones and in laptops as well. Hybrid Frameworks, for example, the Intel App Framework enables use HTML5 apps to convert to other platform applications like Android or Windows or even iPhone Apps. The SMS technology is another that has helped start ups and even large companies in Kenya to grow. The Eneza Education program, for instance, is able to reach many children across the country through this technological innovation. Larger companies will use this innovation in a different way. For instance, the subscription messages, love alerts, and news alerts are among the ways companies tap into this innovation to aggrandize themselves. The role of innovation as seen is to position companies and individuals in positions of gain. Monitor gain and also knowledge advancement are the major roles played by innovations. Smartphone technologies for instance in Kenya today has helped connect so many people. Not only is this technology helping socially, many also educate them here and opinions are formed here through face book, twitter and the like. Innovation in means of payment Payment gateways have opened as a result of innovations made in the technology world and the adoption of these changes by companies and entrepreneurs. Now Kenyans can buy or sell their commodities online or otherwise which is a source of foreign exchange to the country and a channel for money. PayPal, iPod, Pesa Pal and others have empowered Kenyans by enabling them to do business and get paid through websites and phones. This innovation makes it possible for people to receive money anywhere as long as they have their smart phones. Another prevalent innovation that is changing the life of locals is the use of NFC technology. The whole technology involves the use of an NFC card, which on the other hand, enables the transfer of funds to bank accounts(Shikanda Okibo 2011). In Kenya, the Public service transport introduced a Cashless system. This has however not yet been adopted entirely in the PSV vehicles. Already, Beba Pay, Abiria Card and My1963 Card, are players who are partnering with banks like KCB and telcos: Safaricom. What becomes of this innovation is still subject to speculation although there is hope it will be adopted whole sale. In Kenya, 2017 saw the first startup in the country to move to the Silicon Valley, Card Planet. The use of internet and the various innovations and packages offered by companies in the sector of IT has played a big role in the transformation of the lives of locals, especially youth. Internet providers like Telkom, Zuku, and others have offers and packages that are affordable to the locals making it possible for online work, business and learning to take place. 3G Technology continues to impact the lives of many Kenyans today(Ndemo Weiss 2016). This is another innovation that is full of promise. Telcos battle each other to come up with packages that can be used by a large number of smart phone users in the country. 3G technologies are enabled in the major town in Kenya. BRCK has taken advantage of the technology by linking it to WIFI devices. Lately, Safaricom has introduced 4G capability through their network. It is expected that other telecoms will follow this example soon. Indeed, in the tech sector, a lot of innovation has been witnessed which has changed the way things are done. The role of innovation thus continues to show itself as a generator of opportunities. Cloud computing is another innovation that has been witnessed in Kenya today. Here hosted services are delivered through the internet by the use of various serives. Some of these services are; Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). Servers, computational power and the like all fade away in the light of cloud computing. Corporates like Safaricom; small startups like Kenyan Cloud and Angani Kili all provide cloud computing services at a fee(Onsongo Schot 2015). Mobile Money Kenya is another common innovation in kenya. Its service providers transacted over $20 billion. Last year alone they transacted over 700 million. Its widespread impact throughout Kenya has been felt in the economy. Mobile money agents, micro finance institutions, bank integrations, companies, mega stores as well as multiple start-ups have developed other systems on the mobile money. The partnership of this company with the others, which have been outlined above, made it possible, for businesses, to carry out their transaction through a common service called Lipa na M-pesa This finance technology continues to improve business and makes it possible for Kenyans to transact from home, office or other workstations and leisure joints. Conclusion In conclusion, Innovation as highlighted above has had a major impact on the lives of many Kenyans. Indeed through innovation, many companies have come up which would otherwise never have. Innovation has also led to the growth of sectors such as education and service sectors and even government institutions. Without the doubt, the role of innovation in an economy cannot be over emphasized. With innovation there is the creation of jobs, opening up of sectors and the creation of an easier way of doing things. Innovation also empowers through education. The principle role of innovation in a country or community is to change the lives of people for the better. An innovation that does not affect one materially or economically, mentally and even spiritually cannot be regarded. The outlined examples of innovations in the tech industry in Kenya have influenced the way business is done, education is delivered and the service delivery in many sectors of the economy. References Arasa, R Githinji, L 2014, 'The relationship between competitive strategies and firm performance: A case of mobile telecommunication companies in Kenya', International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, pp. 1-15. Bain, D Kleinknecht, A 2016, New concepts in innovation output measurement, Springer. Cornaggia, J, Mao, Y, Tian, X Wolfe, B 2015, ' Does banking competition affect innovation?', Journal of Financial Economics, pp. 189-209. Drucker, P 2014, Innovation and entrepreneurship, Routledge. Kilelu, C, Klerkx, L Leeuwis, C 2014, 'How dynamics of learning are linked to innovation support services: insights from a smallholder commercialization project in Kenya', The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, pp. 213-232. Kiraka, RN, Kobia, M Katwalo, A 2013, 'Micro, Small and Medium enterprise growth and innovation in Kenya: A case study on the Women Enterprise Fund', Investment Climate and Business Environment Research Fund, pp. 1-104. Koria, R, Bartels, F, Andriano, L Koeszegi, S 2014, 'Effectiveness and Efficiency of National Systems of Innovation: the importance of ICT, the Cases of Ghana and Kenya', pp. 1-18. Malonza, M 2014, 'Lean Manufacturing and Operational Performance of Mumias Sugar Company Limited, Kenya', Journal of International Business Studies, pp. 36-41. Mendi, P Mudida, R, ' The effect on innovation of beginning informal: Empirical evidence from Kenya', Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Mwangi, M Murigu, J 2015, 'The determinants of financial performance in general insurance companies in Kenya', European Scientific Journal. Ndemo, B Weiss, T 2016, Digital Kenya: An entrepreneurial revolution in the making, Springer. Ndichu, J, Kemp, R, Adeoti, J Obayelu, A 2015, 'The adoption of energy efficiency measures by firms in Africa: case studies of cassava processing in Nigeria and maize milling in Kenya', Innovation and Development, pp. 189-206. Onsongo, E Schot, J 2015, Inclusive innovation and multi-regime dynamics: the case of mobile money in Kenya. Pisano, G 2015, 'You need an innovation strategy', Harvard Business Review, pp. 44-54. Shikanda, EW Okibo, B 2011, Effects of Organizational Culture on Innovation in Services Industry: A Case Study of Postal Corporation of Kenya. Tigabu, A, Berkhout, F van Beukering, P 2015, ' The diffusion of a renewable energy technology and innovation system functioning: Comparing bio-digestion in Kenya and Rwanda', Technological Forecasting and Social Change, pp. 331-345.