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Developing an Informed Perspective on the Flu Vaccine custom essay help

Introduction

Attention Getter: Do you enjoy coughing, sneezing, chills, and muscle aches? Of course not. Yet, these are only a few of the uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous effects of the flu.

Motivation for listening: Influenza can strike anyone and at any time, and becomes increasingly dangerous to contract as one gets older.

Revealing the topic: The only real way to protect yourself from contracting the flu is to receive your annual flu shot.

Establishing credibility: Everyone from doctors to academic researchers agree that a flu shot is worth it, and much of the information I will be sharing with you today has garnered their support.

Preview: I will be discussing with you the reality of what the flu vaccine has to offer, in hopes that you will come to your own informed conclusion as to whether or not you wish to vaccinate and protect yourself from the flu.

Transition: I’d like to start off by sharing some important facts about the flu and the flu vaccine.

Body

The most important thing to know about the flu is that it can be, and often is, a serious health issue. Hospitalizations and even death can occur as a result of acquiring the flu, especially among children and the elderly as well as those with compromised immune systems (Adams, 2018).

The flu shot significantly decreases the likelihood of contracting the flu, even though the vaccine is not 100% effective. In reality, no vaccine is 100% effective, and those that do contract the flu even after being vaccinated typically experience much milder cases of the illness (Adams, 2018).

Transition: It is also important to understand that being treated with any vaccine—the flu vaccine included—comes with potential risks and side effects.

The most common side effects of the flu vaccine are mild in nature, and include soreness around the injection site as well as mild flu-like symptoms (Adams, 2018).

The myth that the flu vaccine can cause far more severe health-related issues, such as the onset of autism, are overwhelmingly false with no real basis in scientific evidence.

Transition: A lot of people avoid vaccines as a result of a fear or hatred of injections, more so than they do because of side effects. Thankfully, scientific innovation has been working on addressing this issue.

A flu vaccine delivered through a nasal spray has been developed to address the problems that many have with receiving it through an injection (Scutti, 2018).

Called FluMist, this vaccine has been developed to ensure its effectiveness matches that of the traditional injection (Scutti, 2018).

Those with a fear of needles or of the potential soreness that can follow an injection now have a much easier to get vaccinated.

Transition: All available—and credible—evidence shows that the modern flu vaccine has been developed to ensure that it is safe, accessible, and effective in preventing influenza.

Conclusion

There are certainly some valid reasons to be uncomfortable with getting vaccinated for the flu. Avoiding the flu vaccine will not generally put the average person at serious risk, unless they fall into the risk categories for which influenza is most dangerous.

Still, the flu can be a very bothersome occurrence, and getting the flu shot makes a significant impact on keeping you protected. Now that you know the most important facts about the vaccine, you can and should make an informed decision about getting vaccinated!

Childhood Vaccinations custom essay help

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Traditionally, childhood vaccinations have been the most effective way to prevent a number of diseases that would otherwise pose grave risks to public health. In the United States, diseases such as polio and small pox have been eliminated due to vaccines and are a testament to advances in scientific medicine for well over a century. However, in recent years the country has experienced a backlash to immunizations, and this has had a deleterious impact to the lives of children. Public health officials have found increases in pertussis, which had been effectively wiped out in previous years. There also appears to be a trend, with origins found via the internet and social networking, where disinformation concerning immunization has led to increasing numbers of parents opting out of vaccinations for their children. Clearly, it is high time to respond to this urgent public health crisis through highly comprehensive efforts by public health officials throughout the country.

A 2010 study conducted by physicians affiliated with the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Emory University School of Public Health, and the Immunization Branch, California Department of Public Health, found that it was 2.5 times more likely for outbreaks of pertussis to occur in population clusters where parents had opted out of vaccinating their children for nonmedical reasons (Atwell, et al., 2010). This alarming fact is seen more as a trend, as seemingly more parents are choosing not to allow their children to be vaccinated, regardless of the risks to public health. As the authors of this study note, prior to a vaccination for pertussis in the 1940s, otherwise known as whooping cough, it was responsible for the highest mortality rates in this country (Atwell, et al., 2010).

A year prior to the 2010 study, a national poll conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that an overwhelming majority of American parent recognized the importance of vaccinations (Kennedy, Basket & Sheedy, 2011), yet a year later the evidence begins to point to the contrary. What now appears to be understood is that parents who now refuse childhood vaccinations obtain their information from the internet and social networking (Jones, Omer, Bednarczyk, Halsey, Moulton & Salmon, 2012). This is a stark departure from the past when health-related information was passed on through family physicians who, for most parents, were essentially sole-source authorities on the issue of vaccinations. What makes the current trend so alarming is that the information found on various websites or passed through social networking sites is that it is based either upon pseudo-science or non-scientific arguments that spread fear and trepidation (Jones, et al., 2012).

For example, internet websites based primarily in the United States assert that parents have an ethical and moral duty to avoid immunizing their children. However, they seldom if ever state the ethics or morality concerning the risk to public health and the fact that innocent lives are at risk (Kata, 2010). Another argument is equally as scurrilous, alleging that vaccines are responsible for life-threatening diseases such as HIV/AIDS, various cancers including leukemia, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). These internet and social media sources also claim that vaccines can lead to fibromyalgia, asthma and, perhaps most prevalent of all, autism. These claims persist, regardless of the scientific evidence. The case of “contracting” autism is a perfect example, where accusations have been lobbied against various vaccinations that prevent diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella. However, research has been consistent on this matter: no such association exists (DeStefano, Price & Weintraub, 2013).

In order to stem the threat to public health concerning this matter it is recommended that a two-pronged approach be taken. First, federal, state and local public health officials must develop comprehensive internet-based and social networking programs that will directly address the concerns of parents who would otherwise only rely on disinformation. Secondly, public health officials must also augment this effort by developing a media strategy that provides the public-at-large with comprehensive information pertaining to the science of vaccinations and immunology. It is believed that both efforts will play a significant role in reducing the numbers of parents who refuse providing their children with appropriate care in this matter.

Vaccinations custom essay help

Modern populations have significantly benefited from the trials that were experienced in previous generations. These benefits are such a part of the daily activities that it is common practice to overlook the impacts. Benefits such as technological advancements are, to some extent, considered as the evolutions are highly covered in the media and social circles. Medical advancements, however, are recognized in the immediacy but then the attention is moved to the next discovery. Among these medical advancements, vaccinations have significantly improved both the quality of life and life expectancy for populations around the globe. As the associated diseases have been nearly eradicated, populations have forgotten about the extent of losses that earlier generations have experienced. In other words, the magnitude of these advancements has been forgotten as the populations have not experienced the same extent of trials that were experienced before the discovery of the associated vaccinations.

Unfortunately, given the lack of realization about the horrors of these contagious diseases, the importance of vaccinations has also been lost to many populations. In 2013, the United States of America, one of the most developed nations in the world, felt the impact of this failure to adhere to the recommendations of vaccinations when New York experienced “the second highest incidence of U.S. measles cases since the disease was eliminated” (Skehan & Muller, 2014). Given the burden that this creates in terms of public health and safety, loss of productivity, and healthcare provisions, the response to the public’s decision to not vaccinated has been explored as a balancing act between governing and the right to decide (Gostin, 2015). For those who are vaccinated, the availability of on going boosters is then limited as the cost of healthcare increases meaning that the right to decide does not only affect those who do not receive the vaccination but also those who cannot afford continued protection. Fortunately, the 2013 measles outbreak was contained but changes to the regulations were not effective in preventing future outbreaks.

Currently, the state of New York is once again experiencing the tragedy of a measles outbreak with more than 250 cases since September 2018 (Miller, 2019). Having experienced such an outbreak in the past, the officials have had time to consider what went wrong and how to address the situation if or when it happened again. Taking into considerations the fears associated with vaccinations and the exemptions based on parental autonomy and religious affiliations, the government chose to not act unless there was an immediate public health emergency. At this point, such an emergency has been declared. Miller (2019) explains that New York Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot has determined that the public health emergency, which gives the office the right to take necessary steps to protect the health of the population, supports the decision to require vaccinations despite these causes for exemptions.

In order to enforce the requirement, the officials in New York have set into place specific instructions and consequences. For instance, “health officials will check the vaccination records of people who may have been in contact with infected patients. People who have not gotten the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine may be fined” (Miller, 2019). Furthermore, parents have been notified that they have 48 hours to get their children vaccinated which will be monitored through the city wide records. (Miller, 2019). While these regulations are in the best interest of the public health, this does not mean that the government has achieved the balance between protection of health and protection of rights in the minds of those who have claimed the exemptions. In fact, a lawsuit is being planned against the city by the large community of Orthodox Jews (Pager, 2019). The fear of the measles, the vaccinations, and the overreach of the government has set in motion the potential for an uprising across the city that may not be as easily eradicated as the disease that is working its way through the population.

Despite the potential for lawsuits and claims of violations of constitutional rights, the city of New York is acting in the best interest of the population. According to Pager (2019) the city is within its legal role due to the extent of the outbreak and is not concerned about any threats of lawsuits. Beyond the medical exemptions, there are varying regulations as to what immunizations must be taken and what constitutes a justified reason for an exemption. According to Gostin (2015) these regulations are determined by each state and not by the constitution. This means that states with less rigorous requirements have a higher population of vaccine skeptics and are at a much higher risk of an outbreak. By enforcing a strong requirement of vaccinations, the city is ensuring that those who choose to reside in New York can do so knowing that this will not be an ongoing public health issue. If I were in charge of the Public Health for the state of New York and neighboring New Jersey, I would recognize the density of the population and the potential for recurring outbreaks. Based on this awareness, I would eliminate the state exemptions that are not enforced by federal law for all members of the population (Gostin, 2015). While some residents may choose to live in other states because of this change, the public health would be secured through an increase in vaccinations.

In closing, the most effective way to change the way that people approach advancements is to not let the reason for the discoveries get lost in context. According to Pager (2019) the key is to educate the population about the realities of these diseases and the safety of the vaccinations. Watching a child die from a preventable disease should not be an option or a part of the equation of balance. However, the choice to do so has somehow been woven into the thread of American society. In order to remove this choice, it is necessary to make the alternative more acceptable.

Online Reviews Are Biased custom essay help

In the present article, the authors discuss issues associated with online reviews for products and companies. Although online reviews are commonly regarded as honest feedback from the customers prospective clients can rely on for making their decisions, it is only one half of the truth. The second half is that the vast majority of online reviews tend to represent only the polarized opinions about the product or company in question: they are either extremely good or very bad.

This happens not because all customer universally either love or hate what they get. This happened because people with moderate and “okay” experiences do not feel like writing a review for a product that was “just fine” is worth their time and effort. While it is easy to this impression (most people have experienced it themselves), it is worth thinking what this unwillingness to comment on the product one has purchased means for the reliability of online reviews most people are checking out before buying a product or joining a company. These reviews become not very representative and may prove quite costly both for the person making the decision and for the company.

In order to address this reluctance of people with moderate experiences with companies to still leave their comments and reviews, the authors of the present article offer two strategies that were empirically tested in the laboratory and in real life. For one, they suggest that offering a small financial reward serves as an effective incentive for people to go to the website and leave an honest review about their experience.

However, for this to be effective the reward has to be small but still significant enough to actually motivate people to act on it. Secondly, the authors indicate that social incentive stressing that reviewing the products will help other people decide on a product or a company is a powerful tool for convincing people to leave their honest reviews even if their experience was just average.

Different Groups Of Women Represented In The Handmaid’s Tale custom essay help

Women belong to a social class of their own defined by the gender differences between them and men. For a long time, women have faced oppression from men and the societal patriarchy that enables them, who are positioned as superior to women. The author of The Handmaid’s Tale highlights the oppression of women in a new dystopian society. The oppression is not subtle, as positions of power are not only intended for men but reserved for them. As for women, they are excluded from positions of power and their needs are dependent on being fulfilled by the men in charge who cannot begin to understand their personal struggles. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the lack of representation of females is hopefully not lost on the readers. The marginalization of women in this dystopian society poses significant threat to their lives, which are void of independence and liveliness.

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale represents the oppression of women in a society that upholds men higher than their female counterparts. The new regime demeans women, treating them as mere sexual objects to men and only a vehicle of life through childbirth and childrearing so that society can continue. This element of the story is a not to the public health fear of the United States government as birth rates dropped in the 1980s, likely due to the introduction of birth control and contraceptives into the public health sphere and the public consciousness. This fear is persistent today, as several news outlets have reported on research findings that birth rates hit a new low in 2016, as women in their thirties and forties are giving birth more than women in their twenties. In the story, its regime ranks women in different groups ranging from wives of commanders who get the highest form of recognition to the workers who should work under the influential people in the society. Those who break the rules are put to death, yet not instantaneously—some are sent to work with dangerous chemical elements, ensuring the slow breakdown of their bodies. The restriction means that women will not reach their fullest potential as most decisions made in the society are made by men who do not care about the welfare and development of the females. In addition, women have no choice than to obey rules set for them if they hope to live meaningful lives. This paper will focus on the marginalization of Marthas, the women who serve not as incubators for children like Handmaids, but as servants to wealthy and/or high-ranking families.

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale represents Marthas as people who cook and clean around the houses of commanders’ wives, who must obey the house rules. A Martha is a domestic servant that must possess skills such as cooking and cleaning in order to serve the people in the household. The name Marthas is likely a representation of Martha in the Bible, the sister of Mary of Bethany; Martha is the more practical and domesticated of the two. They are restricted to a life of duty, yet in juxtaposition to the Handmaids, their roles are less violent and oppressive as they are not relied upon for sustaining the population for centuries to come. The Marthas are infertile and low-class women and in the story, are typically ethnic minorities. The author intends to create a mental picture in the minds of readers that women are only supposed to do what would make the men happy, by being submissive and servile. However, since the Marthas are generally infertile, they take advantage of the opportunity to be a nanny if a Wife has one, as it is likely their only chance. Their needs were ignored since laws and regulations came from the men. It can be argued that that religion was a basis to make rules oppressing the women, which presents to readers that people in leadership use baseless arguments to take advantage of others who have no say. However, in religion, childrearing and childbirth is crucially important to the survival of a population, especially in Christianity and just as it is in The Handmaid’s Tale. The Marthas can be seen as both an antithesis and representation of that religious dogma, as they do not fulfill a woman’s “purpose” in childbirth but are servile and domestically obligated to both men and women, the latter of which is typically unexpected. At times, Marthas bring food to and for the Handmaids as well. The stripping away of the Marthas’ identity is comparable to the Handmaids, although the two groups are sometimes involved in conflict with each other. Both groups of women are destined to an unfulfilled life which, if they defy, their death is almost certain.

The author of The Handmaid’s Tale decides to highlight the silencing that women experience, which takes different, forms. For instance, men fail to give women a chance in the society to engage in other activities, other than being in the kitchen. In addition, when females do not get an opportunity to advance their education, it means that they lack representatives from among them who can spearhead for changes in the way the society treats women. Excluding women from making decisions also means that men will always make decisions that favor their preferences without considering the needs of women. For instance, women in the text are silent as the law forbids them from engaging in activities that can add value to their lives like reading for example.

In contrast, the Handmaids are ranked the second after the commanders’ wives. Their work revolves satisfying the needs of men in the society so that they can birth children to sustain the population and quell the fear of another era of frequent transmitted diseases among men, rendering them impotent. The Handmaids face a much more oppressive existence than the Marthas, as all fertile women are forced to become such. Like the Marthas, the concept of the Handmaids is biblical in its roots as well, originating from the story of Rachel and Jacob. Rachel, an infertile woman, suggested that Jacob impregnate the maid Bilhah to have a child for them to raise. Handmaids are delegated to domestic duties as well, but a reprieve comes when they are pregnant, making them the subject of envy, most likely of the Marthas who cannot stop working, nor can they have children. his means that handmaids were to prepare their bodies for the men, as and when needed. The relationship between the Marthas and the Handmaids is only slightly similar, as their responsibilities and duties can overlap, but the fundamental difference between hem are not only the physical ability to carry a child, but Marthas are essentially only housekeepers who are less likely to be subjected to their own objectification and unbridled use of their bodies. Marthas have a different kind of power and a significant degree of freedom and ability that the Handmaids do not.

Public Health and HIV/AIDS custom essay help

Throughout the world, people have been suffering for decades from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is a non-discriminatory virus, which affects every class, race, and sex, making this a global issue that should spark everyone’s interest. Although scientific medicine has focused a large amount of resources on the treatment, prevention, and cure of AIDS and HIV, it is still killing thousands of people worldwide every year.

The first case of AIDS in the United States was in 1981 (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2014). Yet, there are many people in today’s society that are unaware of the risks involved in contracting this life-threatening illness. It is contracted through the bodily exchange of fluids, so the two most prevalent contraction activities are sexual encounters and intravenous drug use.

In 2013, the United States had 1.2 million living with AIDS (HIV and AIDS in the United States of America, 2015). The number of people living with HIV has actually increased, however this is a positive statistic in the fight against AIDS because it means people are living longer with the virus. This is due to treatment options, which are becoming more readily available.

Famous individuals who have contracted HIV have helped to pioneer the war on HIV and AIDS. One famous individual is Magic Johnson, former NBA player. He is a perfect example that HIV does not discriminate, but he has used his fame and large donation capacity to help in the efforts for a cure.

Although the virus does not discriminate based on demographics, the United States has a much smaller infection rate than other parts of the world, especially Africa. Therefore, the virus has unintentionally discriminated somewhat because of social demographics. Civilized societies have more access to education, treatment, and less exposure to others who are infected. They also have the money for the treatment, which can be costly. “For wealthier people in industrialized countries, there is a better chance to afford the very expensive treatment that is available” (Stah, 2009).

In the United States, a struggle to administering HIV treatment is that people don’t know they have the virus. Often, if they expect they’ve put themselves at risk, they postpone treatment while they wait for symptoms. Six out of 10 young people infected in the United States don’t know they have it (Herzog, 2012). One strategy people are trying to use in the reduction of testing is to reduce the stigma surrounding the illness (Stangl, 2013). Education is also important. A surprising group of newly infected HIV patients emerged at nursing homes, where education was not considered necessary. Education has helped to stall what was becoming a rapidly growing AIDS population.

Those who have contracted HIV need to understand what activities put them at risk so they do not put others at risk. They also need to understand the importance of testing if they’ve been at risk because nobody is immune.

There are many strategies to drop the HIV contraction rate and to vaccinate, cure, or treat people threatened with AIDS. Current strategies have decreased the contraction rate, increased the quality of life of those who have contracted the virus, and the strategies have increased the life expectancy of those with HIV or AIDS. Most people now live healthy long lives if treated for HIV on time. The key to successful timely treatment is getting HIV access points of education out to the public. This reduces stigma, increases knowledge, and highlights the benefits of early detection.

The US president has also created an Emergency Plan for AIDS relief, which has had a positive effect on children and adults suffering from the illness. It is anticipated that these efforts would not only increase palliative care for the AIDS victims but also decrease the contraction of HIV from person to person. The emergency plan also provides emotional support to people living with AIDS or HIV and their families.

The United States is not the only nation helping with the fight against AIDS and HIV. Organizations around the world have joined the fight. The United Nations (UNAIDS) program on AIDS/HIV is a corporation formed to stimulate support, treatment, and prevention of HIV/AIDS around the world. The Non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation includes AIDS and HIV in its global health policy. In 2001, The Pan-Carribean Parnership against HIV/AIDS was formed (Summary of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, 2001). The list is long of world supporters of this endeavor.

Today, many people living with or at risk for HIV or AIDS don’t have the resources for cure, prevention, or treatment. Throughout the world, approximately 36.9 million people have HIV, and 22 million people aren’t aware of their treatment options. 1.8 of those are children (Summary of the Declaration, 2001).

In 2014, 15.8 million HIV positive people were treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Current studies are suggesting that these treatments should be started earlier, before the virus builds up replication momentum. ART not only treats HIV, but it also reduces the transmission rate of the virus (Temprano ANRS 12136 Study Group, 2015). Again, the challenge is having the resources to get treatment to the masses, especially in third world countries.

The fight against HIV and AIDs is current and worldwide, but it is also a concern that needs to be paid attention to on a local level. In 2015, Indiana’s governor declared a state of emergency because of the growing number of HIV cases caused by intravenous drug use (Strathdee & Beyre, 2015).

People will likely always engage in activities that put themselves at risk for contraction of the virus, but education and treatment will help to fight on end the war on HIV and AIDS.

Counselling Clients With HIV/AIDS custom essay help

One of the potential reactions of helping professionals to clients who have HIV/AIDS is stereotyping how the infection is acquired. This reaction can affect the perceptions of the helping professional about the relational and psychological impact of the disease while working with the client. For instance, the helping professional may not be in the best state of mind while attending to the client (Rohleder & Swartz, 2005). The helping professional could find it uneasy to work around the client and especially if he or she knows the client in person.

In a situation where the client is a relative or a close friend to the helping professional, the helping professional could find it challenging to maintain that closeness while working with the client because of potential questions regarding the manner in which the disease was contracted. In other words, the helping professional could assume that the disease was contracted through immorality or unwillingness of the client to adhere to the proposed safety measures such as using protection during sexual intercourse.

Another potential reaction of helping professionals to clients who have HIV/AIDS is the level of hope for the client to have a satisfying life. This reaction can impact the perceptions of the helping professional regarding the relational and psychological effects of the disease while working with the client. For example, the chances are that the helping professional will have doubts on whether the client will be able to accept that he or she has contracted the disease and move on (Perakyla & Peräkylä, 1995).

The helping professional could also lack the required mental balance to accept the fact that he or she has to convince the clients to change and adapt to a lifestyle that is suitable for their conditions. Additionally, the helping professional could find it difficult to convince the client about some of the things that he or she should do to maintain a good relationship with relatives and friends because they are important individuals who can help them have satisfying lives.

Domestic Maids in the UAE custom essay help

Introduction

In recent years, a large number of women have traveled from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka to work as domestic employees in the GCC countries. The trend of migrant domestic workers in the GCC countries has been facilitated by the economic boom in which the citizens enjoy free homes, education and other social and economic benefits thus enabling them to acquire domestic workers. In the UAE, domestic workers are seen as a status symbol based on the number of workers a household can be able to acquire and maintain. It is estimated that 150,000 Emirati families employ about 300,000 domestic workers, and the domestic workers represent 5% to 10% of the total population in UAE (Sönmez, Apostopoulos, Tran & Rentrope, 2013). In 2007, UAE issued the highest number of visas or domestic workers exceeding that issued by Saudi Arabia, a much bigger economy. However, the country has been forced to implement various changes in the labor regulations to cater for the domestic demand for low-skilled workers while catering for the interest of the workers (Chonghaile, 2014). This paper explores the escalating issue of immigrant domestic workers in UAE and GCC and the interferences of other states on local labor regulations in UAE.

Discussion

The trend of immigrant domestic workers in the UAE and other GCC countries is facilitated by the economic incentives of both the exporting and receiving countries, a system of employment agencies for recruiting workers on behalf of sponsors and poor economic conditions in the exporting countries that force people to seek employment abroad (Sönmez et al., 2013). Issues of human rights abuse and exploitation of domestic workers in the GCC countries have been known to the recruiting agencies and labor-sending countries for a long time, but recent incidences have attracted more attention to the problems experienced by domestic workers.

The UAE has a long history of discriminating and exploiting migrant employees through domestic policies on social welfare. In 1998, UAE started a program to test the entire population of communicable diseases including HIV/AIDs, Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis with one of the major aims being to deport all migrant workers who tested positive (Sönmez et al., 2013). In these exercises to test for communicable diseases, some immigrant workers were incarcerated as the government processed their deportation to countries of origin.

The current issues of exploitation of domestic workers in the UAE revolve around the use of Kafala sponsorship system. The Kafala system is an immigration worker policy that seeks to maintain the local values of Emiratization in which the locals are favored over immigrant workers (Malit & Youha, 2013). Basically, GCC countries do not allow a free labor market for immigrant workers where the workers can be able to negotiate their pay and choose the highest bidder. The Kafala system of sponsorship eliminates any form of competition among employers by restricting contract negotiations to the recruitment process in the countries of origin. The immigrant workers enter into a contract with the sponsoring employers before leaving their country of origin and on their arrival in the GCC countries, their passport and identification documents are taken by the employer. The employers are able to control the migrant domestic workers by withholding their documents and salary in arrears. Under the Kafala system, domestic workers are managed under the Ministry of Interior while other immigrant workers are under the authority of the Ministry of Labor in the UAE and as a result, domestic workers are exempted from the protection provided by labor laws (Malit & Youha, 2013).

The Kafala system was facilitated by the need by the government of UAE to protect the locals from competition with expatriate laborers (Malit & Youha, 2013). At the time of implementing the Kafala system, the local people in the UAE found it difficult to secure jobs in the growing private sector since they did not have the necessary skills. Most local people could only be accommodated in the public sector, and this meant that the growing private sector would be occupied by foreigners. The local labor policies were thus aimed at protecting the interest of UAE citizens by facilitating their employment in influential positions in the private sector.

The Kafala system has been blamed of facilitating human trafficking and forced labor for domestic workers in the UAE (Khan & Harroff-Tavel, 2011). The migrant workers rely on the employment agencies when entering into a contract with the sponsoring employers and thus have limited say in the terms of employment. Also, the Kafala system makes it possible for employers in the UAE to violate the rights of domestic workers within the requirements of the International Labor Organization and local laws. For instance, in the Kafala system domestic workers are not formally recognized as employees, the households where they work is not considered a working place and the sponsoring employers are only considered as private persons (Sönmez et al., 2013). This system means that both the workers and the employees are not covered by the 1980 UAE labor law or the 2007 draft labor law on employee protection. Despite the UAE and other GCC countries being members of the International Labor Organization, the Kafala system makes it possible to violate the of international labor laws (Human Rights Watch, 2011).

Human rights organization and scholars have described the Kafala system as a form of slavery as the immigrant domestic workers lose total control over their welfare after entering into a contract with the sponsoring employers (Sönmez et al., 2013). It is estimated that a large number of migrants lack formal documentation after abandoning their abusive employers without securing their passports and other identification papers that were confiscated after their arrival.

Expatriate labor-source countries have taken various steps to protect their nationals from forced labor and other exploitations in the GCC countries. In recent years, major sources of domestic workers including the Philippines and Indonesia have placed restrictions on their citizens with the aim of stopping the wave of immigration to the GCC countries. For instance, India placed restrictions barring women below 30 years from working as domestic workers in foreign countries (Sanar, 2015). The measures by individual countries and international condemnation have influenced UAE and other GCC countries to implement changes to their local policies in order to meet the demand for expatriate labor while sustaining the workforce requirements in households. The local regulations by the Philippines and other countries have led to a sharp decline in the number of available domestic workers in the UAE over the past few years. News reports from the GCC countries show that households are finding it more difficult to recruit domestic workers and in many cases families are forced to keep underperforming workers because of difficulties of finding their replacement (Sanar, 2015). In addition, the cost of hiring and maintaining migrant domestic workers has significantly increased thus forcing many families to live with unwanted employees.

The local initiatives to restrict the number of domestic workers traveling in the GCC countries were based on the view that employers are more likely to address the issues affecting their employees when the employees are short in supply and when the cost of replacing an employee is high (Staff, 2013). Basically, many families in the UAE depend heavily on domestic workers and thus the government is concerned about the local policies adopted by the labor-source countries (Chonghaile, 2014).

Over the past few years, the UAE government has reformed its labor laws in response to widespread condemnation of the Kafala system. The government started by reforming the policies that allowed confiscation of immigrant workers’ passports by the sponsoring employers and introduction of wage protection measures. UAE is a member of International Labor Organization, and the local laws do not allow the sponsoring employers to retain the passport of the immigrant domestic workers (Sönmez et al., 2013). However, many employers ignore these laws, and also there are various ways in which the sponsoring employers can avoid the formal system of acquiring immigrant domestic workers.

Although domestic workers are not covered by several major labor reforms in the UAE, there have been significant changes in the policies that require households to cater for the interests of the domestic workers. In 2012, the UAE Federal National Council approved a law that touched on the provision of paid vacation and sick leave for immigrant domestic workers (Malit & Youha, 2013). This legislation requires domestic employers to provide their employees with days off from their work and ensure their health welfare by providing a sick leave whenever necessary. In addition to this legislation, the UAE government amended a federal law in 2013 to help in safeguarding the rights of victims of human trafficking (Malit & Youha, 2013). The government has also been involved in awareness campaigns among those who are in positions that can be used to prevent human trafficking in the country.

The plight of immigrant domestic workers in the GCC countries has forced the government of these countries to enforce some policies on international labor cooperation and also enter into bilateral agreements with major sources of expatriate labor (Human Rights Watch, 2011). In 2007, the UAE established bilateral cooperation with the Philippine government on labor issues and this relationship formed the basis of standardized contract protection for Filipino workers (Malit & Youha, 2013). In 2008, the UAE actively participated in a regional discussion involving 11 countries on a framework for regulating labor migration. Other measures taken by the UAE and other GCC countries include occasional immigration restrictive measures targeting certain countries that export low skilled labor. In response to international condemnation of the treatment of domestic workers, the UAE announced a two-month amnesty program in 2012 in which illegal migrant workers were allowed to either formalize their status in the country or return to their countries of origin without any punishment (Malit & Youha, 2013).

Basically, the expatriate labor-source countries have had a lot of influence on the local labor regulations in the UAE and the GCC (Staff, 2013). These countries want the UAE to respect labor international labor laws despite the special interests by the GCC countries to protect their citizens from competition from expatriates (Khan & Harroff-Tavel, 2011). The influence of other countries on local labor policies in the UAE can be demonstrated by recent civil movements from certain countries that have the aim of protecting their citizens working in the UAE. For example, the Lawyers for Human Rights International, an NGO based in India, has been very active in advocating for laws to protect domestic workers in the UAE. The Philippines also has a number of civil society movements that create awareness about the plight of domestic workers in UAE and advocate for changes in labor laws (Malit & Youha, 2013).

Conclusion

The issues related to immigrant domestic workers in the UAE and other GCC countries have led to major changes in policies in labor regulations that tend to interfere with local regulations that are meant to safeguard the interest of these countries. The Kafala system in the UAE was established by the government to protect the interests of UAE nationals in the labor market, but the system has been condemned for facilitating human rights violations among the migrant domestic workers. It is clear that the UAE has been forced to change some of its local labor policies in order to accommodate the needs of domestic employers while at the same time adhering to the requirements of international labor standards. The major exporters of domestic workers to the GCC countries have stepped up their efforts in calling for local reforms on policies that are oppressive to immigrant workers. The impact of domestic workers on the local policies in the UAE and GCC can be demonstrated by various changes that have been adopted by the government of UAE on labor laws and bilateral labor agreement with the Philippines and other major sources of expatriate labor on low-skilled jobs.

Starbucks Vertical and Horizontal Analysis custom essay help

Starbucks Café is the industry leader in the coffeehouse industry with annual sales in 2017 of $22.38 billion. As of May 28, 2018, the price of Starbucks common stocks whose ticket symbol in the NYSE is Nasdaq was $57.92 (“Starbucks corporation”, 2018). The company has endured a long history of financial success and its common stocks are considered a blue-chip stock. Investors, managers, and other stakeholder groups often must utilize financial tools to evaluate the financial performance of a firm. Two quantitative techniques that can be used to evaluate the finances of a company based on its financial statements are vertical analysis and horizontal analyses. The purpose of this paper is to utilize both tools to assess the performance of Starbucks Café during fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

Horizontal Analysis

Horizontal analysis shows the increase or decrease of the accounts of the financial statements of a company from year to year. A horizontal analysis of Starbucks Café for 2016 and 2017 is illustrated in Appendix A and B. The revenues of the company in 2017 increased by 5.01% since the previous year. The increment in sales is a favorable sign. Starbucks obtained a net income in 2017 of $2.88 billion. Its net income increased by 2.38% in comparison with 2016.  The company could have achieved a higher increase in profitability if its cost of goods sold and operating expenses had not gone up in 2017 by 15.59% and 6.76% respectively. Starbucks obtained a superb interest income increment of 154.91% as its interest income went from $108 million in 2016 to $275.3 billion in 2017. Income taxes rose by 3.83%, but a growth is taxes was expected since the company reported to the IRS higher revenues. The EBIT of the organization increased by 2.83%.

The total assets of Starbucks in 2017 went up by a moderate 0.37%. However, the total liabilities went up by 5.37% which is a negative sign since higher debt increases the interest expense of an organization and reduces the credit capacity of a corporation. In 2017 the equity of the firm reduced by 7.36%. Cash is one of the most important assets a business possess since it is its most liquid asset and it is used both to pay for operating expenses and debt obligations (Ross, 2018). In 2017 the total cash of Starbucks Café was $2,462.3. The company’s cash account rose by 15.67% in 2017 which helped the company improve its liquidity.

Vertical Analysis

Vertical analysis is an analytic technique that compares the items in the income statement and balance sheet against sales and total assets. Appendix C and D shows a vertical analysis performed on the financial statements of Starbucks Café related to 2016 and 2017. The total liabilities of the company rose by 58.84% in relation to its assets in 2017, while the equity of the firm rose by 41.16%. The net income in relation to sales which reflects the net margin went by up in 2017 by 13.22. In comparison with the industry standard the net margin of Starbucks is 8.42% higher (“Key Business Ratios”, 2018). The vertical analysis demonstrated that the cost that the company must manage the most is cost of goods sold since it represents nearly 44% of its costs. To lower cost of goods, the company must find a way to replace some of the raw materials used to build its clothes with cheaper materials. In order to decrease operating costs the organization can outsourcing manufacturing contracts to countries with expertise in apparel such as India. The future of Starbucks Café is bright if the company continues to provide its customer a superb produce and a great drinking experience.

Appendix A: Income Statement Horizontal Analysis SBUX

Increase or decrease

2017
2016
Amount
Percent

Revenues
22383.8
21315.9
1067.9
5.01%

Cost of sales
9838.2
8511.1
1327.1
15.59%

Store operating expenses
6493.3
6064.3
429
7.07%

Other operating expenses
553.8
545.4
8.4
1.54%

Depreciation and amortization expense
1011.4
980.8
30.6
3.12%

General and administrative expense
1393.3
1360.6
32.7
2.40%

Restructuring and impairment
153.5
0
153.5

Total operating expenses
18643.5
17462.2
1181.3
6.76%

Income from equity investees
391.4
318.2
73.2
23.00%

Operating income
4134.7
4171.9
-37.2
-0.89%

Gain resulting from acquisition
0
0
0

Loss on extinguishment
0
0
0

Interest income
275.3
108
167.3
154.91%

Interest expense
-92.5
-81.3
-11.2
13.78%

Earnings before income taxes
4317.5
4198.6
118.9
2.83%

Income tax expense
1432.6
1379.7
52.9
3.83%

Net earnings including noncontrolling interest
2884.2
2818.9
65.3
2.32%

Net earnings attributed to noncontrolling interest
0.2
1.2
-1
-83.33%

Net earnings attributed to Starbucks
2884.7
2817.7
67
2.38%

Appendix B: Balance Sheet Horizontal Analysis SBUX

Assets

Increase or decrease

Current assets:
2017
2016
Amount
Percentage

Cash
2462.3
2128.8
333.5
15.67%

Short-term investments
228.6
134.4
94.2
70.09%

Account receivable
870.4
768.8
101.6
13.22%

Inventories
1364
1378.5
-14.5
-1.05%

Prepaid expenses
358.1
347.4
10.7
3.08%

Total current assets
5283.4
4757.9
525.5
11.04%

Long-term investment
542.3
1141.7
-599.4
-52.50%

Equity and cost investments
481.6
354.5
127.1
35.85%

Property, plant, and equipment
4919.5
4533.8
385.7
8.51%

Deferred income taxes
795.4
885.4
-90
-10.16%

Other long-term assets
362.8
403.3
-40.5
-10.04%

Other intangible assets
441.4
516.3
-74.9
-14.51%

Goodwill
1539.2
1719.6
-180.4
-10.49%

Total assets
14365.6
14312.5
53.1
0.37%

Liabilities and Equity

Current liabilities:

Account payable
782.5
730.6
51.9
7.10%

Accrued liabilities
1934.5
1999.1
-64.6
-3.23%

Insurance reserves
215.2
246
-30.8
-12.52%

Stored value and liability
1288.5
1171.2
117.3
10.02%

Current portion of long-term debt
0
399.9
-399.9
-100.00%

Total current liabilities
4220.7
4546.8
-326.1
-7.17%

Long-term debt
3932.6
3185.3
747.3
23.46%

Other long-term debt
755.3
689.7
65.6
9.51%

Total liabilities
8908.6
8421.8
486.8
5.78%

Shareholders’ Equity:

Common stock
1.4
1.5
-0.1
-6.67%

Additional paid-in capital
41.1
41.1
0
0.00%

Retained earnings
5563.2
5949.8
-386.6
-6.50%

Accumulated other comprehensive loss
-155.6
-108.4
-47.2
43.54%

Total shareholders’ equity
5450.1
5884
-433.9
-7.37%

Non-controlling interests
6.9
6.7
0.2
2.99%

Total equity
5457
5890.7
-433.7
-7.36%

Total Liabilities and Equity
14365.6
14312.5
53.1
0.37%

Income Statement Vertical Analysis SBUX

2017
% of Sales
2016
% of Sales

Revenues
22383.8
100.00%
21315.9
100.00%

Cost of sales
9838.2
43.95%
8511.1
39.93%

Store operating expenses
6493.3
29.01%
6064.3
28.45%

Other operating expenses
553.8
2.47%
545.4
2.56%

Depreciation and amortization expense
1011.4
4.52%
980.8
4.60%

General and administrative expense
1393.3
6.22%
1360.6
6.38%

Restructuring and impairment
153.5
0.69%
0
0.00%

Total operating expenses
18643.5
83.29%
17462.2
81.92%

Income from equity investees
391.4
1.75%
318.2
1.49%

Operating income
4134.7
18.47%
4171.9
19.57%

Gain resulting from acquisition
0
0.00%
0
0.00%

Loss on extinguishment
0
0.00%
0
0.00%

Interest income
275.3
1.23%
108
0.51%

Interest expense
-92.5
-0.41%
-81.3
-0.38%

Earnings before income taxes
4317.5
19.29%
4198.6
19.70%

Income tax expense
1432.6
6.40%
1379.7
6.47%

Net earnings including noncontrolling interest
2884.2
12.89%
2818.9
13.22%

Net earnings attributed to noncontrolling interest
0.2
0.00%
1.2
0.01%

Net earnings attributed to Starbucks
2884.7
12.89%
2817.7
13.22%

Balance Sheet Vertical Analysis SBUX

Assets

Current assets:
2017
% of Assets
2016
% of Assets

Cash
2462.3
17.14%
2128.8
14.87%

Short-term investments
228.6
1.59%
134.4
0.94%

Account receivable
870.4
6.06%
768.8
5.37%

Inventories
1364
9.49%
1378.5
9.63%

Prepaid expenses
358.1
2.49%
347.4
2.43%

Total current assets
5283.4
36.78%
4757.9
33.24%

Long-term investment
542.3
3.77%
1141.7
7.98%

Equity and cost investments
481.6
3.35%
354.5
2.48%

Property, plant, and equipment
4919.5
34.25%
4533.8
31.68%

Deferred income taxes
795.4
5.54%
885.4
6.19%

Other long-term assets
362.8
2.53%
403.3
2.82%

Other intangible assets
441.4
3.07%
516.3
3.61%

Goodwill
1539.2
10.71%
1719.6
12.01%

Total assets
14365.6
100.00%
14312.5
100.00%

Liabilities and Equity

Current liabilities:

Account payable
782.5
5.45%
730.6
5.10%

Accrued liabilities
1934.5
13.47%
1999.1
13.97%

Insurance reserves
215.2
1.50%
246
1.72%

Stored value and liability
1288.5
8.97%
1171.2
8.18%

Current portion of long-term debt
0
0.00%
399.9
2.79%

Total current liabilities
4220.7
29.38%
4546.8
31.77%

Long-term debt
3932.6
27.38%
3185.3
22.26%

Other long-term debt
755.3
5.26%
689.7
4.82%

Total liabilities
8908.6
62.01%
8421.8
58.84%

Shareholders’ Equity:

Common stock
1.4
0.01%
1.5
0.01%

Additional paid-in capital
41.1
0.29%
41.1
0.29%

Retained earnings
5563.2
38.73%
5949.8
41.57%

Accumulated other comprehensive loss
-155.6
-1.08%
-108.4
-0.76%

Total shareholders’ equity
5450.1
37.94%
5884
41.11%

Non-controlling interests
6.9
0.05%
6.7
0.05%

Total equity
5457
37.99%
5890.7
41.16%

Total Liabilities and Equity
14365.6
100.00%
14312.5
100.00%

References
Key Business Ratios (2018). Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved from http://www.dnb.com
Ross, S. (2018). What items in the balance sheet are most important in fundamental analysis? Investopedia. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/050615/what-items-balance-sheet-are-most-important-fundamental-analysis.asp
Starbucks Café (SBUX). (2018). Yahoo. Retrieved from https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SBUX?p=SBUX