Compare of Public and Private Sector Bank - 4588 Words

A PROJECT ON COMPARISION OF PUBLIC BANKS AND PRIVATE BANKS WITH CAMEL METHODOLOGY SUMBITTED TO:- Prof. AMIT BHATTACHARYA SUBMITTED BY:- NIKITA DESAI. FARNAZ KAZI. MITTAL LAD. BHAVISHA MISTRY. VARSHA NANDA. RITA PATIL Abstract What are the trends observed in the performance of Public Sector and Private Sector Banks? How do they perform when compared across the critical component of Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Management Efficiency, Earning Quality, Liquidity and Sensitivity to Market? A modest effort to compare public and private sector banks on the basis of six such crucial components OBJECTIVES OF STUDY âž ¢ To do an in-depth analysis of the model. âž ¢ To analyze 6 banks to get the desired results by using CAMELS as a tool of†¦show more content†¦The two important challenges for public sector banks are: †¢ To maintain profitability in spite of government norms and regulations, as to maintain their PLR. †¢ Put in place appropriate technology of excellent standards that will make them be seen more as virtual banks rather than brick and mortar. Private Sector Banks There are two types of private sector banks, the old and the new. As far as the old (mostly regional banks) are concerned, inadequacy of capital will lead to their mergers sooner rather than later. Private sector banks have good technology for handling transactions and also offer attractive products, but it cannot be said that corporate governance and risk management are far superior to that of the Public Sector Banks. Some of the most important challenges for private sector banks are: †¢ Consolidation and Convergence: RBI may be inclined to approve the merger. The regulator, which has been insisting on promoters of smaller banks to lower their holdings, would possibly prefer such mergers. Centurion Bank of Punjab needs the additional business to compensate for its relatively higher cost structures. It can cross-sell its banking products through the LKB network, including traditional banking products and fee-based services like wealth management products, to affluent NRI customers. †¢ Priority sector credit: Generally, private sector banks lend money to individuals and corporate sector whereasShow MoreRelatedANALYSIS OF NON PERFORMING ASSETS IN BANKS600 Words   |  3 PagesResearch †¢ This project â€Å"ANALYSIS OF NON PERFORMING ASSETS IN BANKS† is considered as an exploratory research. Exploratory research is basically a secondary research that started with a search for articles, research papers and books that explained the basics of the topic. †¢ In this project I have used secondary data by studying various articles, magazines, research papers and books that explain the basis of the topic. †¢ I have visited a bank where I had an informal discussion with the employees andRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : A Comparative Study Of Sbi And Icici Essay1611 Words   |  7 PagesEmail – 2007ankitapatel@gmail.com Abstract: At present Banking sector plays a significant role in the development of the nation, not only as a pillar of the financial system of the nation but also by contributing toward the society. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes the integral part of the corporate strategy. This paper considers the data of one Public Sector Bank – State Bank of India (SBI) and one Private Sector Bank - Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI)Read MoreThe Basic Sources Of Income Of A Bank1427 Words   |  6 Pages3. Interest Income to Total Income: Interest income is a basic source of revenue for banks. The interest income total income indicates the ability of the bank in generating income from its lending. In other words, this ratio measures the income from lending operations as a percentage of the total income generated by the bank in a year. Interest income includes income on advances, interest on deposits with the RBI, and dividend income. Interest Income/ Total Income 4. Other Income to Total Income:Read MoreThe Reliability of Five Different Sources of Reward Intelligence654 Words   |  3 Pagescreate desired business performance and results. There are many sources of reward management data that HR practitioners can take advantage of like surveys, pay clubs, consultants, recruitment agencies, job advertisements, market intelligence, and sector analyses. In addition to there are example of sources like Incomes Data Service (IDS), xpert HR, Labour Research Department (LRD) and Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The CIPD, for instance, produces an annual reward managementRead MoreThe Egyptian Corporate Responsibility Center1246 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to ECRC, corporate social responsibility in Egypt is defined as the adoption of sustainable business models and practices that have positive impacts on the society. The private sector in Egypt is responsible for creating about 70% of all employment in the country. However, there is room for the private sector to improve its social offerings to the society in general through corporate social responsibility. The Egyptian corporate responsibility center (ECRC) was established in the yearRead MoreThe German Health Care System949 Words   |  4 Pagesthere are three providers of health service are: public hospitals, non-profit hospitals (run by the German Red Cross) and private hospitals. All people should have health insurance. That means insurance is obligatory matter and it plays a major role in the structure of Germany health system. T here are two main types of health insurance in Germany. The first type is Compulsory Insurance (also know as Public Insurance or SHI). The second type is Private Insurance (also know as PHI). The situation ofRead MoreHealth Is Man s Natural Condition, His Birth Right Essay1616 Words   |  7 Pagestreatment, a la â€Å"................scarce means, which have alternate use† (Robbins). This, however, is debatable because many believe that poverty is the basic cause of ill-health. This leads one to wonder whether public spending on poverty alleviation programmes can be an alternate to public spending on health. However, the various poverty alleviation programmes in the past have not led to any significant change in the poverty status of the people in India, which has been seen at around 37% as per theRead MoreA Report On State Bank Of India955 Words   |  4 Pagestheir accounts in State Bank of India. This is because everyone has the stereotype that State Bank of India is the best amongst all the banks. †¢ The younger generation people are comfortable in banking with the privatized banks while the elder generation seems to be comfortable with the nationalized banks. †¢ Now a days, it is found that customers are willing to have their accounts in multiple banks rather than having it in one bank. †¢ When asked about the people about which sector they would prefer bankingRead MoreComparative Study On Efficiency Of Public And Private Sector Banks Essay2400 Words   |  10 PagesEfficiency of Public and Private Sector banks in Peshawar: A Case Study of ABL and NBP Abstract This paper investigates the efficiency of public and private sector banks in Peshawar. For this purpose, we have taken the secondary data from income statement, balance sheet and other financial reports of banks for the year for the year 2010, 2011 and 2012.We have used ratio analysis technique on financial statements of the two banks to find out the efficiency that which sector banks is more efficientRead MoreEu Countries And Gcc Countries1721 Words   |  7 Pageslonger need to use foreign currency hedging and other financial instruments to hedge against foreign exchange risk, in addition to save the commission charges. Furthermore, there are no such tedious payment procedures in exchanging currencies through banks or other financial institutions, and the loss in trading forex is no longer exist, thus common currency greatly reduces the opportunity cost of the transaction if a country has high openness level. The level of economic openness in European countries

Personal and Team Effectiveness Free Essays

Personal and Team Effectiveness Introduction: In every organization particularly in the Health and Social Care Industry which involves individual employees and the entire workforce to where they are the company’s backbone of its existence it all rely on the importance of personal and team effectiveness to achieve the organization’s mission statement and service to their customers. In the influence of the management and organisational factors on the effectiveness of the people involved in the care particularly through developing their ability to work effectively in teams and developing their knowledge and skills so that they can contribute to the delivery of a quality service. All organizations require their people, at times, to work in groups. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal and Team Effectiveness or any similar topic only for you Order Now The most successful organizations find ways to realize the full potential and capability of groups. They understand the important contribution that groups can make effective groups usually outperform individuals. Organizations are comfortable establishing, empowering and promoting the participation of people in groups, value change and adaptation as key to improving productivity, quality and customer service and are constantly looking for creative ways to use groups to drive performance improvements. In looking at strategies for personal and professional development which refine behaviours, improve capability and give individuals the confidence and competence to excel not only for themselves but as part of the entire Health Care team as shown in high-performing organizations, the most successful groups function as â€Å"teams†. Teams flourish in organizations which create a climate where people want to work together giving their best efforts. Definition: Personal effectiveness is a branch of the self help movement dealing with success, goals, and related concepts. Personal effectiveness integrates some ideas from â€Å"the power of positive thinking† and Positive Psychology but in general it is distinct from the New Thought Movement. Team effectiveness refers to the system of getting people in a company or institution to work together effectively. The idea behind team effectiveness is that a group of people working together can achieve much more than if the individuals of the team were working on their own. Content: According to Carl Jung’s premise that all change and development starts from within and its principle underpins to the approach and it all start with personal effectiveness. The middle and senior managers in Health and Social Care should develop their skills and competencies in leading and managing the team. It is where the management of each organization would find how to enlighten and have each of them to explore and examining the facets that each of the employees are unique and valuable individual in the organization for the better good of the entire workforce. By exploring the preferences of others to understand why they behave as they do particularly and inspire those that are into the team and show them how to adapt and collaborate for improved interactions. The team leader and managers should see through it that the individuals and the entire team should focus on the implications and evaluating the by using management for the people for improving the organizational performance. In every individual, each has their own personality, style and personal interactions for effectively doing the job. By achieving this personal development and individual effectiveness comes with training, career development, staff development plans and the management will implement the development programs by in-house training, using supervision and appraisal, external courses, action-centred learning, lifelong learning, coaching and mentoring, assessing competence. The monitoring performance of individuals through observation, appraisal, periodic review, and achievement of successful outcomes as well as the use of targets, benchmarks, feedback from others is one key factor in measuring personal effectiveness. By Identifying individual training and evelopment needs: monitoring of performance, career development planning, changing personal circumstances. Strategies for promoting continuous development: achieving competence, training versus education, partnerships, staff development plans, compliance with external requirements, dedicated allocation of resources, use of external kite marks for exampl e Investors in People. In assessing the individual effectiveness is by describing different ways in which the performance of individuals working in health and social care may be monitored and by describing how individual training and development needs may be identified. Analyse different strategies for promoting the continuing development of individuals in the health and social care workplace. The effective staff development programme may be implemented and evaluate the effectiveness of a specific staff development programme with which the management is familiar. Team effectiveness is determined by several factors: †¢ The right mix of skills. Team effectiveness depends in part on bringing together people who have different skills that somehow complement each other. This can mean different technical abilities or communication skills. In fact, teaming up people who share the exact same characteristics is often a recipe for disaster. Team effectiveness depends on people taking on different roles in a group setting. If there is no agreement on who does what in the group, it is unlikely that the team will prosper. †¢ The right motivation. Team effectiveness is directly linked to the interest that the group has on the project. If the job is too easy or too difficult, or if the rewards for achieving the end result do not seem worth the effort, the team may end up working half-heartedly in the project. The task should also have a clear outcome. Working towards a specific goal enhances team effectiveness significantly. †¢ The ability to solve conflicts without compromising the quality of the project. Team work has one major downfall. Sometimes groups end up making decisions they know are not in the best interest of the project, just so they can keep the process moving. Conflict is innate to any work done in groups, and should be taken as part of the challenge rather than as something to be avoided by compromising. Team effectiveness should be increased, not compromised, through conflict. The model of team development as developed by Bruce Tuckman that teams evolve through four main stages. †¢ Forming is when the members are first brought together. It is a period of exploration, testing and orientation. †¢ Storming is a difficult but inevitable stage, where members may compete and conflict. †¢ Norming is the stage where the team starts to pull together, and noticeable progress begins to be made. †¢ Performing is characterized by a high level of task focus, and the team producing consistent and excellent results. Discussion: It is important as well for a team leader to create a climate in which people can develop and contribute to their full potential. The climate must be one of cooperation, commitment, and team focus. A good leader must also be a good coach. Different members are used as resource leaders because of their knowledge or experience. The focus is on how to get the job done, not on who controls the team. Team members are empowered to do the job they must do. Everyone is involved in the functioning of the team. In light of the discussion, the following points summarize the conditions required to create an effective team environment, each of these factors is important, and they are also highly interdependent. All of these factors are critical to achieving an effective and high performing team. Leaders can help create these conditions through the following behaviours. 1. Trust, Respect and Support †¢ Encourage and protect team member diversity in views, backgrounds, and experiences. †¢ Inspire teamwork and mutual support through example. Keep your commitments and expect the same from all team members. 2. Commitment to the Team †¢ Support and positively represent the team to senior management, peers and other employees. †¢ Ensure that individual member and team accomplishments are recognized and celebrated appropriately 3. Shared Vision †¢ Clarify the tasks to be accomplished. †¢ Establish and communicate a vision about what the members can achieve as a team. â₠¬ ¢ Encourage team members to participate in creating their vision of what the team can accomplish. 4. Open and Honest Communications Communicate fully and openly; welcome questions; avoid the â€Å"need to know† limitations. †¢ When seeking solutions, encourage members to suspend assumptions, reflect on their own thoughts and feelings, clearly voice these, inquire about and listen to opinions of others, and be less reactive. 5. Empowerment and Involvement of all Members †¢ Encourage members to participate. †¢ Make it easy for others to see opportunities to work together. †¢ Clarify that problem-solving is a responsibility of all team members. †¢ Mediate conflicts before they become destructive. 6. A Learning Environment †¢ Guide team members to determine where they actually are relative to their goals, and to clarify why the gaps exist and how to bridge them. †¢ Surface and treat conflicts as learning situations. Peter Senge, in his book â€Å"The Fifth Discipline† says, â€Å"One of the most reliable indicators of a team that is continually learning is the visible conflict of ideas. In great teams, conflict becomes productive. Conclusion: In every Health and Social Care organization they must be People Investors to which people or the staffs are a company’s most valuable resource. Human beings have unlimited potential to grow, develop and learn and in that sense constant training and improvement of personal and team development is needed for the organization to be successful and create a greater impact to the service user and the people involved in the care and service. The leader’s role is to help each team member achieve his or her potential and they act as coach which provide more structure, guidance and direction as well as to clarify tasks, goals, management’s expectations, and the way their performance and contributions will be measured. Teams need to be constantly developed for creating an effective approach on how things should be done for the better service to the clients. Members of the team generally have a broader range and depth of skills and experiences. With encouragement and support from the leader and other team members, individual members can enhance their technical, functional, problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal and teamwork skills by taking some risks and facing some new challenges. Everyone is capable of making decisions that affect them, provided they are given the appropriate information and training. People do not resist changes they have been involved in making for the benefit of the entire team and the effectively managing the entire conflict which will be turned in to an advantage in solving the problem. Gaining true employee involvement is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort it always develop each personal and team effectiveness, If a change is affecting the team, the leader must be a role model of the â€Å"new† way. The leader must be able to â€Å"let go† in order to empower people. The leader must train and coach people first so they will be ready and able to succeed. The leader realizes mistakes are unavoidable, and helps people learn from them. A key factor which differentiates teams from work groups involves the interdependence of people. As Stephen Covey points out in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, â€Å"Interdependence opens up worlds of possibilities for deep, rich, meaningful associations, for geometrically increased productivity, for serving, for contributing, for learning, for growing. Reference: Tuckman, Bruce W. â€Å"Developmental Sequence In Small Groups†. Psychological Bulletin 63, 1965, pp. 382-399 http://gtwebmarque. com/wikis/gtwm/index. php/The_Fifth_Discipline http://www. skillsforcare. org. uk/workforce_strategy/workforce_strategy. aspx http://www. insights. com/LearningSolutions/Expertise/IndividualEffectiveness. aspx http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Team_building http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Personal_effectiveness http:// www. wisegeek. com/what-is-team-effectiveness. htm How to cite Personal and Team Effectiveness, Papers

The Disadvantages of Homeschooling vs Traditional Educations Essay Example For Students

The Disadvantages of Homeschooling vs Traditional Educations Essay Would you still homeschools your children after realizing the disadvantages of homeschooling? Homeschooling is an option of developing education at home rather than at schools where teachers give the lecture and take tests in order to be informed of the progress of the students. As Lisa Rivero, a professor of English literature at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, states, in her book The Homeschooling Option, homeschooling in the United States â€Å"as a modern movement began in the 1960s† (Rivero27). This is, after the concept of homeschooling spreads around the community, parents have a choice of either homeschooling or public schooling their children. However, the most common question that bothers many parents is the doubt of which one to choose. Homeschooling can cause the children to stay behind of their age group people; however, now days, many of the children care less about developing their education and concentrate more on their life and hobbies. In addition, homeschooling would waste time and money from the parents. Laura Saba, a former public school teacher who homeschooled her children, and Julie Gattis, a registered nurse and occasional lecturer who has seven years of homeschooling experience, in their book The McGraw- Hill Homeschooling Companion, declare public schools are free of charge for children and â€Å"Children can spend their day getting educated while parents are out earning a living† (1). Even though many parents prefer to homeschool their children, homeschooling would be harmful for both parents and children because children would have social and educational problems, which are the elements of â€Å"Dual-trust Education,† and parents would have the shortage of time and money.One of the reasons that homeschooling. .enga, Patrick. The Beginners Guide to Homeschooling. Cambridge, MA: Holt Associates/GWS, 2000. Print. Homeschooling Benefits. The Nelson Mail: 11. Jul 20 2012. The Advocate (Stamford); Baltimore Sun; Business Dateline; Greenwich Time; Hartford Courant; Los Angeles Times; Morning Call; Newsday; Orlando Sentinel; ProQuest Newsstand; Sun Sentinel. Web. 15 Nov. 2012 .Lee, Steven W. Encyclopedia of School Psychology. Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 10Nov. 2012.Pros and Cons of Homeschooling. Pros and Cons of Homeschooling. N.p. , n.d. Web. 10Nov. 2012.Rivero, Lisa. The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When Its Right for Your Family. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print.Saba, Laura, and Julie Gattis. The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. Print.Tabor, Matthew. Education News. Education News. N.p. , n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012.

Scotland Essays - Norwegian Empire, Council Areas Of Scotland

Scotland The Land Scotland is part of the United Kingdom on the British Isles. It makes up one-third, or 32% of the island. It is bordered on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean, while the North Sea is to the east of the country. England makes up the southeastern border. The Irish Sea is directly south of Scotland. The total area of the country is a little more than 30,400 square miles. Scotland has a positive-relative location, and is a developed country. There are over 800 islands that are part of the nation, although there are only 186 islands that are inhabited. The majority of Scotland's islands lay on its west coast. They are divided into two groups: the Inner Hebrides, and the Outer Hebrides. The greatest length of Scotland is about 287 miles on the mainland; including the Orkney and Shetland islands to the north would stretch the length to 450 miles. The widest stretch of land is about 150 miles, and the skinniest width goes down to 24 miles. Scotland is divided into three regions: the Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Southern Uplands. More than half of Scotland is the Highlands, which is the most rugged region of all of the British Isles. The Highlands contains the highest point in the British Isles: Ben Nevis, part of the Grampian Mountains. The mountain stretches 4,406 feet up. It is a common ambition of climbers to ascend these [Grampian] hills (Horn, 1998). Between the hills are narrow valleys known as glens. Below the Highlands is the Central Lowlands. Contradicting its name, the Lowlands consists of a continuous line of hills. The highest point in this region is Ben Cleuch, reaching up 2,363 feet. The southernmost region of Scotland is the Southern Uplands. Similar to the Highlands, this region is very mountainous; however, the hills are less elevated and less rugged. The hills are more rounded and tend to be grassy. The valleys in this region are a lot wider and less rugged than in the Highlands. The highest summit in the Central Lowlands is Mount Merrick-2,764 feet. Scotland is said to be a country of striking beauty (Horn, 1998). This nation has many deep glacial lakes that are known locally as lochs. The largest lake in all of Britain is Loch Lomond, about 28 square miles. A famous loch is the Loch Ness, which has been the subject of a centuries-old controversy over an alleged monster in its depths (Horn, 1998). There are also numerous inlets of rivers known as firths. Large rivers enter the sea as firths; they are named for the rivers, such as the Clyde River into the Clyde Firth. The major rivers of Scotland, although not used for navigation (besides the Clyde River) include the Tay River, which is the longest in Scotland, the Clyde, Forth, Tweed, Dee, and the Spey River. The Scottish climate is similar to the rest of the countries in Great Britain. The average temperatures are as follows: January ranges from 37-39?F, depending on the area, and July averages between 57-59?F-again depending on the area of the country (Scotland.net, 2000). Typically, the west is warmer than the east in winter months, but temperatures are more equal during the summer. The west also receives the most rainfall-more than 150 inches annually (Horn, 1998). Often the best weather is found in May and September. These are also the months that the northwest of Scotland is relatively midge free (Scotland.com, 2000). The most common species of trees indigenous to Scotland are oak and conifers-chiefly fir, pine, and larch (Encarta, 1999). There are not many woodland areas in Scotland; the only important forests are in the southern and eastern Highlands. Practically all of the cultivated plants of Scotland were imported from America and the European continent (Encarta, 1999). The largest population of a native mammal to Scotland is the deer. The most common type is the red deer, found in the Highlands, but the roe deer are also found. Other native mammals include the hare, rabbit, otter, ermine, pine marten, and wildcat. Popular game birds are the grouse, blackcock, ptarmigan, and waterfowl. Scotland is famous for its abundant supply of salmon and trout in streams and

Sample Essay About Polination Based Health Care

Sample Essay About Polination Based Health CareFinding a sample essay about Polulation based health care is not difficult at all. In fact, there are hundreds of sites on the internet that can provide you with information regarding what companies are involved in this field and why they are better. In this article, we will give you some tips that will help you find a good sample essay about Poliation based health care.Polination is one of the largest medical consulting companies in the world. It is an all-inclusive company that is dedicated to helping patients obtain quality and complete care. It has an extensive network of doctors and other specialists. It offers several services to its clients.One of the services that it offers is a comprehensive service to its clients called Medical Service Provider. This is a service that helps patients get licensed and also to get some documentation that they need to be legal so that they can practice in the United States.The company Polination is a healthcare staffing company. It has several clinics in North America and there are many people who join the company in order to find a job in the field. If you have recently graduated from a hospital, or if you are a professional who has recently moved to a new place, this is the best company for you. The best way to find out if this is the right company for you is to look for samples on the internet.This company is not only offering the service of medical healthcare, but they also offer several other services to their clients. These include travel planning, moving assistance, child care, billing, and many more. Polination has also some special services for minorities.With all these special services that they offer, finding a sample essay about Polination based health care should not be difficult. However, you need to have some information about the company in order to find the best place for you. You will not just find any sample. The best company will provide you with a detaile d and accurate explanation of the service.Medical personnel are the backbone of a healthcare facility. In addition to providing medical treatments, it is the responsibility of these medical personnel to provide quality care. Having the right knowledge about medical staffing services will benefit you as well as your patients.

Medical-Related Communication Technology Essays

Medical-Related Communication Technology Essays Medical-Related Communication Technology Paper Medical-Related Communication Technology Paper 2001; Stuart et al. , 2003). These systems have also been used in teaching students and checking for their mastery and understanding of the course topic (Fung Kee Fung et al. , 2003). Such technology is currently being evaluated for application to the pharmaceutical care laboratory setting, by providing an interactive teaching tool that may also assess the learning outcome in students (Hussein and Kawahara, 2006). VoiceTextTM is a powerful software created by Neospeech. com that provides a method in generating voice output from any inputted text. This software employs voices that have a natural sound, making communication in a much friendlier interaction with another individual. The software may be configured for application in different types of devices, including desktop and network settings, as well as in different languages such as English, Korean, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. VoiceTextTM is equipped with a number of features that facilitates communication of a speech-restricted patient or individual. It is supplied with features that employs natural sounds and clear pronunciation, so that the speech is very understandable. The software is also supplied with a comprehensive dictionary that provides thousands of words as well as pronunciations at its default setting. Interestingly, the software has controls features that allow the user to control the pitch and volume of the voice output, as well as regulate the speed and pauses of the speech. In addition, the user has the ability to customize the settings for dates, times and abbreviations associated with addresses and mixed languages. The software is very powerful because it provides access to its network from a distance through an internet connection, and also allows delivery of data to the user’s PDA and email. This high quality program is also equipped with the ability to use English as a second language, with a maximum of three languages that may be used at one time. The software also allows customized features such as news reading, driving directions and book or document reading. The renowned scientist/physicist, Dr. Stephen Hawking, is one of the latest users of the VoiceTextTM technology. Dr. Hawking suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a degenerative motor neuron illness that restricts his physical movements yet retains his intellectual capacity. The only parts of his body that are still capable of moving are his two fingers on his right hand, and he is unable to speak. The text-to-speech technology is a prime assistive technology that facilitates Dr. Hawking in communicating with the rest of the world. He is typically seen in public with a computer screen mounted on the arm of his wheel chair, of which runs his TTS software. The software enables him to press a switch in his hand to create words and sentences at his own command. Once he has built up a sentence, he sends it to the VoiceTextTM system, which converts his inputted text into speech. This technology has helped Dr. Hawking in continuing his life as a scientist/physicist, including writing scientific books and research papers, and giving lectures. The development of the IVR-TTS system has tremendously facilitated communication among speech-restricted individuals and patients. Seeing the interactive nature of the human being, this medical-related technological innovation may provides special kinds of individuals to continue on with their lives, regardless of speech and motor impairment. References Fung Kee Fung K, Fung Kee Fung M, Bordage G and Norman G (2003): Interactive voice response to assess residents’ laparoscopic skills: An instrument validation study. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 189:674-8. Hussein G and Kawahara N (2006): Innovations in teaching: Adaptive and longitudinal pharmaceutical care instruction using an interactive voice response/text-to-speech system. Am. J. Pharm. Educ. 70(2):1-8. Mundt JC, Ferber KL, Rizzo M and Greist JH (2001): Computer-automated dementia screening using a touch-tone telephone. Arch. Intern. Med. 61:2481-7. Stuart GW, Laraia MT, Ornstein SM and Nietert PJ (2003): An interactive voice response system to enhance antidepressant medication compliance. Top. Health. Info. Manage. 24:15-20.

Cold War Timeline

Cold War Timeline The Cold War was fought in the aftermath of World War Two, from the collapse of the wartime alliance between the Anglo-American led Allies and the USSR to the collapse of the USSR itself, with the most common dates for these identified as 1945 to 1991. Of course, like most historical events, the seeds from which the war grew were planted much earlier, and this timeline starts with the creation of the world’s first Soviet nation in 1917. Pre-World War Two 1917   October: Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. 1918-1920   Unsuccessful Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War. 1919   March 15: Lenin creates the Communist International (Comintern) to promote international revolution. 1922   December 30: Creation of the USSR. 1933   United States begins diplomatic relations with USSR for the first time. World War Two 1939   August 23: Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact (‘Non-Aggression Pact): Germany and Russia agree to divide Poland.   September: Germany and Russia invade Poland. 1940   June 15 – 16: USSR occupies Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania citing security concerns. 1941   June 22: Operation Barbarossa begins: the German invasion of Russia.   November: US begins lend-lease to USSR.   December 7: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor causing the US to enter the war.   December 15 – 18: Diplomatic mission to Russia reveals Stalin hopes to recover gains made in the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. 1942   December 12: Soviet-Czech alliance agreed; Czechs agree to co-operate with the USSR after the war. 1943   February 1: Siege of Stalingrad by Germany ends with Soviet victory.   April 27: USSR breaks off relations with Polish government-in-exile over arguments about the Katyn Massacre.   May 15: Comintern is closed to appease Soviet allies.   July: Battle of Kursk ends with Soviet victory, arguably the turning point of the war in Europe.   November 28 – December 1: Tehran Conference: Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill meet. 1944   June 6: D-Day: Allied forces land successfully in France, opening a second front which liberates Western Europe before Russia needs to.   July 21: Having ‘liberated’ east Poland, Russia sets up the Committee of National Liberation in Lublin to govern it.   August 1 – October 2: Warsaw Uprising; Polish rebels attempt to overthrow Nazi rule in Warsaw; Red Army sits back and allows it to be crushed to destroy the rebels.   August 23: Romania signs armistice with Russia following their invasion; a coalition government is formed.   September 9: Communist coup in Bulgaria.   October 9 - 18: Moscow Conference. Churchill and Stalin agree percentage ‘spheres of influence’ in Eastern Europe.   December 3: Conflict between British and pro-Communist Greek forces in Greece. 1945   January 1: USSR ‘recognises’ their communist puppet government in Poland as the provisional government; US and UK refuse to do so, preferring the exiles in London.   February 4-12: Yalta summit between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin; promises are given to support democratically elected governments.   April 21: Agreements signed between newly ‘liberated’ communist Eastern nations and USSR to work together.   May 8: Germany surrenders; end of World War Two in Europe. Late 1940s 1945   March: Communist-dominated coup in Romania.   July-August: Potsdam Conference between US, UK, and USSR.   July 5: US and UK recognize communist-dominated Polish government after it allows some members of the Government-in-exile to join.   August 6: The US drops the first atomic bomb, on Hiroshima. 1946   February 22: George Kennan sends the Long Telegram advocating Containment.   March 5: Churchill gives his Iron Curtain Speech.   April 21: Social Unity Party formed in Germany on Stalin’s orders. 1947   January 1: Anglo-American Bizone formed in Berlin, angers USSR.   March 12: Truman Doctrine announced.   June 5: Marshall Plan aid program Announced.   October 5: Cominform Founded to organize international communism.   December 15: London Foreign Ministers’ Conference breaks up without agreement. 1948   February 22: Communist Coup in Czechoslovakia.   March 17: Brussels Pact Signed between UK, France, Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg to organize a mutual defense.   June 7: Six Power Conference recommends a West German Constituent Assembly.   June 18: New currency introduced in the Western Zones of Germany.   June 24: Berlin Blockade Begins. 1949   January 25: Comecon, Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, created to organize Eastern bloc economies.   April 4: North Atlantic Treaty signed: NATO formed.   May 12: Berlin Blockade lifted.   May 23: ‘Basic Law’ approved for Federal Republic of Germany (FRG): Bizone merges with French zone to form a new state.   May 30: People’s Congress approves German Democratic Republic Constitution in East Germany.   August 29: USSR detonates the first atomic bomb.   September 15: Adenauer becomes first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.   October: The Communist People’s Republic of China proclaimed.   October 12: German Democratic Republic (GDR) formed in East Germany. 1950s 1950   April 7: NSC-68 finalized in the US: advocates a more active, military, policy of containment and causes a large increase in defense spending.   June 25: Korean War begins.   October 24: Pleven Plan approved by France: rearmed West German soldiers to be part of a European Defence Community (EDC). 1951   April 18: European Coal and Steel Community Treaty signed (The Schuman Plan). 1952   March 10: Stalin proposes a united, but neutral, Germany; rejected by the West.   May 27: European Defence Community (EDC) treaty signed by Western nations. 1953   March 5: Stalin dies.   June 16-18: Unrest in the GDR, suppressed by Soviet troops.   July: Korean War ends. 1954   August 31: France rejects the EDC. 1955   May 5: FRG becomes a sovereign state; joins NATO.   May 14: Eastern Communist nations sign the  Warsaw Pact, a military alliance.   May 15: State Treaty between forces occupying Austria: they withdraw and make it a neutral state.   September 20: GDR recognized as a sovereign state by USSR. FRG announces the  Hallstein Doctrine  in response. 1956   February 25: Khrushchev begins  De-Stalinization  by attacking Stalin in a speech at 20th Party Congress.   June: Unrest in Poland.   October 23 – November 4: Hungarian Uprising crushed. 1957   March 25: Treaty of Rome signed, creating the European Economic Community with the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. 1958   November 10: Start of Second Berlin crisis: Khrushchev calls for a peace treaty with the two German states to settle borders and for Western nations to leave Berlin.   November 27: The Berlin Ultimatum issued by Khrushchev: Russia gives West six months to solve Berlin situation and withdraw their troops or it will hand East Berlin over to East Germany. 1959   January: Communist government under Fidel Castro set up in Cuba. 1960s 1960   May 1: USSR shoots down US U-2 spy plane over Russian territory.   May 16-17: Paris Summit closes after Russia pulls out over U-2 affair. 1961   August 12/13:  Berlin Wall  built as east-west borders closed in Berlin and GDR. 1962   October – November: The Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink of nuclear war. 1963   August 5: Test Ban treaty between UK, USSR, and US limits nuclear testing. France and China reject it and develop their own weapons. 1964   October 15: Khrushchev removed from power. 1965   February 15: The US begins bombing of Vietnam; by 1966 400,000 US troops are in the country. 1968   August 21-27: Crushing of Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia.   July 1: Non-Proliferation Treaty signed by UK, USSR, and US: agree not to assist non-signatories in gaining nuclear weapons. This treaty is the first evidence of  dà ©tente-era cooperation  during the Cold War.     November:  Brezhnev Doctrine  Outlined. 1969   September 28: Brandt becomes Chancellor of FRG, continues the policy of  Ostpolitik  developed from his position as Foreign Minister. 1970s 1970   Start of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between US and USSR.   August 12: USSR-FRG Moscow Treaty: both recognize each others territories and agree to only peaceful methods of border change.   December 7: Warsaw Treaty between FRG and Poland: both recognize each others territories, agree to only peaceful methods of border change and increased trade. 1971   September 3: Four Power Treaty on Berlin between US, UK, France and USSR over access from West Berlin to FRG and relation of West Berlin to FRG. 1972   May 1: SALT I treaty signed (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks).   December 21: Basic Treaty between FRG and GDR: FRG gives up Hallstein Doctrine, recognizes GDR as a sovereign state, both to have seats at UN. 1973   June: Prague Treaty between FRG and Czechoslovakia. 1974   July: SALT II negotiations begin. 1975   August 1: Helsinki Agreement/Accord/’Final Act’ signed between US, Canada and 33 European States including Russia: states the ‘inviolability’ of frontiers, gives principles for state peaceful interaction, co-operation in economics and science as well as humanitarian issues. 1976   Soviet SS-20 medium-range missiles stationed in Eastern Europe. 1979   June: SALT II treaty signed; never ratified by the US Senate.   December 27: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 1980s 1980   December 13: Martial law in Poland to crush the Solidarity movement. 1981   January 20: Ronald Reagan becomes US President. 1982   June: Start of START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) in Geneva. 1983   Pershing and Cruise missiles placed in West Europe.   March 23: Announcement of the US ‘Strategic Defense Initiative’ or ‘Star Wars’. 1985   March 12: Gorbachev becomes the leader of USSR. 1986   October 2: USSR-USA summit at Reykjavik. 1987   December: USSR-US summit as Washington: US and USSR agree to remove medium-range missiles from Europe. 1988   February: Soviet troops begin to pull out of Afghanistan.   July 6: In a speech to the UN, Gorbachev repudiates the  Brezhnev Doctrine, encourages free elections and ends the Arms Race, in practice ending the Cold War; democracies emerge across Eastern Europe.   December 8: INF Treaty, includes removal of medium-range missiles from Europe. 1989   March: Multi-candidate elections in the USSR.   June: Elections in Poland.   September: Hungary allows GDR ‘holidaymakers’ through the border with West.   November 9: Berlin Wall falls. 1990s 1990   August 12: GDR announces a desire to merge with FRG.   September 12: Two Plus Four treaty signed by FRG, GDR. US, UK, Russia, and France cancels remaining rights of former occupying powers in FRG.   October 3: German Reunification. 1991   July 1: START Treaty signed by US and USSR reducing nuclear weapons.   December 26: USSR dissolved.