How a horse changed my life Essay Example

How a horse changed my life Essay I was helping my AH group with our International night table when I decided to play my luck at the raffle table. I put all my money Into one basket and actually won the raffle basket. It was a basket for horse lovers and Included horse grooming products and books about horses. I never rode a horse before because I was born with multiple disabilities Including a tethered spinal cord and life threatening latex allergy. My biggest challenge In life has been living on the outlasts spectrum. I could not be around crowds, loud noises and I avoided being part f groups and activities. I did not have self-confidence or a passion and my autism affected my ability to socialize. My mother saw how excited I was about willing and she took me to the horse farm for a rolling lesson. I soon found a passion. It was at this time, that the spinal babied was diagnosed. I had major surgery to repair the defect. After my surgery, I had to face the challenge of living with a partially paralyzed bowel and bladder and had to learn how to use my legs again. At first I would walk alongside the horses, and then I began riding horses again. The horse I was riding and walking with name was Pippin. We will write a custom essay sample on How a horse changed my life specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How a horse changed my life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How a horse changed my life specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He never gave up on me no matter how weak I was. Pippin was my best friend and was always there for me when needed someone to talk to. A year after my surgery Pippin and I were getting ready for my horse show. I ended falling off because I was still weak. When I fell Pippin did not run away like must horses. He stayed right by my side till I got up. The next week I won my first horse competition and fell in love with the sport. Pippin soon became part of the Master Family for all the work he did with me, and for his reward he now spends his days retired in a great big barn with a nice field.

25 Favorite Family History Quotes

25 Favorite Family History Quotes Are you looking for a quote related to genealogy and family history, for a family history photo or scrapbook, your Facebook or Twitter page, or a family genealogy website? These famous quotes include humorous quotes, inspirational quotes and other quotations related to our interest in the past. Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you. -   Mark TwainIn all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness. -   Alex Haley, RootsIf you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten; Either write things worthy of reading, or do things worthy of writing. -   Benjamin Franklin, May 1738There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children - one is roots, and the other, wings. -   Hodding S. CarterWhen a society or a civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they came from. -   Carle SandburgI dont know who my grandfather was, I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be. -   Abraham LincolnYou live as long as you are remembered. -   Russian proverb Those who forget their past are destined to repeat it. -   Robert A. HeinleinWe are the children of many sires, and every drop of blood in us in its turn ... betrays its ancestor. -   Ralph Waldo EmersonEvery man  is a quotation from all his ancestors.  -   Ralph Waldo EmersonPeople will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors. -   Edmund BurkeEveryone has ancestors and it is only a question of going back far enough to find a good one. -   Howard Kenneth NixonIt is a desirable thing to be well-descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors. -   PlutarchAnybody can make history, only a great man can write it. -   He who has no fools, knaves, or beggars in his family was begot by a flash of lightning. -   Old English proverbIf you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance. -   George Bernard ShawThere is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his. -   Helen KellerFamily faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future. -   Gail Lumet Buckley Genealogy Tracing yourself back to people better than you are. -   John Garland PollardI dont have to look up my family tree because I know that Im the sap. -   Fred AllenIf you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. - Michael CrichtonWe inherit from  our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. - Edward SellnerWeve uncovered some embarrassing ancestors in the not-too-distant past. Some horse thieves, and some people killed on Saturday nights. One of my relatives, unfortunately, was even in the newspaper business. -   Jimmy CarterA man who thinks too much about his ancestors is like a potato- the best part of him is underground - Henry S.F. CooperSoutherners are so devoted to genealogy that we see a family tree under every bush. -   Florence King

Damien Hirst Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Damien Hirst - Essay Example It seems the MFA wanted someone who has a high-status in the art world, and who better than the most famous living British artist Damien Hirst. Although, attached with the name Damien Hirst - undoubtedly comes controversy. The MFA boasts Hirst's celebrity artist profile in the write-up about the show, calling him one of "the most influential living artists". The text, which describes his career since the 90's, appears in the brochure and also in the entry way of the Foster gallery where most of his work is displayed. In addition, accompanying all his pieces are short explanations with quotes directly from the artist. For the people who are unfamiliar with Hirst's work, the wall labels serve to instruct and "fill in" the viewer. However, in an attempt to do this, the wall labels end up reducing the art to single and easy-to-grasp concepts such as death or beauty. Due to the extremely instructional nature of the labels, which explicitly explain the piece and artist's "intention", there is little room for the viewer to construct their own opinions. What adds to the instructive nature of the text is the sense that it is defending the work and the artist himself. Essentially the work is meant to shock or intrigue, while the writing seems to clarify and defend. For example, Away from the Flock which is positioned directly in front of the entrance is supposed to shock the viewer. Intrigued--or disgusted- the viewer reads the paragraph that states Hirst did not kill the sheep, and that it is a piece about religion. The viewer is instantly appeased, and moves on, eager to read the next paragraph. Each paragraph explanation is makes Hirst seem more and more like a sensitive thinker type and it seems people are more intrigued with his image than his work. There should have been more focus on his art, rather than him. In the large opening wall label it states: "His materials are sometimes repellant, but his themes--the human condition, mortality, and beauty--are timeless and familiar throughout art history. Hirst has characterized hims elf as 'romantic' and 'kind of old-fashioned... in terms of ideas.'" It seems the MFA is uncomfortable with Hirst's work and tries to tone it down wherever they can--needing to explain every piece and adding in quotes form the artist to make him and his work more likeable. When attention is averted from the wall labels, and focused on the art, the pattern of the positioning of the work becomes clear. The logical movement around the gallery space follows a counter clockwise circle. The pieces are strategically placed around the room so that the most shocking and intense are placed at the beginning with the more toned down at the end. Away From the Flock, Judgment Day appear at the beginning, followed by a The Unbearable Likeness of Being and The Collector, and finally the last grouping is Arginine and Is Nothing Sacred. By the end of the rotation (excluding the spinning piece) the viewer is left feeling calmer and probably more reflective, rather than disgusted by the flies or sheep. Even the arrangement of the work seems to reflect the MFA's desire to tone down Hirst. Almost all the pieces have some sort of shock factor, which is characteristic of Hirst's work. The mass of dead flies, the dead sheep, the butterfly wings, and even the drugstore shelf, have such powerful shock value, that other factors beneath the surface of the work get lost. The piece

Employees Motivation and Empowerment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Employees Motivation and Empowerment - Essay Example At the same time motivation has different facets that need to be analyzed for a better understanding over this concept. In the discussion, the role of motivation and empowerment, as important aspects of leadership has been underpinned in an illustrative and logical manner. The first part of the discussion highlights wide arrays of theories on motivation and empowerment along with understanding its positive and negative implications in the competitive business environment. It needs to be understood that every organization has different ways of empowering and motivating its employees based on organizational goals and objectives and understanding over the internal and external environment. The discussion encompasses these elements while defining the use, importance and relevance of the motivation and empowerment. The second part of the discussion highlights the motivation and empowerment practices prevailing in Google along with relating the discussed theories in the first part with the operational framework of Google. This has been done to understand the overall worthiness of these theories in one of the highly admired and desired organizations across the world. The second part of the discussion also relates the prevailing motivation and empowerment practices of Google with other organizations in order to analyze the global acceptance and appeal of these practices and theories in the global business environment. This will also help in understanding the overall importance of key concepts of employees motivation and empowerment. Employee’s Motivation â€Å"Academic theories about employee motivation, empowerment and performance are just that -theories. They are of little practical use to business leaders or their companies†. This sentence can be considered as quite true and practical in the context of the current business environment as leadership is intangible in nature with no clear definition. It is a quality that reflects in the behavior and attit ude of leaders along with affecting the behavior and attitude of others within the organization (Adams, 1997 p- 287). Moreover, this statement requires proper understanding and analysis to identify whether these are only theories or have some practical implication within the organization. It is important to assess whether organizations mould their culture and behavior as per the written theories or identify new ways by understanding their sources and resources. For this purpose, wide arrays of theories on motivation has been studied and analyzed. Motivation is one of the highly complex topics in the management studies with a number of theories defining the actual purpose and importance of motivation. These theories can be considered as of great importance for managers and leaders to identify ways of improving employee’s commitment level and performance at work. Motivation can be defined as the influences and processes that either increases or decreases an individual’s desire to achieve personal and organizational goals in the short as well as in the long run. On the other hand, performance can be defined as fulfillment of tasks and responsibilities in a desired manner affecting the operational framework of an organization. It can be assumed that there is a close relationship between motivation and performance. If the motivational processes and influences help in increasing an individual’s desire to achieve mutual goals, it will positively affect his performance by extracting the best out of him in any kind of situations. Empowerment can be considered

Gambling Research Essay Example for Free

Gambling Research Essay Gambling refers to the play of any game where there is money, or something of value at stake. There are many different forms of gambling including horse races, lotteries, casinos, scratch cards, stock market betting, and even more recently internet gambling. Although these games are meant for recreational use, the thrill of gambling causes some people to become so involved in it that they become dependent on gambling. The effects of gambling can cause damage psychologically, be very harmful to one’s social life and can also cause many physical damages. Gambling addiction and pathological gambling is not always seen as dangerous as other addictions like substance abuse but it can in fact be a very damaging addiction to many aspects of life and should be considered a major health problem. Not everyone who gambles has a gambling addiction or even has the capability of being addicted to gambling. The majority of people who gamble do not have an addiction and simply do it for recreational purposes. But there is a small percentage of people who gamble who are considered problem gamblers or pathological gamblers. Pathological gamblers is described as, â€Å"Pathological gambling is characterized by chronic and irresistible impulses to gamble, with consequent gambling compromises and disruptions to family, personal and vocational pursuits.† (Coman, Burrows Evans, 1997) This addiction causes the gambler to gamble very frequently, often times they will begin to make bigger and bigger bets and receiving feelings of anxiety or depression when they are not gambling. Pathological gambling can also include gambling to recover losses from previous gambling episodes, lying to family members to try and hide their habits, committing criminal acts to obtain money for gambling and relying on others to provide money to relieve them from their financial situation. This is a very serious addiction and should be considered a major health problem because it can negatively affect many serious aspects of an individual’s life. There are many different influences and gateways that can lead to gambling and even a gambling addiction. Although things like scratch cards may not seem like much of a threat to becoming an addiction, they can intrigue the thought of winning money purely by chance which is a dangerous mindset to have. Another factor that can lead to a gambling addiction is the link between the proximity from the casino and gambling participation. Living close to a casino causes much more accessibility and can add to the possibility of gaining an addiction, â€Å"additional gambling opportunities due to the presence of a casino increase the prevalence of gambling-related problems for people who live close to a casino, as compared with people who live far from one.†(Sevigny, Ladouceur, Jacques Cantinotti, 2008)People who live closer to the casino are much more likely to just â€Å"drop by† and play a few hands rather than people who live farther and have to make an evening of it. Accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling. Also, the recent popularity of poker has a huge impact on the view of gambling for younger people. Poker has become very popular in our society today and is televised quite frequently showing these players not only making a living from this game of chance, but becoming millionaires. Some of these players are seen as celebrities who can cause some younger audiences to look up to them and strive to be like them. These aspects do not directly lead to a gambling problem but they can definitely help lead to one. Technology has become a large contributory factor to problem gambling. As stated earlier, accessibility can have a large impact on gaining an addiction to gambling and the technology of internet has brought accessibility of gambling to a whole new level. Gambling over the internet should be a major concern because the increase in gambling opportunities gives the potential for an increase in problem gamblers . Research evidence in other countries has clearly shown that: â€Å"where accessibility of gambling is increased there is an increase not only in the number of regular gamblers but also an increase in the number of problem gamblers.† (Griffiths, 1999) Internet gambling websites has dramatically increased this accessibility which will in turn increase the number of people gambling. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a problem gambler, but the more people gambling, the more people who have the chance of becoming addicted. The popularity of internet gambling is on the rise with its easy accessibility and quickness. This popularity itself cannot lead to a gambling addiction but a number of the more popular poker players on television often promote different gambling websites where anyone of any age can play poker online. The websites allow someone to play in tournaments, play with friends and play with fake money or even real money. They are very appealing to people of all ages and easily accessible all the time which makes them a threat to contributing to problem gamblers and youth gambling. When someone suffers from problem gambling, it is not only that individual that is affected but their family, friends and community as well . There can be some positive aspects of gambling in terms of the social effects of gambling. Gambling can be seen as a recreation, a break from their problems of everyday life and a nice night out. Yet these positive effects only exist if gambling is done in moderation. Once gambling becomes a habit and a necessity is where the negative impacts arrive. Often, it’s those close to the pathological gambler that suffer the most. Constant gambling takes time away from family, friends and other activities. If gambling becomes a problem, it can cause loss of trust between individuals and family members which can lead to family related problems and even divorce. Generally, the social problems begin with borrowing of money to support their addiction. At this point, many friends and family may lose touch with the gambler. Being distanced from those who are closest can cause desperation which may lead to criminal activity. Pathological gambling can become so severe that they can resort to criminal activity in a last effort to support their financial needs. People are more likely to commit crime without thinking of the consequences when they are in a desperation mindset which is what can happen after a big loss due to gambling. Supporters for the spread of legalized gambling make claims about economic growth and more jobs but opponents have a strong case saying, â€Å"various forms of street crimes, such as robberies and automobile thefts, come with gambling, as well as problems with connections to organized crime The majority of Wisconsin problem gamblers in treatment that were interviewed in Thompson et al. (1999) admitted to crimes as a result of their gambling activity, primarily property crimes.† (Gazel, Rickman Thompson, 2001) Pathological gamblers reach a point where there are no options left so they have to resort to illegal means to support themselves displaying the severity and control that a gambling addiction can have. Having a gambling addiction does not just affect someone economically or socially but it can deeply affect them psychologically. Once a pathological gambler is down money, they will make bets to try and regain that money that they have lost. Instead of cutting their losses, they get deeper into debt, preoccupying themselves with gambling, determined to win big to repay their loans and solve all their problems (Griffiths, 2001). A very dangerous way of thinking is the â€Å"what if I win† mentality. This way of thinking is especially dangerous because then they are more prone to make bigger bets with money they may not have to lose so they can receive bigger rewards. A large factor for whether someone develops this addiction has a lot to do with their personality. The type of personality someone has can have on whether or not someone develops a gambling addiction or not. Gambling is characterized by an â€Å"unrealistic optimism by the gambler† (Griffiths, 2001). For the most part people believe that optimism is a good way to live life by always seeing the positive things instead of dwelling on the negatives. Optimists are known to be less likely to suffer from depression symptoms following a stressful event and seem to have more psychological benefits when compared to pessimists. Although in terms of gambling, optimism can be counterproductive, â€Å"Optimists may be especially susceptible to maintaining illusory gambling expectations. Because of their generalized expectations for success, optimists may approach gambling with the belief that they can win.† (Gibson Sanbonmatsu, 2004) Optimists may also have a tendency to look at the positive aspects in a situation which may prolong their gambling thinking that they will win it all back. Also, people who are risk takers are more prone to gambling addiction than someone who is more conservative. Not everyone is susceptible to becoming a pathological gambler and a great deal of the matter has to do with their personality type and how they look at different negative situations. Having a gambling addiction not only affects one’s social life but it can have a great impact on your mind and even cause physical difficulties. Pathological gamblers often suffer from stress-related disorders such as depression, insomnia, intestinal disorders and migraines. Health problems do not only occur from the gambling itself but a significant amount of people suffer problems from the withdrawal, â€Å"Rosenthal and Lesieur (1992) found that at least 65 percent of pathological gamblers reported at least one physical side-effect during withdrawal including insomnia, headaches, upset stomach, loss of appetite, physical weakness, heart racing, muscle aches, breathing difficulty and/or chills.† (Griffiths, 2001) It was also found that pathological gamblers experienced more physical withdrawal effects when attempting to stop than substance abusers who are attempting to quit. This is quite astonishing and again proves why gambling addiction is a very serious matter and should be considered just as much of a health problem as addiction to alcohol or other substances. Pathological gambling can cause great psychological damage and can cause people to do irrational things after a big loss which can sometimes even lead to suicide. Pathological gambling and suicide have been known to have a link to each other. Suicidal attempts among pathological gamblers are much more frequent than among the general public. The American Psychiatric Association did a study that with these results, â€Å"Of individuals in treatment for Pathological Gambling, 20% are reported to have attempted suicide, (American Psychiatric Association (APA))† (Penfold, Hatcher, Sullivan Collins, 2006) For many gamblers, coping with the negative emotions relating to their issues in their life can be overwhelming. Feelings of shame, hopelessness and failure may be hard to bear which sometimes makes suicide seem like the best solution for their problems. The damage to the mental aspects is one of the reasons that make pathological gambling so dangerous. The act of gambling and casinos is a very controversial topic. There are some positive aspects to the casino and gambling that include a source of jobs and economic development. Gambling is meant to be for recreational use on occasion but it can also be very dangerous. Certain people with certain personality types and lifestyles may be prone to becoming a pathological gambler. The effects of pathological gambling can cause a lot of harm psychologically, destroy someone’s social and family life, cause physical damage to themselves which can even lead to their death. Gambling addiction may not be seen as dangerous or likely to happen as other addictions but the results from being a pathological gambler can be just as harmful as other addictions and should be considered just as much as a serious health issue as everything else. References: Griffiths, M. (1999). Gambling Technologies: Prospects for Problem Gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, vol.15, no.3, p.265-283. Griffiths, M. (2001). Gambling: An Emerging Area of Concern for Health Psychologists. Journal of Psychology, vol.6, no.5, p.477-479. Gibson, B., Sanbonmatsu, D. (2004). Optimism, Pessimism, and Gambling: The Downside of Optimism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 149-160. Coman, J., Burrows, G., Evans, B. (1997). Stress and Anxiety as Factors in the Onset of Problem Gambling: Implications for Treatment. Stress Medicine, Vol.13, no.4, p.235-244. Sevigny, S., Ladouceur, R., Jacques, C., Cantinotti, M. (2008). Links between Casino Proximity and Gambling Participation, Expenditure, and Pathology. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, vol. 22, no.2, p.295-301. Penfold, A., Hatcher, S., Sullivan, S., Collins, N. (2006) Gambling Problems and Attempted Suicide. Part 1. High Prevalence amongst Hospital Admissions. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, vol.4, no.3, p.265-272. Gazel, R., Rickman, D., Thompson, W. (2001) Casino Gambling and Crime: a Panel Study of Wisconsin Counties. Managerial and Decision Economics, vol.22, no.1-3, p.65-75.

A Farewell to Arms1 :: Essays Papers

A Farewell to Arms1 Love is impossible to explain or fully understand; it is enfable and war is merely an outcome of disputes between ignorant aristocrats. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway, is a novel about love and war. The narrator, Fredrick Henry is a war-time ambulance driver, and Catherine Barkley is an English nurse, who find themselves in a love affair which must maneuver itself around the restrictions of World War I. The novel begins in Gorizia, Italy the center of operations for Fredrick’s troop, World War I. Fredrick is an American volunteer and in the Ambulance Corps for the Italian Army. He meets a English nurse Catherine named Barkley and does not truly fall in love with her until he gets badly wounded and is put in a hospital. They begin to have alove affair and Catherine becomes impregnated. With a baby on the way Fredrick feels a real sense of responsibility towards Catherine. When he finaly recovers from from his lengthy stay in the hospital he returns to front. When the two part it is very rainy, cloudy, and gloomy. Hemingway makes good use of weather in pursuit of verisimilitude. There is so much violence and death in the war Fredrick no longer wants to be a apart of it and deserts the army to return to Catherine. When they reunite the rain stops and there is light. They then escape to Switzerland by boat and begin to live happily. When Catherine goes into labor there is complications. The baby dies and later Catherine dies from hemorrhaging. What is love? Love is difficult to explain but, it involves a deep affection for a person or thing. At the beginning of the novel, lieutenant Frederick Henry lacks a sense of value and order in his life. He chooses to intoxicate himself and make visits to prostitutes frequently. During this time of intense stress and pressure this lifestyle is common amongst his fellow comrades. It provides them with an escape from a hostile and undesirable reality of war. Lieutenant Rinaldi, Fredricks enthusiastic surgeon friend soon introduces him to an English nurse, Catherine Barkley. Their relationship brings some order and value into his life. This new form of order which Fredrick discovers is love. He can no longer remain apart of something that is so disorderly and consequently deserts the Italian army out of love: â€Å"When you love you wish to do things for.

India a Global Economic Super Power Essay

New parts of the world that were not long ago considered undeveloped, backwater countries, are now taking center stage in the global economy. Much has been publicized about the ascendance of China’s economy, as it has become a major venue for the manufacturing of products sought after by worldwide consumers eager for cheaper goods. However, China’s Asian neighbor, India, also has a vigorously growing economy. India’s economy is partly being fueled by companies around the world seeking to reduce their costs by outsourcing some of their operations there. A March 9, 2005 article in the International Herald Tribune reported that within 30 years, India is projected to have the world’s third largest economy and more people than China. Russell D’Souza, International Credit & Risk Manager for Hallmark International, pointed out that India implemented modern, capitalistic economic reforms in the early 1990s that are producing positive results. The Tribune article reported that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who as Finance Minister championed these reforms, proposed major investments in his first budget for education, modernizing India’s colonial-era infrastructure, and lowering tariffs. D’Souza also noted India has modernized its banking regulations. â€Å"India has liberalized its laws to allow foreign banks to take over branches. Local Indian private banks are allowed to set up foreign bank branches. The banking rules have been liberalized considerably. † The CIA World Factbook’s website estimates that by July 2005, India’s population will be slightly fewer than 1. 1 billion, of nearly 16 percent of the world’s population, not far behind China’s, which is projected to be 1. 3 billion. Market Place PRI, a business radio program, reported on March 14, 2005 that a recent economic survey predicted India would grow at 7 percent this year. However, the report went on to assert that many economic analysts say that India needs to improve its infrastructure. D’Souza, who grew up in India but now lives in the U. S, experienced the problems India has with the Lagging state of much of its infrastructure. † You’ve got an infrastructure that is woeful. It’s one of India’s biggest Achilles heels. It’s worse than China’s. † Just the sheer size of its growing middle class provides a huge potential market for India-based companies. D’Souza said the size of India’s middle class is over 200 million people. â€Å"Consumer goods are exploding in India. There are people with cash like I’ve never seen before. † India’s geopolitical importance and stature are growing too. U. S. foreign policy officials view India, with its strategic location, as an important counter-balance to the growing political and military power of China. U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began a six-nation tour of Asia in India on March 16. An article that same day in the Tribune noted that analysts in Delhi viewed her stop there as a positive sign â€Å"the United States was eager to underline India’s increasing importance on the U. S. foreign policy agenda. † Talks between Rice and Singh focused on defense and military cooperation, economy and trade and â€Å"synergies in energy and environmental protection. India possesses some advantages that make it especially suited to provide less expensive business services for companies. China, on the other hand, has excelled in the manufacture of cheaper products. The two main advantages for India is that it has an estimated 200 million people who speak English and also a world-class education system. â€Å"India is a bilingual country,† D’Souza said. He noted this is a byproduct of its former status as a British colony. â€Å"It has an advantage over C hina,† he said, in that respect. The educational system in India has produced a significant number of chartered accountants, doctors, MBAs, lawyers, research analysts and other professionals, many of whom will work in India for much less than their professional counterparts in the U. S. and Europe. Alok Aggarwal, Co-founder of Evalueserve, which offers business intelligence, market research and intellectual property services to clients in North America, Europe and Asia, noted there are two types of services offered on an outsourced basis. Business Process Outsourcing, or BPO, involves more routine processing of data. Ravi Aron, Professor of operations and information management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, said examples of BPO involve more routine functions where there is a predefined way of doing tasks or even reaching conclusions, as in data entry, accounts maintenance and customer service activities such as those performed at call centers. BPOs typically provide such services as setting up bank accounts, selling an insurance policy and voice and e-mail-based computer support. Aggarwal said that a higher Level of service than BPO is called Knowledge Process Outsourcing or KPO. KPO involves high-end processes such as investment research and Legal and insurance claims processing. In a March 21, 2005 article in the Indiatimes News Network, Pavan Bagai, Vice President, strategic businesses, EXL said, â€Å"Imagine unsorted data going through a black box and coming out as useful information. In KPOs the black box is your mind. There is no predefined process to reach a conclusion. † In either BPO or KPO, India often offers a huge cost savings potential over those functions being performed by American workers in the U. S.  Aron said that in credit card-related functions, the cost of an American worker, including benefits and overhead, ranges from $48-55 per hour–while in India, those costs are only $18-24. A report by Hay Associates estimated that the fully burdened costs of an accounting clerk in Stamford, CT, is $69 per hour, while in Bangalore, India it is $4 per hour. (Though Alok disputes that number saying that â€Å"currently the loaded costs in Bangalore would be $7-$8 per hour† the cost differential is still staggering. ) French & Associates reported that a $50,000 U.  S. clerical worker would cost only $10,000 in India and would be a top graduate. This huge gap in employee direct and indirect costs is even more dramatic with KPO services. â€Å"When you go with high-end work that’s when the game gets interesting,† Aron said. He said employee costs per hour for an equity research analyst in the U. S. would range from $230-$250 while in India it would only be about $30. † Should you find it suitable to relocate, (to one of the countries that offers much cheaper employee costs) you will experience huge savings,† Aron said. If you look al the labor cost difference there is a 5-1 to 8-1 cost factor,† added Aggarwal, whose firm actually provides equity research and investment banking research services. â€Å"American doctors are very hard working–but they don’t work five times harder than Indian doctors. † The March 21 Indiatimes Network article reported that India, with its knowledge base and lower costs, will be â€Å"leading the pack in the race for KPO business. † The article referred to a report by Evalueserve that India will capture more than â€Å"70 percent of the KPO territory by 2010. India’s software trade body reported that export revenues from software outsourcing will reach $17. 3 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2005. In a presentation by Marc Vollenweider, President and CEO of Evalueserve, it was projected that by 2010 India will have about 1. 1 million people employed in BPO. According to Vollenweider, U. S. companies may be compelled to outsource due to his projection of a labor shortage. According to his figures, by fiscal year 2010, the U. S. is projected to experience a shortfall of 5. 4 million workers. In that same timespan, the U. K’s shortfall is projected to be . million workers. Vollenweider’s presentation concluded that, â€Å"Global Sourcing has become an economic imperative for the developed nations to maintain and sustain their historical and current growth. Offshoring IT and BPO services to low-wage destinations provides a viable solution to developed nations who are struggling against the significant shortage of skilled labor. â€Å"Evalueserve projects that by 2010 India will have 820,000 employed in low-end BPO services generating total revenues of USD 18 billion and 250,000 workers employed in high-end KPO services generating USD 12 billion. A number of major U.  S. -based corporations have set up operations in India or have outsourced certain business services to Indian firms. A report by French & Associates indicated India has become a venue for major development centers for IBM and Microsoft. Major corporations like Ford, JP Morgan Chase and HP are currently setting up operations there. General Electric, however, probably has utilized the manpower resources of India more extensively than any other major American Corporation. GE’s involvement in India began in September 1989, according to a front-page, March 23, 2005, The Wall Street Journal article. Al that time, then-CEO Jack Welch flew to India for a sales meeting to sell products to India. During that stop in India, Welch met with Indian government officials who pitched him the idea of having some of his company’s needs provided by its emerging high-tech sector. Today, The WSJ article pointed out, India â€Å"earns more than $17 billion from corporations worldwide seeking low-cost overseas talent †¦ † Although GE is hesitant about taking credit for a trend that has taken many American jobs overseas, most corporate observers agree GE played a major role in the outsourcing boom. The WSJ article further noted that in 1995, GE created GE Capital International Services, now known as Gecis, to handle backroom work and market analysis. In 1999 Gecis established the first international call center in India and in 2000 GE opened a research center in Bangalore to tap the skills of Indian engineers. The WSJ article reported that in November 2004, GE sold a controlling interest in Gecis and now the company will seek business from other companies. French & Associates estimated that GE had 5,000 FTEs (full-time equivalents) in India in 2000. That number grew to 12,000 FTEs by the end of 2003. The WSJ article also reported that in 2000, GE opened the Jack F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore â€Å"that employs thousands of researchers working on everything from new refrigerators to jet engines. † A recent GE report indicated the company plans to spend about $600 million this year on computer-software development from Indian companies. Val Venable, CCE, Credit Manager for GE Advanced Materials, in reference to GE’s outsourcing efforts in India, said, â€Å"We certainly have been a major player. For our company and a lot of companies, you’re always looking for quality suppliers at low cost. It makes business sense to do it. † Venable, who spoke in India in late March during a five-week business trip there, said that her operations are split between the U. S. and India. â€Å"Part of my collections team sits in the U. S. and some of it is in India. † She said that employee allocation between that in the U. S. and India is proportional to the workload. â€Å"If I have 70 percent of my people in India, I look to have 70 percent of my work there. My people in the U. S. have a lot more credit experience, so they do a lot of the credit decisions. † In Venable’s case, even though GE does not wholly own Gecis anymore, it has not changed her operations. â€Å"My relationship with my team has not changed. We work together and we have sub-teams. For our credit and collections teams we didn’t see a difference. My people from the India and the U. S. have been trained the same. † The cost savings of operations in India aren’t just confined to personnel expenses Venable said. â€Å"It’s not just the cost of the people. Over here I have different IT costs and I have different training costs. † She acknowledged that many Indian employees are well educated and enthusiastic about their work. â€Å"There’s a huge emphasis on education here. It’s their first experience in business. † On the issue that some Americans have complained about not being able to understand customer services representatives in India, Venable said, â€Å"Some of my team have fairly strong accents, but have you ever called Texas of Mississippi? They have accents too. We usually work on that. That’s part of the service to the customers. An unavoidable drawback Venable mentioned of outsourced services emanating from India to American consumers is, â€Å"If you’re going to have a team in India, there’s a time zone difference. † She said the time zone difference between India and the U. S. is 9. 5 hours and 4. 5 hours between India and the U. K. She san the time zone difference actually has not been a major problem for her operations. â€Å"The areas around the call centers are becoming a 24-hour culture. Probably in the next 20 years we’re going to have virtual offices and it won’t matter where people sit. Does everybody need to sit in the same room? Probably not. †