Hot trends in the corporate world

It is important to stay updated on the "hottest" news in the business world, in order to be competitive and able to feel the tone of the atmosphere. Two UK banks suffered through a lot of changes recently, some in positive, others in negative directions. Even though they are situated on the island, their current situation might reflect the whole world.

Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks are closing 28 branches over the next months, due to improvement of their services. A £25m investment is planned for improvements of the branch network and another £20m in mobile banking services. According to the chief executives, the changes are needed as a response of the demands and needs of customers. The closure will save the bank £5m.

Meanwhile, Lloyds Banking Group is being returned to the private sector. Another 7.5% of Lloyds is being sold to investors, after selling 6% of the bank last year, as a long-term plan to return it to the private sector. In a statement, the Treasury said its objectives for its shareholdings in banks were "getting the best value for the taxpayer, maximizing support for the economy and restoring private ownership. The government will only conclude a sale if these objectives are met.” Last year 6% sale raised £3.2bn and the latest share sale is expected to be worth £4.2bn. UK Financial Investments (UKFI), the body responsible for the government's stakes is expected to sell more shares later this year, not only to institutional investors, but to private retail investors as well.

The 7 hills of Plovdiv

“Ancient and eternal” is the motto of Plovdiv. The city was established 4000 years BC, which makes it one of the oldest cities in Europe. Throughout its history the city had many names. First it was called Evmopolias, which is an ancient Tracian name that was changed to Philipopolis in the 3^rd century by Philip II of Macedonia. Other names of the city were Pulpodeva , Odrisa and Trimontsium.

Moreover, Plovdiv is also known for its emblematic seven hills. People have always asked the question how exactly those hills formatted on the flat plane where the city is located. Many believe that they were build by Alexander the Great of Macedonia in order to hide his treasures. Others suggest alien intervention. There are many different opinions on that topic,but nobody actually knows how the hills appeared. However, one thing is for sure: they are wonderful. Each of those hills has its own spirit and beauty and contributes to the pleasant atmosphere of the city. Ancient Greeks used to build temples on the top of every hill. There are still ruins from some of them. There are also many caves and paths, which make visitors, feel as if they are in the wild nature, when they are actually in the center of the city. Some scholars believe that there is a secret tunnel in one of the hills and centuries ago Apostle Paul found his safe way out of the city through it.

Which one would you invest in, a house or a business?

Money gives power, and power brings confidence. Many people ask themselves what they would do with money. Given the opportunity to decide between an investment in a house or in a business, I would most honestly choose the business, not only because there is a great possibility that the investment could be profitable, but also because starting a business on your own is a lifetime chance and a great challenge.

First of all, when making an investment of money, people should ask themselves, whether the money will ever come back. Investing into a house would be a decision, which would provide great satisfaction, but it will not be profitable. Having a business of your own has many advantages, one of which is that if successful, it will bring more money and only then investing into something else would be reasonable. For example if your business goes well you will become rich, or at least double the investment you have made, then you will be able to buy a house, a car, a villa,  whatever you like!

It is also true, that having a business is not only a job that could bring a lot of money, but it is also an exciting experience. In your own business you are your own boss and do not have to obey to someone else, work for someone else, or pay for someone else’s mistakes. The power is yours, but with great power come great responsibilities, and being responsible is just a little part of the challenge!

 

Money rule the world, so using them properly is of great importance. Investing into a business is a life changing decision that could bring a lot of joy and happiness and if I had the money and the opportunity to invest, I would undoubtedly choose business, without any hesitation or any regrets.

Another Media Issue

We live in a modern world with fast developing technologies and various sources of media that play a big role in our society. When talking about the media, one should be aware of its basic purposes. The most important purpose of the media is to inform people, so that they could be aware of various social problems and be socially responsible and reasonable. On the other hand the media might have the purpose to entertain, educate or socialize. People receive tons of information on a daily basis from different sources like television, radio or the social media. All the information is absorbed on both conscious and subconscious level. There is however a question that has been bothering peoples’ minds for a while now: is there a manipulative side of the media and are the consequences of the constant exposure to information only positive for the society and people as individuals? This research paper will concentrate on some of the negative impacts modern media could have on children and teenagers.

Nowadays children and teenagers differ greatly than children and teenagers 10 years ago. This is due to the fact that technologies are increasing with incredible speed and this affects young people most, as this shapes their whole lifestyle. It is amazing how children nowadays react to new technologies, in many situations they are more technology friendly than their parents. This is due to the fact that children learn faster and they are more adaptable. They are growing up in this technological world and from an early age they are developing skills that match this world. Here, however comes the reasonable question should parents try to somehow control the exposure of children to technologies and media? "For parents trying to raise kids and give them the technology to be successful, yet also protect them, there's a sense that no one's there to tell folks what steps to take," said Marian Merritt, Internet safety advocate at Norton. "I hope schools are distributing information and educating (families), but ultimately, parents have a huge role to play (in the process)."

Privacy in Bulgaria ?

Privacy is of great importance for every individual and for every nation in general. Being able to protect your personal data is a human right that should not be disregarded.  In many countries the theft of private information and the public exposure of personal data are considered crimes and might have fatal consequences. There are many laws that protect the private data of the citizens of Bulgaria, such as: Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria (adopted on 13 July 1991), Convention for the Protection of Human rights and Fundamental freedoms (ratified on 31 July 1992),Personal Data Protection Act (came into force on 1st January 2002),Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regards to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (ETS No.108, ratified on 7 June 2002).

The Constitution of the republic of Bulgaria is the most important law. According to Article 32: “(1) The privacy of citizens shall be inviolable. Everyone shall be entitled to protection against any illegal interference in his private or family affairs and against encroachments on his honor, dignity and reputation.(2) No one shall be followed, photographed, filmed, recorded or subjected to any other similar activity without his knowledge or despite his express disapproval, except when such actions are permitted by law.” The Constitution addresses directly the media. The other important document that protects personal information is the Personal Data Protection Act. It “…regulates the protection of natural persons with regard to processing of personal data as well as the access to such data.”

It's not about the money !

A well known truth is that money rule the world, however the most important aspect of a job should not be connected to money. Pleasure and comfort are essential aspects of a job, which bring long term satisfaction, that could not be replaced by high salaries.

First of all people should feel happy while they are working. Every individual is different. People have different interests and different capabilities when it comes to work. Most important, people should be doing a job, which gives them pleasure, in order to succeed and to be mentally and physically healthy and happy. Some people enjoy stressful jobs, others like working in quiet environment, a decision which  depends on the individual only. For example some people do not fell well at the sight of blood. Even though doctors are payed well, those people would not succeed in the medical fields and would probably have healthy or even mental problems too.

A further belief is that people should not feel uncomfortable at their job. Working conditions are of great importance, because people spend almost the whole day at their jobs and bad conditions might also have a negative effect on their health. When working in an uncomfortable environment, people might get stressed and not be able to proceed working normal, or even having a normal life. An example of a very well payed job, which is stressful is the job of the miner. Even though the salary is really high, the conditions are poor and people risk their health every day.

 

In conclusion, I would disagree with the statement that money are the most important aspect of a job, and I will sum up that pleasure and feeling comfortable while working are more essential aspects, that not only lead to successful career, but also to a healthy and happy life.

Random issue #6

Consumerism ? 

We live in a consumer oriented society; one based on needs and wants of consumers, but also one whose needs and wants are a reflection of the market and new product developments. The question whether consumerism is a result of marketers, or producers satisfy people’s desires is a debate that has been discussed for quite some time. In order to come as close as possible to the answer of that question, one must be familiar with the basic concepts of consumerism and new product development.

What exactly is consumerism and how does it affect society? It is an economic and social order that encourages the purchases of goods and services in greater amounts. It started in the late 17^th century and emerged though the 18^th century. The biggest growth by that time could be seen in industries like glass making and silk manufacturing. The aim of the time was making luxury goods affordable for as many people as possible. Later on the availability of goods was drastically changed by the Industrial revolution, creating an unusual economic situation. Through the years evolved the term “conspicuous consumerism.” It was created by   Thorstein Veblen and it explains an irrational form of economic behavior among people: “It is true of dress in even a higher degree than of most other items of consumption, that people will undergo a very considerable degree of privation in the comforts or the necessaries of life in order to afford what is considered a decent amount of wasteful consumption; so that it is by no means an uncommon occurrence, in an inclement climate, for people to go ill clad in order to appear well dressed.” The core concept of 21^st century commercialism is emulation. It is a general trend regular consumer to seek emulation to those who are above them in the social hierarchy. The poor strive to imitate the wealthy and the wealthy on the other hand look up to celebrities and other icons. This purchasing behavior may co-exist in the mind of a consumer with an image of oneself as being an individualist. This is a trend that is growing even faster with every new generation. Since the beginning of consumerism many people have seeked for alternative lifestyle. It is a wide range that starts from "simple living", goes through "eco-conscious shopping" and "localvore"/"buying local", and ends with the extreme Freeganism. Many critics define consumerism as the tendency of people to identify themselves with specific luxury products and brands that will define their social and individual status. This could lead to such extends that consumers might sacrifice time, income and energy  not only to purchase but also to actively support a certain firm or brand.

Random Issue #6

                                   

Online social reality

 We live in an era where information has been supplanted

by connections as the leading most crucial way to bring yourself higher in thescale of success. After all-"It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.“So may be this is one of the reasons our society has come to a point wherefriendship is only virtual and people -only means to an end. Network of coarsehas provided us with the amazing opportunity to make our big world a smallerone thus being even more closely knit together by all the lies and pretence we have guarded ourselves with ,ironically, only to seem more affable and approachable .What is more it has been proven that people tend not to act as themselves when connecting on line, though may be not such a surprising ,ironically, only to seem more affable and approachable .What is more it hasbeen proven that people tend not to act as themselves when connecting on line,though may be not such a surprising discovery why pretend -only for the business opportunity -probably not .In the cyber world not only are we given the chance to make new acquaintances ,the so called followers,-probably not .In the cyber world not only are we given the chance to make newacquaintances ,the so called followers, but we can also recreate ourselves all over again, omitting all those foibles we have omitting all those foibles we have hated about us while at the same time elevating those qualities ,praising those actions we are so proud of we would share with the whole world to see .So we do it and eventually we start to think "I am so much better than all my Facebook friends. Look at them neither are there any achievements ,nor likes on their wall". You do it ,yet not to share all your fortunes and misfortunes with  not to share all your fortunes and misfortunes with  the closest friends -or in this case only your achievements - but to boost your self-confidence .Yes you may have 2000 likes on a
likes on a picture or 400 likes on a post ,you may have even 30 000 0000 friends or followers nevertheless what does that mean- you are all strangers trying to compete against each other in a popularity contest in which you are your own judges and there are no rules ,making it impossible for you to win ,but only to crave for more and more followers ,thus leading to even more likes and no complete satisfaction. And your so called strong ties, or close friends, are the root of your self-esteem inflation and determine how you act on line. In the end, they are who you want to impress, why you keep up with digital appearances and what you ultimately base your online identity on. And unfortunately this could lead only to one thing-spending considerable time building large networks of shallow connections, grotesquely at the expense of loosing the only few cherished friendships upon which you can truly rely. And what might be even worse is that we don't even you to win ,but only to crave for more and more followers ,thus leading to evenmore likes and no complete satisfaction. And your so called strong ties, orclose friends, are the root of your self-esteem inflation and determine how youact on line. In the end, they are who you want to impress, why you keep up withdigital appearances and what you ultimately base your online identity on. Andunfortunately this could lead only to one thing-spending considerable timebuilding large networks of shallow connections, grotesquely at the expense ofloosing the only few cherished friendships upon which you can truly rely. Andwhat might be even worse is that we don't even realize it, not until the point when we are surrounded by so many but still feel completely alone. Social media forces upon us a feeling of intimacy and closeness that point when we are surrounded by so many but still feel completely alone. Socialmedia forces upon us a feeling of intimacy and closeness that doesn'tactually exist since , technology and our use of it isn’t – as we'veall hoped – bringing us closer together. In fact, it may be driving us fartherapart, as we know more and more people, but know less and less about each of them.So next time you think "O, I know that guy he is great- intelligent,handsome, well behaved" -remember you know nothing but only the thingsthey want you to know- do not be deceived!