A reflective paper of 1000 words discussing design work and research Essay

A reflective paper of 1000 words discussing design work and research methods - Essay Example 2. With regards to the supply side, how did the changes in tourist behavior and preference affected the travel industry in terms of profitability and viability? Were there any large scale closures/ bankruptcy of tourism related service providers because of the change in customer behavior? According to a 2006 survey of corporate executives travel behavior and preferences conducted by Wainhouse Research, a market research firm based in the United States, out of 480 middle- and upper-management respondents, 63 percent affirmed that their propensity to take trips have lowered due to several factors such as war, terrorism, security inspections, new budgetary restraints and the like. This was in line with the results of their 2002 survey where 44 percent indicated restricting their trips abroad and at home. The results of the 2006 survey are significant since the 2002 results were obtained in the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks where people do tend to prefer not traveling. It just goes to show that even after 4 years marked by strict security measures, people still do not want to expose themselves to the risks. (ISES, 2006) According to Market Research, an online company selling its business research, the USA and the United Kingdom has seen an increase in security consciousness with heavy monitoring in areas with people traffic very much high. The development came about after the wake of the 9/11 attack. (Market Research, 2005) It is expected that the 9/11 event would certainly negatively affect the global travel industry. For such a nation boasting itself as the leader in ensuring security with high-tech devices and well-planned systems, the United States saw the twin icons of its economic supremacy fall down right before their eyes. Pentagon, the country’s icon of military supremacy was also targeted. Passenger airplanes rushed and crashed on the structures. The message was clear- no one is safe

Intro speech Essay Example for Free

Intro speech Essay Earth Hour is a worldwide movement for the planet organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Earth Hour engages a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues. It was first famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now larger movement. The event is held worldwide and held towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet. Earth Hour 2013 was celebrated on March 23, 2013. Earth Hour 2014 is scheduled for Saturday, March 29, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. during participants local time. -2004: in Sydney not so famous 2007: Become well known -2008: Earth Hour 2008 was held internationally on March 29, 2008 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time, marking the first anniversary of the event. With 35 countries around the world participating as official flagship cities and over 400 cities also supporting, Earth Hour 2008 was celebrated on all seven continents. Landmarks all around the world turned off their non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, including the Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia), Empire State Building (New York City, USA), (examples) 2008 participants[edit] Earth Hour 2008 included 26 major cities worldwide and 300 smaller towns shutting off their lights.[6] 2009: Earth Hour 2009 was from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time, March 28, 2009. 88 countries and 4,159 cities participated in Earth Hour 2009,[37] ten times more cities than Earth Hour 2008 had (2008 saw 400 cities participate).[38 96 countries on 6 continents participated in the event in 2009. 2010: Earth Hour 2010 was held from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time, 27 March.[49] In Israel, the hour was held on 22 April.[50] Earth Hour 2010 was reportedly the biggest Earth Hour yet, aiming to garner more than the one billion participant goal of 2009s Earth Hour.[51] 126 countries participated in Earth Hour 2010.[52] 2011: Earth Hour 2011 was the biggest year in the campaigns five year history, reaffirming it as the largest ever voluntary action for the environment. It took place in a record 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries and territories in all seven continents.[59] It had an estimated reach of 1.8 billion people across the globe. In addition to this, the campaigns digital footprint grew to 91 million. 2012: Earth Hour 2012 was observed on 31 March 2012 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (participants local time).[66] It took place in more than 7000 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories, making it the biggest growth year for the campaign since 2009. In February, Earth Hour launched its 2012 campaign I Will If You Will, with the intention of engaging its growing global community to go beyond the hour and coordinate efforts publicly through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and e-mail. Using a dedicated YouTube platform,[67] IWIYW asks Earth Hours digital community to inspire people from all corners of the globe to take sustainability actions, and to share their commitment to the environment with their own social media networks. -2013: Earth Hour 2013 was held across the world on Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time[71] to avoid taking place after European Summer Time begins, ensuring the greatest impact of the lights off event. It is also to avoid coinciding wi th Western Christianity Holy Saturday, which falls on March 30 of that year. 2014: Earth Hour 2014 announced the date will schedule on March 29 as seen on the 2013 Earth Hour highlights â€Å"I will if you will† Campaign: I Will If You Will (IWIYW) is an Earth Hour campaign to encourage positive  action for the environment. The actions required are up to the individual or group. They could be big or small and it might be a simple lifestyle change or perhaps something that leads to political change. The campaign intends for people to become the inspiration to their friends, family, colleagues and communities by sharing what they’re willing to do to protect the planet. Challenges can be created or accepted on Earth Hours YouTube channel. Many organization supports and celebrity endorsement The Earth Hour Global FAQ page states: Earth Hour does not purport to be an energy/carbon reduction exercise, it is a symbolic action. Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of energy/carbon reduction levels for the hour itself. Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. Participation in Earth Hour symbolises a commitment to change beyond the hour.[86]

Role Of Media In Politics Media Essay

Role Of Media In Politics Media Essay Globalization has allowed us access to be more informed through the internet, radio, television and many other types of media, as we all know the role of media is to inform us about issues of the everyday life. So let me ask you a question do you trust the media you read or see and do you think informing us is their only role? Well through this essay you will learn the role of media in politics like the influence the media plays in presidential elections, For example if the media likes a presidential candidate it can help his career but it can also destroy his career. We will also see the influence they have on peoples every day decisions, lastly we will see how the different types of media have different impacts in politics, economy, education and so on. Keep reading and you will get a handful of information. According to the journalist Thomas Carlyle Media is often called the fifth branch of governments After the Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, and the federal bureaucracy, saying that no other institution has such an impact on governments as the media has. Well I think I have to agree with Thomas even though the media members are not elected by the people and its motives are often driven by profit. When we listen or hear the media we tend to believe it because we assume they have done some research and the information we are receiving is true. But media sometimes takes sides for example in the Colombian recent elections the media played a key role in influencing the public vote, since the two main channels in Colombia are owned by wealthy families that preferred Juan Manuel Santos over the other candidates I would probably have to say that is why we saw more propaganda for Santos than for Mockus or any other candidate and also favoritism from the two channels. Media also play s a crucial role in shaping a democracy, democracy being the art of how states related with each other used to be secret but now thanks to media is very public and the government doesnt have its privacy like it used to. Nevertheless, the media can also be good since it makes us aware of various social, political and economical activities happening around us. The media in Latin America has evolved and become more active over the time that is why the modern media reminds politicians about their unfulfilled promises and relations with other countries they promised during elections. For example the Colombian media, when it comes to the war with the guerrilla they cover what politicians do not want us to see because it may be too grotesque and make the population scared, maybe the politicians are right in not lettings us see such grotesque pictures but I think is also important to know what is also happening in the country you live in and most importantly in the world. Television allows us to see live the major political events in fact Television has become so important that is the major platform of communication between political figures and the citizens. Television plays an important role in political socialization, helping both children and adults to acquire knowledge about the political system and how it operates. This type of media has allowed nations economies to rise at unprecedented levels, also accelerating the urbanization trend and lastly it has also influenced the high schools and universities to pour millions of graduates every year. Television with the help of the radio has increased the number of voters for presidential elections since together they have reached less educated and less involved sections of the population. Nowadays we can say that the main role of television is to be a watchdog on government actions since they exercised the greatest influence on governments by pressuring them, in other words television is the bridge be tween the people and the government. But television also has its down sides for example the Latin American society has suffered a crisis of confidence of governmental private documents going public, Due to this Venezuelas president Hugo Chavez has entered to control what journalists are allowed to say in Venezuelas television, He is also controlling the access to the internet keeping the people from Venezuela informed in only what he thinks is good for them to know. Another type of media is the newspaper when I say newspaper I am also referring to magazines like semana. An essential function of the newspaper is to bring us news of all around the world, without newspapers we would be like a baby who knows nothing of the outside world. Newspapers keep citizens informed about the political activities of their governments, they give in detail the statements and the speeches made by presidents or other political figures at public meetings or congresses. Newspapers now a days due to their freedom of speech criticize governments on what they do wrong and advice them. They also describe the economic policies of the government for example they describe its import and export policies, its economic development, and the prices of different things to keep people aware. Newspapers gives the same information as television does, the only difference is that is more detailed and specific. Newspapers also describe the problems of unemployment, farmers struggle wit h the guerrilla. Newspapers also convey information regarding the different crimes taking place every day they inform us about the political, economic and social changes occurring everyday in different countries, They give descriptions of the revolutions in different parts of the world, they provide descriptions of changes taking place in other societies in the fields of education, agriculture and a country defense preparation for war. But not everything is news they also have a space to relax with great comics and crossword puzzles. In the recent years the Internet has not replaced the influence of newspapers, radio, or television. However the internet has an advantage over the older media types since The Internet is an interactive medium that allows citizens to send information as well as receive it in real time, something that television and newspapers dont allow. In Colombias latest election the presidential candidates were able to developed web sites to support their campaigns. They also developed groups in facebook, twitter and many other websites, by this new form of communication presidential candidates were able to reach new audiences on the World Wide Web, creating the potential for an even greater influence in society. We could say that the key word for the Internet and politics is power. The 2010 Colombian presidential campaign demonstrated the power of the Internet to raise funds for candidates by collecting contributions via the Websites, Thats why I say dont be surprise next time the presidential c andidate debates are via chat rooms. Among the main internet users are the young adults maybe this is a reason why it has become so important since we are the leaders of tomorrow. The internet serves many functions to society some of them are that is serves as virtual community, information source, employment portal for jobseekers, research center, discussion forum, and entertainment center, among others. The internet brings together buyers and sellers and facilitates the flow of information, making it a key driver of trade. It also has some benefits like doing fast business gathering new ideas but the internet is not as great as it sounds it also has some limitations like the hackers or the privacy control problems we are facing right now I guess we will just have to wait and for the solutions. The last type of media we are going to analyze is the radio since its the oldest one with the most advantages. The most important advantage that radio offers is its ability to reach specific audiences through specialized programming. Radio can be adapted for different parts of the country and can reach people at different times of the day, For example radio is the ideal media for reaching people driving. When the radio first appeared it gave great potential for improving living conditions in the rural areas in Latin America. It is the most universal mass communication medium and is presently the cheapest type of media. Radio has also some effects in society the Excessive coverage of sensitive and violent news has led to communal riots at times in the case of Colombia the sindicatos when they found out about plan Colombia they formed a riot to stop the trade agreement of Colombia with the united states since they were going to be damaged by it. The constant repetition of news especial ly the violent ones can have major impacts especially on kids and make them repeat what they see for example if kids see a shooting they might be tempted to buy a gun and shoot their friends I know its a bit exaggerated but its just an illustration of how much power the media has on society as a whole.The media also plays a role in international political affairs as well, For example when Colombias government invaded Raul Reyes Camp people were all for it they were proud of the Colombian soldiers but when the internet and television stations started showing the other countries reactions a lot of people gave their back to the Colombian government saying they dint respected their neighbors and that they were disappointed on Colombia even though Colombia had already apologize to Ecuador. Radio and the other types of media also play an important role in war, in other words war is good for the media business because despite the excessive costs of sending correspondents for coverage, usin g expensive satellite equipment and airtime, war is precisely the type of event on which the media earns most of their money. A lot of the times the information is transformed and converted to be more dramatic that is why we should work with the media to help them focus in peace agreements and not so much in yellow news. In conclusion the Medias specific role in politics and society is informing us through persuasion always trying to influence us in our decisions. That is why media should have more clearly defined restrictions as to what they can write or cannot write. The media should be obligated to tell the truth and not manufacture or elaborate stories, even if it does not sound as good. Even though most of the television news stations are owned by wealthy individuals, they should not be so biased. The media and the politicians only want us to see what a perfect world we live in, so they tend to hide the truth or work their way around it. We can also conclude that the media has positive and negative things and that is good to read, listen or see the news but most importantly what I recommend is not to believe everything they tell us because they always come with a twist so just make your own decisions based on what you believe in and not letting yourself be influenced by anything. Through this es say we also saw the different types of media and their roles and how in the future the internet is going to be the most important type of media since it allows us to send information and receive information. Finally I recommend to the media to focus a little bit more in peace coverages than on violent news even though they sell better. The End BLIBLIOGRAPHY: Aronson, JD (2005) causes and consequences of the communication and internet revolutionin: Baylis J. Smith(2005). Globalization of world politics: an introduction to international relations. Oxford university press. Pg 621-643 comparing media systems: three models of media and politics (Daniel C. Hallin, Paolo Mancin pg 1-46) University of Haifa; Better-looking politicians get more media coverage.  (2010,  July). NewsRx Health Science,55.   Retrieved September 18, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID:  2080833321). Cindy T Christen,  Ã‚  Albert C Gunther.  (2003). The influence of mass media and other culprits on the projection of personal opinion.  Communication Research,  30(4),  414-431.   Retrieved September 18, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:  373810331). The Role of the Media in the Consolidation of Democracy in Latin America, The Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars,  Volume 7, Issue 2, February 2005 Lazaroiu,  G..  (2010). NEW MEDIA AND THE NATURE OF THE NEWS MARKET.  Economics, Management and Financial Markets,  5(1),  189-195.   Retrieved September 18, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID:  2084371381). Television and Politics, Tom Brennan, Article first published online: 24 AUG 200s DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-923X.1978.tb02221.

Canadian Law Enforcement Essay -- Technology, Tasers

â€Å"Taser Changes go Ahead†, an article published in the Alberta News in February, indicates that the RCMP is moving forward and will be instituting some previously described changes into its 2011 Police Manual framework. The framework is currently being reviewed and will later be reviewed and approved by the Albertan Solicitor General. The 16 recommendations made by the Braidwood inquiry, including yearly re-trainings, monthly quality and adherence audits, as well as updated procedures based on the minimization of any potentially adverse health effects to the subject, should be reflected in the final version of the manual for 2011. This establishment of the project by the Alberta Solicitor General demonstrates a significant attempt towards improvement over previous perspectives on the dangers of Conductive Energy Weapons, commonly known as Tasers. As a result, it is clear that improvements to the issues of adverse health effects, design flaws within the device itself and po lice policies must be instituted within the Canadian society. The issue of Conductive Energy Devices (CED), synonymously known as Conductive Energy Weapons (CEW), has been at the forefront since the introduction of the devices to the Canadian Market in 2001. The device most popularly known as a Taser has been allegedly responsible for numerous deaths caused by excessive use, flaws in the design, and lack of police training. Moreover, since the increased media coverage of the issue by non profit organizations such as Amnesty International, which began in late 2007, and the Canadian Civil Liberities Association in 2010 the use of such weapons has undergone significant change within the implementation of the device by police, codes of conduct governing CED equipp... ... number of Taser reported issues in the past decade. In conclusion, it is clear that albeit the Taser technology in its infant stage encountered many problems the fact that such a technology has not been taken off the market stands as a testament to its utility to law enforcement agencies worldwide. Furthermore, albeit the problem is complicated, time sensitive and requires significant mobilization of state resources and public participation as well as deaths of innocent civilians the issue is resolvable. As occurred in the past history of Taser failures the technology can and will be revamped whilst the society must catch up to fully optimize its utilization of the technology to achieve its goal. In the case of Tasers it is to provide a non lethal alternative to apprehend suspects, saving lives every step of the way, suspect and innocent alike.

Parents Should Have a License to Have Children

Question of Policy: 13. Parents should have a license for having children. I think so. It's pretty ridiculous that anyone can procreate and keep the kids, but you have go to through red tape, often for years! , to adopt. Everyone should be required to take parenting classes through an unbiased (aka non-religious) source, like a hospital. I say non-religious because the discussions will undoubtedly change to moral rearing, when the biggest problems are with physical and logical raising. I have no problem with kids being raised with religion, of course.Now, we can't control people getting pregnant unless we have mandatory sterilization of some people–but, we really couldn't do that with our rules on medicine (and people change as they age). However, the moment you go to your doctor for your first appointment, you should have to sign up for those parenting classes. If you really want the kids, you will make time for the classes. I don't really care how busy you are. I'm in class or working for about 12 hours per day, and if I got pregnant, I would make the damn time because it would be for the well-being of my children. Pro- 1.Less accidents (parents are informed of different precautions with children). 2. Precursor for disease prevention (blood tests could determine diseases) 3. Will baby be raised in a psychologically stable environment? (If one of the parents is a sexual offender, parental rights will not be allowed). 4. May lead to less crime (Offenders are often known to be raised in a deviant environment). Con- 1. The population-replacement level is already low. 2. It interferes with our right to reproduce. 3. It is costly (doctors will have to operate on every woman, and be able to reverse the process). . How are you going to control sexual behavior? * 5 years ago * * * No. * 5 years ago * Report Abuse 0%Â  0Â  Votes * Verity No, and here's why: 1. While it feels logical on some level, the administrative challenge of determining fit parents is mind -boggling. Does it require a financial means test? A psychological evaluation? A visit to a marital counselor to ensure a stable marriage? Even the lowest bar – say, attending a few hours of parenting clases, which most hosptials encourage and offer at low or no cost – requires making judgements about culture and values that are dicey. . The absolute truth is that parents can look good on paper and fail in practice, and vice versa. One of the best moms I know was 20, unmarried and employed as a cashier when her daughter was born. Nothing in her history suggests she'd be so competent and loving, but there it is. And plenty of well-heeled, highly educated men and women – myself included – struggle with the transition. Parenting licenses would likely be tainted by the same accusations facing our legal system – do the affluent have an advantage? Is that just? 3.Since the act of conceiving a child occurs far outside the reach of the law, how would we re gulate it? Would women be forced to take pregnancy tests? That's a funny twist in the abortion debate, actually. Is there a right to choose to become a parent, and if so, can the state stop you? Would men and women who fail a licensing test be obligated to take birth control? What if they're morally opposed? (After all, you may opt out of military service for religious and moral objections, if they can be confirmed by church membership or a similar proof. ) 4. What happens to the kids born to unlicensed parents?Are they forcibly taken away from their parents? Who gets them? Again, there's a potentially ugly social justice issue there – poor children, possibly of color, being given to affluent parents, possibly white, because we define adequate parenting by a standard that doesn't apply universally. (When a friend adopted a second child, she learned that each child had to have his own bedroom. In a pricey city, if we have a second kid, there's no way they'll both have their ow n rooms – but if the state is imposing rules, they may well favor the affluent in ways that are unjust – or bizarre. 5. Assuming unlicensed parents have children, how will the state pay for costs associated with those children's care? Most states' youth and family services offices are already woefully underfunded and many are tragically ineffective. 6. It will become a pricey and chaotic legal battleground. Some will want same-sex couples to be refused parenting licenses; others will argue that unwed parents are undeserving. The court battles will cost millions, and will probably not result in substantially better parenting.In the end, I think that's really the challenge – will the licensing process create better parents? Licensing is a one-time act, and an all or nothing proposal. You get the license or you don't. But parenting doesn't work like that. It's a gradual process, with days where we get it right and days when we just plain screw up. You can license a driver because there are, in general, a finite set of circumstances you must be prepared for behind the wheel. Parenting licensure could never be that simple, and so it is doomed. Good luck!

Goal and Phoenix Student

My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals. I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed.Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face. Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a Universit y of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me.I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them. My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals.I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed. Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business A dministrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face.Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me. I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them.My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barrie rs to achieving my personal goals. I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed.Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face. Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me.I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my person al goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them. My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals.I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed. Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face.Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me. I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them. Goal and Phoenix Student My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals. I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed.Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face. Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a Universit y of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me.I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them. My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals.I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed. Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business A dministrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face.Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me. I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them.My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barrie rs to achieving my personal goals. I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed.Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face. Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me.I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my person al goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them. My personal development plan is based on analyzing my personality and identifying my strengths and weakness. Based on the answers from the personality test I have discovered that I am burdened with many barriers to achieving my personal goals.I must learn to understand to overcome any threatening obstacles to my achievements, and to use techniques that will help me overcome any hitches that I could phase. My weakness that I must work on is procrastination, poor time management, and becoming overwhelmed. Some of the goals I have made for myself are to receive a Masters’ Degree in Business Administrations and to overcome my weakness. I believe that my goals are reachable, and that I will reach them using techniques to help me overcome any obstacles that I might face.Setting goals is its crucial part of completing and achieve them, through goal setting that a task can be broken down into smaller manageable parts. When I first started exploring and setting my goals as a University of Phoenix student (UOP), I began to feel overwhelmed and worried about all of the work that is expected from me. I automatically started doubting myself and began constructing obstacles. I believe my personal goals as an UOP student can be achieved by carefully overcoming each of these blockades and barriers that I might face by learning and developing proper techniques to deal with them.

Miserable life Essays

Miserable life Essays Miserable life Paper Miserable life Paper In Athens the wives of citizens led a very different life than the wives of today lead. Some people may see their lives as boring and miserable but others believe it was not that way. In this essay I will discuss both sides of the argument.  Women in Athens were very rarely allowed to leave the house and therefore they were stuck in the oikos all day, everyday (except at festivals). The purpose of this was to give them protection from other men. Although this was a very effective method of keeping men away it is seen by some people as unjust as they were therefore kept in the oikos at all times and prevented from socialising with other men or women. The door to the oikos were deliberately off centre so that it was very hard for passers by to see in and catch a glimpse of the wife as well as making it difficult for the women to see out. The oikos also had a courtyard so this meant that the women could still get outside and get some fresh air. Therefore they werent really stuck inside the house they just werent allowed out onto the street. However, although the women did not get as much chance to meet other Athenian citizens as men did, they still had some opportunities. These opportunities were usually at festivals and religious activities as well as at family events. At these times women had a chance to talk to other women as well as very occasionally men.  Unfortunately there was another major event that women were not allowed to take part in. This was the symposium. The symposium was a very big part of an Athenian mans life. It was like a dinner party but there was one almost every day of the week. They were held at different houses every night and it was a very large social event which usually ended in everyone being incredibly drunk!! However, because it was an event with other men, the women of the oikos were not allowed to join in. A good thing about an Athenian womans life was that it was very unlikely that they would be divorced because the dowry protected them. The dowry was something that the husband got from the wifes family to help pay for her expenses. However, if a man divorced their wife they would have to pay back the entire dowry no matter how much of it they had spent. Therefore the marriage was generally insured for life. The only problem was that the dowry was the possession of the husband but because the wives never had any financial activities this wasnt really a problem. Women didnt appear to have a proper life. They were treated by the man and seen as a possession and they had no value. They had no career and all they ever did was handle the oikos. Their job in the oikos was very important though and they never had any time to be bored. In the oikos they had a number of important tasks to do such as cooking bread and meals. She could either do this herself or organise a slave(s) to do it for her. Another important job was making clothes for the whole family by spinning and weaving. Again she could either do this by organising slaves or do it all herself. She could also join in with the slaves in this task if she wished too. One job that took a fair amount of organisational skills was sorting out what food needed to be stored and which they would keep out and eat during the month. She would have to make sure she kept out the right amount of food. The woman also had to make sure that the house was clean and tidy and suitable for the man to live in and hold the symposium in. Some people think that women had the same routine every day however this was most probably not the case because they wouldnt have to bake bread every single day and they wouldnt need to make clothes every day. They only had to sort the food out once a month and they had a whole variety of tasks which werent always the same and didnt necessarily have to be completed every day. Unfortunately however, their tasks took a long time to complete but they could always give the slaves the worst jobs. Also although their tasks took quite a long time, they saw what they had to do as their duty. Some women were also lucky enough o be educated at home so they didnt just have to complete long and laborious tasks all day. Quite a few people point out the fact that women only ever dealt with slaves and children all day. Although this was part of their life, it was what they saw as normal. Besides, they did also see their husbands and relatives of his such as the aunts and grandmothers. This would usually be during the time when they were first married and these elder figures would teach her how to look after the house and organise and care for the slaves. As they had to be educated in how to look after the house this also suggests that looking after the house wasnt as easy and boring as it sounds. Children, although the women had to deal with them all day, were actually quite important in ancient Athenian lifestyle. Also, if the woman was lucky to have a boy she would be more highly respected than she would if she had a girl.  The man of the house may have been a miserable side to the Athenian womans life because they had no choice in whether they married them or not as it was the fathers decision as to whether they did or didnt. However, this being said, even if they didnt like their husband they wouldnt actually have to spend that much time with them being as how the man was usually out of the house. They were also in charge of the house in his absence so this was in some ways a good thing. During the life of an ancient Athenian woman they had no political dealings as they were not allowed to vote and had no say in how the polis was run. They also were not allowed to appear in court which was slightly unfair because a testimony could be given against them without them knowing and they would be unable to defend themselves. The fact that they were not allowed to vote wasnt too much of a problem for two reasons. The first being that they never left the house so what happened outside of the oikos wasnt too much of a problem or a concern for them. The other was that that way they didnt have to find out any information from their husbands on the candidates which could have been biased depending on what the husband thought himself.  All in all I do not agree that women had a miserable life mainly because they knew no other life so they would see theirs as normal. Also they knew that all Athenian women had the same life as them. I do agree however that some of their tasks may have been long and laborious and therefore made some moments of their life miserable.

Avoiding the Passive Voice in Spanish

Avoiding the Passive Voice in Spanish One of the most common mistakes made by beginning Spanish students who have English as a first language is to overuse passive verb forms. Sentences with passive verbs are very common in English, but in Spanish they arent used very much- especially in everyday speech. Key Takeaways: Spanish Passive Voice Although Spanish has a passive voice, it isnt used as much in Spanish as it is in English.One alternative to the passive voice is to turn it into the active voice. Either explicitly state the subject or use a verb that allows the subject to be implied rather than stated.Another common alternative is to use reflexive verbs. What Is the Passive Voice? The passive voice involves a sentence construction in which the performer of the action isnt stated, and in which the action is indicated by a form of to be (ser in Spanish) followed by a past participle, and in which the subject of the sentence is the one acted upon. If that isnt clear, look at a simple example in English: Katrina was arrested. In this case, it isnt specified who performed the arrest, and the person arrested is the subject of the sentence. The same sentence could be expressed in Spanish using the passive voice: Katrina fue arrestada. But not all English sentences using the passive voice can be translated into Spanish the same way. Take, for example, Jose was sent a package. Putting that sentence in a passive form in Spanish doesnt work. Josà © fue enviado un paquete just doesnt make sense in Spanish; the listener might think at first that Jose was sent somewhere. Also, Spanish has quite a few verbs that simply arent used in the passive form. And still others arent used passively in speech, although you may see them in journalistic writing or in items translated from English. In other words, if you want to translate an English sentence using a passive verb to Spanish, youre usually best off coming up with a different way. Alternatives to the Passive Voice How, then, should such sentences be expressed in Spanish? There are two common ways: recasting the sentence in the active voice and using a reflexive verb. Recasting in the passive voice: Probably the easiest way to translate most passive sentences in Spanish is to change them to the active voice. In other words, make the subject of the passive sentence the object of a verb. One reason for using a passive voice is to avoid saying who is performing the action. Fortunately, in Spanish, verbs can stand alone without a subject, so you dont necessarily have to figure out who is performing the action to revise the sentence. Some examples: Passive English: Roberto was arrested.Active Spanish: Arrestaron a Roberto. (They arrested Roberto.)Passive English: The book was bought by Ken.Active Spanish: Ken comprà ³ el libro. (Ken bought the book.)Passive English: The box office was closed at 9.Active Spanish: Cerrà ³ la taquilla a las nueve. Or, cerraron la taquilla a las nueve. (He/she closed the box office at 9, or they closed the box office at 9.) Using reflexive verbs:  The second common way in which you can avoid the passive voice in Spanish is to use a reflexive verb. A reflexive verb is one in which the verb acts on the subject. An example in English: I saw myself in the mirror. (Me vi en el espejo.) In Spanish, where the context doesnt indicate otherwise, such sentences are often understood in the same way as are passive sentences in English. And like passive forms, such sentences dont clearly indicate who is doing the action. Some examples: Passive English: Apples (are) sold here.Reflexive Spanish:  Aquà ­ se venden las manzanas. (Literally, apples sell themselves here.)Passive English: The box office was closed at 9.Reflexive Spanish: Se cerrà ³ la taquilla a las nueve. (Literally, the box office closed itself at 9.)Passive English: A cough isnt treated with antibiotics.Reflexive Spanish: La tos no se trata con antibià ³ticos. (Literally, the cough doesnt treat itself with antibiotics.) Some of the sample sentences in this lesson could be understandably translated to Spanish in the passive form. But native Spanish speakers dont normally speak that way, so the translations on this page would usually sound more natural. Obviously, you wouldnt use the literal translations above in translating such Spanish sentences to English! But such sentence constructions are very common in Spanish, so you shouldnt shy away from using them.

Carolines Real Bread Company SWOT Analysis

Caroline’s Real Bread Company are a small village bakery who produce and sell a variety of niche breads to cater for specific needs. Emphasis is placed on high-quality, fresh organic products. Their products are sold through their website, farmers markets, food festivals and other outlets. They also provide bread for specialist restaurants and cafe’s. This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current state of the grocery market, and provides recommendations on the possible actions that should be undertaken for Caroline’s Real Bread Company to expend and take advantage of the current state of the industry. Methods of analysis used in this report include PEST analysis which analyses the external factors effecting companies operating within the grocery market, and SWOT analysis which is a method used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a company, and the opportunities and threats that are currently presented to them. This research draws attention to the fact that grocery retailers have changed during the past few years in order to react to customer demand. As a result of technological advantages, the demand for convenience is increasing and all major supermarkets now sell their products online. Further research has shown that the market size for fresh organic bread is increasing, and is forecasted to increase even further in the future. The growth of the market size of their products can be attributed to two things. The increase in health awareness amongst consumers who are slowly becoming more conscious of the foods they eat due to a growth in political campaigns alongside new food labelling laws, and the increase in demand for gluten free bread as a result of a steady increase in the amount of gluten intolerant people in the UK. The store competes in an expanding, competitive niche market. It has steadily grown whilst staying true to the ideologies behind it, resulting in Caroline and her company winning many awards. We recommend that the next step that Caroline’s should take is to expand their production capacity in order to take advantage of their distribution channels already in place. They should also refrain from distributing to large supermarkets who do not share their beliefs in order to keep their unique selling point and maintain their current customer base. Instead, they should aim to increase online orders through increased marketing and promotions. We suggest they should get involved in social media in order to increase awareness of their wide variety of products, and to generate more traffic to their website. Due to their limited budget, Caroline’s Real Bread Company should directly target those with special dietary needs as the niche is expanding and these are the customers most likely to buy their products. This could bring opportunities for them to increase their number of deliveries across the UK. The report also investigates the fact that the research conducted has some limitations. Some of the limitations include the fact that secondary data has been used, and that our recommendations assume that the state of the UK economy will not severely worsen in the near future. 2. Introduction and Aims Caroline’s Real Bread Company is a small bakery in Mid/South Wales since 1992. It has two partners Nigel Devlin and Caroline Frampton. Caroline is the baker and Nigel does the accounts. Their products are sold through farmer’s markets, food festivals, local organic box schemes and other outlets. It also supplies restaurants specialist cafes, outside caterers and one off events. Caroline won the Gold Welsh True Taste Awards in 2005 after expanding her business. They offer over 30 varieties of bread which are wheat-free and yeast free. In recent years they have been trying to expand themselves through technology, through online orders which can be collected from in-store or delivered (Carolinesbreadcompany, 2013). The aims of this report are to outline the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that impact the Grocery Market Environment. The Product specific market will be explored through a SWOT analysis. The report will highlight the recommendations to Caroline concerning her company and its current position in the market. 3. The Grocery Market 3. 1 Political The government launched an advertising campaign in early 2013 to promote healthier eating habits in the UK (BBC 2013). The main aim of this campaign is to increase the awareness of â€Å"hidden nasties† such as fat and sugar in popular foods. This campaign is the latest in a long line of government aided movements in order to increase health awareness in the UK, some examples of others being change4life and 5 A Day. This latest movement shows that healthy eating is high on the agenda of the current government. The government are under pressure to introduce new legislation to reduce the salt content in foods. The coalition is currently working with the industry, through the ‘Responsibility Deal’, to improve food content and labelling (Department of Health, 2013); however they are being challenged by labour to scrap this voluntary approach and to introduce tougher regulation and legislation in fighting foods high in fat, salt and sugar. One proposition includes a 30% cap on sugar content in cereals aimed at children. The on-going debates and propositions are increasing public awareness of healthy eating habits which benefit specialist local producers such as Caroline’s Real Bread Company. According to new government rules, the UK’s food industry will be required to include clearer information regarding the ingredients on product packaging from summer 2013 (FSA 2013). The new arrangement is front of pack labelling that combines the food content with the guideline daily amounts, showing consumers the percentage of their daily allowance that they will be consuming with the product. As a result of this, suppliers of foods high in salt, sugar or fat may need to rethink their production process or risk losing customers. This change, combined with the growing healthy eating awareness of the UK will again benefit companies who are producing organic foods with natural ingredients. 3. 2 Economic An increase in interest rates has led to less disposable income which may change their shopping pattern from buying luxury goods to necessities, thus restricting the growth of a company like Caroline’s (Times, 2013) (Keynote, 2012, p. 13). Additionally, a rise in inflation would increase the price of any grocery product, resulting in lack of growth in the overall market (Gurdian, 2012). Adverse weather conditions in Europe had a negative effect on wheat supplies, thus increasing the cost of wheat (Keynote, 2012, p. 11) (Julia Glotz, 2011). Retailers can either let their profits decrease, or raise their prices and risk losing customers, to combat this rise (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). The price of flour has also risen, by ? 75/tonne (Gyton, 2012). In recession, most companies face decreased revenue. As this particular business is more focused on providing good quality products, they charge more than supermarkets would, again resulting in a change in consumer spending habits. It has been noted (Keynote, 2012, p. 16) that people are spending over 30% more on bread but this is solely due to the rising price of bread – consumption is in decline. Corporate taxation has fallen; this provides businesses with a better financial environment in which to expand (PwC, 2011). 3. 3 Social Due to the worsening economy, consumers have increasingly attempted to recreate the restaurant experience in their own homes; thus the sales of speciality breads have increased (Keynote, 2012, p. 10). The market share for specialist breads is currently roughly 30% and it is thought that these breads are acting as replacements for the more expensive premium breads (Keynote, 2012, p. 25). Foreign breads have also increased in popularity, creating a niche (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) which could save craft bakeries that are now at risk due to the growth of the supermarket in-store alternatives (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). White bread sales are beginning to decline as consumers become increasingly health-conscious (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) and switch to brown, wholemeal, and ‘best-of-both’ type breads. These, and foreign breads, are more expensive than conventional loaves leaving retailers with the potential for greater profits. It is expected that part-baked white breads will keep white bread sales from dropping too severely (Keynote, 2012, p. 41). There are three major bakers, Warbutons covers a range of qualities while Associated British Foods and British Bakeries both have a high and a low end bread product (Mother’s Pride, Hovis and Sunblest, Kingsmill respectively). The low end products are targeting people who shop for everyday value. The premium loaves are often purchased by those looking for quality rather than value. Warburtons is the most direct competitor for small village bakeries due to the broadness of budgets it caters for and the range of qualities it produces. Small village bakers tend to hold monopolies as the villages for which they cater are often remote and without other stores. Caroline’s Real Bread Company is located in Merthyr Cynog, a village six miles from the nearest town (Brecon) and stores (Google, 2013). It is over four miles from the village to the nearest bus stop from which there is a mere thrice-daily service (Sirgarfyrddin. gov. uk, 2013), so the village is isolated and the baker has a monopoly. 3. 4 Technological Businesses use ecommerce and social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach a wider audience. This can be used for advertising and to collect feedback from the customer, for example: Tesco has made a Facebook page where they get connected with bigger audience where they post offers of their products and gain feedback from consumers. They are targeting a wider audience, separating themselves from the norms of company (Tesco, 2013). Development in technology also means the reduction in first hand skills. Skilled workers have been replaced by technology, improving efficiency and productivity. In 2011, British Food Plc was investing millions in upgrading its baking business by installing new equipments. Thus modernising its production pattern, improving efficiency and reducing production costs (Keynote, 2012). Premier Foods has increased automation and thus laid off workers to cut costs (Edwards, 2013) after their profits fell by 48% in 2012 (Edwards, 2013). Hovis used to have the concept of using only British wheat as their unique selling point, due to a plummet in profits they have had to abandon this and redesign their packaging, to survive (Edwards, 2013) showing how challenging the bakery sector is today. 4. Description of Product Specific Market The main competitors for Caroline’s Bread Company are supermarkets, bakeries and in-store bakeries. Bread retailers have faced increasing competition over the past few years due to new entrants in the market who believe they can make a profit. The main competitors are supermarkets and convenience stores who now have in-store bakeries making them a one-stop-shop. They can further their influence by having freshly baked products in their petrol stations, increasing convenience. Supermarkets will invest in their bakeries to provide a quick, easy and fitting shopping experience (SmartCompany, 2012) as a result revenue should rise. The increasing price of wheat and fluctuations in household income due to the economic crisis has caused demand and preferences to change, leading to consumers becoming more aware of the products they buy. The main consumers targeted are a small but expanding segment of the niche market. To combat the growth of competition, more innovative loaves and marketing campaigns are needed to increase brand awareness. Caroline offers courses that cement her brand ethic of fresh organic produce making consumers aware of the health benefits associated with eating wholegrain, rye and gluten free breads. Consumers who prefer quality produce, and are concerned with chemical additives, will benefit from Caroline’s speciality breads. By carefully geographically selecting her location and creating her brand to suit this, Caroline is maximising her brand exposure to the local market encouraging a loyal customer base. The main trend in the market that Caroline specialises in is the emphasis of healthy living. This enhances her opportunity to break into the catering market and supply her products to people for special occasions offered on her website. By displaying her products without packaging she adheres to the attractive product presentation that many customers desire with their organic purchases (SmartCompany, 2012). Consumers would find this appealing as there would be enough different varieties to appeal to various customers, which expands her segmentation and increases her client base. 4. 1 Strengths As a dietary staple and a cemented establishment, bread is a necessity. Caroline’s business is versatile and consumer-centric. Her company suffered losses due to under developed management skills (Guardian, 2006) but the company soon recovered and studied business management elements to become a recognised bread company. Caroline’s company has taken product innovation and expanded this to their benefit. To avoid high salt levels she ensures only organic ingredients are used, keeping salt to a minimum (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) as 80% of UK bread is processed (LoveFood. com, 2013). Alongside organic, the company specialises in making rye and soda breads as well as gluten free and yeast free products in order to cater to precise dietary needs. These can be delivered freshly door to door via the delivery service. The company also supplies local restaurants and caterers with various breads (Caroline’s real bread company,2013). This efficiency, versatility and product care linked with their customers specific detailing alongside their expanding availability of products enlarges their segment of the bread market from local people to people that may live further away as well as those that may not have considered the purchase of organic foods before but would now as they can buy into the ideals behind organic foods. 4. 2 Weaknesses With the bread market being dominated by branded products such as ‘Hovis’ and ‘Kingsmill’, it is difficult for a business so small to penetrate this market. Many consumers are unwilling to pay extra for organic bread. Competition between craft bakeries, such as Caroline’s, and supermarkets is fierce and harsh to penetrate due to the brand association and prices (Keynote, 2012). Due to the entrenched ideological beliefs that are indoctrinated into Caroline’s real bread company, the company is restricted to a small segment of the bread market. Caroline’s is restricted to those who believe in the organic wellbeing and are willing to pay extra for it. The company produces their bread so that it can be frozen for individuals who purchase in bulk (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) to avoid waste, however this was not their intention for the businesses they were supplying. Nigel reports â€Å"we started supplying a local specialist food shop; selling the bread at just over cost price it later turned out that the shop was freezing the bread, undermining the whole premise of the bread company† (Guardian, 2006) in turn losing a customer and revenue as an effect. Due to their target market being so limited, their market segmentation is smaller than other brands that produce and promote to all customer types. A downside to bread is the shelf life is short for mass produced bread, and even shorter for freshly baked bread, resulting in 1 million loaves of bread being thrown away (Keynote, 2012). This becomes a further disadvantage for a small business such as Caroline’s real bread company. 4. 3 Opportunities There has been an increasing demand for healthier bread and bakery products in the UK economy due to healthy living becoming a more significant factor in people’s everyday lives. Larger bread companies will already be aware of this and will have targeted products towards this; however Caroline’s company is unique in that all products are completely healthy and have already targeted their products. This company has exclusive principles unlike larger suppliers (eg Hovis) who use bulking agents to increase the shelf life of their products, and are completely against using anything that isn’t natural or fresh. On their website it says ‘our business ­ is about producing products that meet the needs of those small but growing numbers of customers who demand only the finest quality food’ (carolinesrealbreadcompany. co. uk) which shows that the quality of their products is more important than quantity. This is a perfect opportunity for Caroline’s bread company to expand and grow due to the higher demand in the products that they already offer. As there is already an increasing demand for healthier bread products, there are also an increasing number of consumers who are adopting a gluten-free diet which is pushing up the demand for these products. Caroline’s offers over 30 different varieties of bread and already offer wheat-free bread so this is another opportunity for them to break into a new market and expand their customer base. They already offer gluten free and yeast free products so it wouldn’t cost them anything more to produce these products, it would just benefit their company due to a higher demand. 4. 4 Threats The increasing niche for freshly baked produce has created further competition by supermarkets against craft bakeries matching quality for less. Consumer perceptions are stimulated through the sensory system of smell. This could result in a change of brand loyalty once people realise that freshly made products could be purchased in similar quantities for less money. Although the ‘Real Bread Campaign’ has disclosed that only Marks and Spencer out of all big supermarkets actually make their bread from scratch and even then not all of it is freshly made from scratch. These companies use the sensory perception to lure in customers from independent bakeries (LoveFood. com, 2013). According to ‘Keynote’, craft businesses are dying out in favour of in-store bakeries (Keynote, 2012) due to their parallel innovation of fresh products. Part-baked and specialised breads, e. g. half and half, dietary, brown, are now being produced by Tesco (Tesco, 2013) and other supermarkets. ‘Food prices are expected to rise after the second wettest summer on record’ (Guardian) which has resulted in a poor harvest leading to an increasing price of grain hence an increase in food prices. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reported that wheat yields in England are down by almost 15% which has added to already been rising prices caused by a heat wave in Russia that destroyed a large majority of their crops. Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said: â€Å"The most recent figures are that wheat prices are up 29% compared with a year ago† (Guardian 2012). This is a major threat towards Caroline as this rise could result in a fall in profits as it would cost more for them to purchase their supplies. As a small company there will be more of an impact than larger bread companies. However, even ‘Hovis’ (premier foods) are struggling to sell their breads and they are known as the best-selling bread brand (the mirror 2012). They ‘struggled with soaring costs and cut-throat competition’ resulting in them losing its co-op contract to their rival company allied bakeries. 5. Recommendations and Conclusion Our recommendations for ‘Caroline’s Real Bread Company’ are that they should continue to distribute to the grocery market but not to large supermarkets as they do not share her ideological beliefs. As they have enough vans to distribute the products, we recommend that they should expand their production space so they are able to produce more products and try to distribute to places further across the country to establish their brand and attract more customers. In terms of their products there is an increasing demand for speciality breads which supermarkets do not sell many varieties of, so Caroline should see this as a product innovation and her bakery should focus on expanding into this market more. People are now more conscious of healthy lifestyles so we recommend that they should continue to focus on organic, dietary, gluten-free and wheat-free breads to continue to appeal to this expanding niche market. The target consumers for Caroline’s Real Bread Company should continue to be those who favour organic products over products that are not. Her beliefs on organic foods are the foundation of her business ideology and therefore this is unlikely to change. By targeting more directly those with dietary needs, such as gluten and wheat free products as these consumers already pay higher prices in supermarkets than other customers, therefore they may wish to look into Caroline’s company if she promotes these product more vigorously. Promotion can also be carried out by encouraging brand switching, existing consumers to purchase more, raising awareness of the brand and attracting new customers to her brand by trialling new products. This can be carried out by implementing multi-buys and incentives for example free vouchers and gifts. These can be promoted via online social media networks, for example Facebook, Twitter and other forms they will be able to make consumers aware of their brand and ideologies so that they can expand their customer base further. By doing this it can bring opportunities for the company to expand their delivery services to larger regions of the UK. 6. Limitations The majority of the data used was online secondary data. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information obtained. The report evaluates long term performance; looking so far ahead, economic conditions could change affecting the PEST analysis. For instance, our economic condition could for now be described as recovering from a double-dip recession, so in the near future the economy might be at a better or worst stage of recovery and this would affect the company’s target market. The bread market is constantly evolving and is susceptible to massive changes as a result of crop failures, adverse weather conditions, or the general economic climate. While it was argued that people who no longer go to restaurants due to the cost may now be buying more specialist and foreign breads to compromise, it must be noted that the breads in the restaurant were purchased from somewhere, perhaps even from the same wholesale baker, so this may not affect overall bread sales. What is also worth noting is that Caroline’s Real Bread Company operates within a small isolated community and has a monopoly in the grocery market for that village. This means it most likely has a steady flow of repeat customers, though the company also provides a delivery service and supplies commercial clients. Therefore expansion in their wholesale/commercial supply operations might be more beneficial than the suggested expansion in consumer retail operations due to the limited customer base. Another issue is the approach of the company – Caroline’s Real Bread Company pride themselves on being independent and local, if the desired method of expansion was in any way to threaten these attributes then the expansion would be to the detriment of the company. What must also be noted along these lines is that the bread is currently handmade; the company should consider the ultimate savings of automation against the attraction of handmade bread. The former might lose former clients who chose the brand for their traditional bread, yet it might gain customers looking for more inexpensive bread by a local company.

To what extent is it in the interest of business to engage in Essay

To what extent is it in the interest of business to engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - Essay Example The business case for CSR can be considered. Many economists have the view that CSR is not actually the demand of social ones. One of them has the view that it is not socially desired. Milton Friedman mentioned that the only social responsibility of a business is to maximize profits. Before going into the pool of Corporate Social Responsibility, we should be familiar with the term Corporate Social Responsibility, which is abbreviated as CSR. It can be profitable for the businesses and so for businessmen. Corporate Social Responsibility cannot be defined as a specific term. Different researchers and economists gave different definitions to it according to their point of view. Most of the researchers agree that, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility is a process by which, businesses are monitored.’ It has its own standards that are internationally accepted as the rules and regulations through which businesses are monitored. The word ‘responsibility’ describes that it takes the responsibility of concerned companies and appreciates their impact on customers, employees and stakeholders. The history of Corporate Social Responsibility is not as old as business; however, as the business community realised the importance of the Corporate Social Responsibility, the knowledge about the term is continuously increasing. In late 1960s, Corporate Social responsibility appeared as an important pillar in the development of a business. With the emergence of Corporate Social responsibility, different multinational companies (MNCs) started using the term stakeholder. This term was initially used to give explanation of the corporate owners (beyond the shareholders of a company), as a result of an influential book by R. Edward Freeman, Strategic management: a stakeholder approach in 1984 (Freeman, 1984). Corporate Social Responsibility is also accountable for the actions of concerned companies and it answers some questions such

HARD ROCK CAFE MODULE 1 CASE ASSIGNMENT OPM Essay

HARD ROCK CAFE MODULE 1 CASE ASSIGNMENT OPM - Essay Example 5. Layout Design: How their restaurants and stores should look on both the inside and outside; how the kitchen and behind-the-scenes should be laid out for maximum efficiency; how large the facility must be to accommodate their goals Besides just observation, there are a number of calculations that can be performed in order to measure the productivity of the kitchen staff and wait staff at Hard Rock. These include Wage Cost % (of sales), Total Labor Cost % (wages, insurance, retirement, superannuation, payroll taxes), Total Labor Hours (hours worked in each section measured against sales), Function Labour Charge-Out (need consistent mark-up on charge-out to service staff that caterers offer), Sick Days Taken (measure of morale and management skills), Labor Turnover (number of new staff in a time period—should be low), Average Length of Employment (success of keeping staff), and Average Hourly Pay (total payroll divided by all staff’s work hours). (Profitable Hospitality 2008) The purpose of this paper has been to identify how each of the 10 decisions of operations management is applied at Hard Rock Cafà © and note how the productivity of the kitchen staff and wait staff at Hard Rock would be determined. According to the resources accessed, the above describes how each of these tasks should be accomplished. â€Å"Key Performance Indicators for Restaurants, Cafes, Catering, Clubs & Hotels.† 2008. Profitable Hospitality. Online. http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:h35dnlZY4eIJ:www.profitablehospitality.com/public/88.cfm+%22measure+kitchen+productivity%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=usReferences â€Å"Key Performance Indicators for Restaurants, Cafes, Catering, Clubs & Hotels.† 2008. Profitable Hospitality. Online.

Foreign Architecture in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Foreign Architecture in China - Essay Example The lack of traditional Chinese form in any specific region and the ability of architects to reform China's urban landscape using experimental designs are attractive to architects (Moller 2004 p 1). China's architectural designs since the 1950's have been built heavily from Western influences, and most of the urbanised architecture from 1950 to 1970 was inherently designed and constructed by Russian builders (Moller 2004 p 1). China's spending on construction ranks only behind the United States and Japan's and is growing the fastest of the top ten spenders, at 8-9 percent annually. Remarkably, given China's cultural pride, most of the highest-profile projects now underway in Beijing were designed by foreign celebrities (Economist ed 2004 p 63). The influx of foreign architects in Beijing has incited controversy amongst Chinese nationals. Zhou Ganzhi, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, says, "No other country has opened its architectural design market to the world as wide as China. The rise of pan-internationalism threatens the distinctiveness of Chinese cities, making architectural evaluation difficult" (Hong 2005 p 15). The general consensus amongst critics of ... Is the Distinctiveness of China Threatened The influx of foreign architects in Beijing has incited controversy amongst Chinese nationals. Zhou Ganzhi, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, says, "No other country has opened its architectural design market to the world as wide as China. The rise of pan-internationalism threatens the distinctiveness of Chinese cities, making architectural evaluation difficult" (Hong 2005 p 15). The general consensus amongst critics of foreign and Western architecture in Beijing, China is that it removes the traditional and regional identity. Yung Ho Chang, architect, states that Chinese and Asian cities have a "lack of clear traditional urban structures this introverted quality is at odds with a modern lifestyle and the openness demanded by a highly developed commercial society" (Moller 2004 p 1). China's biggest cities are struggling to balance modern design with their historical structures (Mcguigan, Lin-lui and Mooney 2003 p56). Wu Chen, a traditional Chinese architect states "Beijing has become an experimental site for foreign architects" (Hong 2005 p 14). Beijing has changed beyond recognition, losing the traditional Chinese forms and incorporating more global influences and talents who have been drawn to China in the building effort of Beijing officials (Mcguigan, Lin-lui and Mooney 2003 p56). Review of Relevant Literature Each resource in this research essay has been verified as either a foreign architect working in China, or a Chinese architect. For example, Xuefei Ren received a PhD at the University of Chicago and has published several texts on urban planning (Ren 2006 p 1) Web sites of the actual architects (verified by name, address and

Friction Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Friction - Lab Report Example From the experiment, it is clear that the static friction force for block with one weight and block for two weight is higher than the kinetic friction force for both masses. This is to enable the object move at a constant velocity. The static friction force for block with one weight and two weight were 6.254  ± 0.7658 N and 3.773  ± 0.4060 N respectively. While the kinetic friction for the same masses was 2.472  ± 0.1193 N and 1.361 ± 0.09464 N. respectively. On the other hand, the co-efficient of static friction for block with one weight and two weight was 0.6134  ±0.20297 and 0.5667 ± 0.1224 respectively. While, co-efficient of kinetic friction for the same masses were 0.22127 ± 0.1224 and 0.22400  ± 0.019076. Both the coefficient of static and kinetic friction was consistent with the values obtained by other groups. These result shows that the coefficient of static friction reduces as more weight is added to the object. The same scenario is also witnessed with the coefficient of kinetic friction. However, for a clear relationship to be obtained between the co-efficient of both static and kinetic friction more weights needs to be added on the object so as to obtain a good relationship. The obtained results showed that 70 % of the measurement lied in the (average  ± one std. deviation). While, 97.5 % of the friction force lied in the (average  ± two std. deviation). Even though, the percentages of the measurements that lie (average  ± one std. deviation) and (average  ± two std. deviation) are slightly higher than 68 % and 95 % respectively. These results are can be said to be normally

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays - Case Study Example be able to plan for a holiday successfully since every time they do so, other more important activities come in between and make them think otherwise about having a holiday. This makes holiday to be categorized under the fourth quadrant of self-satisfaction. In this quadrant, the holiday consumer would be having information about a holiday place, they haven’t been to that place before, they haven’t planned to go there but the thought to do so might have just been an impulse one which just came immediately the thought to go for a holiday rung in their minds. They then visit the place, they might feel the place is really refreshing and good for a holiday, after that, they will decide to treat themselves in the holiday place and have some good time. Therefore this is the model of Do-feel-learn. This may contrast a bit with the CBDP model where the holiday consumer will have to recognize the need for the holiday first, they then go on an information search about the best or appropriate place they would want to go to for a holiday, they would then evaluate and analyze the various alternatives they just found from the search to decide on the best and appropriate holiday purchase, they then make the decision to make the appropriate purchase which is making the decision to visit the place of choice, and finally have a post-purchase evaluation on whether the holiday place of choice was the best or failed to meet the expectations (Schiffman, Kanuk, & Hansen.H, 2008). The consumers who use the CBDP model therefore seem to be those consumers who are keen about what they purchase before they do the purchase. They most of the time work on a budget and would choose what will fit in their budget. This therefore is a more appropriate way to do a holiday purchase than to just carry out a blind purchase on something you have no idea about. Consumers normally carry out information search for all the products before they make the purchases. The information search on these

Foreign Architecture in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Foreign Architecture in China - Essay Example The lack of traditional Chinese form in any specific region and the ability of architects to reform China's urban landscape using experimental designs are attractive to architects (Moller 2004 p 1). China's architectural designs since the 1950's have been built heavily from Western influences, and most of the urbanised architecture from 1950 to 1970 was inherently designed and constructed by Russian builders (Moller 2004 p 1). China's spending on construction ranks only behind the United States and Japan's and is growing the fastest of the top ten spenders, at 8-9 percent annually. Remarkably, given China's cultural pride, most of the highest-profile projects now underway in Beijing were designed by foreign celebrities (Economist ed 2004 p 63). The influx of foreign architects in Beijing has incited controversy amongst Chinese nationals. Zhou Ganzhi, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, says, "No other country has opened its architectural design market to the world as wide as China. The rise of pan-internationalism threatens the distinctiveness of Chinese cities, making architectural evaluation difficult" (Hong 2005 p 15). The general consensus amongst critics of ... Is the Distinctiveness of China Threatened The influx of foreign architects in Beijing has incited controversy amongst Chinese nationals. Zhou Ganzhi, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, says, "No other country has opened its architectural design market to the world as wide as China. The rise of pan-internationalism threatens the distinctiveness of Chinese cities, making architectural evaluation difficult" (Hong 2005 p 15). The general consensus amongst critics of foreign and Western architecture in Beijing, China is that it removes the traditional and regional identity. Yung Ho Chang, architect, states that Chinese and Asian cities have a "lack of clear traditional urban structures this introverted quality is at odds with a modern lifestyle and the openness demanded by a highly developed commercial society" (Moller 2004 p 1). China's biggest cities are struggling to balance modern design with their historical structures (Mcguigan, Lin-lui and Mooney 2003 p56). Wu Chen, a traditional Chinese architect states "Beijing has become an experimental site for foreign architects" (Hong 2005 p 14). Beijing has changed beyond recognition, losing the traditional Chinese forms and incorporating more global influences and talents who have been drawn to China in the building effort of Beijing officials (Mcguigan, Lin-lui and Mooney 2003 p56). Review of Relevant Literature Each resource in this research essay has been verified as either a foreign architect working in China, or a Chinese architect. For example, Xuefei Ren received a PhD at the University of Chicago and has published several texts on urban planning (Ren 2006 p 1) Web sites of the actual architects (verified by name, address and

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

2.4 Consumer Behaviour & Holidays - Case Study Example be able to plan for a holiday successfully since every time they do so, other more important activities come in between and make them think otherwise about having a holiday. This makes holiday to be categorized under the fourth quadrant of self-satisfaction. In this quadrant, the holiday consumer would be having information about a holiday place, they haven’t been to that place before, they haven’t planned to go there but the thought to do so might have just been an impulse one which just came immediately the thought to go for a holiday rung in their minds. They then visit the place, they might feel the place is really refreshing and good for a holiday, after that, they will decide to treat themselves in the holiday place and have some good time. Therefore this is the model of Do-feel-learn. This may contrast a bit with the CBDP model where the holiday consumer will have to recognize the need for the holiday first, they then go on an information search about the best or appropriate place they would want to go to for a holiday, they would then evaluate and analyze the various alternatives they just found from the search to decide on the best and appropriate holiday purchase, they then make the decision to make the appropriate purchase which is making the decision to visit the place of choice, and finally have a post-purchase evaluation on whether the holiday place of choice was the best or failed to meet the expectations (Schiffman, Kanuk, & Hansen.H, 2008). The consumers who use the CBDP model therefore seem to be those consumers who are keen about what they purchase before they do the purchase. They most of the time work on a budget and would choose what will fit in their budget. This therefore is a more appropriate way to do a holiday purchase than to just carry out a blind purchase on something you have no idea about. Consumers normally carry out information search for all the products before they make the purchases. The information search on these

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay Human Resource Management (HRM) is the term used to describe formal systems devised for the management of people within an organization. These human resources responsibilities are generally divided into three major areas of management: staffing, employee compensation, and defining/designing work. Essentially, the purpose of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees. This mandate is unlikely to change in any fundamental way, despite the ever-increasing pace of change in the business world. As Edward L. Gubman observed in the Journal of Business Strategy, the basic mission of human resources will always be to acquire, develop, and retain talent; align the workforce with the business; and be an excellent contributor to the business. Those three challenges will never change. Until fairly recently, an organizations human resources department was often consigned to lower rungs of the corporate hierarchy, despite the fact that its mandate is to replenish and nourish the companys work force, which is often cited—legitimately—as an organizations greatest resource. But in recent years recognition of the importance of human resources management to a companys overall health has grown dramatically. This recognition of the importance of HRM extends to small businesses, for while they do not generally have the same volume of human resources requirements as do larger organizations, they too face personnel management issues that can have a decisive impact on business health. As Irving Burstiner commented in The Small Business Handbook, Hiring the right people—and training them well—can often mean the difference between scratching out the barest of livelihoods and steady business growth†¦. With technology changing every day, and the talent crunch forcing employers to get the most out of each and every staff member, the focus on HR is set to continue. Even without a time machine, it’s clear HR’s role will move ever-closer to the very heart of business. Plugging the talent gaps This is not to say there are no challenges facing HR in the present day, far from it. At the top of the critical list on Singapore’s business landscape is the impending talent shortage that is set to hit organisations of all shapes and sizes. Elizabeth Martin-Chua, local HR expert and author, says businesses are again having to chase talent. Previously, the situation was the much more ideal reverse – with job candidates pulling out all stops to find work in their favoured organisations. Now, with the baby boom generation set to move into retirement with only smaller-sized age groups available to replace them, the talent crunch is set to move into a more permanent fixture. That means renewed importance will be placed on those HR

Aristotle’s Politics - The Good Man Should Not Rule the City Essay

Aristotle’s Politics - The Good Man Should Not Rule the City Aristotle contends that the good man is dissimilar to the good citizen in ways he goes a great length to illustrate. He distinguishes the two for the purpose of facilitating his later arguments concerning the appropriate allocation of sovereignty to the rightful ruler, who he subsequently claims is the good man who excels all others in each and every aspect. Aristotle's distinction further prompts the notion that he advocates a monarchial form of constitution, for the rule of a single good man is equivalent to a constitution of kingship. This can be derived through the following reasoning. Aristotle is convinced that the good citizen can so be defined only in relation to the constitution he is an element of: 'The excellence of the citizen must be an excellence relative to the constitution (1276b16).' The good man on the other hand, 'is a man so called in virtue of a single absolute excellence (1276b16).' He further asserts that the good citizen 'must possess the knowledge and capacit y requisite for ruling as well as for being ruledÃâ€"a good man will also need both (1277b7~1277b16).' From these conclusions of Aristotle, it is evident that the good man and the good citizen differ in the manner of their excellence, but not in their capacity for ruling or being ruled. It should therefore follow that there should not exist impediments to the ruling by the good citizen in the city as opposed to the ruling by the good man due to the fact that they are identical in their competence to rule. However, Aristotle in his later arguments, crowns the good man as ruler: 'in the best constitutionÃâ€"there is someone of outstanding excellence. What is to be done in that case? Nobody wou... ...scussed). The justification of the good man in becoming the supreme educator can be made in the following way. Since all absolutely excellent men (good men) arrive at their excellence through the process of education, that is, they are not innately excellent, their efforts should be directed toward the emulation of their excellence in the children of the city, for they are the ones who know best the process of becoming excellent. In this manner of education, the children (being future citizens) will grow up to become good men and good citizens, and thus the future city will comprise of many potential rulers. The good man through education, will contribute towards the ruling of the city indirectly in such an instance, and not directly as Aristotle claims he should do. Works Cited Aristotle. Poetics. Trans. Gerald F. Else. Ann Arbor: Ann Arbor Paperbacks, 1990.

Of Mice And Men - Curleys Wife Essay -- English Literature Essays

Of Mice And Men - Curley's Wife â€Å"I never seen no piece of jail-bait worse than her† (George) what is the reader supposed to think about Curley’s wife? In the Steinbeck novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, he introduces us to the character of Curley’s wife. She could be interpreted as a mis-fitting character in the novel, as no one relaters to her. This essay will go on to examine the character of Curley’s wife and how characters perceive her and how this influences the readers interpretation of her. The social setting of the novel is also important, as it could later explain characters attitudes towards other people. It is set in the U.S. in the 1930s; this is the time of the Great Depression. This was a result of the First World War. It affected the rich and poor alike, factory workers and farmers, bankers and stockbrokers. In short, it affected everyone; no one was left untouched. But of all the people hurt, farmers were the worst off. John Steinbeck chose to write about farmers hoping that Americans would recognize their troubles and correct the situation. The great depression is known to be the worst economic disaster in the U.S history. For this reason the depression caused many people to change their ideas about the government and economy. Curley’s wife is probably the most loathed on the ranch. The way she looks and acts leads other characters in the novel to see her as a â€Å"tart†. George makes his opinions clear just after he first met her â€Å"Jesus, what a tramp†, and â€Å"So that’s what Curley picks for a wife†. She just wants some one to talk to. Males on the ranch don’t like her because they think she will get them into trouble. They make judgments without getting to know her first. They judge a book by its cover. Curley, her husband doesn’t trust her with the other ranch hands. She was just out of place on the ranch, and because of that, must have been a really lonely person with lonely feelings. Curley’s wife is given a reputation of causing trouble between other characters from different characters in the novel. There is no evidence of her living up to all of the reputation in the novel. Candy says â€Å"Well she got the eye† which could have many meanings and then he backs that up with â€Å"I seen her give Slim the eye† and finally he says â€Å"Well I think Curley’s married†¦a tart.† This explains his views on Curley’s wife. And when she dies he calls her a ... ...mass of emotions between the men, the conflict of killing Lennie. And Curley finally showed some caring emotion â€Å"I know who done it.† â€Å"That big son-of-a-bitch done it† Is when he begins to show the love for his wife. Curley talks about going to kill Lennie, which shows that his wife may have been a big part of his life a nothing is going to replace her. Curley’s wife is a difficult character to understand. Steinbeck hasn’t named her; this could be for a number of reasons. He may have wanted her to be seen as lonely therefore not naming her shows no one gets close enough to her to call her by her first name. He may have done it to show the other characters only see her as the wife of Curley rather than an individual. He may also have done it to show the male attitudes towards females. Curley’s wife also helps to provoke mixed emotions in the reader. We often feel sorry for her such as when she talks of her loneliness, but on other occasions the reader can find her cold hearted. This is seen when she is racist towards the other characters. Most of Steinbeck’s characters are stereotypical, or have some form of a stereotypical view towards them and Curley’s wife is no exception.