Adolescence and Adulthood

Adolescence can be defined as a transional stage that encompasses changes in the mental and physical domains of human development which occur between childhood and adulthood. This transition is composed of social, biological and psychological changes.The psychological or biological changes are believed to be the most easiest to detect and to measure objectively. Adolescence is also believed to be a very crucial stage of life where adolescents are confronted by very highly changing situations.They become moody and ever stressed by the enormous changes occurring in their lives. Majority of these changes are observed in their sexual behavior following the commencement of puberty (Huston, Ripke, 2006, p.16). Changes also do occur at large in their social behavior with adolescents taking more time to spend with their peers as opposed to their parent something that was common in the previous stage.It is a period of crucial decision making about their lives. It is a time they get to know wh ich courses they take, which subjects to pursue, and which university join.According to Erikson’s psychosocial theory, adolescence is a stage of emotional up evils which stems from emotionally disturbed adolescents. According to him adolescents typically under go a period of identity diffusion which encompasses strong feelings of uncernity.At this period, adolescents desire to achieve a sense of identity.That is a state of being, feeling at home in one’s body and a sense of understanding where one is heading to with inward assuredness anticipated with a lot of recognition from others who count in their lives. However, adolescents find it hard to accomplish all this because of the on going rapid social and biological changes which are equally disturbing in the process of drawing decisions about life (Kroger, 2006, p.43).In this context adolescents are said to be typically undergoing identity crisis a period of mental confusion about who they are or where they are headin g to. According to Erickson it is important for adolescents to undergo this stage for it enables them to resolve their identity issues allowing them move on towards forming stable adult identities. The uncertainties or diffusions experienced by adolescents occur in four different patterns.First is the intimacy stage where adolescents become afraid of giving their commitments to others in fear of losing identity. The second stage is the diffusion of time a period that is filled with disbelief   with the possibility that time may come with different changes and yet violent and fearful.The third stage is the diffusion of industry which basically involves an inability to concentrate towards one activity or rather an enormous energy directed towards one single activity (Craig, 1992, p.28). The final stage in is the negative identity which is characterized by a snobbish or a scornful hostility towards the duties offered as proper and desirable by ones family and community.According to E rikson, these changes take different roots in both boys and girls. Boys develop a sense of identity a bit earlier than girls. This difference is attributed to the fact that girls’ identity is dependent on their social status (Craig, 1992, p.69).Eventual casual examinations explain that adults vary enormously from adolescents in the kind of paths taken in life. Majority of these differences occur as a result of changes in the levels of motivation, interest and personalities of individual or rather because of unexpected or unwanted life events.However, most adults initiate more close life friends than adolescents, have jobs to attend to, have children to care for and this explains that they have more common themes to share in life. Therefore, adulthood is a composition of several life themes that help describe the common developmental milestones in adulthood.In this view, Erikson also identified four levels that cover the childhood stage and further divided life during adolesce nce and adulthood into four other stages with each stage carrying its own developmental crisis (Zanden, 1978, p.51).  According to him, each stage brings forth a negative or positive outcome. Those who experience negative outcomes find it hard to resolve conflicts occurring in succeeding stages. At adolescent, majority of individuals strive to overcome role confusion and fight for a sense of identity. At this point attention is focused on peers. At early adulthood most adults begin to commit themselves to intimacy and love relationships while others develops a sense of isolation with social focus being focused on establishing friendship.At middle adulthood, adults begin to take up responsibility by propagating their own generation to care for and they also extend their concerns to caring for others in society at large (Kroger, 2006, p.103). Their focus at this stage is based on productivity and social work. Those who don’t achieve this become self –centred or stagnat ed.Erikson refers these two extremities as stagnation versus generativity.Generativity in this context is used to refer to those with interest in establishing and guiding the next generation. This stage is later followed by a stage of self evaluation to gauge how successful one was. It begins with the onset of old age and focus is on humankind. ReferenceCraig, G (1992). Human Development. New York: Prentice HallHuston, A & Ripke, M (2006). Developmental Contexts in middle childhood: Bridges to Adolescence and adulthood. New York: Cambridge University PressKroger, J. (2006). Identity Development: Adolescence through Adulthood. New York: SABEZanden, J (1978) Human Development. London: Knopf

Cosmetology Essay

What is the definition of beauty?What defines beauty? What is it to be beautiful? Beauty is confidence. Many people in the celebrity world view beauty as one’s physical appearance. They are not wrong: there is a physical beauty, but people fail to realize their inner beauty. confidence has been shown in many makeover shows such as Extreme Makeover to make peoples beauty increase dramatically. Confidence allows self-esteem to increase , and grants the person more positive thinking in their view of life. Confidence in oneself is needed to reveal the true beauty in every person. The perception of beauty is immensely broad, making it an exceptionally complex topic, as there are many ideas about beauty. For example, there is a certain ethnic group in Africa who believe having rings to elongate their neck is beautiful. Also, bound feet in china are a well-known perspective of beauty. These are merely several ancient traditions of physical attractiveness; seeing inner beauty is anoth er way to view beauty. People are beginning to believe that confidence and beauty are interlinked. In search of evidence to support this argument , â€Å" When we have confidence in ourselves we tend to dress with the clothes that fit us best†¦. that looks good on them, they take care of themselves†¦ On top of that, we smile more because we’re happy with ourselves; Smiles are always attractive. When they can see that amount of self respect, it makes everyone around you feel good and then what happens beauty radiates from everyone.† (answers.yahoo.com:How are beauty and confidence interlinked?) This is one case on how beauty and confidence are connected. however, dressing as yourself, and being happy proud of who you are, is another of confidence, that increases external and internal beauty. Other people, especially friends nearby, will notice others’ happiness and confidence, which will make them more attractive. Subjective and objective beauty is vital, and when one feels positive and more grateful for their attractive qualities, they will be more confident, and their true beauty will be shown. True beauty is confidence. Some people fail to realize this; however, the moral that confidence and beauty are connected is beginning to spread. Confidence will increase self-esteem, happiness, and pride in oneself, and the true beauty of the person will soon be revealed. â€Å"I don’t think I could live without hair, makeup and styling, let alone be the performer I am. I am a glamour girl through and through. I believe in the glamorous life and I live one.†-Lady Gaga So what is a cosmetologist? The most common definition for a cosmetologist is an expert in the use of cosmetics and beauty treatments.Aside from hair styling, cosmetologists can also specialize in nail design, skincare or makeup application. Home beauty products continue to flood the market, but some are too difficult or risky for individuals to perform on themselves at home. For example, while the materials for applying acrylic nails can be purchased in many retail stores, without prior experience or salo n tools the quality may not be the same as nails applied in a salon, and there may be potential for damaging the nail bed or cuticle. The same principles may apply to hair color and skin-care services; sometimes the best look and quality are obtained from a trained stylist or cosmetologist.As aesthetics change, cosmetologists continually learn new procedures and techniques. For example, as spray tanning has become an alternative to damaging the skin with standard tanning techniques, many cosmetologists have added spray tanning to their repertoires. With expansion of services, many cosmetologists continue to seek additional licenses for laser hair removal, the application of skin peels and massage. Others continue to practice with new hair implements and dyes as they come into fashion. These are some ways cosmetologists stay prepared to help their clients look and feel their best. What is the difference between a barber and a cosmetologist?While there may be little difference between what a cosmetologist and a barber have been trained to do, there generally are limitations to which services they can perform. Most barbers have received training on cutting women’s hair, coloring and perms. Barber shops, however, often limit services to cutting men’s hair, beard trimming and scalp treatments. In most states, only barbers are allowed to perform beard shaving; stylists are trained for both  men’s and women’s cuts, coloring, and manicure and pedicure services, but are often not permitted to shave beards.Why is cosmetology important?Cosmetology is very important because it doesnt only make a person beautiful from the outside as well. It also changes someone from the inside. It makes a woman feel beautiful, strong, and ready to take on any challenge in life. Cosmetology can help raise and even lower one’s self-esteem.Cosmetology ca n change someone’s entire life. Are cosmetologists important in today’s modern society? : â€Å"In spite of all the refinements of society that conspired to make art the dizzying perfection of the string quartet or the sprawling grandeur of Fragonard’s canvases beauty was savage. It was as dangerous and lawless as the earth had been eons before man had one single coherent thought in his head or wrote codes of conduct on tablets of clay. Beauty was a Savage Garden.†-Anne Rice Cosmetologists still are considered important in society today as they continue to train and learn to create a number of styles and looks that the average individual may not be able to perform herself. Most states require licenses and extensive training before performing cosmetic procedures like cutting hair and sculpting nails. Market demand requires frequent training and refreshers to ensure the safety and satisfaction of patrons. According to the U.S. Board of Labor statistics, 825,000 people work in the cosmetology industry as barbers, skin care specialists, hair stylists and nail te chnicians. While cosmetology is big business in large, densely populated cities and states, even the smallest towns can have at least one barbershop or salon. As cosmetologists continue to train for new and in-demand techniques, their services are considered important by many members of society today. â€Å"No matter what a woman’s appearance may be, it will be used to undermine what she is saying and taken to individualize – as her personal problem – observations she makes about the beauty myth in society† -Naomi Wolf A person’s appearance can greatly affect how others view them, as well as how that particular person views him or herself. This is why the work of a hairdresser, hairstylist, and cosmetologist is so important. These workers, whom we will broadly refer to as cosmetologists, are trusted by their clients to make them look the best that they could possibly look. The duties of a cosmetologist includes cutting and styling hair, fitting hairpieces, coloring hair, offering hair treatments like perms, manicuring nails, giving facials, and much more, depending on the cosmetologist’s particular niche. For example, some may work primarily in hair styling, while others may work primarily in hair removal. Most cosmetologists work regular 40-hour work weeks, though those who own their own businesses may work longer in order to ensure its upkeep. Regular interaction with customers is a big part of the work environment, as cosmetologists strive to make their clients feel welcome and comfortable. What are the requirements to being a cosmetologist?All cosmetologists must be licensed to work in the professional field, and a prerequisite for licensure is to graduate from a cosmetology school. This ensures that everyone who owns a cosmetology business or works in one is qualified to provide the service that they specialize in, especially since some cosmetology services can be dangerous if done by an unskilled technician, such as waxing and hair coloring. Most cosmetology programs take about a year to complete, and some may even result in an associate degree for the graduate. The classes taken are highly specific to the area of cosmetology being studied. For example, aspiring hairstylists will take classes in how to cut different types of hair and different styles, whereas aspiring nail technicians will take classes in proper manicure and pedicure techniques. After completing the program, most cosmetology schools will then provide students with a way to earn certification so that they may directly enter into the professional field. Why Cosmetology is a Hot Career? There will always be a demand for cosmetology services, especially since appearance is such an important thing in modern society. In addition, due to the fact that there will always be people getting married and celebrating other special events, cosmetology services will endure as well to cater to these clients. Employment opportunities are projected to increase 20% over the 2008-18 decade, adding 127,000 new jobs into the market, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The freedom that this career offers also adds to its appeal. Many cosmetologists are self-employed and make their own schedules, so they only work when they desire to do so. The earnings are respectable as well, with the median hourly wage – including tips – factoring in at $11.13, the BLS reports. However, the middle 50%  earned anywhere between $8.57 and $15.03 per hour. The best job opportunities are in bustling metropolitan areas, simply because these places tend to have more people and therefore more potential clients and employers. Who was my mentor? My mentor is Vero. Vero owns her own beauty salon along with a close friend of hers. The name of her salon is Hermosa Beauty Salon. In her salon, they do much more than just hair. They do Hair, makeup,hair dyes, eyebrows and much more. she became a cosmetologist because it was and is a passion. She loves everything when it comes to cosmetics. She liked it all so much, she studies cosmetics, and after 2,000 hours of training, she got her degree in cosmetology from Razzle Dazzle. She then continued and opened up her salon. According to her, there are many downfalls to having your own shop. One of those being the customers. The customers, when she has a long day, are sometimes rude. One tip she told said was â€Å"be careful for the rude ones, you need to be nice even if they are the rudest people ever.† Along with that, she has many likes and dislike about her job/ career. some more dislike are that sometime one has a really slow day. When one has a slow day, one don’t get as many customers coming through the doors. The fact that your own personal schedule has revolve around your work schedule is anot her con on having your own shop. Sometimes, you work even eight to twelve hour (if not longer)shifts, seven days a week. On the upside, the fact of having a slow day, you get to go home earlier, and you get to practice a little more. Another good thing about her job is that it is â€Å"fast and easy† money(depending on how well known your shop is). If you are well-known, you get paid a decent amount of money. Adding on to the pros, you get to meet many different personalities, good or bad. Because you get to see different personalities come in and out of the door, you get to interact with them, you get to learn how to cope with all kinds of personalities. You just need to learn how to get along. All in all, cosmetology, it isn’t just about dealing with hair. Cosmetology is about: hair, makeup, nails, face, feet, your entire body. Cosmetology isn’t just a job. Cosmetology is a passion, a passion that not everybody has. It is a talent; a talent that most people wish they had. There is a ton of work involved in becoming a cosmetologist. It is not an â€Å"easy-way-out† career like most say. It is a career that in the end, pays off. This career,  it is one that will be sticking around for quite some time, as long as society needs it(society will be needing it for quite some time). Since there will always be a demand for cosmetics, cosmetology will always be around. Cosmetology, in order to be an actual cosmetologist, you need to go through a ton of training(2000+ hours). It is not a career in which you can get your degree in in about a day. There is a lot more needed than most think there is. The cosmetologist degree isn’t, in my opinion, it isnâ₠¬â„¢t a degree for those who want an easy way out. It is for those that actually have a passion for cosmetics.Cosmetology is and will be a challenging and very fulfilling career. Works Cited â€Å"Cosmetology Careers and Cosmetology Education Information.† What Is Cosmetology? N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.Ganchy, Sally. A Career as a Cosmetologist. New York: Rosen Pub., 2013. Print. Korman, Lorraine. â€Å"Cosmetology Career Starter 2e Paperback – January 1, 2002.†Cosmetology Career Starter 2e: LearningExpress Editors: 9781576853979: Amazon.com: Books. Learning Express, 2002. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. Learning Express. Cosmetology Certification Exam. New York, NY: LearningExpress, 2009. Print. Ley, Samantha, and Demand Media. â€Å"What Kind of Education Is Required to Be a Cosmetologist?† Work. Demand Media, 2013. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. Milady/Cengage Learning. Exam Review for Milady Standard Cosmetology 2012. Clifton Park, New York: Milady/Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Paterson, Anne, ed. Careers in Focus. Second ed. Chicago, IL: Ferguson Pub., 2000. Print. Rosenberg-McKay, Dawn. â€Å"Cosmetologists, Hairdressers and Related Jobs: Career Informat ion.† About.com Career Planning. About.com Guide, 2013. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. Thompson, Lauren. â€Å"Why Is Cosmetology Important to Society?† EHow. Demand Media, 07 Oct. 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. http://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/faq/cosmetology.php http://work.chron.com/kind-education-required-cosmetologist-10688.html http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/occupations/p/cosmetology.htm http://www.ehow.com/about_5507200_cosmetology-important-society.html#ixz 2 hC57 LnVn

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Philosophy - Assignment Example If an â€Å"E† statement is false, that means the â€Å"I† version of the statement is true. â€Å"I† and â€Å"O† are subcontrary, which means that while both cannot be false at the same time, they may still be true at the same time, making the argument valid. How do you know? The premise is a false â€Å"E† statement while the inference is a false â€Å"O† statement. A false â€Å"E† statement is equivalent to a true â€Å"I† version of the statement, and a false â€Å"O† statement is equivalent to a true â€Å"I† version of the statement as well. Therefore, the argument becomes that some trees bear fruit, therefore some trees bear fruit, which is a tautology and is valid. How do you know? The premise is a false â€Å"I† statement while the inference is a true â€Å"O† statement. A false â€Å"I† statement is equivalent to a true â€Å"O† statement, which re-words the argument as some berries are not beans, therefore some berries are not beans. The result is a tautology and is valid. How do you know? The premise is a true â€Å"A† statement while the inference is a false â€Å"O† statement. A false â€Å"O† statement is logically equivalent to a â€Å"I† statement. An â€Å"A† statement leading to an â€Å"I† statement is a subalternation, in which the premise implies the truth of the inference. Valid or invalid? Valid. The premise is a true â€Å"I† statement. The inference is a false â€Å"E† statement. We know by the contradictory relation that the â€Å"E† statement must be false, which is what the conclusion indicates. Valid or invalid? Valid. The premise is a false â€Å"A† statement. The inference is a false â€Å"I† statement. The premise is logically equivalent to a true â€Å"O† statement (i.e. that some soccer balls are not round objects) while the inference is logically equivalent to a true â€Å"E† statement (i.e. that no soccer balls are round objects). The truth of the premise does not lead to the truth of the inference, which is how subalternation

Sharing Microeconomic Insights with Non-Specialist Audiences Assignment

Sharing Microeconomic Insights with Non-Specialist Audiences - Assignment Example On 26th February 2013 the New York Times presented an article titled, ‘Are We in Danger of a Beer Monopoly?’ From the article, it’s possible to learn more about formation, pricing, regulation and operation of monopolies. Most companies are established with the primary aim being to maximize profit. A monopoly is a profit maximizer, to do this they reduce supply of the products, and this raises the prices of the scarce products. For firm’s that operate near monopoly condition they enjoy economies of scale that enable them set their prices profitably, and they can control the prices of other smaller companies. In 1988 when Miller and Coors reduced their beer prices AB InBev also reduced the prices of its beer forcing Miller and Coors to abandon their price cut. This shows the firm’s dominance in this industry and all firms have to pay attention to this market leader. This further indicates AB InBev intention to scare away the small existing firms and hence force them to exit this industry. AB InBev has the powers to set its prices if the competitors reduce their prices it also reduces its prices to ensure it competes efficient. AB InBev aims to acquire Grupo Modelo’s Corona since it hinders it from setting high prices. The acquisition was it to happen will hence give AB InBev the powers to raise its price as it wishes and hence operate under monopoly conditions. AB InBev will hence be a price setter. There are different ways that a company can gain monopoly power. First is by government regulations prohibiting entrance of other firms in that industry, they can result from controlling a significant resource. Monopolies may also arise from economies of scale, availability of production technology and capital or mergers and acquisition. In this case AB InBev was developed on the concept of technological innovation and managerial efficiency. Since its establishment in 1999 the company has

Criminal Justice - Homicide Studies Research Paper

Criminal Justice - Homicide Studies - Research Paper Example Report on the Ethics Committee, 2010 The Ethics Committee reports regularly to the American Psychological Association. In its report of 2010 the committee has address the topics pertaining to the ethical issues such as psychologist consulting to reality TV programs, psychotherapy, issues related to psychologist, giving psychological treatment over the internet, etc. In 2010 the Ethics Committee responded to majority of the requests received by the office and attended 46 workshops and discussions on national and international level throughout the year. The responsibilities of Ethics Committee includes to consider the individual cases, cases of the state licensing board or court and finally those which result from committee’s own initiative after getting information from the public. The Ethics Committee starts its working when it receives an inquiry letter from an individual. The show case process starts with a notice from the state licensure board. Then the preliminary investig ations are made to decide whether the case should be closed or it should proceed to the level of formal case. These investigations provide detail information about complain. Formal cases are opened if the responded proved to be charged for ethical violation. The cases pertaining to ethics which meet the threshold criteria are then referred for resolution. The sanctions described in Rules and Procedures (APA, Ethics Committee, 2002) includes that the individuals should be terminated from the APA membership or they should be reprimanded or censured. In the cases reviewed by the committee in 2010 no reprimands were made, there were two cases of censure and five cases of loss of membership. Crime and Delinquency The American population is exposed to pictures of crime and delinquency through all the digital devices and social media which results in fear and affect the attitude of the people and their voting habits. Politicians are using crime and delinquency in their policy agendas to at tract people to vote for them. The relationship between crime, delinquency and political science is determined by deterrence theory, conflict theory, labeling theory and radical theory. All of these are related to the main topic because they are considered important by the political science, crime and delinquency scholars and the theories include the analysis of government and political institutions. The theories are useful in explaining the government and political processes about the criminal acts. After selecting the theories further research articles were obtained from J-store sociological database on the basis of contemporary theoretical trends and past development of the tactic. The results showed that the societal fears gives rise to criminal acts and ultimately ends on criminal punishment. Deterrence theory suggests that the criminals should be punished publically so that it discourages the public to involve in such activities. Conflict theory suggests that criminal acts hav e their roots in the instability between political and social groups. According to the labeling theorist the criminals should be labeled negatively but this negative label can encourage the criminals to act in the same way in future as well. Historical records have shown that the labeling

Endangered languages and cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Endangered languages and cultures - Essay Example As Argenter (2005) observes, language extinction occurs through loss of its native orator. Language extinction is a development that has emotional impacts on speaking communities, more so when there is a decrease in the level of linguistic capability that orators possess in a given language variety. Eventually this development brings about extinction of a language variety due to non-existence of fluent and native speakers. There are various reasons why languages disappear. Globalization is one of them; this refers to either division of labour and global economic specialism or adoption of cultural practices that are similar across the world. Globalization is said to be the result of language decline and not the cause. Another reason of language decline is capitalism and trade. Trade does not eradicate languages more than it eradicates cultural practice. Further, trade does not usually diminish language but instead improves interchange of cultural practices and nurtures their proliferation. Traditionally, trade enabled the creation of new languages that can be used for communication between people who do not share the first language. Furthermore, political repression is also a major cause of language endangerment. The state strives to endorse one culture that is accepted nationwide thus limiting other minority languages in schools and public places or prohibiting them completely. Lastly, urbanization is also a major reason why language becomes extinct. As Brenzinger (2008) found out, urbanization is the movement from rural to urban areas. This has made people adopt other languages that are suitable to them and abandon their cultures. Above 50% of the languages globally are in eight countries, namely: Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Cameroon and Papua New Guinea. According to Cole (2011), Vulnerable, definitely endangered, severely endangered Extinct, and critically endangered are the various

Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Nutrition - Essay Example The overall effect of these factors is however, cell impairment that inhibits the function of insulin to stimulate absorption of sugar into cells. When this resistance occurs, sugar cannot be efficiently absorbed and its levels rise above optimum. One of the major causes of type 2 diabetes is genetics. The disease is hereditary, which means that a parent with the disease before a child’s birth is likely to transfer the complication to his or her child. Similarly, diagnosis of the disease in a sibling is an indicator that a person is likely to be a victim. This is however a reflection of the genetic transfer from a parent (Diabetes, 1). A person’s origin has also been identified as a factor to developing diabetes. This is because some races have shown significantly higher susceptibility to the type II diabetes than others have. An example is the American Indian race. As a result, being an American Indian increases a person’s chances of contracting the disease. â€Å"High blood pressure,† as high as â€Å"140/90† and above is another factor that causes type II diabetes (Diabetes, 1). The basis of the disease, inability to experience efficient absorption of blood sugar into cells, explains the role of blood pressure in causing the disease. This is because transfer of molecules through cell membrane, whether facilitated by insulin or not, is a factor of pressure hence unfavorably high levels of pressure hinders the sugar molecules’ flow into cells. High levels of cholesterol also affect sugar absorption into cells causing type II diabetes. Higher levels such as above â€Å"35mg/dLâ €  have for example been identified to cause the disease (Diabetes, 1). Similarly, factors such as being overweight or being physically inactive also cause the disease and can be associated with effects of excessive accumulation of fats in the body (Diabetes, 1). People with type two diabetes exhibits specific complications that have been

Arranged marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arranged marriage - Essay Example According to various anthropologists along with sociologists, marriages reveal the relationship between emotion, privacy, sexuality and ideologies creating a bond between a man and a woman. They also affirmed marriage to be a social institution which attempts to establish broad assortment of social norms that promote ethical behaviors in order to protect the relationship amid mankind (Hart, â€Å"Love by Arrangement: The Ambiguity of ‘Spousal Choice’ In a Turkish Village†). Thesis Statement The discussion henceforth will be emphasized on critically evaluating Gitanjeli Sapra’s argument that arranged marriages are actually healthier as compared to love marriages. With this concern, the Toulmin strategy has been selected to structure the arguments in a comprehensive way. Discussion: Toulmin Strategy for Arguments The conception of ‘Toulmin Strategy for Argument’ comprises six different parts which include ‘claim’, ‘qualificatio n’, ‘rebuttal/observation’, ‘grounds’, ‘warrant’ and ‘backing’. The prime intention of this theory is to provide effective guidance in analyzing as well as constructing a suitable logic of a specific argument through the aid of the aforementioned constituents. The detailed analysis of the aforesaid facets based on the argument of Gitanjeli Sapra has been provided hereunder. Claim Arranged Marriages are actually healthier than the kinds of marriages people are accustomed to in the Western world. Since ages, marriages in humankind are regarded to be a sacred practice which intends to generate interpersonal affiliation and kinship between the two people, their families and communities. The terminology of ‘arranged marriages’ are viewed to distinguish those marriages which are primarily negotiated by the family members of the bride and the groom rather than any couple themselves. This kind of marriages is also ackno wledged as prearranged marriages. In relation to the argument which deals with reference to the fact that arranged marriages are actually healthier in comparison with any other marriages, it can be stated that arranged marriages possess numerous significant advantages as compared to other kinds of marriages. The arguments regarding arranged marriages have been mostly based on the perception that such kinships are proportionately healthier in comparison to love marriages as arranged marriages strengthen both economic as well as social ties between the couples (Hart, â€Å"Love by Arrangement: The Ambiguity of ‘Spousal Choice’ In a Turkish Village†). Grounds The major ground for supporting the claim is that arranged marriages last longer and the rates of divorces are quite less. Stating precisely, it has often been observed that arranged marriages tend to last longer owing to the aspect that the couples are rightly matched through planning and patience as they poss es similar culture and share identical religious upbringing. The other precious learnt feature of arranged marriage depicts that there lies a lesser probable chance of divorces. In this regard, it can be stated that the possible chance of divorcing is quite minimum in the case of arranged marriages as compared to other marriages as the couples belong to similar family backgrounds and share identical views regarding life (Hart, â€Å"Love by Arrangement: The Ambiguity of ‘Spousal Choice’ In a Turkish Village†). Warrant The principle that connects the grounds to the claim is

RESEARCH ON YOUTH CULTURE MOST INVARIABLY TENDS TO ROMANTICISE OR Essay

RESEARCH ON YOUTH CULTURE MOST INVARIABLY TENDS TO ROMANTICISE OR OVER-POLITICISE INSTANCES OF YOUTHFUL RESISTANCE. DISCUSS WITH REFERENCE TO Thornton, S, C - Essay Example There is not one monolithic youth culture that defines all young people. Popular youth culture embraces a diversity of sub-cultures or â€Å"tribes† such as skaters, druggies, snobs, band geeks, Satanists, Jesus freaks, techno-goths, computer dweebs, blacks, Latinos and white trash. Groups distinguish themselves by dress, style, music, body modification practices, race, ethnicity, and language. (Hines, 1999) Thus a researcher, who intends to study the ethnic, racial, political, cultural, sociological or linguistic aspect of a subculture, often ends up in analysing one of the factors and tend to romanticise or over-politicise these aspects. Subcultures were one of the major fields of inquiry at the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies in the 1970s, and this overview will take as its starting point Resistance Through Rituals, the BCCCS’s 1976 collection of working papers on the subject. In the introduction, the authors acknowledge their debt to the interactionist sociological approach to deviant behaviour, and especially to Howard Becker’s 1963 book Outsiders. Here, Becker’s theoretical work on art worlds and on deviance intersect in the classic study of freelance dance band musicians, whose â€Å"culture and way of life [were] sufficiently bizarre and unconventional for them to be labeled [sic] as outsiders by more conventional members of the community† (Outsiders 79). Becker builds an intricate ethnographic analysis around the values encoded in the concept of â€Å"hipness† (as opposed to â€Å"square† society) and the way such values are made to operate tactica lly within the subculture. This study, published in 1963, is part of the corpus referred to by Gelder and Thornton as the â€Å"Chicago school† whose themes (male urban opposition to ‘mainstream’ commercial and moral values) clearly prefigure the main preoccupations of the British cultural studies

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Starbucks is a premium coffee wholesaler which has strayed from its original service of coffee. The advent of newer technology has diminished the Starbucks experience. Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairmen, sent a memo on February 14, 2007 addressing this problem to the president and chief executive officer of Starbucks, Jim Donald. In the memo, Schultz voiced his opinion on how the rapid expansion of Starbucks is causing him to revaluate the company’s values between how it operated when it began and where it is heading in the future. Starbucks isn’t the same neighborhood store as it was when it was established and no longer shows the passion for coffee that they had in the beginning. â€Å"I have said for 20 years that our success is not an entitlement and now its proving to be a reality. Lets be smarter about how we are spending our time, money and resources. Lets get back to the core† (Schultz). Along with its expansion, Starbucks has been trying to utilize new technologies to improve the product they sell to consumers. Starbucks changed their espresso machines from manual to automatic to speed up service and efficiency. These machines â€Å"blocked the visual sight line the customer previously had to watch the drink being made, and for the intimate experience with the barista† (Schultz). People no longer have that intimate connection with the people making their coffee, or to the finished product. The employees are also more disassociated from their work because of these new machines that speed up production. Starbucks also incorporated flavor-locked packaging to supply the demand for fresh roasted coffee. This is a great service to the customer because it keeps coffee grounds or beans fresher longer, yet the effectiveness of the flavor-locked bags contributed to the loss of aroma, â€Å"perhaps the most powerful non-verbal signal†, in Starbucks (Schultz). The romance of Starbucks is lost with these improvements and the unforgettable scent is lessened along with its heritage. Starbucks is still a coffee-loving company, and consumers are still receiving the coffee delicacies they want, but at what cost to tradition. https://sites. google. com/site/hollymadalyn/writing/Starbucks-Research-paper SYNOPSIS Starbucks Corporation, originally founded in 1971, but purchased by Howard Schultz in 1987, is the market leader in selling gourmet coffee (Starbucks, 2008). Starbucks main objective is to establish itself as the most respected and recognized coffee brand in the world (Fact Sheet, 2008). Starbucks has accomplished this objective and experienced much success through their competitive strategy of clustering several stores within the same community and through their distinctive competencies of roasting and selling the quality coffee while providing high quality customer service. The question is, can Starbucks continue their market share growth with rising competitors? Should they focus more on their international operations? Can they continually reinvent themselves to maintain their strong brand image in the long run? PROBLEMS. †¢ Overall economic downturn can affect Starbucks’ market share if management neglects to address competitors’ strategies with lower priced offerings as consumers are becoming more conservative in spending their discretionary income. †¢ Loss of identity and authenticity focused upon the foundational Starbucks experience, which, if unaddressed by management, can result in dissatisfied customers, loss of sales, and decreased market share. †¢ Considering the economy and increasing domestic competition within the U. S. , Starbucks must address their less profitable international operations. SWOT ANALYSIS[1] INDUSTRY EVALUATION In the past two decades, the coffee industry has experienced a significant increase in the demand for premium coffee. Today, about one in five Americans drinks some type of espresso-based coffee drink each day. The average yearly coffee consumption per capita in the U. S. is around 4. 4Kg. Among these coffee drinkers, the average consumption is 3. 1 cups of coffee per day, with men drinking approximately 1. 9 cups per day, and women drinking an average of 1. 4 cups per day (Coffee Research [continues].

MSc International Banking and Finance

MSc International Banking and Finance The financial year 2008-2009 has been very significance in the history of banking industry. The industry faced the biggest ever crises since the great depression. The whole global banking system was challenged for various reasons.   The performance of public sector as well as private sector banks went drastically down. The crisis has not left any country without panic but the impact was subjective.   The developed countries like US and UK suffered more than the developing countries. Many literatures have been written and many case studies took place to analyse the impact of recession. Its has been an important aspect to analyse the performance of banking sector in various continents. In this research I have planned to compare the impact of recession on the Indias biggest private sector bank ICICI which would reflect on the level of impact it has went through. The research would be a comparative performance analysis of ICICI bank and its subsidiaries in the UK, Canada and Russia.à ‚   I believe the Bank is one of the best examples to analyse the performance to find the impact of global financial crises as there are different of opinion in regards to the impact of financial crises on Indian Banking sector.  Ã‚   2.0Title of the research:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The analysing the performance of Bank in financial crises- The case of ICICI Bank 3.0 Rationale for Study The focus of the study is to carry out an extensive analysis of the performance of ICICI bank in financial crisis of 2008-2009 To achieve this aim, the study will examine: The main determinants of ICICI banks efficiency and performance The effect of financial crisis on cost, revenue, profit efficiency and stock return performance of    ICICI banks. The differences in performance of ICICI bank in India, US and in the UK. The effect of banks capital on a its ability to survive in the period of crises, The result and find out the similarities and differences of impact of financial crisis. 3.0 Literature Review: The recent financial crisis has left clear evidence of global downturn. Not only developing but also advance countries have suffered in a very bad way. In last year and half market has fallen by 35-40%. According to the IMF data the impact of the recession is comparatively less in the Asian countries. But banks that are involved in the global financial market in subprime mortgages were exposed to the financial downturn. As per IMF records large US banks losses more than a trillion dollars in bad loans and expected to lose more ahead. This time financially US were hit harder than Europe and Asia or African continent. The World Bank survey of 425 Asian firms and 78 banks in 14 developing countries shows that the global financial crisis has constrained trade finance for exporters and importers in developing countries. But the impact varied by the firm size, activity, and countries integration into the global economy. The analysis of performance in the period of crisis also differs from institutions to institutions and country wise. In general, the performance of banks and non banking financial institutions has been measured by various methods but most of the literatures used combination of different financial ratios.   There are number of studies analysing the efficiency and the performance of financial institutions. However, there have been numerous studies analyzed the efficiency of financial institutions. Among these Dennis Olsonand Taisier A. Zoubi (2008) uses 26 financial ratios to distinguish between conventional and Islamic banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. In the comparison of Islamic Vs. Conventional Banks Dr. Taisier A. Zoubi has mention 16 financial Characteristics of Banking Industry. Dimitri vitas (Nov 1991) has raise the point about the use and misuse of financial ratios. Claudia Girardone. (Feb 2000) has also analysed the Determinants of Bank Efficiency in the case of Italian banks. This paper would use the various financial ratios which describe banks liquidity, profitability, asset quality and efficiency. 3.1 The Financial Crisis and Indian banking industry As its obvious, the global financial crisis is unlikely to spare Indias corporate sector.The perceived impact as reflected in financial markets indicators is acute: the Sensex lost over 50 percent and the rupee depreciated 23 percent in 2008 (IMF Country Report No. 09/186) In 2007 Indias GDP dropped by 4% and expected to remain between 5.5 and 6.5 in 2010 Limited exposure to the sub-prime mortgage market helped Indian banking sector to maintain the stability.   Indias refurbished financial systems and supervision system supported this performance. The well managed financial reform rapid growth and the diversification has given the annual credit growth of above 20% and reduce non performing asset to 2%. In 2008-09 with credit growth of 17.3% Indian banking sector reflected sound and profitable attitude, but all credit mainly goes to the large public sector banks with stable deposit growth. The banking sector in India has less impact of crisis but the banks like ICICI which has its subsidiaries in US and Europe has an impact which may be comparatively less or more. 3.2 ICICI Bank ICICI Bank is Indias second-largest bank with total assets of Rs. 3,674.19 billion (US$ 77 billion) at June 30, 2009 and profit after tax Rs. 8.78 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2009(ICICIbank.com). The ICICI Bank has its presence in 18 countries worldwide. The Bank offers various banking and financial products. The Bank currently has its owned subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Russia and Canada, branches in United States, Singapore, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Dubai International Finance Centre and representative offices in United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Our UK subsidiary has established branches in Belgium and Germany. The shares of ICICI are listed in India on Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited and its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). As a largest private bank in India ICICI has its business in the international m arket and first Indian company to be listed on the New York stock exchange. ICICI was not the exception to have an impact of recent financial crisis, as like most of the international banks ICICI was also connected to the US subprime mortgages. ICICI Bank lost its share value more than 50% during the period of crisis. Till August 2008 ICICI Bank was the most valuable bank with a market capitalisation above all Indian private and public sector banks but it has become to become the victim of global financial crisis like other international banks. With asset of $9bn in UK and $5bn in Canada ICICI has the exposure of $12bn in overseas loan The US subsidiary of ICICI also has a debt of $76m in Lehman Brothersdebt And ICICI UK has $3.5 billion investment in various instruments of which around 18% are in US papers. But the same time the capital adequacy ratio at ICICI is 13.4% which is higher than the mandatory percentage. (IBN Analysis) 4.0 Aims Objectives The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis on the performance of ICICI banks and its subsidiaries in the UK, Canada and Russia. In order to achieve the above aim, the study has four main objectives: Whether the Indian banking sector was exposed to contagion effects of the current financial crisis To compare the impact of the Financial Crisis on ICICI Bank India, the UK, Canada and Russia. How were the pre-crisis performance and profitability of ICICI banks in India, the UK, Canada and Russia? During the pre-crisis period, how was the relationship between bank efficiency and financial indicators at ICICI Bank? 5.0 Proposed Methodology and Critical Application There are various aspect of performance analysis which has been used to review or to compare the performance of banks and banking sector. In the performance analysis of Italian banks Claudia Girardone (2000) has mention various determinants of banks performance, profitability, and efficiency. Many studies focus of different characteristics of banks performance like liquidity, profitability, returns on asset and so on. In this study to examine the performance of ICICI bank India and the UK, Canada and Russia the simple accounting ratios would be used and to check further on the difference in performance in different countries the regression analysis will be used. The test will help to figure out the ICICI banks exposure and the effects of the financial crisis on its operations in given countries. The paper discusses the correlation of efficiency scores with the financial indicators such as asset quality, capital ratios, operational and liquidity ratios. Paper uses the set of sixteen financial ratios which are the suggested financial characteristics of banking industry (Dr. Taisier A. Zoubi ) to analyse the performance of ICICI Bank and further examines the difference of performance at ICICI bank in India , UK , Canada and Russia. 5.1 Proposed Data Collection For this research secondary data would be suitable thus, I intend to collect and analyse secondary data for the proposed study. The secondary data will be collected in the form of a literature review and provide details about the performance analysis and recent financial crisis. The financial statements and annual reports are required for the sample period of the research to examine and to run the proposed analysis for ICICI bank India, US and UK, The data is in the original currency (Rupee) of the parent company ICICI Bank India Pvt. Ltd., but provides a choice to covert the data to any other currency, including the USD and GBP. This paper uses the INR-based reports in the selected sample. 5.2 Access to the Data This study evaluates the cross-country level data compiled from the financial statements of ICICI banks in India US and UK over the period 2004 2009. The primary source for data used in this research is the banks balance sheets and income statements published on the Bank website. The choice of this sample period covers the longest available history of ICICI banks UK, 5.3 Justification of Methods I believe that secondary data is suitable for this research, which can be internal or external to the ICICI Bank and may be accessed through the internet or recorded or published information of bank. As there are various sources to collect secondary data, likes books and periodicals world bank and IMF publications of economic indicators, National census data, statistical abstracts, Central banks data bases, the media, annual reports of the bank, case studies and other archival records. The advantage of using secondary data sources is savings in time and cost of acquiring information and many times its comparatively easy to access. 6.0 Limitations Delimitations of the study The proposed study is limited by time constraints- the completion time limit is three months. The ratios analysis has major implication for assessing bank performance in developing countries but in this case the data is from both developing and developed countries UK and the UK. Given the range of services and the cost difference in India US and UK, Indias cost -assets and cost income ratios should be smaller than the UK as an developed country. This study does not consider the inflation effect, and the risk factor in the respected country, 7.0 Justification 7.1 Academic Benefits The study will be of interest to academics that have an interest in financial services performance review. The results will add to, and update the academic literature that presently exists on performance analysis. The study will also provide a useful insight into the use of financial performance indicators in banks. 7.2 Practical Applications The study will help to understand and measure the impact of crisis on ICICI bank. The result will show the difference of performance of ICICI bank in the given countries which would be of interest to the managers of financial services as it will provide insight into how the performance of the bank could move in the period of financial crisis. The results of the study will help to understand the difference of impact of global financial crisis in cross countries. It will also help to find the effect of banks capital on a banks ability to survive in the financial crisis, and its competitive position. 8.0 Proposed Structure The format of the dissertation will be as follows: Title Page; Declaration; Abstract; Acknowledgements; Contents Page; List of Tables and Figures (including word count); Introduction; Literature Review; Methodology; Results and Discussion; Conclusions and Recommendations; Evaluation of Study and Scope for Further Research; Bibliography 9.0 References ICICI Bank. (2004-09). Annual repots. Available: http://www.icicibank.com/pfsuser/aboutus/resultsann/webcast_09.htm. Last accessed Nov 11,2009. MF Global financial stability report. (Oct 2009). World economic and financial survey. Available: http://www.imf.org/External/Pubs/FT/GFSR/2009/02/pdf/text.pdf. Last accessed Nov 20,2009. world bank. (Aug 2009). India Banking Sector Support Loan Program, Available: http://go.worldbank.org/SRP7OBC9Q0. Last accessed Nov 20,2009 Overseas development institute-Conference Note. (Dec 2008). Measuring Commercial Bank Efficiency Use Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on Developing Countries and Emerging Markets. Available: http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/odi-publications. Last accessed Nov 11,2009. IMF. (Jun 2009). IMF Country Report No. 09/186. Available: https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2009/cr09186.pdf. Last accessed Nov 18, 2009. Malouche, Mariem. (Nov 2009). World Bank WPS5138. Available: http://go.worldbank.org/7ELI2JEZI0. Last accessed Nov 28, 2009. International Monetary Fund (2009) world economic and financial survey Available: http://imf.org/external/pubs. Last accessed 12/11/2009. Ketul S.. (Aug 2008). IBN Analysis. Available: http://www.gurufocus.com/news.php?id=33505. Last accessed 20/11/2009. Dennis Olson and Taisier A. Zoubi . (March 2008 ). Using accounting ratios to distinguish between Islamic and conventional banks in the GCC region.The International Journal of Accounting.. 43 (1), 45-65. Dimitri Vittas. (Nov 1991). Measuring Commercial Bank Efficiency Use and Misuse of Bank Operating Ratios.CountryE conomicsD epartment The World Bank WPS 806. WPS 806 (1), 1-54. Claudia Girardone. (Feb 2000). Analysing the Determinants of Bank Efficiency: The Case of Italian Banks.University of wales , School of Accounting , Banking and economics. 1 (1), 143-166.

Little Love in Pride and Prejudice :: Pride Prejudice Essays

Little Love in Pride and Prejudice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Pride and Predjuice life is not all fun and games.   There are many pressures in life:   mothers with high expectations for a good marriage and a girl's own expectation of what life and hopefully marriage will be like. Charlotte Lucas is the oldest daughter in a large family, she is not the most beautiful girl, and she is twenty-seven, well beyond the marrying age. Charlotte is Elizabeth Bennett's best friend and Mr. Collins, the man Charlotte finally marries, is Elizabeth's cousin.   Charlotte Lucas will marry to solidify her life, not because she loves, for many people are unkind about her ability to marry well; thus after her marriage to Mr. Collins, she spends all of her time avoiding him.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Charlotte knows   that even though she wants to marry more than anything in the world, she does not expect love to come about; thus, she decides that it is probably even better if you don't know a thing at all about the person you are marrying.   While Charlotte is speaking to Elizabeth about her sister, she expressed her opinion as to Jane Bennet's relationship towards a gentleman.   She says it is probably better not to study a person because you would probably know as much after twelve months as if she married him the next day.   Charlotte even goes as far as to say that "it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life" (p.21). Charlotte considered Mr. Collins "neither sensible nor agreeable" but since marriage had always been her goal in life, "at the age of twenty-seven, with having never been handsome, she felt all the good luck of it" (p.107).   Charlotte is speaking to Elizabeth on her marriage to Mr. Collins, "I am not romantic, you know.   I never was.   I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins' character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state" (p.110).   Charlotte is optimistic in entering her marriage even though Elizabeth is not.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The people associated with Charlotte, even her dear friends, have little

We Must Put an End to Frivolous Inmate Lawsuits Essay -- Argumentative

We Must Put an End to Frivolous Inmate Lawsuits Our forefathers were bright enough to establish a system of government with a series of checks and balances to maintain a balanced government. For the past decade a series of checks and balances has begun to fail our government. In our failing system of government inmates have taken advantage of the court system and have flooded it with an inconceivable number of frivolous lawsuits. Laurel Walters, a writer for the Christian Science Monitor, investigated inmates' lawsuits and found that these "recreational litigators...are suing the courts as an intramural sports activity." Action needs to be taken in order to rectify and protect "US" from this squandering of our tax payer provided funds and resources. Today in a world when knowledge is power, I'm ready to hand other tax payers an entire empire. The United States (US) and "us" the tax payers are being taken advantage of and it is time that those in power begin to notice. Linda Greenhouse, in a New York Times article, cites one of the few to become aware of this problem. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist feels, "prisoners often squander judicial resources with little offsetting benefit to anyone." Our Supreme Court Chief Justice has realized this shortcoming, and it is about time the rest of "us" wake-up too. For over a decade our legislative branch has been dragging its feet and slow to react to this extremely costly prison industry. Eight-hundred inmate lawsuits costing $1.7 million were filed in Ohio in 1995 and as many as 95 percent of those cases were dismissed. A total of 53,312 inmate lawsuits were filed nationwide in federal courts in 1994, this comes at a total of $113 billion dollars* of tax money esse... ...Cited Duhaime, Lloyd. "Outrageous Lawsuits." WWLIA: World Wide Legal Information Association. http://wwlia.org/lawsuit.html Freedman, Eric. "Two inmates ordered to pay costs of lawsuits." Detroit News. Aug. 13, 1993. B6. Fugate, Larry. "New law cracks down on frivolous inmate lawsuits." Source News & Reports." July 19, 1996. http://sddtsun.sddt.com/~columbus/Files3/9607193.html Greenhouse, Linda. High court, changing recent course, makes it harder for prisoners to sue. New York Times. June 29, 1995. B7. Harris, Sandra Ann. "People Are Talking: Crime: Inmate lawsuits costly to taxpayers." Detroit Free Press. October 23, 1995. Officials to fight frivolous inmate lawsuits." New York Times. February 5, 1996. B2. Walters, Laurel Shaper. "States rewrite laws to week out suits for cruel and unusual Jello." Christian Science Monitor. October 16, 1995. Â   Â   Â   Â  

Free Essay on Romanticism and Intuition in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: free essay writer

The Scarlet Letter: Romanticism and Intuition During the romanticism period, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the novel, The Scarlet Letter, which used the romanticist idea of deep intuition and inner feelings, allowing the characters to have insight of the plots and secrets hidden in the strict Puritan community that they lived in. Throughout the novel many of the characters have this intuition, making the book more alluring to readers when trying to figure out what each character really knows. At the beginning of the novel, we are shown Pearl's natural child-like instincts for the Preacher, who is actually her father. When Pearl was first a baby, Hester and she were shamed on the scaffold while Reverend Dimmesdale, her father, preached to the awed crowd of the deep sin committed by Hester. Pearl reached out for him, "and held up its little arms," (pg. 68) as if reaching for her father. In another instance, they were all discussing Pearl at the Governor’s house and Pearl, totally out of her independent character, went over to Dimmesdale and "taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it." (pg. 118) That was really unlike Pearl, who was a "wild and flighty little elf," (pg. 118) that didn't display affection like that. Both of these bonding experiences occurred while she was younger and neither time caused speculation by the townspeople in general.. Not only Pearl, but Mr. Chillingworth, Hester's husband, had the intuition of knowing, rather sensing that Dimmesdale was the father. It was never told to him by anyone, or even speculated that the preacher was the sinner, but he could sense it anyway and knew he had to become close to Dimmesdale to figure him out. He also knew, not as a doctor, but as an evil man, that when Mr. Dimmesdale grabbed at his chest it was caused by something greater than an illness, it was caused by something Chillingworth knew how to provoke. The most amazing of his intuitions, would be at the end of the novel when he was already aware of Hester and Dimmesdale's plans to leave with Pearl on a ship to England. The mariner first informed Hester of his plans when explaining to her "that this physician here- Chillingworth, he calls himself- is minded to try my [the mariner's] cabin-fare with you [Hester].

Cooperative Strategy

Critically discuss the underlying motivations and associated competitive advantages that explain why MNEs enter into cooperative structures and strategies, using examples. In recent years there has been an upsurge in the number of MNEs entering cooperative structures and strategies. According to Jones cooperative structure is a means of a substitute or complementary to multinational strategies. It is a strategy in which firms work together to achieve shared objectives. They form partnerships once they believe a local firm had the competitive advantage in the industry or engaged in contractual agreements with public firms.Cooperative strategies and structures have become larger and more complex and crucial more central to the core strategies and competitive advantages of participating firms as a response to the pressures of competing in a global market. In this essay I will firstly discuss the underlying factors which forces MNEs to partake in cooperative strategies. I will then menti on the different types of cooperative structures and strategies. Thirdly using examples I will discuss the motives and disadvantages which arise from MNEs entering into cooperative structure and strategies.After which I will close of with some points to consider in building a successfully cooperative strategies. Cooperative structure and strategy was first coined by firm pre World War 1. In the international business environment in the 21st century there are very few companies which possess all the resources or capabilities they need to develop strategies and organizational capabilities to gain competitive advantage on their own. Firms in the European nations were free to engage in cooperation. The US firms were bound by legislation which causes them not to be free to collaborate.According to Bartlett et al. the key challenge facing companies is their ability to maintain independence by maintaining firm control over its activities which led to the building of strong external relatio nships which may be with their customers, suppliers, competitors or even other institutions. Factors which trigger firms to shift towards cooperative strategy and structures (cooperation) stems from rising cost in R&D, shortened life cycle due to constant technological evolution, growing barriers to market entry (where some firms may lack the now-how), capital shortage, increasing needs for global scale economies and expanding importance of global standards as the world have now become a global market with greater demands and competition being placed on firms. Increasingly they must collaborate with others to meet the need of the global environment. Firms may undertake co-operation such as strategic alliances in this type of cooperation the participating firms agree to collaborate specific aspects of their business combining some of their resources and capabilities to create a mutual competitive advantage.Another form of cooperation is joint ventures which is the most formal mode of cooperation. It involves two or more participating firms taking joint equity in separate entities distinct from the parent company. It may take the form of an entirely new enterprise or one that the joint venture come together and acquire. Eg Fuji-Xerox. During the interwar years the sharing of risk and reduction of financial pressure was the basis for joint ventures, cartels and collaborations.Licensing and Franchising are also forms of cooperation they are contractual relationships between firms they offer ways of reducing capital necessary to engaging in international business. Networks as cooperation are found in many different industries and take many different forms they have no formal existence and are rooted in sustained ongoing commercial relationships where partners have learnt to trust and rely on one another. They exist to link forms operating in different stages of the value chain.All these are different forms in which a firm may undertake to acquire the skills and res ources they lack all in effort of creating value. MNEs engaging in cooperation can benefit from a range of motives giving them competitive advantage over the competitor or sustainability. Such advantages/motives are learning and resource transfer this is where the cooperative structure formal informal networks through licensing agreement to formal joint venture which can form conduits for information flows, knowledge and other tangible and intangible resources.This means that cooperation become a route through which firms gain access to resources they do not possess and either cannot or do not wish to do develop internally. This is because more and more firms are now focusing on narrow sets of core capabilities and innovation (R&D) depends on interdisciplinary work. Firms narrowing their capabilities forces firms to look at external sources of competencies and resource that they no longer possess internally. Example: The requirements imply that todays MNEs must develop the skills t o not only manage assets and resources under their

Challenges Facing Canadian Organizations Essay

Canada. They are the world’s largest producer of newsprint, nickel, and asbestos. Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver are rated some of the best cities in the world. There is also Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which bring us Canadians radio and television broadcasts the news, music, and entertainment. (Schwind, 2010, p. 3) Even though Canada is a leader and a top competitor around the world in regards to business, resources, talent, and innovation, there are still many challenges facing Canadian organizations. In this paper I will discuss the many ways that Canada, from a business stand point and as whole, faces challenges and what we as a country are doing to rise and succeed through these challenges. There are five major challenges that are facing Canadian businesses; Economic, Technological, Demographic, Cultural, and Legal. Economic challenges are broken down into three separate categories; surviving a recessionary cycle, facing the global trade challenge, and meeting the challenge of productivity improvement. All three of these are interrelated and I will briefly describe each section of the challenges. Surviving the recessionary cycle is a tough challenge especially for the Human Resource Managers, who are tasked with planning, coordinating and ultimately implementing layoffs. Recessions are a misfortune that affects everyone and every company, big or small. Job security and overall high morale of employees at a company are troubled as well in these hard times. The global trade industry is another issue that Canadians are facing. International trade has been critical to Canada’s prosperity and growth. (Schwind, 2010, p. 5) Canada is ranked number nine in the world for exporting internationally, (Metcalfe, 2008), but per capita we export more than the United States or Japan. To face this challenge Canadian organizations are expanding abroad by opening new plants and increasing activity rates in foreign countries. This is to be closer to the customers and also for the lower labour costs. Being a multicultural nation has given Canada a competitive advantage in regards to trading with other countries. However, other countries have a lower-cost based trading system due to factors such as lower labour costs, has caused Canada to lose our market share in some industries such as pulp and paper, cotton yarn, and steel manufacturing. (Schwind, 2010, p. 6) Productivity is the third aspect of economic challenges we face. Technically, productivity is the ratio of output to input. It is a measure of how efficiently and effectively a business or an economy uses inputs such as labour and capital to produce outputs such as goods and services. Alan Greenspan, an ex-chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States, was quoted as saying â€Å"Productivity – the goods and services produced from each hour of work – is the magic elixir of economic progress. It’s why we live better than our grandparents did, without working longer hours.† (Demos, 2011) Canada’s largest trading partner, the United States, has been improving their productivity faster than we have. We have to increase our productivity as a nation in order to continue to thrive and grow. A report conducted in 2000 stated that if the productivity gap between Canada and the U.S. were to continue, it would reduce Canada’s living standards from 61 percent of U.S. levels in 1999 to 52 percent in 2010. (McCallum, 2000) In order to maintain and improve its productivity, Canada must update its technology to increase its levels. There are two technological changes and challenges face the Canadian businesses today, computerization and automation. Computers and their technology are rapidly growing and they affect all aspects of work. They produce large amounts of information in a timely matter, and have the ability to massively store and transfer the information. There is an increase in flexibility, such as being able to work at home, or even while on vacation, if need be, due to the internet, emails and data transfers. Telecommunicating is also a factor in helping with productivity, morale and cost reduction. Not only is there internet, many companies also have intranet, which are a private information network within the company. The mix of telecommunicating and intranet increase communication and information knowledge between members of an organization to also increase productivity. Automation is the automatically controlled operation of a process, system, or equipment by mechanical or electronic devices. The two major reasons for automation is speed and better service. In some capital equipment items, Canada takes six to twelve months to make, where Japan takes six to twelve weeks. (Schwind, 2010, p. 10) This is a major challenge that Canada must face. The service factor is continuous. A machine is programed to do the same exact operation over and over to ensure quality and effectiveness, where as a human might make an error on one or more areas of the operation. Another challenge with technology and automation is cost. Machines are expensive and not all companies can afford the high-tech equipment, and therefore must rely on manual labour. Demographic challenges include the changes associated with the labour force, such as education levels, age, and participation levels which occur slowly and are usually known in advance. The number of female workers in the workforce has greatly increased over the last three decades, and with that so has the way organizations are ran. In the past the men worked and the women stayed home and took care of the house and home. Now, more and more women are out in the workforce and companies have had to change the way to operate, in order to accommodate. Also, more and more workers are getting higher educations and becoming more knowledgeable in many areas of the field. Canada’s challenge with these issues are to be able to find, keep in home country, and continually train and increase the overall knowledge to promote further success in Canadian organizations in the future. Age is a key factor that has started in will continue to affect Canadian operations. The term â€Å"baby-boomer† is defined as any one born between the years 1946-1966. (Krotki, 2012), and the majority of that population is already, or getting ready for retirement. This is social (health care) and organizational challenge facing the workforce is termed as the â€Å"old age crisis†. (McLean’s, 1983) The challenge facing Canada now is the vast amount of workers that will be retiring, and the knowledge that they take with them. The largest sector that this â€Å"crisis† will affect is the trades department. According to Statistics Canada, in 2007, the ratio for non-trades was 0.7, indicating significantly more workers nearing retirement than in the early stages of their careers. This was substantially lower than the ratio of 1.6 in 1987 and illustrates the well-known phenomenon of the baby boom generation—now approaching retirement—and the subsequent significantly smaller generation beginning their careers. When this ratio is below one, meaning fewer people in the early stages of their careers than will be retiring soon, it points to a potential net out-flow of workers (Pyper, 2008) So as the baby-boomers retire, there will be a shortage of skilled workers to fill their shoes. The last factor of the demographic challenge is that of the part-time workers and contractors or contingent workers. There is a disadvantage as well as an advantage to this line of work. For the employee it means less benefits and lower pay than that of a full-time worker. But on the other hand, the employer will in turn pay less labour cost, and benefit payouts, to part-time workers, as well as contractors, who are not on the pay roll, thus reducing long-term costs. The cultural challenges facing Canada today are crucial due to the multicultural nation that we are. The main areas are work-related attitudes and ethnic diversity. People now are requesting more vacations and holidays than before and a varied workweek. Instead of the typical two week vacation a year, and Monday to Friday 9-5, they expect more and want more flexibility. There is also a major attitude difference between the baby-boomer generation, Generation X, and Generation Y workers. Canadian organizations have to accept these differences and find ways to accommodate each group. Society as a whole are also more ethically orientated now. Business can run like they used to two decades ago. People and employees are more aware of the ethics and expect to be treated fairer and with respect. Canada’s society and workforce is a cultural mosaic. Hosting and employing a variety of ethnics, races, cultures and social groups. Having this vast array of differences poses opportunities as well as challenges for Canadian organizations. They prosper by gaining knowledge of each different group, but they must also take into consideration that they are all different and have different views, beliefs, and backgrounds than other people. The final factor is that of legal matters, which are categorized into five sections; employment equity, human rights laws, charter of rights, minimum wage acts, and safety-related legislation. Employment equity is an act that was amended in 1996 and is a federal law that states one must remove employment barriers and promote equality. It was set to ensure equal opportunities for four different groups; women, persons with disability, Aboriginal people, and people of a visible minority. The Canadian Human Rights Act, in effect March 1978, proclaims that all people regardless of; age, sex, race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, or conviction for which a pardon has been granted, shall not be discriminated upon, and should have equal opportunity to make for themselves a life which they choose. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a federal law enacted in 1982, guaranteeing individuals equal rights before the law. Federal government passed the Minimum Wage Act in 1935, but minimum wage jurisdiction falls under provincial legislation. So each province has their own set of wages and rules to follow. The safety-related legislation is an area concerned with the safety and well-being of individuals in the workforce. These above mentioned legal matters are a definite challenge facing Canada’s organizations. More than ever people know their rights and freedoms, and expect safety in the workplace. The challenge for organizations is to uphold the law, and ensure safety and wellbeing for not only themselves but to the employees, their families and everyone involved whether it’s internally or externally. References Demos, D. (2011, Feburary). The New Formula for Branch Productivity. Retrieved Janurary 27, 2013, from Novantas: http://www.novantas.com/article.php?id=303 Krotki, K. J. (2012). â€Å"Baby Boom†. Retrieved Janurary 28, 2013, from The Canadian Encyclopedia: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/baby-boom McCallum, J. (2000, May). â€Å"Will Canada Matter in 2020?†. Royal Bank Current Analysis, Royal Bank of Canada Economics Department, p. 5. McLean’s. (1983, Janurary 17). â€Å"Our Coming Old Age Crisis†. MacLean’s, p. 24. Metcalfe, L. (2008, March 2011). Economic Statistics. Retrieved Janurary 27, 2013, from Nation Master.com: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_exp-economy-exports Pyper, W. (2008, October). Skilled Trades Employment. Perspectives on Labour and Income, 9(10). Schwind, H. F. (2010). Canadian Human Resource Managment (9th ed.). (J. Cotton, Ed.) Whitby, Ontario, Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

An Explication Of William Carlos Williams’s “The Red Wheelbarrow” Essay

Usually, in interpreting a poem, one simply relies on the metaphors behind the words to find a meaning. Sometimes, however, the structure of the poem itself and the literal image which the words convey are already the meaning of the poem. The significance in the reading of William Carlos William’s poem, â€Å"The Red Wheelbarrow†, lies in the structure by which the poet arranges the words and the snapshot of the image which the poem describes. The entire poem comprises of a single sentence cut into parts and stacked so that it becomes a four-stanza poem, each stanza of which comprises of two lines. The first lines are irregular; those in the first and fourth stanzas are made up of four syllables. The two sandwiched stanzas are only comprised of three syllables. Meanwhile, all second lines in each stanza are single words with two syllables each. As a sentence, the poem would be insignificant both for its mundane subject matter and lack of metaphor: So much depends upon a red wheelbarrow glazed with rain beside the white chickens. It becomes a subject for careful scrutiny, however, because of the manner by which the poet cuts the sentence into parts. The line breaks, cutting off whole words into two, suggest cued halting in the reading and the reader is forced to take in every image which every word evokes, both as a cut-off piece (i. e. wheel and barrow) and as a compound (i. e. wheelbarrow), slowly, part by part, then as a whole. The reader also learns to appreciate the painting which is the poem, like he does when viewing a still-life—a captured image intensified by the rendering—from a master artist, framed on a wall. The impact of the entire poem rests on the first stanza, â€Å"so much depends/ upon† (lines 1-2). It suggests the importance of what are to follow. It appropriates the value of the simple objects that would be enumerated. The placement of the word â€Å"upon† (line 2) as a line by itself, connotes the gravity of the importance of the wheelbarrow which is the central image in and subject of the poem. The word â€Å"wheelbarrow† is cut into two parts, â€Å"wheel† as a part of line 3 and â€Å"barrow† as an entire line 4. With the separation, the reader is forced to examine the machine by parts, the wheel first, before taking in the whole machine. His visual sense is also arrested with the middle word, which is a strong and bright color: red. The fifth line â€Å"glazed with rain†, gives the red wheelbarrow a character. It is not just a bright red wheelbarrow. It is dulled by the rain. It is a used and beaten implement. It has to withstand the natural elements. This reinforces the theme of attributing significance to this everyday object. This wheelbarrow does a lot of farm work, helping the farmer move and carry soil, manure, produce, etc. The same visual stimulus is presented again with the line â€Å"beside the white† (line 7), the adjective separating the noun, the â€Å"chickens. † (line 8), which the color pertains. Ending the line with another color, and one that contrasts sharply with the first color mentioned in the preceding stanza, makes the two objects captured in the painting (which is the poem) stand out against each other. The red wheelbarrow stands out against the white chickens. As an imagistic poem, â€Å"The Red Wheelbarrow† presents a snapshot of a farm scene. A red wheelbarrow sits idly on the ground, wet with recent rain, while chickens gather beside it, unmindful of the machine. The scene is ordinary and so is the description. The snapshot, however, perceived alongside the words and the form by which Williams creatively arranges the words, become more exciting because it begins to approximate a painting of an ordinary scene that is made special by the careful attention, reinterpretation and presentation of the poet. It is not just an everyday rural image of a wheelbarrow glazed with rainwater beside the white chickens. It is a work of art showing the image of a wheelbarrow glazed with rainwater beside the white chickens and the perceiver is being asked to evoke whatever associations, sentiments, feelings and interpretations he might come up with, both subjective and objective, as result of his experiencing the work of art. Reference: Williams, Williams Carlos. â€Å"The Red Wheelbarrow. †

Organic food †Agriculture Essay

What is Organic Food? Organic farming is a relatively new concept to us, though we are practicing it for thousands of years without noticing. Organic farming is nothing but cultivating foods and other agricultural products using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation. Organic food is produced with: †¢No synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fumigants †¢No fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge †¢No genetically modified organisms (GMOs). †¢No irradiation †¢No hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients or trans fats In simple words organic farming is way and means to cultivate naturally, in other word primitively in a sense. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people. A Brief History of Organic Food: Until the early part of the 20th Century pretty much all the food grown across the world was organic. It wasn’t called organic food – it was just food. Nobody had thought of putting chemicals into soil and sprays to enhance crop growth and yield. And genetic engineering took place over generations as farmers selectively bred to improve their stock or their seeds. Organic food farming continued in small, mostly family-run, farms or kitchen gardens where people grew food for their own requirements. The produce was sold in farmer’s markets. Large scale organic farming was begun by farmers and scientists, as a mark of protest to the agricultural industrialization. With the rise of the petro-chemical industries in the early 1900s, agricultural research became focused very much on the chemicals that are needed for plant and animal growth. That these chemicals come from finite resources, most often as by-products of oil refining, was rarely thought of. That they could cause other problems was seldom recognized until the problems became too big to ignore. In the 1930s there was a reaction against the use of chemical additives in people’s food. It was led, in part, by Rudolf Steiner who also designed an educational system based on his holistic and sustainable outlook. These early organic farmers and foodies laid the foundations for today’s interest in sustainable lifestyles. Now, organic food is widely available and has become very popular, with soaring sales. Principles of Organic Agriculture: These Principles are the roots from which organic agriculture grows and develops. They express the contribution that organic agriculture can make to the world, and a vision to improve all agriculture in a global context. The Principles of Organic Agriculture serve to inspire the organic movement in its full diversity and guide our development of positions, programs and standards. Principle of Health. Organic Agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet as one and indivisible. This principle points out that the health of individuals and communities cannot be separated from the health of ecosystems – healthy soils produce healthy crops that foster the health of animals and people. Health is the wholeness and integrity of living systems. It is not simply the absence of illness, but the maintenance of physical, mental, social and ecological well-being. Immunity, resilience and regeneration are key characteristics of health. The role of organic agriculture, whether in farming, processing, distribution, or consumption, is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms from the smallest in the soil to human beings. In particular, organic agriculture is intended to produce high quality, nutritious food that contributes to preventive health care and well-being. In view of this it should avoid the use of fertilizers, pesticides, animal drugs and food additives that may have adverse health effects. Principle of Ecology Organic Agriculture should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them. This principle roots organic agriculture within living ecological systems. It states that production is to be based on ecological processes, and recycling. Nourishment and well-being are achieved through the ecology of the specific production environment. For example, in the case of crops this is the living soil; for animals it is the farm ecosystem; for fish and marine organisms, the aquatic environment. Organic farming, pastoral and wild harvest systems should fit the cycles and ecological balances in nature. These cycles are universal but their operation is site-specific. Organic management must be adapted to local conditions, ecology, culture and scale. Inputs should be reduced by reuse, recycling and efficient management of materials and energy in order to maintain and improve environmental quality and conserve resources. Organic agriculture should attain ecological balance through the design of farming systems, establishment of habitats and maintenance of genetic and agricultural diversity. Those who produce, process, trade, or consume organic products should protect and benefit the common environment including landscapes, climate, habitats, biodiversity, air and water. Principle of Fairness Organic Agriculture should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities Fairness is characterized by equity, respect, justice and stewardship of the shared world, both among people and in their relations to other living beings. This principle emphasizes that those involved in organic agriculture should conduct human relationships in a manner that ensures fairness at all levels and to all parties – farmers, workers, processors, distributors, traders and consumers. Organic agriculture should provide everyone involved with a good quality of life, and contribute to food sovereignty and reduction of poverty. It aims to produce a sufficient supply of good quality food and other products. This principle insists that animals should be provided with the conditions and opportunities of life that accord with their physiology, natural behavior and well-being. Natural and environmental resources that are used for production and consumption should be managed in a way that is socially and ecologically just and should be held in trust for future generations. Fairness requires systems of production, distribution and trade that are open and equitable and account for real environmental and social costs. Principle of Care Organic Agriculture should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and well-being of current and future generations and the environment. Organic agriculture is a living and dynamic system that responds to internal and external demands and conditions. Practitioners of organic agriculture can enhance efficiency and increase productivity, but this should not be at the risk of jeopardizing health and well-being. Consequently, new technologies need to be assessed and existing methods reviewed. Given the incomplete understanding of ecosystems and agriculture, care must be taken. This principle states that precaution and responsibility are the key concerns in management, development and technology choices in organic agriculture. Science is necessary to ensure that organic agriculture is healthy, safe and ecologically sound. However, scientific knowledge alone is not sufficient. Practical experience, accumulated wisdom and traditional and indigenous knowledge offer valid solutions, tested by time. Organic agriculture should prevent significant risks by adopting appropriate technologies and rejecting unpredictable ones, such as genetic engineering. Decisions should reflect the values and needs of all who might be affected, through transparent and participatory processes. How can we be sure that our Food is Organic? The early followers of organics were often dismissed as anti-scientific cranks. Nowadays, organic production is one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture, and there are millions of dollars being spent to research more sustainable farming methods. But, unfortunately, organics still account for a minority of the foods grown. Most nations have a government regulated system that certifies that those people who claim to be selling organic produce are actually doing so. It will vary from country to country, but most systems will be affiliated with the international umbrella organization IFOAM. We can check with IFOAM to make sure that the organic accreditation is actually recognized. Types of Organic Food: Organic products grown in healthier soil contain higher amounts of nutrients, and many taste better than their conventional counterparts. Hence, the popularity of such produce is picking up volumes in recent years. There is no better choice for one’s consumption than organic produce. The major types of organic foods are: Organic Vegetables and Fruits Organic vegetables and fruits are the most common type of organic food that is available in the market. They come in a wide variety and they are usually in good quality. Any certified organic plant product must come from fields that have remained free of chemical application of fertilizers and pesticides for at least three years, and must follow regulations set by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore. Organic Meat Organic meat is perfect for meat lovers as in is healthy and not contain any chemicals in the meat as the animals are fed with natural food that does not contain chemicals. Organic provisions require animals to be raised without receiving antibiotics, hormones, or growth stimulants. Humane treatment and access to the out-of-doors are stipulated, and the animals must be fed 100% certified organic feed and must graze in certified organic pastures. Organic Dairy Products Organic dairy products are extremely popular in recent years as they are safe and healthy to consume. Milk from all dairy animals, including cows, goats, and sheep, may be certified organic. Certified organic products cover nearly the full dairy spectrum, including milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, and more. Organic Fish Organic fish are fishes that are rare in fish farms such as salmon, trout, cod, halibut and sea bass. Fishes that are caught in the open see cannot be labeled as organic due to the fact that it is uncertain of what the fishes eat. Advantages of Organic Foods: The debate about the advantages of organic foods is over. According to a new $25-million study into organic food – the largest of its kind to date – organic food is more nutritious than ordinary produce and it may help to lengthen peoples lives and prevent disease. More Nutrients The European Union funded study found that organic fruit and vegetables have up to 50% more antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease. They have also more vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc. According to other recent studies, organic foods are better for fighting cancer. And people eating organic food have improved immune system, better sleeping habits and are less likely to be overweight than when eating â€Å"conventional† foods. (Can you imagine the benefits of eating both raw and organic food? ) Better Taste The taste of organic fruits and vegetables is often superior to any conventional produce. That’s why many top restaurants use organic produce in their menu. Today, most fruits and veggies are manipulated to look and stay good. The strawberries from your ordinary supermarket may look great on your cake but they have virtually no taste. However, the taste of fresh organic fruits is irresistible! Safer for Babies and Children The advantages of organic foods might be highest for babies. The average baby is born with 200 toxins and carcinogens in its body. By the time kids reach their 2nd year, most have pasted the lethal limit for the toxins. By feeding your child organic food, it will have about 1/6th the amount of carcinogens in its blood. Thus you will decrease the chances of illnesses significantly. Therefore, especially for infants and children a raw organic food diet is incredibly important. Irradiation? Do we ever wonder why organic vegetables and fruits seem to spoil so much faster than produce from normal supermarkets? The reason is that many foods are irradiated. Irradiation kills bacteria and extends food life. But, it also alters the molecular structure and life force of the food. Some irradiation methods use radioactive substances, others high energy electrons or X-rays. I don’t know about you, but I prefer my food pure and not irradiated. So one of the advantages of raw organic foods is that it still has life force. Raw organic seeds grow – cooked and irradiated seeds don’t GMO Secrets Organic food stores don’t sell genetically modified (GM) food. It’s suspected that GM food causes allergies and decreases your immune system. Government is being secret – at least vague – about the health consequences of GMO food. I’ve read enough to not want to take a chance. Do you? Shocking Animals Organic meat, fish and poultry is healthier for you. Organic farmed animals are raised without dangerous chemicals, growth hormones or antibiotics. Pesticides used in ordinary farming don’t just affect the animal who eats it first. They accumulate in their tissues (mostly fat). Animals on top of the food chain get the highest concentration of these chemicals. Conventional animals full of toxins and dirt. A cow, chicken or pig will retain most of the pesticides it has ever eaten (directly or indirectly through other animals). Factory farm animals are fed great quantities of (polluted) fish, food doused in pesticides and fed many unnatural compounds never eaten by wild animals. Inorganic animal food (meat, fish, dairy and eggs) is a main source of pollution to the environment. According to research animal food contribute to as much as 95% of the toxic chemical residues in the American diet. Meat, fish and poultry have 10 times the amount of the dangerous chemicals DDT, DDE and TDE as conventional produce. In addition intensive farming is incredibly cruel to farm animals. One of the most outrageous advantages of organic foods is that organic farms treat their animals much more humane. They place a great emphasis on animal welfare. Just for this reasons, switching to an organic living makes sense. And even consider becoming vegan. Save the Environment Organic food facts are especially striking if you consider the environment. Conventional farming methods erode soil and use dangerous pesticides that may take centuries before they’re gone. Think of the DDT, thought to be harmless but appeared to be extremely bad for your health. Even though this pesticide has been forbidden for many years now, it’s still found in virtually all waters, human beings and animals in the world†¦ In addition, over time, artificial pest controls become less and less effective, so that even more chemicals must be used or other methods found. One of the huge advantages of organic food is that buying it has a huge positive impact on the environment, the animals and people who live on it. Organic vs. Non-organic: A new study looking at the potential health benefits of organic versus non-organic food found that fruit flies fed an organic diet recorded better health outcomes than flies fed a nonorganic diet. The study from the lab of Southern Methodist University biologist Johannes H. Bauer, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, found that fruit flies raised on diets of organic foods performed better on several tests for general health. Flies on organic food performed better on some health tests â€Å"The data demonstrated that flies raised on organic food extracts by-and-large performed better on the majority of health tests,† reported the researchers. It remains unclear why organic diets delivered better health, the researchers said. The Bauer lab results come at a time when the health effects of organic food are widely debated. Prior studies by other researchers have found conflicting results when reviewing the scientific literature for data. While several studies have shown elevated nutrient content and lower pesticide contamination levels in organic food, a recent publication reporting a large-scale analysis of all available studies concluded no clear trend was apparent. Organic farming only uses naturally occurring chemicals or traditional remedies to control pests and diseases. According to public perception, organic food is the healthy option. Sales of organic produce have rocketed over the past few years with the organics industry sending out messages of safer, healthier food created by farming practices which are better for the environment. But is it really as good as we think? Critics argue that organic farming leads to the risk of contamination with potentially dangerous bacteria and mould toxins, and increased levels of ‘natural pesticide’ found in organic produce could even be as dangerous as synthetic chemicals. So who do we believe? Are organic fruit and vegetables as harmless as they appear? And why do they cost so much? In this piece, common views about this subject are discussed. Is organic food the healthier option? Is it as safe as the public think? Many in the public perceive organic food as the healthy option. However, organo-sceptics argue that organic food may not be as safe as we think. †¢The public’s viewpoint is based on the fact that no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used in organic agriculture leading to the assumption that no pesticide residues are present on the products. Without the use of pesticides, organic crops develop a natural defense mechanism in the form of chemicals all called phenols. The organic supporters claim that these chemicals are antioxidants and that organic fruit and vegetables are better at protecting the body from cancers and heart disease. Organic-sceptics argue that these natural pesticides may be a potential health risk and insist that there is no evidence to show health gains from organic food. The lack of evidence, however, may be due to the difficulty in conducting such a study. †¢The use of manure as a fertilizer in organic farming leads to fears of contamination of produce with bacteria such as E.coli which could lead to food poisoning. However, it has been shown that by composting the manure for a precise time at an exact temperature, the amount of bacteria present is greatly reduced. As long as these conditions are adhered to, the risk of food poisoning is kept to a minimum. †¢Another significant concern regarding organic farming is the contamination of produce with toxic substances produced by moulds called mycotoxins. There is a greater chance of crops being vulnerable to moulds if they are damaged by insects or weather. The organic lobby argues that although less effective fungicides are used in their farming methods, organic produce is less prone to fungal attack as crops are not fed with chemicals known as nitrates which may make plant cells in conventional crops more vulnerable to fungal growth. Are the levels of pesticides used in conventional farming enough to damage health? The quantities of pesticides used in agriculture are declining as the industry is developing more efficient methods of delivery and pesticides which have the ability to target specific pests more accurately. Pesticides have played an important role in improving crop yields but are often hazardous materials. Care must be taken when using such materials to ensure that they are applied as advised to minimize risks associated with misuse. Before a pesticide can be used commercially its safety must first be proved. The law requires that only pesticides approved by Government regulators shall be sold, supplied, used, stored or advertised. This ensures that the levels and toxicity of all pesticides used in agriculture are at a safe level. Is organic farming a viable option in the developing world? It is argued that without pesticides and genetically modified crops, farming is not economically viable in the developing world. Non-organic farming allows you to farm land that would otherwise not be farmable. Yields are high and costs are low. However, there is a worry that intensive farming in these countries will destroy the fertility of the land and in the long run organic farming will secure the future for sustainable farming. Why is the price of organic produce so high? Crop rotations, higher animal welfare standards and restricted use of chemicals, leading to lower yields, all mean that organic food costs more to produce. Subsidies from the government are paid mainly to farmers with non-organic farms allowing them to keep their prices low. The pro-organic lobby argues that when buying non-organic food you are in fact paying threefold; once at the counter, second via taxation and third to remedy the environmental pollution. As the sector develops and technologies are improved, the cost of organic food should decrease as yields increase and production costs decrease. Organic Food market: From economic point of view, organic market is growing very fast worldwide. A simple statistics can tell a lot. According to Data monitor’s â€Å"Organic Food: Global Industry Guide†, the global organic food market grew nearly 10% in 2009 to reach a value of $60 billion and market is forecasted to have a value of $96. 5 billion in 2014. Organic agriculture offers enormous trade opportunities for farmers in the developing and least developed countries. This organic market expansion makes it possible for farmers to reap the benefits of a trade with relatively high price premiums. Food producer have also found fast growing markets for natural and organic products. One example is Earthbound Farm, a company that grows and sells organic product. It started in 1984 as a 2. 5-acre raspberry farm in California’s Carmel Valley. Founders Drew and Mera Goodman wanted to do the right thing by farming the land organically and producing food they’d feel good about serving to their family, friends, and neighbors. Today Earthbound Farm has become the world largest producer of organic vegetables, with 40000 acres under plug, annual sells of $480 million, and products available in 75% of America supermarkets. Organic farming, on the other hand, promotes the health of both consumers and the environment contrast to modern farming. The main problem with modern agriculture, however, is that the synthetic chemicals never disappear. When we eat a mango grown using synthetic pesticides, traces of the pesticides remain in the mango, and the chemicals end up in our fat cells. Similarly, cotton grown using synthetic chemicals retains traces of the chemicals after it is woven into a fabric. Chemicals, used for cultivation are then absorbed into the plant, air, soil, water, and eventually, our bodies. Started after mid 1950’s reaction against modern toxic farming methods, organic farming excludes the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and genetic engineering. Organic farmers respect their land: they feed and build the soil with natural fertilizers; they protect crops against insects using natural insect predators, barriers, or traps; and they control weed growth with crop rotation, hand weeding, cover crops, and mulches. In the past decade, the organic agriculture market has grown exponentially because more consumers are learning that organic farming is better for them and their environment. How can we market Organic Products? The marketing model used in conventional agriculture is not easily applied to organic systems. Currently, local elevators that accept organic grains are not common, though they do exist in some areas. Farmers that transition to organic production must also transition their marketing strategies. Whether growing organic grains, herbs, fruits and vegetables, or raising organically certified livestock, marketing becomes an additional consideration. Producers who have always sold to local elevators will find that quality time will be needed to do a good job with marketing organic products. Organic Foods Strategic Marketing and Communications The â€Å"Go Green† trend is quickly gaining momentum. Law makers are actively working to pass legislation that promotes the development of green energy sources, manufacturers are researching technologies that can be used to produce new biodegradable products, and USDA certified organic foods are increasingly finding their way into every home. More than other green initiatives, the demand for organic foods has soared in recent years. With the implementation of new federal requirements for labeling of natural and organic foods, and the growing research that suggests links between foods produced using antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering and illnesses such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, consumers are gaining confidence in the quality and benefits of organic foods and increasingly rejecting their conventionally produced counterparts. As young people grow up consuming organic foods and learn to accept them as healthier and more eco-friendly, the organic foods industry will continue to gain market share. Many organic farmers link in to existing networks of organic wholesalers, exporters and processors. Others use the opportunity provided by their change to organic, to take on a completely different approach such as direct marketing to consumers. This fact sheet discusses some of the options for marketing of organic produce and poses some questions to be considered as we develop our marketing strategy. A small but rapidly growing market The market for organic food and fiber has been growing around the world for some years now. It is however still very small, making up only about one per cent of the world total market value. One of the risks associated with supplying product into a small market, is that of oversupply of certain products, leading to depressed prices. To help avoid this situation, some market research is vital early in the process of considering organic conversion and certification, as highlighted below. Some organic farmers manage the risk of oversupply in organic markets by selling into conventional markets when necessary. This means sacrificing any organic price premium, but can help to stabilize prices in the organic market – a benefit in the longer term. Organic price premiums. Many organic products receive a price premium, justified by higher costs of production under organic management. Such premiums are not guaranteed and can be influenced by the supply and demand situation and product quality. Whether or not your produce is likely to attract a premium price, and whether or not a premium is necessary for economic viability, should be considered during your market research and development of a marketing strategy. Consider marketing options early One of the first steps in the process towards organic certification is to identify marketing options. We should ideally have our markets organized before you begin certification, especially if you think you will need to receive a price premium to cover extra costs arising from organic management. The change to organic marketing may be easy if you already sell direct to end-consumers or retailers who might welcome the access to organic produce, or to wholesalers and exporters who have links to organic markets. If your wholesalers/exporters currently have no links with the organic industry, are they interested in pursuing organic certification to diversify their business? If not, some research may be required to identify suitable alternative marketing options. Develop a marketing strategy When you are planning your change to organic farming and are looking at marketing options, take the time to consider what your marketing objectives are and how you might achieve them. Pulling this and other relevant information together into a marketing strategy will help us to focus your efforts in the most productive areas. Some key points to consider are: †¢Be closely involved in selling your produce or leave it to a ‘professional’ marketer? †¢Maintain a diversity of markets to spread the risk in case the usual supply chain fails for you? †¢Have direct contact with end consumers? †¢Use customer feedback to guide farm production (e. g. crop varieties and seasonal availability)? †¢Increase financial security by improving returns? †¢ Consider different marketing options Following are options that organic farmers commonly use to market their produce, along with some of their pros and cons from a farmer’s perspective. Often a range of different options will be used to balance the risk, the workload and the prices obtained. 1. Direct to consumers 2. Direct to retailers 3. Direct to Wholesaler 4. Use mass media Look for opportunities to tell a story that gets media attention as this exposes potential new customers to our organic business and products. One area of opportunity is to piggy-back onto relevant local, state, national and global events. For example, contact local media with an interesting story about: †¢National Organic Week (e. g. highlight local organic production and produce availability) †¢Earth Day and World Environment Day (e. g. how organic farming reduces environmental impacts). †¢Organic Day (e. g.promote citizen buying organic produce within the country as an example) †¢National Tree Day (e. g. plant a treed spray buffer) †¢World wetlands day (e. g. how your farm protects its wetland) Organic Food in Bangladesh: Organic certification is the parallel tool needs to develop getting the market opportunity worldwide. Those who intend to label and market their foods as organic will usually seek certification – almost certainly if they grow for the export market. However, many farmers practice organic techniques without seeking or receiving the premium price given to organic food in some markets. This includes many traditional farming systems found in developing countries. Agriculture that meets organic production standards, but that is not subject to organic inspection, certification and labeling, is referred to as ‘organic by default’. While economic and institutional conditions differ, both certified organic agriculture and organic agriculture ‘by default’ rely on the same technology and principles. Although the results might be similar, organic agriculture ‘by default’ may not always represent a deliberate choice between alternative productions. Organic certification focuses on this part. We may have a huge farm producing by default organic product. Organic certification will just convert it certified and added a huge value. Organic certification scheme varies from country to country regulators. The two sources of general principles and requirements governing organic production and trade are: Firstly, the ‘Basic Principles’ of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), a private sector international body, with some 750 member organizations in over 100 countries. IFOAM defines and regularly reviews, in consultation with its members, the Basic Standards that shape the organic term. According to IFOAM basic standards ‘organic agriculture is a whole system approach based upon a set of processes resulting in a sustainable ecosystem, safe food, good nutrition, animal welfare and social justice. Organic production therefore is more than a system of production that includes or excludes certain inputs. ’ But in order to access the major organic markets in Europe and United States, one has to comply with specific regulations that are instituted in these countries. These are Regulation 834/07 in the case of Europe and the National Organic Programmed (NOP) in the case of United States. Certification Bodies operating following above stated standards, need to take accreditation from an accreditation body under ISO/IEC Guide 65 for demonstration their competence. Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) is ready to play its role in this regards. We expect our entrepreneurs to come forward with initiative for launching organic farming and organic certification body. BAB will provide all necessary support as national Accreditation Body.