Thursday, November 28, 2019

Euthanaisa Essays - Euthanasia, Medical Ethics, Death, Suicide

Euthanaisa Euthanasia Euthanasia is, according to Webster dictionary, the act of killing an individual for the reason of mercy. This paper will examen the issue of active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is an intervention that would cause death to take place when it would not otherwise happen. Passive euthanasia is the decision to withold help from an individual, ultimately leading to the death of the individual. This paper is supposed to deal with the circumstances, if any, that euthanasia, active or passive, would be morally permissible. Before I build the wall of moral delineation between these two scenarios, consider that they are but two possible choices on a broad continuum of options about death. I would suggest that there are three hard points on this continuum; 1. Do not allow death if at all possible 2. Do not interfere with death 3. Death is a choice Under this logic, #1 #1 and #3? Indeed, even the deciding when to exercise #1 means that you are at #3! The circumstances in which euthanasia would be morally permissible must therefore be drawn upon #3 of the continuum. The #3 says that death is a choice and that both passive and active euthanasia are choices of death. Death being a choice indicates that a decision must be made. The decision therefore lies in the hands of the patient, because he has a natural right to his life and his body. This right to life is self-evident and universal. The problem with this argument becomes evident when the patient is not able to present a desicision, whether he is unconscious or has other inabilities of communication or thought processes. Who then, if anybody, should make the decision between intervention preventing death or intervention causing death? Consent then, is the issue that I will base the moral permissibility of euthanasia on. Should euthanasia be morally okay with consent, without consent, both, or neither? First I will argue that euthanasia is morally permissible. Through the continuum, I have concluded that death is a choice. Accepting this viewpoint, you accept that someone should be able to decide to die. Accepting this, then you justify suicide. This argument is not based upon suffering because I have drawn no definition to the acceptable limit of suffering. If suicide is okay, then why not assisted suicide? Remember that just standing idle when you could prevent death is a decision to allow suicide. Arranging an injection with a push button so all the patient has to do is push a button to die would be considered suicide, which is morally acceptable. This would mean that it is acceptable for an individual to die if they were physically capable of doing it themselves. What logic would you deny the same right to those who were mentally competant but physically incapable? A person who is physically incapable of killing themselves must be killed by another if they choose to die. If a p erson has a right to die and cannot physically kill themselves, than euthanasia is the only way they could excersise their choice to death. If a person wants to die because they are in a unfavorable condition, whether the choice to die is implied by the patient at the present, or by instructions previously given, they have a right to chose to die and their choice should be honored. Therefore I believe that euthanasia with consent in one way or another is morally permissible in most circumstances. The moral permissibility of euthanasia without consent now must be considered. Everybody has a right to chose to die if they want to. Who is to chose whether a person should die or not when the person cannot make the decision on their

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Wendys Merger Essays

Arbys/Wendys Merger Essays Arbys/Wendys Merger Essay Arbys/Wendys Merger Essay Arby’s/Wendy’s Merger Triarc Companies Inc. is a holding company and, through one of the subsidiary Arby’s Restaurant Group Inc. is the franchisor of the Arby’s ® restaurant system. Arby’s is the second largest restaurant franchising system in the sandwich segment of the quick service restaurant industry. As of June 29, 2008, there were a total of 3,719 Arby’s restaurants in the system, including 1,169 Company owned and 2,550 franchised locations (Triarc, 2008). When Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s died in 2002 the company was in a series of disappointing earnings and became overshadowed by competitors in the same industry. Wendy’s earnings report only reinforced the image of an underperforming brand. Results were hurt by higher breakfast costs, lower-than-expected sales and rising commodity costs. Wendy’s has been struggling for several years because the company failed to keep up with the trends in the industry, such as boosting growth by focusing on breakfast and value menus. This left the company vulnerable to either closing down or a hostile take over from other interested parties (Levisohn, Ben, 2008). Triarc Company saw this as an opportunity and after two years of campaigning by Nelson Peltz a deal was made. Triarc purchased Wendy’s in an all-stock deal worth $2. 3 billion. The news of the deal pushed Wendy’s shares up 4. 2% on April 24, the day the deal was announced, and they have climbed an additional 9% in the days since (Levisohn, Ben, 2008). This transaction brought together two leading quick service restaurant brands distinguished by traditions of quality food and service. The combined systems will have approximately 10,000 restaurant units and pro forma annual system sales of approximately $12. 5 billion, positioning as one of the nation’s third largest quick service restaurant company. Arby’s and Wendy’s will operate as autonomous brand business units headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dublin, Ohio, respectively, each dedicated to operational improvements (Wendy’s, 2008). References Levisohn, Ben, (2008), â€Å"Can the Arby’s merger save Wendy’s? † Business Week, Retrieved From the Internet on August 30, 2008, (http://articles. moneycentral. msn. com/Investing/Extra/CanArbysMergerSaveWendys. aspx) Triarc, (2008), â€Å"About Us†, Retrieved from the Internet on August 30, 2008, ( triarc. com/about. html) Wendy’s, (2008), â€Å"Corporate and Investor Website†, Retrieved from the Internet on August 30, 2008, ( wendys-invest. com/ne/wen042408. php)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Power & Politics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Power & Politics - Coursework Example Oprah Winfrey is one of the most powerful women in the modern day context. The power that Oprah Winfrey possesses is expert power. She is well aware of the fact that she is quite influential all over the world and therefore realises her responsibility and an opportunity to assist others to grow intellectually. Oprah Winfrey has power which is evident from the US President Barack Obama’s election bid. It was identified that by means of her endorsements, President was capable of gathering many extra votes which led him to the highest position. However, it has been found that her power has certain limitations. Her power to encourage and persuade others rests on her capability to align her supporters to any aspect that people can identify with. She needs to have the capability to bring together the idea, repack it if required so that it is aligned with the interest of the mass (Miller, 2004). Alan Sugar is the other influential personality of present times. It can be mentioned that Alan Sugar seems to be exercising referent power. Referent power is the situation where a person gains the right to obtain respect from others because of perceived attractiveness, personal characteristics as well as reputation. Alan Sugar achieved reputation so that he can expect respect as one of the most influential leaders. Thus, it can be concluded that power has a noteworthy role to play in the attainment of the goals of the organisations.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Fashion Buying and Merchandising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fashion Buying and Merchandising - Essay Example The paper "Fashion Buying and Merchandising" concerns the process of Fashion Buying and Merchandising. The United Colors of Benetton have missed the fashion colors for the spring / summer collection of 2011, specifically because of the colors which aren’t bright or fashion forward. To change this, a capsule can be created to fulfill the gap and change the way in which the approach is taken. The capsule will not only consist of the changes in colors, but will also continue to include the ideal of comfort that the United Colors of Benetton approached toward the season The result will be the ability to combine the current parts of the fashion which was noted to have a better approach with the trends of the season based on colors. The focus for this particular capsule will be to expand on the shapes and key features which have already been introduced by the United Colors of Benetton. While there was a lack of the right coloring, there were some elements which could be considered w ith the clothing, specifically with the styles and shapes that were included in the various pieces of clothing. The capsule created will combine new types of fabric and colors with the shapes and styles which were currently introduced by the United Colors of Benetton for the Spring / Summer collection. These will then upgrade to the competition of other manufacturers who have changed their collections to the high styles that are available for the season while allowing the company to keep the authentic style.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Information System Management & Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Information System Management & Quality - Essay Example In an effort to improve service delivery, NHS decided to employ information technology in its structure. This project is known as The National Project for Information Technology NPfIT and is run by the NHS Connecting for Health (CfH); this is a department that is tasked with the duty of providing information when and where it is needed. NPfIT is meant to bring new computer systems and services to the NHS to help improve the care and services patients receive. These systems are expected to community services and GPS systems to hospitals; hence, make it easy for hospitals to reach patients. In addition, the services provided, such as EPR, would make it possible for staff to access information vital to their patients’ treatment easily, securely, and quickly. The service ventured, in a project, to digitize its operations by developing an Electronic Patient Record, hereafter referred to as EPR. Some of the other services provided under NPfIT include a Patient Administration System, PAS, and a Picture Archiving and Communications System, PACS. All these systems work together to enhance service delivery in public hospitals. However, only 1.07% of facilities that were expected to use the EPR were using it as of January 2010 (Savage, 2010). This paper circumvents around NPfIT’s provision of Electronic Patient Records at Bexley Hospital. Management and Quality Issues Raised by NPfIT Managers were under pressure to deliver the massive project within a very limited time span. This forced managers to compromise quality by rushing the project at the hospital. The financial difficulties that managers face compromise their performance (Anon., n.d.). This is because such difficulties shift managers’ attention from project implementation to seeking extra finances and ways to cope. Managers are preoccupied with the need to meet strict deadlines while avoiding incurring extra costs. NHS split some units, making it difficult to prioritize activities and attain performance ratings; this compromised the quality of individual services and products. The result is that the project implementation at Bexley failed. This was as a result of numerous factors discussed below: Rushing the Project The NPfIT pushed for the speedy completion of tasks during development at Bexley Hospital. The hospital’s management had no option but to comply with his requirement so that Bexley is not delisted from the project. This is despite drawbacks brought about by stringent government procurement rules that delay the delivery of equipment and other resources (Comptroller and Auditor General, 2011, p.14). These delays make the supplies required irrelevant or valueless to the project by the time they are delivered, compromising

Friday, November 15, 2019

Human resource practices at Tesco

Human resource practices at Tesco Identification of the organisations business strategy, mission and goals Tesco is, as Brand Finance (2014) notes, the largest retailer in UK, as well as being a highly significant retailer globally. As of 2014, Tesco is operating in 12 countries globally, and there are presently 6,780 Tesco stores. In addition, the company employs approximately 500,000 people worldwide. In addition to its core business in the grocery sector, Tesco has also diversified to offer a range of other products and services, such as personal finance and mobile phones. It has developed its ‘bricks and mortar’ business model to include an increasing emphasis upon modern day technology, through Tesco Direct (Ma, Ding and Hong, 2010) and the customer relationship management programme, Clubcard (Felgate, Fearne and di Falco, 2011). Business strategy Tesco’s has, as Schiraldi, Smith and Takahashi (2012) comment, a well-established and consistent business strategy that has enabled the company not only to strengthen the core UK business but also to expand successfully into a range of new markets. Those markets that were not successful, such as the US Fresh Easy stores, have been off-loaded in order to limit group-wide losses (Tyrell, 2014). Tesco’s business strategies mainly focus, as Wood and McCarthy (2014) further postulate, on the huge UK domestic grocery market, along with financial services, and telecommunications. Evaluating its business strategy, Schiraldi, Smith and Takahashi (2012) assert that one of the main objectives of Tesco’s business strategy is to create sustainable, long-term growth. According to Tesco plc (2014), this will be achieved by world-wide expansion. With this goal in mind, the company initially focused on expanding its business enterprises into Asia and central Europe. Tesco primarily focuses, according to Metzger (2014), on five key market sectors: 1) its core UK business, 2) the communities in which it operates, 3) non-food products, both within and beyond those offered ‘in store’, 4) retailing services, and 5) international markets. The company has, as this essay discusses, separate strategies for each of these aspects. The major objectives of Tesco’s business strategy include being a successful retailer internationally, facilitating the continued growth of the core UK business, being strong in the non-food market, the further development of various retailing services like telecommunications, Tesco personal finance and Tesco.com, and giving to the communities in which it operates, so as to strengthen brand loyalty (Piercy, Cravens and Lane, 2010). Tesco’s core UK business is the most important part of the entire business and accounts for 70% of group sales (Tesco, 2014). There are, as already noted, almost 3,400 Tesco stores employing around 310,000 people in the UK; these people are employed in five main, distinctively different, types of store, in order of size format: Tesco Extra, Superstore, Express, Metro, and One Stop. In addition, there are other format stores, such as Homeplus, Dobbies, and internet shopping options. There are presently 247 Extra stores, 482 Superstores, 195 Metro, 1,672 Express, and 722 One Stop stores, which, quite literally, give Tesco a presence in almost every town within the country (Tesco, 2014). In commenting upon how Tesco has developed its business model in light of lessons learned from the current global recession, it is suggested by Piercy, Cravens and Lane (2010) that the primary realisation has been that people want more value for their money but they do not want to compromise on product quality. This message can be seen to have been acted upon by Tesco in a number of ways. First, Tesco has enhanced promotion of its ‘Value’ range, coupled with less advertising of its premier ‘Finest’ range. Secondly, the rewarding of customer loyalty has led Tesco to create a world-leading customer loyalty programme called ‘Clubcard’. According to Tesco (2014), fulfilling corporate responsibility and creating value within the communities it operates are crucial for achieving growth. Tesco believes, as Blythman (2012) further notes, that each and every strategy that it designs has an impact on the community. Tesco’s strategies regarding corp orate responsibility include providing active support to local community, providing good jobs to locals, and taking care of the environment. In addition, the company is aiming to create zero carbon stores in the future (Rosethorn, 2009). The main objective of Tesco’s non-food strategy is to become as strong in this arena as it is in the food category. Tesco’s Dobbies, Homeplus and Extra stores are the three store formats where non-food products are available, the latter in addition to food. In 2000, Tesco Direct, the company’s online store where more than 125,000 products are available, was launched. The company has 25 distribution centres, out of which six deal with clothing and non-food products (Tesco, 2014). Cumulatively, these distribution centres deliver goods to an estimated 500,000 customers per week in the online sector only (Tesco, 2014); this division of the company has experienced rapid growth, showing the importance of diversification to the continued growth of the company (Ma, Ding and Hong, 2010). Tesco’s various retail services include Tesco Bank, Tesco.com and Tesco telecommunications. In the UK, Tesco Bank is the most successful supermarket bank (Scuffham, 2014), which once more shows how invaluable diversification has been to the continued success and growth of the group as a whole. Furthermore, developing Tesco.com was a strategy of keeping pace with modern trends in shopping which may result, in the future, in fewer resources being applied to traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ strategies, and more being routed towards on-line consumers. Identification of the organisations overall HRM strategy and goals This section discusses the overall human resource management (HRM) strategy and goals of Tesco. Given the global reach of the chain, it is imperative that managers make a complete and feasible HRM plan and use different strategies to manage employees. This will include changing strategies to account for local customs and variations (Brennan, Moore and Mughan, 2013). The human resource strategy presently utilised at Tesco’s revolves, as Merkel, Jackson and Pick (2010) discuss, around the training and development of employees, communication and consultation, and rewards and benefits linked to achieving targets. This triple-headed approach to HRM has been successful over the years and has helped the firm to retain and recruit well-motivated staff who present a professional appearance to customers and are proud to work for Tesco. The most significant part of the HRM strategy of Tesco is training and development in terms of both time and money (Tesco, 2014). Every year, Tesco emplo ys a large number of staff and a critical component of this, in addition to ‘front line’ shop staff, is the recruitment of high quality graduates from leading universities (Rosethorn, 2009). It is imperative, given the academic background of these recruits, that they are trained in ‘the Tesco way’ and introduced as quickly as possible to the corporate structure and mentality of the firm. This is why the training of graduates through specific recruitment programmes is essential (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco does not merely, however, favour graduates. It values all its staff as important resources and promises each of its employees that they will have a chance to develop their skill set and progress through the company (Fernie and Moore, 2013). This implies, in the opinion of the author, that each employee has the same opportunity to acquire essential skills relating to their work and the same opportunity to develop themselves to learn new knowledge . In the UK, skilled specialist employees in traditional occupations, such as fishmongers and bakers, can attain recognised qualifications during their careers at Tesco and, in 2008, 97.4% of shop-floor and 99.9% of Tesco.com employees in the UK were trained to bronze level (competent); 94.2% of shop-floor employees achieved silver level competence (expert or experienced). Such data suggests, as Ma, Ding and Hong (2010) comment, that Tesco realises the importance of investing in its staff and is keen to retain and develop a large number of skilled workers. In addition to the training programme evaluated above, Tesco has an Options development program. In this program, staff can select and learn skills that they need to grasp so as to progress to the next work level within the firm – this is, therefore, a form of self-guided career professional development. One in 30 employees of Tesco in the UK participate this programme, according to Tesco (2014). Mindful of its success, Tesco expanded this programme into Central Europe and Asia in 2009 (Brannen, Moore and Mughan, 2013). This suggests that different parts of the company can benefit from positive innovations trialled elsewhere. The second major part of its HRM programme is tied into issues pertaining to communication and consultation. Tesco wants to know the views of employees on problems which affect them and the wider company. This form of ‘bottom-up’ feedback is common in companies with a global presence, as Brannen, Moore and Mughan (2013) note. Managers are now encouraged to use different types of communication to gather feedback that can be used to develop the company further. This includes, according to Fernie and Sparks (2014), staff question times, face-to-face interviews, and use of the in-house internet. In addition, Tesco undertakes an annual staff survey and ‘Viewpoint’, which are anonymous and confidential (Tesco, 2014). Tesco uses these approaches to find the problems in working processes as soon as possible, so that it can address them and ensure that it responds to them in a manner so as to maximise returns. The third part of Tesco’s HRM strategy relates to rewards and benefits (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco tries to keep a competitive HRM edge over its major supermarket rivals by offering a basic wage that is as high as possible. This is enhanced by long-term reward plans and share bonuses (Tesco, 2014). Analysis of the various components of Tesco HRM Human resource management at Tesco involves various activities, including recruitment talent analysis, provision of a good working environment, programmes aimed at retaining employees who have good performance, and ensuring that all are treated equally (Rosethorn, 2009). These divergent trends within HRM are all important as, without them, employees may not feel valued. Increasing employee self-worth is, as Merkel, Jackson and Pick (2010) note, a valuable tool in the arsenal of the successful HRM practitioner because those who feel valued are likely to outperform less enchanted colleagues. In addition, a highly motivated workforce has been shown, by Fernie and Sparks (2014), to maximise the potential for high profit returns within a firm. It is also worth considering that ensuring equality in the firm is an important legal consideration given the right of all people to work in a safe environment that is free from bullying and respects human rights (Tushman and O’Reilly, 2002). For good employee relations the company also encourages its workers to work near their homes, which, as Piercy, Cravens and Lane (2010) observe, is a ‘green’ initiative that helps cut down on fuel costs and also reduces the time that individuals spend travelling to work. The company also gives their employees freedom of transfer, thus encouraging employee retention (Metzger, 2014). In addition, the use of shift work maximises the ability of people to work hours that suit their own timetables; thus, for instance, a student may be able to obtain an evening shift that does not interrupt his or her studies, whereas a mother of young primary school-aged children may be able to work during the day whilst the children are at school. This flexibility of working patterns, which is also important for the exchange of ideas and for the promotion of equality of faith (such as the need for Orthodox Jews not to work on Saturdays) are all factors that help Tesco to build a wide multicul tural team of workers that are attune to the attitudes of the individual communities that they serve. Indeed, as a result of the UK being a truly multicultural society, HRM can be seen to play a critical role in working towards the creation of a healthy work environment. Tesco also ensures that every employee knows his or her rights in the organisation, which can also be seen as a way of ensuring that employee unions are supportive of the market aspirations of the company (Rosethorn, 2009). That Tesco also embraces health and safety regulations and training may be seen as a further bonus. In addition, Tesco trains its employees on disaster management, which is not only a positive for staff but also for the shoppers who frequent Tesco (Blythman, 2012). That staff receive such training means that members of the public can shop in safety in the secure knowledge that in the event of a fire outbreak the staff are trained, and responsive. With regard to the use of human resource models, Tesco can be evaluated as using a range of different models to ensure that it meets it core business goals (Fernie and Moore, 2013). This is important to note within the confines of this essay because no two people are identical (in terms of their behaviour and personality traits), thus calling for different HRM approaches to be adopted to ensure that there is, within the workforce, harmony in the company (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2010). Tesco has, as Rosethorn (2009) notes, has resolved to u se a commitment-based model which does not force employees to meet frameworks. Rather, the achievement of goals is looked at as possible through respect, provided that there is co-ordination and self-control. This model calls for motivation and reinforcement in order to achieve the objectives of Tesco management and, as Tushman and O’Reilly (2002) suggest, employee opinions are taken into consideration and are used even during problem-solving processes. This model puts the employee at the forefront and helps to sustain motivation. Identification of areas that could be improved Tesco knows that it, in order to keep competitive in an increasingly cut-throat market, it has to keep sound strategies and build upon them (Wood and McCarthy, 2014). It is critical therefore, in accordance with the view advanced by Tushman and O’Reilly (2002), that human resource management continues to develop, identify, and strengthen the capacities of its staff. Tesco has a lot of employees who have substantial experience, and it follows that there is a key role for them to play in the training of new employees. In addition the company needs to train employees with expertise and ensure that they are kept up-to-date with regards to their key skill sets. The training concepts mentioned within this assignment work together to ensure that the organisation benefits from the increased competence of its staff. For rewards and wages Tesco is in line with existing laws and regulations and pays salaries according to the minimum wage law (Tesco, 2014). Nevertheless, further benefits could be accrued by making a more explicit linkage between performance and reward, especially with regard to the firm’s overall profits (Metzger, 2014). This would mean that when annual profits increase, there should be an increase in the salaries and rewards enjoyed by employees. Such rewarding of talent will have a positive impact on both workers and the company (Fernie and Sparks, 2014). Conclusion The human resource management department plays an important role in any organisation. Tesco has a well-documented, forward-thinking HRM department which is in tune with its overall business aims. Through the recruitment and retention of first rate staff and ensuring that all employees can perform to the best of their ability, Tesco increases the chances that its staff will be a positive asset (Merkel, Jackson and Pick, 2014). In addition, as Tesco increasingly diversifies its business portfolio, there is a need to ensure that all employees in each country in which it operates learn from best practice elsewhere (Brannen, Moore and Mughan, 2013). Indeed, if Tesco is to attain its global objectives, it is imperative that its HRM department continually evaluates its own performance (as well as that of employees), so that the company’s most important asset – its staff – can continually adapt to the changing needs and expectations of the company’s customers to h elp ensure that it retains its existing position of primacy within the UK supermarket sector (Metzger, 2014). Bibliography Blythman, J. (2012). Shopped: The shocking power of British supermarkets. London: HarperCollins. Brand Finance (2014). Global 500 2014: The world’s most valuable brands. Available at: http://brandirectory.com/league_tables/table/global-500-2014 [accessed 10 September 2014]. Brannen, M.Y., Moore, F. and Mughan, T. (2013). Strategic ethnography and reinvigorating Tesco plc: Leveraging inside/out bicultural bridging in multicultural teams. Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference Proceedings, London, September 16-18, pp. 282-299. Felgate, M., Fearne, A. and di Falco, S. (2011). Analysing the impact of supermarket promotions: A case study using Tesco Clubcard data in the UK. Kent Business School. Working Paper 234. Fernie, J. and Sparks, S. (2014). Logistics and retail management (4th edn). London: Kogan Page. Fernie, S. and Moore, C. (2013). Principles of retailing. Abingdon: Routledge. Ma, Y., Ding, J. and Hong, W. (2010). Delivering customer value based on service process: The example of Tesco.com. International Business Research, 3(2), 131. Merkel, J., Jackson, P. and Pick, D. (2010). New challenges in retail human resource management. In Krafft, M. and Mantrala, M.K. (eds) (2014). Retailing in the 21st century (2nd edn). Springer: Berlin, pp. 257-270. Metzger, K. (2014). Business analysis of UK supermarket industry. Master’s dissertation, Loughborough University. Piercy, N.F., Cravens, D.W. and Lane, N. (2010). Marketing out of the recession: Recovery is coming, but things will never be the same again. The Marketing Review, 10(1), 3-23. Rosethorn, H. (2009). The employer brand: Keeping faith with the deal. Farnham: Gower. Schiraldi, P., Smith, H. and Takahashi, Y. (2012). Estimating a dynamic game of spatial competition: The case of the UK supermarket industry. LSE Working Paper. Scuffham, M. (2014). Tesco takes on UK banks with current account launch. Reuters [online]. Available at: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/09/uk-tesco-bank-account-idUKKBN0EK24H20140609 [accessed 10 September 2014]. Tesco plc (2014). Annual report 2014. Cheshunt: Tesco plc. Tushman, M.L. and OReilly, C.A. (2002). Winning through innovation: A practical guide to leading organizational change and renewal. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Press. Tyrell, J. (2014). Introduction to socio-cultural influences. In Mutum, D.S., Roy, S.K. and Kipnis, E. (eds) (2014). Marketing cases from emerging markets. Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 9-11. Wood, S. and McCarthy, D. (2014). The UK food retail ‘race for space’ and market saturation: A contemporary review. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 24(2), 121-144.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Do You Choose to be Homosexual? Essay -- Biology Essays Research Paper

Do You Choose to be Homosexual? Is it possible for one to choose his or her sexual orientation? Is one's sexual orientation something that can be changed, or is it a fixed attraction? These are a few questions, among many others that have been raised by researchers and religious organizations, as well as everyday people. Particularly, over the last decade there have been various debates over whether sexual orientation is based on genetic factors or whether it is a choice. Most researchers find that homosexuality, like many others psychological conditions, is due to a combination of social, biological, or psychological factors (1). Psychiatrist Jeffrey Satinover believes influences including a postnatal environment have an impact on one's sexual orientation. Examples within this postnatal environment include cultural behavior as well as the behavior of one's parents and siblings (1). This is just one specification that one's sexual orientation is determined at a young age, and is a lifestyle that is not chosen. A statement issued by the American Psychological Association can support this observation. A spokesperson for the organization states that "...However, many scientists share the view that sexual orientation is shaped for most people at an early age through complex interactions of biological, psychological, and social factors" (1). Richard Green, a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, conducted a study that compared effeminate and "masculine" boys (3). In this study, Green found that children who grow up to become homosexual often engage in "gender inappropriate play" in their early childhood. "Feminine" boys generally played four times as much with dolls and about a third as much with trucks ... ...y other suggested factors. One's sexual orientation cannot just change over night or within a couple of years. In many aspects, it is much like those who sing and dance. To elaborate, when hearing the biographies of many of today's stars, it is said that a vast majority of them started singing or dancing between the ages two and five. The same concept holds true for one's sexual orientation; it is developed early in one's childhood. References 1)Is Sexual Orientation Fixed at Birth? http://www.narth.com/docs/bornway.html 2)Is Being Gay Natural and Do We Have a Choice? http://www.gayline.gen.nz/natural.htm?o=0 3)Homosexuality: Chosen Lifestyle or Fixed Orientation? http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_fixe.htm 4)Homosexuality: Genetics & the Bible http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/another.effort.at.explaining.the.bible.and.queers

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Helping Chinese Consumers Essay

QuarkMan Technology was founded in 2012 by David Yuan. As the Chinese domestic consumption continues to grow at a rapid speed, consumers need a reliable source for independent and impartial review of products to find the quality and functionality. The mission of the company is one of â€Å"unveiling products’ essence in an independent, professional, and powerful way.† The two core principles are â€Å"Independence† and â€Å"Fairness†. QuarkMan has set up two business units, Information Advisory and Media. The reports and data obtained by the testing of products are handled by the Information Advisory unit and the Media unit takes this information and displays it in a user friendly way so that consumers can make educated decisions. QuarkMan Media is further divided into Jancr which is the consumer goods testing division and China Consumer Report which is the communication division responsible for settling disputes between the consumer and manufacturer. SWOT ANALYSIS for QuarkMan Strengths Manages their own lab and return team Strong relationship with third party labs and research institution labs State of the art testing lab with 400 pieces of equipment and 3000 square meters External expert network from numerous industries In-house lab is a stand-along profitable business unit which finances the media unit Weaknesses Hard for an independent and fair media company to be profitable in China In order to remain independent, advertisements on their website is not an option Majority of the testing resources are owned by the government affiliated consumer associations, industry associations and government research institutes A big chunk of the capacity has a very low utilization rate Takes 2-3 weeks for QuarkMan to deliver one product review and others longer QuarkMan struggling with capacity issues Opportunities No mature player conducting comparative tests and analysis across different industries The third party testing market was controlled by the government but has now become a huge and rapidly growing market QuarkMan currently handling six product categories but have the opportunity to handle more Exhibit 4 – Private only handles 10% of the current market share Threats Private sector is growing at a CAGR of 25% Speed is a key factor for the high growth rate New players in the market have gained decent traffic from more frequent content releases Exhibit 4 – Foreign markets only handle 25% of the current market share Problem/Decision Statement How can QuarkMan influence consumer perception of their brand and business values and thus gain their trust and business? Identification of Alternatives Consider advertisements as a revenue stream with the use of a 3rd party to manage the sale and pay a portion back to QuarkMan so independency and objectivity is upheld. Use these funds to mark the business philosophy of QuarkMan to gain additional market share. Obtain additional financing through other interested parties and use revenues to promote the business model and use additional financing funds to expand testing resources and improve turnaround time and reach more consumers Critical Issues Impact on current and potential consumers and their ability to trust QuarkMan if they attempt to raise revenue revenues through advertising The use of a 3rd party to manage advertisement while increasing revenue and the effects on their ability to stay independent and transparent to the consumer Significant lead time to bring products to market and the limit number of product reviews that can be completed times. The use of a 3rd party to manage advertising would directly go against the company’s core principles of Independence and fairness thus leading to more mistrust. Analysis Consider advertisements as a revenue stream with the use of a 3rd party to manage the sale and pay a portion back to QuarkMan so independency and objectivity is upheld. Use these funds to mark the business philosophy of QuarkMan to gain additional market share. The current market has a distrust of the industry because of the lack of transparency and the blurred lines between the agency reviewing the produce and the product manufactures. The current Chinese consumer agency is not transparent and the government plays such a significant role in the reviews because of this the consumers do not trust any consumer reports. QuarkMan’s guiding principles of independence and fairness will be viewed as conflicting with any advertisement from a manufacturing. This conflict will add to more doubt from their consumers. Obtain additional financing through other interested parties and use revenues to promote the business model and use additional financing funds to expand testing resources and improve turnaround time and reach more consumers This alternative would allow for additional revenues while not compromising their independence and fairness. QuarkMan can continue to market their product and services through current media channels and bring awareness to their strong brand name and transparency while setting them apart from the current competition. This will help to generate long term customer loyalty. Additional revenues can strengthen their 3rd party testing environment and help to reduce the lead times and number of products able to be reviewed at one time. They can further expand the types of products they review and be able to reach more potential customers. Recommendation The recommendation based on the entire analysis would be to obtain additional financing through other interested parties and use revenues to promote the business model and expand testing resources to improve turnaround time and reach more consumers. This alternative would allow for additional revenues while not compromising their independence and fairness. QuarkMan can continue to market their product and services through current media channels and bring awareness to their strong brand name and transparency while setting them apart from the current competition. This will help to generate long term customer loyalty. Additional revenues can strengthen their 3rd party testing environment and help to reduce the lead times and number of products able to be reviewed at one time. They can further expand the types of products they review and be able to reach more potential customers.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Name the year - Emphasis

Name the year Name the year Almost a month into the first year of the new decade and the time may have come to pick a side: is it twenty-ten or two thousand and ten? Most people seem to be automatically going with the latter, but they are wrong to do so, claims one American group. This is NAGG (the National Association of Good Grammar), a small group that may actually just be one bloke, a cat and a kettle (they dont even have their own website). Despite their size, they are reportedly very vocal on this subject. Theyre adamant it should be twenty ten and are, frankly, exceedingly put out that we spent the last ten years saying two thousand. Founder Tom Torriglia points out that we are not following the pattern of the twentieth century. Prince never sang, Tonight were going to party like its one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, thats for sure.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Biology 2 Essay

Biology 2 Essay Biology 2 Essay Biology 5B What are Mendel’s Concepts? 1. Alleles exist 2. Individuals can be homozygous or heterozygous 3. One allele is dominant over the other 4. Gametes are haploid A sperm or egg carries only one allele for each characteristic because homologous pairs separate during meiosis. Law of Segregation The inheritance of an allele for one characteristic does not effect the inheritance of an allele for a different characteristic Law of Independent Assortment How is sex determined in humans? Sex chromosomes, the man’s genes How many pairs chromosomes do humans have? 23 How many pairs of autosomes do humans have? 22 How many pairs of sex chromosomes do humans have? 1 a diagram used to show how a specific characteristic is passed through several generations in a family Pedigree a diagram used to show the possible gamete combinations from a genetic cross Punnett Square the mating of an organism possessing a dominant phenotype but unknown genotype with an organism possessing a recessive phenotype Test Cross Mendel’s factors; units of heredity; sections of DNA capable of causing a trait Gene the trait which, when in the presence of contrasting trait, expresses itself Dominant the trait which, when in the presence of the dominant, doesn’t express itself Recessive the physical expression of an organism’s genes Phenotype the genetic make-up of an individual organism Genotype the particular site on a chromosome where a particular gene is located Locus

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Demonstrates your understanding of communication theories by applying Essay

Demonstrates your understanding of communication theories by applying the theories we have studied - Essay Example According to Vygotsky, this zone refers to an area of exploration for which the learner is cognitively prepared but need assistance and social interaction to fully develop. Vygotsky therefore believes that a teacher or a more experienced peer has the ability to provide t he student with what is termed as scaffolding, which helps the student to develop complex skills. This paper provides an insightful analysis of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and its relevance in young children is thinking and talking, as well as sociocultural influence in youths’ participation in gambling behavior. According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the most appropriate strategies for supporting the intellectual knowledge and skills of learners as well as enhancing intentional learning include collaborative leaning, modeling, discourse, and scaffolding. As mentioned earlier, his most prominent contribution is the concept of Zone of Proximal Development. In his own words, the Zone of Proximal Development refers to the distance between a child’s actual developmental level as dictated by independent problem solving, and the higher level of potential development as determined by problem solving under adult guidance or with support from more capable peers. In his journal article, Young Children Thinking and Talking: Using sociocultrual theory for multilayered analysis, Robbins (2012) applies the ideas and concepts of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory in describing the thinking and communication of young children. According to Robbins(2012), Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory provides an rich information base upon which we can understand how the biological line of development and cultural line contribute towards the overall development of children’s thinking. He believes that the lower order mental processes with which children are born with are transformed into higher mental process through interaction with others as well as the mediation of various

Friday, November 1, 2019

Japanese manga censorship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese manga censorship - Research Paper Example Sometimes the word â€Å"air† is used to describe manga in Japanese which implies its possibility to penetrate everywhere: people buy manga on trains, in local supermarkets and small shops, in cinemas and read it in parks, luxurious apartments and shopping malls (Kinsella 4). Why has manga become so widespread and demanded in Japan? In post-war period it became linked to political events of the country and was perceived as counter-cultural experimentation. Most manga nevertheless concentrated on depiction of daily life events. Beginning from the 1970s manga adapted to the tastes of the population and concentrated on the topics popular among men: science fiction, robots, heroic events, however he group of women who appeared in the end of the 1970s adapted manga to female auditory making manga about love and romantic relationships (Gravet 24) The beginning of the 1980s coincided with the growth of the initial manga auditory and the economic rise of the country that is why publishers decided to widen the scope of genres and started looking for explicitly sexual and violent images in manga that were supposed to provide popularity. But the success on the territory of Japan was only a first step because manga has even won its special place in hearts of American readers with the help of exotic heroes, unique style of depiction, and unpredictable plot twists. Manga offered a fresh look on heroic epos: wide-eyed superheroes, latex-booted heroines and wild-haired supervillains have become extremely popular in a faraway America (Wood 14). For a long time manga and anime managed to avoid the attention of censors until an unfortunate case in 1989 when in a house of a serial killer a number of explicitly sexual content was found and he himself turned out to be a member in Comiket, the biggest convention for manga fans in the country. Since then the debates regarding the necessity of censorship for manga do not cease. Though some