Chpl500 Writing Assignments

Written Assignments Liberty Theological Seminary Chpl 500 Chaplaincy Foundations Review this document carefully, preparing early and in a timely manner is the key to success. Submit each assignment through the Assignments folder for the appropriate module. For each paper, follow the general guidelines (Services/Support area) and in the Additional Information folder (Course Content > Syllabus and Assignment Instructions). Module 1: Explain the early history of the chaplaincyRead carefully pages 1–68 (chapters 1–2) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Emperors, Priests, and Bishops, Military Chaplains in the Roman Empire† & â€Å"The Liturgy of War from Antiquity to the Crusades. † A discussion of military chaplains in the Roman imperial period, that is, from approximately 27 BC–500 AD will be examined with all its difficulties involved. After completing your reading you will need to do the following exercises: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, explaining the use of religion in the early history of the chaplaincy.This assignment is designed to get you to think critically about how religion and those picked to provide religious activities grew into what is now called chaplains. Module 2: Evaluating the duties of chaplains from 1200-1600AD Read carefully pages 69–104 (chapters 3–4) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"The Medieval Military Chaplain and His Duties† & â€Å"Did the Nature of the Enemy Make a Difference? Chaplains in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1642–49. † By the mid-thirteenth century, the sacramental and moral aspects of the chaplain’s office had achieved a firm basis in law.After completing your reading you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on evaluating chapters 3-4 using the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of the cha plain’s duty during this period of history? This assignment is designed to get you to think critically about, the duties of chaplains during this period of history and to understand their difficulties surround their duties.Module 3: Evaluating the chaplains role during the Civil War Read carefully pages 105–140 (chapters 5–6) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Faith, Morale, and the Army Chaplain in the American Civil War† & â€Å"In the Service of Two Kings: Protestant Prussian Military Chaplains 1713-1918. † During the Civil War, a total of approximately 2,500 men served as chaplains in the Union Army. Many of them experienced serious problems and concerns during this period of history. After completing your readings you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. formatting style, on the responsibilities and duties of the Civil War Chaplain. This assignment is designed to help you understa nd the awesome duties these men had to carry out as chaplains and all the issues that so divided our country during this time in American History. Module 4: Evaluating German Chaplains and their legitimacy Read carefully pages 141–186 (chapters 7–8) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Where’s the Padre? Canadian Memory and the Great War Chaplains† & â€Å"German Military Chaplains in the Second World War and the Dilemmas of Legitimacy. Chaplains in the German Army experienced many issues, one of which was their legitimacy as ministers and priest. After completing your readings you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the Pro’s and Con’s on the legitimacy of German Chaplains. This assignment will center your focus on how can ministers serve as chaplains under a dictatorship and still be legitimate chaplains. Module 5: Evaluating chaplains during the Vietnam EraRead carefully pages 187–232 (chapters 9–10) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"We Will Be: Experiences of an American Jewish Chaplain in the Second World War† & â€Å"Clergy in the Military—Vietnam and After: One Chaplain’s Reflections. † As you read about a Jewish chaplain’s experience, it is vital to remember that chaplains are to provide â€Å"freedom of the exercise of religion† to all military members and their families and all DOD employees. What does this really mean? If you are a protestant chaplain, do you have to become a catholic chaplain or Muslim, etc.? Pluralism is important.You should understand the duties you are to carry out under this term. These two chapters and your written assignment should assist you. Once you have finished your reading assignment, you will need to do the following exercises: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the topic â€Å"What is p luralism? † You may use other resources not included in this course to assist you in this assignment. Module 6: Evaluating chaplains from morale builders to moral advocates Read carefully pages 233–270 (chapters 11–12) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"From Morale Builders to Moral Advocates: U.S. Army Chaplains in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century† & â€Å"In Place of an Afterword: My argument with Fr. William Corby, C. S. C. † Chaplains are essential to Commanders, to First Sergeants, and to their parish on moral issues. With today’s morals changing from day to day and from court to court rulings, it is vital that chaplains know and understand moral issues and be ready to speak out on them as they relate to the military service. Once you have finished your reading assignment you will need to do the following: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. formatting style, on why is it important for chaplains to addres s moral issues with their commanders and parish. This assignment is designed to help you understand that chaplains are moral advocates and must address the key moral issues of our day. Module 7: Identifying the USAF, USA, & USN Chaplain’s Role of Today Watch carefully the video clips on the various Armed Forces Chaplain Services and take notes about their history and the duties of the chaplains.After completing your viewing you will need to complete the following assignments: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on one of the Branches of Service and discuss the Chaplain’s Ministry in the areas of Worship, Counseling, Visitation, and Readiness-War-Time Preparedness. You may choose the USA, USAF, or USN to write about. You do not have to write on all three; choose only one branch of service to discuss. The purpose of this assignment is to aid students in a better nderstanding of how a chaplain’s role and duties diffe r depending on which branch one serves in. Module 8: Evaluating the Geneva Convention Read Articles 1–45 on the following website of the Geneva Convention and be prepared to explain the chaplain’s role as a POW. History has proven that chaplains are a vital resource during wartime, and especially in a POW Camp. The Geneva Convention lays out the roles and responsibilities of chaplains when captured and placed in a POW Camp. It is of most importance that chaplains know the GC guidelines as they relate to them.This assignment will assist you in understanding your role as a chaplain in a POW Camp. After reading your assigned readings on the articles of the Geneva Convention, you will need to complete the following assignments. †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the importance of the Geneva Convention as it relates to chaplains who are POWs. This assignment is designed to underpin the importance of the chaplain’s role when captured and placed in a POW Camp.

Dancing with the White Rabbit

Carly Turner English 102 Polliard May 5th, 2011 Dancing With The White Rabbit People go under sedation all the time. They jump into the rabbit hole to receive colonoscopies, plastic surgery, dental work and other various medical procedures. Today’s world has become accustomed to regular use of sedation drugs however they do not realize just how dangerous they can be. There are many factors to be taken into account when someone is put under. Proprofol (Diprivan), a drug that is used to induce sedation, which is the cause of many medical malpractices and deaths, is not supervised enough in the medical community.Propofol is one of the most widely used forms of anesthesia (Nytimes. com). It was invented 20 to 25 years ago (News Week). It has multiple benefits over general anesthesia. Unlike general anesthesia, propofol has rapid onsets. â€Å"If you try to count backward from 100 after it's injected, you don't get to 97,† says Dr. Wischmeyer, a University of Colorado Anesth esiologist (Wall Street Journal). It also allows patients to recover and return to baseline activities such as eating and breathing on their own faster. In addition, it can result in less nausea and vomiting in patients (Ismp. rg). Because of this many practioners feel a false sense of security when using propofol. It can be harmful and even deadly if the person who is administering it is not trained in drugs that cause deep sedation and general anesthesia. On the labeling of Diprivan (Propofol), it is intended â€Å"for general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care sedation†, meaning that that drug should only be administered by people trained in general anesthesia and not involved in the procedure being done. Propofol is an exact science. Dosing needs to be based on the patient’s tolerance to the drug.A number of factors including the age, weight, and how hydrated the person is factors into the efficiency of the drug (News Week). The tolerance can vary and can chan ge easily. Also, for a patient who uses it the first time, it’ll be much more potent but for a patient who uses it often it stays in the tissues and creates a tolerance to the drug (Inside Surgery). The possible side effects, are changes in moods and emotions, dizziness, drowsiness, and a lack of coordination (Drugs. com). The harsher effect is that a patient can go from breathing normally to being in respiratory arrest in seconds, even at what seems like a low dose.There are also no reversal agents to propofol, which means that the drug’s adverse effects have to be treated while the drug is being metabolized in the body (Inside Surgery). Considering all of these variables this makes working with propofol difficult and somewhat unpredictable, even for a trained professional. If a patient isn’t monitored closely enough by a person trained in sedation while on propofol then they can quickly go into respiratory arrest and thus get brain damage or die from not enoug h oxygen to the organs and brain (Ismp. rg). During a procedure, a nurse who was trained in moderate sedation, assisted a gastroenterologist in surgery by giving the patient propofol. The nurse gave too high of a dosage of propofol to the patient and the patient started experiencing respiratory arrest. In another case, a physician thought it would be safe to administer propofol himself while performing a breast augmentation surgery. According to a poll, eighty-three percent of people thought it was wrong for a surgeon to administer the propofol himself (Survey. com).The young patient died from not getting enough oxygen to the brain because there was no one there to supervise her. Nurses have been asked to give â€Å"a little more† of the propofol if a patient moved. Anesthesiologists have been known to leave the room and leave the syringe filled with propofol and a needle in the IV port so that the nurses can monitor the patient alone themselves. This has been brought to the attention of some hospital’s leaders however no laws have been enacted about this. Additionally, money is an issue when deciding the safety of the patient.There is sometimes an unwillingness of insurers to reimburse anesthesiologists for their care and thus nurse-administered propofol happens quite often and untrained nurses may be caught in the middle of such a debate and feel pressures to administer the propofol themselves. States in the U. S. all have different views on propofol and whether or not it needs to be administered by a trained anesthesiologist or if a nurse should be allowed to do it (Kathy Dix). On an online survey seventy-eight percent of people believe that a trained anesthesiologist should be in control of the propofol and not a nurse (Survey. om). It usually comes down to that health care facilities board and is not decided by the state. In a recent survey, it stated that ninety-six percent of the people thought that every hospital and healthcare facility s hould have set rules on the matter (Survey. com). In addition, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and American A ssociation for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities believe that the only persons trained in administering general anesthesia should administer propofol to non-ventilated patients.The American Society of Anesthesiologists suggests that if that is not possible then non-anesthesia staff who do administer the drug should be qualified to rescue the patients if their level of sedations becomes deeper than intended (Ismp. org). Along with the issue of propofol not being safely administered, it is also abused in the medical community itself. This can be done easily because it is not listed as a â€Å"controlled substance† by the Food and Drug Administration.The drug is likely to be liked by abusers because it induces relaxation or sleep and can cause euphoria and also leaves the bloodstream so fast that it is diffi cult to detect (Nytimes). Anesthetists and abusers of propofol say that it can bring a brief but captivating high as the sedation wears off. It has been referred to as â€Å"dancing with the white rabbit† (referring to the white color of the drug) and â€Å"pronapping† because the drug induces a short sleep that many practioners and medical personnel use between their long shifts (Wall Street Journal). Many practioners do not feel that propofol should be a more controlled substance.However, according to a poll, eighty-seven percent of people think that propofol should be listed as a controlled substance (Survey. com). Naming propofol a controlled substance under the Drug Enforcement Agency’s rules would require the hospitals to track their inventory, account for all the propofol vials, list all of it’s users, and lock it up with the hospital’s narcotics. If these actions were taken doctors and nurses seeking rehabilitation for their abuse of propof ol might cost them their licenses and lead to them having criminal charges because they would have been abusing a Drug Enforcement Agency controlled drug.Michael Jackson’s young death is the most well-known case of propofol abuse and has rekindled the propofol controversy the last two years. Detectives found large quantities of propofol and oxygen tanks in his home. Along with this they found that he had a personal physician that allegedly admitted to administering the drug to Jackson the day the singer died. Jackson reportedly had insomnia and was seeking aid from the drug. It seemed that his dance with the white rabbit caused his death, and may be the cause of many others if not taken into control. ’It enters your bloodstream fast, and even highly trained anesthesiologists can't control it, and die. They don't even have seconds to pull out the needle,’ said Art Zwerling, a registered nurse anesthetist and counselor with the Association of Nurse Anesthetistsâ⠂¬  (Wall Street Journal). When the drug is being used properly there should be strict procedures enforced regarding the supervision of vital signs and oxygen saturation to assure that the patient is safe. Health care facilities should inform all the staff working around propofol how dangerous it is.Today’s standards on the administration of Diprivan (Propofol) are too lenient and need to be reformed. In conclusion, the distribution and handling of this drug needs to be strictly supervised. Work’s Cited â€Å"What the Heck is Proprofol? More Info On the Drug That May Have Killed Michael Jackson† News Week. Web. 29 Jul. 2009. <http://www. newsweek. com/blogs/the-human-condition/2009/07/29/what-the-heck-is-propofol-more-info-on-the-drug-that-may-have-killed-michael-jackson. html> â€Å"How to use Diprivan† Drugs. com. Web. 18 Mar. 2011. <http://www. drugs. om/diprivan. html > â€Å"Propofol (Drug)† Web. 7 Aug. 2009. <http://topics. ny times. com/topics/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/propofol/index. html> â€Å"Michael Jackson’s Death From Propofol† Inside Surgery. Web. 24 Aug. 2009. <http://insidesurgery. com/tag/diprivan/> â€Å"Practical Guide to Moderate Sedation/Analgesia† Odom-forren. Donna Watson. 2005. Mosby Inc. â€Å"Propofol (A Drug Used For Sedation)† Carly Turner. Survey ages 18-50, 23 surveyors. Web. 4 May. 2011. Survey. com <http://www. survey. com/cgi-bin/pollxt. pl? poll=PM2U1AR9U9G8>

Analysis and ploicy Tom Ltd and Jerry Ltd

3.With reference to your ratio calculations, comment on the importance of identifying accounting policy choices when comparing ratios for entities, or when comparing ratios for a single entity over time? Return on Equity = Profit available to shareholders / Equity   Profit Margin = Net profit / Revenue Current Ratio = Current assets / current liabilities Assets Turnover = Net Sales / Total assets Debt Ratio = Total liabilities / total assets The performance of a company is measured by its profitability and efficiency ratios. The profitability ratios included in the above table are return on assets, return on equity and profit margin. Asset turnover is the efficiency ratio. Jerry Ltd has a higher profitability as compared to Tom ltd as all the profitability ratios for the company is higher. This is majorly because of one expense that is the depreciation expense which is higher for Tom Ltd. ad this expense has made all the difference. The net profit of Tom Ltd. is less. Jerry Ltd has a higher return on assets ratio because it has higher earnings before tax and expenses and also lower total assets. Tom Ltd has taken the fair value of the property, plant and equipment. This reflects a higher value of the non – current assets, thus increasing the total assets. Also the depreciation has been applied on this fair value of property, plant and equipment, thus giving higher depreciation expenses. Therefore, Tom Ltd has lower net profits and higher total assets leading to a low return on assets. Tom Ltd has a lower return on equity due to lower net profits available to its shareholders and also a higher value of the equity. This coupled effect has reduced the return on equity for Tom Ltd. whereas Jerry Ltd. has a higher return on equity due to higher net profits and a lower equity value. This means Jerry Ltd is providing higher returns to its shareholders. Jerry Ltd has a higher profit margin due to increased net profit. The revenue for both the companies is the same. As a result of difference in the net profit, the profit margin is different for both the companies. Jerry Ltd. gives higher returns on its sales. Jerry Ltd. has a better assets turnover ratio. This is because it has lower total assets. Jerry records its assets at the historical cost due to which the total assets appear lower on the balance sheet. For Tom Ltd. the assets are recorded at fair value which is higher than the historical cost, thus the total assets value appears higher for Tom Ltd. on the balance sheet. The revenue for both the companies is the same. A higher assets turnover ratio means that the company is able to utilize its assets efficiently in generating sales. With lower total assets, Jerry Ltd. is able to generate the same amount of revenue as Tom Ltd. thus indicating better utilization of assets to generate sales. Thus from the above analysis of the profitability and efficiency ratios, we see that Jerry Ltd. ahs a better performance in both the categories. The difference in the performance is solely based on the difference in the accounting policies of depreciation and recording of fixed assets in the balance sheet. The financial position of the company is measured through the liquidity and the solvency ratios. In the above table, current ratio is the liquidity ratio and debt ratio is the solvency ratio. The current ratio measures the short term liquidity of the company. It measures if the company has sufficient current assets to pay for its current obligations. Both the companies have the same current ratio. The current ratio of both companies is 3.7. This means the current assets are 3.7 times the current liabilities. This shows high liquidity of both the companies. Both companies have enough current assets to pay for their current liabilities, thus making them highly liquid. The ideal current ratio is 2. The debt ratio is a long term solvency ratio and measures the ability of a company to pay for its assets with its liabilities.(John, Subramanyam, Halsey, 2007) 3. Ratio analysis is majorly used by firms to analyse the performance and also for making financial performance comparisons between two companies. However, there are certain limitations of ratio analysis. One such limitation is on account of the use of different accounting policy being used by the two firms in question. Like in the above case, though both the firms are identical in all their revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities but the only difference lies in the accounting policy relating to measurement of fixed assets of plant property and equipment. The firm which records the fixed assets at the historical cost has recorded the asset at the lower value since the fair value of the asset is higher as per current market prices. Hence, the value of fixed assets of Tom Ltd. is higher than Ltd. This has affected the profit through depreciation charges. The depreciation is calculated on the carrying values of the plant and machinery. Tom Ltd. has higher depreciation charges becaus e of high value of the same assets as possessed by Jerry Ltd. therefore the profits of Tom Ltd. have been reduced by that amount. Also both the companies use different deprecation methods. Jerry Ltd uses diminishing value method of depreciation and Tom Ltd. uses straight line method. Under diminishing method of depreciation, higher depreciation charges are applied in the initial years and lower in the later years. Under straight line method, same percentage of depreciation is applied every year. Due to this difference in accounting policy, the depreciation charges differ for both the companies, and they have a direct impact on the profits. This affects the financial performance of the companies.(Alayemi, 2015) Even for a single firm, ratio analysis may yield misleading results for two years where accounting policy has been changed over the years. Let’s say if the company has changed its accounting policy on measuring the company’s plant and machinery from historical cost to the fair value. This will have two effects, first a change in the value of fixed assets appearing on the balance sheet and the change in the depreciation charge which will directly impact the profits. Thus both financial performance and the financial position ratio results will change for the same company. Thus ratio analysis cannot be applied for companies using different accounting policies as for the same revenue and profits, the performance results may vary. Alayemi, S.A., (2015), Choice of Accounting Policy: Effects on Analysis and Interpretation of Financial Statements, American Journal of Economics, Finance and Management, Vol.1, No.3 John, J.W., Subramanyam, K.R., Halsey, R., (2007), Financial Statement Analysis, 9 th edition, New Delhi, Tata McGraw- Hill Khan, M.Y., Jain, P.K., (2005), Basic Financial Management, second edition, New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill Looking for an answer 'who will do my essay for cheap',

How the Anglo-American Special Relationship between Britain and Research Paper

How the Anglo-American Special Relationship between Britain and America was influenced during the American Revolution through the use and politics of eighteenth century newspapers and other media - Research Paper Example It is against such a backdrop that this paper analyzes the influence of media on the American Revolution from both angles. The American Revolution forms one of the most prominent events in the history of America. The themes of loyalists and patriots are synonymous with American Revolution in many historical discourses. These themes are usually accompanied with American icons, such as John Adams, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.1 Even though the revolution is identified with few historical icons, the revolution agenda would not have materialized without the input from commoners and other factions. In essence, the Founding Fathers relied heavily on support from diverse factions in their quest to achieve social, political and economic emancipation. One of the factions that lend more credence to the American Revolution was the press.2 The Concept of American Revolution has always been confused or even synonymously treated the same as the American War. John Adams addressed himself to this issue, stating that the American Revolution and the American War are completely two different phenomena. The American Revolution preceded the American War. Adams, who became the second president of the United States, wrote that: â€Å"The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people†¦ This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.†3 In light of Adams sentiments, the answer as to why colonists were so unhappy to the point of challenging the strongest army in the world at the time (British Army) lies in printed word. Before 1776, American colonies were awash with small newspapers. Publishers and printers behind these newspapers were among the most rebellious and enlightened Americans. Some of notable publishers and printers included Samuel Adams of Boston (the founder of the Public

Relationship between Locus of Control and Optimism among Students Essay

Relationship between Locus of Control and Optimism among Students - Essay Example 2003). People with an external locus appear to be prone to a variety of symptoms of stress including emotional distress, job dissatisfaction, facing problems in studying, or low self esteem etc. There are some studies which have suggested moderated effects of locus of control. According to Hurrell and Murphy (1991) external locus of control is particularly vulnerable to stress symptoms due to frequent or severe negative life events. However, this evidence is rather mixed. The concept of locus of control is helpful in identifying various questions 'whether the results of people's actions are the direct/indirect reflection of what they do, that is, internal control orientation Or are they dependent on events that are beyond their control i.e. external control orientation. The study of Locus of control would offer valuable contributions and theories that would further help in understanding and analyzing academic persistence as well as motivation. According to Strain 1993, there mare many identifying of locus of control as an important motivational factor, research has revealed little about the complex relationship between student's motivational behavior and persistence in college. While another study shows that individuals with internal locus of control are believed to be mentally more aware, able, better, equipped for learning, and highly motivated as compared to those with external locus of control (Stone and Jackson, 1975). The study of locus of cont rol - both internal as well as external - was also found to provide various valuable evidence on the behavior and approach of individuals studied in terms of their reactions to marketing approaches where the factor of luck was involved *Miyazaki, Anthonym and Sprott, 2001). It was found that individuals with internal orientation were more vulnerable to ideas of luck than those with an external orientation. According to Tosi and colleagues (2000) internal control is often correlated with better and more efficient work control in terms of adjusting to work environment, terms off satisfaction, coping with stress as well as level of involvement in one's job while those with external locus of control might exhibit a highly negative approach towards task or jobs that require independent action or decision making. A deeper analysis of such negativity or pessimistic behavior was more deeply examined by Seligman and Martin (1990). According to the authors, there is a strong link between pess imism and depression, and the negative acts or behavior is most often the result of learned helplessness. In researching this area, they criticize academics for focusing too much on causes for pessimism and not enough on optimism. They also state that in the last three decades of the 20th century journals published 46,000 psychological papers on depression and only 400 on joy. Michael, E. and Charles. S. C. (1986) studied that personal optimism correlates strongly withself-esteem, psychological well-being, and with physical and mental health. While the study of pessimism is considered parallel to the study ofdepression, psychologists trace pessimistic attitudes

International Marketing -Situational analysis, Marks and Spencer Essay

International Marketing -Situational analysis, Marks and Spencer FRANCE - Essay Example In France, the cultural influence as it affects consumer behavior is a function of the coverage in competition is within the primary shopping districts. Indeed, the level of rents and exposure to the high class, innovator consumers within the elite shopping districts is where retailers such as the Gap provide the largest and most targeted competition to M&S. In cities such as Lyon and Paris, the concentration of competition within the shopping districts has provided M&S with exposure to the consumer at the expense of a high degree of market competition. The particular taste of the French market is determined by benchmark research against competitor lines of clothing regarding differences between style and texture from market to market as well as market research including focus groups to better obtain an understanding of the changes in consumer choice. â€Å"M&S needs to carry out intense market research to identify the customers’ needs for styles and products. M&S must develop an effective customer opinion and feedback system, preferably through the internet, being more convenient.† (Docshare.com, 2009) Best, D.B. (2010), On the money: M&S "ahead of competition" in food, says Rose. Available from: http://www.just-food.com/analysis/ms-ahead-of-competition-in-food-says-rose_id111147.aspx [Accessed: October 22, 2011]. (2009),  Exploring Corporate Strategy in Marks & Spencer. Available from: http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=M%26S+France%2C+competitors&btnK=Google+Search#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=M%26S+France%2C+france%2C+market+segmentation&pbx=1&oq=M%26S+France%2C+france%2C+market+segmentation&aq=f&aqi=q-w1&aql=1&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=3807l9417l0l9580l33l23l1l0l0l2l1395l12673l4-3.14.1.2l21l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&fp=b571422ac7922aeb&biw=1600&bih=799 [Accessed: October 22, 2011]. Moore, C. M., Doherty, A. M., & Doyle, S. A. (2010). Flagship stores as a market entry method: The

Human Resource Management & Information Management (MBA) pro 8 Essay

Human Resource Management & Information Management (MBA) pro 8 - Essay Example One of the solutions is motivating the employees. This is the best way to deal with this problem. Motivating the employees is the act of making them feel important and needed in an organization. This is a challenge for the managers but once it is implemented, great changes can be observed in the organization (Brewster & Harris, 1999). When employees are motivated, they always produce quality work. This is because they are seen as important stakeholders of an organization. This leads to the success of an organization since they are also able to keep good relations with the customers. Every employee is happy when their work is appreciated thus they even try harder which is very important in an organization. It also helps in retaining the employees in the organization for a longer period. When the HRM department is able to motivate the employees in the organization, productivity levels increase. In a case where the employees are allowed to air their suggestions, the organization really develops. This is because the employees have some experiences and they always suggest for what will best benefit the organization (Brewster & Harris,

International Marketing Management Master Assignment

International Marketing Management Master - Assignment Example We employed the triangulation method to check the consistency of the data set in the available literature, by conducting random interviews with at least 10 cellular phone users ranging in age from 7 to 18. From the critical analysis of the relevant literature and the one-on-one interviews, we drew the conclusion that: 1) parents generally influence the youth's purchasing decisions at an early age, and young people begin to make such decisions only upon earning their own money; 2) the SWOT-and-PESTLE approach popularized in UK is useful in international marketing, 3) the youth are partial to mobile phones with state-of-the-art features, 4) branding and product differentiation are key to success, and 5) the firm must go out of its way to understand the dynamics of other cultures. In assessing the potential for a successful incursion into the international market, this report examines the international marketing environment and the challenges it is likely to impose upon the resources, corporate structure and culture of a European telecommunications firm apparently embarking on business globalization for the first time. Consequently, the study covers the areas relevant to this specialized marketing activity, including the strategies appropriate for homebred firms that have decided to go international, the choice of markets that are easier and less costly to penetrate in terms of cultural barriers, and what entry modes are advisable for a certain country or region. Section 2, which is the body of the paper, also evaluates the options on whether to standardize the mobile phone primed for international marketing, or differentiate and adapt it to the characteristics of the particular target market. More important, it provides a demographic profile of the youth mar ket as to consumer tastes and preferences, purchasing decisions, buying motivations and peer influences. To collect these data, 10 young people aged 7 to 18 who carry mobile phones around were interviewed, and asked the relevant questions. The conclusion in Section 3 and the recommendations laid out in Section 4 are based on these person-to-person interviews, as well as the critical analysis of selected literature on international marketing management. 2. Findings, Analysis & Discussion The decision of Company-A to go out of its home base in Western Europe and locate a production plant in Malaysia for the mobile phone venture is by itself a well-taken international marketing strategy. Compared to Europe, Malaysia is a lower wage area and manufacturing the mobile phone project in this part of the world would enable Company-A to cut on production costs. The firm can then sell the phone in rich markets for bigger profit (Jones, 1999). A firm is considered ripe for an international venture when it has cultivated exchange relationships with individuals or organizations beyond its national boundaries. The decision to do business overseas is usually influenced either by the domestic or global

H. pylori Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

H. pylori - Research Paper Example Its absence can lead affect the stomachs micro biota. The lack of H pylori mostly among kids has led to increased risk of asthma and allergies (Martin 7). Virulence factors are structures, chemicals, and metabolic functions that increase the chance an organism will cause disease. C A G (A) and V a C (A) are virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori. Explain how these two proteins mediate infection and disease. C A G (A) is a marker for strains that increase the chances of one contracting peptic ulcer disease. It symbolizes a human gastric gene. This strain contains a secretion system (type 4) that infuses D N A and proteins in the stomach. C A G (A) product S21 -S23) is in the epithelial cells in vivo and vitro form. Once inside the stream, C A G (A) associates with a tyrosine phosphate (SHP-2) that will affect the spreading of the epithelial cell. This injected C A G (A) interacts with Grb2, and it activates the ERK pathway. This leads to cell scattering and proliferation in the MDCK cells (Martin 6). V a C (A) causes vesiculation in the cell lines of the epithelial. It posses two signal region, S1 and S2, and two mid regions, M1 and M2. It affects the host by creating pores in the cell membranes leading to urea egress. It also facilitates the loosening of tight epithelial junctions allowing the crossing of nutrients through the mucosal barrier to the pylori gastric niche (Martin

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay Example for Free

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay Soldiers involved in a war are faced with many difficult situations, which they can mostly not avoid. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common phenomenon among the soldiers since while in the war, they face some life threatening experiences. Many of the American soldiers who return from the war are faced with serious mental disorders that not only affects them, but their family members as well. The individuals suffering from PTSD can experience cases of nightmares and flashbacking on the events that happened in the war. Frequent flashbacks and nightmares can make it look so realistic that its effect is that the individual may withdraw from the family members and friends. Such an individual may also become less concerned with the daily activities (Moon, n. d). There are other diseases that are associated with the PTSD that can have severe effect on a soldier. For instance, a veteran may experience such cases as depression, face physical or even mental problems. At some instances, the veterans turn to drug and substance abuse so that they can relieve their problems. It is usually the joy of every family to have their members back after participating in a war. However, after the celebration, and things turn back to normal, it is when the family members can realize a different in the way the veteran behaves which might be completely different from the behaviors before deployment. These can be directly linked to the trauma the veteran faced during the war. Apart from having nightmares and flashbacks of what happened during the war, the veteran might feel a lot of anxiety and panic. They might as well have some very distressing thoughts and emotional numbing, which might contribute to abusing drugs. In essence, when a family member changes the usual behavior, it will either positively or negatively affect the other family members (Moon, n. d). With PTSD, when the symptoms are severe, they might cause the family members to be disrupted in the way they carry out their normal activities. This can mostly be experienced when the family members in one way or another react to how the veteran is behaving. Different family members can react differently on the way their loved one is affected by PTSD. If there is no good measure that is undertaken to deal with the traumatized veteran, then it is possible that the trauma might be spread to other family members. Family members are the first to provide support, love and caring for the veterans experiencing PTSD. This can help to keep in check some reactions such as drug and substance abuse. Furthermore, it is necessary that the family members monitor the behaviors among themselves to ensure that none is affected by the PTSD that is being experienced by the veteran. However, it might occur that at a time, the symptoms either to the veteran or the other affected family members are apparent, hence calling for treatment (Tull, 2008). To treat the veteran, the present problems have to be first of all assessed. It is advisable that the family members participate in the treatment exercise, especially if some members have been affected by the symptoms. In creating the treatment, family members, the therapist and the affected veteran should be involved. The aim of the treatment plan is to help the victim and the family members learn to cope with the situation.

Characteristics Of Victorian Age Literature

Characteristics Of Victorian Age Literature Historical Background of Victorian Age In the year 1837, Queen Victoria ascended the throne of Great Britain and Ireland and succeeded William the IV. She served for a period of 64 years, till her death in 1901 and it is one of the longest reigns in the history of England. The period was marked by many important social and historical changes that altered the nation in many ways. The population nearly doubled, the British Empire expanded exponentially and technological and industrial progress helped Britain become the most powerful country in the world. Chief Characteristics of Victorian Period While the country saw economic progress, poverty and exploitation were also equally a part of it. The gap between the rich and the poor increased significantly and the drive for material and commercial success was seen to propagate a kind of a moral decay in the society itself. The changing landscape of the country was another concern. While the earlier phase of Romanticism saw a celebration of the country side and the rich landscape of the flora and fauna, the Victorian era saw a changing of the landscape to one of burgeoning industries and factories. While the poor were exploited for their labor, the period witnessed the rise of the bourgeoisie or the middle class due to increasing trade between Britain and its colonies and the Reform Bill of 1832 strengthen their hold. There was also a shift from the Romantic ideals of the previous age towards a more realistic acceptance and depiction of society. One of the most important factors that defined the age was its stress on morality. Strict societal codes were enforced and certain activities were openly looked down upon. These codes were even harsher for women. A feminine code of conduct was levied on them which described every aspect of their being from the proper apparels to how to converse, everything had rules. The role of women was mostly that of being angels of the house and restricted to domestic confines. Professionally very few options were available to them as a woman could either become a governess or a teacher in rich households. Hence they were financially dependent on their husbands and fathers and it led to a commercialization of the institution of marriage. Victorian Novels Victorian Era is seen as the link between Romanticism of the 18th century and the realism of the 20th century. The novel as a genre rose to entertain the rising middle class and to depict the contemporary life in a changing society. Although the novel had been in development since the 18th century with the works of Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, Samuel Richardson and the others, it was in this period that the novel got mass acceptance and readership. The growth of cities, a ready domestic market and one in the oversea colonies and an increase in printing and publishing houses facilitated the growth of the novel as a form. In the year 1870, an Education Act was passed which made education an easy access to the masses furthermore increasing literacy rates among the population. Certain jobs required a certain level of reading ability and simple novels catered to this by becoming a device to practice reading. Also the time of the daily commute to work for men and the time alone at home for women could be filled by reading which now became a leisure activity. As a response to the latter, the demand for fiction, rose substantially. The novels of the age mostly had a moral strain in them with a belief in the innate goodness of human nature. The characters were well rounded and the protagonist usually belonged to a middle class society who struggled to create a niche for himself in the industrial and mercantile world. The stress was on realism and an attempt to describe the daily struggles of ordinary men that the middle class reader could associate with. The moral tangents were perhaps an attempt to rescue the moral degradation prevalent in the society then and supplied the audience with hope and positivity. These moral angles allowed for inclusion of larger debates in fiction like the ones surrounding the woman question, marriage, progress, education, the Industrial Revolution. New roles for women were created because of the resultant economic market and their voice which was earlier not given cadence was now being spotted and recognized and novels became the means where the domestic confinement of women was qu estioned. Novels reflecting the larger questions surrounding women, like those of their roles and duties. In the latter half of the century, Married Womens Property Acts was passed, the women suffrage became an important point of debate, and poverty and other economic reasons challenged the traditional roles of women. The novel as a form became the medium where such concerns were raised. Charles Dickens: A Popular Victorian Author In the same year that Queen Victoria ascended the throne, Charles Dickens published the first parts of his novel Oliver Twist, a story of an orphan and his struggle with poverty in the early part of the century. As the Industrial Revolution surged on, the class difference between the traditional aristocracy and the middle class was gradually getting reduced and with the passing of the Reform Act, the middle class got the right to vote and be politically engaged in the affairs of the nation. While the aristocracy criticized the work that the bourgeoisie had to do in the factories and the industries, to maintain the supremacy that they had the privilege of, the middle class in response promoted work as virtue. The result of this led to a further marginalization of those struck by poverty and were part of neither groups. The Poor Law that was passed made public assistance available to the economically downtrodden only through workhouses where they had to live and work. The conditions of these workhouses were deliberately made to be unbearable so as to avoid the poor from becoming totally dependent on assistance from outside. Families were split, food was inedible, and the circumstances were made inhospitable to urge the poor to work and fight a way through poverty. However, these ultimately became a web difficult to transgress and people chose living in the streets rather than seeking help from a workhouse. Dickens was aware of these concerns as a journalist and his own life and autobiographical experiences entered the novel through Oliver Twist. His novel enters the world of the workhouses, the dens of thieves and the streets and highlights that while there was economic prosperity on one side, there was poverty on the other and while morality, virtue were championed, hypocrisy was equally a part of society. His social commentary entered the world of his fiction. In 1836, before Oliver Twist, his serials of Pickwick Papers were published which led him to instant recognition and popularity. It started the famous Victorian mode of serial novels which dominated the age till the end of the century. It not only made the reader anxious for the next serial to come and spread the popularity of the book itself, but also gave the writer a chance to alter his work according to the mood and expectation of his audience. His works enjoyed continuous popularity and acceptance and Dickens as a writer became famous for his wit, satire, social commentary and his in depth characters. Bleak House, A Christmas Carroll, David Copperfield, Great Expectations are some of his other great works. William Makepeace Thackeray: English Victorian Writer Thackeray was born in Calcutta, India and was also an important writer but one who expressed his age very differently from Dickens and other writers. He is most noted for his satirical work Vanity Fair that portrays the many myriads of English society. Although he was seen as equally talented as Dickens, but his views were deemed old-fashioned which hindered his popularity. He did not readily accept the changing values of the age. His work is seen almost as a reactionary voice. Vanity Fair for example has the subtitle A novel without a Hero and in a period where other writers usually embarked on a portrayal of the coming of age of a hero, Thackeray himself very deliberately opposes it. While the protagonist of Dickens David Copperfield invites the reader to identify with him, Thackerays Becky Sharp is the conniving, cynical and clever. Even his novel Pendennis, is a complete opposite of the novel David Copperfield, although both were published the same year. Thackeray did not identif y with the middle class because hence his novels lack a middle class hero. When novels were catering to reassure middle class self-worth, Thackeray denied to give that assurance. Even, Dobbin, a middle class character in Vanity Fair, is not completely granted hero status and a tone of criticism lingers on the character throughout the work. In The History of Henry Esmond, Thackeray deals with questions of not only of the concerns of society at large but also of individual identity. While most writers supported the idea of innate goodness in the individual human self, Thackeray differed. For example the character of Henry Esmond is also not a completely positive character and the negatives of his self, is perhaps Thackerays critique of Victorian emphasis on the individual. An individualism that focused on personal virtue and morality is seen as Thackeray to at the risk of selfishness bordering on narcissism and self-absorption. His discontent with his age became more vocal in later works like Phillip and The New Comes. While the former is injected with autobiographical accounts and is goes back to the satirical tone of Vanity Fair, the latter is a harsh critique of the material greed of the age and a critique of the contemporary culture of the age. As a result of his strong opinions of his society and its issues, and a critical rejection of the dominant concerns found in works of other writers of the same age, Thackeray stands in isolation as an outsider to this circle due his skepticism of the changing Victorian society. His stand did not change with time and lends to a social criticism and commentary of a very different sort in his works. Catherine, A Shabby Genteel Story, The Book of Snobs are some of his other works. Women Novelists of the Victorian Era The era saw a proliferation of women writers. The novel as a genre was initially seen as feminine literature and as the literacy rate among women increased, a new need for women writers catering to this segment was answered by these writers. Mrs. Gaskell Elizabeth Gaskell, popularly called Mrs. Gaskell wrote short stories and novels that dealt with presenting a social picture of her society in the 1850s. While it was a time when doubts about material progress reaching the actual lives of the ordinary man were starting to be raised, Gaskell mostly gave an optimistic view of the time. Gaskells North and South for example, seeks to present an answer to division and difference by presenting a form of a social reconciliation. There is an attempt at reconciliation of many divergent streams in the novel. Mary Barton was her first novel, published in 1848 with a subtitle, A Tale of Manchester Life and sticks to the Victorian concern of presenting the daily life of the middle class. Cranford came next in the form of a serial and was edited by Dickens for the magazine called Household Words. It was received positively and Gaskell gained immediate popularity for it. It centered on women characters like Mary Smith, Miss Deborah and the others. However the book was also critiqued for its lack of a significant story line. She was also famous for her gothic style in some of her works and this made Gaskell slightly different from other novelist of her time. Ruth, Sylvias Lovers, Wives and Daughters were other significant works by her. George Eliot Perhaps the one most famous women writers, George Eliot still maintains a canonical status. Her real name was Mary Ann Evans or Marian Evans and she adopted the pseudonym George Eliot to escape the stereotype attached with women writers and successfully entered the domain of serious writing. She had a controversial personal life and there too was not hesitant to break the norms of societal feminine boundaries. Adam Bede was her first novel, published 1859, set in a rural landscape and deals with a love rectangle. It received critical appreciation for its psychological descriptions of the characters and a realistic description of rural life. Mill on the Floss, 1860, revolves around the life of Tom and Maggie Tulliver and traces their life as they grow up near the River Floss. Historical, political references to those of the Napoleonic Wars and the Reform Bill of 1832 inform the novel and lend it a more intellectual and serious strain. Autobiographical elements also form a part of the novel as George Eliot fuses herself partly with Maggie, the protagonist of the book. After Silas Marner (1861), Romola (1863), Felix Holt the Radical, (1866) came Eliots most popular novel Middlemarch in the year 1871. The novel revolves around the life of complex characters and the Reform Bill of 1832. Subtitled A Study of Provincial Life the plot is based in the fictitious town of Midlands. The greatness of the novel was because of the vast portraiture of country and urban life that it depicts, its complex plots and characters, and its stark realistic projection of the time its set in. The role of education, the women question, politics, s ocial commentary, idealism are other complicated strands of the novel. Bronte Sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte were the three famous novelist daughters of Patrick Bronte, a well-educated man and a writer himself; and Maria Bronte. The family together went through a series of tragedies where Maria Bronte died very early and none of the three sisters could reach the age of 40. Charlotte died at the age of just 39, Emily at 30 and Anne at 29. All three were educated by their father at home and all of them were fond of storytelling since childhood. Charlotte Bronte is famous for her novel Jane Eyre, published in 1847. The titular protagonist of the book, Jane Eyre, and her struggles in life and love for Mr. Rochester along with the process of her mental and spiritual growth are traced. The novel is believed to have a feminist tone to it and the famous woman in the attic character of Bertha Mason raises several gender and feminist issues. Emily Bronte, the second of the trio, became famous for her novel Wuthering Heights, published in the year 1847 and the only boo k written by her. Like George Eliot, Emily wrote under the pseudonym of Ellis Bell but after her death Charlotte published the novel with her sisters real name. The novel is the love story of Heathcliff and  Catherine Earnshaw. Anne Bronte, the last of the three, wrote two novels: Agnes Grey  (1847) and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall  (1848). The former was an autobiographical work and the latter is about a woman named   Helen Graham who transgresses marital and social boundaries to assert her freedom. It is seen a substantial piece of feminist writing. All three sisters hence larger societal questions through mostly women characters and the plot focusses on their life with themes of love and passion. They hence enjoyed a large female readership and have achieved status as classics of literature. Late Victorian Novelists Thomas Hardy was the most important writer in the later part of the Victorian Era. He was influenced by both the romanticism of the earlier era and the social commentary of Dickens. He is famous for the conception of the fictional town of Wessex. Far from the Madding Crowd  published in 1874,  The Mayor of Casterbridge  in 1886,  Tess of the dUrbervilles  in 1891, and  Jude the Obscure  in 1895 are his famous novels but Hardy was also known for his poetry. The late part of the period also saw the rise of the sensational novels by writers like Wilkie Collins and they too were based on the life of the middle class. The Woman in White (1860) and The Moonstone (1868) are Collins famous sensational novels. Anthony Trollope, another writer in the second half of the era, was himself from a middle class background and wrote the Phineas Finn (1869) and The Way we Live (1874). It was the time when Lewis Carroll wrote his famous Alices Adventures in Wonderland published in 1865 an d stood very different from other because of the child fiction genre it became a classic of the Carrolls different dreamy world that stood in direct contrast with the realistic tone of novels that was at its peak. George Gissing, George Moore, Samuel Butler, Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson were other novels of the era. Rudyard Kipling and his short stories based in India pointed to the larger historical process of colonialism happening at the time. It was in 1877 that Queen Victoria became the Empress of India. Then also came George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde, another two most famous writers of the time. Overview of Victorian Period The age hence was important for the rise of the novel as a genre and form which itself saw transformation within the period. From romanticism to realism, politics to passion, optimism to pessimism, the novel could successfully deal with the changing mood of the society. Class, gender, individualism, society all were given space in the novel. The period was known to have witnessed the massive change of Britain from an agrarian to industrial landscape. All concerns informed the novel and the novel was made into perhaps the most important genre of the age and the ones that would follow. Modern Period After Queen Victorias death in 1901 came the period which saw writers like Joseph Conrad, H.G Wells, D.H Lawrence, E.M Forster and others. The most important event in the early part of the 20th century was the First World War that took place from 1914 to 1918. It was a crucial event that changed the way of the world, impacted the psyche of the people and also the way literature was written. The pessimism and doubts that were a part of the writings of the earlier period may perhaps have anticipated the War. Hence Joseph Conrad, instead of talking of the society and its change now focused on dislocated individuals, a question of where one belongs in a seemingly cruel world. Colonialism are important part of his works wherein he presents a stark reality of exploitation and greed. Lord Jim, Nostromo, Heart of Darkness, are some of his major works. H.G Wells was a prolific writer and wrote around a hundred novels. The Time Machine, Ann Veronica, The History of Mr. Polly, The War of the Wo rlds, are some his important novels and Tono- Bungay is seen as his most brilliant work. Lawrence, was a controversial writer because of the open sexual references in his work. His work was different because of the sensual language and emotional feelings that made them. Therefore the novel then moved from the realism of the world outside more towards a description of the reality of the individual within. Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love are important works by him. E.M Forster, lastly wrote his famous Howards End that deals with the Schegel and the Wilcox family and the society in 1910, brilliantly and delicately described which would then be transformed permanently by the First World War. The Georgian Poets and World War I During the reign of George V, was published five anthologies of poetry by Edward Marsh in the year 1912 to 1922. Many important writers like of the time like Edward Thomas, Robert Graves, D.H Lawrence, Walter de la Mare contributed to these anthologies. The main concern was to depict the real issues surrounding the world around the World War. Modernism Modernism as a movement was a response to the horrors of World War-I and to the rising industrial societies and growth of cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It challenged the harmony and the rationality of the Enlightenment and sought to reinvent art and literature of the age. To do so, it broke away from the works of the past and conventions that were earlier held at a pedestal. The view that traditional conceptions of beauty and on the whole the meaning of art itself did not fit the age lead to another movement called Dadaism that consciously set to redefine art itself. The movement was seen as anti-art that aimed to upturn its order. Chaos then as the basic antithesis to order was abundantly used by artists. Started by Tristan Tzara (1896- 1963) as a reaction against the senseless violence of the First World War and to reflect the anarchy that it spread in the social system as well as in the lives of ordinary people. What was also opposed was the conception of what was worthy of being the object of art. The classical subjects were replaced by the mundane as the urinal that Marcel Duchamp placed as an object of art in his gallery. Also in his LHOOQ Duchamps Mona Lisa with a moustache was a direct means to shake the viewer and the age out from his complacency that lead to the war itself. It was the direct expression of disillusionment with the war and that art too had lost its meaning like the literature of the classical time. The breaking down of any previously set rules and a violent portrayal of freedom of expression to shock and awe was the channel of the time that saw the violence of the World War firsthand. The artists and writers of the Dada movement were mostly war veterans and expressed through their work the psychological devastation of the war. The call for re-invention was echoed in the movement and stood for what modernism broadly aimed at. Thematic and Technical Features of Modern Literature The conception that reality could be easily be comprehended was replaced by modernism with a more subjective argument. Reality became not what was directly seen but what was behind the apparent surfaces and it took a crude look at the ugly, the stark behind the glossy surfaces. It was to raise these questions that distortion became a crucial trope in the visual arts of the era. Comtes Positivism could no longer be used to describe reality. The distorted images force the onlooker to step out of his comfort zone and to question his conception of reality. It highlights the dialectical relationship between the object of expression and the language that expresses it. This was echoed in the Literature of the time where sentences are fragmented and deliberately left incomplete as in Waiting for Godot. Dialogues are seldom completed and there is an inability to find the correct words to describe the state of the self. This breakdown of language after the World War calls out for a need to rei nvent language to fit the post war world. Hitlers use of almost an enigmatic, opera type use of words (he admired Wagner) that achieved his mass appeal, did also lead to the war. It was perhaps then necessary to breakdown language to reinvent it. The distortion and the fragments not only hint at the former but to a unity that needs to be rediscovered. The half-sentence make the reader seek to complete them and participate in the call for a search of a new unity and identity which is Pounds injunction to Make it New. The onlooker/reader is removed from his role as a mere passive observer to an active one who contributes to the meaning of the art he views/reads. Hence the incompleteness was not aimed at a completely pessimistic answer that leads to a loss of hope, but to different source of comfort similar to what T.S Eliot finds in the world of shanti shanti shanti at the end of Wasteland. Overview of Modern Age Literature James Joyce set his novels and short stories in a small city of Dublin. Dubliners published in 1914 is a part of the modernist literature along with The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses. Stephen Daedalus is a central character both in the Portrait and Ulysses. The latter however was banned. The next important writer was Virginia Woolf who was associated with the Bloomsbury Group which was a group of intellectuals and writers that met at her house which included E.M Forster and Leopold Woolf. Woolf attempted to present the changed world through a changed style of writing. In 1915 came her first novel called The Voyage Out and then came Night and Day in 1919. There was a realistic serious tone to both these books. Modernist strain in her writing began with her next novel call Jacobs Room which was published in 1922 along with Ulysses. The rest of the novels like Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, The Waves, and Orlando had the same modernist tone. Stream of Consciousness Picassos cubism became an important part of modernisms subjective view of reality and a need to move away from traditional forms of art. It was this subjectivity that lead to the stream of consciousness technique of narration, as used by Virginia Woolf in Mrs. Dalloway. The focus on the interiority of the self and its perception of the objects it conceives was way to grasp the changed notion of reality. The Pre-Speech level of consciousness (as Henry James called it) of the character where the narrative deals with what is freely sensed or felt by the characters rather than what is directly uttered changed the way that narratives functioned. The expression of the self was also to highlight the crisis of the self within itself. The existential view of life and its cyclical futile form was what entrapped it rendering it unable to transcend futility of existence. This pessimistic view was a residue of the war which saw man as Sisyphus with his worthless search for meaning, identity and u nity in an age that cannot satiate his search. In The Myth of Sisyphus Albert Camus dwells on this futility of the modern experience. Poetic Drama The term poetic drama was made popular during the middle of the 20th century. The term was made famous due to the works of T.S Eliot who used his work as a reaction to the drama of G. B Shaw and Galsworthy who were immensely influenced by Henrik Ibsen who wrote A Dolls House and Ghosts. In the The Quintessence of Ibsenism written by G.B Shaw, he accepted the formers influence on him. T.S Eliot apart from being a poet was also a critic and wrote many important works like Possibility of Poetic Drama and Poetry and Drama in which he expressed his belief that poetry and drama are linked inseparably. W.B. Yeats, W. H. Auden and other poets also tried writing poetic drama. IMPORTANT LITERARY TERMS Dramatic Monologue A persona poem or what is popularly termed as a dramatic monologue in poetry, uses the theatrical device of a monologue where a character or person on stage speaks alone. Often done to highlight the character or authors internal thoughts and vocalize them to an implied audience, it was used in poetry in the 20th century. Romantic poetry was seen as the root of the same. It is usually one persons speech to oneself or the audience / reader wherein he talks about a subjective view on a situation, topic, or any other character. Robert Browning was the poet who perfected the use of dramatic monologue in his poems like My Last Duchess, Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister. His use of the device influenced Eliot and other modernist writers. Paradox As the term signifies, a paradox occurs when there is self-contradiction in a sentence. Even ideas can have a paradox in them. It is done often for stylistic reasons and to express a complicated thought or feeling. Hamlets line I must be cruel only to be kind. (Act 3, Scene iv line 178) in Shakespeares play with the same title is an example of paradox where two contradictory emotions of kindness and cruelty are brought together. Antithesis It basically denotes the coming together of complete opposites in a sentence. It is a rhetorical device often used by orators. For example, Goethes quote Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing is an example of the same. Symbol Derived from the greek word Symbolom, a symbol is a word or object that stands for another word or object. For example a fox is a symbol for cleverness and dove is the universal symbol for peace. Problem Play Used mostly with reference to drama, a problem play usually deals with an attempt to focus the public opinion about a social concern. It engages therefore with a problem in the most feasible manner and may either seek to solve it or complicate it further. It was made famous by Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian Playwright and even used by G.B Shaw in his plays. Essay Usually a piece of prose writing that is aimed at being a thoughtful piece of writing with strong intellectual debates and undertones. It is derived from the word exagium that in Latin means a trial by weight. The form is believed to have emerged in the Renaissance and Francis Bacon in 1597 published his Essays. Novel A novel is a piece of literature that can be fictional or real and is written in prose. It is very different from drama and poetry by the extent of its length. There are many sub genres that can be a part of the novel itself. In fact a single novel is often is result of play of these various strands of literature. The root of the word Novel or Novella signifies something new as it was a later conception in the history of literature. It came after poetry and drama. It was the 18th and the 19th century that form became a major literary field with writers like Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe; Fielding, who wrote Tom Jones and Samuel Richardson, Charles Dickens and others. After the romantic phase there was a revival of the gothic fiction in works like Ann Radcliffs Mysteries of Udolfo and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein. Gothic was one such genre of the novel form. Realist novels, Sensational novels, domestic novels are just some of the others. On the whole the novel can be seen as a fictional narrative in prose, generally longer than a short story. Unlike the epic, which is now seen as a dead genre, the novel is still enjoying its high status in the literary market as perhaps, it has evolved with the continuously evolving world. Free Verse Free verse is a type of structure which does not have a fixed meter or regular rhythm. Even the line length varies from one sentence to another. The cadence is dependent solely on the wish of the writer but sometimes alternates between stressed and unstressed syllables. It was derived from the word freo a middle-english word that meant free. Many great writers and poets experimented with the free verse style including Milton in his Samson Agonistes. Short Story   A short story is also a form of fiction writing but is different from the novel because of the length due to which it gets its name. It can be a highly serious work of literature, a didactic one with a moral, a part of childrens fiction and is also open to experimentation. For example, Rudyard Kipling wrote many short stories. The word short comes from the word sceort which means the same. Defoe also wrote short stories because of the popularity of serial novels at his time. It is however Edgar Allen Poe, who is considered to be a seminal figure responsible for the popularity of short stories as a genre. Joyce wrote them in his work titled Dubliners and Kafka wrote Metamorphosis using the same. FEATURES AND FORMS OF DRAMA Drama is one of the oldest forms of literature along with the epic. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Greek and Roman works. Plot A plot is the main trajectory of drama and called be called as its story line. In Poetics, while defining all the major parts of a drama, Aristotle believed that the plot was of prime importance. It was so because it the plot that could be success at achieving a catharsis in the audience which is the purging of the feelings of fear and pity. It was catharsis that Aristotle believed was the main aim of drama and a good plot was one that could successful

Michael Moores Roger & Me Essay -- Documentary Films General Motors E

Michael Moore's Roger & Me Roger & Me is a documentary film chronicling the workings of one of the world’s largest corporations, General Motors, as it nearly turns its hometown of Flint, Michigan, into a ghost town. In his quest to discover why GM's management and board of directors would do such a thing, filmmaker Michael Moore, a Flint native, attempts to meet the chairman, Roger Smith, and invite him out for a few beers up in Flint to "talk things over." Moore is the son of a Flint autoworker and a whole family of autoworkers. Roger & Me examines how Moore's hometown of Flint is affected when General Motors closes down a series of factories in order to set up production in Mexico. The town is devastated, economically and spiritually, because GM was practically the only game in town - the city was built around GM. Since 1983, car sales had steadily risen and GM has posted record profits of nearly $19 billion. So why lay off all of these people? Moore points out that he and his friends were raised on the American Dream which promised that if you worked hard and the company you worked for prospered, you would prosper, too. Now, it seems GM's board of directors has changed the rules: you work hard, the company prospers- and you lose your job. Roger & Me shows that capitalism is not always consistent with this American Dream. Roger & Me shows that GM's board of directors used company profits not to create new jobs, but to buy already existing assets, such as data processing companies (EDS) and weapons manufacturers (Hughes Aircraft) at inflated prices, and to automate their current assembly lines, and build new plants in Mexico and in Asia -- destroying jobs in the United States in the process. In Mexico, GM pays the worker... ...t be done in work. This man is also upset because the point of unions is to increase the workers strength in bargaining with employers. The union clearly did not help in the case of the GM workers in Flint. Roger & Me is a great documentary film. It captures a lot about our form of capitalism. Moore shows the problems that large capitalist companies make, in a way that appeals to a broad audience. Since it is a real story, it is not telling some story of how things could be or would be, but how things really are. Fred Ross must evict numerous people out of their homes daily so that he has a roof over his head and food for himself. While one half of Flint is receiving some kind of Government Welfare for being unemployed, Roger Smith is giving himself a $2 million raise. In a better world profit maximization would not be the goal of an economic system or a society.

Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences Essays -- Engineer

Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences A world without engineering would be a world without cities, highways, cars, or industry. Engineers play a very important role in our society. They are involved in virtually all fields of industry in one way or another, and create the products and solve the problems that make it possible for everyone to enjoy the day-to-day conveniences Americans take for granted. In America, approximately 2 million people are engineers (College of Engineering, 1998). There are various fields of engineering: aerospace, agricultural, ceramic, chemical, computer, construction, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, and civil. Civil engineers are probably the most important field of engineering to the public. Encyclopedia Americana(Okay, we are in college now--no more using the encyclopedia or the dictionary as openings or definitions. Find stronger sources.) (1998) enlightens ones' knowledge of civil engineers: Civil engineering is one of the most diverse branches of engineering. The civil engineer plans, designs, constructs and maintains a large variety of structures and facilities for public, commercial, and industrial use. These structures include residential, office, and factory buildings; highways, railroads, airports, tunnels, bridges, harbors, channels, and pipelinesÉ as well as sewage and waste disposal systems that add to our convenience and safeguard our health. (p. 762) Civil engineering has been a part of our history since the beginning of civilization. The pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of ancient Rome and Greece are classic examples of early civil engineering. Civil M.D. Morris (1974) suggested that "Civil Engineers are creators; Innovators for the commonwealth... ... The civil engineering handbook. New York: CRC Press. College of Engineering. (1998). Civil engineering. ISU college of engineering online: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/about/info/civil.html]. Available ISU online: Directory: The atlantic monthly online: Home page: Departments. Engineering. Tell me about the college of engineering. What do engineers do? Civil engineering. Engineering Career Services. (1998). Engineering career services: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/employers/Spring201998%20Salary.html]. Available engineering career services online: Directory: Engineering career services: Home page. Services to students. Full-time employment. bachelors. Spring 1998. Morris, M. D. (1974). Civil engineers and the world around us. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Petroski, Henry. (1997). Remaking the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences Essays -- Engineer Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences A world without engineering would be a world without cities, highways, cars, or industry. Engineers play a very important role in our society. They are involved in virtually all fields of industry in one way or another, and create the products and solve the problems that make it possible for everyone to enjoy the day-to-day conveniences Americans take for granted. In America, approximately 2 million people are engineers (College of Engineering, 1998). There are various fields of engineering: aerospace, agricultural, ceramic, chemical, computer, construction, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, and civil. Civil engineers are probably the most important field of engineering to the public. Encyclopedia Americana(Okay, we are in college now--no more using the encyclopedia or the dictionary as openings or definitions. Find stronger sources.) (1998) enlightens ones' knowledge of civil engineers: Civil engineering is one of the most diverse branches of engineering. The civil engineer plans, designs, constructs and maintains a large variety of structures and facilities for public, commercial, and industrial use. These structures include residential, office, and factory buildings; highways, railroads, airports, tunnels, bridges, harbors, channels, and pipelinesÉ as well as sewage and waste disposal systems that add to our convenience and safeguard our health. (p. 762) Civil engineering has been a part of our history since the beginning of civilization. The pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of ancient Rome and Greece are classic examples of early civil engineering. Civil M.D. Morris (1974) suggested that "Civil Engineers are creators; Innovators for the commonwealth... ... The civil engineering handbook. New York: CRC Press. College of Engineering. (1998). Civil engineering. ISU college of engineering online: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/about/info/civil.html]. Available ISU online: Directory: The atlantic monthly online: Home page: Departments. Engineering. Tell me about the college of engineering. What do engineers do? Civil engineering. Engineering Career Services. (1998). Engineering career services: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/employers/Spring201998%20Salary.html]. Available engineering career services online: Directory: Engineering career services: Home page. Services to students. Full-time employment. bachelors. Spring 1998. Morris, M. D. (1974). Civil engineers and the world around us. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Petroski, Henry. (1997). Remaking the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Saint Joan of Arc Essay -- European History France England War Essays

Saint Joan of Arc Joan of Arc lived an extraordinary life and accomplished incredible feats during, her brief lifetime. Joan is in a league of her own. As a girl at an absurdly young age and with no military knowledge, she convinces the Dauphin of France that she is a messenger from god and helps lead the almost diminished French army drive the English away from French soil. Her remarkable clairvoyance to foresee future events and for things to fall magically in place at least at the beginning of her career, compels one to believe in her saintly powers or in her connection with a higher being. Joan of Arc was born at Doremy in Champagne on January 6, 1412. Witnesses claim that the roosters of the village hailed her birth by crowing long before dawn. She was born to a wealthy farmer, Jacques Darc, and his wife, Isabelle. Joan never learned to read or write but was very skilled in spinning and sewing. Villagers regarded her as a pious child, and many often saw her kneeling in church, absorbed in prayer. At the age of 12 she first became conscious of her ‘voices.’ At first it seemed that it was simply a voice that would tell her to â€Å"Be good and go to church† (Pernoud 19). Soon the voices would be accompanied by a light, and she identified them individually as being St. Catherine, St. Margaret, and St. Michael. The voices became insistent, often telling her two to three times a week that she should go to France and present herself to Robert Baudricourt who commanded for Charles VII in the neighboring town of Vaucouleurs. A month later she traveled with her uncle to see Baudricourt, but with little success, as he told her uncle to â€Å"Take her home to her father and give her a good whipping† (Pernoud 50). Joan... ... more astonishing, her ability to bring France to victory during the battle of Orleans where the French were completely surrounded and defeat was almost certain. Her ability to produce wonders one after the other makes one hard pressed not to believe in her saintliness. Joan is a saint and her actions can only be categorized as miracles. Joan’s life is astounding by any measure, even when one separates the fact from fiction. Bibliography Brooks, Polly Schoyer Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1999. Pernoud, Regine. Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses. New York: Scarborough House, 1994. Price, Patrick. JoanNet 2004. Feb 2004. http://maidjoan.tripod.com Shaw, Benard. Saint Joan. England: Penguin Books, 1924. Williamson, Allen. Joan of Arc Online Archive 2003. Feb 2004. http://archive.joan-of-arc.org

Sample Market Analysis

Sample Market Analysis Market Analysis Customers Family Farmers Choice has developed a database of present customer who buy on a regular basis and customers who have bought only occasionally as the opportunity presents itself, such as at farmers markets. Customer demographics show the current customers are in an income range of $45,000 or more, two income families, professional occupations, concerned about the environment and located primarily in urban areas. Research also shows these customers are Internet users and willing to order product from our business via the Internet.Research conducted by Farmers Choice has verified that there is a market segment large enough to justify the investment in the processing facility. Further, the premium these consumers are willing to pay will allow the shipment of products to nearly all geographic locations in the country. Focus groups, market surveys and product demonstrations at several locations were used to develop demographic profiles of ea ch promising location so that zip codes could be used to easily identify future markets when expansion is deemed appropriate. (Note: Results of the surveys can be provided if additional information is desired. A significant number of consumers are concerned about where their meat products are coming from and how these products are processed. The company will market directly to that group. Since they are highly informed consumers, however, a major task will be to establish credibility. In the farmers markets targeted for sales there are an estimated 100,000 potential customers (based on census estimates). At present, Farmers Choice has reached only a fraction of that customer base. Based on data in the U. S. Census Bureau databases, estimated customer potential is as follows: Big Town Farmers Market |55,000 | |Lotus |10,000 | |Keeper |10,000 | |Sagmore |15,000 | |Cool Springs |5,000 | Market Size and Trends 99718. 2 billion pounds of pork produced 199819. 0 billion pounds of pork produced 199919. 4 billion pounds of pork produced Source: Steve Meier, National Pork Producers Council. 1999 figures based on USDA estimate. Average prices received by the producer have decreased in recent years: 1997$52. 90 per hundred weight 1998$34. 40 per hundred weight U. S. per capita consumption of pork is declining: 198057. 3 pounds per person 199649. 1 pounds per person In spite of declining per capita consumption of pork, consumers still spend more money on pork per year than on poultry and fish.Average annual expenditures for pork in 1998 were $146 per person per year, second only to beef at $218. The expenditures for all meat (beef, pork, poultry and fish) decreased slightly from the 1997 annual expenditures. (Source: Consumer Expenditures Survey, 1984-98, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics) According to USDA data, higher expenditures for pork versus poultry may have been due to retail prices. For example, in June 1998, the average retail price for po rk was $2. 29 per pound, compared to chicken at $1. 55 per pound.Consumer Perceptions of Pork According to a survey conducted by the National Pork Producers Council, more than three out of four family cooks believe pork is a healthful choice. The same study indicated families prefer pork because it tastes good. Survey respondents also cited pork’s versatility, nutrition and value as key reasons for its popularity. Ranking of the favorite cuts: 1. Chops 2. Tenderloins 3. Roasts 4. Ribs Pork producers work hard to deliver the product that the consumer wants. Consumers wanted leaner pork and they got it!Compared to 1983, pork of 2000 has about 31 percent less fat content. General Trends in Meat Consumption There are a number of new and emerging trends in meat marketing which are relevant to the interest of this feasibility study. In general there are three consumer preferences today which are driving major changes in the meat industry. †¢ Consumers are demanding meats that require little preparation time. Population and labor trends are driving this preference. An unprecedented number of women are in the workforce today.There is an increasing number of single adult households in the U. S. ; of those, the number of single parent, female-headed households is increasing, resulting in more than ever limited time for meal preparation within U. S. households. A Yankelovich poll (reported by the American Meat Institute) claims that half of all Americans spend less than 45 minutes cooking an evening meal compared to the two-hour meal preparation typical in American households 30 years ago. People have a limited amount of time and don’t want to spend it cooking.Add to this the fact that at 4 p. m. , 60 percent of Americans do not know what they will eat for dinner. The implications are that the meat marketing industry has a whole new challenge for capturing palates and dollars. †¢ Consumers have little knowledge of and skills for cooking. Studies r eport that many consumers feel that their knowledge of cooking and skills for meal preparation are more limited than those of their parents and grandparents. Furthermore, the American Meat Institute reports that many American consumers find meat preparation to be challenging.Implications for meat marketing are that meats are becoming increasingly available as meal-ready or with minimal preparation. †¢ Consumers are concerned about health and nutrition when buying meat. The Food Marketing Institute claims that nearly 80 percent of Americans want to eat food they perceive to be extremely healthy and that 42 percent are willing to pay more for low-fat versions of commonly consumed products. In the lunch meat and hot dog markets, a record 50 percent of the products offered are items with reduced or low fat. Consumers are demanding changes from the meat industry and the industry is responding. Numerous options and innovations can be observed at all levels in production, processing a nd packaging. The retail point of sale is taking on a new look. Emerging Trends in Meat Marketing Case-Ready Meat: These are value added fresh meat products that the supermarket purchases in precut packages. Due to new packaging technologies, precut, tray-ready packages tend to offer a longer shelf life than conventional products.Often hermetically sealed, they offer customers trimmed, individually wrapped, consistent portions. Case-ready meats eliminate extra steps in handling for retailers and consumers alike. Consumer-Ready Products: These products go a step beyond the case-ready meat products by including preparation tips, cooking instructions, spices, or seasoning packets. Portions are indicated on the package. Consumer-ready products include items such as marinated meats, stuffed chops, kabobs and seasoned steaks and roast which are ready to take home and pop into the oven, microwave or place on the grill.Home Meal Replacement: These are fully prepared products which free the consumer from all responsibility of meal preparation. They often come packed and portioned as entrees with options to purchase complementary side dishes or extras. Also known as TOTE (Take Out To Eat), these dinners in a bag are the way in which supermarkets and grocery stores are competing with restaurants to gain business from Americans who choose not to prepare their own meals. The market analysis shows a broad range of prospective clients.The green labeled, eco-labeled, naturally labeled, food industry is in a boom period. While there are a growing number of items from a growing number of vendors becoming available, Family Farmers Choice is approaching the market as a multi-choice provider of products with a face. The owner/members of Family Farmers Choice have spent 10 years carefully laying the groundwork and learning the methods for success. The value-added cooperative is now poised to make the most of established connections with consumers and other marketers of natural item s handcrafted on family farms.Family Farmers Choice is set to offer food, fiber and manufactured products that nourish, provide comfort or address a desired taste or want. The members of Family Farmers Choice have proven an ability to adjust their product lines while also displaying a tenacious desire to provide whatever level of sweat equity is required to preserve their independent ways of life as family farmers. The owners/members have also provided 50 percent of the equity requirements per early feasibility estimates. The food-with-a-face concept of marketing is still relatively new and enjoys some sense of novelty in the marketplace.The genuine authenticity that can be verified by Family Farmers Choice is not yet common in the commercial consumer marketplace, which gives the Family Farmers group a leg up on the competition. The industry of specialized foods and handmade, one-of-a-kind products is on a steady upward growth curve; and Family Farmers Choice is poised to capitalize on the consumer’s desire for these items. While a bouncing economy can affect many areas, specialty food items and unique crafted goods are generally less affected than the main, with unique items typically finding favor in the marketplace.The following article, reprinted, provides a degree of verification. Farmers Rated Best in Ensuring Food Safety Survey Identifies Consumer and Editor Opinions about Food Issues DES MOINES, Iowa— Tuesday, September 29, 1998— Food safety has surpassed issues such as crime prevention, health and nutrition, environmental protection, water quality and recycling as the most important public issue facing consumers. However, consumers give farmers high marks for their efforts to assure a safe food supply, a survey by the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition, shows.Fifty-nine percent of consumers surveyed said farmers are doing an excellent job to ensure a safe food supply. Supermarkets ca me in a close second at 57 percent, followed by food processors (44 percent), restaurants (42 percent), consumers (38 percent), government agencies (34 percent), and meat/poultry packers (29 percent). â€Å"The survey clearly shows that consumers hold farmers in high regard for their efforts to produce safe and wholesome products,† said Bill Brewer, public relations counsel for the Food Practice Group. â€Å"This offers an opportunity for the agricultural community†¦Ã¢â‚¬  998 Food Issues Survey News Release Presented in association with the International Food Safety Council, a restaurant and foodservice industry coalition. [pic] The following tables show the pricing strategy that Farmers Choice will use for their products: [pic] Potential Markets [pic] Product Distribution and Sales Meat products are sold in a variety of ways somewhat dependent on fresh or frozen and size of package. At present, ethnic markets and specialty markets are underserved. A survey of the pho ne company’s yellow pages showed only two markets selling to ethnic groups in our proposed trade area.Regardless of whether the market is a niche or traditional market, the meat sales are still handled in the same manner. Types of sales include: †¢ Over the counter in locker plants or meat shops †¢ By mail order †¢ Via Internet †¢ Door-to-door sales and delivery †¢ Grocery stores †¢ Institutional food vendors †¢ Specialty marketing †¢ Prepared food sales Farmers Choice will not have any unique food sales methods. Rather, the company will sell via specialty markets, such as farmers markets, as frozen foods, shipping product sold via Internet or phone orders and over the counter at the processing facility.For a small company, Farmers Choice will cover as many marketing avenues as time and resources permit. Estimated Market Share and Sales The potential sales volume for the projected sales area is $10 million. This is Web sites and Iowa St ate University Extension estimates, which combine population numbers and consumption numbers. With a projected sales volume of $500,000, Farmers Choice will not have a large market share. Competition Competition is formidable. The competitors have more buying power, more clout in the marketplace and more financial resources to cut deals with suppliers.Farmers Choice has no illusions of coming into the market place and easily capturing sales. It will need to work hard to gain and keep sales. Customers have well established buying habits for meat products coupled with established preferences for products, packing and freshness. Competition is in the form of three main categories: 1. Large chain grocery stores for retail customers. 2. Small independent locker plants with retail counters. 3. Meat brokers and institutional food sales groups selling to restaurants. The main competition will be pork products marketed in the traditional manner, i. e. as a commodity. Typically, the consumer does not know where the product comes from and where and how it was processed. Family Farmers plans to differentiate its products from commodity meats in the following manner: †¢ Preserve the identity of products from the hog raiser to the consumer, whether the product is sold in meat markets, grocery stores, restaurants or delicatessens. †¢ Hogs will be raised in open pastures on a rotation basis, as opposed to highly dense confinement buildings, thus minimizing the investment required and eliminating waste disposal and related environmental problems.Studies have shown that hogs raised in this manner have fewer health problems, thus reducing the need for medicines of various types, further reducing production costs. †¢ Establish that the brand â€Å"Family Farmers Choice† offers products that are safe and are of consistent high quality, thereby deserving of a premium price. Who are our competitors? We do not know the annual meat sales volume of our competitors or their market shares. Such figures, if published, were not available for this study.Farmers Choice prices will be competitive and, in some cases, higher than competing pork products found through other distribution channels. The higher cost, about 5 cents per pound higher on average, will result from the key differences of Farmers Choice product versus competitors’. Again, the sales history indicates consumers are willing to pay a very slight premium to get product that meets their criteria. Some key differences of our product include: †¢ It is a natural product, free of hormones. †¢ It is provided by farmers known to the consumer, as in â€Å"food with a face. †¢ Quality is assured as all hogs are raised to an audited quality system. †¢ No quality problems will come from processing due to our small facility and worker responsibility for quality. †¢ Doorstep delivery is available where possible. †¢ Customers can visit the factory where the fo od is made. Competitive Advantage and Analysis The following table outlines how Farmers Choice compares to the competition in terms of product and other factors, including strengths and weaknesses. The analysis is of Farmers Choice against the competition by major groups.While there may be key differences against individual stores or businesses, these do not exist in large enough quantity to affect sales or strategy of Farmers Choice. [pic] Following is an analysis of Farmers Choice strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats: SWOT Analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses Opportunities Threats) [pic] What Does the Coop Have to Sell? Carcass Breakdown(Pork) Typical Market Pig Live weight (pounds)250 Carcass weight (pounds)184 Backfat 10th rib (inches)0. 9 Loin-eye area (square inches)5. 2 Fat-free lean index (percentage)48. 0 Pounds of lean meat88. 6 [pic] [pic]