Kinship free essay sample

This paper investigates the phenomenon of borrowing of the kinship terms from one language to another. The languages under inquiry are Punjabi and Urdu in an area where both the languages are spoken as the major languages. It is natural for languages to adopt words from other languages due to their contact with each other. The paper explores the contact situation of Urdu and Punjabi with particular focus on the phenomenon of the borrowing of the kinship terms. In order to investigate the matter quantitatively ten subjects were selected, whose first language (L1) was Punjabi. A questionnaire was made containing kinship terms of Urdu language and the subject knowledge of the Punjabi kinship terms was checked. In a community where the speakers are bilinguals with Punjabi and Urdu languages, the study shows that Urdu kinship terms are preferred over Punjabi kinship terms to such an extent that the speakers use Urdu kinship terms even when they speak their mother tongue, namely, Punjabi. We will write a custom essay sample on Kinship or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Introduction: Kinship is one of the universals in human society and therefore plays an important role in both the regulation of behavior and the formation of social groups. Kinship systems depend on the social recognition and cultural implementation of relationships derived from descent and marriage and normally involve a set of kinship terms and an associated set of behavioral patterns and attitudes which, together, make up a systematic whole. All societies distinguish various categories of relation-ship by descent or consanguinity, and most societies distinguish relationships by marriage or affinity as well. Although dictionary definitions differentiate these relationships, it is convenient to extend the term â€Å"kinship† to cover both kinds. The resulting network of social relations may constitute almost the whole social structure in some of the simpler societies or be a relatively small part of a highly complex structure, as in modern industrial societies. In either case, however, the system of kin-ship and marriage plays an important role in maintaining group cohesion and solidarity and in orienting the individual members to the social maze. The use of the term â€Å"system† implies that there is a complex relation of interdependence between the component parts: the social categories and the associated rights and duties. Lexical borrowing can be defined as the adoption of individual words from another language. It happens when two languages are in contact and one language borrows lexical items from the other language. Borrowing is the process which requires language contact. It means there should be at least a certain degree of bilingualism for some people with the donor language and the recipient language. In this study the donor language is Urdu and the recipient language is Punjabi and the lexical items which are analyzed are the kinship terms. Objectives: The paper aims to: ?Compare the Urdu and Punjabi kinship terms. ?Explore the borrowing of the kinship terms when the speakers of a community use Urdu and Punjabi languages. ? language Investigate the influence of Urdu on Punjabi in urban areas with particular focus on the kinship terms. Punjabi Language: The Punjabi language is a member of the Indo-Aryan subdivision of the Indo-European family. It is spoken by more than 100 million people in Punjab (in Pakistan and north western India). Over 44% of Pakistanis learn it as their first language and about 70% of Pakistanis can understand it. Kinship Terminology in Punjabi and Urdu: The kinship terminology in both the Punjabi and Urdu languages is very extensive and specific. The system makes crucial reference to three parameters: age, consanguinity (relation by blood or marriage) and laterality (relation on the mother’s side or father’s side). As a result, instead of general terms as „uncle? or „aunt? , highly specific terms are used. English-speaking people do not distinguish linguistically between uncle „father’s brother? , „mother’s brother? , „father’s sister’s husband? , „mother’s sister’s husband? , but Punjabi and Urdu languages do distinguish between all of these different relationships. The assumption is that this differential linguistic labeling reflects differences in the structures of different societies and in the roles and behavior which are expected of individuals having particular relationships with one another (Trudgill 1992). Table 1: Urdu and Punjabi kinship terms Urdu TermPunjabi Term AbbuAbbu/Abba AmmiAmmi/Amma BetaPutar BetiDhee Bara BhaiLala/Veer/bhra Chota BhaiKaka/Nikka BehanBhain DadaDada/Baba DadiDadi/Wade amma NanaNana NaniNani ShoharKhasam/Karwala/Banda BiviKarwali/Budhi DulhaLara/Nadha/Ghabru DulhanWohti/Lari TayaBaba/Taya/wade Abbu TayeeBabi/Tayee/wade Amma ChachaChachu ChachiChachi PhuphaPhupher PhuphiPhupho KhaluKhalu/Maasser KhalaaMaasee/khala MamuMama/Mamu MamaniMami BhabhiBharjayee BhatijaPatriya/Bhatriya BhatijiPatri/Bhatri BhanjaBharyya/Bhanja/Panewa BhanjiBharyye/Bhanji/panewee BehnoyeeaBhanuja/Bharwiyya SalaSala SaleharSalehar SaliSali SandhuSandha/Sandhu NandNinnan JaithJaith JaithaniaJaithani DewarDeor DewaraniDarani DamadJawayee BahuNoo Pota Potra PotiPotri DotaDotra DotiDotria SuserSora SaasSas Population: Ten respondents were selected randomly whose first language (L1) was Punjabi and who were residing in the urban and rural areas of Sargodha. Sargodha is a multi-cultural city where Punjabi and Urdu are the major languages. Procedure: A questionnaire was made consisting of 50 vocabulary items i. e. Urdu kinship terms. The respondents were asked to write down the equivalent Punjabi terms as well as the terms that they use when they speak Punjabi. Results and Analysis of the Data: The respondents proficiency as well as their usage of Punjabi kinship terms was checked by the questionnaire and the results were found as follows: Total number of respondents: 10 First Language (L1) of the respondents: Punjabi Table 2: Results of the Questionnaire Urdu Kinship TermNumber %age of the respondents who knew equivalent Punjabi termNumber %age of the respondents who reported that they use Punjabi term when they speak Punjabi Abbu10(100%)3(30%) Ammi9(90%)5(50%) Beta10(100%)8(80%) Beti10(100%)7(70%) Bhai9(90%)7(70%) Behan7(70%)3(30%) Shohar8(80%)4(40%) Bivi9(90%)3(30%) Dulha 7(70%)2(20%) Dulhan8(80%)4(40%) Phupha9(90%)2(20%) Khalu8(80%)1(10%) Khala10(100%) 2(20%) Mamu10(100%)1(10%) Mamani10(100%) 4(40%) Bhabhi9(90%)3(30%) Behnoyee8(80%)2(20%) Nand9(90%)4(40%) Dewar7(70%)1(10%) Dewarani8(80%)2(20%) Bahu10(100%)5(50%) Pota9(90%)3(30%) Dota10(100%)3(30%) Susser10(100%)2(20%) Damad7(70%)4(40%) Average values9(90%)3(30%) The data show that nine out of total ten respondents which become 90% of the total population under investigation know the Punjabi kinship terms. 10% of the population does not know the Punjabi kinship terms at all. As for the usage of Punjabi kinship terms, only 30% of the population (only three out of ten) uses Punjabi kinship terms while speaking Punjabi. They prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. Discussion: The literature reviewed and the data collected show that the Punjabi language is clearly borrowing kinship terms from the Urdu language where the two languages are spoken in the same area. People with Urdu and Punjabi bilingualism prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. Their first language (L1) is Punjabi, the data show that 10% of the population does not know the Punjabi kinship terms at all. This population knows only Urdu kinship terminology. Out of the 90% population who knows the Punjabi kinship terms, only 30% uses Punjabi kinship terms while speaking Punjabi. Most of the respondents reported that they prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. The summary of kinship terms (Table 1) shows that most of the kinship terms of Urdu and Punjabi are similar; yet there are some differences. The Punjabi language is a member of the Indo-Aryan subdivision of the Indo-European language family. Over 44% of Pakistanis learn it as their first language. Urdu was formed around the 1600? s in Central Asia. It has borrowed numerous linguistic items from Perso-Arabic and Indo-Aryan languages. So in the course of its development Urdu might have borrowed kinship terms from Punjabi with some changes due to its different phonological system. Now it is surprising that Punjabi is borrowing the kinship terms back from Urdu exactly in the same way as they are used in Urdu because Urdu is enjoying more prestige than Punjabi. Conclusion: The study shows that the Urdu kinship terms are preferred over Punjabi kinship terms to such an extent that the speakers use Urdu kinship terms even when they speak in their mother tongue i. e. Punjabi. Some of the Punjabi speakers have even lost their L1 kinship terms. The paper highlights the phenomenon of borrowing of kinship terms in urban areas from comparatively high prestige language i. e. Urdu to low prestige language i. e. Punjabi. It shows that the Punjabi speakers living in urban areas could not fully retain their L1 kinship terms and adopted the Urdu kinship terms. The study also highlights the phenomenon of lexical borrowing as one of the potential factors involved in the change of lexicon of a language in language contact situations.

Interpreter In Community Interpreting Essay

Interpreter In Community Interpreting Essay Role Of Interpreter In Community Interpreting Analysis Essay Role Of Interpreter In Community Interpreting Analysis Essay Interpreting has always been an integral part of social and business activities, but it was recognized as a particular science that called for specialized training of professionals in the middle of the 20th century. Since then, various kinds of interpreting have been a subject for researchers who made attempts to reveal all of its peculiarities and characteristics from various perspectives. However, community interpreting is a relatively new field of interpreting that may be deemed understudied as compared to conference interpreting. Moreover, the focus of researches in relation to these two different fields of interpreting is quite different. Studies of conference interpreting are aimed at revealing peculiarities and characteristics of the process of interpreting, as well as neurological, linguistic, and psychological features and qualities of interpreters and the best techniques and methods they employ. In turn, studies of community interpreting tend to focus on the role of interpr eter and various controversial issues related to community interpreting and interpreters’ roles in various settings. The overwhelming majority of researchers agree that community interpreting is a quite controversial field in terms of the public’s perception of the interpreter’s role. Thus, the current paper is aimed at analyzing the role of a community interpreter using different studies, as well as providing a definition of the concept of community interpreting and a brief overview of the community interpreter training with a view of better understanding the controversies related to the field. In general, community interpreters perform various roles depending on the setting and discourse, which necessitate different approaches to the process of interpretation and stakeholders involved, yet it is absolutely evident that their role should not and cannot be reduced to a mere verbatim translating machine. The paper consists of such sections as Introduction, Definition of Community Interpreting, Role of Community Interpreters and Debates Relating Thereto, Community Interpreter Training, Further Studies Relating to Community Interpreting and Its Role, and Conclusion. Definition of Community Interpreting Many controversies concerning the role of community interpreters arise from the fact that there are debates over the definition of the concept of community interpreting. Moreover, a great deal of ambiguity stems from varying levels of development and recognition of community interpreting throughout the world, thus proving the lack of unified approach to the field. Hence, countries and researchers in terms of their attitudes towards the concept â€Å"range from those that deny existence of the issue (an ever diminishing number), through countries that rely on ad hoc services, to generic language services, to fully comprehensive responses of training, service provision and accreditation† (Buendia 2010). In general, there are many definitions of the concept, but all of them are united by the fact that community interpreting is an extremely broad field â€Å"that enhances equal access to public and community services for individuals who do not speak the language of service† (Bancroft et al. 2013). As a rule, communicative interpreting is consecutive, but there are instances when it is simultaneous though the latter cases are rare (Pekanheimo, Kauhala, Ojala 2013). The definition given in the Canadian National Standard Guide for Community Interpreting Services seems to be the most objective and all-encompassing: Bidirectional interpreting that takes place in the course of communication among speakers of different languages. The context is the provision of public services such as healthcare or community services and in settings such as governmental agencies, community centers, legal settings, educational institutions, and social services. (Healthcare Interpretation Network 2007) Although the term ‘community interpreting’ is most commonly used when referring to the above contexts of interpretation, there are other terms that are sometimes used interchangeably with it and denote virtually the same thing. However, such ambiguity of terms creates additional complications for comprehension and identification of the role that the community interpreters play. Some of such terms include dialogue interpreting, liaison interpreting, court interpreting, medical interpreting, business interpreting, ad hoc interpreting, media interpreting, telephone interpreting, TV interpreting, and sign interpreting (Jiang 2007). The above listed notions are employed when there is a clear intention to emphasize some peculiar aspect of the interpretation process. For instance, dialogue interpreting implies that there is a dialogue between the participants, but fails to focus on the setting (Jiang 2007). Liaison interpreting emphasizes â€Å"the link or contact between diff erent groups of speakers who do not speak the same language† and is often interchanged with such terms as escort or delegate interpreting (Jiang 2007). Court interpreting, medical interpreting, business interpreting and similar kinds of interpreting draw attention to the institutional aspect and setting of the interpretation (Jiang 2007). Sometimes, the latter types of interpretation are singled out as different from the community interpreting due to a huge variety of studies focusing on different settings and availability of specific features peculiar to this or that institutional aspect. However, the majority of researchers support an idea that these interpretations are only peculiar types of the community interpreting. The term ‘ad hoc interpreting’ emphasizes spontaneity, but it is usually used to denote interpretation rendered by bilingual non-professionals who want to help in respective circumstances (Jiang 2007). Media, TV, and telephone interpreting focus on the medium employed in the process, while sign language interpretation implies the use of the sign language, i.e. interpretation between two different semiotic systems (Jiang 2007). Moreover, the definition of roles of community interpreters becomes even more complicated if to take into account that some kinds of interpretation may overlap, for instance, legal interpreting and community interpreting, in addition to complications caused by development and publication of quite different and even sometimes contrary codes of ethics for community interpreters. The following section of the paper is aimed at summarizing and analyzing the most wide-spread roles of community interpreters as defined by interpreters themselves, professional unions, and researchers. Role of Community Interpreters and Debates Relating Thereto The role of an interpreter in community interpreting continues to be a subject of debates. There are various views on this issue and these views vary depending on situational context, parties involved, and the country where the interpretation takes place. Thus, there are proponents of an idea that community interpreters should perform the role of â€Å"translating machines†, i.e. delivering verbatim interpretation of everything said by all parties involved without taking into account the cultural and other differences (Leanza 2005). Such a view is the most prevailing in the context of court interpreting when judges may demand an almost word-for-word translation. However, such approach remains highly debated and doubted among professional interpreters and researchers who point out the impossibility and invalidity of such interpreting performance due to the lack of consistency and inability to convey the original intended message in the language of translation in such case. Thus , the overwhelming majority of contemporary professional interpreters and researchers in this field tend to suggest that community interpreting â€Å"can facilitate intercultural communication, construct bridges between different symbolic universes and facilitate the process of migrant integration† (Leanza 2005). Various researchers have been engaged in determining the role of community interpreters over the years and some of their findings are presented below with a special focus on their universal applicability to community interpreting in general. European and American code of ethics for community interpreters seem to be quite different in terms of their emphasis on the interpreter’s role. The Finnish code of ethics for community interpreters complies with other European codes of this kind developed and published by professional unions. Thus, according to it, one of the main requirements for interpreters is to be â€Å"impartial, remain outsiders to the situation, and do not let their personal attitudes or opinions affect their work† (Pekanheimo, Kauhala, Ojala 2013). They are to take into account â€Å"the nature of the situation†, but should not care for any other tasks but interpretation itself (Pekanheimo, Kauhala, Ojala 2013). Besides, they â€Å"do not leave out anything or add anything irrelevant† (Pekanheimo, Kauhala, Ojala 2013). The code does not mention anything relating to cultural mediation and intends to ensure that interpreters remain a quite detached third party in any instance. In turn, the Canadian National Standard Guide for Community Interpreting Services emphasizes the significance of the interpreter possessing highly developed linguistic and interpretation competence, but it also provides the following role that community interpreters should adhere to: â€Å"The interpreter must be able to understand and convey cultural nuances without assuming the role of advocate or cultural broker† (Healthcare Interpretation Network 2007). There are virtually no other mentioning of cultural mediation role of interpreters, yet the guide encourages them to do anything they deem reasonable to ensure effective communication of the parties, which implies that interpreters are not prohibited from taking a more active role than an impartial verbatim translating machine. However, this point of cultural mediation and assumption of the role of advocates by some community interpreters is rather controversial as well. Many governmental agencies, especially the ones deali ng with asylum decisions, are reluctant to communicate openly with interpreters and provide them with relevant preparatory information as they consider them to be advocates of immigrants though as a rule this is not the case. Therefore, not only community interpreters, but also institutions they are working with require clear determination of the interpreter’s role in order to avoid confusion and prevent conflicts in the future. Many researchers suppose that community interpreting should not be entirely impartial and detached and offer their typologies of community interpreter’s roles. One of the studies distinguishes five possible roles that community interpreters can perform in the healthcare setting, including those of translator, cultural informant, culture broker or cultural mediator, advocate, and bilingual professional (Leanza 2005). The study points out that the role of a translator is least efficient in the healthcare setting as both sides of the communication often require interpreter’s assistance for understanding cultural differences and making quick decisions that would benefit all stakeholders. Roles of cultural informant and cultural mediator are most frequently needed to â€Å"help both parties arrive at a meaningful shared model† (Leanza 2005). The role of the advocate is intended for interpreters who prefer to be actively involved in rendition of social services and go beyond their interpreting functions as â€Å"in a value-conflict situation, the interpreter may choose to defend the patient against the institution† (Leanza 2005). The matter is that real-life situations do not allow interpreters to remain translators only; as their primary function is to ensure effective and productive communication despite any cultural differences that the parties may have, hence necessitating them to perform a role of a cultural mediator to a varying extent. Most recent studies have moved beyond the debate on whether interpreters play any role in community interpreting different from other types of interpretation in the debate on what this role should be in particular and what consequences it might have. Hence, the overwhelming majority of researches agree that it is up to the community interpreter to decide whether to â€Å"actively involve himself, or abstain from such involvement† (Jacobsen 2009). The practice also proves that interpreters assume more active roles than official norms and guidelines prescribe. Cecilia Wadensjo supposes that community interpreter’s role lies in being both a translator and coordinator (Jacobsen 2009). Interpreters adopt various roles concerning reception and production â€Å"as a reaction to the principal participants’ assumptions† about their proper role (Jacobsen 2009). Another study by Leanza defines four primary roles of community interpreters, including those of a system agent, community agent, integration agent, and linguistic agent with the latter being deemed least effective in most settings (Jacobsen 2009). A study by Hale considers the question of the interpreter’s role to be highly controversial because of the â€Å"lack of a strong, unified profession that could counteract the different role expectations of users of interpreting services† (Hale 2008). Despite this admission, Hale distinguishes five roles of community interpreters: â€Å"advocate for the minority language speaker†, â€Å"advocate for the institution or service provider†, gatekeeper, â€Å"facilitator of communication†, and â€Å"faithful renderer of others’ utterances† (Hale 2008). The choice of the role partially depends on the interpreter’s positioning and level of engagement and partially on the community’s e xpectations and requirements. In any case, an interpreter should carefully consider possible consequences of assuming this or that role in community interpreting so as to benefit the parties involved to the greatest extent possible without inflicting harm or unnecessary stress on oneself. Thus, the process of choosing and performing a particular role in community interpreting may be considered a search for the balance between personal interests and ethics of an interpreter and interests and expectations of the two parties involved in the interaction and requiring his/her assistance. Most researchers agree that community interpreters should not â€Å"act as mindless machines†, but they cannot agree on definite roles that such interpreters can and should assume (Jacobsen 2009). The most reasonable approach practiced by many successful US community interpreters is to assume different roles in different settings and with account to current circumstances. For instance, the healthcare setting often calls for cultural mediation and a higher level of interpreter’s engagement in the interaction process, while court interpreting remains among the most impartial and verbatim types of community interpreting. Moreover, interpreters should be able to assess potential consequences of their assuming different roles and whether these roles would be beneficial or detrimental for the communication process. Thus, as proved by a wide variety of approaches to the raised issue, even discussion and presentation of various roles interpreters may play in community interpret ing is a highly subjective and controversial process. Community Interpreter Training The question of interpreter’s roles in community interpreting is essential nowadays and should be given appropriate consideration in the process of training of future professional interpreters who want to work in the field. Therefore, future community interpreters should be educated on possible roles they may take and consequences of such decisions. So far, most training programs focus on technicalities of the interpretation process, as well as peculiarities of various settings where interpreters may work. However, it is essential to cover a range of roles allowable within these different settings. For instance, the Twin Cities Interpreter Project launched in Minnesota focuses on peculiarities of community interpreting in various institutional settings (Nicholson 1994). Other American community interpreting training programs and related institutions include the Bilingual Access Line, the Center for Interpretation and Translation, the University of Delaware Interpretation Progr am, and some programs implemented by governmental agencies (Nicholson 1994). A huge progress of these programs lies in the fact that they focus on ensuring smooth cooperation of interpreters and institutions’ representatives, hence providing at least a vague outline of a role community interpreters are going to perform when cooperating with these institutions. Further Studies Relating to Community Interpreting and its Role Community interpreting remains a relatively young field of translation studies that has been recently recognized as completely different in functions and underlying features from conference and other kinds of interpreting. Therefore, it has to be thoroughly studied in the future with special focus on controversial and debated issues, including the role of interpreters in community interpreting. Moreover, respective and appropriate codes of ethics should be developed for community interpreters as the existing ones resemble those intended for conference interpreters because of their emphasis on impartial and detached nature of interpretation. The above studies, as well as real-life experiences of community interpreters prove that it is not possible to follow the prescribed official guidelines as they do not comply with expectations of stakeholders and contextual needs of the interpretation. The main function of any interpreter is to convey the intended message by means of the language of translation, i.e. pragmatics is given preference over verbatim translation of lexemes. Furthermore, many institutional settings that require services of a community interpreter do not need merely an adequate translation of information, but rather cultural mediation and explanation of some cultural norms and behaviors that one or both parties find strange and incomprehensible. Globalization and intense migration have made community interpretation of high demand in various institutions and interpreter’s roles should be developed and explained to all stakeholders according to the current needs. Therefore, existing studies on community interpreting may be deemed insufficient in this respect and further researches on the role of community interpreters have to be carried out taking into account practical experiences and opinions of interpreters, communities, and institutions involved in the process. The present paper has provided a brief overview of the problematic and controversial issue of the role that interpreters play and should play in the process of community interpreting. Taking into consideration available literature and various viewpoints on the issue, it may be concluded that community interpreters cannot afford remaining mere translating machines that provide an utterly impartial and detached verbatim translation. On the contrary, they should be able to perform a variety of roles depending on the setting and circumstances. The most essential requirement for community interpreters is to possess cultural competence in both original language and the language of interpretation in order to be able to bridge the gap between the parties. Moreover, community interpreters often work with people who are not used to interpretation of any kind, hence being unaware of its specific features. Community interpreters should therefore be able to adequately assess and respond to the ne eds of the parties they are translating for with a view of ensuring effective communication. However, universal typology of interpreters’ possible and preferable roles with regards to community interpreting would significantly facilitate and improve their work all over the world as today this information is insufficient and in some cases prevents interpreters from performing their duties professionally.

Since the 1960s, a growing number of people have been moving away from Essay - 1

Since the 1960s, a growing number of people have been moving away from villages and small towns to big cities in both developed - Essay Example I will then discuss the effects migration has had on cities and rural areas in Britain and Ghana to highlight the similarities and differences between the problems faced in developed and developing countries. Lewis (1982) argues that migration is caused by a series of forces which encourage people to leave one place (push) and attract them to another (pull). Push factors include the decline of natural resources in rural areas. For example, the exhaustion of mines, timber and agricultural resources can result in fewer jobs available in rural areas, causing poverty, which forces people to move to urban areas in the hope of finding work. Parnwell (1993) also cites high rural population growth as a reason for rural-urban migration. This is because it results in a surplus of labour in rural areas, forcing people to move to urban areas to find jobs. Environmental degradation of rural areas (e.g. over-grazing and draught) can also force people to migrate due to food shortages. Religious str ife, political persecution, escaping from oppression and war also contribute to rural-urban migration Bogue (1959) also highlights that people leave rural areas due to the lack of basic infrastructure (electricity and water supplies) and services (public transport, hospitals and schools). Parnwell (1993) highlights a series of ‘pull factors’ that encourage people to move to cities, including migrant’s belief that superior opportunities for employment in manufacturing, construction, commerce and the service industry can be found in urban areas. Many people also move to cities to join kin already living and working there. However, Parnwell (1993) notes that despite migrants believing that urban areas offer an escape from poverty and better employment opportunities, the reality can be quite different, and unemployment and hardship are quite common it cities. Other people may move to urban areas because they may offer better career opportunities and higher wages. Bet ter welfare facilities such as education, increased access to doctors and health care, raised standards of living and better housing have also contributed to a growth in urban environments. Valentine (1995) also believes people move to urban areas for their ‘freedom of expression and liberation’, e.g. urban areas allow people to express themselves in ways not possible in rural areas, e.g. creation of gay and lesbian districts. However, Parnwell (1993) notes that cities can also provide a danger and intimidating environment for others, e.g. fear of crime. ‘Modern urbanization in developing countries is unlike earlier growth of towns and cities in developed countries’ (Kemp, 2004: 123). In Ghana urbanization is not driven by industrialization, but by natural growth and migration from rural areas. Ghana’s current population stands at 24.8 million (CIA, 2010), in which 51% of Ghanaians live in urban areas. Every year the urban population grows by 3.4%. A developed country such as Britain on the other hand has 80% of it’s population already living in urban environments, with a much slower urban growth rate of 0.7% per year (CIA, 2011). Jackson et al (1996) claim that the process of urbanisation in developing countries such as Ghana tends to be less controlled than in developed coun

Problem of obesity in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem of obesity in America - Essay Example Studies have shown that obesity leads to type two diabetes, heart diseases and heat attacks, hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, and Dyslipidemia. It is therefore imperative that healthier lifestyles are inculcated among young children ever since their childhood. Therefore, it is high time that obesity rate in US is reduced through effective measures and policies, and for this, one needs to have a thorough understanding of the reasons for obesity in the state. Genetics, changed life style of people, unhealthy eating habits, lack of required physical exercises, and food addiction are generally found to be the major causes for obesity. The consumption of high calorie snacks and fast food items can also lead to overweight and obesity. It is proved that most of the obesity cases are genetically inherited. Therefore, the children of obese parents are more likely to be obese compared to those of lean parents. But one cannot negate the other factors as there is a great increase of obesity rat e among people who cannot blame their inheritance for being so. The modern fast food culture, unhygienic food habits and people’s unwillingness or lack of time to take proper exercises to maintain their physical fitness have all immensely contributed to obesity in the United States.

What is European football clubs' rationale for investing in youth Essay

What is European football clubs' rationale for investing in youth academies - Essay Example The training for the team is also based on age as well as the organization goals. AFC Ajax was able to establish a new organizational structure where there is no traditional leader in the Academy or a departmental structure. Instead, the organization is based on biological processes of development labeled as wheels. The first wheel known as the Onderbouw ranges from age 7-12 and are assigned a Technical Manager; the second wheel is the Middenbouw ranging from age 13-16 with an assigned Technical Manager as well; the third is the Bovenbouw from ages 17-20 with a Technical Manager; the fourth wheel is the Operations which manages administrative matters for the academy; and lastly, is the wheel Technical Management which includes three technical managers as well as a liaison with the First Team and the academy in order to preserve the culture. The team covers all the age groups with some teams also assigned five year old children. These teams go through different stages of development, including athletic, technical, tactical, and social development. No significant emphasis on academic development is however established for the children, especially as their training is incorporated into the daily activities of the students who are picked up from their school and taken to the academy. The development of the players is also based on their gradual physical growth and development. Initially, those under the age of 8 are trained in a 4:4 30 x 20 m field 3 x 1 m goal. Their focus is on passing, movement, and finesse. From ages 8-12, they are taught team spirit with 12 year olds already training three times a week. The focus of their training is on passing, receiving, technical training, positional plays, heading, and making goals. From 13 to 16 years, their training mostly focuses on short games and running activities, including training on passing the ball over short distances. Fifteen year olds are also trained five times a week. Their

Developing An Effective Management And Leadership Commerce Essay

Developing An Effective Management And Leadership Commerce Essay Leadership and management efforts are crucial to the development of business strategies of companies. Basically, a lot of companies turned to bankruptcy not only because of the environmental factors but because they neglected leadership and management efforts (Hormozi, Hostetler, Middleton, 2003). With this, OSIM was chosen due to the steady growth of the company from humble beginnings as a kitchen appliance trading company to its global footprint-having a wide point of sales network (OSIM Ltd., 2011). This made the company an exciting and interesting case study. Furthermore, in view of the current economic climate where businesses are failing and where competitors are aggressive, it is important to understand from the business trend whether OSIM is capable to meet to the future challenges. As the industry expects more competition and the entry of more players, it would be interesting to see how well prepared the company is both financially and strategically to reinforce its global presence and continue to be the market leader in this industry. Corporate Profile, Mission, Vision and Goals of OSIM  [1]   OSIM International Ltd was believed a global leader in healthy lifestyle products. The company was originally founded by Ron Sim in Singapore in 1980 (OSIM Ltd., 2011). During that time OSIM was under the name of R Sim Trading, an electrical and household appliance company (OSIM Ltd., 2011). Using their small start-up capital, the company engages with the promotion of household products such as knife sharpeners, knife and mobile clothes drying rods. Apparently, in 1989, the company listed with the name Health Check and Care, and later on shifted their main focus to healthy lifestyle products. The time following this created great development for the company, and it manages to produce outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia and in Hong Kong (AsiaPulse News, 2002). The companys vision was to become the global leader in healthy life style products whereas their mission was to challenge the spirit of their clients. The goal of the company was to bring the healthy lifestyle to their consumers (Business Times-Malaysia, 2003 and New Straits Times, 2003). Financial Standing  [2]   In Figure 1, the OSIM International Ltds 2009 revenues grew by 1% from 62% in 2008 to 63% in 2009. This is also created significant increase in terms of selling, general and administrative costs resulting to the decline of the net income from a gain of 21% in 2008 to a gain of 5% in 2009. From the record of OSIMs balance sheet (see Appendix), the company actually suffers from profit decline due to the effect of global recession (Offers Style: New OSIM Store Now Open, 2004). Figure 1. OSIMs Profit and Turnover Source: Osim International Ltd., 2009 As seen in Figure 1, the 2007 and 2009 performance is expressive compared in 2008. From these results, we can deviate that OSIM was not performing well in 2008 as compared to their expressive 2007 and 2009. Despite of some downturns in 2008 due to the global business crisis, the year 2010 shows interesting trend. From the gathered information, it is expected that in 2010 both the revenue and net income of OSIM will be constantly moving upward (See Appendix for complete details). OSIMs PESTLE Analysis Political Conditions political influences include government stability, taxation policy, foreign trade regulations and social welfare policies (Davies, Lam, 2001). The political situation of Hong Kong is very stable now or even in the knowing future, all of these are provided by its stable and high visibility law (CIA Worldfact 2011). This will assure OSIM and other foreign businesses that the political condition of Hong Kong will help them to have a stable operation in area. Actually, the corruption-free government with score 8.4 in transparency index, excellent political condition and highly developed and competent infrastructure of Hong Kong have caught the attention of investments from more than 7,000 multinational corporations from the United States, Japan, and Europe (Transparency International, 2010). Economics- Hong Kong is an attractive market for medical home care technology makers and the newest trends. The opening of OSIM and the growth of medical home care technologies is supporting the demand for health services in Hong Kong. OSIM does not worry that the legislation could severely set back their most effective marketing (New Straits Times, 2003). Actually, Hong Kong is a highly developed and successful free-market economy. As of 2010 Economic Indicators, the CPI or the consumer price index of Hong Kong is 128 with Annual Inflation Rate of 0.45 (CIA Worldfact, 2011). Hong Kong has also 4.3% (2010 est.) unemployment rate with the GDP of $224.1 billion (2010 est.) (CIA Worldfact, 2011). Actually, Hong Kong enjoys an outstandingly open and corruption-free background, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing financial services sector (CIA Worldfact, 2011). Real GDP growth averaged 2.3% in 2008, but contracted -2.7% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis but in 2010 an expressive 6.8% was computed (CIA Worldfact, 2011). As seen, there are lot of foreign businesses found in almost all sectors of the economy of Hong Kong. Basically, more than two-thirds of manufacturing contribution and direct export sales are provided by foreign business, although there are services sectors that remain ruled by government-linked businesses (CIA Worldfact, 2011). Social cultural In terms of social aspect, OSIM is quite in advantage in Hong Kong considering that the standards of living of people in destinations served by OSIM is good and most of them have the capacity to pay for their home healthcare technology needs. However, OSIM still needs to consider the tastes and lifestyles of people especially, their willingness to buy technology-based home care products (New Straits Times, 2004) since Hong Kong consumers could prefer traditional medicine or Chinese physician rather than high tech equipment. But because of the advent of new technologies in any setting, this is a good timing for OSIM to grab the opportunity (Barton, Newell, Wilson, 2002). The nature of its workforce is also part of external environment of OSIM whereas the Hong Kong citizen are able to cope with the changes implemented in OSIM. Technological Today, e-business has become an integral part of operations in any business industry, with ultimate objectives of not only achieving cost saving but also generating additional revenue (Hormozi, Hostetler, Middleton, 2003). Beyond to enhance their current product line, their further investment should be focus on improving and incorporating appropriate new technology. In Hong Kong, OSIM implemented and ambitious to become Asias leading Home Health-care products manufacturer and distributor. Legal As with any other business industry of the world, there are rules and regulations that restrict or support the facilitation of the business in the Home Health-care products market in the areas where OSIM operates (New Straits Times, 2004). Environmental There are currently no major environmental issues faced by the OSIM in Hong Kong considering that Home Health-care products are not only good for people but also to our environment (New Straits Times, 2004). OSIMs SWOT Analysis With respect to the given information in the company website, the following presentation will show the SWOT analysis of OSIM. Actually, SWOT analysis can provide a framework for identifying and analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat (Feist, Heely, Lu, Nersesian, 1999). Adapted from: http://marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-swot.html TOWS Matrix From the SWOT presented the TOWS matrix for OSIMs operation in Hong Kong is made. External Opportunities (O) External Threats (T) 1. Improve and increase the market of the business 2. Growth of the companys subsidiaries. 3. Increased customer loyalty. 4. International consumer reach through the use of e-commerce or internet marketing 1. Emergence of highly competitive company. 2. Economic downturn. 3. Escalating prices of main materials and products. Internal Strengths (S) SO Focus on various promotion strategies to improve market. Offering excellent products to achieve customer loyalty and excellent customer association ST Strong reputation and resources of OSIM to draw industrial knowledge which can perk up customers confidence in considering product. Consideration of joint venture and sustainable merger and acquisition to improve and expand market portfolio in other parts of the globe. Enhancing home healthcare products and services to meet the need of the target market. 1. Good Customer relationship 2. Diversified products and services offered to different customers in the international contexts Internal Weaknesses (W) WO Managing financial resource effectively to minimise weaknesses Improving customer reach by joining various business ventures. WT Applying strategic management structure to gain shareholders and stakeholders trusts Investing in information technology infrastructure Enhancing brand loyalty though customer satisfaction. 1. Inability to manage financing sources 2. Limited access to international markets. Adopted from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_89.htm Porters Five Forces of OSIM A Five-Force model (Ali, 1993) was conducted in the context of the global home health care industry . Despite being a market leader, OSIM is not yet resting on its laurels of success, but instead, continuously innovating and developing their company in order to maintain what it has managed to achieve up to this time. The following identifies the five forces of OSIM: Industry Competitors- In the global business industry, regulatory and technological changes are the major factors, making ingrained reasonable strategies outdated and controls the creation and progress of new products, strategies, processes, and public policies in the industry (Leuz, Pfaff, Hopwood, 2004). Basically, there are numerous home health care players in the industry, included in the list is OSIM, who strive for market leadership in all their business aspects. As such, the level of industry competition is very stiff and very aggressive. Potential Entrants- Natural barriers to entry in the global home health care industry include the need for capital investment, human resources, and technology and the importance of economies of scale. It also includes the role of contracting costs avoided by a close relationship between the vendor and its client, which in turn is related to the avoidance of opportunistic behaviour by either party. Buyers Home health-care products have a long historya history rich in product diversity, international scope, and, above all, continuous change and adaptation. These competitive changes have forced adaptations, and in general have improved the level and efficiency offer to clients, thereby increasing transactional volume. Coupled with these, the customers have become informed concerning home-health care products that OSIM-like companies offer. Suppliers- The suppliers to this industry are mainly the providers of technology and materials in home health-care firms use in the conduct of their businesses. Substitutes -There is a high level of substitutes for the healthy and lifestyle products industry, evidenced by the numerous numbers of major players in the global market. The cost to transfer to another beauty firm is also relatively low, so the substitution rate is pretty high. Grand Strategy Matrix Adapted from: http://www.slideshare.net/suresh.singh/grand-strategy-presentation-805769 In terms of grand differentiation strategy of the company, OSIM belong to the market in which the growth was slow. However, the company was the leading business in this industry that defines their strong competitive position. Differentiation Strategy In order to place OSIM as a leader in Home Healthcare Products, there should be a so-called differentiation strategy that clearly identifies why OSIM is different from other brands. The differentiation strategy of OSIM was based on their: Wide experience in home health care market as they have been in the business for almost 42 years now, their directors can consider their experience in operating venture as strength (OSIM Ltd., 2011). Reasonable price offerings of products and services- since they able to keep their overheads low, this allows them to have better control of their prices. This is considered strength because naturally, people would look for a reasonably-priced place to stay in that equally do not sacrifice service and product quality (OSIM Ltd., 2011). Already has developed a good reputation for value for money since they have been operating for great number of years, they already have built a name for themselves, attracting a number of loyal customers along the way (OSIM Ltd., 2010). Good industry skills the directors of different divisions of OSIM are natural for the business that they ventured into, both being outgoing and friendly, the most important public relation skills that clients look for (OSIM Ltd., 2011). The Boston Consulting Group Approach (BCG Matrix) There are 9 important business units for the OSIM, which are grouped according to the city or country that their operation is located: Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Canada, UAE and USA. Figure 1 BCG Matrix Adapted from: http://www.netmba.com/strategy/matrix/bcg/ Cash Cow a business element that has a great market share in a fully grown and slow growing industry. Thus, it requires a small investment and produces cash that can be used in other business (QuickMBA 2007). Malaysia is the only business unit that was included in the said category. This is because OSIM is considered as one of the most prominent and famous home health-care products distributor. Above all, one of the most important aspects to be considered is the number of competitors in the country. Star a business element that has a huge market share in a swift rising business. This business unit generates cash, however, due to the rapid growth of the market, they require investment in order maintain the lead of a specific company (QuickMBA 2007). Hong Kong and Singapore are the two business units which included in the said category. OSIM is considered as one of the first home health care products manufacturer and distributor in the world, particularly in Hong Kong and Singapore. Because of that, OSIM had been able to gain competitive advantage, in terms of image towards the Chinese, Singaporeans and foreign visitors. However, because of the growing economy of the said cities, it had resulted to the growing number of players in the industry, thus pushed OSIM Hong Kong and Singapore to focus on different strategic plan and implementation that will maintain their competitive advantage. Question Mark or Problem Child a business component that has a little market share in a lofty increasing market. A problem child requires resources in order to grow market share, however, the fact if they will be successful and become stars is not sure (QuickMBA 2007). Canada, China and Indonesia are the three business units that were included in the said category. In China, OSIM has a small share in the market because of the extensive competition, primarily from the local players in the area. The said situation is the same in Canada. On the other hand, the OSIM was included in the said category because; the hotel was one of the newly developed hotels of the group. Dog a business component that has a little market share in a grown-up industry. UAE, Taiwan and USA are three of business units that belong to the said category. The reason behind the said analysis is because of the fact that UAE, Taiwan and USA are considered as three of the most prominent cities in the world. Thus, there are different huge companies that have already started their operations in there. Although it is important to consider that a dog may not required substantial cast, it is connected to the capital that could be better be deployed elsewhere, however in the case of the OSIM UAE, Taiwan and USA, it is considered as strategic purpose of the group in order to introduce their brand in the West and some parts of Asia. OSIMs Leadership: Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) OSIM OMRON SANYO Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Market share 0.30 3 0.90 2 0.60 2 0.60 Price Competitiveness 0.25 4 1.00 3 0.75 3 0.75 Financial position 0.20 3 0.60 3 0.60 2 0.40 Product quality 0.10 2 0.20 2 0.20 3 0.30 Consumer loyalty 0.15 3 0.45 2 0.30 3 0.45 Total 1.00 3.15 2.45 2.50 Adapted from: http://www.soopertutorials.com/business/strategic-management/1031-competitive-profile-matrix-harleyhonda-and-yamaha.html With regards to competitive profile matrix, OSIM became a leader and surpasses their top competitors OMRON and Sanyo. Actually, OSIM leads the victory in terms of market share and price competitiveness. The said key factors are OSIMs edge against their competitors considering that their primary markets are located in Singapore, Hong Kong and currently no company poses a significant threat to them as a major competitor (Osim International Ltd. 2009). The company believed that they have the have a competitive edge over their competitors in their primary markets as their extensive distribution network of outlets is dedicated to home health-care products. As part of the business development of the company, they currently exercise the full power over their point-of-sales system and utter to the distribution chain how to sell and not only what to sell (Osim International Ltd. 2009). Furthermore, OSIM also control their supply chain, from the design of the products up to the distribution an d marketing of the products. In general, the company considers Sanyo and Omron as their competitors. Overall Recommendation for Future Development For the success and future development of OSIM, it is recommended that internal condition must be considered. Basically, the most important to consider was the human factor as it is the heart thats drive the company. Having the right culture and people to create conducive environment, and be lead by strong visionary leaders and champion management that capable to manage its people and process. The external condition on the other hand, as shown in the PESTLE analysis must be also considered. With strong and stable external environment will contribute for the need to change strategic option. Furthermore, the full support from our Group and re-alignment with our other Hub is important without it its impossible to achieve the vision and mission. In terms of financial aspect all strategic option should involve financial investment that in term will bring cost benefit and growth. Especially in its market development by acquisition potential BPO that is more desirable and can bring in capit al and value to OSIM. Apparently, in order to cope with the change the organization structure also need to realign and change. Especially in its organic growth, where having the right type of people and culture is the key to success. It structure management is important to execute the strategic option. Moreover, external market trend is more into technology with faster and reliable system. With high speed connectivity the market had been more competing and broaden it market widely. As seen each strategic option has very own risk but with stern control and better risk management can mitigate any potential risk and minimize the impact. For continues success of the company, OSIM must also consider change management that will be the potential barrier since OSIM is still in it comfort zone. By doing an organisational development and learning it can identify the risk and overcome the barrier of change. OSIM is passionate with customer importance and makes every effort to be an all-weather umbrella to its clients, by considering diverse strategies for varying situations. It had to branch out in order to equate revenue and expenditure, reduce risk and stay profitable, with an equal importance in its ability to anticipate change. The business of OSIM has begun a strategy of major expansion and growth with one clear objective, which is to establish themselves as one of the worlds top distributor of Home Health care products, and these strategies are based around a philosophy of organic growth and a transition towards becoming a client-oriented business. With this detail, the business must go on to find innovative software programs and relate effectively to other companies that produce these software programs to become updated with the latest improvement in the World Wide Web. The business must economically and efficiently generate a good connection with their clientele and shareholders, to incessantly operate. OSIM must constantly conceptualise and execute good projects to be able to set trends in the industry. Apart from developing business strategies, the business have to focus on building employee and customer associations, in harmony to strategic management concepts, for it is necessary to establish and focus on the needs of the clientele, as clientele are the motive for being alive in the business. In the end, businesses engaged so much in technology has its share of good and bad impacts, socially, economically and even environmentally. In addition, it has to be noted that retailing of home health care products is not one industry but many. Hence, the achievement of sustainable special intention business or its continual development for the collective benefits of the world, may therefore depend on a change in strategy and planning of the industry in order to identify common ground more easily, and to exploit further returns without sacrificing the one that lays the golden egg, in manner of speaking. All said, future research may have to focus on participatory planning involving business, governments, host communities and campaigners with a greater view to common ground. OSIMs Leadership and Management: An Evaluation In this project, I learned I lot of things when it comes to leadership, management and handling a business. I learned that to sustain the development of a certain business, they should not only frequently review the value of portfolio but also the overall business practices and movement in the global market. To become a global leader, businesses should positioned on fast-growing chances, whether geologically or through market segment by selecting and investment in businesses with long-term tail-wind profiles. In reflecting OSIMs case, there are numerous business management and leadership strategies that can be use in order to maintain business progress and development. All these efforts are conducted to ensure that the welfare of the business organization is preserved along with aims and goals toward sustainable organizational success and development. The fact remains that there are always unexpected as well as unintended risk environments that cannot be controlled by the members of the management executives and staff of business organizations. As such it is important to consider the faculty, benefits as well as advantages of implementing and utilizing strategic management, tools and techniques. At the level and global hazards present in the current business market environments, it is wise to ensure that the image and overall well-being of the business organization is constantly protected. These are possible through strategic use and application of company policies from which the company will benefit. I also learned in this project that the business process and practice in terms of business management strategies clearly indicated the importance of management in averting and entirely preventing detrimental business chaos that economies may bring to business organizations. In the case of OSIM, it is evident that strategic management are highly influential in the formulation of business strategies. It was taken into account that any business and financial endeavour that will be implemented by business organizations should be assessed and evaluated using the existing company policies that are greatly influenced by the precautionary management. Conclusion The strategies of OSIM focus more on the management and access of information rather the creation of irrelevant services and products. For this reason, OSIM has developed a unique set of guiding principles simplicity, cost-efficiency and effectiveness. Total commitment to these principles makes the products of OSIM very user-friendly to its customers. OSIM was able to attain and extensive market leadership through various acquisition deals over the years even there is a stiff competition in the market. The strategies of OSIM are focused mostly on powerful growth of its home health care products and services and getting better the companys financial feat. These innovations have also helped protected major acquisitions and partnerships. Significantly, these innovations have guided to the discharge of the potentials of the companys workforce, thus creating an excellence performance-based background. On the other hand, OSIMs strategies in the home health care and technology industry enhanced at the beginning of the new millennium and commenced on trailing and inventing products differentiation. With this, the differentiated home health care products of OSIM were able to please the customers and sustain their needs in accordance to the context of sustainable competitive advantage. This also justified that the bargaining power of their customer is high while the treat of their substitute and new entrant is low because of their extensive efforts in maintaining the quality of their products. Moreover, this allowed OSIM to review and decrease the prices of their products and as an alternative focused on the values that produced not only a moderately higher price but also a improved margin since these things could help to avoid business downfall.

Theses Essay -- essays research papers

death of a salesman Biff the Hero? In Arthur Miller’s, dramatic play, Death of a Salesman the Loman family presents its self as being the perfect nuclear family as opposed to their dysfunctional nature. Even though Miller portrays Willy Loman as the main character of the story, his lack of praise worthy traits make it necessary for another to be the hero. This other character comes in the form of Willy’s son, Biff Loman, who may not succeed in regards to Willy’s dreams, but still deserves the honor of being called the hero of the play. Biff shows qualities describing a hero because he grows up with false ideals but later rejects them searching for his true identity. To analyze Biff Loman the most important aspect comes from his change in self-realization that represents his dynamic nature. This dynamic nature shows with his interaction in regards to other characters and with respects to underlying themes in the play. Even though many people have influenced Biff over his life, only h is family has left a significant impact on it. Their presence and importance in his life make it necessary to view the motivating aspects of his interaction with them, whether it is positive or negative. The first character that we must analyze comes in the form of the overbearing but idolized father, who sets the foundation for Biff’s beliefs and way of life. Many different aspects of this relationship can be portrayed in reference to Biff’s ultimate and final realization at the end of the play. In Biff’s youth, he accepts and adores everything that pertains to Willy because that is the nature of a small child. Even though we later realize the err in Willy’s ideology, his initial instincts to teach his son success held no faults. Willy’s hopes and goals were pure (Onger 154). On the other hand, Willy’s excessive need to promote vanity and unfulfilling popularity, sets the stage for Biff’s eventual letdown. Willy provides Biff with an ego because of the high praise given to Biff that makes him conceited. Such great praise prompts Biff’s pride of himself and his family, which leads Biff to feel contentment and fulfillment in his younger years before his dreams come to an end. But, his flaw comes in the form of hubris or arrogance that goes hand in hand with his father's belief in his own greatness. Biff so readily believes his father’s assumptions that he will not work at any ... ...With this in mind Biff forces himself to break the barriers of his fathers confining concepts and to evaluate his own life. Biff’s understanding of Willy’s inability to realize his [Willy’s] identity, proved vital to Biff’s own search for self identification. Willy further proved his inability to understand by finally committing suicide and thinking that it would bring happiness to Biff. Biff shows his dynamic nature in the rejection of false ideals and in the search for true identity. One last proof of his change shows up in a strong symbolic element of the play. When Biff stole footballs in his youth, he felt no shame or sorrow, but that does not hold true in the case of the fountain pen he stole from Oliver. "I took those balls years ago, now I walk in with his fountain pen? That clinches it, don’t you see? I can’t face him like that!" (Miller 88). By regret for his actions, Biff proves the maturity he gains, which no other c haracter can attest for. Because of such amazing development, "†¦Biff, having completed his search for self-identity in the face of the odds which had driven his father crazy, emerges as the true protagonist of this play" (Sharma 79).

Marketing Plan Phase III

Panera Bread would like to announce a new cyber-cafe available at all locations. This product has been upgraded to assist the growing desire for a full service Internet accessibility location. A plan consisting of four-phases has been developed to market the new product. Currently most locations provide free wireless Internet access to their customer base. Panera has the biggest free wireless network in the USA. During the peak hours of business the customers’ will have a limit amount of time to use the Internet; the time limit is 30-60 minutes (Absolute Astronomy, 2011). However with the upgrade the locations will not have to limit the number of computers or a time limit. Phase One – Upgrade the Internet accessibility at all Panera Bread locations †¢ Development of product – One in three households has never used a computer. 18% of American households do not own a computer or have Internet access (Absolute Astronomy, 2011). SWOTT – An analysis of the cyber-cafe will find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and trends in the market. †¢ Market Research – Panera Bread will distribute a survey to the company’s customer base that will lead to a better understanding of the consumer’s needs for Internet accessibility. Phase Two – Marketing to Consumers †¢ Target Market – Consumers between the age of 18-50 †¢ Consumers – Consumers want to access the Internet for various reasons such as keeping in touch with family, friends, accessing research data, and more. Competitors – Knowing the possible competitors and what they will offer. Phase Three – Expectations of the New Cyber-cafe †¢ Attributes –A larger server and reasonably priced cycle – Expected product life cycle for the cyber-cafe will be approximately 10 years. The reaction expected from competitors will cause a high incentive to duplicate Panera’s new era of cyber-cafes. †¢ Strategy and Price – The basic strategy is to provide a need to the consumers of Pan era Bread. The services cost will be in a price range that everyone can afford. Phase Four – Launching the cyber-cafe * The new improved sever to handle the increase in volume * The product will be put into 10 different locations for testing the new service. With the company following the four-phase plan, the management has high expectations for the cyber-cafe’s success. Panera Bread does not expect the service to start declining for at least six years.

ATP essays

ATP essays ATP powers all the activity of muscles. Muscles move because of the continual and instantaneous breakdown of ATP. The release of energy from ATP is a small thing, but essential to life itself. Muscle is an excitable tissue that it can be stimulated to produce an action potential. An action potential is an electrical change across the membrane. Muscle contraction requires a great deal of energy. The aerobic energy of a resting muscle comes two- thirds from fatty acids and one-third from glucose and occurs because the brain and nerve tissue can only burn glucose to make ATP. The muscles save glucose for the nervous system as often as possible. When oxygen supplies are inadequate in time of exertion, the use of carbohydrate becomes more important as the intensity of exercise increases. The breakdown of glucose to water and carbon dioxide generates energy. This process is short circuited and lactic acid builds up in the muscle. Lactic acid is an important fuel that is used by the muscles during prolonged exercise. Lactate released from the muscle is converted in the liver to glucose, which is then used as an energy source. Most of the ATP in cardiac muscle is derived from the aerobic breakdown of fat. During times of exertion as the intensity of exercise increases the body cannot breakdown fat, fast enough to provide the high levels of energy. The immediate response of the cardiovascular system during exertion activity and when the levels of oxygen are not enough is to absorb glucose molecules and used to rebuild their glycogen reserves (Martini P. 301) in order to increase the output of the heart to meet the demands of energy and oxygen. The cardiac muscle is the greatest beneficiary. With this adaptation, the heart grows stronger. It draws more blood and oxygen through the coronary arteries and increases the amount of blood it pumps with each beat (stroke volume). This potentially adds years ...

How to Copyright a Book (in 10 Minutes Or Less)

How to Copyright a Book (in 10 Minutes Or Less) How To Copyright A Book: A Definitive Guide Want to know how to copyright a book you've written? That’s probably a smart idea. You don’t want this nightmarish scenario to occur a year down the road: you’re in a bookstore and you pick up a random novel. You notice that the dialogue sounds familiar. Upon further inspection, you realize that everything in this book is a dead ringer for your work - down to your character Mick, who now goes by Dick.Copyright is something authors are often curious about, though it’s so complex that few are eager to dip a toe into it. And it needn't  be an author’s first worry. However, if you're self-publishing a book, then the onus is on you to educate yourself on all aspects of the business - which includes protecting your intellectual property.Obligatory disclaimer: no-one at Reedsy is an attorney - this is by no means professional advice. But to make the topic easier for authors to unpack, we conducted research and spoke with practicing attorneys and have unmuddied the waters for you.Want to skip ahead? Check out our  explainer video or  download an infographic that spells out the process of copyright registration.What is copyright?Copyright is just that: the right to copy. When books are published, this right prevents others from replicating your work and selling it (for profit or otherwise) without your consent. jmason@copyrightcounselors.com.Sean Lynch is an intellectual property attorney who provides copyright and trademark advice to clients building businesses and brands. In addition, you can find Sean at slynchlaw.com and thesurflawyer.com.Henry Runge is an  Associate Director of UNeTecH. He protects scientists' inventions and works with entrepreneurs and creatives to develop business opportunities for intellectual property.Finally, to read about the topic straight from the source, visit the U.S. Copyright Office, the U.K. Intellectual Property Office, and the Australian Copyright Council websites.If you're in the finishing stages of completing a book? Check out our blog post that details the technical process of making a book.Any stories to share? Any more questions? Let us know below and we’ll answer all of them personally!

To what extent was the Enlightenment socially inclusive Essay

To what extent was the Enlightenment socially inclusive - Essay Example Scholars such as Robert Darnton associated enlightenment with the conventional enlightenment philosophy. As observed by modern scholars, to understand the extent in which enlightenment was socially inclusive, systematic evaluation on intellectual progress that took place to both intellectuals and other people from different social status is vital (Hof 1994, p. 91). Initially, enlightenment involved both low and high enlightenment process in Europe at different levels. The essay will therefore focus on the extent in which enlightenment was socially inclusive. The extent to which enlightenment was socially inclusive in the European continent in the 18th century can best be evaluated by systematically analysing two enlightenments, the low enlightenment and the high enlightenment. The high enlightenment is the intellectual progress among the intelligent people of the 18th century who included professional elites and nobles. These elites and other intellectuals in the society were also in a position of accessing, reading, and writing publications such as encyclopaedia (Israel 2001, p. 127). In addition, high enlightenment received impetus from natural philosophical writings and publications. The works and publications of natural philosophers as well as the role of academic institutions increased the popularity and intellectual curiosity of the high enlightenment. Moreover, the elites and professionals in the 18th century came up with â€Å"Republic of Letters† that were read by people from different states in Europe (Chukwudi Eze 1996, P. 256). Professionals and social elites who did not take part in writing publications participated in reading and debating the enlightenment ideas and teaching either in their social gathering or in salon centres. Social and political leaders and advisors also showed endless interests in opinions, teachings, and ideas that were contained in the â€Å"Republic Of Letters†. Religious leaders including Frederick the great also confirmed that, the ideas and contents that were contained in the â€Å"Republic of Letters† demonstrated religious tolerance in the treatment of Huguenots, Jesuits and Jews (Muthu, 2003, p. 137). Despite being apparent, the definition and the explanation of the ideas that are contained in high enlightenment has proved to be complicated. Example of the existing contradictions in the understanding and definition of the contents contained in enlightenment is found in â€Å"Essay on Miracle† composed by David Hume’s in 1748. The essay questions the existence of miracle as stated in the publications that talk about enlightenment. Thomas Sherlock’s â€Å"Trial of the Witness of the Resurrection of Jesus† (1729) confirms the existence of miracle in the society. Currently, there is no specific party charter that can be used by scholars to understand the enlightenment principles (Rousseau and Porter 1990, P. 147). Despite insufficient information rega rding enlightenment principles, scholars have made several generalisations on the principles of enlightenment. Enlightenment talked about the significance and relevance of intellectual curiosity. Enlightenment also emphasised the importance of pursuing practical ideas that could improve human life. In addition, scholars also taught the significance of independent mind and debate as well as the need for revaluation of the entire bodies of knowledge (Black 1990, p. 91). Low

Fundamentals of finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fundamentals of finance - Essay Example ITV broadcasting operates a group of channels which include ITV1 and also delivers content across a number of platforms like ITV player and itv.com. Its studios produce and sell formats and programmes both in UK and globally. WPP Plc operates a communications services group. The operations of the company encompass media, information and consultancy, public affairs, public relations, identity services, branding, investment management and advertising. WPP is a global leader in the marketing of communication services, and it comprises of public relation and public affairs companies, advertising companies and promotion and relationship marketing companies. The history of WPP dates back in 1985 when Martin Sorrel builds a worldwide marketing services company after a search on public entity. 2. Company strengths and weaknesses Analysis of the financial performance of each company WPP Plc Current ratio The current ratio for WPP Plc in 2011 was 0.94:1. Current ratio measures the ability of a firm to cater for its short term obligations using its short term assets. The current ratio is lower than 1, and this means that WPP Plc was not in a better financial position to cater for its obligations. Gearing ratios 1. Debt to equity ratio The debt to equity ratio for WPP Plc during the 2011 financial year was 2.67. This ratio is obtained by dividing total liabilities by shareholders equity and this ratio means that the total liabilities are more than the shareholders equity. This high ratio is an indication of how aggressive WPP plc has been when it comes to using debts to finance its growth. A lot of debt was used to finance the 2011 growth and this ahs led to increased operations and hence the company was able to generate increased earnings using this financing than it would have done without these finances. 2. Debt ratio The debt ratio for WPP plc in 2011 was 0.72. The debt ratio is less than 1, and this indicates that the company has less debts than assets or has more ass ets that the debts. As a result, the company faces fewer risks when it comes to debt loads. Profitability ratios 1. Profit margin Profit margin for WPP plc in the 2011 financial years was 9.14%. This ratio measures how much a company generates from each dollar of sales (Bull 2007). This means that the company keeps $0.914 of each dollar of revenue collected. The profit margin ratio for the company in 2011 was low which indicates a high risk that any decline in sales will erase or do way with the profit and lead to a net loss. 2. Return on assets WPP plc return on assets ratio for the 2011 financial year was 3.7%. The low ratio is an indicator of how inefficient the company was in managing its assets in order to generate income. In simple terms, the ratio shows how less profitable the company was relative to its total assets. 3. Return on equity The return on equity for WPP for the 2011 was 13.6%. This low percentage is an indication the company did not generate much profit from the shareholders funds invested in the company. Dividend payout ratio Dividend payout ratio for WPP plc was 33% during the 2011 financial year. The high dividend ratio for the company is an indication the earnings of the company highly support the payment of