Workplace Ethical Issues

Workplace Ethical Issues Workplace ethics refers to moral principles and values governing proper behavioral conduct in the place of work (Barry Shaw, 2013). Work ethics guide the managers as well as employees to do the right thing even if doing the wrong thing can equally be rewarding and satisfying. Therefore, workplace ethical issues involve a plethora of ethical dilemmas and ethical abuses that come into play in any job.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Workplace Ethical Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An ethical issue is defined as an illegal, unethical, or irresponsible act made against the employer, and it jeopardizes the employer’s business. Ethical issues arise when workers including the managers and the subordinates are given the responsibility of making decisions about alternative courses of action. This paper discusses a few ethical issues that arise in the workplace. Harassment of the co-workers or clients is one o f the major workplace ethical issues that involve violation of the employers’ workplace ethics policy. Harassment in any workplace may involve unsolicited sexual advances, interferences with work performance through intimidation, or non-compliance with the conditions of work. Sometimes illegal harassment can be based on sex, religion, age, disability, race, or color. Johnson (2007) provides that harassment does not only involve violation of business ethics, but also involves a breach of the federal laws. Sexual harassment is the common ethical issue many workers experience at their workplaces and it is propagated by both the management and regular employees. Basically, sexual harassment of any nature makes the workplace hostile and causes distress among the sexually abused employees. According to Bredeson and Goree (2011), the most common ethical issue within sexual harassment is a dual relationship that involves sexual relationships between employees who share professional r esponsibilities. Furthermore, sexual harassment occurs when employees engage in unethical intimate relationships, which in turn affects their professional decision-making process. Consensual relationships at workplace between a senior employee and a junior employee can become dangerous. This may happen because a senior employee has more authority to affect the working ability of the junior employee if their intimate relationship breaks.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, if this happens, the subordinates should report the act to the relevant authorities because it is improper for any person to use his/her authority to demand favors or create a hostile work environment (Barry Shaw, 2013). Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consensual relationships with co-workers to combat ethical dilemmas and workplace distress. Substance abuse is another ethical issue that crops up at many workplaces. It may involve dependence on stimulating substances such as alcohol and other addictive intoxicating drugs. Addiction to any substance becomes a workplace ethical issue when either a manager or a regular employee’s work performance and productivity are impaired until they use the substance (Johnson, 2007). Alcohol is the most abused substance, and when the employees carry alcohol to workplaces or use in the workplace, it raises serious ethical questions. Generally, substance abuse can be a serious ethical issue if not handled with care since it can create a hostile work environment, and consequently jeopardize the productivity and performance of the entire workforce. In addition, confidentiality is a workplace ethical principle that becomes a familiar ethical issue when it is violated (Johnson, 2007). For instance, the disclosure of an employee’s personal information or the employer’s business strategy to rival organizations is a ma jor violation of the workplace ethics. Actually, protecting the employees from privacy invasion creates trust and perhaps increases their productivity. However, when confidentiality is violated, serious ethical implications may occur, which affect the business negatively. Work ethics require that the clients’ private information or the co-workers personal information be accessed by authorized individuals only. Conflict of interest is another common workplace ethical issue. It refers to a situation whereby an individual’s interests affect or influence his/her workplace judgment, actions, or decisions. Conflicts of interest are virtually unethical and illegal because they negatively affect workplace performance, decision-making process, and relationships with other participants (Bredeson Goree, 2011). Conflict of interest is a serious ethical issue, which should be avoided or resolved immediately it appears because it may result in professional misconduct in the workpla ce. Despite workplace ethical issues being endless, organizations can devise moral or ethical policies to protect their employees from ethical violations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Workplace Ethical Issues specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, an organization can develop a workplace policy based mission, vision and code of conduct, and ensure that each employee understands the code of ethics. In addition, the organization can provide workplace ethics training for employees, create a legal office to deal with employees ethical issues, and research all federal and employment laws relating to whistle blowing to avoid making decisions that lead to negative ethical implications (Bredeson Goree, 2011). Conclusion In summary, ethical issues exist in almost every workplace because workers often face situations, which involve ethical dilemmas. Moreover, when ethical issues are not resolved in time, they resul t in a hostile work environment making it harder for the employees to give their maximum potential. Thus, it is imperative for employers to respond appropriately to every ethical issue that arises in the workplace to make the workplace safe and friendly. References Barry, V., Shaw, W. (2013). Moral Issues in Business (12th Ed.). Wadsworth: Cenage Learning. Bredeson, D. Goree, K. (2011). Ethics in the workplace (3rd Ed). New York: Cengage Learning. Johnson, C. (2007). Ethics in the workplace: tools and Tactics for organizational Transformation. London: Sage Publications.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

King Edward VIII Abdicated for Love

King Edward VIII Abdicated for Love King Edward VIII did something that monarchs do not have the luxury of doing -   he fell in love. King Edward was in love with Mrs. Wallis Simpson, not only an American but also a married woman already once divorced. However, in order to marry the woman he loved, King Edward was willing to give up the British throne -   and he did, on December 10, 1936. To some, this was the love story of the century. To others, it was a scandal that threatened to weaken the monarchy. In reality, the story of King Edward VIII and Mrs. Wallis Simpson never fulfilled either of these notions; instead, the story is about a prince who wanted to be like everyone else. Prince Edward Growing Up: The Struggle Between Royal and Common King Edward VIII was born Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David on June 23, 1894, to the Duke and Duchess of York (the future King George V and Queen Mary). His brother Albert was born a year and a half later, soon followed by a sister, Mary, in April 1897. Three more brothers followed: Harry in 1900, George in 1902, and John in 1905 (died at age 14 from epilepsy). Though his parents surely loved Edward, he thought of them as cold and distant. Edwards father was very strict which caused Edward to fear every call to his fathers library since it usually meant punishment. In May 1907, Edward, only 12  years old, was shipped off to the Naval College at Osborne. He was at first teased because of his royal identity but soon garnered acceptance because of his attempt to be treated like any other cadet. After Osborne, Edward continued on to Dartmouth in May 1909. Though Dartmouth was also strict, Edwards stay there was less harsh. During the night of May 6, 1910, King Edward VII, Edwards grandfather who had been outwardly loving to Edward, passed away. Thus, Edwards father became king and Edward became the heir to the throne. In 1911, Edward became the twentieth Prince of Wales. Besides having to learn some Welsh phrases, Edward was to wear a particular costume for the ceremony. [W]hen a tailor appeared to measure me for a fantastic costume . . . of white satin breeches and a mantle and surcoat of purple velvet edged with ermine, I decided things had gone too far. . . . [W]hat would my Navy friends say if they saw me in this preposterous rig? 1 Though it is surely a natural feeling of teenagers to want to fit in, this feeling continued to grow in the prince. Prince Edward began to deplore being set on a pedestal or worshipped - anything that treated him as a person requiring homage.2 As Prince Edward later wrote in his memoirs: And if my association with the village boys at Sandringham and the cadets of the Naval Colleges had done anything for me, it was to make me desperately anxious to be treated exactly like any other boy of my age. 3 World War I In August 1914, when Europe became embroiled in World War I, Prince Edward asked for a commission. The request was granted and Edward was soon posted to the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards. The prince. however, was soon to learn that he was not going to be sent to battle. Prince Edward, extremely disappointed, went to argue his case with Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War. In his argument, Prince Edward told Kitchener that he had four younger brothers who could become heir to the throne if he were killed in battle. While the prince had given a good argument, Kitchener stated that it was not Edward being killed that prevented him from being sent into battle, but rather, the possibility of the enemy taking the prince as prisoner.4 Though posted far from any battle (he was given a position with Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, Sir John French), the prince did witness some of the horrors of the war. And while  he wasnt fighting on the front, Prince Edward won the respect of the common soldier for wanting to be there. Edward Likes Married Women Prince Edward was a very good-looking man. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and a boyish look on his face that lasted his entire life. Yet, for some reason, Prince Edward preferred married women. In 1918, Prince Edward met Mrs. Winifred (Freda), Dudley Ward. Despite the fact that they  were about the same age (23), Freda had been married for five years when they met. For 16 years, Freda was Prince Edwards mistress. Edward also had a long-time relationship with Viscountess Thelma Furness. On January 10, 1931, Lady Furness hosted a party at her country house, Burrough Court, where, in addition to Prince Edward, Mrs. Wallis Simpson and her husband Ernest Simpson were invited. It was at this party the two first met. Prince Edward was soon to be infatuated with Mrs. Simpson; however, she didnt make a big impression on Edward at their first meeting. Mrs. Wallis Simpson Becomes Edwards Only Mistress Four months later, Edward and Mrs. Wallis Simpson met again and seven months after that the prince had dinner over at the Simpsons house (staying until 4 a.m.). And though Wallis was a frequent guest of Prince Edwards for the next two years, she was not yet the only woman in Edwards life. In January 1934, Thelma Furness made a trip to the United States, entrusting Prince Edward to the care of Wallis in her absence. Upon Thelmas return, she found that she was no longer welcome in Prince Edwards life - even her phone calls were refused. Four months later, Mrs. Dudley Ward was similarly cut out of the princes life. Mrs. Wallis Simpson was then the princes single mistress. Who Was Mrs. Wallis Simpson? Mrs. Wallis Simpson has become an emotional figure in history. Along with this, many descriptions of her personality and motives for being with Edward have caused some extremely negative descriptions; the nicer ones range from witch to seductress. So who really was Mrs. Wallis Simpson? Mrs. Wallis Simpson was born Wallis Warfield on June 19, 1896, in Maryland, United States. Though Wallis came from a distinguished family in the United States, in the United Kingdom being an American was not highly regarded. Unfortunately, Walliss father died when she was only five months old and left no money;  thus his widow was forced to live off the charity given to her by her late husbands brother. As Wallis grew into a young woman, she was not necessarily considered pretty.5  However,  Wallis had a sense of style and pose that made her distinguished and attractive. She had radiant eyes, good complexion and fine, smooth black hair which she kept parted down the middle for most of her life. Wallis First and Second Marriages On November 8, 1916, Wallis Warfield married Lieutenant Earl Winfield (Win) Spencer, a pilot for the U.S. Navy. The marriage was reasonably good until the end of  World War I, as it was with  many ex-soldiers who became bitter at the inconclusiveness of the war and had difficulty adapting back to civilian life. After the armistice, Win began to drink heavily and also became abusive. Wallis eventually left Win and lived six years by herself in Washington. Win and Wallis werent yet divorced and when Win begged her to rejoin him, this time in China where he had been posted in 1922, she went. Things seemed to be working out until Win started drinking again. This time Wallis left him for good and sued for a divorce, which was granted in December 1927. In July 1928, only six months after her divorce, Wallis married Ernest Simpson, who worked in the family shipping business. After their marriage, they settled down in London. It was with her second husband that Wallis was invited to social parties and invited to Lady Furnesss house where she first met Prince Edward. Who Seduced Whom? While many blame Mrs. Wallis Simpson for seducing the prince, it seems rather more likely that she was herself seduced by the glamor and power of being close to the heir of Britains throne. At first, Wallis was just glad to have become included in the princes circle of friends. According to Wallis, it was in August 1934 that their relationship became more serious. During that month, the prince took a cruise on Lord Moynes yacht, the  Rosaura. Although both Simpsons were invited, Ernest Simpson could not accompany his wife on the cruise because of a business trip to the United States. It was on this cruise, Wallis stated, that she and the prince crossed the line that marks the indefinable boundary between friendship and love.6 Prince Edward became increasingly infatuated with Wallis. But did Wallis love Edward? Again, many people have said that she did not and that she was a calculating woman who either wanted to be a queen or who wanted money. It seems more probable that while  she was not infatuated with Edward, she loved him. Edward Becomes King At five minutes to midnight on January 20, 1936, King George V, Edwards father, passed away. Upon King George Vs death, Prince Edward became King Edward VIII. To many, Edwards grief over his fathers death seemed much greater than the grieving of his mother or his siblings. Though death affects people differently, Edwards grief might have been greater for his fathers death also signified his acquisition of the throne, complete with the responsibilities and eminence that he deplored. King Edward VIII didnt win many supporters at the beginning of his reign. His first act as the new king was to order the Sandringham clocks, which were always a half an hour fast, set to the correct time. This symbolized to many a king who was to deal with the trivial and who rejected his fathers work. Still, the government and the people of Great Britain had high hopes for King Edward. He had seen war, traveled the world, been to every part of the  British empire, seemed sincerely interested in social problems, and had a good memory. So what went wrong? Many things. First, Edward wanted to change many of the rules and become a modern monarch. Unfortunately, this caused Edward to distrust many of his advisors because he saw them as symbols and perpetrators of the old order. He dismissed many of them. Also, in an effort to reform and curb monetary excesses, he cut the salaries of many royal staff employees to an extreme degree. Employees became unhappy. The king also began to be late or cancel appointments and events at the last minute. State papers that were sent to him were not protected, some statesmen worried that German spies had access to these papers. At first, these papers were returned promptly, but soon it would be weeks before they were returned, some of which had obviously not even been looked at. Wallis Distracted the King One of the main reasons he was late or canceled events was because of Mrs. Wallis Simpson. His infatuation with her had grown so extreme that he was severely distracted from his State duties. Some thought she might be a German spy handing State papers over to the German government. The relationship between King Edward and Mrs. Wallis Simpson came to an impasse when the king received a letter from Alexander Hardinge, the kings private secretary, that warned him that the press would not remain silent much longer and that the government might resign en masse if this continued. King Edward was faced with three options: give up Wallis, keep Wallis and government would resign, or abdicate and give up the throne. Since King Edward had decided that he wanted to marry Mrs. Wallis Simpson (he told Walter Monckton that he had decided to marry her as early as 1934), he had little choice but to abdicate.7 King Edward VIII Abdicates Whatever her original motives, until the end, Mrs. Wallis Simpson didnt mean for the king to abdicate. Yet the day soon came when King Edward VIII was to sign the papers that would end his rule. At 10 a.m. on December 10, 1936, King Edward VIII, surrounded by his three surviving brothers, signed the six copies of the Instrument of Abdication: I, Edward the Eighth, of  Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Emperor of India, do hereby declare My irrevocable determination to renounce the Throne for Myself and for My descendants, and My desire that effect should be given to this Instrument of Abdication immediately. 8 The Duke and Duchess of Windsor At the moment of King Edward VIIIs abdication, his brother Albert, the next in line for the throne, became King George VI  (Albert was the father of Queen Elizabeth II). On the same day as the abdication, King George VI bestowed upon Edward the family name of Windsor. Thus, Edward became the Duke of Windsor and when he married, Wallis became the Duchess of Windsor. Mrs. Wallis Simpson sued for a divorce from Ernest Simpson, which was granted, and Wallis and Edward married in a small ceremony on June 3, 1937. To Edwards great sorrow, he received a letter on the eve of his wedding from King George VI stating that by abdicating, Edward was no longer entitled to the title Royal Highness. But, out of generosity for Edward, King George was going to allow Edward the right to hold that title, but not his wife or any children. This greatly pained Edward for the rest of his life, for it, was a slight to his new wife. After the abdication, the Duke and Duchess were exiled from Great Britain. Although a number of years had not been established for the exile, many believed it would only last a few years; instead, it lasted their entire lives. Royal family members shunned the couple. The Duke and Duchess lived out most of their lives in France with the exception of a short term in the Bahamas as governor. Edward passed away on May 28, 1972, a month shy of his 78th birthday. Wallis lived for 14  more years, many of which were spent in bed, secluded from the world. She passed away on April 24, 1986, two months shy of 90. 1. Christopher Warwick,  Abdication  (London: Sidgwick Jackson, 1986) 29.2. Warwick,  Abdication  30.3. Warwick,  Abdication  30.4. Warwick,  Abdication  37.5. Paul Ziegler,  King Edward VIII: The Official Biography  (London: Collins, 1990) 224.6. Warwick,  Abdication  79.7. Ziegler,  King Edward  277.8. Warwick,  Abdication  118. Sources: Bloch, Michael (ed).  Wallis Edward: Letters 1931-1937.  London: Weidenfeld Nicolson, 1986. Warwick, Christopher.  Abdication. London: Sidgwick Jackson, 1986. Ziegler, Paul.  King Edward VIII: The Official Biography. London: Collins, 1990.

Caring for the Dying Patient and Their Family Members Essay

Caring for the Dying Patient and Their Family Members - Essay Example Healing begins at this intersection where clinical problems/issues (dilemmas) emerge and suffering can best be understood. It is the accepting of others' different perspectives and beliefs that helps strengthens and creates resilience in the crisis time of suffering. The experience of suffering from an illness can be alleviated by those who play a role in the lives of the one suffering. These individuals are the ones whom the patient is connected with. We often consider the ones who are connected to the person with the illness as close family members and friends. Doctors and nurses, particularly family nurses can play a big role in alleviating the patient's suffering. The reason they play a big role is because the person with the illness, or the patient, has close ties to the nurse (medical practitioner) as he or she depends on the nurse for medical care on a regular basis. Some patients and family members (this includes friends) may not realize it but the nurse also provides more than medical care such as emotional and mental encouragement, strength, hope, and so on. Or the nurse can offer the opposite and place more fear and discouragement upon the patient and family members. There is much stress when dealing with one who is suf... Not only is there stress for the patient and family members but stress for the medical staff. All humans need the support of others. When hit by a major life-changing event, humans usually have the need to share this experience with someone who they feel close to-a friend, work associate, and/or a spouse. Many studies have shown that the impact of a major life event can be changed, or modified, by a support network. (Rock, 1992 The responsibilities of nurse and medical practitioners extend further than they used to. It no longer is an age where the nurse just helps solve medical problems and cares for the physical ailment. They are an extension of the family and a link/connection to the family's ability to handle and overcome the experiences of suffering. The nurse and family interact with each other and converse with each other in this trying time and it is the knowledge, understanding, and relieving of the suffering from this type of interaction that gives the family strength and resilience during a time of family crisis. The way a nurse thinks, the languages he or she uses, the questions he or she asks, and the values that are placed on relationships can create family strengths and resiliency in the midst of suffering. "Illness is a family Caring for Patient 4 affair" and the medical staff members are part of the family. (Bell, J., 1992, pp. 244-246.) Resiliency is the "ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy," as defined by resiliency. (n.d.). Resiliency is the ability to bounce back after a down time especially a time of crisis. Suffering from an illness is definitely a time of crisis for the family. Families know quite well the experience

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example a. Consumer activities enable the marketer to determine how people spend their time as well as what activities they prefer to engage in. In regard to mobile phones, marketers can determine from a sample of mobile phone users about what activities/sports/habits they engage into, how they spend leisure time, what features of a mobile phone are utilized during busy schedule. The information obtained can be used to determine a link between the categories. For instance, all busy professional people use organizer, WAP services, and mobile banking features; hang out or shop when they are free; do swimming, read morning newspaper and play chess. b. Interest category determines what things and images are of importance to consumers. It enables marketers to identify the areas of interest of their consumers. For e.g. one fourth of the individuals show interest in networking. c. Opinions category enable the marketer to determine how consumers view themselves and what opinions they hold about othe rs in their surroundings. It is more a self/social concept. This helps marketers identify how consumers view and evaluate objects, other people and themselves in a social setting (Aggarwal, 2004). For e.g. most of the people shares the idea that mobile usage amongst students must be monitored and rules must be established for limiting the use in educational premises. By soliciting consumer responses over the above mentioned categories, marketers can develop consumer profiles that possess similar activities, interest and opinions towards mobile phone usage. Marketers can also determine consumer mobile phone usage by evaluating situational use of a mobile phone. Thereby, marketers can highlight different situations in which multifaceted features mobile phone can be used; or they can identify different features that offer effective mobile usage in odd/urgent situations. For instance, if a consumer is lost somewhere, a mobile phone can be used as a tracker. In any urgency, such as baby birth, the father (consumer) may use mobile-ticketing for quick reservation of his flight. In turmoil or instable unsafe situations, consumers may relay on conducting mobile banking for payments rather than physically performing transactions. Motivation & involvement and attitude are other individual extrinsic factors that could potentially explain mobile phone usage. Motivation and involvement of a consumer in a product depends upon his motives for using a product. Motives are those internal factors that derive energy and active engagement of a consumer in product usage. Consequently, it also determines its usage of that product. For instance the motivation of a business man to use blackberry is high than that of a teenager. Attitude refers to evaluative judgments that a consumer holds towards anything under consideration. Attitude is a combination of and based on, a consumer’s experience, knowledge, perception and cognitive skills. It changes the way different consumers see and evaluate a situation (Edell, & Burke, 1987). Different people evaluate products differently in different situations (Hawkins, & Mothersbaugh, 2009). It can sustain marketers’ knowledge of mobile phone usage; provided it is used with other variables.

Violence in the Aztec Society Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Aztec Society Essay â€Å"The dismal drum of Huichilobos sounded again, accompanied by conches, horns, and trumpet-like instruments. It was a terrifying sound, and when we looked at the tall cue (temple-pyramid) from which it came we saw our comrades who had been captured in Cortes’ defeat being dragged up the steps to be sacrificed. When they had haled them up to a small platform in front of the shrine where they kept their accursed idols we saw them put plums on the heads of many of them; and then they made them dance with a sort of fan in front of Huichilobos. Then after they had danced the papas (Aztec priests) laid them down on their backs on some narrow stones of sacrifice and, cutting open their chests, drew out their palpitating hearts which they offered to the idols before them. Then they kicked the bodies down the steps, and the Indian butchers who were waiting below cut off their arms and legs and flayed their faces, which they afterwards prepared like glove leather, with their beards on, and kept for their drunken festivals. Then they ate their flesh with a sauce of peppers and tomatoes.† -Spanish Conquistador, Bernal Diaz (The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice by Michael Harner (1977:46-50)) The Aztecs were a tribe in central Mexico during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. They were located in Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, on an island in Lake Texcoco. The Aztec community was highly advanced for their time period in things such as architecture and mathematics. They developed a complex calendar, irrigation systems, exquisite art, advanced agriculture, canals used in transportation, chinampas (floating gardens), and were the first civilization to require their children to go to school. Yet, they were extremely violent and resorted to barbaric acts. It appears from the Spanish records and archaeological findings that the Aztecs were most definitely a violent society, but were they inherently violent or did they have rational reasons related to non-violence explaining their behavior? The main reason scholars think that the Aztecs were seen as a malicious  group was their ritual of human sacrificing. Spanish records of the Aztecs have been known to exaggerate their descriptions of human sacrificing but archaeological research done in 1960 and 1969 tends to support the conquistadores’ accounts. Headless human rib cages completely lacking the limb bones were found at Aztec sacrificial sites. Although these remains were found, many scholars perceive this as a religious act pertaining to the Aztec’s belief that humans must sacrifice that, which was most precious to them, life, in order to receive in return the sun, rain, and other blessings of the gods that make life possible. Ortiz de Montellano (1978,1990) attributed the Aztec practice of human sacrifice to their belief that the gods required it. He went on to say that the majority of human sacrifice during harvest periods indicated that it was â€Å"a gesture of thanks and reciprocity to the gods ( 1978:614).† The Aztecs often went to war with their neighbors to bring back prisoners for human sacrifice; this was called the flowery wars. Although the Aztecs did take prisoners to be sacrificed, some scholars believe that the flowery wars were not only for obtaining sacrificial victims. Hassig (1990) linked human sacrifice to their unstable economic position. He analyzed the flowery wars as an empire-building strategy that was used to wear down stronger enemies rather than as a deliberate procedure to capture people for sacrifice. Price (1978) and Isaac (1983) similarly thought that the flowery wars reflected the shifting of power between neighboring cities and their inability to conquer the Valley of Mexico (Tlaxcala-Pueblan Valley). Price suggests that the failure of military conquering made human sacrifice an ideal excuse to explain this lack of success. King Moteuczoma characterized the wars as rituals for obtaining captives and as military training for soldiers. This is seen as a strateg ic plan to direct the conquistadores’ attention away from political and military weaknesses in the Aztec civilization. In the mass majority of sacrificial rituals, cannibalism was performed. This often took part during the sacrificing of prisoners of war but also happened during the sacrifice of some of their own people. Harner (1977) rejected anthropological theories hypothesizing that human sacrifice was  caused by the requirement of their religion and gods. He thought that their causes were because of a high population rate that caused protein scarcity. Based on studies of population pressure, Harner (1970) suggested that the big picture of Aztec human sacrifice and cannibalism resulted from demographical and ecological factors. These created protein shortages, population pressure, seasonal crop failures, a lack of livestock, the depletion of wild game in the region, famine, and the environment surrounding the valley was not suitable for farming due to the desertification of the land. The Aztecs had corn and beans to provide protein but since these vegetables could only be grown in certain seasons, they were an insufficient way to get protein. This is what led Harner to believe cannibalism was their only constant and abundant supply of protein. Harner also suggested that the purpose of the flowery wars was to capture prisoners to sacrifice with the intent to consume them. Price, (1978) however, disagreed. She stated that the highest classes of society, who consumed most of the human sacrifices, already had easy access to other meat. Ortiz De Montellano (1978) argued against Harner’s hypothesis as well. He stated that there was a wide range of meat protein available, advances in agricultural techniques, plenty of stored food, and that the Aztecs had a good overall diet. Montellano also suggested other ideas as to why the â€Å"ecological hypothesis† was not true. The first was that the Aztecs were conquering new lands and areas for agriculture, which sometimes provided them with a new source of game to hunt, thus having a larger pool of meat to eat. His second was of the minor availability of the total human protein from sacrifice because the flesh was reserved for the elite, which included great warriors and priests. Montellano’s third was evidence that explained that the bulk of the Aztec’s sacrifices took part during the periods of time in the year when there were plenty of crops and plenty of food to easily sustain them. This means that instead of the Aztecs relying on human meat during the off-season, they practiced cannibalism regardless of their food status. Michael Winkelman (1998) said, â€Å"in comparison to other societies with human  sacrifice, the Aztecs were extreme in several measures: they were the only human sacrifice society in this sample with a high risk of famine; the highest on several measures of population pressure; in the highest category of population density (over 500 persons per square mile); and had the highest levels of overall warfare for land resources. Therefore, their sacrifice and cannibalism may reflect their extreme conditions on many ecological variables.† John M. D. Pohl (2002) stated, â€Å"Aztec sacrifice, once perceived as a ruthless practice committed by a ‘tribe’ seemingly obsessed with bloodshed, is now seen as no more or less brutal than what many imperial civilizations have done.† The Aztecs were not the only people throughout the Earth’s history to have such violent practices. William Prescott (1992) compiled research comparing the Aztecs violent ways to those of other cultures throughout history. According to Prescott’s research, such violent practices were found among the ancient Canaanites, the Celtic people, and the Romans. The Romans had slaves that they condemned to die merely for the purpose of entertainment in the Colosseum. The research also notes the story of Abraham and Isaac in the Old Testament, where Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God. While the story was against sacrifice it still shows that it was a known practice. Another biblical story of sacrifice that Prescott mentions is the story of Jepthah. Jepthah pledges that he will sacrifice the first living creature that he saw when returning home if god would give him victory in his upcoming battle. When Jepthah returns home, he is greeted by his daughter and is forced by the bindings of his word to make a burnt offering of his daughter. Prescott’s compilation of research also included the Hindu custom of suttee, which was the suicide of the widow on the funeral pyre of her husband because of the Hindu belief in Samsara. French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss (1964) described the Aztecs as suffering from â€Å"a maniacal obsession with blood and torture.† However, Harner (1977:51) stated, â€Å"Gruesome as these practices may seem, an ecological perspective and population pressure theory render the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice acceptable as a natural and rational response to the material conditions of their existence. A materialist ecological  approach reveals the Aztecs to be neither irrational nor mentally ill, but merely human beings who, faced with unusual survival problems, responded with unusual behavior.† The Aztec’s beliefs about the world and how they, as a people, could keep the sun rising and the plants growing and therefore continued life for future generations was also a very powerful force in their commitment to give to the gods the highest honor of human sacrifice. The Aztecs definitely had a violent culture and had some very unorthodox practices, but were their methods any more cruel than nuclear warfare, terrorism, and torture for political reasons? We look at the Aztec’s reasons for their violent actions as insufficient but we do not question our own reasons for the violence we create today. Perhaps it’s in the way we view, interpret, and justify the actions.

Convergent and Divergent Product Technology :: Expository Essays Research Papers

Convergent and Divergent Product Technology Every day we encounter different convergent and divergent products. Some people like the idea of a do everything Personal Digital Assistant, while others enjoy different products used for different things. Convergence can be defined as the occurrence of two or more things coming together. On the other hand, divergence is the tendency to move apart or evolve in different directions. In the instance of modern-technologies and their use in the information age, convergence and divergence play a large role in how new products are manufactured and marketed. There are many examples throughout history demonstrating the evolution of products in terms of convergence and divergence. Evolution of products leads to the current products on the market. These current products and historical trends of product evolution can give us an insight into what is in-store for the future of various forms of media. The dynamic innovations of convergent and divergent products continue to change throughout the in formation age. We can gain an understanding of how current forms of convergent and divergent media have come to be through a tour of a brief historical retrospect. Early on, accessible public technology was limited to the radio, television, and telephone. Each form of media was known as a divergent product. People seemed rather content with this simple way of living and had no trouble doing one thing at a time. Perhaps the first known convergence was the TV dinner. Families could now multitask; they could watch television and eat their meal in front of the television. As humorous as this may seem as a form of technology, this way of thinking paved the way for modern convergent products. Not until technologies became available in the nineties did convergent products become the norm. With the development of the laptop, the cellular phone, and the walkman people started to understand the potential of transportable and compactable technologies. These early technological breakthroughs became more advanc ed and people demanded more features. In time, these features would transform divergent products into convergent products. An evolution of convergent and divergent technologies has brought the market for divergent technologies into the information age. Soon, the radio could play cassettes and compact discs, the television could play VHS-tapes and DVDs, and the cellular phone can do just about anything. The laptop originated this convergent phenomenon with the competition of its size. Laptops became so small that they were deemed the name palm-pilot sometime in the mid-nineties due to the ability to fit in one’s palm.

Jawhar Gram Samridhi Yojna

Its name then got changed to Jawhar Gram Samridhi Yojna . lt was started on 1 April 1999. The main aim of this programme was development of rural infrastructure. Belief that good rural infrastructure would give rise to many opportunities which poor rural people could benefit and improve their condition. Infrastructure like roads to connect the village to different area, which made the village more accessible and also other social, educational(schools) and Infrastructure Ilke hospitals. Its secondary objective was to give out sustained wage employment.This was only given to BPL (below the poverty ine)famllnder was to be spent for Individual beneficiary schemes for SCS and ST's and 3% for establishment of barrier free infrastructure for the disabled people. The village panchayats were one of the main governing body of this programme. There it did not feel like an outsider was controlling it, the village panchayats were a part of the people and understood their needs. ThOOO 1841. 80 cro re was used and they had a target of 8. 57 lakh works, 5. 07 lakh works were completed during 1999-2000.Employment Assurance Scheme(EAS) This scheme was started on 1 October 1993. It was first started in 1772 backward areas In 257 districts. The revamped public distribution system was in operation here. It was later expanded to all the 5448 rural blocks of the country. The employment assurance scheme was later renamed red In 1999-2000 to the single wage employment programme. The maln objective was to create wage employment opportunities through manual work for the people inrea living below 13/12/2012 7:31 PM http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/poverty_alleviation_programmes_in_lndia the poverty line in the time of acute shortage of wage employment. The other objective is creation of durable community and social and economic for sustained employment and development of the poor. This scheme is available all the poor andy people living below the poverty line who cannot help themselves. preto SC and STs and also to parents of children those who have Just been saved from child labour and from hazardous working conditions who are bellow the poverty line. Also only 2 adults of the family are given wage employment.This programme is carried out and implemented through Zilla parishads and in those states where Zilla parishads are not there, it is implemented through DRDA's. The Zilla parishads finalize all the works in their Jurisdiction which is approved by the MP's(members of parliament)The zliia arisahds are allowed to spend 15% of the funds for the maintenance of the assets formed and created under this scheme. During 1999 and 2000 they had an target of 4091. 63 mandays, 2566. 39 lakh mandays were created and the total allocation of funds during that year was 2431. 46 crore and the amount that was used was Rs 1998. 6 crore. National Old Age Pension Scheme(NOAPS) As the name suggest this scheme provided pension to old people who were above the age of 65 who could not fend for them selves and did not have any means of substinence. The pension that was given was Rs 200 a month. This pension is given y the central government. The Job of implementation of this scheme in states and union territories is given to panchayats and municipalities. The states contribution may vary depending on the state. National Family Benefit Scheme(NFBS) This scheme was started in August 1995 by GO'. This scheme is sponsored by the state government.It was transferred to the state sector scheme after 2002-03. It is under the community and rural department. This scheme provides a sum of 10000Rs to a person of a family who become the head of the family after the death of its primary breadwinner. A breadwinner is a person who is above 18 who earns the ost for the family and the family survives on his/her earnings. It is for families below the poverty line. National Maternity Benefit Scheme This scheme provides a sum of 500 Rs to a pregnant mother for the first two live births. Th e women have to be older than 19 years of age.It is given normally 12-8 weeks DeTore tne Dlrtn ana In case 0T tne aeatn 0T tne cn110 tne women can stlll avall it. The NSAP is implemented by states and union territories with the help of panchayats and municipalities. During 1999-2000 the total allocation of funds for this scheme was 767. 05 crores and the amount used was Rs 596. 99 crores. ANNAPURNA This scheme was started by the government in 1999-2000 to provide food to senior citizens who cannot take care of themselves and are not under the targeted public distribution system(TPDS), and who have no one to take care of them in their village.

Kfc Essay

Introduction-overview of the company(KFC)| Pg- 2| Short elaboration of micro and macro environment and three factors that influence| Pg-3| Current sales analysis| Pg-4| Environmental factors and opportunities| Pg-5,6| Business macro-environmental factors| Pg-7 | Conclusion| Pg-8| | | Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation based in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the world’s most successful fast food organizations. It has operations throughout the world and has a vast history which has been put to present like no other fast food.It has grown enormously following its fragile birth, splashing in scintillating numbers in both franchisees and company owned stores all over. The company’s prime strength lies in providing high-quality chicken meals to its huge consumer base all over the world. Now every day, more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States an d more than 15,000 units around the world. The company has strong product identification through its branding, advertising as well as packaging signifies the company in various manner.The famous paper bucket that KFC uses for its larger sized orders of chicken, its logos and the famous picture of Harland Sanders, the initial founder, all represent KFC in the most colorful way. KFC's specialty is fried chicken served in various forms. However the recipe of 11 herbs and spices used by KFC in preparation of their chicken still remains a trade secret. KFC's primary product is pressure-fried pieces of chicken made with the original recipe. The other chicken offering, extra crispy, is made using a garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine.Despite KFC’s success as a company, the fast food organization had faced many problems over the years. There were mostly environmental issues that had influenced their product marketing and in time they had inherited new ways and different techniques to cater their fast food products. Animal Cruelty Since 2003, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have been protesting KFC’s treatment of the animals used for its products with the Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign.PETA states that they have held more than 12,000 demonstrations at KFC outlets since 2003 because of alleged mistreatment of chickens by KFC suppliers. Alleged rainforest destruction In May 2012, Greenpeace accused KFC of sourcing paper pulp for its food packaging from Indonesian rainforest wood. Independent forensic tests showed that some packaging contained more than 50 per cent mixed tropical hardwood fibre, sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Macro environment KFC operates in a larger macro environment of forces that creates opportunities, but also threats.A company such as KFC usually cannot influence trends in the macro environment, as they affe ct people and organisations on a larger scale. However, KFC has to carefully examine macro environmental trends and must create competitive responses to such trends. There are six major macro environmental forces KFC has to take into account. Micro environment The microenvironment consists of all forces that are close to KFC, and on which KFC has an impact. They directly affect KFC’s ability to serve its customers. Three major components influence KFC’s microenvironment:COMPETITORS Because the fast food market is highly competitive, KFC faces a wide number of direct and indirect competitors. KFC’s main competitors are fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Domino’s, which are already well established throughout the world. McDonalds’s in particular is a direct competitor, as they have already successfully introduced their Salads plus line, which directly targets ‘healthy food’ conscious world we live in. But, there are a number of other competitors that is also focusing on ‘chicken’ types products.All this competition makes it quite difficult for KFC to maintain or even broaden their customer base. However, with the introduction of a new and healthy product range, KFC can differentiate itself from most competitors and will gain a competitive advantage. CUSTOMERS KFC’s customer market consists solely of the consumer market. KFC’s products are bought by individuals (males, females, singles, and families). Therefore, the product range KFC offer should appeal to as many people within this consumer market as possible, to ensure that the maximum amount of products can be sold.The characteristics of these individuals and a segmentation of them are discussed later in this report. Strengths and weakness of competitors Strengths: 38 products, Attractive Outlets, Huge Marketing, Budget, More entertainment for kids Weaknesses: Same type of Menu, No Home Delivery How they compete with their c ompetitors? It is found that KFC compete its competitors by five ways: †¢KFC compete its competitors through marketing strategy †¢They offered different packages at different events like Ramadan offer, midnight offer etc. †¢KFC compete their competitors by providing good services They must hired the hard selling persons to market their product in the market and motivate their employees for the sake of organizations and employees do well and they compete there competitors KFC has quality products and through these quality products they compete their competitors Current Sales Analysis Market Share Market Share KFC has a very long history and has the most recognize able brand in chicken with over 50% of the market share. It becomes difficult for the companies like Sub way, Mc Donald’s, Chicken planet, Dixie or those who may want to enter in the market of fast food restaurants.Due to with over 50% of the market share in fast food industry KFC has recognition around the world and has been globally positioned for many years in and to capture the market share in adopting a chicken loving experience. Environmental factors and opportunities Political: The operations of KFC are affected by the government policies on the regulations of fast food operation. Currently government are controlling the marketing of fast food restaurant because of health concern such as cardiovascular and cholesterol issue and obesity among the young and children in the country.Governments also control the license given for open the fast food restaurant and other business regulation need to follow such as for a franchise business. Good relationship with government in giving mutual benefits such as employment and tax is a must for the company to succeed in any foreign market. Economic: Though for last 1 year there was economic slowdown all across the globe but the sales of KFC and other fast food chains did not slow down to that extent that of other sectors in. The GDP (Pur chasing Power Parity) is estimated at2. 965 trillion U. S. dollars in the year 2010.The GDP- per Capita (PPP) was 2700 U. S. dollars as estimated in 2008. The GDP- real growth rate in 2007was 8. 7%. India has the third highest GDP in terms of purchasing power parity just ahead Japan and behind U. S. and China. Foreign direct investment rose in the fiscal year ended March 31 2007 to about $16 billion from just $5. 5 billion a year earlier. Socio cultural: India is the second most populous nation in the world with an approximate population of over 1. 1billion people. This population is divided in the following age structure: 0-14 years – 31. 8%, 15-64 years – 63. % and 65years and above – 5. 1%. There has also been a continuous increase in the consumption of fast food in India. The social trend toward fast good consumption is changing and India has seen an increase of 90% fast food consumption from the year 2002-2007. This increase is far greater than the increase in the BRIC nations of Brazil (20 per cent), Russia (50 per cent) and China (almost 60 per cent). Thus this shows a positive trend for fast food industries in India. Technological: The fast food Industry is heating up with a lot of foreign players entering the market.The technological knowhow and expertise will also enter the market with an increase in competition. With the lower rates and increase technology the fast food counters are attracting youth by giving them attractive deals. For e. g. KFC and Domino’s pizza. For a fast food restaurant, technology does not give a very high impact on the company and it is not a significant macro environment variables. However KFC should be looking to competitors innovation and improve itself in term of integrating technology in managing its operation.For example in inventory system, supply chain management system to manage its supply, easy payment and ordering systems for its customers and wireless internet technology. Implementation of technology can make the management more effective and cost saving in the long term. This will also make customer happy if cost savings results in price reduction or promotional campaign discount which will benefits them from time to time. Environmental: As one of world largest consumer of beef, potatoes and chicken, KFC always had been critics for world environmentalist.This is because high consumption of beef causing the green house effect by methane gasses coming from the cow’s ranch. Large-scale plantation has effect the environment and lost of green forest opening for plantation activities. Vegetarian environmentalist criticizes the fast-food giant for cruelty to animals and slaughtering. In America, once KFC want to introduce whale burger causing uproar because whales are endangered species. Before using paper packaging, KFC once had been criticized for being insensitive to pollution because of using ne based packaging for its food products.Imagine millions of people purchase from fast food operator and how is the impact to world environment by throwing away those hard to recycle packaging. Our world is getting concern on environment issue and business operating here should not just care for profit, but careful usage of world resources for sustainable development and care for environment safety and health for our future generation. Critics and concern from all public or activist should bare view and support if necessary to ensure we play our social responsibility better. Legal factors:As a certified fast food operator, there are many regulations and procedures that KFC should follow. For example is the Halal certification that becomes a concern to Muslim consumers. KFC should protect its integrity and consumer confidence by ensuring all materials and process are as claimed or must followed. Other legal requirement that the business owner should follow as stipulated in laws are such as operating hours, business registration, tax requirement, lab or and employment laws and quality & environment certification (such as ISO) in which the outlet has been certified.The legal requirement is important because the offenders will be fined or have their business prohibited from operating which can be disastrous. KFC India -BCG Matrix Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) Matrix Currently KFC have launched a new product in the market. They have also tried to come into the beverages market by launching its new brand of shakes called KRUSHERS. As it is a fairly new product it comes in the category of the Question Mark in the BCG Matrix. It has a low market share thus brings low revenue. KFC is advertising a lot to popularize this product so there is a lot of expenditure on it.This product is individually not bringing any profits and is a cash drain for the company. Company may decide to completely remove this product from the market if it does not do well soon and start bringing in revenue. Business macro-environmental factors The company and a ll the other actors operate in a larger macro-environment of forces, including political, economic, cultural, technological, legal and ecological factors, which shape opportunities and pose threats to the company. Political and legal regulatory affect the strategic development of KFC Corporation, which made the US market more challenging.Example- Forbidding the use of trans-fat cooking oil mandating calorie counts on menus,removing advertisement from kid's programme, and even prohibiting from making unconfirmed claims concerning nutritional value and losing weight benefits. All of these may seriously impede the free flow of goods within a group and from suppliers and consumer demand. According to the Institute for the World Economy, the aggregation of financial crisis continues to result in negative result to the world economy and generate a strong downturn in the entire restaurant industry, which leads to the falling of US unit expansion from 3. % of 2006 to 2. 4% of 2007. On the o ther hand, fewer costs as compared with healthier food helped KFC and the entire fast food industry to grow rapidly. Moreover, KFC can increase profit margins with chicken which is lower in cost compared to other meat. With the ever-increasing impact of health consciousness, like obesity, among consumers, it's increasingly hard for KFC to keep its original product mix and alternatively prompt them to offer healthier foods (threat). In contrast, under the slump chicken consumption in Europe and Asia market owing to the outbreak of avian flu, US market still shows an image of rising.Furthermore, hurried and changing lifestyle of people along with convenient and tasty characters of foods, which offered numerous business opportunities for KFC Corporation. The innovation in technology offers further development possibilities to fast food industry. However, owing to equipment problems, KFC lost its Rotisserie Chicken market which had achieved a huge success in non-fried chicken area. Rest aurants are known to have very high levels of energy intensity due to their relatively small building size and the amount of cooking, heating, and refrigeration needed to prepare and serve food to customers.Due to these high levels of energy use, we continue to focus our efforts on reducing our energy intensity in both new and existing restaurants. In 2006 KFC established a goal to reduce energy usage in the U. S. company-owned restaurants by 12 percent from 2005 levels by the end of 2009. They achieved a 14% reduction through the application of numerous energy conservation measures (ECMs). In addition to reducing energy consumption, these ECMs resulted in the elimination of over 117,000 metric tons of CO2 per year from the atmosphere.The KFC China division has also recognized the need to focus on energy conservation and has become actively involved in implementing ECMs over the past few years. Their efforts have resulted in the elimination of over 5300 metric tons of CO2 per year. Greenpeace, a conservational and environmental organization in 46 countries, has accused Cargill concerning the illegal exportation of soya to KFC for its chicken food supplied. Changing consumers' perception about KFC is arisen among analyst and specialist and forthright.In respect to the accusations has actively retrofit existing restaurants with more efficient lighting systems. During 2009, 190 restaurants in China had their interior linear fluorescent lamps upgraded to a more efficient version resulting in a reduction of over 600 metric tons of CO2 per year. Heating, Ventilation ; Air Conditioning (HVAC): In 2006, Yum! made the commitment to standardize high efficiency air conditioning systems for all U. S. restaurants. Since then, over 1800 high-efficiency air conditioning units have been installed with slightly over 600 taking place in 2008 and 2009.These 600 + installations have reduced our CO2 output by 10,500 metric tons per year. In China, the engineering team developed th e means to overcome water hardness issues compromising the efficiency of certain heating devices used in our KFC kitchens. Their solution enabled the equipment to operate at peak efficiency which eliminated over 4200 metric tons of CO2 per year. In conclusion, KFC had used all its macro environment factors efficiently; it had improved its product in terms of packaging technology, its cooking methods and most important heath wise keeping in mind the external affect on the environment. Kfc Essay Introduction-overview of the company(KFC)| Pg- 2| Short elaboration of micro and macro environment and three factors that influence| Pg-3| Current sales analysis| Pg-4| Environmental factors and opportunities| Pg-5,6| Business macro-environmental factors| Pg-7 | Conclusion| Pg-8| | | Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation based in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the world’s most successful fast food organizations. It has operations throughout the world and has a vast history which has been put to present like no other fast food.It has grown enormously following its fragile birth, splashing in scintillating numbers in both franchisees and company owned stores all over. The company’s prime strength lies in providing high-quality chicken meals to its huge consumer base all over the world. Now every day, more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States an d more than 15,000 units around the world. The company has strong product identification through its branding, advertising as well as packaging signifies the company in various manner.The famous paper bucket that KFC uses for its larger sized orders of chicken, its logos and the famous picture of Harland Sanders, the initial founder, all represent KFC in the most colorful way. KFC's specialty is fried chicken served in various forms. However the recipe of 11 herbs and spices used by KFC in preparation of their chicken still remains a trade secret. KFC's primary product is pressure-fried pieces of chicken made with the original recipe. The other chicken offering, extra crispy, is made using a garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine.Despite KFC’s success as a company, the fast food organization had faced many problems over the years. There were mostly environmental issues that had influenced their product marketing and in time they had inherited new ways and different techniques to cater their fast food products. Animal Cruelty Since 2003, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), have been protesting KFC’s treatment of the animals used for its products with the Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign.PETA states that they have held more than 12,000 demonstrations at KFC outlets since 2003 because of alleged mistreatment of chickens by KFC suppliers. Alleged rainforest destruction In May 2012, Greenpeace accused KFC of sourcing paper pulp for its food packaging from Indonesian rainforest wood. Independent forensic tests showed that some packaging contained more than 50 per cent mixed tropical hardwood fibre, sourced from Asia Pulp & Paper Macro environment KFC operates in a larger macro environment of forces that creates opportunities, but also threats.A company such as KFC usually cannot influence trends in the macro environment, as they affe ct people and organisations on a larger scale. However, KFC has to carefully examine macro environmental trends and must create competitive responses to such trends. There are six major macro environmental forces KFC has to take into account. Micro environment The microenvironment consists of all forces that are close to KFC, and on which KFC has an impact. They directly affect KFC’s ability to serve its customers. Three major components influence KFC’s microenvironment:COMPETITORS Because the fast food market is highly competitive, KFC faces a wide number of direct and indirect competitors. KFC’s main competitors are fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Domino’s, which are already well established throughout the world. McDonalds’s in particular is a direct competitor, as they have already successfully introduced their Salads plus line, which directly targets ‘healthy food’ conscious world we live in. But, there are a number of other competitors that is also focusing on ‘chicken’ types products.All this competition makes it quite difficult for KFC to maintain or even broaden their customer base. However, with the introduction of a new and healthy product range, KFC can differentiate itself from most competitors and will gain a competitive advantage. CUSTOMERS KFC’s customer market consists solely of the consumer market. KFC’s products are bought by individuals (males, females, singles, and families). Therefore, the product range KFC offer should appeal to as many people within this consumer market as possible, to ensure that the maximum amount of products can be sold.The characteristics of these individuals and a segmentation of them are discussed later in this report. Strengths and weakness of competitors Strengths: 38 products, Attractive Outlets, Huge Marketing, Budget, More entertainment for kids Weaknesses: Same type of Menu, No Home Delivery How they compete with their c ompetitors? It is found that KFC compete its competitors by five ways: †¢KFC compete its competitors through marketing strategy †¢They offered different packages at different events like Ramadan offer, midnight offer etc. †¢KFC compete their competitors by providing good services They must hired the hard selling persons to market their product in the market and motivate their employees for the sake of organizations and employees do well and they compete there competitors KFC has quality products and through these quality products they compete their competitors Current Sales Analysis Market Share Market Share KFC has a very long history and has the most recognize able brand in chicken with over 50% of the market share. It becomes difficult for the companies like Sub way, Mc Donald’s, Chicken planet, Dixie or those who may want to enter in the market of fast food restaurants.Due to with over 50% of the market share in fast food industry KFC has recognition around the world and has been globally positioned for many years in and to capture the market share in adopting a chicken loving experience. Environmental factors and opportunities Political: The operations of KFC are affected by the government policies on the regulations of fast food operation. Currently government are controlling the marketing of fast food restaurant because of health concern such as cardiovascular and cholesterol issue and obesity among the young and children in the country.Governments also control the license given for open the fast food restaurant and other business regulation need to follow such as for a franchise business. Good relationship with government in giving mutual benefits such as employment and tax is a must for the company to succeed in any foreign market. Economic: Though for last 1 year there was economic slowdown all across the globe but the sales of KFC and other fast food chains did not slow down to that extent that of other sectors in. The GDP (Pur chasing Power Parity) is estimated at2. 965 trillion U. S. dollars in the year 2010.The GDP- per Capita (PPP) was 2700 U. S. dollars as estimated in 2008. The GDP- real growth rate in 2007was 8. 7%. India has the third highest GDP in terms of purchasing power parity just ahead Japan and behind U. S. and China. Foreign direct investment rose in the fiscal year ended March 31 2007 to about $16 billion from just $5. 5 billion a year earlier. Socio cultural: India is the second most populous nation in the world with an approximate population of over 1. 1billion people. This population is divided in the following age structure: 0-14 years – 31. 8%, 15-64 years – 63. % and 65years and above – 5. 1%. There has also been a continuous increase in the consumption of fast food in India. The social trend toward fast good consumption is changing and India has seen an increase of 90% fast food consumption from the year 2002-2007. This increase is far greater than the increase in the BRIC nations of Brazil (20 per cent), Russia (50 per cent) and China (almost 60 per cent). Thus this shows a positive trend for fast food industries in India. Technological: The fast food Industry is heating up with a lot of foreign players entering the market.The technological knowhow and expertise will also enter the market with an increase in competition. With the lower rates and increase technology the fast food counters are attracting youth by giving them attractive deals. For e. g. KFC and Domino’s pizza. For a fast food restaurant, technology does not give a very high impact on the company and it is not a significant macro environment variables. However KFC should be looking to competitors innovation and improve itself in term of integrating technology in managing its operation.For example in inventory system, supply chain management system to manage its supply, easy payment and ordering systems for its customers and wireless internet technology. Implementation of technology can make the management more effective and cost saving in the long term. This will also make customer happy if cost savings results in price reduction or promotional campaign discount which will benefits them from time to time. Environmental: As one of world largest consumer of beef, potatoes and chicken, KFC always had been critics for world environmentalist.This is because high consumption of beef causing the green house effect by methane gasses coming from the cow’s ranch. Large-scale plantation has effect the environment and lost of green forest opening for plantation activities. Vegetarian environmentalist criticizes the fast-food giant for cruelty to animals and slaughtering. In America, once KFC want to introduce whale burger causing uproar because whales are endangered species. Before using paper packaging, KFC once had been criticized for being insensitive to pollution because of using ne based packaging for its food products.Imagine millions of people purchase from fast food operator and how is the impact to world environment by throwing away those hard to recycle packaging. Our world is getting concern on environment issue and business operating here should not just care for profit, but careful usage of world resources for sustainable development and care for environment safety and health for our future generation. Critics and concern from all public or activist should bare view and support if necessary to ensure we play our social responsibility better. Legal factors:As a certified fast food operator, there are many regulations and procedures that KFC should follow. For example is the Halal certification that becomes a concern to Muslim consumers. KFC should protect its integrity and consumer confidence by ensuring all materials and process are as claimed or must followed. Other legal requirement that the business owner should follow as stipulated in laws are such as operating hours, business registration, tax requirement, lab or and employment laws and quality & environment certification (such as ISO) in which the outlet has been certified.The legal requirement is important because the offenders will be fined or have their business prohibited from operating which can be disastrous. KFC India -BCG Matrix Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) Matrix Currently KFC have launched a new product in the market. They have also tried to come into the beverages market by launching its new brand of shakes called KRUSHERS. As it is a fairly new product it comes in the category of the Question Mark in the BCG Matrix. It has a low market share thus brings low revenue. KFC is advertising a lot to popularize this product so there is a lot of expenditure on it.This product is individually not bringing any profits and is a cash drain for the company. Company may decide to completely remove this product from the market if it does not do well soon and start bringing in revenue. Business macro-environmental factors The company and a ll the other actors operate in a larger macro-environment of forces, including political, economic, cultural, technological, legal and ecological factors, which shape opportunities and pose threats to the company. Political and legal regulatory affect the strategic development of KFC Corporation, which made the US market more challenging.Example- Forbidding the use of trans-fat cooking oil mandating calorie counts on menus,removing advertisement from kid's programme, and even prohibiting from making unconfirmed claims concerning nutritional value and losing weight benefits. All of these may seriously impede the free flow of goods within a group and from suppliers and consumer demand. According to the Institute for the World Economy, the aggregation of financial crisis continues to result in negative result to the world economy and generate a strong downturn in the entire restaurant industry, which leads to the falling of US unit expansion from 3. % of 2006 to 2. 4% of 2007. On the o ther hand, fewer costs as compared with healthier food helped KFC and the entire fast food industry to grow rapidly. Moreover, KFC can increase profit margins with chicken which is lower in cost compared to other meat. With the ever-increasing impact of health consciousness, like obesity, among consumers, it's increasingly hard for KFC to keep its original product mix and alternatively prompt them to offer healthier foods (threat). In contrast, under the slump chicken consumption in Europe and Asia market owing to the outbreak of avian flu, US market still shows an image of rising.Furthermore, hurried and changing lifestyle of people along with convenient and tasty characters of foods, which offered numerous business opportunities for KFC Corporation. The innovation in technology offers further development possibilities to fast food industry. However, owing to equipment problems, KFC lost its Rotisserie Chicken market which had achieved a huge success in non-fried chicken area. Rest aurants are known to have very high levels of energy intensity due to their relatively small building size and the amount of cooking, heating, and refrigeration needed to prepare and serve food to customers.Due to these high levels of energy use, we continue to focus our efforts on reducing our energy intensity in both new and existing restaurants. In 2006 KFC established a goal to reduce energy usage in the U. S. company-owned restaurants by 12 percent from 2005 levels by the end of 2009. They achieved a 14% reduction through the application of numerous energy conservation measures (ECMs). In addition to reducing energy consumption, these ECMs resulted in the elimination of over 117,000 metric tons of CO2 per year from the atmosphere.The KFC China division has also recognized the need to focus on energy conservation and has become actively involved in implementing ECMs over the past few years. Their efforts have resulted in the elimination of over 5300 metric tons of CO2 per year. Greenpeace, a conservational and environmental organization in 46 countries, has accused Cargill concerning the illegal exportation of soya to KFC for its chicken food supplied. Changing consumers' perception about KFC is arisen among analyst and specialist and forthright.In respect to the accusations has actively retrofit existing restaurants with more efficient lighting systems. During 2009, 190 restaurants in China had their interior linear fluorescent lamps upgraded to a more efficient version resulting in a reduction of over 600 metric tons of CO2 per year. Heating, Ventilation ; Air Conditioning (HVAC): In 2006, Yum! made the commitment to standardize high efficiency air conditioning systems for all U. S. restaurants. Since then, over 1800 high-efficiency air conditioning units have been installed with slightly over 600 taking place in 2008 and 2009.These 600 + installations have reduced our CO2 output by 10,500 metric tons per year. In China, the engineering team developed th e means to overcome water hardness issues compromising the efficiency of certain heating devices used in our KFC kitchens. Their solution enabled the equipment to operate at peak efficiency which eliminated over 4200 metric tons of CO2 per year. In conclusion, KFC had used all its macro environment factors efficiently; it had improved its product in terms of packaging technology, its cooking methods and most important heath wise keeping in mind the external affect on the environment.

Industry Analysis

Industry Analysis Global market forces are identified as responsible aspects in driving major changes within the food and beverage industry. However, the food and beverage industry have also been affected by the constant changes in consumer preferences as well as increasing government regulations on businesses.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Industry Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The beverage industry comprises of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The nature of competition within this industry calls for players to offer variety of products capable of meeting consumer demand; this goes hand in hand with the quality. Beverage industry experiences frequent entrance of new products and this explains the reason as to why there are hundreds of different drinks in the markets from different companies. The beverage industry comprises manufacturers and distributors of various drinks such as soft drinks, energy drin ks, coffee and tea as well as sports drinks, alcohol, nutritional drinks amongst others (Deichert et al 2-9). Trends influence and logics within the alcohol beverage Industry touches such areas as marketing practices, success within trade agreements as well as financial progress. Globalization marketing tendencies have since affected areas of society which were previously not considered as potential economic hubs. The beverage alcohol industry has been mostly affected by globalization which has also affected alcohol policies within different market segments across the globe. The industry is considered superior in terms of economical advantages, its marketing principles focuses on defining, forming and creating goods with target group in mind. Obtaining of raw materials and the overall process of production presents separate entity which has little to do with final product sold to consumers (Tremblay and Carol). Major brewers within the US market are considered to be Anheuser-Busch, Inc., SAB-Miller, and Molson Coors Company. Anheuser-Busch recognized as the major supplier of beer within the market followed by SAB-Miller (Elzinga). One of the most important aspects is that companies should produce beer that is mostly liked by the customers. One of the most sold beer brand in the US are Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Natural light, Busch Light, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller High Life, and Michelob Light. USA has one of the largest beer import market with a total value of about $2.7 billion. The overall high demand for beer in USA is because of the growing demand for larger that has low amount of calorie (American Beverage Association).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is intense pressure from competitive forces within the alcohol industry. There are high levels of competition from major brewing countries like the U S, China and European countries (Elzinga). The companies within this industry have resorted to differentiating their final products to suit the current consumer desires. This as a result of the stiff competition between domestic and exotic alcoholic products, creating an environment of mergers for the purposes of gaining cost benefits and market share. The current beer industry appears very attractive for big companies such as Heineken. This is because of the low pressure from suppliers, as well as low threat of new entrants and moderate pressure from buyers. According to analysis the industry is highly competitive since there is presence of many substitutes. These calls for every company dealing with alcoholic products to develop competitive strategies which could help them counter pressures from the global forces. The Porters five forces have great influence within the industry when it comes to designing of strategies within the market environment. However, the level of competitio n within the industry determines the development of products and services that would grant the required competitive advantage (Tremblay and Carol). Trade Publications There is decline in traditional key markets for European beer consumption. Some of the factors contributing to these could be government’s aggressive campaign against drunken driving. This affects greatly the propensity of drinking beer within restaurants, pubs and bars. The overall beer consumption per capita varies greatly between countries with Germany recording four times higher consumption compared to Italy. Brewers’ main purchasing costs include such things as packaging and acquisition of raw materials such as barley. Research shows that the majority of the companies within packaging industry in Europe are international. These include companies such as Crown which produces cans and Owens-IIIinois specialized in glass bottles (Tremblay and Carol). Majority of Americans consume lots of beer since they consider it preferred beverage. Recent surveys shows various percentages of beer consumption with the percentage of beer consumers being around 65% showing an increase in the rate of consumption from previous years. There is an average of 4.5 beer drinks per week based on individual health matters. In the year 2010 statistics revealed that almost 41% of Americans prefer taking beer, 33% wine and 23% liquor (Tremblay and Carol). Table1: Percentage of Global Alcohol Consumption (Source: GfK â€Å"Alcohol consumption† survey 2008, GfK Custom Research/).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Industry Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More WSJE Figures in % Beer Wine Liqueurs and fortified wines Spirits Cocktails/alcopops USA 37 28 3 10 22 Europe 36 40 5 9 7 All countries 36 33 4 16 9 The beverage industry is currently dominated by three major players which are known to control the global market . These major players are Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes which accounts for 80% of the global market. Coca-Cola commands 50%, Pepsi 21% and Cadbury Schweppes 7% of the total global market. The remaining market share is made up of other smaller companies such as Cott Corporation and National Beverage Company (Deichert et al 3). There is tremendous growth within the industry despite low concentration experienced. The appropriate evaluation of the general development and work of the Soft Drink industry is measured by the size of the market it is sold in and the audience it is focused on from the very beginning. Statistics shows that soft drink consumption commands a market share of approximately 47% in the non-alcoholic drink industry. Recent research reveals that the total market value of soft drinks was estimated at over $ 305 billion in 2004 and over $ 360 billion in 2009. This shows the high level of profitability within soft drink industry (Datamonitor). The industry is currently experiencing growth in other drinks such as tea and coffee with growth rate of approximately 12% as well as bottled water revolving around 10%. There is also inflow of sports drinks and energy drinks (Deichert et al 2-9). However, the market saturation level being experienced in the US markets contributes towards slow growth within the industry. This calls for soft drink companies to diversify their production to other markets for the purposes of maximizing profits (Murray). People who are focused on healthy life style are often customers for those companies that produce bottled water and soft drinks that rises the popularity and provide rapid development of the company. Coffee and tea are considered by consumers to provide caffeine considered healthy by consumers. Starbucks provide special brands of coffee blends to the market making it more appealing to consumer tastes (Datamonitor). It goes without saying that some companies are at the level of competitions at the marke t, for example, comparing companies producing soft drinks and the ones specializing on water, coffee and tea. The big companies have got already established brand names, competent distribution channels as well as high level on capital required for entry into the Industry. The leaders within this industry, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes invest so much in soft drinks (Deichert et al 2-9; Murray). Coca-Cola Company recorded highest sales in 2004 on soft drinks with record of over $22 billion. The company currently sells over 400 drink brands within 200 countries around the world (Coca-Cola Company).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Their product line comprises of soft drinks such as Coca-cola, Fanta, Sprite, Diet Coke and Barq. PepsiCo being the closest competitor has soft drink product line comprising of Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Slice and Cadbury Schweppes having soft drinks such as AW Root Beer, Dr. Pepper and Canada Dry (Cadbury Scweppes; Pepsi Company Overview). Financial Analysis In the year 2004, Coca-cola recorded highest sales of over $ 4 billion followed by Pepsi with over $ 3 billion and Cadbury with 0ver $ 1 billion sales (Sicher). Comparing to 2003 and 2004, nowadays the share of the companies for Coca-Cola and Pepsi has greatly decreased. According to the statistic the difference makes up several percentages (Deichert et al 4). Taking into account the research done by the American Beverage Association in 2006, the soft-drink industry sales made up about $ 70 billion. The industry net profit margin was approximately 11% while current and quick ration average were approximately 1 and 0.7 respectively . The overall financial review indicates high competition and less growth within the industry. The top three companies within the beverage industry recorded small rate of profit growth, this could be attributed to major expansions within the companies’ product lines. The companies within the Beverage industry are experiencing average financial stability with slight annual increase in gross and net profits. There is a definite need for increasing the values of quick ratios for the companies to be ale to deal and to collaborate (if possibly) with the short-term obligations (Walker). Changes within the Industry based on Priority Issues Major changes are experienced within the Beverage Industry owing to some factors which are macro-environmental. Many factors contributes towards the choice of drink consumers might desire to take, these include; environmental situations, consumer tastes and lifestyles. Some industrial companies specializing on the drinks productions benefit from e conomies by means of distribution. The free nature of exit and entry of firms leads to several changes. The products of the companies are really wide spread nowadays and it gives great opportunities for the further development of the companies. The mergers have made it easer for companies to improve on revenue as well as increasing market share as a result of increased economies of scale. A good example is the acquisition of Quaker Oats by PepsiCo (Datamonitor). Globalization also presents one of the major challenges especially on the current growth in internet and other technological applications (Deichert et al 9). This has contributed to the expansion into world markets hence increase in competition. There are also major changes in societal lifestyles, attitudes and concerns with more focus given to healthy lifestyle. American Beverage Association. Soft Drink Facts, 2005. Web. Cadbury Schweppes. 2004 Annual Report, 2004. Web. Coca-Cola Company. 2004 Annual Report. Hoovers, 2006. Web. Datamonitor. Global Soft Drinks: Industry Profile. New York, 2005. Deichert, Meghan, Ellenbecker, Meghan, Emily, Klehr Kelly, Zeigler. Strategic Management in a Global Context; Industry Analysis. Soft Drinks Journal 2006: 2-9. Print. Elzinga, Kenneth. Beer: The Structure of American Industry. Ed. Walter Adams and James Brock. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Hall, 2005. Murray, Barbara. Comparison Data. Hoovers, 2006. Web. Pepsi Company Overview. PepsiCo, 2006. Web. Sicher, John. Beverage Digest/Maxwel Ranks U.S. Soft Drink Industry, 2005. Web. Tremblay, Victor, Carol Horton. The U.S. Beer Industry: Data and Economic  Analysis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 2005. Print. Walker, Tim. Cott Corporation. Hoovers, 2006. Web.

Simple English Worksheets for Kids Perfect for Students As Well

Simple English Worksheets for Kids Perfect for Students As Well Simple English Worksheets for Kids Perfect for Students As Well There are many English teachers all over the world. Some teach English to students in English-speaking countries, but some teach it as a second language in non-English speaking countries. Training non-native students requires using as many tools as possible to provide interactive process. It may sound funny, but almost all English worksheets for kids will be perfect for students as well, especially for those ones, who are poor at English. Flash Cards These are basic language tools, and they can be used to teach kids as young as 4 and 5 and adults that cannot speak a word in English. In spite of the fact that adults learn faster, you still require heaps of silly games with the cards to practice the material. Pictures and words. Hard to beat. Bingo We all think of Bingo as being a gambling game played by adults, but in fact, Bingo is a very popular English teaching game that has as many variations as you can think up. In this game, there is usually a winner, and that sharpens the interest of the learners. It helps to recognize the words while the spelling is priceless. You can be sure that everyone knows what Bingo means. You can create these worksheets on your own either download them from the Internet and introduce such an activity as a part of the current lesson to revise recently learned words. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire While this was originally introduced as a computer game, it can also be presented as an English worksheet that has questions a team must answer. You can mix this game up with English grammar and general knowledge. Questions that are about the students’ countries are very popular. Using Monopoly money will add a touch of realism to the game. Put the Words in Place This game helps students construct sentences using the correct grammar tenses. The most common word usage involves mixing in a few plurals with the correct pronoun. This was originally a kid’s game but is also a great learning tool for adults as you can make the sentences more complex. Talking about a Picture This is another great game for both kid and adults as well. After lessons on vocabulary and grammar, it’s a good idea to make an interactive lesson where the students describe what they see in the picture. The picture is so constructed to revise the vocabulary. Constructing the sentence correctly, forms such a lesson practical. Concentration This game has moved towards a new level by introducing magnetic cards that stuck to the whiteboard. For kids, 12 cards are the maximum that is 6 matches. For older students, it would go as high as 24 cards. You can have the match with either a picture or a word, as two words or as an associated word. The degree of difficulty depends on the English level of the class. Students love playing games, and it’s amazing to see what lengths ESL teachers will go just to give the students a challenge as well as an enjoyable way to learn.

Sensory Analysis- Food Properties Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sensory Analysis- Food Properties - Assignment Example This technique is the most appropriate because it can analyze each pixel found on every food surface. It can also quantify the characteristics of the food’s surfaces and the defects that can possibly be on that surface. Different foods have different smells. This due to the different types of perfumes used during the manufacture of the foods. The perfumes used can be either natural or artificial. Natural perfumes can extract from natural sources where they are purified before they are added to the food. On the other hand, artificial sources are produced by mixing different naturally produced aroma together. This will produce different smell from the two natural sources (Gacula 2008). The taste cereals vary from one cereal to another. Tastes can be evaluated from sweet, bitter, sour, and salty. This is each cereal tastes differently from each other. This can be due to the natural sources or the different ways in which they are manufactured. Salty taste can be due to the salts added during processing of the cereal in the factory. Sweet taste is mainly caused by addition of sugary flavors to then cereal during manufacturing. Bitter and sour tastes are caused by addition of acidic flavors to then cereal. This will increase the acidic content of the cereal. Organic or inorganic amino acids are the one used to produce the sour tastes to then cereals (Gacula 2008). Color of every food can add flavor to it. Colors have different effects on cereals. Colors like red, can add sweetness to the cereals as compared to the dark colors. Colors also can be used to as a force of attraction to the customers. People are attracted by colors in different ways. When choosing the color to used in a particular food, people’s interests should be considered to ensure that food is highly marketed. One can be attracted by the way food is colored before they even taste that food (Jelen, 2012). Selection of panels to train as

The coming of age of caherine sloper in washington square and huck Essay

The coming of age of caherine sloper in washington square and huck finn in hucklberry finn - Essay Example at is central to both the stories is the coming-of-age of the protagonists, and the way in which they realize their inner strength and moral aptitude. Henry James’s position in the literary world is incomparable owing to the diversity of his works and the great volume of his literary works. His mastery of the psychological genre of novel writing and his innovative writing style makes his work distinct from that of other famous masters of the trade. Henry James believed that a piece of written work is good, if it resembles the intelligent conversation of men, and that is one of the reasons for the conversational style of his writing. Henry James employed the stream of consciousness method, where the novel is told from the point of view of a character. Some of the most famous books by him are â€Å"The Portrait of a Lady† â€Å"The Bostonians† and â€Å"Daisy Miller†. He also wrote a large number of short stories and essays in addition to criticisms. Setting is a very important element in his writing, and his characters and themes are seen in relation to their setting, and various eras and periods in time are used as the tools which create obstacles in the life of his characters. â€Å"Washington Square† is one of his early short novels which deals with the future of a young, simple girl is controlled by her authoritarian father, who rejects her young suitor. There ensues a battle of wills, all fought within the elegant townhouse which is their residence, and the story is marked by an unexpected turn of events and an equally surprising ending. James W. Gargano in the essay â€Å"Washington Square: A study in the Growth of the Inner Self† has made a clear critique which puts Catherine Sloper at the centre of all the action in the novel and traces her growth- emotional, spiritual and psychological, while earlier critics had been content to see her as a dull homely girl, much like her father (Gragano, 355,357). But as is typical of all the heroines of James novels