The Things They Carried By O Brien Essay - 847 Words

Chelsea Ripley History 1302 The Things They Carried ABR Tim O’Brien’s interrelated stories of The Things They Carried recount the lives of fictional soldiers during the Vietnam War. Through O’Brien’s catalogs of the variety of stories, the working and reworking the details of his service and fellow soldiers, O’Brien is able to express the mental burden that they endure, to show the digression of innocence in a solider, and he is able to conclude a meaning for his life is post war. In the first story, the reader is introduced to the band of soldiers of the Alpha Company. O’Brien begins the dialogue from an unknown third party narrator, to describe the things the men carry; things issued like compass, fatigues (clothing), and a M-16. However, the emotional burdens that the soldiers bear have a separate weight. â€Å"They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing- these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weight† (21). These burdens are only amplified by the soldiers’ young age and inexperience. Many men who fought in the Vietnam War were in their late teens and early twenties—fictional character O’Brien was 22. O’Brien recounts these soldiers as children, students and boyfriends who had no little to no perspective on how to rationalize killing, or how to come to terms with their comrades’ deaths. He speaks of his first encounter of death in the war, as the men shake hands withShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried By O Brien934 Words   |  4 Pages In O’Brien’s short story â€Å"The Things They Carried†, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross thinks the death of his comrade, Ted Lavender is his fault. Jimmy Cross is only 22 years-olds, too young to take on the responsibilities of being First Lieutenant at war. Jimmy Cross’s Fascination with Martha reading and daydreaming about her letters and photos. Jimmy Cr oss is the way his mind could escape from the ugliness of the wars. In The Vietnam War, being a strong leader over the unit is impossible if theRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources exemplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1457 Words   |  6 Pagespertains to everyone regardless of their background. It conveys the same ideas to people from all across our society. Lastly, a classic is timeless, which means it has transcended the time in which it was written. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he offers a new, intriguing way to view war or just life in general and also meets all of the crucial requirements mentioned above to qualify it as a book of literary canon. Though this book is technically a war novel, many people are attractedRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1377 Words   |  6 Pageshave it as good as we do. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried discusses many veterans who experience the burden of shame and guilt daily due to their heroic actions taken during the Vietnam War. The book shows you how such a war can change a man before, during, and after it’s over.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I reflect on the many conflicts America has been a part of, none can compare to the tragedies that occurred in The Vietnam war. As told in The Things They Carried (O’Brien), characters such as Norman BowkerRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1242 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Tim O’Brien is obsessed with telling a true war story. O Brien s fiction about the Vietnam experience suggest, lies not in realistic depictions or definitive accounts. As O’Brien argues, absolute occurrence is irrelevant because a true war story does not depend upon that kind of truth. Mary Ann’s induction into genuine experience is clearly destructive as well as empowering† (p.12) Tim O’s text, The Things they Carried, details his uses of word choice to portray his tone and bias. Tim O’BrienRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure† (21). In Tim O’brien’s The Things They Carried, the American soldiers of the Vietnam War carry much more than the weight of their equipment, much more than souvenirs or good-luck charms or letters from home. They carried within themselves the intransitive burdens—of fear, of cowardice, of love, of loneliness, of anger, of confusion. Most of all, they carry the truth of what happened to them in the war—aRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien896 Words   |  4 PagesTrouble without a doubt is what First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried around his shoulders because he was out in war, where mistakes happen. Lost and unknown of his surroundings he had to lead his men into safety, while destroying anything they found. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross only holds onto one thing for hope and that is Martha, the woman who he hopes is a virgin to come back to. Tim Oâ €™ Brien introduces symbolism by adding a character that has a meaning of purity and a pebble, which symbolizesRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1004 Words   |  5 Pagesafter coming home from his duty he decided to be a writer. His work â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers that are fighting in the Vietnam War. The first part of the story talks mostly about physical items that each soldier carries, and also mentions the weight of the items as well. Though, there is one exception to the list of physical things. Lieutenant Cross is a character of the story, and Tim O’ Brien quickly states the how the lieutenant carries letters of a girl he loves.Read MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbut are set in the past and borrows things from that time period. A story that fits this genre of literature is The Things They Carried. The story is about Tim O Brien, a Vietnam veteran from the Unite States, who tells stories about what had happened when he and his team were stationed in Vietnam. He also talks about what he felt about the war when he was drafted and what he tried to do to avoid going to fight in Vietnam. The Things They Carried by Tim O Brien was precise with its portrayal of settingRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1369 Words   |  6 Pagesauthors use storytelling as a vehicle to convey the immortality of past selves and those who have passed to not only in their piece of literature but in their life as an author. In Tim O’Brien’s work of fiction The Things They Carried, through his final chapter â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† O Brien conveys that writing is a matter of survival since, the powers of storytelling can ensure the immortality of all those who were significant in his life. Through their immortality, O’Brien has the ability to save

Fear and Foresight - Essay - 1030 Words

Fear and Foresight Fear is â€Å"a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger† (Webster‘s dictionary). Fear is also the best way to disrupt one’s foresight creating corrupted decisions. To achieve this level of understanding, so that one’s decisions will be made effectively, one must understand him or herself well enough to be able to cut out the emotion and think rationally. Recalling experiences from the holocaust Fear tended to come when there was no hope or faith in the novel Night, by award winning author Elie Wiesel. Within this novel, about his own experiences during the war, Elie is thrown into a concentration camp where he is whipped, beaten, fatigued, starved, deprived, loses his faith, and ultimately loses his entire family†¦show more content†¦Elie has lost all that makes him human he has lost all the optimism that he had; his friends, and his dad now no longer a priority to him in his life. He â€Å"..quickly forgot..† ( 82), his friend Zalman who had been trampled to death, and had began to think only of himself. He belongs to no one and has no obligations to anyone but himself. His father was taken away in a short time and he did not do anything. Elie describes his inner struggle that, â€Å"I did not weep, and it pained me that I could not weep† (106). Yet instead of despairing he had the thought that he was actually â€Å"†¦free at last:† (106) free from the mental burdens of his grave situation. Elie had taken upon himself the same rule that all the other men had, in that â€Å"..every man has to fight for himself and not think of anyone else† (man 105) as he is now by himself. After the camp liberated and Elie looks upon all that has happened, he realizes that inside him there is no longer an innocent boy but instead a man filled with regret. â€Å"Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.† (Weisel 32) With the end of someone’s life coming near, a fear and despair will often develop a shroud around the things that matter most to someone is their life. This leaves important decisions up to the will of a fearful person, which will always give a regretful result. Elie beganShow MoreRelatedThe Servant Leader Is A Servant1562 Words   |  7 Pagescentury B.C., through the official papers of Lao-Tzu who lived in China 570 B.C. Lao-Tzu was a Chinese philosopher who taught, the concepts of servanthood were aligned with saving society from ethical decay. In early 1970, Robert Greenleaf wrote an essay supporting indifferent leadership as the motivation for the unrest of the sixties. â€Å"His composition promoted old theories as a new application to leadership; he expanded on the idea of serve to others and coined the phrase servant leadership† (BrewerRead More Edgar Allan Poe Essay 1406 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allan Poe Essay How does E.A. Poe explore the themes of horror and obsession in his short stories? In Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories the black cat and The Tell Tale Heart, both terrify the reader by making them believe they are the person going through these terrifying tales, as they believe they can hear the heart pound under the floor boards as in The Tell Tale Heart. Or they feel very cocky as showing the police round the basement 2 – 3 times until it all goes wrong, they feelRead MoreThe Black Death And Its Effects On Society843 Words   |  4 PagesEuropean culture, particularly art. At a time of great suffering where traditional forms of grieving associated with death and burial were abandoned, artistry stands alone as being one of the most dominate ways people expressed their fears, sadness and pain. In this essay I will recognize three examples of works of art that reveal the prominent mood of this period of time. I will also discuss the Black Death in detail and the impact it had on the art market as well as the lives of artists and patronsRead MoreCharles Beard‚Äà ´s Article, Framing the Constitution796 Words   |  4 PagesCollege which allowed the minority to be heard his claim can be dismissed. His claim that the delegates were only interested in their economic growth can be rejected. While each of the framers was successful in their own rights, they each had the foresight and knowledge to cr eate a successful document that represented the welfare and rights of each individual person. An unequal distribution of property and wealth is inevitable. For a nation to flourish, classes within a society are a necessity. TheRead MoreSocrates Vs Machiavelli Essay875 Words   |  4 PagesThe strategy to conduct any sort of liable and valid analysis is not to wholly ignore the â€Å"political† part of the system but to evaluate the ethics behind the systems. The goal of this essay will be to compare and evaluate the Machiavellian ideological government, through the lens of Socratic philosophy. Despite living in similar situations of strife, Socrates and Machiavelli reacted Read MoreWriting Self-Reflection Essay759 Words   |  4 PagesProvidence when not divine ,it is foresight was a thought that was always haunting me from childhood,little knowing that later in my life the writer in me is taking its shape.At times I thought why I could not solve problems academic as well as personal by using the same kind of thinking which we used when we created them ,as my greatest problem was what to do about all the things I couldnt do anything about. Time passed and I set sails for SJSU.On arriving here ,I realised that I had grownRead MoreWho s Really Blind?868 Words   |  4 Pagesblind to the truth, facts, and the complete understanding of any situation. Within his writings, Sophocles frequently address the ideas of sight and blindness, using them as metaphors for insight and knowledge. This will be the focal point of this essay. Sophocles uses blindness as a metaphor for Oedipus’ ignorance in the matter of his origin. The tragic hero Oedipus, blind to the veracity of his fate he sought to avoid, came about without his knowledge. Not long after Oedipus’ birth, his anklesRead MoreWeaknesses And Strengths887 Words   |  4 PagesCompare and Contrast Essay Like everyone, I have certain strengths. As far as learned skills go, I have a very good reading ability. I read at a fast pace, with good comprehension of the text. I am also, by my standards, highly coordinated. I have good focus when it comes to school or sports. Most of the time, when I set my mind to something, it often gets done. Another, what could sometimes be considered a strength, is that I have a big ego. I would consider this a strength because I amRead MoreIb Hl History Ia1632 Words   |  7 Pageson ending the Cold War between the United States of America and the Soviet Union during the 1980’s. The use of historian argumentation, primary sources, such as Ronald Reagan’s Address to the Nation on Defense and National Security, and analytical essays by well known professors, such as John Gaddis’s excerpt from Major Problems in American History Since 1945 – titled â€Å"Ronald Reagan’s Cold War Victory† – will be uti lized. The origins, purposes, values, and limitations of those two pieces will be providedRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1681 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween Socrates’ philosophy and Machiavelli’s political ethics. The strategy to conduct any sort of liable and valid analysis is not to wholly ignore the â€Å"political† part of the system but to evaluate the ethics behind the systems. The goal of this essay will be to compare and evaluate the Machiavellian ideological government, through the lens of Socratic philosophy. Despite living in similar situations of strife, Socrates and Machiavelli reacted almost antithetically to their situations. The former

Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Pedro Paramo free essay sample

This essay compares the main characters of these two books. This paper discusses the two books Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo, and Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, how both main characters, the narrator and Juan, search for answers of things that happened in the past. The author examines how both literary works are bound together by secrets of the past and hope of answers that will satisfy the questions that have plagued Juan and the narrator. From the Paper: In the two books Pedro Paramo and Chronicle of a Death Foretold, both main characters are searching for answers of things in the past. Through the nature of the main event, the character?s connection to the main event, and the style of each author?s writing, it is obviously shown that they are searching the past for answers. Both authors make every single point to allude to that idea. We will write a custom essay sample on Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Pedro Paramo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It all starts with two simple quotes: They?ve already killed him and Pedro Paramo died years ago.

Recommendation for aTraining Program in McDonalds

This paper will recommend best training practices that can help McDonalds to stay competitive in the Canadian market. The company usually has eleven crew positions within any McDonalds Canada restaurant. The McDonalds Crew Development program has four steps: Prepare, Present, Try and Follow up. This model therefore guides the process through which the company trains its staff.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Recommendation for aTraining Program in McDonalds specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The current training practices in McDonalds have various strengths. On the job training helps employees to acquire vital skills that enable them perform their responsibilities more effectively. The training program is linked with organisational objectives and trainees get to understand the company’s culture and practices. Cross -training gives employees an opportunity to be skilled in different areas of the firm’s operations. This makes it easy for employees to multi task. They are able to perform different functions effectively and this boosts productivity levels. The 4 step training model used by McDonalds helps it to save valuable time and costs (McDonalds Case Study, 2012). The company’s employees are likely to become demoralised after training because they are highly supervised. These employees may lack confidence in their own abilities because of the extreme supervision they undergo during training. The training approaches that are used by McDonalds do not suit individual traits and talents of each employee. This approach does not offer ways through which individual talents of employees can be harnessed for the greater benefit of the firm. Electronic learning approaches are time consuming and ineffective in helping trainees acquire the necessary knowledge. This proves problematic when a trainer wants to monitor the progress of each trainee (McDonalds Case Study, 2012). The compa ny updates its training materials electronically because of the fast-paced nature of its operations. Trainers and learners have access to updated information which they easily obtain from a central source. Employees are trained with the most current information which improves their knowledge and understanding. The company has implemented various strategies to reduce training costs (McDonalds Case Study, 2012). The use of focus groups has opened up channels of communication and employees are able to share their thoughts freely regarding training procedures. This approach helps the firm to structure its training programs in a way that suits employees’ operations so as to achieve better results.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company needs to improve its training approaches. The four step model is not suitable for all employees and therefore, more individualised tra ining programs should be implemented. Individual talents of employees need to be harnessed and utilised for the benefit of the firm. Employees should be given more time to discover their talents and skills during training for them to become more creative and innovative (Kleynhans, 2006, p.129). Less supervision will increase employees’ morale. The company experiences a high turnover of employees. McDonalds needs to implement policies which offer employees job security and satisfaction to reduce high rates of staff turnover. The training program needs to be specialised to focus on making each worker more knowledgeable in specific areas. The emphasis on cross training can make workers to become less skilled in crucial areas of the firm’s operations. Trainers need to be encouraged to interact more with trainees. This approach will encourage openness and cooperation in the firm (Kleynhans, 2006, p.130). Electronic learning needs to be improved to suit employees’ int erests, skills and abilities. This approach will improve the level of knowledge employees acquire after training. References Kleynhans, R. (2006). Human resource management. London: Pearson. McDonalds Case Study (2012). Training Practices in McDonalds. This essay on Recommendation for aTraining Program in McDonalds was written and submitted by user Lilly Cunningham to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Management Styles through Different Leaders The WritePass Journal

Management Styles through Different Leaders Management Styles through Different Leaders John | July 16, 2017 Management Styles through Different LeadersManagement Styles through Different LeadersTo modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayBill GatesTo modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayCarlos SlimManagement Styles through Different Leaders Carlo Slim and Bill GatesConclusion To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayReferencesTo modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us TodayRelated Management Styles through Different Leaders Essay A growing body of evidence in the business environment supports that leaders are made and not born. However, a good leader must have patience, commitment, knowledge, and experience to manage the subordinates. In other words, a good leadership style is developed through training, education, self-commitment, and accumulation of experience. (Zaleznik, 2004). More importantly, leadership is one of the most researched concepts in business studies because of the contributions of a leader to the organizational achievement. This study also compares the management styles through different leaders by reviewing leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates. A good leader transforms an organization and shapes the economy. Carlo Slim and Bill Gate are the examples of the leaders who use their different management styles to transform the economy and their respective organizations. The objective of this document is to provide an analysis of management styles through leaders. This study also compares the leadership styles of Carlo Slim and Bill Gates. Management Styles through Different Leaders KÄ ±yak, et al. (2011) define the conceptual leadership as a selective, role-taking, empathetic and selective process that assist in handling the strategic initiative of an organization. Clarks, (2009) points out that leadership is the major factor that determines the success or failure of an organization. However, leadership and management overlap because an individual must have both leadership and management skills to be effective in an organization. Management involves an ability to achieve a specific task. However, leadership is a broader concept that involves a process by which leaders nurture and communicate ideas to the subordinates. To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today A strategic leadership plays an expanding role in enhancing competitive advantages. In a healthcare organization, leaders are called upon to use their problem-solving skills and knowledge to develop creative solutions to problems. Creative leadership involves the ability to invent or develop new solutions to challenging problems. One of the exemplified leaders in the healthcare organization was Robert, a nurse leader, who used democratic leadership style to assist her staff growing independently. (Clark,. 2009). Henry Fayol argues that both leaders and managers delegate powers to their subordinates to assist an organization to balance responsibility and authority to achieve a specific task. However, management process involves planning, staffing, organizing, controlling and directing. In this Essay we will compare the management styles through different leaders. Bill Gates Bill Gates is one of the exemplified leaders who integrate management process into his leadership ability to achieve competitive advantages for the Microsoft Corporation.He is a business giant, and highly regarded in the IT and business world, often ranked in the Fortune 500 as one of the top 10 most admired business leaders. Bill used autocratic leadership styles to direct his subordinates before his retirement from Microsoft in 2008. Gates’ success was attributed to his controlling ability and quick decision-making process. (Demuth, Hammond, 2013). Sometimes, Gates exhibited more than one leadership styles depending on circumstances. While Gates used the autocratic style as the dominant leadership style in managing the business, however, Gates would not have been successful if adopted only an authoritarian style because the authoritarian style is not appropriate for innovation and can hinder the creative ability of followers. Zentner, (2016) believed that Bill was a servant leader who focused on helping others to achieve their goals. â€Å"Servant leadership focuses on the betterment and support of others by seeking to meet the interests, needs, and ambitions of others’ above one’s own.† (Zentner, 2016 p 1). When a servant leadership style is implemented appropriately, it can enhance employee behaviors and outlook, which drives motivation for higher performances and changes. To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today Carlos Slim Carlos Slim is another leader in Mexico who integrates the transformationalleadership styles in his management style to transform himself into a business giant. Mr. Slim is a native originally from Mexico. At a tender age, he received a business lesson, which helped him to understand the method to increase his personal fund. At the age of 12, he started investing in shares and after completing an engineering course at the University of Mexico at the age of 25, Slim incorporated his first company named Inmobiliaria Carso in 1966. He inculcated the spirit of transformational leadership by diversifying his business ventures using the visionary skills to actively invest in various businesses when Mexico was facing the economic problems. Management Styles through Different Leaders Carlo Slim and Bill Gates Carlo Slim leadership style is influenced by his personal beliefs and principles, which he has inculcated in transforming his business empire. Unlikefounder of Microsoftwho used the autocratic leadership style in managing the Microsoft Corporation, Slim incorporated the transformational leadership styles when making a business decision. Yavirach, (2015) argues transformational leaders use the intellectual capability to stimulate their subordinates to achieve better performances. Slim uses the transformational leaders to transform Telmex into the biggest telecommunication company in the Latin America. Although, both Slims and Gates are entrepreneurs, and multi-billionaires in the North America, however, their leadership principles are different. While Gates uses the combination of autocratic, and servant leadership styles in running his business empire, Slim focuses on the transformational leadership style using the intellectual capabilities and charismatic qualities to solve the business problems. While both leaders use different styles in managing their business, both have been successful in their line of businesses. Conclusion Many leaders in the North American have been able to combine both the management and leadership styles to transform their organizations into business empires. This study proves that management styles through different leadersdo overlap, however, a combination of both leadership and management skills is critical to achieving competitive market advantages. The study also compares Gates and Slim management styles through different leaders, and the results of the analysis reveal Gates uses the combination of servant and autocratic leadership styles to manage his businesses, however, Slim relies on transformational leadership style to solve business problems. To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today References Clark, C. C. (2009). Creative nursing leadership management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Demuth, P., Hammond, T. (2013). Who is Bill Gates? New York: Grosset Dunlap, An Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. KÄ ±yak, M., Bozaykut, T., Gà ¼ngà ¶r, P., Aktas, E. (2011). Strategic Leadership Styles and Organizational Financial Performance: A Qualitative Study on Private Hospitals. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 24, 1521-1529. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.09.090 Yavirach, N. (2015). The Impact of Transformational and Transactional Leadership to Subordinates Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment Affect to Team Effectiveness. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2159035 Zaleznik, A. (2004). Managers and Leaders: Are They Different? Harvard Business Review. Zentner, A. (2016). Bill Gates: A Servant Leader. Research Gate Journal To modify or extend this essay or to get pricing on a custom essay Contact Us Today

Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives Essay Example

Cross Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives Paper Cross-Cultural Health Perspectives Paper The health of an individual, the family and the larger community is not determined by individual characteristics only; the social and cultural context plays a significant role in determining it (Airhihenbuwa, 1995). The influence of culture in health matters is especially pronounced in African societies where individual behavior is greatly influenced by the values held for the extended family and the community at large (Airhihenbuwa, 2004). As part of meeting emerging standards of care, the context of cultural and social attributes should be put into consideration so that the most appropriate nature of interventions and their timeliness can be determined. This research paper will review this approach in a case study of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Discussion Culture has been shown to be a major factor in the ways that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has impacted on the society in South Africa. This is due to the beliefs and values that relate to sexuality including the time to become sexually active, the number of sexual partners to have and whether or not to use condoms as protection (Airhihenbuwa, 2004). Issues have also been raised about the sharing of needles and syringes outside the clinical context like in drug abuse and other traditional rituals. The HIV and AIDS pandemic has either wore down or in the least compromised belief and practice of many efficient traditional responses to illness in South African communities (Buthelezi Francis, 2006). Stigmatization of AIDS patients has been of particular worry and has eroded the value which the individuals, family and the community in general had the responsibility of taking care of the ailing. Intervention designed to fight the HIV pandemic should focus mainly on the methods of prevention (Buthelezi Francis, 2006). This means that the government, religious groups and other stakeholders should embark on serious awareness campaigns to inform the people on the importance of responsible sexual behavior. The community also needs to be taught to accept HUV patients and avoid stigmatizing them (Airhihenbuwa Webster, 2004) as it only makes the situation worse. Of course, all awareness created should be in the context of culture and should consider and respect any cultural beliefs and values that relate to sickness and individual conduct within the society. References Airhihenbuwa, C.O. (1995). Health and culture: Beyond the Western Paradigm. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Airhihenbuwa, C.O., Webster, J.D. (2004). Culture and African contexts of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support. Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance, 1(1), 4-13. Retrieved June 5, 2010, from http://ajol.info/index.php/saharaj/article/viewFile/30064/22717 Buthelezi, T. Francis, D. (2006). â€Å"Living with HIV/AIDS. In Muthukrishna.† A. (Ed.) Mapping barriers to basic education in the context of HIV and AIDS: a report on research conducted in the Richmond District, KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermarizburg: University of KwaZulu-Natal. Petros, G., Airhihenbuwa, C., Simbayi, L., Ramlagan, S. Brown, B. (2006). â€Å"HIV/AIDS and ‘‘othering’’ in South Africa: the blame goes on.† Culture, Health and Sexuality, 8(1): pp.67–77.

Advanced strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Advanced strategic management - Essay Example This essay is a critical evaluation of an organization facing a problem associated with a strategic issue. It focuses on Woolworths Group Plc. which is a renowned organization dealing with entertainment and media in the United Kingdom. The risks associated with focusing and directing most of the resources on improvement of operational effectiveness. Potential avenues for addressing this problem have been discussed focusing on the various techniques and models available, including the regression and the time series models. The organization expanded rapidly since its establishment in 1909, leading to expansion in foreign markets for its entertainment products. It began going global in its operations, initially establishing in Liverpool and later expanding in the whole of the UK. By 2001, the company entered the London stock exchange after it broke off from its merger with Kingfisher Plc. The organization had been doing well in its recovery strategies, mainly focused on doing away with the huge amounts of stock that was in excess as well as offsetting the debts acquired while it was in a merger with Kingfisher. The management had to be strengthened. The organizational performance rose considerably since 2001 (Johnson et al 2004 p 66). The organization was focused on improving its operational effectiveness through approaches aimed on reinforcement of infrastructure, whereby there were improvements in managing stocks, and the supply chain. Other aspects of operational effectiveness included reduction of suppliers and improvements in branding. More offices were bought in order to bring better services to customers in foreign markets such as Hong Kong (Johnson et al 2004 p 67). The organization also focused on product improvement, a factor that improved its competitive advantage in the short run. It established two operation lines, whereby according to Johnson et al, it had a woolies arm for retail while on the other

The Disease Process of Cardiomyopathy Term Paper

The Disease Process of Cardiomyopathy - Term Paper Example It is included in the list of diseases that has the highest morbidity rate in the world’s aging population. The degree and the time course of the disease vary and do not coincide with the linear expression of symptoms. People suffering from such disease normally have asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction or both. Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the state of the disease that is expressed when the balance between malfunction and compensation is disordered such that cardiac output can no longer be maintained at normal left ventricular filling pressures. (Giles & Sander, 1988, p 16) Types of Cardiomyopathy There are three types of cardiomyopathy; dilated, hypertrophic and unclassified cardiomyopathy. Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common among the three types. In this type, the heart’s main pumping chamber – the left ventricle, coming from the term ‘dilated’, grows bigger than its normal size. Th e ability to pump blood throughout the body becomes less forceful, making the blood flow uneasily. (Giles & Sander, 1988, p 24) Although as mentioned above, Cardiomyopathy 3 cardiomyopathy can occur to people of any ages; this is most commonly seen in middle-aged people and is more often to occur in men. Some people who have this type of cardiomyopathy acquire the disease hereditary. The second type of cardiomyopathy is hypertrophic. This type of the disease entails the abnormal thickening of the heart muscle, affecting the main pumping chamber of the heart – the left ventricle. As the thickening occurs, it affects the blood circulation in the body due to the stiffening and the shrinking of the heart’s pumping chamber, which affects the ability of the heart to deliver blood to the entire body. Just like any other types of this disease, this may develop in any ages but it becomes more visible during childhood. (Giles & Sander, 1988, p 33) Normally, people who acquire th is disease have a family history and more often than not, linked to some genetic mutations. Affected patients of this type of cardiomyopathy may be asymptomatic or may have signs of hindlimb paralysis or acute dyspnea. Examinations demonstrate abnormal heart sounds; from soft to prominent systolic cardiac murmurs and gallop heart sounds. The last type of cardiomyopathy is unclassified or better known as restrictive cardiomyopathy. The heart muscles of people who develop this type of disease become rigid and less elastic, which tends the heart to not expand properly to be able to contain blood between heartbeats. This is common in older people although it can develop in any ages just like the other types. This type is the least common among the three and can occur without known reason – idiopathic. (Giles & Sander, 1988, p 41) This can also be caused by other diseases that affect the heart. This type includes patients with visible abnormalities in the myocardium on echocardiog raphy that do not fit into the other two types. This type of disease is also seen in cats. As mentioned above, Cardiomyopathy 4 restrictive cardiomyopathy have unknown causes. Nursing Intervention The disease is defined as ventricular dilation, systolic contractible dysfunction, low cardiac output and other congestive heart failure symptoms (crackles, edema, etc.) The decrease in the blood supply comes hand in hand with the decrease of amount of oxygen supply in the body. This can lead to kidney

My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay Example for Free

My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay According to Neill (2004), ‘Adventure therapy is the use of adventure-based activities and/or adventure-based theory to provide people with emotional and/or behavioral problems with experiences which lead to positive change in their lives.’ Adventure therapy is also â€Å"programming aimed at changing [specified] dysfunctional behavior patterns, using adventure experiences as forms of habilitation and rehabilitation† (Priest Grass, 2005). The underlying philosophy of adventure-based counseling (ABC) is experiential education and it stresses on one’s personal improvement through full value contract, adventure wave and challenge by choice (Schoel, Prouty Radcliffe, 1988). After several lectures, different skills were explained and even applied on ourselves. In this essay, these theories and experience will be discussed. Adventure-based counseling is part of the means of experiential learning. Educational psychologists usually define learning as â€Å"a change in the individual caused by experience† (Slavin, 1986, p.104). Through various experiences, people can learn from them and gain personal growth. Kolb (1984) suggested an experiential learning cycle, pointing out four essential elements of experiential learning, which are experience, review, conclusion and planning. Applying to Adventure-based counseling, experience means some challenging activities for groups or individuals. Review means encouraging individuals to reflect, describe, communicate and learn from the experience. Conclusion means concluding past and present experiences and planning means applying new learning in the future. There are several learning theories explaining how experiences can lead to learning, which means behavioral changes or cognitive developments. Operant conditioning proposed by Skinner states that successes, praise, positive feedbacks or rewards can act as positive reinforcers so that the subjects would be reinforced to act the same way again. Similarly, failures, punishments or negative comments would act as negative reinforcers which deter the subjects to act again (Skinner, 1968). In adventure-based counseling, participants would face some challenges and act. Some actions would lead to positive results, which would further reinforce participants to act in the same way when they face similar situations again. Some actions lead to negative results, which make them aware and change their behaviors next time. This can be applied also to changing of personalities and problem-solving skills. Undesirable personalities will be discouraged by failures or negative feedbacks while desirable personalities will be reinforced. Bandura suggested social learning theory that people can learn through observational learning and modeling (Bandura, 1986). Through observational learning, people would imitate others’ behaviors and learn from others’ successes or failures. In adventure-based counseling, when participants face the challenges individually, they would imitate what other participants do, or take others’ successes and failures in dealing with the challenges as example. So when they face the challenges, participants would improve along the sequence. When encountering group challenges, participants would imitate the socially desirable behaviors of their group mates or remind themselves not to behave socially undesirably after observing their group mates’ failures. This can enhance participants’ social skills. In cognitive aspect, James Coleman (1977) differentiates between the information assimilation process of the regular classroom and the experiential learning process. In traditional classrooms, knowledge is taught to students through direct instruction and they simply memorize the knowledge. Through information assimilation, the learners are expected to move from cognitive and symbol-processing sphere to the sphere of action through applying the general principles learned into novel situations. Experiential learning is in a reversed order, which involves actions sufficiently repeated that the learner is able to generalize from the experience. However, it is more etched into the brain as the learning can be associated with concrete actions and events, not just abstract symbols or general principles (Mllre, Priest, 1990). There are some important principles of adventure-based counseling, namely â€Å"Full Value Contract† and â€Å"Challenge by Choice† (Schoel, Prouty Radcliffe, 1988). â€Å"Full Value Contract† means an agreement among group members to value one’s own ideas and needs without ignoring or discounting others. â€Å"Challenge by Choice† means ‘individuals can choose their level of participation in any activity.’ (Neill, 2007) During our lectures, our lecturer Lau Sir has explained different theories by involving us to play games. After playing games, Lau Sir would explain how the games worked, the meaning of different procedures, and what can we learn throughout them. In the first lecture, a game ‘throwing the chicken’ was played. It is an ice-breaking game, aim at knowing the names of group members. Although it is a very easy game, it has lots of micro-skills included. At the beginning, Lau Sir has asked did anyone feel afraid of the chicken, which could show his caring to the participants, in order to build up the relationship between the leader and the participants. After one round of the game, Lau Sir required the participants to repeat the process, but with a faster speed, the participants would then move their chairs towards the center. This is using indirect intervention method, helping them to get closer and involve more into it, without directly telling them to sit closer or involve more. The other micro-skill ‘Challenge by Choice’ was also frequently used during lectures. For example, the ‘throwing the chicken’ game in the first lecture, the ‘trust ladder’ in the second lecture and different games during the overnight camp. All of these may only be just simply asking the participants that whether they want to play, but it was vital as it shows the respect to the participants. These skills were the easiest thing being omitted, but without it, the counseling work may be affected or even have some adverse effects. Although half of the lectures have passed, there is one more High-event Challenge Day and several lectures. I am looking forward to learn more different skills in counseling and leading games. Reference List Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social-cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Coleman, J. A. (1977). Differences between experiential and classroom learning. In M. T. Keeton (Ed.), Experiential learning: Rationale characteristics, and assessment, pp. 49-61. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Mllre, J. C. Priest, S. (1990). Adventure education. State College, DA: Adventure Publishing. Neill, J. (2004). Adventure therapy definitions. Retrieved from http://www.wilderdom.com/adventuretherapy/adventuretherapydefinitions.html Neill, J. (2007). Adventure-based counseling (ABC). Retrieved from http://wilderdom.com/ABC/ Priest, S., Gass, M. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Schoel, J., Prouty Radeliffe,P. (1988). Islands of healing. A guide to adventure based counseling. U.S.A: Project Adventure. Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. Slavin, R. E. (1986). Educational psychology: theory into practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Every Woman Is A Novel :a Jest Of God :: essays research papers

Rachel often addresses her thoughts to God. How does she imagine Him (Her or It)? Does Rachel's concept of God change during the course of the Novel? Explain. Rachel Cameron, the heroine of "A Jest of God", is not simply as an individual literary character but as a psychological portrayal of women of Rachel's time and inclination. Even we can easily find someone who has the same problem Rachel has in the friends of us, or maybe in an early morning when we get up; stand at front of the mirror; we will suddenly have a idea, "I am Rachel too." She has a common Cameron heritage. She is a gawky, introverted spinster schoolteacher who has returned home to Manawaka from university in Winnipeg, upon the death of her alcoholic undertaker father Niall Cameron, to care for her hypochondriac mother May. Nevertheless, the family resemblance is obvious: their shared Scots Presbyterian ancestry, which Laurence views as distinctively Canadian, provides an armour of pride that imprisons her within their internal worlds, while providing a defence against the external world. To overcome that barrier between personalities, she must learn to understand and accept their heritage in order to liberate her own identities and free herself for the future. She must also learn to love herself before she can love others. Rachel receive a sentimental education through a brief love affair: as a result of learning to empathize with their lovers, she learn to love herself and the people she lives with. Laurence's emphasis is, as always, on the importance of love in the sense of compassion, as each of her solipsistic protagonists develops from claustrophobia to community. The beginning of "A Jest of God" extends beyond its Canadian perimeters in Rachel's branching imagination, both into the fairytale dream world which gives depth and pathos to the disappointment and despair of her present and out into a wider world in time and space than the grey little town of Manawaka. The first lines of the novel tell us everything basic to Rachel's mind, her temperament, and her situation. The wind blows low, the wind blows high The snow comes falling from the sky, Rachel Cameron says she'll die For the want of the golden city. She is handsome, she is pretty, She is the queen of the golden city. They are not actually chanting my name, of course, I only hear it that way from where I am watching the classroom window, because I remember myself skipping rope to that song when I was about the age of the little girls out there now. Twenty-seven years ago... (p. 1) The reader is engaged in sympathy with Rachel by the sadness of the gap

Swot Analysis Dps

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. Section 1: Identify the Firm’s Core Strategy * The core strategy for the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) to produce both carbonated soft drinks and noncarbonated beverages that are tasty and appealing to their range of customers, while making a profit and continually growing. They are able to do this by using some key elements in their business strategy. They focus on building and enhancing their existing leading brands, such as Dr Pepper and their Snapple drinks.They also must focus on opportunities in high growth and high margin categories. They strive to increase their presence in high margin channels and packages. DPS also leverages their integrated business model. They must strengthen their route-to-market through acquisitions. Finally, they are also focusing on improving their operation efficiency. Section 2: External Analysis (Opportunities & Threats) * An opportunity DPS has is that they are able to keep strong relationships with their direct customers, which are the distributors and the retailers.With the opportunities to sell their syrups directly to fast food restaurants they are going to be generating a steady profit for many years to come and as food is still a thriving business. * Another opportunity would be that they could hopefully start bottling more of their products in house so that they aren’t giving business to their two main competitors. They could grow the bottling business and start utilizing their own facilities. A threat for DPS is that when the cost of sugar rises they are negatively affected because they then have to raise their prices and when they do less people are able to buy their products due to the economic state throughout the country. People who are unemployed or making less money due to the cut economic downturn will first cut spending on items that are not needed and they will turn to less expensive drinks. * Another threat is that health and wellness are trending right now and wit h people reducing their caloric intake they are no longer using DPS products that are packed with sugar.Section 3: Internal Analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses) * A strength that DPS has is that they have a very strong management team that sets out goals for their employees and goals for the company. They are not only known for their products but are also recognized for their philanthropy and ethics. * Another strength is that DPS is able to revamp existing brands to gain market shares along with losing brands and replacing them with successful replacements that are in new avenues such as flavored waters and energy drinks, which help gain market share also. A weakness is that the majority of their bottling is done by their two competitors, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, which does not help DPS when competing to be at the top of the industry. They are practically giving away business that they should start doing themselves. * Another weakness DPS has is their finances. Their profits are not c onsistently growing; they took a big hit in 2008 and are still trying to recover. Slowly but surely they are increasing, however it needs to be happening much faster in order for them to stay a contender in the industry.Section 4: Strategic Recommendations * I think that DPS should stick to what they know and that is the beverage industry. I don’t think jumping into the snack business would help them grow any faster. * I think they should start expanding their bottling unit of the business and stop relying on their competitors for bottling contracts. * They need to keep promoting their big sellers such as, Dr Pepper, Sunkist, A&W, and Snapple, along with producing some lower-calorie beverages for the more health conscious customers out there.

Walgreens structure

Walgreen has faced over the past two years are changing their brand and the process needed to make that change. We can see that Walgreen has made some good decisions over the years . This is evident by the fact that there are still many Walgreen stores across the country and they are continuing to build new ones every year. If we take a look into how they made such crucial decisions we will find them using good decision making techniques such as predetermination's evidence, and good old fashioned Intuition.The first element we can find within Walgreen decision making process Is rainstorm. We can see that before changing the brand from old to new the mangers In the higher ranks of the corporation all got together and started throwing out Ideas. They did some research and based upon fact they made educated guesses on what may work and what probably would not work. The managers of Walgreen TLD a fantastic Job with their research and brainstorming. Walgreen wanted to stand out among thei r competition so In order to do that they had to know what the competitor was doing.It seemed the competitor was not much different from Walgreen. This is where we see the brainstorming really become effective. The managers began to come up with ideas on how to make the stores an experience instead of just a cash and carry drugstore. They really used the tools of good decision making to begin the process of changing the brand for good. Second we can look at the gathering of evidence. Walgreen knew if they were to be different then they had to study their competition. The head honchos did their homework well.They gathered information from research and surveys and listened to the customer needs. They not only listened they decided to take a chance and build their new brand on the customer experience. Now we have seen a company go from a rational model of decision making and step into the new age. They admitted that old manager models were out dated and they were ready to step into a f resh new approach. It is interesting that we see them heading into a very modern direction but using old fashioned decision making techniques to arrive there.Walgreen management team took their job seriously by making sure they followed through with pouring over statistics and studying successful companies with different brands than their own to see what was giving them the success. They decided that it Just had to be the customer service levels and the approach. Surprisingly enough we can also see the big bosses at Walgreen using their Intuition to make the final decision on whether to change the brand or not. They are customers at other places and they take their family and friends out to eat and do different things.When out and about they kept track of what businesses were full and why. If they went out to eat and there was a two hour wait they would pay close attention to why. This process gave them the Intuition, or experience to know what or how a person wants to be treated wh en they are spending their money with a company. They brought their Intuition to the drawing room and along with good brainstorming and gathering of evidence, the management staff of Walgreen was able to make a good business decision.We sometimes see ethics compromised when decisions are made and Walgreen is not a when they admittedly failed to control the sales of controlled substances in a few of its pharmacies. The effects of this could have ruined the company but lucky for them they were able to pay a hefty fine and shut the door on what could have been an ethical disaster for them. It seems the Federal government agreed to dismiss the ease when the fines were paid.

Mminorities and Mental Ilnness essays

Mminorities and Mental Ilnness essays The cultures of racial and ethnic minorities influence many aspects of mental illness in the United States, including how patients from a given culture communicate and manifest their symptoms, their style of coping, their family and community support, and their willingness to seek treatment. Cultural and social influences are not the only determinants of mental illness and patterns of service use, but they do play important roles. The condition of mental illness is affecting minorities in greater numbers than whites in the United States. Accessibility to care for minorities with mental illness is very difficult. Minorities are more skeptical to seek the proper care for this disease. Shame, stigmatism, discrimination, and mistrust also keep minorities from seeking treatment when it is needed, along with not having medical insurance. Racism and discrimination is another factor along with the mistrust of the health care system and the bias attitude of the physicians. The U.S g overnment and private health care providers are currently trying to create a more systematic approach for States and local communities to extend health and mental health care to their uninsured residents. In the United States cultural and social factors contribute to the causation of mental illness, yet that contribution varies by disorder. Mental illness is considered the product of a complex interaction among biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors. The role of any of these major factors can be stronger or weaker depending on the specific disorder. Ethnic and racial minorities in the United States face a social and economic environment of inequality that includes greater exposure to racism, discrimination, violence, and poverty. Living in poverty has the most measurable effect on mental illness. Majority of minorities within the lower income bracket, with less education, and basically blue collar occupations are about t...

The Three Branches of American Government

The Three Branches of American Government In theory, the three branches of government serve to maintain the system of checks and balance, to prevent one branch from having more power, or too much power, than the others. This is to uphold Democracy and to prevent dictatorships and authoritarian government practices, to keep the country free, Capitalistic and Democratically fair to the people. The three branches making up the United States government are the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, as seen in the President, the Supreme Court, and Congress. To understand why things are done this way, it’s important to know a little about each branch, what it does and why it is important. This further assures the American citizen that they live in a country run, in theory, by the whole population who select people to represent them, their needs and their challenges. The President of the United States of America is not the only one running the show. For their time, for at least four years, they are essentially heading the Executive branch of the United States government. Though they are the commander-in-chief of the American military, the President does not have unlimited power to rule the country. The President is intentionally limited in power so as to prevent a regime, where a leader has complete control over every single government entity. The Vice President supports the president in various affairs as part of the Executive branch and becomes a liaison with the Senate. Cabinet members are also part of the Executive branch and assist the President in decision-making and other responsibilities. The President can veto some bills not passed by Congress, which means the President does have certain powers not shared by members of the other branches. The Supreme Court and its Justices make up the Judicial branch. They determine if certain laws work in correlation with the United States Constitution. The President nominates each Justice, and their positions have to first be approved by a majority of those in the Senate. The Judicial branch makes sure the country’s entire law-making system is done correctly, fairly and in the name of true and fair justice and Democracy. This branch sees that the country is run legally with respect to providing citizens their Constitutional rights. The Judicial branch has the power to decide if certain laws should be incorporated into the life of everyday Americans. Most recently, the Supreme Court Justices determined that Federal bans on same-sex marriages were unconstitutional. Once that bill passed and became a Federal law, individual states were able to vote to determine if they would allow same-sex marriages. And the Legislative branch, essentially the United States Congress, in many ways collectively chooses the country’s laws and what becomes part of the Constitution, which is always being amended to reflect today’s society, its people, and its needs, challenges, and limitations. The Senate and the House of Representatives make up the Legislative branch of the American government. The Senate has 100 members, exactly two from each of the 50 states; and the House of Representative has 435 members, representing the various districts of the American population (the most populous places get more representatives). Together, they determine if certain bills should be laws to protect the rights of the people. In conclusion, the three branches of the American government works – and this system has worked for more than 200 years. The system of checks and balances is by no means perfect, as seen in how President vetoes some bills that Congress is unwilling to pass. This, of course, creates mistrust among the various branches, in turn preventing effective cooperation between the departments of the government. Nonetheless, as time goes on, this system will evolve and will one day become the common way governments all around the world will run. It equates to happy citizens who make up a happy, successful and self-preserving society.

Canadian Economics Policies and employment Research Paper

Canadian Economics Policies and employment - Research Paper Example The control of money supply eventually leads to the changes in interest rates prevailing in the economy. These changes are generally introduced so as to influence other macroeconomic variables / factors, which include employment trends in the country, balance of payments, aggregate demand and supply and production, inflation rates, etc. It cannot be stated that there is a uniform or universally acceptable structure or model for devising the monetary policy of an economy, and depending on the particular characteristics and issues faced by an economy and the dynamics of national and international financial markets, every country designs its monetary policy in its own way (Bernanke & Mishkin, 1997). The objective of intervention in the economy by a country’s government through monetary policy has been largely to influence varying macroeconomic indicators, as mentioned in the previous paragraph; however, the techniques and methods of doing so have revolutionized on a continuous ba sis, which are built upon the conventional mechanisms of controlling inflation, unemployment rates and other variables (McEachern, 2011). The most important change noted in the techniques used to control macroeconomic variables through monetary policy is the shift from direct controlling of money supply through direct intervention of Central Banks to indirect controlling and depending upon market mechanisms and forces to act in a favorable manner (Hirschey, 2009; Nadal, 2001). Keeping in view this background, the present study aims at determining the relationship between monetary policy and inflation trends, with particular reference to the Canadian economy. In this regard, following research question has been formulated, which will be answered on the basis of analysis conducted by researcher in this report. Research Question The research question, which is to be answered in this study on the basis of analysis and findings, is: What is the nature of relationship between monetary pol icy and inflation, with specific regard to the Canadian economy? Keeping in view this research question, this study can be considered as an important contribution to the existing literature pertaining to the relationship between monetary policy and inflation in Canadian economy. Moreover, the fact that this study includes application of various macroeconomic factors and policies, it can therefore be regarded as an important research work for individuals interested in exploring the macroeconomic environment of Canada and how different factors correlate in a practical environment. Research Method Adopted There are two broad approaches of carrying out a research work, which include qualitative and quantitative research approaches. A qualitative research approach requires the researcher to assess information on the basis of its qualitative attributes and aspects. The qualitative research approach may not necessarily produce quantitative results, as it does not make use of quantitative a nalysis of the information. On the other hand, following a quantitative rese

The concept of a Property Right Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The concept of a Property Right - Essay Example Under this system, it is expected that market forces will drive down the release of pollutants into the environment, insofar as the cost of releasing pollutants costs more than cleaning up and disposing the pollutant [LIVERMAN 2008]. In the short-term, carbon trading is meant as an incentive. That is, firms are punished by being forced to buy more permits to pollute if they need to; firms are rewarded when they can sell these permits because they have reduced emissions. In the long-term, it is hoped that carbon trading will reduce emissions enough to make a significant contribution to reducing climate change. However, carbon trading schemes largely appeal to those people whose ideologies bias them toward the market-based solution in every case. In fact, there is no economic evidence that price effects through caps and limits is more effective or more desirable than direct regulation or command and control [PARKER 2007]. There is a theoretical problem and a practical problem with trading schemes. The theoretical problem is that trading schemes must rely on the market to form a price mechanism to limit the supply of pollutants—the same market that failed in the first place to provide the socially acceptable outcome. This dissonance poses a difficulty with respect to whom society must trust with achieving reductions in climate change. The practical problem is how carbon derivatives would be traded. Hybrid securities and exotic derivatives were at the root of the most recent recession. It might be difficult to trust these same institutions. b) A property right is the exclusive authority to determine how a resource is used, whether that resource is owned by government or by individuals [ALCHIAN 2008]. The problem of externalities extends to the negative effects of action has on others, and the disconnect between the negative effects and the benefits the actor receives from performing that action. In

Health Care Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Health Care Reform - Research Paper Example Despite the federal government having some public funds to compensate the public on sickness and death, there lacked public programs and legislations that would facilitate the realization of these efforts by the government. The raising concerns of wage loss were because of failure to be paid in the event of illness. This led to the introduction of insurance schemes (sickness funds) to cover against loss of wages due to illnesses by workers. There arose evolutionist reformers in the progressive era of the early 20th century whose motives were to address social concerns especially for the working group (Palmer para 4-5). The efforts of the reformers received great support by the government of Roosevelt who equally highly esteemed the health of the people. The early period of the century, saw combined efforts by the AMA (American Medical Association) and the AALL (American Association of Labor Legislation) design and formulate legislations and health care bills that were meant for effec ting the universal accessibility of health care to the U.S citizens. Shortly after these moves, the reformers introduced the concept of cost of illness as against concentrating on the lost wages through which they brought about the concept of ‘sickness’ insurance. Health sector regulations were not left behind as well in the reforms with the end of great depression (1935) marking the introduction of social security act. The great depression had serious implication to every American as well as the various departments such as the health care sector with general low finances in circulation within the entire economy. This therefore encouraged the insurance sector to introduce the medical covers through which medical expenses to the public would be easily met. Latter on some employers took to their role to provide health care to their employee, which equally marked great steps. By the mid century, over two thirds of the U.S citizens enjoyed some form of medical coverage over the private insurance schemes. However, the achievement of compulsory national health insurance as were the efforts of the reformers failed due to the opposition that resulted from the doctors, business, insurance sector as well as some labor groups. However, by the year 1965, great steps had been taken within the sector and there was assenting to the legislation to universal health care in the United States (Palmer para 16-20). According to a brief by the Maine Health Access Foundation, the last thirty years have seen great efforts by the state government to improve on the accessibility of health care support through insurance especially to the uninsured (Maine Health Access Foundation 3). The states have undertaken multiple roles in the health care provision system of America by serving as a regulator, administrator and a purchaser among other roles. The comprehensive health care reform has been a great phenomenon to be implemented within many of the U.S states. The guiding facto r to these notable reforms has been to provide universal, quality and affordable services in health care to all her citizens. Therefore, individual states have been responsible in developing and adopting health care policies, which in common are seen to have focused much on expanded Medicare coverage (Maine Health Acc

Organizational Culture in Libraries Essay Example for Free

Organizational Culture in Libraries Essay Assignment Topic: One of the main ways in which the ‘veil of incorporation’ can be lifted is when directors breach their duties. This essay question is set around the duty to prevent insolvent trading. You will need to have read the chapter in your prescribed text that deals with this duty and have then researched more widely by looking at other textbooks, the relevant CCH online library, articles from the internet and journal articles. You must answer both parts of this topic. Please make sure you have REFERENCED in the body of your work ACCURATELY,. Remember, referencing shows you have researched and thought about what material will be relevant to assist you in answering the questions. Read the following scenario and answer BOTH parts (questions) at the end. OHS Solutions Pty. Ltd. is a company formed by three friends (Des, Satish and Emma) who bring different skills and abilities to the business. Emma is an accounting graduate, Des has expertise in occupational health and safety (OHS) and Satish has an IT degree. They decided to start up a business which would provide a portal through which the public and businesses could access (for free) information on all aspects of OHS. OHS Solutions would finance its business, and make profits, by charging businesses to advertise via their website. The directors of OHS Solutions are: Managing Director – Des Finance Director – Emma (non executive) Director – Satish (executive – employed also to run the technological side of the business) Director – Ying (non executive) – a friend of Des’ and director of Support Pty. Ltd. (Support Pty. Ltd. has gone guarantor for a $50,000 loan from the Business Bank Ltd. to OHS Solutions) The Shareholders of OHS Solutions (holding equal amounts of ordinary shares) are Des, Emma, Satish and Support Pty. Ltd. As at January 2007 OHS Solutions had been operating for six months. It had  some initial IT problems which prevented some of the advertisers’ material from being accessed. In order to try to help overcome these technical problems Satish engaged Trouble Shooters Pty. Ltd. At the February Board meeting, Satish reported that two businesses who had paid to advertise on the website were dissatisfied with what was happening and were threatening to sue for breach of contract. Emma was unable to table any financial information as the employee who had been doing the accounts had been sick and when Emma looked at the records she found that they seemed to be in a bit of a mess. She did find a large account from Trouble Shooters that was over due. Des reported that he was disturbed by this news. He had been told by Satish that the IT problems had been fixed since Trouble Shooters had been engaged, and he had just signed a $10,000 advertising contract with Promotions Plus Pty. Ltd. to advertise the website and signed up to go to a trade show to be held in conjunction with a forthcoming OHS conference. He said this was needed because a number of high profile advertisers were threatening to discontinue their association with OHS Solutions unless the portal became better known. Ying just listens in disbelief at the March Board meeting. It seemed to her that OHS Solutions is being poorly managed and is failing to make the most of a potentially profitable business opportunity. This could present an opportunity for Support Pty. Ltd. to make an offer to buy OHS Solutions at a good price. On the other hand Support Pty. Ltd. is exposed as a guarantor. Assume she consults you, an accountant, for your preliminary view about the predicament of OHS Solutions and what she should do. Assume also that the first thing that comes to your mind is whether Ying herself may be vulnerable as a director of OHS Solutions for failing to prevent OHS Solutions from trading when it is insolvent.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening :: essays research papers

The circumstances surrounding the composition of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" explain his use of "The darkest evening of the year" (L.8) which is closely related it to the greater theme of perseverance in the face of hardship. Frost wrote this poem, in November(Frost Chronology) 1923; on the same late night he finished his book New Hampshire (Jackson sec. 1). Being "a little excited from getting over-tired"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 3), he decided to venture out into the wilderness, probably to calm down. Frost hitched his horse to a sleigh and left on his journey to eventually find the "Woods" in this poem. Being in an "autointoxicated"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 3) state, Frost was mesmerized by the scene of the woods beside the frozen lake. He eventually broke out of his trance, possibly with the aid of his horse, by thoughts of prior commitments. The former statement is shown in the text by: "He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake"(L.L. 9-10) and the latter by: "But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep"(L.L. 13-14). According to Frost, upon his return home, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" "was wri tten in a few minutes without any strain"(qtd. in Jackson sec. 1). Therefore, Frost wrote this poem about himself and his journey. Literally, "The darkest evening of the year"(L.8), refers to the winter equinox on December 21st. But, if thought of symbolically, this line could be the culmination of difficult work, by the author, to finish his book New Hampshire. Furthermore the equinox aspect of "The darkest evening of the year"(L.13) symbolizes the transition, from the writing of a new book to its realization. Therefore, the meaning "The darkest evening of the year"(L.8) is dual even if the poem was not written in December 21st. In and of itself, the poem is an extended metaphor for perseverance. The reader only realizes this after having finished reading the poem because the information about the narrator's prior commitments and fatigue is provided at the end. In retrospect, the first stanza can be analyzed as the narrator's difficult journey. The middle and last parts of the text, like the woods, can be seen as the temptation, as is evident in the lines "The woods are lovely dark and deep"(L. 13). But the narrator overcomes his temptation shown by: "But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep†¦"(L.

An Epic Man Who Became an Epic Hero Essay

Odysseus, of Homer’s Odyssey, is an appropriate hero and ruler of Ithaca. He does not act irrationally but contemplates his actions and their implications. Odysseus is an appropriate hero because he embodies the values of bravery, intelligence, astuteness, and competency. Odysseus is an appropriate ruler for Ithaca by virtue of his hereditary right to kingship as well as his diplomatic skills, familiarity with his male subjects, discipline, and his impartiality and compassion. However, he is a character that does make a foolish decision. There is a rare instance when his pride supersedes his intellectual ability. Odysseus is an appropriate hero for he embodies the values of bravery, intelligence, astuteness, and competency. While he trying to return home from Ilium, numerous suitors attempt to seduce his wife, Penelope. However, when he returns Odysseus cleverly plans and carries out the demise of the evil and wasteful suitors with the help of Athena, goddess of wisdom: â€Å"Come on [Athena] weave me a plan to punish them [the suitors].† Odysseus’ wisdom is admired by Athena, the goddess of that aptness. Athena is also impressed by his battle heroics and so she endeavors to provide him with succor: â€Å"And you didn’t know Pallas Athenaia the daughter of Zeus himself, your faithful stand-by and guardian in all your labours!† With Athena’s assistance Odysseus becomes a true hero. Odysseus is the epitome of honor and virtue for his Ithacan subjects. Odysseus’ kind and stalwart leadership is revealed by Eumaios, his faithful swineherd, and Philoitios, his loyal cowherd, who have both remained loyal to him for twenty years. Eumaios praises Odysseus as â€Å"A rare fine master.† â€Å"Indeed I do not mourn so much for them as for him [Odysseus], though I long to see ’em again and my native land, but I do miss Odysseus since he went away. I don’t like to speak his name, man, although he is absent, but I call him ‘his honour,’ even when he is far away.† Odysseus is a befitting king because it is his ancestral right, for he is familiar with his male subjects and understands their desires. Odysseus’ equity and mercy is displayed after his triumph over the suitors, whom he executed because of their lawless  behavior. However, Odysseus shows compassion by allowing Phemius, the minstrel suitor, and Medon, a herald suitor to live. â€Å"Cheer up, my son has saved your life. So you shall know, and tell other men, that doing well is far better than doing ill.† Odysseus’ proper sovereignty is expressed by his justice. Odysseus displays his shrewdness as he overcomes the challenges that beset his crew. When Odysseus and his men become trapped by Polyphemos on the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus cleverly tells Polyphemos that his name is ‘Noman.’ Thus, when Polyphemos is stabbed in the eye by Odysseus and his men, he renounces assistance from his friends by stating that â€Å"Noman is killing me,† leading his companions to believe that no man has hurt him. However, once Odysseus and his men reach their ships and set sail, he performs his most foolish act. Odysseus taunts Polyphemos by declaring, â€Å"if ever any one asks who put out you ugly eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus, the conqueror if Troy, the son of Laertes, whose address is Ithaca!† Once Polyphemos obtains this critical information on his blinder’s identity, he implores his father Poseidon, god of the sea, to â€Å"grant that Odysseus the conqueror if Troy- the son of Laertes- whose address is Ithaca, may never reach his home!† Because Odysseus’ pride would not allow him to let his ingenious action go unrecognized, he dooms himself and his crew. Odysseus’ wisdom and courage enable him to be a brave hero and a strong ruler, both traits of superiority in his society. Being mortal binds him to occasional mistakes that he compensates for by becoming wiser and stronger. His extraordinary abilities are heralded by the gods. Upon his return to Ithaca, Odysseus ingeniously kills the rude and wasteful suitors and reclaims his title of king. In reconciliation and honor, he finally makes a sacrifice to Poseidon. Odysseus is the epitome of a hero of his culture.

Hershey Report

THE HERSHEY CHOCOLATE COMPANY INTRODUCTION The Hershey Company was originally a purely chocolate manufacturer but extended to wafers and other products, some even non-chocolate. Now, the Hershey Company has grown to become a leader when it comes to dark chocolate and premium chocolate. Hershey’s Mission Statement is â€Å"Bringing sweet moments of Hershey happiness to the world every day† (www. thehersheycompany. com).This means delivering quality confectionary to consumer for all occasion, being a dominant and fun organization for the employees, having good business relationships for growth with customers, suppliers and business partners, creating value for shareholders and philanthropic activities for society as a whole. The company, adhering to its Mission from the founding day till today, strives to continuously create value by developing a number of products to cater to frequently changing consumers’ desire.Hence by creating a diverse portfolio which transfo rmed customer desires to reality, and by maintaining its quality The Hershey Company has managed to become one of the top chocolate brands in the market. HISTORY Hershey’s derived from a single decision- the decision of candy manufacturer Milton Hershey. In 1894 he decided to produce sweet chocolate which would coat caramels. He started off an enterprise and called it The Hershey Chocolate Company, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1900, the Hershey Chocolate Company started the production of milk chocolate bars, chocolate wafers and more.Hershey was the company which made the once a luxury item affordable to the common public by choosing to produce at a mass level. By using mass production the company had lowered its per unit cost and hence was able to sell it at a lower cost than other chocolates. The success of high sales led to Hershey’s expansion of new chocolate factories, one of them being in south-central Pennsylvania in Derry Township, close to the ports of New York and Philadelphia which supplied the imported sugar and cocoa beans needed, surrounded by dairy farms that provided the milk required, and with a local labor supply of honest, hard-working people.By 1905 the production of chocolate in this factory was flourishing. Today, the Hershey Company operates all over the world, employs more than 12,000 people and generates revenues of more than $5 billion. (www. thehersheycompany. com) ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Sales of chocolate depend majorly on the demand of chocolate, and these demands fluctuate heavily. And hence the success of a chocolate industry relies heavily on whether it’s the Easter, Halloween or Christmas season or a plain summer day, sales being lower in the latter.It has been noted that sales of Hershey’s or any chocolate brand for that matter, increases during the third and fourth quarter of the year, that is, the holiday seasons. For Hershey’s, the difference in the net sales of the first quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2009 was $248,087,000. (www. thehersheycomany. com). Judging from this, we can safely deduce that chocolate sales, on a large part, depends on the environment. If we look at the social environment, there are all sorts of consumers with different demands.Some would prefer cheaper chocolate and would be more than ready to compromise on quality and consider it just a snack while others demand a rich taste making chocolate more of a luxurious item. This requires the industry to produce a variety of products to meet the needs of as many customers to ensure greater sales. But there is also the issue of brand image. If a company produces both rich and cheap quality products, it does not develop a specific image of the brand. Hence the business needs to identify what demographics they want to cater to. The Hershey Company has a number of competitors.The company itself has an average of 5 billion dollar sales annually, 5132. 8 million dollars in 2008 (theher sheycompany. com) and employs 14,400 employees which is quite a large number but there are other similar brands in the market. Major competitors of Hershey’s are: †¢ Cadbury, with a sale of 7,792. 3 million dollars and 45,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Mars, with sales reaching 30,000 million dollars and a total of 70,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Nestle with sales of 104,060. 9 million dollars and 283,000 employees in 2008. (www. hoovers. com) MARKET ENVIRONMENT ANALYSISPorter’s Analysis By using ‘Porters five forces’ we can analyze the industry and subsequently to develop business strategy. These five forces present in the marketing environment will help determine the intensity of competition intensity and hence attractiveness of a market. In the marketing context, attractiveness refers to the overall profitability of the industry. A profitable business is an ‘attractive’ industry wherein the combination of these forces acts to pull up the overall profitability. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The supply of Cocoa is limited.Since it is produced in areas with tropical weather, a lot of chocholate manufacturers have to import the cocoa. Suppliers have more bargaining power over the chocolate industry since cocoa suppliers are limited (www. bpi. cam. ac. uk). Bargaining Power of Customers: Bargaining power of customers of Hershey is moderately high. From Hershey’s annual reports, we can see that sales volume is high for The Hershey Company and whenever consumers buy in large volumes, their bargaining power increases. This is specifically applicable to retailers, more specifically to retailers like Wal-Mart.Wal-Mart and other retailers who purchase large volumes of chocolate can bargain for lower prices and the industry’s profits can decrease. Threat of New Entrants: Threat of new entrants is not a major concern for The Hershey Company as Hershey’s uses the technique of mass production (Evan Carmi chael) that is, produces on a mass level and has achieved economies of scale. A new entrant would therefore have to be a mass level manufacturer. Also, there are factors such as capital requirements and channels of distribution which make it harder for business to be set up on a large level and to get the sales going.And, of course, there has to be something that sets apart the new entrant’s products from the existing businesses’ products. Threat of Substitute Products: Since chocolate is not a need-based product and a number of people consider in just a snack, they look to towards other products such as chips, ice-cream, other flavored products such as vanilla, orange etcetera as well. Also there are many people who deem chocolate as unhealthy and fattening and are ready to substitute it with other products. Competitive Rivalry within n Industry: Hershey is not the only chocolate company around. There are a lot more chocolate brands which are as established as Hershey . Consumers have a choice of buying Hershey or Cadbury or Mars or other more generic chocolates, and this provides a significant amount of competition. Hershey’s has to compete against other chocolate brands and watch out for substitute products which makes competition intense. However, this analysis looks at the forces closely affecting the business i. e. the micro environment.Hence the Porter’s Analysis is not a hundred percent useful on its own. For most marketing experts, porters five forces analysis is only a starting point or sort of a â€Å"checklist† and therefore the benefit of this analysis can be taken only when used in conjunction with other analysis techniques. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS: †¢ Rich history full of tradition, originality and philanthropic service: The Hershey Company produced Hershey’s Tropical Chocolate bars and Field Ration D bars for the troops at war giving it points for both originality and patriotism.Milton Hershey has a lso opened the Hershey Park in 1907 (www. hersheypa. com) †¢ Strong Brand Name and Image: Hershey has been in the market since 1894 and since then it has created a strong brand name and image. †¢ Diverse Product Portfolio: Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kisses, Mounds, Reese’s, Payday, York Peppermint Pattie, Milk Duds, Mr. Goodbar, Rolo, Skor, Whatchamacallit, Whoppers and Krackle Bar are only a few of Hershey’s products amongst many more. Having a huge variety of products increases chances of high sales for the company. Strong Alliances: Apart from acquiring a number of popular chocolate/candy manufacturing companies and has acquired licenses for producing and selling Cadbury and Nestle products, it has also, recently allied with Starbucks, which lead to a 30% increase in profits for Hershey. (MarketWatch) OPPORTUNITIES: †¢ A number of consumers desire and demand richer products and this gives Hershey to gain more of the upper strata of society †¢ The Hershey Company joined up with Starbucks, which was a wise move as it contributed to a 30% growth in Hershey’s profit (MarketWatch).More joint ventures with, for instance, Dunkin Donuts would boost sales of Hershey. †¢ In today’s day and age, people have started giving more importance to holidays as noted in the Quarterly reports of Hershey sales were higher in the holiday seasons. Hershey can use this to focus more on chocolates as gifts. †¢ Price decline of sugar †¢ Outsourcing of labor to cheaper areas WEAKNESSES: †¢ Hershey is North America’s largest chocolate producer (The Hershey Company) but the same cannot be said when it comes to the international market. Currently, the company’s presence is limited to Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. www. investopedia. com) †¢   A key weakness of Hershey is that it does not have much sales in the Asian markets and since Asia is the largest continent and a huge population, it is missing out on a lot. †¢ Price inflation is also an issue. As prices are relentlessly increasing, consumers think twice before purchasing a lot of things and Hershey products are no longer item that once can buy with the loose change in their pocket. Less people are willing to buy chocolates frequently. THREATS: †¢ There has been an increase in Nut allergies both in the UK and USA. ut allergies. (AAIR). A lot of Hershey products uses nuts and it has to consider this fact. †¢ Obesity is also on the rise and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a massive increase in obesity. â€Å"In 2008, only one state in the United States of America (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%†. Though there is no proof that chocolate equals obesity but that is the general conception and heatlh conscious people tend to buy little or no chocolate. If the health trend rises chocolate sa les will gradually decrease. Technology is becoming more and more advanced every day, and in order to be retain its economies of scale and to remain competent, Hershey has to keep up with technological progress in manufacturing and this will automatically increase cost.. †¢ A recent issue has been minimum wage for labourers. â€Å"Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increases to $7. 25 per hour†. (Labour Law Center) †¢ Price of milk has been on a steady rise. Milk prices reached its peak in July 2007 and consumers paid â€Å".. an average $3. 80 a gallon, compared with $3. 29 in January†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Vandore, 2007).If this trend continues in the future, Hershey will have to increase prices due to increased costs of production hence sales could plummet really low. †¢ There has also been a steady price increase in gasoline. In the Clayton News Daily, â€Å"The annual average price of regular unleaded gas is expected to increase from $2. 35 per ga llon in 2009, to $2. 83 in 2010, with similar price hikes on heating oil and diesel fuel†. In this case production costs of running the heavy machinery in factories will increase significantly, making it difficult for Hershey to maintain reasonable price of its products. SWOT of CompetitorsAmongst Hershey’s competitors, Cadbury is one of the major ones. Below is a brief SWOT analysis for Cadbury. |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESSES | |Has been in the market for 200 years- well established brand name &image. |Small product portfolio. There’s not much variety. | |Products sold in over 200 countries. |Very few new products are created by own group. | |High profits | | |Has been awarded Royalty. | |OPPORTUNITIES |THREATS | |Can expand into new markets |Other established brands in the market | |Should produce new products |Diversification of other brands into the market | MARKETING STRATEGY PRODUCT:The Hershey Company has a number of products, the main categories being as foll ows: 1. Chocolate Candy: This includes Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Bliss, and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate amongst a lot of others. 2. Pantry Items: This category includes Hershey Syrup, Hershey Toppings and Hershey’s Hot Cocoa mix etcetera. 3. Snacks: Some products of this category are Canola Bars, Snacksters, 100 Calorie Bars and SnackBarz. 4. Gum and Mint: BreathSavers mints, Bubble Yum bubble gum and Ice Breakers are the products of this category 5.Sugar Confectionary: To capture the market who is sugar conscious or health conscious, Hershey’s developed Hershey's Sugar Free Candy The Hershey Company has, in addition, acquired licenses to manufacture and sell chocolate and non-chocolate products of other brands such as Nestle Kit Kats, Rolos, and Cadbury. It also acquired a number of companies and now Jolly Rancher, Bubble Yum, Mauna Loa, Reeses, Whoppers, Twizzlers and Young & Smylie products are officially a part of the Hershey Company. PRICE: Her shey’s chocolates are priced at a moderate level.A plain Hershey bar of 1. 55 oz is priced at $0. 99 and a Toblerone, 1. 7 oz bar, is priced at $1. 49. Toblerone is 50% more expensive than Hershey, as we can see below. Following is a list of the general pricing of Hershey Products: †¢ Hershey’s Milk Chocolate (1. 55 oz) priced at $0. 99. †¢ Mr. GoodBar (1. 75 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Almond Joy 8 Pack (0. 6 oz x 8 pieces) priced at $2. 45 †¢ Almond Joy Eggs (1. 1 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Cadbury Caramel Eggs (1. 2 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Black Licorice from Y (8 oz bag, containing 55 pieces) priced at $4. 5 †¢ Bubble Yum (o. 17 oz oz x 5 pieces) priced at $0. 99 We can see the general pricing trend of Hershey, as almost all 1. 5 to 2 oz bars are priced at 0. 99 dollars PLACE: Hershey sells its products at a wide array of places. It sells to wholesale distributors, wholesale clubs, mass merchandisers, grocery stores, drug stores, vending companies, convenience stores, department stores, dollar stores and natural food stores. Then these customers of Hershey sell to end consumers in approximately 2 million outlets all over North America and worldwide. (The Hershey Company)One of the largest distributors of Hershey products is the Mc Lane Company Inc. , which in turn sells to other stores. It is the main distributor for Wal-Mart which is one of the few places which sells products of the Hershey Company. (The Hershey Company) PROMOTION: The Hershey Company uses a variety of mediums and techniques for advertising and promotion. Apart from regular mediums such as Billboard advertisement, Newspaper and magazine advertisements and Television commercials, it uses other techniques like using movies and Box Office to promote their company.For instance, in Hershey’s â€Å"Hulked-Up† promotion, you â€Å"enter to win† a Hulk Hummer and get a free T-Shirt by checking out featured products (ComicBookMovie. co m). Other promotions include HERSHEY’S Camaro Sweepstakes to win a 2010 Chevy Camaro, HERSHEY'S KISSES Cookie and HERSHEY’S and the Young Survival Coalition which was used to create breast cancer awareness along with promoting Hershey. (The Hershey Company) ADVERTISEMENT CRITIQUE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Looking at the financial statement of the last five years (www. thehersheycompany. om) has given the following results: †¢ Net Profit 10. 1% of Sales in 2005. †¢ Net Profit 11. 3% of Sales in 2006. †¢ Net Profit 4. 32% of Sales in 2007. †¢ Net Profit 6. 06% of Sales in 2008. †¢ Net Profit 7. 94% of Sales in 2009. These profitability ratios show that while Hershey has performed better in 2009 than two of its preceding years, its profits have decreased considerably compared to 2006. 2006: By taking a closer look at the quarterly reports of Hershey for these years it is noted that the first half had strong but the second half of 2006 saw a slow-down in sales.The Hershey Company’s long-term strategies seek to attain net sales growth of 3% to 4% annually (The Hershey Company) but results for 2006 did not meet their goals. Net sales growth was 2. 58% for 2006. There was a decline in market share during the second half, mainly in North American. Hershey tried to gain momentum again and succeeded with time but at a price. Apart from the increased interest costs for that year there were increased spending on advertising starting from the fourth quarter and continuing well into 2007, affecting the net profit for 2007 drastically. From a net profit percent of 11. % in 2006, it went down to 4. 32% in 2007. 2007: 2007 was also a difficult year. Net sales growth in this year was 0. 05% which is not even close to the company’s goal of 3%-4% per year, even with the increased sales from international business and sales from the Joint Venture formed with Godrej Beverages & Foods Limited formed that year (Wikipedia). Sales in North America was low, costs incurred were much higher than the previous year and the company saw a much lower profit in 2007. Business realignment and impairment costs rose from 14,576,000 to a whopping 276,868,000.The difference in net income percentage was -61. 7%. Increased investment spending for advertising and expansion of our international infrastructure also contributed to the lower income in 2007. 2008: Net sales growth increased from 0. 05% to 3. 8% in this year. The net income percentage which was negative in the previous year turned into a positive 45. 4%. Needless to say, Hershey gained momentum in the market again. Results for the 2008 up to mark and met the Hershey Company’s goals and expectations. FUTURE TRENDS Health Awareness: Many people don’t use chocolate for fear of become fat, getting acne or other health reasons such as cholesterol. This may reduce sales. †¢ Allergies: some children and adults have allergies, most commonly peanut allergies and o ther nut allergies. This, also, may decrease sales. †¢ High Class society gatherings/increased importance to holidays such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas which use a lot of chocolate and chocolate products. This could increase sales in the future. †¢ Price of cocoa and Price of fuel: The price of these two commodities will effect sales negatively if they continue to rise.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE: Keeping in mind the factors and trends that may increase or decrease sales in the future, Hershey can take a number of steps to improve their chances of turning unfavorable situations into ones that will actually benefit the company. A lot of people think of chocolate and think of one of these words: â€Å"junk food†, unhealthy†, â€Å"fattening† and so on. But the fact is that chocolate can actually promote good health. Especially dark chocolate, which has anti-oxidant effects and generates antithrombotic mechanisms, can lead to better cardiovascular health (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal).In layman terms this means it prevents the blood in the heart from clotting up. Hershey’s can use this knowledge for a different spin on their advertisements and removing the concept of unhealthy chocolate. Also many people and children have nut allergies, and since a lot of Hershey’s products include hazel nut and peanuts, this can pose a problem But with careful and well defined market research Hershey’s can overcome the problem of its chocolate bars containing nut not being sold, by finding out approximately what population of chocolate lovers is allergic to nuts and other ingredients which prevent them from buying chocolate.Another trend which poses a problem is the economy. Prices are constantly on the rise and cocoa and fuel are the two major concerns. Increase in fuel prices may lead to closure of a few plants to save on costs, or if the plants are not closed, prices of products may have to be raised to cover up the costs. Prices of cocoa are also on the rise, and an increase in this raw material may lead to an increase in price of the end-products. Since cocoa is produced in a few countries with tropical climate, chocolate manufacturers in colder climates have to import cocoa. Hershey has to pay mport taxes on top of the increased prices due to the global deficit of 145,000 tonnes of cocoa in the 2007-2008 season (confectionarynews. com). To reduce this cost, Hershey has two options. Either to buy as much cocoa in bulk as possible when prices are low and to buy as minimum as possible when the prices are high, or to outsource their manufacturing to places like Indonesia or Ghana where cocoa production is the largest (BBC News). CONCLUSION Hershey is a company which is already popular, but with a few well planned strategic decisions has the potential to be much more successful.They can do this by a reducing their costs, starting up new subsidiaries, perhaps even starting up production of th eir own cocoa beans instead of importing from Indonesia, Ghana and other cocoa manufacturers. The next thing they have to do is increase their advertising to countries Asia, as Asia has a large number of potential consumers.. APPENDIX REFERENCES About The Hershey Company. (www. thehersheycompany. com) < http://www. thehersheycompany. com/about/> Asthma and Allergy Information and Research. Nut Allergy- The Basics < http://www. sers. globalnet. co. uk/~aair/nuts. htm> BBC News. Peanut allergy on the increase < http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/2487769. stm> BBC News. BBC News. Cocoa price hits 14-year-high Clayton News Daily. Confectionerynews. com. Future of cocoa prices uncertain, says ICCO. ComicBookMovie. com. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emma Vandore. Got Milk? More People Want It Now. Contra Costa Times. Evan Carmichael. His Secret Recipe: How Hershey Achieved Success Groovy Candies. Hoovers. Labour Law Center.Federal Minimum Wage Increase for 2007, 2008, & 2009 Lunde ll, Dean â€Å"Capitalizing on Our Candy Cravings (NSRGY, CSG, HSY). † Investopedia. com. August 1st, 2007. November 13th, 2007. Investopedia website: Investor Relations: Annual and Quarterly Reports (www. thehersheycompany. com) MarketWatch. Hershey's 3rd-quarter profit rises 30% ; http://www. marketwatch. com/story/hersheys-third-quarter-profit-rises-30-2009-10-22; Products (www. hersheys. com) The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Plasma antioxidants from chocolate Oct, 2003 . Volume 22 Issue 10. p A7