Saturday, August 31, 2019

Constitutional Amendments

The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited liquor with the exception of the use of liquor for religious purposes. As a result, it became difficult to consume let alone obtain alcohol at the time. Organized crime in the country became prevalent as people began to obtain alcohol illegally and as people began to organize themselves for alcohol trade and sales despite the increasing pressure brought forth by the government. Corruption in several government agencies became prevalent as people were tempted to bribe government officials in order to obtain alcohol with their approval.The Amendment’s impact on contemporary society is that it gave the government a learning lesson with regard to unpopular legislations in the face of the demands of the public. Today, the effects of the Eighteenth Amendment can no longer be observed as the American public is now allowed to purchase and consume liquor and other alcoholic drinks. Nevertheless, there are existing government restrictions on the legal age of obtaining and consuming alcohol. There are also current restrictions on drinking when together with other activities such as driving.Less than two decades after the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified. The latter Amendment repealed the provisions of the Eighteenth Amendment concerning the nationwide prohibition on the use of liquor. However, the second section of the Twenty-first Amendment prohibits the importation or transport of alcoholic beverages to States where doing so would violate the laws thereof. One of the effects of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment is that numerous states retained their laws prohibiting alcohol consumption long after the Amendment was enforced.Countless public bars remained under State prohibition from selling intoxicating liquor to the public which effectively gave States control over liquor. Today, numerous States have passed the authority to control public alcohol distribution or sale s to their different counties and municipalities. In any case, the industry of alcoholic beverages in the United States is now thriving to the point that the manufacturers of these beverages continue to export their products abroad on a regular basis.While some of the prohibition on local bars on a municipal or county-level led to lawsuits citing First Amendment rights, alcoholic beverages continue to be distributed, sold and consumed for the most part of the country although their distribution, selling and consumption are required to be within the legal limits. The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution proscribes both the federal government and the different states from denying Americans from their right to vote on the basis of a person’s sex.The apparent result of the ratification of the amendment is that women became part of the population eligible to vote for candidates running for government positions. The amendment effectively abolished the limitation of the right to suffrage which was previously accorder only to men. Women became entitled with the right to vote without having to worry about legal restrictions imposed by the government and opposition from other individuals. The effect of the Amendment continues to this day as women continue to partake in the American electoral process.In essence, the consequences of the Amendment are very visible in public especially during elections. The Twentieth Amendment puts in detail the start and end of the terms of elected federal government officials such as the President and the Vice-President. The Amendment further specifies the role of Congress in appointing a President when the Presidency is vacant. It specifies the order of succession to the Presidency in times when President dies. It also specifies the day in which Congress shall convene unless otherwise legally appointed on a different day.The effect of the Amendment after ratification is that it gave elected federal government officials the urg ency of time to immediately occupy their positions in order to deal with important matters the soonest time possible. It also prevented Congress from convening for a futile session right after the elections as the start of the Congressional session was moved to every third day of January, less than two weeks before the start of the term of the newly elected President and Vice-President. The case of President Barack Obama serves as a contemporary example.His case illustrates the urgency for the President to start working the soonest time possible in order to address important national concerns, one of which is the current economic crisis that has hit the country and other parts of the world. Finally, the Twenty-second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution sets the limit for the Presidential term. Specifically, the elected President is given up to two four-year terms in office. However, an acting President who has served the remaining two years of office is also entitled to a full two f our-year terms in office—the maximum term that a person can hold the position of President is ten years.As for acting Presidents who have held the position for more than two years, they can only hold office for no more than one term after completing their term as acting President. At the time after the ratification of the Amendment, Dwight Eisenhower was the President. He argued that a second-term President would simply be reduced to a â€Å"lame duck† because his political influence and vested powers would be diminished considering that such a President faces an apparent and irreversible deadline on his term.The President who is about to leave office becomes ineffective to a certain degree because politicians in the government will become more interested in the search for and support of their presidential candidates than in the affairs of the executive branch. These things have been one of the main concerns of the incumbent president—Dwight Eisenhower—at the time of the ratification of the amendment. In more recent times, Americans who oppose the Bush policies on war saw the two-term limit as their saving grace. After the inauguration of George W.Bush for his second term in office, he was quick to issue several foreign and local policies because he understood that he faces the risk of being a â€Å"lame duck† president by the time his second term in office is about to expire. As for current U. S. President Barack Obama, he is entitled to the same two four-year terms that former president George W. Bush had since the time of Eisenhower. Reference Constitution of the United States: Amendments 11-27. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://www. archives. gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27. html

Friday, August 30, 2019

MBA Admission questions

Question 1} Discuss an event or process from your work experience which has contributed to your personal/professional development under the following headings†¦ My leadership skills have evolved through a combination of experiences that helped shape my personality and skills. One of such incidents occurred as I was involved in a project with local city Power Supply Company aimed at implementing their energy savings programs for Small and Medium Business Organizations in California. Responsible for research on the existing standards used in lighting requirements by these business owners and benefits the program was expected to generate for the company and the community, I had to complete my work with a proposal outlining various energy savings programs. My involvement was also important since being of Indian descent I could more easily connect with local Indian community business owners targeted by the program. I saw the project as an opportunity to help people with energy conservation, a task I consider of great importance both to society and individual businesses. This approach worked as more and more people were beginning to see our project as a helping hand that solved some of the most pressing concerns of their businesses. As a result, our company was able to service many customers, supplying business owners with the lighting equipment required for implementing the savings program. Apart from enjoying this as a personal success, the most important benefit I received from the program was the contribution to my professional development. In meeting local community leaders and members of the chamber of commerce, I learned a great variety of perspectives, received important insights into the life of our community, and built an extensive network of connections in different industries and public entities. Since our target audience was not limited to Indians, through interaction with professionals from different ethnic and racial backgrounds I developed cross-cultural skills and learned the value of respect and harmony in such relationships. I learned successful cooperation, working together with business development managers from power supply companies in search for mutually beneficial solutions. Finally, I learned the importance of presentation skills that often decide the success or failure of a project. This experience proved invaluable in other projects, helping me see trite issues in a new light. Question 2} What are your aims for your future career development? How will MBA assist you in achieving your aims? At the moment, I am engaged in a wide range of company initiatives as various levels, participating in many projects and assisting on the marketing aspects of planning and organising. Although my professional activity in itself offers great possibilities for professional development, I feel that at this point I also need a more strategic focus to my activities. Through MBA courses, I hope to learn different models applicable to the business situations in my organisation and find more effective ways to promote its success. An MBA degree will also be an effective tool for helping me rise one step further in the hierarchy, reaching a point where I can turn my strategic vision into a greater contribution. My ambition is to rise through the ranks, achieving a position in the senior management. Although future will define the height to which I can get, I have the ambition to become the Chief Executive Officer of a reputable business organisation, possibly a multinational company. Adding an international touch to my career is my long-standing ambition. At this point, I have profited from personal atmosphere of the local business that allowed me to develop most important business skills. In the future, I want to move into the international environment where my experience of going through an MBA program with a diverse body of students will definitely be an asset. Thus, I view MBA as an important instrument of professional enrichment and upward career mobility. Receiving this degree will expand my knowledge, develop my skills and help me occupy a position that will realize my full potential. Question 3} Describe how work experience could be used as a source of information for your learning and for contribution to group discussion? The bulk of my work experience is connected to the marketing aspect of business. In my opinion, this function provides exposure to many different aspects of organisational activities and gives a bird-eye’s view of the company’s strategy and prospects. Thus, my current enrolment in California-based KMK Supply Company as Marketing Manager has given me insights into the energy sector, a crucial part of the US economy. Involvement in this sector has also exposed me to interactions with a vast variety of businesses from different industries that all use power in their work. Implementing different energy conservation projects, I learnt many new things about the environment in which our organisation works and the US economy in general. This ability to see things in perspective will be valuable and help me contribute to group discussions. In my previous job as Marketing Executive at Vardhaman Chemicals, I was exposed to various aspects of manufacturing and marketing various chemical composites. I have intuitively understood many aspects of the company’s operations, gaining knowledge that I hope to expand through courses of the MBA program. Interacting with people in a large organisation on a daily basis, I honed my intercultural and interpersonal skills, strengthening my knowledge of human psychology and negotiation skills. Nevertheless, my career has included many difficult episodes of interaction with different kinds of people from all layers of the organisational hierarchy that will make a valuable addition to the scope of the course content. Having experience with different functions of business, I can effectively draw on my past professional experience in discussions of classroom topics.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Case Study Rolls Royce Economics Essay

Case Study Rolls Royce Economics Essay By instructing that parts and sub-assemblies are only produced to meet that demand MRP seeks to meet projected customer demand. Using the bill of materials to calculate how many are needed and when they must be made MRP back schedules demand for part and sub-assemblies. This is how MRP connects customer demand with the internal and external supply network. Although JIT planning and control has similar objectives. Derived from end-customer demand Pull scheduling parts only move in response to matched and synchronised signals (Slack, 2004). MRP is driven by the MPS that identifies future end-item demand. Using a computer to calculate how many of, and when, each part should be made a fixed lead-time environment is modelled. Its output is of time-phased environment plans that are centrally calculated and coordinated. Regardless of whether the next process can take or actually need the part at that time it is made in response to central instructions. The authority of MRP is undermine and make the plans unworkable at the shop floor level due to day-to-day disturbances, such as quality problems and inaccurate stock records. While MRP is excellent at planning, it is weak at control (Slack, 2004). MRP II is more precise than MRP because it instigates production of a variety of components, releases orders and offsets inventory reductions. â€Å"MRP II grasps the final product by its parts, orders their delivery to operators, keeps track of inventory positions in all stages of production, and determines what is needed to add to existing inventories† (Karmarkar, 1989). Through such products as SAP and Oracle, MRP II has led to additional advancements such as ERP. An ERP system consists of a suite of software modules, where each module is usually responsible for a separate business function. Its functionality has increased by new software capabilities; however the core planning and control assumptions that underline these packages have developed less rapidly (Steven son, 2005). Case Study: Rolls Royce One of the world’s largest manufacturers of the gas turbines is Rolls Royce. Their products are used to in civil aircraft, military aircraft, fast ships and power generation in addition to many other uses. Typically each product has around 25,000 parts as they are exceptionally complex products, and have hundreds of assemblies and sub-assemblies. Moreover, their production is equally complex with thousands of work centres in many different locations and over 600 external suppliers. Rolls Royce was one of the earliest users of computers to help with the task due to the complexity of planning and controlling their manufacture. Conventionally the company developed its won systems and software. The company then decided on implementing a standard ERP system, which was supplied by SAP and was their best selling R/3 product. This system offered a number of advantages over the approach previously used within the company. Significantly, it was an of f-the-shelf system that would force the company to implement a standardised and disciplined approach. Ultimately the entire organisation would use a singular modular database that would reduce duplication and errors. â€Å"There was an extensive data clean up to ensure accuracy and integrity of existing information, and all existing processes were reviewed and standardisedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Within operations we have already seen a significant reduction in inventory, improved customer service, and substantially improved business information and controls.† (Slack, 2004)

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Cultural Event Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

Cultural Event Report - Essay Example them before performing 13 enjoyable songs with slow tempo, the likes of â€Å"Love and Only Love.†This reminded us of his other songs like ‘Powder Finger’ whose performance was blazing and heartfelt as compared to other performances that had been done earlier (www.post-gazette.com). Neil also used this visit to launch his insightful new album, in an entertaining style. He struggled to introduce â€Å"Born in Ontario†, and then paused to bring in the world’s best garage crew. He did this by telling the audience that before he played that song, he had a desire for starting it together specifically for them (www.post-gazette.com). He then followed it by performing his song, â€Å"Walk like a giant†, which was his latest song that illustrated his failures and the continuing hopes for success. This was a presentation for incensed jams that lasted 20 minutes and ended so well with loud of applause (neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org). The rhythm produ ced by his guitar was nothing like anything ever on the musical scene; it is honestly hard to express. Young still continued by performing his lovely song â€Å"The Needle and the Damage Done† along with â€Å"Twisted Road†, a mark of respect to the joys of Dylan, the dead and the Roy. He also performed â€Å"Cinnamon girl† which was highly admired among by his die hard fans and the sweet harmony left Young shouting in joy. Before performing â€Å"Psychedelic Pill†, Young informed us that he would follow with a song that sounded exactly like all his other songs and that we would possibly feel like we heard it just a few minutes ago. This was a wonderful presentation done by the Crazy horse and the only one to my opinion, having been done with an extremely heavy riff (www.post-gazette.com). The concert then ended in style with the songs, â€Å"Hey Hey, My My† and an Anthem for Rock and Roll along with its fanatics. The concert finally ended with a thirteen minute â€Å"Like a hurricane† which was a rock and roll for years and to

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

American political and social life that Tocqueville discusses Essay

American political and social life that Tocqueville discusses - Essay Example This paper analyses Toqeville's account on religion in America in nineteenth century and its influences on democracy. There is hardly any human action, however, it may be particular, which does not originate in some general idea, men have conceived of the Deity, of his relation to mankind, of the nature of their own souls, and of their duties to their fellow creatures. Men are therefore immeasurably interested in acquiring fixed ideas of God (Toqueveille, p.22) Toqeville has pointed out that majority of the ideas developed in this world are attributed to God or Deity. It is a fact that even atheists are developing their arguments based on the teachings of the religion. In fact the influence of God and religion is forcing the people to think in terms of good and evil. In the absence of religious teachings, nobody would have cared about the seriousness of committing mistakes. Religion is the only entity which talk about a life after death and whereas all the other institutions and phil osophies are talking about the present life while keeping a blind eye towards what is going to happen after one’s death. â€Å"One of the principal advantage of religion is to furnish fundamental questions a solution which is at once clear, precise, intelligible to the mass of mankind and lasting† (Toqueveille, p.23). ... Religion restraining on every side of the free movement of the human mind. It imposes a salutary restraint on the intellect and it must be admitted that if it do not save men in another world, it is at least very conductive to their happiness and greatness in this (Toqueveille, p.24) As stated earlier, the hope for a life after death prevents people from controlling their thoughts of committing any evil act in this world. It is a fact that human mind is just like a free bird which travels randomly from one place to another without any preferences of priorities. However, the thoughts about the future world force the people to put a strong control over his thoughts and activities. Because of the constraints imposed by the religions, people cannot think freely as stated by Toqueveille. â€Å"It is doubtful whether man can ever support at the same time complete religious independence and entire political freedom. If faith be wanting in him, he must be subject; and if he be free, he must believe† (Toqueveille, p.24). Political thoughts and religious teachings may not travel always in parallel directions. There are some political thoughts which support majority religious teachings fully whereas there are many other political thoughts which reject all the claims of religions. For example, in Islamic countries like, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, etc religion dominates over politics. In fact politics in these countries cannot be separated from religion and religious teachings. In other words, religion is actually ruling in these countries. On the other hand, in communist countries like China, freedom to believe in some kind of religion is prohibited. In such countries, religion has few roles in social and political lives of the public. On the other hand, in

Monday, August 26, 2019

Economic Environment of China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Economic Environment of China - Essay Example This issue is one of the most sought after topics for the researchers because in the recent years a lot of flexibility has been allowed in the economic system of China. There are several sectors where the private players are being allowed to exist in the market. The stringent restrictions on the property rights of the country have also been relaxed. The paper also analyses the economic systems that the other developed and developing countries have adopted. The comparison of the economic systems provides an insight into the various pros and cons of the set ups that are existent across the world. The fundamental premise for the contention is that the economic structure and the systems of a particular economy are a major determinant of the growth and prosperity of the economy. The world has witnessed the set up of different kinds of economic systems over different eras. There are various countries that have adopted different theories and have tried to implement them into their economies . The economic set up that China, Russia or Poland have followed the socialist structure while that of the US or German Economy have adopted the capitalist set up. In this paper comparison of China has been done with the other countries that work on a different economic model. A variety of economic systems around the world can be observed. In the Capitalist economic system which is alternatively called the market economy, the forces of demand and supply are allowed to operate. The prices and quantities to be sold are determined in the free market and there is no restriction put by the government on the determination of the prices that are sold in the market. Thus the profit or surplus that is earned by the owners of the means of production remains on their hands and the employees or the workers are eligible for salaries or wages (Gardner 27). The economic structure of the United States is of the capitalist type because this ideology has been applied in the economic system of the Uni ted States. In an alternative system that is the Socialist structure of the economy, the entire ownership of the means of the production lies with the government of the country. In this kind of a socialist system the surplus that is derived out of the production of goods and services after the payment of the wages are equitably distributed among the people that constitute the residents of the entire nation. Even the disabled people who directly cannot contribute to the production get an equal share of the surplus as the wage earners are entitled to. The main proponents of the theory of socialism were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They believed in the theory of class struggle and the theory of surplus value. A third kind of economic system that has the quality of both the capitalist structure and the socialist structure is the mixed economy. In this kind of an economic structure, the public and the private sector institutions coexist (Conklin 37). The government of such mixed econo mies does not interfere into the activities of the private sector directly but they do have certain restrictions imposed on them in the form of legal and constitutional regulations. The economy of India is an example of mixed economy where there is the coexistence of the private and the government players in the markets. Literature review The

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Summary of Apple Inc. Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary of Apple Inc. Case Study - Essay Example During the period of John Sculley (1985-1993), the then CEO of Apple Inc, numerous strategies were adopted in order to make Apple pioneers in the desktop publishing segment. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, the company had been capable of achieving sustained growth. During his reign, Apple underwent restructuring efforts and also outsourced manufacturing of the Mac products to the contract assemblers of Taiwan. The company’s distribution systems were also revamped. Through company’s website, Apple was capable of selling the products directly to the consumers. The company’s image was invigorated as well by promoting itself as a hip substitute to another computer brand. During the year 2008, one of the key drivers of revenue was Macintosh computers. Apple had put the high emphasis on the technology and innovation which had assisted the company in beating the cutthroat competition. The first retail store of the company was in McLean, Virginia which started its op eration in the year 2001. Until the year 2008, the company was found to be operating through 215 stores. The case study also details the growth of the PC industry since its inception from the mid-1970s. The close competitors of Apple Inc had been IBM, Compaq, and Dell among others those had been focusing upon research and development in order to compete successfully with Apple, Inc. The PC industry has sought tremendous change in the recent years. It is now available in numerous forms ranging from laptops, workstations, sub-notebooks, and servers. However, after the components became standardized the manufacturers of PC started cutting their spending on research and development. Instead of spending on R&D, the companies started focusing on innovation in manufacturing, marketing, and distribution in order to achieve competitive advantage.

The Natural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina Research Paper

The Natural Disaster of Hurricane Katrina - Research Paper Example Before Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, there was a positive impact on the development in education, cultural and economic sectors. For instance, the teachers introduced digital directions in school curriculum and developed school systems that facilitated innovation and industrial revolution. In addition, demographers say that there was an influx of the college-educated newcomers in New Orleans and the number of people joining the university slots remained high. There was the competition for senior schools. Towards the anticipation of the Hurricane Katrina, teachers some of the teachers were making preparations to teach students during their leisure days. The congress disclosed in a report that the education system was running smoothly at the time, with and that it had given about $235 to be used in schools to educated the students. The district before the Hurricane Katrina had enough money to finance the school systems while keeping the ir budgets solvent (Waller, 2013).Furthermore, there was cultural diversity in the areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. For instance, the demographic statistics indicate that out of 484, 000 populations of people who were living in the cities, 28 percent were the whites while 67 percent comprised the African-Americans. In additional, there were cherished institutions in New Orleans that was the home to the cultural artifact and the history of the region such as The Camella Grill.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

On the Internet tax and whether Arizona should or should not repeal Essay

On the Internet tax and whether Arizona should or should not repeal its law taxing online sales - Essay Example On the contrary, if not well considered they can act as barriers on investors whose markets exist online. The U.S constitution has two provisions from Supreme Court jurisprudence that define the enacting of nexus, which include Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Commercial clause. The court requires that a particular state cannot impose duties levying responsibilities on a seller who is not physically present in the state, under the Dormant Commerce law. This law is subject to amendments by the congress as the congressional regulation has influence on most tax-related policies. Congress may therefore allow different regulations to govern commerce between states. The law of physical presence of the seller and buyer still holds until when the congress may change the contents of the law. Another tax that is levied together with the sales tax is the use tax., During the sale of services and commodities in the same state, sales tax is imposed, while the residents incur a use tax if they purchase goods or services outside the state boundaries. Use tax play an important role in ensuring that the citizens of a particular state purchase goods within the boundaries and evade the sales tax. However, constitutionally enough bond or â€Å"nexus† must be put in place between businesses and state on the onset of a state imposing tax burden on a business that operates beyond its boundaries. Remarkably, there exist discriminatory taxes like the Commercial Clause that bars states that do not allow commerce between states. As a result, states that impose taxes on the remote out-of-state sellers and not on the sellers from within its boundaries are disciplined by a judicial scrutiny. The subject state is exempted only when the tax burden is excessive as compared to the local benefits. Supreme Court under the Due Process Clause offered a distinction between the nexus analysis and the dormant clause for congress. The

Friday, August 23, 2019

Movement of substances across the cell membrane Assignment

Movement of substances across the cell membrane - Assignment Example In the hypertonic and hypotonic solutions, more water molecules repeatedly strike the cell membrane from the side with a high solute concentration, meaning that more water molecules will be forced to pass through the pores of the semi-permeable membrane (Sperelakis, 2001). As a result of this, the water molecules move from the side with high water concentration to the side with a low water concentration until the two sides are equally concentrated. The final solution is called an isotonic solution. Looking at the cell membrane itself, it can be seen that its composition allows for the selective movement of only certain substances. The osmotic pressure in the different cells ensures that the process of osmosis is continued until all the cells in the organism are of equal concentrations. As already mentioned, the semi permeability of the cell membrane allows only for the passage of certain particles, and in the case of the organism, it only allows for the passage of water molecules. Th is means that the process of osmosis is used to equalize the concentration of solutions in the body cells and their environment.   b.  Phagocytosis One of the other process by which cell movement is achieved is through phagocytosis, which is the process by which cells engulf foreign particles and ingest them by virtue of their power of amoeboid movement (Sperelakis, 2001). The movement due to phagocytosis is two way, from the point at which the cell moves towards the invading organism to the point when the organism is engulfed into the cell. In most organisms, this process was used for nutrition, but higher organisms have developed it to be used for other functions like fighting disease in the body. In the process, the cell is attracted towards the microbe that needs to be ingested through a process of chemotaxia, which means that the microbe is identified through a chemical signature that attracts the cell. This process is called activation of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Tiger Beer Essay Example for Free

Tiger Beer Essay Launched in 1932, Tiger Beer became Singapores first locally brewed beer. It is a 5% abv bottled pale lager. As APBs exclusive flagship brand, it is available in more than 60 countries worldwide including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and various countries in the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. ] Distribution ? APB has breweries in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, India, Sri Lanka, Laos and Mongolia. The company has a strong market share in several countries within the Asia Pacific Region, primarily in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. ? In Malaysia, Tiger Beer is produced and marketed by Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB). ? In the USA, Tiger Beer’s brand is well known in New York and San Francisco. ? In the UK, Tiger Beer can be found in more than 8,000 premium bars/clubs and distribution outlets in its major cities. ? Tiger Beer gained considerable popularity in Detroit in October 2006 due to the Detroit Tigers Baseball Teams entrance into the 2006 World Series. SWOT [pic] Brand position Brand Positioning as is seen from the communications of the Brand selected and their major competition Position Tiger beer as a brand and product that will allow consumers to STAND OUT with Tiger beer. The STAND OUT with Tiger beer campaign idea demonstrates how consumers can beunique, cool and contemporary. With great innovation on the product, it aims at reaching out toconsumers ¶ wants and needs. The strategy was executed mainly in the digital social space withendorsements from key opinion leaders and social influencers online. According to Synovate,perception of Tiger as a beer for good times and fun increased by 14 per cent; an additional 12per cent of consumers described the beer as one my friends approved of; and consumption among young adults increased by six per cent. Competitive Analysis Model The competition faced by Tiger Beer versus its competitors is analyzed using Porter s Five Forces Model to explain Tiger Beer competitive position and strategic advantages. [pic] Competitive Rivalry. The intensity of rivalry helps decide the extent of the value of brands and products in which will create head -to-head competition. It also determines the attractiveness of the industry. Tiger Beer is internationally renowned to be an exotic beer with high quality control. There are many other international beers such as Heineken, Carlsberg, Suntory and Tsingtao etc. With so many brands available, it will create a competitive industry. Their prices te nd to be similar and competition focuses on advertising, promotion and product development. Tiger Beer faces strong competitors and fight for higher market share through Differentitation. The traditional approach often takes to keep in terest and increase consumption is by advertising, POS materials and other promoters. Tiger Beer stands out by appealing to consumer and generates interest in its brand. Tiger Beer targets younger consumers which associate themselves with brands that are seen as cool and trendy by organizing a  µstand out with Tiger Beer ¶ campaign i. e. introduction of three designer bottles based on artistic and music themes. Tiger Beer also in touch with community of over 20,000 Tiger fans in Facebook that created more buzz and had fans share their views plus other activities in bloggers, Twitter, Flicker and YouTube. Threat of New Entrants In every industry, existing and potential competitors play a part in its profitability. The threat of new entrants is highly dependable on industry entry barriers. Newer brands such as Cheese Beer and Corn Beer have emerged. They all has managed to keep transportation cost low and hence, is able to keep beer prices at minimal. Cheese Beer The US Miller Beer Company develops beer which has the unique rich milk fragrance and light malt taste which is very delicious. It is made of the lacto -protein whey as main raw material, malts, and hops which ferments to produce the cheese beer. Corn BeerJapan launched the corn beer, a corn-based materials which is pure in taste,limpid color, low alcohol, low calorie, high in protein, vitamins and effective in human nutrition. Threat of Substitutes The threat that can subst itute a product highly depends on the price allocated to the product and its performance. This allows consumers to turn to different products to satisfy the same basic need. In the beverage industry, there are many substitutes product to Tiger Beer. Wine and hard liquor is highly available on the market. On other extreme, a substitute can be simply a Coca-Cola or a cup of coffee. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The ability to charge customers different prices with differences in the value created for those buyers usually indicates that the market is characterized by high supplier power. Tiger Beer minimize the power of suppliers through close coop eration with the raw materials suppliers and thus minimize the cost impact. Bargaining Power of Buyers With many other brands in the market, consumers have a large variety of brands to choose from. Many bars and restaurants usually carry several brands of beers. However, through effective marketing and promotion, Tiger Beer create the demand for its products and w ith that value instilled in the name, many bars and club will want to carry the brand . Entry to new market. The Indian beer market is in the focus of many players. The latest entry is the launch of Tiger beer, a fine beer brand Indians who have visited Singapore or Thailand might know already. The beer is also not totally new to the Indian beer market, as it was imported into India, but was only made available at exclusive premium outlets. India is the 10th country in the Asia Pacific region where the award-winning Tiger will be brewed, Asia Pacific Breweries Aurangabad Limited (APBAL), a subsidiary of Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APB), said during the launch of Tiger beer in Mumbai. Tiger was first brewed in 1932, and is today available in more than 60 countries. In view of Indias growing beer market, rising disposable incomes of the consumers and favourable demographics, it is timely that we now offer Tiger as a premium option to the many discerning Indian drinkers who are becoming increasingly experimental in making an informed choice. Other brands offered by APB in India are Barons Strong Brew and Cannon 10000 which cater to the strong beer segment of the Indian beer market, whereas Tiger is positioned for those consumers who want a lower alcohol content. In additional,tiger beer expanding in Canada and successful entry into the United States. Molson, the largest beer importer in Canada, is set to market, distribute and sell the brew originating in Singapore, which is now available only in Ontario and British Columbia. Canadians consume the equivalent of 7 billion cans of beer annually. That is 33 times the size of the Singapore beer market. Positioning itself as a premium pan-Asian beer, Tiger is aiming to carve out a niche for itself in the North American market.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay Example for Free

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior Essay An analysis and interpretation of: â€Å"Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior†. An article written by the 48 years old Amy L. Chua (or è” ¡Ã§ ¾Å½Ã¥â€ž ¿ in Chinese) who was born in Champaign, Illinois. Her parents were Chinese Filipinos and that’s where she got her parenting style from. To start of with, Amy Chua asks the question that has crossed most people’s minds: â€Å" How do they do it? How does the Chinese parents produce all these â€Å"math wizzes† and â€Å"music prodigies†? Amy makes it clear that the Asian kids are not born smart (For the most part, at least) It is hard work and training from the parents that shapes the children into these wonder kids. To prove her point she lists up a number of things that her daughter were never allowed to do, such as: * Have a play date * Watch television or play computer games * Attend a school play * Complain about not in a school play And so on.. Prohibitions that seems totally unreasonable for us â€Å"westerns†, as she loosely has named us. Throughout the text she covers several perspectives on parenting, which of a few I surprisingly agree on. Most of her viewpoints I deeply disagree with though and is far from my idea about proper parenting. Each time she lists up one of her perspectives, she compares the Chinese perspective with the Western perspective. She does this in a very subjective manner I think. She is very clever rhetorically. At some parts of the text, I actually caught my self being very close to getting dragged towards her side. I found it quite amusing to feel the power of pathos, but at the same time a bit daunting. According to Amy, the main difference between Chinese parents and Western parents is the way they see their children. Western parents believe that respecting their children’s choices, their individuality and always encouraging them to pursue their true passions is the way. In contrast, Chinese parents believe that preparing their children for the future, and showing them what they are capable of, in the form of hours of repetition and very high expectations, is the way for their children to get a good life. Which in common Chinese sense means a good job, so the boy/girl can take care of their parent when they grow old. Even though Amy admits that her parenting methods may be tough at first, she insists that it will all pay off in the end, but is that entirely true? The answer to that is generally no. Of course there are some children who can handle all the pressure and failure, and will grow up to be extremely successful and confident, but the majority can’t. In fact China is nr. 6 on the â€Å"Wikipedia list of countries by suicide rate† Which means that per.100.000 people in China 22.23 people commit suicide. Compared to Denmark (Nr. 36), where the number is substantially lower at 11.9 and where the Western parenting style is the dominant. A coincidence? I do not think so. As Amy points out in her article, she does not believe in individuality and I am certain that Amy is not the only one who feels that way. There are several studies showing that not everyone handles stress identically and that is displayed in this statistic. As I stated earlier I agree on a few on her viewpoints. An example could be that â€Å"What parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it† I agree on this as well as â€Å"theres nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldnt† I agree on these two quotes, but still think that her general parenting style is too strict. There is specifically one thing that she is taking away from her children that I do not get. The social aspect of a childhood. No doubt that using Amy’s techniques will lead to some academically strong children, but they will end up having a low social capital, and a big lack in social skills. Not being functional socially could end up costing them big job opportunities, because their lack of social functionality could strike them down, when for instance going to a job interview. So in the end the children might end up not getting a good job, because their parents took away their chance for developing some social skills. By that they won’t be able to take care of their parent, because they won’t be able to earn enough money. Which would mean that all those hours at home, practicing and repeating, is going to end up being wasted time, because the kid can’t take those abilities out in real life. By taking away their freedom and space for creativity you are basically turning your children into little machines. They will get extremely good at doing what they are told, but once they are asked to work something out for themselves, for instance producing a design for something, they will have no clue what to do. I am not a fan of Amy L. Chua’s methods but I do think that us ‘westerns’ could take small things from her and apply to our parenting. But as well as we can learn from her, she can definitely also learn from us. I want to finish my essay of with a quote I feel reflects my perspective on parenting very well. As Anne Frank once said: â€Å"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a persons character lies in their own hands.†

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

British Identity: A Shared Culture

British Identity: A Shared Culture The concept of identity has both personal and social perspectives but, irrespective of focus, each is concerned with categorisation and assumptions of similarity and difference. Social identity relates to the links that exist between people and places, the ideas and practices that align individuals to one social group as opposed to another and the feeling of acceptance and belonging which comes from such allegiance. Great Britain consists of a group of individual countries: England, Wales and Scotland, each of which joined the union at different points in a turbulent history. Northern Ireland, whilst part of the United Kingdom, is not part of Great Britain despite its population being included in the British political process. In spite of these confusing, apparently all-encompassing titles, each individual nation retains a separate identity in addition to the collective ones conferred by the UK and GB acronyms. Historically, English dominance of the union has been a source of contention and in recent years the individual identities of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have become more officially recognised by the adoption of a partially devolved political process for the former two and a power sharing agreement with the Irish Republic for the latter. The merits or shortcomings of devolution fall outside the scope of this essay, nevertheless, it could be argued that at a time when the very notion of Britishness is up for debate, separating the union, even if only for political purposes, will do nothing to strengthen a collective sense of national identity if, in fact, one ever truly existed. Diversity amongst the individual nations of the United Kingdom is only one part of the story and despite being an island and thus having an easily recognisable border, the reach of Britain extends well beyond geographical limits. Great Britains empire building past has left a web of connections that span the world. The British Empire at its height covered a quarter of the globe, and whilst many former colonies, dependencies and protectorates have since regained independence, the history of a British presence in parts of South Asia, Africa and the Caribbean left a postcolonial legacy of citizenship rights which has contributed to the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society that exists in Britain today. Whether because of commerce or conquest, as an escape from poverty or persecution, Britains population comprises a diverse collection of people, some of whom may have connections to and, therefore, identify with places other than the British Isles. Who we are and who others think we are has a lot to do with where we live and our origins, but it takes much more than territorial borders to define national identity. It is almost impossible to say exactly what British identity is or should be in the 21st century and as a result the very idea of Britishness has been the source of much anxiety, uncertainty and political debate in recent years (Clarke, 2009, P. 210). From politicians to social commentators, newspaper editors to academics, all have suggested ways in which the meaning of Britishness could be constructed and fixed. Amongst other things, Clarke suggests that British national identity may mean having a sense of place, a shared way of life, a common history and a recognised image of race or ethnicity (2009, p. 219), but in light of the diverse nature of Britains population some of his suggestions seem more plausible than others. A sense of place can only come from a feeling of acceptance and belonging, hard to achieve when even after three generations of British citizenship your community is still viewed with suspicion and resentment. The idea of a common history may not sit well with everyone, especially those whose ancestors were the subject of domination, oppression and exploitation. A recognised image of race or ethnicity implies a singular recognition, fine if your skin is the right colour, but at risk from discrimination if it is not, legislation can protect but it cannot change attitudes. Even though a shared way of life seems to be a reasonable suggestion, cultural differences make this eq ually difficult to imagine. Culture, according to Clarke, has at least two meanings (2009, p. 219). The first suggested interpretation is what he calls high culture; this includes art, literature, theatre and music. Writers such as Shakespeare, Austen and Dickens, artists such as Turner and Constable and composers such as Elgar all supposedly provide an apparently shared set of reference points with which all British people can identify (2009, p. 221). However, Clarke also notes that the stressed importance of English names in the list of preferred cultural icons excludes not only those members of British society whose origins, whether real or imagined, lie outside its geographical limits, but those from other parts of the UK too. Raymond Williams (1958, cited in Clarke, 2009, p. 219) calls this a selective tradition. Therefore, to suggest the use of British high culture as a unifying tool is to exclude a large section of society to whom it is probably irrelevant and perhaps even unintelligible. Clarkes suggestion of a shared way of life also falls under the cultural banner. Normal everyday practices of living such as dress, food, customs and religious observance are all important in defining the meaning of culture. Common forms of behaviour, values, morals and ethics are important in a shared way of life but immediately this highlights some problems. Religious and cultural differences, for example, may make behaviour considered acceptable to people in one community completely unacceptable to those of another. Not all diversity is necessarily ethnic or religious, however, and age, gender, social background and political differences can all divide as well as unite. Having established the difficulty in accepting shared culture as a means of defining British identity, the idea of shared values has been suggested by both David Blunkett and Trevor Phillips. Mr. Blunkett, former UK Home Secretary, suggested that Britishness is defined à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ through our shared values, our history of tolerance, of openness (2005, cited in Clarke, 2009, P. 221). Trevor Phillips, former Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, also suggested that Britishness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ lies in a way of living à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In a diverse society, the shared values are the fundamental glue that holds us together; and the way we behave towards each other is the outward manifestation of our values. (2007, cited in Clarke, 2009, PP. 222-223). Both these statements, whilst obviously well meant, do not stand up to scrutiny. To suggest that the British people are tolerant and open is to deny history. Perhaps Blunkett and Phillips are simply stating how they would like peo ple to think and act, in which case their argument will likely fall on many deaf ears! For Blunkett and Phillips diversity is a positive thing, something to embrace and celebrate. They suggest that only through tolerance and openness to diversity can Britain gain a unifying sense of identity. Their views have been contested, however, and statements denouncing the acceptance and encouragement of diversity have been equally prominent. David Goodhart, a magazine editor, has suggested that increasing diversity in Britain has caused us to become a nation of strangers. He also suggests, As Britain becomes more diverse that common culture is being eroded (2004, cited in Clarke, 2009, pp225-226). Whatever common culture he happens to be referring to; he suggests that its loss is leading to a lack of solidarity and social cohesion. His opinion, unlike that of Blunkett and Phillips, however, does not carry the weight of authority since it is a personal opinion expressed in a magazine article. In complete contrast to Goodhart, Bhikhu Parekh, in a report for the Runnymeade Trust, suggests that diversity and collective national identity need not be mutually exclusive. Whilst acknowledging the risk of social fragmentation and racism, Parekh suggests that if all members of society feel equally valued, have access to equal opportunities, lead fulfilling lives and shoulder the burden of societal responsibility that it may be possible to develop a shared identity and common sense of belonging (2000, cited in Clarke, 2009, pp. 226-227). In a diverse society, therefore, the concept of national identity should be all-inclusive; clearly, this cannot depend on a shared culture. Moreover, simply telling people how to think or behave will not change attitudes nor make them feel united. Ultimately, perhaps economic and social equality will lead to a unified purpose and sense of collective identity or perhaps not, this is clearly a complex question without a single answer. (1500 words) Life stage analysis: Maturity – Old Age Life stage analysis: Maturity – Old Age In 2005, an estimated one in six individuals was over the age of 65, representing 16 percent of the UK population[1]. The National Statistics Office reports that the largest population increase was evidenced in the 85+ age group, growing by more than 64,000 (6 per cent) in 2005, totalling 1.2 million individuals[2]. Many factors are responsible for this the growth rate in the over 65, primarily in the later older adult stage of 85+, as healthcare and technology are improving and leading to increased survival rates, coupled by the post World War One baby boomers reaching their later adult years[3]. Increasingly, nursing and other professional groups are utilizing Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) that uses situations from real life to analyse issues while learning from a nursing perspective with an emphasis on refining capabilities in actual nursing practice[4]. Researchers emphasize the open-ended questioning used for complex problems or scenarios that allow the nurse to seek out new evidence[5]. Using an Enquiry Based Learning scenario, this paper will present the case of special needs family and with an emphasis on life stage analysis of the elderly. Following a brief case presentation, this paper will define the maturity-old age life stage, describing various factors specific to maturity that influence the person’s biological, psychological and social perspectives. Personal and practical nursing experience with mature/older patients is presented followed by what has been learned from the research on how to effectively provide nursing care in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes to older individuals. Case presentation This is the case of a nuclear family. Mr. and Mrs. Smythe’s are adults with two children, a daughter E. who is 14 years old and pregnant and a son who is 4 years old afflicted with Downs Syndrome and suffers with intermittent breathing problems due to the Down’s syndrome. Both children live at home with their parents. Mrs. And Mrs. Smythe are reasonably healthy with no chronic health concerns at this time. Mr. Smythe works full time in a position outside of the home. Mrs. Smythe is a full-time homemaker. Mr. Smythe’s two parents are both alive at 82 years of age and living together in their own dwelling. Both parents are reasonably healthy for their age with no chronic health problems identified at this time. Mrs. Smythe’s father, Mr. Jones, is 86 and a recent widower (of three months). Following the death of her mother, Mrs. Smythe invited her father to live with her family. Mr. Jones is in fair health, although he is depressed and having difficulty adjusting to the new environment at his daughter’s home, the issues with her children and the loss of his wife all occurring within a short time. Assessment Life stage identification This paper will focus on the three individuals in Erikson’s Maturity stage of life, aged 65 to death[6]. This life stage is marked by the psychosocial integrity vs. despair conflict, such that individuals are reflecting back on their lives and either accepts the thought of their death with a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment or a feeling of despair and regret[7]. Smith[8] identifies the 65+ age group as belonging in Levinson’s late adulthood developmental stage. Factors specific to maturity – Physiological/biological As individual ages, many physiological changes take place in virtually all physiological systems, ranging from the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, skin, hair and nails and nervous system[9]. Globally, there is a reduction in cells and cellular metabolism, as the body gradually becomes less efficient[10]. Skin looses subcutaneous fat, things and there is a reduction of collagen and elastin combined with a 50 percent reduction in cell replacement[11]. Respiratory muscles degenerate and respiratory capacity decreases, alveoli decline in size and the lungs become more rigid as the individual ages.[12] The heart reduces in size and contractile strength and cardiac efficiency is reduced by as much as 30 – 35 percent[13]. There is a general decrease in height, bone mass, muscle mass and collagen with less joint elasticity[14]. Sleep patterns are altered, with regular wakeful periods during the night[15]. The aging body does not readily distinguish between host cells and infection along with a reduced ability to absorb vitamin B12, decreasing hematocrit and hemoglobin levels. Of particular importance is the reduced drug clearance by approximately 50 percent, often leading to increased risk of drug interactions among elderly individuals who are frequently on more than one pharmaceutical agent[16]. Factors specific to maturity – Psychological and Sociological The death of a spouse is the leading cause of disruptive life-event stress and conflict[17] affecting the way an individual understands themselves and their role in society and the family. Rokach and Brock found that loneliness has a strong correlation with self-esteem in the elderly[18]. Marital status and the death of a spouse contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness in the elderly, creating a sense of stigma in the individual, causing emotional distress, feelings of rejection and isolation, especially when care is taken over by others such with the death of a spouse[19]. In particular, men have a difficult time with their own emotions, perceiving their social needs for companionship rather than isolation as a sign of weakness[20]. When older individuals are also faced with a reduction in income and job status, the older individual reportedly has a greater propensity towards solitude, isolation and loneliness[21]. Warner[22] found that those elderly adults who maintained their own independence had less of a need for dependent behaviour because of social cues, whereas those who were dependent, such as Mrs. Smythe’s father, Mr. Jones, reacted with a greater sense of learned dependency and associated social contact seeking behaviours. Practical nursing experience that provides a basis for nursing intervention in this case With the knowledge provided by two factors: research and LEIPAD[23], the three elderly individuals were administered the LEIPAD multidimensional assessment to gain a baseline for intervention[24]. LEIPAD is believed to be a stronger single assessment tool than using a combination of The SF-36, Barthel Index of activities of daily living and the Abbreviated Mental test, even though the Barthel Index is recommended by both the Royal College of Physicians of London and the British Geriatrics Society[25]. Mr. Jones requires the greatest intervention due to losses of his wife, independence and immediate social circle. Additionally, Mr. Jones has daily coping issues with his grandchildren. To date, practical nursing experience has primarily focused on education related to chronic diseases and disease prevention with elderly patients. Inconsistency is noted when relating to patients and relating to older members of one’s family, where greater emphasis is placed on psychological and social wellbeing. What has been learned from using the EBL approach to this case? In addition to the amount of research one can use to prepare and expand one’s horizons with an EBL approach, such as using the LEIPAD assessment rather than the Barthel Index, is the use of open-ended questions that solicit a wealth of information. Most practitioners like to keep answers to questions short or they will cut patients off in mid-sentence. Open-ended questions allow for further probing by active listening and a participatory manner. References Austin, Shari. Oral Health and Older Adults. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2003. De Leo, Diego, Diekstra, Rene, Lonnqvist, Jouko , Trabucchi, Marco, Cleiren, Marc, Frisoni, Giovanni B., Dello Buono, Marirosa, Haltunen, Aro, Zucchetto, Mauro, Rozzini, Renzo, Grigoletto, Francesco, Sampaio-Faria, Jose. LIEPAD, An Internationally Applicable Instrument to Assess Quality of Life in the Elderly. Behavioral Medicine, 1998. Ginsberg, Gary, Hattis, Dale, Russ, Abel Sonawane, Babasaheb. Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Factors that can Affect Sensitivity to Neurotoxic Sequelae in Elderly Individuals. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2005. Hutchins, Bill. Principles of Enquiry-Based Learning, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning Resources – University of Manchester, 2006. Kahn, Peter O’Rourke, Karen. Understanding Enquiry-Based Learning. In Barrett, T., McLabhrainn, I. Fallon, H. eds. Handbook of Enquiry Problem Based Learning, Galway: CELT, 2005. Lyons, Ronald Al., Crone, Peter, Monaghan, Stephen, Killalea, Dan Daley, John A. Health Status and Disability Among Elderly People in Three UK Districts. Age and Ageing, 1997. Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Population Estimates. 2006 [Online]. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=6 (cited 1 May 2007). Price, Robert. Enquiry-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide. Nursing Standards, 2001. Rokach, Ami Brock, Heather. Loneliness and the Effects of Life Changes. The Journal of Psychology, 1997. Smith, Mark K. Life Span Development and Lifelong Learning. [Online]. Infed. Available from: http://www.infed.org/biblio/lifecourse_development.htm (cited 1 May 2007). Tosey, Paul McDonnell, Juliet, Mapping Enquiry Based Learning: Discourse, Fractals and a Bowl of Cherries. 2006. [Online]. Available from: http://www.com.survey.ac.uk/learningtolearn (cited 30 April 2007). Warner, Dorothy Ann. Empowering the Older Adult through Folklore. Adultspan Journal, 2006. Winters, Angela. Erikson’s Theory of Human Development. [Online]. Ezine Articles. Available from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ericksons-Theory-of-Human-Developmentid=20117 (cited 1 May 2007). Footnotes [1] Office for National Statistics; General Register Office for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2006. [2] Office for National Statistics, 2006. [3] Office for National Statistics, 2006. [4] R. Price, Enquiry-Based Learning: An Introductory Guide, Nursing Standards, 2001) 18. [5] B. Hutchings, Principles of Enquiry Based Learning, Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning, University of Manchester, 2006 and Kahn O’Rourke, 2005. [6] A. Winters, Erikson’s Theory of Human Development. Ezine articles, 2007. [7] Winters, 2007. [8] M. Smith, Life Span Development and Lifelong Learning, 2005. [9] S. Austin, Oral Health and Older Adults, Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2003) 129. [10] Austin, 2003) 129. [11] Austin, 2003) 129. [12] Austin, 2003) 129. [13] Austin, 2003) 129. [14] Austin, 2003) 130. [15] Austin, 2003) 130. [16] G. Ginsberg et al., Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Factors that can Affect Sensitivity to Neurotoxic Sequelae in Elderly Individuals, Environmental Health Perspectives, 2005) 1249, [17] Tennant and Pogson, 1995 as cited by Smith, 2005. [18] A. Rokach H. Brock, Loneliness and the Effects of Life Change, The Journal of Psychology, 1997) 285. [19] Rokach Brock, 1997) 289. [20] Rokach Brock, 1997) 290. [21] Rokack Brock, 1997) 296. [22] D. A. Warner, Empowering the Older Adult through Folklore, Adultspan Journal, 2006. [23] D. DeLeo et al., LEIPAD, An Internationally Applicable Instrument to Assess Quality of Life in the Elderly, Behavioral Medicine, 1999) 27. The LEIPAD assessment was determined to assess physical, mental, social and occupational status, including self-assessments of health status and perceptions, inclusive of pain, self-esteem, self-confidence, levels of optimism, anxiety and depression, including feelings about friendship, happiness, loneliness, isolation and solitude. [24] DeLeo et al., 1999) 19. [25] R. A. Lyons, et al., Health Status and Disability Among Elderly People in Three UK Districts, Age and Ageing, 1997) 204. Gender issues: Who is the better teacher? Gender issues: Who is the better teacher? Gender has long been the issue in classroom for over decades. The question of who is a better teacher male of female has always been debated for years. Although this issue has dissipates following the issue of sexism and gender equity, it still knocks on the door of every classroom. Does a teachers gender affect student performance in the classroom? Does student performance increases when taught by teacher of the same sex, or is it the opposite? Many researches have been done in trying to answer these questions, but no definite conclusion has been made. Most of the researchers are still trying to figure out what actually constitutes to the students achievement in relation to teachers gender. There are two views when it comes to the influence of teachers gender effect in classroom, one accepts it and another one denies it. The first one says when students are taught by the teacher of the same sex as the students, the students achievement will increase. Some researchers are saying that students will perform better when taught by the same gender, as they feel more engaged and are able to identify themselves with the teacher because of the same gender factor. Gender role model, stereotypes, expectations, and teaching styles are some of the variables that are brought up when it comes to same-gender factor. Still, there are people who believe that teachers gender effect does not have any influence in students academic achievements. They believed that there is no ample evidence to support such notion, and even if there was, it was not sufficient and significant enough to be accepted as a sole reason for such occurrence. Although many researches had been made, there are still loopholes that need to be filled and studied. Inconsistent findings and conclusions given by previous researchers is one reason why further studies are needed. Some shortcomings and limitation from previous research are also need to be rectified. There are several elements that indirectly influence the teachers gender effect in classroom. Factors such as students perception towards teachers performance and effectiveness in class, and teachers level of interaction are some that will be touched in the article review. All of these elements will be reviewed in terms of gender differences. Because the literature on teachers gender issues is so broad, this review of literature begins by examining theories of gender role development and social learning theories. Next, gender role expectations and the stereotypical male and female student will be examined. This information will then be brought together with research specific to the classroom experience involving student and teacher interactions and research specific to teacher training. 2.1 TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS Effective teachers are those who achieve the goals which they set for themselves or which they have set for them by others (e.g ministries of education, legislators and other government officials, school administrators). As a consequence, those who study and attempt to improve teachers effectiveness must be cognizant of the goals imposed on teachers or the goals that teachers establish for themselves, or both. According to Kemp and Hall (1992), the major research finding is that student achievement is related to teacher competence in teaching. Differential teacher effectiveness is a strong determinant of differences in student learning, far outweighing the effects of differences in class size and class heterogeneity (Darling-Hammond, 2000) According to Sanders and Rivers (1996), students who are assigned to one ineffective teacher after another have significantly lower achievement and learning (that is, gains in achievement) than those who are assigned to a sequence of several highly effective teachers. It is important to note however, that the influence of teacher characteristics on teacher effectiveness is not direct; rather it is moderated or mediated by their effect on the way in which teachers organize their classrooms and operate within them. In Blooms (1972) terns, what teachers are influences what teachers do; what teachers do, in turn, influences what and how much students learn. When asked about their most effective teachers, boys and girls were able to identify a solid list of key characteristics reflected in educational research (Hill Rowe, 1996; Martin, 2002). In Ashley Lee (2003) boys tended consistently to identify the following factors as critical in the kinds of teacher they work well for and respect: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Firm, but fair: able to control the class well to inject humour but regain attention quickly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Good subject knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The ability to explain things clearly and with patience Fazio and Roskes (1994), said, attitudes are important to educational psychology because they strongly influence social thought, the way an individual thinks about and process social information. According to Eggen and Kauchak (2001), positive teachers attitudes are fundamental to effective teaching. A teacher must be interesting. Eggen and Kauchak (2001) identified a number of teachers attitudes that will facilitate a caring and supportive classroom environment. They are: enthusiasm, caring, firm, democratic practices to promote students responsibility, use time for lesson effectively, have established efficient routines, and interact freely with students and providing motivation for them. According to Shulman (1987), poor communication can make learning even the most simple and straightforward subject-matter far more difficult. Research findings on teachers attitudes (Brunning et al., 1999), established the following facts: Teachers characteristics such as personal teaching efficacy, modeling and enthusiasm, caring and high expectation promote learners motivation. Male teachers tend to be more authoritative and instrumental whereas female teachers tend to be more supportive and expressive (Meece, 1987; Freeman McElhinny, 1996). Teachers variable are also noted to have effect on students academic performances. These includes, teachers knowledge of subject matter, teaching skills, attitude in the classroom, teachers, qualification and teaching experience. Ehindero and Ajibade (2000) asserted that, students, who are curious stakeholders in educational enterprise, have long suspected and speculated that some of their teachers lack the necessary professional (not academic) qualification (that is, skills, techniques, strategies, temperament et cetera) required to communicate concepts, ideas principles et cetera in a way that would facilitate effective learning. According to Kelley Massoni (2004), students expect male teachers as being more knowledgeable than women, and are assumed to be more objective. 2.2 STUDENTS EXPECTATION Sociologist Robert K. Merton (1948) first coined the term self-fulfilling prophecy. As part of his explanation of the SFP, Merton drew upon the idea: If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences (Thomas, 1928, p. 257). Then, if students really think about their teachers, somehow it will materialized in both of the teacher and students teaching and learning process. SFP research (Good, 1987) explains that teachers form expectations of and assign labels to people based upon such characteristics as body build, gender, race, ethnicity, given name and/or surname, attractiveness, dialect, and socioeconomic level, among others. Once we label a person, it affects how we act and react toward that person. With labels, we dont have to get to know the person. We can just assume what the person is like (Oakes, 1996, p. 11). Although self-fulfilling prophecy usually works based on teachers expectation, students also form their own expectation, and could also have their own self-fulfilling prophecy, working both ways, onto them, and also towards the teachers teaching process. The self-fulfilling prophecy works two ways. Not only do teachers form expectations of students, but students form expectations of teachers using the same characteristics described above (Hunsberger Cavanagh, 1988). 2.3 EVALUATION OF TEACHER Many studies reveal that students tend to rate female faculty members differently than male faculty members (Whitworth, Price Randall. 2002; Basow Silberg, 1987; Goodwin Stevens, 1993; Tartro, 1995). Students may hold biased perceptions of the differences between men and women faculty (Andersen Miller, 1997; Burns-Glover Veith, 1995). It is also possible, however, that students are accurately assessing the difference between teaching styles that is attributable to the gender of the faculty member (Centra Gaubatz, 2000). According to Kelley Massoni (2004), the impact of gender in teaching evaluations often is related to students differing gendered expectations of their women and men teachers. A study by Basow (1995) revealed that students perceived female instructors to be more sensitive and considerate of student ideas whereas male instructors were believed to be more knowledgeable. If students are, even in part, picking up on real differences, understanding the effect of gender on teaching styles is important. 2.4 PERCEPTION Perception may be defined from physical, psychological and physiological perspectives. But for the purpose of this study, it shall be limited to its scope as postulated by Allport (1966), which is the way we judge or evaluate others. That is the way individuals evaluate people with whom they are familiar in everyday life. Eggen and Kauchak (2001) gave cognitive dimension of perception; they see perception as the process by which people attach meaning to experiences. 2.5 GENDER BIAS Teachers are more likely to offer praise and remediation in response to comments by boys but mere acknowledgement in response to comments by girls (AAUW 1992, Sadker and Sadker 1994, Saltzman 1994, Kleinfeld 1998, Lewin 1998, and Sommers 2000). The only significant interaction that emerged was that girls reported a better relationship with female teachers than with male teachers, while boys reported fairly similar relationships (TES, 2005). According to Holmlund and Sund (2005), teachers are the role models for the students. If students identify themselves more with same-sex role models, it is possible that performance will be enhanced when students have a teacher of their own gender. Florian (2008) suggests that there is rich evidence within the psychology literature that girls and boys respond differently to mothers and fathers [e.g. Brown, 1990, Brown et al., 1986], and pick different celebrities and athletes to emulate. Male and female teachers are also potential role models. Harris and Barnes (2009) found that four-year-old boys preferred males to form a relationship and saw the male teacher as the person to be involved in sports and physical games. Teachers gender influences how that teacher interacts and communicates with his or her students (Constantinou, 2008). As Hurt, Scott and McCroskey (1978) have stated it, there is a difference between knowing and teaching, and that difference is communication in the classroom (p. 3). According to Dee (2006), assignment to a same-gender teacher significantly improves the achievement of both girls and boys as well as teacher perceptions of student performance and student engagement with the teachers subject. He also found that, having a teacher of the same sex increased a students score on standardized tests significantly while having a teacher of the opposite sex decreased scores. But Florian (2008) finds that male students performing worse with female instructor, while female performance appear unaffected. According to Dee (2006), in a class taught by a man, girls were more likely to say the subject was not useful for their future and they were less likely to look forward to the class or to ask questions. 2.6 CONCLUSION Teachers may react in a different way depending on the gender of a student, or students may react in a different way depending on the gender of a teacher. Firstly, teachers discriminate, and display bias with respect to how they engage or assess boys and girls in the classroom. The mode teachers behave interacting with boys or girls may rely on whether teachers themselves are male or female. These effects may be conscious or unconscious. Secondly, students may see teachers more as role models if they are of the same sex, and show greater intellectual engagement, manner, and interest. Students may also react to teachers through negative stereotype for example, when female students are reminded about a belief they are not supposed to be good at math when being taught by a male teacher. Another probability is that male and female students respond differently to male and female teaching styles. It is important for teacher to know what he/she is expected from the students. Fulfilling the expectation can make learning process easier for the students and make them more motivated.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

The Red Badge of Courage Henry Fleming, also called the youth, is the main character in The Red Badge of Courage. He decided to enlist in the army in hopes of gaining experience and being a part of the war. Although his mother was against him joining the army, Henry wanted the adventure and glory of being part of the war. Henry had many battles to fight within himself. He put off the facade that he was a very confident and strong soldier. But in actuality he was very unsure of himself. He always would question his own masculinity and whether or not he would run or fight in battle when the time came. Henry meets two men in is regiment that he calls the tall soldier and the loud soldier. They all go through the new experience of being in war together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later on when they get into battle Henry still has fears of fleeing the battle field. When the time comes to face the enemy Henry ended up running into the woods like many others. After he finds his way back to the regiment he sees what the battle has done to the soldiers. Many of his friends, including the tall soldier, died. Others were wounded. He in a way felt jealous because he didn’t have that wound, â€Å"red badge of courage† that they had to show. Henry continued on in the woods and came across a soldier. He tried to help him but the soldiers wouldn’t let him. In the disagreement the other soldier struck Henry with his gun. Henry went back to his camp and all of the men thought he had been wounded in the battle. He went along with this and many thought of him as brave.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next day Henry had new insight and was not afraid of the battles.

What is life without ignorance? :: essays research papers

What is life without Suffering? We all suffer from being ignorant. Is it possible to end your ignorance? According to the Buddhist theory it is. It is possible to end your ignorance and all personal desire to eventually become enlightened and reach Nirvana, which is utter peace. Ending your ignorance will in turn end suffering. The Buddha taught that there were many natural occurrences that led up to ignorance and that we all are capable of liberating ourselves from. It is true that we all have desires that our unmet and it causes problems in our lives. It is also true that the world is full of hunger, war, death, and over all misery and pain. But what would our world be without problems. If we all were enlightened and free of all our ignorance then our lives and world would be incredibly boring and uneventful. We don’t like having problems and challenges but our lives are about working through problems and overcoming and learning. Ignorance does cause many problems but knowing everything about our world can often bring you down instead of up. Losing ignorance is very important in maturing and evolving as a person but losing your ignorance is not the end to all your suffering. There is no end to suffering, there are breaks but there is no end. According to the bandits theory life is full of misery and pain. Everything we have and want brings some sort of pain to our lives. We fear losing what we have and we always want more. Buddhists believe we all are born with this feeling and that we all cling to objects in this world for enjoyment. We all have a lot of natural desires because we are all human beings with brains, senses, and feelings. All of this makes us get impressions of what we want, what we want to be, and what we think should happen. This causes us all to have some ignorance to many different things and ideas. It is correct that our lives are full of misery and pain. We also are all ignorant, but having ignorance and some suffering in your life is what makes our world what it is, it is what makes our lives interesting. The problems and obstacles that we have in our lives help us change and help us grow. If you eliminate all of your problems and all your desires, what do you have to live for?

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Conditions For Factory Workers In Nineteenth Century Britain Essay

The Conditions For Factory Workers In Nineteenth Century Britain In the nineteenth century some people thought that factories were the best thing that ever created in Great Britain, however, workers inside them thought differently. No group was as exploited as children, who were put to work before they could read or write.Children were employed in industry and agriculture as soon as they started using their hands and were able to walk. They worked in farms, mills, factories, coalmines and on the streets. They sacrificed having an education for working long hours for little money, working in unacceptable conditions for employers who had no interest in safety. Children were put to work because in cities with overpriced rents and plenty of expenses, families could not get by on simply two incomes. Children who worked indoors were often exposed to toxic fumes, extreme heat, and dangerous machinery. Those who worked in glass factories often cut or burned themselves on broken or hot glass. Children in textile mills were forced to breathe in dust and cotton fibers. Many suffered permanent lung damage. Small and nimble children were assigned to equipment that required quick motions. Those who operated machinery designed for adults often lost fingers. Working long days meant they sometimes fell asleep on the job, putting them at risk for serious injury. A Manchester spinner explains that they are "locked up in factories eight stories high, (the worker) has no relaxation till the ponderous engine stops, and then they go home to get refreshed for the next day; no time for sweet association with their families; they are all alike fatigued and exhausted." In 1831, John Hobhou... ...arse. This oatcake was put into cans. Boiled milk and water was poured into it. This was our breakfast and supper. Our dinner was potato pie with boiled bacon it, a bit here and a bit there, so thick with fat we could scarce eat it, though we were hungry enough to eat anything. Tea we never saw, nor butter. We had cheese and brown bread once a year. We were only allowed three meals a day though we got up at five in the morning and worked till nine at night. Matthew Crabtree was interviewed by Michael Sadler's Parliamentary Committee (18th May, 1832): I began work at Cook's of Dewsbury when I was eight years old. We had to eat our food in the mill. It was frequently covered by flues from the wool; and in that case they had to be blown off with the mouth, and picked off with the fingers, before it could be eaten.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Heritage Doll company Essay

I agree with Apex to attain full compliance with SOX. As you know about Apex is private company and will be seeking for new external funding to expansion into a new segment of the printing sector therefore, the new investors are needed for them because they have to access capital market to raise money for the expansion to a lot invest in equipment as well as substract inventory and adding more promotional costs thus they have to going publics and this is a time decision for them because it will be forever changes how Apex goes through doing their business so a Initial Public Offering (IPO) has access to more and deeper of information, sources of capital than a private company thus they needed the 1st thing to align with SOX by going to public. Apex need to assess their readiness for stable sustain as a public company by requires all management to be prepare to meet shareholder and market expectations and address ongoing compliance and regulatory requirements, operational effectiveness, risk management, periodic reporting and investor relations. The one of preparation if Apex established the necessary financial statement integrity through the implementation of effective internal control system to support management’s reporting obligations as a public company they needed to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 (SOX) for successful to going public. Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 (SOX) According to PricewaterhouseCoopers mentioned about SOX that it is current regulatory and disclosure issues if company will transform to IPO should consider the following: Internal Controls: Sarbanes-Oxley requires a management representatives are CEO and CFO to provide certain certifications in periodic with the Securities and exchange Commission (SEC) Audit committee: Sarbanes-Oxley requires public company to have set up audit committee by one of team have to expert in financial skill. Board of Director: Require external expert  = member from other company. Auditor relationship: Require company have to clarify their existing relationship with their outside audit firm. Code of ethics: Requires a code of ethics for senior financial officer. Loan to company executives: Prohibits public company from maintaining credit in the form of a personal loan. One of the advantages when they focus on SOX404 is that it forces company to think pro-actively, identify risks, document an assess existing controls and then design new preventive or detective controls. Moreover, Connor from Corporate Responsibility Magazine mentioned that SOX has benefited their company because of the recently proposed management guidance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (PCAOB) to improve efficiency and quality over the long term. Therefore, Apex needed to comply with SOX by going to public aimed to expansion business to other operation and adding more investor. This benefit for Apex to comply this standards. References: Connors, T. SOX Benefits. Retrieved from http://www.thecro.com/node/400 Medeiros, M. (2013). Preparing for SOX 404(b) and an IPO. Retrieved from http://www.wolfandco.com/solutions/insights/602-preparing_for_sox_404_b_and_an_ipo/view PricewaterhouseCoopers. Roadmap for an IPO. Retrieved from http://www.pwc.com/us/en/transaction-services/assets/roadmap-for-an-ipo-a-guide-to-going-public.pdf

Friday, August 16, 2019

Two Ways of Losing Weight

Eating healthy and nutritious benefits your body when losing weight. While developing an eating disorder causes more harm than good. I am writing about this subject because I have an insight into the subject. I was struggling my whole childhood and I experienced being overweight and I have tried everything in the book to lose weight. In the process I even had an eating disorder for a while and I started to get really un-healthy because of it. So I finally got a grasp on what to do to eat healthy and how to maintain my weight the right way. By doing it the correct way I have kept the weight off, and I feel much healthier inside as well as out.By eating healthy and nutritious you can lose weight, and do it correctly. A balanced diet involves the intake of appropriate foods and drinks that supply nutrition and energy for the maintenance of body cells, tissues, and organs, also to support normal growth and development. Based on the USDA’s food pyramid it will include bread, cereal , rice, and pasta ( six -11 servings a day), vegetables (Three-five), fruit (two-four), dairy (two-three), meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts (two-three), and fats, oils and sweets (you use sparingly).Portion control is a very important part you need to pay attention to. The best way to judge the right size of a portion that is correct for your body. Is not by the instructions on the side of all food products, but what I have found to be true is to judge a portion by the size of your fist. On top of that what I have found to work is not to eat three meals a day but to have five of these portions throughout the day. By doing this you will make your metabolism work even harder all day toward the loss of weight.The second main step to losing weight the correct way is to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. The best way to get the ball rolling on this is to stay active with common chores. For instance you can wash and wax a car if you have one for (45-60 min ), wash windows or floors for (45-60 min), Do some gardening for (35-40 min), If you have a baby you can push the stroller (one and a half miles in 30 min), or you can rake the leaves if there are any for (30 min). These are a few examples for beginners to get started without wearing out your body.If you want to get a little more serious right away you can use sports for your daily activity. For instance you can play basketball or shoot hoops for (30-45 min), swimming in the pool or doing laps for (30-45 min), ride a bicycle (four miles in 25-30 min), and then there is jumping a rope for (25 min). These routines are a little more strenuous so I would start off small to see what your body can handle, then build up a routine once you see what you are capable of. Now I will compare how developing an eating disorder to lose weight will affect your body. Also show how the side effects are not worth it.By developing an anorexic disorder to lose weight is not the right path to take. Being anorexic means that you don’t eat food, or have no desire to eat. It is a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal healthy weight. The bad affects that this has on the body is not worth the amount of weight that is lost. Some of the less severe effects on the body are thinning of your bones (Osteoporosis), brittle hair and nails, dry and yellowish skin, growth of fine hair all over the body (Lanugo), mild anemia and muscle wasting and weakness, and severe constipation.Now there are even more severe effects on the body, they are as follows, damage to the structure and function of the heart, brain damage, and multi organ failure. To lose weight this way is definitely not worth all of these damaging side effects, especially with the severity of some of them. By utilizing this weight loss method to lose weight, you lower your total health and lose vital nutrients the body needs to be healthy. When trying to lose weight correctly, there are many ways t o do it wrong.The eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa is probably the worst option when you are trying to lose weight in a healthy manner. Bulimia affects approximately twelve individuals in a hundred thousand populations, and some reports estimate that one percent of females are affected and point one percent of males. Many people try to lose weight this way, and the side effects can range from minimal to severe. One third of people with bulimia take laxatives and diuretics, these have the most severe effects on your body.They are chronic intestinal inflammation, irregular bowel function, systemic toxicity, kidney damage, body fluid stagnation, and blood pressure complications. So for trying to lose weight in this manner is un-healthy, un-nutritious, and not the correct or successful way to lose weight in a healthy manner. It is far worse for your body and mind than taking the time to do it in a healthy and correct manner, so that the results are far more beneficial to you for a longer period of time.So in conclusion the point that I am trying to really get across to you is how to lose weight in a healthy and correct manner instead of doing it quickly and incorrectly. The correct way of losing weight is by combining eating correctly, portion control, and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine. You can use the USDA’s food pyramid to see what you should eat on a daily routine. Then you use portion control which is eating the right amount of food in a day just like taking in the right nutrients, vitamins, and all the right supplements.By incorporating these things into your daily routine with devotion and a solid routine, you can lose weight while being extremely healthy. Instead of taking the un-healthy route of losing weight which is by doing it quickly and incorrectly. When losing weight using either Bulimia or Anorexia, the bad side effects out way the benefits by far. What I mean is the results of weight loss doesn’t last and real ly doesn’t make you any healthier, it comes back as soon as you stop. Also the damage it does on your body long term is way too far of a risk in my book, and is not worth all the bad effects it has on the body.Really you are making yourself even worse when using an eating disorder to lose weight. So take the time to do it correctly you will be pleased with the results, and you will feel healthy on the inside just as much as the outside. References Http://www. bulimiasideeffects. com/ Http [Do not leave spaces around a slash mark] ://www. powerflexweb. com/contentListDetail. php? idDivision=04&nameDivision Http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/docview/225013542 Http://search. proquest. comezproxy. apollolibrary. com/docview/196547053

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Geographic History of Henequen in Yucatan, Mexico Essay

In Yucatan, Mexico, one of the main considered exports has been henequen that can be obtained from the plant Agave Fourcroydes. The henequen fiber has become significant to the economic stand of Yucatan since this product has conceived intense demand by international importers, such as the United States, China, Europe, etc. According to Cook (1994), during 1990s, the production of henequen has surged to a total economic export of 150,000 tons annually. In fact, the main production of henequen originates mainly from the state of Yucatan Mexico (p. 29). The state of Yucatan, Mexico, has significantly obtained economic benefits from the exports made through these henequen fibers, such as rope, rigs, sacks, and raw forms. They are usually shipped within the proximity of Merida and other cores of henequen production (Patch, 1993 p. 206). The bloom of henequen during the nineteenth century has significantly boosted the economy of the state, especially considering that they are world’s main exported of this product. From the analysis of the blooms’ occurrence, significant characteristics that have been present in the topographical condition of the state caused this immense bloom and production. The geography and climate of Yucatan State have been considered unique and very much suitable to the growth of henequen. In addition, considering the trends of exports and demands during the early 1900s, the market needs have significantly affected the consumption of the product. However, as the late nineteenth century approaches, the decline in the henequen demand in the market due to various reasons, such as competition, discovery of alternative products and conversion of haciendas in Yucatan, has become significantly noticeable. In the study, the discussion gives emphasis on the chronological history of henequen exports from Yucatan, Mexico. The study starts with the analysis of henequen bloom during the early 1900s until its significant decline during the late 20th century. The study also provides important facts on henequen growth, export historical trends contribution of climate for its growth, and the history of its market decline. Discussion Geography of Yucatan The most evident characteristic of Yucatan Peninsula is the presence of limestone shelf from the eastern to western sections that surfaces above sea level. The limestone shelf of Yucatan is present even below the sea, which is very much evident in the eastern Caribbean side. The key to the growth of Yucatan henequen is the thin limestone soils present as one of the characteristics of their lands (Sauer, 1993 p. 178). The areas of Merida and Ticul comprise the flat plains of Yucatan abundant in limestone deposits. Viewing the areas 60 km south from Merida, vast plains of Yucatan limestone are very much evident and the river areas are flow under the soil. According to Greensfelder & Dogett (2006), the significant characteristic of limestone present in Yucatan is the porous feature, which enables storage of mineral deposits as well as water source. Such features are important in promoting the growth of henequen plants, since the limestone act as the primary nutrient banks of crop roots (p. 17). The borders of the Yucatan state involve the Campeche located in the southern portion, Quintana Roo in the southeastern portion, and the Gulf of Mexico in the north and western perspective. Throughout the peninsula, lakes called lagunas are very much evident and from here on, Yucatan has also utilized cenotes or the collapsed freshwater caverns in order to obtain their freshwater. Yucatan also has their limestone pools called chenes, which also acts as their freshwater storage since the water deposits are usually brought by the underground streams. From this variety of ecologic characteristics has aroused the vast variation of exotic flora and fauna that kept the survival of Mayan civilization present in the area (Perry, 2001 p. 9). Climatology of Yucatan The Yucatan climate entails humid temperatures from November to February, while the driest season progress from November to April. Yucatan climatology is usually tropical and hot temperature progresses in an annual scope. The average annual temperatures for the Mexican Caribbean is 78 degrees F or 25. 5 degrees C with significant deviations of 5 to 7 degrees F. During the day temperatures can push into the 80s and overnight temperatures can drop as low as the 50s and low 60s degree F. The coolest months in this region are the between December to February, where the average highs are from 74 to 76 degrees F (Page, 2005 p. 10). Analyzing one of the areas where henequen is prominently produced, Merida, which is tropical and humid, obtains the annual precipitation of about 1,050mm, which signifies to potential evapotransportation of 2,000 mm (Anton, 1996 p. 118). The climatic condition of wet and dry area has been beneficial to the industry of henequen growth since this plant tend to adapt to tropical and humid environment, which describes Yucatan peninsula as the perfect place. Added by Anton (1996), the precipitation rates present in the entire peninsula accounts to a variation of 500 mm near the northwestern shore to more than 1,300 mm in the northeastern (p. 118). The Yucatan climate has been viewed as one of the contributors for the plant’s intense growth. The Agave Fourcroydes (Henequen) The henequen plant is very similar to the usual African sisal; hence, it has acquired the name Yucatan Sisal. The Agave fourcroydes plant can be easily recognized through their leaves that have a prickly and grayish green color. The leaves are processed in the same fashion as sisal, while the strands are carefully cleansed and place under the sun to dry (Cook, 1984 p. 29). The henequen stalks can extend up to 2 meters long and 10 cm to 15 cm wide. The preferential disadvantage of this plant is the presence of thorns, which is also viewed as one of the primary reasons for the preference of consumer to African sisal since stalks their stalks are free from thorns. A cultivated henequen plant can yield about 25 leaves annually from the fifth to the 16th year after its planting. Most commonly, the henequen plant can survive and grow for seven years without intensive maintenance. In fact, with the favorable topographical condition of Yucatan, the henequen plant usually survives without being attended by farmers (Greensfelder and Doggett, 2003 p. 191). The process of extracting fiber from this plant involves the cutting of their leaves and, from the factories; they grind these until the fiber strands are revealed. The main use of henequen is for the binder twine in wheat harvesting. The advantage of henequen product over synthetic fibers is its resistance to marine life propagation, such as algae, barnacles, etc (Greensfelder and Doggett, 2003 p. 191).