Does Technology Make a Difference? Essay

In Port Jackson, the first British colony of New South Wales arrived. When the colony arrived in January 1788, they came across Aboriginal people who were known to fish around Port Jackson. As of today, there is said to be over 580 species that live in the waters around Port Jackson. The Aboriginal people had been fishing in these areas long enough to make fish a part of their diet. When the British brought their colony to Port Jackson, they learned to also make fish part of their diet. Aboriginal people used the resources around them to make equipment and transportation to fish. They made spears for people who would fish from the shore, and made small canoes and fishhooks out of shells for those who wanted the challenge of catching bigger fish. When the British saw how these people would catch their food, they brought over fishhooks made of metal, nets and boats that were much larger than the canoes. Introducing new and better technology in an environment is never easy. This article discusses the important issues to understand, the good and the bad of technology. Introducing a new technology to an older method made the business of fishing boom, which was good for both sides. With the British bringing in their methods helped bring more fish for the people to eat, with the addition of what the Aboriginals would bring in at the end of the day. Also having the new technology, there was a broader variety of new fish that couldn’t be caught with the old methods. It also helped the Aboriginals convert to using the methods that the British used after seeing how much more fish they could catch in a day. But like everything new to people, it caused the Aboriginals kind of give up on their methods all the way, just to keep up with the British. After a while the Aboriginals would start working on the British boats to earn a percentage of the fish they would all catch each day. The British would also trade some of the fish they had caught for equipment from the Aboriginals. And after a couple years of mass fishing, both parties would fall into the issue of overfishing and pollution from commercial fisheries. As a whole, I thought this whole article was interesting to me, but there was a few things that stuck out more than others. It is mind blowing to hear that just alone, Port Jackson has over 580 species. I always knew that there is quite a few different species of fish, but to think that there is over 580 at Port Jackson and then think about how we can’t swim to the bottom of the ocean to discover what lives only down there makes you wonder if any of the legends we’ve heard as children could be true. There could be all sorts of ancestors of fish or other living things deep down there; they may have lived through ancient history. The other interesting thing I read was about all the fish bones. I know that when things die they leave behind bones, but to think about fish bones lasting that long is crazy. When we cook fish and eat them, you see their bones and how small and fragile they are, and to think that some fish bones can last for thousands of years it’s amazin g. Even though I thought this article was very interesting, there were a few things that were a little difficult for me while reading. I really enjoy learning about the ways of archaeologists and anthropologists, but when I read articles like this I have a hard time following what the author is saying because of all of the weird, scientific names they give to fish, animals or even people. I know that it is just how things are named in the science world, I’m just not familiar with all the terms yet, and so I get confused sometimes. Also I get stumped non-stop about how they found out so much information about a certain thing when we didn’t live back then. I think it is amazing how they find so much information from something so small, like a fish bone, but at the same time its mind boggling because its not like bones, rocks, trees, or other things that they study come with instructions. And I think these things are the reason I am so fascinated with this line of work. For archaeology, this is a very important article to explain that what they do is very important. Archaeology to me is a very important part of our lives. If it wasn’t from them, I wouldn’t have been able to learn things about our past from this article. We learn so much about our pasts and that helps us with our future because of the studies that archaeologists do, like in the article. It’s because of them that we are able to know that the Aboriginal people have to convert to a new method of technology because of the British. It also helps us understand what the living was like at Port Jackson during that time period, which also helps understand what type of plants and animals and fish lived during that time. Which has an end result to help explain the transformation how the fish we know about today are different in some way from the past fish, but know that today’s fish came from the past. It’s the same thing with humans, they study and do tests o f human remains from thousands and thousands of years to get a better understand of where we came from, and what we used to look like or how we came to the features that we have today. In conclusion, this article has given me a lot of new information that helps me understand our pasts a little better. At the same time, it also helps you open your eyes a little more because in today’s world, we have technology change all the time and we are just all so use to it that we don’t really see how much it really changes us or even how it effects us all. Back in the 1780’s I understand and realize how scary change can be for people or colonies. It would be pretty scary for a colony to move to a place you’ve lived and bring these new methods that help and hurt your lifestyle at the same time. And today we don’t usually have those feelings or worries because we are so use to change that we act like it’s nothing. It is also amazing how we are able to look at artifacts or bones from the past, like fish and we know what type of fish they are and long ago they had died. Reading articles like this just is amazing to me because you always wonder how we got to where we are today, or where did we actually come from and why do we have similar features from a bunch of different mammals.

F and B Manager

Unit 6: Food and Drinks Service Unit code: L/601/0463 QCF Level 3: BTEC National Credit value: 10 Guided learning hours: 60 Aim and purpose The aim of this unit is to enable learners to gain understanding of the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operations and skills to prepare, provide and review provision of food and drink service. Unit introduction This unit introduces learners to basic concepts of food service and to the skills, knowledge and responsibilities required in food service throughout the sector.The knowledge and skills acquired in this unit will prepare learners for a supervisory role in food service businesses. This unit includes only non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are covered in Unit 7: Alcoholic Beverage Service. Learners will explore the factors involved in the meal experience and will have the opportunity to relate issues concerning value, quality, skill levels, satisfaction, service and environment to customer expectations in a v ariety of operations. Learners will need to organise the preparation and layout of a food service operation, taking into account various factors such as equipment, staff rganisation and particular customer needs. Learners will need to show a professional approach and practical customer service and food service skills. Throughout the unit learners will have the opportunity to develop the skills appropriate to a range of different businesses, such as restaurants, fast food businesses, pub food courts and coffee bars. It is important for learners to appreciate factors essential to customer satisfaction and the result of these needs not being fully met. Learners will need to understand and apply evaluation techniques to food service operations. Learning outcomesOn completion of this unit a learner should: 1 Understand the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operations 2 Be able to organise the preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation 3 Be able to provide food and drink service and customer service in a professional, safe and hygienic manner 4 Be able to review food and drink service provision. Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 1 Unit content 1 Understand the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operationsMeal experience: value for money; quality of product and service; environment; ambience; suitability for purpose; level of customer service; timing Situations: eating for pleasure or necessity eg business lunch, special occasion, meal with friends, wedding celebration, conference, function, during a shopping trip, in hospital, when travelling 2 Be able to organise the preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation Operation: types eg restaurant, pub, banquet, fast food, food court, coffee bar, transport providers (rail, air, sea)Preparation and layout: health and safety considerations; checking cleanliness of environment; checking furnishings and equipment; obtaining and preparing equipment; determining layout of environment, the reception, bar area, tables and eating area; menu requirements; staff organisation; briefing; customer needs eg wheelchair access, children; contingency planning 3 Be able to provide food and drink service and customer service in a professional, safe and hygienic mannerRequirements: product knowledge; technical skills; appropriate procedures for operation eg welcoming customer, taking order, confirming choice, serving food and beverages using appropriate method, ensuring payment Food service: methods eg silver service, plate service, buffet, self-service, assisted service, room service, counter service; suitability of method for different operations; constraints eg cost-effectiveness, customer demand, timescale, staff skills, environment, layout Drink service: non-alcoholic eg soft drinks, bottled waters, teas, coffees; service procedures and tec hniques; cleaning and maintaining equipment eg uice dispensers, coffee machines; trends eg designer waters, healthy drinking options Customer service situations: communication method (face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing, by email); purpose eg providing information, giving advice, keeping records, providing assistance, dealing with problems, handling complaints, dealing with food allergies Professional approach: attitude; personal appearance; dress; hygiene; attentiveness; body language; attention to detail; relationships with colleagues; communication skills eg listening, speaking, relaying messages and orders accurately and promptly; teamwork; codes of practice Be able to review food and drink service provision Techniques: collecting information; sources of information eg customers, colleagues; feedback methods (qualitative, quantitative) eg questionnaires, comments books, staff meetings; making reasoned judgements based on available information Criteria: suitability of food and drink service provided; environment, preparation and layout; service provided (quality, speed); level of customer satisfaction; value for money 2 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 Assessment and grading criteriaIn order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria for a pass grade describe the level of achievement required to pass this unit. Assessment and grading criteria To achieve a pass grade the evidence must show that the learner is able to: To achieve a merit grade the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to: P1 explain the importance of the M1 meal experience in food and drink service situations [IE 4] P2 organise the preparation and ayout of a food and drink service operation [SM 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7] P3 demonst rate competent skills M2 show independence and in providing food and drink confidence in providing food service with appropriate tutor and drink service support P4 show a professional attitude at all times with relevant personal, social, technical and customer service skills [SM 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7] P5 review food and drink service M3 evaluate a food and drink provision. service operation and make [IE 6] recommendations for improvement using agreed criteria and relevant data. To achieve a distinction grade the evidence must show that, n addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to: analyse the suitability of different methods of service, operational procedures and levels of customer service in food service operations D1 show high levels of confidence, product knowledge and skills when providing food and drink service D2 assess a food and drink service operation, making justified recommendations for improvement, and produce an action plan for implementation. PLTS: Thi s summary references where applicable, in the square brackets, the elements of the personal, learning and thinking skills applicable in the pass criteria.It identifies opportunities for learners to demonstrate effective application of the referenced elements of the skills. IE – independent enquirers RL – reflective learners SM – self-managers CT – creative thinkers Key TW – team workers EP – effective participators Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 3 Essential guidance for tutors Delivery Professionalism in the hospitality industry is vital to both the success of the hospitality business and to learners’ future careers.Future employers will expect recruits to demonstrate a professional attitude to their work, to themselves, to colleagues and to their employers. Tutors must take great care throughout their work to reinforce the importance of mai ntaining the right professional attitude, in terms of personal, social, technical and customer service skills when working with and communicating with others. It is important that learners are made aware of different types of food and drink service operations and the situations and contexts to which they are suited.While some centres may prefer to concentrate on traditional restaurant operations, the unit is designed to ensure that learners are prepared for employment in a range of food and drink service operations. It should be noted that this unit includes non-alcoholic beverages, and delivery should include the preparation and service of a range of teas, coffees and other non-alcoholic drinks. Tutors should be aware of developing trends in food and drink products and services in the hospitality industry, and should ensure that learners understand both the nature of the trends and their impact on hospitality operations.Much of the delivery will be through practical sessions. These could be supported through work placement prior to assessment to enable learners to develop food and drink service skills. Both practical sessions and work placements should be planned to enable a range of food service situations to be considered and to enable learners to apply their skills to these varied situations. Learners will also need to consider a variety of customer service situations that may arise through food and drink service. They could practise their skills through role plays of simulated scenarios.Learners should develop criteria to evaluate performance relating to each scenario and practise evaluating their own and others’ performance. Recording role plays using video and/or audio cassettes would assist selfevaluation. This unit could be delivered jointly with Unit 7: Alcoholic Beverage Service and could also be delivered alongside Unit 5: Supervisory Skills in the Hospitality Industry, as it offers the opportunity to organise and supervise a team in the del ivery of food and drink service. The application of evaluation techniques and criteria will also make a valuable ontribution to learners’ future role as supervisors in the hospitality industry. 4 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 Outline learning plan The outline learning plan has been included in this unit as guidance and can be used in conjunction with the programme of suggested assignments. The outline learning plan demonstrates one way in planning the delivery and assessment of this unit. Topic and suggested assignments/activities and/assessmentIntroduction to the unit and the programme of learning. Group discussion about food and drink service operations. Tutor explanation of key terms. Visits to hospitality businesses and observation of food and drink service operations – follow-up poster showing food and drink service operations within the businesses. Learners interview a member of staff from their own institution on the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operations. Visits to hospitality businesses to find out about different food and drink service situations.Assignment 1 – The Importance of the Meal Experience in Food and Drink Service Operations (P1, M1) Learners produce a presentation about the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operations based on visit. Group discussion to determine types of operation for different types of hospitality businesses. Videos or role-plays of preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation. Role-play exercises – organising the preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation. Assignment 2 – Organising the Preparation and Layout of a Food and Drink Service Operation (P2)Based on organising the preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation for real customers. Videos or role plays of providing food and drink service. Learners work alongside staff in their own institution providing food and drink service – receive feedback. Role-play exercises – providing food and drink service. Assignment 3 – Providing Food and Drink Service and Customer Service (P3, P4, M2, D1) Based on providing food and drink service to real customers. Learners investigate review techniques and criteria used in a business.Assignment 4 – Review of Food and Drink Service Provision (P5, M3, D2) An investigation of a business or related to a scenario leading to a piece of written work. Tutorial support and feedback. Self-initiated learning time. Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 5 Assessment Any evidence submitted for criteria requiring the practical demonstration of skills, eg role plays or the ability to work independently, must be supported by observation sheet(s) signed by the assessor identifying h ow and why specific criteria have been met.The sub-headings in this section mirror the funnelling opportunities in the grading grid. They suggest how assessment can be grouped to allow learners to progress to the higher grades; however, they are not prescriptive. P1 – M1 To achieve P1, learners must explain the importance of the meal experience, based on their work experience or visits to a variety of businesses. Learners should include a minimum of three different situations in their explanation, covering each of the meal experience criteria.M1 requires learners to analyse in detail at least two different food and drink service operations, focusing on all aspects of the meal experience, operational issues and customer service. P2 For P2, learners need to show they can organise and implement the preparation and layout of the environment before starting the service. Evidence could be gathered through observation by the tutor of team briefings or a written brief together with e vidence of a single practical exercise when the learner has had specific responsibility.P3 – P4 – M2 – D1 To achieve P3, learners need to demonstrate food and drink service skills. This can be evidenced in the form of video tapes or witness testimonies from assessors and supported by written descriptions of the practical scenario. The evidence could, for the most part, come from the same practical situations as for P2. Although learners must show competent skills, at pass level it is expected that they will require guidance and support. Evidence for P4 could be in the form of video or witness testimonies from assessors.The witness testimonies should give sufficient information to confirm that the requirements of achieving a professional approach to personal, social, technical and customer service skills have been met, as have levels of teamwork and communication. The evidence for M2 must show that learners are capable of using initiative and show confidence and independence in food and drink service and customer care skills. Evidence should come from real-life food and drink service situations, and could be linked with Unit 26: Industry-related Project in Hospitality.Learners’ competence in meeting this criterion should be evidenced by an observation sheet with reference made to how and why the learner has achieved M2. To achieve D1, witness testimonies and/or observation sheets should give detailed information to confirm that the learner has demonstrated a high level of personal and technical skills. Examples of effective technical skills at this level could be a learner who is able to anticipate customer needs and can demonstrate customer service to a standard which is over and above that normally expected. 6 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 P5 – M3 – D2 To achieve P5, learners are required to review food and drink service provision u sing appropriate evaluation techniques and criteria and should provide evidence which shows understanding of the need to measure the performance of a food service operation. The criteria should be specific and measurable. Examples of appropriate criteria could be ‘all tables are to receive orders within 15 minutes’ or ‘the menu should reflect good value for money compared to other similar businesses’. Learners should also explain the benefits of this approach.This can be done in general terms and need not be linked to a specific food service project, although evidence could be linked with Unit 26: Industry-related Project in Hospitality. Evidence for M3 will build on the criteria identified in P5. The criteria used could be predetermined by the assignment brief, but learners should relate the evidence to a specific practical scenario and produce valid recommendations for improvement. Learners should collect data from reliable sources, eg customer comment ca rds and feedback from colleagues, rather than basing the whole review on their own opinion.Evidence for D2 could be in the form of a presentation or a written report. Joint evaluation as part of a team would not be acceptable. Learners must set their own criteria for assessing a food and drink service operation and make recommendations for improvement that are justified and prioritised. The action plan should be realistic and achievable in the context of the chosen food and drink operation. Programme of suggested assignments The table below shows a programme of suggested assignments that cover the pass, merit and distinction criteria in the assessment and grading grid.This is for guidance and it is recommended that centres either write their own assignments or adapt any Edexcel assignments to meet local needs and resources. Criteria covered Assignment title Scenario P1, M1 The Importance of the Meal Experience in Food and Drink Service Operations Learners take the role of Learners c reate a restaurant manager and need to presentation for use with produce a presentation about new staff. the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service operations for use with new staff. P2 Organising the Preparation and Layout of a Food and Drink Service OperationLearners continue in the role Role play or work placement of restaurant manager and supported by observation are required to organise the sheets. preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation. P3, P4, M2, D1 Providing Food and Drink Service and Customer Service Learners continue in the role of restaurant manager and are required to provide food and drink service to real customers. Role play or work placement supported by observation sheets. P5, M3, D2 Review of Food and Drink Service Provision Learners continue in the role of restaurant manager and are asked to review the food and rink service provision. Learners produce material in suitable format – questionnaires, checklists. Edexce l BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 Assessment method 7 Links to National Occupational Standards, other BTEC units, other BTEC quali? cations and other relevant units and quali? cations This unit forms part of the BTEC Hospitality suite. This unit has particular links with the following unit titles in the Hospitality suite: Level 2 Level 3 Service of Food at Table Alcoholic Beverage Service Service of Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic DrinksFood Service Organisation Essential resources It is essential for the delivery of this unit that learners have access to a real or simulated food service environment. Appropriate food and drink service equipment must also be provided, such as cappuccino machines, icemakers, blenders and other specialist equipment including glasses and china. Employer engagement and vocational contexts Visits and work experience with local food and drink service providers would provide l earners with an insight into food and drink service and help learners develop the skills required in different businesses providing food service.Developing hospitality industry links would enhance the delivery of this unit. Indicative reading for learners Textbooks Ceserani V and Foskett D – The Theory of Catering, 11th Edition (Hodder Arnold, 2007) ISBN 9780340939260 Hayter R – Food and Drink Service, 2nd Edition (Thomson Learning, 1996) ISBN 9781861526878 Lillicrap D and Cousins J – Food and Beverage Service, 7th Edition (Hodder Arnold, 2006) ISBN 9780340905241 Journal Caterer and Hotelkeeper – Reed Business Information Websites www. bha. org. uk British Hospitality Association www. caterersearch. com Caterersearch – Hospitality news www. catersource. om Catersource – Education, products and news for caterers www. cookeryonline. com Cookeryonline – Food, cookery and hospitality resources www. fdf. org. uk Food and Drink Federation w ww. people1st. co. uk People 1st – Sector Skills Council for Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism 8 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 Delivery of personal, learning and thinking skills The table below identifies the opportunities for personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS) that have been included within the pass assessment criteria of this unit.Skill When learners are †¦ Independent enquirers P1 explaining the importance of the meal experience in food and drink service situations [IE 4] P5 reviewing food and drink service provision [IE 6] Self-managers P2 organising the preparation and layout of a food and drink service operation P3 demonstrating competent skills in providing food and drink service with appropriate tutor support P4 showing a professional attitude at all times with relevant personal, social, technical and customer service skills [SM 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7]Altho ugh PLTS are identified within this unit as an inherent part of the assessment criteria, there are further opportunities to develop a range of PLTS through various approaches to teaching and learning. Skill When learners are †¦ Reflective learners assessing their food and drink service provision [RL 1]. Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 9 Functional Skills – Level 2 Skill When learners are †¦ ICT – Use ICT systems Select, interact with and use ICT systems independently for a complex task to meet a ariety of needs Use ICT to effectively plan work and evaluate the effectiveness of the ICT system they have used Manage information storage to enable efficient retrieval Follow and understand the need for safety and security practices Troubleshoot ICT – Find and select information Select and use a variety of sources of information independently for a complex task Acces s, search for, select and use ICTbased information and evaluate its fitness for purpose ICT – Develop, present and communicate information Enter, develop and format information independently to suit its meaning and urpose including: ? text and tables ? images ? numbers ? records Bring together information to suit content and purpose Present information in ways that are fit for purpose and audience Evaluate the selection and use of ICT tools and facilities used to present information Select and use ICT to communicate and exchange information safely, responsibly and effectively including storage of messages and contact lists 10 Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 2010  © Edexcel Limited 2010 Skill When learners are †¦ MathematicsUnderstand routine and non-routine problems in a wide range of familiar and unfamiliar contexts and situations Identify the situation or problem and the mathematical methods needed to tac kle it Select and apply a range of skills to find solutions Use appropriate checking procedures and evaluate their effectiveness at each stage organising a food and drink service operation Interpret and communicate solutions to practical problems in familiar and unfamiliar routine contexts and situations Draw conclusions and provide mathematical justifications English Speaking and listening – make a range of ontributions to discussions and make effective presentations in a wide range of contexts discussing the importance of the meal experience presenting an evaluation of a food and drink operation and action plan. Reading – compare, select, read and understand texts and use them to gather information, ideas, arguments and opinions Writing – write documents, including extended writing pieces, communicating information, ideas and opinions, effectively and persuasively Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Nationals specification in Hospitality – Issue 1 – February 20 10  © Edexcel Limited 2010 11

Don’t Skip Breakfast Essay

Have you ever felt uncomfortable physically because of skipping your breakfast? A nutritious breakfast bring us a fresh start of one day. Many people who want to lose weight choose not to eat breakfast. However, this method would only cause converse effects. We might feel deprived of energy and hungry all the morning as a result of skipping breakfast. In fact, breakfast determines our health condition. Skipping breakfast is a bad habit which will affect our health and we need to eat breakfast everyday. For one thing, skipping breakfast is not an appropriate way to lose weight. Surprisingly, a study from the Dairy Research Institute proved that citizens who don’t eat breakfast are weight more than those who do. The results indicates that those who skip it expend 40% more sweets, 55% more soft drinks, 45% fewer vegetables and 30% less fruit than those who eat breakfast(July 1, 2012)(mrbreakfast.com). Actually, eating a healthy breakfast could somehow help you to manage weight. A nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. who works in Mayo Clinic in USA replies how it helps to get rid of needless weight in three main ways. â€Å"Reduced hunger, healthy choices and more energy.† She mentioned that when long-term fasting happens, the insulin response of your body would grow, then more fat would be stored in your body. She also states if you eat breakfast, you’re more likely to eat a healthy diet during the rest of the day. (mayoclinic.com n.d.)We prefer snacks such as chocolate bars to supply our energy when we are starved. Definitely, the diet which we planned is changed. Skipping breakfast makes us less efficient at work or study. Amanda Wynne of the British Dietetic Association told BBC News Online that studies of children who are at school reflects that eating breakfast help them to concentrate more in the morning. Another study from the Learning Connection Summit indicates â€Å"brain scans of children who eat breakfast show more activity than scans of children who skip breakfast(October 9, 2012)† (mrbreakfast.com). The energy we need is obtained after we have breakfast, therefore we have more strength throughout the whole morning. Obviously, we are more businesslike at work when we are energetic. We should be aware of the importance of eating breakfast.A 16-year research from Harvard investigated into approximately 30,000 subjects show that individuals who skip breakfast are 21% more likely to have Type 2 diabetes than those who eat breakfast regularly(May 24, 2012). . A study in the Environmental Health Journal found that â€Å"children who ate breakfast had 15% lower blood lead levels than those who skipped breakfast(April 1,2011)†.(mrbreakfast.com)Nowadays, the number of diabetics is in rise gradually. Many of us skip breakfast for saving time or more sleep. However, it seems we need to be conscious of the necessity of eating breakfast. It is decisive to our health condition. Overall, daily breakfast keep us on track if we are trying to manage weight, making us attentive at work, avoiding blood-sugar problems, and supplying nutritious to our body. In the other hand, regular breakfast makes us vigorous from the beginning of everyday. Reference Page Breakfast: How does it help weight control? (2011 July). Retrieved Dec 3,2012 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119 Breakfast Research & Statistics.(n.d.)Retrieved Dec 3,2012 http://www.mrbreakfast.com/glossary_term.asp?glossaryID=152 Mdhil, (2012 June), 8 Health Reasons You Should Never Skip Breakfast. Retrieved Dec 3,2012. http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/8-health-reasons-never-skip-breakfast-033028953.html Shereen Jegtvig, (2012 November), Don’t Skip Breakfast. Retrieved Dec 3,2012. http://nutrition.about.com/od/nutrition101/a/breakfast.htm Skipping breakfast very bad for health.(2003 July)Retrieved Dec 3,2012 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/4004.php

David Cole Interviews Dr. Franciszek Piper Essay

David Cole Interviews Dr. Franciszek Piper - Essay Example Piper says that the gas chamber in question was in fact modified, as it was a gas chamber but later turned into an air-raid shelter. This is the cause for the building of new walls, a new door and the removal of the holes in the ceiling. The question remains as to why these changes in the gas chamber are hidden from the public when in the past, this story was punishable and punished by the law. In the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Birkenau, there are little traces of Zyklon-B residues, which were found by two separate tests. Both found that only one gas chamber had traces of Zyklon-B gas, the delousing chamber that was off the charts, while the remainder of the chambers in question, which were the homicidal ones, did not. When Cole asked Dr. Piper about this, Dr. Piper claimed that the delousing chamber was used â€Å"day and night† whereas the homicidal chambers were used â€Å"20, 30 minutes a day.† claims were made that Zyklon-B was primarily used for disinfection, which is odd considering the desire of the Nazis that these encamped people be destroyed, their health status unimportant. Another story that is in question is the human soap question submitted by a sample of human soap by the Soviets during the Nuremberg trials. Dr. Piper still believes this story, although there is no proof to support it. David Cole has successfully proved that genuine artifacts have been reconstructed to appear real to unsuspecting visitors. This Soviet deception was propagandized because of the lack of trust and allied support of the Soviet Union with the other Allied Forces of the time. This propaganda on all sides was only able to become ‘truth’ because of the victory of the Allies over Nazi Germany.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Case Study Example These two methods will be combined to check which one is feasible for the project to be implemented. The scrutinizing of the project will be carried out in three stages. Most of the employees in the aquarium have a science background. They are not aware of the profit making or the marketing objectives of the management. Therefore, they need to be issued a directive to make them understand about the objective of the aquarium. In the selection of the products or services that put in to sustainable profitability importance should be given in altering the business spotlight of portfolio management from financial metrics to client value. By setting aside the financial data and offering more weight to purchaser value data when making product portfolio choices, corporations can in fact look up financial performance by recognizing products with the prospective to delight clients. When importance is given to the purchaser value the clients are satisfied and they demand the products more. Client value which is defined as the clients insight of how well a solution meets their requirements is the only confirmed route to make profit. The greater the value of the explanation to the purchaser, the more likely the purchaser will purchase it and shell out a premium price for it. And, unlike several financial constraints, client value is based on something genuine, which one can precisely measure to yield reliable outcom es. In the case of the aquarium, a 6X6 matrix has been developed to divide the target audiences for whom the projects would be implemented. Those who are aware about the project and interested and committed towards the project would be given preference. This can be done with the help of the observation of the customers and the visitors. Thus, in this case study, also the senior level management of each SBU is required to focus on customer satisfaction so as to attract more customers and generate more of

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Marketing - Essay Example Some customers are price sensitive whereby, an increase in price may cause the customers to buy from competitors. On the contrary product/service involves taking into consideration the needs and wants of a customer. Finally, promotion entails creating awareness about the product or service being offered by the company. This may involve taking into consideration the methods that the company will use to promote their product as well as determining the methods used by their competitors (Hoffmann, 2008). Therefore, this study aims to provide an insight of how the company achieves advantage of delivering value to the consumers and to what extent. 1. â€Å"A company achieves advantage by delivering superior value to its consumers in the marketplace†. To what extent do you agree with this statement and why? A company achieves advantage by delivering superior value to its consumers through utilization of value chain approach/model as proposed by Porters. Different companies tend to ha ve numerous activities that are being involved in the conversion of raw materials to finished goods so as to deliver superior value to their customers. Those activities may be broadly classified into two categories namely; primary activities and secondary activities /support activities within the value chain model. Primary activities comprises of five major activities/ operations namely; inbound logistics, outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales, and services. On the contrary, support activities include; procurement, human resource management, technological development and infrastructure (Saha, 2011). The value chain creation model may be presented in the diagram below. Primary Activities The value Chain Support/secondary activities Source: The five primary activities involve all operations that are aimed at delivering superior value to the customers. Under this section there are activities such as; inbound logistics. Those are operation that is attributed to handling of goods and services within the company. Additionally, inbound logistics involves activities such as material inputs and acquisition, warehousing activities as well as inventory control. Material input and acquisition are those operations that are carried out to ensure that there is proper flow of all the necessary materials and equipments that might be required in order to come up with a finished product that can deliver superior value to the customers. Material input and acquisition further involves determining the most appropriate vendors to supply the company with the necessary raw material in a cost efficient manner. Therefore, procurement managers, operation managers and finance managers should carry out a prior assessment of the most appropriate vendor who can supply raw materials at a minimal cost. This may help to minimize the cost of material acquisition while at the same time ensures that materials obtain deliver superior value to the customers and further enables the comp any to make profits. Both procurement manager and finance manager should collaborate to ensure that materials available in the warehouse are in proper condition. Moreover, they should carry out inventory valuation to determine when to order new material (re-order point) and when to dispose the available stock. This may help to ensure there is efficiency in the flow of raw materials and finished goods within and outside the company

Julius Ceasar and william shakespear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Julius Ceasar and william shakespear - Essay Example Mark Antony, who was Caesar’s friend, offered an interment oration that remained famous to date. It is fundamental to explore the role of fallacy, omen and divination as demonstrated, and their relationship with the Roman culture and religions, by Brutus, Mark Antony and Julia Caesar. The paper will explore the dynamics among the various characters to establish the role of Shakespeare. Brutus Brutus, being the tragic hero of the play, portrays immense complexity in the character and motivations. Apart from being a powerful figure, he comes out as a loving husband and a good master of his servants. He is also a loving pal and a noble military leader. This character has a rather rigid ideology that doubles up as both his strength and weakness. His quest to put his ambitions on top of everything makes him fit the description of being â€Å"the noblest of the Romans.† Besides, he is also committed to principle, and this works against him always as he consistently makes misc alculations. For instance, when Cassius suggested to him that the conspirators would kill Caesar and Antony, he blatantly ignored. He again showed the naivety of his idealism during Caesar’s funeral when he allowed Antony to make the famous oration over the remains of Caesar. Consequently, he forfeited the authority about the last word of the murder, and this ensured that Antony succeeded in inciting the plebeians to protest against his compatriots (Bowen, Shakespeare, and Garcia 47). Julius Caesar He lived and portrayed an overly ambitious character determined to acquire and wield absolute power over Rome. He strongly comes out as a figure that only lived on the minds of other men. He strongly believed that his hold on Rome was permanent and, therefore, committed his loyalty to principles besides regarding himself as a public institution. Unfortunately, this later proved to be his utmost undoing. When Calpurnia, his wife, shared with him her nightmares, he stubbornly dismiss es them and fails to heed. He also ignores the supernatural omen circulating in the atmosphere. With the prospects of coronation, Caesar allowed his big ambitions to get on top of him. He lived a life of conflation whereby his public image and private self conjure. This led him to embrace a mistaken belief that he is immortal and that his mortal body protects his public self. However, his mortality later comes into play in Act V, Scene iii, when Brutus attributed the misfortunes befalling Cassius to Caesar’s power coming beyond the grave (Bowen, Shakespeare, and Garcia 18). Antony Antony plays a role in disapproving Brutus’ supposed strength. He is naturally improvisatory and impulsive and this perfectly helps him prove that Brutus is weak. He does this by first persuading the conspirators of his support to gain leniency from them. He then persuades the plebeians of the injustices committed by the conspirators against them and subsequently acquires support of the masse s. This makes him a consummate politician who ably could use skilled rhetoric and gestures to his advantage. Besides, he wisely responds to delicate cues from both his friends and enemies to determine his correct mode of conduct in each distinct situation. This always ensured that he gained the biggest advantage among his political peers. When he got an opportunity to eulogize Caesar’s death, he strategically designs his speech and words to please the audience and attract their desires. Interestingly, he ensured

Santex Limited Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Santex Limited - Research Paper Example Furthermore, Sanitex is occasionally affected by seasonal fluctuation in the pest control business. That is why it needs to expand its product portfolio including carpet cleaning and distribution of sanitary products. However, Sanitex failed to attract potential new clients outside West London area due to its being a non-branded business. Clearly, Sanitex is faced with the issue of improving its entire business operation by augmenting its marketing activity in the pest control business. As marketing manager of Sanitex, the goal of the proponent is to steer the company forward, and be responsible for understanding how its decision making process and decision making unit have been impacted by the recession. Marketing research and competitor analysis Under the goal of Sanitex for product expansion is to actually create significant sales for the company even in tough economic conditions. However, there are two important issues concerning in this area. The first concern is to understand c ustomer behaviour and next to it would be the prevailing value of the company created for its customers compared to its competitors. In other words, the company should create a remarkable strong company brand while taking into account the prevailing customer behaviour in the pest control business and the competitive advantage that its competitors are holding. In order to do this, marketing research and competitor analysis are necessary. Under marketing research, there is a need to gain information about customer behaviour, potential market population, estimated market demand, market growth and trends in pest control business. On the other hand, competitor analysis is necessary to evaluate Sanitex’s both internal and external capacity in the pest control business. The following are potential tools that could be used in the competitor analysis. Internal value chain analysis Activities are found in a firm or organisation. These could be separate when they have to work together b ut they should be linked so as to effectively transform inputs into outputs, and each step to be undertaken should add value to the process that will eventually put in customer value (Ward and Daniel, 2006). Internal value chain analysis is proven effective especially in trying to come up with competitive advantage which has to be focused on differentiation and price strategy. The 7 Ps of marketing It is common to find 4 Ps in marketing textbooks which primarily include Product, Price, Place (distribution) and Promotion (advertising, public relations) (Boone and Kurtz, 2006). However, to complete the seven Ps, People, Partnership and Purpose should be added. It is important to find the intersection of these 7 Ps in order to effectively determine the target market, and making the target customers use or purchase the firm’s product or service offerings (Ivanko and Kivirist, 2008). Resource appraisal Unlike the SWOT analysis which at some point is broad enough because it conside rs both external and internal environment, the good thing about resource appraisal is its ability to focus entirely the on internal environment into the following categories of resources: equine, physical, human, financial, and intangible (Eastwood et al., 2006). This ensures a much more focused or detailed analysis of a firm’s internal environment. Physical asset Any tangible assets such as modification of products, special plant and equipment or location are

Physics in The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Research Paper

Physics in The Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment - Research Paper Example This paper discusses the physics involved in the experiment and how it is used to understand the effect of changes in the atmospheric layers on the ozone layer over the Arctic pole. Various parameters like temperature, pressure, etc. have been measured by custom made apparatus like the interferometers, spectrometers, spectrophotometers, etc. Launch- ACE used two major instruments in the mission. While the first instrument was a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS), the other instrument was a dual optical spectrometer (Bernath, na). It was launched by NASA on August 12, 2003 using a Pegasus XL rocket at 650km above the Earth. The satellite was launched at an angle of 740 and orbited the Earth to cover tropical, mid-latitude and the Polar regions. The satellite operated in the UV-Visible-NIR region of the spectrum with the ACE-FTS being used in the NIR region while the MAESTRO Spectrophotometer was being used over the UV-VIS-NIR region (ACE, 2009). FTS operated in the range of 2-13 microns with a high resolution of 0.02cm-1 and a vertical resolution of 4km to up to 150km. the MAESTRO spectrophotometer operated in the UV-VIS-NIR spectral region of 285-1030nm with a vertical resolution of 1-2 km. ... Apart from this information, the satellite was also used to provide vertical profile information for temperature, pressure and the various molecules and their mixing ratios present in the atmospheric layers (ACE, 2009). Constituents- The primary instruments in the satellite are the FTS and the MAESTRO. The ACE-FTS is a Michelson interferometer with two corner cubes for producing the path difference with an end mirror which increases the path difference. The interference fringes are produced with a diode laser operating at 1500nm which are further Fourier Transformed to give the spectra. It has two detectors operating below 100K. Two imagers, one a Visible imager and other a near-IR imager at 0.525 and 1.02 microns are used to study the atmospheric absorption of aerosols and the clouds in the region. These two wavelengths are used for study as they are free of any absorption by the molecules present in the two layers, particularly the stratosphere (Bernath, 2005, pp25-26). The altitude profile information is sun tracked by detectors with 256x256 pixel sensors and a field view of 30mrad and a signal-to-noise ratio of more than 1000. The MAESTRO uses two spectrographs in the two overlapping windows which are 280-550nm and 500-1030nm with a resolution of 2nm. It is noted that the use of two spectrographs enhances the stray-light performance and enables the simultaneous measurement of two spectral bands at a narrow resolution. It also consists of photodiode detectors and a concave grating with an entrance slit always held horizontal to the sunset and sunrise. It also has a vertical resolution of 1-2km and a signal-to-noise

Financial Policies of Westpac Banking Corporation Essay

Financial Policies of Westpac Banking Corporation - Essay Example The bank is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and has made a satisfactory performance over time. Financial Policies of Westpac Banking Corporation related to Capital Structure In 2008, Westpac went into a strategic alliance with St. George Bank Limited in a merger operation. In that merger, the exchange ratio of St. George Bank Limited to Westpac Bank was 1.31. This means that the valuation of the assets of St George was at a higher level than that of Westpac, and therefore the shareholders of St George have got a better valuation as compared to the shareholders of Westpac. The bank went into a merger policy because it wanted to make more use of its resources and have a better financial health (Rosenbaum and Pearl, 2009, p. 36). This would also help the bank to survive in the long run. At this juncture to retain the positive sentiment of the investors, Westpac announced a special dividend of $ 1.25 per share. This has a positive impact on the prices of the shares and the prices seem to go up; therefore, it is a deliberate step on part of the company to keep a stable position in the securities market. Dividend Payout Policies of Westpac The financial history of the company reveals that dividend has been paid by the company bi-annually in the month of July and at the end of the year, December. The dividend yield for the stockholders had ranged from 0.56 to 0.86. The returns that the shareholders have got by investing in the company is well understood by the dividend yield paid ever time (Gallagher, 2003, p. 194). The mean and the standard deviation of the yield have been calculated. Mean 0.736666667 Standard Deviation 0.108857705 The average yield of the dividend has been 0.736. A dividend payout ratio of 70% per share would encourage the shareholders to invest more money in the stock and to hold the stock for a longer period of time. These dividends are directly transferred to the accounts of the shareholders. The company generally adopts any of the two di vidend payout policies- the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) in which the retained earnings that the company generates are capitalized by the company instead of being distributed (Modigliani and Miller, 1958, p. 282). This is often known as the growth schemes by which the company acquires more assets or uses the money for productive purposes. The second option that the company takes is to distribute the dividends to the shareholders. The shareholders who look forward to short-term investments and do not want to engage their money in the long term in the stocks of Westpac would prefer the second option because they would be getting a dividend yield of an average of 70% within 6 months time. For example, in the year 2010, the company paid out dividends at a ratio of 64.9% (Westpac Group, 2012). The share price of Westpac that time was at an average of 23.24. Thus it is lucrative stocks for the investors who would hold the stock for a minimum period of 1 year. Buyback of Shares by West pac Most of the companies in Australia goes for a share buyback for avoiding the risk that any bigger firm may take over the business (Doan, Yap, and Gannon, 2011, p. 69). Westpac followed on the similar line to keep the capital structure fundamentally strong. The company announced the buyback of shares as a strategy for successful management of its finances. The cash profit of the bank from interest income and other supplementary services got increased by 10% during this time.  

Strategic marketing options for energy service companies in Singapore Essay

Strategic marketing options for energy service companies in Singapore - Essay Example Electricity is the lifeline of all business and individual activities and ESCOs help in finding the means and ways of using minimum of this input to generate maximum revenue. Singapore has high potential for renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency but the need of the hour is to prepare the road for future needs when demand will surpass the supply. No country can depend on supplies of diesel and petrol, as these resources are limited and renewable energy resources are the only alternative to keep the world move fast on the road to economic growth. In Singapore, the three reasons to opt for renewable energy and energy efficiency are environment constraints, dwindling coal, natural gas and oil prices, and incapacity to generate thermal or nuclear power for industry use. Solar energy has huge potential but there are challenges too. Solar capacity and demand both need to be increased, as 1 MW= 5 acres of land. Depending on solar energy is an issue, as we cannot depend totally on renewable; coal, nuclear, and natural gas is must to keep the lights glow but the good thing is that solar energy can be stored too (Gabriel, R. W. Beck Inc. Electric Cities Confe rence). Singapore is collectively marching ahead to make advances in the renewable energy with regional and international bodies. According to the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) for 2004-2009, one of its objectives has been to formulate and maintain continuous progress on the front of renewable energy and relevant technologies. Different strategies of the RE programme include formulating a policy framework the action for which needs to set renewable energy targets, capacity building and effective communication among the stakeholders. Information network should be developed to promote RE. Bio-mass based and bio-fuels development demand heavy investment in technological research and development. According to Khew (2007) Chairman, Sustainable Energy

Thirty Years War Essay Example for Free

Thirty Years War Essay History is explicitly encompassed of many significant events that are attributed and related to the continuous and rapid development of the human civilization. In Europe, many wars were fought over by the different kingdoms and societies to rule over the other states and gain political supremacy in the land. On of the many historical wars that occurred in the early European civilization is the Thirty Years War. The Thirty Years war explicitly encompassed thirty years of very chaotic political and military conditions among the nations of the early European civilization. During this time, dominant nations in the western continent are fighting over for their claim of land, political dominance and the right of their religious order. This war is fought in 1618 until 1648 over the European lands of what is now Germany. The origin of this devastating war among the European nations can be attributed to two major aspects. First, the decline and instability of some of the dominant kingdom in the Western continent due to factors of internal monarchial conflict and lack of successor. Another important factor regarding the origin of this war is the social discrimination and stratification of the European society as a whole to the different religions and their sects. Some of the nations and their civilization developed religious tension with their neighboring countries will soon later becomes political and social dispute due to events of harassment and violence. The war later progressed to even more devastating condition thus, a solutions to end this dispute is very much needed. To answer this heed, a series of treaties were made and signed by the involved political parties to settle the dispute among them. These treaties were collectively called the Treaty of Westphalia, which main principles were to settle the sovereignty and land claims of the different nations involved in the war and end the controversy between the different religious parties that are involved. Summarily, the Thirty Years War is a product of the religious dispute mainly between the Protestants and the Catholics that is further aggravated by chaotic political conditions of the nations involve. From the political aspect, it seems that this war is a dispute that could not be overlook without an aspect of war due to the political agenda and the militaristic principles of the nations involved. Thus, diplomatic measures must be applied to settle the dispute and end the war among these European societies, which is primarily the main reason of the Treaty of Westphalia. Bibliography Atkinson, Chris (2005). The Thirty Years War. http://www.pipeline.com/~cwa/TYWHome.htm. November 6, 2006. LaRouche, Helga Zepp (2001). The Peace of Westphalia. The Schiller Institute. http://www.schillerinstitute.org/strategic/hzl_t_of_w_0599.html. November 6, 2006.

Exploring the psychological explanations for Crime and Deviance

Exploring the psychological explanations for Crime and Deviance Crime and Deviance, is a major topic which affects mostly every society in todays world. When defining crime and deviance, it will depend of the norms and values of a society. Many societies have many different values and norms. Norms of society, is where all society members are expected to conform to certain behaviours. Values of a society, is where a society values something which all society members conform to. For example, many societies value certain types of religion such as Christianity or Buddhism and many other types of religion. Crime in society, is usually very specific, that it goes against the laws of society. People who commit crimes, are breaking the law and if caught, must be punished. People can be punished for committing crimes such as burglary, damage to peoples property, murder and assault. People who are found guilty of committing crimes, must be punished by the courts of law. Crime is a relative concept. This means that how a society views criminal acts, can differ. Criminal acts in one society, may not be seen as a criminal act in another society. Society may also differ in how to punish people for committing specific criminal acts. (Broom and Selznick, 1963 p 540,541). When looking at crime in society, it is important to look at the physiological and psychological approaches in relation to crime. These approaches have been criticised. Looking at the physiological approach, a biological theory was carried out by Cesare Lombroso. Cesare Lombroso, tried to find out if there was a connection between crime and biological causes. In 1876, Cesare Lombroso carried out research called LUomo Delinquente. Cesare Lombroso (1835 1909), came up with the suggestion that criminals could be identified using certain physical characterisitics such as large jaws, low foreheads and excessive body hair. Cesare Lombrosos work was dismissed, because the theory was only focused on the criminals, in prison. This theory failed to take into account, why some people who have similar human attributes, are found throughout the world. The theory, failed to explain how certain physical human attributes distinguish criminals from people who do not commit criminal activities. (Macionis and Plummer,1998. P207) The psychological approach suggests that criminal behaviour, could be explained due to the individuals mental make up and processes such as personality, rather than the persons physical characteristics. Hans Eysenck, carried out research in Crime and personality in 1964. Hans Eysenck, suggested that it was possible that certain personality traits that people have can make certain people resistant to discipline than others.(Stephenson,1992. Page 7). Hans Eysenck also suggested that people with certain personality characteristics would be more likely to commit criminal behaviours.(Stephenson,1992. Page 7). Overall, using the physiological and psychological approach has been criticised as it does not take into account some factors such as exploring how conceptions of right and wrong initially rise,.(Macionis and Plummer,1998. P208). Deviance can be defined as behaviour which does not conform to certain norms of a specific society.(Haralambos Holborn,2008). Deviance can be explained as a more broader term than crime. It is not specific and deviant behaviour may not be criminal. Deviant behaviour can be positive and the behaviour can be rewarded. An example of positive deviant behaviour can be soldiers fighting for their country. They may be rewarded for their bravery and courage. Deviant behaviour can also be negative. An example of negative deviant behaviour may include people who commit murder. This may go against the societys value of the worth of every individual and norms, resulting in severe punishment. Some deviant behaviour may be tolerated in todays society. The behaviour is not punished or rewarded, by society members. (Haralambos Holborn,2008 P.321). Many societies have accepted same sex relationships and families, which would not have been accepted many years ago. They are not rewarded or punished, they are tolerated in the society. Laws of society can change, which does depend on the norms and values of society members. As change can happen, crime and deviance can change as well. It is very difficult to give full definition of deviance, as there is no complete way. It is a broad area of research. Behaviour which was viewed as unacceptable and deviant, may be accepted in todays society or in the future. For example, in some cultures in the past it was considered deviant for women to smoke and to wear make up in public places. Nowadays, women have more freedom to wear make up or to smoke in public places. Another example is homosexuality. Before 1969, it was illegal for men to have homosexual relations. As the laws changed in 1969, it was made legal that men over the age of twenty one could have homosexual relations.(Haralambos Holborn, 2008. P322). The famous writer, Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for having an illegal relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas before the 1967 Sexual Offenses Act was passed. (Johnston,2002.) Deviance is culturally determined(Haralambos Holborn,2008. P322). This means that deviant behaviour can change due to different cultures or some societies may accept certain types of behaviours, whereas other societies may find the behaviour unacceptable. (Haralambos Holborn, 2008 p 322). The functionalist theory in relation to the topic crime and deviance is functionalists see society as a whole, using a macro level approach. Functionalists focus on more on the sources of deviance in society, not how people commit deviant behaviour in a society. Functionalists suggest that crime and deviance can provide a a positive function in society. People may feel as part of a community and more part of a society. An example of this is when the Dunblane Tragedy occurred. This affected many people, which formed more of a closeness in society. Emile Durkheim suggested that a certain level of crime and deviance is necessary, in order for a society to function. The crime and deviance levels may become dysfunctional if crime rates increase. This can create a society whose social order is disrupted, which can create social chaos. If crime rates decrease, stagnation may occur where the society may not function properly. Robert Merton (1968) suggests that anomie, where people feel norml essness in a society, could happen if a society does not function properly. Emile Durkheim also suggested that some members of society, may rebel against societys norms and values. Some people may have different views on the norms and values of society. Functionalists also suggest the crime can produce employment for people in society. Functionalists suggest that without criminals, many people in the police force, prison workers, court workers would not have employment. An example of a Functionalist theory on Crime and Deviance is Emile Durkheims study of suicide(1897). Durkheim mainly focused on suicide rates to see if there was any social conditions which could influence or discourage people from committing suicide. Emile Durkheim noticed that suicide rates seemed to rise more during periods of political hardship during 1848, around different European countries. Emile Durkheim recognised that suicide rates might be related to social stability and integration of society. Using this theory, Emile Durkheim used a different set of data, mainly from European countries. Observing the suicide rates in different European countries he noticed that they were comparably differences but began to notice a pattern. Most countries who practiced Protestant as their religion had the highest suicide rates than countries who mainly practiced Catholic as their religion. Main protestant countries had one hundred and ninety suicides per million people. These figures were compared to mixed protestant and catholic faith countries who had ninety six suicides per million people. Main catholic countries had fifty eight suicides per million people. Emile Durkheim began to wonder if there was a link between suicide and reli gion. Durkheim tried to look at other factors such as economic and cultural differences. After looking at the suicide rates of Bavaria in Germany where mainly catholic people stayed there was a low number of suicides. Emile Durkheim then looked at the suicide rates of Prussia where mainly people had a protestant faith. He noted that Prussia had a higher suicide rate than Bavaria. Emile Durkheim then concluded that religion is related to suicide. Using this theory and the information he collected before, he concluded that suicide can be due to Anomie. This means when a society is normlessness, where there is lack of social stability and integration. During political hardship, people may feel not a part of society and feel suicide is the only way out. Durkheim concluded that there is low suicide rates in Catholic countries because there was more social control and stability that the religion brings than the protestant countries. Durkheim concludes that social stability and integration acts as a protection for people in society from insecurity and suicide. To evaluate the Functionalist perspective on crime and deviance, is that the functionalist theory provides a macro level approach. It looks at the bigger picture, giving more insight into how a society structures relating to crime and deviance. It gives a better debate, regarding how the biological theory relates to crime. Anomie, described in Robert Mertons theory (1968) gives more in depth sociological thinking, into todays society. However, Emile Durkheim was criticised for using statistics that was unreliable in his study of suicide(1897). Durkheims statistics, were only used in Europe. No other countrys statistics was used, so the theory can not be related to other countries. The statistics did not disclose the circumstances of how the people committed suicide. Many deaths, were not ruled out as accidents or murder. As the functionalist perspective only looks at the macro level approach, it does not include how people are affected by crime, individually. Functionalists assume that crime, can bond communities together in society. Victims of crime, may withdraw from society or move away from society. The functionalist approach, does not take into account individual differences in society. Functionalists also suggests that crime and deviance to a certain extent, positively benefits everyone in society. Marxists focuses on the capitalist system, but Marxists criticize that only some people in a certain group have only advantage. Other groups can be disadvantaged. The functionalist approach does not take into consideration, that society may have different groups. The functionalist theory mainly focuses on that society, as one big group. Feminists suggest that some theories, conducted with malestream views will not be able to distinguish the connection between crime and gender. Feminists can start to identify a number of issues between women and crime. Feminists such as Otto Pollak, the masked female offender, suggests that official statistics in relation to gender and crime, can be misleading. This is because the majority of police officers, court judges are male orientated. Women tend to be more leniently charged with crimes, compared to men due to their role in society. Some feminists suggest the court laws can be biased against women. Many men may be more bias, because of how a women can break traditional roles in society. Feminists such as Freda Adler(1975) suggests that because women have more freedom in society, this can cause an increase in how women can commit crimes. She suggests that this does not include the biological theory, that changes in society can change the way women behave. Pat Carlen(1988) suggests that because women have more freedom in society, that they do not have the opportunity to commit crimes. Carlen suggests that women can be more supervised by males, throughout their lives. Women, who usually have the traditional role of cleaning, house making, childcare duties will have less opportunity to commit crimes than males. An example of a Feminist theory, relating to crime and deviance is the study of Delinquent Girls(1981) by Anne Campbell. Anne Campbell carried out a study called delinquent girls in 1981. Anne Campbell suggested that more womans behaviour was becoming increasingly delinquent and in some cases, violent. Although, she argued that the changes in womens role in society, the womens movement was not a direct cause. Using primary research, Anne Campbell suggested that more young women were less prone to expressing their anger and aggression. They would more likely to keep it to themselves. Anne Campbell then suggested that a number of social and economic reasons was the reason why so many women have equal rights in society. More womens freedom in contraception and employment did give women more freedom in society. Anne Campbell suggested that this leads to a reduction in sex-role disparity and a more active roles for girls in all activities-some of which many be delinquent. Anne Campbell, 1981 Anne Campbell noticed that most of the female offenders, did not think that they had any freedom in their society. They opposed to being independent and career orientated, so they had no womens freedom in society( liberation). Anne Campbell then suggested that the rise in female delinquency, was due to the police attitudes towards young women and how the judicial systems perceives women in a society. She also looked at how women can be easily viewed by members of the public, fighting in public areas which showed an increase. As a conclusion, Anne Campbell concluded that the impact of freedom of women in society could not be directly related to crimes which women commit. To evaluate, that the feminist theory has raised more awareness of women in society. Changes in the law, where women have more equal rights. Crimes which mainly are affected by women such as rape or domestic abuse is dealt with more seriously with the police authorities. In society, women have more of a say in todays society. New laws such as the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act gives women more of a voice in todays society. It identifies more of an gender inequality, in crime and deviance. The feminist theory can focus too much on gender. Factors such as class and ethnicity are not included. Feminist studies such as Delinquent Girls(1981) by Anne Campbell more emphasizes on gender, Anne Campbell did not include class or ethnicity into the studies. Anne Campbell also used a small number of people which was suggested, did not represent other women in society. The feminist theory, also does not include the differences of women. They assume that all women have the same circumstances or characteristics in society, they do not look at individual differences. An example is the study of Delinquent Girls, where Anne Campbell did not individualize the people in the study. The Marxist approach is a conflict approach, which does not agree with the functionalist approach. Sociologists suggest that people who own production, have more power than the people in the ruling class(the working class). Marxists suggest there is a conflict in the capitalist system between the capitalists and the ruling class. Marxists also suggest that the laws made in society, protect the capitalists which gives them more social control in society. William Chambliss (1976) suggests that some laws are not needed in society. He suggested that property, made the most income and the people who owns the property, would become resources of economy. He suggests that laws are made, to protect the interest of the capitalists. Marxists also suggest that crime is mostly seen as a problem, mostly in the working class. The ruling class(capitalists), are more likely to get away with crime, than the working class. The Capitalists have more influence in society, so they are most unlikely to get in trouble for crime. A Marxist perspective study was carried out by Laureen Snider in The Politics of Corporate Crime(1993) suggests areas which have capitalism are most unlikely to introduce laws, which might not attract businesses. Capitalist states, use a lot of money to invest in business. They are unlikely, to introduce laws which may discourage business. Laureen Snider also suggests that most of the serious crimes are corporate crimes, committed in modern industrial countries. Laureen Snider, suggests that Corporate crime is much more serious than street crime such as drugs. This is because more money is spent and more people are killed in corporate crime than street crime. For example, Laureen Snider suggests that an estimation of 20,000 people are killed because they were murdered. Laureen Snider then suggests that 14,000 people lost their lives due to industrial accidents, 30,000 people died from using consumer products which are usually illegal and unsafe to use. 100,000 people have died due to working conditions causing disease. Snider, suggests that corporate crime costs more peoples lives than street crime. Snider also suggests that, people who commit corporate crime usually have lenient penalties or charges. There are very few corporate crime cases, which proceed to legal court. To evaluate, the Marxist perspective identifies that the Capitalists can be involved in crime, not just the ruling class using sociological studies such as The Politics of Corporate Crime(1993). Corporate crimes can affect people in society, not just street crimes. This is due to the statistics researched by Laureen Snider(1993). Highlights the inequality, that the ruling class faces towards crime and deviance in society, because they do not have as much power, influence as the Capitalists. Laureen Snider, suggests the idea that Capitalists are less likely to enter court proceedings for corporate crime shows how powerful Capitalists can be in society. The Marxist approach has been criticised for having a simple view on how power is divided between the capitalist societies. Some people suggest that capitalist societies does not always have increased levels of crime. Stephen Jones(2001) suggests that Switzerland, is a capitalist society which crime rates remain low. Whereas the Marxist approach mainly focuses on crime and deviance, it relates to the conflict theory of the Capitalists and the ruling class.

Failure analysis report on the chernobyl power plant

Failure analysis report on the chernobyl power plant 1. Introduction This memo is a failure analysis report on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant located near the city of Pripyat, Ukraine. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the power plant exploded, releasing a powerful stream of radioactive vapour. Immediately, the explosion killed 54 people. Later on, effects due to radiation claimed the lives of at least an additional 2500 people (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2006). This report will explain the events leading up to the failure, the failure itself, the reasons for the failure, and the lessons to be learned from this failure. 2. Description of reactor and failure i) In this section, I will explain the mechanism of the reactor. I will also placethe reactors components in bold. The Chernobyl Power Plant was fuelled using uranium mined from the earth; the uranium was kept in fuel bundles. The main objective of the power plant was to convert heat produced by the slightly-enriched uranium into electricity (World Nuclear Association, 2009). In order to do this, control rods first slowed down the rates of reactions by absorbing stray neutrons from the fission reactions (World Nuclear Association, 2009). After the fission reactions began producing heat, this heat was then transferred to stored water which eventually converted to steam at a temperature of 580ÂÂ °C (The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, 2008). The pressure of the steam moved a turbine which then powered a generator. The final process was the condensation of the steam back into liquid using a cooling lake, thus repeating the cycle (World Nuclear Association, 2009). This type of nuclear reactor is known as a high-power channel reactor or a RBMK reactor, as referred to it by the Soviets (World Nuclear Association, 2009). The Chernobyl Power Plant had four such reactors each with a power rating of 1000 megawatts (World Nuclear Association, 2009). The diagram at the end of this report illustrates this reactor along with all the bolded components. ii) In this section, I will explain the process leading up to the failure and the failure itself. Hours before the explosion, engineers within the plant were planning tests to see how the reactor would run on low power (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2006). The engineers added control rods to slow the reaction. They then disabled the cooling system, which was a major safety violation. The reactor was then incrementally slowed to reach the lowest operating power (The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, 2008). Soon after, the engineers noticed that the reactor was moving towards shutdown, so they quickly lifted the control rods to increase the rate of reaction. Suddenly, the power levels of the reactors increased, uncontrollably, and caused fuel elements to rupture along with an increase in steam generation (World Nuclear Association, 2009). This led to the detachment of the reactor support plate which caused the control rods to jam. The channel pipes then burst, and the explosion occurred, releasing 50 tons of radioactive particles into the atmosphere (World Nuclear Association, 200 9). 3. Reasons for the failure Chernobyl was most definitely a preventable disaster (Frot, 2004). Even though the RBMK design was perhaps not the safest reactor design, it still would not have exploded had the people involved taken the appropriate precautions necessary (Medvedev, 1990, p. 73). The technical failure of Chernobyl was due to extreme pressure increases along with design malfunctions. However, that was not the only cause. The engineers in charge of Chernobyl were also suppressed by the Soviet bureaucracy who did not allow for time to be wasted on such things as safety, focusing much more time on advancement and cutting costs (Frot, 2004). Hence, the engineers and workers at the power plant were not rigorously trained in safety nor did they regard safety as paramount (Medvedev, 1990, p. 70). 4. Lessons to be learned The Chernobyl Disaster left a devastating impact on the people and the surrounding environment. Improper technique, untrained personnel, and lack of oversight all contributed to this disaster. As engineers or aspiring engineers, it is our duty to understand the potential impacts of our design decisions. Not the least of which is the attention to safety. If a culture of safety is not cultivated then disasters such as Chernobyl will become possible realities. On the other hand, if a culture of safety is cultivated then disasters such as Chernobyl will become easily preventable. References Frot, Jacques. The Causes of the Chernobyl Event. (2004). Retrieved 16 February, 2010, from http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:ddH2v8pgJukJ:www.ecolo.org/documents/documents_in_english/Causes.ChernobyJF.doc+causes+of+chernobylcd=2hl=enct=clnkgl=caclient=firefox-a. International Atomic Energy Agency. Frequently Asked Questions about Chernobyl. (2006). Retrieved 16 February, 2010, from http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Features/Chernobyl-15/cherno-faq.shtml. Medvedev, Zhores. (1992). The Legacy of Chernobyl. New York: W. W. Norton Company. The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. (2008). Retrieved 16 February, 2010, from http://www.bentan.me/chernobyl/?page. World Nuclear Association. Chernobyl Accident. (2009). Retrieved 16 February, 2010, from http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.html.

Literature - Power and the Subject Essay -- Literature Essays Literary

Power and the Subject    Power is a misnomer. An attempt to adequately define power will ultimately reveal more about the invisible but all too real limits of language. Such a result may seem horrifying, a direct assault on our sense of reason, and, perhaps, it is. Power resists the reasonable request to adhere to the boundaries of its own definition. Power can and upon occasion does exhibit a quality or intensity observed and captured in the written word; yet there is something slippery which allows power to defy a totalizing description. Power is active. Write as we may, power will not be objectified. Any discourse on power thus begins with this disadvantage. There is much to be learned, however, from a study of power, knowledge more valuable than a simplistic definition. By focusing on where power exists and has existed we can also discuss how power relates to or has impact upon knowledge, ethics, and the individual.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   " 'I mean that in human relations...power is always   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   present...These relations are changeable,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   reversible, and understandable' " (McCarthy 139).       Like Foucault, my inquiry into power may be founded not in a desire to discover the true nature of power but to gain a new method of approaching and understanding human relations.    A fundamental question that presents itself in the face of power and demands to be reckoned with is the question of the subject. A concept of the individual, whether seen as a historically bound effect of power like Foucault or an autonomous unique creative force like Habermas, seems to underlie and shape any description, definition, or discussion of power. For the mom... ...niversity of New York Press,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1992.    McCarthy, Thomas. "The Critique of Impure Reason: Foucault   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and the Frankfurt School" In Rethinking Power. Thomas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   E. Wartenberg Ed. New York: State University of New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   York Press, 1992.    Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. "More on Power/Knowledge". In   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rethinking Power. Thomas E. Wartenberg Ed. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   State University of New York Press, 1992.    Wartenberg, Thomas E. "Situated Social Power" In Rethinking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Power. Thomas E. Wartenberg Ed. New York: State   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   University of New York Press, 1992.    Young, Iris Marion. "The Five Faces of Oppression". In   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rethinking Power. Thomas E. Wartenberg Ed. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   State University of New York Press, 1992.   

Reward and Punishment in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay -- GCSE English L

Macbeth:   Reward and Punishment    In Macbeth, a dramatic tragedy by William Shakespeare, the heroic characters are rewarded, and the evil ones are punished.   From her appearance in the play, Lady Macbeth is an evil woman who causes her husband's change of role.   She becomes insane with guilt and kills herself, receiving her punishment in full.   Malcolm, King Duncan's son, is a heroic and honorable person throughout the play.   He is crowned King of Scotland in the last act, and finally gets what he deserves.   Macbeth is on both sides of the fence.   He wins the battle in the first scene and is granted the title of Thane of Cawdor.   Macbeth lies and cheats his fellow men in the following scenes and is eventually killed in a heated battle with Macduff.   He receives both his reward and his punishment in the course of the five-act play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lady Macbeth makes her appearance in the play right after Macbeth receives his first predictions from the three Witches.   She does not think twice about her actions and starts planning Duncan's murder without consulting her husband first.   Lady Macbeth, however, does not feel that her husband has the heart to kill the King for the crown:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What thou art promise'd: yet do I fear thy nature,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is too full o' the milk of human kindness   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To catch the nearest way.   Thou wouldst be great,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Art not wit... ...rself due to the guilt felt for conning her husband into such treachery.   Malcolm is a very honorable person and slowly plans his revenge against the treasonous murderer of his father, King Duncan. In the years spent trying to find the truth about his father's death, he makes many allies and is rewarded for his patience with the crown of Scotland.   Macbeth plays both   trusting and villainous roles throughout the play.   He becomes Thane of Cawdor for his valor in a recent war and is later killed for his horrific actions against his enemy Macduff.   Throughout the course of the play, many people are misguided and others are told the truth, but almost all of the characters receive what they deserve at the end.   The moral of this story seems to be â€Å"What goes around, comes around† as well as, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.†

Fyffes Case Study

IntroductionFyffes are an Irish company founded in 1888 that specialise in fruit production. The company is said to be â€Å"world famous† according to the Fyffes website, one reason being that their bananas were the first branded fruit in the world (Fyffes, 2013). Fyffes are the oldest fruit brand in the world and are headquartered in Dublin. The company began in London, soon to become the most popular banana brand in the world, the organisation was born into the marketplace devoid of competition.Their â€Å"blue label bananas† allowed them to become unique and furthermore dominators of the fruit market. Today, their main product is the banana, although they also produce other fruits including the Fyffes Gold Pineapples and Fyffes melons. Fyffes currently market their produce in Europe and the United States and are involved in the production, procurement, shipping, ripening, distribution and marketing of bananas, pineapples and melons.SWOT Analysis of Fyffes.StrengthsF yffes have several strengths such as a large brand portfolio that is very well recognized. Furthermore they have a strong brand recognition among both customers and institutions, that allows them to penetrate new markets and also hold a large share in existing markets. They operate a vertically integrated supply chain that allow economies of scale in fruit in both sourcing and distribution. (Fyffes,2013) There strong market position allows them with a lot bargaining power in the market. They have a large number of supply chain activities that include ; Production, procurement, shipping, ripening and the distribution and marketing of bananas but also melons and pineapples.WeaknessesFyffes lack in the scale of operations when compared to their competitors ; Chiquita Brands, Dole foods and Fresh Del Monte produce. They are somewhat dependent on european market, but this has greatly improved since 2008 when  there 51% of their revenue came from the eurozone. There competitors have sig nificantly bigger distribution and marketing channels along with greater financial resources. This can be seen in 2013 revenues were Fyffes is listed fourth behind Dole food, Fresh Del Monte, Chiquita and Total Produce. (Fyffes,2013)OpportunitiesA company acquisition may help enhance pineapple production. This would increase production and supply. Fyffes have identified their weakness of lack of scale and made progress by establishing a network(s) across Germany. This includes both distribution and ripening centres. Fyffes have been paying a tariff on bananas imported in to the european union since 2006 due to the European Union banana import regulation. This has given competitors importing from other regions the upper hand. However the EU have agreed to reduce this tariff on latin american bananas in stages, when this fully implemented this could reduce Fyffes’ operating costs significantly. (ibid)ThreatsFyffes have strong competition across all their product lines, competit ion include global companies as listed previously but also agricultural cooperatives and foreign government sponsored producers. Further to this competitor companies have larger financial resources allowing them more purchasing power along with more capital to expand and improve. (ibid)Target CountryAs the huge demand for bananas and tropical fruits in Europe constantly increases Fyffes have found themselves sourcing throughout The Tropics,Caribbean and countries in Central America for example Costa Rica and Columbia. With the European Union being the largest consumer importer for bananas, it is Fyffes target market. In Britain alone over 5 billion bananas are consumed each year, hence why they are the 4th largest importer bananas in the world and one of Fyffes major target countries. They have a strong competitive advantage as the British market is one they know very well and can use this against other companies such as Chiquita who are a  Latin American company.Another target co untry for Fyffes is Germany being the 2nd largest importer of bananas in the world.Fyffes can easily trade with Germany as it is within the European Union.Although the United States are the number one largest importers for bananas it is unlikely that they would be able to compete with the firms from South America. Companies such as Del Monte,Dole Food Company and Bonita are the largest banana firms in the US and dominate the market.As bananas are only produced in countries with a very specific climate such as The Carribean or The Tropics they’re target countries are the places where the fruit cannot be readily grown and must be imported.â€Å"Bananas and pineapples are grown in countries of the tropics – Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific etc. Many countries produce bananas as a staple food and only around 20% of all bananas that are produced are actually exported.Most bananas and pineapples sold on the British market are exported from Latin America, and increa singly West Africa, as companies relocate in search of ever ‘cheaper' fruit, pursuing a ‘Race to the Bottom' in terms of social and environmental standards.† (www.Bananalink.org.uk 2013)Products Selected to Go InternationalHeadquartered in Dublin, Fyffes has expanded greatly and is now operating in several different regions including the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, U.S.A. along with Central and South America. With Fyffes being one of the largest fruit companies in the world, their internationally distributed products include bananas, melons, pineapples and the newly added product that is plantains.Fyffes are renowned on a world stage for being the most notable distributor and seller of bananas. Operating in a vast amount of countries in the Caribbean and South America, as of 2012 Fyffes was the â€Å"largest importer of Fairtrade bananas into the European Union† (Fyffes, 2012). These bananas are sourced from countries such Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil, P eru and the Ivory Coast. After the bananas have been harvested and washed they are palletised for shipping in temperature controlled holds.Fyffes have marketed their bananas from the standpoint that they are nutritionally beneficial to all. They preach the biological benefits of their products whether it is through their website, general advertising or through they’re labelling etc. They boast the fact that â€Å"bananas are known as the energy fruit because they provide a quick-but-sustained energy boost in a natural, nutritious and easily digestible form† as well as the rather low caloric count of just 95 kcal per banana. Much of the same marketing is used for their pineapples. Fyffes’ ‘Gold Pineapples’ are described as â€Å"Supersweet† (Fyffes.com, 2013) and is sourced mainly from Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica. These are packaged and distributed around the world.The pineapples are shipped in condition controlled vessels to ensure an appr opriate balance of sugar and acidity is maintained. Once again Fyffes market their product based on the nutritional benefits. They declare that their â€Å"Supersweet† pineapples contain â€Å"three times more vitamin C than traditional pineapples† along with their low fat content and the presence of digestive enzymes (Fyffes.com, 2013). Fyffes third main product is their variety of melons. Fyffes’ selection includes a range of both summer and winter melons. The summer melons include galia, watermelons and cantaloupe.The winter melons include watermelons, honeydew and cantaloupe. They are high in vitamins A and C and contain digestive fibre. The countries in which they are in grown in include Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica. As previously mentioned, Fyffes introduced what are known as ‘fruit snacks’ in the form of plantains chips. The plantain is a variation of the banana and is being marketed as a variation to potato chipsEntry Modes UtilisedFyf fes have been exporting to the UK for the last 120 years from its base in Ireland. The first step Fyffes took after exporting to the UK was to export to EU member states. This was a low risk natural progression for Fyffes as the EU operate a free trading policy within member states and many of the original member states have a similar demographic as that of Ireland and the UK.These markets had similar demand as their climates were not susceptible to growing bananas and this proved to be a venture that increased the recognition of the blue label brand and maximised the use of current  resources as well therefore proving highly profitable. In 1995 to expand on its European distribution channels Fyffes entered into a venture with the Windward Island Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO), and bought out Geest Bananas which were a major competitor in the British market (Bananalink, 2013). In 2005 the company entered into a strategic alliance with the Turbana Corporation in order to expand its market reach and develop its US market share.As Fyffes grows and increases its market share larger economies of scale are allowed for. Fyffes buy most of their fruit from farms in Belize, Panama and Costa Rica, it does however own about 6,000 acres of land in Costa Rica as well as smaller farms in Panama and Belize (Carswell, 2013).The company is hoping that by 2014 they will grow 60 per cent of the pineapples they sell. A recent development in the containers used to keep the fruit fresh while shipping means that the fruit could be kept fresh for 35 days of shipping, far longer than the current 23. Fyffes are hoping this will allow them to export their fruit from their Central American headquarters in Costa Rica to growing markets in Russia and the Middle East.Resource Commitmentâ€Å"Resource commitment refers to the level of dedicated assets – physical or human – that cannot be transferred from one country to another without loss of economic val ue†. An example of this may be that a firm adapt its product and resources to suit the needs of the host importing company (Petersen, 1999). This essentially may result in increased revenue in that specific area but may not help revenue figures as a whole for the firm. Fyffes has continuously shown resource commitment to several different foreign markets.Due to the very nature of the fruit business Fyffes was technically always an import-export business. As an Irish company selling tropical fruit there was always a need for shipping the fruit from the likes of Costa Rica and Panama. Therefore these resources were already owned by the company. In order to grow their exports Fyffes had to expand on these resources. Fyffes were the first company to properly transport their fruit on their ships. They changed from just transporting the fruit in bunches to using proper containers on board, this was key to shipping the fruit further afield.Alasdair MaCleod, head of Fyffes in their Ce ntral American base said that  only once in his 20 years in the business had he lost an entire shipload of fruit as a result of a ripe box of bananas prematurely ripening others on board the ship. As mentioned previously Fyffes hope to further improve their shipping containers and therefore advance into more new markets. This is a resource commitment that is sure to pay off . (Carswell, 2013)Environmental Factors Impacting on InternationalizationThere are four main environmental factors that can impact the internationalization of a company. These are the competitive, legal, political and economic environments. It is imperative that a company must overcome these obstacles in the marketplace in order to establish internationalization of their firm. For fyffes, their competitive environment struck them first in the late 1920s.Their first competitor, Jamaica Bananas Producers Ltd, began to sell their fruit in large amounts to the British market. Fyffes counteracted by branding their f ruit to enable recognition of their bananas. The blue Fyffes label then became iconic, it was their major selling point. Henry Stockery CEO of Fyffes in 1929 said that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"today people are asking for the ‘Blue Label’ bananas†.The popularity of their ‘blue labeled bananas’ allowed them to dominate the banana market and to wipe out all of their competitors.With regards to the legal, political and economic aspect, according to Fyffes website, it states that,   Ã¢â‚¬Å"fyffes is aware of the social and environmental issues associated with the products that it sources and sells†. (Fyffes, 2013).They follow a strict code of practices in order to produce their product at the highest quality and approved ethical standards. Furthermore, Fyffes is said to be â€Å"pro-active† with matters such as environmental impact and fair labour prices by heavily participating in industry forums on social, ethical, health and safety and environmental is sues.Success (or otherwise) ExperiencedBeing one of the worlds most prominent fruit distributors, Fyffes has enjoyed an overwhelming amount of success since its founding all those years ago in 1888. Not only are they still in existence, but they have still maintained their image as one of the fruit industry’s big guns. A huge contributing factor to their success was tapping into the retail supermarket area and producing at a large scale.â€Å"Our business has evolved to meet the needs of the big retailers and today, 90% of our produce is destined for supermarket.† (Barrett, 2013)Fyffes is Europe’s biggest banana importer with estimated sales of about â‚ ¬1 billion annually, exporting up to 40 million boxes of bananas (roughly 4.5 billion bananas) and 8.5 million boxes of pineapples from farms in Costa Rica, Belize and Panama every year. Ireland accounts for 10 per cent of the company’s exports. They became the first company in their area to place a bra nd on their fruit in 1929. The company’s approach to business in todays market is structured by the same commitment to quality and confidence in the integrity of it’s fruit that prompted the introduction of the pioneering brand label idea.As a company, Fyffes have pledged to carrying out the utmost of fair trade as well as environmentally sustainable production. Innovation is a highly influential factor in relation to Fyffes’ approach carrying out business. â€Å"Fyffes taps container technology to broaden market reach† (Carswell, 2013) This is a recent example of innovation where Fyffes propose the use of a new container system which can preserve fruit for as long as 35 days. This would allow the company to export more produce into Europe, better quality food into Russia and more fruit into the Middle East. Growth in business is something that Fyffes concentrate on every year and they are currently succeeding to do so according to a recent article on the dublin headquartered company.â€Å"The Dublin-headquartered international banana exporter yesterday posted pre-tax profits of â‚ ¬22.2m for the first six months of 2013, a 1.1% increase on the same period last year.† (Percival, 2013) However in 2007, Fyffes suffered an 11% fall in first- half profits because of losses at its melon joint venture in Brazil. This is one of very few examples of occasions of misfired venture for the company, where they suffered a â‚ ¬2.8m loss from their share of a Brazil-based melon producer Nolem. This was an event which was uncharacteristic of the company and it wasn’t ignored, judging by a  statement released at the time. â€Å"Significant internal resources have gone into addressing Nolem’s business in order to deliver an improved result in the forthcoming season† (Guider, 2007).ConclusionFyffes are an excellent example of a public quoted Irish company who have experienced success in international markets. Their innovative use of the blue label way back in 1929 made them the first fruit brand in the market. This was a huge development from Fyffes and has set them up to be the instantly recognisable brand they are today. This is a brand that has loyal customers who associate the Fyffes fruit with reliability, sustainability and most importantly a high quality product. It is this basis that has allowed them to grow into the flourishing business they are today along with their tactful low-risk foreign entry strategy.