Remember the titans Essay

To create such a remarkable film is exhausting. Remember the Titans the film that I have created is inspiring, exciting and watching it is an experience you won’t forget. Created and produced in 2000 Remember the Titans has had much work, devotion and persistence put into it. The film distributes many reasons of why it should be in the 2014 Human rights Literature and Film festival. Remember the Titans has become such a marvellous piece of display, showing how black and white unite for the better. The reason why Remember the Titans is such a valuable film is because it shows that two races can come together for the better to prosper and strive. This unique film shows that racial discrimination can be overcome. Remember the Titans shows prejudice, but then again don’t we all have a preconceived opinion of others? I believe we do. A key scene where prejudice is shown is when the players are about to go to camp at Gettysburg. Coach Boone has just arrived, he walks over to the coaches and gives them his play book. He is then approached and confronted by his Team Captain Gerry Bertier and team member Ray Budds. Gerry says to Coach Boone â€Å"I’m the only all American you got†. He tells Coach Boone that he must reserve half of the team for the white players. The Dialogue also says â€Å"we don’t need none of your people in the defence line† Gerry referring to â€Å"your people† is categorising the team players as black and labels them as the â€Å"other†. While Bertier is in a confrontation with Coach Boone an over the shoulder close up shot is used. This shot establishes tension by the sober facial expressions and later a long shot shows hostile stance and posture. This scene shows how harsh and blunt prejudice is in Remember the Titans. Remember the Titans is more than a film about winning, it involves uniting the two black and white races so they come together and form a friendship, a bond like no other this is why for camp the players were taken to the battle of Gettysburg. During the camp coach Boone made the players take a 100 mile run to the burial grounds of the fallen soldiers. Boone says â€Å"I don’t care if you like each other right now, but you will respect each other. And maybe – I don’t know, maybe we’ll learn to play this game like men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The  technique is the use of the dialogue and the interpretation of this quote means that no matter how much racial hate the players have for each other they must learn to respect each other and if they do they can win. Taking the players on Camp would have been the most important action for Coach Boone, because if they sleep, live, train and practice together like those soldiers they have to come together as one, respect each other and work as a team. This scene shows that Remember the Titans is more than just about winning and how friendship and trust must be formed for them to succeed. Remember the Titans is one of a kind, and one of a kinds are unique its uniqueness can be seen in the way it teaches us to overcome racism. In the beginning of the film, the white and black members of the team hate each other. The white players of the team don’t â€Å"want to play with those black animals†. The black players don’t want to integrate either necessarily because they don’t â€Å"trust your people to be honest†. A scene where this is seen clearly is when Ray and Petey are forced to learn about each other in camp. The two players are sitting on opposite sides facing each other like adversaries. The camera angle technique is a mid-shot. Dividing them is a path running between them up towards a big traditional door of Gettysburg College. This path represents the tradition of racism in America between blacks and whites all the way back to slave-ownership times that divides Alan and Petey in the present day. This camera shot is combined with a dialogue that is suspicious, personal and hurtful. The film remember the titans sends a message that a racism war has been fought for so many years and is still going, but these boys overcame racism and became one. Remember the Titans shows us how racial discrimination was overcame. It shows that it is possible for any age or race to be united and that together you can overcome racial discrimination and be stronger, this is why this film is so important and it would be a great film to be shown at the 2014 human rights literature and film festival. To not show it in the festival would be an abomination. Remember the Titans presents a memorable message that can help us overcome racial discrimination and work towards creating a fair and equal society.

Journey Representations through Texts and Visual Image Essay

From the area of study on journeys, several texts evidently provide and present ideas, concepts and themes on journeys. A journey can be considered a physical movement from one place to another, but there are much deeper meanings conveyed in a journey. This can be seen in two of the Peter Skrzynecki’s poems in the core text ‘Immigrant Chronicles’. The poems ‘Crossing the Red Sea’ and ‘Feliks Skzrynecki’ significantly convey the meaning of journeys. The poems with an internet article titled ‘Journeys: A Cycle of Sacred Time’ and a journey related photograph influentially demonstrate how there is more to a journey than just physical movement. All these texts convey to the responder the many themes and concepts associated with journeys which at first sight seem physical, but actually also emotionally and spiritually affect the protagonist of the journey. In Peter Skrzynecki’s ‘Crossing the Red Sea’ the poem tells us about the post-war immigrants leaving on board a ship sailing towards Australia. The poem catches the immigrant experience at a point between two worlds. The depiction of the great physical journey that these immigrants are taking also lets the responder see the inner journey involved for the immigrants. The techniques used in ‘Crossing the Red Sea’ help to convey its meaning of journeys to the responder. The biblical allusion in the title is appropriate to the Israelis being led out of repression in Egypt by Moses through the Red Sea, to the Promised Land. For the immigrants they are leaving war torn Europe to Australia, their land of promise. For the Israelis it was a journey of liberation from slavery and oppression. Similarly, the immigrants are escaping post-war tyranny in hope for a better future. Another bit of biblical allusion mentions some of the immigrants sensing they are born again, like Lazarus in the bible. Imagery also creates much of the meaning in this poem. The immigrants are described with ‘milk white flesh’ showing that they are sickly and seemingly unhealthy. Another piece of imagery is created through the colour red. Red is used in the poem to symbolise two extremes. ‘Of red poppies, once behind the forest when the full moon rose ’ – these lines are used to describe the beauty of the flowers and creates an attractive scenery. But the next bit of dialogue contrasts the beauty of red by using the colour to describe blood. The line ‘Blood leaves a similar dark  stain’ shows how red can be of beauty and good, but can also symbolise terrible tragedies, evil and death in the form of blood. The contrast shown in the colour in the poem is perhaps not only a piece of imagery, but a clear motif as it relates to the contrast of emotions of the immigrants. They are glad about new hope and beginning, but are sad and scared about leaving their home on this journey. Emotive language is used in the poem to trigger the responder’s emotions. Examples of emotive language include ‘shackles’, ‘sunken eyes’, ‘secrets’ and ‘exiles’. All these words are used to describe the pain or suffering experienced by the immigrants prior to their journey. The language used also creates the feeling that the immigrants are leaving their homeland in disgrace because of the immense hardships that they have experienced. Alliteration is used in the line ‘shirtless, in shorts’, emphasising the soft, quiet situation that the immigrants on board are in. The symbolism of the equator in the closing of the poem represents the boundary between their old home and their new beginning. The division of northern and southern hemisphere represents great change for the immigrants, both mentally and culturally, as their optimistic future and their new home are beckoning them. As the poem suggests there is more to a journey than the physical movement involved. The emotions of the immigrants are deeply explored and their inner journey is obvious to the responder. The journey here is not entirely optimistic and has deep emotional effects on the immigrants. Uncertainty is present and there are memories of the past as well as hope for the future. We learn how the previous experiences of the immigrants have affected their mental state. The main theme the poem is trying to convey about journeys is that a physical journey will tie in with the mental and spiritual side of the protagonist. This idea is similar to what we have discussed in class during this area of study. The protagonist of a journey will not only be affected physically but they may emotionally change, grow or learn new things. The poem ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ also conveys journeys as more than just physical movement from one place to another. In this poem Peter Skrzynecki discusses the life of his father Feliks Skrzynecki and the struggles involved in his  journey migrating to Australia. The respect that Peter has for his father is evident in the poem but his perspective of the physical journey which they both took is different to his father. There are several poetic techniques used in the poem to convey meaning on journeys. Alliteration – ‘skilled in slaughtering’ describes his father who used to be a hard labourer and how his life was full of action. Many similes are also used to give us a clear description of Feliks Skrzynecki. He ‘loved his garden like an only child’ – this shows that he was a caring and devoted family man, to both his son and home. The lines ‘fingers with cracks like the sods he broke’ illustrates the extent of his old laborious life in Poland. Near the end of the poem the simile describing his father ‘like a dumb prophet’ expresses how his father knew that his son was moving further away from his heritage and there was nothing he could do about it. Descriptive language with words such as ‘gentle’ and ‘softness’ reveal the tenderness of Feliks Skrzynecki, while on the other hand, emotive words such as violently, slaughtering and darkened expresses his rough life in the past and toughness of this man, not just physically, but also mentally. The images of his rough and damaged hands and how they ‘dug cancer out of his foot’ reveals the hardships he had had to endure and also show us the trauma and severity of his past. The symbolism of the son pegging his tents further and further south of Hadrian’s Wall shows that Peter Skrzynecki is moving away from his father’s eastern European culture into Australian culture. As the different perspectives of father and son are given in this poem we can see the inner journeys which they have both gone through. Feliks Skzrynecki has, in migrating to Australia, missed his old lifestyle, heritage and culture, while his son has grown up in a totally different world to the one his father has known, and the absence of the same heritage and culture has made father and son somewhat detached from each other. A clear theme in this poem is that the result of a journey can benefit the protagonist but can also generate sadness and misery as the protagonist misses his or her home. This is evident for Feliks Skrzynecki and ‘Crossing the Red Sea’ also has a similar concept with the immigrants in two states of mind. Clearly the poem reinforces the idea that a physical journey can very much be an inner one. The internet article ‘Journeys: A Cycle of sacred time’ is very much a source which supports the ideas and concepts explored in the Skrzynecki poems. The article talks about how taking a trip, such as a holiday, is different to a journey. The article expresses that there is a great difference between just travelling and actually experiencing the journey. The article uses imagery to capture the responder’s attention. The article tells the responder to imagine you are at a holiday location and you are actually present with what you are experiencing rather than just keeping busy taking photos of sights. ‘Journey goes beyond the restraints of physical time and space. Journey feeds the soul.’ This statement from the article describes the mental and inner process of learning and growth involved in journeys, and that physically your destination is insignificant. The article mentions that physical travel is not a prerequisite for journeying, again stating tha t it is the inner process that matters not the physical destination. Another theme expressed about journeys in the article is that a true journey cannot happen in isolation. Connecting with others is the way for experiencing your journey. This idea is somewhat in contrast to the concept of personal journeys we have studied. The importance of self-growth and learning about yourself is required in personal journeys, but this article is saying that to grow and learn, you need to communicate and correspond with other people. The article uses techniques such as imagery to stimulate the responder’s thoughts, large and bold writing for significant or important text and uses several quotes to support the themes it is trying to convey. The final source relating to journeys and conveying significant themes is a photograph showing a number of travelers in the middle of their journey on top of a large mountain. The number of large mountains in the background and the scenery suggests that the location is somewhere foreign and faraway from the protagonists’ home. The protagonists in shadowy figures suggest some sense of mystery on this journey. This sense of mystery expresses inner journeying as well as the physical travel shown in the photo. The different contrast in colors of the foreground, middle of the image, and background show there are several parts or sections to a journey. The image of these protagonists journeying across a great landscape is comparable with the poem  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCrossing the Red Sea’ in the allusion the poem creates of journeys. The long shot taken of the protagonist also show that their journey is long and difficult and the sense of difficult journeys is similar to all three other sources. The theme of the physical journey providing an inner or imaginative experience is also evident in the photo, through the landscape and scenery, which seems surreal and dreamlike. Overall the sources discussed all hold important and valuable ideas and concepts on journeys, and they show us that journey is not just physical travel but also an emotional and inner experience.

Drones and how they are becoming more advanced along with the safety Term Paper

Drones and how they are becoming more advanced along with the safety concerns of civilian drones - Term Paper Example There are different types of drones but they can be grouped into two basic groups as the international civil aviation organization (ICAO) classifies them (OBrien, n.d.). These classifications are autonomous aircrafts and the remotely controlled aircrafts. The autonomous aircrafts are considered unsuitable for regulation at the moment, due to legal and liability issues involved. On the other hand, the remotely controlled aircraft are suitable and convenient to use because they are subject to civil regulation by the ICAO and are always under the regulation of the relevant national aviation authority of respective countries. One can also classify drone into those that are used for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes and those that are used for combat; those that are armed with bombs and missiles. Typically, the drones are launched and recovered by the means of a function of an automated program or system or by an external operator from the ground. Drones have been employed in the military and the special operation application; they have also been employed in civil applications such as policing and firefighting, as well as inspection of power or pipelines. Drones have been preferred for missions that are believed to endanger the lives of hr pilots, or in other words, in areas are too dangerous and dirty for the manned aircrafts (OBrien, n.d.). The popularity of drones can be associated with its uses, which covers a wide area of application in the daily life situations. The application of drones makes them an interesting technology for governments, business people, non-governmental organization and the like, to employ I their dealings. To begin with, drones have been used extensively in commercial aerial surveillance, like the monitoring of livestock, mapping of wildfire, home security, pipeline security and so on. This is because surveillance of such vast areas would normally command a huge investment in terms of capital, but

Finance-Annuities Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance-Annuities - Speech or Presentation Example 9. Wade Ellis buys a car for  $15,002.71. He puts 10% down and obtains a simple interest amortized loan for the balance at  12  and  1/2%  interest for four years. After three years and two months of making the minimum monthly payment, he sells his car. Find the unpaid balance on his loan. (Round all intermediate calculations to the nearest cent. Round the answer to the nearest cent.) 10. Four candidates, Harrison (H), Lennon (L), McCartney (M), and Starr (S), are running for regional manager. After the polls close, ranked ballots are tallied, and the results are summarized in the table. Use the plurality method of voting to determine the winner. 11. The managers of Prints Alive (a local silk-screening business) are planning a party for their  44  employees. There are three possible locations for the party: the warehouse (W), the park (P), or the beach (B). The employees are asked to rank these choices in order of preference, and the results are summarized in the table. Use the instant runoff method to determine the winner. 12. The managers of Prints Alive (a local silk-screening business) are planning a party for their  40  employees. There are three possible locations for the party: the warehouse (W), the park (P), or the beach (B). The employees are asked to rank these choices in order of preference, and the results are summarized in the table. Use the Borda count method to determine the

Classic Airlines marketing Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Classic Airlines marketing Solution - Essay Example As per the case study, the firm is losing its profitability and faring really poorly against its competitors. Customer retention rate is poor and the service is very inadequate. Root Cause Analysis Model The Root Cause Analysis (RCA) model is used in internal audits and other problem detection fields. It is â€Å"a research-based approach to identify the bottom-line reason of a problem with root cause representing the problem† (Mainardi, 2011: p180). It involves a structured investigation into a given problem to ascertain the true and real cause of a given problem (Anderson et al, 2009). This is done to ensure the continuous improvement in the quality and systems of a given organization. Root Cause Analysis is a practical transition from the apparent cause analysis to the examination and critique of the root cause of a given problem. This involves the identification of the actual causes in order to find the intermediate causes and from there, detect the root causes (Lorenzo an d Hanson, 2008). Issues in Classic Airline's Marketing Unit From the case study, some apparent causes and issues are identifiable in Classic Airline's marketing unit. In order to identify it and critique it better, it will be worthwhile to identify the apparent issues, the intermediate issues in order to identify the root cause. A. ... The deregulation of the markets and the integration of small carriers and other overseas investors has led to price wars and other competitive restructuring. Classic Airline's extremely low margins give a strong indication that the airline is really losing out in the competition presented by the other airline companies in the industry. Market Share Issues The failure to compete on the markets have led to a sharp fall in the market share that Classic Airline controls. There customer retention of the company has been weakened by the competition posed by other companies. This is because their current reward program has lost as much as 19% of its members, which has culminated in the reducing the flights of the company by as much as 21%. B. Intermediate Issues Areas of Interest: Marketing Alliances & Restructuring of Marketing It has become almost apparent that the firm needs to restructure its marketing units, the marketing structures and the marketing alliance programs. This is meant to correct the wrongs in the company and also retain some degree of stability. This has created two issues which also needs to be examined and resolved from the root-cause approach. Cost Structure Issues The quick and aggressive growth of the firm has been identified as a major cause of issues with the company. The reduction of the cost budget by a whopping 21.5% and the reduction of budgets in other departments is one of the apparent issues. It will therefore be worthwhile to identify the impact of this reduction and the best way of soothing its effects and correcting its issues. This include amongst other things, infighting amongst the executive managers, and the reduction in important units

How do the media portray applied psychology Essay

How do the media portray applied psychology - Essay Example (Fryer, 1950) Media is an important vehicle for getting the message across to the right frame of audience at the right time and in the right capacity possible. It would not be wrong here to suggest that the role of media in any field is more than any other social and cultural domain that has come of age in the recent times. Media can literally shake the very basis of the disciplines and professions which are existent in the current times and it would not be long before we find out for our own selves that the media would take over our lives and start ruling us like none other. The question however present here is of understanding the relationship between the applied psychology and the representation of the same in the different media forms like electronic, print, outdoors and others. (Guilford, 1950) The relation between the different forms of media and the psychological basis depends entirely on the way the dependents, i.e. the consumers and end viewers think of it. It means the values attached with the media portrayals are important in their relation of the psychological self. The role of media in the ranks of the applied psychology brings into consideration the intricate aspects of gender portrayal as well as identity crisis at times. With this, there is the question of understanding the media activities and the players who actually run the whole show. (Groome, 2004) Applied psychology applies both at the industrial level within the media and also goes down towards the organizational basis. What this means is that the media stands at the crossroads of both of these significant areas. Media has a much larger role than it is perceivable at any point in time. Applied psychology regards the role of the media in the same light as it would give to any other significant feature within the cultural and social perspective. In all essence, applied psychology studies the mental processes

Goddesses in world religions and cultures Research Paper

Goddesses in world religions and cultures - Research Paper Example Divinity relates to the existence and our subsequent belief in God, Gods, and/or Goddesses. Various cultures have followed polytheistic and monotheistic ideals of divinity for centuries. Some still survive today and some do not. One such Deity representation which has become a symbol rather than actual worship in the modern world is the Goddess Culture, or Goddess centered worships. Though it has manifested itself in pop culture, mass consumerism, and various outspread ‘occult’ religions, it has powerful roots in practices of old. We know that civilization’s cradle was hunting and agriculture. These two aspects were attributed to male and female counterparts as part of a natural living arrangement. Women and agriculture were equated as being fertile, bringing forth new life and vitality. This gave way to perhaps a self-constructed notion of a female deity which was responsible for vegetative-ness. Though we may not see evidence of it in our current world surroundings, the European Goddess culture of old lasted for thousands of years and has managed to permeate into differing modern day contexts. The eventual suppression of Goddess worship came about as a result of a number of factors. Historians largely believe that the Eastern dominance of Europe had a major impact. They brought biological knowledge of male procreation as well as their own mostly patriarchal values to Europe. This slow evolvement of thought coupled with male brute strength eventually came to replace the concept of the Divine Feminine and render her inferior to men. The situation was intensified when the witch-hunts and witch-burnings of the Middle Ages began to take place all across Europe and America. These were the same women who were considered heretics, pagans, and followers of some unnatural nature religion. But prior to such suppression, somewhere during the pre-Christian era, polytheistic

Brain-Based Learning Theory Strategies for ADHD Thesis

Brain-Based Learning Theory Strategies for ADHD - Thesis Example The purpose of the interviews was to gain an understanding of brain-based learning theory strategies for ADHD learners from the perspective of those who have used the strategies. The results of the study indicate that educators are comfortable with brain-based learning theory strategies, but are ambivalent with respect to inclusive learning. The educators participating in this research indicate that inclusive teaching may not be the most appropriate brain-based learning theory strategy as it puts the focus on behavioral controls and thus deprives ADHD students of all of the resources that they require to overcome their learning disabilities or to cope effectively with their learning disabilities. The results of this study and implications for practice are discussed. A study of data collected from US national health household surveys from 2004-2006, demonstrated that 14% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 suffered from Attention Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD) (Pastor & Reuben, 2008). Globally, ADHD ranges from between 4% and 12% among children between the ages of 6 and 12 (Brown, Freeman, Perrin, et al., 2001). ADHD has been associated with learning disabilities and emotional disorders suggesting that children suffering from ADHD have difficulties adjusting in social and academic environments (Brown, et al., 2001). It has therefore been suggested that ADHD can best be understood when looked at as a â€Å"neurobehavioral disability† (Brook & Boaz, 2005, p. 187). Thus, researchers have increasingly looked to neuroscience as a means of understanding and predicting the cognitive and emotional functions of children with ADHD (Nigg & Casey, 2005). Brain-based learning theorists suggests that understanding how the brain functions can produce effective strategies for teaching children with a number of learning disabilities (Geake, 2009). These theories are

Promoting the Integration of Therapeutic Touch in Nursing Practice Essay Example for Free

Promoting the Integration of Therapeutic Touch in Nursing Practice Essay 1. Describe the patient group in the study. English speaking adults with Dx of cancer expected to be on the unit the day following the intervention, whose medical conditions did not preclude their ability to comfortably receive TT or participate in the interview, and were able to give informed consent; 34 patient-participants completed the research process (16 women and 18 men), age range of 22 to 77 with an average age of 52 years 2. What was their health problem? Bone marrow transplant Patients. The focus of the study? Explore the experiences of nurses and patients on an inpatient oncology and bone marrow transplant unit when nurses had time preserved for exclusive offering of TT. 3. Who was providing the care? Two staff nurse-interventionists who were experienced and participated in TT education, and three nurse-interviewers who discussed the TT intervention with patient-participants the day following TT treatment. 4. What was the setting for the care? The study was conducted in an academic medical center on a 26 bed hematology/oncology in patient unit with bone marrow transplantation program. 5. What were the findings? 1) TT is a vehicle for comfort, caring, and presence that creates possibility and healing 2) TT invites a shift from disease-state focus to personhood focus that is freeing and reawakens the essence of nursing 3)TT is an intervention that illuminates the transformative power of nursing theory-research-practice. 6. What were the recommendations? Having a complementary nursing strategy, such as TT, that allows nurses an additional way to offering care that facilitates comfort, assists with anxiety reduction, and enhances sleep is of major significance. 7. How practical/useful is this information to a practicing nurse? I am not sure how practical TT is. First, you would have to have additional staff to allow for the time to educate seasoned nurses in TT and then to perform TT on the patients. You would also have to have the support of the administrative staff. However, I do believe that laying on of hands is an effective therapeutic tool. 8. What I wonder is†¦.. would there be a similar outcome in other specialty areas that patients have not had the opportunity to establish a trusting relationship with the nursing staff prior to TT.

Ethics Article Review Essay Example for Free

Ethics Article Review Essay This paper seeks to prepare a review of an article discussing ethics in accounting and financial decision making by making a brief summary, relating to assigned reading for the week, relating and applying the concepts to current or former employer’s organization, making improvement for the organization using the article as basis and explaining the importance of ethics in accounting and financial decision making. A description of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley act will also be discussed including its impact on accounting and financial decision making. 2. Discussions 2. a. Brief Summary The article is talking about the importance of ethics in accounting and business. To dramatize its significance in business, it has cited a story of a number of rich people who may have attained their financial rewards in business but ended dying in less meaningful ways impliedly because of missing the principles of ethics. While the article admits that earning money or attaining riches may be an acceptable goal in business, there is still the question of how success in measured in the final analysis and for which the authors were arguing for riches acquired with honor and if a choice would be made between the two, it would be more preferable to have honor rather riches (Smith and Smith, 2003) . 2. b. Relating to assigned readings As to how the article relate to assigned readings for this week, it may be argued that the article has touched on the importance of rules or guides to actions in business. Ethics in business may be asserted to be indispensable if business will have to attain its goals in harmony with other goals of society such as those in economics and politics. 2. c. Application of article to organization As to how the ethical concepts discussed on the article may apply to this researcher’s former or current organization, it may be argued that the universality of principles related to ethics would really make it difficult to exclude this researcher’s organization from any of its application.. Since my organization is part of the larger society where everybody else lives, it cannot isolate itself from the community by doing unethical things. It cannot even argue that any illegal or unethical thing that it may do will not matter in a world where there many players who may be affected by decisions made. In the same way that a member of society can make a difference for the good of the community so with the failure of one organization or even a person in the organization can do to the detriments of many if not all of the members of the community. 2. d. Recommendations for improvement of the organization To make recommendations for improvement on this researcher’s or organization using the article as basis, the organization should encourage simple living among its executives so that they could be more disciplined in the way the company’s resources are being managed not only for the stockholders but even to every stakeholders who stand to benefits from the observance of ethical conduct in the organization. The other stakeholders of course include the employees who aspire for long-term employment (Sears, 2003), the creditors and lenders who resources need to be protected as well, customers who need to have their needs and wants for company’s products and services continuously satisfied and the government who must continue ensuring payment of taxes and compliance with regulations. 2. e. The importance of ethics in accounting and financial decision making and how the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act affects the same The important of ethics in accounting and financial decision making cannot be underestimated. Without ethics there would be no responsibility for right or wrong act can be demanded from people making decisions. The managers who are considered agents of stockholders would instead enrich themselves at the expense of stockholders investments. On the other hand, these stockholders would just exploit whatever they can to the detriment of their principal, this time their debt capital providers. The organization can likewise treat its employees with disrespect and violate the latter’s if there in no ethics that would guide them. Laws will be insufficient to exact compliance if people in the organization were not instilled the proper values when they were still young in the same way that it is hard to teach tricks to an old dog. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a classic example to legislate rules of conduct that would improve corporate governance (Ali, et. al, 2006) including a more strict compliance of requirements in regulating companies in terms of financial statements and ensuring of ethical conduct of external auditors (Bainbridge, 2007). Although the law is a positive act to ethical practice of doing business, the choice to do what is right is still with decision makers who must have the right sense of values for society. 3. Conclusion: Ethics has a purpose to attain. It is a part of an organization’s life since it is a guide to decision making not only in accounting and finance but even to all other aspect of business operations. A sense or rightness or wrongness offers a choice and that which is good is incidentally consistent with ethics. As the world seems to be painting what are the standards of its success when actually they are not the real and lasting ones, ethics its and principles have much to offer in making the correct decision that will lead real and lasting success for human existence. The article has argued that honor is preferable than riches but riches need not be inconsistent with riches as long as they are ethically acquired. References: Ali, et. al (2006) International Corporate Governance After Sarbanes-Oxley, John Wiley and Sons Bainbridge (2007), The Complete Guide to Sarbanes-Oxley: Understanding How Sarbanes-Oxley Affects Your Business; Adams Media Sears (2003) Successful Talent Strategies: Achieving Superior Business Results Through Market-focused Staffing, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Association. Smith and Smith (2003) Business and Accounting Ethics, {www document} URL, http://acct. tamu. edu/smith/ethics/ethics. htmAccessed September 29,2008

Vitamin C Deterioration in Orange Juice

Vitamin C Deterioration in Orange Juice This experimental investigation was designed to examine the deterioration of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) content when placed in conditions with different oxidization and temperature exposure. Home brand orange juice was placed in different temperatures, such as room temperature, freezer, and fridge. Also with different oxidization as one beaker from each temperature was covered with glad wrap. Over 6 weeks, mold, smells, fungi, bacteria and evaporation where just some of the observations that we made. Although, as well as observing we took test results and it was evident that freezer uncovered and freezer covered had the most content of vitamin c preserved. Over 6 weeks 8ml of orange juice was used from each beaker to test with indophenol, with most juices the juice can be added to the indophenol solution until the juice becomes clear. In some cases the orange juice wont change clear, and go a pinky brown. For this reason a control is used to compare colours. Over 6 weeks the experimen t was conducted, data was collected and reached a conclusion based on the findings. Introduction: [4] Vitamin c is an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, vitamin c is a water-soluble vitamin, being water-soluble this means that the body doesnt store it. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is one of the least toxic substances and this is why vitamin c is necessary for growth and development; it helps repair tissue in all parts of the body. [10]Vitamin c helps the body make an important protein called collagen, in which is used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels, vitamin c is also essential for healing wounds and helping maintain and repair bones and teeth. [4] Vitamin C is also essential in an individuals health for the maintenance of healthy connective tissue, which gives support and structure for other tissues and organs. [5]However, the protective role of vitamin C goes far beyond our skin and gums. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, joint diseases and cataracts are all associated with vitamin C deficiency and can be partly prevented by optimal intake of vitamin C. [6]Vitamin C achieves much of its protective effect by functioning as an antioxidant and preventing oxygen-based damage to our cells. Structures that contain fat (like the lipoprotein molecules that carry fat around our body) are particularly dependent on vitamin C for protection. The human body uses vitamin c to complete a variety of chemical reactions, for example providing energy to cells and sending information through to neutrons. [7]Vitamin C is also very important because it metabolizes cholesterol, which means it may help lower cholesterol levels. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient responsible for manufacturing compounds and aiding in basic chemical functions. Humans must ingest vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, because we cannot make it ourselves. [11]The body gets its daily allowance of this vitamin by eating raw fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. [8]Vitamin C is needed in order to help the body to protect cells and to keep them healthy. Vitamin C is found wide variety of foods, mainly being in the fruit and vegetable areas. Good sources include: Broccoli Brussel sprouts Sweet potatoes Oranges Kiwi fruit Red berries Red and green bell peppers Tomatoes spinach Juices made from guava, grapefruit, and orange Vitamin C deficiencies occur as part of general under nutrition, but severe deficiency is uncommon. Vitamin C deficiency symptoms include: Dry and splitting hair Bleeding gums Rough, dry, scaly skin Decreased wound-healing rate Easy bruising Nosebleeds Weakened tooth enamel Swollen and painful joints Anemia Decreased ability to fight infection Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism [21]A severe vitamin C deficiency is called scurvy, is a medical condition caused by a lack of vitamin C. Left untreated, scurvy can be fatal, but fortunately this condition is extremely easy to address, as all that is required to eliminate scurvy is an increase of vitamin C intake. Scurvy is relatively rare in the modern era, thanks to widespread knowledge about the need for vitamin C, but it sometimes appears in malnourished individuals, infants, and the elderly. Early signs of scurvy include fatigue and joint pain. If the condition is allowed to progress, a distinctive rash will develop on the legs, the mucus membranes will start to bleed, former fracture sites may come apart, and the patient will experience severe muscle weakness. The lack of vitamin C allows the connective tissues of the body to essentially pull apart, allowing blood to leak freely through the blood vessels, and causing long-term damage to the muscles if the condition is not caught early. If vitamin C an individual intakes too much vitamin C it can result in stomach pain, diarrhea and flatulence. [9]As humans cannot synthesize Vitamin C in their own bodies, there have a great need for dietary supplements of it. Although, good sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C can also be made in a laboratory; most experts recommend getting vitamin C from a diet high in fruits and vegetables rather than taking supplements. Vitamin c supplements are effective for treatment and prevention of vitamin C deficiency, including scurvy, also these supplements are likely to be effective for improving the way the body absorbs iron and treating a disease called tyrosinemia in newborns when given as an injection. [2]Vitamin C is safe for most people when taken by mouth in recommended doses or when applied to the skin. In some people, vitamin C might cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach cramps, headache, and other side effects. The chance of getting these side effects increases the more vitamin C you take. Amounts higher than 2000 mg per day are at risk and may cause side effects, including kidney stones and severe diarrhea. In people who have had a kidney stone, amounts greater than 1000 mg per day greatly increase the risk of kidney stone recurrence. [3]Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant and as a coenzyme. Molecules called free radicals are formed during normal cell metabolism. Free radicals cause damage by reacting with fats and proteins in cell membranes and genetic material. This process is called oxidation. Antioxidants like vitamin C are compounds that attach themselves to free radicals so that it is impossible for the free radical to react with, or oxidize, other molecules. During the manufacturing stage of processing Orange juice manufacture add extra vitamin C into the liquid in order for the orange juice to deteriorate less than usual, this is also so the orange juice content abides with the label that is processed onto the packaging, this same label also states requirements after opening the juice in order when to store the juice and at what temperature. If false statements are given on the label the manufacture can face serious consequences. Therefore, the aim of this experiment is to investigate what environmental factors cause the rate of vitamin c to deteriorate quicker, with variable conditions being oxygen exposure, different temperatures and also oxidization. Our hypothesis is that the room temperature would lose vitamin c faster due to the factors of temperature oxidization. Materials 2L Home brand orange juice 6 x250ml beakers 9xPipettes 18x Test tubes 3xTest tube racks glad wrap paper pen sticky take Indophenol solution 0.1% 2xWatch glasses 1x scalpel Method A All materials were gathered Each beaker was designated a number(1-6) which is written on a piece of paper and stuck to beaker using sticky tape The beakers are then put in pairs (1-2,3-4,5-6) Each beaker pair is then designated to an area room temperature (25degrees-37degrees), fridge (3 degrees) and freezer (-5 degrees) this is also written on the paper attached to beaker 230mL of home brand orange juice was then carefully poured into each beaker Each beaker was then tested with indophenol to find standard (refer to method B) In each designated area (room temperature, fridge or freezer) one beaker was chosen to be covered with glad wrap making the liquid unable to breathe. Each beaker was then placed in designated area and leave juices for one week Gathered 18x test tubes 3x test tube rack and 9xpepits and 2x watch glasses 1x scalpel Gathered all samples of juice and placed on designated safe work bench Observed any noticeable changes (smells, colours, molds fungi) and recorded in log book 15 drops of indophenol was put into each test tube using a pipette Using a pipette orange juice was carefully added to the indophenol solution each drop was carefully counted and swirled after each drop until a colour changed occurred. Recorded how many drops in each test tube along with what designated area and covered or non-covered Retested each beaker once a week by repeating steps 9-12 On Microsoft excel, each week data was entered in, and created a table format, with the headings, which test it was 1-6, average and standard error, with each weeks tests results (number of drops) being put under the headings 1-6 and also what it was and where (fridge uncovered.) This was done each week and a line graph was made Method B- establishing standard Placed 15 drops of indophenol solution into a test tube Added 0.1% ascorbic acid solution, one drop at a time, into the indophenol. Counted the drops added. Swirled the test tube after each drop was added Continued until the indophenol becomes colorless What was the total number drops of 0.1% ascorbic acid solution required to decolorize the indophenol solution. Results Graph no. 3- Abscorbic Acid Standard Photo 1: Week 1 Beakers with labels Photo 2: Week 2- Mold and fungal organisms present on room  temperature covered Photo 3: Week 3- Obvious colour change in beaker 4, water vapor  present on beaker 3 and beaker 2 significant evaporation Photo 4 Photo 5: Week 4- Change of colour in beaker 3 and 4 evaporation in beaker 2 Photo 6: 5- Obvious colour change and evaporation in beaker 1 2 Photo 7: Week 6- Photo 8: Week 6- Fungal organisms in room temperature beakers Photo 9: Week 6- Fungal organism found in beaker 3 room temperature covered fridge covered fridge uncovered Room temp covered Room temp uncovered Freezer covered Freezer uncovered It is highly evident that the main trends throughout this experiment are: The higher the temperature the increase in level of evaporation The uncovered samples above freezing displayed much higher level of evaporation compared to covered samples The freezing samples displayed same amount of evaporation for covered and uncovered Orange juice becomes more intense over the content of 6 weeks due to evaporation Fungal organisms increase the vitamin c content Evaporation played a major part in this experiment. Evaporation is the process of liquid turning into gas by mechanisms such as: the fastest moving molecules at the surface of the liquid have enough energy to break the attractive bonds with other molecules. They then escape the surface of the substances. Since at higher temperatures the molecules have more kinetic energy, more of them are likely to escape and so evaporation occurs more quickly at higher temperatures. The rate of evaporation is higher due to factors such as: increased temperatures, high humidity and wind exposure. [15,16,17] Oxidization is a common form of chemical reaction which is the combining of oxygen with various elements and compounds; oxidation also transfers hydrogen atoms or electrons from one molecule to another. Oxidization is a reaction in which the atoms in an element lose electrons and the valence of the element is correspondingly increased. .[12, 14] Oxygen, the most plentiful element on earth, combines readily with numerous other elements. When combined with other elements in a compound or molecule, oxygen frequently is an electron hog. It takes electrons away from many other elements and this oxidizes them. The oxygen takes the negatively charged electrons and becomes a negatively charged ion. The oxygen has been reduced. However without certain factors affecting the rate of oxidization, it can be reduced quiet significantly.[12,13,14] A number of factors affect the oxidation rate, including temperature, pressure, crystal orientation, oxygen source (oxygen or water) and impurity doping. Oxide growth rate is very sensitive to temperature, because the oxygen diffusion rate in silicon dioxide is exponentially related with temperature, increasing temperature can significantly increase the oxide growth. Oxide growth rate is also related to the oxygen source. Dry oxidation with O2 has a lower oxide growth rate than wet oxidation with H2O. This is because the diffusion rate of the oxygen molecule O2 in silicon dioxide is lower than that of hydroxide HO generated from the dissociation of H2O molecules at high temperature. Therefore the wet oxidation process is preferred to grow thick oxide layers. [ 13,14] Fungi are classified within their own kingdom The Kingdom Fungi, while some are in the Kingdom Protista. A fungus is similar to a plant, but it has no chlorophyll and cannot make its own food like a plant can through photosynthesis. They get their food by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings. The kingdom includes the yeasts, molds, smuts, and mushrooms. Fungi must take in food materials synthesized by other organisms due to the absence of chlorophyll; the fungi cannot photosynthesize their food from simple substances. Saprophytic fungi derive food from dead and decaying materials. [18,19,20] Fungi exist in various habitats, including deep down in the ocean, lakes, rocks, deserts, very salty environments, and areas of extremely high or low temperatures. However, factors such as temperature, water and light all affect the rate of fungal organisms growing. Fungi grow best in warm temperatures. Various species of fungi do grow better at warm temperatures; moreover, there are a number of fungal organisms that thrive in very high temperatures of and few that will thrive in very low temperatures below freezing. [18,19,20] Fungi need lots of water to grow. For most fungi this is true. This is why fungi are more of a problem in the tropics than in temperate areas of the world. Personal property that is normally safe from fungi, such as clothing and shoes, can be damaged in the tropics. However, some fungi can grow in very dry conditions. At the other extreme, there are also fungi that can live under water. Also, fungi can only grow in the dark. For the most part, light does not play a role in how well fungi grow. [18,19,20] It is evident in the results that the higher the temperature the increased level of evaporation, by viewing the outcome in the evaporation graph it can be seen that the fridge uncovered sample evaporated 7x more than the freezer sample and the room temperature uncovered evaporated 14x more than the freezer samples. This is due to the higher temperatures in the room which increases the movement of molecules at the surfaces of the orange juice resulting in the molecules having enough energy to break the attractive bonds with other molecules, resulting in the molecules escaping the surface of the substance, and escaping into the air as water vapor. It was apparent that room temperature uncovered sample (25-37degrees) had evaporated the most. The reason being that, this beaker was in direct sunlight, increasing the temperature and the juice temperature was increased over the other samples. This is due to the fact the molecules of a warmer liquid (room temperature) are vibrating more frequently and with more energy than in a cool liquid(freezer). The added energy of heat therefore makes it easier for a given molecule to escape the liquid. Oxidization impacted the results significantly as the uncovered samples above freezing displayed much higher evaporation compared to covered samples. This is due the samples of uncovered beakers easier being able to obtain more oxygen; this is because the oxide growth rate growing process grows thick oxide layers within a wet or damp area. Also, the juice was subject to higher temperatures, this was because there was no layer in between the gas, to the orange juice, it is apparent that through our data the higher the temperature increases significant oxide growth. It was demonstrated that at freezing both evaporation and oxidization had minimal affect on the samples. On the evaporation graph it is evident that there was minimal evaporation within the both freezing samples. Both freezing samples evaporated approximately 10ml over the duration of 6 weeks. This is because the freezer temperature being at -10 degrees it would have slowed down the process of evaporation due to the fact the molecules would have been moving slower than usual and it would have had insufficient energy amount to break the attractive bonds with other molecules. Making the substance unable to escape from the liquid. At freezing it is evident there is little kinetic energy within the sample resulting in almost no evaporation and zero oxidization as both the covered and uncovered samples returned the same result. It was evident through our data that the ascorbic acid content changed dramatically over time. The orange juice became more intense over the content of 6 weeks, with each sample ascorbic levels increasing or staying the same. This is evident in the change in % ascorbic acid content over time. Over the duration of 6 weeks it was evident due to the results that via, oxidation and evaporation the juices became more intense with vitamin c. Not only was it oxidation and evaporation, but it also includes fungal growth. Fungal growth played a major part in the room temperature samples. Over the duration of this experiment fungal growth was observed, first sighted in week two. From the data our results showed, fungal organisms and bacteria increase the levels of vitamin c. Fungal organisms thrive in warmer conditions and of off moister this is evident in the way the fungal organisms only grew in the room temperature samples. In the warmer climate the bacteria and fungi reproduce faster and more frequent, this would increase the growth of fungal organisms within the room temperature samples.[22] Kambucha tea is an example where fungal organisms secrete vitamin c into the drink, the drink is known as the miracle fungus. Kambucha tea relates to this experiment and the orange juice b ecause, they both have vitamin c being produced into the liquid via, fungal organisms. Our hypothesis was that room temperature would lose vitamin c the fastest, from the data and results that were produced, it is evident that the room temperature samples within the first 1-3 weeks dropped significantly, however, in week 3 there was a sudden change to the results and both room temperature samples started increasing in vitamin c content. Therefore our statement was correct for the first 1-3 weeks and then deemed incorrect for the final results of this experiment. In conclusion, the major outcomes of this experiment are that evaporation, oxidization, and fungal organisms are all different factors that have affected the orange juice deterioration process. Temperatures and oxygen exposure also played a large role throughout this experiment. In doing this experiment again in the future, more research and prior background knowledge would have been benefited. Also, having more temperature variables would increase the data and would help in order to broaden this experiment. The author would like to acknowledge Katy Ollard and Maddison Hoffman in working well as a team and helping each other in order to increase background knowledge. As well as Mr. Fesuk, in helping in providing background knowledge about vitamin c and kambucha tea and helping within the practical side as well.

Wicca Vs. Paganism Essays -- essays research papers

Wicca versus Paganism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wicca and Pagan are two religions, which have many similarities as well as many differences within each area. Wicca is a sect of Pagan in which each has their own variations on the religion. A good way to put it; all Wiccans are Pagan, but not all Pagans are Wiccan. Witch is a term used for any practitioner of Wicca. The Webster's II Dictionary defines witch as 1. A woman who practices sorcery or is believed to have dealings with the devil, 2. An ugly, vicious old woman; hag. Wicca is described by the American Heritage Dictionary as the cult of witchcraft. Pagan is the religion under which many different religions are practiced. Webster's II Dictionary defines pagan as one who does not acknowledge the god of Christianity, Islam, or Judaism; heathen. Most parts of these definitions are wrong. Wicca is a sect of Paganism, in which different practices are learned, worshipped, and taught. One form of Wicca is Solitary Practitioners the other is Coven Practitioners. The forms of Wicca that are practiced vary in most uses. Solitary Practitioners usually 'pray';, read, meditate, and cast magik and spells alone. Whereas Covenants practice these familiar things amongst a group of anywhere from two people up to thirteen people. In Pagan practices, these things are practiced normally within a group setting of anywhere from two people to hundreds of people. Both practices use a magik circle which is either drawn imaginary or with the use of a broom or sea salt. This is to keep out any negative energy from entering the circle while any type of practice is being done. This keeps the practitioner(s) from any harm or wrongdoing. Both of these religions are nature-based and usually have one of three belief systems in common: polytheism, pantheism, and animism. Both of these religions use many objects in their practices or studies. Both Wiccans and Pagans will use what is called Magikal tools. These are known to include, incense, candles, athames; usually known as a black handled knife, the broom; used to 'sweep'; away negative energies, the cup or chalice; used to hold such things as blessed water, wine and other fluids, the cauldron; used as an instrument in which to cook and for brew making, also used for scrying, and most importantly, the pentacle. The pentacle is usually a flat piece of brass, gold, silver, wood, wax... ...ifferent. Many Pagans prefer to worship within a coven or group. Each person would take on a different aspect within the group. Each person plays a different part within the circle. There is a group of teachers, called the High Priestess and High Priest. The High Priestess and Priest would control any and all worship sessions, much like the Christian churches. Each person thereafter might control a corner, or element, and the less powerful of them all would worship and watch the ceremonies take place. Pagans do not have a Book of Shadows, in which to worship. This religion is an oral based religion, passed down from mouth to mouth. Pagans may rely upon any natural force, such as a body of water, or a natural rock formation. They use these to help them focus energy upon their gods or goddesses. Both, Pagans and Wiccans, have varying religious practices; however, many of them are also similar. Pagans focus more on the group aspect of tradition and the 'old times';, whereas, Wicca is based primarily upon the needs and wants of the witch. This could even include practicing Christianity on the side. Both religions do; however, have in common many uses of tools, spells, and 'prayers';.

Antigone--Who is the REAL tragic Hero? Essay -- essays research papers

Who is the Tragic Hero?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many may say that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. Creon and Antigone ¡Ã‚ ¯s personas are equal-and-opposite throughout this play. The story belongs to both of them. Creon is the one who makes a mistake; his figure is perhaps more tragic. He ¡Ã‚ ¯s the one that realizes that he ¡Ã‚ ¯s wrong, and he suffers for it. Antigone walks to her death with her eyes wide open, without shame.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Antigone is the true hero of the play because she makes a correct, justifiable decision and dies by it. Creon is wrong. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which many may say is a punishment worse than death. Since Creon is ruined in the end of the play, we might pity him, but admiration ...

Individual Management/Leadership Style

There are few, if any, hotter topics in management, business and organization theory at the present time than ‘leadership'. Leadership is the block at the top of the model of a good team, not because it is most important, but because it is the ultimate goal of an effective, efficient team. A good leader shares responsibility and glory, is supportive and fair, creates a climate of trust and openness, and is a good coach and teacher. Yet the test of a truly good leader is that the team operates as smoothly whether the leader is present or absent. Problem solving, decision making, team participation and conflict resolution are fundamental leadership activities. Rarely, are there any dead certainties in the world of business – especially in the current and foreseeable climate of uncertainty, ambiguity and paradox. Fear of failure, consequent risk-aversion and reluctance to move very far from ‘safe ground' or comfort zones can severely limit the quality relevance and na ture of decisions taken by those in managerial and leadership roles (Autry 50).Problem solvingSuccessful problem solving involves a search for the best problem space as well as the best program. Problem solving involves processing information. This is a three stage process:1. Recognizing the task environment. First, one perceives the events, interprets these invents and recognizes the nature of the task—e.g. notice disquiet in the office and see that the task is to identify how the disquiet can be resolved.2. Transformation into the person’s problem space. Next one views the task in a specific way. Here one has to be quite specific about the goal—what has to be done, where one stands in relationship to the goal and what kinds of acts need to be carried out in order to reach the goal. For example, from experience one will know that one cannot jump to any quick conclusions about the source of the disquiet in the office but will know how to set about finding out th e source of the disquiet.3. Processing the data and moving towards the goal. Depending on how the problem space has been conceived, one uses various kinds of information given with the problem or drawn from memory to process the data so as to move towards the problem solution. For example, in the illustration one will have had experience, of diagnosing problems of unrest in the office and will be able to call upon this experience along with information noted which is specific to the current situation in the office.In the course of working through the above steps the problem solver will notice whether any of the steps or series of steps he or she makes reduces the distance to the goal—i.e. resolving or solving the problem. If this seems to be the case then the problem solver will continue with that line of enquiry. If the steps do not seem to be productive then alternative steps will be followed. Progress and search for solutions are related to constant feedback of information obtained from people and objects in the problem situation.Problem solving involves the search for the most successful programs. However, successful problem solving may not so much be a search for a successful program as a search for the best problem space. It would seem, however, that both are required to increase the likelihood of finding good solutions to problems.Decision makingDecision making is effective when the leader is aware of and uses many methods to arrive at decisions. Consensus is often touted as the best way to make decisions—and it is an excellent method and probably not used often enough. But the team the leaser also uses majority rule, expert decision, authority rule with discussion, and other methods.Effective decision making is essential to a team's progress; ideally, leaders that are asked to solve problems should also have the power and authority to implement solutions. They must have a grasp of various decision-making methods, their advantages and disa dvantages, and when and how to use each. Leaders that choose the right decision-making methods at the right time will not only save time, but they will also most often make the best decisions.A key aspect of the leader's decision-making style, in bringing about productive synergy, is the ability to create opportunities for dialogue and shared reflection with others which lead to joint ownership of problems, solutions and decisions. Communication is crucial in the natural development of synergy. Simple techniques such as the use of open-ended questions can help to strengthen rapport as a necessary preliminary to peak communication, eg:†¢ ‘How could we do that better?'†¢ ‘What would be a viable option that would give us ‘x' but would avoid doing ‘y'?'†¢ ‘What would you really like to see happen here?'†¢ ‘What would you do?†¦ What would you do next?†¦ and then?'†¢ ‘How could we make  £50,000 saving on the fi rst stage of project ABC?'†¢ ‘Let's take your idea of starting with product development – then let's see it from marketing's perspective, before we commit to a decision'.†¢ ‘I like your proposal – let's build on that and see if we can improve on Graham's target'.The asking of ‘open' questions, in a non-threatening, non-judgmental way, with appropriate attendant body language, eg nodding, ‘mirroring' posture and gesture, reinforcing and adding to the other's contributions – are simple, but crucial techniques for giving positive messages of approval and encouragement. A demonstrable shift from authoritarian to supportively authoritative demeanour may be essential, before peak communication, synergy and ‘flow' – indicating personal authenticity in decision making – can come about between people, with the resultant mutual and shared payoffs.In the interests of both operational synergy and strategic crossfunctiona l interdependence, so-called ‘private intending' in decision making needs to function at a level which reconciles the need for fast, adaptable individual initiative, on the one hand, with necessary collaborative responses, on the other. As organisations reduce, hierarchically, and become flatter structures, with greater emphasis upon project team working, so decision-making needs to be considered increasingly, as a natural team process, as well as an individual role prerogative – particularly as crucial end results come more and more to depend, ultimately, upon willing and accountable collaborative effort.Team participationA team is a group of people who share a common purpose and work in a coordinated and interdependent relationship. Teams help members create a positive culture; one identified by high-trust levels. Team relationships allow members to align with the culture and the team’s purposes. They lead to synergy. Successful leaders who commit to — a nd deliver — outstanding results, do so as a result of the effective leadership and management of their teams. They understand that their route to success is, inevitably through engaging, focusing and mobilizing others' brainpower, horsepower and commitment.Team participation engages the mental and emotional involvement of leaders and followers: that is, the involvement of the member’s egos as well as their physical and mental capacities. Teaming also asks members to exercise their creative self and to increase their personal sense of responsibility through involvement. Team members need to recognize that the corporation wants their total involvement. And, when given, involvement increases the member’s sense of responsibility and ownership for the corporation and its results.If communication is the most important team characteristic, participation is the second most important. Without participation, you don't have a team; you have a group of bodies. Balanced par ticipation ensures that everyone on the team is fully involved. It does not mean that if you have five people each is speaking 20 percent of the time. Talking is not necessarily a measure of participation. We all know people who talk a lot and say nothing. It does mean that each individual is contributing when it's appropriate. The more a team involves all of its members in its activities, the more likely that team is to experience a high level of commitment and synergy (Depree 52).Balanced participation means that each team member joins the discussion when his or her contribution is pertinent to the team assignment. It also means that everyone's opinions are sought and valued by others on the team. Participation is everyone's responsibility. As a team moves from a forming stage to more mature stages of group development, team members must make certain that everyone is an active participant. If you have team members who did not participate early in the formation of the team, they wi ll withdraw even more as the going becomes more difficult. Two important things influence team participation: the leader's behavior and the participants' expectations.A leader's behavior comes as much from attitude as from anything. Leaders who are effective in obtaining participation see their role as being a coach and mentor, not the expert in the situation. Leaders will get more participation from team members if they can admit to needing help, not power. Leaders should also specify the kind of participation they want right from the start. Will everyone share their own ideas and then decide what to do or will the group discuss the pros and cons of the leader's idea?Leaders need to create a participative climate. They must make it a practice to speak last to avoid influencing others. Often a leader may put an idea on the table â€Å"just to get things started.† But what happens? Everyone jumps on the idea and stops thinking. People may feel, â€Å"Well, if that's what she wants, that's it.† Leaders need to reward risk taking. Those â€Å"half-baked† partial ideas that people bring up may be just what gets the team moving toward a solution, idea, or new opportunity (Denis, Lamothe and Langley 69). Leaders must always protect the minority views. Anyone can think like everyone else. It takes courage to think and speak differently.Conflict resolutionConflict, while sometimes productive, often represents a negative effect on organizational interaction. Diversity sometimes intensifies conflict. Differing values, customs, and beliefs among employees provide the foundation for conflict. This kind of cultural diversity can produce negative results, confusion, and stress. While diversity produces more ideas, it also forces people to clarify their views. Conflict resolution becomes a significant leadership task in which leaders become mediators of difference. They need to be power brokers to allocate influence and resources. Leaders often need to r esort to any of the following strategies for dealing with conflict (Storey 11):Domination – assuming the decision and rejecting dissenters,Containment – ignoring the issues, minimizing them, demanding rationality and objectivity in making the decision/dealing with the issues, maintaining control and confining the issuesCapitulation – getting one party to back down and surrender  Compromise – accommodating dissenters' positions insofar as is possible and asking each to give up some intractable positionsIntegration – seeking a conclusion satisfying to parties involvedSeveral forces are driving us to adopt conflict resolution strategies associated with values integration: the move toward excellence and cultural diversity, changes in demographics, and increasing pressure for innovation and creativity.ReferencesAutry, James. (1992). A. Love and Profit: The Art of Caring Leadership. New York: Avon Books, 1992.Denis, J.L., L. Lamothe and A. Langley (200 1) â€Å"The dynamics of collective leadership and strategic change in pluralistic organizations†, Academy of Management Journal 44(4).Depree, Max. (1989). Leadership Is an Art. New York: Doubleday.Storey, John. (2004). Leadership in Organizations: Current Issues and Key Trends. Routledge: New York.

Duquesne Education Essay

I have always held the belief that apart from scholastic excellence, a man’s education is incomplete if certain values and ideals are not inculcated into him. Having a degree is worthless if the degree you have does not have a positive effect on you. One question I ask myself is why must I be educated? Should we be educated because we want to back a good degree that will enable us get a good job or what? I offer my view of true education below. True education is not all about grades and certificates. True education must change who we are, affecting how we think. We should understand that as educated people, we should give back to the society. We are educated so that we can make a positive change in our society and be better persons than we were before we were educated. This should be the goal of true education In my quest to get a university education, I have had to put these considerations before me. For one thing, I just do not want to go to a school for the mere purpose of backing a degree. I want to be educated in an environment where I will be useful not only for myself but the society. I want a university where I can get the same degree and still have the platform of forming values that will make me a better person. I checked programs offered by different universities and how this helps in making me a better person in the future. Of all the universities I checked, I found the programs and the environment of Duquesne most suitable for me and having a degree from the university will make me more successful person in future. How am I certain of this? To begin with, the environment and programs offered by the university makes the student understand his/her role in the society. The various humanitarian programs instill some values into the student and help to shape his view about life and one’s relationship with his fellow man. In addition this, you can not graduate from Duquesne without learning responsibility. Your ideals will be transformed and this prepares you for the life ahead of you. I will also be able to develop relationships that will influence my life, people who believe in the same cause.

Homosexuality as a Deviance: Discrimination In Society Essay

Deviance is a behavior that does not conform to social norms, therefore is socially created. Since most people in the United States believe that homosexuality is wrong, society has created homosexuality to be a deviance. Since deviance is relative and not absolute to a society, homosexuality is not a universal form of sexual deviance. There are many cultures that accept forms of homosexuality. The Western society is not accepting of it though, and many times this non-accepting view cause discrimination towards homosexuals. Is homosexuality a way for some people to deviate, or is it just the way some people need to live their lives? If that is the way of life for some people than society has to become accepting towards this lifestyle. Homosexuals are a minority since they differ from the accepted sexual orientation. They become objects of discrimination and contempt. Some of societies anti-homosexual attitudes come from homophobia. Homophobia is â€Å"the irrational fears of homosexuality in others, the fear of homosexual feelings within oneself, or self-loathing because of one’s homosexuality. It stems from ignorance and popular myths that give rise to homosexual prejudice†(Crooks 255). Homophobia is expressed in many ways, both subtle and direct. Telling jokes about queers, belittling their lifestyle, denying them housing, employment, membership into organizations, and engaging in violence against homosexuals. Heterosexuals also express homophobia by avoiding acts that would cause people to think they were gay. It affects men the most like this because it hinders male friendships. Men do not want to get too close to their male friends, or express emotions because they might be considered gay. Homophobia restricts the lives of both gay and straight people. Laws against homosexual behaviors have been very punitive. In the American colonies homosexuals were put to death by burning or drowning. Sodomy, which is oral or anal sex, was against the law in the United States until 1961. Illinois became the first state to repeal the sodomy laws. Now only 13 states continue to have sodomy laws. Even though these laws apply to all segments of the population, they are usually enforced against homosexual men. † Sodomy laws are used to harass homosexuals, especially gay men,  because women in general and lesbians in particular are socially invisible in society†(Eitzen 304). An example of the injustice of sodomy laws is the case of Matthew Leeman. He has been sentanced to 17 years in prison under Kansas State sodomy laws. The details of the case are 18 year old Leeman was convicted of giving a 15 year old boy consensual oral sex due to violation of the state’s sodomy laws. In Kansas sex with any minor is illegal, but there is also a Romeo and Juliet law that states sex with a minor is less of an offense if there is little age difference. Therefore if Leeman had given consensual oral sex to a 15 year old girl he would have received a 12 month sentance. But under the sodomy laws all same sex activities are illegal regardless of age, so the Romeo and Juliet exception does not apply to him. The case was appealed all the way to the Kansas State Supreme Court with the ruling upheld. So 18 year old Matthew Leeman will be in jail until he is 36 years old. The Supreme Court has upheld the right of states to prohibit sodomy in the case Bowers v. Hardwick in 1986. Recently the Supreme Court has decided it will revisit the issue of whether states can continue to prosecute homosexual men for having consensual sex in their homes. A descion is expected in June of 2003. Bars where homosexuals frequent are often raided by the police and many are arrested under the sodomy laws. This practice makes it difficult for homosexuals when they apply for jobs. Applications for employment ask if a person has a criminal record. Since some gays have records for violation sodomy laws, they must write it on their application. Both these offenses, having a record and being gay, makes employment less likely. Homosexuals, especially males, are highly discriminated against in activities considered to be super manly. Up until recently a person could not be gay in the military. Homosexuals were honorably discharged from the military. In 1993 President Clinton attempted to change this tradition. He received much opposition from politicians, citizens and the military. The result was a compromise, a don’t ask, don’t tell rule. This meant that the military personal was not to inquire about sexual preference, and that service members were not to be blatant about their sexual orientation. Another macho activity is sports. Gay men in sport have not been accepted. † There is much at stake in maintaining the silence about gay men in sports and in  discouraging gay male athletes from revealing their identities†(Coakley 234). To even talk about homosexuals in sports would threaten the system of gender classification. The fact is though there are homosexuals in sports and they are discriminated against. In the locker room athletes use anti- gay banter as part of daily life. Homosexuals in sports live in fear of the truth about their sexuality coming out. Although recently studies have shown that organized sports are becoming less homophobic. People in sports are becoming more tolerant of homosexuals. But the value of a homosexual athlete is of core importance. † Gay athletes with high human capital are much more likely to come out of the closet to their teams than are gay athletes with medium or low human capital†(Anderson 12). As homosexuals are slowly accepted by society, the gender lines that inhibit so many will slowly be erased. Another way homosexuals are discriminated against is through family rights. No State in America allows marriage between members of the same sex. Aside from the emotional benefits, there are legal benefits that come with marriage. Health insurance coverage, inheritance of property, and tax benefits are just a few advantages that come with a legally recognized relationship. Parenthood is another aspect of life that homosexuals are disadvantaged. The rights of gay parents are usually denied. When two people divorce it is most often the mother that gains more custody. â€Å"However if the mother is an acknowledged lesbian, this may jeopardize her claim to custody†(Crooks 266). A homosexual man has an even harder time gaining custody, because he has a double disadvantage. Many gay couples are also denied the right to adopt children; in some states it is even illegal. Some lesbian couples have children through artificial insemination. The problem with this is that only the mother of the child is legally recognized as the parent. There are only eight states that â€Å"second-parent adoptions by lesbians and gays have been approved in California, Oregon, Alaska, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington D.C.†(Strong 356). Being homosexual should not prohibit people from raising a legally recognized family. There are two ways that homosexuals deal with living in a hostile society.  The first is to conceal their sexual preference from the world. When they are in the straight world they act heterosexual, and only within the confines of privacy do they act gay. The second strategy is to be a gay liberationist. Instead of keeping their sexuality a secret, they are openly gay at all times. They challenge societal norms in hopes that there will be a change in attitudes. Gay liberationist rose about in the early 1970s, after an event that took place earlier. On June 28, 1969, the police raided Stonewall Inn, a gay hangout. Instead of dispersing as usual, the customers rioted. This incident drew a lot of needed attention to problems of police harassment that homosexuals faced. â€Å"In effect Stonewall resistance came to symbolize the birth of the modern gay rights movement†(Eitzen 312). Since Stonewall there have been many positive changes for gay rights. Now there are laws to protect the rights of homosexuals, where as before they had no laws protecting them. More and more people are coming out of the closet and are proud to be gay (A). As time continues homosexual rights will become stronger. This will only happen with the help of heterosexuals. Education is very important in the fight for gay rights. People must be informed that homosexuality is not a disease, or a sin; it is just the way of life for some people. Homosexuals are not monsters who should be put to death. Homosexuality has been around since before the written word, and each society deals with it differently. Our own society is not accepting of it. These are just humans who have a different sexual preferences than the members of normal society. Homosexuals have relationships, families, and even children, most of which are happy and healthy. They do things heterosexuals do such as serve in the armed forces and play sports. Yet society discriminates against them, even to the point of violence. Even though gay activists have made some difference in how society views their lifestyles, it is not enough. There needs to be more of a change. We as society should be more accepting of these people. If not we are the ones being deviant, with our policies of discrimination and harassment. Work Cited. Anderson, Eric. Openly Gay Athletes: Dealing with hegemonic Masculinity And Homophobia. University of California Coakley, Jay. â€Å"Sport in Society: Issues and Controversies† 7th ed. Boston: McGrawHill, 2001. Crooks, Robert. Our Sexuality. 6th ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks and Cole, 1996. Curtan, Jim. â€Å"Gay Liberation=Spiritual Liberation.† Genre 81 (2000): 74. Eitzen, D. Stanley. Social Problems. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1997. Strong, Bryan. The Marriage and Family Experience, Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society. 7th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 1998.

Enter Thomas Hardy Essay

Enter Thomas Hardy, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Gerard Manley Hopkins and William Blake. The poets are seated around a small table in a crowded and agitated Chinese restaurant, at the heart of Texas. After the initial shock and excitement of their unwonted experience, they all meditate on the state of the world in which they have accidentally landed, poring over a newspaper cut that announces the death of a young girl as a result of heroin overdose. A heavy silence has set on the poets’ table, in strange contrast to the loud mirth of the small Chinese restaurant. Raising his brow, Hardy interrupts the silence. He speaks slowly, with a clear but tired voice: Hardy: Surely my beliefs are strengthened by this terrible mishap. If only there was a malevolent ruler of the universe to blame for the cruel death of this young girl. Then all our voices would roar against him, accusing him of injustice and absurdity. We would feel betrayed and angry that the supreme ruler of the world ill-uses his creatures so. But I see it clear now, as I have seen it and heard it so often in the mysterious and neutral voice of nature all around me: the universe is a hollow shell; there is no other voice in this world than that of nature and chance echoing through the ages and creating havoc in our poor, mortal existence. The death of this beautiful child is the answer of the impersonal and cruel force of chance to all our hopes and ideals. There are many of us who have fallen in love with the world and its wonders, as there are many of us who have always hated it. I have heard the world speak to me many times, warning me not to look for meanings where there are none. I have long heard it say to me not to look for promises in the web of uncertainties and in the play of chance. This is what the world has long said to me: `I do not promise overmuch, Child; overmuch; Just neutral-tinted haps and such’. This fair warning still rings in my ears today. There is only chance in this world, that is all there is. Nothing lasts and no sense can be made of all we see around us. We look for meanings where there are only occurrences. One happening follows another and we are at the mercy of chance and time. Despite our passionate search for answers, the nature sends back only a dispassionate, neutral response, playing its games and rolling the dices. Casualty is the most powerful governing law we have and there is no hope for escape. It is this â€Å"crass Casualty† that â€Å"obstructs the sun and rain†, giving us the good moments and the bad moments by turns. Nature follows its own logic, not ours. And time plays dice with the world, casting its sums of moans and joy and making us obey its impersonal and mute force. I do not see any other meaning in the death of this young girl. She, like the rest of us, was in the hands of chance. Had her life been long and happy, she would have owed it all to chance still. There is too much arbitrariness in everything to believe we are ruled by a God who reasons and who loves. Nothing happens for a reason. Do not further look for meaning in this my friends, for there are none and never expect much, for there is nothing more†¦ The others have listened in silence to Hardy’s disconsolate speech. When he ceased however, Tennyson began in a tremulous, shaken voice: Tennyson: Oh, my friends, these would have been my own words once. Like you, I would have looked upon this young girl’s death as the substantiation of all my aching questions. I have often felt like an infant crying desperately for knowledge, for the light of meaning to suppress the darkness of the world! At times there seemed to be no answer anywhere. I wanted to see that â€Å"nothing walks with aimless feet†, that there is no destruction of life and that everything that happens has a purpose and a meaning in the larger, unseen order of things. I wanted to understand God as the careful designer of all, the divine force that gives meaning to everything there is and does not allow anything to perish. I painfully wavered between belief and disbelief†¦ At times, I could not endure the thought that anything in the world was useless or devoid of purpose. If God was here with us, a mere worm would have its significance in the world and its place in eternity along with the whole of the creation. But oftentimes my belief and my need for knowledge stumbled on the carelessness of nature. I wondered many times whether â€Å"God and Nature† were â€Å"at strife†, seeing â€Å"that Nature lends such evil dreams†. The hope in a divine order of things seemed to be shattered every time I beheld the evil workings of nature. Truly, nature seems not to care for the individual life. It crushes and destroys and casts life away â€Å"as rubbish to the void†. To me also then nature was a nightmare I could not make any sense of. A while ago, this innocent girl’s death would have seemed another evil deed of nature, an unjust robbery. Life and man’s entire existence seemed so futile at certain moments†¦A mere girl dying for no reason, a whole life cut short because of a misplaced step†¦Oh, how easy it is for reason to doubt everything and for faith to die in the soul of man! But since, I have been shown a different path and for me faith has been renewed. Even at times like these, I feel that we have God in our souls, even if it difficult to perceive him in nature. I now know that it was the voice in my heart that has kept me from disbelief. Each time the voice of ‘cold reason’ interfered and questioned the meaning of all, â€Å"my heart stood up and answered: ‘I have felt’! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Reason made me blind at times, but my heart cried out and melted my anger with its passion. Our knowledge of God comes only in these moments when the heart answers eagerly and warmly to all our questions. The death of a child makes me sad beyond speech, but it does not harden me anymore. I now believe that death is just a brief moment that takes us from life’s shore to death’s domain and God’s infinite ocean. God awaits us on the infinite ocean and he will be our Pilot ever after, our guiding light in the infinite sea of time and matter. Once I cross over, â€Å"I hope to see my Pilot face to face†, and I hope that this young girl has already seen him†¦ Tennyson had spoken warmly and tremulously, his whole soul into the words that tumbled from him. From his shaded place at the table, Browning replied: Browning: Your soul is as pure as your faith, my dear Tennyson. We have reached this strange time and place in history to meet death itself and behold it through the eyes of a child. Mortals fear death, with its unknown grip that will surround each of us as a mist and transport us to some mysterious realm. Life is strange and death seems even stranger. Any mortal would feel shaken in front of this last and final struggle. But what could it be in the end, but one more experience and the last in this life? â€Å"I would hate that Death bandaged my eyes, and forbore and made me creep past. † I want to taste death to the full as I have tasted this life and feel the moment in its fullness. The girl has left this world but someone will be waiting for her on the other side and her soul will be filled again. Once I am gone from this world, I know that I will regain my lost love and clasp her in my hands once more. Death is but a brief moment, a struggle that will takes us to a place of eternal peace, where we will rest with God. This world is indeed full of chances and mishaps, but all these will be resolved once we are on the other side†¦If love has remained unfulfilled in this life, it will be rekindled in eternity. I do believe that we lose nothing by death and that the other life is as rewarding as this one. I do not fear death and only expect it to carry me back to my lover†¦This girl must have led a tormented life, the prey of her own restless desires and questions, like all of us. She will find her peace in the eternal life and she will find her place there. There is nothing to fear, not even death†¦I will wait for it but not as an end, only as a new and fresh beginning. Browning had but uttered these words that Hopkins began: Hopkins: Shake off the discontent that has intruded upon your hearts, my friends! You see the death of a child as a black and tragic event, and it certainly seems so when our mortal and untrained eyes behold it. Man is frail in the hands of the divine will, his powers are limited†¦. But the more mighty seems the everlasting ruler of the world! The drudgery of our existence seems to hide God’s glory from our eyes. â€Å"Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; and all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The earth itself smells of man and his works. Yet, in the midst of all this trade and toil we the world appears â€Å"charged with the grandeur of God. † His creation and power and infinite and so are the possibilities of the world. It is through God’s almighty design that we see light disappear in one part of the world, knowing that it suddenly begins to shine in another. Just like light and darkness always coexist, nothing reigns in nature for an unlimited period of time. Through the power of God, the good and the bad coexist in the world at all times. This girl’s death is compensated by another design of God, perhaps unknown to us at present. Only God could make all these different things come into existence at the same time. â€Å"Nature is never spent, there lives the dearest freshness deep down things. † Tasting life, with its good and bad moments, we taste of the very glory of God, who is careful to pour his infinite essence into everything there is. Death is not an end as long as God lives in everything, as long as joy springs up from each fresh beginning. Each day begins with a morning and ends with a night, and yet nothing is ever the same. God’s glory shines through all things, like a foil that you shake in the light. There are no dead things in this world; all matter becomes translucent and fiery with God’s light. With a death, the world may seem bent like a hunchback, crushed underneath the weight of loss, but overall I see the shining spirit of the Holy Ghost shaking its bright wings! The body of the world will ever be lifted by the wings of the almighty spirit! There is no permanent death and no reason for sorrow in a world in which we see the proof of God’s greatness in everything. Learn how to see the world anew, rejoicing in the immense power of the Lord, that is without beginning and without end†¦

Carolines Real Bread Company SWOT Analysis

Caroline’s Real Bread Company are a small village bakery who produce and sell a variety of niche breads to cater for specific needs. Emphasis is placed on high-quality, fresh organic products. Their products are sold through their website, farmers markets, food festivals and other outlets. They also provide bread for specialist restaurants and cafe’s. This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current state of the grocery market, and provides recommendations on the possible actions that should be undertaken for Caroline’s Real Bread Company to expend and take advantage of the current state of the industry. Methods of analysis used in this report include PEST analysis which analyses the external factors effecting companies operating within the grocery market, and SWOT analysis which is a method used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a company, and the opportunities and threats that are currently presented to them. This research draws attention to the fact that grocery retailers have changed during the past few years in order to react to customer demand. As a result of technological advantages, the demand for convenience is increasing and all major supermarkets now sell their products online. Further research has shown that the market size for fresh organic bread is increasing, and is forecasted to increase even further in the future. The growth of the market size of their products can be attributed to two things. The increase in health awareness amongst consumers who are slowly becoming more conscious of the foods they eat due to a growth in political campaigns alongside new food labelling laws, and the increase in demand for gluten free bread as a result of a steady increase in the amount of gluten intolerant people in the UK. The store competes in an expanding, competitive niche market. It has steadily grown whilst staying true to the ideologies behind it, resulting in Caroline and her company winning many awards. We recommend that the next step that Caroline’s should take is to expand their production capacity in order to take advantage of their distribution channels already in place. They should also refrain from distributing to large supermarkets who do not share their beliefs in order to keep their unique selling point and maintain their current customer base. Instead, they should aim to increase online orders through increased marketing and promotions. We suggest they should get involved in social media in order to increase awareness of their wide variety of products, and to generate more traffic to their website. Due to their limited budget, Caroline’s Real Bread Company should directly target those with special dietary needs as the niche is expanding and these are the customers most likely to buy their products. This could bring opportunities for them to increase their number of deliveries across the UK. The report also investigates the fact that the research conducted has some limitations. Some of the limitations include the fact that secondary data has been used, and that our recommendations assume that the state of the UK economy will not severely worsen in the near future. 2. Introduction and Aims Caroline’s Real Bread Company is a small bakery in Mid/South Wales since 1992. It has two partners Nigel Devlin and Caroline Frampton. Caroline is the baker and Nigel does the accounts. Their products are sold through farmer’s markets, food festivals, local organic box schemes and other outlets. It also supplies restaurants specialist cafes, outside caterers and one off events. Caroline won the Gold Welsh True Taste Awards in 2005 after expanding her business. They offer over 30 varieties of bread which are wheat-free and yeast free. In recent years they have been trying to expand themselves through technology, through online orders which can be collected from in-store or delivered (Carolinesbreadcompany, 2013). The aims of this report are to outline the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that impact the Grocery Market Environment. The Product specific market will be explored through a SWOT analysis. The report will highlight the recommendations to Caroline concerning her company and its current position in the market. 3. The Grocery Market 3. 1 Political The government launched an advertising campaign in early 2013 to promote healthier eating habits in the UK (BBC 2013). The main aim of this campaign is to increase the awareness of â€Å"hidden nasties† such as fat and sugar in popular foods. This campaign is the latest in a long line of government aided movements in order to increase health awareness in the UK, some examples of others being change4life and 5 A Day. This latest movement shows that healthy eating is high on the agenda of the current government. The government are under pressure to introduce new legislation to reduce the salt content in foods. The coalition is currently working with the industry, through the ‘Responsibility Deal’, to improve food content and labelling (Department of Health, 2013); however they are being challenged by labour to scrap this voluntary approach and to introduce tougher regulation and legislation in fighting foods high in fat, salt and sugar. One proposition includes a 30% cap on sugar content in cereals aimed at children. The on-going debates and propositions are increasing public awareness of healthy eating habits which benefit specialist local producers such as Caroline’s Real Bread Company. According to new government rules, the UK’s food industry will be required to include clearer information regarding the ingredients on product packaging from summer 2013 (FSA 2013). The new arrangement is front of pack labelling that combines the food content with the guideline daily amounts, showing consumers the percentage of their daily allowance that they will be consuming with the product. As a result of this, suppliers of foods high in salt, sugar or fat may need to rethink their production process or risk losing customers. This change, combined with the growing healthy eating awareness of the UK will again benefit companies who are producing organic foods with natural ingredients. 3. 2 Economic An increase in interest rates has led to less disposable income which may change their shopping pattern from buying luxury goods to necessities, thus restricting the growth of a company like Caroline’s (Times, 2013) (Keynote, 2012, p. 13). Additionally, a rise in inflation would increase the price of any grocery product, resulting in lack of growth in the overall market (Gurdian, 2012). Adverse weather conditions in Europe had a negative effect on wheat supplies, thus increasing the cost of wheat (Keynote, 2012, p. 11) (Julia Glotz, 2011). Retailers can either let their profits decrease, or raise their prices and risk losing customers, to combat this rise (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). The price of flour has also risen, by ? 75/tonne (Gyton, 2012). In recession, most companies face decreased revenue. As this particular business is more focused on providing good quality products, they charge more than supermarkets would, again resulting in a change in consumer spending habits. It has been noted (Keynote, 2012, p. 16) that people are spending over 30% more on bread but this is solely due to the rising price of bread – consumption is in decline. Corporate taxation has fallen; this provides businesses with a better financial environment in which to expand (PwC, 2011). 3. 3 Social Due to the worsening economy, consumers have increasingly attempted to recreate the restaurant experience in their own homes; thus the sales of speciality breads have increased (Keynote, 2012, p. 10). The market share for specialist breads is currently roughly 30% and it is thought that these breads are acting as replacements for the more expensive premium breads (Keynote, 2012, p. 25). Foreign breads have also increased in popularity, creating a niche (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) which could save craft bakeries that are now at risk due to the growth of the supermarket in-store alternatives (Keynote, 2012, p. 33). White bread sales are beginning to decline as consumers become increasingly health-conscious (Keynote, 2012, p. 32) and switch to brown, wholemeal, and ‘best-of-both’ type breads. These, and foreign breads, are more expensive than conventional loaves leaving retailers with the potential for greater profits. It is expected that part-baked white breads will keep white bread sales from dropping too severely (Keynote, 2012, p. 41). There are three major bakers, Warbutons covers a range of qualities while Associated British Foods and British Bakeries both have a high and a low end bread product (Mother’s Pride, Hovis and Sunblest, Kingsmill respectively). The low end products are targeting people who shop for everyday value. The premium loaves are often purchased by those looking for quality rather than value. Warburtons is the most direct competitor for small village bakeries due to the broadness of budgets it caters for and the range of qualities it produces. Small village bakers tend to hold monopolies as the villages for which they cater are often remote and without other stores. Caroline’s Real Bread Company is located in Merthyr Cynog, a village six miles from the nearest town (Brecon) and stores (Google, 2013). It is over four miles from the village to the nearest bus stop from which there is a mere thrice-daily service (Sirgarfyrddin. gov. uk, 2013), so the village is isolated and the baker has a monopoly. 3. 4 Technological Businesses use ecommerce and social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach a wider audience. This can be used for advertising and to collect feedback from the customer, for example: Tesco has made a Facebook page where they get connected with bigger audience where they post offers of their products and gain feedback from consumers. They are targeting a wider audience, separating themselves from the norms of company (Tesco, 2013). Development in technology also means the reduction in first hand skills. Skilled workers have been replaced by technology, improving efficiency and productivity. In 2011, British Food Plc was investing millions in upgrading its baking business by installing new equipments. Thus modernising its production pattern, improving efficiency and reducing production costs (Keynote, 2012). Premier Foods has increased automation and thus laid off workers to cut costs (Edwards, 2013) after their profits fell by 48% in 2012 (Edwards, 2013). Hovis used to have the concept of using only British wheat as their unique selling point, due to a plummet in profits they have had to abandon this and redesign their packaging, to survive (Edwards, 2013) showing how challenging the bakery sector is today. 4. Description of Product Specific Market The main competitors for Caroline’s Bread Company are supermarkets, bakeries and in-store bakeries. Bread retailers have faced increasing competition over the past few years due to new entrants in the market who believe they can make a profit. The main competitors are supermarkets and convenience stores who now have in-store bakeries making them a one-stop-shop. They can further their influence by having freshly baked products in their petrol stations, increasing convenience. Supermarkets will invest in their bakeries to provide a quick, easy and fitting shopping experience (SmartCompany, 2012) as a result revenue should rise. The increasing price of wheat and fluctuations in household income due to the economic crisis has caused demand and preferences to change, leading to consumers becoming more aware of the products they buy. The main consumers targeted are a small but expanding segment of the niche market. To combat the growth of competition, more innovative loaves and marketing campaigns are needed to increase brand awareness. Caroline offers courses that cement her brand ethic of fresh organic produce making consumers aware of the health benefits associated with eating wholegrain, rye and gluten free breads. Consumers who prefer quality produce, and are concerned with chemical additives, will benefit from Caroline’s speciality breads. By carefully geographically selecting her location and creating her brand to suit this, Caroline is maximising her brand exposure to the local market encouraging a loyal customer base. The main trend in the market that Caroline specialises in is the emphasis of healthy living. This enhances her opportunity to break into the catering market and supply her products to people for special occasions offered on her website. By displaying her products without packaging she adheres to the attractive product presentation that many customers desire with their organic purchases (SmartCompany, 2012). Consumers would find this appealing as there would be enough different varieties to appeal to various customers, which expands her segmentation and increases her client base. 4. 1 Strengths As a dietary staple and a cemented establishment, bread is a necessity. Caroline’s business is versatile and consumer-centric. Her company suffered losses due to under developed management skills (Guardian, 2006) but the company soon recovered and studied business management elements to become a recognised bread company. Caroline’s company has taken product innovation and expanded this to their benefit. To avoid high salt levels she ensures only organic ingredients are used, keeping salt to a minimum (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) as 80% of UK bread is processed (LoveFood. com, 2013). Alongside organic, the company specialises in making rye and soda breads as well as gluten free and yeast free products in order to cater to precise dietary needs. These can be delivered freshly door to door via the delivery service. The company also supplies local restaurants and caterers with various breads (Caroline’s real bread company,2013). This efficiency, versatility and product care linked with their customers specific detailing alongside their expanding availability of products enlarges their segment of the bread market from local people to people that may live further away as well as those that may not have considered the purchase of organic foods before but would now as they can buy into the ideals behind organic foods. 4. 2 Weaknesses With the bread market being dominated by branded products such as ‘Hovis’ and ‘Kingsmill’, it is difficult for a business so small to penetrate this market. Many consumers are unwilling to pay extra for organic bread. Competition between craft bakeries, such as Caroline’s, and supermarkets is fierce and harsh to penetrate due to the brand association and prices (Keynote, 2012). Due to the entrenched ideological beliefs that are indoctrinated into Caroline’s real bread company, the company is restricted to a small segment of the bread market. Caroline’s is restricted to those who believe in the organic wellbeing and are willing to pay extra for it. The company produces their bread so that it can be frozen for individuals who purchase in bulk (Caroline’s real bread company, 2013) to avoid waste, however this was not their intention for the businesses they were supplying. Nigel reports â€Å"we started supplying a local specialist food shop; selling the bread at just over cost price it later turned out that the shop was freezing the bread, undermining the whole premise of the bread company† (Guardian, 2006) in turn losing a customer and revenue as an effect. Due to their target market being so limited, their market segmentation is smaller than other brands that produce and promote to all customer types. A downside to bread is the shelf life is short for mass produced bread, and even shorter for freshly baked bread, resulting in 1 million loaves of bread being thrown away (Keynote, 2012). This becomes a further disadvantage for a small business such as Caroline’s real bread company. 4. 3 Opportunities There has been an increasing demand for healthier bread and bakery products in the UK economy due to healthy living becoming a more significant factor in people’s everyday lives. Larger bread companies will already be aware of this and will have targeted products towards this; however Caroline’s company is unique in that all products are completely healthy and have already targeted their products. This company has exclusive principles unlike larger suppliers (eg Hovis) who use bulking agents to increase the shelf life of their products, and are completely against using anything that isn’t natural or fresh. On their website it says ‘our business ­ is about producing products that meet the needs of those small but growing numbers of customers who demand only the finest quality food’ (carolinesrealbreadcompany. co. uk) which shows that the quality of their products is more important than quantity. This is a perfect opportunity for Caroline’s bread company to expand and grow due to the higher demand in the products that they already offer. As there is already an increasing demand for healthier bread products, there are also an increasing number of consumers who are adopting a gluten-free diet which is pushing up the demand for these products. Caroline’s offers over 30 different varieties of bread and already offer wheat-free bread so this is another opportunity for them to break into a new market and expand their customer base. They already offer gluten free and yeast free products so it wouldn’t cost them anything more to produce these products, it would just benefit their company due to a higher demand. 4. 4 Threats The increasing niche for freshly baked produce has created further competition by supermarkets against craft bakeries matching quality for less. Consumer perceptions are stimulated through the sensory system of smell. This could result in a change of brand loyalty once people realise that freshly made products could be purchased in similar quantities for less money. Although the ‘Real Bread Campaign’ has disclosed that only Marks and Spencer out of all big supermarkets actually make their bread from scratch and even then not all of it is freshly made from scratch. These companies use the sensory perception to lure in customers from independent bakeries (LoveFood. com, 2013). According to ‘Keynote’, craft businesses are dying out in favour of in-store bakeries (Keynote, 2012) due to their parallel innovation of fresh products. Part-baked and specialised breads, e. g. half and half, dietary, brown, are now being produced by Tesco (Tesco, 2013) and other supermarkets. ‘Food prices are expected to rise after the second wettest summer on record’ (Guardian) which has resulted in a poor harvest leading to an increasing price of grain hence an increase in food prices. The National Farmers Union (NFU) reported that wheat yields in England are down by almost 15% which has added to already been rising prices caused by a heat wave in Russia that destroyed a large majority of their crops. Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said: â€Å"The most recent figures are that wheat prices are up 29% compared with a year ago† (Guardian 2012). This is a major threat towards Caroline as this rise could result in a fall in profits as it would cost more for them to purchase their supplies. As a small company there will be more of an impact than larger bread companies. However, even ‘Hovis’ (premier foods) are struggling to sell their breads and they are known as the best-selling bread brand (the mirror 2012). They ‘struggled with soaring costs and cut-throat competition’ resulting in them losing its co-op contract to their rival company allied bakeries. 5. Recommendations and Conclusion Our recommendations for ‘Caroline’s Real Bread Company’ are that they should continue to distribute to the grocery market but not to large supermarkets as they do not share her ideological beliefs. As they have enough vans to distribute the products, we recommend that they should expand their production space so they are able to produce more products and try to distribute to places further across the country to establish their brand and attract more customers. In terms of their products there is an increasing demand for speciality breads which supermarkets do not sell many varieties of, so Caroline should see this as a product innovation and her bakery should focus on expanding into this market more. People are now more conscious of healthy lifestyles so we recommend that they should continue to focus on organic, dietary, gluten-free and wheat-free breads to continue to appeal to this expanding niche market. The target consumers for Caroline’s Real Bread Company should continue to be those who favour organic products over products that are not. Her beliefs on organic foods are the foundation of her business ideology and therefore this is unlikely to change. By targeting more directly those with dietary needs, such as gluten and wheat free products as these consumers already pay higher prices in supermarkets than other customers, therefore they may wish to look into Caroline’s company if she promotes these product more vigorously. Promotion can also be carried out by encouraging brand switching, existing consumers to purchase more, raising awareness of the brand and attracting new customers to her brand by trialling new products. This can be carried out by implementing multi-buys and incentives for example free vouchers and gifts. These can be promoted via online social media networks, for example Facebook, Twitter and other forms they will be able to make consumers aware of their brand and ideologies so that they can expand their customer base further. By doing this it can bring opportunities for the company to expand their delivery services to larger regions of the UK. 6. Limitations The majority of the data used was online secondary data. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information obtained. The report evaluates long term performance; looking so far ahead, economic conditions could change affecting the PEST analysis. For instance, our economic condition could for now be described as recovering from a double-dip recession, so in the near future the economy might be at a better or worst stage of recovery and this would affect the company’s target market. The bread market is constantly evolving and is susceptible to massive changes as a result of crop failures, adverse weather conditions, or the general economic climate. While it was argued that people who no longer go to restaurants due to the cost may now be buying more specialist and foreign breads to compromise, it must be noted that the breads in the restaurant were purchased from somewhere, perhaps even from the same wholesale baker, so this may not affect overall bread sales. What is also worth noting is that Caroline’s Real Bread Company operates within a small isolated community and has a monopoly in the grocery market for that village. This means it most likely has a steady flow of repeat customers, though the company also provides a delivery service and supplies commercial clients. Therefore expansion in their wholesale/commercial supply operations might be more beneficial than the suggested expansion in consumer retail operations due to the limited customer base. Another issue is the approach of the company – Caroline’s Real Bread Company pride themselves on being independent and local, if the desired method of expansion was in any way to threaten these attributes then the expansion would be to the detriment of the company. What must also be noted along these lines is that the bread is currently handmade; the company should consider the ultimate savings of automation against the attraction of handmade bread. The former might lose former clients who chose the brand for their traditional bread, yet it might gain customers looking for more inexpensive bread by a local company.