Homework - An Essential Part of Student Life free essay sample

Homework, as the name defines it is the work that is supposed to be done at home. Teachers generally make it a point to give something for homework. The reasons why homework is an essential part of a students life: Homework is important for the learning process The best way to get perfect at something is to practice it. When teachers generally give homework to the students, their main aim is to develop the student’s skills and enhance his learning abilities. Repetitive studying of the same topic helps to memorize it well. The speed of learning is definitely enhanced when anything is done again and again. This can definitely be attributed to homework. Sometimes homework also makes learning easier and interesting. Students don’t come to know when they have memorized things while repeating. Provides the required process This also helps them provide a proper procedure of how to study which topic is to be studied when. We will write a custom essay sample on Homework An Essential Part of Student Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The things are aligned in a proper fashion which indirectly reduces the burden of the student. Once a procedure or norm is set, students generally follow the same. This also develops a sense of discipline and responsibility in them. Teaches the importance of time management and deadlines Time and tide waits for no man. It is very true that the time once gone can never be regained. Students need to realise the importance of the time. They need to develop a good sense of time management. This is another major benefit that homework does for them. Time management instils a sense of responsibility in them. They become self- dependent. An icing on the cake is when they get appreciations for their work, from their teachers and fellow students. Time management helps them become a better and organized human being. Also they understand prioritisation. They slowly grab the importance of prioritizing things and activities in their life. They understand what is to be done when. Helps to improve on the students skill to review Students develop a very good habit of reviewing their performance and retaining abilities. Generally homework is the extension of classwork, so this helps the student to look back in the day activity and detect how much he has grasped. Although student at that point of time may feel that they are being burdened with such work. They would definitely realize one day the addition to their skills which take place with such homework. The windows of the mind are thrown open and students are made to think out of box. This enhances their creativity and helps them in developing self- judgement. Their reasoning and analytical ability is also enhanced.

Response to Goodbye To Berlin essays

Response to Goodbye To Berlin essays I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking (Isherwood 1). This phrase comes from the first page of Christopher Isherwoods most popular documentary styled novel, Goodbye to Berlin (1939). In this novel, Isherwood managed to establish a sort of matter-of-fact style by blending fact and fiction and achieving a naive, honest style for the narrator. The phrase I am a camera often appears in his work indicating his belief that a narrator should serve the role of a simple recording device (Caudwell 2). By achieving this, Isherwood provides the readers with an unsurpassed portrait of Berlin, a city in the process of internal decay, in the turbulent years of Hitler's rise in power. It is as if...Isherwood is masquerading as a war correspondent... (Piazza 2). Isherwood is the outsider looking in, observing a war (holocaust) in which he is not involved; but he does show glimpses and portraits of characters that have been affected by it. He immerses himsel f in the world of prostitutes, living almost anonymously in shabbily genteel and working class areas of the city and translating his experience of the demimonde image of what would eventually become the definitive portrait of pre-Hitler Germany, in Goodbye to Berlin (Summers 1). Because Isherwood brilliantly recorded what he saw, Goodbye to Berlin is a valuable social document, which provides an insight into Isherwoods handling the theme of war. In this research paper, the main concentration is set on the effects (private and social) the introduction of war, by the Nazism movement, has on the individual portraits (characters) of Berlin. Against the bleak but garnish background of a falling city, Sally Bowles, Peter and Otto, The Nowaks, The Landauers, and other Berlin denizens shuffle through their shabby cabaret choreography (Bryfonski, Harris 283). I...

Information system in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information system in business - Essay Example The company prides in large number of shareholders. Argo Investment Limited has more than 68, 000 shareholders. The company attaches the huge number of shareholders to its reputation, high capital, regular income, and great regard of their clients’ savings (Forde & Beelaerts, 2011:123). Australian Foundation Investment Company aspires to continue providing attractive investment returns to their clients. The objectives of this company are to pay dividends that have a steady growth and enhance capital, which its shareholders have invested. On top of this, Australian Foundation Investment Company aims to provide good total returns of shares not only in medium terms, but also in long terms (Australian Foundation Investment Company, 2012:1). Argo Investments allows individual investors, trusts, and companies to invest in their company, which has a professional management and diversified portfolio of Australian shares. Argo has been paying dividends to its shareholders annually since it started over 60 years ago. Argo has invested in 120 companies and trusts aiming to grow in capital as it continues to create value in Australian Securities Exchange. The company capitalizes on globalization of economy. In the light of benefits from interconnectedness of the world in terms of economy, Argo has invested in the businesses that have expanded their activities in different regions of the globe (Argo Investment, 2012:2). Argo’s assets attract a huge market. Its shares have been selling highly in the Australian Securities Exchange. The company does not have plans to dispose its long-term investment portfolio. In 30 April 2012, the cost per share in this company stood at $5.80. After deduction of tax, the price of a single share reduces to $5.32. Australian Foundation Investment Company gives a dividend reinvestment plan. Share acquisition plan issues capital and other raisings of the company (Argo Investment, 2012:1). I recommend that an investor should invest in

Transportation through the various parts of the Denver metropolitan Term Paper

Transportation through the various parts of the Denver metropolitan area - Term Paper Example After this point we were Pecos working our way onto West 56th towards Federal back onto Pecos via I-76 and followed this route all the way to West 106th where we turned around at North Glen marketplace and went back to where I started. In the interest of full disclosure I perhaps did not choose the best time to ride Denver’s Public Transit because my journey was largely during Rush hour and it was quite dark. At the beginning of my journey on 15th street one notces that the streets were eerily empty of pedestrians and some of the buildings are quite tall. Along this street the buildings are also separated by several paring lots above ground and traditional. All one sees for several blocks was empty streets and parking lots.The next major sight that we passed was Coors Field on 20th Street. Baseball season is over and the road is sided by two large concrete walls which gave a very unpleasant feeling. The next major transition was onto Navajo Street with its small house. Without question this region is distinctly residential but passes by the occasional tavern, Church or auto body shop. I remember seeing a small altercation by a bar I think was called the ‘Arabian Bar’. Aother sight that soood out in my mind was the ‘Bug Theatre’ Which had a large group of people outside of it although I could not tell of there was anything go on that evening. The bus eventually turning onto Pecos street where there were vast empty fields and huge houses or gigantic industrial park type buildings and mega parking lots with big box stores which then transitioned back into a largely empty residential area. It was a strange transition from tightly packed inner city to a more casual residential area and then finally into such an open area only to turn around and repeat the process. Although it was the case that I hardly saw any people outside of the inner city and the residential area for some reason being in the rural area on Pecos

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme Essay - 1

Analyze how Nguyen Du uses an element of literature to develop a theme in THE TALE OF KIEU - Essay Example People are compared to some objects belonging to nature and the world around them. This helps to understand the epic better and see the inner soul of its characters. So, if there were no connections between people and nature in The Tale of Kieu, it would not be so readable and interesting for the public. Even the first lines of the text under consideration remind the readers of their dependence upon nature. Thus, Nguyen Du writes that: â€Å"Blue Heaven's wont to strike arose from spite. By lamplight turn these scented leaves and read a tale of love recorded in old books† (Du 3). The first lines of this quotation hint that people live under the sky and it seems to be a living being for them, because only something that can breathe is able to ‘strike’. The major characters of the epic are compared to nature. For example, Chia-Ching had two beautiful daughters whose beauty is described with the help of this comparison. The daughters were named Van and Kieu. The firs t daughter is compared with flowers, plums, clouds and snow. This is easily proved by the following lines: â€Å"her face a moon, her eyebrows two full curves; her smile a flower, her voice the song of jade; her hair the sheen of clouds, her skin white snow† (Du 4). Another daughter – Kieu has much in common with autumn and spring. Her eyes looked like autumn streams. It was possible to see brows like spring hills above her eyes. Resorting to the use of these comparisons seems to be the best way for the author to describe the beauty of these girls. People are the part of nature; that is why no wonder that Nguyen Du creates the above-mentioned comparisons. It should be noted that people described by the author of The Tale of Kieu seem to live in harmony with nature. For example, when Nguyen Du gives more information about Kieu and her life, he mentions nature again. The connection between nature and Kieu is proved by the following lines: â€Å"She calmly lived behind d rawn shades and drapes, as wooers swarmed, unheeded, by the wall. Young grass spread all its green to heaven's rim; some blossoms marked pear branches with white dots† (Du 4). The grass mentioned by Nguyen Du is a symbol. It stands for Kieu’s youth. She is not experienced yet and the most important events in her life are still in the future. The protagonist likes sun and the earth the same way as grass. They seem to have much in common with each other; that is why it is one of the best images of nature applied by the author of the epic under consideration. The author of the epic resorts to the use of the image of moon very often. In the beginning of The Tale of Kieu it is used in order to describe Van’s appearance. Then, this very image is applied in order to show Kim and Kieu’s love. Why does Nguyen Du decide to use moon one more time? The moon is not affected by the spots that constantly appear on it. This does not prevent it from shining. The same situa tion occurs to Kim and Kieu. They love each other despite all the problems and people who are trying to stop them. Moreover, the image of moon occurs when Kim has to look for his beloved. Thus, here the reader may find the following line: â€Å"to fall in love, to part, to reunite – both felt mixed grief and joy as rose the moon† (Du 45). In fact, moon always was a symbol of love and romance; however, a few poets resorted to its use in order to describe tragic events. Nevertheless, it is successfully done by Nguyen Du.

First Order Change In Organizational System

First Order Change In Organizational System This study discusses the impact of change in the organization towards management and the challenges that the company have to face. This study used two main methodologies, namely: case study and interviews. A case study was used to study on the change of the organization which is based on first-order change. In addition, an interview was used to study the perception of the management towards decision making on changing. In order to achieve this objective, in-depth interviews were conducted with Assistant General Manager and the Marketing Executive of the Company. The change of organization can be seen through changing system in multi-level marketing to single-level marketing. The result from this study has been analyzed using observational method, structured interviews, and analysis of documents, in order to identify the impact from change system. It is expected that the findings of this study will give a clear understanding and awareness of the various challenges in managing effectiv e management towards change system. Keywords: First-order Change, Challenges In Changing Introduction This research project was conducted at Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd. (EEMSB), a Bumiputera owned company that markets health products produced by a network company named as Kumpulan Syarikat Doktor Azizan (KUSDA) situated in Jitra, Kedah. EEMSB is also one of a company under KUSDA apart from other support companies such as Homeopathic Laboratories (M) Sdn. Bhd. (HOMEOLAB), also the producer of most of the products of EEMSB, KUSKAMEI the producer of spices, Printing Era PDA (PEPDA) producing printed materials, Centre for Homeopathic Medicine Biochemistry PDA (PPHB) which is based on the homeopathic treatment clinic and biochemistry, College of Homeopathy Chamber of institutions in the field of alternative medicine and homeopathy and biochemical UNA Beauty House of Beauty Care Centers Face. Found by the late Prof Dr Azizan Bin Ismail, mainly focused to market health products developed by him which based on homeopathic medicine known as Biochemistry Schuessler, Herbalisme and Aromatherapy. Products marketed by EEMSB are based on the concept of Halalan Toyyiba which is a part of Islamic halal products and good for health. They have received many compliments because of its effectiveness is being proven successful. ListenRead phonetically   Dictionary View detailed dictionary By using the image of Prof. Dr Azizan as a trade mark and immortalize him on the products logo, EEMSB is now widely known throughout Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Even though the company was established in 2001 but actually the business had started since 30 years ago when the founder has marketed the products through his clinic which was operated in Jitra, Kedah. Later in 1985, he had made a stepping stone to appoint one of the companys based in Kuala Lumpur to be his distributor. This joint-venture business has carried out until 1989, when the late Prof. Dr Azizan had set up Sistem Era Edar Sdn. Bhd. known as SEE on the same year. At that time SEE was the company which deal the business located at Bandar Darul Aman which was known as Tanah Merah, Jitra. The business was conducted in conventional method and the distributor was appointed to distribute the products to certain areas or locations. This direct selling business has started when SEE is formed only on July 18th in 1991. In 1998, during the economic crisis, the company had no profit and faced loss because of the situation, which lead to retrenchment of some of the workers. Nevertheless, with the remain workers, the business is still active whereby, Prof. Dr Azizan , has formed a company name as Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd. (EEMSB) on the April 1st in 2001. EEMSB is placed as the headquarters for the Group Companies of Dr Azizan (KUSDA), now consists of 125 workers from the KUSDA and from the nine service centres in Malaysia by the concepts of multi level marketing. Literature review Change defined as an effort that consists of actual physical changes to operations and different emotional stimulation (Bernerth, 2004) is painful in the workplace, going from what is certain and known to the otherwise. So, organizational change is typically conceptualized as moving from the status quo to a new, desired, configuration to better match the environment. Change therefore can be seen as a departure from the norm or alternatively as normal and simply a natural response to environmental and internal conditions (Bernerth, 2004). Change is about adaptation and resiliency while maintenance is about continuing activities, structure and function. However the change of the organization might be first-order change or second-order change and this paper attempts to reveal the change of organizational is based on first-order change. First-order incremental change may involve adjustment in system, processes or structures but it does not involve fundamental change in strategy, core values or corporate identity (Palmer, 2009). Comparing with second-order change that is more radically transform. For Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd. the first-order change that they have being made is based on a few factors that we will be revealed. 3.0 Research Methodology Data collection involved interviewing with General Assistant Manager, Dr. (H) Mazelan Bin Ismail and Marketing Executive by Dr. (H) Che Normawan Bt Idris. All these data collection techniques have used observational methods, structured interviews, and analysis of documents. A qualitative design and Open Question was used in the interview. The research question was: why company makes a decision to change their system and how they cope with the challenges that came from company itself, members and distributors. Based on the questions, objective for the research was developed to create a clear understanding towards this research. It is related to three parts: perception from the organization change, impact from the organization change, implementation of organizational change. Objective 1: why they choose the system (Single Level Marketing) and how the members perception from the change? Objective 2: aimed to enquire to what extent the impact of the organization change and how the member and distributor accept the change? Objective 3: what is the strategy they used to implement the organization change? During interview, we conducted semi structured and audio-taped interviews with an average duration of 60 minutes. Two different interview questionnaires were used one interview questionnaire for General Assistant Manager that is more to the managerial question, the other one was for Executive marketing which is more to outside challenges. Topics covered in both interview questionnaires were the same with few different questions for each group of interviewees. Open-ended questions were carefully worded to be as neutral as possible without creating awkward situation or offending interviewees. Interview questionnaires for both interviewees were pilot tested to check whether there is any ambiguity or confusion of questions. 4. 0 Research Findings 4.1 Multi level marketing concepts Prior to this, when Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd. (EEMSB) used multi level marketing as their operation system, it is more to the head hunting concepts which is finding the person or agent or down line people to expand the business. If there is no one join, the company cannot growth well because of the strength of the program lies in the number of new members who join in and not totally depends on the product itself. However, repeat purchase will occur if the featured products have a quality and useful towards customers. The concepts of multi level marketing can be seen as:Read phonetically  Dictionary View detailed dictionaryRead phonetically  Dictionary View detailed dictionar The Company will take or appoint an individual as a member of the company or being as distributor to distribute the goods. Member or distributor concerned will appoint another individual (down line) to form their own network to sell a company products. Recruitment of new members or new distributors can be continued until its reach a certain level. Each member or distributors will get commissions / bonuses / incentives from private sales and the sales or distributors in the network (over-riding bonus). Figure 1: Multi Level Marketing Member 1 COMPANY Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd Supplier / Distributor Member 2 Member 3 Member 1 Member 2 Member 3 Supplier / Distributor Multi Level Marketing In this strategy, the seller recruits other distributors or sales people, and also receives commissions and bonuses on the sales they make. Down liners are necessary to increase the sales force, and thus generate a huge number of sales. 4.2 Single-level marketing concepts For the new system that EEMSB implementing now is known as single level marketing. Single Level Marketing (SLM) is a compensation plan for direct selling in which sales associates are paid only for their own personal sales activity. They do not recruit other sales representative and derive income from them as in a multi-level marketing (MLM) organization. The concepts of single level marketing can be seen as:Read phonetically  Dictionary View detailed dictionaryRead phonetically  Dictionary View detailed dictionar The company will appoint a sales representative or the sales agent and pay salaries or commissions or by the combination of salary and commission from the sale made. Sales representatives / sales agents were not allowed to nominate or sponsor sales representative and agent of the other sales. Figure 2: Single Level Marketing COMPANY Era Edar Marketing Sdn.Bhd Supplier / Distributor member Retailer Single level marketing- rewards the sellers for their personal sales activity. They do not sponsor any other member or distributorship or sales personal. Income from the business based on commission or bonus after sale of the products. 4.3 Change system and challenges Various aspects needs to be taken into consideration in assuming that types of organizational changes can be neatly categorized as small, adaptive, and incremental compared to those that are large and transformational. Mental frameworks, individual perspectives, the extent to which a change is directly relevant to a person and his or her activities, and the degree to which he or she accepts the need for change will all influence how the change is viewed. Here we choose to view from the management and members of the company. In view of the changes made by the company of Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd., Multi Level Marketing (MLM) changed to Single Level Marketing (SLM), an aspect of similarity by both are subject to the same Direct Sales Act 1993 in which this Act is to make provision for the licensing of those who carry out direct selling business, the regulation of direct sales and for other matters connected therewith. The concept of direct selling is where individuals were trained to understand their role not only on sales or sponsorship, but also it provides a unique channel to customers and consumers in accordance with the requirements at the time. Therefore, sellers are more alert and focused to meet the needs of users in the process of purchasing and selecting products. Advantages to members or distributors in direct selling activities are that they can become leaders to themselves, manage their own time, getting paid or the income of their own efforts, close ties and expand the number of their contacts. For the concept of MLM, the activities carried out require a lot of documentation. The three main purposes in this concept are to use, sell and sponsor. The management is only required to provide information and guidance to the major distributors to market the product. Distributors need to find and appoint down liners to market the product. This method not only promotes the growth of the company to grow in terms of membership but also users of the products. In MLM system, the bonus is based on sales made due and payable each month. It is in the form of incentives on sales made by down liners. For this method, the dealer does not have to work hard to get rewards. In this case the product will not change. Compared with SLM system, it involves three stages, using, selling and sponsoring. For SLM method, all levels, whether distributors or down liners should make one for the benefits and returns that can be redeemed immediately. Returns or benefits provided in the form of discounts or points. For this method, the distributor or down liners are equal. Business through the SLM method is simpler, easier, and does not involve down liners. It encourages more people to trade and indirectly over the companies and product output.ListenRead phoneticall   Dictionary View detailed dictionary Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Translate any website Nord-Cinema-France News.de-Germany El Confidencial-Spain Tom.com-China Spiegel Online-Germany Venezuela Tuya-Spanish Focus Online-Germany Onet.pl-Polish Pà ºblico.es-Spain à §Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¦Ã‚  Ã‚ ½-Japan NouvelObs-France Sueddeutsche.de-Germany Do more with Google Translate Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Translate any website Nord-Cinema-France News.de-Germany El Confidencial-Spain Tom.com-China Spiegel Online-Germany Venezuela Tuya-Spanish Focus Online-Germany Onet.pl-Polish Pà ºblico.es-Spain à §Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¦Ã‚  Ã‚ ½-Japan NouvelObs-France Sueddeutsche.de-Germany Do more with Google Translate Recently used: Malay > English English > Malay Malay > Malay Detect language Afrikaans Albanian Arabic Armenian Azerbaijani Basque Belarusian Bulgarian Catalan Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician Georgian German Greek Haitian Creole Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian Malay Maltese Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese Welsh Yiddish Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Translate any website Nord-Cinema-France News.de-Germany El Confidencial-Spain Tom.com-China Spiegel Online-Germany Venezuela Tuya-Spanish Focus Online-Germany Onet.pl-Polish Pà ºblico.es-Spain à §Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â‚¬  Ãƒ ¦Ã‚  Ã‚ ½-Japan NouvelObs-France Sueddeutsche.de-Germany Do more with Google Translate 4.4 Management Implementation In making this change, the management has set a strategy of gradual and prudent so as not to dramatically affect the distributor, down liners, workers and goods sold. The management provides a period of one year to dealers to make changes in terms of incentives and the income derived from the proceeds of the sale. Typically, the bonus will be paid once a month but the new system, bonuses and incentives are given immediately. The main purpose of the changes made was to make the business carried on is based on the characteristics of Islamic business and non-conventional. Revenue earned income is more beneficial and all parties share profits and earn rewards and benefits equally. An important aspect of the researchers model is the concept of the order or magnitude of change. First-order change is change that is consistent with prevailing values and norms, meets with general agreement, and can be implemented using peoples existing knowledge and skills. A change becomes second-order when it is not obvious how it will make things better, it requires people to learn new approaches, or it conflicts with prevailing values and norms. Second-order changes require leaders to work far more deeply with staff and the business community. They can disrupt peoples sense of well-being and the co-operation and cohesion of the business community. They may confront and challenge expertise and competencies and throw people into states of conscious incompetence. Different perceptions about the implications of change mean that a change that appears to be a solution to one person can appear to be a problem for another. To the degree that individuals and/or stakeholder groups in the company or company system hold conflicting values, seek different norms, have different knowledge, or operate with varying mental models of business strategy, a proposed change might represent a first-order change for some and a second-order change for others (Waters, Marzano, and McNulty, 2003). Change and improvement of this sort takes conscious effort that is focused on clear outcomes, it takes the right set of conditions in the professional learning context, and it takes time. We cannot assume that because people appear to have learned, it follows that they will change their practice or that because they have changed their practice, it follows that every outcomes will improve. The company faces challenges in which not all distributors who received the positive changes made. Some of them have ceased to be a distributor because the feel there is an injustice towards those who have been longer in the business. The new system requires them to work together with down liners and equally be rewarded, where else the distributor feels they are pioneer and deserve more attention and privileges. In applying the SLM system, the management should augment its efforts to educate and provide information on all targets for this system is accepted and fully utilized. Objectives are to provide convenience to all parties. While, the use of the old system, the company need to only provide training and information to the distributor against the new system at all levels who are involved. Accordingly, companies should be more active and require more aggressive actions in order to provide training strategies and to be more detailed in explanations pertaining to systems and effective use of skills through wider media. Educators at all levels of the system need to test the impact of changed practices on the diverse learners for whom they are responsible, using inquiry skills to judge when their practice possesses the desired outcomes and when it is not necessary and need to be changed. When such evidence-based practices are firmly embedded, they can generate their own momentum. Each view of change described above reflects the fact that changes in beliefs and understanding are the foundation of achieving lasting reform (Fullan, 2007). However, Understanding can follow action (Spillane et al., 2002). Learning may be deeper when it follows attempts to try out new practices, and so both practices and beliefs need to be addressed through a continuous cycle of inquiry within and between educators communities of practice. In our cognitive framework, the nature of the changes sought by policy makers is also important because some changes involve more complex cognitive transformations for implementing agents than others. Focusing on the balance between continuity, growth, and loss, Marris (1975) identifies three levels of social change. The first level is incremental change, which requires little or no alteration of the extant purposes or expectations of the people undertaking the change. Such change can be incorporated into existing schemas and frameworks rather than undermining them. The second level requires changes in the growth of some of the changes worked, but still have goals and hopes to remain intact the changes sought by an innovation, the greater the extent to which existing schemes must be restructured to form coherent understandings of the new ideas. (Spillane et al., 2002). The third level of change represents loss for the implementing agent, in that it necessitates the discrediting of existing schemes and frameworks. This level of social change is the most difficult to achieve (Marris, 1975). For example, change the way of incentives and bonuses based on any particular sale or points earned during the period that is does not require changes in goals and expectations of the company itself. From the interviews conducted, we found that effective communication played a significant role in ensuring the system successfully operated. This, in turn impacted on the products volume and the number increased of the distributors. Communication is important among management and employees or distributors, and also in sustaining relationship among employees. Most of the interviewed employees concurred that listening skills, as part of effective communication, is one of the key competencies that the management ought to possess at all times. Before, during and after the implementation of change, management should listen to their employees and distributors opinions and understand their perspective and feelings on the imposed changes. This would further help management to introduce future organizational change. 5.0 suggestions This research has revealed suggestions for management in the direct selling industry recognized as volatile and vulnerable businesses to external environment as to take what actions in order to smoothly implement organizational change. Emphasis on action orientated implications is to ensure that all issues and concerns are acted upon immediately without procrastination. When a decision to apply organizational change occurs in the direct selling industry, managers as being responsible for the success of organizational change should pay attention to their communication approach with employees or distributors, distributors attitude, perception of managers actions, distributors motivation and continuous improvement of the working environment. Consequently, the following actions are suggested: Action 1: Realize the value of effective employees and distributors cooperation and collaboration, motivation in the workplace. Before implementing a change in the system, managers should understand that different individuals hold dissimilar opinions about change. Also, not all employees, distributors and member are outspoken and willing to be honest with their managers or up line that is management. Therefore, managers should have the initiative to interact with employees and keep them informed about any organizational change. By maintaining communication and listening to employees, and distributor managers can understand their unfulfilled needs and resistance to change. Thats where, in the unfreezing Lewins stage (Levasseur, 2001) the communication should be improved between managers, employees and distributors. Action 2: During the implementation of organizational change, which is the moving Lewins stage (Levasseur, 2001), managers should be able to understand employees and distributors attitudes, but also they should keep in mind Conners (1998) stages of human cycle of negative response in related industry, such as stability, immobilization and denial. As leaders, managers should guide and direct employees along the organizational change process, be aware of importance of employees motivation to proceed with change, and be receptive to new ideas that come from employees. Listening and explaining to employees is a necessary process to convince them about the projected benefits that are expected from the introduced change. Action 3: As soon as the change is implemented, which is the refreezing Lewins stage (Levasseur, 2001) managers should continue to communicate with employees about the change implemented. This will promote an open exchange of ideas and information among all parties. By being attentive, managers can discover to what extent change affects employees especially distributors and take corrective actions immediately to support them. For example, managers should be aware that although organizational change impacts that bring positive results into the related industry do not necessarily bring positive outcome to their distributors. Change of a working system especially in selling and marketing the product may increase employees income with extra workload creating fatigue and low spirits. To distributors this is such a challenge for them to work hard than the old days just sponsoring the down liners to get benefits. We can conclude that, before the change occurs it seems important for managers to have thorough analysis of the implementation of organizational change to enable to determine at extent the change is beneficial to both management performance and employees. Since the direct selling industry requires a high labour input, management should pay attention to different kinds of impacts imposed on employees. They should, in particularly, keep in mind employees motivation create an environment that encourages employees to accept change and sustain the companys product competitiveness. 6.0 Summary Research has been done in Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd., we identified that observational method, structured interview and analysis of document is used in research. We found the company is using first order change. Hence we recommend three action plans should be implemented in order to enhance the development of the Company. Methods are as employees motivation, accept change and sustain product competitiveness. As a conclusion, this study was done successfully and had achieved its objectives to study on how SLM works in the company. We found that effective communication played a significant role in ensuring the system successfully operated. Communication is important among management and employees or distributors, and also in sustaining relationship among employees. Understanding the people involve and communication are part of effectiveness of the implementation the system. 7. Acknowledgements We would like to thank Era Edar Marketing Sdn. Bhd. (EEMSB), for their support and permission in providing the research grant for us to study about the change in organization in order to complete our research and achieve the objective of this course.

Governmental Abuse in America :: Politics Political Essays

Governmental Abuse in America The U. S. government has been expanding its influence on the personal lives of American residents for many years, particularly during the twentieth century. This growth has disabled people's abilities to take care of themselves and their loved ones, and ruined their chances at personal growth and development. Once a vehicle solely for the preservation of a free and peaceful society, the U. S. government has distorted our country into a nightmare police state. The short-term beneficiaries of continued and expanded lawful encroachment are only the government officials themselves and the criminal underground who gain more power with every newly prohibited good in their black market economy. The primary cause of this governmental abuse is the collective will of the people. The vast majority of individuals refuse to allow other people to act in ways that are foreign to them. One set of laws that has destroyed many people's lives is the asset forfeiture system. These laws are in place as a consequence of the government's drug policy, where inflated profits can be made as the illegality of the product limits supply. "Police stopped 49-year-old Ethel Hylton at Houston's Hobby Airport and told her she was under arrest because a drug dog had scratched at her luggage. Agents searched her bags and strip-searched her, but they found no drugs. They did find $39,110 in cash, money she had received from an insurance settlement and her life savings; accumulated through over 20 years of work as a hotel housekeeper and hospital janitor. Ethel Hylton completely documented where she got the money and was never charged with a crime. But the police kept her money anyway." (Wollstein) Another government practice that has caused many people considerable duress is racial profiling. The main reason this practice isn't condemned to the point of prosecuting enough officers to discourage its use is that the people who are hurt by it are not like them. The victims of these attacks are thought to be alien, somehow related to the actual criminal element and probably deserving anyway. When people think of themselves being negatively affected by a police procedure they take an interest in actually preventing these things from happening. "Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Rayford Means got lost three years ago, driving through Pennsylvania's Chester County. A policeman pulled over his car and asked why he was in the area.

Despotism: Political Philosophy and 14th Century Essay

The Renaissance developed a new and unique form of politics referred to as Despotism. Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. The single ruling entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy. The great Renaissance historian John Addington Symonds refers to the 14th and 15th Centuries in Italy as the â€Å"Age of the Despots. † It was under the tyrannies, in the midst of all the wars and revolutions, that the Italians were given the chance to develop their peculiar individuality. This individuality determined the qualities of the Renaissance and affected Europe as a whole. Italy, due to their unique form of politics, was able to lead the way in the education of Western races, and was the first to distinguish Classical and Medieval life. The conditions that led to this new form of Political government were distinctive to Italian urban life. By the 14th Century, Italy was divided into many principalities surrounding city-States. The cities were an integral part of life in Italy due to commerce, and Italians were the first to reap the benefits of new and increasing trade due to their favorable geographic position in the Mediterranean Sea. Because there was a constant political and class struggle in the cities, Italy lacked a central authority of power. In cities such as Florence, Pisa, and Milan, the age-old rival between Pope and Emperor played itself out. The Guelph party supported the Pope, while the Ghibbiline party supported the Emperor. Civil wars were fought in the cities and ended with a despotism system of ruling, either with an oligarchy or an autocracy. The forming of these authorities was crucial, because peace is essential for trade, and the surplus wealth from commerce is what led to the growth or art and literature, which began the Renaissance. The despots, who were the powerful rulers during despotism, were not from traditional dynasties, and therefore they reached their positions of power in various other ways. Some were appointed by the Holy Roman Emperor to assert his rule, as was the case for the Visconti of Milan in the 14th Century. Other despots were hired soldiers, who later became rulers of the cities they were hired to protect, as was the case for the Sforzas in Milan in the 15th Century. Some despots were elected Mayor of their towns, some controlled their town’s elections- as the Medici family in Florence did, and some despots ruled solely because they were the sons and nephews of Popes. Due to their various ways of gaining power, the despot was usually not from a traditional dynasty, and therefore they did not have the traditional loyalty of the people. Each despot had to gain the loyalty of the people either through a winning personality, or by being clever in the political game. The Despotic court had to set its own rules, which were eventually written down in the Book of the Courtier, which became the guide book for the courts of Early Modern Europe. The most important and the most influential work dealing on Despotism is Machiavelli’s The Prince, and Machiavelli is considered by some to be the father of modern Power Politics. The Italian Renaissance was essentially a mind-set, a collection of powerful attitudes and beliefs. The development of despotism pacified the country from the chaos of their constant civil wars, and allowed them peace, which was essential for trade. As commerce reopened, people began traveling freely, and the level of education began to rise as well as the amount of books that were read. This soon led to an overwhelming growth of literature and art, of which the Renaissance is famous for.

What the Ears of the Adolescence Hear essays

What the Ears of the Adolescence Hear essays What the Ears of the Adolescent Hear Pop culture expert Michael Paretti once said that people are influenced by the media in the way they dress, talk, relate, spend their money, define social problems, identify with prominent but insignificant personalities and in the kinds of ideological images they embrace. But the term media is broad, is he talking about television, radio or movies. Media includes all these sections but music is its largest player. According to Kathleen OToole adolescents actively or inactively listen to music three to five hours a day. That is mare than any statistic for television, video game, computer use or Internet. What does this mean? It means that music potentially has the biggest effect on adolescents out of the sections of the media. Peter Christenson and Donald Roberts, authors of the book Its not only Rock and Roll say that Music matters to adolescents, and they cannot be understood without a serious consideration of how it fits into their lives, meaning no adolescent can be prop erly interpreted or counseled without knowing how the music the adolescent listens to effects their life. Music affects every angle of teen development from the personality in which they dress and speak to the social groups they confide in. Music is often used as a channel to express and enhance moods and emotional states. This can cause an adverse range of effects. An adolescent in a good mood listening to a happy song can have improve self esteem, outlook on life, tolerance of annoyances; an angry outraged adolescent listening to some destructive goth or heavy metal may feel the need to break something, hurt someone or even hurt him or herself. Its not what the music says but whose mind is processing the meaning of the music. Marilyn Manson said himself I am not, nor have I ever been or ever will be a devil worshipper, its tha...

Organic Products Essay Example

Organic Products Essay Example Organic Products Essay Organic Products Essay Definition of Ecopreneurship The term â€Å"ecopreneur† is derived from two terms which are â€Å"entrepreneur† and â€Å"ecology. An entrepreneur is a person who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods and who accepts the risks associated with them. (Schaper, Michael. 2002) He can be anyone who identifies an opportunity in a market and has a belief that it would succeed in the economy and on that belief he starts exploiting the opportunity. They may create a new organization or may be a part of an existing organization where they revitalize the organization in response to their perceived opportunity. Generally, the word entrepreneur is used to denote a person who starts a new business but with time and more understanding of the subject, the revised definition of an   entrepreneur also includes â€Å"intrapreneurs†, that is an entrepreneur operating within a corporate environment. Entrepreneurs are the strategic factors in economic development and the central factors in the trade cycle as they are the driving force of an economy. Ecology or environmental biology is the branch of biology which takes into consideration the examination of living organisms in the natural environment. It includes the study of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. (Goliath. 2002). The ecology has reached enormous importance in the last years because of man’s interest in the environment in which he lives and to find ways to protect the environment in order to make it sustainable. The word ecopreneur is a portmanteau of â€Å"ecological† and â€Å"entrepreneur. An ecopreneur is an individual who is focused on ecologically-friendly issues and causes, attempting to do business in a way which benefits the environment. He may not be a person or entity only involved in products like solar powered cells, water conservation system or compostable packaging. In fact, an ecopreneur is anyone who ranks environment more than or equally to profits as his most effective criteria as a business owner (reuters, 2007) . While many entrepreneurs may be motivated, at least in part, to the mantra of â€Å"greed is great† on their journey to becoming a millionaire, growing numbers of ecopreneurs are adopting a different course, focusing on solving the problems facing society through the businesses they create, greening their bottom line. Many are redefining their wealth, as we have, not by the size of their bank account or square footage of their home. Wealth is defined by life’s tangibles: health, wellness, meaningful work, vibrant community life and family. †(John Ivanko. . The main aim of an ecopreneur is to build a firm which is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Sustainability development is a pattern of resource use such that it not only meets present human needs, but also preserves the environment so that the resource can also be utilized by the future generations. Sustainable business, or green business, is enterprise that has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy- a business that strives to meet the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit). Often, sustainable businesses have progressive environmental and human rights policies. In general, business is described as green if it matches the following four criteria: * It incorporates principles of sustainability into each of its business decisions. * It supplies environmentally friendly products or services that replace demand for nongreen products and/or services. * It is greener than traditional competition. * It has made an enduring commitment to environmental principles in its business operations. Who is an Ecopreneur An entrepreneur whose business efforts are not only driven by profit, but also by a concern for the environment†. (Schuyler. 1998). The terms such as â€Å"Sustainopreneur†, â€Å"environmental Entrepreneur† and â€Å"eco capitalist† are synonymous with ecopreneur. The characteristics of ecopreneur are: * They all undertake business ventures which involves a measure of risk * They must identify a feasible business opportunity * Th eir activities must have a positive impact on the environment. * The degree of intentionality separates ecopreneur from accidental entrepreneurs. Principles of ecopreneurship There are some basic principles and measurements that can help guide the practice of ecopreneur and provide some basic standards of principle to this emerging group. 1. Energy and Resource Use Efficiency and Maximization: â€Å"In nature, one-way linear flows do not long survive. Nor, by extension, can they long survive in the human economy that is a part of the earths ecosystem. The challenge is to redesign the materials economy so that it is compatible with the ecosystem†. (Lester Brown. Earth Policy Institute). By minimizing waste production and maximizing reuse of waste streams, sustainable business can potentially significantly increase profits. 2. Ecosystem Services: Services related to protection of ecosystem and natural resources and preventing environmental degradation can be an inspiration for a green business idea for ecopreneurs. 3. Natural step principles: Ecopreneurs can see potential risks, such as extinction of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust or overharvesting etc, as opportunities for success through green business. 4. Eco- efficiency and eco-effectiveness: Ecopreneurs should find methods of decreasing waste while increasing productivity such that the waste of the production process and the product itself can be the raw materials of a new product of service. Drivers and Challenges The driving forces behind ecopreneurship are as follows: 1. Global population growth: Ecopreneurs realize that as the resources and land area is limited, so it is their responsibility to ensure that there are enough resources not only to fulfill the needs of the current population which is growing continuously, but also for the future generations. Hence they should find ways to conserve energy, materials, and resources by developing new technologies or finding ways to control birth rate and finding ways to meet the food and shelter demand for the growing population in order to make sustainability possible. 2. Increasing life expectancy: Ecopreneurs value life, not only their own and of family members, but of the whole humanity. They want everyone to live a longer and healthier life, that is why they develop products and ways to increase life expectancy such as healthier food, purified water etc. . Climate change: Climate shapes the way we live on this planet and the way we live, work and play is advertently changing the climate. The pollutants released in the air due to use of fossil fuels is adversely affecting the climate. In order to sustain the climate, ecopreneurs are involved in finding alternate ways to produce energy such as using wind, water and solar energy. 4. Resource scarcity: The diminishing natural resources are a great issue as we will be left with no natural resources if we do not sustain them. In order to sustain them, ecopreneurs constantly look for alternatives by recycling them or using a cheaper, abundantly available resource if possible. 5. Lack of equity in the world: The people of the world are living in a continuum, with one end which has all the facilities of the world including the best quality food, water and home, while on the other end are people who do not even have the basic necessities of life. Ecopreneurs want to make sure that every living being on the world is treated equally so that no one is deprived of anything. That is why they are active members of movements such as WTO and also find ways to produce goods and services affordable by everyone. They are also involved in philanthropic acts such as giving charity donations to help the deprived people of the society (Environlution, 2010). Organic Food as Eco Friendly Product Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution. Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. ORGANIC VERSUS CONVENTIONALLY- PRODUCED FOOD Although the attributes associated with organic foods may be difficult to identify by visual inspection alone, most consumers purchase organic products because of a perception that these products have unique (and in some cases superior) attributes compared to conventionally grown alternatives (Vindigni et. al, 2002). On the other hand, a major rea son why some consumers do not purchase organic foods is linked to a perception that such foods are not better than their conventionally produced alternatives (Jolly et al. 1989). There is, thus, a continuing debate about whether organically produced products are superior to and/or different from conventionally produced alternatives and, if so, in terms of what characteristics. * CONSUMER AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD The environmental ethic that gained worldwide prominence with Earth Day 1990 placed emphasis on individual responsibility (for personal health) and social action (on environmental quality and animal welfare) (MacEachern 1990; Jolly, 1991). Personal responsibilities include making informed consumer choices. This, in turn, requires consumer knowledge and awareness about competing products. Knowledge and awareness have other direct and indirect effects on attitudes toward consumer products, and the willingness to pay a price premium. Because organic products are credence goods, consumers (unlike producers who are aware that their products are organic) may not know whether a product is produced using organic or conventional methods, not even after repeated purchase and consumption, unless they are told so (Giannakas, 2002). Thus, awareness and knowledge about organically produced foods are critical in the consumer purchase decisions. If an individual cannot clearly differentiate between two alternative products, a price premium on the organic product can confuse and/or affect the individual’s purchasing decision, in favor of the cheaper product. Most studies on consumer knowledge about organic products reflect a conceptual belief that is true and justified. Consequently, studies typically use measurement methods that essentially rely on correctness to answers on survey questionnaire (Hunt, 2003). Correct (or incorrect) responses imply that the respondent has knowledge (or does not have knowledge) about organic foods and products. Hunt (2003) has noted some limitations associated with such a narrow definition of consumer knowledge, and proposed a wider definition and measurement that captures other important, but often neglected, dimensions of knowledge. Studies that investigated the level of consumer awareness and knowledge about organic foods include Jolly et al. (1989), Ekelund (1990), Akgungor et al. 1997), Hutchins and Greenhalgh (1997), Wang et al. (1997), Compagnoni et al. (2000), Environics (2001), Oystein et al. (2001), Kenano? lu and Karahan (2002), Cunningham (2002), Demeritt (2002), Hill and Lynchehaun (2002). A critical review of these studies suggests that, overall, there is some consumer awareness about organic foods around the world. This awareness is high especially in Western Europe, where the organic market is relatively well developed, compared to other reg ions of the world. Consumer awareness of organic products in North America compares reasonably well with that of Western Europe. Although there is general consumer awareness around the world, the literature also suggests that consumers have inconsistent interpretations about what is ‘organic’. For example, in a survey of consumers in three California counties, Jolly et al. (1989) found that respondents associated organic produce with no pesticides, no artificial fertilizer, no growth regulators, and residue-free products. Similarly, survey respondents in the UK perceived ‘organic farming’ to imply absence of chemicals, ‘absence of growth hormones’, and ‘not intensively grown’ or ‘products grown naturally’ (Hutchins and Greenhalgh, 1997). In a more recent study for the UK, respondents described organically produced food as one that is more natural and healthy, compared to conventional food (Hill and Lynchehaun, 2002). Furthermore, there was no difference in the UK consumers’ understanding of â€Å"organic† among organic and non-organic food buyers. In other words, both buyers of organic and non-organic products felt that organic alternatives have no pesticides and/or use no chemical fertilizers, and are natural and healthy. In contrast, Jolly (1991) reported a substantial difference in how US buyers and non-buyers rated organic product quality, compared to conventionally grown products. Consumer knowledge and awareness will continue to be important in the organic food market in two respects. First, there is still a segment of the potential market that is not yet informed about organic foods. For example, in a US study which reported that knowledge and awareness was considered the number one reason why consumers do not buy organic food, 59% respondents indicated that they never considered organic products because they did not know about them (Demeritt, 2002). A second dimension to the knowledge and awareness puzzle is the possibility that those who do not consider organic products may have a general knowledge about them, but do not have enough detailed information to clearly differentiate the unique attributes of organic from conventionally grown alternatives. In summary, knowledge and awareness about organic products can affect attitudes and perceptions about the product and, ultimately, buying decisions. If the skepticism about organic products stemming, in part, from reported cases of mislabeling and fraud are assuaged, perceptions about the appeal and inherent characteristics of organic may translate into actual demand. * CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS Consumers actions regarding organic food stem from attitudes that in turn, are linked to a complex set of ideas, motivations and experiences. Beliefs and perceptions are highly subjective notions (Fishbein and Ajzein, 1975), because they reflect opinions about the objective state of the world. Although in reality such perceptions may or may not be true, the individual who holds the perception thinks that it is true. Given Lancasters (1966) notion that consumers demand bundles of product characteristics, perceptions about particular (desirable) characteristics of organic food can influence a buyers choice. Studies on consumer perceptions about organic versus conventionally produced food therefore attempt to determine what consumers think is true. By comparison, consumer attitudes are likes and dislikes. That is, the positive and negative orientations toward organic or conventionally grown food. Weistberg et al. (1996) argued that consumer preference for a particular product is based on attitudes toward available alternatives. Thus if consumers are asked to indicate their preferences regarding organically versus conventionally produced food, such respondents typically compare their attitudes toward the methods of purchasing the goods, and/or the product characteristics under consideration, before stating their preferences. Although particular attitudes are often assumed to lead to specific behaviors, the food and nutrition science and social-psychological literature provide limited evidence to support the assumption (Goldman and Clancy, 1991; Sims, 1980). Overall, the scholarly literature suggests that various consumer attitudes work in contrasting ways- for and against purchasing organic products. Several consumer studies have been undertaken in North America and Europe to assess consumer perceptions about organic foods (e. g. Hay, 1989; Ott, 1990; Huang et al, 1990, Huang et al, 1993; Misra et al, 1991; Jolly et al, 1989; Jolly, 1991; Goldman and Clancy, 1991; Ekelund, 1990; Baker and Crosbie, 1993; Swanson and Lewis, 1993; Groff et al, 1993; Sylvander, 1993; Buzby and Kees, 1994; Byrne et al, 1994; Fricke and von Alvensleben, 1997; Hack, 1997; Hutchins and Greenlagh, 1997; The Packer, 1998; Thompson and Kidwell, 1998; Oystein et al, 2001, O’Donovan and McCarthy, 2002; Jolly, 2001; The Packer, 2001; Demeritt, 2002; Wolf, 2002; Cunningham, 2002). The key findings from selected studies on consumers’ attitudes and preferences about organic foods are summarized in Table 4. Most of these studies concluded that consumers purchase organic foods because of a perception that such products are safer, healthier, and more environmental friendly than conventionally produced alternatives. Some studies reported health and food safety as the number one quality attribute considered by organic product buyers. Concern for the environment was less important compared to food safety and health concerns, suggesting that such consumers might rank private or personal benefits higher than the social benefits of organic agriculture. * CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR ORGANIC FOOD Consumer preference for organic food is based on a general perception that organic products have more desirable characteristics than conventionally grown alternatives. Apart from health, food safety and environmental considerations, several other product characteristics such as nutritive value, taste, freshness, appearance, color and other sensory characteristics influence consumer preferences (Bourn and Prescott, 2002). Studies that investigated the effect of organic quality attributes and other characteristics on consumer preferences include Jolly et al. , 1989; Hay, 1989; Ekelund, 1990; Jolly, 1991; Jolly and Norris, 1991; Sylvander, 1993; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Huang, 1996; Kyriakopoulos et al. 1997; Schifferstein and Oude-Ophuis, 1998; Akgungor et al. , 1997; Mahesh et al. , 1997; Land, 1998; Torjusen et al. , 1999; The Packer, 2001; Meatnews, 2001; Loureiro et al. , 2001; Aguirre, 2001; Demeritt, 2002; Wolf, 2002; and Cunningham, 2002. These studies differ in several respects, making comparisons across studies difficult. For example, there is inconsistency in defining the concept of quality. Thus, while some studies examined quality in terms of both sensory and nutritive characteristics, others differentiate sensory characteristics from nutritive attributes. Thus, different studies may have conveyed different notions of quality to the various survey respondents. In general, the empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that product quality characteristics affect consumers’ preferences for organic food; with the most important including nutritional value, economic value, freshness, flavor or taste, ripeness, and general appearance (especially of fruits and vegetables). Wolf (2002), for example, reported that respondents in California rated fresh-tasting and fresh-looking grapes as the most desirable attribute. Other North American surveys that ranked taste as the most important quality characteristic influencing consumer demand include The Packer (2002), Cunningham (2002), and Demerit (2002). The Packer (2002) reported that 87% of US respondents identified taste as the primary factor considered in the purchase of fresh produce. Cunningham (2002) also reported that 93% of Canadian respondents prefer food products with good taste. In contrast, studies for other parts of the world (e. g. , Jolly et al. , 1989; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Torjusen et al. 1999) reported that consumers ranked nutritional value and freshness higher than taste and other related quality characteristics. While most studies reviewed for North America tended to suggest that consumers rank taste and related sensory characteristics as more important than food safety and environmental concerns, studies in the other regions (such as the EU) tended to place health and food safety, and environmental concerns at the top of the pr eference ranking (see, for example, Sylvander, 1993; Shifferstein and Oude Ophuis, 1997; Akgungor et al. 1997; Aguirre, 2001; Sandalidou et al. , 2002). What seems clear, and consistent across studies, is that consumers in all regions tend to prefer locally grown organic produce, compared to shipments from other places. In addition, organic product purchase decisions tend to be influenced more by product quality and other inherent characteristics, than by price premium. On the other hand, several studies (e. g. , Sylverstone, 1993; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Davies et al. , 1995; Roddy et al. , 1996; Latacz-Lohman and Foster, 1997, Worner and Meier-Ploeger, 1999; Oystein et al. 2001; Demeritt, 2002; O’Donovan and McCarthy, 2002) reported that price premium, lack of knowledge and product availability were the major reasons preventing non-buyers from purchasing organic food. Demeritt (2002), for example, reported that the most important reason why US consumers did not purchase orga nic food was lack of knowledge or awareness. About 59% of those who did not purchase organic products indicated they never really considered organic, while 39% indicated that price was the main inhibiting factor. Another 16% reported they did not purchase organic foods because of limited availability. Davies et al. (1995) and O’Donovan and McCarthy (2002) also reported product availability and price as key inhibitors to consumers’ demand for organic foods in Ireland. According to Davis (1995), two-thirds of non-buyers of organic food in Ireland reported they would buy organic if it was easily available. By comparison, O’Donovan and McCarthy (2002) reported that among Irish respondents who did not purchase organic food, 43% indicated it was too expensive, 28% cited lack of availability, while 29% were just not interested. Challenges in Organic Food Industry Successful transition from niche to mainstream status The major challenge the organic food industry faces is the successful transition from niche to mainstream status. Although organic foods are becoming more visible in European food retailers, they have yet to acquire broad appeal with consumers. Organic foods are not considered to have mainstream status since a small amount of consumers account for the majority of purchases in most countries. For instance, consumer research shows that 61% of organic foods in the UK are purchased by 7% of consumers. In Denmark, 1% of consumers account for 80% of purchases. Although many consumers are now buying organic foods in European countries, a small consumer base is responsible for the bulk of purchases. This is responsible for slowing growth rates in countries like Denmark and the UK. Organic foods need to have broader consumer appeal if they are to take mainstream status in the food industry and the major challenge faced by many organic food companies is how to expand the loyal consumer base. Prevention of fraudulent business practices A number of cases have been reported in the last couple of years of non-organic food being labelled and sold as organic food. For instance, in May 2001 it was discovered that 20,000 tonnes of non-organic grain was imported and sold as organic grain to unsuspecting British organic farmers and producers. This is a major threat to the industry for consumers purchase organic foods because of the belief that it has been grown according to organic farming principles. The continuation of these fraudulent cases risks undermining consumer confidence in organic foods. Consumer demand for organic foods, especially imported products, could collapse if this type of fraud continues. Continuing political support required for industry development. There is growing pressure to reform the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and changes are likely in the short term. There is a need for political representation of organic farming. Organic farming needs to be promoted at the ministerial level as a sustainable form of agriculture. The question is: who will take the lead with political change happening on a regular basis due to the growing trend of coalition governments? Protection of price premium Organic foods, because of their nature of production, have a price premium over conventional foods. This can range from 15% for organic milk to over 100% for some organic exotic fruit and specialty cheeses. There is growing pressure for organic food growers and producers to reduce production costs. This pressure comes from retailers, which attempt to narrow the price premium as low as possible in order to encourage consumer demand. The major barrier to product adoption in many countries consumers is the high price. The concern is that this pressure could translate into a compromise in organic standards and the method of production. For instance, organic farmers can be tempted to produce to the lowest standards of organic production in order to cut costs. This is likely to erode consumer confidence and promote divisions in the organic food industry on the lines of organic standards. Recommendations for organic food industry * Food safety, hygienic regulations and consumer protection Politicians and decision makers should promote the idea of mature and responsible producers and consumers with regard to food safety. Controls and liability for food safety should not be burdened only on the shoulders of governments and authorities. Citizens will relieve authorities by accepting responsibility too. The duty of governments and authorities will only be to function as controllers of private control services. Producers, processors, traders and consumers should hold regular meetings on round tables and develop mutual confidence with the aim to accept together responsibility for food safety. Fair prices (no dumping prices) for high quality and healthy food are an important precondition to guarantee food safety. The practiced biodynamic farm model to produce a high percentage of the animal feedstuff directly on the farm and use mainly the own fertilizer is a very suitable one to ensure food safety. * Food quality Creation of consciousness that food quality means more than producing hygienic sound nutrition. Food quality must not be reduced only to chemical detectable contents. Conventional food quality analyses should be supplemented by other analytical methods that can detect vital force in foodstuffs. The production of superior food quality( that fulfils all quality aspects) should be promoted. Education in organic farming Promoting education of children in schools about organic food and agriculture. Establishing and funding of vocational education programs especially for organic Farming. Funding of practical studies and training in organic farming organizations. Reference * Website quicklogodesign. com/blog/ecopreneurship-entrepreneurs-and-ecology. * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sustainable_business * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Triple_bottom_line#Definition * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Principles_of_ecopreneurship * http://academic-papers. rg/ocs2/session/Papers/F6/216-2066-1-DR. doc * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organic_food * just-food. com/analysis/european-organic-food-industry-challenges-future-outlook_id93636. aspx * http://demeter. net/brussels/di_eu_action_plan. pdf * greenprof. org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Making-of-the-Ecopreneur. pdf ajofai. info/Abstract/Consumer%20knowledge%20and%20perception%20about%20organic%20food%20a%20challenge%20for%20consumer%20education%20on%20the%20benefits%20of%20going%20organic. pdf

Principles of Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Principles of Economic - Essay Example If both countries are closed economies, i.e., they do not participate in any trade then both countries will produce both goods by allocating half of their resources to each of the goods, tomatoes and clothes in our case. Consider the hypothetical table below: They cannot produce entire amounts of both goods at the same time. However, participating in international trade and specialization can help increase their production possibilities. Since Pakistan is better at cloth production while Germany is better at tomatoes production, Pakistan is said to have an absolute advantage in cloth production and Germany in tomatoes production. Therefore, common sense suggests that each should specialize in the good in which they have an absolute advantage and as a result, each of them would be better off than they were before. This means that Pakistan should produce 400 clothes and no tomatoes and Germany should produce 400 tomatoes and no clothes. Therefore, Pakistan can now import 200 tomatoes from Germany while Germany can import 200 clothes from Pakistan, thereby each of them realizing a gain of 150 from international trade and specialization. Clearly there is a gain from international trade and specialization in the form of increased production possibilities. ... Therefore, Pakistan can now import 200 tomatoes from Germany while Germany can import 200 clothes from Pakistan, thereby each of them realizing a gain of 150 from international trade and specialization. Cloth Tomatoes Total production (without trade) 250 250 Total production (with trade) 400 400 Clearly there is a gain from international trade and specialization in the form of increased production possibilities. However, even when, for instance, Germany has an absolute advantage in the production of both tomatoes and clothes, participating in international trade and specialization can increase its production possibilities and increase world trade. The theory of comparative advantage says that it should specialize in those goods which it can produce with relatively greater efficiency and import the other. However, we must remember that the above was based on two countries and two products only. In the real world, there are many products and countries involved. However, this model can be extended to include any number of countries or products. Other assumptions are also involved such as production costs are constant and there are no restrictions on international trade. In reality, this is not true. Nevertheless, we can conclude that international trade and specialization can increase world trade through the theories of absolute and comparative advantage. Q2 (a) (i) Price of Mangoes - $ / kg Quantity Demanded - 000/kg Quantity supplied-000/kg $6.00 220 400 $5.50 240 360 $5.00 260 320 $4.50 280 280 $4.00 300 240 $3.50 320 200 $3.00 340 160 Equilibrium quantity= 280000

Stock Market Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stock Market Advice - Essay Example Efficient Market Hypothesis postulates that "only fundamental factors, such as profits or dividends ought to affect share prices" (Stock Market). But this is true only in an ideal situation - a perfect market - which is hardly the case. Over shorter periods, there are wide variations in stock prices on account of any number of reasons, some of which are not even technical in nature. The stock market is driven by investor confidence - and that is a matter of personal choice that cannot be predicted. The general mass of investors invests with a 'herd mentality'. Inexperienced players can rarely, if ever, 'time the market' and hence generally incur losses. Warren Buffet has said in his biography that, "...despite all this available information, [analysis, 'hot' tips, blogs etc], investors find it increasingly difficult to profit." He continues, "...Sometimes there appears to be no rhyme or reason to the market, only folly". The market crash of 1987, resulting in a 22.6 percent drop in t he Dow Jones Index, could not be traced to any specific cause, and is just one example of this 'folly'.Since timing appears to be the critical factor, it follows that one's holdings have to be monitored continuously. Non-performing assets have to be divested and new stocks acquired based on the intrinsic value of each stock arrived at after careful study and keeping in mind market sentiment. Investing in the stock market is not like investing in instrument offering fixed returns, where once the initial investment is made it does not have to be looked at again until its maturity. Some stocks may hardly show any movement, others may show steady appreciation, while others may have depreciated when it comes to selling them. Nevertheless, it is equally true that stocks as a general rule have almost always appreciated over the long term.