Bakery Industry Analysis - 2365 Words

An Analysis of Yuxi Bakery Industry Professor, Ed Bukszar, Ph.D. Yee Chen September 27, 2010 Introduction The Chinese bakery industry, being in the growth period of its life cycle, has been developing at a high speed these years. There are more and more foreign chain brands such as Breadtalk and 21cake, coming into the Chinese bakery market; and at the same time, many Chinese local brands such as Holiland, Daoxiangcun, and Jiahua, are accelerating to enlarge their scale. Furthermore, innumerous small-scale cake shops have flourish, which is a strong force that cannot be ignored, occupying a large proportion of market. The†¦show more content†¦Bakery industry could adjust itself by the market discipline. On the other hand, rivalry is strong among existing competitors. At first, more and more new competitors entered in this potential market, leading to the fragment of the competition. As showing in the chart 2(2009)[ii] below, the competitive concentration was very high in 2004; the top five bakeries took the most proportion of the bakery market. After the following 4 years, more bakeries grew up into comparable competitors, sharing the market shares with former top five. Competitive concentration becomes lower. Moreover, all bakeries provide homogeneous products and services, with low switching cost. For instant, main products of Xinying and Jiahua, two large bakeries in Yuxi, are almost the same cakes, bread and Chinese pastry. They not only the same products with little difference, but always locate near by each other; accordingly, customers have little switching cost. In addition, lacking of unique core competence makes it easy for competitors to imitate; no matter if it is a new kind of product or the new business model. Huangguan had its second franchise opened in 2009, which combined fashion and leisure, operating in the western bakery model and mainly selling cakes and western pastry. At the same year, Xinying set up a franchise under a new subsidiary brand, Moxi, in same operation idea and model.Show MoreRelatedBakery Industry Analysis 5 Porters1497 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Bakery Industry Analysis Porter’s Five Forces analysis is useful when trying to understand the competitive environment facing a backery industry. It involves looking at internal competition, barriers to entry, the profit-appropriating power of both buyers and sellers, as well as substitutes to the goods produced. Applied to the bakery industry it shows an average net profit that typically does not cover the cost of capital due to low barriers to entry, ease of production and ease of access to ingredientsRead MoreSWOT Analysis : Swot Analysis Of The Indian Bakery Industry1011 Words   |  5 Pagesd. Swot Analysis i. Strength: †¢ Ready Market Base: One of the strengths for the Indian bakery industry is the ready available market for its products i.e. huge Indian population. Indian population has been growing at a steady rate which ensures stable demand for bakery products in India. The chart below demonstrates the population growth of India in the past few years and expected numbers. †¢ Adequate Supply of Raw Material: Industrys main raw materials are wheat, milk, sugar. India fortunatelyRead MoreIndustry Analysis Breadtalk1475 Words   |  6 PagesIndustry Analysis Future outlook and trends For its outlook, BreadTalk planned for the China and regional market and rising food cost. This is the largest challenge for the Bakery business. BreadTalk is going to shorten the supply chain and buying in bulk globally for economies of scale. Shanghai is one of the example that BreadTalk have successfully piloted using frozen dough to arrest rising labour and rental costs while maintaining the quality of our products. This is to encourage that BreadTalkRead MoreEnvironmental Scanning1483 Words   |  6 PagesEnvironment Analysis: Creative Confections I ve always liked to be adventurous with food, especially desserts, said Lavonne Temple, founder of Creative Confections (CC), a small and emerging specialty bakery in Jacksonville, Florida. Starting with cake and candy recipe experimentation in 2002, Temple developed a tidy little business selling scrumptious specialty cakes and candies from a home-based operation. Increasing demand for Temple s upscale homemade confections recently poised CC on theRead MoreMarketing Plan For Panera Bread1704 Words   |  7 PagesPanera Bread is a company that has capitalized on the â€Å"fast-casual† restaurant experience. Their aim was to provide a specialty bakery and cafe experience to urban and suburban workers and dwellers. They are categorized as bakery-cafes and currently have over 2000 stores worldwide. They are currently leading their industry in terms of number of stores and profits; they had $1.8 billion in corporate revenues in 2011, $3.4 billion in systemwide store revenues, an d an average sales of $2.3 million perRead MoreStarting Up the Business, Color Me Cupcake Essay example1158 Words   |  5 PagesColor Me Cupcake will be a small entrepreneurial bakery located in Chicago, IL. Cupcake will be offered in a variety of cupcakes and beverages. This bakery will contain comfortable seating area, WI-FI access, allowing customers to stop in and socialize and conduct business while eating some delicious cupcakes. Color Me Cupcake will have on site company truck selling cupcakes at major events like the Taste of Chicago, and a catering service is also available for customers who are having large eventsRead MoreWal-Mart Legal Compliance and Job Analysis1569 Words   |  7 PagesRunning head: WAL-MART Legal Compliance and Job Analysis Paper Wal-Mart Legal Compliance and Job Analysis BUS530- Human Resource Management [ July 17, 2011 ] The Title VII lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was a justified result of sexual harassment and mismanagement by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart could have taken several steps within Human Resource (HR) policy to help deal with this incident, prevent further incidents, and ensure the defendant was properly employedRead MoreLaurentian Bakeries Case Study1519 Words   |  7 PagesLaurentian Bakeries Case Study Cases in Financial Management Case Synopsis Founded in 1984 Laurentian Bakeries Inc. operates in the industry of manufacturing a vast variety of frozen baked products within their three operating plants in Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto. The operating plants produce items such as frozen pizza in Winnipeg, MB, pies in Montreal, QC and Cakes in Toronto, ON- with each representing 30%, 30% and 40% of the total revenue stream respectively. The buyers forRead MorePanera Bread Case Study998 Words   |  4 PagesPanera Bread Company is a national bakery-cafe with 1,504 locations across the US and Canada. This case study provides information regarding the past performance, current analysis, stock valuation, market evaluation, and industry comparison. In this analysis and case study, we hope you, the reader, will gain usable insight on Panera Bread and its value. We will give a recommendation to our readers according to our given information. Panera Bread is a chain of bakery-cafe quick service restaurants inRead MoreMarketing Analysis : Salesforce.com Inc.1440 Words   |  6 Pagespremium high-end and enterprise customers. Therefore, comparing with other competitors who serve only the similar target industries, the customization of Salesforce CRM promotes its users on all industry segments, such as Financial services, health care, life science, communications, retails, government, manufacturing, automotive, higher educations, and non-profit organizations (â€Å"Industries - Salesforce.com.†). Thirdly, the simplicity of the product helps Salesforce to earn a majority share in the CRM

James Rachels s What Is Morality - 1904 Words

In chapter one of James Rachels’s What is Morality, he argues that at the very minimum, morality is using reason to guide one s decisions, while keeping in mind the interests of those who will be affected by one’s choice, without giving more weight to one individual over another. He supports this thesis by describing a couple of morally ambiguous situations regarding humanity and life. Rachels’ first example is Baby Theresa, who was born an anencephalic. Her parents wanted to donate her organs, as she was likely going to die within days anyway. However, Florida Law prevented the taking of organs from anyone â€Å"alive†, and by the time Baby Theresa died, her organs were no longer useable. Rachels goes through the arguments of both the pro†¦show more content†¦However, he mentions that separating the two is not what would kill Mary- she would die because she is unable to sustain herself. Therefore, it is not really â€Å"violating† the sanctity of human life. He realizes that this argument is a bit out there, and amends the argument to conclude that it is not always wrong to kill innocent humans, and this just happens to be one of the odd cases. He concludes that some people will never fully agree with this idea, but that on the whole, the argument for separating Jodie and Mary seems more persuasive than keeping them together. His last example is that of Tracy Latimer, a 12 year old with cerebral palsy who had the brain capacity of a three month old. Tracy Latimer was killed by her father, who was tried for murder and found guilty of only second degree murder. The judge wanted to give him only an one year sentence, but the Canadian Supreme Court insisted he be given the minimum 25 years. Those who supported the Supreme Court’s decision included the handicapped themselves, who used the argument that it is wrong to discriminate against the disabled to oppose the lenient sentence first given. Mr. Laimer argued that this was not a case of discrimination against the handicapped. He killed his daughter because keeping her alive was torture. She had undergone major surgery and neededShow MoreRelatedCriticism Of Cultural Relativism1216 Words   |  5 PagesCultural relativism is the theory where there is no objective truth in morality, and moral truths are determined by different cultures. The primary argu ment used to justify cultural relativism is the cultural differences argument, which claims different cultures have different moral practices and beliefs, therefore, there is no objective truth in morality (Newton). After reading James Rachels The Challenge of Cultural Relativism, I find his criticisms to be persuasive because the argument made forRead MoreThe Morality Of Euthanasia By James Rachels1086 Words   |  5 PagesGretel Herrera-Martinez Panther ID: 3339147 Active Euthanasia Does James Rachels in â€Å"The Morality of Euthanasia† successfully argue that in at least some cases active euthanasia is morally acceptable? Explain his view and respond to it. In this essay, we are going to analyze the main ideas included in â€Å"The Morality of Euthanasia† by James Rachels to provide a response to the following question: Does James Rachels in â€Å"The Morality of Euthanasia† successfully argue that in at least some cases activeRead MoreThe Origin Of Good And Evil By Richard Taylor And Why Morality Is Not Relative By James Rachels1741 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"On the Origin of Good and Evil† by Richard Taylor and â€Å"Why Morality Is Not Relative† by James Rachels from the book Moral Life: An Introductory Reader in Ethics and Literature, author, Louis P. Pojman and Lewis Vaughn, this essay will first try to identify what each of two articles says about the nature of good and evil, and is everything on morality is relative. Taylor from the article â€Å"On the Origin of Good and Evil†, states that morality is not inspirational, but a natural reality which that meanRead MoreCultural Relativism Essay139 8 Words   |  6 PagesRelativism, written by James Rachels, Rachels explains and challenges the ideas presented by Sumner in cultural relativism. Rachels explains, Cultural relativism is the doctrine that all moral values derive entirely from individual cultural codes, and that there are no objective, independently correct moral values. In other words, there are no absolute truths about what is right and wrong because judgements of right and wrong are all relative to a given culture. Rachels starts by explainingRead MoreEthics Is A Theory Of Proper Moral Conduct1276 Words   |  6 Pagesdistinction between what is the case between what ought to be the case. A key player in ethics is the moral agent. A moral agent is a person that has an ability to reflect on moral issues. Moral actions conform to the law and immoral actions do not conform to the law. Relativism Ethical relativist deny any objective moral values. Cultural relativism explains that in different times and in different places people act in different ways; they acquire different values and ideas of what is morally rightRead MoreMoral Relativism And Moral Concepts972 Words   |  4 PagesMoral relativism is a methodological principle of interpretation of the nature of morality underlying ethical theories. It is expressed in the fact that moral concepts and ideas gave extremely relative, changeable and arbitrary. Moral principles, concepts of good and evil are different in different people, social groups, and individuals in a certain way connected with the interests, beliefs, and inclinations of people, limited regarding its value time and place. But this diversity and variabilityRead MoreThe Morality Of Euthanasia And The Application Of Utilitarianism1213 Words   |  5 PagesThe Morality of Euthanasia and the Application of Utilitarianism. Introduction When a patient is in immense amounts of pain from a terminal illness, one of the options to relieve a person from the pain is euthanasia. Euthanasia is seen as a controversial and moral issue because of the different viewpoints. Euthanasia is seen by some as killing, while others see it as removing a person from immense amounts of pain. This paper will first discuss the principles of utilitarianism through BenthamRead MoreThe Element Of Moral Philosophy By James Rachels1161 Words   |  5 Pages In the book, â€Å"The Element of Moral Philosophy†, James Rachels explores the several criticisms of Utilitarianism. In this essay, I will touch on these criticisms, outlining the major implications they propose to Utilitarianism. I will also explain why many of the notions proposed against Utilitarianism are self-serving, and instead serve to improve the general good of a minority population, which contradicts the Utilitarian theory of equating moral aptitude to the general good of a majority populationRead MoreWhat Are Moral Relativism?922 Words   |  4 PagesBrown 9th of September What is Moral Relativism? What is the Cultural Differences Argument in favor of Moral Relativism that was given by Herodotus and, more recently, by Ruth Benedict? What are some of the examples Benedict gave to illustrate her argument? Moral relativism is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that the truth or falsity of moral judgments is impossible to establish objectively. Its proponents claim that there is no moral truth and that any statement about what is good or bad pointsRead MoreCultural Relativism Is Important For Many Reasons1410 Words   |  6 PagesCultural Relativism is defined as, â€Å"The principle that an individual s beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual s own  culture†. Wilson talked about this term extensively in his class and he noticed a common trend within his classroom. The trend was that his students warned him, â€Å"Not to be judgmental or to impose your values on other people.†(Soccio 2007). This is a common trend found with a lot of people in my opinion. In fact, I have the same belief

Necessities of Economic Inequality &Poverty of Coca Cola- Free Solutio

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Brand Management for Coca-Cola Company. Answer: Introduction Coca-Cola is popularly known as the Coke brand name, which is the generic trademark of the company (Chang 1995). In the year 1886 at Atlanta Georgia, Coca-Cola was invented by John Styth Pemberton, who was popular for creating a patent business of medicines (Fraser and Seitel 2010). In the year 1917, Perth accountant had the right to produce the coca cola in Australia. Until 21 years, in the year 1937, the Coca-Cola organization sent their team to Australia to establish the facility of production (Our people 2015). The rolled off the first bottle within the small building in the area of Dowling Street and Crescent in Sydney (Fraser and Seitel 2010). There were around 3300 items supplied in around 200 countries that are offered in wide range of diet as well as various regular sparkling beverages like 100% fruit drinks, energy, fruit juices, tea, sports drink, coffees, soy and milk-based beverages (Fraser and Seitel 2010). Within the corporate brand of Coca-Cola, there are various traditional products, such as diet-cake, Coke, Sprite, and Fanta. All the items of Coca-Cola organization were distributed through the franchisees by different distribution in various parts of the world (Fraser and Seitel 2010). The brand Coke looks to be quite popular carbonated beverage between the various popular products. It is depicted by the trademark and logo of the company (Fraser and Seitel 2010). In the present, Coca-Cola Australia along with the companies bottling partner, such as Coca-Cola Amatil provides around 240 items, which includes cheap and regular soft drinks along with sports drink, water, flavoured milk, and teas. Its the most leading brand that covers up Diet Coke, Coca-Cola, Goulburn, Pump, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite, Valley, Powerade and much more (Fraser and Seitel 2010). Market Description Market Analysis The size of a market The market share of the traditional carbonated beverage companies all over the world depicts that soft drink market is highly dominated by coca cola in 2015, as the company had attained market share of around 48.6% (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). The international market calculated to have 341.6 billion dollars (Chang 1995). From the five famous soft drink brand in Australia, there are coca cola brands, such as Coca-Cola that is consumed by around 19% of the Australians that are within the age group of 14 and more; next is Coca-Cola Zero that is consumed by 8% of people and Diet Coke is consumed by around 5% of individuals (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). The other brands of Cola are Pepsi Max that is consumed by around 7% of the people. Growth potential Coca-Cola had gained benefit through the rapidly growing global beverage industry all over the world (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). The global beverage industry, excluding the US, is highly expected to get enhanced the value by around $300 billion from the year 2014 till 2020. Coca-Cola has around 30% of the market share in the international beverage industry. If the organization tries to maintain its global market share increased by 2020, it will include $90 billion in the market cap that relies on the expected enhanced in the global beverage value (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Coca-Cola includes the market cap of around 150 billion in the starting of 2014. It provides the organization with the expected compound growth rate of around 6.9%, excluding the share repurchases and dividends by 2020, in case the company failed in gaining any market share (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). It is believed that Coca-Cola with the gain market share as well as reward shareholders with the dividends and repurchases. It wi ll try to drive the growth rate of the company in the double digits for the coming many years (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Coca-Cola had tried to position itself for gaining the benefits of non-alcoholic beverage all over the world. Below figure depicts that the company had strong competitive position all over the world (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Market segments Coca-Cola fails in targeting the particular segment, but tries to adopt the marketing strategy through developing new items (Lynch 1997). Similarly, it makes use of niche targeting and similar targeting strategies that could drive the sales within the competitive market (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Its key product Coca is quite popular all over the world and is accepted by many people of every age group, where else diet cook often targets the niche segment for the people who are quite health conscious (Chang 1995). Coca-Cola make use of competitive positioning strategy to make the way ahead for the competitors in the market for non-alcoholic beverages (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Different layers of market offerings Coca-Cola had around 500 brands along with around 3500 various types of product offerings. All this range of sodas to the energy drinks, to hot soy-based beverages in the Asian market (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Key competitors of your brand The soft drink industry competition are getting tougher (Chang 1995). The key competitors during that period were Parle and Pepsi. Parle is the best and famous brand and covers up Thumps Up, Citra, Limca and various others, Maaza and Gold Spot. During that time, Parle had acquired a market share of around 53%, and Pepsi had covered the markets share of around 20% (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Now Coca-Cola had also formulated various strategies to survive in the fierce ongoing competition (Chang 1995). In the case of that Coca Cola had decided to undertake the Parle, so that organization can take the benefits of including in Parle network (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). This type of decision is proved beneficial for the coke customers, as they were interested in accessing around 200000 retailer outlets along with around 60 bottles of Parle network (Kaye- Jennifer 2005). Coke even provides the various range of items like Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Cherry, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Vanilla, Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Coca-Cola and a wide variety of lime and coffee (Das, Prakash and Khattri 2012). Competition rivalry existing in the industry competition of beverage could be categorized as Duopoly such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Competitors market share is considered as too little to encourage the price war (Das, Prakash and Khattri 2012). Coca-Cola attains competitive benefits by the new global trademarks through achieving the premium cost. It implies that Coca-Cola holds something that competitors failed to do so (Das, Prakash and Khattri 2012). Brands target market- the advertisements of Coca-Cola mainly focus on the young generations and teenagers. As Coca-Cola aims the items to present the high energy people and youth (Das, Prakash and Khattri 2012). On the other side, Coke ads try to change the target market towards Coke for everyone and Coke for all, as it depicts that not only the youths are considered as targeted Coca-Cola group, but each and every person target them (Das, Prakash and Khattri 2012). Perceptual map of your brand versus its key competitors The below perceptual map depicts that there are around three names that describe the different personality attributes (Vartanian, Schwartz and Brownell 2007). Coca-Cola is highly related with the successful as well as down to earth kind of brand (Kim, Han and Park 2001). Pepsi is highly associated with the up to date, spirited as well as a charming personality; where else Thumps Up is linked with the honest and robust brand (Aaker 1997). Brand Problem Identification Coca Cola issues demand as the top brand all over the world, which is the successor within the soft drink industry in the last 100 years (Vartanian, Schwartz and Brownell 2007). Along with this success, they can incur crisis in this way (Kim, Han and Park 2001). In the year 2003, Coca-Cola was targeted by the activist group of engineers, environmentalist, scientist, and journalist related with a centre for science and environment to safeguard from unsafe items (Geuens, Weijters and Wulf 2008). Because these products include pesticide residues that could surpass the international standards (Kim, Han and Park 2001). Coca Cola items were also targeted by the press release that mentions 12 key cold drinks brand were sold near and around the city, which includes poisonous cocktail related to pesticide residues (Ruth and Simonin 2003). This test was done for the three samples, which includes Pepsi, and Coca-Cola brands, that includes 30-36 times the international standards of the residues (Kim, Han and Park 2001). The pesticides explored to cause the diseases like birth defects, cancer, as well as various immune system disruption along with various other health conditions (Kim, Han and Park 2001). Description and Relevance of Selected Brand Dimension For different organizations, there are around three-dimensional branding that created perfect sense (Bhasin 2016). The physical space is mainly used for conducting the business, whether its a satellite office, store or either the world headquarters that look visible and costly to leave the equation of brand building (Kumar 2011). In reason to this, if the brand is considered as the message, space need to be viewed as the way of attaining across the sort like the dynamic billboard, huge or either the mainly ambitious product packaging extension (Vartanian, Schwartz and Brownell 2007). Coca-Cola is usually considered as the single solution through the connoisseurs of soft drink all over the world (Kumar 2011). That is why the successful branding discussion includes the actual thing, in which beverage is involved in the cultural phenomenon (Kumar 2011). Pepsi and Coca-Cola are the two favourite brands of soft drink that occupy 95% of the cold drink market (Vartanian, Schwartz and Brownell 2007). With almost negligible, small as well as functional advantages of the cold drink, and there is no difference in colour, taste or two brand price, marketers need to have the cash in the self-expressive value of the items (Kumar 2011). Failure to have a practical point of difference, the emotional or self-expressionist value of brands is considered as difference focal point. Various other items such as Limca and Sprite is not selected due to differentiation that could assist by colours, and therefore, product personality is highly influenced by the variables (Kumar 2011). Recommendations for Management to improve Brand Performance It is recommended that Coca-Cola organization relies on the performing different models of valuation that includes, analysis of economic profit, Human Resource practices, original price and relative valuation towards earnings valuation model, which is revealed by the company of Coca-cola that is overvalued. Even though they explore the shock to be overvalued, and they think that KO had certain promising viewpoint along with expected issues in the coming time, and it is recommended that it should have hold instead of selling it. The coca cola company is considered as at top in the market of non-alcoholic beverages industry. They had the experience of 20 years standing as the leaders as well as investors to understand why the coca cola has an extraordinary position for enhancing the value of shareholders. Opportunities which exist for the company in near future is increasing the market share within the segment of non-carbonated beverages, business model restructuring as well as better earning results consistency. The issues that coca cola face is related to global competition as Human resource practices are increasing as compared to coke. If the coke thinks to have the reputation in the world market they should try to produce the incentives for the staff, through which they could easily do hard work and try to provide products of high quality. The team of new management should work towards implementing the cohesive goal existing among the two to meet the long-term growth potential of the company. The company is highly committed to offering the inclusive environment for working in which each and every member is treated equitably. It is believed that people are coming from different backgrounds, having various life talents and experiences is considered as the actual business bonus. That is the reason why valuing and respecting the people diversity is always recommended to put them in central of the values and vision of the company. Its also why the policies and practices of the employment are developed for protecting against ensuring equal opportunity and discrimination for all, regardless of sex, age as well as ethical background. References Aaker, J. L. 1997. Dimensions of Brand Personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 12, pp. 1-12. Bhasin, H. 2016. Marketing strategy of Coca cola Coca cola marketing strategy. [Online]. Available at: https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-strategy-of-coca-cola/ [Accessed on: 12th August 2016]. Chang, T.L. 1995. Formulating adaptation marketing strategies in a global industry. International Marketing Review, 2, pp. 1-12. Das, J., Prakash, O., and Khattri, V. 2012. Brand Personality Mapping: A Study on Colas. Asian Journal of Management Research, 2, pp. 1-23. Fraser P., and Seitel. 2010. The Practice of Public Relations, 11th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, UpperSaddle River Geuens, M., Weijters, B., and Wulf, K. D. 2008. A New Measure of Brand Personality. Belgium. Sage. Kaye- Jennifer. 2005. Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Coca Cola India. Journal CaseStudy Competition in Corporate Communications, 1, pp. 1-4. Kim, C. K., Han, D., and Park, S.-B. 2001. The Effect of Brand Personality and Brand Identification on Brand Loyalty: Applying the Theory of Social Identification. Japanese Psychological Research, 3, pp. 195-206. Kumar, R. S. 2011. Consumer Behaviour and Branding. Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. Lynch, R. 1997. Corporate strategy. Great Britain: Pitman Publishing Our people. 2015. [Online]. Available at: https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/about-us/our-people [Accessed on: 12th August 2016]. Ruth, J.A. and Simonin, B.L. 2003. Brought to you by brand A and brand B. Journal of Advertising, 23, pp. 1-12. Vartanian, L. R., Schwartz, M. B., and Brownell, K. D. 2007. Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 23, pp. 1-34.

Magellan Essays - Age Of Discovery, Ferdinand Magellan,

Magellan In the early 1500's, almost four and a half centuries before men first orbited the earth; an expedition completed and led by Ferdinand Magellan performed a task of comparable significance for that time period. Magellan, a Portuguese navigator for Spain, sailed westward with a fleet of five ships from the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda in September, 1519. Nearly three years later one ship returned, having circumnavigated the globe and crossed its largest ocean. A Philippine battle is where Magellan died and only left his crew to tell about the voyage. Maximilian of Transylvania, a native of Brussels, was present when the only one of Magellan's ships reached Sanlucar }. Maximilian assisted with the interrogations of the expedition survivors. Besides taking part in the official interviews, he questioned the returned mariners, quickly digested their accounts, and then rushed to get his letter off to Cardinal-Archbishop Lang of Salzburg who was also his father. Initially, Maximilian wrote the letter to practice his Latin and enhance his own fame. The document is important not only for the valuable information it contains, but also because it was the first account released to the European public of the great voyage. Maximilian was the secretary to Charles V and made a lifelong study of overseas affairs. He is credited with having made a terrestrial globe, surpassing all others of the time, and which the precision of the map was proved by Magellan. His letter is undeniably one of the most valuable sources of information about the Magellan voyage. In fact, it was the only printed account of the expedition for some time. Magellan's voyage set sail on the 10th of August, 1519, with five ships from Seville, Spain. Three moths later, Maximilian tells how Magellan's crew was forced to seek shelter for the winter at Port San Julian which is on the eastern coast of South America. In September 1520, he again sets sail after loosing one vessel to a storm. One month later, Magellan sights the straight that was later named after him and proceeds to cross into the ocean that he named ?Pacific? because of its calmness. He reached the Ladrone, Islands on March 6, 1521, and ten days later discovered the Philippines, landing on the island of Cebu on April 7. There he made an alliance with the ruler of the island and agreed to aid him in an attack on the natives of the neighboring island of Mactan. Magellan was killed on April 27,1521 during the Mactan expedition. Following Magellan's death, one of the vessels in his fleet was burned, but the other two escaped and reached the Moluccas on November 6, 1521. One of the vessels, the Victoria, commanded by the Spanish navigator Juan Sebasti?n del Cano, completed the circumnavigation of the globe, arriving in Seville on September 6, 1522. Although Magellan did not live to complete the voyage, he did circumnavigate the globe by passing the easternmost point he had reached on an earlier voyage. The cargo of spices carried back to Spain by the Victoria alone paid for the expenses of the expedition. The passage through the Strait of Magellan was too long and difficult to be a practical route from Europe to the Moluccas. Nevertheless, the voyage laid the foundation for trade in the Pacific between the New World and the East. Although Spain did not immediately recognize the importance of the Philippines, they had become the greatest Spanish trading center in the East. Magellan's voyage would have never received the recognition that it deserved if citizens such as Maximilian didn't properly document it. Magellan's accomplishments in his three-year voyage were countless and forever will be remembered. It is because of explorers and historians like these, that we have the geological perfection of our globe today.

Memento Essay Example

Memento Essay Example Memento Paper Memento Paper Essay Topic: Film A Polaroid photograph, clasped between finger and thumb, showing a crude, crime-scene flash picture of a mans body lying on a decaying wooden floor, a bloody mess where his head should be. The image in the photo starts to fade as we superimpose titles. The hand holding the photo suddenly fans it in a rapid flapping motion then holds it still. The image fades more, and again the picture is fanned. As the titles end, the image fades to nothing. The hand holding the photo flaps it again, then places it at the front of a Polaroid camera. The camera sucks the blank picture up, then the flash goes off. As the Polaroid fades to white, so we begin with a blank slate Its the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man who proves as emotionally empty as the surname suggests. Unable to make new memories since a blow to the head during a raid on his apartment, he remains hell-bent on avenging his wifes death from that same assault. Hampered by his affliction, Leonard trawls the motels and bars of Southern California in an effort to gather evidence against the killer he believes is named John G. Tattooing scraps of evidence and information onto his body, Leonards faulty memory is abused by two others: bartender Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) and undercover cop Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), both involved in a lucrative drug deal. From the very beginning, director Christopher Nolan establishes that the structural arrangement of the narrative of this film will run backwards in a non linear fashion. Although the audience may not be fully aware of it now, they have just witnessed the end climax to the plot. This already captures the audiences attention, subconsciously allowing them to understand that Leonard has just erased the act of killing, the key to understanding the confusing, opened ending. Now that the audience has witnessed this rewound scene they are enticed into knowing the full story, something that they will have to wait for until they have pieced all the parts of the jigsaw together, a device that cleverly hooks the audience for the duration of the film. Essentially running backwards, the films end at the beginning only makes sense once the whole story has unfolded; each scene plays out with Lenny reconstructing the development of events for himself from scribbled notes, photos, maps and clues, only for the next scene to jump back and relate the events which led up to it. This framework of constant revisitation, revision and reconstruction puts the viewer in Lennys point of view: as he pieces events together so, gradually, do we, never fully knowing the full story, and more importantly, never completely knowing what Lenny has done and who he can trust. The film is a kind of narrative test of alertness; visual clues the scratches on Lennys cheek, the smashed window of his car, the comments on his Polaroid pictures and his memento tattoos all hint at the order of events but ensure that the solution, like the identity of the killer, lies tantalisingly out of reach right up to the end. Another visual clue is the parallel plot of the elusive Sammy Jenkins story. After the initial backward sequence we are faced with a short clip of Leonard sitting in his room, shot in black and white so that you know it is the counter plot, in which we can view the protagonists everyday life. Throughout the first ten minutes, and the rest of the film, we view snippets of the two plots pieced together so that just as we get to grips with one of the plots we are thrown back into the other. This plot unveils the tale of Sammy Jenkins, which we later find was a conman whom Leonard, in a state of extreme denial, has reconstructed as a pitiful victim, to enable him to forget that it was he, not Sammy, who killed his own wife. Nolan has deliberately run these two plots side by side, jumping from one to the other in this jigsaw narrative so that the audience can learn of the climax to the two plots at the same time, like a multi-stranded narrative. This helps to build the films tension and disenables the audience to work out the truth before Leonard does. Caught, like Leonard, in the films looping reverse narration, we cant help but cling to his flashbacks of Sammy Jenkins as having some kind of authority. It serves as a case history of Leonards condition and illuminates his attempts to snap out of it he hires a hooker to help him restage his memories of his last night with his wife, only to nod off and forget about it as well as adding an emotionally compelling counter-narrative to the chilly formal intelligence on display, enticing the audience further. The order of mementos narrative is intriguing as it challenges the theories of those such as Todorov. The usual components of narrative structure are composed of three parts in the following order; a beginning with an opening, a middle containing a conflict and an ending with a resolution. By contrasting to the traditional patterns of film, Memento plays with the audiences expectations of the equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium pattern. This contributes to the build in tension and anticipation. Memento also relates to the theory of Vladimir Propp, who was interested in the function of specific characters in narrative. He proposed that there were set character roles including the villain, the hero, the donor, the helper, the false hero, the princess and the dispatcher. However, even though Memento does not contain all of these roles, what with its small cast, but it does manage to question these. This is interesting because the characters roles as perceived by the audience change during the course of the film, what with it being in reverse. In the first ten minutes of memento Leonard is perceived as the hero, Natalie as the helper, princess and donor, and Teddy as the ambiguous John G. and hence villain. However, by the end of the film the audiences perceptions are completely reversed, with Natalie helping to wreck Leonards life and Teddy being an innocent victim. This is effective, adding to the upside down plot, challenging the audiences original perceptions. Memento also uses symbolic codes. Each scene in the first ten minutes has a memento which provides a link forward and back, helping the audience to understand the narrative. For example, in the first scene Leonard takes a Polaroid of Teddys dead body. In the next we have a contrasting memento; a Polaroid of the living Teddy which reads he ides the one, kill him and something scribbled out. In the next scene we see the Polaroid again however; it only says dont believe his lies where the scribble was. This assists in constructing the narrative as the audience can see what point in time they are at, helping the plot to flow more. Thus we can the initial narrative of memento appears extremely complex, which ultimately manages to make complete sense by the final chapter. Memento is a strange mix of several genres which all play a major part in this movie. It is ultimately a detective-thriller, with obvious film noir links to films such as point blank, for Memento is a skewed noir mystery at heart, peopled by manipulative femmes fatales and low-down lowlifes, whose visual settings diners, car-lots, beaten-up motels and set-pieces (including a chase scene in which Lenny forgets who is chasing who) conjure the films downbeat, hardboiled feel. It also bears a lot in common with the noir film Double Indemnity, both with a circular narrative, beginning as they end, the audience constantly aware of the protagonists fate. This typical iconography makes it clear in the audiences mind the genres of this film, which could subconsciously help the audience to unravel Leonards mystery. Even the themes of revenge and betrayal are telling noir characteristics. As a generic -hybrid, this film contains the appealing characteristics of a crime, drama, thriller; hence not only enabling the film to appeal to a wide and varied audience, but also preparing the spectators for an innovative and less conventional film. The film is clearly a detective-crime from the beginning, with the death of Teddy and Leonards conversations on the phone seeking information about John G, also the evidence such as John Gs number plate and description written down on the wall. The film also quickly establishes itself as a thriller, what with the suspense and tension built up within the first few minutes of Memento, which manages to sustain throughout the film. However, although it distinguishes its genres, it still manages to trick the audiences as to each characters role, referring back to Vladimir Propp, what with Leonard appearing the villain and Teddy the victim, and Natalie an innocent who turns out to be the films femme fatale. Thus we can see, Memento is a film in which being confusing, enthralling and frustrating, it revels in teasing and misleading its audience, both through genre typography and narrative structure. Its a mark of Nolans achievement that this final scene which seemingly completes the narrative jigsaw should cast a cloud over Leonards motives. Its a stunning tease, a tantalisingly ambiguous note on which to sign off, one that scatters our sense of certainty as we rerun the events of the past two hours in our heads.

Battle of the Atlantic in World War II

Battle of the Atlantic in World War II The Battle of the Atlantic was fought between September 1939 and May 1945 throughout the entirety of  World War II. Commanding Officers Allies Admiral Sir Percy Noble, RNAdmiral Sir Max Horton, RNAdmiral Royal E. Ingersoll, USN Germany Grand Admiral Erich RaederGrand Admiral Karl Doenitz Background With the British and French entrance into World War II on September 3, 1939, the German Kriegsmarine moved to implement strategies similar to those used in World War I. Unable to challenge the Royal Navy in regard to capital ships, the Kriegsmarine began a campaign against Allied shipping with the goal of cutting off Britain from the supplies needed to wage war. Overseen by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, German naval forces sought to employ a mix of surface raiders and U-boats. Though he favored the surface fleet, which would come to include the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, Raeder was challenged by his U-boat chief, then-Commodore Karl Doenitz, regarding the use of submarines. Initially ordered to seek out British warships, Doenitzs U-boats had early success sinking the old battleship HMS Royal Oak at Scapa Flow and the carrier HMS Courageous off Ireland. Despite these victories, he vigorously advocated for using groups of U-boats, known as wolf packs, to attack the Atlantic convoys that were resupplying Britain. Though the German surface raiders scored some early successes, they drew the attention of the Royal Navy who sought to destroy them or keep them in port. Engagements such as the Battle of the River Plate (1939) and the Battle of the Denmark Strait (1941) saw the British respond to this threat. The Happy Time With the fall of France in June 1940, Doenitz gained new bases on the Bay of Biscay from which his U-boats could operate. Spreading into the Atlantic, the U-boats began attacking British convoys in packs. These multi-ship groups were further directed by intelligence gleaned from the breaking of the  British Naval Cypher No.  3. Armed with the approximate location of an approaching convoy, the wolf pack would deploy in a long line across its anticipated path. When a U-boat sighted the convoy, it would radio its location and coordination of the attack would commence. Once all of the U-boats were in position, the wolf pack would strike. Typically conducted at night, these assaults could involve up to six U-boats and forced the convoy escorts to deal with multiple threats from several directions.    Through the remainder of 1940 and into 1941, the U-boats enjoyed tremendous success and inflicted heavy losses on Allied shipping. As a result, it became known as the Happy Time (Die Glà ¼ckliche Zeit) among the U-boat crews. Claiming over 270 Allied vessels during this period, U-boat commanders such as  Otto Kretschmer, Gà ¼nther Prien, and Joachim Schepke became celebrities in Germany. Key battles in the second half of 1940 included convoys HX 72, SC 7, HX 79, and HX 90. In the course of the fighting, these convoys lost 11 of 43, 20 of 35, 12 of 49, and 11 of 41 ships respectively. These efforts were supported by Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft which aided in finding Allied ships as well as attacking them. Converted from long-range Lufthansa airliners, these aircraft flew from bases in Bordeaux, France and Stavanger, Norway and penetrated deep into the North Sea and Atlantic. Capable of carrying a 2,000-pound bomb load, Condors typically would strike at low altitude in an attempt to bracket the target vessel with three bombs.  Focke-Wulf Fw 200 crews claimed to have sunk 331,122 tons of Allied shipping between June 1940 to February 1941. Though effective, the Condor was seldom available in more than limited numbers and the threat later posed by Allied escort carriers and other aircraft ultimately forced its withdrawal. Guarding the Convoys Though British destroyers and corvettes were equipped with ASDIC (sonar), the system was still unproven and was unable to maintain contact with a target during an attack. The Royal Navy was also hampered by a lack of suitable escort vessels. This was eased in September 1940, when fifty obsolete destroyers were obtained from the United States via the Destroyers for Bases Agreement. In the spring of 1941, as British anti-submarine training improved and additional escort vessels reached the fleet, losses began to lessen and the Royal Navy began sinking U-boats at an increasing rate. To counter improvements in British operations, Doenitz pushed his wolf packs further west forcing the Allies to provide escorts for the entire Atlantic crossing. While the Royal Canadian Navy covered convoys in the eastern Atlantic, it was aided by President Franklin Roosevelt who extended the Pan-American Security Zone nearly to Iceland. Though neutral, the United States provided escorts within this region. Despite these improvements, U-boats continued to operate at will in the central Atlantic outside the range of Allied aircraft. This air gap posed issues until more advanced maritime patrol aircraft arrived. Operation Drumbeat Other elements that aided in stemming Allied losses were the capture of a German Enigma code machine and the installation of new high-frequency direction-finding equipment for tracking U-boats. With the US entry into the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Doenitz dispatched U-boats to the American coast and Caribbean under the name Operation Drumbeat. Commencing operations in January 1942, the U-boats began enjoying a second happy time as they took advantage of unescorted American merchant ships as well as the US failure to implement a coastal black-out. As losses mounted, the U.S. implemented a convoy system in May 1942. With convoys operating on the American coast, Doenitz withdrew his U-boats back to the mid-Atlantic that summer. Through the fall, losses continued to mount on both sides as the escorts and U-boats clashed. In November 1942, Admiral Sir Max Horton became commander-in-chief of the Western Approaches Command. As additional escort vessels became available, he formed separate forces which were tasked with supporting the convoy escorts. As they were not tied to defending a convoy, these groups were able to specifically hunt U-boats. The Tide Turns In the winter and early spring of 1943, the convoy battles continued with increasing ferocity. As Allied shipping losses mounted, the supply situation in Britain began to reach critical levels. Though losing U-boats in March, the Germany strategy of sinking ships faster than the Allies could build them appeared to be succeeding. This ultimately proved to be a false dawn as the tide rapidly turned in April and May. Though Allied losses dropped in April, the campaign pivoted on the defense of convoy ONS 5. Attacked by 30 U-boats it lost thirteen ships in exchange for six of Doenitzs boats. Two weeks later, convoy SC 130 repelled German attacks and sunk five U-boats while taking no losses. The rapid turn in Allied fortunes was the result of the integration of several technologies which had become available in the preceding months. These included the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar, continued advances in reading German radio traffic, enhanced radar, and the Leigh Light. The latter device allowed Allied aircraft to successfully attack surfaced U-boats at night. Other advances included the introduction of merchant aircraft carriers and long-range maritime variants of the B-24 Liberator. Combined with new escort carriers, these eliminated the air gap. Combined with wartime ship construction programs, such as Liberty ships, these rapidly gave the Allies the upper hand. Dubbed Black May by the Germans, May 1943 saw Doenitz lose 34 U-boats in the Atlantic in exchange for 34 Allied ships. Latter Stages of Battle Pulling back his forces during the summer, Doenitz worked to develop new tactics and equipment. These included the creation of U-flak boats with enhanced anti-aircraft defenses as well as a variety of countermeasures and new torpedoes. Returning to the offensive in September, the U-boats enjoyed a brief period of success before Allied forces again began causing heavy losses. As Allied air power grew in strength, U-boats came under attack in the Bay of Biscay as they left and returned to port. With his fleet being reduced, Doenitz turned to new U-boat designs including the revolutionary Type XXI. Designed to operate entirely submerged, the Type XXI was faster than any of its predecessors. Only four were completed by the end of the war. Aftermath The final actions of the Battle of the Atlantic took place on May 7-8, 1945, just before the German surrender.  In the course of the fighting, Allied losses totaled around 3,500 merchant ships and 175 warships, as well as around 72,000 sailors killed. German casualties numbered 783 U-boats and around 30,000 sailors (75% of the U-boat force). One of the most important fronts of the war, success in the Atlantic was critical for the Allied cause. Citing its importance, Prime Minister Winston Churchill later stated: The Battle of the Atlantic was the dominating factor all through the war. Never for one moment could we forget that everything happening elsewhere, on land, at sea or in the air depended ultimately on its outcome...

The Trial of Aaron Burr Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Trial of Aaron Burr - Essay Example It chronicles not only the alleged attempt to suborn the sovereignty of the U.S. government in the western territories, but also a titanic power struggle between the judicial and executive branches of government. On a deeper level, it offers an early example of the predisposition for interpretation inherent in the Constitution – and its potential vulnerability to political conflict. The point upon which the prosecution’s case turned in Aaron Burr’s treason trial, whether or not levying war constituted an overt act, was contested during a period in which the fledgling American Democracy was testing the very nature of the Constitution and how the law of the land Name 2 was to be interpreted. In The Trial of Col. Aaron Burr, Chief Justice John Marshall renders an opinion on a motion to arrest evidence, in which he quotes from a preliminary opinion regarding the meaning of â€Å"levying.† The judge here accords with the argument put by George Hay, chief prosec utor in the Burr trial, by stating that â€Å"levying war is a fact in the Constitution of which force is an indispensable ingredient† (Carpenter, 444). ... ‘Real life’ interpretation Justice Felix Frankfurter would speak to the issue of interpretation nearly 200 years after the Burr trial: â€Å"The words of the Constitution are so unrestricted by their intrinsic meaning or by their history or by tradition or by prior decisions that they leave the individual justice free, if indeed they do not compel him, to gather meaning not from reading the Constitution but from reading life† (Frankfurter, 1941). In the opinion referred to by Justice Marshall (mentioned above), a pragmatic appraisal of the situation is an attempt to apply the precepts of logic and common sense. â€Å"To constitute the fact of levying war, it is not necessary that hostilities shall have actually commenced, by engaging the military force of the United States; or that measures of violence against the government shall have been carried into execution† (Carpenter, 444). Name 3 It is perhaps surprising that Chief Justice Marshall should have adhe red to such a strict rendering of the Constitution in light of the unstable political climate in 1807. With the new Republic in a fragile and unsettled state, battles over Federalism vs. States Rights, the geographic destiny of the new nation and which foreign powers should be sought as allies (and which to avoid) created a turbulent, even dangerous political situation. As such, one might expect a far more in-depth interpretation of the law, which, after all, must be dynamic enough to address (without being determined by) existing need and current circumstance. As well, one must bear in mind that Constitutional interpretation was as yet a largely unplowed field. Should the document’s language be interpreted according to the framers’ intent? Should the Constitution be regarded as

Information tech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information tech - Essay Example ed on the behavioral aspects of management accounting information, management accounting information is a necessity in business due to its capacity to change the financial position and performance of business. This has an impact on managers responsible for drawing business objectives since they are the major users of such information (Vitez 196). Depending on the level of information details available, business management decisions are based on good management information system and are only as good as how well and current information is provided. Fulfillment of business objectives is based on critical decisions, and not guesses work about elements such as budgets and costs. Through maintaining a good management accounting system, managers are able to spruce up their probability of making ideal business decisions. Even though information may not be the only key thing in business, it provides a real important component in decision making process (Vitez 198). Therefore providing inform ation improves the quality of decisions which result to actions that contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives of the business in the best way possible. In summary, providing management accounting information will not only improve the quality of business decision making, but also increase business efficiency, maximize profitability, simplify financial statement, control the cash flow of the business, increase financial reforms, reduce expenses, and solve problems and conflicts, and better financial reporting (Vitez

Nothing Is Permanent in This World Other Than Change Essay Example for Free

Nothing Is Permanent in This World Other Than Change Essay â€Å"Nothing is permanent in this world Other than the Change† -is a famous proverb. In this mechanical world all of us are moving towards the pursuit of money having not even single second to spare, to think of world. So I would like to bring to spotlight 3 most prickling things in my mind, which I think, given a power I will surely change, to make the world a better place to live in Poverty according to my view is a thorn in flesh of the world. Society in India is very sharply divided between ‘Haves’ and ‘Have Nots’. With all the wealth of the country getting so accumulated in a few hands the rest of the population find it difficult to even make 2 ends meet. So obvious reason for poverty is ‘distribution of wealth’ which is too uneven. On one side India is leading gold importer in the world, whereas on other side India has most number of population that cannot even afford for a single meal as stated as follows†¦ â€Å"Rich continues to become richer-and Poor continues to become poorer† Recent news coverage in media focusses fully on Indians and their illegal blackmoney deposited in Swiss and Morocco banks, and a pitiful fact is that most of them having account are politicians of our very own country. Isn’t it a big shame for our nation? Harmful effect of poverty include mitigation of crime activities like theft, robbery, smuggling, kidnapping, cheating

Slovenias transition from labor managed economy to privately owned capitalism :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1991 following a ten day military resistance to the Yugoslav National Army, Slovenia achieved its independence. Since then the country has established itself through economic prosperity and stability that is not always the case for countries transforming from a communist dominated system. During the period that Slovenia was a part of Yugoslavia the government consisted of a socialist system dominated by the communist party with most aspects of political power centered at regional levels. As a part of Yugoslavia Slovenia made up one fifth of its GDP and since its independence it has maintained a consistent GDP growth rate of 4% and has been successful in its transformation to a market dominated system by taking a policy of diversification of trade and an advocate of bilateral and regional free trade agreements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slovenia is a small country in central Europe. It borders the Adriatic Sea and lies between Austria and Croatia. Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey and has a population of just over two million people. Its strong historical ties to Western Europe along with many other factors such as a literacy rate of 99.7% have resulted in Slovenia enjoying a much higher per capita GDP than other transitioning economies in Central Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The policy change that Slovenia experienced upon its independence involved a change from labor managed enterprises to a privately owned capitalist system. This task involves the privatization of the entire market from a socially owned and planned system. The changes to the labor market that took place were the transformation from wage controls to a competitive labor market. This was not as big of an issue in Slovenia due to the negative influence that labor-managed enterprises had on wage and price controls. The attempts to distance itself from central planning and the ideal of a functioning labor market is one of the primary reasons that Slovenia has made the transition to a capitalist economy with relative ease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the late 1980s the Yugoslav government recognized the need for economic change in order to prevent stagflation from occurring and to spur production. Actions taken included â€Å"liberalizing prices, wages, imports, and personal foreign currency accounts, which together would bring about equilibrium of relative prices.† These stabilization policies allowed corporations to act more autonomously and set the stage for the eventual transition to a capitalist economy by Slovenia after its independence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prior to the Slovene independence in 1991, the Yugoslav economy was based on labor-managed enterprises and basic price and wage controls.

Christology Case Essay

Have you ever wondered if peoples’ names have any real value or significance? If it has any connection to our inner selves, and most specially our souls? A person’s name matters a lot more than we might think; names are given to us which we wear like a label through most of our lives. This is something that allows us to distinguish one from another in speech and writing, but it is truly nothing more than a label and seldom has any true energetic connection to who or what we are. A name can be generally termed as something by which a certain thing possesses the quality of being known so that it establishes its distinctive identity and existence in the scheme of things. Therefore, a name is the very base of the being of something. A name is more than a label. It’s a description of who you are and what your path and purpose in this experience is, was and will be. It is the perfect energetic compliment to your understanding of this experience for yourself; your role , your relationships to others, basically everything about you. â€Å"A name powerfully symbolizes character and importance. â€Å" There are first name, middle name, last name, surname, nick name, family name, given name and etc. when the reference is to people. A surname is usually inherited and, while it may be changed, some form of it is usually retained. Given names are more important in a way because they represent a voluntary choice by the parents or, sometimes, by an individual. By all means, a name is usually not given lightly. My Name Is JAZZY REJEL AGUILLON GOLOSO MEANING â€Å"Jazzy† This name is believed to have an American origin which means â€Å"Fragrant Flower†. Its meaning and origin came from a variantof the Persian Yasmin (Jasmine). â€Å"Jazzy† usually means â€Å"unconventional† or â€Å"unusual†, to stand out and are different from the people around you in a good way. Jazzy personality -means you are outgoing, talkative, funny, and fun to be around. Jazzy sense of humor – means you are clever and think of jokes that other people wouldn’t think of. It could possibly mean that your sense of humor is a little bit crass and you joke about things that others wouldn’t joke about. But not necessarily – it could be completely complimentary. Jazzy clothes or a jazzy dresser -means you probably wear bright, unusual colors or patterns, or your clothes show a unique and modern sense of style. What does it mean to other language? In Spanish -Sassy In French -Sophisticated In Danish -Over smart â€Å"REJEL† Rejel or Rigel (i)-gelIt is Arabic origin,and the meaning of Rigel is â€Å"foot†. In the Orion constellation, Rigelis the blue star of the first magnitude that marks the hunter’s left foot. Nickname (jazz) Jazz, coming from the word Jasm is thought to derive from or be a variant of slang jism or gism, which is defined as â€Å"spirit; energy; spunk.† . Deepening the nexus among these words is the fact that â€Å"spunk† is also a slang term for semen, and that â€Å"spunk†, like jism/jasm, also means spirit, energy, or courage. Other proposed origins include French jaser, meaning to chatter or chat, and French chasser, meaning to chase or hunt and from Irish teas, which is pronounced â€Å"jass† and means â€Å"heat† or â€Å"passion†. ACRONYMN J is for jolly, the fun side! A is for abundant, cheer knows no bounds. Z is for zeal, zest for life. Z is for zany, the funny side of me! Y is for yearn, my innermost desires. R is for reasonable, understanding way. E is for enchant, for enchant will. J is for jolly, the fun side! E is for eternal, spirit will live. L is for loyalty that I show. FAMOUS PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME NAME DJ Jazzy Jeff- Jeffrey Allen Townes, also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B disc jockey, record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Jazz Raycole-an American actress and dancer. Jazzy Rhia-female rapper. Research from my parents My mother told me why she named me Jazzy Rejel it’s because of her name Jenny while my father’s name is Romeo the first letter of my first name is from the first letter of my mother’s name, while the first letter of my second name is from the first letter of my father’s name . She said that she named me Jazzy Rejel since when I was born I was cute and adorable. How I could stand up to my name? As what I have researched, my two names mean a fragrant flower and a star- which is at the foot of a constellation. With such unique name, it was hard looking for meanings but as I discover what my name means; it was astonishing to know that my name really fit my personality. If I would be asked to give my own meaning to my name basing on this, I would say that Jazzy Rejelmeans a bubbly, perky person who will do everything to reach her goals and become that star, become a part of something important. I would carry on with my good works, remain as humble and lively and improve on my mishaps. END.

Us101 Week3 Effective Study Habits

University of Phoenix Material Effective Study Habits Worksheet Review Phoenix Career Plan results of Career Plan Building Activity: Work Culture Preference, respond to the following in 50 to 100 words each: 1. Describe your ideal study environment. My ideal study environment would be a nice quiet place with no Distractions like: my kids asking me to do something for them every 5 minutes or a place with no white noise like a fan or the air pump in my fish tank. My ideal study environment would have a comfy chair with lumbar support a quiet temperature controlled room and the proper lighting for reduce visual stress. . List some of the distractions that might hinder your study progress or your performance in an online classroom. Distractions that hinder my study progress and or performance are: having to get up in the middle of studying to get somebody a drink, clean my house or if an uninvited guest drops in to say ‘hi. † Two other examples would be a telemarketer calling or unexpected repairs to my home. 3. What actions can you take to manage and eliminate distractions? Some actions I could take to manage these distractions are to stay up late or get up early when everybody else is sleeping, so I get some piece and quiet.I could inspect my home daily to look for things that may require my attention and get them taken care of ahead of time. 4. How will you apply your personal learning style? How does your personal Learning style affect your study habits? I will apply my personal learning style by trying to remember the aspects of my style and how it psychologically helps me learn. I will act upon trying different methods of learning to see what really works best for me. My personal learning style affects my study habits by giving me the knowledge of how I study best, so I can use these qualities to improve my study. . List 5 effective study strategies from this week that you will use. Explain why you selected them and why they are effective strategi es for online learning. I will work on managing my study time and alerting my-self to external distractions this way I can figure out a time and area I can study with no distractions. I really haven’t been getting enough sleep and be able to keep up with my daily choirs. I need to work on a better schedule where I can get everything done that needs to be done this way I am not tired and can focus on studying.I Will work on my exercise routine so this way my body isn’t drained. â€Å"I practice Yoga 4 times a week and lug fire wood daily†. I have learned that if you are lazy and don’t exercise regularly your brain will not function to its maximum potential and to learn it needs to function at peak performance. I will make studying for class a daily choir if I get in to the routine of logging in to class and reading some of the texts everyday it will improve my study habits and wont feel like work as much as it would if I let days pass and had to catch up. . Identify one change you can make immediately to increase the effectiveness of your study habits. Explain how this will help you become more effective. One change I need to make immediately is to schedule the time I spend working on school work to a time where I have no distractions. I need to ether do it early in the morning before my kids wake up or late at night after they go to bed. The only problem is, is that by the time they are in bed my body and brain are drained because of all the choirs I have throughout the day.I am thinking that if I discipline myself to waking up an hour or two early each day this will give me enough time to keep up with my schooling. I think best in the morning so I am hoping this will work best for me. 7. How does your personal learning style relate to your ideal workplace and your personal work competencies? My personal learning style relates to my ideal workplace and my personal competencies by giving me a better understanding of how I work and le arn best. If I can study my best and work to my full potential I will be successful in my career choice. . How is understanding your ideal learning environment applicable to selecting your ideal workplace? Understanding my ideal learning environment teaches me how and when I work and learn best. When I understand how I learn best I can use the things I’ve learned to their full potential and use them in my ideal work environment. In my field of work I am constantly learning. Technology changes and advances everyday. I am always learning new things and if I find the way I learn best using my learning strategies it will help my workplace. Philip E. Nickerson

Repression1 essays

Repression1 essays " One morning after Dad finishes his workout, he pulls a fold-out bunk from the wall and lies down, still unclothed. I sit on the floor beside him. I watch his erection. He slaps his tummy with it. He laughs as if he is surprised. " Touch it," he says, holding his penis up, offering it to me. I reached over, hold it with my fingers, and let it go, making a thwack... ...I have seen his penis before when it is hard. He'd tried to put it into my bottom. He is going to do it again, isn't he? "I don't want to be here," I say. "Unlock the door. Please, Daddy." The bunker sits around me, heavy and grotesque. I disappear." (de Milly, walterdemilly.com/chapter.htm) Who would want to remember this sort of thing? Certainly not the poor child who is recalling it, so why would he? He didn't, for a long time, because of the pain this memory causes, so he did something that many people do with painful memories. He repressed it. Why do people repress memory, and how can it be recalled? This paper hopes to unlock a few of the secrets of this strange phenomenon. Firstly, repression, as defined by A Dictionary of Psychoanalysis, is the unconscious and involuntary process by which an unacceptable impulse or idea is rendered unconscious. According to Chip Phillips, repression is where "unconsciously you bury painful or embarrassing memories" (Phillips, Ch. 3). So what exactly causes someone to repress a memory? As Phillips stated, "painful or embarrassing memories". Memories of childhood abuse and sexual abuse are very common (Herman The writer believes that repression is where a person subconsciously buries memories of shocking acts and events that caused severe and traumatizing pain and/or embarrassment. This definition is very similar...

Dromiceiomimus - Facts and Figures

Dromiceiomimus - Facts and Figures Name: Dromiceiomimus (Greek for emu mimic); pronounced DROE-mih-SAY-oh-MIME-us Habitat: Plains of North America Historical Period: Late Cretaceous (80-65 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 12 feet long and 200 pounds Diet: Probably omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Relatively large eyes and brain; long legs; bipedal posture About Dromiceiomimus A close relative of the North American ornithomimids (bird mimic dinosaurs) Ornithomimus and Struthiomimus, the late Cretaceous Dromiceiomimus may have been the fastest of the bunch, at least according to one analysis of this theropods unusually long legs. At full tilt, Dromiceiomimus may have been capable of hitting speeds of 45 or 50 miles per hour, though it probably stepped on the gas pedal only when it was being pursued by predators or itself in pursuit of small, skittering prey. Dromiceiomimus was also notable for its relatively large eyes (and correspondingly big brain), which matched up oddly with this dinosaurs weak, toothless jaws. As with most ornithomimids, paleontologists speculate that Dromiceiomimus was omnivorous, feeding mostly on insects and vegetation but pouncing on the occasional small lizard or mammal when the opportunity presented itself. Now for the catch: many, if not most, paleontologists believe that Dromiceiomimus was actually a species of Ornithomimus, and not deserving of genus status. When this dinosaur was discovered, in Canadas Alberta province in the early 1920s, it was initially classified as a species of Struthiomimus, until Dale Russell reexamined the remains in the early 1970s and erected the genus Dromiceiomimus (emu mimic). A few years later, though, Russell changed his mind and synonymized Dromiceiomimus with Ornithomimus, arguing that the main feature distinguishing these two genera (the length of their legs) wasnt truly diagnostic. Long story short: while Dromiceiomimus persists in the dinosaur bestiary, this difficult-to-spell dinosaur may soon go the way of Brontosaurus!

Soc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soc - Essay Example All members of the public have to be given a chance to take part, question, introduce assertions and express their attitude on a matter that touches their lives. Since the best decision is based on a wide number of contributions, the internet would be the best choice for what can be called an ideal speech, as it can reach any people than any other known system. The modern society has brought about quiet a lot of divisions along several lines. If not racially(black/white) inclined, then it is will be gender (male/female), religion (Muslims/Christians), Ethnic, and so many others. If used in the correct context, an ideal speech offers freedom from the such mentioned categories by awakening response in every human being. An ideal speech stirs into action a man's birthright of true freedom equal rights and dignity, hence will act reconcile the above mentioned divergent groups. According to Habermas, there are four different social formalities; The Traditional, the Primitive, the Capitalist and the Post-Capitalist. Out of these classes, the Post-Capitalism is more preferable as it depicts the principles of an ideal speech more than the others. It represents the modern society which is more discursive and allows for consensus unlike the other three which are quiet stringent in characteristics. The Post-Capitalistic society gives room for a pluralistic participation when it comes to decision making.

Case Study 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Case Study 2 - Essay Example The application of ISD in the various areas like catering, inventory, sales and marketing etc. help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies followed thus facilitating improvements and enhancing overall performance. The new approach to ISD would therefore, promote a win-win situation for Shaun and consumers both. Implementation of a new technology into an organization needs careful consideration mainly because its introduction is designed to affect the various existing processes and may create conflicting interests and adversely affecting the performance of the organization. SDLC process is an integral part of management information system serving as the centralized monitoring system that coordinates and supports the rest of the functions and user requirements in order to help the organization to achieve all its strategic goals and objectives. The initial phase of feasibility study is the most important phase as it is the decisive factor that would decide the appropriateness of the new technology for the Restaurant. The identification of the core business processes and creation of appropriate database of relevant information with regard to inventory, sales order, menu account and schedules are important phases that help in the pilot running of the system. The rest of the implementation phase s are equally important as they help to adapt to a new system smoothly and efficiently, promoting understanding. Carmen needs to understand the various inter-related processes of the SDLC system in the Restaurant system so that new technology can be effectively used to improve the overall performance the business. Project plans are important part of SDLC strategy so that the pilot running of the system is able to identify the weaknesses and strength within the system. Strategic planning helps to improve and

Nutrition classes in Texas middle schools Essay

Nutrition classes in Texas middle schools - Essay Example The youth of Texas, aged 9th through 12th grades, reported only 17% were eating the recommended number of fruits and vegetables daily, with about 45% actually meeting the physical activity requirements for people in that age group. They also reported more than 38% drank at least one non-diet soda per day. (Dehghan, Akhtar-Danesh, &Merchant, 2005) The burden of obesity has cost private Texas businesses more than $3.3 billion and the state Medicare/Medicaid system more than $ 5 billion annually. (Castellon, 2008) The U.S. Surgeon General’s office report that more than 70% of overweight children go on to become overweight adults. Efforts aimed at reducing obesity should be initiated during early childhood with positive role modeling of healthy relationships with food and exercise. The focus should be more on healthy lifestyles as opposed to dieting solutions once the weight has accumulated. (Castellon, 2008) It is projected that by the year 2025, only 14% of adult Texans will be of normal weight, resulting in over $15 billion being spent annually for obesity related health issues. Texas has already begun to invest in nutrition and wellness education by spending $20 million in support for school physical education, fitness, and nutrition programs for middle-schoolers, in 6th – 8th grades. ... (Castellon, 2008) According to an independent study published by the American Journal of Public Health in 2008, the declining results may be attributable to the implementation of the Texas Public School Nutritional Policy, which took effect in 2003. The study collected three years worth of lunch menus and student choices, combined with health evaluations of Texas school children in more than six hundred participating schools across Texas. The Nutritional Policy aimed at instituting change by reducing availability of non-nutrient items, providing milk, fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy entree items on the menus. The entrees featured foods higher in protein, fiber, vitamins A and C, and Calcium. This study supports that school lunch choices had the potential to impact the problem of obesity showing short term reductions in obesity for participants, with further research being required. (Cullen, 2008) The International Journal of Obesity reported an increase in early onset child hood obesity with more prevalence in Mexican Americans and African Americans than in non-Hispanic White participants. The fat patterning in these groups was also more noticeably truncal, located around the middle region of the body; this pattern is more closely associated with Type II Diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, and cardiovascular risk factors. (Park, Menard, Schoolfield, 2001) (Guzman, 2011) In taking a closer look at the ethnic patterns of obesity, several factors appear to be involved. First of all, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics were found to be less likely to engage in physical activities. This was attributed to less availability of safe areas to perform physical activities. Secondly, this group was also found to be more satisfied with

Performance Management Activities

Performance Management Activities PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Performance management includes activities to ensure that goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient manner. Performance management can focus on performance of the organization, a department, processes to build a product or service, employees, etc. Information in this topic will give you some sense of the overall activities involved in performance management. Then you might enhance your understanding by reviewing closely related library topics referenced from the sidebar. IMPORTANCE OF PERFORMANCE MANGEMENT SYSTEM Setting up a good performance management system doesnt happen overnight or by accident. You need to consider its design and carefully plan how it will work before managers begin using it to evaluate employees. Benefits Managing employee or system performance facilitates the effective delivery of strategic and operational goals. There is a clear and immediate correlation between using performance management programs or software and improved business and organizational results. A performance management system should provide employees with these four basic benefits: A clear understanding of job expectations Regular feedback about performance Advice and steps for improving performance Rewards for good performance 4 Key Benefits of Performance Management system 1. PM focuses on results, rather than behaviors and activities A common misconception among supervisors is that behaviors and activities are the same as results. Thus, an employee may appear extremely busy, but not be contributing at all toward the goals of the organization. An example is the employee who manually reviews completion of every form and procedure, rather than supporting automation of the review. The supervisor may conclude the employee is very committed to the organization and works very hard, thus, deserving a very high performance rating. 2. Aligns organizational activities and processes to the goals of the organization PM identifies organizational goals, results needed to achieve those goals, measures of effectiveness or efficiency (outcomes) toward the goals, and means (drivers) to achieve the goals. This chain of measurements is examined to ensure alignment with overall results of the organization. 3. Cultivates a system-wide, long-term view of the organization. Richard A. Swanson, inPerformance Improvement Theory and Practice(Advances in Developing Human Resources, 1, 1999), explains an effective performance improvement process must follow a systems-based approach while looking at outcomes and drivers. Otherwise, the effort produces a flawed picture. For example, laying off people will likely produce short-term profits. However, the organization may eventually experience reduced productivity, resulting in long-term profit loss. 4. Produces meaningful measurements These measurements have a wide variety of useful applications. They are useful in benchmarking, or setting standards for comparison with best practices in other organizations. They provide consistent basis for comparison during internal change efforts. They indicate results during improvement efforts, such as employee training, management development, quality programs, etc. They help ensure equitable and fair treatment to employees based on performance PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM A Performance Management System enables a business to sustain profitability and performance by linking the employees pay to competency and contribution. It provides opportunities for concerted personal development and career growth. It brings all the employees under a single strategic umbrella. Most importantly, it gives supervisors and subordinates an equal opportunity to express themselves under structured conditions. Managing this process effectively isnt easy. It calls for a high level of co-ordination, channeled information flow, and timely review. Whether employees are at a single place, or spread across multiple locations, the use of technology can help simplify the complete process for more effective information management. Customize Performance Management to Fit Global Cultures Experts say companies often impose an American style of performance management on employees based in other countries, even when such a system conflicts with local cultural norms. A better approach, they say, is to adapt the system to fit the culture. U.S. firms pick up their existing performance management program philosophy, intent, forms, everything and try to force-fit them into non-U.S. cultures, forgetting that the nature of the employer/employee relationship varies widely from place to place, But this is a mistake. What works in Dallas might not work so well in Dalian or Dubrovnik. In some cultures you simply cannot transpose culturally offensive management styles. The 360-degree approach is a good example of this. It requires a fundamentally egalitarian mindset and value system in order to be effective. Its a rather Western concept to evaluate performance management scientifically and with a process that is valid and reliable and rational company. The management and assessment of performance has always been done [around the world], but its been done more intuitively and organically, and not in a rational, organized process. In the West that people will say things clearly, that are problems, and thats not the case in many other cultures around the world. However, because the American business model is accepted and admired, many companies outside the United States will simply accept the American way of doing business rather than expecting to have practices adapted to fit their culture, said A good performance appraisal process is an integral part of the performance management system and it works seamlessly with the other components. This article takes a holistic approach to performance management and gives an overview of the components. A performance management system has the following components and interfaces: goal-setting, regular reviews, annual appraisal, development process and linkages to other systems. Goal-setting This process is the foundation for a good performance management system. It brings in the clarity required to deliver the required results. The organizations expectations are set in the form of â€Å"key result areas† (KRAs), along with strong indicators of the required standards (also termed â€Å"measures of performance†). The benefits of giving clear directions are many. It helps increase productivity by enabling people to focus on the requirement; it minimizes frustration and enables employee satisfaction. Regular reviews Reviews are a critical component of the system. Reviews give timely feedback to the individual. It is important to schedule formal reviews during the course of the year. These can be half-yearly or quarterly depending on the need. Structured mid-term reviews enable the organisation to take stock of the performance during the given period. It gives the individual an opportunity to discuss his/her achievements during the given period and to look at areas of improvement. In a dynamic environment, it is important to keep abreast of market situations. Reviews can be utilised to make midcourse correction in the KRAs. It is possible that the macro environment has changed and that some of the objectives have to be reviewed. For example, certain sectors in the economy may be doing extremely well and the organisation may see a need to review sales numbers based on these indicators. Reviews need to be structured on a regular basis to ensure that there are no surprises in the annual appraisal. Regular and structured reviews are a critical component of the performance management system and this is essential to ensure that the performance management system is not the same as the annual performance appraisal. As a part of this sub-system, we have processes such as coaching, mentoring, performance improvement plans, etc. Annual appraisal A typical appraisal system could be designed on one of the following Confidential report: The report is written by the supervisor and is, typically, not shown to the individual. Decisions, such as promotions and changes in compensation are made, based on this report. Report by supervisor that is shown/given to the individual and discussed. Self-appraisal by the individual, value-added comments by the supervisor and a discussion: In this system, the individual writes a self-appraisal vis-à  -vis KRAs set at the start of the year. The manager adds his or her comments. Organisations follow one of the following methods of ratings-(a) rating given by the manager or (b) the individual and the manager give ratings and the organisation has a mechanism to deal with differences between the two. There is an opportunity for the individual and the manager to discuss the contents of the appraisal. People working in the software industry or in a project environment may raise a question about the relevance of the annual appraisal. Then there are also professionals who work with different project teams during the course of the year. In this case we could have reviews signed-off at the end of each project. These could be collated at the end of the year to look at overall performance and linkages to other systems. Development plan This pertains to the training and development sub-system. A part of the development plan stems out of the annual appraisal. This is the result of the areas of improvement that emerge from the appraisal and competencies required for new roles, if relevant. A good training and development process will also take the necessary inputs from the organisations business plan. This is required if the organisation is investing into new business or entering new markets. Linkage to rewards system Linkages to processes such as compensation, rewards, progression and successionplanning-the performance appraisal system, in many organisations, has a link to the rewards system. Individuals judge the performance management system and the culture of the organisation based on the message sent by the rewards system. If the rewards system recognises individual contribution and ignores contributions made to team objectives, the people in the organisation start focusing on individual tasks. Therefore, linkage to many of these systems need to be contemplated upon, articulated to the people and implemented with consistency. MEANING OF PERFORMANCE APPARISAL Performance appraisal system has been defined in many ways. The simplest way to Understand the meaning of performance appraisal is as follows: â€Å"A regular and continuous evaluation of the quality, quantity and style of the Performance along with the assessment of the factors influencing the Performance and behavior of an individual is called as performance Appraisal.† Performance appraisal also means an appraisal of the growth potential of an Employee, with a view to providing information to the organization leading to positive Action and enabling feed-back to the individual aimed at his performance Improvement, personal growth and job-satisfaction. In short, we can say that Performance appraisal is expected to result in an assessment of: Growth potential of the employees; Corresponding training needs for the employees; Capabilities for their placement in higher posts, Conduct and discipline of the employees; and The need of the organization to evolve a control mechanism OBJECTIVES OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL The main objective of the system of performance appraisal is to reward those who are Working efficiently and honestly in the organization. At the same time, it also aims at eliminating those who are inefficient and unfit to carry out their responsibilities. It has to be done almost continuously, so that no injustice is done to a deserving individual. It is, therefore, necessary to clearly define the organizational objectives, targets and priorities. It is further necessary to define clearly the rote and responsibilities of the persons involved in the functioning of the organisation. Performance appraisal also aims at helping the management in carrying out their tasks more effectively. A sound system of performance appraisal results in framing: A sound selection ?policy. An effective promotion and placement policy; An improved system of career and manpower planning; A realistic training programme; A good reward and punishment system; and An effective system of control and discipline in the organization. These elements are essential for any modern management system. No country can neglect them for long. We can thus say that the main objectives of performance appraisal are as follows: To carry out a fair and impartial assessment of the quality, quantity and stvle 01 the work performance of the individuals working in the organisation. To assess the extent of the various factors which influence the performance of the individuals. To reward the capable and efficient employees. To provide opportunity for improvement of their potentialities to those who are less capable and efficient. To make optimum utilisation of the available human resources for the fulfilment of the organisational goals. To help management in evolving and framing sound policies and programmes relating to selection, placement, promotion, training, discipline, control and man Global Trends in Performance Appraisal Program The performance appraisal process has become the heart of the human resource management systemin the organizations. Performance appraisal defines and measures the performance of the employees and the organization as a whole. It is a tool for accessing the performance of the organization. The important issues and points concerning performance appraisal in the present world are: The focus of theperformance appraisalsis turning towards career development relying on the dialogues and discussions with the superiors. Performance measuring, rating and review systems have become more detailed, structured and person specific than before. Performance related pay is being incorporated in the strategies used by the organizations. Trend towards a360-degree feedbacksystem The problems in the implementation of the performance appraisal processes are being anticipated and efforts are being made to overcome them. In India, the performance appraisal processes are faced with a lot of obstacles, the most prominent being the lack of quantifiable indicators of the performance. GLOBAL TRENDS The emergence of following concepts and the following trends related toappraisal can be seen in the global scenario: 360 Degree Appraisal 360 degree feedback, also known as ‘multi-rater feedback, is the most comprehensive appraisal where the feedback about the employees performance comes from all the sources that come in contact with the employee on his job. Organisations are increasingly using feedback from various sources such as peer input, customer feedback, and input from superiors. Different forms with different formats are being used to obtain the information regarding the employee performance. Team Performance Appraisal According to a wall street journal headline, â€Å"Teams have become commonplace in U.S. Companies†. Most of theperformance appraisal techniquesare formulated with individuals in mind i.e. to measure and rate the performance of the individual employee. Therefore, with the number of teams increasing in the organizations, it becomes difficult to measure and appraise the performance of the team. The question is how to separate the performance of the team from theperformance of the employees. A solution to this problem that is being adopted by the companies is to measure both the individual and the team performance. Sometimes, team based objectives are also included in the individual performance plans. Rank and Yank Strategy Also known as theâ€Å"Up or out policy†, the rank and yank strategy refers to the performance appraisal model in which best-to-worst ranking methods are used to identify and separate the poor performers from the good performers. Then the action plans and the improvement opportunities of the poor performers are discussed and they are given to improve their performance in a given time period, after which the appropriate HR decisions are taken. Some of the organisations following this strategy are Ford, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. Global Variations In the United States it is common for each employees performance over the previous six months or year to be documented and followed by a one-on-one meeting between the employee and their supervisor, at which time the employee will receive their rating and discuss expectations for the next rating cycle. In some cases employees are expected to complete a self-appraisal, which might be factored into their review, while in other cases feedback from peers and customers might be included as part of a 360-degree assessment of an individuals performance. Though far from perfect, and often dreaded, the American performance appraisal process suits the American culture, which is regarded as highly individualistic and egalitarian. For example, in the Unites States the performance rating is often used to determine pay. The basic belief in the acceptability, the rightness, the virtue of pay for performance. â€Å"Those who contribute the most should get the greatest rewards.† In the U.S. employees tend to rate themselves and others very highly, such as a 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale-using an â€Å"everyone gets a prize†. In many European cultures the highest rating might be a 3, and in Asian cultures they wouldnt rate themselves. A pay-for-performance system is inappropriate in cultures that focus on interpersonal relations and collectivism. In Japan compensation is not based on performance. In fact, its hard to identify the individual performance, because the focus is the team. â€Å"If an individual were identified as performing so well that they got compensation in return for it, it would be anathema to the groups collaborative ethos.† In some countries, such as Korea and Germany, use performance management processes that closely parallel those used in the United States. The same is true for France, though he noted that there is less of a connection between performance and pay in that nation. However, the Japanese and American processes have â€Å"diverged significantly† over the years. The Japanese system is frequently, and even intentionally and openly, used as a means of discriminating against ‘undesirable employees, a practice that is prohibited under U.S. civil rights laws. And although the performance appraisal process involves filling out the appraisal form and discussing it with the employee, In Japan the appraisal process often involves only the completion of the form without the discussion between boss and subordinate of the results of assessment. Those who work in the U.S. often put a great deal of value on the information that comes from 360- degree feedback, according to. But in a country like India-which tends to be more collective than individualistic and which embraces a high-power distance, or inequality of power, there is less value placed on the opinions of others and it would be seen as inappropriate culturally to ask employees to fill out a questionnaire on their boss. Similarly it would be difficult to implement a system that includes self-appraisal in cultures that are defined as collaborative, consultative and consensus oriented. People simply dont speak in the capital I and are very uncomfortable doing so. â€Å"In a culture like China or Japan, asking a person to speak about themselves in a way that is honest and direct and that will be appraised by their superiors is a waste of time.† And in some cultures, a face-to-face performance meeting never takes place. In severely hierarchical cultures where the boss is expected to just tell you what they think, there may not be a direct conversation. â€Å"They may communicate through a mediator to help save face.† Filipino managers engage in a practice called â€Å"smooth interpersonal relations.† If a boss has a problem with one of his subordinates, he wont talk directly to the subordinate about it, hell instead tell his wife because he knows his wifes cousins hairdresser is related to the problem employee. In other cultures, managers and employees go out for a drink periodically and chat informally about problems at work. The end result is that the manager knows and has a good sense of the performance of the individual, but if you ask them to assess the employee on a scale of one to 10 they cant do so. â€Å"There is a dependent relationship in Asian cultures. Employees depend on leaders to help them solve work-related problems. â€Å"Thats at odds with Western cultures where staff members solve things on their own.† In some cultures the relationship between the manager and subordinate is so close and ongoing that its sort of like a parent/child relationship. Managers know how employees are performing and give them feedback on a regular basis. A Look at India The business culture in India varies depending on whether it is a family-held business, an Indian company or a Western or American multinational organization, and that affects the nature of the performance management process, according to Nirmala Menon of Interweave Consulting Pvt. Ltd., a diversity consulting firm in Bangalore, India. â€Å"As most Indians are socialized to be hierarchy oriented, this often tends to spill over into the workplace,† Menon told SHRM Online. â€Å"In family-owned or the more traditionally-run organizations, the boss or manager often takes the position of the father in the family.† Organizations rely heavily on informal feedback from the senior person, which might be given indirectly and which is absorbed by the one for whom it is meant and others, Menon added. Menon says this means that the employees career growth is the bosss responsibility. â€Å"The expectation then is that â€Å"Father knows best† and what is conveyed is accepted even if they are in disagreement,† she said. â€Å"Evaluations are therefore often influenced in such situations by the deference shown to the boss and the level of loyalty exhibited; compliance more important than performance.† But Menon said that modern Indian organizations and multinational corporations, particularly IT and telecommunications firms, generally adapt to the global value systems of their companies. As a result, evaluations tend to be more structured and include face-to-face meetings, she said, followed by a written document signed by employee and manager and which typically incorporates input from peers and customers to substantiate the rating. â€Å"While indirect feedback also exists in these organizations, given the heightened awareness of a fair and professional environment, there is more acceptance and expectation of a documented communication, keeping in mind the objectives for the period under review,† Menon added. Annual Performance Appraisal and Evaluation in Indonesia Early in the 20th century, the biggest job as a managers is to teach a newly hired employee to fail intelligently to experiment over and over again and to keep on trying and failing until learns what will work. As we begin 2004, many companies are struggling with the issue of employee appraisal and evaluation. While generally adopted in most western-based business cultures, such employee review and appraisal in Indonesia can be fraught with misunderstandings as to purpose and methodology, be filled with accusations of impartiality, and be slowed by hesitation to formally criticize a subordinate. This issue comes up in easily 95 percent of my cross-cultural training programs. American companies normally wish to establish some sort of review procedure but once they begin addressing how to actually institute the process and decide what direct benefits they wish to see, they often become bogged down. The threshold question then is whether a foreign company should even try to implement such a system. There are several cultural barriers to such a system here. Among them is the difficulty with direct communication with employees and also the ‘saving up of problem areas until a later time. Direct communication is difficult for most Indonesians. Indonesians generally adopt an indirect approach to problem solving to avoid the possibility of confrontation and the disruption of office harmony. The preservation of such office harmony being a prime Indonesian business value, of course, and one often having priority over work performance. Also in Indonesia an erring employee or other problem situation is addressed as soon as possible, albeit in an indirect and non-blame pointing way, and then forgotten. To bring the subject up again at some review several months later is going to be considered inappropriate. For these two reasons, individual performance appraisals tend to have the following pattern: An employee comes in to the meeting with some misunderstandings or perhaps anxiety about what will be discussed and how it will affect their career. The supervisor can go over the ‘good qualities of the employee without difficulty. However, when the supervisor begins discussing areas that ‘may need improvement there is normally an attitude change on the part of the employee with him or her becoming either defensive or submissive. In other words, the employee may either disagree with the supervisors assessment or else may ask something like â€Å"Why are you doing this to me? I thought that we had a good working relationship. I did not realize that I was letting you down so badly. Do you want me to resign?† The supervisor then is in the position once again of explaining the purpose and objective of the assessment process. In general, annual performance evaluations and reviews tend to be disruptive to the Indonesian office. In my opinion, companies should focus on immediate feedback and reprimand, if needed, and not use the annual approach. Another difficulty is the cultural reluctance for some Indonesian managers to formally and in writing criticize their own subordinates. I often hear the example of the expatriate manager who has had one of his direct reports complain often about the performance of his own subordinates. However, when it comes time for the annual review, the direct report submits an outstanding report on that same subordinate. The decision to have annual performance evaluations and reviews may not be up to the Indonesian subsidiary of a multi-national company. Home office may dictate such a policy and the local companys only choice is how to implement. There seem to be three basic approaches to this situation. First is to just go through the motions, telling your employees that ‘this is a Western thing. It will not affect your salary or career, which basically voids the process. Second, you can use the information to provide training and education of the employees turning the evaluation process into a kind of reward system. Third and most difficult, is the attempt to fully implement and effectively use this Western evaluation tool. It can and has been successfully implemented by a number of American companies operating in Indonesia, but it does need the directed will of the top management along with allocated resources and training to be successful. At the very least, there must be a significant training period to help your employees understand what the process is and, more importantly, how it will affect them. Year one should involve a formal introduction to the process with written, quantifiable criteria for the evaluation. Year two should include mock appraisals that do not have any effect on the career of the employee. Year three could see the first recorded appraisals. Once the process is institutionalized, new employees will be told by their colleagues about this strange and foreign system and what to expect. It then becomes part of your ‘third corporate culture. Any attempts to speed up the process are often seen as arbitrary and unfair. Further, you should definitely expect such accusations of being arbitrary and unfair if you take the next step after the evaluation process and tie the appraisal into bonuses or salary increases. Such performance-based bonuses or salary increases are pretty much in direct opposition to the Indonesian business values of the group working together and maintaining office harmony. Traditionally, the ideal Indonesian employee is one who is loyal to the boss for a long time. In other words, loyalty and seniority are the prime attributes, and by loyalty, I mean personal allegiance to the boss, not to the corporate entity. Pointing out a specific employee and emphasizing the fact that he is superior to and a better employee than those he or she works with on a daily basis is going to be disruptive to the office and embarrassing to the individual. For instance, if you have an annual office party or awards dinner for your staff and you say something like: â€Å"Now here is Budi who outperformed everyone else in our office and we are giving him a new TV.† The polite clapping of his co-workers is going to be overshadowed by thoughts of ‘traitor and plots for revenge against the award winner. If you bring up another employee and say ‘Now here is Bambang who has worked for our company for 10 years and we are giving him a new TV, Bambang will bask in the limelight and his co-workers will no doubt truly admire his accomplishment. The difference being that Bambang was rewarded for seniority, while Budi was rewarded for violating basic Indonesian business values. One should not expect the same confidentiality of salary information in Indonesia that one might expect in the home country. We joke that on the day performance bonuses are given, the employees exchange pay stubs in the canteen. Even if the situation is not that extreme, you can be sure that most people in your office know what each other has received, and those employees with more seniority may soon be in your office asking for a bigger bonus or larger salary increase. You may then once again be explaining the companys policy on performance appraisals and evaluation but this time be met with defensive and even hostile disagreement as to whom was the better worker. Allegations that the companys criteria for awarding bonuses or salary increases is unfair and arbitrary and lacks understanding of the situation in Indonesia may be made. Employees have certainly used the conflict resolution strategy of ‘appeal to authority to resolve these disagreements going to the country manager complaining that their supervisor is acting improperly. There have also been cases of employees going to Indonesian government departments like Manpower or Immigration complaining about their expatriate supervisor. With the current priorities in these departments, such complains have resulted in the early repatriation of expatriate supervisors. The process of annual performance appraisal and evaluation of Indonesian employees is not one that foreign companies should enter into lightly. The implementation of this very Western-based management tool should be well thought out and supported by top management. Alternatives exist that may be better suited to your companys long-term success in Indonesia. Encouraging employee performance and addressing areas of weakness remain a good m