How Macroeconomics affects business Essay

Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that explores trends in the national economy as a whole considering the study of the sum of individual economic factors. Macroeconomics considers the larger picture, and an understanding of how do business operates is crucial to understand macroeconomics. Macroeconomics is intertwined with business because business is affected by the factors that constitute macroeconomics. Circular-flow diagram: a visual model of the economy that shows how dollars flow through markets among households and firms. Using this diagram it can be clearly observed how some factors can influence business operations.. Business is affected by many economic activities. These activities are: Interest rate increase, taxes increase, unemployment rate increase, Inflation. Interest Rate. Interest rate is a rate which is charged or paid for the use of money. Increase of interest rate has a great affect on several consumption opportunities. 1. As it can be observed from the graph, if interest rate increases the consumption expenditures of households will decrease, which means that company’s profit will decrease. In future it will lead to decrease in production output. In order to be competitive companies will need to cut wages or even fire somebody from the personnel, which will again lead to decrease in consumption opportunities. 2. Affect on cost of borrowing. Many companies around the world make their business by loaning money from the bank. If interest rate increases, the interest payments on credit and loans become more expensive. Therefore this discourages companies from borrowing and widening its business. Companies who already have loans will have less disposable income because they spend more on interest payments. 3. Increase in mortgage interest payments. In majority of cases companies borrow mortgages to buy already existed place  for operations or to build a new building. And if the mortgage interest will increase even by very little percent, it will have significant impact on businesses disposable income. That’s why it will be more profitable for them to rent an apartment rather that to buy a new one. 4. Reduced Confidence. Interest rates have an effect on business confidence. A rise in interest rates discourages investment; it makes firms less willing to take out risky investments and purchases Taxes A fee charged by a government on a product, income, or activity. Here are some effects of taxes on business operations. 1. Taxes lower overall gains. There is a statement in accounting which calls income statement. In income statement all revenues and expenses are written. After subtractions of all expenses out of revenues there is a column which name is Earnings before interest and taxes. Results of â€Å"before tax† and â€Å"after tax† business cases can look quite different. Where the business case shows gains or net cash inflows, taxes operate to lower overall gains because operating income and capital gains are normally taxed. 2. Low wages Multiple governments levy so many taxes on businesses that â€Å"taxes† is the highest budget items on the ledger sheets of most businesses. These taxes take away some of the money otherwise used to pay wages. That’s why employers can’t pay good wages. 3. High prices In many countries governments put many taxes on businesses that â€Å"taxes† is the highest budget items on the ledger sheets of most businesses. Businesses have to raise prices to get money to pay these taxes. So product prices go up. This leads to inflation. Unemployment. Unemployment is an economic condition marked by the fact that individuals actively seeking jobs remain unhired. There are several reasons of unemployment in a country. They are: 1. Worldwide financial crisis Companies do not have enough money to hire new staff to the company and to increase their outcome. 2. Population increase When, for example, baby boomers reach the age of 18, they start to search for a job, but the number of work places did not increase. That’s why many of them become unemployed. 3. Low qualification The majority of companies nowadays try to employ more qualified workers, and people that are less qualified fail to find a better job 4. Replacement of workers by technologies In todays world technological progress is very visible. In many factories people force is replaced by machine. And if 10 years ago in order to produce one detail you need 10 people, today you need only one or two persons who will watch after this process of production Unemployment has a direct impact on all business. People buy products and services and if they do not have a job they will buy less products and services. That is why increasing unemployment often results in many businesses reducing inventories because they expect to sell less. Another reason is that many companies in order to develop and reach the new level of production need more qualified personnel. But if there is a shortage of qualified people, company can not develop at all and should whether stay at the same level of find other ways to improve. The third reason is that during the recessions and crisis companies should cut their expenses, that’s why in order to be competitive and do not decrease the level of production they should fire some workers Inflation Inflation is an increase in the price of a basket of goods and services that is representative of the economy as a whole. Effects of inflation on business. 1. People try to get rid of cash before it is devalued, by saving food and  other commodities creating shortages of the saved objects. That’s why in a specific period of time, for example, one week, people will consume a lot of goods, but one week later they will not consume at all. 2. Increased risk – Higher uncertainties. Uncertainties in business always exist, but with inflation risks are very high, because of the instability of prices. 3. Existing credit companies will be hurt, because the value of the money they will receive from their borrowers later will be lower than the money they gave before. 4. Fixed income recipients will be hurt, because while inflation increases, their income doesn’t increase, and therefore their income will have less value over time. 5. Companies will think they were making profits while in reality they’re losing money if they don’t take into consideration the inflation rate when calculating profits. 6. Many companies will have to go out of business because of the losses they incurred from inflation and its effects. 7. Rising prices of imports if the currency is debased, then it’s purchasing power in the international market is lower.For the same amount of money companies will be able to buy less. 8. Competition. If there is a lot of competition in a market, businesses try harder to keep prices low to keep buyers. It means that companies will have less and less profit. Sometimes they will need to cut the wages. But staff do not like when the wages are cut. And if they will not find something else in order to cover their costs, they will soon become a bankrupt. In conclusion it can be said that Macroeconomics has a very big impact on the business operations. Economics intersect with business in almost everything. And whatever changes will occur in economics it will for sure display in business.

Descriptive Essay About a Person

Zarja G. ESSAY #: About a person They say you will never forget the person you first laid your eyes on. A tinny glimpse, which you probably do not remember, although it somehow stayed in your heart. Not the picture but the feeling you had when you saw him/her. The feeling of warmth, safety and joy. Without them you feel lost not really yourself. Somehow they are a part of you, a part of your world, your heart. For me that is my mother. Her voice calms me down.After moving to Vienna I was a bit homesick, but my mom would call me and everything would get better in a second. Just the sound of her voice is what I need from time to time. She is very good with words and almost knows what you want to hear when you are sad. Being a journalist and a writer explains her love of books and literature in general. She loves telling stories and is really good at it. She puts her heart and soul in what she writes. She never talks about her feelings, but in stories and short stories she always does.W riting somehow makes her feel better. It makes her emotions be heard without a voice just by the words on a white paper. The picture of my mother will never ever disappear from my mind. Her curly brown hair with a ribbon in them so they do not hide her face, her dark brown eyes and the smile which lights up my world. She is not that tall probably the same height as me. Her style for clothing is a bit different from other mothers, but I love that. She never wears heals and her favorite shoes are converse Allstars. My mother is a fantastic cook.Whatever she prepares is absolutely delicious. Even our neighbors tell us that after my parents moved to Klagenfurt even they miss the smell of her gingerbread cookies. For me it is a smell of Christmas. You can smell cinnamon and honey and you can almost immediately feel your mouth water. Right after the cookies were done in our family they quite quickly disappeared. She is the one who is always there for me. If I am in trouble or just sad I k now I can always count on her. She would walk to my room close the door and slowly sit next to me.Without even asking she would know I am not okay. Her presence made me always feel better even though I was broken inside. Her hand would slowly rub my back and she would whisper in my ear: ‘‘I am here everything will be okay. ’’ And it always was. I could say my mother is my best friend which will never disappear from my life. Her personality and charisma makes me want to be just like her when I grow up. We are kind of inseparable. I am always there for her as well as she is there for me. I love my mom. Descriptive Essay About a Person Zarja G. ESSAY #: About a person They say you will never forget the person you first laid your eyes on. A tinny glimpse, which you probably do not remember, although it somehow stayed in your heart. Not the picture but the feeling you had when you saw him/her. The feeling of warmth, safety and joy. Without them you feel lost not really yourself. Somehow they are a part of you, a part of your world, your heart. For me that is my mother. Her voice calms me down.After moving to Vienna I was a bit homesick, but my mom would call me and everything would get better in a second. Just the sound of her voice is what I need from time to time. She is very good with words and almost knows what you want to hear when you are sad. Being a journalist and a writer explains her love of books and literature in general. She loves telling stories and is really good at it. She puts her heart and soul in what she writes. She never talks about her feelings, but in stories and short stories she always does.W riting somehow makes her feel better. It makes her emotions be heard without a voice just by the words on a white paper. The picture of my mother will never ever disappear from my mind. Her curly brown hair with a ribbon in them so they do not hide her face, her dark brown eyes and the smile which lights up my world. She is not that tall probably the same height as me. Her style for clothing is a bit different from other mothers, but I love that. She never wears heals and her favorite shoes are converse Allstars. My mother is a fantastic cook.Whatever she prepares is absolutely delicious. Even our neighbors tell us that after my parents moved to Klagenfurt even they miss the smell of her gingerbread cookies. For me it is a smell of Christmas. You can smell cinnamon and honey and you can almost immediately feel your mouth water. Right after the cookies were done in our family they quite quickly disappeared. She is the one who is always there for me. If I am in trouble or just sad I k now I can always count on her. She would walk to my room close the door and slowly sit next to me.Without even asking she would know I am not okay. Her presence made me always feel better even though I was broken inside. Her hand would slowly rub my back and she would whisper in my ear: ‘‘I am here everything will be okay. ’’ And it always was. I could say my mother is my best friend which will never disappear from my life. Her personality and charisma makes me want to be just like her when I grow up. We are kind of inseparable. I am always there for her as well as she is there for me. I love my mom.

Colorectal cancer target referralcancer detection rate and diagnostic Essay

Colorectal cancer target referralcancer detection rate and diagnostic efficacy of the criteria - Essay Example Etiology of colorectal carcinoma is not clear but a few etiological factors have been implicated. These are as under, 1. Geographic variations: The incidence of large bowel carcinoma shows wide variation throughout the world. It is much more common in North America, Northern Europe, then in South America, Africa, and Asia. Colorectal cancer is generally thought to be a disease of affluent societies because its incidence is directly correlated with the socioeconomic status of the countries. 2. Dietary factors: Diet plays a significant part in the causation of colorectal cancer. A low intake of vegetable fiber-diet leading to low stool bulk is associated with higher risk of colorectal carcinoma. Consumption of large amounts of fatty foods by populations results in excessive cholesterol and their metabolites which may be carcinogenic. Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates that remain in contact with colonic mucosa for prolonged duration changes the bacterial flora of the bowel, thus resulting in production of carcinogenic substances. 3. Adeno-carcinoma sequence: There is strong evidence to suggest that colonic adenoma-carcinoma arises from pre-existing adenomas referred to as adeno-carcinoma sequence. Incidence of adenomas in population is directly proportional to the prevalence of colorectal cancer. 4. ... cular genetics have revealed that there are sequential multi-step mutations in evolution of colorectal cancer from adenomas by mechanisms such as -catenin mechanism and microsatellite instability mechanism. Distribution of the primary colorectal cancer reveals that about 60% of the cases occur in the rectum, followed in descending order, by sigmoid and descending colon (25%), caecum and ileocaecal valve (10%), ascending colon, hepatic and splenic flexures (5%); and quite uncommonly in the tranverse colon. Clinical symptoms in colorectal cancer appear after considerable time. These include occult bleeding, changes in bowel habits, loss of weight ( cachexia), loss of appetitie (anorexia), anemia, weakness, malaise. The most common complications are obstruction and hemorrhage; less often perforation and secondary infection may occur. The prognosis of colorectal cancer depends upon few variables such as extent of bowel movement, presence or absence of metastases, histological grade of tumor and location of the tumor. The most important prognostic factor in CRC is however, the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis. Three staging systems are in use. They include Duke's ABC staging, Astler - Coller Staging which is a further modification of Duke's Staging and TNM staging described by American Joint Committee (Mohan 601). The methods used in the diagnosis of CRC are as follows: Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) FOBT is one of the most effective methods for colorectal cancer screening. Reports reveala reduction in colorectal cancer mortality of 12%-33% in a long-term follow up available in four randomized controlled trials and three non-randomized trials of 330,000 and 200,000 individuals respectively. FOBT isvery acceptable as it is non-invasive,programme.

Review the general applications of monoclonal antibodies,emphasising Essay

Review the general applications of monoclonal antibodies,emphasising their advantage and limitations with specific examples - Essay Example They have received usage in the areas of medicine, molecular biology and biochemistry; when used in the field of medicine, they are identified from the end of the name of the non-proprietary medicine, is identified because it contains –mab in its name. This paper will explore the general applications of monoclonal antibodies, and the discussion will offer more emphasis to their limitations and advantages. Discussion Monoclonal antibodies are used in the field of medicine for the detection of different varieties of toxins, drugs or hormones. When used for this general purpose, they are aimed at the target area in the body of the individual. For example, when used to detect or stop the growth of cancer cells, these antibodies are targeted at the specific proteins found on the surfaces of some cancer cells. When injected into the body of the individual, these monoclonal antibodies locate the cancer cells and then attach themselves to the given cancer cells or antigens (Kontermann , 2005). In some cases, they are used on their own and in others conjugated with other substances. When naked monoclonal antibodies are injected into the body, they bind themselves to the target receptors or the antigens found on the cancer cells being targeted (Yarbo, Wujcik and Gobel, 2011). The advantages of using monoclonal antibodies include that when they are used to target some types of cancer cells, they will attach themselves to the particular receptors of the cancer cells, and then they stop the continuation of the growth of cancer cells. Some of the examples used for this purpose of treating cancerous growth include rituximab (Biburger, Weth and Wels, 2005). Rituximab is used for this curative purpose to treat some types of B-cell on-Hodgkin lymphoma. The second monoclonal antibody type is trastuzumab, which is used for the treatment of HER2-positive cancerous growths on breasts (American Cancer Society, 2008). The disadvantage of using monoclonal antibodies is that they can be attached to toxins, which are made from plants or bacteria. In the case that they are used to transport these toxins, the toxic element is likely to affect the targeted cancer cells as well as the normal cells of the patient (Yarbo, Wujcik and Gobel, 2011, p. 558-560). Towards resolving this issue, researchers are in the process of researching for antigens that affect the cancerous cells only, and not the normal cells. Monoclonal antibodies are used in the medical processes of radioimmunotherapy and radioimmunodetection of cancer, where some of the new variants of the antibodies can be targeted at the cell membranes of the cancerous cells of a patient (Goldenberg et al., 2006). The advantage of monoclonal antibodies when used for this purpose includes that they help in enhancing the background ratios of tumours and they also aid the delivery of higher dosages, as compared to the case when they are directly conjugated for use with other compounds (Rossi et al., 2006). The disa dvantages of using monoclonal antibodies in this manner include that the functionality of many of the drugs that have been developed is not approved by health and drug testing organizations. One of the new cancer drugs based on the working of monoclonal antibody technology is Ritoxin, which was approved for use in health institutions, by the FDA in November 1997 (Salvana and Salata, 2009). Monoclonal

Improving Performance through Learning,coaching and development Essay

Improving Performance through Learning,coaching and development - Essay Example As a response to the need for better, bigger, quicker and cost effective communication, call centres are continually introducing improved infrastructures and more advanced technologies. This has resulted to an environment where the call length is measured in seconds, and overt and covert monitoring systems that make certain compliance of employees to precise operating procedures (Holdsworth & Cartwright, 2003, p. 131). Such a setting is what Endeavour communication firm in the UK is trying to adopt. The paper will discuss the firm’s transformation from a phone based call centre to a multichannel service offering centre. This requires coming up with a comprehensive training and development framework. The paper will highlight the basic skills and competencies that will form the basis of the new programme, where the training managers and their team have an assignment of designing and delivering a 4-week training and intervention, which will make sure all the front line staff are fully competent with the new systems and procedures before the launch of the new multi-channel call centre. It will further outline a proposal for training intervention, a description of how the programme would be implemented to meet the specific requirements, and lastly, discuss how reinforcement of the initiative would be done and evaluation of the programme to make sure that the learning outcomes have been realised. Identification of training and development needs Endeavour is an outsourcing provider operating customer contact centres both in the UK and abroad. It has three contact centres, two in the UK and one situated in India. Approximately half of the UK’s front line staffs are situated in one modern call centre. The firm does its recruitment and selection from the local labour pool. Consequently, the firm strives to embark on a major challenge of altering the business model from that of a predominantly phone based call centre to a multichannel service offering. As a consequence, the core drivers of a training and development program for an outsourcing firm like Endeavour include: shifts in customer tastes and preferences, new and challenging business opportunities, technology advancements, and management planning (Garavan, Hogan, & O’Donnell, 2003, p.21-23). The firm required to train and develop its employees because clients have numerous channels for communication. Therefore, it was crucial for the contact centre to provide them with a wide range of options to match their requirements, with the major aim being to enhance customer satisfaction. The range of channels consisted of the following: phone, web chat, fax, email, social media, internet, call queuing, and call back. Consequently, the front-line staffs of Endeavour needed to be trained on key board entry skills, call handling and product knowledge to be fully competent in these areas. Since the firm was launching a new product, this signifies that it was targeting a new market. T his new market consisted of customers who were fond of using the phone, email, social media, and internet among many others. This would result to issues coming up such as mismatch of skills. Therefore, this need for additional training and development was as result of taking up new business opportunities. The refurbishment of the on-site classrooms and training resources led to the installation of special technology system that

Double Jeopardy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Double Jeopardy - Research Paper Example Double jeopardy is regarded as an abuse of process because the same person is brought to the court based on the same facts. The rule of double jeopardy has received dramatic attention in the past few areas and critics are constantly calling for upgrading the rule because of its failure as it is causing injustice in the society. A classic reason often quoted for advocating the rule of double jeopardy and is often cited in academic literature and law cases was made by Black J in the case of Green v United States (US Supreme Court 187). The idea behind the statement which he believed is ingrained in the mind of American system of jurisprudence is that the State should not be allowed to make multiple attempts to allege a charge to convict a person for an offence, thereby subjecting him into incur unnecessary expenses, making him disgraceful in the society, and it causes the individual to suffer from embarrassment & mental turmoil. This compels him to live a life full of anxiety and insecurity, and also increases the chances of the individual to be declared guilty even though he might be innocent. Double jeopardy is recognized as a constitutional right in several countries. The fifth amendment of constitutions of United States of America states: â€Å"nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb† (AFA para. 3). ... Double jeopardy is recognized as a constitutional right in several countries. The fifth amendment of constitutions of United States of America states: â€Å"nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb† (AFA para. 3). In addition to that, it is also recognized in international laws. For instance, the Article 14 (7) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that â€Å"No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has already been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country† (ICCPR 14). In United Kingdom, this principle is famously known as ‘Connelly principle’ after the case of Connelly v Director of Public Prosecutions as it was regarded as an abuse of process. Lord Pearce in this case stated that a man should not be tried for a second offence which is clearly inconsistent on the facts with either a previous conviction or acquittal. The court should apply judicial discretion under such circumstances as without such a process, injustice will prevail (Johns 3). In Australia, the High Court’s decision regarding R v Carroll triggered a reform about the rules of double jeopardy (Johns 7). The case was concerned with a murder of an infant girl named Deidre Kennedy in 1973, for which Raymond Carroll was prosecuted for the case by the court. The girl was strangled in Queensland and her body was found with bruises on left thigh which were identified by medical experts as marks of human teeth. Carroll defended himself by swearing an oath and claiming that at the time of murder he was attending a course at RAAF base in South Australia. The defendant

Changing Demographics in the UK and Europe Essay

Changing Demographics in the UK and Europe - Essay Example To prevent work-related stress, each employee should make it a habit to exercise on a regular basis. To decrease the number of unemployed youth, it is necessary to control the inflow of the immigrants. Doing so will provide the youth the opportunity to gain work experiences needed to make the future workforce of UK and Europe more competitive. Table of Contents Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Table of Contents †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 I. Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 II. Total Population in UK and Europe †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 III. Significan ce of UK and Europe Demographics on Employment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..................................†¦. 5 IV. Significance of UK and Europe Demographics on the Local Businesses †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.................................†¦. 7 V. Conclusions and Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Appendix I – Population Trend in UK †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦............................. 10 Appendix II – Long-Term International Migration Into and Out of the UK †¦.............................................................. ... .................................†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 15 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.........†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16 - 17 Introduction Defined as the â€Å"balance of a population especially with regards to density and capacity for expansion or decline† (Merriam-Webster, 2012), demographic composition of a nation includes a wide-range of variables such as gender, age, race, nationality, employment status, location of residences, and home ownership among others. Due to the global economic crisis, the number of people who are unemployed has been increasing over time past few years (Gregory, 2011). Globalization does not only mean removing the barriers on trading but also the movements of the labour forces. This explains why some people view globalization as a great threat on employment. Considering the on-going changes in the demographics of UK and Europe particularly with regards to youth unemployment and the ageing workforce, this report will focus on analyzing how changes in demographics can affect the local business organizations and how demographic data serves as useful information in terms of making important business management decisions. In response to the case of high unemployment rate, Total Population in UK and Europe The trend in UK population is following an upward trend. From 61.8 million, the total population in UK is reported to have reached 62.6 million in 2011 and again to increase up to 64.8 million in 2016 (Beaumont, 2011, p. 3). Other than live births, one of the main reasons why the UK population is continuously increasing is due to the upward trend of immigration (p. 7). In the case of UK, earning British citizenship through residence grant is more common than granting British

Schools of Strategic Management Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Schools of Strategic Management Thought - Essay Example The key characteristic of the Environmental School of Strategic Management Thought is that business is considered as closely depended on its environment – being unable, in a way, to take initiatives that would support its various activities. In accordance with Sadler (2003) the specific School of Strategic Management Thought is based on the contingency theory. In this context, it is noted that businesses that are influenced by the Environmental School of Strategic Management Thought have the following characteristics: a) their strategic decisions are likely to be influenced by the organizational environment, b) all organization’s decisions and activities need to be aligned with the environment, c) the leaders of these organizations do not have power to act independently; rather they should focus on identifying the conditions of the organizational environment and ensure the alignment of the business decisions with these conditions, d) businesses that follow the rules of the specific School of Strategic Management Thought are finally become unable to keep their identity and to realize their goals; this result to the gradual loss of the power of the organization to face the environmental conditions – which are likely to become hostile; in the long term, this phenomenon could lead the organization to stop its operations. In accordance with Matthews (2005) the Environmental School of Strategic Management Thought is based on ‘strategy formation as a reactive process’ (Matthews, 2005, p.29).

How to Cooking Essay Example for Free

How to Cooking Essay Mmmhm Can you smell that? The aroma of gooey gorgonzola cascading down a mount of al dente bow tie pasta. Have you ever been stuck in a rut and had no clue what to cook for your date or in general? Why not cook pasta? Not just any pasta, but bow tie pasta with creamy gorgonzola sauce that will take your taste buds on a ride! Mmmhm Now let me take you on an excursion through culinary excellency and show you step by step how to make this exquisite meal and some tips how to make your meal extra special. There? s no such thing as pasta without a boiling pot. To achieve the best taste pallet possible out of this dish I use my lucky ceramic boiling pot. You might think, why isn? t that silly, a lucky ceramic pot. Well just like how singers and actors have there lucky charm, I have my pot to make this pasta dish extra special. Once you get the pot on the stove you want to make sure the stove is set on high to ensure that the pasta gets cooked fast and easily and add about two cups of water and a dash of salt for ?avor. In a few minutes you would start to hear the sudtle POP POP of the water and that? s your que to add the bow tie pasta. Now there are many varieties of bow tie pasta to chose from but when making it with gorgonzola sauce you want to choose one with crunch to controvict with the creaminess of the gorgonzola and the best pasta for this job is ronzoni because of its low sodium level. As soon as the pasta is in the pot, i get to work with the sauce. For this you? ll need a nice chunk of gorgonzola cheese,milk,pepper, and of course butter to add that fatty taste to the sauce. Put all of these in a separate pot than the pasta and set the How to do essay ~ stove to medium for a slow and easy cook. Slowly the cheese disappears into a thick blue and white sauce. The aroma of the cheese slowly creeps into your nose causing you noseHere comes the hardest part. The agonizing and tantalizing wait for the pasta to cook.

Consumer Knowledge About Nutritional Information Marketing Essay

Consumer Knowledge About Nutritional Information Marketing Essay The research is based on the impact of nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. the purpose of the study is to identify the factors that influence consumers to consider nutritional labeling while making a purchase from them or for their house hold. Moreover it also determines that printed nutritional value on packaged food products is essential for the consumer buying decision. This study made the researchers clear about the knowledge a consumer have about a nutritional content of package food products and also the nutrients a consumer look for their healthy diet through detailed published articles, journals and blogs related to food label. Many articles were referred for understanding of the reasons which play an important role in consumer buying behavior. This research is based on quantitative data; secondary data is referred for the understanding of the topic. The data is collected through questionnaires from 200 respondents of different age, gender, income and education level living in different areas of Karachi mainly from Defence/Clifton, KDA/Bahadarabad/PECHS, North Nazimabad/Nazimabad/F.B. Area, Gulshan e Iqbal/Gulistan e Jauhar/Malir and Saddar. The findings which are analyzed through this research are that there are various factors that influence consumers to read nutritional labeling while making a purchase. By these findings the researchers are able to develop a framework representing the socio economic classifications (SEC) that have an impact on consumer buying behavior. result_________________________ Introduction: Background: Labeling is defined as printed information or written text on the container of the product or it can be define as a subset of packaging (Prathiraja Ariyawardana, 2003). In food industry, labeling might just include the name of a brand, name of a product or logo but mostly it includes variety of information about a product like nutritional information, manufacturing date, expiration date, method of usage, contacts etc along with brand name, product name and logo. A label is one of the points of contact between producer and purchaser and is also a part of producer marketing plan (Prathiraja Ariyawardana, 2003). Labeling make consumers aware about any unique characteristic of the food, its nutritional properties, the way to use and how to preserve, all of these are of the upmost importance when buying, since the consumer has the opportunity to make purchasing decision (Senesi, Nayga, Gà ³mez, Palau, Ordoà ±ez, 2006). The items that consumers are most likely to read are price, prepa ration, manipulation and preservation of products. Another study revealed the items most read comprise calories, fats, sugar and fiber contents (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). Information on a food label was found to affect a customer purchase behavior significantly. Nutritional information might make easy label use by increasing its benefits and by increasing the effectiveness of their use, thereby reducing the cost of using them. Nutritional information plays a significant role in providing relevant information to consumer through which the purchasing behavior varies (Prathiraja Ariyawardane, 2003). The level of awareness required to make the purchase decisions are compared across different socio-economic groups. Many investigators have also found that the interest in reading the food labels increases with age up to the mid-fifties, and thereafter it declines (Sushil Kumar Jabir Ali, 2011). The food printed label includes different information but it is found that nutritio nal value is one of the most important information for customers. Research Problem: The purpose of the study is to identify factors on the nutritional food label in influencing purchase decision in accordance with the socio-economic classification (SEC) of the consumers, while secondary objective of the research is to identify the characteristics of consumers and the extent of knowledge concerning nutritional value (senesi et al, 2006). Moreover this research helps to find the relation between printed nutrition value on packaged food product and consumer buying behavior. Consumers will choose better food products if they understand and use the food labels (senesi et al, 2006). The study explores the complex relationship of nutrition knowledge and consumer buying decision (Drichoutis, Lazaridis and Nayga,2006). The study can help to determine that printed nutritional value on packaged food products is essential for the customer buying decision or not. In the context to nutritional labeling, many customer switch towards other products after reading printed nutrition v alue such as fat, calories etc. The study also identifies those nutrition values which have a negative effect on consumer buying behavior. Problem Statement: The impact of printed nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. Objective of the study: To analyze the impact of printed nutritional labeling on consumer buying behavior. Sub Objectives: To examine the impact of printed nutritional labeling according to the gender of respondents. To identify how different age group respond to products with nutritional labeling. To analyze how educational level affect the consumers response to nutritional level. To study the impact of households income towards buying products with nutritional labeling. Scope: This research will be a study of Karachi, Pakistan. We will get the forms filled by middle and upper middle class visiting the malls and various supermarkets. We will ask them whether their buying preferences changed after reading the nutrition fact. Justification: By the research we will get to know how nutritional information printed on packaged food will benefit each stake holders: The biggest advantage for consumers will be confidence and ownership as the product is tested under certain standards. They will feel that the product is healthy for them. Consumers will get the advantage of time saving as they dont have to search and find out whether the product is safe or not. It will be beneficial for consumers who are health conscious and individuals who are on special diet recommended by doctors. Consumers can use health claims, which appear on the front of food packages, to recognize foods with positive nutritional qualities related to risk factors. Printed nutritional labeling will serve as a great way of promotion for the manufacture as it will provide their product an image of a safe and healthy brand. The producer will have its own unique product identity. The producer will get the competitive advantage as they will retain the loyal customer, lose fewer customers and attract more new customers. Assumptions: Our assumption is that all the economic indicators will remain same as well as the pattern of buying behavior. This assumption is made so that we can have result that is based on complete objectivity. We are also assuming that the nutrition information printed on the label of the packaged food is correct and by concerned authority. There is no kind of miss interpretation and proper application of government policy is kept in view by the producers while printing of the nutritional labeling.   In this research we are also assuming that consumers are aware of printed nutritional labeling found at the back of the every food item. Limitations: Our study will only consider the impact of gender, income, age, and life style index (LSI) and education level towards consumer buying behavior of nutritional products with printed nutritional labels on them. We are only focusing on those food products that have printed labeling on them. Structure of Report The research is divided into five main chapters which are Introduction, Literature review, Research Methodology, Data Findings and Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendations. Chapter 1 of this research relates to introduction and background of the study, research problem and objectives, justification of the research and a brief study of the search methodology that is used. Chapter 2 is about the previous studies conducted on nutritional labeling and consumer behavior. It also discusses the socio-economic factors which influence consumer buying behavior towards reading nutritional labeling on packaged food products in Karachi. Chapter 3 focuses on the research methodology, research design, sampling techniques, data analysis method, research design, as well as limitations to this research. In Chapter 4, the focus is on the research findings, Chapter 5 on analysis of the data that has been collected from respondents through questionnaires. Chapter 6 is Conclusion and recommendations that have been derived from this research are in Chapter 7. Literature Review: Printed nutrition labels are proposed to be used to help people make healthier choices, and consumers recognize them as a tool to improve health. Consumers can get relevant nutritional information with the help of nutritional labeling. It is found in researches that the consumer purchase behavior is affected by the nutritional labeling. The presence of nutritional information may influence the consumers to switch from unhealthy food products towards healthy food products (Anderson Zarkin, 1992). The interest on the consumers is to purchase and intake of improved nutritional foods which thus depends on the quantity and quality of information provided through a number of sources that also includes nutritional labeling. A printed label not only carries a brand name but also a source of important information (Caswell Padberg, 1999). CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Due to globalization, consumers are becoming more aware about nutritional information because there is an increase in the food information available to them through sources such as food nutritional labeling, electronic and print media.Advertising involvement is another marketing concept that helps to identify consumer interest in processing making information. The impact of advertising creates a perception in the minds of consumers regarding the product and increases the awareness and reinforces the consumer to purchase a certain brand that has high advertisement involvement (KapoorKulshrestha, 2008). As the consumers have become more demanding now days therefore the producers have understand the psychology of consumers and guide them with practical knowledge to cater the market and serve the people. Consumers can end up making better food choices if they value and make use of the nutritional labeling. The government is also playing an essential part by imposing restrictions on the consumption of some products. Therefore, they are regulating product labeling especially on food processing where it is manufactured. This has a positive effect on consumers behavior as they can get to know the amount of nutrients content present in a food. (Senesi et al, 2006). NUTRITIONAL LABELLING: The nutritional labels have become increasingly important, particularly as products move from the status of basic commodities to highly processed, value-added products significance of a well-balanced diet. Nutrition information on groceries items allows consumers to consume a range of healthy foods, maintain optimum weight and choose a diet with low fat/ cholesterol. Select a diet with abundance of vegetables, fruits, and grain products, and restrain from sugars, salt/sodium that are considered unhealthy. Consumers can use health claims, which appear on the front of food packages, to recognize foods with positive nutritional qualities related to risk factors and wellness. These are the claims about the relationship between a nutrient or a food and the risk of an illness or health-related condition (JeddiZaeim, 2010). A label might carry only the brand name or a great deal of nutritional information (Kotler, 2001). A label is the most important point of contact between the manufacturer and the buyer and it is consider as an important part of marketing as well. It is not only consider a piece of paper stuck on the package but also an expression on which consumer important decisions are based. A label should clearly and simply state the name of the product, the nutrition facts (nutritional label), the net weight, the name and address of the producer, and the brand name. The label printed on the packaged food is mostly viewed before purchasing the product which portrays that the label has an impact on the buying behavior of individuals. Consumers inclination to a food item is directly affected by self-control and temptation. (Hassan et al., 2010), (Campos et al., 2011). The printed food labels act as an indicating tool by which food companies assure that their potential consumers are satisfied regarding to their sound quality control practices. However, there are many issues and questions related to food labeling till date, one such question has been raised around the globe which is how far the consumer is aware of printed food labeling and can they understand the provided relevant information on the package. Consumers who are more health conscious have a habit of reading the label. They prefer to purchase an item that fulfills their daily nutritional value even if the brand is of higher price than the other brands available in market. This behavior can also be applied on consumers who have medical problems such as diabetes or cholesterol. This shows that certain category of consumers is willing to pay a higher price for nutrients beneficial for them (Magistris et al., 2010). Nutritional label benefits the consumers to analyze the factors of packaged food which allow them to have a healthier diet choice. According to the mechanism of the body they can balance the amount food to consume that will help them to stay fit in long run (Drichoutis et al., 2008). The consumers in Middle East give preference to the label at the time of first purchase. A study was carried out which showed that when consumers purchase the product for the first time they read the nutrients present in the food and on latter purchase of the same food brand they check the date till which they can use the product and the date of manufacture (Washi, 2012). Consumers also take into consideration of the health claims relation to nutrition such as vitamin, protein, sugar free and etc. people believe them to be true and help them to make the decision quicker. If certain health claim is present in front they grasp the product and further read the nutrient label to know that what other good nutrients are present in it. Consumers prefer that short and easy words are used so that they can understand them easily. Moreover if the claims are approved by FDA it gives an added advantage and surety that an agency is keeping a check on companies (Williams, 2005). The consumers with the help of labeling gets to know and understand the products characteristics, nutritional properties, preservation and instructions to facilitate the consumers to make a sound decision at the time of purchase, hence it carries a great significance (Senesi et al, 2006). By identifying the factors that have an effect on the peoples use of dietary labeling, the manufacturers can do the profiling of the consumers that do or do not exercise nutritional food labeling. It can result in improving public health, manipulating the proper labeling and increasing the productivity of the company (Senesi et al, 2006). Similarly the people who have much time to spend on grocery shopping are found to be more label users (Drichoustis 2006). It can also be seen that consumers who are more anxious about their health and nutrition give more time to read the printed nutritional labels. Similarly, consumers who are on a special diet or organic buyers or even those that have any kind of disease are preferred to search for on-pack printed nutrition information (Drichoustis 2006). Type of household also holds effect on reading of printed nutritional labels, as in a case where smaller households or households with young children are more involved in nutrition information sea rch behaviors. People with a healthier profile and eating habits prefer to see glance at the printed nutritional labeling for a more appropriate knowledge of the product. Moreover printed nutritional labeling is not directly linked with price and is preferred by people following a special diet plan or with health related issues like high BP, sugar, heart diseases or any kind of food allergies (Magistris et al., 2010). Printed nutritional labeling empowers consumers to have their own view at the components of the products which enables them to have a healthier diet choice in a way which they can intake in their busy life style now a days. (Drichoutis et al., 2008). The effects of printing nutritional labeling can be even greater on the buying behavior of consumer and they can be more educated if labeling is combined with an information campaign. It has been found in the research that purchasing behavior of consumers is effected by the nutritional information present on the label because this information influence their perception about the products and thus change their decision ultimately (Drichoustis 2006). It seems like Nutritional information on the back of the package creates favorable judgments about a product. For example, when a consumer reads the nutrients content on the back of the packaged food product which are beneficial for their health they will compare that particular product with other products and will be more likely to purchase that product. Other researchers have argued that provision of health related or printed nutritional labeling information does not always lead to healthier consumption of diet. Most empirical research, however, suggests that providing printed nutritional labeling information can significantly change dietary patterns in a consumers lifestyle of eating (Drichoustis 2006). Printing of Nutritional labels is also associated with giving consumers an edge to improve their diets by intake of high vitamin C, low cholesterol, and low percentage of calories from fat as they are now able to know what exactly they are consuming. Printed nutrition labeling on packaged foods are very clear sources of nutrition information for the consumers. They are observed as a highly trustworthy source of information and many consumers use it as their guidance in order to make purchase decisions easy. (Campos et al., 2011). It is often seen that there are consumers who considers printed nutritional labeling on the products during their shopping experiences and are happy to pay even a premium on the products having printed nutritional labeling on them. (Loureiro et al., 2006). Printed nutrition labeling information lowers down the usage of products which contain harmful ingredients and increases the consumption of products containing healthy ingredients. (Drichoutis et al., 2006). Purpose of printed nutritional labeling is to educate consumers to shift to healthier food choices, and force the competitors to add more printed nutritional value in their product and to competition on nutritional quality; printed nutritional labeling represents a helpful tool making consumers make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle. (Daud et al., 2011). Nutritional labeling enables the consumers to have a view at the components of the products which enables them to have a healthier diet choice in which they can improve their intake of the require nutritious and proteins (Drichoutis et al., 2008). Nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods are very clear sources of nutrition information. They are perceived as a highly trustworthy source of information and many consumers use their guidance in order to make purchase decisions (Campos et al., 2011). The results show that there are consumers who considers nutritional labeling on the products during their shopping experiences and are happy to pay even a premium on the products having nutritional labeling on them (Loureiro et al., 2006). Nutrition labeling information decreases the use of products containing harmful components and improves the consumption of the products containing healthy components (Drichoutis et al., 2006). Customers do consider nutritional labeling when making a purchasing decision. Especially the old age people or individuals who are sick or with a special diet recommended having at least tertiary education read nutritional labeling. Moreover households with less than four members were willing to pay more for the nutritional labels (Prathiraja et al., 2003). As a whole nutritional labeling has a huge impact on consumer purchase behavior. There is some evidence that nutrition labeling makes consumers to switch products on the name of healthy and unhealthy diet plans. The preference for nutrient intake usually depends on the demand and supply of the product. From the demand perspective, consumers interest in purchase of healthy diets directly depends on consumers intakes. Consumers ability to make a decision regarding healthy diets usually depends on the information available through different sources (PrathirajaAriyawardana, 2008). If the products does not contain label the consumer may be unaware of its nutritional contents. Consumers usually form their own belief regarding the nutritional value of the product on the basis of information that they get from different sources, However this perception usually lead to either over or under value of the nutritional labeling of the product. Choosing food usually contains a trade of between taste and health contents of a particular product have negative impact on health because individuals usually perceived that decreasing the consumption of the food can lead to improve health conditions (PrathirajaAriyawardana, 2008). The results give a clear signal that printed labels is not linked with gender and age though its consumption relates with the income levels, education and occupation of the consumers. Most lifestyle products such as breakfast cereals, readymade dressings etc. that would mostly be used by people who have relatively higher levels of income and education would pay more attention to various kinds of label information (Sushil Kumar Jabir Ali, 2011). In the context of emerging economies, very little is known regarding consumers expectations and their response to printed food label information (Wang et al., 2008). Pakistans emerging economy is witnessing exceptional boom in the organized retail growth. Its consumers are in the process of changing their consumption/buying behavior especially with respect to food items. Consumption of processed and packaged food items has grown tremendously in the recent past. There is an increase in the demand for healthy food products and with this kind of change in lifestyle and consumption pattern, the quality of food and its safety standards are becoming essential from public policy perspective. ROLE OF FDA (FOOD AND DRUG ASSOCIATION) IN NUTRIONAL LABELLING: Labeling is a part of packaging. Label can be defined as an attachment to the product but according to the Food and Drug Association (FDA), a label is the chief point of contact between the manufacturer and the purchaser. It is described as a crucial part of the manufacturers marketing plan. FDA further explains that the label should carry the name, brand name and the net weight of the product with nutrition facts along with some details of the manufacturer. These food labels increases in complexity as the food products moves from basic commodities to highly process. It therefore keeps a check of the quantity of sugar, fiber, protein that is consumed and allows the purchasers to make an informed decision of the product. (FDA,1998). food_label.jpg With the guidance of dietary health experts, consumers can utilize the nutritional labeling to make better choices and to maintain a well-balanced diet. According to FDA (1998), consumers can enjoy a variety of foods; have a hale and hearty diet with low cholesterol/fats. Take a diet with different fruits or grains and can moderate the usage of salt and/or sodium if nutrition information is practiced. Hence, it carries a relationship between the nutrients and the threat of a disease. If the packaged food products are not labeled, customers may not be aware of their nutrient content. If the consumers form their own belief about nutrient content based on advertising or their own knowledge about food, it can result in underestimation or overestimation of the food content in untagged food products (Anderson and Zarkin, 1992). Especially for prepared food products, nutritional labeling is required more often (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). Recently Food and Drug Association (FDA) conducted a research for anticipated changes in the plan and for the usage of the current labels. Therefore, with the sample size of 160 consumers to know if they use the labeling and if so, which part of it is more useful? Almost 21% consumers said that they always examine the tagging while the majority of them told that they often use the label before purchasing the item for consumption. Component of the label most frequently read is of fats, calorie, sugar and fiber contents. The list of ingredients with the health statements were read less. Respondents using high calorie food items like chips, sodas, bakery products etc. said that that do not make use of calorie part while two thirds of them said that they use the labeling rather than relying on their food knowledge and they do understand the importance of labeling. So it can be understood that majority of the respondents use and understand the significant of nutritional labeling and perceived themselves as knowledgeable consumers but a large survey has to be conducted to find the complete awareness and the consumers indulgent. (Godwin, Henderson, Thompson, 2006). A consideration to the food tagging can influence a change in purchasing pattern that can result in improving health. (McLean 2001). FDA with its efforts of providing food information on packaged food items educates the consumers and helps them in the purchasing decision (Satia, GalankoNeuhouser, 2001). CONSUMER AWARENESS ABOUT PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCT: A study was conducted in Islamabad to identify the response of consumer buying behavior in terms of packaging and nutritional labeling. The result showed that Pakistani marketing is getting aware of the nutritional facts of a packaged product. Further, it illustrates that Consumers read the content when they buy packaged food of a particular brand. If repetition is carried out then only manufacture date and expiry date is taken into consideration. The study also found out that a lot of people only check the dates to determine the nutrients. Also, people are still unaware that how much each nutrient is desired by their body and the concept of daily consumption/per meal consumption in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Zaidi, 2012). Another study was conducted in our neighboring country, India on Assessing Awareness and Usage Level of Indian Consumer and Influences on Food Buying Behavior. The research show that consumer seek extended information on labels. The result showed satisfactory level of awareness about information available on labels displayed on packaged food and people just skim through the nutrient facts before purchasing the product. In the market consumers also give high value to ingredients and nutrients. Whereas the brand and taste of product is the factor that is consider more as compare to the nutritional value. if these two are liked and the nutrients present are harmful for their health even then product will be purchased (kumar, 2008). Another study conducted in Europe on consumer response to nutrition information on food labels shows that people are aware of the importance of nutrition information on packaged foods. Consumers are aware that in order to maintain a healthy life nutritional food must be taken, therefore they try to make use of the information present on the label as much as they can. However the preference among the consumer differs while purchasing the packaged food such as likeable taste and etc. Secondly consumers prefer to have a simple and easy to understand nutrition information printed on the package. Complicated information and usage of too many jargons leads to confusion and consume their time. They like if noticeable printing to highlight the information as it will catch the eye at once and will also grab the attention of the consumers who are not in the habit of reading the label. Another point that was identified in the study was related to the format of the label and the technical terms including numbers, calculations and even percentages make it difficult for the consumer to decide among the products (Grunert, 2006). Therefore it is extremely beneficial if we find out the likeable ways that grabs the attention of the consumer. The ways would differ depending upon the nature of the product. The psychology of a consumer would be kept in mind while providing the information so that it becomes noticeable and every time when she/he purchases the product reads the label. (Kremers et al. 2006). A research carried out on whether consumers look at nutrition labeling showed it depends on the demographics factors that which nutrients ( sugar, fat, calories) are preferred by the consumers and how much are they interested in reading the nutritional label (Drichoutis et al. 2006). A research paper highlighted that nutrition label on the packaged food can guide consumers to maintain and improve their diet plan and make choices among the food. The effect of nutritional information has a positive impact in switching from one product to another due to beneficial nutrients present in the food. On the other hand nutritional label also have a negative impact on the manufacturer as consumers would avoid the food products that have high content of sugar and fats present it (Nayga, 2006). Consumer search for product information is an active process that involves reading nutritional labeling and then comparing them with other products information and after evaluation of each products information a consumer makes a right decision for purchase. The main cost for a consumer in searching information through label use is the time he/she spends on reading labels; the benefits of this will be healthier food choices. Consumers that are health conscious or have poor health condition through this will be able to search for a more nutritious diet and a healthy life, thus reducing all the risk of an unhealthy diet. Consumers may be aware about the importance of nutritional labeling but time can be an obstacle for the people who have to accomplish plenty of tasks. The purchase decision of employed consumers regarding the quality of product can be low, the reason being less time to spare on labeling than the unemployed consumers who have the time to make an appropriate decision regarding the quality of food products they will purchase (Kim, Nayga Capps, 2001). People make use of the label for various purposes but consumers should be encouraged to use the label more often and create awareness on how to apply this information more efficiently and conveniently (Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 2004). Therefore, policy makers should identify different ways on how to motivate people to change the behavior of reading nutritional labeling before purchase of the packaged product. According to the Lancaster Product Characteristics theory in 1966, the consumers are a

Essay --

Robyn Hode Old English folklore dates back to the beginning of American literature. A protagonist among many, Robin Hood (Robyn Hode in Old English manuscript) is introduced into many books and playwrights. Some may argue that Robin Hood's strategies for balancing society were unethical, but this theory could be strongly argued against, and furthermore disproven. Robin Hood could be considered a hero because of his excessive generosity, his ability to see every person as an equal individual, and his overall success to better society. To accurately view Robin Hoods motives, one must look past the rules and laws set aside for the lower class made by â€Å"higher officials†, and understand that, even more so in a less developed time period, that right and wrong does not depend on what the rich and powerful say is right and wrong. Robin Hood looked past all of this, identified the true, moral decisions that needed to be made, and took charge. By doing so, and taking a small portion of the rich's wealth and distributing it among the poor, is considered (arguably) one of the most notable heroes of the folklore literary era. In all of the tales written of the infamous Robin Hood, the characteristics illuminated most is his excessive generosity. â€Å"Despite being declared an outlaw, Robin Hood is a good and generous person at heart, and is beloved by the townspeople for his deeds.† (Jurns) While thieving and causing (occasional) mishap, Robyn Hode kept one motive in mind, and that was to take from the undeserving, (fat and rich), and give to the needy, (the poor). This obviously biased by assuming that all the rich are greedy and all the poor are hopeless and deserving. In fact, in most cases people work hard fo... ...orth a sort of balance in society, one in which that needed to be presented. Because all the unfortunate people were too afraid to demand this equality in society, Robin Hood's bravery to go in and fight for what he stood for was admired among the people. This is how he was presented the hero title, and why ballads and playwrights are told about him to this day. Robin Hood's strategy to better the society became a success. By stealing from the rich, to give to the poor, he not only set an example for people to follow his role as a hero, but it also created a balance within the social classes. But today, taxes are distributed among the the country that are arguably fair. In Robin's time, the wealthy placed harsh and unfair taxes among the people, many of them who could not afford to pay them. Failure to pay these taxes resulted in imprisonment, or even worse, death.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 2

2 But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and went-with the usual psychological blow. Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming. And he had not even made a decent beginning in psychohistory? Yugo Amaryl spoke brightly of laws and worked out his equations by making daring assumptions based on intuition. But how could one possibly test those assumptions? Psychohistory was not yet an experimental science. The complete study of psychohistory would require experiments that would involve worlds of people, centuries of time-and a total lack of ethical responsibility. It posed an impossible problem and he resented having to spend any time whatever on departmental tasks, so he walked home at the end of the day in a morose mood. Ordinarily he could always count on a walk through the campus to rouse his spirits. Streeling University was high-domed and the campus gave the feeling of being out in the open without the necessity of enduring the kind of weather he had experienced on his one (and only) visit to the Imperial Palace. There were trees, lawns, walks, almost as though he were on the campus of his old college on his home world of Helicon. The illusion of cloudiness had been arranged for the day with the sunlight (no sun, of course, just sunlight) appearing and disappearing at odd intervals. And it was a little cool, just a little. It seemed to Seldon that the cool days came a little more frequently than they used to. Was Trantor saving energy? Was it increasing inefficiency? Or (and he scowled inwardly as he thought it) was he getting old and was his blood getting thin? He placed his hands in his jacket pockets and hunched up his shoulders. Usually he did not bother guiding himself consciously. His body knew the way perfectly from his offices to his computer room and from there to his apartment and back. Generally he negotiated the path with his thoughts elsewhere, but today a sound penetrated his consciousness. A sound without meaning. â€Å"Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦ Jo†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was rather soft and distant, but it brought back a memory. Yes, Amaryl's warning. The demagogue. Was he here on campus? His legs swerved without Seldon's making a conscious decision and brought him over the low rise to the University Field, which was used for calisthenics, sports, and student oratory. In the middle of the Field was a moderate-sized crowd of students who were chanting enthusiastically. On a platform was someone he didn't recognize, someone with a loud voice and a swaying rhythm. It wasn't this man, Joranum, however. He had seen Joranum on holovision a number of times. Since Amaryl's warning, Seldon had paid close attention. Joranum was large and smiled with a kind of vicious camaraderie. He had thick sandy hair and light blue eyes. This speaker was small, if anything-thin, wide-mouthed, dark-haired, and loud. Seldon wasn't listening to the words, though he did hear the phrase â€Å"power from the one to the many† and the many-voiced shout in response. Fine, thought Seldon, but just how does he intend to bring this about-and is he serious? He was at the outskirts of the crowd now and looked around far someone he knew. He spotted Finangelos, a pre-math undergraduate. Not a bad young man, dark and woolly-haired. â€Å"Finangelos,† he called out. â€Å"Professor Seldon† said Finangelos after a moment of staring as though unable to recognize Seldon without a keyboard at his fingertips he trotted over. â€Å"Did you come to listen to this guy?† â€Å"I didn't come for any purpose but to find out what the noise was. Who is he?† â€Å"His name is Namarti, Professor. He's speaking for Jo-Jo.† â€Å"I hear that, † said Seldon as he listened to the chant again. It began each time the speaker made a telling point, apparently. â€Å"But who is this Namarti? I don't recognize the name. What department is he in?† â€Å"He's not a member of the University, Professor. He's one of Jo-Jo's men.† â€Å"If he's not a member of the University, he has no right to speak here without a permit. Does he have one, do you suppose?† â€Å"I wouldn't know, Professor.† â€Å"Well then, let's find out.† Seldon started into the crowd, but Finangelos caught his sleeve. â€Å"Don't start anything, Professor. He's got goons with him.† There were six young men behind the speaker, spaced rather widely, legs apart, arms folded, scowling. â€Å"Goons?† â€Å"For rough stuff, in case anyone tries anything funny.† â€Å"Then he's certainly not a member of the University and even a permit wouldn't cover what you call his ‘goons'. Finangelos, signal through to the University security officers. They should have been here by now without a signal.† â€Å"I guess they don't want trouble,† muttered Finangelos. â€Å"Please, Professor, don't try anything. If you want me to get the security officers, I will, but you just wait till they come.† â€Å"Maybe I can break this up before they come.† He began pushing his way through. It wasn't difficult. Some of those present recognized him and all could see the professorial shoulder patch. He reached the platform, placed his hands on it, and vaulted up the three feet with a small grunt. He thought, with chagrin, that he could have done it with one hand ten years before and without the grunt. He straightened up. The speaker had stopped talking and was looking at him with wary and ice-hard eyes. Seldon said calmly, â€Å"Your permit to address the students, sir.† â€Å"Who are you?† said the speaker. He said it loudly, his voice carrying. â€Å"I'm a member of the faculty of this University,† said Seldon, equally loudly. â€Å"Your permit, sir?† â€Å"I deny your right to question me on the matter.† The young men behind the speaker had gathered closer. â€Å"If you have none, I would advise you to leave the University grounds immediately.† â€Å"And if I don't?† â€Å"Well, for one thing, the University security officers are on their way.† He turned to the crowd. â€Å"Students,† he called out, â€Å"we have the right of free speech and freedom of assembly on this campus, but it can be taken away from us if we allow outsiders, without permits, to make unauthorized-â€Å" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he winced. He turned around and found it was one of the men Finangelos had referred to as â€Å"goons.† The man said, with a heavy accent whose provenance Seldon could not immediately identify, â€Å"Get out of here fast. â€Å" â€Å"What good will that do?† said Seldon. â€Å"The security officers will be here any minute.† â€Å"In that case,† said Namarti with a feral grin, â€Å"there'll be a riot. That doesn't scare us.† â€Å"Of course it wouldn't,† said Seldon. â€Å"You'd like it, but there won't be a riot. You'll all go quietly.† He turned again to the students and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder. â€Å"We'll see to that, won't we?† Someone in the crowd shouted, â€Å"That's Professor Seldon! He's all right! Don't pound him!† Seldon sensed ambivalence in the crowd. There would be some, he knew, who would welcome a dust-up with the University security officers, just on general principles. On the other hand, there had to be some who liked him personally and still others who did not know him but who would not want to see violence against a member of the faculty. A woman's voice rang out. â€Å"Watch out, Professor!† Seldon sighed and regarded the large young men he faced. He didn't know if he could do it, if his reflexes were quick enough, his muscles sturdy enough, even given his prowess at Twisting. One goon was approaching him, overconfidently of course. Not quickly, which gave Seldon a little of the time his aging body would need. The goon held out his arm confrontationally, which made it easier. Seldon seized the arm, whirled, and bent, arm up, and then down (with a grunt-why did he have to grunt?), and the goon went flying through the air, propelled partly by his own momentum. He landed with a thump on the outer edge of the platform, his right shoulder dislocated. There was a wild cry from the audience at this totally unexpected development. Instantly an institutional pride erupted. â€Å"Take them, Prof!† a lone voice shouted. Others took up the cry. Seldon smoothed back his hair, trying not to puff. With his foot he shoved the groaning fallen goon off the platform. â€Å"Anyone else?† he asked pleasantly. â€Å"Or will you leave quietly?† He faced Namarti and his five henchmen and as they paused irresolutely, Seldon said, â€Å"I warn you. The crowd is on my side now. If you try to rush me, they'll take you apart. Okay, who's next? Let's go. One at a time.† He had raised his voice with the last sentence and made small come-hither motions with his fingers. The crowd yelled its pleasure. Namarti stood there stolidly. Seldon leaped past him and caught his neck in the crook of his arm. Students were climbing onto the platform now, shouting â€Å"One at a time! One at a time!† and getting between the bodyguards and Seldon. Seldon increased the pressure on the other's windpipe and whispered in his ear, â€Å"There's a way to do this, Namarti, and I know how: I've practiced it for years. If you make a move and try to break away, I'll ruin your larynx so that you'll never talk above a whisper again. If you value your voice, do as I say. When I let up, you tell your bunch of bullies to leave. If you say anything else, they'll be the last words you'll say normally. And if you ever come back to this campus again, no more Mr. Nice Guy. I'll finish the job.† He released the pressure momentarily. Namarti said huskily, â€Å"All of you. Get out.† They retreated rapidly, helping their stricken comrade. When the University security officers arrived a few moments later, Seldon said, â€Å"Sorry, gentlemen. False alarm.† He left the Field and resumed his walk home with more than a little chagrin. He had revealed a side of himself he did not want to reveal. He was Hari Seldon, mathematician, not Hari Seldon, sadistic twister. Besides, he thought gloomily, Dors would hear of this. In fact, he'd better tell her himself, lest she hear a version that made the incident seem worse than it really was. She would not be pleased. 3 She wasn't. Dors was waiting for him at the door of their apartment in an easy stance, hand on one hip, looking very much as she had when he had first met her at this very University eight years before: slim, shapely, with curly reddish-gold hair-very beautiful in his eyes but not very beautiful in any objective sense, though he had never been able to assess her objectively after the first few days of their friendship. Dors Venabili! That's what he thought when he saw her calm face. There were many worlds, even many sectors on Trantor where it would have been common to call her Dors Seldon, but that, he always thought, would put the mark of ownership on her and he did not wish it, even though the custom was sanctioned by existence back into the vague mists of the pre-Imperial past. Dors said, softly and with a sad shake of her head that barely disturbed her loose curls, â€Å"I've heard, Hari. Just what am I going to do with you?† â€Å"A kiss would not be amiss.† â€Å"Well, perhaps, but only after we probe this a little. Come in.† The door closed behind them. â€Å"You know, dear, I have my course and my research. I'm still doing that dreadful history of the Kingdom of Trantor, which you tell me is essential to your own work. Shall I drop it all and take to wandering around with you, protecting you? It's still my job, you know. It's more than ever my job, now that you're making progress with psychohistory.† â€Å"Making progress? I wish I were. But you needn't protect me.† â€Å"Needn't I? I sent Raych out looking for you. After all, you were late and I was concerned. You usually tell me when you're going to be late. I'm sorry if that makes me sound as though I'm your keeper, Hari, but I am your keeper.† â€Å"Does it occur to you, Keeper Dors, that every once in a while I like to slip my leash?† â€Å"And if something happens to you, what do I tell Demerzel?† â€Å"Am I too late for dinner? Have we clicked for kitchen service?† â€Å"No. I was waiting for you. And as long as you're here, you click it. You're a great deal pickier than I am when it comes to food. And don't change the subject.† â€Å"Didn't Raych tell you that I was all right? So what's there to talk about?† â€Å"When he found you, you were in control of the situation and he got back here first, but not by much. I didn't hear any details. Tell me-What-were-you-doing?† Seldon shrugged. â€Å"There was an illegal gathering, Dors, and I broke it up. The University could have gotten a good deal of trouble it didn't need if I hadn't.† â€Å"And it was up to you to prevent it? Hari. you're not a Twister anymore. You're a -â€Å" He put in hastily, â€Å"An old man?† â€Å"For a Twister, yes. You're forty. How do you feel?† â€Å"Well-A little stiff.† â€Å"I can well imagine. And one of these days, when you try to pretend you're a young Heliconian athlete, you'll break a rib. Now tell me about it.† â€Å"Well, I told you how Amaryl warned me that Demerzel was in trouble because of the demagoguery of Jo-Jo Joranum.† â€Å"Jo-Jo. Yes, I know that much. What don't I know? What happened today?† â€Å"There was a rally at the Field. A Jo-Jo partisan named Namarti was addressing the crowd-â€Å" â€Å"Namarti is Gambol Deen Namarti, Joranum's right-hand man.† â€Å"Well, you know more about it than I do. In any case, he was addressing a large crowd and he had no permit and I think he was hoping there would be some sort of riot. They feed on these disorders and if he could close down the University even temporarily, he would charge Demerzel with the destruction of academic freedom. I gather they blame him for everything. So I stopped them. Sent them off without a riot.† â€Å"You sound proud.† â€Å"Why not? Not bad for a man of forty.† â€Å"Is that why you did it? To test your status at forty?† Seldon thoughtfully clicked the dinner menu. Then he said, â€Å"No. I really was concerned that the University would get into needless trouble. And I was concerned about Demerzel. I'm afraid that Yugo's tales of danger had impressed me more than I realized. That was stupid, Dors, because I know that Demerzel can take care of himself. I couldn't explain that to Yugo or to anyone but you.† He drew in a deep breath. â€Å"It's amazing what a pleasure it is that I can at least talk to you about it. You know and I know and Demerzel knows and no one else knows-at least, that I know of-that Demerzel is untouchable.† Dors touched a contact on a recessed wall panel and the dining section of their living quarters lit up with a soft peach-colored glow. Together, she and Hari walked to the table, which was already set with linen, crystal, and utensils. As they sat, the dinner began to arrive-there was never any long delay at this time of evening-and Seldon accepted it quite casually. He had long since grown accustomed to the social position that made it unnecessary for them to patronize the faculty dinners. Seldon savored the seasonings they had learned to enjoy during their stay at Mycogen-the only thing about that strange, male-dominated, religion-permeated, living-in-the-past sector they had not detested. Dors said softly, â€Å"How do you mean, ‘untouchable'?† â€Å"Come, dear, he can alter emotions. You haven't forgotten that. If Joranum really became dangerous, he could be†-he made a vague gesture with his hands- â€Å"altered: made to change his mind.† Dors looked uncomfortable and the meal proceeded in an unusual silence. It wasn't until it was over and the remains-dishes, cutlery, and all-swirled down the disposal chute in the center of the table (which then smoothly covered itself over) that she said, â€Å"I'm not sure I want to talk about this, Hari, but I can't let you be fooled by your own innocence.† â€Å"Innocence?† He frowned. â€Å"Yes. We've never talked about this. I never thought it would come up, but Demerzel has shortcomings. He is not untouchable, he may be harmed, and Joranum is indeed a danger to him.† â€Å"Are you serious?† â€Å"Of course I am. You don't understand robots-certainly not one as complex as Demerzel. And I do.†

The Lynas Fact Sheet

The Lynas Fact Sheet Note: This Fact Sheet is updated regularly. The last update was made on 2nd June 2011 Rare Earths 1. Despite their name, rare earth elements are relatively plentiful in the earth's crust 2. 3. but are more difficult to mine and extract than many other metals because of their chemical properties and geographical dispersion, making them relatively more expensive to extract. Rare earth metals are used in the manufacture of a wide variety of products including catalytic converters, wind turbines, hybrid car batteries, disk drives, mobile phones, and flat screen displays.Worldwide demand for rare earths is increasing rapidly and is expected to outstrip supply in the future. China currently produces about 97% of the world's supply. Rare Earths & Radioactivity 1. The extraction of rare earths raises a number of environmental and safety concerns 2. 3. 4. because the ore in which rare earths are found are often associated with minerals containing radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium. Health and safety issues that need to be addressed include radiation protection for workers, the public and the environment, the transportation of raw materials nd the management of waste. Human beings are exposed to very small levels of radioactivity in everyday life. Thorium, for example, is naturally present in soil, rocks, ground and surface water, plants and animals in very low concentrations. Ingestion of food and water containing this level of radioactivity does not pose any threat to human health. The radiation exposure limit set by AELB for the public is 1 mSv/year. The annual radiation exposure, in millisieverts (mSv)/year, in a number of daily human activities is as follows: i. Smoking a pack of cigarettes daily 0. 0 mSv ii. Medical or dental x-day 0. 39 mSv iii. Sleeping next to someone for 8 hours 0. 02 mSv iv. Watching television 2 hours daily 0. 01 mSv v. Using a computer terminal 0. 001 mSv (Source: United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, 1982, 1993, 2000; United Nations Environment Protection Agency; US Department of Energy; Health Physics Society) The Lynas Project 1. Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lynas Corporation 2. Ltd of Australia . Its business is the production and sale of rare earths and related byproducts.Lynas plans to import rare earth ore from its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia, 3. 4. truck it to the port of Fremantle , send it by container ship to Kuantan, and process it at the Gebeng Industrial Estate in Pahang. At Gebeng, the Lynas plant will extract Rare Earths from the ore for export. Lynas says waste from the extraction process will be used to produce commercially applicable products or stored in safe and secure containers. Lynas says it chose to locate its plant at the Gebeng site because of: i. Its proximity to Kuantan port ii.The availability of gas, water and chemical supplies iii. The availability of skilled workers Manufactur ing License 1. On 22 January 2008, Lynas was granted a manufacturing licence to produce â€Å"rare 2. earth oxides and carbonates† at Gebeng Industrial Estate, Kuantan. The approval was granted subject to a number of conditions, in particular, the need to comply with the provisions of the: i. Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 ii. Environmental Quality Act 1974. Compliance Requirements 1. The Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 is administered by the Atomic Energy 2. 3. Licensing Board (AELB).Among other things, the AELB monitors and assesses the radiological impact of the Lynas project through all stages of construction and operation. This includes matters relating to radiation protection (occupational, public and environmental), safety, waste management, transportation, decommissioning and remediation. The Department of Environment (DOE) is the implementing agency for the Environmental Quality Act 1974. The Act governs issues related to the prevention, abatement and control of p ollution and enhancement of the environment (other than radioactive material and radioactive waste).The safety standards and good practice requirements enforced by the two regulatory bodies are similar to or equivalent to those recognised internationally. Compliance status 1. Lynas began planning and construction of its plant at Gebeng Industrial Estate, 2. Pahang soon after obtaining its manufacturing licence. In April 2011, the company announced that construction had reached the 40% stage and was on target for completion by September, 2011. The AELB confirms that Lynas has complied with all health and safety standards required of the company to date.A site licence and a construction licence have been issued accordingly. The next stage in the multi-tiered approval process requires Lynas to apply to the AELB for a pre-operating licence. To date, the company has not made a submission to the AELB for this purpose. Upon receiving a pre-operating licence, the company will then be requir ed to apply for and obtain an operating licence before it can commence full operations. 3. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report on the project was approved by 4. 5. the Department of Environment on 15 February 2008.The Department confirms that Lynas has complied with all requirements of the EIA approval to date. The Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) conducted by the Nuklear Malaysia affirms that operation of the proposed Lynas plant would not pose any radiological risk to workers and members of the public living in the areas surrounding the site beyond what is allowed by the regulatory authorities. Nuklear Malaysia also affirms that the projected radiation exposure levels in the Lynas plant for workers (average of 2 mSv/yr) and members of the public (0. 02 mSv/yr) are within the limits set by AELB. Decision to appoint Independent Panel of International Experts 1. On 22 April, 2011, however, following widespread public concern about the safety of 2. the project, the Go vernment announced a decision to appoint an independent panel of international experts to review all health and safety aspects of the project.Pending completion of this review, the Government also decided that: i. No pre-operating license will be issued to Lynas by AELB. ii. There will be no importation of raw materials for the plant from Australia. ii. A review will be undertaken to ensure that construction of the facility at the site fully complies with national and international safety standards. Independent Panel of International Experts 1. In late April 2011, the Government approached the International Atomic Energy 2. 3. Agency (IAEA) in Vienna , Austria , for assistance to appoint an expert team to: i. Review Lynas' compliance with relevant International Safety Standards and Good Practices, and ii. Provide an independent expert opinion on safety issues, in particular, those relating to radiation safety.The scope of the review included: i. Radiation protection (workplace, publ ic, environment) ii. Safety assessment iii. Waste Management iv. Transportation v. Decommissioning and environmental remediation On 13 May, 2011, the Government announced details of the IAEA-appointed panel. The panel consists of a leader and nine members: four from the IAEA, and five from IAEA member countries. All panel members are recognised experts in their respective 4. 5. 6. 7. disciplines and have knowledge of IAEA standards, in particular, those relating to rare earth processing.Details of individual members of the panel The expert panel began the on-site component of its work on 29 May 2011. During its six-day visit, the panel has scheduled to meet with government officials and representatives of Lynas, and receive representations from members of the public, including residents, community associations, non-governmental organisations and professional bodies. The panel is scheduled to complete its work and submit its report to the Government by 30 June 2011. The Government ha s announced that the report will be made public.