The Secret Of The Medicine Men Essays - Botany, Herbalism, Herb

The Secret Of The Medicine Men Secrets of the Medicine Man: Why theyre better then ours. Thousand of years ago Man, and Beast lived in peace. Then Man grew hungry and decided to hunt beast. Beast grew angry and decided to send disease to man. Man grew weak and sick, and was close to death. Plant took pity upon Man and said, Do not fear, for death will not visit you. For every disease that Beast sends you, you will find the cure in us. (Iroquois 34) This Iroquois folk-tale was used to explain the healing properties of plants. Plants have been used to cure all the aches and pains that have plagued mankind. There is a large body of research into herbal medicines. Great progress has been made in the isolation and identification of the constituents of medicinal plants using high pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Research to identify the main active components is carried out either in a search for new drugs or to enable claims to be made for proprietary herbal preparations. Medicinal plants have been generally shown to have not one but a combination of active principles. Once these principles are found, the next step is learning how to synthesize it The medical industry has been synthesizing medicine for years now. We have become so reliant on the industry, that the very notion of ingesting the plant matter has become sickening. People have even stopped eating balanced meals, in favor of neat multi-vitamins. Most of which have vitamins that cancel each other out. The problems with synthesizing medicine, out weighs the benefits. We should not continue to synthesize our medication. The first factor that one should consider is the cost of buying synthesizing medication versus taking the natural approach. According to Forbes Magazine consumers spent an estimated $3.5 billion on herbal supplements, almost twice the amount as in 1994. (Forbes 28) However Goldenseal now costs $100 a pound, up from $15 a pound a decade ago. When one considers the fact that it costs $1 billion, and requires 10 to 15 years of R&D to bring out a synthetic drug, one has to wonder why put up with it. The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI), a small, non-profit organization, estimates that medicinal plants and microscopic organisms from the Third World contribute between US $30-60 billion a year to the US pharmaceutical industry alone.(Brace 14). On the other side of this discussion there are the United Plant Savers. They are a non-profit organization that is dedicated to saving medical plants. They believe herbs will soon be on the endangered species list. Representatives from the organization say, There's one sure way to halt the carnage, however. Just go back to using synthetic medicines made from good old chemicals in good old laboratories. Pop a pill, save a plant! (Pappas 47) Sharply increasing demand, combined with diminishing habitat and a lack of domestic cultivation, puts tremendous pressure on wild medicinal herb populations. The National Center for the Preservation of Medicinal Herbs uses the term critical to cultivate to describe medicinal herbs that have been overharvested in the wild to the point that their existence is threatened. They are critical to cultivate because the only way to ensure their future is to grow them, rather than continue to wildcraft them. Herbs valued for their rootswhere the entire plant is harvestedare especially vulnerable and are a priority at the Center. Research is being conducted on organic propagation of plants, while wild populations are being protected and nurtured. There are types of compounds that are, Mother Natures kitchen, end of story. (Medicine) These compounds are ones that can not be duplicated with chemicals, and can not be synthesized. These plants must be grown in pseudo-natural environments. However when it comes to rain forest plants, it is a different story. Man cannot conceive of all the molecules that Mother Nature has developed, said symposium moderator John H. Cardellina II, of the Council for Responsible Nutrition. (Forbes 28). There are more factors in the rainforest canopy then we can ever measure. Thus the plant must be harvested from nature. Damage to the environment is another factor in this problem. First off every medical company sends out hordes of biological pirates. They

Definition of Wilmot Proviso

Definition of Wilmot Proviso The Wilmot Proviso was a brief amendment to a piece of legislation introduced by an obscure member of Congress that set off a firestorm of controversy over the issue of slavery in the late 1840s. The wording inserted into a finance bill in the House of Representatives would have repercussions that helped bring about the Compromise of 1850, the emergence of the short-lived Free Soil Party, and the eventual founding of the Republican Party. The language in the amendment only amounted to a sentence. Yet it would have had profound implications if approved, as it would have prohibited slavery in territories acquired from Mexico following the Mexican War. The amendment was not successful, as it was never approved by the U.S. Senate. However, the debate over the Wilmot Proviso kept the issue of whether slavery could exist in new territories in front of the public for years. It hardened sectional animosities between North and South, and ultimately helped put the country on the road to the Civil War. Origin of the Wilmot Proviso A clash of army patrols along the border in Texas sparked the Mexican War in the spring of 1846. That summer the U.S. Congress was debating a bill which would provide $30,000 to begin negotiations with Mexico, and an additional $2 million for the president to use at his discretion to try to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. It was assumed President James K. Polk might be able to use the money to avert the war by simply buying land from Mexico. On August 8, 1846, a freshman congressman from Pennsylvania, David Wilmot, after consulting with other northern congressmen, proposed an amendment to the appropriations bill that would ensure slavery could not exist in any territory which might be acquired from Mexico. The text of the Wilmot Proviso was one sentence of less than 75 words: Provided, That as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory from the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither Slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said Territory, except for crime, whereof the party shall be first duly convicted. The House of Representatives debated the language in the Wilmot Proviso. The amendment passed and was added to the bill. The bill would have gone on to the Senate, but the Senate adjourned before it could be considered. When a new Congress convened, the House again approved the bill. Among those voting for it was Abraham Lincoln, who was serving his one term in Congress. This time Wilmots amendment, added to a spending bill, moved on to the Senate, where a firestorm broke out. Battles Over the Wilmot Proviso Southerners were deeply offended by the House of Representatives adopting the Wilmot Proviso, and newspapers in the South wrote editorials denouncing it. Some state legislatures passed resolutions denouncing it. Southerners considered it an insult to their way of life. It also raised Constitutional questions. Did the federal government possess the power to restrict slavery in new territories? The powerful senator from South Carolina, John C. Calhoun, who had challenged federal power years earlier in the Nullification Crisis, made forceful arguments on behalf of the slave states. Calhoun’s legal reasoning was that slavery was legal under the Constitution, and slaves were property, and the Constitution protected property rights. Therefore settlers from the South, if they moved to the West, should be able to bring their own property, even if the property happened to be slaves. In the North, the Wilmot Proviso became a rallying cry. Newspapers printed editorials praising it, and speeches were given in support of it. Continuing Effects of the Wilmot Proviso The increasingly bitter debate over whether slavery would be allowed to exist in the West continued through the late 1840s. For several years the Wilmot Proviso would be added to bills passed by the House of Representatives, but the Senate always refused to pass any legislation containing the language about slavery. The stubborn revivals of Wilmots amendment served a purpose as it kept the issue of slavery alive in Congress and thus before the American people. The issue of slavery in the territories acquired during the Mexican War was finally addressed early in 1850 in a series of Senate debates, which featured the legendary figures Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and Daniel Webster. A set of new bills, which would become known as the Compromise of 1850, was thought to have provided a solution. The issue, however, did not die completely. One response to the Wilmot Proviso was the concept of â€Å"popular sovereignty,† which was first proposed by a Michigan senator, Lewis Cass, in 1848. The idea that settlers in the state would decide the issue became a constant theme for Senator Stephen Douglas in the 1850s. In the 1848 president the Free Soil party formed, and embraced the Wilmot Proviso. The new party nominated a former president, Martin Van Buren, as its candidate. Van Buren lost the election, but it demonstrated that debates about restricting slavery would not fade away. The language introduced by Wilmot continued to influence anti-slavery sentiment which developed in the 1850s and helped lead to the creation of the Republican Party. And ultimately the debate over slavery could not be solved in the halls of Congress, and was only settled by the Civil War.

The Cultural Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cultural Anthropology - Essay Example It is partly due to the very reality that physical anthropology studies physical changes humans have experienced with the passage of time, while cultural anthropology examines the alterations humans have observed in their social life by adopting different changes according to their needs in order to survive under the always transforming conditions and circumstances all around them for the future years to come. Although sharing several commonalities with biology, physics, and environmental sciences, cultural anthropology also seeks close proximity with history, sociology and political science in nature, scope, and approach. Somehow, approach to analyze historical events focuses upon estimating the life patterns of the ruling class, including the kings and queens, their rise and fall, involvement in wars and expeditions and causes, incidents, effects and impacts of their rule and ultimate downfall at the hands of their fate or opponents. Historical events are estimated with the help of the available records including the coins, written documents, chronicles, biographies and the literature of the era under analysis. Somehow, it does not mean that the historians neglect the activities of the masses and common people altogether. On the contrary, these cultural aspects are also taken into account by the historians, though the particular focus remains in the examination of the activities attributed to the royalty and elite stratum of that society. Cultural anthropological approach concentrates upon fossil remains and archaeological records in order to estimate the nature and magnitude of transformations humans have witnessed during the course of time. It is of the opinion that human societies have reached the present state of affairs after making a long and continuous struggle for their survival by adopting imperative alterations in almost all parts of their present physical form. They witnessed tremendous growth and remarkable advancements in all fields including mod es of expressions and communication i.e. language, as well as in religious practices, economic developments, technological revolution, socio-political advancements and much more. It also discusses the cultural traits and patterns of collective behavioral life including folklore, dance, music, faith, marriage and sex and much more. It is by dint of the astonishing advancements made by man that humans are leading comparatively more comfortable and luxurious life in comparison with their ancestors. Another major divergence while studying both history and cultural anthropology, it becomes evident that the former evaluates the politics, legal framework, conspiracies and intrigues, and internal conflicts and revolts and external threats as well faced by the rulers; on the contrary, the latter draws out social norms, cultural values, religious cults, traditions, customs, conventions, taboo, folklore and belief system observed by the people. Hence, cultural anthropology lays stress upon lan guage and dresses, sexual behavior and gender identity, magic and marriage systems, economic activities and means of earning, and collective behavior of the individuals in their social, economic, political and cultural activities.

Marketing for Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing for Construction - Essay Example According to the CCS wesite, â€Å"The construction industry has a huge impact on all our lives, with many construction works in sensitive locations. If all construction sites and companies presented an image of competent management, efficiency, awareness of local environmental issues and above all neighbourliness, then they would become a positive advertisement, not just for themselves but for the industry as a whole.† The construction industry consists of the property owner, real estate business, legal and regulatory body, property seeker and buyers. The marketing environment for construction industry consists of the industry competitors, suppliers, buyers, threat of substitute and potential entrants. The factors influencing the demand and supply of the construction industry are the social and technological factors, political and legal conditions, economic and environmental factors. The social factors include the demographic factors like age, sex, education level, ethnic diversity of the target group, social groups, social attitudes and other. The political condition, law, regulations and policies, taxation are some of the factors of the political and legal environment. The economic factors includes the level of income, CPI, Inflation, employment, availability of funds/loans and the overall economic condition of the nation. Environmental factor include the factors like regulations, environmental impacts like contamination, construction waste, power conservation and others. This provides information on the segment rivalry. The numbers of firms are more than 192,404 small and big firms. This sector is one of the largest sector employing more than 200,000 people. The segment rivalry is high in the industry. The economic turmoil has intensified the segment rivalry. The high exit barriers of the industry are high due to heavy capital and investment requirements. The suppliers are integrated part any industry. This is a

International financial institutions, WTO and sustainable development Thesis Proposal

International financial institutions, WTO and sustainable development - Thesis Proposal Example The present approach to development recognizes that environmental and human rights protection is linked closely to economic growth and development (Kirk Herbertson). Kirk argues that the World Bank has invested in activities that promote sustainable development. But, the legal mandate of the World Bank has not changed to reflect this broader understanding (Kirk Herbertson).In the 1980 and 1990s, the World Bank demanded economic reforms. Now it allows the borrowing government to choose what is most appropriate for them. Sometimes governments demand funds for projects that are not environmentally sustainable. The civil society sometimes protests against such projects. In the recent past, World Bank has adopted policies to support sustainable development. In 2006, the Bank created its Sustainable Development Network. It provides financial support on issues such as climate change, agriculture, and natural resource management (Kirk Herbertson). The international financial institutions now serve more as advisors to government than regulators. Kirk further argues that in the next decade, the World Bank and other IFIs will play an important role in financing sustainable development. The IFI favourably responds to demands of government after considering the risk factors. Its fossil fuel related projects have grown.

Australian indigenous world views and accounting

Australian indigenous world views and accounting This paper summarizes the article titled The issue of Australian indigenous world-views and accounting written by Susan Greer and Chris Patel (2000). Also critically review the article and compare it with other articles those discuss the same idea and focus on the same issue. As any research area and especially in social sciences, the difficulty and the complex of the topic should be taken as a point of departure for exploring and studying the topic as well as the importance of the topic. The paper was structured into eight sections as following: an introduction; limitations of Hofstedes cultural taxonomy; yin and yang values framework; core Australian indigenous cultural values; work-related values; land-related values; the meaning of native title and concluding comments. The purpose of the paper is to provide evidence of cultural differences between indigenous Australian values and the Western capitalist values implicit in the language of accounting and accountabilityp1 as the authors believe that although great efforts have been made on the cross-cultural accounting research, the mainstream cross-cultural accounting research has failed to address two main issues: First: the mainstream research of cross-cultural accounting focused on the impact of culture on the accounting systems but not the influence of accounting on societal values. Second: the cultural differences within countries have been omitted. The article tries to study this issue and fill the knowledge gap in this field, also presents the cultural norms and values among the indigenous and non-indigenous peoples within Australia p 308. Specifically, the study aims to demonstrate that Australian indigenous cultures embody core values that conflict with the values encapsulated within Western systems of accounting and accountability. p308 Article Summary The study illuminates the differences between indigenous Australian peoples cultural values and Western capitalist values appears in language of accounting that related to work and land. Choosing the conceptions of work and land were based on two reasons, first the previous studies which have shown the importance of the work related values and differences between cultures. Second, the recent introduction of native title into property law granted the Australian indigenous conception of land some legal recognition alongside other forms of property rights p309 the authors criticize Hofsteds cultural taxonomy as they believe in its limitations, they refer to a number of limitations as: this approach overly simplistic as it reflects the values of the politically and socially advantaged groups within countries, also it does not include the minorities in the sample such as indigenous peoples, moreover, it fails to address the complexity of culture p310 Because of these limitations mentioned above, the authors adopt another suitable approach which they believe it is the appropriate one for such a study. The alternative used approach is Yin and Yang values framework, the authors believe that A useful perspective for examining the cultural values and conceptions of reality reflected and socially reproduced by accounting, is that of the universal masculine or yang and the universal feminine or yin (Hines, 1992, p. 318).as some writers (Hines 1992) showed that the language of accounting preferences yang values, such as quantification, objectivity, efficiency, productivity, reason, and logic, and in doing so, silences or excludes those values associated with the universal feminine or yin, such as relationships, nurturing, experience, and intuition p310 The authors address the usefulness of the adoption of this value framework to their study in two primary reasons. The first reason is because of the evidence of unique Australian indigenous cultural values provided from a large collection of anthropological, sociological and pedagogical literature. Secondly, the increasing emphasis of the Australian indigenous people s on cultural values and traditions. Core Australian indigenous cultural values In this section, authors try to introduce the differences in cultural values within the indigenous Australian peoples or (the yin core values). According to the authors, The whole community is classified into specific relationships with each member (Crawford, 1989). For example, the Pitjantjatjara people of Central Australia gave Europeans kinship terms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The Yolngu of the Northern Territory are also known to assign positions within the domain of Yolngu kinship to non-Aboriginal people with whom they have more than superficial or brief contact à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Thus for many indigenous peoples, kin positions constitute the basic datum of social identity. p 313 Also authors state that sharing and relatedness values are central to these indigenous societies especially to Aboriginal society. In the next sections the authors focus on two groups of value taking them as examples, these groups of values, according to the authors, are aligned to yin values. Work-related values In this section the work-related values of indigenous peoples are presented as yin values, which are clearly reflected in the indigenous attitudes to work, consequently are in contrast with yang values. Some examples was given in support to this issue the strength and nature of obligatory relationships and the web of sharing within kinship networks are often acknowledged as a key determinant of the success or failure of indigenous enterprises. Yet, governments at the state and federal levels and indigenous funding bodies have consistently ignored this factor. Instead, indigenous organisations and communities have been increasingly submitted to financial accounting controls and measures of financial accountability and compliance which prioritise yang values that are in direct conflict with the core Australian indigenous values of sharing and relatedness. p 316 Land-related values Descriptions of how the land is considered by indigenous peoples in Australia can be found under this section where the authors provide evidences on how land values for these indigenous are different to accounting and accountability systems in the Western capitalist environment. The authors state that The earth is considered the source of all life and, as such, the indigenous peoples are obligated to look after the earth, so that the earth will in turn provide for them p 318 According to the authors the link between these peoples and land is much deeper than just an economic property, as it can be read that In Australian indigenous culture it is the spiritual link to the land that is all-pervasive. The land is the source of the Dreamings, the source of identity and the foundation principle of land rights in indigenous culture is not one of individual proprietary rights, rather it is relationships p 319 The meaning of native title Native title was identified in the article as inalienable right consisting of the laws, customs, practices and traditions of particular communities. As such, the rights under native title are limited to the indigenous community which observes those traditions, customs and practices. Native title does not equate with the estates, rights or interests in land which form the law of real property at common law . . . it is to be regarded as unique p 320 The indigenous consider it as an important part of their culture not as it appears in the Western accounting literature as: . The property; . The asset; . The economic resource; . The commodity; and . The natural capital. The loss of this title means loss of culture itself for these Australian indigenous peoples. Conclusion comments the article concludes with the mention of the failure of mainstream cross-cultural accounting research to include the norms and values of less advantage groups such as indigenous, also the article refers to the complexity of accounting and accountability to study such a subject as these social aspects are part of many other subjects as history, ideology, language and mythology. Moreover, the authors suggest to build on the work has been made by Hines (1992) and Broadbent (1995; 1998). Critical Reflections This section critically evaluates the work has been done by Greer S. and Patel C. (2000) by reviewing the used method and objectives achieved in the light of other works on the same topic. Strengths it is good attempt to bring such issues to the attention of accounting, some issues like the issue of accounting and indigenous, how they are effected by accounting and how accounting should benefits from their cultures for example in terms of environment and social responsibility. As Gallhofer et al (2000) think that it seems appropriate to speculate further upon how indigenous cultural principles might be reflected more generally in the context of impacting upon accounting p 397 The objectives of the article were clearly stated and strongly linked to the title. Also the abstract summaries and explains clearly the debate issue of the article and the limitations of the methods used before. The aims and objectives of the article were well addressed and The findings were well organized and reported objectively. More importantly, new approach was applied as alternative method to characterize the indigenous peoples cultural differences in terms of accounting and accountability. It can be said that the article was well written and sectioned in good order, also very clear literature review was introduced by descriptions of the related work has been done in the same field within discussions in different places in the article which, also number of good references were used in both method section and the development body. In my view, that would give a good opportunity to describe the contents of the article and make them more readable. Not to mention the number of examples was injected in different sections of the article to support the ideas included. Weaknesses Gallhofer and Chew state that (2000) We are particularly concerned to address the problem that non-indigenous researchers face when they write about issues concerning indigenous peoples and cultures p 258. As mentioned it could be a problematic issue that non-indigenous researchers can not reflect clearly the complexity of cultural and social elements and accounting in indigenous societies in general. At one point it could be said that the method used to gather the data for this article were clearly explained and the developments of the critical contextual analysis were well explained. On the other point, however, the reliability of the used texts is sometimes difficult to be measured. Also the scope of the study and the population used were not based on a clear approach. Hofsteds cultural taxonomy was criticized in the article because of its limitations; however, the method was employed as alternative approach (Yin and Yang value framework) has its own limitations too. At one point the used method is acceptable for determining the content and deliver broader understanding to the reader .however, it could be questionable if it is the appropriate method to explain and develop scientific accounting theory and result reliable outcomes as it is affected by other sciences such as language, history and politics. This makes the issue is more complicated and can not be studied without considering other elements, for instance, Jayasinghe and Dennis Thomas (2009) found that The findings imply that any form of rational transformations in indigenous accounting systems in local subaltern communities requires a phenomenological analysis of any prevailing and dominant patronage political systems. p 351 From personal point of view, hybrid Approach should be applied to study the topic including ethno-methodological approach. The article does not mention clearly how to improved the accounting theory and engage it with indigenous culture and practices, in personal view, the expected outcomes of studies not just general description to matters but also to give potential solutions. It also can be argued that the article does not show whereas the indigenous peoples welcome the western accounting and accountability systems or not, and if yes till which degree. In general, the article should have studied both sides of the relationship between the indigenous and the language of western accounting and how they affect each other rather than focusing on one side as the relationship is an interactive one. As it seems that the issue is more deep-rooted in the accounting field which requires studying the historical background of the matter. It is also arguable that although the authors arose the differences between cultures within the same country, they applied the comprehensiveness when they studied the indigenous and ignored the cultural differences between these indigenous peoples themselves, for instance Gallhofer et al (2000) believe that There are complex differences between the three groups of indigenous people and indeed between their different tribes. p 384 Questions Left to Answer The article raises issues and possibilities that should be focused on and questions need to be further explored; additional studies are needed to raise research possibilities beyond those identified and overcome method limitations. Conclusion In conclusion, the paper has promoted to the idea of providing evidence of differences between indigenous Australian values and the Western capitalist values in the accounting context. Some good cases have been presented with implementing a developed method in the field. Besides, several of good references have been used in order to develop the problem statement of the article, It could also be said that the yin and yang values framework which used in the paper has its limitation in terms of providing evidences of the problem studied. The conclusion was based on the findings from the critical contextual analysis used and the literature reviewed; also the recommendation was limited to a call for additional research in this area of research as some other researchers suggest (Gallhofer and Chew 2000). Overall, the study gives good contribution to knowledge in terms of the used method and the objectives, also the study would need to be linked to other works have been done on the same topic (Gallhofer, S., Chew, A. (2000), Gallhofer, S., el al (2000), Davie, S. (2000), Jayasinghe K. and Thomas D. (2009), to give better and broader understanding to the problem introduced in the mentioned article.

Blackness in Macbeth Essay examples -- Macbeth essays

Blackness in Macbeth      Ã‚   The Bard of Avon shows in his tragedy Macbeth an evil couple who face the dark hand of death - as a result of criminal deeds. Let us look closely at the growing, enveloping darkness of the play as it progresses.    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson identifies the darkness in the play with evil, hell, devils:    Mr. Kenneth Muir, in his introduction to the play - which does not, by the way, interpret it simply from this point of view - aptly describes the cumulative effect of the imagery: "The contrast between light and darkness [suggested by the imagery] is part of a general antithesis between good and evil, devils and angels, evil and grace, hell and heaven . . . (67-68)    A.C. Bradley in Shakespearean Tragedy comments on the darkness within the play:    The vision of the dagger, the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, the sleep-walking of Lady Macbeth, all come in night scenes. The Witches dance in the thick air of a storm or, 'black and midnight hags', receive Macbeth in a cavern. The blackness of night is to the hero a thing of fear, even of horror; and that which he feels becomes the spirit of the play. The faint glimmerings of the western sky at twilight are here menacing: it is the hour when the traveller hastens to reach safety in his inn, and when Banquo rides homeward t meet his assassins; the hour when 'light thickens', when 'night's black agents to their prey do rouse', when the wolf begins to howl, and the owl to scream, and withered murder steals forth to his work. (307)    In "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action" Francis Fergusson states the place of darkness in the action of the play:    It is the phrase... ...re: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Knights, L.C. "Macbeth." Shakespeare: The Tragedies. A Collectiion of Critical Essays. Alfred Harbage, ed. Englewwod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.    Lamb, Charles. On the Tragedies of Shakespeare. N.p.: n.p.. 1811. Rpt in Shakespearean Tragedy. Bratchell, D. F. New York, NY: Routledge, 1990.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Macbeth. http://chemicool.com/Shakespeare/macbeth/full.html, no lin.    Warren, Roger. Shakespeare Survey 30.   N.p.: n.p., 1977. Pp. 177-78. Rpt. in Shakespeare in the Theatre: An Anthology of Criticism. Stanley Wells, ed. England: Oxford University Press, 2000.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957.   

Coloplast Case Essay

Executive Summary Coloplast has been in operations in Denmark for nearly 60 years. The company specializes in producing medical devices such as disposable ostomy bags, antifungal cremes cleansers and moisturizers. For 42 years, all Coloplast operations were contained within Denmark, however 97% of its revenue was generated by exporting its products beyond its national borders. In 1999 the company changed its philosophy and began to investigate off shoring its production facilities. In 2001 the first Coloplast production facility opened its doors outside of Denmark. The expansion took place in Tatabanya Hungary. This location was chosen because of cheaper labour and land rates, as well as a more favourable tax rate. The city is located in the Western region of the country which provided better infrastructure. Coloplast had no blueprint to navigate through the expansion process, and had to learn and develop best practises by trial and error. By 2004 the management team in Tatabanya had advanced the production system to the point where it was outperforming the longer established Danish facilities. In 2005 Coloplast revealed an aggressive plan of Strategy 2008. In this plan the company states it will strive to achieve a profit margin of 18% while maintaining 10% organic growth. A key pillar of this plan is the continued relocation of volume production to Hungary and further expansion to China. Coloplast is at crossroads, it needs to decide if it has learned enough from its first international expansion that it can duplicate and improve its success in new locations, or if it should delay new locations and focus on fine tuning its operations in Denmark and Hungary. Issues Coloplast’s expansion into Hungary was executed with no prior international expansion experience to draw from. Eventually over time, it proved to be a successful operation which surpassed quality levels of its Danish facilities . The company believes it can successfully take the lessons learned in Hungary and apply them to other international locations. Coloplast also believes that the Tatabanya operation could still be fine tuned and improved to improve its results even further. Some of the problems that need to be improved upon are. Knowledge sharing / Communication styles The production expansion in Hungary has revealed to Coloplast that decentralized approach to knowledge sharing may not work in all situations or locations. The old configuration in Denmark had most facilities and staff within a 30 min drive from each other. This allowed for more direct contact between facilities sharing processes, best practises, policies and ideas. This approach was not as successful in Hungary, Tatabanya is far from Danish headquarters and needed to have a much more direct approach. The decentralized system actually put the Hungarian operation at a disadvantage as there was a lack of manuals and instructions for them to work with in any language, not just Hungarian. Accounting procedure – Danish Kronner currency 93% of all products created by Coloplast was exported outside of Danish borders, this allowed the company to reach much larger markets then just its small domestic population. When an order is invoiced it is done so in the Kroner, the local Danish currency. This forces the company to exchange currency on the majority of all its transactions, exposing a currency risk if not managed carefully. It was estimated that currency exchange contributed up to 2% of overall loses in 2004. Outsourcing jobs negative impact on Danish workforce Coloplast has a large knowledge pool of its existing workforce in Denmark. With its volume production facilities shifting to new markets it is finding it challenging to maintain its Danish workforce in their existing roles. The company would like to be loyal to its Danish workforce and keep them employed, maintaining high morale. Coloplast would like to avoid expensive severance payments and negative public relations of reducing staff in Denmark while expanding operations internationally. Analysis Coloplost needs to continue to expand and grow it business. Internal estimates indicate that by 2010 the company will require double its current product volumes. At the same time they have set aggressive profit margin and growth goals. The international production expansion strategy is an important part of its goals. Coloplost hopes to meet the growing demand of its customers and achieving revenue goals by expanding production facilities in countries with lower operating costs One of the lessons learned by  Coloplost after the expansion in Hungary is the importance of the transfer of knowledge and communication between all segments of the business. This area needs to be improved prior to further expansion to China. During the last expansion management was so busy dealing with communication issues that they failed to fully take advantage of local sourcing opportunities, instead importing more expensive options. Management in Denmark must also decide how to properly utilize their dom estic workforce, when many of their current production positions are shifting to new countries. This will be a very important decision as these employees hold a high level of tacit knowledge of the company that it does not want to lose. The reporting of sales/conversion back to Danish currency represented a 2% loss. Continued expansion into new markets in both production and sales will make this issue even larger then it currently is. It is in the companies best interest to retain its Danish workforce when possible. These employees have the best understanding of the operations and can contribute to the companies success in training and perfecting best practises instead of focusing on production. Coloplost is still in a growth phase and redeployment/training of these people will save on severance costs and maintain a positive image for the company. Recommendations By improving the Hungarian operation and exploring further expansion opportunities such as China the company is demonstrating how essential expanding into low cost markets is to its overall long term strategy. A presence in the Asian marketplace will expose Coloplost to a massive consumer base to build its sales. This international market diversification will reduce the company’s dependence on its traditional European customers who’s health care systems are under reform and potentially not as profitable as before. A new strategy must be formed for the changing European markets, by expanding revenue streams, it provides the company time to assess reality of the new market conditions. Another benefit of having operations in Asia is increasing logistics options for the Coloplast. A Chinese distribution point could also be created providing better coverage in Asia and potentially shipping to North America as well. The Danish location will continue to ship to Hamburg and exp ort to North Europe while the Hungarian facilities will by pass by-pass Hamburg and ship directly to Southern  Europe. This plan will streamline the shipping process cutting costs for the company. The decentralized approach employed by the company while it was only operating in Denmark does not work on a global scale. Communication between all locations the company must be improved and two changes should be made immediately. First all processes and procedures needs to be documented in written form in all of the languages of the countries that the company will operate in. Coloplast has a large workforce in Denmark that will be shrinking in size due to the off shoring process. The company should select their most experienced and specialized staff to work on this project, providing new employment opportunities while reducing costs of retraining and severance fees. Second, the company should invest in a knowledge management system that will allow for file and idea sharing between all locations world wide. Coloplost should adjust its accounting procedures and no longer invoice in Danish kroners, instead they should invoice all sales in Euro’s. This will reduce the need to perform a foreign exchange transaction on all sales. If the company must later convert the currency to Kroners, they can do so when the exchange rate is in their favor. To further protect themselves from foreign exchange risk, they should hedge their transaction and purchase an option contract of swapping Euros for Kroner. Further shifting of volume away from Denmark is forecasted to reduce the Danish workforce by approximately 600 jobs over the next 5 years. It is best to get ahead of it and continue to offer early retirement and retraining packages to its employees. By utilizing its most knowledgeable employees to assist in training and manual creation, Coloplast hopes to retain the assets in its workforce that have the highest amount of the knowledge of its processes and production. This will help keep staff reduction to a minimal. Alternatives Delay further expansion – focus on improving Hungarian operations This option will make it difficult for the company to reach its long term goals. Make it possible to rotate management staff in different international facilities to help spread knowledge and share best practises among all operations Create a strong emphasis in using top Danish production workers as trainers to help develop new operations. write training manuals, proven to work well with Danish employees in the past. Development of a team from experienced staff  to assist in trying to source products locally may be a win win scenario. Keep Danish staff employed while reducing costs for the company. These employees would know systems best. Creation of secondary distribution points to better serve new markets. China could handle Asian and North American markets, Hamburg (Danish port) could handle traditional Northern European markets and a new distribution point could be created to funnel Hungarian supplied prod ucts to Southern Europe and beyond

Importance of Brand Awareness a Comparative Study

Importance of Brand Awareness a Comparative Study Introduction The ability of consumers to identify, describe and differentiate a specific brand from its competition is at the center of all branding initiatives carried out by different branding managers as they try to improve their brand awareness levels. This paper shall set out to discuss the importance of brand awareness by conducting a case study that compares two brands in Australia.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Importance of Brand Awareness: a Comparative Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This shall be done by highlighting the importance of brand awareness, comparing the breadth and depth of brand awareness for the chosen products and analyzing the results from the survey conducted in a bid to measure the level of brand awareness each product has in the Australian market. Importance of brand awareness According to Atiglan et al. (2009), brand awareness refers to the likelihood that consumers withi n a given market know of the existence and availability of a given product. Atiglan et al. (2009) further state that brand awareness is the degree of precision to which consumers link a brand to a specific product. Effective brand awareness is measured from the consumers’ ability to recognize or recall a specific brand. Similarly, Srivastava (2009) argues that branding efforts become futile if the product does not satisfy the needs of the targeted consumers. As such, the author states that brand managers should come up with brands that consumers can identify with in regard to the product’s performance, applicability and imagery. With this in mind, it is always important for brand managers to measure the brand awareness level of their brands in order to reap the learning, consideration and choice advantages. Keller (2008), states that effective brand awareness ensures that the brand is registered in the consumer’s mind. This means that a consumer is able to easil y recognize and recall a brand amidst other competing brands. In addition, brand awareness increases the probability that consumers will consider a specific brand and choose it when faced with options. As such, measuring the brand awareness level of a given brand is important to brand managers because it enables them to market and improve their brands in a manner that guarantees consumer satisfaction and loyalty.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Breadth and Depth of Brand Awareness: Sample Description According to Keller (2008), the depth of brand awareness refers to the ease of recognition and recall and how strong the brand is categorized among competing brands. The breadth of brand awareness deals with the purchase and consumption considerations made by the consumer when choosing a specific brand. In order to measure these dimensions, a case study was conduc ted in a bid to establish the overall consumer satisfaction rating of two prominent quick service restaurants in Australia. McDonald’s restaurants and Subway restaurants were chosen and ten respondents selected to participate in the survey. Eating fast and maintain a healthy life style were the main considerations made by consumers frequenting quick service restaurants. This is according to results posted by respondents to a survey recently conducted in Australia. Age, gender and career choice played a pivotal role in determining the type of food consumers ordered. In regard to brand recognition, most people stated that they knew McDonalds and have had their meals. They attributed this to the fact that McDonalds is prominent, familiar and popular as compared to other brands. However, when asked of their satisfaction rating, most participants recalled that subway restaurants offered the best services in terms of price, quality of service and interactivity. Research method A qu alitative research methodology was selected for this study. The primary method of data collection was a survey. A semi-structured interview was conducted with the selected respondents and the results compiled and analyzed graphically. Table 1: selection criteria of respondents Gender No. of respondents Age of respondent Male 5 18-35 years Female 5 18-35 years This research method was selected due to its flexibility and its ability to give credible and computable results. In addition, it enabled the researcher to observe and interact with the respondents freely without inconveniencing their schedules. Out of the five male respondents, two were aged below 25 years old. Three of the female respondents were below 25 years old.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Importance of Brand Awareness: a Comparative Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The logic behind this classification is because younger females a re more conscious about their looks as compared to their older counterparts. On the other hand, older males are health conscious and try to live health lives. This criterion was effective since it was designed to evaluate the level of brand awareness of the selected brands in regard to consumer satisfaction. Measures The respondents were required to rate their satisfaction levels from the selected brands based on predefined parameters. The rating method was based on a scale of 1-5 stars, 1 star being the lowest score and 5 stars being the best score. These two restaurants were selected due to their market share and availability across the Australian market. Below is an overall presentation of the results posted from the survey. Research results As mentioned earlier brand salience focuses on the ability of the brand to create a lasting impression on the consumer mind. The results from the survey indicated that while McDonald’s is a renowned brand in Australia, its brand aware ness level is lower in comparison to the levels exhibited by subway restaurants, which are higher. The graph below shows the relationship between the respondents and their responses on the selected measures. Graph 1: respondents and response to brand awareness Measures Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From the graph it is evident that the brand awareness levels of Subway restaurants are higher than those recorded for McDonald’s restaurants. This can be attributed to the fact that Subway restaurants have marketed their brands more effectively in terms of consumer satisfaction, quality of service and the ability of consumers to identify themselves with Subway’s products. For example, in their website, Subway restaurants offer their consumers a chance to develop a unique recipe for their meals. This is a marketing strategy that ensures that consumers have a sense of ownership to this brand, thereby guaranteeing their loyalty. In addition, subway’s emphasis on fresh and healthy products attracts more consumers. This ensures that their products are recognized, considered and chosen by consumers. On the other hand, McDonald has failed to address the key issues that may make their brand more prominent. By providing less quality products, McDonald’s has given Subway restaurants a competitive edge that remains unmatched in the Australian market. Data analysis Data analysis was categorized according to the drinks, breakfast and meal preference of the respondents as can be seen in appendix 1. In regard to drinks, McDonald’s brands were preferred by most of the respondents. Subway restaurant meals and breakfasts were preferred by all respondents due to the fact that they are healthier options in comparison to those served at McDonald’s restaurants. Below is a table showing a breakdown of brand preferences recorded by respondents Subway Meals Drinks Breakfast Pizza sub with cheese= 3 Chicken classic= 3 Chicken schnitzel= 3 Italian B.M.T= 1 Steak cheese= 1 Chicken parmigiana melt= 1 Turkey and ham= 1 Tuna= 2 Subway Seafood Sensation= 2 Chicken Bacon Ranch melt= 4 Subway Melt= 1 Veggie Delite= 1 Strawberry yogurt = 2 1% low-fat milk= 1 Chocolate milk= 2 Juice box= 2 Water= 7 Egg cheese= 8 Ham, egg and cheese= 6 Shortcut bacon , egg cheese= 5 McDonald’s Meals Drinks Breakfast Double cheeseburger= 3 Big Mac= 2 Cheeseburger= 2 Hamburger= 2 Filet-O-Fish= 1 quarter Pounder= 2 Chicken McNuggets= 1 Water= 7 Coke= 4 orange juice (Goulburn valley)= 1 diet coke= 1 chocolate shake= 2 Coke Zero= 1 frozen Fanta raspberry= 1 Espresso pronto cappuccino= 1 Latte= 2 flat white= 2 black tea= 1 White tea= 4 Sprite= 1 strawberry shake= 1 hotcakes with butter and syrup= 4 English muffin= 1 hash brown= 1 sausage and egg muffin= 1 NYC Benedict bagel= 1 Rosti brekkie wrap=1 The table above shows the number of respondents who could recognize and recall various products from the selected brands. From the results, it is evident that the depth of brand awareness for Subway brand products is higher than that of McDonald’s brand products. Conclusion Brand awareness provides brand managers with an avenue through which they can effectively market their products in a competitive busi ness environment. By ensuring that a brand is easily recognized, recalled and considered, businesses guarantee their survival, all the while increasing consumer loyalty. From this report, it is evident that brand awareness plays a pivotal role in marketing and it should be effectively implemented if success is to be achieved. References Atiglan, E, Akinci, S, Aksoy, S Kaynak, E 2009, Customer-Based Brand Equity for Global Brands: A Multinational Approach’, Journal of Euromarketing, vol. 18, no. 2, pp.115-132. Keller, KL 2008, Strategic brand management – building, measuring and managing brand equity, international edition, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Srivastava, RK 2009, Measuring brand strategy: can brand equity and brand score be a tool to measure the effectiveness of strategy?, Journal of Strategic Marketing, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 487-497. Appendix Compiling results for depth of brand awareness Respondent Drinks Meals Breakfast Respondent 1 Coke, water, white tea Double cheeseburger, pizza sub with cheese, chicken classic, chicken schnitzel egg and cheese, shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, hotcakes with butter and syrup Respondent 2 Strawberry yogurt, latte, water Big Mac, cheeseburger, Italian B.M.T, steak cheese egg and cheese, ham, egg and cheese, English muffin Respondent 3 1% low-fat milk, chocolate milk, water, coke Double cheeseburger, chicken classic, chicken parmigiana melt hash brown, ham, egg and cheese, sausage and egg muffin, NYC Benedict bagel Respondent 4 Juice box, flat white, orange juice (Goulburn valley), Water Hamburger, turkey and ham, chicken Bacon Ranch melt, pizza Sub with cheese egg and cheese, ham, egg and cheese, shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, Respondent 5 water, diet coke, chocolate shake, Tuna, Subway Seafood Sensation, Filet-O-Fish shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, hotcakes with butter and syrup Respondent 6 Coke Zero, frozen Fanta raspberry, white tea Hamburger, chicken Bacon Ranch melt, Dou ble cheeseburger, egg and cheese, ham, egg and cheese, shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, Respondent 7 Espresso pronto cappuccino, latte flat white, coke, water, black tea Big Mac, pizza sub with cheese, chicken classic, chicken schnitzel shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, rosti brekkie wrap Respondent 8 White tea, water, sprite, strawberry shake chicken Bacon Ranch melt, subway Melt, quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets ham, egg and cheese, hash brown, hotcakes with butter and syrup, Respondent 9 Chocolate shake, white tea, latte (Espresso Pronto) chicken schnitzel, Tuna, Subway Seafood Sensation, egg and cheese, hotcakes with butter and syrup, Respondent 10 Strawberry Yogurt, juice box, chocolate milk Cheeseburger, quarter Pounder, chicken Bacon Ranch melt, Veggie Delite egg and cheese, ham, egg and cheese, shortcut bacon, egg and cheese, hash brown

Romanticism Comparing essays

Romanticism Comparing essays Snap! Watson steps on the twig, but the mysterious figure does not seem to hear. Sir Arthur Conan Doyles The Hound of the Baskervilles is an excellent example of a Romantic novel because it shows that nature is kind, the settings are obscure and it shows how emotions affect a Romantic novel. The Hound of the Baskervilles is about a murder case of Sir Charles Baskerville. Detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Watson are asked to solve the very mysterious murder. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle creates a handful of characters in this novel who are very familiar with nature. One of these characters is a suspect, his name is Mr. Stapleton. A tin box for botanical specimens [hangs] over his shoulder and he [carries] a green butterfly net in one of his hands (Doyle 90). Mr. Stapleton is so devoted to nature and the specimens that live around him, he takes it so far that anyone that crosses his path would hear a long explanation about botanical specimens. Stapleton also has a sister or wife and he teaches her how to love nature as much as he does. My sister is as devoted to Nature as I am (102). Also many incidents in the novel that the other characters show their devotion to nature. Since the tragedy, Mr. Holmes, there [has] come to my ears several incidents which are hard to reconcile with the settled order of nature (30). Nature also helps Mr. Sherlock Holmes in solving his murder case. As it [seems] to me, for Nature to throw before the carr iage of the returning heir of the Baskervilles (77). Nature plays a big part in a Romantic novel because it shows that it helps the people who are kind to it. Examples from the book will help you understand how this novel is an excellent example of a Romantic novel. Nature was not the only thing Doyle writes about. Romantic novels must have obscure settings. Obscure settings are usually different from other novels...

The Kansas-Nebraska Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Kansas-Nebraska Act - Essay Example There was a divided interest at this point as there was also strong consideration of territorial implications. Stephen A. Douglas, the proponent of this proposed bill, was highlighting national expansion, but the people were most concerned on the extension of slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act is therefore a highly political issue that sparked interest among the people and their rights to express their freedom to take stand concerning the issue. This policy certainly affected the Midwest because it divided the consensus stand on the idea behind national expansion. Instead, people were directed to focus on the critical issue about the extension of slavery. Prior to this, there was already a strong desire to eliminate slavery as clearly stated in Lincoln’s â€Å"House Divided† speech (PBS; Wikipedia). In the absence of consensus effort to be united on one stand, division should be remarkable and this was what Lincoln tried to emphasise in his speech concerning the issue ass ociated with Kansas-Nebraska Act. Lincoln’s â€Å"House Divided† speech Lincoln’s speech was an awakening point which could give further justification needed to obtain national solidarity that was threatened by political elements at that time. In order to make his points clearer, Lincoln tried to reference three of most controversial major governmental policies that for him if the people would not be united, particularly the governing body, there would be disunity and separation of popular interest diverted to personal and not to national assurance. Lincoln tried to emphasize national territory as a primary concern for the alignment of political goal of the nation. At this point, he urged the law-making body as far as legal combination was concerned, and so he believed â€Å"a house divided against itself cannot stand.† He was on the side revealing the point that a government could not remain to stand strong half slave and half free. In line with this, he cited the case of Kansas-Nebraska Act and other major governmental policies that gained popular protests and reactions. So there is therefore a good structure on Lincoln’s speech, which elaborates the need to take stand based on the prevailing reality. Lincoln emphasized the need to consider alarming output of some major governmental policies, which has become the strong basis of his stand to point out the Government could not just eventually take center stage but should need to understand solidarity for national expansion or growth. This makes Lincoln’s speech highly organized with appropriate point and structure, trying to combine persuasive manner in addressing a particular issue. Charles Beecher’s sermon, elements of rhetoric or style Obviously, Beecher’s way of addressing the issue on national policies on slavery was an expansion of text coming from the bible. He remarkably gained his authority and strong voice on the issue with reference to some bi blical text. As part of the development of his sermon, the focus of his application on the chosen biblical text was his own interpretation and stand on the national policies on slavery. This made a powerful combination of obtaining voice and authority in his sermon considering that there could be much more appreciation already placed on the actual issue and on the biblical text. Beecher’s sermon therefore has a specific voice trying to influence popular interest as it was timely and created a specific

General and Unitised Cargoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

General and Unitised Cargoes - Essay Example In the other hand a good cargo service coupled with cost effective methods would redound to better business performance. Better cargo handling and stowage can only be achieved with good planning and better execution of plans. To be most successful in designing a cost effective cargo and stowage plan requires basic information crucial in the performance of cargo ships. These include data as to the ships capacity and the storage area's physical parameters. The ships capacity covers both volume and the weight of the total cargo which is an initial input to better planning. Another is the cargo itself. The cargo type including its physical conditions, forms, and other parameters are an important factor in determining storage location and handling methods. The ports of origin and destinations must also be evaluated. The data on ports conditions including availability of basic or sophisticated facilities for cargo handling and regulatory policies must be properly considered. Finally, the ships cargo history from port to port must also be analyzed for better planning. The cargo manager must take into conside ration what cargoes comes in and comes out in the ship from port to port including the types and volumes of these cargoes. Wilson and Roach (2000) clearly considers suitable placement of containers in a container-ship on a multi-port journey as a requirement to facilitate optimum ease in loading and unloading at subsequent ports. The Cargo Placement and Stowage Plan The aforementioned data combined together will be a very important tool in deciding what handling methods must be employed, where to place the cargoes, who must be involved, and how the stowing must be executed. Cargo placement In placing cargoes, the basic principle of what must come out first at destination port must comes in last at ports of origin must be considered. A carefully evaluated cargo listing will provide better cargo placement plan. Cargoes that must be unloaded in the nearest port must be located in areas where they can be moved without obstructions. Cargoes intended for last port of destination must be placed in more secure locations where they cannot obstruct loading and unloading at intermediary ports. Cargoes must also be placed according to physical and chemical compositions to avoid dangers of contaminations due to spillage and other accidents. Cargo managers today are more fortunate than earlier years due to availability of computerized systems of cargo placement planning. Simulation programs that generate good sub-optimal solutions to the stowage pre-planning problem are now available. The process is an analysis of the domain allowing the problem to be divided into a generalized placement strategy and a specialized placement procedure. The system refines the arrangement of containers within the cargo-space of a container ship until each container is specifically allocated to a stowage location. Better cargo placements is determined before it is really executed thereby providing room for better adjustment in a cost effective way (Wilson, Roach, & Ware, 2001). Use of these