International business term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International business term paper - Essay Example Since, the use of cosmetic products is very common in the market of China; therefore, Ajmal International can enter into this market with the aim of expanding and growing its business in other ancillary areas of the consumer goods industry. Also, the company can enter into the business of herbal cosmetics products in Turkey because the consumers in Turkey show a high preference towards the use of natural and herbal skin care products and make up products (Root 401). Ajmal international is a well equipped business in the GCC as viewed from the perspective of resources and capabilities. The financial profitability of the company and the market penetration capabilities of the business can be identified as key resources for the business that it can use in its international business expansion (Slywotzky and Hoban 441). As per the Resource Based View (RBV) of a company, the basic determinants of the success of a company in a new market are its international market entry strategies and the availability of firm specific resources, assets and capabilities. The VRIO analysis of the company, Ajmal International can be done to evaluate the resources and capabilities of the company which it can use in the international expansion process (Elmuti and Kathawala 78-80). It can be identified that Ajmal International has specific physical and human resources that it can use for setting up a successful business in the cosmetics market of China. The organizational resources of the company, especially the efficient sales force of the team can be used as an important asset for creating valuable strategies in the international business of the company. The skills related to the use of open innovation techniques in the company are found to be useful resources that can be used by the cosmetics company to create competi tive advantage in the Chinese consumer goods market. The resources of Ajmal

School and Society- assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

School and Society- assignment - Essay Example e and size of the American society and its level of diversity, education has a broad role to play in addressing vital issues such as the levels of education in the ethnic and underprivileged sections of the society. It is next to impossible to do so without understanding the ramifications of the range of social and administrative measures in the aid of education, adopted by the American society from time to time. Q 1. Describe the perspectives of liberal and vocational education in the development of the comprehensive high schools. Provide examples of how each has helped to shape the role of education in the United States. How do they continue to impact contemporary education? Ans. Considering the rapid changes being unleashed in the 21st century and the basic societal issues, challenges and opportunities that the students have to contend with in an American and a global context, it is important to seriously meditate on the ingredients of the curriculum that will enable the students to lead a positive, productive and meaningful life. Thus it is imperative to expose the students to a wide range of disciplines (U.S. Newswire 1). In that sense, liberal education has played a groundbreaking role in the development of comprehensive high schools in the US. The augmenting need for increasing pragmatism in the 21st century America cannot dilute the importance of traditional liberal education in the schools. However, one cannot underestimate the need for vocational education in schools. Vocational education in tandem with liberal education prepares the individuals to be productive leaders and workers who adhere to a sound ethical background. The signing of the Voc ational Education Act by President Lyndon Johnson gave way to the most comprehensive vocational education program in the history of America. Q2. Compare the major educational recommendations of James B. Conant with those advocated by Mark Van Doren in the article â€Å"Education for All†, assessing their relative

How Increased Portion Sizes Effect Obesity Drama Essay

How Increased Portion Sizes Effect Obesity Drama Essay Would you like to supersize that? Its a simple question asked to patrons at many national fast food chains. Its actually quite a deal, for cents more you can increase the amount of food and drink you are given. What if by increasing the amount of food you were eating actually increased your chances of developing severe health issues? A persons risk for developing many life-threatening health conditions can be measured by how much excess fat is stored in their fat cells. The United States has had an influx in the number of individuals who are overweight; could supersizing be to blame? While there are other causes for weight gain, increased portion sizes combined with inactivity have had a direct effect on the growing obesity cases. Obesity is a condition in which an individuals body accumulates and stores more fat than what is considered healthy. To determine the amount of fat stored in a persons body, a Body Mass Index (BMI) number is calculated. The formula for determining a persons BMI is the weight (in pounds) divided by the height (in inches) squared multiplying that number by a conversion factor of 703. For example, to determine the BMI number for a person who weighs 150 pounds and is 65 inches tall, the formula would be: [150 Ã · (65) 2] x 703 = 24.96. A BMI range of under 18.5 is considered underweight, the normal range is between 18.5 and 24.9, while 25 29.9 is considered overweight, finally a BMI score of 30 and above is categorized as obese. (CDC, About BMI for Adults, 2009) The BMI calculations are only one small part in determining a persons health risks in relation to weight issues. This calculation does not take into account the difference between muscle and fat weight, so it is possible for som eone to receive a higher BMI number but not have a high body-fat content because of muscle weight. It is important to take this into account when calculating ones body mass index number. One of the first actions taken by a technician when a patient is seen by a physician is they are asked to step on a scale. Then they are either asked how tall they are, or are physically measured. It is not a coincidence that these are the two measurements needed to calculate an individuals body mass index. The BMI ranges are based on a documented relationship between body weight, disease and death and are used as a tool to identify increased risk for diseases and health conditions. Obesity is a contributing factor for several severe health conditions and diseases, most of which have proven to be life-threatening. These conditions include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, and some cancers to include endometrial, breast and, colon cancer. Even though being overweight contributes directly to the development of such severe health problems, the rates of diagnosed cases of obesity have steadily increased over the past two decades. (CDC, Overweight and Obesity, 2007) According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, during the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. (2007) The CDC collected information on the rise in obesity through the CDCs Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, (BRFSS). In 1985, the CDC had gathered data for only 21 states which showed no more than 14% of each states population diagnosed with obesity. In 2008, the CDC collected data on all 50 states; of which Colorado held the lowest percentage of obesity cases at 15-19%; however all other states were recorded between 20-30% of their population were severely overweight. (CDC, Overweight and Obesity, 2007) Andrew Cates, Portion distortion analysis of food portion size to aid in weight control (2003), states According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average number of calories Americans eat each day has risen from 1,854 to 2,002 during the past 20 years. That increase of 148 calories per day works out to 15 pound s of extra weight each year. (2003) This data shows Americans are eating more today than what they were twenty years ago. However, the increased calorie intake alone is only part of the cause for the increased obesity in the United States. While other causes for obesity include genetics, disease, and medication side effects; consuming large portions of food without expending enough energy to compensate is considered to be the root cause of weight gain. For example, a typical meal from a popular fast-food restaurant consists of a cheeseburger with condiments (760 calories), medium fries (360 calories) and a 22 fluid ounce soft drink (200 calories) for a minimum total of 1320 calories ingested. An average adult weighing 180 pounds would have to walk at a pace of four miles per hour for 4.02 hours or run at a pace of 6.7 miles per hour for 1.6 hours to burn off the calories ingested at this typical meal. However, the average American does not maintain physical activities for extended periods after each meal; therefore not exerting enough energy to fully expend the large number of calories. This results in excess calories to be in the bodys fat cells, thus causing an increase in weight. Consider the diet of a professional athlete, these individuals can take in roughly 12000 calories per day, but maintain a lean muscle mass and body strength. They use every calorie ingested for fuel during physical training. For the average human, this high calorie diet is highly dangerous. While the increased consumption of calories is a global trend, the supersizing of fast food menu items has made the obesity epidemic worse for those living in the United States. (CalorieLab, 2007) Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD and Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH conducted and documented a study titled The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes to the US Obesity Epidemic. This study compared past food portions to those currently sold to document historical changes. One example of the effect supersizing has had on the typical caloric intake was the comparison of soft drink sizes served at a McDonalds in the United States versus those sold at McDonalds in the United Kingdom. Notably, the sizes of chain fast-food portions in Europe are smaller than those in the United States. McDonalds Extra Large soda portions in London, Rome, and Dublin weigh the same as the US Large.' (Young and Nestle, 2002) The study also noted the largest size of McDonalds fries sold in the United States in 1998-1999 contained 610 calories, during that time the United Kingdoms largest fry size contained 446 calories. While the serving sizes at fast food restaurants in America seem to be larger in comparison to other count ries, this does not mean the restaurants are the only cause for Americas increases in obesity cases. Are restaurants largely at fault for the increase obesity rates in the United States? Because of data on portion sizes, it wouldnt be incorrect to place some blame on the food marketing industry. But this industry runs off supply-and-demand, if there was no demand for larger portion sizes theoretically the sizes would be reduced. Additionally, when faced with the increased portion sizes, consumers are more likely to ignore the recommended sizes and will attempt to ingest what they are served. In addition to high-calorie meals, additional excess calories are taken in throughout the day by snack foods, sodas, flavored waters, candy, and even gum. Nearly everything taken into a persons body through consumption contains a number of calories. As discussed before, the ingestion of excess calories is not what causes the build-up in body fat, but rather the lack of energy used to expend the calories. So does supersized food lead to supersized people? This seems to be the case for the average person who dines on large portions without expending the needed energy to burn through the extra calories. While there are other causes for weight gain, increased portion sizes combined with inactivity have had a direct effect on the growing obesity cases. The amount of food ingested is only part of the cause for the obesity epidemic, combine it with the decrease in daily activity and what is left is the formula for an unhealthy, possibly fatal medical condition that takes years to overcome. Would you still like to supersize that? Reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2007).Overweight and Obesity: Home.Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). About BMI for Adults. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/index.html CalorieLab. (2007). Burger King Calorie Counter. Retrieved from http://calorielab.com/restaurants/burger-king/3 Cates, A. (2003). Portion Distortion Analysis of Food Portion Size to Aid in Weight Control. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0826/is_6_19/ai_111111456/ Rolls, B.J., Roe, L.S., Meengs J.S.(2007).The effect of large portion sizes on energy intake is sustained for 11 days.Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University.Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17557991 Young, L.R. Nestle M. (2002). The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes to the US Obesity Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447051/

Affirmative Action - Is it Fair? Essays -- Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action - Is it Fair Affirmative action in theory and in thought is intended to promote the welfare of this country’s minorities by supporting the idea that individuals are equal and should not be judged by race or sex. Therefore, in situations like job and university applications, we should consider minorities to be as feasible a choice for hire as a white male candidate, taking into consideration their background. In short, it tries to give minorities that have been at a disadvantage their whole life, an advantage they have never been open too All things considered, this does not happen. Instead, â€Å"quotas† are established and the discrimination that was once placed on the minorities now turns the other way. Let’s make up a hypothetical situation. You are sending in your first college application to Harvard. There is only one spot left open between you and someone who is black. You have slightly better grades, both of you excelled in sports, you have more volunteer hours, and co mpleted 2 foreign languages where he only has one. Applying affirmative action, you would not get the last position because of the need for ethnic diversity in the college atmosphere. Is that fair Is that right You clearly had a better dossier then him. If affirmative action is supposed to support the individual, why is it solely based on race and why doesn’t it apply to every situation based on the potential of the individual involved? What happens if in this hypothetical si...

“Bold Girls” by Rona Munro Essay

In her drama â€Å"Bold Girls†, Rona Munro has created a relevant and inspiring legacy of war-torn Northern Ireland. Her drama depicts the daily struggles and predicaments faced by four particular women, who seem to thrive on their fantasies and illusions all except Deirdre who is marked out as different from the drama’s beginning: â€Å"Deirdre is not in this room, she’s crouching on all fours on her own talking out of darkness in which only her face is visible.† Introduced as a surreal and somewhat eerie character it is no surprise that Deirdre contrasts greatly with the three other women. It is her persistent search for the truth that polarises her from the others and causes her to be at odds with them as they shut out truth and cushion themselves with their idealistic dreams. This idea of fantasy versus reality is a main concern within the play, and it is through monologues and stage direction that we are allowed a deeper understanding of each character’s situation and of the play’s themes. A particular monologue of Deirdre’s undoubtedly confirms that her search for truth will result in the hurt of others and possible confrontations and violent conflicts: â€Å"The lights change I need a knife a wee blade of my own†¦It was the knife he was talking about. It was the truth. I thought I’d like that. A wee bit of hard truth you could hold in your hand and point where you liked. The lights change† I believe this monologue verifies Deirdre’s role as â€Å"catalyst†. By this point we have been introduced to all four women and to their dreams and fantasies, which Deirdre’s â€Å"wee blade† of truth threatens to destroy. Deirdre’s yearning for the truth causes her to kill these dreams, bringing the three idealistic women crashing back to the harsh reality that surrounds them. Deirdre’s conflict is greatest with the central character, Marie. Compared with Cassie and Nora’s materialistic dreams of redecorating her living room (Nora) and leaving Belfast (Cassie), Marie’s delusions of her late husband’s heroic acts and credibility are not as empty as her friends’. These dreams are instilled within objects in the womens’ homes; for example Nora’s dream is symbolised by a â€Å"peach polyester mix†, Cassie’s by a wad of money hidden behind Michel’s photograph and Marie’s by a â€Å"grainy blow up† of her late husband, Michael. As the play progresses it becomes apparent that Deirdre is intent on destroying each character’s dream, but I think it is also suggested that she is somewhat linked with Marie and her dream. Munro again makes use of symbolism to connect these two characters. For example, Deirdre’s mini dress is reminiscent of Marie’s wedding dress: â€Å"Then other times she looks like me†¦you remember that dress I was married in, that wee white mini-dress?†¦She stands. And stares.† I believe it is as though Munro is depicting Deirdre as a ghost of Marie’s past. This becomes relevant later in the play when Deirdre reveals to Marie that she is in fact Michael’s daughter. The simple observation of Deirdre standing alone at the bottom of the path reflects how she appears isolated from the others in her search for truth; she longs to exploit the truth and become part of the family unit maintained by the three other women: â€Å"I’m wet, I’m cold. I want to get inside†¦I want to get inside. Can’t keep me out.† This monologue has quite a threatening undertone , it is as though Deirdre’s isolation causes her distress. I believe also that the use of â€Å"wet† and â€Å"cold† highlight the harsh environment and the fact that Deirdre is unloved. I think all of these factors – isolation and the longing for truth – cause Deirdre to act as catalyst. In taking on this role, Deirdre threatens to destroy the fellow women’s dreams. Her first act as catalyst is when she steals Cassie’s money hence ruining her dream of escape and freedom. Deirdre makes obvious to the reader that Cassie’s materialistic dream is false and unobtainable in a short, eerie monologue: â€Å"The whole town’s a prison, smash chunks off the wall ’cause we’re all in a prison.† Cassie’s dream of escape is obviously unrealistic and false and I believe Deidre’s destruction of the dream validates this idea. Deirdre also appears to be in conflict with Nora, Cassie’s mother, a she goes on to use her â€Å"wee blade of truth† to shed Nora’s â€Å"shiny peach polyester† fabric and ultimately her dream: â€Å"Deirdre†¦looks at the broad, smooth stretch of material then starts to slash at it, ripping it, trampling it till she’s breathless.† Deirdre’s violent reactions I believe show what harsh and abusive situations she has been exposed to. She desires to know the truth so much, that she finds happiness in destroying the illusions and fantasies of others, forcing them to face their reality and embrace the truth. Although Cassie and Nora do avoid the truth that their materialistic hopes will always elude them, it is Marie’s complete glossing over of the truth that causes her to be most at odds with Deirdre. Her lullaby that she uses to calm her son for example, shows how dependant she is on her delusions about Michael: â€Å"Your daddy was a good man and a brave man†¦that’s what keeps us all together, keeps me going, keeps me strong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Marie finds comfort in her deluded memories of Michael. I believe this blanking of the truth angers Deirdre and causes her to react violently and destructively toward Marie and her dreams: â€Å"Deirdre hurls the clothes at her. She snatches the knife out of the chair and waves the blade at Marie. She advances on her slowly. I want the truth out of you. I mean it.† This I believe is symbolic in showing that Deirdre uses the truth as a harmful device and that Marie is threatened by its potential exposure. Marie’s reaction is shocking and uncharacteristic of her gentle, nurturing nature – she takes Michael’s picture and using Deirdre’s knife, destroys it. Marie in turn destroys Deirdre’s dream of knowing the truth about her father. These two characters, who are at the greatest point in their conflict portray through their actions the main concerns of the text – reality versus illusion – reality conquers over dreams and pointless fantasies. The unveiling of the truth brings these two closer together allowing them to reconcile. The conclusion of the play suggests hope and optimism for the recovery of these women. They share in a special, ritual feeding of the birds, their relationship to emulate that of a mother and daughter: â€Å"Did you ever feed the birds, Deirdre? â€Å"No† â€Å"I like the common wee birds†¦you’d need to be something special to build a nest around the Falls. Someone should feed them.† â€Å" Deirdre and Marie’s conflict is resolved by Marie’s embracing of the truth that she has for so long avoided. The central idea of â€Å"Bold Girls† of reality versus dreams is made obvious by the characters’ actions, they cope by padding their harsh reality and cushioning themselves with fantasies and illusions. These qualities are instilled within the characters of the play, Marie, Cassie and Nora thrive on fantasies and dreams; whereas Deirdre lives for the truth. The opposing forces I feel cause the characters to be in conflict with each other. Their compromising situations and contrasting ideas about reality create friction between the opposing characters of Deirdre and Marie. Munro expertly uses stage direction, soliloquy and the opposing forces of truth and fantasy to make apparent the concerns of the text and to heighten my personal appreciation of their importance in these womens’ lives.

Facebook effects Essay

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF FACEBOOK A Keeping in touch with family and friends-Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with your family and friends that live far away with instant messaging and even video chat. Facebook is the perfect environment to stay connected with the status updates, photos, and profile, information it can keep you updated on the happeningof all your close ones. B Making new friends-Facebook makes meeting new people extremely easy due to the facts that it allow you to add to thousands of friends, and acts as a social melting pot of the internet. If you comment on a friends status and one of their friends comment on it maybe you too will strike up your own conversation. This can lead to a great friendship down the road. Those people find it a lot easier to start a conversation with someone over facebook that it real life. So a lot of high school relationships tend to start there. It’s as so a lot of high school relationship tend to start there. It’s as simple as a â€Å"you should text me some time. C Expressing yourself. Facebook makes expressing yourself very simple with status updates. Between showing of your favorite song lyrics to posting pictures of your new outfit. Facebook is the most common way the people express themselves these days. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet than in person, so people find it easier to â€Å"event† their feeling on facebook. Claim that it is a worldwide distraction and even obsession that amount to nothing except for significant amounts of the time wasted there is even a group that is trying to stunt the influence. THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF FACEBOOK A Cyber bullying-on Facebook is very easy to cyber bullies to thrive. They can harras and/or gang up one person even easier than they could in a school environment. There aren’t moderators that go around monitoring what people say to each other. Anything can be said. There are also a relatively small amount of parents that have facebook accounts and keep up with their children. More than once we witnessed this form of bullying, whether it be about race appearance, intelligence. B Stalker friendly-Facebook is very stalker friendly website the eoretically, someone that you don’t even know can say that they go to your school, add you and get all of your information this way include your phone number, house address and locations you visit frequently. Not to mention the fact that they will be able to go through all of your pictures and get to know you completely without you ever knowing. This is a scary thought but it is a real issue. Social networking site have several types of users the stalker, the smooth talker, the quiet type the narcissist, Mr, Mrs. Friendly, the games, and the bully are just a few names that I use to describe some of them when using facebookas any type of social networking site one should always be aware. C Distraction- At the end of the day you may have seen your cousin’s new outfit and talked to your sister who is in college, but you still haven’t really accomplished anything in the hour that you were on. Critics of facebook claim that it is a worldwide distraction and even obsession that amount to nothing except for significant amount to nothing of the time wasted. There is even a group that is trying to stunt the influence of facebook.