Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Cultural experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cultural experience - Essay Example The report also indicated that a majority of immigrants in the country hailed from countries such as the United Kingdom, China, and New Zealand. Today, Australia appears like a new country in another land, thanks to the diversity of the country. The Australia multicultural policy has promoted the country’s shared values and cultural traditions (Hugo 2005, p. 9). In addition, it allows people from other countries who chose to call Australia their home the right to share and practice their cultural traditions and languages free from discrimination or interference from the government. Almost one quarter of Australian population, (4 million people) speak other languages other than English (Griffiths 2010). The country also allows the freedom of religion. For instance, when one drives along the streets of Sidney, he or she is amazed to see mosques at different locations in the city. Al-Zahra Mosque is one among the many mosques in the country that a friend of mine once attended to learn of the Islamic mode of prayers. The Mosque is located in Australia’s capital Sydney and acts as a place of worship for the Muslim faithful (Jamal and Chandab 2005, p.6). The friend of mine reveals that the Mosque’s environment was so amazing that one could easily tell by far that the place is indeed a Muslim territory. This is evident right from the structure of the mosque, as he could easily see a tall tower, commonly referred to as the Minaret. The Minaret is standing tall on the building with loudspeakers attached to it. The loud speakers, he was told are used to announce to the muslin faithful of the beginning of the service. It was also through interaction with the congregants that he realized that, in Islam refer to God as Allah. He also asserted that he was so amazed to learn that Muslims do not believe in the existence of Jesus Christ and the Christians do. Instead, they believe in the existence of Prophet Muhammad. The friend also revealed that the envir onment looked peculiar from that of a church. As a result, other members of the congregation could easily single him out from the rest. This is because, whereas he was dressed in full black suite, which was quite different from the way the Muslim faithful were dressed. For instance, most men were dressed in white robes, while their female counterparts were mostly dressed in black robes, according to the friend of mine. He was also amazed by the fact that most women wore robes, which covered their faces making it difficult to different the women. He even kept wondering how these women were breathing in those robes. It was also interesting for him to learn that before entering the Mosque, every member of the congregation is required to remove the shoes since the mosque is considered a holy place. This look peculiar to him since he did not anticipate being subjected to removal of shoes. In addition, just outside the entrance of the mosque is a special place designated for leg, mouth, n eck, face, nose, and hand washing before anyone can be allowed to proceed to the service. The friend reveals that the inside wall of the Mosque is beautifully decorated with Islamic artifacts made of different symbols and Arabic writings. He also noted that, unlike Christians who pray in a single room, Islam does not allow such mixing. Instead, the Muslim men and women have different rooms for prayers. However, prayers are conducted by a single Imam who direct prayers from the men’s room using a loud speaker fixed in other rooms as well to enable women to follow the service and imitate what the imam says. The friend was also flabbergasted to learn that the building had very few chairs, as the entire Mosque is just a hall with a carpet laid on the floor. As such, congregants sit on the floor on carpets

Monday, October 28, 2019

Organizational Learning Essay Example for Free

Organizational Learning Essay 1. 0 Introduction The title of this journal is Organizational Learning Practices in the Project Management Environment. The author is Timothy G. Kotnour from University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. This journal focuses on understanding how project managers continuously improve their project quality and performance by building knowledge through learning. Beside that, for the project organization to learn, organizational members must create, share and apply knowledge. The organizations members will create new knowledge for learning experiences. Learning-by-doing occurs when a problem solver associates plans and actions to accomplish positive results and avoid negative results (Anzai, 1987). While, the plan-duty-study-act (PDSA) cycle, is used to represent the learning process in a project environment. There have two learning cycle in this journal which is Inter-project learning cycle and Intra-project learning cycle. Inter-project learning is the combining and sharing of lessons learned across projects to apply and develop new knowledge. Tools to support inter-project learning include information technology tools and employee groups aimed at sharing knowledge across the organization provides a detailed example of an online system for recognizing, documenting, validating and making available lessons learned for an organization. While, intra-project learning is the creation and sharing of knowledge within a project. Intra-project learning focuses on tasks within a single project and supports the delivery of a successful project by identifying problems and solving them during the project. Learning take place when a project team members discuss approaches for completing a task or overcoming problems. The intra-learning occurs throughout routine reporting cycle such as weekly or monthly status and review meetings, project deliverables or major occurrences in the project. 2. 0 Research Methodology Framework The research methodology involves a lessons learned oriented survey was completely by 43 project managers who were attending a chapter meeting of the Project Management Institute. The survey used to lesson learned terminology because it is more familiar to project managers than organization learning. The survey contained four question sets. The first set asked project manager their background in project management. The second set focused on how project managers produce lessons learned which is including when, what about, how know, what to produce a lesson learned about and what is included in a lesson learned. While, the third set asked respondent to describe, using five-point Likert scale ( 5 = strongly agree, 4 = agree, 3 = not sure, 2 = disagree, 1 = strongly disagree ), which is the degree to which they practice project management learning practices. Next the fourth set asked respondent to describe using a five-point Likert scale the degree to which their organization is achieving the learning outcomes. Factor analysis was performed on the third and fourth data sets. There are five general steps to factor analysis which is assessing applicability of the factor analysis process, determining the number of factors through factor extraction, grouping the variables into factors according to factor loading, producing weighted factor scores and lastly each factors reliability was computed using Cronbach’s alpha 3. 0 Framework, Independent Variable (IV) and Dependent Variable (DV) The learning framework offer an implications for a project manager to use in focusing the learning activities of a project team which is first, the opportunity for learning is an inherent part of the project management process. The project management process parallels the learning process. The steps in the process provide the foundation for learning. In a discussion with a project manager, most of the them viewed producing lessons learned as a valuable and important exercises. However, they felt that they did not have time to complete a formal lesson learned and viewed the learning as a separate activity. This situation showed that, there has a weak relationship between IV and DV. Second, the use of lessons learned can be conducted throughout a project life-cycle, not just at the end of the project. Using the intra-learning cycle, lesson learned can be produced for each cycle in a project to carry on learning to the next cycle and to the next project. And the lastly is the learning process can break down at any stage of the intra- or inter-learning PDSA cycle. For example, the break down can happened in the learning process if there have not using the project management process and tools in a systematic fashion on the model of intra- and inter-project learning. Other than that, the learning process also can fail in the â€Å"plan† step by not reviewing past plans and lessons learned to apply to the current project. In the â€Å"do† step, learning can break down as a result of the project team not following the plan or collecting data on the performance and changes to the plans. While learning also can fail in the â€Å"study† step by not analysing project performance with project tools and not competing lesson learned. Finally, in the act â€Å"step†, learning process can fail because there have no sharing with or incorporating lessons learned into the next project. 4. 0 Result of the Journal The results of survey analysis in this journal are divided into two areas. First, hypothesis testing is completed and second descriptive analysis is completed on how project managers produce lesson learned. Table III contains the result of regression analysis for hypothesis testing. [pic] 4. 1 Project Performance As shown in Table III, project management performance is positively associated with project knowledge. Having knowledge about what could be wrong, ways to ensure success and ways to avoid problems supports the organization in delivering better products and services and managing projects better regarding plan a project and meet cost, schedule and performance requirements. 4. 2 Project Management. As shown in Table III, intra- and inter-project learning practices are directly associated with project knowledge. Producing lesson learned is hypothesized to support the intra- and inter-project learning activities by providing a mechanism to reflect on the project and sharing the knowledge across the project. 4. 3 Learning Practices. Based on Table III, producing a lesson learned is related to inter-project learning. The important factor to increase inter-project learning is not just to produce a lessons learned but to conduct multiple activities for producing lesson learned. 4. 4 Learning Support According on Table III, learning support is needed for each of the learning activities such as inter, intra and lesson learned. Collecting data about the set of steps on a project supports intra-project learning by providing the data and information to compare against the plan and identify mistakes. Being willing to openly and honestly address the mistakes helps drive the learning for intra-project learning and produce lessons learned which can be shared across the organization through inter-project learning. 5. 0 Suggestion/Recommendation There have some recommendation for organizational practices in the project management environment. Project organizations are faced with continuously improving the quality and performance of their products and services to compete in the competitive environment. To learning such an integrated in the project management environments from project experiences to improve knowledge and performance, there must have provide a learning framework which defines the learning processes in a project management environmental. Beside that, analysing the survey result of practicing project manager’s perception on learning outcomes and practices. Other than that, by integrating and sharing the experiences and learning across project, the organizational will have a greater knowledge. While, project team members must need support for learning to enable them to learn from experiences. Next, for developed organizational practices in the project management environment, the factor analysis and reliability results for the project management learning practices should be provided. This included how project manager share knowledge from one project to next, how project managers create knowledge during a project and the action project managers take to support the learning process. There also recommend to provides the factor analysis and reliability results for the learning outcomes. There have 2 factors for learning outcome which is the increased knowledge by sharing lessons learned across projects and how to learning process helps the organization improve in managing a project and delivering products and services. 6. 0 Conclusions As a conclusion, project organization should focus on building knowledge because increased knowledge is associated with increased project performance. To support knowledge building the organization must focus on the learning both and between projects. However, the learning process needs to support by using management tools to plan and monitor results. There also needs to be supported with an environment which allows team members to admit mistakes and openly discuss solutions to problems. All of this needs to be completed to lead to project management success. 7. 0 References Kotnour, T. G. , Orr, C., Spaulding, J. and Guidi, J. (1997), Determining the benefit of knowledge management activities, 1997 International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, October 12-15, pp. 94-9. Anzai, Y. (1987), Doing, understanding, and learning in problem solving, in Klahr, D. , Langley, P. and Neches, R (Eds), Production System Models of Learning and Development, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 55-98. Argyris, C. and Schon, D. A. (1978), Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective,Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA. Abdullah, H. S. Research Method Guide. Gido, C. Effective Project Management, 5th Edition.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Natural Language Generation Essay -- Computer Science

Natural Language Generation Abstract Natural language generation is a relatively new field in computer science. The two main questions to be solved are "what to say" and "how to say it." What to say includes answering questions not specifically asked by the user, and remembering previous statements made by the user and by the program itself. How to say it involves construction of logical sentences, use of pronouns, and sentence fragments. When speech synthesis is used, it also involves producing intelligible word rhythm, emphasis, and pauses. A new, exciting extension of speech synthesis is the inclusion of "emotion" in speech. User: ELIZA: Men are all alike In what way? They’re always bugging us about something or other Can you think of a specific example? Well, my boyfriend made me come here. Your boyfriend made you come here. He says I’m depressed much of the time. I am sorry to hear you are depressed. It’s true, I am unhappy. Do you think coming here will help you not be unhappy? I need some help; that much seems certain. What would it mean to you if you got some help? Perhaps I could get along with my mother. Tell me more about your family. My mother takes care of me. Who else in your family takes care of you? My father. Your father. You are like my father in some ways. What resemblance do you see? Natural language generation is the generation of printed text as well as synthesized speech. The transcript above is from a system that generates "psychoanalytic" responses to user input. This system is called ELIZA, and was developed at MIT in the 1960s. The program illustrates some of the issues of natur... ...gories such as pitch, voice speed, loudness, and pause length. She wrote a program that output these changes based on the emotion that it was asked to portray. Sample output from this program can be found online. When "emotion" can be output regularly in speech synthesis, a new breed of natural language applications will begin! Natural language generation is a young and exciting subject. There is still much research to be done to find the best way of representing a grammar, and providing a program capable of remembering previous statements, interpreting user input, speaking in sentences and sentence fragments, and providing a "natural" conversation. Even newer is the possibility of adding "emotional flavor" to synthesized speech. The windows that are opened by these studies present such a vast landscape of new applications that it is impossible to imagine them all.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Courageous Athletes and the Gender Barrier :: Sociology Essays Research Papers

Courageous Athletes and the Gender Barrier Sports have always maintained barriers concerning the gender of the athletes. Women as well as men have been discriminated in sports, which have for so long been defined as a one-sex sport. For example, boxing had long been considered a sport for males only. Another example is gymnastics, which is usually considered a feminine sport, but also have male participants. However, although sports in general have come a long way in sex discrimination, keeping itself under water, it still remains a consistent problem lurking its ugly head above. There still remains costs towards those individuals who are brave enough to challenge the system , but can there also be benefits for those individuals entering a non-traditional sport? There are many costs that both men and women must face if they want to take the challenge of entering a non-traditional sport for their gender. First, they have to bare the discrimination and criticism from the members of that sport, the press, and society. Everyone will look down on them for being "different." The press will make a mockery of them on television, in newspapers and in magazines. The spectators who go out to see that sport will not support them in what they are trying to accomplish. The only support the athlete will find is, hopefully, their friends and family. Another cost that the athlete will have to overcome is society's question in their sexual orientation. Everyone will think that the reason the athlete is entering in a non-traditional sport for their gender is because they are gay. For example, the press used to print articles constantly concerning Martina Navratilova's sexual orientation. Even though it wasn't until later that Navratilova announced that she was gay, the press would constantly berate her for her sexuality. Martina Navratilova's struggles are common for many athletes who have dared to compete in sports that were not traditionally "proper" for their gender. These are only a few costs that athletes have to face entering a non-traditional sport. However, although there exists many costs, there are also benefits for challenging sport's prejudices. Although the majority of society will consider the actions of the athlete as demeaning and improper to the sport, there will be a small minority of people who will think of this athlete as a hero and respect their dreams. Whether it is because these men or women also have the same dreams, or because they respect the athlete's courage, the minority will give the athlete a reason to keep going.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Literary analysis of “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”

Many writers have used their talents to influence the way a generation thinks, but few writers have had the same remarkable influence as Mark Twain. Ernest Hemingway coined, â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry is the novel from which all modern American literature comes from. † Even today, Twain Is mostly acclaimed for his masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The book draws on Twain's memories of his boyhood in Hannibal, Mo. , the knowledge of the Mississippi River that he had gained as a pilot, and his 20 years of experience in creating fictional character and adventure (Covici 1). Twain rushes Huck into encounters that allow the reader to portray pre–Civil War life along the Mississippi as well as to present the moral complexities of a boy's growing up outside of society’s reach on the Mississippi River (Covici 1). In his books, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain provides insight into the pre-civil war time through his clear depictions of southern society’s ignorant and discriminatory notions. Although at first the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was roundly denounced as inappropriate for readers, it is considered to be one of the most important works of literature in American history through its condemnation of society. Mark Twain accurately portrays a hypocritical American society by highlighting its rigid ideals regarding civility as well as its ignorant perspective regarding morality shown through immoral use of slavery, institution of religion, and characters. One way in which Twain accurately portrays the pre-civil war South is through his criticism of society’s immoral use of slavery. During the pre-civil war time, slavery had become a prominent aspect of southern life, where slaves were expected to unquestioningly obey their masters or else there would have been consequences such as physical beatings and whippings to face. Thus slavery had become a way of life for Southern African Americans. With the booming cotton industry, the South gradually became dependent on the use of slavery. Slavery provided significantly cheap labor to help produce cotton. Gradually slavery became a socially acceptable practice. Moreover, in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck Finn, the protagonist, finds nothing immorally wrong about slavery since slavery was a part of everyday life in the South. This reflects on southern societies ignorant and hypocritical views by slavery were widely accepted, despite being an act of injustice and servitude (Grant 3). Often in satire, writers will use the internal conflict of a character to symbolically criticize the values and morality of society. Likewise, Twain reflects on society’s hypocrisy through Huck’s inner conflict (Cox 6). Huck, though liberates Jim, never accepts it as a moral deed but rather a sin due to the mindset during that time. Huck liberating Jim is rather seen as an act of rebellion against society and its defined set of laws defining one as ‘civilized’ (Grant 4). To further explain, Huck is conflicted whether to free Jim or sends him back to Miss Watson, his rightful owner (Grant 3). To further expand on this, Huck quotes in Huckleberry Finn, â€Å"Well I can’t tell you it made me all trembly and feverish, too, to hear him, because I began to get it through my head that he was most free – and who was to blame for it? Why, me. I couldn’t get it out of my conscience, no how nor no way. †(Twain 84) This exemplifies Huck’s guilt as he feels he committed a misdemeanor aiding Jim in his crime; escaping slavery. Huck here feels an obligation to the white society of which he is a member of, thus explaining as to why he feels as if he is robbing Jim from Miss Watson (Pullen 2). Overall, Twain here makes a strong statement, through Huck, about the way people regard slavery as anything but immoral and ruthless, portraying the hypocrisy of society’s ideas regarding civility, as a civil person would never consider of keeping a human being chained to such inhumane treatment or practicing slavery as acceptable. Other than Huck, the Dauphin and Duke, two con artists, are shown to provide the final demoralizing generalization as they question who stole their money, during the WIlk incident. The Wilks incident was when the Duke and Dauphin plan to rob three girls of their money that they inherited after the recent death of their father. The Duke and Dauphin pretend to be the girls’ uncles from England while playing with the girls’ emotions just to gain their inheritance however when both are ready to escape with all the girls’ inheritance, the money goes missing. Consequently, the first suspect is Jim. Furthermore, the Duke states, ‘Do you reckon a nigger can run across money and nor borrow some of it. †(Twain 175). The Duke is declaring outright that blacks are thieves explaining why he first suspects Jim as the thief, despite Jim’s good hearted nature (Taylor 6). The irony of the duke and dauphin, who are a part of this white society, are frauds themselves yet they’re pointing fingers at an innocent man due to his race and color symbolizes the hypocrisy of southern society. Another example of society’s hypocrisy concerning civility and stiff ideals is toward the end of the novel, where Tom was wounded by a bullet and Jim declares that if the situation were reversed, Tom would presumably return to society and get a doctor to aid Jim. This causes Huck to think â€Å"he (Jim) was white inside, and I reckoned he'd say what he did say- so it was alright now, and I told Tom I was a-going for a doctor† (Twain 263). This demonstrations how Huck has still not escaped the pervading influence of beliefs that people who are â€Å"white inside† are actually those who care and respect each other, while slaves aren’t. Huck symbolizes the rational held against blacks in white southern people’s minds. The rational that white people were more humane and pure than blacks. Twain makes a point through irony to exhibit that though white people considered themselves more humane they still practiced slavery, an immoral act. In conclusion, Twain represents a hypocritical southern society where white people weren’t as civilized as they thought they were. Furthermore, Twain criticizes the hypocritical Southern society regarding morality through the institution of religion. During the 1800s, slavery was seen as an acceptable act not only in the eyes of society but also religion (Taylor 3). Religion was a major influence during the pre-civil war era defining morality and what was acceptable during that time. During slavery in America, this superficial Christian code labeled blacks as the epitome of incivility, thus justifying their mistreatment† (Taylor 5). This further explains how many people would justify slavery through religion, which considered as a pure holy belief that promotes justice, thus portraying the hypocrisy of society. For example, Twain denounces religion through Huck, as Huck is shown to ridicule the Christian faith of Miss Watson and Widow Douglas. To explain this further, Huck states, â€Å"I said to myself, if a body can get anything they pray for why don’t Deacon Winn get back the money he lost on pork? Why can’t the widow get back her silver snuff box that was stole? Why can’t Miss Watson fat-up† (Twain 10). Through Twain’s satirical humor he challenges the behaviors and tenants of Christianity by Huck’s begging the question â€Å"if there is that much power in praying, then why didn’t what we wished for come true? † (Twain 33). Twain once again criticizes the fact that that praying isn’t going to help you get something, because society during the pre-civil war time strongly believed in religion initiating society to be more spiritual rather than practical. Mark Twain creates characters like Miss Watson and Widow Douglas who, although are morally correct and religious, believe that slavery is necessary for life. Miss Watson, who helps raise Huck in the beginning of the novel, is someone who isn’t bothered the least of keeping slaves. While growing up with the slave trade, she became accustomed to the use of slavery; finding nothing immorally wrong with it. However the fact that she cannot perceive right from wrong, such as keeping and selling slaves, contributes to her uncivilized behavior like many other characters, thus representing an entire society. An example is after Jim escapes from Miss Watson’s home, as he overhears her planning to sell him for eight hundred dollars, thus he sets out on his journey to freedom with Huck he states, â€Å"pecks on me all de time, en treats me pooty rough† (Twain 38). This displays how though Miss Watson is always trying to civilize Huck and set him on the right path to a religious civilized lifestyle, yet treats Jim very poorly. In essence, Miss Watson demonstrates society’s hypocrisy regarding morality once again, as she treats one human being, (Huck), with care and other human being (Jim) with little to no regard as if property. Not to mention In the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain uses humor to denounce Sunday school, an institution of religion, for making children memorize Bible verses for a measly Bible as a reward. To further expand, Tom states, â€Å"How many of my readers would have the industry and the applications to memorize two thousand verses even for a Dore Bible? And a boy of German parentage had won four or five (Bibles). He once recited three thousand verses without stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great. Furthermore, Tom relates the story of a German boy who â€Å"had once recited three thousand verses without stopping† and afterward suffered a nervous breakdown (Twain 56). In calling the boy’s collapse â€Å"a grievous misfortune for the school† as the school relied on the student to perform for guests to increase the reputation of the school, Twain implies that the students are memorizing verses not for real spiritual growth but for the sake o f making their teachers and superintendent look good. Additionally, Twain criticizes the institution of religion, by condemning religious ideals through his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by juxtaposing Huck’s moral development outside of church (Taylor 2). Though Huck still recognizes all the deeds he has committed during the novel, for instance liberating Jim, a sin, he is still shown to be courageous, virtuous, and gain the ability to forgive in contrast to the upbringing by Widow Douglas and Miss Watson’s through societal conformity and stiff ideals regarding morality. The institution of religion was the basis for morality in everyday life in the pre-civil war time, yet it makes the reader question the moral judgment of people during that time. Twain’s critique on the institution of religion analyzes the failure of religion to demonstrate to the morals they teach, indirectly criticizing southern society for their hypocritical views regarding morality. Moreover, Mark Twain also represents society’s hypocritical views regarding civility during pre-civil war time through other characters that Huck and Jim meet along their journey on the Mississippi River. As Huck and a runaway slave, Jim, rowed their raft along the Mississippi River, into the heartland of slavery in North America, Twain was enabled to achieve a realistic portrait of American life in the 19th century (Mark Twain 2). Along their journey on the raft, Huck and Jim met many people which symbolized society’s so called sophisticated civilization as anything but courteous. The first people they meet are the Grangerfords, a humble family at first but soon are revealed to be aggressive and immature. In this case, Huck states, â€Å"Human beings can be awful cruel to one another† (Twain 206). Huck states this during the Grangerford and Shepherdson huge fight, reflecting on how human beings could be so awful to one another over such petty issues. (Dendinger 8) To expand, Huck observes a lack of social grace in people like the Grangerfords who are born into high class families and live a perfect conservative blissful life, yet seem so immature. Their immaturity is seen when The Grangerfords have an on-going family feud with their neighbors the Sheperdsons, despite both sides not knowing how the feud started. When one of the Grangerfords’ daughters elopes with one of the Shepherdson’s sons, the end result is a violent shootout between both families. Huck joins two Grangerford boys during one of the shootouts and â€Å"the (Sheperdson) men run along the bank shooting at them and singing out ‘Kill them, kill them! ‘† (Twain 103). The Shepherdson’s are too consumed by their anger that they are unable to see what they have become. Both families use violence to resolve a matter which could have been also resolved legally rather than such chaos. Society’s way to take matters in their own hands while using violence as an answer depicts southern society’s cruelty and ruthlessness. To expand on all this, Twain demonstrates a society that pursues violence to resolve issues while filled with greed and corruption, all the qualities a civilized society lacks. Twain effectively illustrates society’s hypocritical views regarding civility through the trip along the Mississippi River as it symbolizes the inherent greed present in society. The most prominent part of their trip along the Mississippi River was listening to Sherburn’s speech, , in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, that took place after Colonel Sherburn displays cold blooded and ruthless characteristics as he shoots a drunk man for no apparent reason. Colonel Sherburn starts when a mob comes to lynch him, â€Å"The idea of lynching anybody! It’s amusing. The idea of you thinking you had pluck enough to lynch a man! Because you’re brave enough to tar and feather poor friendless cast-out women that come along here, did that make you think you had grit enough to lay your hands on a man? Why, a man’s safe in the hands of ten thousands of your kind- as long as it’s daytime and you’re not behind him. † In this case, Twain suggests that true courage is to do the right thing, but most men will not stand up for the right thing. In fact, â€Å"Southern justice† as Twain points out, is often committed by a gathering of cowards who hide their faces and become judge, jury and executioner. Sherburn can stand up to the multitude because no one in the crowd has the courage to defy him. Courage is standing in the face of evil and defeating it, but Sherburn points out that no one is willing to do that. If you expand the idea, Twain is indirectly referring to slavery and the treatment of blacks. . He is suggesting that Huck's actions, although slow in evolving, suggest that courage can be found if we are willing to defy social norms or great crowds and do what our conscience tells us is right. That is why when Huck stands up to the program that society has laid out for the treatment of slaves, and says that he would â€Å"go to hell† rather than see Jim returned to slavery, it is in keeping of the colonel's definition of courage (Dendinger 8). In essence, sherburn’s speech condemns society of its hypocrisy of being something it’s not, not to mention also portraying a society following rigid ideals, such as societal conformity and bondage that keeps them from moving forward. Overall, the journey along the Mississippi River symbolized a southern society that lacked the qualities of a civilized society while exploring the hypocritical views society pertains about civility. Blinded by their ignorant view of â€Å"civilized† society, the people seen throughout Huck and Jim’s journey, are unable to settle disputes without violence, incapable to depict right from wrong yet create rules and laws defying logic, and practice slavery and degrading a race with religion back then giving way; verifying that their â€Å"sophisticated† society is more of an illusion than a reality. Twain demonstrates an accurate portrayal of southern society during the pre-civil war time by the racial oppression that was present during that time. Blacks were degraded constantly while denied of freedom and liberty, defining southern society’s rigid ideals and hypocritical view of morality. Along with racial oppression was present was the basis of institution of religion that also demonstrated the hypocritical view of morality. (Valkeakari 2) In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the Mississippi River symbolized the hypocritical view society retained regarding civility. From hypocritical view on civility to racial oppression, all helped to accurately depict the pre-civil war era. , Twain brings out a message from the outsets of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, condemning society of its hypocritical deed of being this so called sophisticated morally correct society. Twain attacks the mindless acceptance of values that he believed kept the South in its dark ages during the pre-civil war era, in result restricting the South to move forward and advance towards success (Grant 4).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

I disagree totally because there are many different types of Christians Essay Example

I disagree totally because there are many different types of Christians Essay Example I disagree totally because there are many different types of Christians Essay I disagree totally because there are many different types of Christians Essay I disagree totally because there are many different types of Christians, even if we split them into the three main groups (pacifists, just war believers and crusaders). So it is virtually impossible that all these Christians to have the same point of view.Obviously pacifists are always against the nuclear war due to their beliefs, they believe to never resort to violence what ever the cases may be. Just War believers; cant agree with it either because they only believe in a war that is Just and nuclear war can never be Just because it breaks one of the main rules of Just War, a Just War must be waged with all moderation possible (without massacres, excessive violence, etc). Crusaders could believe in Just War in some cases, if it is carried out as a last resort in the best intention to avoid more violence.Some Christians believe that to use nuclear weapons, could be justified. Because if a country is in the possession of such weapons, it prevents other countries form attacking them, due to a fear of a nuclear war to take place. That is probably a reason why no major European war has broken out since 1945. Another reason for them to justify the keeping and using these weapons, is that if they did not keep or use these weapons, and a group of fundamentalists from that country got hold of such weapons. This group could now have enough power to take over this country with no nuclear weapons. The last reason for justifying the storage and use of nuclear weapons is that if we stopped keeping them and making them better for greater use, then thousands of people would lose their jobs due to the great importance the nuclear weapon industry is to be countrys national economy.Many Christians are against the keeping of nuclear weapons because the more weapons that are created the more the chance of launching one. If we did use one it would destroy Gods creations both human life and the nature of the world.Some Christians believe that you should love everyone and not bring harm to anyone, if you are keeping these weapons it is going against God whole theory of,love thy neighbour as yourselfMany Christians are also against nuclear weapons because they are very expensive to build and to keep improving them. Nower days, a lot more money is spent on the keeping of nuclear weapons than the development aid to poorer countries. All the wasting of money that people are doing concerning nuclear weapons could be spent on something with better use, like better schools better hospitals better police force etc.Many Christians are also against the keeping of nuclear weapons because if a country has no nuclear weapons then it is not giving out a threat to any other countries there for it will have less chance of being attacked.Some Christians like crusaders believe that a nuclear war can be justified if the government thinks that it is a good idea. Because in the bible God tells us that we should respect all government authorities.Be subject to governing authorities Other Christians are against what the governments say because in the bible, it also says,We must obey God, not menIf the government says that nuclear war is right, but we believe that God thinks it is wrong we should not encourage it.The Christians, who believe in the just war theory, cannot support nuclear war because a war can never be just. It can never be just, because nuclear weapons are so explosive, that you could not distinguish between non-combatants and combatants. Also another reason to not use nuclear weapons, is that the damage and grief caused by such a weapon can never be equalled in damage and grief from a common war with common weapons such as guns.Therefore different types of Christians from the main three groups (pacifists, just war believers, and crusaders) can think differently about justifying a nuclear war. On over all I think most Christians are strongly opposed to justifying nuclear war. So on overall, most Christians are opposed to it, because they think of it as a blasphemy against God.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Future Trend in Healthcare Essay

Future Trend in Healthcare Essay Future Trend in Healthcare Essay Running Head: Future Trends in Health Care Future Trends in Health Care The face to face method of interaction will always be the basis of physician-patient relationship. The effect of technology within the field of healthcare has impacted the healthcare delivery system in a revolutionary manner. A health care delivery system is that combination of insurance companies, employer groups, providers of care and government agencies that work together to provide health. The advancement rate of technology in this day and age in the United States is so swift it is being observed by patients and providers from a far and as it emerges. The evolution of communication through the use of electronics has taken the healthcare industry by storm. E-Mail, telephone use, and the internet have pushed communication between patient and physician to re-imagine and alter their thinking in regards to making healthcare provisions. Home monitoring systems, personal health records, and on-line support groups is making it possible for society to take charge of their health (Cen ter for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). Forms of communicating through electronics, former and recent, will be reviewed as a delivery method for patient information. The ramifications of distance, technology systems used to transport files, and future and present use of these systems will be analyzed. Telephones, for a long time, have been the main source of communication between facilities, physicians, practices and patients. The telephone has been the dominant force for conveying important information and at times still holds that title. Its uses stretch from confirming appointments to the discussion of the findings from physical exams. It has even been considered the lifeline of pharmacy and physician communication. The telephone is also one of the key communication devices for employees to communicate internally and with insurance companies. With patients who are chronically ill and have established a relationship with the physician, the telephone can serve as an off ice visit (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). In other words, patients who do not possess the ability to walk into an office for a routine visit due to illness (chronic) have the ability to now visit their physician by phone contact. Patient care though electronic means amplify effectiveness, production and keeps operational costs low. The increase in the aspiration and readiness to make use of technological advancements by physicians is the inspiration and necessity for more patients to acquire such communication devices. The use of online communicating, such as e-mail or internet, produces results of lower administrative costs, less usage of landlines, and attracts new patients. Online communicating gives a patient the advantage to review information as much as needed to obtain a better understanding of the documents. E-mailing transcripts in comparison to taking them by phone, is considered far less distracting, pricey, practically documents itself and can be completed in the physician’s spare time. The use of internet communication results in patient retention and patient satisfaction (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). These two results add significance to the quality of care of a patient and opens doors to the receipt of new patients to the facility or practice. The use of a secured messaging system is by far the safest and most reliable method for the communication of sensitive or rather secretive information. A secured site for medical information is to protect unauthorized users from access. The most common protection for electronic information is installing an encryption system (Center for Practice Improvement and Innovation, 2008). It also allows the practice, facility or physician to remain in compliance with HIPAA regulations. The Acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA provides national standards to

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Statue of Zeus at Olympia

Statue of Zeus at Olympia The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a 40-foot-high, ivory and gold, seated statue of the god Zeus, king of all the Greek gods. Located in the sanctuary of Olympia on the Greek Peloponnese Peninsula, the Statue of Zeus stood proudly for over 800 years, overseeing the ancient Olympic Games and being acclaimed as one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. The Sanctuary of Olympia Olympia, located near the town of Elis, was not a city and it had no population, that is, except for the priests that took care of the temple. Instead, Olympia was a sanctuary, a place where members of the warring Greek factions could come and be protected. It was a place for them to worship. It was also the place of the ancient Olympic Games. The first ancient Olympic Games was held in 776 BCE. This was an important event in the history of the ancient Greeks, and its date as well as the foot-race winner, Coroebus of Elis was a basic fact known by all. These Olympic Games and all that came after them, occurred in the area known as the Stadion, or stadium, in Olympia. Gradually, this stadium became more elaborate as the centuries passed by. So did the temples located in the nearby Altis, which was a sacred grove. Around 600 BCE, a beautiful temple was built to both Hera and Zeus. Hera, who was both the goddess of marriage and the wife of Zeus, was seated, while a statue of Zeus stood behind her. It was here that the Olympic torch was lit in ancient times and it is also here that the modern Olympic torch is lit. In 470 BCE, 130 years after the Temple of Hera was built, work began on a new temple, which was to become famous around the world for its beauty and wonder. The New Temple of Zeus After the people of Elis won the Triphylian war, they used their spoils of war to build a new, more elaborate temple at Olympia. Construction on this temple, which would be dedicated to Zeus, began around 470 BCE and was done by 456 BCE. It was designed by Libon of Elis and centered in the middle of the Altis. The Temple of Zeus, considered a prime example of Doric architecture, was a rectangular building, built upon a platform, and oriented east-west. On each of its long sides were 13 columns and its shorter sides held six columns each. These columns, made of local limestone and covered with white plaster, held up a roof made of white marble. The exterior of the Temple of Zeus was elaborately decorated, with sculpted scenes from Greek mythology on the pediments. The scene over the entrance of the temple, on the east side, depicted a chariot scene from the story of Pelops and Oenomaus. The western pediment depicted a battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs. The inside of the Temple of Zeus was much different. As with other Greek temples, the interior was simple, streamlined, and meant to showcase the statue of the god. In this case, the statue of Zeus was so spectacular that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia Inside the Temple of Zeus sat a 40-foot-tall statue of the king of all Greek gods, Zeus. This masterpiece was designed by the famous sculptor Phidius, who had previously designed the large statue of Athena for the Parthenon. Unfortunately, the Statue of Zeus no longer exists and so we rely on the description of it left us by second century CE geographer Pausanias. According to Pausanias, the famous statue portrayed a bearded Zeus sitting upon a royal throne, holding a figure of Nike, the winged goddess of victory, in his right hand and a scepter topped with an eagle in his left hand. The entire seated statue rested upon a three-foot-high pedestal. It was not the size that made the Statue of Zeus unequaled, although it was definitely large, it was its beauty. The entire statue was made from rare materials. Zeus’s skin was made out of ivory and his robe was made up of plates of gold that were intricately decorated with animals and flowers. The throne was also made of ivory, precious stones, and ebony. The regal, godlike Zeus must have been amazing to behold. What Happened to Phidius and the Statue of Zeus? Phidius, the designer of the Statue of Zeus, fell out of favor after he finished his masterpiece. He was soon jailed for the offense of placing his own and his friend Pericles’ images within the Parthenon. Whether these charges were true or trumped up by political disfavor is unknown. What is known is that this master sculptor died in prison while waiting for trial. Phidius’ Statue of Zeus fared much better than its creator, at least for 800 years. For centuries, the Statue of Zeus was carefully cared for oiled regularly to avoid damage done by the humid temperatures of Olympia. It remained a focal point of the Greek world and oversaw hundreds of Olympic Games that occurred next to it. However, in 393 CE, Christian Emperor Theodosius I banned the Olympic Games. Three rulers later, in the early fifth century CE, Emperor Theodosius II ordered the Statue of Zeus destroyed and it was set on fire. Earthquakes destroyed the rest of it. There have been excavations done in Olympia that have not only revealed the base of the Temple of Zeus, but the workshop of Phidius, including a cup that once belonged to him.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The Fraud-Governance Linkage and Audit Research Paper

The Fraud-Governance Linkage and Audit - Research Paper Example Corporate governance also highlights the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders such as an organization’s management, the board of directors, shareholders, and other stakeholders. Corporate governance avails guidelines centering on the way in which corporations should be governed in order to attain its goals and objectives, as well risk monitoring and assessment and performance optimization (Carcillo, Hermanson and Ye 2). One of the outstanding themes of corporate governance revolves around the nature and extent of accountability required of persons running corporations, and mechanisms fashioned at decreasing principal-agent challenge to minimize managerial opportunism. Achieving Effective Corporate Governance Corporations operate in a legal environment and are subject to laws and regulations of a certain jurisdiction. Organizations also have a constitution that avails individual rules that govern the Corporation and sanction or constrain its operations or decision making. There are codes and guidelines that oversee corporate governance cover a broad array of categories. These include auditing, corporate responsibility and compliance, board and management structure, financial transparency and information disclosure. Corporations pursue and maintain an effective system that facilitates continuous enhancement in relation to strategy, performance, compliance, and accountability (Carcillo, Hermanson and Ye 3). Effective corporate governance can be achieved when the board of directors strictly embodies the interests of shareholders. In exercising their duty of trustees, the board of directors should review, challenge, and oversee the corporation’s business strategy and its effectiveness. Stakeholders should be well informed, engaged and willing to challenge each other. Parties involved in Corporate Governance The most prominent parties engaged in corporate governance incorporate government agencies and authorities, management (encompasses board of directors), Chief Executive Officer, shareholders, auditors, and other executives such as line managers, lenders, suppliers, employees, creditors, clients, and the community. Corporate governance mechanisms encompass systems of controls directed at aligning the interests of the managers with those of shareholders. The directors, employees, and management expect to draw benefits and reputation, as well as remuneration from the corporation, while the investors expect to draw financial returns from the Corporation. Lenders, on the other hand, expect specified interest payments, dividend distributions, or capital gains on their investment. The organization’s clients concern center on certainty in the provision of desired goods and services, which meet proper quality; the concerns of the suppliers revolve around compensation for their goods or services, and probable continuity in the trading relationship with the Corporation. The board is entrusted with playing a critical role in corporate governance. The board is mandated to endorse the corporation’s strategy as well as shaping a directional policy.  

Friday, October 18, 2019

Purpose and Function of Newspeak Research Paper

Purpose and Function of Newspeak - Research Paper Example This shows that the language is widely used in Europe, particularly in Germany. The contextual theme of this study is based on a focus to clarify the purpose and principles of the Newspeak. As such, the study hopes to point out that in the event that the natural human atmosphere is affected by bad politics, the result is a corruption of the language; hence, the thoughts of people. Thus, this argument presents the main concept in support of inventing Newspeak. Largely, it can be argued that the invention decision of the language was informed by a desire to fulfill the ideological needs of the English Socialism or Ingsoc that was present by then. However, this form of language has been dormant and rarely used till later years such as 1984 since no one used Newspeak as the exclusive communication means, orally or written. During these periods, leading articles such as published by Times were written in the Newspeak language but required a the services of a specialist for the tour de force to take place. The expectation was that Newspeak would act as a replacement and supersede the Oldspeak (standard English) by around 2050 (Adams 60-72) However, the language steadily gained ground as all members in political parties at this time were optimistic and eager to incorporate the Newspeak words in their speeches. This was so that they would be recognized and defined by the new grammatical constructions that accompanied their language (Moustaki 50-6 1). At around the year 1984 when the uptake of Newspeak language was at its peak, the availed dictionary for the language through the Ninth and Tenth editions were provisional; hence, largely contained archaic and superfluous words and grammatical formations that required suppressions.

Acid Ratios Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Acid Ratios - Essay Example The current ratio uses total current assets and total current liabilities. Total current assets are divided by total current liabilities to give the current ratio. Meanwhile, acid test ratio is found by the use of total current assets, total current liabilities, and inventory. The equation for the quick ratio is inventory taken away from total current assets and divided by total current liabilities. 1. In order to work out the current ratio for Thingamajigs and Things, we first need to find out the components of the equation so we can calculate the current ratio. Thingamajigs and Things’ total current assets are worth $45,000, and their total current liabilities are $9,000. If we divide the total current assets by the total current liabilities then we get a ratio of exactly 5 (Lane, 2011). In looking at WannaBees, we can see that they have total current assets of $150,000 and total current liabilities of $85,000. Once we conduct the calculation for the current ratio, we get a figure of 1.76 (Lane, 2011). In determining what these numbers mean, we first have to judge what figure is an acceptable figure to have. The current ratio should not go below 1 or else the company should be concerned (Kennon, 2011). In general, a high current ratio shows that the business has sufficient amounts of cash on hand and cannot be considered a financial risk. In this case, Thingamajigs and Things has a much higher current ratio than WannaBees. If both of these companies were applying for a bank loan, Thingamajigs and Things would be more likely to receive it. 2. Thingamajigs and Things’ total current assets are $45,000, its total current liabilities are $9,000, and its inventory is worth $30,000. If we conduct an acid test ratio, we come up with a figure of 1.67 (Lane, 2011). On the other hand, WannaBees has total current assets of $150,000, total current liabilities of $85,000, and an

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Sociology - Assignment Example Within a few days of the disaster, the news coverage was being handled by outsiders and the international media that took over the role of primary producers of content. When the Haitians are given a chance to speak about or communicate about the events happening there in the aftermath of the disaster, the local perspective is obtained. However, because of the proximity of Haiti to the US and the fact that many international journalists have been around other disaster zones and hence the reporting is sensitive to the needs of the Haitians. However, the coverage would have been more vocal if the Haitians were commenting on their own affairs as the sense of despair and helplessness felt by Haitians can be captured only if they get a chance to express themselves. The point here is that the coverage has ranged from balanced to hysterical to paranoid depending upon the news outlet and the medium that is carrying the message. Hence, the question of who comments on the news is as important as who is reporting on the events. 2) A) Though I would not agree with Stephen Brunt’s generally negative view of athletes as role models, nonetheless, I find merit in his arguments about young boys and girls blindly aping the athletes. This is because I feel that athletes perform in a single area of sport and are uni-dimensional in that sense. However, their performances on the field are something to be emulated though the same cannot be said of their exploits off the field. Hence, one has to exhibit a sense of discretion when following athletes as role models. B) The male athlete who can be a good role model would be Roger Federer. This is because he is the epitome of discipline and focus and tennis being such a demanding sport needs lot of talent and practice to go hand in hand to make a champion that is Federer. Further, his off-court demeanor is exemplary as well in the way he takes care of his family and his humility as well as affableness add to

Zappos Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zappos - Case Study Example Customers are able to track the inventory of Zappos online. 2. Zappos creates superior customer experiences through do the unexpected. The company believes that customers who are shocked by the service that they receive will want to stay loyal to the brand for a long time. This also has a knock-on effect of picking up new customers who hear of the service quality offered by Zappos. Word-of-mouth marketing is an important tool that Zappos can use to attract new customers. 3. Quality management is an important part of the sales process for Zappos because the customer has a minimum demand for service. Zappos can only meet that demand by making sure that its customers are satisfied with the products they receive. Secondly, process design is also another important part of the service on offer because quality goods and services can only be offered to customers if the right inputs have been included in designing, procuring, and marketing the product or service effectively. Thirdly, service encounter design forms a crucial part of the Zappos experience because interactions between employees and customers can determine the success of the brand as a whole. Also, whenever a customer is not satisfied with the level of service shown by Zappos, the company needs to go beyond the normal level of service to regain the trust of the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Sociology - Assignment Example Within a few days of the disaster, the news coverage was being handled by outsiders and the international media that took over the role of primary producers of content. When the Haitians are given a chance to speak about or communicate about the events happening there in the aftermath of the disaster, the local perspective is obtained. However, because of the proximity of Haiti to the US and the fact that many international journalists have been around other disaster zones and hence the reporting is sensitive to the needs of the Haitians. However, the coverage would have been more vocal if the Haitians were commenting on their own affairs as the sense of despair and helplessness felt by Haitians can be captured only if they get a chance to express themselves. The point here is that the coverage has ranged from balanced to hysterical to paranoid depending upon the news outlet and the medium that is carrying the message. Hence, the question of who comments on the news is as important as who is reporting on the events. 2) A) Though I would not agree with Stephen Brunt’s generally negative view of athletes as role models, nonetheless, I find merit in his arguments about young boys and girls blindly aping the athletes. This is because I feel that athletes perform in a single area of sport and are uni-dimensional in that sense. However, their performances on the field are something to be emulated though the same cannot be said of their exploits off the field. Hence, one has to exhibit a sense of discretion when following athletes as role models. B) The male athlete who can be a good role model would be Roger Federer. This is because he is the epitome of discipline and focus and tennis being such a demanding sport needs lot of talent and practice to go hand in hand to make a champion that is Federer. Further, his off-court demeanor is exemplary as well in the way he takes care of his family and his humility as well as affableness add to

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

MODERN LAND LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MODERN LAND LAW - Essay Example Trusts of this nature are ‘created by a transaction between the trustee and the cestui que trust in connection with the acquisition by the trustee of a legal estate in land, whenever the trustee has so conducted himself that it would be inequitable to allow him to deny to the cestui que trust a beneficial interest in the land acquired. And he will be held to have so conducted himself if by his words or conduct he has induced the cestui que trust to act to his own detriment in the reasonable belief that by so acting he was acquiring a beneficial interest in the land.’2 The case giving way to Lord Diplock’s observations, Gissing v Gissing involved a scenario where matrimonial property was held in the name of the husband only. The questions for determination were: Did the husband hold the legal title upon trust for the benefit of both he and the wife. And if so, how were the beneficial interests to be divided? In cases such as this, Lord Diplock opined that court must satisfy itself on the evidence that it was ‘the common intention of both spouses that the contributing wife should have a share in the beneficial interest and that her contributions were made upon this understanding.’3 In many cases, the intention or common understanding of the parties will have to be inferred as there is not always going to be statements of intent from either or both parties. Lord Diplock went on to explain that this inference might also be a mere matter of fact. In many cases he explained and husband and wife purchase a matrimonial home by virtue of a mortgage, the capacity of each spouse to contribute to the monthly mortgage payments will usually come out of their separate earnings. However, a woman’s income might be altered by the introduction of children into the marital union. This, Lord Diplock stated should not operate to negate the common intention of both parties to acquire a

Effect of enzymes on reactions Essay Example for Free

Effect of enzymes on reactions Essay Effect of enzymes on reactions Introduction            The function of any enzyme largely depends on the arrangement of its amino acids. The shape of an enzyme is so important such that any alteration or change in its amino acid sequence can have a huge effect on its function. An alteration to the amino acids in an enzyme does not only alter it shape but also its functionality. During a reaction, the whole enzyme does not take part but rather a small part known as the active site. The shape and appearance of the active site in any enzyme is determined by its three dimensional structure. The active site of an enzyme houses the shape of the substrate that needs to be changed during the reaction. This means that enzymes and substrates work like a lock and key. Since a specific key can only open a specific lock, this is explains why enzymes are specific in their reactions. How enzymes catalyze reactions            As noted earlier, enzymes serve as catalysts that speed up the rate at which biochemical reactions take place. They mainly work by offering a substitute pathway for reactions. Compared to other catalysts, the pathway provided by enzymes reduces activation energy. The same with all other catalysts, enzymes participate in reactions and this is the main way through which they offer a substitute reaction pathway. However, it is worthy noting that enzymes do not undergo any permanent changes during a reaction but remain intact. There main role in a reaction is to increase the rate but not the position of the reaction equilibrium (Cornish-Bowden 47). Unlike chemicals that catalyze a number of reactions, enzymes are usually very selective and can only catalyze precise reactions. This characteristic can be attributed to the shape of molecules that make up enzymes. Majority of enzymes are made up of a protein and non protein known as the cofactor. In most cases, the protein s found in the enzymes are globular. Any change in temperature and pH disrupts the inter-molecular and intra-molecular bonds that hold the proteins together in their tertiary and secondary structures. This means that catalytic ability of an enzyme is temperature and pH sensitive.            For any molecules to react, they must come into contact with one another. In other words, they must collide with enough energy and in the correct direction. Sufficient energy is important during a reaction because it helps the molecules overcome the energy barrier to the reaction. This type of energy is known as activation energy. During a reaction, the active side of an enzyme attaches itself to one of the reacting molecules known as the substrate. A reaction catalyzed by an enzyme takes a different route compared to that catalyzed by other catalysts. The coming together of an enzyme and a substrate results in a reaction intermediate. Enzyme substrate Enzyme-substrate complex            The best experiment that can be used to validate the claim that enzymes do in fact catalyze reactions is looking at how enzymes help human beings digest food. There are different types of foods that are consumed by human beings. Some of the most common foods consumed by people are the two types of sugars namely disaccharides and monosaccharaides. These two sugars are derived from foods like fruits which also contain fructose and glucose. All monosaccharides derived from the foods that we eat is absorbed directly and transported to different cells in the body (Cornish-Bowden 96). Unlike monosaccharides, disaccharides need to be broken down into their monosaccharide form before they can be absorbed into the body. In the absence of a catalyst, the rate at which the absorption of monosaccharide galactose and glucose take place is very slow. Since human bodies require a lot of energy to function properly, it is important that the absorption process is quickened through the use of an enzyme. The main enzyme that is produced by human bodies to quicken the absorption process is known as a lactase. The experiment would involve the following steps. This experiment can be represented using the following diagram. Fill a tube with 20 ml of a lactose solution. Fill another tube with 20 ml of lactose solution and 2 ml of lactase solution. Shake the tube to ensure that the two solutions mix. Give the experiment 5 minutes for the lactose to breakdown into galactose and glucose. Use a test strip to monitor the process. Originally, the strip is usually colored aqua. If it turns brown, olive or green, it is an indication that glucose is present. Compare the results from the two tubes.            If the color of the test strip turns brown, olive or green, this is an indication that glucose is present. This means that reaction in the tube with lactase was catalyzed resulting in the production of glucose. The reaction in the other tube was slow because there was no catalyst to quicken the reaction. The result from this experiment indicates that indeed enzymes can play a big role in catalyzing reactions. References Cornish-Bowden, Athel. Fundamentals of Enzyme Kinetics. (3rd edition), Portland Press, 2004. Print. Source document

Monday, October 14, 2019

Case Study Of Starbucks In Hong Kong Marketing Essay

Case Study Of Starbucks In Hong Kong Marketing Essay Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1: Research Background and Motivation Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan metropolis, it embodies both Eastern and Western traditions. Due to its rich cultural diversity and transnational lifestyle, the city offers a wide variety of international catering which is served in more than ten thousand coffee shops and food outlets. In recent years, the rapid growth of food and beverage industry in Hong Kong draws more attention from public. According to the results of the 2011 Annual Survey of Economic Activities Restaurant Sectors amounted to HK$89,300 million in 2011, representing an increase of 6% over 2010, and 12% over 2009.( Appendix A) Analysed by Food services, in 2010 total receipts of fast food shops increased in value by 8.4% over 2009, this amounted to HK$18,719.6M. Other eating and drinking services increased by 7.4% in value, this amounted to HK$35,100.8M in 2010. (Appendix B) This result obviously shows that snack and beverage industry continues to expand in the market. Coffee is a very political commodity, Roseberry says. Among coffee men, there is a growing interest in social and environmental issues by the coffee roasters of these organizations. Coffee-consuming-world represents a kind of social lifestyle as it is rooted in centuries in the Western countries. Coffee consumption in Hong Kong is 1.1 kg per capita (World Resource Institute). Nowadays, coffee is not just a pure drink for this modern generation, it is also a symbol of new spiritual lifestyle. Eating or drinking in a coffeehouse is not only a demand for coffees quality, taste and convenience, but also pursuit of fashionable leisure and elegant lifestyle. In the popular cultural discourses, Starbucks is described as driving out local coffee shops. It imposes a standardized culture on local communities, and invites consumers into a social gathering place. This culture presents the values, beliefs, customs and tastes produced or practiced by this group of people. (Solomon, Marchall Stuar t, 2008) Snacking with colleagues or friends after work provides a major socializing opportunity in Hong Kong. Young customers prefer to visit coffee shops for leisure time. Even working people are likely to use the coffee shops as their work places. Coffee shops provide an informal setting for social encounters, and more importantly these structured environments do not command a great deal of time or money from the customers, this is a small but significant move to redefine this new lifestyle in Hong Kong. Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world. There is a total of 17,003 stores in the world (as of 02 Oct. 2011) and 115 stores in Hong Kong, since its first store launched in Centrals Exchange Square in May 2000. (Appendix C) Starbucks brings the coffee experience to you! This is what Starbucks commits, and indeed, it has established as the linchpins of a desirable coffee shop experience, a systematic influence on the socio-cultural. (Craig J. Thompson,2004) In Starbucks stores, people can be immediately associated with a relaxed and intelligent experience, this is just the image of Experiential Branding which Starbucks creates. Every aspect from the posters to the Starbucks logo gives the experience it intends to portray. It is the calm atmosphere which the brand presents that not only draws people into the store, but also makes people linger and return more regularly! What is Experiential Branding? It is a discipline of how consumers understand and define the brands in terms of the experience they deliver and the lenses through which they are evaluated. Experiences are a fourth economic offering. Pine and Gilmore describe in the Experience Economy in 2003, if the consumer buys the experience, he will spend time to enjoy a series of memorable events and engage himself in his personal way. Good examples are Ritz-Carlton which offers new value to its customers in hospitality experiences by its welcome gifts; and Apple which provides in-store Genius Bars to build a remarkable experience for its customers. Yet in 2006, Robert Passikoff argues in his book Predicting Market Success that the 4P Marketing Mix cannot work effectively without Customer engagement, Customer expectations and Customer loyalty(3C). These initiatives have conspired dramatically to take place of 4P Marketing Mix in todays economic world. Nowadays more and more people focus on quality of life as they are not just living for food and warmth(Pine Gilmore,1998), they are now looking for a higher spiritual experience which is a kind of environmental service to decrease their stress from work. Many researches on marketing management are for strategies, products, services, customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and so on, but not too many on experiential marketing and branding. Although there are a lot of studies and researches on Starbucks, some other well-known companies are even less researched on Customer Experience in Hong Kong. This research will further the previous study structure to investigate the connections among Customer Experience, Brand Image and Customer Loyalty, and hope to find out how Starbucks carries out its commitment and how it strives to win the customers loyalty in this competitive market. 1.2 Research purposes Western lifestyle has been popular in Hong Kong for decades due to its special historical background. The new generation especially, eats out more often than their parents, and these new consumers have created a huge demand for leisure and carefree consumption places. As a pioneer in most new markets in the world, Starbucks seized the new information in Hong Kong and set up its first store in 2000. By May 2008, it had expanded to over 100 stores without spending much cost on advertising for this market! How actually does it attract these local consumers? Due to the economic development, the improved living standards, Goods and services are no longer enough (Pine Gilmore,1998). Todays consumers expect more from companies than ever before. The consumer environment has been gradually changed into a new experience economy era. People are seeking for a more spiritual than material experience. Catering has changed to a culture and art as customers pursue a modern and playful lifestyle. To survive in this new competitive economy, the company must not only concentrate on market strategies, brand image, innovation features, service quality, decoration and setting, but also a full range of service process planning, so as to create continuous profits for the business. Based on this researchs background and motivation, business operators have emphasis on quality of product, innovation of management, and service differentiation to create the customer experience in this keen competitive catering industry. Tom Peters (2007) believes a good brand image can attract the consumers recognition and enhance customer satisfaction gradually, to obtain customer loyalty by every positive experience. This research targets 10 Starbucks stores randomly in Hong Kong, to explore the customers experience, brand image, and loyalty, so as to find out what consumers experience on this new lifestyle, and gain in-depth understanding to develop effective marketing strategies, and to maximize the customers perceived experiential value. 1.4.1. Customer: It means a party that receives or a person who consumes products or services and he has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. Robert Passikoff (2006) interprets that usually customers can finally find out below 4P: The Products(services) that they are interested in. The Places this product may be purchased. The Prices are competitive or not. The power and control of Promotion. Though, one important point to be noticed is that a customer does not mean a consumer, as there are External Customer and Internal Customer(Tennant,2001). External Customer is not directly connected to the organization. Internal Customer is a person who directly connects to the organization, and they may be stakeholders. In this research, customer means the person who spends money in Starbucks stores in Hong Kong. 1.4.2. Customer Experience: It refers to individuals accumulating to produce a kind of experience after a period of time or activities, by this experience, a subjective psychological state will be created(Pine Gilmore,1998). In this study, the experience is defined as a subjective mental emotional response, evaluation and cognition to Starbucks. Experience begins with an interaction between the customer and the product or the company(Dinna LaSalle,2003), thus, it cannot happen without the customers involvement. Customers spend time and money to get more memorable or more highly valued experiences (Pine Gilmore,1998), the value of experience lingers in the memories, yet experience results in thoughts or feelings and both can be positive and negative. Marketers manage to develop the positive experience. Moreover, if the company can deliver Value Experience to a customers life, that product or service will transcend its ordinary price to become extraordinary or even priceless! (Dinna LaSalle,2003) For this reason, economists summarized the recent marketing and economic research into happiness as experiences over commodities and entertainments. (Pine Gilmore,1998). Starbucks creates a calm atmosphere inside its stores to attract people to come in, linger and return. It introduces the concept of the Third Space a space other than home and work, where people can spend time studying, working on their laptops, reading, meeting friends or even holding their formal meetings! All stores have leather couches for those people who prefer to relax in comfort, and for those who want a more structured environment to study or work, there is a choice of tables with hard-backed chairs. Just like Starbucks says: Life happens over the coffee. 1.4.3. Brand image: This refers to the enterprise that provides products, services or engaged in community, it also relates to information and subjective impression in the consumers opinion.(Walters,1978) Starbucks maintains a unique coffee culture, as Zhang Xi says in Starbucks: The Kingdom of Coffee (2005), Coffee comes from west, Starbucks originates in the United States, but the culture of Starbucks coffee is from the world. This culture starts at the planting of every single coffee bean, as Howard Schultz persists in coffee quality, then merged with the traditional romantic European style of decoration in the stores, it comes out with a brand new experiential corporation culture, which is so-called today Starbucks Culture. Howard Schultz led a speech from the lectern in Shanghai National Accounting Institute on 3 June 2006, he tells the audience that Starbucks spends very little on advertising or promoting, but Statbucks brand image is recognized by everyone in the world! This is a practical example to explain when Experiential marketing is done right, the brand can be successful without expensive advertising campaigns or slashing its price! 1.4.4. Customer loyalty: This is a kind of satisfaction established by a customers full acceptance at the intended level. It also results in consumption or other derivative positive support behaviour. Customer loyalty metrics can measure how the consumer engages with a new product or service(Robert L. Desatnick,1988). Peter Drucker says, Those brands relying on advertisements cannot be better than those relying on customer loyalty. Thats why without customer loyalty and higher levels of engagement, business cannot be successful. Below are the examples that to recognize customer loyalty is a great profitable factor: Starbucks: Starbucks originally opened in Seattle in 1971 as a store that sold coffee beans equipment. Since Howard Schultz joined the company in 1983, the brand name now owns more than 17,000 stores, in over 55 countries around the world. This is just the best evidence that loyal customers contribute to the rapid growth of the business. Google: Have you ever noticed that Googles IPO price was US$85 on Aug 19, 2004? Today it is worth US$ 655.76 per share, that is an increase of 7.7 times over eight years. Its success has great relevance to its Google Loyalty Programs. Apple: How many people could ever have imagined the speed and growth of Apple? From its annual report in 2011, its net sales amount comes to US$46,333 Million, compared to 2010 which was US$26,741 Million, it has increased by 73% within ONE year. It is not easy to find if Apply offers any loyalty programs or discounts, but indeed Apple can win its fans loyalty through its rapidly changing products! It meets customers expectations and excitement.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Meat Industry Essay -- Food Cattle Environmental Health Essays

The Meat Industry The cattle industry produces vast amounts of strain in the environment. It is energy inefficient, pollutes water, occupies many acres of land, and deteriorates the health of the people who abuse its consumption. The government subsidizes this industry. Therefore, the price paid for meat doesn’t reflect the environmental hazards involved in the process. In order to protect our health and the health of the environment we should pay close attention to our food choices and make sure we don’t support industries that degrade it. The energy return ratio (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of the most energy efficient factory farming of meat is 34.5%, while that of the least energy efficient plant food is 328%. Fossil energy is utilized from before a cow is raised until it is eaten. This account for the necessary energy to clear land from its original vegetation, to grow cow feed, to operate slaughterhouses and transportation. Forty pounds of soybeans are produced by the same amount of fossil fuels required to produce one pound of meat. All these factors indicate the inverse relationship between meat production and fossil energy savings. The meat industry consumes over half of all water used for all purposes in the United States. Most of this water is used to irrigate cattle feedlots. Water utilized to produce 1 pound of meat amounts to 2,500 gallons. In comparison, the water utilized to produce 1 pound of wheat amounts to 25 gallons. In Texas, a quarter of the groundwater has already been used to grow crops for the expanding cattle feedlots and wells are drying up across the northern part of the state. Also, cattle contribute to water pollution. Cows are routinely washed and the runoff containing manu... ...en to be energy inefficient because of the quantity of fossil fuels required for its production. It causes deforestation, topsoil erosion, extensive water usage and pollution, along with numerous health hazards. Many of our tax dollars are directed towards this cause through government subsidies. Among the possible solutions to this problem would be to implement laws to halt deforestation for cattle production, to stop subsidizing water for cow feed, to control cattle population and to increase standards for manure management. Also to, implement mandatory education measures in hospitals for patients suffering from cardiovascular disorders and other health problems related to meat consumption. At the personal level, it is necessary for us to take responsibility for our actions, by paying attention to every bite and being aware of how our decisions affect the planet.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

My Faith Essay -- Christianity Biblical Christian Religion Essays

My Faith During my life, I have had many experiences that have shaped my character. One of these moments happened when I was a junior in high school. This is when I decided to join my high school track team. I had always played many sports such as golf, basketball, wrestling, and football, but I hadn’t been involved in track. So I decided to give it a try. It may seem strange, but that track season, as well as certain circumstances that happened during the season, was very beneficial in learning some simple concepts of my Christian faith. When I first joined the track team, I was very excited. I was looking forward to the upcoming season and my chances to be a star sprinter. The first few weeks of the season were tough, but I was determined to reach my goals as a sprinter. I worked my hardest in all that the coach had us do, but I especially focused on the sprints because the next week was when the coach told us what our races were going to be according to how we did in the practices. I was almost sure of my spot as a sprinter because I was the second fastest kid on the team, but the next week was â€Å"the moment of truth.† Monday had come of the next week, and it was time for practice. I can still remember the anticipation as the coach read off the lists and positions of each person. I was shocked to discover that the coach had placed me in the middle distances rather than the sprints. I was a bit upset upon discovering this. After all, I was the second fastest kid on the team, and I didn’t run my hardest in the longer races on purpose just to ensure that I would get a spot as a sprinter. However, this did not happen. I told my parents about my position that night, and they gave the usual speech that probably many of y... ...ecause I thought I was about to be passed. The roar increased with every stride closer to the finish line. The next thing I remembered was crossing the finish line in first place and turning to glance back down the track. To my surprise, the second placeman was over 50 meters behind me. I had achieved first place, and fell only 1 second short of the 800 record. The rest of the day went the same way. Our four by 400 meter relay team took first place, and we ended up breaking the record in that race. After this I decided to stay in track, and I ended up being the second best in the state. I learned a few lessons from this. The first was that if we persevere and give everything our best, God will bless us. God also taught me a big lesson in humility. I have learned to rely on God and to listen to what my parents say. This was one of my most influential moments.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Symbolism in The Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams is a short drama that uses a big assortment of symbolisation throughout to depict the emotional, physical and societal province of each of its characters. Laura is a really delicate immature adult female that lives in a lower category, moth-eaten flat with her older brother Tom, and her bizarre female parent Amanda. Laura feels as though she is an castaway in contrast to the remainder of the universe. Among the many perennial subjects of this drama the breakability is shown in a small unicorn that safely exists within a glass menagerie. There are other less outstanding symbols such as the colourss of a rainbow, bluish roses, and the issue, and entryway to the flat. Laura ‘s glass menagerie is an of import symbol. Laura does non desire to be involved with the universe outside this â€Å"dark, grim† flat that she lives in with her female parent, a â€Å"proud, vibrant adult female, Amanda, † and her brother â€Å"Tom, an aspiring poet, and shoe warehouseman.† ( ebscohost.com ) . She prefers the comfort of her â€Å"transparent glass animals† ( 478 ) . Laura would instead pass clip with her bantam glass Equus caballuss and unicorn statuette, listening to her old records. She would prefer to make this all twenty-four hours instead than holding any contact with other people. One of the clearest symbolic utilizations of the glass figurines happens at a point in the narrative when Laura and Jim are left by themselves. Laura makes the statement â€Å"You should ever take good attention of your glass.† ( 510 ) Again, we see the symbolism of the glass unicorn and the breakability of Laura. Laura is really diffident and guiltless, really much like the glass figurines she cleans throughout the twenty-four hours. All though it is really delicate, much like Laura herself, the glass radiances and glitters, amplifying many colourss of the rainbow in the visible radiation. The glass unicorn is evidently the most symbolic of Laura! Reading between the lines as Jim and Laura are speaking, it is easy to see that the unicorn represents Laura ‘s remarkably different, delicate, and uncomfortablenss in the normal universe. Jim makes the statement. â€Å"Poor small chap, he must experience kind of lonesome† . It is obvious that Laura has felt only most of her life, and Laura replies â€Å"the unicorn sits on a shelf with some normal Equus caballuss that do non hold any horns, and they all seem to acquire along nicely together.† ( p512 ) During Jim and Laura ‘s short romantic brush, for a minute, Laura is experiencing more assurance. It ‘s as if she is get downing to experience a small normal like her Equus caballuss. When Jim accidently knocks the glass unicorn to the floor, and breaks the horn off. â€Å"The unicorn has lost its horn. It does n't truly count. It may be a approval in disguise.† Laura provinces, and â€Å"I will merely conceive of that it has had some sort of operation.† And â€Å"with the horn removed he may experience less capricious! Now he might experience more like he is one of the Equus caballuss, the 1s without any horns† . ( p513 ) For a minute Laura is happy and uplifted. She begins to smile and experience the tenseness of uniqueness raising from her. Jim sees this and starts dancing about with her, and finally kisses her. All of this gives us the little feeling that Laura may eventually be get awaying the illusory universe in which she has lived for most of her life. Laura is for a minute, get downing to experience more recognized, particularly from Jim. For a minute she is experiencing less witting about her physical disablements. She starts to open up merely a small spot. It ‘s non long after all of this that Jim tells Laura of his battle to another adult female. Laura is broken. She is broken indoors, and no longer feels the same singularity that she one time felt with the glass unicorn. She looks at Jim, and tells him to take the unicorn. It ‘s as if she has let travel of something indoors. Past dream like memories of a love that she one time had for Jim, have now been lost in the world of Jims words. Laura has spent many old ages smoothing, and taking attention of her glass menagerie, and maintaining her unicorn safe from the outside universe. But, now it has been exposed, and in bend it has been broken, merely as Laura has been broken. The dream of possibly, some twenty-four hours holding love from a adult male, and being normal has now been replaced with a broken bosom, and a withdrawn unhappiness. As the introspective and diffident Laura is lost even further in to herself. We begin to see a glance of the symbolisms in the usage of the rainbow and its colourss. But it is less obvious than that of the glass unicorn. The rainbow signifies that there may be some hope in the hereafter. Tom gives Laura a glance of hope, â€Å"Laura is overwhelmed with emotions when Tom pulls out the rainbow-colored scarf and tells the narrative of how a prestidigitator changed a bowl of small fish into Canary Islandss. Towards the terminal of the drama, Tom reflects on Laura as he gazes at some broken colored glass, and imagines his tattered sister Laura and her broken spirit†. ( ebscohost.com ) . Tom wishes in the symbolic sense that he could blow out the tapers of his sister ‘s desperation. He besides reflects on how Laura would pass hours smoothing her glass animate beings, maintaining them safe from the remainder of the universe. There is sad sarcasm in Tennessee Williams drama when you think about the symbolism of the rainbow. Although rainbows seem to be positive, bright, and hopeful marks that a new twenty-four hours is coming shortly, there is normally much hurting that must be endured before that clip, if it of all time comes. There is rather an array of symbolism that helps to organize the character of Laura. Tennessee Williams uses the colour of blue in Jim ‘s moniker for Laura. Like the rose, Laura is delicate, and like the colour blue, she is diffident, guiltless, and really sad. Plants Cited Fambrough, Preston. â€Å" William ‘s The Glass Menagerie. † Explicator 63.2 ( Winter 2005 ) : 100-102. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Northwestern State U, Watson Lib, Leesville, LA. 17 Mar. 2008 & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //search.ebscohost.com & A ; gt ; . Reese, Jennifer. â€Å" The Glass Menagerie. † Entertainment Weekly ( 28 Apr. 2006 ) : 143-143. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Northwestern State U, Watson Lib. , Leesville, LA. 17 Mar. 2008 & A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //search.ebscohost.com & A ; gt ; . Williams, Tennessee. â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† Literature for Composition: Writing Arguments about Essays, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama erectile dysfunction. by Sylvia Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain†¦8ThursdayEd New York. 2007: 499-519.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Snickers Chocolate’s Global Share

Global Candy Sales | | |Market Share |$ Sales in Millions | |Brand |Company |2011 |2012 |2011 |2012* | |Snickers |Mars Inc |1. 7 |1. 8 |$3,286 |$3,572 | |M&M's |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. |$3,380 |$3,494 | |Trident |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 8 |1. 7 |$3,354 |$3,321 | |Reese's |Hershey Co, The |1. 3 |1. 4 |$2,553 |$2,679 | |Galaxy/Dove |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,407 |$2,597 | |Milka |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 3 |1. |$2,530 |$2,510 | |Cadbury Dairy Milk |Kraft Foods Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,414 |$2,506 | |Orbit |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 3 |$2,441 |$2,501 | |Extra |Mars Inc |1. 1 |1. 2 |$2,115 |$2,231 | |Kit Kat |Nestle SA |1. 0 |1. |$1,933 |$1,979 | |Mentos |Perfetti Van Melle Group |0. 9 |0. 9 |$1,649 |$1,711 | U. S. Candy Sales | | |Market Share |$ Sales in Millions | |Brand |Company |2011 |2012 |2011 |2012* | |Reese's |Hershey Co, The |7. |7. 7 |$2,479 |$2,603 | |M's |Mars Inc |6. 8 |6. 8 |$2,238 |$2,300 | |Snickers |Mars Inc |5. 5 |6. 0 |$1,815 |$2,020 | |Kit Kat |Hershey Co, The |2. 8 |2. 8 |$917 |$948 | |Twizzl ers |Hershey Co, The |2. 3 |2. |$746 |$801 | |Trident |Kraft Foods Inc |2. 2 |2. 0 |$732 |$674 | |Twix |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. 9 |$598 |$655 | |Extra |Mars Inc |1. 8 |1. 8 |$598 |$610 | |Orbit |Mars Inc |1. 7 |1. |$561 |$549 | |Milky Way |Mars Inc |1. 6 |1. 6 |$516 |$539 | |Galaxy/Dove |Mars Inc |1. 6 |1. 5 |$523 |$504 | |Starburst |Mars Inc |1. 3 |1. 4 |$433 |$467 | |Godiva |Yildiz Holding AS |1. 1 |1. |$373 |$391 | |*2012 figures are projections. Source: Euromonitor Internationa | | | | | |Snickers Surging to Top of Global Candy Race | |Mars-Owned Candy Bar Set to Pass Sibling M&M's, Kraft's Trident in New Euromonitor Ranking | |By: E.J. Schultz Published: September 20, 2012 | |208share this page | |[pic][pic][pic][pic] | |There is a new candy kingpin. | |Snickers will pass M&M's as the top international confectionery brand by the end of the year, giving the 82-year-old candy bar a satisfying | |victory in the global chocolate wars, according to a projection by Euromonitor Intern ational. |Snickers is â€Å"definitely on target to surpass M&M's,† Lee Linthicum, Euromonitor's global head of food research, told Ad Age. He cited U. S. | |innovations and strong growth in emerging markets as factors in moving the candy bar from No. 3 to No. 1, also surpassing Trident. Going | |forward, the race for the top is now a sibling rivalry because Mars Inc. owns Snickers and M&M's, which are separated by a razor-thin | |margin. | |While a win for Mars, the rankings are a loss for Kraft Foods' Trident. The gum brand fell from second to third place as projected 2012 | |worldwide sales slipped to $3. 2 billion from $3. 35 billion in 2011. Kraft remains the global leader with 14. 7% share when all confectionery| |brands are totaled. But the food giant's share of the category fell from 14. 8% in 2011, while No. 2 Mars jumped to 14. 4% from 14. 1%, | |according to Euromonitor. | |The shift at the top was first reported by Candy & Snack Today, a publication by the Nationa l Confectioners Association. | |Among individual brands, the worldwide candy battle remains close and fragmented, with only a fraction of a share point separating the top | |10. |Snickers is expected to surge from $3. 29 billion in global sales last year to $3. 57 billion for 2012, capturing a 1. 8% share, according to | |Euromonitor projections. The brand, whose ad agency is BBDO, has been backed with major media investments in recent years, including Super | |Bowl spots featuring Betty White and Roseanne Barr, who have both stared in the ongoing â€Å"You're Not You When You're Hungry† campaign. | |But M's — which Mars featured in this year's Super Bowl spot– is not far behind, growing from $3. 38 billion to $3. 9 billion in global | |sales, according to Euromonitor projections. | |Mr. Linthicum attributed Snickers' climb to its strong performance in the U. S. , which accounts for a huge share of the global candy market. | |Domestically, the candy bar has aggr essively pushed a line extension called Snickers Peanut Butter Squared, which launched last year and | |features two square-shape bars that adds peanut butter to the familiar mix of peanuts, caramel, nougat and milk chocolate. | |Globally, the brand is benefiting from strong growth in Eastern Europe.In Russia, sales have doubled since 2007 to $300 million, partly as | |a result of distribution gains Mars has made by acquiring some ex-Soviet chocolate companies, he said. While that should also help M's, | |the bite-size candies face more competition in the region, where smaller candies are more established and familiar, Mr. Linthicum said. By | |contrast, candy bars like Snickers are more of a novelty, he said. | |In the U. S. , Hershey Co. ‘s Reese's is expected to remain the top brand, with a projected $2. 6 billion in sales capturing 7. % market share | |for 2012, according to Euromonitor, which uses a variety of sources to track all sales channels, from Walmart to vending m achines. M&M's, | |which is also handled by BBDO, is projected to hold onto the No. 2 slot stateside with 6. 8% share, followed by Snicker's (6%) and Hershey's | |Kit Kat (2. 8%). | |Still, Reese's remains stuck in fourth place globally with 1. 4% share, according to Euromonitor projections. The reasons are twofold: | |Hershey has less of a global footprint than Mars, Mr. Linthicum said. Also, peanut butter is not as popular in Europe as it is in the | |States.It is a â€Å"very uniquely American thing,† he said. â€Å"That sweet-savory juxtaposition of flavors is something of an acquired taste. † | |Mr. Linthicum pinned Trident's struggles on stiff competition from Wrigley 5, the Mars-owned brand that launched in the states in 2007 with | |slick packaging, innovative flavors and a highly produced ad campaign by Energy BBDO called â€Å"Stimulate Your Senses. † | |The flashy appeal has resonated globally. â€Å"It's even gaining share in Greece of all places,â €  Mr. Linthicum said. â€Å"Everywhere they release it| |around the world †¦ it's worked. † In the U.S. , Wrigley 5 is now the 4th-largest gum brand with a 7. 43% share, according to SymphonyIRI, | |which excludes Walmart. | |Kraft, which on Oct. 1 will split off its candy and snacking business into a company called Mondelez International, is fighting back with | |its first global ad campaign for Trident by Saatchi & Saatchi that is more emotional than previous efforts, which had touted functional | |benefits such as oral health and vitamins. Meanwhile, in the States Kraft recently rolled out â€Å"ID Gum by Stride,† featuring artsy packaging | |and a gimmick-filled campaign by Droga5. |