Skills and Strengths of a Nutritionists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Skills and Strengths of a Nutritionists - Essay Example Service orientation is the third skill that is necessary for any nutritionist (Anthony, 2006). Whereas employment is based on how much is offered for the position, it is equally necessary for one to be motivated by the desire to serve that the hunger to gain wealth. A needier place is the hospital where the patients feel helpless and their life lies deeply on your hand to serve them without having to consider what you get out of it. As a nutritionist is such a setting, one should be actively looking for a way to offer help to other people. My driving force has always been the desire to serve others and not the gains associated with my service. This skill suits me for a hospital where I will be in a better position to help others who are in need. Fourth is time management which involves managing both one's time and that of others. A chain of activities occurs in a hospital which calls for the need to properly manage one's time so that one does not inconvenience others. A proper time s chedule should be laid down and be followed strictly to improve the efficiency of service. Speaking is also a necessary strength in this practice (Proper, 2009). This skill enables one to convey information to others by talking to them. Speaking to people gives one a platform to convince them to do what is right. In speaking, a nutritionist is able to give advice to both the medical professionals, patients and their families. I have demonstrated a proven ability to effectively communicate verbally to people.

The Relationship Between Trade Openness and FDI Literature review

The Relationship Between Trade Openness and FDI - Literature review Example This review of literature is directed at finding the measures leading to increased foreign direct investment (FDI) for a country. Although there is a whole range of factors that cause an increase in the foreign direct investment in a country, yet one of the most significant factors has been found to be the country’s openness towards trade. Openness as a concept, has been defined in a number of ways by the researchers in the past. A comprehensive definition of openness is presented below: (t)he concept of openness, applied to trade policy, could be synonymous with the idea of neutrality. Neutrality means that incentives are neutral between saving a unit of foreign exchange through import substitution and earning a unit of foreign exchange through exports. Clearly, a highly export oriented economy may not be neutral in this sense, particularly if it shifts incentives in favor of export production through instruments such as export subsidies. It is also possible for a regime to b e neutral on average, and yet intervene in specific sectors. A good measure of trade policy would capture differences between neutral, inward oriented, and export-promoting regimes. (Harrison, 1996, p. 20). Trade openness has conventionally been scaled by different researchers in different ways, but in a vast majority of cases, trade openness has been measured by its contribution to the overall gross domestic product (GDP) of a country. Factors that have conventionally been employed for the measurement of trade openness include but are not limited to intensity of import trade, intensity of export trade, intensity of trade, intensity of adjusted trade, and the intensity of real trade (Squalli and Wilson, 2006, p. 22). Three models of adjusted trade intensity have conventionally been tried to measure the trade openness. One of them is adjusted trade intensity in which the outliers having high import for the re-rexport are handled with the modification of denominator. This measure was first proposed by Andersen (1994). The second of them is adjusted trade intensity accompanied with the alternative technique to tackle the outliers as initially proposed by Frankel (2000). The third of them is adjusted trade intensity. This is a modified form of the model originally proposed by Frankel (2000). The modification was suggested by Li et al (2004). The seven measures of openness were also cited by the famous economists Kumar and Kandzija (n.d., p. 13) in their article in which they analyzed the integration and trade theory to evaluate the perspectives of trade in Western Balkans. For the purpose of this research, intensity of trade, the three models of intensity of adjusted trade as discussed before, real trade intensity, real world trade intensity (RWTI) and composite trade intensity (CTI) will be used. They will be evaluated with a view to identifying the one that is the most accurate as a measure of openness. Of all the measures, three of the most commonly employed ar e trade intensity (TI), import trade intensity (M/GDP) and export trade intensity (X/GDP). Trade intensity is obtained by dividing the sum of import (X) and import (M) by the GDP. According to Alcala and Ciccone (2004), the estimate generated by TI upon income is affected by the non-tradable on productivity, and is thus, biased downwards. Thus, in their opinion, it is advisable to divide the nominal trade by the real GDP. The different measures of trade openness lay the basis for a technique to find out the extent to which a country is open to the global trade as well as to the consequential advantages of income growth. For instance, the higher a country’s TI, the increased openness of its economy towards the advantages

History of Qatar: Al-Hajri

History of Qatar: Al-Hajri Maryam Al-Hajri Family/Tribe Al-Hajri Introduction: Qatar located in the western coast of the Arabian Gulf. There are around 2.576.181 people living in Qatar. When we talk about the state of Qatar, we should know that Qatar and all the Arabian Gulf have many tribes, customs and traditions. They lived in tents. One of the most well-known tribes in Qatar is Al-Hajri family. Despite of All tribes in the Middle East had many problems in the first but Al-Hajri family faced all these problems firmly and strongly. They had the ability to cope with the bad conditions in that time because they were belonged together. There are many important characters and special traditions in Al-Hajri family, so I will talk about Al-Hajri family and my research will highlight on their origins and traditions. Tribal Nature There are many traditions and customs distinguish tribal people rather than any other people. Tribal people lived only in deserts seeking for water and growing animals such as camels and sheep. Most of time they travelled from one place to another. They live in the Middle East especially in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar. About 5 million people live in deserts around the world. They are decreeing now. The tribal life is very difficult and no one in any other place can live with them .They have own lifestyle and culture. They are proud of their hospitality and generosity. They live in special tent which made of animals hair. In their spare time, they usually sing and clap their hand to their animals to make them feel happy. Their food is very delicious and tasty. Their food are rice and flour. They never eat fruits or vegetables. They have special clothes. Men dressed only galabia. They also cover their head by shalls. They have many colors cloths. Women also have special dressing. Th ey dressed only Abbaya with brightly colors when they went outside. They covered also their face and no one can see them. Tribal people have many languages and dialects distinguished them only depending on their location. History of the tribe Al-Hajri Family is one of the most important tribes in the Middle East, especially in Qatar. The tribe of Al-Hajri comes from the Sharif tribe. We know that Sharif tribe arose from the sons of Sharif gene Almzhadji. There are two great parties in Al-Hajri family. The big parties are Al- Mohammed and Al- almukhddaba. They are considered the big and well known parties in the Al-Hajri family. They were located in the Eastern Province of the state of Qatar. Most of the family tribe lived in the southern Saudi Arabia, especially in the valley of Yaeud and at the bottom of the valley of Alhvlan. They were lived also in the village of Freij in the state of Kuwait and connected with each other. The family was enjoyed with the generosity, courage, helping all poor people, kindness and all good deeds. There were many habits and traditions distinguished them from any other tribes in the Middle East. The fishing and the pearl driving were the most hobbies for them.El-Sheikh Mohamed Ben Shaban le aded the Al-Hajri family in the beginning of the thirteen century. He ordered them to live in Al-Sarah which located in the south of Najd. After that, When the Chaffee Ben Safar who is the grandson of the El-Sheikh Mohamed Bin Shabban had the title of the leader, he transferred them from the south of Najd to other place. They lived in Hasaa with their leader. Some of them also conveyed and lived in Qatar until now. In the Al-Hajri family, there were many elder characters such as Ibn Shafi, Ibn Ayed and Ibn Baeeth. The Al-Hajri family consisted of seven branches. They were Obeida, Aljuhadr, Sherif, Sanhan, Alhbab, Rafidah, and Bani Bashar. We know that all tribes in the Middle East had many customs and traditions. They travelled and conveyed a lot from one place to another place. They travelled and conveyed in order to find water and plants for their sheep and camels, so they called the nomadic tribe. The features and characteristics of Al-Hajri family There are many features and characteristics distinguished Al-Hajri family. When Al-Hajri family allied or entrusted with other family, they committed by its promises and charts even if the entrusted to another family lead to killing the last man of their family. There is no mentioned in the history that Al-Hajri family entrusted to other family and cheated it even if the order reached to happening big wars. Because of all these features El-sheikh Abdullah Al-Khalifa selected this family and considered it one of the most and strong families among all families in the Middle East and then El-Sheikh Qasem hired them to help him in establishing his rule in Qatar. The Al-Hajri family fulfilled with all charts with El-Sheikh Qasem and his rule was established in this time. El-sheikh Fares Nasser Ibn Khalil Al-Shahwan Al-Hajri who was belonged to the Al-Hajri family contributed in establishing the rule of El-Sheikh Qasem. The Co-operation between El-Sheikh Qasem and El-Sheikh Fares came afte r Qasem saw that his father paid much money which imposed to Qatari people to the Bahrain ruler under the contract done in 1968. The root of Al-Hajri family In Al-Hajri family, they divided into many branches as follows: the branch Al-Sultan and they are two sub branches as Al-Khalid including Al-Aswad, Al-Rashdan and Al-Growan. The second sub branch of Al-Sultan is Al-Ghanem including Al-Hotan, Al-Asimy and Al-Samad. There were many also sub-branches related to Al-Sultan but they were died out such as Al-Saqr, Al-Safoq and Al-Shreem. The second branch is Al-Fahid and they were six main branches including Al-Doghman, Al-Hobran, Al-Shohiman, AlKober and Al-Goghan. Each of all these main branches have many families. The third branch is Al-Falha and they were listed under three branches such as Al-Baqr including Al-Ramis, Al-Awir and Al-Marbid, the second sub branch of Al-Falha is Al -Shraa including Al-Mohamed and Al-Qrity. The third sub branch is Al-Mosalma among them Al-Nomian and Al-Monqash and there are many other families belonged to Al-Falha but we dont know anything about them. Finally there are many other branches such as Al-Gadi, Al-Masrir, Al-Zaid and Al-Shhwan. Conclusion There is no doubt that Qatar is an important countries in the world. There are many families in the Middle East especially in Qatar. One of the strongest and generosity family in Qatar is Al-Hajri family. They located in many place in different countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Emirates. They are famous by travelling from one place to another place and they not settled on one place. The family have many good features and characteristics like helping people and courage. There are many things distinguished this family such as promising and their charts with other families. In the history, there is no mentioned that any one in Al-Hajri family break the convent with any person. They helped El-Sheikh Qasem to establish his rule. There are many branches in Al-Hajri family like Al-Sultan and Al-Mosalma. In the end Al-Hajri family is one of the strongest and generosity family comparing to all families in the Middle East. References Advameg. (1997). Qatar. Retrieved from everyculture: http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Qatar.html

The Caretaker Essay -- Drama

The Caretaker How does the opening of the play set the tone for what will follow? The opening of the play starts off by describing the scene and how everything on the stage would be set out, following that it briefly describes what will happen when the curtains are raised. From the opening of the play it jumps right into the story as though we are picking it up from where we left off, it doesn’t really have a beginning where you are introduced to the characters its as though you have to imagine what the characters are like. The description of the setting does not let on what the play is about, the way the lighting and stage is set up could give the play a certain feel. The description of the setting is like a brief insight onto the kind of play it is. The way the stage is set up could make the play seem very compact in the sense that it is set in one room. The opening of the ‘Caretaker’ is very limited to description it holds back on major detail which could be making the play seem more mysterious. Although the language used to describe the play is limited it sheds just enough information to make the play seem interesting without giving away the whole concept of the play. The way that the setting is described using simplicity makes the plays seem simple yet interesting. It’s not an opening that is used to build up the play but an opening to give the viewer an insight as to what the play is about. In the opening it in a few words it explains that Mi...

Jean Piagets Theory

Throughout history, many people have made many contributions to the school of psychology. One individual is that of Jean Piaget and his theories on the cognitive development stages. Jean Piaget was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland, where he studied at the university and received a doctorate in biology at the age of 22. Following college he became very interested in psychology and began to research and studies of the subject. With his research Piaget created a broad theoretical system for the development of cognitive abilities.His work, in this way, was much like that of Sigmund Freud, but Piaget emphasized the ways that children think and acquire knowledge. Piaget referred to his theory as genetic epistemology. This is defined as the study of the acquisition, modification, and growth of abstract ideas and the abilities as on the basis of an inherited or biological substrate, an intelligent functioning that makes the growth of abstract thought possible. (Ginsburg 5) Piaget derived his t heories from directly observing children and by questioning them about their thinking.He was less interested in whether the children answered correctly than how they arrived at their answers. Piaget viewed intelligence as an extension of biological adaptation that has a logical structure. One of the central points of his theories was that of epigenesis. This is that growth and development occur in a series of stages, each of which is built on the successful mastery of the previous stage. (Furth 33) Piaget described four major stages leading to the capacity for adult thought.Each stage is a prerequisite for the following stage, but the rate at which different children move through different stages varies with their heredity and environment. Piaget's four stages are the sensorimotor stage, the stage of preoperational thought, the stage of concrete operations and the stage of formal operations. The first stage that Piaget felt all children go through was the sensorimotor stage. This st age occurs between birth and two years of age.This is the stage when Infants begin to learn through sensory observation, and they gain control of their motor functions through activity, exploration and manipulation of the environment. (Furth 29) From birth, biology and experience work together to produce learned behavior. As infants become more mobile, one action is built upon another action, forming new and more complex actions. Infants' spatial, visual, and tactile worlds expand during this period in which children actively interact with their environment and use previously learned behaviors.The critical achievement of this period is the development of object permanence. This is the indication that a child has the ability to understand that objects have an existence independent of the child's involvement with them. Infants learn to differentiate themselves from the world and are able to maintain a mental image of an object, even when it is not present and visible. (Rotman 40) At a bout 18 months, infants begin to develop mental symbols and to use words. This process is called symbolization. Infants are able to create a visual or mental image of an object to stand for or signify the real object.The attainment of object permanence marks the transition from the sensorimotor stage to the preoperational stage. During the stage of peoperational thought, children use language and symbols more extensively than in the sensorimotor stage. Children learn without the use of reasoning, therefore are unable to think logically or deductively. Children are able to name the object but they are unable to categorize or class these objects. Preopreational thought is midway between socialized adult thought and the completely autistic freudian unconscious. (Furth 57) Events are also not linked by logic.In this stage, children begin to use language and drawings in more elaborate ways. From once using one word utterances they begin to use two word phrases, which make up a single nou n and verb. Children in this developmental stage are ecogentric. They see themselves as the center of the universe, therefore they are unable to take the role of another person. In addition , children use animistic thinking which is the tendency to endow events and objects with lifelike attributes. The stage of concrete operations is so named because in this period children operate and act on the concrete, real, and perceivable world of objects and events.Egocentric thought is replaced by operational thought, which involves dealing with a wide array of information outside the child. Therefore, children can now see things from someone else's perspective. Children in this stage begin to use limited logical thought and processes and are able to order and group things in classes on the basis of common characteristics. The child is able to reason and to follow rules and regulations. They are able to regulate themselves , and they begin to develop a moral sense and a code of values.Conser vation is the ability to recognize that, although the shape of objects may change, the mass and amount stay the same. For example, if you put the same amount of liquid in two containers the child may think there is more in the taller cylinder. Children also begin to understand reversibility, which is the capacity to understand the relationship between things. They begin to realize that one thing can turn into another and back again. The most important sign that children are still in the preoperational stage is that they have not achieved conservation or reversibility.Dealing with the future and its possibilities occurs in the formal operational stage. The formal operation stage deals with the ages of eleven through the end of adolescence. This stage is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, to reason deductively, and to define concepts. It also is shown by adolescents' interest in a variety of issues including philosophy, religion, ethics, and politics. Another main part of this stage is that of Hypothetic deductive thinking. This is the highest organization of cognition and enables people to make a hypothesis or proposition and to test it against reality.Deductive reasoning moves from the general to the particular and is a more complicated process than inductive reasoning, which moves from particular to general. (Rotman 44) This step also brings about self-conscious behavior because of the ability to reflect on their own and other people's thoughts. As adolescents attempt to master new cognitive tasks, they may return to egocentric thought, but on a higher level than in the past. Not all adolescents enter the stage at the same time or to the same degree. Depending on individual capacity some may not reach the stage at all and may remain in concrete operational mode throughout life.Despite the psychiatric applications Piaget's theories have been applied more widely in the area of education. Piaget's concepts have been used to resolve educational pro blems, such as assessing intellectual development, scholastic aptitude, grade placement, and reading readiness. Innovative early school programs, such as Head Start can be traced to Piaget's believe that experience plays a major role in human thought. Throughout his writings Piaget emphasized that the greater richness, complexity, and the diversity of the environment, the greater the likelihood that high levels of mental functioning are achieved.

A Significant Person Essay

Significant Person Mother Teresa is one of the most admired women in the world. She dedicated every day of her adult life to caring for and loving the dying, the unwanted and the unloved. Her spirit of giving inspired many people. There were those who gave up their lives as she had to follow her and others who helped in different ways, for example, giving her the Kali Temple to be used as a home for the dying. The effect Mother Teresa had on the people she came in contact with and the world is one of the most intriguing things about her. But what was it about Mother Teresa that made people stop and listen? How did such a tiny women touch the hearts and lives of so many people? Mother Teresa’s dedication to God and the church is what I feel made her so great. Everything she did in her life was for God. One of the first instances that made me really stop for a second was Mother Teresa’s second calling. It was not the calling itself so much as how she handled herself in the following events. She was so dedicated to the church and her vows that she waited two years before she was able to be released from her vows to go off into the world to serve the poorest of the poor. She went through all the proper and necessary steps in the church to get what she believed was her calling. Mother Teresa did not leave the church for selfish reasons, nor did she just get up and leave one day. She had too much respect and devotion to the church to be able to do something like that. Mother Teresa put all her faith into God and believed that he would provide her with what she needed. All throughout her years on the streets of Calcutta, Mother Teresa never asked for money. She knew that all she needed was her faith. For me, I find that aspect of her remarkable. How someone can have so much faith that they would go out with nothing but 5 rupees amazes me. And the best part of the whole story is that God does come through and provide her with everything she needs. She called it â€Å"divine providence† because she never asked, however things like money, helpers and buildings became available to her. In her interview with Muggeridge she said, â€Å"Faith is a gift of God. Without it there would be no life. And our work, to be fruitful and to be all for God, and beautiful, has to be built on faith. † Her faith is why she always began each day with prayers, meditation and Mass. I see this as her time to be one on one with God and receive the strength she needed to serve the Lord each day. Many people go to church each week, however never truly experience God the way Mother Teresa did. She was truly able to see him in everything she did and everyone she came into contact with. While I personally would have a hard time seeing Christ in people I come into contact with, Mother Teresa did. I have never been a very religious person, but reading and learning about Mother Teresa’s life and accomplishments makes a total believer out of me that there is something greater and if we just have faith things will work out. With gods help, one small woman, in a simple white cotton sari, who did not bother with reports and theories, simply went out into the world and changed the lives of millions.

The Festival of Ramadan Essay Example

The Festival of Ramadan Essay Example The Festival of Ramadan Essay The Festival of Ramadan Essay a) Describe what happens at the fast of Ramadan For Muslims, Ramadan is a very special time of the year. Not only is it special, the ninth month is also drastically different to any other part of the Muslim calendar. The most obvious aspect of Ramadan, when viewed from outside, is the fasting undertaken by most Muslims. They are required to refrain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and smoking from just before dawn to after sunset every day. However, not all Muslims will abstain from eating and drinking during the daylight hours throughout the month of Ramadan, those who are young, (often below the age of 15,) old, ill or travelling are exempt. Extreme examples of fasting, rarely seen in non-Muslim countries even forbid the swallowing of saliva or phlegm. In strict Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, it is not uncommon to see Muslims carrying buckets with them in which to spit, preventing them from having to swallow their saliva, which would, in their eyes, invalidate their fast. Muslims will often eat one meal before dawn, suhoor. This is often eaten very early, and some Muslims return to bed afterwards. The fast is ended with a small meal called iftar, which is taken as soon as possible after the sun has set. Iftar often comprises of dates and a glass of water, following the example of Muhammad (pbuh). However, physical restraint is far from the only aspect of Ramadan. It also involves many spiritual restraints; Muslims must strive to avoid cheating and lying, whilst also making extra efforts to be charitable and to appreciate what they have. Despite these restrictions Ramadan is not only a time of restraint, as fasting, self-control and moderation alone cannot make someone a good person or a good Muslim. Extra actions must also be undertaken. These can involve good deeds or charitable work, whether this be directly or through fundraising. During Ramadan, Muslims may attend extra prayers, (Tarawih), each night at the Mosque. Every evening, one-thirtieth of the Quran is recited, so that, come the conclusion of the month, the whole Quran has been read. Muslims will strive to read the whole Quran at least once throughout Ramadan. Laylat-ul-Qadr, or the night of power, is when Muhammad first received the Quran. It usually occurs within the last ten days of Ramadan, and Muslims may celebrate it by spending the entire night in the Mosque, often reading the whole of the Quran. Throughout Ramadan, Muslims will often greet others with, Ramadan Kareem or Ramadan Mubarak, which means a happy, successful and blessed month. In Muslim countries, Ramadan can change public life dramatically. Life during daylight hours will generally slow down, with many people resting and concentrating on the fast during the day and working during the evening. The end of Ramadan is marked by the feast, Id-ul-Fitr. This day commonly revolves around family. Zakat is often given on this day, and Muslims may also give extra alms to help those who are worse off, enjoy a better Id. On the morning of Id-ul-Fitr Muslims may attend special Id prayers at the Mosque. The day and evening are spent socialising, feasting and giving presents. As Id-ul-Fitr is such a special day of the Muslim calendar, new clothes are often bought for the occasion. At Id, many Muslims will give money known as Zakat-ul-Fitr. This is not compulsory, as Zakat is, but many people feel more obliged to give after experiencing the hunger of those in need throughout the month of Ramadan. The amount given will often represent the cost of a meal for each member of the donors family. b) Explain the importance of Ramadan to Muslims and ways in which it may affect their lives Ramadan is hugely important in the lives of Muslims. It is the fourth pillar of Islam and is compulsory for all Muslims who are able to complete it. The fact that it is a pillar of Islam also makes following it an act of Ibidah It is also important as Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad by God in 570 CE. This makes it a very holy month as the Quran and its revelation to the prophet are the basis of the Islamic faith. Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, stated that The best thing for a Muslim is to continue his or her life as normal. This is the real test. This implies that a Muslim should strive to allow fasting to have as little an effect on their life as possible. However, there are some inevitable effects from fasting. It will have both positive and negative effects. Firstly it will help them learn self-discipline, which is a hugely important characteristic for a Muslim to have. Self-discipline helps Muslims abide by Allahs will, as many aspects of their lives depend on it, such as keeping prayer times and not giving in to temptations which surround us. This is especially important for Muslims in non-Islamic countries, who often also have to resist peer pressure as well as the temptation itself. Ramadan also helps Muslims have a greater appreciation of Allahs gifts to them and they will be better able to understand the plight of those less fortunate than themselves, who do not fast out of choice, but out of necessity. One of Ramadans other main benefits is that it strengthens the Ummah through unity, those in more economically developed countries can have more empathy for those in less economically developed countries; being able to identify with their difficulty concentrating on being a good Muslim, obeying Allah and focusing on Allah during prayers whilst also being consumed by hunger. Ramadan also helps Muslims purify their minds and bodies, which are a gift from Allah and therefore need to be treated with the utmost respect. However, it will have negative effects, one of these a problems undertaking physical activities. This can affect both a Muslims career and their leisure time, especially in non-Muslim countries. Manual workers will have less energy, and will find their workload more difficult. They may also suffer from dehydration, headaches, weakness and nausea. However, it is not only manual workers who will suffer these conditions. To a lesser extent, Muslims in other careers will also suffer, especially in a hot environment or climate. The importance of Ramadan goes further than this however, it was commanded by Allah and is one of the compulsory five pillars of Islam. Many Muslims may argue that as it is a struggle which enables them to become a better person, this means Ramadan is often seen as a Jihad. Ramadan may only last a month, but its impact should continue throughout the year. It is an annual lesson in becoming a better person and a better Muslim. If its effect does not last into Shawwal then it has been unsuccessful. This is another reason why Ramadan is so important for Muslims; it has such a huge impact on their whole lives, during the month and beyond it. c) For Muslims, fasting has both advantages and disadvantages, How far do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer, and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer. I agree with this statement as Ramadan has advantages such as teaching self-discipline, but also has obvious disadvantages such as illness caused by dehydration or hunger. However, some Muslims may disagree, saying that fasting only advantages. They would argue that illness is not a disadvantage, just a trial that must be overcome in order to become a better person. It is not a problem with Ramadan, but an essential part of it, without which Ramadan would be pointless. Some people may say that there are only disadvantages of Ramadan, especially in non-Muslim countries where public life continues as normal. Muslims in careers requiring concentration, quick thinking or strength and stamina may be hindered by dehydration or hunger. Medical careers for example may have life-endangering consequences from bad decisions. Some may argue then that fasting is the wrong thing to do as it is selfish, failing to take into account the welfare of those under a Muslims care who may be put in danger by a famished carer. Some other may agree with this statement, saying that although fasting may teach a Muslim a degree of self-control, do we really need to deny ourselves things in order to become a better person? Surely we are defined as a person by what we do, not by what we do not; the only way to become a better person, both in the eyes of people and of God is to help those in need, not put ourselves in their position. Others may also agree that Ramadan does not have any advantages as it does not put a Muslim into the position of a person living in poverty, as they are not suffering from long term effects of malnutrition and most are guaranteed iftar and a large meal once the sun has set, something alien to those in extreme poverty. To conclude, I feel that most Muslims would disagree with this statement, as they feel that any act of Ibidah can have only advantages. However, many people may also disagree, saying that there are advantages as it develops a persons character, but it also has physical disadvantages.

Formality on ACT English Strategies and Tips

Formality on ACT English Strategies and Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You wouldn’t wear a tux on a first date or jeans to a wedding. The ACT also tests you on whether or not you understand what level of formality is appropriate in different circumstances. Read on to learn more about one of the most unusual topics covered on the ACT! Formality questions are some of the least common on ACT English, so you shouldn't be too concerned about this topic. Nonetheless, in this article, I'll cover everything you need to know to tackle any formality questions you might see: What is formality and how is it tested on the ACT? The"normal" level of formality on the ACT Key signs of a formality error Examples of formalityissues Top tips for tackling formality questions on ACT English What Is Formality on the ACT? â€Å"Formality† refers to the idea that different textsare written with different audiences in mind, sosome are more casual whileothers are more formal. Usually, ACT English passages are written very similarly to a textbook or a newspaper article. You will notice that the author usually doesn't talk as if the reader is his best friend nor does he speak as if drafting a speech to read in front of Congress. The key to formality questions is that your answer choicesshould follow the patterns laid out by the original author. What Do "Normal" ACT English Passages Look Like? Passages on the ACT fall into the middle of the formality scale. There are two main types of passages that you will see: factual/historical passages and personal narratives. The example belowis what a factual/historical passage looks like. You will notice that it is written in a very straightforward fashion, similar to what you might see in a high school textbook or a newspaper. Benjamin Banneker, African American inventor and astronomer, grew up on his family's farm in colonial Maryland. Though he had limited access to formal education, Banneker nevertheless demonstrated a keen curiosity and a consuming interest in acquiring knowledge. The personal narratives may seem slightly more casual than the factual/historical passages: they are written in the first person (using the pronoun "I") and include more contractions. However, overall they're still in the middle on the formality scale. If you see overly casual language, such as slang, it will also be incorrect here. I live with my father in the summer, when I'm on vacation from school. Last week, he told me he had to go on a business trip in connection with his work and that I'd be staying with his sister for three days. Although I love my aunt, I wasn't happy about the prospect of three days at her house with nothing to do. It turns out I was in for a surprise. Now that you know what ACT English passagesshould look like, let's discuss why formality questions can be difficult and some strategies to attack them. What Makes Formality Questions Difficult? Formality questions can trip up some test takers because they are all about style, not grammar. In fact, the incorrect answer choices for these questions will usually be grammatically correct! Furthermore, there are no specific rules you can learn that will let you answer these questions correctly every time. Understanding the formality level of writingis a skillthat you acquire over the long term, through reading lots of different kinds of documents in English and learning how people communicate to different audiences. As such, these questions arelikely to be most difficult for non-native speakers of English. Despite the challenges posed by formality question, there are some signs you can look for in order to see if a phraseor sentence is written too casually and is therefore incorrect. What Are Some Signs of Overly Casual Language? The following types of language generally signal an overly casual style and, thus, a wrong answer: Slang.Slang isa word or phrase that has a cultural meaning different fromits literal meaning. Examples include "cool," "sketchy," and "crush." Vague language.Ideas could be expressed much more clearly and directly, with more detail. Wordy language.Oftentimes, casual language will take more words than necessary to make a point. Unnecessary commentary.When an author writes casually, they may alsoadd unnecessary comments, such as personal thoughts or opinions about the topic. Beware of slang. What Are Some Examples of Formality Issues? Here is an example of a few sentences written with mid-level formality, whichis the type of writing that is normal on ACT English. Although Tolstoy preached abstinence to his many followers, he actually had thirteen children of his own. His wife, Sofia, was offended by his stories that insulted their married life and implied that she had been unfaithful to him. And here are the same sentences written more casually. If you see something written this casually, it will always be incorrect on ACT English. Tolstoy told his followers that they shouldn’t have lots of kids, but actually he had a load of his own. Unfortunately for him, his wife, Sofia, got pissed off when he implied through a story that their marriage was a sham and that she had been messing around. Can you spot the key signs mentioned above? Slang: â€Å"a load of his own," â€Å"got pissed off," â€Å"messing around† Vague and lacking detail: â€Å"a load of his own† Wordiness: â€Å"that they shouldn’t have lots of kids† instead of â€Å"abstinence† Unnecessary commentary: â€Å"Unfortunately for him† The ACT won’t usually be this obvious with their errors. But now that you know what mistakes to look for, keep an eye out when you think you’re being asked a formality question! Top Tips for Formality Questions on ACT English #1: Remember that all ACT passages will be in the middle on the formality scale. While it's technically possible for a passage to be written more formally or casually,we have never seen an example of this actually occurring on the ACT. #2:Eliminate grammatically incorrect answers first. Formality questions are extremely rare, so you shouldn't rule out answers based on their level of formality until you're certain there aren't any other errors in the choices. Always focus on grammatical errors and more common style errors like redundancy and relevancefirst, and only worry about using formality to narrow down your choices if you don't see those other types of issues. #3: Cross out any answers that strike you as overly formal or overly casual. If you're reading a sentence that sounds like something you might say to a friend, then it iscasual. These choices may strike you as colloquial and friendly, or may use the signs of casual language that we discussed above. If you see an answerchoice with these qualities, it will be incorrect. On the flip side, if a sentence or answer choice seems quite stuffy and high-brow for the ACT, then it'soverly formal.These options will also beincorrect because they don't match the rest of the passage. #4: Re-read the sentence with your answer choice. Does it seem to flow? Make sure that your answer seems to fit in with the rest of the sentence. Remember passages will be written in the middle of the formality scale. Let’s Look at an Example Together In 1970, the school board in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, approved a dress code that prohibited students from wearing certain types of clothing. The school board members believed that wearing â€Å"play clothes† to school made the students inefficient toward their school work, while more formal attire established a positive educational climate. A. NO CHANGEB. lazy and bored to tears withC. blow offD. lax and indifferent toward As I'm reading through this passage, it feels like it is at a standard formality level for the ACT. The language is not overly complex and flowery nor is it extremely casual. Let’s start withthe underlined section. â€Å"Inefficient toward† is idiomatically incorrect, so A is out. (Idiomatic errors can be tricky to detect - see our article on them here.) Nowlet’s turn to the answers. Option B uses the phrase â€Å"bored to tears." This expression is a very casual phrase used to express extreme boredom. It’s far too casual to fit with the rest of the paragraph, so we can eliminate B. Similarly, the phrase â€Å"blow off† in C is slang, whichdoesn’t fit in with the formality of the rest of the passage. We can rule out C as well. D is the only option that’s left. When you put it in the sentence, it reads, â€Å"The school board members believed that wearing â€Å"play clothes† to school made the students lax and indifferent toward their school work, while more formal attire established a positive educational climate.† This option matches the rest of the paragraph in formality, and it’s also grammatically and idiomatically correct. Therefore, D is the correct choice. Here Are Some Practice Questions to Try on Your Own! Choose the answer that correctly completes each sentence, paying particular attention to formality. I've explained the answers at the end of the article. Smith’s example has inspired architects to donate their skills towards charitable projects. (1) Since 1998, the Association of Professional Contractors has presented an annual award recognizing the professional who best showcases a spirit of giving and community service. In 2004, the award was renamed the Robert Smith award. His parents, who were so instrumental in Smith’s professional success, were bursting with pride. (2) While Smith’s architectural achievements remain prominent in Chicago for passersby to enjoy, it’s really great that the effects (3) of his generosity continue to make an impact and inspire others to follow his example. 1. A. NO CHANGE B. into projects that are really good for other people C. into charitable projects D. to charitable projects 2. A. NO CHANGE B. were super proud C. were proud of their son D. were appreciative of the illustrious honor bestowed upon their son 3. A. NO CHANGE B. the effects C. it is good that the effects D. DELETE the underlined portion Answers: 1. D; 2. C; 3. B Explanations: 1. As written, the sentence is idiomatically incorrect. We say that we "donate to," not "donate towards." Therefore, D is going to be the correct answer. But even if that didn't jump out at you right away (idioms can be difficult!) there was at least one answer choice that you could have eliminated: choice B. This answer is an example of unnecessary wordiness, which is one of the signs of overly casual language. The other choices all use the word "charitable," which succinctly describes the projects being donated to. Choice B, in contrast, says "projects that are really good for other people." Though this means the same thing, it is a much longer and more casual way of expressing the information, so this answer is incorrect. 2. As written, this sentence usesoverly casual language. "Bursting with pride" is slang - it has an implied meaning that is differentfrom its literal meaning (I hope his parents weren't literally exploding!). Choice B is also slang. The real definition of "super" is "good or excellent," but here it is used to mean "very" - which is a common casual use of the word. On the other hand, choice D is too formal - it uses unnecessarily formal words (and is also too wordy!) to express a simple idea. Choice C is the best answer here. It's grammatically correct, and also directly and succintly completes the sentence without being too casual or too formal. 3. Here's another example of a too casual sentence. Can you see which trap of casual language it's falling into? It has unnecessary commentary. It's very casual for the author of the passage to tell us that he thinks "it's really great." We can rule outA. Looking at the answer choices, you can see that C falls into the same trap, by telling us that "it is good." We're down to B or D. D suggests that we should delete the underlined portion. However, if you read the sentence with the underlined portion eliminated, it's obvious that you create a fragment. Therefore the answer is B, which states the information clearly and directly, is grammatically correct, and is in the middle of the formality scale. What’s Next? Now that you know how to tackle one of the trickier subjects on the ACT English, try another: here is how to take on idioms on the ACT. Not sure what else you’ll be up against? Here is a full breakdown of what you will find on ACT English. Aiming high? Here are some top tips to get a 36 on ACT English. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

A Comparison Of Perfect Competition And Monopoly Economics Essay

A Comparison Of Perfect Competition And Monopoly Economics Essay Introduction In order to answer the question of whether ‘the competition is always necessarily beneficial to consumers’, it is vital to address the operation of two extreme sides of the market organisation. The extreme sides of the market organisation are Perfect competition and Monopoly. Once we accustom ourselves with the working of this dichotomy of market organisation, only then we can compare monopoly and perfect competition on the basis of efficiency in the market and specifically its impact on the consumers. Thus, in this essay we would first go through a brief description of perfect competition and monopoly and how the resources are organised in these two different market structures to achieve the goal of profit maximisation. By the allocation of resources and the level of output to be produced in these two different markets, we would compare their efficiency and inefficiency and the possible benefits and limitations of these market structures in different indus tries to the consumers. Perfect Competition Perfect competitive markets are those where there are large number of small buyers and sellers dealing with a homogeneous product and a single small firm do not have influence on the price allocation and acts as a price taker (Mankiw & Taylor, 2006). In addition to this, in a perfectly competitive market the mobility of the factors of production is perfect in the long run and both the producers and the consumers have perfect information regarding the product (Frank, 2003). A competitive firm being the price taker, to achieve the goal of profit maximisation, it produces a certain level of output where the price is equal to the marginal cost of producing an extra unit of product, a ‘Pareto efficient’ output level (Varian, 2006). As the price is also the marginal revenue for a competitive firm, so the profit is maximised at the condition where marginal revenue is equal to the marginal cost (Frank, 2003). This means that for a com pany to remain in business, it has to cover its cost, which is to say the price must be at least greater than the ‘minimum value of the average variable cost’ (ibid.) Monopoly At the extreme opposite end of the market organisation is monopoly. Monopoly is a market structure, where a single firm serves the entire market and is the only seller of a particular product with no close substitutes (Frank, 2003). Moreover, being the only firm in the market, it does not take any price but instead it has influence over the market price and produces a level of output at a particular price where the firms’ profits are the highest (Varian, 2006). Monopoly is created when a firm either takes control of key resources or the government issues a license and give them exclusive right for the production of goods and services. An economy of scale is another source of monopoly for a firm, where a single firm has more efficient cost of production as compared to a large number of firms and creates a natural monopoly that arises with public utilities like gas, electricity etc (ibid.). Furthermore, a monopolist will set his price higher than his marginal cost at a point where his marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost, in order to make positive economic profit (Frank, 2003). However the demand curve is negative for a monopolist and being a ‘price setter’, it cannot just randomly set a high price. It would rather set a price that the market could bear and maximises its profit (Mankiw & Taylor, 2006).

Institute of Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Institute of Management Accounting - Essay Example Financial Accounting supports GAAP standardized form, its information are customized for a specific purpose to outsiders only and the FS does not give much of the information on internal operations. Data provided by the MA is more relevant to the operation as it provides information for decision making. FA is historical and relates to what happens in a period that leads to profit or loss. FA is more or less concerned in corporate debt and equity and reporting is an obligation to the its shareholders and to the government after the required period or fiscal year, while MA is how to create profit, focusing on different segments of the business and to develop information that will support its operations. For instance budgeting, costing, and pricing are basic information of MA before a specific project is started. Budgeting is internal control and is needed to manage costs in operations. It is specifically done before a fiscal year opens, while costing and pricing are information provide d by MA in making decisions particularly in launching of a new business or product brands. MA ensures that the operation of the organization is properly guided; long-term sustainability is properly planned and the interests of the stakeholders and the organization are safeguarded. When all is done in the business, FA now takes hold of the responsibility of

Social Stigma and Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social Stigma and Mental Illness - Essay Example While such labels are applicable to a small fraction of patients, a majority of them are â€Å"normal† individuals by common standards. Their disorders and disturbances only affect their concentration, cognition and efficiency. Yet, they get ostracized for their condition. The mainstream media plays a significant role in spreading such misconceptions among the citizenry. As a matter of statistic, crime rates among the mentally disturbed are quite similar to that of the control group (Angermeyer, 2004). Yet, the media portrays them as people prone to violent and antisocial behavior. For example, â€Å"Mental illness also has not received the sensitive media coverage that other illnesses have been given. We are surrounded by stereotypes, popular movies talk about killers who are "psychos" and news coverage of mental illness only when it related to violence. We also often hear the causal use of terms like "lunatic" or "crazy," along with jokes about the mentally ill. These representations and the use of discriminatory language distort the public’s view and reinforce inaccuracies about mental illness.† (Schulze, 2003) It is not an even keel with all types of afflictions. Some of them like schizophrenia are subject to more ridicule and stigma than say depression. People affected with this condition are portrayed as â€Å"psychos†, â€Å"whackos†, â€Å"nut balls†, etc. While disorders like depression don’t attract such treatment as a result of widespread awareness about anti-depressants within the mainstream media (Kelly, 2007). There are other negative consequences to such stigma. For one thing, many people shy away from getting proper treatment for their conditions on fear of being ridiculed and disparaged. They also develop unreasonable fears of abandonment by their family and friends once the illness comes to light

A4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A4 - Essay Example The Canons was prepared by a joint committee through the sponsorship of the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development, a coordinating body of technical engineering societies. It was published in January 1947, with a revision published in November of the same year, in the American Engineer. In 1948, the Board adopted a motion to encourage state societies to adopt the Canons as amended. In 1952 and 1957, the Board adopted Rules of Ethical Conduct and the Rules of Professional Conduct, respectively, to support the Canons. Then in June 1964, the Board adopted the National Society for Professional Engineers’ (NSPE’s) Code of Ethics to replace the Canons of Ethics for Engineers and Rules of Professional Conduct. The succeeding years saw several adjustments in the Code intended to attune its provisions to the developing environment. The more recent and pertinent additions to the Code were introduced in January 2003 and January 2006. The 2003 incorporation was a new section that reads: "Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing education courses, reading in the technical literature and attending professional meetings and seminars." The new section was important in that it made it the duty of every professional engineer to keep his training and knowledge current with new developments. The 2006 addition to the Code is section (III.2.d.) which reads: "Engineers shall strive to adhere to the principles of sustainable development1 in order to protect the environment for future generation." While earlier amendments dealt with the formal relationships among engineers, their clients, colleagues, society and their profession, the 2006 amendment is the first vital

Discussion board 1 international law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board 1 international law - Essay Example Two Articles are classified under this Chapter, mainly giving detail on United Nations four Purposes (Article 1) as well as its seven Principles (Article 2). Maintenance of peace and security as well as friendly relationships among nations coupled with cooperation summarizes the purposes. Sovereignty, good faith, peace security and justice, territorial integrity, assisting the UN, adherence by non members as well observance of domestic jurisdiction are the Principles. Contained in this Chapter are membership regulations under Article 3 to Article 6. Original membership, peace loving states admission, any other admission, suspension and expulsion are highlighted across these Articles (Grant, 2009). Articles 7 and 8 fall under this Chapter to give detail on organs of the UN, which include General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ) and Secretariat and a provision for subsidiary organs. Eligibility to the organs is not restricted. From Article 39 to 51, this Chapter outlines practices and regulations to follow when dealing with issued threats against peace. It is termed as Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches to the Peace and Acts of Aggression (Schweigman, 2001). Schweigman, D. (2001) The authority of the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter: legal limits and the role of the International Court of Justice. Leiden, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff

A memorandum Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

A memorandum - Case Study Example mit courts as well as local governments from subjecting religious, religious monitored institutions, clergy as well as their employees into penal acts for refusing to sanctify or recognize marriages that are against their religious doctrines. This law provides freedom to access of all places of public accommodation to persons of divere sexual orientation, religious affiliations, ethnic, cultural and political affiliations. That is, this law guarantees all citizens living in New York the freedom and the right to access all places that have been made public for provision of accommodation services. According to this law the term â€Å"public place of accommodation† includes road houses, inns, taverns, motels and hotels. The public is free to access such facilities whether for purposes of health, food, entertainment and rest. Additionally, this law provides the freedom and rights to the populace of New York to access saloons, parks enclosure and bar rooms where spirituous as well as malt liquors are sold; the public is also able to access ice-cream parlors, soda fountains, confectionaries and all any other facility that has been opened with an intention to provide services and products to the general public. From case provided, taking into consideration the telephone conversation that was recorded by Jennifer McCarthy between Mrs. Gifford and Melisa Erwin, it is indicated that Mrs. Gifford answered Melisa politely that they could not host a lesbian or same sex marriage on the Liberty Farm. This is a fact that could be claimed using the New Marriage Equality Act of 2011. The act hinders any kind of discrimination that may be directed to persons intending to engage in same sex marriage. It is therefore a fact that Mr. and Mrs. Gifford violated the terms of the New York Marriage Equality Act, by specifically asserting that they could not host McCarthy and Melisa’s wedding on their Liberty Ridge Farm on the basis that they were Lesbians. In relation to the New York

A4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

A4 - Essay Example The Canons was prepared by a joint committee through the sponsorship of the Engineers’ Council for Professional Development, a coordinating body of technical engineering societies. It was published in January 1947, with a revision published in November of the same year, in the American Engineer. In 1948, the Board adopted a motion to encourage state societies to adopt the Canons as amended. In 1952 and 1957, the Board adopted Rules of Ethical Conduct and the Rules of Professional Conduct, respectively, to support the Canons. Then in June 1964, the Board adopted the National Society for Professional Engineers’ (NSPE’s) Code of Ethics to replace the Canons of Ethics for Engineers and Rules of Professional Conduct. The succeeding years saw several adjustments in the Code intended to attune its provisions to the developing environment. The more recent and pertinent additions to the Code were introduced in January 2003 and January 2006. The 2003 incorporation was a new section that reads: "Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing education courses, reading in the technical literature and attending professional meetings and seminars." The new section was important in that it made it the duty of every professional engineer to keep his training and knowledge current with new developments. The 2006 addition to the Code is section (III.2.d.) which reads: "Engineers shall strive to adhere to the principles of sustainable development1 in order to protect the environment for future generation." While earlier amendments dealt with the formal relationships among engineers, their clients, colleagues, society and their profession, the 2006 amendment is the first vital

A memorandum Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

A memorandum - Case Study Example mit courts as well as local governments from subjecting religious, religious monitored institutions, clergy as well as their employees into penal acts for refusing to sanctify or recognize marriages that are against their religious doctrines. This law provides freedom to access of all places of public accommodation to persons of divere sexual orientation, religious affiliations, ethnic, cultural and political affiliations. That is, this law guarantees all citizens living in New York the freedom and the right to access all places that have been made public for provision of accommodation services. According to this law the term â€Å"public place of accommodation† includes road houses, inns, taverns, motels and hotels. The public is free to access such facilities whether for purposes of health, food, entertainment and rest. Additionally, this law provides the freedom and rights to the populace of New York to access saloons, parks enclosure and bar rooms where spirituous as well as malt liquors are sold; the public is also able to access ice-cream parlors, soda fountains, confectionaries and all any other facility that has been opened with an intention to provide services and products to the general public. From case provided, taking into consideration the telephone conversation that was recorded by Jennifer McCarthy between Mrs. Gifford and Melisa Erwin, it is indicated that Mrs. Gifford answered Melisa politely that they could not host a lesbian or same sex marriage on the Liberty Farm. This is a fact that could be claimed using the New Marriage Equality Act of 2011. The act hinders any kind of discrimination that may be directed to persons intending to engage in same sex marriage. It is therefore a fact that Mr. and Mrs. Gifford violated the terms of the New York Marriage Equality Act, by specifically asserting that they could not host McCarthy and Melisa’s wedding on their Liberty Ridge Farm on the basis that they were Lesbians. In relation to the New York

Free

Freedom of Speech Essay Originally rap music has been around since 1926 and was not as popular back then as it is now. Teenagers to adults listen to an average of two point five (2.5) maybe three (3) hours of music per day. Study shown in 1 of 3 of the songs played contains explicit language and reference to drugs alcohol or women. Ice Cube’s album entitled ‘Death Certificate’ sends messages that bluntly and descriptively threatens violence against homosexuals, women, whites who exploit blacks, whites who covet black women, Korean shopkeepers and police officers. Jon Pareles who wrote the article, ‘Should Ice Cube Voice be Chilled? ’argues from several different point of views on why Cube’s album should not be sold. The article also argues that his voice should be chilled because of violent lyrics and threats towards which it addresses. Jon Pareles made his argument by simply using different responses and groups to show why the album should not be sold and should be edited. For example, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is Jewish human rights group who demanded four major record stores chains to cease in selling the album. The called it ‘cultural Molotov cocktail’. After listening to it, the Center realizes how quickly this album is going to explode in the minds and ears of young and old listeners. Another example was ‘Black Korea’ which according to Ice Cube meant Korean shopkeepers who follow the customer throughout the store to ensure they do not steal. This section of the album did not just scratched below the surface but stirred a nationwide boycott. The Korean- American Coalition did not take this lightly, they condemned and deleted it. In an editorial review, a response by James Bernard favored censoring the lyrics because some people are too thin-skinned. Also, Mr. Bernard knew that these types of issue people are force to face on a day to day basis. Why did Ice Cube use such blunt and threatening lyrics? Ice Cube was born and raised in an area polluted with crime, violence and where trust was hidden underground. His inappropriate reactions and vengeance was all towards how he and his people were treated (bullied). Pareles describes this reaction of one that is simplistic and ugly because, this would not eradicate the problem but cause an escalation. The clear message of this album caught enough attention by the media and organizations to determine whether or not ‘Death Certificate’ should be heard at all. The question remains unanswered to curious critics, why are people buying ‘Death Certificate’. Some just savor the action like movie imagery that Ice Cube presents. His gift of violence attracts his listeners to buy the album. Ice Cube lyrics did have some effects on young listeners during the recession; gang involvement disillusioned. However, the majority of the listeners will just play loud music. Jon Pareles produced strong points from many different organizations, groups and individual views on why the album should be terminated. The writer never once critized Ice Cube but spectated his album as a whole. On the other hand, Pareles also agree that although Ice Cube does not have the most positive thinking, he has a right to be heard, but he is going to have to answer and be challenged for his thinking and decisions.

Restorative Justice: Process and Outcomes

Restorative Justice: Process and Outcomes Should restorative justice be defined as a process or a set of outcomes? Restorative Justice rather than relying on judges to sentence offenders, places great emphasis on the importance of reparation and gives a role to the victim of the crime and the wider community. (Newburn, T 2013:768) When it comes to the debate of how restorative justice should be defined, either as a process or a set of outcomes it could be said that while they both have legitimacy, restorative justice can only be defined as one or the other. There is a great disagreement among critics on whether the emphasis should be placed on the outcome or the process. A definition of restorative justice that highlights the importance of both restorative processes and outcomes is, restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behaviour. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders. (Van Ness and Heetderks Strong, 2006:43) Marshall (1996:37) whos definition is most frequently quoted said that restorative justice is a process whereby parties with a stake in a particular offence come together to resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offence and its implications for the future. Within this definition 3 core elements of restorative justice are identified. Zehr (2003) stated that the first element is that harm must be healed, restorative justice views crime as harm done to people and communities. It seeks to repair the harm caused by offenders. The second being that violations create obligations, offenders must understand their wrongdoing and restorative justice wants offenders to accept responsibility for their actions. The third element being engagement or participation, relationships are the focus, it is the crime that violates these relationships and restorative justice needs to repair them. The main aim is to mend, restore and build. Dignan (2005, cited in Newburn 2013:771) suggests that Marshalls definition is of very little value for several different reasons, one being it characterises restorative justice as a particular type of process but fails to focus on outcomes, in doing so raises the possibility that undue attention will be paid to questions of equality and fairness. It also fails to consider outcomes by diverting attention away from those cases where restorative justice processes may be inappropriate but where its values and aims may still apply. the process based definition of restorative justice is at best incomplete, because it has nothing to say on the subject of restorative outcomes (Walgrave, 2002:174) this is because there is no direct involvement from the victim needed therefore there is nothing restorative it is just an outcome. Restorative outcomes may include, restitution, reparation and reintegration. It can be argued that a restorative process may not necessarily result in a restorative ou tcome. For example, within restorative conferencing where a direct victim is not present or participating, decisions on outcomes may be left to state regulators. Walgrave argues for an outcome-based definition of restorative justice for example as an option for doing justice in the aftermath of crime that focuses on repairing the harm and suffering caused by the crime rather than preserving an abstract legal order. (Newburn, 2013:772) The victim is seen to be a central stakeholder, who holds an important role in shaping both the process and outcomes of restorative justice. Victims want information about the processing and outcome of their cases, answers to their questions, empowerment and vindication. The process of restorative justice is to meet the needs of crime victims that are not being adequately met by the criminal justice system. Victims may feel ignored or neglected by the justice process. Victims need answers to questions they have about the offense, why has this happened to them? Victims often feel like control has been taken away from them by the offense. Involvement in their own case can be an important way to return a sense of empowerment to them. Restitution by offenders is often important to victims this may come in the form of an apology. (Zehr 2003:18-20). However there are potential dangers when it comes to the victim they may simply become a mere prop used in a process rather than being an empo wered participant. The community is another stakeholder that is considered to be vital to restorative justice. There is a risk of domination, authoritarianism and vigilantism. In N Ireland a restorative justice process was set up in order to stop paramilitary punishments that were being carried out. Braithwaite (1996 as cited in Newburn, 2013) said there are 3 levels at which it is possible to conceptualise the process of restoring community through restorative justice practices. At a micro level it involves those who are close to both the victim and the offender. At a meso level restorative justice helps to foster a sense of community within institutions such as schools, churches and so on. Lastly at a macro level it helps to focus attention on designing institutions of deliberate democracy. Communities need from justice, attention to their concerns as victims. Opportunities to build a sense of community and mutual accountability. Encouragement to take on their obligations for the welfare of their mem bers, including victims and offenders, and for the conditions that promote healthy communities. Community also want assurance of not to repeat the same and preventive actions. (Zehr, 2003:22) The offender is the third stakeholder that is consider to be of value in the restorative justice process. offenders need the opportunity to take responsibility for the harm caused by their behaviour towards victims. Offenders need to take away from the restorative justice process, accountability that addresses the resulting harms, encourages empathy and responsibility, and transforms shame. Encouragement to personal transformation, including healing for the harms that contributed to offending behaviour, opportunities for treatment for addictions and/or other problems, and enhancement of personal competencies. Also encouragement and support for integration into the community (Zehr, 2003:21). Restorative justice aims to help prevent the offender from reoffending again in the future. Being able to face their victims in a restorative justice process provides a chance to also develop empathy and remorse while also having input into the process. Offenders can complete this process threw co mmunity service or by issuing an apology to the victim. Crawford and Newburn (2003, cited in Newburn 2013) stated that in order for there to be a restorative process, stakeholders involved rely on four forms of restorative justice practice. These practices are victim-offender mediation, conferencing, sentencing circles and community boards. This group of practices has in common a process where the offender, victim and other members of the community meet together to consider the impact of a crime or harm on victims and communities and try to develop a plan to repair this harm that meets the needs of those affected. In Northern Ireland, diversionary youth conferences are used as a form of restorative justice. If the offender admits their guilt, then the Public Prosecution Service decides that there must be a conference involving the victim and the offender. Participation in conferences are voluntary. The offender is given the opportunity to discuss the offence and what he/she is prepared to do to repair the harm caused to the victim. The victim is given the opportunity to tell the offender of the impact the offence has had and what they feel should be done to repair the harm. This may for example include an apology or reparation to the victim or community. (Public Prosecution Service N.I. 2008). Youth Conferences provide an effective, fair, proportionate and restorative response to those offending which provides satisfactory outcomes for victims. The aims of a youth conference are about repairing relationships, making amends and to be able to reintegrate back into society. To conclude it could be argued that when it comes to defining restorative justice as a process or outcome it can cause disagreement amongst critics. Gavrielides (2007) stated that those who agree with a process-based definition, tend to limit the scope of restorative programmes to cases that are considered appropriate for a restorative justice intervention or to those in which both parties are willing to participate and abide by the ground rules. However, restorative programmes may appear in different shapes and forms. By adhering, therefore, to a definition that understands restorative justice as a process, we risk excluding the mostly restorative and partially restorative programmes. And this is only one of the limitations of this approach. On the other hand, those who agree with the definition of outcome-based definitions risk stretching the concept to include programmes for example community service, which although may in the end result with restorative outcomes, they might not b e carried out respecting central restorative rules.

Internet and Itself :: Essays Papers

Internet and Itself Education on the Internet In today's society, the internet has become a very important learning tool. It is used for day to day activities, such as a place to look up research, a method of getting in touch with friends and family, and somewhere to go to find information about almost anything imaginable. The most popular uses of the internet include entertainment and education. Many people argue that the internet should be used for educational purposes only. The Internet as a Business The internet is a very valuable resource when it comes to education, but I do not think it should just be limited to that idea. There are many other important qualities the internet possesses. The internet is now used to run businesses, and keep personal business files online. People can go to the business's home page to learn more about the product. One of the most useful and popular businesses online is Amazon. By going to http://www.amazon.com, a person can shop without ever leaving their computer. By using a Visa Card, an individual can purchase books, music, clothes, toys, games, electronics, and much more. The Internet as Entertainment One of the most popular traits of the internet is entertainment. This can take the form of many different aspects of the net. Many people, especially teenagers, enjoy visiting chat rooms. These are web sites designed for people who like to talk to others. Many times, a person can find someone with similar interests in chat rooms and they become online friends. Not necessarily someone they would ever meet, but someone to talk to and share things with. Other types of online entertainment include games a person can play with other others online, and "surfing" the web to find web pages that strike their interest. The Internet as Education The internet is very useful when it comes to research. There are many search engines that can help a person find a related topic. There are online catalogs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses to help enhance a person's learning capabilities. Other ways the internet is useful is that is can be used now as a classro om.

Cluster Intersections and the Evolution of the Bay Area Bioinformatics Cluster :: essays research papers

Cluster Intersections and the Evolution of the Bay Area Bioinformatics Cluster The recent establishment California-based bioinformatics industry clusters is a logical consequence of the intersection of existing local Biotechnology, Information Technology and Venture Capital clusters. The very definition of Bioinformatics: â€Å"the science of managing and analyzing biological data using advanced computing techniques, 1† helps to illustrate the nature of this intersection. Research and development for Biotech companies generates volumes of biological data and IT companies provide tools that assist in processing this data. It seems only natural that in light of this mutual dependency and given the proximity of existing IT and Biotech clusters a new, specialized Bioinformatics cluster would emerge. In his article, â€Å"Clusters and the New Economics of Competition,† Porter describes the benefits created by the â€Å"direction and pace of innovation 2† sustained by local competitors in their existing products and technologies. For example, given the already lengthy process of bringing a new pharmaceutical to market, Biotech companies must have realized early on that their ability to stay abreast of competitors was highly dependant on the speed at which they could process massive amounts of genetic information to find therapeutic candidates. Clearly, the incorporation of cutting edge information technologies into Biotech research and development processes was itself a critical innovation, but it was also critical to future innovations within the Biotech industry. Porter would probably argue that the competitive pressures of clustered Biotech firms fostered more urgent and rapid incorporation of advanced computing into genetic research. The proximity of the knowledg e and resources in the IT cluster made it easier to both conceive of these innovations and to access the resources that enabled them. Conversely, innovations in the field of Information Technology were stimulated in response to the both the needs of the Biotech cluster, and the urgent clamoring of IT competitors to capitalize on a new market. Porter asserts that â€Å"vibrant† clusters not only stimulate innovation in established companies but that new businesses and new innovations take shape in response to the competitive environment. Start-up firms have a unique opportunity to observe the incumbents in the cluster and conceive of ways to improve existing products or develop complementary offerings. New firms benefit from an existing local customer base but also may be able to more readily recognize and capitalize on a niche market in the midst of many established competitors 3. The Bioinformatics industry appears to have emerged in a similar manner, filling the gap between the IT and Biotech clusters.

Can One Be Moral and Not Believe in God? Essay

The argument set forth is best understood by the first line given by Hamlet in Act 3, Scene 1 in this 1600 play, â€Å"Hamlet,† written by William Shakespeare (1600). â€Å"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Believing in a spiritual entity or a supernatural supreme being can play a role in one’s moral beliefs, but it is not necessary. The argument will start with breaking down what it is to be moral with the definition of moral, which is â€Å"of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior,† (ethically speaking) â€Å"conforming to a standard of right behavior.† (Merriam-Webster, 2011) With that in mind now, one can be moral and not believe in GOD, because it is up to the person to choose to be moral, hence â€Å"To be, or not to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This argument will consist of a brief history in a few religions, church and state, moral education, ethics, and Plato’s and Aristotle’s take on living morally. Again, believing in God is not necessarily needed for one to be moral; all that is needed is good ethics, belief in oneself, and knowledge. The origin of religion, experts think, arose from the fear and wonder of natural events (i.e. storms, earthquakes, and the how babies were born). Experts believe that the explanations of death were the outcome of supernatural powers greater than one’s self and the world around them. Religious activities, prehistorically, involved the most essential elements of existence, like adequate rainfall and or a successful hunt for food. Prehistoric people were also believed to have performed rituals intended for good fertility of women, for animals, and for succeeding in hunting as well as making sacrifices for all good fortune. The major religions of today may have been originated between 1500 B.C. and A.D. 600. (Fontaine, 2011) As time progressed, there came a new understanding with religion being involved in one’s life. The justification by faith, the actions of an individual can be justified by their faith as it assists moral goodness and faithfulness to duty. Through Christianity, Christ died for their sins to sit before God’s judgment in their place so that they cannot be found guilty. As an example of justification by faith, believers are led to be more loving towards God, their neighbors and to do good works. For instance, treat others the way you would like to be treated. The understandings of justification by faith, good acts towards others, are justified by people using their faith as justification for their actions. (Edwards, 2011) Religion also has a code of conduct, a set of moral teachings and values to uphold when conducting the business of living. From these morals and values, one should treat others how one would like to be treated, whom one may marry, what jobs may be held, how to dress, and what foods may be eaten. (Fontaine, 2011) Now let us look at church and state. The understanding of church and state is that each should not be involved in the others development. In other words, government should operate non-religiously and churches should operate outside the boundaries of the government system. This was disagreed by many, because many believed that religion improves the moral character of citizens and should be actively promoted by government. Many others believed that government should support and fund some religious activities so long as any religion is not favored over another. From these oppositions, arose intense debates in the United States of America for issues involving prayer in public schools, government funding for religious schools, government support for religious charities, and the display of religious symbols on government property. (Ivers, 2011) The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof†¦.† Freedom of religion is still an issue today, for it is interpreted by many court rulings â€Å"that the government may not promote or give any special treatment to any religion.†(Morgan, 2011) Plans, which called for government financial aid for religious schools have been denied and courts have ruled it unconstitutional to many programs to teach the  Bible and or recite prayers in public schools. Yet, church and state are not totally separate, because (1), many of the nation’s people are Christians, (2), the nation’s motto is â€Å"In God We Trust,† (3), sessions of Congress open up in prayer, (4), witnesses in court swear oaths on the Bible, and (5), Christians governed the United States since its existence. (Morgan, 2011) Moving along, morality in both religion and government is a major concern and work together when and if their moral goals desired are with the same intentions. It, of course, is the exact opposite when both entity’s desires and views of morality are different, like the belief in abortion. Where religiously it is viewed as morally wrong and governmentally allowed in some states. Moral education is focused on what is right and what is wrong to develop the standard values by which people judge what is important, worthwhile, and good. Moral education is received from many angles of sources one may encounter, beginning with their family, church, friends, teachers, and television. Moral education lessons were given in schools either intentionally or unintentionally in the United States in the 1970’s by developing special teaching methods in assistance with dealing with moral questions. These methods if given in a combination approach were called comprehensive moral education. Inculcation was the effort to teach values which educators believed to lead moral behavior to children. Values in moral behavior such as honesty, compassion, justice, and respect for others were taught by appropriate praise and punishment and reflected in whichever desired value in the teacher’s behavior. Values clarification was designed to assist in developing one’s own values and morals by stress setting goals, choosing thoughtfully from alternatives, and acting on their own convictions. Moral development assisted in the development in the abilities to judge moral questions. That which is based on the theory that moral reasoning progresses from lower to higher stages in people: (1) self-interest, (2) seeking approval of others, (3) to following rules, (4) respecting the rights of others, and so on to where opposing laws of society if it conflicts with moral principles that are even higher. An example of moral  development would be putting one in a moral dilemma with a question like, â€Å"Would you steal to feed your starving family?† or allow the principles of fairness and justice up to the students to govern. Lastly, value analysis teaches the application of logical and scientifically investigative techniques to matters involving values, where the importance of exploring, gathering, and evaluating facts and logically made decisions are highly stressed. (Kirschenbaum, 2011) Opposition to the teaching of moral education in schools believes it is a matter for the family and church to handle. In addition to their argument, it takes necessary time away from what should be taught in class, like reading, writing, and mathematics. In surveys though, parents have indicated that some forms of moral education in schools are needed. Their argument is that families need help in teaching moral behaviors consistent with values such as hard work, honesty, fairness, cooperation, tolerance, and respect. (Kirschenbaum, 2011) All these values are built from character education including responsibility and caring. The goal, which was set forth here, was to develop a more responsible and caring society by implementing and emphasizing on such programs dealing with ethics and responsibility. The core basis in character education has to be established for it to be integrated into schools and in the community. Character education is introduced in early grades, which emphasizes on behavior skills and in later grades, which involves topics such as reducing prejudice and resolving conflicts. These character education programs have been widespread throughout the United States to nonprofit organizations, universities, and school districts; thus giving all these organizations strategies on how to effectively incorporate character education into their curriculums. Building character comes with ethical choices. â€Å"Ethics is a branch of philosophy that attempts to help us understand which ways of life are worth following and which actions are right or wrong. Ethics addresses questions of right and wrong using reason rather than faith or tradition.† (Hunt, 2011) Upholding high ethical standards can be complicated, because some decisions are difficult to make. For example, Joe has been in-trusted with  a secret from a friend, John, that he stole some money from another friend. Thinking about doing the right thing, Joe realizes their friendship can be jeopardized, because Joe and John are closer than the other friend is. Keeping the secret though, can damage Joe’s integrity and his moral values. Conflicting thoughts can be very difficult to comprehend which direction to take. Ethical theories have been made to direct a person in making the right choice and they also guide us when and where conflicting ideas apply and do not apply. Ancient ethical theorists such as Plato and Aristotle are two influential thinkers who have brought order into thinking about ethical problems. They have defined a sort of life that is worth living and the sort of people who can live such lives. (Hunt, 2011) Plato believes that wisdom, courage, temperance or self-control, and justice are virtues that one should have. Plato has also acknowledged that wisdom is the most important of these virtues, for it is the knowledge of what is truly good. Having this wisdom will direct one to do what is right and this will bring harmony to them, thus building the virtue of justice. Plato wrote a book, which described the life and death of a man who understood goodness, his teacher Socrates. Both believed that people did not know how to be moral, because they did not have the knowledge of moral ideas to act morally. Plato’s ethical theory is based on the belief that one desires happiness and that moral virtue can bring that happiness within the soul of a person; resulting in a healthy state of the soul. (Soll, 2011) Aristotle, Plato’s student, had similar beliefs, but added more traits needed to live a moral life. â€Å"These traits are friendliness, generosity, gentleness, truthfulness, and wit.† (Soll, 2011) He believed in one trait that brings out all of the virtues discussed, which he called phronesis, meaning prudence or good judgment; the ability to know what one should do by figuring out what choices would direct one to lead a good life. The study of practical knowledge, knowledge that enables people to act properly and live happily, Aristotle argued that people do this to find their function in life. Function like how one’s eye functions, which is to see; believing that a happy life is governed by reason. Believing also that moral virtue is finding the medium between the extremes, example, â€Å"the virtue of  generosity is the mean between stinginess and wastefulness.† (Soll, 2011) From these two ancient theorists, the belief of ethics differs from modern ethical theories. The difference is ancient ethics related a theory of normal life and offered no solutions to the dilemmas facing very critical decisions. Like the example of Joe’s dilemma. There were no rules or guides set in assisting us in making those difficult choices, whereas modern ethics is a theory of life in crisis. Modern ethics is directed towards helping one sort out the conflicting reasons for different choices of action to take. It also assists one’s decision-making in which, one will choose which reasons that hold more value and which ones hold lesser value. Modern ethics involve considerations of benefits and of obligations. Joe might feel obligated to keep John’s, a close friend, secret and what benefits will arise from him not keeping his considered obligation, like closer ties with the other friend, who is not a thief. Modern theorists have reached the conclusion that giving equal importance to both obligations and benefits is difficult. They have also divided its ethical theory into two chains of thought: (1) deontology, holding what really matters (ethically) and to what obligations one has, (2) teleology, claims to what really matters in which, one’s actions or policies would best benefit the people. (Hunt, 2011) In conclusion, to live as righteous as one can be, does not need GOD or a supreme supernatural being to do so; even though many of the teachings of how to live morally consists of values of spiritually related beliefs, building character comes with ethical choices. These choices develop or build one’s personal strength in believing in one to do right as to wrong by educating on and building knowledge of moral values to which ethic standards one wants to live by. Again, moral education, ethics, and belief in one’s self to do what is right are all one needs to live morally without GOD. â€Å"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare, 1600) References Edwards, M. U. (2011). Luther, Martin. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Fontaine, C. R. (2011). Religion. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Hunt, L. H. (2011). Ethics. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 25, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Ivers, G. (2011). Church and State. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Kirschenbaum, H. (2011). Moral education. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Merriam-Webster. (2011). Moral. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/. Morgan, R. E. (2011). Freedom of religion. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University.

Jolli Bee Case study Essay

In 1975 Jollibee Food Corporation began as an ice cream parlor and was run by the Chinese-Filipino Tan family. After the oil crisis in 1977 Tony Tan Caktiong (TTC) expected the ice cream prices to soar. The consequence of this incident was, that the family diversified into a home-style Philippine hamburger, which was quickly desired by the customers. As a result of the big success the family opened five stores in Manila, where the family incorporated as Jollibee Foods Corporation. When McDonald’s entered the Philippine market in 1981 Jollibee had to face his first serious challenge. With already 11 in their back Jollibee was fearless and confident. Moreover Philippine customers preferred the spicy taste of their hamburgers. Nevertheless McDonald’s, who spent a lot of money in advertising, quickly exceeded Jollibee’s sales per store. The company was named after TTC’s vision where employees work efficiently and cheerfully, like bees. Through a well-developed operations management Jollibee was able to offer a consistent and efficient service and quality food. Consequently the family expanded rapidly throughout the Philippines financing all growth internally until 1993. At the end of 1993 the Jollibee Foods Corporation had a total of 124 stores with a total sales volume of 3.386 millions of pesos (see Exhibit 1). Year Total Sales (millions of pesos) Total Stores at the End of the Year Company-Owned Stores Franchises 1975 NA 2 2 0 1980 NA 7 4 3 1985 174 28 10 18 1990 1,229 65 12 54 1991 1,744 99 21 80 1992 2,644 112 25 89 1993 3,386 124 30 96 1994 4,044 148 44 106 1995 5,118 166 55 113 1996 6,588 205 84 124 1997 (projected) 7,778 223 96 134 NA = not available Exzhibit : Jollibee Philippines Growth 1975 – 1997 (Bartlett and Beamish, 2011, p. 35). Although Jollibee went public in 1993 the Tan family retained the majority ownership and kept on controlling Jollibee. BACKGROUND After the big success against McDonald’s people started approaching TTC for franchise rights. That’s why Jollibee slowly began to enter the foreign markets with investments in Singapore. With the help of friends Jollibee started a partnership with a local manager and five Philippine-Chinese investors. Soon the relationship between Jollibee and the local manager started to worsen. Therefore the franchise agreement was revoked and shut  down in 1986. Jollibee kept on moving offshore and started joint ventures in Taiwan and Brunei as well as an own store in Indonesia in the late 1980s. Because of several mistakes Jollibee was unsuccessful in every market besides Brunei. Nevertheless Jollibee decided to continue entering foreign countries. For that reason in 1994 an International Division was created with Tony Kitchner selected as Vice-president. He started expanding quickly while he was differentiating the International Division from the Philippine part. Moreover Kitchner tried to create a more formal culture for the division with a strategy, which had two main themes – â€Å"targeting expats† and â€Å"planting the flag†. Soon he remarked that the Middle East, Hong Kong, Guam and other Asian Territories would provide a good market for Jollibee since many Filipinos live there. The other strategy said, that a company always has a first mover advantage. So Jollibee started to plant the flag in countries where there was no or little competition. Jollibee expanded quickly – by 1997 Jollibee had 223 stores (see Exhibit 1). But this rapid growth also had the consequences that there was not enough advertising budget. With the growth of the international business the relation between the International Division and the Philippine organization started to struggle. That’s why in 1996 TTC realized that the Kitchner’s strategy was costing heavily and decided not to keep on supporting Kitchner. Because of that Kitchner left Jollibee in 1997 while TTC shrank the International Division’s staff from 32 to 14 (Bartlett and Beamish, 2011, p. 48). INTERNAL ANALYSIS 1 Current Situation Today Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Philippines, operating more than 750 stores (Jollibee, 2013). It is mainly operating on its domestic home-market where it is a dominant market leader. Moreover the company currently has more than 80 stores outside the Philippines – USA (26), Vietnam (32), Brunei (11), Jeddah (7), Qatar, Hong Kong, and Kuwait (1 each). Jollibee obviously want to grow fast and become international. For further investments Jollibee has to find out what went wrong during their first years, where foreign markets couldn’t be reached successful. Additionally Jollibee has to question if Jollibee still can be mainly family-run as their company grows very fast. 2 Strength Financial situation and leadership in local market: As already mentioned, Jollibee is the biggest fast food chain in the Philippines and owns the leadership in their local market. With over 750 stores worldwide Jollibee has strong financial resources with an operating margin of approximately 7% (net income). Although competitors like McDonald’s have two-digit margins (Google finance – McDonald’s Corporation, 2013) Jollibee shows a static growth. Their net income nearly tripled between 1992 and 1996. Moreover Jollibee Foods Corp. joined the ranks of Forbes Magazine’s top 50 Asian companies this year based on financial track records (GMANETWORK, 2013). Furthermore Jollibee’s assets seem to be bound long-term in property and inventory. Operations management capability Jollibee is a family-run business. Although there was an IPO in 1993 the Tan family still controls the business. Nevertheless they hired external managers in areas where they weren’t familiar with and local knowledge was needed, e.g. the international business. Another aspect is, that the share of own stores is relatively high – with about 40% while competitors like McDonald’s only own 20% of their stores (McDonald’s, 2013). Normally own stores demand a much higher investment than franchise stores while having a much higher financial risk of failure. Besides that the company is capable of serving good, fresh and healthy food for low prices. Key to this affordable price is a well-developed operations management. Diversity in product offering Another huge strength of Jollibee Foods Corp. is its diversity in products which is bigger than most of their competitors. Moreover, the acquisition of Greenwich Pizza and the joint venture with Deli France even increased their product margin. Company philosophy The next big strength of Jollibee Foods Corp. is their company philosophy, which was set after TTC’s vision. The so-called â€Å"Five F’s† contain â€Å"flavorful food†, â€Å"friendliness†, â€Å"fun† â€Å"family† and â€Å"flexibility†. Flavorful food: As already mentioned, Jollibee places special emphasis on good, healthy and flavorful food. The other four F’s aim to give the customer a nice stay and a nice atmosphere with their family where they can join their meal. 3 4 Weaknesses Expansion of business in international markets As already mentioned the first moves to foreign markets failed. Due to several mistakes Jollibee had to close their stores after a couple of years. The management made huge errors when they cooperated with local manager, which didn’t follow the company’s philosophy. Jollibee should have controlled the manager from the beginning and maybe they had to show them their operational management skills to fulfill their requirements, e.g. with a training or instruction. Additionally the communication within the organization has to approve so that problems between the two divisions can be minimized. Dependence on Filipinos Another weakness of Jollibee is their dependence on Filipinos. Instead of addressing to people from all walks they try to force themselves to just serve Filipinos. With a well managed marketing addressed to other citizens the demand after Jollibee products could increase and maybe lead to a expansion towards Europe. Moreover they could start promotional campaigns where Jollibee is presented as a global brand. Bias towards friends Jollibee Foods Corp. has a strong bias towards friend and relatives while selecting local franchise partners. This often led to problems. They should select their partners after their attitude to work and capability instead of friendship. EXTERNAL ANALYSIS 5 Opportunities Widen product range As previously mentioned the product range and taste of Jollibee differs from  competitors like Burger King and McDonald’s due to its Philippine origin. This is not only a chance, but also a risk at the same time. The special taste gives Jollibee the chance, that customers prefer their food. Also Jollibee should show that they only serve quality food while the price is still affordable. With a well-planned marketing campaign they could reach a competitive advantage. Otherwise Jollibee runs danger to lose the competition because of the far bigger marketing budgets and brand recognition of the established burger chains, as they face this problem in Hong Kong and California. Furthermore they could widen their product range to address people from other countries. Another option would be to include more local food items to target more mainstream American people. But as Tony Kitchner already failed with the â€Å"Jollimeal†, which is modifier for each country this has to be planned exactly. If something like that will be used again, a better communication to the customers is necessary. Untapped locations Location management is a key to success in the fast-food industry, as the number of customers increase with a well-located restaurant. That’s why another opportunity is, that the â€Å"plant the flag† strategy should be reused, but in a slightly smaller scale. Jollibee should watch out for untapped locations with fewer or negligible competition to save the first mover’s advantage or just to acquire new customers. Another option is to hire local people to get local knowledge. But in order to stay successful in foreign countries, Jollibee has to at least run 60 restaurants with a turnover of minimum 800.000 US-Dollars each. 6 7 Threats Competition One of the biggest threats and problems of Jollibee Foods Corp. is the huge amount of competitors. Moreover, these competitors, e.g. Burger King or McDonald’s, have a established brand and are well known Other At last there are several other little threats that could get problematic for Jollibee. Since the downturn in economy many people have to eat at home, because they cannot afford the costs of going out with the whole family. Another aspects are the rising operational costs, e.g. power or labor. With static increasing operational costs the profit decreased so that Jollibee will be forced to raise the food prices. Since people try to live healthier their dining habits could change, so that people could prefer dining than fast food. RECOMMENDATIONS This analysis makes one thing clear: Opening over 150 stores within 10 years is beyond the organizational and financial capabilities of Jollibee. It should grow slower and concentrate on every store opening so that it is able to generate income very quick and be able to pay back debts. Another big question is, if Jollibee is able to address to non-Philippine expats without or with less modifications. The suggestions for this three selected markets are as following: Hong Kong and the United States (California) both are huge but highly competed markets. The advantage of California is that there is a big community of immigrants as well as a big community of Philippine expats, who are the main group addressed by Jollibee. Moreover the Americans like fast food and probably like the regular Jollibee menu. However the Chinese market needs high entry costs since the demanded modifications are very high, although the customer acceptance is not guaranteed. As mentioned before, Jollibee should concentrate on few stores. That’s why it would not make any sense to enter both markets, as the financial situation is too bad. Because of a wider range of communities as well as fewer modification costs, Jollibee should try to compete on the U.S. market. Though the market in Papua New Guinea may be entered on a basis as a test, since there are only few fast food companies to compete with. Additionally, the entry costs are low. Although it is not guaranteed that the fast food will be accepted on this virgin market, the risk for a fast expansion is too high. As Bartlett and Beamish state, the so-called â€Å"Global mentality† is a key factor for the fast food industry to get successful (Bartlett and Beamish, 2011, p. 12). REFERENCES Bartlett, Christpher A., Beamish, Paul W. Transnational Management – Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2011. Print. McDonald’s. Our company. Retrieved September 14th, 2013, from: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company.html Google Finance – McDonald’s Corportion (2013, September 13). Retrieved September 14th, 2013, from: http://www.google.com/finance?cid=22568 Jollibee – About us. Retrieved September 14th From: http://www.jollibee.com.ph/about-us GMANETWORK – Jollibee, Ayala Corp., Alliance Global among Forbes’ ‘Fab 50’ Asian firms . Retrieved September 14th From: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/324133/economy/companies/jollibee-ayala-corp-alliance-global-among-forbes-fab-50-asian-firms