Feasibility of hotel to implement changes in strategy Speech or Presentation

Feasibility of hotel to implement changes in strategy - Speech or Presentation Example A British scientist Charles Darwin wrote that survival does not belong to the strongest, but rather those that adapt more easily to change. For change in strategy to be implemented a feasibility study has to be taken. Change in strategy at hotel Penang Mutiara is visible due to these factors; The flexibility of the management is possible because this can be attested to the fact that the hotel can cope up with unexpected requests by customers this is evident from the fact that a hotel can have someone look for camembert cheese when asked by a guest since they don’t have it.This assures the guests of dependable services and satisfaction. (Gregory, G.,Lumpkin,G.&Marilyn,L04).The strategy of the hotel to cope with influx of guests is feasible because the hotel has already moved to a system of having multi-skilled works to cope up with the needs the hotel has proved this also by having them call stuff from other hotels and restaurants to the do the job.This is the flexibility that is needed for the management to work effectively and efficiently. This proves that the hotel can have a better system which is more effective by having a on and off system of hiring labour and retraining the current workers to be multi-skilled or rehiring multi-skilled workers.Changes to make sure Quality of services are there is necessary to be in place; in the case for this hotel the guest can lose their luggage on transit to the hotel.

Heat Detector Essay Example for Free

Heat Detector Essay When present, humans can be excellent fire detectors. The healthy person is able to sense multiple aspects of a fire including the heat, flames, smoke, and odors. For this reason, most fire alarm systems are designed with one or more manual alarm activation devices to be used by the person who discovers a fire. Unfortunately, a person can also be an unreliable detection method since they may not be present when a fire starts, may not raise an alarm in an effective manner, or may not be in perfect heath to recognize fire signatures. It is for this reason that a variety of automatic fire detectors have been developed. Automatic detectors are meant to imitate one or more of the human senses of touch, smell or sight. Thermal detectors are similar to our ability to identify high temperatures. The properly selected and installed automatic detector can be a highly reliable fire sensor. Our automatic fire alarm system is designed to detect the unwanted presence of fire by monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion. In general, our fire alarm system is classified as either automatically actuated, manually actuated, or both. Automatic fire alarm systems are intended to notify the building occupants to evacuate in the event of a fire or other emergency, report the event to an off-premises location in order to summon emergency services, and to prepare the structure and associated systems to control the spread of fire and smoke. Whenever the system detects a high temperature, the fire alarm will inform the area and send a text message to the fire station and will inform them the specific block/area in the subdivision which is on fire. GSM/GPRS module is used to establish communication between a computer and a GSM-GPRS system. Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) is an architecture used for mobile communication in most of the countries. In our system, we will be using GSM modem Nokia 6300 for the output of text. The device will send a text message to the nearest fire station and will inform which house is on fire. Control Panel The control panel is the brain of the fire detection and alarm system. It is responsible for monitoring the various alarm input devices such as manual and automatic detection components, and then activating alarm output devices such as horns, bells, warning lights, emergency telephone dialers, and building controls. Control panels may range from simple units with a single input and output zone, to complex computer driven systems that monitor several buildings over an entire campus. Upon fire occurrence, one or more detectors will operate. This action closes the circuit, which the fire control panel recognizes as an emergency condition. The panel will then activate one or more signaling circuits to sound building alarms and summon emergency help. The panel may also send the signal to another alarm panel so that it can be monitored from a remote point. Alarm Output Devices Upon receiving an alarm notification, the fire alarm control panel must now tell someone that an emergency is underway. This is the primary function of the alarm output aspect of a system. Occupant signalling components include various audible and visual alerting components, and are the primary alarm output devices. All fire alarm systems require notification devices, including sirens, bells, horns, and/or strobes. In residential applications, each automatic alarm initiating device when activated shall cause the operation of an alarm notification device that shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over ambient or background noise levels (at least 15dB above noise) with all intervening doors closed. Bells are the most common and familiar alarm sounding device, and are appropriate for most building applications. Horns are another option, and are especially well suited to areas where a loud signal is needed such as library stacks, and architecturally sensitive buildings where devices n eed partial concealment. In this case, we will be using Siren as the alarm output device. Some of the major benefits of installation of fire alarms are as follows. †¢ Safety is the most important reason why we should have fire alarms in our house, even before a fire breaks out, the smoke detectors tell you there is a possibility of a fire and you can safely be out of danger. Secondly being pre informed about a possible fire, a prompt message can be conveyed to the fire workers. As a result of this, damage can be minimized and valuables can be saved from being burnt to ashes. †¢ A house with a fire alarm is a safer house and fetches a far better price in the real estate market. The customers feel secured when they see that they are opting for a property that has the safety measures installed. †¢ Using a fire alarm is a cost effective way to ensure that your assets are not in danger. Being noted beforehand you can move them out quickly thus saving your valuables from being burnt. †¢ The alarm works even when nobody is in the house and thus alerts the neighbours. This way your home can be protected from any major damages. Limitations of our Heat Sensor †¢ Heat detectors do not sense particles of combustion and are designed to alarm only when heat on their sensors increase at a predetermined rate or reaches a predetermined level. Heat detectors are designed to protect property, not life. †¢ Warning devices (including horns, sirens, and bells) may not alert people or wake up sleepers who are located on the other side of closed or partially open doors. A warning device that activates on a different floor or level of a dwelling or structure is less likely to awaken or alert people. Even persons who are awake may not notice the warning if the alarm is muffled by noise from a stereo, radio, air conditioner or other appliance, or by passing traffic. Audible warning devices may not alert the hearing-impaired (strobes or other devices should be provided to warn these people). Any warning device may fail to alert people with a disability, deep sleepers, people who have recently used alcohol or drugs, or people on medication or sleeping pills. Temperature Sensor The Thermistor Thermistors are temperature sensitive resistors. All resistors vary with temperature, but thermistors are constructed of semiconductor material with a resistivity that is especially sensitive to temperature. However, unlike most other resistive devices, the resistance of a thermistor decreases with increasing temperature. Thats due to the properties of the semiconductor material that the thermistor is made from. A Thermistor is a temperature dependent resistor. When temperature changes, the resistance of the thermistor changes in a predictable way. Sensor Advantages and Disadvantages [pic] Each sensor type has advantages and disadvantages. For thermistors, the major advantages are: Sensitivity: This allows thermistors to sense very small changes in temperature. Accuracy: Thermistors offer both high absolute accuracy and interchangeability. Cost: For the high performance they offer, thermistors are very cost-effective. Ruggedness: Because of their construction, thermistors are very rugged. Flexibility: Thermistors can be configured into a wide variety of physical forms, including very small packages. Hermetic Seal: Glass encapsulation provides a hermetic package, eliminating moisture induced sensor failure. Surface Mount: A wide range of sizes and resistance tolerances are available. Of the thermistor disadvantages, typically only self-heating is a design consideration. Proper care must be taken to limit the sensing current to a low enough value that self-heat error is minimized to an acceptable value. Types of Thermistors Thermistor Elements The thermistor element is the simplest form of thermistor. Because of their compact size, thermistor elements are commonly used when space is very limited. OMEGA offers a wide variety of thermistor elements which vary not only in form factor but also in their resistance versus temperature characteristics. Since thermistors are non-linear, the instrument used to read the temperature must linearize the reading. Linear Response Thermistor Elements For applications requiring thermistors with linear response to temperature change, OMEGA offers linear components. These unique devices consist of a thermistor composite for temperature sensing and an external resistor composite for linearizing. Thermistor Probes The standalone thermistor element is relatively fragile and cannot be placed in a rugged environment. OMEGA offers thermistor probes which are thermistor elements embedded in metal tubes. Thermistor probes are much more suitable for industrial environments than thermistor elements. Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) RTDs (Resistive Temperature Detectors) serve as the standard for precision temperature measurements due to their excellent repeatability and stability characteristics. RTDs provide the designer with an absolute result that is fairly linear over temperature. The RTD’s linear relationship between resistance and temperature simplifies the implementation of signal conditioning circuitry. The RTD requires external current excitation, as well as signal conditioning to account for lead wire effects and self-heating. Analog Devices supplies the ADT70, which provides both excitation and signal conditioning for a platinum RTD. The output of this device (5 mv/ °C) is be fed through an analog to digital converter, to be converted by the DSP to temperature readings.

Business Plan And Executive Summary For A Gym Business Essay

Business Plan And Executive Summary For A Gym Business Essay Executive Summary The location of the gym will be on a main road with good parking facilities. This will help the gym grow with members as it attracts people because of the location and give people advantages to join the gym with ample parking. There isnt much history about the gym because it is a band new business but the idea came to me about 5 months ago when i wasnt satisfied with what other gyms offered to customers. The business is situated in the retail sector because it provides gym equipment to people who dont have room at their houses or they cannot afford all the equipment themselves. The Prime function of the business is to provide gym equipment to people as well as help them achieve their fitness goals. The gym offers a wide range of products and equipment starting from bags, drinks and clothing to dumbells, treadmills and benches. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 269) Purpose of the Plan There can be many purposes for a business plan. The plan should provide a firm with a clear direction for the future and identifies the main goals of the business. / The goals of the gym would be social, financial and environmental goals. The social goals that the gym would like to achieve would be good service to patrons that use the facilities, helping the community through sponsorships of local sporting clubs and helping out schools through conducting sport lessons in the gym. Financial goals that the gym would like achieve would be to increase the owners wealth through increased market share, increased level of cash flow and increased level of liquidity. But increasing wealth is one of the objectives. The other financial objective would be to minimise the wastage of money on items or products that will not help the gym grow and not falling into heavy debt. Environmental goals that the gym would like to achieve would be to use electricity efficiently, install energy efficient appliances, minimise waste and disposing of the waste properly. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 269) v Situational Analysis Internal External ac4 Strengths (lob ortunities †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Good assistance provided by employees Great membership deals Cheap prices Good location r †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Weaknesses Threats †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Not enough employees when business is busy Toilet facilities too small Security Poor Receptionist †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 248) Business Objectives and Strategies The business objectives and strategies section of the business plan outlines what the business aims to achieve, including overall strategic goals. These goals will be based on research from the situational analysis. The Objectives of the Gym are to try and eliminate the weaknesses in the business and make them one of the strengths by working on them with one another and also to improve on strengths and try to make them stronger. Another Objective would be to take every opportunity possible to help the business grow and try to work around keeping threats away from the business. The final Objective would be to improve financial wealth for the owner and to build a good reputation within the community so people feel invited and welcomed when they visit the gym. These objectives can be accomplished through employees and owner working together. This means that employees can help one another with weaknesses and improve on strengths each person has to offer. Also, the owner must be willing to spend money for the improvement of the business. These improvements will include things like renovations when needed, sponsorships and buying extra stock. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 271) Operations Description of the service The technology used will be modern. The use of big televisions near treadmills and cardiovascular equipment will help people enjoy themselves while exercising. Memberships, cash transactions, and general business will be done on computers set up on the front counter and in the main office. This will include eftpos facilities, printers, cash register connected to computer. If possible that all 3 computers be linked so memberships can be done on all 3 computers and make renewals, show current members, on these computers. This will make work more convenient. Equipment and materials required will be based on how big the gym is and how quickly the business grows. Equipment required will be: Medicine balls †¢ Accessories †¢ Boxing Gear Gym flooring †¢ Barbells †¢ Cable Attachments Weight plates †¢ Benches †¢ Dumbells Materials that will be required will be things that are needed for day-to-day operations. These materials are: Filing Cabinets . Noticeboard †¢ Paper Lockers †¢ Shop Fittings . Pens Fridges . Office Furniture †¢ Chairs Supplies that will be used will include: Supplements †¢ Gym Singlets . Membership Packages Gym Equipment †¢ Sports Drinks (Bag, Towel, Bottle) Staff Uniform Staff will need to have a Timetable/Roster to inform them when they are working. This roster will be completed every Saturday. For the Staff that do not work on the weekends or dont have a chance to see the roster, the roster will be emailed to all staff members on the Saturday. This will eliminate the excuse of not knowing when and what time staff are working. The testing and evaluating expenses would be high because of the large amount of equipment needed to start up and also the sophistication of the technology used in the gym. The supplies would cost a bit because of the never ending need for it. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 271) Personnel requirements and skills The gym should recruit staff according to their qualifications and experience. Staff that are recruited should all specialise in a target area which they occupy during their work times at the gym. Examples of this would be some workers may only be on the front counter, working on the computers. Others may be working on cardio and strength exercises. This will keep things running smoothly and be more convenient for patrons to benefit from these people. The staff would be qualified personal trainers with a certificate III and certificate IV in personal training. ersonal trainers have added qualifications in weight loss, strength training and fitness which are an added bonus. The employer should check to see if the possible employee is qualified because in that industry, there are unqualified people calling themselves personal trainers. Training new and present workers on new technology that gets installed into the gym. Things such as new exercise machines and equipment need to be used in the right way to ensure things are safe and that equipment is stored correctly for safety. Employees need to know what the expectations are when it comes to helping patrons and becoming a leader for new/younger employees. Also understanding what working at a gym involves in regards to how you conduct yourself in front of others, coming to work on time etc. Employees should be able to stay motivated and maintain a good standard of work. This will happen if there is a reward system put in place where workers would get rewarded for doing something extra or working longer. This will become an initiative to keep workers working at a high standard, keep patrons happy and ensuring they come back to the gym knowing they are going to get good service. A safe and healthy work environment is essential for workers to be able to work in a comfortable environment where they can feel relaxed and work to their full potential. This should include a workers office where they can sit and relax during lunch breaks, freshen up; keep all their belongings in a locker. This also shows them that you are thinking about how they feel and try to make things the best as possible. Measuring employee performance would come from 3 main places. One of their evaluations,Will come from their work mates. Other evaluations would come from patrons through a short evaluation sheet which is optional to fill out after a worker has completed a training session with them. The last evaluation will come from the manager/boss talking to the worker themselves. This shows how the workers feels and get their honest opinion on how things could be improved around the gym. / Challenges that would be experiences throughout the operations element would be the high costs in setting up the business and the first few periods where business is slow and not so busy. The equipment should be set out properly and this would be hard with a small area to work with. The qualified employees will be a challenge to find because they are already working or they are almost finished studying to become a personal trainer. This becomes costly because you have to offer the people that are already working a better pay per hour or better salary. Training them to work in a gym would be time consuming because it is based on being good around people and having confidence to talk to therm. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 272, http://en.wikipedia,org/wiki/Personal_trainer} C(.5 Marketing Market Analysis The target market the gym would aim at would be a various number of groups of people. One of these groups of people would be people looking to lose weight through proper exercises and having excellent to guide them through their weight loss journey. The other target market would be people looking to train and gain muscle size as well as muscular strength. The other group of people would be woman, men and teens that are looking for good cardio sessions with a qualified trainer. These sessions will be a combination of light weights, treadmills and bikes. The gym will aim to provide these groups of people with the facilities and good environment to exercise in. As the gym grows, it needs to develop new things to attract people. Something that should be done is to invite local schools for their sport time and take them through a cardio session or a weights session depending on what the majority want to do. These activities should be free of charge for the first term, and a small charge for the sessions after the first term. This attracts teens to become a member and in turn, they will tell their mates to become a member. This leads to a quicker growth and a positive outcome on first timers. Competitors are a very influential factor on your business. They are influential because they determine what you charge for your membership fees, visitor fees and for supplies like shirts and supplements. This means not only do your prices have to be competitive, but your products and services that you are offering have to be of high quality. This is because people are willing to pay a little extra for their good or service but know that they are spending that little extra for top quality. If your prices and quality of goods and services are better that your competitors, it ultimately gives you the competitive advantage over them. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 274) Sales Forecasting Sales forecasting is an analysis of a firms sales figures based on individual products, sales representatives, geographic locations, seasonal or annual trends in sales, cash sales or credit card sales. These statistics are used to predict how much profit is going to be made by the firm in the future. It would be hard to create a sales forecast with a newly opened business. This is because the statistics that are provided are short term. Statistics should be at least one year old to show trends in consumer spending. One statistic that can show a future boom in the gym business is the winter season. People tend to join gyms during the winter, work out so their body looks good for the summer seasons. Another figure that is constant is the sale of supplements. These supplements are in constant demand and this is why the sales are always up. One other statistic would be the sale of supplies including towels, bottles, drinks, shirts and singlets. With these statistics and overall plan, business owners will be able to predict when they need to get more supplies, hire or call in more staff, and prepare themselves for the times where business isnt very busy. This would give business owners an advantage because it can help them in deciding how much supply they need, and avoid over-hiring. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 276) Marketing Strategies Marketing strategies will be directed towards achieving specific objectives that support the strategic goals of the business. Some goals may simply be based on increased sales, increased market share, entry into and establishment in a new market area, such as overseas, diversification of the product base and increased profits. Marketing strategies must be consistent throughout the marketing mix and take into consideration product, promotion, price and place. Studies page 278)There are many products and services that the gym offers. The products that the gym offers include gym apparel, bags, bottles and towels. These products are all of high quality and made by Skins USA. The packaging of these products are of high standard. They all come in sealed plastic bags. The size of the bags, bottles and towels are all practical in size. Not too big and not too small. The warranty on the products last for an extended period of time which suggests the quality is high and producers are confident that products are durable. If the product does fail, the gym will happily replace it within reason. Example, the bottle breaks because of misuse. The price of the gyms products and services are all reasonable. The gym memberships are about $70 a month for adults and about $55 for people under the age of 18. This price also includes a free gym bag, towel and bottle when you first sign up. This price beats all other competitors by $10. The products that are offered are priced at $20 for a bag, $10 for a towel and $5 or a bottle. The cheap prices are a result of finding a supplier that has cheap prices on their goods with good quality. / The promotion of the gym plays a crucial part in influencing people to join and become members. The strategy of inviting schools for a couple of free circuit sessions influences young people and also their teachers to join. Advertising through the local newspapers would be a cheap and effective way to bring people to the gym with advertisements about new membership offers or coupons that can be used to enter as a guest for free or a discounted price. Also, sponsoring local sporting clubs bring people of all ages to the gym and also give the business a good reputation for helping young people. The place of distribution of our products would only be at the gym. This is because the products are exclusive to out gym only. The storage of the products would be in storage rooms located within the gyms premises; most likely in the office. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Finance Financial requirements New businesses need have a clear idea of the amount of funds they will need. This could come from debt financing, the original owners equity or a future partners equity. The business plan should provide a breakdown of how these initial or additional funds will be used. The financial requirements needed to support the gym would be very high. The reasons for this would be the start-up costs of the business which includes things like buying the space, renovating and designing interior and exterior, purchases of new gym equipment and the employment of staff. This would be challenging for a sole trader, but with careful financial management the business can run smoothly, begin its establishment phase and not fall into too much debt too quickly./ Once the business has established itself and is on its journey through the growth stage, it must be able to support itself or else liquidity problems will develop. It is important that the gym owner manages the income wisely. This means not spending money on things that wouldnt be useful or not saving up for the times where business might not be as busy as he/she would like. The income made should be spent on the business with things such as maintenance of the equipment, buying more products for new members. This would allow the gym to grow steadily. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 281) Financial Forecasts Planning must relate directly to the prime function of the business. It tells the owners if they can actually afford to produce the product or provide the service. The firm must make financial forecast based on information gained from market and product research. Financial forecasts can be made through one of the following: Forecasted cash flow statements, projected profit and loss statements, recent profit or loss statements if business is already established, projected balance sheet, break even analysis. Forecasted cash flow statements show how much money is needed, when it is needed and where it will come from. Also reflect time frames such as weekly, monthly or quarterly. The gyms forecasted cash flow statement would be based on the sales forecasting. This is because both statistics are based on predictions on future sales. These statements are useful for when the business is close to its establishment phase or into the phase. For a business that is starting up, a personal balance sheet will be the better option. This is because owner will need to be able to keep their personal commitments and still provide enough income for family to live on. The balance sheet will explain how much money the gym is earning, where money is being spent in the gym, bill payments, workers wages, money to purchase supplies, and keep the business running smoothly. This will indicate the stability of the business and calculate its net worth. This will provide future buyers or investors of the business information on risks JClthey would be taking. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 282) / Financial Records Small businesses need to keep accurate financial records for all transactions. They will need to have one of the following: Revenue statements Cash flow statements Balance sheets Funds statements Budgets marketing, operations, employment relations and accounting and finance. For the gym, I have decided to use a balance sheet because it is easier and more convenient due to being a new business. Balance Sheet Projected up to 1 July 2011 Current Assets Cash at bank Accounts Receivable Stock $ $ total 22 000 93 000 77 500 192 500 Non current assets Equipment Motor Vehicles 900 000 70 000 970 000 Intangible Assets Goodwill 20 000 Total assets 1 182 500 Current liabilities Bank overdraft Accounts payable 100 000 50 400 -†¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢. 150 400 Non current liabilities Long term loan 350 000 350 000 Total liabilities 510 400 Owners equity Capital Undistributed profits Drawings 150 000 143 800 121 000 414 800 C938 266 Total liabilities and owners equity Gym Liquidity Current Assets divided by Current Liabilities which substitutes into $192 500 divided by $150 400 which equals 1.28. This means i have one dollar and twenty-eight cents to pay back every dollar of short term debt. It would be preferable if i had a ratio of 2:1 so that my payments dont take up the majority of my revenue. Gym Solvency Total Liabilities divided by total Owners equity which substitutes into $510 400 divided by $414 800 which equals 1.23. This means that for every one dollar of equity it has one dollar .1and twenty-three cents in debt. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 283) Financial Controls In each business, controls need to be set up to provide standards to which the firm can compare itself. Controls allow for corrective action to be taken to keep the business on a successful path. Without controls, a firms ability to achieve success would be questionable. Controls that the business would need to implement would be standards that will need to be met. These standards will be the basis for improvement. One standard would be that when the gym reaches a satisfactory number of members, that figure should be maintained/improved on. Another standard would be the service that staff offers to people using the gym facilities. The staff should always treat people with respect and provide assistance and knowledge to people that are in need or ask for it. e/ c ,ix The major control that the gym will use would be setting a budget. This control is decided by the owner of the gym because they should know how much income and expenditure is coming in and out of the gym. The budget should help the business grow but at the same time, not fall into major debt. The budget for the gym would be constantly changing to meet customer demands but the average budget would be about $5000 a week. (Cambridge Preliminary Business Studies page 283)

The Reporter & the Screenwriter Essay examples -- Analysis, Nathanael

The late Steve Jobs in his 2005 commencement address at Stanford University eloquently traced the imprint of a calligraphy class he had taken at Reed College years before to the creation of today’s worldwide standard in computer typography. Esteemed architect Frank Gehry can trace the imprint of his college job working in a museum to his current success, and moreover can trace the imprint of a different piece of art to each one of the buildings he has created. President Bill Clinton can trace the imprint of witnessing Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1963 â€Å"I have a Dream† speech to his decision to devote his life to politics. However, in regards to the novelist and tracing the imprint of their work, it appears the dominate voice echoing through the pages of their novel is life experience. Two such novels that trace their imprint from life experience are Sister Carrie by former newspaper reporter Theodore Dreiser, and The Day of the Locust by screenwriter Nathanael West. In obvious ways Sister Carrie shares its subject matter with the newspaper. As it is well-known, the model for Sister Carrie’s main character is Dreiser’s sister Emma, who fled from Chicago to New York with her married lover after he stole money from the saloon where he worked. Dreiser based the character of Sister Carrie on family experience, but the novel’s origins are journalistic as well as personal. The entire New York City section of Sister Carrie, with its dual emphasis on the glamorous world of the theatre and the miserable existence of the tramp, mirrors actual newspaper stories of both Broadway and the Bowery. Men similar to Hurstwood in his downward spiral could be easily found in the newspaper. Dreiser may have written an article about a trap who, like ... ...dull, heavy labor,† West writes of the transplanted Midwesterner, â€Å"Their boredom becomes more and more terrible. They realize that they’ve been tricked and burn with resentment. Every day of their lives they read the newspapers and went to the movies. Both fed them on lynching, murder, sex crimes, explosions, wrecks, love nests, fires, miracles, revolutions, wars†¦ They have been cheated and betrayed† (West 177-178). The riot at the gala premier at the end of the novel is their revenge on the false promises of movies. Two very different stories written by men who let their life experience trace an imprint through the pages of their novels. Theodore Dreiser with the traces of the who, what, where, when and why of the newspaper reporter and Nathanael West with the traces of montage and dialogue of the screenwriter - both leaving their unending imprint as novelists.

KFC‘s 4P strategy in China Essay

1. Product In order to bring success in China, KFC knows that western restaurants need changed by using localization strategy. As cultural adaptation is the process of â€Å"adjusting the native ways of thinking and behaviors to be consistent with the local culture† (Kotler, 1982), KFC tends to launch Chinese food apart from western food like burger or chicken wings, for examples, Chinese food like congee and rice, and promote Chinese herbal tea in 2004. KFC launched Chinese products like ‘Wolfberry Pumpkin Congee’, ‘Chicken Porridge with Mushroom’, ‘Duck Soup’, even lunched the ‘Deep-fried dough sticks’ in 2008. 90% of its raw materials are coming from the local too. It is obviously that KFC is trying to create the Chinese taste food when it entering to China market. The Chinese food fit the local taste and it helps KFC to build up the relationship with the Chinese people. Also, KFC introduced several new products with Chinese regional characteristics aiming to adapt local taste. For instance, ‘Dragon Twister Combo’, ‘Sichuan taste Spicy Chicken’, ‘Cantonese flavor cushion chatter’, etc. As there are many cities in China, KFC wants to treasure different regional tastes, from Beijing to Sichuan or Cantonese tastes. The products that are particularly designed for the Chinese, which gives the chance to KFC promoting their brand to Chinese people and becomes the first western fast food restaurant with Chinese cuisines in China. While KFC has launched diversification products, no matter western food like burger, French fries, chicken wings, or Chinese food like congee, rice, soup, deep-fried dough sticks, etc. People can find different types of food in KFC and it introduces a new product every half month in average, which provided an innovative product lines to customers and enlarge its market in China. 2. Place KFC is the first joint vendor of international fast food shop in China and its first restaurant is located in Tiananmen Square (Beijing) in 1987. ‘Perhaps not surprisingly the first KFC outlet had strong novelty value and attracted huge queues and custom.’ (Jim Riley, 2013) It is no doubt that KFC is enjoying the first mover advantage and it attracts Chinese to taste a  freshness western restaurant. KFC has more than 4000 outlets in the Chinese market and in every province of China. It covers the major large and medium sized cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjing, etc. KFC wants to expand its market share in China with a remarkable speed and it identified 16 key cities as its base. Also, it use a strategy to expand its market from the big cities to the medium and small cities. To create a demand of its brand in the big cities, then extend into the medium and small sized cities. KFC started out gaining notice in bustling cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai as big cities tend to be the capital cities with larger customer based and higher level of economy development. It helps KFC to establish its brand image in China while marketing in big cities can help KFC to test the local market with the macro environment and market conditions of fast food industry and less chance of failure for KFC to enter Chinese market. Moreover, KFC choose the locations with large traffic and pedestrian volume which are always near to the supermarkets, gasoline service stations or shopping malls. There is a unique feature that KFC applying for its distribution system, which helps to expand its store network. KFC owned their outlets rather than only franchised them in China with building warehouses and operating a fleet of trucks. It provides extensive staff and management training including from food preparation to customer service and logistics. This special distribution system gives KFC greater control over their outlets and ensure its quality of services. 3. Promotion KFC is using the localization strategy to adapt local taste in their promotion. It changed its slogan into Chinese cultural version from ‘We do chicken right’ to ‘,’ in 2005 and ‘’ in 2010. This action shows the ambition of KFC is to establish a strong image of pleasing Chinese. With the purpose of motivating the brand awareness and sales volume to targeted customer like family with children, KFC launched several gift promotions which followed the Chinese comic trends. For example, the cartoon named ‘Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf’ is extremely hot and popular, KFC promotes its children sets with the doll gift of the cartoon. This helps to boost the sales volume of its child food set and making a trend to Chinese children to collect KFC gift collections. Also, in order to build up the  customer loyalty of children in China, KFC creates its own cartoon named ‘QiQi’ and opens a website (Miaoli City http://www.kfckids.com.cn/) for children to play. Furthermore, the promotion sells union of people in its advertisement, which promoting KFC is a good place for every groups of people to have their reunion time. It can easily find that KFC is creating a pleasant image for families and friends while Chinese is focusing on relationships. 4. Price KFC is using the price skimming strategy towards its customers in China. As KFC is targeting middle to high levels class in the big and medium sized cities first, it sets its price in a relatively high in the beginning. The average price for personal meal in KFC is around 30RMB which is higher than the other restaurants in China. But, KFC lower its product price with promotion and discount provided after. Most of its sets have at least 3 dollars discount and KFC gives discount to every new product. Also, online coupons are extremely high usage in China which attract many Chinese having their meals in KFC. For instance, a dinner set with priced 20RMB can be decreased to 15RMB when customers downloaded the coupon online and gave it to the cashier. The tea set is cheap to attract more customers in the normal hours. For example, a tea set with egg tart and dessert cost 6 dollars only. Apart from the discount, differentiate pricing policy is applied in KFC. With different cost in different outlets or stores in different places, there are different pricing of KFC products. While the economic environment is not the same in each region, the cost used in different KFC restaurants are different namely the rent. Also, with the different profit earned in different areas, KFC reset its price by different time, restaurants, and regions in 2012. Reference Kotler P. (1982) Global Standardization-Courting Danger, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, 3 (2) spring. (Jim Riley, 2013), http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/comments/why-localisat

Theme Enhancement through the Use of Motif in The Scarlet Letter

Theme Enhancement through the Use of Motif in The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne used many profound and important motifs. Some examples of this device that is portrayed in the novel are the letter 'A', which is the best example because it changes its meaning throughout the story. In the beginning, it is viewed as a symbol of sin, and throughout the novel changes its meaning.The letter is a label of punishment and sin in the commencement of the novel. It is a literal symbol of the sin of adultery. Wearing the label on her chest, she is an outcast from society. It allows the entire town to know her sin of bearing a child out of wedlock. She wears this symbol to burden her with punishment throughout her life. "Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone" (59). Society places all blame on Hester, and because of this one letter her life has completely changed.Rosa Hester Prynne 1The letter's meaning in Puritan society banishes her from her normal life.The middle of the novel is a transition period where the letter 'A' is viewed differently from the beginning of the story. "Nevertheless... this badge hath taught meit daily teaches meits teaching me at this moment..." (107). Hester had learned to deal with the letter and grew stronger from it. They now see her as a person who is strong, yet bears a symbol which differs herself. It taught her to withstand the pressures of society. She no longer is forced to wear the letter, but chooses to keep bearing it anyway because it is part of who she is.The letter also portrays the guilt of Dimmesdale, the father of Hester's child. "Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great order of mind, as if...

Movie Culture Essays

Movie Culture Essays Movie Culture Essay Movie Culture Essay Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Movie Culture How did movie culture develop? What concerns evolved along with the popularity of film? The movie culture mainly developed for the sake of entertainment. The people wanted someway they could amuse themselves and the movies greatly fulfilled these desire. They did not want just picture or a play; they wanted motion, action and all the amusement that comes with movies. Most people were concerned about the movies’ influence on entertainment, companies and even individuals. The Censors was concerned that the movies had a powerful influence. The people were worried about the movies’ impact on the young people. These teenagers used to sit in groups and watch movies even without a parent’s supervision. The movies also raised concern on the number of fanatics it had attracted. Some people were watching more than the average number of films that were expected in a week. In other cases, the people wanted to emulate the actors and be stars as they were. Who attended movies? Why did people want to make their own films? What advice was given? What do we discern form this piece? How does Merton affirm what we have learnt so far? 1933 – What questions did the investigators ask? What were the results? The movies were attended by all the people from all lifestyles and of all ages. However, the somewhat poor and middle class people concentrated the majority since they were much cheaper than theatre plays. People wanted to make their own films because they wanted to tell their own stories and to fulfill the amusement desire. Film writing is a career for all. It encourages originality. If one has ever seen a movie and said to him/herself that they could come up with a better script, they should go ahead and write one. Merton affirms that the movie making industry a great influence and the young people especially. In order to establish the influence of movies on children, the investigators asked a number of questions. These concerned the kind of scenes watched by the American children when attending theatres, the comparison between the community mores and the movie mores, children attendance, child’s capacity to remember, the scenes’ effect on the attitudes and ideals, the direct or indirect effect of the motion pictures and the capability of the children’s discrimination against the morally bad movies. It was found out that the movies were greatly influential and was hard to put a separation ‘line’ between good and bad. How and where did the first audiences emerge? What was it like to go to the movies in the beginning? Why did so many people attend this form of entertainment? The first audiences at the turn of the 20th century began in the early movie theaters. The patrons used to read aloud what was flashed on the screen. There was an â€Å"A-h-h-h!† as a response from the audience. Occasionally, a person in the audience would shout something in response to a scene. Everybody would then laugh. It was a nice communal experience by the end of the movie. Many people attended these form of entertainment because it was amusing and exciting to the whole audience. What concerns evolved? Why did people begin to speak about controlling the content of films? What fears are revealed? The concerns about the motion pictures not only being a form of entertainment but also being an influential force started arising gradually. The people started speaking about controlling the content because they saw it was influencing the children and the young people greatly and thus it could influence them in the negative way. Fears such as the young people were starting to act or behave like the way the stars were behaving started attracting attention. This was mostly a concern when it came to violence, drug and substance abuse and sexuality. Who organized the first censorship organization and why? The first individual to organize for a censorship organization was William H. Short. He did this in order to identify the exact amount of effect the motion pictures had on children. What was fun culture? How did it evolve? Who were the funs? The fan culture came up with the growing ideas about gender roles, spectatorship and celebrity in the American and the European cultures. The word fan was mostly common in the sports world with the presence of such common games as Baseball. Since theatrical entertainment also has a lot of personality influence especially in 1900, the fan culture slowly found its way in. The fans have moved from being the working people and women, to the schoolchildren, teenagers, young adults and even older people. How did fans behave? What impact did fans’ behavior have on the film industry? Fans mostly behaved differently in the presence of a film star or the film itself. Most did not get to meet the stars in real life so they had posters, pictures, newspaper clippings or other evidences close by them. Due to the fun behavior, the film industries increased their filmmaking. The film industry also influenced other industries in terms of consumer behavior. They would have the face of a star on a particular product to encourage sales. Full-length features eliminated the idea that average people could participate in the film industry, why? What is significant about document 2 and 3 in the light of this change? An actor/actress’s appearance greatly influenced the fans. Gorgeous stars attracted a larger fan base than average looking people. It came to a point where a star could influence a particular trend. For example, stars greatly influenced the young people in terms of looks. If a star was slim, most women, especially, tried their best to â€Å"look† like the star. The two documents give a deeper explanation of a star’s influence to the fans and thus of significance to other markets.

Explore how the volume of maritime transport remains high due to the dynamic growth in developing countries with emerging market economies. The WritePass Journal

Explore how the volume of maritime transport remains high due to the dynamic growth in developing countries with emerging market economies. Introduction Explore how the volume of maritime transport remains high due to the dynamic growth in developing countries with emerging market economies. IntroductionConclusionReferenceRelated Introduction Sea transport is the backbone of international trade and globalization, carrying more than 80% of the volume of world merchandise trade. In 2007 the volume of international maritime transport increased by 4,8% compared with the 2006 year and reached 8.02 billion tons. For comparison, over the past three decades, average annual growth rate of world sea transport accounted for an estimated 3,1%. Strong demand for maritime transportation services spur growth in the global economy and international commodity trade. In 2007, the gross domestic product (GDP) of all countries in the world increased by 3,8%, while world merchandise exports increased by 5,5% compared with the previous year. Thus, despite rising energy prices and its potential impact on transport costs and trade, and despite increasing global risks and uncertainties such as those associated with a significant rise in prices for petroleum commodities, the global credit crisis, the depreciation of the dollar of the United States, growth in the global economy and trade was still sustainable. In 2007, was carried more than 8 billion tons of cargo, the historical record.   More than 80% of all raw materials and goods were transported by sea in the world. In 2007, the volume of traffic by sea increased by 4.8% to over 8 billion tons. By 2008 the world fleet grew by 7.2% and reached a total deadweight of 1.12 billion tons. However, the initial favorable half of 2008 was replaced by a worldwide crisis and a sharp drop in shipments. After second half of 2008 the strong demand for bulk carrier by grain traders led to an increase in freight rates in September 2009 year. The situation has been fueled by a slight shortage of ships. Dynamics of the Baltic Freight Index (BFI) in September 2009 for the Panamax wore an ambiguous character: in the first half of the month the index has grown, and then gradually began to lose ground. Last month of the 2010 year does not justify the hopes of ship-owners to recover the freight market for bulk tonnage. The level of the Baltic Freight Index for almost all types of bulk carriers (except hendysize’’) showed a decrease in the first place, for large vessels. Finally, in anticipation of the Christmas holidays BFI for bulk carriers Panamax by 523 points or 22%. According to analysis of previous years 2006, 2007, 2008 ,2009, 2010 freight brokers pay attention to their return to a crisis level in December 2008 the ratio of time dry bulk charter rates keypsizeand Panamax. Currently it is 50% and means that the deadweight ton bulk carriers such as Panamax Charterers costs 4 times more expensive than bulk carriers keypsize (twice the rate and approximately the same half DWT). This indicates a strong demand for bulk carrier Panamax, which in turn is caused by using them to carry a wider range of commodities (coal, grain, sugar, fertilizer, bauxite, etc.) and also has a smaller excess of the courts type compared with the bulk carriers keypsize’’.   Executive summary.(Review of Maritime Transport, 2008), Review of Maritime Transport, Annual 2008 Issue ‘’Panamax’’ dry bulk market – perfect market Under the marketing research is meant to collect, analyze range of data needed to solve the problems facing the firm marketing the situation, as well as the formation of a report on progress. Known a lot of instances where large companies are destroyed due to the fact that it is not paid due attention to research on marketing.( Paul Krugman , Robin wells ) Panamax dry bulk market is perfect market firstly because in the market involved many independent firms, which takes their own decision what to produce and in what amount, while monopoly market is the exclusive right to manufacture owned by one person, group of persons or the state. Also Monopolistic firms create entry barriers for new firms, limiting access to sources of raw materials and energy, using high technology, used very big expenses when Panamax (perfect) market is not restricted, possible free access to anyone who wishes to become an entrepreneur. Oligopoly is the existence of several companies, usually large, on whose shoulders the brunt of industry sales, so Panamax dry bulk market still perfect in that case, because in perfect market the sellers are independent of each other against to oligopoly market system. In perfect market will not be founded a series of concrete forms which have artificial monopolies such as a cartel, syndicate, trust, concern. Oligopoly is divid ed in two different parts: price this artificial churning of commodity prices. It is widely used price discrimination, under certain conditions: the seller of a monopoly, the presence of a strong marketing policy of the firm; inability to resell the goods at the original purchaser. This kind of competition is especially often used in services. This tendency cannot be founded in perfect market as in perfect market the buyers are well informed about the prices. The other part of oligopoly is non-price – it is competition, carried out by means of improving product quality and conditions of sale at that point ‘’Panamax’’ dry bulk market still the perfect market according to that the goods in perfect market are homogeneous so there is no real way for improving quality of bulk cargo and selling conditions. So all previously mentioned types of market are not about Panamax dry bulk market, there is clearly identified that ‘’Panamax’â₠¬â„¢ dry bulk market is a perfect market.   ( KRUGMAN WELLS ) microeconomics). Bulk carrier panamax Dynamics of the Baltic Freight Index (BFI) in December 2009 was stable for all sizes of dry bulk tonnage. Compared with the beginning of the first months of 2009 year BFI for Panamax has decreased by 1.8%. However, if we turn to the beginning of January 2009, dramatic changes are evident freight market conditions that have occurred over the past 12 months. Growth of BFI for the Panamax for the period totaled 6.6 times. Compared with just a failure late 2008 early 2009 Freight market dry bulk actually reborn from the ashes and the beginning of 2009 has stabilized at a relatively high level. When, last month of 2010 as was mentioned before does not justify the hopes of ship-owners to recover the freight market for bulk tonnage, in that case could be identified that first half of 2009 was much pleasant for ship-owners than late 2010. Dynamics of the Baltic freight index in December 2010: Type of tonnage 01.12.10 15.12.10 23.12.10 Bulker Keypsize 2869 2687 2379 Bulker Panamax 2380 2234 1857 Bulker Superhendymaks 1550 1659 1517 Bulker Hendysize 802 835 834 Source: Clarkson Dynamics of the Baltic freight index in December 2009: Type of tonnage 01.12.09 14.12.09 30.12.09 Bulker Panamax 3635 3574 3567 Bulker Superhendymaks 2376 2420 2224 Bulker Hendysize 1143 1239 1159 Source: Clarkson Dynamics of the Baltic Freight Index in April 2008: Type of tonnage 01.04.08 15.04.08 30.04.08 Bulker Panamax 7767 8160 8972 Bulker Superhendymaks 4792 4705 5444 Bulker hendysize 2392 2361 Source: Clarkson 2789 To analyze the above table does not need to be a doctor of Mathematical Sciences, bremsstrahlung from the table to see that every year the dynamics of Baltic Exchange decrease, if compare the data from first half of 2008 with first half of 2010, can be easily identified the fall of almost 3 times when 2009 was also not rising with the alignment on a 2008 or even 2010. New building Market According to Clarkson Research Services, in 2009 compared with 2008 the number of ordered bulk carriers has decreased in 6,5 times, container by 30 times, universal dry cargo ships 15 times, Ro-Ro 44 times, and reefer vessels generally was not ordered. And this despite the fact that contract prices for bulk carriers, according to the same source, as compared with 2008 decreased by 23-36%, and container by 24-40%. The basis for this decline, as analysts note, decreased by 30-40% on the price of ancillary equipment, as well as reducing the cost of shipbuilding steel. Number of dry cargo ships ordered by the type of tonnage in 2006-2009.: Type of vessel Year 2006 2007 2008 2009* Bulkers 699 1960 1114 170 Containers 465 535 208 7 General 400 398 292 19 Ro-Ro 87 137 87 2 Refrigerators 4 9 8 * till middle of December Source: CRS According to Chinese sources, 65% of Chinas shipbuilders received no new orders in 2009, the worst off were newly emerging in the wake of the shipbuilding boom of 2007-2008, the players. It is estimated that in 2009, China built a total deadweight tonnage of about 40 million tons, up 41% more than in 2008 at the same time, Chinese shipyards in 2009, received orders for vessels with total deadweight of 22.94 million tons, up 61% from a year earlier. Fortunately, Chinese shipyards a great help by the Government of that countrys direct and indirect support measures for domestic shipbuilding. During the first 11 months of 2010, orders for dry bulk tonnage amounted to 68.4 million dwt, reaching the highest since 1996, except for the shipbuilding boom of 2007/2008., indicator. Almost as many 68.9 million dwt in the 11 months of 2010 amounted to delivery of new tonnage. As a result, with 22 million dwt (8%) ruptured shipbuilding contracts worldwide portfolio of orders for bulk carrier according to Clarksons totaled 279 million dwt, or 52.9% of the existing fleet. Second hand vessel market There is a high activity of Chinese buyers of used dry bulk carriers, which was dominating this market segment ’’ Panamax’’ dry bulk. Brokers noted buying dry bulk carrier in China with symbolic name INDIA deadweight of 76,620 tons, built in 2005 by a Japanese shipyard Sasebo. The transaction price was $ 36.3 million In general, during December the price of modern bulk carrier Panamax less than 5 years of age have been further strengthened, and the modern superhendimaks remained at the same level. The price level for modern bulk carrier second hand† in December 2009.: Type of tonnage Year of vessel DWT Price, thoundsdant. USD Start of December2009 y. End of December2009 y. Changes (+) (–) ‘’Panamax’’ max 5 y. 74000 32935 33424 +389 ‘’Superhendymaks’’ max 5 y. 52000 27281 27308 +27 Source: Baltic Sale Purchase Assessment Considering to the December price dynamics for used bulk carrier, we note that the decrease in the freight market conditions affected the level of prices, led to their downward trend. Most analysts believed that the excess of the formed dry bulk lead to a further fall in prices. But, despite a decrease in prices for used bulk carrier, according to analysts Arctic Securities in 2010 they still remain 20% higher than in early 2009. The price level for modern bulk carrier second hand† in December 2010.: Type of tonnage Year of vessel DWT Price, thoundsdant. USD Start of December2010 y. End of December2010 y. Changes (+) (–) ‘’Panamax’’ max 5 y. 74000 38494 37830 664 ‘’Superhendymaks’’ max 5 y. 52000 32315 31267 1048 Source: Baltic Sale Purchase Assessment Conclusion Forecast of the freight market According to analysts of First Securities with a total deadweight bulk carrier, which will go to scrap in 2011, could reach 12 million tons and revenues of the new tonnage 20 million tons That is the pressure of excess tonnage in the freight market is retained. According to experts of international rating agency Moodys Investors excess of supply over demand in the area of dry bulk traffic will negatively affect the marine industry in the short term, although the overall long-term prospects for the industry over the next decade are more favorable due to expected further growth in demand for raw materials from developing countries. Therefore, Moodys recommends that the shipping companies involved in transportation of bulk cargo hold more prudent investment policy on orders new fleet. Now, when are launched more new bulk carriers, freight rates remaining highly volatile due to large variations in supply and demand. Reference .   Executive summary.(Review of Maritime Transport, 2008), Review of Maritime Transport, Annual 2008 Issue 1. «Review of Maritime Transport », UNCTAD, 2008 Ð ³, unctad.org. 2. ОÐ ±Ã ·Ã ¾Ã'€ Ð ¼Ã ¸Ã'€Ð ¾Ã ²Ã ¾Ã ³Ã ¾ Ð ¼Ã ¾Ã'€Ã' Ã ºÃ ¾Ã ³Ã ¾ Ã'„Ð »Ã ¾Ã'‚Ð ° Ð ¾Ã'‚ Ð ®Ã ÃÅ¡Ã ¢Ã Ãâ€, Ð ¸Ã ½Ã'„Ð ¾Ã'€Ð ¼Ã °Ã'†Ð ¸Ã'  Ã'  Ã' Ã °Ã ¹Ã'‚Ð ° maritimebusinessnews.com.ua. 3. ИÐ ·Ã ´Ã °Ã ½Ã ¸Ã µ Fairplay, fairplay.co.uk. Page Reference : null Stopford Microeconomics 1 Microekonomiks 2 Clarcson Baltic Sale Purchase Assessment Source: CRS agency Moodys Investors analysts of First Securities baltic freight index http://tutor2u.net/economics/revision-notes/a2-micro-oligopoly-overview.html

Answer Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Answer Questions - Essay Example Notably, Splunk development was meant for machine data, but can also be used to analyze big data in the category of digital footprint (Zadrozny and Kodali 5). During the term, I will work on ensuring that I do enough practice on the Splunk functionalities, including data collection, data indexing, and search as well as analysis using the Splunk Processing Language in preparation of my project. According to Snyder, Splunk Apps ensures that big data is secure from vendors such as Symantec. The article explains further functionalities that Splunk provides including reporting and alerting. I expect to learn installing Splunk on windows and Linux to ensure that log data is only sent to an analysis tool. Another important lesson from the source during the term is on how to get information out of Splunk. The term will enable in the practical experience of using Splunk to generate various reports ranging from simple graphs to textual and tabular reports (Snyder). Additionally, working on how to generate alerts from Splunk will help in the project

Six Functions of Nonverbal Communication (Human Relations) Essay

Six Functions of Nonverbal Communication (Human Relations) - Essay Example Repeating refers to the action of constantly repeating a word in a manner that duplicates another’s utterance. In non verbal communication, the act of repeating statements non verbally involves the use of gestures and actions along with certain words. This has proven to be more effective in memory as people are able to recall these comments more easily (Adler & Rodman, 2012). Substitution refers to the action of replacing verbal with non verbal communication. However, this at times may be very hard to interpret. Examples of substitution include replacing words with actions such as a sigh or eye rolling as a sign of disapproval. This is usually prominent when an individual feels the situation is inappropriate for him or her to express himself verbally (Knapp, 2012). Complementing is another common trait of non verbal communication. This involves complimenting words with certain actions (Knapp, 2012). An example involves a boss vigorously pointing his finger at an employee showing his dissatisfaction and gives an impression that the employee has done something wrong. These gestures are often not formally acceptable and some individuals may be offended by them. However, they are more common and acceptable in domestic settings as a mother can show similar gestures when scolding her child. Accenting is a mode of non verbal communication which is utilized in emphasizing a certain part of verbal speech (Knapp, 2012). This possesses a similar trait to bold letters in a certain part of a sentence. This is similar to complementing however focuses on one aspect of a sentence. An example is pointing at an individual whilst saying his name which can be a sign of criticism or praise depending on the dialogue and atmosphere (Adler & Rodman, 2012). Non verbal communication also plays a role in regulating the flow of speech in a function known as regulating. This action involves cue such as intonation at the end of a sentence signaling another individual to

Retail strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Retail strategy - Essay Example The five changes include, Infrastructure, innovation, Knowledge and trust relationships between the supplier, retailer, and the customer. To validate the reason for a critical evaluation on Dawson's statement is simply to say that the growing retail industry with a powerful attraction for minor retailers proves to be death trap. This is mainly because of the increased competition and the changing conditions in the economy and consumer behaviour. However, the business of retail proves to be threatening for manufacturers creating brands and trying to sustain brand image and brand loyalty as they squeezed by the so- called retailer. In a book by Lars Thomassen, et., al (2006, pg. 1) 'Retailization' begins by saying "We have moved from the age of the brand to the age of the retailer" - a shift that has led many brands to a near chronic state of constant stress and confusion. This is backed with data were the book reports that four major retail chains in the have 75 percent of the grocery market, and one pound in every eight spent is in the retail giant Tesco. Well this overpowering omnipotence of the retail industry had led to fierce competition with individual retailers or minor retail stores crushed to close down. There is constant fight and struggle to keep up profit margins and stay abreast of competition, which makes Dawson's statement true. ... Below is a table that reflects the diminishing share in the grocery sales of individual retailers in this competition over the recent years. The table will talk volumes of the struggle the giant retailers and medium sized establishments are undergoing. The data reported is from the Competition Commission organization in the report of 'Overview of UK grocery retailers' The table is a factual of the share in UK's grocery sales for the different retailers in the country. The Verdict data series used in the table and provides relative sales shares of all the retailers and that of small retailers represented as others. Grocery sales share of UK grocery retailers. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Tesco 20.2 22.4 23.8 25.4 26.8 27.6 Asda 12.3 12.9 13.3 13.4 13.7 14.1 Sainsbury 12.8 12.5 12.6 12.8 13.4 13.8 Morrisons 3.8 4.2 10.3 9.6 9.7 9.9 Safeway 8.2 7.8 2.4 0 0 0 Somerfield chain 2.9 2.8 3 3.7 4.1 3.9 M&S 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.8 CGL 2.8 3.2 3 2.9 2.8 3.8 Waitrose 2.5 2.6 2.8 3 3.2 3.3 Iceland 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5 Aldi 0.9 1 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.5 Lidl 1.1 1.1 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 Netto 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 Kwik save 2 1.8 1.6 1.3 0.7 0 Others 24.9 22.1 19.6 20 17.4 14.9 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 Source: Verdict UK Grocery retailers 2008, February 2008.( Overview of UK grocery sales ) The row mentioned 'Others' is emboldened to throw light on their diminishing share of business in the grocery sector and ultimately leading to their destruction. Find a pictorial representation below. Looking closely at the figures of the larger retailers, the Year on Year sales numbers increase only at an extremely marginal pace and retailers like Safeway have their numbers freezed

New venture opportunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New venture opportunity - Essay Example The main aim of ESS Designs will be to provide a simple, classy and well-tailored look for all our clients. We not only want to provide a distinctive look but we also want to be recognized as a trendsetter in the clothing industry. To start with the new company, the first range of product that ESS Designs will focus on will be a collection of jackets for women, men and children. Based on the research that the appointed team members of ESS Designs have conducted, there have been a lot of customer’s requests that have been made by various customers on the scarcity of jackets’ design. Therefore, building upon this, the first range of product that ESS Designs will focus on will be on a collection of jackets for all our targeted clientele. As a start-up company, ESS Designs will first operate in a small geographical region. However, it is evident that with the inception of technology our client reach may go beyond the borders. The company will be located in the United States in Pennsylvania. This is where our headquarters will be. Nevertheless, ESS Designs will embrace the use of advertising and public relation to make our new range of product known and also to build upon the image of the company. It is also worth noting that the prices of our products will be quite pocket-friendly thus aside from quality will strive to ensure that our targeted consumers are well catered for with regards to the pricing range. In order to examine the impact of this new venture, a thorough SWOT analysis will be conducted on ESS Designs.

Criminal justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal justice - Essay Example These topics have been chosen as a function of their interconnected nature as well as the fact that it is this authors belief that each of these situations works to exponentially complicate and compound the primary issue that the US criminal justice system faces; namely overcrowding in its penitentiary system. The first issue that this analysis will consider relates to the issue that has evolved from what this author will deem â€Å"incarceration for profit†. Although few individuals in the United States are aware of this practice, the fact of the matter is that it has grown from an isolated incidence to a multi-million dollar a year industry. The central issue can be explained as a system whereby overburdened municipalities cannot immediately afford the massive expense that is called for in order to build a new penitentiary system. As a way to bridge this gap while making a substantial profit, private firms enter into the equation and offer the municipality a joint venture wh ich is oftentimes hard to resist. These firms offer to front the necessary capital to build the facility as well as staff it with private contracting security firms. The catch then comes as the municipality agrees to an extended lease of the facility. Although at face value this may seem an ingenious way for a private firm to work to alleviate the strains that a municipality may have with relation to prison overcrowding, it is however slightly more sinister than one would at first presume. Due to the fact that a private firm now has stake in the criminal justice system, a system that arguably the state and the state alone should have prevue over, the interests of rehabilitation and reform are placed as secondary to overall profit. Such a situation is counter to the very foundations of what the criminal justice system is supposed to provide to society. In this way, incarceration has become the primary focus of policy makers and local leaders whereas the needs of those incarcerated as well as the secondary objectives of rehabilitation and reform are all but forgotten in a drive to provide more â€Å"bed space† for existing and incoming offenders. This issue has been compounded by a host of policy decisions; some of these are beyond the scope of this individual analysis. However, two of the complicating factors will be discussed at greater length within this analysis. Likewise, the second challenge which faces the current criminal justice system is the result of the failed War on Drugs. The â€Å"war on drugs† began in 1971 as a mandate from President Richard M. Nixon. Rather than engage in a thesis length discussion as to the nature of drug usage and whether it is a victimless crime in society, this paper will focus on the obscenely high costs that are associated with the unsuccessful prosecution of this war on drugs. In 2010 alone, the United States federal government expended in excess of 15 billion USD to combat the drug problem in the United St ates.1 This figure expands when one considers the fact that taken on aggregate, state and local governments expended a further 25 billion dollars during the very same period. The expenditure alone however is only a portion of the problem. Drug related arrests account for in excess of 13% of all arrests that are made; more than any other crime with respect to

The development of the American Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The development of the American Empire - Essay Example As they sensed a power vacuum and a unique opportunity to influence the United States, the Union was specifically interested in stymieing these efforts and ensuring that the conflict remained as one between the states. More or less, these efforts were widely successful and they helped to encourage the further understanding the continent of North America, and the surrounding regions could be viewed as the sphere of influence upon which the United States alone had the license to meddle. However, understanding the way in which the American concept of empire developed cannot be appropriately effected without a cursory discussion of the doctrine of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the intrinsic belief that the Almighty had provided the United States with dominion over all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This belief had a profound impact with regards to the way in which colonization of these lands took place and the means through which the native populations were mi streated and relocated. Just as Manifest Destiny and an interpretation of American sovereignty came to be formed during and before the Civil War era, as well as afterward, the course upon which the United States would eventually engage was all but assured. One of the most obvious interventions within this sphere of influence took place during the Spanish American War; a time in which the United States sought to further weaken the Spanish Empire and take territories in the Pacific – as well as carve out further influence within the Caribbean.

New venture opportunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New venture opportunity - Essay Example The main aim of ESS Designs will be to provide a simple, classy and well-tailored look for all our clients. We not only want to provide a distinctive look but we also want to be recognized as a trendsetter in the clothing industry. To start with the new company, the first range of product that ESS Designs will focus on will be a collection of jackets for women, men and children. Based on the research that the appointed team members of ESS Designs have conducted, there have been a lot of customer’s requests that have been made by various customers on the scarcity of jackets’ design. Therefore, building upon this, the first range of product that ESS Designs will focus on will be on a collection of jackets for all our targeted clientele. As a start-up company, ESS Designs will first operate in a small geographical region. However, it is evident that with the inception of technology our client reach may go beyond the borders. The company will be located in the United States in Pennsylvania. This is where our headquarters will be. Nevertheless, ESS Designs will embrace the use of advertising and public relation to make our new range of product known and also to build upon the image of the company. It is also worth noting that the prices of our products will be quite pocket-friendly thus aside from quality will strive to ensure that our targeted consumers are well catered for with regards to the pricing range. In order to examine the impact of this new venture, a thorough SWOT analysis will be conducted on ESS Designs.

The development of the American Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The development of the American Empire - Essay Example As they sensed a power vacuum and a unique opportunity to influence the United States, the Union was specifically interested in stymieing these efforts and ensuring that the conflict remained as one between the states. More or less, these efforts were widely successful and they helped to encourage the further understanding the continent of North America, and the surrounding regions could be viewed as the sphere of influence upon which the United States alone had the license to meddle. However, understanding the way in which the American concept of empire developed cannot be appropriately effected without a cursory discussion of the doctrine of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the intrinsic belief that the Almighty had provided the United States with dominion over all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This belief had a profound impact with regards to the way in which colonization of these lands took place and the means through which the native populations were mi streated and relocated. Just as Manifest Destiny and an interpretation of American sovereignty came to be formed during and before the Civil War era, as well as afterward, the course upon which the United States would eventually engage was all but assured. One of the most obvious interventions within this sphere of influence took place during the Spanish American War; a time in which the United States sought to further weaken the Spanish Empire and take territories in the Pacific – as well as carve out further influence within the Caribbean.

Changes in family life since the 1970s Essay Example for Free

Changes in family life since the 1970s Essay Outline some of the major changes that have taken place in family life since the 1970s and discuss the concerns arising from these changes. In the past many families were similar, as traditional nuclear families were the excepted norm of society. Since the 1970s a number of major changes have taken place in family life. The traditional nuclear family is no longer seen as the norm as many other types of specialist families have developed to best suit the needs of the people within them. Family life is very complex and in recent years sociologists have sort to find new ways to understand it. However with these changes there have also been a number of concerns, which may suggest that not all changes have improved family life. One way in which the family unit has changed since the 1970s is the change in marriage rates. While marriage in the UK is still the majority among families, there has been a decline in the number of marriages, the age in which people are choosing to marry and the duration of marriages. In 1971 1% of all marriages in the UK ended after two years. In 1996 this figure increased to 9%. (Mark Kirby, 2000, p. 58). This suggests that marriage less important than it once was. There are a number for reasons as to why there is a change in marriage. It is argued that because women now have more freedom of choice than they did in the past, they may be choosing simply not to marry. Others suggest that women are now choosing to put off marriage till a later date so that they can focus on their careers and education. Another reason for the change in marriage could be due to the undermining of the need to marry, now that it has become socially acceptable to cohabit or be single, many people choose not to marry. As well as this women are no longer dependant on men to be a bread winner and provide for them. Lorraine Harding (1996) argues that the main decline in marriage occurred around the 1970s due to greater levels of unemployment. Strain may have been put on the breadwinner to support the family causing the breakdown of the marriage. On this basis it could be argued that it is not the decline of the conventional family since 1970 that should need explaining, but rather its unusual popularity between 1945 and 1970. (Mark Kirby, 2000, pp. 69-70) Another major change that has taken place in family life since the 1970s is the increase in the number of divorces. In 1970 80,000 couples got divorced in the UK, that figure has risen to 125,000 in 2003. (Scott, 2007, p. 466) It is argued that this increase is due to the 1969 Divorce Reform Act which made getting a divorce much easier. Women had more opportunity to work and therefor they were less dependent on men. State benefits gave women greater chance of leaving a marriage. (Scott, 2007, pp. 467-469). However with divorce there are a number of concerns that can arise in family life. It is believed that divorce is the main contributor to lone parent families who are considered to be at higher risk of poverty. This is considered an unhealthy environment to bring up children as they may feel unsettled. Children may lose touch with the other parent and gain step parents. This in extension can effect socialisation, education and their family life in the future. Some sociologists also argue that children whose parents have had a divorce are more likely to get a divorce when they are older. Giddens found that two-fifths of all marriages in the UK now end in divorce. The number of marriages has fallen while the number of divorces has risen. (Giddens, 2009, pp. 350-351) Cohabitation has increased sharply in recent years. It is seen as a prelude to marriage or an alternative and in some cases it replace marriage altogether. In 1986 11 per cent of non-married men under the age of 60 were in cohabiting relationships, but by 2004 this figure had risen to 24 per cent. The comparable figures for women were 13 per cent in 1986 and 25 per cent in 2004 (Social Trends, 2006) This goes to show that cohabitation is one alternative to the traditional nuclear family that people are choosing to take. In the UK today 73 per cent of women say they live with a man before they are married. However with cohabitation there have been a number of concerns suggested by sociologists. Some sociologists argue that because there is less commitment within a cohabiting relationship then they are less stable and more likely to break down. This could lead to poverty for the women and children involved. As well as this a cohabiting couple are more likely to seek state benefits and put a strain on the economy. Antony Giddens argues the idea of a pure relationship. He believes that  couples in Modern society choose now not to marry for love and intimacy but to cohabit and have a relationship that best suits them. He believes that in the past couples were bound by the contract of love and it would often be difficult to get and divorce and end a relationship. Giddens argues that divorce is increasing due to people having much more choice in their lives. If a relationship no longer continues to suit the interests of the people within it then it is easy to simply leave. Giddens says: What holds the pure relationship together is the acceptance on the part of each partner, until further notice, that each gains a significant benefit from the relationship to make its continuance worthwhile. (Holborn, 2004) The love within the relationship is governed by the amount of venerability the other is prepared to show. Giddens also saw that in the past families would have been headed by a single male breadwinner who provided for the whole family while the wife stayed at home. This has now changed and men and women have become more equal within contemporary society. This therefor suggests that men and women have also become equal within relationships. Pure relationships are quickly becoming more popular as our self-centred society develops. Within contemporary society we have more choice; this has now adapted the way we look at traditional till-death-us-do-part marriages and traditional nuclear families. (Elliott, 2008) Living apart together is a term that is used for a family where one of the partners may live away for work or simply to maintain their independence. This follows on from the idea of a pure relationship as it is more causal for the people involved and it meets everyone needs. A problem that may arise from LAT families is that it could be disruptive for children as they would not have a single home. It also shows a lack of commitment from the couple to move in together and get married. Although LAT families are becoming increasingly common, they may still often be not seen as the best way to live as a family. Lone parents families are becoming increasing common within the UK today. There have been significant increases in lone parent families since the 1970s. This could be due to higher rates of divorce and cohabitation break down. Lone parents also have a reduced likelihood for marriage in the future  with lone parent working class men having the lowest chance to marry. In 2004 73 per cent of lone mothers and 50 per cent lone fathers had dependent children. (Giddens, 2009, p. 355) This creates a concern with lone parents as it is believed that lone parents are more likely to be in poverty and dependant on state benefits. It is argued that the child from a lone parent household is less likely to do well in education and is more likely to become a lone parent in the future. With less time to get an education it is also common for a lone parent to have low or no qualifications and poor pay. Lone parents can get caught in a poverty trap as they do not have the time to earn good money and improve their education. Some lone parents may wait until their children have grown up, and go into higher education at a later date. With the increasing number of divorces and remarriages there has also be an increase in reconstituted families. Reconstituted families often bring two families together that have divorced parents. These types of family can generate some concerns as in many cases it is difficult for the children of the family to accept new relationships. In extension to this within reconstituted families there is a higher rate of child abuse. This could be due to the sometimes overwhelming environment of two families living together. They are also more likely to face economic hardship. Divorce rates in reconstituted families are higher than that of first marriages. Same sex partnerships have received a lot of media attention in recent years. This is due to the very idea of sexuality being a topic of interest within society. It is only since December 2005 that gay and lesbian couples could get a civil partnership. If they wish to have children then they have to choose from adoption, artificial insemination, fostering or if they had a child from a past heterosexual relationship. This can be good for the child as they may choose to counteract patriarchy. However on the other hand there are many aspects of a same sex partnership that could raise some concerns. For example the very nature of such a relationship challenges strongly held values and norms within society. This could therefor create conflict with other members of society. If there is a child involved this may not be the best environment to bring them up. In 2009 Elton John and his partner David  Furnish were looking to adopt a child from the Ukraine. They faced problems when EveryChild, an international childrens charity, said _it was concerned by the singers announcement that he and partner David Furnish wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy called Lev. The organization said that while it praised Johns help in raising awareness about children affected by HIV in Ukraine, it said the answer did not lie in international adoption, arguing that more children might be left in childrens homes as a result of another celebrity adoption._ (Press Association, 2009) As well as this many people believe that it is inappropriate to bring a child up with same sex parents. It is believed that this will have an effect on their sexuality without giving them a fair choice. With society becoming more multicultural some people from other religions may condemn the idea of same sex couples. This could leave them marginalised on the edge of society. In some extreme cases there have been Honour Killings from some families in order to protect their image. With an increase in same sex couples there has also been more of a demand for fertility and reproductive technology. These men and women are looking to artificial insemination to help them to have a child. On the other hand however heterosexual men and women, may also require such technology if they have a problem with conception. This has helped women whom have put off parenthood in order to focus on their careers and education. As women get older their fertility rate falls, 1 in 5 women will reach the end of their fertile life childless. This new technology can help families to have children whereas in the past they may not have been able. There has also been an increase in younger women becoming surrogate mothers for older women who can no longer have children. Another technology that has had a large effect on family life is contraception. In the past, families often had many more children than in contemporary society. This was so their children could go to work and provide for the family, but also because they didnt have the technology. Contraception has become increasing important over recent years with youth  culture of today Drugs, Sex, Rock and Roll. In contrast to this idea, there has been an increase in teen parents over recent years, suggesting that more could be done to stop such families. Other generations within the family are increasingly having a greater influence. In the past due to poor healthcare many children would never have met their grandparents as they would have died at a younger age. In modern society grandparents and great grandparents are now increasingly part of the family. This can create tensions between caring for the older members of the family and the younger ones. It can also have a structural issue as the older generations of the family may become a burden if there is a break down in the relationship or a divorce. In conclusion there are a number of changes that have taken place in the family since the 1970s. Not all of these changes have had positive effects. There have also been a number of negatives. With such a large change within society concerns will arise, it is how these concerns are dealt with that will determine the future of the family unit. There are some sociologists that believe that the family is still just as strong as it has always been even with the loss of traditional families. _Family living also offers an opportunity for intimacy, a word with Latin roots meaning sharing fears. That is, as a result of sharing a wide range of activities over a long period of time, members of families forge emotional bonds. Of course, the fact that parents act as authority figures often inhabits their communication with young children. But as young people reach adulthood, kinship ties typically open up as family members recognise that they share concern for one anothers welfare_ (Plummer, 2002, p. 441) This suggests that it does not matter what shape or size a family is, but if it teaches the people within it to become good adults and care for others then it will have fulfilled its purpose. With the ever changing and diverse nature of the society in which we live families have simply become more specialised, and the people within them are no longer bound by what is  socially acceptable.

Justice in Environmental Geography

Justice in Environmental Geography Outline what you understand by the term justice, and critically assess how it has been integrated into the field of environmental geography. In relation to the essay title, environmental justice as a concept emerged in the 1980s, and since then, the concept of environmental justice has been closely linked to and integrated into the field of environmental geography, in describing and explaining the spatial aspects of the interaction between the environment and humans. In this essay, before assessing how it has been integrated into the field of environmental geography, I will first have to define the concept and meaning of environmental justice. Furthermore, by referencing to several academic studies and case studies, I will attempt to highlight the significance of the connection between term justice and environmental geography, in providing evidence to demonstrate how the term justice is applied in the field of environmental geography, as well as limitations in relation to the concept of environmental justice, which limits the usage and significant of the concept in the field of environmental geography. The core concept of environmental justice suggests that, no one regardless of their demographics, should bear a disproportionate amount of the negative environmental hazards or risks induced by commercial, industrial and governmental decisions or actions in relation to their operations, development and the implementation of environmental laws and policies (Holifield 2001; Schlosberg, 2007; EPA 2012).It also signifies that people should be involved and entitled to have a chance to form or provide opinions on activities that can impact their environment, and that the regulatory agency will consider the opinions provided by the public when decision-making (EPA, 2012). In relation to that, environmental geographyis a school of geography, which primarily focuses on examining the spatial aspects of interactions between humans and the environment; to understand the dynamic, ever-changing relationship between human activities and the environment (Castree et al.,2009). As pointed out by Reed George (2011), environmental justice as a research theme are popular among other subjects and schools, and are not solely researched by environmental geographers. However, they argued that geographers position is rather unique, as their role is to understand the dynamic human-environment relations, to consider the social and spatial distributions of environmental effects, risk, impacts or hazards, and to identify the cause and factors that contribute to the continued occurrence of inequality (Reed et. al, 2011). One case study example which can demonstrate how environmental justice has been integrated into the field of environmental geography is the study carried out by Pastor, Sadd Hipp (2001). In the study, by referred to the earliest work in this field; researchers had identified that in predominantly industrialized societies, a disproportionate share of environmental hazards often occur in minority neighborhoods (Bullard, 1990; Been 1995; Pastor et al., 2001). One of the location highlighted by the studies is Los Angeles County in the US, as evidences suggested that disproportionate exposure to toxic storage and disposal facilities and toxic air releases associated with the industry is present (Burke, 1993; Sadd, Pastor, Boer, Snyder 1999; Pastor et. al, 2001). With the findings as a foundation, and Los Angeles County as a case study location, the researchers proceeded to address the minority move-in or disproportionate siting question; to find out whether the disproportionate exposure of minorities to toxic storage and disposal facilities was due to the moving- in of minority residents, triggered by the siting of the facility which increases perceived risks of exposu re to environmental hazards, and reduces the actual quality of the environment, which causes land values to diminish, or whether it was solely due to disproportionate siting of these facilities (Pastor et. al, 2001). Subsequently, after statistical hypothesis tests and census data were utilized, they were able to confirm that demographics of the population within an area affects the siting of the facilities, and areas with a high low-income and minority population were most likely to be subjected to the implementation of toxic storage and disposal facilities (Pastor et. al, 2001). However, toxic storage and disposal facilities do not tend to attract minorities to move-in; in-fact, unexpectedly, the facilities tend to repel and not attract minorities to move in (Pastor et. al, 2001). This suggests that there is a need to implement policies and changes to protect the minorities subjected to hazard, as the results seemed to suggest that disproportional exposure was not due to minority moving-in to take advantage of cheaper housing, but in-fact the facilities were actively causing the disproportional exposure due to their siting decision (Pastor et. al, 2001). The concept of Environmental justice and related case studies were integrated in environmental geography, as it provided an explanation to geographers, on the implication of human- induced activities and decisions on the environment, and to provide theories in attempt to explain why spatial variations on level of pollution across different parts of the environment occur, in relation to spatial inequality and injustice (Castree et al., 2009; Reed et al., 2011). Furthermore, by referring to the spatial distribution of pollution, policy- makers could use Statistical Methods to monitor Environmental Pollution and calculate the risks involved, which aids the introduction and implementation of emergency measures, or redevelopment plans for contaminated land, to focus on minimizing the increased risks of environmental hazard and reduce the overall level of pollution that minorities are exposed to, in order to reinforce environmental justice (Gilbert, 1987; Alloway et. al., 1997; Smith, 2013 ). However, one could argue that the concept might not have been perfectly integrated in the study of environmental geography. Reed George (2011) had highlighted the fact that the concept of environmental justice stemmed from America in the 1980s, and researches revolved around the concept had since then, remained centralized in the United States of America, supported by the fact that out of 114 articles on environmental justice found in GeoBase in 2009, there are only 46 literature which involves case studies outside USA, plus there were only 15 pieces of literature which involved the research on two developing countries. The researchers had also pointed out that most environmental justice research conducted between the years of 2005 and 2009, were in-fact by American researchers, or researchers in America (Reed et al., 2011). Moreover, Reed George (2011) had also identified that, in 2009, about 50 percent of the authors involved in publishing articles related to environmental justic e, identified in Geobase, were associated with at least one American institution. In contrast, the amount of literature published by researches from New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Australia were significantly lower (Reed et al., 2011). Furthermore, the concept remained heavily skewed research, as less than 10 percent of all articles were published by researchers in the developing countries. Additionally, many studies were focused on a single country or an area within a country; Walker Burninghams (2011) study on flood risks focused on examples within the UK, whereas Pastor, Sadd Hipps (2001) study focused solely on the spatial differences and other factors within the LA county. As stated by the researchers, the finding mentioned in the research mentioned previously in this essay may apply for the LA county, but it might be far from accurate when applied to explain the spatial difference of hazards and risks within a different country, hence prevent researchers to apply the concept of environmental justice, and identify a model to highlight the spatial difference in hazards globally (Pastor et al., 2001). This is due to the variations in spatial distribution of the population and industry among different countries, as well as the difference in political policies which affects urban development and planning (Reed et al., 2011). These could imply that environmental justi ce is integrated in the studies of environmental geography in a regional scale, and not in a global scale. Also, the concept of environmental justice might not apply to other countries other than America, due to the fact that it contains a skewed representation from American researchers, meaning that the empirical and conceptual focus of environmental justice had only expanded marginally since the establishment of the concept, thus preventing environmental geographers to study the global spatial aspects on the interactions between human activities and the environment in a wider context (Reed et al., 2011). In conclusion, the concept of environmental justice and relevant case studies on the surrounding this concept are integrated into environmental geography. This is mainly because through using this concept, it helps environmental geographers in their research by highlight how environmental decisions induced by humans can induce a hazardous environment, and why some part of the population are more prone to be affected by the hazards as a result. However, the limitations as mentioned above, in regards to most of the researches on environmental justice were done focusing on America and are heavily skewed, means that environmental justice as a concept might not be significant to the study of environmental geography, as the concept cannot relate well to countries outside the US, nor is it significant when applied globally, for geographers to highlight global spatial difference, and to study the dynamics between human- induced actions and the environment on a global scale. Reference Alloway, B. Ayres, C (1997) Chemical Principles of Environmental Pollution, Second Edition. CRC Press. Arild Holt-Jensen (1999) Geography History and Concepts: A Students Guide. London: SAGE Been, V. (1995) Analyzing evidence of environmental justice. Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law, 11, 1–37. Bullard, R. (1990) Dumping in Dixie: Race, class and environmental quality. Boulder: Westview Press. Burke, L. (1993) Race and environmental equity: A geographic analysis in Los Angeles. Geoinfo Systems 44–50. Castree, N., Demeritt, D., Liverman, D. Rhoads, B. (2009) A Companion to Environmental Geography. London: Wiley-Blackwell. Gilbert, R. (1987) Statistical Methods for Environmental Pollution Monitoring. Wiley. Holifield, R. 2001. Defining environmental justice and environmental racism. Urban Geography 22 (1): 78-90. Pastor, M., Sadd, J. Hipp, J. (2001) Which Came First? Toxic Facilities, Minority Move-In, and Environmental Justice. Journal of Urban Affairs 23 (1): 1-21. Wiley-Blackwell. Reed, M., George, C. (2011) Where in the world is environmental justice? Progress in Human Geography, 35, 835–842. Sadd, J., Pastor, M., Boer, J., Snyder, L. (1999) â€Å"Every breath you take†: The demographics of toxic air releases in southern California. Economic Development Quarterly, 13(2),107–123. Schlosberg, D (2007) Defining Environmental Justice: Theories, Movements, and Nature. USA: Oxford University Press. Smith, K (2013) Environmental Hazards: Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster. Fifth Edition. Routledge. U.S. Environemntal Protection Agency (2012) Environmental Justice: Basic Information. [Online] Available from: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/basics/index.html. [Accessed: 22nd March 2014] Walker, G. Burningham, K. (2011) Flood risk, vulnerability and environmental justice: Evidence and evaluation of inequality in a UK context. Critical Social Policy 2011 31: 216. Sage.