Monday, September 30, 2019

Non Probability Sampling Method Which Is Judgement Sampling Accounting Essay

The research design for our survey is utilizing the quantitative method. Bcox the bulk of information needed for our research is derived from figures, Numberss acquired from one-year studies and expressions.Population and sampling processsNon-probability trying method which is judgment trying. Judgment sampling is a signifier of purposive trying whr the research worker ‘s judgement is used in choosing the sample ‘s elements. We will analyse the one-year studies of the companies from yearaˆÂ ¦ ground of the period is bcox the latest amendment on FRS Population that we hav chosen in the research undertaking consist of all companies listed in chief boardaˆÂ ¦ Main board companies were chosen as our population bcox handiness and credibleness of informations and their higher influence in Malaysia economic system. The followerss samples choice standards are set to guarantee the completeness of informations and truth of consequence: must be a listed companry prior to twelvemonth 2005. no alterations in fiscal twelvemonth terminal during 2005aˆÂ ¦ must non be PN4 and PN 17 companies Companies will be classified as PN 4 and PN 17 cmopanies when the external hearers hav expressed inauspicious or disclaimer sentiment on their latest audited Air Combat Command, confronting inability to supply a solvency declaration through Practice Note 1/2001 or due to the suspension or ceased of all or a major portion of its operations. must non be investing keeping companies, existent estate investemnet keeping companies and fiscal establishments bcox their nature of game or operation is significantly diff from the other industries. Must hav complete one-year studies during the sample periods.Data aggregation methodWill utilize secondary informations which is one-year studies collected from Osiris database. From one-year studies, we will roll up informations on net gross revenues, EBIT, EBITDA, mkt value, entire assest, entire debt, figure of sections the house diversifies. Share monetary value based on the companies ‘ fiscal twelvemonth terminal will retrieved from Yahoo! Finance web site ; the figure of outstanding portions will be retrieved from one-year studies to calculate market value of house. In one-year study, look into segmented coverage subdivision to place the figure of sections the company has and besides to obtain the info on the section gross revenues, EBIT and plus. SIC codifications are for digit.. All companies have their ain registered SIC codification, so will sort into several industries based on 10 industries provided in www.siccode.com ( list of industries is attached in appendix ) . Fan and Lang ( 2000 ) said that to capture the relatedness, if two industries do non portion the same two- , three- or four-digit SIC codification, they classify it as unrelated and frailty versa. If all sections in a house portion the same 2-digit SIC codifications, this house will be classified as single-segmented house ; If a house ‘s sections do non portion the same 2-digit SIC codifications, this house will be classified as multi-segmented house.Operationalisation and measuringDetermine whether CD will increase or diminish steadfast value, we apply method used by BERGER and OFEK ( 1995 ) to happen the extra value for each house in our sample. The definition of extra value is existent market value of the house ( measuered as mkt value of equity plus book value of debt ) minus entire imputed value of that house ‘s industrial sections measured as stand-alone entities. Next, compute the extra value for single-segmented houses to compare with multi=segmented houses in our analysis subsequently. For a individual – metameric house, he imputed value for that one section is tantamount to the imputed value of the whole house. Based on this method, signle-segmented houses within a peculiar industry are used as benchmark to calculate an imputed value step of the same industrial section of a multi-segmented house. We calculate the imputed value of each section of a multi-segmentd house by multiplying the average multiple of entire capital to accounting point ( assets, gross revenues, or EBIT ) of all signle-segmented houses in the same industry for that peculiar twelvemonth with that section ‘s degree of acc point ( aˆÂ ¦ ) . We use acc point such as section ‘s salesaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ calculate the gross revenues multiplier, EBIT multiplier, and plus multiplier in order to cipher imputed values and later house ‘s extra value. The amount of imputed values of a company ‘s sections estimates the value of house if all of its sections are operated as stand-alone game. Formula! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Formula! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Natural logarithm is used to avoid prejudice that could originate with absolute value measuring graduated table. Example, to calculate extra value utilizing the gross revenues multiplier, we multiply the industry average multiple of capital-to-sales for the stand-alone houses in the sections ‘ industry by the sections ‘ gross revenues to obtain imputed capital of the section. We repeat this procedure for each of the house ‘s sections, and so sum to obtain the house ‘s imputed value. Finally, we find the fim ‘s extra value by taking the natural logarithm of the raito of house ‘s entire capital to entire imputed value. One extra issue that arises with EBIT step is how to handle sections with negative EBITs whr multiplier attacks don non tyhpically assign negative imputed value to a house ‘s section with negative net incomes. We address this issue by replacing the EBIT multiplier imputed value with the section ‘s gross revenues multiplier imputed value. As for the computation of the average multiplier, negative EBIT sections are excluded in the computation. Finally, if there is a positivie extra value, it indcates that Cadmium addition house value as a whoel beyond that of their stand-alone opposite numbers. On the oteh manus, a negative dxcess value indicates that Cadmium reduces steadfast value as a whooe. Reason we use the theree multiplier attacks alternatively of merely gross revenues multiplier bcox there were some empirical grounds that showed that segmental reported gross revenues were undependable ( BODNAR, TANG, & A ; WEINTROP, 2003 ) . Givoly, Hayn, and D'Souza ( 1993 ) assess the quality of section coverage and concluded that ascribing value straight from current profitableness of section would be more straight linked to house ‘s value compared to segmental reported gross revenues and assets. Theoretical theoretical accounts of managerial revelation determinations suggest that directors may hav inducements to misstate section informations to both suppliers of capital and merchandise market rivals ( BERGER & A ; OFEK, 1995 ) . Their ability to misstate depends on the discretion directors have to apportion dollars between sections. Since section assets must be specifically identifiable with the section for which they are reported, there is small discretion to misstate the m. Directors do hav some ability to apportion gross revenues, and greater discretion to apportion disbursals, so EBIT multiplier ansd gross revenues multiplier were more vulnerable to use than ascribing section ‘s value from plus multiplier. Therefore, we report consequences for all three multipliers to better truth.Data Analysis MethodDescriptive StatisticssDS which describe the basic characteristics of the informations and supply simple sum-ups about the sample and steps to analyse our informations bcox it shows and represents our research informations distribution in a more reasonable manner. In our research, we prepare a drumhead statistics for distribution of house ‘s extra value steps derived from theree diff multiplier attacks for single-segmented houses and multipsegmented houses. We report the mean, average, manner, standard mistake, standard divergence, sample discrepancy, kurtosis, lopsidedness, and scope and assurance degree for all the companies for 3 old ag es. Besides, we analyze the figure of single-segmented houses and multi-segmented houses for all the samples for 2 old ages ; it is illustrated in the saloon chart. Furthermroe, we anlaysze the per centum of sectors in overall samples ; we illustrate it by utilizing a pie chart. This is to place which sector is more popular in Malaysia. All descriptive statistics willb e prepared harmonizing to observations over the period signifier aˆÂ ¦.. in order to hav more penetrations and to execute tendency analysis. Based on the DS, we hav found out that our consequence is non usually distributed. Hence, non-parametric trials will be used to prove on our research objectives to avoid consequences organize being biased due to outliers. dream because you can here, you are perfect anything is possible its the least you can make so travel on woolgathering a?se†¡?a ·Ã‚ ±cs„ ¦a? § a†º aa? aa »? ae?â„ ¢e†¡?ia? c §z?cs„ia ®?c?Zcs„ ?†°Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬ °aeeaecs„ e?â„ ¢a? a?†ea?scs„ ?†°Ã‹â€ a »?ia °Ã¢â‚¬ ¦cs„ ¦a? § a? «?†?aia†¹Ã¢â‚¬ ¡?†¢?a? °c »Ã‚ §c »Ã‚ ­a’?a?sa? § a? §i a†º aa? aa »?i

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Genetically modified organism Essay

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism which been using genetic engineering techniques, and Monsanto is a publicly agricultural biotechnology company. Monsanto has a huge influence on GMO products. Unfortunately, Monsanto is not a great company because they produce harmful products and lie to their customers. Absolutely, Monsanto didn’t do the illegal things, but they didn’t obey the ethics. As seen in the video, I would like to discuss Contemporary Consequentialism which depend on justice, Kantian Ethics which as a form of deontological ethics and Social Contract Theory which depend on law to discuss Monsanto’s case. GMO products sounds like good for our health and economy, but some companies like Monsanto don’t do well. Contemporary Consequentialism Contemporary consequentialism is the class of normative ethical theories which justice takes an important role. As its name suggests, Consequentialism is the view depend only on consequences. Justice contains distributive justice and retributive justice (Driver P61). Justice concern the distribution of benefits is called distributive justice, such as taxation and health care. Justice concern the distribution of rewards and punishments is called retributive justice, such as good citizen’s awards and prison terms. The theory â€Å"determining whether or not an action is right are the consequences produced by that action† (Driver, 2007, p. 40) did not lead to positive consequences for the Monsanto company. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also lied about their founding in 1992. Since 1992, 37 people died and thousands more were seriously ill after eating one of the GMO foods made by Monsanto. This is not only ethic issue, but also is illegal. Monsanto’s character was selfish and didn’t make the world a better place (Hinman, 2002). Monsanto should be punished by justice. These GMO foods are killing people by the tens of thousands and The FDA doesn’t have any responds. I think FDA is the biggest travesty in the U. S. They’re turning a blind eye to their patient’s misery. Kantian Ethics Kantian ethics is a deontological ethical theory which proposed by Immanuel Kant. He said â€Å"A good will is good not because of what it affects or accomplishes, nor because of its fitness to attain some proposed end; it’s good only though it’s willing† (Driver, P80). According to the video we know the world according to Monsanto. It’s a very dangerous phenomenon. They want the public to believe they commit supererogatory acts. We are present several scenarios where Monsanto’s influence on FDA and other regulatory agencies has helped them to continue their un-ethical business practices. Hinman said â€Å"what is fair for one should be fair for all. † Monsanto doesn’t care other things just want to get maximum profit with all the possible methods. This is all about money. More money is selling GMO foods to other countries that are willing to pay large amounts of money. Maybe local and organic foods are healthy but there is no market for them. Monsanto make a decision which is opposite to Kantian ethics. Monsanto needs to know we should to keep promises even when we don’t want to do. As we seen in the videos, we know no matter the starting point is moral or Kantian ethics, Monsanto and its subsidiaries made some wrong decisions. Social Contract Theory Social contract theory is the view that person’s moral. Social contract theory is rightly associated with modern moral and it is also a theory or model. Thomas Hobbs said: â€Å"where there is no common power there is no law, where no law, no Injustice (Driver, P102). † He believed that human beings were motivated by self-interest. This document which Monsanto have claims that it has â€Å"evolved from long-standing commitments to safety, environmental protection, customer service, first-class research, and product stewardship† (Robin, 2008). Monsanto’s document is total lie. Farmers also need to sign an agreement when they want to grow the GMO food from Monsanto. Monsanto does believe that they are ethically right in suing a small farmer in order to preserve the balance of the farming community as a whole. Monsanto is using everyone to monopolize food and in the end with the ultimate power over everyone. I think I don’t any great idea to solve this big problem. According to the video, I think just hope Monsanto doesn’t decide to grow marijuana. They can’t mass produce organic foods any better than they can keep Wall Street on track. We know the products which Monsanto produced should not exist. These products can’t help us to make a better world. According to this theory we know first we must be guarantees that people will not harm each other, and people must be able to rely on the other to keep their agreements. Absolutely, Monsanto doesn’t obey the theory. Conclusion Through the discussion about Contemporary Consequentialism, Kantian Ethics and Social Contract Theory, We know Monsanto didn’t make a good decision between money and moral, and the FDA also help Monsanto to lie to their people. These harmful products and illegal documents must be stopped by government. Sometimes we can find the problems, but they are difficult to solve. GMO products are an awesome invention, and I think it can change our life. People are wrong, Monsanto is wrong. Monsanto cannot find an equilibrium point between ethics and business, or we can say money and moral. Many people and company were destroyed by the profit. We need to find a great equilibrium point and it will help us to work better and will not lose ourselves. Reference Hinman, L Ph. D. (2002) Basic moral orientations overview. Power Point, Univerity of San Diego, San Diego, CA Driver, J. (2007). God and Human Nature. Ethics: The Fundamentals (pp. 22-39). Malden, MA: Blackwell. Weston, A. (2007). Creative problem-solving in ethics. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. http://www. iep. utm. edu/soc-cont/.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Develop a Coherent Marketing Mix for a New Product or Service Essay

In this assignment, I am going to describe and explain how Apple uses the marketing mix for one of its latest product, a mini IPad. Marketing mix Marketing mix is commonly known as the 4Ps: product, price, place and promotion. These are controllable element and it importantly use when determined and adjusted until the right combination that serve the needs of the product’s consumers. Description of the product The product I have been chosen is one of the latest product of Apple which have been released during November 2012, the mini IPad. This new IPad is available in two models, one with Wi-Fi and another is Wi-Fi + cellular. The IPad mini has two colours which is black and white and the price range is from  £269 to  £529 Target market The target market that chosen for the mini IPad is male and female between the ages of 19 to 49, those that are currently in further education or in employment. Also, it is also targeting at Apple loyal customers. The reason for this market group is because, people between the ages of 19 to 49 are more likely to use high technology product. Especially with people who are in education and employment because they will need to use tablet for works purposes. Product life cycle When developing a product, Apple must consider factors such as, customers’ wants and needs, the physical appearance of the product, the quality and reliability of the product.  All products must go through a product life cycle which is an important concept in marketing. The product life cycle describes the stage that many products must go through. However, many products will not be able to reach to the final stages because of decrease in demand of product failure. The four stages of the product life cycle are; * Introduction – researching, developing and then launching the product * Growth – when sales are increasing at their fastest rate * Maturity – sales are near their highest, but the rate of growth is slowing down, e.g. new competitors in market or saturation * Decline – final stage of the cycle, when sales  begin to fall Reason for chosen product The reason that I have chosen the mini IPad is because; the mini IPad is one of the latest technologies available in the market at the moment. Moreover, it is also because, all the applications are available and easily to download from the Apple store that have been built in with the mini IPad. Plus, the mini IPad is light in weight and with the Wi-Fi and cellular connection available it is very easy to carry along. Therefore, this mini IPad has been designed to meet many of customers’ requirements of an ideal table which are; efficient, portable and easy to use. Another reason that made me to select out this product is because of its attractive appearance. Apple has designed this product to meet both genders as the mini IPad is available in two colours; black and white. Normally, the attractive classic black is an option for male while the stylist shinny white is for female. The appearance and packaging of the product is important because the consumers must look at the appearance first before knowing the quality of product. So, if the mini IPad is badly presented its may not be able to catch customers’ eyes. Moreover, one of another important reason for chosen the mini IPad is because, Apple is popular for developing quality and high performance product that can last for long time therefore, it is very likely that the mini IPad are also to have a high quality performance. Pricing Out of the 4Ps, price is the only element which creates sales revenue for Apple while all the others Ps are costs. . The price of an item is clearly an important determinant of the value of sales made. Researching consumers’ opinions about pricing is important as it indicates how they value what they are looking for as well as what they want to pay Pricing strategies is not an easy for business including Apple, to determine because the price must be reasonable and appeal to the target market. Within pricing strategies, there are three factors to its; cost based pricing, customer based pricing and competitor based pricing. Cost based pricing is when price is determined by adding a profit element on top of the cost of making the product. Customer based pricing is where prices are determined by what Apple believe customers will be prepared to pay. While competitor based pricing is where competitor prices are the main influence on the price set. Currently, the price range of the mini IPad is from  £269 to  £529. This price range is determined based on the combination of cost and customer based pricing. It is based on the cost based pricing because, people who are actually buying the mini IPad are not interested in the production cost of the product but instead, what they are interested in is the value which the mini IPad provides them. Moreover, it is also considered as customer based pricing because, the price range of the mini IPad is considered as a premium price for a tablet. However, demand for the mini IPad is still high because mini IPad are seen as quality product and people are obsessing about it so they are willing to pay at the high price, therefore the price for this product is seen as reasonable for the target market. Promotion Promotion is all about communication, the process where businesses tried to raise awareness of products to the customers. Therefore, the main aim of promotion is to ensure that customers are aware of the existence of the products and also, persuade and encourage customers to buy the products. Normally, business would use AIDA model for its promotion. AIDA stands for; * Attention : A process when Apple need to attract and grab the customers’ attention by having a standing out point. * Interest: A process where Apple need to create interest in the mini IPad by demonstrate its advantages * Desire: A process where Apple need to move from discussing benefits to specifically how those benefits will help that customer. * Action – A process of getting the customer to buy the mini IPad. Promotional mix Furthermore, there are many types of promotional mix which is promotional methods for Apple to choose from. Example of promotional mix are includes; advertising, personal selling, public relations, direct marketing and  special promotion. Not all businesses are using the same types of promotional mix so in term of Apple, because the mini IPad is a premium product, Apple is less likely to do a special promotion such as buy one get one free. But instead, promotional mix, that Apple would be using are like advertising. Because Apple is a large global business with high profits figures therefore, they are more likely to use expensive type of advertisement. For instance, a television adverts during a prime time slot, electronic billboard and whole page print advertisement on Guardian newspaper. Similarly, Apple are also likely to use direct marketing which is a channel agnostic form of advertising that allows Apple to communicate straight to customers via text message, website and email. As evidences, if people are to visit Apple webpage and sign up for newspaper, they will definitely find information about all new products of Apple including the mini IPad. Place Place in marketing is also known as distribution channel, a location or methods where customers can buy what the businesses is offered. So, the main objective of place in marketing mix is to make products available in the right place, at the right time. So for example, if there are no Apple stores in London, many consumers would not bother to go all the trouble to buy the mini IPad. Distribution channel can be direct transaction between Apple to consumers but, it is can also be from Apple to retailers like Tesco then to consumers. Moreover, there are many distribution methods that business can choose from and each one of the business choose a different way to approach it to their customers. For example, market stalls, online, and stores. When Apple are to consider to select their distribution channel, they are certain factors that they must aware of. The first factor is market segment, so a place that must be familiar with the target market. Second factor is changes during the product life cycle as different channels can exploited at the different point. The third factor is the amount of training and support the distributor requires. In term of Apple, because they are a global business so, they are currently having many channels to distribute its mini IPad. The most common channel is through the Apple store that available to visit across many cities. However,  because demand for Apple’s product is too high, many consumers now prefer to pre-order and buy the product online which is much quicker and efficient. Conclusion In conclusion, all of the 4Ps elements of the marketing are to have a major impact on the mini IPad, therefore it is recommend that Apple must always careful with it.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Business Decision Making Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Decision Making Bachelor - Essay Example Since these two constraints will be applied, the minimum number of units in each category is assumed to be the sold quantity every month. This would mean that the company would realise the following sales figures: alphas: 25, Betas: 30 and Gammas: 6. In order to achieve these sales figures, the initial investment required to buy these supplies from the manufacturer will be: PDS 733, 500/- which is well within the budgetary limits set (PDS 900,000). This can be achieved with in the specified budget but the total time needed to execute this job will be 1540 hours which is much ahead of the time available for this work, which is, 1100 hours and does not realise in a profit of PDS 300,000. Alpha: 14 Beta: 24 and Gamma: 6 resulting in a time of 1100 sales hours. But the profit that could be obtained will be 174,000 only and not 300,000 targeted. In order to ensure that this profit levels are obtained, then appropriate increase in the sales man hours should be there resulting in better sales and hence better profits.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Select an incident of police misconduct, either past or present, from Assignment

Select an incident of police misconduct, either past or present, from a news source. From the viewpoint of a police supervisor, - Assignment Example Introduction Police misconduct represents unsuitable actions that are deemed unlawful, taken by those in the police force in connection with their formal responsibilities of say while making an arrest. Police misconduct is often an act that is not justifiable by the law and it mostly involves discrimination in the duties they are supposed to perform as police. In a bid to manage the misconducts by the police, there has been a fast emerging trend by the civilian /private agencies to go beyond review and engage in investigations directly and are known to have a greater input into decisions that regard discipline. Police misconduct can be of various types and degree. The following are some of the most common types of misconducts that police have been known to often engage in. The misconducts consist of, surveillance abuse, false confession, misconduct by an officer while off-duty, false arrest, intimidation, racial profiling, falsified evidence, police brutality, false imprisonment, and police corruption. There are more actions in which an officer can be said to have acted in a show of misconduct. One such instance is where a police officer believes that the end justifies the means. By this I mean that a police officer believes that his cause is noble just because it yield good results. Another misconduct is when a police officer shows selective enforcement. This is the act where a police shows leniency to some people just because they are family, friends or people he has known before. Another notable misconduct is when an officer of the law flashes his badge often as a way of soliciting services, for example when he want to get a discount or gain access to a place (Martinelli, 2007). This is classified as abuse of power. We can also talk of covering up for wrongdoing through lying under oath. An officer while on duty is not allowed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If so, the officer can be accused of misconduct and have to face disciplinary action. Every officer is expected to follow the set procedural policies while they are on duty and no violation of these policies is acceptable (Prenzler, 2004). It is believed that no police officer should rat out the other officer due to misconduct. The reason as to why this belief is there is because the police officers are thought to have shared a code of silence that makes them look the other way when they discover that a fellow officer acted in a manner that would suggest he did an action that amounts to misconduct. This so called code has been refuted by the police who say that it is non-existent and refer to it as a myth (Westmarland, 2005). Cases of police misconduct are often shown to be influenced by the education and personality of a police officer. In the news, cases of police misconduct are brought to the lime light in several occasions. Advancement in technology has enabled all squad cars in to be fitted with cameras that record the actions of an officer and this is one reaso n cases of police misconduct are being identified leading to a decrease in the cases of misconduct. Police officers must have the knowledge and skills to successfully do their tasks. High-quality, entry-level, area and in-service training programs are key to guaranteeing that officers not only understand the department’s objectives but have the capability to fulfill them. The departments of police and their

China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

China - Essay Example As assumed by Westerners, the docile population of china follows the dictates of central authority failing that of traditions. Generic Chinese lack individualism with group identification being paramount. It has been found that the population of the middle kingdom has been gripped by fervor for modernization and that they take advantage of contemporary economic opportunities in identical ways. Indeed, most Chinese share the goal of harmony and uniformity and foster the image received in the west. However, intersecting this purported centeredness and homogeneity is an immense diversity of people and everyday’s practices that are not represented outside china. (Susan Debra Blum and Lionel M Jensen, 2002) China’s Population growth Issues In 1960s, there was a threat of mass starvation in China as a result of rapid population growth. This triggered government officials to establish the word’s most extensive and intrusive birth control and family planning methods with an aim of reducing fertility and creating one child families. These methods included provision of contraceptives, abortions and sterilization to married couples as well as incentives for couples pledging not to have more than one child. This program has lowered the population growth in China and encouraged economic growth.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Discussion broad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Discussion broad - Essay Example The author has rightly proposed practicing and preparing as two of the important strategies to control meeting stress. I am a Chinese and was recently interviewed in Shanghai. My interview went well because I had thought about the possible questions and prepared answers for them in advance. I also practiced the interview with my friend before the actual interview which gave me a fair idea of the interview. This topic is mentioned in the course book e.g. while preparing for a meeting or an interview, an individual should at least prepare four Ps i.e. â€Å"purpose, product, participants, and probable issues† (Wilkinson, 2012, p. 590). I find this article very informative and useful. It contains very useful pieces of advice that are easily practicable. The author has not only suggested what to do in a meeting to control stress and boost performance, but has also clearly indicated what not to do e.g. not to overprepare or have a crafted and premade answer for every question. I discovered the article recently over the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Translate Niches or Gaps Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Translate Niches or Gaps - Assignment Example The topic of the study is, â€Å"Impact of the internet on information literacy and library skills.† There is no doubt that numerous studies have been conducted on the same topic. It is also true that with the introduction, development, and advancements of the internet, information literacy and library skills have tremendously improved. In the contemporary society, studies are now able to develop their research methods and achieve a good sense of plagiarism through specific software (Correia & Teixeira, 2003). In addition, there is an extensive use of web 2.0 applications as well as search engines such as the Wikipedia and Google that has enabled students and other stakeholders to increase their information literacy and library skills (Correia & Teixeira, 2003). Indisputably, the internet has had a major impact on information literacy and library skills within the contemporary environment. Despite earlier studies and researches on the impact of the internet on education, very little has been done on specific items such as information literacy and library skills. Most previous studies and researchers have only been able to generalize the impact of the internet on education and probably acquisition of information. Specific skills such as library and information literacy have rarely been studies. Even in the few cases that such studies have been conducted, the research is not intensive and extensive. In this respect this research aims at finding out more about the specific impact of the internet. The specific impact of the internet to be addressed in this paper includes the information literacy and the library skills. Even though many researches and studies have been carried out on the impact of the internet on broad perspectives such as education, it is still evident that new advancements and developments arise within the internet. There are numerous dynamics still being experienced within the concepts of the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Prepare a report on PEST analysis for Apple. look at how various micro Assignment

Prepare a report on PEST analysis for Apple. look at how various micro and macro factors are affecting your chosen company - Assignment Example globalisation, which involves the integration of economies into the international economy through capital flows, foreign direct investment, and trade. This, in turn, results in the spread of cultures and technology and improvement in lifestyle and affluence. Apple is able to make use of the cheap labour and growing markets in the newly developing nations like India, which were once considered poor. In the opinion of Schifferes (2007), Apple has become a virtual firm by shifting its production units to countries like China in Asia through outsourcing. In an effort to reduce its operating costs, the company has spread its product manufacturing to states like Korea, Ireland, China, and Czech Republic. In addition, there are suppliers from Canada, Germany, France, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil (Apple Inc. 2014). In addition, there is a thirty-fold increase in the world trade since 1950s as a result of this globalisation (WTO, 2007). According to reports, Apple depends on countries other than America for about 58% of its total sales (Kane & Rohwedder 2010). Thus, globalisation has a positive effect on the company’s performance. Apple benefits from the modern life style because the company has managed to present itself as a lifestyle brand (Saviolo & Marazza 2012). As Roumeliotis (2014) identifies, a lifestyle brand touches a number of emotional factors, ranging from social status, self-esteem and desires. By creating such an image, Apple is now able to reap profit from the increasing number of tech-savvy youth who consider the possession of an Apple iPod and headphone as an important element of modern lifestyle. As Apple has a significant role in online music market and cyberspace, the modern lifestyle is well-suited for the company’s growth. (Apple’s branding strategy 2012). Technological factors are the biggest challenge for the company. Firstly, though the company leads the hardware sector by introducing new ideas every time, like mouse, 3.5 inch

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Fiji Water Analysis Essay Example for Free

Fiji Water Analysis Essay Introduction Corporations like FIJI Water are forced into having Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Corporate Social Responsibility is the idea that businesses need to give back to society as much as they take away. Although companies like FIJI Water produce some type of product for consumers, in this circumstance water, they are compelled to give back as much as they take away. The issue companies have to deal with is whether they really have CSR, or if they are just green washing to make people believe they are socially responsible. â€Å"The 10th Edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary recognizes the word â€Å"greenwash,† defining it as, â€Å"’Disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Environmentalist make it their job to eliminate any green washing by bringing to light companies negative impact on society and proving outrageous claims to be over exaggerated or completely false. Environmentalists compel companies to reduce, if not eliminate their carbon footprint on society through exposing how wasteful they are to society. Every company in order to be successful has to recognize this issue and do their best to resolve it, otherwise their company will tank. Companies like FIJI Water have to walk the fine line of CSR and green washing. FIJI Water LLC, has proved to be a tough competitor in the market of selling bottled water. They have overcome trials and set-backs and have kept their image of a premium quality brand of water. They have done their very best to become socially responsible over the years and had to use the idea of green washing to exploit their product. How FIJI Water Came to Be FIJI Water was started in 1996 by David Gilmour, one-time partner in Clairtone Sound Corporation Limited. FIJI Water is a U.S.-based business and brand of bottled water derived, bottled, and shipped from the Fiji Islands. It is available in 330ml, 500ml, 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles.  According to marketing materials, the water comes from an artesian aquifer in the Yaqara Valley of Viti Levu. A good way to identify what FIJI Water is all about is in their mission statement which reads, â€Å"FIJI Water, the world’s finest water, is committed to quality and excellence in our product, people, profitability, and strategic partners. We are dedicated to communicating the passion and unique properties of our brand to consumers worldwide and continuing to invest in the future while preserving and cherishing the pristine source.† They have marketed their product towards wealthy people who could afford to pay more to drink water. Their main marketing drive was that the product was far from pollution, acid rain, and industrial waste in the island nation of Fiji. The way their product differed from other water bottling companies is that the FIJI Water was drawn from an artesian aquifer that lies hundreds of feet below a primitive rainforest. The idea being that distance and isolation is part of what makes FIJI Water so much purer and richer in taste than other bottled waters. Corporate Social Responsibility FIJI Water has a few marketing and CSR campaigns to help address the issue of social responsibility and to give their product more attention. FIJI water was seen as being extremely wasteful. To take a naturally occurring product like water and use the resources to ship it half way across the world was thought to be â€Å"water insanity†. â€Å"In response to this protest, the company launched a new promotion campaign under a slogan â€Å"every drop is green,† only to be immediately accused by environmentalist groups of engaging in green washing activities.† At the same time that this was happening, FIJI focused on its contributions to the local communities in Fiji. As environmentalists’ criticism increased over the years, FIJI Water LLC launched a â€Å"carbon negative campaign, claiming that it was the first bottle water company to release carbon footprint of its products.† This was part of their push towards the slogan â€Å"every drop is green†. The Company estimated its total annual carbon footprint at 85,396 metric tons of CO2eq.  They were also able to calculate their carbon emissions at each stage of the product from production to distribution. They started at the production of raw material to running the plant, to getting it to the markets, to even refrigerating the product. It did this to try and eliminate as much carbon footprints as possible. The VP of the company, Mooney, argued that, â€Å"the only way consumers can turn their environmental intentions into good decisions is to give them the information they need regarding the emissions with the products they buy.† This made customers aware that they were actively looking at their operations and doing something about it. To most people, it didn’t really matter what, as long as they were trying. Sustainability The results of their work were impressive. They were able to accomplish the following: reduction in packaging by 20 percent, supplying 50 percent of the energy used at its bottling plant with renewable energy, optimizing logistics to be more carbon-efficient in transportation, restoring grasslands in the Yaqara Valley by planting trees, and supporting recycling programs for plastic PET bottles. With their new image as a socially responsible company they were more sustainable in the fact that they were giving back. They summed up their operations in a PR pitch: a sale of every bottle of FIJI Water would result in a net reduction of carbon in the atmosphere! The question remains, are they giving back enough? To ship a naturally occurring product half way across the world seems pretty ridiculous to those who care about our earth’s resources being wasted. Green Washing Conservation group didn’t buy it. This absurd claim, along with â€Å"every drop is green† was green washing at its finest so they thought. In Section 53 of the Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974 it prohibits a corporation from representing that â€Å"goods or services have sponsorship, approval, performance characteristics, accessories, uses or benefits they do not have.† They were in direct violation of this. The Greenwash Brigade were some of the most professional environmentalist that were known for exposing this kind of  behavior. In June 2008, they published an article titled â€Å"Fiji Water by the numbers,† which summarized the terrible environmental impact of the company. Some facts that came out of that were that there were 5,500 miles per trip from Fiji to Los Angeles, 46 million gallons of fossil fuel, 1.3 billion gallons of water used, 216 million pounds of greenhouse gases emitted. These were staggering amounts of energy, water, and fuel being used, especially for something that is naturally occurring! The Impact of the Nay-Sayers These conservationists had a big impact on the company in forming who they are today. Without bringing this information to light, nothing would be changed. They would just fly under the radar without being criticized. We need the nay-sayers to motivate companies to change so they won’t use up our limited resources. The fact of the matter is that every drop of FIJI Water is not green, every drop is imported! These environmentalist help prevent green washing and provide important research behind their accusations of companies. In 2007, Pablo Paster, an engineer and MBA, undertook a thorough and exhaustive study of the cost of bringing a liter of FIJI Water to America. His study found that, â€Å"In summary, the transport of that one kilogram bottle of Fiji water consumed 26.88 kilograms of water (7.1 gallons), .849 kilograms of fossil fuel (one liter or .26 gallons) and emitted 562 grams of Greenhouse Gases (1.2 pounds).† One can only imagine the effect that has on our en vironment. Conclusion Overall, Fiji was able to show flexibility in changing for the times. They established credibility among the community through addressing concerns of others. At first they tried to hide from the answers needed by consumers and conservationists and even used some green washing to help get their product through the tough, trying times. They used the idea of green washing to their benefit by making outrageous claims that had to be proven false initially, but in time they held to it as best they could. They had to be vague at first, but later specified their goal in operations. Comparatively to most companies, FIJI Water has a great Corporate Social Responsibility in that they have done significant things to try and eliminate their carbon footprint through efficiency and planting more trees. Going forward, the company will have a hard time living up to becoming a carbon negative company. They need to keep on their path of fulfilling promises made to invest in renewable energy equipment and to off-set that with continuing to plant trees abroad. FIJI Water has especially helped the local community surrounding Fiji. They have established good CSR with the five neighboring villages. They have supported children’s educations in helping them get a good start. In pre-schools they have provided equipment, educational material, teacher training and other support. In March 2002, the company voluntarily established an independently administrated community development trust fund and allocated FJ$275,000 to it. That is a great use of their resources. They also support village projects to improve hygiene and sanitation as well as provide portable drinking water. FIJI Water is a benefit to society as a whole. They have used their resources to give back to our planet and help others in need. More [ 1 ]. James McMaster and Jan Nowak, â€Å"FIJI Water and Corporate Social Responsibility – Green Makeover or â€Å"Greenwashing†?, May 2009, Ivey Management Services. [ 2 ]. N.A., â€Å"FIJI Water,† http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji_Water#History, 2012. [ 3 ]. N.A., â€Å"Mission Statement,† http://www.fijiwater.com/company/company-timeline/, N.D. [ 4 ]. Ibid. [ 5 ]. James McMaster and Jan Nowak, â€Å"FIJI Water and Corporate Social Responsibility – Green Makeover or â€Å"Greenwashing†?, May 2009, Ivey Management Services. [ 6 ]. â€Å"FIJI Water Becomes First Bottled Water Company to Release Carbon Footprint of Its Products,† April 9, 2008, www.bevnet.com [ 7 ]. Ibid. [ 8 ]. Ibid. [ 9 ]. â€Å"FIJI Water Becomes First Bottled Water Company to Release Carbon Footprint of Its Products,† FIJI Water Press Release, Los Angeles, April 9, 2008, www.bevnet.com. [ 10 ]. James McMaster and Jan Nowak, â€Å"FIJI Water and Corporate Social Responsibility – Green Makeover or â€Å"Greenwashing†?, May 2009, Ivey Management Services. [ 11 ]. Heidi Sigelbaum, â€Å"Fiji Water by the numbers,† June 6, 2008. [ 12 ]. www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/pablo_calculate.php [ 13 ]. McMaster and Nowak, â€Å"Natural Waters of Viti Limited – Pioneering a New Industry in the Fiji Islands.†

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Emotional Intelligence And Healthcare Leadership

Emotional Intelligence And Healthcare Leadership Development of emotional intelligence in healthcare has been slower to progress than in other industries. This paper defines emotional intelligence and describes benefits related to developing the attributes of emotional intelligence. It explores physician, clinical, ancillary, and administrative use cases documenting the benefits of implementing emotional intelligence awareness. In addition, it describes how emotional intelligence can positively impact healthcare executives in leading their organizations to retain talent, improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Emotional Intelligence Healthcare Leadership A lot of research has been conducted on the topic of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the capacity for effectively recognizing and managing our own emotions and those of others (Pharmaceutical Information, 2007). The Harvard Business Review (HBR) released a number of articles which examine emotional intelligence. As described in the HBR article What Makes a Leader there are five key components to emotional intelligence including knowing ones emotions (Self-Awareness), managing ones emotions (Self-Regulation), motivating self (Motivation), recognizing the emotions of others on the team (Empathy), and developing / handling relationships (Social Skills), (Goldman 2004). Publication of emotional intelligence research started in 1990 and since that time companies have been working to integrate emotional intelligence into their employee selection processes (Freedman 2010). This work started in non-healthcare related industries and is increasingly stressed in healthcare beh avioral development today. In an article by the journal BMC Medical Education, Emotional Intelligence is the set of abilities (verbal and nonverbal) that enable a person to generate, recognize, express, understand, and evaluate their own, and others, emotions in order to guide thinking and action that successfully cope with environmental demands and pressures(Birks, Mckendree, Watt 2009). Are emotional intelligence attributes just a performance metric fad utilized by senior leadership to stimulate change within the organization? Or does it lead to enhanced effectiveness of healthcare executives and the organizations they lead? One of the reasons emotional intelligence is critical to success is that it is effective in handling stress. Healthcare is a multifaceted, evolving and stressful environment. Managing the stress of change management in healthcare is a skill that healthcare leaders must acknowledge. A study was performed at a large urban hospital with professional midwives and obstetricians. It found that emotional intelligence is predictive of performance 66 percent of the time, of stress up to 24 percent and of stress management 6.5 percent of the time. This study found in examining senior leadership in relation to the focus group that emotional intelligence made the biggest difference in the supervisory and leadership roles (Freeman 2010). This provides indication that emotional intelligence actually is more important to recognize as one is in transition to higher management and leadership levels. Another study performed indicated that emotional intelligence can actually be improved throughout life. The study focused on supporting staff of a large healthcare center. It utilized an emotional intelligence test focusing on emotional sensitivity, maturity, and competence. This study measured the ability to respond to interpretation of human expressions with empathy and scored competency of self-control against age / maturity. Findings revealed that maturity of emotional regulation tends to be after the age of forty and that emotional sensitivity grows with experience (ie. age) as well. The study also found a significant difference in the perception of emotion intelligence between gender showing that both men and women have equal ability to increase emotional intelligence but that women tended to be stronger than men as it relates to empathy and self-regulation (Freeman 2010). This provides evidence that emotional intelligence is learned with experiences. Therefore healthcare leade rs can influence supporting staffs development of emotional intelligence in handling operational stress management. It is important to ensure the development concentrates on the right part of the brain to achieve successful results. Emotional intelligence training must focus on the limbic system which requires motivation, extended practice and feedback on behalf of the student to advance capabilities (Goleman 2004). Healthcare leaders need to recognize the importance of emotional intelligence competency in order to make it a part of their organizations culture. There are a number of case examples showing that healthcare executives believe that their own development of emotional intelligence is imperative to successful implementation of initiatives for their organization. For example in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine designed an exploratory study in order compare leaders and physician perspectives with respect to required leadership qualities. The purpose of the study was to gauge what is necessary to develop current and future leaders. This study centered on leaders that expressed interest in gaining new academics and leadership skills. They structured interviews to gather data from leaders and found that both developmental and established leaders agreed that knowledge, people skills, emotional intelligence and vision are all characteris tics required for leaders to be successful. The interviews indicated that healthcare poses unique leadership challenges and the complexity of healthcare institutions is greater than other industries with respect to training. Physicians tend to be far less willing to receive direction and collaborate on training necessitating the need for healthcare leaders to possess mature emotional intelligence skills; especially in areas such as empathy, self-awareness and self-restraint. The study provided evidence that leaders need and desire emotional intelligence training. Healthcare leaders admitted in the interviews that often one is promoted based upon academic and clinical accomplishments. Therefore they lack and desire training in other skilled leadership competencies such as emotional intelligence. The leaders agreed that knowledge is important however 70 percent stated that emotional intelligence was the most admired attribute (Taylor, Taylor, Staller 2008). Healthcare leaders agree that emotional intelligence is important element for leadership. But there is also evidence that leaders should promote development of emotional intelligence for their clinicians as well. A study published in the March 2011 issue of Academic Medicine highlighted a study performed by Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. It was established in order to quantify if there is a relationship between physician empathy and clinical patient outcomes. Researchers measured 29 physicians associated with 891 diabetic patients by utilizing the Jefferson Scale of Empathy as an instrument to measure empathy. The scale rated and provided a physician score on their empathy awareness based on the context that patient care requires a cognitive attribute that involves understanding and intention to help. After scoring the physicians empathy skills, the study compared them with the patients ability to control hemoglobin Alc and LDL cholesterol levels. The study concluded that good control of A1c and LDL levels was significantly better with patients associated with physicians having high empathy scores than with patient of physicians with low empathy ratings. This suggests that empathy should be a key component in overall physician competence (Jefferson University Hospitals 2011). As referenced in a research study documented in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (JRSM), healthcare policy and practices are trending towards emphasizing the principles of patient-centered care. Providing patient-centered care is a multi-dimensional concept which addresses patients needs for information, views the patient as a whole person, promotes concordance and enhances the professional-patient relationship(Birks Watt 2007). There is a variance in the level of patient-centered care provided by professionals practicing within healthcare organizations. Healthcare executives are therefore interested in ways to improve patient-centered outcomes. Training professional staff on emotional intelligence generates self-confidence, sensitivity to patient needs and trustworthiness. These attributes can actually play a part in improving outcomes (Birks Watt 2007). Evidence of this is documented in JRSM where a study involving 30 physicians and 138 patients provided evidence that emotional intelligence plays a role in patient satisfaction. An extensive study involving 213 dental students found that perceived stress is lower when the student possesses higher emotional intelligence scores. Decreasing stress levels help to retain talent and quality nursing staff is extremely important in patient-centered care. A correlation between low emotional intelligence scores and nursing burnout and attrition was found based on study conducted on 380 nurses. It indicated that emotional intelligence can improve the working relationships within the healthcare culture; increasing the likelihood of retaining talent (Birks Watt 2007) A Clinical Connections journal article written by Erik Swensson, MD, FACS agrees with the premise that emotional intelligence improves healthcare culture. He emphasizes the continual challenge for physicians and leadership professionals to routinely coach and hold peers accountable. The article stresses the need for professionals to possess emotional intelligence skills involving self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Healthcare professionals need to move away from protecting our own and towards helping our own, he stated. Emotional intelligence establishes a foundation for building a caring environment and establishing a culture of collaborative safety (Swensson 2012). The International Journal of Collaborative Research on Internal Medicine and Public Health suggests that making emotional intelligence a core competency for the healthcare professional will result in enhancing clinician-patient relationships. Patients feeling empowered, knowledgeable and in control of their healthcare tend to make healthy lifestyle modifications. Clinicians whom are trained in emotional intelligence skills can help patients with self-awareness, self-regulation, and motivation. This requires time to listen to patient concerns (ie. empathy). Enhanced relationships will thereby result in an increase in desirable health outcomes (Coelho 2012). Cultivating the patient-clinician relationship may affect a patients emotional intelligence on initiating legal action against providers because the patient is part of the care solution and overall more satisfied with the care provided. Research indicates that more satisfied patients are the less likely they are to take legal actio n. Therefore cultivating emotional intelligence may be a mechanism towards a reduction in healthcare legal cases and costs associated. Todays healthcare environment demands pay for performance. Healthcare executives need to expand their overall emotional intelligence competencies in order to recognize and expect these attributes in leaders and clinical professionals within their organization. Executives have to establish and take ownership for their culture. In doing so they must consistently demonstrate the leadership qualities they expect to be exhibited by their administrative and clinical staff. As evidenced in the studies described above executives will benefit by investing in their own emotional intelligence education and should extend it to all levels within their organization. Doing so will provide a caring culture, reducing healthcare costs, retaining talent, and motivating clinicians to provide excellence in patient care.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Fault-zone Properties and Earthquake Rupture

Fault-zone Properties and Earthquake Rupture INTRODUCTION Geological structures, specifically faults play a substantial role in the qualitative and quantitative aspects of hydrogeological processes (Bense, et al., 2006). Fault zones in the earth shallow crust ( A first-order description of fault zones commonly includes a fault core, which is surrounded by a damage zone from the hydrogeological perspective. The fault core, as the zone of the most intense strain, is generally found in the center of the fault zone, and identified the most of the displacement within the fault zone. Fault cores in different rocks are commonly zones of fault gouge and breccias (Evans and Chester, 1995; Caine et al., 1996; Evans et al., 1997). The damage zone has secondary structures such as minor faults and fractures extending into the foot wall and hanging wall, which take up the rest of strain within the fault zone (Bense, et al., 2013). The fault core and damage zone are surrounded by protolith that is relatively undeformed units which may contain joints not primarily related to the fault zone, and exists as a background deformation pattern (Forster and Evans, 1991; Caine and Forster, 1999). The main hydrogeologic properties of fault zones are believed to be highly anisotropic. Vertical or near-vertical faults are commonly described as being either conduits for horizontal flow along the fault, barriers to horizontal flow across the fault, or a combination of the both respect to the fault core conditions (Anderson and Bakker, 2008). The faulting mechanism and movement type is a significant parameter in the hydrogeological behavior of faults. Normal faults with tension mechanism have a greater ability to groundwater movement and conversely, reverse faults with compressive mechanism, are not proper pathways for groundwater flow. Reverse faults and strike slip faults generated by compression forces, so can act as an impermeable barrier against groundwater movement across the fault (Goldscheider, 2008). Various fault processes can reduce the permeability of the fault core and cause fault to behave as an impermeable barrier against groundwater flow in unlithified sediments. Tectonic sediment mixing in fault zones generally leads to a notable reduction of permeability (Faerseth, 2006; Rawling and Goodwin, 2006; Caine and Minor, 2009; Balsamo and Storti, 2011). The physical mixing of sediments with contrasting grain-size distributions can be expected to result in a more poorly sorted sediment mixture than any of the source beds, and for this reason sediment mixing leads to the efficient reduction of pore space and permeability in the fault zone. The degree to which permeability is reduced as a result of sediment mixing in unlithified sediments will depend on the contrast in permeability between the end-member beds. Heynekamp et al. (1999) report a reduction in permeability of up to six orders of magnitude as compared to the original sand layer, where sandy clay form in the fault zone a s a result of mixing between sand and clay layers along the Sand Hill fault zone in New Mexico, USA. The latter study further illustrates that mixing, from relatively homogeneous source layers, causes strong permeability heterogeneity in the fault zone because of incomplete sediment mixing. In addition to permeability heterogeneity, permeability anisotropy can be expected to be present in fault zones as a result of rotation of bladed sediment grains. Grains aligning preferably with the main fault dip have been observed in both lab-experiments on loose sands, and in naturally faulted sediments ranging from sand to gravel (Bense, et al., 2013). At the grain scale, the increased tortuosity of flow paths across the fault as a result of the realignment of oblate grains in the direction of the fault dip results in permeability anisotropy so that perpendicular to the shear zone, permeability can be up to two orders of magnitude lower than along it (Arch and Maltman, 1990). Where clay minerals are present in the sediment matrix, phyllosilicate framework bands will develop along which platy clay minerals orient in the direction of the fault zone andwill so facilitate the sliding of grains past one another possibly reducing grain breakage (Fossen et al., 2007). Clay smears often develop along fault zones cutting through clay beds. The focus onclay smear exists mainly because of their potential to efficient block across fault fluid flow (Bense and Van Balen, 2004). Clay smears have been described in stratigraphies characterized by unlithified sediments consisting of sand–clay alternations (Yielding et al., 1997). Cataclasis in unlithified sediments is the pervasive brittle fracturing and commination of grains (Engelder, 1974;Chester and Logan, 1986; Blenkinsop, 1991;Davis and Reynolds, 1996). The effectiveness of cataclasis occurring in unlithified sediments varies as function of grain composition, relatively weaker grains such as feldspars can be entirely crushed while stronger quartz grains show low intensity cataclasis characterized by the flaking of grains rather than their entire disintegration by crushing (Loveless et al., 2011; Exner and Tschegg, 2012). Permeability along cataclastic deformation bands in unlithified sediments with clay content is typically reduced more strongly, as compared to undeformed sediments, which is demonstrated by many field and laboratory permeability tests (Antonellini and Aydin, 1994;Fisher and Knipe, 2001). Permeability along cataclastic deformation bands is often anisotropic with the largest reduction in permeability perpendicular to the deformation band (Antonellini and Aydin, 1994; Sigda et al., 1999). Fluids carrying reactive solutes circulating through fault zones potentially can reduce permeability as a result of water–rock interaction and cementation (Zhang et al., 2008). To study the influence of the North Tabriz Fault (NTF) on the adjacent groundwater aquifer in Ammand area, the geologic information reported by the Geological Survey of Iran (1996), along with the hydrostratigraphic characteristic of aquifer drives from 57 well logs, were investigated. Well log data employed to correlate the sedimentary layers in order to clarify the type and structure of the region aquifers. Groundwater level and electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater samples have been measured in site. Finally, groundwater level isopotential lines along with flow directions and some hydrochemical analysis of 57 water sample were employed to prepare suitable maps which revealed the impact of the fault on the surrounding aquifer. THE STUDY AREA The Ammand area is located in the northwest of Iran and in the northwest of Tabriz City (Fig. 1). The Tabriz City is one of the large cities of Iran with more than 1.5 million inhabitants (Moradi, et al. 2011). The study area with 297 mm of average annual precipitation and 12.5oC of average annual temperature has a cold and dry climate according to Emberger classification method. Groundwater of this area as the main source of water supply was exploited for drinking and agriculture purposes. This area was crossed by a large and active fault (North Tabriz Fault) which belongs to the complex system that connects the North Anatolian fault system, located in Turkey, to the Alborz mountain range in Iran and accommodates both the northward motion of Arabia and the westward motion of Anatolia plates relative to Eurasia plate (Moradi, et al. 2011). The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the North Tabriz fault on the hydrogeological characteristic of the surrounding aquifer. GEOLOGICALSETTING The present-day tectonics of Iran is mainly the result of the complex tectonic system due to motion between the Arabian and Eurasia plates (Djamour, et al., 2011). The Tabriz area is part of the complex tectonic system result of the interaction between Arabia, Anatolia and Eurasia plates and comprising the complex system of faults (Sengoret al., 2005; McKenzie, 1972; Jackson, 1992). The North Tabriz Fault (NTF) is the most outstanding tectonic structure in the northwest of Iran with right lateral fault mechanism (Fig. 1). It is one of the most active faults in Iran which has a clear surface expression in most part of its length (Hesami, et al., 2003). It has an average strike of NW-SE over a length of more than 150 km and appears to be generally close to vertical in dip (Vafaei, et al., 2011).Right-lateral movement along this fault, documented by Berberian and Arshadi (1976) from the study of aerial photographs, which also can be seen clearly in the field (Karakhanian et al., 2004).NTF lineament in the area is easily recognizable in Miocene units (Fig. 2). Variety of geological formations around the study area according to their rocks composition and the effects of geological phenomena such as North Tabriz fault have contributed as the main role in the appearance of the area current morphology and hydrogeological characteristics of the area aquifers. Geological units of the area are consists of Pliocene gray Dacite in the north, Miocene gypsiferous red marl and sandstone layers that surrounding the area, Quaternary Travertine deposits in central part, which all of these formations have been covered by Quaternary alluvial fan deposits in most part of the area (Fig. 2).

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Science in Not Going Too Far Essay -- Scientific Argumentative Persuas

When asked the question of whether or not scientific knowledge should be boundless, I can't help, but to wonder why it wouldn't be. Everything that I can think of that has to do with science such as coming up with cures for diseases, being able to re-create a human being and its parts. Being able to choose whether or not your child will be a boy or a girl, have blonde or brown hair or blue eyes or green eyes is, as far as I'm concerned, extremely beneficial. I don't see anything wrong with cloning either. What's the big deal anyway, it's not like you are going to have a bunch of look-a-likes running around. It is going to cost way too much money to get someone or something cloned. I have to throw in an argument from the other side and Mary Shelly said it in her novel, Frankenstein, "If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections, and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind." (233) How could she say the study doesn't benefit the mind? We've always said that we learn from our mistakes haven't we? If the wrong person should somehow receive or get a hold of the technology and scientific methods to cloning, then it could definitely be a dangerous thing not benefiting. They could somehow regenerate all of the world's most evil creatures if he or she wanted a world of anarchy. They could single handedly become ruler of the earth. Of course, it would take a long time for those clones to grow up and become adults capable of creating such putrid crime. But, until then I think that all cloning is doing is making us more aware of how the human body works and that is only go... ... I think life is full of trading. You have to give up some things before you can learn more. So, all those animals and things that we test on are very respectable things to me. Science is the only reason that I am here today as a matter of fact. I actually died and then they had to do a C-Section in order for me to live. The only reason they were able to keep me alive is because through scientific experimentation they were able to learn and save more people. So science is all around us, we just don't notice it so don't hold it back. Works Cited Bishop, J. Michael. "Enemies of Promise." The Presence of Others. Editors Andrea A. Lunnsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York. Bedford St. Martin's, 2000, 237-242. Shelly, Mary. "Frankenstein." The Presence of Others. Editors Andrea A. Lunnsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York. Bedford St. Martin's, 2000, 233.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Feelings of Incompetency :: Personal Narrative Writing

Feelings of Incompetency In my experiences at the Writing Resource Center, I have found that the biggest area of concern that I have run into is the feeling that I am an ineffective tutor as far as tutoring the students that come in search of writing assistance. I feel that I am a very inadequate means of relief for these people, yet they still come to me for help. In this paper, I will explore these thoughts and try to find out what it is that makes me feel so ineffective. In recent discussions with my peers at the Writing Resource Center, I have found that, though these feelings of inadequacy are somewhat consistent throughout the center, I feel that my feelings are a bit more strong when it comes to that of helping the student. I feel that what I am doing in helping the student is exactly what we're taught not to do, as far as assisting. The most glaring thing that I feel that I am doing wrong is that when I read a paper that is loaded with commas, I tend to point them out without much help from the tutee. Take the following paragraph, for example (which is a rough copy from a tutee of mine - who wasn't a foreigner to our country): Snowmobiles, on the other hand, are, for example, a very effective, yet costly, means of transportation. They are, as said before, expensive, but, the fact that they're worth it only enhances their, let's say, worthiness. I mean, you can buy one, for cheap, but, on the other hand, why buy a cheap one when spending a little bit more would mean fewer problems down the road. Now, after reading this paragraph, I read it aloud to him exaggerating the pauses wherever the commas were placed. Next, I asked him to tell me if the whole paragraph sounded strange to him or not. He promptly replied that it sounded perfectly fine. Upon hearing this, I tried a different approach: I had him paraphrase, or restate, what he was trying to say in the paragraph while I wrote it down. I then had him read what I had just written down and asked him what he felt about that for his paragraph instead of the one that he had on his paper. He abruptly said "no" and looked at me defiantly. Next, after trying to tell him how commas were supposed to function in a sentence, I asked him again if he felt that there were any places in his paragraph that seemed awkward and/or over "comma-ized.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Covent Garden Essay

In this quadrangle the Abbey or Convent of St. Peter, Westminster, maintained a large kitchen garden throughout the Middle Ages to provide its daily food. Over the next three centuries, the monks’ old â€Å"convent garden† became a major source of fruit and vegetables in London and was managed by a succession of leaseholders by grant from the Abbot of Westminster. This type of lease eventually led to property disputes throughout the kingdom, which King Henry VIII solved in 1540 by the stroke of a pen when he dissolved the monasteries and appropriated their land. King Henry VIII granted part of the land to John Russell, Baron Russell, Lord High Admiral, and later Earl of Bedford. In fulfilment of his father’s dying wish, King Edward VI bestowed the remainder of the convent garden in 1547 to his maternal uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset who began building Somerset House on the south side of The Strand the next year. When Seymour was beheaded for treason in 1552, the land once again came into royal gift, and was awarded four months later to one of those who had contributed to Seymour’s downfall. Forty acres (160,000 m? ), known as â€Å"le Covent Garden† plus â€Å"the long acre†, were granted by royal patent in perpetuity to the Earl of Bedford. [edit] 1600s to 1800s The modern-day Covent Garden has its roots in the early seventeenth century when land (â€Å"the Convent’s Garden†) was redeveloped by Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford. The area was designed by Inigo Jones, the first and greatest of English Renaissance architects. He was inspired by late 15th Century and early 16th century planned market towns known as bastides (themselves modelled on Roman colonial towns by way of nearby monasteries, of which â€Å"Convent† Garden was one). The area rapidly became a base for market traders, and following the Great Fire of London of 1666 which destroyed ‘rival’ markets towards the east of the city, the market became the most important in the country. Exotic items from around the world were carried on boats up the River Thames and sold on from Covent Garden. The first mention of a Punch and Judy show in Britain was recorded by diarist Samuel Pepys, who saw such a show in the square in May 1662. Today Covent Garden is the only part of London licensed for street entertainment. In 1830 a grand building reminiscent of the Roman baths such as those found in Bath was built to provide a more permanent trading centre. [edit] Modern day period By the end of the 1960s, traffic congestion in the surrounding area had reached such a level that the use of the square as a market, which required increasingly large lorries for deliveries and distribution, was becoming unsustainable. The whole area was threatened with complete redevelopment. Following a public outcry, in 1973 the Home Secretary, Robert Carr, gave dozens of buildings around the square listed building status, preventing redevelopment. The following year the market finally moved to a new site (called the New Covent Garden Market) about three miles south-west at Nine Elms. The square languished until its central building re-opened as a shopping centre and tourist attraction in 1980. Today the shops largely sell novelty items. More serious shoppers gravitate to Long Acre, which has a range of clothes shops and boutiques, and Neal Street, noted for its large number of shoe shops. London’s Transport Museum and the rear entrance to the Royal Opera House are also located on the Piazza. The marketplace and Royal Opera House were memorably brought together in the opening of George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion, where Professor Higgins is waiting for a cab to take him home from the opera when he comes across Eliza Doolittle selling flowers in the market. In the mid 1950s, before he directed such films as If and O Lucky Man, Lindsay Anderson directed a short film about the daily activities of the Covent Garden market called Every Day Except Christmas. It shows 12 hours in the life of the market and market people, now long gone from the area, but it also reflects three centuries of tradition in the operation of the daily fruit and vegetable market. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1972 film, Frenzy, likewise takes place amongst the pubs and fruit markets of Covent Garden. The serial sex killer in Frenzy is a local fruit vendor, and the film features several blackly comic moments suggesting a metaphorical correlation between the consumption of food and the act of rape-murder. Hitchcock was the son of a Covent Garden merchant and grew up in the area; and so, the film was partly conceived (and marketed) as a semi-nostalgic return to the neighbourhood of the director’s childhood. Supermodel Naomi Campbell was also discovered by a model scout at the age of 15 whilst walking through the streets of Covent Garden.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Chiquita Banana Overview Essay

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. is one of the most important international marketers and distributors of food products derived from bananas, as well as other fruits and healthy snack products. Chiquita Banana revenues for about $3 billion dollars a year and employs more than 21,000 people and operates in about 70 countries worldwide. Chiquita Banana  together with Dole, Del Monte and Fyffes control about 80% of the global banana market. In 1993 the EU created the Common Organization of the Market in Bananas (COMB) to deal with the harsh competition between these companies. They would allow duty free access to the EU but subject to quotas to bananas from the Africa’s, Caribbean and Pacific, while bananas from Latin America were subject to an import tax of 176 Euros per ton and a quota of 2533 t. As an American company we have decided to take advantage of the new treaty restricting Latin American and ACP countries from exporting bananas to the EU. It will not be an easy ta sk because we still have to compete against European banana producers, but we are an established company and we are determined to benefit from this event and gain market share in the European Union. PESTEL analysis for the European Union POLITICAL: †¢The European Union is composed of 28 member states. †¢The EU has created a single market by standardizing laws within the member states. †¢Some of the objectives of creating this union is to create a better flow on the circulation of goods, capital, people and services within the union. Once a good or service is accepted within the union it is protected from customs, taxes and import quotas as long as they remain within the union. †¢Free movement of capital is intended to allow investment of properties between countries, something that could help banana growers since they can look for more fertile land in neighboring countries. †¢The monetary policy is the Eurozone and is governed by the European Central Bank. ECONOMIC: †¢The European Union’s GDP is ranked as number one in the world accounting for $16.58 trillion dollars. †¢Export goods account for $1.687 trillion, some of the main export partners of the European union are: oUS 17.3% China 8.5% Switzerland 7.9% Russia 7.3% Turkey 4.5 % †¢Food, drinks and tobacco account for 5.9% †¢Import of goods account for $2.302 trillion dollars and the main import partners are: China 16.2% Russia 11.9% US 11.5% Switzerland 5.8% Norway 5.6% †¢Food, drinks and tobacco account for 5.2% of import goods. †¢The service sector is the most important one in the EU making up 69% of the GDP followed by the manufacturing industry with 28.4% GDP and agriculture for only 2.3% of GDP †¢The agricultural sector is supported by subsidies from the EU and currently represents 40-50% of the EU’s total spending. SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS: †¢There is limited data on European children’s fruit intake, but the data shows that the average fruit intake is about 141 g per day. Fruit intake is highest in Austria and Portugal and is the lowest in Iceland and Spain. †¢Girls and women consume more fruits and vegetables and boys and men do, there is no simple explanation to this but it’s believed to be because women in general are more concerned about their weight and keeping a slim fit figure. †¢Children tend to eat less fruit as they age, but it’s the exact opposite with adults. Intake levels increase with age, possibly because income and knowledge increases and one becomes more aware of the benefits of good eating habits. †¢Men once they are married have an increase in fruit intake. Women seem to have an impact on their husband’s fruit intake as well as the variety of fruits eaten. Women tend to handle ‘health-related’ issues more commonly than men so they tend to buy and cook more food than men. †¢Children’s fruit intake levels directly correlate with how much their parents consume. But pressure to eat fruit does not positively affect children’s intake, but it is enhanced when parents are good role-models and encourage them to eat fruits and vegetables. †¢People with self-efficacy tendencies have a higher fruit intake in adults, also people with a high self-esteem tend to eat more fruits and vegetables because they take their health into account. TECHNOLOGICAL: †¢The EU is funding a project for pesticide free fruits and vegetables by removing the threat of fruit flies. Helping farmers meet customers’ demands for safe fruits while being environmentally conscious. oThe project pretend to use an insect attractant to draw insects and pathogens such as: infectious micro-organisms, virus, fungus that cause diseases in fungus. oThis attractant will be applied in the form of an insect trap near plantations to take bugs away from plantations, this will be a long-lasting and biodegradable baiting station. †¢Europe is becoming more conscious about maintaining a cleaner environment, the EU is committed to providing a better future for the next generations. So they specialize on clean energy, from turbines in Germany to solar panels in Spain, and countries across the EU are using natural resources of sustainable energy bringing investment to businesses and citizens. LEGAL: †¢With the birth of the Single European Market in 1993 the Common Market Organization for Bananas was put into effect (COMB). COMB is concerned on the importation, sale and distribution of bananas. †¢A policy was set in motion allowing EU suppliers to export duty free bananas to all EU states. Also quotas were set for African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) imposing import licenses for a fixed rate of volume of bananas, and limited imports through excessively high tariffs. oA quota of 857,000 tons for duty free access from ACP countries †¢Three types of licenses were issued in order to regulate this quota to ACP countries †¢Third countries that were not considered in the quota are subject to a tariff of Ecu 850 per ton. †¢In order to prevent any loss of income by EU banana producers a compensation of payments for 850,000 tons were granted in case the prices fell below the production costs. ENVIRONMENTAL: †¢Flat-free water chargers are common in some countries in Europe. This does not encourage efficient behavior to households and agriculture according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). †¢The EEA is considering water pricing in the following countries: Croatia, England and wales, France, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain. †¢In most countries, farmers are allowed to use as much water as they want  for a flat rate. By charging the amount of water used in Europe it prognosticated to cut down on water used by agriculture for about 10 – 20 %. This will push farmers to not only cut down on their water consumption but to invest on better irrigation system as well as fixing water leaks. †¢The general population in the European Union seem to support this motion to cut down water overuse, about 84% of the population agree with this principle. Marketing Mix In order to better penetrate the European market we have to better understand our own products, so a marketing mix was created to see what we can offer to the market and this will help us to better oversee our operations in the European market. PRODUCT: Chiquita banana takes pride in their first class bananas. But banana consumption vary from country to country so they have other products to fulfill the change in each countries demand. They always keep in mind the environment and consumer’s health, so they have products that meet these two qualifications, products such as: readymade salads, fruit snacks. An independent survey was conducted about people’s preferences and attitudes about bananas, and the poll indicated that the taste of Chiquita bananas was better than competing brands and people preferred it 2 to 1 to the leading brand. The bananas by Chiquita banana are 100% organic approved and certified by the USDA which means that they adhere to the requirements and meet the organic standards of growing bananas. PRICE: These are the prices for bananas per metric ton for the last few months. Bananas prices vary depending on the location where they are being sold. In France the average price for a kg is about $2.00 dollars. In Spain is about $1.00 per kg. But these prices tend to fluctuate with the seasons as well, and some variables take place to why this happens. One of the reasons is that bananas grow in tropical areas so they need hot weather to grow, but it’s harder to maintain them fresh during summer. PLACE: Chiquita banana sells its products internationally to about 70 countries worldwide. The majority of the products grown come from South America and the Caribbean which are then sent to distribution centers. Europe is the largest consumer and importer of bananas in the world, so this would be the best place for the largest banana producer in the world to invest and tap into this gold mine. In the year 2011 people living in the European Union consumed an estimate of 5 million tons of bananas and about 4.6 million tons were imported. Europe would be the best market to try to penetrate and take market share from. Sweden, UK, Denmark, Finland and Portugal are the main consumers of bananas in Europe (see Appendix A). These are the countries within the EU for Chiquita banana to penetrate first. PROMOTION: The way that Chiquita banana promotes their product is very innovative. They have sticker contests and they encourage people to send drawings for possible logos for their stickers. But their latest promotion is endorsing the charismatic minion characters from the movie Despicable Me, they have even worked on an app game available for apple and droid. The point of this game is to run and get as many bananas as possible without running into any obstacles. There is no record for the increase in sales of Chiquita bananas yet because the game is recent, but it’s safe to say that this gamification strategy will work well for the company. Also, as a part of their promotion they attend school lunches, celebrate major anniversaries and sponsor Olympics. They use the slogan â€Å"quite possibly, The World’s Perfect Food† SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS: †¢Chiquita Banana is number one in the fruit market in the world and sells its products to more than 70 countries worldwide. †¢The company had a $3 billion dollar revenue last year. †¢Its net income is about $405 million dollars. †¢The company is committed to being socially responsible A decade ago they implemented social accountability 8000 which has helped improve their practices to better serve the community. â€Å"SA 8000 provides standards based on national laws, international human rights norms and the conventions of the International Labor Organization. Management system  requirements ensure that these standards are consistently implemented over time, and independent audits and certification help measure progress and identify areas for improvement.† WEAKNESSES: †¢The company has not been able to reach out to consumers in Europe, they had a $2 million profit during the last quarter, better compared to the previews year where there was an $11 million loss. †¢Sales fell 2% from $793 million to $774 million in one year. †¢There was an 18 an article was published of ‘Chiquita secrets revealed’ by the enquirer, where the company had been accused of mistreating workers in Central America, polluting the environment and allowing cocaine to be brought to the US in its ships. OPPORTUNITIES: †¢With the new regulations from 1993 the European market has opened for banana companies that do not belong to the ACP countries and Latin America. †¢Our opportunities go hand in hand with the highest consumers of bananas in the EU. According to appendix A, they are: oSweden UK Denmark Finland Portugal †¢These are the first countries that we must try to focus our internationalization efforts into, since they are the highest consumers of our product. †¢Even with the new regulations by COMB Chiquita banana has no real competition from European banana growers, European countries are not optimal for banana growth. Chiquita banana can bring larger quantities at competing prices. THREATS: †¢Some of the threats come from competing companies like: Dole, Del Monte and Fyffes. †¢The analysis of this figure shows Chiquita’s market share shrinking from 1966 to 1995 and then remaining constant at 25% market share. †¢We can also observe that for the year 2007 Dole Company had a bigger market share than Chiquita. †¢Chiquita has to be attentive of the existing competing brands but also the new incoming brands that are stealing market share from the company. Internationalization Strategy and Viability As already stated before, the European Market is the biggest consumer and importer of bananas. Which is why we are interested in creating an internationalization strategy in order to visualize which cities in the European market target more specifically. There is a map in appendix A portraying the European Countries and an estimate of banana consumption, we can see that the northern countries together with Portugal enjoy eating bananas the most. Then we can see a ranking list with the countries that consume the most bananas in Europe, with Sweden being on top of the list. Chiquita banana Co. gets their product from the countries with a yellow dot. Since these are countries that have hot and humid temperature, adequate for banana growth. This map shows us that that in order for the bananas to be shipped from this countries to the EU they have to be shipped in a boat that has to travel the Atlantic for about 6,000 miles. These bananas are stored and refrigerated. This crossing of the A tlantic takes an average of 5 days and the bananas are refrigerated to a temperature between 13.5 and 15 C stalling ripening. Even though flavor and consistency remain virtually intact, this voyage shortens the shelf life to be 7-10 days. Portugal would be a strategic point for the company’s internationalization strategy. A logistics platform could be set up in Porto, a northern city in Portugal, this way we can kill two birds with one rock. We re-fuel the ships and get them ready for their journey to Sweden (our top priority in terms of distribution) and unload some containers to distribute Portugal’s banana demand. Aside from Portugal the countries with the highest consumption of bananas per capita is in Northern Europe, so another logistic platform would be convenient as a final stop before the final destination in each country. Le Havre, France would be a convenient location since it is south of the UK and it is cheaper to have a distribution center there because the euro is not as strong as the sterling pound. Once we have our logistics platform set up in Le Havre we can make accommodatio ns and agreements with companies and retailers that handle fruits and vegetables belonging to the countries that have the highest banana consumption. We would deliver to the following  terminal or ports: †¢Gothenburg, Sweden †¢Brighton, UK †¢Skagen, Denmark †¢Finland is a little more inaccessible through the Baltic Sea, so we would ship Finland’s required bananas to Gothenburg, Sweden as well. From Sweden we could work another logistic route to get to Finland by truck. †¢Porto, Portugal †¢Le Havre, France CHANCE: Iceland is Europe’s top producer of bananas with their world of the art greenhouse installations, even though they rely on their technology they have to constantly monitor their products and create the proper environment for the bananas. This is where Chiquita banana has an opportunity since they don’t have to worry about creating the right conditions for banana growth, the company looks for a convenient location for banana growth and plants the fruit. This enables the company to worry solely on cropping and shipping. Another advantage that the company has over the biggest European banana producer is that, Chiquita banana can acquire bananas in massive quantities while Iceland’s producers have to create the environment to grow more bananas. This is unless the COMB sets a tighter quota. Incoterm An incoterm is a made up word composed of three words. ‘in’ means international, ‘co’ commerce and ‘term’ means term. Incoterms are used to describe the type of relationship between buyer and supplier and they type of contract they use to deliver and receive a product. POSSIBLE INCOTERMS FOR THE COMPANY As a seller the most optimal incoterm for the company would be to agree with the buyer of working with ‘Ex Works’ since the buyer would have to assume the transportation costs and the risks of brining the goods to their stores. I believe this to be very one sided and not efficient, since in order to maximize profits a business deal has to be long-term. Sooner or later one of  the competing brands could offer our buyers a better agreement and we would be out of business, so I would call this a ‘lose-lose situation’. Another option would be the exact opposite from ‘Ex works’ where the seller mantains most of the obligations and expenses while there is minimum for the buyere. This would be a DDP, here the â€Å"seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the named place in the country of the buyer, and pas all costs in bringing the goods to the destination including import duties and taxes. Seller is not responsible for unloading.† t his is also very one sided. My belief is that if we are going to have a long lasting relationship with our business partner we have to compromise, and here we would be taking all most of the bourden of the business deal. Solution As already stated before, in order to create a long lasting relationship with our business partners and maximize profits we have to compromize. Chiquita Banana is trying to gain marketshare in Europe, so the best thing we can do with our business partners is to share the transportation burden and costs. Deliverd at Terminal (DAT) incoterm would be the best viable solution for Chiquita and our buyers. We can promise to deliver the product fresh, safe and sound to the following city ports: Gothenburg, Brighton, Skagen, Porto and Le Havre. We can accept all costs and risks (except for import clearance costs) and from each terminal they can send the bananas to their respective distribution centers or directly to the retailers. That is up to our business partners to decide. It is safe to say that we are taking most of the costs, since it is expensive to cross the atlantic with ships and maintain the fruit at a certain temperature to keep it fresh. But in order to have our buyers support, we have to go the extra mile. This strategy at the same time will speed up the process of internationalization and market share gain for Chiquita Banana. Works Cited â€Å"European Union.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013 â€Å"Economy of the European Union.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013 â€Å"Economy of the European Union.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Intelligent Approaches to Achieving Pesticide-free Produce.† N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"CHAPTER 3 BANANA IMPORTING COUNTRIES AND TRADE POLICIES.† The World Banana Economy, 1985-2002. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Water: Charging Full Cost Can Encourage More Efficient Use.† —. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Chiquita.com – Chiquita Organic Bananas: Organic Food.† Chiquita.com – Chiquita Organic Bananas: Organic Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Europe Largest Banana Importer Worldwide.† Europe Largest Banana Importer Worldwide. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Chiquita.com – Social Responsibility Is How We Conduct Business.† Chiquita.com – Social Responsibility Is How We Conduct Business. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Chiquita Banana Sales Remain Weak in Europe.† Chiquita Banana Sales Remain Weak in Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013 â€Å"Chiquita Brands International.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Banana.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Martin Stott.† Iceland: Europe’s Biggest Producer of Bananas. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. â€Å"Economy of the European Union.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.