Family meals Essay Example for Free

Family meals Essay The article present the issue of meals from a good perspective: it identifies that some families eat together and others do not. It states from researches that studies carried out on families that eat together on the same table are more likely to produce positive health results than others who do not: such positive health factors are enumerated in each paragraph. It states that such family meals make it easier to control diet, amount and quality. It promotes communication about nutrition; it helps to regulate the type of food consumed. Besides it is a good forum for socialization among the family members, and even visitors.   It provides the ‘opportunity to eat better’ and also the ‘chance to connect’. The latter helps to understand each other better, find about current issues in the lives of members, and even teaches the children cooking and eating etiquettes.   It concludes with a profound statement:   Family meals arent just about food, theyre about family. I am particularly interested in the type of meal that can earn the tag ‘family meal’. And really, it is worth remembering that meals can also be a time to get together with family members. For parents that do not have time for their children, this may not possible but for others who have such opportunity, I strongly believe it is a very good idea: it creates a forum for me to learn how to cook, how to serve and how to eat especially when it involves others. If I have anything bothering my mind, I can share it there. If I also notice something about my siblings, friends, visitors, other extended family members, I can bring it and the challenge/burden can be shared. It is also a good forum to celebrate any achievement. I like the idea of family meals because it helps to strengthen families and build loving homes. There is no doubt that if we can adopt this kind of idea all over the country, things would change, families are likely to become more stable and children will live in conducive happy homes. I think that the topic was presented in a good and lively way. It has information from researches and experts in the food. After going through the article, you’d have read through an unusual topic that makes a lot of sense. It starts with a description of meal times, connects to the advantages of family means and ends with the obstacle to achieving the concept. I am also concerned about this noble idea can be implemented in this kind of age, when everyone appears to be in a hurry chasing the wild wind. Is it really practicable in this jet age? Are there other means of achieving same socialization outside meals times? REFERENCE Family meals. http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/07/cl.family.meals/index.html

What Is Catholic Marriage Religion Essay

What Is Catholic Marriage Religion Essay In this chapter I will first attempt a definition of marriage and more specifically Catholic marriage; I will then review existing literature on the topic and present different views about cohabitation, reasons why people get married, expectations about marriage among Maltese individuals, the changes in marital traditions and also the Cana Movement. From the beginning of the second century to the middle of the 20th Century the catholic tradition institution, viewed and modelled marriage as a procreative institution-a stable, social and religious institution in which a man and a woman became husband and wife to procreate children. Their procreative activity, which defined marriage, included not only to the creation of a child but also to the development of motherhood and fatherhood and the fabrication of a functioning adult. Since the parents life expectancy was not long beyond the early adulthood of their children, marriage was therefore easily defined as lifelong. In truth this procreative institution is the result of a contract in which, according to the 1917 Code of Canon Law, each party gives and accepts a perpetual and exclusive right over the body for acts which are of themselves suitable for the generation of children (Canon 1081, 2) (Lawler. M ,2001) The Second Vatican Councils Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World describes marriage as a communion of love (No. 47), an intimate partnership of life and love (No.48). Love between the spouses was declared by the council to be the very essence of marriage. The council underscored its preference for an interpersonal union model by making another important change in the received tradition. Marriage is founded in a conjugal covenant of irrevocable personal consent (No. 48). The legal word contract gives way to the biblical word covenant, a word saturated with overtones of mutual steadiest and personal love, qualities that are now applied to marriage. (Lawler. M ,2001) Adrian Thatcher in his book Marriage after Modernity: Christian Marriage in post modern times describes marriage as a universal institution which theologically speaking is given with creation itself, But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh (Mark 10: 6 8).He explains that marriage is an eminently human love, a love that brings together the human and the divine. Therefore married couples are capable of being simultaneously recipients and mediators of that relational love of God which led to the creation of the world and restored through Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains marriage as a sacrament of Matrimony in which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, it is by its nature regimented for the good of the spouses and the education and procreation of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the solemnity of a sacrament. It is very interesting to note how romantic marriage has only been common in the west for quite a short period of time. In fact according to sociologist Anthony Giddens (1997), modern ideas of romantic marriage had not been common or accepted even as late as the 1500s. On the other hand religious institutions saw marriage as pragmatic solution to unhealthy sexual emotions and not something to be done for affection, romance or satisfaction. Attitudes towards marriage Without any doubt peoples own family life experiences is major influence on their multidimensional development, and hence different people have different views, expectations and reasons for marriage. Ones home is the starting point, for one to learn about marriage, this is because parents continuously teach their children what partnership involves and what its like by following in the footsteps of their parents marital relationship .In fact Toben and Joanne Heim (2000) think that where you come from and your family history lies beneath just about every issue youll face in your entire marriage not just in the first year (p.17). The quality of the ones parents marital relationship and also the quality of attachment to ones parents and siblings is influenced by the adjustment in marital relationships .Azzopardi (2007). The effect of parental conflict and divorce on childrens attitudes toward marriage has been examined by a number of researchers. Some studies have shown that children of divorced parents: do worse than those in intact families in several aspects of their development (Dowling Gorell Barnes, 1999; 2000) are fearful and anxious about their own future marriage (Schwartberg, 1981; Sorosky, 1977) and have a negative view of marriage (Kelly, 1981; Long, 1987). Also Children from broken homes, predominantly daughters, are less interested in marriage (Booth, Brinkerhoff, White,1984) and have low expectations and evaluations of marriage (Long, 1987). On the other hand some research has indicated that it is not parental separation and divorce per se that influence expectations of marriage but it is family integration (Coleman Ganong, 1984). In the study by Kalter (1987), Grych and Fincham (1990), and Markland and Nelson (1993), which involved college students, found that conflict and inter-parental hostility is a key feature influencing young adults expectations of marriage. It was therefore concluded that children who are exposed to such conflicts seem to form pessimistic impressions of marriage. In contradiction Muench and Landrums (1994) research suggest that family dynamics play an important role in expectations of marriage formation. Therefore, even though some peoples expectations of happiness and success in marriage may have been tainted by prior experience (divorced parents), they still strongly desire having a positive marital and family relationship (Jones Nelson, 1996, p.173). Similarly, Coleman and Ganong (1984), and Jones and Nelson (1996) did not find significantly different attitudes towards marriage between low and high conflict background individuals. These different results suggest for the requirement for further research on the subject. The media have also been attributed with the power to influence peoples expectations of marriage. However, there is yet to be evidence for this claim. (Segrin Nabi, 2002, p.247). Vexen Crabtree explains that marriage consists of many parts. The first is the legal contract, which according to him is the bare bones of what a marriage is . Nevertheless at the end of the day it is our cultural expectations that give marriage more meaning than merely a contractual agreement. He further explains that our upbringing including our culture and stereotyped ideas portrayed in the mass media together with society create unconscious ideal roles that we are under pressure into filling. In fact Rev. Rebecca Densen (2001) states: Marriage partners are also bombarded with role expectations and stereotypes of what it means to be a husband and wife. In general these roles are detrimental to the relationship. People simply cannot fit into pre-set moulds (). Healthy relationships on the other hand are entered into and maintained by individuals free and loving ongoing choice. Also it is very important to note how according to the Constitution of Malta in the second article is says that (1) The religion of Malta is the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion. Therefore one can argue how the laws of ones country reflect and reinforce a citizens perception of an orderly environment and every citizen is bound to abide by them Religious and Traditional Influences Without a doubt religion plays a major role in how a marital relationship is conducted. Although the importance to religion is declining and the Maltese no longer base their life on a singular moral view, religion still plays a major role in the establishment of ideals (Tabone,1994). The 1999 European Values Survey (Abela, 2000) reveals that in spite of the reported secularization (Tabone, 1987) 80% of the Maltese give religion third priority, following the family (first) and work (second). Women generally value religion over work, whereas men give second importance to work, women give priority to religion (Abela, 2000. p.45). Tabone (1994) argues that in spite of traditionalism and institutionalism the church still has a great impact on the individual In fact, almost all Maltese individuals are baptized, and attend catechism, they receive their first Holy Communion, receive confirmation, and generally marry in the Church. Tabone continues that regardless of their faith (p.295). About 75% of all marriages are sacramentalised in church (Archdiocese of Malta, 2003; L-Orizzont, 2004). Consequently Maltas culture, tradition, and social life relation to religious activity may point out how the Maltese may find it hard to separate from the religious familiarity in ones life. Nevertheless, it is quite evident that values could be changing especially amongst the Maltese youth .in one recent survey conducted by the University Chaplaincy in 2009 on the subject of religious practices among University students, 91% claimed to be Catholics. With regards to confession, 36.7% never receive this sacrament. 68% report to attend mass on a regular basis, while 32.4% rarely or never do. With regards to religious beliefs the highest percentages were for belief in God (93.5%), Jesus the Son of God (81.2%), Mary, the mother of God (78.4%), The Holy spirit (75%) The Trinity (74.8%), God the creator of all that exists (74%).A lower amount of participants responded yes, in relation to their belief in Afterlife (68.5 + %), The incarnation of Jesus (67.1%), The Virginity of Mary, the mother of God (65.4 +%), Heaven and Hell (65.4%), The Devil (63.9%). When asked about morality, 62.9% state that Abortion is always morally wrong, 43.8% said that divorce is morally wrong, 14.7% see contraception as morally wrong. 24.0% state that pre-marital sexual intercourse as prohibited and 73.5% approve of premarital cohabitation. Moreover 9.5% wrote that abortion can be carried out in the case of a disabled child, while 56.7% said that divorce should be legalised in Malta and 44.3% have practised sexual intercourse in the past year. Another verification of declining religiosity is the 2006 Sunday Mass Attendance Census (Inguanez, 2006) which revealed an 11% fall in church attendance among the Maltese since 1995. So the question of why one still chooses to marry in the church remains. As cited in a qualitative study carried out by Azzopardi (2007) all the couples saw marrying in the church as an automatic and unquestionable construction. Many influences were seen throughout the interviews including Cultural and extended family influences. They did not reflect on the true understanding of a Catholic marriage and its distinctive requirements. In fact when asked some of the couples stated Im doing it to make him happy or my parents would have thrown me out, Therefore in this study the construction of marrying in the church emerged as one of the tensions between secularism and traditionalism. Most of the participating couples, viewed marrying in the church as a public statement of their commitment as opposed to a sacramental union. Also narratives about the visual and lavish aspects of Maltese weddings sustain the idea. In fact in 2002 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬17.5 million was spent amongst 2240 weddings, bringing the average wedding expenses to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 7900 (L-Orizzont , 2003). On the other hand during the interview many couples admitted that if it was up to them, they would have done nothing of the kind. Cohabitation Marriage is an institution which can join together peoples lives in a wide range of behaviours including those economic and emotional. In many Western cultures, marriage usually leads to the formation of a new household uniting the married couple, with the married couple living together under the same roof, often sharing the same bed, however in some other cultures this is not the tradition, and opt for cohabitation ( Paul, 2006). A cohabiting couple is a co-resident man and woman, living together within a sexual union, without that union having been formalised by a legal marriage , (Gordon, 1995). Cohabitants could be engaged couples, common-law husband and wife, or singles living together in a romantic relationship. As said before at present many individuals are opting for cohabitation as opposed to marriage. One can distinguish between 2 types of cohabitation: pre-nuptial and non- nuptial cohabitation. Pre nuptial refers to people who plan to marry and live together first. The latter refers those who live together but do not intend to marry (Thatcher. A, 2001) There are also those who cohabit out of convenience. A growing amount of literature is focused on how and why partners come to cohabit. According to one study, when asked why they began sharing a household, many people reported that they entered it without much thought (Manning Smock, 2005). Another study found that when asked the same question, mos t reported that they wanted to spend more time together and that it was more convenient than living apart (Rhoades, Stanley, Markman, in press).Some individuals report using cohabitation as a way to test the relationship before marriage, although this type of cohabitation represented only a small minority in one study (Rhoades et al., in press).Many cohabiting individuals report that they plan to marry their current partner (Brown Booth, 1996). The Church of England report, titled Something to celebrate states further reasons for cohabitation, these include reaction to the clear failure of traditional patterns of partner selection, courting, marriage and setting up home, the ability to avoid or delay conception through reliable contraception, the wish to avoid promiscuity, the wish to avoid the possible consequences of being married, such as the cost of a legal divorce or of a grand wedding. Other reasons include peer pressure; saving on rent; or waiting to conclude higher education. (Thatcher A, 2001). Hence I question why people go into all the trouble of getting married in the church when they could easily cohabit without any problems. In reality it is more problematic to marry in the church as opposed to cohabiting or marrying civilly. According the Maltese Marriage Act Chapter 255 ,Catholic marriage means a marriage celebrated in accordance with the norms and formalities of Canon Law or with a dispensation therefrom granted by the competent organ in accordance with Canon Law; In fact the Catholic Church together with the law teaches that for one to marry in the church one of the partners must be a baptized Christian .Both partners do not have to be Catholic in order to be sacramentally married in the Catholic Church, but both must be baptized Christians (and at least one must be a Catholic). Non-Christians cannot receive the sacraments. For a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic Christian, permission is required from his or her bishop. A Catholic can marry an unbaptized person, but such marriages are natural marriages only and not sacramental marriages. The Church, therefore, discourages them and requires a Catholic who wishes to marry an unbaptized person to receive a special dispensation from his or her bishop. Still, if the dispensation is granted, a non-sacramental marriage is valid and can take place inside of a Catholic church Legal prohibitions on marriage between close blood relatives are prohibited by the church. Before 1983, marriages between second cousins were prohibited. Today, second-cousin marriages are allowed, and, under some circumstances, a dispensation can be obtained to allow a first-cousin marriage. However the Church still discourages such marriages. If one of the partners, Catholic or non-Catholic Christian, has been married before, he or she is free to marry only if his or her spouse has died or he or she has obtained a declaration of nullity from the Church. The sheer fact of a divorce is not sufficient to prove the nullity of a marriage. During marriage preparation, you must inform the priest if you have been married before, even in a civil ceremony. They must also be of opposite sex .Marriage, by definition, is a lifelong union between one man and one woman. The Catholic Church does not recognize, even as a civil marriage, a contracted relationship between two men or two women. Finally it is a myth that some Catholics only see the inside of a church when they are carried (at Baptism), married, and buried. But since marriage is a sacrament, and for the sacrament to be properly received the Catholic partners in a marriage must be in good standing with the Church. This not only means normal Church attendance but also avoidance of scandal, for example cohabitation. Furthermore research about married couples has shown that they enjoy a better standard of living than single individuals (Waite Gallagher, 2000; Hirschi, Altobelli Rank, 2003). They also e have better physical and psychological well-being (Schoenborn, 2004; Williams, 2003). Additionally children are most likely to succeed when brought up in a happily married couple. (Amato Booth, 1997; Mc Lahahan Sandefur, 1994; Ford, Goodman Meltzer 2004) The Change in Marriage Values and Traditions In Thatchers (1999) book titled Marriage after Modernity Christian Marriage in postmodern times David Lyon refers to the term modernity to the social order that emerged following Enlightenment. This includes the many changes that occurred from the mid sixteenth century onward in all fields. As a result of all the changes based on science, economy, democracy or law, modernity is continuously questioning all the conventional ways of doing things. As a result he explains that it unsettles the self; if identity is given in traditional society, in modernity it is constructed. Without any doubt marriage is entangled in the changes signified by the transition from modernity to post modernity as it is a historical and social institution. Peter Hodgson states that although modernity has given us many gains such as rationality, freedom, dialogue, human rights, subjectivity etc Its has also resulted in a series of crises including cognitive, historical, political, socioeconomic, religious, economic, sex and gender. In fact : The sexual revolution has exposed the repression deeply ingrained in Western culture and Christianity, but it has also led to a great deal of freedom of sexual practice beginning in adolescence, much of it destructive, and it has rendered problematic all of the established sexual institutions, including the nuclear family and marriagethere is also a gender crisis the beginning of the ending of patriarchy as a way of organizing male- female relations and distributing social power. To add on undoubtedly marriage is one of the established sexual institutions which have been affected by the crises of modernity. The sexual crisis unmasks the linkage of religious beliefs with sexual repression and calls into question the authority of scripture on issues vital to human sexuality, while the gender crisis is disrupting long established ways of imagining divine power and presence, namely in androcentric and patriarchal terms (Hodgson, Winds of the Spirit p. 62). Consequently Hodgson believes that the above mentioned crises resulting from modernity have led to the absence of God in postmodern consciousness. According to Franà §oise Zonabend, a French anthropologist, the instability of the marriage institution is due to the increasing number polygamous marriages between women, The  divorces and remarriages, the free unions and the common law marriages which are on the increase in Western societies, also point to the vulnerability of the institution and show above all that the functions that have been ascribed to marriage-the transfer of goods, the sexual division of labour, the solidarity between the relations, rearing of children-cannot be the consequence of any natural imperative. Therefore we can only call for a rethinking of the universality and durability of marriage. In an article by Don S Browning titled Christian Ethics and the Family debate: An Overview it is stated that there are many different reasons for these crisiss that are happening in todays Western Society. He explains how many Conservatives, neo-conservatives, and some neo-liberals highlight the importance of cultural values; they claim that values have changes and largely for the worse. As an example Neo-liberals for instance David Popenoe and Robert Bellah, and also historians like Edward Shorter and Lawrence Stone, place emphasis on the rise of Enlightenment individualism. Conservatives such as James Dobson claim modern society is more immoral and does not respect marital, family, and parental commitments as before. Moreover demographers such as Ron Lesthaege and Larry Bumpass talk about individualism to explain the escalating family fragmentation. Additionally deteriorating economic conditions and decreased welfare support for the family crises are blamed by many Marxist, liberal, progressive, and many liberal-feminists. Max Weber, Alan Wolfe and Jà ¼rgen Habermas stress the spread of technical reason as the causative factor. They explain how technical reason can mean two different things: one being market logistics enter the private lives of families and as a consequence replace family loyalties with an ethical-egoist and cost-benefit mentality. The other reason can be stated in bureaucracies which take over family functions and as a result make them dependent client populations. The Economy also plays a role in this change. In fact economists Diane Reglis and Victor Fuchs describe how during the 1980s and 90s economy has been declining and this shift has influenced families negatively. Accordingly many social changes are caused because of these economic changes like Legal changes: the legal recognition of domestic partnerships, divorce and the trend toward the deinstitutionalization of the family which all account to the shift in family values. One can also mention Psychological factors. In fact Frances Goldscheider and Linda Waite, state that the family crisis results from the fact that mens commitment to housework and child care has not been in line with womens opening into the salary economy. Evolutionary psychologists go on to reveal how evolutionary forces have created uneven reproductive strategies between males and females. They point out that males of most mammalian species procreate as widely as possible with a range of females however do not become concerned in the care of their offspring. The Cana Movement The Church organizes marriage preparation course with the hope of increasing Catholic values among Maltese families. Courting couples preparing for marriage attend the compulsory marriage preparation course as indicated by the Church. The course aims to help couples in their preparation for the sacrament of marriage to arrive at a better evaluation of their relationship and their commitment to each other, and to a Christian marriage. It consists of eight group sessions addressing eight different topics from a Christian perspective. The courses are organized through one of its voluntary Organizations, the Cana Movement, which was set up to promote Catholic family life among the Maltese. For my study I chose people participating in this course as they without doubt intend to marry in the Catholic Church. Marriage education is widely practiced within the Catholic communities. In Malta the marriage preparation course is a compulsory step for those choosing to marry in the Church. One of the courses aims is the teaching of a realistic framework of marriage with the hope of reducing unrealistic expectations in various areas of married life. However, the multi-vocal bombardment of ideals from tradition, culture, and media might impede the courses from having the desired effect. On a much larger scale, Stanley et al. (2006) carried out a representative survey across four American states and found participation in premarital courses to be associated with lower levels of conflict, higher satisfaction and commitment in marriage, and reduced the chance of divorce. It is suggested that participation in premarital education such as the Cana movement generally benefits couple relationships over time.

Reckitt Benckiser entering a new (Non-EU) market

Reckitt Benckiser entering a new (Non-EU) market The company manufactures household, personal and consumer healthcare products. Such as Dettol anti-septic, Veet, Strepsils, Airwick, Vanish etc. In 1823, Johann A. Benckiser founded Benckiser chemical industry. Later in 1940, the company was rented by Issac Reckitt. He also bought a starch mill in Hull and diversified into household products renowned for starch washing blue and black lead for shoe polishing. Since 1913 till 2009, RB has come across through diversification and joint venturing in Australia and USA. RBs mission and objectives. The mission of RB highlights both purpose and its value. Which include- To delivers better solutions in household, health and personal care to consumers. To do constant innovation. Deliver fast-acting solutions that help make life easier. The objectives of RB is to generate growth by expanding globally and produce powerful and durable brands. RBs marketing characteristics. Reckitt Benckisers marketing flair is for the consumer. Each product has its own portfolio. The key role for marketing in global is the priority to 19 branded products. RB is consistantly developing and delivering the innovated pipelines and maximising international brand equality. RBs three main strategic pillars of marketing are: innovation, brand equity and developing products for global use. RB has become NO.1 amongst the market competition in the UK. And is continuously backing up its core brands. RB is operating over 60 countries and sells its brand across worldwide. RBs brands are divided into 6 categories: surface care, e.g: Cillit Bang,Harpic,Woolite, Amphyl. fabric care, e.g: Vanish, Calgon. dishwashing, e.g: Finish, Electrasol, Fairy. home care, e.g: Lysol, Air Wick. health and personal care, e.g: Dettol, Clearasil, Veet, Scholl, Nurofen, Gaviscon, Strepsils, Bonjela, Aerogard, Mucinex, Mortein. food. e.g: Kit Kat, Red hot, Butter original. RBS Sale Performance. RB performed beyond its expectations even in the critical economic climate in 2009. In 2000,the companys net revenue doubled and quadrupled market capitalisation. The shareholders recieved approx. 200% against a market average of 22% over the past 5 years. RB is one of the league in terms of its production innovation. The company gained almost 40% of revenue through its innovations during the last 3 years. RB is consistently working on its margins and looking forward to manage its costs. And targets to turn an average sales growth of 7% into 17% profit over the next 5 years. RBs future success relies on the commercial drive, and ambition of its employees. RBs major competitors in the UK are Procter and Gamble (PG), which holds the revenue of $79bn for the year 2009. And Unilever, with revenue of $41bn in 2008. In 2008, despite pricing pressure and raw material price inflation, RB has balanced its revenue growth by reducing costs that helped in rise in its operating margins by 0.8% to 23.4%. The company re-invented its container for Vanish brand to use 70% less plastic than original big tub. Marketing goals objectives. To expand. To promote its powerful brands worldwide. To achieve global market leadership. Market Penetration and Market Expansion. Achieving High Gross Margins. New Product Development and Entrepreneurship. International Market planning. Market research is a vital to decision making process in marketing plan. The research include the best opportunities for investment in the market. The political, financial, cultural, legal and regulatory, competitors, consumers need to be taken into account that effects the business. Due to a lot of competition in UK and in order to gain maximum profit, RB has intentions to promote its 19 powerful brands to international market. Internal External analysis of RB. The internal analysis defines the key features of the company. The areas in consideration to analyze are: Resource capabilities, Configuration and coordination of activities, Company performance, Structure of company and characteristics of its culture. The figure describes; Stars as RBs products which have the high share in the growing market. When the market slows down, these products become the cash flows. And when the market shares are lost and it stops growing, they become Dogs. Cash cows are the products of high market share in low growing market. These products usually defend Reckitt Benckisers competitors. Dogs define the products of low market share in low growing market. These products are usually not profitable. Question Marks are the dilemma creating products. If market shares stays continues low, these products becomes Dogs. External Analysis: It normally relates to the opportunity and threats existing in environment. The areas to analyse that effects the company are: Customers, Competitors, Culture and company performance, Market size and growth, Environment in which the company operates. Political Factors. As every government have its own business policies in the country of origin. This factor follows the formal and informal regulations influencing the business. The political issues can rise in the form of trade restriction, employment, tariffs and political stability. Hence, Reckitt Benckisers business can be influenced by the fast growing consumer goods. Economical Factors. This relates to the nature of the economic system in the particular country. Capital market is the key factor to be considered. Social Factors. The environment relates to the value system of society determined by its nation. Social factors consist of the costs, customs, structures, heritage, wealth and income as well as the labour mobility. Therefore, the nature of goods to be produced depends upon the demand of the people. A code of conduct is needed to be followed in the business. Technological Factors. This is a major factor that influence on business. Technology determines the quality of goods to be produced. It can also affects in terms of investment Since there are many factors that effects the business both internally and externally, therefore, it is essential for a company to continue cope with the market challenges by innovating new brand and products. SWOT factors. Strength. The Strength of the branded products are; (e.g. of Clearasil, Strepsils, Kit Kat, Bonjela), Clearasil is good for all skin types, it is a unique face wash designed to combat bacteria. Strepsils is a best treatment to help prevent sore throat, this product is without any side effects. Kit Kat chocolate is famous amongst all, and usually targets to children. Bonjela is best to prevent mouth ulcers and comes in different flavours that attract all. Also there is one suitable for babys teething problems. Weakness. Sometimes these products are not perceived as an everyday use. Some people might not like taste or smell. Shape not user-friendly. Opportunity and threats. According to RBs competitive analysis, there is a wide range of opportunities which will help the new products capitalize a greater market share. The products ability to gain real consumer insight and to develop products and variants according to the consumers needs. These opportunities are focused by professionals of sales and marketing, research, development, supply chain and the experts of information services and human resources. The threat to RB is that the other main players in the antibacterial category have positioned their brands for everyday use against bacteria. Pricing and other competitive strategies have also been taken over by the development of information technology. The pricing strategy of the consumer goods manufacturing company can affect the supply and demand of products. Justification. Reckitt Benckiser is moving fast in a challenging working culture. The company has intentions to go global. RB is focusing on innovation in order to compete with the local market. As UK is recovering from economical crises, there is a good opportunity for Reckitt Benckiser to expand its business into an International Market to raise its profits. Marketing strategy. RBs Market Penetration tells about the existing markets and existing products. That means the company sells the existing products to its existing customers. Market development tells about the new market and existing products. That means RB markets its existing product range in a new market. Product development tells about the existing markets and new products. This means a new product to be marketed to RBs existing customers. Business Diversification tell about the new markets and new products. This is where RB market completely new products to new customers. RBs strategy is to obtain a highly focused portfolio concentrating on its 19 most profitable brands. The marketing stragety of RB is; Competition: RB is consistently focusing to deliver the fast growth in the sector. Expansion: This is RBs consistent and highly successful strategy. The company focuses on markets with its growth potential. For example, by investing in the relatively new Automatic Dishwashing category rather than in the congested Laundry Detergent category. Instead of investing in generic households products the company also focuses in the fast growth demand of skincare. Market analysis in general. In generally, the market analysis for the chain of RBs products is: Location which include all Suburban, urban, small, big and developing countries. Demographics. All male, female, children, old aged from birth to lifetime. All people who care for their well being and household. Market entry strategy. There are various strategies to enter into a new market. For example; by growing trading blocks, Counter trading, Piggy backing and Barter. Counter trading: In this method, a person agrees to buy goods on a commitment that the seller also buys his products in return of time, finance or balance of compensation of products. Barter: In this method direct exchange of goods is occurred for another. Piggy backing: In this method, the organisation with less exporting skill uses the services of the skilled exporter. For example: The fertilizer manufacturers of Zimbabwe could piggyback with the South Africa who both import potassium from outside their countries. Methods for new market entry (based on mission and philosophy of the company). The methods to enter into a new market are as followed; Partnership/ Joint Venture, In joint venture two or more investors share ownership and control over a firm operations. The advantages of Joint ventures are; Foreign partner has the vast knowledge about the market in his country. Joint financial strength is established between the partners. They also have disadvantages: Partners may not sometime negotiate. The recovery of capital can become impossible. To license, Licensing is the method of foreign operation where a firm in one country agrees to permit a company in another country to use the manufacturing and processing provided by the licensor. For example: United Bottlers in Zimbabwe have the licence to make Coke. The licensing cost is signing the agreement and policing the implementation. The disadvantages are: There is a limited form of participation e.g. in length of agreement or specific product manufacturing. Direct/Indirect investment. Direct investment includes- Government, distributors and agents. The advantage of direct investment is that it is the direct means of entry. And also it is the source of supply for the third country. The disadvantages are that the partners may lack the management skills. Also there could be different views of opinions amongst the partners. Indirect investment includes- Counter trade, export management or a trading company. By indirect investment, the investor is not directly associated with the profit and loss of the firm on which the money is usually spent. Brief profile of chosen market. Peru: Peru is known as a private sector market based driven economy, in which government expenditure including consumption and transfer payments are low. The market oriented reforms and privatizations are carried out during 1990s and in 2001 the country has promoted trade and investment. Since 1993, the foreign investors have been allowed for investment in all economic sectors. Finance, supportive government regulation and market opportunities are available in Peru. Alternative entry method. The alternative method to enter into foreign market is by expansion of product line or geographically. More the product line or the geographic area is expanded the greater is the managerial complexity. But usually this process requires high margins of investment. And can become risky due to lack of knowledge of the new market. Another way is of exporting. Exporting manufacturing goods is less risky and gives opportunity to get to know about the foreign markets. Also reduces the potential risks of operations. The disadvantage is mainly that buyers in the desired foreign country are usually very careful as they perceive transport, currency, quality and quantity problems. Exporting and Why I have chosen this entry method? I have chosen export method because it is relatively low of cost to enter international market. The organization can also build economies of scale and expand its profits. Implementation on carrying out the project. The project is implemented by considering 4Ps, 1.Product. Selling chain of 19 branded products of Reckitt Benckiser. Consisting household, health and personal care and food. Product mix. The 5 products that are ideal for product mix for consumer needs are: Clearasil, Dettol, Fairy, Gaviscon and Mortein. Product Life Cycle. The products to be export are the rapidly growing consumer products. Therefore their average life cycle is 30 days to 2 years. 2. Positioning. Reckit Benckiser has intentions to position against its competitor. In relation to product attribute. The primary positioning of the products for example Clearasil is that it is the no.1 antibacterial face wash suitable for family. It has the ingredients that its competitors do not have. 3. Pricing. The products are priced at premium to its competitors. There will be discount and allowances for the employees. The shipping cost is also to be considered. 4. Promotion / Distribution. The company should sell the products to the appointed distributors and sub distributors who are responsible for further to deal with the wholesalers or retailers in the chosen country. But it is also known that RB has a facility of intensive distribution methods for products all over the geographical area. The company provides direct delivery to key accounts i.e. USC, METRO AND MAKRO. Each channel has a coverage to supermarkets, general stores etc even in the rural areas. Marketing budget of the company. The current marketing budget of RB allocated to the brand selling is 20% of total net revenue. Gantt Chart. GANTT CHART BY AMAL KHAN. EXPORTING RECKITT BENCKISER PRODUCTS IN PERU. Task Date Date Date Date Date Date Date 15/10/2010 17/10/2010 18/10/2010 21/10/2010 27/10/2010 16/11/2010 17/11/2010 Planning Market- Research. Manufact- uring prod- ucts. Finding establish- ing links in foreign. Negotiation. Packaging. Distribution Transp- ortation.

The Age of Computers :: Essays Papers

The Age of Computers Believe it or not, but the age of computers is upon us. I believe Computers are not only here to stay, but in my opinion computers are the wave of the future. Only a device like the computer can change the way we work, live, and think. I see computers taking us places where no man has gone before. Twenty years ago people were just not up to date with computers back then. I mean if you ask someone about a computer, they probably would say something like, what in the world our you talking about, or what the hell is a computer. Today just about anybody you ask, can tell you something about a computer. Papia Bhattacharyya , says: "Technology has bounded onto the center stage in the last few years"(59). The earliest existence of the modern day computer's ancestor is the abacus. The abacus dates back to almost 2000 years ago. It is simply a wooden rack holding beads which are strung on wires. The next step in computers took place in 1694 when Blaise Pascal invented the first digital calcu lating machine, which was designed to help Pascal's father who was a tax collector. Now we look at Charles Babbage, who many say is the father of computers. Charles Babbage was a professor of mathematics. In the 1800's Babbage designed an automatic calculation machine. This machine was steam powered and could store up to 1000 50-digit numbers. Charles Babbage was so ahead of his time, that the machines that were used back then were not even precise enough to make the parts for his computer. Gulliver, states: The first major use for a computer in the US was during the 1890 census. Two men, Herman Hollerith and James Powers, developed a new punched-card system that could automatically read information on cards without human intervention (Gulliver 82). In the 1930's punched-card machine techniques had become so well established that Howard Hathaway Aiken, together with engineers at IBM, came up with the automatic computer called Mark I. The Mark I ran by using prepunched paper tape. The Mark I was slow, and required 3 to 5 seconds to perform multiplication.

Cleopatra the Great - VII Essay --

The Great Man Theory was extremely prominent in the 19th century, originating from historian Thomas Carlyle, who stated that â€Å"The history of the world is but the biography of great men.† This mirrors his belief that heros shape history through their personal attributes and divine inspiration. According to this Great Man theory, history is written around the ‘Great Men’ or heroes who, due to their exceptional characteristics of charisma, intelligence, and wisdom utilize their power status to embark on a decisive historic imprint. This theory specifies on these heros’ historical events, being compared to their individual orders and decisions as rulers. In order to fit this title, individuals must use their power of leadership to protect and lead their country, seize given opportunities, possess machiavellianism characteristics, and be influential and captivated by their people. Cleopatra VII, an Egyptian Queen, had exquisite leadership skills which are a rgued to be better than any man’s, and she was honored and influenced by not only her people, but the world, through the hardships of war, famine, and the expansion of the Roman Empire. Her ideas, guiding principles, and public values influenced why she made the decisions she did. Thus, Cleopatra is the epitome of a ‘Great Man’, according to the criteria of the Great Man Theory. Cleopatra is a substantial leader because she was one of the first influential female leaders throughout her time on the throne, obtaining more power than any other female leader could achieve. Her leaderships were much different from other leaders which made her shine. Almost every Egyptian queen was named Cleopatra, however, the most famous of which was Cleopatra VII. She was born in Alexandria in 69 BCE... ...event makes her a ‘Great Man’ because she turned Egypt from a famished state, into a strong nation once again. She was able to use her intelligence to make allies to save her nation, and this is a very erioc stunt. She knew she was exiled from the throne, yet she went to a place where she was still considered of high authorities, and was able to organize an army to wage civil war on her brother. This is a remarkable event which allowed her to be remembered; she saved Egypt's’ state. This shows how she always acted to further her vision of a strong nation, equal in respect and stature to Rome. Lastly, it shows her determination to reign the throne, and became a mature leader in making Egypt great again. Thus, Cleopatra is applicable to the Great Man Theory. Cleopatra fits every little aspect of a ‘Great Man’. according to the criteria of the Great Man Theory.

Learning and Decisions Essay

Decisions can be difficult to make because they have such an impact on life. Have you ever had to make an important decision? Making decisions is very important in life. Decisions are what make the world go around. I have made many decisions in my life. One that has changed the high school part of my life was whether or not I would play varsity hockey my freshman year. Before the decision I had made a list of the â€Å"pros and cons†. For instance I didn’t like the fact that I would get less playing time, although in the long run I would learn more and become a better hockey player. If I were to look back on my decision I definitely wouldn’t change it for a second. Perhaps I might do some things different, but overall I improved my skills a lot and now use to the pace of the game. For this reason during the off season I was provided with more opportunities to play with older players to keep improving my skills. Some decisions can make or break a friendship. Specifically at the beginning of this school year I told myself I was going to change my personality, and become a nicer guy. Compared to staying the same arrogant kid I have been able to acquire more friends and more respect. Particularly I choose to begin this decision because I felt like an idiot. In truth I figured I would be able to focus better in school because I wouldn’t be getting in trouble. All things considered I’m glad I made this decision. I am a lot happier person, and I hope to stick with it. With the way the economy is, I feel very fortunate to have a job. During the past two summers I made the decision to get a job. The alternative decision for me was to be sitting at home doing nothing, or out at work gaining in income, and a responsible attitude. Specifically I also choose this decision thinking it would keep me out of trouble. T was constantly exhausted but learned a lot of responsibility. Now after the decision if I were to look back on it I don’t regret it. Decisions can be difficult to make because they have such an impact on life. The decisions I talked about were all ones that I would not change. These decisions have changed my life and I have learned a lot from them. In conclusion I have learned a lot from the decisions I have made, whether or not I regret them I look back on them as learning experiences.

Homeless in America Essay

Families live, die and are born on the streets of vast cities of United States. Less attention are shown to those who are homeless, people focus more on bigger issues when this is a major problem that has occurred for years. Statistics shows that 1.6 million youth run away from home each year between the ages of 12 and 17. The predominant race for runaways is White non-Hispanic (57%), Black non-Hispanic (17%), Hispanic (15%), and Other (11%) follow (Blaha). Homeless children most likely leave their original homes because of the way of life and the hard pressure due to their living environment and family issues. Homelessness makes children sick, wounds young children, & homeless children often struggle in school. Homeless children are in fair or poor health twice as often as other children. They have higher rates of low birth weighted need special care right after birth for times as often as other children. Also have very high rates of acute illness, with half suffering from two or mo re symptoms during a single month. Despite state and federal efforts to provide homeless children with improved access to public school, at least one-fifth of homeless children don’t attend school. This is because they either have no transportation from the shelters to school or lack of school and medical records makes registration harder. Daily demands off finding food and shelter push children’s educational needs aside. Homelessness and poverty are linked. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, child care, health care, and education. Difficult choices must be made when limited resources cover only some of these necessities. Often it is housing, which absorbs a high proportion of income, which must be dropped. Being poor mean being an illness, an accident, or a paycheck away from living on the streets. Homelessness and street life have extreme effects on children. Their unstable lifestyles, lack of medical care, and inadequate living conditions increase young people’s susceptibility to chronic illnesses such as respiratory or ear infections, gastrointestinal disorders, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV /AIDS. Children fending for themselves must find ways to eat; some scavenge or find exploitative physical work. Many homeless children are enticed by adults and older youth into selling drugs, stealing, and prostitution. Studies show that at least half of homeless youth has been a victim of physical or sexual abuse. This is hard to believe when first heard, but once one thinks about how much exposure they have to the world, criminals, and offenders the fact becomes more realistic and believable. Some studies have come up with two theories to examine the homeless youth which is the lifestyle-exposure theory and the routine activity theory. In these theories the youth’s proximity, exposure, guardianship, and target congruence are examined. They are more likely to get raped and end up with a sexually transmitted disease. Since they are always on the streets, this gives the predator’s easier access to their prey (the youth). Both the theories, lifestyle-exposure and routine activity theory, are associated together because they both pay no attention to criminal motivation, but focus on how what they do in the everyday lives are related to their exposure to many dangerous people and places. With the youth being so exposed many say this is high potential risk of being victimized. When the theories are combined they include the four concepts which is proximity to crime, exposure to crime, guardianship, and target attractiveness/congruence. The fault in these theories is that they both ignore the sources of criminal motivation. One a child is around a certain area enough, they most of the time adapt the characteristics of the environment and do as they see. If everyone around them is stealing then the child is more likely to steal, if everyone is having sex around them then they might get use to the fact of seeing sex and may not see it as bad. Drug use by children on the streets is common as they look for means to numb the pain and deal with the hardships associated with street life. Studies have found that up to 90 percent of street children use psychoactive substances, including medicines, alcohol, cigarettes, heroin, and etc. The mental, social and emotional growth of children is affected by their lifestyles. There are numerous reasons children chose to run away from home during the early twentieth century: death of parents, abusive home life, broken homes, and poverty. The majority of them go without shelter for varying lengths of time. Because homeless difference between runaway children and homeless children was that runaways chose to leave their home for the reasons above while homeless children were victims of social and economic factors that left and runaway children are too young to work and lack marketable skills, they are often recruited by criminals involved in the illegal drug trade, prostitution, and pornogr aphy. They are either active participants in these activities or serve as recruiters of other vulnerable children. Experts generally agree that homelessness among children is increasing in both rural and urban areas. The causes are social in nature. These children are often homeless along with their mothers and are victims of economic recessions, job loss, and high housing costs. Data on the extent of the problem is inadequate and can be found only in isolated case studies. Children become homeless because of the families. Families become homeless because there is an imbalance between the number of households that live in poverty and the amount of low-income housing availability. If there are more households that need assistance than the housing units can afford then some people become homeless. In some households, some families pay more than the 30 percent which is the required percentage that is required by the federal government for the family to pay based on which they can afford to pa y for housing. In some cases where the family cannot even pay the 30 percent this is when they become homeless. â€Å"In one study referenced by the National Network for Youth, 51% of runaway and throwaway youth responded physical abuse. The Department of Health and Human Services asserts that up to 40% have been sexually molested.†(Blaha) â€Å"Emotional and mental stress also is common. According to the National Network for Youth, 50-56% of homeless youngsters report mental health problems over their lifetime. Staffs at runaway and homeless youth shelters paint an even bleaker picture. According to their data, 63% of the runaways they work with are depressed; 50% have trouble with school; 20% abuse drugs and alcohol; and 17% have been in the juvenile justice system. One survey found that 26% of those in shelters and 32% of those on the street have attempted suicide. A separate survey relates that nearly one-third of shelter youth have attempted suicide at some point in their lives.†(Blaha) Some youth use school as a safe place. It is times where they can get off the streets and actually feel like a regular child. They can get a free meal, they can interact with children their age and not predators. Some are so in to going to school because they see it as their way off the streets. They go to school and take it serious so they can move on to college and get a job so their own children will not end up in the same situation. â€Å"School is a place of safety, structure, and opportunity. Yet homeless children and youth face unique barriers to education. These barriers include being unable to meet enrollment requirements; lack of school supplies and clothing; and poor health, fatigue, and hunger. When these barriers are not addressed, homeless children and youth often are unable to attend school, which prevents them from obtaining the education that is both their legal right and their best hope of escaping poverty as adults.† (Facts about Homeless †¦ ) There are some places that the youth could go for safety, the National Safe Place. The National Safe Place is a program that provides safety and others services for youth in need. The NSP informs and educate youth about other things that they could do rather than be homeless. â€Å"National Safe Place is an outreach and prevention program that is uniquely designed to provide immediate safety and access to services for any youth in need. In partnership with over 360 youth serving agencies and over 10,000 businesses and community organizations across the United States, the Safe Place program educates youth about alternatives to running away and homelessness and provides easily accessible links to service providers. Ongoing data collection indicates that National Safe Place has been successful in reaching endangered youth at risk of abuse, neglect or serious family problems but that expanded program models remain needed. â€Å"(Walsh) In essence, children become homeless because of many reasons such as death of parents, abusive home life, and poverty. Homelessness has a major affect on children in America. This unstable lifestyle makes it difficult to afford things that a child need such as housing, food, and an education. There are many ways that one can help the homeless youth, a person must go out of their comfort zone and just try to help. â€Å"Homeless people need shelter, food and most importantly they need love. One easy way to help a homeless person is paying for a hotel room for the person. It will not benefit them for long but at least the will have a shelter for some days. Many people will not give homeless people money because they are afraid it will be spent wrongly on alcohol, drugs, etc. Not giving a homeless person any money because of that reason is wrong yet if you know without a doubt that the homeless person in question will spend it that way it may be wise to spend it for him on something he really needs, like a roof over his head. Simply give the homeless person the money. Instead of trying to be in control of what and how the homeless person spends the money give them the money and trust that that the person will spend it right. â€Å"(Tucker)