Husserl's theory of Phenomenology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Husserl's theory of Phenomenology - Essay Example Philosopher Edmund Husserl proposed a vision of phenomenology that would increasingly allow philosophers and psychologists a means of investigating the vagaries of human conscious experience. While Husserl was the first philosopher to heighten phenomenology to an entire philosophical school of thought, subsequent thinkers would expand and change Husserl’s concepts. Throughout the 20th century two major forms of phenomenology emerged – Husserl’s theory of phenomenology and the existential theory of phenomenology. This essay compares and contrasts these divergent perspectives. There are a variety of differing features of Husserl’s theory of phenomenology and the existential version. In both instances, however, there is the similar recognition that phenomenological investigation considers internal aspects of human consciousness (Sokolowski, p. 159). Both perspectives on phenomenology worked to investigate aspects of human consciousness through bracketing techniques (Sokolowski, p. 159). In this way, the human senses’ perceived the external world was a major investigative trope. Both schools of thought recognized that the human senses only constituted a partial reflection of actual reality. Subsequently, phenomenology implemented the ‘epoche’ method of investigation where a particular aspect of sensory experience was bracketed and investigated. While the overarching mode of analysis is similar among both Husserl’s perspective the existential perspective on phenomenology, differences emerge in terms of the specifics. One of the primary differences between these perspectives is the objects they believe can be the object of phenomenological analysis. Existential phenomenology believed that phenomenology could only investigate actual objects from the external world. This perspective is contrasted with Husserl’s phenomenology that argues analysis also involved concepts such as freedom or justice. Ziemba indicates, â€Å"Husserl

Block's analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Block's analysis - Essay Example Instead, as the service sector has come to contribute a large part of the global income, it has become important for organizations to choose the right structure and approach that can create the perfect working atmosphere for its employees. Most organizations that exist in the world today are yet to recognize the importance of organizational behavior and remain attached to a culture that centers over control and authority. Even with the increased emphasis on improving relationships, developing inter personal skills and communicative strengths, institutions still tend to rely on focusing their resources towards devising better and efficient strategies, control structures and technology that continue to be perceived as the visible parameters for organizational success. However, businesses fail to understand that the present working demands an approach that is rational and need not be tangible and measurable. Issues concerning standards, practices, rewards, empowerment and training are issues that assume greater significance in the new age of consulting that needs further enhancements and newer approaches as it is still nascent in terms of evolutionary analyses. In the present case, it seems that employees (consultees) have been asked to fill out a survey that is perceived as potentially exacerbating material by the top management in the company. as the name suggests, The role of the coordinator for Staff Development in the current scenario is to improve the professional and personal capabilities and efficiency of the employees. However, problems can arise when the role of a consultant is limited to a mere effort that involves analyzing the current situation and suggest a few recommendations that are believed to provide better results. Instead, employees expect to see action whenever any such attempts are made. When surveys aimed at finding out possible inefficiencies are too specific by virtue of concentrating on minute areas of detail, workers need to use extra effort and thought to fill them out. In many such instances, they are probably the best bet when it comes to highlighting very specific issues that exist within their work domains. Having made such an effort, respondents expect someone to pursue it responsibly and take the necessary action. When they begin to sense that nothing has been done to look into their issues, a general sense of distrust and distaste begins to develop. A staff coordinator is also responsible for ensuring transparency at all levels within the organization and ensuring that the management participates in the requisite roles with complete dedication. It is also expected that deliberate displays of power, authority and expertise are done away with in such scenarios. However, as is evident in most organizations today, differences crop up at all levels within a company. For instance, departments sometimes find it difficult to coordinate a task that requires collaboration between several such entities usually involving a distortion of communication and lack of understanding of the role of people in the other departments thereby leading to mutual criticism and lack of respect. In such cases, animosity develops between departments, which may surface

Kraft Foods Entrance Into China Marketing Essay

Kraft Foods Entrance Into China Marketing Essay The paper that we write is about Kraft Foods which entered the Chinese market. At present, Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, as far as we know, the worlds largest food company is Nestle company. However, we do believe that Kraft Foods Company has its particular advantages, for example, it has outstanding achievements in its operating management, personnel training and so on. In the near future, we think it will go beyond itself, realize new breakthrough, so we chose Kraft Foods at last. About this paper, we mainly focus on Kraft Foods history, the reason why it entered Chinese market, and the condition of organization and management in Chinese market. At beginning, the paper was made up of six parts: they are executive summary, conclusion and section one to four. Then, we divided every Section into several parts; everyone has her or his own duties. Now, the allocation of every members task is as followings. Firstly, Veras task are the second question of section 3, the forth and eighth questions of section 4. Secondly, Janes tasks are the first and third question of section 3, the sixth question of section 4, and she is responsible for the summary and clearing up as well. Thirdly, Naomis tasks are the three questions of section 2, and the fifth question of section 4, catalogue and conclusion. Fourthly, Shelias tasks are the three questions of section 2, the seventh question of section 4, catalogue and conclusion as well. At last, Alfreds tasks are section 1 and the first three questions of section 4. We distributed equally according to the difficulty of the problems and the field who is good at. We have ordered the question accordi ng to the catalogue. In the paper, we introduce the history of the company firstly, because the history is the procedure of the development of the company. we can understand the companys culture and history that in turn will help us understand why they decided to expand internationally, and specifically into China so that we can judge the wisdom of that decision. This judgment will be an important part of the Conclusion. In addition, we write the reason why Kraft Foods entered the Chinese market; we take the Chinese market as example, specifically represent the model of their operating management and achievements. Besides, the form and organizational structure Kraft Foods Company came into China. Combine our learning with them to analyze the management of Kraft Foods. Finally, we put forward some reasonable suggestions. As all the efforts we have devoted to, we have further understanding of Krafts business and management. At the same time, with Kraft Foods as an example, we got the more practical comprehension. Section I: History of the Kraft Foods Company James Kraft is the founder of Kraft. He founded the company in 1903,Ms Irene Rosenfeld headed the Kraft Foods for more than 20 years .she help Kraft foods successfully listed in 2001.Altria announced the promotion of two executive Beth Howden and Dailuomeidi served as Co-chief CEO, she became Chief Executive Officer since June 2006,in March 2007,she became the chairman of Kraft Foods. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) With the development of company, especially initiating the reforms and open policy, according to GDP, China is the second largest in the world. China cached up with Japan. According to figures released by the World Bank, in accordance with the PPP (purchasing power parity), China is the worlds second-evaluation of purchasing power. The world is about $ 55 trillion. China is probably more than one trillion U.S. dollars, accounted for about 9% of the worlds, and greatly increased the proportion of Chinas international economic. Chinas foreign exchange reserves have reached more than 14,000 billion, has accounted for one in the world. The rapid development of the economy, as the most populous nation of the world ¼Ã…’Kraft Foods will not pass the big market. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) Since 1924, Kraft Foods to be listed on the stock market, from time to time during the acquisition of other companies, and extended to the food business. Kraft in 1982 and 1984 respectively into Taiwan and mainland China market, in 1988, and Altria group predecessor Philip Morris acquisition Kraft Foods, in 1989, Philip Morris will its General food and Kraft merge for Kraft General Foods. In 2000, Philip Morris acquired Nano Beth and then merge it into Kraft. In July 2007 by acquiring rival Danone, Kraft starts its biscuit business. Kraft encourage the expansion into china. Before the worlds second-largest food group Kraft Global Board concluded in Beijing. Despite the growing number of multinational global board of directors moved to China, for Kraft, this is the first time. Since 2002, the global business restructuring Kraft yogurt sold to milk ternary .the name of Kraft in China is not so loud, it makes Kraft some grievances. in fact, Krafts biscuit business sit tight the first. T ANG- the Guozhen solid instant drinks and Maxwell House coffee were also occupy the first, second market share in their respective fields. Kraft was on the rise in the global downsizing while on the high-speed development of the investment in developing countries, China has become one of the five countries of the Kraft focused investment, and the Chinese people to re-recognize Kraft become increasingly important (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) In 1982, General Foods and Unity to set up a joint venture company in Taiwan, Kraft Foods locate in china in Beijing in 1984, in 1996, and Nabisco biscuit completed the factory in Beijing and Suzhou. So far, Krafts investment in China is more than $ 200 million. In early 2006, Kraft Australia factory production migrated to Suzhou, in 2000, Nabisco acquisition of United Biscuits biscuit business in the Greater China region, in the same year Kraft acquired Nabisco. In 2001, Kraft sold Beijing Kraft dairy business. In 2005, Kraft began building a new biscuit factory in Beijing. In 2006, Kraft will integrate all the entities in China to Kraft Foods. (Kraft Foods Corporate Home http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/zh/home/index.aspx Oct 29, 2012) Section II: Why Kraft Foods Company came to China? Kraft Foods came to China in 1984. Now, the company has 4,000 employees in China approximately, and its products cover 4 consumer goods sectors: biscuits, coffee, powdered beverages and confectionary. The company has set up offices in 250 cities across China and 8 manufacturing facilities in Beijing, Suzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou and so on. Kraft Foods Corporate Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd is the headquarters of Kraft Foods in China. (Expanding Market in China: Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) Obviously, Kraft Foods Company expanded elsewhere. October 1, 2012, MondelÄâ€Å"z international launched the worlds top snack food brand of former Kraft food with 10 million people around the world. Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, doing business in 145 countries around the world, one of the subsidiaries of MondelÄâ€Å"z International Company. It is one of the most outstanding makers of coffee, chocolate, gum, biscuits and candy in the world. The company has its main branches in North America, China and Canada. The company already has around 100,000 MondelÄâ€Å"z International employees across more than 80 countries and areas. Kraft has become the giants of the food industry, and its affiliates are around the world. Though MondelÄâ€Å"z International is new, the companys brands are as diversified and rich with heritage as the 170 countries in which its products appear on the market (Kraft foods Company http://www.mondelezinternational.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/mondelez_intl_fact_sheet.pdf 28 October 2012 ) The Kraft focuses on improving its growth to expand the Companys global scale, the Company is expanding its marketing now, also they growing markets and making infrastructure investments larger, such as the markets like China, Brazil, Mexico, Russia and so on. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.mondelezinternational.com/assets/pdf/KraftAR04_10K.pdf 10-30-2012) In addition, they consider differences in governments. The U.S. government has an open attitude and policy about export. The company is no longer a simple export the brand of the United States around the world, but expects them to automatically do well. Kraft priority to China as the most important countries in its developing markets division. They have taken into account the differences in the Chinese government and the Chinese market and will use the advantage of the Chinese market. It has invested distribution, research and development, marketing Oreo, Tang orange drink, its best-selling item, and its dozens of brands of disproportionate resources. Their company official said that they believe that the Chinese market is to teach us how to focus and how to distinguish and how innovation. The official also said that they will continue to do their utmost to provide safe, delicious, high-quality products for Chinese consumers with a variety of methods, expanding the scale of productio n, increased R D investment intensity, open up new markets, and so on. (Kraft food Company http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 28 October 2012) At the same time, they consider differences in business practices and customs. China is one of the top 10 markets in terms of development priority for Kraft Food. Many famous brands of Kraft Foods, such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Uguan, have become the favorites of Chinese customers. said Lorna Davis, and she told us that they will continue to make their best efforts to provide safe, delicious and high quality products to Chinese consumers with a variety of approaches, their goal is expands production scale and develops new markets, because China is a big market. When Kraft firstly came to China, their products sold not very well. Because that it different between Chinese and foreigners tastes. The Chinese people can not stand the sweetness of the products. Then Kraft changed the sales strategy. (Expanding Market in China: Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-29-2012) At last, there are same personal differences within the company in deciding that China was a good market for them. Shawn Warren is the president of Kraft Foods China. Due to the sale trouble in 2005, he proposed to launch a combination of local tastes Oreo cookies. Shawn Warren said, Consumers in China said they hope to get a little taste of the stimulus as well. Therefore, that is what we want to hear. He advocates should seize the opportunity, improved the taste of the food, according to the tastes of Chinese consumers to take full advantage of the Chinese market. By clicking on Krafts distribution network in Chinas cities, the number of Cadbury candy sales will rise to about 40. Lorna Davis, president and chairman of the board of Krafts business in China in an interview with reporters, Reuters reporters said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. Chinas economic situation has been changing annually, the real challenge is how to choose the right opportunity Davis said. If I had unlimited resources and unlimited people, I will take with Kraft, but now the focus is in the integration of Cadbury biscuits and expanding our product line. She advocated a long-term view point, and not just confined to the Chinese market. (Kraft Foods China pushes for local flavors in Oreos http://www.china.org.cn/learning_english/2012-06/08/content_25597524.htm October 28, 2012) Section III: The Form Kraft Foods Company Came into China Kraft Foods chooses the form of expanding to come into China. Kraft Foods expand a brand in China, and up to now, it has several brands not only in china but also some Asian countries. Traces back to its history, Kraft Foods started to sell the products in China in 1984. At present, there has been have 4 consumer goods sectors in the field of foods; they are confectionary, biscuits, coffee, and powdered beverages, each of them is popular in China. The headquarters of Kraft Foods in China is Kraft Foods Corporate Management (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The company has set up 250 offices and 8 manufacturing facilities across China, the main brands are distributed in Beijing, Suzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jiangmen. This measure makes people in china enjoy the nice snacks from America. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) As the words said above, it is not the only option for Kraft to enter Chinese market. And it has other options. For example, they came into china by the form of acquisition. As Danone was in Chinese market, and when Kraft acquired Danone, the market in China which Danone had was belong to Kraft. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhouhttp://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-29-2012) You must have a doubt that why did they make the decision? China is one of the top 10 markets in Kraft Food in terms of development priority. There are many famous kinds of Kraft Foods, these products attract almost every Chinese. Such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, and Uguan, many people think these are their favorite foods. Nowadays, Suzhou Industrial Park is preparing to welcome the Kraft foods coming. Because Kraft foods bring us energy and talents, promote employment and economic development. The most important is that they intend to take root germination in China and based on their sustainable development, they want to make use of their business philosophy to create win-win situations for the whole society. (Expanding Market in China_ Kraft Foods Commissions New Production Line in Suzhou http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/cn/en/mediacenter/kraftfoodschinanews/2011/20110704.aspx 10-30-2012) Section IV ¼Ã… ¡The Organization Structure Taken by Kraft Foods Company in Coming to China Strong corporate governance is essential, Our Board of Directors believes that effective corporate governance principles and practices, together with the companys Articles of Incorporation , By-laws , Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Directors and Corporate Governance Guidelines , provide a strong framework to assist them in upholding their fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders and promoting the long-term success of the company. (Corporate Governance http://www.mondelezinternational.com/Investor/corporate-governance/index.aspx Oct 30, 2012) When Health staff are working, they are full of enthusiasm, a successful business needs a healthy workforce, which is why we want to encourage our employees to have a healthy lifestyle, and every year our goal is to expand these efforts. Our staffs Lifestyle need to improve, they can do such as stress management, weight management and smoking cessation, and so on. (Wellness http://www.mondelezinternational.com/DeliciousWorld/workplaceandculture/wellness.aspx Oct 30, 2012) We may make it a priority to treat our people well, we can help them develop and give them a rewarding working life, Excel in their performance Develop skills for improvement Move towards their career goals By providing training and development programs, on-the-job learning, coaching and feedback, we could make sure that everyone who works with us has the resources they need to learn more and build their careers. The success depends on motivated and committed employees. We would need them to feel that they play a real part in helping our business meet its goals and have an understanding of what they are. We should have several different ways of measuring our employees level of engagement with the business and satisfaction with their working lives such as through constructive dialogue with our employee representative groups and employee survey. (Wellness http://www.mondelezinternational.com/DeliciousWorld/workplaceandculture/wellness.aspx Oct 30, 2012) The organizational structure of Kraft is matrix structure. Kraft has five global consumer sectors, which are Beverages, Cheese and Dairy, Snacks, Convenient Meals, and Grocery. Then in this structure, organization dimensions are also divided into three parts. First, in order to improve growth and global expansion, a brand new global marketing and category development group is being established. Second, for the sake of better severing local consumers and customers, the geographic-based commercial units is forming to strength the development county by country. Third, within our business system, our key functions will be responsible for promoting cost savings and accelerating effectiveness. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 10-30-2012) There are other structure discussed in the chapter might allow Kraft to operate more effectively. The move to a product team will lead to greater effectiveness and efficiency. The dual reporting relationships that are at the heart of matrix structure have always difficult for managers and employees to deal with. Often, the functional boss and the product boss make conflicting demands on team members, who do not know which boss to satisfy first. The product team structure differs from a matrix structure in two ways. First, it does away with dual reporting relationship and tow-boss managers. Second, functional employees are permanently assigned to a cross-functional team that is empowered to bring a new or redesigned product to market. And it can avoid problems of two-way communication and the conflicting demands of functional and product team bosses. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 10-30-2012) Then, there are three levels in the organizations hierarchy. And it is authority centralized. Irene B. Rosenfeld presides over one of the worlds biggest food companies, she has the supreme authority, so in my mind, it is authority centralized. Then, let me describe the span of control of the top manager and of middle or first-line managers. The CEO in Kraft Foods is Irene B. Rosenfeld. She presides over one of the worlds biggest food companies. Under the CEO, there are some Executive Vice Presidents and Presidents; they are responsible for each region and each field. Then, there are some teams leaders, their work are specific, what they need to do are concentrating on variety kind of production. (Management Team http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/eu/en/about/management_team/index.aspx Kraft foods Team leader profiles _ LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/title/team-leader/at-kraft-foods) According to all the learning that we got, we think that the distribution of authority appropriate for the organization and its activities. Kraft produces food goods at refrigerated, dry and frozen Kraft plants third party manufacturers located across the country. From the plants to a network of upstream Kraft buffer facilities as storage overflow buffer located near the plant. The physical characteristics of these are similar products, so we can not say that it is very fragile or brittle, these goods should flow through the DSD channels, in order to reduce the losses caused by touch points on the network and product damage. (Direct Store Delivery Versus Centralized Distribution http://www.mwpvl.com/html/dsd__vs_central_distribution.html October 30, 2012) I think it is possible to flatten the hierarchy by decentralizing authority and empowering employees. Roger K. Deromedi is the Chief Executive Officer of  Kraft Foods. He announced a new global organizational structure to achieve a more solid positioning Kraft sustainable growth. Krafts management team is unmatched. Every member has a vision of a world-class leader in professional knowledge and broad perspective to help Kraft to achieve sustainable growth. said Betsy Holden, 48, has been named President, Global Marketing and Category Development, and will continue as a member of the Kraft Foods Board of Directors. Holden, co-CEO of Kraft Foods (Kraft Foods) and Kraft Foods North America President and CEO.Holdens group will fugle Krafts growth agenda by driving category development across countries with global category strategy, new product development platform and superior marketing. This new team will build on the success of Kraft Foods global categories Parliament by creating a g lobal classification team. Krafts business units based on geographic location will be divided into the North American commercial and international business, with directly responsible for the marketing and sales between countries, including profit and loss responsibility. At the local level, these organizations will promote the Kraft business; make full use of the category strategy, development platform development and global marketing cooperation with global marketing and category development group. (Kraft Foods Announces New Global Organizational Structure http://www.lexdon.com/article/kraft_foods_announces_new_global/56574.html 30 October 2012) The principal integrating mechanisms used in Kraft Foods Company and sufficient coordination among individuals and functions that they provide are followings. The Krafts final strategy is to act responsibly. As the Company strives for sustainable growth, it seeks business success in ways that honor ethical and legal standards and that respect people, communities and the natural environment. This strategy includes a commitment to strong compliance and integrity programs and sound corporate governance, as well as a number of health and wellness initiatives, such as enhanced nutrition labeling, the development and funding of community-based programs and voluntary limitations on advertising to younger children. It also includes taking steps to contribute to the sustainability of the Companys agricultural supply base through several programs with respected international and local partners. Through the Krafts years of the development process, we can see that Kraft has been continuously through the acquisition of local enterprises to expand its business in China, and this is Krafts business model in America. At the beginning, Kraft came to China, Kraft also did not think too much about the changes about demand for cross-cultural product development or local marketing decision. Completely copy American model approach also makes Kraft lose the Chinese market narrowly. Until 2005, Kraft realized the problem and began to reform, increase the Chinese capital market and the investment of human resource and so on. Then Kraft earns a success in China. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.mondelezinternational.com/assets/pdf/KraftAR04_10K.pdf 10-30-2012) Now that we have analyzed the way this organization is organized, we want to give Krafts managers to help them improve the way it operates. Matrix structures have been successfully used for years at high-tech companies where new product development takes place frequently and the need to innovate quickly is vital to the organizations survival. However, the dual reporting relationships of a matrix structure have always been difficult for managers and employees to deal with. So, it is better to improve the organizational structure to product team structure. The product team structure differs from a matrix in that: 1) it does away with dual reporting relationships and two-boss managers, and 2) functional employees are permanently assigned to a cross-functional team. It can help them gain a competitive advantage in fast-changing organizational environments. Conclusion: An Analysis of Kraft Foods Companys Entrance into China To conclude, Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company, doing business in 145 countries around the world, one of the subsidiaries of MondelÄâ€Å"z international. It employs more than 60,000 employees worldwide. Krafts core product line is for coffee, confectionery, dairy products and beverages. Krafts business is in more than 70 countries, its products sell in 150 countries worldwide. Kraft North America and Kraft International two units manage the market of the United States and Canada, as well as Europe and developing markets. As the end of December 2007, Warren Buffets Berkshire Hathaway holding 8.6% of Kraft stock, is a float institutional investors. So far, Krafts investment in China is more than $ 200 million. In early 2006, Kraft Australia factory production migrated to the factory in Suzhou. The Suzhou plant is one of the few food factories that Kraft first entered the Chinese investment in the construction. The production of Krafts biscuit brand Oreo, music , Wealthy, Taiping and grimace toot has become the fastest-growing source of income in China. In the North American market, Kraft has a lot of product improvements, and mark calorie content on the packaging, in order to concern about peoples waist. In China, even though most people do not realize this, Kraft has taken the lead in product packaging clear stated calorie content. So that consumers can clearly choose to control the amount of food. As we have researched the situations, we find some interesting problems that they encountered. Kraft Group as the worlds leading food companies, in recent years in China, with good operating performance and a remarkable position in the market, many of its products have been well known to consumers. However, as early as in 2005, Krafts sales in China are not satisfactory. In the beginning, Kraft came to China, Kraft also did not think too much about the changes about demand for cross-cultural product development or local marketing decision. Completely copy American model approach also makes Kraft lose the Chinese market narrowly. Until 2005, Kraft realized the problem and began to reform, increase the Chinese capital market and the investment of human resource and so on. So Kraft actively adjusted its marketing strategies in order to better adapt to the requirements of the competitive environment, Kraft eventually created the success in China market. Then Kraft earns a success in Chin a. I think the way they solve the problem is very scientific. Kraft made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹some adjustments to the company in accordance with the China market situation and the tastes of Chinese consumers. They seize the opportunities. So they achieved success. Of course, they also have insufficient. I think they can be more active innovation. They can release more flavors and varieties of biscuits to catch the consumers stomach. So Kraft can attract the attention of consumers and increase sales and market share. I believe Kraft do create a better future. Over the years, Kraft has always insists on the principle of related to food quality never concessions, which achieved a sales of over 300 billion U.S. dollars in the global top 500 enterprises. In order to ensure the food quality, Krafts new factory controls of physical, chemical, biological, three major sources of pollution tightly. Physical sources of pollution, the workshop all organic glass windows and stainless steel, metal, glass and hard plastic material to avoid entering the production line, all corner radian design to prevent dust left; plant cleaning are edible grade cleaner agents, equipment lubrication points with the product contact parts, use only food grade lubricants, to do so despite the high cost, but to avoid chemical pollutants entering the food; biological pollution control, Kraft raw flour define the amount of heat-resistant Bacillus, oven temperature curve have a special instrument verification, to ensure that the quality of food.  The Krafts strict quality control is also reflected in many details. Some consumers are allergic to peanuts, and in order to protect the health of these people, Kraft specifically arranged a dedicated production line. Kraft pays attention to product quality in order to open the door to success.

Parkinsons Disease: Unraveling the Mystery :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Parkinson's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery Parkinson's disease, which affects over one million Americans, results in the progressive loss of coordination, unstable posture, and tremor (1). In 1817, James Parkinson, after whom the disease was named, was the first to document cases of what he called "the shaking palsy" and in doing so, began the scientific crusade to determine the causes and manifestation of the disease (2). The challenge before neuroscientists was to determine the link between Parkinson's behavior and alterations of the nervous system. This task would be accomplished by employing a system of working backwards - - first determining the gross problem and then attempting to understand it at a neuronal level. The first step in linking changes in the brain to Parkinson's behavior occurred in the early 1900's with autopsies performed on people who suffered from the disease (2). Such procedures revealed significant cell death in the midbrain - - more specifically of pigmented cells that are collectively known as the substantia nigra ("black substance," named for the presence of melanin). Because damage to the substantia nigra resulted in impaired motor control, it was logically hypothesized that this area played a role in the control of movement. With the knowledge that neurotransmitters were the means of communication for the nervous system, autopsy testing in the 1950's of Parkinson's patients showed that dopamine levels in an area adjacent to the substantia nigra, known as the striatum, were only about 10-20% of the levels present in unaffected individuals (3). The parallel of the low level of dopamine and the death of cells of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's patients led scientists to postulate that the substantia nigra produces dopamine. When levels were disrupted due to cell death, this would likely lead to a change in stimulation in this area of the brain, which would produce behavior characteristic of Parkinson's. Anatomical research since then has shown that the substantia nigra is part of the basal ganglia, whose other components include the globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, and striatum (3). Through experimentation, a series of nerve signal pathways have been mapped out which help us to understand how this region of the brain functions to control movement. It has been hypothesized that cells of the frontal cortex initiate signals for movement (4). (It was concluded that the basal ganglia does not initiate movement because damage to this area as occurs in Parkinson's still allows for voluntary movement; if it were responsible for its initiation, the damage would likely inhibit voluntary movement.

Major Trends in Bank Management

The banking industry of the United States has experienced tremendous changes over the past few decades.   Regulation has had to keep up with the times, of course.   The three major changes that the banks of America have worked around in recent decades have required regulatory transformations in order to increase the profits of the banks and at the same time to make banking a more convenient facility on offer to the consumers, investors, etc.   Banks have merged and also ventured into the provision of nontraditional banking services to increase their revenues. An example of added convenience that the recent changes in the industry have brought about is the growing number of American banks in foreign countries.   Seeing that globalization has shifted a large number of American businesses into foreign markets as multinational corporations, the wisdom behind opening American banks in the self same foreign markets is apparent.   As a matter of fact, besides consolidation and the provision of nontraditional banking services, globalization is the third major trend that has faced the banking industry of the United States especially in the latter half of the twentieth century. The McFadden Act of 1927 was an enemy of the expansion of U.S. banks.   By prohibiting banks from expanding across state lines, this Act was not only a barrier to competition but was also responsible for the establishment of a huge number of small banks with little to show in terms of assets.   Thanks to the loopholes that McFadden carried along, the Act was eventually repealed, but only after the states of America began to allow their banks to branch across state lines.   It was in 1975 that the state of Maine first allowed interstate branching unto its bank holding companies.   Other states of America developed their own banking regulations to the same effect, eventually to rule out the McFadden Act, which was actually replaced by the  Congress in the year 1994 when the Riegel-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act was passed. This new legislation allowed all U.S. banks to branch across state lines.   Consequently, there were important bank mergers that reduced the number of banks in the country, but did not decrease the number of physical banks or branches sprawled across the United States.   Many of the physical banks or branches of banks remained under the supervision of the big, merged banks.   Although economists believe that the big, merged banks should be experiencing economies of scale in addition to economies of scope, there is no evidence yet to suggest that the consolidated banks of America have indeed experienced economies of scale and scope.   At the same time, it has been shown that bank mergers have the capacity to check inefficiency.   When an efficient bank takes over an inefficient bank that did not fare too well during the McFadden days; there are obvious quality improvement implications. The second major trend that the banking industry of the U.S. experienced especially in the latter half of the twentieth century was concerned with the provision of nontraditional banking services.   Given that banks are functioning for the sake of profits – anything that threatens a source of bank revenue must be replaced by a different revenue source and the changes backed by regulation.   The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 was an obstruction to the revenue generating function of U.S. banks. This Act prohibited banks from venturing forth into investment markets, allowing the financial markets alone to enjoy the blessings of the large corporate loans business.   Another loss facing the banks of the nation was a new regulatory requirement introduced during the 1980s making it mandatory for banks to keep a specified minimum ratio of equity capital to total assets. Fortunately, however, during the 1960s, the banks of the United States had already  begun to publicly decry the Glass-Steagall Act, ultimately to have it repealed and replaced by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999.   Subsequently, today’s banks are permitted to provide a variety of nontraditional banking services, including interest rate swaps, financial futures, and financial options; and thereby increase their revenues.   Increases in bank profits are expected to lead to quality improvements also in the traditional banking areas. In addition to the above, the banks of the U.S., especially since the last two decades of the twentieth century, have increasingly assumed the responsibilities of globalization.   The Edge Act of 1919 had granted express permission to American banks to establish their subsidiaries abroad in order to ease the functioning of international business.   Even so, there were only eight U.S. banks with foreign branches until the 1960s. Today, there are more than one hundred U.S. banks with foreign branches – all making it easy especially for American businesses in foreign countries to transact with them.   As globalization has replaced the Cold War era in a period of unprecedented integration among markets and economies, a great number of foreign banks have also opened their branches in the United States.   These foreign banks in the U.S. were by and large unregulated until the year 1978.   The International Banking Act of 1978 changed this to mandate that all foreign banks must also be regulated like the local (American) banks in the country. Even though globalization arrived full-fledged at the banking industry during the last two decades of the twentieth century, its signs had begun to appear as early as 1960s.   During that time, the Regulation Q, putting a ceiling on interest rates in the United States, had compelled a huge number of investors to move into European markets where regulations were relatively  relaxed.   Eurodollars were created when the U.S. dollars began to move out of their home country to be deposited into and borrowed from banks that were outside the country. The Eurobond market, for long-term investment, was similarly created outside the United States, albeit committed to transactions in U.S. dollars in countries where regulations were more relaxed than in the U.S.   These countries were not just in Europe, however.   The Bahamas and the Caymans, for example, played an active role in the Euromarket because of little or no regulation as well as nearly zero taxation. The most recent development in the banking industry in the area of globalization has been the permission granted by Federal Reserve for the establishment of International Banking Facilities.   Allowed since 1981, these special facilities are based in the U.S. and largely unregulated.   The only condition that these International Banking Facilities are required to meet is twofold: (1) International Banking Facilities should only deposit money that comes to them from outside the United States; and (2) They must only lend to borrowers that are based abroad.   American multinational corporations in foreign countries may also avail the services of International Banking Facilities.     This kind of departmentalization in terms of the sources and uses of funds is meant to add to the convenience of banking.   Furthermore, the creation of International Banking Facilities, plus the changes that the banking industry has experienced in terms of consolidation and the provision of nontraditional banking services; proffer evidence that the regulatory agencies are in fact committed to the improvement of business in general.   

My Trip to Pakistan Essay

It was a miserable rainy day in the middle of the summer and I was excited. I was going to Pakistan with my family. Everyone was getting ready to go to the airport. Clothes flying out of suitcases. Everyone kept on bumping into each other again, again and again. The cab was taking ages to come and I thought we will never arrive there on time but eventually it came. We put everything in the cab and I checked one last time to see if I have everything. We arrived at the airport with not a minute to spare. We ran to the counter and checked in. As we were boarding the plane we got the flight information. On the plane it seemed like months and months but it only took us 8 hours to arrive there. All my family and cousins were waiting there patiently for us to come out. After coming of the plain all are luggage got missed placed so we had to look for it but finally the luggage was found and returned to us. It starting as a good day but gradually it was getting worse and worse. As we good out the airport in Pakistan it was a hot sizzling day. I was so excited to see my cousins. I haven’t seen them in 2-3 years. They were all taller than me so I felt really short like an ant. Finally we got home I was too tired to talk so I fell asleep. The next morning I woke up and we went to the theme park and then we went to the mosque. We went to the mountains were my dad grew up. After staying there for 4 weeks I was sad and didn’t feel like coming to back to London. As we got to the airport I forgot to bring my passport so we had to go back and get it. I only had half an hour to get it. The good thing was I only lived 10 minutes away but if there was traffic I wouldn’t make it so me and my cousin ran to the car and went luckily there was no traffic so we made it on time and I was so relieved that I made it. We got back to London all miserable and sad. After a couple of days I started to get over the fact we are not in Pakistan and next day I had to go back to school which cheered me up because I haven’t seen my friends for ages.

Nineteenth Century Responses to Industrialization essays

Nineteenth Century Responses to Industrialization essays The industrial age brought about a series of political, economical and social changes that were generally reflected by the art works created at that time. We can think of many such works: Dickens and his novels of course or some of the paintings of mid-19th century. These works of art reflected not only a period of change for the society, but also the use of new means of production that endured faster made and usually better quality This is also the case of graphic design- in many ways, it followed the evolution of any other industry. The Gutenberg press was in use for several centuries when the steam engine was invented in the 18th century. "The development of the steam engine impacted on the mechanization of the printing presses"[1]. As in any other industry, the apparition and development of the steam engine and the "mechanization" of the design process made it possible to create more in much less time[2]. Even thus, as in many other areas, the negative consequences of graphics designs was quite high: an increase in speed was usually not reflected in the quality of the final product and the usual case was that the graphic designs were not of the same quality as before. The workers' experience and quality had also decreased and, in the end, it all impacted the quality of art. The graphic designs art began to pick up a serious commercial air in the second half of the 19th century, when the works began to be more than works of art and more related to the economic issues of the times. The label designs began to be registered as trademarks and were more and more used as commercial products rather than works of art. It was also during this period that the label with signature, attesting the product's quality that we see today in many commercials made its appearance. However, as I have shown in the lines above, this quest for speed and ...

Make a Home Chemistry Kit

Make a Home Chemistry Kit This is a list of chemicals that you can keep at home so your kids can do chemistry projects and grow crystals. The activities are safe for kids with adult supervision. Store the chemicals safely, away from young children and pets, as with any household chemicals. Substances for at Home Experiments Water- Distilled is probably better. You can do experiments with tap water.Table salt (sodium chloride)- Grocery store item  found in the baking/spice aisle. You can grow salt crystals at home easily.Borax- Usually sold with laundry detergents, otherwise with household cleaners.Corn starch- Grocery store item  found in the baking/spice aisle.White glue- Its sold with school supplies.Vinegar- Grocery store item, location varies. There are different types of vinegar. White vinegar is clear, but usually, cider vinegar would work if thats what you have.Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)- Grocery store item found in the baking/spice aisle.Food coloring- Grocery store item  found in the baking/spice aisle.Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate)- Found near the pharmacy section, usually. You can grow Epson Salts crystals at home quickly  and easily.Vodka- Used as ethanol. Its not necessary, but good to have for some projects. In many cases, rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) would work. One comes fr om the liquor store, the other from the pharmacy section of the grocery store. Sugar (sucrose)- Granulated white table sugar, from the grocery store.Flour- Flour is used to make a  paste and as a building material, as in the chemical volcano.Alum- Sold with spices.Calcium Chloride- Sold as a laundry booster or road salt (de-icer).Bromothymol blue pH indicator- Sold in water test kits for aquaria and swimming pools.Phenolphthalein pH indicator- This chemical is used in color-change and disappearing ink projects.Sodium hydroxide (lye)- Sold as a drain cleaner in the plumbing section of some hardware stores. Keep away from children. Its not used in a lot of projects, so consider it optional. Its used where a strong base is needed.Glycerin- Sold in the pharmacy section or in craft stores. Used to make bubbles, mainly.Rock salt or sea salt- Sold with spices. Sometimes you want sodium chloride with other trace elements.Lemon juice- Found near produce, usually. You can make invisible ink with lemon juice.Metamucil- Sold in pharmacies.Milk of magnesia- Sold in pharma cies.Dishwashing detergent- For hand washing, not dishwashing machines. Copper wire- You want the type without any insulation or coating.Galvanized nails- These are nails that have been coated with zinc.Mineral oil- Baby oil is mineral oil. The added fragrance isnt a problem.Citric acid- Sold with canning supplies.Vegetable oil- You can use safflower oil. Any cooking-grade vegetable oil is fine.Steel wool- Found with cleaning supplies.Iodine stain- Its easiest to order this from a chemical supply company or try to buy some from a local school. Its used primarily in projects that test for the presence of starch.Unflavored gelatin- Found with its flavored relatives.

The Taming of The Shrew Themes

'The Taming of The Shrew' Themes Lets examine the two major themes that drive Shakespeares  The Taming of The Shrew. Theme: Marriage The play is ultimately about finding a suitable partner for marriage. The motivations for marriage in the play vary enormously, however. Petruccio is only really interested in marriage for economic gain. Bianca, on the other hand, is in it for love. Lucentio has gone to great lengths to win Bianca’s favour and to get to know her better before committing to marriage. He disguises himself as her Latin teacher in order to spend more time with her and to gain her affections. However, Lucentio is only permitted to marry Bianca because he has managed to convince her father that he is incredibly rich. Had Hortensio offered Baptista more money he would have married Bianca despite her being in love with Lucentio. Hortensio settles for marriage to the widow after his marriage to Bianca is refused. He would rather be married to someone than have no one. It is usual in Shakespearian comedies that they end in marriage. The Taming of the Shrew does not end with a marriage but observes several as the play goes on. Moreover, the play considers the impact that a marriage has on family members, friends and servants and on how a relationship and bond is formed thereafter. There is a form of elopement where Bianca and Lucentio go off and marry in secret, a formal marriage between Petruccio and Katherine where the social and economic contract is key, and the marriage between Hortensio and the widow which is less about wild love and passion but more about companionship and convenience. Theme: Social Mobility and Class The play is concerned with social mobility which is ameliorated through marriage in Petruccio’s case, or through disguise and impersonation.  Tranio pretends to be Lucentio and has all the trappings of his master while his master becomes a servant of sorts in becoming a Latin teacher for Baptista’s daughters. The Local Lord at the beginning of the play wonders whether a common Tinker can be convinced he is a lord in the right circumstances and whether he can convince others of his nobility. Here, through Sly and Tranio Shakespeare explores whether social class is to do with all the trappings or something more fundamental. In conclusion, one could argue that being of high status is only of any use if people consider you are of that status. Vincentio is reduced to a ‘faded old man’ in Petruccio’s eyes when he is encountered on the way to Baptista’s house, Katherine acknowledges him as a woman (who could get any lower on the social strata?). In fact, Vincentio is super powerful and rich, his social status is what convinces Baptista that his son is worthy of his daughter’s hand in marriage. Social status and class are therefore very important but transient and open to corruption. Katherine is angry because she does not conform to what is expected of her by her position in society. She tries to fight against the expectations of her family, friends and social status, her marriage ultimately forces her to accept her role as wife and she finds happiness in finally conforming to her role. In the end, the play dictates that each character must conform to his position in society. Tranio is restored to his servant status, Lucentio back to his position as a rich heir. Katherine is finally disciplined to conform to her position. In an additional passage to the play even Christopher Sly is returned to his position outside the alehouse having been stripped of his finery: Go take him easily up and put him in his own apparel again and lay him in the place where we did find him just underneath the alehouse side below.(Additional Passages Line 2-4) Shakespeare suggests it is possible to cheat class and social boundaries but that the truth will win out and one must conform to ones position in society if we are to live a happy life.

Campaigns and Money in American Government Essay

Campaigns and Money in American Government - Essay Example It will also provide a competitive political environment by providing a level ground for the candidates. There would be no landslide wins for the incumbents or the famous that are able to hold fundraisers (Breslwo et al, 2000). More public funding would also ensure that the influence of private contributors on the candidate or those in office is reduced. Replacing private funding with public funding would channel concerns of the general public and not a few. Last, the costs incurred during campaigns would be controlled, preventing overspending, as those funded by the public have to adhere to set limits. (Ansolabehere et al, 2000) The two challenges that face public funding the continuous presence of influence by the wealthy and the high costs of running for elections. Money is defined as speech by the court and these means that one can spend as they wish without interference from the government or anyone else and if this is done then there must be solid justification. However, accountability is required when it comes to spending resources on campaigns and these can be achieved if the government requires that each candidate provide a budget. An appropriate figure is then decided on the amount to spend based on underlying factors such as the seat one is contesting. This would increase

Introduction to Art - Museum Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Art - Museum Paper - Assignment Example He used oil on canvas while working on the painting whose original dimensions were 145.7 centimeters in diameter. The Nativity with the Infant Saint John is a circular painting belonging to a category that Pero di Cosimo called the tondo. It is a unique painting of the 1500s, which received popularity in the Renaissance period. The painting signifies an intriguing cosmic harmony and reflects eternity and divinity. In the painting, Mary, the mother of Jesus is in a kneeling position in an effort to adore the infant Christ who is at the forefront of the painting. The infant Christ is sleeping on a blue mantle. The head of the infant rests on a pillow made of wheat. John the Baptist is also present as a young child with a cross, made from reeds that he holds in his effort to exhibit adoration for the infant Jesus. In the background of the painting, Joseph walks down a staircase guarded by angels. The angels appear to be in a celebratory mood because Jesus has been born. The painting has other symbolic items such as rose, rocks, dove, and bud, which represent different instances in the life of Jesu s (Geronimus and Piero 166). On the left side, Piero di Cosimo reflected the life outside the house with different animals grazing outside in the open fields. Beside Mary is an angel who also kneels in respect before the infant Jesus. In an effort to complement the circular painting, the left has a serene landscape in which Piero di Cosmo made use of rolling contours. Evidently, Piero di Cosimo’s circular painting is a representation of a rich narrative. Piero di Cosimo makes use of different visual elements in an effort to develop appealing art pieces. Notably, he combines different styles that he adopted from different artists whom he admired. In order to develop the tondo painting, he made use of figural volume, robust proportions, bright colors, and tonal contrast in order to develop

Global Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Economy - Essay Example support by the International Monetary is a debt relief to developing nations that result to an increased flow of direct financial investments and technology by the private sectors. Globalization is viewed as key force that would promote worldwide economic development while unrestricted regime trade serves to increase the inequality between developing and developed nations. When there is globalized trade, the developing countries are able to acquire skilled labor and modern technology that will aid in economic growth by dealing with problems such as unskilled labor and poverty. Integral of International Monetary and trade regimes in supporting a globalized capitalist economy ensured that consumption and production were not confined within national borders any longer. It also private sectors to increase production since good and services had gained local and foreign market. Globalization of capitalist economy made the developed countries experience so-called ’Golden Age of Capit alism’ between 1953- 1973 as per capital income growth rate in Europe rose from 1.3% to 4.1% while that of U.S rose from 1.8% to 2.5%. They had a spectacular economic growth performance (Jaffe 367). Exchange rate regimes are the main regime managed by the international monetary and world trade organization. The International Monetary Fund has classified exchange rate regimes on the bases of the degree of flexibility of the arrangement or a formal or informal commitment to a given path of exchange rate into eight categories. Exchange Arrangement with No Separate Legal Tender, currency board arrangements, Conventional Fixed Pegs Arrangements, Pegged Exchange Rates within Horizontal Bands, Crawling Pegs, Exchange Rate within Crawling Bands, Managed Floating with No Predetermined Path for the Exchange and Independent Floating. This foreign exchange regime emphasizes the implications on the exchange rate regimes to the independence of monetary policy. However, monetary policy does not

Music Concern Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music Concern Report - Essay Example couple of moments, the music seemed to capture cadences of Mexican art in ways that evoke the sensibilities of art as lived and experienced in the traditional forms. The disjunctive chords of the first theme artfully gave way to conjunct chords that morphed into each other in a perfect continuum. Tone, pitch, and rhythm were some of the tools expertly exploited to unite the meaning and beauty of the symphony. There is a sense in which the music achieved some unity in meaning by evoking the emotions of the super-real and somewhat celestial beauties as brought out in the Mexican art forms. Another telling aspect of the maturity of talent as brought out by the ensemble was manifest in the variations in tone and pitch throughout the course of the music. The auditory qualities seemed to mesh into the imaginative element of the audience hence creating a quality of art that was both arresting and relieving in equal measure. Although parts of the themes at the middle appeared to course in disharmony, there is a sense in which much of the performance achieved a harmonious flow that rose and fell with expertly rendition. In a way, the themes explored by the chords brought out multiple messages that seemed to fit into the multi-faceted life and troubled life of the artist. One would feel a connection deeper than the casual meanings as brought out in the fragmented beginnings of the themes. The rising and falling of notes was representative of the different phases that marked the tumultuous social life of the performer including his chequered music career. In a way the main theme appeared to be a cathartic and psychological evocation of the artiste’s inner feeling and a deep search for connection with a world that has often remained strange and aloof for him. There is always a way in which soulful music evokes a sense of yearning for things beyond the physical. Sometimes the music is rendered in such a manner that captures the essence of spiritualism for troubled souls

Present a brief autobiography of your experiences as a bicultural Essay

Present a brief autobiography of your experiences as a bicultural subject - Essay Example The decision to emigrate from my country of birth to the USA was not made lightly, yet I believe that it was a wise choice to make, for my husband, myself, and, our daughter. Moving to the USA has meant that our lives have changed quite markedly in the last four years. The USA is a country that seemed to us to be a land of opportunity, and the place that I needed to go to fulfil my aims and ambitions in life. For life loses its meaning if you do not attempt to achieve your ambitions and follow your dreams. My husband and I hoped that being bicultural subjects would help us all to be better people. I had an idea of the diverse culture of the USA from media reports besides the books about the country I read as a university student in Korea. To be honest the culture and the language of the USA has fascinated me from an early age. The significant presence of American brands such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks as well as American films and music means that American culture and the English language have spread across the globe. Korean people spends much time to learn English nowadays. They think that speaking English will make success stories of their lives. Sometime my friend who lives in Korea called me that I envy your daughter because she speaks and learns English at a child care center. My daughter conversely learnt Korean as a second language, and the influence of English is always surrounding her. My cultural identity, linguistic, and national background is actually Korean, as South Korea is the place where I was born and lived until deciding to leave my home to complete my education and develop a career as well. In South Korea the Korean culture and language is dominant, although there are American and Japanese influences. My husband has the linguistic, cultural, and national background as me, and we did not want our daughter to miss out on her heritage. I first began to learn

Care of the severe asthmatic paediatric patient Essay

Care of the severe asthmatic paediatric patient - Essay Example Unless severe asthma is adequately treated it can become life threatening. Treatment regimen in the case of severe paediatric asthma is giving high concentrations of oxygen to the patient, nebulized salbutamol and systemic corticosteroids. One of the most frequent causes of children being presented in hospitals is asthma. The important concern with paediatric asthma is that a significant percentage of children hospitalized with a severe attack of asthma are likely to die. This makes understanding paediatric asthma and maintaining guidelines for managing severe paediatric asthma important to the reduction of paediatric mortality in hospitality Weinberger 2008 p.633, defines asthma as a disease characterized by hyper-responsiveness of the airways to various stimuli, resulting in airway obstruction that is reversible to a substantial degree either spontaneously or as a result of treatment†. The airway obstruction observed in asthma arises from the different levels of severity of broncho-spasm and inflammation. Inflammation in asthma is the result of mucosal oedema and the secretion of mucous (Weinberger, 2008). Guill, 2004, points out that asthma does not occur as a set of episodic events spread over periods of time, but is rather present as a state of inflammation and hyper-responsiveness of the airway that presents in a varying manner in an individual suffering from asthma and also among the different individuals having asthma. Such an observation suggests the severity of an asthmatic event in a child varies from time and time and the severity of an asthmatic event is not necessarily the same between different indiv iduals (Guill, 2004). The varying severity of asthma in children gives rise to asthmatic events that may be present with minimal symptoms that have hardly any impact on the health of the child to asthmatic events with life threatening potential. The available indicators of the severity levels of asthma in children are the

Present a brief autobiography of your experiences as a bicultural Essay

Present a brief autobiography of your experiences as a bicultural subject - Essay Example The decision to emigrate from my country of birth to the USA was not made lightly, yet I believe that it was a wise choice to make, for my husband, myself, and, our daughter. Moving to the USA has meant that our lives have changed quite markedly in the last four years. The USA is a country that seemed to us to be a land of opportunity, and the place that I needed to go to fulfil my aims and ambitions in life. For life loses its meaning if you do not attempt to achieve your ambitions and follow your dreams. My husband and I hoped that being bicultural subjects would help us all to be better people. I had an idea of the diverse culture of the USA from media reports besides the books about the country I read as a university student in Korea. To be honest the culture and the language of the USA has fascinated me from an early age. The significant presence of American brands such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks as well as American films and music means that American culture and the English language have spread across the globe. Korean people spends much time to learn English nowadays. They think that speaking English will make success stories of their lives. Sometime my friend who lives in Korea called me that I envy your daughter because she speaks and learns English at a child care center. My daughter conversely learnt Korean as a second language, and the influence of English is always surrounding her. My cultural identity, linguistic, and national background is actually Korean, as South Korea is the place where I was born and lived until deciding to leave my home to complete my education and develop a career as well. In South Korea the Korean culture and language is dominant, although there are American and Japanese influences. My husband has the linguistic, cultural, and national background as me, and we did not want our daughter to miss out on her heritage. I first began to learn

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay For any journey the path must be defined with clear and recognizable details for it to be successful. The concepts of markers and landmarks which define the direction of a journey apply to that of any business. We need detailed plans and objectives as well as landmarks and directions we would like the business to travel. The objective of Two Brothers food truck is to create a trusted and popular place for people of the Wenatchee valley to enjoy a quality meal using locally sourced goods and services at a value which all residents of the valley can easily afford. With this detailed strategic business plan we will discuss the concepts which will guide our plan and the obstacles we may face and how we will work to overcome them. Strategic Objectives, Measures, and Targets The objective is the same in all business and that is to keep the business operational and profitable. The profitability of any business is the main reason for which we strive to open and operate businesses; this fact will be  the main reason to implement fundamental financial objectives. The concept of Two Brothers food truck is to keep costs low, maximize profits while maintaining quality ingredients and service to the consumer. The main factor which way affect the profitability of the food truck is locally sourcing fresh ingredients due to the grow cycle of our region. At some point the truck will have to purchase items from a vendor or local grocer to maintain inventory levels. However the other menu ingredients like breads, meats, and dairy items will in most cases be readily available thanks in part to the availability to local butchers and dairies, we plan on baking our own breads. Thanks to the lack of competitive restaurants using locally sourced items we see no issues wit h these items. Methods of Monitoring and Controlling Two Brothers Strategic Plan We understand the importance of a happy employee and their relation to happy customers and relationships play a major role in any business. We strive to build relationships with the community and place high regard on personalized service to each person that visits Two Brothers whether it our guests are local or people visiting the Wenatchee valley. One major way we intend to ensure this will happen is to always empower our staff and make our staff feel like they are part of this business and guide them to feel as emotionally invested in the ideas and concepts of Two Brothers food truck as we do. We plan to offer incentives like shift meals, paid time off after time invested in the company, profit sharing, company events, and bonuses for college students whom receive exceptional grades, we feel the food truck should be a stepping stone and an example of characteristics they can take with them into their careers. We feel that investing the time and energy in our staff and showing them we care as much about them as we do the business will encourage them to feel the same and want to invest time and energy in our customers to ensure their return business and the customers overall satisfaction. Marketing and Information Technology Strategies and Tactics In today’s era of social media and more and more people using their mobile devices for everyday operations we feel we need to maintain that connection. Luckily for Two Brothers food truck the Wenatchee valley is relatively small and offers great coverage for mobile data with most carriers. We would like  to take that a step further and offer a Wi-Fi hot spot as well as charging stations for most devices, we would like to power these items using mainly solar energy to add to the concept of a sustainable culture we are trying to maintain with the business. We understand the importance of technology and social media in the operations of business and how technology can be an aid in our business operations. We plan on focusing our attention on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and other social media outlets to advertise our business which will provide the customer with daily information on specials as well as access to coupon programs we provide. Using social media will provide an outlet for our customers to provide reviews and feedback on our business. Many people feel that bad reviews can hurt a business; we feel that bad reviews provide an opportunity for us to make a new friend and change a process which may harm our business with future guests. Two brothers would also like to develop a smartphone application for iOS and Android which we find is also lacking with many businesses in the Wenatchee valley. This application will also provide instant access to our business as well as letting us track our market. As far as marketing outside of social media we plan to brand our image using items like car clings, bumper stickers, clothing, and sponsorship of local team sports, we feel that the Wenatchee valley is a closely knit tight community and word of mouth and these visual cues will travel fast into making Two Brothers a household name in the Wenatchee valley. Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues Regulatory conditions for mobile food service entities like Two Brothers food truck are rather strict in the Wenatchee valley. We will need to focus on consumer safety within the regards of the regulations put forth by the local health department and maintain or equipment and employee paperwork to remain compliant with these standards. Another important element of the food truck will be a base of operations where we store product and prep for day to day operations. This facility will also have to fall within the guidelines set forth by the health district to ensure food and consumer safety. Two Brothers also plan to offer beer and wine at some point in the future operations of our food truck which is legally allowed in Washington State. We will also have to follow the guidelines set forth by the Liquor Control  Board which are monitoring levels of service, age appropriate clientele, and ensuring on premise consumption only. All of these aspects will be factored into our operational details and regulations will be posted per Washington State RCW’s. Business Model and Strategic Plan Part I The goal is to bring a cross section of favorite foods to the community. Some of these will consist of a local high school favorite the Zombie. The Zombie is fluffy dough stuffed with a variety of meats and cheeses then baked to perfection. Other culinary options will include the popular Cuban sandwich as well as bratwursts, homemade fried chicken, fresh cut fries, and several types of wings and sauces. The goal is to bring in as much locally grown items as well as using local providers for most of our items, keeping it home grown is one of our mottos. We also plan and scratch making as many items as we can to provide the highest quality and freshest product possible, another concept lacking in our town. The goal is to bring the highest quality foods for the most reasonable price that we can. I our idea will be to closely follow what Costco tries to bring to their customers. The goals of Two Brothers food truck are to bring items to customers with little or no access within walking d istance to their locations. We will highlight our operating times to ensure each location we stop at will have ample time to order and receive their items in a fashion congruent with their time frame. We will also provide an â€Å"Order Early† option via text, email, and phone orders so that clients will be able to bypass lines and pick up items whilst on the go. Wenatchee is a smaller mid-size market with many businesses and average options for quick lunch options. Wenatchee offers the same fast food and casual dining as larger cities with a sprinkling of mom and pop restaurants which make up the rest of the options none of which offer high quality ingredients with reasonable pricing structures it is usually either quality or fair price, Two Brothers will accomplish both high quality and fair pricing by operating on volume sales to move business. The plan for Two Brothers is to hand craft all possible food items to cut costs and increase quality of our products because we believe that the more hands something touches through the supply chain the more cost it involves in the end product. This will set us apart from most other options locally and  create an amount of exclusivity of market. What will also help Two Brothers is the relative lack of food trucks within the Wenatchee valley area. We plan to monopolize this fact and create a structure where we remain the top contender with first to market entry with home baked breads, oven roasted meats, and locally grown produce (when available). We will market on our commitment for high quality, price friendly foods which focus on family and togetherness. The vision that I see for the Two Brothers is for it to grow into a family run business with maybe two to three locations in total in the valley, keep it home grown and support the valley by staying true to family, friends, and c ommunity. While the quality and reputation of the establishment are paramount, so is the success of profit. Once I am able to show continued growth and a solid profit margins the possibilities are limitless for expansions. Are good profit margin will also allow for commitments like sponsoring a little league team, giving us a positive public image. The guiding principles or values would be to stay true to myself stay grounded if the business does become a success, and keep my promise to the customers by providing them with fresh food and a fun experience at Two Brothers. The culture of the business reflects my culture and that of my family, and when I say culture I mean that of respecting everyone whom we interact with. We will have a diverse menu because I want a diverse crowd. The social responsibility and ethics would be making sure we only provide fresh ingredients, only buy from the best, and never serve anything that is subpar our internal motto is create what you would want to eat. I will not hesitate to take the opportunity to make things right and apologize on behalf of the business, always treat others the way I want to be treated, and with respect. The business cannot be a success if the mission or vision statement is not only followed but also if the staff and owners do not promote what they inspire. The vision is to have the business grow, but it can do only that if the customers are treated with respect. We as a business must keep our word or promises on the service and products we say we will deliver on. For the business to be successful every promise made must be followed up by not only the owners, but also by staff, and those who we conduct business with Two Brothers. The only way to maintain a competitive advantage over larger chain restaurants, sandwich shops, and fast food joints, is to keep the promise we made in our mission statement,  and continue to stay focused on what is most important, the customer. Strategic Plan Part II: SWOTT Analysis The business world of today the rate of a business succeeding is far outweighed by the rate at which they fail and this needs to be understood when undertaking these endeavors. One of these factors to success or to failure is external factors and how they will work in the operations of a business. In this paper there will be a definition of some external factors for the Two Brothers food truck and how well the business adapts to these factors. We will analyze the supply chain and as well as the operations into consideration along with the identification of other issues and opportunities that may happen. Economic, Legal and Regulatory Forces and Trends One of the biggest driving external forces that can impact my business is the need for people to know where their food is coming from and that it is a good and healthy choice for them. Today’s focus on obesity has many people turning away from the fast food chains like McDonald’s and turning to options like Chipotle for healthier options and knowledge that their food is coming from excellent sources and is handpicked as well as made fresh daily. The Wenatchee Valley is very compact so the ability for people to travel for lunch is easy except the only real options are fast food restaurants dominating a large percentage of the choices. Because these health trends are extremely popular among the many in the valley it is wise to include social factors of healthy living are a huge positive trend for the food trucks fresh philosophy. The active population of the valley is more likely to be health conscious because it is the goal to be in shape and fit with the amount of outdoor recreation in the valley and surrounding areas. Therefore, by eating healthy homemade options provided by the truck, the average Wenatchee resident is a positive external force. Competitive analysis as an external force that we can use to measure the possibility of success or failure or trends which may affect the business. Since the food truck is in the Wenatchee valley and we are known for our agricultural history there is a large population of Hispanics thanks in part to the long history agriculture and the need for skilled labor. Mexican cuisine and  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Taco trucks† are quite prevalent in the area and a different style food truck would be an outlier among the usual fast food chains and the family-owned restaurants. This provides an advantage as the food truck has something new, and different to offer. In addition, the resta urant is mobile and can be available in various areas gives it advantages over restaurants and most other food trucks since most are mainly stationary and no longer mobile. Because the food truck will be in a mobile we can monopolize areas where many people work with the least amount of food options available, we have to cater to them this way and offer a quick high quality option for lunch. The Wenatchee valley also has many spots for tourist exploring attractions of the city and events that could support the food truck. Since the warms temperatures of the valley in the summer and the mild winters, I expect people to at least stop for food or for something to drink year round as well as eventually becoming a destination spot for locals. External technological forces/trends could go either way depending on how the business is opened. First impressions do matter – as much as businesses do not want them too especially in the era of social media. Wenatchee is a smaller town so word of mouth spreads quickly via sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Craigslist so in this situation, it is very important that the food truck makes a strong first impression. Also the local newspaper is a popular source of information to the valley and perhaps some sort of coupon or deal in the newspaper would be a good way to attract residents to the restaurant. Because the written part of paper has its counterpart on the web, online advertising would probably be an attractive option in attracting the many tourists which visit the city all year round. Supply Chains Organizations Impacts Considering the resource logistics for any business, a strong force that can negatively/positively affect the food truck is the cost of transportation of materials. Originally, the plan was to hand pick fresh material daily through local growers and vendors. However, this would be inefficient and extremely expensive. It makes more sense that these material are obtained from a local source which can deliver on a weekly basis. These items should be items that would definitely have to be locally or regionally located because they have to contribute to the buy local stay local theme. For  example, the vegetables would mainly be locally grown within the season and meats locally purchased and regionally harvested while any baked goods would be homemade by us using regionally sourced materials. Identification of Issues or Opportunities Culture Culture is another internal force, which can make the food truck a great and popular option. Having a family-owned business with a small group of friendly employees makes a huge difference in how a local business is perceived. Hiring employees who not relate well with the business owners generally results in employees perform their duties but may not love the business or take part in the enjoyment that the owners may have in operating the business; in other words, these employees will do their job but they will not have the passion that family has operating the business. Generally, the friendly service that customers will receive from the deli will likely be an incentive for them to return again. The feeling should be relaxing enough that customers will want to continue to hang out after their meal if they have the time. Over time, places like these become a sort of â€Å"favorite† hang out for people; this is very similar to how bars become places where people can hangout and relax while socializing and eating. With technology being so prevalent and because this is a tight knit valley, it is expected that people will have want to socialize so providing portable seating will be an important element. Leadership Leadership is an essential part of any business and can lead to better efficiency. It’s very important for the business to have a good set of leaders. In a small business situation the leaders should be the owners, there is a sense of warmth and gratitude when being greeted and served by the owners/operators. Sometimes, a customer may ask a certain question that requires a bit of prerequisite knowledge about a certain type of food or product and to answer the question. When the owners are available, and a part of the general operations, that knowledge is passed on the other employees when the owner is serving guests. Good leadership also is integral to making a business run smoothly. There usually has to be someone â€Å"in charge† that can direct people around in case they are lost. In this  case, if an employee is making a certain product and is confused on how to finish it or continue with it, the owner can usually step in and aid in the completion of the product. Therefore, a good leader will run the business in a smooth manner while the lack of a leader can result in the business losing money because of customer dissatisfaction (due to problems such as excessive wait for food, bad service, bad food, etc.) Strategy The internal strategy will be to keep consumers pleased and to keep their visit to the food truck memorable so they would want to come there again. Operating the food truck as a fun family oriented business will keep people hopefully wanting to hangout and comeback for that family open arms feel. Possibly providing outdoor games and events will give the customer something to keep them occupied and enjoy their stay. To keep the menu a bit unique, there would be a diversified menu by serving specific options and specials on different days of the week. There would also be incentives provided in the form of discounts, punch cards and options for catering a large group of people, such as parties, weddings or other events. Economic Economic forces and trends that can benefit or work against the food truck are most definitely included the price of oil and prices of raw materials. Because transportation is a must in any business to bring items to the truck and the truck to the clients, rising gas prices will hurt business and cost more. Similarly, a lack of local items in the area will also exacerbate the situation and raise prices of raw materials to be used by the food truck. Nice weather in the summer and good snow in the winter increase the draw of tourism to the valley this would increase the number of potential customers increasing business. Regulatory In regards to regulatory forces/trends that would affect this business would be the health inspection and how they regulate length of time a certain product is fresh. As an example, if health regulations of food trucks are usually more stringent and regulated than say a brick and mortar business since the food truck has the ability to become mobile and the options of  safe storage of foods is limited more so than the regular restaurant. By not following health procedures and safety, laws would be broken and there would be the risk of the business closing or people being hurt by contaminated foods. Because this is a small food truck business, it would not be too difficult to make changes unless the changes are extreme – like the change corresponding to the reliable sourcing of local goods. Making changes to the menu or making different items is usually just a change in how a certain product is prepared. Because food trucks usually provide food made on premise and is easily adaptable to many items this will not be very difficult if changes needed to be made. However, if people were to ask for particular items or drinks these would have to be purchased and that could take some time for delivery. The food truck is a small scale business; it is easier to apply changes than it is for bigger businesses that may be spread out in several locations. Global The most recent global issue for most business right now is the price of oil. Gas keeps the trucks moving and the equipment operating whether they are buying items, operating as in cooking food items, or moving from location to location gas is an unavoidable cost and rising prices could pose a threat to the sustainability of the business. Other options of clean energy can be examined to ensure the best operating options for the business. Processes and Systems Providing great service seems almost nonsensical as every business strives to do so. Small businesses have to make greater strides in this department. Consistency is the key in order to be consistent a system or process is needed for every detail. When there are definite procedures for the everyday tasks the employees and the customers know what to expect. For instance the opening and closing procedures will have specific tasks and duties every day. This type of consistency will keep a positive momentum. Strategic Plan Part III: Balanced Scorecard The reason an individual opens a business is to be successful and make a profits to provide as their livelihood. My vision and my mission for my  business are to be one of the most popular food trucks in the Wenatchee Valley area. In addition, should be a highly respected business and not just another business serving food. Getting to know the customers on a personal basis and prove friendly service that is appreciable and that leaves customer with a sense of superior service that keeps them coming back. But mostly, the food truck will provide great food that people will enjoy to eat and crave. The vision for the food truck is to see it open and available to travel to multiple locations throughout the Wenatchee Valley so that the entire valley can access the unique options we offer. Financial Perspective Because the initial location will be near the main medical facility and high school in the southern part of the valley, it can hold a considerable market share over other restaurants in that area of the valley since no other locations exists. After that the financial perspectives include market share, the vision influences the market share in this way and it allows for enhancement of profitability and the competitive position. More restaurants around the valley use the same supply chain operations that the initial food truck would have, keeping the costs relatively the same. Increasing the number of food trucks would, also help to lower prices of raw materials because the business would be buying larger quantities for more trucks and use volume pricing. This in turn would reduce the cost of spending but would increase the profits. The mission values are to provide great tasting food to a large variety of people of different social groups and to provide great service. To achieve such a goal, it is very necessary that some objectives for customer service and employee satisfaction are put into place. Employee Perspective Obviously, the amount of satisfaction that the employees will have will translate to a higher level of service they provide to customers. Therefore, increasing employee satisfaction is a must for the food truck. Stimulating and offering incentives to the employees is a great way to keep them productive. A method of stimulating the employees would be to rotate the duties. A rotation of duties ensures that all of the employees understand the functions of the different stations but they also understand all the cleaning duties as well and knowing each station helps in the overall  understanding of the business. This, in turn, affects their productivity and how they relate to the customers. The satisfied customers, in turn, helped to enhance the customer’s value perspective in areas such as customer retention and customer value. Providing warm, friendly service is an asset to the food truck will have and will set it apart from other options in the valley. Customer Perspective An objective that should be maintained is to keep the same level of service and customer satisfaction going throughout time. Ways to measure customer satisfaction is how customers react to the food truck on social media sites such as Facebook and Craigslist or frequency in which they visit. Offering a punch card with a reward is way to measure the frequency that they visit the food truck. Obviously, a majority of people frequenting the food truck signifies that the truck is a popular destination and signifies the mass popularity of the truck. Noticing changes in trends can help an owner to understand where problems may exist. An important strategic objective that should be respected in the organization of the food truck is keeping service quick and without any hassle and maintains a high level of quality and service. Process of Internal Operations To achieve this objective, the food truck needs to, again, maintain a fast and reliable service plan for the company. This requires planning, as the employees need efficiently to produce the product that the customer wants. This is not only encompassing the employee perspective but also the customer service perspective. Popular restaurants usually have a method through which they create menu items in an efficient manner. They create recipes and options on the menu which staff and customers can use to guide their experience and production processes. This orderly method that will be developed is essential for the business to run properly because it reduces the work that the employees do and allows the customer more freedom in choosing how they want their foods prepared as well as options available. In addition, I feel like this will be a necessary feature of the food truck because other restaurant businesses serving food create items from various  ingredients and recipes will also be producing their products in a similar procedure. Therefore, to keep competitive and streamlined to business practices of the industry this method should also be used in the food truck. Conclusion Designing and building a strategic objective is a crucial element for any business to operate successfully in the world today. Creating a mission statement with clear and defined objectives will help guide the business through their operations and should be looked to consistently to maintain the objectives set forth by the business creators. By doing this the management and operations of the business will be understood and how the business relates in the marketplace and how to operate through growth and handle competitors. A foundation of objectives will maintain the core concept of the business when changes or shifts in the market place occur and when new strategies need to be developed to handle these changes. The foundation of any business operation is the consumer and the major influence on whether they become a customer for life is the employee. These two factors are the direct drivers for any business and their happiness can bring about failure or ensure success. When the mission and core values are established and clear then it becomes easier for these two factors to provide the success businesses need to remain operational and sustainable. Reference Pearce, John A. , Robinson, Richard B. . (2009). Strategic management. formulation, implementation, and control. United States: McGraw-Hill. Thompson, Arthur A. , Gamble, John E. , Strickland, A. J. (2006). Strategy: winning in the marketplace: core concepts, analytical tools, cases. United States: McGraw-Hill Companies. MacDonald, Denise. (2008, October 15). Mcdonalds marketing strategy. Retrieved from http://www.macdonaldconsultingservices.com/post/2008/10/McDonalds-Marketing-Strategy.aspx

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in House Construction

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in House Construction Background and Justification of project Buildings are climate modifiers which provide indoor environments. These are essential to the well being and the social and economic developments of mankind. However, they are also intensive resources consumers and hence, they require enormous amount of materials and energy in their construction and maintenance. During the construction period and while they are demolished at the end of their life, buildings generate huge amount of solid wastes and various types of emissions, such as particulates, noise and various kinds of liquid effluents. According to Hall (2003 ) and Anink (1996) the building industry accounts for around one-tenth of the world’s GDP, at least 7% of its jobs, half of all resources used and up to 40% of energy used and green house gas emission. Hill and Bowen (1997) discussed how the applications of modern technology, together with the increasing population, are leading to the rapid depletion of the earth’s physical resources. Hall (2003) also estimated that by 2025, the world population would reach 8 billion and 98% of the increase in the population would be in developing countries. With time, the construction industry is expanding and the rate of resource depletion is not sustainable. As it can be imagined, construction materials and products are essential to life – with respect to both buildings and infrastructure. Humans spend around 80% of their time (on average) in some type of building or on roads. Construction products play a major role in improving the energy efficiency of buildings and also contribute to economic prosperity (Edwards, 2003). On the other hand, construction products also produce a considerable impact on the environment. The Worldwatch Institute estimates that 40% of the world’s materials and energy is used in buildings. However, according to Anink (1996), the construction sector is responsible for 50% of the material resources taken from nature and 50% of total waste generated. Also, Rodman and Lenssen (1993) pointed that buildings account for one-sixth of the world’s freshwater withdrawals, one-quarter of its wood harvest, and two-fifths of its material and energy flows. The impact of construction products relative to t he overall lifetime impact of a building is currently 10-20%. For infrastructure this value is significantly higher, greater than 80% in some cases. In Mauritius, nearly all the main resources in a building are imported, e.g. steel and cement. An average of 600 000 tonnes of cement are imported annually in Mauritius. As our country is currently going through a boom in the construction sector, the figures are expected to increase. The price of crude oil has more than  doubled on the world market during the past years. This has had a direct impact on nearly all the construction materials which are imported and produced locally. While choosing for construction materials, many do not think about the impacts that the material have on the environment. The environmental impacts of building materials are increasing day by day. Therefore, environmental impacts have become an increasingly important consideration in selecting building materials for the construction. Consequently, life cycle assessment has become an important tool in analysing natural resources and emissions generated in manufacturing processes. Winistorfer and Zhangjing (2004) said that life cycle assessment refers to the analysis of the environmental impact of a product through every step of its life. It includes environment impacts while the product is manufactured, used and disposed. The objective of a life cycle analysis is to quantify environmental influences of a product through input and output analysis. Aim and Objectives The aim of the project was to calculate all the resource energy and associated greenhouse gas emissions linked to construction of a typical residential house in Mauritius. Simapro Life Cycle Analysis software was used to calculate all the resource energy and greenhouse gas emission from the building. The objectives were to: quantify all the resources required for the construction of the typical residential house estimate the weight of the building minimise the use of resources in building thereby reducing the greenhouse gas emission and ensuring a cleaner production. To satisfy the aim and objectives of the project, a virtual house was selected to carry out the analysis. The house used was obtained from the central statistics office. It represents the most common type of building in Mauritius. The size of the house is 128m2. All the quantities of materials used for the construction of the building were calculated. Using Simapro life cycle assessment software, the energy requirement and CO2 emission of each material was obtained. Also, the weight of the house was calculated using the unit weight of reinforced concrete and concrete blocks. Structure of Report A literature search was done and the findings were included in chapter 2. The latter describes how the building consumes all the different resources, energy requirements and the environmental impacts of building. Also, the benefits of sustainable building and of recycling waste, in order to recover the energy, were discussed. A detailed methodology, which was adopted to achieve the aim and objectives of the study, was described in chapter 3. The key results and discussions were presented in chapter 4. Finally, conclusions, recommendations and further works were dealt with in chapter 5. Literature Review Building: direct consumption of resources There is growing concern that human activity is affecting the global and local ecosystem severely enough to potentially cause permanent changes to some ecosystems  and potentially cause them to crash. Boyle (2005) suggested that there must be a reduction factor of 20 to 50 in resource consumption and efficiency in order to achieve technologies which are sustainable. Sustainable technologies will be particularly significant to the construction industry which is a major consumer of resources. The pie chart below gives a repartition of all the primary materials resources used in the construction industry in 1998. Figure 2.1 Repartition of primary resources in the construction industry (Source: Construction Resource Efficiency Review, 2006) Despite the fact that every house makes use of different quantity of resources, according to US DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network, a standard wood-frame house uses 4047 m2 (one acre) of forest and produces 3-7 tonne of waste during construction. Lippiatt (1999) stated that building consumes 40% of the gravel, sand and stone, 25% of the timber, 40% of the energy and 16% of the water used globally per year. Boyle (2005) estimated that in UK itself, about 6 tonnes of building materials were used annually for every member of the population. Much of the waste and consumption of resources occurred during the extraction and processing of the raw materials. For example, mining requires water and energy, consumes land and produces significant quantities of acidic contaminated gas, liquid and solid wastes (Boyle, 2005). A second example which can be used is that of timber. The cultivation of trees requires significant space for cultivation and amount of fertilizers. Moreover, the harvesting and processing phases of timber make use of considerable amounts of energy. Trees are also grown in plantations which require old-growth forest and significantly reduce biodiversity. Energy is also used extensively in the transportation of raw materials. Fossils fuels are used for the transportation, extraction and harvesting of the material, thereby releasing greenhouse gases and a range of air pollutants. Processing of metals and mineral often results in major gas emissions. The concrete industry is a major producer of carbon dioxide whereas on the other hand, aluminium smelting produces perfluorocarbons (Boyle, 2005). These two are very powerful greenhouse gases. According to the Construction Resource Efficiency Information Review (2006), emissions to the air by the construction industry in 1998 were just over 30 million tonnes in total, of which over 97% was carbon dioxide. Of the 30 million tonnes of emissions, over 70% came from mineral extraction and product manufacture. The table below shows the total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions generated by the construction industry in UK. Table 2.1 Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions generated by the construction industry in UK (Source: Construction Resource Efficiency Information Review, 2006) Emission generated by: Tonnage (Kt ) Mineral extraction, product and material manufacture 19,817 Transport of product and material 2,543 Transport of secondary and recycled product 675 Construction and demolition site activity 3,764 Transport related to construction and demolition site activity 1,291 Transport of waste from product and material manufacture 20 Transport of construction and demolition waste 219 Total CO2 equivalent emissions to the atmosphere 28,327 As it can be seen, from Table 2.1, a total of 28 327 Ktonnes of CO2equivalent emissions were generated by the construction industry in UK and much of these emissions occurred during the mineral extraction and product and material manufacture. Over the lifespan of a building, the material will have to be maintained and stored in good condition whereas, in some cases, replaced. Every five to fifteen years, exterior coatings, guttering, piping, walls, and flooring will require repair or replacement. By effective maintenance, requirements for replacement are reduced by a significant amount. The decisions here are not taken by the builder or designer regardless of the original design. Concerning  the material used for the repair and the maintenance of the building, it is the owner who takes the decision. During the lifespan of a building, the overall investment of resources into the building needs to be considered (Boyle, 2005).  Buildings can be constructed and designed in such a way that they can last for more than hundred years. Additionally, many traditional buildings are designed in such a way that they can last beyond 200 years (Morel, 2001). However, many designers are now planning buildings for a lifespan of only 50 years or even less despite using durable materials requiring minimal maintenance. Such materials reduce the requirement for repairs or replacement. Hence, simply designing and maintaining a building for 400 years  rather than 50 can potentially reduce its environmental effect from material resources by up to a factor of 4 (Boyle, 2005). Energy requirements of a building Cole and Carnan (1996) found that the energy that is consumed during the life cycle of a residential building includes energy used in producing building materials and constructing the structure. Also, energy is used in occupying and maintaining the building, and in demolishing or deconstructing the structure at the end of its serviceable life. According to Cole and Carnan (1996), the energy consumed in building can be classified in three categories: energy to initially produce the building; energy to operate the building, and; energy to demolish and dispose of the building at the end of its effective life. During the extraction, processing and transportation of material as well as during the construction as mentioned earlier large amount of energy is consumed. Morel et al. (2001) found that costs could be reduced by more than a factor of 6 during construction by the use of energy of local materials. The local materials studied by Morel et al. (2001) included rammed earth, stone, timber which were compared to the use of imported concrete. Consequently, Morel et al found that the imported concrete required significant energy for processing. Treloar et al. (2001) found that, by using a concrete binder, rammed earth had an energy load equivalent to that of a brick veneer construction due to the energy  required in processing the cement. Boyle (2005) stated that energy is the major resource consumed in buildings and 90% of the energy consumption is over the operational lifespan of the building. Therefore, significant decrease in energy consumption assists in reducing the resource consumption and improving efficiency. Although a house can be designed to a totally self-sufficient condition for energy and water, much depends on the location, that is, the climate, the availability and potability of  local water sources as well as the attitude of the user. The designer or builder can incorporate some energy saving devices and design such a water heater, passive heating, and composting toilets, which are suitable for local conditions. Furthermore, such devices and designs will only be incorporated if a significant profit can be generated. Many developers resist including energy- saving measures unless they are required by local councils or are considered essentially by buyers in the local community. Cole and Kernan (1996 ) found that the energy used to heat, cool, provide artificial lighting, and power typically used appliances in buildings accounts for more than 30% of Canada’s national energy use. Approximately two-thirds of this consumption is attributed to residential buildings and the remainder to commercial buildings. The US DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network estimated that, the annual average energy consumption for one story concrete building, the annual average energy consumption is 63GJ. However, Zydeveld (1998) pointed out that up to 80% savings in heating water and improving the indoor air quality and thermal comfort could be made in the Netherlands with the inclusion of passive solar design with an additional 10% cost in construction. Therefore, savings of 90% could be achieved. Four major design principles enabled architects and builders to incorporate passive solar design  into their buildings: solar  orientation; maximizing the solar gain through low surface loss and high internal volume; high mass within the insulation and avoiding of shading. The rise in use of material in the low energy building can, however, mean that there is an increased consumption of material and energy overall. Thormark (2002) discovered that up to 45% of the total energy used is in the embodied energy in a low-energy building and that such a building could have a greater total energy use than that of a building with a higher operating energy consumption. Besides, he also said that 37-42% of the embodied  energy could be recovered  by recycling of materials. Embodied Energy According to an unknown author (2007), Embodied Energy is the amount of energy that has gone into the making of a material or things made with materials. A very high percentage of the world’s energy is derived from fossil fuels which, when burnt, release vast amounts of CO2. As the production of energy from fossil fuels is environmentally unfriendly, materials and things that have a lower embodied energy are more sustainable than those with a higher embodied energy. On average, 0.098 tonnes of CO2 are produced per gigajoule of embodied energy (Sustainable built environment 2007). Source: Sustainable Technologies (1996) Figure 2.2: Embodied Energy of the different building materials The embodied energy per unit mass of materials used in a building varies enormously from about two gigajoules per tonne for concrete, to hundreds of gigajoules per tonne for aluminium.(Figure 2.2). The reuse of materials commonly saves about 95% of embodied energy which could otherwise be wasted (Sustainable Built Environment 2007). According to Fichtner Report (1999), in Mauritius, steel is the only waste material generated from the construction industry which is recycled, implying that most of the embodied energy of the materials is wasted. Resource Efficiency in a building According to the report â€Å"Construction Resource Efficiency Review† (2006), resource efficiency is about the sustainable use of resources. Indeed, there should be effective use and management of all the resources available to the industry while at the same time optimising output and profit. There is much emphasis on the use of all the physical resources (water, energy, etc) and materials used in the production and operation cycle. As minimum resource is used in the manufacture of the product, profits can be made by increasing productivity. Resource efficiency can also be achieved by reducing the wastes. As far as the construction industry is concerned, there is a need to focus on sustainable consumption of resources. Buildings can be built with fewer resources while looking at the same time at the impacts of the building on the environment. Sustainable Buildings Buildings have a tremendous impact on our environmental quality, resource use, human health and productivity. According to Nicholas S. (2003), sustainable building meets current building needs and reduces impacts on future generations by integrating building materials and methods that promote environmental quality, economic vitality, and social benefit through the design, construction and operation of our built environment. Sustainable building, also referred as green building, involves the consideration of many issues, including land use, site impacts, indoor environment, energy and water use, lifecycle impacts of building materials, and solid waste. Benefits of Sustainable Building There are a number of environmental, social, and economic benefits which we can enjoy from a sustainable building. Miriam L. (1999) gives some benefits of sustainable building to the environment, which are as follows: air and water quality protection soil protection and flood prevention solid waste reduction energy and water conservation climate stabilization ozone layer protection natural resource conservation open space, habitat, and species/biodiversity protection Also, sustainable building can have other benefits for designers, contractors, occupants, construction workers, developers, and owners. These benefits include: Improved health, comfort, and productivity/performance As mentioned earlier, people spend 80 % of their life in some buildings. It is reported that 30 % of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may be linked to symptoms of sick building syndrome (WHO 1984). Particular Symptoms are:- Headache Eye, nose or throat irritation Dry cough Dizziness Fatigue Sensitivity to odors Sick building syndrome (SBS) is normally caused by fungi and bacteria that build up because of inadequate fresh air ventilation in structures. Therefore, improving the indoor environment of the building can reduce the effect of SBS. Lower construction costs The cost of the building can be lowered by reducing the use of material and saving on disposal costs because of recycling. For example, recycled aggregate can be used as filler material. Lower operating costs As discussed earlier in chapter 2.10, the use of energy can be reduced in a building by designing the building such that it gets maximum sunlight, and in so doing, cutting down expenses concerning electricity. This has a great impact for people with low income, who spend much of their salary in paying utility bills. Life Cycle Assessment â€Å"†¦.Life Cycle Assessment is a process to evaluate the environmental burdens associated with a product, process, or activity by identifying and quantifying energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment; to assess the impact of those energy and materials used and releases to the environment; and to identify and evaluate opportunities to affect environmental improvements. The assessment includes the entire life cycle of the product, process or activity, encompassing, extracting and processing raw materials; manufacturing, transportation and distribution; use, re-use, maintenance; recycling, and final disposal†¦.† Guidelines for Life-Cycle Assessment: A Code of Practice, SETAC, Brussels (1990). There are four main components of LCA, which are as follows: Goal definition and scoping: Identify the LCAs purpose and the expected products of the study. Also, he needs to determine the boundaries and assumptions based upon the goal definition Life-cycle inventory: Quantify the raw material and energy inputs during each stage of production. Moreover, environmental releases are also taken into account. Impact analysis: Assess the impacts on human health and the environment associated with energy, raw material inputs and environmental releases quantified by the inventory. -Improvement analysis: Evaluate opportunities to reduce energy, material inputs, or environmental impacts at each stage of the product life-cycle. For this project, only the environmental impacts (carbon dioxide emission) and energy used from the manufacture of all the materials utilised in the construction of a typical residential house were considered. Construction Waste The construction energy generates an enormous amount of waste. Rogoff and Williams (1994) pointed out that in the USA, wastes from the construction industry contributed to approximately 20 %, in Australia 30% and in UK more than 50 % of the overall landfill volumes in each country. The Building Research Establishment (1982) has defined waste as the difference between materials ordered and those placed for fixing on building projects. Serpell and Alarcon (1998) defined construction waste as any material by product that does not have any residual value. But this is not true for the construction and demolition waste as much as the waste can be reduced or recycled. By reducing the level of waste in the construction industry, it benefits the environment and lowers the cost of the project. Bossink and Brouwers (1996) estimated that about 1-10% by weight of the purchase construction material leaves the site of residential projects as waste. However Guthrie et al. (1998) found that at least 10 % of all the raw materials which are delivered on most construction sites are wasted through damage, loss and over-ordering. A study carried by Dabycharun (2004), pointed out that a residential house in Mauritius generates about 0.2-0.5 tonne/m2 of waste. He carried out questionnaire interview in order to get this figure. However, the Fichtner report (1999) states that during the construction of an average private house of 140 m2, 8-10 tonne of mixed waste are generated. Skoyles and Skoyles (1987) identified two main kinds of building construction waste and finishing waste. Structure waste consists of fragments, reinforcement bars, abandoned timer plate and pieces which are generated during the finishing stage of a building. For example it comprises of surplus cement motar arising from screeding scatters over the floors inside the building. There are two distinct procedures in minimising the amount of in landfill sites through the construction process. The first one is to reduce the amount of waste generated through source reduction techniques both on site and during the design and procurement phases of a building project. The second procedure is to improve the management of the unavoidable waste generated on site. In managing the unavoidable waste, there are three options in order of preference. They are as follows: Reuse Recycling Disposal The balance between the three will depend upon the nature of the materials wasted, legislative requirements for the specific materials and the cost effectiveness of each option. The cost will in turn depend upon the availability of reusing and recycling options and the opportunities for reuse on a specific project. Recycled materials, while requiring transportation and reprocessing, consume significantly fewer resources compared to the extraction and processing of raw materials. This is particularly true for metal such as iron, copper and aluminium. These metals can be reproduced to a quality equal to that of raw material processing. Both concrete and timber can be recycled or reused but with the defect that the quality of the final product is often diminished. By crushing concrete, we can  reuse it as an aggregate for some purposes, particularly like paving (Boyle, 2005). But, it was found by Millard and al. (2004) that from the recycled aggregate found in the construction and demolition waste, concrete blocks can be manufactured. Also, coarse recycled aggregates can be used in new concrete (Limbachia, 2004). Good grade timber can be used in the making of furniture. It is strongly stated not to use supporting timber since it is difficult to determine whether a used timber beam has stress cra cks or other weak points. In other countries, plastics can be recycled into a number of construction products, including tiles, lumber, heating and wire insulation and carpet. According to Huang and Hsu (2003), each year in Taiwan over 10106 tonnes of construction material are extracted for their usage and more than 40106 tonnes of construction waste are disposed without recycling. Significant amounts of asphalt were present in the waste. However, if it was recycled, this would have decreased the amount of asphalt which was imported. Thormark  (2002) pointed out that recycled concrete, clay brick and lightweight concrete can meet the total need for gravel in new houses and in renovation. Materials and Methods The next part of the dissertation was the methodology. In this section, an analysis was carried out on the different resources used for the construction of a single-storey house and the CO2 emission from each of the different resources. Therefore, a house had to be selected to carry out the analysis Selection of a typical house The house model used for the analysis was basically a virtual detached house which occupied a space of 128.30 squares metres floor area. The floor area was measured at plinth level to the external face of the external wall. The plan of the typical house model was obtained from the Central Statistics Office which was originally provided by the Mauritius Housing Company Limited. The house represented the most common type of residential house in Mauritius. The plan of the house is found in appendix A. The building constitutes of two bedrooms, a living-dining room, a kitchen, a toilet, a bathroom, a verandah and an attached garage. It was assumed to be built up of concrete block walls, reinforced concrete flat roof, internal flush plywood doors, glazed metal openings, screened floor and roof, tiling to floor and walls of W.C, and bathroom and kitchen worktop; the ceiling and walls were rendered and painted both internally and externally. It should also be noted that in the event the single-storey building would need to be converted into a two-storey house, an additional provision of more substantial foundation and of stub columns of the roof has already been made. Calculation of different resources Various materials and other resources were needed during the construction of the house. These can be broken down in different input categories. The input categories (different components) for the construction comprised of labour, hire of plant, materials and transport. The materials were further broken down into hardcore fillings (remplissage), cement, sand, timber for carpentry and joinery, metal openings, ceramic tiles, glass and putty, plumbing, sanitary installation, electrical installation and other miscellaneous expenses. The weightage of the components, shown in table 3.0, was calculated by a private firm of Quantity Surveyors for the Central Statistics Office’s use. The firm had identified nineteen stages through which the construction of the house had gone through. The cost for each stage was calculated. Detailed cost of each inputs in terms of plant, labour, materials and transport that go into the construction of typical residential house were calculated. According to the Statician, Jagai D. (pers. Comm., 19 November 2007), the construction of the single storey building, in the year 2001, was estimated by the quantity surveyor to be Rs 550,000. the weight was calculated so that each input category represented a fraction of the price for the residential building. Table 3.0 Weightage of different Input categories (Source: construction price index,2007) Input categories Weight / % Labour Skilled workers Unskilled workers 16.8 17.7 Plant Mixer Breaker Metal plaques 0.7 0.9 1.4