Why do price controls require hospitals to make a trade an Example by

Why do price controls require hospitals to make a trade-off One of the very recent bills that most of the Congress in the world is the one that concerns the prices of medical expenditures or most commonly known as the price controls bill. Stated in this bill, government can interfere medical institutions in fixing prices for expenditures such as cost of operations and the price of medicines. Also, the government subsidizes expenditures, a part or even whole of the medical cost for a patient. Need essay sample on "Why do price controls require hospitals to make a trade-off" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The idea of price controls may seem beneficial since the government can make the prices low so that the public can enjoy health care for low prices also. Somehow, this will cost many problems; first of all, patients have different degree of sickness. For example, two patients are diagnose with cataract, if one is worse than other, then the medical personnel would expend a little more on the severe patient. Abiding the price control policy, they will both pay the same amount. The problem about this is whether the price assigned is too low or too high for expenditure. If the price is set too high, the quality of medical service would be better since they are funded with more money now. Well, in this manner, hospital will benefit and will have improvement. In the same scenario, maybe, most of the patients cannot afford the price of medication, thus, not enabling them from acquiring the needed service. The result of making the price to high is quality of medical service for the hospital but fewer patients that can afford to acquire the service. Now, let us look at the scenario in which prices are set to be too low. Since the medical service is too low, the purchasing power increases. Hence, more patients can avail the services offered by hospital; but because of the low cost of medication, the quality of medical service is sacrificed. Hospitals and other medical institutions will have a lower funding for quality improvement, and they can even find way in pushing away patients for they may lose the business aspects, that is only possible when the prices are very very low. Hence, the result of having the price is too low is more can afford the services but quality is sacrificed. In the end, hospitals are forced to give up one of these two thing quality of service and number of patients serve. Unless one is given less importance, both of these will be ineffective. References Gaumer Gary. (December 22, 1994). Hospital Wage and Price Control: Lessons from the Economic Stabilization Program. 1 July 2007.

To Build a Fire essays

To Build a Fire essays In the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, there are three principal themes. They are respecting nature, and considering results of actions. The main theme, or universal truth, is heeding warnings. The themes are shown through the character and his actions. The main character in the story had an attitude that prevented him from heeding internal and external warnings. He did not respect nature's power, and therefore he paid with his life. His attitude was arrogant and careless. The man had no imagination and only understood facts. He knew it was very cold and his body was numb, but he failed to realize the danger. A newcomer with no experience, he thought he was invincible. Neither the "absence of sun from the sky," nor "the tremendous cold" made any effect on him. For example, the temperature was less than -50 degrees. He did not care about how much colder it was. To him, it was just a number. He did not think of his "frailty as a creature of temperature." When the "old-timer at Sulphur Creek" warned him not to travel alone in such cold, the man laughed at him. The old-timer had experience and knowledge, yet the man called him "womanish." Even when the man knew he was about to die, he thought, "freezing was not so bad as people thought," and "When he got back to the States he could tell folks what real cold was." These quotes show that the man did not take his situation seriously. Instead of dying with dignity, he t hought about how foolish he looked "running like a chicken with it's head off." He was ignorant, unimaginative, foolish and doomed. The man learns his lesson the hard way. The man encountered many internal warnings that it was too cold to be outside. First, his nose and cheeks went numb. His face, feet, and hands followed. His beard and mustache grew icy from his breath. Rubbing his face and beating his hands only temporarily helped his circulation. After he got his feet wet, they froze. His fingers "seemed remote f ...

To What Extent Are a Company's Annual Report and Accounts Essay

To What Extent Are a Company's Annual Report and Accounts - Essay Example The decisions made by these executives are made on the basis of the calculations resulting from value added. If the value added ensures an improvement in the value of single unit of supply input then the decision is directed accordingly (Gilchrist, R., 1971). The concept of value added is greatly described by Bernard Cox in his book ‘Value Added: an appreciation for the accountant concerned with industry’. In this book the author has explained various methods through which value added can be made useful in managerial applications, evaluating the annual reports and account of the company. The most applicable way understanding and utilizing value added is to subtract purchases from sales and sum up profits generated by the company, depreciation expense accumulated over the assets, interest expense for the loans made by the company, payroll costs which is the amount paid to the employees and workers, dividends paid to the shareholders and tax paid to the government. The sub tracted amount represents that how the value added is created in the first place. All the expenses are summed up with the profits to get an amount which is then the representative of the generated amount by the company or in other words how the company has utilized its wealth (Cox, B., 1979). The value added calculation which is done to analyze a company’s overall performance level is somewhat similar to the calculations done to determine the national accounts with respect to the whole economy. Therefore it would be right to say that the concept of value added is not new for the accountants and financial professionals rather it do existed in the early 20th century as well. The similarly between national accounting and value added is briefly defined by Cox. He demonstrated... This paper approves that value added framework of accounting describes the current position of the company with respect to its productivity; that how much sales it has generated and where the revenues are spent, market share; which explains the growth rate of the company and also suggests the potential areas for further development, lastly, financial performance is analyzed through this substantial accounting tool, the loss/gain earned by the company including all the generated profits. At time value added is confused with the sales revenue despite of the fact that there is a marked difference between the two. This report makes a conclusion that the value added should not be misinterpreted with the sales revenue because it is the computation of the net instead of the gross production of any revenue generating institution whether it is a country, company or a factory. The importance of value added and its procedures is also emphasized by the Financial Accounting Standards Board by mentioning that the value added along with its procedures and calculations is as reliable as any other financial statement, for instance, the balance sheet. This infers that value added can be used extensively in order to make evaluations about the company performance and to make generalization about the overall industry. The famous brands Caterpillar and Komatsu can be compared with each other by calculating the valued added amount for one company and then make it a benchmark to compare the other company’s performance. The value added can also be used to identify the strong company when comparing two or mo re companies together.

A Man Dedicated to the Struggle for Racial Equality Research Paper

A Man Dedicated to the Struggle for Racial Equality - Research Paper Example Though Dr. Chavis is well-known as a civil right movement leader who worked closely with the Prominent African-American leader, Martin Luther King, he has actively took part in a number of other movements including â€Å"National African American Leadership Summit† (NAALS), â€Å"National Association for the Advancement of Colored People† (NAACP), Million March, etc. From the very beginning of his youth, he has started an activist’s life. While he had been a freshman at St. Augustine College in 1965, he became Martin Luther King’s youth coordinator for the State of North Carolina. In the same year, he also joined the â€Å"Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee† (SNCC), the â€Å"American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees† (AFSCME), and the â€Å"Congress of Racial Equality† (CORE). Religious Activism of Benjamin Chavis Mohammed One of the most significant aspects of Benjamin Chavis’ activism is the religiou s dimension. ... In 1968, starting his career as a field officer in the â€Å"United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice† Chavis Mohammad significantly contributed to the coordination of racial justice strategies with American Black community. Starting with the membership in the â€Å"Southern Christian Leadership Conference† (SCLC) Benjamin had been involved with a significant number of Christianity related organizations throughout his whole life until he joined the Nation of Islam. Though his strategy to join the Nation of Islam was to set an example of peaceful religious cohabitation and to increase the religious tolerance, he was suspended by the authority of the â€Å"United Church of Christ† (UCC). Often some critics allege that Benjamin Chavis’ religiosity was more of a strategy to survive amid the hostility of the whites than of a wholehearted Christian emotion. In this regard, Encyclopedia of World Biography writes that in the mid 20th century, even as the walls of racial segregation was crumbling down under the crushing pressures of various civil society movements, leaders like Chavis Muhammad and Martin Luther King’s were being â€Å"shaped against this back drop of hatred and bigotry. Chavis became involved in his church, finding shelter from such hostile attitudes†. (Encyclopedia of World Biography 1) Racial Awareness and Family-inspiration to Fight for Rights Since Benjamin Chavis was blissfully born in a self-aware African-American family, he was familiar with the black people’s struggle for right in the white dominated US society.

Impact of work life imbalance on the productivity of workers in Saudi Essay - 4

Impact of work life imbalance on the productivity of workers in Saudi public sector - Essay Example Based on recent labour surveys, about 14.9 % of the workforce in Saudi Arabia is in the public sector (Kechrid, 2012). According to the Saudi Arabia Oil and Gas Report by Business Monitor International (2009), the local workforce in Saudi includes of about 3.2 million citizens. However, recent demographic trends suggest that this number will increase in the future based on a forecast of 4% annual increase in local workforce. It is clear that Saudi Arabian people value family more than work. The situation is even more pronounced for women since they have the greatest responsibilities in taking care of family needs. The gender imbalance in the labour force in Saudi Arabia is such that women make up less than 5% of the nation’s workforce (BusinessMonitorInternational, 2009). The ‘Saudization’ programme greatly affects the working context in Saudi. The program aims to increase the number of Saudi citizens working in the private sector by compelling companies to hire Saudi citizens rather than foreign workers. In current society, organisational pressures force people to work long hours in order to achieve organisational goals. The high level of competition in the labour market forces workers to take on a higher workload than their optimal workload capacity (Greenhaus, 2011). This market effect can create an unwelcome imbalance between work and life. The culture of the people of Saudi Arabia places a high value on family in a person’s life. Therefore, work life imbalance is an important issue in the lives of workers in Saudi Arabia. Work-life imbalance refers to a situation whereby an individual fails to engage in a balanced way in family and work roles (Darcy, 2007). Work-life imbalance is a common problem among public sector workers in Saudi Arabia whereby many people become too involved in their work and consequently, their family and social lives suffer (Stephens, 2014). Because of inefficiency and poor

Nestle Boxed Water Executive Summary Management Essay

Nestle Boxed Water Executive Summary Management Essay The main point of this report is to show how Nestle will implement their Boxed Water products in the United Kingdom for diversification of their product line. The report starts by giving some historical data about Nestle, and providing a list of products that Nestle offers to their customers worldwide. It will analyze the business proficiency of Nestle, and analyze the bottled water industry, supplemented by a further analysis of our competitors and the macro environment. It continues by discussing the business principles of the United Kingdom, and show some key business challenges for Nestle. Finally, the study recommends some suggestions to Nestle regarding the business principles and products required to achieve sustainable growth in the long run and the process of the manufacture and sale of Boxed Water in the United Kingdom. Table of Contents 1.0 Nestle Nestle is a well-known Swiss multinational company that specializes in nutritional food and consumer goods. The company is headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, and was established by Henri Nestle in the year 1866. In its initial year they were named Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, and in the next thirty nine years the company would change their name twice. Finally, in the year 1905 the company changed their name to Nestle. Nestle is the largest food company in the world in terms of annual revenue, and also acts as major shareholder for LOreal (largest cosmetics company in the world). Nestle offers various products such as Maggi, Stouffers, Nespresso, KitKat, Nescafe, Smarties, Vittel, and Nesquik to global customers. Nestle employs more than 330000 people all together in over 150 countries, and has 461 factories established across the globe. Sales revenue for the company in the year 2011 was CHF 83.7 billion. Major milestones for the company can be summarized in the following man ner: Time Period Event 1866-1905 The Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company merged with Nestle. 1906-1918 Number of factories decreased due to world war I but the company started their operations in the USA. 1919-1945 The company launched Nescafe. 1946-1975 The company acquired Alimentana in order to gain access to Maggi products. They also became a major shareholder with LOreal. 1976-1980 The company entered in pharmaceutical market by acquiring Alcon Laboratories of USA 1981-1995 The company acquired American food giant Carnation to improve their bottom line. In 1986, the company entered espresso coffee segment by launching Nespresso. 1996-2005 The company expanded their operation in the segment of health, nutrition, and wellness with the help of series of acquisition. 2006-2009 The company acquired Medical Nutrition unit of Novartis. The company established shared value forum in New York. 2010-2012 The company launched Cocoa Plan in order to supply disease resistant plantlets to farmers. (Source: Nestle, 2012) 1.1 Nestle Bottled Water The bottled water segment contributes a significant amount of product diversification for the company. A way that Nestle has been able to maintain their dominance of the bottled water industry worldwide is through offering different brands of bottled water. Some of these brands are: Nestle Pure Life The company launched Pure Life in the year 1998. This product is currently being sold in over twenty countries. Perrier This is a form of sparkling mineral water. Nestle introduced this brand in order to enter the sparkling mineral water segment. Poland Spring This is the oldest mineral water brand in the world. Nestle has maintained the brand for many years. S. Pellegrino Nestle launched this brand in order to gain access to top restaurants in the world. S. Pellegrino is a form of drinking water mixed with minerals (Nestle, 2012). 1.2 Analysis of Product portfolio of Nestle Most people know Nestle by their brand and product portfolio. The product portfolio of Nestle can be summarized in the following chart: (Source: Nestle, 2012) The company maintains a broad product portfolio in order to compensate loss from any single segment. Sales volume for the company is increasing at a rate of more than 3% during the last few years. Segment wise product portfolio can be divided into three segments like food beverages, nutrition and ice cream. The company is always thriving to find excellence in product innovation and service delivery. The company achieved 7.7% of organic growth in the year of 2011 by maintain their large product portfolio. The following section will discuss about product innovation in Nestle. Segment Product Target Market Business Strategy Ice Cream Nestle Gold Portugal, Spain, and Greece The company collaborated with Haagen- Dazs in order to provide premium quality ice cream to customers and they did it in order to achieve product diversification Water Perrier 150 countries across the globe Nestle diversified their business into the bottled water segment. The company used a digital platform to engage customers with the Perrier brand Coffee Nescafe Alegria More than 60 countries The company launched an easy to use instant coffee machine to flip the brand. Pet Product Purina Netherlands , Austria and Germany Special TV commercial for dogs and dog owners. With help of this activity the company entered the web 4.0 era Nutritional milk MOM me South Asian countries They expanded their distribution channels by recruiting nutrition officers (Source: Nestle, 2012a) Top performing brands of the company have helped them earn respect from customers. The following section will discuss contribution of brands carried by the company towards overall organic growth. Overall Organic Growth 7.7% Nescafe Nan Milo Nespresso Pure Life Nido Maggi 11% 18% 13% 22% 11% 11% 10% (Source: Nestle, 2012) 1.3 Organizational Structure of Nestle (Nestle, 2012) D. P. Frick (Corporate Service Governance) J.-M. Duvoisin (Human Resource) R. Ramsauer (Corporate Communication) P. Bulcke (CEO) L. Cantarell (Nestle Health Science) P. Brabeck-Letmathe (Chairman) Executive Board (P. Bulcke, W. Bauer, J. Lopez, J. J. Harris, L. Freixe, C. Johnson, P. Bula, N. Nandkishore, W.L. Martello, M. Caira, J.-M. Duvoisin, K. Schmidt and D.P. Frick C. Johnson (USA Head) N. Nandkishore (Asia/Africa/Oceania Head) L. Freixe (Europe Zone Head) J. J. Harris (Nestle Water) M. Caira (Nestle Professional) K. Schmidt (Nestle Nutrition) W. Bauer (Technology, RD P. Bula (Marketing Sales) J. Lopez (Operation) W.L. Martello (Finance Control) P. Bulcke (CEO) 1.4 Global Presence of Nestle The company operates in more than one hundred and fifty countries. Recently the company has launched their nutrition product segment in the South Asian Market. Africa is also becoming lucrative in terms of nutritional product for the company. The corporation started their first global operation almost 100 years ago, and the business has segmented their international operation into two parts: developed market and emerging market. The following chart will explain the international business growth of Nestle. Developed Market Total Contribution to group Sales Organic Growth 60% 4.3% France 6.4% Portugal, Spain, UK 3.7% Japan 3.6% North America 2.5% Emerging Market Total Contribution to group Sales Organic Growth 40% 13% China 23% India 20% Africa 18% Mexico 14% (Source: Nestle, 2012) Global operation of the company understood with the help of zone wide analysis: 1.4.1 American Zone The American market is already saturated due to the presence of a large number of consumer durable companies. In this situation Nestle has diversified their business into the frozen foods and chocolate segment by launching DiGiorno and Skinny Cow to attract customers. The company also did partnership with Hà ¤agen-Dazs in order to increase variation in their ice cream products. In Latin America, the company performed well with their soluble coffee products and achieved double digit growth. 1.4.2 Europe Zone The European market is going through a financial crisis, so overall sales growth for the company has not been very attractive for last two years. In this uncertain period, Nestle has adopted an innovation strategy to counterbalance poor performance in their different product segments. Nestle has introduced an innovative product line: Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Herta, and Nescafe Sensazione, to attract customers. This strategy was successful for the company to fetch sales from east and central Europe. 1.4.3 Asia, Africa Oceania Zone The company has had a presence in this region for more than 100 years. Recently, they have celebrated their 100 year anniversary in the following countries: Turkey (1908-2008), Philippines (1911-2011) and India (1912-2012). Maggi and Nescafe are one of the most popular products in this region while the company extended their product line with Nido essential and Nescafe Milky in order to cater demand of people belong to the Afro-Asian region. The company recently launched their nutrition division to increase penetration in the region. 1.5 Mission Objective of Nestle The company always thrives for achieving leadership position in Health Wellness, and nutrition segment. Nestle also wants to be a reference in the industry for their financial performance. 1.6 Strategic Advantage of Nestle 1.6.1 Competitive Advantage The company has carefully designed their product portfolio in order to a maintain balance with market demand. The product portfolio maintained by the company cannot be easily copied by their competitors. The company has planned their product portfolio in accordance to demand of each zone such as America, Europe and Asia. The corporation invests large amount of capital on research and development to produce better products. The company already made an agreement with a renowned university to open a research division for their nutritional products. Nestle emphasizes on using local ingredients in their products in order to satisfy demand of local customers. For example, in Malaysia, the company introduced a nutritional product complemented with Asian ingredients such as ginger, Chinese red grass and ginseng to lure local customers (Oxford Business Group Malaysia, 2008, p. 132). The brand has presence in more than 150 countries. They have the opportunity to channelize revenue from strong business unit to a poor performing region. The company also adopted a parent company strategy to control business operations internationally. Nestle has opened multiple strategic business units (SBU) across the globe to expand their business (Pride Ferrell, 2007, p. 32). The company believes employees are their asset and treat them with utmost care. Nestle feels that their employees are their biggest strength. The company has also adopted green earth strategy to decrease their carbon footprint caused by their products, working with Forest Trust in order to prevent Deforestation and decrease carbon footprint in the supply chain (Emmett Sood, 2010, p. 192). The company has announced that they will use befouls instead of tree oils in their future products in order to make their products more environment friendly. 1.6.2 Growth Drivers The business has understood that the consumer food market is becoming saturated day by day due to presence of many players. Nestle has diversified their business into Nutrition Health, and Wellness segment in order to avoid saturation in food market. Nutrition segment is showing more than 20% growth rate for past three years, which is greater than their overall organic growth of 7.7%. The company has shifted their focus on emerging markets because developed markets are already becoming saturated. Nutrition product segment of the company has readily become popular in Asian markets, while Oceanic region has contributed high sales volume for the companys coffee segment. Nestle has recently launched instant coffee machine for customers in order to give them out of home consumption experience. Many schools, colleges, and offices have already installed instant coffee machine to enjoy Nescafe. The strategy helped the company to increase their brand equity among young people. The company adopted premium pricing for their products in order to show status and quality to customers. Customers purchase Nestle products in order to experience high quality products and they are ready to pay for it. 1.7 Shared Value Model for Nestle Shared value model for the company works in triplet format such as sustainable development in water management and nutrition products, protect environment, and maintaining ethical business practices. Stage 1 The corporation invested a huge amount of money in research and development in order to create nutritional products for customers. In recent times, the Vevey based company has introduced nutritional compass customers to measure the nutrition value of food. Nutritional compass is complemented with the nutrition information box, which indicates amount of specific nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein and sugars present in a Nestle product, as well as health related tips, and question boxes. In Poland, the company has partnered with two major retailers to provide health related advice to customers. Ninety nine percent of Nestle products contain nutrient specification in order to provide information to customers. The brand has opened rural factories in order to provide agricultural support to farmers. They have taken an open system approach to boost the growth of the rural economy. Nestle established factories in order to employ rural people and help farmers to sell their product without any middlemen. Survey reports suggest that the company is performing pretty well in developing nations to generate revenue and incentivize the morale of rural people. The company took various initiatives for water resource management. They have planned to implement aquifers, watersheds, and artificial river basins to create efficient water resource management. Nestle started water management initiatives by engaging stakeholders into multiphase pilot projects to increase sustainability of the development. (Sources: Nestle, 2011) Stage 2 Nestle has changed their supply chain management and product packaging in order to decrease their overall carbon footprint. The company uses 12% renewable energy in their factories and also they have planned to achieve zero wastage within the next two years. The company is using recyclable products for packaging in order to decrease plastic contamination and hazards. For example, the company used recyclable packaging products instead of plastic for Ninho caps in Brazil and Purina ONE packaged drinking water in France. The corporation not only reduced the use of plastic in their product, but also optimized environmental performance of the product. Nestle uses Global Environmental Footprint (GEF) and Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQET) to measure the environment sustainability of bottled water. Environment impact of new packaging systems for bottled water can be analyzed by the following picture: (Source: Nestle, 2011) Stage 3 Nestle has established an Alignment board to measure quarterly performance share value objectives. This board acts as an Umbrella Corporation to design strategic implementation Shared Value objectives. The company implements leadership principles to design proper business ethics conduct. Also, United Nations Global Compact Principles helped the company to create a sustainable business environment. Nestle follows the United Nations guidelines for creating shared value in terms of labor law, human rights, corruption free business policy, sustainable environment, and other important issues. 1.8 Value Chain of Nestle (Bottled Water) 1.8.1 Source The company has developed spring water sites to source their water products. Nestle has transformed open land sources into spring water resources to strengthen their value chain. Generally, the business uses 87% of their spring water sites to source water products. 1.8.2 Manufacturing Nestle has implemented solar panels in their water plants in order to reduce energy consumption and maintain purity of minerals used in the manufacturing process. The company manufactures 98% of packaged bottles in their owned plants in order to reduce cost regarding transportation of empty bottles. The total manufacturing process saves 6.5 million gallons of fuel and eliminates more than 6,100 metric tons of CO2 emissions. 1.8.3 Packaging Nestle has invested a huge amount of capital to change packaging of the water bottles in order to create an eco-friendly bottled water. The corporation is planning to use paper instead of plastic to reduce the carbon footprint produced by their company. The Vevey based company has already introduced the Eco Shape bottle which contains only 60% PET plastic in order to save 250 million pounds of plastic per year. Nestle reduced the bottle size by 33% in order to save 10 million pounds of packaging paper yearly. 1.8.4 Transportation Nestle started to use hybrid vehicles for transportation in the year 2008. Heavy duty trucks and environment friendly trucks are used by the company for transportation purposes. The company has forecasted that they will reach 25% fuel economy within the next three years by using hybrid transportation models. 1.8.5 Retail Retail channels for Nestle water products are focused regionally in order to increase penetration levels. The company transports 90% of bottled water directly to the retailers in order to eliminate warehouse storage and costs associated with storing products. The whole process helped the company to reduce 10,900 metric tons of carbon footprint or carbon dioxide emissions yearly. Benefits of green value chain maintained by Nestle can be summarized in the following chart: (Source: Nestle-water, 2011) 1.9 Financial Performance of Nestle Total group sales for the company were $ 83.6 billion in year 2011 with an organic growth of more than 7.5% annually. It is interesting to note that the company has achieved annual sales growth in a multi-dimensional way without depending on a single product segment. The company achieved maximum sales growth from their nutritional product division. Operating profit has also increased to $ 12.5 billion with a growth rate of 15.0%. The company has also performed well in terms of shareholders value and return on investment. Shareholders return can be analyzed in the following table: Net Cash Returned to Shareholders Return on Investment Dividend per Share $10.7 billion 44.4% $ 5.9 billion through dividend $ 4.8 billion through share buy back 14.1% from goodwill 30.3% from external operation $1.95 + 5.4% (Source: Nestle, 2012) Financial statement of the company is explained in the Appendix A to C. 2.0 Global Bottled Water Industry Research scholars and market research reports suggest that the bottled water industry is dynamic as well as multidimensional. Global reports suggest various companies sold more than 200 billion water bottles in the year 2011. Consumer Food Companies such as Nestle or beverage giant, Coca-Cola, and many others have entered the bottled water market in order to explore business opportunities. Retail channel sales are growing at rate of 11% and analysts have forecasted that the market will reach $150 billion within next couple of years. Although bottled water market is growing at a steady rate, the penetration level is not homogeneous in the entire region. Customers prefer to drink mineral water in order to experience purity and freshness. Nestle also emphasizes on the purity of their bottled water in order to sell the item. Global players try to create their bottled water using underground aquifers, minerals, and springs in order to show purity. Nestle also did the same by changing their product line by adding minerals and aquifers in three of the products: S.Pellegrino, Perrier, and Poland Spring. Industry analysis shows that bottled water market can be segmented into three portions. 2.1 Product Characteristics Bottled water can be segregated into three types: Still (dominant with more than 70% penetration), Sparkling (penetration level is low such as 21%), and Flavored (near about 6% penetration). Nestle has maintained a product line complemented with Still and Sparkling category while they have not took any initiative to add flavored water in portfolio 2.2 Water Source Two types of water sources are available for manufacturers are chemically purified and natural spring water, and both are used in order to manufacture bottled water. Water sourced from natural spring has two subdivisions: Single Spring (bottled near the source location without any chemical treatment except filtration) and Multiple Spring (bottled far from source location after multiple chemical treatments). Nestle offers customers only Single Spring bottled water but they have a future plan of entering in the Multi Spring segment. 2.3 Marketing Channel Companies in the bottled water industry follow two types of marketing channel: on trade- off trade, or retail sales in order to distribute their products to customers. On trade channels focus on distributing bottled water directly to business, houses, hospitals, catering, and various event sponsors while retail channel focuses on tertiary sales. Global sales volume in terms of unit for on trade channel is only 16% but striking fact is that sales volume in terms of monetary value for on trade channel is 55%. These differentiation occurs due to the fact that water bottle price is three times higher in contrast to off trade channel (Gimeno, 2012). 3.0 Competitors Analysis 3.1 Danone Danone is the major competitor for Nestle in the water industry. The company is the market leader in Spain and United Kingdom for purified water business. Danone uses merger acquisitions in order to expand their business and they have achieved more than 24% market penetration by following the same strategy. The company maintains product portfolio complemented with Sparkletts, Alhambra, and Crystal in order to offer still and spring water to customers. 3.2 PepsiCo The company entered the packaged drinking water industry in the year 1994 by establishing cooperation with bottlers. The company provides spring, flavored, and still water to global customers. Aquafina is the major bottle water brand for the company while the brand has achieved more than 10% penetration in UK market. Distribution channels maintained by the company can be termed as their core competency. PepsiCo sells their water product in UK with the help of Directo Store Delivery Method (DSD) and also the company is planning for category extension in the sparkling water segment. 3.3 Coca Cola The company launched their bottled water brand Dasani in the year 1999, spending more than $20 million dollars in sales promotion and advertising to push the brand during its initial period. Coca Cola Enterprise (CCE) is also a big bottler worldwide. The company has launched their multi spring water brand BonAqua in European countries. Market share for the company in the UK is not more than 3%. Hence they have planned to increase market share by incorporating product differentiation in the future. 4.0 Analysis of the Packaged Water Industry in United Kingdom 4.1 SWOT The SWOT analysis method can be done in order to analyze business scenario for the packaged water segment in UK (Ferrell Hartline, 2010, p. 122). 4.1.1 Strength The lifestyle of people in the country is changing with time, and as a result, the demand for pure water is increasing. Packaged water gives people the opportunity to carry mineral water or sparkling water with convenience. 4.1.2 Weakness Companies need to find open water sources to manufacture bottled water, but availability of such resources is low in the UK compared to other European countries. Government is strict about environment norms and pushes foreign companies to decrease carbon footprint throughout business operation. Companies trying to expand business in UK need to redesign value chain in order to decrease environment pollution. Because of this, the Boxed Water product is fitting to combat this weakness. 4.1.3 Opportunity People in the country have become more health conscious in recent times due to the increase of epidemic diseases. The quality of open source water has also degraded randomly within the last ten years. Companies have the opportunity to manipulate market demand by offering mineral and spring waters to customers of the country, and it is Nestles opportunity to offer the Boxed Water idea to fulfill this demand. 4.1.4 Threat Multinational companies are facing threat from regional and small local players in the country. Many small level companies are counterfeiting and imitating product portfolios of large players such as Nestle, Danone, and others. Counterfeiters are selling products at a price lower than market average in order to spoil competition. 4.2 Porters Five Forces Porters five force model can be used to analyze bottled water industry in United Kingdom (Ahlstrom Bruton, 2009, pp. 131-140). 4.2.1 Threat of Substitute There is no substitute for water but the same cannot be said for bottled drinking water. Substitutes such as vitamin and mineral water, and single and multi-spring water can be termed as close competitor for purified bottled water. Tea, beer, and soft drinks are the distant competitors for packaged drinking water; therefore, the threat of substitute for packaged water is moderate. 4.2.2 Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrant is low for the packaged water industry due to three reasons. Huge financial resources are needed to establish water plants and a wide distribution channels to retailers nationwide. Companies must have sufficient resources to offer high retail margins to distributors (industry average is more than 15% but Nestle offers 33%) in order to survive in market competition. Companies must have the capability to compete against multinational giants such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle, and Danone to be successful in the long run. 4.2.3 Bargaining Power of Supplier Nestle uses their own hybrid transportation model in order to decrease dependency on suppliers. In general, companies manufacture and bottle their products near the water source in order to decrease stages of value chain. Large bottlers can purchase bulk volume of 1 liter, 2 liter or 5 liter bottles from manufacturers at minimal cost. Presence of many alternatives has decreased bargaining power of suppliers. 4.2.4 Bargaining Power of Customers Packaged water is seen as a basic product and price sensitivity issue of customers is not a major concern. This means that big brands such as Nestle can charge a premium price for their multi spring and single spring water segments. Bargaining power of customers is moderate for the industry. 4.2.5 Competition Market competition is high for the bottled water industry due to presence multinational players as well as regional sellers. They mainly compete in terms of retailer margin, product price, and product differentiation. Companies are investing a huge amount money in developing distribution channels while there is no doubt that beverage giants such as PepsiCo and Coca Cola have a clear advantage due to their long association with retailers. Nestle needs to design distribution network by maintaining equilibrium between on trade and off trade channel. Factors Threat of new Entrants Threat of substitutes products Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining Power of Suppliers Existing Rivalry Level of Impact High Medium Low 4.3 Porters Diamond Model Nestle needs to use porters diamond model in order to explore opportunity in the country (Walker, 2003, p. 177) Uncertain events such as Euro zone crisis can impede the growth of business Market competition in bottled water industry is high from both regional and international players Demand for packaged drinking water is high in the UK Nestle can use both skilled and unskilled labor for their business due to abundance of human resource pool in the country Presence of supporting players such as paper suppliers and other members of the value chain is abundant Government of the country provides tax exemptions to companies investing more than  £10,000 on research development 5.0 Why the United Kingdom?   Ã‚  Ã‚   There were three countries, each in three different continents that seemed very interesting for Nestle to introduce the idea of a new packaging, Boxed Water. The idea of boxed water consists of redesigning the container into a complete new design with no damaging chemicals for human consumption, and at the same time being better for the environment. The first country taken into account in this report is Singapore.   Singapore is one of the nations in the world with a well-established and efficient free-market economy. The government of Singapore has a significant control in most corporations, which constitutes about 60% of the GDP through business entities like Sovereign Wealth Fund. The country has a free business environment with comparatively low levels of corruption, transparency in management of public affairs and constant/predictable prices changes. Compared to other developed countries Singapore has low tax rates with a very high per capita GDP globally. Singapore has a very innovative and stable economy, which is merged with efficient economic planning under the Economic Development Board that helped to establish a free market. Moreover, Singapore has a port that is strategic enough to give it an edge over the neighboring countries that carries trade. Most of its labor comes within the population, which is owed to the efficient education policy in the country that produces skilled labor for the industries in the country.   The government

The People Versus Lady Macbeth :: essays research papers

The People Vs. Macbeth The Macbeth trial broke out in full force today as the entire nation of Scotland paid close attention to the small town court of Grahacknboroughsly, Scotland. The charges are for abuse of power, abuse of wealth, abuse of friendship and misuse of a regal Scottish accent. As the parade of people came into the courthouse, 2/3rds of them were enemies of Macbeth. The motion to dismiss came early on grounds of permanent death on Macbeth’s defense team. The motion was quickly dismissed as Macbeth was being quite lively for a dead King. The motion was not helped by the â€Å"deceased† ordering the judge to â€Å"Lemme free, drop the charges and get a haircut.† The defense motion was further weakened by the comment, â€Å"the judge can kiss my giant, royal behind.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The trial soon got underway after the court was able to settle Macbeth down. The People’s witness list started off at the top and worked down. The first was Banquo, as he had been victimized by Macbeth early in the tale and his testimony, as well as his casket, was getting stale. After hearing the testimony from Banquo, the Macbeth defense brought out their one and only witness, a stable boy, who looked as though he had been threatened with his life. The boy’s shaky and unseemingly well worded testimony went over very badly on the jury side and the crowds side. The boy brought out the fact that Macbeth was blinded by the possibility of absolute power and wealth, and that he couldn’t control his wife’s demands until it was too late for the both of them. He also stated that the opportunity wouldn’t have been there if it weren’t for the king’s cowardly sons and their flight from Scotland. This did not go over well for the side of the jury that was strongly pro Duncan (even though they were supposed to be non partisan, it was hard to find a soul who didn’t love Duncan so much as to hate Macbeth.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The People now brought out the Weird sisters and their cauldron to make their testimony. As cryptic as it was, it revealed that they had convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan, even though it was not hard. The jury was heavily swayed by this revelation, the common thought was that it may not have been Macbeth’s fault. The sisters may have convinced him.

Cafe love

†Amour, amour et seul' I'm alone. Meaning, I have no one to love, no one to love me back and quite frankly at nearly forty years old I feel past the point of having the chance to make a change. The fact that I live in Paris; the romantic capital of the world, does little to help the situation. I've lived here almost all my life; parents used to live in Wales, then England, then California for some time. Being young, I travelled with them, but now, here in Paris, I finally feel at home. I struggle to answer the question â€Å"why did I come to Paris, of all places†? I suppose it's because here that I can at least dream of one day, maybe, possibly finding some way of not being alone anymore. Everywhere I look, seems to be another person's life filled only with what I want. I'm not selfish and I'm sure that having someone else in my life would make me a happier person. This is why I have a strong resentment towards people who have a habit of betraying, lying or simply being unpleasant. Because they take life for granted, not experiencing, learning or challenging. That's not to say that I am unhappy, I often sit with my steaming coffee at one of the many street cafes in town and spend time people watching, as I pass time and reflect on my achievements I wonder what all these souls have achieved, where have they been? Where are they going? Are they on their way home to a loved one? I just need someone to feel complete. â€Å"I, capitalized, full. I, looking like a snowfall as I come calling. I, waiting for a saviour in the gas-station at midnight. I, holding no neighbourhood, loving the air. I, silent beside a man holding a megaphone outside of planned parenthood I, fading.† It's busy. Busier than its been in a while, packed with all different sorts of people. Young children, some in push chairs, some being held tightly in their mother's arms. Teenagers are also present, not really enjoying the surroundings yet smiling when in the company of grandparents. Women chattering around small tables, women standing impatiently waiting to be served, wives and girlfriends being held close by their husbands and boyfriends. The only men seated are extremely old or waiting to meet their wives. One regular customer, wearing a neatly pressed pin-striped suit, is sitting alone at a small table by the roadside, distancing himself from others. He's recognisable to me so my eyes are drawn to him. He glances over towards me and on seeing me staring back at him shifts in his chair uncomfortably. There are two glasses on the table, so I can only assume that he is waiting for company. He checks his watch several times and looks around; I look too although I don't know what I expect to see. He's an attractive man. Even though he's seated he looks tall, six foot at least. Clean shaven, glossy hair with a small amount of gel and shiny shoes which is a clear sign that he takes care over his appearance. I can imagine that he's not drinking coffee to avoid unpleasant smelling breath. So making the decision of ordering water was wise. I begin looking at him in more detail. I don't worry that he may notice me staring. It's now that he stands and strides towards the road. Definitely over six foot tall. He suddenly stops and looks back. A phone rings, as he reaches into his pocket I realise it's his. He directs a smile at me and walks back towards the road all the while in conversation. Probably his wife. â€Å"I, alive before the fireworks with one eye on the storm, I, skating on the ice with one foot in the ocean, I, drunk beneath the shelter of a thousand poets There is no-one as blind as those who choose not to see I, me.† Late afternoon at the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ is normally the busiest time. Which makes it my favourite time to sit and observe everyone. The clientele is always the same, with a few new comers each day, but only a few decide to stay. It looks especially pretty today, the tops of the tables and chairs where people have not yet sat are quilted and neatly decorated with snow, it also creates a pathway on the ground of delicate footsteps from the waitresses' angelic feet. A coffee cup has been left at my table, it is beginning to freeze and what there was once coffee is a frosty covering, somewhat improving its appearance looking almost beautiful and glistening in the light. It's sad I know, but somehow I become attached to this cup. It's centre stage on the table, soaking in all my attention. As I look closer, a small crack becomes visible. I begin to imagine some wonderful life stories of the coffee cup, battles, fights and journeys. After pondering over the past of the cup, I conclude that it was just dropped in the kitchen. After all, it's only a mug. I'm sitting alone, enjoying the company of strangers. A waitress comes over with my coffee, taking away the crystallized coffee mug. Now I am alone amongst strangers again. As I stay later the snow begins to melt and the nice Christmas feeling of the crisp coldness in the air also begins to fade. I take a lighter out of my coat pocket, and because the waitresses have seemed to disappear, I walk slowly around the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ lighting the candles at the remaining empty tables. I take my time, I'm not worried about anyone seeing me. When I have finished I sit back at my table, and admiring the sparkling candles. The Christmas feeling is half restored by the warm comforting feeling of subtle lights. â€Å"I, wearing white and thinking black I, planning a journey that's too far to walk, drive or sail I, the one who never planned but always expected I, lighting up a cigarette with the echoes of my mind I, breathing in the smoke that no-one else can find.† An old couple walk almost silently into the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, they take no notice of me at all. They take a while getting comfy at the table behind mine before they begin talking. The woman looks to be in her late fifties, and is wearing a red poncho which drapes to the floor making her bottom half invisible. The man is the same age, also wearing red. I smile at the fact they look the same, very elegant. He must have been wearing a black hat but removed it when entering the Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ because he's now holding it in his right hand. They begin conversation, I listen in excitedly, ‘Did you want a drink my dear?' He questioned the women whilst glancing around for a working waitress. †Erm, yes a hot chocolate please Eric† I stop listening for a second, and make a mental note of the man's name. He politely ordered for himself and his wife whilst searching for his wallet. He looked inside and shuffled uncontrollably to the bottom. Finally, he held out only two euros. Looking over at his wife, he saw her becoming quite impatient. ‘I haven't got all day!' She shouted whilst quickly gesturing towards her watch. Eric cancelled his order and paid for hers, looking quite flustered. ‘Keep the change', he murmured under his breath. His wife stood up and took her drink off him, ‘What took you so long buying one silly drink?' Questioned his wife, again impatiently. Eric stared blankly back at her, ‘I†¦just, couldn't remember what you wanted.' The woman then began arguing about how he wastes so much time over everything and just does not listen. If only she saw what I just saw, she wouldn't bother to question his actions. I stand up and move away from the couple, there is a knot forming in the back of my throat and my vision is becoming blurry. As I look down at the table, the snow has now completely melted, as one of my tears drop I can see it clearly on the glass table top. As I stare at the single tear, it seems to multiply like bacteria in seconds as more and more appear, as if by magic . â€Å"I, the small tear that leads to tears, I, the one who is ambiguous, I, attempting to buy groceries with good looks and failing miserably. I, thanking Allen Ginsberg, I, reading like the poet and writing like the fool I, nothing, really.† I sit alone for a while. Wondering how such an old couple can have a such a new and romantic love. I turn to change my view of the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, I'm about to turn to my left to admire the fine Christmas lights recently put on display but a small, dark haired little girl managed to catch my view. At first glance I thought she was sitting on her own because she was making such a mess of her table. But I saw a man to the left of her returning with napkins. He sat down next to her and began to mop up what looked like melted ice cream on the table. ‘Dad, I don't want it,' moaned the small girl. Immediately, I'm concentrated and fully focused on this little girl. Why was she moaning, why was she on her own? The man put a final napkin down and replied, ‘I know that's not†¦' The small girl stared violently, signally for him to stop talking – or else. I am even more involved now, it's times like these where I just want to ask what's going on. But I know I cant, that's just bad etiquette. Often I jump to conclusions and think up reasons why people are having such conversations. In this case, the situation that came to my mind first was; a girl, no family, living alone on the streets of Paris having to steal food from this cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. My mind then began on a journey of other extremities such as that she is actually German pretending to be French..? It is when the man began speaking, and took the part of the father, that my mind stopped travelling such journeys . ‘Dad, just talk to Mummy. I don't like being with you only at weekends. I miss Mum. Please.' The small girl now speaking out of pure desperation. The father replied quickly with ‘Darling, it's not that simple. Marriage, well, it's not easy you know.' He then took the girls hand for second before she pulled away almost automatically. The father reached for his grey coat which he had drooped over the back of the chair and began to put it on. The girl took this as a sign that it was the end of the conversation, obviously something she was use to hearing. They begin to walk my way so I turn quickly. Much too quickly, resulting in my coffee spilling half on the floor and half on me. I stand and look at the mess, for a few seconds I wonder if this would be a good excuse to ask the father for a napkin, in order to engross myself in conversation. I decide against it considering they have already left. On my way to the washroom I start to think about the marriage that the mother and father must have had. Because it must have affected the small girl a lot for her to mention and be so upset about it. Perhaps one of them met someone else, perhaps they simply went different ways. But whatever happened to that marriage, surely the love in the marriage must have died. I wish I didn't wonder so much sometimes, it only leads me to imagine the worst of things. How can love not work out, if I found love I would hold onto it and never let it go. How can It go wrong? When you fall in love you want it to be forever and you love them for who they are. So any flaws can be worked out or you just love them in spite of that. The thought of suddenly not being loved must eat people up inside. Heartbreaking. Possibly my life is too good to risk being heartbroken. Because even if I am on my own, at least it's only me that's liable to hurt myself. No one else can hurt me, I'm in charge. Maybe it's not as idealistic in reality. â€Å"I, immune to heartache I, the liar.† After drying my coffee stained skirt, I brush past the waitresses who seem to be re-appearing due to the increasing customers. I see one waitress finish cleaning my table. It's getting dark, which means I really should be soon returning home. I usually hate this time because it means I have to walk lonely through the streets looking at the couples hand in hand or the mothers and daughters smiling. And because I'm such a paranoid person I automatically think they're only smiling because I'm there and they want to make me jealous. But at this moment in time, I really don't know how I feel. After witnessing that small girl's unlawfully relationship with her father; wondering how things in a marriage can become that disastrous. When I think about that, I'm reluctant to feel jealous by those couples smiling back at me, because one day, they could be heartbroken and wonder themselves why they put them selves in such a vulnerable position. Suddenly, I'm startled. At first for no particular reason I feel as if I'm being watched. This feeling causes me to look wearily around, a tall man is admiring me. His eyes fixated on me. In response I smile, I feel as if I know him. He is still looking at me, so I begin to look at him in closer detail, he's an attractive man with a well cared for appearance, his shiny shoes gave that away. I scare myself with shock when I realise who he is, the regular who comes here. The man who's forever getting stood up by his wife. He stands and walks nervously towards where I'm standing, frozen. As he walks, I have the decision to walk away and pretend I have no idea that he's walking to talk to me. Or I could stay and see what he wants; everything seems to be a little flirtatious even though he's married. Maybe, I never really had hard evidence. I do have quite a writers' imagination. He begins to speak, †Hello. I hope you don't mind but I often sit here alone and see you here alone too.† I look straight into his blue exotic eyes, immediately I feel a connection. Just two strangers, just two alone strangers. I feel like I have been frozen in time as I begin to recite a monologue of thoughts to myself. ‘I was wondering if you would like to sit alone together some time?' â€Å"I, giving up structure. I know that words once read will always be spoken And fabric once torn will always be scarred, And the night will always be broken by the Gentle murmur of cars†¦ But, what is costume without personality,, Or a poet without publication What is a man without attempt, Or a woman without patience. Here comes the thunderstorm. I, silent.†

Television as a Domestic Technology

Television as a Domestic Technology If the efforts to revitalize television in the digital era are to materialize, television viewers will ultimately be required to be conversant with the set-top box (a novel consumer technology) which provides unprecedented means of consuming television. There is no doubt that this type of technology entails assimilation of new media technology into the household settings.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Television as a Domestic Technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More More importantly, it also facilitates amplification of an interactive techno-culture among domestic consumers of television. Consequently, interactivity must have a positive effect on the manner in which television consumers use this technology in their daily lives (Petersen and Kim 74). Therefore, the main focus of this paper is to discuss the manner in which television is used as a domestic technology. This paper will also address the primary posit ion of television in the home and how it is by households. Ever since the launch of digital television and the introduction of the set-top box as the modern consumer technology to replace the analogue television system, television has been cast into the limelight with respect to adjustments in the manner in which it is currently consumed by households. It is worthy to note that the interactive television sector (the traditional media production firms as well as new players with novel business ideas) is currently facing stiff competition among the industry players in terms of who among them will develop the best ideas (Christensen 4). Domestication refers to the manners in which consumers of television endeavor to curve a niche for the technology in their houses and make it meaningful and productive in their daily lives. In other words, the domestication of technology implies a process of adopting technology within the household environment. The concept of moral economy implies that household members have unique ways of using television set as a domestic technology (Christensen 5). The four distinct ways used by the households are conversion, appropriation, incorporation and objectification. The conversion implies that household members alter the symbolic and functional use of the television (as a domestic technology) into a meaningful production that allows for the moral economy of the family to be integrated into the objective economy of the society at large.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, appropriation refers to the procurement of the television technology as a domestic commodity that facilitates the integration of the objective meaning in society with the domestic moral economy. Incorporation refers to the process of assimilating the television technology into the daily routines of the household. Nonetheless, incorporation is also the subject of negotiations and conflicts with the television technology. It also serves as an integral aspect of family members’ continuous work of creating and upholding identity within the household. Finally, objectification deals with the manner in which television (as a domestic technology) should be integrated into the daily routines of the household. In other words, it implies how the new technology should be fitted into the spatial organization of the household (Christensen 6). It goes without saying that the consumption of television as a domestic technology is a way to describe and position household members in their unique environment into a general social perspective. Nonetheless, when the television set is openly displayed by the household, it creates an impression that can be construed in diverse ways by individuals who visit that home. For example, the symbolic display of television as a domestic technology may be construed by different visitors as vul gar, snobbish, kitsch and stylish. As a matter of fact, the manner in which the technology (television) is displayed in the house might even cause dispute among members of the household (Christensen 7). With respect to physically situating the technological object, the set-top box must have a phone line connection. This means that the set-box is reliant on the electrical system of the house in order to deliver an electric socket, telephone line connection as well as a television connection. There are several reasons given to explain why a television set (and not a computer) occupies the living room of the house. One of the reasons given is that the computer is not only a goal-oriented artifact but also has lengthy cables and thus it is kept away either in the study room or in the bedroom. On the contrary, the television set is conspicuously displayed in the central living room as a symbol of prestige. In addition, the satellite dish is a conspicuous symbol that informs the outside w orld that the household possesses that technology. Moreover, the set-top box will soon curve a niche among other television technologies given that it is re-arbitrating the VCR and the satellite decoding receiver while at the same time enhancing transmission and signal quality (Christensen 11).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Television as a Domestic Technology specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nonetheless, it (the set-top box) does not clearly offer a comprehensible sign to the outside world of what type of content the household is consuming unless adapted into some sort of symbolic use. Consequently, the household may be compelled to procure a pay per view program or to subscribe to a premium digital services. As a result, the set-top box (just as the previous television did), turns into the main source of public meetings since it provides television programs that are only available to households in possession of t he set-top boxes and valid subscriptions (Livingstone 60). There is no doubt that the concept of living room (as a technical and cultural hub of the household) has experienced a number of changes. The society is currently witnessing a major development of individually owned digital media. Traditional media are now utilized in new restructuring of time and space. At the same time, most of the households are currently in possession of several radios, telephones and televisions (Livingstone 62). Initially, majority of households had only one television set in the living room (the main meeting place for household members). However, since the emergence of media production firms such as NTL that sell multi-room viewing services, majority of television channels are now easily accessible from any room in the house. In fact, a number of teenagers have procured better television sets for use in their personal rooms. This phenomenon has relegated the important role of the television set in the living room. In addition, the consumption of television as a domestic technology has led to the technological empowerment of the teenagers in terms of the transformation in ownership of domestic technologies. Initially, mass media was communally consumed in the living room by all members of the household. Ever since the inception of television as a domestic technology, youths have gradually moved towards mobile consumption of media (Pemberton 10). It is worthy to note that, many teenagers have installed computers, audio devises and television sets in their bedrooms as sources of entertainment. As of now, teenagers are using television as a domestic technology to produce a wall of sound in their personal rooms which has ultimately changed generational and gender patterns in the society.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For many parents, the adoption of television technology within the household settings is not a bad thing after all because they are in a better position to monitor their teenagers gathered in their bedrooms. In addition, television is considered a safe medium since it is able to attract a loyal and ardent audience via its memorable usability. In others words, interactive television offers an ontological sanctuary for audience who experience problems when they attempt to gain access to relatively unfamiliar sea of information online via the use of the computer and the World Wide Web (WWW). Apart from encouraging the audience to stay tuned to a particular channel, interactive television provides safe transmission of information that has positive impacts on the viewers (Petersen and Kim 103). Christensen, Holmgaard. The Impact of Interactivity on Television Consumption. Dublin: Dublin City University, 2002. Print. Livingstone, Sonja. New Media, New Audiences?† New Media and Soci ety 1 (1999): 59-66. Pemberton, Lyn. The Potential of Interactive Television for Delivering Individualized Language Learning. Brighton: University of Brighton, 2002. Petersen, Marianne and Kim H. Madsen. â€Å"The Usability of Everyday Technology: Emerging and Fading Opportunities.† ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 9 (2002): 74-105.

The Etymology of Words and Their Histories

The Etymology of Words and Their Histories The etymology of a word refers to its origin and historical development: that is, its earliest known use, its transmission from one language to another, and its changes in form and meaning. Etymology is also the term for the branch of linguistics that studies word histories. Whats the Difference Between a Definition and an Etymology? A definition tells us what a word means and how its used in our own time. An etymology tells us where a word came from (often, but not always, from another language) and what it used to mean. For example, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of the word disaster is an occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress; a catastrophe or a grave misfortune. But the etymology of the word disaster takes us back to a time when people commonly blamed great misfortunes on the influence of the stars. Disaster first appeared in English in the late 16th century, just in time for Shakespeare to use the word in the play King Lear. It arrived by way of the Old Italian word disastro, which meant unfavorable to ones stars. This older, astrological sense of disaster becomes easier to understand when we study its Latin root word, astrum, which also appears in our modern star word astronomy. With the negative Latin prefix dis- (apart) added to astrum (star), the word (in Latin, Old Italian, and Middle French) conveyed the idea that a catastrophe could be traced to the evil influence of a star or planet (a definition that the dictionary tells us is now obsolete). Is the Etymology of a Word Its True Definition? Not at all, though people sometimes try to make this argument. The word etymology is derived from the Greek word etymon, which means the true sense of a word. But in fact the original meaning of a word is often different from its contemporary definition. The meanings of many words have changed over time, and older senses of a word may grow uncommon or disappear entirely from everyday use. Disaster, for instance, no longer means the evil influence of a star or planet, just as consider no longer means to observe the stars. Lets look at another example. Our English word salary is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary  as fixed compensation for services, paid to a person on a regular basis. Its etymology can be traced back 2,000 years to sal, the Latin word for salt. So whats the connection between salt and salary? The Roman historian Pliny the Elder tells us that in Rome, a soldier was paid in salt, which back then was widely used as a food preservative. Eventually, this salarium came to signify a stipend paid in any form, usually money. Even today the expression worth your salt indicates that youre working hard and earning your salary. However, this doesnt mean that salt is the true definition of salary. Where Do Words Come From? New words have entered (and continue to enter) the English language in many different ways. Here are some of the most common methods. BorrowingThe majority of the words used in modern English have been borrowed from other languages. Although most of our vocabulary comes from Latin and Greek (often by way of other European languages), English has borrowed words from more than 300 different languages around the world. Here are just a few examples:futon (from the Japanese word for bedclothes, bedding)gorilla (Greek Gorillai, a tribe of hairy women, perhaps of African origin)hamster (Middle High German hamastra)kangaroo (Aboriginal language of Guugu Yimidhirr, gangurru , referring to a species of kangaroo)kink (Dutch, twist in a rope)moccasin (Native American Indian, Virginia Algonquian, akin to Powhatan mksn and Ojibwa makisin)molasses (Portuguese melaà §os, from Late Latin mellceum, from Latin mel, honey)muscle (Latin musculus, mouse)slogan (alteration of Scots slogorne, battle cry)smorgasbord (Swedish, literally bread and butter table)whiskey (Old Irish uisce, water, and bethad, of life)Clipping or ShorteningSome n ew words are simply shortened forms of existing words, for instance indie from independent; exam from examination; flu from influenza, and fax from facsimile. CompoundingA new word may also be created by combining two or more existing words: fire engine, for example, and babysitter.BlendsA blend, also called a portmanteau word,  is a word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. Examples include moped, from mo(tor) ped(al), and brunch, from br(eakfast) (l)unch.Conversion or Functional ShiftNew words are often formed by changing an existing word from one part of speech to another. For example, innovations in technology have encouraged the transformation of the nouns network, Google, and  microwave  into verbs.Transfer of Proper NounsSometimes the names of people, places, and things become generalized vocabulary words. For instance, the noun maverick was derived from the name of an American cattleman, Samuel Augustus Maverick. The saxophone was named after Sax, the surname of a 19th-century Belgian family that made musical instruments.Neologisms or Creative CoinagesNow and then, new products or processes inspire the creation of entirely new words. Such neologisms are usually short lived, never even making it into a dictionary. Nevertheless, some have endured, for example quark (coined by novelist James Joyce), galumph (Lewis Carroll), aspirin (originally a trademark), grok (Robert A. Heinlein). Imitation of SoundsWords are also created by onomatopoeia, naming things by imitating the sounds that are associated with them: boo, bow-wow, tinkle, click. Why Should We Care About Word Histories? If a words etymology is not the same as its definition, why should we care at all about word histories? Well, for one thing, understanding how words have developed can teach us a great deal about our cultural history. In addition, studying the histories of familiar words can help us deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words, thereby enriching our vocabularies. Finally, word stories are often both entertaining and thought provoking. In short, as any youngster can tell you, words are fun.

Indentured servants in Colonial America Coursework

Indentured servants in Colonial America - Coursework Example They led a life of hardship with stringent punishment. Their daily routine was centered to the work and they had to work from the dawn till late at night and provided small portion of food. Most of the indentured servants had hard taskmasters with long working hours. They had little spare time for their own work. The plantation workers, after coming back from the plantation had to feed the cattle, cut the wood, prepare the supper and dinner for the next day etc. (Morgan, 2001). After their time was up, they would either go back to their own country or stay back and toil the land that was given to them. As the indentured servants were not paid any wages except for the food and the lodging, they had no saving and the land was the only means of livelihood for them. Some indentured servants like Anthony Johnson became successful farmers and traders after their contract expired. Johnson was granted land and he became a wealthy as tobacco farmer as well as one f the first black slave-traders (Foner,

The Strategy of the World's Largest Producer of Bearings Case Study - 10

The Strategy of the World's Largest Producer of Bearings - Case Study Example SKF has been contacted by ITC, its major distributor in the United States in order to participate in a reverse auction by Steelcorps, one of SKF's customers through ITC. The process of procurement will award the lowest bid in terms of price for the raw materials that Steelcorp needs, and with SKF as its major supplier of bearings during the past couple of years, the latter is expected to join the reverse auction.Answering the invitation and participating in the reverse auction is not an easy choice to make for the executives of SKF, however. The executives are on a crossroad between two major decisions: to join or not to join the reverse auction.If SKF joins the reverse auction, it signals the whole industry about the change in its value proposition, which is to deliver excellent services at a premium – a more for more strategy in the value proposition matrix (Fathy & Smithee 1999). If it joins the reverse auction where the winner will be determined based on the lowest price o f the bid, the company becomes inconsistent with its strategy and it blurs what its brand stands for; this is one of the considerations. On the other hand, Steelcorp is one of the company's major source of revenues through ITC, its biggest distributor in the US. ITC relies on SKF with the latter's high mark up an allowance for ITC, as ITC needs the profit margins from the SKF sales to Steelcorp in order to boost its profitability. Because of the recession, SKF's revenue targets are 5% lower than the previous year; dropping the Steelcorp reverse auction will also substantially affect its profitability for the current year. These are the complications.