Mel Brooks As Jewish Comedian Essays - English-language Films

Mel Brooks As Jewish Comedian Mel Brooks's membership in the elite club of Jewish comedians is essentially impossible to dispute. The question is whether or not his comedy is atypical. Satirizing Jewish history and klutzy old Jewish men is normal for Jewish comedy. However, "Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party," is something that you would not expect to hear in typical Jewish comedy (The Producers). Defined broadly, there are two forms which Mel Brooks's Jewish humor takes. The first form is to discuss specifically Jewish topics in a funny way. This is evident in The Producers and in the Inquisition scene from History of the World, Part I. The other form is to use certain aspects of Judaism for comedic value. This form, is typically used by Brooks' as a means for a quick laugh as opposed to a major source of plot definition, and is most apparent in such scenes as that with the Yiddish-speaking Indian in Blazing Saddles. While exploring Brooks's types of Jewish humor, this paper will limit its scope. Only four of Brooks's films will be discussed in this paper-The Producers, Blazing Saddles, History of the World, Part I, and To Be or Not To Be. These films were chosen because the quantity of Jewish content in all of them is considerably more than in his other films such as Young Frankenstein or Silent Movie. The four films chosen do an excellent job of portraying the complete range of the types of Jewish-related humor, which Brooks uses. To understand Mel Brooks identity as a specifically Jewish comedian it is important to understand how Jewish he actually was. Melvin Kaminsky was born as the youngest of four brothers in a crowded New York City apartment to Kitty and Max Kaminsky. He grew up in a very Jewish area were on "Saturdays, the shops were closed, the pushcarts parked, and Yiddish replaced with Hebrew in over seventy orthodox synagogues." However, Brooks himself spent his Saturdays enjoying matinees at the Marcy Theater. He married a non-Jewish woman and allowed his son, Max, to be baptized only as long as he was allowed to have a bar-mitzvah. When asked by the media if he wanted his wife to convert he replied "She don't have to convert. She a star!" (Yacowar 10-14). Before discussing the films, it is crucial to identify a recurring theme in Brooks's work-Germans and, more specifically, Nazis. He had a brief military career in World War II with very little combat experience, and he actually ended up being the entertainment coordinator for the army. Yacowar analyzes Brooks' later feelings towards Germans as "subconscious frustration" because of his inability to actually fight the Nazis (Yacowar 17). In an interview he was asked about his obsession with Germans, and he replied: Me not like Germans? Why should I not like Germans? Just because they're arrogant and have fat necks and do anything they're told as long as it is cruel, and killed millions of Jews in concentration camps and made soap out of their bodies and lamp shades out of their skins? Is that any reason to hate their f-king guts? (Yacowar 32) Brooks has mocked Germans in various works such as in Your Show of Shows and on the Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks at the Cannes film festival audio recording. Regardless, of the origin of his interest with Nazis, if one looks at enough of his work, one cannot help but notice that this theme is an obsession for Brooks (Yacowar 34-35, 48). Mel Brooks made his first feature film, The Producers, in 1967. It is about a Jewish Broadway producer (Max Bialystock) who convinces his Jewish accountant (Leo Bloom) to finance a guaranteed to fail play with the idea that they would take the profits and run to South America. The guaranteed to fail play, "Springtime for Hitler" turned out to be a huge success. The two main characters both represent completely different Jewish stereotypes and the third area of Jewish interest in the film is the role of Germans both in the play and the ex-Nazi author, Frank Liebkind (Altman 39). Max Bialystock (played by Zero Mostel) is obviously not a first generation American because of his name and his accent. Although he never does anything specifically Jewish, he is still Jewish so it is relevant to look at his relationship to Jewish stereotypes. In his book, Telushkin discusses the tradition of having big and lavish bar mitzvahs, he say's "that the Jewish tradition has few curbs

Characters in Hamlet Essays

Characters in Hamlet Essays Characters in Hamlet Essay Characters in Hamlet Essay Aphelions descent into madness is the ultimate tragedy of Hamlet when considering her family distrust of her worth and virtue, and her lovers betrayal and cruelty. The first of the many unfortunate series of events which resulted in Aphelions madness was her fathers insensitive advice in Act I SC. , which in other words was him mocking her and installing into her dead the misogynistic idea that all her worth as a woman will ever be is what man she marries. He warns her that if she fools around with Hamlet and lets her supposed silly girlish fantasies get the best of her, she will be deemed a where and her chances at ever maiming a decent man will be diminished. He puts it best in lines 1 10-1 18 of this scene; Affection, pup! You speak like a green girl insisted in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? Tender yourself more dearly or youll tender me a fool. pretty harsh, to say the least. He is more worried about his reputation Han he is about his daughters feelings. He had just finished giving her brother, Alerter, such wonderful and useful advice, and he then speaks to her as if she were a naive young girl submerged in lust disguised as love for her beloved Hamlet. This is exactly where the self destructive road begins for the ill-fated Aphelia; consequently leading to her lunacy and loss of self worth. Furthermore into Aphelions heartbreak, her lover proves her fathers lecture to be true when all her heart really wanted was for him to be proven wrong. In Act 3 Sc. 1 Hamlet begins with an extremely malicious sarcasm towards her. He thanks her for her initial pleasantries (l humbly thank you, well, well, well,). He then readily denies that he ever truly cared for her. Since she wasnt expecting this from her dear lover, she is left in shock when her once charming prince demands Get thee to a nunnery (168). The connotations of the meaning of nunnery is enough in and of itself to be a cruel wake up call to her. Aphelions sanity begins to unravel itself even more at this point. Hamlets melancholy grants him the flexibility to convey manic-depressive measures, while Aphelions is much more painful and overwhelming. The sat straw for Aphelia was without a doubt her father, Polonium, death. This is where she shares a common connection with Hamlet: the loss of a parental figure. The difference here is that Hamlet actually causes this despair and remorse, and even after he accidentally murders Polonium it doesnt appear to occur to him the potential effects of his actions to Aphelia. Hamlets slaying of Polonium is what spurs Aphelia into psychosis, and it isnt pretty. She has now lost all hope, and has come to the bitter realization that love is more painful than it is beautiful. She is left utterly alone in the world; her lover has abandoned her and her father dead. All the pain and sorrow she has encountered has given her a deeper perspective on everything.

Literture review report on one of these topics nuclear power, Assignment

Literture review report on one of these topics nuclear power, Renewable Wind Energy, Personal Transport, Public and Urban Transportation, Maritime Industry - Assignment Example A growing trend across the world including in developing nations is that most countries see nuclear energy as a viable program to meet domestic energy consumption. The only challenge is that some countries lack the financial and technical resources to produce nuclear power. This report critically analyses the effectiveness of nuclear energy as an alternative sources amidst safety concerns. In addition, the paper will examine the perception that nuclear energy can make a positive contribution towards the reduction of greenhouse emissions. The report will conclude by forecasting the developments made in nuclear power production and how nuclear energy is likely to address future energy problems. One of the major focus by environmentalists is to alleviate the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. As such, global warming will be brought under control. The lack of a global approach to handle the emission of greenhouse gases has been cited as the major reason why such emissions remain unstoppable. This is despite the fact that countries across the world signed the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing the rate of harmful emissions into the atmosphere by the year 2050. A report filed by the Panel on Climate Change indicated that there is need to stabilise CO2 concentration in the atmosphere in order to prevent the world temperatures from rising to 2C. Nuclear energy has been cited as playing a key role in containing the emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. In 2009 for example, nuclear energy accounted for over 15% of the global electricity production coming second after hydro power production. The incident that occurred in Fukushima Daiichi was caused by a combination of an earthquake and a Tsunami. The Fukushima incident led to new safety concerns that many people felt needed to be addressed. The incident put a lot of focus the safety of worker in

Albatross anchors part 2 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Albatross anchors part 2 - Case Study Example Moreover, the plant which includes the functions of manufacturing, storage of raw materials and shipping fails to abide by the safety along with environmental standards in the United States (US) presently. Thus, in order to achieve an obvious as well as a sustainable competitive position, Albatross Anchor requires making certain long as well as short term direct and definite operational changes. In this discussion, definite long and short term operational alterations that Albatross Anchor should create in order to attain a sustainable as well as an apparent competitive advantage will be taken into concern. Moreover, a few of the operational issues which would support the company to improve the aspect of job retention, morale and dedication of its employees will also be highlighted in the discussion. Question One Long-term operational changes 01 Albatross Anchor needs to transform its administrative offices as a part of the long-term operational change for the purpose of attaining a c omprehensible as well as a sustainable competitive benefit. It has been observed that the company already has certain issues concerning its administrative offices which are considered to be somewhat disorganized and operated inefficiently. In order to run its administrative offices more efficiently as well as in an organized manner, the company should properly utilize its valuable resources such as the deployment of workers should be made in a manner so as to ensure efficiency in terms of performing different operational functions. Moreover, the company should build an effective form of communication with its other members which would ultimately support it to run its administrative offices in an organized way (Curristine, Lonti & Joumard, 2007). 02 Apart from making the operational changes relating to the administrative offices, the company should also make certain changes in its plant which involves functions related to manufacturing, storage of raw materials, shipping and storage of finished products. It has been viewed that the plant of the company lacks the inclusion of modern technology, is antiquated as well as dirty and most importantly it fails to comply with the US safety and environmental standards. In this similar context it can be mentioned that the company should apply innovative as well as new technologies which are supposed to comply with the safety as well as environmental standards. Moreover, in relation to the operational change, the company should also expand the limited space of the plant by building new blocks in order to run its business operations efficiently. By building new blocks, different innovative technological equipments can be stored and implemented which might support the company to attain a superior competitive position (Curristine, Lonti & Joumard, 2007). 03 Another operational change that Albatross Anchor should adopt in order to achieve a sustainable competitive benefit relates to the procedure of selling its products. The company usually sells its manufactured products to the distributors who act as middlemen. Moreover, the company also sells its products to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) who purchases the products of the company in large batches. Apart from selling the products to the distributors and the OEM’s, the company can sell its valuable products online for the motive of accomplishing significant competitive advantage. In this regard it can be mention

Indian National Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Indian National Cinema - Essay Example From the beginning of the 18th century, inventors focused on developing a motion picture, and eventually from live dramas to silent movies and ultimately the development of motion picture with sound surfaced. Since then, motion pictures have become a global phenomenon. National industries have been developed in many countries, to cater to the needs of people belonging to a certain culture and can speak a certain language. Countries where diversity in culture exists, national cinemas have been so vastly developed that movies are produced in various languages and are also translated from one local language to another. One of the best and most widely known examples of national cinema is the Indian Cinema. This article looks into the concept of national cinema and explores the Indian cinema in detail. The history of the Indian cinema, along with the analysis of the film industry from production to exhibition and the governmental infrastructure for films, has been discussed. The essay als o reflects on the dominant ideas of what constitutes cinema in India. The Concept of National Cinema Andrew Higson (1989) has presented an innovative insight into the concept of national cinema. National cinema has been referred to mean the films that are produced in a particular country. Before the 1980s the cinema was analyzed using common-sense concepts by critics (). The past decades have shown that national cinema has long served as a means of promoting non-Hollywood films. Stephen Crofts argues that coupled with the name of the director-auteur, national cinema has subserved as a way of distinguishing between the Hollywood and non-Hollywood films. Used as a marketing strategy, he contends that national cinema has vouched for the delivery of ‘otherness’- representative of the cultural differences existing between Hollywood and films from other countries (Triana-Toribio 2003). Higson observes that there is no single, universal definition of national cinema. Looking b ack at the history of how cinema has evolved, the term does not confer any updated holistic meaning. Globalization has altered the perspectives through which cinema was viewed in the yore (Carroll & Choi 2006). Now there are a number of perspectives regarding the notion of national cinemas, as Higson (1989) illustrates. The notion of national cinema can be interpreted from an economics perspective, expounding upon the link between the national cinema and the domestic film industry (Higson 1989). This comes to encompass issues such as who own the cinemas, who makes the films and where are these films shot. Another perspective of exploring and studying the national cinema is to contemplate upon the nature of the films made. The approach, being text-based, represents questions such as the theme of the films produced, the nature of the projections of the national character that they portray and the degree to which these films are able to discover, survey and build a concept of nationhoo d embedded in the films themselves as well as in the spectators. Higson observes that there is a third perspective to national cinema, entailing an exhibition-led or consumption based approach. This view looks into the type of films that are viewed the most, with specific attention being given to foreign films, chiefly those produced in Hollywood having a high-profile distribution in one particular country. Higson asserts that the criticism based approach to national cinema also exists and rates the films produced by the industry in the context of the quality of the art cinema. Higson is of the view that in order to recognize a national cinema, it is essential to detail consistency and a unison. The identification of a national

Marketing Management Strategic Issues Blue Dart Express

Marketing Management Strategic Issues Blue Dart Express On a beautiful sunny afternoon in April 2012, Ketan Kulkarni, Vice President and Head of Blue Darts Marketing, Corporate Communication Sustainability division, was waiting in the plush conference room of Blue Darts head office in Mumbai. As he waited for Tulsi Mirchandaney, Managing Director and Accountable Manager for Blue Dart Aviation, he once again looked at the notes on proposed future plans of marketing strategy and wondered whether the companys plans to address the intense competition will be enough to meet 2012s target. Looking outside through the clear windowpanes, Ketan thought about remarkable journey of Blue Dart. Blue Dart was the leading express company in India, engaged in door to door pick up and distribution of packages, documents, and shipments in India and overseas. From its inception in 1984, in its first decade Blue Dart became the dominant player in the courier industry and in the next decade it surpassed all the competition and became South Asias premier number one express company in air and integrated transportation, distribution and logistics. In India, Blue Dart was the only company providing an array of services in air express (both domestic and international through DHL), air freight, ground and charters. It was a one stop solution for any logistical requirement. Blue Dart enjoyed a 45.9% market share and gained a significant increase in both, volumes and value. In the ground segment, the company garnered a market share of 12.4%. Blue Dart not only offered secure and reliable delivery of consignments, but also managed to deliver impressively on the financial front with the help of its widespread infrastructure network and aggressive growth strategies. Rs.10 billion in annual revenues is a remarkable landmark for any logistics company. Blue Dart managed better, leaping over the 11-digit barrier to record Rs. 14.89 billion in top line during FY2011. The company was established with a vision to be the best and set the pace in the express air and integrated transportation and distribution industry, with a business and human conscience. A people-first company, Blue Dart continued to deliver value to its stakeholders through its people philosophy and corporate governance, based on distinctive customer service, business ethics, accountability and profitability. Blue Darts core competence lies in the business of superior express delivery services, maintaining reliability levels of 99.96%. With a dedicated air and ground network optimized by cutting-edge technology, Care Customer Addition, Retention Empathy summed up the marketing strategy of Blue Dart. Company History In November 1983, three young entrepreneurs, Clyde Cooper, Tushar Jani and Kushroo Dubash identified tremendous opportunities in Indias expanding exports market and came up with an idea of delivering small packages and samples. On that date, Blue Dart was established in a space of 200 square feet under a staircase, with a capital of Rs. 30,000. Grit, determination and hard work would propel the fledgling from sorting and delivering a few dozen packages outside Mumbai airport on that first night, to handling nearly 200,000 shipments each day through rain, hail, earthquake and snow. In a study conducted by Dhristi Strategic Research Services in 2007, Blue Dart emerged as one of the strongest brands in India with amongst the highest top of mind recall. In its early days, Blue Dart forged ties with Gelco Express International, UK to introduce an international air package express service from India and thus enhance the value offered to its customers. In 1993, foreseeing the potential in I ndia, Blue Dart decided to shift focus from international to domestic service. It went on to become the first Indian courier company to conceptualise domestic on-board couriers with a guaranteed 10:30 am delivery to major metros. In 1994, the company went public with an IPO of 2.55 million shares. In the same year Blue Dart launched its multi-modal, premium package delivery service DartApexà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (Air Package Express) and COSMATIIà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, an advanced tracking and ERP system that redefined the industry. In that year, too, Blue Dart Aviation, a 100% subsidiary of Blue Dart Express, was incorporated and became the first private company to receive government approval for the operation of cargo aircraft in the country. In 1995, Blue Dart Aviation acquired two B737 aircraft and developed SMART (Space Management Allocation Reservations and Tracking), the first cargo reservations systems in India. The following year, Blue Dart launched the first jet express airline and also became the first express company to receive an ISO: 9001 Certification. 1995 was also momentous because in that year Blue Dart crossed Rs. 100 crore (US$ 25 million) in turnover for the first time. 1997 witnessed the launch of domestic charter operations and the signing of interline agreements with international airlines for distribution of bonded cargo within Blue Darts network. Today, these have extended to 26 operators and include bonded warehousing and transhipment facilities. In 1998, the company developed Indias first Load and Trim software for its aircraft, reducing handling time by 80%. In 1999, Blue Dart moved to its state-of-the art administrative, technology and operations Super hub and Headquarters, the Blue Dart Centre, in Mumbai. In 2001, a third Boeing 737 was added to the Blue Dart fleet. A year later, Blue Dart entered into a sales alliance with global leader DHL Express Worldwide. Today, DHL owns 81.03% stake in the company. In 2002, Blue Dart was re-certified as one of a handful of Indian companies to the new global ISO 9001 2000 standards for Design, management and operations of countrywide express transportation and distribution service within the Indian Subcontinent and to international destinations serviced through multinational express companies. Blue Dart signed a path-breaking Sales Alliance with the Worlds No. 1 international air express company, DHL Worldwide Express. Blue Dart also crossed 1,00,000 shipments per day. The fourth aircraft joined the fleet in 2004 and Blue Dart became the first private operator in India to receive approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for undertaking heavy maintenance D-checks on its aircraft. Two B757 freighters the first in the Indian skies joined the Blue Dart fleet in 2006. In an effort to fortify its unique capability of offering the entire gamut of end-to end distribution solutions, Blue Dart launched its ground express service Dart Surface Line in September 2007 and inducted the third B757 freighter. By 2011, Blue Darts infrastructure comprised a fleet of three Boeing 737 and four Boeing 757 freighters operating each night to the 7 main metros in India and offering a revenue payload of over 370 tonnes per night. It owns a flotilla of over 6,272 vehicles, 365 facilities including 7 aviation hubs and bonded warehouses, 56 domestic warehouses and 12 express hubs delivering excellence. Current Operations Blue Dart is the largest player in the domestic segment of documents and non-documents with 26 per cent market share in terms of tonnage. In terms of overall (domestic plus overseas) market share, it is the largest express company in India with a share of about 45.9 per cent. The company had a turnover of Rs 14.89 billion in 2011 and has had an annual growth rate of about 50 per cent while the industry growth rate has been hovering around 35 per cent. Table 1 presents the breakup of revenues and costs for the year 2010-11 (see Exhibit 1). Administratively, the company is organized into regional centres at six major cities namely, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Calcutta. Each regional centre is responsible for a number of branch locations under which there are area locations. The company currently employees around 7,800 people. Each major branch has a team of operations personnel who manage the entire network, transportation and tracking of shipments. They also liaison with airline and transportation agencies and take care of scheduling out-bound couriers. Other responsibilities of the operations department include routing, sorting, security checking, fleet management, and customer billing. Commercial functions like finance and marketing are centralized at the head office in Mumbai. Its international out-bound gateways function at Dubai, Singapore, London, and Mumbai. The in-bound international gateway is at Mumbai which receives packages from London, Frankfurt, Singapore, and Dubai. The Company offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 35,902 locations in India and to over 220 countries and territories worldwide through its integrated air support and ground network group company DHL Express. In 2011, Blue Dart operates through 1,342,677 sq. ft. of facilities and carried over 988.5 lacs domestic shipments and over 8 lacs international shipments weighing over 423,000 tonnes. The core function of Blue Dart is the physical transportation of a shipment from its origin to the destination which is performed by the operations department. The distribution system follows the hub-and-spoke concept, i.e., shipments picked up at a particular origin location are transported to the nearest hub, which in turn routes these shipments to the hub to which the destination location is attached. The destination hub routes the shipment to the specific destination location where the staff deliver the shipment to the consignee. (see Exhibit 2) The Express Industry Addressing a changing market The express industry is a key enabler in facilitating trade and commerce because of the time-sensitive nature of most goods and the increasing demand for reliability, efficiency and speed. The opportunities are aplenty for the express industry in India as the current logistics spend in India is 13% of the GDP compared to a notably lesser percentage of the same in more developed economies. The need for the highest levels of efficiencies still exists. The demand for express services is surging with each passing year and customer expectations have also risen tremendously. Today, the Indian express industry provides integrated, value-added, time-bound, door-to-door delivery of documents, parcels and merchandise. It supports industries such as electronics, telecommunication, IT, banking, retail, auto-components, textiles and apparels, gems and jewellery and pharmaceuticals. Moreover, with India recognized as an outsourcing destination, manufacturing sectors such as textiles, automobiles and pharmaceuticals are likely to witness increased activities in the medium to long term. In order to maintain competitiveness, companies operating in these industries are expected to outsource their logistics requirements to third-party logistics service providers and concentrate on their core-competency of manufacturing and marketing. Besides, the opening up of banking, insurance, telecom and retail sectors would boost the demand for value-added express services in India, as these are major user industries. Anil Khanna, managing director, Blue Dart, conveyed the same sentiment. In his opinion, the growth in the Indian economy and the overall economic scenario, fuelled primarily by domestic consumption, is promising. The Indian economy is poised to record robust growth between 8 and 9 per cent in the financial year 2011-12, the Indian express industry is expected to register double-digit growth over the next few years. This in itself is a strong indicator of the potential of the express industry. The organised domestic air express market is pegged at around ` 1,500 crore, which grew at a CAG R of 7-8 per cent in the last five years, while the domestic organised ground express market is pegged at around 1,700 crore, which grew at a CAGR of 14-15 per cent in the last 5 years, Khanna pointed out. Blue Dart is in the process of rolling out several sector-specific, innovative products and services in a phased manner, in line with specific needs and requirements of different industries. These products provide the much-required flexibility to the shipper and consignee. Some recent additions to the companys product portfolio include Express Pallet, Smart Box: Ground Express, Time Definite Delivery, etc. In its journey of last 20 years, Blue Dart had evolved from a being a document centric service to a critically supply chain support service in. The annual turnover of express industry in India was estimated to be Rs 8000 million in 1994-95. The industry players can be categorized into (i) organized sector, accounting for 50 per cent market share, (ii) EMS Speed Post, accounting for 6.5 per cent, and (iii) the unorganized sector, making up the remaining 43 per cent. The courier industry in India has expanded its horizon to provide a wider range of services. Whereas it started initially as a service provider for the document and samples demand of industry, it is now viewed as an important part of the supply chain for industries, which demand speed, reliability, security and just-in-time distribution, Though this market is still in its infancy in India, it is growing Tulsi Mirchandaney, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Projects Competitive edge: Building IT for Business Agility Companys information technology infrastructure remains one of its key differentiators and enabler to values. Blue Dart was always in the forefront of technology and its technology innovations have played a key role in the companys premium positioning and in bringing global standards to the Indian customers doorstep. Blue Dart has become an important part of the supply chain of many companies by providing integrated services. Blue Darts in-house IT team has constantly developed technology solutions over the past seventeen years. Such has been the ramifications of these offerings that more than 79% of Blue Darts regular customers use it actively. These Home grown innovations include COSMAT IIà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (the tracking and ERP system), TrackDartà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (monitoring shipment status), MailDartà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (tracking shipments over e-mail), InternetDartà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (memory bank for shipments), PackTrackà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (tracking software for medium and large customers), ShopTrackà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (tracking and CRM tool for e-business portals), ImageDartà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (online download of proof of delivery challans/documents, to speed up the customers bill process, waybill issuance capability, customer directory, data upload and download of tracking information). The company also provides e conomical packaging that facilitates customers sending documents at a price that includes door-to-door delivery service within India. These innovation solutions have enabled the weaving of thoughtful information management to the logistics business. With this advanced technology support Blue Dart delivers door-to-door to over 13,000 locations in the country with an in-house team of experts to handle inter-state regulatory requirements. Quality levels are at 99.95% and are monitored daily. No one else in the country offers this kind of integrated delivery capability. Marketing Strategies A combination of new product launches and tactical shift in focus across sectors helped Blue Dart register growth in spite of an overall slowdown in the economy. For instance, in order to lessen the impact of the slowdown in client verticals such as automobile and realty, it consciously improved its focus on sectors such as health sciences and the spare parts segment of the auto sector. It also built on its exposure to high-growth segments such as e-commerce and SMEs and high-growth potential Tier-II and III cities this year. These put together helped the company grow its revenues and profits by about 34 per cent and 42 per cent in the nine-months ended September 2011. On various other fronts the company has provided following marketing strategies. Offerings Blue Dart has a range of products and services that can be customised to address individual requirements. Blue Darts core business is domestic door-to-door and integrated (air and ground) express distribution. Each product has been developed with a customer centric approach. A combination of the right product mix and price has helped Blue Dart build a strong brand loyalty over the years. The products are ably supported by cutting-edge technologies. Blue Dart offers express, air freight, ocean freight, supply chain solutions, customs clearance, project handling, freight forwarding, and charters through its synergies with the three DHL Business Units DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Exel Supply Chain. The express services offer domestic priority for non-commercial domestic documents and small packages under 32 kilos. Dart Apexà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ is a door-to-door, time-definite, supply chain and logistics distribution service for commercial shipments that require regulatory clearance. Smart Box is the convenient door-to-door service for cargo in two sizes 10 kilos and 25 kilos. Freight services include domestic, early morning airport-to-airport deliveries to the seven metros Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad serviced by Blue Dart aircraft. Charters offer palletised capacity for carriage of urgent and large volumes to eighteen airports in India and four international airports in the region. Blue Dart, in line with its focus on innovation, has also introduced several customised products -Rakhi Express and Student Express, for instance designed to meet specific needs. A recent addition to Blue Darts product portfolio is Import Express. It is the only service of its kind in India and offers door-to-door facility for importing shipments from over 200 countries. Services Blue Dart offers a range of services: Domestic Priority a fast reliable service for non-commercial documents and non-documents. Dart Apex to support reliable commercial distribution and supply chain requirements. Dart Surfaceline a reliable and secure surface option, and an airport to airport option which includes charter of our aircraft for large volumes and urgent shipments. Some of the best services offered by this company are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Free computerized proof of delivery à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Real Time tracking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Regulatory clearance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Free pick up from the location of the customer How does your service differ from competition? What added advantages do you provide your clients and what kind of message do you aim to send across? Blue Dart offer Solutions for Peace of Mind, and it has built extensively to deliver on that promise. Blue Dart are the only express cargo airline in the country today focused on handling packages. Connecting with Customers In an overcrowded, cluttered world, brand Blue Dart has exploited every opportunity to stand out. The core focus has been on strengthening customer relationship and on making more effective use of the 4800 plus vehicles as mobile touch points. Blue Dart constantly rolls out promotions for its customers to keep them updated on our various offerings. Apart from this, the company keeps on introducing several sector-specific, innovative products and services in a phased manner, in line with specific needs and requirements of different industries like BFSI, Pharmaceuticals, IT, Consumer Durables, FMCG, Automotive, Retail, Textiles, Telecommunications etc. The new initiatives will upgrade the product range and improve service quality, thereby offering customers state-of-the-art air and ground express solutions across the country. These products provide the much-required flexibility to the shipper and consignee. The most used features are real time tracking and Money Back Guarantee (MBG) offered on specific shipments. Company had a dedicated team of specialists who provide the expertise for customs as well as regulatory clearances at all States within the country, to support seamless service to the customer. India is known for its huge section of middle-class buyers. Blue Darts offerings though known to be reliable, are available at a higher price bracket. Isnt this an awkward pricing strategy for the Indian market Considering the fast paced, dynamic lifestyles our customers lead, Blue Dart deliver shipments as well as peace of mind. For our customers, aspects like service quality, consistency, responsiveness and reliability are of paramount importance because these dimensions directly impact their business outcomes. These values make excellent attributes to building a trusted brand. When our customers experience optimal service with Blue Dart, they do not mind paying a premium for our products. Customers Growth Strategy Our growth drivers are multi-dimensional but well defined. Blue Dart will be focusing on existing customers to scale our existing relationship with select high potential clients by offering them a lot more than what Blue Dart have been traditionally offering them. This will not only lead to revenue enlargement, but also give us an army of loyal customers. Positioning Designed to enhance the reliability of our operations and process efficiency, and add value to the customer through time and cost savings. The only one of its kind in the country today, that is focused on carriage of packages as its prime business, rather than as a by-product of a passenger airline. A dedicated aviation system to support Blue Darts services is self-sustaining, with its own bonded warehouses, ground handling and maintenance capability. Blue Dart envisioned itself as a warehouse in the sky creating a niche segment in supply chains that demand critical deliveries, low inventories and reliable and timely distribution. A strategic product mix, optimum utilization of aircraft space and committed people delivering at high reliability levels, Blue Dart is now strategically positioned as the market leader in the air express segment. Blue Darts competitive advantage lies in its vast and unparalleled Domestic Network Linked by some of the most advanced communications systems and positioned to offer a consistent, premium, standardized quality of service. Blue Dart is the only express carrier in the country today which offers an entire range of services that extend from a document to a charter-load of shipments Blue Dart has the only dedicated logistics infrastructure in the country today to provide a variety of logistics solutions for its customers. Blue Dart have an aviation system with an in-house ground handling and maintenance capability to provide confirmed uplift. Blue Dart have invested extensively in technology, currently the most advanced in the he domestic courier industry, for integration, data flow and customer software for greater customer convenience and efficiency. Blue Dart have stringent security and quality norms, our integrated network has the widest reach and our people are skilled and committed professionals. When others in the domain were still trying to find their bearings Blue Dart had already envisioned itself as a warehouse in the sky. It created a palpable differential for itself by arrogating a niche and a hard-to-emulate segment in supply chain management that demanded critical deliveries, low inventories and reliable and timely distribution. Your Company has been able to differentiate itself and has achieved scalability due to its focus on technology right from the early stages of its business. It is reflected in the way the Company moves its products, in a manner which is more cost-effective, more fuel-efficient and more environment friendly. Building strong brand Logistics or Couriers is a service industry where the service is the brand. The attributes of the product are not physically apparent. Demystifying each product to the customer and demonstrating, in simple terms, real benefits meaningful to him, therefore, assumes greater importance. This means translating each customer contact point into an experience representative of the brand. People who serve take on the mantle of the brand as opposed to an FMCG where you would buy your preferred cake of soap regardless of where or how it is served. Promotion Blue Dart is not known to be aggressive advertiser, but as aggressive marketer. Blue Dart has tried to focus on the total customer experience the brand tangibles such as the retail outlets (service counters), vehicles, signages, etc, as well as the intangibles at the customer contact point. Blue Dart has emphasized that the personal touch is essential and thus has also strengthened the areas of customer care centres. Even its TV commercials and print ads try to connect emotionally with customers. Blue Darts promotion method is to create a strong emotional connect with customers, in order to achieve brand strength, saliency and equity. Blue Darts prime communication vehicle is PR land direct mailers, with support from a large sales force across the country to directly engage the customer. Brand Values Blue Dart has always made a conscious effort to create a bond with its customers. Perhaps, because of this, the brand has, today, become synonymous with value, quality, speed, efficiency, responsiveness and service excellence. Financial credibility Fitch Ratings India Pvt. Ltd. has assigned the highest F1+ (Ind)[F one plus (Ind)] rating for their short term debt programme of Rs. 30crores. Further, ICRA Ltd. has also assigned the highest A1+ (pronouncedA one plus) Rating for their Commercial Paper Programme of Rs. 25 crores. New Areas Detecting opportunities vertical wise has helped us device sector specific solutions and this has helped the overall growth strategy of the Company, to a great extent. Demand for streamlined supply chains from the auto, pharma, hitech and retail sectors is expected to drive growth for us. Blue Dart perceive SMEs as an emerging opportunity and efforts have been underway to tap this segment across industry verticals, aggressively. In terms of new customers, tapping new geographies and segments continues to be our key focus area. New Products A combination of the right product mix and price has helped Blue Dart build strong brand loyalty over the years. Launching new products has been our response to any opportunity sensed in a new geography and new industry verticals. This approach has borne fruit. It pleases me to inform you that Blue Dart have successfully launched 25 new services since 2008. Some of our success stories in the Air Express segment include Time Definite Solutions (Domestic Priority 1030, Domestic Priority 1200, Dart Apex 1200) and Day Definite Solutions (Domestic Priority, Dart Apex, Dart Surfaceline). Packaging Solutions include Express Pallet: Air and Ground, Smart Box Air and Ground. The Company also offers Cargo Solutions like Airport to Airport, Interline and Charters besides offering Festive Solutions and discounted Student Solutions. Solutions like Temperature Controlled Logistics (TCL), Dart Surfaceline Plus, Point to Point (P2P) and a host of value added services like Demand Draft on Delivery (DOD), Freight on Demand (FOD), Freight on Value (FOV), Cash on Delivery (COD) etc. represent our tailor made services for specific industry requirements. Blue Dart will continue to focus on reach expansion, transit time improvements, small town (Tier-II and III) activation and strengthening channels. The strategy is in place to strengthen market share and deliver the Blue Dart promise. Achievements Attaining such stunning success wasnt easy. Along the way, Blue Dart endured formidable challenges and took bold steps to protect its hard-fought territorial gains. The list of awards and accolades is endless for Blue Dart. It has achieved many awards in all sectors such as Brand / Customer Service / Retail / Loyalty, Human Resources, Sustainability and Individual Blue Darts services have been recognized and rewarded time and again. Blue Dart was selected as a Business Superbrand from over 1,699 brands and received the Readers Digests Most Trusted Brand Award, for three years in a row and has been listed twice in the Dun Bradstreet top 500 companies in India. Blue Dart has been awarded the NDTV Business Leadership Award 2008 and the Asia Brand Congress Brand Leadership Award 2008. An Indian company benchmarked to international standards, Blue Dart has been recognised as one of the best and has been listed among the top 500 companies in India by Dun Bradstreet. Blue Darts aviation arm received the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Cargo Airline of the Year Merit Award in 2006. In the following year, Blue Dart was declared the Best Cargo Airline at the Express, Logistics and Supply Chain conclave. Over the years Blue Dart ha achieved SUPERBRAND Status, 6 times in a row, Pursuing Business growth and Expansion Blue Dart already has an aggressive market share plans which aim to increase its market share both in air and ground express divisions. For this, Blue Dart will have to grow faster than the industry. Blue dart has already identified some growth levers. One of these is adding lot of new products. The company has been regularly introducing new products such as the latest Go Green carbon neutral service and it intends to continue. The other growth lever is the sectoral focus there are certain sectors that do not get impacted by a slowdown sectors like health sciences and the spare parts segment of the auto sector. Third, Blue Dart is focussing on verticals which are high-growth verticals like e-commerce, where in it is targeting a large market share. Moreover, the company has also identified small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as another growth lever. For a company, which has probably focussed more on our large customers, SMEs thus offer an opportunity. Finally, the company is looking at geographic expansion. It intends to reach out to those towns and cities where it currently does not have any presence. Also, prior to this, in smaller cities, the company was more focussed on the in-bound side. It then realised that a lot of these tier-II and tier-III cities have a lot of out-bound potential. These provide additional opportunity for business expansion. Looking ahead Blue Dart Express net profit declines 19.47% in the March 2012 quarter Blue Dart faces the challenges of increase in fuel cost, inadequate infrastructure, and increasing competition. But of these the biggest challenges is Infrastructure of both air and surface. Space at airports, airside and city-side infrastructure are often inadequate. In addition, parking bays, air-side/city-side access and traffic congestion adversely impact costs as well as service quality. Air express companies are constrained by the sizes of the facilities at the airports, as they have remained the same while the loads have increased many folds. It is estimated that though 70% of the freight transportation in India is through roads, National Highways constitute merely 2% of the total road network in India. Fuel prices are also a concern. In an industry, where space is a highly perishable commodity, any disruption in services, due to either natural disasters or manufactured reasons, affects us adversely, as the days capacity inventory is lost forever. Exhibit Financial Summary of the last five years Particulars 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Income from Operati

Brian Friels Translations Essay -- Brian Friel Translations Essays

Brian Friel's "Translations" 'Translations' by Brian Friel can be appreciated and understood without knowledge of Irelands social, political and linguistic history. It can be enjoyed simply as a drama that incorporates comedy, tragedy and romance. However, with a greater understanding of Irelands history, such as the effect the 'great famine' had on the ordinary people of Ireland the play * In 'Translations' the people of Baile Beag show hostility towards the English army who have been sent to anglicise the place names of the area. For hundreds of years the English had made incursions in to Ireland. Many rebellions followed the conquest of Ireland, after which Queen Mary Tudor became the Queen of England and Ireland and the people of Ireland came under the control of the British government. There were attempts in the C16 to settle English colonies in Lenster and Munster but these were unsuccessful. In the C17 land was taken from Irish Earls and divided between Scottish Presbyterians. Rebellion followed in the reign of Charles 1 and this took the form of Catholic...

Mccafe Analysis Essay

McCafe was introduced to the McDonalds business model at a time when the fast food industry, and dining out as a whole, was on a downslide. Consumers were trying to cut back and save money – dining out was an easy way to do that. McCafe is a full-service coffee bar, created as an extension of a current McDonalds counter, or as a stand-alone restaurant. The concept is positioned to consumers that fall in the working adult category, who enjoy coffee, and was said to be a direct competition to Starbucks. In terms of the comparison of McCafe to the overall McDonald’s vision and mission, the two fell in a parallel line. How would McCafe mirror the McDonalds vision? First, by delivering the end product to the customer in a timely manner – coffee machines were made to make espresso, lattes, and cappuccinos with the touch of a button, in around 22 seconds or less. McCafe coffee creation didn’t require a well-trained barista, just as a good Big Mac didn’t require a chef behind the grill. The McDonalds mission states that they want to â€Å"be our customers’ favorite place and way to eat.† Their global markets, regardless of whether they focus on burgers or coffee, is to center on five basics of an exceptional customer experience – people, products, place, price, and promotion – also known as the Plan to Win strategy. The McCafe model resonates the same way as the original McDonalds concept. In aligning the McCafe strategy with the Business Strategy Diamond, the following aspects of McCafe fulfill the strategy: Arenas: Where will McCafe be active? McCafe locations will be active as a full service coffee bar, either in a standalone facility, or as an extension of a current McDonalds restaurant. Vehicles: How will we get there? McCafe specialty coffees would ideally be introduced by current McDonalds franchisees interested in a way to diversify their product line and increase sales. However, new franchise owners with a desire to build standalone McCafes or new McDonalds restaurants with the McCafe feature could start new ventures. Differentiators: How will we win? McCafe’s offer not only specialty and brewed coffees, but cookies and pastries as well. Another benefit? By being a part of a current McDonalds restaurant, patrons could get not only specialty coffee, but their trusty yogurt parfaits or Egg McMuffins. Pricing would be set similar to or less than their competitors (ie. Starbucks). Staging and Pacing: What will be our speed and sequence of moves? McCafe counters could be added to existing McDonalds stores in as little as 4 days – the equipment took up minimal counter space and renovations would hardly disrupt their current operations. Economic Logic: How will we obtain our returns? McDonalds will turn a profit by banking on its history of success – the speed of its products, and its convenience, at a good price. They will be diversifying their product line and targeting a market that was dominated in the US by two prime retailers – Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. McCafe prices are in line with Dunkin Donuts, but with more options in the food area, while their prices come in below Starbucks, with similar quality. McCafe SWOT Analysis: StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreats Strong global presence (through McDonalds Corp) Saturated industry (coffee/food)Multiple ownerships (other restaurants) = success in growth strategies Increasingly competitive amongst fast food markets Ease of introduction Increasing price competitionCountries available for retail pentration (Europe, Latin America)Links to obesity =negative press, high calorie coffees and snacks contributing factors Strong real estate locations Differentiation combining food with coffee cafe High visibility McCafe is a great new venture for McDonalds – a company with a wealth of history, but a need to differentiate itself from its competitors like Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendys, etc. McCafe will give McDonalds a great way to increase profits and move forward in the restaurant industry. Additional Sources: http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mcd_faq/student_research.html?DC

Creativity Is The Process Of Being Creative Education Essay

Your Creativity accomplishments expandedEveryone has a demand to be able to accommodate creatively and therefore maintain up with the of all time changing universe. Although it has been said that ground could be used, now there is an apprehension that this can hinder people from fast and ignorant alterations in a state of affairs, and to profit in job work outing people need to see things in new ways, expand bing ideas and develop accomplishments which enable them to go a benefit to any undertaking group or administration. More late administrations have had to do drastic originative alterations in working ways, unlike the smooth, formulated easy alterations of the yesteryear. The logic and the ground are limited when puting up for difficult to think discontinuous alteration, so there is a demand to travel beyond them. It is all about how to travel off from limited thought, traditional mentalities, premises, and that deep rooted manner of nearing jobs. It is suggested that intellectual hemispheres are responsible for different ways of activities: the left one is responsible for logics, scientific and practical ways while he right one is used for more originative activities. Whether you are used to treating one manner over the other it would be of great benefit to go familiar with both, as there has been grounds demoing the more a certain portion of the encephalon is used the more it will develop physiologically. Constraints ‘ being removed before nearing jobs is critical in order to happen the best solution, and people need to alter the end to avoid remaining in a position quo. Predicting alterations in the environment, continually redeveloping it is of import, utilizing creativeness is indispensable in conveying about a different hereafter. The ICT invasion is a all right illustration where some administrations were non originative plenty to travel fast and benefit. When making possible solutions the more options the more likelihood that a solution will come to light, particularly when there has been opposition in the yesteryear. Idea coevals from consecutive divergent and convergent phases is an ideal tool for this. In short the usage of both types of thought is valid, in respects to the left and right cerebral hemispheres mentioned earlier. Creative execution has scope when there are a broad scope of options, and in order to convey creativeness about restrictions need to be forgotten and originative thought must take over, this is the lone manner to convey approximately great alteration.Creative thought is a procedure which improves the ability to be originative and being in a all right province of head for bring forthing new thoughts. It means besides believing deliberately in ways that improve the likeliness of original ideas happening, it maximises the ability of the encephalon to believe of new diverse and complex thoughts ; a series of mental actions which produce alterations and developments of idea ; the procedure of researching multiple avenues of actions or ideas, ( sometimes calledA divergent thinkingA because idea forms and countries of belief are expanded. ) ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.brainstorming.co.uk/tutorials/definitions.html # originative thought ) .Creative Tools for Problem Solving A squad ‘s work requires creativeness and one of the best known originative tools is brainstorming. Brainstorming is an advanced tool ; it helps team creatively and competently bring forth a high degree of thoughts on any subject by promoting free thought ( Basu 2008 ) . There are several fluctuations of the procedure itself ; two of them are more common- structured and unstructured methods. In the first method each member is asked to come up with an thought, whilst in the 2nd one thought is produced at any clip by anyone. Brainstorming is frequently used when logical tools can non work out a job. Another tool for effectual job resolution is Mind Map. Mind Map is non-linear, spacial, graphical technique. There is a cardinal image which is the chief topic and thoughts are spread out of it like subdivisions. Besides subjects of secondary importance are distributing out like subdivisions from chief subjects ( Malone 2004 ) . Rich picture- at first sight these images are deceptively fiddling. However, this conceals the complicated manner of garnering information, thoughts, experiences and all other beginnings which helps to make ( Kazi 2005 ) . The rich image is a communicating channel which articulates the state of affairs through aggravation. Ocular thinking- it is a portion of believing procedure, which is extremely valuable and used widely. When ocular information is presented, rather frequently it is much easier to obtain the significance ( Paterson 1993 ) . Collaboration- it is a vivacious and interpersonal procedure which involves committedness, ends, shared values. It requires that squad members act together, portion the power and are unfastened to possibilities of personal and/or professional dealing ( Hamric et al2005 ) . Journaling- it is a inveterate dated events and thoughts. Journal besides includes contemplations and responses of author ( authors ) of those thoughts ( Stevens and Cooper 2009 ) . Journaling ‘s chief characteristics: it is written, entries are dated, it is written in informal linguistic communication and it is flexible- type of entries, intents for maintaining it etc ; flexibleness is the cardinal property of diary. Persistence- it is a uninterrupted force per unit area, careless troubles. It is really of import to maintain with a work despite the complexness of it.Brooding study on CPSOn the 1st twelvemonth in university pupils had to present a group presentation for PPD[ 1 ]category. Students had to fix concern presentation alas promotional run, to inform and carry the young person from borough of Greenwich to take a portion as voluntaries in London 2012. The command was ?1m contract, so pupils had to come up with a really good run program. This was a great squad exercising ; although, tonss of difficult work had to be input. This is a brooding study on originative job work outing while fixing this presentation. It is identified that larning through the contemplation is more powerful if there is an apprehension of models which helps to construction and steer the act of contemplation. There are many different theoretical accounts to utilize as a model for reflection- Kolb ‘s learning rhythm ( Appendix 1 ) , Gibb ‘s rhythm ( Appendix 2 ) etc ; there is no incorrect or right theoretical account, the key is to take one which feels the most comfy and best aids in larning from ain experiences. For this work pupil decided to utilize Jasper ‘s ( Jasper 2003 ) theoretical account ( Appendix 3 ) which is further clarifying of Gibb ‘s rhythm into simple phases.Phase one:Description of the event Students were fixing presentation over 2 month. On hebdomad get downing on 10th January 2011, pupils had a briefing on the Olympic Jobs Team Exercise every bit good as category argument. Briefing ‘s intent was to fix pupils for squad presentation and to guarantee pupils understand the demands and purposes of the squads exercise. At this point groups were established and pupils could travel over the briefing sheet for Olympic Jobs squad exercising. First, groups had to come up with a name for their squad and allocate squad members to different positions- Finance, Human Resources, Selling and Operational directors. Although, it seems really simple, it was non. Everyone had different thoughts and members spent most of the clip debating and brainstorming. The group decided to utilize creativeness tools such as: Get downing with known values- journaling ( Appendix 4 ) Geting other points of view- ocular thought Non-linear thinking- brainstorming ( Appendix 5 ) , ( Scholtes et al 2003 ) . As a consequence group came up with a name TFH which stands for Take your Future in your Handss and functions were allocated. Because there were merely three members in this group, Operational director ‘s function were decided to divide between all three of them. Group decided to hold five meetings ( Appendix 6 ) and scheduled them on Tuesdays as it was most convenient for everyone.Phase two:Feelingss The job ( exercising ) was given but pupil struggled to specify it as without specifying, job can non be solved. Student was experiencing unconfident because remainder of the group seemed to pick up on exercising. With a aid from other group members student managed clearly to place job and could get down bring forth possible solutions. After specifying job pupil felt rather confident and actively joined group meetings and came up with some really good thoughts. Since pupil is good organised, she was the 1 who kept diaries and it made her proud. In wide footings, people who feel confident about what they are making, can give a higher public presentation.Phase three:Evaluation Using earlier agreed creativeness tools pupils learned to develop their imaginativeness and CPS[ 2 ]accomplishments. These accomplishments are movable accomplishments, which can be used besides in personal and work life. Brainstorming helped members of group to work as a squad and really bask the clip spent together. Besides, utilizing ocular thought tool, pupils realised that they really enjoy pulling, utilizing color codifications etc.Phase four:Analysis In general, preparing of the presentation went really good. Comparing with old presentation[ 3 ], which was more about squad functions and less about creativeness, this one was more restful, group members realised their potencies thanks to CPS. Students did non realised how their assurance had grown and that they really enjoy showing their thoughts about solutions to the challenges ( Frigard 2008 ) .Phase five:Decision Overall, fixing and presenting presentation could be described as a difficult work and much of merriment. Teamwork is ne'er easy because of different people coming together and seeking to happen optimum solution to the job. In this instance CPS encouraged squad members think otherwise, â€Å" out of the box † . Rewarded grade is the best contemplation on presentation and it was high- 85 % ( Appendix 7 ) ; of class, there were some minor errors during the procedure and existent presentation, but pupils learned a batch.Phase six:Action program Looking back at the procedure of creative activity, it went good and likely pupil would utilize the same CPS tools once more if the similar undertaking came up once more. After this undertaking, pupil completed Self-evaluation of Creativity trial and scored rather high- 92points ( Appendix 8 ) .Contemplation on PPD presentationThis is a contemplation on PPD presentation ( Appendix 9 ) , based on Jasper ‘s ( Jasper 2003 ) theoretical account of the Gibbs rhythm. Students received an assignment to present power point presentation about promotional run for Olympics 2012 volunteering occupations for young person. Groups were self selected and this group consisted of three people: Ieva, Tom and Denis. The group had to research information on volunteering undertakings and occupations offered, and measure the best possible ways to choose the right campaigners for the occupations. They besides had to fix a selling run and measure the resources to procure a positive action program. Ieva was working on the HR side of the undertaking, she had to research occupation chances, fix the enlisting program and preparation and development plans. Tom was making Marketing side of the undertaking fixing promotional run. Denis was responsible for fiscal side of work, he prepared the fiscal program. The whole group invested every bit in operational side of run. The pupils used PowerPoint to present the presentation. Ieva opened the presentation with a brief debut about the company and so moved on to the enlisting program. It was a great challenge for her as she has ne'er felt confident speaking in forepart of group of people. Tom delivered really convincing promotional run ; he covered all the necessary stairss for a professional and sophisticated selling program. Denis delivered a really good prepared fiscal program for the undertaking, which was an of import portion of the successful run when command for the ?1m undertaking. Ieva felt rather confident about this undertaking, the group had spent a batch of clip on it and everyone was working hard. However, this was 2nd group presentation in this twelvemonth, so they knew, they would be marked stricter, the coach will anticipate pupils to larn from the old errors. Overall this was a really good squad exercising, which tested in deepness the strength and failings of each squad member and gave them new get downing points and infinite for betterments. Based on the coach ‘s feedback, the presentation went instead good. Students emphasised their professional attack by have oning smart frock ; showing mode and the use of PowerPoint was really good. As per coach ‘s feedback, there was merely little unfavorable judgment on deficiency of press releases, which would hold been utile. All in all pupils were really satisfied as they achieved a grade of 85 % . The work and clip invested in this undertaking had been paid back. Looking back to the readying procedure and the work load that was used, the group all believe that – following clip they will near the undertaking with the same bravery as this one and they would take into history all the errors that they made and unfavorable judgment received from coach and other pupils.Understanding â€Å" millennials † and Generation YGeneration Y is a label for people who were born between early 80s and early 90s, following coevals X.A Quite frequently members of Generation Y are referred to as â€Å" echo boomers † , for being kids of parents born during so called babe roar, or Following Generation, Millenials Internet Generation etc. One of the chief features of Generation Y members is the deep cognition of modern communications and digital engineerings, so in response to it employers have to update their hiring scheme to incorporate modern-day signifiers and usage of these engineerings. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.businessdictionary .com/definition/Generation-Y.html. After reading the Generation Y article ( W. Stanton Smith, 28 October 2009 ) ( Appendix 10 ) , pupil summarised four chief statements: Non- traditional household unit makes up the bulk of families Flexibility and alteration of career is a demand Workers are reconsidering the function of the work in their lives Three things which left the immense impact on the Generation Y life doctrine are engineerings, attack towards concern, consumer ‘s attitude. There is grounds demoing that alternatively of 60 % in the 50s, nowadays merely 17 % of families run into the definition of traditional, but it should be kept in head that in today ‘s footings it is an arguably narrow definition. That means that there is a demand for more flexibleness in nowadays work-life issues than it was earlier. There is a stereotype about adult females and their function within a household. For 100s of old ages their function was homemaker and female parent ( Cheal 2008 ) , adult females premier duties have been looking after house, kids and taking attention of hubby ‘s well-being. Another stereotype is that the biggest part of families ‘ income is brought in by work forces ( Rapoport et al 1978 ) . Even today adult females are expected to go on to hold a chief responsibility for child care and eldercare, but because of increasing Numberss of female alumnuss, there is a demand for customisation of career and general flexibleness in work. Along, with all the alterations within the household, the traditional corporate theoretical account is altering every bit good. Not merely are female parents concentrating on their work they are besides concentrating on their households, male parents are keener to pass more clip with their kids ; they want to take a portion in their upbringing. As a effect, the traditional corporate ladder is giving topographic point to a corporate lattice theoretical account where the sum and celerity of work can be diverged depending on the life style. Generation Y is a coevals of engineerings, therefore it is taking computing machines, electronic mails, nomadic phones and suchlike for granted ( Savage and Collins-Mayo 2006 ) , which wholly changes how members of this coevals view the universe every bit good as brings an changes within the labour market. Research on Generation Y assumes that consumers of this coevals are all likewise, but this coevals includes 15-32 twelvemonth olds, so their behavior as consumers will be different ( Benckendorff et al 2010 ) . However, this coevals has been raised to be consumers who question value and demand high quality and therefore, it is apprehensible that they carry these outlooks with them everyplace, including callings. Paul Redmond[ 4 ]has said that this combination of influences ( engineering, attitudes towards the concern and a consumer mentality ) , had created really confident and commercial coevals, members of which are success driven, fed up with everyday and are ready to go forth work if employer does n't react their values and concerns ( hypertext transfer protocol: //business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/recruiter_forum/article4275460.ece ) . Overall there is valuable information for recruiters whose connotation is to pull the top new alumnuss and non entirely. In general pupil agrees with the article as it is really realistically written and most of the facts are backed up with grounds.Brooding study on PDCAs a portion of PPD class, pupil had to take a challenge anterior pupil ‘s personal and professional development advancement. Conferences present legion possibilities for pupils. They find out about new developments in the field, can web with co-workers, and do indispensable contacts etc ( Curtis 2002 ) , so pupil decided to go to the conference when the chance came frontward.Phase one:Description of the event It was three yearss event, taking topographic point on March 21st-24th in Great Connought Rooms ( Appendix 11 ) locale, in London. Events name was International SAP Conference for Financial Services 2011. Because pupil plants within conference industry, on the first twenty-four hours of conference she had to execute work responsibilities, stake on 2nd twenty-four hours ( Appendix 12 ) she was given an chance to take part in the conference. Besides the professional involvement in conference[ 5 ], pupil was peculiarly interested in some of the cardinal talkers and their presentations as it was relevant to her concern surveies. Because of the planetary recognition crunch, a rather few presentation were contributed towards after-crunch period and redresss for European states to utilize. Another peculiar involvement in go toing this conference for pupil was presentations. As this is the pupils weakest nexus, it was really good experience to watch professionals to give presentations and me asure those. During the breaks pupil had an chance to run into concern people from around the universe, talk with them and hear their positions on current and future state of affairs in concerns.Phase two:Feelingss Because of the magnitude of the event and large concern figures go toing, pupil was afraid that result from go toing event will non be really good. However, after first two presentations pupil realised that subjects of presentations were really interesting, presentations themselves were great and she gained assurance, because she knew that she will be able to fall in conversations about it. Because pupil did non hold a clip to fix for the conference, she missed out the workshops which she did non experience good about. However, fall ining conversations during interruptions, she felt confident and even involved herself in one of the arguments. Looking back at the event, it was a great new experience which will assist her with her personal and professional development.Phase three:Evaluation By and large talking, event was successful for its intent. For pupil ‘s acquisition purposes the most relevant portion was forenoon session ( Appendix 13 ) . Even these presentations were more aslant towards the new SAP engineerings inventions in banking systems, there was batch about economic growing and falls and how to cover with it. Particularly Prof. Dr Hans-Gert Penzel ‘s presentation was in involvement because of movable cognition about fiscal crisis and economic sciences growing slope[ 6 ]. In the center of this presentation it was disturbed by fire dismay and everybody had to go forth the edifice. There was non echt fire but it still took clip for fire brigade to come and look into. Nevertheless the presentation was disturbed, Mr Penzel used it as an illustration, he adapted state of affairs to the concern scene and turned the perturbation into utile tool.Phase four:Analysis Event was split into four chief parts: two forenoon Sessionss, from which foremost was devoted to general information about SAP engineerings and how it may assist to better concerns and fiscal crisis ; 2nd forenoon session was about SAP systems transmutation and invention in banking, current Sap clients were sharing their experience about utilizing SAP engineerings. After 2nd forenoon session was tiffin, pupil had an chance to speak to attendants while basking lovely nutrient. There was besides clip for researching exhibition, which was largely devoted to banking engineerings, but it was a good for networking and looking for new chances. After tiffin other SAP clients continued to speak about advantages of SAP systems. Afternoon interruption was followed by really interesting presentation given by Mr Andy Hirst, Senior Director Industry Marketing for SAP. It was about concern analytics, new developments and the best pattern attacks. Then two more presentations from SAP clients and sh uting remarks from the Chairman of the SAP.Phase five:Decision Overall the result of the event was successful, pupil learnt a batch. The biggest part from this event towards pupil ‘s acquisition development was tonss of different presentations. One of the grounds why pupil does non experience confident making presentations, is that English is non her first linguistic communication and she is afraid to do errors, although she is ever lending a batch during the originative procedure. Because a half of the talkers at the conference were non-native English talkers, it was valuable experience to see them on the phase. Although, they are professionals and likely giving presentations on at least hebdomadal footing, some of them still made minor errors, but that did non halt them to transport on. It was valuable lesson for pupil, carry on, despite the errors, be able to rectify herself and after travel on with presentation.Phase six:Action program As this was the last minute call, pupil did non hold a clip to fix herself for the conference, so if the similar event encountered once more, she would seek to make some research before go toing it, which would give her more assurance and would give an chance successfully take part in workshops, which she missed out this clip due to the deficiency of cognition and as a consequence- assurance.Contemplation on Class DebateArgument is practically an statement, a constructive treatment which allows everyone to fall in in with their positions and sentiments. Debate is an of import portion of larning procedure, it helps to understand argumentative schemes and expect the responses from opposite squads ( Lyon 2008 ) .Phase one:Description of the event Students had to set on docket to hold a category argument. Topic was about the world Television consequence on society. It seemed that everyone had their sentiment, and this is when it all went incorrect. The best word to depict it is chaos. Students were non debating ; they were quibbling about their sentiments on the format of the argument. Rules of the argument were non followed and as a consequence argument turned into coarse statement with some pupils being peculiarly chesty and violative.Phase two:Feelingss Student felt confused at first, she did non anticipate grown up people to be so superior and cocksure which was on the border with unfastened discourtesy.Phase three:Evaluation This was group ‘s first argument, but pupils were informed about regulations of argument etc. However, it turned into het difference, pupils were cutting off each other and in general it was a one large catastrophe.Phase four:Analysis It all went so incorrect that there is no manner to interrupt this event into constituent parts and analyse. Students did non follow regulations and phases of argument, they were ill prepared. There was no logical way and argument turned out to be wholly useless.Phase five:Decision It is truly difficult to happen a good thing to state about this argument, as it went so incorrect. However, people learn from their experience, and bad experience in larning procedure is every bit utile or sometimes even more utile as a good one.Phase six:Action program If there will be other arguments in the category, pupil will fix herself better beforehand and will suggest to hold short meeting before the argument, so pupils could hold on regulations and seek to command their self-importances. Appendix

Chocolate and Fair Trade Lit Review Essay Example

Chocolate and Fair Trade Lit Review Essay Example Chocolate and Fair Trade Lit Review Essay Chocolate and Fair Trade Lit Review Essay Lit Review: Child Labor In Cocoa Production and Fair Trade Chocolate By Sarah Kopperl Introduction: I have always had a love affair with chocolate. When I was little I thought the best job in the world would be to be a chocolatier, and have my own candy shop. I often visited Hershey P. A. and went to Hershey World, never wondering why they didn’t tell us much about how the cocoa was grown and harvested, only looking forward to the chocolate bar at the end of the â€Å"How Chocolate is Made† ride, and the roller coasters to come. As I have grown up, my intentions for a career have changed, but my love of chocolate has stayed. During the summer I took a course that had me researching commodities in South American countries and came across an article about child labor in chocolate production, which is discussed in more detail below. Since then I have tried to buy mostly fair trade chocolate, but didn’t really think too hard about it. Because of this project, I have dug into what Fair Trade is, why it is needed, and the underlying causes of child labor in cocoa farming communities. It made me think past the candy bar to the process of making it. Corporate Websites: The corporate websites I looked at were hesrheys. com, and usa. cadbury. com. Through the corporate websites I was hoping to learn about where their cocoa comes from, how chocolate is made, and some statistics on chocolate. I was also hoping to see how the companies are working towards sustainable cocoa crops and if they are Fair Trade or if they are doing anything to support fair wages and better living conditions for cocoa farmers. Hershey’s has a printer and user friendly section on how chocolate is made which talks very little about how cocoa is grown and harvested, focusing more on how cocoa is processed. (4) The site also links directly to the Hershey Company website which is separate from the site that would come up if searched in google. This is where the mission statement, information for investors, and a section on corporate responsibility are available. The company signed a protocol in 2001 to ensure children are not being harmed hrough cocoa production but both websites fail to state where the majority of their cocoa comes from. It also discusses supporting ECHOES and ICI to work towards sustainability and fair practices for cocoa farmers, but none of the cocoa used is Fair Trade Certified. (5) At my grocery store, Hershey bars are sold for less than a dollar, which is often the cheapest chocolate bar I can find. This makes me wonder if by flexing its corporate muscle, Hershey is forcing desper ate farmers to use child labor and treat all workers poorly. The Cadbury brand was recently acquired by Kraft, but still maintains a separate website from the massive corporation. The website fails to really explain how chocolate is made or where it comes from, but does give some incite as to when chocolate first went commercial and then corporate. It is one of the older companies out there, starting in 1825. The section about what the company strives for explains quite a bit about how cocoa farmers wind up being exploited and why child labor isn’t a surprise in the industry, since the focus is growth, efficiency, and capability. The website is upstanding in that it has a strong section on corporate responsibility, stating that Cadbury in the UK and Ireland are fair-trade certified, as is the cocoa used to make Green and Black, one of the offshoot brands of Cadbury. This portion of the site also discusses the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership, which is working with the United Nations to improve farmer outcomes and develop communities. I also found some nifty facts in random places, such as how much cocoa is used by the company annually. The facts are not static, the pop up each time you move to a new section of the site. 6) I felt like the Cadbury site was a good example of a corporation responding to customer demand by moving towards fair trade cocoa, and by showing the initiatives the company is taking to help the lives of cocoa farmers. Child Labor: One of the common themes I found when researching how cocoa is grown and harvested was the use of child and/or slave labor. A major expose was done on the subject by S udarsan Raghavan and Sumana Chatterjee and published by Knight Ridder Newspapers in 2001. It then hit other major media outlets including the BBC, as well as organizations such as Global Exchange. The expose paints a picture of young boys working long hard hours with little food, poor health care and daily beatings. It also explains the challenges faced by those in poverty in Mali and surrounding regions where children are offered money for their families and a chance to see other parts of the world in order to lure them into the work. Finally it points to the lack of control over market prices and the hidden nature of slavery in Africa, claiming that the responsibility is placed on the government and manufacturers of chocolate. 1) While I agree that this is where major influences lie, I also think it fails to hold the consumer AND the growers accountable. Also, governments in the countries where the cocoa is sold need to be held accountable as well. This expose was one of the first if not the first items I read about child labor in chocolate, and it made me want to look further into the subject. I feel like it will be useful in showing the consumer the realities faced by stru ggling cocoa workers on the Ivory Coast. One of the sites I came across was Stop Chocolate Slavery. It has a section called Take Action which gives advice for consumers on how to work towards child labor free chocolate. It also has a section called Slave Free chocolate which lists some products that the site deems worthy of consumer purchase. (8) I will use this site for my section about what can be done by consumers. I also used the News and Information section to find a link to the expose mentioned above. (8) Another source I found was an article written by Sarah Cheyes called â€Å"Chocolate and Slavery. One of the first things Cheyes points out is that forced labor is a problem around d the world because humans are seen as commodities and children are used and discarded; being seen as easily replaceable. She discusses the initiatives sought to place â€Å"Slave Free† labels on products in 2001 and how the U. S. chocolate industry responded by sending lobbyists to ward off the possible legislation, claiming that the labels would hurt the people of West Africa and that th ey had no way of knowing what cocoa beans were slave free because all beans were combined together before delivery. The chocolate companies themselves said they were not responsible for the farming practices of their suppliers. After major media articles and with impending government action, the companies finally decided on action. They signed the Harkin- Engel Protocol, which was facilitated by 3 senators in late 2001, was designed to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in the chocolate industry by 2005. It was signed by most of the major chocolate manufacturers along with several progressive organizations. However, it only targets child labor in West Africa, and is not a LAW but a protocol. This means it is difficult to enforce, and it does not address the problem in other cocoa producing countries. It also fails to address the causes of forced or child labor in poor countries. (2) Cheyes includes a section in her article on the causes of child labor in cocoa manufacturing, pointing to the fact that manufacturers encourage poor countries to grow cocoa, and with a mass supply, this drives down market prices for the commodity. This often forces poor farmers to save on costs any way possible, including child labor. According to the Prime Minister of the Ivory Coast, manufacturers would have to pay more than ten times what they do in order to end forced labor in cocoa production. It would also help to educate farmers about how the market works and find ways for the 40 percent population of the country to be less dependent on cocoa. Farmers are unable to communicate and often forced to rely on middlemen who cheat them. Also, there haven’t been enough efforts to create a stable and sufficient price for cocoa. This causes producer incomes to remain low, and poverty means desperation. (8) Chocolate And Slavery† also discusses alternatives, including Fair Trade collectives that require a signature from purchasers guaranteeing a fair price plus a premium that guarantee a living wage for farmers as well as money that goes into a fund for improvements in the community. Cheyes also mentions that some manufacturers simply don’t buy cocoa from West Africa. This solution fails to address or eradicate the problem, and may actually hurt the farmers more. She also discusses the responses of those in the chocolate industry as well as professional cooks and pastry chefs. She mentions one manufacturer representative who denied the existence of a problem. She also talks about the conflict of a professional asking a purveyor for slave free cocoa or the sobering reality that one uses cocoa that is slave manufactured, but is unable or unwilling to do anything about it. She goes on to point out that it may be those professionals who wield the most power to create change. We live in a world of celebrity chefs and cooking shows that glamorize the profession, and if those celebrities would make an effort they could make a huge difference. They do however face a conflict, in that by angering major chocolate manufacturers, they may lose the sponsorships that allow their fame to continue. (8) Cheyes closes out her article with a section on what can be done by the general public. She encourages education on the subject, both for you and for others. She says to write letters to chocolate manufacturers, and if in the industry to work with your purveyors to find chocolate derived from free market cocoa. Of course she encourages the purchase of only free trade chocolate, and to encourage others to do the same. (8) I found this article incredibly informative. It gave me a much better perspective on the causes behind both child and forced labor in the cocoa industry, as well as some of the politics in the U. S. surrounding the problem. It also gave me insight into why the problem may still exist. I will use much of this information in my background section, as well as my fact section. More recently an independent audit by Tulane University shows that the efforts that were supposed to create 100 percent child free labor certification by 2010, have failed to even come close to reaching goals. The article â€Å"Child Labor Still Key in Ingredient in Chocolate Industry,† shows that the Harkin-Engel Protocol which created community based education and monitoring programs has done some good, but less than 3 percent of cocoa growing villages in the Ivory Coast have been visited by monitors. The article does mention that Kraft in the U. S. plans to carry chocolate that is labeled sustainable and Mars, the largest buyer of cocoa in the world, plans to go completely sustainable by 2020. This does not; however mean that the cocoa is Fair Trade or slave free. There is no mention of Hershey at all in the article, nor does it offer other smaller brands or companies that use sustainable cocoa, nor why the problem of child labor exists. (3) This article shows that more still needs to be done to encourage free market cocoa use by major companies. It also shows that there needs to be more education on the differences between sustainable and fair trade. Fair Trade and Sustainability: Another theme I found when researching chocolate was Fair Trade Cocoa, and Sustainable cocoa farming. Buying Fair Trade chocolate is one of the things all consumers can do to help cocoa farmers around the world. Sustainable cocoa farming is important for preserving the environment. One of the sources I found about Fair Trade is the website for Fair Trade USA, which is the only Independent, third-party Fair Trade Certifier in the U. S. at this time. It is also one of 24 members of Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO. ) The company site gives an overview and definition of Fair Trade in the section called Fair Trade Overview. It explains the principles of Fair Trade, including fair price, fair labor conditions, direct trade, democratic and transparent organizations, community development, and environmental sustainability. There is a section called Social benefits which talks about kids being able to go to school instead of working on the farms, farmers being able to feed their families, and efforts to help educate the community and provide healthcare. It also provides a FAQ section as well as information about the organization such as the board of directors as mission statements. 7) I find it interesting that one organization holds the monopoly on providing Fair Trade certifications in the U. S. and that it seems to operate like a corporation. While this website helped me understand the Fair Trade certification process, and I think the idea of Fair Trade is super important, I wonder if this organization is making money off of the process, and if so, where that money goes. Another organization whose websit e I used as a source was that of the FLO. The FLO is 24 international organizations that set international fair trade standards and support fair trade producers. The site explains how standards for fair trade are set and who sets them. It gives a strong explanation as to what fair trade is and how it can benefit the growing community. There is a timeline about how FLO started and a section on the international Fair Trade label. There is a section that allows you to search for fair trade price and premium minimums, and an updated section on the standards for each certified product. I was sad to find upon searching that many standards in regard to cocoa were pre 2004, and had not been recently updated. 10) This shows me that although Fair Trade is an amazing advance for the cocoa industry, more needs to be done. The price that would allow a living wage for a cocoa farmer has surely changed since 2004, so these organizations need to step it up. Maybe there needs to be a different system set up that allows prices to fluctuate based on inflation and other economic factors. I found the World Cocoa Foundation website to be incredibly helpful as well . There are sections called Who We are and one called What We Do give background on the foundation. Their mission is to, â€Å"†¦promote a sustainable cocoa economy through economic and social development and environmental stewardship in cocoa-growing communities. † What We Do is broken down by region. In the Africa section I learned that 70 percent of the world cocoa supply comes from Africa, 90 percent of which is grown on nearly 2 million family farms consisting of 2 hectares or less of land. The World Cocoa Foundation holds to their mission in many ways, such as training farmers to better manage pests and to diversify crops, improving education at all levels, and teaching about HIV/AIDS and providing health care. Another section called Sustainability Principles and Goals shows more efforts made by the foundation based on specific goals such as Profit, People, and the Planet. A section called Learn About Cocoa breaks down the cocoa commodity chain from harvest, straight on through to the global market. This section taught me that cocoa has to be harvested by hand, and that the beans must ferment before shipping, and reminded me of the process for making that bar of chocolate. There is also a section that addresses efforts to curb child labor. 9) This website shows that there are efforts to help cocoa farmers that don’t just include Fair Trade, and that one can get involved on a deeper level than writing organization or buying Fair Trade certified chocolate if they want to. The site also gave me quite a bit of history and background information about cocoa and chocolate. Conclusion: My research brought to me to many conclusions, and brought up as many questions as it answered. I wonder w ho is on the board of stakeholders for FLO. Does the board that creates fair trade standards for cocoa include cocoa farmers who are more aware of the realities of middle men and harsh conditions, or does it only include CEO’s and other higher level corporate types who are driven by profit and disconnected from the farmers? I also question why the U. S. government sponsored and corporately signed Harkin-Engel Protocol in only a protocol and hasn’t been changed into a law which is more enforceable and holds those who signed it more accountable for their actions. The average consumer has no idea that forced and child labor exists in the chocolate industry or why it does. They may know about fair trade chocolate and have a general idea of what fair trade is, but they often balk at the extra cost, preferring to reach for the $1. 00 Hershey bar or bag of Mamp;M’s. I think that it is so important to make consumers aware of the commodity chain that goes into producing the food we eat. It is important for consumers to know how much the cocoa farmer is getting paid, and what projects are being funded by buying fair trade chocolate. I also think it’s important for consumers to be aware of how their demand for lower cost food is affecting everyone down the commodity chain. I think it is important for the media to continue showing pieces that expose working conditions for farmers in third world countries, and for people to be more curious about their food. In order to find more information, people have to dig deeper, going to media sources that are not big corporate run sources, and hold themselves, their governments, and corporations responsible. It is important to take little steps, which will in turn add up to bigger steps. Becoming informed, demanding fair trade cocoa use from big chocolate manufacturers, buying only fair trade, sustainable chocolate, and getting to know your local farmer so you feel reconnected to the food will eventually add up to a stronger movement towards responsible, fair, and sustainable cocoa and chocolate production. Sources: 1) Chatterjee, Sumana and Raghavan, Sudarsan, â€Å"A Taste of Slavery,† Knight Ridder Newspapers, June 24th, 2001, accessed via http://vision. ucsd. edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/atasteofslavery. html#pa rt1 2) Chayes, Sarah, â€Å"Chocolate and Slavery†, Chocolate Work, hocolatework. com/chocolate-slavery. htm 3) Oved, Marco, Chown, â€Å"Child Labor Still Key Ingredient to Chocolate Industry,† Associated Press, October 8th 2010, accessed via theglobeandmail. com/news/world/africa-mideast/forced-child-labour-still-key-ingredient-to-chocolate-industry-study/article1749279/ 4) hersheys. com/ 5) thehersheycompany. com/ 6) http ://usa. cadbury. com/Pages/Home. aspx 7) transfairusa. org/ 8) http://vision. ucsd. edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/main. html 9) worldcocoafoundation. org/index. html 10) fairtrade. net/

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Metropolitan Growth in Canada 1991-2001 - Essay Example In actual sense, Montreal and Toronto alone received 60% of new incomers into the cities’ demographic structures. In the 1991 census, Toronto and Montreal had a cumulative population of approximately 7 million members. In 1996, the population rose by 6.4% to approximately 7.87 million people. Other cities which accommodated more than 1 million people in 1991, 1996 and 2001 census include Calgary and Edmonton, both in the district of Alberta. In addition, Ottawa, which lies at the south eastern district of Quebec, accommodated approximately 1.2 million people. These urban centers comprise of members deriving their ancestral roots from different ethnic backgrounds. Montreal comprised mainly of European and African immigrants while Toronto and Vancouver accommodates majority of Asian immigrants. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), the ethnic difference of a city’s population plays a significant role in determining the key economic activity adopted by citizens. In this c ase, immigrants from Europe have substantial economic strength and financial capabilities compared to African immigrants. In this case, Europeans in Montreal lives in the inner-city neighborhoods with high social status. On the other hand, African immigrants tend to reside on the outskirt characterized with affordable housings and cheap social amenities. With respect to ethnic and social differences, economic activities and educational achievements influence the population level of incomes; hence the observed employment patterns across the society. However, the general increase in Canada’s urban population influences the rate of employment. The changing patterns on Canada’s population seem to exert substantial influence on the nation’s economic and social aspects. According to the bulletin research article, the observed trends within different cities are playing a role in creating new forms of divides within the society. Simmons and Larry (2003) states that some of the notable trends in social and economic aspect of the society include patterns of employment rate as compared to population growth over a period of ten years. Statistics obtained from census results shows different trends in respective cities, all of which falls under the list of 25 most populated metropolitan areas in Canada. According to Simmons and Larry (2003), emerging differences in economic strengths across the population determines the general welfare of Canadians, especially on aspects like health, living styles and housing environment. Continued degradation of economic patterns may lead to worsening of the general health welfare and society’s well-being. On the other hand, improvement of economic activities, which translates to positive changes in employment patterns, leads to a healthy society with decent and affordable housing. In an effort to objectively determine the relationship between population growth and employment rates, we will acknowledge the stati stical element of correlation coefficient. Prior to appraising its application, we will evaluate the actual change in population and corresponding shifts in employment rates among members of the selected urban areas. As an illustration, statistics shows that in a period of five years, Quebec’s city of St John experienced a 1.28% increase in its population. However, the population increase received a corresponding increase in employment rate by approximately 9 percent. On the other han