Persuasive speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive speech - Essay Example This is indeed true because beauty within any person is difficult to judge since it is hidden deep down inside. On the same token, I believe that beauty could be judged by this person’s actions, behaviors and talks. He or she could be written off as an ugly person if he or she does not know how to talk to people, how to interact with them and how to be considerate towards their issues. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to suggest that beauty must not be looked inside people with an exterior eye alone. It needs to be based on past events, present understanding of matters and how things would shape up within the future. Beauty comprises of all these tangents to be called as beauty in essence. I would like to end my speech by making a point here. Beauty of face and body could vanish with the changing times but it is the inner charisma known as innate value system of which beauty is just a single part that never leaves an individual alone. Beauty is indeed more than skin deep. I would like to thank each one of you present in this august

Jonathan Swift and Piers Paul Read Essay Example for Free

Jonathan Swift and Piers Paul Read Essay Cannibalism is the last taboo. In Alive and A Modest Proposal Jonathan Swift and Piers Paul Read approach the subject with completely different purposes in mind. What do you consider to be the purpose of each author, and say how he achieves this? A Modest Proposal is a scathing attack on the economic oppression of the Irish by the English. During Swifts lifetime tremendous suffering was caused by English practices in Ireland. However, it is incorrect to say that cannibalism is the theme of A Modest Proposal. Swift was a Protestant writer in Ireland at the time of The Great Potato Famine. The article is a clever satirical device to draw attention to the plight of the poor. He infiltrates the opposition, the rich Protestant landlords, in order to put their torturous ideas to ridicule. Swift attacks his own Protestant, English community by creating a narrator who considers himself a reasonable and compassionate character, but one who combines a repulsive anti-Catholic bigotry, with a modest proposal, that is, rather, a final solution: he, the narrator, advocates cannibalism as a means of countering Irish Catholic poverty abortion, and the high birth rate. The narrator, in a frighteningly rational and level-headed tone condemns the English for being inhumane, the Irish for being passive, the speaker for being morally blind, and the reader for accepting intolerable situations in the world around him; for this piece was accepted and believed by many, at the time. On the other hand, Piers Paul Read, in his biographical novel Alive, rather than indirectly giving answers to a problem, asks questions. He tells of the experiences of the survivors of an Andean plane crash in 1976, who, in the remoteness, and the harshness of their environment, the lack of a consumable source of food, and the quickening exhaustion of their own limited amounts of chocolate and wine, have no where to turn except, in their desperation, to eat the meat from their fellow, dead, company. They have only their planes wreckage as shelter, which has come down from 14,000 feet. Both literary pieces, although their purpose, style and audience are different, jolt the reader out of their complacency, and encourage them to think of things they thought werent necessary to be thought about! However, it is necessary to understand that the two texts have been written hundreds of years apart, and society, of course, has evolved. Swift has reached out across the religious and ethnic divide to champion the ignorant, impoverished Irish Catholics. The bigotry of Swifts narrative is so convincing and grotesque, that Swift himself is sometimes mistaken as his narrator, an anti-Catholic bigot! On the contrary, Swifts essay harshly attacks the Christian commitment of Irelands wealthy Protestant absentee landowners, and his unflattering cannibal is made in their image. P. P. Read meanwhile, attacks not the opposition, but gives a balanced and meaningful account of the plane crash and the tales that followed, and examines the human spirit to stay alive, and questions what is civilized and human. Yet, simultaneously, Read, almost in the opposite of Swift, advocates cannibalism. Read turns the views of cannibalism as a taboo on its head. Rather than associating it with savagery and being primitive and irrational, he questions logic, and seems to state that the ban is the primitive thing, that is not based on reason. In one paragraph alone, he writes, we grappled with emotions, and we did not think it wrong twice. While Swift attacks the Landlords by linking their greed to their devouring of the Irish Catholics, and satirizes cannibalism to the extent that it is no longer seen as ironic, only distasteful, Read, using a character Canessa, reasons cannibalism out. He talks of nourishment and energy, and of course, eventually wins his company. Their decision is based on logic and reason, and the ability to use these makes us civilized. Although I do not feel that Swifts narrators views are plausible, Read using a variety of effective techniques, convinces the reader. Swift shows how the English projected their own blame onto their victims- destitute Irish Catholics, that, Swift suggests, have been cannibalized by the rapacious greed of absentee landlords. Swift is hoping to shame them into being more compassionate. However, as what happened when I read it for the first time, because Swift and his narrator are so tightly intertwined, readers often emerge from their reading, confused, perhaps unable to take in the implausibility of his case.

Affirmative Action is Harmful to Society Essay -- Synthesis Essays, Ar

     Ã‚  Ã‚   In the controversial realms of affirmative action, the largest issue staunchly fought over is whether minorities should be given preferential treatment in the workplace and in the schools. One side declares that those in the minority group need and deserve governmental aid so that they will be on equal footing with the majority group. Opponents of affirmative action point out that setting apart groups based on their race or ethnicity is purely racism and can lead to reverse discrimination. I am against affirmative action for the aforementioned reasons, and would not consider such racism as necessary for creating a healthy society, as proponents would insist. It is my belief that affirmative action today is out of date and is inherently harmful to society. Affirmative action supporter Stephen Steinberg, in his essay The Affirmative Action Debate, argued that equality in society is not possible without governmental intervention and aid. He asserts "the problem is stated falsely when it is suggested that we must choose between merit or preference, or between the rights of individuals and the rights of groups, or between a color-blind or color-conscious society" (363). Yet while he said that, he supported the very issues he is adamant against by favoring affirmative action. Earlier in his essay he describes the history of affirmative action in the workplace from equal rights for all, to reaching out to select certain minority groups for employment, and to preferential treatment of minorities (360). Of these three, the only one I can fully and strongly support is the first. When I look at all the aspects of this issue I wonder if we have failed to focus on the correct issue. Affirmative action's purpose claims to be t... ...Society." Ed. Bryan J. Grapes. San Diego: Greenhaven. 2000. 38-46. Gelles, Richard J., and Ann Levine. Sociology: An Introduction. San Francisco: McGraw-Hill College, 1999. Kristol, Irving. "The Tragic Error of Affirmative Action." Wall Street Journal 1 Aug. 1994. Rpt. in Interracial America: Opposing Viewpoints as "Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination." Ed. Bonnie Szumski. San Diego: Greenhaven. 1996. 144-48. Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. San Francisco: Harper, 1974. Steele, Shelby. "Social Evils." The New York Times 13 Mar. 1994. Rpt. in Interracial America: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Bonnie Szumski. San Diego: Greenhaven. 1996. 175. Steinberg, Stephen. "The Affirmative Action Debate." The UNESCO Courier Mar. 1996. Rpt. in Essays from Contemporary Culture. 4th ed. Ed. Katherine Anne Ackley. San Diego: Harcourt. 2001. 359-63.

Reader-oriented Theories and Their Application to Ernest Hemingway’s Hi

Reader-oriented Theories and Their Application to Ernest Hemingway’s Hills like white elephants From the very beginning of the literature people tended to criticize the literary works according to some certain criteria. Some critics claimed that the text itself is important and some other said the author and his style is the thing that should be focused on. Form and content were the other significant elements in the history of the literary criticism. In addition, the social and political influences of the time that the work was written were also considered as important. However the reader who reads the work and his thoughts and his interpretations were not as valuable as the other criteria until late 19th and early 20th century. From then on we come up with a new approach, reader-response. The aim of the present paper is to give some basic tenets of the reader-oriented theories and their application to the work â€Å"Hills like white elephants† by Ernest Hemingway. We can say that Reader-oriented theories have no single or predominant philosophical starting point. There are quite different writers that commented on the reader response and they belong to different traditions of thought. They seriously challenge the predominance of the text-oriented theories of New Criticism and Formalism. As for them it is impossible to talk about the meaning of a text without considering the reader’s contribution to it. We see an interesting explanation about reader-response criticism by Tompkins. She claims that â€Å"reader response criticism is not a conceptually unified critical position, but a term that has come to be associated with the work of critics who use the words reader, the reading process, and response to mark out an area for investig... ...n and fertile part of the country was a symbol of the productive part of the woman and the barren part is the symbol of the man who did not want the baby. And the other readers stated that these two different parts of the land were a reflection of the inner part of the woman. The reason for the man not to want a baby was considered as an obstacle for him to travel. It was observed that the woman readers were supporting the woman in the story and the man readers were supporting the man’s part of the argument... Finally we can say that the discussion in the class and the differences in the interpretations showed us clearly the differences between the perceptions of the readers on the same work. In the lights of the reader-oriented theories one can claim that there is no single truth or meaning derived from the text, the responses will change as the readers change.

Discussion Question on country competitiveness

Country competitiveness Is determined by a multitude of factors that ‘measures and compares the effectiveness of countries In providing firms with an environment that sustains the domestic and International competitiveness of those firms' (Sheehan & Lou: Chi. 5, p. 130). How a countries excel In bringing firms to contribute to the country competitiveness is the result of many factor that are evaluated yearly by the Forum in order to rank almost every country. The report is called Global Competitiveness Index, although it offers over 500 pages; the content is laid out in an orderly fashion and easy to follow.Let's have a look at how these factors/ determinants influence over FAD strategy. Country-Level, Industry-Level, Firm-Level, Individual-Level Factor-driven economies (Institutions, Infrastructure, Macroeconomic environment, Health and primary education) The level of competitiveness contributing to the country success can be well due to Its Institutional competitiveness; the competitive advantages that firms create In result of their operation wealth a specific circle of institutions is the driving capability to succeed in a socioeconomic context.Foreign firms will likely invest more where they know there is a good management of legal, lattice and economic institutions to protect their rights and property. Mature infrastructures facilitate connectivity, thus lessening the distance between territories. Strong network infrastructures interconnected with national market encourage economic development. Transport, communication and telecommunication infrastructure system is what allow entrepreneurs to do their business, quick stream of information increases global economic productivity by allowing businesses to interact and make decisions.Macroeconomic factor alone, even though stable does not Increase the country's competitiveness but a macroeconomic disorder can actively affect the economy. Workers need to be able to rely on good health services to avoid u nnecessary absenteeism. Good health has proven to enable workers to better function. Also, workers who are educated increase their efficiencies at work but are limited to more manual jobs than one where a more elaborate process is involved.Thus, a lack of basic education can also limit the growth off firm's capacity to develop. (Sheehan & Lou, up. 139) Mentioned that countries cannot be competitive on every level. Some of the week area can be mitigated through trade agreement. Paraguay is a known to experience frequent power shortages at peek hour. That may cause a MEN to choose to locate in another country if their productions demand usage of electricity.Efficiency-driven economies (Higher education and training, Goods market efficiency, Labor market efficiency, Financial market development, Technological readiness, Market size) Well-educated and continuous training is fundamental to firm who want attractive for a firm that evolves in the market technology and is always on a learni ng path to react and adapt to the fast pace IT progresses. To be better positioned in the racket, government with a well balanced set of market rules that does not restrict business productivity, but instead encourages foreign MEN to locate in the country.Per instance, restringing rules and heavy administrative paperwork causes delay that can result in missing out opportunities. In finance, there are always uncertainties, but putting all these factors together can provide a fair level of competitiveness. Not mentioned here though is the impediment of the financial economy when dealing with tax rate, interest rate, deficit and public debt in general also depend on how government manages its public accounts. An example would be a decrease in the FAD inflow in the U.S last year compared to the previous ones. Many factors that caused this decreased percentage of foreign investment are explained by Jackson,J. K. (2013) in a report prepared for committee member of Congress. Innovation-dri ven (Business sophistication, Innovation) In order to succeed in that factor, support from private and public sector is essential. For example, program subvention in R& D is often what create a breakthrough in many sectors. Developing countries don't often have the knowledge and the people like scientist to run that program.

Word and Book Passionate Declaration Essays

Word and Book Passionate Declaration Essays Word and Book Passionate Declaration Paper Word and Book Passionate Declaration Paper Howard Zinns book passionate declaration, was very interesting in the first chapter American Ideology he talks about the end result of these instances was many if not all of these inferior people were killed. He also talks about how we favor the rich and neglect the poor and that it should be the other way around that life should be an entirely different way. That because of Reagan many issues came to be, Because of Reagan this country is the way it is! Although we live in a democratic country, The ideas of ethical behaviors that were formulated by our forefathers has condemned us to accept them as right. â€Å"Thus we grow up in a society where our choice of idea is limited and where certain ideas are dominant† which is very much true unless you have money your ideas will never be heard, it’s very rare where someone who is unwealthy is hear amongst millions. The only time you are really heard is where you die a tragic death. In chapter 2; Machiavellian Realism and U. S. Foreign Policy: Means and Ends. Howard zinn talks about, what kind of society we want? And how will we get it? â€Å" The instance of building more nuclear weapons when we already possess more than enough to destroy the world†¦ allowing the police to arrest any person on the street refusing to move on when ordered†¦ and consider how often a parent [usually a father] has said to a son or daughter: its good to have idealistic visions of a better world but your living in the real world, so act accordingly† This have all had an effect one or more times in my life. Some may refer to me as a hippie because I’m all about peace on this world or because I refuse to eat animals such as chickens, cows, goats anything with a heartbeat, but my beliefs are my beliefs. I do believe a world without weapons would be wonderful, a world where I don’t have to walk down the street and a cops going to stop me cause he believes I’m being somewhat â€Å"suspicious†. Of course I would love for this world to speak up and use our words rather that use our weapons or hands to harm one another. You ever see a person get called something and notice how one simple word such as â€Å"ugly† can completely set them off and just then you see this person react in a way that they use their words completely to prove a point on how, the specific word you called or used is in no way or fact them on how they spent all that time to prove one person wrong. I wish the world worked in words. I wish we didn’t have to tell our children that this is the world, so act accordingly. I was one of those children, whose father told them that, and my dreams were crushed instantly, I was 9.

perfect pitch essays

perfect pitch essays Perfect Pitch is the ability to identify any musical note without comparison to a reference note, and is a talent displayed in a small amount of people. What causes it is a question which has attracted a lot of attention lately. Scientists are asking them selves if it is a learned ability or are we given this unique talent through our genes. MRI scans in test have shown an enlarged portion of the brain present in individuals gifted the ability of perfect pitch. Scientists have been extensively surveying and testing musicians and non-musicians alike to place the key to this rare and special gift. A research team from Dsseldorf, Germany believes they have located the physical basis of perfect pitch. The team led b y neurologist Gottfried Schlaug and Helmuth Steinmetz of Dsseldorf Heinrich Heine University report that the planum temporale is far larger on the left side than on the right side in professional musiciansespecially in those who have perfect pitch (Nowak 616). Previous studies have suggested that the left hemispheric activation sites in the brain are seen during phonological, lexical, or semantic language task performance, while the right hemispheric preponderances are found for melodic and pitch perception (Schlaug 699). So Schlaug and his colleagues decided to examine the relative sizes of the left and right planum temporale in musicians brains because previous work has shown that a leftward asymmetry there is associated with mental functions unique to humans, such as language (Blakeslee A16). Steinmetz believes that the neurological basis of music making is likely to be in the planum temporale since music may be an even higher function than language (qtd. Nowak 616). Researches carried out comparisons by means of magnetic resonance imaging, which allowed the researchers to measure the volume of specific brain structures. They compared the images of the brain ...

Free Personal Strengths and Weakness Essay Example

Free Personal Strengths and Weakness Essay Example I believe one of my personal strengths in communication is that I can talk to just about anyone. I enjoy talking with people. In communication, my strength would be that I have the ability to listen as well as respond. I enjoy having conversation with people of different cultures, because it gives me a chance to learn more about their lifestyle. I have learned to communicate well with people, because I am an outgoing person. I communicate better one on one. I have a weakness with communication when it comes to having to speak to a large group of people. I become very nervous, and will sometimes forget what I wanted to say. My weakness in communication is also when I have to speak in front of the class, or in front of a very large group of people I become nervous, because my weakness of thinking that they are more focused on me than on the information that I will be presenting. I work at that weakness by having the personal strength to try to make the presentation enjoyable so that the focus will not be so much on the speaker but the information be presented to the group. I have learned through the years that it is important to stay focused on your strengths and not your weaknesses and to realize that for the most part everybody else is probably just as nervous as I am. I have strength in the fact that I can talk about most subjects very freely. I try to communicate just the point I am trying to make and have the point understandable to those who are listening. Communication for me is easy depending on the topic being discussed. I sometimes have a weakness in the fact that I may be too honest with my answer and do not think before answering. I realize that when you are communicating with people, they really do not want the truth because it hurts and is offensive. I find that it is much easier for me to communicate, when I have knowledge of the conversation being discussed. I am very weak when it comes to starting a conversation and leading the discussion. I will avoid a conversation as much as possible when I have to present the information to be discussed. In communication, I am also weak in the area that I will choose to listen more that participate. I also have a weakness in my non-verbal communication skills. The weakness is that sometimes my body language will give a different answer than what I would have spoken. When I am using non-verbal communication as a point of contact I will point out or agree to something from just listening to the topic being discussed. I focus on my non-verbal communication skills, because I want the non-verbal to be just as understandable as the verbal. My body language must not present a different communication than intended. With non-verbal communication, I try to give more eye contact so that there is no misunderstanding of the communication intended. I find nodding your head helps in non-verbal communication, because a nod can say a lot. In my communication skills, I have learned that if I highlight the strengths. Then the weaknesses would not be so obvious. In having communicated with all different types of people, I once was told that if you stop and think for five seconds before you speak, your communication skills would present themselves in a most intelligent manner. Communication comes somewhat easy for me, because I like to talk, but just talking and not communicating would become a weakness. I try to always have something to communicate to other people that would be beneficial. Whether communicating verbally or non-verbally your actions will for the most part, represent how you are feeling about a particular subject or discussion. When it is possible always, try to communicate verbally and have the person you are communicating with acknowledge that they understand what you are saying. Communication, verbally or non-verbally is a very powerful tool and when you understand your strengths and weaknesses in that area you will be able to communicate much more efficiently with people. When you are communicating, with different types of people you will be able to decide if verbal or non-verbal communication would be the best approach according to their logic and the logic of the situation and surrounding environment. You can order a custom essay, term paper, research paper, thesis or dissertation on Personal Strengths and Weakness topics at our professional custom essay writing service which provides students with custom papers written by highly qualified academic writers. High quality and no plagiarism guarantee! Get professional essay writing help at an affordable cost.

Narritive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narritive - Essay Example Daisy wondered as to why the nurses were so nice to the patients when they were not even related to them and she used to think as to why they worked selflessly to take care of the people living in the nursing home. Daisy was highly inspired by these nurses and she made up her mind to follow a career in nursing. She kept on visiting the old age home and she started spending greater time there. As she spent more time at the nursing home, she realized that the picture of the nursing home that she had developed as a child was not totally a true reflection of the nursing home. The old people living in the nursing home still loved Daisy but she saw the sorrow and the sadness in the eyes of most of them. She did not understand the reason for their unhappiness as she felt that the nursing home was a very joyful place where all the needs of the people were fulfilled. She tried to think over and over again but she could not reach to any conclusion. One day while she was visiting the nursing ho me, she saw a man who had come to visit Jane who was a resident at the nursing home. The man was there with his wife and children and when Daisy questioned the other residents, she found out that he was Jane’s son. Daisy could see the happiness on Jane’s face. But the man and his family had a very stern expression. Daisy hid herself and started listening to them. â€Å"You are here to take me home this weekend with you, right?† The man maintained the same stern expression and said, â€Å"Mother we have guests coming over and we do not have enough space to accommodate you at the same time.† Jane felt helpless and started pleading to her son as she said that it had been months that she had not visited the family home where she had spent her entire life before being moved to the nursing home. Her son did not respond to her requests and finally he left without saying goodbye to Jane. This incident was an eye opener for me. Daisy was shocked and her image of t he nursing home as a beautiful house shattered at once. She understood that were greater depths behind these happy faces and there were many grief’s that they had no one to share with. Daisy became more observant and she started noticing several similar events at the nursing home. There were people, who were visited by their families and were brought gifts for, but there were many others who were not frequently visited and some did not have any guardians coming to see them at all. Daisy started noticing these occurrences and they worked towards maturing her thought process and making her understand the reality of life. Daisy was shocked to see the contrast that existed between the nurses who worked day and night for taking care of the people who were not related to them in any way. On the other hand, there were blood relatives who did not care about the people who brought them up and loved them the most when they were helpless little beings. The incidents at the nursing home taught Daisy the true meaning of good and bad. She understood that this world is a place where different kinds of people live. There are those who value and cherish their relationships whereas there are others who have their own selfish motives and care about themselves and no one else. Daisy remained committed to her career choice of nursing as she wanted to place herself amongst the good people of the society. She wanted to be a helper and a person who would

Management in Apple Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management in Apple - Case Study Example This was a threat to the company in their own country. There is also a negative expression on the company contributed by poor working condition cases at Foxconn. The opportunity for Apple Company is the expected high profit of $321 per iPhones that is an evidence of a global company’s profit. 3. The assertion sounded a bit harsh because as a citizen, the executive would have considered the company’s obligation towards America vital. However, considering the aim of every company of making the profit, the executive was right because the most important thing is growth, quality, and maximum profit. 4. Some of the key stakeholders are Apple Inc., Foxconn, the society and the government who have obligations. The company has an obligation of offering best quality products to their consumers. Foxconn has an obligation of adhering to high-quality work ethics that do not interfere with the Apple’s quality brand. The government has to ensure that Apple adheres to the trade and labor laws put in place. 6. If assembled in China with better labor conditions or pay, I will pay an averagely higher price compared with the current price because there will be an increase in labor cost. However, the lower cost of raw materials in China may make the cost of production not go that high. 7. The negative media coverage has hugely affected Apple’s recent decision to ask the FLA to do an independent assessment and the subsequent decision by Foxconn to raise some salaries because the company is committed to maintaining a brand name and wants to be associated with quality but not failure in the ethical issues.

In What Ways Has Technology Impacted the Way We Train Employees Research Paper

In What Ways Has Technology Impacted the Way We Train Employees - Research Paper Example Training is an integral part of human resources. Recently the human resource industry has adapted to a lot of changes due to the developments in technology. Nowadays human resource managers have to be prepared for organizational transformation and adaptations. Hence the HR function must be capable of guaranteeing the employability of collaborators without compromising the flexibility of the organization. This is due to the fact that people form a part of the organization due to their talents and abilities and not because to their past knowledge. At a certain point of time, when the managers feel that a particular employee is redundant to the organization then they have to leave them in a situation where in an employee can easily incorporate into another work profile or a new job. Human resource management policies must be designed to emphasise more on accepting change and the changing attitudes. In a way these policies are designed to make employees responsible for their own achievem ents. A technical system needs to be developed which helps to facilitate the employees to solve most problems related to their job themselves and without the intervention of higher hierarchical levels. In the human resource field, this idea needs to be incorporated as technology can make it possible for employees to manage their own database, update and access it directly, get online training, performance assessment, transfer or any other miscellaneous official matters which affects the employee. This idea is known as employee self – service. In order to facilitate the successful implementation of this idea, certain technological development needs to be made. Chief among this is the existence of intranet. This is a tool which facilitates collaboration and communication in the organization. It helps to streamline processes and provide updated information to the staff with updated information. This is a useful tool as it makes possible to reach employees working in the same fir m but whose work place may be located across the globe. Training modules can be updated on the intranet and the human resource can update and impart online training to overseas as well as domestic employees. (Gasco, Llopis & Gonzalez, 2004). Nowadays a lot of organizations are leveraging technology to create virtual teams which can work at the same time from difference places by using video conferencing, e – mails, teleconferencing and instant messages. The same tool has been incorporated by the human resource to provide virtual training to employees. A human resource leader may impart training to various employees located at different places at the same time by using any of the above mentioned tools. However an important challenge lies in using and identifying the proper technology suited to meet the purpose. Especially in case of online training it is recommended that one selects the right method to impart online training. This is especially because this kind of training do es not allow any scope for face – to – face interaction. Hence, the trainer must choose the proper medium of training which will facilitate the trainees to clear doubts online. Also the trainer should see that the technology selected for this purpose is user friendly. In other words, the trainees and the trainer should have expert knowledge on the kind of technology used for the training to

How Symbolism art influenced on Debussy's music Essay

How Symbolism art influenced on Debussy's music - Essay Example Having had a number of romantic affairs which caused turbulence in his life reflected upon his creations and further dissatisfactions with original style led Debussy to adapt ‘symbolism’ or that which pertains to transitional period between late-Romantic and modernist music of the 20th century. Apparently, symbolism is not only confined to the definition of musical style, rather a movement which brought immense inspiration for Debussy to modify his compositions according to a ‘symbolist’ principle. In effect, symbolism became a culture that emerged for him to have profound involvement with and his choices of ‘libretti’ texts and themes had been derived almost exclusively from the symbolist canon. Among the distinguished artists of the period who bore ample aesthetic impact on Debussy’s masterpieces were Edgar Allan Poe, Stephane Mallarme, and James McNeill Whistler. Through them, Debussy managed to effectively utilized dissonant harmonies to evoke specific moods and images such as in the manner he composed the world-renowned ‘Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune’ which was chiefly inspired by Mallarme’s poem ‘Afternoon of a Faun’.

Crude Oil Transport System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Crude Oil Transport System - Essay Example Size is not everything, so the physical character of bulk goods is not the only factor that controls how it is transported. Whilst both definitions describe identical goods and commodities (crude oil, grain, iron ore, coal, automobiles), the first focuses on how these are handled and transported, and the second highlights the economic goal of bringing down costs with properly designed systems that transport the goods from the source to its destination. Bulk goods can be reclassified (Stopford, 1997) according to their physical state, liquid (crude oil) or dry (major bulks like iron ore, minor bulks like forest products), or how they are handled (liquid, homogeneous, unit load, wheeled, and refrigerated). This definition closely associates bulk goods with the type of ship used to transport them. The second definition (economics) considers sea transport and handling of bulk goods as only one part of the transport system supply chain that extends from the extraction of the raw materials, their storage before, during, and after sea transport, and delivery to a location for processing (as in a crude oil refinery) or sale (to other buyers of crude oil). This paper focuses on the Crude Oil Transport System for three reasons the author finds interesting: first, amongst all the bulk goods, international trade in crude oil is the largest in terms of volume, value, and shipping capacity; second, the global transport system is entirely dependent on the crude oil transport system (Greene, 2005); and third, crude oil has unique economic, social, and political factors worth discussing. Â  

How Symbolism art influenced on Debussy's music Essay

How Symbolism art influenced on Debussy's music - Essay Example Having had a number of romantic affairs which caused turbulence in his life reflected upon his creations and further dissatisfactions with original style led Debussy to adapt ‘symbolism’ or that which pertains to transitional period between late-Romantic and modernist music of the 20th century. Apparently, symbolism is not only confined to the definition of musical style, rather a movement which brought immense inspiration for Debussy to modify his compositions according to a ‘symbolist’ principle. In effect, symbolism became a culture that emerged for him to have profound involvement with and his choices of ‘libretti’ texts and themes had been derived almost exclusively from the symbolist canon. Among the distinguished artists of the period who bore ample aesthetic impact on Debussy’s masterpieces were Edgar Allan Poe, Stephane Mallarme, and James McNeill Whistler. Through them, Debussy managed to effectively utilized dissonant harmonies to evoke specific moods and images such as in the manner he composed the world-renowned ‘Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune’ which was chiefly inspired by Mallarme’s poem ‘Afternoon of a Faun’.

Creating an Emergency Response Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Creating an Emergency Response Plan - Essay Example In any case, the wildfire is able to reach the factory the engineers of the factory are aware of the extent of damage it would cause and even the potential threat it would pose to the employees, and the community living nearby the factory. Therefore, the office of the factory engineer will be in-charge of implementing this emergency response plan and the maintenance department will play a supporting role because in normal circumstances the factory engineer devises plans, which are forwarded to the maintenance department where other junior engineers and technicians can implement the plan (Fema, 2008). One of the steps the engineer could take is to create a barrier surrounding the factory, which will prevent fire from spreading into the factory. This would be achieved by cutting all the grass within 10 meters from the wall and making a pavement around the wall, additionally, grass will be cut down inside the factory compound. Secondly, the factory engineer will select strategic locations where water taps will be placed within the compound in order to help put off fire in case the fire is able to reach the compound. Thirdly, plan would involve putting fire extinguishers within strategic locations inside the factory and ensuing there are no leakages of any toxic chemical. Lastly, the plan will also involve both departments (engineering and maintenance) training the factory staff about fire safety measures. FEMA. (2008). Producing emergency plans: A guide for all-hazard emergency operations planning for state, territorial, local, and tribal governments (CPG-101). Retrieved from http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/docs/cgo/Week%203%20- %20Producing%20Emergency%20Plans.pdf Accessed on

The Stranger Literary Responce Essay Example for Free

The Stranger Literary Responce Essay In a modern society people are often quick to judge others for being indifferent and making bad choices that they overlook the similarities between themselves and the person(s) being accused. A quote states, â€Å"The society Meursault lives in is as indifferent, as insensitive, and as moral as Meursault himself.† I agree with this quote because in the novel â€Å"The Stranger† by Albert Camus, Meursault plays a role in indirectly showing the reader through his natural actions of stoicism in his personality how society is not much different, indifferent. Meursalt acts as a mirror to society revealing in for how it truly is un-thoughtful and insensitive. The major points that have been often reoccurring throughout the novel are how indifferent and amoral Meursault is when it is shown that the society is in no form any better or more just. Throughout the novel Meursault is constantly displayed as a stoic individual who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining. Meursault’s character is often brought into question by those who contact and observe him. It is introduced to the reader at the very beginning of the novel that his mother, â€Å"Maman† had died and that his demeanor was unmoved. Meursault mentions how he can only register physical necessities of life meaning that he is emotionally detached which leads to his own demise. However, society views Meursalt as a terrible person because it is generally unnatural for a man, more less a human being to feel or express little to no remorse for their mother dying. Arguably Meursault is a cold hearted killer who would easily murder someone without any hesitation and no sense of remorse, using the fact that he killed an Arab to back this claim. However, he is not as cruel as society is. First off, the society does not treat Meursault with an equal respect or a caring attitude. Though Meursault has committed murder and was charged for insensitivity the society in The Stranger overlooks everything else basically including Meursault himself as other offenses are belittled will Meurault is almost automatically sentenced to death.

Disinfectants Used Within Microbiology Laboratory

Disinfectants Used Within Microbiology Laboratory The purpose for this literature review was to examine the literature currently available to the general public on the application of a range of disinfectants used within a microbiology laboratory in both the public e.g. hospital laboratories and the private sector e.g. university laboratories. This literature review was carried out on the effectiveness of disinfectants so that previous and current knowledge on the use of these disinfectants can be analysed. This will help give an insight into the subject area and help with the preparation and production of the final report based on the research being carried during the literature review and research project. The main purpose of the research project being conducted was to compare the effectiveness of a variety of disinfectants especially Trigene which has been endorsed for use in the microbiology laboratories of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board and that of Virkon which is currently used by the microbiology laboratory at the University of the West of Scotland. The literature examined showed that the disinfectants used in clinical laboratories and any other area where microorganisms can cause a problem with cross-contamination, should be evaluated for their effectiveness against the range of organisms which might be encountered. It is an important requirement that the disinfectants being used are able to inhibit or kill the microorganisms quickly and by using the lowest concentration available. (Isenberg, 1985) A study conducted by Kasthjerg et al (2010) which looked at the effects of a range of disinfectants on the expression of virulence genes present in the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. This study showed that effects on the virulence gene in the bacterium could be linked to the chemicals found in the disinfectant with some causing an inhibition of the gene while others showed an induction of the gene Disinfectants A disinfectant is a chemical which is widely used to eradicate a variety of microorganisms that are currently found in the samples received into a laboratory or are currently used within an educational setting for the teaching of microbiology to students. Disinfectants can have any of the following chemicals as their main active ingredient: halogenated tertiary amines, chlorine containing compounds, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds and peroxygens. (Tyski et al, 2009) Thus the disinfectants can be divided into groups relating to the chemical present as the active ingredient and these groups will be discussed later in the report. It is important that certain criteria are met when classifying a chemical as a disinfectant, these include:- That the chemical components of the disinfectant will not have an adverse effect on the health of the user and if any health issue is realised then appropriate action can be taken to remove this risk i.e. use PPE such as gloves or respiratory mask. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) It. is also important that the disinfectant has the ability to render inactive or kill a wide range of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria and fungi. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) It is also important that a disinfectant does not have an adverse effect when used on equipment. The research conducted by Kim, Ryu Beuchat, (2007) showed that the effectiveness of certain disinfectants can be diminished when they are in contact with biofilm surfaces. It is currently thought that there is very little resistance to the disinfectants used due to the presence of a variety of chemicals considered to have an antimicrobial effect in each disinfectant. (Kasthjerg et al, 2010) Efficiency testing of disinfectants has been around for roughly 50 60 years ago. (Werner, 2007) In more recent years a working group was set up which set Standards which govern the microbial activity testing of chemicals used as antiseptics and disinfectants. (Werner, 2007: Tyski, S., et al, 2009) The introduction of these standards has allowed the efficiency tests to become more quantitative and produce lower margin of error. (Werner, 2007) Peroxygen This group of disinfectants consists of chemical disinfectants which contain the chemical peroxygen and includes Virkon which is one of the disinfectants which will be evaluated during the research project being carried out. Virkon is available as a powder and is diluted for use by dissolving it in distilled water to give the required concentration. Virkons method of action is through the combination of the chemicals chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and paraoxymonosulphate. (Alegente, G., et al, n.d.) These chemicals act by oxidation of the plasma membranes of microbial organelles. The effects of peroxygen disinfectants was investigated by a study conducted by Quilez et al, (2005) to discover what concentration of the disinfectant and time required for the disinfectant to be most effective when dealing with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. The literature review conducted by Severs Lamontagne, (2002) indicated that there was only a moderate risk of irritation to the user when the Virkon is in powder form. The Virkon may induce coughing, chocking or wheezing if inhaled while preparing the diluted disinfectant. However, when the powder has been diluted into a liquid form it is thought to cause no harm to the users skin or eyes. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) As the suggested research to be conducted is related to the efficiency of disinfectants then it was important to review current literature which gives an indication of the effectiveness on a range of microorganisms. From the literature it was shown that Virkon is effective when used as indicated against a wide range of microorganisms including Gram positive and gram negative bacteria, viruses, fungi and spore forming bacteria. The study conducted by (Severs Lamontagne 2002) showed that these organisms were inactivated using a 1% solution of Virkon. A study conducted by Gaparini et al, (1992) showed that Virkon was effective when used against spores which had been cultivated onto nutrient agar. This study also indicated that the effects of Virkon were quick acting; this could be attributed to the high concentration coefficient of the disinfectant. Group 2 Halogenated Tertiary Amine This type of disinfectant is considered broad spectrum and biodegradable and is generally found in combination with detergents. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005). The halogenated Tertiary Amine group of disinfectants includes Trigene on which part of the research project is based. Trigene is available as a concentrated liquid or as a manufacturer diluted liquid. (Trigene Company) Trigene is also available in sachets which have been approved for use on submarines used by the Armed forces in the UK. (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) The findings of the study by Severs Lamontagne, (2002) showed that as with Virkon the use of Trigene was effective at rendering inactive viruses, bacteria and fungi when used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Health and safety tests were carried out on Trigene and the results have shown that the disinfectant poses a low risk to the users if accidently inhaled or ingested and there are no known health hazards with the use of Trigene. (MediChem international) Quaternary ammonium compounds This group of disinfectants is considered to be effective against most bacteria strains; however they are ineffective against viruses, bacteria which form spores and Mycobacterium. It is likely that this would not be an efficient disinfectant to be used within a clinical or university microbiology laboratory due to the risk of receiving samples containing spore forming bacteria, Mycobacterium species. The disinfectant can become inactivated by a low PH or the presence of organic material. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005) The mode of action for members of this group of disinfectants is that they damage the cell membrane which will result in cell leakage. (Ioannou et al, 2007) This study also showed that an increase in temperature increased the time taken to eradicate the bacterium. The study done by, Kim, Ryu Beuchat, (2007) showed that the efficiency of the disinfectant could be linked to the chemical structure of the Benzylalkonmium chlorides hydrophobic alkyl chain. It also showed that the presence of organic material (infant formula) can decrease the efficiency of the disinfectant. Hypochlorite and other chlorine-releasing agents This is a disinfectant which contains chlorine as its active ingredient, and an example of this disinfectant is Milton which is currently used to sterilise baby utensils. It is considered a broad spectrum disinfectant as it can inactivate or kill a range of bacteria and viruses. However, it is considered less effective against bacterial spores. As with the quaternary ammonium compounds this group of disinfectants has been shown to be inactivated by organic material and has to be prepared daily, this is due to the instability of the chemicals caused by concentration and temperatures at which the disinfectant is stored. (Health and Safety Executive, 2005) The hypochlorite disinfectant is provided in the form of Sodium Hypochlorite and it is commonly used within a clinical laboratory especially for the cleaning of equipment when recommended by the manufacture. Phenolic This group includes the disinfectant Hibetine which is currently used at the University of Glasgow and the active chemical is phenol. It has been shown to be a broad spectrum disinfectant which is effective against certain bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and some viruses, although shows no action against bacterial spores. The disinfectant is used with a combination of the phenolic chemical and a detergent. The advantages of using this type of disinfectant is that it is considered stable in undiluted form and organic material does not appear to have the same negative effect on the efficiency of the disinfectant as has been observed in other disinfectants.. Microorganisms an introduction The main purpose of conducting the research project was to observe the efficiency of disinfectants when used against a range of microorganisms. The microorganisms to be investigated include a Gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, a spore forming bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and a yeast e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The study conducted by Tyski, S., et al, (2009) used microorganisms which could easily be isolated from hospitals. The study carried out by Ioannou et al, (2007) suggests that a common feature of bacteria especially staphylococcus aureus can acquire a plasmid which contains genes which will allow the bacteria to become resistant to certain antimicrobials. The literature search carried out showed that the organisms which are commonly used in research to show the efficiency of disinfectants are commonly isolated from hospital patient samples. (Gasparini, et al, 1992) Gram negative bacteria Gram positive bacteria Yeast Sporing bacteria The use of disinfectants in combating the spread of infections from bacterial spores from organisms such as C. parvum, Bacillus anthraxis, Clostridium difficile and bacillus cereus is important as these are the most difficult of all microorganisms to eradicate. (Quilez et al, 2005) Discussion The literature reviewed has shown that disinfectants are an important part of the working environment of a laboratory as it is essential that the disinfectant has the ability to inactivate or destroy a wide range of microorganisms. The study by (Severs Lamontagne, 2002) showed that both Virkon and Trigene could be classed as efficient and broad spectrum disinfectants as they both killed a variety of microorganisms ranging from viruses (both enveloped and non-enveloped) to fungi and bacteria including spore forming species. The study by Kasthjerg et al, (2010) deduced that the disinfectants which contained the peroxygen and chloride compounds decreased the virulence gene expression; however, the disinfectants containing the quaternary ammonium compounds encouraged the expression of the virulence gene. Conclusion The study conducted by Severs and Lamontagne, (2002) suggested that Both Virkon and Trigene were effective at eliminating the bacteria which could poses a health risk to divers but they felt that as the Virkon product had managed to eradicate more bacterial and viral strains than Trigene and that these effects were produced quicker with Virkon so the conclusion was that this product (Virkon) should be considered a better disinfectant and be recommended for use by divers.

Comparing the Living Dead in James Joyces The Dead and Dubliners Essay

Dubliners and The Living Dead      Ã‚  Ã‚   In his work "The Dead," James Joyce utilizes his character Michael Furey, Gretta Conroy's deceased love from her youth, as an apparent symbol of how the dead have a steadfast and continuous power over the living.   The dominant power which Michael maintains over the protagonist, Gabriel Conroy, is that Gabriel is faced with the intense question of whether his wife, Gretta Conroy, loves him and whether he honestly loves her.   Joyce provides substantial information to persuade one to believe that Gabriel does truly love his wife.   Even though it is made evident to the reader that Gabriel possesses such devotion and adoration for Gretta, Michael diverts Gabriel's confidence in his love, causing Gabriel to come to terms with his understanding that his life is not as Gabriel once thought it to be.   Through this process of misleading realization, Gabriel has allowed himself to become one of the many living dead of his community in Dublin.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   During the taxi ride from his aunts' party to their hotel, Gabriel reminisces about his and Gretta's lives together.   Joyce enforces the passion of Gabriel's thoughts, "Moments of their secret life together burst like stars on his memory" (Joyce 173).   Joyce continues to fill his readers thoughts with examples of the Conroy's wonderful life: "He had felt proud and happy then, happy that she was his proud of her grace and wifely carriage... after the kindling again of so many memories, the first touch of her body, musical and strange and perfumed, sent through him a keen pang of lust" (Joyce 175).   Gabriel seizes Gretta in a passionate embrace and inquires into her thoughts.   Gretta hesitates at first then proceeds to explain the tragic tale... ...ased to consider themselves irrelevant as living beings.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Gabriel Conroy, through his self-righteous concern for others, has created an internal paralysis.   Because Gabriel dwells on events in the past he is unable to move forward in his life with satisfaction.   Although Gabriel indisputably loves his wife, the elusive curse created by Michael Furey's inconsequential existence, long before he and Gretta were involved, has instigated unruly thoughts on Gabriel's behalf.   This vague and malicious being breaks down Gabriel's ego; he questions the validity of his and Gretta's love for one another and the significance of his own life.   These thought processes cause Gabriel to believe himself better off dead rather than alive, banishing him to a life of eternal discontent.    Works Cited Joyce, James. Dubliners. New York: Bantam Books, 1990.

The Persons Responsible for Health and Safety in the Workplace Essay

The Persons Responsible for Health and Safety in the Workplace Identify the persons responsible for health and safety in the workplace. Roles are Responsibilities of Employers. Every employer should ensure, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. Bellow are the areas the employer should protect the employees from, without prejudice: * To provide and maintain areas of work that are, safe and without risks to health; * To ensure, minimal risk when, handling and transporting objects; * To provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure, the health and safety of their employees at work; * And to insure the place of work is maintained in a condition that is safe. Every employer needs to prepare and keep an up-to-date written statement of health and safety at work. They should also make sure all employees note the statement and, any revision of it. Roles are Responsibilities of Employees. Every employee while at work shall: * Take care for the health and safety of them self and of other persons who may be affected by their acts or actions at work; and * Co-operate with their employer or any other person in charge, to see that the requirement to be performed are meet with. Roles and Responsibilities of Management. The management’s main responsibility is to ensure the health and safety of workers and to reduce risks caused by work activities, to employees ...

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8

Paige was all smiles when I went in for the early shift the next day. â€Å"Nice work with Seth Mortensen,† she told me, glancing up from the neatly stacked paperwork on her desk. The desk Doug and I shared in the store's back offices tended to look like an apocalyptic war zone. â€Å"How so?† â€Å"In convincing him to write here.† I blinked. With our assorted U District and Krystal Starz adventures, I'd never said a word about him becoming our resident writer. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"I saw him upstairs in the cafe just now. He said he had a great time yesterday.† I left her office, baffled, wondering if I'd missed something from yesterday. It hadn't seemed like that stellar of an outing, but I supposed he felt pleased and grateful over the discounted books. Had anything else notable happened? Unbidden, the memory of touching Seth's hand suddenly rushed back to me, the odd shockwave of familiarity it had sent through me. No, I decided, that had been nothing. I had imagined the moment. I went up to the cafe for a mocha, still puzzled. Sure enough, Seth sat in a corner, laptop spread out on the table in front of him. He looked much the same as yesterday, save that his shirt today sported Beeker from the Muppets. His fingers moved furiously along the keys, his eyes locked on the screen. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"Hey.† He offered no more. He didn't even look up. â€Å"Are you working?† â€Å"Yes.† I waited for elaboration, but it never came. So I kept going. â€Å"So, um, Paige told me you're moving here.† He didn't answer. I didn't even know if he'd heard me. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes sharpening. â€Å"Ever been to Texas?† That took me by surprise. â€Å"Sure. Which part?† â€Å"Austin. I need to know what the weather's like there.† â€Å"When? This time of year?† â€Å"No†¦ more like spring or early summer.† I racked my brain. â€Å"Hot. Rain and storms. Some humidity. The edge of tornado alley, you know?† â€Å"Ah.† Seth turned thoughtful, then nodded smartly and returned his attention back down. † Cady'll love that. Thanks.† It took me a moment to realize he meant one of his characters. Nina Cady's dislike of inclement weather was notorious. My stomach suddenly dropped out of me and hit the floor. It was a wonder he didn't hear the thud. â€Å"Are you†¦ are you†¦ writing something with Cady and O'Neill? Right now?† â€Å"Yeah.† He spoke very casually, like we were still discussing weather. â€Å"Next book. Well, next-next book. The next one's already queued up for publishing. I'm about a quarter through this one.† I stared in awe at the laptop, like it was a divine golden idol from days of old, capable of performing miracles. Providing rain. Feeding the masses. Now I felt speechless. That the next masterpiece was being created right in front of me, that I might say something that could influence it was too much to bear. I swallowed heavily and dragged my eyes away from it, forcing calm. After all, I could hardly be excited about another installment when I had yet to read the current one. â€Å"A Cady and O'Neill book. Wow. That's really – â€Å" â€Å"Um, so, I'm kind of busy here. I've got to run with this right now. Sorry.† The words stopped me cold. â€Å"What?† Was I being dismissed? â€Å"Can we talk later?† I was being dismissed. I was being dismissed without even being looked at. Heat flushed my cheeks. â€Å"What about my book?† I blurted out ungracefully. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"The Glasgow Pact. Did you sign it?† â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"I'll send you e-mail.† â€Å"You'll send me – so you don't have my book?† Seth shook his head and kept working. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† I didn't understand the e-mail bit but wasn't going to waste my time begging for his attention. â€Å"Well. I'll see you later then. Let us know if you need anything.† My voice was stiff and cold, but I doubted he even noticed. I tried not to storm downstairs. Where did he get off acting like that? Especially after I'd shown him around yesterday. Famous author or no, he didn't have the right to be a jerk to me. I felt humiliated. Humiliated over what, being ignored? chided a reasonable voice inside me. It's not like he made a scene. He was just busy. After all, you were the one complaining he didn't write fast enough. I ignored the voice and went back to work, still feeling put-out. Business didn't allow me to nurture my wounded ego for long, however, as the afternoon and lack of staff ensured I stayed busy on the floor. The next time I managed to return to my office, it was only to grab my purse at the end of my shift. As I was about to walk out, I saw a message from Seth in my e-mail's inbox. I moved to the computer and read. Georgina, Have you ever paid much attention to real estate agents – the way they dress, the kinds of cars they drive? Truth is stranger than fiction, as they say. Last night, I expressed interest in living in the University District to my brother, and he called up this real estate agent friend of his. She arrived in something like two minutes flat, no small feat I guess, since her office is in West Seattle. She pulled up in a Jaguar, whose shiny whiteness was rivaled only by the day-glow white of her Miss America smile. While gushing nonstop about how exciting it was to have me here, she hacked away at a computer, searching for appropriate residences, typing with nails long enough to impale small children on. (See? I remembered how much you liked the word â€Å"impale.†) Each time she found a place that might work, she'd get really excited: â€Å"Yes – yes. Oh yes! This is it! This is it! Yes! Yes!† I confess, by the time it was through, I felt kind of sleazy and exhausted, like maybe I should have tossed some cash on the pillow or something. Her theatrics aside, we did end up finding a nice condo not too far from campus, brand new. It was as pricey as you insinuated, but I think it's exactly what I want. Mistee – yes, that's her name – and I are going to look at it later tonight. I'm kind of afraid to see her reaction if I bid on the place. No doubt the thought of the commission will lead straight to multiple orgasms. (And to think, I always thought missionary position was what inhibited women from true fulfillment.) Anyway, I just wanted to give you the update since you were the one who first showed me the U District. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk earlier; I would have liked to pick your brain about restaurants over there. I still don't know the area that well, and my brother and sister-in-law are too busy with their suburban life to recommend any restaurants that don't serve children's meals. Well, I guess I should get back to writing, so I can afford said new lodging. Cady and O'Neill are impatient mistresses – er, that is, an impatient mistress and master – as you observed earlier. Speaking of which, I haven't forgotten about your copy of The Glasgow Pact. I intended to write something semi-original in it last night, after our nice day together, but the real estate vortex caught me up. My apologies. I'll bring it to you soon. Later, Seth I reread the letter twice. I felt pretty confident that in the short span I'd known Seth, I'd never heard him utter aloud as many words as he'd just written. Not only that, they were funny words. Entertaining words. Like a mini Cady and O'Neill novel, addressed just to me. A far cry from his halting attitude this morning. If he'd said anything remotely comparable in person, I probably would have passed out. â€Å"Incredible,† I muttered to my screen. Part of me felt mollified by the letter, though another part felt he still could have been a bit more tactful in his earlier treatment, busy or no. The rest of me pointed out that all of these â€Å"parts of me† probably should be in therapy, and besides, I really needed to leave and go see Erik about the vampire hunter thing. I quickly sent back a response: Thanks for the letter. I suppose I'll make it another day without the book. Good luck with the real estate agent, and be sure to wear a condom when you make an offer. Other good places to eat in that area are Han & Sons, the Plum Tomato Cafe, and Lotus Chinese. – Georgina I left the store, promptly forgetting about Seth, happy there'd be no traffic this early in the day. Driving up to Lake City, I easily found the intersection the girl at Krystal Starz had indicated. Locating the store itself proved more of a challenge. Strip malls and assorted businesses packed the area, and I read through myriad billboards and storefronts in the hopes of finding something promising. Finally, I spotted a small, dark sign tucked away in the corner of a less-frequented cluster of stores, arcana, ltd. That had to be it. I parked in front, hoping it was actually open. No one had posted hours or anything on the door, but it gave way without resistance when I pushed on it. Sandalwood incense burned in the air around me as I entered, and faint harp music played from a small CD player set up on the counter. I couldn't see anyone else in the room, and so I wandered around, admiring the sights. Real books on mythology and religion – not the flashy fluff Krystal Starz sold – lined the walls, and carefully arranged display cases held handcrafted jewelry I recognized from a few different local artists. Assorted ritual items – candles, incense, and statuary – filled in the nooks and crannies, giving the whole place a sort of jumbled, pleasantly lived-in feel. â€Å"Miss Kincaid. It is an honor to see you again.† I spun around from where I had been admiring a White Tara statue. Erik walked into the room, and I reined in my surprise at his appearance. When had he grown so old? He had been old the last time I saw him – dark skin wrinkled, hair gone gray – but I did not remember the slight stoop in his walk, or the hollowed look around his eyes. I tried to remember the last time we'd talked; I hadn't thought it'd been that long. Five years? Ten? With mortals, it was easy to lose track. â€Å"It's good to see you too. You aren't easy to find anymore. I had to go poking around Krystal Starz to figure out what happened to you.† â€Å"Ah. I hope the experience wasn't too†¦ awkward.† â€Å"Nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, I'm glad you got out of there.† I looked around at the cluttered, dimly lit shop. â€Å"I like this new place.† â€Å"It's not much – doesn't bring in much either – but it's mine. It's what I've been saving for, where I'll spend my last years.† I grimaced. â€Å"Don't turn melodramatic on me now. You aren't that old.† His smile broadened, his expression turning slightly wry. â€Å"Neither are you, Miss Kincaid. Indeed, you are as beautiful as the first time I saw you.† He gave me a slight bow, bending lower than someone with his back probably should have. â€Å"How may I be of service?† â€Å"I need information.† â€Å"Of course.† He gestured to a small table near the main counter, currently covered with books and an elaborate candle holder. â€Å"Sit and have tea with me, and we'll talk. Unless you are in a hurry?† â€Å"No, I have time.† While Erik fetched the tea, I cleared off the table, setting books in neat stacks on the floor. When he returned with the teapot, we made small talk and sipped our drinks for a bit, but my mind really wasn't into it. My restlessness must have come through loud and clear as my fingers danced along the cup's edge and my toe tapped impatiently. Finally, I broached my topic. â€Å"I need to know about vampire hunters.† For most other people, this would have been a weird request, but Erik only nodded expectantly. â€Å"What in particular would you like to know?† â€Å"Anything. Their habits, how to recognize them. Whatever you've got.† He leaned back in his chair, holding the cup delicately. â€Å"My understanding is that vampire hunters are born, not made. They are ‘gifted,' so to speak, with the ability to kill vampires.† He proceeded to relate several other details, most of which matched up with what I'd learned from Peter. Pondering what Cody had said, about the sense of being followed by someone he could not see, I asked, â€Å"Do they have any other special abilities that you know of? Can they go invisible?† â€Å"Not that I know of. Some immortal beings can, of course, but not vampire hunters. They're still just mortals, after all, despite their odd talents.† I nodded, being one such creature who could turn invisible, though I rarely used the power. I toyed with the thought that Cody's phantom might have been an invisible immortal, trying to play a trick, but he still should have sensed the telltale signature we all carried. Indeed, he should have sensed a mortal vampire hunter as well. The fact that he had neither seen nor felt anything lent credence to Peter's theory that the stalker had all been in Cody's head. â€Å"Can vampire hunters harm anyone else? Demons†¦ or other immortal creatures?† â€Å"It's very hard to do anything tangible to an immortal,† he mused. â€Å"Certain denizens of good – powerful priests, for example – can drive off demons, but they can't harm them permanently. Likewise, I've heard of mortals capturing supernatural creatures, but doing much more than that†¦ I'm not saying it's impossible, just that I've never heard of it. To my offhand knowledge, vampire hunters can only harm vampires. Nothing else.† â€Å"I value your offhand knowledge more than most confirmed facts.† He eyed me curiously. â€Å"But this isn't the answer you were expecting.† â€Å"I don't know. It's pretty much what I've already been told. I was just thinking there might be more.† It was entirely possible that Jerome had been telling the truth, that this was merely a case of a rampant vampire hunter and that his warnings to Hugh and me had been simple courtesies to protect us from discomfort. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that Jerome had held back information, nor did I really believe Cody to be the kind of person who imagined things. I must have looked perplexed because Erik offered, somewhat hesitantly it seemed, â€Å"I could look into this more for you, if you'd like. Just because I've never heard of something capable of harming other immortals doesn't mean it's out of the realm of existence.† I nodded. â€Å"I'd appreciate that. Thank you.† â€Å"It's a privilege to be of assistance to someone like you. And if you like, I could also make other inquiries into vampire hunters in general.† He paused again, choosing his words carefully. â€Å"Were such a person to be at large, certain signs would show up in the local occult community. Supplies would be bought, questions asked. Such beings do not go unnoticed.† Now I hesitated. Jerome had told us to be careful. I had the feeling he wouldn't appreciate any vigilante work, though speaking with Erik now probably counted as exactly that. Surely it wouldn't matter if I sent out my own feelers. Gathering information was not the same as me personally going out to find this person. â€Å"I'd appreciate that as well. Anything you could find out would be useful.† I finished the last of my tea and set the empty cup down. â€Å"I should probably leave now.† He rose with me. â€Å"Thank you for having tea with me.. Being with a woman like you is generally the sort of thing that only happens in a man's dreams.† I laughed gently at the veiled joke, referencing the old story of succubi visiting men in their sleep. â€Å"Your dreams are safe, Erik.† He returned my smile. â€Å"Come back in a few days, and I'll tell you what I've learned. We'll have tea again.† Glancing around at the empty store, thinking how no customers had shown up during our visit, I suddenly felt the need to give him some business. â€Å"Let me buy some of that tea before I go.† He gave me an indulgent look, his dark brown eyes amused like he knew the game I played. â€Å"I always took you for more of a black tea advocate – or at least an admirer of caffeine.† â€Å"Hey, even I like to shake things up once in a while. Besides, it was good†¦ in an herbal, decaffeinated sort of way.† â€Å"I'll pass your compliments on to my friend. She makes the blends, and I sell them for her.† â€Å"A lady friend, huh?† â€Å"Just a friend, Miss Kincaid.† He walked over to a shelf behind the register where several varieties of tea lay. Approaching the counter to pay, I admired some of the jewelry under its glass. One piece in particular caught my eye, a three-stranded choker of peach-colored, freshwater pearls, occasionally intermixed with copper beads or pieces of sea green glass. An ankh made of copper hung as its centerpiece. â€Å"Is this from another of your local artisans?† â€Å"An old friend in Tacoma made it.† Erik reached into the case and took the choker out for me, laying it on the counter. I ran my hands over the fine, smooth pearls, each one slightly irregular in shape. â€Å"He mixed some Egyptian influence in with it, I think, but he wanted to sort of invoke the spirit of Aphrodite and the sea, create something the ancient priestesses might have worn.† â€Å"They wore nothing so fine,† I murmured, turning over the necklace, noting the high price on its tag. I found myself speaking without conscious thought. â€Å"And many of the ancient Greek cities did have Egyptian influence. Ankhs appeared on Cyprian coins, as did Aphrodite.† Touching the copper of the ankh reminded me of another necklace, a necklace long since lost under the dust of time. That necklace had been simpler: only a string of beads etched with tiny ankhs. But my husband had brought it to me the morning of our wedding, sneaking up to our house just after dawn in a gesture uncharacteristically bold for him. I had chastised him for the indiscretion. â€Å"What are you doing? You're going to see me this afternoon†¦ and then every day after that!† â€Å"I had to give you these before the wedding.† He held up the string of beads. â€Å"They were my mother's. I want you to have them, to wear them today.† He leaned forward, placing the beads around my neck. As his fingers brushed my skin, I felt something warm and tingly run through my body. At the tender age of fifteen, I hadn't exactly understood such sensations, though I was eager to explore them. My wiser self today recognized them as the early stirrings of lust, and†¦ well, there had been something else there too. Something else that I still didn't quite comprehend. An electric connection, a feeling that we were bound into something bigger than ourselves. That our being together was inevitable. â€Å"There,† he'd said, once the beads were secure and my hair brushed back into place. â€Å"Perfect.† He said nothing else after that. He didn't need to. His eyes told me all I needed to know, and I shivered. Until Kyriakos, no man had ever given me a second glance. I was Marthanes ‘ too-tall daughter after all, the one with the sharp tongue who didn't think before speaking. (Shape-shifting would eventually take care of one of those problems but not the other.) But Kyriakos had always listened to me and watched me like I was someone more, someone tempting and desirable, like the beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite who still carried on their rituals away from the Christian priests. I wanted him to touch me then, not realizing just how much until I caught his hand suddenly and unexpectedly. Taking it, I placed it around my waist and pulled him to me. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't pull back. We were almost the same height, making it easy for his mouth to seek mine out in a crushing kiss. I leaned against the warm stone wall behind me so that I was pressed between it and him. I could feel every part of his body against mine, but we still weren't close enough. Not nearly enough. Our kissing grew more ardent, as though our lips alone might close whatever aching distance lay between us. I moved his hand again, this time to push up my skirt along the side of one leg. His hand stroked the smooth flesh there and, without further urging, slid over to my inner thigh. I arched my lower body toward his, nearly writhing against him now, needing him to touch me everywhere. â€Å"Letha? Where are you at?† My sister's voice carried over the wind; she wasn't nearby but was close enough to be here soon. Kyriakos and I broke apart, both gasping, pulses racing. He was looking at me like he'd never seen me before. Heat burned in his gaze. â€Å"Have you ever been with anyone before?† he asked won- deringly. I shook my head. â€Å"How did you†¦ I never imagined you doing that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I learn fast.† He grinned and pressed my hand to his lips. â€Å"Tonight,† he breathed. â€Å"Tonight we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tonight,† I agreed. He backed away then, eyes still smoldering. â€Å"I love you. You are my life.† â€Å"I love you too.† I smiled and watched him ago. A minute later, I heard my sister again. â€Å"Letha?† â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† Erik's voice snapped me out of the memory, and suddenly I was back in his store, away from my family's long-since crumbled home. I met his questioning eyes and held up the necklace. â€Å"I'll take this too.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid,† he said uncertainly, fingering the price tag. â€Å"The help I give you†¦ there's no need†¦ no cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know,† I assured him. â€Å"I know. Just add this to my bill. And ask your friend if he can make matching earrings.† I left the store wearing the choker, still thinking about that morning, what it had been like to be touched for the first time, touched only by someone I loved. I exhaled carefully and put it from my mind. Just like I had countless other times.

Uk Organic Food

Contents 1. Introduction2 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis2 1. 2 Aim2 1. 3 Brief Background of the organic food producing industry2 1. 4 Competitive environment? 3 2. PESTEL analysis5 2. 1 Political factors5 2. 2 Economic factors6 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors7 2. 4 Technological factors8 2. 5 Environmental factors9 2. 6 Legal factors10 3. Porter’s Five Forces analysis12 3. 1 Threat of new entrants12 3. 2 Threat of substitute products14 3. 3 Threat of established rivals14 3. 4 Bargaining power of suppliers16 . 5 Bargaining power of buyers16 4. Conclusion18 4. 1 The industry at present18 4. 2 Future changes19 5. Appendices20 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations20 5. 1. 1 PESTEL framework20 5. 1. 2 Porter’s Five Forces20 6. References22 1. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis The chosen industry for analysis in this report is the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This encompasses groups of firms that produ ce similar products, in this case, organic food produce.In recent years, there has been a heightened awareness in the media in relation to organically produced food, and a great emphasis has been placed on ‘healthier eating’ and a reduction in the production of genetically modified food. As this awareness increases, it is important to analyse the industry in order to assess whether the industry is favourable to exist in, and to ascertain whether it is likely that it will be penetrated by new competitors.Another reason for choosing to examine this particular industry is due to the lack of an updated Mintel report, or a similar financial report, especially since there has been so much extra attention being placed on this industry of late in the media. In order to get a better picture about the macro- and micro-environment in relation to the UK organic food producing industry, frameworks will be used in order to analyse information about the industry. 1. 2 AimThe aims of t his report are to research and assess the nature of the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This will occur by using two different frameworks, a PESTEL analysis and the use of Porter’s Five Forces in order to fully understand the competitive micro- and macro-environment of this industry. When the analysis is complete, it will be determined whether the industry is favourable to enter or not, and future changes in the industry will be predicted. 1. Brief background of the UK Organic Food Producing Industry The term ‘organic’ has been defined by the Organic Trade Association as an ‘ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity†¦ based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony’ [1]. In practice, this means that artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides are not used, and ani mals are reared without the drugs that are normally routinely used [2].Protection of the environment is of great importance, and the quality of the soil is what determines whether the produce can be deemed as ‘organic’ or not. Historically, it was common practice to only have relatively few family run farms in which organic food was produced, and this could be purchased in farmers’ markets and smaller stores, such as green grocers. However, since the 1990s, organic food has had growth rates of around 20% per year, and figures from April of this year show that organic food now accounts for 1 to 2% of food sales worldwide [3].This growth rate has been partly due to large supermarket chains adopting ranges of organic foods, which is reducing the farmer to consumer link, and providing a convenient new way to eat ‘organically’, and also due to an increased interest from the media in this industry. For example, large supermarket chain Sainsbury’s ha s more than 1000 organic products, had a 14% increase in sales of its organic produce in 2006/2007, sources all its organic meat, fish, poultry, milk, and eggs from the UK and has contracts with farmers to guarantee minimum prices to ensure the long-term supply of organic beef [4].A quote from Jerry Dryer, who wrote an article called ‘Organic Lessons’ stated, â€Å"Organic is here to stay, not a fad marching by in the night† [5], which is a hopeful suggestion that the market share is set to increase and that new opportunities can be targeted, but this will be confirmed or denied at the end of the report. 1. 4 Competitive environment? The organic food producing industry consists of a large number of small producers, who produce food which can be certified as ‘organic’ by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association.Due to there being a large number of fragmented producers in the industry, it may be seen as a competitive m arket who are vying for the attention of large or small supermarket chains and stores, green grocers, and individual purchasers of organic food. Organic produce in itself is reasonably homogeneous, so all producers in this industry will be trying to sell similar products which are largely undifferentiated. This increases competition between the producers as to how they are going to get their goods sold over the goods of a competitor.There is also the option of individuals growing their own organic produce, which may reduce the demand for the purchase of produce. The competitiveness of the environment will be discussed in more detail when an analysis is carried out using the Porter’s 5 Forces framework [6]. ? 2. PESTEL Uncontrollable, external forces that influence decision making, which thus affect the performance of an industry is known as the macro-environment. The macro-environment consists of political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and legal for ces, which can be referred to as ‘PESTEL’ forces [7].A good definition of this framework for analysis is given by Kotler [8], which is â€Å"PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations†. This is also useful for forecasting the direction in which an industry is taking, and the intensity of this change. Factors can be assessed and placed in order of importance, so it is clear to see what external factors are the most pressing issues in an industry.In order to find out information for each of the factors, reliable secondary data sources shall we used, such as newspapers, periodicals, books, trade organisations, Government agencies information, and industry analysts results. Once this kind of analysis is complete, it is clearer to see how to take advantage of arising opportunities, and plan to prevent potential threats that may occur in the industry. The sections below break down the macro-environment into six parts. 2. 1 Political factorsGovernment legislation may dictate what is considered to be organic in a particular country. This report looks at organic food producers in the UK, and this is regulated by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards [9], and the Soil Association [10]. The Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states many outlines of what how produce should be grown and the feeding of livestock, in order for in to meet UK Government standards [11]. These standards vary from country to country, within and outside of the EU.This can have a profound impact on the exporting of produce by UK farmers, as what may be deemed as organic in this country, may not be so in another. Relations with politicians need to be upheld, as legislation is subject to change at any given time. For example, it recently has been decided to ban battery hen cages starting in the year 2009 [12]. 93% of eggs in the UK market come fr om battery hens, so once the legislation is fully in place, this will not occur. This will increase competition in the market, as all eggs will now be from free range hens, which may affect the poultry side of the organic food industry.By adapting to meet the new laws now, favourable relations will be kept with politicians, and current organic egg producers will need to find new ways in which to gain market share in what may be an increasingly saturated market. The Government currently provides farmers’ subsidies, but current news from May 2008 shows that the EU is looking to cut the money it provides, and reinvest it with incentives on looking after agricultural land, rather than giving money to help produce more food [13].This may benefit farmers wishing to enter the organic food producing market, as they have extra incentives to convert their land to organic soil, but may hinder those already in the market due to the increased competition, and the lack of money to produce extra food needed to meet demand. 2. 2 Economic factors The organic food producing industry can be largely affected by the UK economy, such as interest rates, exchange rates, buyer power, and consumer confidence, which will all now be discussed in turn.The current ongoing credit crunch, and high inflation has reduced chances of any interest rate cuts, and a real threat of a downturn is present [14]. Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, has previously reported that UK inflation will rise above its target and the economy will sharply slow down [15], which does not mean good things for an industry such as this, which relies on people buying premium quality products.If interest rates are high, then it costs more money to borrow from banks, which deters investment, and may make it harder for farmers to convert their land to organic soil and methods of production, as this is a costly business [16]. This inflation may cause any employees working in the industry to demand highe r wages in order to cover any losses that they are making, which can cause a problem for employers, especially if the industry declines if there is a recession. The credit crunch has also affected housing prices, which have fallen, and a ollapse in these sales have been predicted to cut consumer spending by 8% [17], which will affect the industry. Exchange rates can affect the way UK organic food producers’ export their products, as a strong currency can make exporting difficult, if foreign buyers cannot get a lot of produce for their money. Buyer power can have a strong economical hold over the industry, as disposable income and willingness to spend can affect the sales of premium quality produce, especially as there are cheaper alternatives. The state of the economy affects spending, as if there is a recession, or currently with the credit crunch in the UK, spending falls.Organic food may be seen by some users and non-users as a premium product, so when disposable income is reduced, this may be something which is cut back on in order to use the extra money elsewhere. If people are being more price conscious, new motivations to purchase the produce need to be discovered aside from price. However, many purchasers of organic food do so because of what it stands for, and is a lifestyle choice which may not be affected by a bad economy. Consumer confidence may be dented if willingness to spend decreases. The more affluent a person is, i. e. he higher wages and better lifestyle someone has, the more likely they are to start or continue to purchase organic food [18]. 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors A major socio-cultural factor affecting the industry is the media. A recent heightened awareness of organic food issues in the media has prompted an increase in organic food sales, with a 70% increase since 2002 to ? 1. 5billion in 2007 [19]. There is currently a bit from the media to use the upcoming 2012 Olympic games to promote organic eating, in order to avoid an obesity crisis and to appear a fit and healthy country.This increase awareness of the importance of healthy eating and protecting the country by reducing its carbon footprint can have an effect on consumer attitudes. The effect of the media may change attitudes of people towards organic food, such as the more impetus placed on this industry in the media, means more people are aware of the benefits of eating organically. People may then change their attitudes about the way they eat, and believe that it is worth paying more for the food, even if the economy is not as strong as it could be. Figures from a recent Mintel report [20] show that attitudes towards rganic food show that people believe firstly that the food is healthier, secondly that it tastes better, and thirdly that it is better for the environment. With these belief systems becoming widely in place, the opportunity for the growth of the industry in people’s minds is increased. However, the media may too have a detri mental effect on the industry in two ways. Firstly, there has been bad press saying that the industry is losing its values, and that the industry itself is ‘out of control’ due to an increased demand and people not knowing the real reasons behind why they are choosing ‘organic’ [21].Secondly, increased advertising spend (even though it is relatively low [22]) can draw too much attention to the industry which is not prepared to supply the increased demand. A typical shopper of organic food has been outlined in a survey taken from the Organic Monitor website [23], which identifies them to usually live in an urban area in a big city, consider quality and provenance in decision making when choosing which foods to purchase, being well-educated and of a middle to high social class, and to belong to a medium to high income household.These factors have been determined of the types of people who normally purchase these premium products, and usually fall into the AB consumer base, due to a larger disposable income [24]. Further analysis of recent demographic trends show that the London and the South of the UK are more willing to accept the introduction of organic produce, compared to the rest of the UK [25]. With this in mind, it may be deduced that these areas are more prone for targeting, and further consideration needs to be given to where the industry should go next should these places become saturated with producers. . 4 Technological factors Technological advances in transportation means that the ease of moving produce around the UK is increased. Better roads and an increase in motorways have advantages for farmers to get their produce into busier cities. Transport has however been scrutinised in this industry in recent years if air freighting is used for the moving of food or livestock, but this will be further discussed under the environmental factors section of the PESTEL analysis.The internet has provided new methods of selling organi c produce, such as online shopping, and electronic sourcing of produce to find local organic food suppliers [26]. Looking at figures from a 2007 Mintel report on organic food, box schemes and mail order have had the biggest percentage increase of usage between 2005 and 2007 (109. 2% change in this time period). The ‘box scheme’ comprises of the delivery of fresh organic produce which is chosen because it is in season in the UK at the time of ordering, and many farms have used the internet in order to allow this scheme to take place.For example, Riverford Organic Vegetables [27] allow people to choose different size boxes, and also give information about how much CO2 emissions are given off from the transport of their produce from door to door. This shows the potential for how the increase in usage of the internet can be applied to the organic food industry. 2. 5 Environmental factors National and Global environmental issues can greatly affect the UK organic food produci ng industry, such as weather and climate change respectively. Without the right growing conditions for some organic produce, i. . having good, well-nourished soil, harvesting may not reap many rewards. Last year in 2007, the wettest weather for more than 240 years was recorded in the summer by the Met Office, which obviously had adverse effects on this particular industry [28]. Following this particular summer, it was reported that organic food prices would rise even further than the already premium costs that they have, partly due to the weather reducing the amount of land fit for cultivation in order to grow and harvest organic produce [29].If adverse weather conditions do occur, the supply or organic goods will be reduced further still, which may strongly affect an industry that already has increased demand and not enough produce to meet this. Climate change has gained increasing coverage in the media, convincing more people than action needs to be taken in order to protect the e arth, in particular, the notion of a ‘carbon footprint’. A ‘carbon footprint’ can be described as ‘a measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced’ [30].This affects the organic food producing industry when organically grown produce is air freighted into the UK. The Soil Association is threatening to remove its stamp of approval from organic food which has been imported by air, as they believe this to be increasing the carbon footprint, and going against the morals that organic food stands for [31]. This change may benefit UK organic food producers, as there will be less competition coming from overseas, but may be of detriment for internal UK flights, if this is how they normally transport their goods around the country.The danger here is that people who already purchase organic food may instead switch to locally sourced produce, be it organic or not, in order to help the local community, and to do their bit to reduce the carbon footprint. There may be an opportunity here for organic food producers to also trade locally, so that people can get the best of both worlds. A benefit of organic produce is that it attempts to ensure that minimal amounts of pesticides and fewer artificial methods are used in the growing of the food.Only 25% of organic food carries pesticide residues, compared to 77% of conventionally grown food [32]. This reduces harm to any soil or wildlife in the area, and is reported to have added health benefits, all contributing to less of a bad impact on the environment from harmful chemicals. 2. 6 Legal factors Legal changes in the United Kingdom may affect the behaviour of firms and producers within this particular industry. Back in 1984, the Food Act was introduced, which outlined the description and purity of foodstuffs, and affected the way in which food could be produced [33].This legal act is still completely applicable today, and is regularly updated, notably affecting organic food producers in how they can describe and label their food. As well as an organic product having to meet UK organic standards, it also must abide by this Food Act when selling to respective buyers, so as not to mislead customers, i. e. it must be what they claim it to be, in this case, organic. A European ruling in 2007 states that for food to be labelled free of genetically modified ingredients, it must contain 0. 9% or less of such elements, which may in turn affect the price of organic food [34].Producers need to factor these sorts of legal requirements into pricing how much they are going to sell their food for. For the past few years, recorded minimum wage has risen, with October 2007 being the last review at ? 5. 52 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, ? 4. 60 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive, and ? 3. 40 per hour for all workers under the age of 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age [35]. These increases may p ose problems for producers who cannot afford to meet these payments, especially if inflation ontinues to rise, and the credit crunch continues to beckon a recession in the financial market. If the producers cannot afford workers to help them look after livestock or harvest crops, this may pose to be a big threat as to whether they can afford to meet the requirements of customers. ? 3. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES The micro-environment is a set of forces that directly impacts the ability of an industry to serve its customers, which were described by Michael E. Porter in an analytical framework as five forces that determine the competitive intensity of a market.This can also be described as the ‘attractiveness’ of an industry [36]. It must be remembered here that even if a market is determined to be ‘attractive, this does not mean that every firm in the industry will yield the same profitability. Only by having uniqueness in resources or a distinctive business model can help to achieve greater profits. The five forces suggested by Porter are the threat of new entrants, threat of substitute products, and threat of established rivals from horizontal competition, and the bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of buyers from vertical competition [37].The strength of these forces combined determines how competitive the industry is, and can determine whether it is favourable to enter. In reference to Porter’s Five Forces, the term ‘industry’ will be used to describe any products which are similar, and are close substitutes for each other. These five forces that affect how competitive the industry is will be discussed below. 3. 1 Threat of new entrants In order to assess the threat of new entrants in the industry, it needs to be assessed whether the barriers to entry in the UK organic food producing industry are high or low.This will be looked at in relation to economies of scale, product differentiation, cost disadvan tages in relation to the capital required, and access to distribution channels, in relation to UK organic legislation. Economies of scale occur when the costs of producing are reduced from making more units, as it is more efficient to increase output. Some organic food producers may benefit from the fact their purchasers may be large supermarket chains, who have the ability to buy in bulk due to the benefits of their economies of scale. Organic food producers an then sell their goods to these chains, who realise that their customers are becoming increasingly aware about the benefits of this quality produce. However, due to these chains being in a position to buy bulk, in order to compete in this market, organic farmers may have to sell their goods at a cut price if the supermarkets want to sell it on to turn a profit. In this case, new entrants may be put off from entering the market if they cannot afford to compete with already established providers of organic food to these main pl ayers.Product differentiation is an issue, as the organic products in this industry are largely homogenous. If new entrants wanted to penetrate the market, they would have to think of innovative new ways for buyers to choose their products over another product which is the same as the one they are offering. This does however mean that producers already in the market may have less competition enter alongside them, as long as the existing producers offer fair prices and top quality food, with well established networks.Cost disadvantages may pose a threat to new entrants, as a large amount of capital is required in order to enter the market. Firstly, modern agri-technology is expensive to purchase, and the largest cost of deciding to produce organic food is the conversion of land [38]. In order to convert land so that it meets the UK Organic standards requires a great capital investment, which is one of the reasons why the supply is still short. This may put off potential entrants to t he market if they believe they cannot afford to make their land meet national requirements.These national requirements are subject to change, so barriers to entry can be heightened or lowered at given times, depending on what is decided by the ruling bodies. This may also affect international entrants, as national standards vary in different countries. What is seen as organic in one country, may not meet the requirements in the UK, so producers may be protected from further competition in that respect. For example, new regulations in Japan caused the majority of products to lose their organic status [39].This also ties in with access to distribution channels, as UK producers may be fighting for space on supermarket shelves or stalls in a local farmers’ market, and only the best will survive. Even though supply is short, a limited amount of space is still given to organic produce, which on one hand may deter entrants into the industry, but equally may give some producers wishi ng to enter the market a bigger incentive to increase awareness about organic produce, and try to meet that supply in innovative new ways. 3. 2 Threat of substitute productsSubstitute products are products which can fulfil the same function, but from a different industry. In the case of the organic food industry, substitutes can occur in the form of different kinds of eating, or fad diets, such as calorie-counting healthy eating, and or locally sourced conventional produce. First to be discussed is reduced-fat and reduced-calorie food, which may appeal to the organic food shopper. If people are buying organic food as a misunderstanding of what it really is, and do so for the health benefits, then they may switch to specific ‘healthier eating’ options, rather than organic food.This threat however has been reported to be minimal at the moment, as figures in a Mintel report from 2007 on organic food show that organic food is experiencing a much greater growth than reduced calorie options [40]. The reduced-calorie options, as well as functional foods, still continue however to rise in popularity. Locally sourced conventional produce also poses a threat to the organic food industry, as some people may choose to support local farmers rather than to choose organic produce.This is especially difficult on the organic food industry, as more farmers may decide not to convert their land to organic if people are more willing just to buy conventional locally produced food [41]. This threat may encourage organic farmers however to sell produce locally, so they are covering both segments of their target market. An example of this threat is posed by milk, as demand for organic milk far exceeds the supply, so people are facing the dilemma of having to buy non-organic locally sourced milk, as this is a necessary substitute for people buying milk in the premium market [42].Organic food may be seen as necessity to some, but to most it is a luxury, and conventional foo ds can replace the premium priced, undersupplied organic food. 3. 3 Threat of established rivals The simplest rival in this industry may be seen as people who grow their own organic produce in their garden or local allotment. This reduces the need for organic farmers to sell their produce to consumers, and this has the potential to reduce the need for them to sell, as it may be cheaper for people to grow their own. Aside from this threat, there are other forms of competition within the industry.Rivals in the industry have different ways of competing against each other, including varied forms of price, marketing strategies, and innovation techniques. Firstly, a sustainable competitive advantage can be gained through the innovation from producers in the industry. For example, organic farmers may decide to provide their goods only to local outlets and consumers, which increases the likelihood of people wishing to buy products which are organic and sourced locally. This can provide a co mpetitive advantage over organic producers in the UK who have a larger carbon footprint by delivering their products across the country.Competitive rivalry may continue here as more competitors enter the market to satisfy the growing demand for organic produce. As new entrants penetrate the market, it needs to be increasingly thought of new ways to differentiate products, as the nature of the produce in this industry is largely homogenous. There is not a large diversity of competitors, as organic produce is the same from one farmer’s land to another, so competition will be high in order to get people to choose one farmer’s particular produce.This is also true when considering who will purchase this food, as supermarkets are increasing their ranges of organic food, so competition to get produce chosen to be sold in these will be high [43]. If a supermarket already purchases a particular farmer’s produce, it may be difficult for other competitors to penetrate the market if customer loyalty already exists, so new ways of doing so will need to be thought of, such as competing on price. This, however, will only be possible to a certain extent, as a profit still needs to be made by the producers in order to continue their business.Existing firms may compete in this industry through diversification of how the produce is offered, as some farmer’s may set up a market stall or store in order to deliver their produce to the consumer. An advantage of this is the added convenience to consumers of having a place they know they can go to in order to source locally produced organic food. An example of this is the ever increasing popularity of the chain ‘Planet Organic’, which is continuing to expand upon its outlets in urban areas in London, so that people don’t have to live in rural areas in order to get there organic food [44]. 3. Bargaining power of suppliers There is an estimated 4630 producers in the organic market who have converted their land to organic soil, and this is ever increasing [45]. Even though this is still increasing, it is expensive to convert conventional land, so this may be one of the reasons for a relatively low number of suppliers in this industry. This section focuses on whether suppliers in the organic food producing industry have high or low amounts of power over the happenings in the industry. The brand of organic food may be seen as powerful, as there is a high consumer demand for these products.This gives the suppliers the added advantage of being able to choose how and where to supply their produce. However, even though this increases supplier power, the customers for their produce are fragmented, so there may be a reduced bargaining power over price, as there is only so low that producers are able to offer their goods for. Organic food in itself is a unique offering, which gives an alternative to conventionally produced food, and can satisfy the needs of particular consumer groups who crave quality and are concerned with the provenance of what they eat.This allows suppliers to have a greater power over the conventional or locally sourced produce, as organic food is seen as a lifestyle choice and not just one of convenience or necessity. Figures from Mintel show that 65% of people shop in supermarkets where the food is of high quality and is fresh [46]. This choice from consumers gives suppliers the added advantage of being able to provide a service that people actually want. 3. 5 Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers in the market can have a great effect on the industry itself, which will now be outlined in terms of how much power they have over the industry.Buying power may be deemed to be relatively low in some respects, but high in others in this industry for a number of reasons. With an increase in demand for organic produce, a large amount of buyers are competing for a relatively short supply of food. This may mean they are wi lling to pay higher prices for the produce, due to its availability being decreased. This supply shortage was outlined in The Grocer, which shows sales were up to ? 3. 1billion when they reported in March 2007 [47]. However, few large buyers, such as large chains of supermarkets, may have an increased buyer power due to suppliers wanting their goods to be sold in these stores, as they can ensure produce is sold via a contract for a certain period of time. This reduces uncertainty for suppliers, and ensures less food is spoiled. The fact that this industry contains a large number of undifferentiated suppliers may mean that buyers have more power over who to choose to supply their produce if there is a large amount of suppliers in that particular area.The cost for buyers of switching suppliers for produce is very low, which further still increases their power, assuming that there is an appropriate amount of supply existing. Buyers are aware that there is a shortage of supply of organi c produce, so this may give them less power over suppliers, and over the industry in general. It has been previously mentioned about the increased demand over supply, so buyers may have to pay the prices being offered to them by suppliers if they want this non-conventionally grown produce.Buyers may also have higher power in some respects due to existing substitute products, which have previously been discussed. There is an opportunity in some cases for people to switch to locally sourced conventional food, rather than organic food. This can increase buyer power, if they decide to refrain buying organic food altogether, which may force producers to reduce their prices, or just to exit the market. ? 4. CONCLUSION 4. 1 The industry at present Looking at the information which has been discussed in the 2nd and 3rd sections of this report, deductions and analysis can be made about the industry at present.In its simplest form, the UK market for organic food is reported to be worth ? 1. 5 billion in 2007 [48], and this is continually growing. Issues affecting the macro-environment include current Government legislation managed by the Soil Association and the Organic Farmers and Growers Association, buyer power and spending habits in the organic food industry, effects of the growing media attention on the industry itself, new ways to sell produce, and environmental concerns facing producers. Issues ffecting the micro-environment include the threat of new entrants joining the industry due to a lack of supply and an increase demand, substitute products being present such as locally sourced produce, established rivals having better distribution links, suppliers having increase amounts of power due to the increased demand from consumers, and the buyers having relatively low power due to the lack of supply. This is a small summary of how the industry can be seen at present, and from looking at the information collected, there are various reasons why it may or may not be a favourable market to enter.The fact that demand is high but supply is low is a good reason for wanting to enter the market. This would imply that any produce made would be easily sold, and suppliers would be in a better position to bargain on higher prices, as they are well aware of this demand. However, there are issues in being able to enter this industry. The initial outlay costs are high, as it is expensive to convert land into what is considered to be organic, to buy new technology required to grow and harvest produce in the methods stated by the necessary authorities.It may then be difficult to sell produce in certain areas if people do not agree with the transportation used to get the produce there in the first place. These are factors that need to be taken into consideration when looking at the industry at present, but with expansion set to continue, if the capital is available, it seems favourable to enter. 4. 2 Future changes Increased acceptance of organic food means that the future of the industry looks good for the moment.People are beginning to accept organic produce into their everyday lives, and with reported health benefits of switching to these products, sales are increasing, with analysts predicting that sales will double before the end of this decade [49]. Increased awareness in the media and new studies into the goodness of organic produce is driving sales and increasing demand. The notion of ‘eating well’ is of key importance to the Government in what they suggest to avoid an obesity crisis in the UK, and organic food may be seen as a way of doing this.However, it must be remembered that the future, as with any industry, can be uncertain. Factors that must be faced and planned for in the future include bad press in the media, substitute product switching, and a change in legislation. If the media publishes bad press about whether there are really any extra health benefits from paying extra for organic food instead of conventi onally grown food, the demand may fall and substitute products used instead.Products such as locally sourced food are fighting for advertisement space in the media also, so people may switch to this in the future in order to protect the earth, and reduce their carbon footprint. This can all be affected by the hype that is created in the media at that particular time. Standards in legislation are also subject to change, and if this is to change in the future, it may be the case that fewer farmers can afford to convert their land into organic soil, which will reduce the supply of organic food further.If this occurs, the popularity and publicity of this industry may decline. These are issues that need to be kept in the forefront of the industry’s mind, and plans to avoid this, such as proving the benefits of switching to organic produce, need to be made. ? 5. APPENDICES 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations 5. 2. 1 PESTEL framework Advantages are listed below: †¢A llows the analyst to remove themselves from the industry and look at it more objectively by adapting to the new environment †¢Can avoid taking actions that will lead to failure Can see the context of the industry Limitations are listed below: †¢Time consuming †¢Is done by an individual, so important factors can be missed †¢May be difficult to know what to include under each heading, so hard to follow by other people reading the report †¢Industries are constantly changing, so once it is written, it may have already changed †¢PESTEL analysis only covers the remote environment 5. 2. 2 Porter’s 5 Forces Advantages are listed below: Can effectively analyse competition in an industry, and help decide how to beat competitors †¢Develop strategies for action from the information found and apply them to gain market share in an industry †¢Looks beyond obvious immediate competitors, and focuses on substitutes to the organic produce being offered â €“ wider market view Limitations are listed below: †¢Also is carried out by an individual, so things relating to competition in the micro-environment may go unlooked †¢This analysis is a static framework, and the industry is constantly changing, so it may not be applicable immediately after it has been writtenThese limitations imply that a strategy cannot be made just by looking at this report alone. 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