Uganda Juice Industry Essay Example

Uganda Juice Industry Essay Example Uganda Juice Industry Paper Uganda Juice Industry Paper Essay Topic: House on Mango Street Overview Agriculture and agricultural output are very Important to the Uganda economy. The agricultural Industry Is the largest employer of Ganglands with 75% of the population earning a living from the industry. Food and agricultural raw materials account for 40% of the total exports from Uganda. Additionally, the sector contributes 22. 7% to the Uganda GAP. The large contribution of agricultural products to the Uganda economy has led the government to promote value addition as a means of increasing the value of exports. According to the Uganda Investment Authority (IA), the emend for Agendas organic products Is higher than the supply. This Imbalance presents a high opportunity for export of organic fruit Juice from Uganda. Fruits and farm produce are wasted or sold at very low prices during peak seasons due to inadequate storage facilities and lack of effective processing or preservation techniques, leading to high wastage levels. Juice production not only serves to add value to agricultural export but also serve as a way to prevent wastage of excess fruits. The Juice industry has an opportunity to contribute to the Uganda economy y Increasing the value of the country exports and simultaneously preventing wastage of fruits so high in demand, and creating jobs for Uganda. Industry The Juice making industry in Uganda consists primarily of companies that produce natural fruit juices and companies that produce varying degrees of a mixture of fruit concentrate, fruit flavoring, sugar, and water. Natural Juices in the Uganda market are fruit drinks that consist primarily of Juice extracted fruit flesh or pulp. The table below shows the two sectors and the Ingredients for their Julies_ Industry Sector Description/Contents Flavored Juices Mixture of fruit juice concentrate, water and sugar Mixture of fruit puree, water, and sugar Mixture of flavoring, water, coloring, and preservatives Fruit Juices Juice extracted from flesh or pulp of fruit. The natural fruit Juices are targeted towards the upper and middle Income segment of the population while the fruit flavored Juices are marketed towards children and the low income segment of the population. The flavored Juice companies are distributed across the country while the natural fruit juice companies tend to be concentrated in the greater Kampala region. A key distinguishing factor of the fruit juice Industry In Uganda Is that companies that make the flavored Juice drinks generally tend to be concentrated In the Informal sector. These companies are usually small, employing between one to six people. The mixing of the flavored juices usually occurs in one of the entrepreneurs homes. The juices are then packed in polythene bags and distributed and sold through roadside kiosks and street vendors. The flavored juice companies are often not able to break into the formal sector because they lack capital to meet the operational and production requirements set y Uganda National Bureau of Standards (NUBS) for Juice producers. The natural luck producers tenant to De larger organizations employing Trot Detente twenty to two hundred people. The Juices are made in factories and then distributed to grocery stores, schools and other vendors. There are a lot of natural Juices that are imported into Uganda. The table below shows the major players in the Uganda Juice market. It is important to note that a lot of the flavored Juice manufacturers are captured in this table because of the informal nature of those companies. Juice Industry Value Chain and Main Processes Fruit Production Fruit production is the responsibility of farmers. In the Uganda market farmers can be classified in two groups: Small scale farmers The majority Uganda farmers fall into this category. These farmers are distributed across the country and grow fruits on relatively small plots (a few acres). Small scale farming is also characterized by a low use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other improved farming techniques. As a result, they suffer from low and unreliable production. In addition the harvesting methods employed by these farmers often lead to damaged and bruised fruits. Commercial Large scale farms The commercial fruit farms own very large areas of land. They use mechanized and technologically advanced processes to cultivate the land for fruit production and as a result are able to obtain very high quality fruits and high yields. Fruit Transportation Once the fruits reach maturity and are harvested they may go to the fresh fruit market, in order to be consumed fresh, or squeezed freshly at home to be consumed as Juice, or it may enter the processing industry, in order to obtain Juice or other by products. Transporters are responsible for getting fruit from the farms to any of actions discussed above. In Uganda there is an abundance of fruit transportation companies, fruit traders, whose sole business is collecting fruits from firms and delivering them to stores, exporters, and food processors. In other cases one will find that many companies have vertically integrated fruit transportation into their businesses. It is not uncommon to find food processors, exporters and wholesalers who buy directly from farmers and manage the transportation of the fruit themselves. Fruit Processing The fruit processors are responsible for converting the fruits into Juice and other by rodents. Fruit Juice processing consists of extraction, filtration, iteration, bastardization and packaging. The fruits are sorted, washed and prepared for extraction. There are several methods of extracting Juice, depending on the type of fruit. The filtration phase involves the isolation of the pulp from the Juice. The third process of iteration is performed to remove the dissolved oxygen. It is done by spraying the Juice into the vacuum chamber or allowing it to flow over a series of baffles (a device for checking or impeding the flow of gases) while subject to a high scum. Oxygen reacts with the Vitamin C causing deterioration of Juice flavor as a result of other chemical reactions. Bastardization is a sterilization process which slows microbial growth in the Juice. Bastardization involves heating the Juice too specific temperature for a definite length of time, and then cooling it immediately. In the packaging stage clean containers are filled with hot Juice from the pastries. They are then immediately sealed and rapidly cooled. Once packaging is complete ten products are ready to De leverage to ten market. Julie Outlanders Distributors are responsible for delivering the packages Juices from the producer to the retail outlets and in some cases directly to consumers. Like fruit transportation, distribution is another area that is often integrated into the Juice producers business. Fruit Juice is often distributed through wholesalers and exporters. Sales The sales outlets are locations where consumers go to purchase the fruit. In the Uganda context they are primarily retail outlets. The retail outlets that I encountered are: Grocery Stores Gas-Station Convenience Stores Kiosks Street Vendors Customer The fruit Juice industry in Uganda serves both the institutional and household consumers. Suppliers Suppliers to the industry differ for each of the sectors that were defined earlier in this paper. The primary suppliers for the natural Juices are fruit farmers and fruit traders. Suppliers for the flavored Juice sector are the importers of fruit flavors and retailers who sell fruit Juice concentrates. The main supply related challenges for flavored drink producers occur because the main ingredients for their Juices are not produced locally and are imported. The ineffective customs handling of exports often lead to shortages (and associated price hikes) in the supply of concentrates and fruit flavoring. Other than the increase in input prices, the producer may also experience quality/taste degradation. For example a producer may use a particular brand of concentrate in its production process, when the concentrate becomes unavailable the producer now has a choice of shutting down production till the concentrate becomes available or using a different brand of concentrate. A different brand of concentrate results in the product tasting different. For the flavored Juice sector, suppliers are able to exert significant power over the Juice producers because of the producers need to maintain consistent taste for their products. A retailer or importer may choose to raise prices for a unique concentrate or flavor. Fruit Juice companies may chose to buy directly from farmers and incur the cost of transportation from the farmer to their factories or they chose to deal with fruit traders deliver directly to the factory. When dealing directly with farmers the Juice companies are able to extract profits from the farmers but lose some of this advantage to the cost of transportation. With a lot of the farmers being distributed across the country, transportation costs to the Kampala region (where most Juice companies are located) can be quite significant. The following table shows the locations of different fruit farmers. The traders are not able to exert any supplier power on Juice producers because of the large number of traders and relative homogeneity of the service provided. Fruit Location (districts) Pineapple Mask, Kananga, Lower, Waking, Munson, Mumping, Gangs, Kamala Mango Local variety: Lower, Mask, Mumping, Waking, Buddha, Gangs, Kamala, Gull, Lira; improved variety: Massing Passion fruit Yellow variety: Sorority, Mumping; hybrid variety: Mask, Waking, Mumping, Amanita, Sorority; purple variety: Eases, Mask, Mumping, Amanita, Waking Orange Jinni, Kalmia, Gangs, Kamala, Pallid, Kim, Cabinetmaker, sort, serer Barriers to Entry The flavored Juice sector is characterized by very low capital requirements. The low capital requirements combined with the lack of regulatory enforcement ensure that barriers to entry and exit in the flavored Juice sector are very low. Additionally consumers of Juices in this sector are very price sensitive and not concerned about rand loyalty. Entry barriers for the fruit Juice sector are much higher than that of the flavored Juice sector. The reason is because the entry requirements into this sector require high capital investments. In addition to the high capital investments, brand equity may be difficult to build because of customer loyalty to existing brands. Rivalry among existing firms It is difficult to document the number of firms in the Uganda Juice industry because of the ease of entry and exit into flavored Juice sector and because a lot of the firms in the sector operate informally and are unregistered. The table below shows the list of Juice companies selling within the Uganda Market. Company Name Production Sector LEMMA Food (U) Ltd. Domestic Joanna Foods LLC Domestic Fruit Brittany Food Products Domestic Seven Falls Limited PIP Domestic House of Eden (U) Ltd. Domestic Flavored Fruit Both K Enterprises Domestic Flavored Del Monte Foreign Fruit Engage Foreign Fruit Highlands Foreign Flavored Sheehan Foreign Fruit Apparel Agro Foreign Both Shark Group Foreign Fruit Dimes Foreign Fruit Rain Foreign Fruit Martini Kenya Ltd. Foreign Fruit Kettle Foods Kenya Foreign Flavored AY Main National Juice Refreshments Co. (LLC) Foreign Fruit Ribbon Foreign Fruit CERES Foreign Fruit I estimate that there are over a 100 Juice makers who operate informally. The flavored Juice sector is very competitive. Market leaders tend to securing supply contracts for primary and secondary school cafeterias. Compared to the flavored juice sector, there are fewer numbers of companies (all are registered) who compete within the fruit Juice sector. Britannic (makers of Splash Juices) appears to be the market leader based on volumes carried in retail outlets . Despite the few number of coal natural Juice producers, competition is fierce within this sector as there are a lot of imported Juices on the market. There is very little competition between the flavored and a fruit Juice sector as the consumer base for each sector is highly segmented. Mall Players Ana contacts A complete directory of business contacts is attached in the appendix. Industry Fit The table below shows the level of fit for the Juice industry subsection for the common characteristics that PIP is seeking across countries: Priority Characteristic Rationale Natural Juice Companies Fit Flavored Juice Companies Fit Required Many different small firms with 5- 50 employees each Small and medium but not micro enterprises, which will not be big enough to have the same management/labor issues Required Employs relatively low-income or unskilled/semi-skilled workers Want to make sure that Job creation would not be limited to the highly educated or wealthy Preferable A significant role in the Uganda economy, either in terms of employment or GAP Preferable High geographic density of firms To insure that future mentoring interventions will be logistically feasible and affordable

The Failed Inventions of Thomas Alva Edison

The Failed Inventions of Thomas Alva Edison Thomas Alva Edison held 1,093 patents for different inventions. Many of them, like the lightbulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, were brilliant creations that have a huge influence on our everyday life. However, not everything he created was a success; he also had a few failures. Edison, of course, had a predictably inventive take on the projects that didn’t quite work the way he expected. â€Å"I have not failed 10,000 times, â€Å" he said, â€Å"I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.† Electrographic Vote Recorder The inventor’s first patented invention was an electrographic vote recorder to be used by governing bodies. The machine let officials cast their votes and then quickly calculated the tally. To Edison, this was an efficient tool for government. But politicians didn’t share his enthusiasm, apparently fearing the device might limit negotiations and vote trading.   Cement One concept that never took off was Edisons interest in using cement to build things. He formed the Edison Portland Cement Co. in 1899 and made everything from cabinets (for phonographs) to pianos and houses. Unfortunately, at the time, concrete was too expensive and the idea was never accepted. The cement business wasnt a total failure, though. His company was hired to build Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Talking Pictures From the beginning of the creation of motion pictures, many people tried to combine film and sound to make talking motion pictures. Here you can see to the left an example of an early film attempting to combine sound with pictures made by Edisons assistant, W.K.L. Dickson. By 1895, Edison had created the Kinetophone- a Kinetoscope (peep-hole motion picture viewer) with a phonograph that played inside the cabinet. Sound could be heard through two ear tubes while the viewer watched the images. This creation never really took off, and by 1915 Edison abandoned the idea of sound motion pictures. Talking Doll One invention Edison had was just too far ahead of its time: The Talking Doll. A fill century before Tickle Me Elmo became a talking toy sensation, Edison imported dolls from Germany and inserted tiny phonographs into them. In March 1890, the dolls went on sale.  Customers complained that the dolls were too fragile and when they worked, the recordings sounded awful. The toy bombed. Electric Pen Trying to solve the problem of making copies of the same document in an efficient manner, Edison came up with an electric pen. The device, powered by a battery and small motor, punched small holes through paper to create a stencil of the document you were creating on wax paper and make copies by rolling ink over it.   Unfortunately, the pens weren’t, as we say now, user-friendly. The battery required maintenance, the $30 price tag was steep, and they were noisy. Edison abandoned the project.

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Essay

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development - Essay Example Economic theory provides a set of thoughts and methods for examining the distribution of limited resources. Unless entrepreneurship ultimately develops products from limited resources, it can be of minimum economic interest, even though it may possess greater social significance. The idea of selection and therefore decision making is essential to economic theory. Entrepreneurship acts as an individual quality which allows certain persons to make decisions with long run outcomes. When economic development is viewed from historical viewpoint, the role of an entrepreneur arrives into central focus. By acting in different ways, entrepreneurs can achieve success which causes other people to change their thoughts and therefore help to alter the historical economic progression. Entrepreneurial efforts are needed for developing an enhanced distribution of resources and transmitting their significant experience to other nations. If two nations differ in their talents of entrepreneurship, then there will be a propensity for developments to invent new things with the copious ability of entrepreneurs. If there is lack of native entrepreneurs in any nation, then foreign entrepreneurs from economically prosperous nations enter the backward country and develop new innovation through proper distribution of resources. At a macroeconomic level, an entrepreneur plays a vital role in the establishment of organizations. Economic theory suggests that there is close relation between personal qualities of entrepreneur and economic success of organization. One of the most exciting aspects of successful entrepreneurs is that they are often drawn from marginal groups in society which try to find alternative possibilities of social progression near them. Thus, it is evident that society and its traditions have a significant impact on the development of entrepreneurs (Casson, 2003). Schumpeter had defined the â€Å"entrepreneur as innovator† as one who drives economic development. A ccording to Peter F. Drucker, â€Å"Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service.† The innovative activity of entrepreneur nourishes the pioneering procedure of creative destruction by initiating continuous instabilities to the economic system and by generating prospects for economic growth. Schumpeter’s theory expects that an entrepreneur can contribute in economic development (Wong & Et. Al., 2005). He was of the view that an entrepreneur can innovate, motivated by competition to develop technology, business and organizational structure. He characterized innovation as an â€Å"industrial mutation† which continuously transforms the financial structure and destroys the existing ones. The procedure of creative destruction is a vital element of entrepreneurship (McCraw, n.d.). Creative destruction is made on dynamic, cautious and commercial efforts to modi fy market arrangements and can be favourable for further innovations and revenue opportunities. Schumpeter’s business cycle is viewed as the outcome of innovation which involves the development of new thoughts and its application in a new product, procedure or service. It can result in the dynamic development of a national economy,

The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton Essay

The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton - Essay Example The author, Thomas Merton, vehemently declares the inevitable existence of the spiritual glow from heavens over human beings for their guidance and supervision to protect and shield them from going astray into the hands of evil because of the continuous temptations of satanic forces haunting the hearts and minds of the children of Adam and Eve. The book narrates, in a very strong manner, the always changing human nature while passing various phases of life. Merton explores the very reality that individuals witness divergent experiences during the course of their life, which certainly influence both their minds and activities. Merton also indicates the power of spirituality to keep the direction of activities towards the right way of commitment, truthfulness and faithfulness. The autobiography reveals the inner feelings of the young man while interacting with so many individuals and institutions prevailing in his surroundings, culture and environment. In the same way, the courageous a nd sympathetic words produced by the writer boost up the morale of the seekers of truth, justice, vigilance and wisdom for the perpetual peace and tranquility of head and heart. The autobiography under study discusses different aspects of the writer’s life from his birth onward. Merton submits him the descendant of the Kiwis, as his ancestors belonged to New Zealand. His parents had settled in France, where the writer was born in January, 1915. The autobiography concentrates on the troubles and problems faced by the writer in his early childhood. The first great tragedy of Merton’s life was the death of his mother, as his mother kicked the bucket in 1921, when Merton was a small child of six years only. He had become as a rolling stone because of remaining busy in traveling from France, to England and the USA to accompany his father on the one hand and for the completion of

Economic sanctions against Cuba Essay Example for Free

Economic sanctions against Cuba Essay The US economic embargo against Cuba dates back to1962 during a revolution than led to Fidel Castro occupying the top seat as the President of Cuba. The embargos comprised both economic and commercial sanctions as well as financial support. These embargos were put in place when Fidel Castro nationalized all the enterprises that were owned by Americans in Cuba. (Jones, 2008). Due to this, the Foreign Assistance Act was passed in the US congress, which prohibited any aid to be extended to Cuba, and therefore a total embargo was imposed on all trade relations between the US and Cuba. (Sierra, 1962) This economic embargo was to undermine Cuban president, Fidel Castro and the socialist government he had established. Imports of all goods from Cuba were banned. In 1963, President Kennedy proposed that it was illegal for any US citizen to travel to Cuba either for personal reasons or for commercial purposes. In this connection, the US department of commerce made it a requirement that all exports of food stuffs and medicine be approved before being taken out of the country. (Sierra, 1962). The US economic embargo against Cuba led to great economic and social effects which are still felt today. The ban on trade relations with the US led to increased cost of imports and lower levels of production. The cost of food increased, which led to adverse shortage of food in Cuba and an increasing dependency on the Soviet Union. Cuba lost her major markets and foreign assistance leading to a collapse of the Cuban economy. (Lamrani, 2007). Because of this, the standard of living dropped. Additionally, there were critical health concerns due to a ban on medicines from the US. The US president should not continue supporting the policy but he should lift the sanctions. These sanctions hurt Castro’s administration a little, but it is the common man who suffers most from the enforced restrictions. His suffering is in direct contradiction to how the US would like to portray itself as a big brother to smaller and weaker nations. Therefore, lifting restrictions on trade will allow free trade to take place between Cuba and the US. This will stimulate economic growth of Cuba leading to a better standard of living. In addition, lifting travel restrictions will promote tourism in Cuba, which will also stimulate economic growth. Griswold (2005) says that there is need for the application of sound reasoning on trade in general as far as this policy is concerned toward Cuba. Therefore change in Cuba will not be embraced by applying more sanctions but it will be realized through dialogue between Cuba and the US government. The clips present different types of speeches by the presidents concerning different issues in the history of the US. President John Kennedy was among the best in communicating with the American people. An example of this is a humorous speech he made in a democratic fund raising event. Bill Clinton also made a remarkable speech when he talked about forgiveness in a ceremony commemorating the 1963 civil rights march in Washington DC. Contrary to the above, President Richard Nixon had the most difficult time connecting with the people because of the allegations of financial mismanagement by his administration that involved a political trust fund. Because of these allegations, he lost in California when he contested for the presidency a second time. (The history place) It is true that the economic sanctions imposed on Cuba for almost half a century seem to have failed in their mission. Castro’s administration continues to be in power and stronger than ever before, a situation, which is causing a big debate in the US government. (McLoughlin Boles, 2003) Reference Griswold, T (2005). The economic embargo. Updated 2006. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009 http://www. freetrade. org/issues/cuba. html Lamrani, S. (2007). The economic sanctions against Cuba: The failure of a cruel and irrational policy. Updated Oct.8, 2007. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009. http://www. globalresearch. ca/index. php? context=vaaid=7024 McLoughlin, E. Boles, E. (2003). The United states embargo against Cuba. Updated Dec. 5, 2003. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009 http://glenninstitute. osu. edu/washington/McLoughlinPaper. htm Sierra, J. A (1962). The economic embargo time line in Cuba. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009. http://www. historyofcuba. com/history/funfacts/embargo. htm â€Å"The history place†: Sounds of history: Updated 2009. Accessed Jan. 28, 2008 http://www. historyplace. com/specials/sounds-prez/index. html

Power in Construction of Law Essay -- Politics Political Science

How does power contribute to the construction of law, both on the books and in action? Power, the ability to influence others and the course of events, affects laws and shapes cultural beliefs in society. In our society, power is said to be equally distributed throughout the people, and there is a democratic belief that collective action is able to create change. However, collective power is heavily influenced by the wealthy. Those with power have the resources to influence the creation and termination of law, both on the books and in action. Power, ultimately controlled by the wealthy and elite, shapes the construction of laws to benefit them and their values, in order to maintain the dichotomy between themselves and the less powerful. While some of the more obvious, tangible foundations of power include money, capital and property, Galanter discusses additional aspects of power in its definition and its benefits. Galanter explains the differences between the â€Å"haves†, or the repeat players, and the â€Å"have-nots†, or the one-shotters. In this analogy, the former is equivalent to the powerful, and the latter to the powerless. The repeat players, according to Galanter, have the advantage because they know the rules, have previous experience, have both legal and financial resources, and have much less to lose than the one-shotters. All of these assets together demonstrate the â€Å"superior opportunities† (Galanter 82) of the powerful repeat players over the powerless. Galanter explains, â€Å"To the extent that rules are evenhanded or favor the ‘have-nots’, the limited resources for their implementation will be allocated, I have argued, so as to give greater effect to those rules which protect and promote the tangible inte... ...John J. Bonsignore, Ethan Katsh, D'errico Peter, Ronald M. Pipkin, Stephen Arons, and Janet Rifkin. Ed. Katherine Meisenheimer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 81-89. Hilbink, Thomas. â€Å"Who makes the law? The people? Which people?† Legal Studies 250: Introduction to Legal Studies. Herter Hall, Amherst. 6 Feb. 2007. Hilbink, Thomas. â€Å"Who makes the law? To what extent is law shaped by those in power?† Legal Studies 250: Introduction to Legal Studies. Herter Hall, Amherst. 8 Feb. 2007. MacKinnon, Catherine. â€Å"A Rally against Rape.† Introduction to Legal Studies. Ed. Thomas Hilbink. 2007. 81-84. "Proposition 215: the Compassionate Use Act of 1996." Before the Law. Comp. John J. Bonsignore, Ethan Katsh, D'errico Peter, Ronald M. Pipkin, Stephen Arons, and Janet Rifkin. Ed. Katherine Meisenheimer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 172-173. Power in Construction of Law Essay -- Politics Political Science How does power contribute to the construction of law, both on the books and in action? Power, the ability to influence others and the course of events, affects laws and shapes cultural beliefs in society. In our society, power is said to be equally distributed throughout the people, and there is a democratic belief that collective action is able to create change. However, collective power is heavily influenced by the wealthy. Those with power have the resources to influence the creation and termination of law, both on the books and in action. Power, ultimately controlled by the wealthy and elite, shapes the construction of laws to benefit them and their values, in order to maintain the dichotomy between themselves and the less powerful. While some of the more obvious, tangible foundations of power include money, capital and property, Galanter discusses additional aspects of power in its definition and its benefits. Galanter explains the differences between the â€Å"haves†, or the repeat players, and the â€Å"have-nots†, or the one-shotters. In this analogy, the former is equivalent to the powerful, and the latter to the powerless. The repeat players, according to Galanter, have the advantage because they know the rules, have previous experience, have both legal and financial resources, and have much less to lose than the one-shotters. All of these assets together demonstrate the â€Å"superior opportunities† (Galanter 82) of the powerful repeat players over the powerless. Galanter explains, â€Å"To the extent that rules are evenhanded or favor the ‘have-nots’, the limited resources for their implementation will be allocated, I have argued, so as to give greater effect to those rules which protect and promote the tangible inte... ...John J. Bonsignore, Ethan Katsh, D'errico Peter, Ronald M. Pipkin, Stephen Arons, and Janet Rifkin. Ed. Katherine Meisenheimer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 81-89. Hilbink, Thomas. â€Å"Who makes the law? The people? Which people?† Legal Studies 250: Introduction to Legal Studies. Herter Hall, Amherst. 6 Feb. 2007. Hilbink, Thomas. â€Å"Who makes the law? To what extent is law shaped by those in power?† Legal Studies 250: Introduction to Legal Studies. Herter Hall, Amherst. 8 Feb. 2007. MacKinnon, Catherine. â€Å"A Rally against Rape.† Introduction to Legal Studies. Ed. Thomas Hilbink. 2007. 81-84. "Proposition 215: the Compassionate Use Act of 1996." Before the Law. Comp. John J. Bonsignore, Ethan Katsh, D'errico Peter, Ronald M. Pipkin, Stephen Arons, and Janet Rifkin. Ed. Katherine Meisenheimer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 172-173.

Difficulties of Studying Abroad Essay

The benefits of studying abroad do justify the difficulties due to being new to the country and not knowing where to start from and the difficulty of the foreign language that the student may face. My advice to the student is that to be familiar with the country that he/she is applying for, so they can be able to communicate with others easily without having to go through a hard time looking through a dictionary to explain themselves and not to feel lost. Mostly the difficulties that the student goes through is the travel and living costs may be considerably higher than a comparable period at your home institution, even if you are receiving a grant to cover some of the costs. Another difficulty that you may face is the academic performance in the foreign language you are aware of could be limited and your understanding wouldn’t be the same as your own language. Also you might find the type of teaching unproductive; especially if you are going from an environment with lots of teacher/student contact to one with lectures and large classes. Adapting in the social environment, habits, and customs could be difficult. Although all the the difficulties that were mentioned, you can benefit from them by experiencing another educational system that can be instructive and insightful, and an opportunity to get to know and travel around a country in a way that is not possible on a holiday or short visit. Also acquiring advanced language skills can be personally enriching and an asset for your future. As I mentioned before about the benefits and difficulties of studying abroad, I hope I have helped you with my advice with being more familiar in choosing where you will end up in the future.

Starry night vs. Apse Mosaic long essay

There is a much deeper meaning to the works of art titled Apse Mosaic done in the SST. Apollonian, and The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Both are very different forms of art and have what is known as a visionary experience. A visionary experience is known as a visual representation of culture or a meaning personal to either the creator or viewer. Apse Mosaic is a mosaic form of art done in the SST. Apollonian, and represents another representation of Christ and the many symbols affiliated with Christ, like the sheep, cross, and also the fact that the art was done on he ceiling.The art being done on the ceiling may a reference to when you die you go to heaven up above, in the direction of the ceiling. The Starry Night was an oil painting on the village of SST. R ©my. Van Sago's painting is told to represent a symbol of death, shown by the Cypress tree and the stars being an idea of death as a route to heaven. Both paintings express similar cultural meanings when analyzed more in - depth. Apse Mosaic is from the 6th century C. E. And is representative of Byzantine art ND culture.Mosaics in churches were very popular forms of art during this time as the Byzantine culture was well known for expressing their belief in Christ. The mosaic uses the lines and color very well by using contour lines and different, vibrant colors to show the distinct characters and symbols in the art. Space is very well used by leaving no â€Å"grey' area. Every detail is also in proportion to one another, except for the Cross, which is emphasized to draw the viewers attention into the center of the work.The Cross is also placed above the apostles, in the sky, to symbolize the transformation of Christ and heaven, which shows the believe that after death you rise into heaven to be with Christ. The Starry Night is from late 19th century and is an oil painting Van Gogh used to symbolize events and facts from his early life. While the painting is well known for its remarkable appearance, many believe in deeper meanings Van Gogh was trying to express in the painting.The Starry Night is an oil on canvas, which is not meant to be one to show significant detail, however it is evident that the subject was of a village which has very important to Van Gogh. The lines in the painting are more implied lines, where no true edge is shown, however Van Gogh uses brighter colors in the sky on the cool color scheme to show separation. Also, the emphasis of the Cypress tree and the smaller buildings in the background are used to show a foreground, middle- ground, and background in the painting.The reason for further meanings of this minting come from a letter Van Gogh wrote to his brother, discussing the idea of death as a route to the stars. The stars are inspiration for the title and the glowing colors of the sky, possibly meant to show Angels or Christ. To go even more in-depth, the cypress tree symbolizes death. Van Sago's death was thought to be suffered from depression and i llness, which ended his life one year after the painting. Perhaps the reason for the symbols were meant to represent his own death and a reflection of his Starry night vs.. Apse Mosaic long essay By little_doge

Examples of Business Plans Components

Examples of Business Plans Components When it comes to starting your own company (or managing someone elses), every business needs to develop and write a good business plan they can follow to achieve the companys goals, which can then be used to pitch to investors or seek out commercial loans. Put simply, a business plan is an outline of goals and the steps needed to achieve them, and while not all businesses require a formal business plan, composing a business plan, in general, is an essential step to starting your own business as it lays out what you plan to do to get your business off the ground. All business plans- even informal outlines- require several key components including an executive summary (including objectives and keys to success), a company summary (including ownership and history), a products and services section, a market analysis section, and a strategy and implementation section. Why Business Plans Are Important Taking a look at a  sample business plan, its easy to see how these documents can get quite lengthy, but not all business plans need to be as detailed as this- especially if youre not looking for investors or loans. A business plan is simply a way for your business to evaluate whether or not actions would benefit a companys ability to achieve its goals, so theres no need to write extra details if theyre not needed to organize your business. Still, you should be as detailed as necessary when composing your business plan as each element can greatly benefit future decisions by outlining clear guidelines for what the company plans to achieve and how it plans to achieve it. The length and content of these plans, then, comes from the type of business youre creating a plan for. Small businesses just looking to stay organized benefit from the objective-strategy structure of the standard business plan while bigger businesses or those hoping to expand can fully summarize every element of their businesses so investors and loan agents get a better understanding of the mission of that business- and whether or not they want to invest. Introduction to Business Plan Whether youre writing a  web design business plan  or a  tutoring business plan, there are several key components that must be included in the introduction to the document in order for the plan to be considered viable, including a summary of the business and its goals and the key components that indicate success. Every business plan, big or small, should start out with an executive summary that details what the company hopes to accomplish, how it hopes to accomplish it, and why this business is the right one for the job. Essentially, the executive summary is an overview of what will be included in the rest of the document and should inspire investors, loan officers, or potential business partners and clients to want to be a part of the plan. The objectives, mission statement, and keys to success are also principal components of this first section as they will outline achievable, concrete goals that the company plans to achieve through its business model. Whether youre stating well increase sales by more than $10 million by the third year or saying well improve inventory turnover to six turns next year, these goals and missions should be quantifiable and attainable. The Company Summary Section After fleshing out the objectives of your business plan, its time to describe the company itself, starting with a company summary that highlights major accomplishments as well as problem areas that need to be solved. This section also includes a summary of the ownership of the company, which should include any investors or stakeholders as well as owners and people who play a part in management decisions. You will also want to give a full company history, which includes the inherent barrier to your goals thus far as well as a review of prior years sales and expenses performances. Youll also want to list any outstanding debts and current assets alongside any trends noted in your particular industry that affect your financial and sales goals. Finally, you should include the companys locations and facilities, which detail the office or workspace being used for the business, what property assets the business has, and which departments are currently part of the company as they relate to achieving the companys goals. The Products and Services Section Every successful business must have a plan to make money through the products or services that business provides; so naturally, a good business plan must include a section about the core revenue model of the company. This section should start with a clear introductory overview to what the company offers consumers as well as the voice and style in which the company wishes to present itself to those customers- for example, a software company might say we dont just sell good accounting software, we change the way you balance your checkbook. The products and services section also details competitive comparisons- how this company measures up to others that offer the same good or service- as well as technology research, sourcing for materials, and future products and services the company plans to offer to help drive competition and sales. The Market Analysis Section In order to properly project what goods and services a company might want to offer in the future, a comprehensive market analysis section should also be included in your business plan. This section details exactly how well the current market in your companys business field is doing, including major and minor concerns that could affect your ability to achieve your sales and income goals. The section starts with an overview of the market your company targets (demographics) as well as industry analysis of what types of businesses typically exist within that marketplace and known participants who are your main source of competition within that industry. You should also include distribution, competition, and buying patterns alongside the companys main competitors and an overview of statistical figures from an in-depth market analysis. This way, investors, partners, or loan officers can see that you understand what stands between you and your companys goals: competition and the market itself. The Strategy and Implementation Section Finally, every good business plan needs to include a section detailing  the companys marketing, pricing, promotions, and sales strategies- as well as how the company plans to implement them and what sales forecasts have been discovered as a result of these plans. The introduction to this section should contain a high-level view of the strategy and their implementation including bulleted or numbered lists of objectives and the viable steps that can be taken in order to achieve them.  Calling out objectives like emphasize service and support or focus on target markets and describing how the company will go about doing this shows investors and business partners that you understand the market and what needs to be done to take your company to the next level. Once youve outlined each element of your companys strategy, youll then want to end the business plan with sales forecasts, which detail your expectations after implementing each element of the business plan itself. Essentially, this final section tells investors exactly what will be accomplished by carrying out this business plan into the future- or at least give them an idea that youve thought about what could happen if you implemented the plan.

The Sociology of Gender

The Sociology of Gender The sociology of gender is one of the largest subfields within sociology  and features theory and research that critically interrogates the social construction of gender, how gender interacts with other social forces in society, and how gender relates to social structure overall. Sociologists within this subfield study a wide range of topics with a variety of research methods, including things like identity, social interaction, power and oppression, and the interaction of gender with other things like race, class, culture, religion, and sexuality, among others. The Difference Between Sex and Gender To understand the sociology of gender one must first understand how sociologists define gender and sex. Though male/female and man/woman are often conflated in the English language, they actually refer to two very different things: sex and gender. The former, sex, is understood by sociologists to be a biological categorization based on reproductive organs. Most people fall into the categories of male and female, however, some people are born with sex organs that do not clearly fit either category, and they are known as intersex. Either way, sex is a biological classification based on body parts. Gender, on the other hand, is a  social  classification based on ones identity, presentation of self, behavior, and interaction with others. Sociologists view gender as learned behavior and a culturally produced identity, and as such, it is a social category. The Social Construction of Gender That gender is a social construct becomes especially apparent when one compares how men and women behave across different cultures, and how in some cultures and societies, other genders exist too. In Western industrialized nations like the U.S., people tend to think of masculinity and femininity in dichotomous terms, viewing men and women as distinctly different and opposites. Other cultures, however, challenge this assumption and have less distinct views of masculinity and femininity. For example, historically there was a category of people in the Navajo culture called berdaches, who were anatomically normal men but who were defined as a third gender considered to fall between male and female. Berdaches married other ordinary men (not Berdaches), although neither was considered homosexual, as they would be in today’s Western culture. What this suggests is that we learn gender through the process of socialization. For many people, this process begins before they are even born, with parents selecting gendered names on the basis of the sex of a fetus, and by decorating the incoming babys room and selecting its toys and clothes in color-coded and gendered ways that reflect cultural expectations and stereotypes. Then, from infancy on, we are socialized by family, educators, religious leaders, peer groups, and the wider community, who teach us what is expected from us in terms of appearance and behavior based on whether they code us as a boy or a girl. Media and popular culture play important roles in teaching us gender too. One result of gender socialization is the formation of gender identity, which is one’s definition of oneself as a man or woman. Gender identity shapes how we think about others and ourselves and also influences our behaviors. For example, gender differences exist in the likelihood of drug and alcohol abuse, violent behavior, depression, and aggressive driving. Gender identity also has an especially strong effect on how we dress and present ourselves, and what we want our bodies to look like, as measured by normative standards. Major Sociological Theories of Gender Each major sociological framework has its own views and theories regarding gender and how it relates to other aspects of society. During the mid-twentieth century, functionalist theorists argued that men filled instrumental roles in society while women filled  expressive roles, which worked to the benefit of society. They viewed a gendered division of labor as important and necessary for the smooth functioning of a modern society. Further, this perspective suggests that our socialization into prescribed roles drives gender inequality by encouraging men and women to make different choices about family and work. For example, these theorists see wage inequalities as the result of choices women make, assuming they choose family roles that compete with their work roles, which renders them less valuable employees from the managerial standpoint. However, most sociologists now view this functionalist approach as outdated and sexist, and there is now plenty of scientific evidence to suggest that the wage gap is influenced by deeply ingrained gender biases rather than by choices men and women make about family-work balance. A popular and contemporary approach within the sociology of gender is influenced by symbolic interactionist  theory, which focuses on the micro-level everyday interactions that produce and challenge gender as we know it. Sociologists West and Zimmerman popularized this approach with their 1987 article on doing gender, which illustrated how gender is something that is produced through interaction between people, and as such is an interactional accomplishment. This approach highlights the instability and fluidity of gender and recognizes that since it is produced by people through interaction, it is fundamentally changeable. Within the sociology of gender, those inspired by conflict theory focus on how gender and assumptions and biases about gender differences lead to the empowerment of men, oppression of women, and the structural inequality of women relative to men. These sociologists see gendered power dynamics as built into the social structure, and thus manifested throughout all aspects of a patriarchal society. For example, from this viewpoint, wage inequalities that exist between men and women result from men’s historic power to devalue women’s work and benefit as a group from the services that women’s labor provides. Feminist theorists,  building on aspects of the three areas of theory described above, focus on the structural forces, values, world views, norms, and everyday behaviors that create inequality and injustice on the basis of gender. Importantly, they also focus on how these social forces can be changed to create a just and equal society in which no one is penalized for their gender. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Week 6 - Observation Journal Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 6 - Observation Journal - Personal Statement Example The conversation that one just described is a perfect example of BICS. The two ESOL students were speaking in English. Although there were many grammatical errors, they were able to understand each other. There were minimal pronunciation errors. They were quite familiar with the English vocabulary and they were able to express their thoughts well using the English language. Mark and Leo have already developed their basic interpersonal communication skills though one still notices a slight struggle in finding the right words. The next incident one observed was the English class where Mark and Leo were both enrolled. The topic for the day was a movie review of â€Å"The Hunger Games†. The teacher asked the students their reaction about the movie. Teacher: â€Å"Mark, what you mean is â€Å"violent†. Violet is a color. You should say, â€Å"I did not like the movie because I think that there is so much violence portrayed in the movie.† â€Å"Would you like to repeat that Mark?† Teacher: â€Å"Leo, do you mean you liked the movie because it was suspenseful?† Leo nods. â€Å"Oh, you should have said, â€Å"I liked the movie because I find it suspenseful.† Would you like to repeat that Leo?† Leo smiled and repeated Ms. Holly’s statement. Having observed the English class where Mark and Leo were enrolled, one can say that there so much room for improvement for the two students’ CALP. They still have difficulty with the use of the language skills academically. One can conclude that even if Mark and Leo can already speak the English language for social purposes, they need more support in terms of the use of the language academically. The choice of words and correct grammatical expressions must be further

Ingredients for Success at Maples Research Paper

Ingredients for Success at Maples - Research Paper Example The company I have chosen to research for this assignment is Maples and Calder. Specifically, I am focused on the position of Assistant Manager of Operations at their Cayman Islands site. I have chosen this particular company because it exemplifies the qualities I value in a company. They are a professional international law firm that helps financial, institutional and business clients around the world to safeguard and build their financial and global security by advising them on the laws of the Cayman Islands, Ireland, and British Virgin Islands. I respect a service orientation in business. They recruit and pay attention to retaining top legal and professional talent, requiring that their people demonstrate initiative, responsibility, and help Maples to grow. Along with these business basics, they emphasize being likeable, well-rounded, and respectful of colleagues, clients and themselves. They value quality work but also place great value on their approach to each other. I am impre ssed by this balance in their recruitment and retention thinking. I think one can learn a lot about a company’s values by careful inspection of their website. ... Instead of bragging about how rich, ambitious and accomplished they are, they turned the focus onto some intriguing employee profiles. I found this a mature and effective way to give clients insight into company resources and competence, and to hold out a clear recruitment standard, at the same time. They particularly stressed their legal team, of course, but they also included some support staff, showing that they recognize and value both. This, along with a statement of their commitment to the client, and not merely the transaction, indicates Maple’s appreciation of the micro-environment and not only of the macro-environment. The company provides opportunities for continuing education, and they have innovative training programs in place. One of the profiles revealed that Maples had generously sponsored a clerk all the way through law school, and then promoted her to the legal team. They also emphasize the collegiate atmosphere of their company, and how they value innovation. I was left with an impression that they value dynamic inquiry and personal growth, things I also value. Of course, the Cayman Islands provide a tropical paradise backdrop and ocean resort lifestyle for this career opportunity. The Cayman Islands is an international financial and business center, so again I like the balance I see in this living equation. I am under no illusions about how hard I would need to work to retain a position that is obviously a dream job, but I also think that this location would provide both beach time and powerful contacts. Should I ever want to sample a larger world than the Cayman Islands provides, Maples has branches in Dubai, Hong Kong, Dublin, London, and British Virgin Islands. A job description for my targeted position, as Assistant