Concepts of Christian Worldview

Introduction Classification refers to the method or process of grouping things according to observed similarities or shared features (Sherri, 2009, p. 83). According to the book of Genesis in the bible, the Lord used dust from the land to create the first human beings (Adam and Eve), after creating all animal on land, sea and in the air. The He made Adam to be in control of them all.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Christian Worldview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Concept of classification Adam demonstrated the concept of classification by categorizing all the animals according to similar characteristics they exhibited. For instance, he grouped all mammals, reptiles and others together, after which he proceeded to categorize all the birds in the air (Nelsonword, 1993, p. 1). Adam also clearly portrayed the concept of classification by sorting out wild animals and giving them their names.Ho wever, the book of genesis chapter two verses twenty shows that, although Adam saw all the living things he could not find a suitable companion for himself. The issue of not finding a suitable companion also demonstrates the concept of classification. This is because the act showed Adam did not find a similar characteristic or trait among the created animals that matched his behavior or interests. As a result, God thought it could be best to make Adam a companion. He made him to sleep and took a rib from him and replaced the place with flesh. This miracle led to the creation of Eve, which made Adam to be contented, because he had found a partner who shared similar qualities with him (Nelsonword, 1993, p. 2). Concept of Measurement Measurement refers to the process of perceiving and recording observations collected as part of the enquiries effort. It involves different levels and concepts like interval, nominal, ratio and ordinal. When God was on the subject of wiping out the Earth a nd all the living things using floodwaters, He commanded Noah to build an ark and called it the Ark of Covenant. Noah used the concepts of measurement as commanded by God. The ark was to be made of cypress wood and the rooms in it were to be partitioned. In addition, the ark was to be seventy five feet wide, four hundred, forty five feet high and fifty feet long. The roof of the ark was to be completed about eighteen inches on the top and the doors on the side and upper middle and lower decks were to be made too.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the Ark of Covenant was completed, Noah was asked by God to bring all living creatures into the ark. They were to remain alive with him and his family. To do this, he was to take two of all living creatures, evaluate them, and make sure they are in pairs of male and female before taking them into the ark. For their suste nance, he had to make sure that there was enough food in the ark, as this is what the creatures and Noah’s family were to eat during the time of the destruction. Therefore, Noah was involved in a lot of collection, observation, evaluation and all aspects and concepts of measurement in completing the task given by God. Concept of Program Evaluation Program evaluation refers to an organized procedure of gathering, analyzing and using facts to answer questions about plans and policies, so as to specify their usefulness and efficiency (Sherri, 2009, p. 113). It also involves scrutinizing the aims and objectives of a particular program or policy and also ascertaining whether they are feasible. According to the book of exodus chapter eighteen versus thirteen to twenty seven, many Israelites used to go to Moses to seek guidance and directions pertaining to the problems they faced. Moses acted as a judge or an evaluator by ruling on the arguments presented to him by people who had mi sunderstandings. The concept of program evaluation is also clearly demonstrated by Jethro, the father in-law of Moses. The book says that Jethro saw Moses judging people and he sought to know why he did so and most importantly, why he was the only one doing it. This aspect of seeking clarification as portrayed by Jethro showed that he wanted to know the usefulness of the policy employed by Moses. Moreover, he wanted to know whether Moses’ actions could have any positive impact on the lives of the people.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Concepts of Christian Worldview specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to verse seventeen of the same chapter, Jethro illustrated the concept of program evaluation.This is clearly revealed when he advised Moses on how well he could succeed in his actions of guiding the people. Jethro recommended to Moses the methods he could employ to effectively and efficientl y administer the people who came to him on daily basis. For instance, he advised Moses to continue assisting and teaching the people about God’s laws and warning them on the consequences of breaking them. Moreover, according to verse twenty one, Jethro recommended Moses to subdivide the people who came to him into groups of one thousands, one hundreds, fifties and tens. Every grooup had a leader who was trusted and was chosen by Moses; hence, this clearly illustrates the concept of program evaluation. Manifestation the Hypothesis Hypothesis is the explanation of the existence of specified collection of sensations to guide investigation. It involves using different procedures and methodologies of research (Creswell, 2003, p. 61). According to the book of Daniel chapter one, Daniel and Melzar used many characters in their explanation. It is evident that they included different instruments and methods to explain the whole phenomena. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, ordered As hpenaz to bring him good handsome young men. These young men were brought from important Judean families, the royal clan of Judah and among the Israelites and they were to be trained for three years to become efficient enough to serve the king of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar thought that by giving some of his food and wine to the boys, they could grow healthier. However, Daniel, one of the boys thought that he was unclean to share food with the king; hence, he asked to be given another type of food. Contrary to his request, because Ashpenaz was loyal and could not object the orders from the king, he explained to Daniel that it was impossible for him to be given a different type of food (Nelsonword, 1993, p. 864). After this, he asked the warden to give them vegetables and water for ten days and that the guard was to be allowed to evaluate their progress. Daniel together with his friends, Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah were healthier than the other young men after the ten days. The g uard continued serving the four with the vegetables and water and because of this, God blessed Daniel and his friends with wisdom and a lot of abilities.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By the end of the three year training duration, Ashpenaz took all young men to Nebuchadnezzar. The king found that the four boys were healthier than all the others, as they could even demonstrate high degree of understanding and wisdom. Therefore, the king made the four to be his servants. This case involves a lot of participants, different research arguments and hypothesis. It was evident that using the kings’ food, which was believed to make the boys healthy was in contrast with what actually happened. Daniel employed qualitative research design in his study. Basically, qualitative research methods place more significance on the need of working with the subjects, which are under study in their natural environment as it attempts to gather an in-depth understanding of the behavior of people. This type of research is evident in the book of Daniel, because he uses natural qualities such as handsomeness, height, and wisdom to explain why some decisions are made. According to the book of Daniel, king Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashpenaz to bring healthy boys who could learn things first, as he considered these qualities vital if one was to be allowed to serve in the Babylonian Kingdom. In addition, king Nebuchadnezzar ordered Ashapenaz to provide the trainees with his food so that they could become his servants. However, Daniel pleaded with the guard who was guarding them to give him and his friends vegetables instead of the king’s food. The use of qualities to describe facts is revealed in many parts of the study. For instance, after the training, the king learned that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had better qualities compared to others. More specifically, Daniel was the best among them, because he could understand visions and dreams clearly. References Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Method Approaches. London: SAGE. Nelsonword. (1993). Good News Bible: Today’s English Version. Nashville: Tho mas Nelson Publishers. Sherri, J. L. (2009). Statistics: Plain and Simple. Boston: Cengage Learning. This research paper on Concepts of Christian Worldview was written and submitted by user Deborah Vega to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Vicious Circle of Poverty

The Vicious Circle of Poverty Free Online Research Papers For poor countries, there is a point of view that they are destined to remain poor. The rationale behind the above statement is that, for poor countries, taking resources out of the production of consumer goods is very difficult because they are living so close to subsistence levels and the lack of saving can make it difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. That is called the vicious circle of poverty, which illustrates that the poor counties will remain poor if not poorer, while rich countries will grow even richer following the same circle. This essay will analyze the two types of countries, more specifically, the rich ones- the developed countries- such as the US and the European countries and the poor ones- the developing countries like China, India and most of the African countries. It will also examine how they function differently during the process of accumulating capital and grow. Further, this essay will explore ways as well as evaluating their feasibility for developing countries to break the vicious circle of poverty. Finally, this essay will draw some conclusion based on the overall analysis and give suggestions for the sustainable development of developing countries. Comparison of developed countries and developing countries First and perhaps the most important, is that in order for capital goods to be accumulated to produce greater quantities of consumer goods in the future, consumer goods have to be given up in the present. This can be illustrated using the production possibilities frontiers (PPF) model (see graphic 1). It shows the combinations of output that the economy can possibly produce given the available labor and resources as well as the available production technology with the two axis being the consumption goods and capital goods(). Given the limitation of resources and technology, if the country uses up more good for consumption, then it will leave fewer capital goods for investment (Mankiw, 2007). Figure 1: PPF model of economic allocation Second, apply the same model to the two different types of countries- developed and developing counties, and compare the choices by them. The two major differences between the two types of countries are the resources and technology. More often than not, developed countries are always having both more resources and much better technology than their developing counterparts. As a result, a developed countrys PPF curve will be much larger relative to its population. Graphic 2 illustrates the comparison of two countries, one developed and one developing, which both have similar population. As shown in the graphic, the developing country has a much smaller PPF curve than the developed country, which reflects its fewer resources and lower level of technology. What is worse, in the real cases, developing countries are always having much greater number of people as well as greater population growth rates. Figure 2: comparison of PPF model in a developed country and a developing country Third, consider the relationship between investment and consumption and see how it works differently in developed and developing countries. Assume the replacement level of investment represents the threshold level of investment (Ir as shown in figure 3)- the level of production that would just exactly replace the capital is worn out in the current period. Similarly, assume the subsistence level of consumption (Cs as shown in figure 3) equals that level of the production of consumption goods just sufficient to feed a country’s population without starvation. Figure 3: Comparison of PPF model of economic growth As seen from figure 3, the developed country has the ability to both feed its population at or above the substance level, and at the meantime, replace or expand its stock of capital. For example, the country can choose its production pattern on the PPF curve where shaded. In this area, it can feed its population and expand its production possibilities in the future. While people in the developing country are living so close to subsistence levels and the country is lack of savings. So the choice for it becomes an â€Å"either or† question. It can choose between either feeding its population or expanding its production possibilities. Unfortunately, it cannot do both as in the shaded area, which is obviously beyond its production limit. Finally, figure 4 illustrates how the vicious circle of poverty comes into being. If the developing country, for instance, decides to feed its population at the expenses of replacing worn out capital, the country must produce less than the replacement level of investment. As a result, in the future its production ability will further decrease and its PPF curve will shift back, making the decision even worse. At that moment, feeding its population would require an even lower level of production for capital goods, which will in turn lead to an even more serve shift back in its PPF curve. Consequently, if the country continues to choose to feed its population, the PPF curve will shift back to a point that it will be unable to either replace its capital or feed its population. Figure 4 illustrates these sequences by the movement over time from production possibility frontier P0 to production possibility frontier P1 and P2. Figure 4: PPF model of vicious circle of poverty in a developing country Ways to beak the vicious circle While on a theoretical basis, the above analysis justify that the statement for poor countries, taking resources out of the production of consumer goods is very difficult because they are living so close to subsistence levels and the lack of saving can make it difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. It seems that the poor counties are destined to remain poor, if not poorer. Supposedly, a poor country cannot get the capital investment to improve industry. Of course, that statement begs the question: how did any country ever get out of poverty? How did the first country get out of poverty? Clearly, there are ways that poor countries can lift themselves out of their â€Å"vicious circle of poverty.† Normally, there are three ways to break the vicious circle, to set the threshold of investment higher than required, to starve some of the population at the present in trade for the sustainable development in the future, and to get foreign aid from developed countries. First of all, one of the solutions is for the developing country to decide to set its production of investment at more than the replacement level (that is higher than Ir shown in figure 3). From the perspective of the future, this choice has two advantages. First, it will expand the countrys PPF curve in the future (rightward to the new Ir level), reducing the poverty problem in the future. In fact, eventually the PPF will shift out enough so that the developing country will eventually be able to both feed its population and expand its production possibilities in the future (Goff, 2003). Second, choosing to allow some of their population to starve will also move the country in the direction of being able to both feed its population and increase its PPF curve. Although it is not the ideal choice for a county, it is the only internal choice that may result in fewest deaths and the most future productive growth. This is true because some people will die through starvation, presumably those who are least productive. In the future, since the population is lower, the subsistence level of consumption will fall. Because it is the least productive who will starve, their deaths will not have a large adverse effect upon the PPF curve. Finally, there is another more palatable solution exists, which is through foreign investment into developing countries. The vicious circle of poverty can be avoided if the country either has more resources or better technology. Foreign aid from developed countries can give developing countries either or both of these, allowing them to avoid the unpalatable choices discussed above and increase their PPF curves outward. Moreover, helping a developing country develop will also develop markets for the goods and services from developed countries, gaining economic benefits for them (World Bank, 2006). Conclusion From the analysis above, the economic growth and development refer to the expansion of economic choices, i.e., rightward or outward shifts in the PPF. For poor countries, there are limited resources and inferior technology, it is difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. While poor countries cannot afford to divert resources away from the production of consumption goods, they can escape from this situation with additional investment in capital from foreign aid. In absence of foreign investment, poor countries can also set its investment threshold higher than necessary or sacrifice few people in exchange of the sustainability of its economy, though not that favorable. References: Goff, Peter. â€Å"Factors affecting economic growth in developing countries†, Development Economics Web Guide, Issue 1, May 2003 Mankiw, N.G. (2007) â€Å"Principles of Economics†, 4th edition, Harcourt College Publishers World Bank, (2006) â€Å"The Economics of Developing Countries†, CHAPTER 16W. www.mcconnell17.com Research Papers on The Vicious Circle of PovertyDefinition of Export QuotasInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBringing Democracy to AfricaPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalCapital PunishmentGenetic Engineering

ARID REGIONS IN JORDAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ARID REGIONS IN JORDAN - Essay Example (Tarawneh et al 2008) Background In uses of water in Jordan, agriculture consumes 68%, industry gets only 4% and balance is meant for individual consumption. Source: Ministry of Water and Irrigation, HKJ. Reference: http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/geo_env4.html Along with scant water resource, Jordan is suffering from non availability of natural energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal. Thus, Jordan’s water problem becomes more critical. Some of the demographics of the Jordan are worth enumerating: Area: Total: 92,300 sq km Water: 329 sq km Land: 91,971 sq km Population Distribution: 38% in Amman; 34% in Irbid and Zarqa; and 28% in the remainder of Jordan. ( About Jordan 2011) Looking at the present water scarcity and the population growth of the Jordan, multi pronged strategy is required to increase the supply of water for domestic consumption and surplus to be diverted to agriculture and industries. Options Various options are to be exploited based on the cost, availa bility of technology and time required to implement the plan. However, some of the options are essential to exploit to make the water availability to a decent level. Short term measures are required to be put in to action as they are must before thinking about any other long term solutions. Short-term Measures Replacing All Piping and Revamping Distribution Systems Stopping leakages and the spillages is essential and important need of an hour to make the optimum use of water. The distribution of water in Jordan is done through GI piping. The life of such piping is not found to be more than 15-20 years. It gets corroded during the period. It has been observed that total supplied water never reaches to the end users in full. A huge part of the supplied water is finished in leakages due to corroded piping. The replacement of the piping should be carried out at the earliest as water is precious and cannot be allowed to waste in this way. Currently, High density polyethylene piping is a most convenient mode of carrying the water for domestic supply. These piping lasts more than 100 years and quite sturdy and noncorrosive in nature. Underground Recharging with Rain Water Underground recharging with rain water throughout the region is the foremost necessity in a bid to tackle the water crisis. This option should be taken on priority basis and the community should be taken into confidence while implementing such plans as their involvement is necessary. Rain water as surface water in lakes or canals will have much higher evaporation losses and needs to be preserved through underground recharging. The neighbouring country Israel has successfully made the best use of artificial recharge technique and in a single year, way back during 1967-68, had recharged over 100,000,000 cubic meter of rain water. (Harpaz, Yoav 1971) Recycling and Treating the Domestic Streams for Agricultural Use In order to conserve the water, the next step in line is to collect all used water from t he town of Amman and taken to a nearby treatment facility where all suspended impurities will be removed and then to be treated for domestic pollutants. The treated water then is suitable for agricultural use and should be released to farms through pipe lines. This will conserve the fresh water for domestic purposes. In view of the shortages of fresh potable water for domest

Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Interview - Essay Example He began working as a part time artist through making portraits on commission. The interview took place on January 10th 2007 at Anthony's residential home. The interview session lasted for 2 hours. Summary of interview Davies Anthony has the knowledge of various cultural diversities across the globe. My interview was based on the above questions which Anthony answered one after another. He describes his background as not representative to his current career since initially he studied economics and his dream was becoming an economic consultant for the rest of his life. However, he became interested with becoming an artist after realizing that he had the talent. He never enrolled in any course related to paintings though he went some classes on how to organize painting exhibitions "painting exhibitions is a trade fair event that brings out artistic identities of various regions in the world". He explains I've been organizing these exhibitions in almost every corner of the world making me intermingle with people from different cultural divides. The exhibitions are attached with various prizes and awards most of which are scoped by Anthony. He says that he does not relate to Henri Rousseau though they came from the same backyard and are in the same field of artistic paintings. However, they share business issues and challenges together. "I chose to work intentionally so as to have a wider customer base for my paintings and also to help me in understanding different cultures" He asserts. Working intentionally is something that Davies had prepared for since he had enrolled for various languages in the linguistic department of Cambridge University via online. The languages were Japanese, Spanish, French, Chinese and Amharic. He speaks the languages...However, he became interested with becoming an artist after realizing that he had the talent. He never enrolled in any course related to paintings though he went some classes on how to organize painting exhibitions "painting exhibitions is a trade fair event that brings out artistic identities of various regions in the world". He explains I've been organizing these exhibitions in almost every corner of the world making me intermingle with people from different cultural divides. The exhibitions are attached with various prizes and awards most of which are scoped by Anthony. He says that he does not relate to Henri Rousseau though they came from the same backyard and are in the same field of artistic paintings. However, they share business issues and challenges together. "I chose to work intentionally so as to have a wider customer base for my paintings and also to help me in understanding different cultures" He asserts. Working intentionally is something that Davies had prepared for since he had enrolled for various languages in the linguistic department of Cambridge University via online. The languages were Japanese, Spanish, French, Chinese and Amharic. He speaks the languages partially while abroad and in France. "My skills of having some knowledge on various languages in the world have been very resourceful as I tour and work in the global

Response Sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response Sheet - Essay Example Although the main intention of the author was to see the full moon rise, he was attracted so much by the scenic beauty of Navajo that he could not believe what he was experiencing was real. The author reveals his excitement by stating that â€Å"all Navajo dwellings face east†. He is so much swayed by the nearby surroundings that he also camped facing the East. When he saw a Navajo girl herding a flock of sheep, he could not resist expressing his feelings towards the dress and ornaments that she wore. He also finds a woolly dog to be different than others under the influence of the moonlit night. Indicating his state as almpst hypothised by the opitate environment, the author himself is unsure whether the girl or the dog that he saw were an illusion or he was really experiencing something different. It was so strong that he compares himself with the wizard of Stonehenge waiting eagerly to see the full moon rise, tempted with the charm and the scenic beauty of the location, the author is filled with thrill and excitement. Illustratively, he could not restrict himself questionning: â€Å"Has the Navajo medicine men contrived this for our benefit?† (Young

Influences of American Antitrust Principles on Golf

Influences of American Antitrust Principles on Golf Are the Rules of Golf in violation of Antitrust Law? Abstract: Today, the two regulatory bodies for golf, the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (RA) establish the technical specifications for golf equipment. Indeed all major sports would have some regulatory body undertaking the same activity. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which American antitrust principles will influence the application of Australian antitrust (or competition law) canons to the Rules of Golf. In Australia, the rules promulgated by the regulatory bodies are adopted through its national association, Golf Australia, upon a delegation from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. The issues specifically raised are whether regulation of golf equipment improperly excludes innovative products from reaching the market place (ss45/4D of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Aus) with this provision somewhat equivalent to  §1 of the Sherman Act 1890 (US)), and second, whether the golf regulators are unfairl y exercising market power (s46 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Aus) this section broadly parallels  §2 of the Sherman Act 1890 (US)). With precedential case law emanating from the United States, it is possible, if not probable, that a manufacturer (be they Australian or international) may look to the Australian courts as a medium by which their innovative and ground-breaking product can reach the hands of avid golfers. This article examines the United States litigation and applies it to the above-mentioned competition law principles. It has particular relevance to a United States audience given that American manufacturers dominate the retail market for golf clubs in Australia. A framework will be presented against which sporting equipment regulators can test the validity of their rules regarding equipment restrictions. Whilst golf will be the background for this critique, the analysis is equally relevant for any sport (if not all), which contain such limitations. Introduction There is no doubting the importance of sport to the human psyche. From an Australian perspective it is an inherent part of the Australian persona, developed as part of our culture. Whether it is our wealth, weather, availability of land or some other reason, many Australians participate in any number of outdoor and indoor recreational pursuits that come within the broad rubric of sports. As one of the most prominent activities, golf occupies a specific niche in the Australian community. With approximately 1.139ml (or 8% of the population) playing, the related employment of 20,000 people, club revenues of $1.1bn, 30ml rounds played annually, at least 20 male players on the United States Professional Tour and the number nine ranked female player in the world (Karrie Webb), Australia is rightfully positioned as the worlds number two golfing nation, behind only the United States of America. However, for every golfer frustrated with a short game that begins off the tee, a putter that uncomfortably yips at impact, or a ball that doesnt respect the modern mantra of mental visualisation, a lingering question remains, to what extent do the technology restrictions imposed by the regulators of golf actually protect the fundamental values that lie behind the game? Perhaps more specifically, do the contemporary developments such as the conformance test for the ‘spring-like effect off clubheads, or the limitations on the distance that a ball can travel serve to protect the skill level of the game, or simply restrict competition amongst innovative manufacturers whilst at the same time exasperating the legion of players in the game. Has tradition been preserved at the expense of progress? Development and growth in sporting equipment is about innovation, (if not in society), and on a simplistic level restrictions prevent competition amongst companies who must create to sell th eir product to the consumer. Subject to normal use, golf clubs will last for many years if not decades. To purchase new equipment, the golfer needs to be convinced that the latest contrivance (such as the redirection of the weight in the head of the club; the redesigning of the geometry of the dimples on the golf ball, or the adjustability of the shaft), will see that golfer move imperceptibly closer to the utopian ideal of swing perfection. But the question remains how can a conventional competition law analysis allow sporting administrators the opportunity to engage the game and its participants with its fundamental values, or does sport (as a fundamental part of Australian society) simply need to mend its way to fit within the competition law ideals promulgated and promoted by governments of all persuasions. United States Litigation The genesis for present day litigation has been the United States of America. In a golfing context, two cases dramatically highlight the antitrust implications of the Rules of Golf: Weight-Rite Golf Corp v United States Golf Association and Gilder v PGA Tour Inc. Weight-Rite Golf Corp v United States Golf Association concerned an action brought by a manufacturer and distributor of (among other things) a particular golf shoe. The plaintiff had designed a golf shoe to promote stability and appropriate weight transference in the swing. The USGA issued a determination banning the shoe alleging that it did not conform to the USGAs Rules of Golf. However, Weight Rite argued that the USGA determination amounted to a group boycott or concerted refusal to deal. In the United States, this is per se unlawful under the Sherman Act (in Australia this would be per se illegal under s45 of the Trade Practices Act 1973), no lessening of competition need be established. As noted by the Court these types of practices are: â€Å"agreements or practices which because of their pernicious effect on competition and lack of any redeeming virtue are conclusively presumed to be unreasonable and therefore illegal without elaborate inquiry as to the precise harm they have caused or the business excuse for their use†. However, in addition, Weight Rite submitted that even if the per se rule was not applicable, the USGAs action violated the rule of reason, that is, its actions lessened competition. Weight Rite was unsuccessful. The USGA had not violated any procedural fairness requirements nor had an unreasonable restraint of trade occurred. The court found that the USGA had an established procedure for the verification of new equipment, whereby golf equipment manufacturers may, prior to marketing a product, obtain a ruling from the USGA as to whether the product conforms to the Rules of Golf. Given that Weight Rite had not availed itself of this procedure, despite notification to do so from the USGA, injunctive relief was not available to the plaintiff. Gilder v PGA Tour Inc Gilder v PGA Tour Inc concerned, at the time, the most popular selling golf club in the world, the ‘Ping Eye 2. This club was developed following an amendment in 1984 whereby the United States Golf Association had permitted the manufacture of clubs containing grooves that were in the shape of a U (as opposed to a V) this rule change coming about because of technical improvements in the way clubs were manufactured, rather than manufacturers seeking to gain an innovative advancement to their clubs. This contrasted with earlier clubs where the grooves were all the shape of a V- a diagrammatic representation from Figure XI of the current rules of golf shown below. In 1985 a number of players complained that the U-grooves had detracted from the skill of the game. The specific allegation was that U-grooves imparted more spin on the golf ball, particularly when hitting from the rough. The USGA conducted further tests and whilst they considered that more spin was added to the golf ball by the U-grooves, not enough information was available to ban clubs with this type of face pattern. However, the USGA did amend how it would measure the spaces between the grooves (the so-called groove to land ratio) and this had the effect of banning the ‘Ping-Eye 2 with this rule applying to all USGA tournaments from 1990. Gilder and seven other professionals, funded by the manufacturer of the ‘Ping-Eye 2 (Karsten Manufacturing Corporation), began proceedings against the PGA (the administrative body for professional golf tournaments in the United States of America) for adopting the rule that led to the banning of the club. They alleged that the actions of the PGA and its directors violated  §1 and  §2 of the Sherman Act and Arizona antitrust laws. To support its case, Karsten presented, in the United States Court of Appeal, economic evidence that there had been no negative impact for the PGA Tour by professionals using the ‘Ping-Eye 2. This included a quantitative study that the percentage of money won by players using the golf club was less than the percentage of players not using the club. Furthermore, there was no proof that Ping golf clubs led to a greater number of players getting their balls to the green in less than regulation. The evidence of the professionals was as expected that changing clubs would adversely hurt their game, with this impacting on prize money won and endorsement income. By contrast, the PGA considered that success for Karsten would irreparably damage its standing as the governing body. If their reputation were diminished, it would then have difficulty formulating rules for the conduct of tournaments under its control. However, the Court in comparing the harm done to the manufacturer and the p layer, as against the PGA Tour found in favour of the manufacturer. The damage done to the prestige and reputation of the PGA paled in comparison with the financial harm to the players and Karsten. An injunction was granted preventing the ban of the club going ahead and with this in mind, both the USGA and the PGA settled the outstanding litigation with Karsten. This saw Karsten acknowledging the USGA as the principal rule making body, the PGA as the administrative organisation in charge of tournaments with an independent equipment advisory committee established to oversee the introduction of innovations. Both sides claimed victory the USGA and PGA retained their positions as the authoritative rule-setters for golf and tournament play, the manufacturer and players able to continue to use the ‘Ping-Eye 2. With this background in mind, this paper will consider the application of Australian competition (or antitrust) law to the restrictions presently imposed by the regulators within the current Rules of Golf. Are these restrictions hampering competition in the market place and serving to dampen the innovative market in golf clubs. Do they prevent ground-breaking products from entering the competitive fray, and will the deference shown to the sporting regulators in the United States (with Gilder v PGA Tour the exception rather than the rule), be followed if Australian litigation was to occur? Specifically, within the Australian context, does ss45/4D (broadly similar to  §1 of the Sherman Act 1890 (US)) and s46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (equivalent to  §2 of the Sherman Act 1890 (US)) prevent Golf Australia (the national administrator of Golf in Australia) from endorsing the technology restrictions imposed by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews? The Rules of Golf The USGA and the RA have collaborated to issue a joint statement of principles concerning advancements in technology. With a focus on what is perceived as golfs traditions, the rule-makers indicate a continued preference for a single set of rules and the need for these Rules to enhance the skill of the player rather than the quality of the equipment. With this in mind, the Rules of Golf state: â€Å"4-1(a): The players clubs must conform with this Rule and the provisions, specifications and interpretations set forth in Appendix II.† Appendix II then establishes, over the course of eleven pages, the rules regarding the design of clubs, with, for example, clause 4(c) being of contemporary concern because of its effect in limiting the spring-like effect of golf clubs. â€Å"The design, material and/or construction of, or any treatment to, the clubhead (which includes the club face) must not: have the effect of a spring which exceeds the limit set forth in the Pendulum Test Protocol on file with the R&A; or incorporates features or technology including, but not limited to, separate springs or spring features, that have the intent of, or the effect of, unduly influencing the clubheads spring effect; or unduly influence the movement of the ball.† The Pendulum Test Protocol then sets out that a driving club is to be impacted several times by a small steel pendulum (see diagram 2). The time between the impact of the clubhead on the pendulum is then recorded, with this time directed related to the flexibility of the clubhead. The time cannot exceed certain parameters. Pendulum Test Protocol Mechanism The length golf balls can travel is also restricted. Appendix III, clause 5 provides that the â€Å"The initial velocity of the ball must not exceed the limit specified (test on file) when measured on apparatus approved by the [the regulator].† These rules apply in Australia with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, through its rules making entity (the RA Rules Limited) delegating to Golf Australia the role of administering the Rules of Golf within Australia. Current Technology Debates As noted the most recent debate between manufacturers and the regulatory bodies concerns the so-called spring-like effect of club faces. The creation and fusion of new materials in the manufacturing process has reduced the distortion that occurs to a golf ball on impact. By reducing this (through the club-face giving slightly and then rebounding), an overall increase in distance was able to be achieved. Until recently, there had been no adequate measure to test this effect, but with the introduction of the Pendulum Test Protocol, the USGA and the RA now have the opportunity to measure this accurately. However, the introduction of these measures led to a sharp decline in the share price of golf club manufacturers, and â€Å"[a]s one investment analyst commented, ‘if a governing body tells a leading-edge technology company that they cant improve technology, it puts them out of business. This debate stands at the fore of golf, with the industry view provided by the President of K arsten Manufacturing: â€Å"If the USGA restricts innovation, it will artificially restrict competition. Golfers will no longer receive the best possible equipment and will incorrectly perceive that all golf drivers are the same and there is nothing new or improved. The lack of excitement from the game will decrease interest in golf†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A second issue concerns the relationship between club face markings and the impact of the ball on the clubhead. As every golfer knows, inexorably connected to driving distance is accuracy. However, recent studies from the regulators highlighted that correlation between driving accuracy and success on the professional tours was no longer high, with further evidence illustrating the combination of current golf balls with a thin urethane cover had significantly increased the spin of the golf ball. This led to the Rules being tightened from January 1, 2008 (with this limiting the width, depth and spacing between grooves). However, non-conforming clubs can be used by non-elite golfers until 2024, with the professional golfers to adopt the rule from 2010. One final contemporary topic concerns the degree to which the club should be able to twist upon impact (the so-called ‘moment of inertia (see diagram 3- this machine able to test how much a club twists upon impact)), the regulators suggesting that technology which limits the clubhead and shaft twisting will reduce the skill component of the game. The rules now provide that when the â€Å"†¦moment of inertia component around the vertical axis through the clubheads centre of gravity must not exceed 5900 g cm ² (32.230 oz in ²), plus a test tolerance of 100 g cm ² (0.547 oz in ²).† As noted by the RA the purpose is to provide for protection â€Å"against unknown future developments†¦whilst allowing some technological evolution.† Moment of Inertia Test Machine Australian Antitrust Law Australian antitrust (or, as it is known, competition law) derives from, though with substantially different wording than, the 1890 United States Sherman Act. Because of this, the previously mentioned litigation from the United States will be of distinct precedential value when the matters are litigated in Australia. In this section an examination is given of the applicability of ss45/4D and s46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 to the scenario detailed above. Is Golf Australia, through its adoption of the Rules of Golf on a delegation from the regulators in breach of either of these provisions.? The application of ss45/4D of the Trade Practices Act 1974 Section 45(2) of the Trade Practices Act states that: A corporation shall not: (a) make a contract or arrangement, or arrive at an understanding, if: (i) the proposed contract, arrangement or understanding contains an exclusionary provision; or (ii) a provision of the proposed contract, arrangement or understanding has the purpose, or would have or be likely to have the effect, of substantially lessening competition.. The latter part of this legislation can quickly be dismissed. In Australia, golf will not be seen as a discrete market of the purposes of antitrust analysis. For this reason an argument that there is a substantial lessening of competition (s45(2)(a)(ii)) by the imposition of technical restrictions for a particular sport is unsustainable. The per se exclusionary provision prohibition established by section 45(2)(a)(i) is somewhat equivalent to  §1 of the Sherman Act 1890 (US) however, one important difference can be noted. As Weight-Rite and Gilder highlight, the jurisdictional applicability of  §1 of the Sherman Act 1890 cannot be argued. By contrast, it is suggested that this would not be the position in Australia. The critical difference between the Australian legislation and the United States section is that in the former nation, s45(3) of the Trade Practices Act 1974 requires a competitive market or that the cartel parties be in competition with each other. Whilst this does not require all parties to be competitors, with golf regulators not retailing or manufacturing golf clubs, the underlying sense of collusion so critical to s45 litigation is absent. The definition of exclusionary provision in s4D is even more explicit. This requires that the arrangement must be between people who are competitive with each other thus mandating a horizontal component to the understanding. A further reason for the unavailability of s45 is that sporting organisations will often be seen as single economic units, rather than distinct entities. The importance of this if the two bodies are not viewed as separate, collusion is not possible. United States authority supports this reasoning. For example, in Seabury Management Inc v Professional Golfers Association of America Inc., a trade show promoter (Seabury), brought an action against the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) and a member section, the Middle Atlantic Section Professional Golfers Association of America (MAPGA), alleging that a five year contract between Seabury and MAPGA gave Seabury the right to use MAPGAs name and logo to conduct and promote a golf trade show anywhere in the United States. MAPGA claimed, on the other hand, that the contract limited any MAPGA-sponsored golf trade show to an area within the MAPGAs territorial boundaries. The case proceeded to trial with Seabury alleging, among other things, that both the PGA and MAPGA had colluded in violation of  §Ã‚ §1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and of Marylands antitrust laws. Initially the jury returned a verdict for Seabury, finding that the PGA and MAPGA were not part of a single economic unit and that the PGA had conspired with MAPGA (and also with the Golf Manufacturers and Distributors Association) to illegally restrain trade. However, this was overturned on appeal. The Appellate Court concluded that the PGA and MAPGA were incapable of conspiring and that on this issue, judgment as a matter of law in their favour was appropriate. The court said that while the MAPGA is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the PGA and these entities are separately incorporated, the evidence at trial established that the PGA and its member sections function as a single economic unit with the PGA possessing ultimate control over the actions of individual sections. The court found it significant that the sections are governed by the PGA Constitution, by policies adopted either at PGA annual meetings or by the PGA Board of Directors, and by other pertinent policy documents such as trademark licensing agreements. In addition, the sections actions must be approved by the PGA to ensure that they are in the best interests of the organisation as a whole. For example, when the MAPGA sought to enter into the contract and its amendments with Seabury, the PGA had to approve these actions, and in this instance the PGA did approve the contract. The Application of s46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 Another basis for possible antitrust breach by Golf Australia (through its unquestioning adoption of the Rules of Golf) is s 46: â€Å"(46) A corporation that has a substantial degree of power in a market shall not take advantage of that power for the purpose of: a) eliminating or substantially damaging a competitor of the corporation or of a body corporate that is related to the corporation in that or any other market; b) preventing the entry of a person in that or any other market; or c) deterring or preventing a person from engaging in competitive conduct in that or any other market.† The purpose of this section is clear. It is about protecting economic aims, promoting the competitive process and through that the consumer. Therefore does the regulatory control of golf equipment by Golf Australia depress competitive outcomes and reduce consumer (golfer) welfare? Have the Rules operated to depress the capacity of existing firms to innovate, and new firms to enter the market? Three elements must be met before s46 can be successfully invoked. i) Market power by a corporation; ii) The corporation must take advantage of that market power; iii) And, the taking advantage must be for a proscribed purpose. Market Power It is suggested that Golf Australia has market power. As the monopolist regulatory agency for Australia (its authority derived from one of the two Leviathans of world golf (the RA in this instance), Golf Australia can act by adopting rules free from the constraints of competition. Market power can also be established by contracts, arrangements or understandings that the corporation has with another party in the case the agreement between Golf Australia and the RA. This is supported by the significant barriers to entry that any new regulatory agency would have to establish most notably affiliation with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews or the United States Golf Association. One suspects that it simply would not be â€Å"rational or possible for new entrants to enter the market,† golf also not interchangeable with other sports. Has there been a Taking Advantage Assuming that market power has been established, the next query becomes whether there has been a taking advantage of that market power. In Pacific National (ACT) Limited v Queensland Rail, the Federal Court enunciated 10 principles as a guide to the construction of the phrase take advantage in s46 of the Trade Practices Act 1974. 1. There must be a sufficiency of the connection, or a causal connection, between the market power and the conduct complained. 2. If the impugned conduct has an objective business justification, this will go against the existence of a relevant connection between the market power and the conduct. 3. The words take advantage do not encompass conduct that has the purpose of protecting market power but no other connection. 4. In deciding whether a firm has taken advantage, one must ask how it would have behaved if it lacked power and whether it could have behaved in the same way in a competitive market. 5. It may be proper to conclude that a firm is taking advantage of market power where it does something that is materially facilitated by the existence of the power. 6. The conduct must have given the firm an advantage it would not have had in the absence of market power. 7. The test may be whether the conduct was necessarily an exercise of market power. 8. One of the difficulties in dete rmining what constitutes taking advantage stems from the need to distinguish between monopolistic practices and vigorous competition. 9. The purpose of s46 is the promotion of competition — it is concerned with the protection of competition, not competitors. 10. It is dangerous to proceed from a finding of proscribed purpose to a conclusion of the existence of a substantial degree of market power that can be taken advantage of — to do so will ordinarily be to invert the reasoning process. In other words s 46 is not directed at size or at competitive behaviour, as such. What is prohibited, rather, is the misuse by a corporation of its market power. In addition, s46(4)(a) provides that the reference to power in s 46(1) is a reference to market power the power to be taken advantage of must be market power and not some other type of power. A corporation which satisfies the threshold test by reason of its market power is not permitted by s. 46(1) to take advantage of that power for the purpose of one or other of the objectives set out in paras. (a), (b) and (c). The term take advantage in this context indicates: that the corporation is able, by reason of its market power, to engage more readily or effectively in conduct directed to one or other of the objectives in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c); it is better able, by reason of its market power, to engage in that conduct; its market power gives it leverage which it is able to exploit and this power is deployed so as to take advantage of the relative weakness of other participants or potential participants in the market. Whether this is so in a particular case is a matter to be inferred from all the circumstances. In so doing, three critical points must be made: i) In determining whether there has been an objective taking advantage of market power, the phrase is not meant to imply that there must be a hostile or malicious intent to the use of the market power. There is to be no ‘indefinite moral qualification to the phrase ‘taking advantage. Section 46 is not dealing with social policy. ii) To answer the question whether there has been a taking advantage, the counterfactual is explored, that is, would the regulatory authorities have acted in the same way in competitive conditions. Conduct that may not normally be of concern, can â€Å"take on exclusionary connotations when practiced by a monopolist.† iii) The final critical point is that it is not permissible to establish a proscribed purpose and then to reverse engineer from this to find that there has been a taking advantage of market power. Taking advantage is a separate element that must be proven exclusively of any proscribed purpose. To do something other than this is to flaw the analysis. It is not possible to conclude that because one has the proscribed purpose of eliminating a competitor, that they have taken advantage of market power. â€Å"Competitors almost always try to ‘injure each other†¦This competition has never been a tort†¦ and these injuries are the inevitable consequence of the competition s46 is designed to foster.† With these principles in mind, would (or could) Golf Australia have acted in a different way, if the market conditions were competitive? Arguably, the answer is no. Golf is a global sport at both professional and amateur level and with the control, financial influence, and contemporary dominance of the USGA and the RA, Golf Australia would have to act the same way in a competitive market. The potential for Australia, despite our relative success on the world stage, to develop or go it alone in terms of equipment and rule regulation would not exist. With major American companies dominating world golf club manufacture, the presence of a second regulatory body, competing with Golf Australia would not alter the fact that sporting equipment regulation would still be mandated by overseas entities. A new entity, (as with Golf Australia) simply would not have the political or financial strength to act differently than that dictated by the USGA and the RA. For a Proscribed Purpose Assuming that market power and the taking advantage of this was established, the third element is that Golf Australia would have had to have acted for a proscribed purpose. Can it be said that Golf Australia (a non-profit entity) has objectively acted to eliminate, hinder or somehow prevent competition in a market. This requirement is arguably more easily met in the context of ‘for profit organisations. In Monroe Topple Associates v Institute of Chartered Accountants the non-profit nature of the Institute did not necessarily lead to a finding of an improper purpose, but â€Å"[did] tend to point against such a finding.† It is suggested that it would be difficult to establish the purpose element. Golf Australia gains nothing by putting golf equipment manufacturers out of business indeed it would seem to be in the interests of the regulator to promote healthy innovative competition amongst the manufacturers, with this leading to reduced prices for clubs and growth in the number of players. In a different context, a similar conclusion was reached by the Full Federal Court in Australasian Performing Rights Association Ltd (APRA) v Ceridale Pty Ltd. APRA refused to provide a licence for a nightclub unless unpaid fees by Ceridale were paid. While its actions may have led to a nightclub closing, its purpose was not to put the company out of business, but simply to preserve the integrity of its licence system. By analogy, the role of Golf Australia in endorsing the rules of the USGA and the RA is not about putting golf equipment manufacturers out of business, but about preserving what it perceived to be the traditions of the game. An Objective Business Justification Given what has been previously outlined, a breach of s46 appears unlikely. Whilst Golf Australia would have market power, it could not be shown that it would have acted differently in a competitive market (hence no taking advantage of that power), nor could it be demonstrated that it acted for a proscribed purpose. However, it is suggested that there is an even stronger basis by which Golf Australia would be able to defeat any allegation that it had taken advantage of its market power. This relies on Golf Australia establishing an objective legitimate business justification as to why it has accepted and promulgated these technical rules as the basis for regulation of golf equipment in this country. If this justification is accepted, then the conclusion is that there has been no taking advantage of market power the business was simply doing what would normally be done in a competitive market. In essence, it is the flipside of the counterfactual test, but in this context appeals to th e reason why sporting administrators and regulators are needed that is to establish and run fair competitive competitions and to encourage participation in the sport by all, with results determined on skill and not on luck. It seeks to connect the conduct of the market participants to

Karl Marx Essay -- sociology, marx, positivism

Chose one of sociology’s founding â€Å"figures† and critically assess his or her particular contribution. There are many of sociology's founding figures that have extremely well-built ideas, practices and studies that I could explore, but one renowned philosopher stands out amongst the crowd, and that person is named Karl Marx (1818-1883). In this essay I aim to explore and critically assess his ideas, theories, and studies in his contribution to sociology, and if his ideas, theories and studies are useful to this contribution to sociology. Sociology began in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Western Europe. Around this time, the political and economic systems in Europe were changing. Things like the Monarchy, (which was the rule of Kings and Queens) was disappearing, while capitalism was growing rapidly. Different societies began contacting eachother, and the economic markets began developing. Things were most definitely changing, and there was now room for new ideas to bloom. Something that had an enormous impact on the development of sociology was the Enlightenment. ''The Enlightenment was characterised by faith in the ability of human reason to solve society's problems.'' (Chapter 1, Andersen and Taylor , 2008). During the Enlightenment, ideas began to establish themselves and eventually effected sociological studies. Positivism is based on the idea that it is possible to observe social life and establish intricate knowledge about how it works. It says that sociology should only be observed with senses yet the theories of sociology should be observed in a methogical way. Although it does not effect modern sociology, as it does not take into account the fact that some methods do not allow the ideas to be observed... ...3] Boundless. The Marxist Critique of Capitalism. [Online] Available from: https://www.boundless.com/sociology/understanding-economy/economic-systems--2/the-marxist-critique-of-capitalism/ [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] Chapter XX. Marx K. 1893. Das Kapital. Volume II Progress Publishers. Marx K. 1848. The Communist Manifesto. International Publishing Co. Marx K. 1848. The Victory of the Counter Revolution of Vienna. [Online] November 12th. Available from: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/11/06.htm [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] H. 1879. Interview with Karl Marx. [Online] January 5th.. Available from: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/bio/media/marx/79_01_05.htm [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] sociologytwynham. 2013. Marxist views of the Family [Online]. Available from: http://sociologytwynham.com/2013/06/13/marxist/ [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] Karl Marx Essay -- sociology, marx, positivism Chose one of sociology’s founding â€Å"figures† and critically assess his or her particular contribution. There are many of sociology's founding figures that have extremely well-built ideas, practices and studies that I could explore, but one renowned philosopher stands out amongst the crowd, and that person is named Karl Marx (1818-1883). In this essay I aim to explore and critically assess his ideas, theories, and studies in his contribution to sociology, and if his ideas, theories and studies are useful to this contribution to sociology. Sociology began in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Western Europe. Around this time, the political and economic systems in Europe were changing. Things like the Monarchy, (which was the rule of Kings and Queens) was disappearing, while capitalism was growing rapidly. Different societies began contacting eachother, and the economic markets began developing. Things were most definitely changing, and there was now room for new ideas to bloom. Something that had an enormous impact on the development of sociology was the Enlightenment. ''The Enlightenment was characterised by faith in the ability of human reason to solve society's problems.'' (Chapter 1, Andersen and Taylor , 2008). During the Enlightenment, ideas began to establish themselves and eventually effected sociological studies. Positivism is based on the idea that it is possible to observe social life and establish intricate knowledge about how it works. It says that sociology should only be observed with senses yet the theories of sociology should be observed in a methogical way. Although it does not effect modern sociology, as it does not take into account the fact that some methods do not allow the ideas to be observed... ...3] Boundless. The Marxist Critique of Capitalism. [Online] Available from: https://www.boundless.com/sociology/understanding-economy/economic-systems--2/the-marxist-critique-of-capitalism/ [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] Chapter XX. Marx K. 1893. Das Kapital. Volume II Progress Publishers. Marx K. 1848. The Communist Manifesto. International Publishing Co. Marx K. 1848. The Victory of the Counter Revolution of Vienna. [Online] November 12th. Available from: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/11/06.htm [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] H. 1879. Interview with Karl Marx. [Online] January 5th.. Available from: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/bio/media/marx/79_01_05.htm [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013] sociologytwynham. 2013. Marxist views of the Family [Online]. Available from: http://sociologytwynham.com/2013/06/13/marxist/ [Accessed on 17 Dec 2013]

Fast food restaurant Essay

Introduction: Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. History: The concept of ready-cooked food for sale is closely connected with urban development. In ancient Rome cities had street stands that sold bread and wine. A fixture of East Asian cities is the noodle shop. Flatbread and falafel are today ubiquitous in the Middle East. Popular Indian fast food dishes include vada pav, panipuri and dahi vada. In the French-speaking nations of West Africa, roadside stands in and around the larger cities continue to Sell—as they have done for generations—a range of ready-to-eat, char grilled. Meat sticks known locally as brochettes. Market size and major players †¢Dominated by McDonalds having as many as 123 outlets. †¢Domino’s pizza is present in around 274 locations. †¢Pizza hut is also catching up and it has planned to establish 147 outlets at the end of 2009. †¢Subways have established around 145 outlets. †¢Nirula’s is established in Delhi and Northern India. However, it claims to cater 50,000 guests every day. It has future expansion plans for more than 50 outlets every year, for next three years. Major players in fast food †¢McDonalds 132 outlets †¢KFC 72 outlets †¢Pizza hut 147 outlets †¢Dominos Pizza 274 outlets †¢Cafe Coffee Day 833 outlets †¢Barista 200 outlets Fast food contains high amount of †¢Calories †¢Saturated Fat †¢Carbohydrates †¢Sugar †¢Sodium †¢Proteins Why do people eat it? ?Quick and Easy ?Tastes good ?Provides satiety and comfort? It’s everywhere Dual Income families ?Work day-away from home ?Shifts in Traditional Food habits ?High income urban dwellers ?Variety of choice of foods ?Home delivery, take-away restaurants, American chains INDIA EMERGING MARKET FOR GLOBAL PLAYERS The percentage share held by foodservice of total consumer expenditure on food has increased from a very low base drastically. Eating at home remains very much ingrained in Indian culture and changes in eating habits are very slow moving with barriers to eating out entrenched in certain sectors of Indian society. The growth in nuclear families, particularly in urban India has decreased drastically. India, exposure to global media and Western cuisine and an increasing number of women joining the workforce have had an impact on eating out trends. Major players of fast food in India †¢ Mc Donalds †¢ KFC †¢ Pizza hut †¢ Dominos Pizza †¢ Coffee day †¢ Barista Kentucky Fried Chicken About the Company KFC Corporation, or KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky. KFC is a brand and operating segment, called a â€Å"concept† of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global Restaurants Inc. KFC primarily sells chicken in form of pieces, wraps, salads and sandwiches. While its primary focus is fried chicken, KFC also offers a line of roasted chicken products, side dishes and desserts. Outside North America, KFC offers beef based products such as hamburgers or kebabs, pork based products such as ribs and other regional fare. The company was founded as Kentucky Fried Chicken by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, Menu items. KFC’s specialty is fried chicken served in various forms. KFC’s primary product is pressure-fried pieces of chicken made with original recipe. The other chicken offering, extra crispy, is made using a garlic marinade and double dipping the chicken in flour before deep frying in a standard industrial kitchen type machine. Kentucky Grilled Chicken – This marinated grilled chicken is targeted towards health-conscious customers. It features marinated breasts, thighs, drumsticks,and wings that are coated with the Original Recipe seasonings before being grilled. It has less fat, calories, and sodium than the Original Recipe fried chicken. Nutritional value KFC formerly used partially hydrogenated oil in its fried foods. This oil contains relatively high levels of trans fat, which increases the risk of heart disease. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a court case against KFC, with the aim of making it use other types of oils or make sure customers know about Trans fat content immediately before they buy food. Advertising One of KFC’s latest advertisements is a commercial advertising its â€Å"wicked crunch box meal†. The commercial features a fictional black metal band called â€Å"Hellvetica† performing live, the lead singer then swallows fire. The commercial then shows the lead singer at a KFC eating the â€Å"wicked crunch box meal† and saying â€Å"Oh man that is hot†. In 2007, the original, non-acronymic Kentucky Fried Chicken name was resurrected and began to reappear on company marketing literature and food packaging, as well as some restaurant signage. KFC Business Strategy KFC fast-food chains are currently under the restaurant division of PepsiCo Incorporated. Some major threats include the changing attitudes of society toward healthier eating habits, KFC has more than 9,800 outlets located in 77 countries. In marketing, KFC restaurants are not restricted from locating within close proximity of other KFC restaurants. There are two alternative strategies for KFC. The first strategy involves keeping PepsiCo beverage division and snack foods division together, and a divestiture of PepsiCo restaurant division; selling Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. MC Donald’s About the company: McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 31,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in 118 countries each day. More than 75% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. The strong foundation that he built continues today with McDonald’s vision and the commitment of our talented executives to keep the shine on McDonald’s Arches for years to come. To read more about McDonald’s history, vision and executives, click on their links in the left menu. We drive our business momentum by focusing on what matters most to customers. Our owner/operators, suppliers and employees work together to meet customer needs in uniquely McDonald’s ways. The powerful combination of entrepreneurial spirit and System wide alignment around our Plan to Win enables us to execute the best ideas with both large-scale efficiency and local flair. Products McDonald’s predominantly sells hamburgers, various types of chicken sandwiches and products, French fries, soft drinks, breakfast items,and desserts. In most markets, McDonald’s offers salads and vegetarian items, wraps and other localized fare. Portugal is the only country with McDonald’s restaurants serving soup. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known, and one which is employed either to abide by regional food taboos (such as the religious prohibition of beef consumption in India) or to make available foods with which the regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in Indonesia). Advertising. McDonald’s has for decades maintained an extensive advertising campaign. In addition to the usual media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards and signage, sponsors sporting events ranging from Little League to the Olympic Games, and makes coolers of orange drink with their logo available for local events of all kinds. Nonetheless, television has always played a central role in the company’s advertising strategy. To date, McDonald’s has used 23 different slogans in United States advertising, as well as a few other slogans for select countries and regions. At times, it has run into trouble with its campaigns. PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRY I. Environmental friendly products cost high: Government is legislating laws in order to keep check on the fast food industry and it is emphasizing more on the usage of bio-degradable and environment friendly products. But associated with this issue is the problem that fast food player faces – the cost associated with the environment friendly product. They cost much higher than the normal products that companies uses for packaging or wrapping their products. II. Balance between societal expectation and companies economic Objectives: To balance a society’s expectation regarding environment with the economic burden of protecting the environment. Thus, one can see that one side pushes for higher standards and other side tries to beat the standard back, thereby making it a arm wrestling and mind boggling exercise. Health related issues: obesity I. Studies have shown that a typical fast food has very high density and food with high density causes people to eat more then they usually need. II. Low calories food: Emphasis is now more on low calorie food. In this line McDonald has a plan to introduce all white meat chicken. Mcnuugget is with less fat and fewer calories. Swot analysis of fast food industry Strengths †¢Quick service †¢Affordable †¢AttractionWeakness †¢Different preferences †¢Lack of customization †¢Unhygienic and unhealthy Opportunities †¢Growing nuclear families †¢Growing urban lifestyleThreats †¢Oppositions from various organization †¢Location †¢Ready-to eat †¢Health concerns ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION 1. How often do you use fast-food services? a. Daily b. Weekly c. Fortnightly d. Monthly 2. Which fast food restaurant would prefer? a. McDonalds b. KFC c. Pizza Hut d. Subway 3. What are the reasons for eating fast food? (You can tick more than 1) a. Appearance of products b. Price of the products c. Flavor of products d. Convenience of the products 4. What else do you buy when purchasing fast food’? a. Carbonated (fizzy) drinks b. Coffee, tea c. Ice cream d. Crushers 5. What time would you normally buy fast food? a. Before 12 pm b. Between 12-3 pm c. Between 6-9 pm d. 10pm or later.

buy custom Decisions in Paradise Business Scenario essay

buy custom Decisions in Paradise Business Scenario essay The company for which Nik works for is planning to establish a factory at Kava Island to produce sugar. The decision of setting up a sugar-processing factory has been arrived at after undertaking an assessment study of the raw material produced at Kava. The company, which Nik and Chris works for had earlier established that Kava Island is well endowed with production of sugarcane. The company was able to establish that there is not established sugar processing factory at Kava Island. Farmers at Kava sell their sugarcanes to intermediaries, who then export the sugarcanes to neighboring countries. Furthermore, the company has been able to establish that the intermediaries buy the sugarcanes at very low prices, to enable them make profits after deducting transportation and exportation costs. In the first part of paradise business scenario Nik and Chris had already identified the major issues facing their company. These issues include the need to establish strong presence at Kava, and th e need to develop a method of giving back to the community of Kava. The mission of the company at Kava will be, to be a world class company through production of high quality sugar, and making positive economic and social impacts to the people of Kava. Nik and Chris have already identified suitable decision-making techniques that they will employ in identifying the solutions to the issues identified. One of these decision-making techniques is PMI (plus, minus, and interesting) technique (Waldron, 2010). PMI decision-making technique is a refined method of making decisions, which was developed by Edward de Bono from the T-Chart (pros-cons) technique. In this technique, the decision maker(s) list/lists the entire plus (good ideas) of a given alternative/course of action. Then, the minuses (bad points) of the same alternative are listed. Finally, all the interesting points of an alternative are listed. Interesting points are those ideas of a given alternative that are neither good nor bad, uncertain points, or areas of curiosity. This technique will allow Nik and Chris (the decision makers) to explore various alternatives/corses of action outside the context of judgment (without evaluating the negative and positive aspects of an alter native) (Waldron, 2010). After evaluating all the available courses of action, Nik and Chris will then identify the courses of action, which have less negative aspects, more positive aspects, and moderate interesting aspects. Alternatively, Nik and Chris can use the T-Chart technique to identify the solutions. T-chart technique entails developing orderly, graphic representations of all courses of action/possible solutions to a problem (Harris, 1998). Every graph consists of a list of all possible pros and cons of the available courses of action/possible solutions. This technique ensures that both the positive and negative aspects of all the possible solutions to a problem are taken into account. T-Chart technique is almost similar to PMI technique. It can therefore be suitable to evaluate complex courses of actions, whose interesting aspects cannot be identified easily and within a short period. Therefore, Nik and Chris will use PMI and T-Chart decision-making techniques to identify the most suitable solutions to the issues identified in part one of paradise business scenario. One of the possible solutions already identified by Nik and Chris, which will help their company to establish a strong presence at Kava, is offering higher prices to sugarcane farmers than what the intermediaries in the region are currently offering. Since the farmers are currently being paid poorly for their produce, offering higher prices for the same quantity of produce will encourage the farmers to start selling their sugarcanes to the company. This is one of the positive aspects of this possible solution. Another positive aspect of this possible solution is that it will encourage more farmers to produce sugarcane. Consequently, the company will have greater supply of raw materials, hence increasing its production capacity. However, this course of action is likely to affect the relationship between the company and business players at Kava Island. This is because if the farmers decide to sell their produce to the company, enttrepreneurs and investors at Kava are likely to face bus iness closure. Another possible solution is to offer farmers incentives such as subsidized inputs or farming loans. In return, the company will require the farmers who will receive the incentives to supply their produce to the companys factory once they mature. The positive aspect of this course of action is that the company will assist farmers at Kava who do not practice sugarcane farming due to lack of capital, to starting engaging in sugarcane farming, hence providing a means of livelihood. In fact, this course of action will be a very feasible solution to the second issue identified in part one (developing a method of giving back to Kava community). However, the interesting aspect of this course of action is that it will affect production of other products such as coffee and bananas. Although the company will be assisting farmers who are not financial capable of practicing sugarcane production, coffee and banana traders may experience low business activities as farmers shift from production of coffee and bananas to production of sugarcane. Other possible solutions include employing people of Kava in the factory, and engaging in numerous corporate social responsibilities such as improving education and transport infrastructures, and supporting individuals infected with HIV/AIDs. These solutions will all contribute towards establishment of a strong presence at Kava as well as giving back to the community of Kava. By applying the PMI and T-Chart decision-making techniques, Nik and Chris will be able to identify the possible courses of action, whose positive aspects outweigh the negative aspects, both to the company and to the people of Kava. The lesser the number of negative aspects and interesting factors in a given course of action, the high the level of feasibility (Harris, 1998). Therefore, after evaluating all the possible solutions using either PMI or T-Chart techniques, it is advisable that Nik and Chris select the courses of action with greater number of positive aspects than negative aspects. 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8 Powerful Reasons Why Nursing Isnt for Everyone

8 Powerful Reasons Why Nursing Isnt for Everyone Nurses are so often taken for granted as â€Å"just† the people assisting the real doctors in their work. But nursing is actually an incredibly difficult and taxing job, one filled with quiet heroes. Here are just 8  of the many reasons why nursing attracts the toughest and most dedicated people to the profession. 1. It’s a matter of life and death.As a nurse, you literally (and routinely) hold people’s lives in your hands. How many other jobs have that same awesome responsibility?2. You need endless knowledge.There are so very many medical terms you must be familiar with to be a nurse. And it’s not just the terminology. You also have to hold an enormous amount of information in your head, or risk dangerous consequences: doctors’ orders, patients vitals and other data, etc. You also have to keep up with trends, do continuing education, and push yourself to keep learning so you don’t fall behind the cutting edge.3.  You are surrounded by p eople in their lowest moments.It’s unbelievably difficult to watch another human being suffer- let alone pass away. You may think nurses get used to both these things; they don’t. They become very adept at doing their job in the face of suffering and loss, but that doesn’t mean a nurse isn’t affected.4. You come last.As a nurse, you have to put almost everyone’s needs before your own: doctors, patients, even putting your job ahead of your family time when your schedule requires. You have to smile, be endlessly patient, be empathetic, but take care not to get too attached. You might even have to eat breakfast while commuting- because it might just be the only meal you get all day.5. You don’t get paid enough.Even though nursing is a field in which it’s always possible to take on extra shifts or opportunities, you probably are not getting compensated at a truly fair rate for all you do. You don’t get holidays. You miss out on lot s of your family and social life opportunities, particularly when things run late or you’re on call. A lot of hospitals are also now cutting back on hiring and instead having their nurses work extra overtime. It can be pretty thankless!6.  You rarely get the respect you deserve.As a nurse, particularly since it’s a predominantly female profession, you get less respect than you deserve. Nursing is constantly devalued compared to more predominantly male professions. You do a huge share of the work in the care situation, and get almost none of the credit. And you have to be caring and compassionate in the face of occasional maltreatment, disrespect, and outright rudeness.7.  It’s very strenuous.The taxing hours worked, the being on your feet constantly, all these things add up to being sore and tired almost all of the time. Nurses also do a huge amount of heavy lifting and often develop back problems.8. Everyone’s a patient.As a nurse, you’re guar anteed to be bombarded with texts and photos of all your friends’ and family’s ailments asking you for free medical advice. It will be difficult to figure out where to draw the line in your off hours.Don’t be discouraged, though- nursing is a profession that needs heroes, and if you’re drawn to it, you can change lives. The good outweighs the bad, if you’re willing to muddle through it to get to the rewarding parts!

Primark faces inquiry over use of illegal labour 'Research proposal' Essay

Primark faces inquiry over use of illegal labour 'Research proposal' - Essay Example This increased awareness of the consumer in terms of ethics and its impact on buyer behaviour is a relatively new phenomenon and is gaining momentum with each passing year. This research proposal discusses the impact of ethical conduct by a business on its consumer’s buying behaviour and if there is any impact on the brand acceptance of a product caused by negative publicity related to ethics. Primark has been chosen as the organization for which this research will be conducted. This organization is perfect for this research as there have been controversial issues related to their business practices in the past. The literature review provides a complete background of the issue, followed by the research design of the proposed research. Ethical and practical considerations are named after, followed by the timetable of activities and a brief of data collection instruments that will be used for this research. Literature Review: The organization chosen for this research proposal, o wing to the recent controversy that they are in, is Primark. Primark is a 200 plus store clothing retailer working in the European region; this includes Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Ireland (where it is branded by the name of Penneys). There are mammoth stores present across Europe providing consumers with cheap clothing retail products. Their tag line â€Å"Look Good, Pay Less† is reflective of their strategy and their target market. They are segmented to target the young population passionate about looking their best, for the prices that they can afford. They are known to be selective in providing only the most popular sizes of their target market, buying and selling in bulk in order to save for themselves and for their consumers (Company Website, 2011). Throughout the past decade, Primark has been the subject of intense investigative actions by freelancers as well as government authorities for their suppliers and if their products meet ethical standards set by the Ethical Trading Initiative. In fact, Primark joined the ETI after they had been calculated at 3.5 out of 20 in an ethical index by Ethical Consumer (Press Release, 2006). ETI is an initiative that works on labour rights issues in supply chain; members have to make sure that they only employ suppliers that follow the code of conduct based on International Labour Standards and ITE’s core conventions. However, reports in 2008 and 2009 further exposed that their suppliers were not following the code of conduct and the company faced tremendous criticism from major stakeholders in their business environment. Empirical research has continuously shown that organizations that are ethical in their conduct and business processes are rated as favourites among the masses. The general population is highly appreciative of organizations that boast about their ethical standards and provide quality service to such an extent that they are willing to pay extra v alue for the product. In today’s generation, working unethically can be disastrous for an organization. Still, organizations are involving themselves in cost cutting, low standard methods that make sure they are able to provide product at a lower price. Price still dominates as the primary factor for many people; for the same

THE ROLE OF LETTERS OF CREDIT IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES Essay

THE ROLE OF LETTERS OF CREDIT IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES - Essay Example Secondly, when there is the case of clear-cut fraud or forgery on the part of the buyer (Seyoum, 2009). Thus the letter of credit acts as some form of international collateral for international business transactions unless these two fundamental breeches occur (Craig, 1999 p360). In Wood Hall Ltd V Pipeline Authority [1979] 141 CLR 443 457 the landmark ruling by the Judge was â€Å"The Letter of Credit ... is as good as cash in the eyes of those whom it is issued and that is essentially its function† (Dixon, 2004 p392). This paper therefore examines the use of letters of credit in international business. It begins by critically assessing whether or not it is the cornerstone of international business around the globe. It goes further to examine the evolution of the concept and use of letters of credit in modern business. The assessment of alternatives to letters of credit follows. The paper ends by critically examining the advantages and disadvantages of letters of credits in in ternational business. Letters of Credit as the Lifeline in International Business In a landmark ruling, Lord Justice Kerr stated that Letters of credit are the â€Å"lifeblood to international commerce† (Harbottle (Mercantile) Ltd V National Westminster Bank Ltd [1978] QB 14 6 155). In this ruling, he emphasises the importance of the use of letters of credit in international business. This is reemphasised by Lord Justice Griffith two years later in the case of Power Garber International Ltd V National Bank of Kuwait SAK [1981] 2 Lloyd Rp. Once again, the Judge stated that letters of credit are important and need to be honoured and preserved to enhance international trade (Schmitthoff, 1988). Basically, the use of letters of credit is very important because it enables...In this ruling, he emphasises the importance of the use of letters of credit in international business. This is reemphasised by Lord Justice Griffith two years later in the case of Power Garber International Lt d V National Bank of Kuwait SAK [1981] 2 Lloyd Rp. Once again, the Judge stated that letters of credit are important and need to be honoured and preserved to enhance international trade (Schmitthoff, 1988). Basically, the use of letters of credit is very important because it enables businesses to move about freely in other nations and communities with a collateral that is as good as cash. This therefore presents a positive insight into business across borders and enhances positive business traits and builds partnerships across borders. Also, there have been attempts by the international community to unify the system for the use of letters of credit using the Uniform Customs & Practices for Documentary Credits in 175 states across the world (Schmitthoff, 1988 p573). These nations have Central Banks that monitor and control the issue and cashing of letters of credits. However, in spite of the assurances that letters of credit give, it has â€Å"a failure rate of 50%† (Schmitthoff, 1988). This therefore implies that one out of every two transactions based on letters of credits fail around the globe. This is a piece of alarming statistics that makes it wiser to consider the use of alternative methods of transacting business international or at least a high level of professional scepticism in the field of international payments for business owners.