Richard III - Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Richard III - Shakespeare - Essay Example He engages other by his persuasions in order to win their support; he does this using all possible means even killing others in order to achieve his ambitious dream. Although at the end of it all we see Devine power taking control of the scene. Because of Richard’s hunger for power, conflicts have been created in this society throughout the play Richard III. Richard is so ambitious and hungry to be the leader of England no matter the conflicts he brings between him and the people. From the beginning to the end of this play, every move is about Richard and his desire to be the king. He either uses persuasion or even kills to ensure he achieves this ambition. We see Richard sweet talking Lady Anne in order to win her. Lady Anne knows that Richard killed his husband and father in law King Henry VI, but still Richard cunningly is able to lure and win her for marriage. Richard knows that by marrying Lady Anne he makes a strategic move towards getting the throne (Shakespeare, 1597, A4v). He further spreads rumors about his brother through his false prophecy claiming that Clarence was planning to kill the king’s heirs yet he is the one planning to do so. He makes the king furious with Clarence leading to his imprisonment and later he is killed through Richard’s orders (Shakespeare, 1597). Richard had a number of plans of evil thi ngs to do to make himself king and rule England forever. These plans were to; eliminate his brother Clarence, marry Lady Ann, kill king Edward IV, become protector since the heirs were still young, eliminate anyone who supported the heirs, murder the young princes, make himself king, murder his wife then beat up Richmond. Richards hunger and ambition to get to power lead him to commit so many evil deeds in order for him to achieve his dreams. All the deeds by Richard to get himself to power created conflict between

Decision Making Stages Essay Example for Free

Decision Making Stages Essay Decision making (decision from Latin decidere to decide, determine, literally to cut off, from de- off and caedere to cut) can be regarded as the mental processes (cognitive process) resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice.[1] The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. * | Decision making stages Developed by B. Aubrey Fisher, there are four stages that should be involved in all group decision making. These stages, or sometimes called phases, are important for the decision making process to begin Orientation stage – This phase is where members meet for the first time and start to get to know each other. Conflict stage – Once group members become familiar with each other, disputes, little fights and arguments occur. Group members eventually work it out. Emergence stage – The group begins to clear up vague opinions by talking about them. Reinforcement stage – Members finally make a decision, while justifying themselves that it was the right decision. It is said that critical norms in a group improves the quality of decisions, while the majority of opinions (called consensus norms) do not. This is due to collaboration between one another, and when group members get used to, and familiar with, each other, they will tend to argue and create more of a dispute to agree upon one decision. This does not mean that all group members fully agree — they may not want argue further just to be liked by other group members or to fit in.[12] Q2 A management information system (MIS) is a system that provides information needed to manage organizations effectively. Management information systems are regarded to be a subset of the overall internal controls procedures in a business, which cover the application of people, documents, technologies, and procedures used by management accountants to solve business problems such as costing a product, service or a business-wide strategy. Applications of MIS With computers being as ubiquitous as they are today, theres hardly any large business that does not rely extensively on their IT systems. However, there are several specific fields in which MIS has become invaluable. Strategy Support While computers cannot create business strategies by themselves they can assist management in understanding the effects of their strategies, and help enable effective decision-making. ï  ¶ MIS systems can be used to transform data into information useful for decision making. Computers can provide fina ncial statements and performance reports to assist in the planning, monitoring and implementation of strategy. MIS systems provide a valuable function in that they can collate into coherent reports unmanageable volumes of data that would otherwise be broadly useless to decision makers. By studying these reports decision-makers can identify patterns and trends that would have remained unseen if the raw data were consulted manually. ï  ¶ MIS systems can also use these raw data to run simulations hypothetical scenarios that answer a range of ‘what if’ questions regarding alterations in strategy. For instance, MIS systems can provide predictions about the effect on sales that an alteration in price would have on a product. These Decision Support Systems (DSS) enable more informed decision making within an enterprise than would be possible without MIS systems. Q3 Information Resources Management (IRM) is an emerging discipline that helps managers assess and exploit their information assets for business development. It draws on the techniques of information science (libraries) and information systems (IT related). It an important foundation for knowledge management, in that deals systematically with explicit knowledge. Knowledge centres often play an important part in introducing IRM into an organization. Identification:- * Identifies gaps and duplication of information * Clarifies roles and responsibilities of owners and users of information * Provide costs saving in the procurement and handling of information * Identifies cost/benefits of different information resources * Actively supports management decision processes with quality information Development :- 1. Understand the role of Information. Information can add value to your products and services. Improved information flows can improve the quality of decision making and internal operations. Yet many managers do not fully understand the real impact of information the cost of a lost opportunity, of a poor product, of a strategic mistake all risks that can be reduced by using the appropriate information. 2. Assign Responsibility for Leading your IRM Initiative. Developing value from information resources is often a responsibility that falls between the cracks of several departments the user departments in different business units, and corporate planning, MIS units or librarians.. 3. Develop Clear Policies on Information Resources Policies for ascertaining information needs, acquiring and managing information throughout its life cycle. Pay particular attention to ownership, information integrity and sharing. Make the policies consistent with your organisational culture. 4. Conduct an Information Audit (Knowledge Inventory). Identify current knowledge and information resources (or entities), their users, usage and importance. Identify sources, cost and value. Classify information and knowledge by its key attributes. Develop knowledge maps. As knowledge management gains prominence, this is sometimes called a knowledge inventory knowing what you know. 5. Link to Management Processes. Make sure that key decision and business process are supported with high leverage information. Assess each process for its information needs. 6. Systematic scanning. Systematically scan your business environment. This includes the wider environment legal and regulatory, political, social, economic and technological as well as the inner environment of your industry, markets, customers and competitors. Provide selective and tailored dissemination of vital signs to key executives. This goes beyond the daily abstracting service provided by many suppliers. 7. Mix hard/soft, internal/external. True patterns and insights emerge when internal and external data is juxtaposed, when hard data is evaluated against qualitative analysis. Tweak your MkIS system to do these comparisons. 7. Optimize your information purchases. You dont have to control purchasing, but most organisations do not know how much they are really spending on external information. By treating consultancy, market research, library expenses, report and databases as separate categories, many organisations are confusing media with content. 8. Introduce mining and refining processes. Good information management involves data mining, information refining and knowledge editing. You can use technology such as intelligent agents, to help, but ultimately subject matter experts are needed to repackage relevant material in a user friendly format. One useful technique is content analysis, whose methods have been developed by Trend Monitor International in their Information Refinery, and are used in our analysis services. The classifying, synthesising and refining of information combines the crafts of the information scientist, librarian, business analyst and market researcher/analyst. Yet many organisations do not integrate these disciplines. 9. Develop Appropriate Technological Systems Continual advances in technology increase the opportunities available for competitive advantage through effective information management. In particular, intranets, groupware and other collaborative technologies make it possible for more widespread sharing and collaborative use of information. Advances in text retrieval, document management and a host of other trends in knowledge management technologies have all created new opportunities for providers and users alike. 10. Exploit technology convergence. Telecommunications, office systems, publishing, documentation are converging. Exploit this convergence through open networking, using facilities such as the World Wide Web, not just for external information dissemination but for sharing information internally. 11. Encourage a Sharing Culture Information acquires value when turned into intelligence. Market Intelligence Systems (MkIS) are human expert-centred. Raw information needs interpretation, discussing and analysing teams of experts, offering different perspectives. This know-how sharing is a hall-mark of successful organisations. Q4 Mis use in financial management: Management Information Systems (MIS) in Finance have been widely adopted both by corporations as well as governments. They are information systems with capacity to maintain large data bases enabling organizations to store, organize and access financial information easily. 1. General Ledger * The main use of a management information System (MIS) in finance is that it automatically updates all the transactions in the General Ledger. The General Ledger is the core component of all financial information systems. Financial transactions are simultaneously posted on the various accounts that comprise the organizations Chart of Accounts. Simultaneous updating of accounts such as sales, inventory and accounts receivable, reduces errors. It also provides an accurate and permanent record of all historical transactions. Cash Management * Cash flow management is an important use of MIS in Finance. Cash Management refers to the control, monitoring and forecasting of cash for financing needs. Use of MIS in Finance helps companies track the flow of cash through accounts receivable and accounts payable accurately. Accurate records also help in monitoring cost of goods sold. This can help pin point areas that eat up cash flow such as inventory costs, high raw material costs or unreliable sales. * Sponsored Links * CFP Certification course ICICIdirect experts help you become a Certified Financial Planner.Apply www.icicidirect.com/CFP Budget Planning * Financial budget planning uses proforma or projected financial statements that serve as as formal documents of managements expectations regarding sales, expenses and other financial transactions. Thus financial budgets are tools used both for planning as well as control. MIS in finance helps organizations evaluate what if scenarios. By modifying the financial ratios, management can foresee the effects of various scenarios on the financial statements. MIS thus serves as a decision making tool, helping in choosing appropriate financial goals. Financial Reporting * The use of MIS systems in Finance enables companies to generate multiple financial reports accurately and consistently. Generation of financial statements both for internal reports as well as for shareholder information takes less effort because of the automatic updating of the General Ledger. Compliance with Government regulations as well as auditing requirements is also easier because the records are accurate and provide a permanent historical map of transactions that can be verified. Financial Modeling * A financial model is a system that incorporates mathematics, logic and data in the form of a large database. The model is used to manipulate the financial variables that affect earnings thus enabling planners to view the implications of their planning decisions. MIS in Finance enables organizations to store a large amount of data. This helps managers develop accurate models of the external environment and thus incorporate realistic what if scenarios into their long-range planning goal. PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: Production means transformation of Raw materials into finished products for sale. According to E. L. Brech, â€Å" Production Management is the process of effective planning and regulating the operations of that section of an enterprise which is responsible for the actual transformation of materials into finished products†. 1.Statergic planning 2 tactical planning 3 operational procedure. Q5 computer programs that are derived from a branch of computer science research called Artificial Intelligence (AI). AIs scientific goal is to understand intelligence by building computer programs that exhibit intelligent behavior. It is concerned with the concepts and methods of symbolic inference, or reasoning, by a computer, and how the knowledge used to make those inferences will be represented inside the machine. Of course, the term intelligence covers many cognitive skills, including the ability to solve problems, learn, and understand language; AI addresses all of those. The Building Blocks of Expert Systems Every expert system consists of two principal parts: the knowledge base; and the reasoning, or inference, engine. The knowledge base of expert systems contains both factual and heuristic knowledge. Factual knowledge is that knowledge of the task domain that is widely shared, typically found in textbooks or journals, and commonly agreed upon by those knowledgeable in the particular field. Heuristic knowledge is the less rigorous, more experiential, more judgmental knowledge of performance. In contrast to factual knowledge, heuristic knowledge is rarely discussed, and is largely individualistic. It is the knowledge of good practice, good judgment, and plausible reasoning in the field. It is the knowledge that underlies the art of good guessing. Knowledge representation formalizes and organizes the knowledge. One widely used representation is the production rule, or simply rule. A rule consists of an IF part and a THEN part (also called a condition and an action). Example: Robotics Use of robots: for example, in industry, health, warfare, airlines, space, underwater exploration Q6 An integral part of any eBusiness system is its database. However, an advanced study of implementing databases is beyond the scope of this course. Here, for now, we are concerned with understanding the role that a database plays in an ebusiness system and in gaining an appreciation for the relational approach to managing data. A relational database turns raw data into persistent structured collections of information. In addition to managing information a database defines the relationships within an ebusiness system. The MIS is supported by database in its endeavor to support the management in decision making. The database models be it the NDBM, the HDBM or the RDBM, play the same role in the MIS. With the latest computer hardware and software capabilities the RDBMS have become popular. The concept of the end user computing can be implemented easily with the database approach to the information system. With the database approach, considerable data processing efforts, which were spent in the approach of the conventional system, are saved. The data is made independent of its application. The MIS designs have become more dependable due to the database and the SQL. The rigidity of the design is replaced by the flexibility of the design. It is now possible to review the applications more frequently from the point of view of utility and have them modified, if necessary. The database has strengthened the foundations of the MIS due to the following: * The database can be evolved to the new needs of the MIS. * The multiple needs can be met with easily. * The data design and the output design is flexible * Open system design of the MIS is possible. * The query handling becomes easier due to the Standard SQL. * User-friendly end user computing is possible. * The data is freed from its ownership and its use has become universal. * The Information Technology provides tools to handle distributed multiple databases making the MIS richer.

Shaken Baby Syndrome: Treatment and Prognosis

Shaken Baby Syndrome: Treatment and Prognosis Ojeni Mardiroui Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Diagnosis and Treatment Prognosis of SBS Recommendations Conclusion References Shaken Baby Syndrome, it’s Treatment and what is the Prognosis Introduction â€Å"Child abuse† is abroad term that encompasses neglect, sexual or emotional abuse, and physical cruelty. Child abuse is common all over the world. Child abuse can lead to non accidental head injury (NAHI) or Abuse related craniocerebral trauma. These are injurious to the health of children. A number of children die every year due to the NAHI all over the world. In addition to this NAHI and SBS are the most common and frequent cause of death in the children of age between 6 to 12 months. Shaken baby syndrome includes violent shaking of a child, held by torso or extremities. The violent shaking of child causes uncontrolled abrupt head movements which eventually lead to trivial bruising or any trauma. The clinical symptoms of SBS include signs of severe diffuse cerebral trauma that is subdural hemorrhage, encephalopathy and retinal hemorrhage. In addition to this, sometimes rib fractures or several combinations of metaphyseal fractures also occur (Matschke, Herrmann, Sperhake , Kà ¶rber, Bajanowski, and Glatzel, 2009). The shaking baby syndrome is an old legal and medical diagnosis in the infants and adolescents. The SBS is also termed as abusive head trauma (AHT) and constitute same signs and diagnostic symptoms. Both of these traumas can be identified with the help of their symptoms (Squier, 2011). Discussion It is not essential that shaken baby syndrome is only caused by violently shaking the baby, but it can also be caused by hitting the head of baby on the wall or bed or floor surface. In this way, the brain in the skull displaces from its position. With the movement of brain, the blood vessels of the brain got damaged and bleeding occurs inside the skull, leading to irreparable damage or injury. Other problems that are associated with brain injury are blindness, cerebral palsy, learning and behavior problems, hearing loss, paralysis, seizures, or death. It is also evident that no symptoms are shown on the body of the baby after shaking the baby, however, sometimes bones are broken or bruising may occur (Squier, 2011). Diagnosis and Treatment Since in case of shaken baby syndrome, the victim is not able to identify the abuse or cannot talk about the pain and suffering, so it is difficult to diagnose and treat the shaken baby syndrome. Generally, the parents or caretaker of the victimized baby refute any type of abuse, or they may have not seen it, therefore it is difficult to correlate the findings with the history of the SBS (Findley, Barnes, Moran, and Squier, 2011). It is not guaranteed that the course of treatment would confirm or disapprove shaken baby syndrome. It is not necessary that a particular treatment or medication can treat the injury caused by SBS. Therefore, the SBS is not diagnosed easily; however, it can be taken as a legal conclusion. On the other hand, it is easy for the physicians to diagnose encephalopathy, retinal hemorrhage and subdural hemorrhage from eye examinations and radiology images (Findley, Barnes, Moran, and Squier, 2011). It is also evident that the infants are soft and delicate and even a small injury can pose a threatening effect on their future lives. They are also more tolerant of increased intracranial pressure. A common cause of delay in the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome is that the assessment of signs and symptoms of SBS in infants are not easy. This is because of the reason that the infants are in their developmental stage. Commonly, the Glasgow Coma Scale is used to measure the level of impairment in the children by the shaken baby syndrome. This scale is not reliable enough and the results obtained from this scale are doubtful. The diagnosis of SBS is difficult; however, following conditions prevailing in a child can lead the healthcare professionals towards the diagnosis of SBS. If a child is presenting an unbelievable signs and symptoms consistently If a new adult partner is present at home If the parents or care taker show least interest in seeking medical treatment for the child If there is a delay in acquiring medical treatment If there is any previous record of child abuse If at the time of injury, no primary caregiver was present Along with the above mentioned symptoms, there are also some factors that are proved to be helpful for the healthcare professionals; they include cardiovascular collapse or mysterious shock, and inexplicable changes in neurologic status. After physically examining the affected child and after taking the history, there are some diagnostic tests that help to confirm the prevalence of SBS in child. These tests include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ophthalmologic exam, computed tomography (CT) scan, and x-rays. If the healthcare professional notices no evidence of increased intracranial pressure and if a subarachnoid hemorrhage is assumed, then a lumbar puncture is performed by the healthcare professional to confirm the diagnosis of SBS (Squier, 2011). Prognosis of SBS The infants who suffered from SBS, their prognosis is worse as compare to those infants who experience accidental head trauma. Depending upon the severity of the signs and symptoms presented by the victim, the treatmnet plan of SBS is finalized. The treatmnet plan may encompass life sustaining or emergency measures as per requiremnet and prevailing condition of the affected child. In some of the cases brain surgery is recommended for the affected children, for relieving the intracranial pressure and along with this, respiratory support is also needed. There rae some children who need a short term treatment procedures, and some children who are badly affceted by the abuse, may need a long term treatmnet plan for coping up with the condition. The treatmnet plan may include occupational and physical therapy, special education and speech therapy. One third of the survivors of SBS may experience adverse conditions and disabilities, like lack of ability to walk, sit, or breathe. Most of the survivors undergo a vegetative state, and become nonresponsive throughout their lives. However, some survivors suffer from behavioral and learning problems, seizures, blindness, and other disabilities in their upcoming future (Matschke, Herrmann, Sperhake, Kà ¶rber, Bajanowski, and Glatzel, 2009). Recommendations Education is the best practice that can lead to prevention of shaken baby syndrome. The most significant intervention that nurses can take is the provision of education to the parent/caregiver, instead of assisting in life saving measures. Therefore the prime responsibility of nurses is to educate the masses so that such syndromes can be avoided. On the other hand, parents should be educated about the effective measures that can be taken to prevent SBS. Despite the fact that the newborn babies cry a lot, however, the behavior of the parents should calm and cool towards their new born child. If the baby continuously cries, then the parents should make sure that any signs of illness are prevailing or not, or make sure if the child is hungry and needs to be burped. If parents suspect any sort of injury or illness in the young children, they should immediately consult a doctor (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 2012). The parents should realize that it is not the fault of baby neither parents, if the baby continuously cries or if the parents are unable to calm their babies. All the normal and healthy babies cry a lot after their birth and till they become mature. The National Center for Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) has recommended the use of a special technique called, PURPLE. It stands for; Peak Pattern: for about two months the crying increases then it gradually decreases Unpredictable: a child may cry for long period of time without any reason Resistant to Soothing: child may cry for an indefinite period Pain-like Look on Face: a child may have expressions like he/she is having pain Long Bouts of Crying: a child can cry for hours Evening Crying: a child becomes active at evening and night and keeps on crying (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 2012). Conclusion Shaken baby syndrome is a devastating intentional injury that can lead to adverse health outcomes of a child. In Shaken baby syndrome, an injury occurs when a child is violently moved or shakes. The violent shaking of child ultimately leads to trivial bruising or any brain injury that can be fatal for the child. The diagnosis of SBS is complicated and requires proper medical history. Prevention of the syndrome is the most effective step to avoid the condition. All the babies cry in their early childhood, so the parents should be calm and treat their children accordingly. References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). A journalist’s guide to Shaken Baby Syndrome: a preventable tragedy, retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/pdf/sbs_media_guide_508_optimized-a.pdf Findley, K. A., Barnes, P. D., Moran, D. A., Squier, W. (2011). Shaken baby syndrome, abusive head trauma, and actual innocence: getting it right. Hous. J. Health L. Poly, 12, 209, retrieved from http://www.law.uh.edu/hjhlp/Issues/Vol_122/Barnes.pdf Kelly, R. H., Bravos, Z. M. (2009). A critical look at the shaken baby syndrome. ILL. BAR J., 97, 200, retrieved from http://www.lawbravos.com/PDFs/shaken_baby.pdf Matschke, J., Herrmann, B., Sperhake, J., Kà ¶rber, F., Bajanowski, T., Glatzel, M. (2009). Shaken baby syndrome. Dtsch. Arztebl. Int, 106, 211-217, retrieved from http://www.aerzteblatt.de/pdf/DI/106/13/m211.pdf Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/sbs.html Squier, W. (2011). The â€Å"Shaken Baby† syndrome: pathology and mechanisms. Actaneuropathologica, 122(5), 519-542, retrieved from http://www.wisspd.org/htm/ATPracGuides/Training/ProgMaterials/Conf2011/ShakenBabyCases/18.pdf Stewart, T. C., Polgar, D., Gilliland, J., Tanner, D. A., Girotti, M. J., Parry, N., Fraser, D. D. (2011). Shaken baby syndrome and a triple-dose strategy for its prevention. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 71(6), 1801-1807, retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/Abstract/2011/12000/Shaken_Baby_Syndrome_and_a_Triple_Dose_Strategy.54.aspx

Role of Female Characters in Fidelmans Epiphany in Naked Nude :: Naked Nude Bernard Malamud

Role of Female Characters in Fidelman's Epiphany in Naked Nude Word Count Includes Outline  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thesis:   In his picturesque short story, "The Naked Nude", Bernard Malamud uses the female characters to develop, enact, and resolve Fidelman's epiphany and to bring about the protagonist's final, artistic self-understanding. Bernard Malamud, a leading contemporary Jewish author, skirts between fantasy and reality in his almost allegorical short fiction, teaching the reader a lesson through coinciding elements of beauty and comedy.   Venturing away from his usual, inner-city Jewish element, Malamud tackles new challenges of subject and setting in his novelistic collection of short stories, Pictures of Fidelman   Ã‚  Malamud develops his protagonist through a series of six, interrelated short works, each of which may function entirely independent from the others.   In "The Naked Nude," for instance, Fidelman comes to a new, artistic maturity through his attempt to copy the famous painting "Venus of Urbino" by Titian Tiziano.   Malamud's recurring theme of self-knowledge through suffering permeates this short work.   Scarpio and Angelo, as primary antagonists, provide the bulk of this suffering for Fidelman.   It is his own mental captivity concerning the female nude, however, that gives cause for Fidelman's eventual epiphany as an artist and as an individual.   His relationship to the women in the work shapes his ability to capture the form   of the "Venus" and to come to grips with his own self-worth.   In "The Naked Nude," Bernard Malamud uses the female characters to develop, enact, and resolve Fidelman's epiphany and to bring about the protagonist's final, artistic self understanding.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the story's outset, Fidelman is forced to act as janitor and manservant to a group of ill mannered prostitutes under the employment of the padrone, Angelo.   These offensive characters establish the first of a series of mental obstacles in the imprisoned protagonist's attempt to copy Titian's nude.   They   torment Fidelman with cynical laughter and exploit his demeaning position.   His sexual insecurity is established at the beginning of the story when he ponders his violent guillotine sketch, asking "A man's head or his sex?...either case a terrible wound" (Malamud 318).   The limited omniscient narrator, revealing Fidelman's thoughts and feelings, also suggests that he could gain "no inspiration from whores,"   and that "maybe too many naked women around made it impossible to draw a nude" (Malamud   325).   This illustrates Fidelman's early accreditation of his artistic impotency to desensitization.   He soon recogn izes, however, that the way in which he views the "Venus" also interrupts his progress.

Chipolte External Factor Evaluation Essay

Analysis of the External Environment Within the fast casual segment, there are certain external trends and forces that Chipolte must address. Some of these trends and forces can lend themselves to being opportunistic in nature; however there are some that can threaten the well-being of the restaurant. The success of a company ultimately depends upon how well it can use its strengths to take advantage of external trends. By utilizing an External Factor Evaluation Matrix (EFE) a company’s chief strategist can analyze and determine crucial external opportunities and threats important to the future of their organization. Another growing trend that the fast casual industry can capitalize on is the growing health trends among consumers. More and more people are becoming aware of the foods that they consume and are making strides to eat healthier. In fact, according to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, 19% of all customers are actively seeking out healthy alternatives when dining out (franchisedire ct.com, 2011). This is a direct result of obesity rates constantly rising in the United States. Furthermore, several restaurants competing in the fast casual sector have made conscious efforts to offer rather healthy meals to their customers. Certainly, realizing that customers are seeking out healthy options when dining out will prompt the industry to enjoy much success in the coming years. A third trend is the expanding interest in, and availability of, organic food ingredients. Several restaurant chains have dedicated their mission and vision statements to seek out the finest ingredients. It is no secret that many fast food chains use cheap ingredients that even compromise the nutritional value of the food it serves. However, several fast casual chains refuse to compromise the integrity of the ingredients used in its menu options. The use of produce that comes from sustainable practices is becoming more and more important to customers after so much light has been shed on how animals are treated before being used for food. This has even  prompted many chains to purchase pro duce from locally-owned organic food producers. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, 70% of adults say they are more likely to visit a restaurant that offers locally produced food items (franchisedirect.com, 2011). The recent advances in technology have also enabled various restaurants to offer customers a more customizable way to order food. There are currently applications that allow customers to order food via their smartphone. Capitalizing on an idea from pizza parlors, fast casual restaurants also allow customers to order food online and specify a particular time for pick up. As these restaurants offer its customers more ways to place an order, the business can maintain a larger propensity for growth as ordering food becomes more convenient. The fast casual segment has also begun to enter into the construction of sustainable restaurant designs. Currently, there are numerous initiatives for developing LEED and other sustainable buildings. These buildings are very environmentally friendly, and offer advant ages to the communities that they are erected within. At the head of this curve is Chipotle, which has received the first certifications for LEED-designed restaurants (fastcasual.com, 2008). Using sustainable buildings to house its restaurants is not only advantageous because it would appeal to customers, but there are also other governmental incentives in the form of tax credits and deductions (irs.gov, 2011). Thus, not only are sustainable buildings great for attracting and maintaining new customers, but it also makes great business sense too. Diversification of food concepts is a tremendous way to attract a wider audience with a differentiated taste. As the fast casual segment continues to grow and prosper, the companies competing can afford to implement spinoffs much in the same way as the giants of the fast food industry have done through the years. Many of the key players within the industry attract a customer with a specific taste profile. As these restaurants continue to expand and grow, they too can spinoff another brand of restaurant with a differentiated menu. Accompanying the numerous opportunities to the segment, there are also several existing threats that must be navigated in order to remain successful. The first of these potential threats pertains to rising food prices. The fast casual segment must especially take note of this because it already uses the highest quality ingredients which lead to higher costs. However, if food prices  continue to rise, the industry would be forced to either cut costs or raise the prices on its menu. This is a very touchy subject as the restaurants within the segment cannot afford to raise prices too high without facing adverse effects to its normal business operations. The ease of entry into the market is also another threat that the organization must combat. Although fast casual restaurants offer a distinct experience for consumers, its products are not necessarily revolutionary by any means. This leaves them somewhat vulnerable to competitors to enter the market and attack the brand; especially given the low startup costs for restaurants. However, with adequate marketing and utmost customer satisfaction, these restaurants can maintain their customer base and thwart any potential competitors. Increasingly inclement weather and the apparent increasing threat of natural disasters always remains a possible hardship. This would cause food shortages and a st eep rise on the price of ingredients. This makes it absolutely necessary for organizations to diversify their distributors to different parts of the U.S. in order to prevent catastrophic shortages. This way, if a flood destroys the supply of one supplier in an area, the restaurant can use another supplier elsewhere in order to maintain adequate distribution to its restaurants. The threat of recessions also can be a harmful blight to the segment’s success. Economic downturns often affect most businesses in negative ways and the fast casual segment is not protected from such an event. Although it did enjoy moderate growth and prosperity through the most recent recession, the segments growth was stunted a bit, as was the case for a majority of industries. However, restaurants were steadfast in maintaining prices and a quality experience and customers continued to support the food segment. The threat of consumers’ taste preferences changing is always of concern. Although most people are creatures of habit, diff erentiation of taste preferences can change, leaving the restaurant vulnerable. Knowing this, it is crucial that restaurants constantly improve upon food quality and the dining experience. Doing so will keep the entire experience â€Å"fresh† and entice the customer to come back. One of the obstacles in restaurants expanding into different areas that most do not realize, is the fact that there are often difficulties in acquiring the necessary agreements to open new stores (Chipotle 10-k, 2011). These consist of building permits if the company is  looking to build a brand new fixture for the new restaurant, to lease agreements for current buildings. Different cities have different zoning and ordinance codes, making the decision to rent a preexisting space a plausible alternative. However, the restaurant management typically has a target number of what it wants to pay on a monthly basis. Often, there can be a discrepancy between what management feels is fair and what the lessor feels is fair. This can hinder the expansion rate of a restaurant until both parties come to grips on fair terms of a lease agreement. It is important that fast casual organizations constantly analyze opportunities and threats that are presented outside of the organization. If companies do not exploit its advantages within the market, it cannot grow at a pace that it should be. On the other hand, if it does not properly navigate and combat the external threats presented, it will surely not be in business for the long term capacity which is often hoped. Thus, an EFE is extremely important in developing and maintaining a successful business. Works Cited David, Fred R. Strategic Management Concepts: A Competitive Advantage Approach. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print.

Poverty Is Not Caused by Overpopulation Essay Example

Poverty Is Not Caused by Overpopulation Essay Example Poverty Is Not Caused by Overpopulation Paper Poverty Is Not Caused by Overpopulation Paper First presented some facts about world population and demography. Then I analyzed the Malthusian and Marxist views on population. I talked about the existing views that considered population growth as the main reason behind poverty. Then I discussed my arguments about those view and discussed how population growth is not the primary cause of low standard of living, gross inequalities or limited freedom choice that characterize much of the developing world. I tried to find the main reasons behind the impoverishment of the poor countries and how those lead to overpopulation. Background: Human race came into existence around 2 billion years ago. Agricultural Revolution took place about 10,000 years ago when people used to hunt and gather food. At that time the estimated world population was about 4 million. The population started to grow significantly after the agricultural revolution. However, the most dramatic population growth occurred after the Industrial Revolution in sass. The world population was approaching one billion people and was increasing by more than two million every year. This dramatic population growth is termed population explosion because within less than 00 years the number of people mushroomed to more than 6 billion whereas before this, world population grew very slowly for millions of years. At this very moment, nearly 7 billion people are sharing this planet. By 2050, the population is expected to reach 9 billion. The world population is very unevenly distributed by geographic region, fertility and mortality levels and age structure. Here we also have to consider the term demographic transition: transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates. Most of the developing countries are in stage two and the developed countries in stage three. So in the developing countries, though death rate has dropped significantly due to improvement in medicine and health care, fertility rate remains high. So population growth is highest in the developing and poor countries. Existing literature: Now the question is why birth rates are so high in the developing countries? In 1 798, Thomas Malthusian proposed a theory that determines the relationship between population growth and economic development. According to him, the poor countries are poor because of the population growth. Eliminate the population problem and the problem of poverty will be solved by itself. To eliminate the extra people, positive and preventive checks are necessary. Positive checks are famine, natural disasters, war etc which according to him is a good way to get rid of the unnecessary people who are burden to the society. Preventive checks would be only moral restrain because birth controls were considered as sins according to the Catholic Church. Malthusian was not aware of the technological progress that would occur and thus he came up with the theory that food production will not be able to keep up with the population growth. Thus the solution was to get rid of the poor people. Karl Marx saw the Malthusian point of view as an outrage against humanity. Marx pinpointed the fact that with technological progress, there would be more production. So capital would be increasing too. However, the few capitalist who own all the resources exploit the poor workers and keep them poor. So poverty is the result of a poorly organized capitalist society where there is no equal distribution of wealth. From the Marxist point of view, overpopulation is not the reason behind slow economic growth and development. Though the theory of Malthusian is much criticized and controversial, his ideas are still remaining in the present world. Many theorists and economists see the reduction of population growth through severe measures as the easiest way of ensuring economic prosperity in a developing country. According to them, unrestrained population increase is the main reason behind low standard of living, malnutrition, ill health, environmental degradation, and many other economic and social problems. There is a theory known as population-poverty cycle. This theory states that overpopulation makes the economic, social, and psychological problems more complicated. As more children are born every day, there is less savings rate per person in the household and national level. Because of the uncontrolled population growth, the government fails to provide the basic necessities for the additional people. This leads to low living standard of the existing generation and eventually poverty is transferred to the next generation. At present China is the most populous country in the world with a number Of 1. 34 billion. This country has undertaken one Of the most harsh and coercive population control policies in the early sass- one child per family policy. Though this policy dramatically reduced the growth rate, is caused many socio-economic problems and controversies. However, the cline in the fertility rate in China through one child policy is less successful than approaches based on women empowerment and education in some parts of India, such as the state of Kraal. This shows us that population no longer remains a problem even though there is slow economic growth by focusing on empowering people, especially women. Defending my thesis: My thesis is that poverty causes overpopulation and to solve both the problems, other issues are needed to be taken care of. One of the main causes that keep poor countries and poor people poor is unequal distribution of wealth and natural resources. The developed countries consist of one quarter of the worlds population but consume almost 80% of the world resources. In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76. % of total private consumption. The poorest 20% consumed just 1. 5%. When one child is born in a developed country, the amount of money and resources spend behind it is equivalent to 16 children in the developing countries. Therefore the developed countries should cut back their very high consumption instead of asking developing countries to control their population growth. However they do not do that in an attempt to hold down he development of the poor countries to continue dominance over them and to maintain the very expensive living style. So they made population growth the main reason behind poverty to distract everyone from the real reasons. They pressurize the poor nations to adopt aggressive population control programs even though they themselves went through a period of sizable population increase that accelerated their own development processes. So as the Lads are kept poor, no or less development occurs and thus generates overpopulation. Also a huge amount of resources are hold idle. For example, only 12% of all the potential arable land is under cultivation. So the land actually being cultivated amounts only a fraction of its potential. According to one web resource- Enough arable land exists in India to give each person in the country approximately half an acre. In famine-ravaged Ethiopia, each person could have three-quarters of an acre of arable land. Africa, the poorest continent, has 20. 2% of the worlds land area, and only 13% of its population. North America has a whopping 2. 1 acres of arable land per person! So many areas with potential resources are under populated and any small areas (urban areas in the Lads) are concentrated with too many people. This unequal distribution of people in terms of land causes poverty rather than the population growth. Underdevelopment itself is a huge problem. If the governments of the developing countries adopt correct strategies that promote higher levels Of living, greater self-esteem and expanded freedom, population will take care of itself. If people are healthy and better educated, they will themselves be aware of the fact that smaller families are better than larger families. On the other case, if they are uneducated and physically and psychologically weak, the large family will be the only real source of social security. So the birth control programs and severe child control policies will be unsuccessful if there is no motivation to empower and enlighten the people, especially the women. If the women have equal roles and status like the men and have access to birth control, fertility rate will fall by itself. However, the richest people of the developing countries consume most of the resources and deprive the rest of the people of their daily necessities. As the poor people are kept poor they fail to get educated ND empowered which leads to low quality of life and overpopulation. Conclusion: Overpopulation is not the main cause behind poverty. It is the other way around. However, fast population growth is not desirable too. So in order to develop, countries like Bangladesh need to adopt policies that focus on making people aware of the ways to keep the family small. The consequences of rapid population should neither be exaggerated nor minimized. However, it is pretty clear problem of population is not simply a problem Of huge number. It is about quality of life and material well being.