Case Study on Early Childhood Essay Example for Free

Case Study on Early Childhood Essay This study will provide an understanding of a child’s physical, cognitive, and social development. Early childhood is a time of remarkable physical, cognitive, social, as well as emotional development. Infants enter the world with a limited range of skills and abilities. Watching a child develop new motor, cognitive, language and social skills is a source of wonders for parents and caregivers. The study of human development is a rich and varied subject. We all have personal experience with development, but it is sometimes difficult to understand exactly how and why people grow, learn, and change. What happens or doesn’t happen to children in the earliest years of their lives is of critical importance, both to their immediate well-being and to their future. If you received the best start in your earliest years of life, you are more likely to have grown healthy, developed language and learning capacities, or gone to school and led a productive, rewarding life. Let’s take a closer look at early childhood development including the well-being of potential influences around the child. Five year old Madison, a cheerful and clever girl, is one of the most active children I have ever met. She is a member of gymnastics, dancing, and little league softball team. Weighing about thirty five pounds and very lean, she has the energy times three of one child. To determine Madison’s maturity of her motor skill development, I created a test for both her gross motor skills and fine motor skills. To test her development of her gross motor skills, I told her to run up and down the driveway of her yard, which was about 9 feet in length, until she was tired. Madison only ran this length four times before giving up. I determined that her gross motor skills were above average because of her speed, pace, and length of running. To test her fine motor skills, I gave her one sheet of wide ruled paper and told her to copy each sentence: â€Å"My name is Madison. I am five years old. I like to play ball. † Madison showed that she could write these sentences neatly and accurately. I tested her again on her fine motor skills by testing her strength. I rolled a soccer ball to her five times and she kicked it back to me three of those five times. She showed that her strength was average as well. I also asked her parent a series of questions about her physical development: What was Madison’s appetite on a daily basis? What is her energy level before and after school? What is the pattern of her physical growth? Her parent stated that her appetite was normal and that she ate three full meals a day including snacks in between these meals. She then stated that before school her energy level is low being that most children do not like to be woken early in the morning. After school her energy level is fair because she has been active for more than seven hours and attends practice after school. Her parent also explained that Madison’s weight gain is steady but she has gotten taller by two inches. I determined that Madison’s physical development is excellent and well above average of children her age. Not only a period of amazing physical development, early childhood is also a time of extraordinary mental development. Cognitive development combined with memory and thinking continues to emerge throughout childhood. It would be impossible to avoid mentioning the work of Piaget when it comes to childhood cognitive development. According to Piaget’s theory, Madison is automatically in the preoperational stage. During this stage, children do not yet understand concrete logic, cannot mentally manipulate information, and are unable to take the point of view of other people. I asked Madison does she like to read and she answered â€Å"yes. † I also asked her does she like to learn and she said â€Å"yes. † To test her cognitive skills, I tested her by giving her a paper with a picture of three balls on it. I told her to circle the biggest one, put a square around the smallest one, and underline the medium size one. She correctly circled the biggest one which was in the middle, followed by the smallest one on the right and the medium one on the left. I gave the same test but with different pictures and in a different order. She missed this question because she assumed that the biggest bear was in the middle because of the first test she took. She failed to understand the perception of size because she focused on what she saw before not noticing the change of appearance. This showed that she used static reasoning believing that the world is unchanging. I asked Madison how many fingers she had and she counted ten. I then raised only four of my fingers on one hand and three on the other. I asked her how many did I have on my and and she stated seven but then told me I was hiding more. As you can see I could not pull a trick on Madison with this test. In children, there is perhaps nothing more amazing than the emergence of language. Early childhood is a sensitive period for language learning. I asked her parent does Madison easily learn words. She stated that Madison learns words everyday and often repeat words that she might have said to other people and to her as well. To test Madison on her social development, I sat a phone, a bottle of water, and a book on a table. I asked her what was the first object and why do we use it. She correctly answered the question saying that the phone was used to call people. Second, she could not tell me what the container was (bottle) but she did say it was water. Last, she correctly stated that the book was used to read about things. I asked her does she play with other kids and she said yes. I then asked her did she have friends and she named two friends. Her parent also stated that Madison talks about her friend all the time and has gotten into trouble for talking too much at school. It shows that Madison is a very sociable child and she will more than likely be successful in anything that she does.

Instant coffee market in Japan

Instant coffee market in Japan Nestlà © has dominated the instant coffee market in Japan for a number of years, however, during the 1960s; canned coffee became more popular in Japan. Nestlà © overlooked this chance to gain more of the market share and branded canned coffee as a coffee-flavoured drink, so did not to enter the market. Kirin Beer, Nestlà ©s partner at the time, broke off its relationship with Nestlà © after they refused to enter the canned coffee market. This increased Coca Colas chances and they entered the market with Georgia, especially for this part of the Japanese market. Coca-Cola managed to secure 40% of the canned coffee market in Japan by utilising its existing distribution channel. Nestlà © only entered the market in the early 1990s and has only a 4% share, through a partnership with Otsuka Beverage [1, 2]. In 1991, Otsuka Beverages Nescafà © Canned Coffee sold 50 million cases (30 cans per case) from September to October and around 70 million individual cans from September to Novembe r. In the beginning, the individual canned coffee product was mostly placed on Japan-Rail kiosks throughout Japan. By entering the canned coffee market Otsuka created much competition between already existing brands; such as Coca-Cola group (Georgia) and beer group (Suntory, Kirin and Asahi) who had already achieved a great deal of market share [3]. However, Table 1 shows that Nestlà ©s market share for canned coffee products in 2005 remained at less than 10% [4]. The Japanese accepted Nestlà © instant coffee, which in turn helped them to be the dominant coffee product in Japan. Nevertheless, to compete with soft drinks they launched a new canned coffee that was not accepted by the Japanese like instant coffee, this was because to the Japanese it was just a coffee flavoured drink rather than a can of real coffee. Nestlà © spends approximately 1% of its annual sales revenue on Research and Development (RD) and in 2006 had 3,100 employees dedicated to this department. Around 70% of the RD budget is spent on development initiatives that focus on developing products and processes that fulfil market needs [1]. Analysis of the status quo of the Japanese RTD Market A report by AgExporter, in October 1992 found that Japan is the worlds largest market for ready-to-drink (RTD) canned coffee [5], which gives foreign firms a good opportunity for investment. In 1991, the Japanese consumed a total of $7.3 billion worth of canned coffee products, this accounted for roughly a quarter of all canned beverage sales [5]. The market reached a value of $16 billion in 2003, having grown with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9% in the years 1999-2003 [6]. A reason for canned coffees popularity is how it is easily adapted to each seasons temperature. Through the colder winter months, consumers favour hot canned coffee to soft drinks, beer, fruit juices, milk [5] and other cooler drinks. In the hotter summer months, cold canned coffee is preferred. A Japanese trade publication showed that sales of canned coffee were roughly evenly split between summer and winter months [5]. Another reason for the rapid growth in sales of RTD coffee is due to the extensive distribution in vending machines. About 70-80% of total sales of canned coffee are sold via vending machines according to the Japan Soft Drink Bottlers Association. The other 20-30% is sold in convenience stores and supermarkets [5]. Negotiation of strong product distribution through vending machines is particularly important in the Japanese soft drinks market. Almost three quarters of all canned coffee is sold via vending machines [5]. Graphs 1 and 2 show sales of RTD coffee have been declining since 2003, however in 2010 for Coca-Cola (Graph 1) the trend begins to rise whilst Nestlà © (Graph 2) continues to decline [7]. RTD coffee was not the only soft drink to suffer a loss in 2009; the losses were mainly a result of the recession and a shorter summer, which forced many consumers to cut back on spending on unnecessary goods. Chained coffee shops also reported a significant fall in customer numbers through 2009. This caused many Japanese consumers to use thermal flasks to take coffee to work [8]. Graph 1 [7] Graph 2 Graph 2 [7] Coca-Cola (Japan) Co Ltd remains the leader in RTD coffee, accounting for 24% off-trade volume share (see Table 2) and 27% off-trade value share (see Table 3) in 2009. The company benefits from its strong and well-targeted marketing campaigns. The companys strong branding also helped to sustain demand, with its Georgia brand enjoying a high profile. Coca-Cola accounted for almost double the off-trade value share of its nearest competitor in RTD coffee in 2009, with Suntory Holdings Ltd lagging behind at 13.8% off-trade value share in 2009 [8]. Even though there are policies in place that deter foreign companies, they do have some strengths that can be used to get a foothold in the Japanese market, including lower costs for product ingredients, packaging and labour [5]. Even though exporters have advantages, there are factors they should take into account when thinking of investing in the Japanese market. These factors include potential distributors, importers, retailers, vending machine manufacturers and operators to confirm that product packaging is compatible with equipment specifications, government labelling and sanitation standards, and consumer expectations [5]. Even though there are standards that need to be met, in recent years, the Japanese government has slackened a number of regulations and structural trade barriers, making it easier for foreign companies to enter into Japan. However, there are legal, business and cultural obstacles that remain. Among these are tariffs, food sanitation and labelling laws and Japans complex distribution system. Strict limitations have been placed on the use of certain food colourings, preservatives and additives that have to be avoided in canned coffee products [5]. Packaging All products sold in Japan must have the correct labelling. Labels for imported beverages must include the following information: Product name Raw materials used, including additives Date of manufacture or processing Name and location of manufacturer or processor [5] Nearly all leading brands use steel cans for their canned coffee, although a number of companies use aluminium cans, steel cans are favoured because they are sturdier and not as expensive. Non-carbonated beverages often come in aluminium cans that are more prone to denting; packaging is an important issue to address when selling via vending machine since Japanese consumers will reject dented cans. The most common serving sizes for canned coffee products are 150 grams, 190 grams, 250 grams and 350 grams [5] with the most popular being the 250 gram can. However, increased costs of production and ingredients have forced many manufacturers to switch to the smaller 190-gram can but still charge the same price. An increase in product quality is usually the main reason for using the smaller can size; this bodes well with the Japanese consumers who often perceive quality over quantity. Pull-tabs are featured on most brands of canned coffee; however, push-tab cans are gaining in popularity be cause of growing environmental concerns [5]. Most of the major canned coffee manufacturers own their own vending machine networks. Using this, manufacturers can maintain complete control over vending distribution of their products [5]. By working with major vending operators, this will provide foreign firms with an understanding of the Japanese vending machine business and provide assistance for things like product design, packaging, test marketing and strategic planning [5]. The success or failure of a foreign canned coffee product in Japan may well depend on the selection of an appropriate operator [5]. In Japan, trade shows are quite frequent and popular; they provide an excellent opportunity for exporters to introduce products to potential distributors and retailers. These events also offer exporters a chance to gather information about market conditions and products manufactured by Japanese and other foreign companies [5]. Other sources of information that are available and will aid foreign companies are trade journals and publications, which are a key source of information on product and market developments. Advertising published in these journals and publications can help product manufacturers find suitable business support services [5]. Re-launching Nestlà © RTD Coffee In 2004, Nescafà © Santa Marta, from Nestlà © Japan Group was introduced that is made with 100% Santa Marta coffee beans it was produced in 190g cans and cost  ¥115. Another two versions for Nescafà © Santa Marta were also introduced one was called UP and the other BREAK. UP was advertised to retain a just-brewed coffee taste and sharp bitterness and comes in a red can, and BREAK was advertised as a perfect way for loosening the tension and is sold in a blue can. Like the original, both come in 190-gram cans and cost  ¥120 each [9, 10]. Ways of rebranding Nestlà © RTD coffee include retaining the taste and aroma of freshly brewed coffee, making canned coffee healthier, increasing the range of coffee types, and giving canned coffee a more premium image. (See Appendix 1 for PEST analysis and Appendix 2 for SWOT analysis). By rebranding Nestlà © RTD coffee, it will help to give a fresh look, which will aid in attracting new customers potentially from competitors and new possible employees. Another advantage is to differentiate even more from competitors, and because the RTD coffee-market it slowly becoming saturated, rebranding will help boost sales and increase brand image. Possible rebranding of the two products BREAK and UP could include renaming the product followed by a slogan but still promoting that one boosts energy and one relaxes you. Renaming and redesigning each one would give the illusion of a brand new product to existing and potential consumers. Examples of rebranding BREAK could be Onsen followed by the slogan Relax, and an example for UP could be Boost with the slogan Kick start your day. Using a variety of Japanese words within the product names across the range would help attract various consumer groups. Words such as Onsen would more likely attract the older consumers who after a long day at work just want to relax, but changing the word to Karaoke coffee Keeping you in tune would most likely attract the younger consumers. Another aspect of rebranding RTD coffee is too look and choose the release of the coffee carefully as different seasons can help promote different coffees, especially if the name also includes something relative to a particular season. For instance a RTD coffee named Sakura Be one with nature would probably get the most attention and largest sales during the spring months, when the Sakura are in bloom, another seasonal coffee for the winter months, with the name Mountain Top that can promote coffee with cream. Another key factor in rebranding a product is the dominant colour in the design. For Nescafà © their brand colour is red, when combined with white it then portrays the national colours of Japan, this could be another factor in helping attract the consumers attention. Another role that colours play in rebranding is, when used correctly then can give products a premium look along with a highly impactful design of youth and vitality. Giving the product a more premium image will help consumers distinguish the product from competitors and make them realise it is not just another canned coffee. The product name once again comes into effect, giving the coffee a name of honour and meaning could help in rebranding a product as premium, example names could include Emperor Coffee Respect the taste and Samurai Coffee A cut above the rest. Even though rebranding can make the can look more prominent, another aspect is to go back to the roots of Nescafà © and make the coffee can simple yet effective. By replicating the instant coffee colour scheme and design onto the can, it would help the consumer to see that the same coffee goes into both the instant and into the canned coffee products. With Nestlà © dominating the instant coffee market, this strategy could help boost sales of the canned coffee. Using a name like Nescafà © Simple Anywhere, Anytime and the brand colour of red would be one way of promoting this strategy. By researching things that are, Japanese and things that the Japanese respect can aid in a successful rebrand of RTD coffee. The Japanese are very passionate about luck from good luck charms to New Year good luck predictions. Using the category of luck RTD coffee can help gain consumer loyalty and additional consumers. One way of promoting luck and RTD coffee is to change the name to Lucky and incorporating the kanji symbol hachi into the design. Using these two factors another can be added, the use of lucky ring pulls with this different items can be won such as a free can of Lucky if a ring pull is red, or by collecting a certain number of green ring pulls this would allow the consumer to trade them in for a unique mug. The mugs design can promote an upcoming film/anime or perhaps to look kawaii, which is highly popular in Japan. In order to keep consumers and bring in potential new ones from such areas as business people and teenagers canned coffee with the name Inspire may help, as this name has the possibility to motivate people after drinking it. By making canned coffee healthier, it may help attract consumers away from other healthy soft drinks such as green tea; ways of achieving a healthier coffee is decreasing caffeine content or making a caffeine-free version. This method can attract consumers who want to achieve or maintain a healthy lifestyle; this form of rebranding will most likely be successful especially in todays more health-conscious society. One possible problem with zero/low caffeine coffee which needs to be addressed is that the coffee must still maintain the real coffee taste which is present from freshly brewed coffee, however if this problem can be overcome then the firm will stand a good chance of gaining a higher market share. Another method that is being adopted to create a healthier RTD coffee is the use of polyphenol coffee, which contains caffeic acid, which aids the body by acting as an anti-oxidant [11]. If Nestlà © were to incorporate the Nescafà © Green Blend into a canned coffee version, this i s would maximises the anti-oxidants thus creating a more healthy canned coffee variety, this would allow Nestlà © to tap into the healthy RTD coffee market [12]. Nestlà © Japan Ltd increased its focus on health positioning in its advertising in early 2010, showing the entry into new area for a product type that traditionally has not been associated with health and wellness. In November 1994, a report was published which showed that only 20% of the sales of canned coffee was bought by women; they often favour unsweetened coffee so often visit coffee shops for black coffee, this is due to a majority of women being calorie-conscious so black coffee is preferred [14]. In 2006 infoPLANT carried out a survey about canned coffee, which looked at consumerism and packaging. Over a week at the start of October 6,480 successfully completed the survey, with 65.7% of the respondents being female. Graph 3 shows how often the respondents purchased canned coffee [15]. Graph 3 [15] Conclusion Regardless of Japans economic position, coffee has not gone out of fashion; in fact, it retains the same importance as ever. Coffee is regarded as a healthier alternative to caffeine-based energy drinks; and continues to have a broad appeal across a wide range of the population who work long and increasingly anti-social hours. Canned coffees diversity and popularity allows enjoyment by a wide range of consumers from high school students through to the elderly [2]. Although there is potential to rebrand Nestlà © RTD coffee to draw in the additional consumers; the majority of RTD coffee drinkers remains with business people. Therefore, it is very important to rebrand not only a product to attract other areas of the population such as younger and older generation, but also rebrand a product to attract the masses. This would enable Nestlà © to increase its consumer base but remain focused on RTD coffees main consumer. Word count (excluding tables): 2750 Word count (including tables): 2931 References [1] HILL, C. W. L. 2010. Part V Case: Nestle: Global Strategy International Business. 8 ed.: McGraw-Hill. [2] NESTLÉ. History of Nestlà © Japan Group [Online]. Available: http://www.nestle.co.jp/japan/e/profile/japan-history.asp [Accessed 13th December 2010]. [3] KARASAWA, K. 1991. Canned coffee sales regain two-digit growth. (Japanese coffee sales). Tea Coffee Trade Journal [Online], 163. [4] LOPEZ, J. 2005. NESTLÉJAPAN GROUP. [5] AGEXPORTER. 1992. Canned coffee sales in Japan brewing lots of interest [Online]. Available: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3723/is_n10_v4/ai_12921886/ [Accessed 10th December 2010]. [6] DATAMONITOR. 2004. RTD Tea Coffee in Japan. [7] Company Shares (by Global Brand Owner) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Off-trade Volume à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ % breakdown [Online]. Euromonitor International. Available: https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/Portal/ResultsList.aspx [Accessed 5th December 2010]. [8] 2010. Rtd Coffee Japan [Online]. Euromonitor International. Available: https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/Portal/accessPDF.ashx?c=94PDFf=S-146710-17543094.pdfcode=SoTwtXEdCEmTuFcrWACsLR00dKM%3d [Accessed 5th December 2010]. [9] 2004. New Coffee Drink from Nestlà © Japan Group. [Online]. Available: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-7013702_ITM [Accessed 21st December 2010]. [10] 2004. New Canned Coffee Drinks from Nestlà © Japan Group [Online]. Available: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8240666_ITM [Accessed 21st December 2010]. [11] NESTLÉ. QA [Online]. Available: http://nestle.jp/faq/polyphenol/index.html [Accessed 11th December 2010]. [12] NESCAFÉ ® Green Blend [Online]. Available: http://www.nescafe.co.uk/CoffeeCupboard/everyday-choice/nescafe-green-blend [Accessed 11th December 2010]. [13] 2010. Coffee Japan [Online]. Euromonitor International. Available: https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/Portal/ResultsList.aspx [Accessed 5th December 2010]. [14] SILVERMAN, I. 1994. Women are newest target for canned coffee in Japan. Advertising Age, 65, 60. [15] KEN, Y. N. 2006. What Japan Thinks [Online]. Available: http://whatjapanthinks.com/2006/10/26/almost-half-of-japanese-men-start-their-workday-with-a-canned-coffee/ [Accessed 11th December 2010]. Appendix Appendix 1: PEST Analysis for the re-branding of Nestlà ©-RTD-Coffee Political Ecological/environmental issues Current legislation home market Future legislation Regulatory bodies and processes Government policies Government term and change Trading policies Funding, grants and initiatives Economic Home economy situation Home economy trends General taxation issues Taxation specific to product/services Seasonality/weather issues Market and trade cycles Specific industry factors Market routes and distribution trends Customer/end-user drivers Social Lifestyle trends Consumer attitudes and opinions Media views Brand, company, technology image Consumer buying patterns Major events and influences Buying access and trends Advertising and publicity Technological Research funding Associated/dependent technologies Manufacturing maturity and capacity Information and communications Consumer buying mechanisms/technology Innovation potential Technology access, licencing, patents

Cultural Studies Essays Culture Food and Eating

Cultural Studies Essays Culture Food and Eating Culture, Food and Eating It has been argued that changes inwhat has been cooked, when, where and by whom are a function of other featureswithin the food economy and will have considerable social, economic and healthconsequences. (LangCaraher, 20010) This essay will discuss the changein relation to culture, food and eating by firstly acknowledging that food, cookingand eating have traditionally been seen principally as the womans role insociety. As this is of high significance in examining the consequences ofchange, it will therefore be examined from the assumption that our society isbuilt upon a patriarchal system which underpins our culture to this presentday. In addition through the yearsmodernity has brought about change in production and consumption which has rapidlytransformed the way in which we approach food and eating. Technology has takena great leap forward in how we cook and eat food. Globalisation has allowed forfood to be shipped around the planet at whim and for food trends to travelacross the world. Traditions are changing as people move from country tocountry bringing food from different cultures into the home and marketplace. In all cultures food is imbued withmeaning, it is a currency in society. Food can nourish, entertain and givepleasure. It can also be a source of political conflict for example governmenthealth warnings or arguments around vegetarianism. Not enough food causesextreme problems and at the other end of the scale too much food can be fatal. Someof these issues will be considered when examining the issues around change insocietys approach to food. The Extent of Change in Relationto Cooking In the past cooking and buying offood were traditionally seen as the womans role and what was eaten wasdictated by the seasonal food available and the amount of money people had tospend on food. In assessing the extent of change it could be identified as the physicaland social aspect. Miller and McHoul (1998,p.33) proposethat the physical covers geography, seasons, and economics and that the socialcovers religion, custom, class, health education, advertising, age, gender, andrace. They also recognise the importance of the physiological, which deals withgenes, allergies, diets, needs, and biochemical reaction. In the past thiswould have been seen as the sphere of experts but in our information rich,self obsessed society this could be a significant factor in cultural changetowards food and cooking and is one that cannot be overlooked. Cooking skills were customarilypassed on through families usually from mothers to daughters. In the past themen were the breadwinners while the women stayed at home and looked after thehome, a patriarchal concept modelled on the aspiring middle classes of thetime. Although times have changed and most women now work, the notion that foodand cooking are the womans domain still prevails. This has an effect on what haschanged or is changing in food matters. Tansey and Worsley (1995, p.144) acknowledgethat most of the burden of domestic work still falls on women. The fact thatthey go to work and do the housework is having remarkable effects on the foodindustry. It has created opportunities for them to produce what Tansey andWorsley describe as labour-saving and ego-protecting products. This has ledto a change in shopping, cooking and eating that would have been unimaginable ageneration ago. Availability of food from all overthe world combined with new ways of cooking has altered the way in which weconsume our food. Refrigeration, freezing and microwaving are examples ofpractical ways in which shopping and cooking has changed. Globalisation has madea large contribution, one aspect relevant to this assessment is a post-modernphenomenon termed McDonaldization by George Ritzer in 1996 which has causedmuch debate. Concerns that mass culture is creating a homogenous world whereeverything will become levelled out is deliberated by many theorists of postmodern culture. But at what point do individualschange their behaviour and attitudes to food? Miller and McHoul (1998,p.33) gosome way towards identifying what could be central to how change takes place inwhat, why, where and by whom food is cooked. They suggest that food stands atthe gateway of nature and culture and involves choice at the point where the biologicalgiven hunger meets and becomes indistinguishable from a cultural marker appetite. There are many ways in which appetite can be influenced in todayssociety which will in turn have a bearing on the key forces driving change. Someof these will be looked at in the next section. Key forces driving change With responsibility for everydaycooking taken by women for almost eighty per cent of the time compared withtwenty-five per cent of men (LangCaraher 2001, p.9), it is no surprisethat the food industry target women. Marketing of food products can be seen asone of the key forces driving change in the way in which we cook and eat. Therange of advertisements bombarding us can feature anything from foodingredients, ready made convenience foods, to fast food outlets andrestaurants. As consumers we are offered a staggering choice to satisfy ourappetites. One of the reasons women are seenas so important to the marketers is that they are seen as both consumers andproducers. Rather than simple consumer demand, Lury (1996, p.44) suggests thatthere are a number of different cycles of production and consumption involvedbefore final enjoyment of a meal. She comments Consumer demand can thus beseen as to be mediated by the state and/or the social relations of thehousehold or domestic mode of production This highlights the fact that foodis not a simple commodity with a one way relationship between production andconsumption. It could be argued that, particularly with food, it cannot beassumed that consumers are passive and that consumption can be taken forgranted even though we clearly will always need food. Rather it emphasises thefact that consumption itself is a socially organised set of practices. Lury illustrates this with a quotefrom Appadurai: Demand emerges as a function ofa variety of social practices and classifications, rather than a mysteriousemanation of human needs, a mechanical response to social manipulation (as inone model of the effects of advertising in our own society), or the narrowingdown of a universal and voracious desire for objects to whatever happens to beavailable. Critics of the food industry mayargue that we are being socially manipulated by being force fed over-processedfoods which are bad for our health. However, it must be recognised that theindustry has grown in response to social change such as new working patterns,the rise of single households, and a highly stressed society eating on thehoof. With more single households and families not eating together the foodindustry has provided us with ready made meals to suit our lifestyles. Nevertheless there are many issuessurrounding the food industry which have given cause for concern. The way inwhich food and ingredients are manufactured has resulted in worries aboutimbalance in world economies with cheap food from around the world. Healthscares such as BSE and salmonella in the food chain, fats and additives causingobesity and diabetes are just some of the current arguments. Lang and Caraher(p.10) contend thatfrom the available evidence .. large food retailers are not just respondingto a cultural change, but are using market levers to suit their own agendaswith little thought for longer-term public health outcomes. It has nowbecome so apparent that there is a crisis regarding health, and childrenshealth in particular, that the government has launched a variety of campaignsto persuade the public to eat healthily. This also includes putting pressure onmanufacturers. It could be maintained that given the shocking statistics onhealth, the State is destined to become a key force for driving change in thefuture. The Significance of Change As already identified, concernsover the health of the nation is one of the biggest issues in society at themoment. It has been said that if this trend continues we are the firstgeneration where parents are expected to outlive their children. While cookingis purported to be on the decline for younger people, it is argued that as anation we know more about diet and nutrition than ever before. If the number oftelevision programmes and magazines on food and health can be taken as evidenceof this it would seem it is true. It is clear that our relationshipwith food has changed drastically in recent years, and can be argued that it isa post-modern problem, one of the most visible areas being the explosion of thediet industry. An article in the Observer Food Magazine (March 2005, p.17)considers the latest trend in dieting and why we feel the need to follow adiet. One theory is that it is the sheer abundance of food has changed us intoa nation of nearly 13 million diet addicts. Dr Andrew Hill, senior lecturer inbehavioural studies contends: It is only in the lastmicro-second of human evolution that we have become surrounded by a sea ofcalories. Weve become international, non-seasonal feeders and for anincreasing proportion of people, this represents a challenge. We simply donthave the psychological controls to cope. Our biological system is tilted infavour of over-consumption This and other issues around foodhave brought it into the public eye and inevitably become a matter ofgovernment policy. Tansey and Worsley (p.214) point to five areas with whichthe conventional economic approach to policy concerns itself; efficiency,growth, stability, sustainability, equity. They demonstrate how important foodpolicy is with a quote from John McInerney: Food is an exceptionallypolitical commodity the idea of there being a COLLECTIVE wellbeing inaddition to an individual one will lead to an array of policy actions designedto protect or foster the interests of the weak and vulnerable, referee theinteractions both within and between groups all along the food chain, insulateone group from the actions of others, and redistribute the benefits to achievea more equitable pattern than the market system can manage on its own. With health at the top of thepolitical agenda for any government it could be anticipated that policy willchange the way we approach food. While the government lobbies the food industryand bombards us with the latest health campaign they could expect some results.But when it comes back down to individuals who will implement this in the home?Yet again the burden will fall on the shoulders of women as Guardians of thefamilys health. Conclusion There are many factors involved inthe change in our attitude to food, cooking and eating, of which only a fewhave been discussed in this essay. One thing that remains constant is that westill view our society through the lens of patriarchy therefore, whetherconsciously or unconsciously rely on gender stereotypes of the mother as thenurturer. While this is still largely true the last twenty or thirty years haveproved that the feminist ideals of women being able to have it all has notlived up to its promise. Women have had to rely on a flourishing food industryto help them cope with the domestic load as well as going to work outside thehome. While this has been celebrated by many women as releasing them from thekitchen and allowing them to have a career of their own, it becomes clear thatsociety has not been able to offer any real alternative to womens unpaid workin the home. The concern we have at present withfood, health, and eating has evolved as a consequence of new social patterns,globalisation, marketing, industry and state policy. As a society we must askourselves whether culturally we still put the responsibility for these issuesat the feet of women on the basic level that as the nurturers they areletting down their families. If that is so it then it is not until eachindividual takes responsibility for their own approach to food that things willchange for the better. BIBLIOGRAPHY Miller, T McHoul, A 1998, PopularCulture and Everyday Life Tansey, G Worsley, T 1995, TheFood System, a Guide Lang, T Caraher M, 2001, IsThere a Culinary Skills Transition? Data and debate from the UK about changes in cooking culture, Journal of the HEIA, Vol 8, No 2, 2001 Lury, Celia 1996, ConsumerCulture Observer Food Magazine, March 2005,Do the Science, The Observer 13/3/05

The Importance of the Mare in Anton Chekhov’s Misery Essay -- Anton Ch

The Importance of the Mare in Misery  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Iona Potapov, the main character in Anton Chekhov’s short story, "Misery," is yearning for someone to listen to his woes. Every human he comes in contact with blatantly ignores his badly-needed-to-tell-story by either shunning him or falling asleep. There is, however, one character in this story that would willingly listen to Iona, a character who is with Iona through almost the entire story. This character is his mare. Renato Poggioli describes the story as being built "around two motionless figures, an animal and a man" (316). Iona and the mare are very much alike. They appear to be each other’s only companion, and they also act a lot alike. When Iona sits quietly, covered in snow that has recently fallen on him, his little mare is described as "white and motionless too" (17). Neither man nor mare cares move; both are still, frozen in time, waiting. Another example of the similar behavior between the two occurs when "the sledge driver clicks to the horse, cranes his neck like a swan. The mare cranes her neck, too" (18). As the story opens Iona sits in his sleigh desperately waiting for his first fare, and when that fare arrives he immediately starts to talk of his son’s death (18). Although his best possible friend – the mare – is already present to listen to his story, Iona does not come to this realization until much later in the story. At the beginning, he still believes that what he needs, and will be able to find, is another human being with whom to share his woes. The fare’s response to Iona’s story is, "have you gone cracked, you old dog? Look where you are going" (18). Iona, upset at this, continues to look around at the fare, in hopes of starting his story o... ... no longer keep silence about the death of his son. He speaks to the air, and the mare is listening. She doesn’t shun him, abuse him, or ignore him. She just listens, as any good animal would do. Works Cited Beck, Alan, M., and Aaron Honoria Katcher. "Animal Companions: More Companion Than Animal." Man and Beast Revisited. Ed. Michael H. Robinson and Lionel Tiger. Washington: Smithsonian P, 1991. 265-66. Chekhov, Anton. "Misery." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 17-21. Hildebrandt, Sherri. "Another Kind of Grief." St. Paul Pioneer Press 13 Sept. 1998: 1-4. Poggioli, Renato. "Storytelling in a Double Key." Anton Chekhov’s Short Stories. Ed. Ralph E. Matlaw. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1979. 316-317. Royal Bank of Canada. "Pets and Human Beings." Montreal: Royal Bank Letter, July/Aug. 1989.   

Essay example --

In the analysis of environmental samples, advances in instrumentation have allowed laboratories to routinely report sample results into the parts per billion (ppb) range, but this is sometimes insufficient to meet project goals. This article will illustrate a technique that can be used to increase the sensitivity of the mass selective detector, and thereby lower the reporting limit of GC/MS methods such as EPA 8260 for VOCs, or EPA 8270 for SVOCs. The technique is called selected ion monitoring, or SIM, and is specific to the operation of the mass selective detector (MSD). Before describing the advantages and disadvantages of the SIM technique, a brief overview of the principles of operation of the MSD is in order. The MSD is a two-part instrument, comprised of a filter stage and a signal processing, or detection stage. Analytes that have been separated on the gas chromatograph (GC) enter the MSD and encounter a beam of electrons that ionize the analyte molecule into reproducible fragments, each having characteristic properties of mass and charge that allow them to be separated in the filter stage of the MSD. At any point in time, only fragments with the allowed mass to charge ratio (m/z) will pass through the filter and are counted in the detector stage of the MSD. In scan mode, the filter operates dynamically, sequentially scanning m/z ions between the upper and lower limits of m/z specified by the analyst. A full-range spectrum of several hundred m/z ions (specified as atomic mass units, or AMU) is typically scanned in this way. The filter cycles through the m/z range at radio frequencies (109 cycles per second), so each ion in the fragmentation pattern is counted billions of times. The sens itivity of the detector is directly ... ... quant ion. The analyst must be aware of this in order to avoid reporting false or inflated values. Another disadvantage is that the analyte list must be drastically reduced from the 50+ analytes typically reported in a GC/MS analysis. In SIM mode, the detector must be programmed to look for a specific m/z ion (the quant ion) at any particular point in time. Each unknown analyte that is separated on the GC and enters the MSD may potentially have a unique quant ion, so detector limitations come into play for any analyte list that has more than 15 to 20 analytes. Finally, the MSD detector operated in SIM mode is not capable of identifying unknowns or tentatively identified compounds (TICs). SIM analysis is a powerful tool, but one that must be used carefully. Please contact your project manager at Kiff Analytical if you would like further information on SIM analysis

Prehistoric Medicine Essay

They used herbalism; the practise of using herbs to heal people. In each tribe there were shamans who would ‘exorcise ill people’ demons’ and apothecary. They had medicine men who were shamans and witch-doctors. They would provide supernatural treatments like charms, spells and amulets to ward off evil spirits. If someone was ill the medicine man would initiate a ceremony over the patient where they would use magic formulas prayers and drumming. People thought that the medicine men could contact the spirits or Gods so people looked up to them. They used healing clays to heal their internal and external wounds and just after surgery. Prehistoric people also used trepanning mainly in Peru. This was when they would drill a hole in a person’s skull to relieve pressure. It was mainly done as an emergency operation after a head wound to remove shattered bits of bone. They believed it would treat epileptic seizures, migraines and mental disorders. They would keep the bit of skull around their neck as they thought it would ward off evil spirits. Nowadays people use a modernised trephine instrument in a corneal transplant surgery. Early medicine for Greeks and Romans: Hippocrates: Born 470 BCE ‘Father of Modern Medicine’ He had a theory of the 4 humours. He thought that the human body contained 4 important liquids called humours. They thought if the humours became unbalanced then people would become ill. The 4 humours were black bile, yellow bile blood and phlegm. His theory was wrong but it was a breakthrough in medicine because it made people think that illness was caused by something natural inside your body instead of the Greek Gods. Quote from a book in the Hippocratic Collection of books: ‘Man’s body†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦has blood, phlegm, yellow bile and melancholy (black) bile. These make up his parts and through them he feels illness or enjoys health. When all these elements are truly balanced and mingled, he feels the most perfect health. Illness occurs when one of these humours is in excess or is lessened in amount or is entirely thrown out of the body.’ Hippocrates invented the Hippocratic Oath which was taken by all physicians; this is still in use today. Herophilus: He was the 1st anatomist. He introduced the experimental method to science. He discovered that the brain controls how the body works, not the heart by dissecting human bodies. He also identified parts of the stomach. He did a lot of work on nerves. Claudius Galen: He was the Roman Emperor’s doctor. Galen’s work was based on the Hippocratic Collection. He was one of the Great surgeons of the ancient world. He added his own theory to the 4 humours theory. He developed a theory called the ‘treatment of opposites’. So if an illness was caused by heat he would cool them down and vice versa. Galen also emphasized the importance of clinical observation and would take detailed notes on his examination of his patients. He was one of the 1st physicians who used experiments in his medical investigation. Through that he proved that urine was formed in the kidney as opposed to the bladder. His most important discovery was that the arteries carried blood but he never discovered circulation.

Mrs Elizabeth Dole’s Presidential Election

As President of the American Red Cross, Elizabeth Dole has led an extraordinary public service career in which she has served six United States Presidents and has been named by the Gallup Poll as one of the world†s ten most admired women. Born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, Elizabeth Dole was apparently always diligent. She obtained excellent grades and won the prize in an essay writing competition offered annually by the Daughters of the Confederacy. Her classmates voted her â€Å"Most Likely to Succeed,† and would often remark that she would one day be a First Lady or a President. Following in her brother†s footsteps, she attended Duke University. She was elected president of the Women†s Student Government Association. Elizabeth Dole left Duke with a bachelor†s degree in political science, with recognition as Student Leader of the Year, Phi Beta Kappa and was the May Queen. She then went on to earn her law degree from Harvard Law School as well as obtaining a master†s in education and government from Harvard. Elizabeth Dole headed the White House Office of Consumer Affairs under both Presidents Johnson and Nixon. It was there that she began a career-long dedication to public safety, for which she received the National Safety Council†s Distinguished Service Award in 1989. By 1974, Nixon had appointed her a Federal Trade Commissioner. She and Bob Dole were married in 1975 while she was still with the FTC, and when he became the Vice Presidential candidate under Jerry Ford, she took a leave of absence to campaign for him. In 1980, the now married Elizabeth Dole, impressed Ronald Reagan to the extent that he appointed her director of his transition team†s human services group and a year later, promoted her to head of the White House Office of Public Liaison. In February 1983, Elizabeth Dole joined President Reagan†s Cabinet as Secretary of Transportation – the first woman to hold that position. During her four years at Transportation, the United States enjoyed the safest years in its history in all three major areas – rail, air, and highway. Some of her many safety initiatives included a new regulation which required air bags or automatic safety belts in all new cars and spawned safety belt laws in 36 states and the District of Columbia. She led the crusade to raise the drinking age to 21; directed the overhaul of the aviation safety inspection system; and imposed tougher aviation security measures at the U.S. airports, which led to tightened security measures around the world. She also oversaw the sale of CONRAIL, the government-owned freight railroad that returned $1.2 billion dollars to the U.S. Treasury. In January of 1989, President Bush swore in Elizabeth Dole as the nation†s 20th Secretary of Labor. As Labor Secretary, she served as the President†s chief adviser on labor and work force issues. She has worked to help shatter the â€Å"glass ceiling† for America†s working women and minorities, increase safety and health in the workplace, upgrade the skills of the American work force, and improve relations between labor and management, playing a key role in bringing the parties together to resolve the bitter eleven month Pittston Coal Strike. In 1993, Women Executives in State Government honored Elizabeth Dole with their Lifetime Achievement Award for her many achievements in helping women and minorities break through the â€Å"glass ceiling.† Also this year, she was selected for induction into the Safety and Health Hall of Fame International for her numerous transportation, workplace, and blood safety accomplishments. She went on to receive the North Carolina Press Association†s first â€Å"North Carolinian of the Year† Award. As President of the American Red Cross, Elizabeth Dole oversaw nearly 30,000 staff members and more than 1.5 million volunteers who comprise the world†s foremost humanitarian organization. She was a member of that volunteer force in 1991, taking no salary her first year. The American Red Cross provides 52% of America†s blood supply. While blood is â€Å"overwhelmingly safe,† to quote the Food and Drug Administration, four months into her presidency, Elizabeth Dole secured approval of the organization†s Board of Governors to launch a sweeping $148 million state of the art blood system which will be able to quickly and efficiently incorporate medical technology as it evolves. Following two years of record breaking natural disasters, Elizabeth Dole launched an aggressive relief campaign that raised $172 million dollars in 1992 to assist victims of disasters including Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki. Elizabeth Dole certainly has the political credentials as well as strong other values. She understands how to be powerful and yet remain human, warm and sincere. She understands the importance of integrity, morality, and accountability in government. With all the scandal that Bill Clinton has brought to Washington, observers say that Mrs. Dole†s strong religious and traditional values could work as a remedy. If our country will ever be ready for a female in the Oval Office it is now, with Elizabeth Dole. There will be, however, significant electoral, institutional, and constitutional ramifications if she is elected. First of all, the Electoral College will be jumbled. As Elizabeth Dole is a strong member of the Republican Party, electing a woman to the presidential office is a very democratic move. Therefore, many of the Democratic electoral voters may cast their votes in the direction of Elizabeth Dole, rather than their own presidential candidate, and vice versa for the Republican electoral voters. These electoral voters will be in a cross-pressured situation that will blur the outcome of the election to a certain degree. The institutional effects of Elizabeth Dole†s election to office will be in two major parts: (1) Her leadership of the American Red Cross as well as her association with and involvement in the American political system will adhere to a knowledge of those and similar institutions, and (2) the mass media will curb the campaigns with an instance never before been seriously tampered with. Although many may argue against Elizabeth Dole†s ability to act as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, she seems to have the confidence and the aid to do so. She is very much in favor of restoring America†s Defense capability. â€Å"The readiness of our troops is in question and a whole generation of outdated military equipment is waiting to be replaced†¦. I believe there is an urgent need to refurbish our military and resolve to develop and deploy a strategic missile defense system at the earliest possible date.† Furthermore, the Presidency has become an institution itself, containing many aids, helping in the decision-making procedure and the management of domestic policy, economic policy, foreign affairs, congressional relations, and public relations. Her knowledge both of executive power as well as working closely with executives and their aids (referring to U.S. Presidents) has given her tremendously valuable experience that readies her for her tasks as a President of the United States. Now, the mass media always has a great influence in the public opinion of politics due to their coverage and choice of material presented to this public. This can be looked upon as an advantage for Elizabeth Dole. The media will, without fail, give special attention to her campaign, for she is the first woman in American history to have a prospect of securing the Presidency. Statistics have shown that voters tend to favor those candidates who have a combination of sufficient media coverage and charisma, the latter of which Elizabeth Dole undeniably possesses. Therefore, with this ensemble and her qualifications, Elizabeth Dole will be giving the public eye something they†ve been waiting to see in a presidential candidate†¦the background, the experience, the disposition, the intelligence and the integrity to run our country with our full faith. The Constitutional effects have much to do with Elizabeth Dole†s platform as well as the intermingling of powers. The issue of a Republican woman elected President being a Democratic move could induce a more efficient process of law making in Congress. Furthermore, Elizabeth Dole is a firm believer in rolling back the bureaucracy. This refers directly to the tenth amendment of the Constitution: â€Å"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.† The founding fathers inserted this amendment for fear of the development and consolidation of a powerful and meddlesome federal government. These days, our federal government maintains numerous and indefinite powers as the states hold few. The Federal Government has become too big, too complex, too bureaucratic. Decisions once made in state legislatures, in city halls and around kitchen tables are now made in Washington†¦. What we need to do, it seems, is to remember the wisdom of our country†s founders, and the tenth Amendment to the Constitution: those powers not specifically delegated to the federal government or prohibited to the states are reserved for the states and for â€Å"we the people† – you and me! Elizabeth Dole is not a power hungry politician like the ones we today to whom we are so accustomed. She is a politically knowledgeable and powerful woman who has the ability to stand strong as the head of the world†s most powerful nation.