Fish Oil Health Benefits Free Essays

Fish oil health benefits are exaggerated, says a new study appearing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. And yet, it warns, increased consumer demand for fish oil is pushing fish populations to the brink. Medical scientists from St. We will write a custom essay sample on Fish Oil Health Benefits or any similar topic only for you Order Now Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto have teamed with researchers from the University of British Columbia’s Fisheries Centre and author Farley Mowat to closely examine the effects of health claims with regard to seafood. For years, international agencies concerned with health and nutrition have promoted seafood consumption. â€Å"Our concern is that fish stocks are under extreme pressure globally and that studies are still urgently required to define precisely who will benefit from fish oil,† says Dr. David J. A. Jenkins, a doctor at St. Michael’s Hospital and a professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. Further, if we decide that fish oil supplementation is necessary for good health, then unicellular sources of ‘fish oil’ like algae, yeasts, etc, should now be used, as they are in infant formula,† adds Dr. Jenkins. While some studies have reported fish oil health benefits healthy benefits, others have failed to show a significant effect. But these negative studies are often ignored and the result has been increased demand for seafood by consumers in the developed world, often at the expense of food security in developing nations. Governments and industry tell consumers to eat more fish because it is healthy,† explains Rashid Sumaila, director of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at UBC Fisheries Centre and study co-author. â€Å"But where do we get these fish? They are increasingly coming from the waters around Africa and other places where food security is a problem. † At best, fish oils are just one factor out of many that may reduce ailments such as heart disease and researchers found that people who do not eat fish, such as vegetarians, are not at increased risk of illness. Furthermore, dietary recommendations to consume more fish are incompatible with the sustainability of ocean ecosystems, according to a concurrent study recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. â€Å"For people in Canada or the US, or in the EU, eating fish is one of many possible options, both in terms of a tasty meal, and in terms of a balanced diet,† says UBC fisheries researcher Daniel Pauly. â€Å"For many people in developing countries, fish is often their only source of protein. It would be irresponsible for us to ‘triage’ food sources without verifying that fish oil indeed promotes human health. † Farley Mowat, co-author on this study, adds: â€Å"In the immediate future, human beings are going to have to find better ways to live. Our rape and pillage of the environment has to end before it becomes our end. The damage we have already done to life in the oceans is a prime example of our idiocy, and a last warning that we had better change our ways. â€Å" How to cite Fish Oil Health Benefits, Essay examples

Organizational Commitment in Plantation †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Commitment in Plantation. Answer: Introduction: Every individual has his own needs and wants and they have a different attitude and behavior to achieve those needs and wants. An organization is a group of individuals who work together for achieving a goal. Thus, it is important to diagnose human behavior in an organization because it impacts the organizational effectiveness (Frederick, 2014). Organisation behavior can be defined as the systematic study of actions and attitudes of people that they demonstrate within an organizational setting. Organisational behavior basically focuses on two aspects behavior that humans demonstrate in the workplace. The other argument describes the organizational behavior as the field of study. To understand organizational behavior researchers can imply RED analysis i.e., recognize, explain and develop. This approach involves recognizing the areas that require concern, explaining the implications of each type of behavior in short-term and long term and the last is to develop practices and policies f or positive organizational behavior that help the organization to flourish (Kaifi, and Noori, 2011). It was clear in the definition that attitude is the key element for any kind of behavior. Attitude is nothing but a hypothetical construct. It represents the individuals like or dislikes for a certain thing (Wicker, 2010). In other words, attitude can be defined as a set of values beliefs and opinions that individual holds or develops over a particular thing. Attitude is either positive or negative. Attitude is an important element influencing behavior at individual, group and organizational level. Basic factors in a workplace that hold potential to influence the behavior of the individual group and organizational level are job satisfaction, job security, trust among group members and knowledge sharing and organizational commitment. Job satisfaction can be defined as the set of feelings that an individual holds for his job. Job satisfaction is directly linked to workplace turnover, life satisfaction, and job performance. Therefore it is the most important aspect influencing the behav ior. Job security can be defined as the sense of assurance that an individual holds towards his job. This assurance provides him the feeling of being shielded. It is important to have a high degree of assurance for a positive behavior (Susan, 2017). The important element at the group level is trust among group members and knowledge sharing. Today knowledge is considered as power. Therefore in the highly competitive atmosphere, there is an inverse relationship between knowledge sharing intention and degree of competition. Knowledge sharing in an organization can be facilitated through trust among the team members (Hassandoust, Logeswaran, and Farzaneh, 2011). Organizational commitment can be defined as the degree that demonstrates the devotion of employee towards an organization. Attitude towards organizational commitment describes whether employees improve their performance or will leave their jobs (Chung-Chieh, and Chen, 2013). Attitude regarding organization commitment predicts th e employee performance in coming future. It influences the behavior of the employee towards the work responsibilities. There are numerous theories that can be applied to organizational behavior in organizational settings. Some of these theories are theories of motivation and leadership. Many authors have given various theories on motivation. Some well-known theories of motivation are Maslows need hierarchy theory, expectancy theory, and equity theory. Maslows theory identified five need hierarchies these are physiological needs, safety needs social needs esteem needs and self-fulfillment needs. These needs are required to fulfill in a particular order (Kaur 2013). In the context of organizational behavior, these needs are the major factor that drives the individual behavior. If an organization expects a positive behavior from employees it should make sure that different levels of needs of employees are satisfied at different times. The next theory is expectancy theory. This theory was given by vroom and is focused on outcomes rather than needs. It is based on three elements Expectancy (efforts), Inst rumentality (performance) and Valence (reward) (Hsu, Shinnar, and Powell, 2014). Organizational behavior implications of this theory are management should assign equitable rewards with the jobs and employees will only choose to perform a job if they find that it will maximize their benefit. The next is equity theory this theory states that employees usually compare their jobs inputs and outcomes with others. If the employee finds that ratio equal it is perceived that equality exists. Organization behavior of the employee will be positive if the quality exists in the system. Management must take efforts to ensure transparency in the system. Leadership theories that can relate to organizational behavior are trait theory, path goal theory, contingency theory and behavioral theory of leadership. Various different leadership theories guide the leadership styles in organizational context. Every employee behavior is affected by different leadership style of their leader. A consultative or democratic style is more successful in driving out positive behavior. There are various problems that can occur in the organizational setting because of difference in behaviors, such problems can be solved with little efforts from the management. Some of the challenges faced by managers in managing the employees of different behaviors are managing workforce diversity, resolving conflicts, managing the issue of changing demographics of the workplace, workplace issues and challenges, managing cultural diversity, employee rights, and privacy. Todays organization welcomes employees from all genders, nations, race, and ethnicity. The growing diversity in the workforce also implies a difference in their behaviors. Managers need to identify and respect the differences to manage them effectively. Responding to those references positively will ensure high performance. Conflicts may arise in the organization due to contrasting behaviors these issues can be resolved if the managers intervene before worsening of the situation. Managers need to understand the persp ective of both the parties and then reach to any conclusion. One sided decision can bring negative results for employee performance (Kashyap, 2016). Recent researches have shown developments in the field of organizational behavior. The focus of researchers has shifted to the aesthetic sphere of the organization. The role of Anthropology is also given due importance. Study of leadership has also emerged as an important part of the organizational behavior study. According to some studies, leadership plays a vital role in determining the organizational behavior. It is suggested that the leadership style of manager determines the behavior of an employee at the workplace. Few studies have identified that if the leaders considerate the employees will be more committed to the organization. The research shows that improvement in the supportive and directive style of leadership can improve the organizational commitment (Mahdi, Mohd, and Almsafir, 2014). According to Lunenburg (2010), leadership is only important when substitutes are not available. When there are self-directed teams, effective reward system, autonomous groups and self-leadership there is less important for leadership. The author also states that importance of leadership can be reduced but cannot be completely eliminated (In the recent year's anthropology has become more influential for the context of organizational behavior. Anthropology has helped the researchers to develop understanding about human activities. It determines major differences between humans of different nations in the organization. Anthropology influences the field of organizational behavior to a large extent because it gives an understanding of topics such as organizational cultures, rituals, and environment. An anthropologist studies the culture from different perspectives thus helpful in identifying the organizational behavior in different cultures (Hudelson, 2004). Thus it can be seen that anthropology and leadership concepts and theories have become the basis for the study of organizational behavior. Another important concept in the field of organizational behavior is the concept of positive organizational behavior. It was given by Luthans in the year 2000 (Parent and Lovelace, 2015). This concept applies the positive human resource psychology and strengths that can be measured and developed for improving performance at todays workplace.this concept focuses on the positive side of human behavior.It focuses on strengths and psychological capabilities rather than the weakness. This concept is different because it does not an emphasis on what is wrong it emphasizes on what is good or positive. These strengths and capabilities are hope, emotional intelligence, well being, happiness, optimism etc. The above-stated developments are just a few noticeable changes in the evolution of the concept of organization behavior overall with the change in management and organizational structures the concept has also evolved. It can be concluded that organizational behavior is an interdisciplinary approach. It is a major contributing factor in organizational performance. Organisation behavior contributes to the human resource management. It recognizes, explains and develops human behavior at the workplace. Attitude is an important component in determining the behavior of an employee at the workplace. Attitude can be negative or positive. Attitude plays a vital role in determining organizational behavior at individual, group and organizational level. Job satisfaction, trust in the group members, knowledge sharing and organizational commitment are the organizational factors that influence organizational behavior. Theories from various concepts can be applied to organizational behaviors such as leadership and motivation. The concept of organizational behavior has evolved over the years. Concepts of anthropology and leadership are gaining much dominance in the field. Another noticeable development in the fiel d of organizational behavior is the concept of positive organization culture which merges positive psychology to the organization. In todays context, the challenges have increased for the organization. Knowledge of behaviors helps the organization to deal those challenges. References Chung-Chieh, L. and Chen, C.J., 2013. The relationship between employee commitment and job attitude and its effect on service quality in the tourism industry.American Journal of Industrial and Business Management,3(2), p.196. Frederick, P.R.H., 2014. Organisational Behaviour and its Role in Management of Business.Global Journal of Finance and Management,6(6), pp.563-568. Hassandoust, F., Logeswaran, R. and Farzaneh Kazerouni, M., 2011. Behavioral factors influencing virtual knowledge sharing: theory of reasoned action.Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education,3(2), pp.116-134. Hsu, D.K., Shinnar, R.S. and Powell, B.C., 2014. Expectancy theory and entrepreneurial motivation: A longitudinal examination of the role of entrepreneurship education.Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship,26(1), p.121. Hudelson, P.M., 2004. Culture and quality: an anthropological perspective, viewed on 31 August 2017 from https://academic.oup.com/intqhc/article/16/5/345/1822533/Culture-and-quality-an-aanthropological-perspective Kaifi, B.A. and Noori, S.A., 2011. Organizational ssbehavior: A study of managers, employees, and teams.Journal of Management Policy and Practice,12(1), p.88. Kashyap, D., 2016. Organizational Behaviour Issues Faced by Todays Manager, viewed on 31 August 2017 from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/organization/organizational-behaviour/organizational-behaviour-issues-faced-by-todays-manager/63755/ Kaur, A., 2013. Maslows need hierarchy theory: Applications and criticisms.Global Journal of Management and Business Studies,3(10), pp.1061-1064. Lazaroiu, G., 2015. Employee Motivation and Job Performance.Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations,14, p.97. Lunenburg, F.C., 2010. Substitutes for Leadership Theory: Implications for University Faculty, viewed on 31 August 2017 from https://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C.%20Substitutes%20for%20Leadership%20Theory%20FOCUS%20V4%20N1%202010.pdf Mahdi, O.R., Mohd, E.S.B.G. and Almsafir, M.K., 2014. Empirical study on the impact of leadership behavior on organizational commitment in plantation companies in Malaysia.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,109, pp.1076-1087. Parent, J.D. and Lovelace, K.J., 2015. The Impact of Employee Engagement and a Positive Organizational Culture on an Individuals Ability to Adapt to Organization Change. Susan, J., 2017. Organizational Change and Employees Resistance.International Journal of Innovative Knowledge Concepts,3(7). Wicker, D., 2010. Attitude is #1: An Interactive Guide to Determine the Correct Attitude in Real-life Situations. AuthorHouse.

Apec Essays - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC Peru

Apec The question is Can the Canadian government maintain its committment to globisation without comprimising its stand on human rights and why or why not? The answer is no. Canada's committment to globalization comprimises it's stands on human rights for different reasons. The main reason being APEC. The following paper will ague just that and how Apec is causing many problems in societies all over the world. APEC is a grouping of 18 economies which aims to impose a free trade zone in the Asia-Pacific region. Despite the rhetoric, there is nothing free about free trade. It is the forced changing of rules to benefit corporations at the expense of people, governments and the environment. As Joan Spero, the US Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs said, APEC has a customer. APEC is not for governments, it is for business. Through APEC we aim to get government out of the way, opening the way for business to do business. The Termination of our Social Safety Net In theinternational market, there are cut backs made on employment insurance, welfare, education and health care are they are made under the excuse of luring investment. Any word of increasing taxes is extinguished by corporations forewarning to withdraw for a preferable business environment. Regardless of the skyrocketing profits, corporate contributions to tax revenues have plumetted from 50% in the 60's, to less than 8% today. It is suspected that it'll be sooner then later that Canada will adopt the impoverished American model - no safety net, just cold concrete. APEC has nagative effects on the Environment APEC and Free trade agreements like it, reduces international environmental standards by making the process of moving between states easier for businesses. In order for there to be compition, countries are obliged to slacken their environmental regulations to the lowest they can be by law. Canadian mining industries, which have been know as some of the bigest global polluterson the planet, have been abusing trade agreements like APEC by transfering to countries where they may operate without being disrupted by environmental protection. Free trade has already granted a ghastly amount of power to businesses, permitting them to effect government policy. The Corrotion of Human Rights Secretary of State (Asia Pacific), Raymond Chan, expresses our governments position, affirming that discussion of human rights and social development might impede progress on economic and trade issues. We give praise to and give special treatment to mass murderers such as Jiang Zemin of China andGeneral Suharto of Indonesia, when APEC pays a visit. Jiang Zemin was compliant in the Tiananmen square massacre, referring to it as much ado about nothing, and was liable for the heavy crackdown that ensued. Suharto is accountable (among other things) for the appeals from dissidents in both countries, Canada withholds their position on human rights and refuses to take a stand against it's abuses. (1) In order to save their reputation, Canadian government puts through constructive engagement. Constructive Engagement is a policy that allows the people of Canada to believe that the Canadian goverenmet is concerned with human rights, when in reality, it is business that they are really conscened with. Constructive engagement, for Canada, means voting againast or abstaining from every UN resolution condemning Indonesia's invasion of East Timor. However, we persist in the selling of weapon parts to the Indonesian military. Ultimately, Constructive engagement means we have a fatal fall back from life or death issues. (2) We should perhaps examine what's happening on our own territory, in addition to giving support to dissidents overseas. Canada and the US are recongized as profesionals in the area of maltreatment of native peoples. There's no democracy in APEC Although it's only been sice 1989 that APEC has been around, most people have probably only heard about it recently due to it's arrival in Vancouver. This is not surprising as APEC functions through closed door meetings of politicians, big business representatives, bureaucrats, and academics. The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), is the only institutional presence in APEC, that is not apart of the government. ABAC is made up of CEOs. Those who are affected most by APEC's policies have no say in APEC deliberations and policies. APEC does not function in isolation unlike some other organizations. Fundamental

Foot Locker Marketing Plan

Foot Locker Marketing Plan Executive Strategy Within the past year China has eclipsed Japan to become the second largest economy in the world making it a potential high yield market for Foot Lockers expansion into new international markets.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foot Locker Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Various studies examining the market in China have shown that the Chinese have developed a certain hunger for international brands with fashions and food being among the most highly sought after items in the Chinese market today.  Other U.S. based companies such as Wal-Mart Inc. have actually successfully opened up various branches in China with great success. In fact recent industry data shows that the branches of Wal-Mart located in China are among the highest earners of the companys international ventures with various high priced retail items quickly being bought as a result of a greatly enriched Chinese economy . It is based on this that it can be seen that in roads into the Chinese market is a viable step for the company, one which would help to raise company revenues in light of the deteriorating sales in U.S. based markets as a result of the 2008 financial crisis and the resulting deterioration of the U.S. economy as of late. The primary market objective of this plan is to properly establish the Foot Locker brand in the Chinese market as a retailer of top of line, high quality and original footwear. The primary financial objective of this plan is to reach sales of at least $2.2 million to $3 million during the first year of operations of a single Foot Locker branch in the local Beijing market. Current Marketing Situation Foot Locker is one of the worlds largest retailers of foot wear in the world with branches located in 20 countries and with a yearly revenue of roughly $4.85 billion dollars. Right now Foot Locker is about to enter into the lucrative Chinese market where the appetite fo r foreign brands makes it an ideal location for subsequent company expansion as seen by the successes of other foreign brands that have attempted forays into the Chinese market.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Unfortunately, one of the inherent problems with selling brand name items in China is the fact that most retailers face stiff competition from counterfeit brand name goods that are ubiquitous throughout Chinas various shopping centers and markets. In fact China is the source of the majority of fake brand name sneakers that are being sold in various global markets that actually undermines the business models of our stores in those areas. Selling within China presents itself with its own risks due to the fact that not only would Foot Locker have to compete with other brand retailers in the area the company would need to convince its customer base that buying or iginal brand name sneakers is comparatively better compared to buying cheap knock offs. Market Description Foot Lockers market in China consists of consumers in the middle and upper tier of Chinese society, namely the new class of Chinese elite that have emerged as a result of the boom in Chinas economy. This specific segment of the population has been known to spend thousands of dollars on various brand named goods such as fashion accessories, clothiers, cars shoes etc. It must also be noted that this particular segment of the population is not as discerning as compared to Foot Lockers customer segments in the U.S. and Europe. Various studies examining the buying habits of the Chinese elite show that they tend to buy products based on the brand and the value and rarely take into account product longevity, actual performance in competitions etc. As such, this particular consumer base presents itself as a potentially lucrative market for the higher priced items that the company curre ntly has in stock.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foot Locker Marketing Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Foot Lockers Chinese market customers will have the option of choosing from several brand name sneakers such as Nike and Reebok however in order to distinguish ourselves from the competition and to cater to the buying preference of the chosen market segment Foot Locker branches located in China will retail only the most expensive types of athletic sneakers available from various brands. The reason behind this is rather simple with the current proliferation of cheap knock offs in the Chinese market and the fact that the elite market segment the company has chosen to cater to only favors the most exclusive and expensive products, Foot Locker will be able to distinguish itself from the competition by stocking products that will not only look better than competing retailers in the area but it will be highly unlikely that there would be imitations of that particular type of product since it has been shown by various studies that Chinese manufacturers that produce knock offs usually do so on only specific types of shoe types and largely avoid the more expensive to produce varieties that Foot Locker will stock in its stores. Product Review The products that the company will primarily focus in selling to the Chinese market are name brand athletic shoes by the following companies: Nike, Puma, Reebok. Other high quality shoes of the distinct non-athletic type will come from the following companies: Converse, Everest, Dr. Martin. Competitive Review An examination of the local Chinese market in Beijing shows that stores that utilize the proposed business model for Foot Locker shoe sales in Beijing are actually a rarity. In fact most shoe sales that occur over there usually sell moderately priced products and never delve into the higher range of sneaker types that are available in some of the c ompanys U.S. based retail locations. It is due to this that entry into the Beijing market should prove to be rather seamless and profitable due to the proposed marketing strategy that targets the more affluent members of Chinese society. It must be noted though that an examination of the local Beijing market reveals that one of the greatest impediments to business success of brand name goods is the fact that they are often quickly copied by local manufacturers and cheap knocks offs are churned out by the dozen and sold in various local markets.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact it can even be said that the main competitor of Foot Locker in this particular case isnt other brand retailers but rather the counterfeit product industry that could possibly copy products available at Foot Locker and sell them at a far lower cost. Their business strategy revolves around copying items sold at certain stores that have created sufficient public interest and demand. While it is unlikely that they would be able to copy the design and materials to every minute detail experience in this particular aspect of the counterfeit industry has taught the company that most counterfeiters can and usually do produce a product that at least looks somewhat like what is being sold in our stores. Since they dont need to pay the same fees as our branded stores have to this enables them to undersell their prices at significantly lower prices which affects the bottom line of the company. It is estimated that that counterfeit shoe industry alone has cost the company millions of doll ars in potential sales and as such our entry into their home turf so to speak creates numerous potential problems that should be addressed in the future. Distribution Review For Foot Lockers China based operations distribution will first be tested through a single Foot Locker area within Beijing in order to test the market compatibility of the Foot Locker brand and the proposed method of targeting the selected consumer market. No other distribution partners will be included in this particular venture due to the fact that Foot Locker usually focuses on selling foot wear via its own retail outlets. One potential method of distribution could involve a partnership with Wal-Mart wherein the Foot Locker brand could be incorporated into several of its stores within the China market however such a plan have to wait to till proper market establishment has been accomplished and it has been judged that China is a viable location for future expansion. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Th reat Analysis While Foot Locker has various strengths at it disposal which have proven themselves time and again as the company has entered in new retail markets in the U.S. and other foreign countries one of the companys major weaknesses is the lack of brand awareness within the Chinese market. While most people in China have a passing familiarity with brands such as Nike, Reebok and Puma they have little knowledge of Foot Locker as the ideal location to buy brand name sneakers. On the other hand it must be noted that China does possess potential as an ideal market for the Foot Locker brand and as such despite threats from sources of competition such as the counterfeit product industry entry into the Chinese market should not be backed out on. Strengths 1. Quality of Products Sold. One of the inherent problems with the current Chinese market is the fact that the proliferation of fake footwear within the country has made people rather skeptical as to the durability and overall quali ty of particular types of athletic shoes. By presenting the target market with original, high quality and durable products Foot Locker will be able to make itself stand out from the competition due to the fact that not only will our products outlast the fakes sold in the market but their quality is far better as well. 2. Pricing. While it may be true that in comparison to the counterfeit product industry Foot Locker is at price disadvantage however due to our long term relationship and contracts with several of the major brands, Foot Lockers prices are still far better and more ideal compared to similar types of original branded shoe wear sold in other establishments in the area. It is due to this that it can be assumed that given enough time consumers within the Chinese market will be able to properly discern the price advantage of shopping at Foot Locker as compared to other retail locations. 3. Brand Awareness of Products. Several of brands of the items we have for sale such as N ike, Puma and Reebok are actually quite well known in various international markets due to the marketing tactics of our suppliers. It is due to this that entry into the China market should prove to be a rather smooth transition due to presence of brand awareness already in the area. Weaknesses While Foot Locker has various strengths attributed to its name in various retail markets it does have several weaknesses that need to be taken into account before venturing into the market in China. 1. Lack of Awareness of the Foot Locker Brand. While the Foot Locker brand has been well established in the U.S. and in 20 countries abroad the fact remains that there is a distinct lack of awareness of the brand name itself in the China market. The reason for this is due to the fact that Foot Locker has not ventured into this particular market in the past and the company has always been a U.S. based corporation that has made in-roads into foreign markets only within the past decade. It is due to t his that various marketing campaigns will need to be established in order to raise brand awareness in the Beijing area. 2. Higher Priced Items Compared to Local Chinese Brands. Due to the presence of various manufacturing facilities and the fact that the Chinese population has had a hunger for western goods various local Chinese brands of foot wear have appeared within the market in China. Such items, though of relatively low quality, do have lower prices as compared to the items that Foot Locker has for sale in its U.S. and international retail locations. One method, as mentioned earlier, of resolving such an issue is to focus more catering to the Chinese elite namely the newly rich population demographic in China that have a distinct hunger for named brand goods. By appropriately modeling the Foot Locker business structure in order to take into account the need to cater to this specific market it is expected that Opportunities In the current Chinese market Foot Locker can take adv antage of 3 major market opportunities that are available: 1. Increased demand for foreign brand named goods. One of the current trends in global retailing has been an increase in the amount of brand named goods sent to China. As Chinese incomes increase as a direct result of the outsourcing industry the end result has been a marked upgrade in the types of products normally purchased by the Chinese population. This in effect has encouraged various manufacturers to export their products into China in order to take advantage of this apparent market boom and in effect making substantial profits over the increased demand. 2. Higher Income Threshold of the Chinese Market. With the recent expansion of the Chinese economy to that of the second largest in the world this has in effect created a whole new generation in the Chinese population that is flush with monetary assets. This in effect has actually resulted in comparatively higher volume purchases of brand name goods and services as com pared to other countries in the world. An examination of the car manufacturing industry shows that aside from the U.S., China is its largest market for top of the line cars due to the relatively higher income threshold of the new Chinese elite. This presents itself as a gold opportunity for Foot Locker since entry into this new market could result in significantly higher profits for the company as a result of a relatively rich Chinese populace. 3. Lower Operating Costs in China. Comparing to operating costs in the U.S., Europe and other Asian markets China has a significantly lower operational cost. This is due to the fact that costs in relation to the various salaries of workers are actually far lower than the going rate in various markets resulting in significant savings over time in terms of comparative employee salaries between branch locations in China and the U.S. Threats In the Chinese market the company faces 3 main threats to its proper establishment: 1. The prevalence of t he counterfeit product industry. As mentioned earlier one the main threats to the entry of the company into the Chinese market is the current prevalence of the counterfeit product industry in China. With various manufacturers within the country easily counterfeiting goods that legitimate retailers sell this presents itself as a problem for Foot Locker since the likelihood of the companys own product selection the proposed Beijing area may be copied as well resulting in a significant reduction to company profits. One possible method would be to locate the proposed retail outlet in of Beijings exclusive shopping enclaves in order to ensure that the potential for product counterfeiting remains low. 2. Current retailers already in the market. While retail outlets such as Foot Locker are not as prevalent in China as they are in other countries the fact remains that various international retailers such as Wal-Mart do actually exist in the area. While they may not have as wide a product se lection as compared to Foot Locker they do have better brand awareness and prevalence in the Chinese market which presents itself as a problem that the company will need to overcome in order to entice people to buy their branded shoes from Foot Locker instead of other locations 3. Prevalence of E-commerce Shopping in China. One of the current trends in China today has been the prevalence of E-commerce shopping through various China based sites for E-commerce. While Foot Locker does have its own online retail site a lot of Chinese seem to prefer shopping from locally based sites as compared to international ones. As a result this current trend does present itself as worrying factor since online retailing does have significant advantages over the traditional retail model that the company is going to utilize for its expansion into China. Objectives and Issues While daunting the following objectives have been created for the first year of entry into the Chinese market where Foot Locker will attempt to test the waters so to speak and determine the viability of China a new area for continued expansion. First Year Objective To attain revenues of $2.2 million to $3 million within the first year of operations in Foot Lockers primary flagship store in China that will be established in Beijing. Should the project prove to be successful subsequent expansions will be undertaken in Shang Hai and other cities within China Issues One of the major issues that needs to be addressed is the fact that the Foot Locker brand name is still relatively unknown in China. As such extensive advertising campaigns and product promotions need to be created in order to drum up interest for stores opening. Another issue that must be taken into consideration is the fact that foreign markets have their own cultural sensitivities that need to be taken into account before a venture is launched. For example when Pepsi first expanded into the Chinese market its advertising slogan of we bring life wa s translated rather humorously into we bring your dead relatives back from the grave. It is due to rather unfortunate cases such as this that when operations are established in China the company needs to make sure that proper translation and cultural sensitivities are followed in order to properly incorporate Foot Locker into the local Chinese business community. Marketing Strategy Foot Lockers marketing strategy in its entry into Chinese market is to position itself on the basis of high quality and exclusivity with the various shoe models and types available at the store being of the highest quality and rarely found in other stores within China. The companys primary target consumers will be the relatively young Chinese elite who emerged from the recent economic boom in China to become one of the highest spenders in the country to date. The ages demographic for this particular segment of the population are men and women aged 14 to 30 who are part of the relatively affluent upper cla ss of Chinese society or the relatively well-off Chinese middle class. In order to reduce revenue costs and to make the company more distinct from its competitors in the local market such as other retailers and counterfeiters the company will not stock any of its low priced shoe selections such as those found in several of its U.S. locations rather the company will instead stock only the latest and most sought after shoe models for that particular year. The reason behind this is to help establish the Foot Locker as the place to go for the young and affluent to purchase exclusive shoes that people would be hard pressed to find anywhere else thus catering to their sense for style and exclusivity. Positioning Utilizing quality and brand name distinction Foot Locker will position itself as the best place to buy foot wear within the initial Beijing market. This will be done by stocking the highest quality athletic foot wear that are available from our various suppliers and advertising ou r exclusivity as the best and only place to buy shoes of this particular type and quality within China. Product Strategy Should the flagship store in Beijing prove to be successful the company will expand into locations such as Shang Hai and Guang-Jo city as well as various urban centers that have opened up within the past few years as a direct result of the continued expansion of Chinas economy. Similar to the business model utilized in Beijing these stores will stock similar high quality athletic shoes targeting the same consumer demographics however these stores will be smaller than the flagship store present in Beijing and in fact will not stock as complete an assortment of shoes as the main store. The reason behind this is the fact that establishing various retail outlets in different cities within China still brings with it a certain level of uncertainty. It is due to this that the amount of stock that the company should bring in upon initial expansion should be limited in ord er to ensure that should the worse come to pass the cost of lost revenue to the company will not be as high as it could have been. Pricing Strategy As mentioned earlier the pricing strategy the company will employ in its initial expansion into the Chinese market is to stock only high value shoes. This means that shoe prices will average $50 to $200 or more depending on the make and model of the shoe and if it is in limited supply. The reason behind stocking such high value merchandise is to better distinguish the company from the various retailers and counterfeit goods sellers that emphasize low prices. By stocking high quality and high priced goods not only does this send out the message that only a certain amount of people can afford shoes here but it also creates a certain form of exclusivity that various commercial studies have shown is an integral aspect of the buying behavior of the new Chinese elite. Distribution Strategy In this particular case product distribution and sale will all be done through the initial Foot Locker retail outlet located in Beijing. Should this prove to be successful subsequent retail outlets will also be opened in other cities all of which will be under the Foot Locker brand. Foot Locker itself utilizes the re-seller business model wherein the company buys shoes en masse from the shoe manufacturers such as Nike. The company doesnt actually make the shoes itself and as such other distribution partners beyond that of the companys retail outlets will not be a necessity. Marketing Communication Strategy As mentioned earlier one of the inherent problems with doing business in China is the fact that Foot Locker is a relatively unknown brand within the Chinese market. In order to remedy this particular situation carefully created and culturally sensitive TV and online campaigns will be created that specifically target the upper and middle class demographic for shoe sales within the Beijing area. Viral marketing will be utilized as well in the form of various interesting online videos promoting the opening of the store. Not only that a certain contest will be set up on the stores opening day similar to that of the Amazing Race but it will be held within the city of Beijing. The winners will be given $25,000 thousand dollars and their pick of any shoe within the store. It is assumed that by combining all these elements enough consumer interest will be generated resulting in high amount of sales during the 1st year of operation of the store. Marketing Research Utilizing market research Foot Locker will try to discern which particular shoe styles, designs and prices are the most desired by our selected niche market. This will be done through various online surveys, market tests and focus groups in order to help develop the initial conceptualization of the store. Further more the company will test the brand awareness of certain types of shoes in order to see which brands are more prevalent in the minds of the Chinese populace in order to stock those particular brands and minimize lost revenue through the purchase of shoes that consumers within China wont buy. Further more various consumer satisfaction surveys will be utilized in order to determine the reaction of various consumers towards the establishment of the store. In order to actually get people to fill out the surveys a small competition will be held wherein each individual survey submitted per person will act as raffle coupon for a select pair of shoes within the store. This should at least encourage people to fill out the surveys and submit them. Marketing Organization In this particular case the responsibility of determining proper marketing strategy and direction will be headed by a locally hired advertising firm that specializes in promoting foreign brands to Chinese consumers. The reason behind this is the fact that Foot Locker is still rather inexperienced when it comes to properly marketing its products within the Chinese consumer market as such professionals who actually have experience in the matter need to be hired in order to ensure the establishment of proper precedent regarding proper procedures and strategies in marketing to the local populace. Actions Programs The opening of Foot Lockers new retail branch will be March 2012 and as such the following program of events has been created in order to give a better impression as to the needed timeline of events and actions. January During the start of the year Foot Locker will begin construction on its new flagship store for its Chinese market in Beijing and as such this will be the period when the hiring process will begin in order to find capable individuals for both managing the store and being customer service representatives within the store itself. February On February Foot Locker will start its aggressive ad campaign in Beijing by buying several advertising segments on local Chinese channels in order to advertise the up and coming opening of the sto re. A local advertising firm will also be used in order to help coordinate efforts in spreading the word of the stores opening through print ad campaigns and viral network advertising. It is estimated that this initial ad campaign will cost between 130,000 to 150,000 thousand dollars in order to achieve full market saturation. During this period training should also commence for the various customer service representatives as well as the managers of the store. March The opening of the store will be done in the middle of the month as such this gives ample time to help complete the advertising campaign to help inform the selected consumer demographic that the store is opening on the 15th and that they should expect it due to the Beijing Amazing Race that will be promoted by the company. By the 15th the preparations should all be in place and the start of the Beijing Amazing Race should commence indicating the successful opening of the store. April During this particular month various operating standards should be finalized such as proper handling of merchandise, customer assistance and the various nuances that come with the new opening of a retail establishment in a foreign country. May By May a new $25,000 advertising campaign should be instigated in order to drum up further interest in the store and increase its profile in the public eye. In order to do so more viral marketing campaigns will be established along with several print ad campaigns in various popular Chinese magazines. June By this month the entire process should be completed and a smooth flow of both customers and operating efficiency should be underway in order to make the campaign a success. Budgets The total first year sales revenue from the Foot Locker pioneer store in Beijing should reached $2.2 to $3 million dollars by the end of the 4th quarter sales period. With a variable cost of $50 to $200 and above per shoe the company will need to stock at the very least 30,000 pairs of different kind s of shoes in order to meet potential demand. In total this could cost $1.5 million for the price of the stock alone thus the break even point in this particular case is $1.8 million due to the costs of the advertising campaign and subsequent operating costs incurred by the end of the 4th quarter. Controls In order to ensure that proper guidelines regarding sales etiquette and the quality of the products are assure the store will implement strict guidelines regarding proper customer service and product handling in order to ensure customers feel welcomed within the store and get the best products possible. Atkinson, William. Doing Business In and With China: The risks are great, but so are the rewards. Risk Management (00355593) 51.3 (2004): 24-28. Business  Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. Caron, Joseph. The business of doing business with China: An ambassador reflects.  Ivey Business Journal 69.5 (2005): 1. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. Chapman, James C., and Xu Wanli. The Road t o China: Ten Key Lessons for Doing  Business in China. Licensing Journal 28.7 (2008): 8-12. Business Source  Premier. EBSCO. Web. Cohen, George. One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing  Business in China. Booklist 102.2 (2005): 15. Literary Reference Center.  EBSCO. Web. 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Compare and contrast any two energy sources, for example solar and Essay - 1

Compare and contrast any two energy sources, for example solar and coal, in terms of cost and safety - Essay Example On the other hand, non-renewable energy sources like coal have adverse impacts on the ecological system as well as individuals’ health. This is because it significantly contributes to pollution and triggers global warming. Therefore, it is not safe to use coal and other non-renewable energy as power source. Renewable energy sources are infinite energy resource and this implies that they never run out. This report compares and contrasts these two sources of energy in relation to cost and safety. This report is well structured and coordinated to ensure that all the ideas presented flow smoothly. Both primary and secondary sources have been used exhaustively to acquire important and relevant information to write this report. The information has also been acquired though surveys, telephone, mail as well as internet surveys. Extensive research has also been conducted to make this report effective. Coal is not expensive as compared to solar energy, but again solar energy costs are dropping. Coal may not be expensive but it requires expensive air pollution controls such as mercury because it emits higher levels of carbon dioxide. It has a higher environmental impact from mining and burning since the carbon dioxide released during the process contributes to global warming and creates acid rain (Evans 2005, p.138). Coal mining has always been known to be dangerous and associated with many problems (Britton 1977, p.118). Moreover, coal as a source of energy is a significant contributor to acid rain and global warming and this is directly linked to its pollution ability because it emits major greenhouse gases that play a leading role in triggering global warming and climate change. Solar energy is somehow cheap because sunlight is usually free when available (Chiras 2014, p.363). Solar energy does not generally cause pollution but there are some emissions associated with the manufa cturing,

How too conduct an accident investigation in the workplace Essay

How too conduct an accident investigation in the workplace - Essay Example Once at the scene take photographs and examine the site thoroughly for any possible causes of the accident or underlying causes that may have attributed to the event. For example if the site itself is an open plan work-room, describe the layout of the room with the position of all furniture, noting whether it was fixed or movable and in what condition it is in. Take a note of all, if any, cables and wiring and their location in regards to the accident, also note the type of lighting in the room, and if there are any bulbs or lights not working in case the room dimmed enough to cause an accident. Note what type of flooring the room has, if it carpeted or tiled and if there are any frayed or loose edges, or if the floor is made of polished wood or linoleum, if so is it polished enough to cause a person to slip. Is there any possibility of spilt liquids or leakages from over head pipes or under floor pipes. Once the site has been investigated and thoroughly examined the next stage is to interview the injured person or persons and any witnesses present or involved in the accident, including those who had a role after the event. Keep a copy of the report to hand, but as the injured party to describe the event prior to and leading up to their having the accident.

Homosexuality in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homosexuality in Britain - Essay Example According to the article, the orientation for preference to same sex relations remain covert as it was categorized as criminal in nature to expose homosexual acts, in private or in public, even by consenting adults prior to 1969. There was no organization in England promoting for any homosexual reform that it waited for American ideals of homosexual liberation to emerge. Despite the British laws prevailing to be predominantly homophobic, homosexual content in English literature still remained sporadic, depending on the creativity and restraint of the writer. British literature had patiently waited for fourteen years since the Wolfenden Report of 1953 recommending that homosexual behavior between consenting adults in private no longer be criminalized in England, before they can freely express homosexual content in their literary works. It is my personal contention that the issue of homosexuality remains to be controversial in other parts of the world until contemporary times. What American culture had promoted in terms of liberalizing homosexual behavior was readily accepted in other Western civilizations. Some Eastern culture remains to be still conservative in openly accepting homosexual acts given the cultural values and beliefs, especially pinning on religious orientations. In literature, however, I support freedom of creative expression including the writing of homosexual content conforming to ethical frameworks. Wanton disregard for the readers’ morals would render their literary work utterly improvident. I share Jeremy Bentham’s belief that in writing about homosexuality, one must weigh â€Å"the pleasure of consensual homosexual relations against the pain or harm it causes the general public†¦ by causing no harm to others, homosexuality is justified by the pleasures of those who practice it.† (glbtq, 2002,