Bipolar Disorder and Society Essays

Bipolar Disorder and Society Essays Bipolar Disorder and Society Paper Bipolar Disorder and Society Paper Depression has been known to be a leading cause of disability in the world, because depressive moods can hinder someone from acting normally and thus hindering the capabilities to be productive (Fink, 2007). It may be considered normal for human beings to have mood swings. For women it may even be worse especially when they have their monthly period, as hormones generally affect their emotions. But when the mood swings start to get abnormal in frequency and sequence there may already be a disorder, in this case bipolar disorder or mania. It is characterized by heightened mood, hyperactivity, restlessness and extreme depression to the point of distorted judgment. Individuals with this disorder acts in a very different manner than their usual ways, and the onset of the syndrome is slow and gradual, taking weeks or months before it is considered complete (Belmaker, 2004). Bipolarity is a very distinct disorder that has many names across different cultures all over the world. Manic is only one term, insane may also be one view of society towards individuals with this disorder, because it leads to a person acting beyond the normal. This may affect not only how an individual is viewed by society, but also how that individual interacts with another person and with society as a whole. As such, this paper aims to look deeper into the different aspects of the disorder including its history, symptoms experienced by patients suffering the disease, the factors that influence the occurrence of the disease, and treatments that are discovered in order to prevent worsening of the syndrome. In regards the treatments, this may include some therapies or medication that this paper shall try to present and explore. This may help to find out the different effects of bipolar disorder of those suffering from it and those surrounding the patient. Bipolar Syndrome As earlier mentioned, bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by an irregularity of moods. It may make a shift from a heightened happiness to extreme depression or lonesomeness. Even a single episode of mania or extreme depression may be a symptom of bipolar disorder (Belmaker, 2004). But not all depressive moods characterize bipolar disorder. Some depressive moods may be induced by intake of substances if not are naturally occurring. If the depression is caused by intake of medication or any certain drugs, it is not considered as bipolarity but classified as substance induced mood disorder. If it was due to a medical condition that may have been affecting the brain, it is considered as a mood disorder due to a general medical condition. Naturally occurring extreme depression is thus symptomatic of Bipolar Syndrome alone (First et al, 2002). History the Disorder Bipolar Disorder is a very old disease although it was not recognized before as it is now. It was Aretaeus of Cappadociam who first recognized the existence of both manic and depressive moods but it was only these days that this existence was given a name. Following this is a book written by Richard Burton, titled The Anatomy of Melancholia. As the title implies, it tackled the subject melancholy or what is called today as depression. Then a French researcher proposed that suicide and depression are related, that there is also a relationship between a manic state and depression and that there may be a disorder called manic-depressive disorder (Bloch and Naser, 2006). Following this research is another Frenchman’s proposal. Francois Baillarger proposed that Bipolar disorder is different from schizophrenia and that its symptoms are distinct from that of the latter mentioned. He called the disorder as double-insanity. This study is further upheld by a German researcher, Emil Krapelin who proposed ideas regarding manic depression. The ideas contained the symptoms and guiding principles that are generally the ones still being used in the diagnosis and research of Bipolar Disorder today (Bloch and Naser, 2006). Symptoms Bipolar syndrome is categorized as Bipolar I and Bipolar II depending mainly on the severity of the mania or depression. Bipolar I is usually differentiated from Bipolar II as the level of depression that occurs in patients suffering from it is considered mild. As compared to Cyclothymic Disorder, Bipolar I is characterized by manic episodes, and a major depressive episode. It may be diagnosed if the interchanging episodes happen after two years at the least of having Cyclothymic Disorder (First et al, 2002). When compared with psychotic disorders, Bipolar I stands out as it does not present any psychotic symptoms that are not induced by known mood symptoms. It may only be diagnosed based on manic episodes induced by chronic psychotic disorder (First et al, 2002). Bipolar II on the other hand, is characterized by mood episodes not induced by medical conditions that may be affecting the brain. It is also diagnosed when the depressive moods or mania is not induced by substances or drugs taken into the body. Another characteristic of Bipolar II are occurring hypomanic episodes that may be diagnosed neither as Major Depressive Disorder nor Dysthymic Disorder. It may also be distinguished from Psychotic Disorders if there are periods of psychotic symptoms induced by known mood symptoms. When compared with Bipolar I, Bipolar II may be distinguish by the absence of Manic or Mixed episode. Mixed episodes are occurring mood episodes in which there is heightened happiness suddenly switching to extreme depression or sadness (First et al, 2002). Course of the Disorder As mentioned on the earlier part of the paper, the onset of Bipolar disorder, either I or II, on an individual happens gradually or slowly until is completion, during which an individual experiences the symptoms given (Belmaker, 2004). It is a curable disease which worsens over time if not tended to. From simple episodes of mania and depression it may progress into frequently occurring symptoms. These frequent episodes may gradually increase in severity and may soon include Psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, or delusions that are relative to the mood of the individual in a certain moment. For instance, there may be a hallucination of an extravagant event or thing when the patient is in a heightened mood or there may be a delusion when the patient is depressed and low. These things may become severe in the course of time and due to the severity of the disease, the symptoms that accompany it also becomes severe leading to some individuals to become a danger to the people surrounding him and even to himself (Zimney, 2008). As in the case presented by Cohen et al (2008) where a woman who had a history of Bipolar Disorder and is under maintained medication decided to have a child. Under the prescription of her psychiatrists she stopped taking her medicines and soon she got pregnant, during which she experienced episodes of anxiety, insomnia and the other symptoms of her disorder. Doctors started to suggest for her to get back to her medication but she declined as it might harm the child she was carrying and may affect her planned breastfeeding. Because of this, she continued experiencing Bipolar Disorder-related episodes and it affected her pregnancy. She had to undergo caesarian section because of premature labor that was induced by her episodes. After the delivery, she seemed to have been back to normal but eventually symptoms of her illness started and they were worse than they were before she got pregnant and was under medication. Because of this, the patient was put under another observation and was found that other than her record showing bipolar sickness, there was a history of the same disease in the family (Cohen et al, 2008). They have found that she had relatives who had severe mood disorders and one was even driven to suicide and died. The same almost happened to the woman. Due to the discontinuation of maintenance medications, she had recurrent hallucinations and even tried to hurt her child. With this, she decided to discontinue breastfeeding and was advised not to have more children after (Cohen et al, 2008). With this study, it may be said that Bipolar Disorder is manageable through intake of medication. Discontinuation of treatment medicines may be said to affect the state of the patient suffering from the disease more so when left completely neglected (Cohen et al, 2008). This is why bipolar female patients becoming pregnant still pose a huge matter for researchers concentrating on treatments for the syndrome. As may be seen in the case presented some drugs or medication for treatment of the disease may be harmful for a child inside a bipolar mother, resulting to the mother having to stop maintenance drugs and thus inducing episodes symptomatic of the disorder. It also became a risk for the disease to progress into a more severe level since, discontinuation of treatment and medicines is almost equal to neglect of the situation (Cohen et al, 2008). This also shows that Bipolar Disorder may be inherited or may be passed within members of a family, as the patient indicated to have had a relative who died from suicide induced by hallucinations that entail the disease at its worse level. Treatments of the Disorder There are many known treatment of bipolar disorder. There are medications or medicines that are prescribed by doctors to patients in accordance to the severity of their condition and to the symptoms relative to the disease that manifests in them. Psychiatrists may recommend drugs that prevent mania, hypomania or antidepressant drugs depending on the mood of the patient. Doctors may recommend mania-preventive drugs or anti-depressant drugs to patients depending mainly on the recurrent mood of the patient. They may also give mood stabilizers that a patient may take in on the onset of mania or depression. Antipsychotic agents may also be administered when called for (Mann, 2005). There are also therapies that are recommended to patients in order to help them manage and treat their illness. They may suggest regular psychosocial interventions or psychotherapy that includes monitoring of responses, the checking of outcomes of past therapies or treatments, and education of parties involved especially of parents with children suffering from the disorder. The therapies have three phases, the acute, continuation and maintenance phase. The treatment and therapy varies in accordance to the phase (Mann, 2005). Society, Culture and the Disease Although bipolar disorder is a leading cause of disability in the world, there are still some countries that do not generally accept this concept. The culture from which they grew up in influences their beliefs and reactions toward the disease. It also influences the treatment of the disease, the interaction between patients, the effects of the symptoms, and even how the symptoms are reported (Kleinman, 2004). For instance the Chinese people do not recognize depression as a term or condition of a person or an individual. The country from which they belong denies the existence of this predicament in their culture. This becomes a problem especially for the Chinese immigrants in countries that recognized bipolar disorder as disease. As soon as a person shows signs of developing Bipolar disorder it may only be seen as normal so rather than be given appropriate treatment, the patient’s condition may become worse (Kleinman, 2004). Sometimes even when it is the culture or the society that becomes the risk factor for the development of the diseases, as in the case of war-related acquisition of bipolar disorder, or post-trauma induced bipolar cases, it is still denied and left without proper treatment (Kleinman, 2004). Conclusion Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that have been long existing but only denied by some nations worldwide. It is a leading cause for disabilities and some deaths. It has a number of symptoms including sudden manic moods shifting to depressive moods. Sometimes it also entails psychotic symptoms. But Bipolar disorder is a curable and manageable disease. Many studies have been conducted in order to check on the risk factors of the disease and from there develop a cure. But some countries do not accept this cure for the disease, even when sometimes it is the culture that is the cause of the disease. Thus it may be said that the society and the culture being practiced influences the disease greatly, that views on patients and patients’ views on society, whether positive or negative is affected in more ways than one. References Belmaker, R. H. MD (2004). Bipolar Disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine 351(5). Bloch, J. P, Nser, J. A. (2006). The Everything Health Guide to Adult Bipolar Disorder: Reassuring Advice to Help You Cope. USA: Everything Books. Cohen, L. S MD. , Emmerich, A. D. MD. , Viguera, A. C. MD. (2008). Case 24-2008: A 35-Year-Old Woman with Postpartum Confusion, Agitation, and Delusions. The New England Journal of Medicine 359(5). First, M. B, Frances, A. Pincus, H. A. (2002). DSM-IV-TR Handbook of Differential Diagnosis. USA: American Psychiatric Pub. Fink, M. , Taylor, A. M. , (2007). Melancholia: The Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, and Treatment of Depressive Illness. The New England Journal of Medicine 356(6). Kleinman, A. MD. (2004). Culture and Depression. The New England Journal of Medicine 351(10). Mann, J. J. (2005). Management of Depression. The New England Journal of Medicine 353(17). Zimney, E. MD. (2008). Bipolar Disorder. HealthTalk Retrieved November 20, 2008 from http://www2. healthtalk. com/go/mental-health/bipolar-disorder/disease-basics/how-does-bipolar-disorder-progress

Biography of Florence Nightingale, Nursing Pioneer

Biography of Florence Nightingale, Nursing Pioneer Florence Nightingale (May 12, 1820–August 13, 1910), a nurse and social reformer, is considered the founder of the modern nursing profession who helped promote medical training and raise hygiene standards. She served as head nurse for the British during the Crimean War, where she was known as The Lady With the Lamp for her selfless service to sick and injured soldiers. Fast Facts: Florence Nightingale Known For: Founder of modern nursingAlso Known As: The Lady With the Lamp, The Angel of the CrimeaBorn: May 12, 1820 in Florence, ItalyParents: William Edward Nightingale, Frances NightingaleDied: August 13, 1910 in London, EnglandPublished Work: Notes on NursingAwards and Honors: British Order of MeritNotable Quotes: â€Å"Rather, 10 times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore.† Early Life   Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, in Florence, Italy, to a comfortably prosperous family. She was born while her parents, William Edward Nightingale and Frances Nightingale, were on an extended European honeymoon. (Her father changed his name from Shore to Nightingale after inheriting his great-uncle’s estate in 1815.) The family returned to England the next year, dividing their time between a home in Derbyshire in central England and a grander estate in Hampshire in the south-central part of the country. She and her older sister Parthenope were educated by governesses and then by their father. She studied classical Greek and Latin and modern French, German, and Italian. She also studied history, grammar, and philosophy and received tutoring in  mathematics  when she was 20, after overcoming her parents objections. From a young age, Nightingale was active in philanthropy, working with the ill and poor in the nearby village. Then, on Feb. 7, 1837, Nightingale heard the voice of God, she later said, telling her she had a mission, though it took some years for her to identify that mission. Nursing By 1844, Nightingale had chosen a different path from the social life and marriage expected by her parents. Again over their objections, she decided to work in nursing, at the time a less-than-respectable profession for women. In 1849, Nightingale refused a marriage proposal from a suitable gentleman, Richard Monckton Milnes, who had pursued her for years. She told him he stimulated her intellectually and romantically, but her moral†¦active nature called for something beyond a domestic life. Nightingale enrolled as a nursing student in 1850 and 1851 at the Institution of Protestant Deaconesses in Kaiserswerth, Germany. She then worked briefly for a Sisters of Mercy hospital near Paris. Her views began to be respected. In 1853, she returned to England and took a nursing job at Londons Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen. Her performance so impressed her employer that she was promoted to superintendent, an unpaid position. Nightingale also volunteered at a Middlesex hospital, grappling with a cholera outbreak and unsanitary conditions that further spread the disease. She improved hygiene practices, significantly lowering the death rate at the hospital. Crimea October 1853 marked the outbreak of the Crimean War, in which British and French forces fought the Russian Empire for control of Ottoman territory. Thousands of British soldiers were sent to the Black Sea, where supplies quickly dwindled. After the Battle of Alma, England was in an uproar over the lack of medical attention and appallingly unsanitary conditions faced by the ill and injured soldiers. At the urging of a family friend, Secretary of War Sidney Herbert, Nightingale volunteered to take a group of female nurses to Turkey. In 1854, 38 women, including Anglican and Roman Catholic sisters, accompanied her to the front. She reached the military hospital at Scutari, Turkey, on Nov. 5, 1854. Deplorable Conditions They had been warned of horrible conditions, but nothing could have prepared them for what they found. The hospital sat atop a cesspool, which contaminated the water and the  building. Patients lay in their own excrement. Basic supplies such as bandages and soap were scarce. More soldiers were dying from infectious diseases such as typhoid and cholera than from injuries sustained in battle. Nightingale headed nursing efforts, improved sanitation, and ordered supplies using significant funds raised by the London Times, gradually winning over the military doctors. She soon focused more on administration than on actual nursing, but she continued to visit the wards and to send letters home for the injured and ill soldiers. She insisted that she be the only woman in the wards at night, carrying a lamp as she made her rounds and earning the title The Lady With the Lamp. The mortality rate at the hospital dropped from 60% at her arrival to 2% six months later. Nightingale applied her education in mathematics to develop statistical analyses of disease and mortality, in the process popularizing the pie chart. She continued to fight the military bureaucracy and on March 16, 1856, she became general superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment of the Military Hospitals of the Army. Return to England Nightingale returned home in the summer of 1856, once the Crimean conflict was resolved. She was surprised to find that she was a heroine in England, but she worked against public adulation. The previous year, Queen Victoria had awarded her an engraved brooch that became known as the Nightingale Jewel and a $250,000 grant, which she used in 1860 to fund the establishment of St. Thomas Hospital, which included the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. She wrote a massive  report in 1857 analyzing her Crimean War experience and proposing reforms that sparked a restructuring of the War Offices administrative department, including the establishment of a Royal Commission for the Health of the Army. She also wrote Notes on Nursing, the first textbook for modern  nursing, in 1859. While working in Turkey, Nightingale had contracted brucellosis, a bacterial infection also known as Crimean fever, and would never fully recover. By the time she was 38 years old, she was homebound and routinely bedridden in London for the rest of her long life. Working mostly from home, she founded the Nightingale School and Home for Nurses in London in 1860, using funds contributed by the public for her work in the Crimea. Nightingale collaborated with Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman granted a medical degree in the United States, on starting the Womans Medical College in their home country of England. The school opened in 1868 and operated for 31 years. Death Nightingale was blind by 1901. In 1907 King Edward VII awarded her the Order of Merit, making her the first woman to receive that honor. She declined a national funeral and burial at Westminster Abbey, requesting that her grave be marked simply. Her condition worsened In August 1910, but she seemed to recover and was in good spirits. On August 12, however, she developed a troubling array of symptoms and died around 2 p.m. the following day, August 13, at her home in London. Legacy Its difficult to overstate the contributions that Florence Nightingale made to medicine, including her work on sanitation and hygiene and on organizational structures, and especially to nursing. Her fame encouraged many women to take up nursing, and her success in founding the Nightingale School and Home for Nurses and the Womans Medical College opened the field to women around the world. The Florence Nightingale Museum, at the site of the Nightingale Training School for Nurses, houses more than 2,000 artifacts commemorating the life and career of the Angel of the Crimea and The Lady With the Lamp. Sources Florence Nightingale Biography. Biography.com.Florence Nightingale: British Nurse, Statistician, and Social Reformer. Encyclopedia Britannica.Nightingale, Florence. Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What It Is Not. Dover Books on Biology, Paperback, 1 edition, Dover Publications, June 1, 1969.

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CHIRAL CHROMATOGRAPY - Research Paper Example The therapeutic efficacy and safety of an enantiomer is significant in its applications (Sekhon, 1584). The discovery that the S-isomer of thalidomide (R isomer is administered to women to combat morning sickness) resulted in fetal malformations is one example for the need for acquisition of enantiopure compounds. The problem with enantiomers can be a difficulty in separating them into enantiopure compounds (Li and Donald, 450). The purpose of this paper is to discuss chiral chromatography in the separation of enantiomers. The ideal but nonpractical way to obtain enantiopure substances involves enantioselective syntheses processes which could be expensive if not complicated (.Zhang et al., 1). However, there is limited control on which chiral compound is obtained, and this frequently results in racemic mixtures that will necessitate the use of separation techniques. The separation of enantiomers is not a unique process. Gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography, and supercritical fluid chromatography have been developed for chiral separations (Davankov, 1470; Cretu et al., 317). Capillary zone electrophoresis, capillary gel electrophoresis, electrokinetic chromatography and capillary electro chromatography are potential alternatives to chromatographic techniques. Novel methods of chiral separation such as the indirect enantiomeric resolution separation technique involve the conversion of enantiomers with a chiral reagent into diastereomers that a re easily separated (Davankov, 1470). Chiral chromatography has gained prominence as a method in the physical separation of enantiomers and has had significant adaptations. It involves the purification of enantiomer compounds by use of a chiral stationary phase (CSP). Chiral recognition is dependent on the interaction of the selector and the selected. These interactions are expected to be stereo selective leading to the formation of

Mumbai Attacks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mumbai Attacks - Assignment Example The main objective of the terrorist was to damage the image of the country and hamper its economic situation. Another important aim of those terrorists was to attract the attention of the world towards their demands and cause by injuring and killing many innocent people. The attacks happened in Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Leopold Cafà ©, Taj Mahal Hotel, Bomb blasts in taxis, Oberoi Trident and Nariman House. Bad International Intelligence had influences the success of Mumbai attack. India’s police and security system were often co ordinate poorly. They were not highly equipped or trained. Moreover the security system of the country was influenced by the political leaders and structure of India. Different legal and legislative bodies were involved to look after the security system India (Rath, 2010). Intelligence agencies, central investigative department, law enforcement, intelligence bureau, India police service, Central Reserve Force were all answerable to the Prime Minister. The military were also responsible to look after foreign threats and terrorist attacks. Too many government body involvements create an ineffective security management system. State and central authorities formed many joint committees and task force to handle crisis situations. But often the actions of these forces and committees become slow and complicated which creates major problems in International int elligence. The federal political system of India has such policies which posses’ problem in performing duties of intelligence units. For ineffective functions of this departments helped in the success of Mumbai attacks. There was a high possibility facing terrorist attack through sea route. Taj Hotel is a very prominent site which can be easily targeted. The intelligence department of India provided this information to the state government but the information was ignored by most of the

Computer Game Addiction Essay Example for Free

Computer Game Addiction Essay ABSTRACT With the constant improvements in gaming technology, ranging from graphics to new types of controllers to faster processors, there is a growing problem of computer game addiction. In order to fully understand this problem, one must define addiction. According to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, addiction is a psychological or a physical dependence on something. LITERATURE REVIEW In this paper, we will discuss the problem of computer game addiction, one of the most addictive games, and ways to prevent or stop addiction. Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Games Game addiction really started turning into a problem with the advent of Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Games, or MMORPGs. While regular games would keep you entertained until you beat it, MMORPGs have no ending, so there really is no reason to stop playing. MMORPGs immerse the player in the world and since there is no way to beat the game, the goal is character progression. Leveling up your character and obtaining better and better armor and weapons is usually the norm in most MMORPGs. Addiction Questionnaire Dr. Kimberly Young, known as â€Å"the world’s foremost Cyber-Psychologist,† created a set of eight questions to ask one’s self to test for online gaming addiction. 1) Do you need to play online games with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve the desired excitement? 2) Are you preoccupied with gaming (thinking about it when offline, anticipating your next online session)? 3) Have you lied to friends and family members to conceal extent of your online gaming? 4) Do you feel restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop online gaming? 5) Have you made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop online gaming? 6) Do you use gaming as a way of escaping from problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression? 7) Have you jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, or even risked your marriage because of your online gaming habit? 8) Have you jeopardized a job, educational, or career opportunity because of your online gaming habit? Answering yes to any of those questions could mean that you are addicted. One would think that video games are harmless, but once they start interfering with real life and even take precedence over it, then there is a real problem. Video game addiction has not received official recognition as a diagnosis in theDSM IV standard [8], but is still aconcern for many people. Problems with addiction One study done on the problems of addiction used a modified version of the formal definition of gambling addiction. 607 8th and 9th grade students where surveyed, and of these 15% where classified as addicted. Of the addicted students, approximately 80% where male. Less than 30% of non-addicted student reported having been in a fight in the past year, while almost 50% ofaddicted students reported the same. Addiction also correlated with reported arguments with friends, and with teachers. Just as many students classified as addicted reported having a B average as those classified as nonaddicted. However, there where 4 times as many F students classified as addictedas there where non-addicted, and far more non-addicted A students than addicted ones. Not surprisingly, students classified as addicted averaged almost 4 times as much playtime as nonaddicted ones [7]. These figures are somewhat worrying. World of Warcraft (WoW) The current king of MMORPGs is World of Warcraft. According to a press release on Blizzard’s World of Warcraft webpage, World of Warcraft’s subscriber base numbers more than 8.5 million, as of March 7, 2007, and it continues to grow every day. The expansion pack that was recently released sold nearly 2.4 million copies worldwide just on the first 24 hours [3]. It is often referred to as â€Å"World of Warcrack.† Dr. Maressa Orzak, a Harvard professor and founder of Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital in Newton, MA, estimates that as many as 40% of the people who play WoW are addicted. She believes that games like World of Warcraft are designed to keep people in the game and that they are inherently addictive [4]. There are dozens of websites just for the purpose of providing support for WoW addiction. The game has a feature where if you type â€Å"/played† into the chat interface, it displays how much time you have spent playing that particular character. Some people report that they’ve spent 200 to 300 days played in the game [5]. In 2004, Zhang Xiaoyi, a 13 year old Chinese boy, committed suicide by jumping off a building afterplaying World of Warcraft for 36 hours straight. He left a suicide note saying that he wanted to â€Å"join the heroes of the game he worshipped† [6]. Fig. 1: A large battle between the Alliance and the Horde Is it Addiction? According to Weimer-Hastings and Ng, many people who are excessive MMORPG users are not actually dependent on video games [8]. They propose that many of these people use video games not because they are addicted, but because it is the only comfortable social medium for them. This was found through a comparison ofMMORPG player and other video game players. The MMORPG players tended to spend far more time playing, but much of that time is spent socializing. Some MMORPG players who showed long hours of playtime didn’t actually show any of the signs of addiction [8]. This study shows that care must be taken with the definition of addiction. Conclusion Video game addiction is something we must come to terms with as a society. Whether it is decided to be a read full fledged addiction, or just a compulsive behavior, it can still cause trouble in peoples lives. The problem will not go away either, it will probably only get worse, as designers get a better understanding of what makes consumers want their games. On the other hand, the problem is not as bad as it sounds at first. For many people these games are a social outlet, not an addiction. Video games are an integral part of many peoples lives now, and theyre here to stay. Lets learn to use them responsibly. References 1. Center for Addiction and Mental Health – What is Addiction? http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Information/Addiction_Information_Guide/addiction_what_is.html 2. Center for Internet Addiction Recovery – Are You an Obsessive Online Gamer? http://www.netaddiction.com/resources/online_trading.htm# 3. Blizzard Entertainment – PressRelease. http://www.blizzard.com/press/070307.shtml 4. Rob Wright – mmORPGs and Game Addiction. August 8, 2006. http://www.twitchguru.com/2006/08/08/ world_of_warcraft_players_addicted/ 5. WoW Detox – Ex-players’testimonials. http://www.wowdetox.com/ 6. Associated Press – Chinese‘Warcraft’ Game Distributor Sued Over Teen’s Suicide.May 12, 2006. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195236,00.html 7. Hauge, Marny R. Gentile, Douglas A. Video Game Addiction Among Adolescents: Associations with Academic Performance and Aggression http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/FACULTY/dgentile/SRCD%20Video%20Game%20Addiction.pdf 8. Wiemer-Hastings, Peter NG, Brian D. Addiction to the Internet and Online Gaming Cyberpsychology Behavior Vol8, Number 2 http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/cpb.2005.8.110

The Positive Impact of Being a Disciple of Jesus Essays -- Papers

Being a Disciple of Jesus and Its Effect on a Person's Life Depending on who you are and where you come from, "good effect" can have a number of meanings. Some people can say that a "good effect" is taking heed of God's message to love one another, and showing kindness in little ways, or a "good effect" can mean deciding to give up your life to devote it to poor people or the sick, or by becoming a priest. However "good effect" can mean deciding to change your life from sinful ways, like drinking too much, taking drugs, or being a child abuser, and following God, and repenting for what you have done. Also, some people think that being rich and famous, and having lots of possessions is "good," or simply being thankful for having your family near you. Some people think that being a follower of Christ gives you something to believe in and someone to use as a role model, to mould their behaviour on. This would have a good effect because they would be spreading the word of God and also, they would be helping people, by ...

Mkc1 Study Guid

MKC1 Study Plan Analyzing the Environment-Ch. 2 1. What different levels of planning can organizations utilize? Organizations can utilize the following levels of planning; corporate level, business level, and functional level. 2. Give an example of and explain how a corporation that wants to help protect the environment can do so at its corporate, business, and functional levels. An example of a corporation wanting to help protect the environment while utilizing the following levels; corporate, business, and functional level would be the following.Pepsi Co has embraced this procedure in the past. The business level consists of identifying the business units. Pepsi Beverages which contain Pepsi Soft Drinks, Aquafina Waters, Tropicana Juices, and Gatorade Products. Pepsi Co American Foods which contain Frito Lay and Quaker Oat Products. Pepsi Co International which contains Pepsi Co. ’s business in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. To support Pepsi Co. ’s overall strat egy all three business units must develop strategic plans to profitably produce offerings while demonstrating that they are committed to society and the environment.The functional level consists of employees being responsible for different products or product categories such as beverages and foods. They may focus on developing healthier products and make their packages more environmentally friendly. For example, Aquafina is now using bottles which contain less plastic and have smaller labels. This reduces waste and helps the environment. The corporate level consists of decision making regarding whether a company will be an innovator or a follower. Innovators use first mover strategy and followers use second mover strategy. Their decision will be based on what is best for the company and the environment. . What factors in the external environment are affecting the â€Å"Big Three† U. S. automobile manufacturers? The three factors that played a role in the catastrophe of the â €Å"Big Three† were inflation, unemployment, and recession. 4. What are some examples of Wal-Mart’s strengths? One of the main examples of Wal-Mart’s strengths is buying power. Firms that do business with Wal-Mart must be prepared to make concessions to them if they want their products on the company’s store shelves. Another example is that Wal-Mart has the capability of offering very similar products for a much lower rate. 5. Suppose you work for a major hotel chain.Using Porter’s five forces model, explain what you need to consider with regard to each force. The hotel chain business needs to consider the following regarding Porter’s five forces model; hotels, bed and breakfasts, dorms, and rental homes. Competition is a key factor to success or failure. 6. Why is competition important to maintain in an industry? Competition insures that the consumer gets the best product at the best rate. 7. Which factors are parts of the economic environm ent? Factors of the economic environment are as follows; employment, unemployment, inflation, recession, interest rates, and cost of living. 8.Which economic factors affect consumer buying power? The factors that affect consumer buying power are as follows; prices, wages, employment, currency considerations, and availability of credit. 9. What are some examples of social-culture influences on marketing decisions? A few examples of social-culture influence on marketing decisions are family, social roles/status, and geographies. 10. What is environmental scanning? Environmental scanning is careful monitoring of organizations internal and external environments for detecting early signs of opportunities and threats that may influence its current and future plans. 1. What is the difference between direct and indirect competition? Direct competition in a marketing situation is two or more firms trying to sell the same good, or service. Indirect competition are those firms that offer an al ternative or similar good, or service that will give the same satisfaction, but at a less expense to the buyer. 12. How do government and non-profit organizations contribute to the technological environment? Government and nonprofit organizations contribute to the technological environment by going green. The usage of special equipment and or procedures allows for a more managed environment.The high security levels that many of these facilities have also help with this process. 13. What is an example of a new technology making an older technology obsolete? An example of a new technology making and older technology obsolete are computers versus type writers. 14. How does the internet impact each element of Porter’s Five Forces Model? The internet is a key player in competition which is what is discussed in the Porter’s Five Forces Model. Competitors can use the internet for a multitude of things such as research, new marketing strategies, booking and payments online, an d or internet usage as an amenity.These are just a few ideas; the list goes on and on. Product Strategy-Ch. 6 1. What is the difference between marketing a good and service? Marketing a good is essentially trying to sell a tangible item. A service is the sale of an intangible item such as a massage, something that gives pleasure or is beneficial, but is not tangible. 2. What is the difference between a product line and the product mix? A product line is a group of offerings that serve similar needs and are sold under the same name such as Campbell’s Soup.Campbell’s Condensed Soup has a red label and Campbell’s Chunky Soup is ready to eat and labeled differently. They are expected to have differences even though they are both made my Campbell’s. A product mix is the entire assortment of products that a firm offers. For example the IPod Shuffle which offers the following product mix; the device itself, the technology platform (the MP3 Format or storage syst em used by the shuffle), the product line to which the product belongs (Apple IPod line of MP3 music players) and the product category to which the offerings belong (MP3 players as opposed to IPhones for example). . How can companies differentiate their product from competing products? Companies can differentiate their product from competing products by using the product classification system. This will allow them to see exactly where their product is at regarding the competition and from there are able to work our any issues or make changes to enhance their products and surpass the competition. 4. What is product cannibalization? Product cannibalization is when a new product takes sales away from the same company’s existing product. 5.Name and explain four categories in the consumer product classification system? Convenience Offerings-low priced frequently purchased products and services that require little shopping effort. An example of a convenience offering is bread. Shop ping Offering- is an offering that is purchased on impulse, without prior planning. An example of a shopping offering could be a particular brand of tooth paste. Specialty Offering-is an offering for which the consumer will make an effort to compare various firms’ offerings and select a brand.An example of specialty offering is the Orange County Chopper. Unsought Offerings-is an offering that consumers do not typically shop for until it is needed. An example of an unsought offering is a funeral service or towing service. 6. What characteristics are associated with each of these categories convenience products, shopping products, and specialty products? Convenience Products are often times those products that the consumer will shop for a particular brand, but if the store is out of that brand they will purchase whatever brand is available.Bread is a great example, if the grocer does not have the brand of potato bread that I am looking for I will more often than not purchase wh at is available. Shopping Products are those products that we as consumers feel like we cannot do without and if the store is out of this product we will chose to go elsewhere until we find it. Tooth paste is a great example, I purchase a particular type of crest tooth paste and if our local grocer does not carry it I will go to another location to purchase that one item if necessary.Specialty products are highly differentiated offerings and the brands under which they are marked are very different across companies too. Specialty items are usually only available through limited channels. Orange County Choppers is a wonderful example because the availability is limited and people will go to great lengths to purchase their products even if the cost is higher. 7. What is total quality management? Total quality management is a management approach to long term success through customer satisfaction.All members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work. 8. How do companies use total quality management as part of product strategy? Companies use TQM as part of product strategy by implementing the following; customer focused programs, total employee involvement, process centered, integrated system, strategic and systematic approach, continual improvement, fact based decision making, and communications. Product Strategy-Ch. 7 1. What is the difference between each of the four stages of the product life cycle?Idea Generation-the basic idea is created and described. Idea Screening-the costs, profits, and potential sales of the offering are calculated at different price levels. The company also considers how well the offering fits in with its competitive strategy. Feature Specifications-detailed specifications for the product are developed. Its features and pricing are established. Development-the actual offering is designed. Testing-the offering is tested, first in the lab and then with real customers. Lau nch (commercialization)-the offering is made available to customers.Evaluation-the offering is evaluated as to whether it is delivering the appropriate value to consumers, as well as meeting the firm’s business goals. 2. What are examples of products in each of the product life cycle stages? Idea Generation-Apple and HP, both were created in someone’s garage. Idea Screening-Clear Pepsi and New Coke, despite the marketing strategies used with these products the sales were not there. Feature Specification-HP Printer line, each model is created around a specification. Development-Apple, uses the same technology platform in the IPod. It is cost effective and efficient.Testing-Kraft might launch a new food product that has to work in hot climates, cold climates, high humidity, dry climates, and high altitudes; all conditions that can change how well the product works. 3. Name and explain the four primary ways to extend the product life cycle? Provide examples of each. The I ntroduction Stage-is the first stage of the product life cycle after a product is launched. It is essentially the same as commercialization. This stage varies between products and must also comply with the United States law of being able to use the â€Å"new† labeling for only six months.The market must be right for this stage and the consumers must be equally available for it to be a success. An example is the IBM Think Pad, it was a huge success at launch and IBM could not keep up with the demand. The Growth Stage-is the stage of the life cycle in which sales increase and more competitors enter the market. In this stage the product is accepted by the marketplace. This stage is characterized by increasing sales, more competitors, and high profits. Unfortunately this stage attracts more and more competitors, for example when Diet Coke was introduced Diet Pepsi soon followed.Something to keep in mind here as well is that supply and demand needs to be balanced. The same scenari o as IBM’s Think Pads occurred when the Nintendo Wii was launched. The Maturity Stage-is the stage of the product life cycle at which sales begin to level off and competitors have saturated the market. After many competitors enter the market place and the number of potential new customers’ declines, the sales of the product tend to level off. This indicates the entrance of the maturity stage; most customers are repeat customers rather than new customers.For example Quaker Oatmeal, this product was introduced over a hundred years ago and is still in the maturity stage. 4. Describe each strategy of the Ansoff Matrix: market penetration, market development, product development and product diversification. Market Penetration-the firm seeks to achieve growth with existing products in their current market segments, aiming to increase its market share. Market Development-the firm seeks growth by targeting its existing products to new market segments. Product Development-the f irms develop new products targeted to its existing market segment.Product Diversification-the firm grows by diversifying into new businesses by developing new products for a new market. 5. When would it be appropriate for a firm to employ each of the strategies? It would be appropriate for a firm to employ each of the strategies when looking for growth. The Ansoff Matrix in a marketing sense is centered on growth and development. Consumer Behavior-Ch. 10 & 3 1. What is secondary research? Secondary research involves collecting data from either the originator or a distributor of primary research.In essence, researching data already collected. This is also known as secondary data which is defined as being data already collected by your firm or another organization for purposes other than the marketing research project at hand. 2. Where can secondary data resources be found? Secondary data resources can be found in the company’s internal records or one can purchase syndicated re search which is primary data that marketing research firms collect on a regular basis and sell to other companies. 3.What is primary research? Primary research or primary data is data collected using hands on tools, such as interviews or surveys to answer a question for a specific research project. 4. Describe and give examples of the three primary research methods: observations, surveys, and controlled experiments. Observations-are the method of data collection in which the situation of interest is watched and the relevant facts, actions and behaviors are recorded. An example could be during a soft drink study, Pepsi Challenge perhaps.Several soft drinks could be made available to a controlled group of people and the observer could notate any comments made as well as what soft drink was the most liked and vice versa. The soft drinks can be labeled or they can be kept unmarked depending upon the study. Surveys-are detailed studies of a market or geographical area to gather data on a ttitudes, impressions, opinions, satisfaction level, etc. , by polling a section of the population. For example voters are quiet often polled or given surveys during the election season. The results are used to determine the running mark between candidates.Controlled Experiment-is an experiment in which an observer tests a hypothesis by looking for changes brought on by alterations to a variable. In this type of experiment, an independent variable is the only factor that is allowed be adjusted, with the dependent variable as the factor that the independent variable will affect. An example would be seeing if placing an aspirin in the soil of plant will produce a brighter colored plant. You would need to plant to identical seeds one with an aspirin and one without. Treat both the same in every way and record the results. 5.What are cultural influences that affect consumer buying behavior? How do they affect it? Culture is simply the set of values, attitudes, and ideals shared by a gro up of people whether they are family, friends, or strangers. It can often have a role in consumer buying behavior. For example, Muslim women may be more interested in traditional modest clothing dictated by their religion whereas other religious groups have different guidelines for clothing. Family roles are especially important when it comes to consumer buying behavior. Purchases are often made by more than one member of the family.For example, furniture is typically made by both husband and wife, diapers are usually purchased by the mother, and barbeque pits are usually purchased by the father. Marketers often target the group of consumers based upon their family roles. 6. What are social influences that affect consumer buying behavior? How do they affect it? A reference group, which is any group that an individual belongs to, such as a sorority can have a big role in how he/she behaves as a consumer. They will tend to follow what the other members are doing. If the majority of th e members purchase red gloves for the formal then odds are so will the consumer.Social class is a type of rank based on multiple factors like income, education, occupation, race, and or ethnic group. These factors can also have a high impact on the consumer buying behaviors. For example, those with a lower social class may decide against certain purchases such as a hot tub. Social roles can go either way; it can be classified as both cultural and social. Social roles also influence how one acts and what they buy. For example, a man may be a father, a husband and a car salesman. Each role he takes on will influence him in a different manner.As a father he may be interested in a less expensive but still high quality car seat, as a husband he may want to purchase a birthday gift for his wife, and as a car salesman he may be looking for a comfortable yet classy pair of work shoes. 7. What are personal influences that affect the consumer buying behaviors? How do they affect it? Age and l ife style change can affect consumer buying behavior because of developing maturity and experience. This can go for many situations from purchasing clothing to vehicles and homes. Occupation and income is another key factor.Today’s society is highly concerned with status and material prosperity. The professional status of someone is again a factor in their purchasing decisions. Lawyers tend to have higher incomes than say a teacher. More often than not one can see the difference between the two simply from the way they live. That would lead into lifestyle, which it would be fair to say would have in impact on one’s buying decisions as well. 8. What are the steps (in order) of the consumer decision making process? The steps (in order) of the consumer decision making process are as follows: Need Recognition Search for Product InformationProduct Evaluation Product Choice and Purchase Post Purchase Use and Evaluation of Product Disposal of the Product 9. What is the differ ence between: routinized response behavior, limited problem solving and extended problem solving? Routinized Response Behavior-is a buying situation in which the buyer has had considerable pas experience. Limited Problem Solving-is a purchasing situation usually involving some degrees of conscious information searching and analysis, as it involves moderately high priced goods which are not purchased too frequently. Extended Problem Solving-is an elaborate decision making process.The consumer tries to collect as much information as possible and weighs their options before the purchase. 10. What is the difference between high involvement and low involvement purchase decisions? High involvement purchases are higher priced items such as luxury products, consumers will usually research to eliminate any risk before making the purchase. There is high involvement on the consumer’s part. Low involvement purchases are usually small purchases such as tooth paste or toilet paper. Consume rs usually do not research much before making this type of decision. There is low involvement on the consumer’s part.

Cafe de Coral Marketing Paper Essay

1. Introduction Background information This marketing plan is base on the quick service restaurant in Hong Kong market and the Cafà © de Coral Group is focus in this plan. The Group was incorporated in October 1968, it is principally engaged in the food and catering industry as largest Chinese quick service restaurant group, maintaining a publicly recognized leadership position in the mass-market, quick service restaurant chain business, with vertical and horizontal diversification towards the food services, food processing and distribution, catering and hospitality sectors in Hong Kong. It has prospered through the concept of customer oriented by increasing the environmental, product and services qualities. Besides, it combines the Chinese and Western food cultural in order to create the fashion of fast casual dining for health and nutritional lifestyle and provide a modern and warm experience for the customers. 2. Current Market Situation 3.1 Market Analysis Cafà © de Coral is a major Chinese quick service restaurant chain in Hong Kong. Following is an overview of the potential in the catering market and a specific review of the fast food restaurant market. (a) Overview of the opportunities in the catering market * Hong Kong probably is the most welcomed tourist attraction in Asia. By the forecast of the World Tourism Organization, Hong Kong is the fifth most frequently visited destination in the world, accounted for 57 million  visitors per year by year 2020 (InvestHK, 2012). * The majority of tourist population is come from the Mainland China (InvestHK, 2012) and this would probably flavors the Chinese style cuisine or catering services. * The persistence of inflation in Hong Kong may induce the demand of fast food instead of ordinary or luxury cuisines. (b) Specific review of the fast food restaurant market * There are 15,757 fast food shop establishments in Hong Kong, hiring for 41,319 people (InvestHK, 2012). * According to a survey sponsored by Mingpao and conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong(2011), Cafà © de Coral acquired the titles of â€Å"most mentioned catering brand† and â€Å"most beloved catering brand† among the three major fast food chains (namely Cafà © de Coral, Maxims and Fairwood). * Cafà © de Coral is keeping expanding its market share in both catering market and specifically the fast food market. In year 2010, Cafà © de Coral has expanded its market share in fast food market successfully to 24.8% and in catering market to 4.6%(Commercial Radio, 2010). 3.2 Company Analysis The Group was incorporated in October 1968 and went public in July 1986 on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, which was the first of its kind at the time of listing. In October 2001, it was appointed as one of the top 200 constituents of The Hang Seng Composite Index Series. After 42 years of development, it has become the market leader in the Hong Kong fast food industry with over 24.8% market share in the Quick Service Restaurant segment and 4.6% of the total dining out industry in Hong Kong. Its business operation spans over 2 continents with more than 300 operating units in Hong Kong. Over the past years, the Group advanced in strides in profit performance and in its business dimensions. The continuous business growth records over the years speak for itself, recording multiple growths in terms of market capitalization, turnover, profits, employees and net assets value. The Group’s market cap increased by over 20 times, turnover by over 19 times,  profit by over 14 times and net assets by over 51 times since listing, with a dedicated workforce of 6,500. 3.3 SWOT Analysis 2.3.1 Strengths (a) Product Diversity The Group’s menu regularly rotated to maintain a variety of choices and to meet the taste and budgets of customers. Products on menu range from western cuisine to traditional Chinese dishes. New and seasonal products for each time segment are introduced regularly. (b) Strong Advertising â€Å"A Hundred Points of Excellence† has been the commitment to customers and is now a household catch phrase. As part of on-going campaign to strengthen the Cafà © de Coral brand, proactive advertising campaigns are launched on a continual basis. Through the campaign, the brand image has been further enhanced by positioning Cafà © de Coral as a place not just for best taste and value meals but also a popular meeting place for all walks of life. 2.3.2 Weakness (a) Relatively High Selling Price The food price of Cafà © de Coral is high in generally by comparing with the local style cha chaan teng and fast food restaurant in Hong Kong. This makes a comparative disadvantage for the Group. (b) Bad Public Relation In 2010, Cafà © de Coral has offered its staffs that they must forfeit their paid lunch break of approximately 45 minutes a day, a net cut in their pay. Political parties, unions, religious groups and students’ unions of universities, had organized and boycott Cafà © de Coral. After that, Cafà © de Coral had label as â€Å"Too Acrimonious†. 2.3.3 Opportunities (a) Individual Visits The number of individual visitor from mainland China keep increasing, and most of the visitors from mainland China flavor the Chinese style cuisine or catering services like Cafà © de Coral’s dishes. (c) Inflation in Hong Kong The persistence of inflation in Hong Kong may induce the demand of fast food instead of ordinary or luxury cuisines. As Cafà © de Coral maintaining a publicly recognized leadership position in fast food chains which benefits from increasing demand of fast food. 2.3.4 Threats (a) High Rental Cost The rent in Hong Kong is almost the highest among the world. According to the report of SingTao, about 40% of production cost is rental cost. And the rental cost keeps increase every year by 30% to 50%. Some of the restaurant cannot afford the high rental cost and go bankrupt in recent year. (b) Price of Ingredient Increase Under persistence of the appreciation in RMB, the price of food ingredient keeps increasing. According to the report of SingTao, the price of food ingredient increasing by 25% which is 35% to 45% of the production cost. 3.4 Competitor Analysis There are two major direct competitor in Hong Kong include Maxim and Fairwood. And there are some other indirect competitor including international chain fast food restaurant, Chinese restaurant, local style cha chaan teng, etc. Fairwood’s quick service restaurants serve mainly Chinese food. Its menu is frequently changed with seasonal favorites. Despite its Chinese predominance, its menu is enriched by the adoption of Western dishes that have been carefully redesigned to suit local tastes in order to enhance its  attractiveness. Also, Fairwood’s philosophy has always been to provide a wide range of good quality Chinese and Western cuisine at affordable prices in a bright, clean and modern ambience. Maxim’s quick service restaurants are bringing to customers a variety of quality dishes, a new interior and comfortable dining environment. Also, Maxim’s philosophy is â€Å"Whole-Hearted Mission† that is to surprise, delight and inspire customers with a unique dining experience. International chain fast food restaurant like McDonald, KFC are indirect competitor of Cafà © de Coral. These types of fast food restaurant are western style, usually with French fries and hamburger. Their target customers are general public with different nationality and culture. And they are especially focus on young people market. Chinese restaurants are focus on the middle age and elder market. They provide traditional Chinese dished like dim sum for customer. They are not position as quick service restaurant and they provide a place for customer eating slowly and chatting with family, friends and co-workers. Local style cha chaan teng are focus on low-mid income working class market. They are quick service restaurant provide affordable dishes for customer. The envirnment of cha chaan teng are crowded and noisy which is not suitable for having a relaxing and comfortable dinning experience. 3.5 Customer Analysis 2.5.1Market Segments (a) Segment A – Visitor from China: The segment consists of visitors who are Chinese residents and having a Chinese style eating habit. (b) Segment B – Family: The segment consists of people who usually have dinner outside and do not cook their dinner at home with small family size. (c) Segment C – Teenager and young adult: The segment consists of people who ages are between 15 and 45 and they enjoy gathering with friend. 2.5.2 Bases or variables of Segmentation used (a) Geographic Segmentation: Geographic segmentation divides the market of Hong Kong into group base on the variables of â€Å"Region†. Since the target customer of Cafà © de Coral are local low-mid income working class and visitor from mainland China, public housing estate and shopping plazas are preference in this segment. And the groups which segment out from the market are luxury residential areas and mid-level area. (b) Demographic Segmentation: â€Å"Age† and â€Å"Family Size† are the key variables used in this segment. As Cafà © de Coral adoption of Western dishes into the menu and have fusion of Chinese and Western food cultural which is suitable for the teenager and young adult, ages are between 15 and 45, and elder people do not prefer in this type of dishes. So â€Å"Age† is selected as a key variable. As most of family in Hong Kong are small in size and some of the family do not like to cook due to the hustle and bustle city live in Hong Kong. These families prefer having dinner outside and Cafà © de Coral offer them a moment of leisure, relaxation and warm experience to go with the delicious dishes. So â€Å"Family Size† is selected as a key variable. (c) Psychographic Segmentation: â€Å"Income† and â€Å"Lifestyle† are the key variables used in this segment. As the consumer behaviors and preferences of food will be affected by income. Local low-mid income working class will choose quick service restaurant with  affordable price due to the hustle and bustle city live in Hong Kong as a place of meeting place with friends and co-workers. So â€Å"Income† is selected as a key variable. As Hong Kong is an international city, people prefer a modern experience with fusion of Chinese and Western food cultural. Cafà © de Coral creates a fashion, health and nutritional dinning lifestyle for customers to gather with friends with warm and joyful experience. So â€Å"Lifestyle† is selected as a key variable. (d) Behavioral Segmentation: â€Å"Benefits† is the key variable used in this segment. As city life in Hong Kong is hustle and bustle, convenient and speedy are very important factors for customer to choose a restaurant in order to save their time. Also, Cafà © de Coral prospered through the concept of customer oriented by increasing the product and services qualities which make Cafà © de Coral publicly recognized leadership position in the mass-market. 3. Target Market And Positioning 3.1 Recommended target market Teenager and young adult are recommended as a target market. Since teenager and young adult enjoy gathering friends in restaurant and prefer a wide range of good quality dishes at affordable prices and a bright, clean and modern ambience. As Cafà © de coral adoption of Western dishes into the menu and have fusion of Chinese and Western food cultural with the fashion of fast casual dining for health and nutritional lifestyle and provide a modern and joyful experience for customers, it is suitable for Cafà © de Coral to focus on teenager and young adult market. 3.2 Recommended position As teenager and young adult are selected as target market, Cafà © de Coral is  recommended to position as a diversified, health and energetic quick services restaurant. Since teenager and young adult are keen on having new experience, diversified dishes can satisfy their wants. Also, teenager and young adult are caring about their body shape, appearance and style, health and energetic dishes can satisfy their wants and fulfill their perception. 4. Market Objectives 5.6 Build up a diversified, health and energetic brand image In order to build up a diversified, health and energetic brand image, Cafà © de Coral can make some advertisement in the internet and invite some young artist and singer to promote the new image. Cafà © de Coral can have some seasonal theme interior design for different western festival and play some soft but popular songs. This enhances the attractiveness of Cafà © de Coral as a good choice for young people gathering with friends. 4.2 Design more new diversified, health and energetic menu The menu may have more high fiber and low fat dishes which fits the image of health and energetic. Also the menus can have different seasonal and festival theme in order to satisfy the wants of diversification for young people. Also, Cafà © de Coral can provide more meal plan for friends instead of only provide individual meal plan. References Cafà © de Coral, 2012 http://www.cafedecoral.com Eastweek, 2011. http://dev.eastweek.com.hk/index.php?aid=19412 InvestHK, 2012.http://www.investhk.gov.hk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2012.07-foodservice-en.pdf Mingpao, 2011.http://marketing.mingpao.com/hkbrand/cfm/other.cfm?html=10c Commercial Radio, 2010.http://www.snb.hk/page/zh-tw/snb_report.aspx?ItemId=264449 Min Wage Research,2010. http://minwageresearch.blogspot.hk/2010/11/ongoing-cafe-de-coral-debacle.html

Help With Sugar Crystal Growing Problems

Help With Sugar Crystal Growing Problems Sugar crystals or rock candy are among the safest crystals to grow (you can eat them!), but they arent always the easiest crystals to grow. If you live in a humid or warm climate, you may need a little extra advice to get things going. There are two techniques for growing sugar crystals. The most common one involves making a saturated sugar solution, hanging a rough string in the liquid, and waiting for evaporation to concentrate the solution to the point where crystals start to form on the string. The saturated solution could be made by adding sugar to hot water until it starts to accumulate in the bottom of the container and then using the liquid (not the sugar at the bottom) as your crystal growing solution. This method tends to produce crystals over the course of a week or two. It fails if you live someplace where the air is so humid that evaporation is very slow or if you place the container in a location where the temperature fluctuates (like a sunny windowsill) so that the sugar stays in solution. If you have had problems with the simple method, heres what you need to do. Grow a seed crystal.The other way to get a seed crystal is to break one off from a piece of rock candy or other sugar crystal. Use a simple knot to tie the seed crystal onto some nylon line (dont use rough thread if you have a seed crystal). When you suspend the crystal in the solution you want it to be completely covered, yet not touching the sides or bottom of the container.Supersaturate your crystal solution.You need as much sugar as possible to dissolve into solution. Increasing the temperature dramatically increases the amount of sugar that will dissolve, so you can get a lot more sugar into boiling water than in hot tap water, for example. Boil the water and stir in more sugar than will dissolve. Its a good idea to pour the solution through a coffee filter to make sure no undissolved sugar remains in the crystal growing solution. You can use this solution as-is or you can let it evaporate for a day or so until you see crystals start to form on the container. If you choose to ev aporate off some of the liquid, reheat it and filter it before introducing the seed crystal. Cool the solution slowly.Sugar becomes much less soluble as the temperature falls from boiling to room temperature or refrigerator temperature. You can use this characteristic to stimulate quick crystal growth. The trick is to allow the solution to cool slowly because if a sugar solution cools very quickly it tends to become supersaturated. This means solutions that cool quickly will become highly concentrated rather than grow crystals. You can slow the cooling of your solution by setting the whole crystal growing container inside a pot of near-boiling water. Either seal the crystal growing container so that no water gets in or else make sure the sides of the crystal container are tall enough that water wont get inside. Let the whole setup slowly drop down to room temperature. Sugar crystals grow slowly so while you might see growth within a couple of hours, it could take a couple of days to be visible. Once the solution has slowly dropped to room temperature, you could continue to t ake it down to the temperature of the refrigerator (if the container will fit inside). If you suspend a seed crystal in a sufficiently saturated solution, you may get crystal growth over a few hours by controlling the cooling of the solution. Therefore, even if you live someplace where you can use the evaporation method for growing sugar crystals, you may want to give this method a go.

Confirming Supreme Court Nominees - How Long It Takes

Confirming Supreme Court Nominees - How Long It Takes U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died unexpectedly in February 2016, leaving President Barack Obama with a rare opportunity to nominate a third member of the nations highest court and dramatically swing the ideological balance to the left. Within hours of Scalias death, though, a partisan fight erupted over whether Obama should choose Scalias replacement or leave the choice to the president being elected in 2016. Senate Republican leaders vowed to stall or block an Obama nominee. Related Story: What Are Obamas Chances of Replacing Scalia? The political battle raised an interesting question: How long does it actually take the Senate to confirm a presidents Supreme Court nominee? And would there be enough time in the last year of Obamas second and final term to push a nominee through the often nasty confirmation process? Scalia was found dead on Feb. 13, 2016. There were 342 days remaining in Obamas term. Here are three things to know about how long it takes to confirm Supreme Court nominees. 1. It Takes An Average of 25 Days An analysis of Senate action on Supreme Court nominees since 1900 found that it takes less than a month - 25 days to be precise - for the a candidate to be either confirmed or rejected, or in some cases to withdraw from consideration altogether. 2. Current Court Members Were Confirmed in 2 Months The eight members of the Supreme Court at the time of Scalias death were confirmed in an average of 68 days, an analysis of government records found. Heres a look at how many days the Senate took to confirm members of those eight Supreme Court justices, from shortest duration to longest: John G. Roberts Jr. - 19 days. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on Sept. 6, 2005, and confirmed on Sept. 25 by a vote of 78 to 22.Ruth Bader Ginsburg - 50 days. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on June 14, 1993, and confirmed on Aug. 3, 1993, by a vote of 96 to 3.Anthony M. Kennedy  Ã‚  - 65 days. He was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 30, 1987, and confirmed on Feb 3, 1988, by a vote of 97 to 0.Sonia Sotomayor  - 66 days. She was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 1, 2009, and was confirmed on August 6, 2009, by a vote of 68 to 31.Stephen G. Breyer- 74 days. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on May 17, 1994, and confirmed on July 29, 1994, by a vote of 87 to 9.  Ã‚     Samuel Anthony Alito Jr  Ã‚  - 82 days. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on Nov. 10, 2005, and confirmed on Jan. 31, 2006, by a vote of 58 to 42.Elena Kagan  - 87 days. She was nominated by Obama on May 10, 2010, and confirmed on Augu st 5, 2010, by a vote of 63-37.Clarence Thomas - 99 days. He was nominated by President George H.W. Bush on July 8, 1991, and confirmed on Oct. 15, 1991, by a vote of 52 to 48. 3. The Longest Confirmation Ever Took 125 Days The longest the U.S. Senate has ever take to confirm a Supreme Court nominee was 125 days, or more than four months, according to government records. The nominee was Louis Brandeis, the first Jew to ever be chosen for a seat on the high court. President Woodrow Wilson tapped Brandeis on Jan. 28, 1916, and the Senate didnt vote until June 1 of that year. Brandeis, who entered Harvard Law School without earning a traditional college degree beforehand, faced allegations of holding political views that were too radical. His most vocal critics included former presidents of the American Bar Association and former President William Howard Taft. He is not a fit person to be a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Bar Association presidents wrote. The second-longest confirmation battle ended with the rejection of the nominee, Reagan pick Robert Bork, after 114 days, Senate records show. Bonus Fact: Last Election-Year Nominee Was Confirmed in 2 Months Funny things happen in presidential election years, however. Lame-duck presidents get very little done and are often powerless. That being said, the last time a president pushed for confirmation of a Supreme Court justice during a presidential-election year was in 1988, for Reagans choice of Kennedy for the court. The Senate, controlled by Democrats at the time, took 65 days to confirm the Republican presidents nominee. And it did so unanimously, 97 to 0.

Strategic Human Resource Development Research Paper

Strategic Human Resource Development - Research Paper Example As the stewards of the human capital, the human resource department takes a key role in creating the necessary flexibility required for the optimal performance of State Farm in the industry it operations are based. The department enhances organizational effectiveness and survival in the human capital pool with a broad array of skills as well as developing human resource systems that can be adapted quickly. Coordination flexibility at State Farm goes to the extent the human resource practices can be adapted and applied across a variety of situations where more generally applicable human resource practice is across jobs and situations, the more easily it can be adapted to a particular situation. Management by objectives is a performance appraisal technique favoring majority of job situations due to its flexibility and can be effectively used at State Farm. It is a behaviorally anchored rating system that generally reflects a particular job in a particular setting and therefore is more limited to an application potential across organizations. The increased use of multiple sources of the human capital, as a described, State Farm will need to either develop more generalizable centralized human resource practices or allow more centralized practices that meet specific situational conditions but operate within general organizational parameters. Increasing Diversity and Creating Competitive Advantage at State FarmThe dynamics of change in the labor market are two way due to the flexibility of the working practices.

The effects of smoking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The effects of smoking - Research Paper Example Moreover glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity is impaired in the body by smoking. Eliasson et al in his research tells that smoking initially show the symptom of insulin resistance. And after some time the endothelial function is also impaired. Other toxic substances in cigarette smoke can also harm the individual's normal physiological state of body and thus increase the stress on the body. This stress is a cause of diabetes mellitus in individuals (Radzeviciene & Ostrauskas 2009). The cigarette smoke results from the burning of tobacco and it contains Tar which is a brown substance and is made up of more than 4000 chemicals. Lung diseases are commonly caused by smoking which contains Tar, such as emphysema which is a long term, progressive disease of lung tissue which causes shortening of breath and the lung tissues are destroyed and become unable to support the proper physical structure and functions of the lungs. Cigarette smoking also causes chronic bronchitis, which is the inflammation of air passages to the lungs. The inflammation of the air ways makes way for excess production of mucus which blocks the passages for air making it difficult to respire (Dentener et al 2007). The cigarette smoke also affects our heart tissue and makes it weak. The cigarette smoke causes atherosclerosis which is the thickening and hardening of blood vessels by the deposition of fats on the vessel walls, which causes coronary heart diseases and strokes. The presence of carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke lowers the affinity of blood for oxygen lowering the quantity of oxygen carried by the blood to different parts of body and heart causing angina and heart attacks. Nicotine in the cigarette smoke has...The primary focus of the government should be on the reduction of smokers to first create a smoke free environment but it should also secondarily work towards ways and methods to prevent non smokers from smoking. Increasing the number of taxes on cigarettes as well as the i mplementation of bans can prove to be useful for the purpose of discouraging the smokers from smoking and this fact has been proven as many smokers have quit smoking following these regulations. On the other hand proper education regarding the harmful effects of smoking among certain age groups can also prove to reduce the number of non smokers from smoking. Parents of school going children should be advised and taught to keep a proper watch on the children and discourage them from smoking. Smoking is a global issue which alone accounts for the death of 440,000 people annually in the United States. It poses health risks not only for those individuals who smoke but also for those who come into contact with this smoke. Many countries across the globe have taken a stand against this problem and states are justified to take measures to limit the spread of this wide spread issue.