Thursday, October 31, 2019

BIOCHEMISTRY ASSIGNMENT 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BIOCHEMISTRY 3 - Assignment Example Vitamin C helps in preventing drying of the skin this is through promoting synthesis of lipids that act as barrier that will reduce water permeability in the skin cells (Mason 20). Vitamin C helps in photoprotection by reducing the rate of effect of chronic high-dose UVB thus reducing skin wrinkle and skin tumors Cholecystokinin is produced in small intestine and is a hormone that plays a big role in digestion of fats and protein. Cholecystokinin effect is also seen in the vagus nerve and brain. It generates the feelings of satisfaction when a person has consumed a lot of food thus shutting down the feeling of appetite. This hormone may sometime be introduced into the body for the purpose of carrying out test on diagnosis. Cholecystokinin hormone stimulates release of bile juice to the digestive tract through making the gallbladder to contract and relax. Bile is also released when the digestive tract detects fat content on the body (Mason 22). Cholecystokinin also inhibits the stomach from being emptied by providing a sensation that will result in stomach distension Secretin is hormone that occurs naturally in the body system and is produced for medicinal purposes. Secretin is used in pancreas to stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids which is reach in bicarbonates and has neutralizing agent for stomachs that are transported to the small intestine. Proteins are broken down by pepsin which are released by the stomach through stimulation by secretin (Mason 24). Gastrin is a hormone produced in the stomach lining and upper part of small intestine. Gastrin stimulates the release of gastric acid which helps in breaking down proteins in food and in absorption of certain minerals (Mason 25). Gastrin also helps in killing and disinfecting the stomach by killing bacteria that find its way to the stomach through the food. Uric acid is a chemical by

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The African-American Juvenile Offenders Essay Example for Free

The African-American Juvenile Offenders Essay The African-American juvenile offenders are those who are usually held responsible of any chaos in a society. The notion that they are bad elements of the society won’t stop long as there are instances that they are the ones who are involved. Media through science and technology have paved the way for any news to spread like a fire in every corner of the world. Most often than not, especially the issue United States is going through, these African-Americans are in their top list, thinking that they can never keep up with the native Americans. Before going into the main topic, let us define what juvenile delinquency is. It is the behavior of a minor or those who are under 18 years of age that is against the law – these â€Å"juvenile delinquents† had violated the welfare of people in general in a given society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When these African-American juvenile offenders had committed acts that are unlawful, most probably they will be punished according to the set law of a society depending on the degree of the crime they had committed. The society always dictates how to punish juvenile offenders so does those who are not considered juvenile. There are social reforms for children in lieu to the juvenile justice-state-sanction, this aim to tap and solve the problems of juvenile which resulted to their anti-social behavior. For example in the United States, there are two cities that have been crowded with African-American juvenile offenders. There had been studies to solve this problem and how to better treat these juvenile offenders. It shows that African-American juvenile offenders are punished according to the damage they have caused. Thus it will reflect on the upbringing of these juvenile offenders. It is known that they are one of the underprivileged groups in the society. It shows that they live based on their own means without the major help of their parents. Their numbers are growing because most of them lack the chance of going to school and not knowing the benefits of family planning. They also can not keep up with the fast changing world and the advancement of technology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These are the reasons why these juvenile offenders needed to have a thorough attention to address their problems that have caused them to be offenders themselves. Reference:   Span, Christopher M. (2002). Educational and Social Reforms for African-American Juvenile Delinquents in 19th Century New York City and Philadelphia Retrieved January 08, 2007, 2007   from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3626/is_200207/ai_n9085485  Ã‚  Springer, David. (2004). Factors Predicting Treatment Retention among High-Risk Mexican American and African American Juvenile Offenders Retrieved January 08, 2007, 2007, from http://www.utexas.edu/research/cswr/nida/springerPage1.html

Sunday, October 27, 2019

An Internal Analysis Of Starbucks Marketing Essay

An Internal Analysis Of Starbucks Marketing Essay The internal analysis of Starbucks will consist of an organizational analysis strategy analysis and a business model analysis. 4.1. Organizational Analysis The corporate mission of Starbucks, along with its vision statement and business model are crucial in determining where Starbucks wants to go as an organization. The Starbucks mission statement is: to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time (Starbucks, 2011). To deliver on its mission, Starbucks executes some core principles. Firstly, Starbucks commits to the finest coffee. Starbucks is not only concerned with quality for the end consumer, but also ensures coffee beans are purchased in an ethical manner that will improve the lives of the farmers. Secondly, Starbucks deems their employees as a crucial resource and asset. Starbucks guarantees perfect coffee to their customers, which can only be delivered by high engagement of staff (Starbucks, 2011). Thirdly, the third place experience provided by Starbucks gives customers a gratifying atmosphere of human connection and a sense of belonging (Rice, 2009). The products and services that Starbucks offer are critically important to Starbucks achieving differentiation in the market by way of constant product innovation (Kelly, 2006). Starbucks currently offers more than just quality gourmet coffee. Starbucks is proud of its customer service and is dedicated to ensuring that each customer enjoys each trip to Starbucks (Starbucks, 2011). Other services include the third place experience atmosphere and onsite coffee service. The third place experience is what Starbucks refers to as the third location that consumers will relax and enjoy drinking coffee beverages (Rice, 2009). Starbucks also offers free Wi-Fi to everyone at its store locations to entice customers to stay longer and work or surf the web while they enjoy their coffee (Starbucks, 2011). The organizational analysis evaluates the key characteristics of the organization. Starbucks aims to nurture the human spirit around the globe by offering the finest coffee in a friendly and inviting atmosphere. It promotes product innovation and customer service through a decentralized leadership style that emphasizes distributed decision-making and information-sharing. The quality of a company is judged by the symbiotic fit between its strategy and organizational structure, yet consideration is also placed on whether the firms strategy and structure meet the demands of the external environment (Hannan, 2011). The next section will give a detailed analysis on Starbucks strategy. 4.2. Strategy Analysis The strategy analysis consists of three parts: marketing strategy analysis, operations strategy analysis and international expansion strategy analysis. Marketing strategy The first part is about Starbucks positioning strategy. A positioning strategy aims at positioning rival companies into strategic groups. These strategic groups consist of industry members that have similar goals and positions in the competitive industry (Piercy, 2008). These groups are placed on a strategic group map to analyse how industry firms are positioned. Firms in the coffee industry will be mapped based on price and quality of their products versus product line breadth. The size of the circle representing each firm on the strategic group map is symbolic proportional to the size of the firms share of total group revenues. The coffee beverage strategy group consists of quick-service restaurants and specialty coffee shops. The major players in the strategy group are listed in the following table. The firms are divided by breadth of products offered to the market, industry related sales, and percentage of sales relative to rivals. The data listed in table x are used in constructing the strategic group map. Diagram 7: Strategic Group Map of Coffee Industry Green Mountain Price/ Quality Source: Williams (2007) Competitors of Starbucks can be divided into two different categories: direct and indirect. The direct competition would include firms that manufacture and produce hot drinks (Datamonitor, 2010). These firms are the retailers of ready-to-drink coffee and tea products, quick-service restaurants, and supermarkets. Also, in this category are the large multinational companies that produce ground coffees and instant coffees (Datamonitor, 2010). The indirect competitors are comprised of firms producing energy drinks, caffeinated soft drinks, and energy shots. Starbucks close competitors include other specialty coffee shops, doughnut shops, and restaurants. Starbucks holds a dominant position in the specialty coffeehouse market and has no single clear rival in the sector. Its closest specialty coffeehouse competitor is Caribou Coffee with 440 stores in the US. Its most intense specialty coffeehouse competition is dispersed among the thousands of independent or small-chain coffee shops around the nation and the world. Two of Starbucks stiffest quick-service restaurant rivals are McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts. McDonalds followed its 2009 strategy of competing against Starbucks through expansion of McCafe locations into more stores both domestically and internationally (Liu, 2009). Nevertheless, there are big differences between their core customers. Privately owned Dunkin Donuts is another major competitor, with nearly 5,000 stores in the US. Following Starbucks footsteps, Dunkin Donuts will look to expanding globally, especially in the Asian markets (Dicarlo, 2004). Although Dunkin Donuts retail footprint also overlaps largely with that of Starbucks, its customer experience is much more similar to the coffee-to-go model rather than the third place to work and relax model. Consequently, it is likely to compete more directly with McDonalds than with Starbucks (Dicarlo, 2004). Starbucks is an industry leader in both product innovation and product offering. Most other firms take a follower position and simply copy successful Starbucks products at lower prices. This is a favourable position for Starbucks. The strategic group map shows Starbucks as the leader in both price/quality of product offerings as well as the breadth of products offered. The white space on the map is possible openings for existing firms or new firms to move into. These would be high priced, low breadth offering positions, or low cost, high breadth offering positions. The second part analyses Starbucks competitive strategy using Porters Generic strategies framework. As a whole, Starbucks implements a broad differentiation strategy. It provides high quality coffee and a unique experience in accessible locations, which makes it stand out among all the coffee providers. VIA, the new instant coffee line, straddles broad differentiation and cost leadership strategy. Though it will be a low cost and convenient alternative to Starbucks regular coffee, Starbucks coffee is still unique from other products in the market. Providing in-store gifts and brewing utensils is the focused differentiation strategy; it was designed for coffee lovers, especially Starbucks loyal fans. Diagram 8: Starbucks competitive strategy Competitive Advantage Uniqueness Low cost Broad Target Narrow Target As a whole VIADifferentiation Cost Leadership In-store brewing utensils/ gifts Differentiation Focus Cost Focus To differentiate it from rivals, Starbucks convinces customers that it provides more than a cup of coffee and associates its brand image with a sense of community activism. Moreover, Starbucks acts as a social responsible company to strengthen its differentiation strategy. It promotes ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, and community involvement. Starbucks also prides itself on the innovation of new products, which further differentiates it from its competitors. However, with the customer base becoming more sophisticated and differentiation indicators adopted by ordinary coffee firms, Starbucks advantage on the differentiation strategy may fade away (Piercy, 2008). The third part is about Starbucks brand building strategy. Its marketing strategy has focused on word-of-mouth advertising and building the brand cup by cup, letting the high quality of their products and services speak for themselves (Starbucks, 2010). For years, this unique marketing strategy has played an important role in making Starbucks Coffee Company a success. In 2010, two-thirds of all coffee was sold in supermarkets. Starbucks coffee sold in supermarkets featured distinctive, elegant packaging and the same premium quality as that sold in its own stores. This new change requires Starbucks to create a new way to build its brand. Therefore, the Starbucks marketing strategy has expanded to create a community around their brand. On its website, individuals are encouraged to express their experiences with Starbucks history, and the company strives to personally join in the discussions. Operations management Strategy Starbucks has positioned itself as a provider of ethical premium coffee products and pleasant, luxurious meeting places for people. So, its prices are relative high and it competes on a unique value proposition. Commitment to the best quality and high ethical standards are evident in every step of the supply chain, from bean procurement to service (Jennings, 2009). Starbucks supply chain starts from bean sourcing. To ensure compliance with its rigorous coffee standards, it controls coffee purchasing, roasting and packaging, and the global distribution of coffee. Starbucks pays over the market price for its beans in order to procure premium beans. Besides acquiring the highest quality coffee, the ethics of paying a fair price for coffee producers provides an ethical aspect to the value proposition (Rubin, Dierdorff and Brown, 2010). Starbucks also has the expertise to secure top-notch coffee beans to supply the companys growing needs. All this allows Starbucks to serve coffee that is of superior quality compared to competitors. As part of its sourcing strategy, Starbucks entered into fixed-price purchase commitments in order to secure an adequate supply of quality green coffee beans and to limit exposure to fluctuating coffee prices (Starbucks, 2010). When satisfactory fixed-price commitments were not available, the company purchased coffee future contracts to provide price protection. Nonetheless, there have been occasions in years past when unexpected jumps in coffee prices put a squeeze on the companys margins and necessitated an increase in the prices of its beverages and beans sold at retail price. However, by this approach, Starbucks can smooth costs and avoid price hikes in the stores that would have a devastating effect on the companys image. Starbucks deems store operations as an important part of strengthening the companys reputation and image. The company formed a group to create a store development process to ensure that each store conveys the appropriate image and character. Then, the information and operating system of Starbucks allow it to communicate information throughout the organization to increase the quality of decisions and efficiency in value-chain activities (Gamble Thompson, 2011). Starbucks also tries to develop the companys brand through its specialty operations with third parties outside the traditional coffeehouse. This includes Licensed Stores, Packaged Tea and Coffee, Branded Products and Foodservices Operations. In 1997, Starbucks began entering into a limited number of licensing agreements for store locations in areas where it did not have the ability to locate its own outlets. For example, Licensed Stores with Marriott Host International and Aramark Food and Services put Starbucks stores in airport locations and on university campuses. Starbucks received a license fee and a royalty on sales at these locations and supplied the coffee for resale in the licensed locations. International Expansion Strategy Starbucks international expansion started in 1995 and its international expansion strategy is to provide licenses or create joint ventures with reputable local companies, which are equipped with retailing know-how in the target country (Garza, 2010).. This strategy is built upon the growing reputation of the Starbucks brand and the ability to identify attractive store locations. The international expansion strategy is also supported by centralized buying, standard contract development and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidated work under contractors with good cost-control practices (Alberto, 2011c). Starbucks product supply is also a key in the successful expansion. As reported by the Wall Street Journal (2006), the Starbucks Corporation is expanding at a very high rate and focusing on China. This company has aggressively campaigned to become the leading coffee in the United States and after attaining this, it has made further steps to considering global leadership. The expansion and growth of Starbucks has been well known, especially by its desires to venture in emerging economies. Currently, the Starbucks Corporation is downsizing in the US as a result of the economic downturn in this country and its increasing global expansion. In 2008, this company closed more than 600 coffee shops across the US. Since the need for international coffee has increased, Starbucks is opening up 1,000 coffee shops across the world especially in Asia. Starbucks expansion strategy was well thought out: the strategy target was in the Asian Pacific, far away from Europe and Latin America where coffee shops competition is very strong. As the diagram below shows, the revenue from the US market is shrinking and the operating income of the EMEA market became negative in 2010 and 2011, while the market of China and the Asian pacific shows good potential. Therefore, China is Starbucks largest target, as it is expected to be the biggest growing market over the next two year s (Starbucks, 2011). After the global economy recovery, Starbucks is planning to open an average of more than one store each day. Starbucks continues to close domestic stores that have already saturated the market, and replace them with international stores abroad. Total revenues ($ Million) Starbucks is able to enter into Asian markets and China in particular by targeting Chinas middle class and bringing new lifestyles while maintaining coffee and other beverages as affordable luxuries. Barraclough (2006) reports that the Chinese are known for their increasing preference for coffee and hence Starbucks is able to convince more customers to take coffee. American products and lifestyle are highly admired by the Chinese and Japanese, and hence consumers there adopt American trends and products easily and quickly. This indicates that Starbucks is making use of the Chinese culture to enter into Chinas market (Haoting, 2009). However, the rapid international expansion also has negative effects. First of all, too many new locations established would exert an adverse effect on customer service. Therefore, the customer experience may degrade. Secondly, some retail stores opened even before the local supply chain was fully built up, leading to bad customer perceptions towards Starbucks coffee and food. Thirdly, the strategy of closing down US locations to offset new growth abroad results in reducing the convenience factor in the US market. Many American customers have to drive a long way to buy a cup of beloved Starbucks coffee. As mentioned previously, the convenience is one of most important parts of its value proposition. Last but not the least, the large number of stores is a huge asset or liability, depending on how one assesses the situation. If there is a strong economy and people have disposable income, then it is an advantage to have abundant stores to generate revenues. On the other hand, the vast n umber of stores will become a huge financial liability during economic downturns. Therefore, now Starbucks, led by Schultz, advocate the disciplined expansion of store bases and focus on real, sustainable growth. 4.3. Value chain analysis Michael Porter (1998) states that acquiring competitive advantages can be done through an analysis of the companys value chain. Companies can attain competitive advantage when the value chain is optimised by coordinating these activities to create value for its products or services that exceeds the costs of performing the value activities (Porter, 1998). In other words, a company can create additional value without necessarily increasing costs. A companys value chain system can be classified into two categories; (1) the primary activities, which involve the physical creation of the products, marketing and delivery system, and after sale service and support activities; and (2) the secondary activities, wherein company infrastructure and inputs allow the primary activities to take place (Porter 1998). When these activities are already defined, the value chain system can be analysed in order to aid the development of a strategic goal and gain competitive advantage or, in our case, to understand the current downfall in the Starbucks business model. Below is the current value chain of Starbucks with international and technological developments. The upstream value chain allows the development of new products that suit international markets better, e.g. green Tea Latte in Starbucks Japan. The downstream is the online storefront customization, which allows customers to order online and create new drinks etc. The newly-added mobile app could locate Starbucks locations and order drinks. Product Distribution Bean and Ingredient Selection Local Adjustment Product Development Take-home products Online Storefront Customization Mobile Apps Storefront Starbucks value chain creates additional value for its products, which the customers are willing to pay for. Hence, the customer is not reluctant to pay above-market prices for Starbucks coffee. In fact, its customers are not looking for the price of the coffee but they are seeking for the quality of the products and the brand image that the company offers. For a company to achieve or maintain competitive advantages and add value to its products or brand, it is necessary to link these activities and optimise the companys value adding activities (Porter, 1998). In the case of Starbucks, as stated earlier, its value activities were at first effective in the co-ordination between its primary and secondary activities. For example, the setting up of stores was well planned. Each location was carefully studied, taking consideration of irrelevant details such as traffic flow, density of people and demographic characteristics of an area, and careful selection of personnel to be deployed in each outlet (Clark, 2007). These aimed to deliver good quality coffee products and exude an ambiance of luxury and comfort for its consumers (Clark, 2007). However, gaps in the value chain activities occurred in recent years. An example is the rapid expansion in several locations across Asia. The company failed to maintain the companys brand image of luxury and exclusivity. The company rapidly expanded by opening an average of a store per week, which resulted in the downgrading of the Starbucks experience that its customers have been looking for (Velta, 2008). In fact, the customers have not seen any noticeable improvements in their experience (Jennings, 2009). Analyst Andrew Barish also commented that Starbucks operations have slipped and longer lines, more complexity and less-than-stellar looking assets could be causing a modest decrease in sales in this challenging consumer environment (Moore, 2007). As a result, Starbucks strategic competitiveness is slowly disintegrating and its rivals are eating up some of its customer base (Rushe, 2006). 4.4. Business model analysis The business model concept is defined as the value a company offers to customers and the architecture of the firm and its network of partners for creating, marketing, and delivering this value in order to generate profitable and sustainable revenue streams (Osterwalder and pigneur, 2002). It also consists of a narrative of both how the business works and how it makes a profit. Schindehutte and Allen (2009) developed a framework in order to define the core competencies of a business model from an entrepreneurial perspective. The most important component of the framework is concerned with value creation. Starbucks creates unique value through great customer experience and interactive service. The unique value proposition of Starbucks is best described by Howard Schultz: The idea was to create a chain of coffeehouses that would become Americas third place, a place where people could go to relax and enjoy time with others, or just be by themselves. Starbucks enhances the coffee experience for the customers by creating a relaxed environment within the store whilst offering consistently rapid and on time delivery. Many companies pursue a resource-based strategy which attempts to exploit company resources in a manner that offers value to customers in ways rivals are unable to match (Piercy, 2008). Starbucks customer value proposition is also based on its unique resources and capabilities. Starbucks capitalizes on intangible resources like brand power and image as a high quality coffee provider to attain its objectives. Starbucks also utilizes its immense human capital and expertise in product innovation, location selection, and its marketing ability to stand out as the premier coffee brand. Particularly, Starbucks utilizes technology extremely well, e.g. the heavy use of internet capabilities, social network marketing, rechargeable payment cards, and even new mobile apps help to ease and speed up the payment and ordering. Moreover, Starbucks has other competitive advantages based on its skills and specialized expertise, and valuable alliances (Piercy, 2008). Starbucks has a skill set in creatin g and introducing innovative products into the market. These skills give Starbucks a competitive advantage to be an innovation leader, but not a copycat follower. It is essential to differentiate itself from rivals in the coffee industry. Last but not the least, Starbucks has abundant free cash flow and physical assets to fund and drive its strategic initiatives. Without these physical assets, Starbucks would not be able to aggressively expand in the market or fund further product research and development. Another important component of the business model is the firms core competence. Core competencies are defined as a proficiently performed internal activity that is central to a firms strategy and competitiveness (Piercy, 2008). The core competency can also lead to sustainable advantages. To be a sustainable advantage, the core competency must be hard to imitate or copy by rivals (Piercy, 2008). For Starbucks, its core competency can be defined as high quality coffee and products at accessible locations and affordable prices, providing a community the coffee drinking experience. Its sustainable advantage resides in the intellectual capital of defining and leading the market. Starbucks stands out as a leader, mainly because of its good business model that can generate innovative products that consumers desire. Starbucks is able to leverage its resources, both tangible and intangible, to create competitive capabilities and core competencies to form its business model. Starbucks achieves this by utilizing its human capital and expertise to constantly strive for excellence in product innovation. Furthermore, Starbucks is able to internally fund its growth strategy from sound financial performance. However, Starbucks needs to take more efforts to innovate its business model. Specialty coffee shops copy or adopt the Starbucks model, which leads to Starbucks competitive advantage shrinking and this poses a serious threat to the company. In addition, the gap between customers expectations and perceptions of Starbucks is bigger. Many customers are not satisfied with Starbucks offerings as they were before. They think Starbucks charges a premium for coffee and experience, but actually it falls behind its promises. This may be because customers become more demanding while Starbucks ability to innovate value offerings is weak. Therefore, to keep its popularity and consistent growth, Starbucks needs to innovate its value-adding activities so as to innovate its business model. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis is a powerful tool to evaluate a firms resource strengths, its competitive deficiencies, the opportunities that exist in the market, and the external threats to the organizations future well-being (Gamble and Thompson, 2011). The strengths of Starbucks come from an internal origin and are designated as helpful to Starbucks reaching its target objectives. The weaknesses of Starbucks are categorized as operational areas and activities that reduce Starbucks being able to achieve strategy execution. Starbucks needs to leverage these strengths to overcome their weaknesses and realize potential opportunities. Threats are areas of concern in the external environment that can affect how Starbucks, and the coffee industry as a whole, will do business. Diagram x: SWOT Matrix for Starbucks Internal External Strengths* Weaknesses* à ¢- Brand image is extremely important to Starbucks. à ¢- Good ambiance and convenience are two of the foundations that Starbucks grew on. à ¢- International Markets offer lower risk investment and innovation opportunities. à ¢- Cheap alternatives like McDonalds threaten the convenience factor. à ¢- Founders of premium coffee and an industry leader à ¢- Product diversification à ¢- Excel in product development à ¢-  Valued and motivated employees, good work environment à ¢- Strong financial foundation à ¢- Lack of internal focus (too much focus on expansion) à ¢- Self-cannibalization à ¢- Overdependence on the US market à ¢- Aggressive expansion leads to managerial or financial problems (e.g. customer experience is watered down) à ¢- Pricing is relatively higher than customers expectations Opportunities* S-O Strategy W-O Strategy à ¢- Co-branding with other famous brands à ¢-  Increasing need of premium coffee in emerging markets à ¢- Rising awareness on CSR issues à ¢- Capturing new markets (retailing) and new consumer groups à ¢- To increase market share in emerging markets à ¢- To make full use of cross-broad marketing à ¢- To revamp brand image and work on brand extension à ¢- To be a more socially responsible brand à ¢- To coordinate and adjust expanding speed à ¢- To innovate its business model so as better deal with new challenges à ¢- To think about new ways to differentiate itself à ¢- To integrate distribution channels Threats* S-T Strategy W-T Strategy à ¢- Stiffening competition à ¢- Possible saturation in the coffee market à ¢- Volatility of coffee price à ¢-  Blamed by green lobby and ethical lobby à ¢-  Recession would affect customers willingness to spend à ¢- To consider further vertical integration à ¢- To consider creating a sub-brand to provide less pricey coffee à ¢- Continue to use fair trade coffee as ingredients and pay more attention to environmental and ethical issues. à ¢- To shrink product lines and wash out less favourable products à ¢- To provide customized products and combinations à ¢- To close down less profitable locations *Source: Dataminitor and http://www.businessteacher.org.uk/business-resources/swot-analysis-database/starbucks-swot-analysis/ Being a leader in the coffee industry, Starbucks is powered by its constant product innovation, customer service aptitude, ability to expand globally. Apart from the basic strategies used by Starbucks, the external environmental conditions and the internal characteristics of the Starbucks organisation present a favourable condition for growth. Even though Starbucks profit has declined in the previous year, due the growing intensity of competition and the economic crisis aggravating the situation, Starbucks is still the dominant player in the specialty coffee sector through its years of experience and brand reputation. Thus, the company can use this position to leverage itself and put pressure onto its competitors. Nevertheless, strategic change is the call for Starbucks. Perhaps, it is the time for the company to revisit its existing business models, practices and strategies and to examine whether these models still conform to the conditions of the market. Since market conditions cha nge as evidenced by current events and the continuing globalisation of markets, the company may need to reform its strategy. The PSETEL and Porters five-force analysis show that coffee firms are very sensitive to the macro environment. The overall competitive pressures are moderate and firms can be successful if they are efficient and effective in the execution of strategies execution. Starbucks achieves its mission through a decentralized leadership that emphasizes distributed decision making and information sharing to promote product innovation and customer service. One concern about Starbucks organizational culture is that Starbucks over relies on Schultzs talented leadership. Schultz was able to turn the company back by several strategic moves, but without Schultz and his leadership capabilities, Starbucks may have fallen into a disaster. Overall, it might be a pitfall for Starbucks; Schultz is to Starbucks what Jobs is to Apple. The SWOT analysis of Starbucks reveals that the strength of Starbucks lies within their strong financial performance. The weakness of Starbucks is an over reliance on the saturated U.S. market with a declining market share as a result of intensified rivalry in the marketplace. This weakness can be overcome by utilizing Starbucks strong finances to realize the present opportunities to expand into emerging markets. Overall, Starbucks has maintained a competitive advantage since it created its original blue ocean of bringing quality, bistro-style coffee choices to the masses. The key issues facing this firm were its attempts at massive expansion and creating new value innovation. The aggressive expansion could cause the company to become over exposed and adversely affect its ability to change. In order to enhance sustainable growth, it needs to focus on its core competencies. Facing fierce competition with McDonalds and other coffee chains, Starbucks needs to create new value innovation by enhancing the customer experience and investing in online content and interactivity. Rather than creating more new products, it is better to enhance the connection with their loyal customers and to differentiate it from its rivals. 6. Recommendations Viable recommendations must be able to solve Starbucks greatest issues. One is the increasingly saturated US market and another is the need to penetrate attractive foreign markets. Furthermore, degrading customer perception must be prevented both in the US and overseas. Here, a great challenge is how to re-establish a positive customer attitude towards the company in the US and retai

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Kiss of the Fur Queen Essay -- Art, Education, Highway

Thomson Highway’s The Kiss of the Fur Queen has a core theme of art. In this novel, art is integrated into the lives of the characters. The modernist movement would indicate that art has the ability to plainly exist â€Å"art of arts sake†. Peter Lamarque notes â€Å"To value a work for its own sake is to value it for what it is in itself, not for the realization of some ulterior ends.† (par. 19) This commonly accepted view, that art is valued because it is great art, not for the role or function that it has in society, restricts arts impact. This perspective limits and does not allow for the surfacing of profound effects that art creates. In the Kiss of the Fur Queen, art has power it does not simply exist but has function. The observable function of art in this text is in education, providing identity and finally uniting Gabriel and Jeremiah with their cultural roots. Art educates. This education can be both positive and negative but art can function as an educational tool that has lasting effects. A 2009 article in the New York Times titled: â€Å"Schools Adopt Art as Building Block of Education† indicates the growing acceptance of art functioning in education. In this article, the unique architecture of the building was used practically by students â€Å"measuring whimsical figures of hot-air balloons, paper airplanes and pinwheels built right into the walls of their school† (par. 1). The architecture also functioned as inspiration for further learning. In addition, the article documented the perspective of a four-year old child who proclaimed that â€Å"When you look at it, it helps you learn.† (par. 20) When Jeremiah looked at the image of heaven and hell he learned significant life lessons. This picture that was presented in residential school ... ...ovel. The embedded role of a trickster in the novel points towards the underlying significance of art in the brother’s lives and the concept that this novel itself is a Cree story; is art. Throughout this novel little piece of native art function to unite the Jeremiah and Gabriel together and to their native roots. In The Kiss of the Fur Queen art is not only demonstrated as having a function, but specific examples are provided. Art in this text functions in three main ways. It functions as education, identity, and cultural formation. Counter to the concept that art can simply exist for art sake is that the meaningful functions of art are encountered in daily life. This novel crystallizes that concept and confirms that preserving and continuing artistic endeavours is needed not just for the sake of art, but for the many profound implications of arts functions.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Learning Styles Essay

1. What I intend to do In this assignment I will aim to discuss the factors which can affect learning for a student. Incorporated in this I will discuss theories of ‘learning styles’, comparing and contrasting them and try to identify aspects which can impact upon my practice. I will analyse my own teaching style and that of others to see how the theories can be applied and also assess my own success in meeting the needs of the students. 1.1 Why? The information provided in this assignment will allow me a better understanding of the variety of ways a student can learn. This will impact on my future as it will allow me to become a more successful classroom practitioner and allow me to recognise and cater for a variety of styles in my teaching resulting in more enthused, able and satisfied students. 2. Definition of learning Before one can discuss concepts of learning and learning styles, an understanding of the term is necessary. Learning is defined by the Encarta dictionary as: 1. Acquiring of knowledge: the acquisition of knowledge or skill 2. Acquired knowledge: knowledge or skill gained through education 3. Change in knowledge: a relatively permanent change in, or acquisition of, knowledge, understanding, or behaviour Learning occurs throughout life as more and more information is acquired, definition two focuses on knowledge through education, this is obviously the factor which I will focus on during this assignment, however I felt the inclusion of the other definitions was important, the first links well to the second, and the third is important to understand to allow the implementation of the first two. The third definition highlights that not all learning comes in a school based environment and that learning occurs at all times in all different ways, in effect it highlights that learning can occur in many ‘styles’. 3. Factors affecting learning Learning is complex; it can be affected by numerous factors which can reduce the effectiveness of learning. Some of these factors can be controlled, others cannot, it is the job of the teacher to have control of as many aspects of the learning as possible to ensure students achieve. Maslow’s original Hierachy of needs incorporates the perceived basic needs of a learner and their motivation, of which most, if not all need to be met to allow learning to be successful Of the factors mentioned by Maslow, only some can be controlled by the teacher such as safety, stability etc but many are down to the child’s home life. The factors which a teacher can be in control of can be managed by providing a safe, warm teaching environment so that learners are comfortable; the teacher should build positive relationships with the learners to support them and enhance learning and also allow for working in groups within the class. A clear structure and procedure in the lesson will provide stability and rewarding positive acts will give the learner a sense of achievement and help to build a positive reputation, leading to personal growth. The factors which are beyond our control can arguably have a greater effect on the success of learning. Learning style theories The idea of learning styles or different approaches to learning ‘emphasizes the fact that individuals perceive and process information in very different ways’. The idea that students learn in different ways implies that how much an individual learns can be affected by teaching method, therefore intelligence needs to be recognised in a different way, instead of is this student intelligent, the question an educator should ask is how is this student intelligent. The concept of learning styles is ‘rooted in the classification of psychological types’ Basically, through research, it has been demonstrated that individuals learn in different ways due to upbringing, heredity and the environment, it has also been demonstrated that ‘different individuals have a tendency to both perceive and process information differently’ The different ways of doing so are generally  classified as: 1.Concrete and abstract perceivers–Concrete perceivers absorb information through direct experience, by doing, acting, sensing, and feeling. Abstract perceivers, however, take in information through analysis, observation, and thinking. 2.Active and reflective processors–Active processors make sense of an experience by immediately using the new information. Reflective processors make sense of an experience by reflecting on and thinking about it. Schooling generally focuses on active and reflective processors however concrete and abstract perceivers are becoming more and more catered for. Learning styles theories impact education through the curriculum, instruction and assessment. The curriculum must place emphasis on intuition, feeling, sensing, and imagination, in addition to the traditional skills of analysis, reason, and sequential problem solving. In the instruction, teachers should design their instruction methods to connect with all four learning styles, using various combinations of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation. Finally, in assessment teachers should employ a variety of assessment techniques, focusing on the development of â€Å"whole brain† capacity and each of the different learning styles (http://www.funderstanding.com/content/learning-styles) Learning theories have been grouped into five clusters: 4.1 Behaviourism learning theory Behaviourism is a view that operates on a principle of â€Å"stimulus-response.†, in other words all behaviour is in some way caused by an external stimulus and it is the association between the stimulus and response which leads to a change in behaviour. This theory can be explained without reference to consciousness or ones internal mental state. I have seen this theory in action through lesson observations, for example the Head of Science. The teacher has clear routines in the lesson, along with positive reinforcement, rewards system, praise and a firm but fair view on behaviour. The method works very well for the teacher in question as the classes are engaged, enthused and make progress in lesson. (http://www.learning-theories.com) 4.2 Cognitivism learning theory Cognitivism involves recall or recognition of key facts, it effectively views the mind as an information processor. It places emphasis of the role of prior knowledge and being able to convert information from short term memory to long term memory. This theory counteracts that of behaviourism by saying that the human mind is not pre-programmed to respond only to external stimuli and that it requires ‘active participation in order to learn’ The cognitivism theory views the brains learning as such: Information→Processing→Outcome I have observed this style in a humanities lesson on the Olympics, key ideas were constantly referred to and displayed on handouts, students were encouraged to link the information they were given to experiences they had had and link into different scenarios to allow the students to recognise and understand the key ideas of the lesson. This is probably the theory I use most, I try to engage students by getting them to use their own experiences and thoughts when discussing topics in science to allow better understanding and application. 4.3 Constructivism learning theory Constructivism uses the idea that all learners need to construct their knowledge from their previous knowledge and the new information presented to them. The learning also incorporates problem solving as the new information can conflict what they already knew, leading to a ‘solution’ being sought and found. Constructivism is subjective i.e. based on the learners opinion. Constructivism is a key area to focus on in the development of starter activities, if a learner uses previous knowledge then a starter must incorporate what they already know to allow them to build upon this and acquire new knowledge. In science, misconceptions are often found in a students prior knowledge, evidence provided in lesson, often in the form of experimental results can conflict previous knowledge, necessitating the need for the problem solving aspect of constructivism to allow the knowledge to be acquired. I have observed this theory in practice through the use of self assessment and peer assessment within the Science department. This allows students to give and receive feedback on their opinions allowing them to develop their individual knowledge. 4.4 Social learning theory This theory suggests that learning is most successful when dealt with in a social setting. The theory works on the principle that people can learn solely from observations. I have observed this in science lessons through the teacher demonstrating a practical to the students before they attempted the practical themselves, I have also seen it in group work where one student models an idea and others observe then copy to advance learning. 5. Stages of learning Learning is not an immediate process; learners typically will not immediately go from no knowledge to full understanding, usually a learner will advance through a series of learning stages. One theory is that there are four stages: 1.Unconscious Incompetence â€Å"I don’t know that I don’t know how to do this.† This is the stage of blissful ignorance before learning begins. 2. Conscious Incompetence â€Å"I know that I don’t know how to do this, yet.† This is the most difficult stage, where learning begins, and where the most judgments against self are formed. 3. Conscious Competence â€Å"I know that I know how to do this.† This stage of learning is easier than the second stage, but it is still uncomfortable and self-conscious. 4. Unconscious Competence â€Å"What, you say I did something well?† The final stage of learning a skill is when it has become a natural part of us; we don’t have to think about it. This is a simple model for learning, however it doesn’t always fit with how a student will learn in a classroom environment as other skills are asked of students such as application of knowledge. Another theory which does incorporate this is the learning hierarchy (Haring, Lovitt, Eaton, & Hansen,  1978) has four stages, these are: acquisition, fluency, generalization, and adaptation: 1.Acquisition: The student has begun to learn how to complete the target skill correctly but is not yet accurate or fluent in the skill. The goal in this phase is to improve accuracy 2.Fluency: The student is able to complete the target skill accurately but works slowly. The goal of this phase is to increase the student’s speed of responding (fluency). 3.Generalisation: The student is accurate and fluent in using the skill but cannot apply it to other suitable situations, the focus of this stage is to encourage the use of the skill in the widest possible range of settings and situations. 4.Adaptation: The student is accurate and fluent in using the skill and can use it in many situations or settings. The student still cannot adapt the skills to fit novel tasks-demands or situations. The focus of this stage is for the student to identify previously learned skills and adapt them to new situations. If a teacher can accurately identify which stage the learner is at then that teacher can select ideas that are more likely to be successful in meeting the students learning needs (Differentiation). The stages are also important to consider when introducing a new topic, especially one which is unlikely to be familiar to the learner. The lesson plan needs to be chunked to allow each learning stage to be met, a learner cannot be asked to apply knowledge before they have acquired it in the first place 6. What are learning styles? The learning styles movement in the UK began in 1982 with the launch of the Honey and Mumford questionnaire (to be discussed later).The basic idea of learning styles is that students learn in different ways. It is said that everyone has a preffered style to learn in and that this style can be tested for to give the teacher information on how best to support a students learning and accommodate them in the learning environment. (http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=2153773) 6.1 David Kolb’s learning styles model and experiential learning theory (ELT) In 1984, Kolb published his learning styles model, it focussed on four distinct learning styles, however, Kolb’s model allows a learner to touch on all four categories in a cycle rather than sit in just one, however the  learner will have a preferred style of learning.. The four Kolb’s learning styles are as follows: 1.Diverging (feeling and watching – CE/RO) – These learners prefer to watch a scenario rather than be involved in it, gathering information and using imagination to solve problems. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. This type of learner prefers to work in groups and listen with an open mind; they also enjoy receiving personal feedback. 2.Converging (doing and thinking – AC/AE) – This type of learner is a problem solver; they use their learning to find solutions to practical problems. Convergers are more interested in a task where there is a single answer and respond well in this situation. Convergers like to experiment with new ideas and find practical uses for ideas and theories. Convergers tend to be relatively unemotional and would rather deal with things than people, in this sense they are opposite to Divergers. 3.Assimilating (watching and thinking – AC/RO) – This type of learner requires a clear explanation rather than an opportunity to practice it themselves. An assimilating learner seeks a concise and logical approach, favouring ideas and concepts over people. An assimilator likes to structure information into a logical format, as such they excel in information and scientific careers. An assimilator likes a formal learning situation, with readings, lectures, an opportunity to explore analytical models, and the time to think things through. 4.Accommodating (doing and feeling – CE/AE) – This type of learner enjoys practical learning which relies on intuition rather than logic. An accommodator tends not to do their own analysis but will rely on information from others. Accommodators are risk takers and work on a trial and error basis, they excel in team work and like to set targets and actively work to achieve them. These models, as stated before, are not necessarily distinct, i.e. it is still possible for an accommodator to work in a converger’s environment, but learning is likely to be less successful. Kolb also said that it is possible to change a learning style but it takes a great effort to do so. 6.2 Honey & Mumford In 1982, Honey and Mumford developed a model of learning styles using Kolb’s work as a basis. The model is a variation of Kolb’s using the terms  Activist, Reflector, Theorist and Pragmatist to represent each stage rather than Kolb’s terms. Below is a table defining the stages. Learning StyleCorresponding Kolb Learning StylePreferred Mode Of Learning Activist (Do)AccommodatingDoing things, carrying out activities, ‘act first before considering consequences’ Reflector (Review)DivergingCollect and analyse data, ‘stand back and observe’ Theorist (Conclude)AssimilatingThink in logical steps, create theories from information, ‘disciplined, aim to fit things into a rational order’ Pragmatist (Plan)ConvergingApplication of knowledge to a specific problem, ‘Keen to put theories and techniques into practice’ http://www.mftrou.com/honey-mumford.html http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm Below is a brief description of the learner and a table displaying in which situation that learner will learn well and which situations the learner may not thrive in. 1. Activists- These learners are open minded and enthusiastic about new ideas, they enjoy doing an activity, especially in a new situation. Activists enjoy working in groups but like being in limelight Activists learn best when:Activists learn less when: Involved in new experiences, problems and opportunitiesListening to lectures or long explanations Working with others e.g. team work, role playReading, writing or thinking on their own Being thrown in the deep end with a difficult taskAbsorbing and understanding data Leading/chairing discussionsFollowing precise instruction to the letter http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/media/ferl_and_aclearn/ferl/pages/news_events/events/2004/november/workshop_presentations/B10.doc 2. Reflectors- Reflectors like to stand back from a situation and view it from different perspectives. A reflector will gather data and analyse it before coming to a conclusion. Reflectors enjoy observing and listening to others. Reflectors learn best whenReflectors learn less when Observing individuals or groups at workActing as a leader or role playing in front of others Given opportunity to review what has happened and think about what they have learntDoing things with no time to prepare Produce analysis and reports without tight deadlinesBeing thrown in at the deep end Being rushed or worried by deadlines http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/media/ferl_and_aclearn/ferl/pages/news_events/events/2004/november/workshop_presentations/B10.doc 3. Theorists- Integrate observations into theories, problems are worked through on a step by step basis, tend to be detached and analytical rather than emotive and subjective. Theorists learn best whenTheorists learn less when Given structured situations with clear purposeActivity is unstructured or poorly briefed Put in complex situations where they have to use their skills and knowledgeHave to partake in activities which involve emotion or feelings Given the chance to question or probe ideas behind thingsHave top do things without knowing the principles or concepts involved Offered ideas or concepts not necessarily immediately relevantFeel they are ‘out of tune’ with other participants http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/media/ferl_and_aclearn/ferl/pages/news_events/events/2004/november/workshop_presentations/B10.doc 4. Pragmatists- These are keen to try things out, they enjoy working with concepts which can be applied to situations they encounter. Pragmatists tend to be impatient with long discussion and prefer to be practical. Pragmatists learn best whenPragmatists learn less when There is an obvious link between the topic and the jobThere is no obvious or immediate benefit that they can recognise Have the chance to try out techniques with feedback There is no practice or guidelines on how to do it They are shown techniques with obvious advantages e.g. saving timeThere is no apparent ‘payback’ or reward They are shown a model they can copy e.g. a film or a respected bossThe learning is all theory http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/media/ferl_and_aclearn/ferl/pages/news_events/events/2004/november/workshop_presentations/B10.doc 6.3 VAK VAK is a multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning. It is split into three distinct groups: Learning styleDescription VisualSeeing and reading AuditoryListening and speaking KinaestheticTouching and doing Visual- This can be incorporated into a lesson using pictures, observation, handouts, demonstration, videos, flip-charts etc. Auditory- This can be incorporated into a lesson by the use of spoken word, sounds, noises etc. Kinaesthetic- This can be incorporated into lessons by the use of practical, hands on activities-touching, feeling, holding, doing, role play etc. According to VAK, most people will have a dominant style of learning; however it is possible for some people to have a relatively balanced mixture of the three styles. A person’s learning style is a reflection of their mix of intelligences. It is also a reflection of their brain type and dominance.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

On the Waterfront Essay

â€Å"Anybody who sits around and lets it happen and keeps silent about something that knows that happened, shares the guilt.† On the Waterfront demonstrates that evil prospers when good men do nothing. Do you agree? Elia Kazan’s black and white film, On the Waterfront, reveals that unrelenting evil and corruption can overwhelm a community, but there are those who have â€Å"the gift of standing up† in the face of injustice. Terry Malloy, the film’s protagonist, is a seemingly morally weak henchman of Johnny Friendly however he is guided on the path to moral awareness after forming positive relationships. Charley Malloy, Terry’s brother, is a prime example of how power can corrupt can individual, though he is forced to reassess his behaviour when faced with the truth. However, the longshoremen’s failure to act out against Johnny Friendly’s control over the waterfront exemplifies how evil can prevail when there is a lack of action to combat the issue of corruption. Terry Malloy, a former boxer, makes the journey from being a character who is motivated by self-preservation to one who possesses an understanding of greater moral truth. He is initially depicted as a person who lives by the code of â€Å"standing with the right people so you have a little bit of change jinglin’ in your pocket†. Like many of the other longshoremen, he understands the importance of loyalty and adheres to the code of â€Å"D ‘n’ D†. Although he is uncomfortable with the role he played in the murder of Joey Doyle, he is aware of the potential repercussions of defying Johnny Friendly. However, once he starts a relationship with Edie Doyle, his view of â€Å"do it before he does it to you† is challenged. Terry begins to empowers himself with Edie’s principles upon trying on her white glove which emphasizes Terry’s slow transition from moral ambivalence towards a more morally righteous path. Later in the film, Terry we ars Joey’s jacket, a symbol of acting in accordance with the demands of one’s conscience, and vows to testify in the trial against Johnny Friendly. Furthermore, Terry’s mission for justice is illustrated when he says, â€Å"I’m gonna go down there and get my rights† confirms the influence that Edie has had on him. His transformation from being a morally weak character who struggles against his conscience, his triumph in defeating Johnny reveals how that evil can easily be eradicated through the course of action and justice. Charley Malloy presents an example of how the desire for power can inevitably lead to corruption; he manages to achieve redemption through him in releasing Terry and protecting him from the wrath of Johnny Friendly. Due to Charley’s harsh upbringing in the grim environment of the waterfront, he is a person who is motivated by money and seeks out relationships for financial benefits. He encourages Terry not to testify and instead accept a more prestigious job offer in where Terry would not â€Å"have to lift a finger†. However, after Terry blames his brother for taking away his opportunities – â€Å"I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum†¦ it was you, Charley† – Charley is forced to reassess his priorities over the last past few years. He manages to redeem himself when he tells Terry that he would tell Johnny that he will â€Å"tell him that I couldn’t bring you in† as an apology for not â€Å"look[ing ] out† for Terry. Charley is aware of the consequences that his choice will bring and the danger that he is placing himself in, but through his acknowledgement of how he prevented his brother from having the chance to be successful, he achieves the ultimate redemption in where he is crucified for his choice to let Terry go. Charley’s death reinforces the notion that although through corruption and injustice provided Charley with opportunities to make a success out of himself, it is by taking a stand in the face of inequality and redeeming yourself for your past wrongdoing which allows goodness to prevail. Despite Terry and Charley’s stand in the face of injustice, a majority of the workers on the docks exemplify the very notion that profound immorality and wicked deeds will dominate when there is a lack of action taken. Even when Joey is found dead at the hands of Johnny Friendly’s men, a majority of the waterfront workers still continue to submit to the will of Johnny Friendly and his henchmen, including Joey’s own father, Pop. Even Pop Doyle’s son’s death does not dissuade him to stray away from the code of â€Å"deaf and dumb† – instead Pop chooses to bemoan that Joey did not listen to his advice about remaining silent. The arrival of the Waterfront Crime Commission investigating Joey’s death is met with resistance signifying their powerlessness against the corrupt world of the docks. During the  congregation meeting at the church, which comprised of Father Barry and the longshoremen, many of the longshoremen refuse to speak out against the mob, which reveals how fearful they are of standing up for themselves. Father Barry is informed of the code of â€Å"D and D† and that â€Å"no matter how much we hate the torpedoes, we don’t rat†. The silence of the waterfront workers in the face of the crime and corruption infiltrating the longshoremen worker unions display how by through the idleness of the workers unwilling to speak out against injustice, it is easy for depravity and wrongdoing to run rampant when there is silence. The notion that corruption and wrongdoing is rampant when there is inaction from bystanders is reinforced in Elia Kazan’s film, On the Waterfront. However, there are those who have the moral strength to assert their beliefs in the face of injustice, which is evident through the character of Terry. Terry makes the dramatic transformation from being a morally troubled man who lives by a code of self-preservation and is afraid to cause trouble, into a person who embarks on a more morally righteous path, guided by Edie. His brother, Charley, has always seeked out relationships for the comforts and benefits it offers him, thus being a prime example of how power can lead to corruption. However, like Terry, Charley manages to achieve a state of redemption by acknowledging his wrongdoings. Charley and Terry exemplify how although evil is evident in the film, it can be eradicated through the course of action and injustice. However, the inaction of the longshoremen in the face of immora lity and their adherence to the code of deaf and dumb emphasise the very notion that corruption and wrongdoing will always exist, when people stand idly by when something is wrong.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know

30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know 30+ Old Norse Words You Already Know By Michael Probably youve never studied Conversational Viking, let alone claimed to speak it. But the language of the Vikings, Old Norse, has influenced the development of English more than any other language besides French and Latin. The Swedes, Norwegians, Icelanders, and Danes all spoke Old Norse in those days, usually called the Danish tongue. In the 11th century, Old Norse was the most widely spoken European language, ranging west with Leif Ericksons colony of Vinland in modern-day Canada, east with the Viking settlers on the Volga River in modern-day Russia, and south with warriors battling in modern-day Spain, Italy and North Africa. Four centuries after the Anglo-Saxons began emigrating from northern Europe, Danish Vikings began raiding Britain and had begun settling down by the year 876, plowing the land. The 14 shires dominated by Danish law in northern and eastern England were called the Danelaw. In 1016, King Canute the Great became ruler of all England, even before he became king of his native Denmark. Danish kings ruled England almost until William the Conquerer sailed from Normandy, France and became the first Norman king of England in 1066. When he did, more Norse words entered English. What did William the Conquerer have to do with the Vikings? Because Normandy means land of the north men, colonized by people such as Williams ancestor Rollo, whose real name was Hrà ³lfr. See a pattern? Today Old Norse words are most common in the Yorkshire dialect, but the Danelaw included the East Midlands, York, Essex, Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Northampton, Huntingdon, Bedford, Hertford, Middlesex and Buckingham. Old Norse words used in modern English When it comes to English words for which we are indebted to Old Norse, lets start with they, their and them. Its true. If it werent for the Vikings, we might still be using the Old English words hà ®e, heora and him instead. Or maybe not when him and them mean the same thing in a language, you know its time for a change. In fact, English received many really, really common words from Old Norse, such as give, take, get, and both. And sale, cake, egg, husband, fellow, sister, root, rag, loose, raise, rugged, odd, plough, freckle, call, flat, hale, ugly, and lake. Another Old English word that was quickly replaced was the very short word à ¦, which meant law. Today we use a longer and less ambiguously-spelled Old Norse word: law. Many English words that begin with sk or sc came from Old Norse, such as skin, sky, score, scant, scrub, scathe, and skill. Old Norse words that feature two-letter blends and a high consonant-to-vowel ratio just sound Viking to me, especially if you pronounce both letters as the Vikings originally did: knife, snare, snub, wrong, bread, dwell, bask, dream, steak, stammer, and especially thwart. Old Norse words that meant something slightly different English word, with original Old Norse meaning anger trouble, affliction, which can make a person angry bait snack, food eaten at work. Now means food used to catch fish, wild animals, and susceptible people. bask similar to the Old Norse word meaning â€Å"to bathe† berserk either from bear-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing a bearskin shirt) or bare-shirt (frenzied warriors wearing no shirt) blunder to shut one’s eyes; to stumble about blindly bulk partition; cargo, as in the nautical term bulkhead crawl to claw. Crawling up a steep slope may require clawing. dirt excrement. Appropriately so. gang any group of men, as in modern Danish, not necessarily dangerous gawk to heed, as in paying too much attention gift dowry, a kind of wedding gift. In modern Danish, gift means wedding. haggle to chop. It amuses me to imagine how this word came to mean vigorous bargaining. hap, happy chance, good luck, fate. Apparently the Vikings didnt believe that happiness is a choice. lake to play, which is what many people do at a lake. A famous Danish toy manufacturer is called Lego. litmus from the Old Norse words litr (dye) and mosi (moss), used as a chemical test for acidity and alkalinity. muck cow dung. An English dairy farmer may say he needs to muck out, or clean, his barn. muggy drizzle, mist. Today it means severely humid. rive to scratch, plow, tear. A poet might write about his heart being riven in two. scathe to hurt, injure. Only the opposite word, unscathed, is common. Gang members never say, You come near me, Im gonna scathe you. seem to conform. Think about that for a while. skill distinction. If you are skilled, you might earn distinction. sleuth trail. The sleuth is always on the trail for clues. snub to curse. When youre snubbed or ignored, you might feel cursed. sprint to jump up, one of the keys to winning in a sprint. stain to paint. Not the same thing at your paint store. stammer to hinder; to dam up, as in a flow of words steak to fry. Could the Vikings have introduced chicken fried steak to the American South? No. thrift prosperity. If you have thrift, perhaps prosperity will follow. thwart across, which has kept a similar meaning for sailors window wind-eye or in Old Norse, vindauga. A treasure of a word. Old English words that meant something different before the Vikings bread In Old English, bread meant â€Å"bit, piece, morsel† but in Old Norse, bread meant bread. We get our word loaf from the Old English word for bread which it replaced. die Before the Vikings, die meant starve dream Before the Vikings, dream meant â€Å"joy, mirth, noisy merriment, even music. dwell Before the Vikings, dwell meant both â€Å"go astray and tarry. Im still trying to figure that one out. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times10 Techniques for More Precise WritingHow to Send Tactful Emails from a Technical Support Desk

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Diversity of the Leisure Industry Essays

The Diversity of the Leisure Industry Essays The Diversity of the Leisure Industry Essay The Diversity of the Leisure Industry Essay This table shows the North of England participate in more reading, singing (13% compared to 10% in E England), dancing (11% compared to 10% in E England) and painting (12% compared to 9% in E England) than the East of England. This shows that the North of England has more creative tendencies. The only activity that is the same for both regions is watching TV at 99%  The East of England has many historical activities to participate in, such as abbeys, monasteries, castles, cathedrals, museums, historic houses, gardens and manors, whereas the North of England has more sport-based activities such as golf-clubs, stadiums, climbing centres, and surf schools. North England also holds the Great North Run. The East of England also holds sporting activities, although these differ from North England sporting activities, for example, horse riding and adventure parks. There is a difference between parts of Britain and their participation in active leisure. 62% of people who live in Scotland participate in active leisure 58% of people who live in England participate in active leisure and 57% of people who live in Wales participate in active leisure.  In the UK, the top five most popular active leisure activities are walking (with over 40% of the population participating), swimming (with over 30% of the population participating), keep-fit/yoga (with over 20% of the population participating), cycling (with over 20% of the population participating) and cue games (with over 18% of the population participating) The top 3 most popular passive activities in the UK are watching TV (with over 99% of the population participating), listening to the radio (with over 88% of the population participating) and reading books (with over 62% of the population participating).  Summary  The UK and Russia have very different climates and cultures, so therefore their leisure activities are also very different. Russia is a keen sporting country, successful in sports such as boxing and ice-skating, a sport which could rarely be done in the UK due to its climate. The UKs most popular sport is football, but also participates in rugby, cricket, tennis and golf. Russian residents also enjoy watching the theatre, whereas the UK has been more influential in the cinema.  Russia holds many celebratory events such as Music Spring, an international music festival, White Nights, where the last 10 days of June are celebrated with merriness and staying up late. A film festival is also held in odd-numbered years. A popular event is the Russian Winter Festival, celebrated in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Novgorod, from late December to early January. In the UK, the events are Guy Fawkes Night, Christmas, New Years, Halloween, St. Georges Day, St. Davids Day and various music festivals, such as Glastonbury.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Analysis on Learning and Societal Pattern of Mennonites

The current study tends to delved into the case study presented upon the project conducted upon the Mennonites women. Moreover, discussion on how through exposing them   to different sets of learning aspects their views regarding life as a whole has been evolved has been elaborated. The project comprised of introductory and intermediate course focused towards facilitating adult learning programs followed by awareness as regards to health issues and maintenance of healthier lifestyle. The control and regulations imposed upon the education system to be followed by Mennonites comprises of limited quantum of school education followed by services to the community.   Despite emphasis upon education and learning for protection of the community, the Mennonites have restricted themselves of being influenced by outer societal values. Further, the approaches towards upbringing of children are orthodox and oppressive in nature owing to the fact that the interactions between children and thei r parents are restrictive and devoid of environment that is conducive to learning. The project aimed towards inculcating learning amongst the Mennonites women in order to facilitate awareness regarding parental skills. The participation of women in the project resulted in showcasing the insights as regards to Mennonites lifestyle and norms. The community is on the verge of widespread economic downturn due to the orthodox lifestyle maintained by its people. However, the issues regarding orthodoxy can be amended gradually through enhancing exposure towards societal norms and transmittal learning. Education for the Mennonites women was limited to sixth standards thereby constraining the degree of exposure to learning. The dissemination of their way of living displays the fact that the Mennonites believed in influencing others through presenting an exemplary way of living rather than being dependent upon the external cultures for learning and educational processes. The rigidity in terms of living and lifestyle as has been laid down by the church and which are to be followed by the Mennonites impacted their education in an significant manner. The restriction upon   education beyond a certain threshold- grade 6 for girls and grade 7 for boys meant   that the benefits to be derived through relevant degree of exposure to education was missing for both the men and women Mennonites. The repercussions of the rigidity in showcasing affection towards children by their parents within the Mennonites were displayed aptly in the responses made by Mennonite women to some of the question s posed in the project. In terms of evaluation of meaningful existence in the context of Mennonites, there was a sense of isolation from other cultures prevalent.   This can be observed from the fact that education was meant to be a tool for Old Mennonites Community in order to inculcate a culture of isolation from other communities. Moreover, in terms of selection of language for education and learning the Mennonites were exposed to High German in schools. The influences drawn out by High German were from biblical scriptures. This in turn resulted in an upbringing for the Mennonites students whereby the skills as regards to dissemination of certain facts and rationality in terms of judgments were absent.   Through the description made by Candy, the different sets of Adult Learning p rocesses are considered voluntary. In case of transformative learning, the experiences are analyzed and different sets of perspectives are developed based upon such experiences (Boud, Keogh & Walker, 2013). Even though the sharing of experiences can enhance the overall sense of learning, the Mennonite women would have been able to amend their understanding for it. In terms of directed learning, the identification of objectives, necessity towards achieving those objectives as well as methods of inculcating such learning was embedded (Cranton, 2013). It can be observed that the Mennonites women were brought up in their society in such a manner that affection towards their children were hindered owing to different sets of customs prevalent in their society (Keeney, 2015). For instance, a woman respondent participating in the project commented that she was shown affection as a child only on minimal occasions. She was hugged for less than four times in all her life. However, as deduced by Candy,   heightened degree of exposure towards education and self learning coupled with application of those learning onto deriving rational decision making is   beneficial towards an Adult’s self development (Derlaga & Berg, Eds. 2013). Communicative Knowledge is based upon shared interpretation and development of   a particular set of perspectives derived through achieving consensus. The responses received from the Mennonite women reflect similar sense of consensus owing to the fact that majority of the participant’s perspectives have been dramatically changed when exposed to the learning project.  Ã‚   The developmental stages pertaining to assimilation of knowledge by women as developed by Belenky comprised of several levels evolving from being silenced to received knower and subsequently evolving to connected and constructivist knower (Boud, Keogh & Walker, 2013). The observations made in terms of Mennonite women clearly showcases a gender based hierarchy in the sense that men were allowed to study a grade higher than that of women. Moreover, the restrictions on women as regards displaying sense of acknowledgement towards their children highlight a restrictive approach. The responses received from the women after initiation of learning processes shows that they have evolved from being received knower onto connected knower. Action learning can be observed in the scenario of current project whereby the Mennonite women are influenced through impacts upon their perspective and behaviors as regards to educating and inculcating a sense of learning.   Learning theories tends to emphas ize the fact that women tends to learn through interaction with others. Many of the Mennonites women were interacting for the first time with other women regarding family issues and the parenting challenges. Thereby, it can be construed that through the different sets of interactions the isolation faced by women were alleviated. The imposition of restrictions upon the Mennonite women was facilitated through limiting the interactions beyond family members. Moreover, emphasis should be towards learning outside the classroom or the application of what has been learned inside the classroom onto external issues. This can be showcased by the usage of metaphors by the class instructors to the Mennonites women seeking education in the project. The usage of metaphors in order to inculcate empathy among the women was highly effective as can be observed by some of their responses. It can be observed that the evolution of their learning in the project has been critical and in most cases can turn out to be lifestyle altering. This is in the sense that many of the women were barred from their Mennonite culture from displaying affection towards their children as the display of affection were restricted between couples seeking courtships (Hutchison, 2015). The assumptions are highly justified that adults are not self directed and that the inclusion of practicality and applicability of learning can be beneficial towards internalizing the lessons taught to such adults.   The inclusion of public health issues in the project curriculum facilitated the awareness as regards to the different sets of relevant processes to be followed in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the Mennonite women. John Dewey’s treatises based upon education and particularly experience enriched education that utilizes different sets of experiences (Kolb, 2014). This is done in order to facilitate enhanced sets of learning can be applied in the context of current case.   The requirements of liberal sets of education in order to inculcate as sense of equality amongst the different Mennonite members and those belonging to other communities can provide a pathway for social integration and intercommunity transactions. The testing of different sets of lea rning onto practical scenarios as deduced by John Dewey and there from deriving newer sets of insights can in turn result towards heightened degree of awareness by Mennonites women.   The initiative of the project is to focus upon capacity development of the Mennonites Women. Thereby, increasing their awareness as regards to the different sets of culturally sensitive issues were in turn facilitated heightened degree of empathy and better understanding regarding their upbringing and the Mennonites culture as a whole. The dissemination of health literacy programs conducted in Low German for creating awareness as regards to the different sets of health issues that can arise in Mennonites communities is highly beneficial (Haque, 2014). It can turn out to be highly effective for the community in the sense being in charge of their families the women participants are in a better position to communicate different sets of health and safety measures to their children and families. As all the participants in the learning project are mothers with one woman having 10 children, thereby the dissemination of relevant healthcare insights onto their offspring is enabled.   Other families belonging to the Mennonite community can be similarly approached through the project in order to improve their standards of living. Reflective learning are derived by the Mennonites women through introducing them to metaphors.   Through these metaphors, their perspective as regards to children, family and nature as a whole has been attempted at being evolved. Prior to the commencement of the program, the participant Mennonite women in the program were unaware of the fact that children require affection and encouragement in their endeavors. Transformative learning entails liberalization and empowerment, the Mennonites women were oppressed by the different sets of stringent rules and customs. The customs as regards to social conduct can be construed as highly conservative and restrictive coupled with the lack of awareness as regards to formal education. The lack of empathy towards children is a reminder of the sense of upbringing that Mennonites children are subjected to which encompasses lack of affection showcased by parents and limited exposure to schooling. As stated in the development approach to learning, t he evolving of education and   transitional improvements results towards   heightened degree of societal integration (Kroth & Cranton, 2014). The economically strained setting presented   in the Mennonites communities restricted their commitments towards family life. Moreover, the lack of empathetic behavior towards their children and the absence of providing necessary encouragement can be attributed to economical constraints. The appreciation pertaining to a child’s gift can be considered as rare in case of Mennonite society.   Moreover, following a particular set of norms is essential for the upbringing of a child in Mennonite community and any form of deviation from norm resulted in punishment. Society in general evolves out of contradiction displayed in interpretation of learning and diversity. The diversity as regards to interpreting experiences in a certain manners was missing in the case of Mennonites. The observations made upon the upbringing of women participating in the learning project showcases the fact that majority of the women were brought up in large families under inadequate degree of parenting skills. Thereby, the knowledge in the course of their childhood such as lack of empathy and admiration from parents and lack of appreciation in case a child showcases a particular skill set has been derived by them. The derived knowledge as regards to lack of empathy and understanding were   implemented   onto their children when they themselves became parents. The project facilitated the development of parenting skills through assimilation of knowledge through a progressive learning process. The women were made aware of their role as parents through model behavior, resulting in them becoming aware of the implications of their languages and actions. The project entails communicative learning in the sense that the educators and instructors are providing assistance towards the learning process of individual Mennonite women thorough use of metaphors.   Moreover, through referring children as gems and communicating the fact their development relies upon nurturing akin to that of other components of nature the educators provided a broader perspective. The probability of communicative learning transforming onto Emancipatory learning is high owing to the fact that communicative learning entails observation made on self and that of society as a whole. Taylor & Cranton (2012) stated that in case of emancipatory learning the role of educator should be that of an facilitator enabling the students to improvise upon   the experiences derived through facilitating an environment conducive to learning. However, in the context of current case study, it can be observed that the teachers and instructors involved in   the project have focused upon collective development. This is opposed to individual development as can be observed from uniform learning curriculum in the project. In the context of Emancipatory Learning, the educator is seen as an reformist. The reformer’s role entails facilitating personal and societal changes. The observation made upon the learning project upon the Mennonite community has shown the changes with regards to softening of stance by women within the community. The softening of language with regards to Mennonite children were seldom practiced and most of the discussion and conversations were on topics that were relevant. The behavior pertaining to those children were shaped with hardening of stance. The absence of verbal affection among those Mennonite children fostered an atmosphere   that is not conducive to learning. As stated by many women bel onging to the community, majority of the parents had limited interactions with their children and most would either remain silent in front of their   children or walk away. This is opposed to initiating a discussion of providing a word of encouragement to the children who may have displayed any form of skills or achievement.   The above discussion on the case study upon Mennonite community showcases the prevalent sets of learning procedures inherent to the community. The influence of Biblical scriptures as opposed to scientific learning upon their education of Mennonites was derived due to the usage of High German language. The conservatism in case of formal educational policies can be observed   through limitations imposed upon learning. Further, the case of   fostering encouragement to children through better sets of interactions between parents and the child is largely avoided   by the community. There remains a hierarchy with regards to gender in the sense that women are allowed to study until 6 th grade as compared to men of the community whose education is restricted up to 7 th grade. The Mennonite community is adversely affected by economic strain, which resulted in limiting the interactions between parents and children, limiting the degree of prosperity experienced by the community. The role of educators conducting the learning project can be construed as that of an reformist facilitating reforms within the Mennonite community. The usage of metaphors in order to inculcate relation between children, family, society and nature has resulted in creation of awareness as regards to the parenting skills and developing of perspectives. Learning facilitated these women with empowerment and their emancipation can be observed by their reflective responses. The Mennonites women were more conscious of the repercussions of the lack of adequate communication to their children. Moreover, as an outcome of transformative learning, the women decided towards showcasing affection towards their children coupled with encouragement in order to emulate an environment which imbibes the nature of data. Therefore, through enhancement of learning initiatives amongst the Mennonite women, the community as a whole can be benefitted.   Blake, J., Sterling, S., & Goodson, I. (2013). Transformative learning for a sustainable future: An exploration of pedagogies for change at an alternative college.  Sustainability,  5(12), 5347-5372. Boud, D. (2013).  Enhancing learning through self-assessment. Routledge. Boud, D., Cohen, R., & Sampson, J. (Eds.). (2014).  Peer learning in higher education: Learning from and with each other. Routledge. Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (2013).  Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Routledge. Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2012).  Attention and self-regulation: A control-theory approach to human behavior. Springer Science & Business Media. Cranton, P. (2013). Transformative learning. In  Learning with Adults  (pp. 267-274). SensePublishers. Cranton, P. (2016). Transformative Learning: A Narrative. Cranton, P., & Cohen, L. R. (2013). Learning through Teaching: A Narrative Analysis.  Handbook of Research on Teaching and Learning in K-20 Education, 17. Derlaga, V. J., & Berg, J. H. (Eds.). (2013).  Self-disclosure: Theory, research, and therapy. Springer Science & Business Media. Dix, M. (2015). The Cognitive Spectrum of Transformative Learning.  Journal of Transformative Education, 1541344615621951. Engestrà ¶m, Y. (2014).  Learning by expanding. Cambridge University Press. Erdal, M. B., & Ezzati, R. (2015). ‘Where are you from’or ‘when did you come’? Temporal dimensions in migrants' reflections about settlement and return.  Ethnic and Racial Studies,  38(7), 1202-1217. Haque, E. (2014). Multiculturalism within a bilingual framework: a retrospective.  Canadian Ethnic Studies,  46(2), 119-125. Hutchison, J. (2015). Private People in Public Places: Contemporary Canadian Mennonite Life Writing. Keeney, H. (2015). California Mennonite Historical Society: celebrating fifty years. Kolb, D. A. (2014).  Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. FT press. Konopasky, A. W., & Reybold, L. E. (2015). Accessing the World Adult Literacy Educators’ Metaphors for Learners and Learning.  Journal of Transformative Education,  13(3), 239-258. Kroth, M., & Cranton, P. (2014). Fostering Transformative Learning. In  Stories of Transformative Learning  (pp. 1-12). SensePublishers. Kucukaydin, I., & Cranton, P. (2013). Critically questioning the discourse of transformative learning theory.  Adult Education Quarterly,  63(1), 43-56. Kucukaydin, I., & Cranton, P. (2013). Critically questioning the discourse of transformative learning theory.  Adult Education Quarterly,  63(1), 43-56. Lawrence, R. L. (2014). Artful Learning: Holistic Curriculum Development.  Andragogical and Pedagogical Methods for Curriculum and Program Development, 299. Mosalanejad, L., Shahsavari, S., Sobhanian, S., & Dastpak, M. (2014). The effect of virtual versus traditional learning in achieving competency-based skills. Pennington, D. D., Simpson, G. L., McConnell, M. S., Fair, J. M., & Baker, R. J. (2013). Transdisciplinary research, transformative learning, and transformative science.  Bioscience,  63(7), 564-573. Peters, A. (2015). Researching Mennonite family roots: fifty years later. Roessger, K. M. (2014). The effect of reflective activities on instrumental learning in adult work-related education: A critical review of the empirical research.  Educational Research Review,  13, 17-34. Stuckey, H. L., Taylor, E. W., & Cranton, P. (2014). Developing a survey of transformative learning outcomes and processes based on theoretical principles.  Journal of Transformative Education, 1541344614540335. Taylor, E. W., & Cranton, P. (2012).  The handbook of transformative learning: Theory, research, and practice. John Wiley & Sons. Wang, V. C., & Cranton, P. (2013). Transformative learning.  Technological applications in adult and vocational education advancement, 232-240. Wilmott, R. W. (2013). Genetics of primary ciliary dyskinesia in Amish and Mennonite communities.  The Journal of pediatrics,  163(2), 309-311. Looking for an answer 'who will do my essay for cheap',

Friday, October 18, 2019

European Political Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

European Political Economy - Essay Example For the purpose of research, I have used and analysed many literature reviews. The Lisbon Treaty was initially introduced to increase the coherence and the consistency of the external actions of the European Union. (The Lisbon Treaty) According to Langenhove (2008), the need for a treaty was felt after the last two enlargement processes of the EU in 2004 and 2007, whereby the member states increased from 15 to 27. The treaty consists of certain reforms that are aimed at making the European Union more democratic and efficient. The structural reforms of the EU, as Langenhove (2008) relates, consist of a new means of quantitative majority voting, a better distinction between the different competencies and an increased role for the national parliaments in the process of the co-decision when it comes to trading policies. Also it includes the idea that the European countries would be able to select their own president for the European Council. Lisbon Treaty is expected to affect the economic integration of the member states of the European Union. The external trade policy is one economic aspect that the treaty focuses on. According to Woolcock (2008) the external trade policy after the treaty would no longer be decided by mixed agreements or the individual national parliaments. Rather it would be a part of the EU’s external actions. The treaty also brings all the key aspects of the trade policy under the EU competence which means that the commission would be responsible for all the trade related policies. This power in the past was under the national parliaments. Woolcock (2008) argues that this would lead the member states to have unanimous decisions over the economic policies. The inclusion of the Foreign Direct Investment in the EU competence is also one of the major steps taken in the Lisbon Treaty which ensures that the member states will have a comprehensive approach to the trade and investment in the world

Realism of Traditional Trade theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Realism of Traditional Trade theories - Essay Example It is stated that the factor of the comparative advantage is considered to be the most crucial aspect, which moulds the international trade. (Fedotovs 2010) Thus the writer emphasizes on the fact that comparative type of advantage that has come into play due to globalization, is presently the most important aspect for any country, from a practical as well as theoretical point of view. Many traditional theories as well as models, had been effectively formulated so as to explain the comparative advantage and these have ever since been scrutinized to bring out the evidences empirically. But it is an irony that all these theoretical models have only produced results, which were totally contradictory. Thus the writer attempts to generate empirical evidence by taking the case of Latvia, which is a small country and a member of the European Union. Through the analysis of the empirical evidence, the writer focuses on the present two basic concepts of the International Trade. The two very fam ous models are the Heckscher-Ohlin theorem of factor endowment and the Ricardian model, which explains the concept of comparative advantage. ... This efficiency is really possible, since the countries need to concentrate only on the sectors which they are strong in and concentrate mainly to strengthen those areas. In the case of Latvia this becomes a reality, since the application of the comparative advantage emphasized in the Ricardian model is very much possible. Indeed Latvia has been very successful in following such a trade policy, with respect to the foreign countries strictly abiding by the terms of the international trade. (Fedotovs 2010) Applying the Ricardian Model of Comparative Advantage to Latvia The Ricardian theory strongly believes that with respect to a particular product, any country in the present world due to globalization has got a very good comparative advantage, when compared to other countries if the opportunity cost that is incurred during the production of that good, among a group of goods is very less in that particular country. Thus this can very well be applied in the case of Latvia and is found t o validate the Ricardian theories strength. (Fedotovs 2010) Strengths of Ricardian Model In fact Latvia had joined the European Union only seven years back and when it is compared with the other member states, it was having lesser productivity and it was not so economically developed. But the surprising thing was that, this country had a comparative advantage when the productivity ratio in the case of certain goods was compared, with the other member states. To have a very good advantage with respect to particular product, a country had to have a very high productivity ratio when compared to other countries, as per the Ricardian Model. In the case of Latvia it was very well found out that, timber was the export