Obesity in America Essay Example for Free

Obesity in America Essay Did you know that between 1980 and the year 2000, the obesity rates had doubled among adults in America ? About 30% of the adult population in America is suffering from obesity . Since 1980 , overweight rates have doubled among children and adults . Most people still do not practice healthy behaviors that can prevent obesity because they are lazy. More than 50% of American adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity to provide health benefits . More than a third of young people in grades nine twelve do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity . If more people in America would get out and do physical activities then this could reduce the amount of obese people and they could live happier and healthier . If people do not eat healthy and lack physical activity , then they may get diabetes and become obese . One cause of people in America becoming obese is because they do not eat healthy . If they would eat healthy then they would not have such high cholesterol and they would live a little longer . People should start eating more healthy foods such as fruits , vegetables , and non-artificial foods . These foods can be purchased at the local grocery store , gas station , and even at food market . These foods are normally cheaper than the other fatty foods and fast food restaurants , such as McDonald’s , Burger King , and artificial foods that contain grease . Fast food restaurants are one of the main causes of obesity because people love it and are addicted to it . People can get addicted to these restaurants very easy because it is quick , easy , taste good , and they do not have to do dishes . What these people don’t realize is what this food is doing to their bodies until they take a look at a scale and see that they have put on a massive amount of wait due to all the calories they have taken in . While these products might look appealing and tasty , they contain a wealth of hidden health hazards which are not only dangerous if eaten in large quantities but are a major cause of obesity , especially in children . For example , Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by Morgan Spurlock . Spurlock’s film follows a 30 day period from February 1 to March 2 , 2003 during which he eats only McDonald’s food . The film documents this lifestyle’s drastic effect on Spulock’s physical and psychological well being , and explores the fast food industry’s corporate influence , including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit . Spurlock dined at McDonald’s restaurants three times per day , eating every item on the chain’s menu . Spulock consumed an average of 9 Big Macs per day during the experiment . As a result , the 32 year old man gained 24  ½ lbs , and a cholesterol level of 230 . He experienced mood swings , sexual dysfunction , and fat accumulation in his liver . It took Spulock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife , a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes . The reason for Spulock’s investigation was the increasing spread of obesity throughout U . S society , which the Surgeon General has declared â€Å"epidemic† and the corresponding lawsuit brought against McDonald’s , it was alleged , became obese as a result of eating McDonald’s food Spurlock points out that although the lawsuit against McDonald’s failed . Subsequently many state legislatures have legislated against product liability actions against producers and distributors of â€Å"fast food †. Much of the same criticism leveled against tobacco companies applies to fast food franchises whose product is both physiologically addictive and physical harmful . Eating fast food can be very harmful to the human body . Fast food is a horrible choice to go and can be extremely dangerous if you don’t watch what , and how much you eat . Another cause of obesity can lack of physical exercise . Not exercising can be a reason why people put on weight because they do not burn any of the fat that they gain . People are so lazy now days and are addicted to electronics such as televison , video games , radio , computers , and etc . These electronics are killing Americans slowly because they forget all about going outdoors and doing something physical . Since the year 2000 , they have developed so much electronics and robots for our society that we do not have to do any work which leads us to laziness . Both diet and physical activity play a critical role in controlling your weight . You gain weight with the calories you burn , including those burned during physical activity, less than calories you eat or drink . When it comes to weight management , people vary greatly in how much physical activity they need . You may need to be more active than others to achieve or maintain a healthy weight . Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health . For example , you don’t have to spend much time with teenagers to know that the average adolescent would rather devote an afternoon to sitting in front of the tv , computes , or video games console than working out . In recent years , as physical education classes have been progressively cut from cash strapped public school curriculums , teens have had even more time to lounge , slouch , hangout , or do anything but break a sweat . In simple terms , body weight is a reflection of the balance between two variables : the calories a body takes in and the calories it burn off . As fa as the average U . S teen is concerned , the study suggests , the culprit behind weight gain is not decease in exercise but an increase consumption . Of course , that doesn’t mean teens are getting adequate exercise . Analyzed data from nearly 16,000 high school students between ages of fifteen and eighteen , who took part in the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention ‘s longitudinal Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey , about their physical . He and his team found that in 2007 , only 34.7% of teens met federal physical activity recommendations , which call for activity strenuous enough to cause heavy breathing for a total of an hour a day for five or more days a week . An effect of eating fast food and lack of physical activities is getting diabetes . Diabetes is a disease where your treatment plan may need to be adjusted over time . For people with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar is uncontrolled , adding insulin replaces what your body isn’t adequately making to help control blood sugar . Regardless of how you feel about your diabetes , its important to get your blood sugar under good control . Along with a program of diet , exercise and other diabetes medicine . Insulin may help you improve you blood sugar control . There are two types of this disease , type one and type two , which is also called onset diabetes . The first type , type one diabetes , cant be prevented because people who have this type are born with a compromised pancreas . These people have to rely on insulin injections throughout their life to maintain reasonably favorable health . People with type two diabetes develop this condition over time and have to rely on oral medication and in some cases insulin injections . People with adult onset diabetes were born with a healthy pancreas but they were either born with a susceptibility to the disease o other factors played a role in the development of the problem. The primary reason why people with a healthy pancreas develop this disease is poor diet , being overweight and sedentary lifestyle . These are all factors a person can control and limit his or her chance of developing this condition . The main reason people develop type two diabetes is because they become overweight . People who do not exercise and lead sedentary lifestyle are prone to developing type two . There is some evidence that adult onset type can be reversed , or at least controlled . Another effect of not eating healthy and lack of physical activity is becoming obese . Becoming obese is not a very good thing because there are many types of dangerous things that can happen any given moment . People that become obese also miss out on a lot of events and fun activities . They are limited of what they can do because they are so overweight that they cant move fast , they need help getting things and showering . They also may no longer eat certain foods anymore because it contains too much sugar . People should watch their weight and what they eat before they become overweight and have to live this way and trust me this is not the way to live . Just ask 43 year old , Shannon Cooper . Shannon Cooper had been living a normal life with her children of three . She had been so lazy and didn’t want to do anything because she had forced her three children to do all the chores around the house . Well 3 years later Shannon had to pay the price for all this because little did she know , she had a low metabolism and put on an enormous amount of weight . She had been eating McDonald’s almost every day and didn’t find anything wrong with eating all this fast food . All the food had went straight to her body and she is now bed bound and can’t shower own her own , get up and move around , or even use the restroom by herself . She now has her three kids feeding her , bathing her , and she has to urinate into a plastic bag mounted on the side of her heavy duty bed . Reporters say that Shannon will never live the same life as she had before unless she has liposuction done and that is something she cant afford . She is also unemployed because her leg structure cant support all of her massive weight she has gained to get up and maneuver around . Reporters asked her if she could go back three years , would she do it all over again and she said no . Shannon says it’s not worth all of the stress and embarrassment to her and her children . This story is hash so it should change anybody’s mind about their diet and what they eat . People may get diabetes and become obese if they do not get enough exercise or physical activity . People in America should watch what they eat if they do not want to end up like some of these people and be bed bound for possibly the rest of their lives . They do not only hurt themselves by doing this to their body , but they hurt their loved ones and the people around them , because they cant spend time with t hey family and friends . They are always worried that maybe you will seriously injure yourself someday or possibly loose you by death . If our society really care about the people around them then they will not only help themselves watch their health , but they would help other people on their diet and persuade them to get more exercise in by running or going to the gym . It is amazing by how the slightest things can change a person life by taking a little walk around the block once a day or even once a week . Just always remember that exercise and a little more vegetables or fruit can change ones life for them and others around them . Work Cited 1) http:/www./imdb.com/title/tt0390521 2)http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm 3)http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/overview.html 4)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/obesity_in_america 5)http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/dimtext/kin/people/heavie.htm

A Good Business Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

A Good Business What the characteristics of a good business looks like? The basic element of a good business is derived from good management. It is true since business is run by individuals known as managers that perform specific business functions, such as manufacturing and production, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, and human resource departments. Identifying a good business is not an easy job; an understanding of Managerial Economics is needed because it provides some tools, techniques of analysis and Economic concepts to make good managerial decisions. The purpose of this paper is to identify some characteristics of a good business and list names of the companies having these certain characteristics. Most of good businesses have characteristics such as promising prospect, high rates of return on equity, steady growth of sales, and also strong brands equity. When we talk about a good business, we are not only talking about past and present condition of a firm, but a good business should also have a good prospect. It is true that past successes do not ensure future successes; however the most common way to predict the future is based on the companies’ historical data because those all data are available for us. Those data must depict consistent sales growth and high rates of return on equity. Moreover, since many changes can happened, it is also important for a business to anticipate and adapt continuously to the changing conditions. Since the commo...

Need for collaborative projects in business courses Essay

Group projects are integral to the business curriculum and can be useful in developing students’ skills and abilities as managers. However, faculty encounter several problems with group projects, including assessing students’ efforts, aiding good communication and coordination among members, and making sure the project is a truly collaborative effort. Technology may aid in addressing these problems; electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, for example, can help faculty and students enhance collaboration and increase the accountability of group members. Keywords: Discussion boards, chat rooms, collaborative learning, student projects INCREASED GLOBAL COMPETITION and other changes in the business environment over the last several years have led organizations to restructure themselves. One aspect of that restructuring is a shifting of responsibility and decision making downward and a movement toward self-directed work teams (Cohen, 1993). To prepare students to thrive in this environment, we obviously need to teach them effective teamwork and communication skills. This article describes two tools that can help accomplish this task, the electronic discussion board and the chat room. These can foster interdependence in group projects and deeper, active learning. First, we discuss the need for and benefits of collaborative projects, the problems of group work, and the role of technology in such projects. We then provide recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in business communication classes. Need for Collaborative Projects in Business Courses. As many researchers have noted, the structural shift towards teams occurring in many organizations should be reflected in the classroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, & Mayo, 2000). Using groups in class thus prepares students to work collaboratively in the business environment while promoting collaborative learning in the classroom itself. The first benefit of group work in the classroom is that it teaches students how to work collaboratively in the business environment. Business organizations repeatedly indicate that the increased use of teams in the real world has increased students’ need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend many hours and dollars training individuals to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. Through working in groups, students can enhance their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealing with conflict (Colbeck, Campbell, & Bjorklund, 2000). They can also improve their communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills. All of these skills are highly rated by recruiters and employers and will help graduates meet the demands and rigors of the workplace (McNally, 1994). The second benefit of group work is that these projects promote collaborative learning. University educators have embraced cooperative learning methods as ways to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers have found that the values of Generation X are highly individualistic, visually-oriented, and aligned with information technology, not with the sharing of information (Buckenmyer, 2000). Thus, group course projects, with proper guidance, can help these students learn to deal effectively with others. Group work learning can be an excellent way of encouraging the development of higher cognitive skills in students (Thorley & Gregory, 1994) and can be effective even for relatively quiet group members. When groups work well, students consistently fare better in class, on tests, and in attitudes towards the instructor and each other (Jones & Brickner, 1996). The quality of learning is improved by peer support, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and task management. Cooperative methods have been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to become actively involved in learning. The collaborative group project creates a forum that allows students to take an active approach towards their own education. The security of working within a group provides an excellent entree into the progression to independent and autonomous learning (Maguire & Edmondson, 2001). Problems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are often offset by problems. First, a common problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students may exert an individual effort but are unable to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to achieve any kind of synergistic benefits (Tullar, Kaiser, & Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be contributing their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and building on the efforts of the other members. For collaborative learning to occur, students must coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A second problem is that often group members simply divide a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just before the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without coordinating their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often leads to unequal contributions of members, resulting in â€Å"hitchhikers† and â€Å"workhorses† (Cottell & Millis, 1993). These â€Å"hitchhikers,† also called â€Å"free riders† and â€Å"social loafers,† can cause problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group have difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to solve it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, & Wright, 2000). The issue becomes one student’s word against another’s as the teacher tries to determine fair individual grades. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class time for groups to develop cooperative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992). There is limited time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups meet on evenings and weekends when faculty members are not available for assistance. Additionally, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which makes organizing face-to-face group meetings difficult. The Role of Technology in Enhancing Collaborative Learning Active and cooperative learning approaches will be counterproductive unless they are thoughtfully implemented and well supported. Communication tools like discussion boards and chat rooms can be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in faculty-student communication. These tools can help ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, faculty can address three learning goals: empowering students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to work collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools offer teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more accessible to students and to track students’ efforts better. Addressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a tremendous help in coordinating team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, & McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet either synchronously, using chat rooms, or asynchronously, using threaded discussion boards, in which group members contribute to the group discussion at times convenient to their schedules over a defined time period. These tools enable everyone in the group to talk at the same time or at their convenience by typing their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities have greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the â€Å"floor. † Students may feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the quality and professionalism of their ideas may be higher, knowing that their participation is being monitored. The discussion forum also gives all students ample time for reflection so students’ responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more evenly distributed participation from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have learned to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce anxiety as students struggle to determine what answer the instructor wants. However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a report of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching for one right answer, but rather are concerned with the process that students use in solving problems. Teaching students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than giving students the right answers. In the real world, there is neither one right answer nor is there a â€Å"sage on a stage† that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to find and to support the answers for themselves. The use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle through the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects: (1) empowering students to become active participants in their learning, (2) increasing students’ communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students’ abilities to collaborate and work with others in developing their own resources in solving problems. To achieve these goals, education must involve interactivity among instructors, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enrich that interactivity. Providing Additional Teaching Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the opportunity for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. Faculty can use these tools to demonstrate concern for students and to provide additional accessibility and feedback. In fact, the transactional distance encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an authoritative role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as there is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their understanding of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discussions. In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both instructors and students invest in the course (Bruce & Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for Using These Tools Many universities are starting to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be used to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools. Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to facilitate group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prepare for their careers. However, the wise faculty member will be advised that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards Instructors and students can compose and post messages electronically on electronic discussion boards. Both public and private discussion forums can be implemented. With many computing platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up public forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can respond electronically. Students can use these public forums to post questions to which the entire class can respond, such as for help in finding information for the project. A project normally seems easier when the instructor is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students’ questions occasionally occur after class or on weekends. The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post problems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the instructor to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a tremendous lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or task to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way. Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professor’s role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can then respond. Those students who respond in a useful manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input. When students see the progress other students are making, they may be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure â€Å"netiquette† is being practiced, and to restart the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and request that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response. This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create private forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordination of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and private forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provide assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own. In the private group forums, the students are encouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their contributions to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can offer suggestions. Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress reports on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress reports describe what the group has accomplished, what the group’s plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. While these reports could be submitted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group members to be aware of what has been submitted. Chat Rooms. With chat rooms, students can meet electronically at the same time no matter where they are, as long as they have Internet access. Each group can have its own chat room, with the instructor joining in from home or office in one of several ways. The group can meet first and then have a designated time when the instructor logs in to answer questions. The instructor can leave when the questions are answered or give the group time to discuss among themselves and then check back later. For project work, it is important that instructors periodically meet with student groups to answer questions, address problems, and provide guidance. The chat room may be a useful tool in meeting with students out of class. The students can meet with the instructor for a practice â€Å"chat† to get the students comfortable with the technology. The instructor can request that the groups meet with him/her several times during the term to discuss their progress. These meetings can be either in the office during office hours or during designated chat office hours, such as on Sunday nights when the instructor is at home. With traditional classes, groups should have the option to meet in person with the professor, particularly early on in the project. For those students who cannot come during office hours, the chat room provides an excellent way to interact, although instructors may want to set clear boundaries or specific hours for when they are willing to meet in the chat room. When the instructor is meeting with groups via chat, patience is needed. It can be confusing when everyone is typing in questions. While the instructor prepares an answer to one question, several more students’ questions can appear. The instructor needs to make it clear that he/she will discuss questions in the order in which they appear. On the other hand, there may be times when the chat room is silent while the students are preparing their questions. The instructor may want to prompt to see if there are any other questions but should give the students some time if needed. Finally, no one should log off until everyone has finished. Someone may be in the middle of preparing something to post and the silence is seen as the end of the session, or someone may have left the room for a minute and has come back to find an empty chat room. Therefore, a practice chat session may be helpful with these issues. Grading Student Use of Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms Grading student responses in both the discussion forum and chat room can present challenges. Many times there may be a group grade for a project that is then adjusted for the individual student’s grade base on his/her contribution to the group’s project. Additionally, students may be individually graded for their participation in the course. Some students will initially shy away from using the discussion board, as they would prefer to do things the way they always have and do not want to learn a new technology. Other students, particularly those who are too shy to speak up in class, may welcome this new opportunity. It is up to the instructor to provide the incentive to become involved. While a positive attitude may help the instructor in encouraging students, making posts part of their grade, such as a portion of their participation grade, probably ensures the best results. Instructor can grade the posting on several issues: clarity of thought/grammer, quality of comments/critical thinking, and usefulness/participation in responding to other posts. In evaluating the group projects to determine individual grades, instructors often have students submit group evaluations. The information on these evaluations can be substantiated or compared to what has occurred on the group’s private discussion forum and what has been documented in the progress posts. If a group member is not contribution, it is the responsibility of the group to communicate this the instructor and to attempt to deal with the problem before the final project is submitted. The use of the discussion board and chat room can be a tremendous help in tracking a group’s activities. This puts more responsibility on the students to document and address the issues before it is too late. It also aids instructors in making fairer assessments of individual efforts. To better manage the communication tools, instructors should set up clear guidelines for grading, such as describing how many new posts and response posts are required per week, as well as how often the students are expected to check the discussion board. For example, the professor may want each group to submit a bi-weekly progress report on its project. The instructor may also want to review â€Å"netiquette† as well as set limits as to how many posts students can make on public forums to avoid overwhelming the discussion board. The instructor needs to stress that it is the quality of the posts and not the quantity that counts and provide students with feedback to encourage its proper use. Finally, the instructor can also utilize student management tools that are included in the computing platforms like WebCT to determine when and how many posts the students are making. Additionally, search commands can be used to find all the posts one student has made in order to track an individual student’s progress. Conclusion Teamwork and group meetings are entrenched elements of an increasingly global environment. As a result, business faculty must prepare their students, as future managers, to collaborate with groups effectively. Electronic meeting tools, such as discussion boards and chat rooms, can play a key role in that training. These tools can enhance and empower student learning and collaboration as well as increase communication and problem solving skills. By collaborating more effectively in school, students will be better prepared to collaborate effectively in the workplace (Kaiser et al. , 2000). These tools also offer additional teaching benefits. They are very useful in documenting student effort and accountability for fair contribution. They also provide a means for faculty to be conveniently accessible and to provide feedback outside of class time. Additionally, electronic tools help students learn to develop their own resources. These tools then can be a tremendous aid for faculty to address group project problems, to help their students achieve learning goals, and to provide additional teaching opportunities to interact with their students. Thus, by using electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, such as with group projects, faculty can effectively enhance their students’ collaborative learning. References Bobbitt, L. M. , Inks, S. A. , Kemp, K. J. , & Mayo, D. T. (2000). Integrating marketing courses to enhance team-based experiential learning. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 15-24. Bruce, S. M. , & Hwang, T. T. (2001). Web-based teacher preparation in visual impairment: Course development, teaching, learning and quality assurance. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 95(10), 609-622. Buckenmyer, J. A. (2000). Using teams for class activities: Making course/classroom teams work. Journal of Education for Business, 76(2), 98-107. Cohen, G. (1993). New approaches to teams and teamwork. In J. R. Galbraith & E. E. Lawler, III (Eds. ). Organizing for the future (pp. 194-226). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Colbeck, C. L. , Campbell, S. E. , & Bjorklund, S. A. (2000, January/February). Grouping in the dark: What college students learn from group projects. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 60-83. Cottell, P. G. & Millis, B. (1993, Spring). Cooperative learning structures in the instruction of accounting. Issues in Accounting Education, 8, 40-59. Gremler, D. D. , Hoffman, K. D. , Keaveney, S. M. , & Wright, L. K. (2000). Experiential learning exercises in services marketing courses. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 35-44. Jones, J. D. , & Brickner, D. (1996). Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings [CD-Rom]. Kaiser, P. R. , Tuller, W. L, & McKowen, D. (2000). Student team projects by Internet. Business Communication Quarterly, 63(4), 75-82. Maguire, S. , & Edmondson, S. (2001). Student evaluation and assessment of group projects. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 25(2), 209-217. McNally, J. (1994). Working in groups and teams. In L. Thorley & R. Gregory (Eds. ). Using group-based learning in higher education (pp. 113-120). London: Kogan Page. Michaelsen, L. K. (1992). Team learning: A comprehensive approach for harnessing the power of small groups in higher education. To Improve the Academy, 11, 107-122. Moore, M. (1993). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed. ). Theoretical principles of distance education (pp. 22-38). New York: Rutledge. Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). In support of cooperative learning. Issues in Accounting Education, 12(1), 187-190. Reeves, T. (1996). Relevant readings. Technology in teacher education: From electronic tutor to cognitive tool. Action in Teacher Education, 27(4), 74-78. Thorley, L. , & Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. London: Kogan Page. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , & Balthazard, P. A. (1998). Group work and electronic meeting systems: From boardroom to classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 61(4), 53-65. Address correspondence to Jacqueline K. Eastman, Department of Marketing/Economics, College of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, Valdosta GA 31698 (e-mail: jeastman@valdosta. edu).

Essay on The Iconic Rod Sterling Spoke Out Against Socialism

The iconic Rod Serling contributed to televisions â€Å"Golden Age†, the writer and director of the very accomplished series The Twilight Zone† and â€Å"The Night Gallery†, has not only dazzled the world with his mind boggling work in the expansive sci-fi genre but has also successfully utilized his position in television and radio to speak out against socialism. During World War II, Serling fought Nazi forces in Europe. It was there that he realized the true wrongs in the world. Serling understood the world had been blinded by socialist eyes and poisoned by prejudice hearts. He found that with television he could take a part of the problem, and using a small number of people, get my point across. In this†¦show more content†¦At the end of this upside down film the Statue of Liberty is shown with the haggard face of a monkey instead of the glorious statue we know today, too Serlings credit. He found a way to utilized such eerie details like this in orde r to tell the audience what is happening without actually needing the characters to speak at this point. Lady Liberty has been transformed therefore the world did not belong to the human race, something left unsaid at the end of this cinematic picture. Another example of Serlings work against socialism is in the ingenious tale of The Shelter, 1961 nuclear war has unleashed hell and those who were caught in the fray desperately sought shelter. An episode such as this was based on human morals and questioned what man was willing to do for the sake of another man. Serling lifted the veil of ignorance by giving the gift of awareness. It is in this glorious achievement that the world can truly see Serlings genius, because when we are made aware of our mistakes as people, there can be no excuse for what we continue to do. Serling was audacious enough to ask the people of this earth to question themselves along with their humanity. In the closing of the episode The Shelter, Serling explain ed what he believed to be humanitys greatest struggle, No moral, no message, no prophetic tract, just a simple state of fact: for civilization to

Boutique Business Plan - 2239 Words

SHRESHTA Your Dreams†¦ Our Designs!!! BUSINESS PLAN CONTENTS Sl. No. | Particulars | Pg. No. | 123456789 | Introduction Mission, vision Objectives Organizational structure Marketing mix * Product * Price * Place * PromotionSWOT analysis * Strengths * Weakness * Opportunities * ThreatsUnique Selling Proposition Legal formalities Financial plan Future plans | 1234810101116 | INTRODUCTION Clothing is a beautiful visual demonstration of the social and emotional needs of people wearing it. It also portrays in a clearly understood visual manner, what people of different cultures and styles want socially. Fashion,†¦show more content†¦Threats: 1. There will be huge competition from established and establishing brands in the market. 2. There is a threat of pilferage in the designs 3. It is difficult to convince people who are more conscious for pricing due to recession. UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION * Firstly Shreshta is exclusively for women which provide everything what they need at one stop and hence customers need not go in search of other stores. * CUSTOMIZATION, that is going according to the customer tastes and preferences i.e., giving customers choice in choosing fabric and design. * Shreshta has this unique strategy of providing tailoring services like stitching in one hour for every single purchase. LEGAL FORMALITIES * Generally a company has to get CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION from registrar of companies (ROC) to start its business or activities. * MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION gives the fundamental conditions under which a company should be incorporated. * ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION is generally rules and regulations that govern the management in the internal affairs and the conduct of the business. FINANCIAL PLAN 1st year: * The startup investment for SHRESHTA is 20 lakhs, of which 12 lakhs is invested by the owners and 8 lakhs is the loan taken. * The projected total purchases are 10 lakhs and total sales are 15 lakhs. * Due to more expenses in the first year, we incurred net loss of around 4lakhs. * Cash in hand would be around Rs.50000 atShow MoreRelatedBoutique Business Plan2251 Words   |  10 Pages Your Dreams†¦ Our Designs!!! BUSINESS PLAN CONTENTS Sl. No. | Particulars | Pg. No. | 123456789 | Introduction Mission, vision Objectives Organizational structure Marketing mix * Product * Price * Place * PromotionSWOT analysis * Strengths * Weakness * Opportunities * ThreatsUnique Selling Proposition Legal formalities Financial plan Future plans | 1234810101116 | INTRODUCTION Clothing is a beautifulRead MoreBusiness Plan for Mustard Boutique9962 Words   |  40 PagesSummary Overview Mustard Boutique is an upscale women’s clothing boutique that will open in June this year. 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In addition, this paper contains a vision for the organization that demonstrate the expected future for the business, and it will define the company values considering importantRead MoreSwot Analysis1179 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of A Sample Business Plan Angela Acton Foundations of Business 210 Mr. Dennis Keegan January 23, 2011 Abstract When an entrepreneur comes across an opportunity to open a new business, there is a lot of planning that must be done in order to be successful in the new venture. An important part of the process is to create a business plan. A good way to test a business plan is to use a SWOT analysis. In the following I will conduct a SWOT analysis on a sample business plan for a new clothingRead MoreStrategic Plan III: Balanced Scorecard1278 Words   |  6 PagesStrategic Plan III: Balanced Scorecard The New You Boutique BUS 475 Strategic Plan Part III: Balanced Scorecard This paper will detail the approaches that companies use in devising and executing strategies. In particular this paper will discuss the approach of a balanced scorecard that is widely used by both large and small organizations. To elaborate, this concept paper will deal with the application of the concept to the business model of â€Å"The New You Boutique†. Once the boutique’sRead MoreA Business Plan For Nouveau Riche1694 Words   |  7 PagesYou Are An Entrepreneur! Ariel Keaton Professor Kenneth Guyette ACC 557 – Financial Accounting Abstract The paper presents a business plan for Nouveau riche. Nouveau riche Boutiqueis a fashion retail store located in Charleston, SC. It is a sole proprietorship and is managed by the owner. It sells fashionable clothing, shoes, purses and accessories. 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Costcos typical pricing strategy is to undercut competition and make up for this with high volume sales. The company applies this strategy to the wedding gown business as well. Costco offers one of the lowest prices of any company on its wedding dress es. The companys business plan ensures that the details have been fleshed

Whole Foods Market - 1449 Words

Whole Foods Market, Inc. A. SIC/NAICS #’s - The SIC number for Whole Foods Market, Inc. is 5411, which implies grocery stores. The NAICS number for Whole Foods is 445110, which means supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores. (Mergent Online) B. Mission Statement - Barbara Farfan who writes for about.com states, â€Å"The mission statement of the Whole Foods Company and Whole Foods Markets begins with its motto, which is Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet The Whole Foods mission explains and defines what that motto means. This mission explanation includes...Whole Foods - We obtain our products locally and from all over the world, often from small, uniquely dedicated food artisans. Whole People - We recruit the best†¦show more content†¦We work with our supplier partners in eliminating all unnecessary production and distribution costs to help ensure the best possible price.† Whole Foods also believes that their customers are their most important stakeholders and that by firstly satisfying their customers; they can then satisfy the needs of their other stakeholders. Whole Foods intends to excite their customers by providing extraordinary customer service, educating their customers about natural and orga nic foods and provide inviting store environments. Additionally, Whole Foods uses their sales and marketing to grab the attention of their niche target market. Whole Foods specifically advertises in health and fitness magazine and places their billboards in strategic areas with a high traffic of fitness/healthy eating minded customers. G. Industry Analysis – The supermarket and grocery store industry is maintaining throughout the economic crisis that America is currently experiencing. As stated by the Market Report of â€Å"Grocery Stores†, â€Å"The industry fared well during the economic recession of the late 2000s, as more Americans chose to eat at home rather than go out. During this time grocery stores focused on providing economical food choices for cash-strapped consumers.† However, as the economy continues to improve, more people may choose to eat out which could cause the industry to marginally suffer. Additionally, Supermarketnews.com states, â€Å"†¦the 75Show MoreRelatedWhole Foods Market : Whole Food Market2993 Words   |  12 Pages Comparing Two Retail Companies Company A: Whole Food Market Whole Foods Market (WFM) is leading natural and organic food supermarket in the world. It started as one-store entrepreneur shop and has since grown into an $8 billion a year. By 2008, Whole Food Market had 264 stores in the United States that host its headquarters. It had six stores in Canada and five stores in the United Kingdom (Harbin, 2000). It is located in an area of 80000 square foot flagship store in Austin. The CEO and founderRead MoreWhole Foods : The Whole Food Markets Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Whole Food Markets† Week #6 If you were to ask people if they enjoy going to work on Monday, I am sure most of them would give you a funny look, and say â€Å"No†. Americans dislike of their jobs is very evident. To see the magnitude of this just look on social media. On Fridays, there are vast amounts of thank god it’s Friday (TGIF) memes indicating how happy they are that they are done with work for the week. Many American simply do not enjoy working. However, a select few actually do. They enjoyRead MoreWhole Foods Market2057 Words   |  9 PagesCase Study: Whole Foods Market 2006: Mission, Core Values and Strategy 1. What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Founder John Mackey strongly believed in Whole Foods’ mission to be very selective about store inventory, sticking to the company’s core values and ensuring that customers had an enjoyable and interactive shopping experience, while keeping with planned strategies that have set them apart from their competitors. Store Development andRead MoreWhole Foods Market ( Wfm ) Essay1191 Words   |  5 PagesWhole Foods Market (WFM) is a leading natural and organic food supermarket founded in Austin, Texas by four local business people: John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery. WFM opened its first store in 1980, they staffed their first store with only 19 workers, the store was an immediate success partly because at the time there were less than half a dozen organic stores in the entire country. 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Whole Foods Market hasRead MoreWhole Foods : The Biggest Organic Food Market1723 Words   |  7 PagesWhole foods is the U.S’s biggest organic food market which has seen unsurmountable success because of its unique organizational setup and its cutting edge business model. Whole foods unique leadership structure and management style of its CEO, John Mackey, are large contributors to its success; along with the business core values. One would wonder, if such a radical culture can me maintained throughout the long run and if it’s so successful, why it wouldn’t work in my organization. Has Whole foods

Airline Alliances free essay sample

Liberalisation of the Airline Market now allows carriers to engage in alliances to form more powerful synergy’s and capture a larger share of the market. Since the introduction of The Airline Deregulation Act in 1978 in North America and similar acts worldwide the aviation industry has become one of the fastest growing industries. The main objective of this was to allow the market place to influence the development of airlines. The main development from this was that airlines find it more beneficial if they join alliances. In this report I will discuss why airlines engage in alliances, identify the strategic benefits of alliances and assess their effectiveness. Why airlines engage in alliances: The primary reason why airlines form strategic alliances is to expand their market and operations without going through the costly process of adding new aircraft or extra employees. This action allows an airline to impose itself amongst a new market quickly and expand its likelihood of new revenue streams under the guidance of a party already well established in that market (the strategic partner). We will write a custom essay sample on Airline Alliances or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Alliances also offer a greater network of flights to the consumer. The more airlines in an alliances means that there are likely to be more landing slots and facilities’ available globally to offer a more comprehensive network of flights to the customer. Finally alliances give the opportunity to the customer to build up loyalty through transferable air miles arrangements. Another reason why airlines engage in alliances is because this kind of agreement carries uncertainties that are not manageable through contractual agreements. It allows Airlines an opportunity to share knowledge, costs and risks. Strategic Benefits of alliances: The strategic benefits of Airline Alliances are plentiful and can be seen by the number of airlines currently involved in Airline Alliances. The main strategic benefit of Airline Alliances is that carriers can achieve lower costs through economies of scale. Partner airlines in an alliance can share costs therefore increasing profits considerably. By pooling resources alliances can reduce unit costs and achieve greater cost efficiencies through more efficient utilisation of resources such as sharing landing slots, maintenance teams, IT systems and labour. Airlines also have the opportunity of engaging in joint purchasing agreements and make considerable savings. When we look at the Star Alliance which was founded in 1997 we see that they have made considerable savings from joint purchasing agreements. Earlier this year The Star Alliance leveraged its purchasing power with the procurement of new economy class seats. As well as reducing the cost of seat ownership the airline will also benefit of reduced future fuel costs due to the seats being made of lighter materials. The demand side benefits of Strategic Alliances include accessing new markets through availing of new landing slots. Landing slots are a big plus from strategic alliances. Currently Virgin Airways are looking for landing slots at London’s main airports to fly to destinations in Asia including Bangalore. Through the potential prospect of joining the Alliance Sir Richard Branson hopes to secure these slots. Alliances enable airlines to offer a more seamless network of flights to customers due to their collaborative efforts. Alliances also have the option to use code sharing which enables consumers to book space on the same flights through multiple airlines websites. Effectiveness of alliances: The effectiveness of strategic alliances can be seen in the numbers. In 2011 the Star Alliance saved $27million from joint purchasing arrangements associated with fuel logistics. Also just last week CEO of Virgin Atlantic Richard Branson announced that his airline could yet be in line to join one of the main Airline Alliances. Having previously spoken strongly against alliances, Branson is now set to join one of these long standing alliances which is clear indicator how effective they are. Another interesting fact is that the Star Alliance market share is 28% of the global market which is more than the combined market share of all the global airlines that are not part of an alliance. This shows that in order to gain access to a majority of the market you need to be part of an alliance.