Food Security Essay Example for Free

Food Security Essay As the effort to alleviate poverty and increase food security takes on new dimensions on the backdrop of increasing challenges, asset-based community development has become a key strategy. There has been a shift of focus to individual, communal and institutional asset and the capacity or potential they have in building the capacity of achieving locally defined development (Social Design, 2010). The asset-based community development strategy is based on the principle that including as many people as is possible in a development project increases the probability of the project remaining sustainable even after the experts implementing it leave it under the management of the community. The asset-based community development strategy begins by first acknowledging that the existent poverty and insufficiency in a community cannot be solved by the human, physical and intellectual assets at the disposal of the community (Social Design, 2010). It involves the mobilization of members of the community so that these assets, coupled with external investment, can be effectively utilized to improve the community’s capacity of meeting the developmental challenges that face it. In addition, there needs to be creation of awareness about alternative means of acquiring additional assets and resources. Secondly, asset-based community development should be viewed as complementary to developmental work already in progress within the community; and must be based on the traditions rooted within the community with regard to organization, community development and developmental planning (Social Design, 2010). It should be noted that not a single entity (government, the business community, civil society and the community itself) can bring meaningful development on its own, so the essence of asset-based community is to forge a working partnership between all the stakeholders to bring about improvement in sufficiency, democracy and respect to human rights (Social Design, 2010). The process must therefore be based on transparency and accountability, justice and participation. Having established this operational framework, attention is shifted on ways of mobilizing the community and the assets it has towards a clearly defined vision. The first step is mapping all the assets within the community and its local institutions (Social Design, 2010). Full mobilization in this context is only achieved after the community can address its agenda and challenges with an awareness of the resources that it has to counter the developmental challenges it faces. Second, elaborate plans should be put in place to build strong relationships within the community so that these resources can be aggregated and given a common focus towards progress. Strength and self-reliance are attributes bolstered when all members of the community are linked and actively involved in finding solutions to the challenges that face them (Social Design, 2010). The community realizes that it has a great potential than it had realized and there is a rejuvenation of hope, motivation and renewal. After relationships have been established, the assets owned within the community are mobilized towards economic development and for the purpose of sharing information. This includes the assets relegated due to lack of information on how to harness them or lack of the applicable technology. The community is then convened as a unit to participate in the development of a vision and the plan to achieve it. As said earlier, the assets and resources within poor communities are not sufficient. Asset-based development strategies need therefore to leverage outside resources to support them; and after all these steps have been taken, the community is on its way to self-sufficiency (Social Design, 2010). Sustainable livelihoods frameworks (SLF) Sustainable Livelihoods frameworks provide a basis for poverty analysis so that policies, programs and projects designed to reduce poverty can be specifically tailored to meet developmental challenges facing a community (Ludy Slater, 2008). Through SLFs, a coherent approach to the analysis of economic challenges can be performed, leading to the identification of suitable intervention and the timetable for these interventions. SLF implementation are founded on analyzing livelihoods, risks and vulnerabilities of individuals, households and the community so that key drivers of poverty and their remedies can be established (Ludy Slater, 2008). Sustainable livelihoods frameworks are centered on people and their capacity to mobilize the natural, human, social and financial assets at their disposal in response to opportunities and risks so that the quality of life can be improved. An emphasis is laid on strengths rather than weaknesses, and the strategy is to make targeted people have the awareness that they have the assets and the potential to utilize them in pursuit of livelihood goals (Ludy Slater, 2008). SLF implementation is multidimensional and aims at first identifying the constrictions standing in the way of individuals and households and analyzing the same to yield the opportunities that may arise therein; developing specific but diverse strategies to empower the people to pursue paths towards securing their livelihoods. SLFs focus on each target’s individual strategy for socio-economic development and therefore favor full participation and multidisciplinary approach at different levels (Ludy Slater, 2008). They thus are flexible to organizations planning specific interventions to poverty and allow focus to be on the elements within a society most likely to face developmental challenges. Entrepreneurial ideology in rural project Entrepreneurship has been identified as a very strategic intervention for accelerating development in rural areas. It creates employment, prevents rural unrest and leads to the creation of wealth at the local level reducing dependency especially for women and other marginalized people (FAO, 1997). There is acceptance that entrepreneurship in rural areas by itself cannot achieve development; so the emphasis of this ideology is the creation of an environment that makes entrepreneurship in rural areas a viable venture. The premise of the rural entrepreneurship ideology is that diversification from subsistence agriculture holds the key to economic development (FAO, 1997). Attention is therefore paid to alternatives like the promotion of tourism and other trades like carpentry, training, retailing and sports. The genesis of rural entrepreneurship is the creation of a supporting environment through policies that establish macro-economic stability, property rights and an international outlook (FAO, 1997). The necessary inputs to the entrepreneurship process like capital, infrastructure and management training can therefore be dispatched to the rural areas as a base for establishing a vibrant economy, consequently increasing sufficiency and reducing dependency. ? References Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO. (1997). â€Å"Rural development through entrepreneurship† Retrieved on 20/5/2010 from http://www. fao. org/docrep/W6882E/w6882e02. htm#P359_61606 Ludy, E. Slater, R. (2008). Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to understand and tackle poverty. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Social Design. â€Å"Asset-Based Community Development† Retrieved on 19/05/2010 from http://www. socialdesign. org/assets/development. html

Role of Fast Food in Increasing Childhood Obesity

Role of Fast Food in Increasing Childhood Obesity The pandemic of childhood obesity is something that should be concerning to the individuals of our country as it is something that can be prevented. Within the last 3 decades, child obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents. In 1980, only about 7% of US children between the ages of 6 and 11 were obese, while in 2012 about 18% of them were. Similar results were seen in US children aged 12 to 19 years old, jumping from 5% to 21% during that same time. A person is considered overweight when they have excess body weight from fat, muscle, bone, or water for a certain height. A person who is considered obese has excess body fat (â€Å"Adolescent and School Health†, 2014). Caloric imbalance, which is when more calories are consumed than expended, contributes to obesity and can be affected by an assortment of behavioral, genetic, and environmental factors. Considered both an environmental and behavioral factor, the consumption of fast-food and convenience food contributes to higher obesity rates among children. The pace of the fast-food industry has only sped up in the past 30 years, as fast-food chains are rapidly multiplying and popping up faster than ever before on every street corner. They are known to serve calorie-dense foods which are high in salt and fat, and low in micronutrients (Fraser, Clarke, Cade, Edwards, 2012). These extra calories consumed in addition to the sedentary lifestyles of many children create an â€Å"obesogenic environment.† Extra calories get stored as adipose fat and contribute greatly to obesity (Fraser et al., 2012). Today, over 50 million customers are served each and every day from more than 3,000 different fast-food restaurants across the country. Promotional activities sponsored by these fast-food restaurants often target vulnerable populations including families with children or of low socio economic status, and stress that their products are quick and inexpensive meal replacements (Newman, Howlett, Burton, 2014). Like fast-food outlets, convenience stores are viewed as unhealthy since most of the products on their shelves are non-perishable and can last for long periods of time. The majority of the shelves in these types of stores are stocked with snacks and junk food. Seeing that portion sizes are significantly larger at fast-food and sit-down restaurants, they contain more calories and fat than meals prepared in the home would have (Lee, 2012). Many families opt for these alternatives because they do not have the time to cook a meal in the home or they are trying to save money and this is the only way they know how to. Consuming fast-food and convenience food is unhealthy for people, especially children since their bodies are still growing and need essential nutrients for proper development. An additional 150 calories a day has been associated with children who choose to eat fast-food for one of their meals throughout the day (Lee, 2012). Extra calories get stored as adipose fat, which can lead to being overweight and becoming obese if not monitored closely. The negative effects are numerous and can last a lifetime. Immediate effects of childhood obesity include greater risk for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and developing asthma. Children can also develop sleep apnea and trigger the onset of early puberty by simply being overweight. This can cause a child to become self-conscious about their body image because they are developing faster than their peers. If not monitored before a child reaches adulthood, they have a greater risk of becoming obese as an adult, which can then lead to p roblems such as stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and a variety of different cancers (â€Å"Adolescent and School Health†, 2014). The rate of childhood obesity is climbing in every country with rates around 10% for school-aged children from all over the world. This is concerning since it is known that obesity can stay with a child through adulthood and cause disease. The more accessible grocery stores and farmers markets are, the smaller the risk a person has at becoming obese. While on the opposite end, the more one is surrounded by fast-food and convenience stores the higher their weight status usually is. In 2009, a study performed on 1,669 children indicated that 23% of them were overweight or obese. Additional findings included body weight to be 1.3 kg lower, BMI 0.5 kg/m ² lower, and body fat 1.1% lower in children who had access to supermarkets and food options than those who did not have this advantage (Jennings et al., 2011). Similar results were seen in another study that compared 72,900 children, from 17 different countries aged 6 to 7 years old. Twenty-three percent of the children said that they consumed fast food, while 4% of them said that they consume fast-food on a daily basis. The children who rarely came in contact with fast-food had an average BMI of 16.35, those who consumed fast-food once or twice a week had an average BMI of 16.5, and those who consumed fast-food daily had an average BMI of 16.57 (Braithwaite et al., 2014). Consumption of fast food only increases as a child gets older into their teen years. The more frequent fast-food is consumed, the higher a child’s BMI will be. Children are in a vulnerable state during their childhood, but also have an opportunity for extraordinary growth. It is important to nip these bad habits now, so they do not become the norm in the future. A study of 13 to 15 year olds in the United Kingdom showed associations between eating fast-food and the increase of body fat. Persons who ate fast-food typically had 2% more body fat and increased their odds of becoming obese by 23% (Fraser et al., 2012). Due to its expanding fr anchises, calorie dense products and large portion sizes, fast-food chains have become a major concern in several countries. Another thing to consider is the location of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores in relation to the school and the home. At least one fast-food chain has been found within walking distance of about 37% of all schools around the country (Newman, Howlett, Burton, 2014). Fewer servings of fruits and vegetables and increased servings of soda were seen in students who walked one half mile or less to a fast-food chain from school. The population of students who attended schools close to fast-food chains were more likely to be seen as overweight or obese than students who were not considered to be in that type of environment. In this study, the average BMI was 21.7 kg/m ² for students aged at least 12.5 years old. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), this is considered to be in the healthy weight range. With only 55% of children attending a school within walking distance of a fast-food restaurant, 27.7% of the total sample was overweight and 12% were considered obe se. A 0.10 unit increase in BMI was also seen in children who attended schools with a fast-food restaurant nearby (Davis Carpenter, 2009). Almost the same results were seen in a Leeds, UK population of 33,594 children ages 3 to 14. Of those living within the metropolitan boundaries, 27.1% of the population was overweight with 12.6% being obese (Fraser Edwards, 2010). Not only does fast-food cause an increase in BMI, but also increases a child’s risk of becoming obese. The odds of being overweight increases 1.06 times and the odds of being obese increases 1.07 times for children who attend schools that are in close proximity to a fast-food chain (Davis Carpenter, 2009). In a California-based study, the occurrences of obesity in high schools were significantly higher for students that could walk to fast-food outlets during or after school (Lee, 2012). Another survey conducted at a medium-sized public school district in Virginia showed that students within one-tenth of a mile of any fast-food place were 3.9 times more likely to be obese and have an increase of 2.32 units in BMI. BMI increased another 0.40 units if there was another restaurant within one quarter of a mile (Mellor, Dolan, Rapoport, 2011). It is all about location; children are more tempted to grab a bite to eat from a fast-food restaurant if it is on their way to and from sch ool. Convenience food is another factor that contributes greatly to childhood obesity. In a national study, 9,760 children were tracked from kindergarten until the spring of their eighth grade on fast-food, snack, and soda consumption. Fifth-graders showed that they ate an average of 0.46 fast-food/snacks per day, while 12% of them consumed fast-food daily. The average soft drink consumption was 0.91 servings daily with 19% reporting that they had more than twice the daily recommended serving (Andreyeya, Kelly, Harris, 2011). Another national survey states that an extra soft drink serving for children is associated with a 15% increase in the probability of obesity, while an additional serving of fast-food causes a 25% increase. Also, an extra serving of juice a day is associated with a 10% increase (Mandal Powell, 2014). An additional study of 350 kindergarteners in south-eastern Poland reported that 14.6% of all children were overweight. After reviewing their diets, it was found that m ost of the foods were calorie dense and loaded in added sugar. Snacking was seen between all meals and the consumption of sugary drinks was high. At least once a week, fruit juice high in sugar was drunk by 66% of children and sweetened sodas by 44.6% of them. Furthermore, 58% of children ate only one serving of sweets per day, while roughly one third ate these treats multiple times per week. Research indicates that young children with a BMI above the 80th percentile are at three times the risk to experience obesity during the ages from 24 to 29. The risk even increases to four times for adolescents who are overweight (Kostecka, 2014). Even though more and more children these days are eating convenience food and fast-food, there are several ways parents, schools, and communities can help to prevent this from happening. Prevention programs must have an approach that aims to boost energy expenditure and reduce intake. Individually, caregivers would need to be targeted since most children are too young to understand. Caregivers should have nutrition education and be able to prepare healthy meals. At home, parents should be encouraged to serve proper food portions, support physical activity, and minimize or eliminate sedentary behaviors. They should also prepare meals in the home versus grabbing fast-food on the run. A good idea might be to make leftovers so that they can be heated up when in a time crunch. That way, the children are still getting a healthy and satisfying meal that gives them plenty of energy for whatever activities they might be doing. At school, school lunches can be altered to lower the caloric cont ent and vending machines can be removed. That will eliminate any energy dense snack foods and sugary drinks, although children may still bring these kinds of snacks from home. Another idea for schools is to design their buildings so that students expend more energy throughout the day. This can be done by designing a multistory building where each succeeding class is on a different level which promotes significant stair stepping during the day. In the community, public policies and mass media campaigns can aim to promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The community can also place taxes on sugary items and fast-food in the hopes that the extra cost will deter people from purchasing these items. An example of a public policy that helps prevent child obesity can be seen in Arkansas. It called for mandatory BMI testing of children in public schools starting in 2003 (Han, Lawlor, Kimm, 2010). This type of testing has been used in 13 other states and should be considered in state s currently lacking this screening. This way, children’s weight can be monitored from an early age and preventative measures can be taken before it is too late. As one can see, the rate of childhood obesity has been growing rapidly all over the world. Rates are only going to keep increasing if nothing is done to prevent it. All the studies have shown that there is a positive association between BMI and fast-food intake, and BMI and convenience food intake. A higher BMI than the norm indicates that the child is either overweight or obese. Positive associations were also seen between BMI, obesity, and distance between fast-food/convenience stores and the home/school. It is our job as a community to reduce the prevalence of obesity in children. There will always be a continued need for nutritional education concerning fast-food and its health consequences. Of the United States total gross domestic product, about 12.7% is spent on health care annually. Seeing that obesity is one of the most expensive medical conditions, the need for intervention is clear (Davis Carpenter, 2009).

Chinese Negotiation Vs American Negotiation

Chinese Negotiation Vs American Negotiation This is an intercultural assignment for the subject Intercultural Sales Negotiation.. I am a student of the minor Latin American Business Studies. In the minor Latin American Business Studies that I am following, we got the assignment to study the Guanxi case and to do some research into the Chinese and US culture related to negotiation meetings. The last part of this assignment will be that I have to prepare a role of an American party in a negotiation standing between Electrowide and Motosuzhou. In this assignment you can expect the following subjects: there will be a short description of different cultures in the world. Next subject will be an intercultural research about the Chinese and US cultures and in which these various cultures will influence negotiation attitudes and positions. After this there will be a preparation about the Guanxi case. This preparation includes: BATNA, ideals, fallbacks, needs/priorities, assumptions and strategies/tactics. In this preparation there will be also quoted explicitly when and in what way the research has affected the preparation. Intercultural research between American and Chinese people doing negotiation The world has a lot of people. The people who are living in different parts of the world are not all the same. They belong to a certain culture. A culture includes the customs and traditions of a certain nation from a certain country. This includes the set of values, nutrition, diet, clothing, religion, music and dance. We can divide the world in several main cultures like: North American, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin American, Middle East/ African and Asian culture. During negotiation around the world you have to know the differences between all these different cultures. Doing some research before going into a negotiation is very important. This is important because there could appear some misunderstandings because of the differences in culture. If you work in a global commercial environment it is useful to have some knowledge of the impact of these cultural differences. This is one of the keys to international business success during negotiation. Regarding to these differences of culture, we now going to zoom in into the Chinese culture and the American culture doing negotiation with each other. We are going to look in what way the various cultures of American and Chinese people will influence negotiation attitudes and positions.   Chinese way of negotiation: If we look at the way Chinese business people negotiate, they are very different in comparison with other countries. They are very different in terms on how they approach a business negotiation. For Chinese business people a negotiation is more like an exchange of information. A getting to know you process. They consider it as a formal discussion. They are willing to negotiate for a long time to get to know each other and to create a long time partnership. The reason willing to negotiate for a long time is to get as much as information out of you. If they manage to get enough information out of you, they can adjust their arguments on what you are saying. They can also use all those information that you are telling them against you eventually. China is a society of high-context. This means that in this kind of society you do not have to say or write to much to make clear what you are meaning. For the Chinese business people it is not only verbal communication, but also a lot of non-verbal communication to express yourself. You only have to make a little part of your message explicit, because most of the information is already implicit in the environment or in the assumed prior knowledge of the person. The Chinese business people do not like the direct word no. They will find it very rude and disrespectful. It is better to avoid to say the word no to the Chinese party. It is difficult to avoid to say no, but there are several ways to say no indirectly. Little example: In the Western culture they would say: No, we cannot do that and in the Chinese culture would say: That may be difficult for us to do so. So it is really important that you think very clearly how you going to disagree to a Chinese party. An option is to shift you responsibility for your decisions to something else in the negotiation. If you do say no to a Chinese person you will lose face (mianzi in Chinese). This means that you are losing your good reputation and social standing compared to you Chinese business associate. This could be not good for the business negotiation. Chinese people are very good in saying no indirectly. The style of the Chinese business people of saying no is to apply objections to disagree with a proposal. Chinese are very collectively set. Functioning/thinking as a group and having a good relationship between parties has a big importance in the Chinese society. Relationship is called in Chinese: Guanxi. During negotiation this is very important for the Chinese business people to create with the other party. If you manage to have a good Guanxi with the other it is much easier to negotiate and to reach your goals. During the negotiation with your Chinese associate you have find out if you are talking with the right person who makes the final decisions. The fact is that it is very common in the Chinese way of negotiating that the person who makes the final decisions is not the person who is sitting in front of you but someone else. These people are intermediaries. This is because there is a hierargy in the Chinese society. This means they have limited authority in making final decisions. If you know it is not the right person in front of you who makes the final decisions, you can expect that they first have to discuss it with their companions before making the final deal. Chinese people appreciate if their foreign party speaks their language. As a foreign party this will improve your status compared to the Chinese party. Chinese people love to negotiate for a long time to make you impatient and exhausted to get the best deal possible out of it. They want you to feel like you need them more then they need you. At last Chinese culture is based on a survival of the fittest culture. They will say to the other party that they want the best deal for both, but the truth is that they doesnt mean that seriously. They want to have a win-lose deal. Win-win is mostly not an option. American way of negotiation: If we look at the way American business people negotiate, they are totally the opposite in doing negotiation then the Chinese business people. Americans want to negotiate to reach their goal, to make the best deal out of it and at the end to make a contract right away. Americans are very individual minded. For them counts the fewer the people the less confusion the quicker of making a deal. Time is money for them so they want to get the negotiation done in a hurry. This behavior is a big disadvantage for the Chinese people who want to make to negotiation as long as possible. The use the situation of the Americans willing to do everything as quick as possible. Americans are very straight to the point. They just want to reach their goals and do not look at the whole of the topic. If they would do that more they maybe could get more out of the deal. Americans do not like to negotiate. They are very informal when doing negotiations. Because Americans are very individualistic they have full authority during negotiations. They want to lead the negotiation and they want to make the final decisions. They are not an intermediary. They make a lot of proposals and they like to talk a lot. Unlike China, America is a low context society. They are a society which uses a lot of verbal communication. This makes it very hard for Americans to understand the Chinese, because it isnt always the words, it is the meaning behind the words which are important. Conclusion It is good for an American to understand how the culture of the Chinese business people works. Because if you dont, it would be difficult to get the best deal out of the negotiation. As an American it is important that you can adapt the behaviors of the Chinese. Be flexible. If you can try to speak their language this will improve your position compared to the Chinese. Do not be impatient, because the Chinese will use this against you. Find the right person to talk to, because if you are talking to an intermediary you know that he/she isnt the person who makes the final decisions. Try to minimize your nos to be not disrespectful and rude. Try to put your no in a indirect way. Be careful with giving too much information. Chinese are active listeners. They want to make you talk. Try to get an exchange of information. When you negotiate with your Chinese partner the most important thing you need to do is to established the relationship/partnership (Guanxi). The Guanxi in Jeopardy case Now that I have done the research about the Chinese and the American culture, I am now going to look how these differences in culture apply to the  ´Guanxi in Jeopardy ´ case. Description of the situation Our company Electrowide We are a multibillion dollar ($5B) manufacturer company called Electro wide located in the United States. We are a company which manufactures a broad range of automotive electronics products. Looking at the todays ever increasing competitive automotive electronics and becoming more proactive in this kind of market, we are undergoing a massive structural reformation. The purpose of this reformation is that the companys various product line departments have more autonomy. So that eventually each department will be responsible for its own profit and loss statements. One of our key strategic objectives is to become a big rival in the market of Asia. We are looking for an Asian associate to help manufacture and sell engine management systems that run emission-control, fuel nozzle, and ignition systems for Chinese-made vehicles. In the first place the output would be sold to the Chinese market with future plans to export later. We believe, as the company Electrowide, that the partnership with the Chinese associate will play a important role not only in the promotion of Electrowide business growth, but also in providing product development expertise in the region. The Chinese company Motosuzhou Motosuzhou is an enterprise of the Beijing municipal government. This small company has a top-heavy hierarchy with a representative director overseeing daily operations and various supervisors in charge of functional units. This means decision making is top-down. The company runs its own operations free from government intervention. Its labor force is consists mainly of rural employees. The companys strength is in achieving economies of scale in assembly-line manufacturing of engine control subassemblies. The competition in the local market is beginning to grow. Motosuzhous reason to do business with a foreign company is to develop a long-lasting relationship that will work in harmony with local government policies. Also acquire technology through transfer by importing equipment and designs and adapt them to the automotive industry in China. They do not want to fail in the eyes of the government or the community. The role We as the company Electrowide are interested in Motosuzhou because of the Chinese companys technical proficiency in its design of automotive subsystems. Obtaining this kind of knowledge would give Motosuzhou a competitive advantage in the industry. Motosuzhou would also rely on Electrowide because of financing most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture. The objective of Electrowide is to establish a joint venture with Motosuzhou of China to conduct manufacturing operations in China. Batna (best alternative to negotiating on agreement) Before we start to negotiate with Motosuzhou we need a steady BATNA (Best alternative to a negotiation agreement). Our BATNA is very important, because we cannot make a wise decision about whether to accept the negotiated agreement unless we know what our alternative is. Having a good BATNA increases our negotiating power to make a good deal out of it. So if the negotiation is not working we always can fall back on our BATNA. But the main point of our BATNA is to make us in a steady and strong position related to the other party Motosuzhou. Regarding to our study of the situation we have determined that we have a moderate BATNA compared to the Motosuzhou. We assume that we have a moderate BATNA considering the fact that China is becoming worlds number one economy. It is predicted that by the year of 2025, Chinas economy will be by far the largest economy in the world. Throughout all the years, China always has been a independent country. They would prefer not to get any help from abroad. They want to solve their own problems and deal with their own situations. This could also be the reason for Motosuzhou to choose to do business by themselves and try to improve their own situation without any help of Electrowide. If this would occur our BATNA would be as follow: we will have a look on certain other strong economic developed countries to do business with. If we look at Japan we also could do business with them or else we could do business with Brasil which is becoming quickly a strong economic country. Ideals Regarding to the ideals, we would like Motosuzhou to sign a contract for the joint venture. One of the ideals is that Motosuzhou will help us to manufacture and sell engine management systems that run emission-control, fuel nozzle, and ignition systems for Chinese-made vehicles. The output of this production would be sold to the Chinese market. After that we would like to export this output as soon as possible abroad. Another ideal would be that both parties Electrowide and Motosuzhou finance each 50% of the investments incurred in establishing the joint venture. This would be a good offer, because the joint venture will eventually have advantages for both parties. Fallbacks Regarding to the fallbacks, our fallback will be that Motosuzhou is not willing to sign the contract to start the joint venture. That they do not agree with the terms and conditions that we have set. This will mean that we have to find other business people to negotiate about starting a joint venture. Another fallback will be that Electrowide would finance most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture instead of the 50%-50% division what we had set as an ideal. Needs/Priorities Deciding our priorities will allow us to be more efficient, since not all issues tend to be equally important. In the first place we need to keep in mind that we are doing business with a different culture. We know that they could look at certain issues differently than us. This is why a good culture research is extremely important. This is our main priority to look at before doing business. Because we are in their country and we have to respect their rules and values. To have a good position compared to the Chinese associate our priority is to study their priorities they want to see from a foreign company. This means that we have to be respectful, honest and trustful towards our Chinese associates. We have to be patient and not willing to do a quick deal, because it is also good for us to search out all the issues that will emerge starting a joint venture. We have to look for a long-lasting relationship to have a good position and to have a good chance of reaching our contract with them. It is also pre if I could speak their language or anyone else of my team. So that they can see that I am really trying to get to know their culture and that I am interested in them. The second priority is to reach an agreement for having a joint venture in the future with Motosuzhou. By understanding their culture and willing to have a long-lasting partnership it would be easier for us to come to a agreement. We have to take the time to get to know each other. The final priority would be that both parties Electrowide and Motosuzhou finance each 50% of the investments incurred in establishing the joint venture. This would be a good offer, because the joint venture will eventually have advantages for both parties. Assumptions During my research I have investigate how the Chinese culture will influence the negotiation attitudes and positions. I assume that during this negotiation about the joint venture, they will set up a cool attitude and that will be very introvert and formal. They want to see what we have to say and what we have to offer. They want to see if we are a company who will offer them opportunities for expanding their business on the Chinese market and not only trying to make the best deal for ourselves. We assume that they first want to get to know us better. They will look if we are potential for them to create a long term relationship with. They would also trying to get as much as possible out of the deal. They will put us on a test, by coming with exaggerated offers to look how far they are able to go with us. We assume that the negotiation could last a long time. This will be one of their tactics knowing that Americans do not like to have a long negotiation. They will use a lot of silent moments because they know Americans will be uncomfortable with that. They know that if they negotiate as long as possible the American will give up and easily agree with a certain proposal. They will try to use our impatient against ourselves. We also assume that they are going to look for a good relationship (Guanxi). We assume that building a good relationship will take a lot of time. This means that we have to accept that for making a good deal. Strategies and tactics Given our moderate BATNA, a bargaining approach will be used during the negotiation. This will be the only approach we can use, because of our moderate position to negotiate against the other party and because of the differences in culture. During the research we have found out that they are growing in their bargaining stance. In order to negotiate we will trade options with each other. We will use the tactic of giving and taking. It will be a back and forth during the negotiation. With the right approach of bargaining we could make some arranges which will give eventually a win-win situation for both parties. We want to have a contract to build the joint venture and if we have an agreement they want us to finance most of the cost incurred in establishing the joint venture. This means that we have to look for the possibilities and this will explain our bargaining approach. We have to keep in mind that we do not have yet a good relationship with the Chinese. We should not demand to mu ch of the other party. In the future we can look for other opportunities, but first it is important to build a good relationship. It is good for an American to understand how the culture of the Chinese business people works. Because if you dont, it would be difficult to get the best deal out of the negotiation. As an American it is important that you can adapt the behaviors of the Chinese. Be flexible. If you can try to speak their language this will improve your position compared to the Chinese. Do not be impatient, because the Chinese will use this against you. Find the right person to talk to, because if you are talking to an intermediary you know that he/she isnt the person who makes the final decisions. Try to minimize your nos to be not disrespectful and rude. Try to put your no in a indirect way. Be careful with giving too much information. Chinese are active listeners. They want to make you talk. Try to get an exchange of information (bargaining). When you negotiate with you r Chinese partner the most important thing you need to do is to established the relationship/partnership (Guanxi). Furthermore, a lot of body language as eye contact will be used. Finally, active listening will be very important also used to confirm understanding.

What did King Tut Represent to the Egyptians? :: ancient Egypt cuture and beliefs

King Tut wasn’t a famous pharaoh but he did have mighty power.have you ever wondered what King Tut ment to the egyptians. I know I sure do. What's interesting about this question is there’s many many theories but there is only one true answer. Many people don't know who King Tut was, why he has his own tomb or even is King Tut still a major part in Egyptian history. ("King Tut Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013). King Tut the12th king of the 18th egyptian dynasty, he had the power from 1361 b.c.e to 1352 b.c.e. During his reign powerful advisers restored the traditional egyptian religion which had been set to the side by his foreigner Akhenaten who had led the â€Å"Amama Revolution.† After his death at age 18 he went missing from history until the discovery of his tomb in 1922. King tut was a weak child who ached from a cleft palate and club foot.He began ruling at the age of 9 due to the death of his father at the age of 5. His brother had already died and he was heir to the throne. He died at the age of 18 due to an infection in the leg. He was known as â€Å"The Boy King† because he became king at a young age.After he died, King Tut was mummified according to Egyptian religious tradition, which held that royal bodies should be preserved and provisioned for the afterlife. (Tutankhamun: The Boy Pharaoh." About.com egyptian History. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.) The infection turned into gangrene which at the end killed king tut. He’s known as â€Å"the boy king† because he was crowned at a young age.king tut was born in Akhetaten. before he was king(when he was prince) he was known as Tutankhaten. Taking the throne his name was Nebkheperure. King Tut didn’t expand Egypt’s borders or enjoy triumphant victories like many pharaohs that came before him.The birth name of Tutankhamun was Tutankhaten, which meant â€Å"Living Image of the Aten.† His father, which remains a mystery, is believed to be Akhenaten, although some evidence points to Amenhotep III.(Tutankhamun." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.) After he died, King Tut was mummified according to Egyptian religious tradition. The royal bodies have to be preserved and provisioned for the afterlife. So they put them into tombs.He had his own tomb because in their afterlife after they are mummified according to Egyptian religious beliefs and traditions.

Shakespeare’s Powerful use of Characterization in The Tempest Essay

Shakespeare’s Powerful use of Characterization in The Tempest In The Tempest, Shakespeare investigates the process of creativity as well as the idea that knowledge is equivalent to power. The Bard draws on both Christian and Aristotelian philosophy to support the premise that morality and creativity are made possible only through the acquisition of knowledge. The characters of Prospero, Ariel, Caliban, and Miranda each represent a different factor in the creative process: knowledge, creativity, medium, and final product, art. Yet they represent something else, as well: the deep divide between the social classes. The same imagery used to illustrate the creative process is used to support the European class system and the subjugation of the native peoples of the new world. Prospero as Knowledge Prospero symbolizes the first step in the creative process. He is knowledge, thought, and idea (Neilson 105). It was his idea to bring about the storm that would bring the ship to the island, facilitating the reconciliation between himself, his brother, and the king. Through his scheming, Miranda and Ferdinand met and became betrothed. Yet his ideas could not be put into effect without the help of Ariel (103). Ariel was freed by Prospero, and became his instrument. Neilson writes, "Prospero thinks-plans, but cannot practice. He needs a working agent to carry out his schemes" (105). Caliban, Prospero's wayward servant, warns the co-conspirators in his plot to kill Prospero, "Remember/First to possess his books, for without them/He's but a sot as I am, nor hath not/One spirit to command" (3.2.86-89). Without the knowledge he has gained from his books, Prospero would have no more power than Caliban. Prospero is a magician, yet h... ...om/servlet/LitRC Johnson, W. Stacy. "The Genesis of Ariel." Shakespeare Quarterly. 11.3 (July 1951): 205-210. Rpt. in Shakespeare for Students. Book II. Literature Resource Center. Gale Group. Payson Lib., Malibu. 20 Feb. 2001. http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC Jones, Norman. "Shakespeare's England." A Companion to Shakespeare. Ed. David Scott Kastan. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. 25-42. Lee, Sir Sidney. "Caliban's Visits to England." Cornhill Magazine. 201 (March 1913): 333, 341-45. Rpt. in Caliban. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1992. 19-23. Martz, William J. The Place of the Tempest in Shakespeare's Universe of Comedy. Kansas: Coronado P, 1978. Neilson, Francis. Shakespeare and the Tempest. Rindge, NH: Smith, 1956. Skura, Meredith Anne. "The Case of Colonialism in the Tempest." Caliban.. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1992. 221-241.

1920s Fashion – Research Paper

The 1920’s fashion was a period of liberation, change, and even more importantly a movement towards the modern era. Fashion in the 1920’s varied throughout the decade but one could see the noticeable change from the previous fashion statements and eras. At the start of the decade, women began emancipating themselves from the constricting fashions by wearing more comfortable apparel.As women gained more rights and World War I forced them to become more independent, flappers came to be, mass-produced garments became available, and artistic movements increased in popularity, one can see how the fashions from the roaring twenties characterized the time and redefined womanhood. (1920s clothing 1) In the early 1920s, change advanced gradually as many women were reluctant to adopt the new styles and changes coming with the new era. From 1925 on however, the styles associated with the roaring twenties were excitedly accepted by the public and continued to characterize fashion i nto the late 1930s.Numerous years had passed since the end of World War I. After the burden of the war, and the female liberation movement, women now felt free-spirited and just simply wanted to have a little fun again. (1920’s Fashion 1) Having won the right to vote in the 1920s, women were able to break free of the traditional feminine image and behaviors previously associated with them. (The American Vision 378) Specifically, women were experiencing a greater sense of individuality and even more importantly a greater sense of independence.As new opportunities arose, women began to shed the confining clothing of the previous centuries. Corsets were forgotten and replaced with looser fitting camisoles. (1920’s Fashion 1) Designers had much more freedom of expression with the new dresses and tops of the twenties. Colorful, loud fabrics showed the joy the women felt about the end of the war and their new freedom and independence. (1920’s women fashions 1) As the 1920s came to a close, one can see how the clothes became more comfortable for women and much less constricting resulting in a slimmer silhouette for women.Thanks to Coco Chanel, the iconic flapper image most closely associated with the roaring twenties came about. The flapper and flapper image didn’t actually come to be until around 1926 and even then was only in style for about three years. Typical flappers were women who appeared to have a bold attitude and were independent women who didn’t adhere to the previously innocent housewife image. A flapper usually had a bob haircut, a shorter than average dress, a flat chest, wore tons of make-up, drank illegal alcohol, smoked with a long cigarette holder, exposed her limbs and danced the Charleston.This was a drastic change from the typical American housewife to the reckless rebel. The flapper dresses stressed above the knee hemlines and construed straight, sleek shapes. This was the first time in centuries women’ s legs were being seen in a garment. (1920s Fashion 1) Flappers loved to jazz up their costume and even their image. Many flappers’ dresses were adorned with jewels and intricate beading. The main object of the flapper image was to appear almost boyish rather than looking feminine. 1920s clothing 1) The nineteen twenties became the first century where mass produced goods really became available and made a significant impact in everyone’s lives. High fashion before the 1920s had really only been for the richer women of society who could afford such luxuries. Mass produced garments became available to more women who could afford them. Mary Pickens Brook of the Woman’s Institute transformed the fashion industry when she invented the one-hour dress. Thanks to Brook, women could now make their own dresses by following a simple sewing pattern.As it was easier for women to make dresses at home it was also easier for factories to manufacture the simple garments. This ba sic style, coupled with the increase in mass production, made fashion easily attainable to women of all income levels. The average person’s fashion sense became more sophisticated than previous eras. Recorded fashion images show after the twenties the fashions of ordinary women and what they typically wore in contrast to just the clothing of the rich. Styles at all levels now were being heavily influenced by the newly portrayed movie stars.Regular people could now see the movie star’s fashion and make their own renditions of it to create an ever changing style. (1920s Fashion 1) Art had a particularly remarkable influence over the 1920’s clothing. Crazy and bright fabrics were becoming more and more prominent throughout the decade as opposed to the blacks, grays, and neutrals of the past years. Designers also started playing around with geometric patterns and shapes. (1920’s clothing 1) Lighter, brighter, and shorter became the new expectations of clothin g in the 1920’s, especially the dresses.Fashion designers started to become more daring and use numerous fabric colors, textures, and patterns in their line of clothing. Ravishing coordinated and accessorized outfits were a must have for the ladies of nineteen twenties. Hats, shoes, stockings, handbags, dresses, and jewelry all came together in perfect harmony to create a unique an elegant style not previously seen in earlier decades. (1920’s women fashions 1) Influences from the 1920s fashions decade can still be found in many of today’s present trends. For starters, women could now find the same looks in high-priced boutiques as they could in discount retailers.Cardigan jackets and sweaters, first worn in the 1920s have become staple items in today’s fashion industry. Even the style of the bob hair cut has become a classic style nowadays. The fashion of the nineteen twenties was the beginning of change and the love of fashion that numerous people share today. As a result of liberation and artistic movements, mass-production, and flappers one can see how the nineteen twenties fashion era began shaping the fashion industry into one of the biggest industries known today.

Promote person centred approaches Essay

Person centred values must influence all aspects of health and social care. The individual is at the centre of the care and are involved in every aspect of it. This ensures that their support, activities, care plans and support plans are tailored to the individual and meet their needs in a way that is appropriate to them. There are person-centred values which must be used to underpin the above. These are respect, partnership, individuality, rights, choice, privacy, independence and dignity. In following the values, people are then empowered to live their lives and achieve their potential. A care plan details a persons needs and wishes, what is being done to meet them and who is involved in doing so. If a care plan is person-centred it reflects their individuality and will contain their own views and wishes, inform you about what they think is important and how they feel about their circumstances and tell; you how they want to live their life. By knowing this, it means you can support them to live how they want and achieve their dreams, recognising their choices and ideas. Read more: Define person centred values essay There are factors which influence the capacity of an individual to give consent. Having the capacity means having the physical or mental ability to do something, and consent means having the ability to give informed permission for something to happen. It also implies the individual understands what their decision means. The ability to give consent comes from being able to understand complex and abstract ideas or concepts without the need for evidence. You have to be able to weigh up the pros and cons and make a decision. Therefore you need to be able to understand the risks and benefits of a situation, be able to freely express your thoughts, ask questions and have the time to process the situation. Personal values and beliefs, the level of education and a person’s communication skills impact on their ability to make a decision. As does, having their thoughts and opiuons respected, treated with dignity and knowing theywont be judged for the decisions they do make. If consent can not be readily established you need to adapt your approach to  the individual. For example if a person needs time to process information and go over it time and time again, then you do that till they are ready. Some people are unable to consent due to their learning disability or medical condition. In this case, the individual will have a representative will act in their best interests. Any decisions already given consent too would be found in their care plan. Family members are a great point of contact. Active participation is about working in a way which respects the individual’s right to participate in life as independently as possible. They are seen as active participant or partner. To apply active participation to an individuals needs you would make sure you are aware of their likes, dislikes, wishes and also their abilities. You would then use this knowledge to come up with a plan that best suits the individual. This ensures a happy outcome for everyone. It is person-centred and put the individual in control and living an independent life where possible. Sometimes an individual needs support to challenge or question a decision about them which is made by others. You can do this by supporting the individual to decide what they want to do and how they will do it, ensuring they understand the decision that has been made and help them think through why they want to challenge the decision. You can identify who else you might be able to get involved to help out and consider if an advocate would be necessary. Arranging a meeting to address their concerns can also be done. Identity, self-image and self-esteem are all linked. Self-image is all about how we see ourselves, and our opinions of our won worth. Self-esteem is all about being confident in who we are and out sense of value. Identity is knowing who you are, what makes you unique, your personality and characteristics. If you don’t know who you are as an individual then you are more likely to struggle with a low sense of value which creates a negative self-image and low self-esteem. This can manifest in individuals behaviour, ability to make simple decisions, express themselves and make choices. Wellbeing is a feeling that you are feeling well and doing well. There are  many factors that influence this. The practical aspects of life factors are income, employment, quality of living environment, physical and mental health and access to services and amenities. There are also factors in relation to personal and social relationships which are support networks, loving and intimate relationships and relationships with the wider community. Values and attitudes also contribute to wellbeing. These are an individual’s sense of purpose and value, their hopes, dreams and fears, their satisfaction with life, what they think and feel about themselves and any moral or spiritual codes of behaviour. How people are treated by society and their life experiences play a part in how they see themselves and therefore affect their sense of wellbeing. Risk taking and risk assessments relate to rights and responsibilities. The exercise of individual rights goes side by side with the individual taking responsibility for the outcomes of their decision. Therefore, you need to be sure that the individuals have the capacity to make an informed decision and fully understand any potential consequences. Risk assessments need to be regularly reviewed as peoples needs and abilities change, especially if their health deteriorates as they may be expected to do more than they can manage. Also, if an activity was agreed to develop skills and confidence, by not reviewing the risk assessment, your are undermining everything they have achieved and they won’t be able to continue to progress.