Utilitarianism - Slavery Essays - Racism, African Slave Trade

Utilitarianism - Slavery ?Kunta Kinte? the infamous character from the movie Roots was the model slave that many Americans pictured as your typical slave. Most people pictured the slavery era as a dark age of the United States. They picture this part of the U.S. history as the period of suffering and regrettableness. This era has been described as a period of repression and forced labor, however without this episode there would be no modern day United States. In order to survive in a world of fierce completion one needs to do whatever it takes to succeed. For the United States, it needed the cheap labor to be able to become the world power it is now today. Utilitarianism, whenever this word is brought up there is a sense of confusion and question. What is utilitarianism? Although, one may have never heard of the word utilitarianism we have all experienced some form of it. The formal definition of utilitarianism is that it is a principle which requires that whenever we have a choice between alternative actions or social policies we shall choose the one that has the best consequences for everyone involved. This is the single, fundamental, and universal principle of morality. This principle is considered a universal principle that applies to all people at all times, and places. The best consequences mean the best balance of happiness over unhappiness. An example of a controversial issue about utilitarianism is euthanasia. This issue has stirred up much debate and anger. Who must decide if a person should be allowed to die, or live? Should the decision be the patient's, the family's', or should it be the doctor's? This has sparked one of the fiercest debates in our nation today. Most people have had some contact with this specific issue, whether through a personal experience or through the news. We have all developed some personal view about the issue. An example is the case of Dr. Matthew Donnelly. He was a physicist who worked with X-rays for 30 years, and as a result of this exposure he contracted cancer. He lost part of his jaw, his upper lip, his nose, his left hand, and as well as two fingers from his right hand. He lost his ability to see, and his doctor told him that he had about a year to live, but he decided that he did not want to live in this state of constant pain and torture. He begged his three brothers to take him o ut of his misery. Two of the brothers refused but the third one, Harold, who loved his brother very much, obeyed and killed him. This case carried much controversy and debate. Should Harold be charged with murder and what should be done about future cases? Utilitarianism says that the morally right thing to do is to do whatever brings the greatest balance of happiness over non-happiness. On occasions, the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness may be brought about by mercy killing. Chattel slavery in America began in the 15th century. The first black slaves were brought over to America in the year 1619 to Jamestown, Virginia. Brought over to this country by Dutch ships, they were subjected to limited servitude, a legalized status of Native American, white, and black servants preceding slavery in most of the English colonies in the New World. The number of slaves imported was small at first, and it did not seem necessary to define their legal status. Formal recognition of slavery, however, occurred in Massachusetts in 1641, in Connecticut in 1650, and in Virginia in 1661; these statutes mainly concerned fugitive slaves. With the development of the plantation system in the southern colonies in the latter half of the 17th century, the number of Africans imported as agricultural slave laborers increased greatly, and several northern coastal cities became centers of the slave traffic. Generally, in most of the northern colonies, slaves were used as domestics and in trade; in the Middle Atlantic colonies they were used more in agriculture; and in the southern colonies, where plantation agriculture was the primary occupation, almost all slaves were used to work the plantations. As African slaves became an increasingly important element in the English colonies in America,

U.S presidential candidates essays

U.S presidential candidates essays Comparing the two presidential candidates for the year 2004 can be a bit difficult for the simple reason that the President and Senator disagree practically on all the issues. The main issue that President Bush and Senator Kerry have been debating about the most is the war on terror. The Bush campaign has the advantage that Kerry is not too proud of his voting record and they have used that against him. While on the other hand, the Kerry campaign recently received good news when the report compiled by Charles Duelfer, chief U.N. weapons inspector, was released saying that Saddam Hussein did not in fact possess weapons of mass destruction. With the third and final debate between the two presidential candidates now over, the stakes are high. Still there is only one candidate that will have the chance to occupy the president's chair in the White House, and the one who fits it best is George W Bush. Bush has a voting record to be proud of while Kerry has been categorized by the Bush administration as a "flip-flopper". Kerry now says he is against the war when he supported the president's decision to invade Iraq by voting for the war. The thing that might hurt Kerry the most is that after voting for the war, he voted against federal funding for the troops in Iraq! One thing that both Bush and Kerry agree on is that the stakes could not be any higher. With elections so close at hand, this race looks to be a tough and good one! ...

Pharmacology Oxybutinin Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pharmacology Oxybutinin - Case Study Example Patient reported no history of admission in hospital or any surgical operation being performed on him. He reported no instance of injury where there was involvement of the pelvic region. The patient only reported to have gone for checkups when in childhood he had a dizziness feeling and double vision. The patient is the fifth in the family and college student. There is no one in his family with the same condition. The patient reported no use of tobacco or alcoholic drink. No any illicit drug was reported to be used. The patient reported that he like cycling to school. He further reported that he is not involved in sexual activity. Family is likely noncontributory factor. The patient reported no difficulty of breathing. On further of review of system the patient did no report complains of chest pain, shortness of breath whether resting or on exertion. He also reported no orthopnea while lying down. Also on further review there was no reported paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. The patient did not report any chest pain related condition on questioning him. He reported no problem related with blood pressure. He reported no shortness of breath on activity done. The patient did not report paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea related to cardiac disease. The patient reported no shortness of breath, further he reported no snoring at night and apnea. On further review of system the patient did not report use of pillows while sleeping. Also reported no coughing at night and exertional apnea. The patient did not complained of abnormal bowel sound. The patient reported normal colour texture and consistency of stool. The patient reported normal appetite without deviation to the extreme. In addition, the patient reported no nausea and vomiting for the past days, he did not report constipation or diarrhea. The patient also did not complained dysphagia. The patient complained of polyuria and urgency of micturition. The patient reported no pain

Eating habit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eating habit - Essay Example Another advantage of writing down what you eat is that you can also monitor your calorie intake. As a person wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stick to a normal weight, I find this very helpful. Based on the content of the food journal, it is easy to pinpoint how one can examine his eating patterns as well as modify them in order to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Being aware of others' eating habits will allow me to recommend which food to avoid and which food to increase intake of. According to recent scientific studies, there might be a link between genetics and eating habits but in only a small number of people. The assertion that there might be this "fat genes" which makes people obese is not really applicable to everyone. I believe that in the nature and nurture debate, eating habit and lifestyle is still highly dependent on nurture. A person's eating habit is usually acquired from the parents. Food preference specifically is a thing of what parents give their children to eat. Studies show that the taste of mom's breast milk is dependent on what she eats. Thus, even in the early years, environmental factors weigh in considerably. As a person grows old, he often acquires the eating habit of his parents.

Contemporary Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contemporary Ethics - Essay Example Internet and cell phone communications have been cited as tools for Cyber bullying. According to Hopline, what appalls even more is that Cyber bullying occurs during kids’ class time. Hopline cites that cyber bullying has far reaching implications on kids, so that the victims (kids) of cyber bullying only feel safe when in their bedrooms. According to Hopline, it does not under all circumstances hold that cyber bullying causes physical harm. However, cyber bullying is mostly associated with causation of harmful emotional fallout which may cumulate to other gar reaching consequences. Hopeline cites an example of Megan Meier; the girl aged 13 who committed suicide after belittlement by a hacker (her mother’s friend) that posed on MySpace as a boy aged 16 years. Hopline acknowledges that peer to peer cyber bullying is the most rampant, but its implications are not so severe. Effective curbing of cyber bullying would entail instilling of ethical morals among the youth, whic h will help them suit to information technologies. Hopline argues that there can be no an over-reactive approach as parents barring their kids from accessing technology in attempt to curb cyber bullying. Hopline suggests that an appropriate ramification procedure would entail the parents convening to open meetings, where then the parents can share and appropriately advice their kids on cyber bullying. Parents should be tactical so to dispel rebellion from their kids. Parents should not ignore the fact that all have under high risks of cyber bullying; terms such as ‘some kids are immune’ should not exist since all are sensitive to belittlement. Other intervention techniques should encompass teaching the kids on the importance of respect. In the case where kids are cyber-bullied, appropriate intervention procedures should be followed before the situation gets out of hand. It is factual that

Social Reference Groups Family Roles And Status Media Essay

Social Reference Groups Family Roles And Status Media Essay Nowadays, there are more and more products available in the market, often supported by advertising and strong communication. The objective of the study of consumer behaviour or more precisely the customer, is to understand how people buy and consume. This analysis is very complex because each individual is unique and versatile, so not always faithful. In addition, there are many factors you have to take into consideration and there are often uncontrollable. So the actions of buyers are quite difficult to predict. For that you have to understand: What they are What they do What they think How they decide and act According to Schiffman Kanuk, consumer behaviour is principally about the search, the purchase, the use, the evaluation and the disposal of the product and service that they assume will please they needs. Moreover they are some buyer characteristics and psychology, which influence their buyer behaviour. They are four important categories: Cultural: culture, subculture, social class Social: reference groups, family, roles and status Personal: age, life cycle stage, occupation, economic situation, lifestyle, personality and self concept Psychological: motivation, perception, learning, beliefs and attitudes Here we will analyse in which way people are influenced by their psychological need, with their personal and social self-concept. But we will also see the possible influence of the symbolic consumption, the reference group influence and also the cultural group influences. First we have to understand the meaning of these words. Self concept: totality of the individuals thoughts and feelings having reference to himself as an object (Rosenberg 1979) According to Burns and Rosenberg, real self is associated with how a person apprehends herself; ideal self is associated with how a person desire to apprehend herself and finally social self is associated with how a person introduces herself to the others. There are at least two reasons: the self-esteem and self consistency (Epstein 1980) The first is associated with the penchant for the search of experiences that reinforce the self-concept. The second is the penchant for someone to act constantly with her view of herself. These two notions could be rival. Symbolic consumption: According to Levy, it is associated with the penchant of the consumer to concentrate on the meanings, apart from the real physical aspect of tangible objects. This is more a social tool who to communicate between the individual and his references (Grubb and Grathwohl, 1967). If you want that your product or brand act as an emblem it has to be culturally spread and shared (Dittmar, 1992). Reference group: A reference group is the group, which forms a comparison or a reference in their attitudes or behaviour. You can be a member or not, but anyway it has an influence, great or no on your opinions, values or attitudes. According to Hebert Hyman, it also means that you use your group as a point of reference in deciding your preferences and believes. The size can be variable, small to very large like political party or religious institution. Cultural group: Culture is what a person of a society learns from family and other important institutions. It could be some: beliefs, values or customs. (Kotler, 1996). By culture you mean societys personality as the language, laws, religions, food customs, music, artà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Culture is something you acquire. So cultural group is people who shared a same culture, and you can have three levels of subjective culture: Supranational National Group (e.g.: families, friends, shopping group) IN WHICH WAY PEOPLE ARE INFLUENCED? As we have seen before, a consumer can be influence by some factors like personal, psychological or social characteristics. First, the personal characteristics are particular to one person: Age and life cycle (according to the Royal Bank of Scotland it exists 5 life cycle stage segments: youth, getting started, builders, accumulators and preservers) Occupation, which influence the goods and services who are buying by a consumer. Economic situation (personal income, interest rates, savings) Lifestyle: activities (work, hobbies), interests (food, fashion), opinions (business, products) Personality: multi-trait approach (five-factor model), single-trait approach (consumer ethnocentrism, need for cognition, consumers need for uniqueness) Self-concept: self-image The self-concept is a multidimensional assembly (Hamm and Cunfiff, 1969; Hughes and Guerrero, 1971; Guttman, 1973) that allows people to judge them in many circumstances of social situations. :aspects_of_self_concept_002-17.gif (Hunter 2012) Broad aspects of self-concept PERSONAL SELF-CONCEPT Self-concept is often linked to the brand personality (Levy 1959, Sirgy 1982), because people usually buy a brand they think they are matching with (Dent-Read Szokolsky, 1993; Zalthman, 1997). The aim is for the consumer to fraternize with the brand. Landon (1974) thinks that people are interested in brands that fit their self-concept and personality. E.g.: Body Shop: justice and equity Brand personality, according to Jennifer Aaker is the characteristics, which are accompanied with a brand. E.g.: Pepsi is seen as young while Coca-Cola is seen as real and honest According to Kardes et al (2011), if the main goal of the marketers is to do brand awareness, then they have to cultivate a communication with real self-concept. We can take LOreal with is slogan Because Im worth it or Apple with Im a Mac or Im a PC. To the contrary if they want to change beliefs about the brand, they have to focus on ideal self-concepts. For example: US Armys slogan Be all you can be; Pateck Philippe Who will you be in the next 24 hours?) But does the brand personality really count? According to Freling, Crosno and Henard (2011) they have demonstrate in one test the effectiveness of their system based on three constituents: favourability, originality and clarity. These are directly related to the purchase decision. Attributes of products can lead to a characteristic identity for a person. For example, a teenager his with fashion jacket, which is making him self-confident, and permit to feel like a cool guy. Most of the people are carrying about some of their objects that make them what they are. And sometimes if you loose them you feel like you have lost a piece of you. We can take the example of someone who would have been robbed; very often he will have the impression of being raped. It is the same with the natural catastrophes where the people feel very depressed or are experiencing a decrease of their sense of self. Another example is in Ireland nowadays, a tradition wants that people are buried with some of their very important values objects. So we can say that the products can influence the self-concept we use and have. Russel Belk has widely contributed to the development of the extended self-notion, but William James is at the origin of the conviction that the objects we have can help the construction of our identity and that people are thanks to what they have. His physical and psychological aspect does not only define the person but also his wife and his children or the house and clothes he owns. Another example could be the automobile, according to Banning (1996), for a lot of Americans it is a valuable piece of they self. They are spending a lot of time taking care of their car. Other people are decorating their office with personal items or pictures. They also like according to Tian and Belk (2005) people like to express their personality through objects they have on their desk as mobile phone or notebook. Some people think that they could not live without these technologies. They are like a part of their brains. Moreover, the choices of the aspects you decide to affirm in the workplace demonstrate the way you are arbitrating between home and work borders. Most of the products you have are independent from your physical aspect (except from the haircut, tattooà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we can also talk about diet and plastic surgery). By buying a certain product you can show your singularity. According to Tian et al, the research of the singularity shows the need that people have to develop and improve their social and self-personality thanks to the purchase and use of products. It allows them to make a distinction from those who are buying other products. Due to this need marketers have developed the personalized purchases (e.g. Converse, Nike or some shop where you can do your own tee-shirt). Some objects have become indispensable, like mobile phone that are permitting people to be connected with the others, but also for the adolescent to feel more adult. SOCIAL SELF-CONCEPT According to Whyte, the possession of an innovative property demonstrates the model of the interpersonal communication. With his example about the air conditioner, he says that social conformity is very high in America. So when people are exchanging with their neighbours about their new purchase it animates them to do the same purchase. Nowadays, there are the same things in residential sphere with swimming pools, trampolines, and television satelliteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Whyte also talk about the corporate norms, which stimulate conventionality in offices. Moreover, the word of mouth (viral marketing can be associated with it) is one of the most relevant things in influencing people, in a bad or a good way. People are widely influences by their relatives and people they are seeing like friends, work partners and journalists for example. As they are submerging by advertising the informal power is even stronger and often decisive. According to Charles Cooley, self-concept is directly related to the intercommunication with other people. :The_looking_glass_self.png Consumers are influenced by their culture. It could be seen as the personality of a certain society. As a human being, culture is made by some proper characteristics like demography, norms, art or traditions. It is not easy for a person of a society to certainly define how his culture is. According to Michael Solomon, as we dont face another type of culture or environment, it is difficult to realize what are the differences about the clothes, foods and way of interacting with each other. According to McCracken, a lot of significations in our everyday life products are developed by our culture. They are giving symbolic qualities to products consistent to our culture through advertising. E.g. Calvin Klein with is ads about thinness. It exists some different rituals according to the country: Wedding ceremony for the Jewish New years celebration in France Senior high school prom in America Moreover, people can also be influenced by subcultures. They possess the same value systems established on shared life experiences. There are some characteristics as race and origins. It exists 4 important subcultures in America: Hispanic African American Asian Mature consumers For example they have common characteristics like for American Hispanics (Mexican, Cubans, Costa Ricans): Shopping is something they do in family, they are willing to buy some goods of good quality (generics are not preferred), they are brand loyal and like companies who are interested in them. We can also talk about another subculture: age, with for example the Generation Y (born 1982-2000) who are willing to use more internet than newspapers, use a lot text messaging and spend time on online social networks. :3690640303001.png Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) The reference groups are groups that can form a comparison or a reference in forming attitudes of behaviour. It can be also aspirational, informal, primary and secondary or symbolic. With the reference groups we face new way of behaviours and lifestyles, but it also inspire our attitudes and self-concept. Moreover it can develop ways of pressure to conform to our group, it could influence our products and brand choices. It can be some rock stars, professional athletes, opinion leaders or group like for example Vocalpoint, a community for moms. Celebrities endorsement is usually use in advertising to convince the consumer to choose this brand. Very often, the consumer is not even aware of the behavioural influence of the group. This is especially true is the development of social networks like Facebook, Twitter or forum where consumers talk about their experiences. You are influenced, as this is a relevant aspect of your social life. But for that you have to share the same interests. (Michener Wasserman, 1995). Kathryn Mercurio and Mark Forehand (2011) have shown that when you are watching a television ad that makes you think about your reference group, it is easier for you to remember it. It exists different types of groups like shopping, work, consumer-action, friendship or virtual groups. Shopping group could decrease the risk of your purchase thanks to the opinion of the others. Consumer-action group is for example who are fighting for a cause like Greenpeace. Concerning the friendship group, we could say that its one of those who have the most important influence on purchases with the family one. They are often more trustful with their friends than the marketers. According to Emmanuel Rosen(2002), more than 43% of the people who are travelling have made their choices of planes and hotels thanks to the advice of their friends and family. So people are very attentive to their advices, also for clothes, for the brands their purchase but also for the magazines and the films they will choose. According to Tobi Elkin (2011), the influence of the peer is the first motive in the shopping behaviour of the teenage girls. Even if they are price-conscious and attentive to interesting deal, the most important thing is that their friends and family agree with their purchase decision. With the appearance and development of Internet, virtual groups are borne. Hoegg et al (2006) recognized five types: Blogs Wikis Podcasts Social networks Social bookmarking This kind of online activity has totally changes the ways people are influenced; it has a relevant role with brand connections. Because people can easily learn about the brand they like and people are sharing recommendations for brand through these sites. Finally they are a lot of ways whereby the consumer is influenced. It could be by discussing the product, or by the pressure of the peer, by imitation or by the influence of social media. We have seen that a reference group can have a wide influence on people, principally by playing an informational role. They could also have an utilitarian influence, because people are looking for acceptance and approval. Reference groups can also be value-expressive, because they are ready to conform to the group due to the psychological need to be part of the group. They can compare their selves to the others. (Schiffman et al., 2008). According to Saul Kassin, Steven Fein and Hazel Markus (2010), we all are animate by the actions of other people. (E.g.: when someone is laughing you are often tempted to laugh too or for the musicians who are putting some of their money to encourage people to donate). Consumer conformity is when people change their behaviour to adapt to the other consumers (e.g.: compliance or private acceptance). According to Solomon Asch(1951), during a study when the judgement of a person is in conflict with the opinion of most of the other participants, he generally changes is mind even if they are wrong. There is also the anti-conformist who is willing to stop buying a brand when it is too popular (e.g.: Apple) CONCLUSION To conclude, we can say that self-concept is not just about our essential values or interests but it is also about people who are around us like family, friends, intimate relationship and group of interest. (William James, 1980). Self-concept can be related to social connections with our peers, our families or even with our reference groups. They are often using the reaction of other people to construct their opinion and themselves but also by using social comparisons. So the personal and social concept is closely related to the symbolic consumption, reference groups and social groups. Relationships are something very relevant for the construction of themselves. We have also seen that we are more willing to process the information that is consistent with our self-concept and that our self-image could be multiple (family self, friend self, student self).

Applying the Background and Methodology of the Research Process

Jonathan HoffsuemmerA serious problem seen by nurse practitioners that work in rural areas is teen pregnancy. A peer-reviewed research paper published by The Journal for Nurse Practitioners entitled â€Å"Who Will Listen? Rural Teen Pregnancy Reflections.† There are both medical and social concerns that occur with teen pregnancy. Teen pregnancy statistic shows that teen mothers give birth to premature babies with low birth weight. The social aspect is teen mothers do not complete high school and lives in poverty. These situations rank high in abuse and neglect with teen parents.Definition of the ProblemRural areas show the highest rate of teen pregnancy compared to state rates, which produces a problem that researchers are questioning why this rate is higher in the rural areas. The Theory of Adolescent Sexual Decision Making (TASDM) is the basis this research was conducted to resolve. This theory has two main objectives that include the risk-promoting environments teens experi ence and exposure to risky situation that create the situations teens use to justify sexual behavior (Weiss, 2012).The problem with teen pregnancy produces premature birth and low birth weight in the babies. A medical problem with teen pregnancy is the medical expenses incurred with both teenager and infant. These statistics indicate that teen pregnancy result from family with no insurance and no means to pay the medical expenses teen pregnancy incurs. The social problem teen pregnancy presents are that teen mothers tend not finish high school. Teen pregnancy results in low income rates, the need for higher public assistance, poor educational, behavioral, and health problem in children.Study PurposeThe purpose of the study is to understand the decision-making of teens and why teen pregnancy is higher in the rural areas of the country. The TASDM theory indicates that environment promotes the situation of peer influences, substance use, and media influences (Weiss, 2012). The study wi ll focus on the thought process of teens as to why teens make the choice become sexually activity and risk the consequence of becoming pregnant.Research QuestionThe researchers are studying the question of why teen pregnancy is higher in rural areas. Teen pregnancy occurs because of the lack of prevention that teens do not use and why teens make these types of decisions. The essay directions were for students to indicating if the teens thought there was a teen pregnancy problem in the community (Weiss, 2012). The researchers’ directions were only one question to determine the thought processes of both male and female teens regarding teen pregnancy.HypothesisThe study does not state a hypothesis, but strives to understand why there is a higher rate of teen pregnancies in rural areas. The study will evaluate the difference between boys and girls views about teen pregnancy. The study only has one main focus, but the study derives different variables of the hypothesis. The study reviews the thoughts as to how teens perceive sex as good, bad, or ambivalent.Study VariablesThe two variables in the study are independent and dependent variables. The independent variables in the study are the essays that the students wrote defining their views about teen pregnancy in rural areas. The dependent variables are the reasons teen pregnancies occur, which include the idea of  whether sexual activity is good or bad. The study reviews the conception teens have of sexual activities, which studies the prevalence regarding beliefs, consequences to actions, and consequences to others (Weiss, 2012).Conceptual Model or Theoretical FrameworkThis study uses the theoretical framework for the study. The theoretical perspective of study analyzes the answers obtained from participates against the Theory of Adolescent Sexual Decision Making theories. These theories measure the decision-making teens use in determining the risk of teen pregnancy. The theoretical framework weights the consequences associated with the risks and how teenage boys and girls perceive teen pregnancy. These perceptions that teens are reporting in the study are weighted against the two ground theories of risk-promoting environments and risky sexual behavior. â€Å"Using constant comparative methods, the data were analyzed using the MAX Qualitative Data Analysis © software† (Weiss, 2012, p. 805).Review of LiteratureThe literature review of the article addresses the issues of low parental guidance as a significant factor to teen making risky behavior decisions. The fact that rural areas indicate that teens view there is nothing much to do is a contributing factor to teen pregnancy. The education regarding sexual behavior and prevention methods were noted to be lacking in the rural areas. This factor indicates that financial support to provide for after school programs contributes to the notation that there is nothing to do for teens. This is a contributing factor to the higher rat e of teen pregnancy in rural communities.Study DesignThe study design was conducted in Florida involving 125 10th grade students. These students consisted of both male and female from age 15 to 17. The students were from an English class and were asked to write an essay on if they thought teen pregnancy was a problem in their community. The teens  wrote the essay during an English class in high school. This study was conducted with the approval of the institutional review board, teacher, and administrator.

Economics and United States Essay

Introduction to Allstar Brand Allstar Brand is a United States based consumer products company that produces and sells ethical (prescription) pharmaceuticals, OTC (over-the-counter or nonprescription) drugs, and consumer products. It is an $8.9 billion firm that was formed in 1924 and competes with a variety of larger and smaller firms, depending on the product market. It has a number of leading brands in various product categories. Over the years, it has expanded its product category width through internal new product development and acquisition of brands as well as companies. Allstar has operations in Europe and alliances in Asia. These have proven to be very successful markets that performing exceedingly well. But these markets are maturing very quickly, and with increased competition and slowing populations, it is now necessary to look elsewhere for continued growth and profit margins. The Allstar Board believes that to generate the kind of growth needed to drive their stock price, Allstar needs to develop a market presence in South America. South America is a region of great potential. With a population of approximately 450 million, the region represents a population that is 50 percent larger than that of the United States and Canada. The dominant national language across South America is Spanish, as is the case with Argentina. A variety of trade enhancement actions have put in place in recent years. The MERCOSUR agreement was set up among the South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, including association agreements (but not membership) with Bolivia. This agreement reduces trade barriers among these countries and has encouraged a variety of companies to establish production inside their borders to take advantage of low labor costs and fairly seamless access to neighboring markets. For accounting purposes at Allstar’s corporate offices, revenues and costs are converted into US$. Therefore, fluctuations in the exchange rate will affect consolidated reports directly. Allsmile Demographics Allsmile, a toothpaste brand, is a key asset of Allstar Brands. It is one of the company’s highest recognition brands in the United States. It is produced in the United States and in Germany for the United States and European markets, respectively. A large number of stock keeping units (SKUs) are produced. South Korean and Japanese manufacturers also produce Allsmile under license for distribution and sales in Asia. There have been reformulations of the brand, but as of today, the product formulations are essentially the same across all markets for a given SKU (although there are slight differences in packaging and in the type and intensity of flavoring that are thought to reflect regional preferences). With an entrance to South America, it may end up being cost effective to build a plant in South America instead of shipping products from the United States. Current world toothpaste sales total approximately $10 billion. The largest country market for toothpaste is the United States, with $1.4 billion spent during the past year. Toothpaste is available in a number of sizes, delivery systems, textures (paste or gel), and formulations. The basic toothpaste product is a paste or gel with flavoring and one or more active ingredients that provide specific benefits to consumers. A general description of these variations in the United States market is listed below. It is important to note that not all companies produce all possible combinations as each company determines where the holes in the market are and where the most money can be made. Why Argentina? Below is a market attractiveness index for the potential countries Allstar could enter. We have listed five criteria which we believe most accurately provide the best comparative results. The importance weight displays the percentage of importance to the criteria compared other criteria. Under each country is a rating. The ratings illustrate the importance of the criteria in that specified country. The assessment combines the importance weight of the criteria’s and the overall assessment of the country. As you can see by this chart, we have determined that Argentina would be the best country to sell Allsmile toothpaste. Background on Argentina Argentina is a large country comprised of approximately 1,068,302.2 square miles, slightly smaller than 3/10 the size of the United States. It has a democratic government that was set up in 1983. It has a population of 39.9 million people of which about 49% are male and 51% are female. Of the population, 97.1% of the people ages 15 and higher can read and write. Eighty-eight percent of the population lives in urban areas. The population of Argentina is pretty steady and is only growing at 0.96%. At 97%, Argentina is comprised primarily of Spanish and Italian (white-skinned) people. The life expectancy of Argentina is quite high with males living to 76 years of age and women living to 80. The age structure of Argentina is typical of what it to be expected for a South American country. The Age Structure Chart below shows the different classifications. Argentina’s Economy Argentina currently has a strong economy compared to its neighbors. Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, and an export-oriented agricultural sector. It has a large industrial section. Over the past decade however, the country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation, external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was at negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government’s ability to pay debts and maintain the peso’s fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a â€Å"zero deficit,† to stabilize the banking system and to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The peso’s peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated in February. The exchange rate plunged and real GDP fell by 10.9% in 2002, but by mid-year the economy had stabilized. GDP expanded by about 9% per year from 2003 to 2005. Growth is being led by a revival in domestic demand, solid exports, and favorable external conditions. The government took corrective action and boosted spending ahead of the October 2005 midterm congressional elections, but strong revenue performance allowed Argentina to maintain a budget surplus. Inflation has been rising steadily and has now reached 12.3%. The unemployment rate for Argentina is currently 11.5% which translates to businesses the people have money to purchase products. As you can see on the Market Comparison Chart below, Argentina is the leader in GDP/Capita and is second in GDP Growth and CPI Growth. Argentina’s Infrastructure Argentina, while smaller than some countries in South America, has a great infrastructure. Argentina has 21,183 miles of railways, 129,463 miles of highways, and 6,835 miles of waterways. In addition, Argentina has 11 ports and harbors and 1,333 airports. This expansive infrastructure makes doing business in Argentina very reliable and smooth. As mentioned before, Argentina falls under the MERCOSUR Agreement which allows for seamless transactions between the countries under the agreement (Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and Bolivia). This agreement reduces trade barriers among these countries and has encouraged a variety of companies to establish production inside their borders to take advantage of low labor costs and fairly seamless access to neighboring markets. The chart below shows the benefits of doing business in Argentina. It also points out the extra costs of doing business outside this agreement. When deciding whether to build a plant in Argentina, we recommend looking at another country. It is important to take into effect all factors. For example, one may at first glance think Mexico is the most suitable to manufacturing, and this may be the case if the company was going to do business in the United States or Canada. However, when doing business in South America, it is important to stay within whichever trade agreement you will be doing business under. Otherwise, high tariffs and duties will blanket your company. It is also very important to look at means of distribution, specifically shipping. The table below shows the per unit costs for shipping toothpaste from various manufacturing locations, assuming the usual shipping mode for each origin – destination combination. As you will notice, having a plant in the United States is not so valuable because imports to Latin America come with a high price on shipping comparatively from shipping from within Latin America. As mentioned earlier, it is of great importance to note that in addition to shipping originating within Latin America, one also has no import duties or tariffs if shipping is done within the regional shipping agreements, such as is the case with the MERCOSUR agreement. Distribution channels in Latin America have traditionally been grouped into four categories: traditional, self-serve, hypermarket, and newly emerging is web purchases. Traditional channels are small, independent stores or open market areas almost exclusively served by wholesalers (indirect distribution). Self-serve is a more developed store where customers serve themselves, but that typically offers a narrow line of merchandise. These may be independent or part of a regional chain but are almost all locally owned. Convenience stores and grocery stores would fall in this category. Hypermarkets are a new style of channel that is found primarily in cities. These are usually large stores with a wide variety of goods and typically purchase items directly from the manufacturer (direct distribution). Many of the hypermarket chains are foreign owned or allied with a global distributor, such as Wal-Mart or Carrefour. The chart below shows the toothpaste distribution within each channel.

The Microsoft Antitrust Case Essay submitted by Anonymous

The Microsoft Antitrust Case Essay submitted by Anonymous The case against Microsoft was brought buy the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as several state Attorneys General. Microsoft is accused of using and maintaining monopoly power to gain an unfair advantage in the market. The case has been under observation for a long time, but the Justice department is having trouble coming up with substantial evidence against Microsoft. Specifically, the Department must prove: That Microsoft has monopoly power and is using it to gain unfair leverage in the market. And that Microsoft has maintained this monopoly power through "exclusionary" or "predatory" acts(Rule). Some say that Microsoft is only taking advantage of its position in the market and using innovative marketing strategies to attract new customers. They have chosen to implement a market development strategy to attract new customers who are looking for a system that has Internet capability. Microsoft feels that by integrating their Internet Explorer web browser technology into W! indows, they are only improving its overall functionality available to the customer. Microsoft began expanding into the browser area because of increasing threat from Netscape and Java. Java is the programming language used to make Netscape. Programs that are written in Java can work on any PC, whether it has Windows on it or not. That is why there is a great threat to the Windows environment. The more Netscape is used, the more other vendors will begin writing Netscape compliant programs and the more Java will be used, which puts a damper on Windows. So Windows introduced their Internet explorer to combat the increasing Netscape usage. It did not do this to create a monopoly, but to protect itself. If people realize that Java programs can be run on ANY PC, then they will realize that they do not need to buy Windows. Some say that Microsoft began it's "illegal" agenda when it began requiring PC manufa...

Underground Railroad essays

Underground Railroad essays Throughout the United States, free Blacks were treated as social lived in the North or the South, and they were denied legal and political whites. In addition, public facilities such as hotels, bathrooms, and separated by the concept of "de jure" segregation, or segregation by law. rebel, Nat Turner led some eighty-plus slaves to a revolt in Virginia, and terrified slave owners throughout the South. Social and political controls became tighter, and the beatings and lynching of attempted slave uprisings throughout the mid 1800's in the South. Of course, racism was ubiquitous in the U.S. at the time, not merely fact, even after the progressive abolition movements of the 1830's, free only vote in four New England states, and with the exception of couldn't testify anywhere in court cases that involved whites. They were passports and even denied citizenship after the landmark 1857 U.S. Supreme when Dred Scott tried to claim legal ownership of himself. Even free had to carry certificates of manumission in order to prove to white had been indeed granted freedom. Consequently, free Blacks in the South identified with the travails of slaves, and some forged a bond that would the Civil War and the ultimate abolition of all slave institutions. In the 1830's, Black newspapers such as the "Freedman's Journal" and Star, founded by Frederick Douglass (in 1847) gave Black writers a chance slavery, advocate resistance, and voice their movement for liberation. As States gained new territories out west, slavery came to the forefront of ...

Social Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Social Construction - Essay Example These concepts were connected to Greek and Roman mythology. Greek mythology believed in the fact that geographical aspects played a big role in the different people’s physical appearance (Bond 96). They also believed that mankind’s dispositions and forms corresponded to country of origin’s nature. Thus, people from temperate climates were sluggish and unsuitable for labour while those from extreme climates were vigilant, industrious, and sharp. Roman mythology, on the other hand, stereotyped ethnic groups according to characteristics. An example was the intelligence and craftiness of the Egyptians and the effeminist and unwarlike nature of the Syrians. They used this to prove the existence of a God, since not all this could be spontaneous. Unlike the English colonies, Spanish America always was a society that was racially mixed. The early conquerors were men, as were the settlers and the Spanish priests. Apart from possibly the priests, the men were in need of female companionship, and this led to intermarriage becoming a Spanish American life staple (Burr 67). Among Spanish officials of high standing, families and wives were common, but not for the rest of the population of colonialists. This led to a rise of mestizos, or population of mixed race. These mestizos soon became the largest numerical proportion of America’s population. While some of the intermingling and intermarriage was forced, some was voluntary. As the population grew a caste, system was institutionalized classifying people according to the proportion of Indian blood that they had. For centuries, the Spanish had followed laws called the purity of blood, via which public office aspirants, as well as those brought in front of an inquisition, were asked to prove their Christian ancestry as far as 10 generations back (Burr 67). The mestizos were stopped from assuming most offices, as well

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Paraphrasing - Essay Example The first reading speed test that I took resulted in a score of 200 words per minute (http://www.readingsoft.com). This score is above average, so it proves that my reading rate is pretty good. The test recommended that I use the FReader software to improve my speed even further. After practicing with this software, I took another test to determine my reading rate (http://learn.eku.edu/webapps/portal/frameset). This website helped me to improve my reading speed considerably. Another website that I used was called Rocket Reader. This assisted me with reading speed, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and stamina. I took this test and received a score of 250-350 words per minute, which was above average. However, it told me that I could improve even further, perhaps up to 500 words per minute, after taking more tests on the Rocket Reader website (http://www.speedreaderxreview.com/free-online-reading-speeding-test). I was pleased with my score with this one: 537 words per minute. The analysis showed that I was an above average reader. It said that if I could this speed up consistently then I should have no problem reading this fast when reading casually. The website also recommended other techniques to help my reading rate even further. The last website that I used told me about the different categories of reading rates. Also mentioned was the steps on how to become a fast