Corporate Finance Essay

1. Set forth and compare the business cases for each of the two projections under consideration by Emily Harris. Which do you regard as more compelling? Productions was New Heritage ´s largest division as measured by total assets, and easily its most asset-Intensive. Approximately 75 % of the division ´s sales were made to the company ´s retailing division, with the remaining 25% comprising private label goods manufactured for other firms. The division revenue figures include approximately $95 million of internal sales within divisions which are eliminated when considering consolidated revenue for the company. We must look closer on the financial projections and the operating details for the two proposals. By looking we can see a big difference in Revenue growth. We realize that Design your own doll can handle much more additional annual revenue according to the resources in the balance sheet. According to the outlays the initial expenditures for Design Your Own Dolls is much higher than Match my Doll Clothing. As with Match my Doll Clothing the required R&D and marketing costs would be tax deductible. EBIT is a good gauge of how well those two companies is being managed. It is watched closely by all stakeholders, because it measures both overall demand for the company ´s products and the company ´s efficiency in delivering those products. The operating projections tell us that Design Your Own Doll has gained more in operating profits. Substantial investment in working capital (primarily work in process inventory of partially manufactured dolls) would be required beginning in 2011 for Match My Doll Clothing to support the forecasted level of sales. The value of a risky alternative to the decision maker may be different than the expected value of the alternative because of the risk that the alternative poses of serious losses. The concept of the certainty equivalent is useful for such situation. Factors considered in the assessment of a project ´s risk for Emily Harris included, for example, whether it required new consumer acceptance or new technology, high levels of fixed costs and hence high breakeven production volumes, the sensitivity of price or volume to macroeconomic recession, the anticipated degree of price competition, and so forth. Given the proven success of Match My Doll Clothing, Harris believed the project entailed moderate risk that is, about the same degree of risk as the production division ´s existing business as a whole. Design Your Own Doll had a relatively long payback period, introduced some untested elements into the manufacturing process, and depended on near-flawless operation of new customer-facing software and user interfaces. If the project stumbled for some reason, New Heritage risked damaging relationships with the best customers. On the other hand, the project had a relatively modest fixed cost ratio, and it played to the company ´s key strength – creating a unique experience for its consumers. The cash flows excluded all financing charges and non-cash items (i.e. depreciation), and were calculated on an after-corporate-tax basis. The New Heritage’s corporate tax rate is 40%. We think that the Design Your Own Doll project is more compelling. 2. Use the operating projections for each project to compute a NPV for each. Which project creates more value? (Please find the calculations in the attachment)  NPV calculations include a terminal value computed as the value of a perpetuity growing at constant rate. We computed Free Cash Flows (FCF) to find out the actual amount of cash from operations that the company could use in developing its new projects. We calculated the terminal value for 2020 as projected FCF in the first year beyond the projection horizon divided by discount rate of 8.4% less the perpetuity growth rate, which in this case was 3%. According to our calculations the MMDM’s terminal value in 2020 is 16,346,000 and DYOD’s is 27,486,000. Based on the our calculation the NPV of the Match My Doll Clothing project is $7,151,000 ( and the NPV of the Design Your Own Doll project is $9,257,000 . In both cases the NPV is greater than zero but NPV of project 2 is greater than NPV of project 1, therefore project number 2 should be selected. | | | | | | | | | | | | NPV calculations for Design Your Own Doll| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2010| 2011| 2012| 2013| 2014| 2015| 2016| 2017| 2018| 2019| 2020| EBIT | -1201,00| 0,00| 550,00| 1794,00| 2724,00| 2779,00| 2946,00| 3123,00| 3310,00| 3509,00| 3719,00| Tax @ 40% | -480,40| 0,00| 220,00| 717,60| 1089,60| 1111,60| 1178,40| 1249,20| 1324,00| 1403,60| 1487,60| | | | | | | | | | | | | Net Income | -720,60| 0,00| 330,00| 1076,40| 1634,40| 1667,40| 1767,60| 1873,80| 1986,00| 2105,40| 2231,40| plus: depreciation | 0,00| 0,00| 310,00| 310,00| 310,00| 436,00| 462,00| 490,00| 520,00| 551,00| 584,00| less: ΔNWC | 0,00| 1000,00| 24,00| 1386,00| 942,00| 202,00| 213,00| 226,00| 240,00| 254,00| 269,00| less: capital expenditures | 4610,00| 0,00| 310,00| 310,00| 2192,00| 826,00| 875,00| 928,00| 983,00| 1043,00| 1105,00| | | | | | | | | | | | | Free Cash Flow (FCF) | -5330,60| -1000,00| 306,00| -309,60| -1189,60| 1075,40| 1141,60| 1209,80| 1283,00| 1359,40| 1441,40| terminal value | 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 0,00| 27486,00| FCF after terminal value | -5330,60| -1000,00| 306,00| -309,60| -1189,60| 1075,40| 1141,60| 1209,80| 1283,00| 1359,40| 28927,40| | | | | | | | | | | | | Discount factor (DF=8,4%) | 1,00| 0,92| 0,85| 0,79| 0,72| 0,67| 0,62| 0,57| 0,52| 0,48| 0,45| | | | | | | | | | | | | Present Value (PV) | -5330,60| -922,20| 260,41| -243,07| -861,51| 718,47| 703,57| 687,77| 672,93| 657,81| 12913,19| | | | | | | | | | | | | Cumulative Present Value| 14587,38| | | | | | | | | | | Net present value (NPV)| 9256,78| | | | | | | | | | | 3. Compute the IRR and payback period for each project. How should these metrics affect Harris ´s deliberations? How do they compare to NPV as tools for evaluating projects? When and how would you use each? IRR Analysis Table – IRR Sensitivity Analysis | Revenue Change | Match My Doll Clothing Line | Design Your Own Doll (baseline) 3% | 18.24% | 14.68% | 2% | 17.74% | 14.28% | 1% | 17.24% | 13.87% | 0% | 16.74% | 13.46% | -1% | 16.23% | 13.04% | -2% | 15.72% | 12.62% | -3% | 15.21% | 12.19% | -4% | 14.69% | 11.77% | -5% | 14.16% | 11.33% | -6% | 13.63% | 10.90% | The model reflects a change in revenue from +3% to -6%. IRR of NPV is not used because sensitivity is included in the discount rate. Payback Period Analysis Payback period for each of the scenarios: * Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion (baseline) = 8.43 years * Design Your Own Doll (baseline) = 10.09 years 4. What additional information does Harris need to complete her analyses and compare the two projects? What specific questions should she ask each of the project sponsors? In order to complete her analyses, several questions need to be asked in order for the report to be as fruitful as possible. Thus the questions that could be asked in order for Harris to make good decisions in comparing the two projects, goes as follows. * What changes would be expected in capital expenditures during periods of change? * Are there any hidden labor costs not being considered in the Match My Doll Clothing Line Expansion, similar to the additional labor costs in Design Your Own Doll? * What level of risk does the project Design Your Own Doll pertains? In hand with revenue-analysis, what are the incremental earnings? * In addition to the risk level of Design Your Own Doll, is the project stable enough not to harm customer relationships? * What is the forecast for the whole industry? What will be the future market share since this affects sales outstanding and in hand revenue? * Based on the data, what will the equity of the company and share price be, taking into account the two projects? Historical data for inventory turnover ratios; days sales outstanding and days payable outstanding would also be additional information that Harris could benefit from. 5. If Harris is forced to recommend one project over the other, which should be recommended? Why? To improve the present value for both projects the  management of the company should think of how to improve the projects’ cash flows. Typically, companies aim to increase cash flow from their existing operations by collecting receivables as soon as possible and slowing down their payables without harming their relations with suppliers. The NPV is a forecast, and as with every forecast, the outcome is not given. Typically forecasts for shorter periods are more accurate. The forecast for New Heritage Company is based on a time period of 10 years. I would recommend reducing that time period to provide more accurate cash flow figures. As with all forecasts, the NVP is not free from risks. The management should be aware that risks such as increase in inflation, change in interest rates, and increased competition in the toys business, could have a negative impact on future benefits of selected project. Last, I would recommend for the management to monitor the costs to increase profits. However, the management should weigh the benefits of reducing costs to avoid an adverse effect of diminished profits. If additional cash inflows are achieved, the company should invest a portion of the profits to generate additional money and expand the business through creation of new products and projects.

Uk Organic Food

Contents 1. Introduction2 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis2 1. 2 Aim2 1. 3 Brief Background of the organic food producing industry2 1. 4 Competitive environment? 3 2. PESTEL analysis5 2. 1 Political factors5 2. 2 Economic factors6 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors7 2. 4 Technological factors8 2. 5 Environmental factors9 2. 6 Legal factors10 3. Porter’s Five Forces analysis12 3. 1 Threat of new entrants12 3. 2 Threat of substitute products14 3. 3 Threat of established rivals14 3. 4 Bargaining power of suppliers16 . 5 Bargaining power of buyers16 4. Conclusion18 4. 1 The industry at present18 4. 2 Future changes19 5. Appendices20 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations20 5. 1. 1 PESTEL framework20 5. 1. 2 Porter’s Five Forces20 6. References22 1. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis The chosen industry for analysis in this report is the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This encompasses groups of firms that produ ce similar products, in this case, organic food produce.In recent years, there has been a heightened awareness in the media in relation to organically produced food, and a great emphasis has been placed on ‘healthier eating’ and a reduction in the production of genetically modified food. As this awareness increases, it is important to analyse the industry in order to assess whether the industry is favourable to exist in, and to ascertain whether it is likely that it will be penetrated by new competitors.Another reason for choosing to examine this particular industry is due to the lack of an updated Mintel report, or a similar financial report, especially since there has been so much extra attention being placed on this industry of late in the media. In order to get a better picture about the macro- and micro-environment in relation to the UK organic food producing industry, frameworks will be used in order to analyse information about the industry. 1. 2 AimThe aims of t his report are to research and assess the nature of the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This will occur by using two different frameworks, a PESTEL analysis and the use of Porter’s Five Forces in order to fully understand the competitive micro- and macro-environment of this industry. When the analysis is complete, it will be determined whether the industry is favourable to enter or not, and future changes in the industry will be predicted. 1. Brief background of the UK Organic Food Producing Industry The term ‘organic’ has been defined by the Organic Trade Association as an ‘ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity†¦ based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony’ [1]. In practice, this means that artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides are not used, and ani mals are reared without the drugs that are normally routinely used [2].Protection of the environment is of great importance, and the quality of the soil is what determines whether the produce can be deemed as ‘organic’ or not. Historically, it was common practice to only have relatively few family run farms in which organic food was produced, and this could be purchased in farmers’ markets and smaller stores, such as green grocers. However, since the 1990s, organic food has had growth rates of around 20% per year, and figures from April of this year show that organic food now accounts for 1 to 2% of food sales worldwide [3].This growth rate has been partly due to large supermarket chains adopting ranges of organic foods, which is reducing the farmer to consumer link, and providing a convenient new way to eat ‘organically’, and also due to an increased interest from the media in this industry. For example, large supermarket chain Sainsbury’s ha s more than 1000 organic products, had a 14% increase in sales of its organic produce in 2006/2007, sources all its organic meat, fish, poultry, milk, and eggs from the UK and has contracts with farmers to guarantee minimum prices to ensure the long-term supply of organic beef [4].A quote from Jerry Dryer, who wrote an article called ‘Organic Lessons’ stated, â€Å"Organic is here to stay, not a fad marching by in the night† [5], which is a hopeful suggestion that the market share is set to increase and that new opportunities can be targeted, but this will be confirmed or denied at the end of the report. 1. 4 Competitive environment? The organic food producing industry consists of a large number of small producers, who produce food which can be certified as ‘organic’ by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association.Due to there being a large number of fragmented producers in the industry, it may be seen as a competitive m arket who are vying for the attention of large or small supermarket chains and stores, green grocers, and individual purchasers of organic food. Organic produce in itself is reasonably homogeneous, so all producers in this industry will be trying to sell similar products which are largely undifferentiated. This increases competition between the producers as to how they are going to get their goods sold over the goods of a competitor.There is also the option of individuals growing their own organic produce, which may reduce the demand for the purchase of produce. The competitiveness of the environment will be discussed in more detail when an analysis is carried out using the Porter’s 5 Forces framework [6]. ? 2. PESTEL Uncontrollable, external forces that influence decision making, which thus affect the performance of an industry is known as the macro-environment. The macro-environment consists of political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and legal for ces, which can be referred to as ‘PESTEL’ forces [7].A good definition of this framework for analysis is given by Kotler [8], which is â€Å"PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations†. This is also useful for forecasting the direction in which an industry is taking, and the intensity of this change. Factors can be assessed and placed in order of importance, so it is clear to see what external factors are the most pressing issues in an industry.In order to find out information for each of the factors, reliable secondary data sources shall we used, such as newspapers, periodicals, books, trade organisations, Government agencies information, and industry analysts results. Once this kind of analysis is complete, it is clearer to see how to take advantage of arising opportunities, and plan to prevent potential threats that may occur in the industry. The sections below break down the macro-environment into six parts. 2. 1 Political factorsGovernment legislation may dictate what is considered to be organic in a particular country. This report looks at organic food producers in the UK, and this is regulated by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards [9], and the Soil Association [10]. The Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states many outlines of what how produce should be grown and the feeding of livestock, in order for in to meet UK Government standards [11]. These standards vary from country to country, within and outside of the EU.This can have a profound impact on the exporting of produce by UK farmers, as what may be deemed as organic in this country, may not be so in another. Relations with politicians need to be upheld, as legislation is subject to change at any given time. For example, it recently has been decided to ban battery hen cages starting in the year 2009 [12]. 93% of eggs in the UK market come fr om battery hens, so once the legislation is fully in place, this will not occur. This will increase competition in the market, as all eggs will now be from free range hens, which may affect the poultry side of the organic food industry.By adapting to meet the new laws now, favourable relations will be kept with politicians, and current organic egg producers will need to find new ways in which to gain market share in what may be an increasingly saturated market. The Government currently provides farmers’ subsidies, but current news from May 2008 shows that the EU is looking to cut the money it provides, and reinvest it with incentives on looking after agricultural land, rather than giving money to help produce more food [13].This may benefit farmers wishing to enter the organic food producing market, as they have extra incentives to convert their land to organic soil, but may hinder those already in the market due to the increased competition, and the lack of money to produce extra food needed to meet demand. 2. 2 Economic factors The organic food producing industry can be largely affected by the UK economy, such as interest rates, exchange rates, buyer power, and consumer confidence, which will all now be discussed in turn.The current ongoing credit crunch, and high inflation has reduced chances of any interest rate cuts, and a real threat of a downturn is present [14]. Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, has previously reported that UK inflation will rise above its target and the economy will sharply slow down [15], which does not mean good things for an industry such as this, which relies on people buying premium quality products.If interest rates are high, then it costs more money to borrow from banks, which deters investment, and may make it harder for farmers to convert their land to organic soil and methods of production, as this is a costly business [16]. This inflation may cause any employees working in the industry to demand highe r wages in order to cover any losses that they are making, which can cause a problem for employers, especially if the industry declines if there is a recession. The credit crunch has also affected housing prices, which have fallen, and a ollapse in these sales have been predicted to cut consumer spending by 8% [17], which will affect the industry. Exchange rates can affect the way UK organic food producers’ export their products, as a strong currency can make exporting difficult, if foreign buyers cannot get a lot of produce for their money. Buyer power can have a strong economical hold over the industry, as disposable income and willingness to spend can affect the sales of premium quality produce, especially as there are cheaper alternatives. The state of the economy affects spending, as if there is a recession, or currently with the credit crunch in the UK, spending falls.Organic food may be seen by some users and non-users as a premium product, so when disposable income is reduced, this may be something which is cut back on in order to use the extra money elsewhere. If people are being more price conscious, new motivations to purchase the produce need to be discovered aside from price. However, many purchasers of organic food do so because of what it stands for, and is a lifestyle choice which may not be affected by a bad economy. Consumer confidence may be dented if willingness to spend decreases. The more affluent a person is, i. e. he higher wages and better lifestyle someone has, the more likely they are to start or continue to purchase organic food [18]. 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors A major socio-cultural factor affecting the industry is the media. A recent heightened awareness of organic food issues in the media has prompted an increase in organic food sales, with a 70% increase since 2002 to ? 1. 5billion in 2007 [19]. There is currently a bit from the media to use the upcoming 2012 Olympic games to promote organic eating, in order to avoid an obesity crisis and to appear a fit and healthy country.This increase awareness of the importance of healthy eating and protecting the country by reducing its carbon footprint can have an effect on consumer attitudes. The effect of the media may change attitudes of people towards organic food, such as the more impetus placed on this industry in the media, means more people are aware of the benefits of eating organically. People may then change their attitudes about the way they eat, and believe that it is worth paying more for the food, even if the economy is not as strong as it could be. Figures from a recent Mintel report [20] show that attitudes towards rganic food show that people believe firstly that the food is healthier, secondly that it tastes better, and thirdly that it is better for the environment. With these belief systems becoming widely in place, the opportunity for the growth of the industry in people’s minds is increased. However, the media may too have a detri mental effect on the industry in two ways. Firstly, there has been bad press saying that the industry is losing its values, and that the industry itself is ‘out of control’ due to an increased demand and people not knowing the real reasons behind why they are choosing ‘organic’ [21].Secondly, increased advertising spend (even though it is relatively low [22]) can draw too much attention to the industry which is not prepared to supply the increased demand. A typical shopper of organic food has been outlined in a survey taken from the Organic Monitor website [23], which identifies them to usually live in an urban area in a big city, consider quality and provenance in decision making when choosing which foods to purchase, being well-educated and of a middle to high social class, and to belong to a medium to high income household.These factors have been determined of the types of people who normally purchase these premium products, and usually fall into the AB consumer base, due to a larger disposable income [24]. Further analysis of recent demographic trends show that the London and the South of the UK are more willing to accept the introduction of organic produce, compared to the rest of the UK [25]. With this in mind, it may be deduced that these areas are more prone for targeting, and further consideration needs to be given to where the industry should go next should these places become saturated with producers. . 4 Technological factors Technological advances in transportation means that the ease of moving produce around the UK is increased. Better roads and an increase in motorways have advantages for farmers to get their produce into busier cities. Transport has however been scrutinised in this industry in recent years if air freighting is used for the moving of food or livestock, but this will be further discussed under the environmental factors section of the PESTEL analysis.The internet has provided new methods of selling organi c produce, such as online shopping, and electronic sourcing of produce to find local organic food suppliers [26]. Looking at figures from a 2007 Mintel report on organic food, box schemes and mail order have had the biggest percentage increase of usage between 2005 and 2007 (109. 2% change in this time period). The ‘box scheme’ comprises of the delivery of fresh organic produce which is chosen because it is in season in the UK at the time of ordering, and many farms have used the internet in order to allow this scheme to take place.For example, Riverford Organic Vegetables [27] allow people to choose different size boxes, and also give information about how much CO2 emissions are given off from the transport of their produce from door to door. This shows the potential for how the increase in usage of the internet can be applied to the organic food industry. 2. 5 Environmental factors National and Global environmental issues can greatly affect the UK organic food produci ng industry, such as weather and climate change respectively. Without the right growing conditions for some organic produce, i. . having good, well-nourished soil, harvesting may not reap many rewards. Last year in 2007, the wettest weather for more than 240 years was recorded in the summer by the Met Office, which obviously had adverse effects on this particular industry [28]. Following this particular summer, it was reported that organic food prices would rise even further than the already premium costs that they have, partly due to the weather reducing the amount of land fit for cultivation in order to grow and harvest organic produce [29].If adverse weather conditions do occur, the supply or organic goods will be reduced further still, which may strongly affect an industry that already has increased demand and not enough produce to meet this. Climate change has gained increasing coverage in the media, convincing more people than action needs to be taken in order to protect the e arth, in particular, the notion of a ‘carbon footprint’. A ‘carbon footprint’ can be described as ‘a measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced’ [30].This affects the organic food producing industry when organically grown produce is air freighted into the UK. The Soil Association is threatening to remove its stamp of approval from organic food which has been imported by air, as they believe this to be increasing the carbon footprint, and going against the morals that organic food stands for [31]. This change may benefit UK organic food producers, as there will be less competition coming from overseas, but may be of detriment for internal UK flights, if this is how they normally transport their goods around the country.The danger here is that people who already purchase organic food may instead switch to locally sourced produce, be it organic or not, in order to help the local community, and to do their bit to reduce the carbon footprint. There may be an opportunity here for organic food producers to also trade locally, so that people can get the best of both worlds. A benefit of organic produce is that it attempts to ensure that minimal amounts of pesticides and fewer artificial methods are used in the growing of the food.Only 25% of organic food carries pesticide residues, compared to 77% of conventionally grown food [32]. This reduces harm to any soil or wildlife in the area, and is reported to have added health benefits, all contributing to less of a bad impact on the environment from harmful chemicals. 2. 6 Legal factors Legal changes in the United Kingdom may affect the behaviour of firms and producers within this particular industry. Back in 1984, the Food Act was introduced, which outlined the description and purity of foodstuffs, and affected the way in which food could be produced [33].This legal act is still completely applicable today, and is regularly updated, notably affecting organic food producers in how they can describe and label their food. As well as an organic product having to meet UK organic standards, it also must abide by this Food Act when selling to respective buyers, so as not to mislead customers, i. e. it must be what they claim it to be, in this case, organic. A European ruling in 2007 states that for food to be labelled free of genetically modified ingredients, it must contain 0. 9% or less of such elements, which may in turn affect the price of organic food [34].Producers need to factor these sorts of legal requirements into pricing how much they are going to sell their food for. For the past few years, recorded minimum wage has risen, with October 2007 being the last review at ? 5. 52 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, ? 4. 60 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive, and ? 3. 40 per hour for all workers under the age of 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age [35]. These increases may p ose problems for producers who cannot afford to meet these payments, especially if inflation ontinues to rise, and the credit crunch continues to beckon a recession in the financial market. If the producers cannot afford workers to help them look after livestock or harvest crops, this may pose to be a big threat as to whether they can afford to meet the requirements of customers. ? 3. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES The micro-environment is a set of forces that directly impacts the ability of an industry to serve its customers, which were described by Michael E. Porter in an analytical framework as five forces that determine the competitive intensity of a market.This can also be described as the ‘attractiveness’ of an industry [36]. It must be remembered here that even if a market is determined to be ‘attractive, this does not mean that every firm in the industry will yield the same profitability. Only by having uniqueness in resources or a distinctive business model can help to achieve greater profits. The five forces suggested by Porter are the threat of new entrants, threat of substitute products, and threat of established rivals from horizontal competition, and the bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of buyers from vertical competition [37].The strength of these forces combined determines how competitive the industry is, and can determine whether it is favourable to enter. In reference to Porter’s Five Forces, the term ‘industry’ will be used to describe any products which are similar, and are close substitutes for each other. These five forces that affect how competitive the industry is will be discussed below. 3. 1 Threat of new entrants In order to assess the threat of new entrants in the industry, it needs to be assessed whether the barriers to entry in the UK organic food producing industry are high or low.This will be looked at in relation to economies of scale, product differentiation, cost disadvan tages in relation to the capital required, and access to distribution channels, in relation to UK organic legislation. Economies of scale occur when the costs of producing are reduced from making more units, as it is more efficient to increase output. Some organic food producers may benefit from the fact their purchasers may be large supermarket chains, who have the ability to buy in bulk due to the benefits of their economies of scale. Organic food producers an then sell their goods to these chains, who realise that their customers are becoming increasingly aware about the benefits of this quality produce. However, due to these chains being in a position to buy bulk, in order to compete in this market, organic farmers may have to sell their goods at a cut price if the supermarkets want to sell it on to turn a profit. In this case, new entrants may be put off from entering the market if they cannot afford to compete with already established providers of organic food to these main pl ayers.Product differentiation is an issue, as the organic products in this industry are largely homogenous. If new entrants wanted to penetrate the market, they would have to think of innovative new ways for buyers to choose their products over another product which is the same as the one they are offering. This does however mean that producers already in the market may have less competition enter alongside them, as long as the existing producers offer fair prices and top quality food, with well established networks.Cost disadvantages may pose a threat to new entrants, as a large amount of capital is required in order to enter the market. Firstly, modern agri-technology is expensive to purchase, and the largest cost of deciding to produce organic food is the conversion of land [38]. In order to convert land so that it meets the UK Organic standards requires a great capital investment, which is one of the reasons why the supply is still short. This may put off potential entrants to t he market if they believe they cannot afford to make their land meet national requirements.These national requirements are subject to change, so barriers to entry can be heightened or lowered at given times, depending on what is decided by the ruling bodies. This may also affect international entrants, as national standards vary in different countries. What is seen as organic in one country, may not meet the requirements in the UK, so producers may be protected from further competition in that respect. For example, new regulations in Japan caused the majority of products to lose their organic status [39].This also ties in with access to distribution channels, as UK producers may be fighting for space on supermarket shelves or stalls in a local farmers’ market, and only the best will survive. Even though supply is short, a limited amount of space is still given to organic produce, which on one hand may deter entrants into the industry, but equally may give some producers wishi ng to enter the market a bigger incentive to increase awareness about organic produce, and try to meet that supply in innovative new ways. 3. 2 Threat of substitute productsSubstitute products are products which can fulfil the same function, but from a different industry. In the case of the organic food industry, substitutes can occur in the form of different kinds of eating, or fad diets, such as calorie-counting healthy eating, and or locally sourced conventional produce. First to be discussed is reduced-fat and reduced-calorie food, which may appeal to the organic food shopper. If people are buying organic food as a misunderstanding of what it really is, and do so for the health benefits, then they may switch to specific ‘healthier eating’ options, rather than organic food.This threat however has been reported to be minimal at the moment, as figures in a Mintel report from 2007 on organic food show that organic food is experiencing a much greater growth than reduced calorie options [40]. The reduced-calorie options, as well as functional foods, still continue however to rise in popularity. Locally sourced conventional produce also poses a threat to the organic food industry, as some people may choose to support local farmers rather than to choose organic produce.This is especially difficult on the organic food industry, as more farmers may decide not to convert their land to organic if people are more willing just to buy conventional locally produced food [41]. This threat may encourage organic farmers however to sell produce locally, so they are covering both segments of their target market. An example of this threat is posed by milk, as demand for organic milk far exceeds the supply, so people are facing the dilemma of having to buy non-organic locally sourced milk, as this is a necessary substitute for people buying milk in the premium market [42].Organic food may be seen as necessity to some, but to most it is a luxury, and conventional foo ds can replace the premium priced, undersupplied organic food. 3. 3 Threat of established rivals The simplest rival in this industry may be seen as people who grow their own organic produce in their garden or local allotment. This reduces the need for organic farmers to sell their produce to consumers, and this has the potential to reduce the need for them to sell, as it may be cheaper for people to grow their own. Aside from this threat, there are other forms of competition within the industry.Rivals in the industry have different ways of competing against each other, including varied forms of price, marketing strategies, and innovation techniques. Firstly, a sustainable competitive advantage can be gained through the innovation from producers in the industry. For example, organic farmers may decide to provide their goods only to local outlets and consumers, which increases the likelihood of people wishing to buy products which are organic and sourced locally. This can provide a co mpetitive advantage over organic producers in the UK who have a larger carbon footprint by delivering their products across the country.Competitive rivalry may continue here as more competitors enter the market to satisfy the growing demand for organic produce. As new entrants penetrate the market, it needs to be increasingly thought of new ways to differentiate products, as the nature of the produce in this industry is largely homogenous. There is not a large diversity of competitors, as organic produce is the same from one farmer’s land to another, so competition will be high in order to get people to choose one farmer’s particular produce.This is also true when considering who will purchase this food, as supermarkets are increasing their ranges of organic food, so competition to get produce chosen to be sold in these will be high [43]. If a supermarket already purchases a particular farmer’s produce, it may be difficult for other competitors to penetrate the market if customer loyalty already exists, so new ways of doing so will need to be thought of, such as competing on price. This, however, will only be possible to a certain extent, as a profit still needs to be made by the producers in order to continue their business.Existing firms may compete in this industry through diversification of how the produce is offered, as some farmer’s may set up a market stall or store in order to deliver their produce to the consumer. An advantage of this is the added convenience to consumers of having a place they know they can go to in order to source locally produced organic food. An example of this is the ever increasing popularity of the chain ‘Planet Organic’, which is continuing to expand upon its outlets in urban areas in London, so that people don’t have to live in rural areas in order to get there organic food [44]. 3. Bargaining power of suppliers There is an estimated 4630 producers in the organic market who have converted their land to organic soil, and this is ever increasing [45]. Even though this is still increasing, it is expensive to convert conventional land, so this may be one of the reasons for a relatively low number of suppliers in this industry. This section focuses on whether suppliers in the organic food producing industry have high or low amounts of power over the happenings in the industry. The brand of organic food may be seen as powerful, as there is a high consumer demand for these products.This gives the suppliers the added advantage of being able to choose how and where to supply their produce. However, even though this increases supplier power, the customers for their produce are fragmented, so there may be a reduced bargaining power over price, as there is only so low that producers are able to offer their goods for. Organic food in itself is a unique offering, which gives an alternative to conventionally produced food, and can satisfy the needs of particular consumer groups who crave quality and are concerned with the provenance of what they eat.This allows suppliers to have a greater power over the conventional or locally sourced produce, as organic food is seen as a lifestyle choice and not just one of convenience or necessity. Figures from Mintel show that 65% of people shop in supermarkets where the food is of high quality and is fresh [46]. This choice from consumers gives suppliers the added advantage of being able to provide a service that people actually want. 3. 5 Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers in the market can have a great effect on the industry itself, which will now be outlined in terms of how much power they have over the industry.Buying power may be deemed to be relatively low in some respects, but high in others in this industry for a number of reasons. With an increase in demand for organic produce, a large amount of buyers are competing for a relatively short supply of food. This may mean they are wi lling to pay higher prices for the produce, due to its availability being decreased. This supply shortage was outlined in The Grocer, which shows sales were up to ? 3. 1billion when they reported in March 2007 [47]. However, few large buyers, such as large chains of supermarkets, may have an increased buyer power due to suppliers wanting their goods to be sold in these stores, as they can ensure produce is sold via a contract for a certain period of time. This reduces uncertainty for suppliers, and ensures less food is spoiled. The fact that this industry contains a large number of undifferentiated suppliers may mean that buyers have more power over who to choose to supply their produce if there is a large amount of suppliers in that particular area.The cost for buyers of switching suppliers for produce is very low, which further still increases their power, assuming that there is an appropriate amount of supply existing. Buyers are aware that there is a shortage of supply of organi c produce, so this may give them less power over suppliers, and over the industry in general. It has been previously mentioned about the increased demand over supply, so buyers may have to pay the prices being offered to them by suppliers if they want this non-conventionally grown produce.Buyers may also have higher power in some respects due to existing substitute products, which have previously been discussed. There is an opportunity in some cases for people to switch to locally sourced conventional food, rather than organic food. This can increase buyer power, if they decide to refrain buying organic food altogether, which may force producers to reduce their prices, or just to exit the market. ? 4. CONCLUSION 4. 1 The industry at present Looking at the information which has been discussed in the 2nd and 3rd sections of this report, deductions and analysis can be made about the industry at present.In its simplest form, the UK market for organic food is reported to be worth ? 1. 5 billion in 2007 [48], and this is continually growing. Issues affecting the macro-environment include current Government legislation managed by the Soil Association and the Organic Farmers and Growers Association, buyer power and spending habits in the organic food industry, effects of the growing media attention on the industry itself, new ways to sell produce, and environmental concerns facing producers. Issues ffecting the micro-environment include the threat of new entrants joining the industry due to a lack of supply and an increase demand, substitute products being present such as locally sourced produce, established rivals having better distribution links, suppliers having increase amounts of power due to the increased demand from consumers, and the buyers having relatively low power due to the lack of supply. This is a small summary of how the industry can be seen at present, and from looking at the information collected, there are various reasons why it may or may not be a favourable market to enter.The fact that demand is high but supply is low is a good reason for wanting to enter the market. This would imply that any produce made would be easily sold, and suppliers would be in a better position to bargain on higher prices, as they are well aware of this demand. However, there are issues in being able to enter this industry. The initial outlay costs are high, as it is expensive to convert land into what is considered to be organic, to buy new technology required to grow and harvest produce in the methods stated by the necessary authorities.It may then be difficult to sell produce in certain areas if people do not agree with the transportation used to get the produce there in the first place. These are factors that need to be taken into consideration when looking at the industry at present, but with expansion set to continue, if the capital is available, it seems favourable to enter. 4. 2 Future changes Increased acceptance of organic food means that the future of the industry looks good for the moment.People are beginning to accept organic produce into their everyday lives, and with reported health benefits of switching to these products, sales are increasing, with analysts predicting that sales will double before the end of this decade [49]. Increased awareness in the media and new studies into the goodness of organic produce is driving sales and increasing demand. The notion of ‘eating well’ is of key importance to the Government in what they suggest to avoid an obesity crisis in the UK, and organic food may be seen as a way of doing this.However, it must be remembered that the future, as with any industry, can be uncertain. Factors that must be faced and planned for in the future include bad press in the media, substitute product switching, and a change in legislation. If the media publishes bad press about whether there are really any extra health benefits from paying extra for organic food instead of conventi onally grown food, the demand may fall and substitute products used instead.Products such as locally sourced food are fighting for advertisement space in the media also, so people may switch to this in the future in order to protect the earth, and reduce their carbon footprint. This can all be affected by the hype that is created in the media at that particular time. Standards in legislation are also subject to change, and if this is to change in the future, it may be the case that fewer farmers can afford to convert their land into organic soil, which will reduce the supply of organic food further.If this occurs, the popularity and publicity of this industry may decline. These are issues that need to be kept in the forefront of the industry’s mind, and plans to avoid this, such as proving the benefits of switching to organic produce, need to be made. ? 5. APPENDICES 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations 5. 2. 1 PESTEL framework Advantages are listed below: †¢A llows the analyst to remove themselves from the industry and look at it more objectively by adapting to the new environment †¢Can avoid taking actions that will lead to failure Can see the context of the industry Limitations are listed below: †¢Time consuming †¢Is done by an individual, so important factors can be missed †¢May be difficult to know what to include under each heading, so hard to follow by other people reading the report †¢Industries are constantly changing, so once it is written, it may have already changed †¢PESTEL analysis only covers the remote environment 5. 2. 2 Porter’s 5 Forces Advantages are listed below: Can effectively analyse competition in an industry, and help decide how to beat competitors †¢Develop strategies for action from the information found and apply them to gain market share in an industry †¢Looks beyond obvious immediate competitors, and focuses on substitutes to the organic produce being offered â €“ wider market view Limitations are listed below: †¢Also is carried out by an individual, so things relating to competition in the micro-environment may go unlooked †¢This analysis is a static framework, and the industry is constantly changing, so it may not be applicable immediately after it has been writtenThese limitations imply that a strategy cannot be made just by looking at this report alone. This point may the most important research limitation, as this cannot be taken as to what the industry is like presently. New research is constantly being carried out, and figures continuously change, so up-to-date information is required for marketing strategy development. ? 6. REFERENCES [1]NOSB Definition, http://www. ota. com/definition/nosb. html, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [2]What Is Organic? , http://www. soilassociation. org/web/sa/saweb. nsf, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [3]Organic Food, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organic_food, [Accessed 16/4/08]. 4]Channels to market, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [5]Industry Statistics and Projected Growth, http://www. ota. com/organic/mt/business. html, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [6]Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors (The Structural Analysis of Industries), . Macmillan: UK, pp. 3-33. [7]Davies, M. (1998). Understanding Marketing. Prentice Hall: Hemel Hempstead, p. 35. [8]Kotler, P. (1998) (9th ed. ). Marketing Management – Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control.Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. [9]Organic Certification, www. organicfarmers. org. uk, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [10]Soil Association, www. soilassociation. org, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [11]DEFRA, www. defra. gov. uk/farm/organic/standards/index. htm#ukstandards, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [12]EU Bans Battery Hen Cages, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk/264607. stm, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [13]EU Looks to Cut Farmin g Subsidies, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/Europe/7409739. stm, [Accessed 20/5/08]. [14]Inflation and Credit Crunch prompts Pessimism over Growth Prospects, http://www. independent. co. k/news/business/news/inflation-and-credit-crunch-prompts-pessimism-over-growth-prospects-830644. html, [Accessed 19/5/08]. [15]Global Credit Crunch – facts and figures, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/7302341. stm, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [16]Organic Conversion, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [17]High Street will feel Shock of House Sales Collapse, http://www. guardian. co. uk/money/2008/may/19/houseprice. creditcrunch, [Accessed 19/5/08]. [18]Provenance is Prized, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report.London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [19]Organics, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [20]Consumer 2 – Attitude Towards Organic Foods, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [21]Organic Food Industry Out of Control, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/UK_politics/1134285. stm, [Accessed 24/4/08]. [22]Key Points, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report.London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [23]Globalisation of the Organic Food Industry, http://www. organicmonitor. com/r1407. htm, [Accessed 16/4/08]. [24]Demographic Changes, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [25]Women and AB’s Shop Organically, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [26]Davies, M. (1998). Understanding Marketing. Prentice Hall: Hemel Hemps tead, p. 35.

Importance of Literature Essay

Literature reminds us of stories, epics, sacred scriptures and classical works of the ancient and modern times. Literature is defined as the body of written works of a language, period or culture, produced by scholars and researchers, specialized in a given field. Why is literature important? Let us see. As stated in the quotation by C. S. Lewis, literature not only describes reality but also adds to it. Yes, literature is not merely a depiction of reality; it is rather a value-addition. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. They are a depiction of the different facets of common man’s life. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought and a tonic for imagination and creativity. Exposing an individual to good literary works, is equivalent to providing him/her with the finest of educational opportunities. On the other hand, the lack of exposure to classic literary works is equal to depriving an individual from an opportunity to grow as an individual. Prose, poetry, drama, essays, fiction, literary works based on philosophy, art, history, religion, and culture and also scientific and legal writings are grouped under the category of literature. Creative nonfiction of the ancient times and literary journalism also fall under literature. Certain extremely technical writings such as those on logistics and mathematics are also believed to be a part of literature. Some of the great literary works like the Bible and Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, among others, provide society with the guiding principles of life. Ancient poetic works by poets like Homer, Plato, Sappho, Horace and Virgil, Shakespeare’s sonnets and notable poetry by W. B. Yeats, John Keats, Wordsworth, Tennyson and William Blake are timeless. The Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, A Tale of Two Cities, James Bond series are some of the best-selling books of all time. The Adventures of Pinocchio, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Winnie-the-Pooh were some of the greatest works in children’s literature. The relatively recent Harry Potter series made record sales across the globe and carved a niche for J. K. Rowling. However, a discussion about children’s authors would be incomplete without the mention of all-time popular authors like Aesop, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and Mark Twain. It is through reading such great literary and poetic works, that one understands life. They help a person take a closer look at the different facets of life. In many ways, it can change one’s perspective towards life. Lives of brilliant achievers and individuals who have made a valuable contribution to society, are sketched in their biographies. These works give the readers an insight into the lives of these eminent people, while also serving as a bible of ideals. Literature serves as an enormous information base. Research works by famous inventors and literary works by notable scientists often narrate stories of their groundbreaking discoveries and inferences. Ongoing developments in the fields of science and technology are documented so that the world can know about them. Several ancient scriptures relating stories of human evolution and narratives of human life in those times, have been of tremendous help to mankind. Thus, literature has always served as an authentic source of information from all around the world. True, languages are the building blocks of literature. But the study of literature cannot be restricted to only studying languages. In fact, literature cannot be confined to an educational curriculum. A degree in language and literature is perhaps unable to provide one, with everything that literature can offer. Literature, is definitely, much more than its literary meaning, which defines it as ‘an acquaintance to letters’. It, in fact, lays the foundation of an enriched life; it adds ‘life’ to ‘living’ Literature is also a mode to express public opinion in variety of genres. It is also a part of tradition, one we pass on to our future generation. It tells us of our rich culture and gives us a sense of pride in our country. Literature is the lighthouse of any culture and to know any culture better we must know its literature as it gives us a true picture of the culture and its development. The extant remains of the literary texts of earlier civilizations throw light on our past and gauge our development. Literature enriches the mind and reading as they say makes a man perfect. Today there are books available on a variety of subjects, books meant for education, books meant for entertainment and books meant for self- development. There is a book for each one`s choice. All said and done, literary enlightenment of a society is the true measure of its development and progress and India is a land with a rich literary heritage and one that people all over the world look up to for guidance. | Art is an extremely private experience, yet, it is meant to be shared with the public. Society, as a whole, examines the art produced and has the right to approve, disapprove, acknowledge, ignore, praise and abuse it. The public or society has not remained constant over the years. In the time of the Renaissance, for example, only a select few were â€Å"society. † They commissioned art, were patrons of the arts and their artists. Today, almost anyone can share in the experience of art. They can attempt to create, view and act as a critic. Does art make the world a better place, or is it quite useless? This is a very ancient riddle, and no one has solved it yet. A similar question – has art truly had any impact upon society? Has it fashioned or molded minds? Has it shaped opinions and altered how people feel or think? Is it practicable in or relevant to society and its individuals’ daily lives? Art reflects life. It is a portrait of history, whether it is history of the current moment or an event in the past or something of the imagination. Art has captured an event, clarifying its existence and representation to society. The portraits of the French Revolution by David, Benjamin West’s portrayal of the death of General Wolfe and Poussin’s recreation of the Rape of the Sabine Women all strive to provide a version of historical events. Society, in turn, can accept or reject these portrayals of true events. Sometimes, as in the case of Goya’s depiction of the French behavior during their conquest of Spain, art inspires a deep hatred of a certain nationality. |

QI IV IMPLEMENTING AND REVISING Research Proposal

QI IV IMPLEMENTING AND REVISING - Research Proposal Example In addition, strategic planning of implementation can bring great change in any given organization. It clearly shows the missions and goals to be achieved by the organization. In order to plan an effective implantation process; one should ensure that there is active support from the board of executive, effective communication, and employee involvement (Gorman, 2001). The board of directors provides quality leadership for the QI process. It reviews, evaluates and puts in place the quality improvement services. The team also helps in supporting and directing the implementation of enhanced quality activities in the program. Successful planning implementation calls for extensive commitments from the board of directors and senior managers. The executive committee has a crucial role to play during the process. For instance, they must guide, support, monitor and live to the outcomes of the process, failure to this, the strategic process will simply be unsuccessful. Without extra commitment of the organization’s executives, the participants are likely to feel misled and unsatisfied with the results. Senior executive should draw a clear vision and mission for the planning implementation process. In addition, they should taint a picture to show the expected out comes. The executive can also appoint a leader such as an executive champion to ‘’own â€Å"the strategic process. Executives should sponsor some portions that involve the process. They become an involved participant that enables them to interact with other members of the organization. Executive leadership should steer up the committee, planning team and leadership group. They develop a performance plan within the management to reinforce, and communicate a structure that enhances the delivery and accomplishment of the planning goals. The quality improvement committee comprises of a wide range of health practitioners such as network physicians and the psychiatric health workers. It develops and comments the quality improving plan. It identifies opportunities for enhancement, outlines performance goals and guides the quality interventions. The committee is responsible for approving and updating the time plan. Subsequently, the committee carries out the quality evaluation process, analyzes, and summarizes work done within a given time span. It is evident that the committee monitors health activities and creates a work plan for each activity and the people responsible. In addition, it reports to the board of directors on the quality improvement services on a regular basis (Breen, et.al, 2010). Thirdly, improving the quality of a medical program requires the mobilization of medical staff. They should be equipped with enough technical expertise in Quality improvement methods and tools. Medical staff in a quality improvement program includes the medical clinicians, laboratory technicians, and pharmacists. Quality services of a medical staff improve the services of Services of a ny medical program. Clinicians ensure that patients receive quality medical care. They also ensure that all patients/clients receive their medical prescription according to the doctor’s prescription. They coordinate quality care by ensuring that all the equipment’s needed during medical services are readily available. Extensive involvement of the medical staff enhances the effectiveness of quality improving strategies. Furthermore, the participation of senior physicians should

The Batek of Malaysia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Batek of Malaysia - Research Paper Example They are one of the groups of Malayan aborigines (Orang Asli) and from historic times they have always been gathering food by hunting and gathering natural resources (Bisht and Bankoti, 2004, p.100). This paper will focus on forage as primary mode of subsistence of the Batek population and its impact on some aspects of their culture. The Batek have maintained their primitive lifestyles but with time they might be facing challenging with respect to upholding their beliefs and traditions. There is a population of 133,000 Orang Asli in Malaysia and they are divided into 3 groups which again has 18 ethnic sub-groups. Each group has an identity of their and differ in language, culture and also architecture. In the age of urbanization they have adopted modern lifestyles and have come to live in urban areas. However, the Batek still maintain their traditional nomadic lifestyle (Beswick, 2010). The Batek people claim to have a strong and positive relationship with the forest. They hunt for food in the forests and also take refuge in the forests. In spite of their dependence on forests, their everyday life can be in danger. As with other nomadic groups, the Batek too suffer from this fear. The major factor that contributes to their fear of life is falling of trees. The Batek have an inherently practical approach to this problem. They cut down a tree if they think it has the possibility of falling over their camp. If cutting down of a tree does not seem possible then they escape from the way of the tree. As the best and hassle free solution they build their camps in place where there are no old trees so that they are saved from the threat of potential falling trees. In general term, this fear of the Batek of falling trees is a fitting environmental behaviour and can be considered normal for people living among trees. The Batek people believe that the world will cease to exist if no people live in the forests and so according to their belief they are holding up the world by remaining attached to the forests. Administrative boundaries do not restrict the Batak and they move freely in and out of Taman Negar a Park. Based on their political and sexually democratic structure, there exist no boundaries among groups. The main characteristic of their daily camp life is fluctuation. The Batek people always look for new zones for resource and so their encampments are always fresh and in established sites (Tuck-Po, 2005, pp.250-251). A camp group has an average of 38 people and in general does not remain in one place for more than two weeks. They move from one rive valley to another in three to four months. Their movement is not random through the forest. They follow a definite walking trail and other pathways including rivers and streams (Tuck-Po, 2005, pp.250-251). The Batek do not have ownership of lands and they only look after lands. This makes them easier to move every five months so that the forest can replenish (Beswick, 2010). In Batek society leadership is not ascribed. It is based on situation and activity. Although individuals make decisions, still group decisions act as the best c ompromise between peaceful agreements and chaotic conflicts. Dominating behaviour is not favorably accepted and even the children have the right to object and refuse obedience. The nuclear family is the primary unit for production and consumption. An important social performance is the practice of sharing of food between households. The largest share of food that they gather goes to the family members of the hunter and their closest kin and the remaining portion of the food is distributed among the other members of the

In What Ways Do We Inherit Our Ideas and Beliefs From Our Family and S Essay

In What Ways Do We Inherit Our Ideas and Beliefs From Our Family and Society - Essay Example From the family, the child learns to trust and grow, and family care leads to the development of the behaviours and beliefs of the child. If the environment provided by the family is nurturing and positive, the child grows up to be a successful and happy person. He takes on risk to learn new things as he knows he has the support of the family, and even if he fails, his family is there to support him. The negative support from the family can lead to a completely opposite effect. The example of family beliefs and its negative effect can be clearly seen in the literal work of William Faulkner and his short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily†. The story revolves around a daughter who is so distraught from the death of her father that she keeps his dead body to herself for a couple of days. She is so dependent on her father and secluded from the society that she refuses to let go of his body. Her dependency on father had led to her isolation from society, lack of a maternal figure and has disturbed relationships around. Another example of family and its emphasis on the lives of an individual is highlighted in the literal work of Shirley Jackson â€Å"The Lottery†, which shows how families can turn against one another on basis of a single trigger. Initially, it was highlighted in the story that family bonds were so strong that all families stood together and each family member has to be present. All the actions within the story are carried out due to the effect of family relationships. However, as soon as one of the members Tessie draws out a marked paper, all those family members turn against her and stone her. Another important factor that shapes the ideas and beliefs of an individual is the society, specifically the community. The sociological conditions have been affecting the individuals since the very beginning, however, each generation develops a new set of conditions. The present generation, for example, is socially ruled by the influence of technology, economy and media.  Ã‚  

Research about a company listed in the australian stock exchange Paper

About a company listed in the australian stock exchange - Research Paper Example The beverages portfolio of Coca-Cola Amatil not only includes the traditional carbonated drinks, but it also has fruit juices, coffee, flavored milks, energy drinks, mineral water and other beverage product lines. Around 30% of the shareholding of the company is owned by The Coca-Cola Company and the company’s total market capitalization fluctuates around $8 billion, entitling the company to be placed in the best 50 companies of Australian Stock Exchange. The above chart reflects the performance of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited over the past 12 months. The share price of the company ranged in between $10.5 to $12.5. In the 2nd week of August last year, the share price of the company slipped sharply and touched its lowest point at around $10.5. However, the company managed to recover its performance in the last week of September and touched the highest at around $12.5. Since then the share price is presenting reasonable performance and remains firm within a range of $11.5 and $12.25. The above chart shows the most recognized index of the Australian Stock Exchange which is S&P/ASX 200 represented by the symbol â€Å"XJO†. It is quite evident from the above chart that the performance of XJO worsened quite much as compared to its performance from the beginning of the year. The index dropped from 4,900 to around 3,900 points in the first week of October. Since then, the index is at the stabilizing stage and currently moving at 4,300 points. The above chart represents the comparative analysis of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited and the S&P/ASX 200 index which is represented by â€Å"XJO†. It is evident that the overall performance of Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (red) has remained better as compared to XJO which experienced a substantial slump in its performance through out the year. It can be concluded that Coca-Cola Amatil Limited remained successful in out-beating the overall market. 4. Check the

The effect of clutch size on predation in birds Essay

The effect of clutch size on predation in birds - Essay Example Hypothetically, it is also logic to say that the bigger the clutch size, the more the mortality rate in birds. This is because the prey are large in number, hence, attracting more predators. Past studies on clutch size, have concentrated on the constant evolution in the size of the clutch. This has, therefore, guided researchers in coming up with theories such as the food limitation hypothesis of lack (Paul et al 824). This theory states that the clutch size gives a reflection on the relationship between the food limitation and the number of off springs that survive. In addition, another theory tries to explain how the clutch size is determined by parental behavior, for instance, the ability to feed and their success in reproduction. Nevertheless, predation patterns and the predators themselves are in more than one way affected by the clutch size. The effect of clutch size on predation in birds has been researched on in a number of models by different researchers since 1990s. However, there are two main models that act as the backbone to all other models. The first one explains how an increase in predation risk would be as a result of nestling begging, with or without spectral characteristics and avian mobbing (Paul et al 821). Parental behavior and nestling begging is usually seen a signal to increase in predation risk. This hypothesis was questioned since, in some cases, nestling begging could be there but the parents are also there to defend the young ones. To prove this, an experiment was carried out where bell miners Manorina melanophrys was observed and the cost of begging measured. The experiment was done by placing 168 attractive nests with wax egg and broadcasting speakers that produced sounds similar to the begging sound. Three conditions were put into considerations (Ekman 703). These conditions were silence, white noise pulses that was similar to the response no begging sounds and un-manipulated begging

Advise a policy maker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Advise a policy maker - Research Paper Example While doing this, a policymaker should ensure that they followed any of the four perspectives to public administration in order to ensure that the framework within which a policy operates achieves the desired results and objectives. In effect, failure to ensure that the policy framework was within the four perspectives to public administration will consequently make a policy inept, and its objectives to be unachievable. Based on the abovementioned, one of the best approaches that any policymaker should incorporate while making decisions, resolving, developing, and implementing a policy is the political perspective approach to public administration. By its precise nature, this perspective has to be an effective approach to any policymaker who wants to achieve a policy that was effective, efficient, and equitable in nature. In this case, the perspective contains four basic aspects that will ensure that a policymaker attained effectiveness, efficiency, and equity while developing a poli cy. These four fundamental aspects include public participation in the policy, equal representation of the public in terms of demographics and interests, the public’s responsiveness to a policy, and accountability of administrators involved in any stages of the administration of this policy. In line with this, this expose uses the political perspective to assist a policymaker resolve a problem that requires their urgent resolution. It is pertinent to explain the nature of the problem that required urgent resolution. In this case, the problem involved state government’s resolve to close all land administrations offices in the state’s precincts in order to centralize the operations in its State capital. The objective to implement this policy was to institute cost-cutting measures that would see all matters of land administration administered from the State capital. In doing this, the state had observed that the land administration offices in the precincts were not cost-effective to operate, and it was recommended that centralizing land administration would save the expenses. Nonetheless, there was a public outcry over this issue, and it was important to resolve this issue within one week in order to ensure the policy developed was effective, efficient, and equitable to the entire population in the state. The political perspective to public administration recognizes the important role of political responsiveness while developing policy. In this regard, Dahl (1971) identified the important role of the government in ensuring that the government’s policy centered on the preferences of all the citizens, who in most cases should be considered as political equals. In this regard, it is important for the policy that we are going to formulate ensure that all the demographics will feel that the policy represented them equally. In addition, it is crucial for the policymaker to consider whether the needs of each citizen in the state are considere d before implementing this policy. Furthermore, political representation cannot be attained when developing and implementing a policy without considering all the characteristics of the constituents in the state. In support of political responsiveness, Lindbloom (1992) noted the importance of considering a policy that appealed to the masses in terms of objectivity and values that the policy espouses. In view of this requirement, it is evident that the policy that the State was about to implement did not meet these requirements. First, the policy does not consider the impoverished citizens in the state who would find it challenging to seek assistance from the State ca

The Social Web and Security Risks on People's Information Essay

The Social Web and Security Risks on People's Information - Essay Example Indeed, those kinds of risks exist for both individuals and organizations—two kinds of entities that are both increasingly using social media as a way of communicate with others. Throughout this paper, the analysis of risks of social web will incorporate both individual users who may use social media casually to communicate with a particular circle of people, and organizations that may use social media to market their products and services to the public. Neither class is immune to the challenges that we all face when using social media to keep information private, since the process of making information public is irreversible. According to Pew Research (2011), the percentages of individuals using social networking sites, especially within the 18 to 29 age bracket, has skyrocketed since 2005 (Figure 1.). Similar sorts of trends can be observed in the 30 to 49 and 50 to 64 age brackets, although the sharpness of that curve is more subdued. Over half of people in all three of tho se age brackets, however, are using social networking websites, and roughly one-third of people 65 or older are using social networking websites. Considering the prevalence of social media in our 21st century reality, it is necessary to slow down and to give some thought to the drawbacks of this technology, in addition to its benefits. When discussing either drawbacks or benefits, one should keep in mind these rising statistics about usage. Social networking becomes more valuable as people join and connect, which means social media has a great deal of staying power. Figure 1. Social networking usage by age. Pew Research (2011). Figure 2. Communication methods used to engage employees. McCasland (2009). Clearly, social media is having a large-scale impact on how individuals communicate with others. However, organizations are increasingly utilizing social media. In fact, 21st century organizations consider social media as an important tool of marketing. In addition, social media has o ther uses, including to engage employees and to foster productivity (Figure 2.). As was mentioned previously, what is unique to the new phenomenon of social networking is that information uploaded to such websites is there permanently. In times of interpersonal networking without the internet, oral communication carried information from person to person. Oral communication is temporary and sometimes forgotten. However, in the 21st century, there is a public record of information that at some points in history individuals never would have thought to share with others. With such permanence to information, it is possible for undesirable consequences to come about by sharing. Sometimes these negative consequences are defined by a malicious intent, while at other times, these consequences are accidental. For instance, in organizations, blocking Facebook is not only a matter of preventing malware from entering company computers or keeping employees productive—it is also about posit ively representing the company to the public, which a Facebook profile essentially is (Cluley, 2010). Individuals sometimes forget that, like organizations, they have a public online presence that can be damaged by sharing their information in a public space. However, in spite of those potential threats, organization and individuals are still using the social web at miraculous rates. The primary benefit of social media is the connections that it

Juvenile fire setting Essay Example for Free

Juvenile fire setting Essay Findings indicate that of all victims of fires set by a child; about thirty four percent of the victims are children themselves. The leading cause of death in residential fires in the United States has been found to be playing with fire. Children are often engaged in games that involve playing with fire. These games are normally played in the bedroom where many things can easily catch fire. Older children on the other hand play with fire outside the home. The majority of these children are often under the false impression that they have the capacity to control the fires that they have set. A large percentage of children who set fire have no possession of fire safety education and are also not supervised by their parents. Statistics indicate that more than fifty percent of individuals arrested for arson in the United States are juveniles. About eighty thousand structure fires are caused by children who play with fire. From this, seven hundred and sixty deaths and more than three thousand five hundred injuries result. The annual estimates of damages from juvenile fire setting stand at 1. 2 billion dollars. It takes less than two minutes for an entire room to be set on fire by a flame from a single match. In only under five minutes, the entire house can be engulfed in flames. Over three hundred deaths and two thousand injuries result from juvenile arson and fires set by youth annually. Again, property damage resulting from these fires amount to over three hundred million dollars. Forty percent of deaths related to residential fire are caused by children playing with fire. Characteristic of fire setters Juvenile fire setters can be categorized into three groups according to age. The first category is made up of children aged less than seven years. The majority of fires caused by this category of children are mainly as a result of accident or curiosity. Some studies indicate that the childrens interest in fire begins before the age of three (Kolko Kadzin, 1999). Naturally, children are curious about fire even though there are various factors that determine whether a child actually sets fire or not. Such factors include the availability of fire supply and their exposure to fire. The majority of children under this category who set fire are not aware of the potential consequences. The second category is comprised of children between the age eight to twelve. Fire set by children within this category may also emanate from curiosity. However, it may also be the result of an underlying psychosocial conflict (Slavkin, 2000). Children under this category may be completely aware of the consequences of their actions and set fire as a strategy for attracting attention. They are likely to continue setting fire until their concerns become addressed or until their needs are met. The third category consists of adolescents aged between thirteen years and eighteen years. A major feature of these young people under this category is that they seem to possess a long history of playing with fire and fire starting behavior that had not been detected. Their fire setting actions may either be motivated by psychosocial conflict and turmoil or an intended criminal behavior. The history of such young people is characterized by behavior problems and school failure. They are highly vulnerable to peer influence. Another classification of juvenile fire setters lives out those that start fire out of curiosity. As such, it classifies intentional fire setters. The first group within this category is made up of those children who set fire as a way of seeking attention. The second category is made up of children who are motivated through delinquent activity. The final category is composed of juveniles who have severe emotional disturbances. Regardless of the mode of classification, what is apparent is that the older the child, the more hey experiment with more sophisticated materials. As children advance in age, their fire setting tend to be externally directed toward locations such as barns, garbage dumpsters, grasslands, schools and automobiles (Little, 1998). There exist various varieties of psychosocial, behavioral, conduct and aggression problems exuded by juvenile fire setters. Among these are a tendency of playing with matches or lighters, cruelty to animals, item burning and extreme enthusiasm and curiosity about fire (Foerger, 1999). The potential for setting fire becomes high when these factors are combined with the circumstance, the ease at which matches and lighters can be obtained and a general misunderstanding about the consequences of fire. Juvenile fire setters may possess a number of characteristics. These children tend to be curious about fire and do not understand the dangers associated with fire. In some cases, these children may be experiencing some changes in the family life such as death, divorce or separation. They may also have a history of behavioral problems and poor peer relationship. Parental involvement Families are often reluctant in responding to what they normally take to be a one time occurrence. Families in most cases tend to ignore the seriousness of the behavior. Every child who has engaged in fire play or fire setting tendencies requires intervention. Children need to be educated on the dangers of playing with fire by their parents so that they may stop the behavior. The most important thing that parents need to do is to take notice of their children. Parents also need to talk to their children about the dangers of fire. They also must set a good example as the majority of children learn about the use of fire from their parents. If the parents are reckless with fire, the child is likely to handle fire carelessly. Access to matches and lighters should also be restricted. The only way to ensure that children do not access them is by keeping them safely. Problems are likely to occur when children begin to handle fire in ways that are dangerous. Parents should therefore seek appropriate help before any serious problem occur. Professional guidance is more appropriate as threats and punishments are in most cases ineffective. Without any form of intervention, fire setting cannot stop. The past decade has witnessed the establishment of various programs in numerous jurisdictions across the United States to address concerns about juvenile fire setting. These programs primarily fall under the fire service. Their aim is to prevent the recurrence of fire setting by identifying, evaluating and treating the juvenile fire setter. Early programs were mainly designed by local mental health professionals and personnel in the fire service. Based on models developed by the United States Fire Administration, various programs have been established. Apart from the fire department, juvenile fire setter programs obtain referrals from the police departments, mental health agencies, social service agencies, schools and parents. A working relationship exists between the programs and a number of these major community agencies. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the United States Fire Administration, in seeing the need for increased knowledge on how the problem of juvenile fire setting can be minimized, funded an initiative known as the National Juvenile Fire setter/Arson Control and Prevention (NJF/ACP) Program which ran from 1987 through 1993. Possible solutions The most appropriate solutions to children with fire setting behavior are those focused on brief therapy (Little, 1998). The solution focused on brief therapy was developed as a family counseling theory. The therapy is made up of sessions with the first session being the most important. It employs â€Å"solution talk† to change cognitions from negative focus on weakness and problems to the positive attitudes of expressing optimism and strength. This may in particular satisfy the powerful need of juvenile fire setters for security and love. The problem can also be solved through fire safety education, collaboration with the community agencies and empathy training. These methods can especially be used by school counselors to bring about positive changes for juveniles with fire setting behaviors and the general society. Current trends It has been noted that during the winter months, there is always an increased rate of child fire injuries and deaths. The distribution of injuries and deaths are even throughout the week. Deaths and injuries also seem to take place between 8 P. M and 8 A. M. (Kolko, 2002). The majority of child fares are residential with more than ninety percent of such fires resulting in injuries and death. Fires often originate from the bedroom. Arson still continues to be a major United States problem.

The Village Essay Example for Free

The Village Essay The Village is a film about a village where the people live in fear of creatures living in the woods beyond them. It is explained that the villagers have a truce with, as they call them, â€Å"Those We Don’t Speak Of,† where the villagers do not enter their woods, and the creatures do not enter the Villagers’. M. Night Shyamalan illustrates a small society in The Village, of people who are free and protected through the fear of violence, and an imperfect community. To ensure their village is innocent, the elders made sure their children and grandchildren would be protected from violence and greed. By assuring this, the elders made up the creatures and told stories and tales of those killed and harmed by them to make them fear leaving. According to them, the color red was forbidden because it would attract the creatures and bring them into their part of the woods. If anyone was to enter Covington Woods, which was only granted by permission, they would have to wear yellow. The elders and villagers had to sacrifice knowledge of modern resources and medicine. An oath was made years ago in the village that soon was broken when few were told about the make believe creatures. Many of the villagers were affected by the lack of medicine, which caused Noah Percy, who had a mental illness die and Ivy Walker to go into Covington Woods. The villagers believe the creatures will harm them if someone passes the boundaries, although the elders only believe they could be harmed by exposure to the modern world.

Industrialization And Environmental Challenge In China Environmental Sciences Essay

Industrialization And Environmental Challenge In China Environmental Sciences Essay China has experienced the worlds fastest economic development over the past decades. At the same time, it has faced environmental degradation, and growing barriers against development. Chinas most productive city Shanghai has taken a particularly major role in Chinas economic and political development. However, the city could not avoid confrontation with environmental challenges, especially water pollution. The rapid economic growth and industrialisation have generated high pressure on the citys environment. Although Shanghai is a coastal economic city with abundant water sources from various rivers such as Yangtze River and Changjiang River, the city has suffered from polluted water and water shortage. The first reason is water pollution. According to Shanghai Water Authority (Shanghai Municipal Oceanic Bureau, SWA), majority of surface water in the city has been polluted and the water quality does not meet the drinking water quality standards  [1]  . Also, only 2.3 per cent of the Huangpu River, Shanghais main water supplies, met the grade 1-2 of water quality and 23.0 per cent attained grade 3. The rest 73.8 per cent was rated as grade 4-5 (China Water Risk Report 2010). Second, Shanghais water infrastructure provides 56.1% of the total water supply to its industry sector, which includes power plants and coal-fired factories, 14.3% to agriculture, and 10.1% to 23 million residents of its greater municipality (UNEP, 2010)  [2]  . This research argues that the Shanghai government has made improvements to solve the water pollution problem, but these havent been sufficient to resolve the persistent water pollution in the city. The Shanghai authority insists that it is aware of the deterioration of the environment, and it has promoted more balanced patterns of development using concepts such as harmonious society and scientific development. For instance, the municipal government launched $586 billion economic stimulus package in late 2008, and it invested majorly in environment conservation projects, especially, water pollution projects. Also the government implemented the Plan of Underground Water Pollution Prevention and Control(2010-2011) which cost about %5.4 billion(IBIS, 2012)  [3]  . However, some research conducted by scholars such as Thomas Johnson (2009) and the Chinese Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (2006) raised skepticism on the Shanghai governments environmental governance si nce there hasnt been a noticeable improvement. Also some empirical data show that the emissions of major water pollutants from the industrial sector is still considered serious, and the amount of wastewater discharged from the industrial and household sectors continues to increase. First, this research assumes that the Shanghai governments governance has been experiencing difficulties in controlling water pollution because of the weak legal instrument in restricting pollutants emission. In regard with water protection, the government has several legal measures such as Environmental impact assessment system(EIA), The Three Simultaneity System, Pollution levy system, Pollution discharge reporting system, Emission permit system, Total emission control system, Enforcement of pollution abatement for noncompliance, and Enforcement of shutting down, merging and transferring system(Xin, 2009). Nonetheless, the law enforcement and penalty imposition have not been effective in practice, which caused the failure in restricting pollutants emission. For example, the amount of three major pollutant emissions SO2, COD and soot has not been successfully decreased. In SO2s case, the amount of industrial emission even increased during 1990-2006 (Wen, 2007)  [4]  . Research Question 1. Does the Shanghai government have sufficient legal measures in restricting water pollutant emission? 2. If not, what are the causes of the problem? Second, the Shanghai government does not seem to be fully motivated to implement water protection policies. Since the state governments major concern is economic growth under the GDP-  based development  system, the municipal governments, including Shanghai, inevitably have been economic growth-oriented affected by the state governments regime. As indicated above, more than half of the water supplies in Shanghai have been allocated in the industry sector. Also, the environment department of the government has suffered from securing sufficient technical human resources because of its budget limit, which means the government has put its high priority to the industrialization and economic growth. Research Question 1. Has the water pollution issue been high on the Shanghai governments priorities? Third, this research presumes that the accessibility the accurate information and data and the inactive public participation have detracted from the Shanghai governments effectiveness in implementing the environmental governance. Although accurate information and its accessibility and active public participation could take a major role in the governments environmental governance, the rate of public participation is rather low and the accessibility of the accurate information is still limited in comparison with other developed countries. The public should be able to access the accurate information and data, and be involved in the monitoring and evaluation system. For example, NGOs could be a substitute for the expensive technical human resources. Research Question 1. Does the Shanghai government have the easy accessibility for the public to accurate environmental information and data? The Shanghai governments governance regarding water pollution issues has not been sufficient. Since the government is driven by the economic growth-oriented regime of the centre government, the law enforcement in restricting water pollutant emissions have been ineffective despite several legal measures. Also the public does not have easy accessibility of the accurate information and data. These three factors have not successfully improved the water quality in Shanghai, which will cause a serious water shortage. The water shortage will have repercussion for the whole country. It will directly affect the citizens well being and hinder China from sustainable development.

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1 Essay example -- English Literature

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1 Read the beginning of the novel chapter 1 up to page 12 â€Å"Tom Buchanan in his riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch.† How effective do you find this as an introduction to Great Gatsby. In your response you should pay close attention to voice, language and style. The Great Gatsby was written by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, and is set during 1922, a period tinged with moral failure of a society obsessed with class and privilege. Fitzgerald presents us with the conflict between the illusion and the reality of the American dream. The novel begins in the present tense, and is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, the narrator and moral centre of the novel. His tale is told in retrospect. Nick Carraway is a young man from the Mid West, introducing himself as a graduate of Yale and a veteran of World War One. He begins the first chapter by relaying his father’s advice: â€Å"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the same advantages as you’ve had.† He states that he is also â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgement† about people and be a tolerant listener; who is entrusted with people’s secrets. This encourages him to withhold formulating opinions about people until he gets to know them, demonstrating his caution. Nick puts himself forward explicitly, as someone with an above average â€Å"sense of fundamental decencies† which now manifests itself as a wish for â€Å"the world to be in uniform and at a moral attention forever†. This military perspective clearly shows Nick has something of an authoritarian character with a developed instinct for discipline and order. These first pages of Chapter one... ...ds the end of page 9 the reader is given a sense of time and a positive idea of how the modern world is progressing, through the metaphor of â€Å"growing trees† and the â€Å"burst of leaves† creating new life that has potential just like the American Dream. â€Å"Fast movies† (p.9) and the â€Å"telephone† (p.12) symbolise the Twentieth –century technological environment. The growth of cinemas, cars, boats is recognised by the twenties as a decade of mass media and mass production in America. The novel raises the issue of individual worth in such a context. In contrast to this materialistic world, Daisy’s name evokes a delicate flower. The irony here is that her life is conducted in an entirely manufactured environment, distant from the natural world. The key structure of the chapter is the combination of first person narrative and the gradual revelation of the past.

Scarlet Letter Essay -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

After the death of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s character Dimmesdale from the book the Scarlet Letter, there have been many theories about the cause of his death. Some literary analyzers claim that his guilt was the cause of his death. Others say that Roger Chillingworth, a physician, poisoned him with Atropine and Scopolamine. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale’s guilt appears to be the cause of his death, but his symptoms point towards Atropine and Scopolamine poisoning. In The Scarlet Letter, all the symptoms Dimmesdale experiences provide evidence that he is poisoned with Atropine and Scopolamine. The action of gripping hard at the breast leads readers to believe that Dimmesdale is poisoned with Scopolamine and Atropine. Gripping hard at his breast is a cardio vascular symptom which is associated to Scopolamine and Atropine poisoning. Shafer points out that â€Å"he was often observed, on any slight alarm, to put his hand over his heart, with first a flush and then a paleness, indicative of pain† (qtd. in Hawthorne 88). Scopolamine and Atropine poisoning causes pain in the chest therefore Dimmesdale’s symptom is one of chronic intoxication. Shafer quotes Hawthorne saying how the gripping of the chest â€Å"had now become a constant habit, rather than a casual gesture, to press his hand over his heart† (qtd. in Hawthorne 88). Because Dimmesdale forms the constant habit of putting his hand over his heart, it shows that he constantly has pain in his chest and is being gradually poisoned. Other symptoms of Scopolamine and Atropine poisoning that Dimmesdale experiences are gait disturbances, tremors, and convulsions. Shafer mentions that Dimmesdale has a nervous â€Å"despondency in his [Dimmesdale’s] air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (qtd... ...n occur. If overdosed, Atropine can cause very serious consequences but fatalities from Atropine poisoning are very rare but can occur in adults and children. Atropine is the safest alkaloid of all the potential alkaloids. Since death caused by Atropine alone is very rare, the fatal dose has not medically been discovered. If ever overdosed, the side effects of dry mouth, blurred vision, photophobia, anhidrosis, and constipation are unavoidable. Although The Scarlet Letter makes readers believe that Dimmesdale died of guilt, there is enough medical evidence to prove that he was poisoned by Scopolamine and Atropine. Not only is there enough evidence of the poison, there is also evidence on how Chillingworth caused his death. All in all, Dimmesdale’s death in The Scarlet Letter was caused because of Scopolamine and Atropine poisoning by Roger Chillingworth.