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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Main Trends in Births and Deaths in the United Kingdom Essay

The birth rate of a country refers to the number of live births per thousand of the population per year. The general trend for the UK is that there has been a decline in the birth rate since 1900 however there have been fluctuations in the rate due e.g. After World War 1 & 2 and in the 1960s. Sociologists believe this is because of four major factors: changes in gender roles, falling infant mortality, children being seen as an economic burden and our society becoming more child centred. A main part of the decline can be explained in terms of women simply choosing to have fewer children. As the position of women in society has changed overtime, they have chosen to delay childbearing and to limit the number of children they are having because of several factors. Women now have equality with men because of the Equality Act 2010 as well as receiving increased educational and employment opportunities. Other ways in which women’s position has changed is that there is now easier access to divorce, contraception and abortion meaning that they can avoid unwanted pregnancy so have full choice over when they have a child. Beck and Back-Gernsheim(1995) said that the changes in the birth and fertility rate are due to individualisation meaning that people have more choice to follow their own norms and values as well as making their own decisions, rather the following what society deems acceptable. Also the falling infant mortality rate (number of children dying before their first birthday per thousand of live births) has fallen dramatically as a result of factors such as better living standards, improved hygiene and sanitation, improvements to healthcare and the developments made to the welfare state. Geographers explain that these circumstances lead to a demographic revolution in which birth and fertility fall because women no longer feel they need to have a large number of childre n to protect against the risk of infant mortality. It is clear that the attitudes towards children have changed and society in general has become more child-centred, meaning that we are now more concerned about the welfare of children than in the past. The social norms about childcare have changed significantly and the time and costs involved in raising children have significantly increased, therefore making a large family economically unattractive. In the early 19th century children were often seen as an economic asset because they were able to work and contribute towards the family income at a relatively young age however nowadays legislation has  banned children from working and has also increased the time that children have to stay in education for..Because of this, children are financially dependent on their parents for longer so are seen more as an economic burden rather than an asset. As well as this, due to the improvement of the welfare provision for the elderly, parents no longer need to worry as much about having large a mounts of children to look after them once they are elderly. Since people are now having fewer children, the dependency ratio, along with the birth rate has decreased meaning that there are fewer dependents within the population leading to less childcare and school services needed. Although there has been a decline in the birth rate, the amount of deaths occurring in the UK remains steady and the death rate is decreasing because of the growing population since 1900. The death rate refers to the number of people dying per thousand of the population per year. The average life expectancy is now around 78 years for men and 82 years for women whereas in 1900 it was 45 years for men and 48 for women. This tells us that people are staying healthier for longer and this is because of a number of factors including: improved nutrition and living standards, developments in medicine and improved government provisions of welfare and health. It has been said that over half the decline is the death rate is due to the decrease of infectious diseases and McKeow n(1972) argues that most of the fall in the death rate took place before immunisation and was based mainly on good nutrition and hygiene. Studies by Rowntree and others (1899, 1950) found a rapid decline in absolute poverty meaning that people have better living standards which have allowed significant improvements to diet that help increase resistance to some infectious diseases Medical knowledge has improved dramatically since 1900 because of the establishment of the NHS in 1949 as well as a better knowledge of antibiotics, surgery, treatment and immunisation which have helped decrease the death rate. The government also continues to make provisions for those who need it e.g. EMA, careers allowance, working class credits which allow people to have a better quality of life. After the Beveridge Report of 1944, the range of welfare provisions available has expanded and become more universally available. It provided protection against risk factors such as old age through pensions, and low income through housing benefits, unemployment benefit and the benefit now called income support. There are many of other factors involved in the  decrease of the death rate including that there are a lot less dangerous occupations available to people e.g. mining and factory working as well as having higher incomes meaning that people are able to afford better foods and medicines which contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals. It is evident that even as the population of the UK increases, the death rate and birth rate are both decreasing. These are both because of a number of factors however the most important for both seem to be the improvement of medical knowledge and practices which stop people from becoming ill and include important things such as medicines, contraception and support services for those who become pregnant or suffer with diseases.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Gold on Trees

Have you ever said â€Å"I wish money could grow on trees? † Well that could actually be true! Geoscientist Melvyn Lintern was the author of â€Å"Gold Particles Found in Leaves of Eucalyptus Trees. † This article was published in Science News magazine on October 23, 2013 and retrieved online at http://www. sci-news. com, on January 16, 2014. Melvyn Lintern from CSIRO (Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization) Earth Science and Resource Engineering explored the gold particles in leaves of the eucalyptus trees in Australia.The article was written to let people know that leaves or soil underneath these trees could show gold that was buried underground. The gold discovered was up to 60 million years old. Geoscientists used the Maia detector to explore the soil. The Maia detector is an imaging system, which uses an x-ray microprobe, (a device used to stimulate radiation by a material in order to determine chemical or elemental composition). The Maia detecto r is similar to an x-ray machine. It allows you to see through leaves and determine their chemical or mineral composition.This is where the gold particles were found. The article also explained how the Eucalyptus tree acted like a hydraulic pump, (related to a liquid moving in a confined space under pressure), because its roots extend deep in the ground and draw up water containing the gold. Since gold can be toxic to the tree, it doesn’t stay in one spot; it moves to the leaves and branches where it can be released or shed to the ground. Article Analysis This is a new topic because before the Maia detector, the gold in the leaves was invisible and there was no way of detecting it, so this is a brand new discovery.The author of the Sci-News. com article did a good job explaining the information in a way that everyone could read and understand. Dr. Lintern said that, â€Å"Leaves could be used in combination with other tools as a more cost effective and environmentally friend ly exploration technique. † He also pointed out that, â€Å"Eucalpytus trees are so common that this technique could be widely applied across Australia and could also be used to find other metals such as zinc and copper. † Dr. Melvyn Lintern was the lead writer of this article and his quotes were chosen because they talk.About four important things: 1. How leaves can be used with other tools for exploring with the Maia detector; 2. The Maia detector makes this type of exploration friendly to the environment; 3. It is cost effective, and 4. The same technique could also be used to find other metals. This information is important to the environment because now it has been proven that you can get samples without destroying the land by drilling many holes and it also makes exploration if minerals quicker and less expensive.Unfortunately no one will grow rich looking for gold in leaves, since the gold found is about the size of a nano-nugget, which is a billionth in diameter and in this case, only 1/5 the diameter of a piece of human hair, (which is very, very tiny). This was a very interesting article to read. This discovery is so important to our economy and environment. It will help mining companies figure out where they can find more gold and other minerals just by examining plants and leaves. And most importantly, geoscientists have figured out a way to get these samples without unnecessary drilling which will help protect our environment.

Monday, July 29, 2019

The Benefits and the Drawbacks of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Research Paper

The Benefits and the Drawbacks of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Telephony - Research Paper Example In simple terms, VoIP can be considered to have similar function like that of telephone but this process has many extended features. The project will broadly analyze the importance of this technology and all those areas where it can be widely implemented and applied. The study will also comprise of the scope of development of this particular technology and the extent to which this technology can be made popular and relied upon. Furthermore, all those broad measures will also be highlighted that can be implemented for making widespread application of the technology. Beside the importance, the problems that will be faced while identifying the measures along with the drawbacks associated with this technology will also be listed and discussed upon. The study will also encompass the various issues related with the security and privacy concern associated with the use of VoIP. Additionally, it will also highlight the other essential features of VoIP reflecting its efficiency in terms of cos t of the technology, accuracy, quality, and timely delivery of services among other factors. THESIS STATEMENT The main aim of the study would be to analyze all those broad factors that can prove to provide opportunities of growth for Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology. ... VIEW Identifying the Network System Used In the VoIP Telephony According to Hiwasaki, Ohmuro, Mori, Kurihara and Kataoka (2006), a very high tech networking process is followed in the process of VoIP. The networking system allows uninterrupted communication process both in audio and video modes. The network codifies the signals in such a way that all round clarity is maintained in the overall communication process (Hiwasaki, Ohmuro, Mori, Kurihara and Kataoka 1-7). Defining the Importance of VoIP Telephony for the Business World As per Garrie and Wong (2007), there are various factors that can be considered for determining the importance of VoIP telephony for the business world. Accordingly, if the voice that transmits through the networks is regulated properly over the internet protocols then it would be able to create a positive impact in the overall voice process. Furthermore, if the voice is processed and transmitted from one channel to another in a more precise form then it woul d provide great benefits and this efficiency can also be utilized in a business and can prove to derive much better results. It can be strongly admitted that applicability of VoIP telephony is widely gaining popularity in the business segment as an effective modes of communication. It has been ascertained that VoIP telephony offers quick dissemination audio-visual messages relatively at lower costs and at higher speed (Garrie and Wong 550-574). Evaluating the Benefits of VoIP Telephony in the Global Communication Kerner (2005) suggested that the use of VoIP is becoming widespread and is continuously being utilized in the overall market. It has been argued that the application of VoIP can be made even more efficient if more stress is laid upon providing end to end results. It has been

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Security Network Intrusion detection system (IDS) Essay

Security Network Intrusion detection system (IDS) - Essay Example 1) The first and foremost thing is to have a grip upon the mental approach. I would try to stay composed and relaxed rather than getting panicked. I would analyze the whole situation cool mind. Whenever a network is established, problems like these are likely to occur and companies always have a well organized solution for this. So, there is no need to get horrified. 2) Under such a situation, it becomes important to isolate the affected computer immediately. An affected machine on a network can cause all other machines on that network to be affected. I would unplug the cable and then disconnect the affected computer both from the internet and the network. This way, the intruder will not be able to have an access to the machine nor will he be able to attack other computers on the network by means of the affected one. 3) I would block the port 3389 temporarily. TCP port 3389 is the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) that enables a user to connect to a computer on a network. I will find out if VPN (virtual private network) had been established to protect the RDP or port 3389 traffic. I would make arrangements for the establishment of site-to-site VPN tunnel before reconnecting the computer to the network so as to secure the RDP traffic from Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) poisoning (Savill, 2008). Further investigations include: Were there passwords and sensitive information saved on the computer like ISP access passwords? These must be changed at once. How long has the intrusion gone undetected? The chances of co-computers on the network being affected increase with the time the affected one keeps on working on the network. I would investigate if the computer had updated anti-virus and desktop firewall software installed. I would make backups of all sensitive information and format the operating sys tem. Then, I will reload the sensitive information from backup files while scanning them

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Understanding Stem Cells Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Understanding Stem Cells - Research Paper Example There are, moreover, ethical issues the stem cell raised that research studies, including the destructive human embryo research and human cloning, while trying to address the alternatives that are available to solve the immoral issues. The ethical issues that have been raised by studies reveal how the society needs to view stem cells in a way that respects the human dignity. Stem Cell Definition The body of a human being is made up of several different cells. Some of these cells include: bone cells, skin cells, muscle cells, and blood cells. These different body cells have specific shapes and each of them plays different roles in the human body. These cells can also be referred to as differentiated cells since they play several varied functions in the human body. In addition, these specialized cells can be characterized by their lifespan, which is a period of time within which they become old, stop dividing themselves and finally â€Å"die†. Moreover, when these cells divide t hemselves, they cause daughter cells that resemble their own type (Tremain, 2010). This further implies that in case of a skin cell, it can produce another skin cell, a muscle cell can produce another muscle cell; they are like the original parent cells. Human bodies are therefore made up of trillions of differentiated cells. Apart from the differentiated cells, the human body also has stem cells that are scarce. Unlike the differentiated cells, the stem cells are not specialized for certain functions and are, thus, called undifferentiated cells. These cells are immortal and they can divide themselves and continue growing as long they are kept in a suitable environment, such as in the laboratory as they receive the required nutrients. Stem cells in the other case can divide and cause... Stem cells are the basic building blocks of the human body. They are more so vital to the human body since they can change and become different cell types. Scientists, moreover, claim that the stem cell research would enable them to learn more about reproduction, cell biology, and the stem cell knowledge would be vital in testing of drugs, and development. There are, thus, three types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and foetal stem cells. The stem cells have been recognized in the animal and human tissues (Ikemoto, 2009). Although it is not possible to replace somebody’s parts such as a leg or finger, it is, however, imminent that the human body usually regenerates blood, skin, and other body tissues. Some past research has brought about some knowledge that somebody’s cells allow the human body tissues to regenerate. This was possible through the existence of stem cells in the body of human beings. Physicians would be able to repair damaged cells through the stem cells' ability to create the body specialized cell types (Tremain, 2010). One would, however, ask what stem cells are? Why would scientists want to research on stem cells and yet they bring about a lot of controversy? And what can be done to bring about ethics in destructive human research? This paper tries to answer these questions based on stem cell research. The scientists that are involved in stem cell research have often been surprised by the opposition they are receiving from the public concerning their work.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Would you let this man be a role model for teenage boys Research Paper

Would you let this man be a role model for teenage boys - Research Paper Example If you have teenage boys, who like music or have a talent in music then they would probably have someone like Dr. Dre as their role model. The question is would you allow him to be a role model to teenage boys? To help us answer this question, let us first look at Dr. Dre’s life and judge his values from his success and flaws. Currently, Dr. Dre is associated with a lot of success following his popularity in the music industry as a rapper, producer, and a businessperson. He has been labelled as hip-hop’s first billionaire having successfully signed a billion-dollar deal with Apple Inc. for the acquisition of â€Å"headphone maker and music-streaming service provider Beats Electronics† (Gittleson, par. 4). On the negative side, Dr. Dre has had his share of flaws but most of them are associated with his past. Most of his problems with the law happened in the 1990s, including being arrested for battery of a police officer, involved in a high-speed chase while intoxicated, and assault on fellow producer Damon Thomas (A&E Television Networks). Looking at the brief analysis of Dr. Dre’s values as a role model it is clear that he can be a good role model to teenage boys. His personal character has significantly changed over the years and so has his success. The two seem to have progressed synchronously, which can be used as a good learning point to teenage boys. The fact that his hard work has been a great contributor to his success can also be used as a motivator for teenage boys who would rather be inspired by his success than his

Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Coursework Example More water is needed to break bonds as hydrate contains hydrogen bonds between the water molecules. Anhydrous has faster dissolution rate forming a supersaturated solution within a shorter period of time (British pharmacopein, 2012). Theophylline is often manufactured in a modified – release formulations because of its characteristic of having a narrow therapeutic range. It is, thus, given at right doses. Modified release formulation would provide need to be provided at every 12 hours of enough plasma concentration. Peak serum-theophylline concentration occurs 4 hours after ingestion, which means formulation can release the drug at the right time. An overdose may be toxic. This imply that the formulation can provide constant release of the drug. (British Pharmacopein, 2012). Talc acts as a dissolution retardant and as a lubricant, Povidine (k25) acts as binder, Hydroxyethylcellulose acts as a binder, with Nuelin SA, acting as a plasticizer and as a surfactant (Raymond & Paul, 2012). Basing on the results in the spreadsheet, it is certain that Uniphyllin 300 mg had the slowest rate of release in different media (both HCL and phosphate dissolution buffer media). It was found out that Nueclin SA contained higher rate of release than Uniphyllin 300 in both phosphate and HCL buffer media. The percent release Uniphyllin 300mg in 0.1 HCL was 33.10% at 180 min, whereas percentage release of Neulin SA 250 mg in 0.1 HCL was 60.12 percent at 180 min of Uniphyllin 300mg in phosphate buffer was 34.85% at 180min, while percentage release of Nuelin SA 250 in phosphate buffer was 67.12% at 180min (Raymond & Paul, 2012). From the results obtained, it is quite clear that Nuelin SA 250 displayed PH-dependant drug release rate. The PH dependent gradient release is due to cellulose acetate phthalate. Cellulose acetate phthalate is used as an enteric coating on capsules or the tablets so that they do not dissolve until they are within the stomach acidic juicesof

Thursday, July 25, 2019

All population and surveillance the keys to Chinese governmentality as Essay

All population and surveillance the keys to Chinese governmentality as in Europe - Essay Example Borrowing a leaf from one another in development of the state of affairs for human life has been a major practice between societies in the recent human history. Political ideologies have reduced the pace of achievement of a liberal society (Sherman, 2008). Communism in China and capitalism in Europe for instance present a different opportunity for the achievement of such a society. Modern age politics seem to be favoured by a more liberalized approach which integrates government and citizen input towards realization of governmentality. Democracy has been a capitalist ideology well established among the majority of European countries while communist ideology for instance well established in China has taken long to embrace it. Even though China has witnessed many changes especially in economic performance to realize a world podium for economic growth, some pressing issues still persist to acquire complete transformations. Changes in economic systems to accommodate a more liberal state and opening of its doors to international trade are good pointers to better things in the future. Population polices should go deeper than just reducing the numbers but follow ups to ensure that the necessary modern world features balanced with assurance of democratic rights are guaranteed. Stringent measures to reduce hazardous population rise could be handled in other means other than dictatorial force (Eberstadt, 1994). Tracing the population based policy in the context of government ideology from the early Chinese politics, it is apparent that the effect of Liu, Song and Liang Zhongtang is a key factor in the development of the Chinese population policies. While Liu and Song were more educated and held population issues more passionately just like Liang did, even though they held opposing views on population policies. On one hand, Liu and group were of the view that one

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Parliamentary Sovereignty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Parliamentary Sovereignty - Essay Example The constitutional status and the political role of the judiciary have been substantially altered by the European Communities Act 1972 and the Human Rights Act 1998. When England took up the membership of the European economic committee in 1973, the authority of judiciary improved significantly.As such, the authority to assess and deny parliamentary statutes was bestowed upon the judiciary, under circumstances when the statutes were not in compliance with community law. In particular, the European Communities Act 1972 gave legal effect to the subjection of the UK to existing and future Community law. This indicated acceptance of the direct applicability and supremacy of Community law over domestic law. Consequently, the domestic courts were conferred with important powers and jurisdiction.Although parliamentary sovereignty ensures that the British parliament, can at any point of time rescind the authority of EU law, by taking drastic measures, even to the extent of withdrawing from t he EU, it is now not economically or politically viable to take such an extreme decision and face the repercussions of doing so. The European Communities Act 1972, at Section 2, enjoins that every piece of parliamentary legislation has to be construed and applied in compliance with Community law. Hence, English law has to be interpreted as being subject to the principle of supremacy of Community law.For example, in Van Gend en Loos, it was held that a new legal order had come into existence, due to the Community.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Avaition law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Avaition law - Essay Example of whether federal aviation law preempted state common law claims, or more specifically, whether a manufacturers compliance with federal aviation statutes and regulations should be a complete defense to individual state common law claims.3 The Tenth Circuit affirmed the trial courts decision not to grant summary judgment to Piper based on that defense.4 Concerned manufacturers, pilots, and legislators criticized the award for several reasons.5 In fairness to the Cleveland jury, one would have to have been at the original trial to know the factors influencing its decision.6 Deciding aircraft accident cases becomes even more difficult if the crash involves a small passenger aircraft, and if innocent third parties, either on the ground or in the aircraft, are injured. In cases where no one was negligent but people are injured, the ultimate legal question remains: â€Å"Who should pay?† Section 402A of the Restatement (Second) of Torts provides the basic rule for â€Å"strict liability† standard for defective products cases.7 Essentially, section 402A permits an individual who is injured by a product to receive compensation from the seller, manufacturer, or distributor of that product without regard to â€Å"fault† in producing, selling, or distributing the product. Also, under section 402A whether the manufacturer, seller, or distributor used the utmost care in the production and sale of the product is irrelevant.8 Liability under section 402A is predicated upon the fact that the product was â€Å"defective† at the time it was sold. If the defective product has injured someone, it does not matter if the â€Å"defect† is a singular flaw in one particular unit or a design flaw in an entire product line. Policies behind the adoption of this no-fault â€Å"strict liability† standard reflect the concern for harm to the unsuspecting individual. If an increasingly mechanized society benefits from these products, and a certain number of the products are bound to be defective,

Monday, July 22, 2019

Cognitive Dissonance in Marital Satisfaction Essay Example for Free

Cognitive Dissonance in Marital Satisfaction Essay Most people get married because they love their partner. They like the way they are with each other, honest, loving, understanding, fun, etc. Some are arranged marriage as they are unable to find the love of their life. However some get divorced as they are no longer compatible and they get turn off very easily. They are frustrated and bored. For those who want to continue to stay in an unhappy marriage due to many reasons such as the kids, their reputation, family, etc. as an alternative to divorce will ignore their feelings and convince themselves that the marriage is working well. They tend to adopt a cheerful attitude. They offered patience and understanding to make it appear as if the marriage was happy. Cognitive Dissonance is a feeling of discomfort caused by performing an action that is inconsistent with one’s belief (Franzoi, 2009, p.162). Basically it is a disagreement between ones personal beliefs and ones actions. It is the difference between how they would like to be and how they are. Cognitive dissonance is an aversive drive that causes people to (1) avoid opposing viewpoints, (2) seek reassurance after making a tough decision, and (3) change private beliefs to match public behavior when there is minimal justification for an action. Self-consistency, a sense of personal responsibility, or self-affirmation can explain dissonance reduction. (Socio-psychological tradition) (Festinger, as cited in Griffin, 2011) How can we observe â€Å"cognitive dissonance† in Marital Satisfaction? In Marital Satisfaction, we can observe cognitive dissonance in 3 different areas: Behavioural, Mental Emotional. Behavioural Observation There will be marital stress. They wear ‘masks’ at home and they will feel exhausted as they struggle with their life. Their journey will be full with pain and grief. They pretend things are okay in their marriage when there is distance. They say nothing is wrong when their feelings are truly hurt. They don’t necessarily lie to their spouse; they just shade part of the truth. They don’t feel comfortable being their true self with their spouse because they are afraid of judgment or mockery. They will purchase self-help books, confessed their feelings to a marriage counsellor or friends that they can trust. They offer patience and understanding to the spouse to make it appear as if the marriage was happy. They will smile and put on a happy face especially in front of the children to avoid them from knowing but will let out their true feelings and cry it out at night. They will lay awake at night and try to rationalize things that they have done so that it is acceptable. Their physical health will be affected as they are facing with too much stress in their life. They too may run into problem as they seem to be lying to themselves. Even though cognitive dissonance can resolve internal anxiety, it can also reinforce future bad decisions or behaviours e.g. lying Mental Observation Their mind will be filled with thoughts of whether they are doing the right thing. They feel turned off with what they are doing. They could not be themselves and their anxiety in wanting to be themselves and do what they like to do increases. They have sleepless nights thinking the sacrifices that they have made to make others happy when they themselves are not happy.. The dissonance caused by such contradictions will also create an unpleasant mental tension, which can range from minor irritation to deep pain as long as it continues. They are unable to relax and feel comfortable until they have been able to eliminate the dissonance or at least reduce it considerably. They can use Self-justification to escape from the discomfort. This is also a major threat to marital satisfaction because both partners tend to justify their behaviour in a way that allows them to be right while either explicitly or implicitly making their partner wrong. Emotional Observation They will be unhappy or semi-happy. They are unwilling to admit their frustration, acknowledge their crumbling marriage and obtain a divorce due to their culture, religion or the children. They constantly experienced a lingering feeling of doubt about the relationship. With that, they attempt to change their opinions to coincide with the behaviour they felt was expected of them and adopted a cheerful attitude towards their marriage to convince themselves that the marriage is working well. On the other hand, this can also make them become stronger in facing any challenges in their life. If they are optimistic, they will make the best of the marriage as the decision is in their hands. They are not able to be the person that they are but who they are might not be the best person. Cognitive dissonance can also reinforce future good decisions or behaviours e.g. more understanding, patient, increase communication between spouse, etc. Conclusion Successful marriage is not about getting their partner to do what they want; its about being who they are. This aspect of cognitive dissonance isnt bad; it can act as a motivation to be true to their deepest values, by making them behave in more loving and compassionate ways. It can help them change the unhealthy attitudes and behaviours. However, cognitive dissonance is most painful to people when some significant part of their beliefs about themselves is threatened. This usually occurs when they have done something that is inconsistent with their image of themselves. If a person has a fairly positive self-concept, believing herself reasonably smart, competent, and moral, she will use self-justification as a way to preserve her positive self-image.

Presenting Reality In Documentaries

Presenting Reality In Documentaries The term documentary stems from the verb to document to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is. In this essay, we shall be concentrating on the documentary by American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. By the end of this essay we should hopefully reach to a conclusion whether Morgan Spurlock used the medium of documentary film effectively in order to represent the truth. The latter will need an in depth analysis n observation of the style of documentary Super Size me is and how it has been treated and presented by the filmmaker. The ultimate aim of documentary is to find the perfect way of representing the real is what Stella Bruzzi believes is the function of a documentary. As she states it herself, the aim is to find the perfect way of representing reality. The three underlined words are themselves hypothetical terms that are not certain, hence this is the first indication that documentary might not necessarily achieve its aim. Documentary style of films are still under debate as to how real can they be, this probably why Stella Bruzzi uses the word find instead of a more commanding and certain word. Therefore, what is really a documentary according to different theorists? John Grierson, the first writer to use documentary as a term in his review of Robert Flahertys Moana, came up with his famous dictum that documentary is the creative interpretation of actuality. Griersons essay First Principles of Documentary argued that documentary was cinemas potential for observing life could be exploited in a new art form; that the original actor and original scene are better guides than their fiction counterparts to interpreting the modern world; and that materials thus taken from the raw can be more real than the acted article. Contrary to Bruzzis idea of representing reality, Grierson believes in interpreting it. Interpretation can be in form of re-enactment. So the question that arises is how realistic is a documentary that has actors and scenes guiding the flow of the film? Any re-enactment or borrowed situations can be manipulated to reflect the directors idea, which leaves hardly any space for 100% reality. In addition to John Griersons explanation about documentary, Bill Nichols (2001:165) suggests that documentaries have a sense of realism which other genre of films lack as the realism in documentaries represent what the eyes and ears experience in everyday life. Morgan Spurlock achieves the degree of realism and transparency explained by Bill Nichols in realism in documentary film. Morgan Spurlock presents his point against fast food by living, observing and literally eating it. He documents his 30 days Mc Diet effectively that the audience has little or no hesitation to question the transparency and authenticity (Bill Nichols:165). Morgan Sprulocks objectives for making Super Size Me were to investigate the reasons and claims about USA having an epidemic of obesity. As he sarcastically says in the beginning of his documentary; The biggest people, America has now become the fattest nation in the world, CONGRATULATIONS! This statement by the filmmaker suggests that in teh documentary, the audience will be seeing and hearing the reality that Morgan Spurlock chooses to show them and he has already taken the liberty to express his personal emotions towards the theme of the documentary. Another driving force that led Spurlock to make this documentary was the lawsuit brought against McDonalds on behalf of two overweight girls, who, it was alleged, became obese as a result of eating McDonalds food (Pelman v. McDonalds Corp) in 2003. Spurlock argues that this case against fast food joints is as significant as the criticism faced by tobacco companies. A brief summary of the documentary is that Morgan Spurlock makes himself a test subject of this documentary about the commercial food industry. Rigorously eating a diet of McDonalds fast food, three times a day for a month straight and restricts himself to only 5000 steps a day. Therefore, he lives the life of most American who eat fast food regularly and also hard burn it out in terms of physical exercise. Spurlock is out to prove the physical and mental effects of consuming fast food. While doing this, Spurlock also provides a look at the food culture in America through its schools, corporations, and politics as seen through the eyes of regular people and health advocates. Super Size Me is a movie that sheds a new light on what has become one of our nations biggest health problems: obesity. Critics of the film, including McDonalds, argue that the author intentionally consumed an average of 5,000 calories per day and did not exercise, and that the results would have been the same regardless of the source of overeating. He was eating solely McDonalds food in keeping with the terms of a potential judgment against McDonalds in court documents highlighted at the beginning of the film. The film addresses such objections by highlighting that a part of the reason for Spurlocks deteriorating health was not just the high calorie intake but also the high quantity of fat relative to vitamins and minerals in the McDonalds menu, which is similar in that regard to the nutritional content of the menus of most other U.S. fast-food chains. About 1/3 of Spurlocks calories came from sugar. His nutritionist, Bridget Bennett RD, cited him about his excess intake of sugar from milkshakes and cokes. It is revealed toward the end of the movie that over the course of the diet, he consumed over 30 pounds of sugar, and over 12 lbs. of fat from their food. The nutritional side of the diet was not fully explored in the film because of the closure of the clinic which monitored this aspect during the filming of the movie. Spurlock claimed he was trying to imitate what an average diet for a regular eater at McDonalds-a person who would get little to no exercise-would do to them. Spurlocks intake of 5,000 calories per day was well over twice the recommended daily intake for a sedentary adult male, which would amount to only about 2,300 calories. A typical man consuming as many calories as Spurlock did would gain nearly a pound a day (which is roughly how much Spurlock gained), a rate of weight gain that could not be sustained for long periods. Additionally, Spurlock did not demonstrate or claim that anyone, let alone a substantial number of people, eats at McDonalds three times per day. In fact McDonalds is mentioned during the movie to have two classes of users of their restaurants: There are the Heavy Users, (about 72% of the customers, who eat at their restaurants once or twice a week), and the SUPER Heavy Users (about 22% of the customers, who eat McDonalds 3 or more times a week). But no one was fo und who ate at McDonalds three times a day. This brings out the fact that maybe Morgan was exactly as objective as he should have been. There is a clear exaggeration of his Mc Diet as no one was found to be eating as much fast food as he did. However, the counter argue this claim one can say that maybe not every day but like a few participants in the documentary said the eat fast food up to 3 times a week. So if one spreads those continuous 30 days over couple of months the result might be the same. The only difference left will be that Morgans body and health showed accelerated reaction to the fast food intake because he did it at an extreme level. According to Bill Nichols in Introduction to Documentary (2001:163): Social issue documentaries are usually in expository mode. However, Morgan Spurlock contradicts this statement by making a social issue documentary in a participatory mode making it more a personal portraiture documentary. If super Size Me was to be categorised in the b asic six mode of documentary according to Bill Nichols, it would be a participatory documentary. In the latter, investigation takes a step back to make way for a more responsive and reflective relationship in unfolding the events by the filmmaker (Bill Nichols 2001:119). Super size Me is a personal testimonial where Morgan Spurlocks voice is prominent throughout the overall structure of the film and this is what hold the audiences attention. It will be appropriate at this point to go deeper into the documentary Super Size Me and analyse it in order to understand the objectives and mode of the documentary. Firstly, Super size Me is the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Secondly, Super size Me is more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. Thirdly, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. He is the director, producer and writer of the documentary. So much control over a project does make it a very passionate and well organised piece of work; however, with so much power and control over a project, the audience might be getting the side of story which the director has in mind. Hence, can the audience be completely dependent on what is being shown to them and believe that Spurlock was being completely objective? The audience plays a great role in what and how the director delivers the documentary. Super Size Me was released in 2004, mainly for the American audience as he directs his attention to Americans by repeatedly saying WE are The taste of what the audience want now is different from what was expected in earlier years when illiteracy levels were at their highest. The audience want something more intellectually stimulating and not propaganda. Moreover, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. This probably the deciding factor when it comes to Spurlock putting together eye catching facts and shocking moments like his depression, or his girlfriend admitting to him being not as good as before during sexual intercourse. Such facts can be hidden or edited out, but the director keeps it, to show his transparency but also to add the elements that sell in todays world. In addition, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Triumph of The Will (1935) is not only a masterpiece entirely on its own, divorced from political or propagandist considerations, but in its emotional manipulation of the audience represents the very heart of what propaganda is all about. (Barsam, 1992, 130) Riefenstahl is able to create a glorified representation of the NSDAP, or Nazi party, with the use of a music score that invents Hitler as heroic. Her ability to represent a political party so triumphantly is noted in the moving and chilling pieces of cinematography when Hitler gives his final speech and compares his party to a holy order. She captures an essence far purer than the NSDAP, and in a way does more than justice to the partys attempts of propaganda. On the other hand, her achievements in portraying the NSDAP as glamorous can be seen as misrepresenting and a line can be drawn between fact and fiction as to, whether her glorifications are unjust and morally wrong. For the Nazis, the euphoria of a perfect Germany according to them can be portrayed with proper film aesthetics but without directly referring to the contemporary society of the 1930s. The what it would be like if Nazis ruled agenda can be portrayed with the use of abstract visuals and other techniques as long as the real is not referred to, as societies in Germany were not of pure race. The idea of creating a pure race and portraying this in a film is almost mythical, yet alone absurd. In order to portray an Aryan world blatant lies and imaginative discourse would be called for. The ethical implications behind this, is that the people themselves must change in order to create this ideal society. The overly repeated Flag Bearer image depicts symbolism connected to Nazism; the inclusion of a flag bearing the Nazi Swastika symbol represents the militarized power of the party. As a trend in Nazi propaganda, there is enormous emphasis on military symbols in Triumph of the will, triggered deeply felt emotions associated with Germanys former military might. Leni Riefenstahls editing provides an insight into the status of Triumph of the Will as Nazi propaganda. For example, one sequence during Hitlers arrival in Nuremburg is composed of four shots; the first two shots show the old buildings of the city and then a German flag therefore representing the old, traditional Germany. The following two shots depict Hitler and then a Swastika. This sequence typifies how Riefenstahl has represented the Nazi ideology of a return to a mythical epoch by linking the ideals of the traditional dogma with a visionary future. Similarly, before the scene of the city awakening Riefenstahl links a shot of an old church to represent Volakis thought, with the rally camp site to signify the new Germany. Incidentally Hinton suggests that as result of these sequences, Triumph of the Will is more than a document of the 1934 Nazi Party Rally; it is a document of the city of Nuremburg where the viewer gains a sense of the beauty and history of the medieval centre. F urthermore, the use of German and Nazi flags ties in with the use of military symbols inherent in the propaganda of the Third Reich. She also states that; In my cutting room, it was the most difficult work of my life describing the task that took at least five months to fulfil. She explained that she did not care much about chronological accuracy on the screen and that she intuitively tried to find a unifying way to edit the film in a way which would progressively take the viewer from act to act and from impression to impression. With political pressure, adoration for Adolf Hitler, and clearly a propaganda film, Triumph of the will does portray reality in terms of the images used; they are all live and not re-enacted by Riefenstahl. However, it is a biased documentation of the reality. I believe it would have been a real documentary if only there was not so much of glamour shown about the Nazi rallies, and the darker side such as the Holocaust and ghettos were also covered. The latter would have made it a more objective piece of work, making it more of a documentary instead of a propaganda tool. From the information given above about the documentaries in question the first thing that is important to note is the fact that Triumph of the Will was an idea suggested by Adolf Hitler whereas, Super size Me was the idea of an ordinary American filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. This is an important fact to be taken into consideration because eventually the ideology and aim intended by Adolf Hitler and Morgan Spurlock is what will direct the ideas reflected in the documentary, hence, objectivity can be compromised. For reality to be completely present in order to have a real documentary there should be ideally, no draw backs on objectivity in the portrayal of ideas. Adolf Hitler was a Nazi dictator ruling over a powerful country like Germany, his influence and power to pressurise Leni Riefenstahl was unquestionable. On the contrary, Morgan Spurlock was just an independent director. What kind of objectivity and impartiality (two very important subjects to reflect reality) can one expect from a director working under a dictator who controlled the population through fear? The purposes of both documentaries are extreme opposites. Triumph of the Will was intended to be a propaganda political film. Propaganda is after all; a form of communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. In comparison to this, Super size Me was more to do with creating awareness amongst people. Creating awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an obser ver without necessarily implying understanding. This suggests that Spurlock was not aiming at influencing people to completely revolt against fast food but at least beware and conscious of the harmful effects of it. He leaves it upon the audience to make their choice without brainwashing them. The presentation of Triumph of the Will is what documentary forefather, John Grierson would categorise under Poetic mode. Such documentary thrive on a filmmakers aesthetic and subjective visual interpretation of a subject, in addition to it different music is selected for different scenes, just like in the Triumph of Will. By contrast, Super Size me is what Grierson would categorize under participatory mode, in which filmmakers move from behind the camera and appear as subjects in their own work like Spurlock carries out his experiment himself and becomes the main subject of the documentary. The time period in which both documentaries are set in are also crucial points to be noted. Triumph of the Will was set in 1935 in Germany, where people were in the middle of Nazi revolution and political chaos. In contrary to 2004 America where Super Size Me is shot, the taste of the audience has changed dramatically. Audiences of Super Size Me are not only in America but world around, which wasnt the target audience of Triumph of the Will, the latter was meant for only the Germans. To add to this, Germans in 1934 were comparably less educated than the audience of 2004, because one of Germanys major issues at that time was low education. Hence, propaganda movies worked to its full potential as people would not question or form their own opinions; however, the same cannot be expected from liberal thinking people in 2004. The taste of what audience around the world want now is completely different from what was expected in 1930s. Nowadays, reality and truth in the form of controversy is what really gets peoples attention. One may wonder if 1930s audience would have liked to watch real documentary, what if Triumph of the Will was to include scenes from the concentration camps, how would have the audience responded to the documentary? Lastly, editing plays a big role in representing reality. The camera can capture all the truth there is to be captured, but the audience eventually see what is presented to them after much chopping done in the editing room. Directors choice of scenes, images and music is what is eventually reflected in the documentary. In other words, only one or a few peoples choice or ideology is selected and presented to the audience. The directors selection does not necessarily have to reflect the reality. Therefore, how is reality ever represented in documentaries? Returning to Stella Bruzzis statement, the aim of documentary is to represent the truth. According to her, the way of doing is still being found. Truth can be the body of real things, events, actuality, or fidelity to an original or to a standard. Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. On one hand, Triumph of the Will with the use or real images and not actors and fabricated scenes, is a way of showing the truth, however, the sincerity lacks because it is a highly biased propaganda. Moreover, with political pressure at that time, there was no freedom of showing a balanced truth, which is supposed to be the real essence of a documentary. To sum up about Triumph of the Will, it is right to say that it does actually document the events such as Nazi rallies and political speeches, but the immense lack of objectivity does not make the propaganda film a real representation of the truth (according to the quote of Stella Bruzzi). On the other hand, Super Size Me does get close to Stellas definition of documentary. It represents what happens with Americans being addicted to fast food and barely exercising. What makes this documentary a real representation of reality is the presence of objectivity. If Spurlock enjoyed something it was showed and when he was not at his best (scenes of vomiting and depression) that was also shown, to portray both sides of the reality. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary, unlike the Triumph of the Will where no space is giving to the audience to make their own opinion. The documentary is also very credible because of all the science backing that it has thanks to the doctors Spurlock had on board for the film. The latter brings a logical reasoning to what is being shown in the documentary. To conclude, Super Size Me is definitely closer to Bruzzis definition of documentary because of the unbiased representation of truth. Nevertheless, in Super Size Me, the experiment is itself not true or completely reliable, as no one eats fast food three times a day for a whole month with only 5,000 steps as exercise. Moreover, Spurlock is a bit too aggressive in trying to bring down one specific chain of fast food joints which is Mc Donalds. He bases his whole experiment solely on Mc Donalds. What about the other fast food companies? Arent their menus as harmful as or worse than Mc Donalds? This makes the documentary a little less objective than what the audience want to believe in because it is after all biased towards giving bad publicity to mostly Mc Donalds. It is however commendable that Spurlock wisely made science the back bone of the experiment. By doing so he bought the logic to the arguments he had against the unhealthy life style of Americans. The realism that Spurlock ex plores in his documentary is the psychological realism which conveys the sense of a plausible, believable and accurate representation of human perception and emotion.'(Bill Nichols 2001:171) Spurlock achieves this realism but making the audience relate themselves to characters and situations which are life like in a universalizing way. After watching Super Size Me, one can either feel more knowledgeable about the dangers of excessive fast food eating or because they have been exposed to constant images of Mc Donalds, actually crave for a meal at Mc Donalds. This goes to emphasize that visual images is what is mostly kept in the audiences minds. On a final note, it seems that the perfect way of representing the truth is yet to be found, till then individual prejudice and biasness will always somehow continue to influence the truth in documentaries however transparent one is, there is always somehow a loophole which will lead to documentaries truthfulness being questioned.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Market Analysis And Market Entry Strategies For Brazil

Market Analysis And Market Entry Strategies For Brazil Accompanied by the globalisation the necessity and need for every company to rival on a global level in order to prevail arises. Hence, more and more companies pursue an expansion strategy out of reasons such as product diversification, lower costs, economies of scales and country incentives (Shook, 2008). Therefore this report will concentrate on the expansion of the sandwich chain Pret a Manger with a special focus on their market entry into the Brazilian market. Beneath Russia, India and China, Brazil is one of the BRIC countries and has on the one hand a highly developing economic growth and on the other hand a huge customer potential for the sandwich chain as Brazil has a population of approximately 185 million (Embassy of Brazil, 2010). The English sandwich chain was founded in 1986 by the college friends Sinclair and Julian and is headquartered in London, England. With its 225 shops, which are amongst some shops in the U.S. and in Hong Kong mostly located within the UK, Pret has a turnover of approximately 200 million pounds per year and employs around 4000 people. Their USP is the offering of fresh made food, avoiding preservatives and additives, which sets the company apart from the normal fast food chains (Pret, 2010a). According to their USP the company collects and distributes the food that hasnt been sold on that day to charity organisations every evening. Moreover the company directs its attention to sustainability concerning food purchasing, packaging, carbon emission, energy, waste and recycling (Pret, 2010c). When planning to expand globally a company needs to develop a global marketing strategy. Therefore this report will deal with the analysis of the Brazilian market on the one hand, including tools such as BERI Index, PESTLE analysis, Porters 5 Forces and MIS to be able to constitute the attractiveness of the market and to spot opportunities and threats that may arise when entering this market (Aaker/McLoughlin, 2010). On the other hand this report will concentrate on a possible market entry strategy for the companies products and services which will enable the company to achieve their objectives and to be successful within the Brazilian market. Market Analysis 2.1. BERI Index The Business Environment Risk Intelligent Index is an index to assess and forecast the political, financial and economic situation of a country for international lenders. The single factors are scaled from zero to four, with zero constituting unacceptable conditions to four constituting superior conditions, and are weighted to their valued importance. Looking at the BERI Index of Brazil it can be said that the country, with 61, 5 points, can be classified as an immature economy with investment potential (Hollensen, 2007, p.251). With an overall score of 10, economic growth is the highest ranked factor within the BERI Index, as Brazil is a newly industrialized country and has a therefore a huge growth potential. The lowest ranked factor is local management and partner because of among others the doubtfulness of corruption (Economist, 2010).  [1]   2.2. PESTLE Analysis The factors of the external macro environment can be analysed with a PESTLE analysis. This framework includes the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors, which are country specific and are mostly factors a company cannot control. Changes in the external environment can either depict threats or opportunities for a company. Therefore a company that wants to enter a new market must conduct a PESTLE Analysis to be aware of the external circumstances (Nejati et al., 2008). For Pret a Manger, planning to expand their sandwich chain to the Brazilian market this report will examine the most important success-factors, which are in the context of this company the social, political and economical factors. The three major changes that can be exposed in this context are: Strong economic growth (BRIC) (Euromonitor, 2009a) Emergence of wealthier income classes (Datamonitor, 2009) Orientation towards healthier lifestyles (Euromonitor, 2009a) The detailed PESTLE analysis can be inspected in Appendix D. 2.3. Porters 5 Forces Porters 5 Forces is a framework that helps every company to better understand the circumstances in which a firm operates, by analysing the five forces that are influencing each industry, ranking them from 1 to 5. The benefit of this framework is that when having analysed the environment of the aimed industry and being aware of the industry structure a company can gain competitive advantage when positioning itself according to that structure (Grimm et al., 2006). Looking at the Brazilian foodservice industry the first point to consider is the competitive rivalry within this industry. According to the competitive rivalry Brazil can be rated as strong (4). This is due to the fact that Brazil has a highly competitive market as there is a strong culture of eating out. Moreover the fast food sector is continuously growing and well-known fast food chains such as Mc Donalds are spreading all over the country and challenge local providers (Euromonitor, 2009a). The threat of new entrants can also be ranked as strong (4), as many companies are attracted to the Brazilian market due to the rapidly growing economy. Beyond that entry and exit costs are low, which makes the market attractive for potential foodservice companies. These days many foreign foodservice chains are entering the Brazilian market which makes the threat of new entrants strong because the middle class continuously rises and therefore increases the customer base for these companies as w ell. Overall customers dont tend to stick to a single chain. Home cooking, leisure activities and food retail are substitutes for the foodservice industry. But the threat of substitutes can be ranked as moderate (3) as Brazilians like to eat out (Euromonitor, 2009a). Regarding the buyer power it can be said that switching costs for buyers are low (2) but an individual consumer has only little bargaining power concerning price-negotiation. The supplier power can be seen as moderate (3) as suppliers have more bargaining power than consumers. Besides farmers and food manufacturers staff can also be seen as a supplier. As long as labour costs are high in the foodservice industry, which is known as a low-margin industry, staff has bargaining power too. 2.4. Hofstede According to Geert Hofstede (2010a) culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster. Therefore every company must specifically look at the cultural differences that may occur, when entering a new market. Hence, looking at the cultural differences between the UK and Brazil is essential for Pret a Manger to be able to react accordingly. Those differences are depicted in Table 2. There are significant differences between the Brazilian and the UK culture. Collectivism beats individualism in Brazil and the power distance and the uncertainty avoidance index show that Brazilians prefer rules. These are significant cultural differences and Pret a Manger has to monitor all its steps in Brazil to be able to adjust problems that might occur due to these differences immediately. 2.5. Segmentation To be able to offer custom-tailored products and services each company, which doesnt want to pursue a mass market strategy, has to define market segments to be able to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their marketing endeavours. When a company is able to specifically align their products and services to the customers needs it is more likely to record cost savings as there is only minimal marketing wastage and the involvement of the customer is likely to increase which will in the end be a boon to the company (Conrady et al., 2008). Demographics, psychographics and behaviour are the three areas of the segmentation process. Looking at the demographics Prets average customers are between 25 and 45 years, are business women/men with middle to high income level. On the psychographic side Prets consumer segment has a lifestyle that could be mentioned as yuppie as consumers are active, busy and fashionable. Furthermore, looking at the behaviour of the consumers, it can be said t hat there is a tendency to fast and convenience food due to a lack of time. In Prets targeted segment brand loyalty is not high as there are various opportunities for consumers to buy food. As the segments of UK and Brazil are identical, this would match Levitts standardisation approach. But as there are slightly different preferences in Brazil Pret has to make local adjustments to fulfil the customers needs. Therefore Pret has to follow a polycentric approach. 2.6. Marketing Information System A marketing information system (MIS) is a helpful tool to collect and analyse customer information to support the marketing planning, by assessing market research data (Armstrong, 2003). Therefore Pret establishes a branch of its marketing research office in Sao Paulo, Brazil. To gather all the required information the 12 C-Framework can be used and its most important points to develop a profile of the Brazilian market (Doole/Lowe, 2008). For example Pret needs to know more about the consumer behaviour and when and how they prefer to eat sandwiches. Concerning the consumption the company has to consider how many sandwiches they can sell per day per store. Moreover the commitment needs to be assessed respective how the consumers feel about the product and whether they appreciate the freshness and sustainability of the offered products. Another interesting point are the choices to evaluate in how far the local taste has to be integrated within the menu. The capacity to pay is another e vident point as every nationality is different regarding the capacity and willingness to pay. Therefore the Big-Mac-Index could be a good figure to measure this and to establish prices in foreign currencies, but Pret needs to think about whether this index would be useful for them or whether it wouldnt be better to research a sandwich index. All those questions have to be answered by Prets research office. Market Entry 3.1. Objectives The targets given by Prets management concerning the market entry to Brazil are To develop a strong position in Brazil To establish a consistent brand globally in the long term To gain 10% market share in the first year To increase sales by 3% year on year for the next five years To secure long term profitability To stay in a budget of  £250 million Business objectives are essential for every company and a key for business success. Their aim is to set up targets on which every single person can orientate itself, to conduce as a measure of success and failure of the company and an overall guideline (Stockton, 1998). 3.2. Entry Strategy Pret a Mangers entry strategy for Brazil is going to consist of starting 200 wholly-owned subsidiaries. With this concept Pret is able to navigate and control the whole process and is able to adapt their strategy if things dont work out the way they should. Looking at the store concept Pret will on the one hand establish their common store concept Local Pret, where there is an outside area, a lounge, a dining area and a refrigerated self-service counter to provide a second home for their customers (Pret, 2010d). On the other hand Pret invented a new store concept called Kiosk Pret especially for the Brazilian market, where the food is sold through a window directly to the customer and will be set up in busy areas, where the people have time constraints. This idea arose out of market research, where they found that this concept is quite popular and successful in the Brazilian market (Maria Brazil, 2010). Concerning the location Prets Shops will be set up mainly in the city centres, shopping centres, in tourist areas near attractions, in business areas and in airports and stations. As you can see in figure 2 for their first market entry to Brazil Pret has targeted to open up stores in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Victoria as those cities have a huge population-density (altogether around 55 million) and are the main attraction for tourists. 3.3. Food and Internal Structure According to the food supply Pret decided to do local sourcing in Brazil to guarantee the freshness of the offered products for their customers. Therefore the company has to make contracts with local bread, milk and other suppliers. To guarantee the freshness of the offered products Pret establishes two distribution centres, one in Sao Paulo and one in Rio to be able to deliver the food just in time. Furthermore Pret will establish a quality control management which is responsible for the operational such as the presentation of food, service and food quality. As Brazilians like to eat sandwiches Prets bread range will comprise baguettes, sandwiches and hamburger rolls. Because Brazilians prefer to eat sandwiches in the morning and in the evening, Pret includes one speciality Feijoada Completa in their product range which is to be offered at noon. This speciality is a stew of beans with beef and pork meats which is a typical Brazilian dish. Concerning cultural differences it can be said that Brazilians dont like to touch their food by hand (Maria Brazil, 2010). Therefore Pret invented a napkin wrap, so that the food is covered and ready to eat for them without having the risk that they wouldnt buy it. The UK packaging, which is cardboard packaging, will be maintained in Brazil as there arent any cultural differences concerning this. Despite the fact that Brazilians are aware of the overall obesity rate and are searching for healthier options (Euromonitor, 2009a) one of the most famous burgers in Brazil is the X-Everything, which has 1300 calories and contains several ingredients such as chicken, sausage, ham, bacon, cheese and so on (Ribeiro, 2010). As this is not a healthy option Pret is likely to succeed with its niche positioning, offering a product range that represents a better and healthier alternative to other fast food chains. With regard to the internal structure for Brazil Pret will acquire and train the stuff continuously as they have chosen to only enter the market with wholly-owned subsidiaries. Moreover Pret will hire one UK estate manager, who will be responsible for 10 shops in general. To comply with the law and to have good working conditions, which also contribute to a good company image, Pret will establish a two-shift system. The opening times for the city centre will be from 8 am to 6 pm and shops within shopping centres will be opened from 10 am until 11 pm. 3.4. Branding There are four steps of building a strong brand that are contained within the customer-based brand equity model. This branding ladder has an ordering, which means all the steps are interdependent. It helps to define/describe the brand and helps to assist the overall brand building process. To achieve those 4 steps the company has to establish brand building blocks. The most valuable block is the resonance as this implies that the customer has a great loyalty to that brand (Keller et al., 2008). Those for steps are depicted in figure 3.  [2]   If the company wants to be successful and to be able to reach as many customers as possible they should meld the left hand side of the pyramid, which contains product related associations, and the right hand side of the pyramid, which contains non product related emotional associations (Keller, 2001). The CBBE Pyramid of Pret is depicted in Figure 5. The Brand identity is about the creation of perceptual salience, which should ensure that the consumer is aware of the companies offered products. It is important that the customer, when wanting to buy a sandwich, associates Pret with the selling of sandwiches. Prets brand identity is that they can be identified as a sandwich provider. To create a brand meaning the company must develop an image that stresses how the brand should be perceived from their target group. This derives either from the performance or the image. The customer associations arise either from self experience or advertising. Whereas the brand performance is geared towards communicating and providing a product that meets and satisfies customer needs, the brand image is more about how people should experience the brand in an abstract way. The brand meaning of Pret is that they are all about freshness, health and sustainability. Moreover they deliver good quality, mee t convenience needs and have a dependable service (Pret, 2010b). If the brand is perceived as unique it supports in the next step a great brand response. As the word implies brand response is all about how consumers feel about and respond to the brand which can either happen due to rational judgements or feelings. Consumers judgements originate after assessing all perceived performance and imagery points like the quality, credibility and superiority of the brand. The brand feeling is about what the customer feels, when he thinks of the brand which can amongst others be warmth, fun, excitement or security. Therefore the brand response, when the brand meaning is perceived correctly, should be positive in that kind of way that the customer realizes that Pret is a healthier alternative to other fast-food providers because it is seen as unique and credible. If Pret gets this brand response they are able to build a loyal brand relationship with their customers, because they have only a few direct competitors with a similar branding and are able to const antly increase their brand resonance (Keller, 2001). 3.5. Marketing To create a favoured brand image Pret has to plan actions within their marketing strategy that are necessary to achieve their marketing goals. The marketing plan for Brazil is adjusted to local preferences. Therefore Pret signed a contract with Robinho, a famous football player, who will be the endorsement for their city-light campaign underlining the healthy concept. This campaign starts half a year before Prets opening to raise peoples interest in the brand and the banners will be placed at top locations. One week before opening Pret will print a full-page ad in the local newspapers to make people aware of the companys upcoming opening. To maximize event exposure advertisements take place on the peak hour commute to and from work two weeks prior to store opening. Prets event sponsoring will comprise beach soccer, as Robinho is a football player and beach soccer is the most famous sport in Brazil. Concerning the prize and taste promotion Pret will provide free nibbles on the opening day as well as special prices to attract potential customers. Moreover Pret is establishing a one-to-one marketing concept to be able to inform the people about new variations of products directly regarding to their preferences. Branding and Positioning 4.1. Branding Despite the product, which is a tangible asset of a company, a brand is much more than that as it compasses the companys values and when established successfully would even exist in the customers minds when a disaster would destroy all tangible assets. In todays competitive landscape in which the products are homogenous, brands are an important factor to differentiate the company from its competitors and to gain competitive advantage by achieving customer loyalty (Armstrong et al., 2009). For consumers brands are quiet helpful as they help them to: identify the source of product, devolve the responsibility to the company when the product doesnt work, reduce the perceived risk as the brand guarantees a special quality reduce time efforts as consumer is able to immediately find its brand in the store function as a symbolic device (Parameswaran, 2008) The key to success for every company is therefore not only to communicate their brand values to affect the perceptions of the customers but to over-satisfy their expectations to be able to compete in todays highly competitive market (Nilson, 2000). How important the establishment of a powerful brand is can be clarified with the example of a blind-test, where people where asked to make a comparison between Coke and Pepsi. Whereas in the blind test the majority of people preferred Pepsi (51%) rather than Coke (44%)  [3]  the open test revealed that with 65% Coke was more popular than Pepsi with only 23%  [4]  (Chernatony et al., 2002). This once more underpins the importance of building a strong brand. The advantages for companies that have a strong brand are that they have a risk reduction because they have a huge loyal customer base and therefore their future sales and revenues are ensured (Kapferer, 2008). As delineated in chapter 3.4. branding is about how the company communicates their brand to their customers whereas brand equity is the value that is being ascribed to a brand from a customers point of view. For Pret a Manger wanting to open up stores in Brazil it is important to decide whether they want to build a global brand with or without adaptation. According to Levitt (1983), who is a proponent of the standardization approach, a straight extension strategy by which the same promotion and products are offered globally is the best way to generate economies of scale. Contrary Aaker (2000) stresses that those global brands that incorporate different cultural needs are perceived as successful, whilst managing to retain a similar brand identity and advertising strategy across all countries. For Pret a Manger the establishment of a unique global brand is essential to be successful in the long run as the company wants to further internationalise its business. Nevertheless the company needs to be aware of the differences in consumer behaviour according tastes, perceptions, aesthetic preferences to be able to adjust to different cultural needs in every country to gain market share. As mentioned in chapter 3.3. Brazilians are aware of their high obesity rate and are searching for healthier options. Therefore entering the market with a concept of healthy food options is a good choice as Brazilians are already aware of this issue. Brazilians are proud of there culture simultaneously they are open for foreign companies entering their country as those are connected with better quality for most people living in BRIC countries. Nevertheless the influence of culture in the food sector is quite high as they are reflected in local needs and tastes. Therefore Pret adapts their food to the local needs as mentioned in chapter 3.3. and uses Robinho in their advertising campaign to elicit national pride. To successfully extend their brand equity on a global scope Pret builds on a human concern that is omnipresent nowadays: sustainability and healthiness, which helps them to reach consumers regardless of their cultural background and gives them the additional value of being perceived as a global brand. Due to this Pret is able to be approved at local level, while beyond that having the advantages of economies of scale (Hollis, 2008). Positioning Rise and Trouts (2001, p.2) definition of product positioning emphasizes Positioning is not what you do to the product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect. The quintessence of this definition is that the ultimate battleground of marketing is the prospects mind. When customers want to purchase a special product or service they tend to assess the differences between the objects of comparison. Hence, they create a mental picture of the relevant objects of comparison through the allocation of features. This signifies that the single objects are positioned by the prospects mentally (Kotler and Bliemel, 2001). Therefore it is important for every company to understand the costumers mind to position its brand in the right mode to come first into mind when consumer are thinking about a special product. This is especially important in a time, where information overload is omnipresent and consumers are selective to either take or ignore presented information (Trout, 1996). According to Trout (1996) the principles of brand positioning are: Establish a position in the targeted costumers minds Provide a simple and consistent message, which conveys the companies benefits Differentiate a company from other companies Focus the companies efforts; do not provide all things to all people. (Lovelock et al., 2002) Prets USP is the offering of fresh made food, avoiding preservatives and additives, which sets the company apart from the normal fast food chains and therefore differentiates it with the help of their products (Pret, 2010a). Moreover Prets customers dont have to queue for their products as they are freshly prepared on that day, which isnt common for brands like Subway and Co.; this strengthens their rapid customer service respective service quality and makes them unique (Sanai, 2001). Gaining competitive advantage can either be achieved by selling products at a lower price or by increasing the benefit to customers in order to charge higher prices. The important factor of differentiating a company through the offering of higher value is that a company has to provide higher value to be perceived as trustworthy (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). Pret pursues latter strategy as their benefit is the offering of healthy and fresh made food; in communicating and putting across the benefit of their new concept, which none of their competitors are offering to that extent, Pret will be able to gain the first mover advantage and charge a premium price (Johnson et al., 2008). The positioning map is a tool to visualise the average perception of the target audiences of your company against competitive brands while comparing USPs and position is what the management wants the company to be in the future. If the perceived positioning doesnt match the companies desired position it has to communicate this message with the help of the marketing mix (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). For Pret a Manger the positioning map is useful as it helps them to reveal their current positioning and its potential in contrast to rivals. Figure 6 exemplifies the perceptual map for the Brazilian fast food market. When there are many products on the map perceived as equal some companies have to face the problem of being a me-to product, which can lead to the fact that they will never be in the top of customers minds in that category. Therefore it is important to define the category, where you are positioning yourself according to customer needs (for Pret: fresh and healthy food). For Pret a Manger in Brazil it is important to pursue a distinct positioning, to become more competitive in the overall fast food sector. The positioning as a healthy option addresses a special target group and will exclude others that arent interested in that topic. Moreover a clear healthy positioning can lead to a repositioning of competitors, as they could be perceived as unhealthy (Nilson, 2000). Looking at the competitors in Brazilian food sector it can be revealed, that there is no single chain with an overall focus on healthy and fresh made sandwiches, except minor local stores. The overall trend in Brazil is the investment in healthier food options and the provision of fast food as the increase in disposable income and the rising amount of working women leads to time constraints and the need for healthy food because of the obesity issue. Therefore brands such as McDonalds are adapting their product range and offer salads and wraps. The main competitors of Pret are: McDonalds, Habibs, Bob, Giraffa and Subway (Euromonitor, 2009b). Looking at the perceptual map it can be said that every fast food chain in Brazil has the attempt to offer fresher products therefore they are perceived as mostly equal in the mind of the customers and for some it will be difficult to come into customers mind in the first place. Pret has a unique selling proposition as they provide fast and fresh products and can therefore charge a premium price as they are offering a perceived added value. To be able to maintain that position Pret has to adjust all their marketing activities to retain it. Standardization or Adaptation The discussion over standardization vs. adaptation of a companies marketing strategy in international markets originated in the 1980s through an article of Levitt (Kapferer, 2008). According to Levitt (1983) successful companies pursue a global standardization approach throughout their entire marketing mix rather than customizing it in different countries to be able to offer low prices due to economies of scale whilst being advanced, functional and reliable. Global companies have, according to Levitt, a better economical performance than those trying to serve several markets by adjusting their marketing mix. He stresses that consumers culture steadily converges across markets nowadays and names technology for one of the main reasons, which leads from his point of view to the fact that the whole marketplace is pitilessly homogenized and has common features. In his article he predicts the downfall of multinational firms as global companies, pursuing a standardization approach, that enter the same market will have several advantages against latter. However, contrary perceptions are represented by other authors. Aaker (2000) and Kapferer et al. (2004) consider that there shouldnt be a clear cut between those two views suggesting that there should rather be a mixture of both; creating an international brand that incorporates different cultural needs whilst standardizing those parts of the marketing mix that doesnt necessarily need to be adjusted. This underpins the ubiquitous saying think global, act local, which means that a company can be perceived as a global brand with all its advantages, although acting global and local at the same time to react to similarities and differences of their targeted markets which can additionally generate competitive advantage (Kapferer, 2008).Pret a Manger wants to further internationalize its business, but nonetheless they are adjusting their marketing mix where perceived as necessary. Therefore the company follows a polycentric approach and must particularly decide about how to tackle each of the seven marketing mix components (Kotler, 2001). For Pret adjustments have to be made especially concerning product, promotion and physical evidence whereas the other components are standardized to achieve economies of scale. As mentioned in chapter 3.3. Brazilians only prefer to eat sandwiches in the morning and in the evening; therefore Pret serves a local speciality at noon. Moreover Pret adapts their packaging because of the cultural fact that Brazilians dont want to touch their food by hand as they would otherwise have to face the problem that they cant sell their products. Concerning the promotion Pret pursues a global promotion strategy, but adjusts to different preferences. As mentioned in chapter 3.5. Robinho is used as an endorser and

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Cable Modems Vs. Digital Subscriber :: essays research papers fc

The Internet has grabbed on to the world and it isn’t letting go. Nearly 36 million U.S. homes currently have PCs and everyone is dying to jump on the information superhighway. The Internet, which started as a group of government agencies and universities, has grown to include almost anyone, from home users to large companies and everyone in between. It makes sense then that providing Internet service is big business. The service which used to be dominated by groups of nerdy computer whizzes using equipment in someone’s basement is now being provided by many telephone companies, large on-line services and may soon be available from you local cable company. Computer users are an impatient group. They are starving for a faster way of connecting to the ‘net. Until now home users have had to suffer with the slow connections available with analog modems or spend a relatively large amount on having a digital line, such as ISDN, installed and then continue paying a lot for the monthly charges associated with such lines. Standard analog modems have always been hindered by the bandwidth they are allowed to use. Standard voice grade phone lines use the frequency spectrum between 0khz and 4khz to transmit their signal. 33.6 kbps modems packed nearly 11 bits of data per hertz, a remarkable feat, which is very near the theoretical limit. To allow faster connections modems must use a wider bandwidth. Two new competing technologies are now being developed which use this broadband idea to give computer users the speed they crave. Telephone companies are working on developing a way to use the standard twisted pair copper wires that now connect nearly every home in America to transmit data at high speeds. These technologies, collectively called DSL, come in two main flavors. ADSL, this is an acronym for asymmetric digital subscriber line, is the most common. This name was coined by Bellcore in 1989. The other main type of digital subscriber line is called HDSL. It stands for high-bit-rate digital subscriber line. These two technologies are essentially the same, except they apportion a different bandwidth to upstream (user to network) and downstream (network to user) data transmission. Concurrently, cable television providers are working on technologies to allow them to connect computers to their network and allow users to connect to the Internet at speeds just as high. Such equipment is being called a cable modem. Cable modems offer the possibility of transferring data at rates up to ten megabits per second, a speed nearly ten times faster than that of ISDN and about twenty times faster than today’s fastest analog modems. This number is somewhat misleading however. The truth is that in order to actually

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay --

The purpose of this paper is to examine the formation of urban sprawl including its impacts on people and to explore efficient alternatives. Urban sprawl is a common problem that the world is currently facing in the process of urbanization. The North America urban sprawl that began from 1950s has been regarded as an illness of urban developments. With the purpose of drawing lessons and enlightens to a sustainable urban planning, this paper tries to analyze social and economic reasons that have been the motivation of North American urban sprawl. And interpret the causes and effects of urban sprawl, and what can we take to mitigate this phenomenon? Secondly, the paper introduces the most famous new planning movements such as Sustainable Development, Smart Growth, New Urbanism and so on. Finally, based on above observation, the paper proposes that lessons should be drawn from North American’s mistakes and not follows them. Furthermore, the paper probes into several problems in se eking a proper urban space model and policy on the process of urbanization. We must alert urban sprawl and keep on exploring sustainable urban governance policy and pay attention to induct the public opinion on consumption and culture in finding for the mechanism of structural innovation. We should commit to build sustainable transport system to reduce the consumption of automobiles. We should promote multi-intensive model of land use in urban exploration. Keywords: urban sprawl, urban planning, Introduction Started from the 1950s, the movement that many post-war cities expanded outward to form a mass migration from the center of the city surrounded by low-density suburban living patterns generally referred to as "urban sprawl." The problems posed by the... ...rt there will be no urbanization. Economy has its own rules and its own development. We cannot "push" or "speed up" subjectively, Destructive Enthusiasm in urban planning will be a dead end. Therefore, in reality, we must guard against false or excessive urbanization driven by the interests of the regime and to halt the urban sprawl-style expansion, to achieve a gradual urbanization. "New Urbanism", "compact city", "smart growth" provides us with useful ideas. There are few tiny gaps between the focus of these concepts, but their main principle is the same, namely to improve the utilization efficiency of urban space and create policies to control urban sprawl. Change the city zoning concept, promoting diversification of land use; reduce reliability on motorized travel; improve public transport to stimulate the vitality of the city It is our common goal of the future

Rotten dot Com :: essays research papers

I have to say rotten dot com is not my type of website, but it did catch my attention. Even if you are disturbed or not attracted to something, you should give it a chance. You never know what to expect especially when you see, "Rotten dot com collects images and information from many sources to present the viewer with a truly unpleasant experience" on the main page. The content of the site is different than any other website that I have seen, but the form and layout is very common among websites. Rotten dot com actually reminds of a newspaper's layout. On the main page there are several links, some on the left side, and some going down the bottom of the page. These links can be related to the subtitles of newspapers which lead you to the inside story. Being that the website is easily viewed and understandable, rotten dot com is a very well designed website. All the links show what topics can be viewed. Then after clicking on the specific link you want, a header page is opened. For example, if you click on the link "Celebrity Morgue", you will see a page with two skeletons on it, and the title overlapping them. Below the title and skeletons is a list of people who you can view dead bodies of. Under the photos of the bodies, there are brief descriptions of how each individual person died. Another one of these links is called "famous." The famous link takes you to a page similar to the Celebrity Morgue page, where there are several sub links on the page. With these links you can view rare photographs. Some of these photos contain Richard Nixon meeting Elvis Presley, and a picture of David Duchonovy almost nude, which appeared on the cover of a European magazine. Another picture is of Nancy Reagan sitting on Mr. T's lap, as he is dressed like Santa Claus. As I previously stated, the form of this website is extremely basic. It contains a lot of links to other pages, which consist of a few odd and disturbing photos. Each page contains a few cartoon pictures, which describe and are related to that specific title of the page. A nice link to click is the "mug shots" link. You can view and take a look at famous actors', criminals', and professional athletes' mug shots. Some mug shots that I think are good are Pee Wee Herman because he got arrested for masturbating, Charles Barkley because he broke a man's nose in a bar fight, and Al Pacino as young hoodlum growing up in Brooklyn.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Diet and Exercise

Diet and Exercise Hanse Bidon COM/155 – University Composition and Communication I March 14, 2013 Cynthia Jones Diet and exercise Today, my physician informed me that I was significantly overweight and that my health was in jeopardy. Immediately, I stated dieting which included fruits and vegetables while abstaining from starches and sodas. In the course of two weeks, I noticed that I dropped 20 pounds as a result of a result of implementing this diet however I noticed sagging of the skin in certain areas. My weight loss halted and it appeared that I hit a weight plateau.In an attempt to resolve these issues, I started an exercise regimen which included cardio and free weights. Shortly after, I began to see weight loss however my energy and endurance began to slowly dwindle. After consulting with my physician, she encouraged me to combine both diet and exercise, which resulted in me managing my weight, tightening my skin, an increasing my endurance and energy. This process has taught me that weight loss can be achieved by diet and exercise individually, however when the two are combined, it can result in weight loss and weight management.There are advantages and disadvantages when using diet and exercise individually alone when trying to lose weight. These advantages and disadvantages individually can have adverse and favorable effects on your mental health, physical health and wellness. Dieting can be jarring for some people the idea of giving up certain foods to attain weight loss, can be very challenging. For so many people, Dieting is defined as the restraining of certain foods and practices that result in a desired state of mind and physical wellness.This desired state of mind and physical wellness could result in advantages such as weight loss, reduction of chronic diseases, and improved self-esteem. Weight loss as it relates to the advantages of dieting reflects the shedding of unwanted, unhealthy weight which ultimately is how we previously saw o urselves. Once the weight has been shed, we begin to see ourselves through new eyes with confidence and self-worth, which boosts your self – esteem. Not only do you improve yourself image, you improve your health as well.With weight loss, you reduce your chances of developing any chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some diseases that can be associated with heart disease. Although, some success can be achieved from dieting alone, it also has some disadvantages. Dieting alone for the sake of weight loss has some disadvantages such as fatigue and depression. One of the disadvantages of dieting alone is fatigue; this may occur when the body is trying to adjust to the change in eating habits and the lack of nutrients. You may experience dizziness and you’re tired all the time.These are symptoms of fatigue. A sudden change in eating habits because of a diagnosis can result in a person becoming depression, such as high blood pressure. In additio n to dieting, exercise is another method that is used to lose and manage weight. Exercise, just like dieting has significant advantages if deployed correctly. Some of these advantages involve physical and mental advantages. The physical advantages as it relates to exercises include weight loss, lower blood pressure, and the reduction of severe diseases such as diabetes, and life threatening cancers such as prostate and colon cancers.Another advantage to consistent exercise is the mental advantages; the act of exercising consistently releases a chemical in your body known as endorphins, which ultimately are responsible for stress and anxiety reduction. The endorphins in your body which are released when you exercise allow you to sleep comfortably at night and also work to increase your self-esteem allowing you to feel better about yourself and the progress you’re making. However, over working your muscles can result in more harm than good.Unfortunately, there are noticeable di sadvantages that come with exercise or the lack of proper exercise. These disadvantages come in the forms of improper training or preparation for exercise and the heightened possibility of injury because of lack of preparation. Over Utilizing the use your muscles can cause soreness because of microscopic tears in the muscle tissue. This process is normal however not implementing the right form or cardiovascular training can result in an inevitable state of injury, which can be a direct reflection of an improper training regimen.Overtraining can result in a number of issues such as insufficient amount of sleep, a compromised immune system, energy deficiency, and muscle and joint pain. While separately, exercise and diet provide various advantages and disadvantages, the two when implemented together provided various benefits. These benefits consist of healthier cardiovascular system, stronger bones, and effective weight loss. Any form of walking, swimming, jogging while implementing a low fat diet is a good way to maintain a good cardiovascular system.Another benefit of diet and exercise is the prevention of osteoporosis by incorporating foods rich in vitamin D, calcium such as fish, cheese, yogurt, low fat milk and with strength training. In addition maximum weight loss and management, reduction of the risk of chronic diseases and an improvement in mental health can be achieved when diet and exercise are implemented effectively. As I learned from my own struggles with weight lost, there are no quick fixes.Dieting without exercise will ultimately result in very little weight loss. The disadvantages that exist when you choose to lose weight by dieting only should be considered before eliminating exercise from your weight lost plan. Exercise without dieting will result in some weight loss as well and will help to improve your health, however, the disadvantages of just exercising should be consider before excluding dieting from your weight loss plan.Combine both di et and exercise will allow you to achieve maximum weight loss, weight management, and improve health, can contribute to your mental health in a positive manner, and increased strength in bones. Although there are many diet ads that suggest quick ways to lose weight such as shaking a substance on your food to curve your appetite, drinking shakes, eating cookies, some plans suggesting that you don’t have to change the way you eat to lose weight, and some insisting that just taking a pill, and the weight will fall off. None will replace both exercise and a well balance diet