Saturday, August 31, 2019

Legal Study Guide Essay

* | ChemoCorp, Inc., makes and sells pesticides. If a substance is identified as harmful and the harm is imminent, the Environmental Protection Agency canAnswer| | | | Correct Answer:| b. conduct an inspection of ChemoCorp’s plant.| | * Question 2 | | | Fabio makes a living by farming near Gastric Combustibles, Inc., which has discharged pollutants into the area’s air and water. In a suit by Fabio for an injunction against Gastric on the ground of nuisance, the court is most likely to rule in Gastric’s favor ifAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| c. Gastric’s operation is the core of the local economy.| | | | | * Question 3 | | | Fried Food, Inc., operates a commercial frying plant, discharging pollutants into the air. Greg reports the violations to the Environmental Protection Agency. GregAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| b. may be paid up to $10,000.| | | | | * Question 4 | | | Congress enacts air quality legislation. To implement and enforce this law, as is typical of other environmental statutes and regulations, the federal government will most likely rely onAnswer| | | | | Selected Answer:| a. all levels of government.| Correct Answer:| a. all levels of government.| | | | | * Question 5 1 out of 1 points | | | Industrial Solvents, Inc., averages $15,000 profit per day before deciding to ignore air pollution standards, after which the average is $30,000. Industrial Solvents is subject to a fine ofAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| a. $30,000 per day.| | | | | * Question 6 | | | Quickly Motor Company makes the Rock, a new model of sport utility vehicle, and sells it at the market’s lowest price. The Rock does not, however, satisfy federal emission standards and Quickly fails to maintain relevant, required records. The Environmental Protection Agency may assessAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| a. civil penalties, additional fines, and criminal penalties.| | | | | * Question 7 | | | Under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (the Ocean Dumping Act), Bayside Chemical Company may dump its chemical waste into the oceanAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| b. not at all.| | | | | * Question 8 | | | Truckers Storage Depot, a private company, wants to build a warehouse on private land. For this action, an environmental impact statement isAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| c. unnecessary.| | | | | * Question 9 | | | Consolidated Trucking Company transports radioactive materials. Darla suffers from cancer. To succeed in a suit against Consolidated on the ground of strict liability, Darla must show that her injury was caused byAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| d. Consolidated’s operation.| | | | | * Question 10 | | | Fruitful Garden Company makes and sells pesticides. For the pesticides to remain on the market, the acceptable level of risk to people of developing cancer from exposure to the products isAnswer| | | | | | | Correct Answer:| a. one-in-a-million.|

Friday, August 30, 2019

How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate

SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION Spotlight ARTWORK Josef Schulz, Form #1, 2001 C-print, 120 x 160 cm How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate Inside the company’s new-growth factory by Bruce Brown and Scott D. Anthony 64 Harvard Business Review June 2011 HBR. ORG Bruce Brown is the chief technology o? cer of Procter & Gamble. Scott D. Anthony is the managing director of Innosight. June 2011 Harvard Business Review 65 B SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION 66 Harvard Business Review June 2011 BACK IN 2000 the prospects for Procter & Gamble’s Tide, the biggest brand in the company’s fabric and household care division, seemed limited.The laundry detergent had been around for more than 50 years and still dominated its core markets, but it was no longer growing fast enough to support P&G’s needs. A decade later Tide’s revenues have nearly doubled, helping push annual division revenues from $12 billion to almost $24 billion. The brand is surging in emerging markets, and its iconic bull’seye logo is turning up on an array of new products and even new businesses, from instant clothes fresheners to neighborhood dry cleaners. This isn’t accidental. It’s the result of a strategic effort by P&G over the past decade to systematize innovation and growth.To understand P&G’s strategy, we need to go back more than a century to the sources of its inspiration— Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. In the 1870s Edison created the world’s first industrial research lab, Menlo Park, which gave rise to the technologies behind the modern electric-power and motion-picture industries. Under his inspired direction, the lab churned out ideas; Edison himself ultimately held more than 1,000 patents. Edison of course understood the importance of mass production, but it was his friend Henry Ford who, decades later, perfected it.In 1910 the Ford Motor Company shifted the production of its famous Model T from the Piquette Avenue P lant, in Detroit, to its new Highland Park complex nearby. Although the assembly line wasn’t a novel concept, Highland Park showed what it was capable of: In four years Ford slashed the time required to build a car from more than 12 hours to just 93 minutes. How could P&G marry the creativity of Edison’s lab with the speed and reliability of Ford’s factory? The answer its leaders devised, a â€Å"new-growth factory,† is still ramping up.But already it has helped the company strengthen both its core businesses and its ability to capture innovative new-growth opportunities. P&G’s efforts to systematize the serendipity that so often sparks new-business creation carry important lessons for leaders faced with shrinking product life cycles and increasing global competition. Laying the Foundation Innovation has long been the backbone of P&G’s growth. As chairman, president, and CEO Bob McDonald notes, â€Å"We know from our history that while prom otions may win quarters, innovation wins decades. The company spends nearly $2 billion annually on R&D—roughly 50% more than its closest competitor, and more than most other competitors combined. Each year it invests at least another $400 million in foundational consumer research to discover opportunities for innovation, conducting some 20,000 studies involving more than 5 million consumers in nearly 100 countries. Odds are that as you’re reading this, P&G researchers are in a store somewhere observing shoppers, or even in a consumer’s home.These investments are necessary but not sufficient to achieve P&G’s innovation goals. â€Å"People will innovate for financial gain or for competitive advantage, but this can be self-limiting,† McDonald says. â€Å"There needs to be an emotional component as well—a source of inspiration that motivates people. † At P&G that inspiration lies in a sense of purpose driven from the top down—the m essage that each innovation improves people’s lives. At the start of the 2000s only about 15% of P&G’s innovations were meeting revenue and profit targets.So the company launched its now well-known Connect + Develop program to bring in outside innovations and built a robust stage-gate process to help manage ideas from inception to launch. (For more on C+D, see Larry Huston and Nabil Sakkab, â€Å"Connect and Develop: Inside Procter & Gamble’s New Model for Innovation,† HBR March 2006. ) These actions showed early signs of raising innovation success rates, but it was clear that P&G needed more breakthrough innovations. And it had to come up with them as reliably as Ford’s factory had rolled out Model Ts.HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG Idea in Brief Procter & Gamble is a famous innovator. Nonetheless, in the early 2000s only 15% of its innovations were meeting their revenue and pro? t targets. To address this, the company set ab out building organizational structures to systematize innovation. The resulting new-growth factory includes large newbusiness creation groups, focused project teams, and entrepreneurial guides who help teams rapidly prototype and test new products and business models in the market.The teams follow a step-by-step business development manual and use specialized project and portfolio management tools. Innovation and strategy assessments, once separate, are now combined in revamped executive reviews. P&G’s experience suggests six lessons for leaders looking to build new-growth factories: Coordinate the factory with the company’s core businesses, be a vigilant portfolio manager, start small and grow carefully, create tools for gauging new businesses, make sure the right people are doing the right work, and nurture cross-pollination. ithout a further boost to its organic growth capabilities, the company would still have trouble hitting its targets. P&G’s leaders recog nized that the kind of growth the company was after couldn’t come from simply doing more of the same. It needed to come up with more breakthrough innovations—ones that could create completely new markets. And it needed to do this as reliably as Henry Ford’s Highland Park factory had rolled out Model Ts. In 2004 Gil Cloyd, then the chief technology officer, and A. G.Lafley, then the CEO, tasked two 30-year P&G veterans, John Leikhim and David Goulait, with designing a new-growth factory whose intellectual underpinnings would derive from the Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen’s disruptive-innovation theory. The basic concept of disruption—driving growth through new offerings that are simpler, more convenient, easier to access, or more affordable—was hardly foreign to P&G. Many of the company’s powerhouse brands, including Tide, Crest, Pampers, and Swiffer, had followed disruptive paths.Leikhim and Goulait, with suppor t from other managers, began by holding a two-day workshop for seven new-product-development teams, guided by facilitators from Innosight (a firm Christensen cofounded). The attendees explored how to shake up embedded ways of thinking that can inhibit disruptive approaches. They formulated creative ways to address critical commercial questions—for example, whether demand would be sufficient to warrant a new-product launch. Learning from the workshop helped spur the development of new products, such as the probiotic supplement Align, and also bolstered existing ones, such as Pampers.In the years that followed, Leikhim and Goulait shored up the factory’s foundation, working with Cloyd and other P&G leaders to: Teach senior management and project team members the mind-sets and behaviors that foster disruptive growth. The training, which has changed over time, initially ranged from short modules on topics such as assessing the demand for an early-stage idea to multiday cou rses in entrepreneurial thinking. Form a group of new-growth-business guides to help teams working on disruptive projects.These experts might, for instance, advise teams to remain small until their project’s key commercial questions, such as whether consumers would habitually use the new product, have been answered. The guides include several entrepreneurs who have succeeded—and, even more important, failed—in starting businesses. Develop organizational structures to drive new growth. For example, in a handful of business About the units the company created small groups focused Spotlight Artist Each month we illustrate primarily on new-growth initiatives.The groups our Spotlight package with (which, like the training, have evolved significantly) a series of works from an acaugmented an existing entity, FutureWorks, whose complished artist. We hope charter is to create new brands and business mod- that the lively and cerebral creations of these photograels. Dedic ated teams within the groups conducted phers, painters, and instalmarket research, developed technology, created lation artists will infuse our pages with additional energy business plans, and tested assumptions for specific and intelligence and amplify projects. hat are often complex and Produce a process manual—a step-by-step abstract concepts. This month’s artist is guide to creating new-growth businesses. The Josef Schulz, a German manual includes overarching principles as well as photographer who often detailed procedures and templates to help teams turns his lens on modern industrial constructs and describe opportunities, identify requirements for digitally strips away de? ning success, monitor progress, make go/no-go decisions, details to render moreand more. abstract, universally relRun demonstration projects to showcase the evant images. In the ? rst step I’m a photographer emerging factory’s work. One of these was a line of with his limitations, † he pocket-size products called Swash, which quickly once told an interviewer, refresh clothes: For example, someone who’s in a â€Å"and then an artist with his freedom of decisions. † hurry can give a not-quite-clean shirt a spray rather View more of the artist’s than putting it through the wash. work at josefschulz. de. June 2011 Harvard Business Review 67 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION Sustaining CommercialCommercial innovations use creative marketing, packaging, and promotional approaches to grow existing o? erings. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, P&G ran a series of ads celebrating mothers. The campaign covered 18 brands, was viewed repeatedly by hundreds of millions of consumers, and drove $100 million in revenues. P&G’s Four Types of Innovation Sustaining innovations bring incremental improvements to existing products: a little more cleaning power to a laundry detergent, a better ? avor to a toothpaste. These provide what P&G calls  "er† bene? s—better, easier, cheaper—that are important to sustaining share among current customers and getting new people to try a product. Sharpening the Focus By 2008 P&G had a working prototype of the factory, but the company’s innovation portfolio was weighed down by a proliferation of small projects. A. G. Lafley charged Bob McDonald (then the COO) and CTO Bruce Brown (a coauthor of this article) to dramatically increase innovation output by focusing the factory on fewer but bigger initiatives. McDonald and Brown’s team drove three critical improvements.First, rather than strictly separating innovations designed to bolster existing product lines from efforts to create new product lines or business models, P&G increased its emphasis on an intermediate category: transformational-sustaining innovations, which deliver major new benefits in existing product categories. Consider the Crest brand, the market leader until the late 1990s, when it was us urped by Colgate. Looking for a comeback, in 2000 P&G launched a disruptive innovation, Crest Whitestrips, that made teeth whitening at home affordable and easy.In 2006 it introduced Crest Pro-Health, which squeezes half a dozen benefits into one tube—the toothpaste fights cavities, plaque, tartar, stains, gingivitis, and bad breath. In 2010 it rolled out Crest 3D White, a line of advanced oral care products, including one that whitens teeth in two hours. Such efforts helped Crest retake the lead in many markets. Pro-Health and 3D White were both transformational-sustaining innovations, meant to appeal to current consumers while attracting new ones. These sorts of innovations share an mportant trait with market-creating disruptive innovations: They have a high degree of uncertainty—something the factory is specifically designed to manage. Second, P&G strengthened organizational supports for the formation of transformationalsustaining and disruptive businesses. It estab lished several new-business-creation groups, larger in size 68 Harvard Business Review June 2011 and scope than any previous growth-factory team, whose resources and management are kept carefully separate from the core business.These groups— dedicated teams led by a general manager—develop ideas that cut across multiple businesses, and also pursue entirely new business opportunities. One group covers all of P&G’s beauty and personal care businesses; another covers its household care business (the parent unit of the fabric-and-household and the family-and-baby-care divisions); a third, FutureWorks, focuses largely on enabling different business models (it helped guide P&G’s recent partnership with the Indian business Healthpoint Services).The new groups supplement (rather than replace) existing supports such as the Corporate Innovation Fund, which provides seed capital to ideas that might otherwise slip through the cracks. P&G also created a specialized te am called LearningWorks, which helps plan and execute in-market experiments to learn about purchase decisions and postpurchase use. Third, P&G revamped its strategy development and review process. Innovation and strategy assessments had historically been handled separately. Now the CEO, CTO, and CFO explicitly link company, business, and innovation strategies.This integration, coupled with new analyses of such issues as competitive factors that could threaten a given business, has surfaced more opportunities for innovation. The process has also prompted examinations of each unit’s â€Å"production schedule,† or pipeline of growth opportunities, to ensure that it’s robust enough to deliver against growth goals for the next seven to 10 years. Evaluations are made of individual business units (feminine care, for example) as well as broad sectors (household care).This revised approach calls for each business unit to determine the mix of innovation types it needs to deliver the required growth. HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG Transformational-Sustaining Transformational-sustaining innovations reframe existing categories. They typically bring order-of-magnitude improvements and fundamental changes to a business and often lead to breakthroughs in market share, pro? t levels, and consumer acceptance. In 2009 P&G introduced the wrinkle-reducing cream Olay Pro-X.Launching a $40-a-bottle product in the depths of a recession might seem a questionable strategy. But P&G went ahead because it considered the product a transformational-sustaining innovation—clinically proven to be as e? ective as its much more expensive prescription counterparts, and superior to the company’s other antiaging o? erings. The cream and related products generated ? rst-year sales of $50 million in U. S. food retailers and drugstores alone. Disruptive Disruptive innovations represent newto-the-world business opportunities.A company enters ent irely new businesses with radically new o? erings, as P&G did with Swi? er and Febreze. Running the Factory Let’s return now to Tide, whose dramatic growth highlights the potential of P&G’s approach. Over the past decade the brand has launched numerous products and product-line extensions, carved new paths in emerging markets, and tested a promising new business model. If you had looked for Tide in a U. S. supermarket 10 years ago, you would have found, for the most part, ordinary bottles and boxes of detergent.Now you’ll see the Tide name on dozens of products, all with different scents and capabilities. For example, in 2009 P&G introduced a line of laundry additives called Tide Stain Release. Within a year, building on 26 patents, it incorporated these additives into a sible to 70% of Indian consumers and has helped to significantly increase Tide’s share in India. More radically, Swash moved the Tide brand out of the laundry room. The line has clear dis ruptive characteristics: Swash products don’t clean as thoroughly as laundry detergents or remove wrinkles as effectively as professional pressing.But because they’re quick and easy to use, they offer â€Å"good enough† occasional alternatives between washes. Swash took an unconventional path to commercialization. When the products were first sold, in a store near P&G’s headquarters in Ohio, they carried a different brand name and had no apparent connection to Tide. After that experiment, P&G opened a â€Å"pop up† Swash store at The Ohio State University. Both Tide Dry Cleaners is a factory innovation that represents an entirely new business model. new detergent, Tide with Acti-Lift—the first major redesign of Tide’s liquid laundry detergent in a decade.The product’s launch drove immediate marketshare growth of the Tide brand in the United States. P&G has also customized formulations for emerging markets. Ethnographic research showed that about 80% of consumers in India wash their clothes by hand. They had to choose between detergents that were relatively gentle on the skin but not very good at actually cleaning clothes, and more-potent but harsher agents. With the problem clearly identified, in 2009 a team came up with Tide Naturals, which cleaned well without causing irritation.Mindful of the need in emerging markets to provide greater benefit at lower cost—â€Å"more for less†Ã¢â‚¬â€P&G priced Tide Naturals 30% below comparably effective but harsher products. This made the Tide brand accestests helped the company understand how consumers would buy and use the products, which P&G then began selling exclusively through Amazon and other online channels. In early 2011 the company ramped down its promotion of Swash, although learning from the effort will inform its work on other disruptive ideas in the clothes-refreshing space.Whereas Swash was a new product line, Tide Dry Cleaners represent s an entirely new business model. It started when a team began exploring ways to disrupt the dry-cleaning market, using proprietary technologies and a unique store design grounded in insights about consumers’ frustrations with existing options. Many cleaning establishments are dingy, unfriendly places. Customers have to park, walk, and wait. Often the cleaners’ hours are inconvenient. P&G’s alternative: bright, boldly colored cleaners June 2011 Harvard Business Review 69 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATIONThe Factory’s Consumer Research at Work In October 2010 P&G launched the Gillette Guard razor in India, a transformational-sustaining innovation whose strategic intent was simple: to provide a cheaper and e? ective alternative for the hundreds of millions of Indians who use double-edged razors. The company’s researchers spent thousands of hours in the market to understand these consumers’ needs. They gained important insights by observing men i n rural areas who, lacking indoor plumbing, typically shave outdoors using little or no water—and don’t shave every day.The single-blade Gillette Guard was thus designed to clean easily, with minimal water, and to manage longer stubble. The initial retail price was 15 rupees (33 cents), with re? ll cartridges for ? ve rupees (11 cents). Early tests showed that consumers preferred the new product to double-edged razors by a six-to-one margin. Its breakthrough performance and a? ordability position it for rapid growth. featuring specialized treatments, drive-through windows, and 24-hour storage lockers to facilitate after-hours drop-off and pickup.Using the new-growth factory’s process manual, the development team identified key assumptions about the proposed dry cleaners. For example, could the business model generate enough returns to attract store owners willing to pay up to $1 million for franchise rights? In 2009 P&G’s guides helped the team open three pilots in Kansas City to try to find out. That year P&G also formed Agile Pursuits Franchising, a subsidiary to oversee such efforts, and transferred ownership of the dry-cleaning venture to FutureWorks, whose main mission is to pursue new business models that lie outside P&G’s established systems.It remains to be seen how Tide Dry Cleaners will fare, but one promising sign came in 2010, when Andrew Cherng, the founder of the Panda Restaurant Group, announced plans to open 150 franchises in four years. He told BusinessWeek, â€Å"I wasn’t around when McDonald’s was taking franchisees, [but] I’m not going to miss this one. † To ensure strategic cohesion and smart resource allocation, Tide’s innovation efforts have been closely coordinated through regular dialogues among several leaders—CEO McDonald, CTO Brown, the vice-chair of the household business unit, and the president of the fabric care division.They’ve also been the focu s of discussions at Corporate Innovation Fund meetings and similar reviews. This isn’t just the methodical pursuit of a single innovation. It’s part of a steady stream of ideas in development—a factory humming with work. and learning, and personally engage. Our journey at P&G suggests six lessons for leaders looking to create new-growth factories. 1. Closely coordinate the factory and the core business. Leaders sometimes see efforts to foster new growth as completely distinct from efforts to bolster the core; indeed, many in the innovation community have argued as much for years.Our experience indicates the opposite. First, new-growth efforts depend on a healthy core business. A healthy core produces a cash flow that can be invested in new growth. And we’ve all known times when an ailing core has demanded management’s full attention; a healthy core frees leaders to think about more-expansive growth initiatives. Second, a core business is rich with capabilities that can support new-growth efforts. Consider P&G’s excellent relationships with major retailers. Those relationships are a powerful, hard-to-replicate asset that helps the factory expedite new-growth initiatives. Swiffer wouldn’t be Swiffer without them.Third, some of the tools for managing core efforts—particularly those that track a project’s progress—are also useful for managing new-growth efforts. And finally, the factory’s rapid-learning approach often yields insights that can strengthen existing product lines. One of the project teams at the 2004 workshop was seeking to spur conversion in emerging markets from cloth to disposable diapers. Subsequent in-market tests yielded a critical discovery: Babies who wore disposable diapers fell asleep 30% faster and slept 30 minutes longer than babies wearing cloth diapers—an obvious benefit for infants (and their parents).Advertising campaigns touting this advantage helped m ake Pampers the number one brand in several emerging markets. 2. Promote a portfolio mind-set. P&G communicates to both internal and external stakeholders that it is building a varied portfolio of innovation Lessons for Leaders Efforts to build a new-growth factory in any company will fail unless senior managers create the right organizational structures, provide the proper resources, allow sufficient time for experimentation 70 Harvard Business Review June 2011 HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG approaches, ranging from sustaining to disruptive ones. See the sidebar â€Å"P&G’s Four Types of Innovation. †) It uses a set of master-planning tools to match the pace of innovation to the overall needs of the business. It also deploys portfolio-optimization tools that help managers identify and kill the least-promising programs and nurture the best bets. These tools create projections for every active idea, including estimates of the financial potential a nd the human and capital investments that will be required. Some ideas are evaluated with classic net-present-value calculations, others with a risk-adjusted real-option approach, and still others with more-qualitative criteria.Although the tools assemble a rank-ordered list of projects, P&G’s portfolio management isn’t, at its core, a mechanical exercise; it’s a dialogue about resource allocation and business-growth building blocks. Numerical input informs but doesn’t dictate decisions. A portfolio approach has several benefits. First, it sets up the expectation that different projects will be managed, resourced, and measured in different ways, just as an investor would use different criteria to evaluate an equity investment and a real estate one.Second, because the portfolio consists largely of sustaining and transformational-sustaining efforts, seeing it as a whole highlights the critical importance of these activities, which protect and extend legitim ate disagreement about the best way to organize for new growth. Whereas we believe in a factory with relatively strong ties to the core, some advocate a â€Å"skunkworks† organization. Others argue for â€Å"distinct but linked† organizations under an â€Å"ambidextrous† leader; still others recommend mirroring the structure of a venture capital firm. (P&G’s factory uses several organizational approaches. Treating capability development itself as a new-growth innovation lets companies try different approaches and learn what works best for them. A staged approach serves another important purpose: It’s a built-in reminder that a new-growth factory is not a quick fix. The factory won’t provide a sudden boost to next quarter’s results, nor can it instantly rein in an out-of-control core business that’s veering from crisis to crisis. GILLETTE GUARD After thousands of hours of research in the ? eld, P&G learned that a single-blade ra zor was a cheaper and e? ective alternative to double-edged razors for many consumers in India. CREST 3D WHITEUsurped by Colgate in the late 1990s, Crest has regained the lead in many markets owing to its introduction of several innovative oral care products, including ones that make teeth whitening at home a? ordable and easy. 4. Create new tools for gauging new businesses. Anticipated and nascent markets are notoriously hard to analyze. Detailed follow-up with one of the project teams that attended the pilot workshop showed P&G that it needed new tools for this purpose. P&G now conducts â€Å"transaction learning experiments,† or TLEs, in which a team â€Å"makes a little and sells a little,† thus letting consumers vote with their wallets.Teams have sold small amounts of products online, at mall kiosks, in pop-up stores, and at amusement parks—even in the company store P&G now conducts â€Å"transaction learning experiments,† which let consumers vote wi th their wallets. core businesses. Finally, a portfolio approach helps reinforce the message that any project, particularly a disruptive one, may carry substantial risk and might not deliver commercial results—and that’s fine, as long as the portfolio accounts for the risk. 3. Start small and grow carefully. Remember how the new-growth factory began: with a simple two-day workshop.It then expanded to small-scale pilots in several business units before becoming a companywide initiative. Staged investment allows for early, rapid revision—before lines scribbled on a hypothetical organizational chart are engraved in stone. It also provides for targeted experimentation. For example, there is and outside company cafeterias. P&G devised a venture capital approach to testing the market for Align, its probiotic supplement, providing seed capital for a controlled pilot. The company has also tested entire business models—recall the Kansas City pilots of Tide Dry Cle aners. 5.Make sure you have the right people doing the right work. Building the factory forced P&G to change the way it staffed certain teams. At any given time the company has hundreds of teams working on various innovation efforts. In the past, most teams consisted mainly of part-time members—employees who had other responsibilities pulling at them. But disruptive and transformational-sustaining efforts June 2011 Harvard Business Review 71 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION HBR. ORG CONNECT WITH THE AUTHORS Do you have questions or comments about this article? The authors will respond to reader feedback at hbr. org. TIDE DRY CLEANERSStill in an early stage, this innovation arose in part from insights about consumers’ frustrations with the dinginess and inconvenience of most existing drycleaning establishments. require undivided attention. (As the old saying goes, nine women can’t make a baby in a month. ) There need to be people who wake up each day and go to sle ep each night obsessing about the new business. New-growth teams also need to be small and nimble, and they should include seasoned members. P&G found that big teams often bog down because they pursue too many ideas at once, whereas small teams are better able to quickly focus on the mostpromising initiatives.Having several members with substantial innovation experience helps teams confidently make sound judgment calls when data are inconclusive or absent. Finally, building a factory requires a substantial investment in widespread, ongoing training. Changing mind-sets begins, literally, with teaching a new language. Key terms such as â€Å"disruptive innovation,† â€Å"job to be done,† â€Å"business model,† and â€Å"critical assumptions† must be clearly and consistently defined. P&G reinforces key innovation concepts both at large meetings and at smaller, focused workshops, and in 2007 it established a â€Å"disruptive innovation college. People workin g on new-growth projects can choose from more than a dozen courses, ranging from basic innovation language to designing and executing a TLE, sketching out a business model, staffing a new-growth team, and identifying a job to be done. 6. Encourage intersections. Successful innovation requires rich cross-pollination both inside and outside the organization. P&G’s Connect + Develop program is part of a larger effort to intersect with other disciplines and gain new perspectives.Over the past few years P&G has: †¢ Shared people with noncompeting companies. In 2008 P&G and Google swapped two dozen employees for a few weeks. P&G wanted greater exposure to online models; Google was interested in learning more about how to build brands. †¢ Engaged even more outside innovators. In 2010 P&G refreshed its C+D goals. It aims to become the partner of choice for innovation collaboration, and to triple C+D’s contribution to P&G’s innovation development (which would m ean deriving $3 billion of the company’s annual sales growth from outside innovators).It has expanded the program to forge additional connections with government labs, universities, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, consortia, and venture capital firms. †¢ Brought in outside talent. P&G has traditionally promoted from within. But it recognized that total reliance on this approach could stunt its ability to create new-growth businesses. So it began bringing in high-level people to address needs beyond its core capabilities, as when it hired an outsider to run Agile Pursuits Franchising. In that one stroke, it acquired expertise in franchise-based business models that would have taken years to build organically.SOME THINK it’s foolish for large companies to even attempt to create innovative-growth businesses. They maintain that organizations should just outsource innovation, by acquiring promising start-ups. But P&G’s efforts appear to be working. Recall that in 2000 only 15% of its innovation efforts met profit and revenue targets. Today the figure is 50%. The past fiscal year was one of the most productive innovation years in the company’s history, and the company’s three- and five-year innovation portfolios are sufficient to deliver against their growth objectives.Projections suggest that the typical initiative in 2014 and 2015 will have nearly twice the revenue of today’s initiatives. That’s a sixfold increase in output without any significant increase in inputs. Our experience tells us that although individual creativity can be unpredictable and uncontrollable, collective creativity can be managed. Although the next Tide or Crest innovation might stumble, the factory’s methodical approach should bring many more innovations successfully to market. The factory process can create sustainable sources of revenue growth—no matter how big a company becomes.HBR Reprint R1106C At P&G’s â €Å"disruptive innovation college,† people working on new-growth projects can choose from more than a dozen courses. 72 Harvard Business Review June 2011 Harvard Business Review Notice of Use Restrictions, May 2009 Harvard Business Review and Harvard Business Publishing Newsletter content on EBSCOhost is licensed for the private individual use of authorized EBSCOhost users. It is not intended for use as assigned course material in academic institutions nor as corporate learning or training materials in businesses.Academic licensees may not use this content in electronic reserves, electronic course packs, persistent linking from syllabi or by any other means of incorporating the content into course resources. Business licensees may not host this content on learning management systems or use persistent linking or other means to incorporate the content into learning management systems. Harvard Business Publishing will be pleased to grant permission to make this content available through such means. For rates and permission, contact [email  protected] org.

Racism in “Snow Falling on Cedars” by David Guterson Essay

In Snow Falling on Cedars, the theme of racism stands out most strongly. Events, characters’ attitudes, and emotions are all directly related with the surrounding environment of racial tension, caused by war hysteria. This prejudice retains a strong hold over the people of San Piedro Island, as well as all over America at this time. Events in the novel take place as a direct result of bigotry, such as the search for a â€Å"right handed Jap.† This comment made by Horace Whaley to Sheriff Moran, caused a search warrant to be issued, with special attention to persons of physically apparent Japanese descent. Even while in court, a supposed place of justice, racial barriers still existed. Nels Gudmundsson attempted to overcome this obstacle by his statement of â€Å"†¦the shape of Kabuo Miyamoto’s eyes, the country of his parents’ birth — these things must not influence your decision. You must sentence him simply as an American, equal in the eyes of our legal system to every other American.† to the jury. Most characters in the novel are racist against the Japanese, except Arthur Chambers, who is accused of siding with the â€Å"enemy† for contributing Japanese points-of-view into his newspaper editorials, and his son, Ishmael, who later views Japanese in a negative light. Ishmael’s change in attitude occurs because of his frustration in the failure of his pursuit of Hatsue. Etta Heine’s attitude towards the Japanese is among the worst of any character in Snow Falling on Cedars. She does not see the Japanese as an equal race, but as an evil, vengeful race with ulterior motives. Etta’s skepticism becomes obvious in the meeting between Carl, Zenhichi, and herself, through her thoughts; â€Å"he was always nodding†¦It was how they got the better of you–they acted small thought big†. David Guterson developed the theme by the general condescending attitude and actions by the whites towards the Japanese. There is constant tension between characters of different races (Etta and Zenhichi), problems with interracial relationships (Ishmael and Hatsue), and a fearful, bigoted dialogue; â€Å"They’re Japs†¦We’re in a war with them. We can’t have spies  around.† The majority of elements in the novel revolve around racial issues, as Guterson creates an important and poignant theme of a difficult era in American history.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

White paper on environmental friendly cars Research

White on environmental friendly cars - Research Paper Example As life kept going, different inventions took birth that enraptured the world. As a consequence, in the late 1600’s the first steam-powered vehicle was built. This led to the birth of a sequence of different generations of automobiles. Since the Industrial Revolution in 1760, fossil fuels replaced manual manufacturing processes, and in consequence of this car engines had started to be produced so as to run on the combustion of fossil fuels. For many years, even to this day, this has continued; initially the world had not known what unprecedented effect the excessive burning of fossil fuels would produce, but in the 1960’s a new discovery was made: this was Global Warming. This led environmentalists and scientists to thoroughly exhaust the subject and conclude that the excessive burning of fossil fuels is verily causing climate changes all over the world, and so it befitted the term ‘Global Warming’ (Sperling et al, 2009). In addition to this, it is also wor th noting that fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and a time shall come when the world will run out of fossil fuels, or that only the powerful will exert their absolute control over it on their own whim. In effect, the world or the poor nations, in the future years, might have to revert to former methods of transportation; that are bicycles, horses, carts, etc. When this implication was realized by environmentalists yet again, scientists again dove down and exhausted every source through which they could determine how to endure fuel shortages and still have automobiles. This has led to a breakthrough invention that can completely solve this problem. In reality the use of fuel-powered cars has never been easy for the general population. Only the wealthy have the means in current times to drive such cars. This is because several problems accompany the use of fuel-powered cars that heap heavily on a consumer with a moderate salary and a not-so-ostentatious lifestyle: one, they are expensive; this

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency Essay

Implementation, Strategic Controls, and Contingency - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that a strategic plan is a step by step instruction manual that explains how an organization will move toward achievement of its objectives and how it will inform its workers what is expected of them. Without effective strategic plans, an organization is unable to make its employees move along with harmony while understanding the company’s goals and milestones. This paper throws light on the implementation of this plan and explains the objectives, functional tactics, action items, milestones, tasks, resource allocation, and other important issues. The objective of this strategic plan is to search for some new services apart from filing and solving complaints of the clients, and implement those services. When a company decides to offer a new service, it has to make use of all the internal resources of the company as well as a lookout for opportunities in the external environment. The organization also has to look out for threats and m ust be prepared to face all kinds of disasters and losses. It has been proposed that Human-Care.org should implement a counseling service in which clients can have access to expert professionals in social and psychological fields. This service will benefit those clients who are themselves disturbed personalities and may be filing illogical complaints. Human-Care.org should focus on the short-term activities called functional tactics because these are a key to success in the long run. Four main functional tactics are: time (how much time will be dedicated to current activities?), specificity (how activities will be managed to achieve the strategic plan?), participants (who will be involved in the plan?), and empowering operational personnel (how personnel will be motivated and trained?).

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Executive Brief Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Executive Brief - Article Example owledge for employees requires authoritative; when the goals or aim is majorly focused on increasing the engagement of employees in work calls for the consultative (Langhorne, 2014); while when the aims or goals are spread out and are deeper rooted in the organization it calls for consensual type of decision-making (Langhorne, 2014). Decision-making exhibits itself as a form of communication whereby the manager exercises his power and understanding through he delivery of adequate decision on the best way the company or organization should take therefore if a manger offers a negative decision or communication to the workers it largely affects the organizations trust in his management qualities. When the decision-making qualities are exercised by an individual the chances of the organizations taking unnecessary risks and the likelihood or problems arising is greatly reduced as they present a situation as easy to addressed following what is best need for the company (Langhorne, 2014). CONCLUSION: Therefore, the performance of an organization clearly depends on the decision-making qualities present in the managerial team of an organization that greatly understand the strength of building an organization’s trust (Langhorne,

Monday, August 26, 2019

The effects of different political parties on the US economy Essay

The effects of different political parties on the US economy - Essay Example Despite this, Reagan added his own brand of Big Government with the swelling of the National Debt under his watch which crippled the economy. Liberal and conservative economic ideologies cannot necessarily be connected with Democratic and Republican Parties respectively as this paper will illuminate. The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history, and one which spread to virtually the entire industrialized world. Many factors played a role in bringing about the depression; however, the main cause for the Great Depression was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920’s, and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part of that same decade. The misdistribution of wealth in the 1920s existed on many levels. Money was distributed disparately between the rich and the middle-class, between industry and agriculture within the United States, and between the U.S. and Europe. This imbalance of wealth created an unstable economy. The excessive speculation in the late 1920s kept the stock market artificially high, but eventually lead to large market crashes. These market crashes, combined with the misdistribution of wealth, caused the American economy to capsize. The ‘roaring twentie s’ was an era when our country prospered tremendously. The nation’s total realized income rose from $74.3 billion in 1923 to $89 billion in 1929 (Hicks, 1960 p. 110). However, the rewards of the (Republican) ‘Coolidge Prosperity’ of the 1920’s were not shared evenly among all Americans. According to a study done by the Brookings Institute, in 1929 the top 0.1 percent of Americans had a combined income equal to the bottom 42 percent (McElvaine, 1984 p. 38). That same top 0.1 percent of Americans in 1929 controlled 34 percent of all savings, while 80 percent of Americans had no savings at all (McElvaine, 1984 p. 38).

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Human Genome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Genome - Essay Example Learning about the diseases imminent in one’s genetic code and sharing it with doctors could facilitate many new opportunities for and ways of curing common diseases. For instance if I receive a genetic test that states that I have a 85 percent chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, I will approach the associated medical experts with these results and will solicit their advice. I will ask them as to what is the realistic likelihood of me developing Parkinson’s disease and will also ask them regarding the medications and treatment I could avail to avoid developing the Parkinson’s disease or to slow down the progress of this disease if I ever develop it. Knowing about this in advance will endow me with much time and resources to deal with it. The biggest challenge before the researchers and research administrators conducting genetic trials is to find the fasters and easier ways of sequencing DNA (Lee, 1991). The other challenge is to decide as to how multiple human genes collaborate to control one single human trait (Lee, 1991). The researchers also need to know as to how to regulate and control gene

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Costco Company Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Costco Company - Term Paper Example One of the notable companies that have put in place effective marketing strategies is Costco Company. Being the second largest distributor and seller merchandise among other products in US, Costco Company operates in more than 8 countries. The company has more than 200 brands that are produced to meet the large customer base that the company is enjoying. Major products that are produced by the company include sea food, home electronics, solar panels, photo processors, baked goods, hot tubs, and meat among others. This paper discusses key marketing activities that are undertaken by Costco Company thus becoming a successful firm in the wholesale sector. Marketing strategies One of the major strategies that Costco Company uses to attract and retain its customers is by use of technology. For example, the company has initiated varieties of adverts that are undertaken though television channels as well as YouTube. As a result, the company has increased its number of customers in US as well as in foreign countries. Based on the increased need to maintain productive employees, Costco Company has undertaken various corporate social responsibilities. For example, the company provides quality health care to all its employees an aspect that has resulted to attainment of employees as well as corporate objectives. Costco Company also focuses at using hospitality industry to improve its image on the eyes of the public. For example, the company has established children hospitals that are operated using the company financial resources. In 2012, the company spent 1% of its pre-tax earning to finance the children hospitals. As compared to its competitors, Costco Company has a wide product portfolio (Gupta, 2006). In this way, the company is in a position to meet the needs of large number of customers. In the same way, the company brands target wide market including young people, old consumers, executives, sportsmen among others. Consequently, the company has created a strong posi tive customer product relationship. One of the notable marketing strategies that Costco emulates is to offer low prices and to sell large number of products (Fredrix, 2009). By providing variety of brands, the company focuses at big and small businesses as well as large families. Ethics and corporate social responsibility Many marketers today are faced with ethical conflicts in regard to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Costco Company corporate responsibility is regulated by a corporate reputation body which is a group of senior managers derived from the company. The CSR body strategizes methods of dealing with problems identified as risks and hindrances confronting the targeted community as well as its business advancement (Weeden, 1998). The company’s corporate governance guideline clearly outlines the approach to Corporate Social Responsibility and these approaches are systematically reviewed to ensure they meet international best practices. As mentioned earlier, Cos tco Company has embarked on is the sponsorship of humanitarian activities including children hospital, protection of animals as well as environmental conservation. Costco Company is a global company that is focused at initiating international brands in various marketing segments. Through its cutting edge online advertisement, Costco Company emulates global marketing that has not only made

Friday, August 23, 2019

Organisational behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Organisational behaviour - Essay Example Leadership plays a significant role in organizational management through offering directions and influencing people towards the direction. This involves development of effective teams and effective links between management and other employees. Effective leadership also ensures motivation in an organization (Gupta 2008, p. 110). Consequently, existence of effective leadership in Ecobot Plastics would have prevented or resolved the problems by identifying lack of motivation as the main factor to the problem areas, developing a recovery plan, and influencing implementation of the plan. Leadership traits such as knowledge on effective leadership, â€Å"integrity,† â€Å"initiative,† â€Å"communication skills,† â€Å"motivation skills† (Tulsian 2009, p. 7-22), interpersonal skills, flexibility, and analytical skills are however necessary for addressing the organization’s problems (Gupta 2008, p. 111). Ensuring these traits in the organization, through training and development is therefore necessary and the neo-human relations’ approach to motivation supports this. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory explains the approach that focuses on need to realize self-actualization in people (Wilkinson 2003, p. 90). According to Maslow’s theory, desire to satisfy human needs motivate people (Griffin and Moorhead 2013, p. 93). The needs are further hierarchical, with self-actualization at the highest level, and once needs at a level have been satisfied, they cease to motivate and needs at higher levels becomes new motivato rs (Mosley, Mosley, and Pietri 2014, p. 207). Leadership development will change the organization’s culture from focus on machinery and processes to focus on employees through identification of need for the change and influencing the change. Developed leadership, with motivational skills as a product, will then help in

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Technology, Globalization & Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Technology, Globalization & Change - Assignment Example In response to technological revolution, new approaches and tools are developed to counter the emerging challenges. For instance, new concepts of manufacturing are being implored to enable multi production in industries which in turn translates to high productivity.Additional, computer technology and microprocessor integrated into several products enables software differentiation. Computer systems and networks also greatly alter management approach to issues. Business is increasingly getting globalized courtesy of latest communication technologies which overhaul equipment and logistical technology.Morover, technological factors and trends have contributed to a number of factors. Notable among these factors are aspects such as, rapid increase in rates of technology diffusion and change, age of information, intensity in terms of knowledge increase and lastly the sprouting of positive feed back in industries. In summary, development of new mindsets, tools, organizations and concepts hav e now become a prerequisite for every manager. In order to navigate through the new competitive landscape, further research is required to enable managers be at a better position to handle and respond to the new emerging trends. For a company to withstand the various challenges that emanate from the new competitive landscape, the management can put in place a variety of measures to be at par in terms of responding to these challenges. As a manager, I would recommend to the board of directors to adopt the following measures. Firstly and as recommended by Bettis and Michael, the staff should be able to develop a new mindset on how to approach business. This can be made possible when the company initiate extensive programs and also through invitation of resource persons. Extensive programs enable staff members to learn more about the emerging challenges and the likely remedies that can be adopted to counter the various challenges. On the other hand, Invitation of resource persons that are professionals in respective fields of technology such as software and e-marketing may also enlighten staff members about contemporary trends. New tools should also be developed to enable the company counter the challenges brought about by technology. This can be done through introduction and embracing technological systems such as within a company’s communication department and logistical departments. New concepts should also be embraced to replace the old ones. For example, slower methods of communication can be replaced with more effective and efficient ones. New technological aspects such as tele- conferencing should be adopted by a company if possible. This is because such a concept is not only convenient but also saves time too. As suggested by Grubler, Bettis and Michael, I would recommend to the Board of Directors to embrace research as an essential component of the companies objectives. For example, how technology can be used to meet customers satisfaction and inc rease efficiency in terms of timely and effective service delivery. Research would also enable the company to establish what is still relevant and what has been by passed by season in terms of technology brought about by the new competitive landscape. For instance, a telecommunication company should inject more funds on mobile phone research other than land line because it is contemporary and convenient to

Historical laws and Security Essay Example for Free

Historical laws and Security Essay Historical Laws and Security Checkpoint CJS/250 April 24, 2013 Historical Laws and Security Checkpoint The Babylonian King Hammurabi established the code of Hammurabi. It was established by the king himself in 1750 B.C. and discovered intact in 1901. It contains 282 clauses variety of obligations, professions and rights, as well as retail, slavery, marriage, stealing, and outstanding debts. If any of the clause was to be violated the punishment that would be handed down would be severe (Clifford, 2004). This code is well known for serious punishment. The principles outlined are in the form of Lex talionis, or the law of retaliation to fit the crime (an eye for an eye). The Draco’s code was named for the Greek of Athens citizen where it was written in 621 B.C., the first law written in Greece was very harsh that the word Draconian is used today to describe how severe and unreasonable the law is. Concerns to penalty for any offense that was committed death would be the result. It was very important to introduce the notion to the state, not the private citizens, is responsible for the punishing persons accused of crimes. The Law of The Twelve Tables originally included 10 laws. Written in Rome in 450 B.C. was meant to govern the Romans. It was the foundation of the modern public and private law. They helped organize how crime would be prosecuted publicly and instituted a method whereby the involved parties could look for compensation from their aggressors. It was then the basic rule of Roman law was written and that justice would not be left at the hands of the judge alone to interpret. In 529 A.D., Corpus Juris Civilis or Justinian code was the result of Emperor Justinian’s desire and remembrance for his codification of Roman law  in a series of book (Clifford, 2004). Legal maxims derived from Justinian Code which inspired the modern concept of justice a word that comes from the emperor’s name. The foundation of civil law, one of the two main legal system, the other been English common law was formed by the Roman code that govern modern Western civilization. One of the high point in the middle ages occurred under King John of England, with the creation of the Magna Carta in 1216 which he was forced to sign. This document established the English due process which greatly reduced the king power by making decision in parliament instead on his own. The most important of the Magna Carta’s 61 clauses was the 39th it states no freeman shall be captured or imprisoned except by lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land (Clifford, 2004). Within a 70 year span England produced the next significant contribution to the system of law enforcement in developing the Statue of Westminster in 1285. King Edward involved the citizens in crime prevention and apprehension. It established three practical measures focusing on the security of affected citizens, the watch and ward, a hue and cry, and the assize of arms. In our current society, publicly and privately these laws have played a major role today. The legal system which we have in place would be the same, but instead it is different. One of the most important is the Magna Carta, and it can be seen in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Article 21. Our economy today is drastically changing. With the amount of cutback it would be difficult for our finest to be all over the city to monitor any issues that may occur. With the assistance of the private forces the numbers has double or triple with less authority or priviledge as would an officer. Having both is beneficial to our society and the feel of safety is an encouragement to us all. References Clifford, M (2004) Identifying and exploring security essentials. Upper Saddle River, NJ Pearson Prentice Hall.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Media Representation Of Gender And Body Image

Media Representation Of Gender And Body Image It is estimated that we are exposed to over 3,000 advertisements every day. This makes advertisements a very powerful educational force in society. It can be seen that advertisements sell more than just products. They sell values, images and concepts, love and sexuality, and popularity and normalcy. They ultimately tell us who we are and what we should strive to be. Men, women, teens, boys, and girls all identify people by how they look, to body size and shape, to clothes, as well as hairstyles. Therefore, the way we view our body and image can have a large impact on the way we feel about ourselves. For the most people, especially with adolescents, body image is strongly influenced by mass media and advertising. When looking into advertising within media representation and self body image one can see how powerful of an outlet advertising can be in our current society (Advertising: Its everywhere, 2010). Advertisers emphasize body image and the importance of physical attractiveness in order to sell products. They hope to persuade society that something needs to be added or fixed, because what we have is either not enough or good enough to meet the high demands that society puts on satisfaction. Womens magazines are full of articles convincing women that if they can just lose those a little more weight, then they can have the perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career. The standard of beauty that is imposed on women is difficult to achieve and maintain and therefore, the cosmetic and diet product industries are sure to profit and grow off the high beauty standard. It is no surprise that youth is increasingly promoted, along with thinness, as an essential criterion of beauty in todays society. Aging is looked at in the media as an issue that needs to be dealt with and ultimately stopped all together (Gerber, 2010). Adolescents are the main target for most media outlets because they are particularly vulnerable and inexperienced consumers. They are still learning their values and roles and developing their self-concepts. Most adolescents are sensitive to peer pressure and find it difficult to resist (Kilbourne, 1999, p.129). This constant exposure to negative body image advertisements may influence individuals to become self-conscious about their bodies and to obsess over their physical appearance. The beauty industry is an extremely large industry that profits off the negative self-esteem and body image of many women in todays society. Women who are insecure about their bodies are more likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet aids. It is estimated that the diet industry alone is worth anywhere between 40 to  100 billion dollars a year selling temporary weight loss products (Cummings, 2005). On the other hand, research indicates that exposure to images of thin, young, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls. The American research group Anorexia Nervosa Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control, such as fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 2010) . The Canadian Womens Health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6 years old (The Canadian Womens Health Network, 2005).   Another study conducted by Marika Tiggemann and Levina Clark in 2006 titled Appearance Culture in Nine- to 12-Year-Old Girls: Media and Peer Influences on Body Dissatisfaction, notes that nearly half of all preadolescent girls wish to be thinner and as a result, they have engaged in a diet or are aware of the concept of dieting (Clark, 2006).  Ã‚   In 2003, Teen magazine reported that 35 percent of girls 6 to 12 years old have been on at least one diet, and that fifty to se venty percent of normal weight girls believe they are overweight (Gibbons, 2003).Overall research indicates that ninety percent of women are dissatisfied with their appearance in some way (The Canadian Womens Health Network, 2005). Media activist Jean Kilbourne concludes that, Women are sold to the diet industry by the magazines we read and the television programs we watch, almost all of which make us feel anxious about our weight (Kilbourne, 1999, p. 47). Many of the media images of female beauty are unattainable a majority of women. The media continues to set unrealistic standards for what body size and appearance is considered normal. If you look through any magazine or turn on the television, you would see collarbones, hipbones, cheekbones and rib cages as the overall trend in Hollywood. Celebrities like Mary-Kate Olsen and Nicole Richie, both of whom have been reported to have eating disorders, can be seen in designer clothing with designer handbags and gorgeous men along with them. This is the model of success for many adolescent girls. Most of these girls look up to and admire these celebrities and are therefore taught at a young age that Barbie is how a woman is supposed to look; tall, blonde, big breasts, and extremely thin. Barbie in reality is so thin that her weight and body proportions are not only unattainable, but also unhealthy (Gerber, 2010).. Researchers have generated a computer model with Barbie-doll proportions and have found that her back would be too weak to support the weight of her upper body, and would be too narrow to contain more than half a liver and a few centimeters of bowel. A  real woman built that way would suffer from chronic diarrhea and eventually die from malnutrition. Jill Barad president of Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, estimated that ninety nine percent of girls between the ages of 3 to 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll (Greenwald, 1996). Still, the number of real life women and girls who seek a similarly underweight body is epidemic, and they can suffer equally devastating health consequences (Gerber, 2010). Researchers report that womens magazines have more ads and articles promoting weight loss than mens magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of womens magazines include at least one message about how to change a womans bodily appearance through either diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery (Gerber, 2010). Television and movies reinforce the importance of a thin body as a measure of a womans worth. Canadian researcher, Gregory Fouts reports that over three-quarters of the female characters in TV situation comedies are underweight, and only one in twenty are above average in size. Heavier actresses tend to receive negative comments from male characters about their bodies and eighty percent of these negative comments are followed by canned audience laughter (Gerber, 2010). Billboards are one of the largest forms of advertisement. Advertisers tend to make these advertisements especially memorable so they dont go unnoticed. Sometimes, they overlook and take it too far. An example of this was a billboard advertising one of NBCs popular television shows, Friends. The billboard glamorized anorexia by picturing the three female stars of the show and beside them the phrase Cute anorexic chicks. The caption was originally meant to be looked at as a joke regarding the accusations towards the three women of having eating disorders and unhealthy exercise habits, which all of them denied. Although the billboard was removed immediately, it illustrated a spectrum of ads promoting harmful body ideals (Smith, 1999). What may really make a difference in this unhealthy trend are organizations that promote fighting back against the standards that the media presents. An organization that has helped do just that is the About-Face Organization. About-Face is a San Francisco based media literacy organization that concentrates on the effect of the mass media on the physical, mental, and emotional health of females. About-Face encourages personal activism against the thin body ideal. Since 1995 About-Face has been providing education and resources on this subject through research that indicates a relation between exposure to the idealized female in the media and the occurrence of eating disorders (About-Face, 1996). Another organization to promote positive body image is Dove. In 2004, Dove launched the very successful Campaign for Real Beauty which features real women, not models, advertising Doves products. The advertisement is composed of six women all with perfect skin, hair, and teeth. The only thing that is looked at as not perfect is their weight. The women within the Dove advertisement are supposed to portray real women instead of extremely thin models in in hopes to offset the unrealistically thin and unhealthy images associated with modeling and advertisements in an effort to widen the stereotype of beauty and boost sales in the process. The slogan real women have curves as well as the campaigns Web site, which features quotes from each of the Campaign for Real Beauty models, does a great job of capturing the overall message of real beauty (Dove, 2010) . The Campaign for Real Beauty has had a huge impact and response throughout the world. The six women in the U.S. ads are featured in national television spots, magazine advertisements, print advertisements and billboards in major urban markets in North America and similar campaign ads are being run throughout the world by Dove as well. The campaign and its influence on body image have been the topic of many newspapers and blogs, receiving mostly praise, but like any other media outlet, some criticism as well. Some question the legitimacy of real beauty messaging through commercial beauty products along with how the ads might affect women who still do not fit in with the portrayal of beauty in the Dove advertisements. Although the women are not touched up, the models in the series are still smaller than the average American woman at size 14. These women can be paid far less, but they can also break the sameness of advertising (Corbett, 2006). All of this attention is what Dove was really striving for in order to get the message across. According to a press release, Dove wants to make women feel more beautiful every day by challenging todays stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring women to take great care of themselves. The use of women of various ages, shapes and sizes is designed to provoke discussion and debate about todays typecast beauty images (Prior, 2004). According to a study conducted by Dove, only two percent of women describe themselves as beautiful. Sixty three percent strongly agree that society expects women to enhance their physical attractiveness. Forty five percent of women feel women who are more beautiful have greater opportunities in life. The study also looked at the degree in which mass media has played in portraying and communicating an unrealistic view of beauty. More than two thirds of women strongly agree that the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women coul d not ever achieve. Women feel they are surrounded images unrealistic beauty. The majority wish female beauty was portrayed in the media as being made up of more than just physical attractiveness. Seventy five percent went on to say that they wish the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness, including age, shape, and size (Dove, 2010). Other advertisers have also been departing from the idealistic body type. In the Just Do It campaign, Nike features muscular, disembodied thighs and butts, labeled Thunder Thighs and Big Butt. These advertisements are very important to understanding the media representation and body image of the direction that society will be heading. It is important to take action with the media and society like represented with the Dove campaign, in order to try and change the trend and get women to love being who they are, no matter what their size, and love the uniqueness of their own body (Corbett, 2006). Another media outlet that should not go unnoticed is the digital media. In todays society this plays a very important role. A great example of this is shown through Doves Evolution video. The video starts off with what appears to be a normal woman and is magically transformed into a beautiful supermodel and placed on a billboard. By using a computer, the womans face is geometrically changed and made to look perfectly proportioned. The video shows people that absolutely perfect faces and bodies are not only rare but nonexistent in many cases (Postrel, 2007). In Madrid, one of the many popular fashion capitals, thin models were banned from the runway in 2006. Spain has recently undergone a project with the aim to standardize clothing sizes through using a process in which a laser beam is used to measure real life womens bodies in order to find the most true to life measurement. This project is hoped to help fight the perception that thin equals beautiful. Milan has also jumped on the idea and also banned ultra thin models from fashion week in 2006 in hopes that models will start to become more healthy sizes (Woolls, 2008). Twenty years ago, the average model weighed eight percent less than the average woman. Todays models weigh twenty three percent less. Advertisers are convinced that thin models sell products and that thin is in. When the Australian magazine New Woman recently included a picture of a heavy-set model on its cover, there was an instant backlash of grateful readers praising the change. The advertisers were less then pleased however. They complained and the magazine soon returned to featuring bone-thin models. Advertising Age International concluded that the incident made clear the influence wielded by advertisers who remain convinced that only thin models spur the sales of beauty products (Gerber, 2010). Mainstream media representations also plays a role in reinforcing ideas about what it means to be a real man in our society. Most media sources portray male characters as rewarding for self-control and controlling of others, aggressive and violent, financially independent, and physically desirability. Although distorted body images have been known to affect women and girls, there is a growing awareness regarding the pressure for men and boys to appear more muscular. Many males are becoming more insecure about their physical appearance due to advertising and other media images that raise the standard and idealize well-built men. Advertising images have been accused of setting unrealistic ideals for males, and men and boys are beginning to risk their health to achieve the well-built media standard (Eating disorders: Body image and advertising, 2008). Another issue is the representation of ethnically diverse women in the media. A 2008 study conducted by Juanita Covert and Travis Dixon titled A Changing View: Representation and Effects of the Portrayal of Women of Color in Mainstream Womens Magazines found that although there was an increase in the representation of women of color, overall white women were overrepresented in mainstream womens magazines from 1999 to 2004. An experiment was designed to view the effects of counter stereotypical portrayals on readers. The research showed that exposure to articles featuring counter stereotypical depictions of women of color tended to evaluate the occupational expectations of women of color among white readers but not people of color (Covert, 2008). In article on African American women and beauty ideals, it is stated that Black women are less vulnerable than white women to reacting negatively is they dont match the ideals pervading prime-time television shows and magazines, according to studies (Smith, 2004). African American women pay little attention to thin images of white women and have better body images than white women, though heavier and unhealthier. African American women have disregarded the idea of thin, pretty white woman as unattainable for themselves and as unimportant to others in the black community (Smith, 2004). It is also found in research that black women were less likely to exhibit signs of bulimia (Smith, 2004). When you think of sexy black women in the media, many would instantly think of Beyonce, Rihanna, or Tyra Banks. However, some would argue that though they are ethnically black, they are whiteified. Their hair has been dyed blonde, straightened hair, and even skin lightened. This is sending a negative message to the darker skinned African American women that they are not beautiful (How the media destroys black beauty, 2010). Some other examples of media sources lighting the skin of African American celebrities by using Photoshop and special lighting techniques is recently shown in Gabourey Sidibes Elle 25th Anniversary Cover. Though the magazine denies the accusations, this is not the first time this has been brought to everyones attention (Everett, 2010). Beyonce Knowles has also been represented several skin shades darker in her LOreal Paris magazine advertisements. Even after the company made a statement claiming this was untrue, many find this hard to believe (Guardian News Media , 2008). Other celebrities to undergo the supposed Photoshop skin lightening include OJ Simpson, Mariah Carey, and even President Obama. The message that media gives about thinness, dieting and beauty tells ordinary women that they are always in need of adjustment. The female body is looked at as an object to be perfected (Gerber, 2010). Jean Kilbourne argues that the overwhelming presence of media images of painfully thin women means that real womens bodies have become invisible in the mass media. This statement implies that the constant exposure of images and texts suggests the idea that the thinner a woman is, the better she is. This has a strong influence on women which then contributes to eating disorders and low self esteem issues. Kilbourne concludes that many women internalize these stereotypes and therefore judge themselves by the beauty industrys standards (Kilbourne, 2010). Some may blame society for accepting negative representation of media. However, it is going to take the media to make a change through better marketing choices and a better view of body image and self-esteem. We are bombarded with images of perfect women and men everyday, whether it is on our favorite television shows, movies, magazines and music. The majority of the women are tall, thin and beautiful and the men are muscular, tanned and seductive. People who do not fall within this media induced norm are left without models to look up to. Instead, they give in to the cosmetic and diet product industry and try to alter their bodies to what they have been told is beautiful. Adolescent girls and boys are constantly striving to acquire an unattainable physique. Across the nation, millions of teens struggle with eating disorders and borderline conditions. With the help of Organizations like the About-Face Organization and programs like the Doves Campaign for Real Beauty, body image can s oon be embraced by men and women of all ages, sizes, and skin color. Work Cited Advertising: Its Everywhere. Media Awareness Network. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Body Image and the Media. The Canadian Womens Health Network. 2005. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Clark, L. and Tiggemann, M. (2006), Appearance Culture in Nine- to 12-Year-Old Girls: Media and Peer Influences on Body Dissatisfaction. Social Development, 15:  628-643. Cummings, By Laura. BBC NEWS The Diet Business: Banking on Failure. BBC News Home. 5 Feb. 2003. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Campaign for Real Beauty. Dove. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Corbett, Rachel. Doves Larger Models Spur Sales and Attention. Womens ENews. 29 Jan. 2006. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Covert, J. J., and T. L. Dixon. A Changing View: Representation and Effects of the Portrayal of Women of Color in Mainstream Womens Magazines. Communication Research 35.2 (2008): 232-56. Eating Disorders: Body Image and Advertising HealthyPlace. HealthyPlace.com. 11 Dec. 2008. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Everett, Cristina. Elle Magazine Accused of Digitally Lightening Gabourey Sidibes Skin on October Cover. NY Daily News. 17 Sept. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Gerber, Robin. Beauty and Body Image in the Media. Media Awareness Network. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Guadian News Media. LOreal Denies whitening Beyonce Knowles Skin in Cosmetics Ad. Buzzle Web Portal. 8 Aug. 2008. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Gibbons, Sheila. Teen Magazines Send Girls All the Wrong Messages. Womens ENews. 29 Oct. 2003. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Greenwald, John, Valerie Marchant, and Jacqueline Savaiano. BARBIE BOOTS UP TIME. TIME.com. 11 Nov. 1996. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . How The Media Destroys Black Beauty | Socyberty. Socyberty: Society on the Web. 24 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Kilbourne, Jean. Beautyand the Beast of Advertising. Center for Media Literacy. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Kilbourne, Jean. Cant Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel. New York: Simon Schuster, 1999. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Postrel, Virginia. The Truth about Beauty. The Atlantic (2007): 1-3. Prior, Molly. Dove Ad Campaign Aims to Redefine Beauty Womens Wear Daily, October 8, 2004. Smith, Dakota. Black Women Ignore Many of Medias Beauty Ideals. Womens ENews. 10 June 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Smith, Katie. Effect of the Media on Eating Disorders. Effect of the Media on Eating Disorders. 23 Nov. 1999. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. . Woolls, Daniel. Spain to Make Clothes for Real Women. USATODAY.com. 7 Feb. 2008. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. .

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Food Supplies: Purchasing, Receipts and Storage

Food Supplies: Purchasing, Receipts and Storage The purchase, receipt and storage of food Choosing a supplier It is essential to purchase food from approved suppliers who have demonstrated a commitment to high standards of food hygiene Controls to minimize hazards from supplies/suppliers Select the least hazardous materials/ingredients e.g. pasteurized egg and ready-prepared vegetables. Specify the standard and quality of product required including the delivery temperature. Branded products usually preferable. Delivery and unloading of food The main hazards associated with deliveries are contaminated food and the multiplication of bacteria as a result of prolonged delays after unloading and before refrigeration. Unsatisfactory delivery vehicles or drivers or drivers may indicate unsatisfactory deliveries. High-risk food should be delivered below 5?, frozen food at-18?. Controls All food should be inspected before placing in storage. Deliveries should be checked for freshness, temperature, colour, odour, contamination, infestations and satisfactory packaging and labeling. Contaminated food from unapproved sources, perishable food above 8?, frozen food above -15?, food with evidence of pest activity and food which is not covered or in damaged packaging or which is out of date is suspect and may need to be rejected. The supervisor and the supplier should usually be notified. As far as practicable, external packaging should not be brought into food preparation areas. A separate deboxing area is recommended. Unloading should be completed as quickly as possible. Staff should be trained to deal with deliveries effectively and to prevent contamination occurring. Records of deliveries should be retained to enable traceability in the event or food poisoning or a food complaint. Safe food storage Correct storage is fundamental to the hygienic operation of any food business. Failure to ensure satisfactory in the event of food poisoning or a food complaint. Safe food storage Correct storage is fundamental to the hygienic operation of any food business. Failure to enable satisfactory storage conditions will result in hazards (contamination and multiplication of bacteria), mould, spoilt food, discoloration, staleness and pest infestation. Dry food stores Rooms used for storage of cereals, dried and canned foods should be suitable for this purpose, vermin-proof and kept clean and tidy. Hazards encountered include soiled delivery trays, pest infestations, damaged and leaking cartons, out-of-date stock, soil from root vegetables and chemical contamination. Controls Keep stores dry, cool, well lit and well ventilated. Effective pest control measures, storage of food at least 15cm above the floor and stock rotation systems are essential. Care with deboxing/opening sacks will avoid foreign body contamination. Food should be stored away from the walls and pipes affected by condensation and on suitable shelves such as tubular stainless steel racks, or in mobile rodent-proof bins. Spillages should be cleared away promptly. If possible, fruit and vegetables should be stored separately from other food. Fruit should be examined regularly as mould spreads rapidly. Vegetables heavily contaminated with soil should be stored below, for example, fruit or lettuce on the vegetable rack. Potatoes should be stored in the dark to prevent sprouting or turning green. A separate store should be used for storing cleaning chemicals. Blown, badly dented, seam-damaged, holed or rusty cans should be rejected. Staff should be trained to store food correctly, to remove spi llages, how to rotate stock and to recognize signs of pests and unfit food. Chilled storage High-risk and perishable foods should be stored under refrigeration to prevent most pathogenic bacteria bacteria from multiplying and to slow down the rate of spoilage. Refrigerators and freezers should be sited in well-ventilated areas away from heat sources, such as oven and the rays of the sun. Operating temperatures and monitoring Refrigerators usually operate between 1? to 4?. The display temperature should be checked every time the fridge is used. It should be recorded at least twice a day. The actual food temperature should be recorded at least weekly and whenever the display temperature is unsatisfactory. temporary rises in display temperatures will occur if doors are left open or a large quantity of food at room temperature are loaded into the fridge, for example, bottles of soft drinks or lemonade. Temperatures should return to normal very quickly and food temperatures must not rise above 8?. Contamination and covering of food Raw food must always be kept apart from high-risk food to prevent contamination of high-risk food with food poisoning bacteria. Separate refrigerators are preferred, although, if in the same unit, the raw food must always be placed at the bottom to avoid contamination. Food should be covered to prevent drying out, cross-contamination and absorption of odour. Care should be take to protect foods such as lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers from dripping blood. Packing and stock rotation refrigerators must not be overloaded, and food should never be left between products for air circulation. Only perishable foods should be stored in the refrigerator. This includes vacuum packs and pasteurized cans of meat. Stock rotation is essential to avoid spoilage. New stock should be placed behind existing stock to facilitate stock rotation. Open cans of food Opened and part-used cans of food, especially acid food such as fruit, fruit juice or tomatoes, must not be left in the can as this may result in chemical contamination. The unused contents should be emptied into a suitable container, such as a plastic bowl, covered and placed in the refrigerator. Defrosting and cleaning Defrosting and cleaning should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Most units defrost automatically and should be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly. Bicarbonate of soda (one tablespoon to 4.5 litres of water) may be used, but perfumed cleaning agents must not. Food should be placed in another refrigerator whilst the cleaning is being carried out. Staff training All food handlers must receive instruction on the correct use of the refrigerator especially in relation to contamination and temperature control. They should be told not to keep the door open for longer than necessary. Corrective action If the fridge temperature remains too high this may be a result of overloading, e.g. completely blocking a shelf or because the thermostat is too high. Inform your supervisor immediately. If the problem cant be solved, an engineer should be brought in. Food should be placed in an alternative fridge, unless it has been above 8? for more than 4hours, when it should be destroyed. Freezers and frozen food Commercial freezers should operate at -18? or slightly below. At this temperature food will keep for a reasonable time with no bacterial growth. However, spores and dormant

Monday, August 19, 2019

Keats and the Senses of Being: Ode on a Grecian Urn (Stanza V) Essay

Keats and the Senses of Being: "Ode on a Grecian Urn" (Stanza V) ABSTRACT: With its focus on the pathos of permanence versus temporality as human aporia and on the function — the Werksein — of the work of art genuinely encountered, John Keats’s Ode on a Grecian Urn is a particularly compelling subject for philosophical analysis. The major explications of this most contentiously debated ode in the language have largely focused, however, on various combinations of the poem’s stylistic, structural, linguistic, psychological, aesthetic, historical, symbolic, and intellectual-biographical elements. My paper articulates a bona fide philosophical approach to the ode’s famously controversial fifth stanza (the one containing the Urn’s declaration: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"). I demonstrate how William Desmond’s metaphysics of Being-specifically his analysis of the univocal, equivocal, dialectical, and metaxological senses of being-affords the groundwork for a "hermeneutics of the between" that elucidate s the ode’s culminating stanza with all of the cogency and nuance that one would expect to derive from a systematic ontology. In what ways are philosophy and literature mutually elucidating? More specifically, how can a systematic metaphysics serve as a vehicle of insight into the way that literary art renders, in solution as it were, ontological truths that orchestrate our experience of the ideal? I’d like briefly to address these questions by considering the concluding stanza of John Keats’s "Ode on a Grecian Urn" in terms of four complementary ontological keys. These four senses of being — the univocal, the equivocal, the dialectical, and the metaxological—are the heart of a compelling ontology detailed by William Desmond in... ...n the unformed, undifferentiated, prelinguistic word [that] leaves the Du free and stands together with it in reserve where the spirit does not manifest itself but is. (I and Thou 89). Bibliography Buber, Martin. I and Thou. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Scribners, 1970. Desmond, William. Being and the Between. Albany: SUNY P, 1995. Heidegger, Martin. "The Origin of the Work of Art." Poetry, Language, Thought. Trans. Albert Hofstadter. New York: Harper, 1975. Keats, John. The Complete Poems. Ed. John Barnard. 3rd ed. London: Penguin, 1988. Stambovsky, Phillip. The Depictive Image: Metaphor and Literary Experience. Amherst, MA: U of Massachusetts P, 1988. ——— Myth and the Limits of Reason. Amsterdam and Atlanta: Rodopi, 1996. Stillinger, Jack, ed. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Keats’s Odes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1968.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Affirmative Action Should Not Be Continued Essay -- argumentative, pers

Affirmative action started in the 1960’s as a way to end discrimination against African American and later all minorities - including women. By migrating people of all color into workplaces and colleges/universities seemed to be the suitable solution to diversify our nation. Although blacks had been freed for a 100 years, they continually struggled with segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned the segregation of all sort in the United States, however that was not enough. Congress mandated the affirmative action program as a plan of desegregation. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy made reference to this plan, but it was not until September 1965 that it was enforced by President Lyndon Johnson. The program affected federal jobs, to include federal contracting company, and universities. In order to receive federal funding, each entity had to hire and enroll minorities. Affirmative action was a good jump start to get our nation to where it is today. However, affi rmative action should not be continued because it is a form of discrimination, it is more harmful than helpful, and it supplements race or gender for one’s qualification. The government thinks that implementing affirmative action will repair inequality, but it cannot. In the midst of tying to promote equality, they are promoting discrimination. Discrimination is the violation of one’s human rights based on gender, sex, race, ethnicity and/or relation. President Johnson felt that blacks being free and able to go to the same school as Caucasians were not just enough for the past discrimination and turmoil the African Americans went through. Affirmative action was used as a cure to remedy lost times. Sandal made some valid points; he noted that th... .../wp-srv/politics/special/affirm/stories/aaop031595.htm Murphy, S. (2010 July 23). Judge tells city to hire four white firefighters. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/08/26/judge_tells_city_to_hire_four_white_firefighters/ Plous, S. (2003). Ten myths about affirmative action. Retrieved from http://www.understandingprejudice.org/readroom/articles/affirm.htm Pottinger, J. (1972). The drive toward equality. New York: Change Magazine. Sandel, M. (2009). Justice: What’s the right thing to do? New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux Sargis, D. (2004 March 2). Race-based college scholarships. Retrieved from http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3183.html Timeline of Affirmative Action Milestone (2010 July, 05). Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/affirmativetimeline1.html

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Cronic Hunger

People often misunderstand and misuse the word, hunger. Hunger isn’t the sound our stomach makes due to not eating for a few hours. Hunger is a disease that arises when people don’t get enough food to provide the nutrients to experience a healthy active life. Hunger is a reality and growing issue. It is not an issue that has recently began; it has been on going for years.A person at risk of going hungry has surged since the start of the recession. Most people are ignorant to the fact that hunger is present and exists only in Third world countries, and not in First world countries. This is the reason why I have donated some of my time to attempt to create a change. I decided to work with a food pantry in one of the richest Counties in California, Orange County.The Saddleback Church and its members have created this organization to end chronic hunger in their area. The organization has been such a success that not every member is a volunteer, but most are employees, that have turned their passion in helping others into a full time job. As a volunteer I was what is called, a shopper. As a shopper I would help one family at a time in their shopping needs, depending on the size of the family is the amount of food they were given. In Sociology Chronic hunger is associated with poverty and economic inequality. There are three main theoretical perspectives in sociology, structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. These theoretical perspectives all give ideas and reasons to the nature, causes, and consequences of poverty and economic inequality.The structural- functionalist perspective believes poverty occurs from institutional breakdown. Economic institutions that fail to provide the necessities to not live in poverty. It does not all rely on the scarce amount of jobs, but as well on the education of both parents and school to educate children on the participation of the workforce. Overall the structural- functionalist perspect ive agrees that economic inequality is more beneficial to society than degrading. Due to the motivation it brings some individuals to succeed, and acquire higher achievements, in both education and the workforce that will later have a high reward.The functionalist perspective also believes poverty is needed for society to function. It creates low paying jobs that are needed, farm workers, gardeners, childcare workers, and restaurant workers. If there was not  poverty in society who would do these needed low paying jobs? Then there is the conflict perspective, it believes and states that because there is conflict in society there will be poverty in society as well. If there is wealthy people there has to be poor people, it balances society out.Wealthy people are self-centered and believe they deserve to be at the high position in society that they are. They view every lower class and poverty as a needed part of society, based on inequality. Over all the conflict perspective views p overty and conflict as a need and necessity to try to fix the problem of inequality. Lastly there is, symbolic interactionist perspective, which focuses on how meanings, labels, and definitions affect and are affected by social life. Society gives meanings and labels to everything. These meanings and labels affect the labeled and often cause them consequences. Individuals labeled, poor, are stigmatized as lazy, irresponsible, ignorant, and worthless.Soon they begin to believe and lack motivation to surpass this living. Due to these symbols existing and causing consequences to people there will always be poverty in our society. Whether it is, structural-functionalist perspective, conflict perspective or symbolic interactionist the reason for how, and why poverty exists, they are all linked to chronic hunger. Chronic hunger regardless is an issue in our society, and needs to be decreased. I absolutely loved the experience I had volunteering at the Saddleback food pantry. The best part about it was seeing every family’s appreciation for not only the food they had been given, but also your individual donated time.Just like them I also valued them for having taught me to appreciate what I have more. Due to this experience I now try to remember to say grace before every meal I have. Unfortunately there were some incidents that I experienced that were shocking and saddening. A few families that I helped shop did not understand that there were other families that were also relying on this food to get through another day. They would repeatedly ask me if they could have more than the amount they were suppose to have of a certain item. I would explain to them the reasons why not, and often they would get upset with me.One family actually began to take more than they were suppose to, after I had explained to them why they couldn’t. Besides having experienced these few incidents I am absolutely glad I volunteered at The Saddleback food pantry. The grateful, a ppreciative families surpass the few unfortunate  incidents I experienced. I would without a doubt, and hesitations redo the whole process.