Healthy School Lunches for all Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthy School Lunches for all Children - Essay Example The main activities this campaign involves itself in is advising and educating the government, school administration, parents, food service workers, and the overall public on the benefits of healthy food choices for children for their short-term and long-term health benefits. Most schools serve children food that is high in cholesterol and low in fibre. However, the Healthy School Lunch Campaign encourages more schools to serve children food high in fibre, cholesterol free, and with low fat. The campaign includes presentations in schools, advertisements in the media, posters, among others. This will help reduce the rising obesity rates in America, especially child obesity. The Healthy School Lunches campaign in one of their posters, reaches out to the public by portraying a beautiful young girl thinking, â€Å"President Obama’s daughters get healthy school lunches. Why don’t I?† In this poster, the healthy school lunches organization wants to bring the public the message that healthy eating is important for children. If the daughters of the president do not eat unhealthily, then why should the citizens let unhealthy food to be served to their children? This message creates emphasis to the audience, as it portrays their children as less special, for their continued eating of unhealthy food, compared to Obama’s Sasha and Malia, to whom healthy eating is a priority. The creators of this poster have used different techniques and have skilfully developed a convincing message for the public about healthy eating for children in schools (â€Å"Healthy School Lunches Organization†). The use of an image in this poster is meant to attract people’s attention to reading the poster. In this case, the image is that of a young girl. She is a beautiful, smiling, and innocent-looking young girl, of around 10 years of age. This girl is shown thinking about how the presidents’ daughters eat healthily while she does not eat in the sa me healthy manner at school. When people see such an image, it draws them into thinking about the addressed issue of unhealthy eating. They will feel sorry for the young girl, considering it is not her mistake to be served unhealthy lunc

Impact of the SDP on British Politics

Impact of the SDP on British Politics How much lasting impact has the SDP had on British Politics? On August 1st 1980 Shirley Williams, David Owen and Bill Rodgers published their famous ‘Gang of Three’ statement: an open letter in the Guardian ‘rejecting class war, accepting the mixed economy and the need to manage it efficiently’ (Glover, 2006). Following the Wembley conference of 1981 which passed rule changes strengthening the power of left-wing activists over candidate selection and the party leadership, the Gang of Three was joined by President of the European Commission, Roy Jenkins to form a new centrist party, the Social Democratic Party which threatened to change the nature of British politics (Bill Jones and Philip Norton , 2013). Nicholas Watt argues that: â€Å"The SDP transformed the Labour Party without winning many parliamentary seats, or by creating a major political force at Westminster.† (Watt, 2013) The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics defines the term ‘social democracy, social democrat’ as: ‘The title taken by most Marxist socialist parties between 1880 and 1914†¦ In Britain, the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was a late nineteenth century Marxist group which was eventually absorbed into the Communist Party’ (McLean, 2009, p. 490). The conventional view is that the SDP split the anti-Tory vote and helped to keep Margaret Thatcher in power for a decade. However, the party’s history as argued by Ivor Crewe and Anthony King concluded that this transient new force, if anything, reduced the Tory majority (Ivor Crewe and Anthony King, 1995). Furthermore, an ‘Alliance’ between the old Liberals and new SDP was a potent electoral force at two general elections in the 1980s. Together, in 1983, they garnered 25.4 per cent of the vote but less than 4 per cent of the seats. The attempted breakthrough in 1987 failed when they mustered only 22.6 per cent of the vote (Bill Jones and Philip Norton , 2013). However, after 1989 the newly merged party, the Liberal Democrats, has fought to resist a classic third-party squeeze, as the two main parties converged to the centre ground after Thatcherism (Ivor Crewe and Anthony King, 1995). Additionally, as a result of the 1997 general election, it can be argued that the Liberal Democrats are faced with a series of fundamental questions regarding their electoral future and party profile, which may have a wider impact upon the nature of British politics (Andrew Russell and Ed Fieldhouse , 2013). Accurately evaluating the impact of the SDP and the Liberal-SDP alliance on British politics is not an easy task. Ivor Crewe and Anthony king argue that it was negligible (Ivor Crewe and Anthony King, 1995). Labour’s transformation, they suggest, ‘owed almost nothing to the SDP’ since it occurred largely after the demise of the Alliance in 1987 and it was arguably a response to election defeats in 1983 and 1987 which would have happened regardless of the SDP’s existence (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998, p. 171). It can be argued that the existence of the SDP did not prevent Conservative election victories nor did it alter the policies pursued by the Thatcher governments. Furthermore, it can also be argued that the party which arose following the merger between the Liberals and the SDP differed little, in character or electoral performance, from the old Liberal Party (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). The SDP wished to ‘break the mould of British politics’ (McLean, 2009). It can be argued that it proposed a new, or at least rarely articulated amalgam of strong social liberalism with fairly strong economic liberalism, under the slogan of ‘the social market economy’. In addition, in conventional terms, it was left-wing on social matters and right-wing on economic matters (McLean, 2009). However, this strategy faced two problems: Firstly, although there was no increasing group of voters to whom this mixture appealed, typically well-educated people in professional rather than commercial occupations, it can be argued that they were not numerous enough to be electorally significant (McLean, 2009). Secondly, it can be argued that some members of the SDP preferred to present themselves as the continuing Labour Party when the real Labour Party was seen as having moved far to the left. This was the basis of an appeal to a quite different sector of the electorate; but it arguably involved much stronger support for corporatism and the traditional left in economic matters (McLean, 2009). There is an alternative, more generous, interpretation of the SDP’s contribution to British politics in the 1980s. Firstly, although the Alliance arguably failed to break the mould of British politics, it can be argued that it failed to do so only because of the electoral system which above all, gave Labour the time to reorganise after the 1983 election (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). Furthermore, the fact that the large number of votes won by the Alliance were not converted proportionately into seats brought the issue of electoral reform firmly on to the political agenda, where it has remained. Secondly, it can also be argued that the organisational structure of the new Liberal Democrat Party was influenced by the SDP, which made it much more centralised and efficient (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). It is largely true that the Alliance’s direct electoral impact on Labour was minimal. The formation of the SDP raised the prospect of a viable attack on Labour strongholds, something which the Liberals had been unable to do (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). The Alliance, therefore, hoped to fulfil a realignment on the left with a new centre-left party replacing Labour. It can be argued that this strategy had not been successful in the past because the electoral strength of the Liberal Party had been concentrated in Conservative areas. Additionally, it can also be argued that Liberal revivals, therefore, in the early 1960s and between 1970 and 1974 – had occurred largely as a result of discontent with Conservative governments. The effect was to benefit the Labour Party, such as in February 1974 (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). The SDP never looked likely to fulfil the task of realigning the left. Like the Liberals before them, the electoral strength of the Alliance was in primarily southern – Conservative seats. Indeed, survey evidence suggested that, as Ivor Crewe argues: â€Å"SDP supporters place not only their party but themselves in the centre; they are, in fact, fractionally to its right. Typically SDP supporters do not see themselves as moderate but left of centre-voters abandoned by a leftwards drifting Labour Party. They see themselves as ‘middle of the roaders’.† (Bogdanor, 1985, p. 54) Ironically, it can be argued that the Alliance was a bigger threat to the Conservatives, coming second in about two-thirds of seats won by that party in 1983, and had the Alliance achieved marginally better results in 1983 and 1987, a hung parliament at the very least could have resulted, with Labour being the likely beneficiary. However, despite this, many in the Labour Party perceived the Alliance as a threat and its existence, therefore, provided one incentive for hastening the speed of the party’s transformation. Furthermore, had Labour not begun the process of transforming its images and policies, it is plausible to argue that the Alliance would have become a serious threat to Labour’s position as the major party on the centre-left of British politics (Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998). Luke Akehurst argues that: â€Å"It was not the SDP that provided Britain with a landslide centre-left victory and 13 years of progressive government, but a renewed and regene rated Labour Party. Labour’s best days were ahead of it, not behind it.† (Akehurst, 2012) Most SDP members who joined the Liberal Democrats still remain in the party. However, Roger Liddle rejoined Labour and went on to become Chairman of the international think tankPolicy Network and he has arguably had a major impact on modernising the Labour Party’s political philosophy. Liddle also became Special Adviser on European matters to Tony Blair. Danny Finkelstein, joined the Conservative party and became a close aide of bothJohn MajorandWilliam Hague (Bill Jones and Philip Norton , 2013). In conclusion, it can be argued that the SDP has had a lasting impact on the Labour Party in the twenty-first century, as Steven Fielding argues: â€Å"The party at the start of the twenty-first century may be a highly cautious social democratic organisation; but recognisably social democratic it remains. If the state has advanced modestly and in novel ways since 1997, Labour’s purpose in office is the same as it ever was: to reform capitalism so that it may better serve the interests of the majority.† (Bill Jones and Philip Norton , 2013, p. 83) However, arguably most important of all, the SDP strengthened the political reputation of the Liberals. The national status of Owen and Jenkins helped the Liberals become somewhat more than a foundation of surprise by-election results and a party for people who live in rural areas such as the Western Country and theScottish Highlands. Finally, the SDP also assisted the Liberals in attracting attention from the media for their policies. Bibliography Akehurst, L., 2012. Labour vs the SDP: 31 years on – who was right?. [Online] Available at: http://labourlist.org/2012/03/labour-vs-the-sdp-31-years-on-who-was-right/ [Accessed 26 March 2014]. Andrew Russell and Ed Fieldhouse , 2013. British Elections Parties Review: Volume 10. Oxon: Routledge . Bill Jones and Philip Norton , 2013. Politics UK. 8 ed. Oxon: Routledge. Bogdanor, V., 1985. Three Political Systems: A Reader in British, Soviet and American Politics. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Glover, J., 2006. At that stage we really did see the possibility of winning the next election. All of a sudden we thought, its tomorrow, wow. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/jan/25/past.julianglover [Accessed 23 March 2014]. Ivor Crewe and Anthony King, 1995. SDP: The Birth, Life, and Death of the Social Democratic Party. USA: Oxford University Press. McLean, I., 2009. Oxford Concise Dictionary of Politics. 3 ed. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.. Robert Garner and Richard Kelly, 1998. British Political Parties Today. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Watt, N., 2013. Ukip will change face of British politics like SDP, says Nigel Farage. [Online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/may/03/nigel-farage-ukip-change-british-politics [Accessed 25 March 2014]. .

The Legalization of Marijuana Essay -- Legalization Marijuana Drugs Es

The Legalization of Marijuana The legalization of the drug marijuana is a hot topic nowadays. Many people want this substance to be legalized and regularly available like cigarettes. But what some people do not know are the serious health risks involved when using marijuana. There is a lot more to marijuana than just smoking it. Marijuana can have very damaging affects on a person?s brain. It can impair a person?s short-term memory, decision-making and signal detection (Cannabinoids). ?In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested positive for marijuana? (Marijuana). After having used marijuana a person?s driving skills are impaired. A person is not able to safely drive after having used marijuana, even up to 24 hours after use (Marijuana). This drug is very dangerous, and has longer lasting affects than people may think. Not only does marijuana cause damage to the brain, it can also harm a person?s heart as well. Using marijuana can cause an alteration of heart rate, cause intense anxiety, panic attacks or paranoia (Fact Sheet, par. 7). This could worsen pre-existing heart conditions that people may or may not know about. Smoking marijuana, in some ways, is like smoking cigarettes. Marijuana can produce airway injury, coughing and wheezing, some of the symptoms of cigarette smoking (Marijuana). But the downfall to smoking marijuana is it contains almost 50% more benzopyrene (the cancer-causing chemical in tobacco) than a cigarette (?Fact Sheet?). ?Marijuana contains cancer causing agents and toxic particles that can lead to bronchitis, emphysema, and lu... ...juana. 1998. PBS. 1 Oct. 2001. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/body/effects.html - Here are the Straight Facts . . .About Marijuana. The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. 2 Oct. 2001 http://www.health.org/govpubs/rpo884/#marijuana - Marijuana: Facts for Teens. 13 Mar. 2001. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 1 Oct 2001 http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/Marijteenstxt.html - The Redwood City Police Department. Cannabinoids (Marijuana) Fact Sheet. Drug Abuse Resistance Education. 1 Oct. 2001 http://www.darebox.com/marijuana.html - What to Teach Kids About Marijuana. Minneapolis: Johnson Institute-QVS, Inc., 1998. http://www.netlibrary.com/ebook_info.asp?product_id=50286&piclist=1 9799,19811,19812,19813,19814,19815,19890,25982,25984,25986,25989,39743,39744,39755

Short Story the Painted Door

The Painted Door Summary Short story A Painted Door written by Sinclair Ross is a story that hides many meanings. The intelligent usage of symbolism and comparisons also add to the amount of thought and understanding being put towards the overall picture. It is clear that the author is not only about telling the story, rather he focuses much more on the voice, setting, and symbolism of the piece. The story was relayed to the readers in third person; the author also being the narrator.This gives him much more power to portray images and descriptions that could not be shown any way else. â€Å"She went on blowing against the frosted pane, carefully elongating the clear place until it was oval-shaped and symmetrical. † In this particular statement he is making the readers think about why this is being done. The setting of the story allowed for a lot of symbolism to be used; it was an average farm in the midst of the winter season. Feature Article – Short Story  The Plane of the Sleeping BeautyA lot of white colors being described and the cold and emptiness were also to the author’s advantage. As John the farmer goes to visit his father for the evening, his wife Ann tries to hold him back. As the final decision is made by the male character, we are introduced time and time again to the cold and emptiness of the setting. These tools are the author’s way of telling us how she feels and to prepare us for what is to happen next. As Steven, a close friend comes over, Ann begins to pretty herself up.These are all things that build towards the ending; of Ann’s Affair and Steven’s Suicide. The painted Door is a very interesting short story considering its great usage of symbolism as well as its setting. The author does a good job in portraying to us not only happenings but feelings and emotions as well. â€Å"The leap of light and shadow sank, and a chill crept in again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Painted Door Cover Page Rationale While creating a cover page for short story The Painted Door by Sinclair Ross, I considered many elements.In the end I chose aspects of symbolism because they would be the most effective and powerful way to portray the meaning of the story, without giving away the ending. The color white was very significant throughout the entire story, whether it was snow or the paint Ann used. This is why I chose the main color to be white and the whole picture to be washed out and faded. The background picture was that of a cobweb, implementing the idea of old or lost. This is telling us that the love of Ann and John is as such.The wood as another background simply describes the setting; an old farm house â€Å"unpainted† which is the whole reason Ann begins to paint. The chain coming across the entire picture is a symbol of the connection between Ann and her husband John. Many links form a chain holding them together even if they both don’t realize it. If you look closely to the bottom right corner, you will notice there is a cat looking towards a faded couple in midst of a kiss. The cat is a representation of deception and slyness, whereas the couple represents the affair between Ann and Steven.By having the cat face towards that direction, it portrays the fact that the affair was a total act of deception. Overall, I think my picture is a accurate presentation and cover page to the story because of the specific choice of used symbolism, given examples and relation to the setting and plot. The fact that everything is faded together almost gives it a look as if it all were a memory, also adding taste to the story; being portrayed from the past. For all these reasons, I have made my picture look how it does. Works Sited Ross, Sinclair. The Painted Door. 1, 10

Phuket tourism Essay

This report will discuss how the rapid growth and mismanagement of the Hospitality, Tourism and Events Industry has impacted the island of Phuket, Thailand. The Tourism Industry is a major source of revenue for the island and therefore has a significant impact. The Tourism Industry has only been developing on Phuket since the 1970s, and the increased employment opportunities and income have resulted in much better living conditions for residents in this short period of time. However there are multiple problems caused by local and Thai government’s mismanagement of the industry. The sharp decline in tourist arrivals after the 2004 tsunami demonstrated the need for a wider target market in order to sustain the local economy. A major segment with the potential to bring considerable revenue to Phuket is MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events), which is an area of rapid growth in South East Asia. However the local government has failed thus far to develop a world class conference centre on the island. This failure to plan is also affecting the environment in Phuket, as the island does not have the capacity to dispose of the waste produced by the increased population: particularly during peak tourist season. This is just one of many problems that the government and community in Phuket must resolve in order to develop an economically and environmentally sustainable Tourism Industry. 1.0 Introduction This report will discuss the impact of the Hospitality, Tourism and Events Industry on Phuket, in Thailand. It will first briefly explain the fundamental characteristics of the HTE Industry. It will then talk about some of the many costs for Phuket caused by the ineffective management by the government of the rapidly developing HTE industry. This failure to plan has led to an unsustainable economy and an unsustainable environment which negatively affects the residents of Phuket. It will discuss how Phuket’s lack of diversity in the HTE Industry hinders potential growth in the economy. However not all of the impact on Phuket is bad. The rapidly developing Tourism Industry makes a very large contribution to the health of the local economy. It has elevated the standard of living on the island by supplying the residents with wider employment opportunities. The challenge is to find solutions to the problems faced by Phuket which satisfy the  stakeholders with different priorities: residents, businesses, development and environmental departments. Its government needs to enable its various stakeholders to collaborate in order to resolve the social, economical and environmental issues caused by the rapidly expanding HTE Industry. This needs to happen in order to develop Phuket into a sustainable tourism destination. 2.0 Fundamental Characteristics of the HTE Industry The HTE Industry consists of three segments: Hospitality, Tourism and Events. The three segments are classified as separate industries, yet they are not always easily defined as separate because many elements of each are overlapping (William Blue MGT102 Study Guide, 2013). A definition of hospitality is â€Å"The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers† (Bieringa, 2012). In the HTE industry a guest is a customer, and the host is the businesses who offer services for a fee. A host can also be a place, and Phuket the city performs as a host to many tourists as a popular tourism destination. The hospitality industry consists of a wide range of businesses who provide services such as accommodation, food and beverages (William Blue MGT102 Study Guide, 2013). Na Sakohakorn (2011) explains that â€Å"Tourism involves all activities which are conducted away from home†. Therefore a business is part of the tourism industry if it conducts business with customers who are travelling outside of their home territory. Events are an integrative effort of various services with the end result of an ‘experience’ (William Blue MGT102 Study Guide, 2013). All three co-exist in a mutually beneficial relationship in which the different segments work together to meet the varying needs of their guests. 3.0 Development of HTE Industry in Phuket Phuket is the largest island in Thailand, which has been called the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ by the Government and local tourism operators in a bid to market it as an oasis of paradise floating in the Andaman Sea (Kontogeorgopoulos 2005). It is Thailand’s second largest international gateway by air, with nearly 20 million tourist arrivals in the year 2012 (Tourism Authority of Thailand, n.d). It was a popular trading port for tin from the 16th century, until the last tin mine closed in 1992 due to a worldwide drop in tin prices (Asia News Monitor, 2009). In the 1970s the  Tourism Authority of Thailand commissioned firms to come up with plans for the development of Phuket (Lauzon, 2009.). This development resulted in heavy investments in the local tourism industry from foreigners and mainland Thais, leading to increased employment opportunities and resultantly a strong reliance of the local economy upon the sustainability of the tourism industry. This reliance has been increased overtime with the shift from traditional occupations such a tin mining, rubber tapping and fishing to jobs within the tourism industry (Kontogeorgopoulos 2005). The impact of the HTE industry here is significant due to the unusually large effects it has on the lives of local people. 4.0 Impact of HTE Industry on the Local Economy The HTE Industry is a vital element in the growth and sustenance of the local economy. This is because 38.5% of Gross Provincial Product comes from hotels and restaurants in Phuket (Ichinosawa, 2006). About 80% of locals work within the HTE Industry, with only around 20% remaining in traditional occupations. Because tourism has become such an integrated part of the economy, even traditional occupations such as fishing and manufacturing also indirectly rely on the industry for income. Tourism has many benefits to Phuket, such as increasing revenue intake, increasing employment and aiding social development by stemming the migration of youth to the mainland (Sakolnakorn, 2011). However the government has damaged opportunities to develop a sustainable plan for tourism with constant political infighting (Asia News Monitor 2009). Sustainable development is defined in the 1987 Brutland report (William Blue MGT102 Study Guide, 2013) as â€Å"Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.† ` 5.0 2004 Tsunami’s Impact on the HTE industry in Phuket The catastrophic Tsunami of 2004 served to highlight the vulnerabilities within Phuket’s economy. This Tsunami was the biggest the Indian Ocean has ever seen with a devastating 155,000+ fatalities in the 11 countries it hit (Do Something, n.d). The Tsunami left a secondary impact of a stagnated regional economy in its wake. As Kasperson (2004) says, â€Å"Unfamiliar or distant places may easily fall play to distorted or stereotypical  perceptions.† Tourists stopped coming after the Tsunami, and there is no insurance against stigma. The tourism agencies selling the majority of packages to Phuket were located in foreign countries therefore local businesses could not develop good supply chain relationships with them to ensure sales continued. Phuket’s marketing strategies revolved solely around its ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ image as a paradise of sun and beaches. The Tsunami tainted this image by increasing the perception of risk for tourists visiting its famous beaches. Sales in the beginning of 2005 dropped to only 10-30% of normal rates (Ichinosawa 2006). Phuket paid the price for relying upon a small segment of a potentially diverse HTE industry. 6.0 Events as a Potential Major Source of Revenue A segment of the HTE industry with vast untapped potential for Phuket is the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, or MICE, segment. MICE events are one of the fastest growing segments in the industry and particularly in the South East Asia region. According to a study done by IHG in 2012, 50% of delegates coming to South East Asia for MICE events come from outside the region. However Phuket handicaps itself in this sector as despite decades of talks and studies it still lacks a world class conference centre (Fein, 2012). There was an attempt to build 2.6 billion BAHT centre in 2011; however the project is still in limbo as the environmental impact assessment was rejected. This is an example of the constant struggle between government departments for environmental planning and tourism resulting in a lack of efficient city planning. A world class conference centre would contribute to the local economy by diversifying the market and drawing in high spending MICE delegates (Asia News Monitor, 2010). The failure to build a conference centre demonstrates the continued failure of the Phuket government to build a sustainable economy. 7.0 Impact of HTE Development on the Environment The rapid growth combined with ineffective management has resulted in many environmental issues in Phuket. An article in the National Geographic Traveller rated Phuket’s environmental status as 46/100 and categorized it as ‘in serious trouble’. These problems spawn from a lack of planning, combined with irresponsible environmental behaviour due to lack of  discipline in Thai culture, and increasing materialism and consumerism (Boonchai, Beeton, Srichai). The rising population and urbanisation have drastically increased the use of natural resources, with approximately 75% of the environmental impact being caused by the consumption of non-durable goods, water and energy (Ruiz-Molina 2010). An example of the problems caused by over-population is the piling up of solid waste on the island. Phuket’s incinerator only has the capacity for 250 tonnes of waste per day, while the island produces 300-350 tonnes per day. This means that the excess waste is piling up at the rate of 50-100 tonnes every day. Phuket also can only provide 30,000 cubic meters of water, yet the demand is 40,000 per day (Lauzon, 2009). The disputes between development and environmental protection sectors of the government hold back progress in finding solutions to these issues. These government departments fail to seek the input of the many varied stakeholders on Phuket who could offer vast insight into potential solutions: the business owners and local people (Boonchai, Beeton, Srichai). Once again these unresolved issues highlight the inability of the local government in facilitating a satisfactory compromise to achieve long term sustainable development in Phuket. 8.0 Impact on Local Residents The development of the HTE industry in Phuket has brought many increased challenges into the local people’s lives; however the benefits outweigh the costs for most residents. One particularly dark segment of the industry which affects local women and children is Sex Tourism. Prostitution began due to a lack of employment opportunities for uneducated women during the Vietnam War (Ehrfurcht, n.d). It has been illegal since 1960, but the law is rarely enforced due to the government’s reliance upon it to maintain the economy (Morison, 2008). A wide survey of tourists revealed that 17% thought that the sex industry was motivation to come back to Thailand as it is easy to find (Rittichainuwat 2008). It is so easy to find because it is practiced widely in bars and brothels, and like in other segments of the Tourism Industry locals are increasingly being replaced by foreign women (Hanenberg 1998). Another area where the Thai people are being replaced is the labouring industry. It is increasingly expensive to employ residents due to the high cost of living on Phuket, which means more labourers are being hired from the Union of Myanmar (Sakalnakorn, 2011). The increasing  migration of people from the Union of Myanmar, also known as Burma, is causing a perceived loss of culture and increased crime rate in the local community. Despite all of the negative aspects introduced to Phuket by the HTE industry development, quality of life has been improved for residents. 9.0 What the Future Holds for Phuket Phuket has rebounded from the economic downturn following the Tsunami. The average hotel occupancy rate was a very healthy 75% for the year 2012 (Chinmaneevong, 2012). This rebound has been spawned by new direct flights from China and Eastern Europe, combined with lower costs from competition with the local cheap airlines. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s marketing targets for 2014 and beyond are health and wellness tourism, golfers, honeymooners and weddings, and ecotourism. It is targeting the first three areas due to the high spending customer demographics in each segment. Kontogeorgopoulos (2005) says that the â€Å"Desire to spend leisure time in natural settings is a key factor behind the recent rapid growth of ecotourism†. The challenge for tourism operators is Phuket is to give the Ecotourists the perception that they are still on a paradise island, despite the mass tourism and close proximity to urban areas. This is achieved partly through â€Å"communicative staging† (Kontogeorgopoulos 2005) where the landscape near resorts is designed to give the appearance of a natural environment. Guests to Phuket can also go for day trips to Phi Phi and other nearby islands which remain untouched by urbanisation to experience the sense of exploring a natural island environment (Lauzon, 2009). All stakeholders in the Phuket community (locals, businesses and government alike) wish for Phuket to be regarded as a ‘Green City’ in the future (Boonchai, Beeton, Srichai). This can only be achieved by engaging all members of the local community to form a comprehensive and sustainable development plan for Phuket (Xing, 2011). 10.0 Conclusion This report discussed the effects of the Hospitality, Tourism and Events Industry on the island of Phuket. The Industry’s rapid development has resulted in economic benefits, but has had some negative side effects upon society and the environment. The problems have been caused by the Thai and local government’s lack of compromise, lack of planning and failure to  enforce laws. Phuket seems to have not learnt from the 2004 Tsunami that economic reliance upon a small segment of the HTE industry is not a good long term plan in the changeable modern world. The new era of mass tourism which is hitting Phuket now, combined with the level of opportunity currently growing within the MICE segment in South East Asia, is an opportunity to develop more diversity in order to maintain its economy. It is vital that sustainability of the Tourism Industry is achieved as the local economy has become dependent upon it. Protecting the environmental is of equal importance as the Tourism Industry and people’s livelihoods depend on an attractive and natural-seeming environment in order to keep the guests arriving. Hopefully the many stakeholders in Phuket can find solutions so the island can develop as a Green City with a stable economy. Reference List Asia News Monitor, 2009, Thailand: Indigo Pearl Phuket – Distinctive concept taps Into Island’s rich history, Asia News Monitor, 2 November 2009, Bangkok. Asia News Monitor, 2010, Thailand: TAT says Phuket is the most favored destination for international beauty contest and wedding party, 8 January 2010, Bangkok. Bieringa, L., 2013, One definition of hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, Dominion Post, 13 August 2013, Wellington, New Zealand. Boonchai, C., Beeton, R. J. S. and Srichai, N., 2010, Environmental Management in Phuket: A Systematic and Participatory Approach for Solving Wicked Problem, University of Queensland Chinmaneevong, C. 2012, Phuket tourism outlook bright, infrastructure lags, Tribune Business News, 22 April 2012, Washington. Do Something.org, n.d, 11 Facts About the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, available: http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-2004-indian-ocean-tsunami# Dev, S., 2011, ‘I Do’ on Distant Shores, Express Hospitality, February 2011, Available: http://hospitality.financialexpress.com/20110215/management02.shtml eTravel Business News, 2012, TCEB Joins Pact with Phuket and TAT in Welcoming â€Å"Amway 2012† from China Moving Fast to Implement Government’s Scheme and Boost Mice Industry, eTravel Business News, 9 May 2012, Available: http://america.etbnews.com/21372/tceb-joins-pact-with-phuket-and-tat-in-welco

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) In 1558 Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, ascended to the throne of England. Once crowned queen, she devoted her life, her instinctive political skill and courage to the creation of a modern stronger England. Elizabeth re-established the Anglican Church, but, as she was personally tolerant and even sceptical, she avoided the excesses of fanaticism. In 1559 Parliament passed a second Act of Supremacy, which asserted the supremacy of the monarch, and stated that no foreign prince, State or potent ate could have spiritual or temporal authority within the realm of England†. Elizabeth named herself Governor, however, and not â€Å"Supreme Head on Earth† of the Church of England, as her father had done. With the Act of Uniformity (1559) she stated that only Cranmer’s Prayer Book was to be used by the English people; there was little persecution; she was very severe only when Catholic plots proved a danger for her or the State. As far as problems of individual conscience were concerned, Elizabeth was tolerant, leaving the individual as master of his own soul. This was the highest degree of compromise possible in those times, and was largely accepted by the people. Research Papers on Elizabeth I (1558-1603)- English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)Bringing Democracy to AfricaComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoTrailblazing by Eric AndersonMind TravelQuebec and CanadaStandardized TestingPETSTEL analysis of IndiaGenetic EngineeringPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

One Poet Two Poems Essays - Because I Could Not Stop For Death

One Poet Two Poems Essays - Because I Could Not Stop For Death One Poet Two Poems Two Poems. Two Ideas. One Author Two of Emily Dickinson's poems, Because I Could Not Stop For Death and I Heard A Fly Buzz-When I Died, are both about one of life's few certainties: death. However, that is where the similarities end. Although both poems were created less than a year apart by the same poet, their ideas about what lies after death differ. In one, there appears to be life after death, but in the other there is nothing. Only a number of clues in each piece help us determine which poem believes in what. In the piece, Because I Could Not Stop For Death, we are being told the tale of a woman who is being taken away by Death. This is our first indication that this poem believes in an afterlife. In most religions, where there is a grim reaper like specter, this entity will deliver a person's soul to another place, usually a heaven or a hell. In the fifth stanza, Death and the woman pause before ...a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground- The Roof was scarcely visible- The Cornice in the Ground- (913). Although the poem does not directly say it, it is highly probable that this grave is the woman's own. It is also possible the woman's body already rests beneath the soil in a casket. If this is at all accurate, then her spirit or soul may be the one who is looking at the house. Spirits and souls usually mean there is an afterlife involved. It isn't until the sixth and final stanza where the audience obtains conclusive evidence that Because I Could Not Stop For Death believes in an afterlife. The woman recalls how it has been ...Centuries- and yet feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads were toward Eternity- (913). To the woman, it has been a few hundred years since Death visited her, but to her, it has felt like less than 24 hours. Since the body cannot live on for hundreds of years, then it must be none other then the soul who has come to the realization that so much time has passed. The final part with the horses refers to the horse drawn carriage the woman was riding in when she passed away. In those two final lines, the horses seem to be leading her into Eternity, possibly into an afterlife. It is just the exact opposite is Dickinson's other poem, I Heard A Fly Buzz-When I Died, With this particular piece of literature, the clues which point to the disbelief in an afterlife are fewer and not as blatant, but are all still present. In this poem, a woman is lying in bed with her family standing all around waiting for her eventual death. While the family is waiting for her to pass on, she herself is waiting for ...the King... (914). No, we're not talking about Elvis, but instead this King is some sort of omnipotent being, a god. Later as the woman dies, her eyes (or windows as they are referred to in the poem) fail, then she ...could not see to see- (914). When she says this, what she seems to mean is she could not see any of the afterlife or Kings she expected to be there. The woman's soul drifted off into nothingness with no afterlife to travel to. To conclude, the beliefs of the two Dickinson poems in regards to life after death differ significantly. In one, life does exist, in the other it does not. To determine which poem believes in what, one must dig through the clues in each.

File Your Canadian Income Taxes Online with NETFILE

File Your Canadian Income Taxes Online with NETFILE NETFILE is an electronic tax-filing service that allows you to send your individual income tax and benefit return directly to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) using the Internet  and a NETFILE-certified software product. To file your Canadian income taxes online, you first have to prepare your tax return using a commercial tax preparation desktop software package, a Web application or a product for an Apple or Android mobile device. These products must be certified for NETFILE. When you file your taxes online, youll get an immediate confirmation that your return has been received. If youve made arrangements for direct deposit and the Canada Revenue Agency owes you a refund on your income taxes, you should get a faster refund than if you file on paper, possibly within two weeks. However, its not quite as simple as hitting the send button on your email program, so leave some time to get prepared and to get comfortable with the system. Eligibility to File Taxes Online Although most income tax returns can be filed online, there are some restrictions. For example, you cannot use NETFILE to file a return for a year before 2013, if you are a non-resident of Canada, if your Social Insurance Number or individual tax number begins with 09  or if you went bankrupt during the preceding two years. There are quite a few other specific restrictions, so be sure to check the full restrictions list before you begin. Software to File Taxes Online To file your tax return online, you must prepare your income tax form using software or a Web application certified by the CRA for the current tax year. The CRA tests and certifies software between December and March, so it is usually at least late January before a commercial tax software package or Web application is put on the approved list of certified software. Be sure the software you plan to use is certified for the current tax year. If you purchase or download your income tax software before it is certified by the CRA for use with NETFILE, you may have to download a patch from the software vendor. Some software certified for use with NETFILE is free for individuals. Check the list of certified software and the vendors site for specific details. Identification for NETFILE Your current address must be on file with the CRA before you send your income tax return by NETFILE. Heres how to change your address with the CRA. You wont be able to do it through NETFILE. You will need to provide your Social Insurance Number and date of birth when you file. You need to provide the location of your .tax file containing your tax return that you prepared using NETFILE-certified tax preparation software or Web application. If you have concerns about the security of your personal and financial information when using NETFILE, you should check the ​NETFILE Security page from the CRA. NETFILE Confirmation Number As soon as you send your income tax return online, the CRA does a very quick preliminary check of your return (usually in minutes) and sends you a confirmation number telling you that your return has been received and accepted. Keep the confirmation number. Tax Information Slips, Receipts, and Documents Keep all the tax information slips, receipts and documents you use to prepare your income tax return. You do not need to send them to the CRA unless the agency asks to see them. Be sure to include your telephone number on your income tax return so the CRA can contact you quickly. Your notice of assessment and tax refund may be delayed if the CRA has to contact you. Getting Help With NETFILE For help using NETFILE, consult the CRAs Online Help. The Frequently Asked Questions may also be useful. Remember, if you run into problems, you can still file the old-fashioned way- by getting a paper income tax package, filling in the paper form, attaching the schedules and receipts, and getting it to the post office in time to be postmarked by the deadline.

Marketing report 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing report 1 - Essay Example Reports from social media comment that 75% of internet users actively participate in social platforms, which shows that online review of products will continue, and companies will not have control of the same. Similarly, consumer preferences are dynamic; hence, consumers are gradually becoming the brand managers. From such a standpoint, the consumers will continue sharing their opinions because they want companies to make or produce products in a particular manner. Such has a variety of implications, one; consumers are going to rely on online reviews to consider buying or consuming particular products. In addition, marketing will take a different dimension, in that; the ads on different products will gradually lose meaning. This means that, the message on a certain product will not serve as a motivator to consuming behavior. In other words, brands will not control the message because consumers are gradually becoming brand managers for the products they consume. Companies that fear online brand review should change their tact. Doing so is strategic, and consumers will find a sense of belonging, in that; they can give, their opinions and companies use them to create preferred products. Similarly, the feedbacks are not only beneficial to consumers, but also offer insight to marketers; hence, they can incorporate user-generated reviews into their marketing strategies (Adamczyk). Concerning the function of social media in marketing, the Gap Model of Service Quality applies. From the article, it is evident that renowned brands are shunning consumers from giving their feedbacks, particularly negative reviews for their products. However, considering that the consumers are becoming brand managers; therefore, there is a clear gap. The online reviews are suggestions on what the consumers expect, and what companies perceive they want. As for such, the companies fail to appreciate the consumer’s

Recession-Proof Investments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recession-Proof Investments - Essay Example They are people who take calculated risks and believe in identifying areas that are going to do well even in such turbulent times rather than just acting on gut feeling and going for the venture (Kirby, 2010).This calculated risk-taking ability has enabled many people to transform their lives and today the world knows them as some of the most successful entrepreneurs of this era, this ability entails that one keenly studies the sectors that are going to do well even in such turbulent times and have a good measure of what the market is going to do in the near future and then set out on the new business venture. Â  One such industry that has been identified is that of the health care, because this is one industry that is an absolute necessity for the masses, recession or no recession people are going to get sick and there is no way that once a person is sick he or she is going to put off the medical expenditure because it is not humanly possible to do so, the fact of the matter is that people might not go for regular checkups and annual comprehensive tests and checkups but people will get sick and they will need medical health care facilities (McNutt, 2009). This is where there is an opening for the keen entrepreneur because it is an absolute necessity the risk of this venture failing is quite low and with a business plan based on the necessities of people it is always going to be successful provided the sector has been studied with immense care.

Second Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Second Assignment - Essay Example cade at rates that were seemingly out of control, ushering in a completely new middles class within and throughout the most populous country in the world. This bought about the recent comments made by Li Keqiang, the Chinese Premier, at the recent opening of the National People’s Congress in China on March 5. Lowering the economic growth forecast to 7% speaks to a ‘new normal’ of more sustained, but slower, growth throughout China (Magnier, 2015). Given this, however, my opinion is that China is still growing at a rate that far exceeds most countries in the world and that they are well position on the economic front to continue its rise to possible world domination in the long term. To be honest, it is quite staggering to consider that the current growth rate of 7.4% is the lowest it has been in roughly 25 years. While the economy is strong, however, there are now concerns that unemployment and social unrest may begin to creep into an otherwise and generally peaceful Chinese society. This speaks to the reality that the global population boom is leading to a lack of resources, both natural and physical. Nations such as China simply have too many people to truly sustain meaningful and lasting employment options. Unemployment leads to less spending, which over time does slow down economic growth (Che, 2013). We saw the same thing occur in the United States following the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. While China weathered that storm quite nicely, it now appears that they are poised for a downturn of their own, even though certain benchmark indicators are still showing as being largely positive. In essence, what the nations of the world need is long term growth opportunities that truly benefit the masses. In China, as elsewhere, the growing disparity between the wealthy and lower classes is staggering. While the world keeps adding many individuals every years whose net work is in excess of the 1 billion dollars, the number of poor among us

Empress Wu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Empress Wu - Essay Example Her thirst and quest for power made her do the unthinkable from murdering her own daughter and son. Empress Wu Zhao was born in Wenshui part of the Shanxi Province in 624 A.D. Her father Wu Shihuo was a rich merchant who educated her daughter well. The education the Empress received at a young age was very pivotal for her political shrewdness and prowess (Woo 5). During the time of her birth, China was under the rule of the Tang dynasty which accorded women more freedom compared to the earlier dynasties. The Emperor at the time Tai Tzong had encouraged cultural awareness in which the women were allowed to be economically independent and were well enlightened in the fields of philosophy, social ethics and culture. The power of female sexuality was at that time widely recognized in medieval china; the ladies of the Sui and Early Tang dynasty elite were relatively independent. They could ride horses, henpeck their husbands and they took charge when their men were away for herdsmen or military duty (Will 128). Due to this, Emperor Wu was adequately educated in the disciplines of music , writing, reading, and Chinese classics. By the time she was thirteen years old, Empress Wu not only recognized her womanly beauty, but she also appreciated her intelligence and wit. Due to her intelligence, Empress Wu was soon recruited to the court of Emperor Tai as a concubine and she doubled up as a secretary in the Imperial Study. She obviously took her chance to study more about official documents and politics. The rest is history. Empress Wu held power for more than a century in one guise or another, firstly she ruled as a consort; the favored wife of Emperor Gaozong, then secondly as the ruler behind the throne of her youngest son and finally herself until her death. She ruled with sheer ruthlessness and decisiveness as she stabilized the Tang dynasty when it seemed to be crumbling and

With reference to research findings, consider whether an Essay

With reference to research findings, consider whether an organisation's external environment has a direct causal influence on its internal structure or whether - Essay Example At the same time, the management of the organisation can fight against the pressures coming from the external forces and this process acts as a mediating influence. This can be shown to be true with practical examples of various companies as well as the research done by business analysts. The simplest example of the external forces which can influence the internal structure is the culture of the country where the business operates. For instance, a multi-national company can have a very different structure amongst its various branch offices depending on the cultural requirements of various locations where it operates. As discussed by Bartlett & Ghoshal (1998), the differences between national and corporate cultures can even lead to conflicts between the way things are structured at a local office and the management directives coming from the home office. The home office often wishes to recreate the corporate structure followed at their location in a country where the national culture can be significantly at odds with the way the corporation is structured. One such example is the case of GE’s position in Hungary where the local culture had structured the company based on the amount of time a person had served with the company. Since seniority became the basic premise of promotions, the Hungarian operation soon became bloated and could not match the expectations of GE’s head office in America (Welch, 2005). The external environment had affected the internal structure to the extent that operations managers from the home office had to step in and make changes to the present system in order to save the company’s base in Western Europe. GE’s culture is reportedly based on individuals and intrinsic motivation which helps its employees seek benefits for the company while they seek benefits for themselves. As outlined by Jack Welch in Winning (2005), GE rewards those employees who are instrumental in helping GE grow and achieve the corporate vision and

The external factors the will have an impact on the future of the Essay

The external factors the will have an impact on the future of the clients business - Essay Example There has not been noted any significant changes within this external environment that will impact on the client. Expansion is the key to unlocking business success and business competitiveness. But in order for the client to effectively evaluate where they stand in terms of business expansion possibilities a clear and defined topic related research has to be understood. This will enhance the chances of success while limiting the chances of future business failure. The benefits of the tourism industry in relation to travel are that it is an industry that is constantly growing and changing. The raison d'etre of an industry is clearly economic, but the sustained economic success can also have environmental, social and cultural benefits. As Europe's largest industry with great opportunities for employment there can be no let up in the efforts to ensure that tourism continues to prosper and grow." http://www.rete.toscana.it/sett/turismo/euromeeting_2003/greg_richards_engl.pdf The main concern when a company is entering a new market is whether the political and legal environemt will allow room for the business. The client is part of the EU ccommunity which aims to implement progress in all the political and legal aspects of all the community members. ... The main concern when a company is entering a new market is whether the political and legal environemt will allow room for the business. The client is part of the EU ccommunity which aims to implement progress in all the political and legal aspects of all the community members. These are the benefits that the client can consider since it is also clear that the EU community intends to improve the tourism industy as well. Culture The external enviroment which will act as a plus for the client is culture. This is due to the commonly accepted fact that people are interested in exploring other cultures. The reason that people are also aiming to travel more is that they want to experience different aspects of the different cultures. It might seem that since the EU is becoming one community all the cultures will adopt each others habits, therefore making the experience of travelling outside ones home country mundane and boring. However most countries pride themselves in their heritage and therefore aim to keep it that way. So in this respect the option of expanding is more viable as culture keeps the flames of curiosity burning. Technology Technology is one aspect that is constaly changing and the rate of change often has a high impact on the small businesses. This external factor will play a role in whether the client is sucessful or not. So in analysing this option the main focus will lie on the countries that the client intends to expand in. These countries fall within the EU community and if one aspect of technology affects one of the community memebers the logical conclusion will be that the same affect will happen in the rest of the community. However to ensure that business progresses within the EU community, the decision makers have

With reference to research findings, consider whether an Essay

With reference to research findings, consider whether an organisation's external environment has a direct causal influence on its internal structure or whether - Essay Example At the same time, the management of the organisation can fight against the pressures coming from the external forces and this process acts as a mediating influence. This can be shown to be true with practical examples of various companies as well as the research done by business analysts. The simplest example of the external forces which can influence the internal structure is the culture of the country where the business operates. For instance, a multi-national company can have a very different structure amongst its various branch offices depending on the cultural requirements of various locations where it operates. As discussed by Bartlett & Ghoshal (1998), the differences between national and corporate cultures can even lead to conflicts between the way things are structured at a local office and the management directives coming from the home office. The home office often wishes to recreate the corporate structure followed at their location in a country where the national culture can be significantly at odds with the way the corporation is structured. One such example is the case of GE’s position in Hungary where the local culture had structured the company based on the amount of time a person had served with the company. Since seniority became the basic premise of promotions, the Hungarian operation soon became bloated and could not match the expectations of GE’s head office in America (Welch, 2005). The external environment had affected the internal structure to the extent that operations managers from the home office had to step in and make changes to the present system in order to save the company’s base in Western Europe. GE’s culture is reportedly based on individuals and intrinsic motivation which helps its employees seek benefits for the company while they seek benefits for themselves. As outlined by Jack Welch in Winning (2005), GE rewards those employees who are instrumental in helping GE grow and achieve the corporate vision and

Operational Definition and Model Building; Introduction to Scanning Assignment - 1

Operational Definition and Model Building; Introduction to Scanning - Assignment Example changes are those that are leading towards even more changes as has been seen in case of the entertainment industry as well as the ways in which the information is delivered. In this way not only the production of these packages is affected but also the ways in which they are produced and consumed. These are only some of the institutions that have been seen to be affected by the IT related innovations but here the point that needs to be emphasized is the changes in the social lives of the community citizens with an understanding towards the roles that are to be played in the society. Moreover the political lives and interactions on the political level have also changed. There have been many arguments in this regard as it has been said that with an addition in the technologies as emails, online discussions as well as the fact availability of information as these are the reason that will lead to the formation of a society that shall be more engaged, more informed as well as a participatory society in which the society members will be more inclined towards the computers as well as the internet. In this kind of society the human interest as well as beliefs is the ones that can be manipulated. These are all the changes that are to be argued in case of there pros and cons. In this case there has been no realization as to what can be the meaning deduced from these changes and if these are the positive changes or negative changes as they seem. With this it has to be seen that are the colligated changes as are seen in the community’s social lives are going to bring out any positive effect or any negative effect. As has been discussed there are some changes that are going to be shoeing there moderate effects as well as there are some changes that will have lesser effects on the social lives still there are many that can have dire consequences. In this very argument the main part of discussion can be the usage of these technologies especially the internet. The highest

Amul Chocolates | Marketing Plan

Amul Chocolates | Marketing Plan Amul has been a market leader in dairy products for decades however Amul Chocolate is the only product which is not doing so well. Amul Chocolates was the market leader in 1970s but lost its place to Cadbury in the last 10 to 20 years. Amul has successfully extended its milkman image to ice cream, butter, cheese and other dairy products, but has made no headway in chocolate. The main reason behind the decline of the product is lack of promotion and concentration on other dairy products. Marketing Plan to increase the Sales of Amul Chocolates. Since Amul Chocolate as a product is declining incurring losses to Amul we now make a marketing plan to improve the performance of the product. We will concentrate on the domestic performance of Amul Chocolate which means we will make a plan to increase the sales of Amul chocolates in India. We would be using the SOSTAC model to describe the market plan for Amul to improve the sales of Amul Chocolates. SOSTAC is the abbreviation for Situation Analysis, Objective setting, Strategy Development, Tactics, and Action Control. Situation Analysis Situation Analysis is the study of trends within the economy and a comprehensive analysis of market, competitors and the company itself. Now, we will analyze the situation of Amul chocolates using Porters five forces framework which was developed by Mr Michael Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. This framework helps us to identify forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Porters Five forces framework for Amul Chocolates 1. Bargaining power of the suppliers: In order to produce chocolates the materials required are cocoa, milk, sugar, butter, milk powder, fruits etc. Amul is a market leader in India in products like milk, milk powder and butter so it does not require any other supplier. Other materials like cocoa , fruits and sugar can also be bought easily as there are many suppliers considering that India is a land of farmers where Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. Also there are millions of farmers who supply fruits and sugar so the bargaining power of the supplier is very less. 2. Bargaining power of the buyers: India is a fast growing nation and buyers have a lot of options when it comes to deciding which chocolate they want to buy. Hence the bargaining power of the buyers is high. 3. Threat of substitute products: In the last few years, Indian sweets have been substituted by chocolates. So there is possibility that people can go back to sweets because nowadays sweets manufacturers have introduced different varieties of sweets like fat free sweets, sugar free sweets etc. Also lot of people these days prefers power bars and protein bars which are also delicious like chocolate but healthier as well compared to chocolates. Also there can be other substitutes like waffers, cakes etc. India is well know for making duplicate products of big brands like Daily Milk for Dairy Milk(Cadburys ace product) Kir Kat for Kit Kat(Nestlà ©s ace product).Chocolate manufacturers need to make sure they differentiate their products well make consumers aware of the difference because a large number of people in India are illiterate. 4. Threat of potential entrants: In the Indian chocolate market there are 3 major players namely Cadbury who is the market leader, Nestle Amul. These 3 companies have been sharing 99% of the chocolate market in India for many years which clearly explains that there is no real threat of new entrants. However, in the last 5 years, foreign brands like Mars have entered the market with products like Mars bar, Bounty Snickers which have become quite popular in major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi. 5. Competitive Rivalry: The biggest factor that is affecting Amuls market share in India from last 10 to 20 years is the growth of its competitors like Cadbury Nestle. Now, with the entry of foreign players like Mars its getting tougher for them to increase the sales. Objective Setting Objectives are the motive of the companys operational activities. It is basically what the company wants to achieve. Nothing happens until we plan and good plans have goals and objectives. Setting objectives lays the foundation for the companys operations. It shows us the path to follow. Objectives can also be called as battle plans, the stepping stones on the path towards achieving our goals. Objective of Amul Chocolates The objective of Amul as a company is to give Value for money to its customers. Amul has a range of superior products, consumed by every age group. Since Amul chocolates is not doing well like Amuls other products like milk, yoghurt and cheese the objective of Amul Chocolates as a Business Unit would be to increase its market share in India from a 5% in 2010 to 15% in the next 5 years by carrying out proper promotion activities and to produce variety of chocolates to give consumer more options. Strategy development Now that we have set our objectives we need to make a strategy to attain the objective of increasing the market share by 10% in 5 years which is difficult because of the declining trend and competition however possible because of the Brand strength. We would be using the Ansoff Matrix, Market segmentation to describe the strategy of Amul Chocolates to increase its market share in India. Ansoff Matrix Market penetration: Market Penetration means when a company sells its existing products to the existing market. Amul can use this technique to increase sales in India. They also need to advertise and carry out lot of promotional activities to inform the consumers that they still exist and can provide them with what they want. Its been years that Amuls chocolate advertisement has been telecasted on Indias major television channesl like Start Zee. Sales promotions like discounts and free samples can help them to increase the Brand awareness and attract customers to switch brand from competitors. This is the Celebrity age and every big company uses a celebrity as a Brand Ambassador for its product. For example Amitabh Bachchan (Greatest Indian Actor) for Cadbury Rani Mukherjee (Indian Actress) for Nestle, Amul also use a brand ambassador for the promotion of its chocolate. Market Development: Market development is a situation where a company is involved in expanding into new markets with existing products. Amul as a company needs to target rural areas of Northern India like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal because most of the people in these states are farmers who have many children. Also one more benefit of supplying chocolates in these places is that its competitors like Nestle and Cadbury do not have a big market in these places. Amul has a strong brand name in rural areas because of its other dairy products and also has a strong supply chain and logistics to reach these places. The Indian Government will also provide them subsidy or lower taxes because they would be contributing socially by entering into rural markets. Product Development: Product development means a company modifies its product i.e. improves it to appeal to the existing market. Amul needs to make changes to its product (chocolates) like introduction of more flavours and attractive packaging because the wrappers Amul uses is not at all attractive compared to those used by Cadbury and Nestle. Packaging is very important because of majority of the consumers are kids and youngsters who like attractive packages. Many kids buy chocolates not because they like it but because of attractive wrappers. This would keep them in competition with competitors like Cadbury and Nestle. Currently there is a trend for low calorie and fat free food because people want to be fit; introducing low calorie and less fat chocolates would be a strong recommendation. Amul must into market alliances with various portals to offer products (on those portals that were developed for festive occasions such as Valentines Day and Friendship Da0y. Market Segmentation Market Segmentation is a process of dividing a large market into identifiable segments having similar wants, needs or demands. The objective of market segmentation is to design a marketing mix that matches the expectations of customers in the targeted segment. Every product is produced with a target in mind. Amul must divide its market using 2 bases of segmentation. 1. Demographic Segmentation 2. Geographic Segmentation Demographic Segmentation: Demographic segmentation is segmentation of market on the bases of factors such as age, gender, income, occupation etc Amul must divide its target market on age factor. Age 2 to 15 Age 16 to 35 Age 35 above For children up to 15 years old, Amul should produce chocolates like plain bars filled with chocolate in other words high on energy and sweet. The product should be rich in chocolate, nuts and milk. For children they must have a lot of variety because children have the tendency to try different chocolates. This is the most important target group for Amul considering the product. Hence, major focus should be on the products targeted to this market. For the market in the age group of 16 to 35, Amul should produce chocolates which are low on calories and less fattening as this market segment is diet conscious. Before taste they think about calories and putting on weight. For this segment Amul should also introduce protein bars which have become a trend these days. Youngsters who work out and are fitness conscious consume lot of such items to keep them full and away from high calorie food products. For the market in the age group of above 35 years, Amul should produce sugar free chocolates because at this age many people in India are diabetic or have been asked to consume less sugar. Geo-demographic Segmentation: Geo-demographic segmentation is a segmentation technique that classifies people according to where they live. The concept is based on the presumptions that people who live within a particular area exhibit common purchasing behaviour. Amul should divide its market in to 2 segments Developed cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Kolkata and Delhi Under Developed states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand etc. People in developed cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi have a high purchasing power compared to other places in India. The literacy rate is high in these cities, people have access to different mediums of advertising and infrastructure is developed. Amul should produce and supply high quality products in these cities with no compromise on price. However, they must keep in mind that their competitors are already enjoying a great amount of market share in such places. Cadbury to some extent enjoys a monopoly in such cities because of its quality of products, availability and immensely strong brand name. Amul must match Cadburys quality to excel in the market. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are not developed like Mumbai and Bangalore. The literacy rate is less than 50% with poor infrastructure. Many people dont even have access to electricity. Majority of them are poor farmers. Amul has an advantage here because their competitors like Nestle dont have easier access to such places. Amul has a strong network because of its ace products like Butter, Cheese and Milk which are available all over the country. Amul should introduce chocolates which are cheaper but high on energy in these places. Tactics Tactics are the measures that help in achieving strategies. Tactics generally include the use and manipulation of the 7 Ps of marketing. In this case we would be using four Ps. Product: The major reason why Amul chocolate as a product is declining from the last 10 years is because of not meeting the demands of the consumers. Cadbury Nestle who are doing well in the chocolate market have continuously launches new products and have been successful. Every product has a life and it gets over one day. No product can live forever. Innovation is the key to survive in modern day. Companies need to modify and improve their product time to time. Innovation also led consumers to think that the company cares about their needs and changes time to time to meet their demands. For example, When Nestle launched Kit Kat in India it was a big hit. People just loved the taste of the chocolate its packaging. However after a few years it started losing its share then Nestle introduced couple of flavours Orange and Mint which increased the market share. Amul also needs to introduce new varieties of chocolates and improve its existing ones. They should introduce milk chocolates like Nestlà ©s Milky Bar, Chocolates with fruits and nuts like Cadbury has its Fruit and Nuts, Mint chocolates like Nestlà ©s After Eight etc. Introduction of power bars low calorie chocolates will also be a decent step to increase the variety of products. Also the packaging is a crucial factor because majority of the consumers are kids who are easily attracted by attractive and colourful packages. Amul has the history of unattractive packaging. If we compare the wrappers and boxes of Amul chocolates to Cadbury Nestle, the packaging of the competitors is far superior. Amul has to stop their ancient method of packaging and adopt modern methods. Amul must also spend a good amount of money on reaserch and development to identify the demands of the consumers and strategy of their competitors. 2. Price: Pricing is an important strategic issue because it is related to product positioning. Furthermore, pricing affects other marketing mix elements such as product features, channel decisions, and promotion. The objectives of pricing are to maximize profits, to signal high quality and also to survive in many cases. Pricing must take into account the competitive and legal environment in which the company operates. From a competitive standpoint, the firm must consider the implications of its pricing on the pricing decisions of competitors. For example, setting the price too low may risk a price war that may not be in the best interest of either side. Setting the price too high may attract a large number of competitors who want to share in the profits. Factors like cost of production, demand, competition, availability of substitutes and inflation should be considered while setting prices. Majority of people in India live in villages and have low disposable income. With such a heav y competition in the chocolate market, Price plays a very important role. In India, Brand loyalty is very rare. People will change their loyalty if they can spend less. Amul must produce high quality goods and sell it at a competitive price. Amul will have to follow competition based pricing technique which implies that they would need to set prices on the basis of what its competitors do in order to compete with them. Its said that India is a rich country of poor people. Since the sales are going down, in order to lift them they can sell at a comparatively lower price to boost their sales. For example, If Cadbury sells its Fruit and Nut for Rs 20 Amul can sell it for Rs 18. Place: Place in marketing is referred to the channels of distribution through which products flow from the manufacturer to the consumers. The channels of distribution mean intermediaries or middlemen who act as a link between the manufacturer and the consumers. Factors that need to be considered when choosing the place are the characteristics of the product, characteristics of the buyers, control and competitors channels. Since chocolate is an edible product, Amul should adopt an intensive distribution strategy where in they will manufacture products and make it available at various shopping malls, food joints, local stores, Chocolate parlours etc. Amul has a big brand name because of its dairy products. They can easily use it to increase the awareness of its chocolates using various distribution channels. Amul Chocolate Parlour Promotion: Promotion refers to exchange of information between an organisation and the consumer of its products. Consumers here include Customers, shareholders, employees, government and other parties related to the products like trade union and media. The aim of promotion is to inform the consumers, differentiate from other products and to persuade them to buy. There are many techniques of promotion like Advertising, Sales promotions, Direct Marketing Personal selling. Amul has been criticised for lack of promotion. Amul has a strong brand name because of its dairy product leadership. Amul must advertise its chocolates using media like newspaper, television and internet to inform the public about the quality the price of its product. Consumers have a short memory and its important for companies to remind them about the products. Amul has totally shifted its focus from chocolates towards milk and other milk products and have totally ignored chocolates. Using the mediums like Television and newspaper the company needs to remind the public that they are back with improved products at an affordable price. In order to survive in the competitive market where players like Cadbury Nestle enjoy the market share Amul has to be different. They need to give the customers a reason why they should buy their products. Amul has to use Sales Promotion effectively to announce their comeback. They can give price discounts, more for less offer free samples to increase their sales. Amul must also provide free chocolates to municipal schools where majority of children come from a low income family. Free gifts like pencils or Books can also attract their target market i.e. kids. Amul also has to focus on Business to Business customers. They can give special discounts or free samples to major retailers like Big Bazaar D-Mart to sell their products. Action Now that we have set the objectives marketing strategies, it becomes necessary to turn them in to action plans. Action includes 3 activities. Allocating tasks and responsibilities: Since our strategy is simple i.e. to innovate our product and promote heavily, we would allocate the task of product development to the manufacturing sector where they will check the products of successful competitors and manufacture chocolates in line with them. The manufacturing sector will be responsible for the quality of the product. The promotion of the product would be the responsibility of the marketing sector where they will advertise and provide special offers. The above Gantt chart shows the scheduling of activities of Amul Chocolates. $50 million would be the budget for product development and research related to production the activity will be carried from September 2010 to December 2010. The budget for Promotion would be $50 million (including Advertising Sales promotions). Here we have used the Objective and Task method technique of budgeting by estimating the cost of the production and sales activities. Control Control means taking corrective measures when anything doesnt go according to the plan. Amul must use the Sales Control method. They would be monitoring their sales every 3 months to check if they are meeting the set target. If anything goes wrong then they can take corrective measures. Advertising Sample as per the Marketing plan Value offered by Amul 1. Value for money: Amuls believes in giving value for money to its customers and it has always followed that principle. Its products are of high quality and available at affordable prices. Customer Driven: Amul as a dairy product manufacturer has always focused on customer satisfaction. Amul has consistently produced and supplied quality dairy products like milk, butter and cheese in India and other countries. Adapt quickly to the changing environment: Amul has always met the ever changing customer needs by being innovative in its dairy products. This is a major factor why they have been a market leader in dairy products for many years. Customer feedback: Amul has taken regular feedback from the customers worked upon the negative aspects to improve the quality and increase customer satisfaction.

Free Essays - I am a Poor Liar :: Personal Narrative Essays

I am a Poor Liar    Whenever I lie I get this churning in the pit of my stomach that can only be quieted with truth. My bones begin to ache as though they've been bruised. I don't know if this is innate or has been taught to me, but I feel it acutely when I call on falsehood to temporarily save me. Perhaps that is why I am so annoyed with hypocrisy. Learn to identify hypocrisy, and learn to watch your promises. Mean what you say and act on what you believe in and, above all, take responsibilities for your actions. Nobody's going to pick up your slack.    Most hypocrisies stem from pettiness. They are drawn out of things that people don't truly believe in, but fight for out of pride. If you're going to stand for something, stand for something worthy of your sweat. My mother told me never to buy a dog I couldn't pick up. Barely profound? Not so. My mother was never petty. She never attached herself to anything she couldn't take with her if she was uprooted. She could grow where she was planted. When you weigh yourself down with the trivial weariness follows you where ever you go. And Time doesn't tread softly on the laden heart.    Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny. - Carl Schurz But as wrong as I make hypocrites out to be, don't worry too much about being one. We all have ideals and morals, but we are guided by them, not bound by them. Yes, I believe that lying undermines the human quest of truth and is a deplorable act, but I have lied. We all end up as hypocrites. 'Tis fate. The idea is to try to embody your principles. Trying separates the decent people from all that is crude and vulgar.

The Giver :: essays research papers

The Giver - Main Character Jonas, the main character in The Giver by Lois Lowry, is a very strong person, which allows him to go farther in life then the people that surround him. Throughout Jonas's life he has known nothing but "sameness". He lives in a Utopian community where there are no choices and everyone in his world has their lives laid out for them. But, Jonas is given the job of "Receiver of Memory". He alone knows the truths of the world, a world with colors, pain, and choices. What he does with these truths will bring obstacles to his life that will show the readers not only his strengths but his weaknesses as well. Jonas is made to bear the truths of the world alone and is troubled by what he should do with it. Jonas at first doesn't want the memories because after receiving several of them, all that Jonas has known is being questioned and his world turned upside down. 'He is angry and afraid after receiving his first set of memories. Angry because of what has been kept from him and afraid because now he doesn't know what to do. Jonas is uncertain whether the world he learns of is best for his community and if people can be trusted to make decisions on their own. In a conversation to "The Giver" (person passing down the memories) about whether or not it is safe to allow people to make their own choices, Jonas say, "What if they are allowed to choose their own mate? And chose wrong? . . . We really have to protect people from wrong choices." But, by the end of that conversation he is uncertain about his feelings and about many other things. Jonas is confused because he doesn't know what he should do about it or if he should do anything at all. Jonas finally decides to change the world (at least the one he knows of), but he faces many obstacles trying to do so. Jonas speaks to the Giver about giving memories to the community . He wants to share them with everyone and change the way the community works. He wants to give them choices and show them that there are differences. The Giver says the only way the community will receive them is if Jonas goes to the beyond and loses his connection to them.

Persuasive Essay on Curfews Essay

Students under the age of seventeen have a curfew of 10 pm Sunday through Thursday and 12 am on Friday and Saturday. The curfew ensures that all students should have no business in a public place or out on the streets late at night. There are obviously some valid reasons why this is enforced and I am completely in favor of this decision. Many dangerous kinds of people come out late at night to see if they can get kids into some kind of trouble. Kids get kidnapped, raped and killed out in the open because its dark and nobody can see it happening. Illegal drug deals happen at night, again, because nobody can tell that they’re happening, and who’s out that late anyway? These times are decent and keep kids out of trouble in the dark. What teen-favorite restaurants are open after curfew time? Not any. The only restaurants and public places that are open after 10pm/12am are very few fast food restaurants and bars. Teens 17 and under aren’t allowed in bars so where would you go that late? There is absolutely no reason why any teen or child would be out late without a parent and/or guardian. Nothing is worse than one extremely worried parent. Personally, if I don’t answer a call or answer a text within 5 minutes of receiving it, they already think I’m doing something wrong. Especially if it’s after the city curfew. Most parents (much like mine) worry dearly for their teenager. At night who knows what runs through a parents mind when their child is having fun with friends. They might think their kids are out doing drugs, having sex(possibility of being on 16&Pregnant), speeding down streets, breaking into stores, sneaking into bars, getting drunk, etc. Although most of us aren’t, they think the worst of us. For the sake of a reassured parent, the curfew is a good thing. In conclusion, the 10 pm weekday, 12 am weekend curfew is a very good choice for the city. Coming from a teenager, whose been yelled at and grounded for being home past curfew, it’s a good thing. Common sense, closing times, the crazy people we have in this world, and our crazy parents are all very obvious reasons why this curfew is good, and should very well be enforced.

Boost Juice Case Study Essay

3 reasons for Boost Juice experiencing economies of scale 1 – Purchasing inputs and raw materials in bulk †¢ Buying in bulk means that the average cost of each unit of raw material is cheaper than if each unit was bought individually †¢ In one year alone, Boost juice goes through more than 35 tonnes of mangos and you still have all of the other range of fruits that are bought. Therefore buying in bulk means that the average cost of the raw material decreases which therefore, using the value chain, means that the average cost per output decreases as output increases. †¢ As the order value increases, a business obtains more bargaining power with suppliers. It may be able to obtain discounts and lower prices for the raw materials 2- Cheaper marketing costs pet outlet †¢ Due to the rapid expansion of boost since it was established in 2000 (on average one new boost store opens every 4 days) has meant that the cost of advertising per outlet has decreased (e.g. if you had one outlet and advertising cost $10,000 and then the business expanded to 10 outlets it would mean that cost of advertising per outlet would go from $10,000 to $1000) †¢ This has enabled boost to undergo further marketing strategies which in turn brings more consumers to the product meaning that the price of each unit output would decrease 3- Economies of scale can be defined as reductions in costs per unit of output as output increases and so therefore arise when the cost per unit falls as output increases. They are the ‘savings of size’ if a firm is able to increase the size of its plant or operations in the long run production period. A business that is experiencing economies of scale in the present is the smoothie and juice making company called Boost Juice. Established in  2000, Boost Juice, managed by successful entrepreneur Janine Allis, is a business that has been able to be extremely successful through domination of their market and a number of marketing strategies that has enabled them to grow in size and thus currently be experiencing economies of scale. Since the very first Boost Juice was opened in 2000, the next 6 years saw the opening of 189 new stores and the rapid growth is still occurring today. There are two main types of economies of scale, internal and external each of which are leading factors as to why a business may currently be expericing economies scale. Within this case study of the highly profitable and highly successful business Boost Juice I will be discussing 3 of the reasons why Boost Juice are currently experiencing economies of scale which are bulk buying, cheaper marketing costs and —————— As stated above, economies of scale can occur due to both internal and external factors. One of the key internal factors of which has led to Boost Juice experiencing economies of scale is bulk-buying of raw materials and other inputs. Bulk buying can be defined as buying goods/ materials/ other inputs in large quantities which becomes highly relevant to business that are undergoing or have already expanded as a business due to the cost benefits that are associated with bulk buying. The leading cost benefit associated with the bulk buying is that the average cost of each unit of raw material is far cheaper that if each unit were bought individually. As businesses grow its essential that they order larger quantities of production inputs so that they can meet the increased demand and production. As the order value of wanted raw materials increases a business is able to obtain monopsony (buying) power with its supplier/s. This is extremely applicable to Boost Juice. Boost Juice is a highly successful fruit juice retailer thus requiring extremely large quantities of fruit (along with the other needed inputs). In one year, Boost Juice goes through more than 35 tonnes of mangoes alone and when you consider all of the other fruits that Boost Juice will have to purchase as inputs there is an extremely large quantity of fruit that needs to be supplied. Therefore buying in bulk is much more cost effective as it makes the unit price per input much cheaper through the cost volume benefits of buying in bulk. Therefore, Boost Juice has been able to experience economies of scale in the present through bulk  buying which drastically reduces the unit price per input, which reduces the cost of output.

Mentoring & Coaching Essay

Analyse and evaluate the use of Mentoring and/or coaching to support both your own and others,’ development of professional skills and knowledge. In ancient Greek mythology Mentor was the friend of Odysseus and tutor to his son. His name is well-known for a faithful and wise adviser. Today on the athletic field and in corporate offices a mentor or coach can help elevate performance. (http://heartlandbusinessexchange.com/MentorCoach.aspx) There are many definitions for coaching and mentoring. The commonality we can find in these hundreds of definitions of Coaching and Mentoring is that they both aim to support the Coached / Mentees (people that are in a relation with a Coach/Mentor) developing themselves in order to reach specific goals. Coaching is collaborative inquiry into the technical aspects of any activity, most often of work, as well as support for development and performance improvement. Of course, coaching applies to relationships in every setting. Mentoring provides a unique growth-oriented relationship which is the necessary context for risk taking, deep sharing, insights, and growth. Mentoring requires commitment and freely choosing to be held accountable for living out one’s intentions. It also includes coaching, but adds a wide range of strategies for discovering, supporting, and challenging personal, spiritual, and/or professional growth Both coaching and mentoring must be non evaluative, positive, and nonjudgmental if the process is to be authentic and genuine and the results are to be discovery, learning, growth, and improvement. Mentoring and coaching are an investment in another person’s success, you may have experienced this kind of empowering support from parents, a pastor, a teacher, an athletic coach, a friend, perhaps even a boss or your spouse. Often, people like these care so much about you that they will go the â€Å"extra mile† and do all they can to help you succeed. We might call this f orm of support â€Å"intuitive† mentoring or coaching because it is well meaning folks, doing the best they can, based on common sense and what they feel is best. www.businessmentorcenter.com A mentor can enter into a truly collaborative, trusting, positive, and support relationship . He can make you feel comfortable and make a person see the benefits of an open sharing of his feelings and dreams for his life, help to  learn to see oneself more objectively and how to gain the personal insights one needs to succeed, assess one’s natural tendencies and gifts and how their interactions may create internal confusion and dissatisfaction. It helps a person to set goals and develop plans and the self discipline to achieve his goals and more over he helps to solve and understand the problems and conflicts one confronts and move on. Coaching and Mentoring are then aimed to promote the development of an individual in order to be successful in the fulfilment of their tasks (at school, at work or in their personal lives), reinforc ing and strengthening their competencies and self-confidence. Coaching and Mentoring are to be considered as the two extreme of the line. Between these two extremes exists many different and flexible possibilities for support, using Mentoring and Coaching as appropriate to the situation.

Human Computer Interaction - Usability and Evaluation Essay

Human Computer Interaction - Usability and Evaluation - Essay Example Hartson, Andre, and Williges (2003, p.145) note that usability, also referred to as human factors, or human-computer interface design or user-centered design, has become a major field of interest in both industry and academia. This is attributed to the roles computer play in the daily lives of individuals. That is, the more we need to interact with computers, the more we tend to demand well-designed software interfaces. Software developers play a crucial role in answering such demands. Designing better interfaces have quite a number of commercial merits as having been demonstrated by big companies such as Apple, IBM, Eastman Kodak, SAAB, Rank Xerox and Microsoft just to name but a few. The advantages of well-designed software include increased productivity, reduced human error, as well as making the software use enjoyable (Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi 2006, p143). Nonetheless, usability is sometimes ignored not because it is considered worthless, rather because it is considered very ex pensive, which is a misconception, according to experts. Software developers also sometimes ignore usability, which does not justify the cost of usability testing and evaluation. Ignoring usability in interface design has greater cost attachments, as having been demonstrated in past fatal accidents that has resulted due to the failures of interface to show vital information. One such accident occurred in 1987 when an American airline crashed during takeoff at Detroit killing 156 passengers on board (Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi 2006, p143). The accident, according to investigations, was caused pilot’s failure to recognize the wrong positions of flaps during the aircraft’s takeoff. A skilled interface designer would have proper knowledge of organize an interface in such a manner that vital information cannot be missed. This paper will explore the principles of usability and the methods used to evaluate software interfaces. Finally, the paper will evaluate an Amazon.com we bsite in line with the usability principles. Usability design principles Adebesin (2011) argues that the interactive systems ought to be designed in a manner that supports the user to achieve his or her objectives. To do this, the design team need multi-disciplinary, with practitioners possessing ergonomics, cognitive science, and computer skills among others. This ensures that the team understands physical capabilities, human problem solving, their working environment, and the entire interaction context. A number of design guidelines are used in the software interface development. The design guidelines range from general to application-specific rules. Hartson, Andre, and Williges (2003, p.146) classify the design rules according to their level of authority and generality. According to Hartson, Andre, and Williges, the authority of design rule spells out whether or not the rules are to be followed or not. The level of generality, on the other hand, directs developers in ascertaining whether a particular guideline can be widely applied in different design situations. There are three basic principles of usability identified by Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi (2006, p.145). The first principle of usability design principle, according to Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi (2006, p145), is the principle of unity. The principle of unity in interface design is crucial since ensures congruency in the use of the interface. The unity principle also allows software interfac