Waste Management Practices Of Mcdonalds Environmental Sciences Essay

Waste Management Practices Of Mcdonalds Environmental Sciences Essay McDonalds is one of the largest and most well known global fast food restaurants. Ray Kroc is the founder of the company in the year 1955. The company has been operating for 55 years and has 32000 restaurants chain in more than 117 countries. More than 75% of McDonalds worldwide outlets are operated by franchisees or affiliates (Our Company 2010). There are 1.5 million employees worldwide working to serve 50 million worldwide customers each day (McDonalds Restaurants Ltd, 2006). Over the many years, millions of people have patronage McDonalds because it is a trusted name with proven service. In returning that loyalty, McDonalds have an obligation to give back to the community (SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, 2010). McDonalds supports Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), animal welfare, food safety and environment (SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, 2010). This essay shall examine how McDonalds has performed in the relation to the environment particularly waste management practices. The public of the current age are concerned about the amount of packaging and food waste produced by McDonalds restaurants (Better Packaging with McDonalds, 2009). A survey conducted by Keep Britain Tidy that about 29% of the litter waste on the Britain Street was come from the McDonalds restaurant (Gray, L 2009). Therefore, one of the best solutions taken by McDonalds is manage the waste through waste management practices, which is involving in reduction, reuse, recycling and disposal (Better Packaging with McDonalds, 2009). As one of the largest fast food restaurants worldwide, McDonalds has become an environment leader. Hence, McDonalds is determined to analyze every aspect of their business on their impact on the environment and according to the analysis and seek effective ways to enhance the environment. McDonalds is hoping to survive and stay in a cle an environment where the air, water and the earth are clean and as well build an environment sound world to the future generation (). McDonalds has done a variety of different as compared to the past and current performance. In the past, McDonalds used the polystyrene foam as packaging food. Many environmentalists dislike polystyrene foam because the production of foam will release out the chlorofluorocarbon, which can damage the atmosphere. The foam also to take long time to break down, if at all, in landfills, which is where most of it winds up because there are relatively few recycling centers ( ). Besides, McDonalds was required 46 grams of packaging in average meal- a Big Mac, fries and a shake in year 1970 (Case A: McDonalds Environmental Strategy, 1995). In addition, there was no industrial scale recycling before (Rose, 2009). Furthermore, McDonalds did not practice the exercise of converting the waste into energy. Nowadays, McDonalds has found many alternative ways to enhance the environment performance in term of the waste management practices. Firstly, McDonalds has replaced the polystyrene foam by the using paper based-wraps in order to reduce the waste volume in the waste management process (Better Packaging with McDonalds, 2009). The replacement is because of consumers demand and heeding counsel of environmental groups (Liddle, A 1990). McDonalds major markets, about 83% of the packaging used for food, beverages and other consumer purposes is made of some form of paper (McDonalds Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Report, 2006). Another is the reduced amount of material used in each item of packaging (our environment, 2008). Thirdly, McDonalds recycles packaging waste and recycles used cooking oil in waste management practices (Recycling in the restaurant Focusing on operational opportunities, 2010). Fourthly, proper disposal waste programs are been carried out to manage the food waste o nce the McDonalds cannot reduce, reuse and recycle the waste (our environment, 2008). Recent year, McDonald in UK has a trial tested out an alternative method of disposal, which by converting the food waste to energy (Managing the impacts of the leftovers, 2010). David  Fairhurst, senior vice president for McDonalds UK Northern Europe said that the converting waste to energy is encouraging that has already reduced the environmental impact in the area by 48% and significant step on achieving zero waste to landfill (Thomas, D 2009) Currently, McDonalds brings a lot impact upon the society and stakeholder. McDonalds replaces the foam to paper wraps, which make up 70% to 90% reduction in sandwich packaging volume (Better Packaging with McDonalds, 2009). Besides, McDonalds also reduce the amount of material used in the packaging, which indicate less raw material use and thus less solid waste produce (our environment, 2008). For example, in 2005, McDonalds redesigned the inside of North American fry boxes, which make up more than 1,100 tons packaging waste saved per year (McDonalds Worldwide Corporate Responsibility Report, 2006). Furthermore, McDonalds in Unite State has recycled over 17 tons of corrugate cardboard per year (Recycling in the restaurant Focusing on operational opportunities 2010). Corrugate cardboard represent around 30% of the total restaurant waste and as result of recycling, divert the amount of waste from landfills. McDonalds has an aim of achieving to recycle 100% of their corrugated cardboard (our environment, 2008). By the way, about 10% of the total restaurant wastes come from the used cooking oil and McDonalds has converted into biodiesel (our environment, 2008). McDonalds in United State has recycled approximately 13,000 pounds of used cooking oil per year. Currently, more than 80% of the used oil in Europe has transformed into biodiesel (Recycling in the restaurant Focusing on operational opportunities 2010). As a result, it is stopped the used cooking oil from send to landfills. (Please consolidate and present it in a more systematic way.) In addition, the trial of converting the waste to energy has been successfully reduction 54% percent of carbon emission as audited by the Carbon Trust (Brass, E 2009). The amount of waste save from landfill could be 65 tones if the restaurants continue implement this disposal. For the energy generate from the waste provide enough heat and electricity to the building (Managing the impacts of the leftovers, 2010). For instance, in UK the energy generate from the food waste, which able to power the 22 million light bulbs to community (Brass, E 2009). Now let focus on the advantages and disadvantages of McDonald practices in the waste management. The major advantage through the waste management practices is reduced the greenhouse gas emission. Methane especially one of the greenhouse gases which mostly generate by the landfills operation and bring harmful effects to the environment and human health. Therefore, the key factor success of lower down the gases emission is driven by the greater recycle wastes, increased amount of waste recovery and incineration combined with energy production (Improved waste management delivering climate benefits, 2008). Another advantage of the waste management practices is generated a livable environment to society (Waste Disposal Methods Advantages and Disadvantages n.d.). It is because people can exist and live in a comfort environment with free of waste. . (are there any scholarly proof to support this statement?) is to help to reduce the amount of waste. Through the waste management practices, Mc Donalds has send less waste to landfill and ultimately less waste occupy the landfill However, there are some disadvantages of the waste management practices. The major disadvantage is contaminated the environment (Waste Disposal Methods Advantages and Disadvantages n.d.). The utilities of papers as packaging especially are unfriendly to the environment in the waste management practice. It is because there will increase the environment impact in production of paper packaging item. An analysis conducted by the Franklin Associates, an independent environmental research firm that the production between polystyrene foam and paper toward the environment impact. The result show that the manufacturing of paper containers especially make up 46 percent more air pollution, 42 percent more water pollution and 75 percent more industrial waste than that of plastic. Made predominantly of air, paper requires 30 percent more energy to produce than foam (Eckhardt, A 1998). Therefore, the using of paper actually leads the pollution occur. Consequently, global warming especially occurs once the pollution getting severe and serious. Besides, the disadvantage of the waste management practices is influence the people health. The process of convert the waste to energy need go through the incineration, which may emit the harmful gases into the environment that hazardous to residents health, as the emission smoke is invisible and smelly. Undoubtedly, it brings the negative impact to s ociety (Krishna, G 2006). As conclusion, the waste management practices should be adopted to manage the waste in order to provide the healthy and clean environment to the society. The social performance of McDonalds in relation to the environment has tremendously contributed. Even though the elimination of waste from the fast food restaurants is impossible, some effective and efficiency of alternative methods should also seek in order to reduce and prevent the waste from being engulfed the earth. If the large fast food company like McDonalds does not control the waste produce from the restaurant and save the planet, people will surely perish themselves one day.

Taboo Words And Their Treatment In Dictionaries

Taboo Words And Their Treatment In Dictionaries Taboo words are a part of language that is supposed to be avoided at all times, but are nevertheless used in practice. Most taboo words originate from taboo acts. Dictionaries have special labels for taboo words which warn the users that taboo words are not acceptable. Taboo words in dictionaries are defined in patterns which make them seem less offensive, and provide an alternative for them. Only taboo words which are considered to be the least offensive have example sentences in their entries in dictionaries. The most offensive group of taboo words are taboo words related to sexuality. Inconsistencies in labelling between dictionaries prove that the negative connotations of taboo words are not inherent in language, but culturally determined. Taboo words are those words that are considered in bad taste by some people or should be avoided because they mention realities that are stark or vulgar. Taboo words usually refer to sex, religion and necessities such as the act of emptying the bladder or the bowels. The general aim of this paper is to observe and report on the treatment of taboo words in standard language dictionaries, among words without taboo connotations. The paper will offer a short introduction into the problematics of taboo language, but will for the most part examine the treatment of taboo words in dictionaries- the way they are defined, the labels that designate them and the examples that accompany them. By comparing the entries for taboo words in five dictionaries, it will be shown which labels for taboo words exist and whether they are the same in all dictionaries; whether all dictionaries follow the same pattern when defining taboo words and with what purpose, and whether the treatment od taboo words in dictionaries can cause any problems for dictionary users. Through examining the entries for taboo words which contain examples, it will be determined which taboo words are the least insulting, and by comparing labels it will be determined which taboo words are the most insulting. Noting the inconsistencies between the dictionaries in defining and labelling taboo words will show that taboo words are not inherently offensive, but determined as taboo by the speakers of the language and the culture they belong to. Theoretical background Taboo words, also referred to as curse words, profanity, swearwords and offensive speech, are words that are not supposed to be uttered at all, or at least not in polite conversation, because they are regarded as inappropriate or immoral, or believed to be forbidden supernaturally. Typical examples of taboo words would be expressions like Damn! or Shit! (Akmajian et al. 306). Taboo words are used in order to make the language we speak more graphic or more concrete, just as metaphors do (Jay 137). They add emotional shading to language and can communicate strong thoughts, ideas, attitudes and opinions in a way non- taboo words cannot (Jay 137). They are used to express anger and annoyance, for insulting and often as intensifiers in phrases, such as in the sentence Whereà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s that damn book! (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary Online). The word taboo comes from the Polynesian language and means forbidden (Allan and Burridge 2). Taboo words are, as their name suggests, connected to taboo acts. The act of incest is taboo, and so is the word motherfucker- but there are other words that are taboo, while the action they denote is not. Talking about sex is often considered taboo, but the act of sex itself is not at all forbidden, or improper, if it is done at the suitable time and place, and with the appropriate person. Still, words linked to a taboo act are likely to become taboo words (Allan and Burridge 2). It is important to note that à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦what counts as taboo language is something defined by culture, and not by anything inherent in the language. (Akmajian et al. 307). This means that taboo words and expressions reflect the customs and views of people belonging to a particular society or culture. (Trudgill 18) Taboo language in the English language can be divided into three broader categories. The first category consists of taboo words related to religion. Typical examples from this category are expressions such as God!, Damn!, Jesus! and Hell!. Since words from this category refer to the supernatural, they evoke the emotions of awe and fear. This category represents the historical basis of swearing in the English language (Pinker). The second category consists of taboo words which denote certain body functions and effluvia. The taboo words from this category provoke emotions of disgust due to the fact that certain infectious diseases can be carried from one person to another through bodily effluvia (Pinker). Typical examples from this category are taboo words such as shit, asshole and fart. The third category consists of taboo words related to sexuality- sexual organs, different names for the act of sex and insults related to ones sexual orientation or sexual habits. Examples from this ca tegory are the words fuck, pussy and dyke. Another category can be added to the ones already mentioned- a category that consists of insulting names for disfavoured (mostly because of their race or nationality) persons or groups. The words from this category provoke emotions of hatred and contempt, and the typical example is the word nigger. Methods and material The data for this research was obtained by searching through online dictionaries for taboo words and observing their respective entries. Five online dictionaries were chosen: Oxford Advanced Learners English Dictionary Online, Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary, Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary Online, Macmillan Online Dictionary and Longman English Dictionary Online. The reason for choosing online dictionaries was that the printed versions of these dictionaries which were available were not all from the same year and were not the current versions. Online dictionaries are constantly upgraded, which makes them suitable for a comparative study. These five dictionaries were chosen because they all come from respectable publishing companies and are edited by professional lexicographers. Only standard language dictionaries, and not specialised dictionaries (such as slang dictionaries), were used because the aim of the research was to see how taboo words were treated among all other normal words. After choosing which dictionaries to use, the words that would be examined were chosen based on the literature consulted for this research paper, with the addition of words similar in meaning. The words were the following: (ass, asshole, fart, piss, shit, bastard, bitch, cock, cunt, dick, dyke, fag, fuck, motherfucker, pussy, screw, slut, whore, bloody, damn, darn, hell, Dago, Gook, nigger, Paddy, Paki and Spic 28 in total. They were then divided into four groups: Body parts and effluvia (ass, asshole, fart, piss, and shit,); Sex and insults related to sexuality (bastard, bitch, cock, cunt, dick, dyke, fag, fuck, motherfucker, pussy, screw, slut and whore); Religion (bloody, damn, darn and hell) and Racial insults (Dago, Gook, nigger, Paddy, Paki and Spic). The research included checking and noting the labels and the definitions used in separate dictionaries, as well as the examples (or the lack of examples), and comparing them. Analysis and results This comparative study answered the following questions: Which labels and warnings are used in dictionaries to warn the users about taboo words? How are taboo words defined in dictionaries? Are there any differences between dictionaries in the way the words used in the study are labelled and defined? Are there any example sentences in entries for taboo words? Which group of taboo words/ which individual taboo word is the most strongly marked? Labels. Every dictionary has labels assigned to words which inform the user of the status of the word and the register it is supposed to be used in. This research has shown that there are many ways of warning dictionary users about taboo words. The labels that are used to warn users about taboo words in Oxford Advanced Learners English Dictionary Online are: taboo, slang, informal, disapproving and offensive. The labels appear before the definition of the word; they are written in italics and bracketed. Alongside these labels, additional warnings can be found in the definition of the word. The additional labels are: very offensive, not polite, offensive, a swear word, and offensive to some people. The labels that refer to taboo words in Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary are: sometimes vulgar, often vulgar, usually vulgar, obscene, usually obscene, usually disparaging, often disparaging and usually offensive. The labels appear before the definition of the word, in italics. Only one additional label was found in the definition of the word- a generalized term of abuse. The labels for taboo words found in the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary Online are: informal, very informal, slang, offensive and disapproving. The labels appear before the definition of the word and are written in capitals. Only one additional label was found in the definition of the word and that one is slightly rude. The labels that are used to warn users about taboo words in the Macmillan Online Dictionary are: impolite, offensive and informal. As in the case of the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary Online, the labels appear before the definition of the word and are written in capitals. The additional labels found in the definition were extremely offensive and insulting. In the Longman English Dictionary Online, the labels for taboo words are: taboo, informal, not polite and slightly rude. The labels appear before the definition of the word in italics and in a different colour than the definition. The additional labels are: offensive, very offensive in combination with Do not use this word and insulting. What this overview shows is that every dictionary has its own system of labelling taboo words, with different words used as warning for the users. This is not surprising because every dictionary has its own labelling policy which is applied to all the words, not just taboo words. Some of the labels do appear in more than one dictionary, like offensive, informal and taboo. Generally speaking, it can be concluded that users are warned in an adequate way that taboo words are not appropriate, not only because of the labels themselves, but also because of the graphical layout of the labels (written in capitals, italics, or in another colour). However, one potential problem for dictionary users can be detected just by looking at the labels- words like often, sometimes, slightly and usually often modify labels for taboo words. This can create confusion, especially since definitions of most taboo words are not followed by examples. The user himself, especially if he is not a native speaker, cannot know in which cases he is allowed to use this word and in which it could have severe consequences. The only dictionary which explicitly states that some words should not be used at all is the Longman English Dictionary Online, with the label Do not use this word found in the definitions of the taboo words. Definitions. When it comes to the way taboo words are defined, there are two types of definitions used in the dictionaries examined in this research. The first type of definition is the synonym definition, in which just the synonym of the taboo word is given, usually a scientific or a more polite term, without any additional explanation, as in the case of the word cock in the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary Online : COCK- (taboo, slang) a penis. The second type of definition gives a scientifical explanation of the phenomenon which the taboo word denotes, as in the case of the word fart in the Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary: FART- often vulgar: to expel intestinal gas from the anus. Both types of definitions appear in all of the five dictionaries examined and they represent the standard way taboo or offensive words are usually defined in dictionaries. The goal they share is making taboo words and concepts seem less offensive. (joint 128). Examples. Another aspect of the treatment of taboo words in dictionaries that is worth looking at are examples of sentences or phrases that contain taboo words and words that collocate with them. There are many kinds of dictionaries, and not all of them provide examples for all the words they list, but by checking which taboo words have examples in most dictionaries, and which do not, it can be concluded which taboo words are the least offensive. If a dictionary offers an example, it actually shows the user how a word is supposed to be used and in a way gives permission for its usage. The word hell had an example in all of the five dictionaries examined, the words bastard, bloody, damn and darn in four, and the words shit and bitch in three. The rest of the words had an example in one or none of the dictionaries examined. This indicates that the words belonging to the group of taboo words related to religion are no longer considered very insulting, which can be confirmed by looking a t the labels used for these words- informal and impolite prevail, and three dictionaries do not even give any warning for some of the taboo words from this group. The fact that the words belonging to the group of taboo words related to religion aro no longer perceived as very offensive is in contrast with the fact that the historical root of swearing in English is religion (Pinker). Linguist interpret this phenomenon as a result of the secularization of Western culture. (Pinker) The words shit and bitch belong to two different groups of taboo words: shit belongs to the group that refers to body parts and effluvia, and bitch belongs to the group that refers to sex and insults related to sexuality. Both of the words belong to everyday speech, and are mostly labelled as impolite or informal, but also offensive in some dictionaries. Most offensive words. Determining the most offensive taboo word and taboo word group was the next step in this research. By simply comparing the labels, it was concluded that the most strongly marked group was the group consisting of words related to sexuality- words referring to sex (fuck, screw), sexual organs (cock, cunt, dick, pussy) and insults related to sexuality (bitch, dyke, fag, motherfucker, whore). These words were mostly labelled as very offensive, vulgar and obscene. Cunt is the most offensive word in this group. It was labelled as taboo/ slang/ very offensive (Oxford), usually disparaging obscene (Merriam- Webster), offensive (Cambridge), offensive/ extremely offensive (Macmillan), and taboo/ Do not use this word (Longman). Cunt has been the most seriously taboo word in English for centuries, remaining so for the vast majority of users, especially women, since it conveys strong misogynist connotations (Allan and Burridge 52). The most offensive individual taboo word o f the ones that were examined was the word nigger. All of the dictionaries strongly warn against this word, and Merriam- Webster calls it the most offensive and inflammatory racial slur in English. In other dictionaries it is labelled as very or extremely offensive, and Longman states that the words should not be used at all. Other words from the group consisting of insults on a racial or national basis (Gook, Dago, Spic, Paddy) are also strongly warned against, and usually labelled as offensive or very offensive. This implies that the world is moving towards tolerance when it comes to questions of race and nationality (but also sexual orientation and religion), and these kinds of insults are now completely unacceptable. Inconsistencies. There are certain inconsistencies between dictionaries in the way some taboo words are defined and labelled. This can be seen in the way the word slut is labelled in the dictionaries examined, as shown in Table 1. WORD: Slut Oxford ALD Online: disapproving, offensive Merriam- Webster Online: very informal Cambridge ALD Online: offensive, insulting Macmillan Online Dictionary: taboo informal, Longman English Dictionary Online: very offensive- Do not use this word Oxford, Macmillan and Longman consider slut more offensive than Cambridge does, while Merriam- Webster gives no warning whatsoever about this word being a taboo word. Since for every dictionary this word has a different degree of offensiveness, it can be concluded that the treatment of taboo words in dictionaries proves one of the initial claims made about taboo words- there is nothing inherently offensive or insulting in them. What makes them taboo is culturally, or even individually, determined, which is why even dictionaries cannot be uniform in the way they label taboo words. Conclusion This research paper has examined the entries for taboo words in five standard language dictionaries. The purpose was to see how taboo words were treated among other words that are acceptable in polite or formal conversation. Users are warned by the labels in dictionaries that taboo words should be avoided. The graphical layout of the labels is also used for this purpose. The labels are mostly different in all the dictionaries due to different labelling policies, but some are found in all of the dictionaries. A potential problem for dictionary users, especially second language learners, is the fact that labels are often accompanied by words such as sometimes, usually, slightly etc. In this case, the user cannot deduct from the labels when it is acceptable to use a certain taboo word and when it can have severe consequences. When defining taboo words, all of the dictionaries that were examined use two patterns: defining the taboo word with a more polite or scientific synonym, or by a s cientific explanation. The common goal of these two patterns is to make taboo words and what they designate seem less offensive. Through examining the entries for taboo words which contain examples, it was determined that only taboo words which are considered the least offensive have example sentences. The least offensive taboo words are the ones related to religion. By comparing labels it was concluded that the most offensive taboo words belong to the group related to sexuality, and that the most offensive individual taboo word is the word nigger. Inconsistencies found between the dictionaries in the way they label the same taboo words prove the assumption that there is nothing inherently insulting or offensive in taboo words- they are taboo because of the speakers of the language and the culture they belong to. A suggestion for further research is to historically track labels used for taboo words to see if the way they are perceived has changed and how and monitor if they will cha nge in the near future.

The Future of Marijuana in the United States Essay -- Drugs

American politicians are constantly finding themselves in a heated debate concerning the legalization of marijuana. Currently the no’s have it but the real question is how long will they be able to keep it that way. Since, "To the agriculturist, cannabis is a fiber crop; to the physician, it is an enigma; to the user, a euphoriant; to the police, a menace; to the trafficker, a source of profitable danger; to the convict or parolee and his family, a source of sorrow" (Mikuriya, 1969). Introduction The future of marijuana in the United States is uncertain. Whether it is truly on the path to legalization on a nationwide scale, no one knows. But one thing is for certain: marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. It has currently; the move towards legalization on a small scale has taken even further strides with Proposition 19 gaining approximately 44% of the California’s votes. One of the leading causes of the gradual tolerance of marijuana use has been the change in the perception of the substance among the older segment of our society. Since 2000, there has been a drastic increase in the amount of frequent marijuana users that are age 55 and above. This paper will seek to examine some of the major factors that have contributed to the significant rise in the prevalence of marijuana use among baby-boomers, the short-term effects of marijuana with an emphasis on how those effects would impact older individuals, the long-term effects of heavy mar ijuana use, and the potential political and social implications of extensive marijuana use amongst the United States’ older individuals. The first decade of the 21st century was a particularly eventful time in history. Recent studies have shown that ... ... Psycho geriatrics 20, 1081-1089. Hendrix, S. (2009). Boomers see views relaxing on marijuana. From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/15/AR2009111503007.html. Mikuriya, Tod H. (1969). Marijuana in Medicine: Past Present and Future. California Medicine 110(1), 34–40. Stack, P, Suddath, C. (2009). A Brief History of Medical Marijuana. Retrieved November 4, 2010 from http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931247,00.html. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (December 29, 2009). The NSDUH Report: Illicit Drug Use among Older Adults. Rockville, MD. (Suggested Citation) Tashkin, D.P. (1999). Effects of marijuana on the lung and its defenses against infection and cancer. School Psychology International. Special Issue: Preventing marijuana use among youth 20 (1), 23-37. .

Anorexia :: essays research papers

†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Petrie, Trent A. and Rogers, Rebecca L. Psychological correlates of anorexia and bulimic symptomatology. Journal of Counseling and Development. Volume 79. Spring. 01 pgs. 178-185. Purpose: This study investigated the connection between eating disorder symptomatology and several psychological correlates-obsessiveness, dependency, over controlled hostility, assertiveness, locus of control, and self-esteem. Regression analyses indicated that obsessiveness and 2 factors of dependency accounted for 21% of the variance in a measure of anorexia attitudes and behaviors. One factor of dependency and obsessiveness accounted for 20% of the variance in a measure of bulimic symptomatology. Subjects: Participants were 97 female undergraduates solicited from a large, southwestern university. The mean age of participants was 22. 17 years (SD=5.61). For race/ethnicity, 72% identified themselves as Caucasian or non-Hispanic, 10% Asian American, 7% African American, 7% Hispanic, 2% Native American, and 1% as â€Å"Other.† Thirty-three percent of participants classified themselves as freshmen, 13% as sophomores, 25% as juniors, and 27% as seniors. The majority stated they were single, never married (72%). Mean body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) of participants was 22. 23 (SD=3.83). Instruments: Anorexic symptomatology, The 40-item EAT (Garner and Garfinkel, 1979) assesses psychological and behavioral symptoms associated with anorexia. For each item, individuals indicated the degree to which it applies to them on a 6-point scale ranging from always to never. Although there are 6 responses options, items are scored as follows: 3 points for the most extreme anorexic response, 2 points for the next most extreme response, and 1 point for the next, the remaining responses are scored as 0. A total score is obtained by summing points and may range from 0, no anorexic symptomatology, to 120, high degree of anorexic symptomatology. Bulimic Symptomatology. The 36-item Bulimia Test Revised (BULIT-R; Thelen, Farmer, Wonderlich, and Smith, 1991; Thelen, Mintz, and Vander Wal, 1996) measures symptoms of bulimia, based on criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). Obsessiveness. The 70-item Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Questionnaire (LOI-Q; Snowdon, 1980) is a self-report inventory that was based on the individually administered Leyton Obsessional Inventory (Cooper, 1970). The LOI-Q consists of four subscales: Obsessional Symptom, Obsessional Trait, Resistance, and Interference, The Resistance and Interference, and Interference. The Resistance and Interference Subscales seem to measure a general level Interference subscales seem to measure a general level of psychological distress and were not used in the present investigation. The Obsessional Symptom subscale measures chronic thoughts and feeling that are ego-systonic and often result in compulsive behaviors used to decrease anxiety associated with resisting these thoughts and feelings.

Free Essays - A Tale of Two Cities - Critical Analysis :: Tale Two Cities Essays

A Tale of Two Cities - Critical Analysis In 1859, Charles Dickens wrote the book A Tale of Two Cities. In A Tale, Dickens writes about the French Revolution, and relates the events in the lives of two families, one French and one English. In addition to writing about a very interesting fiction plot, Dickens also tied in a wide variety of important themes and sub plots that keep the reader interested as well as portraying very valuable lessons for us even today. He chose very archetypical characters for the book, all strengthening or portraying one of the themes. The main themes are revenge, courage and sacrifice, and resurrection. One theme involves revenge; the evil effects of revenge bring out one's bad side. Although it occurs many times in A Tale, Madame Defarge is the main character representing this theme. Her sister and mother were assaulted by the brothers Evrémonde. After this, she vows to herself that all members of the Evrémonde family will die. She turns into a ruthless killer because she must get revenge. When her husband tells her to stop, she replies, "tell the wind and fire to stop, not me" (pg 338). We now see that she is a person teeming with hatred. Revenge is so powerful. When she found out Charles Darnay is an Evrémonde and is planning to marry Lucie Manette, she began to knit his name into the shroud she was making, symbolizing his impending death. Also, she tried to kill Lucie and her daughter, just because they were related to an Evrémonde, even though Darnay (Evrémonde) denounced his heritage and disconnected all relationships to them. Lucie was in a state of mourning so Defarge jumped on the situation. "She will be at home, awaiting the moment of his death. She will be mourning and grieving. She will be in a state of mind to impeach the justice of the Republic. She will be full of sympathy with its enemies. I will go to her." (p. 349) She had no mercy, her main goal was to kill all descendants of the Evrémonde family, women and children included and even non-blood relatives. At the end of the novel, she receives an end fitting her ways; she was killed by Ms. Pross, who is the epitome of love and kindness. It is evident from here that Dickens believed that good would always win over bad.

Westye

The first part of the process of selection of an applications software package was to determine what Westye needed. Under this process, they sought to develop criteria for how business solutions companies would address their specific needs. Here, they outlined these through the creation of 160 issues related to Westye’s business processes. The second step included determining the specific small midmarket business solutions that can address Westye’s needs. In here, considerable attention was given by the company towards finding competent providers and was equally reduced to 27 companies who shall then be subjected interview and questioning. The third process that the company took was the selection process. Here, Westye based their choice in the capacity of small midmarket business solutions to address their needs. Given the specific criteria, the company was able to consolidate effective responses coming from Microsoft Business Solutions – Navisione and became the primary choice. The last part involved finding the necessary partner that can help address the issues and problems of Westye. Here, the choice of ICS Advantage revolved around the ability of the company to facilitate better means of integrating a collaborative long term strategy and relationship with Westye. Likewise, the company also sought a committed and driven partners who can fulfill the company’s needs accordingly. Analyzing the specific strategy employed by Westye, it could have improved its selection process if it had tried (1) to set specific standards for choices above the 160 criteria, (2) provided inputs on how the old MAPICS system can be integrated towards the recommended changes, and (3) considering long term strategies and options for employees. Seeing this, the value then of the first input corresponds to the capacity to examine further not only the technical and operational business schemes influencing Westye but also try to integrate it in the way people do business. By setting up these standards, vendors can then align their proposals to meet these realities accordingly. The second part corresponds to allowing Westye proper transition from its old system and incorporating them into the new one. This can help new participants to have a grasp of what the new system is and leverage increased costs in education and training of people. The last part corresponds to outlining how these new strategies impact the workforce in both education and application. By inducing opportunities to include feedback and reaction, it can help facilitate better means of transcending competency and ability to harness effective skills for operation and diversification of tasks by employees within Westye. (2) Analyzing the specific advantages of utilizing a package development, it revolves around (1) revamping the old MAPICS system, (2) effective support mechanism, (3) allows standardization of Westye’s processes and (4) infusing simple means to increase efficiency of production. Here, the first process takes into consideration deriving valuable opportunities for Westeye to address the loopholes and inefficiencies of the old MAPCIS system. By incorporating packaged software, it can veer away from the old system and incorporate new ones that can be synchronized with the companies needs. The second advantage is that technicians can effectively carry out repairs and updates of a packaged system compared to a customized one. Such directions also provides standardization of processes as the new software then incorporates actions by the workforce and takes into account key trends in a more facilitative and effective manner. Lastly, using the tools of a packaged software, it can help Westye align these to infuse efficiency in production and consolidate these with the goals of the company. On the other hand, specific disadvantages of a packaged system revolves around (1) associated costs, (2) lack of innovation, (3) issue of control, and (4) the issue of customization. In the first part, it considers the value of costs related to training employees once again with new processes and how to operate such packaged system. Another hurdle that packaged system can contribute is the lack of innovation wherein companies have the last say in the design and applications included in the design of the software package. The same can be seen with the issue of control. Though ICS provides Westye control over data and inputs, it limits the capacity of businesses to take into consideration establishing a user-interface that is efficient for their use or responsive to their needs. The last one revolves around the process of customization. Here, additional costs can be incurred if new changes and amendments may be undertaken by Westye in expanding its business processes and integrating new means for gathering data necessary for production. Seeing this, the idea of using a Navision package is more suited to the needs of the Westye group. Such analysis revolves around the need to revamp and change the old MAPICS system and consolidate better means of acquiring information in a more effective and efficient manner. By using a packaged solution, the company can cater towards creating better means to address the problem in a faster manner and take advantage of its comparative advantage over its competitors. Similarly, this decision can also align the company’s processes to what is essential to the needs of the company both in its short and long term strategies. (3) Responding to the advantages of Navision compared to ERP, they include (1) filtering inefficient processes, (2) consolidating data effectively, (3) incorporating new technological features, and (4) new structure to cater for the needs of Westye. The value of the first advantage corresponds to taking into consideration changing the loopholes and boundaries within the old MAPICS system and generating better means for analysis and acquisition of data. In the second part, Navision gives better means of consolidating data with its new framework and platform different from that of the old system. Alongside this is the associated new features wherein employees can take advantage of. By using these new technologies, it has developed effective means to cater the needs of Westye in terms of determining inputs and data necessary to transact and establish partnerships with clients. On the other hand, there are also associated disadvantages that Navision has over adding ERP modules which include (1) costs, (2) employee integration and education, (3) adjustments, and (4) value of time. One essential setback by the Navision involves the corresponding costs. Since the overall system shall be revamped, it takes into account changing the business processes. Alongside this are the new means of training personnel and employees of proper procedures and mechanisms necessary. Such then brings about adjustments and puts into the table the question of time in achieving specific goals and objectives. These then create necessary implications for the company especially in the short term as it may affect the overall productivity of the company during these times of adjustment and changes. Though there are indeed associated setbacks with the application of the Navision package, it can be seen that it has consolidated better means for Westye to expand and develop its business processes. By utilizing specific strategies related to determining loopholes in the previous system, it was able to create a new framework that supports the interests and goals of Westye. At the same time, by infusing these directions, the company can then legitimize its opportunities to create competitive advantage and standardize the dynamics related to finding the means to diversify business processes and generate increased productivity. (4) Analyzing the advantages of the customization scheme created by Navsion, they correspond to (1) wider company control, (2) taking into consideration competitive advantage, (3) access to real time data, and (4) consolidating to the needs of employees. In the first one, it caters to the formalization of how employees control the system. The customization process furthered this by giving opportunities for personnel to make important decisions concerning specific business processes. Such dynamic then provided the ability to establish competitive advantage as it opened up means to establish efficiency in decision making and harness the skills in responding to such. Alongside this direction, Westye was also able to provide effective access to trends and data necessary. Since they are heavily reliant in these, the customization process help employees fulfill their roles without having to sort and tabulate trends, hence easier transmission of data to clients. On the other hand, there are also associated negative reactions to such customization. These revolve around (1) re-training of employees, (2) hampering of production, (3) difficulty in establishing technical support, and (4) complexity in administering changes. In here, the customization process hampers employee’s responsibilities because they are given new training about the system and what they do. Such actions then hamper time and capacity to work at their optimal level and in turn hamper production. Another setback is that it creates difficulty in pointing out problems particularly if these processes remain intertwined and correlated with one another. The same can be seen with the application of changes within the system. Since it is designed to fit Westye’s needs, Navision may find it difficult to correlate including new features as it may need to be synchronized with other related processes. 5) Analyzing the point established by the case that Westye’s system provides ‘real-time data access’, it can be argued that it is the same with the term ‘online input’ plus ‘online processing’. Here the idea of real time corresponds to the actual input of data provided by a specific program or software wherein it analyzes specific trends and issues inputted by the user. Seeing this, such process then corresponds to ‘online input ’ plus ‘online processing’ for it utilizes specific measures in generating effective patterns of analysis and justifying its scope and value to whatever purpose it may seek to serve. Seeing this, the company indeed has ‘online input’ plus ‘online processing’. This can be seen in the manner of how the company adheres to its business processes. In here, the derivation and analysis of information remains crucial for the company to remain competitive. That is why it needs up-to-date information to give its clients so as to harness effective means in making crucial business decisions and Westye provides such information to them.

Recommendation for the Location for Maigue-Pascua’s RTW’s Expansion Essay

Introduction This document is to suggest the appropriate property to hold the expansion of Maigue-Pascua’s RTW. After their second bi-monthly meeting for this year, owners decided to pursue the building of a new branch to cater the needs of their growing number of customers. Other preparations, such as the budget allocation and manpower, are already taken care of except for the location. This recommendation report proposes several spots that would suffice the needs of the company. Background Maigue-Pascua’s RTW has been established since 2009 owned by Ms Jinky Maigue and Mr James Pascua. It offers fair-priced yet high-quality and trendsetting garments that’s suitable for their target demographic: students/teenagers. Due to the increasing demands for their products, the business partners opt to have a business expansion and to make a new image of being a top-line clothing store. Financial and marketing strategies are already made for this project but their main problem is the location. They currently have one branch, which is conveniently placed in the heart of the market. Now, they are looking for a place wherein they could offer the same convenience and is also low-priced. The partners also want to venture on broadening their market scope. Options/Proposals †¢ A stall on a mini-bazaar outside a high-end village. Located on its right side is another clothing shop and on the left are a few more vacant stalls. It costs P60000 per month. †¢ A P72000-worth of monthly rent for a stand between a bank and a drugstore near a public market. †¢ An establishment on lease for P61000 on an upscale shopping centre. It is placed near a coffee shop/bookstore and in front of the centre’s leisure park. †¢ A kiosk beside a food stall built on a public park. Its monthly rent is P50000. The expanses of all the proposed locations are all approved by the business partners. Criteria/Requirements The location should be customer-friendly, convenient, marketable, and reasonably-priced and should offer a wider market scope. Other matters, such as the expanse and the interior, were already taken into consideration on the first phase of planning. The aforementioned considerations should be followed in deciding for the location of the company’s expansion. Comparisons The points of comparisons are the following: ambience, competitions, price and demographics. Ambiance. The stall is favourable to the residents of the nearby village due to its close proximity but the atmosphere of the mini-bazaar is not fitting to the new image that the company wishes to build. The stand, on the other hand, is misplaced. The location is not suitable for an apparel store. Consequently, the air in the establishment portrays the exact change that the owners want for their business. And lastly, the kiosk sets a good mood for it is placed on a recreational area. Competitions. All of them don’t have a nearby shop that offers the same product except for the stall. Price. The prices of the four locations range from P50000-P72000. The kiosk is the cheapest and the stand is the most expensive. Demographics. The stand and the kiosk don’t meet the entity’s customer target because their locations are too public while the establishment and the stall are in line with their goal of widening their scope from the student/teenager to the upperclassmen. The latter are more likely to bring in the desired customer due to its location. Conclusion Based on the comparisons aforementioned, these conclusions were drawn: 1. The most suitable ambience is from the establishment on the shopping centre. 2. The monthly rent of the kiosk is the lowest. 3. The stall’s location is more likely to have competition. 4. The  establishment and the stall best suit the new target market of the entity. 5. The establishment gives off a good atmosphere, is reasonably-priced, has less competition and matches the new demographic of the entity. Recommendation Maigue-Pascua RTW should consider using the establishment on the shopping centre for several reasons. First, it is in sync with the new image that the entity wanted to build up. Second, it is relatively cheap for a store in a fancy centre. Third, it would help in bringing in a new demographic in the entity’s customer. Having a branch in a shopping centre is quite a huge risk but with the projected sales of the company and future influx of customers, the company will pick up in the long run.