Phytomining †Pros and Cons Essay

Phytomining describes the production of a metal crop by using high-biomass plants, which are plants that produce energy or a usable resource when burnt. Phytominers cultivate crops of a specific plant species with high concentrations of a desired metal, harvest the plant and deliver it to a furnace to burn and gather its bio-ore. As a potential alternative to environmentally destructive mining practices, phytomining has great promise to transform the way metals are extracted from the environment; however, phytomining has yet to produce metal yields that would begin to satisfy global demand. Environmental Considerations It is generally accepted that phytomining is greener than conventional mining practices. In environments with metal-contaminated soil, phytominers can recollect metal pollutants from the soil, thereby restoring the soil to health. Still, growingmass amounts of plants also takes a toll on the land used for cultivation. Industrial farming practices deplete the soil and overgrowing biocrops has the potential to permanently alter an area’s ecology. Economic Viability If the scale of production is large enough, phytomining could become a cheaper alternative to excavation, but large-scale harvesting of plants with concentrations of metal is currently more costly than extracting metals from mines. In the future, as metal prices rise and the yields from mines deplete, this could change. The shortage of metal from mines and persistent demand for metal by industry would offset the costs of initiating large-scale phytomining farm production. Growing Conditions Phytomining’s success is subject to the forces of nature. Unlike traditional excavation, phytomining is dependent on growing conditions such as the weather, altitude and soil quality. A bad growing season could wipe out an entire crop of metal-producing plants, and if global climate change alters weather patterns, the risks associated with establishing a long-term phytomining industry in an area increase. Other Considerations As with any new industry, much is unknown about the long-term effects of phytomining. For example, with a limited amount of good farming land available, what land use would be displaced to make room for a phtyomining industry? Researchers will also need to examine the effect of having metal-enhanced plants entering the food chain over time. They will also need to determine if it is possible to prevent metal runoff from the plants from entering the local water supply.

Evaluative Analysis of “Barn Burning”

William Faulkner’s short story entitled â€Å"Barn Burning† is a depressive manifestation of discrimination and oppression in the society. Many people especially slaves experienced in this kind of situation. Even if they were not convicted of any malicious act, they will become the prime suspect or the criminal of any unlawful actions towards the ruling class. Despite of the Abner’s character as a father and a worker contacted to the character of the main protagonist, Abner’s son. This story illustrated the circumstances and conflicts within the family in the eyes of a child.Sartoris loves his father so much but he could not tell his father how much because his father refuses to interact with his family due to successive problems in his work. In this case, the actions of the father always mould the situation of the family for he was the source of strength, weaknesses, failure, and success of everyone that gives unpredicted experience in each of the family members. â€Å"Barn Burning† is a story of a family who was being deprived in their society. Because the place was just a small county, every actions of each family or even a person were seen by everyone especially those in the ruling class.Abner Snopes, the father was suspected of burning the barn of his neighboring farmer. Despite of the fact that he was only suspected to do the unlawful action, he was already connoted as a â€Å"barn burner†. In a small place, they conduct a trial wherein they must know the reasons and evidences of burning the barn. They keep on asking Abner but he did not speak for his own yet, he almost remains silent and unpredictable. The Court of Peace dismissed the case and asked Abner to leave the county, which was the only way to â€Å"solve† the problem.Abner and his family went out the county. As they went away from their previous location, a new landlord and aristocrat went by their lives. Major de Spain owns the house they occupie d. He wants Abner to pay him a hundred dollars for the rent but Abner could not able to pay him that amount that is why de Spain told him to give him twenty bushels of corm from his farm to be the payment of their stay. Abner could not say anything because he knows that he has nothing to offer due to their lack of profit and their previous problem in their county.He did not accept what de Spain wanted but he did not also refused because he does not have any power over him. Satoris, Abner’s son did not want to pay de Spain because these were the only things they have. If they give it to de Spain, they will suffer more. Abner could not find a way, until one night while eating, de Spain’s rug partially burned. Abner did not know what to do; his temper went up again and releases his anger to his family especially to Satoris for it was always there to watch his actions. One day, they went to the Justice again.The Justice knew that de Spain’s rug burned because Satori s have told him, for the reason that Satoris think that it was the only way to defend his father from probable punishment due to accidental burning of the rug, but it does not happen. The Justice asked Abner to pay more than the bushels of corn because of the burned rug. Abner did not say anything that made the case dismissed again. Abner’s mind and heart was full of problems and heartache, which was seen by Satoris even if he refused to confess. Until one night, Abner decided to burn de Spain’s barn as his revenge to him for his inhumane actions towards him and his family.Abner runs toward the trees in the dark and went to de Spain’s barn. Satoris followed him but he could not find his father because of the darkness. He saw de Spain and warned him that his father would burn his barn. After de Spain heard Satoris’s confession, he went to the trees and find Abner with his horse. While Satoris was finding his father, he heard two shots of gun that made him think if this would be the assassination of his father or his brother’s gun whom to be his father’s accomplice. Due to tiredness, he did not saw his father. He went home when the sun rises and thinks of his father with fear, sadness, and revenge in his heart.Personally, I can say that the main protagonist in this story is Satoris because the story went on from his perspective as a child even if the author uses third person point of view. The narrator did not speak for the father but for the son who seemed to grow with unusual scenario and an irony of innocence and maturity within his heart and mind. After what had happened to his father, Satoris wants to comfort and give his father the strength but Abner refuses to communicate with his family especially with Satoris for he knew that he was just a child not knowing anything in the real world, which was the opposite of his recognition to his son.This scenario was seen throughout the story from the beginning up to the end that Abner did not give Satoris a chance to show his capability to help his father to minimize his circumstances. The words â€Å"get back into the wagon† were always the dialogue of Abner when he did not want Satoris to tell the truth. Aside from this, he only speaks to Satoris when he is mad as if Satoris and his family member were his punching bags. Punching bags means his way of releasing his anger by way of shouting and yelling at them. â€Å"You were fixing to tell them.You would have told him,† He didn't answer. His father struck him with the flat of his hand on the side of the head, hard but without heat, exactly as he had struck the two mules at the store, exactly as he would strike either of them with any stick in order to kill a horse fly, his voice still without heat or anger: â€Å"You're getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, an y man there this morning, would?Don't you know all they wanted was a chance to get at me because they knew I had them beat? Eh? † Later, twenty years later, he was to tell himself, † If I had said they wanted only truth, justice, he would have hit me again. † But now he said nothing. He was not crying. He just stood there. â€Å"Answer me,† his father said. (Faulkner, n. d. ) This situation is one of the most significant interactions between the father and the son where we could see that a father will always be the authority while the son will always beneath the authority’s actions and words.However, it also shows that Satoris wants to tell his father to listen to him – to what he wants to say and what he wants to make him feel despite of everything but he could not because he knew that his father was already numb by all their tragic situations. Another issue emerged in the story is the formulation of family versus morality. The contradiction b etween family and morality evolved from the beginning and developed within the middle up to the end of the story. It was a circumstance for Abner because he was the connected between the two – he was the bridge to the interrelating and opposing factors within him.Abner wanted to gain his and his family’s morality after what happened to them in the county that is why he chose to went away from their place, but the life and survival of his family was in the county, it was very hard for him to decide as the father and the ruling power. The story also demonstrated how Abner became powerful within his family where his words would be the rule while within his landlord and the justice, he was nothing but a farmer – a low class farmer without eyes to see, ears to hear, and mouth to speak.If Abner's violation of his own code is the impetus for Sarty's breaking away, why didn't the whole Snopes family run defiantly to the de Spain's home? It is because this breach of stan dards comes at an impressionable stage of Sarty's life, while he still bares â€Å"the terrible handicap of being young, the light weight of his few years . . . not heavy enough to keep him footed solid in [the world], to resist it and try to change the course of its events† (220). This â€Å"handicap† allows him, unlike the others, to see the wrong committed by his father and to strive to prevent its disastrous consequences.Many issues are needed to discuss in the story that emerged and developed throughout the flow of the narrative such as political, social, cultural, and personal aspects of the characters. In terms of political aspect, the situation within Abner and the Justice happens in reality. The Justice depends on the ruling class or the elite rather than the people who need him like Abner and his family. His dismissal of the case signifies that Abner was just a small person who cannot pay the Justice’s job as the same as what his landlord used to do to win the battle in the court.This political issue shows that there is no hope for people like Abner who needs the help of law but they close their doors because Abner cannot pay them huge amounts like those others. Social problem in this story was seen through the problem of morality. Discrimination was taken place in this story in different angles such as the discrimination towards the capabilities of a child, the discrimination towards low class people, and the discrimination towards women.Discrimination towards children can be seen within the clash between the father and the son wherein, the son cannot show what he got because he was just a kid, which was shown by his father. Discrimination towards low class people can be seen within the clash between Abner and his landlord, wherein his landlord keep on telling him that he could not be able to rise from poverty because he was a â€Å"Barn Burner† and he will always be the barn burner as long as he lives. On the other hand, the discrimination towards women can be seen through the characters of Abner’s wife, sister, and his daughters.All of them have no voice in their family. They just keep on asking themselves what is happening without any confrontation between them and Abner. The character of Abner’s wife was weak as what the narrator illustrated wherein she only used to cry and to shout when Abner is doing something unusual, but there is no resolution within her – just an explosion of her feelings through tears and yell. Cultural issues also emerged within the family. Their family culture was seen when they went to their new house. All of them have their own tasks, from the father, the mother, the aunt, up to the children.However, the emergence of the conflict did not come from their tasks but from their own beliefs as individuals. Abner’s belief as a father did not match from the belief of the mother and his son Satoris but the same with his other son whom to be his acco mplice in the end. Despite of the fact that they are a family, their culture did not match from one another, which resulted more problems and conflicts between them. Personal issues were the primary problem in the story. All of the characters have their own problems, fears, and failures as individuals.Even if they get along as a family, they tend to clash because of their own perspectives and ideologies that are different from one another. Aside from these, their personal issues increased because of their environmental issues or their issues within their environment such as the people around them. Through this, personal issues became the real point of attack of each character to establish their characterization. When it comes to the characters in the story, protagonists correlate one another in order to build their own depiction. However, the father made its character become part of each of the characters in the story.His actions and words manifest significantly towards the realizat ions and ideologies of other characters especially his family. His words became the rule; his scream was the echo of the house, while his face became the image of law in their house. â€Å"If you ain't going to tote, go on and set up the wash pot,† the first said. â€Å"You, Sarty! † the second shouted. â€Å"Set up the wash pot! † His father appeared at the door, framed against that shabbiness, as he had been against that other bland perfection, impervious to either, the mother's anxious face at his shoulder.â€Å"Go on,† the father said. â€Å"Pick it up. † The two sisters stooped, broad, lethargic; stooping, they presented an incredible expanse of pale cloth and a flutter of tawdry ribbons. â€Å"If I thought enough of a rug to have to git hit all the way from France I wouldn't keep hit where folks coming in would have to tromp on hit,† the first said. They raised the rug, â€Å"Abner, † the mother said. â€Å"Let me do it. † â€Å"You go back and git dinner,† his father said. â€Å"I'll tend to this. † (Faulkner, n. d. ) As a whole, all the characters in the story were mould based on the character of Abner.His weaknesses, strengths, failure, and success became their foundation to have their own perspective in life. Despite of the fact that they have encountered cultural, political, personal, and social issues, all of them are connected to the execution of Abner in different situations even the Justice and the landlord expose its character to make the life of Abner more miserable. Justification towards this issue can be seen throughout the story where all their eyes were set to Abner’s actions and expressions.Therefore, I can say that fatherhood is a sensitive responsibility towards family and morality. A man’s family always depends on his strategies and capabilities as the provider of his home. However, his capability to discriminate the strengths of his family members is a lso an emerging conflict for the reason that because of his power, he tends to dominate their own principles without recognizing that it may be the solution to their problem, which resulted failure, inconvenience, and miscommunication within the family. Works CitedFaulkner, William. â€Å"Barn Burning. † Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1997. 216-30. Faulkner, William â€Å"Barn Burning by William Faulkner† (n. d. ) Retrieved on October 30, 2007 from http://www. nku. edu/~peers/barnburning. htm Meyers, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Boston, MA: Bedford Books of St. Martin’S Press, 1999. ________. â€Å"Barn Burning:† Family vs. Morality. (n. d. ) Retrieved on October 30, 2007 from http://members. aol. com/danieledg1/barn. html

Atticus Finch Essay Example for Free (#2)

Atticus Finch Essay Atticus Finch Abraham Lincoln once said, â€Å"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.† Atticus Finch, in many ways, lives this quote everyday by understanding what has to be done today in order to avoid future consequences of today’s mistakes. Atticus is a kind-hearted, slow-tempered, wise man, who always knows the right thing to say. In the story, one can deduce that Atticus Finch is a kind-hearted man who knows what to do in order to fix the toughest of problems. The author remarks, â€Å"There was a brown book and some yellow tablets on the solicitor’s table, Atticus’s was bare† (138). This statement explains how Atticus is always prepared to do what is right, and still be humane about what point he is trying to get across. Therefore, Atticus must also set the example for his children by showing that he has a kind heart, so maybe his two children would learn to follow; however, in the story he is faced with many obstacles on the way, reducing his time spent trying to do the right thing. Atticus definitely knows how to react under pressure. In the story the author writes, â€Å"Miss Stephanie said Atticus didn’t even bat an eye, just took out his handkerchief and wiped his face and stood there and let Mr. Ewell call him names wild horses could not bring her to repeat† (185). This is a perfect example of Atticus having a long fuse. Even though Mr. Ewell cussed him until the cows came home, Atticus took it calmly and was relieved that Mr. Ewell finally got his steam out from the case. Whenever he is in trouble, he reacts calmly because he knows in the end it will all blow over. Atticus is obviously a very wise man, who can get the job done. In the part of the story with Mrs. Dubose, Atticus states, â€Å"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what† (93). Atticus uses many quotes like this in the book, all consisting of the wisest comments out of the whole story. In this quote Atticus is lecturing Jem after he is finished reading his book to Mrs. Dubose, and Jem realizes that Atticus was talking about him. He also said he would have made him do it eventually anyway, just to show him what real courage was, even if he would not have destroyed Mrs. Dubose’s flowers. The author indirectly says that Atticus knows what he is saying. As I have stated, Atticus is a kind-hearted, slow-tempered, and wise beyond his year’s sort of man. Atticus is the ideal human being in the story. He is also the stories main protagonist, showing all the characteristics of a gentleman. Atticus Finch. (2016, Mar 25). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

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FGM - Essay Example l such as doctors and midwives have performed the ritual, mostly for financial gain in countries including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, and Nigeria. It is also practiced among the immigrants in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States of America (Kontoyannis and Katsetos, p.32). It is called mutilation because there is no medical reason to remove otherwise healthy and useful organs of the body (Kontoyannis and Katsetos, p.32). FGM is a procedure that has no health benefits on girls or woman, causes severe psychological and physiological problems and it is most practiced in Africa as a cultural ritual. Moreover, Elizabeth Bransfield in her case studies involving FGM in ‘Gender, Anthropology and Religion’ argues that it is a religious ritual and cultural issue. Yet, I argue that it is overlooked that the ritual has no medical reasons because the female body is adversely harmed. Psychologically, the victim of FGM suffers a lot of pain during the procedure which is done mostly in unhygienic conditions and without anesthetic. Also, the removal of the clitoris is painful due to its having a lot of nerve endings. Injuries to the genital area could also leave scars on the victim’s body considering that the procedure is undertaken mostly unprofessionally, in poor lighting and at times in the bush. (Momoh, p.78). The thrashed, fearful and screaming victims could easily aggravate the injuries put on them by the operations of personnel who are not trained in handling medical cases. Lack of medical facilities could also result in dire consequences, including death in case of complications. Infections due to the use of unhygienic procedures is a common side effect that arises due to the use of unhygienic tools, dirty herbs or untested traditional medicines. Death and diverse medical conditions such as bacterial infections which result from the many underlying c onditions under which FGM is done. When the

Current Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Health Care Reform - Essay Example Under this plan, the government will increase the amount of money taxed to people, and insurance companies will also play a crucial role. The plan is to be fully implemented in 2014, and several legal specifications indicate that it would influence the most of people in a good way as compared to a variety of issues which they normally reject since they assume they are costly. For those who cannot get insurance, there will be a sliding scale of subsidies created to help pay their premiums (Miranda, 2010). Under this plan, pre-existing conditions will not be used by insurance firms to refuse to pay up on health claims. The government will fund Medicare even more by adding 250 dollars to be used in covering prescriptions. Pursuant to this, it is projected that those who paid 100 percent will only be required to pay 25 percent by the year of 2012. This is projected to cost the government the excess of 938 billion within the next 10 years (Andrews, 2012). Furthermore, under the Patient Pr otection and affordable Care Act plan, more lavish benefits of Medicare, such as gym membership, hearing aids and the likes, are not planned to have been cut. Increases in taxes can also be seen in the fact that, for instance, couples making 250,000 annually will be taxed 1.45 to 2.35 by the year 2013. People with higher incomes will be taxed at the rate of 2.8 percent on the income that is not earned, such as interest and dividends (Miranda, 2010). Those enjoying indoor tanning facilities will be compelled to pay 10 percent more in taxes. The main influence behind the health care bill was, of course, President Barrack Obama whose administration has been instrumental in pushing for and promoting these health reforms. In congress, the bill has not been popular but the Democrats have put their weight behind the bill, since they insist it aims at ensuring all citizens will access to health insurance. In 2011 the final vote was 220 to 207 with all the Republicans voting against, but the bill eventually passed (Andrews, 2012). It actually makes employers play a greater role in the provision of their employees with health insurance. As a matter of fact, passing the bill was not an easy job as the process was fraught with political interferences and parties’ politics. In 2011, the Senate repealed the bill but the Supreme Court overturned this appeal. In an unexpected move, Justice Roberts voted for the bill justifying his reasoning by saying that the Constitution allows Congress to, whether based on actions or inactions, assess taxes. This had great influence in saving the plan from the opposition of the Republicans. In the Senate, the bill has been favored by the majority of Democrats who have supported the bill. While the Republicans consider it an unnecessary and expensive tax, the supporters of Democrats claim that it should not be repealed, since it would take away medical care for millions. Public opinion is divided and is expected to be reflected in the November elections. Republicans are using the opposition for this to rally people against Obama in the re-election. In fact, the plan is tailored to fit with the majority’s requirement and, since it will provide cheaper insurance and health cover for millions, a sizeable number will support it. When Romney tried to tell an audience of voters that the Republicans would do away with Obama’s health reforms, he was booed. This is the evidence that quite a

Compare and contrast the beliefs separating the two sides in the Irish Essay

Compare and contrast the beliefs separating the two sides in the Irish Civil War (1922-23) - Essay Example As a matter of fact, even the new parliamentarians of the Free State were entailed to swear their loyalty to the British King/Queen. (1) The Country was divided into two halves owing to the issues resulting from the Treaty – one side arguing that this Pact conforms to the long-term interests of Ireland and the other strongly disagreeing with it. Despite best efforts of both the sides, mainly from the Pro-Pact one, to bring about an amicable solution to the issue, the Civil War could not be avoided. The War was eventually won by the group favoring the Treaty. It (War) led to severe bloodshed and devastation, the likes of which were without a precedent at that point of time of Ireland’s history. Additionally, the strong repercussions of the Civil War can be seen exercising their impact on the political scenario of even the present-day Ireland. (1) It needs to be noted that the root cause for the origin of any conflict leading to a large scale war is the varying ideology and diverse beliefs of various groups, with the Irish Civil War being no exception to this thumb rule. The respective beliefs of both the sides involved in this battle were diametrically opposite to each other. At this juncture, it would be worthwhile to be briefly analyzing these ideologies, so as to develop an apt understanding about the reasons triggering such a big war. For the group abiding by the Treaty, it (Treaty) was considered to be supporting the form of democracy where citizens have the right to vote, while the opposing side viewed the pact as a collective conspiracy designed to further strengthen the British presence in Ireland. From the viewpoint of the anti-Treaty faction, the democracy that the supporters claimed to be resulting (from the Treaty), was a weak system relying heavily on the protection offered by the UK. (2) The opponents were primarily driven by their firm conviction that it is solely their political ideology, which would pave the way for

Healthcare Interpersonal Communication Research Paper

Healthcare Interpersonal Communication - Research Paper Example Communication is important in practically all human endeavors, especially in the provision of healthcare. The Mental and Physical Health Platform noted that â€Å"better communication and cooperation between medical disciplines, careers, families and service users, must be prioritized to ensure a 360 ° approach to mental and physical health† (Bowis et al., n.d., p. 1). All those involved in healthcare- health professionals, patients and family members should be able to communicate well as part of good practices in improved recognition, monitoring, diagnosis and management of health problems. Likewise, the Mental and Physical Health Platform recognized that implementation of â€Å"measures for improved health literacy, access to better health promoting services, information and advice on lifestyle changes and other factors â€Å" is pat of empowering the â€Å"service users together with their families and careers†. Definitely, effective communication is vital in thi s empowerment. Ensuring effective communication is a great task which should be pursued by the healthcare providers. There are communication problems which have to be identified, and properly solved to guarantee the desired results in healthcare provision and management: health, survival and quality of life. â€Å"The relationship between patient-clinician communication and outcomes of care is, from a conceptual standpoint, one of the least developed areas of communication research† (Pathways from Communication to Health Outcomes: Mediators and Moderators, n.d., p. 56). Applications of interventions and other solutions to communication problems are vital to healthcare provision and management. Identification of barriers and other interpersonal communication problems and their possible solutions, between and among healthcare professionals and patients will improve delivery of healthcare services. There are three types of Interpersonal communication (IPC), namely, caring/socio- emotional communication, diagnostic communication/problem solving and counseling According to De Negri et al. (1995, p. 15), effective IPC is the one resulting in the following outcomes: 1. The patient discloses enough information about the illness to lead to an accurate diagnosis. 2. The provider, in consultation with the client, selects a medically appropriate treatment acceptable to the client. 3. The client understands his or her condition and the prescribed treatment regimen. 4. The provider and the client establish a positive rapport. 5. The client and the provider are both committed to fulfilling their responsibilities during treatment and follow-up care. Nevertheless, the aforementioned outcomes cannot be perceived as the guiding line within the context of effective communication. These steps generally include encouraging a two-way dialogue, establishing a partnership between patient and provider, creating an atmosphere of caring, bridging any social gaps between provider an d client, accounting for social influences, effectively using verbal and non-verbal communication, and allowing patients ample time to tell their story (De Negri et al., 1995, p. 15). COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS â€Å"Poor communication has been shown to lead to disruptions in continuity of care, delayed diagnoses and duplication of or unnecessary interventions† (Astrom et al., 2007, p. 279). In the study of Astrom et al. (2007, pp. 279-285), it was shown that communication between individuals

Culture& work in the modern world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture& work in the modern world - Essay Example In the book The Lonely Londoners by Samuel Selvon, a story of West Indian migrants is told where the issues of acculturation are explored. Coming to London is seen as a move towards opportunity. One of the people in the book, Moses, holds a transitional role for the other from his culture. He helps migrants from West India as they try to learn how to function within their new environment. Selvon states â€Å"And so like a welfare officer, Moses scattered the boys around London† (25). The purpose of spreading them throughout the city was so that acculturation could be better achieved and so they would not congregate in such a way as to create an ethno-centric population that could cause problems in relationships between the many cultures that are in London. Moses has described this world of London for its varieties of cultures as it â€Å"divide up in little worlds, and you stay in the world where you belong to and you don't know anything about what happening in the other ones except what you read in the papers† (Selvon 60). ... Through the opportunities that exist in a large city within a successful, Western country, an attraction occurs to those who live in places that do not have the same level of opportunity. After World War II, the colonized nations under British rule who had sent men to fight the war found an opportunity waiting for them at the end of the service as they discovered that Britain considered the people to be citizens of their society, thus allowing them to freely move to London, if that is what they wished. Jamaica, a country that has seen a great deal of hardship, found that many of her citizens were willing to move to England to take advantage of whatever opportunities they could find there. The novel, Small Island by Andrea Levy follows the lives of four people as they navigate issues of multi-ethnic acculturation during the aftermath of World War II. The nature of a city in which the many different culture collide, changing one another and developing something new in each incarnation is explored through the tales of four people who intersect during that time period. Queenie, a character from the book by Levy, begins the story with a tale from her childhood. She states â€Å"I thought I’d been to Africa† (Levy 1). This story that she relates as it reveals an episode in her life where there had been an exhibition within Britain that provided for the recreation of the countries of the world so that as you turned each corner you felt you were experiencing another culture. She thought she had actually been to Africa, the nature of the culture impacting her in such a way as she read it as a state of existence rather than as a geographic place. This understanding of how a culture is not a geographic location

Potential Project Scope Management Problems Essay

Potential Project Scope Management Problems - Essay Example This is a situation which happens when new constraints are added on a project that was not present at the beginning of the project, and particularly at the initial planning phases. These may include new entries such as gadgets. Even though in most cases project necessities may alter as a result of justifiable reasons like those linked to technology and adjustments in consumer needs, managers encounter scope creep because they have some unplanned additions added on the initially budgeted roles (Hallows, 2002). With the growth in the scope of a project, more tasks need to be accomplished within the schedule and budget initially designed for a tinier set of tasks. In this sense, scope creep can make a project team to overrun its initial schedule and budget. To solve this problem, analysts should clearly define the process, the related terms, and the process boundaries. In addition, managers should realize that particular aspects of the project can make it too large to manage and thus co nduct a precise check on the interfaces in the project (Schwalble, 2006). Another potential problem in this context is the lack of smooth communication procedures with stakeholders. This occurs when managers tend to please some people, while forgetting to balance stakeholder wishes with the limitations realized within the framework of the up-to-date project. Miscommunication with stakeholders may lead to misinterpretation in terms of design and requirements. Additionally, it ultimately results in a situation whereby the interested parties are not totally satisfied with the accomplished task (Moustafaev, 2010). The best way to avoid this problem from occurring is by encouraging a close working condition between project managers and project shareholders so that everything needed and expected by both parties is realized. Alternatively, stakeholders can suggest alterations or spell out requirements precisely prior to executing the project. Such a move does not only assist in avoiding an other previously experienced problem, but also enhances a good working environment for the team, the project manager, and the stakeholders from the very start (Dubey, 2009). Nothing disrupts the process of project scope like managers poorly defining the project scope. The problem is made when the manager defines the implementation as opposed to the need of the scope. If the need changes with time, he can fail to know the exact requirements and therefore cannot develop a product to achieve a moving goal. If a manager does not clearly define the scope of the project from the beginning, he would â€Å"kill† the project. Such a product will have little or no chance to realize any productive benefits to the company. As soon as the planning phase starts, a manager should ensure that he sports out and describes all tasks that are significant in the productivity of the project. He should also make sure that the entire team has a deep understanding of what is anticipated during the pr oject. Permission for suitable administrative control during the management procedure of the project is also an important consideration. Generally, the project manager ought to keep a close check on the project charter and several other pre-planning files so that a concise but useful scope statement can

Business Environment Essay Example for Free

Business Environment Essay Executive Summary This report provides an overall analysis on the types of organizations and their functions, performance of Superdry limited, market economies, international trade and how UK businesses are effected by the emerging market like BRIC countries. This report comprises 3 major tasks which includes explanation of the types of organizations and their nature. Organizations are mainly divided into 2 categories they are public organizations run under government e.g. public limited companies (plc) and private organizations operated by the private individual’s e. g. sole trader. People who are interested in the operations of the organizations are known as stakeholders e.g. shareholders, employees, customers, competitors etc. It a responsibility of the organization to fulfill their needs and interest if  they want to run the business in its most effective manner. In addition, it is important for large companies like Superdry ltd to have mission vision aims and objective of the business to know why they are existing in the market. A clear understanding of the company and its market provides better knowledge which can be used to operate the business in full potential. The report also highlights on the different type of economic system present in the current economy. Economic system is concerned with how the economy is going to use the scarce resources to gain maximum satisfaction. They are market, command and mixed economic system. For the countries to gain fast economic growth the government implies economical tools like fiscal and monetary policies to achieve macro-economic objective s like sustainable economic growth, price stability, trade surplus, equal distribution of income etc. Furthermore, report also contains about the benefits and drawbacks of the international trade by taking Superdry as an example. International trade is a good way for business to make high profits by selling their goods at wider market. But this depends on whether the people will buy good as the culture and taste of people may differ. Especially in emerging markets, as they have unstable economic environment which can hinder the flow of functions on firm. The reports also summarizes condition about the debt crises of EU and how it is effecting the UK businesses. As EU plays are big role in UK exports and the economy. Introduction Business environment is the study of how the business is effected by the  Economical, Political, Social, Technology by the operation of the business. It is important for business to have a clear understanding of its internal and external environment to take effective decision making and operation. Superdry is a clothing company operating in the UK and international fashion market. The company is well known for its quality and price of the brand. They have been continuously growing ever since they have entered the market. Their aim is to grow in UK and online market and always tried to outperform the competition. There are 2 types of organization in the market i.e. private and public organizations. These organization have unique goals for each. Superdry will have shareholder who must be satisfied at all cost if the company want to run on profit. The report has mentioned about the different type of economic system with characteristics and policies which government can use to balance the economies. Moreover, about the importance of trade internationally, especially in emerging market like BRIC countries. It advisable to conduct research on the market before a firm enter due to different market conditions. Task one 1.Organizations Organization is a group of people collaborating together for achieving particular goal or task (Kokemuller, N. 2014). In a business, organizations are divided in 2 main groups they are public sector organization and private sector organization. Public sector organizations are owned and controlled by government. They are usually nonprofit making organization created to serve the public. While private sector organizations are profit maximizing firms operated under private individuals. Types of organization: i.Sole trader A sole trader is a business owned and controlled under a single ownership. This is the most common form of any start up business. Here the owners will enjoy all the profits and loss generated by the company. The business is relatively easy to set up as few capital is needed to operate the business. Decisions are taken much faster with no influence of outside persons but  only by the owner of the business. The business can keep a good customer relationship as owners can personally keep interaction with customers thus allowing the business adapt to market changes faster. However, sole proprietorship business cannot generate a high profit as much as big companies does. The owners will have unlimited liability, this means the owner is liable for all the debts of the business, even to the extent of selling his own personal positions as there is no separate legal entity, the owner and business are considered to be one. Lack of creativity and innovation will exist as single owner is making the all the decisions and there is no guarantee that all decisions taken by him will result in profitable for the business. Less members in the business also reduces the amount of capital invested furthermore, this also results in more workload for the owner as he/she only have to deal with business activities. Life span of the business will end with the death of the owner. (The times 100. 1995-2014) ii.Partnership A group of people interact together for achieve particular objective or a goal is known as partnership. In here all the profit and loss made by the business is shared among the partners according to the law of agreement made between them. The agreement should be either verbal or written. Some of the things which includes in agreement are the profit and loss sharing ratio, capital invested, roles and responsibilities of partners, partners private information’s. The business must have at least have 2 members and can add up new members up to 20. Decisions are taken after the consulting with the partners therefore, this will slow the decision making process due to conflicts between them. Resulting slow adaptation to market changes. But in partnership they can invest more capital to the business helping to achieve more growth in future. Partnership allow partners to share skills and workload between them thus making them complete work faster. Partners can bring in new ideas into bu siness allowing it to be more innovative and creative. In partnership there will be at least one partner having unlimited liability and one who is having limited liability. (The times 100. 1995-2014) iii.Public limited company (plc) A plc is a large scale operating company issuing shares to the public and is controlled under the shareholders of the business. Before the business becomes a plc it must be registered under the Memorandum of Association specifying the business is public. This type of business is very expensive to set up and many formalities have to be filled before it can gain the license of plc. The shares issued by the company must be at least 50000 pound. Shareholders can enjoy limited liability as it have spate legal entity form its owners. Moreover, as plc is large scale operating company this gives more assurance for the banks and other institutes, that they will pay the loan amount making it easier for the company to borrow loan in big mount and can use that for future expansion of the business. There are some drawback of plc, it is difficult to operate due to more number of shareholders. The company cannot respond to changes in the industry as any decision made by the business is after consulting with shareholders which can slow down business operations. The biggest drawback is that the original owner of the business will lose absolute control over the activities business and the overall profit of the business must be shared among the shareholders which can result in low profit for the original owner. Death of a shareholder cannot will not affect the business operations. (Merchant, P. 2014) 2.Responsibilities of stakeholders in Superdry Stakeholders are group of people having interest in the activities of the business. They can be either external stakeholders or internal stakeholders. External stakeholders are the people who are outside the business environment, e.g. government, social groups. While internal stakeholders are the people who are inside the business environment. They can be directly affected by the activity of business, e.g. shareholders, employees. (The times 100. 1995-2014) Figure 1 Types of stakeholders Customers: Customers are the most important stakeholders in the business. Without them there is no meaning of doing business. When a customer buys a product service the most common aspect they look for is the quality of the  goods/service, reasonable price and customer service. For any business waiting to run in profit, it must satisfy the needs of their customer. (The times 100. 1995-2014) Superdry have given lot of efforts on making their customer satisfied. Better customer service was one main point triggering the success of the company. This includes, fast online delivering, guarantee the quality of products, if any faults occur in the delivering process they will try to solve it as fast as they could. Customers was kept as their first priority, as happy customers will build brand loyalty which in turn create a good image of business and thus increase profit. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) Suppliers: Suppliers are the people who are delivering raw materials or other production materials to the company. A company must have a good supply chain ensuring a smooth inflow of stock in business. As any delay caused by the suppliers will affect the business production. (The times 100. 1995-2014) Superdry have always tried to keep a good relationship with its supplier and takes seriously its roles and responsibilities and aim to ensure that’s their suppliers and manufacturers are following the local and international legislation and use the best practice for ethical trading. The Superdry also uses ‘hands-on-approach’ being actively engage in checking whether the raw products are delivered from responsible business partner. It’s a good practice as this will ensure that the supplier won’t deliver cheap or faulty goods knowingly or unknowingly. As a result this will help Superdry to maintain good reputation and avoid unnecessary problems. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) Employees: Employees are the most important assets of any business. A well skilled and motivated workforce will help the business to maintain a good performance and increase the profit. They can affect growth of the business since their pay levels and their job security will depend on the profitability of the business. Superdry have kept a good employee loyalty by practicing ethical labour practices respecting the rights of their employees. These include independency creation of association, no forced employment, safe and healthy  working environment, no discrimination between employees regarding their gender or religion, fair wages, no physical maltreatment, reasonable working hours, no child labours and given job security as with the agreement made between employer and employees. The company also provides training to its employees to improve their knowledge and skill which in turn can increase the productivity of the business. Healthy workforce will generate more profits and help to sustain its growth in future. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) 3.Superdry Superdry is a company operating in the fashion industry selling their goods internationally. Ever since the company was set up it have outperformed competitions and gained popularity and recognitions throughout UK and internationally. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) The mission of the company was to grow in youth fashion industry of UK and world market by offering premium quality clothing and accessories for both men and women with an affordable price. The company have continued grow its market share throughout UK and internationally by opening new stores and through internet. Since the flotation in London stock exchange in 2010, the business is focusing its strategy on 5 important areas. This includes roll-out of standalone stores in UK and Europe, developing online offer (20% internet growth annually), expanding the international business, extending product range and developing an infrastructure that delivers profitable growth and operational efficiency. They are achieving this by building brand awareness by proving currency websites and franchise roll-outs. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) The group has also had goals of providing better working environment to its employees and have given lot of care to improve their performance. Furthermore, by giving best customer service and offering quality product with reasonable price. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) The group have gained 313.8 million profit in 2012 while 237.9 million in 2011. That’s a growth of 31.9% in the revenue of the company. (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) Task two 1.Economic systems An economic system is production and allocation of good and service inside the economy by using it scarce resources to gain maximum satisfaction in the economy. They can achieve this by answering 3 fundamental question arising inside the economy they are, what to produce? How to produce? For who to produce? There are basically 3 main types of economic system found in the economy. (Griffin, D. 2014). They are; Figure 2 Types of economic system Command/planned economic system Command economic system is where the government decide how to allocate resources inside the economy. The 3 fundamental questions in the economy are answered by the state itself. In the modern world, only very few countries like china, North Korea follow this economic system. (Griffin, D. 2014). This economic system is proven to be beneficial as it help to stabilize the development of the economy. All resources in the economy will be fully utilize, thus resulting full employment. The goal of this system is to provide the basic goods to the people and improve their overall standard of living and reducing the occurrence of disturbances in the economy. It balanced economy between rich and poor. Most of the production firms are run under government thus allowing sale of good at lower price which can be affordable to everyone. The government will be more efficient at mobilizing economies resources in a large scale and can carry out big projects much easily to increase the growth rate of the economy. In addition, this also eliminates the existence of self-interest and welfare generating population which can hinder the stability of the economy. However, this system uses strict rules and regulation to control the economy, resulting loss of freedom of individuals. Private individuals are discourage to start new businesses thus reducing competition in the market. Low competition will demoralize firms to become more innovative and creative in their production. People will not get many choices, whatever the government produce they must buy, resulting inefficient allocation of resources. Moreover as the firm is nonprofit making organization, they won’t try to reduce their cost by applying latest production methods, again resulting productive inefficiency in the economy. Mixed economic system In here both the government and the market will decide how to allocate resources in the economy. The 3 fundamental questions are answered by both government and market itself. This mean the economic system will comprise ownership of both private and public sector enterprises. Thus overcoming the draw backs of planned and market economic system. There are many countries following this system e.g. Maldives, Sri Lanka etc. (Griffin, D. 2014). The mixed economy will allow the resources to be fully utilize at its optimum level. Even though private sector play’s major role in the usage and production and provision of goods and service, the government will monitor their movement checking whether the private companies are following ethical practices in production or not. Private firms are encourage to become more innovate and creative at their work providing low price goods due to competitive market. Producers and consumers will have sovereignty of choosing between goods which are more appealing to them. However there may be chances of occurring unethical markets supplying harmful good to the economy. Government then can apply stick rules and regulations to control those unethical practices. Unequal distribution of income may occur as people who own the firms will become wealthier than people who are working under them. In here, the government plays role only by proving goods which are under provided by the private firms, usually unprofitable businesses like providing street light facilities, or building roads etc. Market economic system In market economic system free market allocates resources in the economy. The three fundamental questions are answered by the market itself. In here the role of government is limited and the resources are utilized in its maximum potential. This is most common form of economic system followed by many countries in the world including India, UK and Kenya. (Griffin, D. 2014). In this economic system most of the firms are owned by private individuals. They are is existence of high competition among firm on achieving biggest market. People are having many choices for goods and service. All the firms are trying to reduce their cost as much as they can and provide the goods which are demanded by the consumers if they want to survive in the market, which in turn increases the innovation and creativity of firms. Higher competition will cut down inefficient firms in the economy. Thus resulting  best utilization of resources. However, as firms want to reduce their cost of production they may adapt capital intensive method of production which can reduce the employment level. Relatedly affecting the standard living of people and can widen the gap between the poor and rich. Which is not a good sight for any developing economy as it may drag down its growth rate. Cut down of firms can result in waste of resources as they are now unemployed and unused. In here government plays role only when it’s necessary. Like with the provision of important sectors like military, banking sector etc., which must be run under the state. They also will create laws which must be followed by the firms if they want to operate in the market. 2.Fiscal and monetary policy Fiscal and monetary policies are tools used by government to stabilize the economic conditions of the country. This includes achieving macro-economic objectives like full/higher employment, low inflation, surplus balance of payments, sustainable economic growth and higher standard of living. (Kenny, T. 2014) Fiscal policy is by changing government spending and taxes bring maximum welfare to the economy. Whereas monetary policy influence the spending of saving of people by varying the interest rate concerning with the current situation of economy. (Kenny, T. 2014) Figure 3 Trade Cycle GDP Boom Recovery Recession Slump Time As shown in the figure 3, when the economy is in recession, they will experience high rate of unemployment, low inflation or deflation, low GDP (Gross Domestic Product), unsustainable economic growth, low income and wealth of economy and lower standard of living. As economy is in recession the government can use expansionary fiscal policy. That is increasing government spending and reducing the tax rate of economy to increase the real income of the people (Kenny, T. 2014). Reduction in income tax will  encourage people to spent more thus increasing the demand. The government can also give subsides to firms in order to overcome the high cost and use it for innovation of the product leading to higher efficiency and employment in the economy. Higher demand motivates producers to produce and supply more goods to the economy, which in turn increasing the employment and overall GDP inside the economy. Moreover, government can use monetary policy to reduce the interest rate supporting producers to take on more loans to improve the efficiency of production and so on. Lower interest rate will suppress people to save more and spent less. It also will cause to equalize balance of payment as import will reduce while exports increase. Opposite conditions apply when the economy is in boom period. People are tend have more income thus increasing the aggregate demand. At this stage the inflation is tend to be very high, negative balance of payments will occur as imports are more than the exports. So to stop the economy form over heating government will apply the theory of contractionary fiscal policy. That is spending less and taking more money form the economy (Kenny, T. 2014). Higher tax rate will cause people to spend less on the goods and service. Thus controlling high demand and price of the economy. The government can also apply the concept of monetary policy to increase the interest rate to further tighten the level of pay. Higher interest rate will encourage people to save more and spent less, in addition this will also attracts foreign investors to invest in the economy. Nonetheless, high interest rate can cause people to import more since the value of currency is increased. Before government practice these theories they must be aware of the multipliers in the economy. Incorrect usage of the policies sometimes results in collapsed economy. 3.Effects of fiscal and monetary policies on Superdry Changes in the fiscal and monetary policies can have a massive effect on the overall performance of the Superdry, as it is related with the spending power of both consumers and producers. First of all, for an instance if the government apply expansionary fiscal policy this will help business to gain more benefit. Here, the government will increase its spending and reduce the tax rate. Which in turn can increase the spending power of people thus  leading to higher demand for the Superdry product. Lower corporation tax rate will also allow Superdry to enjoy higher net earnings and spend more on future development of the company. Nevertheless, contractionary fiscal policy will have a whole negative effect on the company. As contractionary fiscal policy will reduce the income of the economy by reducing government spending and increasing tax. Thus leading to lower demand for the company product. Additionally, profit of Superdry will be reduced due to new tax increments, effecting the fu ture development and performance of the company. Secondly, as Superdry is online and internationally operating company, changes in the monetary policy can affect its international trade. Higher interest rate can cause the currency value to appreciate causing the Superdry product to be more expensive, making it be less competitive in the world market. The demand for Superdry product will reduce if the price is high. The price of share likely to increase in the stock market due to higher interest rate. Likewise, high interest rate can make it expensive for Superdry to borrow loan form banks in huge amounts, thus causing to slow down the future development of the company. Nonetheless, low interest rate depreciate currency value which can then make Superdry products to be more price advantages due to low price. The company will be able to take on loans as interest are low. Also lower interest rate will reduce the Superdry share price. Task four 1.Effects of international trade on Superdry International trade is the exchange of capital, goods and service across borders of different nations. Super group business aims itself to establish its presence in wide range of geographical boundary’s through combination of building of stores, concessions, franchises, licenses and the internet. Spain, Greece, Hong Kong, South Korea, Swaziland are some countries which Superdry operates internationally. There are many advantages and disadvantages of international trading for Superdry. (Chand, S. 2014), (SuperdryGroup.plc. 2012) Superdry can gain many benefits by marketing its products internationally. This includes expanding their market by selling  its products to a wider range of people in different nations. If the lifecycle of the Superdry products in the current market are in saturation stage, the company can market its product into a new market before the life of the product is decline. This will help the business to sustain its growth and profit for a longer period. Ad ditionally, this allows the company to use the foreign resources and diversify its risks among the countries. For an instance, if one of Superdry branch makes loses this can be covered up by the profit made by another branch in another country. Thus gaining competitive advantage over its competitors. However there are some drawbacks which Superdry had to face in trading internationally. The most influential factor was the cultural and traditional change of people. Different countries adapt different life style due to culture, tradition, religion, climate etc. it was expensive and time consuming for Superdry to conduct research on each market. Furthermore, the company had to adjust with the law system which can be hard as laws will differ in each country. Some governments don’t support the foreign firms and use higher tax rates and strict rules to protect domestic firms and dive away the foreign firms. The Group overseas performance has achieved a significance growth in the year 2011. After the acquisition of SuperGroup with Europe BVBA (Besloten Vennootschap met Beperkte AansprakelikheidP) the SuperGroup have gain 83% of international growth due to the assistance, knowledge and experience given by them. (SuperdryGrou p.plc. 2012) 2.UK business in emerging markets Emerging markets are developing economies which are having some of the features of developed counties like fast economic growth in GDP, strong financial and physical infrastructure. According to World Bank the BRIC countries are known to be world’s fastest emerging markets. They are Brazil, Russia, India and China. UK is considered to as developed country. (Kuepper, J. 2014). According to corporate council magazine; UK has ranked itself as the work 6th largest economy and trading nation and second in exporting service. For a UK business to enter these emerging markets are tend be far risky. As the economic condition of these countries are unstable. Changes in political and legal environment can disrupt the smooth functioning of the  firm. For an instance a UK firm entering to Indian market have to deal with different traditions and culture. So to understand the market firms have to conduct market research which is both expensive and time consuming. There will be existence of some laws which can prevent UK firms to operate as their government first priority would be to protect and support the domestic producers rather than foreign investors. By applying high entry barriers and tax will discourage firms to operate in the market. High competition can also be a risky factor as Indian firm knows better about the changes in their market and how should they reach to it. Even though there are risk operating in emerging markets, there are many benefits which business can enjoy. UK is known to be more technically advanced. Therefore they can use advanced technology as their competitive advantage to produce high quality good at lower price. Which can then be used to drive off inefficient firms thus reducing competition. The firms also will be able to use the country’s resources and enjoy the low price rate to buy raw materials. Furthermore, these countries are having high rate of unemployment as the countries can’t make as many jobs equivalent to number of unemployed. Thus creating large supply of cheap labour. So there are room for government to support UK firms to operate in market to create job opportunities by gi ving more subsidies, reducing the tax rate and other trade barriers. 3.European Union effects on UK firms European economic and monetary union, commonly known as European Union (EU) is a group of European counties joining together to form a common market. There are currently 28 member countries in EU. Some the features of the EU are free transfer of goods, labour, capital and service among them, and following one currency, i.e., euro. The aims of the EU is to create efficiency, achieve higher economic growth, freedom, equity, application of rules and regulations made for protecting human right and dignity. (Amandeo, K. 2014) In the 2008 the EU have faced with a high debt crisis which had led to European Union economies to collapse. Due to the inefficient use of the fiscal and monetary policy the government have faced with a high debt which they are unable to pay. The year 2008 Greece have faced with a heavy debt. As they didn’t had proper structure for government spending and taxation.  They continuously went on spending on public and reduced it tax rate. Finally resulting a budget deficit. Furthermore, the interest rate was very low encouraging people to spent more and save less. Thus increasing the inflation and causing a negative balance of payment. In order for the government to overcome the budget and trade deficit they went on taking loan form the ECB (European Central Bank) leading to credit crunch. Low economic performance and interest rate have made lenders to think that they will not get their money asking them to demand for higher interest rate. Further worsening the situation. In 2010 including Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy have gone through speculative attacks making the economy to become unstable, increasing unemployment, unstable price effecting the economic and social wealth and efficiency of the economy. This have massively effected the UK economic condition as EU is the main exporter for UK firms. Unstable and low economic performance of EU have led to cut down on UK exports. Thus leading to lower production and high cost. They have reduced number of employment for overcoming the cost. Leading to lower income and wealth in economy. Spending causing the demand for UK firms to reduce. Some of the firms may go out of business as the profit made is not enough to cover up the cost of the business. Conclusion and recommendation After a close evaluation about the organization it can be said that private and public sector organizations exist in the market for varied purposes. Like how public organizations are created to offer goods and service which are under provided by the market mechanism. After analyzing the condition of Superdry ltd, I have found that Superdry have given a lot of effort to satisfy its stakeholders of the company. For example, creating a strong communication, often conducted meetings, information’s are shared openly to all she shareholders, follow rules and regulation of the community and government and taking care of employer needs and emotions. Furthermore, the company has developed its own strategies on how to achieve their mission, vision, objective and goals of the business. Without knowing these the company will not have a clear direction on how to operate. In each economy follow a unique system to use the resources in it optimum way to get fast  economic growth and welfare . There are isn’t any pure market or command economic system existing in the current market. It is best for the country to know the current condition of the market and accordingly react to it. International trade can be beneficial factor for a growing company like Superdry to expand their business and gain economies of scale. Nonetheless, company must face with the different trade barriers like competition, government law which can be a big downturn for business. Moreover counties like India and China who are still emerging the economic conditions are far too unstable. For a UK company to enter these emerging market they must clearly know the PEST (political, economical, social, technological) conditions clearly. Without a risk there cannot be any profit. Finally, the current condition of the EU are tend to be very sensitive. There is a possibility that the economy may collapse. However, there are chances that by redesigning the policy structures the country can cope up. Reference AMANDEO, K. (2014). What is European Union? [Online]. Available from: http://useconomy.about.com/od/worldeconomy/p/european_union.htm. [Accessed: 25.03.2014] AMANDEO, K. (2014). What is Eurozone debt crisis? [Online]. Available from: http://useconomy.about.com/od/Europe/p/Eurozone-Crisis.htm. [Accessed: 26.03.2014] CHAND, S. (2014). The meaning and definition of foreign trade or international trade exchange [Online]. Available from: http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/foreign-trade/the-meaning-and-definition-of-foreign-trade-or-international-trade-explained/5972/. [Accessed: 22.03.2014] GRIFFIN, D. (2014). Economic system types [Online]. Available form: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/economic-system-types-1129.html. [Accessed: 12.03.2014] KENNY, T. (2014) The difference between fiscal policy and monetary policy [Online] Available from: http://bonds.about.com/od/Issues-in-the-News/a/The-Difference-Between-Fiscal-Policy-And-Monetary-Policy.htm. [Accessed: 15.03.2014] KOKEMULLER, N. (2014 ). What is the meaning of business organizations? [Online]. Available from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/meaning-business-organization-41925.html. [Accessed: 08.03.2014] KUEPPER, J. (2014). What are emerging markets? [Online]. Available from: http://internationalinvest.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/What-Are-Emerging-Ma rkets.htm. [Accessed: 23.03.2014] MERCHANT, P. (2014). Features of public limited company [Online]. Available from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/features-public-limited-company-18143.html [Accessed: 10.03.2014] SUPERDRY GROUP. PLC. (2012). Annual report 2012 [Online]. Available from: http://www.supergroup.co.uk/investors/reports-and-publications/annual-report-2012. [Assessed: 11.03.2014] THE TIMES 100. (1995-2014). Engaging with stakeholders [Online]. Available from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/primark/engaging-with-stakeholders/what-is-a-stakeholder.html#axzz2xACZ7d4t. [Accessed: 09.03.2014] THE TIMES 100. (1995-2014). The types of business organizations [Online]. Available from: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/strategy/types-of-business-organisations.html#axzz2whhOgm5l. [Accessed: 08.03.2014]

Childhood Memories and Adult Aspirations Essay Example for Free

Childhood Memories and Adult Aspirations Essay Back when I was younger I would spend countless hours playing in the sand box on warm, sunny days. Time was an irrelevant figure of which I knew or cared little about. The biggest problem I had to negotiate was how to construct the biggest and most complex sand castle possible. This type of scenario is something which is much more rare in the adult world. As an adult a person bares a great deal of responsibility and time means much more than in a childs world. Now that I am making the transition from simple childhood into the complex world of adulthood, I am reminded of the many things I will miss about being a kid. Though there are many things about childhood I will miss there are also many things about adult life that I greatly look forward to. One of the activities I will greatly miss about being a kid is going outside during the winter with my little brother and building a snow fortress. We would each take advantage of the snow piles which inevitably formed along the boarders of the driveway after each shoveling job. Therefore, almost immediately after there was a snowfall my brother and I would each build a fort and then proceed, after construction, to have snowball wars. Playing in the snow together brought us hours of fun and enjoyment. It is times like these where life is carefree and the only thing that matters is having fun. We always had a great time together during these moments. Another thing I will miss about being a kid is the recesses we were entitled to in elementary school. Every day class would seem to last an eternity as my friends and I would wait in anticipation of the recess bell. Collectively everyone would get together and decide upon a game which we could play. For example one day we would play soccer and the next day we would play Cops and Robbers. Each activity brought to us many laughs and hours of enjoyment. These periods of time provided us with a break from the day and I believe taught us a great deal about interacting with one another. Recess with all of my friends is something that I miss and will continue to miss for a long time. In the future and into adulthood I am looking forward to in adulthood is being able to have total independence. Independence is something great a person gets when he becomes an adult. Being able to make all of your own  decisions and having the privilege of being able to partake in activities which minors cannot is a great advantage to being an adult. I am looking forward to, for example, being able to go to the sports bar with my friends to watch hockey and football games. It is these privileges which appeal to me and make me exited to become an adult. Lastly being able to travel around the world with friends and family is something I also look forward to in adulthood. I hope to travel to many destinations with friends during and after university. Learning about different cultures, foods, ideas, ways of life, and histories is something I believe will be very enjoyable. Vacations, along with providing lots of relaxation and learning, also give people the chance to meet lots of new and different people. I believe that vacationing with friends provides lots of great experience and therefore posses as a great advantage to becoming an adult. The carefree hours of fun and games experienced as a child will always be something I fondly remember. Currently I accept the fact that those times are, for the most part, gone and am positively anticipating adulthood. The securities of childhood are great accept for the fact that they inevitably take away independence something most people need as they get older. In contrast, however, independence comes with the price of responsibility and therefore must be used wisely. I am greatly looking forward to adult life and will always fondly remember my childhood.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Mumbai-Pune Expressway The Mumbai-Pune Expressway has always been a project of high priority for the Maharashtra State Government. The traffic on the Mumbai-Pune section of National Highway 4 is expected to increase drastically. The distance between the two cities is some 180 km and it takes about five hours to cover it under good traffic conditions. However increasingly, and during the monsoon, traffic on the Mumbai-Pune road is very high and frequent accidents block the narrow and winding curves of the two lane highway. Landslides in the region are very frequent due to the monsoon rains. The resulting delays and traffic blockages turn a 5-hour journey to one that would involve anywhere between 10 to 15 hours. (Sulakshana Mahajan, 2002) The Government of Maharashtra had been newly elected in 1995 and they were very keen on the early completion of the Mumbai Pune Expressway, as there was prestige value attached to it. It was decided in July 1996 to implement the project as a BOT(Build-Operate-Transfer) project and tenders were prepared appropriately, for which only one bid was received from Reliance India Limited which was rejected as it was double the government budget. In turn the project was awarded to MSRDC. (IITK Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2007) Feasibility Study: In 1990, the Government of Maharashtra appointed RITES and Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick of United Kingdom to carry out the feasibility study and they submitted the report with the estimated cost of 240 million USD. The Government then handed over the project to MSRDC in March 1997 on a Build Operate and Transfer basis (BOT) with permission to collect tolls for a period of 30 years. The Government of India received the clearance from the Ministry of Forests and Environment in November 1997. In order to prepare detailed estimates, designs and bid documents the work was divided into eight phases and each phase was under the supervision of renowned international consultants. (IITK Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2007) Features: Â · The Mumbai Pune Expressway also known as the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway is Indias first six lane high speed access controlled tolled expressway. Â · Spanning a distance of 93kms it connects Mumbai, the financial capital of India and Pune, the neighboring industrial hub city. Â · The project cost 350 million USD to construct and was completed under the guidance of MSRDC in a time period of 24 months. * The expressway has four lane wide tunnels at five locations with a total length of 5724m. * There are separate tunnels for traffic in each direction and these tunnels are provided with modern facilities for ventilation, lighting and fire fighting vehicles. * This work was entrusted to the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd on 8 December 1997. Benefits of the Expressway: Many aspects of the Expressway make it an engineering marvel. * No signals along the 93km route and no blind curves. * Reduction in accidents. * Reduction in travel time. * Saving of fuel consumption. * Faster crossing of the Khandala Ghat. * Reduction in pollution. Issues faced in building the Highway: Â · The mountainous terrain around the area, posed a huge threat in building the Expressway. Â · As five tunnels had to be constructed, there was a lot of difficulty in drilling through the mountains as the rock was extremely hard. Â · Around 500 trees which got in the way of the construction had to be uprooted and transplanted into pits dug at other locations. Â · Vast areas of rich, fertile land had to be cleared into farmlands in interior areas. Â · Difficulty in accessing the work areas to supply raw materials. Â · Nature of soil in the area caused problems in building roads, due to which concrete roads had to be built. * Environmental Concerns: An Environment Impact Assessment was conducted by RITES and they identified the following concerns: The construction of the Expressway would impact on the quality of water in the rivers flowing in nearby areas, which were being used for drinking and industrial Purposes. It would also result in loss of forests and rare flora, effect on wild life in the Ghats and lead to landslides in the future. Â · The difficulties faced due to rehabilitation of the human settlements. Reasons for the successful implementation by MSRDC: Workforce: MSRDC hired their workforce from Public Works Department and CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra), most of whom had extensive experience in the development of large-scale projects. They also took employees from the revenue department on deputation to help with the land acquisition process. (IITK Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2007) Appointment of Project Management Consultants: A Steering Committee was set up in order to recommend different technical standards to be adopted, to prepare geometric standards, and to help MSRDC in deciding upon various provisions of tender documents and related matters. The Steering Committee proposed that Project Management Consultants (PMC) be appointed for preparing and ensuring consistency in design standards, cost estimates and tender documents, and to supervise the construction work as and when it began. In addition it was also though that if the technical aspects of the projects were taken care of by PMCs, then MSRDC could concentrate on the task of coordinating the various administrative requirements such as getting clearances, raising finances etc. Committees were to be formed to perform each of the tasks by drawing personnel from each of the PMCs to ensure consistency. Since the most important skill for a PMC was considered to be Technical Skill, the selection criteria were such that 75% importance was assigned to the technical bid and 25% to the financial bid. Another condition was imposed that 1 PMC will work on only 1 section of the Expressway to avoid excess load on a PMC. (IITK Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2007) Facilities given by MSRDC to Consultants and Contractors: MSRDC and the Government of Maharashtra provided several facilities to contractors and consultants in order to ensure quick and efficient working. The expenditure on these services helped reduce production costs by 8-10% as a result of speedy completion of work. Some of the facilities given were like: * Project Management Consultants had their own site offices set up with standard equipment like Xerox, telephone, printer provided at MSRDCs expense. * Increase in the price of steel, bitumen and cement will be absorbed by MSRDC. * Custom duty is to be reimbursed for import of new machinery. * Land provided for site facilities was given to the contractor free of cost. * As the stretch of construction was 93 kms, MSRDC prompted oil companies to set up petrol pumps. * MSRDC took the responsibility to divert all utility services like telephone cables, water pipelines and electrical lines coming in the construction stretch. Litigation: MSRDC adopted a very proactive stand towards litigation right from the start and they appointed a panel of experts for handling cases. They also made sure they responded to court orders in very less time which helped reduce the delays in re-seeking appropriate dates. (IITK Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 2007) References: Roadtraffic-technology.com. (2009) Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India. Available from: http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/mumbai/ [Accessed: 11/12/2009] Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. (2007) MSRDC Project Mumbai Pune Expressway. Available from: http://www.msrdc.org/Projects/Mumbai_Pune_Expr.aspx [Accessed: 11/12/2009] Wikipedia (2009) Mumbai Pune Expressway. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai-Pune_Expressway [Accessed: 11/12/2009] ExpressIndia (2000) The Mumbai-Pune expressway. Available from: http://www.expressindia.com/news/fe/daily/20000730/fec30031.html [Accessed: 11/12/2009] Dandekar/Mahajan EPW Paper (2001) MSRDC and The Mumbai-Pune Expressway: A Sustainable Model for Privatizing Construction of Physical Infrastructure? Available from: http://sdmahajan.tripod.com/epw_paper.pdf [Accessed: 11/12/2009]

Romeo and Juliet: The Play :: essays research papers

Romeo and Juliet: The Play" Accidentally, incidentally, unintentionally, intentionally; no one ever really knows, but we are for certain one thing: â€Å"the heart isits own fate.† For Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, two star-crossed lovers in Shakespeare’s masterpiece play ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ this holds especially true. Romeo and Juliet’s â€Å"misadventure piteous overthrow† is fueled by their love for each other and their determination to be together, no matter what. Romeo and Juliet’s love with stands the hate surrounding them. Thus, fate is undoubtedly the most responsible influence for the two young lovers’ heartbreaking tragedy. A letter, never meant to even graze the hand of a Montague, was indeed read by a Montague. As fate would have it, a servant gets tangled up on the addresses of the letters to be delivered, notifying recipients of Capulets’ masquerade party, and stops the first pedestrian that walks by, hoping that he would direct them to the correct address. Undoubtedly, the first pedestrian he ran across was Romeo, his kinsman Benvolio in tow. When Benvolio learns word of the party, he is eager to go, while Romeo is reluctant. With a little nagging, Benvolio and Mercutio convince Romeo to go. It takes one glance, one intense, meaningful glance, and Romeo is in like with Juliet Capulet, his loathed enemy. With one kiss, they are both in love with each other, without knowing, tragically seal both of their lives into a tomb of confinement, filled only with their love for each other. Another episode of fate, or rather dramatic irony, happens when Romeo somehow misses getting a letter from Tybalt Capulet, his enemy, challenging him to a duel. Romeo, unknowing of the tragic letter sent to him, but not gotten, goes to tell his friends of his beautiful bride, but, in return, comes face-to-face with none other than Tybalt, his loathed enemy, the kin to his new bride, Juliet. As soon as Romeo shows up, though, he is greeted by Tybalt’s insults, calling him a villain, but instead of stepping up to Tybalt’s challenge, though, Romeo backs down, saying, â€Å"Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain I am none. Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest not me.† After harsh words are spoken, families are disgraced, and names are scorned, Romeo finally just backs away. Mercutio, though, cannot let his man be put to disgrace, so he decides to defend Romeo’s name.

Should School Be Compulsory? :: essays research papers

I believe that, after year 6, school should NOT be compulsory. By the time you have completed your primary education, you have learned the basic skills needed to get through life. High school is simply an extension of the basic skills learned in the primary school system, and is unneeded unless you pursue your education to a very high degree.It is not the government's decision whether or not you should have to attend high school. It should be the individual's choice, and forced on no-one, because by the time you have completed your primary education, you are old enough to make this decision.In high school there are more trouble makers who only disrupt the classes because they do not want to be there. These people disrupt the class and make it more difficult for those who are interested in the subject and want to learn. If school were optional, these students would not be in classes disrupting the class and ruining the chances of other students. Instead, they could be out in the work force making money and beginning their careers earlier, giving them more experience in the workforce and making it easier for them to rise up to a postition of responsibility. If school were optional, it would benefit both the students that want to learn and those that do not, and would rather be in the workforceThe sort of education that is offered in the high school system is not needed by all people. After primary school, students have learned the basic skills required to work in an untrained proffession, and do not need the more advanced education that high school offers. Sons or daughters often carry on the family business, and after completing their primary education, any further, more advanced education is unnecassary, because they can learn all they need to know about their future proffession from their father/mother.

Apocalypse Essay -- Apocalyptic Essays

Apocalypse There have been many stories written about the apocalypse or the end of human civilization. They often focus on man’s struggle to avoid annihilation. "War of the Worlds", by H.G. Wells and "Independence Day", directed by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, are examples of the unique qualities of films concerning the end of human civilization. Such Apocalyptic films offer a unique perspective on human character in an extreme setting. Apocalyptic stories are unique because there is no historical event to use as a reference. There have been events where a small group has faced annihilation but humanity as a species has never faced assured destruction. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963, there was some belief that any use of force could trigger a nuclear holocaust. However, few people knew how close the United States and the Soviet Union were to nuclear war. There are no examples of the entire human species facing annihilation. Doomsday stories are common in literature on a smaller scale. Movies such as "Remember the Alamo", "Gettysburg", and "Saving Private Ryan" have characters that face death or destruction, but they face it with bravery and honor. Audiences respect and admire such behavior when one faces death. Apocalyptic stories are an expanded form of this type of writing. They are stories where humanity as a whole can be admired for their positive attributes in addition to the bravery or focus on one hero or heroine. It is not often that one characterizes the entire human race. Usually we divide into cultural or political units and then we evaluate them as a group. We can be organized or divided by religion, social class, political allegiance, cultural beliefs and physical appearance. For example, Ja... ... hero or protagonist, are allocated to several characters or sometimes on all of man. The allocation of qualities among more then one character can often be more profound then a typical story. Combined with the threat of total annihilation of humanity and its culture, Apocalyptic Films and the situations they pose, are very unique. Works Cited Independence Day. Dir. Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich. 20th Century Fox, 1997. War of the Worlds. Dir. Byron Haskin. Perf. Gene Barry. Paramount Pictures, 1952. Mullen, R. D. "The definitive War of the worlds". Science-Fiction Studies. v. 20, Nov. 1993, p. 440-3. Seed, David. "A critical edition of the War of the worlds; H.G. Wells's scientific romance". Essays in Criticism. v. 44, July 1994, p. 258-64. Strozier, Charles B. Apocalypse : on the psychology of fundamentalism in America. Boston: Beacon Press, 1994.

Consumer Resistance to Innovations

Consumer resistance to innovations: the marketing problem and its solutions This article describes the major barriers which create customer resistance to innovations. This understanding is important because of the high rate of new product failure. A major cause for this is consumer resistance, although consumers are pro-innovation. It’s a normal, instinctive response of customers. This article suggests marketing strategies to overcome these barriers. Innovation resistance can appear in customers because it disrupts their established routines and they can be happy with the current status quo.The higher the discontinuity of an innovation, the higher the resistance is likely to be. Also, consumers have their own belief structure. An innovation can conflict with this which can results in resistance. There are various characteristics of innovation resistance. First, there are different groups regarding to the timing of adoption of an innovation (Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Ma jority, Late Majority and Laggards). Second, resistance varies in degree; (1) inertia (they may feel disinclined to adopt the innovation), (2) active resistance, (3) very active resistance.Third, resistance is influenced by the degree of change/discontinuity and/ or the extent to which it conflicts with consumer’s belief structure. There are two kinds of barriers which create consumer resistance. The article gives some explanation how to undo these barriers: 1. Functional barriers Usage barrier: the most common reason for customer resistance to an innovation is that it’s not compatible with existing workflows, practices or habits. The more existing habits have to change, the more the resistance will be. UNDO: develop a systems perspective to market the innovation.The innovating firm has to estimate how its new product will fit into the existing system, by looking at the whole operation. A second strategy is to integrate the innovation into the preceding activity or pro duct. Finally, overcome usage barriers by making the innovation mandatory through government legislation: lawmakers have to say they are convinced that customers will benefit from the innovation. Value barrier: there has to be a good performance-to-price value compared with product substitutes, otherwise there is no incentive for customers to change.UNDO: provide significant performance value over existing alternatives. Second, reduce the manufacturing costs of the innovation and decrease the price of the product. Third, add value to the innovation by successful positioning the product. Risk barrier: every innovation can have potential side effects that cannot be anticipated. Customers will try to postpone the innovation until they can learn more about is. There are 4 main types of risk inherent in an innovation. (1) physical risk: harm to person or property (2) economic risk: the higher the cost, the higher the perceived economic risk. 3) functional risk: customers can worry that t he innovation may not work properly because it’s not been fully tested. (4) social risk: customers can feel scared to face peer ridicule when they adopt the innovation. UNDO: Offer the innovation on a trial basis to potential customers. Second, show testimonials from experts who objectively evaluate the innovation. Third, package the innovation under a well-known name. 2. Psychological barriers Traditional barrier: innovations can create a cultural change for the customer. The more the customer deviate from traditions, the more resistance there can be.UNDO: understand and respect cultural traditions. Second, educate customers/market education. Third, use change agents. Once industry leaders adopt the innovation, the rest will do the same. Image barrier: this is a perceptual problem that arises out of stereotyped thinking. If associations the product class or where its manufactured is unfavorable, there can be created a barrier to adoption. UNDO: Suggest to people that its sil ly to carry such stereotypes and make fun of the image. Second, create a unique image for the product of service (for example using a cowboy theme).Third, associate the innovation with someone/something with a positive public image. Each of these strategies for countering the barrier for innovation may be classified into one of the five types: product strategy, communication strategy, pricing strategy, market strategy and coping strategy. The answer to successful innovation lies in understanding the causes of resistance and cope with these causes. S. Ram & Jagdish N. Sheth (1989) â€Å"Consumer resistance to innovations: the marketing problem and its solutions†, The Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 6 Iss: 2; pp. 5-14

Cellular pathology: importance of dyes in identifying normal and abnormal histological features of tissues

Introduction In the study of tissues, histological staining is important in order to study cellular structures, intracellular and extracellular substances at the microscopic level (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Staining is an auxiliary technique used in microscopy to enhance contrast in images obtained and to highlight structures. Stains may be used to define and examine bulk tissues, cell populations or organelles within individual cells; histological features useful for biological research and/or diagnosis in medicine (Bancroft and Cook, 1994). The importance of dyes in identifying normal and abnormal histological features of tissues is herein discussed. Medical and biological research is underpinned by knowledge of the normal structure and function of cells and tissues as well as the organs and structures they make up (histology) Understanding disease in the context of structure-function relationships (histopathology) enables differentiation between normal tissues and abnormal tissues in a particul ar disease state (Cook, 2008). The differentiation of these enabled by the identification and understanding of the divergence of normal and abnormal histology is highly beneficial in disease diagnostics and therapeutics (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Such essential study disciplines are based on a thorough understanding and ability to recognise basic tissue types which combine to form the different organs of the body. Understanding normal structure of tissues is essential to the identification of altered structure (Lakhani, et al., 1998). With knowledge of normal histology, one can see the types, location and scope of cells involved in disease, whether their intrinsic morphology is impacted indicating cellular dysfunction, and whether higher order tissue structure is impaired which indicates organ dysfunction (Stevens and Lowe, 2000).Histopathology, on the other hand, encompasses the means to verify accurate models of particular diseases based on understanding the visual picture of mo lecular mechanisms differentiated from normal (Kiernan, 1999). In the normal healthy state, cells and other elements of tissue are arranged in regular recognisable patterns. Tissues usually have particular defining characteristics such as surface structure and shapes and formations of constituent cells which are used in their identification and assessment of function (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Changes in these patterns can be induced by a wide range of chemical and physical influences such as microbial infection and cell malignancy in cancer are reflected by structural alterations at the microscopic level (Lakhani, et al., 1998). Many diseases such as Cancer are also characterised by typical structural and chemical abnormalities which vary the normal pattern of tissues (Lakhani et al., 1998). This is the basis of microscopic examination of specimens. Examination of various specimen and differentiation of structures is challenged as tissue sections or smears obtained from biopsies or aspirations appear dull and less detailed when viewed in light microscopy. This is because the fixed materials in the preparation have a similar refractive index and have a similar grey colour which makes it difficult to identify the structure of the tissues (Kiernan, 1999). It is essential to stain the cells/tissues to enable better visualisation of the different structures in contrasting colours (Bancroft and Cook, 1994). Staining is most commonly carried out through the use of histological dyes which are coloured organic compounds obtained from natural sources or from synthetic production that selectively bind to or concentrate in various cell and tissue structures (Kiernan, 1999). Dyes contain auxochromes which are chemical components that enable attachment to tissue such as the ionisable –OH group, and chromophores which are substances added to absorb visible light responsible for the colour observed. Colour arises when an attached chromophore molecule absorbs certain wa velengths of visible light (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Most modern dyes such as the Haematoxylin and Eosin stains commonly used are synthesised from simpler organic molecules, usually benzene or one of its derivatives (Kiernan, 1999). Stains are generally aimed as special probes, which possess variable specificity depending on the unique ionization or chemical reaction with tissue structures and components (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Staining does not result in a random colouring of the tissue specimens, but rather exploits the differences in the chemical structure of the tissue. This is shown by colour variation depending on which dye is bound. Colours acquired reflect the nature of the tissues and their properties and proffers an advantage in the revelation of specific parts or areas (Cook, 2008). This enables detailed visualisation of structures including cell structures such as the cytoplasm, nucleus and organelles, as well as extra-cellular components. Additionally, under certai n conditions such as glycogen storage diseases, staining (in this case using the Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) to detect carbohydrates) can reveal molecular compounds and differences associated with pathological conditions (Lakhani, et al., 1998). Enhanced capacity for visualisation and identification of structures is the primary advantage for the use of dyes in staining of tissue specimen. Tissue staining therefore plays a critical role in tissue-based diagnosis and research allowing the visualization of tissue morphology and histological features, and in distinguishing normal and abnormal histological features (Cook, 2008; Stevens and Lowe, 1997; Kiernan, 1999). These observations are sufficient to allow analysis of tissue health and diagnosis of disease. Histological dyes commonly used for staining in light microscopy include the Haematoxylin and Eosin stain (H&E), Van Giessen, Masson’s Trichrome, and Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), among others. The H&E stain is the most commonl y used stain for light microscopy in histology and histopathology. It is routinely used as it provides a very detailed view of the tissue achieved by staining cell structures staining the nuclei a dark blue or purple, and the cytoplasm and connective tissue in shades of pink (Cook, 2008). Staining using these and other dyes forms a critical part of the diagnostic picture given the sufficient contrast obtained for the display of tissue morphology (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). In conclusion, staining is an essential process in histology and histopathology with its primary advantage being the enhancement of contrast between different components of the tissue specimen, particularly as seen in light microscopy. The overall objective of histology is to acquire knowledge of normal tissues and organs, which is essential to understanding the altered structure and function of diseased cells, tissues and organs. There is no doubt that the use of dyes to allow for differentiation between normal and abnormal tissues is fundamental to our understanding of this. References Bancroft, J., and Gamble, M., (2008). Theory and practice of histological techniques. PA, USA: Elsevier Bancroft, D. and Cook C., (1994). Manual of Histological Techniques and their Diagnostic Application. PA, USA: Churchill Livingstone – Elsevier. Cook, D., (2008) Cellular Pathology. 2nd Edition, Chatham: Scion Publishing Ltd. Kiernan, A., (1999). Histological and Histochemical Methods. Theory and Practice (3rd Ed). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Lakhani, R., Dilly, A., and Finalyson, J., (1998) Basic Pathology: An Introduction to the Mechanisms of Disease (2nd Ed). London: Arnold. Stevens, A., and Lowe, J., (1997). Human Histology. (2nd Ed) Edinburgh: Mosby. Stevens, A., and Lowe, J., (2000). Pathology 2nd Ed Mosby: Edinburgh.