Analysis of Nestlé’s Business Environment The WritePass Journal

Analysis of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Business Environment Company Overview Analysis of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Business Environment ). To sustain this success and thus maintain leadership in its market, the company must often audit and review its strategic position in light of changing factors in its business environment. This paper undertakes this strategic assessment employing the PESTLE framework of analysis. PESTLE analysis The PESTLE framework is a strategic tool used to measure market potential and situation of company (David, 2009). It focuses on factors in the external environment which encompass effects from the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental spheres. Political factors With operations spread out across the globe, Nestlà © is liable to political influences unique to various jurisdictions including applicable laws and regulations governing business operations, as well as stringent international health and safety requirements of significance in the food and nutrition sector, such as the ISO 9002 and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) preventative food safety systems. The primary goal of these regulations is the protection of consumers from poor quality, potentially health averse/harmful products (Hill, 2006). The company has suffered challenges related to contamination of its products and poor quality supplies which have led to product recalls and market concern. This has hurt the company’s image and impacted sales as well as challenging it with regard to quality control (Nestlà ©, 2013). The company has responded appropriately to address these, to ensure quality and safeguard confidence in its products (Jones, 2012). For successf ul engagement internationally, Nestlà © should endeavour to meet these expectations and to conform to the requisite legislations and regulations applicable. Economic factors The global business environment has recently been significantly hindered by economic setbacks due to downturn and global recession. These have adversely affected demand for products through its effect on consumer spending. However, recovery has been swift and the continuing globalization and consolidation has further enhanced growth and demand for product with the convergence in consumer tastes and preferences globally (Hanson et al., 2011). The rise in emerging market economies portends surplus buying power, as well as economies of scale which proffer added economic advantage (Vandewaetere, 2012). The leverage of huge resource capital and RD capability into continual introduction and redesign of products enables Nestlà © to strengthen its competitive advantage. Through the localisation of operations in over 100 countries across the globe, the company manages to address the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on import and export aspects of trade (Jones, 2012). Social factors As a producer of finished consumer goods, Nestlà © is hugely dependent upon customer satisfaction and desirability of its product range to achieve success (Jones, 2012). The company, thus, chooses to embark on huge spending in its competitive sectors to maintain its brand image and to enhance product desirability. Competitive advantage in the sector requires continuous research and development leading to the frequent introduction of new products and redesign of products (Interbrand, 2013). This is a significant strength of Nestlà © and among the notable factors upon which its industry, sector or market leadership is based (Nestlà ©, 2013). There is an increasing trend towards healthy eating which is increasing demand for healthier food products. This is laden with potential to affect product lines such as chocolate drinks (Jones, 2012). The company has taken specific steps such as the acquisition of specialised start-ups, and successful partnerships to meet the needs of health conscious consumers and thereby to take advantage of emerging market trends and opportunities (Vandewaetere, 2012). Nestlà © is therefore considered to be well adjusted to its market segments given its focus on this growth driver as well as its focus on popularly-positioned products which aims to provide a brand to meet every need. Its more than 8,000 brands enable it to achieve this strategic focus and to compete successfully against corporate rivals (Interbrand, 2013). Technological factors The fast pace of technological development and associated capabilities portend significant challenge for competitiveness in modern industry. Nestlà © has endeavoured to keep up through enormous investments in research and development to enhance its capability, as well as process efficiency which have enabled its successful differentiation and enhanced competitiveness (Nestlà ©, 2013). However, the company still experiences challenges in its quality control with its inability to provide consistent quality in food products hurting company image and affecting sales (Jones, 2012). The company’s response in this regard has been quite appropriate enabling it to weather this challenge successfully. It has endeavoured to ensure quality in the foregoing and to safeguard confidence in its products through its seal of guarantee initiative (Interbrand, 2013). Environmental factors Nestlà © is involved in numerous programs aimed at making the company more eco-friendly which are inherent in its CSR initiatives. However, the company is criticised for its weak approach and over the effectiveness of their programs (Jones, 2012; Interbrand, 2013). With the scale of their operations across the globe and massive quantity of output, it is imperative that the company should enhance focus on its environmental impact which is a notable concern in modern industry. This factor has capacity to ruin reputations and affect performance (Hill, 2006). Legal factors Global operations in diverse jurisdictions require astute legal capabilities which Nestlà © seems to be endowed with. The company’s successful operations in over 100 countries attest to this giving it an edge in unmatched geographical presence in the industry. It also has notable competency in mergers and acquisitions which have enabled it to diversify and to successfully enter new markets thereby sustaining its competitive edge (Vandewaetere, 2012). Major challenges affecting the company Three major challenges are identified and explored to gauge their effect and to find out ways in which they might be addressed. Quality of products and supplies A major challenge with huge capacity for adverse impact on Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s business potential concerns the quality of products delivered and thus the quality control schemes for its products. There have been instances of contamination of products as well as poor supplies which have led to a number of product recalls from the market (Interbrand, 2013). This challenge is fundamental particularly with regard to operations in the food and nutrition industry which is subject to stringent quality, as well as health and safety regulations. The company is subject to a high bargaining power of customers for the most part due to the availability of a wide range of substitute and alternative products in the market and fierce competition from worthwhile rivals (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Flouting of health and safety regulations also portends risk for operations in various jurisdictions and may lead to bans in markets and/or restrictions on the use of concerned products. This would definitely be a hindrance to business and would not only adversely impact sales but also would hurt company image and brand positioning which are vital intangible assets in a highly competitive market (Hanson et al., 2011). To reduce the negative impact of this challenge, the company needs to tighten its quality control procedures and schemes for products and also needs to enforce stringent procedures in the choice of suppliers and in the procurement of raw food items from them (Interbrand, 2013). This would not only guarantee conformance with requisite legislation but would also ensure that quality is maintained and adhered to across the entire supply chain. Also essential are measures to ward off loss of consumer trust and drop in confidence in products offered. Assurances in this regard are critical for the maintenance of brand image and reputation, and as well serve to guarantee product performance in the market (Jones, 2012; Vandewaetere, 2012). Weak implementation of eco-friendly initiatives Nestlà © pursues eco-friendly initiatives as constituent in its corporate social responsibility (CSR). Yet, these initiatives have been subject to extensive criticism over weakness in its approach and over the effectiveness of their programs (Vandewaetere, 2012). Environmentally friendly initiatives are particularly of concern for such entities as Nestlà © given their scale of operations across the globe and quantity of product output considering its 8,000 product brands (Interbrand, 2013). The primary objective of the company is the delivery of the best quality in everything from primary produce, choices of suppliers and transport, to recipes and packaging materials (Nestlà ©, 2013). However, every stage in its supply chain is bound to have adverse environmental impact which is a notable concern in modern industry given the drive to environmental responsibility. Disregard of such concerns exposes the company to risks to reputation which could have a direct impact on performance ( Hanson et al., 2011). Increasing trend towards healthy eating With the rise in diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles, food choices, and eating habits, there has emerged global awareness of their impacts on individual health. This has engendered health consciousness and regard for choice of foods and their nutritive value or possible consequences. This has led to a trend towards healthy eating which continues to drive consumer preference and demand for healthier food products (Luthans and Doh, 2012). Such a trend is bound to affect popular product lines, such as chocolate drinks, that Nestlà © offers impacting demand and therefore market performance (Vandewaetere, 2012). In its consumer goods business, Nestlà © is hugely dependent upon customer satisfaction and desirability of its products to achieve success. It is thus immensely susceptible to market dynamics and trends such as eh above which it can do very little to control and manage (Kazem and Richard, 2008). The problem is further exacerbated by the emergence of social media and global networking through the internet which continues to drive globalization and which is causing a global convergence of consumer tastes and preferences (Hanson et al., 2011; Luthans and Doh, 2012). To counter this challenge, the company needs to embark on initiatives to develop a healthier range of products to cater to health conscious consumers and thereby to take advantage of the emerging trend and opportunities. Nestle should be keen to note the various dynamics and their impact on performance, and should develop flexibility which would enable faster response and adaptability to changes in the market (Jones, 2012). With a sound financial resource base, it is prudent for the company to pursue mergers and acquisitions, which it has done quite successfully, leveraging on its competence in that regard (Vandewaetere, 2012). This way, it is able to hasten its learning curve and guarantee success of initiatives (David, 2009) particularly in light of the fact that the company has an immense range of brands and a complex operational matrix which are in themselves quite a challenge to manage successfully. Conclusion Several factors affect Nestlà © in its international operations among them political, economic, social, technological, as well as environmental and legal factors, which are significant influences determining the success of operations in modern business environment. Three particular challenges are identified as having substantial impact on Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s operations and business potential. They include: quality of products and supplies which portends loss of confidence in product; the company’s weak implementation of eco-friendly initiatives which are essential not only to check the environmental impact, but also serve as proof for goodwill to society; and, the increasing trend towards healthy eating which is a concern for future competitiveness of the company’s products. These challenges should be addressed to guarantee success of products in markets, as well as overall competitiveness. References Carpenter, M., and W., Sanders, (2007). Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall. David, F. R. (2009), Strategic management: concept and cases (12th Ed). Pearson, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hanson, D., M., Hitt, R., Ireland, R., Hoskisson, (2011). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and globalisation (Asia-Pacific, 4th Ed). South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Hill, C., (2006) International Business: Competing in the Global Economy, (7th Ed) Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Interbrand (2013). Best Global Brands 2012. Accessed 1/9/2014 from: interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/2012/Best-Global-Brands-2012.aspx Jones, S., (2012). Strategic Management at Nestlà ©. Accessed 1/9/2014 from: articlesbase.com/management-articles/strategic-management-at-nestle-5907881.html Kazem, C., and L., Richard, (2008). Sustainable competitive advantage: towards a dynamic resource-based strategy. East London Business School: University of East London, UK. Luthans, F., and J., Doh, (2012). International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behaviour, (8th Ed). Maidenhead: McGrawHill Nestlà ©, (2013). Annual Report – 2013 (English). Accessed 2/9/2014 from: nestle.com/asset-library/Documents/Library/Documents/Annual_Reports/2013-Annual-Report-EN.pdf Vandewaetere, B., (2012). Personal Interview 28th November, 2012: Responsible for European Affairs, Nestlà ©. Accessed 2/9/2014 from: www.Nestle.com

Definition and Examples of an Implied Author

Definition and Examples of an Implied Author In reading, an implied author is the version of a writer that a reader constructs based on the text in its entirety. Also called a  model author, an abstract author, or an inferred author. The concept of the implied author was introduced by American literary critic Wayne C. Booth in his book  The Rhetoric of Fiction  (1961): However impersonal [an author] may try to be, his reader will inevitably construct a picture of the official scribe who writes in this manner. Examples and Observations [I]t is a curious fact that we have no terms either for this created second self or our relationship with him. None of our terms for various aspects of the narrator is quite accurate. Persona, mask, and narrator are sometimes used, but they more commonly refer to the speaker in the work who is after all only one of the elements created by the implied author and who may be separated from him by large ironies. Narrator is usually taken to mean the I of the work, but the I is seldom if ever identical with the implied image of the artist.(Wayne Booth, The Rhetoric of Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1961)Too often in my early work, I suggested a total communion between two utterly confident, secure, correct, and wise human beings at the top of the human heap: the implied author and me. Now I see an implied author who is manifold.(Wayne C. Booth, The Struggle to Tell the Story of the Struggle to Get the Story Told. Narrative, January 1997) Implied Author and Implied Reader A classic example of mismatching in kind is The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. The implied author intends that the implied reader will react to the horrifying account of the Chicago meatpacking industry by taking socialist action to improve the workers lives. In other words, the implied reader of The Jungle already cares about workers in general, and the implied author intends that building on that old value, the reader will primarily be motivated to adopt a new valuesocialist commitment to helping Chicago meat workers. But, because most actual American readers lacked sufficient concern for workers, a mismatch occurred, and they failed to react as intended; The Jungle ended up moving them only to agitate for improved sanitation in meatpacking.(Ellen Susan Peel, Politics, Persuasion, and Pragmatism: A Rhetoric of Feminist Utopian Fiction. Ohio State University. Press, 2002) Controversies As our study of implied author reception will show, there is no consistent correlation between the contexts in which the concept has been used and the opinions that have been put forward regarding its usefulness. In interpretive contexts, both supporting and opposing voices have made themselves heard; in descriptive contexts, meanwhile, the implied author has met with near-universal hostility, but even here its relevance to textual interpretation occasionally attracts a more positive response.(Tom Kindt and Hans-Harald Mà ¼ller, The Implied Author: Concept and Controversy. Trans. by Alastair Matthews. Walter de Gruyter, 2006)

Leisure & Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leisure & Tourism - Essay Example Researchers have identified several motivations, from which leisure is founded upon. According to Daniel (2006, p 166), motivation could be intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation. Intrinsic motivation originates internally from an individual due to the benefits accrued from leisure, such as pleasure and enjoyment. Extrinsic factors motivate people to engage in leisure to attain other goals besides pleasure and fun. This paper is a critical analysis of findings by a number of researchers, on various factors, which motivate leisure based activities in a family. According to Alex and Song (2004, p 57), a family can either be extended or nuclear, with varying ages of parents and children. However, the basic motivation of each and every family member for leisure is driven mainly by the psychological results, which in turn determines their behavior in day to day activities (Alex, and Song 2004, p 57). In this respect, an individual decision or choice to engage in a particular leisure activity is a result of ones belief, on how well he will do the activity and what the activity means to him (Alex, and Song 2004, p 58). From this argument, people in a family set up engage in engage in leisure to reap particular psychological desires. Researchers have found out several psychological desires that motivate people in a family set up to engage in leisure. These motivations include: achievement, stimulation, independence, leadership, risk taking, mastery of equipment or machine, family togetherness and adventure (Alex, and Song 2004, p 59). According to Kivel, (2007, p 86), enhancing family unity is the main motivation for leisure in a family. Presently due to ever increasing demands at work, most parents do not have time to catch up with their children and other extended family members. In this regard, time specifically to bond with family members is increasingly being set

Company on green event planning in UAE Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Company on green event planning in UAE - Thesis Example This approach helps the businesses in achieving their long terms goals and objectives by benefiting people and protecting environment. The paper will highlight the sustainable development project of Eco Event Planner Company in UAE. The company deals in planning different events in eco friendly ways. Organizing green events has become a new trend in present time. People are very much concerned about environmental pollution and damages. For this reason the green event planning companies are developing a lot. According to the authors, Cherian & Jacob, the awareness of various environmental problems is increasing day by day. People have become very much concerned about different environmental issue for protecting the environment from damages. For this reason the tastes and preferences of the customers have changed a lot. They are focusing more on eco friendly products and services. A positive attitude has been observed among the customers regarding green lifestyle. People are seriously trying to reduce negative impacts on environment which are caused by their different activities and functions. The author stated that companies need to consider these issues for holding its position in competitive market. For this reason company of UAE requires to develop eco friendly business process for benefiting the society and attracting maximum number of customers (Cherian & Jacob, 2012). By following the views of authors Moise and Macovei, for organizing, designing, planning and promoting any event a company requires thinking about the impact on the event on people and on the environment. Ecological balance should be taken into consideration for organizing an event. This helps the company in developing an event which will not cause any damage to the environment. By organizing green events the companies can show off their concerns towards the benefits of society. In UAE many companies are developing which cause many negative impacts

Recommendation of process routes for the sepration of LPG Essay

Recommendation of process routes for the sepration of LPG - Essay Example To separate these two constituents, several processes can be used. This method involves the recovery and increase in the purity of the light hydrocarbons butane and propane from their mixture in liquid petroleum gas. It is based on the distillation of the gas by controlled heating and cooling, by taking gain of the diverse boiling points of the hydrocarbons. Fractionating columns are used with labels if the hydrocarbon is separated by evaporation. Liquid petroleum gas composition of propane and butane which makes up to 40% natural gas is extracted as a liquid mixture in a fractionating column (Zlokarnik, 2002). After its extraction from natural gas, the refrigerated liquid petroleum gas is passed through an absorber column where it is mixed with lean oil at a temperature of 238 degrees Celsius to allow for the absorption of the liquid petroleum gas products. This process is accelerated by elevated pressure and low temperature and the refrigeration of the liquid petroleum gas is ensured by using a closed loop circulation of a refrigerant in centrifugal compressors. The liquid petroleum gas is precooled before it enters a de-ethanizer column with a pressure lower than the pressure of the liquid petroleum gas. In the de-ethanizer, ethane and other lighter components in the liquid petroleum gas are removed. A constant temperature is maintained in the column by using a reboiler placed at the bottom of the fractionating column to supply heat. The overhead vapour is recycled to recover any escaped propane from the evaporated gas. The residue is then passed through a rich oil still column where th e lean oil is separated using distillation. The liquid petroleum gas that is separated is condensed in a reflux condenser and is then directed into fractionating columns. Depropanizer and debutanizer systems are used to separate the stabilized

UV Visible Spectrophotometry and Solution Absorption

UV Visible Spectrophotometry and Solution Absorption All molecules absorb light at certain wavelengths.   The absorption of light by a solution may be used to determine the concentration of a solute or a mixture of solutes in solution. The Beer-Lambert law refers to the linear relationship between absorbance (A), and concentration (C) of an absorbing species. According to the two fundamental principals that govern the absorption of light by a solution, the absorption of light passing through a solution is exponentially related to the number of molecules of the absorbing solute, and thus the solute concentration, and the length of the absorbing solution. These principals are combined, and when working in concentration units of molarity, the Beer-Lambert law is as follows: For part A of this experiment the ÃŽÂ µ value at the à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max for Vitamin B12 was determined by measuring the absorbance of a known concentration of Vitamin B12 and by using the above Beer-Lambert formula. Vitamin B12 is a compound of significant nutritional and clinical importance. Assaying and understanding absorption of vitamin B12 helps with diagnosis of defects in humans that can lead to hematological and neurological complications. For part B of this experiment chlorophyll concentration of a leaf extract was calculated. In context to the experiment, eukaryotic green plants and algae, and prokaryotic cyanobacteria contain chloroplasts which have several pigment types, the most abundant of these being chlorophyll a. Green and blue-green coloured chlorophyll a absorbs maximum light energy at the photosynthetic reaction centre (during the light reaction of photosynthesis) at wavelengths in the blue (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 420 nm) and red (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 663 nm ) regions of the visible spectrum. The green-yellow coloured chlorophyll b is also present in all green plants and has an absorption spectrum (red à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 645 nm and blue à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 435 nm) slightly different from chlorophyll a. Normally the ratio of chlorophyll a:b is 3:1. As with most biological molecules chlorophyll is synthesised by biochemical pathways, and one intermediate molecule in the synthesis pathway is protochlorophyllide (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 626 nm) which is eventually converted into chlorophylls a and b. The amounts of chlorophyll and other pigments in plants can be determined using a spectrophotometer following extraction with various organic solvents. Based on the Beer-Lambert Law and a knowledge of absorption coefficients of pigments dissolved in particular solvents, equations have been derived to directly determine the concentrations of common pigments following extraction by measurement of the absorbance (A) of the solution at a given wavelength (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max) in a cuvette.   For part 3 of the experiment, protein concentration was determined by use of UV and Visible spectrophotometry, and Construction of a Standard Graph.   The estimation of protein concentration is an important measurement in biological sciences. For pure samples of proteins absorbance measurements at 280 nm can be used to directly determine protein concentration; all proteins absorb in this region of the spectrum due to their aromatic amino acid residues (tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine).   For protein mixtures, very dilute solutions, or for proteins with interfering chromophores, colourimetric methods must be used. These involve subjecting a pure protein standard of known concentration to a colourimetric reaction, and measuring the absorbance of the coloured end product. The sample protein of unknown concentration is subject to the same colourimetric reaction. The concentration of the sample protein can be read directly from a standard curve.   The Lowry assay involves the production of a blue (phosphomolybdate-tungstate) chromophore, from a copper-protein complex.   In this part of the practical, Lowry and direct absorbance methods were compared for the determination of the concentration of lysozyme in solution. The first of the methods makes use of a ÃŽÂ »max in the UV part of the spectrum and the other in the visible part of the spectrum.   Aims   To competently use a spectrophotometer and accociated cuvettes (cells) To relate absorbance of a solution to concentration using the Beer-Lambert law To determine the molar absorption (extinction) coefficient of vitamin B12 and compare its value with that from a standard reference table. To calculate the chlorophyll concentration in a leaf extract using absorbance values at defined wavelengths and a formula applicable to the solvent extraction medium. To measure protein concentration using direct absorbance and, following construction of a calibration curve, by a colourimetric method. Methods Part A To begin the experiment, the spectrophotomer was calibrated in accordance to the information given in the instrumentation booklet (p. 35, viii). Using distilled water in a plastic cuvette at a wavelength of 550 nm the spectrometer was then placed on zero. Using the provided Aqueous Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) solution at a stock concentration of 0.15 g dm-3 (relative molecular mass = 1.355 x 103 i.e. 1,355 Daltons ), The A value was measured and recorded at ÃŽÂ »max at 550 nm. The A value was Placed on the results sheet. The vitamin B12 solution concentration was converted from g dm -3 to mol dm-3 and then using this data the ÃŽÂ µ value for Vitamin B12 was calculated (see calculations). Part B For the second part of the experiment a sample of pigments extracted from dandelion leaves homogenized in an aqueous acetone extraction medium (80%) was provided. A clear pigment solution was needed for the test and so a check was carried out to ensure that there was no plant debris that may have interfered with light passage before the absorbance of the sample was measured. Using a Pasteur pipette, the clear extract was transferred into a clean quartz cuvette. The spectrophotometer was placed on zero using a quartz cuvette filled with an aqueous acetone mixture (80%) set at a à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max wavelength of 663 nm and the absorbance of the pigment solution was measured at 663 nm. The spectrophotometer was again placed on zero using the acetone solution (80%), however it was set at a à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max wavelength of 645 nm before the absorbance of the pigment solution was measured. The spectrometer was placed on zero for a third time and set at à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max wavelength of 626 nm. The absorbance of the pigment solution was again measured and all three sets of data were recorded. Part C (a) Direct absorbance A quartz cuvette was filled to the level with H20 and used as a standard to set the spectrophotometer at zero. Using another quartz cuvette the A value of the lysozyme solution of unknown concentration was measured at a ÃŽÂ »max of 280 nm. The value obtained was recorded. Having measured the A280 value of the unknown lysozyme sample, the concentration of lysozyme was calculated taking into consideration that ÃŽÂ µ280 of lysozyme = 3.65 x 104 dm3 mol-1 cm-1 and using the Beer-Lambert Law. The concentration of the lysozyme sample was then changed from mol dm-3 to à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­gcm-3. (b) Colourimetric Lowry Assay (Preparation and Use of a Standard Curve) Using a stock reference standard BSA solution containing 250 à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3 protein, a series of dilutions of the stock were prepared accurately, as per the table below: Tube No: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 BSA stock (cm3) 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 5.0 H2O (cm3) 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.0 Note that the dilution factors for each tube were used to enable calculations for final concentrations of BSA in tubes 1- 8 inclusive (see calculations). These values are then used to plot a standard curve. Standard solution (1.0 cm3) prepared in the above table was placed in 8 clean, dry test tubes. unknown lysozome sample (1cm3) was placed into test tube 9, and H2O (1.0 cm3) was placed in test tube 10 as a water/reagent blank control. A solution of Lowry C (alkaline copper reagent) was made up by mixing Lowry B1 (0.5 cm3) with Lowry B2 (0.5 cm3) and lowry A (50 cm3). A solution of lowry D (Folin Ciocalteus phenol reagent) was then made up by diluting Folin reagent (5 cm3) with distilled H2O (10 cm3). Lowry C reagent (5.0 cm3) was added to all ten test tubes. The solution was mixed and left for 10 minutes. Lowry D reagent (1.0 cm3 ) was then added to each test tube and mixed well. All tubes were left for 30 minutes at standard temperature (37oc) for reaction and colour development to occur, after which time the test tube contents were thoroughly mixed. For test tubes 1-9, the A value at à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¬max 750 nm was measured. Test tube 10 was not measured as it was used as a H2O/reagent blank to zero the spectrophotometer. Calculations Part A Due to the fact that a known amount of solute has to be dissolved in a given volume of solvent to obtain a solution of the required concentration, the number of moles of the solid can be calculated from the following equation: n = Mass of solute Relative molecular mass To convert the Aqueous Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) solution from g dm -3 to mol dm-3 one must consider that the stock concentration is 0.15 g dm-3, and the relative molecular mass of Vitamin B12 is 1.355 x 103 . 0.15 / 1.355 x 103 = 0.11 x 103 To find the ÃŽÂ µ value (wavelength absorption coefficient) of vitamin B12 the Beer-Lambert law must be applied: A= 0.827 L= 1cm C= 0.11 x 103 dm3 mol-1 cm-1 at ÃŽÂ »max of 550 nm ÃŽÂ µ = unknown As A= ÃŽÂ µLC, the equation can be rearranged as follows to make ÃŽÂ µ the subject: ÃŽÂ µ = A/C Therefore: ÃŽÂ µ = 0.827/0.11 x 103 = 7.51 x 103 Part B Chlorophyll Concentration determination The following formula was used to calculate the concentration of pigment in the extract. Chlorophyll a = 12.67A663 2.65A645 0.29A626 Chlorophyll b = 23.6A645 4.23A663 0.33A626 Protochlorophyllide = 29.6A626 3.99A663 6.76A645 The absorbance (A) is the respective wavelengths obtained directly from the spectrophotometer with the use of a 1cm light path length cuvette. Chlorophyll a = (12.67 x 0.934) (2.65 x 0.390) (0.29 x 0.321) = 10.71 ug cm-3. Chlorophyll b = (23.6 x 0.934) (4.23 x 0.390) (0.33 x 0.321) = 20.29 ug cm-3. Protochlorophyllide = (29.6 x 0.934) (3.99 x 0.390) (6.76 x 0.321) = 23.92 ug cm-3. Part C (a) Direct absorbance Concentration of lysozyme was calculated using the Beer-Lambert law as follows: A = 0.177 ÃŽÂ µ = 3.65 x 104 dm3 mol-1 cm -1 L = 1cm C = Unknown The Beer-Lambert law can be rearranged, making C the subject of the equation. Therefore the value of C can be calculated as: C = A / ÃŽÂ µ C = 0.177 / 3.65 x 104 = 4.84 x 10-6 mol dm-3   The concentration of the lysozyme sample was then changed from mol dm-3 to à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­gcm-3 Using the following formula: n= M / RMM 14.31 x 103 x 4.84 x 10-6 = 0.069g To change this from g to à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g it must be multiplied by 1000,000 as follows: 0.069 x 1000,000 = 69000 To then change this calculation from dm-3 to cm-3 it must be divided by 1000 as follows: 69000 / 1000 = 69 à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3 (b). Preparation and Use of a Standard Curve for Lowry Assay: Concentration (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3) was calculated using the below figures: Tube No: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 BSA stock (cm3) 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 5.0 H2O (cm3) 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.0 Test tube 1. BSA stock (cm3) = 1.0 H2O (cm3) = 4.0 1.0 + 4.0 = 5 1.0 / 5 = 0.2 0.2 x 250 = 50 Test tube 2. BSA stock (cm3) = 1.5 H2O (cm3) = 3.5 1.5 + 3.5 = 5 1.5/5 = 0.3 0.3 x 250 = 75 Test tube 3. BSA stock (cm3) = 2.0 H2O (cm3) = 3.0 2.0 + 3.0 = 5 2.0 / 5 = 0.4 0.4 x 250 = 100 Test tube 4. BSA stock (cm3) = 2.5 H2O (cm3) = 2.5 2.5 + 2.5 = 5 2.5 / 5 = 0.5 0.5 x 250 = 125 Test tube 5. BSA stock (cm3) = 3.0 H2O (cm3) = 2.0 3.0 + 2.0 = 5 4.0 / 5 = 0.6 0.6 x 250 = 150 Test tube 6. BSA stock (cm3) = 3.5 H2O (cm3) = 1.5 3.5 + 1.5 = 5 3.5 / 5 = 0.7 0.7 x 250 = 175 Test tube 7. BSA stock (cm3) = 4.0 H2O (cm3) = 1.0 4.0 + 1.0 = 5 5.0 / 5 = 0.8 0.8 x 250 = 200 Test tube 8. BSA stock (cm3) = 5.0 H2O (cm3) = 0.0 5.0 + 0.0 = 5 5.0 / 5 = 1 1 x 250 = 250 Results 1. Molar absorption coefficient of vitamin B12: Absorbance reading at ÃŽÂ »max of 550nm (A550nm) 0.827 2. Absorption Pigment type A Value Absorption Concentration Chlorophyll a A663nm 0.934 10.71 Chlorophyll b A645nm 0.390 20.29 Protochlorophyllide A626nm 0.321 23.92 Fig. 1. a table showing the A value of three different pigment types found in a leaf extraction, and the measured absorbance and calculated concentration of each. 3. Lysozyme Concentration Determination: (a) Direct absorbance reading at ÃŽÂ »max of 280 nm (A280nm) 0.177 (b). Preparation and Use of a Standard Curve for Lowry Assay: Discussion Part A A). Using the data collected, the experimental the ÃŽÂ µ value (dm3 mol-1 cm-1) calculated during this experiment was compared to that of an ÃŽÂ µ value obtained from  commercial standard references data. ÃŽÂ »(nm) ÃŽÂ µ(dm3 mol-1 cm-1) Standard ÃŽÂ µ value 550nm 8.55 x 103 Experimental ÃŽÂ µ value 550nm 7.51 x 103 Fig. 4. a table to show a comparison between standard and experimental ÃŽÂ µ values. As the above data indicates, the experimental ÃŽÂ µ value obtained during this experiment differs from that of the standard ÃŽÂ µ value. B). Other than human and experimental errors, one possibility that could explain the differences in the ÃŽÂ µ values is that to a certain degree different spectrophotometers in the laboratory give different readings. If the standard ÃŽÂ µ value was recorded using a different spectrophotometer this could cause anomalies within the results. A second possibility is that the solution used to find the experimental ÃŽÂ µ value was not at a stock concentration of exactly 0.15 g. This would affect the calculations and hence a different result would be obtained to that of the standard ÃŽÂ µ value. Part B 1(a).The % of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and protochlorophyllide in the leaf extract can be calculated in the following way: chlorophyll a concentration = 10.71 ug cm-3 chlorophyll b concentration = 20.29 ug cm-3 protochlorophyllide concentration = 23.92 ug cm-3 10.71 + 20.29 + 23.92 = 54.92 Percentage of chlorophyll a = 10.71/54.92 x 100 = 19.5% Percentage of chlorophyll b = 20.29/54.92 x 100 = 36.9% Percentage of protochlorophyllide = 23.92/54.92 x100 = 43.6% 1(b).It can be seen from the above percentages that 43.6% of the leaf extract is composed of protochlorophyllide. This is the largest percentage present within the leaf extract and therefore it can be considered as the predominant pigment type. 2(a). The percentages obtained can also be used to calculate the ratio of chlorophyll a:b in the leaf extract. In the case of this experiment the ratio of chlorophyll a:b in the leaf extract was 2:1. 2(b). The determined value to be expected when calculating the ratio of chlorophyll a:b in the leaf extract was 3:1. One would expect this as there are three pigments in the leaf extract, that ideally should contribute evenly. However, The results from this experiment vary from the standard data as they show a ratio of 2:1 between chlorophyll a and b. The most probable reason for this variation is not due to anomalies in results or calculations, but the fact that not all leaf extracts will contain the standard amount of pigments. In some cases pigments may be present in a higher percentage of one than the other, as is this experiment where protochlorophyllide was the predominant pigment type. 3). Although the above ratio is only dealing with percentages of chlorophyll a and b present in the leaf extract, one must consider that the presence of protochlorophyllide must be allowed for in the formulae and hence in the calculations. This is because there are three pigment types involved in the leaf extract and so one must consider that the ratio of the whole leaf extract is actually 3:2:1 where the ratio of chlorophyll a:b is 2:1. 4). The use of a formula related to a given extraction solvent is a convenient method for determining the concentration of chlorophyll. However, making use of the Beer-Lambert Law the concentration of chlorophyll could also be found by preparation and use of a standard curve. Part C Determination of Protein Concentration by UV and Visible Spectrophotometry, Construction of a Standard Graph Proteins have aromatic side chains such as tryptophan tyrosine and phenylalanine which absorb light at 280nm. The Lowry method is based upon a combination of the biuret method and the oxidation of tyrosine and tryptophan residues. The biuret reaction involves the binding of Cu2+ under alkaline conditions to nitrogen found in the peptide bonds of proteins. This reaction gives off a deep blue colour. The folin reagent contains phosphomolybdotungstate acids which are reduced to tyrosine, tryptophan and polar amino acids. This creates an intense blue-green colour. (a). The data collected was used to create a graph, plotting a standard curve of A (Y axis) against BSA concentration (X axis) in à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3 (See fig.3). This graph, shown in fig.3., was effectively constructed assuming that the relationship between absorbance (A) and concentration (C) must be linear to satisfy the Beer-Lambert law. However, the Beer-Lambert relationship between absorption and concentration deviates from lineariy in the case of more concentrated solutions. Linear BSA standard curves are only obtained at low protein concentration and so therefore to decrease possible anomilies in the results, timing of both residue addition and mixing were crucial. Using the A value from test tube 9, it was possible to use the graph to determine the concentration of the unknown lysozyme sample in à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3. Results from the graph show that. (b) By examining the lysozyme concentration results obtained (in à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ­g cm-3), it is possible to make a comparison between the results for the colourimetric assay and the direct absorption technique. Results show that Lysozyme concentration for colormetric assay were (m/rmm thing) Lysozyme concentration results for direct absorbance technique were..(graph) These results are same/different. Due to the fact that different proteins have widely varying characteristics, there may be considerable errors within the data. With the colormetric assay any non-protein component of the solution that absorbs UV light could interfere with the assay, resulting in the production of colour by substances other than the analyte of interest. This would cause the results to vary from that of the direct absorbance technique. (c). For this experiment three different methods were used for concentration determination, each of which had different strengths and weaknesses with respect to their sensitivity, accuracy and convenience. The first of these methods was the use of a formula, to determine chlorophyll concentration. Using a formula gives a very accurate theoretical result but it is not particularly convenient as for calculations to be correct it can take a great deal of time and effort. Obviously with such calculations, they are not sensitive as there is no outside interference to affect results. Direct absorbance is not as sensitive as the colormetric method, but as it requires the use of a spectrophotometer, it is an accurate assay method. This also makes the method relatively convenient for determining the concentration of lysozyme present in a given solution as changes in absorbance of the lysozyme could be clearly seen and recorded using the spectrophotometer at a particular wavelength. The colourimetric method was also used to determine the concentration of lysozyme during this experiment. One benefit of using the Colormetric method is that it is extremely sensitive (down to a protein content of 20ug ml-1) and it is also moderately constant from one protein to another. However, with respect to accuracy, this method is subject to interference from a wide range of non-protein substances including many organic buffers. The choice of an appropriate standard is important as the intesnsity of colour produced for a particular protein is dependant on the number of aromatic proteins. As different proteins have a different number of aromatic residues, the Lowry assay is considered more of a qualitative measure of protein content more than quantitative method of determining protein concentraion. This method is not as convenient as the direct absorbance method in that it takes a lot longer to perform and there is a higher frequency of anomalies that must be accounted for. (d). The measurement of protein levels is of significant diagnostic importance in both clinical and veterinary medicine. In clinical medicine there are a wide variety of biomedical tests involving the measurement of protein levels, such as the detection of abnormal protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), suggesting that there is an abnormal process occurring in the central nervous system. Protein levels in urine samples are tested to monitor and evaluate kidney function, and essentially to detect and diagnose kidney damage and disease at and early stage. Serum protein tests are also important as they concern measurement of protein levels of albumin and globulin in the blood. Such tests are also important in veterinary medicine. According to reports from Cornell universities college of veterinary medicine, protein tests have been developed to accurately indicate canine liver failure caused by the toxin aflatoxin. (e). Another way in which protein concentration can be measured, other than by the use of a formula or a spectrophotometer is gel electrophoreses. This technique uses charged protein molecules to separate physical properties, as they are forced through a gel by an electrical current.

Global Warming and its Causes and Solutions :: essays research papers

Global warming has been one of the leading environmental issues for the past several years. Global warming is when an excess of certain gasses are produced and trap the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. One of the most abundant of these gasses is carbon dioxide. It is released when fossil fuels and other things are burned for their energy. The average American family of 2 will produce 41,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. The Earth is able to cope with a certain amount of these gasses otherwise known as greenhouse gasses. With all of this the earth is heating up faster than most of it inhabitants can adapt. Some just can’t cope with the new conditions and some are having their habitat destroyed by it. Other gasses are destroying the ozone and letting in harmful UV rays and heating the earth even more. The earth has been doing fine but now many countries are in the industrial age and are manufacturing things and releasing more greenhouse gasses. The earth is essentially being thrown out of its natural balance. We started doing harmful things and only now do we realize what we have done and what we are doing. At this current rate by the middle of next century the earth’s temperature may rise a predicted 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not seem as much but with the earths delicate balance we will have lost several species and habitats. We all say that we are working to help the earth and yet we have only done a very small percent of what we need to do. Scientists are worried that soon the effects of what we have done may be irreversible. We have the technology to do it, but countries are concerned they will lose too much money. They are already wasting it on other unnecessary things and if they were to reduce funding to them we could have enough money to do these changes and probably still have some left to help fund other countries efforts. We are cutting down thousands of earth’s natural air filters as we speak. Trees and plants take some of the carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen helping us and the environment.

Dan Brown’s Deception Point Review

Unless you live in a cave (I’m not judging) then you’ve probably heard of Dan Brown. If you haven’t heard of Dan Brown then you’ve probably heard of â€Å"The Da Vinci Code†. If you’ve heard of neither then I suggest you watch less TV and stop collecting porn from the internet. (I’m still not judging). I won’t blog on about how fantastic the Da Vince Code is (it really is) or how mind-blowing the concepts where (they really were) or offer my thoughts on the validity of Dan Brown’s research for the book (not enough time in the day). Nope. This is about one of his earlier novels: Deception Point.If you’ve not read it, then stop reading this puerile obfuscation of the written language (that’s this blog by the way) and go read it now. If you need a little tease (still not judging) then reads on†¦. (Please affect your best â€Å"Deep Movie Trailer Voice†). There are no direct spoilers here, but if you prefer not to know anything about this book, turn away now. Not looking at your computer screen now? That’s a bit silly. President Zach Herney is in trouble. He’s taking a beating in the polls for the forthcoming presidential election. A stoic supporter of NASA, he’s backed and funded from tax payers money a string of expensive NASA blunders.His rival, the ruthless Senator Sedgewick Sexton, is riding a wave of unrest from the American people he’s stirred by condemning the billions of tax payers money that’s been wasted on failed NASA projects and he’s all but guaranteed the presidency. As the situation gets even more desperate for the President, a new NASA satellite detects evidence of an astonishing object buried deep in the Arctic ice: a meteorite containing the fossilized remains of extra terrestrial life. The floundering space agency appears to have struck gold and will silence all their critics with their find.The President dispatches Senator Sexton’s daughter, NRO intelligence analyst Rachel to the Arctic to verify the find. She’s accompanied by a team of NASA and civilian experts, including the charismatic â€Å"Amazing Seas† presenter Michael Tolland. Their every move is watched by the mysterious Delta Force taking orders from â€Å"the controller†. However, things start to unravel quickly when Rachel uncovers that the object isn’t all that it appears to be. A shocking discovery that will plunge the country into controversy. Before Rachel can make her findings known she realizes that her discovery puts her life, and the lives of others in danger.Fleeing for her life with Michael Tolland and Corky Marlinson – a NASA scientist – in the dangerous Arctic conditions they have only one hope for survival: to find out who’s behind the deception. Back in Washington, the election grows closer and the stakes get higher. William Pickering, the NRO director is frustra ted with NASA’s regular security leaks which put their technological advances into the hands of the highest bidder. The NASA administrator, an ex-Pentagon man is fighting to keep NASA from being restructured as part of the governments intelligence community joining the FBI and the CIA.The President, taking advice from his sly senior advisor Marjorie Tench, prepares to tell the world of NASA’s discovery. Sounds good, doesn’t it? It is. Dan Brown has really done is research and although you’re entertained, you also learn a fair bit about the Arctic, meteorites and fossils. His technical detail is on par with Tom Clancy although it’s not as dry as some of Clancy’s work. His real flair is in involving the reader. This is a book that you won’t want to put down. Now, go read it.

Work Place essays

Work Place essays There is a business need for new computer systems in the Transportation Department. The systems that they are currently using are outdated, out of memory, and can not keep up with the speed of the business. I have chosen two new systems, IBM Net Vista A20 ThinkPad and the IBM PC300GL. I recommend the IBM Net Vista A20 because of the mobility that it offers. Both will competently perform the job as well as offer room to grow. IBM Net Vista A20 Think-Pad $839.00. IBM PC300GL Desktop $852.00. Total cost for the department is $20,136.00 for the Think-Pad or $20,448.00 for the desktops. Net Vistas features are: 566MHZ Intel Celeron Processor, 64MB RAM, 10GB HD, and Windows 98 operating system. PC300GLs features are: 533MHZ Intel Celeron Processor, 64 MB RAM, 15GB HD, and Windows 98 operating system. Happier employees and less money spent on expanding older systems. This will also prevent the amount of calls made to the help desk. Less system problems which means that we can be more productive throughout the day. The ability to be mobile and the ability to work from other locations. The systems that we are currently using are P100s that were manufactured in 1994. None of these systems are capable of being expanded. The new systems will have more memory, faster processors, and larger hard drives. The hard drive on the Net Vista is 10GB, whereas the PC300 comes with a 15GB hard drive. The extra 5GB of memory will make a considerable difference in the amount of files that we can store. On the memo dated October 15th, 1998, Daniel Snyder stated, We must reduce the amount of paper that we are using. I do not know if the problem is waste, excessive printing, or abuse of IBM property, but this must cease. The purchase of either system, including the extra memory, will assure that we are in direct ...

Third Place

Third Place Analysts and education experts are of the view that an instructor should understand the culture and the native language of a student learning a foreign language. Furthermore, it is important to understand the culture of the speakers of the target language. In this regard, it is essential to understand both L1 and L2 aspects of a culture. The new culture should not contradict the culture of the learner.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Third Place The New Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More LoBianco (1999) refers to this phenomenon as the ‘Third Place’. The third place is crucial in teaching a foreign language. LoBianco (1999) argues that when teaching a foreign language, one should identify the middle ground between L1 and L2. The middle ground is then used to benefit the learners. However, it is important to note at this juncture that the middle ground does not imply adopting the target culture. To the student, the middle ground may translate to appreciating the different cultures of fellow students (Liddicoat, Crozet LoBianco, 1999). Moreover, foreign language students should comprehend the culture of the native speakers, regardless of whether or not they wish to adopt the new lifestyle and behaviour patterns (Liddicoat, 2000). Various scholars, such as Schmidt (1993) and Cook (1999), encourage learners to pay attention to the various aspects of the language they are learning. The learner should pay attention to such aspects as styles of speech, relevant contexts, and functional meanings. Kasper (2001) and Trosborg (1994) add that students should be aware of the sociopragmatic and pragmalinguistic behaviour appropriate for particular settings. Learning the various pragmalinguistic features, such as politeness markers, poses a challenge to learners. It is challenging given that one has to use the features correctly and within the right context (Schmidt, 1993; Lazenby, 1997). According to Lazenby (1997), sociopragmatic features are the social aspects of speech. Sociopragmatic features involve day to day activities, such as asking for help or apologising. The arguments made by Bardovi in 1999 (and cited in Kasper, 2001) reveal that grammatical awareness and pragmatic competence should remain independent of each other.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The scholar notes that achieving considerable levels of grammatical competence does not necessarily mean that the learner is pragmatically competent. The two phenomena are quite different from each other. I am an English instructor at the College of Technology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Most of my students are aged between 19 and 25 years, and they learn the English language within a period of two years. The students have already learnt English for a period of six years before joining college. However, the English instructions they have received prior to joining the college place little emphasis on culture. As a college instructor at the college level, my major aim is to assist the students in learning both the language and its corresponding spoken culture. There are several personal and professional beliefs that inform my envisaged objectives. For example, I believe that teaching my students the culture of the speakers of the target language will help them appreciate the uniqueness of the two cultures. As an English teacher working with learners of Arabic descent, I have faced various challenges, both within and without the classroom. For example, I have to contend with various groups of students who feel embarrassed or shy to pronounce English words like a native English speaker. I have come to realise that the shyness and embarrassment is as a result of the attitudes held by the students. The attitudes come from the fear of attracting criticism from other students, who are of t he opinion that Saudi students should not be expected to pronounce English words like native English speakers. In addition to this, I have come to realise that most Saudi students feel that memorising words, as well as learning grammar and sentence structure, is enough. They disregard the need to pronounce such words correctly, as well as the need to learn about the various aspects of the English language culture. The other cultural impediment I have come across in my efforts to teach the students the English language has to do with the various language textbooks. The various textbooks contain phrases, words, and pictures that are considered immoral or illegal in Saudi Arabia, a predominantly Muslim nation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Third Place The New Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the issues considered as either immoral or illegal in foreign language books relate to alcohol, sexuality, and diet. Textbooks written in foreign language, and targeting learners of the foreign language, should take into consideration the Muslim culture with regard to the issues highlighted above. At the same time, the books should be designed in a manner that clearly portrays the English culture, while avoiding conflicts with the religion and culture of the local people. For example, it is permissible to portray what happens in the West during summer holidays. However, to us here, it is repulsive to show pictures of scantly-dressed men and women frolicking on the coastal beaches. Similarly, the textbooks should not depict the celebrations of English speaking people that include imbibing alcoholic drinks. A critical analysis of the Saudi classroom will reveal that it is a third place, a place where students are prepared for higher learning. Teachers should use this opportunity to inform students about the differences between the Arabic and Western cultures. Creating such awareness is critic al given that some of the students may get the opportunity to study in English speaking nations, such as the United States of America and United Kingdom. To this end, the teachers should prepare the students to deal with the cultural shock. Some of the preparations include informing the students that they should expect to sit in the same classroom with students of the opposite gender. In addition, the students should be made aware of the fact that they will be taught by both male and female instructors. The students should also know that the power distance in most Western countries is low. As a result, they should be ready to relate with their teachers less formally compared to how they relate with teachers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is appropriate to inform students that in the English speaking nations, they do not have to refer to their instructors by their titles. Nonetheless, most of the students in Saudi Arabia will never get the opportunity to travel to the West. As such, the teacher should use the classroom setting to help them understand the English language and the way of life of native English speakers. According to LoBianco (1999), the class becomes the ideal third place to learn foreign languages.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The learning can take place through watching videos, reading novels, telling stories, and listening to conversations between native English speakers. Moreover, the classroom setting in Saudi Arabia is regarded as a private space within a public space. Learning foreign languages and cultures takes place within such private spaces. According to LoBianco (1999), the college becomes the public space, while the classroom becomes the private space. The latter is the space within which students learn the English language and the English culture. In this third place, students are briefly separated from their culture, granting them the opportunity to engage in another culture foreign to them. The scholars who crafted the third place theory had several objectives in mind. The major aim of this theory is to generate self-reflection, critical engagement, and sensitivity among the learners of the language and speakers of the target language (Papademetre, 2003). Furthermore, one should understand that the language and culture of other people impacts on their actions, feelings, thoughts, and values. For example, a Saudi student should comprehend the lifestyles of people in English speaking nations. Linguists point out that for such an understanding to be created among students, the instructor should be aware of their own culture and the foreign culture they are teaching. The understanding of these two cultures is a perplexing and challenging responsibility. Culture and language have deep and far reaching impacts on the way we act and react, as well as on the beliefs and values we hold dear. For example, young people may have difficulties comprehending what their elders are saying. Both the instructor and the learner should aim to move to the third place’s middle ground, where they can observe cultural disparities and exchange significant and corresponding reconstructive ideas. Nevertheless, cross-cultural education is seen as one of the immediate results of combining different cultures. In attempts to ensure that the leaner comprehends the foreign culture, the instructor should endeavour to seamlessly combine the culture of the student with the one that he or she wants to introduce in their life. Furthermore, the instructor should avert any form of clash between the two cultures. Educating a person on the ways of another culture requires more than having knowledge and information about the two cultures. Such education requires the instructor to reflect and focus on both the target and native cultures. The reflection and focus is important given that the culture of the people is expressed through their language. As such, the student should understand that when learning a foreign language, they should familiarise themselves with the various aspects of the dialect. They should learn about the various aspects of the lives of the people in focus (Tang, 1999). For example, people from different cultures and from different geographical locations have d ifferent speech expressions. It is common to hear such phrases as â€Å"gday mate† in Australia, but the phrases are not used in America or in England. In efforts to understand the culture of a target language, the students are encouraged to learn about the various aspects of the lives of the native speakers. To facilitate this, the teacher is charged with the responsibility of capturing the interest and attention of the learners as far as learning the language is concerned (Byram, Esarte-Sarries, Taylor Allat, 1991). The focus of learning the foreign language should not only be on the differences between the two cultures, but also on discovering abstract similarities between them. For example, the ‘language behaviour’ exhibited by different cultures may be similar, depending on the level of abstraction. At high abstraction levels, cultural similarities are more discernible compared to cultural differences. However, at low abstraction levels, it is differences, and not similarities, which are discernible. The challenge facing instructors like me is the need to teach a language from different degrees of abstraction. The instructor should broach the subject by introducing obvious comparisons between the two cultures. As the learning progresses, the instructor will then shift to other comparisons at higher abstraction levels (Bex, 1994). According to Liddicoat Crozet (2001), interculturality is what validates the other and the self. In order to attain a hybrid position suitable for the learner, which is the third place, there should be a compromise between the two phenomena (Crozet, Liddicoat LoBianco, 1999). The compromise is reached through negotiations between the other and the self. In this case, the students make the decision to retain some aspects of the native culture. The students accept the idea of relinquishing some aspects of their culture, while selectively assimilating some aspects of the target culture (Crozet Liddicoat, 1999 ). In the early days, teaching and learning cultures foreign to the country required Saudi students to abandon their traditional cultures and embrace the foreign culture they were learning (Triandis, Kashima, Shimada Villareal, 1986). The replacement of one culture with another was largely regarded as unfavourable to them, given that it meant abandoning one form of mono-cultural existence and embracing another. However, and according to Kramsch (1993), the third place is the most suitable approach compared to the others. The third place gives the student the opportunity and freedom to identify a ground between L1 and L2 cultures. The third place theory is strongly linked to the third domain theory, which is outlined by Bhabha (1994). It is also related to dialogism theory, which is proposed by Bakhtin (1986). What this means is that it is not enough to analyse the third place theory as a stand-alone phenomenon. The scholar should take into consideration the links between the third place theory and the other theories (Kramsch, 1993). In conclusion, it is necessary for Saudi instructors teaching foreign language to understand the nature of the relationship between the two cultures. The instructor should be aware of the various aspects of the Saudi and target culture. The awareness will help them to effectively communicate with the learners. Furthermore, the understanding helps the instructors to transfer knowledge to the learners in a seamless manner. In addition, teachers should communicate to the learners the differences between the target culture and the native culture. At the same time, the instructor should highlight the various aspects of the new culture that are in agreement with the local culture. Just like other Muslim nations, Saudi Arabia is a very conservative society. The residents are very sensitive to foreign elements. In addition to â€Å"playing by the rules†, the teachers should equip their students with skills necessary to cope with li fe in English speaking nations. The skills will protect the students from cultural shock in their new learning environment. Equipping the learners with these skills helps in creating a third place, where the students are allowed and able to retain most aspects of their culture. At the same time, the students learn a new language and assimilate new ways of life. As already indicated, some of the students will remain behind in Saudi Arabia as their colleagues travel abroad for further studies. The third place will help most of the students who will remain behind to learn and appreciate the new language. They will continue to respect and appreciate their culture as they learn the new language. References Bakhtin, M. (1986). Speech genres and other late essays. Austin: University of Texas Press. Bex, A. R. (1994). The problem of culture and English language teaching in Europe. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 32(1), 57-67. Bhabha, H. (1994). The location of culture. New York : Routledge. Byram, M., Esarte-Sarries, V., Taylor, E., Allat, P. (1991). Young people’s perception of the other culture. In D. Buttjes M. Byram (Eds.), Mediating languages and cultures (pp. 103-119). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Cook, H. M. (1999). Why cant learners of Japanese as a foreign language distinguish polite from impolite speech styles?. New York: US Department of Education, Educational Resources Information Centre. Crozet, C., Liddicoat, A. J. (1999). The challenge of intercultural language teaching: Engaging with culture in the classroom. In J. LoBianco, A. J. Liddicoat C. Crozet (Eds.), Striving for the third place: Intercultural competence through language education (pp. 113-126). Canberra: Language Australia. Crozet, C., Liddicoat, A. J., LoBianco, J. (1999). Intercultural competence: From language policy to language education. In J. LoBianco, A. J. Liddicoat C. Crozet (Eds.), Striving for the third place: Intercultural competence through language edu cation (pp. 1-20). Canberra: Language Australia. Kasper, G. (2001). Four perspectives on L2 pragmatic development. Applied Linguistics, 22(4), 502-530. Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lazenby, S. B. (1997). A study of pragmatic perception and strategic behaviour of adult second language learners. Language Awareness, 6(4), 233–237. Liddicoat, A. J. (2000). Everyday speech as culture: Implications for language teaching. In A. Liddicoat C. Crozet (Eds.), Teaching languages, teaching cultures (pp. 51-63). Melbourne: Applied Linguistics Association of Australia. Liddicoat, A. J., Crozet, C. (2001). Acquiring French interactional norms through instruction. In K. Rose G. Kasper (Eds.), Pragmatic development in instructional contexts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Liddicoat, A. J., Crozet, C., LoBianco, J. (1999). Striving for the third place: Consequences and implications. In J. LoBianco, A. J. Liddicoat C. Crozet (Eds.), Striving for the third place: Intercultural competence through language education (pp. 1-20). Canberra: Language Australia. LoBianco, J. (1999). A ‘syntax of peace’? In J. LoBianco, A. J. Liddicoat C. Crozet (Eds.), Striving for the third place: Intercultural competence through language education (pp. 10-19). Melbourne: Language Australia. Papademetre, L. (2003). Learning languages. New York: Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences. Schmidt, R. (1993). Consciousness, learning, and interlanguage pragmatics. In G. Kasper S. Blum-Kulka (Eds.), Interlanguage pragmatics (pp. 21-42). New York: Oxford University Press. Tang, R. (1999). The place of ‘culture’ in the foreign language classroom: A reflection. The Internet TESL Journal, 5(8), 37-57. Triandis, H. C., Kashima, Y., Shimada, E., Villareal, M. (1986). Acculturation indices as a means of confirming cultural differences. International Journal of Psychology, 21, 43-70. Trosborg, A. (1994). Interlanguage pragmatics: Requests, complaints, and apologies. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter Co.

Hum 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hum 1 - Essay Example Consequently, the outstanding performance made Achilles, Hector and Odysseus make them heroes of all ages and all regions of the globe at large. One of the most distinguished characteristics of the Homeric heroic code includes that the heroes contain exceptional physical strength and mental capabilities. Hence, even humans, they enjoy some traits attributed to Greek gods. Thus, Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Patroclus, Ithaca and others perform such marvelous deeds that arouse astounding wonder and invite shocking surprise of the readers and spectators alike. Hence, Iliad serves as â€Å"an expansive poem of enormous scope, composed in an archaic and superbly elevated style of language, concerning the wondrous deeds of heroes; these deeds were meant to arouse a sense of wonder or marvel is difficult for the modern mind to comprehend, especially in a time when even such words as wonderful or marvelous have lost much of their evocative power.† (Nagy, 1991) Furthermore, another uniq ue trait of them is that they never surrender on the way to gravest challenges, either they are being challenged by the enormous monsters, or fighting against the floods, famine and any other natural calamity. For instance, Hector did not the prophecy of his being killed in the battlefield, and left his beautiful wife Andromache and innocent son Astyanax in order to display gallant deeds against the foes of his Trojan nation fighting under the commandership of Greek Achilles. Hence, he strictly observes pride, prestige and honor in his behavior, and his feet never waver or tremble even when he was at the verge of his inevitable death at Achilles’ hands in the war. The same was the case with Achilles himself, who forgot his resentment he had maintained for Agamemnon because of his injustice towards him in the case of Chryseis, the Trojan lady, who became captive during the war and was taken by Achilles but was snatched by Agamemnon. Thus he displayed unconditional and unflinch ing dedication and valor during the Trojan War and killed Hector in the battlefield. "Oh Father Zeus, people say for wisdom you exceed all others, men and gods alike. Yet all this comes from you. . . ." (13.744) [13.631] Similarly, Odyssey concentrates upon the long and challenging journey of Odysseus, which was meant to return home in order to reunite with his wife, son and father. During the journey, he has to undergo severe trials and hurdles on his way, and every time he manages to crush these hurdles under the chariot wheels of his astounding determination, extraordinary commandership and exemplary intellect. He loses his companions in the Island of Cicones and is captured in a cave in the Island of Cyclopes. The race of cannibals stops him from proceeding on the one hand, and bad winds prove unfavorable towards Odysseus on the other. In addition, he has to spend many years as captive of the goddess Calypso. But he remains as firm as rock in the face of hardships and obstacles and subsequently comes out successful and triumphant in all ordeals and trials. Hence, he is

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 15

International Business - Essay Example ompanies targeting either India or China for the expansion of their businesses at present because of the immense growth potentials in these countries. India and China are two countries which escaped from the current financial crisis without much damage. It is not easy for a company to set up business in an overseas country because of the various challenges they may face in the target country. Human resource management is one of the core functional areas the offshoring organizations should consider in their business strategies. This paper assumes that Microsoft, the American operating system/ computer software manufacturer is looking to establish a subsidiary unit of Microsoft in India. The various aspects of human resource management issues Microsoft may face in India is briefly explained in this paper. Microsoft is one of the best examples of a monopolistic firm of the current century. No challenge at all for Microsoft in most of the countries in which they operate. In fact other companies like Intel forced to make microprocessor chips compatible for the smooth operation of Microsoft’s Windows based operating systems. In other worlds, Microsoft’s monopoly forces even other companies to dance with the tunes composed by Microsoft. Even though nobody has any doubt about Microsoft’s abilities in controlling the software industry all over the world, there is no guarantee that it may become successful in every country if it overlooks the customized needs of each country. For example, India and China are two different countries compared to America and business concepts, organizational culture, behavior, and environment in these countries are entirely different from that of America. Microsoft needs to formulate customized business strategies for both of these countries, if they want to excel in these countries. India is a secular democratic country and the second largest country in the world as far as population is concerned. Moreover India is recognized as one