“Lifting the Veil: Understanding the Roots of Islamic Militancy” by Henry Munson Essay

The article discussed the reasons behind Muslim hostility towards the United States. The article first appeared in Harvard International Review, Winter 2004, pp. 20-23.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Author Henry Munson focused on the reasons why Islamic militancy, led by Osama bin Laden, continues to take its toll despite United States’ efforts through its foreign policy to eradicate such violence. Munson stated that US might want to look at and reflect on their foreign policies, which causes much more hostility instead of diluting the rage that fuels Islamic militancy. Moreover, he noted that Muslim extremists also need to look at and reflect on the existence and perpetuation of hatred in their society that causes them to support militant and violent efforts leading to more chaos or war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Muslims’ hostility towards the United States is caused by the latter’s foreign policies. Zogby International’s February and March 2003 survey of 2,620 men and women from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia revealed that their â€Å"unfavorable attitude† towards the US is primarily fueled by its foreign policy and has nothing to do with their own cultural or religious values. Another Zogby International survey in summer 2001 held that more than 80 percent of respondents from Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia viewed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as one of the three important issues that affects them. A survey of Muslim â€Å"opinion leaders† done by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press in December 2001 found that US position in this conflict is the main reason for Muslim hostility towards the US. Another report from Pew released on June 3, 2003, titled Views of Changing World June 2003, found that Muslim hostility towards the US has increased from 2002 to 2003. This report, done shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, proved that the Bush administration’s war on terror has caused a significant rise in why Muslims feel more hostile towards the US. Another Zogby International poll in 2003 found that most Arabs believed the reason behind US attack on Iraq is because of Iraqi oil reserves and US plan of helping Israel. This belief exacerbated fear from 70 percent of Israelis, Pakistanis, and Turks. According to a 2003 Pew report, they are worried or somewhat worried of a possible US attack to their countries. This finding is linked to another 2003 Pew report that revealed that over half of respondents in Indonesia, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority and almost half of respondents in Morocco and Pakistan named Osama bin Laden as one of the three world figures to whom they had confidence in â€Å"doing the right thing.† Understanding the roots of Islamic militancy is understanding Osama bin Laden’s roots. His hostility began when infidels occupied a Muslim land. This worsened when US deployed troops in Saudi Arabia, leading him to bomb two US embassies in Africa in 1998, and then directly attacking the US in 9/11. Despite this, 95 percent of educated Saudis supported him, as referenced by a New York Times article on January 27, 2002. With all these facts and figures, Munson stressed the need for both the US and the Islamic militants to examine their stands and beliefs because instead of easing the situation, it just keeps on getting worse. I agree with Munson’s contention that both sides need to look at and reflect on their own stands, beliefs, and plans, instead of looking at each other’s mistakes and blaming one another for having a different culture. However, do we see this happening anytime soon or in the near future perhaps? I do not think so because it seems impossible for each side to regard the other’s side as well as the side of the innocent ones that have been shattered and will be shattered because of war. It is easy to point out what needs to be done, however it is so difficult to realize this especially if each side is consumed and dedicated to pursuing its personal end. I do not want to sound pessimistic but probably no God or Allah will prevent future wars because as long as humans remain dissatisfied and selfish, wars are here to stay. Summary of â€Å"Blowback Revisited: Today’s Insurgents in Iraq are Tomorrow’s Terrorists† by Peter Bergen and Alec Reynolds   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The article contended that the foreign volunteers fighting against United States’ troops in Iraq will find new targets around the world after the war ceases, just like how international mujahideen, who were drawn in the Afghan conflict, found new attacks that culminated in the 9/11 blowback. The article first appeared in Foreign Affairs, Vol. 84, No. 6, November/December 2005, pp. 2-6. Authors Bergen and Reynolds bolstered their argument by enumerating several examples of where blowbacks were felt, which rooted in the Soviet-Afghan conflict.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Foreign volunteers in Afghanistan regarded the Soviet defeat as Muslim victory that gave them legitimacy and prestige, as well as opportunity to declare jihad or holy war to Muslim countries they think needed their assistance. For instance, Armed Islamic Group (GIA) murdered thousands of Algerians in the 1990s in its attempt to overthrow the government and replace it with an Islamist command.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, in Egypt, after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, hundreds of extremists left the country to train in the Afghan war. When they came back, they led a terror campaign between 1990 and 1997 that killed thousands of people. Egyptian Cleric Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, who was said to have inspired Sadat’s assassins, supported the Afghan jihad and encouraged his two sons to fight the war. He even provided spiritual direction to terrorist group Jamaat al-Islamiyya. Furthermore, he encouraged attacks on New York City landmarks and was sentenced to life imprisonment for bombing the World Trade Center in 1993. However, Jamaat al-Islamiyya’s 1997 attack at an archaeological site in Luxor, Egypt forced his release.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But the most famous alumnus of the Afghan jihad happens to be Osama bin Laden, who carried jihad beyond the Middle East into the United States, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. US presence in Saudi Arabia caused his Al-Qaeda’s grievance, leading him to attack two embassies in Africa in 1998, nearly sinking U.S.S. Cole in Yemen in 2000, and finally attacking the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Afghan experience enabled these militants to be trained in warfare and tactics, meet other like-minded militants, and therefore create and inspire a myriad of extremist organizations all over the world. This is what Bergen and Reynolds predict to take event with the foreign fighters in Iraq war; only this time it will be more dangerous. This is because foreign fighters have been battle-hardened, have undergone more rigorous training, and have more knowledge on effective tactics and techniques.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bergen and Reynolds also stressed the possibility that foreign involvement in the Iraqi war will encourage Iraqi nationals to become international terrorists. Since they are culturally closer to the foreigners in Iraq, they may think of continuing jihad once US troops move out. With US efforts, only a finite number of terrorists can be lured into one place and killed. Moreover, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld already stressed that US lacks metrics to know if they are winning or losing the war and the Bush administration has not actually dwell on the problem of what the foreign fighters can do after the war. With all these, a blowback against US and its allies in Europe and Middle East is rightly expected. If blowback happened after the Afghan conflict, much of the blame should be placed on the US government and the Arab money for funding the war. Now if blowback will happen again, who is to be blamed but the ones who funded the war. It is frustrating that because of all these terrorism and attacks, a lot of innocent lives are destroyed. But it is not only they, the ones torn by the bombings and gunshots, who are victims to these senseless battles. Muslims all over the world are torn by the judgment, name calling, and paranoia of some cultures that fear the own snake they have unleashed. The United States will never know if it has won or lost in the Iraqi war and in the future wars it will be involved in, because the fact is, in a war nobody wins. Everybody is a loser.

Dingoes

NAME: _______________________________________ Persuasive Unit Packet In this persuasive essay you will persuade your reader which of the following inventions is most important (is the most valuable to mankind): 1. Electricity – from the light bulb to the computer 2. Writing – the printing press, books, and literacy 3. Immunization – vaccinations against disease 4. Modern Plumbing – the sink, toilet, shower You will be writing a five paragraph essay persuading your reader to think like you. In this packet are the tools that will lead you to write persuasively.This will be due at various times and must be submitted with your final draft. Write in the due dates below as your teacher tells you: * Rough draft to the INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH due * Rough draft to the BODY PARAGRAPH 1 & 2 due * Rough draft to the COUNTER PARAGRAPH due * Rough draft of CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH due * PEER EDITED ROUGH DRAFT due * FINAL, TYPED DRAFT DUE ON Introductory Paragraph Worksheet In the space below write your opinion on which invention you think is the most important. Now, provide six bullets as to why it’s the most important: * * * * * Now combine these thoughts into a rough draft of the thesis: is the invention because (topic)(adjective) (reason #1/body 1) and (reason #2/body 2) Attention Grabber/Active Research An effective persuasive essay includes a hook or attention grabber such as: * Giving some interesting information about your topic * Ask a thought-provoking question * Quote someone knowledgeable about your topic * Share an experience In order to do these, you must research your topic. Chart your research findings below: Fact| Source (website/book)| | | Quote| | Question| |Choosing three of the approaches above, and your research, develop each one into an attention getter: 1. 2. 3. Next, have a peer review these three and have him/her star and initial which one they like best. Introductory Paragraph Rough Draft Now, combine your attention gr abber and thesis and write a rough introductory paragraph. (use the example paragraph on the bottom as a model) Introductory Paragraph Example 1: Last year, our neighbors got a dingo. As a puppy, this Australian wild dog was very friendly. By the time it was six months old, though, the dingo was big and mean.After it attacked our dog, Animal control had to take the dingo away. What if our neighbors buy a baby crocodile next? Exotic pets might be interesting, but they can also cause a lot of trouble. People should think carefully before buying unusual pets because they do not always consider how it grows, they get tired of them, and the pets can even carry exotic diseases. (Write Source, â€Å"Avoiding Exotic Pets† p. 225) THERE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH ON THE NEXT PAGE Introductory Paragraph Example 2: The final bell rings. It’s the last day of school, and summer has finally come!For America’s students summer vacation means two and a half months without school, but recently many people are asking if this two and a half month break might be a factor in America’s declining education. In his latest interviews, President Obama has spoken about his plan to improve education in America. He has discussed the decline in the education system, and voiced concerns about the ability of American students to remain competitive with nations like Japan. While Obama has discussed changes for several areas of education, he has also proposed lengthening the school year.Although extending the school year is not a wildly popular idea, lengthening the school year will help American students become more competitive by helping to raise student achievement and providing low-income students with equal opportunities for success. Body Paragraph Research #1 Look back at your thesis. Write the FIRST reason you listed why your invention is the best and write it here: Now using this as your guide, research on destiny. sandi. net some evidenc e that proves this claim. Chart your findings below. Fact| Source (website/book)| | | | | | | | | | | | |Body Paragraph #1 Worksheet Write your topic sentence. This should introduce the first reason you listed why your invention is the best (as written in your thesis on worksheet page 2). Example: One problem is that owners often don’t think about what will happen when the animal grows. TS: Now look back at your Body Paragraph Research #1. On that page highlight or circle the two best pieces of evidence that support your claim (listed above). Label them A & B with B being your best (strongest) piece of evidence you have. Write these in a complete sentence below:Example: (CD/A) For example, potbellied pigs are cute when they are little, but they can be hard to handle later on. Your CD/A: Now, provide the commentary (CM) for your concrete details (CD). Remember, commentary explains to your reader how the concrete details support your topic sentence (TS) IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Examp le CM for CD/A: This fact proves that ownership of exotic animals becomes more difficult as the animal matures. Your CM: Your CD/B: Example: (CD/B) According to World Book Online, pigs may turn over furniture or dig up the backyard looking for something to eat.Now, provide the commentary (CM) for your concrete details (CD). Remember, commentary explains to your reader how the concrete details support your topic sentence (TS) IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Example CM for CD/B: This clearly proves that ownership of exotic animals becomes more difficult as the animal matures. Your CM: Lastly, you will end this body paragraph with a concluding sentence which will transition into reason number two that supports your topic (the second reason listed in your thesis). Example: In fact, in some cases owners become so overwhelmed with their esponsibilities that they take the drastic measure to give away their pet. Your CL: Body Paragraph #1 Rough Draft Below, this is an example of a body paragraph: One pr oblem is that owners often don’t think about what will happen when the animal grows (TS). For example, potbellied pigs are cute when they’re little, but they can be hard to handle later on (CD1). This fact shows that exotic animals can grow into a potential dangerous problem. (CM) According to World Book Online, pigs may turn over furniture or dig up the backyard looking for something to eat (CD2).This clearly proves that ownership of exotic animals becomes more difficult as the animal matures (CM). In fact, in some cases owners become so overwhelmed with their responsibilities that they take the drastic measure to give away their pet (CL). Below, this is an example of another first body paragraph: In recent years, American students have begun to fall behind their international peers. For example, President Obama has cited the fact that in the United States, â€Å"8th Grade curriculum is two year behind competing nations. † If the United States hopes to remain a world power, it is crucial that we take steps to raise our education standards.In order to raise our curriculum and hold our students to higher standards a longer school year is necessary. Furthermore, Obama stated that one third of 13-14 year-olds in America are not reading at grade level. These facts clearly show a huge problem within the U. S. educational system. The ability to read at an appropriate level is essential to success and understanding in school and life. Our educational system is faced with the job of preparing this countries youth for the future, and clearly our students are not developing the necessary skills.Finally, the US math score on the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) test was a 487 which is below the international average of 496. With the advances being made in technology and science it is crucial that American student have a strong understanding of math and science principals. While other countries seem to be excelling in these subjects it is unacceptable for US student to be scoring below the international average. For many years the US has been an international superpower. In order to remain a superpower, The US must take steps to improve education and stop our students from falling behind.ON THE NEXT PAGE YOU WILL WRITE YOUR BODY PARAGRAPH ROUGH DRAFT Now, combine your work from PAGES 6 and 7 and write your first rough body paragraph. (use the example paragraphs on page 7 as a model) Body Paragraph Research #2 Look back at your thesis. Write the SECOND reason you listed why your invention is the best and write it here: Now using this as your guide, research on destiny. sandi. net some evidence that proves this claim. Chart your findings below. Fact| Source (website/book)| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Body Paragraph #2 Worksheet Write your topic sentence.This should introduce the second (and strongest) reason you listed why your invention is the best (as written in your thesis on worksheet page 2). Example: T he most serious problem is that owners who grow tired of their exotic pets have trouble finding new homes for them. TS: Now look back at your Body Paragraph Research #2. On that page highlight or circle the two best pieces of evidence that support your claim (listed above). Label them A & B with B being your best (strongest) piece of evidence you have. Write one in a complete sentence below: Example: (CD/A) Often, shelters cannot take these pets, so owners turn them loose.CD/A: Now, provide the commentary (CM) for your concrete detail (CD). Remember, commentary explains to your reader how the concrete details support your topic sentence (TS) IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Example: This example shows how overwhelming owning an exotic pet can be. CM: CD/B: (CD/B) According to the San Diego Tribune, when a woman in Florida reached into her flower garden, a tropical snake that had been turned loose by a neighbor attacked her. Now, provide the commentary (CM) for your concrete detail (CD). Remember, commentary explains to your reader how the concrete details support your topic sentence (TS) IN YOUR OWN WORDS.No example given. See first body paragraph. CM: Lastly, you will end this body paragraph with a concluding sentence which will end the supporting body paragraphs of your paper. Example: In conclusion, exotic animals, while fascinating, do not make the best household pets. CL: Now, combine your work from PAGES 9 and 10 to write your first rough body paragraph. (use the example from body paragraph as a model) Counter Argument Paragraph First, you will acknowledge that other arguments can be made in the defense of alternate inventions. (Immunization, Writing, Modern Plumbing, Electricity)Come up with three arguments used by ONE of the other three inventions discussed: 1. 2. 3. You may use a beginning similar to the examples below as your topic sentence: (choose only one of the sentences starters below): Some people will say Some believe An alternate way of thinking Choose the two weakest arguments from above about why this invention is important: 1. 2. Now, write a rebuttal: using research and your own thinking respond to one of the counter arguments above: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now, using a conclusion sentence, refocus your counter-argument paragraph back to your opinion (topic): SEE NEXT PAGE FOR EXAMPLES OF COUNTER ARGUMENT PARAGRAPHS Counter-Argument Paragraph Rough Draft Below, this is an example of a counter-argument paragraph: (1) Some people would say that owning an exotic pet is a wonderful experience. (2) They might say that exotic pets make the owner stand out in a crowd. (3) They also might say that owning an exotic pet is a unique and rewarding experience. 4) While an exotic pet may be rewarding, a domesticated animal will provide that same if not safer reward. Accordi ng to ABC News Investigations reports of exotic pets attacking their owners have increased dramatically over the recent years. (5) It is clear to see that these unique animals also come with unique challenges especially when they mature. Below, this is another example of a counter-argument paragraph: While President Obama’s proposal has many supporters, not everyone agrees that the school year should be extended. Opponents of this proposal claim that extending the school year is simply too expensive.While budget must be considered, education is the foundation for our countries future. If we are going to invest money in anything it should be education. In a recent interview with Matt Lauer President Obama discusses the cost associated with extending the school year, saying, â€Å"that would be money well spent†. Another point often discusses by the opposition is, that shortening the school year will take away important family and social development time. Unfortunately, many students in our country do not have the ability to participate in summer learning activities.Summer camps and learning programs are a luxury often enjoyed by middle and upper class families. Without these programs many students experience summer learning loss wherein they can lose up to two months of math and reading skills. In summary, although there are arguments against extending the school year, it is important to consider what is best for our children. If we want to give all Americans the opportunity to compete in a global job market, it is important to invest in our students now and extend the school year. ON THE NEXT PAGE YOU WILL WRITE YOUR COUNTER ARGUMENT PARAGRAPH ROUGH DRAFTNow, combine your work from PAGES 11 AND 12 to write a rough counter-argument paragraph. (use the example paragraph above as a model) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ________________________ On Next Page You Will Write Your Concluding Paragraph Write Your Conclusion Paragraph Below: Restate your thesis: Now, write your strongest piece of evidence/support/CD from your first body paragraph: _______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Now, write your strongest piece of evidence/support/CD from your second body paragraph: On the lines below write the sentences above as your CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH ROUGH DRAFT: _______________________________________________________________________________________ On the next and last page is an example of a conclusion paragraph. In conclusion, in order to keep our students from falling behind, and provide equal learning opportunities for low-income students, the United States needs to lengthen the school year.The facts clearly show that today’s students are falling behind. It is unac ceptable to allow our students to be falling behind in reading and math. It is unacceptable to allow two months of summer learning loss to occur. Something must be done. Education is the key to our countries future. As a country we need to show our students that we value and support their education. The best way to do this is by making the hard decisions, lengthening the school year, and doing what it takes to make our student competitive in a world market. THIS IS THE LAST PAGE. THERE ARE NO MORE PAGES.

Academic and Professional Skills Development Essay

There is a new world in the academic and the post academic the students must adapt themselves to. The world has become increasingly competitive and there is an exponential expansion of knowledge and information and this means that the students who will survive in this new world order are the ones who will adapt to keep up with this highly dynamic world. The way universities used to be has changed and they are now not only centres of disseminating knowledge, but also centres of promoting change (Soontiens, 2002). This change is not just intellectual change, it is all encompassing change that makes a complete makeover of the raw material it receives in the formative years and gives out a refined product that is well shaped to tackle the emerging issues in the world. Gone are the days when having a degree was something to be cerebrated by all and sundry. Nowadays, if you have just the undergraduate degree, you are just another first among equals and you do not have any competitive advantage over millions of others who have a first degree like you. This means that learning is a life long process and this world belongs to those who understand this fact (Verville, 1990). This is because the world is now being moved by knowledge and information, and these are two highly dynamic facets; how else do you acquire them apart form engaging seriously in lifelong learning (Soontiens, 2002). Even the world economies have changed from the conventional heavy economies to the modern knowledge based economies where knowledge and information and not machineries and physical labour are now the drivers of the economies. The most powerful thing right now in the world is information and knowledge and students must dedicate their lives to continuous process of learning to be able function in this highly knowledge driven world (Soontiens, 2002). Another important element that the universities are emphasizing today is critical thinking. Thinking is important but critical thinking is what differentiates a smart student or even worker from the rest (Soontiens, 2002). The more the world is changing, the more the problems are evolving and the solutions to these problems must be found for progress to take place. These problems cannot be solved by ordinary thinkers; they can only be solved by critical thinkers. This is another area that the universities are focusing on. They are out to churn graduates with acute problem solving skills by teaching them how to make critical analyses of life situations (Soontiens, 2002). For the students to be said that they have adequate problem solving skills, they must be able to use some habits of the mind and one of these habits is formation of perspectives; which involve the organization of arguments into parts and then separate the most important from the least important. It also involves separating opinions from facts and then the value of each is appreciated (Verville, 1990). This is the basis of critical thinking. Another habit of the mind that is involved in critical thinking is analysis. After forming perspectives, it is important to ponder on the arguments in a way that is reflective. This involves the use of logic and also knowing the limits of the analysis. The other critical habit of the mind that is involved in the process of critical thinking is imagination (Soontiens, 2002). This is the disposition to make an evolution of your view of an issue using contemporary and conventional patterns that will suffice now and in the future. A university that is not equipping its students with the aforementioned abilities is in a very wrong path. The workplace, just like the academic arena has changed significantly. Education alone cannot help one to fit in the contemporary work environment because of its highly social and flexible nature. Thus the universities are putting this into consideration by ensuring that they do not mould academic giants and social dwarfs who cannot fit in today’s workplace. They are churning out all round products that are readily prepared to face the challenging job market and the demanding workplace (Verville, 1990). That is why you see in the workplace today, people are not necessarily doing what they studied. Education students are working in banks, Law students are working as news reporters and so on. This means that one thing that the universities are teaching very well is flexibility: do not just follow one line, there are many things you can do there with your education. In the workplace, the workers must be able to work as a team and individually.   There are some more habits of the mind that can help them to fit well in the highly challenging, demanding and evolving workplace (Soontiens, 2002). One of these habits of the mind is empathy. Empathy involves sensing reasonable views, revering all views and honoring the one that is the most persuasive. The other habit of the mind is communication which is the ability to take the duty of explaining ideas in a clear, truthful and sober way that respects all those who are listening to them or seeing them being communicated.   The other habit of the mind that ought to be developed is that of commitment. This is the recognition of the necessity to act when there is an action worth attention and being patient to the situation one has stepped forward to respond to (James, 2003). The current generation takes the flak for the many ills that are happening in the society. The generation has been labeled as irresponsible, insensitive and morally corrupt and the universities are taking measures to ensure that all the raw materials they receive will be devoid of the aforementioned tags by the time they are being churned out as products. This means that apart from just giving the intellectual knowledge, they are also equipping the students with skills that will make them responsible members of the society who can be trusted to take over the leadership from the old conservative generation that is far beyond the benefit of the modern information and knowledge revolution. This means that there are programs that are teaching leadership skills, social welfare skills and may other skills that can make the students reliable members of the society (Verville, 1990). The habits of the mind that can help the students to become more responsible members of the society include, value which is the choice to apply a pattern of behavior that is intellectual and ignoring the patterns that are less productive. The other habit of the mind is inclination that includes the tendency to apply the aforementioned behavior without pressure or motivation (James, 2003). Sensitivity is another habit of the mind that will make the students to become more responsible members of the society because of its ability to perceive opportunities and threats and also emphasizes the appropriateness of applying behavior that is intellectual in pursuit of opportunities and in evasion of threats. Capability is a habit of the mind that will help the students in application of the basic intellectual skills that are central to behavior while commitment on this platform means the desire to reflect and improve the behavioral performance (James, 2003). In conclusion, university students in the contemporary world must adapt to the knowledge and information that is expanding markedly. They must be life long learners who think critically and are flexible to be able to fit in this highly dynamic world. They must be problem solvers who can work independently and in a team. The education system today, apart from teaching the basics of education is also teaching the students to become responsible citizens who are open minded and can communicate with people from allover the world.   This new approach by the universities is a step in the right direction and should become a global concept inherent in all the academic systems. As illustrated in the essay, this new mode of learning borrows heavily from Costa and Carrick the Habit of the mind and it puts a whole new psychological dispensation to the world of academia that will ensure the mind must change for the individual to embrace the change in the society.

Coral Reef Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Coral Reef - Essay Example Coral reefs therefore are mostly found in the oceanic environment where there are large quantities of calcium carbonate. Structure of the Ecosystem; Biotic and A biotic Coral reefs consist of both the biotic and a biotic factors and this determines the living and the non-living parts of the ecosystem respectively. The biotic factors encompasses all the life forms that are within the coral reefs and this includes the following; the density of the coral polyps, fish population in the waters, the wide range of the mollusks population, all the populations of echinoderms, the population of zooplanktons and those of benthic crustacean. All these constitute the biotic par t of the coral reefs (Nichols and Williams 41). With regard to a biotic factor, there are also a number of conditions mostly environmental that constitutes a biotic factors, they include; water temperature, the PH of the water, water salinity, the dissolved mineral in water, the suspended particles of inorganic matter in w ater. There are also other factors such as the strength of the current, the sunlight reaching the coral reefs, the degree of dissolved oxygen in water as well as depth/ pressure of the water on coral reef. Carbon and Nitrogen cycle of the Ecosystem Coral reefs contribute to the carbon cycle through calcification process, they release carbon dioxide gas that eventually reacts with other bases until equilibrium is reached, and this depends on the buffering capacity of the water. The coral reefs through cycling of the nitrogen molecules through water and the atmosphere in cycles and continuous manner also necessitate nitrogen fixation. Disturbance and Recovery of the Ecosystem Coral reefs suffers unprecedented disturbance from the human and other natural occurrence in equal measure. With reference to the human disturbance, a legion of activities results into the disturbance considering the fragility of the reefs (Davidson 62). Some of the ways through which disturbances occur through h uman are; industrial discharges into the lakes come with a number of chemicals that are detrimental to the development of the corals and kill them. Construction activities in the ocean environment also facilitates activities that disturb the growth of the coral reefs, such activities includes; port development, dredging, reclamation works, and industrial development. Port activities also increase the disturbance of the coral reefs through spills of cargo and the associated petrochemicals (Nichols and Williams 59). There are also natural factors that affect coral reefs and this includes; ocean currents, strong oceanic currents may sweep the corals and disintegrates them leading to their disturbances. Unfavorable a biotic factor such as light wavelength, pressure, and poor oxygen distribution in the ocean can also lead to disturbances in growth and development of the corals. Ecosystem recovery based on Resilience mechanism and the theory of Secondary Succession Coral reefs faces a num ber of disturbances and needs to recover from the shock that manifest to them in daily occurrence, there are fishing activities in the ocean, global warming menace is also another factor that is a effecting the coral reefs and once this happens. The life of the coral reefs are placed in danger and they need to recover from t

Early american history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early american history - Essay Example This followed a drastic change in the reforms at that time in America. The reforms that were made at that time included the following changes: All powers of legislation were transferred to a central body which was the Congress and constituted of the Senate as well as House of Representatives. Members from the House of Representative were to be reselected every two years and their qualifications were the basis of their selection. A minimum age of 25 was decided for political representation and the House of Representatives had the authority to choose their senior officials. There were to be two Senators from each state and each one will have equal representation. An annual meeting of the Congress would be held at the end of the year for discussing issues that arose in that year. Each House of Representatives was responsible for its actions and for regulating the behavior of its members, and had the right to punish or dismiss them if they did not follow the rules, regardless of their po sition. The House of Representatives shall be responsible for originating bills and the approved ones (the ones that had a simple 2/3 majority) shall be presented to the President for approval. The Congress had power to collect taxes etc. The judicial power will be entrusted to the Supreme Court before which a series of smaller courts would need to be passed. Congress will not make any kind of laws that prohibit people from practicing the religion of their own choice or hinder their freedom of any kind- speech or expression. Everyone will have rights such as the right to speak regardless of power and authority, race, religion or any other means of discrimination. Everyone was to be considered as having the same importance (Conlin, 1877). All in all, the source we are talking about here was not created for people who only want to read history because it is in their course work or just for the sake of it. The source is created by Joseph R. Conlin; students actually enjoy reading it an d read it by choice instead of force. The source basically describes the improvements that took place in the political scenario of America in the late 19th century but is does not tell us what America was before those changes occurred. The source tells all the improvements that were made at that time when changes were demanded by the minorities who were not treated equally, hence reforms were made so that political issues can be resolved, and there are central bodies that will deal with policies and procedures where everyone can participate with a certain qualification and each person has the right to get equal representation in the government regardless of position. Policies and procedures had become organized and more systematic and now there was a fixed procedure to get demands accepted. If two thirds of the Senate agrees to a certain point then that bill can be passed and presented to the President who may approve or disprove it because he has the final power. Moreover, courts a lso became very systematic and well organized. Supreme Court was the highest and any case would have to pass through the smaller courts to reach the Supreme Court which gave the final verdict (Conlin, 1877). Ultimately, it can be sad that the source explains the improvements very explicitly but only talks of the past very implicitly, if at

Business to Businees Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business to Businees Marketing - Essay Example Even those firms which aspire to international reach for their products are hampered by poor infrastructure and really unnecessary problems on the way. Additionally there are government regulations which have not reacted to changing technological environments as rapidly as they should. Partly this may be due to political compulsions especially in developing countries which impede quick decisions and action. There are developing countries which could be serious players in the B2B scenario but are not cost competitive enough. It can be stated that the world is in the midst of an all-purpose technological revolution based on electronic business technology, defined here as e commerce, software related trading techniques, and software related supply chain equipment. The macroeconomic benefits of the electronic business technology revolution are already apparent in some economies, especially the United States and United Kingdom. Historical experience has shown that such revolutions have often been accompanied by financial booms and busts, and the electronic business technology revolution has been no exception. But, while spending on electronic business technology goods is likely to remain stable in the immediate future, as past overinvestment unwinds, the longer-term benefits for the global economy are likely to continue, or even accelerate, in the years to come. While technological change is an ongoing process, there are periods during which technological progress is especially rapid, resulting in new products and falling prices of existing products that have widespread uses in the rest of the economy. Such periods are generally identified with electronic business technology revolutions. Earlier examples include textiles production and steam power in the industrial revolution, railroads in the nineteenth century, and electricity in the early twentieth century (the automobile could also be included, but its development was relatively gradual).

Stress, a hazard in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stress, a hazard in the workplace - Essay Example Recent medical research has indicated that stress can ultimately be just as harmful as smoking a pack of cigarettes each and every day. With such a high level of impact with regards to human health and the increasing level to which systemic and/or self engaged stress motivates and defines the workplace, the following analysis will engage the reader with an understanding of how stress can create an ultimate hazard with regards to a toxic workplace alongside the medical ramifications and human resources repercussions that this necessarily entails. As a means of understanding this and seeking to define the negative ramifications and positive ameliorations of stress within the workplace, from a human resources perspective, the following analysis will attempt to engage the reader with a more full and complete understanding of the many unique dynamics of this issue (Richards, 2013). It is the hope of this author that such a discussion will provide a more definitive level of understanding a nd a clearer approach to stress reduction and practices/policies that are beneficial in effecting such an end. Identification of Factors and Discussion of Approach: Firstly, it must be understood that stress impacts directly upon workplace efficiency and productivity. A number of different studies have indicated a statistical correlation between a high stress workplace and a precipitous drop in efficiency and/or productivity that is exhibited as a byproduct of this. Moreover, unlike the counterpart, direct physical injury, stress in the workplace is something of a silent killer (Spruill, 2013). Ultimately, many human resources divisions have come to realize that a high level of unnecessary stress, exhibited within the culture of a specific firm or organization, engenders a greatly increased risk of a litany of different health concerns. For entities and businesses that operate within the United Kingdom and Ireland, a culture that exhibit a high degree of unnecessary stress necessari ly will cause a tangential loss in productivity and time out of work as a result of health concerns brought on and facilitated by such a high level of stress. For those entities and organizations that operate outside United Kingdom, the employer might be required to provide medical insurance for the stakeholders; thereby not only decreasing the efficiency and productivity that the firm is able to exhibit but also losing further money as a result of the stress that is exhibited as part of the company culture. In effect, the reader should come away with the fundamental understanding that stress within an organization can drain the organization of potential, efficiency, and resources. As such, with a high level of unique cultural stress ingrained within the culture, the human resources Department of any given organization or firm has no alternative but to seek a manner through which to redefine and reengaged the stakeholders as a means of slowly seeking to affect a gradual change withi n the culture (Stress and Coping, 2013). Overview of Research: Whereas there are litanies of different studies that help to engage the reader with an understanding of the negative repercussions that stress within an organization necessarily entails, there are relatively few analyses and discussions with regards to the manner through which a human resources department might seek to change the culture that surrounds

Vietnam vs. Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vietnam vs. Iraq - Essay Example They focus more on the differences and thus any similarity, if there exists any, is rejected off-hand. Instead of juxtaposing Iraq with Vietnam, which serves as a symbol of shameful defeat for the US, these proponents who compare this war instead with Nazi or Imperial Japan that were subdued by US forced during the Second World War. There is yet another group that feels that some similarities exist but there are differences too. for example counterinsurgency operations were involved in both cases but there is no force like North Vietnam present for Iraq. Since the fall of Saigon in 1975, Vietnam has been the symbol of failed US policies and bad military choices for many critics. It is seen as the worst possible demonstration of misplaced aggression and has been influencing American voters' attitudes towards war and use of force against a third party. Thus Vietnam analogy was something US couldn't keep out of discussion. It had to enter this debate since Vietnam's example is important and every time, US administration is criticized for its aggressive use of force, Vietnam can serve as a suitable reminder. Apart from that Vietnam also shaped the political awareness of generation that now rules America. When we closely study the case in point however more differences than similarities seem to exist between the two experiences. Vietnam in 1960s was a powerful nation and one that had long resisted against foreign domination. Sense of nationalism was strong, mobilized against the French by communists and thus people took extreme pride in their own political and social structure. They did not need a third party to tell them what was right for them. Iraq on the other hand was a weaker nation plagued by years of warfare and internal conflicts. Nationalism was missing because of extreme religious and ethnic tensions. In Vietnam, United States had adopted a vastly different approach of aggression. It had started out as an insurgency that later bloomed into full scale war. That was not the case in Iraq where it had been a full-fledge war from the beginning though it later transformed into insurgency. Similarly while Vietnam was well trained and its military strength was a force to reckon with, Iraq was a fragmented military power with no support from external sources. Apart from this, we also need to understand United States' global strategic position then and now. In 1960s, there were other powers that could keep United States' military aggression in check. Soviet Union could act as a great restraining force but that was not the case now. United States today enjoys a more powerful position globally and it has greater presence in the world than it had with USSR acting as a formidable force. It was now easier for the US to move ahead and overthrow the government in Iraq which was neither the intenti on nor the result of war with Vietnam.

Image and Mask Ideas in Yeatss William Butler Work Essay

Image and Mask Ideas in Yeatss William Butler Work - Essay Example She agreed that in return for the ability to control her own life, the Devil could have her soul" (Golden Dawn date unknown). Yeats "Was to remain infatuated with her for most, if not all of his life and who was also to a certain extent influenced by her nationalistic outlook" (NLI, 2006, page 1), a complex relationship that informed some of his greatest poetry, although it remained unrequited. She repeatedly refused Yeats' proposals but even after she married, Yeats waited until 1917 before he married Georgie Hyde-Lees, a partnership made strangely happy by Georgie's automatic writings: "When the 'almost illegible writing' had first appeared, Yeats found it 'so exciting' that he 'offered' he said 'to spend what remained of life explaining' his vision preoccupied him until the day that he died" (Wilson, 1999, page 225). Only a few years after their marriage, Yeats became a Senator within the Irish Free State (1922), and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (1923), although he h ad previously refused a British Knighthood; he was still writing poetry until his death in 1939. Yeats was a polymath with a wide variety of interests; a recent editor of his work describes him as a: "Playwright, literary journalist, critic, editor, public speaker, student and recorder of oral tradition, genuine and independent investigator of the Occult, mythologist and mythmaker" (Webb in Yeats, 2000, page XIV). As a man obsessed with the concepts of masks and performance, it should not be surprising that he adopted so many guises: as well as literary leanings; Yeats also used a number of personas in his poetry, masks or identities behind which he could say what he chose, and not be ridiculed for it. His creative role was not merely to be a spokesperson for Irish nationalism, or an occult movement, or resurgence in interest in Celtic mythology, but to be the creator that takes on the masks of ancient myths in order to give voice to a society: Celtic revivalists like W.B.Yeats and Douglas Hydedeliberately set about searching out Ireland's ancient past to create a sense of identity and self-respect for the Irish peoplethey were determined to establish national pride by seeking out the origins of Irish Civilization (McCaffrey and Eaton, 2002) This essay will attempt to study the role of Masks and Imagery in the works of W.B.Yeats. Looking first at the way in which Yeats' ideas of Image developed from his experiences in the Golden Dawn and other esoteric groups, and considering how this is reflected in his work, the essay will then look at how his use of the Mask reflects some of Yeats' ideas of the self, and whether "The doctrine of the Mask is so complex and so central in Yeats that we can hardly attend to it too closely" (Splittgerber, 2005). The essay will then return to consider the connections between the mask and the image in Yeats' work, and whether these are as closely connected as proposed. The conclusion will then draw these ideas together to provide a solution to Yeats' use of such symbols in both his prose and poetical works. Yeats and Imagery Yeats spent a number of years as a member of The Golden Dawn; significantly, this magical order emphasized use of the Tarot

Pandemic Flu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pandemic Flu - Essay Example Symptoms of avian influenza differ from those of other common types of influenza, and they also can change dependant on the cause of infection. There is a danger that avian flu virus mutation can lead to mass spread of pandemic among humans, so intensive studies and research of the virus are being held. HHS, the World Health Organization and other establishments are working hard to prevent avian flu spread around the world. Federal, state and local governments give clear information about avian flu which can help people to held appropriate measures to prevent it. Business activity can also play appropriate role in pandemic infection prevention. People should be ready for appropriate actions in case of pandemic flu: strict plans for schools, community organizations, individuals, families are developed. The WHO and European Commission are providing global monitoring of the situation: they give statistics, rapid response information, official reports on test results and many others. USG S, National Wildlife Health Center and U.S. Department of Agriculture are also providing United States Monitoring of the situation. Specific groups of the population, such as workers, travelers, hunters, health professionals are informed about possible action in appropriate cases. Full range of appropriate measures is clearly determined. Different situations are concerned which would occur in case of pandemic flu, such as impossibility to work, social disruption, schools closure, transportation services disruption; people should be well informed and be ready for possible inconveniences. HHS has developed a detailed instruction for people traveling abroad - it will help them to prevent infection. But one of the most important issues concerning an effective protection from pandemic flu is vaccination. Everybody can take appropriate information from State Departments of Agriculture, Wildlife and Public Health. Unfortunately there is no sufficient vaccine which could prevent pandemic fl u development in human body and its spread around the world, but the U.S. President George W. Bush has allocated great amount of financial resources which will help to conduct appropriate studies and research in this field. But the virus is constantly changing its own structure, and its mutations are rather resistant against current drugs - so, intensive medical research should be conducted for testing and approbation of new antiviral means. It needs to note that current medications testing should be held and accurately evaluated - it should help to estimate possible effects of these means and have a clear notion about possible consequences of these medicines for human body. In addition to that, infection mechanism should be attentively studied: humans are rarely infected by H5N1, but pandemic flu can be a serious threat for people with weakened immunity. So, it is necessary to study the wildfowl and poultry avian flu mechanism. The virus spreading threatens poultry farming and many agricultural sectors connected with poultry and mammals. So, Interagency Screening Plan was adopted to monitor birds' migrations throughout the United States. Appropriate measures for protecting poultry, pets and people exposed to animals are adopted. It is planned to investigate disease-outbreak cases in birds, to increase monitoring of live wild birds and birds

Reflective Review about myself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflective Review about myself - Essay Example It is here that my passion for electronics was triggered. Learning a new language was also fun, and then joined school in International school of Frankfurt. Oh! What more could I ask life was fun. After school, I would rush home for music training. I knew how to play piano and play chess with my mum who was and is still a great fan of Manny Pacquio; and they coincidentally share the nationality of Philippines. She could teach me if I did not know how to lose, I would know how to win. After winning a few games, my interest grew for chess as it did for electronics. My mother would beat me in the game of chess and in my early days, I would get very frustrated. But after winning a few games, my interest grew and I became a pro. In school, my interest for electronics would not stop, having met my best friend Odonkor. Later, I would travel to Berlin to visit Volkswagen, and there is where I knew that technology would be part of me because my heart would always be at peace. At home, I would dismantle an electronic only to rebuild again. It would always trigger me in doing it more and more, and in the end I lost count of how many times I would do this. I took this behavior to school where together with one of my friend, Odonkor who became my best friend, would compete to see who would repair a phone or a laptop faster than the other. Oh, how I loved beating him in assembling. I was a great admirer of the Play station games and this was also one reason that I always treasured school holidays, as I would play from morning to dusk; as they say childhood dreams are made of this. My performance in class was awesome as I was always among the top five students in class and would always top in science and mathematics though I did not like languages. I found the subjects boring but I had no choice but to study them. I remember group discussion in class was not my interest and I preferred individual assignment. Though back at home, my parents encouraged

Public Transportation Essay Example for Free

Public Transportation Essay Public Transportation there are many kinds of commuters on public transportation: there are bus commuters, train commuters, and plain commuters. The first kind of commuter are people who ride the bus. At some point in their lifetime, everyone has had to ride the bus. Children ride the bus to school on a daily basis all the way through adolescence. People who live in large cities, ride the bus just about everywhere they need to go. Local buses bring in large amounts of money for their area and can be very helpful to the people of the town. The second facet of transportation would be the train system. Among the many classifications of train systems, there are subways, trolleys, and rail ways. Subways are utilized by people who live in large areas. Trolleys are used by people who live in smaller areas, like suburbs. Rail ways, broken up in rail roads, are used all across the nation. Rail road cars, drive on train tracks, and have become so popular that collectible toys have even been made after them. Rail ways help transport many of our nations most important goods, and without them we would be facing serious problems. The third type of transportation are airplanes. Air planes are mostly used for long distance traveling. Air planes are the most expensive of the three types, but they are still used very often. The wealthy often use air planes as their main way of traveling. Air planes can be seen by some as dangerous and very risky because of their bad history in the past. Air planes are high flying machines that carry people from city to city and sometimes even across countries. Air planes are used by people in politics, the millitary, and even regular citizens. Air planes are very important to our country and help make our lives much easier. As you can see, there are many diffrent types of transportation, but they all help make our lives easier in their own special way.

Violence in Mass Media

Violence in Mass Media The debates about the violence in mass media are being held for few decades, but there is still no definite answer. The main question is the influence of violence on people through the mass media: television, cinema, video games and even literature is just full of violent elements. The problem of media violence is not going away, focusing on the culture of violence, whether this is a normal part of our life, or its what causes more aggression in our society. During the day people spend a lot of time in the internet, near the TV screens, playing video games, so the result of this on people is evident mass media really has a great influence on us. Every day on TV we see images of violence: death, injury, pain, sufferings, misery, wars and conflicts it is just impossible to name everything. Daily news shows us wars and conflicts from all over the world. Films, both for adults and children, also are full of violence : fighting, murders, abuse and so on. Even books and magazines doesnt stay apart, the same situation is with the internet. That is why so many people, like scientists and just ordinary people who are not indifferent, raise the question: if media violence affect people behavior and can cause the increase of violence in real-life? There are 2 points of view: some people blame media for too much violence and want to censor violent content to protect people, and especially children from its influence. Another people think that mass media just reflects the real life as it is, and that doesnt cause violence in society. Another important aspect of this problem is the influence of violence in media on children, as children are very sensitive and very susceptible to this violence. Now, when children have an unlimited access to various forms of media, there is a great concern for how they perceive and think about the violence they see, read or hear. Some experts, like professor L. Rowell Huesmann from the University of Michigan, argue that exposure to media violence causes children to behave more aggressively and affects them as adults years later. Others, like Jonathan Freedman from the University of Toronto says that the scientific evidence simply does not show that watching violence either produces violence in people, or desensitizes them to it. (L. R. Huesmann, Laramie D Taylor) During the last 50 years there were a lot of special researches concerning the influence of media on children. They show that American children between 6 and 18 years of age spend from 2 to 6 hours each day using different kinds of media: television, video, movies, video games, radio, music, computer and the Internet. (James Steyer) This is more time than they spend on any other activity, so most of the information they perceive during the day is from mass media. A large proportion of this media acts of violence in different forms. It has been estimated that by age 18, the average young person will have viewed 200 000 acts of violence on television alone. (L. R. Huesmann, Laramie D Taylor) Prolonged access to such media shows results in increased acceptance of violence as an appropriate means of solving problems and achieving ones goals, and that television, movies, and music videos normalize using weapons and show them as a source of personal power. (J. L.Freedman). Research has associated violence in media with a variety of physical and mental health problems with children and adults: aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, fear, depression, nightmares and sleep disturbances. More than 3500 research studies have examined the connection between media violence and violent behavior, and practically 80% of them showed a real connection. (L. R. Huesmann, Laramie D Taylor) So should children be exposed to the media because of violence? And how can we protect children from violence showed in the media? Should the violence in media be censored or left free? THE PROS A lot of journalists speak about the protection of the right to free speech. Joanne Cantor argues: Censorship is not the answer, but the right to free speech is aggressively used to protect commercial interests at the same time that the free speech rights of child advocates are stifled. (Joanne Cantor, 2002) The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression lists a number of reasons to protect media violence as a form of free expression: censorship isnt likely to solve the problems of violence in society decision about what is acceptable or not is always a subjective opinion each person can choose what to see or to hear, can choose the appropriate for him variant of media information a lot of books and films with elements of violence existed in the past and now are considered to be a good classics. A lot of free expression defenders say that that mass media is only one of a number of variables that effect people behavior. Psychologist Melanie Moore says: Fear, greed, power-hunger, rage: these are aspects that we try not to experience in our lives but often want, even need, to experience vicariously through stories of others. Children need violent entertainment in order to explore the inescapable feelings that theyve been taught to deny, and to reintegrate those feelings into a more whole, more complex, more resilient selfhood. (J. Steyer) Another people say that violence in media is only a method of artistic expression and a mean of showing the life as it is. Researchers R. Hodge and D. Tripp, for example, argue that: Media violence is qualitatively different from real violence: it is a natural signifier of conflict and difference, and without representations of conflict, art of the past and present would be seriously impoverished. (D. Grossman, G. Degaetano) THE CONTRAS But still most people agree that today we have too much violence in the mass media. It cant help influencing us anyway, because at list it makes us understand that the life is not so good as we want and that the world around us is just so cruel. Violence in media makes people feel disappointed and not optimistic. Television, movies, and video games are full of acts of violence , deaths, crimes. When a child sees a violent act, he thinks it a game and may try to react it in real life. According to recent research at the University of Wake Forest, which results are presented at the conference Academy of Pediatrics, the frequency of viewing violence on television is directly related to the number of fights and other forms of destructive behavior. The results of this study are consistent with previous numerous studies of Dr. Durante, who found a significant correlation between the violence depicted and the real violence among children and adolescents. Even if some people dont believe in the results of research, in my opinion even the risk of that violence in media and real life aggression are connected is enough to convince public and government to take necessary actions, as this question is a public issue. And so the state and public organizations intervention is of great importance as concerns the censorship. Anyway media constructs reality, and influences our views on race, gender, politics, and body image, in not good way of course. Conclusion In my view, today, it seems appropriate to conduct new studies that demonstrate the influence of violence on human psyche, especially on children and adolescents, taking into account the impacts of all the kinds of media. These findings should be communicated to the public in order to protect the younger generation of excessive and unjustified demonstrations of cruelty. In this regard, so relevant is the question raised by Plato in the IV century BC: How can we so easily assume that children are listened to and perceived the soul of what horrible myths invented by just anyone and for the most part contrary to the truths that are we believe should be with them when they grow up? .

Tender Reports in Construction

Tender Reports in Construction Tender report is an analysis or evaluation report that was prepared by a quantity surveyor about the tenders which submitted by the tenderers. This report was prepared to give suggestions to the public sector client, i.e. the government or the private sector employer about the best contractor for the project through evaluating the submitted tender documents in various aspects and to establish a price for the ensuing contract. After taking the recommendations from tender report and advice from the consultants into consideration, the client or employer will select his or her preferable choice of contractor. The throughout process and results of the tender evaluation are keep confidential. Upon the submission of tenders from the tenderers, a Tender Board or a Tender Assessment Panel will be formed. Tender Board or Tender Assessment Panel is a group of independent officers which included the quantity surveyor, to carry out a tender receipt process for competitive tenders, revise and confirm best and final offers. The tender board meets on a set date at a specified time to open and process tender documents submitted which they then forwarded to acquisition teams for commercial, technical and financial evaluation. The Tender Board will ensure that tenders are opened and processed in an open and transparent way. In addition, the tenders will be evaluated and recommendations will be made to the the client and the Tender Board. The approval and acceptance of a tender is made within the validity period of tender, which is normally 60 days as set in the tender document. To avoid the extension of one tender, tender should be evaluated and recommendation made within 30days from the date set in the handing over of tender. In case tender has to be extended due to unavoidable circumstances, agreement from the recommended tendering party should be obtained at least two weeks before the expiry of validity date. Generally, the tender evaluation process can be divided into two stages, i.e. preliminary stage evaluation and final stage evaluation. The preliminary stage of tender evaluation or also known as Preliminary Analysis, comprises of analysis on completeness of tender, analysis on compulsory documents and analysis on minimum capital required for the project, whereas the final stage of tender evaluation comprises of analyses on technical and financial capabilities of the tenderers. Besides that, arithmetical check will also be carried out on the tenders along the tender evaluation process. Before the tenders to be taken into consideration, the precondition of tender evaluation is the tender must be submitted before the tender closing date and time set out in the Letter of Invitation to Tender, i.e. usually before 12.00pm noon of the tender closing date. If the tender was submitted later than that, it is fall under the category of late tender. Late tender will not be accepted or of submitted, not opened for further consideration due to reasons of fairness and accountability. This is normally applied to public sector projects where the standards pertaining to transparency and accountability are especially high. However, the decision whether to open and consider such a tender is purely at the discretion of Tender Board and the private sector employer. Furthermore, tender amended by the tenderer on his or her own initiative whether in writing or other forms, without consent from the project client or employer will also be rejected for consideration. After that, the Quantity Surveyor will conduct the preliminary or first stage of tender evaluation process, i.e. Preliminary Analysis. It is an assessment system based on a few precondition set to determine whether the tenderers are qualified to be considered for the next stage evaluation. Purposes of this assessment system are to ensure that the tenderers to be considered are reasonable in term of tender price, complete of required documents and have sufficient capital to commence works. Firstly, the Quantity Surveyor will analyse the tenders whether the tenderers have offered the reasonable tender price. For government projects, if the number of tenderers is less than 10 persons, the department estimate or consultants estimate will be used for the comparison of tender prices. Usually, a variation price of 15% of department estimate or consultants estimate for tender prices offered by tenderers is assumed reasonable. If the number of tenderers is 10 persons or more than that, the Public Works Department will adopt the cut-off method to shortlist the tenderers for further evaluation. A cut-off price is established as the minimum tender price which is assumed feasible and reasonable to be accepted in accordance to market price through a statistical method. This is to avoid project implementation failure due to the contractors inability to undertake or complete the works caused by awarding contract to a tenderers with too low or unrealistic tender price. Therefore, usua lly only tenderers with tender price above or equal to the cut-off price will be considered and evaluated. In addition, completion period proposed must not exceed the range of estimated completion period. Then, the Quantity Surveyor will check the aspect of Completeness of Offer or Tender submitted by the tenderers. Some elements of Completeness of Tender which taken into consideration are the Form of Tender must be signed, the signature must be the authorized person, tender price must be stated in the Form of Tender, registration with Contractor Services Center (PKK) or Construction Industry Development Board(CIDB) must be valid and have stated the proposed completion period. Only tenders that complete and free from any deficiency or mistakes which may affect the current contract practices in legal aspects, are qualified to be considered. Tenderers which failed to do so, their tenders will be mentioned as INCOMPLETE to the client and stated the reasons. The following process is to check the aspect of Sufficiency of Compulsory Documents. All tenderers are obliged to submit all compulsory documents needed which stated in the Instructions to Tenderers for the tender evaluation purpose. The compulsory documents are the company auditors report, bank accounts monthly statement, banks report on company financial status and report on current project by resident architect or resident engineer or project manager. These documents are needed to prove whether the tenderers have sufficient financial capability, i.e. possess minimum sufficient capital to start the works. Without submitted the compulsory documents, especially for company financial documents, tender evaluation cannot be carried out and that tender is not qualify to be considered and can be rejected. Besides, an analysis on minimum capital required for the project will be conducted. The analysis will be done on the companys current assets, current liability, bank account statement, fixed deposit, bonds, credit facilities from bankers or suppliers, overdraft and bank loan. Hence, the company financial documents submitted by the tenderers will form a basis or proof for this evaluation aspect. For government projects, the minimum capital analysis is made through calculation of 3% of the Builder Works value based on department estimate. Along the tender evaluation process, the Quantity Surveyor will carry out the arithmetical checks on the tender documents. It comprises of correcting arithmetical errors in extensions, casting, etc and isolating palpable errors on pricing, but the tender amount remains unaltered. This measure is to correct mistakes for the purpose of future variation. A detailed examination of Bills of Quantities including comparison of prices will also be carried out on all tenders submitted. If the tenderers have fulfilled all the requirements in the preliminary stages evaluation, then the tenderers are considered or qualified for the final stages evaluation. The final stages evaluation is carried out based on a marking or scoring system which the marking are made objectively and quantitatively for each criterion assessed. Firstly, it will analyse the tenderers first aspect of technical capability, i.e. experience. Assessment is made based on the total value of same and similar nature of tendered works completed in the past five years. This is to get know that whether the tenderer is capable or have similar nature of works experiences for the tendered project. Next, it will analyse the tenderers second aspect of technical capability, i.e. financial. It is based on the total annum value of project predicted to be provided from the tenderers various sources of finance. It is important to prove that the tenderer has the financial capability to execute the project. Marks are given according to their financial capability. After this, it followed by the third aspect of tenderers technical capability assessment, i.e. the technical workers and possession of basic plant and machinery. Assessment is made based on their technical workers, such as architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, technician, and polytechnic and technical works assistants. The tenderers need to submit the KWSP statement and photocopies of Certificates of Workers Qualification to prove that they have qualified and enough number of technical workers to execute the tendered works. The lists of plant and machinery with supporting documents are also required to submit for the evaluation. Lastly, it will analyse the tenderers current works performance. This analysis is aimed to ensure that the tenderers do not have projek sakit, i.e. projects lagged behind 30% or more from the schedule of works or works programme. In addition, it is important to ensure that the tenderers do not have problems of employments determination by other client or employers. After the both preliminary and final stages of tender evaluation have completed, the results, justification, recommendation, and tenderers necessary detail information and facts will arrange and compiled together in a systematically way to form a tender report and submit to the client or employer. In conclusion, tender report is produced to assist the client or employer in decision making process in order to select most suitable and capable contractor to complete the project within specified time and quality.

American similarties to Rome :: essays research papers

American civilization could possible end up like the Roman Empire. The Romans did many of the same things that we are doing today right before they fell. We are probably not going to fall but we are not the best we could be. We should change our habits before they become worse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Romans did many things that led to their destruction. They ruined their morals by focusing on the moment and not worrying about the future. They stole jobs by bringing in slaves to work at latifundias which caused homelessness which lowered public health and caused crime to go up. Bringing in slaves also made them not need to advance in technology which caused other nations to advance farther then the Romans. They also â€Å"sold† the seat of emperor to highest bidder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In America we do many things that greatly need improving. We ignore major health risks such as AIDs, obesity, health care, nuclear wastes, and illegal drugs. We dump toxic waste in our environment, sprawl like crazy, and fill our televisions with violence and sexual content. We spend millions of dollars and kill thousands of lives from our own country in war and â€Å"conflicts.† We drop huge bombs that kill hundreds of innocence people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both nations there are a lot of similarities. They both have political corruption such as selling the emperor or giving high positions of power to people that have a personal relationship with a higher power. They also share a high unemployment rate whether it is because of outsourcing or slave labor. They both spend lots of money on the military because of unprotected borders or threats.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  America clearly does have some faults but most of them can and hopefully will be solved.

cuba :: essays research papers

Cuba Cuba is the country that I will research for this assignment. Cuba was found by humans in about 3500 BC. On October 27, 1492 Christopher sighted Cuba and then by 1514, Diego Velà ¡zquez de Cuà ©llar had conquered the island for the Spanish crown. In these particular countries cattle ranching became most popular for Cuban economy, but by 1592 the system was abolished. Cuba is the Caribbean’s commercialized islands and is one of the world's last bastions of communism. In Cuba US dollars are not accepted. People that travel to Cuba have to have their money converted over to Cuban money in order to buy anything, and the cost to change the money is 10% of how much you are exchanging. This issue causes problems for many people that visit the country. Cuba has about five main attractions with Havana being the most popular. Baracoa is another major attraction of Cuba that sits on a headland between two picturesque bays near Cuba's easternmost point of Cabo Maisà ­. Santiago de Cuba is another main attraction and is the second biggest city in Cuba. Trinidad is the last of the attractions in Cuba and is the only one that I am familiar with. Out of all of these attractions Havana is not only the most popular but is the center of the country of Cuba. The size of Cuba is 110,860 sq km and has a population of eleven million. The capital of the Republic of Cuba is Havana which has over 2 million people. Cuba has different races that live within the country. They have 60% Spanish descent, 22% mixed-race, 11% African descent, and 1% Chinese. This country also has different religions which have: 47% Catholic, 4% Protestant, and 2% Santerà ­a. The country has a communist government and the head of state is the President of the Council of State

Perspective on Health Care Paper Essay

A)What interested me about the history of health care? There’s no doubt that the healthcare industry offers plenty of profitable careers. In fact most of the best paid and the fast growing careers belong to this industry. That’s why I am heading in Health Care Administration because I want to be an administrator for Center of Disease Control (CDC). I have passion for serving people and to make positive impact in their lives. I consider it as one of the fastest growing healthcare career and a high paying medical career and don’t only offer me a decent pay, but they provide me several other reasons. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, eight of the top 20 fastest growing careers belong to the medical field or the healthcare industry. The industry has offer as many as 13 million jobs. Technologies had given a path way to the continuous advancement in medical field in the health system. I have to say that what interested me in the history of health care are the development of the vaccinations for disease throughout the years as well as the developments of programs like the Center for Control of Disease and Prevention (CDC) giving rise after World War in 1946. Vaccinations are what I captured in chapter one in the nineteenth century between 1850s and how about (30,000) persons died from yellow fever and cholera epidemics. Many have died from contaminated water and food, inadequate living situations and sewage disposals. Now in this century there are vaccinations for these disease and many others that has dropped the death rate since then as with better disposing of sewage and safeguarding our foods and facilities with the concern of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have also helped with the decrease of morality, deaths and illnesses reduction. B)What areas of health care I am interested in pursuing? Why? I am interested in the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which involve national concern to deal pre-existing conditions of disease to control and prevent them. The best part about pursuing a healthcare career is that you will be making a positive impact on people’s lives. In fact, there’s no other occupation where I could get the opportunity to make such a strong impact in the lives of people. It really gives me a lot of satisfaction and enthusiasts when I can save an ending life or help bring a new life into the world. By treating different forms of ailments, and I will also make a great positive impact on the entire community. Another big advantage of pursuing a healthcare career is that I will never have a dull moment because the medical field is ever-changing; it always keeps me excited about new developments and advancements in technologies. The profession is really dramatic in nature, and I will never get bored because I want to always interacting with new patients helping them to improve their lives. Another option or choice would be health promotion so that help people learn and give information on what they can do to stay healthy that is why I am doing Information Technology System blending these courses. Another choice would be with illness and prevention services which also educate consumers on risk factors that were conveyed in chapter 2. C) Which positive and negative health outcomes linked to demographic indicators intrigued me? â€Å"Health care is the process of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans.† (Wikipedia, 2012). There are many forms of care that can be practiced from medicine, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, psychiatric and much more. With the fact that there is emerging trend towards overweight-obesity in poorer families, and it is one of the major illnesses that concern is attached. This is, of course, not true in developing countries, but can be seen in North America because mass produced unhealthy food is cheaper and is easier to find in poorer neighborhoods. We are putting our lives in the hands of others to care for that is why one can see why health coverage can be extremely expensive. Health care varies from place to place, and it is largely influenced by social and economic situations as well as health policies that are in place. There is a wide range of area in health care that one can contribute their help in making a difference in people’s lives. There are many forms of care that can be practiced from medicine, chiropractic, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, psychiatric and much more. That’s primarily because 45.7 million Americans are without health insurance. That’s roughly 16 percent of Americans who sometimes have to forego healthcare, or face financial obligations with insurance providers. The primary issues are access, and affordability of healthcare. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the health care and social assistance industry should create 28 percent of all new jobs between 2010 and 2020. And when it comes to the industry itself, heath care is expected to increase by 33 percent (that’s 5.7 million jobs!) between 2010 and 2020. D) What resources are there for finding more information on the history of health care in the United Sates? The internet search engines, Public libraries, and my student website are ways of obtaining information. As many people have discovered, clicking on a favorite search engine and entering a disease or medical condition can often result in hundreds, even thousands, of â€Å"hints.† This can be discouraging, and here are a few ideas for filtering the available web pages to a manageable number: 1. If you are using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, take advantage of the health subsets of these services for your search. Learn how to use the advanced searching features of the sites so that you can combine terms to make your retrieval more precise. For example, entering the term â€Å"cancer† and â€Å"chemotherapy† linked together is more powerful and precise than trying to read through all the ideas found by simply entering the general term â€Å"cancer.† 2. Become familiar with the general health information finding tools such as MedlinePlus (http://www.medlineplus.gov), produced by the National Library of Medicine, or Healthfinder  ® (http://www.healthfinder.gov) from the US Department of Health and Human Services. 3. When you have found sites that look relevant, use the guidelines below to help you decide whether the information is as credible, timely, and useful as it looks. These are few websites that we can site with viable information about health care; http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer, http://www.nih.gov, http://www.medicare.gov

Professional Ethics and Toxic Waste Essay

1.Discuss why Rachel has an ethical responsibility to take some action about her suspicion of the illegal dumping of toxic wastes. Rachel has an ethical responsibility to take some action about her suspicion of the illegal dumping of toxic wastes because it is illegal to begin with and even though it might only be a suspicion, if it turns out to be true, under the eyes of the law if she knew about it and did nothing, she is just as guilty as the responsible parties. She might be working for a very prominent firm but if her suspicions turn out to be true, the minute those news go public the firm’s reputation will definitely suffer as will the firms employees. No employee wants to have to suffer the consequences of a wrong doing by the upper management of any firm and even more if the actions taken by the upper management are strictly illegal and they are knowingly performing such actions. Having found such incriminating note directed to the plants general manager and doing nothing about it is like saying you are ok with the illegal activities that you think might be taking place. Rachel is the director of financial reporting, this will be a person of interest in case an investigation takes place and if the investigation finds that she knew what was going on and did nothing, it will put her in a very bad position regarding the law and future employment. Rachel definitely has an ethical responsibility to take actions in regards to her findings. 2.For each of the three alternative courses of action, explain whether the action is appropriate. †¢Seek the advice of her boss, the vice president of finance for Alberta: This would be an appropriate action to take. Even though she might not know if her boss is directly involved in the situation, going to him with the concern is proof enough that she cares about her company and doing the right thing. If her boss is not involved she might even be somehow recognized as an example employee for going forward with such information and doing the right thing. †¢Anonymously release the information to the local newspaper: Releasing the information to the news anonymously is always an option even though for her specific case I would not recommend it. She has no proof that her suspicions are in fact taking place and it would be very irresponsible on her part to say her company is doing something as illegal as improperly dumping toxic waste on purpose just to save some money. †¢Give the information to an outside member of Alberta’s board of directors, whom she knew because he lived in her neighborhood: Again, releasing such information to an outsider without knowing if it’s true or not, might be irresponsible on her part because from that point on it would only be one step for a company outsider to make the information public without knowing the facts. Since in this case the outsider is a member of the board of directors, she could contact that person if she feels comfortable with him in order to discuss her findings privately. That way she is also showing her commitment to doing the right thing for her company and shows her concern to do right by her as an employee. 3.Assume that Rachel sought the advice of the vice president of finance and discovered that he both knew about and approved of the dumping of toxic wastes. What steps should she take to resolve the conflict in this situation? If Rachel sought the advice of the vice president of finance and discovered that he both knew about and approved of the dumping of toxic wastes I’m sure she will have a conversation with her regarding what she just found. Rachel will have to see what he has to say about the toxic waste dumping and then make a decision regarding the confirmation of her findings. That decision might range from leaving the company and not reporting the incident, to staying as an employee and going directly to the appropriate agencies and reporting her findings. Whatever Rachel decides to do, she still has an ethical obligation to report her company’s illegal activities be it to her superiors or to an agency like for example the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner INTRODUCTION

No two writers go about things in exactly the same way. We al are inspired and motivated in different ways; we have our own reasons why some characters stay with us while others disappear into a backlog of neglected files. Personal y, I've never figured out why some of my characters take on strong lives of their own, but I'm always happy when they do. Those characters are the most effortless to write, and so their stories are usual y the ones that get finished. Bree is one of those characters, and she's the chief reason why this story is now in your hands, rather than lost in the maze of forgotten folders inside my computer. (The two other reasons are named Diego and Fred.) I started thinking about Bree while I was editing Eclipse. Editing, not writing – when I was writing the first draft of Eclipse, I had first-person-perspective blinders on; anything that Bel a couldn't see or hear or feel or taste or touch was irrelevant. That story was her experience only. The next step in the editing process was to step away from Bel a and see how the story flowed. My editor, Rebecca Davis, was a huge part of that process, and she had a lot of questions for me about the things Bel a didn't know and how we could make the right parts of that story clearer. Because Bree is the only newborn Bel a sees, Bree's was the perspective that I first gravitated toward as I considered what was going on behind the scenes. I started thinking about living in the basement with the newborns and hunting traditional vampire-style. I imagined the world as Bree understood it. And it was easy to do that. From the start Bree was very clear as a character, and some of her friends also sprang to life effortlessly. This is the way it usual y works for me: I try to write a short synopsis of what is happening in some other part of the story, and I end up jotting down dialogue. In this case, instead of a synopsis, I found myself writing a day in Bree's life. Writing Bree was the first time I'd stepped into the shoes of a narrator who was a â€Å"real† vampire – a hunter, a monster. I got to look through her red eyes at us humans; suddenly we were pathetic and weak, easy prey, of no importance whatsoever except as a tasty snack. I felt what it was like to be alone while surrounded by enemies, always on guard, never sure of anything except that her life was always in danger. I got to submerge myself in a total y different breed of vampires: newborns. The newborn life was something I hadn't ever gotten to explore – even when Bel a final y became a vampire. Bel a was never a newborn like Bree was a newborn. It was exciting and dark and, ultimately, tragic. The closer I got to the inevitable end, the more I wished I'd concluded Eclipse just slightly differently. I wonder how you wil feel about Bree. She's such a smal, seemingly trivial character in Eclipse. She lives for only five minutes of Bel a's perspective. And yet her story is so important to an understanding of the novel. When you read the Eclipse scene in which Bel a stares at Bree, assessing her as a possible future, did you ever think about what has brought Bree to that point in time? As Bree glares back, did you wonder what Bel a and the Cul ens look like to her? Probably not. But even if you did, I'l bet you never guessed her secrets. I hope you end up caring about Bree as much as I do, though that's kind of a cruel wish. You know this: it doesn't end wel for her. But at least you wil know the whole story. And that no perspective is ever real y trivial. Enjoy, Stephenie

International Management

The purpose of this report Is to present 320 Below Pet Ltd a business proposal to venture Into Bangkok, Thailand. A series of relevant questions pertaining to the Ice- cream parlous business and its future expansion into foreign markets are proposed here to identify business opportunities and risks. The F&B industry in Singapore and the company's structure has been studied in depth to gain a better understanding of the industry. 320 Below is a Singapore based company that sells fresh ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt.The enterprise's legal structure, its history, mission, vision, alls, objectives and the ownership structure are further analyzed. The products and services offerings of 320 Below are highlighted and supported with the customer profile and demand analysis by the usage of Porter's Five Forces analysis. Moving forward, the environmental factors on the host country business climate are carefully examined. Based on the findings, the unique usage of liquid nitrogen in makin g the Ice cream is favored at large.Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of 320 Below will be evaluated In depth by using the SOOT analysis. A comprehensive business strategy Is finalized and proposed comprising of mode of entry and identifying the Hypotheses national cultural dimensions as it ensures that the different strategies will be carefully studied. Vital components of the fps strategies, which constitutes of pricing strategy, distribution and logistics, promotion and advertising and production and service strategies are also discussed.This will be followed with financial reports and the planning of cost analysis, the projected profit and loss statement expected to derive. The management considerations Including personnel, business advisers and contingency plans to be undertaken have been determined. Finally, recommendation will be presented to 320 Below based on the chances of success rate, which will influence its decision making to venture into foreign markets l ike Bangkok. 2. Introduction Being the first mover entrant, 320 Below Private Limited (Pet Ltd) first launched the unprecedented concept of freezing ice-cream using liquid nitrogen In Singapore.This unique Innovation has speed up the Ice-cream making process, thus enabling 320 Below to experiment with a wide variety of ice-cream flavors in the shortest time compared to traditional ice-cream making at large. The founder and Managing Director of 320 Below, Miss Lillian Nag is currently heading its business operations and business strategy for the gourmet ice-cream parlous. With the support of Miss Nag, our team kept in touch with her through numerous email correspondence to collect valuable information about 320 Below.This has provided our team with vital and useful findings which has facilitated us In preparing this business proposal. These justifications has indeed given us many insights in the ice-cream parlous business and helped us to draft out the necessary marketing tools that has helped to advertise the company. 3. Industry Business Description restaurants, fast food outlets, food caterers and others segment. In the â€Å"Others† segment, it generally refers to the different types of F establishments ranging from cafes, bars, food courts, pubs to coffee house.In 2012, Singapore F industry has substantially increased and generated approximately SAG 1 1. 98 billions in revenues, which is equivalent to 3. 5% of the country gross domestic product (GAP). According to Singapore Department of Statistics (2013), the year of 2012 has witnessed an increase of 3. 2% of new F establishment opening in Singapore. The total number of F establishment has significantly increase from 6,464 to 6,668 and is a good sign that the industry is expanding. With a population of over 5. Million, Singapore is ranked one of the highest food consumption country in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, eating is considered a national pastime, where people are willing to queue up for hal f an hour to over an hour for their favorite food. The majority of Singapore population's love for good food and their willingness to food hunt around the island display their passion and attitude towards eating. Within the social circles, it is viewed as an status leveler or status builder if you can recommend a particular place that serves great food to your friends or families.Being able to do immediately brings up your personal reputation (Wang 2006). The increasing affluent middle class and the rise in their disposable income has also fuelled the growth of the F&B industry. This group of affluent Singapore who are well-traveled are often attracted by what they see and experience during their holiday trips. Therefore, when these F&B establishments opened in Singapore, they would gladly patronize them. This has definitely spurred the demands of overseas food and produce (Rehearing's 2013).In addition, growing tourism activities in Singapore from overseas visitors have also suppor ted the growth of these F establishments. The future of the F industry in Singapore looks promising and is projected to growth in healthy levels due to its per capita consumption growth. 4. Company Description 4. 1 Type of Business Founded in October 2012, 320 Below Pet Ltd is a Singapore-based ice cream parlor that specializes in making fresh premium ice-cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt purely from using natural ingredients. The company falls into the category of lifestyle cafes in Singapore F industry. 20 Below prides itself in delivering a unique ice- cream eating experience for customers to mingle and hang out with their friends and families. 320 Below is the early pioneer in Singapore to launch the concept of freezing ice cream by using liquid nitrogen. This unique and innovative ice-cream making process has revolutionized how ice cream is traditionally prepared and consumed. This interesting concept has also introduced an unique cafe experience, where customers can walk-in to choose from a wide variety of specially created ice- ream flavors that are freshly churned out on the spot from the mixing bowl. 20 Below Pet Ltd started its ice cream parlor business as a Limited Liability company (LLC), which is commonly known as Private Limited company. The company is registered under Singapore laws and tax regulations. Under the legal structure of a LLC, 320 Below intends to separate its legal entity from their owners and shareholders. By doing so, their business obligations only strictly remain within the legal entity itself and shareholders are excluded from any legal liability in their personal capacity. 20 Below also enjoy various legal and tax benefits as a LLC.For example, 320 Below is exempted from paying taxes during the first three years of incorporation for the first SAG $100,000 profits that they make every year. The corporate tax rate in Singapore is very attractive, which stood at below 9% for profits up to SAG $300,000 and capped at 17% for profits exceeding SAG $300,000. In addition, Singapore single-tier tax policy implemented across all corporation means that 320 Below will only be taxed once at corporate level. In the event of any dividends payout to their shareholders, they will not be tax again. 0 Below also benefited from the ease of raising capital for new venture or business expansion in the future. As a LLC, 320 Below will find it easier to get business financing from financial institutes, such as banks, and also raising capital through adding equity partners or investors. 4. 3 320 Below History, Mission, Goals & Objectives The brand name â€Å"320 Below' came about when the founder Allan Nag discovered that liquid nitrogen actually boils at minus 320 degree Fahrenheit (OF) and she decided to name after it. Lillian Nag, the founder and managing director of 320 Below has a passion and loves creating quality ice-cream.She believes in making ice cream that are low in sugar and do not contain artificial emulsifier, sta bilizer and preservative. During the early beginnings, Miss Nag experimented in creating numerous unique tasty ice-cream flavors from her home. Over a period of time, she had created and perfected numerous ice-cream recipes that have received good reviews from friends and family members. The idea of freezing ice-cream came about one day when she was doing online researches about ice cream making and found out about using liquid nitrogen to produces fresh creamy ice-cream, without paving icy crystals that can affects the taste pleasure.After mastering the ice-cream making process, Miss Nag decided to venture in the ice cream parlor business. 320 Bellows vision is to become the first-mover in new creation and innovation to ensure their products are always fresh, smooth, tasty and clean. Their mission is to ensure that their ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt are of the highest quality, smooth and tasty. 320 Below also endeavor to deliver exceptional customer service to their customer s in a clean, fun and relaxing environment to hang out. 4. Ownership Structure 20 Below currently have two outlets in Singapore, which is the Mackenzie Road main shop located near the city area and the Tympanis One branch, a neighborhood area in the eastern part of Singapore. The ownership structure of 320 Below consists of 3 Below employs a manager who takes charge of the daily operations in the Tympanis One branch and Miss Nag is in charge of the Mackenzie Road main shop. The manager at Tympanis One reports directly to Miss Nag pertaining any operations issues. At any time, each outlet hire at least two temporary staffs to service customers at the ice cream parlous.Miss Nag is also in charge of the marketing and production aspects of 320 Below. Her manager handles the financial accounting and human resources for both the outlets. 5. Product/ Service Factors 5. 1 Product/ Service Analysis 320 Below is the unprecedented ice cream shop that uses liquid nitrogen for their ice cream ma king process. As such, they have an advantage of offering new and interesting products to their customers in the F&B industry. They are not Just ice cream sellers but they also offer a wide range of products like frozen yoghurt and sorbets that are freshly made on the spot after customers have placed their orders.This kind of service are very rare in the Singapore market as traditionally ice cream are made in advanced and stored for later consumption in ice cream parlors or they can be conveniently bought in all supermarkets or convenience stores. 320 Bellows flagship main store at Mackenzie Road offers a unique experience of enjoying ice cream, which not other places in Singapore offers. The location of their ice cream parlor are conveniently located near city area and offer ample parking space for individuals or families who wish to patronize them. Next their shop is nicely decorated with a colorful theme that attracts passer by and want to come in.Students and teenagers are also attracted to 320 Below shop because they enjoy hanging out with their friends due to its cozy and comfortable environment it gives to their customers. 5. 2 Customer Profile/ Demand Analysis Thailand is a country with a hot climate for most parts of the year. It is common for people to seek out cooling food items to manage the heat and ice cream happens to be one of the highly sought after food items consumed. In Bangkok, the weather records a hotter temperature being an urban area with less greenery to cool the surroundings compared to other parts of Thailand.Therefore, the demand tends to be higher compared to other parts of Thailand. Other ice cream brands have been successful in Bangkok with constant demands from ice cream lovers. Thailand is ranked at 13th place, with 1. 5 litter of ice cream consumption per capita each year (Ice cream consumption 2013), Just 2 places behind Singapore. The consumer market for ice cream in Bangkok consists mainly of This who are in the working cl ass of age 25 – 40 and tourists who visit the kingdom for holidays. These groups of people generally look for uniqueness in the products they purchase.Thus, he technology of using liquid nitrogen to create ice cream instantly will attract their attention and given their access to education and the internet, they will better appreciate the ice cream making process of 320 Below. As ice cream brands that able to capture the attention of potential consumers in Bangkok and attract them to patronize the ice cream parlor. 5. 3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5. 3. 1 Bargaining power of suppliers (High) Liquid nitrogen is not only used in the ice cream making process but also for other food processing such as bakery in the Food & Beverage (F&B) Industry.As such, appliers may choose to supply to other food processing brands, which require a larger quantity of liquid nitrogen compared to 320 Below. Similarly, suppliers of other equipment in general required by 320 Below for its ice cream outlet operations have a bigger pool of customers in the similar business to choose from to create business ties. 5. 3. 2 Bargaining power of customers (Low) Customers are unable to make vast comparisons as brands offering the same product as 320 Below is relatively new in Bangkok. Furthermore, the Bangkok market is relatively new to this ice cream making process using liquid nitrogen to churn out CE cream.The lack of knowledge of the product further weakens their bargaining power. 5. 3. 3 Threat of new entrants (Low) There are very few ice cream outlets established in Bangkok that use the liquid nitrogen technology to produce their ice cream. Moreover, the frequency of new ice cream brands opening an outlet in Bangkok is low. Given the fact that Thailand is still a developing country and poses the risks of political unrest, other ice cream brands with similar technology might be hesitant to venture into the Thai market. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is low for ice cream br ands in Bangkok. 3. 4 Threat of substitute products (High) Ice cream is a product that has constant demand in Bangkok given the hot climate and relatively strong demand from consumers. Therefore, there are numerous brands that provide the similar primary product with Just slight variations. The price range of 320 Below is relatively higher than the average ice cream pricing due to the running costs involving the technology that is used. Consumers may be unwilling to pay for a higher price for their ice cream and may favor other ice cream brands that are much cheaper but not necessarily of higher quality.Others may look for other alternatives such as local cold desserts to replace eating ice cream. Therefore, the threat of substitute products is high in Bangkok. 5. 3. 5 Competitive rivalry within the industry (Low) The idea of using liquid nitrogen in the ice cream making process is still very new in Bangkok. According to research, there is currently one ice cream brand that adopted competitor that produces ice cream in a similar process. However, due to its huge demographic and population in Bangkok there is room for competition in the market. 6. Environmental Factors 6. Host Country Business Climate 20 Below was the first to introduce liquid nitrogen ice cream. It was quite a success for them as a lot of people are curious and wanted to try how does these ice creams taste like. Soon another competitor Just Like It came along. It create a buzz in the F&B industry as it invest in their marketing and advertising campaign. In order to expand their area of revenues income, 320 Below has began doing market survey and research to consider and plan their expansion. Either they open up another outlet to compete with their competitors or they can venture oversea to open their first shop overseas.In London and Hong Kong, there are already shops that sells liquid nitrogen ice cream. Thus venturing into these two countries are not advisable. The best two options are Thail and, Bangkok or Vietnam. 6. 2 SOOT Analysts of 320 Below Strength The strength of 320 Below lies in their Research and Development team and strong support from their management. The R&D are always encourage to develop new products and to cater to the demands of the Singapore market. Being able to understand the Singapore market makes 320 Below easier to target at their range of customers.The vertical integration have given 320 Below an advantage in the arrest. Lastly, the financial status of 320 Below are healthy and they are not in debts. Weakness The operating costs for the operations in Singapore have been increasing lately. This is due to the inflation of the market in Singapore. Also they are facing manpower issues. Even though it is still manageable, but still its difficult to find young service staff to be committed and loyal to the company. Most of the services staff are students working on a temporary basis and they do not tend to stay long in the Job. Opportunities opportu nities.To open their shops in Asia countries and to introduce their underfed products to the local people there. This can create more awareness and increase their market shares. Threats With the recent riots and social unrest in Bangkok, 320 Below will have to be very careful in their planning and execution of their shop opening. The economy in Thailand has fairly been affected by the power struggle between within the government parties. A possible delay in carrying out their plan might be necessary if the situation there worsen. Second, if the pricing of their ice cream is expensive, the local This might not patronize them and avoid eating it. . Government Constraints/ Incentives The Thai government has been having political uncertainties since 2010 surrounding their former prime minister and the current one. The former Prime Minister Taking Sinatra has been over thrown in a military coup in 2010. His sister was elected as the new Prime Minister for Thailand. At the end of 2013, hi s sister Youngling Sinatra has tried to pass on a bill, which could lead to allowing Taking to return to Thailand, Bangkok. This has caused uproar of protests among the Thai population. This was enough to lead to the recent demonstrations by the citizens in centralBangkok. Shops are still open for business even though protests and demonstrations are ongoing. But somehow, their business will still be affected. This feud between the anti government and the prime minister of Thailand will be ongoing for a long period. Travelers have been warned about traveling to Thailand and to avoid these affected areas. 6. 4 Laws/ Regulations/ Administrative Practices Thailand has a long history of corruption, bribery, extortion, leak of insider information used in securing lands, business deals, etc. This has created negative media publicity for the country.Organizations who want to venture into Thailand will have to seriously consider it before shifting in funds from overseas for investments. Ther efore, It is prudent to have the government support in our expansion plans. We also need to know and abide to their local employment laws and regulations. It is almost similar to our Singapore employment regulations except for some slight differences. For example, there are no limitations on the number of days for medical leave. Companies are to set up the Employee Welfare Fund and contributions are made from both employer and employee.These funds will be used to compensate employees who have resigned, laid off or suffer serious injuries during their service with the company. 7. Business Strategies organizational structure in order for organizations to be successful. Bangkok regulation on the food and beverage industry welcomes foreign investment. The threat in competition for the food and beverage sector is overwhelming and could result in high operation cost. If it franchises out its chain in Bangkok or Joint venture with a local, the organization may experience a communication ba rrier as the locals mostly speak Thai and know minimum English.As a new entrant in Bangkok as a franchiser as an option, 320 Below may face potential challenges such as having difficulties in obtaining the appropriate approval and permits from the respective authorities. Unnecessary expenses might incur during the process and might lead to higher cost. Due to cultural differences and language barrier, this could also result in misunderstanding, leading to conflicts when dealing with the respective stakeholders in the sector, as they may be amateurs to the business. The proposed mode of entry for 320 Below is franchising in Bangkok, with a few considerations to be analyzed.Egger Hefted 320 Below must identify the Hypotheses national cultural dimensions as one of the key factors before proposing and venturing in Bangkok as identifying the cultural differences amongst the neighboring countries are an added advantage. In determining the Hefted nation culture, he identified five dimensio ns, which comprise of power distance, individualism, Masculinity/Femininity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. 320 Below identified the potential of individualism and long-term orientation as their top priorities in venturing into Bangkok.The company is keen to review individualism ND long-term orientation as part of their daily operations in generating growth with the support and directions from the top management. Figure 1 : Hypotheses Model Country Comparison As a comparison amongst the three countries and Singapore, Bangkok shows the highest significant similarities of what Singapore adopts. fps Strategy 7. 1 Product/ Service Positioning Every individual has a sweet tooth whether for breakfast, teatime, after a meal or anytime of the day when one desires for dessert.Every dessert craves yearn for a perfect flavor and a unique sweet course. The evolution of ice-cream originated jack then during the second century B. C. It is known that Alexander the Great enjoyed i ce and snow with a tinge of added flavors of honey and nectar back then. Tastes. Ice cream mostly appreciated by the elites remained a rare and exotic dessert in today's context. Due to technological innovations such as steam power, mechanical refrigeration, homogeneity, electric motors and new freezing concepts and equipment ice-cream production has improvised.It has been identified in the United States that the total frozen dairy annual production is more than 1. 6 billion gallons due to the ongoing advancement in technologies. The concept of 320 Below was originated from United States. The process of rapid freezing provided by liquid nitrogen allows the making of endless combinations of ice-cream, sorbets, shakes, yoghurt which provides freshest desserts and quality to every patron. The Victorian†Queen of ice cream,† Agnes Marshall was the first to use the liquid nitrogen concept in the making of ice-cream over 100 years ago.The Intro facts on the usage of liquid nitr ogen has gained competitive advantage at large as patrons get to witness their frozen dessert being made from scratch and this creates a unique experience for them. Liquid nitrogen utilizes smaller ice crystals than a conventional freezing process and is 320 degrees below zero which creates a creamier and smoother dessert. At 320 Below, guests are given the opportunity to create inventive flavor combinations by recommending their suggested flavors to the experimental team. 20 Below must be able to identify the needs of the consumers presently and in the future in order to develop the right product for its consumers. The targeted consumers for 320 Below are dessert lovers across all ethnic and demographic groups. By targeting the right audience and understanding the demands of its nonusers, 320 Below will be able to achieve competitive advantage amongst its competitors. 7. 2 Pricing Strategy 320 Below had accomplished its vertical integration in achieving a price competitive advantag e through providing a unique concept and flavor with a wide range of products.Generally, existing customers tend to be less sensitive about pricing as compared to new customers. In order to achieve optimal profits and being able to be price competitive in the market, 320 Below may reduce its raw materials costs and the equipments usage in the making of the ice-cream. However, 320 Bellows mission s to deliver its products at its freshest and smoothest and its vision is to be the first in new creation and innovation in ensuring its products are fresh, smooth, tasty and clean at all times thus they will not compromise its cost for optimal profits.Its products have been priced with its overheads being taken into considerations. 320 Below has been consistent in providing excellent service and its efficiency has earned them positive testimonials, acknowledgements and referrals. The pricing of its products are worth the money as its high service and quality have managed to match up consume rs expectations. The price range for its products with various flavors ranges from $5-$10. And the they been ranked number 15 out of 6,938 restaurants in Singapore by Trapdoors and 30% of its customers are tourists who have been referred to from Trapdoors. . 3 Distribution and Logistics Bangkok, an emerging city, with a population of more than 14 million and Thailand the world as estimated in 2013. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicts a decline of five percent of tourists visiting Bangkok if the protests continue in the first quarter of 2014 and this will affect the hotel occupancy rate in Bangkok too, which is expected to fall by 30 to 40 percent. The political unrest has been predicted to affect the tourism in Thailand which may be damaging for all enterprises too.Some popular tourist attractions and areas have been affected as tourists have difficulties accessing such places. Such affected areas include international hotels like Hyatt, Four Seasons and InterContinental an d even tourist attractions such as Ask, Silos and the Orthographic intersection. 320 Below must outline its strategies before entering the market in Bangkok as there may be chief players existing there. As 320 Below possess a unique concept in South East Sean region, it may plan its initial early stages of exploring its potential in Bangkok.However, due to the political instability, it should delay its intention of entering its market there until the situation diffuses. It has its advantage of being a first mover entrant in Bangkok as the liquid nitrogen ice-cream is not available there. It will not be feasible for the enterprise to enter through franchising mode of entry if the local players are too powerful and strong. 7. 4 Promotion and Advertising 7. 4. 1 Modes Of Advertising 20 Below is new in the market and they have to thrive to gain more exposure for it's branding and showcase their products through different modes of advertising.Its point of purchase advertising is through its product pictures as consumers find the pictures too tempting and eager to try it. They must be more active in marketing its products although the advertising team have been doing a wonderful Job in order to reach out to a bigger pool of consumers and target the right demographic group by utilizing the suggested advertisements in faceable. This will create brand awareness o consumers with interest in desserts who will be able to receive advertisements on their news feed faceable page based on their respective interests.This mode of advertisement through faceable will go viral faster as it will be able to target the right audience as new consumers and even reach a regional or national audience. However, such types of media is not cost effective for smaller enterprises although one can reach a colossal group of consumers. Besides having a faceable account and participated in trade fairs , it may seek help from its consumers to spread the brand around through word of mouth. Word of mouth is the best and fastest mode of advertisement.By providing an excellent service and experience to its consumers, the brand will speak for itself. By offering good products, customers will share with their families and friends on the ice cream and many of 320 Below customers are referrals. The organization is also ranked Top 15 in Trapdoors which constitutes about 30% of their customer base whom are tourists. By winning its customers hearts, they will keep coming back and start introducing to their friends and share 320 Below faceable page on their faceable. International Management The purpose of this report Is to present 320 Below Pet Ltd a business proposal to venture Into Bangkok, Thailand. A series of relevant questions pertaining to the Ice- cream parlous business and its future expansion into foreign markets are proposed here to identify business opportunities and risks. The F&B industry in Singapore and the company's structure has been studied in depth to gain a better understanding of the industry. 320 Below is a Singapore based company that sells fresh ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt.The enterprise's legal structure, its history, mission, vision, alls, objectives and the ownership structure are further analyzed. The products and services offerings of 320 Below are highlighted and supported with the customer profile and demand analysis by the usage of Porter's Five Forces analysis. Moving forward, the environmental factors on the host country business climate are carefully examined. Based on the findings, the unique usage of liquid nitrogen in makin g the Ice cream is favored at large.Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of 320 Below will be evaluated In depth by using the SOOT analysis. A comprehensive business strategy Is finalized and proposed comprising of mode of entry and identifying the Hypotheses national cultural dimensions as it ensures that the different strategies will be carefully studied. Vital components of the fps strategies, which constitutes of pricing strategy, distribution and logistics, promotion and advertising and production and service strategies are also discussed.This will be followed with financial reports and the planning of cost analysis, the projected profit and loss statement expected to derive. The management considerations Including personnel, business advisers and contingency plans to be undertaken have been determined. Finally, recommendation will be presented to 320 Below based on the chances of success rate, which will influence its decision making to venture into foreign markets l ike Bangkok. 2. Introduction Being the first mover entrant, 320 Below Private Limited (Pet Ltd) first launched the unprecedented concept of freezing ice-cream using liquid nitrogen In Singapore.This unique Innovation has speed up the Ice-cream making process, thus enabling 320 Below to experiment with a wide variety of ice-cream flavors in the shortest time compared to traditional ice-cream making at large. The founder and Managing Director of 320 Below, Miss Lillian Nag is currently heading its business operations and business strategy for the gourmet ice-cream parlous. With the support of Miss Nag, our team kept in touch with her through numerous email correspondence to collect valuable information about 320 Below.This has provided our team with vital and useful findings which has facilitated us In preparing this business proposal. These justifications has indeed given us many insights in the ice-cream parlous business and helped us to draft out the necessary marketing tools that has helped to advertise the company. 3. Industry Business Description restaurants, fast food outlets, food caterers and others segment. In the â€Å"Others† segment, it generally refers to the different types of F establishments ranging from cafes, bars, food courts, pubs to coffee house.In 2012, Singapore F industry has substantially increased and generated approximately SAG 1 1. 98 billions in revenues, which is equivalent to 3. 5% of the country gross domestic product (GAP). According to Singapore Department of Statistics (2013), the year of 2012 has witnessed an increase of 3. 2% of new F establishment opening in Singapore. The total number of F establishment has significantly increase from 6,464 to 6,668 and is a good sign that the industry is expanding. With a population of over 5. Million, Singapore is ranked one of the highest food consumption country in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, eating is considered a national pastime, where people are willing to queue up for hal f an hour to over an hour for their favorite food. The majority of Singapore population's love for good food and their willingness to food hunt around the island display their passion and attitude towards eating. Within the social circles, it is viewed as an status leveler or status builder if you can recommend a particular place that serves great food to your friends or families.Being able to do immediately brings up your personal reputation (Wang 2006). The increasing affluent middle class and the rise in their disposable income has also fuelled the growth of the F&B industry. This group of affluent Singapore who are well-traveled are often attracted by what they see and experience during their holiday trips. Therefore, when these F&B establishments opened in Singapore, they would gladly patronize them. This has definitely spurred the demands of overseas food and produce (Rehearing's 2013).In addition, growing tourism activities in Singapore from overseas visitors have also suppor ted the growth of these F establishments. The future of the F industry in Singapore looks promising and is projected to growth in healthy levels due to its per capita consumption growth. 4. Company Description 4. 1 Type of Business Founded in October 2012, 320 Below Pet Ltd is a Singapore-based ice cream parlor that specializes in making fresh premium ice-cream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt purely from using natural ingredients. The company falls into the category of lifestyle cafes in Singapore F industry. 20 Below prides itself in delivering a unique ice- cream eating experience for customers to mingle and hang out with their friends and families. 320 Below is the early pioneer in Singapore to launch the concept of freezing ice cream by using liquid nitrogen. This unique and innovative ice-cream making process has revolutionized how ice cream is traditionally prepared and consumed. This interesting concept has also introduced an unique cafe experience, where customers can walk-in to choose from a wide variety of specially created ice- ream flavors that are freshly churned out on the spot from the mixing bowl. 20 Below Pet Ltd started its ice cream parlor business as a Limited Liability company (LLC), which is commonly known as Private Limited company. The company is registered under Singapore laws and tax regulations. Under the legal structure of a LLC, 320 Below intends to separate its legal entity from their owners and shareholders. By doing so, their business obligations only strictly remain within the legal entity itself and shareholders are excluded from any legal liability in their personal capacity. 20 Below also enjoy various legal and tax benefits as a LLC.For example, 320 Below is exempted from paying taxes during the first three years of incorporation for the first SAG $100,000 profits that they make every year. The corporate tax rate in Singapore is very attractive, which stood at below 9% for profits up to SAG $300,000 and capped at 17% for profits exceeding SAG $300,000. In addition, Singapore single-tier tax policy implemented across all corporation means that 320 Below will only be taxed once at corporate level. In the event of any dividends payout to their shareholders, they will not be tax again. 0 Below also benefited from the ease of raising capital for new venture or business expansion in the future. As a LLC, 320 Below will find it easier to get business financing from financial institutes, such as banks, and also raising capital through adding equity partners or investors. 4. 3 320 Below History, Mission, Goals & Objectives The brand name â€Å"320 Below' came about when the founder Allan Nag discovered that liquid nitrogen actually boils at minus 320 degree Fahrenheit (OF) and she decided to name after it. Lillian Nag, the founder and managing director of 320 Below has a passion and loves creating quality ice-cream.She believes in making ice cream that are low in sugar and do not contain artificial emulsifier, sta bilizer and preservative. During the early beginnings, Miss Nag experimented in creating numerous unique tasty ice-cream flavors from her home. Over a period of time, she had created and perfected numerous ice-cream recipes that have received good reviews from friends and family members. The idea of freezing ice-cream came about one day when she was doing online researches about ice cream making and found out about using liquid nitrogen to produces fresh creamy ice-cream, without paving icy crystals that can affects the taste pleasure.After mastering the ice-cream making process, Miss Nag decided to venture in the ice cream parlor business. 320 Bellows vision is to become the first-mover in new creation and innovation to ensure their products are always fresh, smooth, tasty and clean. Their mission is to ensure that their ice cream, sorbet and frozen yogurt are of the highest quality, smooth and tasty. 320 Below also endeavor to deliver exceptional customer service to their customer s in a clean, fun and relaxing environment to hang out. 4. Ownership Structure 20 Below currently have two outlets in Singapore, which is the Mackenzie Road main shop located near the city area and the Tympanis One branch, a neighborhood area in the eastern part of Singapore. The ownership structure of 320 Below consists of 3 Below employs a manager who takes charge of the daily operations in the Tympanis One branch and Miss Nag is in charge of the Mackenzie Road main shop. The manager at Tympanis One reports directly to Miss Nag pertaining any operations issues. At any time, each outlet hire at least two temporary staffs to service customers at the ice cream parlous.Miss Nag is also in charge of the marketing and production aspects of 320 Below. Her manager handles the financial accounting and human resources for both the outlets. 5. Product/ Service Factors 5. 1 Product/ Service Analysis 320 Below is the unprecedented ice cream shop that uses liquid nitrogen for their ice cream ma king process. As such, they have an advantage of offering new and interesting products to their customers in the F&B industry. They are not Just ice cream sellers but they also offer a wide range of products like frozen yoghurt and sorbets that are freshly made on the spot after customers have placed their orders.This kind of service are very rare in the Singapore market as traditionally ice cream are made in advanced and stored for later consumption in ice cream parlors or they can be conveniently bought in all supermarkets or convenience stores. 320 Bellows flagship main store at Mackenzie Road offers a unique experience of enjoying ice cream, which not other places in Singapore offers. The location of their ice cream parlor are conveniently located near city area and offer ample parking space for individuals or families who wish to patronize them. Next their shop is nicely decorated with a colorful theme that attracts passer by and want to come in.Students and teenagers are also attracted to 320 Below shop because they enjoy hanging out with their friends due to its cozy and comfortable environment it gives to their customers. 5. 2 Customer Profile/ Demand Analysis Thailand is a country with a hot climate for most parts of the year. It is common for people to seek out cooling food items to manage the heat and ice cream happens to be one of the highly sought after food items consumed. In Bangkok, the weather records a hotter temperature being an urban area with less greenery to cool the surroundings compared to other parts of Thailand.Therefore, the demand tends to be higher compared to other parts of Thailand. Other ice cream brands have been successful in Bangkok with constant demands from ice cream lovers. Thailand is ranked at 13th place, with 1. 5 litter of ice cream consumption per capita each year (Ice cream consumption 2013), Just 2 places behind Singapore. The consumer market for ice cream in Bangkok consists mainly of This who are in the working cl ass of age 25 – 40 and tourists who visit the kingdom for holidays. These groups of people generally look for uniqueness in the products they purchase.Thus, he technology of using liquid nitrogen to create ice cream instantly will attract their attention and given their access to education and the internet, they will better appreciate the ice cream making process of 320 Below. As ice cream brands that able to capture the attention of potential consumers in Bangkok and attract them to patronize the ice cream parlor. 5. 3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5. 3. 1 Bargaining power of suppliers (High) Liquid nitrogen is not only used in the ice cream making process but also for other food processing such as bakery in the Food & Beverage (F&B) Industry.As such, appliers may choose to supply to other food processing brands, which require a larger quantity of liquid nitrogen compared to 320 Below. Similarly, suppliers of other equipment in general required by 320 Below for its ice cream outlet operations have a bigger pool of customers in the similar business to choose from to create business ties. 5. 3. 2 Bargaining power of customers (Low) Customers are unable to make vast comparisons as brands offering the same product as 320 Below is relatively new in Bangkok. Furthermore, the Bangkok market is relatively new to this ice cream making process using liquid nitrogen to churn out CE cream.The lack of knowledge of the product further weakens their bargaining power. 5. 3. 3 Threat of new entrants (Low) There are very few ice cream outlets established in Bangkok that use the liquid nitrogen technology to produce their ice cream. Moreover, the frequency of new ice cream brands opening an outlet in Bangkok is low. Given the fact that Thailand is still a developing country and poses the risks of political unrest, other ice cream brands with similar technology might be hesitant to venture into the Thai market. Therefore, the threat of new entrants is low for ice cream br ands in Bangkok. 3. 4 Threat of substitute products (High) Ice cream is a product that has constant demand in Bangkok given the hot climate and relatively strong demand from consumers. Therefore, there are numerous brands that provide the similar primary product with Just slight variations. The price range of 320 Below is relatively higher than the average ice cream pricing due to the running costs involving the technology that is used. Consumers may be unwilling to pay for a higher price for their ice cream and may favor other ice cream brands that are much cheaper but not necessarily of higher quality.Others may look for other alternatives such as local cold desserts to replace eating ice cream. Therefore, the threat of substitute products is high in Bangkok. 5. 3. 5 Competitive rivalry within the industry (Low) The idea of using liquid nitrogen in the ice cream making process is still very new in Bangkok. According to research, there is currently one ice cream brand that adopted competitor that produces ice cream in a similar process. However, due to its huge demographic and population in Bangkok there is room for competition in the market. 6. Environmental Factors 6. Host Country Business Climate 20 Below was the first to introduce liquid nitrogen ice cream. It was quite a success for them as a lot of people are curious and wanted to try how does these ice creams taste like. Soon another competitor Just Like It came along. It create a buzz in the F&B industry as it invest in their marketing and advertising campaign. In order to expand their area of revenues income, 320 Below has began doing market survey and research to consider and plan their expansion. Either they open up another outlet to compete with their competitors or they can venture oversea to open their first shop overseas.In London and Hong Kong, there are already shops that sells liquid nitrogen ice cream. Thus venturing into these two countries are not advisable. The best two options are Thail and, Bangkok or Vietnam. 6. 2 SOOT Analysts of 320 Below Strength The strength of 320 Below lies in their Research and Development team and strong support from their management. The R&D are always encourage to develop new products and to cater to the demands of the Singapore market. Being able to understand the Singapore market makes 320 Below easier to target at their range of customers.The vertical integration have given 320 Below an advantage in the arrest. Lastly, the financial status of 320 Below are healthy and they are not in debts. Weakness The operating costs for the operations in Singapore have been increasing lately. This is due to the inflation of the market in Singapore. Also they are facing manpower issues. Even though it is still manageable, but still its difficult to find young service staff to be committed and loyal to the company. Most of the services staff are students working on a temporary basis and they do not tend to stay long in the Job. Opportunities opportu nities.To open their shops in Asia countries and to introduce their underfed products to the local people there. This can create more awareness and increase their market shares. Threats With the recent riots and social unrest in Bangkok, 320 Below will have to be very careful in their planning and execution of their shop opening. The economy in Thailand has fairly been affected by the power struggle between within the government parties. A possible delay in carrying out their plan might be necessary if the situation there worsen. Second, if the pricing of their ice cream is expensive, the local This might not patronize them and avoid eating it. . Government Constraints/ Incentives The Thai government has been having political uncertainties since 2010 surrounding their former prime minister and the current one. The former Prime Minister Taking Sinatra has been over thrown in a military coup in 2010. His sister was elected as the new Prime Minister for Thailand. At the end of 2013, hi s sister Youngling Sinatra has tried to pass on a bill, which could lead to allowing Taking to return to Thailand, Bangkok. This has caused uproar of protests among the Thai population. This was enough to lead to the recent demonstrations by the citizens in centralBangkok. Shops are still open for business even though protests and demonstrations are ongoing. But somehow, their business will still be affected. This feud between the anti government and the prime minister of Thailand will be ongoing for a long period. Travelers have been warned about traveling to Thailand and to avoid these affected areas. 6. 4 Laws/ Regulations/ Administrative Practices Thailand has a long history of corruption, bribery, extortion, leak of insider information used in securing lands, business deals, etc. This has created negative media publicity for the country.Organizations who want to venture into Thailand will have to seriously consider it before shifting in funds from overseas for investments. Ther efore, It is prudent to have the government support in our expansion plans. We also need to know and abide to their local employment laws and regulations. It is almost similar to our Singapore employment regulations except for some slight differences. For example, there are no limitations on the number of days for medical leave. Companies are to set up the Employee Welfare Fund and contributions are made from both employer and employee.These funds will be used to compensate employees who have resigned, laid off or suffer serious injuries during their service with the company. 7. Business Strategies organizational structure in order for organizations to be successful. Bangkok regulation on the food and beverage industry welcomes foreign investment. The threat in competition for the food and beverage sector is overwhelming and could result in high operation cost. If it franchises out its chain in Bangkok or Joint venture with a local, the organization may experience a communication ba rrier as the locals mostly speak Thai and know minimum English.As a new entrant in Bangkok as a franchiser as an option, 320 Below may face potential challenges such as having difficulties in obtaining the appropriate approval and permits from the respective authorities. Unnecessary expenses might incur during the process and might lead to higher cost. Due to cultural differences and language barrier, this could also result in misunderstanding, leading to conflicts when dealing with the respective stakeholders in the sector, as they may be amateurs to the business. The proposed mode of entry for 320 Below is franchising in Bangkok, with a few considerations to be analyzed.Egger Hefted 320 Below must identify the Hypotheses national cultural dimensions as one of the key factors before proposing and venturing in Bangkok as identifying the cultural differences amongst the neighboring countries are an added advantage. In determining the Hefted nation culture, he identified five dimensio ns, which comprise of power distance, individualism, Masculinity/Femininity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. 320 Below identified the potential of individualism and long-term orientation as their top priorities in venturing into Bangkok.The company is keen to review individualism ND long-term orientation as part of their daily operations in generating growth with the support and directions from the top management. Figure 1 : Hypotheses Model Country Comparison As a comparison amongst the three countries and Singapore, Bangkok shows the highest significant similarities of what Singapore adopts. fps Strategy 7. 1 Product/ Service Positioning Every individual has a sweet tooth whether for breakfast, teatime, after a meal or anytime of the day when one desires for dessert.Every dessert craves yearn for a perfect flavor and a unique sweet course. The evolution of ice-cream originated jack then during the second century B. C. It is known that Alexander the Great enjoyed i ce and snow with a tinge of added flavors of honey and nectar back then. Tastes. Ice cream mostly appreciated by the elites remained a rare and exotic dessert in today's context. Due to technological innovations such as steam power, mechanical refrigeration, homogeneity, electric motors and new freezing concepts and equipment ice-cream production has improvised.It has been identified in the United States that the total frozen dairy annual production is more than 1. 6 billion gallons due to the ongoing advancement in technologies. The concept of 320 Below was originated from United States. The process of rapid freezing provided by liquid nitrogen allows the making of endless combinations of ice-cream, sorbets, shakes, yoghurt which provides freshest desserts and quality to every patron. The Victorian†Queen of ice cream,† Agnes Marshall was the first to use the liquid nitrogen concept in the making of ice-cream over 100 years ago.The Intro facts on the usage of liquid nitr ogen has gained competitive advantage at large as patrons get to witness their frozen dessert being made from scratch and this creates a unique experience for them. Liquid nitrogen utilizes smaller ice crystals than a conventional freezing process and is 320 degrees below zero which creates a creamier and smoother dessert. At 320 Below, guests are given the opportunity to create inventive flavor combinations by recommending their suggested flavors to the experimental team. 20 Below must be able to identify the needs of the consumers presently and in the future in order to develop the right product for its consumers. The targeted consumers for 320 Below are dessert lovers across all ethnic and demographic groups. By targeting the right audience and understanding the demands of its nonusers, 320 Below will be able to achieve competitive advantage amongst its competitors. 7. 2 Pricing Strategy 320 Below had accomplished its vertical integration in achieving a price competitive advantag e through providing a unique concept and flavor with a wide range of products.Generally, existing customers tend to be less sensitive about pricing as compared to new customers. In order to achieve optimal profits and being able to be price competitive in the market, 320 Below may reduce its raw materials costs and the equipments usage in the making of the ice-cream. However, 320 Bellows mission s to deliver its products at its freshest and smoothest and its vision is to be the first in new creation and innovation in ensuring its products are fresh, smooth, tasty and clean at all times thus they will not compromise its cost for optimal profits.Its products have been priced with its overheads being taken into considerations. 320 Below has been consistent in providing excellent service and its efficiency has earned them positive testimonials, acknowledgements and referrals. The pricing of its products are worth the money as its high service and quality have managed to match up consume rs expectations. The price range for its products with various flavors ranges from $5-$10. And the they been ranked number 15 out of 6,938 restaurants in Singapore by Trapdoors and 30% of its customers are tourists who have been referred to from Trapdoors. . 3 Distribution and Logistics Bangkok, an emerging city, with a population of more than 14 million and Thailand the world as estimated in 2013. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicts a decline of five percent of tourists visiting Bangkok if the protests continue in the first quarter of 2014 and this will affect the hotel occupancy rate in Bangkok too, which is expected to fall by 30 to 40 percent. The political unrest has been predicted to affect the tourism in Thailand which may be damaging for all enterprises too.Some popular tourist attractions and areas have been affected as tourists have difficulties accessing such places. Such affected areas include international hotels like Hyatt, Four Seasons and InterContinental an d even tourist attractions such as Ask, Silos and the Orthographic intersection. 320 Below must outline its strategies before entering the market in Bangkok as there may be chief players existing there. As 320 Below possess a unique concept in South East Sean region, it may plan its initial early stages of exploring its potential in Bangkok.However, due to the political instability, it should delay its intention of entering its market there until the situation diffuses. It has its advantage of being a first mover entrant in Bangkok as the liquid nitrogen ice-cream is not available there. It will not be feasible for the enterprise to enter through franchising mode of entry if the local players are too powerful and strong. 7. 4 Promotion and Advertising 7. 4. 1 Modes Of Advertising 20 Below is new in the market and they have to thrive to gain more exposure for it's branding and showcase their products through different modes of advertising.Its point of purchase advertising is through its product pictures as consumers find the pictures too tempting and eager to try it. They must be more active in marketing its products although the advertising team have been doing a wonderful Job in order to reach out to a bigger pool of consumers and target the right demographic group by utilizing the suggested advertisements in faceable. This will create brand awareness o consumers with interest in desserts who will be able to receive advertisements on their news feed faceable page based on their respective interests.This mode of advertisement through faceable will go viral faster as it will be able to target the right audience as new consumers and even reach a regional or national audience. However, such types of media is not cost effective for smaller enterprises although one can reach a colossal group of consumers. Besides having a faceable account and participated in trade fairs , it may seek help from its consumers to spread the brand around through word of mouth. Word of mouth is the best and fastest mode of advertisement.By providing an excellent service and experience to its consumers, the brand will speak for itself. By offering good products, customers will share with their families and friends on the ice cream and many of 320 Below customers are referrals. The organization is also ranked Top 15 in Trapdoors which constitutes about 30% of their customer base whom are tourists. By winning its customers hearts, they will keep coming back and start introducing to their friends and share 320 Below faceable page on their faceable.