Significance of the veil in Islam

Introduction Wearing of the veil among Muslims has remained a debatable and controversial issue for decades, across the world. Different people have taken varying positions in explaining the origin and significance of the veil, which is a key symbol of identity among Muslim women. This is the case, with some of the people under this practice, unable to explain and defend the origin of Hijab. Moreover, the veil has gained massive popularity among Arab countries, as almost all women cover their faces.[1]Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Significance of the veil in Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While this is the case, some communities around the world view the use of the Islam veil as a way of oppressing Muslim women and depriving them their rights and freedom. This mindset has strongly been held by Western countries, which find no basis of the Hijab, neither in culture nor religion, but a self-imposed pract ice. This essay discusses the significance of the veil in Islam, and why it has become popular in most Islamic countries around the world. Veil Even though the word â€Å"veil† could be used to explain a wide range of headscarves and clothing, the term has found important meaning and application among Muslims throughout history. In general, a veil can be described as a piece of clothing worn by women to cover sections of the body like face and head. In most cases, veils are common among religious communities, where women are expected to wear them for various reasons, which have immensely contributed to the debates and stereotypes linked to the practice.[2] Within the context of Islam, there are several veils that are recognized, with most of them having been borrowed from the Arab countries, where Islam is believed to have originated from. Nevertheless, the veil has continued to face criticism from other cultures, which view it as a practice imposed on women by men as a way o f oppressing and promoting their power in the society. History of the veil According to historians, the veil has a strong history, with evidence showing that it was first used in the 13th century BC. During this time, the veil was mainly used by good women in the society, as other classes of women like prostitutes remained restricted from using it. Elements of women using veils were also recorded among Persians, who were mainly leaders at that time. Additionally, statues which have been discovered during the Classical and Hellenistic periods show the use of veils among Greeks, even though it was compulsory for all women to cover their face and head.[3] Unlike today where every Muslim woman covers her face and head, early Greek practices targeted high class women, who were expected to remain humble in the society. Moreover, the popularity of the veil grew in 1175, among married women, who used veils that ensured complete covering of the necks, hair, and chins. This continued until 14 85, when these veils were overtaken by the popularity of woods. Initially, sheer veils were worn by women on specific occasions or during a particular season, say, mourning a family member or in funeral ceremonies.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other instances, the veil was commonly used to hide the identity of a woman, especially in cases where she was expected to meet her future husband. Besides this, women concealed their identities in cases where they were involved in a secretive event, which was supposed to remain private. Furthermore, the veil was historically used to protect the beauty and skin of women from being exposed to harsh environmental and climatic conditions like scorching sun, strong wind, and dust. Veil in Islam Islam puts strong emphasis on the manner in which women are supposed to present themselves in the society. This is primarily guided by Hijab, which is based on presentation of women in a modest way. These headdresses are commonly known as veils, and are widely used by Muslim women all over the world. This has however been interpreted differently, with a section of Muslims arguing that veils are important in preventing women from attracting men sexually.[4] The veils come in different shapes, with others covering the head and the face alone, while others cover the entire body, from head to toe. The Hijab is the commonest, especially in Western countries. This covers the neck and head alone. However, most women outside these countries are required to use the traditional veil, mainly in the Arab World. Besides Hijab, there are other veils like the niqab, which covers the whole body, leaving tiny openings on the head to allow the person wearing it to see through. These veils have gained popularity in the Arab World even though they are common in Gulf States. They have also triggered debates in most parts of Europe, where they have been highly criticized. In some cases, a section of politicians have recommended its ban, arguing that it poses security threats by concealing the identity of Muslim women.[5] Critics further argue that the use of the veil among women affects proper communication especially in cases where the entire body is covered, leaving tiny holes for the eyes. Chador is another type of veil used by Iranian women, and in other countries in the Middle East. Unlike the niqab, chador leaves the face of a woman exposed even though the head and the rest of the body remain covered. They are mainly black in color, and are also common in countries where Islam in not deeply rooted. The last type of veil worn by Muslim women is the burqa, which covers the entire body, including the whole face. However, they are designed with a mesh on the head to allow women to see through.[6] This type is widely used in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it was enshrined in the constitution during the reign of Taliban i n Afghanistan, between 1996 and 2001.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Significance of the veil in Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This made it criminal for women to be found in public without the veil. Despite these types of veils, it is worth noting that they drive towards the same point of covering the face of Muslim women. As a result, critics have questioned the Quranic support of the veil. What does the Quran say about clothing and Modesty? Islamic Clothing Modesty is a key component of Islam, requiring women to dress in a particular way. This is highly emphasized in cases where the woman is in public, say, in the company of strange people who might not know her or understand her religion. Importantly, Islam is composed of a host of prohibitions and conditions, which define one’s way of dressing, as dictated by Islamic teachings. Above all, the awra’ has to be completely covered, even t hough the manner in which it is done varies widely from one country to the other. According to Islamic teachings, Muslims are supposed to be careful with their appearance in terms of decency and level of dignity, for the purpose of enjoying the creation of Allah.[7] In general, clothing has two major meanings, according to Islamic teachings. Firstly, clothing is necessary to cover human body from nakedness, an element, which is upheld by human beings everywhere. Secondly, Muslims believe that clothing is an essential component that enhances beauty, especially in women. As a result, Muslims are required to cover their private parts at all times. Of great significance is the fact that Islam does not allow women to wear any type of cloth, depending on fashion; they must adhere to the teachings and standards of the religion. For instance, women ought to wear clothes, which cover the whole body and do not reveal any part. In this context, women are not allowed to wear tight clothes, whic h may arouse men sexually. Under this, Muslims are required to enjoy life, including clothing, without any signs of pride or extravagance.[8] This therefore gives the limits, within which women are allowed to present themselves in public. Among other body parts, the head has been given a lot of emphasis, when describing clothing among women in Islam. This has been the center of controversy especially in Western countries, where it is argued that this practice undermines women in the society and may promote security threats.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, clothing is widely mentioned in the Quran, and explanations have been given to clarify the need for a particular code of dressing in the society.[9] The Hijab is also emphasized, requiring women to cover their heads and the entire body, using veils and headscarves. At this point, it is important to explain the importance of the veil in Islam, as it has grown to become a requirement for all Muslim women. Significance of the Veil in Islam According to Islam, the veil has immense significance, which is believed to be supported by the Quran, the holy book of Muslims. This segment discuses some of these factors, which have made Hijab to be common in the Arab World, and in other countries, where Islamic practices are observed. Firstly, the veil is considered as a sign of obedience among Muslim women. According to the Quran, men and women are supposed to obey Allah wholly by respecting his commands and responding to the message of his messenger appropriately. It is also believed that the Quran requires women to avoid looking at certain things, which have been forbidden by God. In other words, there are specific things, which Allah does not expect believing women to look at. As a sign of obedience, they are also expected to draw their veils, and avoid showing off their beauty, apart from that which has been allowed by the law.[10] Even though the veil is mentioned in the Quran and Muslim women ought to wear it, there are scholars who have differed on whether the veil should cover the entire body or not. This is based on the fact that some veils are designed to cover a woman’s body completely, including the head, face, and hands. Secondly, the use of the veil by Muslim women is considered to be a sign of being modest. According to Allah, women are supposed to cover themselves with veils whenever they are not in their houses. This ensures that they are not harassed once they get into the public.[11] Even though it is Allah who creates beauty, it is imp ortant for women to know that they can be harmed by men, when they dress in a manner that does not conform to Islam standards. However, the threat is likely to end in cases where beauty has been lost as a result of old age. Nevertheless, they are expected to remain modest regardless of their age, and whether they cover themselves or expose their heads, faces, and hands. Besides obedience and modesty, wearing of the veil is also seen as a sign of purity among Muslim women. It is believed that the Hijab has a lot of wisdom, which has to be upheld by women at all times. As a result, men and women remain pure in their hearts because they are able to communicate without being overtaken by lustful thoughts. In the absence of the veil, one’s heart may be torn between remaining pure and committing evil things, which are not acceptable in the presence of Allah. As a result, the veil helps in eliminating dirty thoughts, which commonly characterize wicked hearts. Besides being covered, communication between men and women is supposed to be honorable to avoid triggering evil thoughts. Based on the fact that the veil covers the woman’s body, it acts as a shield from external harm exposure to the sinful hearts of men. According to Islamic teachings, Muslim women who take off the veil or refuse to wear them go against God’s laws and disables Allah’s shield, which is supposed to protect them from harm. The veil is also considered as a sign of righteousness among Muslim women. It is a command that women were given by Allah after creation, in order to remain pleasing and acceptable in his sight. This has also been supported by scholars who believe that the modern world is largely driven by pride, which is demonstrated in different fashions, which fail to protect the body of a woman.[12] In other words, some of the dresses worn by women expose them to the evil eyes of men and may result into lustful thoughts. By covering their faces and the rest of the body, women demonstrate an act of righteousness, which is a requirement from God. Additionally, it is worth noting that the Quran addresses Muslim women who believe in Islam. This therefore excludes members of the public who may be in an environment dominated by Muslins. By wearing the veil, a woman demonstrates to the rest of the world that she is a believer.[13] Those who do not believe in this religion can therefore exercise their freedom by dressing in any type of attire, regardless of whether they are in public or private. Nevertheless, most Arab countries have made it a rule for all women to wear veils regardless of whether they believe in Islam or not. This is why Hijab critics believe that it is a way of oppressing women, since the Quran does not require all women in the society to use it. The only people that Allah is concerned with are those who believe and subscribe to the teachings and doctrines of Islam Another reason why wearing of the veil is common in some countries is that it is considered to be a sign of bashfulness among women.[14] In essence, this emanates from one’s belief, which is highly regarded as the Islamic paradise. By covering their bodies, Muslim women demonstrate inherent bashfulness, which is widely viewed to exist naturally in women. On the other hand, this has highly been criticized as women are intimidated, making it hard for them to fight for their rights. Hijab in non-Arab Countries Hijab is widely criticized in non-Arab nations around the world. In fact, some countries have banned the use of veils for various reasons related to security and poor communication.[15] On the other hand, several countries have integrated Muslims in their culture and accepted them, without focusing on religious beliefs and practices. In Britain, some women are seen to struggle with the British identity as they are torn between honoring the foreign nation or being loyal to their religion and mother country. The integration of Muslims in B ritain has made them to be part of the nation as they share with Britons the task of advancing the country’s economy, through development projects and as a source of labor. Many leaders also argue that there is need to embrace multiculturalism, in order to appreciate the differences in cultural and religious identities around the world. Even though the Islamic veil is not banned in the United Kingdom, the law allows learning institutions to craft their dressing codes, which may prohibit or authorize Hijab. Some people argue that the United Kingdom does not have the mandate to dictate what people should wear on the streets.[16] However, there are other groups, which have banned full veils citing cases of insecurity. Conclusion Generally, the veil is a major component of Islam, which has been carried from one generation to another. Throughout these transitions, the original meaning of Hijab has been diluted by leaders for their interests. The veil is common in the Arab World, e ven though several countries, which do not subscribe to this, have adopted the idea as a way of integrating Muslims and making them to be part of the development process.[17] Importantly, the Hijab has a wide range of implications, especially to women. Among other reasons, the veil is a symbol of purity, obedience, righteousness, and a shield from lustful eyes of men. However, some countries have used these factors to oppress women and ensure that their voices are not heard. Bibliography Ali, Syed. â€Å"Why Here, Why Now? Young Muslim Women Wearing HijÄ b.† Muslim World 95, no. 4 (2005): 515-530. Borneman, John. â€Å"Veiling and Women’s Intelligibility.† Cardozo Law Review 30, no. 6 (2009): 2745-2760. Boulanouar, Aisha. â€Å"The Notion of Modesty in Muslim Women’s Clothing: An Islamic Point of View.† New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 8, no. 2 (2006): 134-156. Bullock, Katherine. Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil: Challenging Historical Modern Stereotypes. United Kingdom: IIIT, 2002. Guindi, Fadwa. Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance. United Kingdom: Berg, 2003. Haque, Mozammel. â€Å"Solidarity on the ‘Hijaab.† I-Mag no. 6 (2005): 41. Layaquot, Hayat. â€Å"The Beauty Of ‘Hijab In Concealing Beauty.† I-Mag no. 6: (2005): 32-33. Sheikho, Mohammad. Islam! What Are the Veil, Divorce, and Polygamy For? UAE: amin-sheikho.com, 2010. Sultan-ul-Qalam, Majlis, and Lajna Imaillah. â€Å"Assessing British MP Jack Straw’s Comments Concerning Hijab in Islam.† Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. 2006. Web. Wing, Adrien, and Monica Smith. â€Å"Critical Race Feminism Lifts the Veil?: Muslim Women, France, and the Headscarf Ban.† University of California. 2006. Web. Footnotes Adrien Wing and Monica Smith, â€Å"Critical Race Feminism Lifts the Veil? Muslim Women, France, and the Headscarf Ban,† University of California, 2006. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Majlis Sultan-ul-Qalam and Lajna Imail lah, â€Å"Assessing British MP Jack Straw’s Comments Concerning Hijab in Islam,† Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, 2006. Ibid. Hayat Layaquot, â€Å"The Beauty Of ‘Hijab In Concealing Beauty,† I-Mag no. 6: (2005): 32. Ibid. Mohammad Sheikho, Islam! What Are the Veil, Divorce, and Polygamy For? (UAE: amin-sheikho.com, 2010), 9. Ibid. Ibid., p. 32. Mozammel Haque, â€Å"Solidarity on the ‘Hijaab† I-Mag no. 6 (2005): 41. Katherine Bullock, Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil: Challenging Historical Modern Stereotypes (United Kingdom: IIIT, 2002), 3. John Borneman, â€Å"Veiling and Women’s Intelligibility† Cardozo Law Review 30, no. 6 (2009): 2745. Fadwa Guindi, Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance (United Kingdom: Berg, 2003), 10. Aisha Boulanouar, â€Å"The Notion of Modesty in Muslim Women’s Clothing: An Islamic Point of View,† New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 8, no. 2 (2006): 135. Syed Ali, â€Å"Why Here, Why N ow? Young Muslim Women Wearing HijÄ b† Muslim World 95, no. 4 (2005): 515. This essay on Significance of the veil in Islam was written and submitted by user Alison Barber to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Business Proposal for the Launching Commercialisation of Tropical Health Drink

Business Proposal for the Launching Commercialisation of Tropical Health Drink Business Description Since it was founded in 2005, Tropical Coffee House (TCH) has become one of the most preferred small-sized establishments for people who like to blend unique leisure experiences with the art of healthy living. Headquartered in London, TCH operates several other outlets in Essex, Kent and Surrey in line with its core mission of taking memorable experiences and quality services to the customers’ doorstep.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Business Proposal for the Launching Commercialisation of Tropical Health Drink specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More TCH has enjoyed huge popularity among young and working class high-end customers who enjoy spending for quality and experience, rather than quantity and price leadership. TCH is embedded in a family business model, although it has over the years shed off the family tag by recruiting professionals based on merit and engaging in efficient manageme nt of key resources to remain competitive in today’s dynamic markets (Sirmon Hitt 2003). TCH offers a wide range of products and services, which include blended coffee, diet-sensitive burgers and hotdogs, organic and fruit concentrate health drinks, cakes, sauna baths and gym facilities. Most of its existing products and services are priced at a premium to penetrate the upper-end consumer market segment which remains substantially underrepresented in most European markets. Recently, the company’s management undertook customer satisfaction surveys and found that most high-end consumers are attracted to health drinks prepared using â€Å"high protein† and â€Å"natural† products (Jacobsen 2015). Having seen this as an opportunity for growth, the company’s management and selected beverage professionals have been working on the formulation of a product that uses â€Å"high protein† and â€Å"natural† ingredients to develop a high-value h ealth drink. These efforts have produced a new product known as Tropical Health. TCH has also seen the need to blend the new product with different natural flavours (e.g., orange, strawberry, lemon, vanilla etc) to provide consumers with choices and enhance diversification (Barett, Balloun, Weinstein 2000).  The main objective of this business proposal is to demonstrate how Tropical Health will be launched into the market and also to seek for financial and managerial support from potential backers. Investors in the industry might want to know why TCH is keen on diversifying its health products at the expense of more traditional products such as blended coffee and diet-sensitive burgers. The truth of the matter is that contemporary consumers have become more health-conscious and available literature demonstrates that there is a huge market for products developed using high protein and natural ingredients (Jacobsen 2015). Business Opportunities Potential Customers Tropical Health w ill target high-end, health-conscious consumers who have the means to sample the best that the market has to offer. The company is targeting customers who want to spend their money on innovative products that provide substantial health benefits in spite of their premium cost. This market segment is substantially underutilised in the United Kingdom (U.K.) as most companies in the sector target low and middle-class consumers.Advertising Looking for proposal on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, the targeting of this consumer market will enhance customer value by assisting the company to fulfil the needs of this particular segment. It will also assist TCH to become more popular and to develop a reputation for its Tropical Health brand, hence creating competitive advantage (McMillan 2013). Geographical Area TCH intends to launch Tropical Health in its London establishment, although there is a possibility for expanding into other outlets in Essex, Kent and Surrey depending on initial demand. London has a wide range of high-end customers due to its reputation as a business and commercial hub. Additionally, the city is densely populated and is also known as the preferred destination for international conferences that bring together moneyed delegates from all over the world (Lewisham Business n.d.; London n.d.). As such, potential investors should realise that TCH has a high potential to succeed in launching its high-protein health drink due to city’s population dynamics, socioeconomic endowment, and reputation as a global business hub. Business Competitors Although the U.K. experiences high competition in the health drinks industry (Creating New Choices 2014), only a few companies specialise in the production of fleshly squeezed juice with 100% fruit content equivalent. Some hotel establishments such as The Ivy, River Cafe, Cibo and Fat Boys are known to provide v arious variants of fruit juice and health drinks to high-end consumers within London and its environs. Most of these competitors have a huge capital base and have been in operation for a long time. However, research demonstrates that these competitors rely on organic and energy-boosting ingredients to make their health products despite the fact that health-conscious customers are increasingly being attracted to high-protein health drinks (Jacobsen 2015). This strength serves to guarantee potential investors and managerial professionals that, although the competition for the health drinks market in the U.K. may be stiff, there are still areas that can provide excellent opportunities for growth if TCH becomes keen on exploiting prevailing consumer needs and expectations (Stokes Wilson 2010). Marketing Strategy Costing and Pricing Launching a new product often occasion managerial challenges due to difficulties in setting the appropriate costing and pricing budgets (Luan Sudhir 2010). TCH has identified how products with similar attributes have historically responded to the variables of costing, as demonstrated below. It is important to note that pricing of the new product will be premium-based not only to recover costs but also to achieve alignment with intended target customers.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Business Proposal for the Launching Commercialisation of Tropical Health Drink specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Table 1: Costing for Tropical Health Cost Description Amount Fixed costs Costs that TCH must pay irrespective of the quantity of the health drink produced or sold (e.g., rent, insurance, advertising/promotion) â‚ ¬260,000 Variable costs Costs that fluctuate directly with the level of business activity or sales, such as raw materials costs, production costs, and labour costs â‚ ¬550,000 Total â‚ ¬810,000 Sales Projection Based on the previous sales of T CH’s organic health drinks, it is estimated that the company will sell â‚ ¬1.5 million worth of Tropical Health in the first two years of production. Sales are projected to grow at 30 percent annually for the next three to six years. Potential investors might query how these figures have been formulated. It is important to note that the estimations are based on the ready market for high-protein health drinks (Jacobsen 2015), as well as the actual sales realised by TCH in its organic health drinks segment. Marketing Plan Product: Tropical Health fulfils customers’ needs due to its immense health benefits. Place: TCH intends to use its main outlet in London as the preferred distribution channel for launching the new product. However, depending on demand, TCH will use its other establishments to reach a wider customer base and projected sales objectives. Price: Tropical Health will be priced at a premium as it targets high-end consumers. Although the price of the new p roduct will be determined by factors such as production costs, market share and target customers, the underlying justification is to price it at a premium to achieve product and customer differentiation (Barett et al. 2000). Promotion: TCH will use viral marketing and word-of-mouth to advertise the new product with the view to not only differentiating it from competitors but also developing a good relationship with customers (Barett Weinstein 2015). It is important to satisfy potential investors by underscoring that the preferred promotional tools are cost-effective and easy to use (Barett et al. 2000; Luan Sudhir 2010).Advertising Looking for proposal on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Business Operations Operational Function Although TCH operates under a family business model, it has six professional managers with wide experience, master’s level education, and other key competencies in entrepreneurship. The company has adopted an innovative management style, whereby work-flows are results-oriented and senior manager always strive to develop new and better ways of doing things (Benfari 2004; Armstrong 2009). TCH intends to use competitive recruitment to hire three more food and drink specialists to assist it in blending high-protein natural ingredients for use in the new product. Competitive recruitment will also be used to hire two senior managers and several support members to oversee the commercialisation of the new product. Most managerial decisions are made through consultation, though a few important ones must be sanctioned by TCH’s founder. Finally, managers and employees are compensated and rewarded based on education, responsibilities, and i ndividual productivity. Products and Services Offered TCH can be termed as a small enterprise interested in the provision of premium-priced products and services (e.g., blended coffee, diet-sensitive burgers, health drinks, cakes, sauna baths and gym facilities) to lock into the high-end market segment. Tropical Health product will be a new addition to the company’s staple. The new product is intended to satisfy an emerging market for high-protein and naturally blended health drinks (Jacobsen 2015). Personnel TCH utilises Mintzberg Five Parts of an Organisation model to not only recruit employees into respective areas of the business, but also to ensure alignment of human capital between and among the sections. This model will be utilised in the development, launch and sale of the new product. The five parts include (1) the operating core which is responsible for performing the basic work of developing the new product by securing inputs, processing them and arranging for the product’s distribution to customers, (2) the strategic apex which is responsible for formulating and implementing strategies that are designed to facilitate the achievement of organisational objectives, (3) the middle line managers who are responsible for linking the strategic apex to the operating core by managing information flows up and down the hierarchy and by coordinating the work of junior staff, (4) the techno-structure which consists of food and drinks specialists who are responsible for setting the standards relating to work processes, outputs and skills, and (5) the support staff who are responsible for providing back-up services to other components of the organisation (Quader 2007; Armstrong 2009). Finances Revenues It is expected that the launch and commercialisation of Tropical Health will bring approximately â‚ ¬1.5 million in sales revenues within the first two years of business. TCH’s organic-based health drinks brought â‚ ¬800 million in profits within the first two years, implying that the new venture is bound to impact positively on the company’s bottom-line. Going by the high demand for high-protein, naturally-blended health drinks in the market today (Jacobsen 2015), it is anticipated that the sales revenues for the new product may surpass â‚ ¬2 million within the first two years if senior management adopts an effective marketing mix and if the company serves a wider geographical reach (Barett Weinstein 2015). These sales revenues justify why potential backers should consider investing in the launching and commercialisation of the new product. Expenses Fixed and variable costs for the launching and commercialisation of Tropical Health product are around â‚ ¬810,000. If provisions for unforeseen expenses are made, it is correct and justifiable to argue that all expenses for the launch and commercialisation of Tropical Health will not surpass the â‚ ¬1 million mark. These expenses are viable for a small business enterprise that wants to make it big in the high-end consumer market. However, financial and managerial support is needed from potential backers to offset these costs and spur the product line into profitability. Financial Projections Owing to the prevailing high demand for high-protein, naturally-blended heath drinks not only in London but also in other major cities in Europe (Jacobsen 2015), it is expected that the sales revenues for the new product will grow at annual rate of 30 percent for the next three to six years after the launch of the new product. It is projected that TCH will be able to attract potential investors, who will finance all activities related to the new product for the next 12 to 24 months in return for a 10 percent stake of the product’s net revenues for the next five years. Alternatively, potential investors may undertake a 50 percent equity financing in return for a 5.5 percent stake of the product’s net for the next three years. Thes e arrangements are critical in helping TCH to expand its product offerings to other areas and outlets within eight to twelve months after launch with the view to becoming a market leader in the provision of high-protein, naturally-blended health drinks to the high-end consumer segment. Reference List Armstrong, M 2009, Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice, 11th edn, Kogan Page, London. Barett, H, Balloun, J Weinstein, A 2000, ‘Marketing mix factors as moderators of the corporate entrepreneurship-business performance relationship: A multistage multivariate analysis’, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, vol. 8 no. 2, pp. 50-61. Barett, H Weinstein, A 2015, ‘Corporate entrepreneurship, the marketing mix, and business performance’, Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 46 no. 1, pp. 144-150. Benfari, RC 2004, Understanding and changing your management style, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA. Creating new choice s: The 2014 UK soft drinks report 2014, britishsoftdrinks.com/write/mediauploads/bsda_annual_report_2014.pdf. Jacobsen, J 2015, ‘2015 new product development outlook’, Beverage Industry, vol. 106 no. 1, pp. 56-65. Lewisham business growth strategy 2013-2023: Strengthening Lewisham’s economy by creating growth and local jobs n.d., https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/mayorandcouncil/aboutthecouncil/strategies/Documents/LewishamBusinessGrowthStrategy2013-2023.pdf. London: A destination guide for associations n.d., http://cdn.londonandpartners.com/cvb/files/LP%20Association%20Directory_Interactive.pdf. Luan, YJ Sudhir, K 2010, ‘Forecasting marketing-mix responsiveness for new products’, Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 47 no. 3, pp. 444-457. McMillan, J 2013, The importance of market segments, mcmillantech.co.uk/articles/MarketSegments.pdf. Quader, MS 2007, ‘Human resource management issues as growth barriers in professional service firm SMEs’, Journal of Services Research, vol. 7 no. 2, pp. 115-161. Sirmon, DG Hitt, MA 2003, ‘Managing resources: Linking unique resources, management and wealth creation on family firms’, Entrepreneurship: Theory Practice, vol. 27 no. 4, pp. 339-358. Stokes, D Wilson, N 2010, Small business management and entrepreneurship, 6th edn, Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.

Men in Black; I, Robot; After Earth Movie Review

Men in Black; I, Robot; After Earth - Movie Review Example This research will begin with the movie review of Men in Black. It is an American movie released in the year 1997 and is based on science fiction. This action comedy movie is directed by Barry Sonnenfeld with actors including Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Rip Torn and Linda Florentino. The plot of the movie has been adapted from a comic book series with the same name. The story revolves around two men, also known as men in black, who are representatives of a non-government agency. They observe the activities and movements of some extraterrestrial beings who are residing on this earth by hiding their identity from regular human beings. The major focus of this agency’s men is to observe the movements of 1,500 alien figures who roam in and around New York City. Since it is a covert operation, therefore the MIB base their operations underground at a Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority  ventilation station in  Battery Park, New York City. In case any humans accidentally witne ss these aliens, then it becomes the responsibility of the agency to use neuralyzers to clean their memory. During one night when Agent K and Agent D were doing their usual surveillance duty, they seized a truck filled with illegal immigrants along with an alien who was disguised as a normal human being. When Agent K attempted to chase him down, he was forced to kill the alien as the latter tried to attack a border patrol officer. Soon after this, Agent D realized he was becoming too old for the job and hence requested Agent K to use neuralyzer on him, which is a precondition for every agent who is about to retire from the agency. The leader of the agency then asked Agent K to find a new partner. In another event, James Edwards who was an officer in the New York Police Department and was extremely active and energetic was chasing a criminal on foot. As the chase took place on rooftops, Edwards soon realized that the fugitive’s irises blink vertically by which he concluded tha t the man was not a normal human being. Soon after this, Agent K uses neuralyzer on Edwards after extracting all information from him about the alien. Agent K then gives him an agency card. Edwards then reaches the secret organization and excels in all tests to qualify himself as a MIB. His original identity is then erased before recruiting him as Agent J. When they embark on investigating the reason behind the aliens leaving the earth all of a sudden, they find out that a farmer named Edgar has been killed and his skin has been used by a Bug who is a type of species of cockroach.

Contrast Safety in MRI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contrast Safety in MRI - Essay Example It is a Phase III study and has been done at multiple locations using a double blind procedure, where the interpretation was done by two independent readers who had access only to the images obtained. According to the authors this study is the first of its kind as it was performed as a multicenter study at twelve centers in seven different locations in Europe and on three different kinds of imaging equipment from different manufacturers. The concept of single and triple rate of dosage has also been evaluated for the first time. A wide variety of statistical tools and software have been used which have yielded significant results. 105 patients were chosen for the trial and divided into two groups. At the initiation of the trial only 80 were short listed. 43 of them (81%) were chosen for the single-dose group I (0.1mmol/Kg body weight) and 37 (71%) for the triple-dose group II (0.3 mmol/Kg). All these patients had a history of ischemic and coronary heart disease, thrombosis, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and/or diabetes mellitus. The results of MRA of these two groups administered two different doses of Gadodiamide were compared with those of digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The main effectiveness parameter for comparison of the two dose groups analyzed was the contrast index (CIx), which was calculated from the signal intensities measured in the regions of interest in the abdominal aorta at the aortic bifurcation and 2 cm proximal and 2 cm distal to the main stenosis. The difference in degree of stenosis was analyzed overall and for three categories. Category I consisted of stenosis of 69% or less; category II, stenosis between 70% and 99%; and category III, occlusions. The independent investigators compared the pre contrast MR angiographic, post contrast MR angiographic, and DSA data Post contrast MR angiography resulted in a diagnosis modification in 70% and 72% of

Market Orientation Benefit an Organization Essay Example for Free

Market Orientation Benefit an Organization Essay Definition of Market Orientation : A business approach or philosophy that focuses on identifying and meeting the stated or hidden needs or wants of customers. See also product orientation and sales orientation. Market orientation perspectives include the decision-making perspective, market intelligence perspective, culturally based behavioral perspective, strategic perspective. Developing a Market Orientation: An Organizational Strategy Perspective. International Journal of Research in Marketing, and customer orientation perspective. Corporate culture, customer orientation, According to them, the marketing concept is a business philosophy, whereas the term market orientation refers to the actual implementation of the marketing concept. They added that a market orientation appears to provide a unifying focus for the efforts and projects of individuals and departments within the organization. On the other hand, the market orientation as the organization culture that most effectively and efficient creates the necessary behaviours for the creation of superior value for buyers and, thus, continuous superior performance for the business. As such, they consider market orientation as an organisational culture consisting of three behavioral components, namely, i) customer orientation, ii) competitor orientation and iii) interfunctional coordination. Product Orientation : A business approach or philosophy in which whatever a company makes or supplies is the focus of the managements attention. See also market orientation and sales orientation. Customer Orientation : 1. General: A party that receives or consumes products (goods or services) and has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. See also buyer. 2. Quality control: Entity within a firm who establishes the requirement of a process (accounting, for example) and receives the output of that process (a financial statement, for example) from one or more internal or external suppliers. An organizations strategy that combines all of its marketing goals into one comprehensive plan. A good marketing strategy should be drawn from market research and focus on the right product mix in order to achieve the maximum profit potential and sustain the business. The marketing strategy is the foundation of a marketing plan 1. General: A motivating force that compels action for its satisfaction. Needs range from basic survival needs (common to all human beings) satisfied by necessities, to cultural, intellectual, and social needs (varying from place to place and age group to age group) satisfied by necessaries. Needs are finite but, in contrast, wants (which spring from desires or wishes) are boundless. See also Maslows hierarchy of needs. 2. Marketing: A driver of human action which marketers try to identify, emphasize, and satisfy, and around which promotional efforts are organized. Sales Orientation : A business approach or philosophy that focuses on promoting sales of whatever a company makes or supplies, through marketing and sales calls. See also market orientation and product orientation.

The Apology Essay -- Greek, Socrates, Plato

In this paper I will be discussing the four charges brought against Socrates in Plato’s essay The Apology# and why exactly each of these charges is completely fictitious. The four charges brought against Socrates were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he was corrupting the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). Each of these four charges is false for varying reasons and I will be addressing each explanation on why each charge is a complete sham, after discussing each charge. The first charge made against Socrates was that he argued the physical over the metaphysical (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). This charge says that he believed in reason and science over the teachings of the gods. This alleged crime helped form the basis for the hatred and distrust the Athenians felt toward Socrates (Plato, p. 51). Socrates’ accusers claimed, â€Å"Socrates is an evil-doer and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in the heavens† (Plato, p. 51). This claim is completely false for multiple reasons. Primarily, Socrates simply did not argue the physical over the metaphysical; he just wanted to find true knowledge. He did not have any interest in this argument at all (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). In Socrates opening statement to the court, Socrates identified the first charge to be false by directly confronting the philosophers who actually did this style of teaching. He stated,† I will ask you then to assume with me that my opponents are of two kinds: one more recent, the other from the past. I will answer the latter first, for these accusations you heard long before the others† (Plato, p. 51). In this statement Socrates was referr... ...s statement by Melatus illustrates that Melatus doesn’t have any knowledge on how to help the youth and that his main intention is to get Socrates sentenced to death (Plato, p. 54). In this paper I talked about Plato’s essay The Apology, in which Socrates was accused of committing four crimes against the people of Athens. These four charges were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he corrupted the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). Each of these claims was completely erroneous for their own reasons, however the court sentenced him to death anyways (Plato, p. 61). The fact that he was executed despite being falsely accused and the fact that he accepted death instead of abandoning his beliefs helped make him the philosopher that is loved and revered still to this day.

Experiences of Child Poverty Essay

London is the capital of the United Kingdom. The administrative structure in Greater London consists of 32 counties (boroughs) and the City of London, extending over 1584 kilometers  ². The population of London is around 7.5 million however throughout Greater London about 13 million people live. The GDP per capita for The UK is $36,500. London is the richest part of Britain and yet it has the highest rates of poverty in the UK. Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria. With an estimated population of 8.8 million inhabitants in the city, or rather 10.7 million in the metropolitan area, Lagos is the second largest city in Africa. The UN estimates that at its present growth rate, Lagos state will be third largest mega city in the world by 2015 after Tokyo in Japan and Mumbai in India. Lagos is the main city of the south-western part of Nigeria, Africa. The GDP per capita in Lagos is $3,649. Over 10,000 people arrive at Lagos every week in search of jobs and most end up in the city’ s mega slum do to the lack of job opportunity. Children living in poverty are those who experience deprivation of the material, spiritual and emotional resources needed to survive, develop and thrive, leaving them unable to enjoy their lives, achieve their full potential or participate as full members of society. The easiest way to quantify child poverty is by setting an absolute or relative monetary threshold. If a family does not earn above that threshold, the children of that family will be considered to live below the poverty line. Absolute poverty thresholds are fixed, whereas relative poverty thresholds are developed with reference to the actual income of the population and reflect changes in consumption. This is not always accurate, as it is only an average and there are people earning millions who affect that average GDP per capita. In poor areas of London there are many problems that face children. The poor areas tend to be in places that lack jobs and job opportunities e.g. Hackney, Such poor areas can really affect the child’s life due to their living conditions. These children are living in relative poverty as they do have access to clean water, food and shelter which is provided by the state, but are considered poor to the rest of society as they can’t afford luxuries and normally depend upon benefits to get though life. These areas that lack job opportunities have high unemployment rates and so people have low incomes and often relate to crime as it is the culture of the area and people feel they do not get enough support from the government and feel let down and ignored. These poor areas are prime spots for drug dealers and drug addicts. This is significantly bad as they have a low income and so can’t afford the drugs and so they use the money which would have been spent on the children E.g. quality food. Rather than spending the money on better quality food they spend it on the drugs they are dependent on as they are addicted and so the child looses out as they tend to be mall nourished. Being mall nourished can increase the chances of becoming ill which then in turn means the child is less likely to spend time in school as they are off ill. This then affects their learning and they under achieve which means they have a less chance of ever getting a job and so they are trapped in the poverty cycle. It is then rely difficult for the children to break out of the poverty cycle due to many factors that affect them. Whereas Children living in the slums of Lagos also suffer from poverty, however the majority live in absolute poverty as they do not always have access to clean water, food and shelter, for example these children don’t have access to clean water and so most of the water is contaminated with diseases like cholera. Allot of children catch cholera from drinking dirty water which makes them ill and as most of the children have no access to health care due to their parents being born they can remain ill for a long time and it can be fatal. Being ill means they cannot help to provide for the family and the money being spent on their health cannot be spent on other vital things like basic food stuffs. It is hard to get out of both cases of poverty; however the children in the slums of Lagos are worse off and have a lower standard of living than the children living in Hackney. The majority of children living in poverty in Lagos are born to poor parents. Because of things like adult poverty, lack of education, unemployment, disabilities and discrimination significantly affect the causes of child poverty. Lack of parental economic resources such as disposable income restricts children’s opportunities and therefore the children are unable to go to school and allot of these children are forced to work. The problem is that allot of these jobs where children are forced to work are very dangerous and can cause injuries, health problems and even death. E.g. the recycling of old oil drums that contain harmful toxins. The main reason why the children in Hackney are trapped in the poverty cycle is because of the parents/Careers as well. The cycle of poverty is when a family remains in poverty over many successive generations. Family issues can play a big part in the reason for the child being submitted to a life of poverty. If the parents get in debt then this can be the cause of allot of stress, this can also cause the child to have stress which can affect their learning ability and health. Stress can also cause breakups between couples; this can lead to single mothers who are left on their own to support the child and themselves, which can also lead to father stress. Most single parents are unemployed because they haft to look after the children and so they rely on benefits. Teen pregnancies in both MEDC’s and LEDC’s are big causes of child poverty. Children resulting from unwanted pregnancies are more likely to live in poverty; raising a child requires allot of resources, so each additional child increases demands on parental resources. Families raised by a single parent are generally poorer than those raised by couples. This can be a big issue in LEDC countries such as Lagos. Many teens abandon their children as they simply do not have the resources available to support their child as they cannot claim benefits as they do not exist. Where as in MEDC’s, teen moms are supported by the government and family. The problem in Lagos is that children generally suffer from absolute poverty; however there is also relative poverty. With absolute poverty children generally do not have what they need. They are short of basic food, water, shelter, clothing and adequate or sufficient health care. Where as in Hackney people do not suffer from absolute poverty and so are better off, however they live in relative poverty that is poverty under relative terms is viewed as being what some people lack in relation to other people. In my opinion the worst experience of child poverty in Lagos would be the lack of Clean water which causes a significant amount of deaths and illnesses and affects the family as a whole as the money used to pay for the child’s healthcare comes from the money normally spent on other necessities like food or education. The government of Nigeria could provide communities with wells however it would cost a phenomenal amount of money , and the majority of the people don’t live on legal grounds as they have just moved there and have not actually paid to live there and so the government would not be allowed to build wells as most of the people don’t have permition to live there in the first place. The worst experiences for children living in Hackney would be the culture of the area and so children grow up with crime related experiences, this then means that most of the children get brought up with crime and this can keep them in the poverty cycle. The government of Britain could increase prison sentences and increase policing in these areas. This policy would be expensive however it would increase the standards of living for these people and help them get out of relative poverty. Both cases of poverty affect the child’s opportunities in life. This means they are limited jobs available to them or unemployment if there is a lack of job opportunities. There future generations will probably also live in poverty, whether absolute or relative. They will rarely experience if at all the luxuries and experiences we take for granted. Their only hope getting out of poverty is if the government adopts a poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) and use schemes like the growth of the cities and urban development, employment opportunities and poverty reduction and housing schemes. Also the best way to reduce child poverty would be to reduce child labour and increase accessibility to education by building more schools and improving the quality of education. This is a key point that governments need to adopt in order to reduce child poverty and help break the poverty cycle.