Global consideration Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global consideration Paper - Essay Example Since majority of HRM theories and practices, which are used by global organizations, have instigated from developed countries, most of the growing business organizations while expanding their business in the developing countries choose to use these HRM practices abhorrently while ignoring the primary differences such as socio-cultural constraints. Therefore, while entering into the Indian market, Starbucks must also adapt to HRM concepts and practices that are parallel to the Indian culture by keeping in view the social and cultural factors. These factors are as following; Language issues: Indian middle class population (target market of Starbucks in India) is perhaps a very educated one. Language barriers can almost be neglected in most of the areas since English is generally spoken as well as Hindi1. However, there are some states in India where local languages are given more preference. Gender Issues: India is generally considered as a male dominated society where women are thought off as the sole care-takers inside homes. While attempting to build a homogenous workforce, Starbucks' HRM may face serious gender issues since men generally do not feel comfortable while working under women dominance in India. Religious practices: As discussed earlier, India is a mixture of

Physical Exercise and GPA Essay Example for Free

Physical Exercise and GPA Essay Physical education connotes many different things to people. To some it is a subject area which focuses on physical training. Conventionally, this has meant promoting activities which lead to anatomical and physiological development (Sansone, 2000). The notion of PT and calls to improve the physical condition of our nations youth in order to provide a strong base for the military have also been consistent with this idea (Ennis, 2001). Others have had a more expansive view of physical education and portrayed the area as education through the physical, rather than of the physical (Pringle, 2000). Such a notion suggests that involvement in a variety of sports and games provides participants not only with opportunities to develop physical prowess, but to learn important social values while developing desirable personal traits. A third major thrust that has affected the meaning attributed to the concept is associated with its recreational function (Ruth, 2006). The basis of this theme is that people perform optimally when they have periodic diversions from their normal work world, and that involvement in physical activity can provide necessary relief and renewal. Closely affiliated with this idea is that physical recreation provides a wholesome and constructive use of ones free time (Lee2002). Despite such grandiose themes, Duda (2001) has argued that within the larger context of higher education classes focusing on the acquisition of skilled movements and play are viewed as nonintellectual, nonacademic, nonessential, and nonartistic (p. 433). As a result of such perceptions he believes that physical education is relegated to a peripheral role in the academy, and its practitioners pay a price for its marginal status in their daily lives. Furthermore, Duda suggests that a large part of physical education failing to gain acceptance in higher education is a consequence of the static criteria used to assess academic value in general. According to his analysis value of a curricular offering is typically based on such things as the intellectual challenge of material, the extent to which subject matter is categorized as academic rather than motoric, the usefulness of learning various skills, and the cultural significance of an area of study. His recommendation for redressing physical educations plight is to convince those using such criteria to assess worth in broader, and less dualistic ways. Hence the types of challenges presented in physical skill acquisition situations might be understood as important stimuli for developing human capacities that complement those capacities acquired from more conventional intellectual pursuits. While the idea of rethinking criteria that should be used for judging academic value may be laudable, how this might come about is difficult to conceive. An alternative and, yet, much simpler approach for improving the viability of physical education classes in higher education is to improve the quality of student outcomes. In essence, it may be that the inclusion of physical education in higher education is not contested on philosophical grounds, but on operational ones. As Duda (2001) conveys performance classes are elective, not required. Skill instructors are rarely hired as tenure track faculty. Credit toward graduation may not be given for such classes, and grading is often pass/fail. Passing marks are virtually assured with a good attendance record (p. 437). If such a profile is accurate, it is difficult to understand how student achievement can be significant or the entire enterprise viewed as essential to the general curriculum. Indeed, such a profile connotes that the physical education curriculum is soft, and that whether or not students acquire certain information and/or master specific skills is ambiguous. Considering physical educations past philosophical themes and its current trends of providing opportunities for students to: (a) recreate, (b) build and maintain health through exercise, (c) learn how to compete and cooperate, and (d) develop specific sport skills and levels of fitness, instructors often have difficulty in identifying and utilizing meaningful grading criteria. This has been attributed to both philosophical (Midgley, 2001) and managerial (Pringle, 2000) concerns. Indeed, as observed by Church (2001) many physical educators compute grades based on student behaviours which are unrelated to performance or knowledge objectives, such as dress, participation, and discipline. Interestingly, Ennis (2001) found that in colleges and universities virtually all grading in physical education is left to the discretion of the instructor, including selection of criteria and instruments to be used to assess student achievement. They also reported a trend toward less testing of all types. Consequently, it is not surprising that with so many ideas about what is to be accomplished, and so little control over how this should be done, it is difficult, if not impossible to determine the value of physical activity courses in the general curriculum. Indeed, it is one thing to provide sound philosophical arguments for why a particular discipline belongs in the curriculum, and quite another to operationalize the philosophy so that its essence is actualized. Recent studies suggest the importance of objective assessment not only as a device to promote the legitimacy of physical education in an academic setting, but as a tool to promote learning. For example, Pringle (2000) showed that student achievement in table tennis classes reflected the focus of evaluation. Students graded totally on physical skills performed most skilfully at the end of a class performed most skilfully, while those graded on attendance and participation had lower performance scores but the highest attendance rates. As well, Lee (2002), demonstrated how the proper use of evaluation and grading tools promotes on task behaviour and superior skill development in volleyball. Chen (2001), using a riflery task, also demonstrated that grading based on task competence was superior to grading based merely on participation when skill development was examined. Hidi (2000) further argues that the appropriate use of grading can promote positive attitudes towards a course, develop a students sense of confidence, and lead to substantial achievement. The reason why a rift exists between using grading as an integral part of the learning process, and using it only to fulfil administrative requirements seemingly is a complex problem that involves philosophical, technical, and practical issues (Duda, 2001). Yet, in a time when accountability is expected, and when cost cutting is widespread, empirical evidence for the integrity of a program is imperative. What and how we grade conveys a great deal about who we are, what we do, what we can accomplish, how we are viewed by others outside of our field, and whether physical education is considered as essential to the mission of education. Hence, the purpose of the present investigation was to acquire empirical descriptive data about grading of physical education in higher education. In light of our fields history of divergent philosophical views, ambitious, and often ambiguous goals, and its defensive position in higher education (Duda, 2001), an examination of what and how we grade would seemingly shed light on where we are as a discipline. Furthermore, such an investigation might help identify important issues that need to be addressed and resolved if we are to gain the degree of acceptance the field has so desperately sought over the years. Method Instrument To acquire information about college physical education programs a questionnaire was developed which, in addition to requesting information about an institutions profile (e. g. , public-private, size, approximate percentage of students enrolled in physical education, etc. , asked a series of questions about its physical education activity program. These included: (a) whether students received academic credit which counted in a students GPA, (b) the number and duration of class meetings, (c) how important various factors such as skill development, effort, and attendance were in computing a grade, (d) whether the department had a policy on grading, (e) the approximate percentage breakdown of grades awarded (e. g. , As, Bs, Cs, etc. ), and (f) whether the issue of grading had been considered by the department in the past five years. Prior to mailing the survey, questions were pilot tested on a group of five senior collegiate faculty members in a department of exercise and sport studies. These individuals each had taught undergraduate and graduate theory courses as well as a variety of undergraduate physical activity classes at a number of colleges and universities. They were quite knowledgeable about different types of service programs (e. g. , credit, required, no credit non-required) and how they typically operated. Furthermore, they were apprised of the questionnaires intent, and were asked to provide feedback on the clarity of questions as well as the instruments overall format. Based on feedback from this group, questions were reworded, added and deleted. In addition, the sequence of questions was revised for the purpose of providing a more coherent structure. The final version of the survey contained eight questions, some of which had subparts. As well, pilot testing demonstrated that a respondent could complete the questionnaire in approximately ten minutes. Coding of Data As surveys were returned data were coded into an Excel Spreadsheet by two trained assistants, and then analyzed using Exels statistical functions. It is noteworthy to report that during the data reduction process it became evident, as conveyed by a number of respondents, that quantitative data which were requested from a number of questions did not exist Consequently, many respondents either did not answer such items or acknowledged that they merely volunteered their own perceived best guess, or a numerical range within which they believed the actual value requested would occur. Hence, a decision was made to code and analyze all data acknowledging that, for the most part, they only reflect respondents best estimates, rather than hard numbers. Furthermore, where a range was given, the midpoint was used in further analyses. In passing, the observation that certain types of data were not acquired or readily available may in itself be an important finding since a departments viability may depend on such information. Items falling into this category included such things as: (a) the number of students taking physical education classes in a semester, (b) the typical grade distribution (e. g. , % As, % Bs, etc. ), (c) the factors utilized to compute course grades, and (d) whether an institutional limit existed for the number of physical education courses that could be taken by a student for academic credit. Results Sample Within a thirty day period of mailing surveys 556 (44%) responses were received. Table 1 shows a break down of respondents by institution type and size. Because of financial limitations, further attempts to obtain data from nonrespondents were not attempted. Of the 556 respondents, 78 (14%) indicated that they did not have, or no longer had a physical education activity program. This was somewhat of a surprising finding, especially so because many conveyed that their institutions program had been recently eliminated. Whether a trend toward program elimination actually existed is of significant import to our profession and deserves immediate attention. Schools which indicated that they did not offer physical education classes were removed from further analysis, leaving 478 institutions in the database. Is Academic Credit Given for Physical Education Activity Courses? An important question posed by this investigator was whether institutions grant academic credit which counts in a students GPA for taking physical education activity courses. Presumably, this would indicate whether classes were viewed as a meaningful part of the institutions general curriculum. It was found that 335 (72. %) of respondents reported that academic credit which is computed in a students GPA was awarded for physical education activity courses. Table 2 reveals that Public State Universities and Colleges were somewhat more likely to award academic credit than Private Universities and Colleges. Furthermore, while a few institutions had a unique formula for computing the amount of credit earned in a class, nearly all institutions granted one credit per course. A follow-up question probed how much of such credit may be counted in a students total academic program. Although there seemed to be a great deal of uncertainty regarding the answer to this question, many respondents indicated that their institution had not set a limit or did not have a policy (only 65% of respondents who count physical education credit in the GPA responded). Those that were clear on this issue indicated that a limit did exist, and that the median value across institutions and within school categories was four credits. A subsequent question probed what the course time commitment was for earning credit. Across institutional types classes typically met for the length of a semester (14-15weeks), and for two contact hours a week. How are Grades Computed? A number of questions regarding how grades were computed followed. An initial issue was whether or not the department had a policy on grading. The idea here was to get a sense of whether faculty members agreed on how such things as skill, knowledge, and class participation should be weighed in determining a students performance. In regard to this question, 80% of respondents indicated that their departments did not have a formal grading policy. Nonetheless, many individuals conveyed that students were administered tests of skill and knowledge, but that course instructors ultimately determined assessment tools, how various components were weighed, and the course grade computed. Because most departments did not have a formal grading policy, the next set of questions should be interpreted as only giving a general sense of how grades are computed from a respondents general perceptions. This question probed whether grades were competency based (i. e. students are assessed on the absolute level of performance attained), or norm based (i. e. , students are graded in relation to other students in the class). Results showed that most respondents (60. 6%) thought that grading at their institution was competency based, although a fair number reported that they thought their grading system was more norm based (23. 3%). The remaining 16. 1% either were unsure or did not respond to this item. Another question related to this issue was wh ether the amount learned was considered to be as important as the level of performance attained. Interestingly, 72% of respondents believed that instructors at their institutions weighed the amount learned as being equivalent to the proficiency attained, while 21% did not see these of equal importance. The remaining 7% were missing or undecided. In light of the previous data indicating a bias toward competency based grading, the response to this question is surprising since the amount learned would only be of importance if it correlated highly with proficiency attained. This may or may not be the case, but needs further investigation. Another way of probing the importance of factors employed in computing a grade was to ask respondents about how important they believed a subset of factors were in arriving at a grade. They rated the factors of (a) effort, (b) attendance, (c) attitude, (d) amount learned and (e) level of performance on a five-point scale anchored by the terms very important(5). Overall, attendance (1. 3) and amount learned (1. 4) had the lowest median values (i. e. , highest perceived weighting). The level of performance attained (1. ), and effort expended (1. 8) followed closely, while attitude (2. 3) appeared lowest in importance. It should be noted that all of these criteria tended to fall between the very important and uncertain end of the continuum. With the exception of performance attainment, it is not clear why the other factors identified were viewed as important in grading, if grading is competency based. For that matter, these criteria would also be somewhat problematic for a norm referenc ed standard which focuses on relative competency attainments. Respondents were also asked to estimate the percentage distribution of grades in physical education at their institution. Overall, as were perceived to be the most prevalent grade and were awarded to 51% of students. Bs were the next most prevalent grade awarded to 31% of students with Cs following at 14%. Ds and Fs were infrequently given with a combined percentage of 7%. Has the Issue of Grading been Considered in the Past Five Years? A final question asked whether the issue of grading had been considered by a department in the past five years. Although 51% had not discussed this issue, 47% had done so. The questionnaire requested respondents who answered this question in the affirmative to comment on what issues were discussed by their departments. Clearly, the topic of whether to change from a letter grade system to a pass-fail system was the most widely discussed issue. Related to this was the subject of grade inflation and the idea that moving to a pass-fail system may reduce pressure from various constituencies (e. g. , administrators, faculty, regents) to reduce the number of high grades awarded. There were also numerous comments about criteria to be used in grading, consistency in grading across sections of a course, and among different courses. Several respondents also commented on the conflict between trying to encourage lifelong participation m activities and the negative connotations of having to grade based on an individuals proficiency. From the nature and number of comments collated, it was evident that departments have grappled with this issue, but remain in a quandary about an ideal solution.

The Death Penalty :: Cause and Effect Capital Punishment

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Valuable insight can be gained by understanding how the death penalty evolved and by understanding why many countries have abandoned capital punishment, while others still retain it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Historically the death penalty has been around a long time. Many countries including the United States have some kind of death sentencing. From around the sixteen hundreds is when the death penalty started to take place. The first man to be killed by the penalty was Daniel Frank, put to death in 1622 for some crime of theft. Since then the death penalty has almost always been a feature of the criminal justice system. Many states after a while outlawed the death penalty. To this day only a few remain outlawed but most have some kind of death sentencing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One cause of having the death penalty would be regarding legal issues. Many people know that if you break a law by means of stealing or killing you will be punished. In most countries that have capital punishment, it is used to punish only murder or war-related crimes. In some countries, like the People's Republic of China, some non-violent crimes, like drug and business related crimes, are punishable by death. In the eighteenth century, England would punish by death for pick pocketing and petty theft. And in other countries you even got your hand cut off. People steal from others everyday and the only way to reduce the number of people who steal is to set a law stating its consequences. If we did not have laws set forth for shop lifting, robbing banks, or killing someone then if no one got a consequence then it many crimes would take place each day. Many people do not steal because the fear of going to jail or having to pay large fines. Also if we didn’t h ave a law keeping people from killing others then many people would kill when ever and what ever they want. The Death Penalty :: Cause and Effect Capital Punishment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Valuable insight can be gained by understanding how the death penalty evolved and by understanding why many countries have abandoned capital punishment, while others still retain it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Historically the death penalty has been around a long time. Many countries including the United States have some kind of death sentencing. From around the sixteen hundreds is when the death penalty started to take place. The first man to be killed by the penalty was Daniel Frank, put to death in 1622 for some crime of theft. Since then the death penalty has almost always been a feature of the criminal justice system. Many states after a while outlawed the death penalty. To this day only a few remain outlawed but most have some kind of death sentencing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One cause of having the death penalty would be regarding legal issues. Many people know that if you break a law by means of stealing or killing you will be punished. In most countries that have capital punishment, it is used to punish only murder or war-related crimes. In some countries, like the People's Republic of China, some non-violent crimes, like drug and business related crimes, are punishable by death. In the eighteenth century, England would punish by death for pick pocketing and petty theft. And in other countries you even got your hand cut off. People steal from others everyday and the only way to reduce the number of people who steal is to set a law stating its consequences. If we did not have laws set forth for shop lifting, robbing banks, or killing someone then if no one got a consequence then it many crimes would take place each day. Many people do not steal because the fear of going to jail or having to pay large fines. Also if we didn’t h ave a law keeping people from killing others then many people would kill when ever and what ever they want.

Why Kill the Dolphins? :: Marine Life Whaling Fishing Conservation Essays

Why Kill the Dolphins? Dolphins make up the largest and most diverse family of cetaceans. The family contains 26 recognized species of which 13 tend to have long well defined beaks and streamlined robust bodies. Many vary in size, shape, colors, beaks and flippers, as humans have various characteristics. One of the most common dolphins that are found in southern California is the bottlenose dolphin (Kelly). The bottlenose dolphin is mainly found in coastal waters between 45 degrees north and 45 degrees south, also in Northern Europe waters. It is believed that there are two types of bottlenose dolphin regional wise: oceanic form and coastal form. This species is studied the most by biologists (Jefferson). The coastal population lives in fairly open groups with twenty or less in a pod, some groups are found to contain more in open ocean. It is not uncommon for these species to interact and breed with other species, as would a human interact with other diverse humans. The dolphins feeding behavior is adapted to the availability of resources. They sometimes are known to work together to catch fish from large schools, they also trail behind large fishing boats to catch what falls behind (Leatherwood). A large problem today is the incidental exploitation of the bottlenose dolphins in the Black sea. The dolphins suffer from entanglement in gillnets, shark nets, shrimp trawls, and purse seine nets in the eastern pacific tropical tuna fishery. In the past twenty years a large amount of bottlenose dolphin have been killed due to the tuna fishery. In the Eastern Pacific swim large schools of tuna, these shoals tend to be under herds of dolphins, for some unexplained reason. Because of this, fishermen can easily find schools of tuna. The tuna are being caught under purse seine nets, which encircles the shoals of tuna and then is pulled back on board the fishing vessel, catching both tuna and dolphin. Initially the mortality rate was 500,000 each year for dolphins alone. Although some efforts are made to encourage the dolphins to leave the net by backing down part of the net, which allows the dolphins to escape, there are still a large number of mortalities (Bryant). On the other hand, in the last few years there has been dramatic progress in stopping the fishing industries from using purse sine nets. It has been found that dolphins are in immediate danger of extinction if these fishing techniques don’t stop.

The contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Shell Nigeria’s Corporate Strategy

Introduction Apart from profitability, the primary objective of business also includes sustenance of operations into the long term, receiving repeat business and thereby achieve the satisfaction of the needs of its shareholders. This necessitates the examination of operations with a view to advance objectives such as sustainability which entails being ethical and observing social responsibility. To many businesses operating in the modern competitive global economy, however, being ethical or socially responsible in the conduct of business presents an ongoing challenge (Wheeler et al., 2010). With a focus on Shell Nigeria, this report critically evaluates the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessing its contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. It begins by assessing the industry background of the oil sector in which Shell operates bringing forth the issues that impact the company and its stakeholders in their engagement. The report then looks at the concept of CSR, assessing its theoretical basis and the actual pursuits undertaken by the company. This culminates in the evaluation of the contribution of these initiatives to the company’s corporate strategy. Shell Nigeria Shell Nigeria is an arm of the multinational oil corporation Shell Corporation operating under the entities Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Nigeria Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG). It has had a presence in Nigeria since its foundation by Royal Dutch/Shell Group in 1936 and has been involved in onshore and offshore exploration and production of oil and natural gas (Shell, 2011). The company’s operations spread out within the Niger Delta (Nigeria) and constituting the Group’s international supply chain comprise 6000km of flow pipeline networks and stations, oil fields and producing wells, gas plants, and two major export terminals (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; OPEC, 2011). The parent company, Shell Corporation, is one among major entities participating in the exploration, production, distribution and sale of oil and gas across the globe. The company manages multinational subsidiary petrochemical and energy companies operating in over 80 countries (OPEC, 2011). Exploration and extraction operations of crude oil and gas in Nigeria form an essential component of Shell Corporations upstream supply chain. Its downstream supply chain is engaged in refinery and distribution of oil and gas, as well as trade and shipping of crude worldwide. The company is also involved in the manufacture and marketing of a range of products including petrochemicals for its industrial customers. Its daily volume of production entails 3.2 million barrels of oil and gas (at 48% this output) delivering refined fuel oil to consumers through its 43,000 Shell service stations across the globe (OPEC, 2011). Nigeria is important for Shell accounting for about a quarter of its worldwide production with an estimated contributed share in profit averaging $1.8 billion annually. This represents 10.4% of upstream operational profits and 7.3% of total profit (Shell, 2011). Given its importance to the Group’s upstream operations, any challenge on this front adversely affects global operations of the multinational corporation (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Emesh, 2009). Several challenges beset multinational oil corporations operating particularly in developing countries as explored below. The dilemma of oil companies operating in developing countries Significant oil and gas reserves are found in developing countries of Africa (OPEC, 2011). These countries often lack the resource capability both in terms of financial capacity and infrastructure to conduct exploration and extraction operations of oil and gas. This explains the presence of multinational oil corporations such as Shell in these countries and in regions such as the Niger Delta of Nigeria which holds significant oil reserves deemed to be among the largest in Africa (Wheeler et al., 2010). Operations of oil multinationals in these developing countries are however fraught with huge challenges brought about by the political and social situations which characterise them. Due to their structural and institutional weaknesses, these countries are often prone to recurring conflict and political instability which portends violence and risks to investments (Wheeler et al., 2010; Idemudia, 2009). However, with much to gain from the exploration and exploitation of oil and in spite of the risks and attendant challenges, the multinational oil corporations value the acquisition of market share (Emesh, 2009). It is also noteworthy that profits accrued from the exploitation of the oil resource have historically been misappropriated, benefitting a few influential people in the local and national governments while the host communities and citizenry at large suffer poverty. With an abundance of oil revenue, a corrupt leadership forego accountability to constituents and undermine political and economic institutions while focus on oil wealth stifles diversification of the economy into other essential sectors (Emesh, 2009; Olowu, 2011). This scenario has often exacerbated the political and social situation, increasing the occurrences of conflicts and violence and threatening sustainability of business and integrity of the supply chain (Wheeler et al., 2010). The discontent of host communities and stakeholders at the local level has led to acts of vandalism, sabotage and disruption, as well as outright insurgency which not only threaten operations but also impact the prices of crude oil internationally fomenting unnecessary fluctuations (Olowu, 2011). This alongside the adverse environmental impact of the extractive industry in general and impacts on human rights has often injured the reputations particularly of oil multinationals such as Shell Nigeria. They have promoted the perception that such companies are merely profit-oriented and care less about the impacts of their operations (Idemudia, 2009). Such global concern over these issues has hitherto led to threats of and actual boycotts of Shell products, costly lawsuits and liabilities, and in addition to attendant inefficiencies and security of assets and resources, these challenges have not only impacted Shell’s local operations in Nigeria but have hindered the potential of the entire multinational corporation internationally (Olowu, 2011). Companies such as Shell, therefore, continually need to evaluate political and social risks assessing probable effects on their business and the investment climate, as well as the impact on their profit forecasts and sustenance of operations (Olowu, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). This scenario has illustrated that adverse effects can have dire consequences for the entire business beyond its local operational environment. In order to sustain their business and even achieve growth and expansion, it is imperative for companies to enhance their relations with society ensuring that they are strong and mutually beneficial. Beyond the profit objective, multinational corporations are increasingly demanded of to engage with host countries and communities and CSR has become one of the strategies towards this endeavour (Haigh and Jones, 2006). In response to this demand and in the attempt to shore up its reputation and to build goodwill with local communities, Shell has developed policies and programs aimed at taking on social responsibilities. These programs focus on poverty alleviation, dealing with challenging human rights issues, and the pursuit of sustainable development, seeking to lower the negative environmental impact of their activities (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). These practices are generally referred to as corporate social responsibility (CSR). They can serve as a channel through which to nurture relations with society and stakeholders in general so as to address this dilemma that companies face in the modern business environment (Driver, 2006; Haigh and Jones, 2006). In this regard, it can act dually as an avenue for ethical and social responsibility and as well a worthwhile and essential business strategy. However, finding the right approach and the right initiatives to undertake is challenging for many entities as expectations are very high and diverse particularly in developing countries. As well, in most cases, the development initiatives anticipated should ideally be the prerogative and duty of respective governments and authorities. Their pursuit enables these public agencies to disregard their duties and to forgo accountability to their constituents, a free hand to misappropriate what would otherwise be spent on development (Frynas, 2005). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR is a fast-growing concept in which organizations consider the interests of various stakeholders including society, the environment, and the community in which they are established, taking responsibility for the impact of their activities. It refers to activities that a corporate entity engages with and which are aimed at investment into better and stronger relations with stakeholders and society (Bourne, 2009). This commitment is a voluntary endeavour to improve quality of life for local communities and society at large and extends beyond the basic requirement to comply with regulations or legislation (Boyd et al., 2007). Though historically consider to encompass corporate philanthropy, the concept can now be summarized conveniently in the phrase†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"doing well by doing good† which is inherent in a firm’s accountability and which underlies its social contract with society (Driver, 2006). It encompasses concepts such as corporate accountability, corporate citizenship, business ethics, sustainability, as well as social responsibility in investment and community involvement (Fombrun, 2001). CSR is thus not the sole responsibility of the multinational corporation, but it also concerns the host communities and countries that can engage in planning and in the push for implementation of activities. This, however, gives the pursuit an arbitrariness that makes assessment of success and effectiveness quite challenging. Success in business and sustainability of operations significantly depends on an organization’s capacity to maximize benefits accrued from its resources such as financial and human resources, physical assets, as well as intangible resources such as goodwill from stakeholders and society in general (Werbach, 2009). This is quite evident in challenges that have beset Shell’s supply chain stemming from challenges in its operations in the Niger Delta. Even with the right mix of financial and human resources, as well as an adequate asset base, the lack of goodwill leading to discontent locally and globally and acts of reprisals has in the past led to disruption of operations and loss of potential which have had widespread implications, including adverse effects on profitability, the company’s reputation, as well as the prices of crude oil in the international market. In this regard CSR has become a significant component of Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy in its quest for mutually beneficial engagement with stakeholders and achievement of requisite goodwill (Shell, 2011; Olowu, 2011). Through the proactive pursuit of CSR, companies can take responsibility for the impact of their operations and welfare of host societies, as well as stakeholders in general. Though perceived as an outlay that is difficult to recoup, there is evidence of potential reciprocal effect and business sense in CSR investments attributed to its creation of value and enhancement of stakeholder relations (Driver, 2006;). Due to the general lack of infrastructure and development projects provided by respective governments in developing countries, the need for CSR covering broader roles such as poverty alleviation, good governance and development is prominent. Multinational corporations such as Shell come under heightened expectations to fill in the gap providing the requisite development (Wheeler et al., 2010). The initiatives undertaken by Shell towards CSR are explored. Critics bemoan this reality in the expectation for intervention by such business entities on matters outside their primary objective. They posit that this demand influences and affects the conduct of business in the increasingly competitive business environment posing a challenge to strategists in the choice between meeting business objectives and shareholder satisfaction on the one hand, and the needs of the wider stakeholder base on the other (Frynas, 2005). This further complicates the development of corporate strategy given the need to focus on a number of extraneous issues often with private entities arrogating themselves duties that ought to be performed by the state or local councils. Such realities hinder the effectiveness of CSR initiatives and particularly its contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria are thus evaluated in the following section. CSR initiatives of Shell Nigeria Numerous activities that Shell engages in its pursuit of social responsibility are herein evaluated to assess their effectiveness and therefore contribution to the company’s corporate strategy. Initiatives undertaken by Shell Nigeria in its CSR pursuit cover external aspects such as environmental protection, community relations and human rights, as well as internal aspects such as principles and codes of practice, product stewardship, stakeholder and employee rights, and transparency (Shell, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). Shell Nigeria and the entire Group takes up an active leadership role in the development of codes of conduct and practice governing workplaces and their engagement with facets of society (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; UN, 2011). The company has also supported development through programs in education, health, construction, commerce, agriculture, transport, etc. benefiting local communities (Olowu, 2011). Additionally, the company alongside others in the oil industry command leadership in programs promoting CSR internationally on various fronts. This has been facilitated by Shell’s new and sophisticated approach they refer to as Community Development (CD), offering a paradigm shift to environmental responsibility, social welfare, human rights, and political responsibility, among other issues of CSR (UN, 2011). This approach entails greater stakeholder engagement bringing together many entities including NGOs, state and local governments, and community leaders in identifying and implementing projects, ensuring increased local ownership, transparency and accountability (Idemudia, 2009). Numerous projects have been successfully undertaken through this approach over the years especially benefiting areas in which the company’s infrastructure is located and/or flow lines traverse (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012b; Olowu, 2011). Goodwill generated from such â€Å"investments† in CSR has ensured integrity of assets that were hitherto under threat which is fundamental to successful operations. Various initiatives undertaken such as the community Health Insurance Schemes, enterprise development schemes, water supply and electricity supply, among others offer worthwhile lessons through which the success can be replicated elsewhere (UN, 2011; Idemudia, 2009). This way, the company has benefited from consistency afforded enabling it to meet tight lead times and to better align supply and demand through greater efficiency. Success of development initiatives has enhanced well-being and economic empowerment of communities thereby reducing dependency for regional development which had burdened the company (Shell, 2011; Emesh, 2009). Additionally, initiatives undertaken in partnership with numerous players aimed at enhancement of the conservation of biodiversity through the minimization of the negative impact of activities have enabled reduction of environmental impact due to gas flaring and oil spills. The diversification into the production of natural gas has benefited the company significantly, becoming a worthwhile revenue stream (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a). Through a variety of indices assessing social and environmental performance of entities such as Shell, its CSR initiatives have earned it recognition globally as a leader in responsibility and a CSR champion. These indices include: the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)- 2010; Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DSI)- 2010; Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index – 2011, the FTSE4Good and Goldman Sachs Sustain ESG (environmental, social and governance) – 2010 (UN, 2011; Shell, 2011; OPEC, 2011). Good ratings attained in these indices are evidence of the impact that it has had in its CSR pursuit. The recognition has been beneficial in shoring the company’s reputation across the globe enhancing its corporate value and standing of its brand. However, oil multinationals (including Shell) remain at variance with local communities regarding the success and effectiveness of these CSR initiatives with the latter still not content. This represents the major challenge with CSR pursuits, particularly in cases such as this where expectations are quite high (Frynas, 2005). The actual success of Shell Nigeria’s CSR is evaluated to assess its contribution to its corporate strategy and bottom line. Contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy Corporate strategy focuses on the organization’s overall scope with an aim to sustain growth and to achieve strategic positioning. The maximization of profits and minimization of costs is a primary goal of any business venture. This not only necessitates continuous improvement along the supply chain towards the enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness, but also entails an important aspect in the modern competitive business environment, value creation (Werbach, 2009; Kazem and Richard, 2008). Competitive advantage entails the capability a business to provide superior products, services, or value differentiating itself from its competitors. Price/cost advantage, delivery, quality and flexibility are identified as among the components of the value advantage which enhance competitive capability. To be able to sustain its competitive advantage, a company or organization has to exploit such available capabilities which are as important as resources such as physical assets, financial resources, and human resources (Werbach, 2009). However, the oil industry is characterized by minimal capacity for value addition to products and services, exploitation of a price advantage, or physical resource capabilities (Wheeler et al., 2010). It is therefore crucial for players in the industry to focus on value advantage deriving from delivery efficiency, quality, flexibility, as well as intangible aspects such as corporate value and reputation. The pursuit of corporate value and goodwill thr ough CSR is therefore crucial for an entity to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage given the intense competition and capabilities (Fombrun, 2001). According to Sachs et al., (2009) and Driver (2006), the CSR idea†¦ â€Å"ties up with the drive for sustainability which is to develop solutions for business in such a way as to meet the requirements of the current generation without compromising the ability to provide the needs of future generations in bounty and diversity.† This is the basis for Shell’s renewed and revitalised pursuit of CSR which has enabled it to assume leadership on the responsibility front, a model for corporate citizenship (Shell, 2011). Despite the challenge in defining actual benefit and achievement in sustainability initiatives, the pursuit of CSR has granted Shell an important edge in the intensely competitive environment, enhancing the company’s corporate value. Corporations invest in CSR motivated by the view on business ethics which holds that shareholders and stakeholders desire a financially stable and responsible corporation adhering to values of ethical conduct and environmental sustainability. A worthwhile brand image and reputation is thus central to strategy (Sachs et al., 2009; Haigh and Jones, 2006). This is the primary thesis of this report and which is shown to guide Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy, as well as that of the entire Group. Benefiting from reduced civil tension, as well as oil theft and sabotage, Shell has, in recent years, managed to increase production from new ventures such as offshore deep water explorations, as well as enhanced supply chain efficiencies – achieving increases in production averaging 31% year-on-year. Diversification into Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) production has enabled the company to enhance its revenue and to develop a new market (both locally and for export). Its economic potential has generated incentive and economic impetus to enhance the capture of natural gas associated with oil reserves that would otherwise be flared (Royal Dutch Shell, 2012a; Shell, 2011; Fombrun, 2001). Reduced flaring and the clean-up of oil spills have had a positive effect on the company’s risk and reputation management warding off potential lawsuits and liabilities (Shell, 2011; Dyer and Chu, 2003). Turbulence in the political and social environment and the resultant uncertainty in supply and demand, as well as concerns over bad repute negatively affect investor decisions and therefore share prices (Fombrun, 2008). A firm that wishes to attain success in the modern business environment must keenly assess these fundamental flags and their associated costs , as well as future value or potential which significantly influence investor decisions. These may influence the company’s access to capital and to new markets and cannot be ignored (Sachs et al., 2009; Dyer and Chu, 2003). These factors can be adequately addressed through the focus on enhancement of goodwill and efficiency through social responsibility pursuits. It is evident therefore that Shell’s CSR initiatives have contributed significantly to the company’s corporate strategy enhancing its capacity to sustain its operations and to thrive despite the challenges in the extractive sector and developing countries hosting it. Conclusion Through the pursuit of CSR, oil multinationals such as Shell can gain valuable goodwill enabling success of their operations and the enhancement of their overall image and perception as a corporate citizen both locally and internationally. Shell Nigeria’s proactive community development initiatives have in the most part significantly reduced conflict resultant from discontent and grievance of local communities and global concern impacting the corporate reputation of the entire Group internationally. Reductions in civil tensions, oil theft and sabotage have enabled increased production and new ventures and as well, the venture into the capture of associated natural gas has seen the company diversify into new revenue streams and markets of LNG. These benefits as well as the bolstering investor confidence due to this revitalization are evidence of the contribution of CSR to Shell Nigeria’s corporate strategy. Bibliography Bourne, L., 2009. Stakeholder Relationship Management. CA, USA: Gower.. Boyd, E., Spekman, R., Kamauff, J., and Werhane, P., 2007. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Supply Chains: A Procedural Justice Perspective.† In: Long Range Planning, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 341-356. Driver, M., 2006. ‘Beyond the Stalemate of Economics versus Ethics: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Discourse of the Organizational Self.’ Journal of Business Ethics, 66: 337–56. Dyer, J., and Chu, W., 2003. â€Å"The role of trustworthiness in reducing transaction costs and improving performance: Empirical evidence from the United States, Japan and Korea.† Organization Science 14 (1), 57–68. Emesh, E., 2009. â€Å"Social Responsibility in Practice in the Oil Producing Niger Delta: Assessing Corporations and Government’s Actions.† Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, Vol. 11, No.2, pp.113-125. Fombrun, J., 2008. Corporate reputations as economic asset. In: Freeman, E., Harrison, J. S., (Eds.). The Blackwell handbook of strategic management. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 289–312. Frynas, J., 2005. â€Å"The False Developmental Promise of Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Multinational Oil Companies.† International Affairs, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 581-598. Haigh, M., and Jones, M., 2006. â€Å"The Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Critical Review.† The Business Review, Cambridge, 5(2): 245–51. Idemudia, U., 2009. â€Å"Oil Extraction and Poverty Reduction in the Niger Delta: A Critical Examination of Partnership Initiatives.† Journal of Business Ethics: Supplement 90: 91. ABI/INFORM Global, ProQuest. Kazem, C., and Richard, L., 2008. Sustainable competitive advantage: towards a dynamic resource-based strategy. East London Business School, University of East London, UK Olowu, D., 2011. â€Å"From Defiance to Engagement: An Evaluation of Shell’s Approach to Conflict Resolution in the Niger Delta.† African Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 10, Nr.3, pp. 75-100. OPEC, 2011. Nigeria facts and figures Viewed on 8/7/2014 from: http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/167.htm Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012a. Shell Petroleum Development and Exploration Company report: â€Å"Environmental Performance: Oil Spills. Shell Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellreport.com Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, 2012b. Shell Petroleum Development Company, Shell Nigeria report: â€Å"Improving Lives in the Niger Delta.† Viewed on 3/7/2014 from www.shellnigeria.com Sachs, S., E. Ruhli and I., Kern, 2009. Sustainable Success with Stakeholders. Palgrave Macmillan Shell, 2011. â€Å"Sustainability Report: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report 2010.† In: Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report, pp. 1-37. Viewed on 6/7/2013 from: http://sustainabilityreport.shell.com/2010/servicepages/previous.html UN, 2011. Supply chain sustainability. United Nations global compact. Viewed from: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/Issues/supply_chain/index.html Werbach, A., 2009. Strategy for sustainability: a business manifesto. Adam Werbach. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press Wheeler, D., H., Fabig, and R., Boele, 2010. â€Å"Paradoxes and Dilemmas for Stakeholder Responsive Firms in the Extractive Sector: Lessons from the Case of Shell and the Ogoni.† In: Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 39, pp. 297-318.

Ames Test Essays

Ames Test Essays Ames Test Paper Ames Test Paper The Spot-Overlay Ames Test was used in the lab to find the mutagenesis of Diet Coke and ThermaFlu. Along with these substances three mutant strains of salmonella were also tested. TA 1535, TA 1537, TA 1538 all lacked the ability to grow the amino acid histidine unless reverted back by the potential mutagens. After the first week of testing, results showed that both of the potential mutagens, Diet Coke and ThermaFlu were in fact mutagenic. This was established if colonial growth was at least twice as much as that of the negative control. For the continuation of the experiment, Diet Coke and the TA 1535 strain of S. hyphimurium were chosen to continue experimentation for the second week. Testing commenced once both substances had been mixed into six new DMA plates. The purpose of this experiment was to see if different amounts of Diet Coke would increase colony growth. Results for this week showed that at 100ul of Diet Coke, colony growth was at its peak, but as the concentration of Diet Coke kept increasing, colony growth stopped. In conclusion, the potential mutagens tested in the lab proved to be mutagenic, and as the concentration of the mutagen was increased, colony growth would follow until it leveled off. INTRODUCTION The use of the Ames test is based on the assumption that any substance that is mutagenic may also turn out to be a carcinogen, which causes cancer. â€Å"Salmonella / microsome test is the most popular of the bacterial test system. It detects mutagenic substances via their ability to revert histidine auxotrophs of S. typhimurium to wild-type. † (Ames et al. , 1973 ; Maron and Ames, 1983; Hofnung and Qullardet, 1986) The trials that will be held in this lab will be tested under the Spot-Overlay Ames Test. It is a widely used technique for screening potential carcinogens by testing for mutagenesis of bacteria. It relies on the observation that the most common cause of cancer is somatic mutations brought about by DNA damage. It was first developed by Dr. Bruce Ames in 1971, and gave researchers a faster and less expensive way to get results. â€Å"This assay uses a set of histidine-requiring strains of the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium to detect mutations induced by a test agent. † (Bassi, Lopez, L. C. , Moretton, J. ). The bacteria used in the experimentation were three mutant strains of S. typhimurium that carry a defective mutant gene making them unable to ynthesize the amino acid histidine. The TA 1535 strain had a base substitution that produced a missense mutation in the gene coding for the first enzyme of histidine synthesis. The second strain, TA 1537, displayed a frameshift mutation where one nucleotide was deleted. The third and last strain, TA 1538, had a frameshift mutation where one nucleotide was inserted. (Gabor, C. R. , Pesthy, C. ). These strains also have cell wa lls containing defective lipopolysaccharide layers, which allow chemicals to seep into the cells easily. Gabor, C. R. , Pesthy, C. ) None of the three strains of salmonella are able to produce histidine, an amino acid essential for the bacterium to grow if not provided externally. But, some types of mutations can be reversed, a back mutation, with the gene regaining its function. These revertants are able to grow on a medium lacking histidine. To start off an Ames test, an assay is carried out using strains of bacteria, such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella that already have a single mutation that cannot produce histidine. The experimental cultures are exposed to the agent to be tested while the positive control cultures are exposed to a known mutagen to confirm that there has been no contamination of the strain. If the mutation screened for has in fact occurred, dense spots in the colonies will form. â€Å"Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) formed during heating (broiling, frying or grilling) of various proteinaceous foods such as meats and fishes are well known as potent mutagens in the Ames/Salmonella assay. (Felton Knize 1991; Eisenbrand Tang 1993; Stavric 1994) This experiment demonstrates the positive associations between higher consumption of well-done red meat and risk of colon cancer (Probst-Hensch et al. 1997; Sihna et al. 1999 and 2001), breast cancer (Zheng et al. 1998 Sihna et al. 2000) lung cancer (Sihna et al. 1998) and gastric cancer Ward et al. 1997; De Stefani et al. 1998) Similarily, in this paper, we investigated the presence of Salmonella and common mutagens such as Diet Coke, and Therm aFlu to see which of the strains of salmonella used in lab could possibly revert the bacteria back into its wild-type. One hypothesis was that the potential mutagens, Diet Coke and ThermaFlu, were in fact mutagens. With that in mind, the reason for carrying on this experiment was to test and see if our hypothesis was correct. As the experimentation proceeded, data showed that Diet Coke was the best potential mutagen, and was chosen to continue testing. With this substance being the focal point of the second experiment, the goal was to test different amounts of Diet Coke with the TA 1535 strain of S. typhimurium. Hypothesis was that as the concentration of Diet Coke was increased, colony growth would raise as well. Besides testing all of the substances, the experimentation would help build a better understanding of how and why it is that the bacterium Salmonella converts back into its wild-type, and how it is that amino acids carry out this job. MATERIALS METHODS To commence the experimentation for the first week, some of the materials that will be needed are the two potential mutagens, Diet Coke (100% concentration), and ThermaFlu (100% concentration), as well as Sodium Azide and the three strains of S. typhimurium TA 1535, TA 1537 and TA 1538. Secondly, these substances shall be placed into a DMA plate containing 1mL of agar mixed with histidine. The DMA plates have a limited amount of nutrients so when salmonella is reverted back into its wild type strain there won’t be a lot of excess growth. The plates should be kept upside down till the experimentation is ready to begin in order to keep the moisture from fogging up the entire plate. The DMA plate should be divided and labeled into four sections, pie-shaped, with the name that corresponds to each chemical being tested. The tubes containing the soft agar are to be held in a water bath of 55 degrees Celsius to keep them liquified. Table 1. shows the amounts of substances placed into each overlay tube. Table 1. Represents the amounts and volumes of each substance mixed into an overlay tube for the first week. Section 1Section 2Section 3Section 4 Chemical:N/aSodium AzideDiet CokeTherma Flu Chemical (ul)N/a202020 Salmonella typhimurium (ul)100100100100 DMA Overlay (ml)1111 After the correct amounts of the substances are mixed, 50 ul of each mixture is to be placed into the corresponding sections of the DMA plate, creating an aliquot, or puddle. The plates should then be placed into in a 37-degree Celsius incubator for 72 hours. Once the incubation time is complete, the lates should be observed and bacterial growth should be recorded. Any growth happening in the negative control will be spontaneous, and should be minimal. The potential mutagens will be considered mutagens if they have double as much growth as the negative control. On the other hand, the positive control should, and will have the most growth because that is a guaranteed true mutagen. Once the results for the first week have been obtained, they will show whether or not the potential mutagens were in fact mutagenic. After the data has been collected, the best potential mutagen should be tested to see if more growth would happen. In this lab’s case, different amounts of Diet Coke were tested with the TA 1535 strain of salmonella. Strain TA 1535 was used because it showed the best results and clear amounts of bacterial growth from the first week’s experiment. To carry on testing for the second week, new DMA plates would be needed to cultivate the bacteria with Diet Coke. Table 2. shows the amounts of substances placed into the overlay tubes. The different amounts of Diet Coke, agar, and TA 1535 strain were mixed in the overlay tube before all of the substance was poured onto the DMA plate. The DMA plates were then placed into the incubator for 72 hours at 37 degrees Celsius. Table 2. Represents the amounts and volumes that were placed into the overlay tubes for the second week of experimentation. DMA Plate123456 ChemicalNegative ControlPositive ControlDiet CokeDiet CokeDiet CokeDiet Coke Chemical Amount (ul)05050100250500 TA 1535 (ul)250250250250250250 DMA mix (ml)555555 RESULTS Table 3. Shows the amount of colonies (bacteria) grown in the DMA plates for the first week. Salmonella StrainNegative ControlPositive ControlThermaFluDiet Coke 153512 32 TMTC0 840 13 1537TMTC TMTCTMTC TMTCTMTC TMTCTMTC TMTC 1538192 85148 475 1001 224 As the potential mutagens were left to grow in the Petri dishes over a span of 3 days, results showed that the potential mutagens, Diet Coke and Thermaflu, did in fact turn out to be mutagenic. This was determined by looking at the growth of bacterial colonies. If the potential mutagens had more than twice the growth than the negative control then they would be considered mutagenic The results shown in Table 3. represent the number of colonial growth for each substance for the first week. In strain TA 1535 ThermaFlu had more than twice the growth of colonies than the negative control. For another group dealing with the same strain of Salmonella, ThermaFlu did not have any bacterial growth. In the same strain, Diet Coke had more than double the growth of the negative control for both groups. Next, the bacterial strain TA 1537 had â€Å"TMTC† for each potential mutagen. â€Å"TMTC† simply meant there was too many to count. Lastly, both potential mutagens did not have more than double the growth of the negative control in the bacterial strain 1538. The one exception was the number of colonial growth for one group testing Diet Coke. This was the only time where growth surpassed that of the negative control under this strain. Table 4. Represents the amount of colonial growth in the DMA plates with the different amounts of Diet Coke for the second week. DMA PlatesNegative ControlPositive ControlDiet Coke (50 ul)Diet Coke (100 ul)Diet Coke (250 ul)Diet Coke (500 ul) Number of Colonies 1 14 6 100 1 1 Table 4. represents the colony growth of the different levels of Diet Coke and the strain TA 1535 used in the second week of the experiment. In particular, the DMA plate containing 100ul of Diet Coke had the most number of colonial growth compared to the rest of the amounts, as well as the positive and negative controls. Finally, the DMA plates containing the most amount of Diet Coke had the same amount of colonial growth as the negative control. At these volumes of Diet Coke colonial growth came to a plateau. Graph 1. Colonial Growth vs. Concentrations of Diet Coke In graph 1. the amount of S. typhimurium colonies grown under each concentration of Diet Coke are represented by the dots on the line. DISCUSSION As the results showed, Diet Coke and ThermaFlu proved to be mutagenic based on data collected from the first weeks experiment. After this experimentation, strain TA 1535 was chosen to continue further testing on one of the potential mutagens. This particular strain of the bacteria was chosen because it was the only strain that showed precise amounts of colonial growth for the given substances. While TA 1535 showed accurate amounts of bacterial growth, table 3 shows that the bacteria strain TA 1537 had â€Å"TMTC† which means, too many to count. Moreover, this strain of salmonella could be said to have reverted back into the wild-type strain quite fast. A possible reason this strain showed â€Å"TMTC† for colony growth was because it was left in the incubator for an extra day. It could have been possible to use this strain if the DMA plates were left in the incubator for the correct amount of time. Next, when it comes to the salmonella bacteria strain 1538, Diet Coke was tested to be a bigger mutagen with more visible colonies than all other strains. ThermaFlu did not prove to be quite as effective when it came to reverting the bacteria back into its wild-type. However, a lot of the data collected from the colonial growth didn’t make sense, so that automatically voided that strain. Again, both of the potential mutagens, Diet Coke and ThermaFlu, tested to be actual mutagens. These results came in agreement with the first hypothesis because both substances showed more than twice the amount of colony growth as the negative control. In the first experiment sections that were cultivating Diet Coke showed more than twice the growth of than the sections with the negative control in 75% of all DMA plates. This information was gathered by table 3. In the same way, ThermaFlu was detected to also be a mutagen because it too, had double or more the amount of colony growth than the negative control. An exception to this would be in TA strain 1537 where ThermaFlu had â€Å"TMTC. † In continuation with the experimentation, it was also hypothesized that if the concentrations of the potential mutagens were increased, colony growth would raise as well. Results from the second week also showed that this hypothesis was correct. In detail, the TA 1535 strain and Diet Coke were mixed together showing that colony growth steadily increased as the concentration of Diet Coke did, and then came to a steady plateau. One reason for this could be because the bacterium strain might have been affected by the high levels of aspartame found in Diet Coke. Some of the problems encountered throughout both weeks of the experiment were air bubbles when pipetting, and pouring the substances onto the DMA plates. This might have led to contamination of the chemicals from pollutants in the air. A solution to this particular problem is to carefully watch where the substance is being poured onto, and to get it done fast and effectively. Covering the DMA plates in a quick timely manner will also eliminate the chances of contamination. Another problem encountered was the excessive growth of colonies in the TA 1537 strain of salmonella. This led to an unclear measure of colonies and inaccurate data. This was mainly due to the fact that the DMA plates were left in the incubator for an extra day. Nonetheless, if the DMA plates would have been incubated for the actual correct span of time, the results could have been usable. An issue that was specifically encountered in the second experiment was the death of bacterium strains due to the large concentrations of aspartame. A way to fix this problem could have been by increasing the amount of Diet Coke in smaller increments, and showing the effect on colony growth with low concentration levels as well. In regards to future experimentation, different strains of Salmonella typhimurium could be used to get a more varied amount of statistics. Also, Diet Coke could have been studied in a more careful manner that might have shown other factors that contribute to the growth of salmonella. RESULTS 1. H. Kataoka, S. Nishioka, M. Kobayashi, T. Hanaoka, S. Tsugane.  © 2002 Springer-Verlag New York Inc. Analysis of Mutagenic Heterocyclic Amines in Cooked Food Samples by Gas Chromatography with Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detector. 2. E. O ksu zog lu, N. Diril, M. Durusoy.  © 2000 Springer-Verlag New York Inc. Mutagenic Effects of Plant Growth Hormones with the Salmonella/Microsome Test and the SOS Chromotest. 3. L. C. Lopez, M. D. Bassi, J. Moretton.  © 1999 Springer-Verlag New York Inc. Influence of River Water in the Detection of Cr(VI) Mutagenicity by the Ames Test.

How to Style Alphabetical Letters

How to Style Alphabetical Letters How to Style Alphabetical Letters How to Style Alphabetical Letters By Mark Nichol When are letters of the alphabet, appearing in isolation rather than as part of a word, capitalized, and when are they lowercased? When should they be italicized, and when is the normal type, called roman, employed? Here’s a general guide to styling letters. Letters as Letters When referring to a letter as an alphabetical character in print or online, style it in italics and use uppercase or lowercase forms as appropriate, as in the examples â€Å"Notice how the letter m is cut off so that it almost looks like an n† and â€Å"Engraved in the rock was a capital A.† A roman apostrophe and a roman s are added to indicate a plural form, as in â€Å"When you wrote ballot, you included three l’s.† For capital letters, the apostrophe isn’t necessary: â€Å"The two Vs look like a W.† However, if plural forms of both uppercase and lowercase letters appear in the same document, for consistency, reconcile the style either way. Letters employed in lieu of an entire word beginning with that letter to disguise profanity or otherwise avoid the word’s use are capitalized and styled in italics: â€Å"The F word† refers to an obscene four-letter word, for example, and â€Å"the D word† might appear in a perhaps jocular reference to relationships in which the writer declines to use the word divorce. In idioms such as â€Å"Dot [one’s] i’s and cross [one’s] t’s† or the humorous inversion â€Å"Cross [one’s] i’s and dot [one’s] t’s† and â€Å"Mind [one’s] p’s and q’s,† the letters are traditionally not italicized, despite this custom being an exception to the rules described above; instead, an apostrophe is inserted before the plural s. Other idiomatic usage (for example, â€Å"the three Rs† and â€Å"to a T†) generally does not call for italicization, either. Names of Letters In the unlikely event that a letter needs to be referred to by name, it can be spelled out as indicated in dictionaries. However, the system is difficult to use because not all names of alphabetical characters are spelled intuitively, so they’re difficult to locate for verification: B and letters that rhyme with it are spelled bee, cee, and so on, but others are spelled, for example, aitch, cue, and wye. Letter Grades When the letters A, B, C, D, and F are used in educational contexts and, by extension, in informal analogous usage, as evaluative marks, they are not italicized. That’s because they refer to the points on the grading scale, not to letters of the alphabet; I’ve italicized them here, though, because I’ve named them as letters: â€Å"the letter A,† and so on. (Why is there no E in the grading scale? Apparently, educators were concerned that this letter grade would be misconstrued as representing excellent, as F stands for failure, so although it was originally part of the grading scale, it was eventually omitted.) An alternative system, often used euphemistically in lower grades, is E, G, F, P, and U (excellent, good, fair, poor, and unsatisfactory). No apostrophe is inserted before the plural s; for example, write â€Å"I had hoped to receive more As† or â€Å"She earned three Es last semester.† Letters as Shapes When letters are used to describe shapes, they are capitalized and styled in roman, as in â€Å"C clamp† and â€Å"T square.† Letters employed in this way are sometimes treated in sans serif type (one of many typefaces in which letters are made solely of straight lines and curves and lack appendages), but this approach looks awkward. Music and Rhyme Schemes In general, letters referring to musical pitches are capitalized in roman type for example, â€Å"This song is in D.† (Technical usage such as references to octaves varies; consult specialized print publications or websites for more information.) Rhyme schemes, however, are indicated in lowercase italic letters with no letter spaces between characters indicating a set of lines constituting a verse, as in â€Å"The poem is written in abba rhyme.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should KnowAbstract Nouns from AdjectivesHow Do You Fare?

Water Properties and Facts You Should Know

Water Properties and Facts You Should Know Water is the most abundant molecule on the Earths surface and one of the most important molecules to study in chemistry. The facts of water chemistry reveal why this is such an incredible molecule. What Is Water? Water is a chemical compound. Each molecule of water, H2O or HOH, consists of two atoms of hydrogen bonded to one atom of oxygen. Properties of Water There are several important properties of water that distinguish it from other molecules and make it the key compound for life: Cohesion is a key property of water. Because of the polarity of the molecules, water molecules are attracted to each other. Hydrogen bonds form between neighboring molecules. Because of its cohesiveness, water remains a liquid at normal temperatures rather than vaporizing into a gas. Cohesiveness also leads to high surface tension. An example of the surface tension is seen by beading of water on surfaces and by the ability of insects to walk on liquid water without sinking.Adhesion is another property of water. Adhesiveness is a measure of waters ability to attract other types of molecules. Water is adhesive to molecules capable of forming hydrogen bonds with it.  Adhesion and cohesion lead to capillary action, which is seen when the water rises up a narrow glass tube or within the stems of plants.The high specific heat and high heat of vaporization mean a lot of energy is needed to break hydrogen bonds between water molecules. Because of this, water resists extreme temperature cha nges. This is important for weather and also for species survival. The high heat of vaporization means evaporating water has a significant cooling effect. Many animals use perspiration to keep cool, taking advantage of this effect. Water is a polar molecule. Each molecule is bent, with the negatively charged oxygen on one side and the pair of positive-charged hydrogen molecules on the other side of the molecule.Water is the only common compound that exists in solid, liquid, and gas phase under ordinary, natural conditions.Water is amphoteric, which means it can act as both an acid and a base. Self-ionization of water produces H and OH- ions.Ice is less dense than liquid water. For most materials, the solid phase is denser than the liquid phase. Hydrogen bonds between water molecules are responsible for the lower density of ice. An important consequence is that lakes and rivers freeze from the top down, with ice floating on water.Pure liquid water at room temperature is odorless, tasteless, and nearly colorless. Water has a faint blue color, which becomes more apparent in large volumes of water.Water has the second highest specific enthalpy of fusion of all substances (after ammonia). The specific enthalpy of fu sion of water is 333.55 kJ ·kg−1 at 0  °C. Water has the second highest specific heat capacity of all known substances. Ammonia has the highest specific heat. Water also has a high heat of vaporization (40.65 kJ ·mol−1). The high specific heat and heat of vaporization result from the high degree of hydrogen bonding between water molecules. One consequence of this is that water is not subject to rapid temperature fluctuations. On Earth, this helps to prevent dramatic climate changes.Water may be called the universal solvent because it is able to dissolve many different substances. Interesting Water Facts Other names for water are dihydrogen monoxide, oxidane, hydroxylic acid, and hydrogen hydroxide.The molecular formula of water is H2OMolar mass: 18.01528(33) g/molDensity: 1000 kg/m3, liquid (4  °C) or 917 kg/m3, solidMelting point: 0  °C, 32  °F (273.15 K)Boiling point: 100  °C, 212  °F (373.15 K)Acidity (pKa): 15.74Basicity (pKb): 15.74Refractive index: (nD) 1.3330Viscosity: 0.001 Pa s at 20  °CCrystal structure: hexagonalMolecular shape: bent

Discuss the letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discuss the letter - Essay Example However reading the opening part of the letter, the author seems to be rational in his ideas as he quotes concrete evidence of whatever that he perceives. The author has based his understanding of the situation upon hardcore facts and not mere assumptions. In this case it can be said that the argument presented by the author is rationally strong as it provides the readers with a reason to believe. However as we move to the next passage of the letter, it can be observed that though the author has build up his argument in a rational manner once again, but this argument contradicts the preceding one. In this case, though, the readers have strong evidence and reasons to believe in what is being communicated, but the contradiction in the overlapping passages may go on to bewilder the readers and lead to a state of irresolution (Sellnow 185). The penultimate passage is followed by a conclusive one. Ironically, the conclusive part of the letter leaves the readers with a question, unanswered. In this paragraph, the author has used his rhetorical power to get his message across to the audience. The author incorporates a personalized tone to the message and indicates the inception of personal influence in the conclusion that the author has drawn himself, inspired by his personal experiences and perceptions to various stimuli in the world. The final lines of the letter are analyzed to be rhetoric because the author does not provide solid evidence or basis to the reader to believe in what is being said. The reader is left with the freedom to either believe in what is being said or simply leave it. This is the specified characteristic of rhetorical arguments; they leave the reader in an indecisive state and let them make their own opinions. However there is a strong likelihood of readers agreeing to what is being communicated and base their opinions as per those of the author, but this depends upon

BUSINESS LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

BUSINESS LAW - Essay Example In case an individual is claimed with the tort of negligence, it makes it evident that a person has been not able to show careful act which must have caused harm to the other person in terms of property or other. It should be noted that the negligence tort has been long debated for different kinds of cases which have been posed against professionals over the time. It is highly necessary for the claimant to prove that the person who has been charged with the negligence tort has provided no care of duty within certain circumstances which ultimately caused him or her to lose property or any other damages. Herein, it is significant to understand the history of negligence tort. It was noted about 100 years ago, â€Å"Man is entitled to be as negligent as he pleases towards the whole world if he owes no duty to them†1. This is quiet an effective ground on which the tort of negligence can be well understood. By carefully interpreting this quotation, it becomes easier to note that a p erson is probable to show negligence towards his duty. In case there are damages noted as a result of the negligence towards the duty then it is suggested that the person may be claimed against. There are basically three situations which should be marked in case there is a reporting of a case claiming an individual to be negligent regarding his duty. Initially, it should be well proven that in case the duty was performed effectively then it would have helped in the safety of the property or any other damage bearer. Also, there needs to be a clear definition regarding the relationship between the claimants and defendants who were involved in the case2. It should be noted that there were a number of situations which were testes when the tort was practiced in a number of cases of negligence. One of the most effective yet history-making cases was between Donoghue v Stevenson [1932]  UKHL 100. As per the case rulings, a snail was found in an opaque ginger beer bottle which was being pr oduced by the company of Stevenson. The consumption of the ginger beer was done Donoghue where the damage was noted to be extreme shock and abdominal pain. It was marked the Donoghue sued Stevenson for risking the life of customers. As a result of the claim, it was demanded that the food/beverage company owned by Stevenson must pay a handsome amount for the pain caused. The ruling provided by the judges on the case presented a new dimension to the tort of negligence and liability. The landmark case of Donoghue v Stevenson was marked to testify the neighbor principal whether there is a need of determination against the duty of care held for the purpose of damages3. Other than the cases of negligence, there can be various situations where one needs to bring surety of the statements as provided in the shape of advice. It has been widely noted that many financial agents would provide information based on mere discussions and not truth/facts. Such an example of negligent misstatement has been posed in the case of Hedley Byrne v Heller (1963). As the information posed, Hedley, the firm needed relevant information regarding Easipower for sanctioning credit4. It is for this purpose that Hedley asked Heller5 to provide necessary information. As a result, it was marked that credit was provided to Easipower. With the passage of time, it was noted that Easipower was going out of the business because there were increased

The Use of Databases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Use of Databases - Essay Example While selecting a database for a small organization like real estate business, Microsoft Access is the best. It gives an easy layout to design a database of our own, with wizard facility. In a small real estate business, tens of customers visit everyday and tell us about their requirements. Some needs to have house on rent and some wants to buy a house. Even few comes here to sell their house. So in order to keep a record of all these, we need to have a Database. So that whenever a customer comes here to seek a house on rent, we can show him/her a list that contains all the houses that we got. It can only be done with the help of a Database. A Database can not only store the information but it can give us the printable form of the data as well in Reports. The first thing while develop a Database is that we created tables, as they actually store the data in them. But the interface is provided with the help of forms. And we can access the data in our Database with the help of Queries that works simply as question been asked. This Database contains a table of permanent customers that includes their names, with a unique ID, contact number and address as well. The other table contains the list of houses that are available on rent. This table contains all the information about these houses, their size, location, number of rooms and the rent money as well. The other table contains the list of houses that are there to be sold. It also contains all information about them, like size, location, number of rooms and their prices. Another table contains the list of customers that are willing to rent a house. This table contains their demands as well, that what kind of house they need and the location, size and number of rooms in it. The other table contains the customer's details that want to buy a house. And also their demands. The above mentioned both tables contains the contact number of customers as well, so that they can be contacted when needed. Another table deals with the employees of the firm. The firm has 10 employees working at present. Two employees are for office work and eight are the salesmen. The table contains their details, like their names with a unique ID, their addresses, contact numbers, date of joining the firm, starting salary, current salary, and also their account numbers. The computer operator in the firm uses Forms to enter data in the database. Forms are the interface provided by the database so that data can be entered more conveniently. There is a main form, which gives the main menu, ask the operator whether he wants to enter employee information or customer information. In employee section he can enter the information for new employee or he can update the record of existing employee as well. In Customers section, he can enter the information about the customers who are looking for a house to rent and also those who are willing to give their houses on rent. And also the customers who want to buy a house and their demands as well and also the customer's information who are looking for the buyer. Queries are used, so that we can quickly have the information for our required house. Suppose a customer is looking for a house with three rooms in downtown, we can simply put the number of rooms a

Day of leisure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Day of leisure - Essay Example To begin with, leisure is such a word that cannot be defined by a single statement, as there is so much to it than meets the eye. It is thus agreed that the best way to really cover its meaning is to define it as an activity, as time, and as a state of mind. Leisure as time defines leisure as being free from obligations or duties that may be either paid or unpaid or tasks that are essential for our existence. Leisure time in this case is seen as residual time. While there are those who see all the time that they spend away from work is leisure time, the truth is only a small percentage of this time is essentially spent for leisure. Some of the time spared after work can be used to do other activities that are crucial to our survival, say eating or sleeping. As an activity, leisure does not entail life maintenance tasks such as sleeping or general house cleaning. Leisure in this case means the activities that we engage in for relaxation, growth, meditating, competition, engaging in certain sport activity, painting and so on. These tasks are not done for our existence but for fun. As an activity, leisure is solely dependent on an individual. As a state of mind, it relates to the above definition in that leisure is dependent on an individual’s perception of what they are doing and whether they perceive that to be leisure. Concepts that come into play here include perceived freedom or competence, intrinsic motivation, and the positive effect of the activity. Remember it is the above effect that helps the individual knows whether a certain experience was pleasurable to them. To elaborate a little on the above, we would say that in perceived freedom, the individual is free to choose the activity they want to engage in without any obligation to do so. In intrinsic motivation, the individual is not influenced by any external force to engage in a given activity and that such motivation comes from within. Perceived competence refers to an individual

Opera Report-Carmen(Bizet) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Opera Report-Carmen(Bizet) - Essay Example The hall size was medium to large and has a capacity of holding 2,967 people plus has room for the orchestra pit and main stage. The theater had chandeliers and a set of fine arts accents making the event seem more formal. The audience followed through with the formal occasion and the atmosphere that was noted from the dresses worn included fancier and wealthy looking clothing. These combined aspects made the atmosphere serious and created a different setting for the event. The name of the liberettist was Nino Surguladze and plays the role of Carmen from the 1875 opera written by Bizette. The opera is set in Spain where Surguldaze plays a gypsy that smuggles items. The opposing voice is Richard Leech, who plays the tenor in the opera as Don Jose. There is also the part of Micaela, a soprano played by Talise Trevigne and which acts as the fiance of Don Jose. Wayne Tigges, the second tenor, plays the man in which Carmen falls in love with and which leads to her final tragedy. The perfo rmance forces that are associated with this include an orchestra. The opera program follows the main names of those who are in the opera as well as in the orchestra. The program is also inclusive of the main plot line and the concepts related to the performance. There is also a section for sponsors, donations and affiliations that are a part of the opera and which provided support for the presentation. ... However, the details of the performance and the various understandings of each of the musical pieces, despite translations being available, were difficult to follow because of the language differences and atmosphere of the theater. Before going to the performance, I didn’t read about the work or other information from an approved source. Most of the performance aspects were unfamiliar to me, such as what to expect, how the opera would be, what the setting would be and the approach which would be taken. The performance conventions which surprised me were based on my unfamiliarity with the opera and the plot of Carmen. I didn’t know that it would be in French or would have the amount of work which went into the various pieces. I also had assumed that opera was based more on the singing; however, this particular style used a large amount of acting and movement on the stage. This was refreshing; however, it was also unexpected. The musical and dramatic elements that were in the opera were based on the characteristics of being in Spain and belonging to the Gypsy race. This is heard from the beginning overture and leads throughout the various works. The first example of this is â€Å"Habanera,† in which Carmen announces her love to the village. The main element is the rhythm, which keeps a Spanish dance beat of 1, 3, 4 with a slight accent on the â€Å"and† between the 3 and 4. This is combined with the simplistic melody which follows over this and which is led by Carmen. During this point, the lighting is strong and depicts happiness with the dancing and announcement which Carmen makes. The second example of music which follows this characteristic is â€Å"Toreador Song† also known as the drinking song. When hearing the orchestra, there is a

Day of leisure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Day of leisure - Essay Example To begin with, leisure is such a word that cannot be defined by a single statement, as there is so much to it than meets the eye. It is thus agreed that the best way to really cover its meaning is to define it as an activity, as time, and as a state of mind. Leisure as time defines leisure as being free from obligations or duties that may be either paid or unpaid or tasks that are essential for our existence. Leisure time in this case is seen as residual time. While there are those who see all the time that they spend away from work is leisure time, the truth is only a small percentage of this time is essentially spent for leisure. Some of the time spared after work can be used to do other activities that are crucial to our survival, say eating or sleeping. As an activity, leisure does not entail life maintenance tasks such as sleeping or general house cleaning. Leisure in this case means the activities that we engage in for relaxation, growth, meditating, competition, engaging in certain sport activity, painting and so on. These tasks are not done for our existence but for fun. As an activity, leisure is solely dependent on an individual. As a state of mind, it relates to the above definition in that leisure is dependent on an individual’s perception of what they are doing and whether they perceive that to be leisure. Concepts that come into play here include perceived freedom or competence, intrinsic motivation, and the positive effect of the activity. Remember it is the above effect that helps the individual knows whether a certain experience was pleasurable to them. To elaborate a little on the above, we would say that in perceived freedom, the individual is free to choose the activity they want to engage in without any obligation to do so. In intrinsic motivation, the individual is not influenced by any external force to engage in a given activity and that such motivation comes from within. Perceived competence refers to an individual

The pros and cons of globalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The pros and cons of globalism - Essay Example It extends to all forms of activities such as commercial, financial, or even religious as well as cultural. Such a development over the years has broadened the scope of human activities significantly thus giving rise to higher consumer expectations. One of the key reasons behind the sudden spurt in globalization is the range of technological innovations in the recent years, which has helped in transcending boundaries by breaking down barriers and made it possible for various businesses to take shape and reach a wider audience. The fact that technological revolutions have single handedly revolutionized the global arena has been documented by various authors and researchers alike (Langhorne, 2001). The internet revolution which has given rise to e-Business and e-Commerce has helped in creating global virtual communities These communities are known to display a strongly developed sense of awareness and play a vital role in participating in matters such as political as well as economic d iscourses, thus becoming a strong dominant force in enforcing their perspectives in matters related to public policies. The development of enterprise application systems, wireless communications technology as well as a range of effective business software have enabled the businesses to cater to the large and varied requirements of their consumers, in the fastest way possible. People have now taken to shopping online and expect their orders to be shipped to them as fast as possible. The marketing department has found a new virtual ground for aggressively advertising their products, while the company management are now aiming to sell their products virtually. Global connectivity has expanded the business hours and now provide for a new 24/7 working schedule thus, implying the intensity of competition in the global marketplace. Furthermore, technological advancement has also afforded various countries to enter into economic partnerships with each other for the provision of goods and se rvices, thus paving way for international e-commerce (Tompkins, 2007). Globalization also signifies the tendency of businesses to invest their funds in projects and avenues which are beyond their national boundaries and venture into international territories, thus expanding their scope to different markets worldwide. The proponents of globalization have termed such a change as a positive influence especially with respect to the developing nations, who can now avail the opportunities afforded to them, to develop faster by co-coordinating with the industrialized nations. However, the opponents of globalization on the other hand, have countered this recent development stating that it acts as a barrier for a nation's progress, questions its sovereignty and paves way for the development of other nations by compromising / trading the local jobs for cheaper jobs off shore. This paper on the ‘Good and bad of globalism’ seeks to assess and analyze the perspectives presented by T homas Friedman in his book ‘The World is Flat’ and derive conclusions regarding the actual impact of globalization in contemporary times. The World is Flat: Thomas Friedman's book "The World is Flat" examines and assess the various facets of globalization, and serves as a guide to those at the helm of affairs to analyze and introspect their policies and their resultant impact on the economies of their respective nations. Friedman states that there are various forces which has led the world to become flat. He has refers these

Uniqlo in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

Uniqlo in the Philippines Essay Uniqlo is a Japanese company that brings great casual wear to people and around the world. Their target market is for everyone. Young or old, class a b and c. Uniqlo retail store is very in nowadays, especially here in the Philippines. Because last June 15, 2012 they open their store at Mall of Asia Philippines and they’re giving away tote bags to the first 500 daily customers from June 15 to 17 and to shoppers with a minimum single receipt of Php2,000 for free. They make a strategy that other retail store not been made. Their stores have many counters for cashiers, because they want to make their transactions very fast. It’s also one way of their customer service, at the same time before they open their store they have lots of billboards, advertisement in newspapers, posting in the internet, etc. so people might aware to their new store. Maybe we are asking, are Uniqlo can affect the sales of other retail store when it comes to casual wear? The answer is yes, but just in the limited time. Maybe we are aware that most Filipino is likely to buy imported stuff. When Mango (U.S. brand) is opened here in the Philippines, Filipinos love to go there and buy clothes, when Forever 21 (Korean brand) is also opened, you can see that Filipinos are wearing their apparel too, and now Uniqlo (Japanese brand) is opened they said they want to be how Japanese wear clothes, because they said that in Paris, and Korea they just copied the style how Japanese people wearing their clothes and Maybe the real case of why Filipinos are buying stuff from different stores is that they want to be in always. Their behavior is unpredictable and they feel that if they’re wearing other country’s brands of clothes, bag, and shoes they are like (sosyal) the Uniqlo Company said in the internet that they studying peoples behavior when it comes to buying apparels. That’s why in their store opening last June 15, 2012 they give away lots of bag, because they studied that Filipinos are love to have freebies. They captured the heart of many Filipinos who live near at moa, some of them their customers too are from different residence in metro manila. And I know why they opened their store at moa. Because of convenience, Uniqlo wants to target the north and the south area of metro  manila. At the same time the price of their clothes are very reasonable why it is ok to buy them at a high cost. The cotton of their clothes is very soft and it not that thin when you wear it, the styles is also very nice compared to other retail stores, they have lots of variances when it comes to men’s wear than women. Because they said Japanese men are more fashionable than women and that’s the thing they want to teach to Filipino people that it’s not sin if men are vainer than women. To conclude the things that Uniqlo want to tell to people is that. They more new quality that can market to people around the world and more good customer service if no one retail store does.