Bumrungrad International Hospital

TEAM Pangaea Vanguard Hospital IT Infrastructure: Problems, and Implementations Prepared For A]. Therapy Piccalilli Dry. Scripps Planking's An Daddy Honorable English Instructors Prepared By Terrace Tiramisu Eukaryote Lackawanna Chauncey Returnable's Picaroon Running Natal Superpose Contents Introduction There is no doubt that technology has become a great part in our lives, and the importance of it is admittedly increasing as time passes by. The longer the time passed, the more essential technology will be toward our dally routines.When It comes to Information Technology or IT, It Is hard to believe that there Is someone out here who did not actually know about IT. The definition of IT, according to Walked, Is simply the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other computer or the network of computers, but it includes all the technologies that help distributing the information, for instance, televisions and telephones.Therefore, there are actually a bunch of industries related to information technology, no matter if they are computer hardware and software, internet, e-commerce and other computer-based services. As same as technology, IT has been developing continuously during the past years and the range of the applications is getting wider and wider day by day. Nowadays, many companies adapted the IT system into their company as the communication is the key in developing a successful organization. With the help of IT system, people inside the organization could communicate with each other faster, easier, and more reliable.The loss of communication, or even a small glitch in the communication process, might slow down the decision making process which, in some cases, could mean the termination of the company itself. In comparison, if any company has a good IT system in their possession, the company could accomplish so much beyond imagination; the company m ight be capable of working more systematically and have the upper hand in the competition. Thus, the IT system is considered one of many significant factors in bringing more revenue to a company and guaranteeing the well-being of a company as well.From the vision of the executive manager of Vanguard Hospital, the economy of Thailand could be substantially developed which the results could be seen in the near future. As a consequence, they gathered all the people involved in the placement of the hospital and came up with the plan for the business in order to make sure that the hospital has the capability to handle the continuous growth in the amount of patients in each year in effective manner. For the current situation, it seems like it is the best opportunity for the IT to save the day†¦Company Description Vanguard Hospital Public Company Limited (the â€Å"Company') runs a famous private hospital business in Bangkok, Vanguard Hospital. The hospital was established in 17th Se ptember 1980 in the form of private hospital on Summit Road, which is considered as one of many business districts in Bangkok. In an average of 1. 1 million patients (both inpatients and outpatients) were accommodated by this hospital annually; about half of the figure is foreigners from over 190 countries globally. In the past 2013, the company earned around 14,651 million baht from the given services.The hospital started in 1980 with 200-bed facility with 90 million Thai baht investment. Currently, the hospital has approximately 580 authorized bed and support the total capacity of over 5,500 outpatients daily. On the 1st January 1997, the ewe main facility building named â€Å"Bandager International† was first utilized. The 12-storey building is known to be the largest private hospital compound in Southeast Asia which is equipped with underground parking lot and the international standard rooftop helipad for helicopter landing. Later on, in 2008, the outpatient clinic facil ity was opened.This outpatient clinic facility is a 21 -storey building with a parking lot that supports about 700 cars, spacious sky lobby on the 10th floor for business negotiation, international medical cooperation, and even visa extension services, and extensive range of sophisticated medical equipment. The cashier and the pharmacy customers. Moreover, other than Wi-If, LCD directories, and TV's, there is also an automated lab so provided faster and more liable results allowing the doctors to access the customers' files from inside their exam rooms.With the utmost concern about the quality of the health care services given by the hospital, this company pays extra attention in the process of recruiting the physicians and staffs. Presently, there are more than 4,800 employees, 1,200 internationally certified doctors and dentists, and 900 nurses working inside the hospital. Since the company has been kicked off, the company has been continuously providing complete healthcare servic es for both inpatients and outpatients with extra precautions.Taken all of dedication into account, there is no question that this company is one of the leading health care providers in Thailand and in Southeast Asia. According to Oversimplifications. Com, Vanguard Hospital is considered one of the world's popular medical tourism destinations. In the past 2012, the hospital serviced about 520,000 international patients who seek for high quality, International standard services, and the lower cost healthcare. Vanguard Hospital is the first Thai candidate that received the US standard certification from Joint Commission International OIC Accreditation).The hospital has also been given the Chic's Clinical Care Program Certification (CAP) for specialties programs including the Primary Stroke Program, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Diabetes Mellitus Type I and II and Chronic Kidney Disease Stage I to ‘V. Other than that, the hospital also received many accreditations from many other famous institutions in both international and domestic levels, including the Thai Hospital Accreditation (HA). The company later Joined the public market and being enlisted on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1989.The majority shareholders in the hospital can be classified into companies in Thailand and other countries such as Bangkok Dusts Medical Services Public Company Limited, Bangkok Insurance Public Company Limited, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited and the Sycophantic family, which is one of Thailand leading business families, Limited, and HASH (Singapore) Nominees Pete Ltd. Mission, Principle, and Policy The hospital was established with the main objective to make sure the world class tankard healthcare service would be provided to the customers with care and compassion.It has been operating with the following principles: 1 . Strive to exceed our customer's expectations 2. Committed to our Medical and Hospital staffs welfare, education, training and development. 3. Contin uously improve the safety and quality of the services. 4. Strive for professional excellence and innovation in the services. 5. Embrace cultural diversity with Thai hospitality. 6. Strive to make the services† World Class†. 7. Being trustworthy, honest, and act ethically in all the dealings 8. Work as a team ND share what is known. 9. Highly value the corporate social responsibilities (CARS) 10.Operate in an environmentally responsible manner. After reading the points above, it might seem like all the company thinking is about themselves, but actually, the company has also been operating with the global environment and conserve energy and natural resources. To make sure that the environment will be properly preserved, the hospital maintains a serious aim to follow the regulation enacted by the government and the world standards. Moreover, the hospital is also very careful about the water management system to prevent the eater streams nearby the hospital from getting poll uted and affect the neighboring community.Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS) Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS), in a nutshell, is the responsibility towards the society and the environment of an organization. In other words, CARS is a systematic management under good morals, which leads to a sustainable development of an organization. For Vanguard Hospital, the Vanguard Hospital Foundation (UHF) was set up in May 1990 as the CARS of the company. The UHF is a registered non-profit foundation founded by the founders of Vanguard International Hospital.The foundation is involved in many charitable activities for those unprivileged Thai citizen all around the country who did not receive a proper healthcare services with the intention to promote their well-being and to give them proper knowledge of being healthy. Any donation made to this foundation can be used to reduce the tax (tax-deductible). Recent fund-raising programs and activities of this foundation are as follows: 1 . 5 0 Pediatric Heart Surgeries: This is a follow up campaign after the 72 Pediatric Heart Surgeries. In this campaign, 50 unprivileged people will be selected to get the heart surgery without being charged a single baht. 72 Pediatric Heart Surgeries 3. â€Å"Mend-A-Broken Heart† Charity Heart Surgeries: This campaign was established in 2001. In cooperation between UHF and other business entities, 20 unprivileged people were selected to get free heart surgery. 4. Thompson Fund Mobile Free Clinic: The UHF and Thompson Fund cooperatively sent out mobile free clinic to give medical care to 100,000 people in underprivileged area. 5. Charity Medical Relief: The UHF and the Bangkok Insurance Company work together to send out the officers to help many people in Saxon angora and Musician province every single year.They also introduce them to more Job opportunity and offer them chances to improve their quality of life. 6. Patients in Need: The foundation offers the financial aids to those who are in need of medical assistance but cannot afford the medical treatments. Other than offering decent healthcare to those who are unprivileged, the foundation also aids those people in the field of education by giving them proper education, training, and also scholarships for children with insufficient budget. This foundation gets the money from the donations received from the patients of the hospital, other business entities, and even each individual person.Anyhow, the foundation does not only rely on the donations but also fund-raisin events and charitable art exhibitions. Additionally, the UHF also concern about those who are underprivileged in other countries as they have started charity such as, eyes operation for Laos kid who got a piece of the bomb embedded in the eyeball. Current Status, Direction, and Goals Judging from the information above, it can be clearly seen that the status of this company is on the rising trend with increasing number of patients in each year.I t seems like the longer humans live in this cruel world, the more â€Å"natural selection† is Charles Darwin which simply implies that only the strongest will survive. More people are getting infected by some new diseases that no one has ever seen before. In fact, it is undeniable that no matter how strong a person is, everyone needs to be treated by doctors even once in a blue moon. Thus, the healthcare provider as Vanguard Hospital is becoming more and more profitable compared to other good or service providers.This is the main reason why Vanguard Hospital is keeping on developing the hospital to provide better healthcare services to those who needed to be treated. Position in the Strategic Impact Grid The Development of Vanguard Hospital's IT System In the year 1997: The hospital was facing trouble as Thailand faced the economic crisis as it affects the middle class people which are considered the main customer base of the hospital. Thus, all the people chose the hospital that is operated by the government with lower payment.Under the circumstances, the hospital saw the opportunity to expand the customer base to international level. At the end of this period, the hospital received ISO 9000 Certification. In the year 1999: The hospital started to use the internet as the mean for information distribution. At the time, the hospital's website had been visited for about 800 views per day. In the next revolution, the hospital brought in the US IT Consultant Service and started up the company called Global Care Solution (GAS) in Thailand for assembling the system for the hospital.Later on, during December of the same year, the â€Å"Hospital 2000† was implemented as a substitute for the older platform. The software was regarded as the first hospital system that connects everything together from the front office, system for doctors, pharmacist, nurses, and radiologist, patients' registration, time schedule of the operating room, exam room, and wards t o the patients' profiles. The hospital invested on 450 clients to be set up around different sections of the hospital. In the year 2002-2004: The Hospital 2000 system was developed to support PASS (Picture Archive Communication System).The hospital got reward from the Intelligent Enterprise Asia magazine for being 1 in 20 top organizations that uses IT to maximize the ability to provide the services to the customers. The hospital also got an appraised from CIO Asia for being top 100 organizations that implemented the hospital information system. In the late 2003, the hospital invested on another 450 clients which causes less system breakdown as increase the uptime for 99. 99% In the year 2007: Microsoft took over the Global Care Solution (GAS).As a result, Vanguard Hospital is now not only a user but also another invisible hand in the development of the system. In the year 2008: Microsoft started launching â€Å"Microsoft Amalgam† which is the combination of Xiii and Hospital 2000. The hospital also started using more sophisticated technologies inside the outpatient facility, for instance, Wife internet, LCD directories, automated lab for more precise and faster exults, online patient registry, diagnostic image that the doctors can access. Later on, management for inpatients. The idea of using robot came up from the concern the safety of the patient.From implementing the robot, the hospital can spend less time on the medicine of each patient. Other than that, the hospital also started up the laptop rental service for the inpatients. The laptop was designed to use inside the hospital as it is attached to the table on the side of the patient's bed and it is equipped with silicone keyboard, sterilized optical mouse, WebMD for video conference, and voice-over system. Hospital 2000 Hospital 2000 is the system specialized for hospital systems with the scope of almost every activity inside the hospital.For the usage inside the hospital, the system has the capa bility to handle the information of the patients or other employees, transaction processes, accounting, pharmacy, registrations, human resources, and even the patient transfer processes inside the clinic. All these sub functions are collected inside one big database in one system that supports almost every language available on this world. Microsoft Amalgam Hospital Information System (Amalgam HIS) Amalgam HIS is the developed version of Hospital 2000.This sophisticated system was designed to systematically take care of the IT system inside the hospital by collecting all the necessary data inside the database. Amalgam HIS was created based on the Electronic Medical Record (EMMER) which is composed to patient management, bed management, operating room management, pharmaceutical management, and even management system for radiologists. In addition, the system is also capable of storing and transferring the image data (IRIS/PASS), doing some complex accounting calculation, and managing both inventories and human resources.PASS (Picture Archive Communication System) is the system produced to digitally store the medical images and x-rays results without using any film. By using this system, the doctors could access the images by using the Internet from remote distance. In addition, the system also allows the long-term storage. In the normal situation, where the physical films are used to store the images, the images could be changed or damaged as time passed by and not to mention that it took so long to find the record in the form physical films whenever it is needed.Thus, using PASS will elf ease out all the processes for easy retrieval and increase reliability. Current IT Infrastructures At the moment, Vanguard Hospital is using the Amalgam Hospital Information System (Amalgam HIS). This system has been implemented in the hospital since 1997. Thus, the information system for Vanguard Hospital is considered an essential component in the management processes that oc cur inside the hospital. It is clearly seen that if it is not because of the marvelous IT system, the hospital might not be able to come this far as one of the best hospitals in Southeast Asian region.The actors who are involved in the system are as follows: 1 . Doctors: The Amalgam System takes a great part in helping the doctors to look at the overview of the profile of each patient. The doctor can glance at the profile of the patient and suddenly have the idea of who they are treating which will prevent any mistakes from happening. Another good point is that the doctor can write the medicinal prescriptions and schedule the next appointment via the online system.The appointment and the prescription will then be sent to the cashier and the pharmacy so that the patient will safety of the patient, the system also provides options for the doctors available for operating the patient as each doctor has different specialty and different schedule. The system will filter out the doctors wh o are the best for operating each specific patient. However, it does not mean that every doctor knows how to use the system. The elder doctors might not be accustomed to using the IT system and the part-time doctors might think that it is unnecessary to learn how to use the system as the come from time to time.To handle this problem, the hospital decided not to banish the old IS system which is manually writing the prescriptions and recording the patients' records. The information recorded manually will be transferred to the QUA department in which the information will be recorded into the system to make sure that the information of the patient will be available by the next time the customer uses the hospital service again Just as same as other patient that the information were recorded by the doctors.By implementing this IT system, it ensures that the hospital is using its resources of 1,200 doctors efficiently and the customers can be assured that the appropriate healthcare will b e given to them as the total amount of the patients will be distributed equally among doctors to ensure the maximum ability n providing the services. 2. Hospital Officers: Every hospital employee is obligated to know how the system works no matter if they are the receptionists, accountants, nurses, radiologists, pharmacist, or even human resources.All the officers will have to work in harmony to be able to maintain the fast-paced work and provide the information needed in a short period of time. Although all the systems are connected together, it does not mean that everyone will be seeing the same information. As an example, this is what happens in steps when Mr.. A visited Dry. B. Mr.. A visited Dry. B in he year 2012 with the symptoms of Acute Tuberculosis. Later on, in 2014, Mr.. A came back to the hospital again with the intestinal infection which he was assigned to Dry. C. Dry. C will be able to see the whole medical report of Mr..A including the medicines that he is allergic t o, who was his former doctors, what were his symptoms, and all the medical implications. When Dry. C wrote the medical prescription, the lists of medicine will be sent to the cashier and the pharmacy. The pharmacy will only see the lists of the medicine that Mr.. A will get so that they could pack everything he deed while the cashier will only see the list of the medicines and the price so that Mr.. A will be charged correctly. These two departments would not be able to see the medical report related to Mr.. A. When the pharmacy packed all the medicine for Mr..A, the total amount of each medicine inside the inventories will be updated which will be easier to keep track of all the drugs inside the stocks to prevent those drugs from running out. In case that the report is needed, the system also provide the function to generate the report of the patients who were treated by Dry. C in each day. With the help of the system, all the information from the doctors to other departments and e mployees will be synchronized which will increase the speed, reliability, precision, and accuracy of the service that will be provided in daily routines. . Patients: Other than hospital's employees, another actor that cannot be neglected is the patients. Patients are considered an important part in the development of the hospital system as the system was designed for convenience of the customers and to reduce the waiting time. Moreover, in case that the patient is ready to be transferred perhaps in the form of hard copies or CDC. While those data re being transferred, the copy of the data will still be inside the hospital system in case that the patients wanted to be transferred back for further medical treatments. . Executives: When it comes to the executive officers of the hospital, it is important that they can get the overall status report of the hospital whenever it is needed. The report that is provided by Amalgam HIS is in the form of interactive report in which the executive can sit back and relax as the report generated will make the analysis process a whole lot easier. For simplicity, the interpretation will be made from the data collected from each patient.As soon as the report reaches the executives, for example the CEO, the CEO will be able to notice the trend of the symptoms at the moment so that the hospital can be prepared for the situation that might happen in the future. 5. The competitors: The competitors of Vanguard Hospital are not only private hospitals but also those hospitals that operate by the government. It is easy to say that Vanguard hospital is one of the first hospitals that implemented the hospital information system. But as time passes by, the IT system becomes more affordable for every organization.The competition becomes more and more intense s more hospitals also implemented the IT system which will introduce newer dimensions of giving the services to the customers luring in more customers. Though the system that the other u sed might not be as good as what Vanguard implemented but it surely enough to become more frightful business competitor. Workflow inside the Hospital 1 . Make an appointment: The patients can choose whether they want to make an appointment using telephones or using the online services. For the foreigners, they can make schedule an appointment on www. Vanguard. Mom where they can select the doctors that they wanted to get treated from. . The patient reached the hospital: When the patients arrived at the hospital, they need to hand in the patient card or tell them the patient id in which the id will be keyed into the system to report that this patient has already arrived at the hospital and is ready to be called into the examination room. 3. Preparation of the patient's profile: As soon as the patients have confirmed an appointment with the hospital, the hospital needs to prepare the profile of that patient before they even reached the hospital.With the information, the nurse in each counter will be able to make a schedule for the doctor and get the attain ready whenever they arrived at the hospital. 4. Seeing the doctor: The doctors inside the examination room will be able to see how many patients are waiting for the examination. Moreover, the doctors also can access the profile of each patient to see the former medical diagnosis, drug allergic history, all the taken lab results which can be changed into the form of graphs for analysis. 5.Lab & X-Ray results: Whenever the doctors see that the extra labs need to be tested on the patient, the direct order from the doctor will be sent directly to the lab and x-rays room. Nowadays, there are many technologies and one many interesting breakthroughs is the digital x-rays which allows the doctors to get the x-rays results digitally without using any film. 6. Payment: When the patients got the medical care that they need, the payment information and the information about the patients' insurance will be sent to the acco unting and financial department.In this step, the patients queuing sit still and wait for the system to manage their queues and call out their names. 7. Get the medicines: Practically, when the doctors ordered the medicine, the prescriptions will be automatically sent to the pharmacy. Thus, the patients can get their medicine as soon as the patients made the payment. 8. Executive operations: The executive officers can access the system to get the overall analysis of the current situation for management and make plans for the future.In the data analysis, the system will use the system called OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) which is already pre-equipped in the Microsoft SQL Server. OLAP helps the executives in gathering the information from the data warehouse for analysis, for instance, the proportions between domestic and international patients, the nation where the international patient are from so that the hospital will be able to get the translators ready for assisting the int ernational patients who are incapable of communicating directly with the doctors.Hardware Development For optimum efficiency, the hospital chose the computer system from Dell which is believed to be more stable compare to other brands. Since the computer system from Dell has been implemented, the hospital admitted that the expenses of the hospital were enormously reduced that the left hospital with enough budget to invest on another secondary storage station, which will manage the data in real-time manner, to prevent any system failure. In the hospital system, there consisted of 4 servers from Dell, 1 main memory, and 6 desktop computers connected in the form of cluster.Moreover, the hospital also set up extra 450 computers around the hospital to support the increasing amount of patients. For maximum functionality and for ease of accesses, the hospital also spent some amount of money on 100 laser printers and 120 scanners to keep the data of the patients. In the term of system funct ionality, if in case of an emergency that the power supply of the system was cut off, the system will be automatically shut down and rely will cause devastating damages to the system. Thus, the hospital made the decision to use the Infrastructure system offered by the APPC.The Infrastructure is the architectural design for data center IT room, which is scalable and adaptable, that dramatically reduces time and complexity from concept and design through installation. This Infrastructure system is composed of 2 40 KAVA N+l Redundancy UPS systems. The two systems are working in harmony in load sharing manner. Each UPS system will be powered from different sources from different sides of the building to ensure the maximum security from the electrical problems that might occur.If something happened to the first UPS, the other UPS will be able step up and take all the workload. From doing so, there is less probability of system failure and all the systems that are essential for providing the services to the customer will work continuously. Another good point of this APPC system is that there is built-in self-test software called â€Å"Powerhouse† which will automatically do the self-test to find if there is any hardware in the system needs replacement.If the software found out that there is actually a hardware that needed to be replaced, the software will notify the arson who is in charge of taking care of the data center to replace the hardware without turning off the whole system. For the linkage of the system, Vanguard Hospital entrusted the Motorola, Inc. To together, the hospital used more than 300 wireless switches and access points. For the switch, the Motorola REFORMS Wireless Next Generation, which is capable of layer-3 roaming, was utilized.The layer-3 mobility allows the users to roam without losing its IP address and sessions which is great for large areas with many stories as the users can use the network while they are walking with the maximum b andwidth ND noise-free. This is considered as something that can benefit the hospital in the long run. This wireless system can be used not only by the users but also the doctors and other staffs as well to ensure the availability of the data in real-time in the range of 90,000 square meters of the hospital's area.For security issue which is the main key in the designing process of the hospital system, the security system invented by Motorola, the Wireless Intrusion Protection System (WIPES), is taking care of everything Software Development As has been mentioned above, the hospital has implemented the Amalgam HIS to ease up the work processes of the doctors and other employees by making everything faster, more convenient, more effective, more precise, and easier for maintenance. Not to mention that using the system will also make the communication with the users more understandable and more cost-effective.The system works dependently with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Micro soft SQL Server 2000, which is the software for managing the database. All information will be kept inside one big database inside the IT department which causes the hospital system to be in the form of computerized system in which every department ND every computer can communicate with each other via computer system. No matter in what direction that the patients were leaded to, the computer system can help the hospital to prepare what is needed in a short period of time.Nowadays, many people are getting treated by the hospital in each day which means high amount of the transaction between each department in each day. Thus, the system needs to be scalable; the hospital can add in more machines or take out some machines to be appropriate with the number of patients at the specific period of time. In the software perspective, the system needs to be adaptable, reliable and e ready for any further system expansion in the future. The Amalgam HIS can be divided into 3 tiers. . Presentatio n Tier: This tier includes all the 1,000 work station across the hospital which are used to get the data by accessing the central database of the Amalgam HIS that is set up of the machine that runs on Microsoft Windows 2000. 2. Middle Tier: The middle tier is in between the presentation tier and the database. Here, the Windows Server will be regarded as the Transaction server which is the main medium in managing the flow of the transactions that are being sent to the database.When the transactions were generated, they will be sent to different servers to prevent one specific server from overloading. An extra server can be added whenever it is needed to handle the customers' need without having to shut down the whole system. All in all, the hospital got a lot of assistance from the software from Microsoft as the software allows the hospital system to work faster, more consistent, more precise, and also help the hospital to control the number of employees needed inside the hospital. 3 . Database Tier: All the information that will be processed by the

Recent Basketball-related Research: The Vertical Jump Essay

On a message forum that I frequent, I continually see trainers touting the Vertimax as the solution to all vertical jump problems for basketball players. There are two issues with this: McClenton et al. (2008) compared depth-jump training to Vertimax training and found: Depth jump training twice weekly for 6 weeks is more beneficial than VertiMax jump training for increasing vertical jump height. Strength professionals should focus on depth jump exercises in the short term over commercially available devices to improve vertical jump performance. McClenton, L.S., Brown, L.E., Coburn, J.W., & Kersey, R.D. (2008). The effect of short-term VertiMax vs. depth jump training on vertical jump performance. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22 (2), 321-325. Carlson et al. (2009) compared strength training, plyometric training, and jump training with a VertiMax and found: The findings of this study demonstrate that there is no difference in vertical jump among strength training, plyo metric training, and jump training over a 6-week timeframe. Carlson, K., Magnusen, M. & Walters, P. (2009). Effect of Various Training Modalities on Vertical Jump. Research in Sports Medicine: An International Journal, 17 (2), 84-94. One issue with the second study is the use of plyometrics, as that has become a colloquial term that has lost meaning (Flanagan & Comyns, 2008). Many plyometrics exercises use the slow stretch-shortening cycle (as would VertiMax) with ground contact time longer than 250 milliseconds and large angular displacements (Schmidtbleicher, 1994), whereas depth jumps utilize a fast stretch-shortening cycle with ground contacts between 100-250 ms and small angular displacements (Schmidtbleicher, 1994). The above results would suggest the need for fast SSC training to improve vertical-jump performance over a six-week training cycle. This does not mean that the VertiMax is without use or a bad product. However, plyometric boxes are a much less expensive purchase that can elicit the same or improved benefits, at least over a six-week training program. Secondly, and of primary importance, McGill et al. (2012) found that the broad jump predicted basketball performance measures better than the vertical jump in college basketball players: Dependent variables of performance indicators (such as games and minutes played, points scored,  assists, rebounds, steal, and blocks) and injury reports were tracked for the subsequent 2 years. Results showed that better performance was linked with having a stiffer torso, more mobile hips, weaker left grip strength, and a longer standing long jump, to name a few. McGill, S.M., Andersen, J.T., & Horne, A.D. (2012). Predicting Performance and Injury Resilience From Movement Quality and Fitness Scores in a Basketball Team Over 2 Years. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 26 (7), 1731–1739. The implication of the second study is to suggest that vertical-jump performance is not of primary performance to basketball performance, and other qualities such as change-of-direction speed, balance, and acceleration likely have more to do with on-court performance. Flanagan, E.P. & Comyns, T.M. (2008). The use of contact time and the reactive strength index to optimise fast stretch-shortening cycle training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 30, 33-38. Schmidtbleicher, D. (1994). Training for power events. In P. Komi (Ed.), Strength and Power in Sport (381-395). London: Blackwell Scientific.

Coketown

Coketown Coketown is a novel written by Charles Dickens in 1854. Coketown is a description of a typical town in the Victorian age after the industrial revolution which occurred during the 18th century. Charles Dickens describes the other side of the coin during the Victorian age by using figure of speech in his description of the town: â€Å"Coketown [†¦] was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but, at matters stood it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. (line 1-3) He uses the figure of speech to describe how the smoke and ashes have painted the red bricks black, by comparing the colors with a â€Å"savage†. By doing this, Charles Dickens makes the description more accurate because the reader gets an even better picture of what it is he is trying to describe. Charles Dickens uses figure of speech numerous times. Among other things he compares a mad elephants’ head mov ement with the monotonously movement of a steam-engine and describes the many factories as â€Å"vast piles of building full of windows. The text is in general very melancholic, and it really makes the Victorian age look like rubbish. Charles Dickens is probably trying to show, that with the factories and the new way of life, life has become much more planned and organized but not necessarily better, because the individuality is gone and every day is like the one before: â€Å"inhabited by people equally like one another, who all went in and out at the same hours, with the same sound upon the pavements, to do the same work, and to whom every day was the same as yesterday and tomorrow, and every year the counterpart of the last and the next. †(line 10-13)

Issues of poverty in U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issues of poverty in U.S - Essay Example In the year 2003, the rate stood at 63 percent from a previous 42 percent in the mid 1990s.Research by OECD indicates that with the formation of the coalition government, the GDP growth rose to 7.8 percent in 2011 as a result of the economic recovery in the country. Uganda has seen a lot of improvements with the poverty rates declining to 31.1% in 2006 as compared to 56% in the early 1990s. World Bank (2011) indicates that the country is likely to attain the millennium goals set by the year 2015. As compared to U.S.A. the poverty levels in India have decreased. This is according to World Bank (2011) who indicates that in India, through the process of poverty reduction has been slow; the government is doing its level best to hasten the pace of poverty reduction. This work also emphasizes that the reduction of poverty in India has improved as contrasted to the earlier periods. Even though the country is rated as one of the poorest in the globe, poverty cutback is an explanation of the fact that the proviso of services will get better, ranging from health services to

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan - Essay Example Given the portrayal of language skills by Tan, one cannot help but agree with the authoress. The bonds associated with language and the resulting personalized recognition is all too common in everyone’s life. One major issue faced by immigrant families is that it may not be possible for all members of the family to speak flawless English as indicated in the essay by Tan. In order to shed light on this concept, she quotes a story narrated by her mother. The story itself was trivial but the noteworthy point was her mother’s grammatical errors. The content was quite hard to decipher due to those grammatical mistakes; however, the authoress asserts that her mother apparently had an excellent grip over English. As a child, her mother’s â€Å"broken† English mortified Tan. She considered that imperfection of speech actually depicted imperfection of thoughts. On the other hand, her mother encouraged her to think distinctively. Years later, she appreciates the ess ence of unique thinking and academically studies English. It was at this point in time that she recognized the meaningfulness and worth of being able to use various types of English Language, and started appreciating her mother’s potential. Their broken English symbolizes a language of intimacy between them, where they can speak anything grammatically wrong to covey something special. This newfound love and knowledge compelled her to write about her mother, â€Å"I wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imager, the rhythms of her speech, and the nature of her thoughts†. Tan was so inspired by her mother’s heritage that she resolved that her mother should be the first reader and critic. She states at the end, â€Å"I knew I had succeeded where it counted when my mother finished reading my book and gave me her verdict: so easy to read†. All of us undergo similar experiences, carrying hidden treasures wit hin us and sometimes being away or detached from our roots enables us to appreciate the true worth of those treasures. Tan's fundamental purpose in writing is to produce texts, which are comprehensible for a ‘common man’ like her mother. I was touched and captivated by the true to life context of Tan’s work. It is primarily directed at immigrant families and students who use English as a second language for studying and the like. However, for the authoress, her mother is the most imperative target. She appears to have contemplated extensively on the power and role of language and expresses her perspective through this essay. She maintains that the importance of a language does not lie in its being broken or perfect. She emphasizes familial languages should be protected, preserved. English enabled her to gain knowledge, recognize the world around her; hence, she considered it her mother tongue. The tone of the authoress is sentimental as the essay revolves around her personal experiences. Thereby, several statements and reviews based on her past are illustrated as she writes in the start, â€Å"I cannot give you much more than personal opinions†. It appears that the authoress has an additional objective, to express gratitude.

Few topics. African American Identities, African Immigration and Research Paper

Few topics. African American Identities, African Immigration and Diaspora, Africans becoming Americanized and losing culture - Research Paper Example Besides, the paper will talk about how African Americans today do not really accept their African side and want to be ‘Americanized’. It is also noted that in many instances, African American look down upon or dislike pure Africans and this is equally to be analyzed. Besides, the migration into America in search of employment or settlement in Diaspora is of concern to this paper. The 1807 abolition of slave trafficking into the US marked a great step in defining the future of the Africans who would often find their way to America as slaves. The abolition also allowed the slaves then to settle there and this marks the main origin of African Americans although scores of other Africans have latter settled in the US intentionally, or as the law allows either in search of employment opportunities, education, as refugees or seeking asylum or for such other reasons as. There is however a disparity that is pointed out between the native African Americans especially who are citizens by birth and the immigrants. History depicts a ‘bad’ past for the African Americans who faced among other things prejudice from the whites based on the skin color. In fact, despite having rightfully settled and acquired the American citizenship, history shows how the racial discrimination has been a feature in the country. The discrimination and or treatment accorded to the African Americans by the white would be based on identity. However, great changes have been witnessed with great persons of African origin rising to heights of influence in the nation with the most current being the president. This shows a great evolution with the African Americans now actively participating merely in all aspects of life and politics being the most influential. The African-American identity has slowly gained acceptance among the whites in the country hence explaining even the policy frameworks that allow even new immigrants of

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship Essay

Gender Influences Entry into Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The paper tells that since ages various strategies are being adopted in order to rectify the inequality existing among the genders In this regard, it has been further acknowledged that women are essentially considered as the key source pertaining to ideas, innovations, and abilities among others. However, it has been determined that the scholars of entrepreneurship endure limited understanding with respect to the underlying factors along with the relevant decisions being made. In fact in the recent discussions, it is ascertained that leadership associated with the entrepreneurship reflects the characteristics of a gender. With the advent of modernization, the world has faced numerous challenges. The entire global economy has undergone major changes after the year 2008. The financial crisis, which the world faced during this period, has accelerated the interests of the people associated with entrepreneurship. In keeping with theories associated with entrepreneurship, it does not refle ct any kind of universal explanation. Nevertheless, entrepreneurship includes diversified approaches in order to describe the behavior of an entrepreneur. Sociology, psychology, economics and regional science among others are few approaches associated with entrepreneurship. Apart from these, the other theories associated with entrepreneurship have been discussed as innovation theory, motivational theory based on the achievement and the acquired needs theory. The basic characteristic of the economic theory includes the presence of favorable economies. It has been discussed that economic along with entrepreneurship growth is analyzed under the economic theory. Correspondingly, economic incentive acts as one of the key motivators related to the entrepreneurial activities. In this regard, it has been further determined that the economic incentives mainly incorporate taxation policy, raw material and industrial policy among others.

Hilton Hotel Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Hilton Hotel Corporation - Case Study Example (Maxwell et al, 2004: p. 168). Hilton International is spread over four global regions including: UK and Ireland; Africa and the Middle East, Europe, Asia Pacific; and the Americas. According to Maxwell and Lyle (2002: p. 251), the strategic objectives central to the business plan include: The above objectives are drilled down to tactical actions on delivery, which in turn demand good people practices in recruitment and assessment, reward and remuneration, career tracking, and discipline and competencies in the Human Resource function. (Maxwell and Lyle, 2002: p. 251). The main objective for the existence of any business like the Hilton Group is to generate superior shareholder value. It was at first believed that the business should do everything possible to satisfy the shareholders and no body else since shareholders are the ones who take maximum business and financial risk by contributing capital to the business. While we agree with this central idea, it must also be noted that the success of every business is dependent on how the business satisfies its customers. The satisfaction of the customer and the shareholder appears to be in conflict but it turns out that shareholder value can only be created if customers are satisfied. Satisfying customers means providing them with the right goods and services at the right prices at the right time and at the right place. Therefore to satisfy the shareholders, the business must begin by satisfying customers. Put in other words, shareholder value can only be created through the creation of customer value . Stemming from a decreasing number of customers, and considering the current competitive marketplace, hotel companies now find it necessary to win the loyalty of the limited number of customers. (Gilbert et al, 1999: p. 25). Following from this we would try to examine how Hilton Hotel International attempts to increase its market share in the existing market given that the customers are limited in number and that their demands are continually changing. The Hilton Hotel has its major focus on the customer. The major assumptions that one can make for the current five years are as follows: that the business wishes to maintain constant growth by 5% annually as measured by Return on equity, Return on Assets, Return on Capital employed, growth in dividends and other important financial ratios. The business also wishes to attract and retain more customers as measured by its market share in the in hotel industry. It also wishes to maintain the most profitable customers providing them with the highest possible value for their money. Another important assumption is that the business wants to maintain a very good relationship with shareholders and other lenders so as to ensure that its cost of borrowing funds (cost of capital) remains at the lowest possible level. This will enable it reduce its business and financial risk as measured by the debt-to-equity ratio, the current ratio and quick ratios as well as the creditor's payment period and retain earnings. Based

ORGANIZATIONAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (QI) PLAN, PART I Research Proposal

ORGANIZATIONAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (QI) PLAN, PART I - Research Proposal Example This paper will specify the hospital’s vision-mission statements, its services and facilities available, the goal of the quality improvement plan, roles of consumers, and the quality indicators available for them. VA Medical Center Vision-Mission According to the Veterans Health Administration, the mission of any VA medical centers is to provide the best quality of medical care to the American veterans. Their vision is carried out through a patient-centered care administered by the teams, wherein the patients in the VA Montgomery are assured that â€Å"every single one gets the best care anywhere† (â€Å"V.A. Healthcare,† 2011) and for evidence-based services suitable for the patient’s medical needs. Accurate medical assessment is what the medical center targets to achieve at any time, in any patient such that they would be given appropriate care and medication. Services Offered and Facilities Available The G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center provide s major medical services for its patients which include â€Å"primary, second and tertiary medical, neurological and mental health inpatient care† (U.S. Department, 2010a). ... Department, 2010b). Goal of the Quality Improvement Plan This improvement plan shall address the challenges of this medical center in the past few years to further uplift its responsibility of providing the best medical care for the patients. Through this two-part plan, this paper aims to have quality services, assurance of safety, accurate medical delivery, knowledgeable line of staff, decrease of infection rate, increase of patient recovery, and continuous medical service for outpatients. Roles of Consumers in Quality Improvement The consumers specified in this plan do not only refer to the patients or the ones having the direct experience of hospital service, but this also looks at the importance a community-wide involvement. Families and persons with direct personal relationships with the patients particularly have roles in the fulfillment of this plan. For example, last year’s controversy about the hospital’s sanitation procedures for all its equipments was questio ned by U.S. Office of Special Counsel (â€Å"Mississippi VA,† 2010) could be negated or proved by the customers through the record of their personal experiences and certain evidences on how they perceive the medical center in its sanitation. External Quality Indicators for Consumers The medical center has provided several quality indicators available to consumers so that they would be able to have a personal assessment on the kind of service quality they are receiving while in the hospital vicinity or the quality of medical attention, in the cases of outpatients. Consumers can contact VHA via anonymous hotline, email, or direct contact with certain officers to

An Overview Of The Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

An Overview Of The Law - Essay Example There are particular safeguards for expectant women. The Act disbars transsexual individuals from being incorporated in gender-specific programs if, by so doing, it would be a fair approach to realizing a legitimate objective. The disabled are also taken care of under the piece of legislation: for instance, organizations are obligated to make appropriate adjustments to the employment area, in order to accommodate the disabled in terms of the easy movement of the group. In light of these initiatives, the Equality Act 2010 is not a new legislation; rather, it seeks to strengthen the already existing non-discrimination legal structures in the country. Even though the Equality Act was crafted based the need to transform Great Britain into a society without discrimination, the lukewarm government response to the implementation of the legislation is likely to hinder the effort and spirit which pioneered its formation. As at now, the law, to some extent, has been rendered ineffectual follow ing the admission by the national government that only some sections of the statute would be put into effect when it was enacted in effect in 2010. The failure by the government to implement the legislation in totality undermines every assurance coalition officers ever gave rooting the philosophy of a non-discriminatory Britain. As intended, sections 71, 77 and 78 of the Act would have prompted big for-profit organizations to ascertain whether they have, within their jurisdiction, before 1970.... As at now, the law, to some extent, has been rendered ineffectual following the admission by the national government that only some sections of the statute would be put into effect when it was enacted in effect in 2010. The failure by the government to implement the legislation in totality undermines every assurance coalition officers ever gave rooting the philosophy of a non-discriminatory Britain. As intended, sections 71, 77 and 78 of the Act would have prompted big for-profit organizations to ascertain whether they have, within their jurisdiction, the discrepancies of pay across gender as witnessed in the country, before 1970 (John et al. 2010, pp21-36). The law had clear provisions that would eliminate pay secrecy, which were and may still be cited by the organizations to conceal discriminatory practices targeted at women regarding remuneration issues (Steele 2010, pp264-274). The government’s suspension of some sections of the law from implementation, arguably to facilit ate a review of the numerous clauses endorsed by legislature early in the second quarter of 2010 is not only suspect but a trigger for the continuation of discriminatory practices in the country. According to Steele (2010, p270), pressure groups and rights organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations indicate that refusing the implementation of the entire law was a clear pointer to the failure on the part of government to commit itself to a fair society. They argue that back-pedalling on the legal provision for multinationals and big organizations to reveal and act on any disparities in remuneration between feminine and masculine workers, negates the letter and spirit of a liberal and fair society. Additionally, the failure carry out gender pay appraisals is

Can a Coffee Shop Brand Developed in Kuwait Become Significant in the Dissertation

Can a Coffee Shop Brand Developed in Kuwait Become Significant in the Global Market - Dissertation Example The food and beverage industry is a major contributor towards growth in all the economies and has witnessed a high and consistent growth rate. The industry is expected to generate CAGR of 3.5% to about $7trillion USD by the year end 2014. With respect to structure of the industry it is highly fragmented and the top market players such as Nestle, Unilever, Kraft and others accounts for only 5% of the total value. The economic downturn also had an adverse impact on industries including the food and beverage industry (IMAP, 2010, p. 4). ... Although the coffee shops have been suffering a setback, but the growth in speciality coffee has resulted mainly from three areas which includes home consumption derived from coffee machines which available to the consumers, new product targeting the young generation and through Quick service cafes or restaurants which serves coffee beverages like lattes and cappuccino attracting the young customers. This trend is being accelerated in the current global coffee market giving rise to high number of coffee outlets selling coffee beverages (Guyer, 2009). For the dissertation â€Å"Kings Coffee Co† is chosen which plans to expand its coffee business in the UK market. Kings Coffee Co is a private organisation and can be categorised under coffee both roasted and green and is located in Safat in Kuwait. The coffee shop has been doing well in Kuwait and plans to expand its business and adopt the internationalisation mode of strategy. Before a brand expand itself into foreign countries it is necessary to evaluate the opportunities in the desired target market and the future opportunities. Thus in order to analyse the future opportunity, the UK coffee market has been analysed to determine growth rate of coffee business and establishment of Kuwait coffee brands in the UK coffee market. Kuwait Coffee Market In Asia, particularly Kuwait, which is predominantly inhabited by Arabs, many are fond of coffee and as a result it is possible that a coffee shop built and developed in Kuwait can flourish with ease. In addition, the growing technological market can help in the growth of the coffee shops globally as many can view its profile online and eventually visit the place and feel part of the achievement. This project proposal tries

Types of dementia and common signs and symptoms Essay Example for Free

Types of dementia and common signs and symptoms Essay The term ‘dementia’ describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain conditions and diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. †¨Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia. Dementia affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80. However, dementia is not restricted to older people: in the UK, there are over 17,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia, although this figure is likely to be an underestimate. Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease affects around 496,000 people in the United Kingdom and is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a physical disease which affects the brain. It was first described by a German neurologist, Alois Alzheimer. During the course of the disease, protein plaques and tangles develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. People with Alzheimer’s also have a shortage of some important chemicals in their brain which are involved with the transmission of messages. †¨Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning that over time more parts of the brain are damaged. As this happens, the symptoms become more severe. †¨People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease may experience lapses of memory and have problems finding the right words. As the disease progresses, some symptoms that a person may experience are: Confusion; frequently forgetting the names of people, places, appointments and recent events. Mood swings; feeling sad or angry, or scared and frustrated by their increasing memory loss. Withdrawal; due to either a loss of confidence or communication problems. Difficulty when carrying out everyday activities; a person with Alzheimer’s may get muddled checking their change at the shops or become unsure how to work the television remote. So far, no one single factor has been identified as a cause for Alzheimers disease. It is likely that a combination of factors including  age, genetic inheritance, environmental factors, lifestyle and overall general health, are responsible. In some people, the disease may develop silently for many years before symptoms appear. Vascular Dementia Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. It is caused by problems in the supply of blood to the brain. Brain cells need a good supply of blood in order to be healthy and function properly. Blood is delivered through a network of blood vessels called the vascular system. If the vascular system within the brain becomes damaged and blood cannot reach the brain cells, the cells will eventually die. This can lead to the onset of vascular dementia. †¨Factors that can increase a person’s risk of developing vascular dementia include: A medical history of stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes (particularly type II), heart problems or sleep apnoea (where breathing stops for a few seconds or minutes during sleep). A lack of physical activity, drinking more that recommended levels of alcohol, smoking, eating a fatty diet or leaving conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes untreated. A family history of stroke or cardiovascular disease. An Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Sri Lankan ethnic background as differences in vascular risk factors (such as heart disease) in these communities may contribute to the increased risk. An African-Caribbean ethnic background. There are different types of vascular dementia: Stroke-related dementia, sub-cortical vascular dementia and mixed dementia (vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease). The difference between these types depends on what has caused the damage in the brain and which part of the brain has been damaged.†¨Common signs and symptoms of vascular dementia may include: Problems with speed of thinking, concentration and communication. Depression and anxiety accompanying the dementia. Symptoms of a stroke, such as physical weakness or paralysis. Seizures. Periods of severe confusion. Visual mistakes and misperceptions (for example, seeing a rug as a pond). Changes in behaviour (for example, restlessness). Difficulties with walking and unsteadiness. Hallucinations and delusions. Problems with continence. Psychological symptoms such as becoming more obsessive. Dementia with Lewy Bodies Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a form of dementia which shares characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It accounts for around 10% of all cases of dementia in older people and tends to be under-diagnosed. †¨Named after the doctor who first identified them in 1912, Lewy bodies are tiny, spherical protein deposits found in nerve cells. Their presence in the brain disrupts the brain’s normal functioning, interrupting the action of important chemical messengers. Lewy bodies are also found in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disease that affects movement. †¨Dementia with Lewy bodies is also a progressive disease, which means that over time the symptoms will become worse. DLB progresses at about the same rate as Alzheimer’s disease, typically over several years. Symptoms of DLB can include: Problems with attention and alertness, often have spatial disorientation and experience difficulty with ‘executive function’, which includes difficulty in planning ahead and co-ordination mental activities. Memory is affected, although it is typically less so than in Alzheimer’s disease. Slowness. muscle stiffness. trembling of the limbs, a tendency to shuffle when walking, loss of facial expression and changes in the strength and tone of the voice. Experience detailed and convincing visual hallucinations, often of people or animals. Find that their abilities fluctuate daily or hourly. Fall asleep very easily by day, and have restless, disturbed nights with confusion, nightmares and hallucinations. Faint, fall or have ‘funny turns’. Researchers have yet to understand fully why Lewy bodies occur in the brain and how they cause damage. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) is a rare form of dementia. Rarer forms of dementia account for around only 5% of all dementia cases in the UK. †¨CJD is caused by an infection protein in the brain called a prion. These prions accumulate at high levels in the brain and cause irreversible damage to nerve cells. There are four main types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: Sporadic CJD, variant CJD, familial or inherited CJD and iatrogenic CJD. Sporadic CJD, which normally affects people over 40, is the most common form of the disease. It is estimated that the disease affects about one out of every 1 million people every year. There may be many years between a person being infected and the development of symptoms. Symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease include: Loss of intellect and memory. Change in personality. Loss of balance and co-ordination. Slurred speech. Visual problems and blindness. Abnormal jerking movements. Progressive loss of brain function and mobility. Most people with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease will die within a year of the symptoms starting, usually from infection. This is because the immobility caused by the disease can make people with the condition vulnerable to infection.

The Definition of a Trademark and Goodwill

The Definition of a Trademark and Goodwill INTRODUCTION Definition of trademark Any company has the right to take legal action if enough evidence is provided to the court. The company that feels infringed can take legal action supported by the principles of intellectual property rights. Company X has the rights to take legal action against company Y on the basis of fundamental principles under intellectual property rights. Company X is a manufacturer of cool soft for men under the trade mark as cool soft as the first company to register under such a distinctive name. Company Y also starts to manufacture real soft for men under the trade mark real soft after company X is already trading. Trade mark by Yu,(2007), is defined as any word, name, symbol or device or any combination thereof used by a person to identify and distinguish his or her goods from these manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods. In the case of laximikant Patel vs Chetan bhat shah, it was held that the trade the definition of trade mark is very wide and means a mark capable of being represented graphically and which is capable of distinguish the goods and services of one person from those of others. In this case company X has come up with a distinctive name as it trademark as the source to all consumers or as a source of such a product. Company X coming up with a name trade mark that is totally different from any other company. Furthermore, what is necessary is the connection between the mark used in relation to the goods and the person claiming a right to use the same. Recently in the case of Jaleel Associates vs Hotel sugar, it was held that if a name used in relation to goods or services for the purpose of indicating a course of trade between goods and services and some person having the right to use such name whether with or without any indication of the identity of that person such name is a trademark. In this case, company X under the trademark cool soft is able to portray a certain that of trade and under such a trade, people are able to identify the trade or goods or services that are being provided and this becomes a trademark. On the other hand company Y does not come up with something different but follow in the same trade as company X which has already have the trade mark because of being able to make easy identification to customers on goods or services being provided in that particular market. In addition, company X has also registered the trade mark cool soft. Under the Trade Mark Act section 14(1) provides that a mark will only be registered as a trade mark if it contains or consists of a word or words having no direct reference to the character or quality of the goods and not geographical name or surname. In this case company Y’s trade mark real soft has a direct reference to the trade mark of company X which is prohibited under the Trade Mark Act. Goodwill The goodwill of company X is portrayed were the cool soft has been marketed over a period of time, whilst company Y has just started manufacturing. Goodwill is ability to attract customers and potential customers to do business with the owner. Company X has developed goodwill for a long period of time. Customers have been buying their products, and this has made the company to amass for revenue, maintaining a bigger market share and brand loyalty. Unlike company Y who are just new to the business and has not been tested in the industry for a longer period. In the case of Hotel Capriani vs Cipriani (Grosvenor street) 2010, it was held that the claimant succeeded in both action sued which were trademark infringement and passing off. Company X has the right to take such legal actions. The aspect of marketing the product for a long period of time has made company X to be an established company, trusted by many people and therefore the sufficient enough to take legal action. In the case of Jules Rimet vs the football Association, it was held that after considering the claimant’s evidence which included references to the mascot in the press from time to time concluded that there was sufficient residual goodwill for action of passing of. Apart from this, in the case of Reckitt and Coleman products Ltd vs Borden Inc, it was held that the existence of the claimant’s extensive and exclusive goodwill built over the years, a misrepresentation as to the goods or services offered by the defendant and damage to the claimant’s goodwill as a result of the defendant’s misrepresentation amounted to passing off. Company X has built a reputation over the years and company Y by producing a product similar has somehow destabilize the sales, customers and market share of company X which in the case above amounts to passing off. Passing off is an attempt by one trader taking advantage of the goodwill developed by another to the detriment of the trader. Company X has marketed over a period of time and company Y has just started manufacturing similar products like the ones that company X is manufacturing. In a similar case Erven Warnink Bv vs J Townsend Sons Ltd (1979), it was held that not only damage due to lost sales but damage to reputation by being associated with inferior product amounted to passing off. Townsend was liable for passing off their goods as those of Warnink and the court applied the test for passing off which includes and any situation where misrepresentation is likely to injure the claimant’s goodwill. There was no trademark infringement but passing off. In order for one to claim passing off, there must be elements of the following aspects: There must be a goodwill or reputation attached to the goods or services of the claimant. In this case company X has marketed its product over a long period of time than company Y which has just started marketing same products. By marketing for a long period of time, company X has built a good relationship with customers. Sales have dropped due to company Y producing the same kind of product thus driving away customers to buy the other product and reducing the profitability of company X. This gives the right for company X to take legal action against company Y as this amounts to passing off. In the case of Buckley LJ H P Bulmer Limited vs Bollinger SA (1978), the court held that a man who engages in commercial activities may acquire a valuable reputation in respects of the goods in which he deals, or of the services which he performs or his business as an entity. The law regards such a reputation as an incorporeal piece of property, the integrity of which the owner is entitled to protect. So in this case, company X has built a reputation by marketing for a long period of time and by such the company’s image, property and reputation are entitled to be protected. For passing of to be established there must be an element of misrepresentation. This element of misrepresentation is shown by company Y when manufacturing the products with similar packaging in white, dark blue and green colors as the ones that company X has manufactured for a long period of time. Misrepresentation is a false description made consciously or unconsciously through the use of a mark, trade name or get-up (brand name, trade description, individual features of labelling or packaging) with which the goods of the claimant are associated and which is likely to mislead the sensible members of the public. 3.0 Misrepresentation In the case of Arsenal Football Club Plc vs Reed (2001), it was held that the disclaimer was sufficient enough to prevent misrepresentation which is a necessary ingredient for passing off. The customers had not been deceived into buying and there was no real likelihood of confusion. But in this case company Y has labelled its product similarly to the ones of company X thus creating confusion as customers would not be able to differentiate from the original product hence deceiving customers. The deception as a result of a misrepresentation is an essential ingredient for a claim in passing off. In the case of BP Amoco Plc vs John Kelly Ltd (2005), it was held that deception or its likelihood lies at the heart of the tort of passing off. If the customer can see sufficiently clearly when he gets close to the station that the product sold is not that of Bp, he does not buy the petrol under the mistaken impression that he is getting Bp petrol. But in this case it is hard for a customer to clearly see the difference as the packaging of company X is white, dark blue and green, similarly to the one that company Y has started manufacturing. The packaging looks the same and this causes deception as company Y would be selling its product to customers who might buy on the essence that the product they are buying is for company X which has been manufacturing the product for a long period of time. By doing so company Y is deceiving customers into buying a product which is not the actual known product in the market which is manufactured by company X. This still amounts to passing off as company X is entitled to take legal actions under such circumstances. In the case of Combee international v Scholl (1975), the plaintiff manufactured insoles called odox heaters which contained activated charcoal. The defendant who was a well-known manufacturer of footwear also produced odox heaters. These were packaged in the same way. It was held that an injunction was granted on the basis that there was misrepresentation as the origin of the defendant’s product which was inferior. So in the same way company X can take legal actions against company Y because company Y is packing in the same way as the product of company Y is sold. Furthermore in the case of Wilkinson Sword Ltd vs Cripps Lee, the court held that the plaintiff had indeed have a reasonable cause of action. Meaning company X has the right to take legal actions. Damage to good wil Damage to good will would be a loss of reputation or control over reputation, exposure to litigation or erosion of the mark. Company Y has just started making similar goods as the ones made by company X. This has resulted in some of the customers buying from company Y thus reducing the gross profit for company X because the two companies share customers. In the case of Annabel’s (Berkley Square Ltd vs G Shock (Annabel’s Escort Agency), 1972, it was held that there a was sufficient association between what the public would consider the field of activity in which both business conducted

Development of Healthy Eating Habits

Development of Healthy Eating Habits Amanda Benicio de Sobral EATING HEALTHY AND GOOD HABITS INTRODUCTION This essay aims to discuss Healthy Eating Habits. The first part discusses about tips how to create and maintain good habits. Also this essay discusses about how you can eat more healthily easily. In the end, the conclusion talk about if is possible to change your habits. Methodology The information of this report is collected from various books and websites about healthy life. These books are written by James Clear, a famous behavioral psychology author and Georgie Moore who is a famous dietician. The most important reference in this essay is James Clear,a famous author who write about behavioral psychology, habit formation, and performance improvement. EATING HEALTHY AND GOOD HABITS According to a study conducted by the Brazilian scientist Andrà © Frazà £o Helene (2014) (professor of the Department of Physiology of the Institute of Biosciences of the University of Sà £o Paulo), fat and sugar, for instance, are rich sources of energy, fundamental for life A FEW GOOD TIPS ON HOW TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN GOOD HABITS In the guide Transform your Habits, by James Clear (year), there are a few precious tips on how to keep one loyal to their objectives: 1) Focus on the process, not the results. As a rule, people tend to rely on results to change their lives. Different results which will transform one overnight. Nonetheless, what seems really necessary is taking up better habits. By changing and sticking to these new habits day by day, the process of transformation becomes much easier to continue, and the results come in turn. Hence, prioritize daily decision making and develop strategies to make your habits and costumes healthier. 2) Rely on habits that are easy to take up At the beginning, think small. It is important to choose something that easily fits your routine. Next, choose a strategy to start this new habit in a way that it is easy enough that you have no excuses not to do it. Lets take Abdominal Crunch or Sit-ups as an example. A good plan could be to start with 2 sets a day. More important than the initial quantity is becoming someone constant in this new routine. 3) Easy-to-remember reminders for new habits Motivation and necessity to change are not directly related not always you will feel motivated to do something. It is actually related to remembering to do it. Therefore, create mental reminders to the habits to take up from now. Such reminders can be anything that triggers your will to put these new habits in practice. For instance, linking the commercials on TV to your time to exercise might be a good idea. 10 GOOD STEPS TO EAT MORE HEALTHILY EASILY 1. Unprocessed FoodAccording to 12WBT dietitian Georgie Moore, there are various downsides of packaged / processed foods, such as high quantities of preservatives, colourings and added chemicals. Packaged foods tend to be higher in fat, salt and sugar than food cooked from scratch, while lacking nutrients and fibre, she states. The solution is to cook unprocessed foods such as lean meat, fresh vegetables, nuts and legumes, as well as organic eggs, milk and fruit. 2. Healthy Whole GrainsApart from containing more texture, whole grains contain considerably more fibre and nutrients than the standard refined ones.Brown rice, wholegrain pasta, quinoa and buckwheat are good examples of substitutes (Moore, 2012). 3. Change to Healthy Cooking MethodsThe simpler, the better. Try grilling, barbecuing, steaming the food. Also, there are good substitutes for the standard dressings and salt, such as balsamic for salad and herbs for refined salt. Pink salt is also a good healthy option (Bridges, 2017). 4. Eat Healthy Portion SizesA healthy dish must be balanced properly. The ideal balance must be a quarter of the food composed of lean protein, another quarter of low-GI carbohydrates, wholegrain carbohydrates, and the other half of vegetables and legumes (Moore, 2012). 5. Understand Healthy Eating-Out OptionsWhen eating out, one does not have to eat everything offered on the plate. A half portion can be asked, and the main course can also be substituted by an entrà ©e size dish, complemented by vegetables. In case you find the menu available online, a healthy meal can be chosen before you leave home. (Moore, 2012) 6. A Food Diary Will Help Your Healthy Eating HabitsKeeping track of what is eaten every day is another good strategy to control the intake of calories. Then, it is possible to analyze and decide on the best balance between the ingredients (Bridges, 2017). 7. Healthy Eating at Social EventsAlthough it is tempting to eat a considerable amount when in social events, if a healthy snack is eaten prior to the event, it will help control the hunger. Moreover, a healthier option at the buffet must be considered, filling the place just once (Bridges, 2017). 8. Plan Your Healthy ShoppingTakeaways are always an easy option when the fridge is empty. It is paramount to plan the shopping and stock healthy options in the pantry (Bridges, 2017). 9. Treats Can be Healthy TooEvery once in a while, we can treat ourselves. Once a week, decide on a meal where you can indulge yourself. It will help relieving the will to eat unhealthy foods, and will set up your calendar, avoiding these foods the rest of the week (Bridges, 2017). 10. Water: Natures Healthy DrinkDrink plenty of water. Water is crucial for a good digestion and for the elimination of waste, as well as paramount for the control of body temperature. According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines a healthy amount for men to drink is 2.6 litres per day and women should have 2.1 litres (or 8 to 10 cups per day). Who keeps a drinking bottle at all times is more likely to keep healthy (Crowe,2013). HEALTHY EATING PLATE The Healthy Eating Plate, created by nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health, provides detailed guidance, in a simple format, to help people make the best eating choices. Vegetables and Fruits -Should be  ½ of your plate Whole grains Should be  ¼ of your plate    Protein power Should be  ¼ of your plate. SURVEY ABOUT EATING HEALTHY Water According to teachers and students of Ailfe, water is the second most popular drink (behind soft drinks). Students and teachers are drinking enough water, besides, only one of them doesnt drink water. Vegetables Eating vegetables provides health benefits, but according to teachers and students of Ailfe, cook vegetables is difficult and spend a lot of time, that is why the results show that once a week is how many time they have vegetables. SURVEY ABOUT EATING HEALTHY 1) How many cups of water do you have per day? None à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   2 cups à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   4 or 6 cups of water à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   More than 6 à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   2)How many portions of vegetables do you have per week? None à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   Once a week à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   3 or 4 portions per week à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   everyday à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   3) How often do you eat whole grains? None à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   Once a week à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   3 or 4 times a week à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   everyday à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   4) How many portions of protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk) do you have per day? None à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   1 portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   2 portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   3 or more portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   5) How many portions of fruits do you have per day? None à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   1 portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   2 portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   3 or more portion à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚   CONCLUSION In conclusion, although the world is becoming faster and our routines gradually busier with the globalized life, people can still eat healthy foods without much effort. There must be determination and discipline enough, but where there is a will, there is a way. Developing strategies to create new habits, focusing on daily eating practices, anyone is able to improve life quality without arduous dedication. There is always possibility to change, and change for better. THE REFERENCE LIST Kedouk, M. (2014). Changing Habits: A Science Explains Why Its So Difficult. Retrieved from http://boaforma.abril.com.br/estilo-de-vida/mudanca-de-habito-a-ciencia-explica-por-que-e-tao-dificil/ Clear, J. (2013): Transform your habits. Retrieve from https://www2.usgs.gov/humancapital/ecd/mentoringreadinglist/TransformYourHabits.pdf

John Rocker :: essays research papers

"Imagine having to take the (No.) 7 train to (Shea Stadium) looking like you're (in) Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing. "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners," the 25-year-old Georgia native said. "You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?" These were the words spoken from Atlanta Braves Pitcher John Rocker in a December issue of Sports Illustrated. Those powerful lines are what people are chatting over. "Should we forgive him, or should we throw him in jail"? Those are only a couple opinions that are swirling around on what Major League Baseball should do. I, in no way agree with what Mr. Rocker is saying, however he is being treated is fair. In order to fully understand where Mr. Rocker was coming from, we have to go back to the MLB Playoffs. The Cinderella New York Mets take the Braves into extra innings in the 5th game of the National League Playoffs. In comes John Rocker, bursting with energy to try and shut the Mets down and take the Braves to the World Series. The Mets had other ideas and laced a couple base hits off Rocker, which eventually lead to the homerun that ended the game. Then when the Braves made it to the World Series, Rocker faced more harsh words from the New York Yankee's fans. The yelling and objects cascaded down from the stands whenever Rocker was out there. This threw his game off, and once again the Braves got beat in the series 4 - 0. So What? The fans where not very affectionate to Rocker, that's their job. Rocker should be able to deal with it like a true sportsman. He had to turn around and offend every human that is not like him. Was it wrong? Yes. Did he apologize? Yes, at least a dozen tim es, but to some ethnic groups that have been wronged like this for hundreds of years, this is what they have been dealing with. 	 As the people's outrage became more evident, Bud Selig, the commissioner of MLB, got involved.

The Fate of Prometheus Essay -- Prometheus

The Fate of Prometheus â€Å"Ah me, alas, pain, pain ever, forever! / No change, no pause, no hope! – Yet I endure† (I, 23-24) – such are the words of Prometheus, when in desperation and overwhelmed by emotion, his thoughts dissolve in sheer agony and turn to himself, away from the Mighty God whose â€Å"ill tyranny† has nailed him to the â€Å"eagle-baffling mountain† (I, 19-20). In his essay, Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary, Northrop Frye observes that â€Å"pain is the condition which keeps Prometheus conscious† (96), because in reflection, he is confronted with himself, and his sense of self and being. But he is quick to call once again on the â€Å"cruel King† (I, 50), who has sentenced him to his fate, after begging the natural world to hear his cries and not punish him, no longer to injure his bones by â€Å"burning cold† (I, 33) the chains that bind him or let â€Å"Heaven’s winged hound† (I, 33) feed upon him. His word s echo his earlier sentiment, found in Aeschylus’ work, where he mourns himself, as a â€Å"spectacle of pity† (14) who must suffer the â€Å"disease of tyranny (13) . In his quest and the earlier part of his imprisonment, Prometheus still longed to engage and relate to the Olympian, as â€Å"a counterpart of himself† (Frye 96), as one god contesting with another for power over and influence on the world. This struggle resulted in the imprisonment of Prometheus, because he craved to incite a revolution, where he desired not to transform the degenerate system of Jupiter but overturn it. Frye reminds us that â€Å"Jupiter’s real impetus is toward chaos rather than order† (96), as understood through the initial conversation between Prometheus and the Earth, where he identifies her as a â€Å"living spirit† (I, 139) but she is fearful of that description... ...wer-hungry and egotistical spirit-self within him, which had fastened him to the rock, the altar on which the Priest-King Jupiter had punished him without relief with the power given him. In freeing his true self, Prometheus recognizes the eternal truth that his being was never bound. Works Cited Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. 7 Famous Greek Plays. Ed. Whitney J, Oates and Eugene O’Neill Jr. New York: Vintage Books, 1950. 5-42. Frye, Northrop. Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary. A Study of English Romanticism. New York: Random House, 1968. 87-124. Kierkegaard, Soren. Sickness Unto Death. A Kierkegaard Anthology. Ed. Robert Bretall. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1962. 339-371. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Prometheus Unbound. Shelley’s Poetry and Prose. Ed. Donald H. Reiman and Neil Fraistat. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2002. 206-283.    The Fate of Prometheus Essay -- Prometheus The Fate of Prometheus â€Å"Ah me, alas, pain, pain ever, forever! / No change, no pause, no hope! – Yet I endure† (I, 23-24) – such are the words of Prometheus, when in desperation and overwhelmed by emotion, his thoughts dissolve in sheer agony and turn to himself, away from the Mighty God whose â€Å"ill tyranny† has nailed him to the â€Å"eagle-baffling mountain† (I, 19-20). In his essay, Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary, Northrop Frye observes that â€Å"pain is the condition which keeps Prometheus conscious† (96), because in reflection, he is confronted with himself, and his sense of self and being. But he is quick to call once again on the â€Å"cruel King† (I, 50), who has sentenced him to his fate, after begging the natural world to hear his cries and not punish him, no longer to injure his bones by â€Å"burning cold† (I, 33) the chains that bind him or let â€Å"Heaven’s winged hound† (I, 33) feed upon him. His word s echo his earlier sentiment, found in Aeschylus’ work, where he mourns himself, as a â€Å"spectacle of pity† (14) who must suffer the â€Å"disease of tyranny (13) . In his quest and the earlier part of his imprisonment, Prometheus still longed to engage and relate to the Olympian, as â€Å"a counterpart of himself† (Frye 96), as one god contesting with another for power over and influence on the world. This struggle resulted in the imprisonment of Prometheus, because he craved to incite a revolution, where he desired not to transform the degenerate system of Jupiter but overturn it. Frye reminds us that â€Å"Jupiter’s real impetus is toward chaos rather than order† (96), as understood through the initial conversation between Prometheus and the Earth, where he identifies her as a â€Å"living spirit† (I, 139) but she is fearful of that description... ...wer-hungry and egotistical spirit-self within him, which had fastened him to the rock, the altar on which the Priest-King Jupiter had punished him without relief with the power given him. In freeing his true self, Prometheus recognizes the eternal truth that his being was never bound. Works Cited Aeschylus. Prometheus Bound. 7 Famous Greek Plays. Ed. Whitney J, Oates and Eugene O’Neill Jr. New York: Vintage Books, 1950. 5-42. Frye, Northrop. Prometheus: The Romantic Revolutionary. A Study of English Romanticism. New York: Random House, 1968. 87-124. Kierkegaard, Soren. Sickness Unto Death. A Kierkegaard Anthology. Ed. Robert Bretall. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1962. 339-371. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Prometheus Unbound. Shelley’s Poetry and Prose. Ed. Donald H. Reiman and Neil Fraistat. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2002. 206-283.   

Boston Beerâ€Is Greater Growth Possible? Essay

1. Have you ever tried one of the Boston Beer brews? If so, how did you like the taste? Was it worth the higher price? I haven’t tried any one of the Boston Beer brews, so I’m not sure whether I will like its taste. I searched the key word â€Å"the Boston Beer† on the Internet, I found that there are three distinct characteristics of this brand’s beers: strong-flavor, unique package and high prices. Although a lot of beer aficionados will pay for the high price, as an ordinary beer customer, I don’t think it deserve the higher price. I have two reasons: Firstly, it is difficult for ordinary beer customers to distinguish which kind of beer have a good quality and which kind of beer haven’t. Not to mention, which brewery use premium ingredients to brew their beer. In most of time, we choose to buy a brand of beer just because its advertisement successfully leave its name in our mind or the recommendation from our friends. On the other hand, we usually drink beer with our friends at home party. So our main objective is to have fun not enjoy tasting high-quality beers. Also, its unique package does not make sense to us. No one will collect them, so the simpler the better. We don’t want to pay the bill for its beautiful package. To pay the same money, we prefer to have more quantity to ensure everyone can have enough beer than ensure everyone can have high-quality beer. On this point, the Boston Beer will lose a big part of beer customers because of its high-price strategy. In summary, the Boston Beer products do not deserve such a high price because their value in quality and package can’t be recognized by the general public. 2. The investment community evidently thought Boston Beer had great growth potential to have bid up the initial price so quickly. Why do you suppose so many fell into this trap? Or was Jim Koch a poor executive in not bringing Boston Beer up to their expectations? So many people fell into this trap because they overestimated the potential for development of the Boston Beer. But in the fact, Boston Beer’s potential is limited. That the growth potential is sorely limited due to two factors: a. Ease of entry into the industry, which encourages a host of competitors. This turned out to be especially true with the influx of microbrewers, to 3,000 in just a few years. b. Finite potential in demand. Demand for specialty beer, while at  first robust and rising, was certainly not going to take over the mainstream beer market. Given the rush to microbreweries in an environment of limited demand, the aspirations of Jim Koch to be a dominant force in the brewing industry had to be curbe d. He could still be a profitable firm and do well in his niche, but he would never be a challenge beyond that. Perhaps that is enough for most entrepreneurs. But this is far unable to meet the high expectations of the people of Boston Beer. On the contrary, Jim Koch is a really good market executive. He used excellent marketing strategy when Boston Beer announced its initial public stock offering (IPO) of shares. â€Å"The company put clip-and-mail coupons on Samuel Adams six-packs and other beer packages. These offered customers a chance to buy 33 shares of stock at a maximum price of $15, or $495 total.† In marketing, promotion is always a good way for the company to raise sales. Similarly, the Boston Beer use this way to arouse wide public concern, and give the customers the illusion of buying is earning. â€Å"Only one subscription was allowed per customer,and these were honored on a first-come, first-served basis.† People always curious for those limited things, for fear of miss it even in one-second hesitation. By seizing this customers’ psychology, the first-come, first-served basis contributed a lot to bidding up Boston Beer’s initial price and caused so many people fell into this trap. Just because this this two marketing promotion tools, the Boston Beer’s stock was oversubscribed within a short period of time. 3. â€Å"The myriad specialty beers are but a fad. People will quickly tire of an expensive, strong-flavored beer. Much of it is just a gimmick.† Discuss. As far as I am concerned, the myriad specialty beers are not just a gimmick, although when too much kind of microbrews appear in the market will make the customer feel difficult to choose any kind of them and sometimes they will feel tired. I want to illustrate them from the following two aspects: a. The microbrews have their own specific market, those who willing to pay for the high price for the strong-flavored or the unique package. For example, a can of Sprite is sold in the supermarket for about 4 dime, but it is sold for 2 dollar in the restaurant with a glass of ice and a slice of lemon. Is a glass of ice and a slice of lemon value 1.6 dollar? Without a doubt, the answer is no. Why will so many people pay for it? Because it is convenient. Everything has its own market has the reason to exist. b. No matter the other microbrew is just a gimmick, the Boston Beer is not. To a certain extent, its high level represents its high quality. Samuel Adams was not only voted the Best Beer in America four times at the annual Great American Beer Festival, but also received six gold medals in blind tastings. Skimming away its price, just concern the quality, this is enough to explain the Boston Beer has the high quality. Because of its high quality, Boston Beer still keep the leading position and continue to profit in the fierce industry competition. 4. What problems do you see retailers facing with the burgeoning number of different beers today? What might be the implications of this? Nowadays, a number of various beer brands suddenly appear on the horizon so that the competitive grow. Retailers are looking for marketing support and Boston Beer has the best quality and marketing. Lots of the non-traditional beers are still lacking the commercial support from the breweries where they come from and are left to retailers for a smaller group of consumers that may know about them or are curious for new options coming from places with microbrewery tradition like Portland, Colorado, etc. To be successful, retailers must do more deep researches to find out consumers needs and meet consumers’ expectation. In addition, retailers have to consider how many beer brands they would like to sell and which kinds of beers are popular in general market. Our suggestion is that retailers must focus on selling several kinds of beers instead of selling all kinds of beers. Maybe retailers think that if they can sell all kind of beers to expand the market but it will result in an increase in the logistic cost and a decrease in the quantity. To develop the market, retailers need to use efficient marketing method to promote their products. For example, retailers can provide the discount for consumers once two or three months and combine beers and other goods to sell because consumers always want to save some coin and get the same product with cheaper price. 5. Playing the devil’s advocate (one who takes an opposing view for the sake of argument prices in the world for your beer. The manufactures cost might be the same as traditional beers as quality doesn’t necessarily translates  to higher costs. And it’s been seen in several other commercial cases that sometimes the higher price in a product is just a socio-economical status differentiator which makes the consumer that can afford it feel special even when the real support of quality is not completely proven or being tasted. In addition, setting the price is an important step before developing the product into the market because the price is one of factors, which will effect how many consumers will buy it. If the price is too high, some of consumers can’t afford to buy it. Maybe they are willing to try or use the product but they don’t have enough money to re-buy. Therefore, consumers have many choices because there are a lot of substitute products in the market. In the other words, the high price may decrease the selling and increase the risks in the ownership of inventory, which will become obsoleted or out of fresh. In general aspect, the luxury product is equal to the social status. If the price is too high to afford, it will downsize of the potential market. Even thought you employ the best strategy to promote the product, it doesn’t increase in quantity and increase the profit. In addition, not everyone are good at distinguish the differentiation between Boston Beer and other beers so that they won’t insist to buy the beer with higher price. For example, Mary wants to hold a birthday party and invite the whole freshman to participate. So she has to buy a lot of food, beverage and beers. Because of limited budget, she can’t afford the high price of beer even though the tasty is good. 6. We saw the detection of a problem with the freshness of a beer at a restaurant by Jim Koch himself. How can Boston Beer prevent such incidents from happening again? Can such distributor negligence or shortsighted actions be totally prevented by Boston Beer? In products that maintain a higher price based on quality that quality control investment on the product should go all the way to the retailers. There are several ways that Jim Koch can prevent the bad quality. First, Jim Koch must re-check every step from manufacture to package. The most important part is container because beer is a kind of sensitive product, which needs to store carefully. Secondly, Boston Beer needs to build up a strong relationship with their retailers and distributors. A good partnership also can prevent the same problem happen again because Boston Beer and their retailers or distributors understand  that they are a team, which share the same goals, reputation, and benefits. Thirdly, if retailers don’t know how to store those beers in warehouse or keep the beers in fresh, Jim Koch must send some professional employees or salespeople to educate those retailers and teach them how to keep the beer in fresh. Finally, Jim Koch has to evaluate or visit retailers regularly. The methods above are very useful to avoid the bad quality problem happen again. 7. Do you think Boston Beer can continue to compete effectively against the giant brewers who are moving with their infinitely greater resources into the specialty beer market with their own microbrews? Why or why not? In our group opinion, Boston Beer can continue to compete effectively against the giant brewers who are moving with their infinitely greater resources into the specialty beer market with their own microbrews. There are three reasons to explain it. First, Boston beer has built up a good brand image. When other giant brewers into the specialty beer market with their microbrews, Boston beer has been develop their microbrews a long time. It means the brand of Boston beer has been recognized as one of the industry’s most famous microbrews. It already has relative stable customer group. The second reason is high quality and flavor of beer. Jim Koch gets a recipe from his great-great-grandfather, Louis Koch. This recipe is more full-bodied than such beers as Budweiser or Miller. Jim Koch also uses best material and longer time in Boston beer so that the quality and flavor is better than other brands of beer. Because the cost of Boston beer is expensive, the sale price must expensive than other beers. In many people’s mind, high price means high quality. People cannot buy expensive car but everyone can buy an expensive beer. When people taste Boston beer, they will be attracted by its quality and flavor. Although the price of Boston beer is higher than giant brewers, it has attracting some relative stable customer groups though the high quality and flavor of Boston beer. This is offer benefits for Boston beer continued growth. Boston Beer can keep a sales force and relative to competitors so that it can provide a higher level of quality service than the larger mass brewers. Consequently, Boston beer has more compe titive edge by their quality product and sale service quality in the beer market. The last reason is Boston beer has a good operation principle. Initial period,  Boston beer didn’t have enough money, so it made contracts with other brewery: use Jim Koch’s recipe to produce beer. Boston beer use this way to save the cost of plan and equipment to develop its marketing, such as advertise. If the brewery cannot produce high standards’ beer, they will find another brewery. It not only save money but also ensure the quality and flavor of beer. Therefore, Boston Beer can compete effectively with even the largest beer brand that is moving with their infinitely greater resources into the specialty beer market with their own microbrews. In contrast with giant brewers, Boston Beer has built up its brand in the microbrews market. It still keeps quality and flavor not lower the price and quality. The customers will be used to think Boston Beers first and in this way, the sale force will be strengthened. 8. In 1998, Boston Beer produced more than two dozen styles of beer. Then a few years later it was down to just a few. Now it’s up to more than 21 again. Do you see any problems with this? Our group fined some problems with this question. First, Boston beer wants produce to attract consumer. However, everyone’s taste is different; a single taste of beer can’t satisfy the needs of all customers. So, Boston beer offered more than two dozen styles of beer for consumers’ choices in 1998. This way can attract many customers. But, it also brings a lot of problems. Boston beer must spend more cost in the propaganda of different kinds of beer. When Boston beer company produce a new style of beer, they must do a process of marketing, like marketing research, product development, pricing and advertising, to find potential consumers and affect them to buy the new product. It needs a lot of money but the new products may not meet customer. It takes stress for Boston Beer Company. Anther problem which Boston beer offers more than two dozen styles of beer is Boston beer will lose some consumers. Like in the article, an industry analyst said:† After people got inundated with so many choices . . . they kind of stepped back.† Then a few years later, Boston Beer Company find their market share is small—a market that represented just 3 percent of the U.S. Beer Market. Thus, Boston beer Company was down to a few styles of beer, concentrating only on best sellers: the flagship lager and four seasonal brews. This is a very good strategy decision. Boston Beer through calculate from the data and find out most of the consumers prefer which taste and they can adjust marketing strategy. This decision can reduce a lot of unnecessary spending and ensure  the interests. Meanwhile, Boston Beer Company also ensures the main products market share in all the microbrews market. Although the decision that Boston Beer Company cut their beer styles to just a few cause Boston beer lost some consumer who like other styles of beer, it brings a lot of advancing for the development of the Boston Beer Company in the overall strategy. In recent years, Boston Beer Company has development quickly. Even in all beer industry recession, Boston Beer still maintains good performance. Its beer because of high quality and full-bodied flavor won many awards in the beer game. With development of Boston Beer Company, it has become an able company. Its main products are stability, and the customers’ market share close to saturation in micro brew market. In this case, Boston Beer Company to seek new breakthroughs will produce new products. Now, it’s up to their beer more than 21 types again. But, this decision may cause some problems. First, the demand of microbrews is finite. Too many types of beer choices will divide up the main of Boston beer’s market share. Second, in recent years, microbrew competitors has increased dramatically, Boston beer produce many kinds of beer will distract the attention of the main products, to reduce the main product competitiveness. Third, the introduction of new products in Boston beer is too much at the same time. This is confusing the choices of customers. If Boston beer introduces only three or four styles new beer, consumer can choose one or more than one styles beer to taste. However, Boston beer introduces 21 styles beer, consumer don’t know which one is better and most consumers can’t buy all these new styles beer because the price of Boston beer is expensive. The last problem of this decision is high risk. Every new product into market must have risk and the introduction of new products need a lot of cost.. Boston Beer Company should introduce a few styles beer one time so that we can know the customers to the new product satisfaction as well as the desire to buy. If customers are satisfied with the new products, Boston Beer Company will continue to launch other new products; If customers are not satisfied, the company can find the reasons of customers are not satisfied, and then eliminate these problems put other new products. When Boston Beer Company launches it’s all the new products at short time, the cos t of this way and risk will higher than only introduce a few styles beer. Therefore, in different period Boston Beer Company increase or decrease the types of beer will cause some benefits but  also brings a lot of harm for its development.