Donne’s unremitting wittiness gives his poetry too aggressive a tone”. discuss with reference to at least two of the poems you have studied. The WritePass Journal

Donne’s unremitting wittiness gives his poetry too aggressive a tone†. discuss with reference to at least two of the poems you have studied. Introduction Donne’s unremitting wittiness gives his poetry too aggressive a tone†. discuss with reference to at least two of the poems you have studied. IntroductionBibliographyRelated Introduction Metaphysical poetry is characterized by many aspects and as one of the leading metaphysical poets, John Donne’s work employs wit, paradox, abstract images and use of conceits to create poetry that was â€Å"inspired by a philosophical conception of the universe and the role assigned to the human spirit in the great drama of existence†Ã‚   (Grier son 1921).   However, at the time, the metaphysical poets had a great many critics and they were attacked on several grounds, most notably from Dr Johnson in his Lives of the Poets (1779-81).   Johnson believed the metaphysical poets did not deserve the title of poet as their wit contained ‘a combination of dissimilar images, or discovery of occult resemblances in things apparently unlike. Of wit, thus defined, they have more than enough’.   In order to come to a conclusion as to whether his poetry was therefore aggressive due to his tone, I will examine two of his poems; The Flea,   Holy Sonnet 14.   In a nalyzing these poems I expect to find that although on the surface Donne could be said to be aggressive, it is in fact the unexpectedness of his approach to matters such as love that has this effect.   Historically, Donne and the metaphysical poets seemed to renounce traditions of courtly love, however by resisting in following these well respected customs, Donne’s poetry has kept an originality to the experience of love.   Love, as a subject in poetry risks becoming banal and only through Donne’s wit does this age old subject stay fresh to the reader.   Upon first reading ‘The Flea’ and ‘Holy Sonnet 14’, the poems seem to have very little in common and the themes do indeed oppose one another in content as one deal with physical love and the other spiritual.  Ã‚   The poem ‘The Flea’ shows the speaker as a man who lacks morals and who has little concern for the moral stance of the young lady he wishes to bed, and instead seems wholly concerned with his own lust.   On the other hand, ‘Holy Sonnet 14’ seems to reflect more of Donne’s spirituality as a minister of the Anglican church, the speaker is shown to be righteous in his beliefs and concerned with how he can do his utmost to please God.   Wit, of course, is very apparent in ‘The Flea’, however does this make it more aggressive than ‘Holy Sonnet 14’? His Maker is more powerfully present to the imagination in his divine poems than any mistress is in his love poems (Gardner, 1978, Pg-2) is a statement made by writer Helen Gardner.   However, I believe that Donne’s use of wit as well as complex conceits are used to complicate the subject matter in both poems in order to draw questions from the readers.   Many different levels of meaning are at play in these poems and the rhyme scheme varies from iambic tetrameter and pentameter to the Petrarchan sonnet form.  In doing so, Donne presents his mistress in the poem ‘The Flea’ just ‘as powerfully present’ as God in ‘Holy Sonnet 14’.  As he shows physical love through spiritual expression in ‘The Flea’ and divine love through sexual expression on ‘Holy Sonnet 14’, Donne excellent shows how wit is used to throw doubt at the reader who simply sees everything in black and white. Wit could be said to be, a sense of the fantastic and originality of thought.   This seems to perfectly define the love poem The Flea, whose humor is used to explore the notions of sex before marriage in an argument that, if it did not woo the addressee to give up on her sacred ideals may well have amused her and caused her to question the reasons behind them.   The flea itself in the poem represents and symbolizes physical love and pleasure and the opening lines leave no doubt that this is the case. Mark but this flea, and mark in this / How little that which thou densest me is / Me it sucks first, and now sucks thee / And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be (The Flea, L-1-4).   The simplistic language engages the reader with clarity and wit in its subtle allusions to sex and pleasure that truly show the intentions of the speaker.   Arguing with his love, he expresses that the act of love is as safe as being bit by a flea, as †¦[it] cannot be said / A sin, nor shame , nor loss of maidenhead (The Flea, L-5-6).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Donne’s abstract idea that the mixing of his and his mistresss blood in the flea is no different to having sex without physical contact, engages the reader in a dialogue which makes interested in the outcome for the lustful young speaker.   Does this relentless wit and persistence with his mistress show aggression?   I believe not.   Although aggressive in his lust, Donne’s neat and concise approach to the subject saves it from being aggressive to the reader, something feminists would surely disagree with. The very idea that the flea represents their marriage and that the speaker wishes to stop his mistress from killing it because of this, adds softness to its tone. â€Å"Oh stay, three lives in one flea spare / Where we almost, nay more than married are / This flea is you and I, and this / Our marriage bed, and marriage temple is / Though parents grudge, and you, ware met / And cloistered in these living walls of jet (The Flea, L-10-15).   Although a certain level of arrogance is shown by the speaker in his approach to women, I feel this much more refreshing through its humour compared to the traditional courtly love poems where the women were seen to objects to own.   However, in saying this, the speaker does not seem to respect his mistress’s choice and Helen Gardner argues in Donnes love poems the love poet [creates] an image of himself in love†¦ but does not wish to deny himself any pleasure.  Although this view seems to be taken by many, David Novarr seems to d efend the poem stating; †¦[it] [seems] [the] [speaker] has somehow compromised the integrity of hisbelief [in] love†¦[however] it is frequently the committed man who dares to explore and exploit alternatives that in no way [undercut]   [his] integrity if he chooses to be witty about a subject that matters to him (The Disinterred Muse, Pg-24-25).   In exploring these alternatives, Donne does indeed employ an originality of thought that seems to characterize not just metaphysical poets but Renaissance man. Continuing in his pushy and arrogant nature to persuade his mistress, the speaker uses power and drive.  However, this is not just forceful, but also shows a persuasive argument and tells his mistress that Though use make you apt to kill me / Let not to that, self murder added be / And sacrilege, three sins in killing three (The Flea, L-16-18).   Ending his argument, the young lady does kill the flea and in this shows her commitment in her decision to stay chaste. This is illustrated  beautifully when the speaker queries his mistress’s actions, asking â€Å"Cruel and sudden, hast thou since / Purpled thy nail, in blood of innocence? / Wherein could this flea guilty be, / Except in that drop which it sucked from thee? / Yet thou triumphst, and sayst that thou / Findst not thy self, nor me the weaker now (The Flea, L-19-24).   By killing the flea the mistress reinforces her quest for virtuousness at any cost.  This is when the speaker backtracks on his argument and co mpares his mistress losing her virginity to the inconsequential death of the flea.   Ending the poem, the speaker states Tis true, then learn how false, fears be; / Just so much honor, when thou yieldst to me / Will waste, as this fleas death took life from thee (The Flea, L-25-27).The humour with which Donne approaches this subject is what releases it from holding any aggression.   The whimsical way in which the speaker admits his own satisfaction is his sole concern creates the source of the poems humour. Donne’s attitude to love changes from carnal to humble and spiritual in Holy Sonnet 14, however if wit is defined as originality of thought then the serious tone set in this poem certainly lacks any aggression in its relentlessness.   Confliction in soul and nature of man is shown through a speaker who lacks concern in pleasing himself and only concern in pleasing God. In the opening passage of the sonnet, the speaker offers God all power, control and authority, asking, â€Å"Batter my heart, three persond God; for you / As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; / That I may rise, and stand, oerthrow me, and bend / Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new (Holy Sonnet 14, L-1-4).   The speaker wishes to be made ‘new’, suggesting that they have possessed a lack of control over themselves and now wish to offer God that control to save them from sin.   In offering God their body and soul, the speaker appears desperate to be made pure again and seem to see themselves as helpless, as if they know they that they can only God can save through wrath and violence. â€Å"I,like an usurped town, to another due, / Labour to admit you, but oh, to no end, / Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend, / But is captivd, and proves weak or untrue, / Yet dearly do I love you, and would be lovd fain, / But am betrothd unto your e nemy (Holy Sonnet 14, L-5-10).   This is in complete contrast to the fanciful nature of ‘The Flea’, where Donne’s wordplay humours the reader. Here, a different side of Donne’s wit is seen through his use of dramatic metaphor in which he ponders mans ability to save himself. â€Å"Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again, / Take me to you, imprison me, for I / Except you enthral me, never shall be free, / Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me (Holy Sonnet 14. L-11-14).  Here, the speaker is using forceful verbs and paradoxes, symbolising God as all powerful and all knowing, giving him total influence over the speaker. Using paradox, in the final passage Donne gives God sage, the speaker uses paradoxes to give God importance and shows that the only way the speaker believes that he will ultimately be free of sin, and pure is when God takes complete control and rapes him. This poem seems to express purity in its divine love for God, suggesting that this spiritual bond with God is more pure than any love experienced between man and woman. In being concerned with ‘thought’ itself, Donne asks questions about life, love and his purpose in the universe.   Donne places himself and his love at the centre of the universe which is surely showing wittiness that is not aggressive, but that each person who has been in love has believed themselves. There is a distinct contrast between how submissive Donne’s speaker in ‘Holy Sonnet 14’ is to God, compared with how dominant the speaker in ‘The Flea’ tries to be over his mistress.   It is easy to dismiss the wit and humour in ‘The Flea’ as being puerile and selfish however in this, the reader sees the true nature of the speaker in all his multi-faceted attempts in trying to seduce his mistress. In the same way, Donne has stripped bare the speaker in †˜Holy Sonnet 14’, allowing the reader to see his need for God to save him through his language.   If this unremitting wit is seen as aggressive, I believe the reader is missing the point of Donne’s wit.   It is unashamed and refuses to be diluted to suit the needs of the reader, instead Donne has stayed to true to his artistic and poetic beliefs. Bibliography Alvarez, A.   The School of Donne. New York: Pantheon Books, 1961. Gardner, Helen.   The Divine Poems London: Oxford University Press, 1978. Grierson, Herbert J.C., ed. Metaphysical Lyrics Poems of the 17th Oxford, The Clarendon press, 1921 Novarr, David.   The Disinterred Muse. London: Cornell University Press, 1980.

Essay on Deforestation

Essay on Deforestation Essay on Deforestation Throughout the tropics, rain forests are being cut down. By different methods and for different reasons, people in tropical regions of the world are cutting down, burning, or otherwise damaging the forests. The process in which a forest is cut down, burned or damaged is called "deforestation." Global alarm has arisen because of tropical rain forests destruction. Not only are we losing beautiful areas, but the loss also strikes deeper. Extinction of many species and changes in our global climate are effects of deforestation. If the world continues at the current rate of deforestation, the world's rainforests will be gone within 100 years-causing unknown effects to the global climate and the elimination of the majority of plant and animal species on the planet. Deforestation occurs in many ways. The majority of rain forest cut down is cleared for agricultural use-grazing of cattle, planting of crops. Poor farmers chop down a small area (typically a few acres) and burn the tree trunks, a process called "Slash and Burn" agriculture. Intensive, or modern, agriculture occurs on a much larger scale, sometimes deforesting several square miles at a time. Large cattle pastures often replace rain forest to grow beef for the world market. Commercial logging is another common form of deforestation, cutting trees for sale as timber or pulp. Logging can occur selectively-where only the economically valuable species are cut-or by clearcutting, where all trees are cut. Commercial logging uses heavy machinery, such as bulldozers, road graders, and log skidders, to remove cut trees and build roads. The heavy machinery is as damaging to a forest as the chainsaws are to the trees. There are other ways in which deforestation happens, such as the building of towns and flooding caused by construction of dams. These represent only a very small fraction of total deforestation. The actual rate of deforestation is difficult to determine and has been the focus of NASA-funded scientists for many years. NASA projects to study the deforestation of tropical forests are conducted by analyzing Satellite Imagery (pictures taken by satellites in space) to view areas of forest that have been cleared. Figure 1 shows part of a satellite scene, showing how scientists classify the landscape. There are both patches of deforestation and a "fishbone" of deforestation along roads. Forest fragments are isolated forest pieces left by deforestation, where the plants and animals are cut off from the larger forest area. Regrowth-also called secondary forest-is abandoned farmland or timber cuts that are growing back to become forest. The majority of the picture is undisturbed, or "primary," forest, with a network of rivers draining it. The most recent figures by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate tropical deforestation (rain forest and other tropical forests) at 53,000 square miles per year (15.4 x 106 ha/yr) during the 1980s (FAO 1993). Of this, they estimate that 21,000 square miles (6.2 x 106 ha/yr) were deforested annually in South America, most of this in the Amazon Basin. Based on these estimates, each year an area of tropical forest large enough to cover North Carolina is deforested. Each year! The rate of deforestation varies from region to region. Our research showed that in the Brazilian Amazon, the rate if deforestation was around 6200 square miles per year (1.8 x 106 ha/yr) from 1978-1986, but fell to 4800 sq. miles per year (1.4 x 106 ha/yr) from 1986-1993 (Skole and Tucker

The villain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Prepare a comparative analysis research paper on people whom you feel Essay

Prepare a comparative analysis research paper on people whom you feel are great business communicators, (e.g. Warren Buffet, Opr - Essay Example As a function of understanding this, the following research will focus upon the means whereby each of these leaders ascribe to the following communications strategies: captivation of listeners by tone and body language and the integration of a tailored/lasered message meant to engage the listener. Due to the fact that it would be foolish and shortsighted to minimize the extent to which key differences play into the process of leadership and communication development, this analysis will include a brief analysis within each of the following sections with regards to how the affected business leaders in question further help to differentiate themselves within such determinants. With respect to the Oprah Winfrey utilizes the first aspect of communication listed above, the observer can quickly note that Oprah herself provides a unique level of interest with regards to the subjects she discusses; acting as a prime motivator for how the shareholder views the product or the situation in quest ion. Rather than merely filling in every space with words, such as many individuals who have received their professional start in talk show hosting are prone to do, Oprah’s ultimate strength is her knowledge of when to allow a sense of effect to develop and when to continue on; when to utilize body language and when not to (Sellers 2002). Similarly, with respect to the second determinant listed above, Oprah exhibits that she understands full well the importance of tailoring and â€Å"lasering† her message to meet the given need within the allotted time frame. This is a skill that many might otherwise overlook; however, it is one of the utmost importance due to the fact that without the ability to target the given shareholder with identifiable and gripping information, no matter how important the subject or how great the need to increase sales might be, the message will doubtless appear flat and otherwise stale (Sweeny 2011). Comparatively, Steve Jobs, during his brief lifetime, utilized the body language as well as verbal imagery to engage shareholders with the excitement and uniqueness of Apple’s product designs. As a means of presenting himself as the sole individual on an otherwise empty stage and methodically yet engagingly discussing these products with both a physical and multimedia audience, Jobs was able to convey a sense of awe and excitement that would likely not have been engaged by a lesser CEO (Gallo 2011). With regards to the second determinant, Steve Jobs seemingly had a type of built-in understanding for the type of language that would grip the consumer and provide them with a sense of awe with regards to the given product. As a function of this, his communication style was not one that wandered from topic to topic during the few brief minutes which he engaged with the public. Rather, there was a direct point, key functionalities, and technical specifications that were related to the would-be user within terms that would no t frighten those that otherwise would not have a great deal of technical expertise or understanding (Cusumano 2011). This primary knowledge of the market with which he was ultimately engaging was the primal reason why Apple has become such a fixture of US technology and engineering that it is today. By realizing what the consumer needed relayed to

Prostate Cancer in African American Men Essay Example for Free

Prostate Cancer in African American Men Essay Cancer has always been one of the most dreaded diseases of humans. This incurable disease has broken the hearts and spirits of many, and has continuously left an indelible mark in its patients lives. One of the cancer types associated with men is prostate cancer. The National Cancer Institute website defined prostate cancer as the type of cancer occurring in the male reproductive system, more specifically in the prostate tissues. This type of cancer is normally triggered in older men (n. d.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to this, the disease also reiterates that genetically mutated cells, known as cancer cells, are present in the prostate. The Prostate Disease website also added that tumors are formed, spreading to the different areas in the body. The spread of the said cells causes permanent damage to the normal functions to the different organs (2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aside from the fact that cancer is genetically transmitted, the underlying causes of prostate cancer are still undecipherable. The profile of an individual candidate for prostate cancer is usually taken into consideration. Since males are the only ones with prostates, the women are fortunately exempted from acquiring this disease. Race is another factor affected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Intercultural Cancer Council website stated that Prostate Cancer affects 37% of African American men (Baylor College of Medicine, 2007). It was also stated that the percentage rate of men afflicted with prostate cancer is relatively higher in Europe and in North America, as compared to Asia, Africa, and South America. Diet is one of the most unrecognizable causes of prostate cancer. Eating of food rich in carcinogens can increase the cancer rate in the body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the National Prostate Coalition website, African American males are afflicted by Prostate Cancer far more than the other types of cancer. In an estimation made by the same website, there were 4,240 prostate cancer deaths in 2007. The chances of genetically acquiring the disease are very big for African Americans. For a close relative afflicted with the disease, the individual has a one out of three chance of acquiring the cancer. For those who have two relatives afflicted with prostate cancer, the chances increase, with an 83% possibility. Worse, if there were three or more members afflicted, the possible acquisition of the disease is 97% (NPCC, 2007). Quite disappointing, but true.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The early stages of prostate cancer inhibit the patient from experiencing and seeing the symptoms. This is primarily due to the fact that these symptoms may also be caused by the presence of other diseases. Such symptoms may include frequent urination, urinary incontinence, presence of blood in the semen and in urine, erection difficulties, and agonizing ejaculation. Presence of at least two of the above mentioned should be enough basis for the patient to consult an oncologist or urologist at the soonest possible time (Marks, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Biopsy is one of the most reliable tests done in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. With the presence of a Urologist, a tissue sample is harvested from the patient using a needle. The sample is then forwarded to the Pathologist for extensive examination that could lead to the possible detection of prostate cancer. Several other tests are also performed after biopsy that act as the other opinions in proving the presence of cancer cells. Some of the tests include   a CT scan, bone scan, and an MRI (Strum, Pogliano, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the rampant upgrades in technology, several treatment methods have been available for prostate cancer. According to the website of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the tumor spread of prostate cancer plays an important role in the type of treatment used (2008). The most common treatments used were Radical Prostatectomy, Radiation Therapy, Cyrotherapy, and Active Surveillance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the used surgeries is Radical Prostatectomy. This process focuses on the extraction of the prostate gland and the nearby tissues from the body. This surgery requires the patient to undergo a general anesthesia, so as to avoid the unbearable pain that can be felt during surgery. As replacement, a catheter is placed through the penis so that urination may be facilitated while the wounds are healing (Blasko, Grim, Sylvester, 2003) .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Undergoing Prostatectomy is one of the most certain treatments for prostate cancer. The removal of the prostate and its nearby tissues inhibits the spread of the cancer cells to the other parts of the body. This also gives the doctor firsthand information of the results, giving them enough evidence as to whether the cancer will spread or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Radiation Therapy on the other hand, does not involve any surgery. Instead, the procedure makes use of x-rays whose energy is high enough to kill cancer cells. For this specific disease, two types can be used. These are the External beam and the Internal. The External beam uses a machine that beams radiation from the outside of the body. The target of the beam is the prostate, making sure that radiation is exposed on the pelvis and in the prostate. The side effects for this treatment include diarrhea, rectal irritation, bleeding and painful urination. Sometimes, this therapy may also cause impotence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Internal radiation therapy, as compared to the external beam, emits radiation seeds that were implanted on the prostate. These seeds are powerful enough to kill cancer cells, but may be very painful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cryotherapy, according to the Prostate Cancer Institute website, is one of the newest therapies discovered in the 1990’s. The treatment utilizes the freezing of the prostate gland, destroying the whole organ, including the cancer cells that may be incorporated in the process. The process requires the patient to undergo general anesthesia, and is over in about two hours. The side effects experienced by the patient are usually treated after a few weeks. These may include urinary incontinence, pains in the pelvis, and swelling in the scrotum (2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Active surveillance, on the other hand, is yet the most simple among all treatments. The patient does not undergo a specific treatment, and instead is in close communication with the physician. This process includes regular tests and exams that monitor the health of the patients (2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having to bear the pain of prostate cancer and the thought of actually dealing with the disease is heartbreaking for anyone. The best thing to avoid such heartbreaks is to try and avoid contacting the disease. According to the WebMD website, the consumption of food rich in fiber can be very beneficial in the prevention of the disease. These include the consumption of tomatoes, vegetables, and soy products. In addition to this, researches are being conducted in finding the correct preventive measures of prostate cancer. Some of these researches include the fact that the administration of a Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) helps in the protection of men from having prostate cancer. Another is the fact that drinking red wine also helps in the prevention of prostate cancer (July 24, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regardless of what the effects of prostate cancer are, what is important is the fact that people, cannot avoid such disease. May they be Caucasians, Asians, or even African Americans; no one is exempted from having such. We all just have to take good care of our bodies, and of our lives. References (24 July 2006). Prostate cancer health center: Prostate Cancer-Prevention. Retrieved March 20,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008 from http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/tc/prostate-cancer-prevention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American Academy of Family Physicians. (2008). Prostate Cancer Treatment Options.   Ã‚   Retrieved March 20, 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/treatment/264.html Intercultural Cancer Council. (2007). African Americans Cancer. Retrieved March 20,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008 from http://iccnetwork.org/cancerfacts/cfs1.htm Strum, S.B., Pogliano, D.L. (2005). A primer on prostate cancer: The empowered patients   Ã‚  Ã‚   guide. Life Extension Media. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Prostate Cancer. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate Marks, Sheldon. (2003). Prostate and cancer: A family guide to diagnosis, treatment and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   survival. Perseus Books Group. Grimm, P., Blasko, J., Sylvester, J. (2003). The prostate cancer treatment book.   Contemporary    Books. Prostate Disease. (2006). Prostate Cancer. Retrieved March 20, 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.prostatedisease.org/prostate_cancer/default.aspx Prostate Disease. (2006). Prostate Cancer- Causes and Risk Factors. Retrieved March 20,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008 from http://www.prostatedisease.org/prostate_cancer/risk_factors.aspx Prostate Cancer Institute. (2006). Cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer. Retrieved March 20, 2008    from  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.prostate-cancer-institute.org/prostate-cancer  Ã‚  Ã‚   treatment/cryosurgery.html

The Validity Of Essiac As a Cure For Breast Cancer :: Biology Health Medicine Essays

The Validity Of Essiac As a Cure For Breast Cancer Doctors continue to study breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death in women, in attempt to find an all out cure. More and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. In 1995, an estimated 182,000 women in the United States were diagnosed, of which 10% to 15% were already locoregionally advanced (Ames et al, 1996). Breast cancer has been plaguing women since 1600 B.C. where it was treated with such methods as amputation or by burning the lesion (Eberlein, 1994). A variety of supposed panaceas have been proposed as cures, however, the most modern technology and research has identified three main modalities in the treatment of cancer: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. These modalities are most advantageous in ridding the body of cancer and prolonging life as noted in key research studies. THE SEVEN MOST COMMONLY USED, MEDICALLY ADVANCED PROCEDURES FOR ERADICATING BREAST CANCER While doctors do not completely disregard homeopathic cures as cancer treatments, due to the cell's high rate of metastasis, time is most definitely of the essence. Numerous medical journal studies have alluded to seven specific procedures for combating a neoplasm of the breast. The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center backs up this assertion and explains the procedures on their home page at (http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu/opa/cancer.html). Of the seven treatments, a MODIFIED RADIAL MASTECTOMY is the most prevalent treatment of early identified breast cancer and the most favored by physicians. This procedure includes the full removal of the breast, underarm lymph nodes and the lining of the chest muscles. Seldom used today, but a common procedure of the past, a RADICAL MASTECTOMY was also an option recommended for women, entailing a removal of the entire breast, chest muscles, all underarm lymph nodes, and additional fat and skin. The TOTAL and SIMPLE MASTECTOMIES, yet another scientifical ly worthwhile option in the fight against breast cancer, involve the removal of only the breast, and sometimes a removal of a few underarm lymph nodes closest to the breast to check if the cancer has begun to spread to other parts of the woman's body. PARTIAL and SEGMENTAL MASTECTOMIES remove the malignant tumor as well as a wedge of normal tissue surrounding the tumor, including some skin and the lining of the chest muscle below the tumor, again checking for metastasis. Slightly newer, more advanced treatments involve directly targeting the cancerous tumor, including extra prophylactic measures.

Who are the real winners and losers in RJR Nabisco takeover

Most Of us looks at LOBO transactions from outs idà ©e and have completely different viewpoint how these transactions are done. Barbarians at the Gate presents a n insider's perspective. We somehow have these believe that when there is billions of dollars involved in transactions, Coo's, investors, investment bankers make their decisions based on numbers, trying g to be objective to make rational decisions and very seldom let their subjectivity such as their ego to drive thee r decisions.However after reading the book, I realize how wrong we all are. This paper focuses on what the management team did wrong that cause them to fail and who are the real winners from this transaction. Why management team lost When Ross Johnson proposed a levered buyout, he was sure he would win. H e thought that Or's directors would give him the deference due a chief executive, never realizing that the b road would have no choice legally or morally but to treat him as an outsider.The following factors h ighlights why management team lost. Remaining Equity: The board tried to keep the company as unbroken as poss. able to minimize the negative effect on employees. However the management team planned to keep only t e tobacco business and sell the entire food business after the acquisition. Employees' benefits: Management focused only on employees who would sat y and did not care about employees who would lose their jobs.Ross Johnson did a mistake during one of his interviews regarding potential layoff in the Atlanta headquarters by saying â€Å"those workers had port able jobs and could find employment elsewhere†. Loosing boards trust: Even though Johnson insisted that some portion in queue TTY would be divided among workers, only six names emerged besides his own. Too much for too few, this s what the directors thought, which shocked them. In the end, Ross Johnson lost the battle when he refuse d to guarantee the benefits of those same workers.Choice of bankers and lack of cla rity. Choosing only one banker whom Ross Joe hone's friend suggested was a big mistake. Ross Johnson did not have a clear overall approach and was cons sisterly following Shearers Salmon's advises. Why KIRK won Clear strategy: Recruit every significant player so that the other bidding group s would not be able to retain them and left the management-Shearers bidding group with only one available e player, Salomon Brothers, with significant access to capital market.Reading board's mind: Keeping its options open, KIRK did not disclose fully its Eng-term plans and tried consistently read the board's mind and to act based on it (for example, guar noted severance and other benefits for employees who would lose their jobs, or the announcement to Pl an to hire Paul Stitch as the chairman and CEO in order to mitigate the uncertainties regarding the business as, since he has been with company previously and showed due diligences in his position). Who are the real winner and losers?

Organic Food in Spain: Market Segmentation Essay

Abstract In recent years, consumers concerns on environmental and health issues related to food products have increased and, as a result, the demand for organically grown production. Higher costs of production and retailer margins generate a gap between real prices and those consumers are willing to pay for organic food. In this paper, consumer willingness to pay for organic food in two Spanish regions is analyzed. Markets in both regions are segmented considering consumers lifestyles. Results indicate that consumers concerned about healthy diet and environmental degradation are more likely to buy organic food and are willing to pay a higher premium. Organic attributes are easily identified in perishable products as the premium consumers would pay for organic meat, fruits and vegetables is higher. 1 PUBLICADO EN International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, (2001), 3, 207-226. 1 Market segmentation and willingness to pay for organic products in Spain 1. Introduction Food consumption in most developed countries has attained a saturation point in quantity terms, and consumer food choices are broader than in the past. The result is a more diversified consumption. In this saturated market environment, distribution channels, marketing activities, diversification strategies and food quality are increasingly important. In addition, consumers have become more concerned about nutrition, health and the quality of food they eat. The increasing importance of health, and the impact food production has on the environment, on consumer food choice is well documented in the literature (Jolly et al. , 1989; Jordan and Elnagheeb, 1991; Oude Ophius, 1991; Baker and Crosbie, 1993; Grunert and Juhl, 1995; Kleijn et al., 1996; Viaene and Gellynck, 1996; Chupitaz and Keslemont, 1997). As a consequence, organic products production and consumption have grown in recent years. The number of papers which have been devoted to the study of organic food markets has increased (Lampkin, 1989; Beharrel and MacFie, 1991; Landell Mills, 1992; Tregear et al. , 1994; Lin et al. , 1996; Vetter and Christensen, 1996; Thompson and Kindwell, 1998; among others). Organic farming refers to a farming system which uses organic manure, and avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals. A recent study carried out by FAO (1998) has shown that an adequate management of organic farming generates a positive impact on the environment (e. g. , reduction of water â€Å"contamination†, increased soil fertility due to crop rotation). On the demand side, consumers have positive attitudes towards organic products as they perceive them as healthier than conventional alternatives (Beharrel and MacFie, 1991). In the case of Spain, although the production of organic food products has considerably increased during the past decade, demand is still very low as only 0. 5% of food expenditure is allocated to such products. The main obstacle with organic production seems to be the difficulty in selling organic products in retail food markets. Although consumers search for more diverse, higher quality and healthier food products, organic products face problems related to consumer product acceptability (new product, high price and deficiencies in distribution channels (Roddy 2 et al. , 1994)). On the production side, high costs, especially labor costs, and the difficulty of shifting from conventional to organic farming are also limiting factors (Vetter and Christensen, 1996; Hamiti et al. , 1996). Furthermore, food availability and seasonality influence marketing activities and make it difficult to establish appropriate retailing outlets. Higher costs of production and retailer margins jointly may result in higher prices than consumers are willing to pay for organic food attributes. The objective of this study is to estimate the willingness of different consumer segments in Spain to pay for organic products, in order to assess alternative price strategies carried out by producers. From other studies, it was expected that consumers would be willing to pay a premium for organic products. This expectation is based on the idea that these products are healthier and may diminish negative environmental effects associated with conventional agricultural production. In order to expand the scope of our results, in this study we have considered a wide range of food products: 1) vegetables; 2) potatoes; 3) cereals; 4) fruits; 5) eggs; 6) chicken; and 7) red meat. Among the different methodological alternatives to assess consumers willingness to pay, the contingent valuation (CV) approach was chosen (Hanemann, 1984, 1987). Although CV is a method primarily used for monetary evaluation of consumer preferences for non-market goods (e. g. , unpriced natural resources), it is also useful in this context because the organic market is still too â€Å"thin†, and organic products are not available in all retail outlets. The paper is organized as follows. In the next section, some descriptive statistics on the evolution of organic farming in the European Union (EU) and, particularly, in Spain are shown. A brief description of the survey instrument used is provided in section 3. Next, consumer market segments based on consumers’ lifestyles are defined and characterized taking into consideration both socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes towards organic food products and environmental concerns. In section 5 the willingness to pay of each segment and all products considered are calculated. A brief outline of the theoretical foundation of the CV method is also included. Finally, some concluding remarks are outlined. 2. Relative importance of organic agricultural production in the European Union and Spain 3 Land under organic farming in EU countries has dramatically increased from 425 thousand ha in 1992 to 2.9 million ha in 1999 (Table 1). Although the area has grown seven fold, it still represents only 2. 2% of total cultivated agricultural land. The proportion of land devoted to organic production on total cultivated land varies from country to country. The highest values are found in Austria (8. 4%), followed by Finland (6. 3%), Denmark (5. 5%), Sweden (5. 5%) and Italy (5. 3%). The lowest are found in the rest of the Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Greece and Spain) in spite of the important increase of land devoted to organic products in these countries. Among EU countries the most spectacular increase in land devoted to organic production has taken place in Italy, although a high percentage corresponds to pastures. (Insert Table 1) Organic farming in Spain has been developed only recently but has increased rapidly during the past few years. Land devoted to organic production has increased from 7,900 ha, in 1992, to 352,000 ha, in 1999, when it accounted for 1. 4% of the total utilized agricultural land, still under the European average. Three-fourths of Spanish organic farming is concentrated in three regions: Extremadura (47%), Andalucia (17%) and Castilla-Leon (12%) (Table 2). In relative terms, regions with higher percentages of organic farming on total utilized agricultural area are Canarias (7. 7%), Extremadura (6%) and Comunidad Valenciana (2. 6%). Normally, organic production in each region is highly related to the crops which are traditionally produced there. At the national level, cereals and olives are the main organic crops followed by nuts and fruits. However, it is noticeable that a high percentage of land devoted to pastures is under organic production, mainly concentrated in the central and southern part of Spain. This explains the relative importance of Extremadura and Andalucia in organic production. Navarra, on the other hand, is the region in which more diversification exists, producing a wide variety of organic agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, cereals and meat). (Insert Table 2) Available information on consumption is less precise. According to the European Commission, EU expenditures on organic products accounted for 1. 5 million Euros in 1991, representing 0. 3% of total food expenditures. The proportion varies from country to country. Expenditure on organic products in Denmark lies between 2% to 3% of total food expenditures; in Germany, it represents 1. 2%; in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and the Netherlands it is 4 less than 1%. In the case of Spain, the relative importance of organic food products is lower, accounting for only 0. 5% of total food expenditures. Comparing the Spanish figures on production and consumption of organic food products, it is clear that production has increased faster than consumption. The demand for organic food in central and northern European countries is growing more rapidly than in Spain. The main consequence is that, today, more than 50% of organically produced fruits and vegetables are sold in foreign markets leaving, to a certain extent, consumers unattended in the domestic market. Producers get a premium when selling in foreign markets and they expect and want to earn the same premium in the domestic market. However, as in Spain most of the conventional food products are less expensive than in other European countries (mainly, pasta, fruits and vegetables), the gap between conventional and organic products prices is higher in Spain, limiting the expansion of organic food consumption. The study tries to provide a better understanding of Spanish consumers in relation to organic food. Assuming that higher prices is the main limiting factor for increasing organic consumption, special attention will be paid to the maximum premium consumers are willing to pay for such products. As a previous step, consumers will be segmented according to their lifestyles and, then, market segments characterized taking into account consumers socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes towards organic food products and environmental concerns. 3. Data The data used here come from a survey conducted in July-August 1997 in two Spanish regions: Navarra and Madrid. Navarra was selected not only because it is one of the most important producing regions in Spain, but also because it produces a wide variety of organic food products. Madrid is one the most important regions, together with Cataluna, in terms of organic food products consumption. Samples in both regions were selected using a stratified random sample of food buyers on the basis of age and district of residence2 . Four hundred respondents were randomly selected and personally interviewed at home in each region. Respondents were the main purchasers of food products within the household. The first question in the questionnaire was respondents’ 2 Census data were available in both regions. 5 degree of knowledge of what an organic product was. If the respondent did not know anything about them, he/she was not interviewed. So, only respondents with at least some knowledge of organic products were considered 3 . Only 10% of respondents in Navarra and 5% in Madrid claimed to buy organic products regularly, while another 55% in Navarra and 42%, in Madrid, were occasional buyers. These percentages are similar to those obtained in other studies ( ullen and Wholegenant, 1991; M Hansen and Sorensen, 1992, 1993). 4. Market segmentation for organic food As mentioned above, the first step in this study was to group consumers into homogeneous clusters. Consumers were segmented according to their lifestyles as previous research has shown that the willingness to pay for an organic product might be influenced by individual ways of living rather than by the usual socioeconomic variables (Hartman and New Hope, 1997). Once the market segments were obtained, they were characterized taking into account both consumers socioeconomic characteristics and their attitudes towards organic food products and environmental issues. Among socioeconomic characteristics, age, gender, education level, family size and income were judged to be the most relevant. Lifestyles as well as attitudes towards environmental issues, on one hand, and towards organic food products, on the other, were measured by three tested scales (the complete scales are shown in the Appendix). Respondents were asked to evaluate, assigning a value from 1 to 7, their agreement with different sentences. These three scales have been reduced by a principal components analysis to extract main dimensions on each aspect. 4 The main results from these analyses follow. i) Lifestyles. Table 3 shows the correlation between the original variables (sentences) and factors obtained from principal components analysis in Navarra and Madrid. In Navarra, lifestyles was summarized in three factors which account for 53% of the total variance (Table 3, top). The first one, ‘Natural food consumption’, explains 30% of the total variance and is linked to 3 Only consumers with at least a certain knowledge on what organic products are were interviewed. In a previous qualitative research, 90% respondents said they had heard or knew something about organic products. More or less the same percentage was found in the survey. Thus, the sample seems reasonably representative. 4 The non-linear principal components analysis (De Leeuw and Rijckevorsel, 1980) was also used as an alternative to condense the information. Results were almost identical to those presented. 6 consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and the concern for reducing the consumption of red meat, processed food or food with additives. The second factor, ‘Life Equilibrium’, explains 14% of the total variance, and refers to the existence of a real interest on keeping a balance between work and private life, living in a methodical and ordered way and trying to reduce stress. Finally, the third factor contributes to 9% of the total variance. It is called, ‘Health care’, and shows the interest of consumers for keeping themselves healthy, through practicing sports, following a natural diet, controlling salt ingestion and regularly checking their health. In Madrid, four factors were selected which account for 62% of the total variance (Table 3, botton). The first three factors are similar to those obtained in Navarra, but in a different order, indicating that their relative importance differs. The first factor here is, ‘ Health care’, which explains 28% of the total variance and is linked to consumers awareness to regularly check their health. The second factor, ‘Natural food consumption’, contributes to explain 13% of the total lifestyles variance and, as in the case of Navarra, is linked to variables indicating consumers consumption of healthier food products. The third factor, ‘ ife Equilibrium’, has a similar L interpretation to the case of Navarra. Finally, the fourth factor, ‘Mediterranean diet ’, is related to a high consumption of fruits and a moderate consumption of meat. (Insert Table 3) ii) Attitudes towards environmental issues. In relation to attitudes about environmental issues, two factors were selected in both regions which explained 63% and 70% of the total variance in Navarra and Madrid, respectively (Table 4). The first factor, ‘Environmental conservation’, is related to variables indicating that consumers have an active interest in reducing the effect of environmental degradation by recycling products and using recycled products, etc. The second factor, ‘Environmental concerns’, is linked to those variables showing consumers awareness about the negative effect of development on the environment. (Insert Table 4) iii) Attitudes towards organic food products Table 5 shows the results of the principal components analysis carried out on variables related to consumers’ attitudes towards organic food products. The original information was summarized in two and three factors in the cases of Navarra and Madrid, respectively (Table 5). In Navarra the two factors account for 45% of the total variance. The first factor, ‘ Positive aspects’, emphasizes the quality, taste, healthiness, attractiveness and absence of harmful effects 7 of these products. The second factor, ‘Negative aspects’, is related to the perception that organic products are only a new fashion and more expensive than the conventional ones. In Madrid the three factors explain the 59% of the total variance. In this case, the organic food positive aspects were divided in two factors, ‘Quality and healthy aspects’ and ‘External appearance’ (related to organic food products’ attractiveness and taste). The â€Å"negative aspects† factor is related to the same attitudes as in the case of Navarra. (Insert Table 5) Market segmentation The K-means cluster analysis technique (Malhotra, 1993) was used to identify market segments in relation to organic food products. Lifestyles factors (Table 3) were used as segmentation variables. Three segments in Navarra and four segments in Madrid were identified. Each segment was characterized taking into account: consumers’ socioeconomic characteristics (age, gender, education level, family size and income); factors related to attitudes towards environmental issues (Table 4); factors related to attitudes towards organic food products (Table 5); and the consumption level of organic food products 5 . Results from cluster analysis and market segments characterization are shown in Tables 6 and 7, for Navarra and Madrid, respectively. (Insert Table 6) In Navarra, the first segment accounts for 25% of the sample (Table 6). It includes those people who show a leaning towards natural food consumption and a balanced life, but with no excessive care for their health. This is a potential consumer group of organic products as most of respondents occasionally consume them and a high proportion is willing to taste them in the near future. For this reason, the segment is labeled †Likely consumers†. Consumers in this segment are mainly women, middle-aged, with an educational level of high school or less and they positively assess the beneficial aspects of organic food products. The second segment includes 52% of consumers. It is formed by respondents evenly split between men and women. They are also not well educated (high school or less) and 75% are of medium income. They are worried about health and the balance between private life and work, but pay less attention to follow a natural diet. The percentage of regular and occasional 5. Four categories were defined: 1) regular consumption, 2) occasional consumption; 3) no consumption but probably yes in the near future; 4) no consumption at all. 8 consumers is the highest among all segments; therefore this segment is called â€Å"Organic food consumers†. Nevertheless, this big proportion could reflect certain confusion among consumers between real organic products and those grown in home gardens, for self-consumption. This is very frequent in this area. Navarra is a very important producer region of fruits and vegetables and many people living in town keep strong links with rural areas. This fact could also explain the negative value assigned to the â€Å"natural food consumption† factor. Furthermore, no need for a special consideration of healthy diet is shown as it is intrinsic to consumption habits. The third segment accounts for 23% of respondents. This is clearly the least involved group on natural food consumption, life equilibrium and health care and includes the highest percentage of no consumers. The relatively low potential consumption together with the lack of awareness about health and more natural diets suggest that organic consumption in this group will not be stimulated. Therefore, this segment is labeled as â€Å"Unlikely consumers†. Half of consumers in this segment have less than 35 years old. Finally, it is important to note that among the â€Å"unlikely consumers† half of them have more than a high school. Results from segmentation in Madrid are different because of the heterogeneity of an over 5 million inhabitants town (Table 7). Four segments were identified. Half of the consumers within the first segment (23% of the population) are over 60 years old and there are more households with 2 o fewer inhabitants than in the other groups. Consumers in this group are better educated than in other segments. However, almost 90% of consumers are of medium or modest income. They are not very aware of environmental problems but are worried about health issues and try to follow a â€Å"balanced† life. Mediterranean diet is valued positively but consumption of organic products is not of much interest for them as they do not appreciate the positive organic food products attributes. Therefore, this segment is called â€Å"Unlikely mature consumers†. (Insert Table 7) The second segment is similar to the previous one in terms of the consumption level although the percentage of regular and occasional consumers is even lower. In relation to sociodemographic characteristics consumers in this segments are younger, than those of the first segment, the percentage of male consumers is higher and, finally, family size is larger. They are not very involved in environmental issues, have a negative image of organic products and are not worried about diet and health but try to maintain a certain equilibrium between working and 9 private life. This segment is labeled â€Å"Unlikely young consumers† and accounts for 20% of the population. The third segment (22% of the population) is also mainly formed by households with 3 or 4 members (usually a couple with one or two children). The percentage of consumers educated beyond high school is very low in this group (17%). Consumers within this segment are looking for a more natural diet in which Mediterranean products play an important role, although they show a negative attitude towards the external appearance of organic food products. They are occasional buyers of organic food and are likely to increase their consumption if the natural attribute of such products is reinforced. Thus, this segment is called â€Å"Likely consumers†. Finally, the forth segment accounts for 35% of the population and is labeled â€Å"organic food consumers†. The percentage of regular and occasional consumers is the highest in relation to other groups. It is quite similar to the second segment found in Navarra although it is smaller. Consumers do not show special socioeconomic profiles. Only it is noticeable the high percentage of female consumers. People within this group participate more actively in environmental conservation tasks and are more concerned about food diet and health. As it can be observed from tables 6 and 7, market segments found in both regions present certain similarities although they are more heterogeneous in the case of Madrid. The â€Å"organic food consumers† segment is larger in the producing region (Navarra) as previously discussed. In any case, different market segments, with different socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, normally mean differences in preferences. In this paper, the main objective was to evaluate the consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for organic products. In the next section we will answer this question and will identify differences across segments in both regions. 5. Willingness to pay: the contingent valuation method Consumers willingness to pay (WTP) for organic food products is here measured using a direct valuation method: contingent valuation (CV). A mixed questioning procedure, normally called closed-ended with follow-up was used. This procedure consists of a dichotomous choice (DC) question and a maximum WTP question. In the DC question, consumers are asked whether or not they are willing to pay a premium, A, to buy an organic food product instead of a i conventional one. The amount Ai is a percentage over the price of the conventional product and 10 differs across consumers (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%)6 . Consumers responses are YES if they are willing to pay at least Ai for an organic product or NO, otherwise. Consumers are then asked for the exact premium they are willing to pay. The dichotomous individual response is linked to the maximum utility choice which allows us to calculate the WTP from appropriate welfare measures (Hanemann, 1984). Hanemann (1984) assumed that consumers know, with certainty, their utility function before being asked and after paying the amount Ai for buying organic food products. However, some components of these utilities are unknown or unobservable by researches who consider them as stochastic. This issue is the crucial assumption which explains the relation between statistical binary response models and the utility maximizing theory (Hanemann, 1984, 1987). Assuming a linear utility function and a logistic distribution function for the binary question, the WTP can be measured through the estimation of the following logistic function (Hanemann, 1984): Pi = (1 + e -(? + ? Ai) )-1 where, Pi : 1 if consumers are willing to pay the amount Ai and 0 otherwise Ai : the four premiums offered to consumers (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) Therefore, the mean of WTP is calculated as follows: E(WTP) = ? ?0 (1 + e -(? + ? A) )-1 dA = -? /? (1) Survey data consisted of 400 questionnaires but only 360 were available in Navarra and 376 in Madrid for estimation purposes. The rest of questionnaires were dropped out because interviewers had not answered the dichotomous question. Model defined in (1) was transformed to a linear one: DCi = ? + ? Ai where, DCi : is the logarithm of the probability ratio (Pi /1- Pi ) (2). 6 Consumers are randomly offered a premium of 5, 10, 15 or 20% above the marketed price for a conventional product. Our 400 interviews resulted in 100 answers for each amount A i . 11 Tables 8 and 9 show the maximum willingness to pay for various organic products (vegetables, potatoes, cereals, fruits, eggs, chicken and red meat) in Navarra and Madrid 7 . As we were interested in knowing if WTP differences existed across market segments, we tested for differences in WTP using a covariance analysis method. The unrestricted model was equation (1) adding the appropriate dummy variables. Two types of restrictions were tested: i) no differences across all segments; and ii) differences between any pair of segments. Results from Likelihood Ratio tests are shown in Tables 8 and 9. (Insert Table 8) (Insert Table 9) Also, we tested for starting point bias, that is, if premium offered to consumers biased WTP results. A linear regression was used to estimate consumers WTP as a function of the offered premium. A significant relationship would mean that WTP results were biased. Only in the case of potatoes in Madrid, results were conditioned to the offered premium. In the case of Navarra, all estimated parameters in segments 1 and 2 are individually significant at 5% level (Table 8). As expected, ? coefficients are negative, meaning that the higher is the premium (Ai) offered to consumers, the lower is the probability of answering YES. The third column in each segment shows the willingness to pay for organic products. The WTP is significantly different among all segments at 5% significance level (first column in Table 8). However, no differences were found between segment 1 and segment 2, indicating that potential and actual consumers are willing to pay a similar premium for all products. In both segments, the WTP ranges from 15% to 25% over the price of conventional products. Consumers included in the third segment, â€Å"Unlikely consumers†, are more reluctant to pay a premium for an organic product which is consistent with their attitudes and lifestyles. Most of the estimated parameters are not significant indicating that their WTP is zero. Only in the case of eggs is the WTP close to 10%. In general terms, consumers in Madrid were willing to pay a smaller premium for an organic product (Table 9). Furthermore, when compared to Navarra, results obtained in Madrid are substantially different as market segments differ. The most interesting result is that all segments are willing to pay a higher premium for fruits and vegetables. It seems that for 7 For comparison purposes the sample average WTP for different products in Navarra and Madrid are respectively: vegetables (13%, 12%); potatoes (9%, 9%); cereals (10%, 8%); fruits (13%, 13%); eggs (10%, 11%); chicken (13%, 9%) and; red meat (14%, 11%). 12 perishable products, like fruits and vegetables, the specific characteristics of organic production are more appreciated by consumers. Consumers’ WTP is significantly different across all segments when jointly considered. However, differences segment 1, 2 and 3 are quite small and not significant in most products. On the other hand, the â€Å"Organic food consumers† are willing to pay a higher and significantly different premium than the rest for an organic food product. Only for animal products (red meat, chicken and eggs), differences between real and potential consumers (market segments 4 and 3) are not significant. Among â€Å"unlikely consumers† (market segments 1 and 2), the older ones, worried about natural food consumption, are willing to pay a higher premium for organic meat products than the younger. 6. Conclusions Organic farming practices are becoming increasingly popular among producers although they still represent a marginal share of arable land. New possibilities to get subsidies within the Common Agricultural Policy has favored a rapid growth of organic production although a high percentage is devoted to pastures. On the demand side, the increase concerns about health, diet and environmental deterioration have, at least among some market segments, stimulated the demand for organic food. In Spain, organic food production and consumption have grown more slowly than in other â€Å"northern† European countries. One of the main obstacles for organic food expansion in Spain is the existing gap between conventional and organic food prices. Approximately 75% of organic production is exported to foreign countries where food prices are higher than in domestic markets. As the producers price strategy is oriented to fix more or less the same price level in both domestic and foreign markets (mainly in Germany and Denmark where the consumption of organic products has undertaken a noticeable increase in the last years), the result is that the premium Spanish consumers have to pay for organic food products is higher in comparison to other European countries. Two issues were explored which can affect the future development of organic production in Spain. The first was to detect market segments which could be potential consumers of organic food. The second issue was the identification of the maximum premium the various market segments were willing to pay for such products in order to help producers to take adequate pricing strategies in domestic markets. The study was carried out in two Spanish regions: one is 13 an active producing area ( avarra) while the other is the main food consumption market N (Madrid). Differences between regions were also analyzed. Finally, one of the main outcomes of this paper is that it covers a wide range of products in order to make comparisons both between products and market segments. In relation to the first issue, market segments were identified considering consumers lifestyles and, then, were characterized taking into account not only consumers socioeconomic characteristics but also consumption levels and attitudes towards organic food products and environmental issues. Similar segments were obtained in both regions although more heterogeneity was found in the case of Madrid. In general terms, three broad market segments were identified: consumers, likely consumers and unlikely consumers. The surprising result is that organic food consumers in both regions were larger than expected taking into account expenditure figures discussed in section 2. The answer to this surprising result is that in many areas consumers are supplying their own products. They consider them organic, simply because no fertilizers are used, when really they are not, as there is not any official certification. In spite of this result, some concluding remarks can be outlined. In general terms, consumers socioeconomic characteristics are not very relevant when explaining differences among market segments. Lifestyles and attitudes towards environmental issues are key factors explaining organic food consumption and have to be considered when designing appropriate promotion strategies by producers or marketers. In relation to the second issue, three main results were obtained.

Free sample - Type 2 Diabetes. translation missing

Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 DiabetesValentine (1998) defines Type 2 diabetes as a lifelong disease that is characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood. Through research, Type 2 diabetes has been found to be the most common form of diabetes. This type of diabetes is caused by the problem of the body making less insulin or not utilizing the available insulin appropriately. Insulin is very important as it helps to move excess blood glucose into cells so that it can be stored as fats and later utilized for energy production. In case excess blood sugar is not absorbed into cells for it to be converted into fats, a problem called hyperglycemia takes place which is characterized by the build up of abnormal high levels of glucose in the blood. Normally, as the levels of glucose in the blood stream increases, the pancreas is triggered to produce more insulin. But in this case the insulin becomes inadequate that it cannot keep up the demand of the body (Clarke, et al. 2003).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research findings by Levin, et al. (2005) show that insulin resistance cases are mostly experienced by those individuals who are overweight. This is because fat usually interferes with the ability of the body to utilize insulin. Most of the thin people who are affected by this disease are the elderly especially aged above 45 years of age since their body organ system is weaker that it cannot easily convert the fats in the body into energy to allow insulin work effectively. In some cases genetics and family history play a significant role in acquisition of this common type of diabetes such that the disease is inherited by the progeny if the parents were affected. Ethnicity is another risk factor, for instance Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans have been found to have increased rates of diabetes (Lasser, et al., 2006). By Poland, et al. (1998), it is apparent that the choices individuals make in a daily basis determine their physiological well being.   There are a number of steps to enable an individual have a healthier lifestyle which can reduce or prevent the possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes as well as pre-diabetes. These can comprise of maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy and balanced diet, ensuring that one does regular physical activities, by avoiding smoking cigarette, and by keeping one’s health in check. So that an individual can maintain a healthy body weight, it is advisable to exercise the body regularly as well as eat the foods which can provide the body with healthy diet, one should also talk to the concerned healthcare givers regarding the appropriate weight that they should have at that particular time, and it is better for an individual to learn how to calculate their Body Mass Index (Pearlin, 1992). To ensure a healthy and balanced diet, it is advisable to eat a diet constituting a variety of foods for instance protein rich foods, green vegetables for vitamins, and carbohydrates. Plenty of fruits and vegetables should be eaten daily especially 5 to 10 vegetables and fruits per day. Meals with high fiber content especially soluble fiber should be consumed to enable the hormone insulin perform well. This is because the soluble fiber slows down the release of ingested food into the intestine and prevents the blood sugar from elevating rapidly. Thus for the patients of Type 2 diabetes, taking enough soluble fiber is often very important as they will be allowed to take a smaller amount of diabetes medication. Eating less salt and fats can also ensure  Ã‚   physiological well being of an individual’s body as the accumulation of fats hinders the insulin from carrying out its function of converting glucose into fats. The amount of alcohol that an individual consumes should also be limited since a lot of it can result into high blood pressure and consequently bring about the risk of Type 2 diabetes (Gropper Smith, 2008).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Regular physical activities ensure less fats around the body organs and tissues hence insulin finds conducive environment to work in. It’s advisable that an individual should be active for a period of at least 30 minutes daily. Activities that build strength, flexibility, and endurance are very significant and should be included, and it will be very important if an individual enjoys the activities. Smoking is another dangerous behavior to the well being of an individual since the nicotine narrows the blood vessels and consequently increases blood pressure which is another risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Some people absorb the second-hand smoke as they get new the smoking zone but never realize that they well be affected the same way the smoking people will be affected. There it is advisable to keep distance from the smoking zones to avoid the consequent effects (Poland, et al. 1998). It is very important to keep one’s health on check, for instance getting enough bed rest by sleeping. Getting enough sleep enables the brain to relax and regain energy for various body activities. Through research findings, it has been found that reduced quantity of sleep can weaken appetite regulation and the metabolism of glucose resulting in amplified risk of obesity which at long run will bring about diabetes. Consecutive nights of interrupted sleep seem to put individuals at increased risk of getting infected with type 2 diabetes. Being active is also very crucial since physical activities reduce stress which could otherwise hinder the normal functioning of the body’s organ system. Managing high blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol reduces the tendency of being attacked by Type 2 diabetes (Pearlin, 1992).   Indubitably, it is very important for an individual to be engaged in regular physical activities for at least 30 minutes every day. This can considerably reduce the amount of fats in the body which could otherwise reduce the activity of the insulin hormone.   Regular exercises also enhance quick oxidation of excess sugars hence reducing the level of glucose in the blood to normal. Measures like regular physical activities have also been found to bring about health problems to individuals especially when they are sick. It is not advisable for an individual to exercise when for instance their blood sugar level exceeds300 mg/dl, they have difficulties with breathing, they are sick in whichever way, their urine have got ketones, or they are experiencing any prickling, numbness or pain in their legs. If one’s medication is peaking, it is also important not to exercise (Frank, 2005). The fruit diet has been found to reduce the incidences of Type 2 diabetes in the world population. Due to misconceptions, this has been found to have its shortcomings to the well being of an individual. There should be a specification on the type of fruits and vegetables that should be taken in plenty and those which should be taken in low quantities. For instance, some fruits contain more sugar than others such that if fruits with a lot of sugar are consumed in large quantities every day, the level of sugar in the blood stream will increase hence putting an individual into the risk of becoming diabetic. It is advisable that a serving of fruit should contain carbohydrates amounting to 15 grams. Therefore it is advantageous to consume low-carbohydrate fruits since they can be consumed in plenty thus reducing the incidences of Type 2 diabetes (Levin, et al. 2005).   According to Lasser, et al. (2006), in America a special type of food called pizza is usually very important in preventing diabetes. So, most of the individuals in the American population eat the pizza in a daily basis since it is a healthy food containing complex carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables. By research findings, it has been found that when eaten too much, pizza has its own shortcomings to the American population in spite of it being a balanced diet. This kind of food increases blood sugars to shoot up when eaten too much and as a result can cause diabetes. Pizza is also classified under the food with high fat content. Foods with high fat content like pizza can cause a delayed absorption of carbohydrates for some hours after one has eaten and as a result, the level of blood sugar will be kept elevated for about 8 hours (L. Henry, 2002).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among the types of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is the most common in any given human population. It can be distinguished from the other types of diabetes such that it can attack an individual even when insulin hormone is normally produced in the body. Type 2 diabetes comes into being when the insulin does not carry out its task effectively, that is, it does not convert the excess sugars in the blood stream into the form that can be stored for future use. It has been found that the factors which increase the accumulation of fats in the body enhance the incidences of Type 2 diabetes, for instance consuming a lot of fatty foods, and some times staying idle without doing physical activity. Also those factors which can increase the blood pressure, causes the disease, for example tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption.

STS401 Mod 5 TD Example

STS401 Mod 5 TD Example STS401 Mod 5 TD – Coursework Example Statistics in the business world I have learned numerous statistical factors which shall all be beneficial to me in life in one way or the other. I cannot say for a fact that there are some of them which I regret learning or which was a waste of my time and memory space. They are all key tools that can be applied at some place at some time.In the business world specifically, the tools that shall be most beneficial to me are measures of central tendency and spread, hypothesis testing, simple and multiple regression. These I shall apply in dealing with the facts and figures that pose a challenge in the business world every day. I shall apply the measures of central tendency to get to compare figures between months and even years; I shall use hypothesis testing to determine whether my set targets were achieved at the end of the day; I shall use simple and multiple regression to determine whether or not certain variables are related to each other or not.There are some tools which I shall not quite make use of in the business world. These are the data types, frequency tables and probability. It would not benefit me much in business to get to know whether data is a Boolean or an integer. Likewise, I would not wish to know how certain frequencies come out from the data I have in the business world. I would also not need to make use of probability in business as I would want to be sure of what I am doing and hence I would base my projections on past data analysis and not on probability analysis. ReferencesKaul, C., & Tomaselli-Moschovitis, V. (1999). Statistical handbook on poverty in the developing world. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Political instability in the Solomon islands and Australias relations Essay

Political instability in the Solomon islands and Australias relations - Essay Example Australia is helping the Solomon Islands Government address continuing problems of lawlessness and economic decline.† (Year book, Australia, 2005, P. 82). Therefore, the diplomatic relations of Australia with the Solomon Islands have essential role in the peace keeping process of the nation as well as the region. To analyze the background information of the Solomon Islands, the British Government established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in 1893 and they provided some of the bloodiest land, sea and air battles of World War II from 1942 to 1945. The land achieved independence in 1976 following the struggles by the indigenous people after World War II. In a careful analysis of the history of the Solomon Islands, it becomes lucid that political instability was a ground reality from its establishment and the diplomatic relations of Australia played a significant role in this context. Various political situations and developments in the Solomon Islands required the interve ntion of a political power such as Australia and it has been seriously involved in working to promote stability and growth in the nation and the region. In this paper, Australia’s deep and longstanding relationship with the Solomon Islands is analyzed in detail in order to determine the various aspects of the nation’s relationship with the Solomon Islands. Australia’s relationship with Solomon Islands, which has been deep and longstanding, has played a major role in the attempts to promote stability and growth in the nation. The bilateral relationship between the two nations has been very significant and Australia maintains a serious business relationship with Solomon Islands. â€Å"Australia maintains a close business relationship with Solomon Islands†¦ Recognizing the scope and scale of the challenges confronting Solomon Islands, Australia continues to provide

Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) Essay

Answers of qustion the Business process management (BPM) - Essay Example The Support activities in an organization that increases the added value of the product are; Organizational Infrastructure, Human Resource management, Technology development and Procurement. The primary activities of the value chain are inbound logistics, Operations, Outbound logistics, Marketing and sales and Services. Theses nine operations of the value chain play an important role in making the product more valuable in terms of utility and the profit. The Primary Activities – Inbound logistics: This process consists of receiving, storing of raw materials, and distribution of the raw materials to the various operations of production. This involves the inventory maintenance, transportation scheduling and return of the defective parts back to the suppliers. Operations: This process includes the various activities that transform the raw materials or unfinished products into final products. This area involves processing the raw materials through machines, equipment maintenance, testing of machines and other methods to optimize the production. Outbound logistics: This process involves the distribution of the finished products to dealers, distributors and to the warehouses. The entire process of delivering the finished goods to the end customers is handled under this operation. Warehousing, material handling, delivery operation, processing of the order and scheduling the delivery transportation is taken care of under this operation. Marketing and Sales: This process deals with the sales and marketing of the finished product. Functional areas like advertisement, promotion, stationing of the sales force, channel selection and pricing. Services: These operations include the after sales services like repair and maintenance. Functions like installation, repair, training, part supply and production adjustments. These services play an essential role in increasing the value of the product. The Support Activities- Firm Infrastructure: The infrastructure of the organi zation adds immense value to the product. The kind of facility available at the organization increases the value of the product. A general firm infrastructure is represented by the general management, planning and finance department, the legal department. These departments ensure smooth functioning of the entire production process. Human Resources Management: this operation regulates the recruiting and training of the employees. Human resource is the backbone of any organization. Managing the issues related to the employees such as benefits and compensation. Cost of hiring and training the employees and most importantly assigning the right job to the right person add a lot value to the product. Technology Development: An organization’s most important initiative in being effective and innovative is the stress given on technology development. Having the most efficient technology ensures fast and cost effective production. The quality of the product also increases with incorpora tion of latest technology. Procurement: Procurement deals with the function of purchasing materials for further processing. A cost effective and quality effective procurement ensure the cost and quality effectiveness of the finished product. When these nine basic yet essential operations are run efficiently by the organization the Value is added to the product. T