Sunday, December 29, 2019

Risk, Demography, and Technological Evolution in...

Mark Collard’s lecture was about risk, demography, and technological evolution in non-industrial populations and he discussed the evolution of tool use among a variety of groups of hunter-gatherers and food-producing communities. Collard states that the number and complexity of tools varies greatly among populations and he focuses on why this variation exists. He starts off by discussing and analyzing toolkit variation in both hunter-gatherer and farming societies and then moves on to discuss overall technological variation in these societies and the possible explanation for it. He lists four hypotheses that help explain this variation in toolkits among groups. They are the Diet hypothesis, the Risk hypothesis, the Mobility hypothesis,†¦show more content†¦He then moves on to food producers (farmers) instead of hunter-gatherers. He notes that population size is a major driver in technological variation among food- producers and there is no evidence of risk of resource failure in these larger groups. I think that the most interesting question posed by Mark Collard is whether there is a difference between hunter-gatherers and food producers in regards to toolkit variation. Not only is he interested in the difference between the two group types, he uses multiple variables and hypotheses to measure and analyze these differences. If I was to do this experiment, it would have never crossed my mind to compare groups of different composition and social structure. I would have thought that humans are all capable of the same activities and that global variation among toolkit complexity and richness was due mostly to environmental factors. The most important thing I learned was how tool use evolved over time, leading to our species’ current use of advanced tools. Even though Collard did not speak about humans over a long period of time or directly about human evolution, one can deduce that as our species evolved from foragers to organized societies, our toolkit complexity and richness increased dramatically. Given the information inShow MoreRelatedEssay on Marketing Analysis of Fantasticc Golf Company4175 Words   |  17 Pagesstatement  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Consumers’ analysis  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Target market  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 Consumers’ characteristics  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 Market demography  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 Target market by cities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9 External Analysis of Sweden/Infrastructure  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Business-Related Infrastructure  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consumer-OrientedRead MoreSurvival Strategy for Startup Business10775 Words   |  44 PagesBarry_Bayus@UNC.edu Rajshree Agarwal College of Business University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 350 Wohlers Hall, 1206 S. Sixth Street Champaign, IL 61822 Voice: (217) 265-5513 Fax: (217) 244-7969 agarwalr@uiuc.edu Key words: innovation, industry evolution, marketing, entrepreneurship Revised May 2006 This research has had a long development cycle. We appreciate comments of the following people on a much earlier version of this paper: Jay Barney, Gaurab Bhardwaj, Oliver Chatain, Raj Echambadi, GlennRead MoreTourism Guide of New Zealand4782 Words   |  19 Pages.....................................................................................................5 1.1 Geography.......................................................................................................................5 1.2 Demography....................................................................................................................7 2. 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The FMCG’s promising market includes middle class and the rural segments of the Indian population, and give brand makers the opportunity to convert them to branded products. It includes food and beverage, personal care, pharmaceuticals, plastic goods, paper and stationery and household products etc.   India, Asia’s third largest economy, sawRead MoreInfluence Of International Culture On The Fashion Industry7108 Words   |  29 Pagesassortment of reactions. The attire typically emulates the social movements and societal stratifications that are befalling at the time. Standard of life and styles are powerfully inclined by the social composition fluctuations; such as innovation, technological revolution as well as inventive activities. Buying apparel has become reckless and unscrupulous; in terms of meeting the consumers demand. Suppliers are altering their response times to meet the strains, inflicted by merchants to encounter theRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesThe New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. 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Political institutions and the distributionRead MoreCase Study About General Electric8901 Words   |  36 PagesThis strategy had involved reconfiguring GE’s business portfolio around two core businesses, infrastructure and specialty financial services, reorienting GE’s performance goals towards revenue growth, refocusing GE’s competitive advantage around technological innovation and customer service, and adjusting GE’s structure, management processes, and corporate culture. 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Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Importance Of Pride In The Kite Runner - 1608 Words

Humans have been known to take the majority of actions solely for their own personal gain, especially if the outcome allows them to receive praise and public recognition. In many different cultures, pride is a quality character trait because of the respect and honor that come with it. Amir, an Afghan boy in the novel, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, is pressured by his society’s view on pride because of its importance in his culture. In addition, the high standards that his father has set by being a highly successful and idolized businessman add to the expectation that Amir must follow in his father’s footsteps to create a good life for himself. In his younger years, Amir’s views on pride were solely based off of others. His†¦show more content†¦Since many people who saw how hard he had worked to finish this project were there listening to his speech, Amir’s father gains this feeling of pride that all Afghans strive to attain, one which c omes publicly and through the strong approval of peers. Since the â€Å"people stood up and cheered†, â€Å"clapped for a long time†, and â€Å"shook his [Baba’s] hand†, it is clear that they recognize the hard work that Baba has put into making the orphanage. Even though Baba may have partially wanted to build the orphanage to provide a safe haven for children who needed help and shelter, he also wanted to do it to show how well-rounded he was. After all, Baba wasn’t a proficient architect, or even a normal architect; he wanted to show to his peers that he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to. Baba makes a big deal out of the grand opening so everyone can see this great deed that he’s done while showcasing his talents and ability to succeed in things that are new and unfamiliar to him. He achieves this spectacularly, evident through all of the people who sat in chairs and even a â€Å"lot of people [who] had to stand to watch the opening ceremony† (14). After the speech, his whole audience congratulates him, boosting his self esteem and sense of pride. Another example of Afghan pride can be seen when Baba is being doubted by those surrounding him. When the â€Å"...people were alwaysShow MoreRelatedThe Kite Runner Analysis1526 Words   |  7 Pageswith his childhood enemy Assef and Hassan’s rape relates to the violence of the islamic revolution and chaos of Afghanistan, which illustrates the importance of the past, the feeling of guilt and the redemption for one’s past sins. Khaled Hosseini regained control of the beauty of Afghanistan, especially the city of Kabul, in his novel The Kite Runner. He narrates the turbulent journey of a man named Amir, who is haunted by his past and the ghosts of his sins. The novel is not just the history ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Khaled Hosseini s The Kite Runner 1256 Words   |  6 Pagesunaware. When, you could call yourself the superior one, just because of the unfortunate misinterpretation of the society of power, as greatness. That is when one realizes that the abuse of power has ensued. Several instances in the novel, ‘The Kite Runner’, by Khaled Hosseini, occur where authority has been mistaken for enormity. Baba s expectations out of Amir and his tactics of dominance towards making Amir into someone he desires, is the power, mistook as magnitude. Also, the element that babaRead MoreThe Story Of Amir And Hassan s Development1104 Words   |  5 Pagesstory manifests itself in their decisions by having t he ‘onion’ become a second choice in any situation the characters face, but the onion being different for Amir and Hassan due to which option they are inclined to always choose. The foremost importance of the onion in the story is that it represents a choice that was not taken. The story follows a poor man who must cry into a cup to get gold, so he sacrifices his wife to cry, but ends up heartbroken and not happy in the end. After Hassan finishesRead MoreThe Importance Of Father Son Relationship In The Kite Runner1335 Words   |  6 PagesThis quote contributes to the understanding of one of the many themes of The Kite Runner, which is the importance of a father-son relationship. Amir desperately tries to understand his father because he feels that he does not reach Baba’s high expectations, which he conveys by saying that he may â€Å"disappoint him again.† So, this drives him to want to do anything to make Baba proud. However, he even fails to understand his father’s one main principle: theft is sin. As a result of the confusion betweenRead MoreThe Prophet Of Small Things By Jhumpa Lahiri2316 Words   |  10 PagesThe four texts â⠂¬Å"The Namesake† by Jhumpa Lahiri, â€Å"The God of Small Things† by Arundhati Roy, â€Å"The Kite Runner† by Khaled Hosseini and â€Å"The Inheritance of Loss† by Kiran Desai all share the theme of a struggle for identity either though geographic, political or cultural displacement. Both â€Å"The Namesake† and â€Å"The God of Small Things† are examples of post-colonial literature. Through their themes and settings, they both show the repercussions of post-colonialism, cultural shift, suppression, migrationRead MoreBelonging - the Kite Runner Essay1399 Words   |  6 PagesHowever, ironically, these barriers that present hardship can truly liberate an individual and help them in finding a more fulfilled state of belonging. These ideas are explored in Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It and Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner. Barriers to belonging are evident in the play in ‘As you like it’ and are explored through gender paradigms, and social structures. Particularly through the relationship between Rosalind and Duke Frederick. Due to the usurpation of her fatherRead MoreThe Kite Runner Analysis 1844 Words   |  8 PagesTherefore, being a father is very difficult, having to overcome obstacles and being strong for each other. A well-known saying â€Å"like father, like son† is evident in this novel by the different ties of relationship each character had. In the novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini proves that there is need of a fatherly figure when growing up. Having a father-son bond helps the child differentiate right from wrong. The relationship which demonstrates the need of a father figure is depicted by Baba and AmirRead MoreEthics And Virtue Ethics By Russ Shafer Landau1791 Words   |  8 PagesNicomachean Ethics and as it is expressed in the pages of The Fundamentals of Ethics by Russ Shafer-Landau is a complex and dubious notion. It is one that is easily related to characters in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. More specifically, Shafer-Landau writes a lot about the importance of normative ethics, virtue ethics, and moral education, complexity, and wisdom. Normative ethics can be explained as the moral relationship one has with another and what moral obligation a person has to upholdRead MoreA Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini1421 Words   |  6 Pagesfinds a box of personal items left by Jalil to Mariam after his death. Among other items, Laila finds money intended for Mariam, and she and her family settle down in their hometown. Reflection on Culture: What I found most interesting about the importance of setting in A Thousand Splendid Suns is how fundamentally different the atmosphere was and is for women. Certainly, the Taliban’s extremely repressive politics and laws have been given significant airtime, however, it is hard to think of a moreRead MoreThe Kite Runner Essay2862 Words   |  12 PagesThe Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini Chapters 1-5 (PP. 1-47) Reading Questions 1. The novel begins with a flashback. What do you think is its purpose? What do you learn about the narrator? The purpose of the book in my opinion is to set up the setting of the main idea of the book and to give the readers Amir’s opinion on his fellow characters, so they can see the main idea. You learn about Amir’s life and how this event has affected him. 2. Who is Hassan? Describe him physically. What

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Strategic Management Multinational Consumer Goods

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management for Multinational Consumer Goods. Answer: Introduction: Unilever is the multinational consumer goods company that deals with numerous brands. In order to ensure the long- term sustainable position, the company has been concentrating on the overall financial performance. It is even much helpful in achieving the competitive advantage. The overall financial performance is shown below: First Second Third Fourth Full Year Turnover b - Sales growth (%) - Volume growth (%) - Pricing (%) 12.1 8.4 3.5 4.7 13.3 5.8 2.2 3.5 13.4 5.9 3.4 2.4 12.6 7.8 4.8 2.9 51.3 6.9 3.4 3.3 Sales Growth (%) Category Refreshment Food 7.4 5.9 3.2 0.6 6.8 (0.4) 9.8 1.3 6.3 1.8 Region The Americas 7.9 7.5 4.7 11.8 7.9 Table 1: Quarterly Financial Report (Source: Euromonitor.com 2017) The above table highlights that Unilever has grown ahead in the market of United States. The company is even much focused on establishing the effective relationship with the communities and customers. Cunningham et al. (2015) stated that the food and beverage companies are receiving many opportunities in this current trend. The sustainable position of the company depends on the customers satisfaction level. However, the major issue was found in the investment purposes. The lack of investor groups is one of the most significant challenges that Unilever has been facing in this current time (Hasan 2015). Unilever is the leading producer of food and beverage products in the world. It is noted that the other leading Ice Cream brands in United States are the major competitors of Unilever. The extreme level of competition with the leading Ice Cream brand is one of the major issues that Unilever is facing in this recent times (Hasan 2015). Value Statements of Unilever Unilever has set several core values, which are as follows: Impeccable Integrity- Unilever maintains transparency and ethical behaviour while undertaking any business functionality (Chong 2013). Demonstration of Passion of Winning- Unilever delivers the products of expected and promised quality (Hasan 2015). Focus on Consumer Preferences- Unilever focuses on the demands and needs of the consumers and keep them as their major priority (Hasan 2015). Bringing the best in every aspect- In order to resolve the issues, the leaders of Unilever are mainly restructuring the marketing activities (Cunningham et al. 2015). The company is paying attention towards strengthening the competitive position. Ensuring a better world- The company is also focusing on the community welfare (Chong 2013) Porters Five Forcesof the Unilever Porters Five Forces Factors Analysis of the factor Threat of new entrants The threat is presently low as Unilever has strong brand name and advanced technology for their production line (Chong 2013). However, in recent time, due to liberalization and ease in globalization policies, the threat for new entrants is growing. Threat of substitutes The threat is low as people in United States as people do not comparable product or services that can satisfy their demands for ice cream in terms of quality and quantity (Chong 2013). Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of the consumer is high as there is huge availability of the other ice cream products like Private label, Breyers etc (Unilever USA 2017). Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers power is low as Unilever has their production line in United States and can switch to an other supplier at low cost (Hasan 2015). Intensity of rivalries High intensity of existing rivalry from the ice-cream company Private label and Breyers, whose key products are ice-cream (Unilever USA 2017) Table 2: Porters five forces of Unilever Ice-Cream (Source: Created by Author) Diversification of Unilever Hasan (2015) defines that diversification is a form of corporate strategy to attract more people for their profitability of the organization through greater sales. In this context, Unilever ensures their diversification by advertising, marketing and formulating different variety on the ice cream and their flavors. Ice-cream products are a portion of their food and drink department in which, magnum, Heartbrand Glidat Stauss and Heartbrand Good Humor Ice Cream are some of the diversification in ice cream products (Unilever USA 2017). Chong (2013) portrays that magnum is targeted particularly for adults and their Heartbrand products Frutare targets most of the children due to their attractive pulpy fruit taste. Moreover, association with other organization like Ben--Jerrys and Breyers is also an evidence of the diversification of the Unilever. Edmondson (2014) stated that this associatively with leading ice cream companies have provided the Unilever to target more customers through the diverse business policy of other companies. Hasan (2015) also explains that expansion of business in other region also defines the diversification the organization. Unilever on this context, expand their business not only in United States but also in Asia Pacific regions, Eastern and Western Europe, Australasia and M. East Africa (Unilever USA 2017). Key Success Factorsof Unilever In this section, the key success factor of the Unilever will be illustrates that drives their financial growth. Innovation- Innovative product developments are their key success factor for attracting more consumers like Magnum and Frutare. Sim et al. (2016) depicts that the formulation of Magnum have enhanced their sales by 2% in the year 2012. It is also evident that in 4 years only the Magnum products has attained 1 billion euro to Unilever (Unilever USA 2017). Research and Development initiatives- The concerned organization research about the market and consumer demands according to the consumer preferences. Chong (2013) also highlight that Unilever provides their ice cream products in lower price so that every group of the community can be targeted. Technological advancement- Sim et al. (2016) depicts that utilization of the technological advanced instrument drives the profitability of the organization. Unilever also adopts technology like reducing sugar and calories from the ice cream, using ice cream Stabilizers and flavors and equipment like homogenizers, ageing tanks and mix plants (Unilever USA 2017). Embed sustainability- Unilever have their Unilever Sustainable Living Plan for achieving their vision to grow their business through their core working practices and procedures (Chong 2013). The concerned organization also follows food legislation like the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, Retail Food Safety Regulation (NACCHO Agreement) to maintain their business sustainability (Fda.gov 2017). Reference List Chong, L.B., 2013. Lonely Journey of an Ice Cream Peddler in China. InManaging a Chinese Partner(pp. 195-203). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Cunningham, K., Kamonpatana, K., Bao, J., Ramos-Buenviaje, J., Wagianto, A. and Yeap, P.W., 2015. Unilever Nutrition Strategy and Examples in Asia.Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology,61(Supplement), pp.S39-S40. Edmondson, B., 2014.Ice Cream Social: The Struggle for the Soul of Ben Jerry's. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Euromonitor.com., 2017.Market Research United States. [online] Available at: https://www.euromonitor.com/usa [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]. Fda.gov., 2017.FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). [online] Available at: https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017]. Hasan, M.M., 2015. Marketing Analysis of Unilever.Total Quality Management,11, p.13. Sim, S., King, H. and Price, E., 2016. The Role of Science in Shaping Sustainable Business: Unilever Case Study. InTaking Stock of Industrial Ecology(pp. 291-302). Springer International Publishing. Unilever USA., 2017.Brands. [online] Available at: https://www.unileverusa.com/brands/ [Accessed 5 Jan. 2017].