Introduction to Computer Application and Systems Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Computer Application and Systems Essay The first week required us to assemble a team and establish the team charter; we also discussed the benefits of information systems in the work environment, such as the computers and Internet access. Almost every major company has computers and Internet access now, the company cannot run smoothly without these basic information technology systems, if the company wants to be successful, it has to connect to the rest of the world and Internet is the best way for the company to do so. But there are also some bad sides about the advanced information technology systems, websites like â€Å"Facebook, Twitter, MySpace† require people put their personal information on the website, even some people are smart enough not putting their real name or address on the website, but majority of the computer users just do not have the awareness, they put their real personal information on those websites and once the information is there, it can never be erased. See more: how to start an essay about yourself for college We also talked about the history of the information systems in week one, such like â€Å"Roads† are the first information flow of the ancient world and other things like â€Å"Birds, Stone, Paper† all indicated the beginning of the information systems. Microsoft Office Word is one of the most useful tools designed by Microsoft, the impact it has had on writing is phenomenal, the Microsoft Office Word program is used by perhaps 95 percent of all writers currently extant, and it also changed the way people write, people do not have to worry about a misspelling or lost on word counts, because the Word tools can help them with all these problems. It is rare to see people still writing an essay or a business report on a piece of paper now; this just shows the information technology systems made people’s life so much easier and how important they relate to the society.

Effects of Yoga on Life Satisfaction and Stress

Effects of Yoga on Life Satisfaction and Stress Literature Review and  Results Chapters Contents (Jump to) Literature Review Results Discussion Conclusion Literature Review Carlson, Goodey, Patel and Speca (2003) studied the effects of mindful-based stress reduction on quality of life, mood and stress in those with breast and prostate cancer. The MBSR programme was found to be associated with enhanced quality of life and decreased stress with low cortisol levels (Carlson, Goodey, Patel and Speca, 2003). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced stress. Culpepper, Davis, Eisenberg, Phillips and Saper (2004) conducted the first U.S. national yoga survey on 15 million Americans who had practiced yoga at least once in their lifetime, in order to identify the relationship between yoga practice and life satisfaction. 3.8% of this population were in the age range of 18 to 55 years and had practiced yoga for over one year. These individuals were found to score higher on life satisfaction than those who had tried yoga only once (Culpepper, Davis, Eisenberg, Phillips and Saper, 2004). From the above study it was inferred that individuals who had practiced yoga for over a period of one year were significantly more satisfied with life than those who had practiced yoga only once. Lee (2004) studied the relationship between Hatha Yoga practice and subjective well-being between beginners who practiced yoga from one to ten months and advanced Hatha yoga practitioners who practiced yoga for at least two years. 107 adult Hatha yoga practitioners participated in the study that practiced yoga consistently, at least twice a week for an hour. Advanced Hatha yoga practitioners were found to have higher levels of subjective well-being on the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale than the beginners (Lee, 2004). From the above study it was inferred that regular practice of yoga led to higher life satisfaction, positive affect and spiritual well-being. Bijlani (2005) studied the effect of a yoga intervention on 98 subjects with chronic illnesses and high risk for cardiovascular diseases who practiced yoga for 3 to 4 hours for 8 days and were later tested on subjective well-being and anxiety scales. It was found that subjective well-being increased and anxiety decreased significantly after the practice of yoga (Bijlani, 2005 cited in Carson, King and Koenig, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased life satisfaction and reduced anxiety. Daubenmier, Hirschman and Impett (2006) conducted a study to examine the potential of yoga to promote embodiment and well-being (life satisfaction) on 89 participants pursuing a 2 years yoga course. After the course and on completing a short survey assessing life satisfaction in many domains, it was found that women objectified their bodies less after participating in the programme. Also, men and women had increased body awareness, positive affect and higher satisfaction with life as well as decrease negative affect with more frequent yoga practice (Daubenmier, Hirschman Impett, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased satisfaction with life along with an increase in positive affect and increased body awareness. Dehen, Flegal, Haas, Kishiyam, Okena and Zajdel (2006) in U.S.A. studied the effects of six months of Hatha Yoga intervention on cognition and quality of life of 135 healthy older people, aged 65 to 85 years who were randomly assigned to the yoga intervention group and the wait-listed control group. Results indicated that the yoga group had significant improvements on cognitive and quality of life measures than the wait-listed control group (Dehen, Flegal, Haas, Kishiyam, Okena and Zajdel, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased quality of life as well as cognition functioning. Geher, Otte and West (2006) researched the effects of Hatha Yoga on stress and life satisfaction on a U.S. population of 168 individuals in the age range of 20 to 40 years. 94 yoga practitioners who had practiced yoga for more than a year were significantly more satisfied with life and had lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels than the 74 individuals had completed only three sessions of Hatha Yoga (Geher, Otte and West, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that long-term yoga practitioners were more satisfied with life on and had lower stress levels than beginners of yoga. Kirstein (2006) studied the effects of 10 weeks yoga intervention on postural control, spasticity, mobility and quality of life of 12 patients with Multiple Sclerosis aged 30–76 years who practiced yoga twice a week for 70 minutes. Significant differences between the pre and post intervention scores suggested that yoga was a valuable alternative to other exercises for Multiple Sclerosis patients because of the improved scores on all scales (Kirstein, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that yoga intervention increased postural control, mobility, quality of life and decreased spasticity. Vito (2007) evaluated the effects of Hatha Yoga in relieving the psychological and physical symptoms of 25 female breast cancer patients aged 25–60 years, who were alternatively assigned to a twice weekly, 8 week yoga group and a wait-list control group. Questionnaires were administered before and after the yoga intervention. The yoga participants showed significant improvements in all outcome measures with a decrease in fatigue and negative mood as compared to the wait-listed control group (Vito, 2007). From the above study it was inferred that yoga increased quality of life simultaneously decreasing symptoms of cancer. Bijlani, Gupta and Sharma (2008) studied the effect of an 8-day intensive yoga intervention on 77 subjects’ subjective well-being who were randomly assigned to the yoga group and the control group. Using the Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI), the yoga group reported significant improvements in the areas of general well-being, expectation and achievement, confidence in coping, and mental mastery along with less worry and better abilities to cope with stress, and thus scored higher on subjective well-being than the control group (Bijlani, Gupta and Sharma, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that a yogic lifestyle increased subjective well-being. Duncan, Leis and Taylor-Brown (2008) evaluated the impact and outcomes of Iyengar Yoga in a Cancer Centre on 24 participants aged 38 to 57 years on measures of quality of life, spiritual well-being and mood disturbance. They were taught yoga and practiced it for 90 minutes per day for ten weeks. On comparing the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL) before and after intervention scores, quality of life and spiritual well-being significantly improved with a reduction in mood disturbance (Duncan, Leis and Taylor-Brown, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased quality of life and spiritual well-being, and regulated mood. Thomas (2008) examined the relationship between adopting a yogic lifestyle and subjective well-being on 152 Australian yoga students aged 30 to 50 years. Those who undertook an intensive Satyanand Yogic training (incorporation of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga) for two years scored higher on the Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Personal Wellbeing Index than those who only attended a weekly programme (Thomas, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased satisfaction with life. Havalappanavar and Jadhav (2009) studied the effect of yoga on subjective well-being and anxiety on 50 first year students from Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences Course aged 20 years and above. The Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Subjective Well-being Inventory were administered before and after one academic year with the practice of yoga. A significant decrease was found in both state and trait anxiety levels and positive changes in subjective well-being with an impressive ascend in life satisfaction scores after the yoga intervention (Havalappanavar and Jadhav, 2009). From the above study it was inferred that the yoga intervention reduced anxiety levels with an increase in life satisfaction. Maharana, Nagendra, Raghuram, Rakhshani and Venkatram (2010) studied the yoga effects on quality of life and interpersonal relationships on 102 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to two groups; 51 each to the integrated yoga group and the antenatal exercises (relief from back pain) (control) group, both for one hour, thrice a week. Results indicated that there were significant improvements in quality of life and interpersonal relationships in the integrated yoga group compared to the antenatal exercise group (Maharana, Nagendra, Raghuram, Rakhshani and Venkatram, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that integrated yoga effectively improved quality of life and interpersonal relationships. Moliver (2010) studied yogic effects on subjective wellness ad well as physical and psychological wellness in 393 women, including 211 yoginis (female yoga practitioners) who had more yogic experience than the rest aged 45 to 80 years. It was found those with more yoga experience scored higher on physical wellness, subjective vitality and life satisfaction scales than those with lesser yoga experience (Moliver, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that life satisfaction, physical well-being and subjective vitality increased with greater yoga experience. Ulger (2010) studied the effects of 8 hourly sessions of yoga on the quality of life in 22 breast cancer patients aged 30 to 50 years. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-I and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-II to measure anxiety and its permanence respectively, and Visual Analog Scale to measure life satisfaction were administered before and after yoga training. Patients’ quality of life after yoga was found to be higher with decrease in stress than before training (Ulger, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that yoga training can diminish stress and increase quality of life. Choudhary and Rathore (2011) studied the impact of 6 months of yoga on emotional intelligence and life satisfaction on 60 individuals who were given the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) before and after the completion of the yoga training. Results revealed that yoga increased life satisfaction and emotional intelligence before and after yoga intervention. Also, females had higher scores on both tests than males after practice of yoga (Choudhary and Rathore, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that consistent practice of yoga increased life satisfaction. Reis (2011) studied the effect of a 6-week prenatal yoga intervention in late pregnancy and its changes in optimism, power and well-being on 21 women. Tests were administered in the first week and after the yoga intervention. Optimism, power and well-being had significantly increased from the first to the sixth week of the yoga practice (Reis, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga promoted optimism and well-being. Woodyard (2011) explored the therapeutic effects of yoga to increase quality of life on 404 individuals aged 20 to 40 years who had newly enrolled for six months of yoga. Results showed that yoga enhanced individuals’ muscular strength and body flexibility, promoted and improved respiratory and cardiovascular function, promoted recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improved sleep patterns, and enhanced overall well-being and satisfaction with life than they previously experienced (Woodyard, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that satisfaction with life along with overall well-being increased with the practice of yoga. Seldin (2012) studied the effects of yoga on female body experience on factors such as self-objectification and self-acceptance on 7 American women aged 25-49 years who had consistently practiced yoga 4 times a week for 2-12 years. The self-objectification theory stated that expectations of physical and sexual body appeal resulted in poor body image. In 2004, Myers and Sinclair’s study established a link between poor body image and lower life satisfaction in adulthood among women. Using a semi-structured interview format, most women acknowledged decrease in body dissatisfaction and self-objectification after several years of yoga practice which was also directly related to higher marital, familial, occupational and other life satisfaction variables (Seldin, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased self-acceptance and satisfaction with life with a reduced dissatisfaction with body image. Chartrand, Haussmann, Khalsa, Mika and Moliver (2013) studied the effect of yoga practice as a predictor of psychological well-being on 211 female yoga practitioners between 35 and 60 years of age. Some who had practiced yoga for 10 years had higher life satisfaction and positive health outcomes compared to those who had practiced for only 2 months. Increased yoga experience predicted increased psychological well-being for those who intended to practice yoga throughout their lifetime (Chartrand, Haussmann, Khalsa, Mika and Moliver, 2013). Subjective well-being reduces in midlife years and rise in old age. However, the practice of yoga has shown to increase emotional well-being and life satisfaction in both midlife years as well as old age despite material and social losses (George, 2010). From the above studies it was inferred that yoga increased life satisfaction with age due to prolonged practice. Lucia (2013) studied the effects of yoga on psychological and physical wellness, and subjective well-being on 372 individuals aged 18-85 years. The participants were divided into yoga practitioners group and the control group who engaged in non-yoga exercises. Results indicated that yoga participants had higher psychological wellness and subjective well-being than the control group with no significant differences in physical wellness (Lucia, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that yoga participants experienced higher levels of psychological wellness and subjective well-being than non-yoga participants. Margaret (2013) studied yogic effects on the quality of life and functional performance of older adults. 135 individuals aged 60 years and above participated with 71 subjects in the intervention group and 64 in the control group. After 12 weeks of intervention, significant improvements were found in the quality of life and functional performance of the yoga participants. According to observations made in the study, the high attendance rate implied that yoga was preferred to medications (Margaret, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that aging individuals preferred yoga to medication, not only to increase functional performance and physical ability, but also to increase quality of life. Rai, Ramesham, Sathian and Sinu (2013) conducted a study on 280 married individuals, aged 30 to 55 years of which 164 individuals were Raja Yoga practitioners and 116 were non-yoga practitioners, to assess the effects of yoga on life satisfaction and happiness. It was found that yoga practitioners were happier and more satisfied with life than non-yoga practitioners. Also Rajayoga Meditation significantly increased life satisfaction and happiness in life further enhancing positive thinking (Rai, Ramesham, Sathian and Sinu, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and enhanced positive thinking. Ivtzan and Papantoniou (2014) studied the effect of yoga on three dimensions of psychological wellbeing: gratitude, life satisfaction and meaning in life on 124 participants, aged 18 to 40 years, with equal number of individuals with and without yoga experience. The research findings stated yoga practitioners scored higher on all scales (Ivtzan and Papantoniou, 2014). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased meaningfulness of life, satisfaction with life and gratitude towards life. Sharma (1986) focused on the application of yoga to modify behaviour for achievement of self-actualization. The scheme of yoga fits the Hierarchy of Needs Model by Maslow where self-actualization is the final goal after satisfaction of psychological, safety, love and esteem needs. According to Sir Aurobindo, ego is the source of all conflicts, which if continues, leads to mental ill health and disorders (Sharma, 1986). In 1988, Hoffman stated that self-actualization is a continuous process of becoming satisfied with one’s life. According to Maslow, the desire for fulfilment in all aspects of life caters to becoming actualized. Diener and Tay tested Maslow’s theory in which 60,865 participants representing all continents of the world were surveyed from 2005 to 2010. They answered questions regarding six needs closely resembling those of Maslow’s needs to assess well-being across three measures, namely life evaluation also called life satisfaction, positive feeling s and negative feelings. It was found that satisfaction of the six needs rendered life satisfaction and positive feelings being greater than negative feelings (Diener and Tay, 2011). Positive psychologists Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson and others have ascertained the fulfilment of these six needs to contribute to higher well-being and life satisfaction. They also stated that those who successfully fulfill these needs are capable of self-actualization (Coon and Mitterer, 2010). The above literature reviews have stated that the practice of yoga had significantly increased satisfaction with life. Greater experience of a yogic lifestyle increased life satisfaction as individuals grew older. CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1. INTRODUCTION This chapter comprises of the two sections namely, the statistical analysis of the data obtained and the discussion of the results. 4.2. RESULTS This section entails the statistical analysis of the obtained data for the two groups, yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners using Descriptive Statistics and Independent Samples T-test. Table 4.1. (a) showing Descriptive Statistics for Yoga Practitioners and Non Yoga Practitioners on the Satisfaction With Life Scale. From Table 4.1. (a) showing the descriptive statistics for the two comparative groups it was observed that the total sample (N) consisted of 200 individuals, 100 yoga practitioners and 100 non-yoga practitioners. For the group of non-yoga practitioners, the Mean was calculated to be 23.71 with a Standard Deviation of 3.19. For the group of yoga practitioners, the Mean was calculated to be 27.75 with a Standard Deviation of 2.98. Table 4.1. (b) showing Independent Sample T-test for the sample of Yoga Practitioners and Non-Yoga Practitioners on Life Satisfaction. Table 4.1. (b) shows the Independence Sample T-test for the two comparative groups, yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on life satisfaction. In the Levenes Test for Equality of Variances, the F value obtained was 0.51 which was significant at the 0.47 level indicating that the homogeneity in the sample was maintained. Thus, equal variances were assumed. In the T-test for Equality of Means, the t value obtained was 9.22 with df value (degree of freedom) of 198 which was significant at the 0.000 level. The mean difference obtained was 4.04. The significant difference obtained between the two comparative groups thus indicated that yoga practitioners showed significantly higher life satisfaction compared to non-yoga practitioners. 4.3. DISCUSSION The present study is a comparative study of yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on life satisfaction. From the above section, the t value of 9.22 was significant at the 0.000 level. Thus the hypothesis stating that ‘the scores on life satisfaction will be significantly higher for yoga practitioners than non-yoga practitioners’ was accepted because the statistical analysis of the obtained data showed a significant difference between the two groups. In congruence to the above findings, previous researches done on the practice of yoga and satisfaction with life are listed below. Gharote (1982) studied the psychophysiological effects of meditation (Pranayama) and yogasanas on personality and use of yoga in therapy over a period of one year on several individuals who enrolled at the College of Yoga and Cultural Synthesis at Kaivalyadhyama, Lonavala. On various testing grounds, meditation and yogasanas decreased neuroticism, increased extroversion and self-control, self-actualization, happiness and psychological well-being (Gharote, 1982). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased happiness and life satisfaction. Bhushan (1998) studied the effect of a 14 month yoga course on measures of psychological well-being. The Satisfaction With Life Scale and Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered before and after the yoga course to 139 employed individuals. When the pre and post intervention scores obtained for the two variables, life satisfaction and anxiety were compared, an interesting finding was seen. There was a significant decrease for those with initial high levels of anxiety, and life satisfaction had increased after the yoga course (Bhushan, 1998 cited in Thomas, 2008) From the above study it was inferred that yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced anxiety. Jhansi (2007) studied the impact of yoga training on self-ideal disparity (incongruence between real self and ideal self) and psychological well-being on an experimental sample of 19 adults who had completed a yoga training course for six months and a control sample of 19 adults who had newly enrolled for the same. The experimental sample was tested after their yoga course and the control sample was tested before it on self-ideal disparity and on a scale of psychological well-being. Results revealed that the experimental group showed higher congruence between real self and ideal self and higher psychological well-being than the control group (Jhansi, 2007). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced self-ideal disparity. Bakshi and Kumari (2009) studied the effect of practicing yoga on subjective well-being (SWB) and academic performance on 100 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years. After a year of yoga practice, the students had high scores on subjective well-being and showed a gradual increase in academic performance in school (Bakshi and Kumari, 2009). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased subjective well-being and ultimately improved their academic performance. Monk-Turner and Turner (2010) conducted a study on an adult sample of yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners to assess life satisfaction along with body, mind, spirit and happiness differences. It was found that yoga practitioners significantly reported more mental wellness, strong morals, healthy values, ability to express their feelings and consider those of others, a positive outlook towards life and high well-being with higher scores on life satisfaction as compared to non-yoga practitioners. Yoga practitioners were also more likely to experience happiness within themselves (Monk-Turner and Turner, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that satisfaction with life along with mental wellness, positive outlook and happiness increased with the practice of yoga. Malhotra and Nangia (2012) studied the influence of regular practice of yoga on cognitive skills and well-being on 19 regular yoga practitioners who were tested on outcome measures of attention, remote memory, mental balance, immediate and free recall, verbal and visual retention, and on a measure of well-being. Results indicated that the practitioners obtained high scores on all cognitive measures and well-being (Malhotra and Nangia, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga not only enhanced well-being but it also sharpened cognitive skills. Dubey (2012) studied the role of perceived control (a belief that individuals are capable of influencing the events in their lives to deal with stressors and their inner states) in continuing yoga for six months every day, and its effect on health and well-being on regular, irregular and non-yoga practitioners aged 22 to 60 years. Various tests were administered before the course and six months after it. Perceived control was a good predictor of life satisfaction and health in the regular yoga group and thus they were more satisfied with life and had better health scores than the irregular yoga and the non-yoga practitioners (Dubey, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased life satisfaction and promoted better health outcomes. Bankar, Chaudhari and Chaudhari (2013) studied the impact of long-term yoga on sleep quality and quality of life on 65 adults aged 60 years and above. Scores of yoga practitioners on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Quality Of Life Leiden-Padua (LEIPAD) Scale were compared with a non-yoga group of the same age. The yoga group was found to have higher life satisfaction with better sleep quality than the control group (Bankar, Chaudhari and Chaudhari, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that regular yoga exercises helped to improve sleep quality as well as quality of life. Basavaraddi, Gangadhar, Hariprasad, Koparde, Sivakumar, Thirthalli, Varambally and Varghese (2013) studied the effect on yoga on sleep, life satisfaction and quality of life on 220 individuals aged 40 to 55 years. 133 subjects in the yoga group attended a yoga intervention twice a week for six months. 87 individuals formed the non-yoga practitioner group. After the yoga group had completed the course, both groups were administered with tests. The yoga group had scored significantly higher on all the domains of quality of life, had higher satisfaction with life and better sleep quality after the intervention (Basavaraddi, Gangadhar, Hariprasad, Koparde, Sivakumar, Thirthalli, Varambally and Varghese, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased life satisfaction as well as quality of sleep. Cramer, Dobos, Langhorst, Lauche and Paul (2013) conducted a comparative study on the quality of life, mental health and life satisfaction between yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on 2486 individuals who were married and employed. Yoga practitio

A Case Study On Its Strategies Marketing Essay

A Case Study On Its Strategies Marketing Essay Changing lifestyles, in the form of the rise in nuclear families and double income households has encouraged the growth of pet ownership specially dogs in urban areas of India. The pet humanisation trend, whereby owners treat pets like family members and are willing to spend money on goods and services to keep them healthy and happy, continued to underpin the development of Indias pet food and pet care products market in 2009. Growth in the number of single-person households and the ageing of the Indian population also contributed to the positive development of the market, with many single and older people adopting pets for companionship. Pet owners have started taking interest in their pets diet, health and grooming. A gradual shift from home cooked food towards prepared pet food has been observed. Pet owners are more than willing to spend on pet food and pet care products than ever before.  Mars Inc. is an enigma, a mystery tied up inside in a bright candy wrapper. Its pet food b usiness segment, the biggest in the world at about $30 billion in annual sales, has been bleeding money in the U.S. and had has a slow-down in Europe, even in strongholds such as Germany, where Mars has had an incredible 80% market share. The companys new-product-development record is dismal, and the lack of new hit products is inhibiting growth. Mars has long been fanatical about its quality control and manufacturing efficiency -such as the humans taste-the test for the pet food but there are no miracles left in process technology. Mars is the worst, most feared company in the business totally unpredictable, capable of anything. Keywords: Pet-food, Mars Inc., Pets companionship, Lifestyle Introduction Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food and other food products with US$ 30 billion in annual sales for 2008, and it was ranked as the 6th largest privately-held company by John Mars and Forrest Mars Jr. in the United States by Forbes. Its Headquarters are in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Mars operates in six business segments in the U.S. Chocolate, Petcare, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, Food, and Drinks Symbioscience. In India, the company operates in two business segments mainly, Petcare and Chocolates Mars is guided by its Five Principles namely, Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom. Mars is the worlds third largest food manufacturer, after Nestle. Mars is the worlds leading confectionery company, following its acquisition of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company in 2008, with billion-dollar brands MMS ®, SNICKERS ®, DOVE  ®, MARS  ®, EXTRA  ® and ORBIT  ®. Mars has more than 70,000 associates working at over 230 sites, including 135 factories, in approximately 68 countries worldwide. Iconic global brands of MARS over the world are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mars Chocolate: MMS ®, SNICKERS ®, DOVE ®, GALAXY ®, MARS ®, MILKY WAY ® and TWI à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mars Petcare: PEDIGREE ®, WHISKAS ®, SHEBA ®, CESAR ® and ROYAL CANIN ® à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Wrigley Gum and Confections: EXTRA ®, ORBIT ®, DOUBLEMINT ®, SKITTLES ®, STARBURST ® and ALTOIDS ® à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mars Food: UNCLE BENS ®, DOLMIO ®, SEEDS OF CHANGE ®, EBLY ® and MASTERFOODS ® à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mars Drinks: KLIX ® and FLAVIA ® à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mars Symbioscience: WISDOM PANELTM MX, SERAMIS ®, and COCOAPROTM Three of the brands are more than 100 years old: ALTOIDS ®, JUICY FRUIT ® and SPEARMINT ®. Seven of the brands are more than 50 years old: MILKY WAY ®, SNICKERS ®, MARS ®, MMS ®, DOUBLEMINT ®, UNCLE BENS ®, and WHISKAS ®. Pedigree ®, the world No. 1 dog food, with more than 70 years experience behind them, PEDIGREE helps make sure that the mans best friend stays fit, healthy and happy. Theres a Pedigree meal for every size and shape of dog. Historical Background In 1935, Mars Limited was renamed as Mars Confectionery and it acquired Chappel Brothers Ltd, (CHAPPIE  ®) UK based canned dog Food Company beginning its long association with top quality pet foods by marketing Chappie dog food. In 1939, Cat food, KITEKAT  ® was first advertised in UK. In 1951, Chappie Ltd. manufacturing was shifted to Melton Mowbray, UK. In 1954, PAL  ® food for dogs entered the UK market under the name of MEET  ®. In 1957, Chappie Ltd. was renamed to Pedigree Petfoods Ltd. In 1958, WHISKAS  ® food for cats was launched in UK. In 1959, MEET  ® was renamed as PAL  ®. In 1960, CHUM  ® dog food was launched in UK. In 1964, CHUM  ® dog food is rebranded to PEDIGREE CHUM  ® and it was a beginning to its long standing association with Crufts Dog Show in UK. Silbury Soames is the first dog to be fed on PEDIGREE CHUM  ® to win the Best in the Show Award. In 1965, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition was established in United Kingdom to identify the dietary needs, preferences and behaviour of pet animals. This knowledge was then applied to the products to better satisfy the needs of the pet animals. In 1967, The Uncle Bens of Australia pet food business was established in Wodonga, Australia. In 1968, Kal Kan Petfoods was acquired in USA, and Mars started its association with the American dog and cat owners and their pets. In 1977, all senior / general managers worldwide met in Easton, Maryland and formulized the Five Principles. In 1982, SHEBA  ® cat food was launched in Hamburg, Germany, in exclusive aluminium tray format, delivering exquisite food to cats. Small dogs were offered their opportunity for dining two years later with the launch of CESAR  ® dog food. In 1983, the first Five Principles of Mars booklet was published and distributed globally across the Corporation. In 1987, FROLIC  ® dog food was launched in Brazil. Two years later followed by PEDIGREE  ® dog food and then WHISKAS  ® cat food. In 1991, PEDIGREE SELECT DINNERS  ® dog food was launched and later renamed as CESAR  ® dog food for small dogs. In 2001, Royal Canin Petfoods was purchased by Mars and this leading French brand of nutritious pet-food was introduced globally. In 2007, NUTRO  ® Pet-foods was welcomed into Mars stable of leading pet-food brands. Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition The WALTHAM ® Centre for Pet Nutrition is the major hub of the global research activities for Mars, where they work with the dogs, cats, fish, birds and horses. In collaboration with the global scientific institutes, the unique team of carers, scientists and research staff have supported the leading Mars brands such as Whiskas ®, Pedigree ®, Trill ®, Cesar ®, Sheba ®, Kitekat ®, Aquarian ®, Winergy ® and Royal Canin ®. The team in these years has pioneered some of the most important breakthroughs in pet nutrition, and has shared the results of the Centres research in more than 1,500 publications, and regular communication with scientific and pet care communities. By developing products that have been constantly improving nutrition and care, they have helped the worlds pets to live healthier and happier lives. Waltham ® Centre for Pet Nutrition, today, is the worlds leading authority on pet care and nutrition because their science caresà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the investment of the centre into pet-care and well-being, provides better and more relevant science à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ because their way of working, they have stimulated innovative solutions to research problems à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ because their research has been published in high impact journals They are having a lasting positive impact on the health and care of pets across the world. Strategic Management of PEDIGREE, MARS Inc. Mars has expanded through acquisitions. Through the years, Mars has acquired the most successful brands of pet food across the globe. Their strategy of global expansion has been finding the converts to its brands in new country after country globally. The company with aggressive marketing, along with acquisitions, has increased both its market share as well as its profits in a flat market. The acquisition of Doane by Mars has been an important part of their strategy to strengthen and grow their Pet care business in North America and the addition of Doanes U.S. operation, they will provide production capacity to accelerate their innovation pipeline and operating flexibility to better respond to their customers needs, said Bob Gamgort, North American President for Mars. The combination of Mars brands, science and innovation with the supply chain excellence of the acquired brands has significantly improved Mars business performance and competitive position. This has created a more efficient, geographically distributed network which has enabled Mars to respond more rapidly to shifts in the consumer demand and customer needs. In 1964, Forresters primary act was to destroy the fancy corporate surroundings, and since then, Mars has been practicing an open-office policy for everyone. Mars has built a culture that can only be described as every man for himself. Indeed, there are no private offices. The desks are arrayed from the centre of the floor in the descending order of ranks through their zones of management the lower- ranking zone fives are typically the brand managers, while the zones one and two are accorded to the senior executives. The company does not have special parking spaces or executive dining rooms, or washrooms at any of their locations. Competitors are afraid of Mars as they are witnessing a work of a strategic genius or the mad-scientist owners that have let the business slide as they chase their dreams of global conquest, which really is the way of how they capitalize on opportunities.

William F. Mays Rising to the Occasion of Our Death Essay examples --

There are three key audiences of the text for William F. May's â€Å"Rising to the Occasion of Our Death.† The first audience, in this case, would be legislative organizations or lawmakers who have researched and studied similar cases regarding euthanasia. Since May was as an ethics professor at Southern Methodist University, his tone is decidedly intellectual. An uneducated individual would find it more difficult to read his essay; for example, in declarations such as â€Å"Advocates of active euthanasia appeal to the principle of patient autonomy,† May's syntax and tone is formal, informative, and utilizes heavy technical jargon (May 662). In other words, it is authoritative, and enables the audience to view him as a credible source due to his syntactical confidence. Other organizations, lobbyists, or lawmakers who are researching evidence on euthanasia would certainly benefit from reading his expert opinion on the matter. Moreover, his desire to develop a â€Å"ju dicious, regulated policy† is a certain acknowledgement that he is attempting to legally call for regulations on euthanasia (May 662). The second audience that May is appealing to are conservative Christians, who are distinctively pro-life. As his article was originally published in well-circulated The Christian Century magazine, addressing this audience exposes members of May's audience who are unfamiliar with euthanasia to its technicalities by debating morality. His tone is similar to that of a sermon; instead of utilizing scientific facts or statistics, May chooses to exclude a logos appeal in favor of an ethos objective. He preaches on moral values about life and death, mentioning that â€Å"the best death is not always the sudden death† (May 662). According to May, preparation... ...ploying strong technical terms and establishing an extrinsic ethos, and exercising sub-arguments that would only benefit numerous groups of people, May strongly achieves his strategy of argument through ethos in terms of rhetorical persuasion. Works Cited Agatucci, Cara. "Cora Agatucci's Toulmin-Style Analysis of May's Argument." WR 122 Course Home Page. N.p., 06 Jan. 2010. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. May, William F. "Rising to the Occasion of our Death." The Christian Century Jul 11 1990: 662. ProQuest. Web. 31 Mar. 2014 "Opinion 2.21 – Euthanasia." Opinion 2.21 – Euthanasia. American Medical Association, June 1996. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Perelman, Chaà ¯m, and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca. Facts, Values, and Hierarchies, The New Rhetoric. N.p.: n.p., n.d. PDF. The Stases and Other Rhetorical Concepts from Introduction to Academic Writing. N.p.: n.p., n.d. PDF.

the tattooed soldier Essay --

Los Angeles, California is often seen as the city of dreams. Hollywood paints the picture of Los Angeles as a place of endless possibilities. Los Angeles is also thought as the city where dreamers can come with nothing in their pocket and become an over night success story. Many Americans and immigrants come to Los Angeles with the same dream of success. In The Tattooed Soldier Tobar describes how this fictionalized â€Å"American dream† version of the Los Angeles affects immigrants. In the novel Tobar followed two Guatemalan immigrants Antonio and Longeria who live very different lifestyles in their home country and in America. Los Angeles seemed to be the land of dreams and promise to both characters, however; Los Angeles becomes a place of harsh reality for Antonio and Longeria. In the novel we watch how Antonio and Longeria adjust to the struggles of being immigrants in Los Angeles, , and what makes man a man. In the first section of The Tattooed Soldier are introduced Antonio. Antonio is coming to Los Angeles to escape the Guatemalan government, and views Los Angeles as a place where...

Potbelly’s Case Essay

1. Potbelly’s strategy in terms of product and market are to provide great food and a friendly atmosphere. As far as their product goes even their CEO Keil says that anybody can make and sell a sandwich. What strategy they use is by using quality ingredients and a superior value. Their strategy towards the market is to provide a fun, unique experience to their customers. Their previous attempts as far as product goes was to sell antiques along with their sandwich shop, kind of the same approach as a cracker barrel. It seems the sandwiches become a more important part of their revenue. The antiques became more of decoration then sale items. The past market was very small just having one sandwich shop owned by a couple. With the purchase of the shop they quickly started a chain of restaurants and have opened a lot of locations just recently. 2. Potbelly’s position strategy seems to have been starting small in one area while making a name for itself. In its first five years all the locations opened were in Chicago, Illinois. After they had built a reputation they moved into Washington D.C. This seems to be an attempt to stay in major cities to increase their reputation. The nation’s capital is one of the many major travel destinations for work. This way the businessmen of Chicago can get the sandwiches they love even away from home. The next year instead of branching out to the other major business travel cities, for example, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles, Potbelly took the approach that many other chains take. There central location was Chicago, Illinois; from there they spread into neighboring states, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Like mentioned earlier most chains take this approach until they are nationwide. A lot of grocery stores northerners are familiar with will not be found as the y head further south just as southerners will not find the same stores they are used to shopping at when they head north. The next year it opened locations in some of those same states and spread to Indiana as well as another major business travel destination, Texas. In the more recent years they have built more locations in the already occupied states while spreading to neighboring state Ohio. From this point they have made a good name for themselves and have over 100 locations; with the reputation the company has I am sure they will continue to spread their market. Their original locations are located in Northern Mid America, they did not start on one coast and try to spread to the other, this will help extremely with them being a nationwide chain and in the coming years will probably start seeing Potbelly’s as far east as New York, as far south as Georgia, and west into the mid-western states. 3. Potbelly’s environmental opportunities in the external environment would probably include their original location and how much easier it is to spread from the middle of the country rather than the corner or coastline of the United States. The threats Potbelly’s would face more importantly is the competition. There are many well established chains of sandwich shops in the United States including, Sub-way, Quiznos, Panera Bread, Jimmy John’s, and Schlotzsky’s Deli to name a few. When moving into a new market promotion is a key element as the market the company does not know the companies name and would rather go with what they know. Potbelly offers promotions and a great atmosphere that may be able to take some of these competitors business. Subway for example does not use quality ingredients, nor does it have any sort of friendly atmosphere for around the same price. It should be very easy for Potbelly’s to take business away from them. For Potbelly’s to maintain its antique setup and friendly atmosphere they will require excellent management expanding into these new markets. I do not see any reason for Potbelly’s to change their strategy at this time. Changing the way they do business, either the looks of the restaurants or the friendly workers would take away from why people will choose them in the first place over their already known sandwich shops.

Essay – Bride and Prejudice

People interact with and also with their surroundings. This impacts on their sense of belonging or their sense of isolation. We see this is William Shakespeare’s play ‘As You Like It’ and the Anglo-Indian genre movie, ‘Bride and Prejudice’ by Gurinder Chadha. The relationship between people and the interaction with place heavily impacts on the sense of belonging among the characters in the prescribed text. Rosalind and Celia are cousins who share a common understanding and identical values. Being from the same parental stock their social perception of life is similar.Their fathers being brothers, they share the same social economic circle. Their closeness is stressed when Celia paradoxically emphasises, â€Å"you know my father hath no child but I, nor none is like to have†. This shows Celia is prepared to forfeit the dutchy for her cousin Rosalind, which cements their friendship and helps them to improve their sense of bonding with each other. The ducal court and the lust for power sees Celia’s father usurp the dukedom from his elder brother, Duke Senior, Rosalind’s father.This chaotic deed breaks the bond of unity and segregates Duke Senior, Rosalind, Celia, Orlando, Jacques and Adam. The two fathers are located in a contrasting environment. The court of Duke Fredrick is seen as a contrast to the forest od Arden. Duke Fredrick’s court seems to foster values of flattery, falsity and autocracy. These values create friction on the bond of belonging and unity. Where as the forest of Arden is an allusion of the garden of Eden.The interaction with this rustic setting acts as a whet stone to refine the disturbed banished crew of exiles. Duke Senior’s syntactical expression, â€Å"running brooks’† and â€Å"sermon in stones† shows the peace and serenity of the forest of Arden. This natural environment of forest of Arden also fosters friendship. Hardship also accompanies the calm serenity of this so-called paradise because the harsh, â€Å"churlish chidings† and â€Å"bites and bolows† of the weather fosters a sense of independence on each of the exiled members in the forest.Rosalind’s impersonating as Ganymede protects not only her virginity but also her cousin Celia’s maidenhood. These good times and bad times and the will to succeed are essential qualities that assist the sense of belonging in the prescribed text. Love is another pervading factor in emotional belonging. The sisterly affection between Rosalind and Celia acts as a wedge that not only glues them together but also binds Orlando with Rosalind; Duke senior with his younger brother Duke Fredrick; Celia with Oliver and Phoebe with Silvius.Thus we see how Shakespeare portrays how belonging can be nurtured with love, understanding and a firm purpose of commitment for a common good. Shakespeare justifies the power of love and in the concept of belonging by making Rosalind metaphorically refer to love as madness, â€Å"love is merely a madness†¦that he whispers are in love too†. By this quibble Rosalind tries to humorously convince Orlando that just as he is in love with her, she is also madly in love with him. This reciprocal interaction with each other helps to foster unity among all the characters in the play.Similarly Gurinder Chadha’s romantic musical film, Bride and prejudice portrays the concept of belonging that is nurtured on account of interaction with people and places. The Bakshi Family has a strong sense of togetherness within the home and also the microscopic environment of their rural setting in Amritsar. The film in the opening scene uses mise en scene with the protagonist Lalita Bakshi serene in her environ. In the scene that follows we see The Bakshi Family, in their Indian accent, discuss marriage.The love and closeness of the sisters, Jaya, Maya and Lakhi establish their security, warmth and comfort within their home. This closeness and sacrifice is also displayed in the prescribed text where Rosalind and Celia make sacrifices for each other. Interaction with a place is presented where Lalita, the heroine, has to build an affinity not only with Amritsar in India but also with Will Darcy’s wealthy American family hotel in America. Her education al competence helps her easily integrate with the American way of life.In like manner even though Darcy felt out of place on his first visit to Amritsar in India, his love for Lalita made him adjust with the Indian culture and also with the Indian locale. The contrast of Darcy’s occidental attire in the early scenes is different in the concluding part of the film. The oriental drum beat played by Darcy himself and his Indian outfit piloted, by an elephant, shows how in belonging sacrifices need to be made. These sacrifices create a bond between the members who yearn for a common goal. In the case of Bride and Prejudice the love between Will Darcy and LalitaBakshi cement a relationship between the Bakshi family and the Darcy family; so also in As You Like It the love between Celia and Oliver and Rosalind and Orlando foster a sense of belonging between the members of the ducal court and the members in The Forest of Arden. Thus establishing the fact that interaction between people and places heavily impacts on the sense of belonging. On analysing both texts we see, William Shakespeare and Gurinder Chadha uncover how a sense of belonging or isolation is created by the people we interact with, the environment in which we are and the love , understanding and concern we express for each other.