Advance Marketing Research Essay

When dealing with marketing research the essential parts are linking the consumer, customer and the public through various ways of getting information to the marketer. The two vital parts of marketing research is the problem identification research and problem solving research. (Malhotra 2010). The NFL is a sport, which is dominated by men for many years, only recently has the NFL recognize the potential audience in women. They are now acting quickly so they can capture the different segment market to cash in and also to make women more aware and appeal about the sport. The underlining point to the market research question is how does the NFL market the league to women adequately. Marketing research can help address the matter of effectively marketing the league and finding out the role of marketing research when dealing with NFL. The key role of marketing research is to acquire vital information so they can react to the markets offerings, which is to market the NFL league to women. Marketing research measures the information needed and even delivers NFL with valid, relevant, reliable and current actionable information for helpful research purposes. With the absence of marketing research, it is worth taking note that the NFL might have adverse effects with incorrect management decisions, which can later be costly. In essence for improved decision making it is vital that market research has a role to play. Question 2 A management decision problem confronts the decision maker to make a decision as in what to do. The NFL wants to increase the market penetration in the female segment; in this case the management has to decide what angle should they move in to gain market penetration in the female segment. The decision that the management should make is to change the advertisement slots, which should focus on more female oriented products or brands in conjunction with the NFL. This will attract, appeal and increase the chance of women watching the NFL league hence: Should the NFL change or alter their current advertisement pattern? Question 3 When decision makers are concerned with making possible actions it is information oriented that a marketing research problem is formed (Malhotra  2010). When dealing with the marketing research problem in the case of NFL, it is fundamental that the company must invest heavily therefore the NFL should undertake the following MRP: Promotional advertisements such as traditional and non-traditional forms of media to seize the attention of potential females who might become a potential follower and customer. Basically the marketing research problem is should the NFL invest heavily on advertising and promotional campaigns. It is important that the NFL should research exactly which media channels will be the most effective tools to campaign towards the female segment. This can be done through survey questions, interviews, focus groups and online surveys. Question 4 Research questions are refined statements of the specific components of the problem Research Question 1: Do females pay attention to Advertisement? Hypothesis H1: Females watch television during their free time H2: Females do not watch television during their past time. Research Question 2: Is magazine a good medium to advertise NFL to the female segmentation? H1: Females buys magazines regularly H2: Females does not read magazines regularly Research Question 3: Does female lifestyle suit the NFL’s environment? H1: Female lifestyle can be influence by NFL advertisements to watch the sport H2: Female lifestyle does not match the behavior of the NFL Reference List Gershberg, M. (2006) NFL studies what women fans want| Reuters. [online] Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2006/11/29/us-media-summit-nfl-women-idUSN2933923020061129 [Accessed: 25 July 2012]. Goldberg, S. (2006) Why the NFL Struggles to Attract Female Fans. [online] Available at: http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2006/12/05/why-the-nfl-struggles-to-attract-female-fans [Accessed: 28 July 2012]. Malhotra, N. (2010) Marketing Research : An Applied Orientation. 6th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, p.1 – 74. Reed, k. and Staff, G. (2004) Making sure ads play to women, too – The Boston Globe. [online] Available at: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2004/01/28/making_sure_ads_play_to_women_too/?page=1 [Accessed: 20 July 2012].

Agricultural Practices and Animal Husbandry

We also eat leaves and stem of spinach and plenty of fruits. Thus, human beings depend on plants and animals for food. 32. 2 AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES The branch of science which deals with methods of food production is known as agriculture. Besides studying the new methods of food production, in this branch of science we also study about how new and better varieties of crops can be grown, how animals and birds like cows, hens, etc. can be reared well and made to give more milk or better quality eggs?All these new methods which scientists develop come under agricultural practices. We need vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, etc. as food. For our clothes, we need the fibre of plants or animals. We get all these foods and fibres by farming or agriculture. ACTIVITY 32. 1 Make a list of things which you use every day. Categorise those items which you get directly or indirectly from agriculture. Does your list look like the one given below? For easy reading, agricultural pro ducts have been divided into the following groups as given in the table 32.1. Table 32. 1: Various categories of food items Examples Sorghum (Jowar), Ragi (finger millet) and Bajra (pearl millet) Arhar (Tur), Black gram (Urad), Green gram (Moong), and Bengal gram (Channa) Beans Peas, Soyabean, Cowpea, Lentil Oilseeds Mustard, Groundnut, Soyabean, Sunflower, Linseed, Castor and Cotton seed Root crops Carrot, Turnip, Sweet potato Tuber crops Potato, Tapioca, Ginger and Turmeric Sugar crops Sugarcane and Beet root Plantation crops Coffee, Tea, Rubber and Coconut Category Millets Pulses 32.3 HORTICULTURE Did you observe that something is missing from the list of food items which we eat every day. What is it that we have not listed here in table 32. 1? Yes, we have neither included vegetables nor fruits in this list. Vegetables and fruits are essential items of our diet and their growth and production are studied under a branch of agriculture called horticulture. Horticulture is derived from two latin words: hortus which means garden, and culture which means cultivation. : 288 : Agricultural Practices and Animal HusbandryThe branch of agriculture that deals with growing and production of vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants and management of orchards is called horticulture. Horticulturists research to find new ways by which better varieties of fruits and vegetables can be grown in large quantities. 32. 4 STEPS IN RAISING IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE To increase our food production we can sow good quality seeds and improve the methods of sowing. We can make the soil more rich and even use better techniques for harvesting the crops.Some of the agricultural practices which scientists have developed and which our farmers have started are explained here. 1. Preparation of soil This is an important practice which helps to enrich the soil and make it more fertile and aerated. It involves addition of manure followed by turning, loosening and levelling of the soil, using agricultural implements like spade, plough or mechanical farm implements. 2. Seed treatment Seeds can easily be attacked by micro-organisms. The crops that grow out of diseased seeds will also be unhealthy.So farmers treat these seeds by dipping them in certain chemicals like cerosan or agrosan. These chemicals do not allow the microorganisms to attack the seeds and damage them. Such chemicals are called Fungicides. Once the seeds are treated, they can be sown. 3. Preparing the seed bed and care of the seedlings In certain crop plants like paddy and some of the vegetables, seeds are not sown directly in the main field. First these seeds are sown in a nursery bed. Once they grow to a certain age they are transferred and planted in the main field. These small plants are called seedlings.When the farmers prepare a nursery bed they take care of the following: †¢ The soil of the bed should be soft and loose so that the tender roots of the seedlings can grow well. This can be achieve d by digging or ploughing the field well. †¢ The seed bed or where the seedlings are planted should be even so that when we water the plants, the water distributes itself uniformly all over the field. †¢ All weeds or unwanted plants in the field must be removed. Do you know why? It is because these weeds also take water and nutrients from the soil and as a result the desired plants cannot get enough of the nutrients.The seedlings also need to be protected from diseases and pests. This is done by spraying chemicals like Parathion, Sevin, Dimecron and Rogor on the seedlings. 4. Transplanting The process of removing the seedlings from the nursery bed and planting them in the main field is called transplanting. When we transplant, we must select those seedlings which have 4 to 5 healthy Agricultural Practices and Animal Husbandry : 289 : leaves. These are sowed at proper distance from each other. The main field must be ploughed and manured before transplanting.Generally rice a nd vegetables like tomato and brinjal are sown by transplanting. Transplanting of seedlings is a very important practice. This enables us to select good and healthy seedlings and get a better crop. Besides, when we transplant seedlings, their roots are able to go deep into the soil and get more nutrients. When seedlings get good food, they grow into healthy plants and give a better yield. 5. Adding fertilizers Crops need nutrients like phosphorus, calcium, nitrogen etc. for their growth and pick up these nutrients from the soil.It is very important to add fertilizers to the soil. They provide nutrients to the soil and help to obtain a better crop yield. Depending on the type of soil and the crop to be grown, we use different fertilizers. The way we use a fertilizer also depends upon what type of fertilizer is being added to the soil. A fertilizer which contains nitrogen (nitrogenous fertilizer) is generally given in two or three doses. Other fertilizers are phosphatic and complex fe rtilizers. Some fertilisers are added to the soil before transplanting. You must have heard about the most commonly used fertilizer ‘NPK’.The letter N stands for nitrogen, P for phosphate and K for potassium. While fertilizers are manufactured from chemicals in factories, manure is made from organic substances and contains nutrients in small quantities. Some of the commonly used manure are: Farmyard manure, as the name suggests is a mixture of decomposed cattle dung (excreta) and urine, left over fodder (cattle feed) and litter (bedding provided to cattle in the farm). Compost is manure made from vegetable and animal refuse collected from domestic waste, straw, weeds etc. , dumped in a deep pit to decompose.Vermicompost is compost broken down by earthworms. Like fertilizers manures too add nutrients to soil. 6. Use of plant growth regulators Plant growth regulators are certain chemicals which regulate the growth of plants. All plants have growth regulators which determi ne how tall the plant would be, how big its fruit will be, etc. We can now add some plant growth regulators like auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid etc. to get a better yield of crops. You will learn more about these plant growth regulators in higher classes.7. Irrigation Irrigation is necessary for proper development of plants. Roots fail to develop and penetrate in the dry soil. The crop is irrigated according to its requirement and soil characteristics. Irrigation is essential during the seedling, flowering and grain filling stages of the crop. Rice crop needs standing water. : 290 : Agricultural Practices and Animal Husbandry 8. Harvesting Harvesting machines have now replaced the back breaking job of hand harvesting with the sickle and scythe. Harvesting machines cut or dig out the plant or its parts as required.The machines gather the plant parts, separate desired parts and eliminate parts not needed. Certain harvesting machines may even load the crop for transpor t. However, the above mentioned functions of harvesting machines depend on kind of crop, plant parts to be harvested, crop use, stage of maturity, etc. 32. 5 SOME OTHER DIFFERENT AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES 32. 5. 1 Rotation of crops If you stay in a village you must have seen that the wheat crop is planted during the month of November and harvested in March and April. The rice crop is planted in June-July and harvested in October and November.The land that lies fallow in between these two cereal crops, can be used by the farmers for sowing a leguminous crop at this time. A leguminous crop does not take as long as wheat or rice to grow. So by the time the farmer has to plant the cereal crops (rice, wheat etc. ) the pulse is ready to be harvested. Leguminous crops include pea, beans, grams and pulses. They harbour nitrogen fixing bacteria in nodules of their roots (Fig. 32. 1). These bacteria convert free nitrogen from atmosphere into usable form. Thus, after the leguminous crop is harves ted, the soil is left fertile for other crops.The process of growing a different crop preferably a leguminous crop in between raising of two similar crops is called rotation of crops. Fig. 32. 1 Nitrogen fixing bacteria in the root nodules Crop rotation has a lot of benefits, (i) the land gets utilized, (ii) the pulse crop uses up different nutrients from the soil but it fixes the nitrogen from the air and makes the soil richer in nitrogen and so more fertile. This way the next cereal crop gives a better yield. If we do not practice crop rotation by growing different crops on a piece of land, butcontinue to grow the same crop, year after year, they will keep on using the same nutrients from the soil till all the nutrients in the soil get used up. The newly grown plants get poor nourishment from the soil and grow up to be weak and of bad quality. When plants are weak the insects can easily attack them and destroy them. Thus, crop rotation restores the fertility of Agricultural Practi ces and Animal Husbandry : 291 : the soil, it gives better yield, prevents crop from diseases and pests and reduces the dependence on chemical fertilizers.Multiple cropping Growing two to four crops one after the other in a year in the same field is called multiple cropping. Multiple cropping is possible, when we make use of crop varieties that grow for a short period of time. However, to get best results there must be a properly managed field. In fact, multiple cropping is the best solution for a country with food problem because same piece of land is used to grow different kinds of crops. ACTIVITY 32. 2 Here is something you can do. Visit a nearby agricultural farm or vegetable garden.Observe and note down the agricultural practices being used there. All the above mentioned practices are meant to ensure that plants have a healthy growth and yield a good crop. Along with these developments in our country we have also brought under cultivation more and more land. The increased culti vation of agricultural crops is in order to meet requirements of a growing population. 32. 5. 3 Improving the variety of seeds You must have often heard or read advertisements which encourage farmers to buy new and better varieties of seeds.Some of these new varieties are resistant to diseases and give a very good crop. Some of the improved high-yielding crop varieties which our scientists have developed are given in table 32. 2. Table 32. 2 Improved high-yielding varieties of crops Crop Rice Wheat Maize Lady’s finger (Bhindi) Brinjal Variety I R-8, Jaya, Padma, Bala Sarbati sonara, Sonalika, Kalyan sona, Hira-moti, RR-21 and UP 301 Ganga 101, Rankit and Deccan hybrid Pusa savani Pusa purple, Pusa kranti and Muktabeshi Do you know what name is given to scientists who develop such new varieties of seeds?They are called plant breeders. Plant breeders have not only raised better quality seeds but also better quality fruits. Mango has been named the ‘king of fruits’ and in our country we grow many varieties of mangoes. Some of them are Alphonse, Langra, Chausa, Saroli, Dussehri, Himsagar, Safeda, Sinduri, Mulgoba, Amini. 32. 6 PROTECTION OF CROPS IN THE FIELD As crops grow in the field, they have to be protected such that they produce a healthy yield. The weeds growing along with crops have to be removed and growing crops have to be saved from the attack of pests especially insects pests.

Business Process Management at Pizza Hut Coursework

Business Process Management at Pizza Hut - Coursework Example In this report the core focus will be the business operations of Pizza Hut that makes it a renowned and established brand in the Market. The linkage of different business operations over one another and how Pizza Hut maintains consistency in its operations in all the regions of the world where it operates, will also be highlighted. Pizza Hut, Background Pizza Hut originates from the largest economy in the world, United States of America. It is a multination restaurant franchise that offers its customers with a varied range of pizzas as the primary offering. Over the period of time the Pizza Hut Menu has been revitalized bearing in mind the constantly rising needs and demands of the customers and the dynamics of the competition. In the contemporary market environment Pizza Hut offers its customers with sidelines such as chicken and Buffalo wings, garlic breads and salads in addition with to the primary product, pizza. Pizza Hut came into existence in 1958 in America as the first ever national pizza chain and since then it has grown and developed as a major player in the fast food industry. Over the period of time Pizza Hut got a strong standing in the industry and today it has risen as a strong and challenging competitor to one of the largest food brands in the world such as KFC, Mc Donald’s, Indulge, Smart Chicks and Pizza Track. ... Weekends, midnights and various other seasonalities were introduced by Pizza Hut to make sure that it caters to the needs of all kinds and types of customers in all parts of the world where it operates. This creative and unmatchable value proposition maintained by Pizza Hut has made it operational in more than 90 different countries in the world with thousands of outlets employing more than thirty thousand people (Pizza Hut, 2011). Organizational Structure The formal structure of an organization, the chain of command and delegation of authority are key principles that determine the success of any organization in the market place. Initially Pizza Hut was a co-inception of two brothers Franky and Dan in a small town located in Kansas. The project grew by leaps and bounds, and the business that was initiated with mere $600, now had hundreds of branches across the state and the country. In 1972, the company went public and was listed in the New York Stock Exchange. Pizza Hut was welcomed at the stock market as a blue chip investment with guaranteed returns to its stakeholders and share holders. The company is reported to have issued some 400,000 common equity shares to the investors in the general public. This investment boosted the cash inflows for the company and resulted in an unexpected situation for the management. Pizza Hut instead of growing at a stable and sustainable rate, started to inflate. Some landmarks such as achieving million dollar sales in the US alone and opening of outlets in Munich and Sydney in the very same year. This extraordinary pace of growth and development would have been seen as signs of prosperity and success by the shareholders but the management looked

Sustainable development for Iraqi oil and gas in the light of Dissertation

Sustainable development for Iraqi oil and gas in the light of international law with particular reference to Kurdistan region - Dissertation Example Chapter two describes the process of the evolution of the concept of sustainable development from the 1972 Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, where the first United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) has been created, to the today’s more comprehensive and profound understanding of sustainable development as a â€Å"specific call to prioritize improvements in the well-being of the very worst-off now and in the future† (Paul 2008: p.579). Nowadays strong sustainability development of non-renewable resources, which oil and gas resources are relating to, implies that such resources should be recognised as a specific form of natural capital, and should not be exhausted for short-term benefits only (Ayres et al. 1998: p.4). In addition, chapter two gives an overview of the philosophical and theoretical dimensions of the sustainable development. This overview, made on the basis of the existing academic and professional literature, provides useful information r egarding the research in hand and helps to define the ways and concepts of reaching sustainable development in the oil and gas industry through different perspectives. ... l extent, they help to realise a process of shift from a policy of the development of environment without regard to possible negative consequences, to a political culture, which takes into consideration all current and future needs and interests of governments, communities and individuals. Chapter three views these principles in relation to the sustainable development of petroleum resources, in particular. It is emphasised that sustainable use of petroleum resources requires taking into account the criticality of these resources, the availability of technologies that intend to minimise depletion and the likelihood of other resources or technologies that can substitute for petroleum resources (WCED 1987: The Concept of Sustainable Development, Para.12). In other words, the principles of sustainable development are considered in this chapter so that they should be used to prevent â€Å"resource-use activities and projects by actors from within and outside the State† (Bottriell & French 2005: p.5). Chapter four â€Å"Strategic issues of the sustainable development of Iraqi oil and gas† explores the constitutional and legal strategies for the sustainable development of Iraqi oil and gas industry. The general assumption underlying the investigation within this chapter is that the national strategies should address the concept of sustainable development, complying with the international environmental law, on the one hand, and dealing with specific issues related to national and regional environmental legislations, on the other hand (Boer et al. 1998: p.1-3; Bosselmann 2008: p.145-148). Besides, at the national level, it is considered that the concept of sustainable development should be addressed both from the perspective of regulations related to particular environmental

Qualitative methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Qualitative methods - Essay Example 2013). In order to avoid any probable deviation this research method focuses on limited sample or delimitating the research area. In the end of qualitative research certain suggestions are also given which are optional and general. Theory is taken to explore solution of hypothesis and data is collected. Data is collected from two sources i.e. primary and secondary. The primary methods are the interview, group discussion, observation, case study, different texts, visual images etc. The secondary methods are consultation of reference material, certain pictures related to focus data and visiting different libraries. Advantages 1. The basic question of a human is† why† and it is satisfied here in this research method. 2. It is easy to conduct as it does not require too much money. 3. It’s more focused with delimitation of sample. Disadvantages 1. Its limited to just a particular chosen sample so what applies to one sample cannot be applied to other sample of same popul ation. 2. It does not give statistics of a fact. Participant observation   It is an approach to collect data in qualitative research. This technique is used for disciplines as sociology, psychology human geography etc.  Often it comes close to certain group or parties like a group of a certain occupation, culture or religion and their behavior at a given time. It is of four types. How it is Useful This method is used to observe informal behavior of participant. It gives a better understanding to the researcher when he or she himself/herself gets involve practically. Different approaches are used as Informal interviews, direct  observing the sample, group participation and discussion,  tracing the personal history, derived results from these approaches. It may take time as months till years to derive results (Profile, 2012). Advantages 1. It’s valid and accepted more because it is an observation. 2. It brings social grooming on the part of observer and he/she gets to l earn how to interact in a better way. Disadvantages 1. It’s difficult to remain objective while observation because a researcher may get biased or participant can have influence on him. 2. A participant may behave artificially so it may give fake observation. 3. It takes too much time. Interview Checklist Interview Checklist is dos and don’ts of an interview. It is a formal criteria to judge an interview if it goes successful or not. Certain factors as appearance, application, personality, attitude, response, body language impressions are counted. Two types of interview are taken normally i.e. structured and less structured. How it is Useful It is useful to conduct a good interview. It gives an understanding of whole environment of interview and the particular behavior of respondent and interviewer. It gives the key to successful interview. Advantages Depending upon the types we discuss advantages as follows Structured Interview 1. It has a vast sample, so it’s beneficial. 2. Questions are arranged in sequence to

Ionic Liquid and Multicomponent Reaction Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ionic Liquid and Multicomponent Reaction - Thesis Example Among the many chemical species whose reactions can be catalyzed by variants of this method include ketones, and alcohols. Ionic liquids oxidize alcohols faster than conventional solvents, (7), (14) and are useful for both ÃŽ ±,ÃŽ ²-unsaturated ketones, (15) and diketone derivatives. (16), (17), (18)   , (19)  Ã‚   Of course, multi-component reactions involving these, or aldehydes, amines, carboxylic acids and isocyanides are typical of an Ugi reaction. The isocyanides themselves being critical to the four-component reaction. (20)   As well as being central to Passerini-type reactions. (4)   In addition, ionic liquids are useful for isomerizations, sugar acetylation, (21) the Baylis-Hillman reaction, (22) other high-temperature organic syntheses, given high thermal stability. (When dicationic) (23)   Within Ionic liquids, yields can be relatively high for stereochemistry-retained vinyl chalcogenides, (24) and N-substitution of alkyl halides, and various chlorides. (25)   Just a few of the reactions possible with ionic liquid multi-component processes are listed below: Alkylation, The Michael reaction, Knoevenagel condensation, and at least four others, not to mention both two-step, and multicomponent domino reactions, for a start. (13)   Ionic liquids are superior in the carbonylation of some halides. (26)   Several sources discuss these reactions in terms of efficiency, and the lessening of environmental impact. (16), (13).

Design For Disassembly And Transformation Research Paper

Design For Disassembly And Transformation - Research Paper Example The need for DfD, that stands for Design for Disassembly, has thoroughly been discussed in this research paper. Moving forward, it is being attempted that certain computer oriented systems would be made, that would do the DfD process on their own. The researcher states that this would take the processing off human beings’ minds and would eliminate the reluctance that any person may have at the design level phase. It is also suggested that the toy-design for disassembly and transformation of cars be implemented into real world. Recently, A groups of students from the Stanford and the Aalto University in Finland designed a prototype for a laptop that was designed so as to confirm to all the standards of design for disassembly. When disassembled, the electronic components of the laptop get carried into an envelop to an e-cycling destination. The laws made for the successful implementation of Dfd and sustainability should be implemented for sure and the services of companies such as HOBI International should be taken well into account. This company assists in the disposal of electronics. HOBI buys, cells and dis assembles electronics ranging from all sorts of computers to all sorts of communications equipments. In conclusion, the researcher states that the idea of the electrically operated building blocks is given so as to give an idea of the way electrically operable goods should be produced in the real life. This would enhance their usability and thus would serve the purpose of sustainability as well.

Discuss Critically the Implications of Whistleblowing for Essay

Discuss Critically the Implications of Whistleblowing for Accountability, and Raising and Escalating Concerns - Essay Example 110). The secret filming agency also revealed that disabled patients were exposed to a lot of mental and physical torture. This is attributed to the fact that they are in most cases ignored or mistreated when they attend healthcare centers (Jeffrey, 2009, p. 24). Whistle blowing is not easy task as many would think because it puts ones career and reputation on the line. Whistle blowers who advocate for better medical care for patients who have demanding needs are in most cases scared of the attitudes their colleagues. In most cases, their colleagues are not in support of their actions (Killion & Dempski, 2006, p. 122). Alerting the society about the needs of patients is crucial and very important. However, this has to be done with extreme care so as to avoid raising false alarms. There should be careful analysis of situations in order to get comprehensive information about the situation. This helps in making sure that the raised concerns are adequately and appropriately addressed. He alth care workers and practitioners are not regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (Lewis, 2001, p. 299). The organization however does its best to ensure that it passes the right information relating to how patients can be handled in a careful and respectful manner. Nurses are well trained on matters relating to duty and are encouraged to put first the interests and concerns of patients. They are also supposed to ensure that patients are adequately protected from all manner of risks (Lippincott & Wilkins, 2002, p. 110). The Nursing and Midwifery Council has produced various publications that offer guidance to health practitioners regarding their roles and duties. For instance, in their publication, ‘Raising and escalating concerns’ they gave a number of tips on how healthcare practitioners can improve their service delivery. They noted that healthcare practitioners have the duty of acting responsibly should they feel that a colleague may be putting a pati ent's life at risk in the course of delivering medication (Vandekerckhove, 2006, p. 255). Practitioners have also been empowered to seek assistance from respective authorities should there be a problem that could hinder effective service delivery. The hospitals environments are supposed to avail maximum comfort to the sick ill and also be able to assure them of an improvement in their health (White, 2005, p. 100). Governments in developed countries have laws that protect whistle blowers. A perfect example is the enactment of the interest disclosure act of nineteen ninety-eight (Lewis, 2001, p. 300). The law was put in place to protect workers from victimization once they air out issues concerning professional malpractices. The act covers workers who expose genuine concerns regarding their employers or colleagues (Vandekerckhove, 2006, p. 221). Appropriate procedures must be observed when raising concerns about specific issues. Firstly, the issues being raised should be valid and law ful. They should be raised for public interest rather than personal interests (Lippincott & Wilkins, 2002, p. 129). Once issues are raised, relevant authorities make a follow up to ensure that there is fairness and transparency in addressing the raised concerns (Boatright, 2009, p. 99). Service delivery in a public institution should always reflect

Fast food restaurant Essay Example for Free

Fast food restaurant Essay The pace of modern life is fast, and nowhere is it faster than in America. We want fast transportation, fast communication, fast computers, fast photos, fast music, fast repairs, and fast service from the businesses we patronize. It is from the last of these that we got fast food. At first, it was a matter of fast service. Fountain and Fast Food Service was the title of a trade magazine, which published statements like this from 1951: The partners have become old hands at spotting the type of conventioneer that will patronize their fast food service. Gradually service disappeared, and in 1954 we find fast food by itself in the title Fountain and Fast Food. Incidentally, the trade magazine renamed itself Fast Food by 1960. In February of that year, the magazine noted, Delicate scallops are really fast food because they come ready to cook. And in July it remarked, Fast food type restaurants do the lions share of business for breakfast and noon meals eaten out. The fast food revolution was a quick success throughout the land, and two decades later it was conquering the world. The U. S.outcry against infiltration from the south is matched in vehemence by our neighbors outcry against fast-food imperialism and the gradual Americanization of their own societies. noted the Christian Science Monitor in 1982. Thanks to fast food, families that formerly ate home cooking now eat out or bring back take-home fast food in record numbers. Its virtue is speed, not quality. Its less than ideal nutritional value may have influenced the coining of another term twenty years later, one that also puts a four-letter epithet in front of food: junk food (1973). Gale Encyclopedia of US History: Fast FoodTop. Home Library History, Politics Society US History Encyclopedia Fast food is what one eats in the vast majority of Americas restaurants. The term denotes speed in both food preparation and customer service, as well as speed in customer eating habits. The restaurant industry, however, has traditionally preferred the designation quick service. For hourly wage earners—whether factory hands or store clerks—take-out lunch wagons and sit-down lunch counters appeared at factory gates, streetcar stops, and throughout downtown districts in the late nineteenth century. For travelers, lunch counters also appeared in railroad stations nationwide. Fried food prevailed for its speed of preparation, as did sandwich fare and other fixings that could be held in the hand and rapidly eaten, quite literally, on the run. Novelty foods, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, came to dominate, first popularized at various worlds fairs and at the nations resorts. Soft drinks and ice cream desserts also became a mainstay. Thus, fast food also came to imply diets high in fat and caloric intake. By the end of the twentieth century, the typical American consumed some three hamburgers and four orders of french fries a week. Roughly a quarter of all Americans bought fast food every day. The rise of automobile ownership in the United States brought profound change to the restaurant industry, with fast food being offered in a variety of drive-in restaurant formats. Mom-and-pop enterprise was harnessed, largely through franchising, in the building of regional and national restaurant chains: Howard Johnsons, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Taco Tico. Place-product-packaging was brought forcefully to the fore; each restaurant in a chain variously shares the same logo, color scheme, architectural design motif, and point-of-purchase advertising, all configured in attention-getting, signlike buildings. Typically, fast food restaurants were located at the roadside, complete with driveways, parking lots, and, later, drive-through windows for those who preferred to eat elsewhere, including those who ate in their cars as dashboard diners. Critical to industry success was the development of paper and plastic containers that kept food hot and facilitated carry-out. Such packaging, because of the volume of largely nonbiodegradable waste it creates, has become a substantial environmental problem. In 2000, Mcdonalds—the largest quick-service chain—operated at some 13,755 locations in the United States and Canada. The companys distinctive golden arches have spread worldwide, well beyond North America. Abroad, fast food came to stand as an important symbol of American cultural, if not economic, prowess. And, just as it did at home, fast food became, as well, a clear icon of modernity. Historically, fast food merchandising contributed substantially to the quickening pace of American life through standardization. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, it fully embraced mass production and mass marketing techniques, reduced to the scale of a restaurant. Chains of restaurants, in turn, became fully rationalized within standardized purchasing, marketing, and management systems. Such a system depends on a pool of cheap, largely unskilled labor, the quick service restaurant industry being notorious for its low wages and, accordingly, its rapid turnover of personnel. Bibliography Jakle, John A. , and Keith A. Sculle. Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999. Pillsbury, Richard. No Foreign Food: The American Diet and Place. Boulder, Colo. : Westview Press, 1998. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. —John A. Jakle Gale Encyclopedia of Food Culture: Fast FoodTop Home Library Food Cooking Food Culture Encyclopedia What is termed fast food in the United States today most commonly consists of hot, freshly prepared, and wrapped food items, served to customers across a counter or through a drive-up window. Known as both fast food and quick-service food in the restaurant industry, these items are routinely sold and delivered in an amount of time ranging from a few seconds to several minutes; they now vary widely in food type, encompassing virtually all kinds of meats, preparation methods, and ethnic cuisines. Inexpensive hamburgers and french fried potatoes are still the products most readily identified as fast food, but the list of items sold in the format continually increases. Fried fish and shellfish, hot dogs, chicken, pizza, roast beef, and pasta are commonly sold at quick-service outlets. In addition to these staples, many quick-service restaurants sell a broad menu of Americanized Mexican, Greek, and Chinese foods. Some fast-food outlets offer specialty items, such as sushi, clams, or ribs, and others even sell complete home-cooked meals over their counters. Though menus and delivery formats vary greatly, fast foods chief common denominators include immediate customer service, packaging to go, and inexpensive pricing. The precise origins of fast food are vague, probably predating written history. Hungry people are as old as civilization itself, as are entrepreneurs eager to satisfy their hunger. Food vendors in ancient cities sold prepared items to passersby on the street. The actual foods varied greatly, depending on period and culture, but they generally comprised simple, inexpensive fare sold to people of modest means. Immigrants brought a variety of food styles to America, often preserving these for decades as a comforting connection with their ethnic past. Though many immigrant foodways were elaborate and ritualistic, most groups had one or two simple items that they consumed on a daily basis. As a rule, immigrant groups preferred their indigenous grains: corn from the Americas, rice from Asia, and wheat from Europe. Often these served as the basis for the peasant foods of their homelands. Pasta and flat breads came over with Italians; tortillas, beans, and tamales arrived with northbound Mexicans; and Germans brought dark breads, along with a variety of fatty sausages (which later mutated into the hot dog). Asian immigrants continued to eat rice as the basis of their diet. In the early twentieth century fast food remained primarily the fare of the masses. Vendors wheeled their pushcarts daily to factory gates, selling their wares to hungry workers. Often catering to the tastes of the particular factorys dominant ethnic group, they charged customers pennies for basic items such as sausages, meatballs, or stew. Though popular among male industrial workers, this pushcart version of fast food never became mainstream cuisine. The urban diner was the transitional phase between the vendors pushcart and modern fast food. Most early diners were small restaurants, with limited seating, sometimes constructed out of converted railway carriages or streetcars. They served simple foods to working-class customers on a short-order basis, usually cooking each meal individually when ordered. Menus varied, but fried foods were common. Though diners often emphasized speed in delivering food, customers routinely lingered before and after eating. The hamburger still stands out as the single most important American fast food, though the precise origin of this meat sandwich is the subject of historical disagreement. People have eaten chopped beef throughout the ages, and it was long a fixture in many world cultures. The lineage of the American hamburger seems to point directly, as its name indicates, back to the German city of Hamburg. First appearing on American restaurant menus in the mid-nineteenth century, ground beef patties bore the title hamburg steak. By the centurys close, vendors regularly sold meatballs wrapped in slices of bread at county fairs and summer festivals. Regional legends attribute the invention of this snack to several different individuals, but its true originator remains a mystery. The Rise of Modern Fast Food Our modern image of the fast-food restaurant dates back to 1916, when Walt Anderson began selling hamburger sandwiches from an outdoor stand on a Wichita street corner. Anderson simply flattened a meatball and placed it between two halves of a bun. His sandwich quickly became popular, attracting long lines of hungry buyers. By 1921, Anderson had joined local insurance broker Edgar Billy Ingram to form the White Castle System. After opening several identical restaurants in Wichita during their first year, the partners quickly spread their business to neighboring cities, then to nine major urban areas throughout the Midwest and on the East Coast. What separated the White Castle System from earlier short-order restaurants was its very streamlined menu, comprising only hamburgers, coffee, Coca-Cola, and pie; a uniform architectural style; and strict standardization of food quality, preparation methods, and employee performance. By the close of the 1920s, White Castles aggressive marketing and rapid spread had made the hamburger one of the most popular foods in America. Other entrepreneurs soon noticed White Castles success in the hamburger business. Very closely copying White Castles products, architecture, and company name, competing new chains also thrived, carrying the hamburger craze across the nation to smaller cities and towns. The White Tower chain appeared in 1925, eventually challenging White Castles dominance in several northern cities. Krystals, opened in 1929 in Chattanooga, soon became the hamburger powerhouse of the southeastern states. White Castles hamburger sandwich, along with its many imitators, became a daily staple for many working-class Americans. It proved so successful, in fact, that by 1930 the president of the American Restaurant Association identified the fast-food hamburger as the most important food item in the nation. Hamburgers became even more a mainstream food during the 1930s. The larger restaurant chains began marketing their products to middle-class buyers, and even more Americans became burger lovers. Despite the harsh economy of the Great Depression, most fast-food chains continued to thrive, and in many cases grew considerably. Most continued selling the White Castle–style hamburger, but late in the decade the Big Boy chain spread east from California, introducing its new double-decker hamburger sandwich along the way. By the end of the Depression, America was a solidly hamburger-eating culture. After prospering in the Depression, however, the fast-food industry suffered a serious setback during World War II. Shortages of necessary foodstuffs, such as meat, sugar, tomatoes, and coffee, meant limited menu offerings and often a significant loss of business. Attempting to continue providing meals to their customers, fast-food restaurants experimented with different items that were still in abundance, including soy patties, chili, and french fried potatoes. Even more damaging than commodity shortages was the very low unemployment rate, which meant that most workers bypassed the restaurant industry in favor of higher-paying work. Adjusting to this labor shortage, chains soon replaced their all-male workforce with women and teenagers, two groups who would become their most common employees. Despite attempts to find palatable alternative foods, and despite the shifts in workforce, much of the fast-food industry was a casualty of the war; by 1945, more than half of Americas restaurants had closed down, including several of the major fast-food chains. Rebuilding the fast-food industry after the war proved a slow process. No single chain emerged to claim dominance, and little innovation occurred. Individual companies struggled to restore their prewar prosperity, and new regional chains tried to gain a foothold. Suffering the effects of escalating costs and still under the threat of continued shortages due to unstable food supplies in war-torn countries, fast-food restaurants often had to double prices to remain in business. As population shifted from Americas cities to suburbia during the 1950s, the fast-food industry quickly followed. Early chains such as White Castle and White Tower, resisting moving to the suburbs, were quickly eclipsed by upstart franchised chains. Burger King and McDonalds outlets became common fixtures at suburban crossroads, selling burgers, fries, and shakes to hungry families. Burger Kings Jim McLamore and McDonalds Ray Kroc each sought to build one of his restaurants in every American town, and they opened hundreds of new Burger Kings and McDonalds each year in the 1960s. To accomplish this rapid expansion, they relied heavily on franchise investors, enforced strict product uniformity throughout their chains, and aggressively advertised in every newly opened territory. With McDonalds and Burger Kings success, Burger Chef outlets soon appeared nearby. Arbys, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Taco Bell were not far behind. By the late 1960s, fast food no longer meant just hamburger restaurants, but had diversified to include quick-service pizza, roast beef, chicken, and tacos. To give an idea of the dimensions to which the fast-food industry has grown, in 1999 Americans consumed over 26 billion pounds of beef, much of it as hamburgers. In that year McDonalds alone had more than ten thousand restaurants in the United States, from which it grossed in excess of $13 billion in revenue. Criticism of Fast Food Despite the widespread popularity of fast food in modern American culture, critics abound. Since the 1930s, articles and books have condemned the industry, exposing allegedly poor sanitary conditions, unhealthy food products, related environmental problems, and unfair working conditions. Whether it warrants the attention or not, the fast-food industry is still regularly cited for exploiting young workers, polluting, and contributing to obesity and other serious health problems among American consumers. American beef consumption, and more specifically the fast-food hamburger industry, is often blamed for the burning of the Amazon rain forests to make way for more grazing lands for beef cattle. Early foes of fast food cited the deplorable filth of many hamburger stands, in addition to claiming that the beef ground for their sandwiches was either spoiled, diseased, or simply of low quality. In fact, many critics maintained that much of the meat used in fast-food hamburgers came from horse carcasses. The high fat content of fast food was also controversial. Despite deceptive industry claims about the high quality and the health benefits of their products, in the 1920s and 1930s concerned nutritionists warned the public about the medical dangers of regular burger consumption. This distrust and criticism of fast food continue today, extending even further to include dire warnings about the industrys use of genetically modified and antibiotic-laden beef products. Most major chains have responded to recent attacks by prominently posting calorie and nutritional charts in their restaurants, advertising fresh ingredients, and offering alternatives to their fried foods. Despite a few more health-conscious items on the menu, fast-food chains now aggressively advertise the concept that bigger is better, offering large super-size or biggie portions of french fries, soft drinks, and milkshakes. Critics point to this marketing emphasis as a reason for an excessive and greatly increasing per-capita caloric intake among fast-food consumers, resulting in fast-growing rates of obesity in the United States. Increased litter is another problem that critics have blamed on the fast-food industry. Selling their products in paper wrappings and paper bags, early outlets created a source of litter that had not previously existed. Wrappers strewn about city streets, especially those close to fast-food restaurants, brought harsh criticism, and often inspired new local ordinances to address the problem. Some municipalities actually forced chains to clean up litter that was imprinted with their logos, but such sanctions were rare. Fast-food wrappers became part of the urban, and later suburban, landscape. Since bags and wrappers were crucial in the delivery of fast food, the industry as a whole continued to use disposable packaging, superficially assuaging public criticism by providing outside trash receptacles for the discarded paper. Years later, environmentalists again attacked the industry for excessive packaging litter, criticizing both the volume and the content of the refuse. By the early 1970s, the harshest criticisms focused more on the synthetic materials used in packaging, and less on the carelessly discarded paper. Critics derided the industrys use of styrofoam sandwich containers and soda cups, claiming that these products were not sufficiently biodegradable and were clogging landfills. Facing mounting opposition from a growing environmental movement, most of the major chains returned to packaging food in paper wrappings or small cardboard boxes. Labor activists have criticized fast-food chains tendency to employ inexpensive teenage workers. Usually offering the lowest possible wages, with no health or retirement benefits, these restaurants often find it difficult hiring adults for stressful, fast-paced jobs. Many critics claim that the industry preys on teenagers, who will work for less pay and are less likely to organize. Though these accusations may have merit, the industrys reliance on teenage labor also has inherent liabilities, such as a high employee turnover rate, which result in substantial recruiting and training costs. Companies have countered criticism about their use of teenage workers with the rationale that they offer young people entry-level work experience, teaching them: both skills and responsibility. Despite the relentless attacks, hundreds of millions of hungry customers eat fast food daily. The media constantly remind American consumers about its supposed evils. Most are conscious of the health risks from fatty, greasy meals; most realize that they are being served by a poorly paid young worker; and if they choose to ponder it, most are aware that the excessive packaging causes millions of tons of trash each year. But they continue to purchase and eat fast food on a regular basis. Fast food remains central to the American diet because it is inexpensive, quick, convenient, and predictable, and because it tastes good. Even more important, Americans eat fast food because it is now a cultural norm. As American culture homogenized and became distinctively American in the second half of the twentieth century, fast food, and especially the hamburger, emerged as the primary American ethnic food. Just as the Chinese eat rice and Mexicans eat tamales, Americans eat burgers. And fast food has grown even beyond being just a distinctive ethnic food. Since the 1960s, the concept has extended far beyond the food itself, with the term becoming a common descriptor for other quick-service operations, even a metaphor for many of the negative aspects of mainstream American life. Theorists and pundits sometimes use the term fast food to denigrate American habits, institutions, and values, referring to them as elements of a fast-food society. In fact, fast-food has become a frequently used adjective, implying not only ready availability but also superficiality, mass-produced standardization, lack of authenticity, or just poor quality. In the last two decades of the twentieth century, fast food gained additional economic and cultural significance, becoming a popular American export to nations around the world. Some detractors claim that it is even deliberately used by the United States, as a tool of cultural imperialism. The appearance of a McDonalds or Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on the streets of a foreign city signals to many the demise of indigenous culture, replacing another countrys traditional practices and values with American materialism. In fact, the rapid spread of American fast food is probably not an organized conspiracy, rather more the result of aggressive corporate marketing strategies. Consumers in other countries are willing and able to buy fast-food products, so chains are quick to accommodate demand. Thought of around the world as American food, fast food continues its rapid international growth. Bibliography Boas, Max, and Steve Chain. Big Mac: The Unauthorized Story of McDonalds. New York: Dutton, 1976. Emerson, Robert, L. Fast Food: The Endless Shakeout. New York: Lebhar-Friedman, 1979. Halberstam, David. The Fifties. New York: Villard Books, 1993. Chapter 11 discusses the origins of the McDonalds empire. Hogan, David Gerard. Selling em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food. New York: New York University Press, 1997. Jakle, John A. , and Keith A. Sculle. Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999. Langdon, Philip. Orange Roofs, Golden Arches: The Architecture of American Chain Restaurants. New York: Knopf, 1986. McLamore, James, W. The Burger King: Jim McLamore and the Building of an Empire. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Mariani, John. America Eats Out. New York: William Morrow, 1991. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Tennyson, Jeffrey. Hamburger Heaven: The Illustrated History of the Hamburger. New York: Hyperion, 1993. Witzel, Michael Karl. The American Drive-In: History and Folklore of the Drive-In Restaurant in the Car Culture. Osceola, Wisc. : Motorbooks International, 1994. —David Gerard Hogan AMG AllGame Guide: Fast FoodTop Home Library Entertainment Arts Games Guide Release Date: 1989 Genre: Action. Style: Maze Random House Word Menu: categories related to fast foodTop Home Library Literature Language Word Menu Categories Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier For a list of words related to fast food, see: Cuisines, Meals, and Restaurants fast food: cheap, mass-produced dishes served quickly at walk-in or drive-in outlets; convenience food Wikipedia on Answers. com: Fast foodTop Home Library Miscellaneous Wikipedia For other uses, see Fast food (disambiguation). A typical fast food meal in the United States includes a hamburger, french fries, and a soft drink. Pictured here are burgers from In-N-Out Burger McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut fast food restaurants in the United Arab Emirates Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a packaged form for take-out/take-away. The term fast food was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951. Outlets may be stands or kiosks, which may provide no shelter or seating,[1] or fast food restaurants (also known as quick service restaurants). Franchise operations which are part of restaurant chains have standardized foodstuffs shipped to each restaurant from central locations. [2] Contents 1 History 1. 1 Pre-modern Europe 1. 2 United Kingdom 1. 3 United States 2 On the go 2. 1 Filling stations 2. 2 Street vendors and concessions 3 Cuisine 3. 1 Variants 4 Business 5 Employment 6 Globalization 7 Criticism 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links History.

Australia Soft Drink Market Essay Example for Free

Australia Soft Drink Market Essay The FSANZ phone survey of adolescents and young adults in Australia found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened soft drinks compared to other Australians (72 per cent versus 50 per cent) and consumed significantly larger amounts (249 ml versus 128 ml per day) (Food Standards Australia New Zealand 2003a). The 2004 SPANS survey of children in Years 6–10 in NSW found consumption of soft drinks to be lowest among students of Asian background and highest among boys of Southern European and Middle Eastern background (Booth et al. 2006). Gender Fewer girls than boys consume soft drink in Australia, and among those that do, girls consume smaller amounts of soft drink than boys (section 2. 2). This gender effect has been observed in Europe also. For example, the large WHO collaborative cross-national study of Health Behaviours among School-aged Children 2001–02 showed that girls generally consume less soft drink than boys (Vereecken et al. 2005b). Psycho-Social Factors 3. 2. 1 Personal Factors Personal factors appear to moderate the relationship between environmental factors and behaviour. In Norway, personal preferences, i. e. taste, was the number one determinant of soft drink consumption, and attitude was the fourth most important determinant of soft drink consumption in adolescents, with the environmental factors of accessibility and modelling (consumption behaviour of significant others) in between (Bere et al. 2007). Soft drink consumption in school-aged children has been notably correlated with taste preferences in other studies (Grimm et al. 2004). In one study of 8–13 year olds in the US, those who reported the strongest taste preference were 4. 5 times more likely to consume soft drinks five or more times per week compared with those with a lower taste preference. A focus group study with groups of children aged 8–9 years and 13–14 years showed that younger children prefer the taste of still, fruit-flavoured drinks and adolescents prefer the taste of carbonated drinks (May and Waterhouse 2003). Attitude and subjective norm (perception of other people’s views and attitudes towards soft drink consumption), together with perceived behavioural control, explained 60 per cent of the variance in intention to drink regular soft drinks in 13–18 year olds in the US (Kassem et al. 2003; Kassem and Lee 2004). However, taste enjoyment was one of the most predictive expected outcome beliefs of regular soft drink consumption. In quenching of thirst was the second most important predictor of attitude, after taste, towards drinking soft drinks — yet soft drinks have been found to be poor at quenching thirst when compared to water (Rolls et al. 1990; Brouns et al. 1998). Parents and friends have been identified as being more influential than peers in the consumption patterns of younger children aged 8–9 years in the UK (May and Waterhouse 2003), although peer groups are considered to play a greater role in adolescence (Buchanan and Coulson 2006). Cost, availability and thirst were more important in older children aged 13–4 years. In the NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey 2004 (SPANS) of children aged 5–16 years, peer influences were not particularly apparent in soft drinks attitudes and intended consumption (Booth et al.2006). Adolescents who perceived more social pressure to limit soft drink consumption were found to be more likely to consume more in the Study on Medical Information and Lifestyle in Eindhoven (SMILE) study in The Netherlands (de Bruijn et al. 2007). The SMILE study also showed that moderate â€Å"agreeableness† (a measure of adolescents† willingness to comply with parental practices and rules) of adolescents is associated with less soft drink consumption, however, those that were most â€Å"agreeable† consumed a lot (de Bruijn et al. 2007). This was attributed to pressures outside of the home environment — pro-social motives where those most agreeable wanted to â€Å"fit in†. It is postulated that the more agreeable adolescents were more inclined to live up to expectations raised by prototype-based advertisements and marketing. One of the few studies examining the factors affecting soft drink consumption in adults showed that consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks was associated with less restrained and more external eating, i. e. sensitive to external stimuli such as taste (Elfhag et al. 2007). The study, conducted among 3265 adults in Sweden showed that, in contrast, diet soft drinks were consumed by persons with a higher body mass index (BMI) (possibly in an attempt to reduce their weight), more restrained eating and more emotional eating. Parents as Models A study in Australia showed that the influence of mothers, either as models of eating behaviours or as the providers of food, is pervasive (Campbell et al. 2007). Parental soft drink consumption was positively associated with younger children’s intake in two studies (Grimm et al. 2004; Vereecken et al.2004). Mother’s consumption was found to be an independent predictor for regular soft drink consumption among children in Belgium (Vereecken et al. 2004). In the US, children aged 8–13 years whose parents regularly drank soft drinks were nearly three times more likely to consume soft drinks five or more times per week compared with those whose parents did not regularly drink soft drinks (Grimm et al. 2004). A higher frequency of preparing food was found to be related to lower intakes of carbonated beverages among female adolescents in the US (Larson et al.2006). Parenting Styles Less restrictive parenting practices are associated with a higher consumption of healthier food options such as fruit and vegetables in children; however the evidence is not as equivocal for soft drinks. Indeed, the converse has been found in some recent studies. For example, van der Horst et al found that in The Netherlands less restrictive parenting practices, relating to specific behaviours such as â€Å"food rules†, were associated with higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among 383 adolescents (van der Horst et al. 2007). This association was independent of perceived parenting practices by the adolescents, and was mediated by attitude, self-efficacy and modelling from parents (parental consumption). The association was strongest among adolescents who perceived their parents as being moderately strict and highly involved. These authors concluded that parents should be involved in interventions aimed at changing dietary behaviours including soft drink consumption and that interventions aimed at the promotion of healthy parenting practices are best tailored to the general parenting style of the participants (for example, strict and/or involved). More restrictive parenting practices were also found to be associated with less soft drink consumption (De Bourdeaudhuij and Van Oost 2000) and stricter parenting practices were found to be associated with less soft drink consumption in a recent study in The Netherlands (de Bruijn et al. 2007). However, findings from studies among younger children suggest that strict parental practices can in fact increase children’s preferences for, and intake of, the restricted foods. These different findings may relate to differences in the type of practices used between age groups. For example, parents of younger children might use pressure to get their children to eat more or may restrict access to certain foods. For adolescents, parents might use clearly defined rules about the times when a certain food can be eaten and how much of a certain food they can eat. Environmental Factors 3. 3. 1 Soft Drink Availability Availability at School Increased soft drink consumption has been related to the availability of soft drinks in vending machines in the school environment in a number of studies. However, it appears that when soft drinks are ubiquitous in schools the link between consumption and availability is less discernible (French et al. 2003; Grimm et al. 2004; Vereecken et al. 2005a). Access to vending machines selling soft drinks in schools in the US was not related to consumption in either boys or girls (Kassem et al. 2003; Kassem and Lee 2004). In Norway, most soft drink consumption occurs outside of school despite soft drinks currently still being available in schools (Bere et al.2007). Vending machines were not available in schools involved in a study of adolescent soft drink consumption in the UK (Buchanan and Coulson 2006); and this study found that consumption of soft drinks was higher at the weekends. Nevertheless, the availability of soft drinks at school, either in the school canteen or in vending machines, may send messages to children that they are suitable drinks; also their easy availability at schools negates the need to provide water. The sale of foods and drinks at schools is likely to have a ripple effect in the community (Bell and Swinburn 2005), thus banning soft drinks at schools conveys a healthy message to children and this message has the potential to affect community attitudes. In recent years four Australian state governments (New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia) have accordingly imposed a ban on the sale of soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened drinks by canteens in public schools (Bell and Swinburn 2005). In NSW this ban on sugar-sweetened drinks is part of Fresh Tastes @ School, the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy. Sugar-sweetened drinks with more than 300 kJ per serve or more than 100 mg of sodium per serve have not been allowed in school canteens and vending machines in NSW since Term 1, 2007 (NSW Department of Health and NSW Department of Education Training 2006). These drinks include: soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, flavoured mineral waters, sports drinks, cordials, iced teas, sweetened waters, sports waters, and flavoured crushed ice drinks. In Victoria the ban extends to high-energy, high-sugar soft drinks brought in to school. Portion Size. The beverage industry has steadily increased container sizes over the last 50 years. In the 1950s the standard serving size was a 200 ml bottle, which increased to a 375 ml can, which was superseded by a 600 ml bottle. Studies have shown that the larger the container, the more people are likely to drink, especially when they assume they are buying single-serve size containers. For example, Flood et al have shown that increasing beverage portion size from 350 ml to 530 ml significantly increased the weight of beverage consumed regardless of beverage type — in this case regular cola, diet cola or water (Flood et al.2006). As a consequence, energy intake increased 10 per cent for women and 26 per cent for men when there was a 50 per cent increase in the portion of regular cola served. Food intake did not differ under the controlled conditions; thus overall energy intake was increased as a result of the extra energy from the larger beverage intake. Most recently, a study showed that increasing portion sizes of all foods and beverages consumed by study participants by 50 per cent of baseline increased energy intake from all food and beverage categories, except fruit as a snack and vegetables, for an 11-day period (Rolls et al.2007). The amount of beverage consumed increased from about 470 ml in both women and men to 557 ml in women and 630 ml in men. Disproportionate pricing practices also encourage people to drink large servings as these often cost just a fraction more than the smaller servings (Young and Nestle 2002). Large serve sizes contribute to an â€Å"obesogenic† environment, as they facilitate excess consumption of energy (Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2005). Dietary guidelines and public campaigns have highlighted the importance of portion size as a central concept related to energy intake (Matthiessen et al.2003). Cost In a number of papers, Drewnoswki and co-workers purport that the main issue in relation to nutrient-poor foods and beverages and obesity is the cost; that is, nutrient-dense diets are more costly than nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods which are relatively cheap. Drewnowski and Bellisle (2007) conclude that the obesity-promoting capacity of different beverages is linked not so much by their sugar content but by their low price, although these researchers concur that taste is likely to be the main factor affecting the obesity-promoting capacity of soft drinks (Refer to Section 3. 1). Cost was reported as being an important determinant of carbonated soft drink consumption, as opposed to fruit juice and still fruit drinks, in children aged 13–14 years in a study in the UK (Buchanan and Coulson 2006). Availability and thirst were also recognised as important determinants, although foremost was taste. Exposure to TV advertising Television is a medium through which children are commonly exposed to food marketing. Food marketers advertise heavily during children’s programming in Australia (Hastings et al.2007; Kelly et al. 2007), and soft drink is consistently featured near the top of the list of advertised food items in different countries, including Australia (Kotz and Story 1994; Lemos 2004). Increased soft drink consumption has been related to TV exposure in a number of studies (Grimm et al. 2004; van den Bulck and van Mierlo 2004; Utter et al. 2006). The relationship was observed for adolescent boys only — not girls — in a recent study of children in grades 7–8 in Belgium (Haerens et al. 2007). A study of children aged 5–6 years and 10–12 years in Melbourne showed that children who watched TV for more than 2 hours per day were 2. 3 times more likely to consume ? 1 serve/day of high-energy drinks than children who watched less than or equal to 2 hours of TV per day (Salmon et al. 2006). Functional Drinks 5. 4. 1 Sports Drinks Sports drinks were designed to aid sport performance as well as provide rehydration after sporting events. They contain 6–8 per cent carbohydrates, usually in the form of sugar, plus other electrolytes (Sports Dietitians Australia 2007). As the name implies, sport drinks are designed for sports participants. Using sport drinks for normal hydration purposes is not recommended because of their energy content (one 600 ml bottle of sport drinks provides around 780 kJ) and their acidity which is associated with the same dental health problems as soft drinks. In Australia sports drinks currently account for less than 5 per cent of the more than 1. 3 billion litres of non-alcoholic beverages sold per annum, but the sale of sports drinks is growing faster than most other beverages (Australian Convenience Store News 2006). Energy Drinks In recent years, energy drinks have also been introduced as alternative premium products to ordinary soft drinks. Their sales have risen quickly and it has been reported that in the United States energy drinks outperformed all other beverage categories, with more than 500 per cent growth in sales from 2001–06 (Montalvo 2007). The Australian Convenience Store News (Nov/Dec 2006) indicates that energy drinks accounted for 22 per cent of total drink sales. Most consumers were in the 15–39 age bracket and consumption is slightly skewed towards males (Australian Convenience Store News 2006).

Chinese Managers Leadership Style

Chinese Managers Leadership Style 3.1 Introduction Among various choices of research methodologies, this study draws on a framework within the qualitative research paradigm. The study takes an interpretive approach and adopts a data collection design of participant interviews. The purpose of this section is to introduce the underpinning philosophical arguments regarding methodological consideration and to justify the appropriateness of qualitative design to the context of this study. Supportive theories for this choice as well as the sampling methods, data collection methods, arrangements for interviews and the relevant research considerations will be addressed. In order to link the methodological choices with the study purpose, research questions will also be reiterated. 3.2Research questions The purpose of qualitative research is to describe, explore, and explain phenomena being studied (Marshall and Rossman, 1999). Qualitative research questions, therefore, often take the form of what, how and why, and are more concerned with the process rather than the outcome. As this study is to explore how Chinese culture, specifically Confucius philosophical doctrines have shaped Chinese leadership style, as well as how Western theories have exerted a profound influence on Chinese leadership in modern Chinese society, the research questions of this study go as follows: What are the main characteristics of Chinese managers leadership style in Public Sector in Tianjin? Given the above, to what extent does Chinese culture, particularly Guanxi affect and shape Chinese leadership style? In this day and age, how is leadership in China influenced by Western leadership models? What are the implications that Chinese leadership styles present for the future practice? As a result, the research methodology was selected and employed to explore the development of the topic to answer the above questions. 3.3 Methodological choice 3.3.1 Interpretive research tradition Among the three research traditions, i.e. Positivism and Postpositivism, Interpretive Research, and Critical Postmodernism (Gephart, 2004), Interpretive Research is generally considered the most appealingly applied by a significant number of researchers. This study takes an interpretive approach to understand the Chinese managers leadership style as perceived by their Qualitative research can be either interpretive or positive depending on the philosophical assumptions taken by the researcher. According to Schwandt (2000), qualitative research is a diverse term covering an array of techniques seeking to describe, decode, translate, and somehow come to terms with the meaning, rather than the measurement or frequency of phenomena in the social world. Interpretive research is a more specific term. Interpretive studies assume that people create and associate their own subjective and intersubjective meanings as they interact with the world around them. With regards to the epistemology, interpertivsts recognize that the way they make sense of the world is shaped by their goals, culture and experience (Creswell, 2003; Weber, 2004). Reality is viewed as socially constructed and cannot be objectively determined (Easterby- Smith et al., 1991). The foundation assumption for interpretive research is that knowledge is gained, or at least filtered, through soci al constructions such as language, consciousness, and shared meanings. In addition to the emphasis on the socially constructed nature of reality, interpretive research acknowledges the intimate relationship between the researcher and what is being explored, and the situational constraints shaping this process. Interpretivists believe that the researcher and the researched are interdependent and affect each other in their interactions (Gephart, 2004; Weber, 2004). Walsham (1995) indicates that interpretive research attempts to understand phenomena through the meanings that people assign to them. It does not predefine dependent and independent variables. Nor does it set out to test hypotheses, but rather aims to produce an understanding of the social context of the phenomenon and the process whereby the phenomenon influences and is influenced by the social context. 3.3.2 Qualitative study Within the field of social research there have been opposing views on how the social world can be or should be understood. Traditionally the positivist paradigm has been related to quantitative research techniques, scientific measurement and empirical findings (Silverman, 2000). However, recently research methodology is considered as a continuum between quantitative and qualitative designs with the approach adopted based on an ability to answer or add knowledge to a particular issue (Creswell, 2003; Miller and Brewer, 2003). According to Creswell (1994), a qualitative study is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting. Although a quantitative research method was useful in studying statistical differences among variables and factors for proofing assumptions, its limitation was the inability to fully reveal the underlying meanings people associated with particular activities or social process (Esterberg, 2002). In favor of this argument, Silverman (1997) further extends that quantitative research may overlook the social and cultural construction of variables as well as the attitudes and meanings behind the variables. Qualitative studies, though perceived to be complex, time-intensive, and sometimes fraught with methodological challenges, can be the richest of studies, often illuminating complex phenomena in radically new ways (Conger, 1998). They are responsible for paradigm shifts, insights into the role of context, and longitudinal perspectives that other methods often fall to capture (Isabella, 1990; Mintzberg, 1973; Roberts and Bradley, 1988). Qualitative research may take on different traditions or assumptions such as phenomenology, hermeneutics and ethnography. However, Mason (1996) indicates that there are three common elements that bind qualitative research strategies together: Qualitative research takes an interpretive position in relation to understanding interactions within a multi-layered social world; Data generation is flexible and sensitive to the social context in which data is produced; Data analysis that use explanation building which involve understanding the relevant complexity, detail and content of the subject matter. (Mason, 1996:4) Such an argument provides a strong theoretical foundation for this study regarding the interaction between managers and their subordinates in Public Sector in China. As a result, having considered these arguments, qualitative methodology would be useful in exploring the meanings and perspectives in this dissertation, because it permits an exploration of participants concepts of Chinese leadership, the interpretation of cultural effects on Chinese leadership style and the complexity of issues that contribute to the subject. 3.3.3 Qualitative leadership studies It has been widely held that qualitative research in the social sciences plays an important part only in the exploratory phases of a research. At this stage, the researcher knows about the subject he/she is to investigate, and his/her hypotheses are purely speculative. Once the researchers understanding gradually becomes well-defined, quantitative analysis can follow to refine and validate the hypotheses generated by the previous qualitative research. However, Conger (1998) challenged this assumption by arguing that in reality, qualitative research must play an important role on matter at what stage in the investigation of leadership topics. The main reason, he points out, is the extreme and enduring complexity of the leadership phenomenon itself. Since leadership involves multiple levels of phenomena, possesses a dynamic character, and has a symbolic component, quantitative methods, which are largely based on surveys in the leadership field, tend to focus on a single level of analysis such as behavioral dimensions (Yukl, 1994), and in turn overlook the organizational and environmental factors (Conger, 1998). Therefore, they are insufficient to investigate thoroughly phenomena as complex as leadership. In addition, other scholars have drawn limitations and narrowness of the investigation frame of quantitative analysis in the leadership study. For example, Phillips (1973) argues that quantitative surveys are usually influenced by social desirability concerns of respondents and only reflects behavior attitudes rather than actual observed behavior. Lantis (1987) also articulates that quantitative analysis is unable to measure interactions, which is a critical element of leadership. Qualitative methods, as proposed by Conger (1998), when properly employed, may render leadership studies distinct advantages over quantitative methods: First, more room to explore leadership in depth (Bryman, 1992); Second, the flexibility to detect unexpected phenomena during the research; Third, more opportunities to sense the contextual factors; Fourth, more effective to investigate symbolic dimensions (Morgan and Smircich, 1980). It is based on all these arguments, that this study adopts a qualitative method, trying to put into full play the advantages that qualitative method possesses in studying the Chinese leadership style in Public Sectors. 3.4 Interviews 3.4.1 Interviews as a qualitative method Based on the methodological discussions, interview was chosen as the most appropriate method of data collection for the research at hand. This method is the most frequently used qualitative method and recommended in situations where a detailed understanding of complicated behavior is sought and where detailed probing of the respondent is anticipated. Kvale and Birnkmann (2009) emphasize a qualitative research interview as a professional conversation focusing on an alternation, which occurs on the personal interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee around a particular issue or range of topics and on the descriptive data conducted through that interaction. Unstructured interviews 3.4.2 Semi-structured interviews In this study, semi-structured interviews were applied as a research tool. Semi-structured interviews form an important part of qualitative research (Cassell and Symon, 2004). In semi-structured interviews, the interviewer designs a general structure by deciding in advance what ground is to be covered and what questions are to be asked. This leaves the detailed structure to be worked out during the interview. The interviewee is given considerable freedom to express his/her views on his/her own words. This results in them raising issues and topic that the researcher may not have thought about as important for the study (Banister and Booth, 2005). The interviewer can respond using prompts, and follow-up questions to encourage the interviewee to clarify or expand on their answers. He/She can also react via facial expression and body language. This would allow the interviewer to innovate and give the interview a direction (King, 2004) and get explanatory answers for questions about peoples behavior and opinions (Saunders et al, 2003; Banister and Booth, 2005). This is one of the strengths of this kind of interviews. In summary, semi-structured interviews provide the opportunity for the researcher to probe deeply to uncover new clues, open up new dimensions of a problem and to secure vivid, accurate inclusive accounts that are based on personal experienced (Easterby-Smith et al., 2002). In semi-structured interviews, the application of probing is one of the most significant techniques. Probing centers on assisting the interviewee in continuing to speak his/her mind by the interviewer posing questions fully and relevantly (Cooper and Schinder, 2000). Patton (1990) identifies three types of probing techniques, namely detail-oriented probes, elaboration probes, and clarification probes. In this study, the elaboration probe is employed to encourage the interviewee to express more feelings (Patton, 1990). The interviewer took the initiative and encouraged the interviewee by supplementing questions like What makes you think so?; Can you give some examples?; Can you tell me more about this? etc. For semi-structured interviews, basic structures and frameworks are necessary. Before conducting the interviews, boundaries were drawn with pertinence to the research questions and research objectives. In turn, boundaries and framework also provide reference for the judgment of data to be obtained. Without boundaries and framework, the discussion can go on different track and become too general (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000). With boundaries set to the interview, the interviewer can not only maintain the exploratory principles through the use of major topic themes within the questions but also had sufficient flexibility to extend the boundaries of the original theme or to vary the sequence and emphasis of the questions (Corbetta, 2003;Kvale, 1996; Miller and Brewer, 2003). 3.4.3 Framing the interview questions Framing the questions for the interview is very important. The questions allow respondents to quantify individual experiences and convey the results or answers that are expected from the research (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000; Easterby-Smith et al., 2002). Silverman (2001) and King (2004) suggest that research questions should not reflect the researchers own presuppositions or biases. Saunder et al. (2003) also stress that the questions framed should not be leading or suggesting a restricted set of answers. The interview questions in this study include a series of open-ended questions (Appendix). This is because open-ended questions provide the opportunity to gather an authentic understanding of peoples experience (Silverman, 1999). Moreover, they also allow the interview respondents to talk freely and explain their understanding on Chinese leadership style and Chinese and Western cultural effects on framing such kind of leadership style. As discussed above, discussion on these questions may move beyond the research boundaries, therefore sub-questions have been framed to direct the discussion in the required directions. 3.5 Sampling Sampling for qualitative research seeks to provide explanations of attitudes and behavior rather than quantify their extent in the population. According to National Centre for Social Research (2002), qualitative samples should not be as large as survey samples or to be statistically representative. Rather, qualitative samples should be selected purposively to encompass the range and diversity present in the target population. Miles and Huberman (1994) also assert that qualitative researchers should work with small samples of people, bound by specific contexts, and studied in depth. In this study, unstructured interviews were conducted individually with five senior managers from five organizations of the Public Sector in Tianjin, as well as semi-structured interviews were employed seven subordinates of these managers. Therefore the sample size of the study is twelve. Additionally, nonprobability sampling, a non-random and subjective sampling method (Cooper and Schindler, 1999) is used for this research. Different from random sampling, this method allowed the interviewer to choose sample members as she wished or wherever she could find them. Another concept related to nonprobability sampling is judgment sampling. As one kind of nonprobability samplings, judgment sampling is used to select sample members to conform to some criterion (Cooper and Schindler, 2000). With the application of judgment sampling, people who work as managers in Public Sector in Tianjin were selected for main target samples, and their subordinates for sub-target samples. Since the study is to investigate the general perception of the leadership style in Public Sector in Tianjin, the sampling frame of this study is the public in general who work in different managerial levels in Public Sector in Tianjin. 3.6 Data collection 3.6.1 Data collection procedure The data collected for this dissertation has been obtained from a combination of both secondary and primary sources. The secondary data include a selection of variety of books, journals and articles. The primary data were gathered from a series of unstructured and semi-structured interviews. In total, 12 interviews were undertaken with interviewees form 5 organizations in Public Sector in Tianjin (Appendix). These multiple sources of data allowed the researchers to address a broader range of historical, attitudinal, and observation issues (Yin, 1989). Furthermore, multiple sources of evidences provided multiple perspectives of the same phenomenon. Participants in this study ranged from general staff to senior managers. The judgment sampling method employed here correlates with one of the approaches described by Mason (1996) in that it seeks to provide a detailed view of particular units; not with any intent to act in a representative way of the wider population but to generate theory that may be applied or evaluated within a broader context. Five senior managers form different organizations are researchers relatives. The close relationship, therefore, contributed to both fulfillment of the interviews and the in-depth exploration of the research. In addition, seven subordinates work with five managers respectively. Subordinates perception of their managers characteristics could enrich the performance of the research. As a result, this elicited 12 interviews that formed the database of this study. The five organizations from which 12 interviewees stemmed cover the following five sectors: Economy and Trade Commission Justice Bureau Department of Cultural Affairs Urban Planning Bureau Public Primary School Interviews were undertaken in June and July 2010. Among the 12 interviews, five with senior managers were conducted in their houses or the researchers house, and each interview lasted 40 minutes around. Others 7 were taped in interviewees offices, lasting 20-30 minutes respectively. Moreover, interviews were conducted in the interviewees native language (Chinese) so that the subject was able to express their ideas fully. All the interviews took place in a private and quiet environment with only the interviewer and interviewee present. All participants were made fully aware of the details of the study. The schedules were directly and respectively sent to all participants ahead of the interviews so as to confirm the researchers intent to record the interview via audiotape and to introduce the arrangements related to confidentiality. All participants consented to the using of the tape recorder during the interviews. Such pre-interview communication proved important, because on the one hand, it allowed the participants enough time to get into the purpose and questions of the interview; on the other hand, it played an essential role in requesting informed consents (Kvale and Birnkmann, 2009) from the participants, assuring them of safety, showing respect to their dignity, rights, and well-being. Especially when conducting qualitative research with sensitive topics, such ethical issues need to be a concern of the researcher (Malhotra, 2004), since there is much closer interaction between the interviewer and the individual examined (King, 2004) and usually more personal or sensitive information is shared. Therefore, the researcher had the responsibility to care for the rights and needs of the respondents (Kvale and Birnkmann, 2009). All this also supported the development of trust in the interaction of the interviewee with the interviewer to ensure that they would be as truthful and open about their experiences and feelings as possible (Easterby-Smith et al., 1999) 3.6.2 Data analysis As is typical in qualitative research (Creswell, 1994), data analysis proceeded in tandem with data collection. The interview transcripts served as the basis for the data analysis. After a general sense of the information gathered through reading the transcripts several times (Creswell, 2003), coding of the data was used to analyze the interviews. Coding is defined as the formal process of selecting all the usable material from the complete data collected (Fisher, 2004). To code the data, it would be useful to identify clear themes at the initial stage. Hence, themes that consistently emerged in the interviews were identified and the material was divided into chunks and allocated to the themes (Creswell, 2003; Fisher, 2004). This approach to data analysis has the advantage as it is flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the study while it still forces the researcher to take a well-structured approach to analyzing the data, which assists in creating a clear and organized account of the findings. Therefore, after the transcription of the interview data from the audiotapes, the data analysis was categorized into four theme sections. The process of coding and analyzing data was ongoing and continued throughout the formulation of the subsequent chapters. Therefore, codes remained open to modification until the end of the study and were modified and developed as the analysis proceeded (Fisher, 2004). In the analysis process, the method of direct quotations was used to illustrate informants responses precisely. Additionally, examples of contradicting arguments of the interviewees were included to ensure a balanced account of the data gathered. This enhanced the validity and authenticity of the research (Creswell, 2003; Spiggle, 1994). The presentation of the findings is structured around the main themes identified. Care was taken not to drift towards generalizations but keep in mind the individual experiences from which these themes were developed (Creswell, 2003; King, 2004). 3.7Limitations Undertaking any form of research regardless of methodology or study design takes the author on a journey that is often challenging and frustrating. A potential major weakness of the research method employed in this study could be the problem of bias. Bell and Opie (1999) suggested that interview as a qualitative method is highly subjective technique and therefore there is always the danger of bias. This is true because there is a strong possibility that interviewees might choose not to reveal all issues related to the research questions due to feelings of embarrassment or a lack of knowledge on the topic and confusion etc. The researcher may tend to seek out answers that support preconceived notions. This may not be deliberate but may arise due to the classification of information and the flow of analytical thinking. Such a bias may limit the scope of the available data in relation to the study themes (Miller and Brewer, 2003) and greatly influence the reliability of the data collected. However, as Gavron (1966) suggested, awareness of the problem plus constant self-control can help alleviate the degree of bias. Another challenge that this study was facing is the transcribing of data. Since all interviews were conducted in Chinese, transcribing from the record in the audiotape into English written words may easily involve errors. This may occur due to the misunderstanding or mishearing of respondents words or ignoring the emotionally loaded intonations. Moreover, the language barrier constitutes another problem. Although the researcher tried her best to maintain the authenticity and reliability of the data, the slangs, jargons, colloquial expressions and established phrases in one language may not be possibly given a parallel in another language. Therefore, all that the researcher could do was to try to avoid any interventions and misunderstandings during the interview and repeated respondents key points in front of the respondents so as to ensure that interviewees opinions were fully and accurately understood by the researcher.

Culture of Entrepreneurship Essay -- essays research papers

Culture of Entrepreneurship Developing a culture of entrepreneurship within an organization can be a very important factor with the potential growth in an organization. There are many factors that can be accomplished by having a state of the art internal entrepreneur system established. One is obviously the development of new ideas. The new ideas that come along can be a turning point for the whole organization. If there is one good idea it could set the company apart from the competition drastically. As long as you constantly have new ideas coming in, and capitalize on the good ones; the company can stay on top for a very long time. This also brings about another good point of ideas within the company. The more ideas that a company has coming in among employees creates competition among those employees and in return spark better ideas in the long run. This new idea of internal entrepreneurship has coined the term intrapreneur. An intrapreneur is defined as "a person within a large corporation who tak es direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation" (Nan Hawthorne, Intrapreneur, http://www.esightcareers.net/View.cfm?x=934). So why exactly besides the points illustrated above do we need more entrepreneurship within a large corporation? From the stand point of a large corporation it is very difficult for the managers to properly see... Culture of Entrepreneurship Essay -- essays research papers Culture of Entrepreneurship Developing a culture of entrepreneurship within an organization can be a very important factor with the potential growth in an organization. There are many factors that can be accomplished by having a state of the art internal entrepreneur system established. One is obviously the development of new ideas. The new ideas that come along can be a turning point for the whole organization. If there is one good idea it could set the company apart from the competition drastically. As long as you constantly have new ideas coming in, and capitalize on the good ones; the company can stay on top for a very long time. This also brings about another good point of ideas within the company. The more ideas that a company has coming in among employees creates competition among those employees and in return spark better ideas in the long run. This new idea of internal entrepreneurship has coined the term intrapreneur. An intrapreneur is defined as "a person within a large corporation who tak es direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation" (Nan Hawthorne, Intrapreneur, http://www.esightcareers.net/View.cfm?x=934). So why exactly besides the points illustrated above do we need more entrepreneurship within a large corporation? From the stand point of a large corporation it is very difficult for the managers to properly see...