Time in The Two Poems Essay Example for Free

Time in The Two Poems Essay The titles of these poems alone suggest there will be a theme of time in them; The title Days speaks for itself as days are a way of measuring time, Toads Revisited however is much more subtle but the notion of revisiting, indirectly tells us that he is going somewhere or doing something that he has done before in his lifetime. Days is a poem about Larkins views on death and how our approach on the subject can alter the way we live. Larkin begins his first stanza with the rhetorical question of What are days for?, though this is a question similar to the biggest question of all time What is the meaning of life? Larkin answers it with a simple monosyllabic response, Days are where we live. For such a broad and open question this is a very closed, unrefined answer. This could be a reflection of Larkins view on the meaning of life, that he feels it is not important to search for a complex answer. I get the impression that Larkin is tired of life and its repetitive structure, They come they wake us, time and time over this is shown by his impassionate language and monosyllabic style. Its seems as if he feels time is passing too slowly. Toads Revisited unlike Days is the second poem out of two, the first being similar in subject but written 10 years before when Larkin was at a different stage in his life. Toads Revisited is written in a much more day to day fashion where as Days is written on a more general topic. Toads Revisited is about Larkins distaste for work and his realisation that without it his life would be empty. He looks at the way in which people without jobs spend their time. He comes to the conclusion that without his job he would have too much time and he would become bored. When referring to the unemployed he says think of being them! Hearing the hours chime Toads Revisited is set in 9 stanzas all with four lines each, this repetitive structure is used by Larkin to reflect the content of the stanzas (the dull life of unemployment. ) Towards the end of the poem Larkins words become less monosyllabic which reflects the way he feels about employment, (that is is duller to be unemployed than employed because at least job fills- like syllables!) Days is set in just two stanzas which like its monosyllabic style reflects the simplicity of the message Larkin is sending out in this poem. The second stanza of Days is a response to the second question Larkin asks in stanza one Where can we live but days? in response to this Larkin does not answer but concludes that to tackle such a question will sooner kill you than lead you to an answer, solving that question brings the priest and the doctor in their long coats. This is a sinister image that personifies death. The last two stanzas of Toads revisited show Larkins acceptance of work but not in a way that he embraces the idea of work with love and passion, but that he has not alternatives What else can I answer. Like the poem Days Toads Revisited also end on a sombre note about death, give me your arm, old toad; Help me down Cemetery road, again here death has been personified in the eerie form of a toad. Both these poems send out the message that death is ominous and inevitable.

GlenGarry Glen Ross :: essays research papers

Psychology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glen Gary Glen Ross I thought was interesting. There were many different kinds of characters in this film. The salesmen in this movie are all after the same goal money and power. There is a constant competition between the salesmen to see who can close more deals to earn the top leads. The Glen Gary leads are the best leads and they become the symbol in this movie. They symbolize the greed that is in each one of these salesmen’s eyes. In the movie there are bosses and managers standing in the way of the men achieving their goals. The head boss played by Alec Baldwin has the most power in the company because he is the owner of the company. He is a cocky man who shows off his power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first scene of the movie, Alec Baldwin’s character is in the office with the three other salesmen. Alec being that he is the boss is talking down to the employees and treating them like garbage. Alec talks to them this way because money and power has taken over his body. He has no idea what employee moral means. He gets a kick out of treating people like this. When the employees respond to him he makes a smart remark and yells at them. He acts this way because he knows that they will follow anything he says because he is the boss. When Jack Lemon’s character questions him about something Alec tells him off because Alec does not want to hear any complaints. Alec just wants the job done and if they cannot do the job he will find people that can. Alec is screaming at them to try to get them to comply with his orders and if they do not he will fire them because he does not need employees slowing him down.

Case Study: Not Just Another Outdoor Company

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY MM2021: Management & Organization |Case Study: Not Just Another Outdoor Company | Case Scenario The company we are discussing this time, based in Portland, Oregon, was the brainchild of a small group of executives who left big-time jobs at Patagonia, Nike, and Adidas. These individuals shared a belief that â€Å"in addition to generating a profit, companies have an equal responsibility to create positive social and environmental change†.Putting their beliefs into action, the group formed Nau (which is Maori for â€Å"Welcome! Come in†). And Nau is not just another outdoor company! When deciding what Nau was going to be like and how it was going to do business, the founders know they did not want to do things the way they would always been done by traditional businesses. CEO Chris Van Dyke said, â€Å"We started with a clean whiteboard. We believed every single operational element in our business was an opportunity to turn traditiona l business notions inside out, integrating environmental, social, and economic factors†.From design to sales to finances, Nau is driven by these factors. Everything is Nau’s operation has been approached with a sustainability and social justice â€Å"Filter†. In the design area, the company, in partnership with suppliers, developed 24 of its 32 fabrics to be more sustainable and to combine performance and visual appeal. Each supplier, manufacturer, and even Nau itself is bound by a code of conduct. To ensure that all parties are living up to the standards, their actions are overseen by an independent, nonprofit auditing and research firm.In the sales area, the way the company retails its product is also unique. Using a concept it calls a â€Å"Web-front†, Nau has combined the efficiency of the Web with the intimacy of a gallery-like boutique. In the â€Å"store†, customers can try on clothes, but they use self-service kiosks to purchase from the Web . Because in-store inventory is greatly reduced, the stores are small (2,400 squares feet compared to the standard 4,000-plus-square-foot outdoor retail store). This approach saves operating expenses because less energy and fewer materials are used. Good for the planet†¦good for the business.Finally, Nau has a unique financial approach it calls â€Å"aggressive altruism†. The company has pledged 5 percent of sales to charitable organizations dedicated to solving crucial environmental and humanitarian problems. The â€Å"philanthropic gold standard† is 1 percent of sales, and the average among all corporations is . 047 percent. But although the amount it gives is unusual what happens with Nau’s dollars is really exceptional: Nau puts the giving decision in the hands of its customers. They are asked to indicate which â€Å"Partners for Change† they would like their 5 percent to go to.Using this â€Å"conscious choice† process, Nau is â€Å"call ing its customers out, daring them to connect the dots†. Discussions: 1. What do you think of Nau’s approach to doing business? Is it being ethical and responsible? Discuss. [pic] Sources: Nau Website, www. nau. com; and P. LaBarre, â€Å"Leap of Faith†, Fast Company, June, 2007, pp. 96-103. Robbins, S. P. and Coulter, M. (2009). Management. Pearson Prentice Hall. ———————– Each student is required to discuss Question 1 as short essay, i. e. 500 words (as 5% of your continuous assessment).

The Achievement of Desire

Growing up is something inevitable to all cultures and people. We have all gone through that time in our lives when we move on from being a child and become an adult. However, in the reality that education is the fact that starts this transition, Richard Rodriguez brilliantly focuses on the realization that education itself gives us the â€Å"ways of speaking and caring† about this transition. In the essay â€Å"The Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez explains how his own life can be seen as his achievement for the desire to be the â€Å"scholarship boy†. Throughout his early years, Rodriguez defines himself as a good â€Å"imitator† â€Å"anxious and eager to learn†(546). He would constantly take in what his teachers taught him and then take these new ideas back to his family. This kind of â€Å"scholarship boy† to Rodriguez could be described as a model student who simply brings up the information obtained through his teachers yet doesn't develop his own idea. Rodriguez himself became, from an early age, that model student, superior to the rest of his peers. However, he also notes that being this kind of person, also meant he didn't express anything other than the thoughts provided by his teachers and books. Nevertheless, Rodriguez goes deeper into his â€Å"scholarship boy† situation and questions the motivations behind his actions, in other words, he questions his ability to originate ideas. What he realizes in third grade is that his education was actually changing him and separating him from the life he once had and loved. This realization was very important for Rodriguez because it meant that there would come a time when a choice would have to be made. A choice between keeping the ways of education in his home life, or choosing to abandon his home life and start his journey to a successful, independent, educational life. A choice between allowing his parents, who he loved more than anything, teach him or allowing his teachers to teach him more completely. It is at this point in Rodriguez’s life that he sees the education system as a kind of permanent examination and chooses to follow his own ways of learning and goals. In essence, he ends up developing the â€Å"ways of caring† about this transition. Rodriguez admits that all of us, one time or another must go through this kind of transition and separation from our past. However, he rejects any belief that education and the home culture can actually exist together. He describes these two ‘worlds' as extremes throughout his life growing up. The choice between these two worlds, these two extremes, is not a mysterious one, but it is an obvious one according to Rodriguez. To the scholarship boy, both the choice and the sacrifice it requires are obvious, and it is that decision which gives the person the â€Å"ways of speaking and caring† about the decision that is made. The scholarship boy fully understands the decision at the moment of making it, and so engages in a way that will allow him to reflect about it in the future. Nonetheless, Rodriguez also argues that most people are not as changed by education as he was. Rodriguez himself was a very special case. Having been born and raised by his uneducated parents, his culture and education allowed him to exceed the academic level of his parents. This environment was especially hard for him in his high school years, as he was embarrassed of his parents because they were not like his teachers. Over the years his parents lost their authority to him. This made him look for something else, whether that was knowledge given by his teachers or their authority towards him. For Rodriguez, he could not afford to admire his parents. As he moved from fourth grade up, he slowly developed the skills to hide the secret of his success. What he was actually doing was hiding his enthusiasm about his separation from his parents and his home life. In doing so, he found the tools required to both care and speak about the changes he knew were taking place with him. Eventually Rodriguez does get to the top of his education when he graduates high school and is accepted into Stanford University. Everything he had worked so hard for was finally worth it, as he could enter the real world of academics. Pleased with the idea of entering this new world, Rodriguez found that the academics community was lacking something. This is evident after his return home and not being able to connect with his family anymore, he also comes to the realization that he has been removed from the everyday life of his family and friends. In his sacrifice to become formed by education, he has in effect been changed deeply, so deeply that its not possible to connect with that past life. As he grew up and experienced changes of such importance in his life, Rodriguez learned and developed a number of scholarly abilities that provided him the â€Å"ways of speaking, reading, and caring† about his own life. He developed a professionalism in language as in a way to separate himself from his parents. Not only that, he also developed an incontrollable hunger of knowledge whether it was from books or teachers, which allowed him to study those who were like him or had ideas like him. For example, his article turned around proving wrong Hoggart’s idea of what a â€Å"scholarship boy† really was in the inside. In fact, his article proved that scholarship boys were not those who absorbed information and repeat it afterwards, but those that could use that information and education to form original thoughts and opinions as well. He demonstrated that â€Å"ways of reading and caring† were valued in the academic community. He explained his desire of becoming a teacher as for the knowledge and the â€Å"desire for knowledge† that he had. Rodriguez shows a desire for something, a desire to understand ideas. He explains this by saying that what he â€Å"withheld from his mother and father of what mattered the most: the extraordinary experience of first-learning†. This kind of desire to achieve the ways of reading, speaking, and caring about academics and life in general is why he had â€Å"always been a successful student†. Lastly, Rodriguez’s view on the definition of education and what it meant to be a â€Å"scholarship boy† in this article made him an independent thinker, which is what Rodriguez desired most, to have his own opinions and thoughts. He finally had changed from being a simple â€Å"scholarship boy† to become a real independent thinker. Everything in his life, his family, his teachers, his schooling, his books, and himself led him to discover the true â€Å"achievement of desire†.

Smart Famous People and Their SAT Scores

Smart Famous People and Their SAT Scores SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you are taking the SAT, you are definitely not alone! While colleges use SAT scores as an indicator of smarts and aptitude for college, smart people do not always perform well on the SAT test. In this article, I will share the SAT scores of some reputedly smart people, former and current Presidents, CEOs, authors, etc. Hopefully, their scores will make you feel proud of your own! SAT Scores of Smart People At PrepScholar, we've gathered a complete list of smart people’s SAT scores. We found theirscores in past interviews or through investigative research.You will see their scores are widespread: Smart Person Known For SAT Score (out of 1600) Alma Mater Paul Allen Co-founder of Microsoft 1600 Washington State University Bill Gates Co-founder of Microsoft 1590 Harvard Ben Bernanke Economist / Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve 1590 Harvard Bill O'Reilly Political Commentator 1585 Marist College Rush Limbaugh Political Commentator 1530 Southeast Missouri State University Scott McNealy Businessman / Co-founder ofSun Microsystems 1420 Stanford Al Gore 45th Vice President of the United States, under President Bill Clinton 1355 Harvard Meredith Vieira Television Host 1300s Tufts University Stephen King Author 1300s University of Maine George W. Bush 43rd President of the United States 1206 Yale John Kerry Current Secretary of State 1190 Yale Amy Tan Author 1100s Linfield College, San Josà © State University Bill Clinton 42nd President of the United States 1032 Georgetown Al Franken US Senator / Former SNL Comedian 1020 Harvard Howard Stern Radio and TV Personality 870 Boston University All of these people took the SAT, but others took the ACT, and we converted their ACT scores to the SAT scale: Smart Person Known For ACT Score SAT Conversion (out of 1600) Alma Mater Sonia Sotomayor Associate Justice of the Supreme Court 35 1560 Princeton Steve Jobs Co-founder of Apple 32 1420 Reed College Barack Obama 44th and current President of the United States 30 1340 Columbia University Lyndon B. Johnson 36th President of the United States 26 1190 Texas State University William Faulkner Author 18 870 University of Mississippi Obviously, you do not need to score well on the SAT to succeed in life or to be considered "smart".However, if you score well on the SAT, you will have the opportunity to attend better colleges and will be afforded more post-collegiate job opportunities.So even though the SAT may not be an indicator of smarts or success, you should still try to get the highest score possible. Be as cool as this guy! (and hopefully as rich) How can you improve your own SAT Score? Study the test format Make sure you know the test format cold.Be aware that there are changes coming to the SAT, the new SAT will start in the spring of 2016.To learn the test, check out our other free resources: how long is the SAT, how is the SAT scored, and how to get a perfect SAT score from a full 2400 scorer. Practice practice practice You should be practicing timed SAT tests and reviewing all of the answers you got wrong.Check out all of the free SAT tests available in our other article. Consider using a paid resource to help you prep If you enjoy our free articles, you would love our PrepScholar SAT prep program, and you can try it free for 5 days.We do the heavy lifting for you, by splitting up our prep material into specific skills. We'll detect your weaknesses automatically and give you focused lessons and quizzes to improve those skills.For more paid study resources, check out our recommended SAT prep books. What’s next? Check out our other resources for help raising your SAT score: The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT/ACT The Best Way to Read the Passage in SAT Reading How to get 800 on SAT Writing: 11 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 800 on SAT Math, by a Perfect Scorer Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Organic Products Essay Example

Organic Products Essay Example Organic Products Essay Organic Products Essay Definition of Ecopreneurship The term â€Å"ecopreneur† is derived from two terms which are â€Å"entrepreneur† and â€Å"ecology. An entrepreneur is a person who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods and who accepts the risks associated with them. (Schaper, Michael. 2002) He can be anyone who identifies an opportunity in a market and has a belief that it would succeed in the economy and on that belief he starts exploiting the opportunity. They may create a new organization or may be a part of an existing organization where they revitalize the organization in response to their perceived opportunity. Generally, the word entrepreneur is used to denote a person who starts a new business but with time and more understanding of the subject, the revised definition of an   entrepreneur also includes â€Å"intrapreneurs†, that is an entrepreneur operating within a corporate environment. Entrepreneurs are the strategic factors in economic development and the central factors in the trade cycle as they are the driving force of an economy. Ecology or environmental biology is the branch of biology which takes into consideration the examination of living organisms in the natural environment. It includes the study of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. (Goliath. 2002). The ecology has reached enormous importance in the last years because of man’s interest in the environment in which he lives and to find ways to protect the environment in order to make it sustainable. The word ecopreneur is a portmanteau of â€Å"ecological† and â€Å"entrepreneur. An ecopreneur is an individual who is focused on ecologically-friendly issues and causes, attempting to do business in a way which benefits the environment. He may not be a person or entity only involved in products like solar powered cells, water conservation system or compostable packaging. In fact, an ecopreneur is anyone who ranks environment more than or equally to profits as his most effective criteria as a business owner (reuters, 2007) . While many entrepreneurs may be motivated, at least in part, to the mantra of â€Å"greed is great† on their journey to becoming a millionaire, growing numbers of ecopreneurs are adopting a different course, focusing on solving the problems facing society through the businesses they create, greening their bottom line. Many are redefining their wealth, as we have, not by the size of their bank account or square footage of their home. Wealth is defined by life’s tangibles: health, wellness, meaningful work, vibrant community life and family. †(John Ivanko. . The main aim of an ecopreneur is to build a firm which is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Sustainability development is a pattern of resource use such that it not only meets present human needs, but also preserves the environment so that the resource can also be utilized by the future generations. Sustainable business, or green business, is enterprise that has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy- a business that strives to meet the triple bottom line (people, planet and profit). Often, sustainable businesses have progressive environmental and human rights policies. In general, business is described as green if it matches the following four criteria: * It incorporates principles of sustainability into each of its business decisions. * It supplies environmentally friendly products or services that replace demand for nongreen products and/or services. * It is greener than traditional competition. * It has made an enduring commitment to environmental principles in its business operations. Who is an Ecopreneur An entrepreneur whose business efforts are not only driven by profit, but also by a concern for the environment†. (Schuyler. 1998). The terms such as â€Å"Sustainopreneur†, â€Å"environmental Entrepreneur† and â€Å"eco capitalist† are synonymous with ecopreneur. The characteristics of ecopreneur are: * They all undertake business ventures which involves a measure of risk * They must identify a feasible business opportunity * Th eir activities must have a positive impact on the environment. * The degree of intentionality separates ecopreneur from accidental entrepreneurs. Principles of ecopreneurship There are some basic principles and measurements that can help guide the practice of ecopreneur and provide some basic standards of principle to this emerging group. 1. Energy and Resource Use Efficiency and Maximization: â€Å"In nature, one-way linear flows do not long survive. Nor, by extension, can they long survive in the human economy that is a part of the earths ecosystem. The challenge is to redesign the materials economy so that it is compatible with the ecosystem†. (Lester Brown. Earth Policy Institute). By minimizing waste production and maximizing reuse of waste streams, sustainable business can potentially significantly increase profits. 2. Ecosystem Services: Services related to protection of ecosystem and natural resources and preventing environmental degradation can be an inspiration for a green business idea for ecopreneurs. 3. Natural step principles: Ecopreneurs can see potential risks, such as extinction of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust or overharvesting etc, as opportunities for success through green business. 4. Eco- efficiency and eco-effectiveness: Ecopreneurs should find methods of decreasing waste while increasing productivity such that the waste of the production process and the product itself can be the raw materials of a new product of service. Drivers and Challenges The driving forces behind ecopreneurship are as follows: 1. Global population growth: Ecopreneurs realize that as the resources and land area is limited, so it is their responsibility to ensure that there are enough resources not only to fulfill the needs of the current population which is growing continuously, but also for the future generations. Hence they should find ways to conserve energy, materials, and resources by developing new technologies or finding ways to control birth rate and finding ways to meet the food and shelter demand for the growing population in order to make sustainability possible. 2. Increasing life expectancy: Ecopreneurs value life, not only their own and of family members, but of the whole humanity. They want everyone to live a longer and healthier life, that is why they develop products and ways to increase life expectancy such as healthier food, purified water etc. . Climate change: Climate shapes the way we live on this planet and the way we live, work and play is advertently changing the climate. The pollutants released in the air due to use of fossil fuels is adversely affecting the climate. In order to sustain the climate, ecopreneurs are involved in finding alternate ways to produce energy such as using wind, water and solar energy. 4. Resource scarcity: The diminishing natural resources are a great issue as we will be left with no natural resources if we do not sustain them. In order to sustain them, ecopreneurs constantly look for alternatives by recycling them or using a cheaper, abundantly available resource if possible. 5. Lack of equity in the world: The people of the world are living in a continuum, with one end which has all the facilities of the world including the best quality food, water and home, while on the other end are people who do not even have the basic necessities of life. Ecopreneurs want to make sure that every living being on the world is treated equally so that no one is deprived of anything. That is why they are active members of movements such as WTO and also find ways to produce goods and services affordable by everyone. They are also involved in philanthropic acts such as giving charity donations to help the deprived people of the society (Environlution, 2010). Organic Food as Eco Friendly Product Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution. Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as organic within their borders. ORGANIC VERSUS CONVENTIONALLY- PRODUCED FOOD Although the attributes associated with organic foods may be difficult to identify by visual inspection alone, most consumers purchase organic products because of a perception that these products have unique (and in some cases superior) attributes compared to conventionally grown alternatives (Vindigni et. al, 2002). On the other hand, a major rea son why some consumers do not purchase organic foods is linked to a perception that such foods are not better than their conventionally produced alternatives (Jolly et al. 1989). There is, thus, a continuing debate about whether organically produced products are superior to and/or different from conventionally produced alternatives and, if so, in terms of what characteristics. * CONSUMER AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD The environmental ethic that gained worldwide prominence with Earth Day 1990 placed emphasis on individual responsibility (for personal health) and social action (on environmental quality and animal welfare) (MacEachern 1990; Jolly, 1991). Personal responsibilities include making informed consumer choices. This, in turn, requires consumer knowledge and awareness about competing products. Knowledge and awareness have other direct and indirect effects on attitudes toward consumer products, and the willingness to pay a price premium. Because organic products are credence goods, consumers (unlike producers who are aware that their products are organic) may not know whether a product is produced using organic or conventional methods, not even after repeated purchase and consumption, unless they are told so (Giannakas, 2002). Thus, awareness and knowledge about organically produced foods are critical in the consumer purchase decisions. If an individual cannot clearly differentiate between two alternative products, a price premium on the organic product can confuse and/or affect the individual’s purchasing decision, in favor of the cheaper product. Most studies on consumer knowledge about organic products reflect a conceptual belief that is true and justified. Consequently, studies typically use measurement methods that essentially rely on correctness to answers on survey questionnaire (Hunt, 2003). Correct (or incorrect) responses imply that the respondent has knowledge (or does not have knowledge) about organic foods and products. Hunt (2003) has noted some limitations associated with such a narrow definition of consumer knowledge, and proposed a wider definition and measurement that captures other important, but often neglected, dimensions of knowledge. Studies that investigated the level of consumer awareness and knowledge about organic foods include Jolly et al. (1989), Ekelund (1990), Akgungor et al. 1997), Hutchins and Greenhalgh (1997), Wang et al. (1997), Compagnoni et al. (2000), Environics (2001), Oystein et al. (2001), Kenano? lu and Karahan (2002), Cunningham (2002), Demeritt (2002), Hill and Lynchehaun (2002). A critical review of these studies suggests that, overall, there is some consumer awareness about organic foods around the world. This awareness is high especially in Western Europe, where the organic market is relatively well developed, compared to other reg ions of the world. Consumer awareness of organic products in North America compares reasonably well with that of Western Europe. Although there is general consumer awareness around the world, the literature also suggests that consumers have inconsistent interpretations about what is ‘organic’. For example, in a survey of consumers in three California counties, Jolly et al. (1989) found that respondents associated organic produce with no pesticides, no artificial fertilizer, no growth regulators, and residue-free products. Similarly, survey respondents in the UK perceived ‘organic farming’ to imply absence of chemicals, ‘absence of growth hormones’, and ‘not intensively grown’ or ‘products grown naturally’ (Hutchins and Greenhalgh, 1997). In a more recent study for the UK, respondents described organically produced food as one that is more natural and healthy, compared to conventional food (Hill and Lynchehaun, 2002). Furthermore, there was no difference in the UK consumers’ understanding of â€Å"organic† among organic and non-organic food buyers. In other words, both buyers of organic and non-organic products felt that organic alternatives have no pesticides and/or use no chemical fertilizers, and are natural and healthy. In contrast, Jolly (1991) reported a substantial difference in how US buyers and non-buyers rated organic product quality, compared to conventionally grown products. Consumer knowledge and awareness will continue to be important in the organic food market in two respects. First, there is still a segment of the potential market that is not yet informed about organic foods. For example, in a US study which reported that knowledge and awareness was considered the number one reason why consumers do not buy organic food, 59% respondents indicated that they never considered organic products because they did not know about them (Demeritt, 2002). A second dimension to the knowledge and awareness puzzle is the possibility that those who do not consider organic products may have a general knowledge about them, but do not have enough detailed information to clearly differentiate the unique attributes of organic from conventionally grown alternatives. In summary, knowledge and awareness about organic products can affect attitudes and perceptions about the product and, ultimately, buying decisions. If the skepticism about organic products stemming, in part, from reported cases of mislabeling and fraud are assuaged, perceptions about the appeal and inherent characteristics of organic may translate into actual demand. * CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS Consumers actions regarding organic food stem from attitudes that in turn, are linked to a complex set of ideas, motivations and experiences. Beliefs and perceptions are highly subjective notions (Fishbein and Ajzein, 1975), because they reflect opinions about the objective state of the world. Although in reality such perceptions may or may not be true, the individual who holds the perception thinks that it is true. Given Lancasters (1966) notion that consumers demand bundles of product characteristics, perceptions about particular (desirable) characteristics of organic food can influence a buyers choice. Studies on consumer perceptions about organic versus conventionally produced food therefore attempt to determine what consumers think is true. By comparison, consumer attitudes are likes and dislikes. That is, the positive and negative orientations toward organic or conventionally grown food. Weistberg et al. (1996) argued that consumer preference for a particular product is based on attitudes toward available alternatives. Thus if consumers are asked to indicate their preferences regarding organically versus conventionally produced food, such respondents typically compare their attitudes toward the methods of purchasing the goods, and/or the product characteristics under consideration, before stating their preferences. Although particular attitudes are often assumed to lead to specific behaviors, the food and nutrition science and social-psychological literature provide limited evidence to support the assumption (Goldman and Clancy, 1991; Sims, 1980). Overall, the scholarly literature suggests that various consumer attitudes work in contrasting ways- for and against purchasing organic products. Several consumer studies have been undertaken in North America and Europe to assess consumer perceptions about organic foods (e. g. Hay, 1989; Ott, 1990; Huang et al, 1990, Huang et al, 1993; Misra et al, 1991; Jolly et al, 1989; Jolly, 1991; Goldman and Clancy, 1991; Ekelund, 1990; Baker and Crosbie, 1993; Swanson and Lewis, 1993; Groff et al, 1993; Sylvander, 1993; Buzby and Kees, 1994; Byrne et al, 1994; Fricke and von Alvensleben, 1997; Hack, 1997; Hutchins and Greenlagh, 1997; The Packer, 1998; Thompson and Kidwell, 1998; Oystein et al, 2001, O’Donovan and McCarthy, 2002; Jolly, 2001; The Packer, 2001; Demeritt, 2002; Wolf, 2002; Cunningham, 2002). The key findings from selected studies on consumers’ attitudes and preferences about organic foods are summarized in Table 4. Most of these studies concluded that consumers purchase organic foods because of a perception that such products are safer, healthier, and more environmental friendly than conventionally produced alternatives. Some studies reported health and food safety as the number one quality attribute considered by organic product buyers. Concern for the environment was less important compared to food safety and health concerns, suggesting that such consumers might rank private or personal benefits higher than the social benefits of organic agriculture. * CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR ORGANIC FOOD Consumer preference for organic food is based on a general perception that organic products have more desirable characteristics than conventionally grown alternatives. Apart from health, food safety and environmental considerations, several other product characteristics such as nutritive value, taste, freshness, appearance, color and other sensory characteristics influence consumer preferences (Bourn and Prescott, 2002). Studies that investigated the effect of organic quality attributes and other characteristics on consumer preferences include Jolly et al. , 1989; Hay, 1989; Ekelund, 1990; Jolly, 1991; Jolly and Norris, 1991; Sylvander, 1993; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Huang, 1996; Kyriakopoulos et al. 1997; Schifferstein and Oude-Ophuis, 1998; Akgungor et al. , 1997; Mahesh et al. , 1997; Land, 1998; Torjusen et al. , 1999; The Packer, 2001; Meatnews, 2001; Loureiro et al. , 2001; Aguirre, 2001; Demeritt, 2002; Wolf, 2002; and Cunningham, 2002. These studies differ in several respects, making comparisons across studies difficult. For example, there is inconsistency in defining the concept of quality. Thus, while some studies examined quality in terms of both sensory and nutritive characteristics, others differentiate sensory characteristics from nutritive attributes. Thus, different studies may have conveyed different notions of quality to the various survey respondents. In general, the empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that product quality characteristics affect consumers’ preferences for organic food; with the most important including nutritional value, economic value, freshness, flavor or taste, ripeness, and general appearance (especially of fruits and vegetables). Wolf (2002), for example, reported that respondents in California rated fresh-tasting and fresh-looking grapes as the most desirable attribute. Other North American surveys that ranked taste as the most important quality characteristic influencing consumer demand include The Packer (2002), Cunningham (2002), and Demerit (2002). The Packer (2002) reported that 87% of US respondents identified taste as the primary factor considered in the purchase of fresh produce. Cunningham (2002) also reported that 93% of Canadian respondents prefer food products with good taste. In contrast, studies for other parts of the world (e. g. , Jolly et al. , 1989; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Torjusen et al. 1999) reported that consumers ranked nutritional value and freshness higher than taste and other related quality characteristics. While most studies reviewed for North America tended to suggest that consumers rank taste and related sensory characteristics as more important than food safety and environmental concerns, studies in the other regions (such as the EU) tended to place health and food safety, and environmental concerns at the top of the pr eference ranking (see, for example, Sylvander, 1993; Shifferstein and Oude Ophuis, 1997; Akgungor et al. 1997; Aguirre, 2001; Sandalidou et al. , 2002). What seems clear, and consistent across studies, is that consumers in all regions tend to prefer locally grown organic produce, compared to shipments from other places. In addition, organic product purchase decisions tend to be influenced more by product quality and other inherent characteristics, than by price premium. On the other hand, several studies (e. g. , Sylverstone, 1993; Buzby and Skees, 1994; Davies et al. , 1995; Roddy et al. , 1996; Latacz-Lohman and Foster, 1997, Worner and Meier-Ploeger, 1999; Oystein et al. 2001; Demeritt, 2002; O’Donovan and McCarthy, 2002) reported that price premium, lack of knowledge and product availability were the major reasons preventing non-buyers from purchasing organic food. Demeritt (2002), for example, reported that the most important reason why US consumers did not purchase orga nic food was lack of knowledge or awareness. About 59% of those who did not purchase organic products indicated they never really considered organic, while 39% indicated that price was the main inhibiting factor. Another 16% reported they did not purchase organic foods because of limited availability. Davies et al. (1995) and O’Donovan and McCarthy (2002) also reported product availability and price as key inhibitors to consumers’ demand for organic foods in Ireland. According to Davis (1995), two-thirds of non-buyers of organic food in Ireland reported they would buy organic if it was easily available. By comparison, O’Donovan and McCarthy (2002) reported that among Irish respondents who did not purchase organic food, 43% indicated it was too expensive, 28% cited lack of availability, while 29% were just not interested. Challenges in Organic Food Industry Successful transition from niche to mainstream status The major challenge the organic food industry faces is the successful transition from niche to mainstream status. Although organic foods are becoming more visible in European food retailers, they have yet to acquire broad appeal with consumers. Organic foods are not considered to have mainstream status since a small amount of consumers account for the majority of purchases in most countries. For instance, consumer research shows that 61% of organic foods in the UK are purchased by 7% of consumers. In Denmark, 1% of consumers account for 80% of purchases. Although many consumers are now buying organic foods in European countries, a small consumer base is responsible for the bulk of purchases. This is responsible for slowing growth rates in countries like Denmark and the UK. Organic foods need to have broader consumer appeal if they are to take mainstream status in the food industry and the major challenge faced by many organic food companies is how to expand the loyal consumer base. Prevention of fraudulent business practices A number of cases have been reported in the last couple of years of non-organic food being labelled and sold as organic food. For instance, in May 2001 it was discovered that 20,000 tonnes of non-organic grain was imported and sold as organic grain to unsuspecting British organic farmers and producers. This is a major threat to the industry for consumers purchase organic foods because of the belief that it has been grown according to organic farming principles. The continuation of these fraudulent cases risks undermining consumer confidence in organic foods. Consumer demand for organic foods, especially imported products, could collapse if this type of fraud continues. Continuing political support required for industry development. There is growing pressure to reform the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and changes are likely in the short term. There is a need for political representation of organic farming. Organic farming needs to be promoted at the ministerial level as a sustainable form of agriculture. The question is: who will take the lead with political change happening on a regular basis due to the growing trend of coalition governments? Protection of price premium Organic foods, because of their nature of production, have a price premium over conventional foods. This can range from 15% for organic milk to over 100% for some organic exotic fruit and specialty cheeses. There is growing pressure for organic food growers and producers to reduce production costs. This pressure comes from retailers, which attempt to narrow the price premium as low as possible in order to encourage consumer demand. The major barrier to product adoption in many countries consumers is the high price. The concern is that this pressure could translate into a compromise in organic standards and the method of production. For instance, organic farmers can be tempted to produce to the lowest standards of organic production in order to cut costs. This is likely to erode consumer confidence and promote divisions in the organic food industry on the lines of organic standards. Recommendations for organic food industry * Food safety, hygienic regulations and consumer protection Politicians and decision makers should promote the idea of mature and responsible producers and consumers with regard to food safety. Controls and liability for food safety should not be burdened only on the shoulders of governments and authorities. Citizens will relieve authorities by accepting responsibility too. The duty of governments and authorities will only be to function as controllers of private control services. Producers, processors, traders and consumers should hold regular meetings on round tables and develop mutual confidence with the aim to accept together responsibility for food safety. Fair prices (no dumping prices) for high quality and healthy food are an important precondition to guarantee food safety. The practiced biodynamic farm model to produce a high percentage of the animal feedstuff directly on the farm and use mainly the own fertilizer is a very suitable one to ensure food safety. * Food quality Creation of consciousness that food quality means more than producing hygienic sound nutrition. Food quality must not be reduced only to chemical detectable contents. Conventional food quality analyses should be supplemented by other analytical methods that can detect vital force in foodstuffs. The production of superior food quality( that fulfils all quality aspects) should be promoted. Education in organic farming Promoting education of children in schools about organic food and agriculture. Establishing and funding of vocational education programs especially for organic Farming. Funding of practical studies and training in organic farming organizations. Reference * Website quicklogodesign. com/blog/ecopreneurship-entrepreneurs-and-ecology. * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sustainable_business * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Triple_bottom_line#Definition * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Principles_of_ecopreneurship * http://academic-papers. rg/ocs2/session/Papers/F6/216-2066-1-DR. doc * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organic_food * just-food. com/analysis/european-organic-food-industry-challenges-future-outlook_id93636. aspx * http://demeter. net/brussels/di_eu_action_plan. pdf * greenprof. org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Making-of-the-Ecopreneur. pdf ajofai. info/Abstract/Consumer%20knowledge%20and%20perception%20about%20organic%20food%20a%20challenge%20for%20consumer%20education%20on%20the%20benefits%20of%20going%20organic. pdf

Reeking and Wreaking

Reeking and Wreaking Reeking and Wreaking Reeking and Wreaking By Maeve Maddox Here is a very small sampling taken from the web of the misuse of the verb reek: We had an extremely wet May and June this year in New York City which reeked havoc on many tomato gardens. SISTERS reeked havoc at Momma’s Christmas Dinner today Although this helped in some patients, it reeked havoc with others, resulting in law suits. that virus sure reeked havoc with your computer The deadly twister that reeked havoc in Tuscaloosa. Note that each error is an attempt to use the idiom to wreak havoc, meaning to cause destruction or devastation. It would be correct to say, A huge earthquake wreaked havoc on Japan, or A string of tornadoes wreaked havoc on Alabama. By itself, wreak means to give expression to; to vent. The word havoc, meaning devastation, derives from a French idiom, crier havoc, to cry (or shout) havoc!' The most familiar use of this word occurs in Antonys funeral speech in Julius Caesar: ANTONY: †¨Caesars spirit, ranging for revenge, †¨ With Ate by his side come hot from hell, †¨ Shall in these confines with a monarchs voice †¨Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war; Shouting Havoc! was the signal to begin battle, the result of which would be destruction. The verb reek derives from two similarly pronounced words that were familiar in Old English times. One meant to emit smoke and the other meant to emit a strong smell. Today the verb reek may have either meaning: The reeking chimney annoyed the neighbors. After putting gas in the car my hands reeked of gasoline. The homes and clothing of smokers reek of burnt tobacco. His actions reek of self-love. Bottom line: Chimneys, cigars, and bad relationships reek. Hurricanes, earthquakes, ice storms, droughts, and war wreak destruction and devastation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureEnglish Grammar 101: Verb MoodTypes of Plots