Childhood Obesity Essay

The childhood obesity crisis is an epidemic that not only touches the lives of people in the United States, but it affects the lives of those all around the world. In a society where childhood obesity is a major health care concern, many do not understand the complexity of this issue whereas others just seem to ignore it. Publically it seems to fall at the wayside when it is discussed in conjunction with many of the world’s other problems. So many young children struggle with this problem as the rates of childhood obesity have increased. Childhood obesity can be defined as any child between the ages of 2 through 19 that have exceeded the 95th percentile of the Body Mass Index (BMI) in comparison of those in their peer group. BMI measures height, weight, waist circumference and skinfold to determine the amount of fat a person is storing. Today, nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese and face major health concerns in the future (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Contributors to the obesity problem are unhealthy eating, derived from a poor diet or eating too much, not enough physical activity, and lack of information on this subject. There is not enough being done to combat this complex issue and measures have not been taken to prevent this from happening in the future. If parents are educated about what childhood obesity is, what causes it, how it causes low self-esteem, why it is such an important topic, what they can do to decrease the risk of this issue, and how this affects their children as they grow into adults, then the number of obese children will decrease in time. There is not a single specific reason as to why childhood obesity occurs. It can stem from genetics, medical conditions, medicine taken, social behavior, mental status, environment, and demographics. For example, some medicines that are used to treat seizures can decrease the body’s ability to burn calories and medical conditions such as hypothyroidism slows down the body’s metabolism, one of the main functions needed to maintain a healthy weight. An example of a mental health condition is as a result of how people become anxious, upset, or stressed and turn to overeating for escape of their problems. Obesity can also derive from our genetic code (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Just as genes determine the color of our hair, eyes, the dimples in our cheeks, they also contribute to the amount of fat you store and where you store it. The way foods are processed and chemically altered can cause genes to mutate, altering the way children grow, process, and store products consumed. According to a study conducted by Jane Wardel, Susan Carnell, Claire Haworth and Robert Plomin(2008), there is a strong influence between obesity in children and their genes. Furthermore, it states that the onset of this epidemic has not changed the results, it only verifies that obesity is a health concern. It shows that the environment plays a small part in this health care issue but the genetic codes given to us by our family increases a child’s risk of becoming obese. It is impossible to change our genetic code; however, long term weight control and community involvement are needed to decrease obesity in children that have this high genetic risk. This can have other adverse affects as children fall victim to low self-esteem. Of the reasons given, one cause does not overshadow the other as they all can affect the livelihood of our children. Reasons listed above prove there should be great concern on any occasion; however there is an emphasis on the lack of attaining insight to and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This pivotal point of controlling a healthy lifestyle is most likely the key essential part to preventing childhood obesity and overall well being (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Today, we live in a society where physical appearance is a vital part of everyday living. Through media and social acceptance, children are lead to believe that you can obtain the highest level of beauty by being thin. This acceptance can alter self perception and cause a serious issue in self-esteem. Self-esteem is an important because its outcome will shape the rest of their lives. It has influence on how they act, their mental health, their interaction with society, how they engage with their peers, and how they feel about themselves. It is already difficult that children have to go through the phases of life to get to adulthood, but when you add obesity into it, the results may be negative. During the elementary and secondary school education phase, children are required to participate in physical activities that many obese children cannot succeed in due to their weight. These children become humiliated and become withdrawn beginning the decline in grades. Obese children are often times the center of ridicule by their peers as well as adults, and as a result, making it difficult to have social interaction due to fear of embarrassment. They are unable to establish personal relationships because the feeling of criticism and failure lowering self-esteem. Personal relationships are vital for development as humans need to receive accolades from each other because they make us feel satisfied, self-confident and valuable. Being obese has a negative effect where those plagued with issue are made to feel inferior to those that judge and even themselves. Self perception can become such a severe issue that many turn to suicide (Paxton, 2005). If parents do not encourage their children in changing their diets and increasing physical activity as an obese youth, these same children are more likely to transcend their weight complications in to adulthood. There are several reasons why childhood obesity occurs and if it is not controlled at an early stage then there are many negative consequences that may occur in that child’s life. It has been estimated that about 26 to 41 percent of obese preschool children grew up to be obese adults, and approximately 42 to 63 percent of obese school-age children grew to be obese adults (Serdula, Ivery, Coates, Freedman, Williamson & Byers, 1993). In addition to increasing the risk of obesity in adulthood, childhood obesity has been known to cause pediatric hypertension, Type II diabetes, risks of coronary heart disease, creates stress on the weight-bearing joints, lowers self-esteem, and affects relationships with peers (U.S. Surgeon General, 2001). If untreated, these preventable health risks are more likely to transfer in to adulthood, become severe, and even result in death. This issue cannot be tackled by one person alone, it is the responsibility of everyone to make this an important topic and spread it throughout the masses. Preventing childhood obesity is important because this is one of the many growing epidemics that humans can prevent. This public health problem has forced the government to intervene in everyday household affairs to assist parents in reinforcing positive choices. Believe it or not, but the government plays a huge role in this national public health crisis. They give guidance, support and information vital to making this epidemic a national priority. In their proven commitment to eliminating this problem, they have changed policies, provided funding, created programs and made this problem their life’s issue. They have also given workforce incentives and have monitored the outcome of the policies and programs put in place. Childhood obesity continues to place a strain on the economy as youth projects such as Lets Move, Making it Happen and The School Nutrition Foundation, have been mandatorily created in order for families to be aware of and become involved in the prevention of childhood obesity. The U. S. Food Stamp Program has taken the initiative to explore adding $227 per month to help low income families purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Many states have also provided incentives for citizens that promote healthier behaviors. States such as California and New Jersey have local incentive programs that give tax deductions to those that ride their bikes or economically sound vehicles to work. There are also incentives that match funds used to create nutrition education and physical activities programs within the workplace. Health care cost continue to sky rocket as $147 billion is used to provide preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services related to obesity (Finkelstein, 2009). It has been shown that if left untreated, obese children will grow in to obese adults and this also poses a strain on the economy. Obesity related disorders can cause loss of work resulting in many seeking public assistance due to their disabilities. It stops economy productivity as 39.3 million days of work have been lost due to obesity related illnesses (Wolf, Colditz, 1998). Beginning the practice of healthy eating and increasing physical activity at a young age will equip children for success and teach them that maintaining a healthy lifestyle will give them a better and brighter future. Parents are the first line of defense in the prevention of this health problem which is why it is so important to maintain constant influence on their children. Naturally children seem to follow in the same footsteps and the same patterns as their parents. With that being said, if a child has overweight parents, and their parents have a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits, their children are more likely to become obese. This idea also works the same way if the parents have an active lifestyle and practice healthy eating habits. They have a very difficult decision to make when it comes to healthy choices. The current state of our economy leaves low income families having to choose between food that is affordable versus food that is high in nutritional content. They also have a difficult decision to make when it comes to their mobility practices. Fast food establishments target â€Å"on the go† families with drive-thrus designed to be fast pace. The problem with this is, they serve sweet, over-processed, and fatty foods that normally have low to no nutritional content. Parents are often plagued with the focus of work and maintaining the household that they will find different means of keeping their children occupied, and often too many times that consist of watching television or playing games. Children participating in sedentary activities are acceptable for a small period of time, but the emphasis on physical activity needs to take place in their everyday lives. There are several different ways parents can help their children prevent or stop childhood obesity. They can start by taking small steps to influence a healthier lifestyle. Expecting anyone, let alone children, to change their eating habits overnight is unrealistic. Give the children goals such as eating fresh fruits and vegetables one serving more than they did the day before or going to the park and increasing their play time from a half hour to a full hour. Praise them for staying on the course, but do not reward them with junk food. Although it is acceptable to serve high caloric, sweet, and fatty foods in moderation, you do not want the children to fall back into their old habits. Trying to be creative and positive is another helpful step. This will help the children want to be proactive in staying healthy and making good decisions. Lastly, be understanding. Like with any lifestyle change it takes some getting used to. If any of the methods listed do not work for a specific lifestyle, parents should not be afraid to try a different regimen altogether or modify the current one (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). In conclusion, the ultimate goal is to stop childhood obesity in an effective and timely manner. The information given throughout this paper has given you an idea on the severity of this issue if unresolved. Parents, schools, and communities around the world have an equal responsibility in fighting this matter. If this epidemic continues on this same path, the outcome will result in obese children becoming obese adults; therefore repelling them from all the benefits that a healthy life style has to offer. A certain level of understanding about childhood obesity must be attained through education, its causes, how to decrease its risks, its effects on adolescents as they become adults, and the importance on exploring this diverse topic. Along with this understanding, there must be acknowledgment of how our society, social practices, diets, and how physical activities contribute to this health issue. Childhood obesity continues to dramatically increase, and has done so in just a short period of time. It prolongs everlasting effects on the economy, in families, in social practices, and in communities around the globe. References Finkelstein, EA, Trogdon, JG, Cohen, JW, and Dietz, W. Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: Payer- and service-specific estimates. Health Affairs 2009; 28(5): w822-w831. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/causes/economics.html June 2010 Ogden, C L. (2010). Prevalence of Obesity Among Children and Adolescents: United States, Trends 1963–1965 Through 2007–2008. Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys Ogden, C.L., Carroll, M.D., Curtin, L.R., Lamb, M.M., and Flegal, K.M. (2010). Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents, 2007-2008. JAMA. 303(3):242-249. Pearce, Jamie and Witten, Karen. Geographies of Obesity: Environmental Understandings of the Obesity Epidemic. 2010 Serdula MK, Ivery D, Coates RJ, Freedman DS, Williamson DF, Byers T. 1993 Mar; 22(2):167-66. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8483856. U.S. Surgeon General. Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences. Rockville: MD; 2001. Retrieved from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences.htm Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obesity Research.1998;6(2):97–106 Paxton, HL. The Effects of Childhood Obesi ty On Self-Esteem (2005) U.S. Department of Health and

Poverty in the Philippines Essay

This article needs more links to other articles to help integrate it into the encyclopedia. Please help improve this article by adding links that are relevant to the context within the existing text. (April 2013) This article’s factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2012) The estimates of poverty incidence in the Philippines per province as of 2012. The national average is 22.3%, virtually unchanged from 2006’s 23.4%. Poverty remains a critical social problem that needs to be addressed. Philippines’ poverty line marks a per capita income of 16,841 pesos a year.[1] According to the data from the National Statistical Coordination Board, more than one-quarter (27.9%) of the population fell below the poverty line the first semester of 2012, an approximate 1 per cent increase since 2009.[2] This figure is a much lower figure as compared to the 33.1% in 1991.[3] The decline in poverty has been slow and uneven, much slower than neighboring countries who experienced broadly similar numbers in the 1980s,[4] such as People’s Republic of China (PRC), Thailand, Indonesia (where the poverty level lies at 8.5%) or Vietnam (13.5%). This shows that the incidence of poverty has remained significantly high as compared to other countries for almost a decade. The unevenness of the decline has been attributed to a large range of income brackets across regions and sectors, and unmanaged population growth. The Philippines poverty rate is roughly the same level as Haiti.[4] The government planned to eradicate poverty as stated in the Philippines Development Plan 2011-2016 (PDP). The PDP for those six years are an annual economic growth of 7-8% and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Under the MDGs, Philippines  committed itself to having extreme poverty from a 33.1% in 1991 to 16.6% by 2015. This article’s factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2012) Rapid population growth[edit] Given that the population of the Philippines is increasing at a rapid rate of 2.36% per year, this can be translated as an increase of more than 5,000 people daily in a country that already has an increase of more than four million poor people since 1985.[5] In 1985, the absolute number of people living in poverty was 26.5 million. This increased to 30.4 million in 2000 and from 2006 to 2009, increased by almost 970,000 Filipinos from 22.2 million to 23.1 million.[4] As the Philippines has financially limited resources and a high poverty rate, the rapid increase in population has become a problem because there is insufficient resources to support the population, which leaves much fewer resources to improve the economy. From 2003 to 2006, even though the Philippines experienced above-average economic growth, the poverty incidence increased as a result of its population growth rate.[6] Unemployment[edit] Poverty reduction has not kept up with GDP growth rates, largely due to the high unemployment rate, high inflation rate and wide income inequality. The official rate of unemployment for 2012 in the Philippines was 6.8 per cent.[7] This was an increase of joblessness even though in 2012, the GDP grew at 6.6 percent. From 2000 to 2009, the economy of Philippines grew by 3.2% on average annually, which was on par with the economic performance of  its neighbors.[8] However, this recent growth did not translate into more jobs. Unemployment in the Philippines has been high in comparison to its neighbors, at around 7.5% to 8.0% since 2006.[9] The Philippines has faced difficulty in job creation due to its inability to attract more foreign, direct investments. Diwa Guinigundo, who is the Central Bank Deputy Governor, mentioned that while capital flows are turning to the emerging markets,[10] foreign, direct investments to the Philippines remain relatively low due to the weak investment climate. The Philippines has hefty business procedures, poor tax and customs administration, weak protection against expropriation and high-energy cost. Therefore, the poverty rate remains constant over the years. ≠¥ REFERENCE: WIKIPEDIA Philippines: A Strategy to Fight Poverty Poverty Profile The Philippines has achieved only modest reductions in poverty at a national level since the economic and political collapse of the mid-1980s. In addition, severe regional disparities remain. The proportion of households living below the official poverty line has declined slowly and unevenly from 59 percent in 1961 to below 39 percent in 1991 and around 36 percent in 1994. Urban poverty stood at around 23 percent in 1991 and rural poverty at 53 percent (by World Bank staff calculations). Food poverty (or those living below subsistence) was around 20 percent of households in 1991, but 32 percent of rural households while only 12 percent of urban households. Two-thirds of the poor are engaged in the agriculture, fishery, and forestry sectors and have an elementary school education or less. However, the depth of poverty is relatively small (with the poverty gap index only 17 percent in 1991, having fallen by 40 percent since 1961), and income disparities among the poor have declined noticeably. Since 1971, the urban poor have become a rising share of the total poor population, but still two-thirds of the poor live in rural areas. The depth of poverty is nearly 2 1/2 times larger in rural areas than in urban areas. The urban poor are concentrated in Luzon, while the rural poor live predominantly in Mindanao and the Visayas. Poor households in the  Philippines tend to combine into extended families to conserve household assets. Thus, larger households are observed as having greater poverty than smaller households: households of 8 or more members represent nearly a third of all the poor. The incidence and severity of poverty is significantly lower among elderly and female headed households in the Philippines, in striking contrast to the evidence from other developing countries, again because these households tend to be absorbed into others. It also reflects women’s strong position in the labor market in terms of relative pay and attachment compared with many other Asian countries and even relative to many OECD countries. Incentive and Regulatory Framework Philippine performance on poverty reduction has been disappointing compared with the rest of East Asia, but the Philippines has not been able to sustain growth long enough to reduce its incidence of poverty to the levels attained by its neighbors. GDP growth averaged only 1.1 percent per annum in the 1980s. Further, the pattern of growth in the past tended to accentuate rather than reduce income disparities. Slow growth of higher productivity sectors resulted in absorption of labor in low productivity employment in the 1970s and 1980s. The industrial sector shrank over this period, and agricultural growth slowed dramatically. More importantly, poverty declines were modest even when the economy was growing rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s because of the distorted structure of the economy. Policies discriminated against labor, subsidized capital-intensive methods of production, and gave low priority to agriculture and exports. This resulted in growth that was narrowly based and inequitable, trapping many people in marginal, low paying occupations such as upland agriculture, rural wage labor, and informal employment in cities. Infrastructure was highly concentrated in Metro Manila. Government interventions, especially in the 1970s and early 1980s, tended to diminish the role of market mechanisms in favor of regulation by parastatals and promoted oligopolisitic control in important sectors of the economy. This inward-looking strategy was inherently unstable, and so the economy lurched from balance of payments crisis to crisis. In the wake of across-the board structural reforms of the financial sector, agricultural pricing and marketing, the tax system, the foreign trade and investment regimes, and government corporations, the experience of the Philippines in  the late 1980s showed that accelerated growth in a more liberalized economy has a positive impact on incomes of the poor and that poverty declines during periods of rapid growth. Between 1985 and 1988, when GDP growth averaged 4.8 percent, the poverty headcount fell by 1.3 percentage points each year, an achievement equivalent to Thailand’s long-term rate of poverty reduction. Analysis of the economic growth of 1985 to 1988 concludes that deregulation in agriculture and greater control over inflation were likely the key factors that improved the lot of the poor. Labor market performance has also shown signs of improvement. Public Expenditures Public expenditures on education in 1994 were less than 3 percent of GDP compared with 4 percent in Indonesia or 7 percent in Malaysia, despite inching upwards since the late 1980s, after over almost two decades of limited investment through the 1970s and early 1980s. Public primary education remains relatively under-financed, and funding is based on pupil headcount without any compensatory mechanisms to assist the most â€Å"at-risk† areas, schools, or ethnic groups. Thus, in the Philippines, poor youth are much more likely to drop out of school or get a poor quality education. The Philippines spends comparatively less of its resources on health than several other East Asian nations, both publicly and privately (spending 0.6 percent on GDP on health publicly and 2.4 percent of GDP on health overall). In addition, public health gains are not as great as they should be because of the poor distribution of health facilities and personnel over the country. The poor would benefit from more emphasis on primary care and the reduction of environmental risk factors (which induce disease disproportionately among the poor). In many cases, the improvement of other infrastructure such as rural roads will allow existing health facilities to be used more intensively. As a result of the fiscal decentralization enacted in 1991, most traditional poverty alleviation programs except education have become the responsibility of local governments, limiting the ability of the central authorities to implement programs of national priority. At the same time, the current revenue sharing arrangements with local governments (set by a legal formula) do not redistribute resources towards poorer provinces. Also, by devolving functions and whole institutions to local government, expertise and efficiency in many areas has been (at least temporarily) lost  and likely is weakest in poorer provinces. The variation in capacity and resources calls for continued attention by central authorities–for technical assistance, capacity building, and incentives to raise revenues locally. Safety Net The Philippine Government has implemented a number of safety net programs, ranging from cash and in-kind income transfers (such as food subsidies and nutrition interventions) to wage employment programs and livelihood creation programs. In response to natural disasters, the National Food Authority distributes assistance to affected areas in the form of subsidized rice. In addition, the private sector, NGOs, and foreign donors have been actively assisting in the planning, financing and execution of many of these programs. However, the government’s set of programs do not constitute an efficient and equitable social safety net: (i) they are fragmented and not a consistent or adequate response to the problem; (ii) they have generally failed to mobilize communities to help themselves; and (iii) recent changes of institutions and strategies are creating problems of transition that tend to obscure priorities in the government’s delivery of social services or make additional de mands on an ill-equipped bureaucracy and cadre of field workers. Poverty Strategy Policymakers must not waver in keeping the economy outward-oriented and geared towards competition, because an East Asian-style economy is far more likely to be able to sustain the rapid and smooth rate of growth that is fundamental to improving the welfare of the poor. To reach the government’s target of reducing the number of families living below the poverty line from 39 percent in 1991 (by official measures) to 30 percent by 1998, it is estimated that GNP will need to grow by about 6.5 percent annually for 1996 to 1998. Many of the urban poor will be helped directly by growth, as employment opportunities respond to increased demand. Even a good number of the rural poor will find their incomes rising, as demand for agriculture-based products, especially exports, expands. However, significant reduction of rural poverty will require improvements in health and education and infrastructure (especially roads, markets, and agricultural extension). Access to the means of production by the rural poor  is crucial. It is time to revisit how to accomplish the goals of rural land reform so that the intended beneficiaries–the poorest of farmers and landless agricultural workers–can benefit. The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which has accomplished a number of its original goals, is getting too expensive and complicated. Tenancy should be allowed once again, as a useful interim state between landless labor and owner-cultivator status. A market-assisted land reform program should be studied to explore options for reducing costs. Investments with the greatest impact on the poor, e.g., rural infrastructure, should be a priority for use of scarce public funds In urban areas, the scarcity of affordable housing (a problem aggravated by skyrocketing land prices) and threats to environmental health must be addressed. It is now urban, rather than rural, land reform that should be a priority for government action. Tax and regulations on land ownership and development need to be revised. A commission should consider options to balance the rights of dwellers in irregular settlements with the legal owners of urban properties. Water and sanitation services must be extended to poor urban areas. The government should hesitate to spend more money on housing since little of it helps the truly poor. Investment in human capital must be increased by improving the quantity and the quality of primary education and access to primary education in rural areas. Primary health services must be strengthened, especially immunization and prevention of water-borne and respiratory diseases. The social safety net must be consolidated and targeted. General food price subsidies should be stopped, in favor of targeted income subsidies or food stamps and supplementary feeding programs. The National Government should redirect resources formerly used for government livelihood programs towards creating an enabling environment for private institutions to provide credit to the poor successfully. To foster the growth of a healthy microfinance sector, government financial institutions should focus on wholesale lending, ensuring adequate capital is available to reach the poor. Statistical System The key survey for poverty data in the Philippines is the Family Income and Expenditure Survey, conducted every three years. The survey questionnaire is of standard form, more or less comparable to an LSMS format. An important limitation on the relevance of these data for policy purposes has been the  long delays for processing, e.g., the 1991 results became available only in early 1995. Also, the household survey sample is not large enough to allow provincial indicators to be calculated for the smaller provinces. This basic dataset is not integrated with the social sector and other data (surveys on health, demographics., labor force and occasional censuses of population and housing) or with government expenditure information. Monitoring of poverty and the relative performance of the provinces and cities is an important continuing role for the National Government, even after fiscal decentralization. The report recommends that the government expand the household survey and integrate and improve existing statistics and program information so as to provide crucial assistance to the provinces in setting priorities and in raising awareness down to the community level of how well the government is meeting the minimum basic needs of the people. The World Bank has provided technical assistance and grant funding for training and equipment for the government agencies involved (as well as generating interest by other donors) and will continue to do so. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/EXTPA/0,,contentMDK:20204974~menuPK:435735~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:430367~isCURL:Y~isCURL:Y,00.html Poverty in the Philippines: Causes, Constraints and Opportunities Description New ADB Report: â€Å"Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth† Poverty and inequality in the Philippines remains a challenge. In the past four decades, the proportion of households living below the official poverty line has declined slowly and unevenly and poverty reduction has been much slower than in neighboring countries such as the People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Economic growth has gone through boom and bust cycles, and recent episodes of moderate economic expansion have had limited impact on the poor. Great inequality across income brackets, regions, and sectors, as well as unmanaged population growth, are considered some of the key factors constraining poverty reduction efforts. Causes of Poverty The main causes of poverty in the country include the following: low to moderate economic growth for the past 40 years; low growth elasticity of poverty reduction; weakness in employment generation and the quality of jobs generated; failure to fully develop the agriculture sector; high inflation during crisis periods; high levels of population growth; high and persistent levels of inequality (incomes and assets), which dampen the positive impacts of economic expansion; and recurrent shocks and exposure to risks such as economic crisis, conflicts, natural disasters,and â€Å"environmental poverty.† Key Findings The report’s key findings include the following: Economic growth did not translate into poverty reduction in recent years; Poverty levels vary greatly by regions; Poverty remains a mainly rural phenomenon though urban poverty is on the rise; Poverty levels are strongly linked to educational attainment; The poor have large families, with six or more members; Many Filipino households remain vulnerable to shocks and risks; Governance and institutional constraints remain in the poverty response; There is weak local government capacity for implementing poverty reduction programs; Deficient targeting in various poverty programs; There are serious resource gaps for poverty reduction and the attainment of the MDGs by 2015; Multidimensional responses to poverty reduction are needed; and Further research on chronic poverty is needed. The report comprehensively analyzes the causes of poverty and recommends ways to accelerate poverty reduction and achieve more inclusive growth. In the immediate and short term there is a need to enhance government’s poverty reduction strategy and involve key sectors for a collective and coordinated response to the problem. In the medium and long term the government should continue to pursue key economic reforms for sustained and inclusive growth. Oct2013 Poorest Country in the World: Democratic Republic of Congo You might be surprised to find that the United States isn’t the richest country in the world. Actually, that crown goes to Qatar who has recently jumped ranks to take first place. But what about the other side of the spectrum, the parts of the world struggling with devastating poverty? Well, on that end the Democratic Republic of Congo comes in first – or last, to be more accurate – with the lowest GDP per capita than any other country. Determining a country’s rank in wealth isn’t the easiest of tasks when you sit down and think about the data and economics involved. However, a good indicator of a nation’s standard of living is the assessment of its GDP (gross domestic product) per capita, which is defined as the total value of all domestic goods and services that country produces annually, times its PPP or purchasing power parity. GDP per capita (PPP) isn’t a perfect shot because its purpose isn’t to calculate that kind of econ omic rank but it’s measured frequently, widely and consistently, allowing trends to become visible. In 2010, GNI (gross national income) per capita replaced GDP in the calculation, but the list is the same between the two. Qatar was still first with about $100,000 GDP per capita (PPP) in 2012 just as it was on the GNI list and the Democratic Republic of Congo came in last at around $370 GDP per capita (PPP). The gap is massive. Of the 40 poorest countries in the world, a solid 33 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. They include Zimbabwe, Burundi, Liberia, and Niger. Other parts of the world notoriously infamous for high poverty rates include Afghanistan, Haiti, and Nepal. But none of these places takes it quite as harshly as the Democratic Republic of Congo (not to be confused with the Republic of Congo) whose turbulent past and bloody wars have eclipsed the nation’s potential to thrive. Since its independence in 1960 and once the most industrialized country in Africa, Congo has bled onto the ground because of its lack of infrastructure and the brutal impact of civil war. Disputes between Congo’s prominent rival groups, the Hutu and Tutsi, erupted after the Rwandan Genocide in which 500,000 people, mostly Tutsi, were victims of mass slaughter by the Hulus in the East African state of Rwanda. The result was an exodus of over 2 million Rwandans fleeing to neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, known in that  time as Zaire. Most of the refugees were Hulus attempting to escape the Tutsi who had climbed to dominance at the end of the genocide. The Hulu refugee camps in Zaire, however, became politicized and militarized and when Tutsi rebels invaded Zaire to repatriate the refugees, the conflict escalated into the First Congo War in 1996. The situation only grew worse and by 1998, the Second Congo War, which was sometimes called the â€Å"African world war† because it involved a total of nine African countries and twenty armed groups, devastated Zaire and laid waste to her population and economy. The political turmoil continues today despite intervention and peace attempts and is one of the world’s deadliest conflicts with a death toll of 5.4 million people. More than almost 90 percent of the conflict’s victims, however, died due a lack of access to shelter, water, food and medicine – all severely aggravated by displaced and overcrowded populations living in unsanitary conditions. Not to mention, 47 percent of deaths were children under 5 and some 45,000 children continue to die each month. The nation also faces the problem of human rights and the countless crimes against humanity because while many have returned home, an estimated 1.5 million are still displaced. DR Congo is also infamous and heavily criticized for its treatment of women. The east of the country has been described as the â€Å"rape capital of the world† and rates of sexual violence has been described as the worst in the world. It doesn’t help that DR Congo is consistently poisoned by corruption and greed. While mining growth has somewhat boosted the country’s economy, the elite are said to syphon off revenue for their own personal gain due to the nation’s lack of strong central government. Conflicts over basic resources, access and control over rich minerals and oil, and political agendas are some of the many complex causes behind the Democratic Republic of Congo’s inability to rise among the ranks and take the title of the poorest country in the world.

Can you make up a topic for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Can you make up a topic for me - Essay Example times still carries out illicit affairs but they are done secretly and the wife may never be aware of what is happening and when a discovery is made, it completely shatters the marriage. In this type of marriage just like in a polygamous one, the woman is still the one to suffer and do it alone as she is expected to remain faithful. Engels does not see anything wrong with such an arrangement which I also disagree with as it is not only unreasonable but it disregards the woman’s sexuality as well downplaying it to no importance at all. The question heavy in my mind is whether monogamous marriages are really worth it if the men are still picking up the polygamous culture but doing it secretly (Engels 2004). I agree with the explanations Yuval-Davis provides about how women and their decision making ability even on their own reproduction is denied to them. They are made to listen to the policies being made and follow the directives given to them but not to complain. Women are not given a choice when it comes to their reproductive system as they are forced to have babies to continue the bloodline, fill a nation or even for social status. In cases where Malthusian theory is being practiced, the female children born or unborn are killed and only the male survive and this is decided by the man and not the woman. Women simply have no powers whether it is productive or reproductive roles and they are simply like automatons controlled by the men and made to do what the men want and this is absolutely unfair (Yuval-Davis 1997). I agree that the society has continually put pressure on women to agree with them about each and everything concerning their lives and have even moved to their reproductive life. Reproduction is the one thing that is and should remain private in a woman’s life and she should therefore hold all the reins when it comes to decisions about her reproductive health. She should be the one to make decisions about whether she wants a child or not and

Identity Theft Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Identity Theft - Research Paper Example Identity theft can be of several types and in order to know what steps to take about it, the victim must first know what type of identity theft has been committed. Financial Identity Theft: This is the most common type of identity theft which takes place. Whenever an identity theft takes place, the first reason which comes to mind is due to financial reasons. Money is the main resource after which everyone is running nowadays. Through this type of identity theft, the thief gains the financial benefit in the name of the victim. The thief may get access to the victim’s credit cards, loans, bank details, or other financial details and use them for his personal economic benefit. Medical Identity Theft: Medical identity theft is one of the most dangerous forms of identity theft as recorded by the WHO that it’s the type of crime which can kill. This type of identity theft is the hardest to recover. The definition of medical identity theft mentioned by researcher Pam Dixon in her report was that this theft occurs when the thief takes advantage of medical care through the name or identity of the victim. There is a risk of financial harm in this type of theft as well just like all other types but in addition, there are risks of the thief's medical history to be added to the permanent medical records of the victim. Inaccurate information is difficult to correct from these medical records and may be dangerous in future when the doctors rely on the wrong information to deliver the victim appropriate medical care.

Karim Rashid Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Karim Rashid - Assignment Example The concept of not liking the black color and preferring the color pink implies that black denotes fear, hatred, scare and anything that is harmful for us. The color pink on the other hand, is more bright and vibrant and depicts freshness. Therefore, instead of using black Rashid prefers to use pink in his designs to make his customers feel vibrant, lovely and confident. The concept of installing cameras in restaurants is an excellent idea because if any kind of unethical activities take place in any restaurant then, the criminals can easily be caught with the help of such cameras. (Karim Rashid, 2010)    Karim Rashid is one of the famous designers in the world who aims at changing the world with his classy designs. He is an Egyptian born in the year 1960. Rashid is an artistic person and the sight of sunset fascinates him. Rashid has won many awards for his designs. His recent project will be showcased in the Milan Furniture Fair. Rashid’s father is the greatest mentor of his life. Rashid is also a music lover. Some of his favorites are Terry’s cafà ©, Baby Mammoth etc. Rashid also has a passion for reading books. In fact, three books are very close to his heart. One of the books speaks of how a person can motivate the world with his ideas and thoughts thereby bringing in a change in the world. The other book is on psychology by Donald Norman and the last one is an autobiography by Miles Davis. Rashid feels that pink color portrays an energetic feeling and therefore he avoids black. The restaurants that he has designed have been planned in such a way that the customer s can make themselves feel comfortable, entertained and relaxed. Rashid does not love nature. His greatest loss in his life is that of his wife’s death. Disloyalty is that one quality that Rashid hates most. Rashid has also written a book named â€Å"I want to change the world, it’s a big world†. He has introduced modern technology in his

Nelson and Mr. Head in 20 years Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nelson and Mr. Head in 20 years - Essay Example Nelson knows that Mr. Head is really old now and he doesn’t want him to leave this world without seeing other continents. Nelson knew that Mr. Head is old and old people create very strong associations with objects and surroundings. However, he was determined to show him Africa, the way he showed him the city and the Artificial Nigger. Nelson owns a clothing store near his house and is in good business, owns a fat bank account and has contacts that can safely ship them to Africa. The only problem is Mr. Head’s stubbornness. But Nelson is also the grandson of the same stubborn man. He is determined to drag him to another continent and show him around. One fine Tuesday morning, Mr. Head is up earlier than usual and decides to go for a little walk around his house. He grabs his stick, puts on his slippers glances over to Nelson’s room where he’s sound asleep and walks out the door. It’s winters and the morning breeze is chilling. Mr. Head buttons up his shirt to the neck and wraps his free arm around him in an unsuccessful attempt to cover him from the wind. He turns around and takes a look back at his house which is 20 odd yards away from him now and in a moment of perplexity decides to continue his morning walk. All the time he suppresses the voice in his head that it is a bad idea to leave the house in such a cold weather, but there is strange spirit within him that is pulling him forward. Maybe he wants to prove to himself that he is still a man and can take care of himself. He doesn’t want Nelson to escort him to the bathroom, to the breakfast table or to tie his shoelaces. He is feeling tired now, and very cold. His determination is giving up. He is trembling now as he frequently wipes of the mist from his glass with the sleeve of his sweater. Mr. Head is panting and the walking stick is wildly shaking now and he realizes his mistake of leaving home. He shouldn’t have left the house in

Preparing Facilitators Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Preparing Facilitators - Essay Example Facilitative training is a closely controlled information passing technique with defined participant roles (facilitator and trainees). Training sessions are typically held in a seminar format with multiple participants guided by a succinct agenda under the direction of a facilitator. This method is most effective for introducing new material to learners operating from the same knowledge base - for example, reviewing workplace policies with newly hired employees. Facilitative training begins with an overview of its purpose and a clarification of the training goals. The subject matter is then presented to participants and includes opportunities for discussion or question and answer periods which validate learning and goal achievement at an established pace. The role of the facilitator, who may or may not be a subject matter expert, is to clarify and attain learning goals, maintain order, create a comfortable environment that encourages open communication, ensure accuracy of information provided, gather information from learners and provide closure on punchlist items (those issues that arise which cannot be addressed during the session). Unlike facilitation, coaching is generally a more informal, individual and hands-on method, which involves a learner and a mentor. Research by Eraut et al (1998, p.48) has shown the importance of informal learning in the workplace and highlights that knowledge is "held by individuals" from whom other people need to learn. The coaching process entails defined goals, explicit step-by-step instructions given by the coach to the learner, technique demonstration by both coach and learner, review of the instructions followed by organized practice and concludes with feedback from the coach regarding learner's goal attainment. The role of the coach, who is likely to be a subject matter expert, is to ensure that each learner grasps both the subjective and objective aspects of the training. This ensures that when necessary, critical methods are employed by the learner (for example, patient case records are accurately completed) but individual work preferences can be recognized (for example, patient records may be completed during the course of treatment or after treatment is concluded). Behavioral rehearsal training is designed to be a simple, short, structured and skill-specific process that applies Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory through peer observation, feedback and practice. Social learning Theory focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context and considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling. (Ormrod, 1999) That is to say, people can learn by observing the behaviors of others and the outcomes of those behaviors. The process of behavioral rehearsal entails: stating a purpose, describing a skill and scenario,

Equality-Voter Turnout Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Equality-Voter Turnout - Essay Example However, reparative therapies should be encouraged for gay individuals who feel the urge to change their sexual orientation. All human beings are equal and equal rights should be accorded to them for being human. With this regard, people should not be prevented from marrying whoever they want because persons are born different with varying preferences. Moreover, some gay individuals are born gay meaning that they have minimal or no control over the feelings that engulf them. Restricting such people from marrying whomever they want is an infringement of their basic human right. However, same sex marriage is against the original intention of the creator. Because of this, reparative therapies are important to help homosexual individuals, who feel that is not the life they want, to transform their sexual orientation. This therapy will help them lead normal lives and be treated the same way other men or women are treated. Further, reparative therapies should only be restricted to gay individuals who wish to change because every individual’s choice should be respected (David, 2013). Voter turnout in most of the federal remains very low. Quite a number of eligible voters do not show up at the various polling stations in the federal states. The paper provides reasons for the low voter turnout. Further, the paper gives the possible solutions likely to curb this problem. The two-step voting procedure bars citizens from voting. The registration process and the voting process happen at different times. In addition, the registration of the citizens is not a government role. Citizens are required to vote at their respective polling stations. Migration from the time of registration to voting finds other eligible voters far from their polling stations. The distance makes the voter avoid traveling hence low voter turnout. The voluntary voting leads to reduced

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay Example for Free

Ritzers Macdonaldization Essay In this essay, I aim to explore the term ‘McDonaldization’ dubbed by esteemed Sociologist and University of Maryland Professor, George Ritzer, to correlate his findings with those of the English Sociologist Les Back and then ultimately examine the effect both Globally and Locally. Ritzer’s concepts are fundamentally built around the theories of Max Weber, a German Sociologist who first established the idea of ‘Rationalization’. More specifically, four headings were used to define this shift in the organizational structure of society: Efficiency, Calculability, Predictability and Control of new technologies increasing the productivity of the modern world. I will explore the relevance of these headings later in this essay. Weber maintained it was bureaucratization that contributes to this advance in achieving the â€Å"optimum means to ends† (Ritzer, 2008, 25). The bureaucracy as Weber defines it seems to be the prototype for flawless corporate functionality. â€Å"A bureaucracy is a large-scale organization composed of a hierarchy of offices. In these offices, people have certain responsibilities and must act in accordance with rules, written regulations, and means of compulsion exercised by those who occupy higher-level positions† With an operating structure as tightly knit as described above, it is no surprise that the paradigm of formal rationality according to Ritzer, McDonalds, is one of the most envied business models in the world. 50 million customers a day will find restaurants in 118 nations (Ritzer, 2008, 3). Thousands of businesses strive to emulate their successful rational framework yet fail to conquer, such as the fast-food giants, MacDonald’s. Franchising at an unbelievable rate, McDonalds profits are being maximized year after year as it expands worldwide. A British author Martin Plimmer captures the mastery of their expansion â€Å"There are McDonalds everywhere. There’s one near you, and there’s one being built right now even nearer to you† (Ritzer, 2008, 2). It is on the basis of this exorable power and infectious growth that Ritzer lays his ‘McDonaldization’ theory. â€Å"The process by which the principals of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world†. Ritzer, 2008, 1). Another aspect to this notable commercial structure is McDonaldization’s propensity to de-humanize. Teamed with bureaucratization, McDonaldization has the leverage to spread to modern society on a whole. Fears that people will be consumed by such a heavy emphasis on the rational and technical benefits of practicality and efficiency, destroying the human spirit and reducing them to nothing more then â€Å"a small cog in a ceaselessly moving mechanism† (Macionis and Plummer, 2005:143) as rational globalization expands. Sociologist Les Back puts forward the positive and negative influences of the flourishing technological network on globalisation in his monograph ‘Local/Global’. The concept of a global village; the idea that through new technologies and new converging forms of economy and political state that the world is shrinking and diminishing the importance of peoples differences (Back, 1998, 77) is one that can be both greatly agreed upon or just as easily denied, in my opinion. Firstly, It cannot be argued that one of McDonald’s keys to it’s worldly success was it’s overt American-style image, which many people outside the United States Of America hankered after. The book ‘Golden Arches East’ by James L. Watson describes vividly McDonalds highly anticipated entry into East Asia â€Å"Prior to McDonalds opening in Beijing, the company’s name was already popular among trendy consumers and it was only natural that, when the first restaurant was opened in Beijing in April 1994, thousands lined up for the experience. † (Watson, 1997, 48). Not only did this fascination generate billions of capital for McDonalds (and other fast-food diners such as KFC, Pizza hut etc. ) steering revenue away from Asia’s own food industries but sociologically speaking, the influx of American-Style escapism in which the people of Asia were immersing themselves in spawned a question of multinationals refusal to localize. Are Hamburgers on the Champs-Elysees or Chicken Nuggets by the Grand Canyon really necessary or is it just corporate extremism exercising their capability to the nth degree? Somehow I’m not convinced it is a case that McDonalds cuisine is so delicious that we physically need to have it within reach at all times, particularly in such countries such as France, Italy or Spain, where gastronomy is paramount to their local culture. Back’s theory on this type of globalisation seems a lot more simplistic. He argues that â€Å"globalization can go hand in hand with the commercialization of exotic local cultures† (Back, 1998, 74) but I ask to what extent is this local commercialization succeeding? Chiefly global multinationals are apparent in the rapidly developing worldwide industries, leaving little to zero space for contained business ventures to gain momentum. Although Back does recognize an effective uses of localization in advertising imagery to which these trans-national companies happily comply. â€Å"Advertisers are willing to integrate all kind of notions of difference as long as they serve their purpose† (Back, 1998, 73). A fantastic example is that of the recent McDonald’s advertising campaign, which was specifically intended for a distinctly Irish audience. Johnny Logan, a well-known Irish performer appearing to many different characters with strong colloquial Irish accents, pulls in on regional interest. Vernacular phrases such as â€Å" ye plank.. † â€Å".. sound.. †and â€Å".. free gaff.. † are used, unmistakably local and familiar to McDonalds’s Irish consumers. Back relates the decreasing size of global margins to advances in technologies, which of course is impossible to deny. Although communication overseas and intercontinental conveyance is almost taken for granted at this stage, Back reiterates the speed at which this occurs and the inter-dependence this signifies. â€Å"International flows of technology and media hardware strengthen the dependency relationship between the West and the former colonial peripheries and promote a form of cultural homogenization† `(Back, 1997, 72) In spite of the fact that many of Ritzer’s examples are American the concept of this uniformity is at the heart of his writing and falls under the four heading’s of McDonadization aforementioned. Predictability is one of the devices multinational corporations have taken under their wing in the development of a McDonaldized framework of business. Globally, these giant organizations do not start at the bottom when it comes to extending their trade name abroad and casting their image over seas. â€Å"Wal-Mart bought out 120 stores in Canada in 1994 when it purchased the Wertkauf GmbH hypermarket chain in Germany in 1997, Similarly, when Starbucks moved into the U. K. n 1998, it acquiresd the already existing Seattle Coffee Company and refitted it’s 82 stores as Starbucks outlets†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Klein, 2005, 139) Specifically many coffee shops have undergone ‘Starbucksization’ to the point where any coffee shop in the western world could fail to posses a hint of originality. Insomnia, Costa Coffee and increasingly McDonalds contribution to the market McCafe, are but a few of the cafe chains that are adapting to the modern competition. In our local environment a comprehensible instance of McDonaldization would be the excessive franchising of Spar shops in Ireland, eplacing another family corner shop as it unfurls over the country. As consumers we’ve experienced the components of Weber’s ‘Rationalization’ and Ritzer’s McDonaldization in its plainest form. The efficiency of these stores is unrivalled, often containing Juice Bars, Off Licences, Delicatessens and Coffee shops, a conglomerate of effectiveness under one roof. Calculability by the selection of staff who work at each counter, pricing, weighing and recommending items for purchase. Chiefly the predictability of a Spar shop would almost be similar to what one would expect of a handful of McDonalds’, the flooring, the lighting and the layout are all but slightly in difference nationwide. Finally, these environments are controlled not only by the presence of Security guards at the entrance to many branches but they are hi-tech and forward thinking in technologies in contrast with many of there older competitors, featuring Automatic doors and self check-out services. In conclusion, both George Ritzer and Les Back have some shared views and some conflicting one’s on the matter of globalization and how it affects us directly and indirectly. Ritzer’s theory of McDonaldization worked alongside many of Back’s viewpoints on technologies, in particular as regards the dimension of control. Finally, the concepts of Global and Local, I believe will be disputed not only by both Ritzer and Back as the relationship worldwide decreases in size with the introduction of further connectivity when does the benefits of this begin and cease.

Polydactyle Case Essay Example for Free

Polydactyle Case Essay Polydactyle is a genetic disorder that is caused by a gene on chromosome seven. Polydactyle is a condition were an individual has more than five digits per hand. Most cases are isolated and not related to any other disorder but some are related to others. The errors occur during fetal development and they are caused by on several mutations on a gene that is known as chromosome seven. Polydactlyle is Autosomal dominant meaning that an offspring can get this disease by having it passed down from just one parent. During normal embryonic development while the infant is still in the womb the hand of the infant will most likely form a shape of a paddle. Following six to seven weeks later the paddle hand will split into digits as we know as fingers also resulting in more toes than normal, more fingers than normal extra digit on hand and extra digit on foot. The separation process is excessive while creating the extra â€Å"segment†. Polydactyle is also just one of those genetic defects that underlays hereditary from a parent. Polydactyle is often found more usually with African Americans to get it instead of other ethnic backgrounds. Polydactyly occurs by its self by isolated conditions or in conjunction with other symptoms as one aspect of a multi-symptom diseases. There are several forms of isolated and several forms of Polydactyly; each of these, where the genetics is understood, is caused by an autosomal dominant gene. This means that since the gene is autosomal (not sex-linked), males and females are equally likely to inherit the trait. This also means that since the gene is dominant, children who have only one parent with the trait have a 50% chance of inheriting it. However, people in the same family carrying the same gene can have different degrees of Polydactyly. There are a number of treatments that are used for the disorder Polydactyl but many families tend to go one way with the disorder. Most families contact a Orthopedic Surgeons or a Plastic Surgeon. This specialist removes there childs extra digit when they are 1 to 2 years of age. But Polydactyly  varies in complexity. A minor procedure may correct small extra digits or those with a narrow base. However, when the base is broad or if the extra digit is rooted deeply in the hand, reconstructive surgery may be the best option when the child is old enough to safely undergo an elective procedure. Operating on the bone, joint, ligaments or tendons may be necessary to create the most functional hand possible for the child so there is not a lot of pain.

The Tragic Event Of The Holocaust History Essay

The Tragic Event Of The Holocaust History Essay The Holocaust remains the worlds greatest and most tragic event that targeted a specific group of the human race. The absolute inhumanity of the Holocaust still confounds people, even today. People were systematically killed, tortured, and murdered. It was one of the twentieth centurys most unfortunate events that had occurred by prevalent anti-Semitism and outright fear. The Germans blamed the Jews for Germanys defeat in World War I, some even claiming that German Jews had betrayed the nation during the war. The Jews had previously been subject to all kinds of earlier religious prejudices. From the 1870s onwards a new, racial anti-Semitism was added to this. Thus began the widespread demonization of the Jews. There were many conspiracy theories about the Jews being the reason for Communism. The Nazis were claiming that the Jews were enemies of Germany. But most German Jews were actually pro-German and had fought for Germany in World War I. Many Jews were hesitant to leave Germany even if they were able to. The fear of Communism was a powerful force which worried many people, in parts of Central Europe and Southern Europe. This was brutally exploited by politicians. Adolf Hitler, Nazi leader, attacked the well established roles the Jews in German society. Hitler referred to the Jews as a plague and a cancer. He accused Jewish population for the state Germany was left in at the end of World War I. It was then terms such as extermination and extinction began being used in relation to the Jews. Hitler claimed that the Jews had gained economic. He claimed that the Jews had achieved economic supremacy and the ability to manipulate and command the media to their own advantage. He talked about the need to destroy their powerful economic positions and if necessary by physical means. Hitler also wanted to purify Germany; he wanted to populate Germany with the Aryan race, this goal couldnt be reached unless all Jews were gone which also included Hispanics, Blacks, gypsies, Socialists, German Communists, Social Democrats, Jehovahs Witnesses, as well as homosexuals. The Germans concentrated the regional Jewish population and forced them to live under miserable conditions in city districts called Ghettos. The Ghettos isolated Jews. They were separated from Jewish communities and from the non-Jewish population. The Germans established at least 1,000 ghettos in German, Poland and the Soviet Union alone. The Germans believed that the establishment of ghettos was a temporary measure to segregate and have power over the Jews. They reckoned that the Jews would only stay there while the Nazi leadership in Berlin debated options and ways to reach the goal of removing the Jewish population. On November 9, 1938, the Nazis unleashed programs against Germany Jews. Jews were attacked and Jewish property was vandalized and almost every synagogue in Germany was either damaged or destroyed. The treatment of Jews, was questioned when the Nazis invaded Poland, where about two million Jews resided. This was the first time; Jews were arrested in large amounts and transported to Nazi concentration camps. They were only released if they promised to move out of the area soon, or transferred their property and valuables goods to the Nazis. Approximately 20,000 concentration camps were established by the Nazis between the years of 1933 and 1945. The Jews in the concentration camps were led to believe that they would stay for a while, but these camps were primarily used as extermination camps for mass murder. The cHYPERLINK http://the-world-wars.helium.com/topic/7687-concentration-campsoncentration camps were used as forced labor camps, prisoners suffered from starvation, exhaustion, and exposure. Most prisoners died under cruel and painful labor conditions. Children were especially vulnerable in the Holocaust. The Nazis Germans killed as many as 1.5 million Jewish children. They killed Jewish children with disabilities living in institutions, the physically and mentally ill. Polish Jew children were also killed as well as children living in the Soviet Union. Jewish adolescents had a greater chance at survival because they could be sent to work at a labor camp. Forced labor camps were where prisoners underwent exhausting labor conditions, famine, starvation and exposure to very low or extremely high temperatures. Horrible medical experiments were conducted in forced-labor camps, primarily aimed to reinforce the German military personnel, but also to develop and test vaccines for the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases and to promote the racial and ideals of the Nazi theory. All experiments conducted in the concentration camps were done without the prisoners consent, and typically resulting in loss of life. The Nazi doctors performed outrageous and shocking surgical procedures. Prisoners were tested on while they were being held in concentration camps. Most of these experiments had to do with the improvement of the German military. Some experiments that were conducted for the Nazi high command are: Hypothermia experiment- Dr. Sigmund Rascher at Birkenau, Dachau and Auschwitz were going to attempt freezing some of the victims. To establish how long it would take to lower the body temperature to death and second how to best resuscitate the frozen victim. The person was put in an icy vat of water or to put outside naked in sub-zero temperatures. Sun lamp- victims were placed under sun lamps which would burn the skin. Genetic experiments- females were being impregnated by genetically modified specimen. Transplants- victims body parts were removed and attached to other parts or grown elsewhere.

Berkeley :: essays research papers

5. Explain and assess Berkeley’s most powerful reasons for thinking that things other than minds have no absolute existence altogether apart from or independent of minds. Metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of reality and deals with what is truly real as oppose to what appears to be real. Berkeley is an idealist who believes that things other than minds have no absolute existence altogether apart from or independent of minds. He has several arguments but only the resemblance argument and the inconceivability argument will be discussed, as they are the most powerful reasons for thinking this. I believe that Berkeley proves his theory of absolute existence must be dependent on the mind through resemblance and inconceivability. Realists believe what is ultimately real is independent from the mind and possess the primary qualities such as extension, shape, solidity and motion regardless of being conceived. This is opposite from Berkeley’s and other idealists views. Berkeley does not believe that these primary qualities are the only things that define existence. Secondary qualities include colours, sounds, odors, and tastes must also be present. Secondary qualities are mind dependent and they are perceptions. These qualities are very important in Berkeley’s discussion on existence with respect to resemblance and inconceivability. One of Berkeley’s most powerful reasons for absolute existence is proved through the resemblance argument. He believes that only something visually experienced can be like a visual experience, so ideas resemble other ideas. He continues to say ideas are mind dependent so no ideas can resemble qualities of a mind independent idea with respect to sense experience. For example, the idea of a unicorn is mind-dependent and resembles unicorns from fairytales as a horse with a horn. If there were never a sense experience with a unicorn, no ideas would resemble the qualities. Berkeley states â€Å"I appeal to any one whether it be sense to assert a colour is like something which is invisible; hard or soft, like something which is intangible; and so of the rest.† We no what is hard because we have experiences with objects that are harder, softer, or the same. Betrand Russell objects to Berkeley’s notion of resemblance with two things, the first being that ideas represent reality by mapping reality not resembling it, and second, experiences only correspond to the idea, they do not resemble it. Take a scenic picture, looking at the picture, one would be able to tell what objects are closer or further away but the picture is flat, not 3d. Berkeley :: essays research papers 5. Explain and assess Berkeley’s most powerful reasons for thinking that things other than minds have no absolute existence altogether apart from or independent of minds. Metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of reality and deals with what is truly real as oppose to what appears to be real. Berkeley is an idealist who believes that things other than minds have no absolute existence altogether apart from or independent of minds. He has several arguments but only the resemblance argument and the inconceivability argument will be discussed, as they are the most powerful reasons for thinking this. I believe that Berkeley proves his theory of absolute existence must be dependent on the mind through resemblance and inconceivability. Realists believe what is ultimately real is independent from the mind and possess the primary qualities such as extension, shape, solidity and motion regardless of being conceived. This is opposite from Berkeley’s and other idealists views. Berkeley does not believe that these primary qualities are the only things that define existence. Secondary qualities include colours, sounds, odors, and tastes must also be present. Secondary qualities are mind dependent and they are perceptions. These qualities are very important in Berkeley’s discussion on existence with respect to resemblance and inconceivability. One of Berkeley’s most powerful reasons for absolute existence is proved through the resemblance argument. He believes that only something visually experienced can be like a visual experience, so ideas resemble other ideas. He continues to say ideas are mind dependent so no ideas can resemble qualities of a mind independent idea with respect to sense experience. For example, the idea of a unicorn is mind-dependent and resembles unicorns from fairytales as a horse with a horn. If there were never a sense experience with a unicorn, no ideas would resemble the qualities. Berkeley states â€Å"I appeal to any one whether it be sense to assert a colour is like something which is invisible; hard or soft, like something which is intangible; and so of the rest.† We no what is hard because we have experiences with objects that are harder, softer, or the same. Betrand Russell objects to Berkeley’s notion of resemblance with two things, the first being that ideas represent reality by mapping reality not resembling it, and second, experiences only correspond to the idea, they do not resemble it. Take a scenic picture, looking at the picture, one would be able to tell what objects are closer or further away but the picture is flat, not 3d.

The Treaty of Versailles :: World War I History

The Treaty of Versailles Despite Woodrow Wilson's plan for peace near the end of World War I, he failed to gain Congressional support for the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was intended to be a peace agreement between the Allies and the Germans. However, once the negotiation of the Treaty, the Allies found they had conflicting ideas and motives surrounding the reparations and wording of the Treaty. The Treaty formally placed the responsibility for the war on Germany and its allies and imposed on Germany the burden of paying the debts of war. In addition to foreign opposition, Wilson couldn't even gain support for the treaty in the United States. Because of weaknesses in the treaty, domestic opposition, and failure to compromise, the treaty gained very little congressional support. The Treaty of Versailles was very controversial. Some countries opposed the treaty due to multiple weaknesses. For example, the Treaty humiliated Germany. The war-guilt clause forces Germany to accept sole responsibility for World War I. And although German militarism had played a major role in igniting the war, other countries in Europe had been guilty of provoking diplomatic crises before the war. Another weakness in the Treaty was that Russian government felt that the Treaty ignored its needs. In the Treaty, Russia was excluded from the peace conference, even though Russians had fought with the Allies for three year, and suffered higher casualties than any other country. There was also much dispute concerning the distribution of territory in the Treaty. The Treaty of Versailles established nine new countries, and changed many boundaries, and there was debate about the fairness. There was also much opposition to the treaty in the United States, which is what Woodrow Wilson faces when he returned with the treaty. Some people, including Herbert Hoover, believed it was too harsh. Others didn't think the treaty really did any good because it shifted the set of colonial rulers to another set, instead of eliminating the imperialism. Also, some minorities objected to the treaty because the new boundaries it established for some countries didn't satisfy their demands for independence. For example, Wilson hadn't tried to obtain Ireland's independence from Great Britain. Most of all, the opposition to the treaty in the United States was the debate over the League of Nations. A few opponents believed that the League of Nations threatened the U.S. foreign policy of staying clear of European affairs, the Monroe Doctrine.

Descrpition Essay on New York City

Macy Climer The city that never sleeps When you think of New York City, you most likely imagine the extraordinary buildings that fly in the sky or the crowded sidewalks with hundreds of people shopping on every corner. Even with my short visit I found myself lost in the big apple. The streets are filled with the atmosphere that is like teenagers shopping with their parent’s credit card. Although by the end of the day your feet are so swollen from all the walking, you find yourself wanting to keep going in the hopes of having the best â€Å"New York experience. †It was spring break of my senior year and my dance team plus our moms were about to travel to the city that never sleeps. All of us were so anxious to explore this amazing city that most of us have only seen on TV. When arriving at the airport that early spring morning I had butterflies in my stomach, for the thought of the big city that I have always dreamed visiting. The flight was long but it was comfortable. When the captain announced that we would be landing in about 20 minutes, I was the most anxious I have ever been in my life. Twenty minutes felt like forever!Finally the seat belt sign went off and the flight attendants opened the exit doors. The airport was so crowded with every kind of person you could think of. It was a small airport, only being about 10 minutes away from the city. After we collected our luggage we went to flag down our first taxi. I have watched several movies that were based in New York City so getting a taxi was just as simple as raising your hand and waving them down. As the taxi came up from under a bridge I found myself staring at the most amazing city I have ever been to.Time Square is seen in a lot of movies, but it is way better then I imagined. As I was standing right in the middle of Time Square I was overwhelmed with everything that was going on around me. There were people covering every inch of the sidewalk, hot dog stands and people handing out fly ers to shows and other activities. The cars were bumper to bumper while horns came from every direction. Even though NYC is this amazing city, it was kind of a dirty, loud, and crowded place. But behind the crowded loud streets, New York is a beautiful city.Our journey began the second we arrived. I wanted to explore every inch of the city but I knew that was impossible. I was going to try though; the hotel we stayed at was right in the middle of Time Square. It was like a dream every time I walked out our doors. The city was such a fast paced place. People fast walking past you, taxis speeding through the tiny avenues of New York, the people of NYC for sure live off coffee and red bull. The days went by so fast because we were constantly doing something at all times.Mainly sightseeing and shopping, lots and lots of shopping! As the days went by the city became easier to get around. I was a pro at flagging down a taxi, and I understood the whole subway thing. I realized that when th ey say that New York is the city that never sleeps they meant it. At all hours of the night I would hear car horns and loud music and people talking. I loved every bit of the city, even though it was crowded and loud and sometimes a little smelly. The shopping and all the huge skyscrapers made it worth it.Shopping wasn’t the only good thing about New York; I was able to see two Broadway shows. The shows are amazing and filled with really talented people. Triple threats that can sing, dance, and act, I saw wicked which was a show I have wanted to see since it first came out. These shows are the coolest things; New York is a place full of adventure and excitement. Our journey was ending and it was bitter sweet. I loved the city but Texas is my home and I missed it. I will for sure visit New York again sometime in my life.After exploring the city for a week I came to realize that it is a fabulous place to visit, but maybe not such a good place to live. I loved getting to experie nce this city with my mom and seeing all the sights that are so cool, and eating all the food that New York is known for , and even shopping at places that a lot of celebrities shop at. It would take several trips to NYC to get to discover everything there but I feel like my trip to the big apple was the real â€Å"New York experienced. †

Economic development Essay

Smith (2002) follows the research structure in 1990 but narrows down the research range from country-level data to industry-level data. This paper provides further analysis from 1972 to 1992 at five-year intervals and focuses on three specific patent-sensitive industries – Biological products, Medicinal and Botanicals, and Pharmaceuticals. The results in the paper support the hypothesis of the previous studies in 1999. Moreover, one of the mainly differences between this paper and the previous studies, as mentioned above, is the measure of patent rights index. The level of patent rights protection varies from countries to countries. In practice, there are two methods to measure the patent rights index – Rapp-Rozek index and Ginarte-Park index. Maskus and Penubarti’s research (1995) and Smith (1999 & 2001) all adopt Rapp and Rozek index but this paper measures patent rights index by Ginarte-Park index. In fact, two patent rights indices have been used in many empirical literatures about patent rights. The Rapp and Rozek index will be measured by six features – â€Å"coverage of inventions, examination procedures, and term of protection, transferability of rights, compulsory licensing, and effective enforcement against infringement† (Smith, P. J. 1999). On the side, the scores of Ginarte and Park index will be determined by five features – membership in international treaties, coverage, and restrictions on patent rights, enforcement and duration of protection. The sum score is zero through five. The higher total points indicate stronger patent protection (Park, W. G. , 2008). Smith’s finding verifies that there is no significant difference between using two patent rights indices. Notwithstanding, comparing with Rapp and Rozek index, Ginarte-Park index which merger the important international patent laws and agreement into the evaluation is used in this paper. Rafiquzzaman (2002) examines the amount of export of Canada to 76 countries in 1990 according to 22 categories in 2-digit level of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes. The explanatory variables are gross national income, population size, patent rights, tariff rate and distance. It is worth noting that Rafiquzzaman compare the results of two different index of patent right as well and then find the correlation between Rapp-Rozex index for 1984 and Ginarte-Park index for 1990 is 0. 78. In other words, using either Rapp-Rozex index or Ginarte-Park index to estimate country’s patent protection has no significant difference, as Smith’s finding. The conclusion of this study provides support for verifying Smith’s hypothesis in 1999. That is to say, an increase in patent rights often leads in an increase in Canada’s exports, in particular if importing countries have high economic development levels and strong threats to imitation. After reviewing the theoretical research and existing empirical literatures, the effect of patent rights might be positive or negative, even be ambiguous. It might depend on some characteristics of importing countries – country’s economic developments levels, strength of patent rights and local imitation pressure, for example. This paper attempts to extend Smith’s research in 1999 but use different database. Besides, this paper adopts up-to-date data (2005) to examine the relationship between the strength of patent right and international trade which does the result as the same as Smith’s research in 1999, 2001, and 2002. This research structure can help governments have an overall picture to analyze the relationship between economic growth and the strength of patent rights. As discussed above, effects of patent rights are defined in early empirical studies are market expansion and market power. In principle, market power and expansion effects can be briefly explained in two aspects – demand and supply in economics. The market expansion effect can be defined that market shares of patent holders will rise when the patent rights protection in importing countries is improved. The advanced rights of patent generate higher costs of imitation to competitors and encourage, promote and attract more foreign technology to importing countries. In other words, less imitation not only implies an increased demand for exports because of lower costs, but also infers an increased supply. It is because exporters save anti-imitative costs such as monitor costs, enforcement costs and costs to prevent copying and imitation. In a standard demand and supply model, cost reduction leads a right shift both in demand and supply line. On the other hand, improved patent rights protection might produce monopolistic market power and contribute to a more concentrated market because of higher technical and cost barriers to entry. From the standard monopoly model, it can be seen that the sold quantity of monopolistic enterprises would be always less than the society optimum quantity in order to sell products at prices plus monopoly mark up. There is a monopolistic tactics to maximize firms profit is to beat selling quantity down in order to raise price. Hence, market power effect will confer more market power on the patent holders and then result in a reduction of the amount of export. In this article, we collect data sets from US exports and study three forms of bilateral trade equations to test three hypotheses about the relationship between exports and patent rights in relation to income development, imitative abilities, and threat of imitation, respectively. The first hypothesis which examines the relation between patent rights and country development is based on Maskus and Penubarti’s research (1995) and Smith’s research (1999). The other two hypotheses are based on Smith’s research (1999) to take the degree of threat of imitation and imitative abilities into account. Hypothesis 1- interaction between exports and patent rights with relation to country’s level of development In this section, I suppose a country’s development of patent rights positively respond to its economic development. We assume that countries with higher economic development would pay more attention on patent reform. In addition, higher-income developed countries possess much financial resources than lower-income countries. As imagined, higher-income developed nations are likely to control up great majority expenditure and performance on research and development in the world. Otherwise, developing countries take ambiguous attitudes towards the world’s patent reform. As discussed above, a fierce debate originates in some doubts with regard to effects of patent protection from developing countries. A patent reform in developing countries might attract foreign investment and international trade, but it might restrain economic development in local industry as well. Besides, lower income economies seem to relatively lack non natural resources such as financial and technological resources. It is said that higher income countries possess some degree of market power because of these unique competitive advantages such as patent, financial resources or higher technical capacities. Hence, referring to above assumptions, higher income developed nations pose stronger patent protection than lower income countries have.

A study of the famous Bob Dylan song “Mr.Tamborine Man” Essay

Why Mr. Tambourine Man is A Modern Classic The most obvious and popular interpretation of Bob Dylan’sMr. Tambourine Man is that the song is about drugs. This makes sense, as it was against the law to write songs about drugs in the 1960s when ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ was composed. The metaphors are simple: ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ is the drug-dealer. â€Å"Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is asking the drug-dealer for the drugs, and then the lyrics go on to describe the physical effects on the body after consuming hallucinogens: â€Å"My senses have been stripped My hands can’t feel to grip My toes too numb to step. . .† Another obvious reference to drug-taking comes from the fourth verse, â€Å"Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The smoke rings relating literally to drugs being smoked, and the last line of the last verse, also if taken literally, relates to escaping from the realities of life by using drugs: â€Å"Let me forget about today until tomorrow†. However, this interpretation does not explain some of the vivid imagery used throughout the song where it is not easy to draw parallels between drugs and the image, for example, â€Å"The haunted frightened trees†. This phrase could be written about the emotional state of the drug user, and by embuing those emotions onto something else the surreal atmosphere already invoked in the earlier passages is heightened. In the second and third verses there are several lines expressing suprise at feeling fatigued: â€Å"My weariness amazes me† and how the body is also tired: â€Å"my toes too numb t o step.† Bob Dylan said himself â€Å"Drugs never played a part in that song†¦ ‘†¦disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind†¦.’, that’s not drugs, drugs were never a big thing with me.† This leads me to believe that the song is indeed about something other than drugs. Some analysts have written about the song as an expression of freedom. One clear example of a phrase  that expresses a sense of freedom is, â€Å"To dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free/ Silhouetted by the sea†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This image strongly evokes the idea of someone living freely, both literally, dancing a beach, and the connotations that the sea and the sky provide here, of openess and liberty. There are several references to ‘escaping’, for example, â€Å"I’m ready to go anywhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"†¦but for the sky there are no fences facing† which means that the sky is the limit, â€Å"†¦just escaping on the run† and again â€Å"Let me forget about today until tomorrow.† These lines fit with the freedom theme: escaping to achieve freedom. But forgetting about today until tomorrow seems only a temporary escape, bringing the back the idea about drugs. It has also been suggested that Mr. Tambourine Man is a poem about transcendence, or reaching enlightenment. Some people see Bob Dylan himself as Mr. Tambourine Man, and he does â€Å"Cast [his] dancing spell† through the magical and fantastic imagery of swirling ships and trips into one’s own mind. I believe that the song could be about all of these ideas, and the importance of one in particular relating only to the mood of the listener. This is an important reason for stating that Mr. Tambourine Man is a classic: The lyrics provide the possibility to understand the song in different contexts by different listeners. The ideas differ between people, some finding freedom in Dylan’s song, some feeling like they are under a spell when listening to the light repetitive tune and figurative language. The cleverness of the language is that people can read almost anything into it, the most basic example being Mr. Tambourine Man, who can be seen as anything from a drug-dealer to a religious man to Bob Dylan himself. Another reason that the song has such a hallucinogenic feeling is the structure of the song. The verses are made up of what appears to be many individual concepts put together, like a dream, giving a surreal effect. The reference to Ozymandius and crumbling empires furthers the dream-like quality of the words.

Asia Pacific Breweries

International Business Environment Project GROUP PROJECT: ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES LIMITED (APBL) Prepared by G&T Consultancy (TZ02): Benjamin Jethro Neo Czaraim Suganob Carreon Michelle Oh Hui Ling Ratchadakorn Wongphothiphan Valerie Ng Shi Min Yap Yi Jun Prepared for: Ms. Ng Lay Khim, Linda Date of Submission: 18th July 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Company and IndustryOne of the main components of the beverage industry is Alcoholic drink; an example of a company that produces alcoholic beverages, namely Beer and Lager is Asia Pacific Breweries. Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APBL) is one of the key players in the beer industry Asia Pacific Breweries, formerly known as Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL) in 1931 is a joint enterprise between Heineken International & Fraser and Neave. Its present name was given in 1990.As of today, Asia Pacific Breweries also operates a broad global marketing network, which extends across 60 countries and is supporte d by 30 breweries in 14 countries, namely Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Asia Pacific Breweries also offers their consumers a wide range of brands, be it global, regional or local, which suit the taste of various beer drinkers; boasting a wide range of choices, including Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong Brew, ABC Extra Stout and Bintang Beer.Their beers are brewed under the supervision of Heineken technical experts, who can call upon countless years of experience of European brewing excellence. Using only the finest ingredients, maintaining the most stringent brewing standards, and conducting over 200 quality checks during the process. This scrutiny over production of APB beers has reeled in many awards while their breweries are among the forerunners in their respective markets. 2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 2. 1 StrengthsTiger beer, the prize brand of APB, was the winner of the UK's Brewing Industry International Awards, the most esteemed award in the brewing industry 1998. The brand won a Gold medal in the International Style Lager category in the 2010 World Beer Cup; and silver medal in 2010 World Beer Championships. Anchor Beer was presented a gold medal in Selection Mondiale in 2010, a gold medal by Australian International Beer Awards in 1998, on top of several other honors. Since beer sales mostly relied on quality and tang, the higher quality standards of APB beer, makes APB standout in the competitive brewery business.APB's Tiger and Heineken brands scores on the point of identity and thus have a strong brand image. A part of one of the few establishments in Singapore, APBL set up the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation (APB Foundation). This foundation provides financial aid to causes in Creativity Development, achievements in Human Excellence and Humanitarian Awards. APBL plays a significant role in gi ving back to the communities in which they operate. Being socially responsible, each of them renders support to the various educational, social and environmental causes in the respective countries.Through its endless efforts towards community and environment protection, APB continues to build a long-term relationship and good rapport with its customers. 2. 2 Weaknesses Although the US market is mounting at a slower rate compared to certain Eastern European and Asian markets, lack of presence in this market puts the group at a disadvantage as compared to some of the other great players in the industry. Since large beer consuming countries provide possibility for volume and revenue expansion, a modest presence in these markets results in a drawback for APB.The anticipated sale of APBL’s 50% owned Heineken-APB (China) Pte Ltd to China Resources Snow Breweries Limited would not be going through due to an unreachable agreement with CRSB. 3. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS 3. 1 Opportuni ties With a rise in disposable income and alcoholic beverages more widely accepted by its people, Asia had its potential as a profitable market. APB operates primarily in Asia Pacific, which grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5%, reaching a figure of $112. 2 billion in 2009. To maximize on their Asian opportunity, APB has ventured into New Caledonia and Indonesia. In FY2010, hey came into possession of Heineken International's 65. 1% interest in PT Multi Bintang, Indonesia and also Heineken’s 87. 3% interest in Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonie, New Caledonia. The group also received beer brand Bintang and its trademarks rights. The acquisition allowed APB to launch their other popular beer brands easier as it gave them a firm consumer base in Indonesia and New Caledonia. APB is extending its brand portfolio by adding more flavors and varieties. They acquired Bintang and Number One, from Indonesia and New Caledonia in FY2010. The group also introduced some other ne w brands in the same year.Laos has its local beer Namkhong; New Zealand was introduced Monteith's Crushed Pear Cider while Tiger Crystal was presented to Vietnam and, as a limited edition, to Malaysia. APB attracts consumers of distinct tastes by presenting new brands every now and then. 3. 2 Threats Beers belongs to one of the highly taxed commodities globally; especially high in the countries APB operates in. Per liter of beer was imposed an excise duty of S$70 in Singapore, the single largest market of APB. New Zealand also increased excise duty. This caused DB Breweries, the New Zealand division of APB to increase its prices by 3%.Higher prices are a result of higher excise rates. APB, known for being a cheaper option of premium brands, may lose its current consumers if excise rates continue to rise and cause APB to set a higher price for its beer brands. Alcohol companies have received criticism on their advertisements and thus, countries set a legal ban on spirits advertisemen ts on TV and radio; on broadcast advertisements which associate alcohol with children or leisure, or promoting alcohol abuse; as well as on sponsorship of TV and radio programs by companies mainly concerned about alcohol production.These rules would hinder APB’s development, as its awareness in the consumers would decrease. Beer has been linked with negative health issues. Among people, there is a general negative perception about beer having an effect on the body fat and cholesterol. On the other hand, wine is considered a healthier option to other beverages. In matured markets like Western Europe and North America, beer is losing its field to wine, as there is an increase in consumers’ preferences for healthier alternatives. Wide variety of alcohol products available readily and extensive advertising is also bringing a negative impact to beer sales. . KEY CUSTOMER (GROUPS) & COMPETITORS Key customer groups Business to Customers APBL has large consumer base due to its wide variety. Tiger beer, among all the brands is the most famous international brand with largest number of consumers. Tiger Beer targeted the vibrant young Asian adults; Tiger also launched Tiger Crystal Lite, a softer-flavored Tiger Beer to cater consumers especially the Chinese who prefer lighter taste. Likewise, Heineken and Gold Crown targets young Asian adults in Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.Anchor, which offers consumers with international, affordable quality brew, is more successful in Hainan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Everyday drinkers in Singapore and Malaysia are appealed to Anchor while Cambodians and Singaporeans in their 30s-40s are appealed to stouts including Guinness, Extra Stout and Amber Stout. Baron’s Strong Brew had European as its loyal customer base appealing those who favor strong alcohol taste. Business to Business The company has a strong market share in various countries within the Asia Pacific Region.It also boas ts that in the UK, Tiger Beer can be found in more than 8,000 premium bars, clubs and distribution outlets in major cities. APBL’s products can be found in almost any shop that sells alcoholic beverages in the countries it has expanded to. Competitors Asia Pacific Breweries’ faces many competitors in the industry, namely in Breweries, beverage manufacturing, alcoholic beverage manufacturing, bars and nightclubs and restaurants, bars and food services. APBL’s local and overseas competitors include Carlsberg A/S, whose company perates in Europe and Asia. Asahi Breweries, Ltd, Suntory Group and Kirin Holding Company, Ltd, which primarily operates in Japan. SABMiller, which primarily operates in Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. The Philippines-based company: San Miguel Corporation and China Resources Enterprise Limited based in Hong Kong. Kirin Brewery Company, Limited is engaged in producing alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, food products and pharmaceuticals thro ugh its subsidiaries. SABMiller is engaged in producing and distributing beer, malts and carbonated soft drinks.Likewise, Suntory Group primarily operates in the non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, food products and the food services business segments. Carlsberg, a renowned competitor, is also engaged not only in the production, marketing and sales of beer, but also produces soft drinks, energy drinks and bottled water. San Miguel Corporation, yet another renowned competitor, also engages in the production of beverages and is involved in other business segments such as food and packaging products, power generation and distribution, mining, fuel and oil, infrastructure, telecommunications, management and development of real estate properties. . EXISTING OPERATIONS OF COMPANY 5. 1 Entry modes used for expansion Joint Ventures Asia pacific breweries preferred mode of entry is Joint Ventures. For example, in Singapore, Asian Pacific Breweries started out in Singapore as a Joint Ventu re between Heineken International and Fraser and Neave in 1931 and was known as Malayan Breweries Limited. Asia pacific breweries also used joint venture in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand. In Cambodia, Asian Pacific Breweries formed a joint venture with Progress Import and Export, which formed Cambodia Brewery Ltd.In China, Asian Pacific Brewery formed a 50-50 joint venture with its shareholders, Fraser and Neave, Limited and Heineken in China known as Heineken-APB (China). APBL also engaged in a joint venture with Laos: Asian Pacific Breweries opened a brewery in Laos through a joint venture with the Government of Laos and SBK Consultant Ltd. Malaysia’s Guinness Anchor Bhd was a result of the merger of Guinness Malaysia Bhd and Malayan Sdn Bhd whose parent company is the current Asian Pacific Brewery. In Mongolia, Asian Pacific has formed a 55-45 joint venture with MCS Holdings LLC.APBL also entered Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand via Joint Venture. In Thailand, Asian Pacific Breweries entered Thailand, to form a joint venture with Thai Life Insurance Company Limited and Thai Pure Drinks Company Limited. Similarly, In Vietnam, Vietnam Brewery Ltd. , (VBL) was formed by a joint venture between Saigon Trading Group (SATRA) & APBL. Finally, In Indonesia, APB participates in the Indonesian beer market via PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk (MBI). Acquisitions In 1955, APB entered Papua New Guinea by acquiring a stake in the brewery, which has been the sole beer brewer in Papua New Guinea since 1983.Further expanding their foothold in the South Pacific, APB entered the beer market of Solomon Islands with a majority  stake in Solomon Breweries Limited (SBL). Merger In New Caledonia, APB entered the beer market of New Caledonia via Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonia (GBNC). GBNC was formed in 1974 as a result of a merger of two breweries in the territory of New Caledonia. Partnership In Sri Lanka, APBL formed a partnership with Sri Lankan-based Anandappa family group and associates and MBL Offshore Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Phoenix Beverages Limited, which is a leading beverage group from Mauritius, to form APB Lanka.Please refer to Appendix A for APB’s shareholdings in the various countries 5. 2Types of operating issues or problems encountered Operational issues: When expanding into foreign countries, the scale of investment and exports increases. Large amount of capital is needed for venturing into new markets, resulting in the company having fewer budgets to channelize into other new markets or other development areas like R&D. Additionally; customers in different market have different standards, forcing APBL to consistently adapt the flavor to suit to local’s tongue.The unexpected fluctuating exchange rate incurred loss as seen when â€Å"APB suffered a paper loss of S$37. 9m & S$14. 5m in 2008 & 2009 respectively. â₠¬  APBL experiences currency risks due to contractual cash flow invoice in another currency. There is potential currency mismatch in investing countries like Vietnam and Mongolia. For example, APBL invests in USD but revenue generated comes in VND. High agricultural products price resulting from natural disasters also happens in overseas production subsidiary would increase cost of beer production.There might be political and economic regulatory uncertainties in investing market that delay the business operation or high entry barrier in some country as government restrict foreign investment scale or the sales of beer. Economic problems: Due to increase in prices of agricultural products such as wheat and barley, this increases the cost of beer production as well. APBL had to absorb this increase in cost of production, which will be bound to induce negative effects such as an increase in selling prices of beer to offset the higher cost of production.This might lead to potential loss of customers. Also, the value of the firm may be affected by unanticipated and volatile changes in the exchange rates on home currency. For example, the depreciation of Tugrik led to an exchange loss of $ 5. 9M. Political problems: When venturing into Mongolia, there were various benefits and risks encountered by APBL. Some political risks encountered were that the political system lacks transparency and corruption level is high.When venturing into Indochina, there was similarly a high level of corruption in the government coupled with a high tax regime of 45% which decreases the profit margin of APBL due to the higher expenses incurred from the high tax regime. Legal problems: Asia Pacific Breweries’ financial manager, Chia Teck Leng is currently serving 42 years in prison as a result of swindling S$117 million from a Scandinavian bank, two Japanese banks, and a German bank across a period of four years to make up for his gambling addiction.This is reflected as the lengthie st jail term given for the biggest case in commercial fraud in Singapore to date. Chia was charged with using underhand means to extort foreign banks of about S$117 million, criminal breach of trust of S$53 million, money laundering, and encouraging his girlfriend Li Jin to use a forged passport. He was imprisoned on 2 April 2004 after pleading guilty to 14 charges. 6. FUTURE EXPANSION PLAN 6. 1 Selected countries and reasons for expansion Reasons for venturing into Spain The Spanish culture is known for drinking a lot of beer.If APB ventures into Spain, it can be assured of a big market to introduce its products to. But despite the presence of many other beer companies in Spain, APB is a cheaper alternative compared to other beers, which will thus attract many consumers. Furthermore, it is known that good beer is a sign of a good restaurant. If APB can satisfy its customers’ standard of ‘good beer’, it can definitely boost the reputation of restaurants that cate r APB to its customers. In addition, foreign beers are very rampant in Spain. This shows that the Spanish would welcome foreign beers.Thus, this ensures that APB products will have higher chances of being accepted by the Spanish. Barcelona is also known to be a ‘Drinker’s Paradise’. However, there have been negative feedbacks about the type of beers offered in Barcelona bars, which does not complement the drinking environment in Barcelona. Hence, if APB products can satisfy the Spanish, this will up the profit that bars make from selling beers, which will in turn benefit APB in the long run. From 2009 to 2012, the economy of Spain met with a downturn, and almost a quarter of Spain’s workforce was unemployed.APB can now make use of the unemployed as labor for APB in Spain. Reasons for venturing into Australia The wine industry has expanded rapidly but Australians will always be known as beer drinkers, even rivaling the likes of Germans. Therefore, if APB ve ntures into Australia it will also have a large market of consumers to introduce its products to. Coupled with the fact that APB is a cheaper beer alternative, there is a high chance that many consumers will turn to APB to satisfy their demands. There are also various Beer Festivals held in Australia on a regular basis.Such Beer Festivals include ‘The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival’ which attracted a large crowd of over 10000 people with 24 Australian brewers and over 100 Aussie beers present during the festival. Such Beer Festivals are definitely a good avenue to increase the reputation of APB at a large and quick scale if APB were to venture into Australia. In addition to Beer Festivals, there is also the presence of beer competition such as the ‘Australian International Beer Awards’. This is yet another platform for breweries to showcase their premium beer and brewing excellence.All these platforms reflects the Australian’s interest in beer d rinking and thus this is definitely a good reason for APB to venture into the Australian market and grab its own customer loyalties and build its reputation in Australia. More importantly, the economy of Australia is one of the most developed, modern market economies in the world. In 2011, the Australian economy was the fastest growing advanced economy in the world, with a GDP of approximately US$1. 6 trillion. This means that the Australians are earning more than the worldwide average.The IMF in April 2012 predicted that Australia would be the best performing economy in the world over the next two years. With such a boosting economy in Australia, APB should venture into Australia. Australia has also entered into many FTAs with ASEAN countries and Australia is also a member of various international organizations such as APEC and WTO. This puts Australia in a very good position to make foreign trading with other countries, granted support from these organizations 6. 2 Identification of sub-factors used for expansion Political-Legal factorsSub-factors used: Country risk ranking, political stability ranking, legal regulatory ranking, corruption index and political transparency index and ease of doing business ranking. Political and legal forces greatly impact the success of a company expanding into a foreign environment. It comprises of three main pillars. They are government regulation; laws that restrict the amount of trade freedom a foreign company has in a host country. The Government bureaucracy provides the foreign company with the legal license to conduct business activity in the country and political stability.Economic factors Sub-factors used: GDP growth rate, GDP Growth Projection, Purchasing power parity, Per Capita Income, Inflation rate, Exchange rate stability and presence of competitors. Economic factors refer to whether the country is favorable in terms of its economy. It is a significant factor considered when expanding, as economic factors will greatly affect the success of the company in that country. Social Cultural factors Sub-factors used: Education level, Language, Religion, Income, Age and Ethnic distribution and attitude towards time. The social culture in every country is different.The language, attitudes towards business, religious beliefs, traditions, and customs varies greatly from country to country. Managers must be aware of the differing cultures and specific taste of each country and tailor their products to suit their individual cultures. By doing so, it raises the level of competiveness and demand for that product in that market. Geographical factors Sub-factors used: Accessibility to raw materials, agricultural products available, natural hazards, climate, percentage unemployed in labor force, minimum gross annual wage rate, land area, lease period of land, cost of land & terrain.Geographic features in every country heavily influence the rate and pace at which a foreign company can expand in the host country. Surface features such as navigable rivers and flat plains aids travel and contact with others, hence accelerating the productivity of the company. However, countries with topographical features like treacherous mountain ranges, deserts and large bodies of water may discourage communication. This affects consumers’ product needs and wants, hence requiring managers to be extra particular about their preference. Technological factorsSub-factors used: Availability of Digital Network Infrastructure, Internet penetration rate, Presence of legal framework for intellectual property and presence of e-banking structure. Technological advancement varies extensively throughout the world. Most firms would expand into a new market only if there is demand for its product or if the technology and infrastructure there can support its existing production operations. A country with the latest technology and infrastructure would mean lower costs for the company that is intending to ente r into that market. 6. 2. Political/Legal Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Country Risk Ranking| Risk ranking of 61. 83| Risk ranking of 82. 25 ? | Political Stability Risk Ranking| With a Political Instability Index of 5. 5, Spain is ranked 104th in the world. | With a Political Instability Index (PII) of 3. 6, Australia is ranked 154th in the world. ?| Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking| Overall assessment of Spain is B, 30. | Overall assessment of Australia is A, 18. ?| Corruption Index & Political Transparency Index | With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 6. 1, Spain is ranked 30th in the world. With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 8. 7, Australia is ranked 8th in the world. ?| Ease of Doing Business Ranking| Spain achieved a rank of 44. | Australia achieved a rank of 15. ?| In terms of Political-Legal factors, Australia is more favorable as it is better than Spain in terms of Country Risk Ranking, Political Stability Risk Ranking, Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking, Cor ruption Index & Political Transparency Index and Ease of Doing Business Ranking. 6. 2. 2 Economic Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| GDP Growth Rate| 0. 8% (2011 est. )| 1. 8% (2011 est. ) ? | -0. 1% (2010 est. )| 2. 7% (2010 est. )  ? | Purchasing Power Parity| $1,413,468 million (2011)| $914,482 million (2011) | Per Capita Income| $32360 (2010-11)| $65477 (2010-11) | Inflation Rate| 3. 1% (2011 est. ) ? | 3. 4% (2011 est. )| | 2% (2010 est. )  ? | 2. 8% (2010 est. )| Exchange Rate Stability| Euros (EUR) per US dollar – 0. 7107 (2011 est. ) 0. 755 (2010 est. ) 0. 7198 (2009 est. ) 0. 6827 (2008 est. ) 0. 7345 (2007 est. ) > Less stable| Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar – 0. 9694 (2011 est. ) 1. 0902 (2010) 1. 2822 (2009) 1. 2059 (2008) 1. 137 (2007) > More stable ? | Presence of Competitors| Yes. There are strong competitors but not so many brewery companies ? | Yes. There are strong competitors and various microbreweries companies. Tense competit ion| In terms of Economic factors, Australia is more favorable because it is deemed better in five out seven sub-factors. From the comparison table, we know that Australia’s economy is more stable and more favorable for business as compared to Spain because it has a higher GDP Growth Rate and Projection, a lower Purchasing Power Parity and a higher Per Capita Income.Furthermore its Exchange Rate Stability is also more stable. 6. 2. 3 Social Cultural Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Education level/ Literacy rate| 98. 5| 99. 98 ? | Language| Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2%  | Majority: English 78. 5%, Chinese 2. 5%, Italian 1. 6%, Greek 1. 3%, Arabic 1. 2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8. 2%, Unspecified 5. 7%  ? | Income Distribution| * 10% Rich (25. 2% of income) * 80% Middle Class (72% of income) * 10% (2. 8% of the income)| * 10% Rich (25. 4% of income) * 80% Between the two (72. % of the income) * 10% Poor (2% of the income. ?| Attit ude towards time| The Spaniards are typically a laid back group of people, with a relaxed sense of time| It is expected of an individual to be punctual in any occasion ? | Age Distribution| 0-14 years:  15. 1%15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  17. 1%| 0-14 years:  18. 3% 15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  14% ? | It is more feasible to expand into Australia because its Social Cultural factors are more promising. It has a higher Education level and Literacy rate, which means the citizens in Australia are more employable.In terms of Language, majority of Australians speak English thus dispelling any language barriers. Australia’s attitude towards time is also more advantageous for the business. 6. 2. 4 Technological-Infrastructure Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Secure Internet Servers| 285| 2003? | Internet users (per 100 people)| 65. 8| 75. 9? | Presence of Legal framework for Intellectual Property| Copyright Law of SpainSpanish Patent and Trademark Of fice| Australian Property Law ? | Presence of e-Banking Infrastructure | Top 8 country, 46% utilization ? Top 10 country, 44% utilization| It is also more practical to expand into Australia because it is better in terms of the Technological-Infrastructure sub factors. In order for an international business to experience ease in communications between countries, its technological factors must be superlative. By analyzing the various sub-factors, we know that the Internet users (per 100) and Secure Internet Servers in Australia is much higher. 6. 2. 4 Geographical Factors 1 Factor| Spain| Australia| Natural hazards| Periodic droughts, occasional flooding and volcanism ? Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism| Climate| Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior,  partly cloudy and cool along coast ? | Generally arid to semiarid (low precipitation); temperate in south and east; tropical i n north| % Unemployed in Labour Force| 20. 065%? | 5. 233% | Minimum Gross Annual Wage Rate (International Dollars)| $11,426. 00 ? | $20,027. 00| Land Area (sq. km)| 505,370| 7,741,220 ? | Terrain| Large, flat to dissected plateaus surrounded by rugged hills ? | Mostly low plateau with eserts, fertile plains in southeast| Upon comparing both countries’ Geographical Factors 1, Spain is more favorable. This is because it is less prone to natural hazards and its climate is more conducive for setting up a plant. They also have a large unemployment rate, which APBL can take advantage of if they chose to expand into Spain. 6. 2. 5 Geographical Factors 2 Factor| Spain| Australia| Length of road network| The road network comprises a total of 346,858 km| The road network comprises a total of 913,000 km ? | Number of Airports| 47 Airports | 448 Airports ? | Number of Seaports| 66 Seaports| 214 Seaports ? Preferential Tax Incentives for Foreign Investors| Deductions are readily availabl e for export activities, investment in the environment, R&D, extraordinary profits reinvestment, training, etc. ?| Subjective to the nature and size of the investment project, the relevant Australian State governments may give rebates from payroll, stamp and land taxes on an ad hoc basis and for limited periods. | By analyzing the Geographical factors 2, Australia is much better because it has a longer road network, more airports as well as seaports. This means that it is much more accessible if we expand into Australia. 6. Recommendation, reasons and type of entry mode to use for Australia. Recommendation We chose to enter the Australian market with either a company currently existing in Australia or a company that hasn’t expanded into any other countries, and have similar goals as Asia Pacific Brewery. We have chosen to go with Coopers Brewery Limited, the largest Australian-owned brewery or the largest home brewing equipment producer in the world. Reasons By venturing into Australia with Coopers Brewery Limited, the chances of reducing cost and risk would be higher as compared to attempting to enter the market alone or with external companies.This would be due to the fact that Coopers Brewery Limited has an established name and hence, this allows them to share their experiences with APB, reducing the trouble of setting up their own subsidiary, ultimately reducing the chances of consumer doubt. Therefore, smaller amount of investment is required to put APB’s business into operation. APB need not waste valuable time to set up its own subsidiary or look for ways to enter the Australian market, which it has low international experience or little cultural knowledge of. Knowledge wise, APB would have an advantage when going into joint venture with CoopersBrewery Limited because they possess information and first-hand experience about the local market demand and they know what â€Å"works† in order to satisfy their consumer’s standa rds and preferences. In terms of production capacity, APB would be able to increase its product and sales volume as there might be sharing of staff and production facilities between both brewery companies. They can also share the cost of marketing and advertising their brewery products. APB can now afford to sell its product at cheaper price, thus increasing its competitiveness in the brewery industry within short period of time.Type of Entry Mode to use We chose to enter the Australian market via Joint Venture with Coopers Brewery Limited. Coopers Brewery Limited was established in 1862, by Thomas Cooper at his home in the  Adelaide  suburb of  Norwood, South Australia. Being the utmost powerful beer company in South-Australia, Coopers Brewery Limited would have the largest amount of market shares hence we would be able to penetrate the markets and promote APB’s branding to Australia, as the consumer-producer’s trust is already established.APB can build good rel ations with its new retailers and customers since its joint venture partner already has a reputable brand image, thus this adds on to APB’s credibility without much effort required. Therefore, APB would be able to distribute its product more efficiently through the availability of existing market channels that Coopers Brewery Limited has. 6. 4 Reasons for not selecting Spain. By comparing both countries, and weighing the factors used for expansion, we have unanimously concluded that Spain is not as favorable as compared to Australia.In terms of Political-Legal factors, Spain’s country risk ranking is lower than Australia, which indicates political instability that is unfavorable when setting up a business. Furthermore, Spain’s ranking when it comes to ease of doing business is ranked 44 in the world, a significant inferiority compared to Australia which ranks 15. Economically wise, Spain’s GDP Growth rate is relatively smaller compared to Australiaâ€℠¢s. In terms of Per Capita Income, Spain’s is much lower compared to Australia, which might play a role as to unsatisfactory sales.Furthermore, by comparing 5-year statistics, the exchange rate stability also fluctuates more than Australia, therefore being less stable. By looking at the Social Cultural factors, Spain is less favorable than Australia because of its lower literacy rate and minor percentage of English speaking individuals, Moreover, the Age Distribution in Australia is better than Spain because despite the exact same percentage of people aged 15-64, the youth’s population in Australia is greater than Spain.This means that in the future, Spain’s percentage of 15-64 would be less compared to Australia. This age groups consists of the majority of working individuals, hence, a smaller figure would be deemed as having an adverse effect to the company. Technological Factors also indicates that Spain isn’t on par with Australia. International Busin esses rely heavily on technology for communication. If APBL wants to expand to a country, it would be an advantage if the country’s penetration rate were higher.By comparison from the table above, it is evident that the Internet Users (per 100) in Australia far exceeds Spain’s, which would mean that there are more computer literate individuals in Australia as compared to Spain, which would pave the way for more employment opportunities. Geographically speaking, Spain’s land area is comparatively smaller than Australia. In order to establish a major brewery, a vast land area is required and Australia has more land than Spain, which means that it would be more economical as land isn’t as scarce.The comparison also shows that Spain has lesser Airports, Seaports and a shorter length of road network, which reflects that the accessibility in Spain is inferior to Australia’s. CONCLUSION Our consultant team has found that Australia would be the more promis ing country for Asia Pacific Breweries’ expansion plans. This is conclusive of our results, which were based on a thorough assessment of thirty-six diverse sub-factors, which are instrumental in successful business expansions. Australia was found to be more favorable in twenty-six out of the thirty-six factors.Australia boasts a relatively slight political risk and has low corruption in the country, which provides a conducive and secure environment for Asia Pacific Breweries to conduct its operations in. Furthermore, agricultural produce in Australia is suitable for the brewing of quality beer, thus Asia Pacific Breweries does not need to source for additional raw materials, which would otherwise incur a huge cost. Australia also has a comprehensive web of transport infrastructure, which would greatly increase the efficiency of Asia Pacific Breweries operations, hence cutting costs.The quality of education in Australia is also of a high standard, producing a workforce that is highly literate. A highly educated work force will not only increase work productivity but also the overall competitiveness and capabilities of Asia Pacific Breweries in Australia. The Australian economy shows no sign of slowing down as GDP growth rates are projected to continue increasing through the years. Additionally, the per capita income in Australia is considerably high, which means that the average Australian is comparatively well to do.As beer is a lifestyle product, a strong, robust economy coupled with a high standard of living will be able to better complement and boost the sales of beer. After taking into considerations the abovementioned conclusions, the team here at G&T Consultancy would like to offer a recommendation for Asia Pacific Breweries to expand into the Australian market. APPENDIXES Appendix A: APB’s Shareholdings BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Asia Pacific Breweries Limited – SWOT Analysis Overview, (2011) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. sh areinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 2.APB: Commences Legal Proceedings Regarding Proposed Sale Of Heineken-APB (China)(2012) Retrieved 20 May 2012, from  http://forum. shareinvestor. com/forum/showthread. php? 23-Asia-Pacific-Breweries 3. Market line, Last updated (2012), Retrieved 22nd May 2012 from: http://360. datamonitor. com. libwww3. np. edu. sg/Product? pid=88B119E4-FAC0-4BA3-B0B8-403ED16218AA&view=SWOTAnalysis 4. Damien Corrigan – Beer in Spain: What to expect in a Spanish Bar (2012) Retrieved 29th May from: http://gospain. about. com/od/fooddrink/qt/beerinspain. htm 5. Beer drinking in Barcelona, Spain, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beertutor. om/city_guides/barcelona. shtml 6. Beers of Australia, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. clickforaustralia. com/BeersofAustralia. htm 7. Australian International Beer Awards, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. beerawards. com/index. asp 8. The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival? Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th October, Retrieved 29th May from: http://www. australianheritagehotel. com/beerFest. html 9. Economy of Australia. (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Australia 10. Economy of Spain (2012), Retrieved 12th June from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Economy_of_Spain 11. 11.Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: h 12. ttp://www. apb. com. sg/singapore. html 13. Cambodia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: http://www. apb. com. sg/cambodia. html 14. 13. China, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 15. http://www. apb. com. sg/china. html 16. 14. Indonesia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 17. http://www. apb. com. sg/indonesia. html 18. Laos, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 19. 20. http://www. apb. com. sg/laos. html 21. 16. Malaysia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. http://www. apb. com. sg/malaysia. html 23. 17. Mongolia, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 24. http://www. apb. com. sg/mongolia. html 25. 18.New Caledonia, Retrie ved 10th July 2012 from: 26. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-caledonia. html 27. 19. New Zealand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 28. http://www. apb. com. sg/new-zealand. html 29. 20. Papua New Guinea, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 30. http://www. apb. com. sg/papua-new-guinea. html 21. Sri Lanka, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 22. 23. http://www. apb. com. sg/sri-lanka. html 24. 22. Singapore, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 25. http://www. apb. com. sg/solomon-islands. html 26. 23. Thailand, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 27. http://www. apb. com. sg/thailand. html 28. 24. Vietnam, Retrieved 10th July 2012 from: 9. http://www. apb. com. sg/vietnam. html 30. Cambodia Brewery Ltd sales down 10pc in ’09. (2010, 8th February). Retrieved 11th July from: http://khmernz. blogspot. sg/2010/02/cambodia-brewery-ltd-sales-down-10pc-in. html 31. Coopers Brewery, Retrieved 11th July 2012 from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Coopers_Brewery 32. Rogers, S. (2010, October 26). Datablog. Retri eved 4th July from http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/datablog/2010/oct/26/corruption-index-2010-transparency-international 33. Viewswire. (2010). Retrieved 4th July from http://viewswire. eiu. com/site_info. asp? info_name=social_unrest_table&page=noads 34.Cia – the world factbook. (2012, June 08). Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp. html 35. CIA. (2012, February 15). Cia world factbook. Retrieved 4th July from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as. html 36. European beer guide. (2006). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. europeanbeerguide. net/spanbrew. htm 37. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/AUS/index. htm 38. International monetary fund. (n. d. ). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. imf. org/external/country/ESP/index. htm 39.Spain economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from ht tp://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Spain/ 40. Australia economic statistics and indicators. (2011, August 01). Retrieved 4th July from http://www. economywatch. com/economic-statistics/country/Australia/ 41. Retrieved 10th July from http://www. unece. org/fileadmin/DAM/hlm/wpla/publications/restrictionsanalysis. pdf 42. Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. (2011, November 14). Retrieved 10th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_minimum_wages_by_country 43. World risk average. (2011, June 03). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. uromoneycountryrisk. com/ 44. Economic Intelligence Unit. (2011, July 15). Retrieved 10th July from http://www. eiu. com/ 45. Trumbic, T. (2011). Retrieved 13th July from The World Bank website: http://www. doingbusiness. org 46. Barrientos, M. (2011, 12 21). www. indexmundi. com/georgia/. Retrieved 13th July from http://www. indexmundi. com/ 47. Executive planet. ( 21:). Retrieved 13th July from http://executiveplanet. com/ 48. Wikipedia. (2012, March 31). Retrieved 13th July from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita 49. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Category:Beer_and_breweries_in_Spain 50. Wikipedia. (2012). Retrieved 13th July from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Australia 51. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. USER/countries 52. (2011). Retrieved 17th July from The World Bank Group website: http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/IT. NET. SECR. P6/countries 53. Business Review. (2012) Retrieved 17th July from: http://apb. com. sg/annual-report. html 54. Top Countries for Online Banking. (2010, October 27). Retrieved from http://www. onlinebanking. net/top-countries-for-online-banking/