Application of Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Application of Theory Paper - Essay Example The theory makes use of the fourteen components which are solely based on the wants of human beings. The theory works on two major assumptions which are â€Å"Care givers also known as nurses have a responsibility of looking after the client until they are in a position where they can adequately look after themselves’ and â€Å"Nurses are always on the look and selfless in ensuring that the patients recover for their ailments† and lastly â€Å"Nurses will be more effective when they obtain an undergraduate certificate in both arts and sciences†. This paper will examine the problem in nursing leadership by providing scholarly evidence to support the issue. In addition, it will present one strategy and the concepts and principles where the nursing theory are applicable, provide a rationale for the chosen strategy and one ethical strategy for the theory. Nursing leadership has been an emerging issue over the years because of the numerous challenges which various sectors of nursing encounter. Globalization in today’s society has really changed the shape of nursing and nurses across the globe require effective leadership to maintain to the required standards and generate a new generation of nurses. Quality in many health cares is determined by the efficacy of the leadership available. On the other hand leadership is extremely essential in all institutions or organizations. It can be defined as the process through which goals are identified by providing accurate support and motivation(McEwen & Wills, 2007). Nursing practice requires accurate evidence that is only obtained through extensive research. Putting together the evidence collected into nursing practice is necessary for quality to be achieved in the nursing filed. Therefore the behaviors of most health care providers have been wanting as they have not been able to accurately determine the kinds of involvement needed to

External Environment And Organisational Culture Of Apple UK Marketing Essay

External Environment And Organisational Culture Of Apple UK Marketing Essay The aim of this report is to explain the brief history of Apple Inc and analyse the internal and external environment and organisational culture of Apple UK. The findings in this report will supported by academic models and theories. 2.0 Methodology: The internet is useful source for any kind search, the information I gathered for this report is from search engine e.g. Google, university recommended books and lecture notes. 3.0 Introduction: Environment can be defined as, the amalgamation of external physical circumstances that impinge and influence the augmentation, development and survival of creation. Therefore, the business environment would define as same, all the factors internal and external that affects its profitability and growth. It is very important for the business leader to carry out business environmental analysis to understand their business topography at present time. Apple Inc is an American company which operates in different countries in other words. This report briefly characterizes the Apple UK environmental analysis. The environmental analysis will focus on internal environment SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) and external environment will focus on PESTEL (political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal) of Apple UK with the support of academic models and theories. The final part of this report is the assessment of Apple culture and organisational culture. 4.0 Defining the Business Environment: Strategy is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantages for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations. (Johnson and Scholes) Business environment means the forces or the factors that affect the business decisions. It is important for businesses to analyse those forces in order to come up with problem solving solutions. Some of those forces are out of business control e.g. political, social, economical these forces called as external forces which are out of business control. The environment which businesses have or can hold is called the internal environment. 4.1 Importance of Business Environment: History is abundant with paradigms of organisation that have failed to apprehend their operating environment, or simply fizzle to react to transform in the environment. The after-effect was gradual decay in their profitability, and hereafter they may break off to exist as a viable business. Therefore, understanding business environment is very important it brings the early assimilation of opportunities and threats that business may suffer and helps to prevent from oncoming business threats instead of losing to competitors. 4.2 Analysis of Business Environment: Environmental analysis is a precise evolution that initiate from assimilation of environmental factors, accessing their constitution and impact, analysing them to come up with their impact to the business, and accomplishing distinctive contour for positioning. Business environment can competently assay using following business environment: 4.2.1 Internal Business Environment: Internal environment reflects the internal factor of the business which organisations can control and can adapt or alter from time to time. The best way of explain internal business environment of any organisation is use of SWOT and Porters value chain analysis. 4.2.2 External Business Environment: External business environment represent the uncontrollable factors, the external factors can be analysed using PESTEL and Porters five forces. Kotler argues that PESTEL analysis is an effective strategic tool for understanding market development and decline, business position, conceivable and direction for operations. 5.0 What is Apples Inc. Apple Inc is an American intercontinental organisation with a hub on conception and fabricating consumer electronics and intimately connected software products. Entrenched in Cupertino, California on April 1, 1976 Apple evolves sells and supports a variety of personal computers, music players, mobile phones, and computer softwares and hardware accessories. As of November 2010, Apple operates over 300 stores worldwide and online shop where its products are sold. The Apples well known hardware products involve Macintosh for personal computers, the iPod for media players and iphone. The Apple Inc was known as Apple computers Inc for its first thirty years of business. The Apple Inc dropped computers from its name on January 9, 2007 because the Apples expansion towards consumer electronics in accessions to its core business of personal computers. Apple employs over 49,400 employees worldwide and Apples financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter ended September 25, 2010 Apple posted record revenue of $20.34 billion and net quarterly profit of $4.31 billion or $4.64 per diluted share. 5.1 Apples Inc History: Apple was established on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Woznaik and Roland Wayne to sell its Apple I personal computers. Roland Wayne left the company on January 3, 1977 who sold his share back to Jobs and Woznaik. The Apple I personal computers were hand built by Woznaik in the common room of jobs fathers home. The Apple I was came to market at home brew computers club almost 200 computers were built and was sold as motherboard not they sell currently as full personal computers. 1989-1991 been called first golden age for apple when apple introduces its power book in 1991, the modern layout of laptop computers and the same year Apple introduces system 7 for its operating systems. Apple introduces its online store on November 10, 1997; Apple introduces its new all in one Mac computer on August 15, 1998. Apple sold almost 800,000 units of imac in first five months and holds the strong name in the market also made a good profit. Apple opened its first retail store in Virginia and California on 19 May 2001 and carry on opening new stores in United States and other countries. In later 2001 Apple introduces its music player iPod, it was a big success and sold over 100 million units in six years since it introduce. Apple introduces its first chip computer on January 10, 2006 a note book computer called Mac book pro in 2006 Apple transformed all its products into Intel chips. In 2007 Apple announced the launch of iPhone and Apple TV and the following day Apple share price hit all time high. Apple introduces its iPhone in 2007 which was big success and later updated version of Apple iphones and in 2010 Apple launched its new innovation called iPad. 5.2 Apple Inc Mission Statement: Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumer around the world through its innovative hardware, software and internet offering. 5.3 Apple Inc Vision Statement: Man is the creator of change in this world. As such he should be above systems and structures, and not subordinate to them. 6.0 Apples Inc UK Environmental Analysis: Apple Inc is the leading consumer electronic brand in United Kingdom, operating around 29 Apples retail stores and online store within UK. Apple UK environment can be analyse using internal and external environmental analysis. 6.1 Apples Inc UK Internal Environmental Analysis: Apples internal environmental analysis represents the factors which Apple has controlled over them, those factors best analyse using SWOT analysis and Porters Value chain analysis. 6.1.1 SWOT Analysis of Apples UK: SWOT analysis will focus on following factors of Apple Inc: Source: http://www.bizstrategies.biz/swot-analysis.html 6.1.1.1 Strengths of Apple Inc UK: Brand Name: Apple has well established and strong brand name among the consumer and its competitor through quality and introducing new products. Innovative: Apple is been innovative since the beginning, always come up with new ideas and products. Microsoft and Intel: Apple use to produce its own software for its product but working with Microsoft and Intel gave edge to its profitability. Research and Development: Apple has strong research and development to its competitor this is the reason apple always come up with new innovation. Financial Vitality: Apple has cash reserve continued strong and stable although the idle market shares development of computer hardware and software area. Apple achieves this by resisting market pressure to cut cost by product packaging and forming strategic agreement. Customer Loyalty and Quality: Apple has strong customer loyalty because of the quality of product that Apple provides to its customers. 6.1.1.2 Weaknesses of Apple Inc UK: High Price: Apples products are higher in price, even though many of consumers want to use Apples product but they cannot afford to buy one. Weak Relationship: Apple relationship with Microsoft and Intel is not as strong as it should be. Weak Presence in Business Area: Apple have only 29 retail store operating in United Kingdom. The Product Life Cycle: The Apples product life cycle is very small so the revenue is mostly depending on its new product or service. Less Attraction towards Corporate Customers: Apple products do not attract corporate customers. Technological Complications: Apples mostly face problems with its software and hardware. 6.1.1.3 Opportunities of Apples Inc UK: Fast Growing Industry: Apple started with personal computers, now they are selling music players, laptop computers, mobile phones, iPads and also online music store. Technological Innovation: Apple can develop strong position in market doing joint venture and Laptop computer market growth is high so it can develop new models to fulfil the need of customers. The Online Store: the e-commerce is growing rapidly, ITunes is the online store developed by Apple. Improve Warranty and Reduce Prices: Apple can improve its warranty program and reduce its product prices to challenge its competitors prices and hold a strong position in market. 6.1.1.4 Threats of Apple Inc UK: Fierce Competition: Apple has strong competition with its competitors within same industry. Economic Crisis: economic crises have negative impact on Apple sales because consumers do not spend too much in critical situations. Microsoft: Microsoft recently launched windows 7 with alluring user interface and new features which can attract Macintosh user to switch to windows. ITunes: free downloading of music and videos may affect the profitability of Apple online store. 6.1.2 Porters Value Chain Analysis of Apples UK: Source: http://www.ukeducation.org.uk/qdocsview.asp?ID=1340 The value chain approached was established by Michael Porter in his book competitive advantage in the 1980s. Michael Porter value chain analysis accommodates a series of activities found to be accepted to a wide range of organisations. Porters describe primary and supportive activities as shown in the above diagram. 6.1.2.1 The Primary Activities of Value Chain and Apple UK: Inbound Logistics: the process of acquiring and depot of raw materials and their distribution to accomplishing as they are appropriated. In case of Apple UK the inbound logistics are the new ideas, product designs, Intel chips and other required raw material. Operations: it is the process of transforming inputs into outputs and services. Apples software products are developed in US and all the hardware products e.g. computers, music players and mobile phones assembled in China. Outbound Logistics: it is the process of distributing and warehousing of products. In case of Apple products are distributed from Chine and warehoused in Apples allocated warehouse in UK. Marketing and Sales: the process of identifying customers requirement and creation of sales. When the Apple product is ready to entre in the market Apple advertise it itself showing rich features and Apple suppliers advertise it as well to generate awareness among the consumers. Service: it is the process of feedback after the products and services are sold to customer. Apple feedbacks from its customers are always good about its products and services it is because of the quality Apple provide to its customers. 6.1.2.2 The Supportive Activities of Value Chain and Apple UK: Firm Infrastructure: it focuses on the organisational culture, structure and organisational control system. Apple is an American multinational organisation its UK operation is influence by its background and consideration of consumer needs in United Kingdom. Human Resource Management: represents the recruiting of employees, development, training and compensation. Apple UK recruits the local staff and trained them about their products so they can help and satisfy Apples customers. Technology Development: the important part of any organisation it focuses on improves and new technology introduce to system it gives organisation a competitive advantage. Apple itself a technology business so keep introducing new and beneficial technology to its business. Procurement: it focuses on valuable purchase of inputs such as raw material equipment and supplies. Apple main raw material is to buy chips to produce good quality and moderate products. 6.1.3 Critical Discussion on Apple Internal Environment: SWOT and Porters value chain analysis explained the internal environment of Apple UK, hence it will help to understand the current and future position of organisation. SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis of Apple shows the strength of company the factors which Apple are doing its best, weaknesses explained the factors which Apple do not provide its best, opportunity explained the factors what Apple can achieved using its resources and threats shows the factor which can damage the profitability and growth of Apple. SWOT analysis shows the strength of Apple is very strong to protect its image, the weakness Apple has they can do more research and development to overcome those weaknesses, Apple must utilise its opportunities to make its brand strong and if Apple can work on their weaknesses and opportunities its threats will be overcome or may be reduce. The Value chain analysis show the business culture and business operating system which shows that Apple Value chain is valuable because their product assembled in China with low cost and they have their UK operating system and human resource follows the required environment as in United Kingdom. 6.2 Apples Inc UK External environmental Analysis: External environment represent the factors which organisations do not have controlled over them. PESTEL and Porters five forces will best explain the Apples external environment. 6.2.1 PESTLE Analysis of Apple Inc UK: Source: http://www.marketingminefield.co.uk/marketing-plan/pestle-analysis.html Political: government type, its stability, current and future taxation policies. Apple does not have any control over it, to cope with this Apple has to change with it as in United Kingdom VAT rate is going up to 20% from 17.5% it will cause Apples product prices will go up. Economical: economical situation, inflation, interest rate and strengths of consumer spending. It will directly affect the Apple and its profit, if economical situation is bad consumer will spend less. Social: population growth rate, life style of people, culture, religion media views and perception. Apple has to consider all those things to do business and have to have with consumer needs. Technological: it represents the current and future technology, research and development and rate of technology change. Apple itself an electronic organisation so it has to keep up to date and move on to new technologies. Legal: it focuses on legislation in employment and health and safety, changes in law, trading policies and regulatory bodies. Apple has to update itself with new legal laws and change its policies according to it. Environmental: it focuses on recycling consideration, amount of pollution created by product or services, attitude to the environment from government and environmental pressure groups. Apple is electronic organisation so it has to consider its packaging that it can be recycled. 6.2.2 Porters Five Forces Analysis of Apple Inc UK: Source: http://notesdesk.com/notes/strategy/porters-five-forces-model-porters-model/ The five forces model was developed by Michael Porter in his book competitive strategy in 1980s. The model is simple but effective tool to understand business position. It is helpful to understand current competitive strategy and strength of business that it is cogitating to move into. The five factors in this model are: Supplier Power: it accommodates all the supply of inputs that are required to provide products or services. It reflects how many, and who is the supplier of the company and what is the strength of supplier and switching to different supplier will cost more, as Apples main supplier of chips are Intel. Buyer Power: it is impact the consumers have on company, when buyer power is strong the relationship of the company is called monopsony in economist term. When there are many suppliers and one buyer then the buyer set the price. Apple has many competitors they sell their products less in price than apple, the buyer threat for Apple is high. Threat of new Entrant: competition is high and every organisation wants to diverse it business so it is easier for companies to enter in new market. Apple is electronic organisation it already has many competitors around so threat of new entrant is high for Apple. Threat of Substitute: it focuses on the alternative products available in market with low price and better performance. Apple produce music players, computers, mobile phone and iPad there are many other companies which are producing same products with lower price. Competitive Rivalry: it describes the competition between the existing companies in same industry high competition result in margin, pressure on selling price. Apples products are higher in price than its competitors so threat level is high for Apple. 6.2.3 Critical Discussion on Apple Inc UK External Environment: External environments are the uncontrollable factors for any organisation. Apples external factors were analysed using PESTLE and Porters five forces. PESTLE analysis focused on political, economical, social, technological, legal and environmental factors of Apple UK. However Apple does not have any controlled over them but Apple can change it with them, recently the current United Kingdom government increased VAT rate to 20% from 17.5% this will result in product prices it will go up. Apple can reduce its price to keep customers happy or offered them some incentive. Most of the organisations have pressure from environmental organisation about environment pollution Apple can produce its recycled packaging. Apple has to keep considering social and economical factors and do research and development to cope with them. Porters five forces helps to gain competitive advantage, Apple have many competitors around but it has strong brand value and name and competitive advantage from its compe titor. Apple have to keep analysing five forces of Porter and find its best place in the market and carry out more research and development to bring new ideas and innovations. 7.0 Organisational Culture: Organisational culture is the nature of the organisation. Culture is composing of the beliefs, values, norms and corporeal artefacts of organisation employees and their behaviour. Any organisational culture can be best analyse using Geert Hofstede cultural dimension. 7.1 Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions: Hofstede found five different cultural dimensions in his study of interaction between national and organisational culture. Power Distance: represent the power within the society is divided equally or unequally and what extant society accepts this power distribution. Individualism: individualism is the one side against its opposite. Individualism/ collectivism represent the people act according to self interest or the interest of group. Masculinity: masculinity against its opposite femininity represents the distribution of role between genders. Uncertainty Avoidance: it refers the member of the society requires structure and boundaries at work place. High uncertainty avoidance societies are intolerant of risk. Low uncertainty avoidance societies are where risk and anomaly widely accepted. Long-term Orientation: it refers to society accent attached to future against the present and past. In long term people appraise action and approach that affect the future and in short term people appraise action and approach that affect present and past. 7.2 Apples UK organisational Culture: Source: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_united_kingdom.shtml Apple is a multinational organisation its business structure based on country of origin. Apple United Kingdom culture based demographic and social factors of UK. Hoftede study of cultural dimension show UK is most like to be individualistic culture followed by masculinity. It shows people in United Kingdom are individualistic and there is not much difference between genders. Apples employees are more individualistic and there is not bias against any gender, therefore Apple is the successful organisation within the United Kingdom. 8.0 Recommendations: Apple has many competitors within its industry, Apple try to reduce the cost of products and maintain good quality. Apple has very less retail stores it must try to open more stores and joint venture with any big organisation will help to expand the business. Apple must continue to bring new ideas and innovation and expand its business. 9.0 Conclusion: Apple is the successful company with a strong brand name and has many competitors within same industry. Apple internal business environment was analysed by using SWOT and Porters value chain analysis. SWOT analysis focused on strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which explained Apples strength give it a strong hold against its competitors, weakness and threats would overcome by research and development, opportunities will bring more strength to organisation. Porters value chain analysed Apple business system which is valuable but they to consider it to cut the prices of its product. Apple external environment was analysed using PESTLE and Porters five forces the external factors are uncontrollable factors that Apple do not have any controlled over them but it cannot resist them but change with them effectively to maintain its growth and profitability. Organisational culture represents the nature of organisation Hofstede cultural dimension helps to analyse culture. United K ingdom is most likely to be individualistic and masculinity cultures where people work for self interest and there is not much differ in gender. Apple UK culture is suitable and acceptable for the people in United Kingdom that what make Apple is a successful organisation in the United Kingdom.

Sustainable Agriculture Essay -- Research Paper Ranching Farming Paper

Sustainable Agriculture Agriculture has been a fundamental component of human societies for centuries. It is so fundamental in fact that it is often forgotten by those dependent on its products, but not directly involved in the production. As we enter the 21st century, agriculture is beginning to receive more attention from the general public as the implications of farming are realized and the problem of potential world wide food shortage is addressed. With the future in focus, much of agricultural establishment uses words like biotech, and high-tech to describe their goals for U.S. agriculture. With few exceptions, traditional agriculturalists see a continuing trend of industrial agricultural practices that continue to drive production to fewer, larger, and more specialized production units which are virtually responsible for all stages of the production globally. This increased specialization is dependent on new biological technologies and information technologies at all levels from farms on which the foo d is produced to the markets where it is distributed. While these forecasts are legitimate, a growing number of agriculturalists, concerned public, and educators envision a very different future for agriculture. Such a view is represented in the writings of John E. Ikerd, an agricultural economist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri. In his paper, "Sustainable Agriculture: a necessary alternative to industrial agriculture", Ikerd questions whether the guiding trends of agriculture in the past hundred years can continue to be the guiding force of agriculture. He argues the while the tools of the "high-tech" future may be different from the tools of the industrial age, the objectives to specialize, mechan... ...l>. --- "Sustainable Agriculture: A Positive Alternative to Industrial Agriculture" 7 December, 1996. October 4, 2002 <http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd/papers/ks-hrtld.htm>. --- "Rethinking the Role of Agriculture in the Future of Rural Communities" 25, January 2002. October 4, 2002. <http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/JIkerd/papers/YaleRural%20Studies.html>. Pretty, Jules N. Regenerating Agriculture: Policies and Practice for Sustainability and Self-reliance. Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press, 1995. --- "Supporting Policies and Practice." Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture. ed. N. G. Roling and M.A.E. Wagemakers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1998. USDA Press Release. "Fitting Farming Practices to Minimize Water Pollutionà ¤ 17 November 2000. November 10, 2002 <http://www.pestlaw.com/x/press/2000/USDA-20001117A.html>.

Why Did Korea Fall Victim To Japanese Imperialism History Essay

This essay tries to lucubrate the causes which contributed to the autumn of Korea to Nipponese imperialism by foremost analyzing the development of Nipponese imperialism, and so looking into the competitions between Japan and its two major competitions, viz. China and Russia in their control over Korea. In 1853, Japan was forced to open itself to the outside universe by the United States. It was so pressured by the imperialist powers to subscribe unequal pacts which granted aliens in Japan extraterritoriality and which imposed on Japan low duty rates. Reduced to the semi-colonial position, Japan all of a sudden realized that the universe was non a safe topographic point. In order to forestall being farther subjugated by the Western powers, the leaders of the Meiji authorities which was formed in 1868 after the ruin of the Tokugawa Shogunate, formulated a chauvinistic policy of fukoku kyA?hei ( rich state, strong military ) , qualifying Japan ‘s ends to catch up with the Western powers economically and to increase its military strength to guarantee its position as an independent state. The preparation of the policy initiated the development of Nipponese imperialism.Development of Nipponese ImperialismThere were several grounds for the development of Nipponese imperialism. First was the concern for its security and safety. Japan ‘s demand for security intensified as authorities leaders recognized the demand to beef up the defence of Japan against Russia and other Western powers. Bing cognizant of the advanced technological accomplishments and military high quality of the West, Japan had frights of invasion from Western states such as Russia. Furthermore, China was militarily and economically weak to the extent that Japan was concerned that China would fall in under the subjugation of the Western powers, which would hold profound negative impact on the security of Japan. Yamagata Aritomo, male parent of the modern Nipponese ground forces, who advocated demand of enlargement more out of security ground than of conquest ground, recommended that Japan non merely protect its ain sovereignty but besides its line of involvement, which meant that Japan should non merely guarantee the security in the fatherland, but besides need to widen its influence and con trol to the continent in order to guarantee its security. Control over Korea was hence a important component in protecting Japan against Western states because of the two states ‘ geographical proximity and Korea being surrounding with both China and Russia. That the Korea peninsular as a â€Å" sticker pointed at Japan † should non fall in hostile custodies was a chief end of Nipponese foreign policy. The 2nd ground that Japan embarked on imperialism was the aspiration from the Western powers. Japan had been detecting and larning from the Western powers ‘ intense competitions and imperialistic acquisitions. From its acrimonious experience, Japan learned that imperialism would assist work more resources which could ease a state to develop faster. Fukuzawa Yukichi and other authors supported foreign expansionism. Japan subsequently applied what she learned from the Western powers to Korea in precisely the format that she was treated by the Western powers. The 3rd ground that gave rise to Nipponese imperialism was Japan ‘s belief in its function of leading for Asia states. Many Nipponese leaders came to the belief that Japan had a â€Å" manifest fate † to liberate the Asiatic states from Western imperialistic powers and to take them to collective strength and prosperity. Some ultranationalist groups such as the Black Dragon Society, every bit good as some influential authors, became progressively popular. These groups and authors hold the positions that Japan should take the function of leading in Asia to throw out foreign powers. They believed that the Yamato race as posterities of the Sun goddess entitled the Japanese to such a function. In 1905, Japan ‘s triumph over Russia in the Russo-Japanese war made Japan the first Asiatic state to get the better of a Western power. This position farther bolstered Japan ‘s belief in its function to take Asia and tried to convert other Asiatic states that merely under t he Nipponese leading would they stand a opportunity to throw out Western imperialism. From the beginning of the Meiji Period in 1868, Japan sought to do the state an industrial and military power similar to that of the Western imperialist powers. The Meiji leaders ‘ desire to turn Japan into a ace state ( itto koku ) besides included the power and prestigiousness derived from foreign territorial ownerships. Therefore, it was inevitable that Japan would fall in the nine of the powers in demands for privileges and rights in other Asiatic states. However, the Meiji authorities realized that its military needed to be modernized and strengthened before it presented its demands to the Western powers. Although the Meiji oligarchs were restraint in the outward looks of imperialism in the early old ages of the Meiji period, this did non connote that they disagreed with the aims of foreign enlargement. They considered it necessary that focal point should be on modernisation and economic growing to catch up with Western industrial powers prior to taking any important stair ss to spread out Japan ‘s influence in foreign affairs. To catch up with the Western powers and shorten the procedure in the development of imperialism, Japan had to emulate the bing theoretical accounts from the Western powers. Japan had been rolling the way of its imperialism enlargement. In fact, the pick proved to be excessively much, and Japan tried to play for safety by aping both of the two major powers, Britain and Germany, and waiting to see in which way the battle would finally travel. Though it appeared to be prudent, the policy was dearly-won, for the creative activity of both a big ground forces and a big naval forces imposed an inordinate load on a less developed state like Japan. Therefore, Britain, the paramount Power of the twenty-four hours, seemed to be the obvious and surely the most popular paradigm. The similarities that both states are in place of a group of islands situated near to a Continental land-mass, implying a similar involvement in the balance of power, and the evident success of the British method of back uping a turning population by intensive industrialisation and abroad trade, convinced Japan that emulating the Britain theoretical account would function her ain best involvements. In add-on, since both Britain and Japan so felt threatened by the same competition, viz. Russia, a stronger bond besides grew up between the two states. In 1902, Britain, â€Å" the Empire on which the Sun ne'er sets, † entered into an confederation with Japan, â€Å" the Empire of the Rising Sun. † However, the prevailing samurai leading in the Nipponese military tradition, instinctively regarded the ground forces as of greater importance, and was determined that its modernisation should followed the theoretical accounts of the taking military state in the West which, in 1868, was the Gallic. Indeed, and mostly for this ground, Gallic prestigiousness stood 2nd merely to that of Britain, in the eyes of the Meiji leading. However, the Swift and unexpected result of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 showed the Gallic military repute to be out of day of the month. To those Nipponeses who had most admired the Second Empire, it was a profound daze. With characteristic pragmatism, Japan began to look alternatively to the Germans, who had non merely defeated the Gallic but at the same clip had achieved national fusion under the Prussian monarchy in the new Reich of 1871. German ‘s public presentation was of exceeding involvement to Japan. Therefore, non merely did the Nipponese switch from Gallic to German developing for their ground forces, whose organisation was wholly remodelled in 1878, but by the 1880s were trusting to a great extent on German expertness in many other Fieldss as good, notably in medical specialty and industrial and commercial pattern. While, on the one manus, the dramatic due east progress of Russian imperialism was showing a turning menace to the mainland instantly opposite the Nipponese islands. As the Russians turned their attending farther due souths in hunt of ice-free ports and, after building began on the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1891, the menace to Korea, and by deduction therefore to Japan itself, became acute. By necessity, Japan had to undertake the immediate job on the continent on its west alternatively of traveling South, which was wholly different from the historical British attack of avoiding Continental webs. Japan allowed herself to be drawn, through the peninsulas, of all time more closely into the personal businesss of the mainland.Korea ‘s Traditional Relations with China and JapanAt the beginning of the 19th century Korea continued to bask the stable relationships with China and Japan as she had done for the past 160 old ages. With China, Korea maintained a liqueur relationship which w as based on the Chinese claim of suzerainty over Korea. The authorities of Korea sent regular missions transporting testimonials to the emperor of China at least one time a twelvemonth, normally at the clip of the winter solstice, and irregular missions on other particular occasions, as an look of its entry to China. The Chinese authorities reciprocated by directing imperial missions on particular occasions such as the decease of an of import royal individual or the coronation of a new male monarch. With Japan, Korea had maintained contact on two degrees. Since the early 17th century, Korea had sent occasional communicating envoys to Edo transporting congratulatory messages on the accession of a new shogun. Their maps normally were largely ceremonial. Korea besides maintained a much closer relationship with the feudal feoff in the islands that lay across the Korean Strait between southwesterly Japan and the Korean peninsula. Poor in natural resources, Tsushima depended much on Korea n trade for their support. The daimyo of Tsushima had long entered into a quasi tributary relationship with the Korean male monarch, which gave him the monopoly of Nipponese trade with Korea, and besides had served as a diplomatic mediator between the authoritiess in Edo and Seoul. Korea had suffered vastly at the custodies of these two neighbours. First by the Japanese who, under the hegemonic Toyotomi Hideyoshi, invaded Korea in the late 16th century. After the Manchu conquering of China in 1644, the opinion house of Yi Korea suffered much adversity at the custodies of the Manchus who suspected the Koreans of pro-Ming motivations. From these traumatic experiences, Korea developed alone policies of Sadae ( ‘serving the great ‘ China ) and Gyorin ( ‘neighborly dealingss ‘ with Japan ) that tried to keep good relationship with both China and Japan. The end of these relationships was to exclude all intercourse between Korea and China and Japan, except for formalistic ceremonial exchanges of minister plenipotentiary and limited trade conducted under close official supervising. In both relationships, even though the 1 with China was unequal in position and the other with Japan was equal, that the tributary missions to China and the communica ting envoys to Japan were dispatched signified Korea ‘s desire to maintain these two neighbours at a safe distance. The two policies besides complemented one another: by subjecting themselves to China ‘s suzerain claim, the Koreans gained a defensive confederation against Japan ; on the other manus, the Gyorin relationship non merely enabled Korea to hold control on Nipponese seamans ‘ torment along its sea shores, but besides gave Korea a utile bargaining place against China as a buffer on the Chinese northeasterly frontier. The two policies had served Korea good in maintaining the two neighbours at bay. With the enlargement of Western powers in the North East Asia, Japan became more concerned about the state of affairs in Korea. Out of the fright of Russian enlargement, the Nipponese adhered to a policy of prefering the independency of Korea and the constitution of diplomatic dealingss with the great powers as a possible agency of preventing any Russian aspirations to annex or busy the peninsula. In 1868 a particular Nipponese minister plenipotentiary was dispatched to Korea to inform the authorities of the Imperial Restoration that had taken topographic point in Japan and to discourse the constitution of diplomatic dealingss, but the Korean Court refused to cover with him. In the undermentioned twelvemonth two more Nipponese missions were besides rebuffed by the Korean Government. In 1872 another mission who was accompanied by two war vessels besides failed in an attempt to discourse a commercial pact. These apathetic reactions of the Korean Government greatly inflamed Nipponese pu blic sentiment and some even called for war against the Korean. Soejima Taneomi, so interim Foreign Minister, was sent to inform the Chinese Government of Japan ‘s attitude and policy refering Korea. In Peking, the functionaries informed Soejima that, while Korea was a liege province, China was non responsible for the Korean internal personal businesss and the jobs of peace or war. Upon returning to Japan, Soejima urged his authorities to occupy and suppress Korea. But Emperor Meiji decided to settle the Korean job by peaceful agencies since Japan was non yet strong plenty to transport out expensive abroad wars. In 1875, a Nipponese committee was sent to Korea to negociate a pact of cordiality and commercialism. This clip the mission was instructed to use the house methods that had been so successfully employed by Perry and Harris against Japan before. At the same clip, Japan obtained confidences from China that no expostulation would be raised to diplomatic treatments provide d the pact was restricted to the gap of Korea to commerce. Under the Nipponese force per unit area, Korea signed the Treaty of Kianghwa, which provided for the constitution of diplomatic dealingss, the gap of three ports, and exterritorial legal power over Nipponese subjects. One of the most important commissariats was Article I, which stipulated that Korea, â€Å" being an independent State, enjoys the same crowned head rights as does Nippon. † This proviso was the first measure in Japan ‘s program to detach Korea from the suzerainty of China.Japan ‘s competition with China and RussiaFrom 1976 to 1894, Japan and China engaged in a series of struggle over the control of Korea. One some occasions the struggles were at the brink of war. These struggles resulted in Japan ‘s increasing and China ‘s diminishing influence in Korean personal businesss. Japan did non desire to travel to war with China because of deficiency of house strong belief that China cou ld be defeated. During this period, Korea underwent an internal convulsion between the cabals of Tai Om Kun, who was pro-Chinese, and the Min Family. The Nipponese authorities was profoundly concerned in the state of affairs and feared that unless Korea were rapidly reformed and a stable authorities established, some powerful states such as Russia might take it as a stalking-horse for intercession. On July 23, 1882, Tai Om Kun encouraged a rabble of rebellious Korean military personnels to assail the Nipponese legateship and seized the King and Queen. The royal household managed to get away, and the Nipponese minster and his staff fought their manner to board a British vas and returned to Japan. The minster subsequently returned to Korea, accompanied by a force of 800 military personnels and 3 patrol cars. Offer to be a go-between, China besides sent war vessels and a force of 4,000 military personnels to Korea. The Chinese seized and took Tai Om Kun to China. Japan turned down the mediation offer and carried out direct dialogues with the Korean Government. An understanding was subsequently reached between Japan and Korea. The Korean authorities was forced to pay an insurance to Japan, to penalize the persons involved in the indignation, and to admit the right of Japan to post military forces in Korea. Despite the sign language of the Treaty of Kianghwa, China still considered Korea a dependent province of China. In September 1882, China concluded a commercial convention with Korea, repeating that Korea was still a tributary province of China. The Korean Government concluded this convention in a hope that China might be able to look into on the Nipponese incursion. In 1884, China involved in a war with France. In fright that a direct war with China at this clip might give other powers chances to step in in Korea, Japan wanted to hold a peaceable colony with China. A mission was so sent to Tientsin for direct treatments with China on the position of Korea. Whil e the treatments were in advancement, the war between France and China came to an terminal to the advantage of China, which gave China a stronger place in the treatment. In April 1885, the two sides came to an understanding that both states would retreat military personnels from Korea, and that in the hereafter neither state would direct military personnels into Korea without advising the other in progress. The understanding was a farther measure on the Nipponese side in that it gave Japan the same right over Korea as that of China. Despite of its success of upgrading its place equal to that of China, Japan was still concerned of its security in respects to Korea, whose geographical location and internal status still was a enticement to the powers such as Russia to hold a manus in. Japan believed that the failing of the Korean Government would finally ask for foreign intercession. The ideal method to cover with this potency was to manage the Korea internal personal businesss harmonizing to the Nipponese theoretical account, sooner done by Japan itself. Therefore, China was regarded as an obstruction. Merely when the Chinese influence was eradicated could Japan presume the place of primary influence over the Korean Government. On the other manus, China still attempted to derive complete control over Korea by reinstalling Tai Om Kun back to Korea and to blockade Japan at every chance. The competition finally led to war. In 1893, the alleged Tong Hak Society ( Society of Eastern Learning ) broke out a rebellion against the maladministration of the Korean Government. In June1894, at the petition of the Korean King, China deployed a big figure of military personnels to Korea and informed Japan of the deployment harmonizing to the 1885 understanding between the two sides. In neglect of the Chinese presentment, Japan besides dispatched military personnels to Korea. However, by the clip both Chinese and Nipponese military personnels arrived, the rebellion had been brought under control by the Korean Government. The King requested the backdown of the Chinese and Nipponese military personnels, which was refused. Both sided insisted that the other withdrew foremost. On July 24, under the force per unit area from Japan, the Korean King authorized Japan to throw out the Chinese military personnels. On July 25, China and Japan went to war. The Chinese military personnels were no lucifer for the better trained and better equipped Nipponese military personnels. In September, Nipponese military personnels captured Pyongyang and began its thrust toward the Yalu River in chase of the crumpling Chinese military personnels. The Nipponese naval forces besides scored a decisive triumph at the conflict of the Yellow Sea. The Nipponese military personnels subsequently landed in southern Manchuria and on the Shandong peninsula. Fearing that farther opposition would ensue in an onslaught on its capital Peking, China consented to negociate peace. A pact was signed at Shimonoseki on April 17, 1895. Harmonizing to the pact, China had to pay a immense insurance to Japan, and to yield Taiwan, the Pescadores Islands and the Liaotung Peninsula. In the pact, China was forced to officially recognized Korea as a crowned head and independent province. However, merely six yearss after subscribing the pact, Germany, Russia, and France organized a tripower intercession to coerce Japan to reconstruct the Liaodong peninsula to China. The triumph in the Sino-Japanese was of great significance to Japan ‘s route to imperialism. Besides winning a bridgehead on the mainland by keeping paramount influence on the Korean peninsula, the acquisition of Taiwan offered both an agriculturally rich sphere to Japan and a strategically of import island out of the southern seashore of China. The immense insurance fueled to speed up the enlargement of Nipponese industries. Most of import of all, Japan now stood up as a great power, recognized by the other great powers as every bit powerful. Japan became a fully fledged member in the nine of imperialist powers. In 1902, Japan and Britain entered a common defence confederation, which in consequence recognized Japan as one of the universe ‘s great powers. However, Japan had another competition to cover with before it could to the full exert its power to run Korean personal businesss. With China holding eliminated from Korean personal businesss, Russia seized the chance to widen its influence on the peninsula. After several failed efforts to peacefully settle the struggles of their involvements in Korea and Manchuria, in February, 1904, Japan went to war with Russia. The war was a military catastrophe for Russia. The Nipponese ground forces moved from triumph to triumph in the conflict field. On May 27, the Nipponese navy virtually destructing the Russia fleet in the conflict of Tsushima. The two sides eventually agreed to negociate peace as the two sides were exhausted both militarily and economically by the war. A pact was signed on September 5, 1905. In the pact, Russia acknowledged Japan ‘s overriding political, military and economic involvements in Korea.The Fall of KoreaNumerous understandings were exchanged between Japan a nd Korea during the last three decennaries of the nineteenth century and the first decennary of the twentieth century, which incrementally and jointly culminated to the 1910 appropriation pact in which Korea became a district of Japan. Of these understandings, the most of import 1s were those made in 1904 and 1905, which resulted in Korea going a associated state of Japan, and a 1907 understanding which placed the Korean internal personal businesss in the manus of Japan ‘s Resident-General. In 1904, during the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a quasi-protectorate of Japan. On 22 August 1904, Korea agreed to â€Å" follow the advice † of Japan sing â€Å" betterments in disposal † , while Japan agreed to guarantee â€Å" the safety and rest of the Imperial House of Korea † and vouch â€Å" the independency and territorial unity † of Korea. After the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Korea became a full associated state of Japan. In the understanding signed on 17 November 1905, Japan agreed to stand for Korea in its dealingss with other states and to protect â€Å" the topics and involvements of Korea † in other states. As Korea ‘s placeholder in foreign personal businesss, Japan would intercede all bing and future pacts between Korea and other states. On 24 July 1907, Korea and Japan signed an understanding which gave the Resident-General the authorization to the full control of Korea ‘s domestic personal businesss. On 22 August, 1910, the Emperor of Korea ceded his sovereignty over Korea to the Emperor of Japan. On 29 August, 1910, the ceding was announced to the universe at big and became lawfully effectual. Japan ‘s logic of appropriation was simply following the enchiridion by John W. Foster, the former US Secretary of State who argued in a widely circulated reference before the National Geographic Society, in 1897, that the United States should annex Hawaii, other than make it associated state, in order to forestall it from falling into the custodies of a rival and possible enemy, viz. Japan. Foster ‘s statements were exactly what Japan had in head. A decennary subsequently, Japan decided that Korea should be an built-in portion of Japan, and non merely a associated state. In fact, it is dramatic that the tactics that Japan applied to open Korea was following precisely what the US had taught Japan in 1853.DecisionNipponese imperialism was different from its opposite number of the Western powers ‘ . Unlike imperialism of the Western powers whose major aims was economic, at the early phase of Japan ‘s imperialistic enlargement, security was the primary thrust. Th erefore, Japan ‘s imperialistic enlargement at the early phase was instead prudent and less aggressive. Having experienced the resentment of being oppressed by the Western powers, Japan was sensitive in term of its ain security. Even though the unexpected economic additions from suppressing and from immense insurance, every bit good as the pride and prestigiousness were added to its drift at the ulterior phase of enlargements, security was still the taking concern. Japan believed that a weak authorities would take to foreign intercession. The autumn of Korea to the Western powers would jeopardize her ain security, so would the autumn of China and other Asiatic states. Since Asiatic states could non reform their authoritiess on their ain, it was necessary for Japan to presume the leading and take the duty to convey alterations to those states by usage of force. By making so, Japan could finally guarantee her ain security. The geographical importance with a weak authorities of K orea, and the concern of security of Japan and the sense of duty, were the causes that turned Korea victim of Nipponese imperialism.

Personal Revision Strategy Essay

My personal strategy for revising a piece of writing involves reading through the entire paper to ensure that it conveys the intended meaning. It is important to wait a while after writing the first draft before taking another thorough look at it. Specific emphasis should be placed on the thesis of the paper to ensure that the argument of the paper is strictly adhered to. After this, I examine the manner in which the paragraphs flow into one another and I arrange them in the appropriate order. For example, a typical essay is arranged by putting the introduction at the beginning, followed by body, before the final part of the paper known as the conclusion. Every paragraph in the paper should also have a link to the thesis of the paper. It is necessary to ensure that the opening argument of the paper is explained in the first line of each paragraph to ensure that there’s sufficient clarity and consistency throughout the document. After checking for proper paragraph transition, the next thing I do is check for typographical errors. This ensures that punctuation marks like commas and semi-colons are used appropriately. Tools such as the Grammar Check, Spell Check and the Dictionary also come in handy during the revision process (Zinsser, 2001). When the aforementioned steps have been concluded, I format the whole document to suit the required audience. For example, academic writings are presented in a format that’s entirely different from presentations. The next step involves sending the paper in for peer review. Peer review is very critical to producing a good paper because it gives the writer a chance to receive feedback and constructive criticism on the document before the final submission (Hairston & Friend, 2002). Other areas of importance that need to be examined during the revision process include the balance of the paper, tone and formality of the language used, accuracy of facts outlined, references and the general writing style (Elbow, 1998). References Elbow, P. (1998). Writing With Power . New York: Oxford UP. Hairston, M. R. , & Friend, C. (2002). How do you Revise, Edit, and Proofread? New York:: Longman. Zinsser, W. (2001). On Writing Well. New York: HarperCollins .

Chapter 1- Kinematics Regents Physics Essays - Classical Mechanics

Chapter 1- Kinematics Regents Physics Essays - Classical Mechanics Chapter 1- Kinematics Regents Physics One-Dimensional Motion - Constant Acceleration Equations As we already know, acceleration is defined as the change of velocity per unit of time and can be found using: a= v t 3990975151765 Since: v= v f - v i , our formula then becomes: If we apply some algebra and solve for " v f " then we arrive at: v f = v i + at Several derivations using the above information lead to useful equations when we want knowledge of an object's displacement, velocity, or acceleration at any particular time. Such equations include: d = v i t + 1 2 at 2 v f 2 = v i 2 + 2ad Knowing which equation to use relies simply on the information you are given in the problem. In other words, it is important to write down every piece of information given by the problem including the variable that you are looking for . For example: Roger starts from rest and accelerates at 4 m/s 2 for 3 seconds. How far has Roger travelled? Notice how if an object starts from rest , v i (initial velocity) will always be zero. Similarly, if an object comes to rest , the v f (final velocity) will be zero. A bowling ball moving 20 m/s comes to rest at the end of the alley 20 meters away. Determine the acceleration of the bowling ball. A soccer ball kicked from rest travels 50 meters in 3 seconds. Determine the acceleration of the soccer ball. A car is initially moving at 20 m/s. The car then accelerates at a rate of 5 m/s 2 . How fast will the car be moving after 400 meters? 5181600306070 Superman is flying at 300 m/s. He then accelerates at a rate of 20 m/s 2 for 10 seconds. How fast is he now flying?

HUNT Surname Meaning and Origin

HUNT Surname Meaning and Origin As it sounds, the Hunt surname is generally considered to be an occupational name for a hunter, from the Old English hunta, meaning to hunt. Its also possible that the Hunt surname is an mis-translation of the Irish surname Ó Fiaich (due to confusion with fiach, the modern spelling of fiadhach, meaning to hunt), or an Anglicized spelling of the German surname Hundt. Surname Origin:  English Alternate Surname Spellings:  HUNTER, HUNTAR, HUNTE, HUNTA, HUNTT, HUNDT Where in the World is the HUNT Surname Found? According to  Forebears, the Hunt surname is most prevalent in the United States, where over 172,000 people bear the name. It is more common based on rank in the nation, however, in New Zealand (ranked 78th), Wales (84th) and  England (89th). Historical data from the 1881 census in England shows the surname Hunt was most common in Wiltshire (11th most common surname), Dorset (12th), Berkshire (17th), Somerset and Oxfordshire (23rd), Hampshire (24th) and Leicestershire (25th). WorldNames PublicProfiler  identifies the Hunt surname as being especially common in the United Kingdom, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Within the UK it is most common in southern England, especially the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Monmouthshire and Derbyshire. Famous People with the Last Name HUNT Linda Hunt - American actress, born  Lydia Susanna HunterHelen Hunt - American actressJames Hunt - British race car driver famous in the 1970sE. Howard Hunt - former CIA agent, famous for helping to organize the Watergate breakinAlfred Hunt - American steel magnateHenry Hunt - British radical speaker and politicianBonnie Hunt - American actressLeigh Hunt - English author and criticWilliam Morris Hunt - American painter Genealogy Resources for the Surname HUNT How to Research English AncestorsTrace your British roots back to England and beyond with the steps outlined in this English genealogy guide. Learn how to locate your ancestors county and/or parish in England, plus how to access vital records, census records and parish records. The HUNT DNA WebsiteOver 180 individuals with the Hunt surname and variants such as Hunte, Hunta, Huntt, Hundt, etc. have tested their Y-DNA and joined this project to help identify various Hunt families. Hunt Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Hunt family crest or coat of arms for the Hunt surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. FamilySearch - HUNT GenealogyExplore over 4 million historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Hunt surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. HUNT Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts a free mailing lists for researchers of the Hunt surname. DistantCousin.com - HUNT Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Hunt. The Hunt Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Hunt from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.    Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Definite Articles Il and Lo in Early Italian

Definite Articles Il and Lo in Early Italian In early Italian, the use of various forms of the definite article was a little different than today. The form lo was more frequent than in modern Italian, and it was also used in many cases in which il was subsequently called for. Today,  lo precedes nouns beginning with s impura (s consonant), (lo Stato), z (lo zio), gn (lo gnomo), sc (lo sciocco), pn (lo pneumatico), ps (lo psicologo), x (lo xilofono), and with i semiconsonantica (semivowel i) (lo iodio). All other masculine nouns starting with a consonant are preceded by the article il. In early Italian, however, the form il could only be used after a word ending in a vowel and before a word beginning with a consonante semplice (simple consonant). In those cases, it could also occur in the reduced form l. Here are two examples from Dantes Divine Comedy (more specifically from Inferno: Canto I: mavea di paura il cor compunto (verso 15);l, dove l sol tace (verso 60). However, the form lo can be used in both cases, given that the final sound of the previous words ends in vowels and the initial sounds of the next words end in simple consonants. In particular, the use of this form was mandatory at the beginning of a phrase. Here are some examples, again taken from Dantes Divine Comedy: si volse a retro a rimirar lo passo (Inferno: Canto I, verso 26);Tu se lo mio maestro (Inferno: Canto I, verso 85);Lo giorno se nandava (Inferno: Canto II, verso 1). The differences in the use of the articles lo and il could be summarized as follows: in early Italian, lo was used more frequently and could be used in all cases (even if il was expected). In modern Italian il is found more frequently, and unlike in early Italian, there is no overlap in the usage of the two articles. How Is Lo Used in Contemporary Italian? The early use of the article lo instead of il continues in contemporary Italian in adverbial phrases such as per lo pià ¹ (for the most part) and per lo meno (at least). Another form which still occurs today (but in very limited use), is the plural li. This form is sometimes found when indicating a date, especially in bureaucratic correspondence: Rovigo, li marzo 23 1995. Since li isnt an article recognized by most Italians today, it is not uncommon to see it misspelled with an accent, as if it were the adverb of place là ¬. Of course, when speaking one says Rovigo, il marzo 23 1995, while in general in correspondence it is preferred to write 23 marzo 1995 (without the article). In  Italian, the article, whether an  articolo  determinativo  (definite article), an  articolo  indeterminativo  (indefinite article), or an  articolo  partitivo  (partitive article), has no independent lexical meaning in a sentence. It serves in various ways, however, to define the  noun  it is associated with, and with which it must agree in gender and number. If the speaker wants to say something about a dog (for example), he must first specify whether the statement is intended to refer to all class members (Il cane à ¨ il  migliore  amico  delluomo.- Dog is mans best friend.) or a single individual (Marco ha un cane pezzato.- Mark has a spotted dog). The article, along with other parts of speech, for example,  aggettivi  dimostrativi  (questo  cane- this dog), (alcuni  cani- some dogs), or  aggettivi  qualificativi  ( un bel cane- a beautiful dog), performs the important function of determining the nominal group.

Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Application - Essay Example My interests lie in the field psychology and I feel that the college’s program will not only provide me a solid foundation but also provide me with the practical application of valuable skills and knowledge that will be important when I graduate and begin my professional career. Upon graduation, I intend to continue with my education and pursue a master’s degree and then eventually a Ph.D. Specifically, I want to attend SUNY Empire State College because of its fine reputation as a top-rated college within the SUNY system and within New York. It has a strong reputation for having high academic standards and its programs and degree programs are accredited. I am very impressed by the flexible class formats and I am attracted to the interactive instructors and professors. The student to professor ratio is another reason why I feel that this university is a good fit for me. In addition, I find the availability of resources for academic assistance unmatched in comparison with other universities and colleges. SUNY Empire State College cannot only benefit me, but I can bring a lot to the university as well. Because I grew up in a difficult background, I can relate to the people I wish to help in my professional career. Through sharing my personal experiences, it will provide insight, inspiration and learning experiences to my peers and colleagues. As a single mother, it has led me to be extremely organized and detail oriented. Having these qualities has set me up for success as a college student and a professional. Throughout my high school career, I had several leadership roles that have made me ready for the next level of education and professional development. I was involved in several leadership positions, one being the secretary of the student body. During this experience, the cabinet of our student body was invited to attend a leadership conference in Washington D.C., where we

Statistics Problems Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statistics Problems - Speech or Presentation Example 32. Dole Pineapple, Inc., is concerned that the 16-ounce can of sliced pineapple is being overfilled. Assume the standard deviation of the process is .03 ounces. The quality control department took a random sample of 50 cans and found that the arithmetic mean weight was 16.05 ounces. At the 5 percent level of significance, can we conclude that the mean weight is greater than 16 ounces? Determine the p-value. 38. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that the 30-year mortgage rate is now less than 6 percent. A sample of eight small banks in the Midwest revealed the following 30-year rates (in percent): As the p – value is greater than 0.01, the null hypothesis can be accepted. Hence it can be concluded that there is no significant difference in the mean number of times men and women take – out dinners in a month. 46. Grand Strand Family Medical Center is specifically set up to treat minor medical emergencies for visitors to the Myrtle Beach area. There are two facilities, one in the Little River Area and the other in Murrells Inlet. The Quality Assurance Department wishes to compare the mean waiting time for patients at the two locations. Samples of the waiting times, reported in minutes, follow: 52. The president of the American Insurance Institute wants to compare the yearly costs of auto insurance offered by two leading companies. He selects a sample of 15 families, some with only a single insured driver, others with several teenage drivers, and pays each family a stipend to contact the two companies and ask for a price quote. To make the data comparable, certain features, such as the deductible amount and limits of liability, are standardized. The sample information is reported below. At the .10 significance level, can we conclude that there is a difference in the amounts quoted? 23. A real estate agent in the coastal area of

Regular Vacuum Cleaner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Regular Vacuum Cleaner - Essay Example One of the most recognized tools used in large scale both commercially and in residential areas is regular vacuum cleaner and an understanding of the competency of the gadget in relation to consumer needs is imperative for the comprehension of its revolutionary aspect. In the analysis of the regular vacuum cleaner in relation to technology and changes in the contemporary world, my company will involve the Strength, Weaknesses, opportunities and threats characteristics (SWOT) to obtain an in-depth analysis of the machine in all aspects to determine the best way forward with the gadget (Pahl, 2009). Focusing on the strengths of the commodity, the design of the cleaner comes in first. The manner in which the commodity is designed in that it is easy to roll provided the small efficient wheels it bears, the fact that it has a motor inside that is sure to revolve all the incoming dust makes it rather reputable. Moreover, the filter on the upper side of the cleaner ensures that the gadget i s efficient enough as to only let out clean air if it does let out any. This will be a very important point to be taken by the technology department of the company and specifically the technical department and for maximum efficiency credible qualifications are required. Another strength noticed in the commodity is the maintenance. The maintenance of the vacuum cleaner is very cheap because it does not require any outside catering for its processing whenever the dust chamber is full. The manual with which the commodity is bought with provides detailed and direct steps of how to go around the management of the cleaner. The manufacturers of various cleaners have made it easier for customers to determine which cleaner to purchase. As a company, we will indulge in ensuring that we offer after sale services that include regular check-ups through phone calls in case of any problems. The wide range of cleaners produced makes it easier for the customer to choose from depending on the volume of dirt absorbed (Daniels, 2011). This is subsequently influenced by the usage, either commercial or residential. There are also many weaknesses involved with the gadget after studying its market and physical characteristics critically. For one, the market prices of the commodity make it rather difficult for everyone to purchase. Despite the fact that there may exist cheap vacuum cleaners, their working ability is in no manner equivalent to all the rest. The cheaper the commodity, the less efficient it works. This is from the fact that the manufacturers of the commodities make the cleaners with very small alterations that lead to very large price differences. This is unethical given that almost every home in the contemporary world utilizes the commodity. A mere external physical alteration in the design and a change in the size of the dust bag size may even make prices differ. The company will ensure that the buyers of the commodity get what is worth of their money and this will be done by incorporating market and technical experts to determine how to provide high quality commodities at affordable prices thus upgrading the company’s image (Seymour, 2008). Another weakness in the commodity is the repair costs. Despite the fact that many companies that sell these cleaners offer guarantees, the warranty is at many times useless. This is because the gadgets may operate well for a couple of years and then

Solyndra, California based solar panel company Essay

Solyndra, California based solar panel company - Essay Example It is one of the companies, given assistance by the government in order to counteract the Chinese efforts towards the manufacture of green technology. The company went bankrupt in august 2011. Cynics are using the bankruptcy of the company to prove that the country is not ready for solar energy. Before filing for bankruptcy, the company was given five hundred and thirty five million dollars from the economic stimulus package (Department of Energy). Due to its current status, the manufacturing company is up for sale. The federal loans were part of the Obama administration stimulus program. The company used a new technology called copper indium gallium celenide (CIGS), in the manufacture of cylindrical panels, while competitors were using silicon. At first the company recorded high profits, but with plummet in silicon prices, and increase in prices of the materials they were using, started making losses. This situation was made worse by Chinese companies that produced solar panels at s ubsidized prices, due to low costs of production, thus flooding the market with cheaper products. The costs of manufacturing solar panels using CIGS was expensive to maintain in the end, leading to increased losses. Consequently, the company shut down its operation, and all employees were laid off. There are several laws that apply in this situation. One of them is the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This bill was passed into law by congress and signed by President George. Bush in 2008. It is an attempt to curb energy problems by providing incentives and loans towards cleaner energy alternatives. It has many provisions including subsidies for wind and solar energy production, to reduce environmental pollution. The loan provided by the federal government was guaranteed by the above act towards cleaner energy production mechanisms. The company later filed for bankruptcy two years after the bailout (Solyndra, 2011, 12). The managers of this company are likely to get millions of dollars in t ax breaks, due to provisions in the above act. The question is whether the government ignored the red flags and funded a company which could be a fraud from the beginning. The other is the American Recovery and Reinforcement Act of 2009. Sit was approved by congress and signed into law by President Obama in 2009. Its main aim is to save jobs including those in the â€Å"clean† energy industry. It draws from the Keynesian theory, which argues that during recession, the government should increase public spending, due to a decrease in private spending. Under the energy provision, the act allocated around eight and a half billion dollars for subsidies towards green energy solutions. Milton Friendman was an American economist and a noble price winner who advocated for a free capitalist economy where the government has little or no control over the businesses. As such, there are no constraints. This is was an opposition to the existing Keynesian government policies (Friendman, 1980 ). He was also of the opinion that a person can do whatever they please as long as they do not break the law. He widely promoted the stockholder theory. Basically, this theory is for the opinion that a company’s main obligation is to its stakeholders. As such a business or an organization should work towards maximized profits as long as they do not break the law. This is because the stakeholders have the most to lose from the bad decisions made by business managers. Because of this, a business will in the long run

Misogyny in a specific advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Misogyny in a specific advertisement - Essay Example This "Misogyny in a specific advertisement" essay outlines how misogyny impacts on how we view ourselves and appropriate human actions on the example of Skyye Vodka ad. The image of male domination in this advertisement would be very difficult to argue against. The man standing over the woman is imagery enough to suggest his proper place is in control, on top, in charge. That he is in a business suit suggests power, privilege and further emphasizes the aspect of control. His grip on the neck of the vodka bottle further emphasizes the idea of strength and power. He could do anything with that bottle, from pouring its contents into glasses or directly into her mouth or smash it over her head. His stance, while straddling the woman, also forms a powerful pyramidal negative space between his legs. In art as well as in the subconscious mind, this symbol is recognized as one of the most stable geometric shapes. As such, the man gains this power of the pyramid even while the primitive symbo l for a man, the upward pointing triangle, is emphasized by his socially-acceptable shape. The way in which his jacket falls open further emphasizes this upward-pointing triangle. The idea of male domination isn’t only present in the figure of the man, however. It is also very evident in the position and nature of the woman. Her bronzed and blonde amply endowed figure is reminiscent of the powerful Amazonians of legend, those women that held the supreme power of their own government and were fatal to men.

TSCA definitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TSCA definitions - Essay Example he various ways in which one can be exposed to PCBs include breathing air that contain PCBs, eating food that contain PCBs, or touching anything that contains them. PCBs usually remain in the environment for long periods of time, and for this reason, therefore, people can easily be exposed to them when they come in contact with things that contain them. Due to their long stay in the environment, one can easily be exposed to them by coming into contact with the equipment or any other thing that contain them like the, electrical transformers, capacitors, fluorescent lighting fixtures, and appliances. It is recommended by NIOSH that workers should not breathe air that contains 42 or 54% chlorine, i.e. PCB levels higher than 1 microgram per cubic meter of air (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½g/m3) for a 10-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. EPA demands that companies that either transport, store, or dispose of PCBs adhere to the rules and regulations of the federal hazardous waste management program. Also, EPA limits the amount of PCBs put into public waste water treatment plants. Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is a valence state (+6) of the element chromium; there are many more valences of the element chromium. Cr(VI) is produced through an industrial process. One of the bad effects of Cr(VI) to human beings is that Cr(VI) is known to cause cancer. Also, Cr(VI) targets the respiratory system, liver, kidneys, skin and eyes. From the OSAH website we learn that approximately 558,000 workers are potentially exposed to Cr(VI) in the United States. Employees can be exposed to hex chrome in different was including breathing in of dusts, mists or fume, ingestion, or through dermal or eye contact . Wellbeing impacts related with presentation to hex chrome can include disturbance or harm to the skin and eyes.   Direct skin contact to Hex Chrome can bring about undesirable susceptible response known as contact dermatitis. Once an anaphylaxis grows, even concise skin contact can bring about manifestations.

Misogyny in a specific advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Misogyny in a specific advertisement - Essay Example This "Misogyny in a specific advertisement" essay outlines how misogyny impacts on how we view ourselves and appropriate human actions on the example of Skyye Vodka ad. The image of male domination in this advertisement would be very difficult to argue against. The man standing over the woman is imagery enough to suggest his proper place is in control, on top, in charge. That he is in a business suit suggests power, privilege and further emphasizes the aspect of control. His grip on the neck of the vodka bottle further emphasizes the idea of strength and power. He could do anything with that bottle, from pouring its contents into glasses or directly into her mouth or smash it over her head. His stance, while straddling the woman, also forms a powerful pyramidal negative space between his legs. In art as well as in the subconscious mind, this symbol is recognized as one of the most stable geometric shapes. As such, the man gains this power of the pyramid even while the primitive symbo l for a man, the upward pointing triangle, is emphasized by his socially-acceptable shape. The way in which his jacket falls open further emphasizes this upward-pointing triangle. The idea of male domination isn’t only present in the figure of the man, however. It is also very evident in the position and nature of the woman. Her bronzed and blonde amply endowed figure is reminiscent of the powerful Amazonians of legend, those women that held the supreme power of their own government and were fatal to men.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Assignment Example This process of accommodation is known as Homeostasis. All living things respond to a stimulus that is a given force or energy form. This energy is formed though a combination of sunlight and chemical energy. The whole process involves chemical energy that in turn lead to certain reactions. This can be related or human body can be used as specimen. As man continues with his struggle of maintaining diet, vitamins have remained one of the darlings that he always seeks. The scientists have considered vitamins as having relatively equal importance, to that of carbohydrates and proteins, in maintaining the life of man. Its importance led the scientist into studying deeply what the vitamins may comprise. This leads to the categorization of the vitamins into types depending on how they contribute to the life of man. Among the categories included vitamin c also known as ascorbic acid. The characteristics of the ascorbic acid, as a compound, contribute to its uses in the life of man. Some of the known characteristics include less stable, soluble in water, only slightly stable in acids and presence potent. Human or nature contributes to the sources of the ascorbic acid in the daily life activities. ... The following is the structure of vitamin C Ascorbic acid/isoascorbic acid exists on earth as radicals at a physiological ph. As indicated in the structure, the ascorbic acid has unpaired electrons contribute by the C atom. The differences between the two radicals occur when there is application of the electron spin technique. The compound radical forms a cyclic structure composed of hydrogen bonds between the carbon atoms and oxygen atoms, and carbon atom to HO (Kastner, 2). The hydrogen bonds surround the sodium ion in ascorbyl radical while in isoascorbyl the bonds surround the potassium ion. Both of the radicals are electroneutral especially when considering the reasoning that they comprise sodium and potassium. The presence of glutathione normally triggers the action, which alters the electronic configuration of the carbon atom back to its original value of 4 (Biophys, 207). This together with the electroneutral properties allows for the transportation through of sodium and the potassium ion through the membrane. The optimum temperature for the function of the radicals is approximately 370C while it has a neutral ph at around 7. The temperature and the ph features always occur at the physiological values. Considering the physiological conditions, there is the presence of the specific enzyme systems, which helps in maintaining the stability of balance between the two radicals (ASC and Iso-ASC) and their corresponding semi- and fully oxidized states (Biophys, 207). The balance of these two (forming the mechanism of complex redox) helps in ensuring that there are suitable physiological conditions. The unbalance between the two may form a platform for the occurrence of many diseases. Uses and application They

Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool

Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Abstract The aim of this research is to observe and explain consumers preference for African food in Liverpool. By identifying the attitudes towards African food, evaluating the different factors that affect the availability and accessibility of these foods within the city, the effect of globalisation processes on food production to consumption. Three different theories have been used in this research, the Theory of Reason Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Actor Network Theory and the theory of consumption. The global production network which seeks to identify the geographical spatiality involved in the network process of crossing African foods to UK. The actor-network theory is used to explain the different actors/actants in the global production network. The theories of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour used in this research intends to explain consumer attitude, preference and behaviour towards African foods. It is however observed that African consumers tend to prefer African traditional meals but this is affected by cost, time and distance. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research method is used to better interpret the outcomes of the result. A total of 150 respondents where interviewed from various part of the city, including students, young adults family etc. Cutting across different age groups. Owners of African food stores and restaurants were interviewed using both structured and semi-structured interview. Individuals were selected randomly, to verify interest in African foods. Chapter 1 Introduction The importance of food as a necessity of life goes beyond physical nourishment. Anthropologist and sociologist emphasize that food practices are prime means through which social relationships are formed. (Johnston et al 2006:272). A familiar saying goes â€Å"we are what we eat†; food links us to the rituals and recipes of previous generations, creating a network between families, wider communities, and the global trading network of producers, distributors and consumers. More so, we are transported into the world of others as we experience the tastes of unknown tradition and cultures. Food choices make profound impact on the environment, health and welfare of others, challenging the ideas of tradition and identity. Travel and immigration have also resulted in the changing and shifting of traditions over the years. National identities have been created also by food traditions in distant lands among people of similar culture and background. Food is an indicator of cultural tradi tions, values, and how food traditions develop and evolve over space and time. Much talk of globalisation of foods have helped in shaping traditions, cultural diversity, social and political economy of places, (Bernstein et al 1990: 9, Tinker 1997: 137, 143) however, not all kinds of food are very welcomed in some places, though may not be stated categorically, it can be observed within cities and communities most probably as result of economic policies, cultural differences, international trading policies. Traditional food is a vital aspect of the African cultural heritage. The production processing sale and distribution of food products enhances cultural and ethnic coherence in communities. Consumers demand for safe and tasteful traditional food products (Cayot, 2007). However, there is also a demand for varieties of ethnic foods in multi-ethnic cities and community. The definition of food encompasses matters of moral and cultural significance, differentiating food products, providers and consumers (Cook et al 1996). Food has always had a long history of constructed associations which involves associations of places and people, and has been used as emblem of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Johnston et al claim that there is no single geographical literature on food with its own coherent themes and problematic, as the study of food is found in economic, political, cultural, social and biological aspects of geography. Therefore food matter does not sit within the confinement of conceptual and spatial boundaries (Johnston 2006: 272). Key issues surrounding topic The speed and reach of globalisation, travel and trade, bring all kinds of diverse foods together. This has however affected the definitions of particular national food culture (Murray). The influence of travel and migration can be seen on major streets and cities in United Kingdom with a rich mixture of nationalities, Indian curry houses, Jewish Bagel shops, Chinese buffets restaurant, Italian restaurant, Mexican among others. However, the presence of African food restaurants seems not a loud as the others considering the long standing history of Blacks in the city. The absence of physical representation of the African food culture around the city especially in everyday cultural display such as in food, as compared to the Asian presence of Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican cuisines and other ethnic group in Liverpool raises questions of demand and supply. The most important representation so far is the International Slavery museum at the docks and black slave sculptures that are displayed around historical places in the city, which are only representations of past history and geography and not a total representation of the African culture in recent times. Ethnic minority consumers quest for cultural identity is perceived in the food culture of the group in concern. Commercial globalisation has renewed interest in the relationship between culture and traditional norms and values (James 1890). This pursuit for identity among most migrants to the western world is pronounced in their choice of food (Bauman2000). This research seeks to observe trends in African consumer behaviour and attitude toward African food in United Kingdom, using Liverpool as a case study. In trying to observe and evaluate these trends, certain issues have provided a background for this study, one of which is the re-materializing of postcolonial geographies as it affects Africans in a foreign country. African migrants attitude and food choice behaviour have been affected by certain factors, government and institutional policies of cutting across various levels of trading activities. In determining a consumers preference towards food related behaviours, convenience, as a food attribute, has been described as being as important as taste, health and price (Candel, 2001). However, the availability and accessibility of food influence consumers preference as different values are considered in understanding why consumers make certain food choice. Food choice is a complex phenomenon with many interacting events determining which foods are eaten by the individual at a particular time and place. (Shepherd 1989.) The failure of African foods to cross over into United Kingdom mainstream market has pointed to issues of production, preservation and transportation of African foods into the United Kingdom. International trade policies and barriers by OECD countries, farm subsidies have all been major setbacks to the availability of African food stuff in the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 literature review: theories of consumer perception, Chapter 2 how do Africans perceive African foods and other foods, what do Africans think about the origin of their food and the patriotic nature of Africans towards their food, the first experience of food, generational experience of food. Chapter 3 methodology: theories of research methods. Chapter 4 Chapter 5 result and discussions: background history of black Liverpool, map and population census 2001 of Africans in Liverpool, identifying African business and Questionnaires and interview analysis, Chapter 6 trade relations between African countries and UK CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review looks at the studies that have been done in areas of food preference as it concerns culture, food identity, food preference and quality. The second section will review theories employed in the research and the importance of global production networks. Catherine Dolan and John Humphrey (2000) used Global commodity chain as networks where the decision-maker influences the output of chains and composition governance in their paper ‘governance and trade in fresh vegetables. Their study does not recognise the identity of commodity and consumer as a factor in buyer driven commodity, evaluating the geography of space. This research explores the ethnic identity of consumer as a major actor in global commodity chain networks. The buyers themselves being of African nationality purchase food stuff from the local food store or African food restaurants which receive their supplies from importers of African foods in major cities like London and Manchester. The connection therefore is from the African farmers who grow the foods, to major exporter or importer as the case maybe, to the shelves food store and tables of the restaurant then consumed by Africans who live several miles away from their home country. The cultural identity of the co nsumers becomes a vital connection to the market, because consumers also make demand on the desired food choice. Consumers access to these foods becomes important to the continuity of this trade. Ben Fine (1993) defines commodity chains as â€Å"the commodity-specific chain connecting production, distribution, marketing and consumption and material culture surrounding these elements†, in the study of systems of provision (fine 1993:600). This approach acknowledges the importance of commodities as a possibility of more balanced treatment of the relationship between production and consumption (Crewe 2000). Studies have explored how networks of embedded firms are offering the potential for the more equitable relations between retailer and suppliers, through the sharing of knowledge as market intelligence and labour. (Crewe 1996, Scott 1996, Crewe and Beaverstock 1998). Other study have considered the creative dimension of domestic consumption, and the ways in which consumer good s are actively appropriated in the everyday spaces of the home, however, Domosh examines the reclamation of the home and the domestic space as key consumption site. But it does not take into account the origin of the commodities and how it relates to space for consumption (Domosh 1998). Cook and Crang, explore ways in which geographical knowledge about products invoke a â€Å"double commodity fetishism†. This is the idea in which consumer knowledge are limited by spatially distanciated systems of provision. (Laying emphasis on geographical knowledge about widely sources of food commodities and process through which food is supplied). This work highlights cultural means of places and spaces. Cook and Crang (1996), further explores the global extensive networks and flows of food, people and culinary knowledge embedded in cosmopolitan London. Suggesting that â€Å"cultural mosaic† (Friedman, 1994), conceptualise cultural geographies as bounded cultural regions where constructed associations between food, places and peoples, associations epitomising the conceptions of national, regional and local cuisines. Also describes food as emblems and markers of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Cook et al (1998), in seeking the articulation of the geographies of culture looks at how figure displacement can be used to suggest process of food consumption are cast as local, the connections of food consumption to networks, which extend beyond delimiting boundaries of particular places. Again, in a closely related study, Cook reflects on the biography and geographies of food. A definition of food as having their own biographies, studies the connection of consumer knowledge about the geographical origins of the food they consume and what roles it plays in food choice and consumption (Cook et al 1998). He concludes in a suggestion that knowledge can potentially be a significant factor in food choice and preference. Much research has been done on Caribbean foods within and outside United Kingdom, probably due to the influx of Caribbean foods into United Kingdom market in the mid 1990s, when it became the ethnic cuisine to go mainstream after the Chinese, Indian and Tex Mex (Cook et al 2003). The complex history of the Caribbeans produced a regional cuisine which had overlapped with the Indian and Chinese foods that were on top of international cuisines in the United Kingdom. The region had also become tourist centres to Europeans and a large interest of the Caribbean lifestyle and delicacies reflected on the shelves of UK supermarkets, in addition to the projected images by celebrity chefs, and companies who increased the exports to satisfy the demand of this market in the mid nineties (Cook et al 2003). This also reflected in Caribbean centres established in major cities and streets in the UK. Cook and Harrison examine debate over the failure of Caribbean food to cross over into the UK mainstream. The paper review mosaic and theories of culture as fundamental difference between a white â€Å"mainstream† and black â€Å"ethnic other† as part problems of this failure. (Cook and Harrison 2003). Understandings of postcolonial geographies of material culture and its contributions to the undermining of, and resistance to forms of colonial dominations that persist in contemporary global capitalist relationships as can be found in food trade relations between the ‘third world and the ‘west. The study uses the example of the corporate history of Grace, Kennedy and Co, a company that preferred to cater for the needs of UK ethnic minority and the third world consumers, instead of prioritising cross over in to UK mainstream market. Friedberg research of modern historical geography of food in Burkina Faso shows how agricultural policies, dietary preferences health concerns, helped to transform regional diet, landscape and economy, resulting to temporal and spatial patterns of daily life in Burkina Faso. The study observes the incorporation of Burkina Faso into the globalised market economy as a result of luxury food (French beans), not leaving out the expectation of food quality safety standards (Friedberg 2003). The study also observes the changing geographies of the meaning of food, suggesting how historical study of food consumption takes place outside formal market economy. Gaps in current research Studies on firms by management oriented researchers have been focused more on companies in developed economies, central and Eastern Europe, small and local food production firms in Africa and their business counterparts even in developed economies have received less attention in the study of economic development. Past researches remained outside social science mainstream therefore have not been influenced by general discourses especially in the field of economic geography. Feminist researchers who have done research in the developing world have only concentrated on gender-related issues in the developing nations rather than with broader questions of small, local and industrial organisations and economic development (Henderson et al 2002:437). The major issues of trade liberalization have affected the cross over of African food and with the increase of safety standard procedures by the UK govt. The challenges of small business and the cost of food as also other major issues that will be discussed. In examining the geographical knowledge about food, actors associated with food, which involves location and situatedness of food, the networks and flows of food and people are major debates around the accessibility of these foods. According to Cook et al the long-running history of interconnections between people and places; and the increasing consciousness of the compression of the economic, political, cultural world, and the production of the world as a single place are two major contentions of globalisation debates (Cook et al 1996). London is said to be promoted as a space of ‘global post-modern (Hall, 1991: 32) by the staging and reconstruction of cultural difference in ‘globalisation diversity (Pieterse, 1995:45 as cited Cook 1996), arguably, Liverpool being proclaimed as the ‘world in one city though with characteristic history of local culture is yet to produce a matching representation of modern diversity of the African culture with the exception of the In ternational Slavery museum. Post colonial issues around African cultural heritage in Liverpool will enhance globalisation diversity as represented in food, arts and cultural of the African food biography and origin. Global Production networks Global production networks emphasize the need to refocus attention on the social circumstances under which commodities are produced and consumed† (Dickens et al 2002 pg 444). It takes into account, the process of production-(can be from the farm stage, harvest, labour technology, processing in Africa, transportation, UK standardization, repackaging, supply and distribution,) which do not always follow a chain link but a complex network process, over time and space and distance to consumption. The GPN framework allows for a greater complexity and geographical variation in producer-consumer relation, this in turn enhances the ability to reveal how certain key knowledge ‘circulate between producers, consumers and intermediaries. It also reveals complex social geographies as agents located in different places can be seen to combine to influence the production process (Henderson et al 2002:445). In all, this research seeks to answer the following questions: †¢ Research Questions? To what extent does the demand of African food affect its availability? What impact does African food trade make on the supply of these foods? How have African food stores and restaurants faired with migration of Africans in Liverpool? Preference is described by Babicz-Zielinska as â€Å"a general predisposition for a particular food, independent of the eating situation, and expressed by degree of liking or disliking of the food, desired food frequency or fraction of subjects selecting the food as a response to its name†(Babicz-Zielinska 1999:139). The choice of food depends on factors that influence human behaviour, which in turn affects the rejection of some food and acceptance of others. A classification based on current food-choice models is used to explain certain attributes of food choice is made by Babicz-Zielinska (Babicz-Zielinska 1999:138) 1. Production-related factors- which could be physical and chemical properties of food, sensory attributes, functional features(labelling, availability) nutritional value; or 2. Consumer-related factors- personal features, (age, gender, psychological factors, experience, personality), physiological factors (health) or 3. Environment-related factors- economic factors (price and income), cultural factors (beliefs, social factors- social status and fashion. Consumer-related factors and environment-related factors will be area of concern in this research. Factors of food choice survey was conducted in European Community EC countries, and it showed that quality/freshness, taste, selecting a healthy diet, price, family preferences and habits belong to the most important choice factors, (Lennernas et al 1997) Behavioural research methodologies are usually used to ascertain the underlying factors that determine food-related behaviour, reason being that food choice and consumption are natural and integrated part of human behaviour (Mahon et al 2006:474). The theory of reasoned action The theory of reasoned action has received attention within the field of consumer behaviour. (Sheppard et al 1988). The theory of reasoned action studies attitude and behaviour (Ajzen Fishbein 1980). It observes behavioural intention, attitude and subjective norm. According to Fishbein and Ajzen, a persons behaviour is guided by the persons attitude towards the behaviour and the subjective norm. For example, Africans tend to eat hot, spicy and tasty food, so when they find themselves away from ‘home, they look for their regular food, or something very close to the kind of food they have been used to, the alternative in this case could mean the Caribbean cuisine which also has its origin from African foods, or the Spanish or Mexican spicy foods as found in UK. However the cost also plays a determining role in making food choice, this shall be explained in detail in later chapter. Miller 2005 defines attitude, subjective norm, and behavioural intentions as the 3 components of the theory of reasoned action. Attitude: The sum of beliefs about a particular behaviour weighted by evaluation of these beliefs. Subjective norms. This looks at the influence of people in ones social environment on his/her behavioural intentions. Behavioural intention. This is a function of both attitudes towards behaviour and subjective norms towards that behaviour which has been found to predict actual behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour is adopted to explain consumer behaviour towards African food. The other alternative in this research is the British food, considering different factors that affect the choice of food. Human behaviour is explained and predicted by the theory of planned behaviour in understanding beliefs and attitudes. Ajzen et al 1986, explains that TPB is an extension of the TRA. The theory of planned behaviour was developed as a third predictor of behaviour, perceived behavioural control, (Mahon et al 2006:475). Perceived behavioural control reflects beliefs regarding the access to resources and opportunities needed to perform a behaviour (Chiou, 1998 as cited in Mahon 2006 pg 475). The availability of resources needed to engage in the behaviour such as money, time and other resources, the focal person self confidence in their ability to conduct the behaviour are two major reflections of the theory of planned behaviour. The theory of consumer preference. Consumers have set of preferences which are dependent upon individual tastes, education, culture and other factors, apart from the economic factor. These factors are measured for particular goods in terms of the real opportunity cost to the consumer who purchases and consumes the goods. Consumer level of satisfaction of a particular kind of food is determined by what the consumer defines as â€Å"satisfaction†. However, consumers are constrained in their choices of foods by income, accessibility of goods and also the price that the consumer is willing to pay for his food. Consumer preferences are defined as the subjective taste as measured by utility-(where utility is the satisfaction that a consumer derives from the consumption of a good) of various bundles of goods. Preferences help consumer to prioritize bundles of goods according to the levels of utility that they give the consumer. However, these preferences are not dependent on income and prices only. The ability for a consumer to purchase certain kind of food does not always determine a consumers like or dislike over another food. For example, an African consumer in Liverpool can have a preference for African foods over British foods but only has the financial means to buy British meals more often. There are certain assumptions of consumers preference theory, which will be further looked into, the assumption of decisiveness, consistency, non-satiation, convexity. Actor network theory. ANT, a social theory pioneered by Michel Callon (1986), Bruno Latour (1987) and John Law (1987), conceptualize social interactions in terms of networks. This includes the material environment and human causes. The concept of ANT acknowledges the importance of both material and human factors in networks. The theory conveys the idea that the actor does not act ‘on his own but only under the influence of complex network of material and human influences. For example, the process involved in making African foods available is not just caused human factors, but also by production, technology, society, extended politics of trade and culture, all affecting the accessibility and availability of the foods. According to Callon (1986) materials causes as well as human actors may be determinants of the social interactions and outcomes (Callon 1986). According to Henderson 2002, ANT emphasize the relationality of object and agency in heterogeneous networks, in other words, entities in network s are shaped by and can only be understood through their relations and connectivity to other entities(Law, 1999:4 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). Again, space and distance are observed as ‘spatial fields and relational scopes of influence, power and connectivity (Harvey, 1969; Murdoch 1998 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). According to Nancy Vanhouse, ANT has to approaches, ‘follow the actor, through interviews and ethnographic research and through examining inscriptions. Inscriptions including texts, but also images of many sorts, databases, and the like are central to knowledge work. Some (e.g., Latour and Woolgar, 1991; Callon, Law, and Rip, 1986) say that texts (including journal articles, conference papers and presentations, grant proposals, and patents) are among the major, if not the major, products of scientific work. Inscriptions make action at a distance possible by stabilizing work in such a way that it can travel across space and time and be combined with other work. Texts are also central to the process of gaining credibility. They carry work to other people and institutions. They attempt to present work in such a way that its meaning and significance are irrefutable. And texts are where authors establish equivalences among problems, which Callon et al. (1986) identifies as a major strategy of enrolling others. An important part of the standard journal article or grant application, for example, is to say, in essence, If you are interested in X (major issue) you must be interested in Y, which is the topic of the work reported/proposed here. References Latour, B. and Woolgar, S. (1991). Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts, intro by Salk, J., Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press Callon, Michel, John Law, and Arie Rip, eds. Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology: Sociology of Science in the Real World. London: Macmillan Press, 1986. Actor network theory has become very helpful in understanding connections between places and space. Its insistency on non human factor in network production Supply chain and bottleneck bureaucracy of the supply of food products from Africa into the UK makes it more difficult for the availability of this food. This furthermore widens the distance/gap between consumers and suppliers/retailers. The length of this chain affects. The quality assurance schemes, production and manufacturing to retailers protocols and the application of quality management system and standard such as HACCP and ISO series are various ways of cutting supplies. Bottlenecks of food quality and safety standards in food processing and distribution. The HACCP systems are used in specific export sectors in Africa, an example is the EU quality standard for fish in Uganda is based on EU directive 91/493/EEC and on Codex Alimentarius (Trienekens et al 2008:116) covering areas of microbiology level, pesticides residues, heavy metals, effluents, Good manufacturing practices (processing stage) and HACCP (processing stage) (Ssemwanga, 2003 as cited in Trienekens et al 2008:116). Kenya adheres to UK food and safety Act of 1990, more so testing laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025; 2000 by United Kingdom Accreditation services (UKAS) (Kari 2003), the high deportation rate of this products on western markets shows the fragility of the systems. As pesticides residues are discovered in the product. Other systems used for processors and packers of fish for exports are GMP, ISO 90002. The proliferation of standards by western markets creates a barrier for the application of standards by developing countries producers. The lack of enabling environment in which infrastructure facilities are absent in African countries is also a major setback. African countries are still discovering quality and safety of food as important condition for international food trade (Trieneken et al 2008:117). Building of facilities, government structures to improve and ensure quality and safety of products are still key agenda of attention. The importance of transportation, preservation (cooled system of transport) and storage are very vital to international trade. African countries are still at the phase of establishing the right conditions to enforce food quality and safety of the other products. According to Trieneken et al- many developing countries do not have skilled labour and laboratory facilities, this however limits good- quality management, making difficult. Small and medium size business, from developing countries find difficult or almost impossible to comply with standard required in western markets (Dinham, 2003, Unnevehr, 2002). Due to barriers created by SPS and TBT in exporting foods, from developing countries do not have the adequate information and most likely unaware of specific demand of western standards for trade. The heterogeneous standard in developed economies also poses a problem, as continues differ to country and market also differ. The cost of certification is too much for develop countries to bear. Most African food products are unable to adapt to the rigorous requirements of modern supply chain, either through scale enterprise or lack of knowledge or financial constraints, become non-competitive. The myriad of innovations and development has made the process of food supply chain increase in productivity. The combine technology of accurate weighing, refrigeration controlled atmospheric bacterial growth inhibition, pasteurisation, micro-element pollutant detection, bar-coding, electronic recognition of packaging, the use of stabilizers etc, has also contributed to the difficulty in having African food cross over, as most business may not be financially equipped enough for the volume of the trading. Christopher (1999) notes that the supply chain management evolves around the partnership developed in the chain and is supported by information technology applications that co-ordinate information dissemination and sharing amongst the chain members. This research has revealed that most home cooked food are prepared under high hygienic conditions, as cooking is monitored by consumer themselves problems with calories consumptions that affect the health of consumer is also under check, compared to the perceptions about eating fast food at convenience KFC and MacDonalds. This is one reason for the preference of African food among black consumer. One of the major problems of availability of African foods in UK is the problem of access into the country. Developing countries especially in Africa find it difficult to meet the food safety standards imposed by the UK/developing countries. Food safety standards which were originally set up to keep food for quality and safe consumption, by government of different countries are being used as trade impeding protectionist tools.(Jongwanich 2009:1). Food safety standards are usually to the disadvantage of developing countries, due to their limits capacity to access and use technology and information. International trade negotiations have experience setbacks for developing countries in recent years due to a demand for more stringent SPS in developed countries, which is as a result of increase in health consciousness and rising incomes. Before now, tariffs and quantitative restrictions are the trade barriers and impediments that affect export from developing countries to developed countri es, but in recent times, food safety standards have become tool for protectionist to block trade(Jongwanich 2009: Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Consumer Demand for African Food in Liverpool Abstract The aim of this research is to observe and explain consumers preference for African food in Liverpool. By identifying the attitudes towards African food, evaluating the different factors that affect the availability and accessibility of these foods within the city, the effect of globalisation processes on food production to consumption. Three different theories have been used in this research, the Theory of Reason Action, Theory of Planned Behaviour, the Actor Network Theory and the theory of consumption. The global production network which seeks to identify the geographical spatiality involved in the network process of crossing African foods to UK. The actor-network theory is used to explain the different actors/actants in the global production network. The theories of reasoned action and theory of planned behaviour used in this research intends to explain consumer attitude, preference and behaviour towards African foods. It is however observed that African consumers tend to prefer African traditional meals but this is affected by cost, time and distance. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research method is used to better interpret the outcomes of the result. A total of 150 respondents where interviewed from various part of the city, including students, young adults family etc. Cutting across different age groups. Owners of African food stores and restaurants were interviewed using both structured and semi-structured interview. Individuals were selected randomly, to verify interest in African foods. Chapter 1 Introduction The importance of food as a necessity of life goes beyond physical nourishment. Anthropologist and sociologist emphasize that food practices are prime means through which social relationships are formed. (Johnston et al 2006:272). A familiar saying goes â€Å"we are what we eat†; food links us to the rituals and recipes of previous generations, creating a network between families, wider communities, and the global trading network of producers, distributors and consumers. More so, we are transported into the world of others as we experience the tastes of unknown tradition and cultures. Food choices make profound impact on the environment, health and welfare of others, challenging the ideas of tradition and identity. Travel and immigration have also resulted in the changing and shifting of traditions over the years. National identities have been created also by food traditions in distant lands among people of similar culture and background. Food is an indicator of cultural tradi tions, values, and how food traditions develop and evolve over space and time. Much talk of globalisation of foods have helped in shaping traditions, cultural diversity, social and political economy of places, (Bernstein et al 1990: 9, Tinker 1997: 137, 143) however, not all kinds of food are very welcomed in some places, though may not be stated categorically, it can be observed within cities and communities most probably as result of economic policies, cultural differences, international trading policies. Traditional food is a vital aspect of the African cultural heritage. The production processing sale and distribution of food products enhances cultural and ethnic coherence in communities. Consumers demand for safe and tasteful traditional food products (Cayot, 2007). However, there is also a demand for varieties of ethnic foods in multi-ethnic cities and community. The definition of food encompasses matters of moral and cultural significance, differentiating food products, providers and consumers (Cook et al 1996). Food has always had a long history of constructed associations which involves associations of places and people, and has been used as emblem of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Johnston et al claim that there is no single geographical literature on food with its own coherent themes and problematic, as the study of food is found in economic, political, cultural, social and biological aspects of geography. Therefore food matter does not sit within the confinement of conceptual and spatial boundaries (Johnston 2006: 272). Key issues surrounding topic The speed and reach of globalisation, travel and trade, bring all kinds of diverse foods together. This has however affected the definitions of particular national food culture (Murray). The influence of travel and migration can be seen on major streets and cities in United Kingdom with a rich mixture of nationalities, Indian curry houses, Jewish Bagel shops, Chinese buffets restaurant, Italian restaurant, Mexican among others. However, the presence of African food restaurants seems not a loud as the others considering the long standing history of Blacks in the city. The absence of physical representation of the African food culture around the city especially in everyday cultural display such as in food, as compared to the Asian presence of Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican cuisines and other ethnic group in Liverpool raises questions of demand and supply. The most important representation so far is the International Slavery museum at the docks and black slave sculptures that are displayed around historical places in the city, which are only representations of past history and geography and not a total representation of the African culture in recent times. Ethnic minority consumers quest for cultural identity is perceived in the food culture of the group in concern. Commercial globalisation has renewed interest in the relationship between culture and traditional norms and values (James 1890). This pursuit for identity among most migrants to the western world is pronounced in their choice of food (Bauman2000). This research seeks to observe trends in African consumer behaviour and attitude toward African food in United Kingdom, using Liverpool as a case study. In trying to observe and evaluate these trends, certain issues have provided a background for this study, one of which is the re-materializing of postcolonial geographies as it affects Africans in a foreign country. African migrants attitude and food choice behaviour have been affected by certain factors, government and institutional policies of cutting across various levels of trading activities. In determining a consumers preference towards food related behaviours, convenience, as a food attribute, has been described as being as important as taste, health and price (Candel, 2001). However, the availability and accessibility of food influence consumers preference as different values are considered in understanding why consumers make certain food choice. Food choice is a complex phenomenon with many interacting events determining which foods are eaten by the individual at a particular time and place. (Shepherd 1989.) The failure of African foods to cross over into United Kingdom mainstream market has pointed to issues of production, preservation and transportation of African foods into the United Kingdom. International trade policies and barriers by OECD countries, farm subsidies have all been major setbacks to the availability of African food stuff in the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 literature review: theories of consumer perception, Chapter 2 how do Africans perceive African foods and other foods, what do Africans think about the origin of their food and the patriotic nature of Africans towards their food, the first experience of food, generational experience of food. Chapter 3 methodology: theories of research methods. Chapter 4 Chapter 5 result and discussions: background history of black Liverpool, map and population census 2001 of Africans in Liverpool, identifying African business and Questionnaires and interview analysis, Chapter 6 trade relations between African countries and UK CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW This literature review looks at the studies that have been done in areas of food preference as it concerns culture, food identity, food preference and quality. The second section will review theories employed in the research and the importance of global production networks. Catherine Dolan and John Humphrey (2000) used Global commodity chain as networks where the decision-maker influences the output of chains and composition governance in their paper ‘governance and trade in fresh vegetables. Their study does not recognise the identity of commodity and consumer as a factor in buyer driven commodity, evaluating the geography of space. This research explores the ethnic identity of consumer as a major actor in global commodity chain networks. The buyers themselves being of African nationality purchase food stuff from the local food store or African food restaurants which receive their supplies from importers of African foods in major cities like London and Manchester. The connection therefore is from the African farmers who grow the foods, to major exporter or importer as the case maybe, to the shelves food store and tables of the restaurant then consumed by Africans who live several miles away from their home country. The cultural identity of the co nsumers becomes a vital connection to the market, because consumers also make demand on the desired food choice. Consumers access to these foods becomes important to the continuity of this trade. Ben Fine (1993) defines commodity chains as â€Å"the commodity-specific chain connecting production, distribution, marketing and consumption and material culture surrounding these elements†, in the study of systems of provision (fine 1993:600). This approach acknowledges the importance of commodities as a possibility of more balanced treatment of the relationship between production and consumption (Crewe 2000). Studies have explored how networks of embedded firms are offering the potential for the more equitable relations between retailer and suppliers, through the sharing of knowledge as market intelligence and labour. (Crewe 1996, Scott 1996, Crewe and Beaverstock 1998). Other study have considered the creative dimension of domestic consumption, and the ways in which consumer good s are actively appropriated in the everyday spaces of the home, however, Domosh examines the reclamation of the home and the domestic space as key consumption site. But it does not take into account the origin of the commodities and how it relates to space for consumption (Domosh 1998). Cook and Crang, explore ways in which geographical knowledge about products invoke a â€Å"double commodity fetishism†. This is the idea in which consumer knowledge are limited by spatially distanciated systems of provision. (Laying emphasis on geographical knowledge about widely sources of food commodities and process through which food is supplied). This work highlights cultural means of places and spaces. Cook and Crang (1996), further explores the global extensive networks and flows of food, people and culinary knowledge embedded in cosmopolitan London. Suggesting that â€Å"cultural mosaic† (Friedman, 1994), conceptualise cultural geographies as bounded cultural regions where constructed associations between food, places and peoples, associations epitomising the conceptions of national, regional and local cuisines. Also describes food as emblems and markers of national, regional and local identities (Murcott 1995). Cook et al (1998), in seeking the articulation of the geographies of culture looks at how figure displacement can be used to suggest process of food consumption are cast as local, the connections of food consumption to networks, which extend beyond delimiting boundaries of particular places. Again, in a closely related study, Cook reflects on the biography and geographies of food. A definition of food as having their own biographies, studies the connection of consumer knowledge about the geographical origins of the food they consume and what roles it plays in food choice and consumption (Cook et al 1998). He concludes in a suggestion that knowledge can potentially be a significant factor in food choice and preference. Much research has been done on Caribbean foods within and outside United Kingdom, probably due to the influx of Caribbean foods into United Kingdom market in the mid 1990s, when it became the ethnic cuisine to go mainstream after the Chinese, Indian and Tex Mex (Cook et al 2003). The complex history of the Caribbeans produced a regional cuisine which had overlapped with the Indian and Chinese foods that were on top of international cuisines in the United Kingdom. The region had also become tourist centres to Europeans and a large interest of the Caribbean lifestyle and delicacies reflected on the shelves of UK supermarkets, in addition to the projected images by celebrity chefs, and companies who increased the exports to satisfy the demand of this market in the mid nineties (Cook et al 2003). This also reflected in Caribbean centres established in major cities and streets in the UK. Cook and Harrison examine debate over the failure of Caribbean food to cross over into the UK mainstream. The paper review mosaic and theories of culture as fundamental difference between a white â€Å"mainstream† and black â€Å"ethnic other† as part problems of this failure. (Cook and Harrison 2003). Understandings of postcolonial geographies of material culture and its contributions to the undermining of, and resistance to forms of colonial dominations that persist in contemporary global capitalist relationships as can be found in food trade relations between the ‘third world and the ‘west. The study uses the example of the corporate history of Grace, Kennedy and Co, a company that preferred to cater for the needs of UK ethnic minority and the third world consumers, instead of prioritising cross over in to UK mainstream market. Friedberg research of modern historical geography of food in Burkina Faso shows how agricultural policies, dietary preferences health concerns, helped to transform regional diet, landscape and economy, resulting to temporal and spatial patterns of daily life in Burkina Faso. The study observes the incorporation of Burkina Faso into the globalised market economy as a result of luxury food (French beans), not leaving out the expectation of food quality safety standards (Friedberg 2003). The study also observes the changing geographies of the meaning of food, suggesting how historical study of food consumption takes place outside formal market economy. Gaps in current research Studies on firms by management oriented researchers have been focused more on companies in developed economies, central and Eastern Europe, small and local food production firms in Africa and their business counterparts even in developed economies have received less attention in the study of economic development. Past researches remained outside social science mainstream therefore have not been influenced by general discourses especially in the field of economic geography. Feminist researchers who have done research in the developing world have only concentrated on gender-related issues in the developing nations rather than with broader questions of small, local and industrial organisations and economic development (Henderson et al 2002:437). The major issues of trade liberalization have affected the cross over of African food and with the increase of safety standard procedures by the UK govt. The challenges of small business and the cost of food as also other major issues that will be discussed. In examining the geographical knowledge about food, actors associated with food, which involves location and situatedness of food, the networks and flows of food and people are major debates around the accessibility of these foods. According to Cook et al the long-running history of interconnections between people and places; and the increasing consciousness of the compression of the economic, political, cultural world, and the production of the world as a single place are two major contentions of globalisation debates (Cook et al 1996). London is said to be promoted as a space of ‘global post-modern (Hall, 1991: 32) by the staging and reconstruction of cultural difference in ‘globalisation diversity (Pieterse, 1995:45 as cited Cook 1996), arguably, Liverpool being proclaimed as the ‘world in one city though with characteristic history of local culture is yet to produce a matching representation of modern diversity of the African culture with the exception of the In ternational Slavery museum. Post colonial issues around African cultural heritage in Liverpool will enhance globalisation diversity as represented in food, arts and cultural of the African food biography and origin. Global Production networks Global production networks emphasize the need to refocus attention on the social circumstances under which commodities are produced and consumed† (Dickens et al 2002 pg 444). It takes into account, the process of production-(can be from the farm stage, harvest, labour technology, processing in Africa, transportation, UK standardization, repackaging, supply and distribution,) which do not always follow a chain link but a complex network process, over time and space and distance to consumption. The GPN framework allows for a greater complexity and geographical variation in producer-consumer relation, this in turn enhances the ability to reveal how certain key knowledge ‘circulate between producers, consumers and intermediaries. It also reveals complex social geographies as agents located in different places can be seen to combine to influence the production process (Henderson et al 2002:445). In all, this research seeks to answer the following questions: †¢ Research Questions? To what extent does the demand of African food affect its availability? What impact does African food trade make on the supply of these foods? How have African food stores and restaurants faired with migration of Africans in Liverpool? Preference is described by Babicz-Zielinska as â€Å"a general predisposition for a particular food, independent of the eating situation, and expressed by degree of liking or disliking of the food, desired food frequency or fraction of subjects selecting the food as a response to its name†(Babicz-Zielinska 1999:139). The choice of food depends on factors that influence human behaviour, which in turn affects the rejection of some food and acceptance of others. A classification based on current food-choice models is used to explain certain attributes of food choice is made by Babicz-Zielinska (Babicz-Zielinska 1999:138) 1. Production-related factors- which could be physical and chemical properties of food, sensory attributes, functional features(labelling, availability) nutritional value; or 2. Consumer-related factors- personal features, (age, gender, psychological factors, experience, personality), physiological factors (health) or 3. Environment-related factors- economic factors (price and income), cultural factors (beliefs, social factors- social status and fashion. Consumer-related factors and environment-related factors will be area of concern in this research. Factors of food choice survey was conducted in European Community EC countries, and it showed that quality/freshness, taste, selecting a healthy diet, price, family preferences and habits belong to the most important choice factors, (Lennernas et al 1997) Behavioural research methodologies are usually used to ascertain the underlying factors that determine food-related behaviour, reason being that food choice and consumption are natural and integrated part of human behaviour (Mahon et al 2006:474). The theory of reasoned action The theory of reasoned action has received attention within the field of consumer behaviour. (Sheppard et al 1988). The theory of reasoned action studies attitude and behaviour (Ajzen Fishbein 1980). It observes behavioural intention, attitude and subjective norm. According to Fishbein and Ajzen, a persons behaviour is guided by the persons attitude towards the behaviour and the subjective norm. For example, Africans tend to eat hot, spicy and tasty food, so when they find themselves away from ‘home, they look for their regular food, or something very close to the kind of food they have been used to, the alternative in this case could mean the Caribbean cuisine which also has its origin from African foods, or the Spanish or Mexican spicy foods as found in UK. However the cost also plays a determining role in making food choice, this shall be explained in detail in later chapter. Miller 2005 defines attitude, subjective norm, and behavioural intentions as the 3 components of the theory of reasoned action. Attitude: The sum of beliefs about a particular behaviour weighted by evaluation of these beliefs. Subjective norms. This looks at the influence of people in ones social environment on his/her behavioural intentions. Behavioural intention. This is a function of both attitudes towards behaviour and subjective norms towards that behaviour which has been found to predict actual behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour is adopted to explain consumer behaviour towards African food. The other alternative in this research is the British food, considering different factors that affect the choice of food. Human behaviour is explained and predicted by the theory of planned behaviour in understanding beliefs and attitudes. Ajzen et al 1986, explains that TPB is an extension of the TRA. The theory of planned behaviour was developed as a third predictor of behaviour, perceived behavioural control, (Mahon et al 2006:475). Perceived behavioural control reflects beliefs regarding the access to resources and opportunities needed to perform a behaviour (Chiou, 1998 as cited in Mahon 2006 pg 475). The availability of resources needed to engage in the behaviour such as money, time and other resources, the focal person self confidence in their ability to conduct the behaviour are two major reflections of the theory of planned behaviour. The theory of consumer preference. Consumers have set of preferences which are dependent upon individual tastes, education, culture and other factors, apart from the economic factor. These factors are measured for particular goods in terms of the real opportunity cost to the consumer who purchases and consumes the goods. Consumer level of satisfaction of a particular kind of food is determined by what the consumer defines as â€Å"satisfaction†. However, consumers are constrained in their choices of foods by income, accessibility of goods and also the price that the consumer is willing to pay for his food. Consumer preferences are defined as the subjective taste as measured by utility-(where utility is the satisfaction that a consumer derives from the consumption of a good) of various bundles of goods. Preferences help consumer to prioritize bundles of goods according to the levels of utility that they give the consumer. However, these preferences are not dependent on income and prices only. The ability for a consumer to purchase certain kind of food does not always determine a consumers like or dislike over another food. For example, an African consumer in Liverpool can have a preference for African foods over British foods but only has the financial means to buy British meals more often. There are certain assumptions of consumers preference theory, which will be further looked into, the assumption of decisiveness, consistency, non-satiation, convexity. Actor network theory. ANT, a social theory pioneered by Michel Callon (1986), Bruno Latour (1987) and John Law (1987), conceptualize social interactions in terms of networks. This includes the material environment and human causes. The concept of ANT acknowledges the importance of both material and human factors in networks. The theory conveys the idea that the actor does not act ‘on his own but only under the influence of complex network of material and human influences. For example, the process involved in making African foods available is not just caused human factors, but also by production, technology, society, extended politics of trade and culture, all affecting the accessibility and availability of the foods. According to Callon (1986) materials causes as well as human actors may be determinants of the social interactions and outcomes (Callon 1986). According to Henderson 2002, ANT emphasize the relationality of object and agency in heterogeneous networks, in other words, entities in network s are shaped by and can only be understood through their relations and connectivity to other entities(Law, 1999:4 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). Again, space and distance are observed as ‘spatial fields and relational scopes of influence, power and connectivity (Harvey, 1969; Murdoch 1998 as cited in Henderson et al 2002). According to Nancy Vanhouse, ANT has to approaches, ‘follow the actor, through interviews and ethnographic research and through examining inscriptions. Inscriptions including texts, but also images of many sorts, databases, and the like are central to knowledge work. Some (e.g., Latour and Woolgar, 1991; Callon, Law, and Rip, 1986) say that texts (including journal articles, conference papers and presentations, grant proposals, and patents) are among the major, if not the major, products of scientific work. Inscriptions make action at a distance possible by stabilizing work in such a way that it can travel across space and time and be combined with other work. Texts are also central to the process of gaining credibility. They carry work to other people and institutions. They attempt to present work in such a way that its meaning and significance are irrefutable. And texts are where authors establish equivalences among problems, which Callon et al. (1986) identifies as a major strategy of enrolling others. An important part of the standard journal article or grant application, for example, is to say, in essence, If you are interested in X (major issue) you must be interested in Y, which is the topic of the work reported/proposed here. References Latour, B. and Woolgar, S. (1991). Laboratory life: the construction of scientific facts, intro by Salk, J., Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press Callon, Michel, John Law, and Arie Rip, eds. Mapping the Dynamics of Science and Technology: Sociology of Science in the Real World. London: Macmillan Press, 1986. Actor network theory has become very helpful in understanding connections between places and space. Its insistency on non human factor in network production Supply chain and bottleneck bureaucracy of the supply of food products from Africa into the UK makes it more difficult for the availability of this food. This furthermore widens the distance/gap between consumers and suppliers/retailers. The length of this chain affects. The quality assurance schemes, production and manufacturing to retailers protocols and the application of quality management system and standard such as HACCP and ISO series are various ways of cutting supplies. Bottlenecks of food quality and safety standards in food processing and distribution. The HACCP systems are used in specific export sectors in Africa, an example is the EU quality standard for fish in Uganda is based on EU directive 91/493/EEC and on Codex Alimentarius (Trienekens et al 2008:116) covering areas of microbiology level, pesticides residues, heavy metals, effluents, Good manufacturing practices (processing stage) and HACCP (processing stage) (Ssemwanga, 2003 as cited in Trienekens et al 2008:116). Kenya adheres to UK food and safety Act of 1990, more so testing laboratories are accredited to ISO 17025; 2000 by United Kingdom Accreditation services (UKAS) (Kari 2003), the high deportation rate of this products on western markets shows the fragility of the systems. As pesticides residues are discovered in the product. Other systems used for processors and packers of fish for exports are GMP, ISO 90002. The proliferation of standards by western markets creates a barrier for the application of standards by developing countries producers. The lack of enabling environment in which infrastructure facilities are absent in African countries is also a major setback. African countries are still discovering quality and safety of food as important condition for international food trade (Trieneken et al 2008:117). Building of facilities, government structures to improve and ensure quality and safety of products are still key agenda of attention. The importance of transportation, preservation (cooled system of transport) and storage are very vital to international trade. African countries are still at the phase of establishing the right conditions to enforce food quality and safety of the other products. According to Trieneken et al- many developing countries do not have skilled labour and laboratory facilities, this however limits good- quality management, making difficult. Small and medium size business, from developing countries find difficult or almost impossible to comply with standard required in western markets (Dinham, 2003, Unnevehr, 2002). Due to barriers created by SPS and TBT in exporting foods, from developing countries do not have the adequate information and most likely unaware of specific demand of western standards for trade. The heterogeneous standard in developed economies also poses a problem, as continues differ to country and market also differ. The cost of certification is too much for develop countries to bear. Most African food products are unable to adapt to the rigorous requirements of modern supply chain, either through scale enterprise or lack of knowledge or financial constraints, become non-competitive. The myriad of innovations and development has made the process of food supply chain increase in productivity. The combine technology of accurate weighing, refrigeration controlled atmospheric bacterial growth inhibition, pasteurisation, micro-element pollutant detection, bar-coding, electronic recognition of packaging, the use of stabilizers etc, has also contributed to the difficulty in having African food cross over, as most business may not be financially equipped enough for the volume of the trading. Christopher (1999) notes that the supply chain management evolves around the partnership developed in the chain and is supported by information technology applications that co-ordinate information dissemination and sharing amongst the chain members. This research has revealed that most home cooked food are prepared under high hygienic conditions, as cooking is monitored by consumer themselves problems with calories consumptions that affect the health of consumer is also under check, compared to the perceptions about eating fast food at convenience KFC and MacDonalds. This is one reason for the preference of African food among black consumer. One of the major problems of availability of African foods in UK is the problem of access into the country. Developing countries especially in Africa find it difficult to meet the food safety standards imposed by the UK/developing countries. Food safety standards which were originally set up to keep food for quality and safe consumption, by government of different countries are being used as trade impeding protectionist tools.(Jongwanich 2009:1). Food safety standards are usually to the disadvantage of developing countries, due to their limits capacity to access and use technology and information. International trade negotiations have experience setbacks for developing countries in recent years due to a demand for more stringent SPS in developed countries, which is as a result of increase in health consciousness and rising incomes. Before now, tariffs and quantitative restrictions are the trade barriers and impediments that affect export from developing countries to developed countri es, but in recent times, food safety standards have become tool for protectionist to block trade(Jongwanich 2009: