Market audit and competitive analysis

Market audit and competitive analysis play a vital role in to any business. When consider about the market in Malaysia; they are mainly import electrical and electronic products from America,Singapore,Europe,china and Japan and also they import some products as machinery,iron,steel and also chemical. It shows that they are well developed country and also very dynamic. Because above countries are famous for the quality branded products. Since this is a very energetic country, lifestyle changes could lead to boost the demand for the readymade foods and health foods and always they are rich with tropical and agricultural possessions. Diverse cultures in Malaysian society would be another reason. There are 94 different types of cultures. Mainly there is Malay, Chinese, and Indian has intriguing range of processed food with an Asian bend. Since today people improve their awareness towards the nutrition foods in view of the fact that healthcare processed by cereals, fresh foods and other sea foods Malaysian also do the same. According to the details provided by Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia, Manufacture of snacks getting decreased by 7.5% and rice milling increased by 7.7% and Manufacture of condensed, powdered, evaporated milk increased by 11.9%.that shows that how people connected with easy foods.(Appendix _1) But according to the sales of selected processed food and beverage products table published by Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia, shows purchasing frequent of snacks improved by 38.6% and it shows that how they are prefer fast foods. (Appendix_2) According to the appendix_1 appendix_2 tables show production has gone down and purchasing has got increased, there is a gap which has occurred due to this reason. Accordingly there is a greater chance to set up our product line; Munchees Nutriplus in Malaysian market. Because the demand for snacks in Malaysia has increased while the supply decreasing. So that would be an opportunity for us. Our product could able to fill the gap in the market. Through this market audit we will illustrate the food market of Malaysia. The geographical location how the free market economy effect to the food products in Malaysia. http://sundaytimes.lk/090927/FinancialTimes/ft15.html http://www.muncheelk.com/home.php http://sundaytimes.lk/090927/FinancialTimes/ft15.html http://www.muncheelk.com/home.php Describe the market (s) in which the product is to be sold According to our research we have found that Malaysia also engaged in international trade. Because of this free trade concept Malaysia also globalized; there are many number of competitive products which are come from all over the world. Since our main target market is highly busy working crowd we better prepare to export our product to urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Penang Selangor. (City population; n.d.) 1. GEOGRAPHICAL REGION (S) Geographical characteristics would be another concern by the marketer since it helps to evaluate countrys market potential. Malaysia is a one biggest country in the world an area of 329758 sq km. Land size is 328,558 sq km.and water 1200 sq km.malaysia is a country which is located in south eastern asia in between 2Â °-7Â ° degrees and in the north part of the equator, peninsula is a separate part and Sabah, Sarawak states are situated on the Boneo Island. Thailand is northern neighbor while southern neighbor is Singapore. Its area geographically 230Â ° N and 11230Â ° E. the capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.It is a multi ethnic country and population is over 22 million. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html CLIMATE: malaysia is a country which is verymuch close to the equator,because of that all over the year it has Tropical weather with warm climate. Temperature of the malaysia is in between 21 Â °C 32Â °C.it is an average temperature of 27Â ° C. Rainfall vary from 2000mm to 2500mm in annually with thunder and lightning.all the time there are cloudy climate in most of the cities. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html CULTURE: In malaysia there is a very friendly,warm and hospitable culture of its people.it has a combined population of over 22 million ;they are Malay 59%,other indigenous 32% chinese Indian 9%.because of this cultural multiplicity many external parties interact towards the Malaysia.malaysia is located in between the middle of the indian ocean and south china.therfore it has been considered as a meeting point for traders and travellers and at the same time as multicultural and multinational country.that would be the reson for the main evolution of the socio cultural activities,traditions,dressings,languages and foods. Since our product is vege product,we dont much consider about it.That would be a greater opportunity for our product since Muslims prefer Halal foods and malaysian prefer fast foods. LANGUAGES: When consider about the languages Malay is the official language and more than 59% used to talk by Malay. Since English is an international language Malaysian people widely spoken English in business arena and English subject is compulsory in all schools too. And there are many languages such as Chinese, Tamil, mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, and several tribal lingoes. So in the product packaging we should use both Malay and English languages when we put instructions. Because Malay is the official language and English is an international and widely spoken language in Malaysia. RELIGION: Once reflect on religion; all primary Malays are Muslims. So Islam is considered as the official religious conviction but anybody can accomplish any other religion generously. And also there are religions like Buddism, Hindu, Christianity, Confucianism, Taoism and tribal religions. When launch the new product to the market religion affects a lot more, especially for the Muslims they are using Halal foods. But since this product contents cereals it wont be an issue. MAJOR HOLIDAYS: Knowing major holidays is another important subject when company goes to launch a product to the new country.because those holidays could be effect to the business since if we unable to manage them;according to the market audit followings are the major holidays in malaysia. New Years Day January 1 National Holiday Chinese New Year January 24 25 -National Holiday Federal Territory Day February 1 KL Labuan only Labour Day May 1 National holidays Wesak Day -May National holidays Kings Birthday June 2 National Day August 31 National holidays Deepavali November 14 Except Sarawak Labuan Hari Raya Aidil Fitri December 16 17 National holidays Christmas -December 25 National holidays It is very much vital for us to knowing about these holidays;because when we aware about the holidays we can have power over the issues which could be happened.especially since this is a food product we have to much more aware about this since it could be expire.and also another chance which could occur on behalf of is;we can offer special promotions such as budget packets,gifts and many more for the special occasions such as New year,chinese new year,deepavali and christmas. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: regulatory inventory CURRENCY: Malaysian currency is known as Ringgit and it indicated as RM BANKINGHOURS: Most states: Mon-Fri: 9.30am-4.00pm Sat: 9.30am-11.30am Sun: closed Kedah, Kelantan Terengganu: Sat-Wed: 9.30am-4.00pm Thur: 9.30am 11.30am Fri: closed. POST OFFICES: Open from 8.00am to 5.00pm daily except Sundays and public holidays. In Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu post offices are closed on Fridays and public holidays. TIME : Eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time. ELECTRICITY: Voltage is 220 240 volts A C at 50 cycles per second. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: Malaysia follows the metric system in weights and measures. TELEPHONES: Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or pre-paid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telekom offices. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html LAND TOPOGRAPHY: (shan) Malaysia is a country of spectacular beauty to show off with staggering sights of hills, lush greens forests, and rhythmic rivers. The peninsula is divided into Eastern and western parts by the Banjaran Titiwangsa or the Main Range goes through Malaysia-Thai border in the north to the southern state of Negeri Sembilan. Tallest mountain in state of Pahang is Gunung Tahan which has a height of 2,187m. There are many other mountains in Malaysia, such as Mount Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Bukit Larut in Perak and the fabled Gunung Ledang (Mount Ophir) which is located in the Melaka-Johor border. Crocker Range is considered as one of main highlands of Sabah which has a height of 457- 914m and it holds three top highest mountains of Malaysia, namely; Mount Kinabalu (4,101m), Gunung Trus Madi (2,597m) and Gunung Tambuyukon (2,579m). Sarawaks tallest mountains are Gunung Murud (2,425m) and Gunung Mulu (2,371m) and it also encompasses the worlds largest natural cave system. In addition, Sungai Rejang (563km) finds its way through Sarawak and it is the longest river. The river can be used to transportation up to Kapit, 100km upstream with small coastal steamers. Malaysia proudly placed as one of the prominent countries to have forest-covered hills in the Asia Pacific region. Malaysian geography presents a terrain which is highly enriched with resources and biological diversity. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html DOS DONTS: When we select Malaysia for our market development program we should scrutinize local customs and practices. Especially we should be concerned about the common courtesies and customs to be close to them and make them feel that this is our product and matching with our cultural practices. Because culture is helps to peoples heart touching. Thats the most viable manner which helps to lucrative of the business.malaysia has a low-contest culture; so they are much more consider about the personal associations beyond the business.malaysians are highly diversified from religion as well as ethnically.malaysians are more lean to wear professionally and yellow color is considered as a royal color. Bribery is consider as a critical crime by foreign public officials. http://www.2malaysia.com/info.htm NATURAL HAZARDS: The Most of the times Malaysians are faced by the many natural disasters such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, typhoons and forest fires. So since we decided to launch our product to Malaysia we should aware about this kind of natural calamities which could happen since it effects to the business and also for the distribution channels, packaging, exporting and all those kind of steps. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html 2. Forms of transportation and communication available in that region TRANSPORTATION: RANSPORTATION As a well developed country Malaysia is provided by an admirable transport system. There is transport accessible even remote areas .Kuala Lumpur, its capital is considered as the main transportation hub. It is powerfully established for buses, taxis, trains, electronic trains, which served as public transportation. And also there are many ferry and boat services all around the country. Our product deliveries to the respective local markets can be transported through the boat services. Malaysia has its own career; Malaysian airlines. Every flights arrive and depart at Kuala Lumpur international airport located at Sepang also there are flights connecting with most major cities and also to Sabah Sarawak. There are old international airport in Subang namely the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport now it caters just for the domestic air services. Other major international airports are Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi. Buses are economical way to travel in Malaysia. There are air-conditioned buses as well as non air conditioned buses. So when we distribute our product to the rural areas we can get support from this interstate bus service. Malaysian railways attach with all main cities in the peninsular There are many numbers of ports of entry in to Malaysia. Ports are located in Penang, Port Klang, Kuantan, and Kuching Koto Kinebalu.Since there are many number of ports available we suppose to export our products through shipping lines. Since it is the easiest way to And also there are sea Cruises available from Ports in between Selanger Kuantan and Sabah Sarawak. When delivering our products to Malaysia; there are two possible modes of transportation that can be utilized. Air transportation is fast but expensive. Maritime transportation is relatively slow however cost effective. For normal product deliveries maritime transportation is the best transportation solution existing the market. However air transportation can be an efficient means of getting product deliveries to manage emergency stock-outs and unexpected demand teaks. http://www.2malaysia.com/transport.htm COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: Malaysian communication is enhanced with advanced technology.therefore we can have this opportunity to make the consumer of our product by using this advantage in malaysian market. 3. Consumer buying habits http://www.pwc.com/en_GX/gx/retail-consumer/pdf/malaysia.pdf Product use patterns In our inspection towards the Munchees Nutri-plus product line in the Malaysian market; we are find some information about that how the product like Snack use in Malaysian market? What are the potential markets for our product? And also what are the product use patterns in this specific country? As we got to know because of this busy life style Malaysian people have increased the consumption of fast foods. Especially they prefer nutria-snacks since they are highly concerned about their health. It is a golden opportunity for us to been their because their demand is increasing for this kind of products. According to the surveys it found that Malaysian people have spent more on fresh foods and fruits. So again it is a greater chance for us since we have many different favors with our product. Since those people are highly busy with their work they can immediately consumed our product as refreshment or as a breakfast and also with milk or without milk. The Malaysian consumer eating pattern consist more fat and cholesterol since they prefer to eat rice and meat. Our products are nutritional and healthy with low elements of cholesterol and fats therefore a successful penetration in to the middle income market segmentation will enable us to export our market potential. Further Malaysian consumers are shifting to buy organic and healthy product.Therefor e our product which contain the said elements will have a considerable period of product life cycle. 2005/2006 from Beijing to Budapest winning brands Product feature preferences Product feature preferences may vary from market to market. Since this is a small packet it would be preferred by everyone; since it wont be a price matter a lot. In 2007 onwards it was a major trend in Malaysia to focus on the health conscious products. So when they purchasing a product they mainly concern about the quality and the healthier products. So it is another identified opportunity for our product; munchee nutri-plus product line. It is manufactured by using cereals such as soya beens, rice and etc which helps to increase the nutritious. And also Malaysian people have a great desire for new flavours. Again it could be an opportunity. Since our munchee nutri-plus have different flavours. Because of this innovative people in Malaysian food market; our snack would be able to match with Malaysians products preferences. It has a unique milky taste as well as it looks delitious.because of this taste not only the working crowd but also children would prefer this product. Not only that Malaysian consumer becoming more knowledgeable. When they are purchasing a product they mainly price conscious and brand and quality sensitive. Because of this we would be able to market our quality product at a competitive price. They are not easily influenced by the advertisements. And also they consider about the service they receive before the purchasing as well as after sales. According to the findings it does not consists any social or investment risk since this is a nutritional food. As ACNielsen said, 90% of consumers take purchase decisions by considering strong brands name and also 75% retain with the same brands because of the customers loyalty. 2005/2006 from Beijing to Budapest winning brands Shopping habits An understanding of the shopping habits of Malaysians is important to determine the market viability for our products. The economic growth of the country has vastly increased the purchased power of the Malaysian customers. The standard of living and per capita income of Malaysians are high our targeted customer will mainly do their shopping in retail stores, super markets and shopping malls though still village side people purchase from traditional groceries and mini-marts .because of the globalization Malaysians are becoming more complicated. This could be occurring because of the education levels and changing lifestyles of the Malaysian consumers. Because of this multi ethnicity Malaysians have demand towards the foreign products as well. Though this is an Asian country rather than other Asian countries Malaysian males as well as females both of them are do the buying. Since consumers always waiting at the queue near the cashier to paying bills it is common manner to tackle the customers by keeping those products near to the cashier. 4. Distribution of the product We intended to undertake a distribution in a limited area since our products are in the initial stages of the product life cycle. Our market research activities have revealed that most Malaysians prefer to buy their requirements in super markets. Because they want to save time which will spend here and there by having wide range of goods is available under one roof. We decided to distribute our product to retail outlets through middlemen in Malaysia. Because they know about country, customs, values, and other regulatory which need when doing a business? And also he would be able to make close relationships with the country people as well. Typical Retail Outlets Therefore our main distribution channel will be through the major super markets,speciality stores and drug stores in the cities of Malaysia; specially in Kuala lumpur,Putrajaya,Penang,Selangor other main cities because Malaysian people used to purchase this kind of products from these places. Sales of these Munchee Nutri-plus cereal snack bars at super markets will help us to maintain competitive stance and also it will help us to stop share losses as well. In super markets for sales people there are sales target; when they achieve those sales targets they will receive some fridge benefits. So that would be a opportunity for our product when we do our sales through super markets. Because those sale s targets will drives increased our product sales as well. We have chosen drug stores to sell this product is because they can recommend our product to the consumers as a healthy and wellness product and again it will help to increase the sales. Product sales by other middlemen We can utilise a distribution channel as a middleman before we settle down in the Malaysian food market. Middleman is a very strongest character when it comes to here, because they can make very strong relationships with their retailers as well as they are know everything about the country as well as the business arena and also social and business etiquettes as well. And also our company would able to keep knowing everything about the market, competitor brands, specialities of them and also such kind of things through the middleman. 5. Advertising promotion Our target market consists of mainly middle income earners, children and adults. Advertising media usually used to reach your target markets we have selected TVs and news papers as best form of advertising RIM and TV1 which telecast their programs in Malay language and TV2 which telecast in Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil.TV advertising is more convenience since our products can be displayed and the product awareness will be increased and could be reached on large number of potential customers at low cost. News paper advertisements will also be undertaken in Malay, English and Tamil languages. Our sales promotion activities will include .exhibitions shopping centre of sports events. We suppose to advertise our product through accurate and honest promotions; as a energy boost snacks for targeting sportive kids who wants to grown up fast, and also wish to stress on the taste appeal which would match with both kids and adults. And also we wish to motivate the people who are interesting with healthy eating and to the people who are overweight. And also we decided to set some bill boards in Kuala Lumpur; capital since their accessibility is high. Sales promotions customarily used (sampling, coupons etc) There is considerable competition for our products in malasia.Therefore we have to use both the pull and push promotional strategies to stabilize the market. Pull strategy is implemented to attract customers towards purchasing our products through advertising companies. Push strategy is carried out to encourage the retailers to buy and distribute our products to the ultimate customers. This is done through offering trade discounts to the retails. Internet marketing would be another major opportunity since their technology is high and people are educated. 6. Pricing strategy The prices of our products should be reasonable and affordable for the Malaysian consumers to buy. The present consumers are highly price concerned. They expect value from the product for the price they pay. The prime motive of our pricing strategies is to achieve the following. To attract the target market at the correct time. This will increase the stock turnover rate and the profitability in our Malaysian market expansion. To have justifiable return on capital employed to continue our business activities in Malaysia. Our products are new to the Malaysian food market. Therefore we will implement a penetrating pricing strategy at the initial stages. Once the market is stabilized we will introduce premium pricing. This is important to position our products amongst the Malaysian customers as quality products. Customary mark-ups We should consider the import control regulations in Malaysia before a final mark up for our products. The Malaysian international market is liberalized tax system on food products. We will take these into consideration before fixing a final markup for our products in Malaysia. Types of discounts available Malaysian retails sell food items from many producers. So we will offer bulk purchasing discounts to retailers who buy our products in large quantities to attract them. At a rate of 2% .In addition we will offer at 2% cash discounts for the retailers who settle their dues to us within 14 days. Compare and contrast Nutri snacks from Ceylon biscuits manufactures LTD and the competitor products. B.Compare contrast munchees nutriplus product with the competitors products Competitors products A. Brand name There are many competitors for our products in Malaysia but the main competitor is the nestle PlC.This is a large multinational farm which sustain competition in U.S.A and other European and Asian food Market. b.features The nestle nutri product provide nutrition and flavors tastes to the consumers. They have already established brand loyalty in Malaysia especially amongst the school going children and the youth. Therefore we should take steps to penetrate into the competitive Malaysian food market .Further the cost of production for Nestle will be low due to economies of scale. Therefore we will be highly concerned and minimize our cost of production in order to have competitive pricing for our products in Malaysia. c.package We should clearly differentiate our products from those of the competitors in the Malaysian market. It should be easy for the customers to identify our products. We will use alternative colors in our packaging, especial Red since most Malaysian consider red as a symbol of strength. The names of Ceylon biscuits manufacture will be printed in bold letters in pink and blue. The word Halal will be pointed in large bold letters our packages will include the brand name on Malay basher, English, Chinese and Tamil.

Capital Punishment Essays -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Capital Punishment He is escorted down to a room with handcuffs on both arms and feet. The tension in the room causes nervousness and a stirring in his stomach, which entombs his dinner from the night before. He is told to take a seat. Still in doubt of his fate he notices the witnesses and their various expressions. His family is grief-stricken, a sharp contrast to the family of the brutally murdered, for which he was found guilty of. If only they knew what he knew; for they would not be strapping him into the chair, soaking a sponge, and placing it on top of his head along with the metal skullcap. If they knew the truth there would be someone in his place today. But alas, the truth dies along with the innocent. Capital Punishment, as read in the scene above, has importance in times dating back to ancient civilizations. It’s purpose is to permanently disband those unfit to live with society. Even knowing its prominent background, in modern times there is doubt whether or not it is still necessary. Today, in the twenty-first century, there are currently 38 states with the death penalty. The other twelve have life with out parole as the maximum sentence. In the practicing states there were 66 executions carried out in 2001, 85 in 2000, and 98 in 1999. If this trend continues there will be even fewer this year. The states leading execution are Texas and Oklahoma, as of 2001. Texas carried out nearly 26% of the 66 executions and Oklahoma leads with 28%. By region; the South carries out 79% of the U.S. executions, with the Midwest at 15%, the West at 6% and the Northeast at 0%. (Death Penalty Info†¦.) The reasons why someone may be sentenced with capital punishment vary from state to state. The most common factors include first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. According to the poet Hyman Barshay, â€Å"The death penalty is a warning, just like a lighthouse throwing its beams out to sea. We hear about shipwrecks, but we do not hear about the ships the lighthouse guides safely on their way. We do not have proof of the number of ships it saves, but we do not tear the lighthouse down.† Barshay and other pro death penalty supporters believe that the death penalty deters would be killers. A person would be less likely to do something if he or she thinks that harm will come to them. This is basic human... ... Due to the fact that it costs more to support life with out parole, the money saved from capital punishment can be used to help society in a better way. Both sides have their point in this argument. Although many oppose capital punishment, in most states it is still active whether they believe in it or not, and are still punishable by it. It’s the choice of society to take a stance and show their opinion. Bibliography Death Penalty Information Center 29 April 2002 Press release, Death Penalty Information Center, Oct. 27, 1992 Denno, Deborah W., Is Electrocution an Unconstitutional Method of Execution? The Engineering of Death over the Century, 35 WILLIAM & MARY L. REV. 551, 664-665 (1994). Karwath, Rob & Susan Kuczka, Gacy Execution Delay Blamed on Clogged IV Tube, CHICAGO TRIB., May 11, 1994, at 1 (Metro Lake Section). Kwok, Abraham, Injection: The No-Fuss Executioner, ARIZONA REPUBLIC, Feb. 28, 1993, at 1. Pro Death Penalty 29 April 2002

Monitor of experience in rock climbing

To be able to perform at a level which is suitable for me to gain employment in the world of outdoor pursuits, one of my mid-term goals, it is vital that I am able to monitor my own progress in order to critically evaluate my levels of fitness, skill and knowledge in certain aspects of the industry. In this case rock climbing. In order for me to progress I must monitor my current levels and be able to produce a programme which will allow me to push these levels to a higher standard, motivating myself as I do so by working at a standard that allows me to remain focused and set on my chosen goal. Prior Experience Although I entered into outdoor education with no prior experience, as soon as I heard that I was going to be climbing as a major part of my course and would be required to do so as a large part of my chosen career I wasted no time in researching the sport. Having tutors with a large knowledge base for the subject I made notes in their lessons highlighting key words, which I later researched further in books or on the internet, a tool with which I have a wide experience of working with from my previous career and something which I have recently used to acquire a wider knowledge base in relation to climbing. I attended and continue to attend all practical sessions in order to gain first-hand experience of the sport under expert instruction and continue to learn outside of college using my own climbing equipment and going over what I have been taught. The sport is now a hobby of mine and as such I enjoy researching it, watching videos of professional climbers and reading publications on different styles of climbing, rope work and the associated use of equipment required to make the sport safe. I have the backing from family and friends which is very important to me as they provide me with encouragement and morale support and offer me transport to and from climbing areas acting as climbing partners when needed. My tutors are a constant source of information, available upon request and even allow me to climb with them on the indoor wall at college and outdoors on certain occasions. By observing fellow athletes I am able to look at different aspects of climbing such as body positioning and different types of holds which I would otherwise know nothing about. Technical Knowledge and Skills My technical knowledge is definitely at a higher level than my technical skills. I have bought enough of my own equipment to enable me to go climbing on my own and get used to using the various tools needed in the sport. I have spent time concentrating on the top of the crag ignoring everything except placing protection and creating anchor points in order to be able to climb. This subject however is huge and the amount that I know is only a small percentage of what is out there so I continue to buy and borrow books, videos and other materials demonstrating various forms of placing protection. Through the leadership and party management section of my college course I have been able to take groups of individuals from varying backgrounds climbing something, which has helped me to develop my rope work and safety skills further, whilst on the crag or at the indoor wall. Being responsible for the well-being of others has made me look more closely at the theory behind placing protection and has allowed me to experience first-hand by working alongside a highly qualified tutor exactly what it is like to rig up a variety of climbing routes safely in order for people to be able to climb on them. Different from placing protection is the actual skills needed to be able to climb. From studying the different types of hand and feet techniques and by looking at climbers body positions as they climb I have began to slowly understand certain aspects of climbing which will enable me to successfully complete a climb and conserve the most amount of energy possible when doing so. However recognising and knowing the names of the different types of techniques required for climbing is not enough and successfully putting them into practice can only be done by actually climbing and working on those techniques which I am least familiar with. Climbing outdoors and more significantly on the bouldering wall at college has enabled me to experience these techniques and has paved the way into motivating myself into creating a training schedule for myself in order to push my climbing grades. The wall at college is overhanging, all of it! which requires a lot of arm strength and correct body positioning in order to stay off the floor. Training at first in this way was very uninspiring for me and it took a while for me to begin to be able to successfully move around on the wall. Through training with the tutors who have showed me various bouldering problems (the term used for a climbing route) and creating problems of my own I have been able to achieve that feeling of progress which I need to inspire myself and have begum training on a regular basis. At around 8:30am on the days that I am in college I climb on the bouldering wall completing 5 circuits with each circuit containing the same 5 problems. The problems consist of various hand and foot holds which will help me to work a selection of muscle groups in my body as apposed to a few which is what would happen if I was to stick to the same types of holds all the time like hose which I am strongest. I train at around 8:30am as I am least likely to be interrupted and the college is cooler than it is during the afternoon. Although progress is being made it is slow and some days I seem to do better than others but I am committed to sticking to my schedule and continuing to learn about the theory behind the technical side of climbing. On an afternoon, after finishing my studies I go to the weights room in college where I build strength in my arms, chest and back, working various muscle groups which I believe will allow me to raise my endurance levels and allow me to climb stronger and more aggressively. More recently and I believe as a response to this training my upper body strength has improved and I am moving more fluidly on the bouldering wall and even soloing (climbing on my own) on routes I wouldn't have considered a few months ago. I am soon entering the training phase of my Single Pitch Award (SPA) which is a big form of motivation for me to get out on the crag on weekends and concentrate on my lead climbing (climbing whilst placing leader protection in the rock as you climb) in order to go in for my assessment. Although the award only requires me to climb at the lowest grade in rock climbing I will work at a level comfortable at the time which enables me to push myself without any stress or pressure to do so. Levels of Fitness My fitness at the moment is at a reasonable level although I would not class myself as super fit. I smoked for 8 years before starting this course and have managed to successfully quit for just under a year with no desire to start again. I walk and climb on a weekend when possible weighting down my backpack to improve my cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. This also helps my lower body strength. I have cut down drastically on my alcohol consumption and go out maybe once a week as opposed to every other night which I was doing last year. I have noticed a vast improvement from the beginning of my course in my ability to walk up a mountain which indicates that my cardiovascular and respiratory fitness has in fact improved. In relation to climbing finger strength is a major downfall in my climbing. As this is a part of my body which I would have never considered building on for strength my fingers and hands are relatively weak when attempting to hold my body weight. A variation of small holds of different directions on the college bouldering wall however is helping me to build on these strengths and I always go for the smallest hold possible where me strength permits. At rest my pulse rate is 72bpm and my breathing is 18bpm After exercise my pulse rate is 156bpm and my breathing is 18bpm After 5 mins rest my pulse rate is 84bpm and my breathing is 18bpm These levels are considered average for my age and gender but do not show that I am extremely fit. My weight is correct for my age, gender and height. Diet My diet leaves a lot to be desired. I rarely eat take-away food unless I am away from home but do eat fatty foods on occasions where time is a factor and fried food appears more convenient. I am aware of the consequences of such a diet and I am currently beginning to eat more nutritious foods such as salad based sandwiches at lunch time and oven cooked or grilled meat and cooked vegetables on the evenings. Training Attendance and Effort At the moment I only train when I am in college which is around 2 to 3 times a week and this is often random and non-consistent. Some days I am able to climb better than others and when I am having a bad day climbing I find it hard to motivate myself into completing my circuits. I usually climb on a morning and lift weights on an afternoon after my classes although this often depends on the type of day I'm having and if something which I deem to be more important has come up. I enjoy training but I wouldn't say that I was extremely dedicated although I have been training quite consistently the past couple of weeks and am definitely noticing a difference with my climbing and the amount of weight that I am able to lift. My effort is often varied once again being highly dependent on the mood I am in and the type of day I am having. I wouldn't say that I have a strict training schedule, more of a ‘more frequent than usual' approach to exercising. I have made sure that I have attended all of the practical days at college and have missed maybe one session since starting there. These days have been extremely valuable to me as I have been able to work alongside and observe much more experienced climbers than myself, something which has not only taught me elements of rock climbing but has also motivated me into exploring certain elements of the sport further helping me to improve my technical knowledge and skills. Access to Equipment My main source for training is the bouldering wall at college which is freely available for me to use whenever I choose. This is usually only when I am in college though as I live in Teesside and find it difficult to get in some days. I have enough of my own equipment to train outside of college and do so on weekends, weather permitting. Living in Teesside I am very close to some excellent climbing venues both outdoors on the crags dotted throughout the Cleveland Hills and Indoors at Sunderland Wall and Thornaby which has a small bouldering wall made by the same people who built Sunderland Wall. The north of England is an excellent location for climbing and other outdoor pursuits. The Lake District is only an hour or so away although I have not been there to climb as yet. I have however climbed at Brimham Rocks and Almscliffe both near Harrogate. Other climbers that I know are kind enough to lend me any equipment which I might need for a day on the crag with the general rule that I supply my own rope and other nylon equipment which can become damaged in the event of a leader fall and should be recorded for safety reasons and to keep a check on the strength and deterioration of equipment. Access to Effective Coaching Being a student studying an Outdoor Education course I am able to ask for expert advice at anytime from my tutors who I have no doubt will be happy to help me. Although the climbing part of my course is now over and other outdoor activities are being concentrated on I am still able to use the bouldering wall at college as part of my training schedule and I am even able to train alongside my tutor who will guide me in the right direction or offer me information and videos or publications which will help me to progress. Although it would be encouraged for me to find out most of the information for myself in relation to setting up my own individual training schedule I am able to ask for help where needed, something which would cost me money if I were not studying Outdoor Education. Leadership Communication Skills Since starting the course I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with various groups from schools around County Durham and the Teesside area. Working with these individuals who were aged between 14-16 years old I have been able to develop my communication skills in relation to climbing and working with groups and have experienced in different surroundings how important it is to be a good communicator both verbally and non-verbally. From first meeting a group and working with them I feel that I can be quite confrontational if the group in question is unwilling to learn or becomes disruptive when I am attempting to teach them something. I have learned that this is an inappropriate way of communicating though and I am beginning to adopt a more passive way of communicating following working with groups of dysfunctional teenagers who do not respond well to confrontation. I am a good listener and I speak clearly enough to be able to get my point across and in a manner which I feel allows people to understand and follow my instructions. I keep my body language as neutral as possible standing with my arms by my side or in front, never crossing them and always making eye contact with those that I am speaking or listening to. I do interact with members of a group but prefer to work more on the technical side working with equipment and setting up climbs more than attempting to motivate groups or acting as a counsellor, although I do always make myself available if someone wishes to talk to me or ask me something. Values and Beliefs I have strong values and beliefs in the way that I respect other people, whether these are climbing partners, groups I am working with or other climbers on the crag/wall. I follow both the written and un-written rules of climbing and respect the venues at which I climb. From being taught by working alongside other climbers who have years of experience I have been taught what is and isn't good practice and go out of my way to ensure that I follow these values in my day to day climbing. Possible Areas for Improvement or Change I feel that I could improve in the way that I train in general. I could put together a more consistent training schedule which would enable me to become stronger quicker and in the parts of my body which I use the most in a session. My attitude towards teaching and communicating with a group in the first hour or so from meeting them could be improved by talking to them more and finding ways to make a session more fun either by incorporating different teaching methods or by investigating their backgrounds and finding out what their interests and attitudes are towards the session that I am taking. My training and diet could be improved by eating healthier, balanced meals. Less fried food and more vegetables. More training and stretching would enable me to become more flexible, reaching harder holds and enabling me to improve my body positioning resulting on me staying on the wall for longer, preventing injury and ultimately improving my levels of endurance through prolonged periods of climbing. I also believe that this will improve my general rate of recovery, which could be shortened. My co-ordination skills need working on and I can do this by taking more time on a climb and watching where my next hold is. Being able to visualise a climb before I actually climb it would, I think make me more focussed and enable me to climb smoother with more fluidity. When training at college I should have more trust in my colleagues when they are belaying me, but this is difficult because of the age difference and in some cases the ratio of their weight to mine. Methods of Assessment Profile Wheel Below is a profile wheel demonstrating my strengths and weaknesses on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being poor and 10 being good. All of the sections included in the wheel contribute in some way to my training and can be found in further detail above. S.W.O.T Analysis I have selected my major strengths and weaknesses from the profile wheel and have listed some opportunities and threats which either enable or stop me from climbing. Strengths Intelligence I am intelligent enough to realise when something is dangerous allowing me to prevent injuries from occurring or if I am doing something which will benefit or hinder my climbing. Pain Tolerance I am not squeamish to injury or pain and as such I am able to push myself during training allowing my body to develop and advance to harder climbs. Determination I am a determined individual who wishes to succeed. I know what I want from my college course and my training and I am determined enough to go out and get it. Rope work My rope work skills are probably better than my climbing skills. I have researched further a lot of the techniques and skills taught to me in the practical sessions of my course. I have borrowed books from the library, bought books and read magazines / watched videos which have enabled me to learn more techniques in relation to my rope work. Selecting Appropriate Equipment I have the knowledge to select the appropriate equipment to enable me to climb safely either inside at a climbing wall or outside on a crag something which allows me to climb and to push my grades knowing that I will be protected in the event of a fall. Weaknesses Flexibility My flexibility is quite restricted. Being a tall person I find it quite difficult to raise my legs up past waist height in order to reach a tricky hold. This can be improved by me however by stretching more and taking part in more aerobic exercise. Body Positioning Another element of my flexibility is knowing how to position my body in order to stay on an awkward hold, for example a side pull, will enable me to climb for longer, pushing my levels of endurance. Trust I have difficulty trusting my climbing partners because they are either inexperienced, which is the case for my partner from home who has not had much climbing experience or they are quote a bit younger than me and quite immature and easily distracted. Endurance I have trouble climbing long climbs or climbing for extended periods of time. This I feel can be improved by working on my flexibility which in turn will help to improve my body positioning allowing me to stay on holds longer resulting in me climbing for longer and pushing my endurance levels. Visualisation If I am able to visualise a climb before I climb it, something which I rarely do I would be able to improve my levels of coordination and would connect with holds more helping me to stay on the wall / crag for longer. Opportunities College Bouldering Wall The college bouldering wall offers me a great opportunity to train. The wall is overhanging which helps me to build my upper body strength allowing me to climb stronger on vertical or slabby climbs. Tutors often use this wall and allow me to climb with them creating the perfect opportunity to try new routes and techniques and ultimately push my fitness levels and climbing grades. Tutors (See above) North East Climbing Venues I live in Teesside very close to the Cleveland Hills, which accommodate some of the best climbing venues in the country. Further good climbing can be found at Sunderland's and Aycliffe's indoor walls and excellent outdoor venues found in the Lake District and the North of England. College Practical Sessions Although the practical climbing sessions have now stopped in replacement of other activities they have proved to be a valuable source of information for me and have ultimately enabled me to go out on my own or with a climbing partner knowing that I am able to successfully and safely climb in or out of doors. Own Equipment Armed with the knowledge obtained from the practical sessions I have managed to gather together my own equipment, which I am now able to use to climb outside of college, helping me to continue to train after college, in the holidays and when I pass the course and go into my chosen career. Threats Transport Not being able to drive I sometimes find it difficult to get to climbing venues, which are often in hard to reach, rural settings, something which prevents me from climbing on certain days. Financial Situation My financial situation is less than ideal. This can prevent me from using climbing venues where a fee is involved and prevents me from being able to pay for driving lessons which create the threat described above. Lack of Knowledge Although I have the basic knowledge to enable me to go out and climb on my own, there is a lot to know about rock climbing both technically and physically and this can prevent me from knowing certain ‘trade secrets' which could enable me to progress at a quicker rate than I am at the present. Bad Weather The weather is an incontrollable element of my training. Bad weather has prevented or hindered my progress on several occasions, preventing me from climbing outdoors. Although simply going indoors as an alternative when the weather is bad, my financial situation and lack of access to transport can often prevent this. Injury Although I have had no serious injuries as a result of climbing this is a constant threat which could knock my training back to the start in the occurrence of a broken leg for example which can take up to six weeks to heal. Such an injury prevents further training and produces a weakness in that area and possible psychological damage. Summary By using a profile wheel and selecting my weakest and strongest attributes from that wheel I have been able to identify what I am good at and what needs my attention during training. Through highlighting these attributes I will now work towards maintaining my strengths, training my weaknesses, maximising my opportunities and minimising my threats in task two of The Reflective Practitioner. I will be able to do this by identifying my short term and long term goals and analysing these using SMART Targets.

Communication and Visual Literacy Essay

Brian Kennedy’s lecture on visual literacy was very interesting. I’ve never really thought about visual literacy that way. You really don’t realize how you would perceive things in the world if you couldn’t see anything. He says that we learn everything visual first. Then the others things come after that. The more I think about it, the more I believe what he is saying. In our book the definition of visual literacy is the competent creation and consumption of visual messages (Ryan, 2012). Which is a vague fairly vague definition compared to what Kennedy said. Kennedy really dives deep into the subject and drives home the importance of visual literacy. He has you close your eyes and then he asks you to name off some things that are in the room. I honestly couldn’t remember any of these things. It just goes to show you how important it is for us to see things. When we see things we generate assumptions about them, try to interpret them, and we add text to them. So visual literacy can go a long way for us. Visual literacy is definitely a universal language. Kennedy talks about this a little bit in his lecture. There are all kinds of different things we do visually that translate in any culture. Kennedy’s example was a simple wink. When we see someone wink we interpret what it means. It could mean a lot of different things though as well. Hand signals and numbers don’t really change either. I was just in the Dominican Republic and a lot of the locals didn’t speak English. I had to resort to using hand signals to get things I wanted or communicate with them. Most of the time it worked to. It was easier for me to communicate with them visually and basically the only means  of communication I had. So I agree when someone says visual literacy is a universal language. I think visual literacy can impact communication and global understanding. I gave an example in my previous paragraph of how visual literacy impacts communication. That example works here really well too. It impacts communication because we see things first and then we interpret the text, such as body language or hand gestures. They can change how you interpret what someone is saying. It helps with a global understanding because visual literacy is universal. I stated earlier that I though visual literacy was a universal language. When you can’t communicate with some verbally you always turn to visual things like hand gestures. I think this gives us a way to communicate when we can speak through words. Visual literacy is very important to us as a country and throughout the world. References Ryan, W. (2012). Visual literacy: learning to see. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. TedTalk: Brian Kennedy: Visual Literacy and Why We Need It (http://tedxtalks. ted. com/video/TEDxDartmouth-Brian-Kennedy-Vis;search%3Abrian%20kennedy).

Ancient Greece Health and Medicine Essay Example

Ancient Greece Health and Medicine Essay Example Ancient Greece Health and Medicine Essay Ancient Greece Health and Medicine Essay Essay Topic: Love Medicine Medicine all began in Ancient Greece by one man named Hippocrates (ca. 460-377 B. C. E); he is known as the father of medicine. It all began with the Greeks trying to come up with a logic system that would help them diagnose certain diseases. The logical system was based upon the fact that we had humors, and each person had four humours that were substances inside our bodies. The four substances were: blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm (pronounced mucus, meaning boogers). They believed that if your four substances were balanced then you would remain a healthy person, but if one of your substances became unequal then you would become ill. If you became ill then the doctors believed that you had too much of one substances and that’s what was making you ill, therefore, they would go about trying to remove whatever extra substance you had. Hippocrates also made humours correspond with the seasons: the first season that of blood and air corresponded to spring; the summer was fire, bile and liver; autumn was earth, black bile and spleen, while winter was the season of water, of phlegm (mucus) and of the brain† (history of medicine). As for diseases many of them that surfaced in Ancient Greek many years ago are still here today and actually go by the same name in some cases. Also some of the treatments are in the same idea as we have today, but today we have a lot better technology and understanding of what is going on. Firstly, the Greeks had cholesterol; cholesterol is a combination of two Greek words; â€Å"chole† meaning bile, and â€Å"steros† means solid. Cholesterol was first found as small stones inside of the gallbladder, and their cure was flaxseeds which show effectiveness is lowering high cholesterol. Secondly, the Greeks had diabetes. Diabetes comes from the Greek prefix ‘dia’ meaning apart and the word ‘bainein’ which means to stand, the word together meant a compass or a siphon. The word siphon was a reference to the excessive urination from a person with diabetes. The Greeks with diabetes followed a very healthy diet and lifestyle, but diabetes was a very rare condition back then. Another major disease in ancient Greece was the Plague; Greece had a massive outbreak in the summer of 430. This outbreak left the doctors, patients, and people of the era with a lot of damage and heartache; they would never forget this disease. They really did not have a cure everyone was acceptable to this disease, but knowledge from previous outbreaks and information about the symptoms which helped them understand this outrageous disease. Other iseases that affected the Greeks were acne, migraines, allergies, anemia, leprosy, cholera, and gonorrhea. As for the people who actually treated the ill it was up to the, â€Å"Cult of Asclepius grew in popularity and was a major provider of medical care. This cult developed old theories and introduced several treatments not too dissimilar from modern alternative medicines† (Ancient Greek Medicine). The Ancient Gree ks loved sports therefore most of the cities in Greece had public gymnasiums where citizens could gather to train, exercise, relax, and socialize. Greeks were a firm believer that a healthy body was very important. Men and boys would practices sports daily not only because they enjoyed the sport but because they wanted to stay fit and in shape. Although sport wasn’t only good for getting fit and staying in shape, the Greeks would use it to prepare for war too; regular exercise was important in a society where men were always needed for military service. Armies had to be fit, they had to march long distances, carry all the heavy equipment, and begin the fight with the enemy. Along with all that, the â€Å"athletics was a huge part of their education, many believed that developing the body was equally important as improving the mind for overall health† (M. Barrow). The youth would work out in the wrestling-school, palastra. The palaestra was a popular place for the Greek men of all ages to socialize. The wrestling school was for the serious competitors in the Olympics, and for the ones that were not serious. Men would work out with an athletic trainer who would use a long stick to point out errors in certain positions and other mistakes. The â€Å"trainers would pay close attention to balancing the types of physical exercise and the athletes diet† (M. Barrow). Work cited: Ancient Greek Mythology Diseases, Health, Illness, Infections, Conditions. (n. d. ). Home Remedies and Natural Cures for Common Illnesses. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from home-remedies-for-you. com/facts/greek-medicines. html Ancient Greek medicine. (n. d. ). Schoolshistory. org. uk online lessons GCSE study aids – Teachers resources. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from schoolshistory. org. uk/ancientgreece. htm Barrow, M. (n. d. ). Sports and the Ancient Greece Olympics . Woodlands Junior School, Tonbridge, Kent UK. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from woodlands- junior. kent. sch. uk/Homework/greece/sports. htm History of Medicine. (n. d. ). Benvenuto in pacs. unica. it Facolta di Medicina e Chirurgia dellUniversita di Cagliari. Retrieved October 26, 2011, from http://pacs. unica. it/biblio/lesson1. htm

Coryphodon - Facts and Figures

Coryphodon - Facts and Figures Name: Coryphodon (Greek for peaked tooth); pronounced core-IFF-oh-don Habitat: Swamps of the northern hemisphere Historical Epoch: Early Eocene (55-50 million years ago) Size and Weight: Up to seven feet long and half a ton, depending on species Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Squat body; quadrupedal posture; semiaquatic lifestyle; exceptionally small brain About Coryphodon A mere 10 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct, the first giant mammals, the pantodonts, appeared on the planetand among the biggest pantodonts was Coryphodon, the largest species of which only measured about seven feet long from head to tail and weighed half a ton, but still counted as the largest land animals of their day. (Its important to remember that mammals didnt suddenly spring into existence after the K/T Extinction; they existed alongside bigger dinosaurs for most of the Mesozoic Era, but in small, shrew-like form, cowering in the tops of trees or burrowing underground for shelter.) Coryphodon wasnt the first identified pantodont of North America, however; that honor belongs to the slightly smaller Barylambda. Coryphodon and its fellow pantodonts seem to have lived like modern hippopotami, spending a large part of their day in weed-choked swamps and uprooting plants with their powerful necks and heads. Possibly because efficient predators were in short supply during the early Eocene epoch, Coryphodon was a relatively slow, lumbering beast, equipped with an unusually small brain (only a handful of ounces compared to its 1,000-pound bulk) that beckons comparison with those of its sauropod and stegosaur predecessors. Still, this megafauna mammal managed to populate most of North America and Eurasia during its five million years on earth, making it a true success story of the early Cenozoic Era. Because it was so widespread, and left so many fossil specimens, Coryphodon is known by a bewildering array of species and outmoded genus names. Within the last century, it has been synonymized with the would-be pantodonts Bathmodon, Ectacodon, Manteodon, Letalophodon, Loxolophodon and Metalophodon, and various species were described by the famous 19th-century American paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel C. Marsh. Even after decades of pruning, there are over a dozen named Coryphodon species; there used to be as many as fifty!

Sales and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sales and Marketing - Essay Example mportant factor among qualification, skill, knowledge and experience Fig 1: Factors important for graduate employment (Source: Author’s Creation) The responses from the respondents indicate that experience and skill matters the most in case of employment in the marketing and sales. Knowledge and qualification count only as the third and fourth important factor. The justification is that experience and skill set matters the most since the ability to close deals and ability to negotiate and bargain does not come from knowledge or qualification. It can be gained only through hands on experience. These factors matter in the area of hard core sales although there are certain areas like developing the marketing mix and promotional mix or choosing the pricing strategy, which can be gained from knowledge and qualification. Another important factor that needs to be pointed out is the fact that the sample is taken not from a few particular institutions only. The institutions that are co nsidered for the creation of the sample have institutional ranks that are comparable to each other. So some form of homogeneity has already settled in the sample due to which the views and opinions can have degree of bias, although it has negligible effect on the outcome of the analysis. Secondary research Andrews and Smith (2010) conducted studies with the data obtained from the employment board of both developed and developing countries. The studies indicate that companies that employed graduates as relationship manager or marketing officers in the sale and marketing domain. They gave more preference to experience and skill set of the students. Although exceptions are observed where more preference is given to knowledge and qualification but only to those who graduated from reputed and well...The developing countries on the other hand represent vast untapped markets with little product and service penetration. Thus, there is immense chance to carry out massive sales and marketing activities in areas like insurance, banking services as well as products like cell phones (Das, Quelch and Swartz, 2000). The career opportunities are found in both client side marketing roles as well as agency side marketing roles. The client side marketing roles which have strong job opportunities are marketing assistant, marketing officer, marketing executive and junior marketing assistant. These are entry level jobs in the sales and marketing roles. In the agency side the roles which are offered are market research positions, account management positions and public relations officer positions (David, James and Arthur, 2011). The roles mentioned in the agency side are mainly strategic in nature, so the graduates who have more knowledge and qualification in comparison to skills and experience are given more preference.