Relationships in trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationships in trade - Essay Example Since there is no direct governmental intervention, it would permit trading partners attain mutual gains from exchanging goods and services. As it has been defined by International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), â€Å"fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in the south†. (www.wfto.com). Fair trade is of protectionist view which maintains a ‘people first’ policy and is backed by consumers through various non-profit organizations. Fair trade looks forward to achieve better justice in international trade by initiating reasonable changes in the current trade regulations. Its trading practices are entirely different from that of the conventional mode of trade. For instance, fair trade system works on the voluntary participation of producers, consumers, and companies based on a set of mutually accepted standards (Fair Trade Catholic Relief Services). On the other hand, the most important focus of the free trade is profit which usually goes to corporate giants. Hence, in order to create competitive advantages free trade firms seek alternatives for reducing the operation costs by moving from one region to other cost-effective locations. Unlike free trade, fair trade organizations maintain maximum direct relationship with the producers perhaps by giving them free or low interest credit (ibid). The common goods exchanged through fair trade include coffee, chocolate, clothing, and jewelry. Both fair trade and free trade have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the major benefits of the fair trade is that it promotes eco-friendly farming practices and helps farmers and artisans gain opportunities for building their own business skills. Obviously the notable benefit of the free trade is that it allows us both

Stand your ground law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stand your ground law - Research Paper Example Controversies surrounding the SYG law have off late attracted the nations debate. From 2005, eighteen states have enacted the law extending the self-defense right without retreating to any place an individual has the right to be, and other several additional States are looking forward to passing the same law. With all these implications, of the threat to public safety, less has been done to research on the effect of the law on people’s security. There is some recorded data at the statistical agencies in U.S. to study the prevalence of homicides. The data from these agencies indicate that the increasing number of homicides is attributed to the SYG law (Yu 119). There is no evidence given by any agency as to why there is an increase in homicides in blacks. The statutes referred to as Stand Your Ground (SYG) allows one to use force, even lethal one in self-defense, in an event of reasonable threat with no duty to first retreat. The right to defend individuals home from any intruder with no obligation to retreat is apparently protected by Castle Doctrine. The difference with the new laws is that they exceed the Castle Doctrine to the places like the workplace, vehicle or anywhere else; this limits the duty to retreat (Skiba 21). Since the time Florida passed the law in 2005, other seventeen states have introduced the SYG law with proportions allowing immunity from criminal prosecution when one uses deadly defense force in areas beyond their homes. With significant help from the National Association of Riffles, the users of SYG law say that they cannot support crime on the same. They also say that citizens who abide by the law should be able to protect themselves from attackers or intruders without the worry of being prosecuted. It is al so postulated that the great increase in concerns about public safety came after the 2001 terrorist attacks and Katrina of 2005, which led to

Validity of Brain Scanning Images to Study Human Behaviour

Validity of Brain Scanning Images to Study Human Behaviour The study of psychological phenomenon has shifted to focus more on brain activity. Critically evaluate the validity of using brain scanning images to study human behaviour Behavioural neuroscience is a term primarily developed in the early twentieth century and refers to the brain processes and physiological functions that produce human behaviour (Robinson et al, 2005). Pioneers of physiological psychology such as Karl Lashley (1950) surgically produced brain lesions in rats to observe learning and memory alterations, which resulted in many other psychologists mapping the parts of the brain involved, and relating it to human behaviour. This human behaviour, defined as the actions and responses humans portray (Holt et al, 2012), is extensively observed in human brain activity today, and can be monitored using brain scanning images. Some scanning images work by monitoring the electrical conduction of axons to different regions of the brain, glucose and oxygen levels in the brain and blood flow, whilst others visualize the brain structure using tissue density, and all can be used to pinpoint specific behavioural responses (Jezzard, Matthews Smith, 2001). These imaging techniques present processes that cannot be witnessed by the human eye and can distinguish what parts of the brain are at their most active during different stimulations (bremner, 2005). The increase of brain scanning images makes it one of the most popularly used neuropsychological tools in the field of biological psychology, and has also enthused the creation and promotion of new areas of psychology such as cognitive neuroscience. Yet there is still debate as to how successful brain scanning images are at locating and determining different human behaviours. This essay will depict different types of brain scanning images, their uses in relation to human behaviour, debate how successful or unsuccessful these uses are and hopefully establish a direction to the future of these neuropsychological tools. The brain is a very complex and active organ, using around 25% of the human body oxygen and 70% of its obtained glucose (Simon, 2007). Due to this complexity and high metabolic rate neuropsychologists want to establish why the brain uses so much energy and where it is consumed during different behavioural events. Originally, single-cell recordings were the most popularly used type of brain scanning images, pinpointing specific neuronal networks used when processing stimuli in relation to behaviour (Holt et al, 2012). For example Electroencephalograph (EEG) can help distinguish whether an ADHD sufferer has an inattentive or hyperactive subtype by monitoring different brain wavelengths (Pedersen, 2013). Clark, Barry, McCarthy and Selikowitz (1998) monitored children in various settings. They were aged 8-12 years and suffered with ADHD. Using EEG measures, the researchers found that the children had substantially higher levels of theta waves compared to the control group. In addition, t he children with an inattentive type of ADHD brain waves were closer related to the control group then that of the hyperactive subtype. This demonstrates how EEG measures are a successful non-invasive brain scanning technique, that can be used in many environments and reveals how simple brain scanning images can be used to determine different human behaviours. However EEG measures can be somewhat non-specific and need complex data analysis to help decipher the readings. Furthermore, establishing the amount of brain states an EEG reading can identify would increase the techniques validity (Schlà ¶gl, Slater Pfurtscheller, 2002). SOMETHING TO LINK Static imaging techniques such as Computed tomography (CT) or Computerized axial tomography (CAT) are used to present a visual structure of the brain and can be useful in detecting deterioration or injury of the brain (Demitri, 2007). They work by using X-ray technology to take pictures of sections of the brain, layering the brains interior from multiple angles. They are 100 times more accurate than normal X-rays and can be used on other bodily organs (CT scan, 2013). This non-invasive method can be used to identify brain abnormalities in abnormal human behaviour such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Pearlson, Garbacz, Moberg, Ahn, and Depaulo (1985) used CAT scans in order to establish a significant lateral ventricular enlargement in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder compared to a control group. Additionally, Bigler, Hubler, Cullum, and Turkheimer (1985) used CAT scans to observe changes in the brain structure of those patients with alzheimers disease and those w ithout. Results portrayed an intellectual decline and memory impairment for Alzheimer disease sufferers. Using these kinds of static brain imaging techniques can help establish a physical determent for human behaviour in relation to brain activity and can also give clinical validity to the technique because it is used not only on the brain but also on other organs (Quiroz et al, 2005). Wedding and Gudeman (1980) even suggest that CT scanning will be an ‘invaluable’ tool in the mapping of the functionality of the brain. However there are disadvantages with using static brain imaging, such as the cost of procedure, the risk of radiation exposure and the relatively poor detail the scan produces (Gould, Cummings, Rabuzzi, Reed Chung, 1977). In terms of identifying human behaviour, static brain images can only give a physical view of brain abnormalities so it is not always clear what is actually responsible for behaviour. Instead, dynamic brain scanning images can be used to investigate what is going on internally in the brain when humans experience behaviour. Positron-emission tomography (PET) scans use invasive techniques to measure brain activity such as metabolism, blood flow and neurotransmitter activity (Holt et al, 2012). A radioactive component is inserted into the blood and due to the decaying nature of this component; it is possible to use a detector to observe where the brain is using the most energy (Brain scanning images, 2014). For example Mayberg et al (1999) used PET scans to monitor stimulated feelings of sadness in depressed patients compared to recovered patients. They found that one specific area of the brain had increased blood flow in depressed patients compared to another area that had increased blood flow with the recovered patients. They go on to suggest these types of findings are significant for the use of medical treatments for such disorders, because the PET scan could ide ntify a specific brain region ‘responsible’ for the sadness felt in depression. Furthermore, Jones (2010) describes the work carried out by Dr Ned.H Kalin using PET scans on Anxious Temperament (AT) rhesus monkeys. The central nucleus region of the amygdala portrayed increased blood flow, suggesting an increase in emotion and fear of these types of monkeys. PET scans can be very useful in identifying whereabouts in the brain the most energy is being used when displaying certain behaviours. However, Lubezky et al (2007) also found that PET scanning can have interference when used on patients also having treatment for chemotherapy, which suggests PET scans are not always a successful tool in clinical research. This type of scanning can be very time consuming and the resolution of the brain structure is not as high compared to other brain scanning techniques, which means the functional information retrieved from these scans cannot always be accessed (Positron Emission Tomo graphy, 2013). This means establishing a cause for human behaviour is more difficult and not as concise, so PET scans may not be the most successful choice when researching human behaviour. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to create clear detailed pictures of the brain structure, a lot like CT and CAT scans. Sometimes a dye is injected into the vein to help contrast the picture and images are around 1/10 the size of a CT scan (Rosen, 2007). However, in recent years MRI advancing has resulted in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) that can produce dynamic pictures of blood flow in the brain instantly (Holt et al, 2014). This has made a huge impact in the neuropsychological field of establishing what parts of the brain react to different behaviours as it has allowed researchers to present stimuli and observe the results from the stimuli within seconds of it occurring (Jezzard, Matthews Smith, 2001). A wealth of research has been carried out to investigate this, for example Eisenberger, Lieberman and Williams (2003) used fMRI scans to investigate whether participants reacted to psychological pain in the same way as physical pain. Using a social exclusion task they found a significant relationship between parts of the brain activated during physical pain, in relation to emotional pain. Mastena, Morellib and Eisenbergerb (2011) investigated the effects on brain activity of participants feeling empathy towards an excluded victim, and found that participants with more empathetic personality traits had higher levels of activation in metalizing regions and social pain-related regions of their brain. This in turn led them to carry out more pro-social behaviour towards the victim of exclusion. Horn, Dolan, Elliott, Deakin and Woodruff (2003) also explored impulsivity in relation to aggression, suicide and violent behaviour. Using fMRI scans they found that participants who had greater scores on impulsivity scales had higher activation of paralimbic areas in the brain during response inhibition. Participants with lower scores on impulsivity therefore had lower activation levels in this particular part of the brain. It is clear to see how suc cessful fMRI scans can be at determining what parts of the brain are affected by different human behaviours due to the quick and detailed resolution of the scan. They are also non-invasive with the absence of radiation, making this method a more suitable and reusable option for patients (Devlin, 2007). However, in terms of studying human behaviour, there are statistical pitfalls when using fMRI scans, for example inappropriate interpretations and misunderstandings (Hughes, 2014). For example Watson (2008) describes Marco Iacoboni study investigating swing voters. They were shown political words that they didn’t agree with, such as ‘democratic’, and the amygdala was activated, indicating feelings of anxiety and disgust. However other areas of the brain also became stimulated, in association with reward, desire and connectedness, which presents an opposite interaction of what the participants are feeling, which questions the validity of the fMRI scan all together. Nevertheless, fMRI scans are currently being used in more advancing fields than ever before. The reliability of the scans has even been tested to find out whether they should be used in court as evidence of past memories (Harmon-Courage, 2010). On the other hand, many researchers would suggest it would be more beneficial in terms of research in human behaviour to instead focus on the behavioural and social techniques that could be used to understand behaviour, rather than biological observations. For example Watson (1913) described all behaviour as observable, and any unobservable phenomenon was not proper learnt experiences, and so could therefore not be measured. Yet due to the advancing field of brain scanning techniques, new areas such as cognitive neuroscience have become apparent, and use brain scanning images as a forefront for their research. Cabeza and Nyberg (2000) Analysed regional activations across cognitive domains and found that several brain regions, including the ce rebellum, are engaged by a variety of cognitive challenges, which again supports the use of brain scanning techniques in new fields to establish and understanding of human behaviour. Overall, brain scanning techniques are clearly confidently used in human behaviour research. There are many options as to which type of brain scanning technique to use so researchers can choose the method best suited to them, whether it is observing brain structure, or researching the dynamic function of the brain. That is not to say that there are not drawbacks with using brain scanning techniques. There are practical issues like the cost, and with some types of brain scanning techniques, the exposure to radiation that the participant must experience limits the amount of times a scan can be taken. Also, as explained above, it can also be quite difficult to interpret the scanning image itself and researchers cannot be completely confident that a certain part of the brain is responsible for a certain behaviour. However, the valid use of brain scanning images continues to increase, with new areas of neuropsychology producing new research outcomes, and the increased usage of them in cli nical fields. Finally, brain scanning techniques in relation to human behaviour can be said to be relatively valid because of the abundance of rich and detailed findings that they gather.

Effects of the Media on Young Girls Essay -- Eating Disorders Anorexia

Effects of the Media on Young Girls I can remember her standing in front of the mirror looking at herself. How she thought she was beautiful, I don’t know. Because the image I saw was of a person who looked like a living corpse. She had to have weighed only 100 pounds, her hair so thin, the black bags under her eyes, and her overall grayish complexion made her look as if she were a dead. As she saw me staring at her in the corner of her eye, she slammed the door in my face. That was the big sister that I knew now. She was no longer the big sister that I could go to and get advice from or have a good laugh with. No, she was too busy with her own schedule and not to mention her terrible mood swings. My older sister Jessica was one of the many teenage girls who suffered from an eating disorder known as Anorexia Nervosa. Eating disorders have increased severely in the past 20 years among young girls and has now become a major problem in the United States. Many experts have tried to find the cau se of eating disorders, and one of the many solutions is the effects that the media has over young girls. By using super thin models and actresses, the media illustrates the message that happiness and success comes with a thin body. The messages portray that to be thin as teen idols and models requires people to achieve a weight that is not healthy. To these young girls, the media’s message of thinness contributes to their low self-esteem on body image which leads to dangerous eating disorders. The media is an important aspect of today’s culture. Almost every household in the Untied States owns a television set and the average American watches 3 to 5 hours of television a day. Television is not the only... ... pattern of binge-eating followed by self-induced purging or abuse of laxatives. People with disease often restrict themselves and then self indulge on food feeling sick shortly after. The affects of this disease are damage to teeth due from acid in the stomach, dehydration, weakness, electrolyte imbalance, bleeding and infection of the throat, digestive and intestinal problems, muscle spasms, and headaches. The question you have to ask yourself is, â€Å"Is being thin worth getting sick or even dying for?† Many young girls do not see the dark side of being thin. All they see is the beauty and glamour due to all of the messages they receive from the media. Since young girls find it important to mimic these thin images they spend hours and dollars trying reduce their waists and legs by dieting and exercising, all to obtain society’s â€Å"perfect body image.†

Nationality Differentiation and Its Effect

Have you ever been picked on or made fun of because your nationality is different from someone else's or the color of your skin? If so, then the person who did it was probably a racist person. Racism still exists within all cultures. Some people won't admit they're a racist, but their actions and words prove otherwise. Most people won't directly discriminate other races, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen everyday. Many will argue that their race is superior over another, or that the actions of a few individuals of a certain race determines how that race of people are, therefore making them unequal. I think all people should be treated equally, no matter who they are or what they look like.  However, there is no rights to govern how one person might perceive another person so every one can think or act on how they treat members of another race. Who's to say that if one group of people believes that they are superior over another group, that they won't display those actions if they confronted by members of that group or race? Prejudice people think that their way is right and they have the freedom of speech to express how they feel. If you were to ask if they were racist, they would defend their actions by saying it is how it should be and it isn't wrong.  Racism is broad topic to talk about but once everyone realizes it exists in the U.S. they can take steps to trying to talk to their children about it and maybe even change some of their ways in knowing that racism is wrong. It may not exist where you live, but any place that there will be adults, teens, or children of different races interact together there is a possibility of prejudice.Many other cultures are a target for racism, it isn't just black and white. Japanese, Indian, and Germans aren't safe from racism. I witnessed all kinds of prejudice against a wide variety of races. I've seen other races mistreat whites, blacks, and even Asians.  Basically, racism affects us all. I don't think it will go away ever because here in America there is such a wide variety of races, and when they are all mixed together, in the neither

K Campbell

Assessment – Outcomes 1 & 2 1. Explain marketing theory in relation to the 4 P’s. Explain the factors that would affect how Britvic might decide on their choice of each of these items. b. Product Mix and individual products c. Distribution channels d. Pricing methods e. Promotional methods Product – When Britvic introduces a product into a market they must ask themselves a number of questions, who is the product aimed at, what benefit will customers expect, how do they plan to position the product within the market? And what differential advantage will the product offer over their competitors.The product aspects of marketing deal with the specifications of the actual goods or services, plus how it relates to the end users needs and wants. As Britvic have a wide variety of drinks they target a variety of markets and are very successful at growing and bringing out new products and making them popular. Distribution – refers to how the product gets to the buye r; for instance, point-of-sale assignment or retailing. This refers to the channel by which a product or service is sold (e. g. online vs. retail), which geographic region or industry, to which division (young adults, families, business citizens), etc. lso referring to how the surroundings in which the product is sold in can influence sales. Britvic is sold over a large geographical area and is sold too many different industries including pubs, restaurant, shops, supermarkets and many more. Also they are aiming at many different divisions such as young children (fizzy pop) and to an older division by selling vitamin drinks and still drinks. When thinking about distribution Britvic should make sure they have the right: †¢ wholesalers †¢ facilitators †¢ agents †¢ logistics †¢ buyers †¢ retailers †¢ resellersPrice requires marketers to determine the amount of money that they will ask in exchange for their products. Of all the aspects of the marketing mix, price is the one, which creates sales revenue – all the others are costs. The price of an item is clearly an important determinant of the value of sales made. In theory, price is really determined by the discovery of what customers perceive is the value of the item on sale. Researching consumers' opinions about pricing is important to Britvic as it indicates how they value what they are looking for as well as what they want to pay.Britvic’s pricing policy will vary according to time and circumstances. When selling their products they should take the following into consideration: †¢ market based pricing †¢ cost based pricing †¢ new pricing strategies The one thing that Britvic wouldn’t want to do is over charge their customers as this could lose current or potential customers but they also need to have the right price to make a profit Promotion is the business of communicating with customers. It will provide information that will assist them i n making a decision to purchase a product or service.The cost associated with promotion or advertising goods and services often represents a sizeable proportion of the overall cost of producing an item. However, successful promotion increases sales so that advertising and other costs are spread over a larger output. Though increased promotional activity is often a sign of a response to a problem such as competitive activity, it enables an organisation such as Britvic to develop and build up a succession of messages and can be extremely cost-effective.They would have to consider the ideas of why they should advertise and where they should advertise because if they can advertise in the right place then they can get vast amount of promotions for their products. 2. In marketing a service, explain the importance of: a. Process b. People c. Physical Environment Process – Service process is the way in which a service is delivered to the end customer. Companies like Britvic thrive on their quick and popular service and the reason they can do that is their confidence on their processes.The demand of these services is such that they have to deliver optimally without a loss in quality one example of this is they have some of their drinks in smaller glass bottles to preserve the vitamins and goodness in the bottles for longer. Thus the process of a service company in delivering its product is of utmost importance. It is also a critical component in the service blueprint, wherein before establishing the service, the company defines exactly what should be the process of the service product reaching the end customer People – An essential ingredient to any service provision is the use of appropriate staff and people.Recruiting the right staff and training them appropriately in the delivery of their service is essential if the organisation wants to obtain a form of competitive advantage. Consumers make judgments and deliver perceptions of the service based on the employees they interact with. Staff should have the appropriate interpersonal skills and service knowledge to provide the service that consumers are paying for. Many British organisations such as Britvic aim to apply for the Investors in People accreditation, which tells consumers that staff is taken care of by the company and they are trained to certain standards.Physical Evidence – Physical Evidence is the element of the service mix which allows the consumer again to make judgments on the organisation. If you walk into a restaurant your expectations are of a clean, friendly environment. On an aircraft if you travel first class you expect enough room to be able to lie down. Physical evidence is an essential ingredient of the service mix; consumers will make perceptions based on their sight of the service provision which will have an impact on the organisations perceptual plan of the service. . Explain how Britvic might adapt their marketing mix in response to three possible changes in marketing conditions. One reason could be product objectives. Each product is created with its own objective or purpose. The company has to make sure that they use their marketing mix to its full potential because each of their products would have to be created differently since each of them would have their own purpose. Another reason could be the competition. When the company has lots of ompetition they sometimes have to come up with some new original creative ideas that no other company has ever thought of. In order to do this they would have to go through their marketing mix and think outside the box so that they can create better products then think of a suitable prices so that they can make a good profit from. Then they would have to think of a different way to promote the products And lastly another reason would be new technology and changing fashions for example updating the style of packaging of the product.They could make the packaging better by giving the prod ucts a longer shelf life and overall make the products last longer which would make a better profit as there wouldn’t be as much waste and the drinks would be fresher. This would boost sales with if they had new packaging, but they would need to go through the whole mix again so that they could re-advertise the product so all the current customers and new target markets would know that they have the same great products but with a new improved more current packaging and the products are more fresh and last longer. Katy Campbell- HNC Admin and Information Technology.