SBU Situational Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SBU Situational Analysis - Case Study Example It is important to note that RamenPlay was founded also by the Japanese company Sanpou Co. Ltd. Its founder Yukihiro Kaneko has set a clear vision and strategy towards development of the brand, placing customers on the first place, and striving to provide â€Å"best ramen to the beloved customers† (RamenPlay 2014). In order to implement its strategy of elevating and enhancing customer’s dining experience, the company employs Sanpou’s Japanese master chefs who have more than 40 years of culinary expertise. These McCoys are recognized to be the best in their field of expertise and it significantly helps the company to gain competitive advantage (RamenPlay 2014). Thus, collaboration with Japan’s Sanpou Co Ltd enabled the company to differentiate its brand among the competitors by offering authentic Japanese cuisine (Breadtalk Group Ltd - Annual Report, 2012). The company has generated profit of $4.97 on every $100 spent on asset. According to experts it is normal achievement comparing to the sector average (Macroaxis 2014). In order to achieve good financial results the company has ensured effective supplying and focused on providing best quality and customer service (RamenPlay 2014). Continuous improvement and innovativeness combined with guaranteed freshness and top quality of the ingredients makes the company successful and profitable. The company continues to open new RamenPlat outlets, but offers new design where the focus is made on rich heritage and culture associated with Sanpou brand. This emphasis on Japanese authenticity and identity is a pillar of company’s strategy. Thus, for example, in 2013, the company has modernized menu of RamenPlay and refreshed the interior dà ©cor. Also, the company’s management has introduced a new business cost model which is expected to improve firm’s productivity (Breadtalk Group Ltd - Annual Report, 2012). Political: There is a strong

STANDARDS OF EVALUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

STANDARDS OF EVALUATION - Essay Example In terms of accessibility, there is no existence of universal health care in American healthcare delivery system. (Rapoport, 2009) However, the US government has implemented programs to assist deliverance of healthcare to the old-aged, disables, poverty-stricken and youths together with programs arising as an effect of â€Å"Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act† to endow with a guarantee to the people requiring emergency medicinal services irrespective of their fiscal capability (Shi, 2009) whereas, the Canadian health care delivery system ensures that all populace are granted with healthcare services though, coverage is not up till now widespread This is of unique significance as reports have indicated that people requiring critical medical services do not have access even to a standard physician. (Rapoport, 2009) Hence, it can be said that even though Canadian healthcare policies facilitates accessibility to all but the American system, actually, delivers better access to patients requiring healthcare. The USA and Canada’s healthcare systems mutually comprises healthcare as one of the prime overheads in their balance sheets. In year 2007-08, America’s healthcare spending/citizen was noticeably upper than Canada, USA exhausted approximately $2,700 /person i.e. almost 15% of its GDP whereas Canada’s balance sheets recorded only $2,100 /person i.e. 9% of GDP. (Rapoport, 2009) Personal expenditures in Canada are approximately $917 per person per year as compared to the America’s $3,372 /person/year including treatments for drugs, dental and eye treatments. (Rapoport, 2009) American or Canadian, healthcare of both are equivalent as both comprises highly qualified professionals and educational programs of both accentuate the significance of enduring learning and specialization via formal training, tutoring, seminars together with hi-tech implementations (Shi, 2009)

Concepts and Determinants of Health

Concepts and Determinants of Health Ronald M. Verano Introduction Health is very important in every human being. In every nation, private and non-private sectors put extensive efforts to maintain the welfare of the community. They have critically planned strategies to address a health issue or problem. Strategies can be health interventions or policies. Policies takes a longer period of time to be formulated and adapted to the society. There are heaps of factors that can make an impact, directly or indirectly, to the policy-making procedures. New Zealand has prioritize health over the past several years. They have been formulating policies to maintain and promote health among New Zealanders and policies to address the health issue the country is still facing. There are several factors that go all together to affect the health of the community. Such factors include, the places where they live, their environment they are used to, it could also be their genetics, income, employment and even their relationship with their families and friends. These factors that affect the individual’s health are called determinants. Demographic Distribution of Population A country consists of urban and rural areas. These areas differ from each other in terms of the community, environment and certain situations about health. In urban areas, most people are modernized than that of the rural. Urban is also considered the cities where lots of buildings and facilities are being established. People in terms of availability of healthcare facilities such as clinics and hospitals are most likely to access and are privileged to obtain medical help. On one hand, rural areas which are known to be in the countryside or provincial areas, where buildings and facilities are less likely to be seen, have poor access to health. Sometimes they even seek medical help if their condition is already worst and fatal. Hospitals are not accessible that could resort people to choose not to seek medical help. There is disparity between the urban and rural when it comes to healthcare access and distribution. Aside from the facilities, there is lack of resources in rural areas, su ch resources include medicines, diagnostics, and even health care providers. Political Values Political values make how people think and react to information. These people are encouraged to see the credibility of the message of such information according to the beliefs and values instilled to them. Some messages can convey a threat to these people that is why they become resistant to the policies and advocacy being presented to them. This can make them not interested with the policy and thus participation is not possible. Health communication messages, such as advocacies and policies, may trigger a person to react positively and negatively to it. Policies that are against one’s belief can lead to resistance of the individual, especially to those people who value their beliefs in a higher state. This can influence the process of policy in the making. Government agencies should also partake in addressing this problem. Government officials are representatives of the people and people chose them to lead them. These officials should be fair and honest, they should focused o n issues affecting the people, health being one of the priorities of the nation. Religious beliefs Similar with political values, religions instill beliefs that make a person’s being. Religious beliefs guide people of what is right and wrong, of what to do and not to do. For instance in some countries, there is an issue of overpopulation. Other problems can occur such as abortion. In order for the government to solve this problem they resort to a policy which highly favors contraception. As some religions are pro-life, they believe the policy will be against to their belief, chances are they would oppose to the policy making it possible to happen. Human Values Human values include compassion, respect for others, commitment, etc. These human values shape the person’s perception towards health. If people are being committed to stay and become healthy, then policies pertaining to health are of their interest. But some people, although they are concern about their health, lacks the discipline to stay healthy. And still believe that health is being free from any illness. Ethnicity and traditions Ethnicity is the person’s identity. It also involves beliefs and traditions that one belongs to. Same way with the religious beliefs and human values of an individual. If an individual has his own set of values to guide them. If a policy is believed to be against their practices and traditions, they will oppose eventually. The concept of public to health Health as perceived by many people is the absence of a disease. Many people think that they are healthy because they don’t feel any pain or discomfort or simply physical symptoms. But health is not just the absence of any pain or discomfort or disease, it is more than that. This is the common misconception of mostly people. Health is the complete condition of physical, emotional, intellectual and mental being of a person. This attitudes could affect the process of policy in the making. In the planning phase, for instance, obtaining information would be very difficult to accomplish if people will not engage or participate. Same thing with the implementation phase, there is a need for people to participate. If their perception of themselves are healthy even though they are not, they won’t be participating in those activities because they think the policies are not for them. The concept of public to illness Illness is viewed in different ways. It is the own feeling perceive by a person. It is the judgement of the person to its body if he feels healthy or unhealthy. Some people think they are healthy being free from a physical illness. For example, a person who is deemed fit, has no illness at all but is suffering from depression. He can deny that he is not ill but the fact that he is suffering mentally or emotionally cannot be taken for granted. People need to understand that illness is not just a symptom of a physical discomfort or pain felt in some parts of the body. Illness is associated with mental, emotional and intellectual being. Importance the public on health It is very important for people to value their health. Health reflects the condition of the nation. It is similar to a family is considered healthy if all of its members are healthy. A country is considered healthy if the larger proportion of its society are healthy. If majority of the society neglects the importance of health to them, then active participation in promoting health and preventing diseases from spreading will not be accomplish. People need to have awareness, creating awareness will help people engage to activities and eventually in the policies. It is important to know that they have an idea of what health and illness is about. That these two will affect their well-being. Public Attitudes towards health and medical professionals Attitudes reflects the way people behave. It would depend on their beliefs being instilled to them. It is similar to children learn how to read in a different way while they were in school. Attitudes make a person who he is. When it comes to health, they view it in a different manner. For example, issues on obesity. Some obese people are aware the complications they might have of being obese, others believe it is beauty because they were used to their customs that being overweight is attractive, without knowing the complications they might acquire due to being obese. On a lighter side, there are people who values their health and has the discipline of maintaining a healthy state. Meanwhile, people have also different views and perception about health and medical professionals. Some may fear them thinking that seeking medical help will only worsen their condition. Some may have the impression that these professionals aren’t competent enough that they would choose not to ask for help. Culture, norms and beliefs has also something to do with their attitudes towards these health care providers. There are many factors that may influence, directly or indirectly, the process of policy-making, particularly in New Zealand context. New Zealand has focused their policies in maintaining the healthy state of its members of the society and has made efforts in acquiring such improvements over the years. But still, there are factors to consider that could influence the policy-making procedures in either positive or negative manner. Such factors are identified as social, economic and personal. What is important is that the government and non-government sectors takes part on recognizing these factors and tries to address and resolve the issue. Most New Zealanders have originated from different cultures. Cultures have distinct beliefs and practices, this make a person belong to a certain culture. A lot of times, policies are intended for most people but not all of them will have the chance to benefit on the policy. There are policies that are not culturally intended which makes other cultures to adapt easily, or others to totally adapt at all. There is also racial discrimination among these cultures therefore fair access to health is not feasible. In addition, people with higher status in life are most likely to access health services and facilities than that of the poorer ones. Thus policies should be customized with every individual regardless of his status in the society. Poverty has also a greater impact on health policy-making. Poverty can be associated with many things such as lack of participation of people, lack of awareness when an epidemic is present in the community. People don’t have the enough resources to afford their needs, not enough money to purchase medicines in case they get sick. For example, a policy involving contraception will not be effective on people living in poorer areas, because they can’t afford to purchase pills that can be a bit expensive or that their health centres don’t have enough supplies to give to these people. Awareness to people is important. It can make the person acquire knowledge on his environment. A clear example of this is when an outbreak strikes, people can help in preventing this if they are aware of the disease that has infected them, its cause and the measures needed to confine and reduce the spread of this disease. In contrast, people who are not keen on the disease may even help to spread the disease. Although efforts have been made, with people who are not knowledgeable enough would worsen the situation. In conclusion, all of these factors are not to be taken for granted. This can influence the effectiveness of the whole process of making such policies in a positive or negative way. The goal here is to acknowledge these factors, find solutions to address them in order for policies to become adaptive to the society. Each country must have a government sector and its society that will work hand in hand to maintain the optimum level of each individual’s well-being. They should both aim for the good of its people. Policies are made to guide the people, to give them a sense of a unified direction. Policies are also made to address an existing problem. Its effectiveness will depend on the belief that is instilled in him. People usually make a reaction message the way he perceives it. It is the values that makes the person to accept or resist the policy that is to be implemented. Bibliography World Health Organization (2014). Determinants of Health. Health Impact Assessment. Retrieved December 3, 2014 from http://www.who.int/hia/evidence/doh/en/ J. Capella et.al. (2014). Political Values Influence People’s Response to Health Disparity Message. Press Releases. Retrieved December 3, 2014 from https://www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/press-releases/political-values-influence-peoples-response-health-disparities-messages Egton Medical Information System Limited (2014). Ethnic Matters. Professional References. Retrieved December 2, 2014 from http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/ethnic-matters Oxford University Press (2014). Definition: Attitude. British and World English. Retrieved December 3, 2014 from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/attitude

Cultural Anthropology Article Comparison :: Anthropology Culture Essays

Introduction: Cultural Anthropology is a term that is in everyday lives and topics. When one thinks of anthropology they think of the study of old remnants commonly referred to as archaeology. This, however, is not the only form of anthropology. There are four types of anthropology and they are archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. However, Cultural anthropologists are every where and study people of all walks of life. One can find a topic and find some type of study that an anthropologist has conducted on the matter. The following are five articles that explain how anthropologists are every where. Section: Culture and Fieldwork Chapter: Corporate Anthropologists, page 24 Summary of Article: The article talked about how anthropologists play an important role in the corporate environment. Anthropologists have been working with businesses since the 1930?s, however in the 1980?s this field experienced significant growth. This was due to the ?globalization of business activity and the increased awareness of the importance of culture for business,? (Laabs 24). Cultural anthropology is the study of existing people and corporations find this information useful in trying to understand human behavior within their own organization. ?Business anthropologists have been studying the corporate world for years, on such varied topics as how to encourage more creativity or how best to integrate multicultural learning techniques into an organization?s training program,? (Laabs 25). Most anthropologists who work in the corporate environment do not use the title of anthropologist. There are currently over 200 anthropologists working in this field. The article then gave an account of one ant hropologist?s experience in the corporate environment. The article concludes by saying what corporations think of the value that anthropologists add to the companies and that the role will continue to grow. Anthropologist?s Experience: The anthropologist that contributed to this article was Lorna M. McDougall. She works at Arthur Andersen?s Center for Professional Education, which is located in St. Charles, Illinois. McDougall is ?studying why people from some cultures learn best from lectures, although others learn best through interactive learning,? (Laabs 25). McDougall has played a large part in developing Arthur Andersen?s Business English Language Immersion Training (ELIT) program. This program builds a language skill that allows for communication between two parties where English may be a second language. This program also provides an awareness of each culture?s business ethics. ?The results of her work have helped instructors, who train Andersen consultants working in 66 countries, be better teachers,?

Advantages of Group Decision-Making Essay

Firstly, group decision making from experts in different areas is beneficial to solve complicate problems. For instance, in a small company, boss often makes suggestions by himself; the result of his behavior relies on the ability of the boss. So there are cases when he can’t make things right, which may be serious fault to the operation of a company. However, people with different backgrounds consider the problems more carefully and comprehensively, as a result, running the company will be in less risk. Secondly, people making decisions in groups are eager to bear more risks individually. Decisions come with risks. People who make the wrong decision will take the responsibility. A contradiction rises up when they attempt to avoid being wrong and at the same time, solve problems correctly. As a result, people will somewhat not dare to make the final decision. Nevertheless, group decision makers can share the risks because each of them has responsibility for the suggestions to the problem. Moreover, individual risks are decreased when some others rectify the suggestion for him or her. 2.Disadvantages of group decision-making Firstly, low efficiency in decision-making, everyone has his own opinions and under certain circumstances such as brainstorming, it costs more time to decide what to do by group decision-making than by personal decision-making. If things go well, the results will come out quickly. But if each of them in a group can’t comprise in the end, nothing will be achieved. For example, there is news from CCTV about the 2012 DOHA Climate Change Conference, †Nearly 200 countries haggling over how to stop climate change – and how to pay for it – failed to reach a deal on schedule Friday. That sets the stage for the wrangling to continue late into the night.† Things like these are usually occurred when a large number of people attend. Finally, the conference extended until they arrive at an agreement. Secondly, group decision-making will lose effectiveness when people are not likely to put up with suggestions out of some reasons. In such cases, the leader of the group will be the only one who does decision-making, which has no diffidence with personal decision-making. All the members of the group should have equal opportunities and are willing to speak out. Then, group decision-making functions better in dealing with problems.

Fast Food Nation

The fast food industry has been growing in America rapidly in the past decades. In â€Å"Fast Food Nation†, Eric Schlosser talks about the dangers of the fast food industry. Schlosser also explains the â€Å"distinctively American way† Americans view the world because of the fast food industry. I think the â€Å"distinctively American way† people view the world that Schlosser is trying to explain is that Americans care about money and power.Due to the growth and success of the fast food industry, the owners of these big fast food companies are starting to care more about power and they’re willing to use their power to control over Congress and their employees. Schlosser also feels that fast food companies are willing to have harsh working conditions, use cheap labor, and misuse government subsidies just for capitalism. He feels that fast food companies’ main goal is to gain profit and they’re willing to harm their employees and consumers just for the profit.Another â€Å"distinctively American way† people view the world due to fast food is that they’re starting to value convenience, speed, and cheapness. The fast food industry uses these attributes to help gain more profit because they know this will attract customers. Americans are starting to learn a new philosophy: bigger is better. Inhumane Working Conditions: Schlosser’s Argument- Schlosser argues that the fast food industry has many inhumane working conditions. In â€Å"Fast Food Nation†, Schlosser explains all the inhumane working conditions in the slaughterhouses and the effects of these working conditions.He explains the inhumane working conditions by showing his experience as he visits a slaughterhouse. As he visits the slaughterhouse, he sees the meat cutters working and how horrendous their job is. Schlosser explains the process of cutting the meat, â€Å"They stand at a table that’s chest high, grab meat off a conveyer be lt, trim away fat, throw meat back on the belt, toss the scraps onto a conveyer belt above them, and then grab more meat, all in a matter of seconds,†(170) The workers in the slaughterhouse do the same task repetitively throughout the day.Not only are the workers doing the same task repetitively, they’re working in extreme temperatures and with disgusting smells of blood and manure. The workers are also working with sharp knives that give them injuries such as lacerations. Repeating the same motion continuously also gives the workers back problems, shoulder problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, and â€Å"trigger finger†(a syndrome in which a finger becomes frozen in a curler position). The worst slaughterhouse job is cleaning the slaughterhouse at night. These workers deal with heat, fog, and fumes.The fumes make the workers throw up and they feel the fumes inside their bodies. Industry Defense- The fast food industry might defend themselves from these attacks about their inhumane working conditions by saying that they have these working conditions so production can be fast. Workers must perform the same task repetitively so that the meat could be cut as fast as possible. If production were to be slow, this will lead to less beef for the fast food industry and this will eventually harm the fast food industry.If the fast food industry is harmed this may lead to the rise of unemployment because the fast food industry will slow down and might not need as much employees working at branches. The fast food industry is one of the biggest industries and it provides the most jobs for young adults and people in the lower economic class. We need the fast food industry so there could be enough jobs for people and this will overall benefit our economy. My Argument- I agree with Schlosser about how the fast food industry does have inhumane working conditions.People are getting injuries and dying because of these horrible working conditions and that shouldnâ €™t be acceptable. Even though production will be slower if they didn’t have these working conditions, we could make it possible for the fast food industry to work without the inhumane working conditions. Slaughterhouses can hire more employees so people could get more breaks and they don’t have to continuously cut meat for hours. They could also provide air conditioning and get some ventilation for these workers so they don’t have to work in the heat and smell.There are many alternatives so these workers don’t have to suffer through these inhumane working conditions. Manipulation of Children Through TV: Schlosser’s argument- In â€Å"Fast Food Nation†, Schlosser argues that advertising companies are specifically attacking and manipulating children. After seeing the success of Walt Disney and Ray Kroc through their interest in selling to kids, advertisers started to attack children even more. The growth in advertising aimed at children h as been driven by efforts to increase not just current, but also future, consumption.Advertisers have an immediate goal; it’s to get children to ask for a specific product. Advertisers know children are easily influenced and they can easily persuade their parents to buy them products so companies’ advertisements are revolved around children. Children also have different types of nags to ask for these advertised products. Schlosser also explains how advertisers manipulate children by influencing them through advertisements, â€Å"Before trying to affect children’s behavior, advertisers have to learn about their tastes.Today’s market researchers have not only conduct surveys of children in shopping malls, they also organize focus groups for kids as young as two or three† (44). Advertisers study the lives of children so they could apply their interests into advertisements. For example, Dan S. Acuff did a study and found out that roughly 80 percent of children’s dreams are about animals. Since children seem to be interested in animals, companies such as Disney use characters based off animals such as Mickey Mouse in their advertisements.The manipulation of children through these television ads was controversial and in 1978 the Federal Trade Commission tried to ban television advertisements directed to children. The government defended the advertisement industry because different broadcasting groups lobbied the Congress to prevent restrictions on children advertisements. Industry Defense- The fast food industry might defend themselves from these attacks about their manipulation of children through TV by saying the advertisements do not make these children nag their parents for a certain product.Schlosser just assumes it does because children tend to ask for the product after seeing these advertisements; it could merely just be a coincidence. They might also say it’s the parent’s choice to let the children watc h these advertisements. The fast food industry is solely just advertising their product and it’s not the industry’s fault that children are watching these advertisements and asking for these products after watching the advertisements. If parents are so concern about they’re children wanting fast food because of these advertisements, they don’t have to let their children watch these advertisements.My Argument- I agree with the fast food industry about the manipulation of children through TV. I feel that Schlosser can’t really prove that advertising companies are really manipulating children. Even though it’s true that they’re aiming their advertisements toward children, I feel like they’re solely just doing their job of advertising. Their job is supposed to sell the product and advertisement companies are just doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s also under the parent’s control if they want their children to see these advertisements. Food Poisoning: Schlosser’s argumentSchlosser argues in â€Å"Fast Food Nation† that the fast food industry poison consumers everyday. The pathogen E. coli 0157:H7 has been one of the main pathogens that have gotten people sick. He explains how the fast food industry is poisoning consumers with E. coli 0157:H7 and other food pathogens, â€Å"But the rise of huge feedlots, slaughterhouses, and hamburger grinders seem to have provided the means for this pathogen to become widely dispersed in the nation’s food supply. American meat production has never been so centralized: thirteen large packinghouses now slaughter most of the beef consumed in the United States.The meat-packing system that arose to supply the nation’s fast food chains—an industry molded to serve their needs, to provided massive amounts of uniform ground beef so that all of McDonald’s hamburgers would taste the same—has proved to be an extre mely efficient system for spreading disease†(196) The foodborne pathogens are carried into the meat because of the way the meat is processed. These pathogens tend to be carried and shed by â€Å"healthy† animals. The food that is tainted has most likely come in contact with an infected animal’s stomach or manure during slaughter and food processing.The fast food industry is basically serving consumers food that has been in contact with shit. In â€Å"Fast Food Nation† Upton Sinclair describes a long list of practices in the meatpacking industry that threated the health of consumers, â€Å"the routine slaughter of diseased animals, the use of chemicals such as borax and glycerine to disguise the smell of spoiled beef, the deliberate mislabeling of canned meat, the tendency of workers to urinate and defecate on the kill floor†(204) The fast food industry is harming their consumers and they’re trying to hide the fact that they are.In January of 1993, children were getting food poisoning and it all traced back to the undercooked hamburgers served at Jack in the Box restaurants. This incident received a lot of attention about the dangers of these food pathogens such as E. coli 0157:H7. The meatpacking industry refused to implement an inspection system and they paid their way to cover the dangers of these meat. Industry’s Defense: The fast food industry might defend themselves from these attacks about food poisoning by arguing that these meats are inspected before serving to their customers.They might say that people could’ve gotten sick from the meat they have cooked at home. People also have a choice to eat these fast foods. If consumers feel like they’re going to get sick from the fast food they don’t have to eat it. Eating fast food is the consumer’s choice and they’re not forced to eat it. My argument: I agree with Schlosser about the fast food industry poisoning consumers. I fee l that slaughterhouses and feedlots should watch how they slaughter and process the beef to make sure they’re not mixing the meat with any type of manure.The fast food industry is also trying to hide the fact that they’re beef could be spoiled. The fast food industry should get an inspection system so that they’re meat could be fresh for consumers. This could prevent food poisoning and attract more customers because the consumers will trust what they’re eating more. Overall, I feel that the fast food industry is an industry that we need but it should be fixed.I feel that the government should take over and control how the fast food industry works. The fast food industry needs to stop caring about capitalism and start caring more about their consumers and employees. They need to change their working conditions and how they process the meat. They also need to stop using their subsidies for themselves and stop cheating the political system. We need to revolu tionize the fast food industry so that everyone could have a safer and healthier living.