The eNotes Blog Slim ShadyShakespeareTuning up theBard

Slim ShadyShakespeareTuning up theBard . I just finished teaching Twelfth Night to my college freshmen and sophomores. I wanted to find a way to have them connect with the play in a way that might be enjoyable and spark their creativity. What I settled on was music. If there is anything late teens and early twenty-somethings can agree on, its that its much more fun to listen to music than to, say, figure out why on earth nobody recognizes Viola as Cesario. To that end, I asked teams of 2-3 students to update one or more of the songs in the play AND set them to a modern beat. As amenable as they all seemed to be to the idea, I wasnt sure how fair this project would be to some of the less musically-inclined of our class. There are a fair number of musicians: a guitar player, a few rappers, somebody who plays piano. But of course, there are many more with musical ability pretty well limited to hitting Download Now. As the teams first began to work, there was the predictable whining of   I dont know what this meeeeeeeeeeeannnnnns! but after walking them through a line or two, most realized they were making the task harder than it need have been. For example, take these lines from Festes song in Act 2.4: Fly away, fly away breath; / I am slain by a fair cruel maid. The lines were re-written and   performed (see link below) by two of my own Clowns, in rap, to the tune of Ice, Ice, Baby: I can feel my spirit drifting away; / A beautiful girl has done me this way. Thats part of the beauty of Shakespeare, is it not? It didnt take my class long to catch on because Shakespeare consistently speaks to human emotions and situations that are universal and timeless. Other students took the project in different ways. There was a lovely rendition of Festes song Oh Mistress Mine, from Act 2.3. For this song, the student wrote his own music and took it in a kind of gentle, John Mayer-ish direction. Another group of girls, who professed that they had zero musical talent, found a couple modern recordings of songs in the play and blended them together using a music editing program to create an interesting techno-beat. As always when assigning creative work, I give the class a great deal of freedom. As Olivia says, Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better (3.1.122). I think the same can be said for creativity. Get out of the way and let it happen.

Evaluation of Walmart

Evaluation of Walmart Cost Leadership Walmart’s main business strategy focuses on building and maintaining cost leadership in the market. The company’s slogan reads, â€Å"Everyday low price†. This highlights its main focus on cost leadership. The strategy entails offering the same market products offered by rival firms at lower costs, but without compromising the quality.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of Walmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Walmart manages to achieve this objective by relying on a highly efficient supply chain management that only avails products to the consumers at the right time when they need them. This eliminates additional costs that come from holding stock within the company’s premises (Schermerhorn 223). Walmart uses a sophisticated technology to interconnect its operations with those of the suppliers. In essence, information about stock levels within the company is rel ayed in real time. The sophisticated IT system relays the information to the suppliers immediately every time consumers purchase a commodity from the retailer. This makes it possible for the suppliers to monitor the stock-levels at any given time. Thus, restocking occurs at the opportune time just when the clients need the products and in the exact quantity. The ‘in-time’ logistics in the company has been the main reason behind its cost leadership in the market. The retailer also sells products in smaller quantities to allow its customers to pay less (Schermerhorn 223). Walmart acquires goods packed in large quantities, but it repacks them in much smaller quantities for sale at reduced prices. This sustains its â€Å"Everyday low prices† slogan. The true meaning of the slogan would not be achieved if the firm decided to sell the commodities in the large packaged quantities that it acquires from the supplier. Differentiation Strategy Walmart pursues a differentiat ion strategy whose main objective is to offer products and services that are unique in the market. Although the firm is not involved in manufacturing, Walmart stocks products that are specifically packaged in branded material. The company has invested heavily in repackaging materials to enable it achieve the differentiation mission.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, Walmart offers unique warranties that other rival retailers in the market do not offer (Daft 253). This creates a unique feeling among the consumers, making them believe that the experience is only available in Walmart and not from any other retailer. Acquisition Strategy Walmart has focused its efforts on market acquisition as a way of expanding its market presence. The firm considers acquiring other already existing retailer firms in foreign markets and maintaining their original names to cope with the globalization phenomenon and increasing market competition among rival retailers. This is the case in most conservative markets where a foreign trade name may not augur well with the company. Walmart also considers acquiring and merging with other businesses outside the retail industry as a way of expanding its portfolio. This also helps in spreading the company’s risks evenly (Daft 255). Walmart, for instance, acquired Kosmix, which is a social mobile platform. Walmart operates under the ASDA trade name in the United Kingdom after the latter was acquired in 1999 by Walmart. Product Quality Concerns Walmart has instituted a mechanism that focuses on maintaining high product quality. All Walmart stores around the world are required to fulfill the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). This GFSSI procedure calls on all food suppliers to be subjected to the factory audit checks as a way of ensuring that the products meet the desired quality. The retailer has worked together with The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) since 2009 as a means of developing measurement, as well as reporting systems. The target is to enhance product sustainability and eliminate problems attached to product quality. In this arrangement, TSC performs research on metrics and the reporting systems. The research, in turn, helps Walmart to engage suppliers while clearly understanding the products sold.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of Walmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In recent times, however, there have been rising concerns over poor quality of products sold by Walmart. For instance, the fresh foods sold by the firm have been found to suffer from poor quality. This problem is mainly linked to another challenge being faced by the firm, the challenge of staffing and related issues (Weiss 472). Walmart’s fresh foods have only managed a low market share in comparison to other market p layers. This could be an indicator of the worsening product quality concerns. Labor Practices Walmart has been involved in accusations with labor union bodies, religious organizations, and community groups over its labor practices and policy. The retailer was taken to court over what its accusers termed as discrimination of its staff along race and gender. Three women employees filed a sex discrimination complaint against the retailer in 2012, accusing Walmart of failing to promote them because they are women. The accusations leveled against the company also mention the fact that female employees generally earn less compared to their male counterparts (Daft 122). Workers in the firm have also accused their employer of failing to observe acceptable labor practices, resulting in poor conditions of work in the various stores owned by the retailer. Business Ethics Walmart considers ethics as the strongest aspect of its success in business. The organizational structure has an established global ethics office whose main mandate is to promote its culture of integrity (Walmart para 1). The office also develops and helps in upholding the policies that relate to ethical behavior concerning all the stakeholders. Ethics education is offered on a routine basis to the employees. In this case, all workers undergoing training in the firm are subjected to consistent integrity lessons. Walmart supports a special award related to business ethics, the Integrity in Action Award, to further emphasize on the need to enhance business ethics (Walmart para 1).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The award is offered in recognition of individuals or associates of the firm who demonstrate a greater level of integrity through their consistent actions. Such recognized associates must also have inspired others to do the right thing while dealing with Walmart in one way or the other. The retailer practices integrity itself when selecting winners for the award by allowing the associates to conduct their own voluntary nominations. The resultant global votes determine the perfect recipient of the award. Walmart also takes consideration of each of the countries where the firm has a presence (Walmart para 3). Market Share The retailer has the biggest market share compared to its competitors in the USA, which is Walmart’s traditional market. Walmart’s heavy presence throughout the country and its business model that makes it stock virtually all kinds of commodities have been critical in sustaining market share leadership. On the global front, Walmart serves up to 94 milli on customers every week through its 5,651 established stores in 26 countries. However, a paltry 5.5% market share was registered in the year 2011 in China where the company is still in its early stages of development. The failure by Walmart to register a strong market share in China is attributable to the conservative nature of the Chinese. Market share growth in India has also been hampered in recent years following decisions by authorities in the country to shift foreign direct investment. The North-American market of Canada has equally posed great challenges to Walmart. The Dollarama Inc. is emerging as the fiercest competitor in the mass retail market in the rich Canadian market. Walmart trails Dollarama with the second best market share of 26%. This percentage of market share is 16 points less the share of Dollarama, which stands at 42% market dominance. Target Corp. is the third with a market share of 23% (Bloomberg News, 2012, para 1). However, Walmart’s subsidiary ASD A in the UK maintains an 18% market share, which is the second biggest in the country. Tesco still maintains the largest market share in the UK retail industry, standing at 30.2% overall (â€Å"Walmart: Update on International Markets† para 5). The African market equally has a strong Walmart presence of more than 300 stores that spread across 12 countries in the continent. Massmart, which is Walmart’s subsidiary in the region with a 51% stake ownership, has the fastest growing market rate, especially in the sub-Saharan region (â€Å"Walmart: Update on International Markets† para 6). The pie chart below depicts Walmart’s market share situation in the traditional US market. Source: Catala para 3 The chart shows that Walmart has a commanding share of more than half the market size. The second strongest competitor, Costco Wholesale Corp., does not even command a third of the market size. Advertising Strategies Walmart is adopting the use of technology in its advertising. In this strategy, the company focuses on developing a mobile app to reach its targeted markets. Shoppers using the app are able to see additional content, such as product information and the recipe. The company’s target is to reach a larger number of existing and potential buyers by exploiting the growing popularity of mobile devices as a result of the advancement in the ICT platform. The mobile app is a more interactive way of advertising because it allows the user to obtain more details about products and services. Walmart has adopted the use of popular social media platforms to create market awareness to further utilize the power of technology in its advertising. For instance, the firm has a Facebook page where a large community of customers and potential buyers meet virtually and discuss issues about their retailer. This increases market awareness because of the strong word of mouth power as customers share their experiences amongst each other. The company a lso uses the opportunity to communicate directly with individual customers while seeking to address some of the unique issues that affect them, thus learning more about the tastes and preferences of their customers. The company’s use of the social media platform in advertising also helps it to maintain its operating costs at a lower level, thus building on its competitive edge more. Evaluation of the Analysis Walmart has a greater potential of expanding in Asia and should be considered as Tech-Shield’s best choice as far as investing is concerned. Its cost leadership focus and strategy will attract more buyers in the region, resulting in higher profits. Most Asian economies are still considered as developing and have a weaker buying power compared to North America and Europe. Walmart will utilize its low price policy to attract more buyers with inferior disposable income and make the firm to benefit from the resultant economies of scale. Tech-Shield will receive a bigg er dividend rate coming from the huge profits amassed. This will be positive for the growth of the company. The low price policy pursued by Walmart has seen the company introduce a new business modality of selling products in smaller quantities. This will further attract customers towards the firm because most of them will find buying products from Walmart to be a more affordable practice. The more customers will appreciate the retailer, the more it will have its chances of making huge profits and increase the potential for Tech-Shield to get better returns. The differentiation strategy by Walmart equally increases the potential of the company to make better profits. Walmart stands a better chance to attract more customers and make higher sales than its rivals because of the increased market competition within the retail industry. Buyers increasingly feel that whatever commodity or service they purchase from Walmart is unique, thus they get attached more to the firm. The attachment increases their level of satisfaction and enhances their loyalty towards the firm. Walmart is poised to maintain high profitability for longer periods given such a positive business environment. The company can, therefore, sustain to pay attractive returns to all its shareholders for long. The acquisition strategy that is pursued by Walmart is another significant consideration that should influence Tech-Shield’s decision to invest in Walmart. Walmart is sure of expanding in the market in many other countries in the world through the acquisition approach. The experience that the company has gathered over the years through its subsequent acquisition of different retailers to gain access into new foreign markets eliminates the possibility of making over ambitious plans to a great assistance. Such successful acquisitions in high potential markets will translate to a larger market for both firms. Walmart will register bigger profit margins because of the expanded market. This will enable Tech-Shield to earn higher returns as one of the shareholders. Walmart’s future prospect is still promising, although its global market share has been threatened in some regional markets. The retailer still enjoys a strong lead in the highly lucrative US market. The US market contributes a significant profit portion to Walmart’s overall corporate profit. Walmart has maintained a strong market share position in other significant European markets, such as the UK. This portrays the company’s strong market position going forward. Going with this trend, it is appropriate to conclude that no other global retailer brand will find it easy to topple Walmart as the global leader in terms of the overall market share. Walmart’s extensive global expansion is unrivaled. This goes further to highlight Walmart’s potential of sustained industry leadership in as far as the overall market share is concerned. To this extent, a decision by Tech-Shield to invest in the company is the most strategic because of definite greater market revenue, which transforms to higher returns. Recommendation I suggest that Tech-Shield should invest in Walmart. Walmart has a positive business profile that reassures a higher return on the part of Tech-Shield. There is no present threat to Walmart’s growing global market, strong market leadership in the highly valuable US market, and the sustainable cost leadership strategy that it has implemented. This implies that the strong market leadership position that Walmart enjoys is set to prevail for long. In turn, a move by Tech-Shield to invest in Walmart will see it earn good returns for a long period. This will eventually improve Tech-Shield’s capital base. Conclusion Walmart offers the best investment alternative for Tech-Shield. The company’s cost leadership strategy gives a greater market growth assurance. The firm is capable of maintaining its operating costs at a low level compared to many of its industry rivals. This is a significant aspect in as far as building a competitive edge in the market is concerned. This will continue attracting more buyers for the company and maintaining the already existing customers. It also gives the company the confidence that profitability will remain high. The strong business ethics that focuses on maintaining integrity amongst the entire firm’s associates also gives hope for a greater business fortune for the firm. Integrity is a critical aspect that attracts customers and enables them to build strong loyalty towards the firm. Walmart will evidently reap maximum profits as it strives to enhance integrity. This will, in turn, trickle down to Tech-Shield as a shareholder. However, it is critical to note that Walmart also faces potential distractions that could derail its future ambitions in case no efforts are made to rectify them. As a shareholder in the firm, Tech-Shield should push for a renewed commitment on the part of Walmart to address the concerns of poor labor practices. Workers are significant players towards the greater performance of a firm, thus Walmart should ensure that it focuses on improving the plight of the workers before concentrating on the external customers. The firm should equally put additional measures in place to ensure quality concerns raised over its products are addressed fully. â€Å"Walmart: Update on International Markets.† Guru Focus. 2012. Web. Catala, Raymond. Walmart Market Share Analysis, n.d. Web. Daft, Richard. New Era of Management, Mason, OH: Cengage, 2008. Print. Schermerhorn, John. Management, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2010. Print. Walmart. Home. 2013. Web. Weiss, Joseph. Business Ethics: A Stakeholder and Issues Management Approach, Mason, OH: Cengage, 2008. Print.

The Use of Isotopes in Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Use of Isotopes in Medicine - Essay Example These are the radioactive and stable isotopes. Bodamer and Halliday (2001, p. 444) define radioactive isotopes as those whose nucleus is unstable. Because of this, radioactive isotopes have a tendency for spontaneous decomposition, a reaction which involves the release of radiation. During the decomposition of a radioactive isotope, a helium nucleus is released, a process which leads to the stabilization of the isotope. On the other hand, a stable isotope does not have a tendency for spontaneous decomposition and as a result, these isotopes resist various forms of chemical alterations. Radioactive have been used widely used in medicine as agents of diagnostic processes. This essay gives a critical analysis ad discussion of the various uses or applications of isotopes in the field of medicine. Many chemical elements contain isotopes. Radioisotopes are often products of artificial combination of protons and neutrons. Artificial production of radioisotopes often employs protons and neut rons which do not exist in nature (Ruth, 2009, p. 536). There are a total of 1800 radioisotopes including those which arise from the decay of thorium and uranium in their primordial states. There are a variety of ways in which radioisotopes can be produced or manufactured artificially. These include neutron activation which is the commonest way of producing radioisotopes. This is done within a nuclear reactor. In addition, some radioisotopes are produced within a cyclotron in which deficiency of neutrons within a nucleus is achieved through artificial introduction of protons (Bodamer and Halliday (2001, p. 445). The artificial manufacture of radioisotopes is aimed at meeting their application in medicine. The radioisotopes used in medicine are known as radiopharmaceuticals. The following section describes three major applications of radioisotopes in medicines with the justification on why specific radioisotopes are used in the management of various medical processes. The disadvantag es associate with the use of isotopes is also provided later in the essay. According to Ruth (2009, p. 537), isotopes are used in nuclear medicine to provide diagnostic information which is used by physicians to diagnose various medical conditions. This is achieved through the imaging of organs such as bones, thyroid gland, liver and heart to determine their functioning. Prvulovich and Bomanji (1998, p. 1140) demonstrates 90% of the application of isotopes in medicine if for diagnostic procedures. Technetium-99 is the most commonly used radioisotope for medical diagnosis. Ramamoorthy and Binukumar (2010, p. 46) say that technetium-99 is used widely as a radioactive tracer. This isotope is commonly used because it is detectable within the body through the use of specialized medical equipment such as gamma cameras. Technetium-99 is releases gamma rays and this explains why gamma cameras are able to detect it within the body. More importantly, technetium-99 is relatively safer in diagn osis as compared to other isotopes. This is due to the fact that it its physical and biological half-life is short. As a result, it decays within 24 hours of exposure to the body. This provides sufficient time for the quick detection of chemical equipment while it keeps the exposure of the patient to the radiation as low as possible (Bodamer and Halliday (2001, p. 446). This demonstrates why this isotope is commonly applied in medical diagnosis. Prvulovich and Bomanji (1998, p. 1143) explain that isotopes are also commonly used in therapy.

The Significance of HER 2 Receptor Expression in Breast Cancer Tissue Essay

The Significance of HER 2 Receptor Expression in Breast Cancer Tissue - Essay Example It has been found that up to 25% of breast cancer patients will have an amplification of the HER2/neu gene or an increase in HER2 production (Songdong et al, 2006). Additionally, any patient with amplification of this gene will generally have an increased likelihood of cancer recurrence and a more aggressive form of cancer (Meng et al, 2004). The purpose of this paper is to discuss further the significance of HER2 receptor expression in breast cancers, and describe the laboratory methods of detecting this protein in detail. This will give an overview of the complications of overexpression of HER2 and allow the reader an insight into how important the HER2 protein and the HER2/neu gene are in breast cancers and how the detection of these can allow for insight into breast cancer and can lead to a reduction in the number of fatalities from breast cancer. Significance of HER2 in Breast Cancers The significance of the HER2 protein in breast cancers has been widely discussed in the literat ure. As previously mentioned, 'Overexpression of urokinase plasminogen activator system or HER-2 (erbB-2) in breast cancer is associated with a poor prognosis' (Songdong et al, 2006, p17361). ... ding two cysteine rich domains, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain, consisting of a juxtamembrane region, a tyrosine kinase domain, and a carboxyl tail harboring autophosphorylation sites' (Brennan, 2002, p328). It is the binding of certain cognate cofactors to this trans-membrane receptor that regulates cell growth and differentiation, which occurs through the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (Brennan, 2002). This is a type of signal transduction pathway, which in the case of HER2 involves ogliomerization (Meng et al, 2004) and dimerization (Brennan, 2002). On a study of rats by Bargmann et al (1986), it was found that the neu gene (which is classed as protooncogene) is converted to the aggressive oncogene associated with overproduction of HER2 by a single point mutation at position 664 of the protein sequence. This mutation is from a valine to the negatively-charged glutamate, and is associated with an increase of the liklihood that the receptor will form ag gregates. Unfortunately, the mutation at position 664 is not found in humans, but this has given clues as to the mechanism of the HER2 protein in causing the more aggressive forms of breast cancers. `Figure 1 shows the pathway that HER2 plays a role in within the confines of breast cancer. Figure 1 – Cross-talk between signal transduction pathways and ER signaling in endocrine resistant breast cancer, with opportunities for targeted intervention (Ellis & Ma, 2007, p107) An insight into these pathways allows for recognition of interventions that can be used to negate the effects of the increased production of HER2. From figure 1, it is evident that HER2 is surface-membrane protein with a critical role in the MAPK/ERK signal transduction pathway. The MAPK/ERK pathway passes a signal from

Argument as Inquiry Essay Example for Free

Argument as Inquiry Essay Sometimes the purpose of an argument is to generate truth, which will then resonate with an audience and be persuasive, but persuasion is the by-product and not the goal (Weeblog). As a society, the importance of communication and the never ending search for truth has motivated great scholars and thinkers alike to express their ideas and values in the form of an argument. As seen from the quote above, the form of an argument not only serves a purpose in generating truth, but also in understanding perspectives and as a mode of relaying information. Truth to most is a relative term. So then how is it possible to successfully argue a truth? The book, everythings an argument provides a clear answer to this paradox, the point of argument is to discover some version of the truth, using evidence and reasonsThe aim of persuasion is to change a point of view, or to move others from conviction to action. In other words, writers or speakers argue to find some truth; they persuade when they think they already know it (Lunsford 6). Therefore, the method of presenting an argument does not necessarily mean the presenter must convince his audience, but simply provide absolute facts. As this varies from culture to culture, the response to a well argued truth can be a simple, quiet acceptance, or a heated debate. Most importantly however, is that in presenting a truth, the speaker or writer is using this argument as a mode of inquiry not only towards those that experience his argument, but towards himself as well. These personal arguments can be seen in a deep meditation or in prayer, and can also be used in a personal decision making. As a result, this purpose for an argument not only helps the speaker to understand the truths and beliefs of others in the world around him, but also increasing his ability to question himself. Understanding perspectives is a very humbling and challenging way to argue. Carl Rogers, a successful psychotherapist who founded the Rogerian argument, achieved a method which is based on finding common ground and establishing trust among those who disagree about issues, and on approaching audiences in nonthreatening ways (Lunsford 6). For that reason, the success of the argument is founded not only in trust but also on the grounds of first understanding others perspectives and principles; encouraging the opponent to genuinely listen and learn from what is said. With a foundation of truth and understanding, an argument can be valued in its ability to provide convincing evidence and information. Philosopher Aristotle provides an elegant scheme for classifying the purposes of arguments, one based on issues of time past, future, and present (Lunsford 10), also known as forensic arguments. Many lawyers, politicians, and great speakers use evidence, policies, and facts from the past to support or justify their present argument. These arguments can focus not only on scientific, religious values, but on existing ethical and cultural differences as well. There are a variety of ways that different cultures handle legal systems, and thus various ways of presenting arguments. For instance, the Muslim religion and culture disparages and scorns women who refute or defy the authority of their husbands. Whereas the cultural ideals of American society encourage women to think for themselves, and challenge their husbands often times with arguments. The ability to understand different cultures can be found in their own method of argument. Additionally, using arguments from the past can serve as a fountain of information and truth, as well provide a solid foundation and validate future arguments. Works Cited Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. everthings an argument. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001. Weeblog. Inquiry. 31 March 2003. http://theanswergrape.com/aweeblog/ archives/000971.html

Clock Arithmetic :: essays research papers

Clock Arithmetic The topic of time has always been one of interest to me at least on a philosophical basis. Through the works of Einstein, ancient timepieces and calendars such as Stonehenge, and even theories on past and present, time is everywhere. I chose this topic to perhaps explore further the relevance of clocks and timepieces in mathematics and arithmetic. To gain a better understanding of the mathematical features of time would be rewarding knowing that philosophy and mathematics are closely related. Through what I’ve seen in clock arithmetic the concepts could be taught and applied as early as first grade due to the nature of addition and subtraction involved. Clock Arithmetic is also used for technological reasons. Computer games are manufactured using clock arithmetic to base a character’s position due to the resolution of the screen on a certain axis. Example: Suppose you are playing a video game and the character in the game (let's call him Max) is walking from the left side of the screen to the right side. Max gets to the right side of the screen and keeps walking; he disappears and reappears on the left side of the screen again. If the screen is 12 inches wide and we are keeping track of how far Max is from the left side of the screen, then as soon as he is 12 inches from the left side it's as if he was back at the beginning again. If you put it pictorially, against a clock you’d find that Max would start and end up at the same point. Now I’d like to downgrade and put things in an elementary perspective. If it is 3 o'clock and we add 5 hours to the time that will put us at 8 o'clock, so we could write 3 + 5 = 8. But if it is 11 o'clock and we add 5 hours the time will be 4 o'clock, so we should write 11 + 5 = 4. Now everyone knows that 11 + 5 =16, but there is no 16 on the clock (unless you're on military time). Every time we go past 12 on the clock we start counting the hours at 1 again. If we add numbers the way we add hours on the clock, we say that we are doing clock arithmetic. So, in clock arithmetic 8 + 6 = 2, because 6 hours after 8 o'clock is 2 o'clock.

Mia philippines Essay

The Philippines was first put on the map by Portuguese adventurer Magellan working for the Spanish throne on March 16, 1521. The Philippines had become a Spanish colony and was the first country to be named after a sovereign, Phillip II of Spain.1 Spanish rule had continued until 1898 when the Philippines had become an American colony following the Spanish-American War for the stately sum of $20 million. In 1942 during WWII, the Philippines had fallen under Japanese occupation and was liberated by American and Filipino forces under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur in a fiercely contested battle that raged on between 1944 and 1945. The Philippines had attained its independence on July 4, 1946, and had a functioning democratic system.2 The Philippines Archipelago consisted of 7,100 islands, covering an area of 299,735 square kilometers and was slightly larger than Arizona. The capital city of Manila was situated on the largest Philippine island of Luzon (see Exhibit 1). The Philippines had a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $3,400.3 The percentage of the population of the Philippines living below US$2 a day was 45.2 per PHILIPPINE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Research conducted in 2009 showed that the Philippines was ranked 140th for ease of doing business and 155th for starting a business, out of a total of 178 countries. It took on average 15 procedures and a total of 52 days to complete business startup procedures in the Philippines compared to six procedures and 44.2 days and 5.8 procedures and 13.4 days for the same process in Asia and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, respectively.5 The Philippines had the second lowest savings and investment as share of GDP ratio in Asia6 (see Exhibit 2). PHILIPPINE FISHING INDUSTRY The Philippines has total territorial waters of 2.2 million square kilometers, of which coastal waters comprise 266,000 square kilometers and coastal reef area (10 to 20 fathoms deep, where reef fishing takes place) comprise 27,000 square kilometers.7 In 2003, the Philippines ranked eighth among the top fish-producing countries in the world with its total production of 3.62 million metric tons of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aquatic plants (including seaweed). The production constituted 2.5 per cent of the total world production of 146.27 million metric tons.8 The fishing industry’s contribution to the country’s GDP was 2.3 per cent and 4.2 per cent, at current and constant prices, respectively. The industry employed a total of 1,614,368 fishing operators nationwide,9 of which the artisanal fisheries sector accounted for 1,371,676.10 Artisanal fishing operations were typically family-based and used smaller craft. There were a total of 469,807 fishing boats in the Philippines, of which 292,180 were non-motorized and 177,627 were motorized.11 Fish was not only an important source of nutrition, but as fishing did not require landownership or special permits it was an employment of last resort for people who had no other means of subsistence. MIA, DENMARK MIA was established in Denmark in 1975 by wealthy businessman Hagen Nordstrom, who dedicated the NGO to his wife Mia and made fighting poverty his life’s work. (MIA stood for â€Å"beloved† in Danish.) MIA had initially focused solely on poverty-alleviating projects in Africa and had expanded its operations to Latin America and the Caribbean only in the early 1990s. The grandson of Nordstrom, Gillis Nordstrom, had taken over as MIA chairman in 2004 on the eve of the Bander Aceh Tsunami of December 26, 2004, which devastated Southeast Asia and killed as many as 5 www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/?economyid=153, accessed November 15, 2008. www.adb.org/Documents/Books/ADO/2002/Update/ado2002update.pdf, accessed December 18, 2008. 7 www.scribd.com/doc/354869/2005-Fisheries-Profile#, accessed December 5, 2008. 8 www.scribd.com/doc/354869/2005-Fisheries-Profile, accessed November 15, 2008. 9 NSO 2002 Census for Fisheries. 10 www.scribd.com/doc/354869/2005-Fisheries-Profile, accessed November 15, 2008. 11 www.scribd.com/doc/354869/2005-Fisheries-Profile#, accessed December 5, 2008. 6 Page 3 9B09M016 130,000 people.12 Nordstrom had taken initiative and redirected MIA to focus on disaster recovery and poverty alleviation projects in Southeast Asia. MIA had established an office in Manila in January 2006, and the young Danish development economist Borje Petersen was hired to manage the MIA Philippines office. Petersen was paid a starting salary of $75,000 a year plus housing,  slightly below average for a comparable development economist position. Petersen knew that MIA’s attention was focused on Indonesia and Malaysia, which had been the hardest hit by the tsunami, and was anxious to carve out a position for MIA Philippines by designing an exceptional project. As the expansion into Asia was the pet project of MIA’s chairman, Petersen felt assured that funding would be easily appropriated and even expedited. Petersen knew that the average overseas posting for a development economist for MIA was two years and had quickly established contact with local and international stakeholders and set up numerous meetings with large development project counterparts such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the German development aid organization GFZ to get an expedited understanding of the Philippines and its unique needs. Based on the initial research, Petersen had decided that, whereas an agricultural project would be feasible, it would take a long time to realize and the outcome could be complicated given the Philippines’ proneness to be hit by typhoons. Petersen’s research had revealed that small-scale aquaculture projects had been successfully implemented in the Philippines in the past. However, there were hardly any projects to speak of directed at artisanal fishing and picking up on the vested opportunity and his desire to deliver fast results and prove himself worthy of the task that MIA and its chairman demanded, he had chosen to design a project helping artisanal fishermen. Petersen had researched the possibility of helping a fishing village close to Manila and the search for the ideal village had come to a successful ending when MIA’s driver, Vicente Tubo, had mentioned how some of his distant cousins fished for a living in a fishing village seven to nine hours by car from Manila. A factfinding mission to the village Barangay San Hagon was undertaken and the village was thus chosen as the beneficiary of MIA’s pilot project in the Philippines. BARANGAY SAN HAGON Barangay San Hagon boasted 125 households and had a resident population of 625. San Hagon lay on the south coast of Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines. The Barangay was the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and stemmed from the Spanish â€Å"Barrio.†13 Barangay San Hagon was administered by a local government unit (LGU) and consisted of seven Barangay council members and a chairman. The chairman of Barangay San Hagon was Rafael Buenaventura, age 59, who had held office for more than a decade. Fishing villages in the Philippines were very vulnerable to external risk, especially natural calamities such as typhoons, flooding and fish kills, which severely affected their financial situation. www.cityu.edu.hk/searc/tsunami/index.html, accessed November 18, 2008. www.i-site.ph/Factfinder/barangay.html, accessed December 23, 2008. BARANGAY SAN HAGON’S ECONOMY Fishing was the main occupation of the village. Secondary occupations included rice farming, fruit and vegetable growing and livestock raising. The service sector consisted of boat builders, mechanics, barbers, tailors, drivers and Sari-Sari store operators (mom and pop-type convenience stores). Fishing was undertaken exclusively by men, whereas most of the other occupations and post-fishing activities were undertaken by the women of the village. The village boasted 12 overseas workers employed as unqualified laborers in different parts of the Arabian Peninsula who sent back remittance payments. It was believed that more than 10 million Filipinos worked overseas and supported their families with remittance payments. The daily income for the San Hagon fisherman was approximately $1 per day. The fishermen of San Hagon used â€Å"banka boats,† the traditional outrigger type of boat used in Southeast Asia. Whereas some fishermen had utilized traditional means of fishing with hook and line, gill nets and bamboo fish traps, the majority chose to use blast and cyanide fishing. Blast fishing consisted of throwing an explosive charge or a stick of dynamite into the sea. The explosion instantly killed every living organism within its range including coral reef. A number of the fish would float and the fishermen would scoop them up. Quite a large number of the dead fish, however, would stay submerged. Homemade explosives from readily available materials such as powdered potassium nitrate or an ammonium nitrate and kerosene mixture packed in glass bottles were often used. These mixtures were often unstable and exploded prematurely, maiming or killing fishermen. Each village had a number of limbless fishermen and a story of how an explosive device had killed a fellow fisherman.14 Cyanide fishing consisted of squirting cyanide into the caves/dwellings of the fish in the coral reef. Fishermen used makeshift pumps, which pumped oxygen down a plastic tube, to dive into the sea. The method was dangerous and most fishermen had experienced some form of bend while diving. The cyanide killed up to 75 per cent of the fish on contact. Cyanide also killed the coral reef.15 Once the coral reef died, fish were displaced as a result of the break in the food chain and lack of protection. Blast and cyanide fishing did not need any real skill and fishing knowledge and even though both methods were illegal and there were numerous laws in place, it was impossible to effectively enforce these laws. SAN HAGON’S CAPITAL ASSETS The village of San Hagon had basic capital assets on which it based its competitive position. Most fishing villages in the region had similar capital resources. Human Capital Education: Most of the villagers had some high school education. Skills: Fishing and farming skills were learnt from an informal network of fellow villagers, friends, etc. 14 www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/marine/problems/problems_fishing/destructive_fishing, accessed December 24, 2008. 15 www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/species/news/stories/index.cfm?uNewsID=5563, accessed December 23, 2008. Page 5 9B09M016 Employment: Most villagers had multiple occupations in order to generate enough income to make a living. Social Capital Access to governmental and non-governmental information sources: The village had limited access to governmental and non-governmental organizations for the dissemination of knowledge. Information was disseminated from an informal network of fellow fishermen, friends and relatives. Role of women: The women of the village were active in the work force as a source of free labor but had little decision-making power. Natural Capital Access to natural resources: The villagers had free access to the ocean, land and water. Resource ownership: Nearly all villagers owned their small plots of land where they farmed or raised livestock. Financial Capital Access to financing: The village had limited access to public or private financing. Savings potential: The villagers had limited savings potential due to their limited income. Income generation: The subsistence fishing, farming and livestock raising activities of the village coupled with services provided by the villagers allowed for subsistence living conditions. Remittances: The village had 12 overseas workers who regularly sent remittances to support their families. Physical Capital Access to electricity: The village owned an old diesel generator that provided electricity. The generator required frequent maintenance work and was out of commission frequently when there was no money to purchase diesel fuel. This occurred due to lack of income as a result of poor fishing results, increased expenditures during the months when school-aged children needed supplies and in times when collecting past dues owed by households became a problem. Access to modes of communication: Due to its remote location and small population, the village did not have access to phone lines or wireless phone service. The nearest phone line was located in San Jose, a larger settlement that was three hours away by car. Access to transportation: San Hagon only had internal dirt roads and road access was a problem, especially in the rainy season. Roads connecting San Hagon to the outer world were mostly unpaved and it was difficult to navigate the roads at night or during the rainy season, which was five to six months of the year. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was located seven to nine hours away by car. Page 6 9B09M016 Whereas most people in the village walked, the bicycle/tricycle was the preferred mode of transport. The better-off households boasted small motorcycles, of which there were more than a dozen. Transport to and from the village was provided by a Jeepney (an extended U.S. military jeep left  over from WWII), the traditional form of public transport in the Philippines operated by one of the villagers that usually left for San Jose early in the morning and returned in the afternoon. Jeepneys transported people, fruits and vegetables, livestock, etc. 16 Access to safe water supply: The village did not have running water and depended on numerous deep fresh water wells for its fresh water supply.  Home ownership: More than 95 per cent of households owned their own dwellings. The better-off households had cement walls and galvanized iron sheet roofing. Boat ownership: Banka boat ownership was close to 100 per cent. Approximately one third of these bankas were motorized. Other: Most households owned modest household appliances and facilities, such as televisions, radios and electric fans. EXISTING MODUS OPERANDI Under the prevailing conditions, fishermen would put aside enough to feed their families and sell the rest of the catch at the village square or exchange it against fruits, vegetables, rice and other staple goods. The price of fish was not fixed and would fluctuate when there was an oversupply and the barter equivalent of other products would go up in price. Prices of fish and other goods were also affected by delays in the arrival of supply jeepneys, which supplied the village’s three Sari-Sari stores. Commerce with other villages was limited, as these villages had a similar economic setup. Few buyers ever came to San Hagon due to the remoteness of the village and the poor road conditions. The few that came were treated suspiciously, as there had been numerous occasions when smaller buyers had taken the fish on consignment but had not paid for them. The larger traders avoided San Hagon completely and opted to do business with villages that were more accessible. Fish was an easily perishable commodity and transporting fish for more than a couple of hours without refrigeration or cold storage was not possible due to the prevailing heat. There was no access to ice in the region and the cost of a refrigerated vehicle was beyond the village’s means. Some  fishermen chose to dry excess fish and sell it locally, even though dried fish made less profit than fresh fish, or consume it themselves when fresh fish supplies were low. Even though the villagers complained at times, they had accepted the lifestyle they led, as they did not have the financial means or knowledge to alter their situation. The only other alternative was to leave the village, migrate to larger cities and look for jobs, of which there were only low-paying, menial ones. The mantra, â€Å"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime,† had become a reality when MIA had chosen to help the village of San Hagon. The village inhabitants had seen the effects of NGO assistance and how it had transformed the livelihood of other fishing villages. The appearance of a European NGO was a blessing and meant an influx of muchneeded money. DIVING VILLAGES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION A number of fishing villages in the region had made the transition from fishing village to diving village with the help of foreign NGOs. Diving villages were villages that catered to the scuba diving expat community and wealthy Filipinos who could afford the sport. Fishermen in these villages had been transformed into tour guides and diving instructors. The transformed villages earned up to 10 times more income and helped to protect the environment. PROJECT SAN HAGON: â€Å"HITTING MANY BIRDS WITH ONE STONE† After initial assessment and consideration of its own capabilities, MIA had considered converting San Hagon into a diving village. Petersen, however, had later shied away from a tourism-related project for three reasons: 1. Competition: There were already two villages in the region that had already achieved name recognition and were much easier to access than San Hagon.  2. Damaged product: A significant portion of San Hagon’s coral reef had been damaged. 3. Time factor: It would take a long time to transform San Hagon to a diving village. Instead, MIA had designed a project that would entail the livelihood improvement of the village, empower women and encourage environmental protectionism. Petersen had remembered the old Danish saying â€Å"hit many birds with one stone† as he designed the project. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION MIA had proposed that in return for stopping blast and cyanide fishing and reverting back to traditional means of fishing, the village would receive a grant to establish a fishing cooperative, construct a fish processing/cooperative building with all office furnishings and receive a new diesel generator, fish processing equipment, packaging equipment and training on how to process and package fish. In addition, MIA would copyright a brand name for the village, have all marketing communication materials prepared and arrange shelf space as the exclusive supplier of malls and supermarkets in Metro Manila. It was foreseen that reverting back to traditional methods of fishing would decrease the amount of fish that were caught, but establishing San Hagon as a direct supplier to large buyers would garner top prices and substantially increase income and offset any losses. MIA’s project intended to emphasize the importance of fish as a healthy food, and highlight fishing as a generator of employment and income and as a means to protect the environment (see Exhibit 3). PROJECT IMPACT ASSESSMENT Economic Impact: The business model would allow households to increase their income from $1 to $4 per day. Fish that was not in demand by the cooperative could be used for household consumption or sold/bartered/dried. Social Impact: Women would become a part of the workforce and earn salaries for the first time in their lives and have disposable income. The extra income would also help women become more independent. Environmental Impact: The destructive blast and cyanide fishing methods would cease. This would halt the destruction of the coral reef and help increase fish stocks. Fishermen would become environmental conservationists and promote the concept of sustainability. PROJECT PREPARATION A knowledgeable and experienced team was assembled to manage project San Hagon. Ricardo Perez, age 65, was hired to head the local team, help with local authorities and overcome language barriers. Perez had worked as a marketing director for the San Miguel Company, a large Philippine conglomerate with a focus on the food and beverage industry, who were the makers of the famous â€Å"San Mig† beer. Perez had been consulting with small- to mid-sized Filipino companies ever since he retired at age 60. MIA also planned to rely on its extensive database and intranet to share knowledge and achieve maximum participation in the project. Any MIA employee, regardless of rank, experience and location, could comment on projects online. Petersen posted a Gantt chart and encouraged questions and guidance from his peers (see Exhibit 4). The only restriction placed on the project by MIA was that MIA could not engage in direct or indirect payments according to its by-laws. Three-year financial projections for the San Hagon Fishing Cooperative (SHFC) had shown that the project would make a small profit in year one and then realize its full potential in year two and year three once the learning curve constraints had been overcome (see Exhibit 5). PROJECT APPROVAL MIA Philippines had completed project preparations and gotten project approval and funding from MIA headquarters. The project was a first for MIA, as the NGO usually focused more on gender and education projects. Perez and his team had prepared the application for local approval and had submitted the application to the local Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC) in San Jose for approval. The FARMC was the policymaking body for the fisheries and aquatic resources of the Philippines. The vetting process by the local FARMC had been completed after two months, after numerous on-site meetings and presentations. Petersen had been frustrated at the speed of the approval process and had directed Perez to intercede frequently. Petersen had thought to himself, â€Å"We are extending a grant and transferring knowledge and still there is all this slow-moving bureaucracy to deal with.† Concurrently with the project permit applications, MIA had conducted one month of catch research in San Hagon to determine the quantity of fish caught by the fishermen. The survey had revealed that it would be possible to catch on average 1,250 kilograms per day (2,750 pounds per day) of prime quality fish for processing. PROJECT SAN HAGON VALUE CHAIN MIA had undertaken a value chain analysis of the project process and assessed how the analysis could be used to improve the project performance (see Exhibit 6). Breaking down the cost structure had further revealed that the cost structure was typically top-loaded by ingoing logistics and that the major expenditure was fuel (see Exhibit 7). PROJECT START-UP Petersen had felt that the slow application process had cost MIA too much time and he had decided to do things the â€Å"Danish way† at the project implementation phase, instilling tight controls, frequent meetings and time management to speed up the project. MIA had concluded that the key success factors were to: Provide grants to acquire new assets. Transfer knowledge and train stakeholders in acquiring and maintaining new capabilities. Increase the value chain contribution of San Hagon villagers. Package and transport a differentiated product to urban centers where there would be demand for the product. Two teams were formed and the work was divided up as follows: Team One: Product development and packaging Team Two: Transportation, distribution, and advertising and promotion Product Development and Packaging Tuna, prawns, lobsters, groupers and crabs were chosen as the product types that would be most in demand in Manila. Focus was to be placed on tuna and grouper fish, the two favorite types of fish in the Philippines. Research had determined that the demand in Manila for chilled, packaged fish fillets was similar to demand in American/European urban centers. The product appealed to the â€Å"A† income level: upwardly mobile, health-conscious customers that had time constraints. Concurrently the team had researched basic packaging machinery that could be operated and maintained under adverse climatic conditions with ease by the fishermen. The packaging machinery, along with stainless steel fish processing work stations and other equipment, was purchased by MIA, transported and set up in San Hagon. Page 10 9B09M016 Transportation, Distribution, and Advertising and Promotion A small refrigerated truck was leased for a year along with a driver to transport the catch from San Hagon to Metro Manila. It was planned that the cooperative would generate enough cash to purchase the truck in due time and that a San Hagon villager would be employed to replace the hired driver in the near future. The team had come up with the brand name â€Å"ISSAGA,† which in the local Tagalog dialect was short for â€Å"Isda Sakdal Gawad† or most-prized fish. â€Å"ISSAGA† had been registered as a brand name, art work had been designed and packaging materials and labels were printed. Petersen had personally helped with the marketing arrangements, and the venerated HUI malls and supermarkets in Manila had agreed to support the project and provide free shelf space. Petersen had met William Hui, a leading businessman of Chinese decent, at a social function at the Danish embassy. Getting shelf space in a Manila supermarket was in itself a great feat, as acquiring retail space in Philippine supermarkets was difficult, time consuming and expensive. HUI malls had also agreed to promote ISSAGA branded fish products at points of sale. Hui, Perez and countless others had called in favors, and Manila TV stations, newspapers and magazines had agreed to support the project and  showcase their corporate social citizenship by providing free pubic relations. The project would streamline the distribution cycle and increase profit margins for both supplier and buyer (see Exhibit 8). With most of the work at the lower end of the distribution chain completed, the focus had been shifted to the top end and MIA had directed the fishermen of San Hagon to form a fishing cooperative. MIA and other stakeholders needed a formal counterpart they could address and it was hoped that being part of a formal organization would instill a sense of ownership and result in commitment and responsibility on the part of the villagers. SAN HAGON FISHING COOPERATIVE Chairman Buenaventura was chosen as the president of the newly formed SHFC. His two sons-in-law were appointed as manager and as treasurer of the cooperative, respectively. A basic contract was signed between MIA and the SHFC depicting the scope of the project, registration of fixed assets and depreciation scheduling. MIA insisted from the onset that all fishermen join the fishing cooperative. One hundred per cent membership to the fishing cooperative was important because: 1. It was necessary to aggregate the catch of the village to make it feasible for the catch to be sold to the buyer HUI malls. 2. MIA wanted all stakeholders in San Hagon to benefit from the poverty-alleviation project. STAKEHOLDER CONFLICT MIA had initially donated $5,000 to the cooperative, and a basic building large enough to house the fish processing and packaging line, with cement walls and a corrugated steel roof, was quickly constructed. The building work was done by the villagers, who received a wage in return for their labor. The first disagreement had occurred when Buenaventura had insisted that he receive $150 and the other cooperative employees receive monthly salaries of $100 as remuneration for the work that they would provide. MIA had initially balked at the salary demand and had threatened to call off the project. Buenaventura had, however, remained persistent and Petersen, after two weeks of deliberations and absolute inertia on the part of the villagers, had directed Perez to negotiate the demand in an attempt to rescue the project. An agreement for $100 a month for Buenaventura and $65 for his sons-in-law had been thus reached to be paid for the duration of a year. The next conflict had arisen when Buenaventura did not want to fully disclose how much it had cost to build the cooperative building. MIA had later learnt that Buenaventura had thrown a â€Å"fiesta,† a Philippine celebration that included free drinks and â€Å"lechon† pork roast on charcoal, to celebrate the new building. At this stage, Petersen had started to wonder if he had made a serious mistake in choosing San Hagon as the pilot project and Perez as project manager. Afraid of the consequences to his career if he terminated the project, he had decided to push on even if it meant accepting additional demands. Demands for help were frequent. Villages neighboring San Hagon had heard about the project and the MIA office received numerous phone calls daily asking MIA to extend its help to other villages. MIA had been busy turning down the inquiries, citing limited resources. Time was a resource of which Petersen did not have plenty. He was often frustrated at the speed at which things happened in the Philippines. Project manager Perez seemed competent enough and had vast amounts of experience and was technically adapt. He couldn’t decide whether the slow progress was a result of Perez’s speed or the inability or unwillingness of the San Hagon cooperative council to hurry things along. His frustration increased, as with each passing month he was not able to report progress to MIA headquarters. Mindful of his standing at MIA Denmark and in his quest to speed up the project, Petersen had started to adopt a more confrontational approach, especially at the weekly project coordination meetings with Perez and the rest of the team. Perez always reported how much progress they were making. Perez and the rest of the team continuously assured Petersen that this was how business was conducted in the Philippines. Petersen was tired of hearing this. The other nerve-wracking problem was that the word â€Å"no† did not exist in the Philippine language. It was considered rude to say â€Å"no† and hence every question and every inquiry got a positive answer. There were, however, different shades of â€Å"yes,† with some meaning â€Å"no,† some meaning â€Å"maybe† and some which really meant â€Å"yes.† It had taken Petersen more than six months to figure this out. He instructed all his employees not to feel embarrassed to say â€Å"no† to him. But that had only resulted in further embarrassing his employees. He sometimes felt that he was getting nowhere. With only the one active project to show for, Petersen needed to quickly complete this project and start new projects if he was to stand a chance of getting promoted and assuming greater responsibilities in a bigger MIA office. Working at MIA had begun to feel like a tug-of-war between himself and the Filipino staff, with Petersen trying to quicken the pace and the staff slowing him down at every turn. Petersen wished that Perez would take more initiative and use his decision-making power rather than run even the smallest decisions by him first. At times he had begun to suspect that Perez was slowing down the project intentionally to keep receiving his salary longer. Salaries in the Philippines were low compared to those in Europe or America, especially in retirement, and after making $1,000 to $1,500 as a marketing director in San Miguel, Perez was only making $300 in retirement. The $700 salary MIA was paying him was quite a boost to his income. Perez had felt that he urgently needed to complete the project. He had chosen  to continue working well into retirement, as his pension payment was not sufficient enough to maintain his lifestyle and put his youngest daughter through college. Perez had completed his bachelor of arts degree at the University of the Philippines, and had obtained a prestigious certificate for food service management at Cornell University, New York, United States. He had interviewed with MIA and accepted its job offer, because foreign NGOs usually paid better than their Filipino counterparts and, more importantly, on time. Before retirement, Perez had managed more than 175 employees. Even though the San Hagon project was basic compared to what he was accustomed to managing and even though the MIA country manager was young enough to be his son, the pay was generous. Perez had seen himself as advisor and mentor to the young Petersen and had tried to show him the way business was done in the Philippines. He had interceded frequently to expedite the permission process and facilitated MIA’s dealings with the San Hagon fishing cooperative. True to Philippine culture, Perez had always shown the utmost respect for Petersen, especially in public, and portrayed him as the all-powerful leader of MIA. Having young Petersen make all decisions had been a part of his show of respect and deference to Petersen’s authority. Young Petersen had, however, been difficult to deal with. The whole project had taken an unpleasant turn, as Petersen had gotten extremely confrontational at meetings. Perez had heard about the difficulties of working with Americans and Europeans. Filipinos did not like confrontation. â€Å"Pakikisama† (group loyalty) and the importance of maintaining social harmony were a part of his management style and disagreement or interpersonal tension of any sort at the workplace was extremely distasteful for Perez. Petersen had caused him â€Å"hiya† (embarrassment) in front of the rest of the team. His team, while staying silent during meetings, had approached him afterwards and empathized with him. Perez had felt elated when the planning stage was over and the project had entered the implementation stage, which was more in his comfort zone. Perez had designed the new product-to-market process and ensured that he would spend most of his time out of the office and avoiding Petersen. NEW PRODUCT-TO-MARKET PROCESS Deboning, Filleting and Packaging In order to add value to the product and to offset the cost of cleaning and filleting the fish at a higher cost by HUI employees, it was planned that the deboning, filleting and packaging would be done in San Hagon. The cooperative had called upon the women of the village who were experienced in preparing fish to help with processing the catch. It was planned that women in the village interested in the opportunity would be paid in return for the quantity of fish they processed. If demand for the work outweighed supply, there would be a waiting list and all interested women would get their chance to earn extra income when their turn came. Once deboned and filleted, the fish would be individually packaged in sealed cellophane packets and packed in 40 kilogram containers. The SHFC encouraged all fishermen to bring in their catch to the cooperative early in the morning, where the catch was assessed and weighed according to the product needs of HUI malls for the week. Each fisherman had an account at the SHFC and his account was credited according to the daily catch brought  in. The fishermen were free to do whatever they wanted with the catch not purchased by HUI malls. HUI malls were only interested in selling the finest quality fish in two of their exclusive high-end malls. Second- and third-tier fish were delivered to the remaining five mid-market HUI malls in Metro Manila. As a differentiating factor, the project called for the product to be sold chilled. Upscale customers in Manila preferred chilled and filleted fish because they felt it was safer than fresh fish and easier to prepare. Storage and Transport Taking into account the problematic supply of electricity and high cost of establishing a cold chain, which would have required a substantial cold storage facility investment in the village, and in line with providing sustainable low technology solutions, it was planned that the fish would be stored in a refrigerated truck which operated its cooling unit 24 hours per day and would be used as both a transport and storage facility. The refrigerated truck would make daily trips to Manila and distribute the product. Sales and Distribution HUI malls had insisted that the allocated shelves be stocked by the San Hagon cooperative. The driver would make deliveries and stock the shelves of seven different HUI malls in Manila. Fish deliveries would be made on a consignment basis and payments based on real sales were to be made to San Hagon on a weekly basis. The model had some problems, as payment by HUI malls was delayed. HUI MALLS William Hui had been one of the facilitators of the project. By providing free shelf space for San Hagon, he had received free public relations and showcased the corporate social responsibility of his company. HUI malls had financially benefited as well, receiving good-quality filleted fish at bargain prices without having to invest in setting up or managing procurement and processing operations. Hui’s business savvy had become even more apparent when he was approached by a reputable Japanese buyer who had recently purchased ISSAGA fish at one of his malls and had inquired about selling the product in Japan. IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS Under the careful guidance of Perez, the fishermen had conducted the first limited packaging test runs. The process was fraught with problems at first.  Deboning and filleting fish commercially was very different from filleting for self-consumption. At first the SHFC had wanted to package all kinds of fish, regardless of size and quality. HUI malls had rejected at least 25 per cent of the initial shipments before the SHFC had bowed to the quality standards set forth by HUI malls. Spillage and spoilage was another problem. Nearly 15 per cent of produce was lost in this way. This had been due to refrigeration problems and the freshness of the fish. Fish was a sensitive product and had a very short shelf life unless stored properly and it had become clear that not all fishermen brought in their catch in the morning. Sometimes the truck was late in picking up the day’s catch, which led to late deliveries. Aggregating enough supply to make the business run profitably was an issue at first. Even though all fishermen had joined the cooperative, supply problems due to adverse weather conditions and sometimes due to the complacency of the fishermen had resulted in the shipment truck making a loss nearly 50 per cent of the time. Once the product was on the supermarket shelf however, it sold well. â€Å"But the process of getting the product on the shelf is inefficient to such a degree that the cooperative is making a loss,† Petersen had thought when conducting an interim project evaluation. INTERIM PROJECT EVALUATION Perez had put his vast experience to good use and had intervened to iron out the problems. The logistic problem was solved by hiring two new drivers from the village to man the truck. The initial drivers’ contract was terminated. MIA purchased and donated a second-hand refrigerated truck body with a powerful diesel-operated air conditioner, which was used to store the daily catch if the truck was not available to pick up or deliver the product. Perez’s interventions had worked and the profits had started to seep in. PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT After a full year of careful scrutiny to make sure the project did not suffer from continuity problems, Petersen had sent in his project evaluation report to MIA Denmark and had lauded the project as a great success. The results of the project had started to show in San Hagon, as most villagers had upgraded their huts to cement-walled, galvanized, iron sheet roofed buildings. Most homes had upgraded their TVs and purchased karaoke players to supplement their home entertainment. The most visible improvement was the number of banka boats that were now outfitted with engines. FISH DELIVERIES CEASE MIA’s country director, Petersen, was preparing to transfer to MIA Africa when the phone call from HUI malls had come in informing MIA of the abrupt halt in fish deliveries more than a month ago and asking MIA for its help. HUI malls had inferred that they were ready to negotiate with the SHFC to improve business terms if need be. Petersen had unwillingly agreed to send a fact-finding mission to understand what had gone wrong and hired McKenzie to head the fact-finding team, as the initial San Hagon project team had already been disbanded. Page 15 9B09M016 Exhibit 1 MAP OF THE PHILIPPINES Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html, accessed October 28, 2008. Page 16 9B09M016 Exhibit 2 PHILIPPINE SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT AS SHARE OF GDP 1996-2001 AVERAGE (%) Savings/GDP 40.1 33.5 45.2 22.9 26.1 19.7 32.5 18.9 26.9 12.5 China, People’s Republic of Korea Malaysia India Taiwan Bangladesh Thailand Philippines Indonesia Pakistan Investment/GDP 37.8 31.8 33.4 24 23.7 21.5 28 20.4 23.2 17.1 Source: www.adb.org/Documents/Books/ADO/2002/Update/ado2002update.pdf, accessed November 18, 2008. Exhibit 3 PROJECT SAN HAGON FACT SHEET OBJECTIVES 1) Increase $1/day income to $4 2) Integrate more women into the workforce 3) Promote environment conservation PROJECT COST FORECAST Procurement Construction Training Salaries MIA local consultants/month SHFC management salaries/month $ 18,000 5,000 1,500 1,500 230 OPERATIONAL COST Truck rental/month Truck driver salary/month SHFC workers’ salaries/month Fuel/month Packaging material/month 850 375 1,000 3,500 250 ADDITIONAL COSTS Procurement $4,000 Additional driver salary/month Additional fuel/month 4,000 375 1,250 EXECUTION Mr. Petersen, MIA director, The Philippines Mr. Perez, project manager, San Hagon Page 17 9B09M016 Exhibit 4 PROJECT SAN HAGON GANTT CHART Page 18 9B09M016 Exhibit 5 PROJECT SAN HAGON THREE YEAR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS YEAR 1 255,200 236,880 12,600 249,480 5,720 REVENUE Cost of goods sold Fixed cost TOTAL COST INCOME BEFORE TAXES NOTE: All amounts in US$ at $1=56 Filipino pesos Fiscal year ends December 31 Exhibit 6 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS YEAR 2 382,800 236,880 12,600 249,480 133,320 YEAR 3 382,800 236,880 12,600 249,480 133,320 Page 19 9B09M016 Exhibit 7 $ (000) VALUE CHAIN COST STRUCTURE Page 20 9B09M016 Exhibit 8 DISTRIBUTION CYCLE ANALYSIS

Three Ways of Being with Technology

Three Ways Of Being-with Technology by Carl Mitcham Introduction: Mitcham talks about the relations between technology and humanity. He starts with the chicken-and-egg question â€Å"Which is primary-humanity or knowledge? † What exactly is happening? Is it that we influence the technology or is it so happening that the technology is shaping our morals and us? At this point he quotes one of the Winston Churchill quotations that â€Å"We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us â€Å".Then he tries to answer this question by saying it is a mutual relationship in between these two but even the mutual relationship take different forms. He then proposes a three ways of being with the technology and takes the whole document on structural analysis of the three forms. Ancient Skepticism: The articulation of a relationship between humanity and technics in the earliest forms when stated boldly is â€Å"technology (that is, the study of technics) is necessary but dangerousâ⠂¬ .Technics, according to these myths, although to some extent required by humanity and thus on occasion a cause for legitimate celebration, easily turns against the human by severing it from some larger reality – a severing that can be manifest in a failure of faith or shift of the will, a refusal to rely on or trust God or the gods, whether manifested in nature or in Providence. Ethical arguments in support of this distrust or uneasiness about technical activities can be detected in the earliest strata of Western philosophy.Socrates considered farming, the least technical of the arts, to be the most philosophical of occupations. This idea of agriculture as the most virtuous of the arts, one in which human technical action tends to be kept within proper limits, is repeated by representatives of the philosophical tradition as diverse as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and Thomas Jefferson. Socrates argues that because of the supreme importance of the ethical and political issues, human beings should not allow themselves to become preoccupied with scientific and technological pursuits.Socrates argues that human beings should determine for themselves how to perform their actions and therefore should not depend on god for help in â€Å"counting, measuring or weighing† whose consequences are nonetheless hidden. In the Intellectual Auto Biography of Socrates, he explained how he turned away from natural science because of the cosmological and moral confusion it tends to engender. Never did he speculate on the ‘cosmos ‘of the sophists or the necessities of the heavens but declared those who worried about such matters were foolish.The classical greek culture was shot through with a distrust of the wealth and the affluence that the technai or arts could produce if not kept within strict limits. Socrates explains what is important is moderation. He explains that under the condition of affluence human beings tend to become accustomed to eas e and thus to chose less over the more perfect. He explains â€Å"Once drugs are available as palliatives, for instance, most individuals will choose them for the alleviation of pain over the more strenuous paths of physical hygiene or psychological enlightenment. Which is very true in the modern con text than to that current in athens that scarcely need to be mentioned. Another aspect of this tension between politics and technology is on the dangers of technical change. In the words of Adeimantus, with whom Socrates in this instance evidently agrees, once change has established itself as normal in the arts, â€Å"it overflows its bounds into human character and activity and from there issues forth to attack commercial affairs, and then proceeds against the laws and political orders†.Technological change, which undermines the authority of custom and habit, thus tends to introduce violence into the state. This should be taken more serious with the experience in the 20th centu ry. Eros or love, by contrast, is oriented toward the higher or the stronger; it seeks out the good and strives for transcendence. â€Å"And the person who is versed in such matters is said to have spiritual wisdom, as opposed to the wisdom of one with technai or low-grade handicraft skills† It’s the person with the spiritual wisdom that the love is oriented to.The ancient critique of technology thus rests on a tightly woven, fourfold argument: (1) the will to technology or the technological intention often involves a turning away from faith or trust in nature or Providence; (2) technical affluence and the concomitant processes of change tend to undermine individual striving for excellence and societal stability; (3) technological knowledge likewise draws human beings into intercourse with the world and obscures transcendence; (4) technical objects are less real than objects of nature.This pre-modern attitude looks on technics as dangerous or guilty until proven innoce nt or necessary – and in any case, the burden of proof lie’s with those who favor technology not those who would restraint it, because this way of being with technology views it with skepticism. Enlightenment Optimism: This is a radically different way of being with technology; it shifts the burden of proof from those who favor to those who oppose the introduction of inventions in the name of enlightenment.Aspects of this idea or attitude are not without pre-modern adumbration. This idea is first fully articulated in the writings of Francis Bacon at the time of renaissance. Unlike Socrates Bacon maintains that God has given humanity a clear mandate for the change i. e. the technical change. Technical consequences are all cut loose with an optimistic hope and the consequences of such actions are treated as mere accidents. We all deemed to form in the image of god are all expected to create and the art plays the primary role in this.Formed in the image and likeness of Go d, human beings are called on to be creators; to abjure that vocation and pursue instead an unproductive discourse on ethical dilemmas. Bacon indeed claims that not applying new remedies must expect new evils. The kingdom of man founded by sciences is none other than the kingdom of heavens. It is important to understand that Bacon and Socrates relates to each other in pro- and anti- technology partisans. Technical action is circumscribed by uncertainty or risk.Bason doesn’t evaluate technical projects on their individual merits, but simply asserts/affirms the technology. It is important to pursue technological action irrespective of the dangerous consequences. The uncertainty of the technological actions is jettisoned in the name of revelation. Bacon argues that the inventions of printing, gunpowder, and the compass have done more to benefit humanity than all the philosophical debates and political reforms have done to the human kind throughout history.The distinctly modern w ay of being-with technology may be articulated in terms of four interrelated arguments: (1) the will to technology is ordained for humanity by God or by nature; (2) technological activity is morally beneficial because, while stimulating human action, it ministers to physical needs and increases sociability; (3) knowledge acquired by a technical closure with the world is more true than abstract theory; and (4) nature is no more real than artifice – indeed, it operates by the same principles.Romantic Uneasiness: The pre modern way of being with technology effectively limited the rapid technical expansions in the west for approximately 2000 years. The proximate causes of this radical transformation were, of course, legion: geographic, economic, political, military and scientific and the author questions then what brought all such factors together in England to engender a new way of life. Romanticism is what came out from this yelling for change.This paved the way for the new way of being with the technology, one that can be identified as with ancient skepticism or modern optimism but tries to be neutral by accepting change but showing uneasiness towards the change. Mitcham argues that the Romanticism is a form of questioning. On the ancient view, technology was seen as a turning away from God or the gods. On the modern view, it is ordained by God or, with the Enlightenment rejection of God, by nature. With the romantics the will to technology either remains grounded in nature or is cut free from all extra-human determination.In the former instance, however, nature is reconceived not just as mechanistic movement but as an organic striving toward creative development and expression. William Wordsworth tries to demonstrate the same thing through his poems. In which he first shows exult over intellectual mastery and inventions and then in the following poems looks back and grieves over the great change that happened because of inventions and the outrage done t o the nature. Then he writes how unpropped are these arts and high inventions.Rousseau argues the need for actions, not words, and approves the initial achievements of the Renaissance in freeing humanity from a barren medieval Scholasticism. He argues that the destruction is better than inaction. He then points out to a paradox that: turning against technology – but in the name of ideals that are at the heart of technology. In with the way of romantic way of being with technology, there is a paradox. There is a certain ambivalence built in to this attitude. The attitude itself has not been adopted whole-hearted way by the modern culture.

Cognitive Changes †Human Sexuality Essay

Cognitive Changes – Human Sexuality Essay Free Online Research Papers There really haven’t experienced any cognitive changes. I took this class because I felt it was going to be very interesting and because I am a very open minded person. I try not to judge and I try to be open to other people’s differences even if they are very different from me. In terms of sexuality someone who has a different sexual orientation than mine I don’t mind. I embrace people’s differences. One subject that we talked about that has really stuck in my mind was the chapter on sexually transmitted diseases. I guess I never really thought about the diseases that you can get by giving oral sex. There are so many young girls these days who don’t think of oral sex as sex. They don’t realize that you can get really serious diseases by doing this. It’s scary because some of these diseases are deadly and they are so young and so inexperienced to truly understand the importance of safe sex. I wish that there were more that we could do to educate them about safe sex earlier. At the beginning of class we discussed the two legacies. The gender role legacy has also stuck in my mind. It’s really sad to know that views towards women haven’t necessarily changed. We are still fighting for our rights to be equal. We are still trying to prove that we are capable of being successful at together things besides cooking, cleaning and taking care of our kids. I know a lot has changed for women since the middle ages, but I hadn’t really realized that lot of men still view women the same way they did back in the 1940’s and 1950’s. I didn’t really think much about it until we talked about it in class. Effective Changes The things that I felt were effective in this class were of course the topic about safe sex and the effects of sexually transmitted diseases. I thing it is always effective when you educate people about safe sex and what can happen when you are not careful. I think it was very effective when we were showed the different contraceptives and how they work. The female condom is still a mystery to me, but I am glad I was able to see it. It makes it nice to know that we have ways of protecting ourselves as females. It’s interesting that there are women out there who still believe that it is the man’s responsibility to use contraceptives. We as women need to realize that we have to protect ourselves. We have to take responsibility for our own bodies and I felt that Page helped us to realize this. Also, I believe our fetish presentations were very beneficial in a couple of ways. We talked about communication and sexuality and how it is difficult for people to talk about sex. A lot of people are embarrassed to talk about sex so it is hard for them to express what they are feeling and they don’t ask questions because of it. I know for me my fetish was very hard to talk about, but it really helped me open up and feel okay to talk about sex. It also educated us on different fetishes and how they develop. I learned a little about how to react to certain paraphilias also. I think this will be helpful in the future because if you are exposed to an exhibitionist you know how to react. You also will know what these things mean and entail so if someone was to ask you to partake in the act you’ll know if you want to join in or not. Even though there are some sexual behaviors that I wouldn’t necessarily engage in, this class helped to see why people feel the way they do. I also learned that it is important to know your body. Chapter 9 taught me that it’s normal to want to get to know your body. Talking about masturbation used to make me feel really uncomfortable. It doesn’t bother me for someone else to masturbate, but I would be very embarrassed to masturbate in front of my partner. I learned that this can help sex between you and your partner because you can relay to them what you like and where you like to be touched. It may also help to put a little more excitement in your sex life. I haven’t gotten brave enough to do this, but maybe I will work on it. (ha-ha) Another topic that we discussed that taught me a lot, and I am actually kind of embarrassed to even admit it, was the topic on female anatomy. I never realized how little I knew about my own body. I really enjoyed this chapter because I really got to see what is going on inside of me. I have had a child and until this class I really wasn’t positive what my cervix was. This seems so crazy since all of these things are in my body, but I never really knew what all was going on. In chapter six when we discussed sexual response I though it was really interesting learning about the changes our bodies go through on the inside when we get aroused and how our body responds. This class has made me feel like I really didn’t know much about sex before. When I though about sexual response the way male’s respond is what always came to mind, but both males and females are going through changes during sexual arousing and intercourse. I really enjoyed this class. I can’t wait to take our field trip to Exotic Pleasures because this will be my first time. Through this class I was really exposed to a variety of topics. This class has taught me a lot about sexual communication, our anatomy, how our gender is formed, etc. I enjoyed hearing my classmate’s points of view on all of these topics. I think sex isn’t always an easy topic for everyone to talk about, but while taking this class I think it has helped many open up and feel more comfortable about talking about it. I think it’s great because maybe now they will feel more comfortable to talk about with someone else and help educate others has well. 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Hawk vs. Hock

Hawk vs. Hock Hawk vs. Hock Hawk vs. Hock By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between the verbs hawk and hock? Both have associations with mercantile transactions, but the meanings and etymologies are distinct. To hawk one’s wares is to sell them. The word has no relationship to the name of the raptor or to the extension of that term to refer to person who supports war; one might associate a hawker calling out to prospective buyers with the cry of a hawk, but the verb hawk and the noun hawker derive from the German word hà ¶ker, meaning â€Å"to peddle.† However, hawk is also used as a verb to describe clearing the throat of phlegm; this sense derives from the bird’s harsh call. To hock, by contrast, is to pawn one’s possessions to give to a moneylender as security. (The person who hocks belongings then either repays the lender or forfeits the belongings, which the lender may then sell.) This word comes from the Dutch term hok, meaning â€Å"prison† or â€Å"enclosure†; the association is that someone who is in hock (in debt) is beholden to another as if he or she is a prisoner. Hock, from the Middle English word hoch, meaning â€Å"heel,† has another meaning: It refers to the ankle of certain quadrupeds such as horses or the part of a bird’s leg corresponding to that part of the anatomy; by extension, it also applies to a cut of meat taken from just above an animal’s foot. Among oenophiles, hoch also refers to German white wines; the name is a truncation of the city name Hochheim. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether5 Brainstorming Strategies for WritersSit vs. Set

Strategic Management and Contemporary Level Of Competition Essay

Strategic Management and Contemporary Level Of Competition - Essay Example There are different segments of environments in which an organization operates; these include external environments like the economic, political, social, cultural, technological, global, and demographic environments. All these segments of the environment influence the pattern of conducting business in an industry. According to Brown & Eisenhardt (1998:3), "strategy is about two things: deciding where you want your business to go and figuring out how to get there". Strategic management pattern of every organization may differ from what is obtainable in another; while there may be areas of similarity, certain aspects are uniquely structured out to suit the operation of the organization in concern. The ability of an organization to successfully compete depends on how unique its strategy is. In this view Peter (2005:5), argues, "Strategic competitiveness is achieved when a firm successfully formulates and implements a value-creating strategy. When a firm implements such a strategy that o ther companies are unable to duplicate or find too costly to imitate, this firm gas a sustained, or sustainable, competitive advantage". ... try the question that decision makers for organization have to tackle is what to do What to do on how to carry out the organization operations When should it be done In order for an organization to gain competitive advantage over its rivals, it tends to come out and adopt a strategy that is different from what its competitors are familiar. This essay would compare and contrastthe sources of competitive advantage in the Aero-engine and thegrocery retail markets. Examples of organizations operating in these industries would be utilized in analyzing the subject matter. GAINING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN A DYNAMIC INDUSTRY Through an effective strategic management, an organization can adequately cease the opportunities abounding in the industry where it operates. It will utilize its resources most adequately in meeting the changes and challenges in the industry. Looking at the external environment, how it influences the operation of an organization, the ability of an organization to capture untapped opportunities within the industry it operates this will go to put it ahead of its rivals and give it competitive advantage. Opportunities abound for firms operating in an industry, it is only through effective strategic management framework put in place by an organization, and its ability to be innovatively different from its rivals that it would seize these opportunities, before another close rival discover it. This brings us to the issue of strategic competitiveness. According to Peter (2005:5), "strategic competitiveness is achieved when a firm successfully formulates and implements a value-creating stra tegy. When a firm implements such a strategy that other companies are unable toduplicate or find too costly to imitate, this firm has a sustained, or sustainable, competitive

Legal-business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legal-business - Assignment Example EFFECTIVITY DATE: This agreement executed by the â€Å"FIRST PARTY† and the â€Å"SECOND PARTY† shall start to commence on ______________, 2011 and ending on _____________, 2012, renewable thereafter upon such terms as may be agreed upon by both parties as long as they are still employees of ABC CORPORATION; 2. DATING POLICY: The parties herein agree that they shall abide by the dating policy guidelines imposed in the Employee Handbook of ABC CORPORATION, and shall be subjected to fine, sanctions and penalties, for any violation of the provisions of the aforementioned dating policy; 3. PURPOSE: The purpose for which this agreement was executed is to free ABC CORPORATION, the employer of both parties, from any liability in the event the romantic dating relationship of both parties shall end; 4. ... parties herein agree that any disputes resulting from the romantic dating relationship shall be resolved only within office premises, and with the intervention of Management through the Human Resource Department; 6. WAIVER: This agreement shall serve as a waiver in the event that any of the herein parties shall attempt to file a Sexual Harassment case in court. 7. MODIFICATION OF THE CONTRACT: The agreement shall not be, in any way, be amended, modified or except by virtue of a written instrument duly signed by the duly â€Å"FIRST PARTY† AND â€Å"SECOND PARTY. 8. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have affixed their signatures herein below on the date and place first above written. __________________________ ___________________________ FIRST PARTY SECOND PARTY By: By: ________________________________ _______________________________ SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF: _________________________________ ________________________________ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT United States of America) State of __ ___________) Before me, this _______ day of April, 2011, personally appeared: NAME GOV. ID WITH PIC PLACE ISSUED/ DATE Known to me as the same persons who executed the foregoing instrument, and they acknowledged to me that the same is their free act and deed. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my notarial seal on the day, year and place above written. ____________________ Notary Public MEMORANDUM DATE: APRIL 12, 2011 TO: ALL EMPLOYEES FROM: HOTEL MANAGEMENT RE: â€Å"ENGLISH ONLY† RULE IN THE HOTEL PREMISES ______________________________________________________________________________ This memorandum serves as a guideline on the new policy imposed by the hotel to regarding the strict implementation of â€Å"English Only† Rule, as the medium of communication among the hotel