A Better Approach to Chinas Markets

Introduction China’s market is complex and therefore needs an appropriate entry strategy to be able to succeed. Multinational corporations which enter the country with mono-dimensional mindset, ignoring China’s multi-faceted diversity, may fail to capture China’s market.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on A Better Approach to China’s Markets specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More China’s market economy has expanded opportunities for doing business in the country and therefore many companies both domestic and international are racing to establish themselves in the market (Ghemawat 2007, 54). China’s market today China’s market environment presents unique complexity with significant differences across the various regions within the country. It has over 800 cities with 200 of them having populations exceeding 1 million. There is a significant variation between Chinaâ €™s cities and towns as they grow at different rates in diverse directions. China’s high economic growth, large size as well as diversity make it to be very unpredictable (Tse 2007). China’s market is also dynamic as it forms a manufacturing hub for many industries in different sectors. The economy has become dynamic private-sector led since its market liberalization integrating diverse industries and service companies (Fung 2004, 32). China’s market is very challenging for companies entering the country. Its large population consists of diverse cultures and demographics which influence their lifestyle, which includes spending power and how they react to certain products in market. Consumer attitudes and demographic makeups vary across cities and towns. The over 800 cities presents different demographics as well as consumer attitudes. Besides, they have different growth rates which further define China’s markets. Cluster Propositions Most corporations that enter China’s market tend to categorize Chinese cities depending on their market or demographic characteristics to enable them determine areas which best suit their particular needs (Ho 2005). Segmenting industrial markets could be challenging due to the greater complexity in industrial products, buying processes as well as buying criteria.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Clustering/segmentation is further complicated by complementary products, contracting as well as financing. In clustering, it is important to identify the most important differences that exist among current as well as potential consumers. Thus, most companies that enter China tend to group cities in terms of geographic closeness, demographic relationships, trade and economic outlook as well as similarity in industry composition and government policies. Atsmon and Magnl (2009) report th at consumer research as well as work with both domestic and multinational companies reveal that it is more beneficial to cluster Chinese markets in terms of geographical locations. Each cluster of cities located within a radius of 300 km represents a minimum of 1% of China’s GDP. Besides, clustered cities in China have close trade relationships as well as common economic outlooks. Kotler’s Bottom-up Approach Kotler’s model supports demographic clustering where customer data are analyzed to provide an understanding of the similarities that make up certain demographics so as to be able to know whether they have similar needs/characteristics. Companies have to understand the similarities in customers’ purchasing power or attitude. Due to modern market complexities, Webster (1991, 64) suggests that companies need to adopt Bonoma Shapiro’s model which proposes that markets should be clustered according to demographics, buyers’ personal character istics, operating variables as well as purchasing approaches (Bonoma Shapiro 1984, 106). Implications Any company entering China must consider its strategy and structure in relation to the expected competition in Chinese market. It has to modify its structure and adopt strategies which will enable it succeed in the complex and diverse Chinese markets (Yip. 2002, 101). Again, it must consider the factor conditions which are likely to influence its business processes and growth, and demand conditions in the potential market. Finally, it has to establish whether related and supporting industries exist in the potential market. Supporting and related industries enhances the operations of the firm and also provides an opportunity for partnerships and ventures, therefore allowing companies to achieve economies of scale (Cheston Kalafatis 1997, 36).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on A Better Approach to China’s Markets specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cluster benefits Clustering markets allow companies that enter Chinese markets to define and prioritize their target cities. This means that the company is able to understand cities or demographics which the products/services that it offers would provide the greatest economic value to (Dubar McDonald 2004, 37). Besides, the company is able to identify the particular features which best suits its business processes. This also means that the company is able to define its competitive advantages in the market clusters identified allowing it to choose one which would support its vision and growth. Clustering allows companies to adopt efficient venturing strategies. As such, companies entering Chinese markets need to have the capacity to define China’s markets in a way that gives them a better view of the firms to partner with. Strategic ventures in China enable companies to cut costs by establishing cluster-based sales forces, supp ly chains as well as distribution channels while covering large geographic areas (Atsmon and Magnl 2009). Again, customer segmentation allows companies to acquire detailed profile of customers who are interested in the products/services they offer (Chacko 2004, 4; Gross 1995, 28). They are able to group cities according to consumer as well as demographic data which are relevant to their businesses. Given the close trade relationships that exist between companies in one geographic area, companies are able to benefit from detailed shared customer’s profile. Basic Clusters Different clusters, different consumers Atsmon and Magnl (2009) believe that understanding diverse preferences as well as attitudes among consumers across clusters is very important. In China, Central and Shanghai have comparable populations, and proportions of locals and immigrants.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, these characteristics create significant differences between the two clusters. While people in Shanghai prefer well-known brands, have less confidence about the future and therefore tend to prioritise savings, people in Central are the exact opposite of the people of Shanghai (Atsmon Magnl 2009). Central residents prefer the national TV to local TV meaning that advertisements targeting them should be done on National TV. Established markets vs. up-and-coming markets Hangzhou is categorized as an established market due to its large population characterized by many middle class and above families and individuals. However, the growth in middle class population in this city is expected to be modest as compared to that Hefei. It is expected that by 2015, Hefei will have achieved significant growth in the middle class population. This means that a company planning to enter the Chinese market should explore opportunities in the Hefei market since there are still untapped opportun ities in this region. Three-hour drive, worlds apart Despite the close proximities between cities or regions, demographic characteristics may differ. Many companies assume that cities in one region have consumers with similar characteristics, which is wrong. Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which almost overlap one another, have different population characteristics. Shenzhen is mostly dominated by young immigrants who have a different lifestyle from that of the older majority population in Guangzhou. Conclusion Any company entering Chinese markets need to segment the markets into clusters and priorities. They must group Chinese cities according to their demographic as well as most relevant consumer data. In addition, their strategies for entering the Chinese markets have to be dynamic and adaptive to be able survive in the constantly evolving China market. In other words, they need to adopt a global strategy. Reference List Atsmon, Y. and Magnal, M., 2009. A better approach to China’s markets. Harvard Business Review, 31. Bonoma, T. and Shapiro, B., 1984. Segmenting industrial markets. Virginia: Lexington Publishers. Chacko, J. M., 2004, Targeting Asian-Indian American consumers. Journal of International Business and Cultural Studies, pp 1-7. Cheston, V. and Kalafatis, S., 1997. Normative models and practical applications of segmentation in business markets. Industrial Marketing Management, 26. Dubar, I., and McDonald, M., 2004. Market segmentation: How to do it, how to profit from it. Oxford: A Butterworth-Heinemann. Fung, K. C., 2004. Trade and investment: China, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific economies. Santa Cruz: University of California Press. Ghemawat, P., 2007. Redefining global strategy: Crossing borders in a world where differences still matters. Boston, Massachusetts: McGraw-Hill. Gross, A., 1995. China market entry strategies. Bethseda: Pacific Bridge Medical. Ho, D., 2005. Entering the Chinese market. Bloomberg Businessweek. [Online] availa ble at  https://www.bloomberg.com/europe . Tse, E., 2007. Context and complexity: Success in China requires approach for diverse market. [Online] available at  https://www.strategy-business.com/article/07304?pg=all . Webster, F., 1991. Industrial marketing strategy, 3rd Ed. New York: John Wiley Sons. Yip, G. 2002. Total global strategy II: Managing for world wide advantage. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. This research paper on A Better Approach to China’s Markets was written and submitted by user Abr1l to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Lost Colony Of Roanoke

In this term paper of the Lost Roanoke Colony, I will talk about the colony and it’s settlement, how they traveled, how they live, their relationship with other tribes and also about all the events leading to their disappeance. The first attempts made by England to form a colony in America, happened in the late sixteenth century, at Roanoke Island. Starting in 1584, efforts were made to explore the east coast of North America. It was in 1587 that a colony was finally formed. This was a great thing for the colonists and for England, and also one of the greatest American mysteries when the colony was discovered abandoned in 1590. The history of the Roanoke Colony can be found in England's attempts in claiming a part of the New World. This interest was even more obvious, when Queen Elizabeth wanted explorations and settlements of new lands by making charters, and it was when the English discovered Roanoke Island. It was the responsibility of Sir Walter Raleigh to provide the necessary supplies to complete the journeys to the New World and achieve the goals of the mission. This meant hiring ship captains and crews, gathering colonists, buying food and other supplies, and finding people to invest money in the journey. Raleigh did not participate in the journeys, he was only the major investor in these journeys. There are a total of four expeditions, under the Raleigh charter, which make up the story of the lost colony. In this next paragraph, I will be talking about the first two expeditions, and in the following paragraph, I will talk about the final two. The first and second expeditions take place from 1584 to 1586. The goals of these missions include making contact and getting to be friends with a native tribe called the Croatoan, and finding a good place to settle. During the second expedition, they left a small group of men behind, while the ships went back to England for supplies. They left more than one hundred men, they n... Free Essays on Lost Colony Of Roanoke Free Essays on Lost Colony Of Roanoke In this term paper of the Lost Roanoke Colony, I will talk about the colony and it’s settlement, how they traveled, how they live, their relationship with other tribes and also about all the events leading to their disappeance. The first attempts made by England to form a colony in America, happened in the late sixteenth century, at Roanoke Island. Starting in 1584, efforts were made to explore the east coast of North America. It was in 1587 that a colony was finally formed. This was a great thing for the colonists and for England, and also one of the greatest American mysteries when the colony was discovered abandoned in 1590. The history of the Roanoke Colony can be found in England's attempts in claiming a part of the New World. This interest was even more obvious, when Queen Elizabeth wanted explorations and settlements of new lands by making charters, and it was when the English discovered Roanoke Island. It was the responsibility of Sir Walter Raleigh to provide the necessary supplies to complete the journeys to the New World and achieve the goals of the mission. This meant hiring ship captains and crews, gathering colonists, buying food and other supplies, and finding people to invest money in the journey. Raleigh did not participate in the journeys, he was only the major investor in these journeys. There are a total of four expeditions, under the Raleigh charter, which make up the story of the lost colony. In this next paragraph, I will be talking about the first two expeditions, and in the following paragraph, I will talk about the final two. The first and second expeditions take place from 1584 to 1586. The goals of these missions include making contact and getting to be friends with a native tribe called the Croatoan, and finding a good place to settle. During the second expedition, they left a small group of men behind, while the ships went back to England for supplies. They left more than one hundred men, they n...

Discuss the different levels of irony in the story Essay

Discuss the different levels of irony in the story - Essay Example It is his journey from stardom to decline. However, A Hunger Artist is not only about changing trends of society, but, actually, it portrays various tabooed issues with its ironic theme, hidden symbols, and metaphors. Irony is a dominating aspect to this story, and its different levels are evident throughout the narrative. This paper is an attempt to understand the hidden irony, and allegory in A Hunger Artist. Irony could be understood as the conceptual contrast between outwardly appearance and the actuality behind personal motives, experiences, and situations of life (Colebrook 5). Irony has different levels: it could be verbal, situational, and dramatic. In a story, irony should be assessed on both personal and communal grounds. Presence of verbal irony in this tale is evident by the hurtful dialogues directed towards the artist. Kafka has very clearly expressed the suspicion, public indifference and dejection experienced by the artist through the narrative. The artist is compared to an animal at several occasions, and by the end of the story, his cage is habited by a panther which is not only insulting, but also ironic to a much greater extent. The quote â€Å"Starvation artist might respond with an outbreak of rage and, to everyone's horror, begin to rattle the bars of his cage like an animal† proves this point (Kafka 61). ... The verbal irony worsens in the last part, where the artist dies due to the unjustified ignorance from his employers but says, â€Å"And forgive me, all of you† (Give It Up! And Other Short Stories 33). This is not just absurd but also ironic because the artist is the receiver of cruelty, negligence, and indifference from the world, but he is asking others to forgive him for his sins. However, this has a lesson which Kafka has conveyed to the reader through a conversation between the artist and the overseer. The artist says, â€Å"I always wanted you to admire my fasting, but you shouldn't admire it† (Give It Up! And Other Short Stories 33). In this story, hunger is used as an element of irony, depicting constraint, isolation, and self-denial which, when imposed, crushes a person spiritually and physically. That is why Kafka clearly stated that such an act must not be admired. Situational irony occurs at numerous points in A Hunger Artist. The aspect that the artist has acknowledged his fading art is an example of situational irony. "In recent decades interest in hunger artists has greatly diminished" (Kafka 56). It is true that entertainment is necessary, but allowing such an odious act for enjoyment sake, and then suddenly rejecting it shows the society’s disrespect for art. The manner in which fasting act was conducted provides sufficient evidence for situational irony. The artist was confined in a cage, and guards kept a constant check on him. â€Å"There were also permanent watchmen, usually butchers – whose job it was, always three at a time, to watch the starvation artist day and night† (Kafka 57). Such a situation is ironic because it depicts the indifferent attitude of the public and employers towards a

Small Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small Business - Essay Example The college has three academic batches out of which two were in post graduation, one in under graduation with a sum total of 150 students supported with 30 teaching staff and non-teaching staff. The students have to take a ten minutes walk if they want to board any transport means, to eat, to shop anything for their stay in the campus hostel. The working hours starts at 9:30 am in the morning breaks for a lunch at 12:40pm with a break in between at 11:15am.The College has a dining hall to cater the food facilities daily for both day scholars and hostellers. The payment is done monthly to the caterers .food is served only at three times a day morning breakfast, launch and dinner. A person doesn't get any snacks or eateries in between the sessions, as there was no facility in the campus other than the dining hall. The dining hall became a profit making entity for the caterers, as there is no other option to choose for the students and the staff working in the campus. The caterers have a confined market avenue with an assured customer base and started responding to their requirements. The caterers are having monopoly in this food service as there is only having sole business entity in the campus.

Human Lymphocytes Exposed to Co Irradiations and I Decays

Human Lymphocytes Exposed to Co Irradiations and I Decays Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1. Microdosimetry Problem statement Nuclear medicine and molecular imaging use unsealed radionuclides for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. In targeted radiotherapy, the aim is to address tumor cells using suitable radiopharmaceuticals and achieve a high dose deposition inside the target structures. â€Å"Macrodosimetry† generally entails estimating the dose effect in organs (or dimensions of at least some millimeters) and is outlined in detail by the Medical Internal Dose (MIRD) Committee, the U.S. Society of Nuclear Medicine and the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) [1]. Microdosimetry therefore entails estimating the dose absorbed in microscopic objects such as cells. Dose deposition in cells can originate from extracellular media, intracellular uptake in a single cell and from surrounding cells. As an alternative to characteristic photon emissions,radionuclides decaying by electron capture or internal conversionmay undergo a process known as the Auger effect. In the Auger effect, an electron from an outer shell fills the lower electron vacancy, but the energy released in the process is transferred to another orbital electron. This electron is then emitted from the atom instead of a characteristic X-ray [2]. The emitted electron is called an Auger electron,with ranges in tissue typically at the micro- or nanometer level [3].Their unique property of depositing significant amounts of energy in minute volumes around the decay site opens up the possibility of using them as microscopic probes to study fundamental questions regarding the interaction of radiation with cells. 123I is used mainly in nuclear medicine because of its ideal ÃŽ ³-ray energy (159 keV) and relatively short half-life (13.2 h). The decay of 123I is, however, also associated with the production of Auger electrons. These low energy particles (4]. Knowledge of the absorbed dose is required for evaluation of the observed biological effects and to predict or compare the effectiveness of different radiation modalities. However, direct dose measurements in cells are impossible due to the small cellular dimensions [5]. According to the stochastic character of all of the decay processes, a large number of pathways exist by means of which a radioactive particle can decay and the excited atom can de-excite, i.e. each initial inner shell vacancy may cause a different number of Auger electrons to be emitted resulting in a more or less broad distribution of differently charged ions. Because these electron transitions and particle interactions are random processes, the Monte Carlo technique is an appropriate tool for the simulation of Auger emissions and electron spectra, as well as a feasible method to obtain correct absorbed dose values under consideration of all irradiation aspects like geometry and activity distributions [5],[6], [7]. Bingham et al. found that the dose delivered to the cell nucleus is underestimated by a factor of 7.4 for 123I in cells with nuclear radius of 4 ÃŽ ¼m and cell radius of 12 ÃŽ ¼m when compared to conventional electron dosimetry, indicating the need of developing dosimetr ic calculations for electrons emission at a cellular level [8]. Geant4 is an open source Monte Carlo (MC) toolkit, based on object orientated programming rules using the C++ language, which provides functions for simulating the passage of particles through matter [9]. The code is freely downloadable from the Geant4 web site. Detailed descriptions of the toolkit design and the physical fundamentals may be found in the â€Å"Geant4 User’s Guide for Application Developers† and the â€Å"Physics Reference Manual† [10], [11]. Besides the fact that it is entirely open-source and freely available to all users, the main advantage of this toolkit is its openness to modification and extensions. Originally Geant4 comes from high-energy physics but it also provides low-energy physics processes necessary for medical applications. Users may construct stand-alone applications or applications built upon another object-oriented framework. In either case the toolkit offers support from the initial problem definition to the production of results and graphics for publication. At the heart of Geant4 is an abundant set of physics models to handle the interactions of particles with matter across a very wide energy range. Data and expertise have been drawn from many sources around the world,and in this respect Geant4 acts as a repository which incorporates a large part of all that is known about particle interactions[12]. All aspects of the simulation process have been included in the toolkit: the geometry of the system, the materials involved,the fundamental particles of interest, the generation of primary events, the tracking of particles through materials and electromagnetic fields, t he physics processes governing particle interactions, the response of sensitive detector components, the generation of event data,the storage of events and tracks, the visualization of the detector and particle trajectories, and the capture and analysis of simulation data at different levels of detail and refinement. 1.2. Objectives Aims The level of biological effects of certain radiations is not always directly proportional to the dose they impart. Since the delivered dose on a cellular level is not directly measurable using current instrumentation, scientists and physicians have developed correlations between the biological response and the exposed dose through experiment and theory of atomic physics. An alternative method of predicting the delivered dose in a cell is by using Monte Carlo simulations. These simulations however, have to describe the biological composition and geometries of the material as accurately as possible, as well as the interactions of different particles with the material and can therefore result in complex codes and extremely long computation times. In our study, the aim was to determine (through experiments and using Monte Carlo simulations) the relative biological effectiveness[1] (RBE) of isolated and stimulated human lymphocytes exposed to 60Co irradiations and 123I decays. The first phase of experiments was the exposure of 3 different types of cellsto a 60Co-teletherapy unit. The proposed cell lines were: human lymphocytes, rat brain endothelial cells(bEND5, a cell with high radiosensitivity) andChinese hamster ovarian cells (CHO-K1, a cell with low radiosensitivity). The cells were exposed to graded doses of 60Co ÃŽ ³-radiation, after which they were cultured and the micronuclei formations in binucleated cells were used to analyze the effects of ÃŽ ³-radiation on the cell types. The second phase of experiments was the exposure of a known number of isolated and stimulatedhuman lymphocytes to certain activities of 123I for a discrete amount of time. The thymidine analogue 5-[123I]-iodo-2-deoxyuridine (123IUdR) was prepared and used to incorporate123I into theDNA of human lymphocytes. This was done such that the radionuclide could be transported across the cell and nuclear membrane to permit the deposition of Auger and Coster-Kronigelectrons in close proximity to cellular DNA. After exposure, the samples werecultured to express residual radiation damage. The cellular damage was quantified by numerating the micronuclei (MNi) frequency in binucleated (BN) cells.The experiments were done at iThemba LABS under the supervision and guidance of Prof. Slabbert and Philip Beukes. The experimental work followed the same approach as that of Slabbert, et al[13]. In the study they focused on the targeting and accumulation of 123I in human lymphocytes and CHO-K1 (a Chinese hamster ovary cell line). They found that the combined effect of intracellular and extracellular disintegrations of 123I is about 3.7 times more potent to lymphocytes compared to when the disintegration of the radionuclide is restricted to only the extracellular medium, among other results. It was concluded that this enhancement is due to the short range Auger electrons emitted by the isotope. Next, we wished to recreate the above experiments through Monte Carlo simulations and thereby determine as accurately as possible the absorbed energy and dose due to the irradiations,specifically the energy and dose deposited by Auger electrons produced during the decay of 123I. We will make use of a Monte Carlo based simulation code Geant4. The code must be mastered and used to simulate the scenarios mentioned above. We attempted to simulate the above 60Co exposures. This simulation was an investigation into the irradiation of a macroscopic volume by a radioactive source. The geometry was set up to replicate the experimental setup with regards to the source location and type, collimation, build-up and backscatter, the Petri dish and cellular media. The individual cells were not used as detectors, only the effective volume in the Petri dish. The energy and the dose deposited by the 60Co source (ÃŽ ³-rays, primary and secondary electrons) was then quantified by the Monte Carlo simulation. Our main endeavor was to simulate the energy deposition from the decay of 123I within a cell using Geant4. Basically, a geometry representing a biologicalcell (with the same density, etc. as the proposed lymphocytes) was created as a detector to measure the dose, energy and particles traversing it due to a radionuclide prone to emit Auger electrons, i.e. 123I. A similar simulation was performed by Bousis, et al (2012), using their in-house Monte Carlo code [14]. More advanced simulations are the calculation of DNA strand breaks due to direct and indirect effects of Auger electrons as was demonstrated by Raisali, et al (2013), which werehowever not attempted in this investigation [15], [16], [17]. Furthermore, an empirical formula relating the activity(and consequently the absorbed dose) to the biological response was determined. The curveswere compared to other dose-response curves from literature, thereby indicating if the simulations are a viable option for predicting accurate dose depositions. We could then calculate the RBE values from our dose-response curves and compare them to values available in literature. Finally, we aimed to determine the accuracy and feasibility of Geant4 as a simulation toolkit for medical and radiobiological purposes. To this end we considered the practicality, effort and time spent using Geant4, as well as by the comparison of RBE values and dose-response curves. Geant4 is an advanced, extensive and comprehensive simulation toolkit. Its advantage over similar packages with regards to availability, artistic and geometric freedom, physics models and materials libraries and openness to modification are undeniable. It is a very powerful simulation toolkit and can be used in a large number of areas of expertise as is shown by the examples supplied alongside the toolkit. [1]RBE values indicate the effectiveness of two radiation qualities to produce a certain biological response.

Private Tuition Essay

It is now fashionable for many Malaysian students to go for private tuition. In fact, most students feel insecure if they do not have extra tuition after school. Isn’t that correct? Extra tuition may be necessary for some of you. For example, some of you are weak in mathematics. Without help, you may be left behind. Many of you are in classes which are large. Your teacher cannot give special attention to weak students but your private tutors can. Some teachers may seem unapproachable. Timid students feel afraid to ask questions. They do not want to look stupid. In a small tuition group such students may feel confident. Tutors can also afford to be more patient and allow students to take their time. They do not have to worry about completing the syllabus. Not all teachers are experts in their subjects. Unfortunately, you cannot choose your teachers. On the other hand, you can shop around for good tutors recommended by friends. You can also change tutors whom you find unsatisfactory. However, not all tutors either. Nowadays new graduates join tuition centres while waiting for other jobs. They are not trained teachers. They leave when they find something better to do. They are not bothered about completing the syllabus before the resign, so be careful. In addition, tuition centre exist to make a profit. Classes are often large; there may be as many as 20 to a class. This means you pay for individual attention but do not get it. They have also been cases of tuition centres closing after having collected fees in advance. Finally, extra tuition takes up too much of a student’s time. A lot of time is wasted on travelling to and from the tuition centre. Some of you treat tuition classes as social gatherings. You can actually use your time more profitably on hobbies or personal revision. After attending tuition classes, you may be too tired to do your homework or your school work. If you pay attention in class and do your revision regularly there is no need for extra tuition. The money you would save could be used to buy revision books or put a side for furthering your education in the future. Personally I feel private tuition is a waste of hard-earned money.

Portfolio Assignment Essay

1. â€Å"The assets of the three richest people in the world match the combined annual GDP’s of the 48 poorest countries.† My personal opinion on this statement is most closely described by: a. Good for them – they worked hard to get their wealth b. The only problem I have with this is that this money is in their bank account and not in mine c. No problem with this – many of these people give huge amounts to charities d. I think that it is morally wrong for anyone to have that much money e. I think that active steps should be taken to correct such immoral wealth imbalances Choice now: A: Good for them – they worked hard to get their wealth Choice in assignment 1: B: The only problem I have with this is that this money is in their bank account and not mine. Notes: I changed my option because I was not well conversant with the word ‘sustainability’. I have learned that Sustainability is about what we must want to achieve. These people achieved by working hard. We must not be greed. They worked hard to achieve their desires. We all have to work hard if we need to be successful in life. I know that some will say that there should be fair distribution of wealth and allocation of resources among diverse members of the community (distributive justice). In reality, you cannot sit and do nothing, at the end of the month you expect to be paid like all others who worked so hard. What we have to do as a nation, we have to create a conducive environment for everyone by creating jobs, health care centers, ensure that all children are educated for the benefit of their future, by this we would be creating a better future. Inequality could not be detrimental to the interests of the poorest of the poor (Permissible inequality) ‘John Raws’. John Raws indicated that the poor do not get opportunity to go to proper schools or even better education so that their future can at least be bright, if we ensure that there is proper education, it would be a good foundation for the kids and these would reduce poverty and no one will complain about the salary or wealth of others. 2. â€Å"Unless fossil-fuel use slows dramatically, the earth’s average temperature could rise by six degrees Celsius in the next 100 years.† My personal opinion on this statement is most closely described by: a. Who cares? b. I don’t believe this climate change nonsense c. Six degrees will make winters much more bearable to me personally d. I’m a bit concerned about this, but there is nothing that I can do about it e. I’m a bit concerned about this, but why should I invest my personal time, effort or money in solving a general social problem. f. I think that individually we can and should strive to solve this problem for the greater good Choice now: Choice in assignment 1: F: I think that individually we can and should strive to solve this problem for the greater good. Notes: I’m still picking option ‘F’ because I have learned that when the temperature rises, there is a higher chance of diseases being transmitted through insects. One disease that was spread throughout the United States and Canada because of heat increase was the West Nile virus. Other animals such as rats might change their habitats in hot weather and can cause the spread of diseases. This is how the disease Hantavirus is transmitted. Heat waves can cause droughts. As a result, water levels decrease, lowering water quality and increasing the opportunity for disease transmission. Heat waves also increase health problems in humans. Average surface temperature will increase. Sea level will rise from melting ice around the world. This could be as much as a meter, or much more if melting accelerates or destabilizes major ice sheets (there is unexpected and recent evidence of Greenland and West Antarctica becoming destabilized.) Melting or destabilization of either could rai se sea level world-wide by 25 feet. Deaths will increase as a result of heat waves, drought, and flooding. We have to begin to strive to solve this problem now as it takes time to lower concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, individual and collective action – communities, states, nations, businesses and government are needed. We have to learn about our â€Å"carbon† footprint and how to reduce it by wasting less energy and pushing for solutions that would reduce carbon emissions per unit of energy used. The less fossil fuel’s used the better. Sources: Heat Waves and Unusually Warm Weather. 8/10/05. Union of Concerned Science. 12/23/05. http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/early-warning-signs-of-global-warming-heat-waves.html Consequences of Global Warming. 1/3/06. Natural Defense Resource Council. 12/23/05. http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/fcons.asp 3. â€Å"If the present growth trends in world population, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years. The most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity.† My personal opinion on this statement is most closely described by: a. I don’t believe this tale of doom. b. Yes we are consuming natural resources too fast, but I don’t think this is a problem as there is plenty of time to find technological solutions to problems that emerge c. Yes we are consuming natural resources too fast. The first priority in solving this is to put the brakes on human population growth. d. Yes we are consuming natural resources too fast. The first priority in solving this is for rich people to reduce their consumption significantly. e. Yes we are consuming natural resources too fast. And frankly I don’t see any solution because increasing consumption is the basis of our economic growth. Choice now: Choice in assignment 1: B: ‘Yes we are consuming natural resources too fast, but I do not think this is a problem as there is plenty of time to find technological solution to problems that emerge. Notes: I still chose option ‘B’ because I think as a human race we are up to the challenge. We have capable scientists who will come up with a solution to this problem. I think that a better world is possible, and that the acceptance of physical limits is the first step toward getting there. 4. â€Å"If arctic ice melting continues, we are likely to see the loss of two thirds of the world’s polar bear population within 50 years.† My personal opinion on this statement is most closely described by: a. Who cares? b. If it boils down choosing between driving a luxury SUV and worrying about  polar bears I’ll take the car any day. c. While this is sad, polar bears aren’t really very important to my personal welfare which is my primary concern. d. While this is sad, polar bears aren’t really very important to general human social welfare. e. I don’t think polar bears are all that important to human welfare. However, their plight is a symptom of climate change which is a big problem to future human welfare. f. I think this it is morally unacceptable for humans to put their interests ahead of the rights of other species like polar bears. Choice now: C: While this is sad, polar bears aren’t really very important to my personal welfare which is my primary concern’. Choice in assignment 1: F: I think this is morally unacceptable for humans to put their interests ahead of the rights of other species like polar bears. Notes: I don’t have to worry about Polar bears because they live In the Arctic in areas where they can hunt seals at openings in the sea ice called leads. There are five nations with polar bears: U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway. So, I really don’t think it is necessary for me