Living in the forest Essay

Although the majority of people in the Amazon live in the cities and towns, there are still many indigenous groups living in the forest, some who have no contact with the ‘outside’ world and live in a harmonic environment. Rainforests are the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, as well as being the home to an estimated 50 million indigenous forest people. These people depend on the rainforest for their way of life. It provides them nearly everything from shelter and food to tools and medicine. The people living in the forest make practical and sustainable use of the forest. It also plays an important role in their spiritual and cultural life. Other than hunting, gathering wild fruits and nuts and fishing, each family usually has two gardens. One is a small house garden which consists of a variety of plants and the second is a large plantation planted with bananas, manioc or rice. They use a sustainable farming method called shifting cultivation. First they clear a small area of land and burn it (slash and burn). Then they plant different types of plants, to be used for food and medicines. After a few years, the soil has become too poor to allow for more crops to grow and weeds start to take over. They then move to a nearby un-cleared area. This land is traditionally allowed to re-grow for 10-50 years before it is farmed again. Shifting cultivation is still practiced by those indigenous groups who have access to a large amount of land. However, with the growing number of non-indigenous farmers and the shrinking rainforest, other groups, especially in Indonesia and Africa, are now forced to remain in one area. The land becomes a wasteland after a few years of overuse, and cannot be used for future agriculture. Indigenous people respect the forest that, until the present, has protected them from outsiders and given them everything they need. They live in a sustainable existence. This means that they use the land without harming the plants and animals that also call the rainforest their home. Indigenous people get all their resources primarily from the forest. Other than their food they get their clothing, tools, medicines and shelter form there. This is part of their culture and way of life, as their ancestors also lived in this way. Children do not go to school however they learn about the forest through their parents and other members of the community. They are taught how to survive in the forest. This usually includes how to hunt and fish. They are also taught which plants are useful as medicines or food. Some of these children know more about the rainforests than scientists who have been studying rainforests for many years. There are many different groups. But one example is the ‘Maku’ group. A daily life of someone in the ‘Maku’ village: The women wake up at sunrise and prepare the men’s breakfast. Each meal is communal and is eaten at the leader’s house. After the men have eaten breakfast they depart either alone or in pair’s depending on what prey they saw the day before. After they have left the women and children eat and soon after go to the swiddens to harvest and replant manioc. They return around midday and prepare manioc flour, bread and porridges. At about three in the afternoon the men return with what they have caught and hand it over to their wives. Each woman cooks at her own fireplace but the meal is communal and held in the leaders house. The men eat first and then the women and children. After this three or four meals follow until they sleep, this is at around 9p.m. Indigenous people have a very strong culture and still practice it. One of the rituals are when a young boy or girl go into adulthood the hair on their head is plucked out by other people. Even though they are given a medicine to make them unconscious it is still very painful. Anybody can take part in this ritual. Each group has the same basic believes but then differs when it comes to rituals and culture. In the ‘Karaja’ group the role of men and women are very important. The men are responsible for defending the territory, clearing swiddens, domestic and collective fishing trips and formalized discussions in the men’s plaza. Women are responsible for the education of the children until the age of initiation for the boys but permanently  responsible for the girls. They also do the domestic tasks such as cooking, collecting swiddens products and arranging the marriage of the children (usually done by the grandmothers) and also the painting and decoration of the children during rituals and the manufacture of ceramic dolls. When a baby is born the baby is washed with warm water and it face is painted with red dye. During the infancy the baby spends most of its time with its mother or grandmothers. However when a boy reaches the age of seven or eight his lower lip is pierced. When he reaches the age of ten to twelve years- the boy takes part in a large male ritual called Big House or Hetohoky. The boys are painted with blue/black genipap and remain confined for seven days in a ritual house called the Big House. The hair is cut off and the boy is called giant river otter or jyre. During the first menstrual period of a girl, the maternal grandmother looks after her and she is confined in isolation. Her public re-appearance is when she is elaborately decorated with painted body designs and feather adornments in order to dance with the Aruanas. This is highly rated by the men. The marriage is ideally arranged by the grandmother-preferably from the same village. Once married the couple life at the girls mothers house. When the family number becomes numerous the couple makes their own house. They also have many myths. For example the ‘Canela’ believe that the origin of fire and corn came about like this: a boy brought fire for his people by stealing it from the hearth of a female jaguar. Star woman fell in love with a Canela and so came down to live for awhile among his family members. During her stay she told them that corn would grow fin the forest and she taught them that it was good to eat. This is the origin of the gardens. She then returned to the sky with her mate and they transformed into twin starts which we know as Castor and Pollux. These are just one of the myths which have now become the background of these people. Nutrient cycling is an important part of the ecosystem. It is added into the ecosystems in many ways: Leaching- the nutrients are removed by the movement of the water. Harvesting- when the trees get harvested the nutrients they contained get removed. The amount of nutrients removes depends on how the harvesting is done. Atmosphere- nutrients contained in precipitation and dusts are deposited on the forest site. Weathering of parent material- the slow process of breaking down rock and mineral gets nutrients released in the soil. Due to human activity the life of these people are being altered. There are also a lot of environmental issues which affect the rainforest and the people living in it. This includes forest fires, diseases and landslides. The changes of environment are depending on the region and the climate. Due to all of this the lives are being changed and more recently in a major way. The cultures they had a long time ago are being lost. Before they lived depending on their surroundings and what they had and also they enjoyed it. But now they are slowly depending on tourists for some of their income and will most probably become completely dependant on tourists. Spear fishing- it is used when setting a net would be impractical, such as near trees. The spearhead is three pointed and barbed. A string is attached at the end of the spear so the fisherman can get the fish after a successful throw. Sugar cane pressers- sugar cane is grown primarily for the juice and then fermented to make a type of rum called ‘aguardiente’.

Plato-Machiavelli Comparison

Danielle Butler October 16, 2011 English 101/ O. C #2-Machiavelli Though often presented as two ideological opposites, personally I find there to be a lot more similarities between Plato and Machiavelli than usually acknowledged. Obviously there are some sharp contrasts. If one examines the excerpts from Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince† and Plato’s â€Å"The Republic†, it’s easy to conclude that Plato believed it to be essential for a government leader to be just, good, and free from corruption. Whereas Machiavelli’s ideal ruler is less concerned about morality, and more about shrewdness, awareness, and pragmatism.. That being said, ultimately both men arrive to the same conclusion all be it through different means; that a ruler’s primary objective is to create and maintain a unified, orderly, and controlled state, with a content population. When it comes to humanity, Machiavelli is considered pessimistic, due to his less than glowing expectations for the nature of man, as he clearly states â€Å" For one can generally say this about men: that they are ungrateful, fickle, simulators and deceivers, avoiders of danger, greedy for gain.. † (46). While Machiavelli’s opinion of men in general leaves little to be questioned, I find Plato’s generalized idealism to be far more dubious. In the Republic, it appears that Plato’s optimisms about human nature, and capability does not extend to everyone, asserting that many people are better off being ruled by â€Å"better men†. In book 9 Socrate’s states to Glaucon â€Å"Tharsymacus did in the case of subjects, that the slave should be governed by his own harm, but on the ground that it is better to be governed by the divine and the intelligent preferably indwelling and his own, but in default of that imposed from without, in order that we all so far as possible may be akin and friendly because our governance and guidance are the same? † (Plat. Rep. 9. 590d) Both Machiavelli and Plato also recognize that generally, most people of the populace are easily manipulated by their senses. Plato illustrates that in his â€Å"allegory of the cave†. Machiavelli makes it clear that he feels this shortcoming to be advantageous for the â€Å"prince†, and it should be exploited when need be, as he states â€Å" he (the prince) should appear, upon seeing him and hearing him, to be all mercy, all faithfulness , all integrity, all kindness, all religion. And there is nothing more necessary than to seem to possess this last quality. And men in general judge more by their eyes than their hands; for everyone can see but few can feel. † (49). While many may chide Machiavelli’s approach as disingenuous and manipulative, which it plainly is, how much does this tactic differ from Plato’s suggestions? In the Republic, Plato suggests that society must be persuaded by a â€Å"noble lie† to unify the citizens and deepen their allegiance to their community as Socrates states â€Å"How, then, said I, â€Å"might we contrive  one of those opportune falsehoods  of which we were just now speaking, â€Å"so as by one noble lie to persuade if possible the rulers themselves, but failing that the rest of the city? â€Å"What kind of a fiction do you mean? † said he. â€Å"Nothing unprecedented,† said I, â€Å"but a sort of Phoenician tale,something that has happened ere now in many parts of the world, as the poets aver and have induced men to believe, but that has not happened and perhaps would not be likely to happen in our day  and demanding no little persuasion to make it believable. †

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 7

â€Å"Get out,† I said immediately. Yasmine and Vincent, finishing their breakfast at my table, looked up in surprise. Niphon gestured toward them. â€Å"I was invited in. I didn't think it'd be a problem.† Angel and human looked distinctly uncomfortable, and I could guess what had happened. Niphon had turned up, and they'd let him inside, not knowing about our animosity. They'd probably figured he was a partner in evil which, in the most technical of ways, he was. Vincent hastily stood up and took his empty plate to the sink. Yasmine followed. â€Å"Well,† said Vincent. â€Å"We should probably get going.† â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Yasmine, grabbing her coat. Fools rushed in where angels feared to tread, apparently. â€Å"Great seeing you guys.† They left so fast that they might as well have teleported out. I fixed my attention back on Niphon. â€Å"Get out,† I repeated. He leaned back against my couch, draping his arms over the back of it. â€Å"Letha, Letha – â€Å" â€Å"And stop calling me that.† â€Å"Whatever you like. And don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. I just wanted to give you a Tawny update.† Oh God. Tawny. Please, please let her have scored last night, I silently begged. Her attitude at the bar hadn't really inspired confidence, but maybe me leaving with Jude had set a good example. â€Å"She hasn't taken a victim yet.† Damn. â€Å"Alright, thanks,† I said, pointing at the door. â€Å"You can leave now. And next time, it's really okay if you call to give me an update. Preferably when you're in the taxi that's taking you to the airport so I don't ever have to fucking see you again.† He rose from the couch, giving me a wounded look. â€Å"Fine, fine. But there is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.† â€Å"There is nothing at all I want to talk to you about.† I was on the verge of growling. â€Å"Oh, I'm not so sure about that.† His hand rested on the doorknob, but he showed no intention of actually leaving. â€Å"I think you'll be very interested. It's about your love life.† â€Å"No! We are not talking about this.† â€Å"Le – Georgina, I just want to help you,† he whined. â€Å"I think it's terrible that you two can't fully express your love.† â€Å"We. Are. Fine. And don't lean against the door. I don't want your hair to leave an oil stain.† Niphon straightened up and ran a solicitous hand over the back of his head. â€Å"Look, I get why you don't want to sleep with him. It's admirable. You want to protect his lifespan, not wipe him out, etc., etc. But what if that wasn't an issue? What if I made it so that you could have sex without the dire side effects?† â€Å"Right. And you'd do that out of the kindness of your heart.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged and spread his hands wide. â€Å"There's always a price.† â€Å"It's not worth it. Not worth Seth selling his soul.† â€Å"I could sweeten the deal. Give him a longer lifespan†¦longer youth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No. I swear to God, if you don't leave now, I'm calling Jerome.† That was a bluff, seeing as Jerome was out of town. â€Å"Like I said, just trying to help,† Niphon said. â€Å"Yeah, like you helped me?† I asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. Suddenly, the mocking, teasing look vanished. Niphon's face grew hard. Angry. Scary. â€Å"I did help you, Little Letha. You were no one. No one at all. Some poor fisherman's daughter in a shit, backwoods town. Some whore in a shit, backwoods town. You fucked up your life, and I fixed it for you. I made you who you are. Erased your problems. Saved your husband. Gave you eternal life and beauty. If anything, you owe me.† â€Å"It wasn't worth it,† I said, in a voice that matched his dark expression. â€Å"It wasn't worth it.† â€Å"Wasn't it? Would you have rather watched your husband commit suicide? Would you rather have died an outcast and disgraced?† I didn't answer. I thought about the desperate look on my husband's face when he'd found out that I'd cheated on him. Even after all these centuries, that expression still haunted me. He'd been driven to such despair that he'd been on the verge of taking his own life. In selling my soul and becoming a succubus, I'd struck a bargain with Hell that made him and everyone else I knew forget me. My husband had lived and gone on with his life, forgetting I'd ever existed. Had it been worth it? Observing my silence, Niphon's face turned taunting once more. He opened the door. â€Å"Good-bye, Georgina. Let me know if you change your mind.† He left, and I stared at the door for a long time before finally forcing my feet to start moving. The Seth soul-selling offer held no temptation for me whatsoever. That didn't trouble me. But his other words†¦the reminders of my past†¦ I sighed. I didn't want to deal with that, not with everything else going on in my life right now. And speaking of which†¦with two hours left until work, I decided to bite the bullet and again try to get more information about my dreams. From Dante. His store looked as bleak as the last time I'd visited, but this time, he actually had a customer. She was a young woman, college-aged maybe, with layered brown hair and a gray sweatshirt. Seeing her, I started to step back outside, but he waved me in. â€Å"No, no, it's okay. You can wait here.† Dante glanced at the girl. Both of them sat at the shabby, velvet-covered table. â€Å"You don't mind, do you?† She barely spared me a glance. â€Å"No! No! Hurry, go on. I want to hear more about the man.† Dante produced a dazzling grin that seemed a bit fake to me but which I suspected was actually very effective on her. Taking a step closer, I realized he was reading her Tarot cards. Several already lay on the table. He flipped another over. â€Å"Ah, the Hierophant.† His voice held a mysterious, knowing note. â€Å"What's that mean?† she squealed. â€Å"You don't know? You don't know anything about these?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Well, the Hierophant is a great love card. It represents a romantic man, someone good-looking and charming who loves giving gifts and doing small gestures. You know the kind.† â€Å"I don't, actually,† she said wistfully. â€Å"All my boyfriends have been jerks.† â€Å"Well, that's going to change,† he promised. I knew quite a bit about Tarot cards, actually. The Hierophant represented tradition, wisdom, and organized religion. He wasn't exactly a romantic figure, particularly considering he was usually depicted as a priest. â€Å"Why is he dressed so weird?† asked the girl. â€Å"He looks like he's in robes.† â€Å"It's not weird,† Dante said. â€Å"It's opulent. Remember, the Tarot is an ancient system. A guy dressed like this represented the height of fashion back in the old days. You know, a real designer label kind of guy.† I caught Dante's gaze and rolled my eyes. He maintained his poker face and flipped the next card. â€Å"Things are looking good,† he declared. â€Å"The Tower.† The Tower was pretty much the worst card in the deck. â€Å"This shows you guys have a promising future.† â€Å"Why is it on fire?† she asked. â€Å"And why are people falling out of the windows?† â€Å"It's all symbolic,† he said hastily. â€Å"And although things look really good for when you meet this guy, it means you have to be cautious and read the signs around you.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† she said. â€Å"I hope I can.† Dante gathered up the cards and stacked them neatly. â€Å"Well, I can help if you want. I could give you a package set of readings at a discount. That way, you'll have a guide as you go along. You'll be prepared for when you meet him.† I sincerely doubted she was ever going to meet this mythical guy. â€Å"How much?† she asked hesitantly. â€Å"Hmm, let's see.† Dante turned speculative. â€Å"Well, they're normally fifty dollars. Usually, I give a five-dollar discount for packages†¦but, hell. I really want to see this work. I'm a romantic myself, you know? It's a stretch, but I'll do a set of six for forty dollars each. You can buy them now and then come in whenever you want to claim them.† The girl deliberated, and I wanted to yell at her that it was a scam. But I needed Dante's advice and didn't want to get on his bad side. Not that I was necessarily on his good side right now. â€Å"I don't want to pressure you,† he told her gently. â€Å"So, please. Don't feel obligated. Just do whatever your heart tells you to do. I mean, if the cards have told us anything, it's that you have to protect your heart now as you enter this important stage of your life.† That sold her. â€Å"Okay. I'll do it.† I watched in disbelief as the two of them walked to his register. She handed over two-hundred-forty dollars – plus tax – and he gave her a Tarot punch card, not unlike what you'd get at a coffee or sandwich shop. â€Å"You should be ashamed of yourself,† I told him when she was gone. â€Å"Succubus. Nice to see you too.† â€Å"That wasn't a romance reading.† â€Å"Nope,† he agreed, coming over to stand beside me. â€Å"It actually suggested she'd soon be having a sex change and joining a suicide cult.† â€Å"But you told her it was about love.† â€Å"She's twenty years old. Love's all they want to hear about at that age.† â€Å"You're going to Hell.† â€Å"I could have told you that. In fact, I did tell you that last time, didn't I? Now. What can I do for you? You change your mind about the sex?† â€Å"No. Of course not.† He looked offended. â€Å"Of course not? What's with the attitude? I'm not that unappealing.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. He looked like he still hadn't shaved in a couple days, and there was something very sexy about that and the way his indigo T-shirt fit him. I hadn't realized before what nice ab muscles he had. Probably the lack of business around here gave him lots of time to work out. â€Å"But that's not why I'm here. And honestly, if this behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, I'm thinking your soul isn't going to be worth my time anyway.† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"She comes and insults me, then expects help. So what is it you want? Your dishwasher finally break?† â€Å"No, but I had the dream again. And there was more.† I recapped it, and he listened, face unreadable. â€Å"You sure you don't want a new dishwasher?† he asked dubiously. â€Å"No!† â€Å"What about kids?† â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"You want them?† I fell silent, and despite his lopsided smile, I could see Dante scrutinizing me. He might be a con artist, but he was smart. The best ones always are. People like him make their living reading people and exploiting little things – like that girl's longing for romance. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"You know that. I can't have them.† â€Å"I didn't ask that, succubus. I asked if you wanted them.† I averted my eyes, studying the crystal ball. With the way the sunlight hit it, I suspected it was actually plastic. â€Å"Sure. I did even when I was mortal. If I could have kids now, I would.† He nodded, and for the first time, I got the impression he might almost be taking me seriously. Almost. â€Å"And let me guess. You woke up without energy.† â€Å"Yes, and I'd gotten a victim the night before. Just like last time.† His face turned speculative. â€Å"Interesting. It only happens when you're charged up.† â€Å"What do you think it means?† â€Å"Dunno. Might not mean anything.† â€Å"It has to! I'm losing energy for no reason at all.† â€Å"You're stressed,† he argued. â€Å"And you're, like, one of the most uptight people I've ever met – immortal or otherwise. You've spent centuries wishing you could get knocked up. You have this celibate boyfriend thing going on. And you work for that demon, right? The one who looks like Matthew Broderick?† â€Å"John Cusack,† I corrected. â€Å"He looks like John Cusack.† â€Å"Whatever. That's enough to tax anybody. Your dreams are manifestations of the woes in your life, coming out of your subconscious in vivid, energy-sucking ways.† â€Å"You are so unhelpful. Your dream expertise is a scam – like everything else.† â€Å"Nah. Not everything I do is a scam. I know dreams. I know spells. And I know what could help you.† â€Å"What?† He pointed to the counter. â€Å"You and me. Up there. Naked. Horizontal.† I groaned. â€Å"Wow, you really weren't lying. You are a romantic.† â€Å"A pragmatist. And an opportunist.† â€Å"A sleazy guy, treating me like a cheap whore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Fuck, I haven't been laid in months, and now this succubus shows up wanting my help. You'd try to bargain for sex too.† I eyed him warily. â€Å"Is that what this is about? I have to sleep with you to get help?† Dante shoved his hands in his pockets. â€Å"Nope. You'd be more fun if you were willing, I think. Besides, I have no other help to give.† Disappointed, I made motions to leave. â€Å"Okay. Thanks. Sort of.† â€Å"You know what else might help?† he called after me. â€Å"If it involves sex – â€Å" â€Å"A vacation. At the very least, a massage. Basic stress reliever things.† Those were actually reasonable things, and I was pleasantly surprised to see his mind wasn't always in the gutter. â€Å"They can help,† I told him. â€Å"But I doubt a massage will fix the problems in my life.† â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. But if you want a free one†¦a naked free one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I left. I'd already felt like my romance with Seth was some infinite loop tape reel. The rest of my life apparently was too. Have the same dream, go to Dante, get no help, go to work, and ruminate. Because that's exactly how my day was unfolding, just like before. I went through the motions of paperwork and customer service at Emerald City, all the while consumed by images of the little girl in the dream and the sweet fantasy of having a daughter. My heart ached to see her again, to see that smile. Everything at my job seemed so shallow and meaningless compared with her. When work ended, I brought Maddie back to my apartment to make good on my promise to get her a date. â€Å"You're going to sell me?† she exclaimed when I told her the plan. â€Å"It's an auction,† I said. â€Å"For a children's charity. You don't hate kids, do you?† â€Å"Well, no, but – â€Å" â€Å"Then this'll be great. Here, try this on.† I tossed her a BCBG shopping bag. She eyed it warily. â€Å"Isn't that a place for teenagers?† â€Å"It's a place for anybody with style,† I assured her. She opened the bag and pulled out the knee-length dress I'd picked up for her the other day. It was silk chiffon with a dark pink geometric print. The empire waist had a slightly gathered top, and the V-neck had a bow that tied underneath it. Fluttery cap sleeves finished it off. â€Å"I can't wear this,† she said immediately. â€Å"Why? Because it'll look good?† She shot me a glare. â€Å"There's hardly anything there.† â€Å"What? There's plenty.† I owned lots of dresses that had â€Å"hardly anything there.† This was elegant and tasteful. Amish country compared to some of my clothing. â€Å"Try it on, and we'll see.† She did, reluctantly, and I could have crowed with delight when she stepped out of my bathroom. I'd totally nailed the size. It fit perfectly. â€Å"There isn't an extra inch here,† she fretted, pulling at the fabric around the waist. â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Doesn't it make me look fat?† â€Å"It makes you look great. If it were spandex or something, there might be a problem, but this is light and drapey.† â€Å"The neckline's awfully low – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† I snapped. â€Å"And let's finish the rest of you.† I did her makeup and arranged her hair down for a change. It shone like black silk when brushed out, and I thought it was a shame she wore it in a haphazard ponytail so often. Besides, everyone knows that in the movies, shy girls always become beautiful by letting down their hair and taking off their glasses. Maddie already wore contacts, but the principle was still sound. I finally finished her off with half-heeled shoes I'd bought to match the dress. Higher ones would have looked better, but even I knew when not to press my luck. Satisfied with the results, we headed out to the auction. â€Å"You're like my fairy godmother,† she muttered as we walked into the hotel the event was being held at. â€Å"But I'm still a pumpkin.† I elbowed her. â€Å"How did you get so negative? You should start some angstful emo rock band to compete with Doug's.† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That'd go over – hey, is that Seth?† We were cutting across the open room the auction would take place in, heading toward the volunteers' area. Lots of people had gathered, filling most of the round tables facing the stage. I followed her gesture to where Seth sat at one of the few tables that wasn't already full. Seeing us notice him, he held up his hand in greeting. â€Å"He wanted to come support you,† I told her. Actually, Seth had been appalled at me strong-arming Maddie into this and had attended mainly out of a perverse fascination at what he thought might end in disaster. But Maddie, not knowing his motives, was pleasantly surprised. She smiled, and I nearly swooned. â€Å"That,† I said. â€Å"That right there is what you need to do.† The smile dropped. â€Å"That what?† Hugh practically skipped over when he saw us. â€Å"I knew you didn't hate kids. I knew you'd cave and come help – â€Å" â€Å"Not me,† I said. â€Å"Maddie.† I rested a hand on her shoulder. Hugh's face turned perfectly blank. â€Å"Oh?† Just then, a tall brunette in a black satin evening dress strolled over. The â€Å"fucking fox,† presumably. She extended her hand. â€Å"Hello, I'm Deanna, the coordinator. You must be Hugh's friend?† â€Å"Georgina,† I said, shaking. â€Å"But Maddie here is your volunteer. She's a journalist for an important women's magazine.† Deanna's eyes lit up. â€Å"Ah! We love celebrities. Let me take down your information.† She led Maddie away. As soon as they were gone, Hugh turned on me. â€Å"What the hell? I wanted Georgina, and you give me Georgy Girl.† â€Å"You are such an asshole. That's a horrible thing to say.† He shrugged, eyes on Maddie. â€Å"I call 'em like I see 'em. She's huge.† My eyes were on Maddie too. She actually looked quite slim in the dress, but Hugh was one of those guys who liked bony types – so long as their chests were big enough. â€Å"You're the reason women have such horrible self-esteem issues. You tear them apart. Women, I mean. Not the issues.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure she's not all bad,† he said. â€Å"She probably gives good head.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Flatterer. Why do you say that?† â€Å"Fat girls always do. They have to. Only way they can get men.† I punched him in the arm. Hard. â€Å"Ow! Fuck, that hurt.† â€Å"You're a jerk,† I told him. â€Å"Maddie's beautiful.† â€Å"She's okay,† he said, rubbing his injured arm. â€Å"And I can't exactly have just okay tonight – not with that liability already on deck.† He pointed over to where some of the other volunteers waited. Immediately, I found what he referred to. It was easy because Tawny towered over the other women by about a foot. â€Å"Holy Christ,† I said. â€Å"How did that happen?† He threw up his hands, looking miserable. â€Å"She latched on to the idea when you mentioned it at the bar.† â€Å"I didn't even think she heard me,† I said apologetically. Hugh waved me toward the crowd. â€Å"Too late now. Go have a seat, Brutus, so this disaster can get under way. You've ruined the night. I don't know why you hate kids so much.† I gave him a parting glare and went off to find Seth. The vampires had joined him since I'd come in. â€Å"You guys here to get a date or a victim?† I asked. â€Å"Neither,† said Peter. â€Å"We're here to see the Tawny Show.† I sighed. â€Å"This is supposed to be a charity event, and people are treating it like a freak show. Hugh already accused me of ruining it by bringing Maddie.† Seth looked surprised. â€Å"Why? She looks great.† I pointed her out to Peter and Cody, who also concurred about her cuteness. â€Å"She'll be fine,† said Cody. â€Å"Tawny's going to be the one to watch. I haven't really been able to see what she's wearing. I hope it's up to her usual standards.† â€Å"Maybe her Secret Santa will get her some nicer clothes,† said Peter. He glanced at me. â€Å"You bought for yours yet?† â€Å"Huh?† Right. Carter. I'd completely forgotten. Buying something for that cynical angel hadn't exactly been at the top of my priority list. â€Å"I, um, have some ideas. Still thinking about it.† â€Å"What about a Christmas tree? You got one of those?† â€Å"Um, haven't done that either.† â€Å"I didn't know you wanted a Christmas tree,† said Seth. â€Å"Do you need help picking one out?† â€Å"Well, I don – â€Å" The auction started, cutting me off. The auctioneer, Nick, was a young guy in his early thirties who probably had a second job doing minor modeling contracts that would never actually get him out of Seattle. He smiled non-stop and did a good job flirting with the women and making guy-jokes to the men. Bids flew fast and furious, and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement. â€Å"Next up,† said the auctioneer, reading from a card, â€Å"is Tawny Johnson.† â€Å"Johnson?† asked Cody. â€Å"Kind of boring.† â€Å"She made up both her names,† I said. Succubi often did. â€Å"She probably didn't have any mental energy left after choosing the first one.† â€Å"Ouch,† said Seth. â€Å"Who's being mean now?† â€Å"You haven't met her,† I warned. Tawny pranced up, wearing seven-inch high-heeled shoes that appeared to be made out of stainless steel. They looked like medieval torture devices but matched her super-tight, silver lam? ¦ hot pants and jacket. â€Å"She didn't disappoint,† said Cody, studying the outfit. Unsurprisingly, she stumbled the last couple of steps, and Nick reached out to steady her. â€Å"Careful there,† he said, flashing his brilliant white teeth. â€Å"Men are supposed to fall all over you.† It took her a moment to get the joke, and then she burst into small, high-pitched giggles. The noise grated on my nerves, but Nick seemed quite pleased to have someone appreciate his jokes. â€Å"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Tawny,† he said. â€Å"It says here you're currently unemployed. Does that mean you're out looking for something right now?† â€Å"Well, Nick, I'm out looking for someone right now – if you know what I mean.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I said. â€Å"That was kind of funny,† Peter noted. â€Å"No, it wasn't.† Nick apparently agreed with Peter. He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Careful there, guys†¦we got a dangerous one on our hands. Tell me, Tawny, what is it you're looking for in a man?† She pursed her red-lacquered lips in deep thought. â€Å"I'm looking for heart, Nick. Heart and soul. Those are the most important things.† There was a collective â€Å"aww† from the audience. Beside me, Peter said, â€Å"Okay, the soul thing really was funny. Only to us, of course, but still.† Tawny then winked at the crowd. â€Å"But stamina and a big checkbook can make up for that sometimes.† Nick waited for the audience's laughter to fade. â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty – oh my God.† Tawny had taken off her jacket, revealing a zebra-print bandeau top underneath. ‘Top' was a dubious term at best, though. When wrapped around her enormous bust, it looked more like a rubber band and really only served to cover her nipples. Bids exploded from the audience, much to the astonishment of my friends and me. More surprising still was when Nick the auctioneer actually joined in. â€Å"Folks, I know this is a bit unusual†¦but, well, I just can't help myself. Three-hundred dollars.† â€Å"Three-fifty!† â€Å"Four-hundred!† In the end, Nick was the one who ended up winning her, paying a startling five-fifty. â€Å"Well, I'll be damned,† said Peter. I would have made a joke about his comment if I wasn't so shocked. When I finally found my voice, it was to say, â€Å"Well†¦this is a good thing, right? That guy looks like he'd sleep with her right now.† â€Å"And,† added Cody, â€Å"it was all for the kids.† Slowly, my astonishment faded into relief. This was an unexpected twist to the evening. The Tawny problem was fixed. Apparently, all we'd needed to do was essentially run an ad for her. She'd sleep with him, and Niphon would get off my back. One less thing for me to worry about – which was good, because I certainly had plenty of other things. Like Maddie. It was her turn next. She walked out, face grim and set for battle. She looked both terrified and terrifying. In spite of that hard countenance, I still saw a few interested faces in the audience. â€Å"Smile, smile,† I muttered to no one in particular. â€Å"Maddie Sato,† said Nick cheerily. â€Å"You write magazine articles. Anything I'd know?† â€Å"Probably not,† she said, still wearing that grimace. â€Å"Not unless you read feminist publications.† â€Å"Feminist,† he said, clearly amused. â€Å"Next you'll be telling us you hate men.† She gave him a blank look. â€Å"I only hate stupid men who don't actually understand what ‘feminist' means.† He laughed. â€Å"You run into a lot of men like that?† â€Å"All the time.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Even as we speak, Nick.† â€Å"Oh no she didn't,† said Peter. I groaned. It took Nick a full ten seconds to realize he had just been insulted. Then, for the first time that night, he stopped smiling. Turning to the crowd, he said flatly, â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty.† Silence met him. The interested faces no longer looked so interested. I swallowed a scream. No, this couldn't be happening. I'd promised her a date. This would destroy her. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard a voice in the back of the room. â€Å"Fifty.† Relieved, I craned my head and looked. The guy who had bid was about fifty years old and looked exactly like this pedophile I'd once seen on a news special. â€Å"Fifty,† said Nick. â€Å"Do I hear seventy-five?† Silence. I turned to Seth. â€Å"Do something!† I hissed. He flinched. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Going once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I elbowed him, and his hand shot up. â€Å"Seventy-five.† There was a collective â€Å"ooh' in the room. Apparently no one, including Maddie, had expected a bidding war for the belligerent man-hater. Her eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"One hundred,† said the pedophile look-alike. Then, either to end this quickly or because he felt sorry for Maddie, Seth said, â€Å"Three hundred.† More sounds of astonishment followed. The other bidder couldn't compete; he must have spent all his money on bail. â€Å"Sold to the gentleman in the Welcome Back, Kotter T-shirt.† â€Å"Nice,† said Cody, as Maddie exited the stage. I reached out and squeezed Seth's hand. â€Å"Thank you.† He gave me his half-smile. â€Å"Anything for the kids.† Nick flipped to his next card. â€Å"And now we have†¦Georgina Kincaid.† My head shot up. Across the room, I saw Hugh's smirking face. â€Å"Oh no he didn't,† I said through gritted teeth. Nick, puzzled, glanced toward where the other auctionees were. â€Å"Georgina Kincaid?† â€Å"No avoiding it,† Peter told me. â€Å"Might as well go up there. Otherwise people'll think you hate kids.† â€Å"That joke is getting old,† I hissed. Vowing to slap Hugh later, I reluctantly rose from my chair. Upon seeing me, Nick turned on the supernova smile. â€Å"Ah, there she is. Fashionably late.† On the subject of fashion, I wished I'd worn something as nice as Maddie's dress. I might have just gotten tricked into this thing, but now I wished I could do it right. I still looked good; my normal sense of aesthetics would allow for nothing less. I had on a black skirt and a purple cashmere sweater, my hair in a ponytail. In tiny increments – too slow and small for anyone to notice – I tightened the sweater around my figure and made the neckline bigger. I put a saunter into my hips and pulled out my ponytail tie, shaking out my hair. It had worked for Maddie and countless nerdy movie girls. It would work for me because I suddenly had a serious issue at stake here. There was no way on God's green earth that I was going for less than Tawny. â€Å"Georgina,† said Nick, helping me onto the stage. â€Å"My notes say you prefer Georgie.† Yeah, Hugh was definitely getting slapped. â€Å"And that you run a bookstore.† If I'd taken a victim recently and had succubus glamour on me, I wouldn't have to do a single thing except stand there. I wouldn't even have to smile. Now I'd have to work a little. Quickly, I assessed this crowd. The kinds of guys who came to events like this tended to be white-collar professionals with disposable income. Some would be here simply because philanthropy was trendy and good for the image, and this was a stylish way to do it. Others, while perhaps not desperate, were nonetheless intellects and introverts who found this a good opportunity to meet women. These men all wanted smart, competent women – women who were also pretty, of course. And wit†¦wit always went over well. I gave Nick, then the audience, a heart-stopping smile. â€Å"That's right. I organize events, bring in money, make sure everything looks good, and whip people into shape.† â€Å"Sounds like a lot of work,† he said. â€Å"Or,† I said, â€Å"an excellent first date.† There was no cymbal crash, but my punch line elicited the laughs I'd hoped for. â€Å"You have some high expectations,† said Nick. â€Å"Well, I think everyone should. Why settle? If a guy meets my expectations, I'll meet his. And in the end, it's all about sense of humor and a conversation that won't put me to sleep.† I realized I sounded vaguely like a Miss America contestant, but maybe there wasn't much difference. I could see from the intrigue in the audience that I'd made a good impression. â€Å"This one's a keeper,† said Nick. â€Å"Let's start at fifty for Georgie.† I got my fifty and then some. Bids flew around the room. At one point, I glanced at Seth. Our eyes met, and I could tell by his expression that he was on the verge of bidding. I shook my head. He was the only one I wanted to go out with in this room, but I didn't want to taint Maddie's win. I wanted her to feel special. Besides, I also didn't want Seth to blow that much money. I went for seventeen-hundred dollars. â€Å"I can't believe that,† Maddie whispered to me afterward. â€Å"I think you're the highest one so far. The guy looked cute too.† He had. Late thirties. Armani suit. Harmless. Nobody I planned on establishing anything meaningful with, but he'd do for a casual date. Maybe an energy fix if I decided to use this body. â€Å"You brought in some money yourself,† I teased. Her eyes found Seth, sitting across the room, and studied him speculatively. â€Å"Seth probably did it because he felt sorry for me.† â€Å"Of course not,† I said quickly. She still looked skeptical. â€Å"Well, it doesn't matter. I'd rather drink coffee and talk shop with him than go out with some sleazy guy. That other bidder reminded me of this sex offender I saw on TV once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When the auction wound down, I exchanged contact info with my buyer for a future date. Hugh attached himself to Deanna and stayed as far away from me as possible. No worries. I'd have plenty of time to deal with him later. Tawny, fortunately, also stayed away from me and clung to Nick's arm. I watched them like a proud parent. Tonight was going to be a great night.

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Production and Operations Management. Lenzing AG - Case Study Example The company had its base in the town near Salzburg since long and never felt the need to spread out far from there. The company was content with its operations and business till the year 1978 when the zeal to spread out internationally was initiated in Lenzing. The initiation or the possibility was triggered by a phone call which was made by an entrepreneur of Indian origin named Ashok Birla. The Indian entrepreneur came up with an idea of structuring a manufacturing unit in Indonesia. Initially, this proposal was turned down by the management of Lenzing owing to their lack of experience in foreign joint ventures as well as investments. However, with time Lenzing was able to identify the immense potential of the enormous and unexploited market of textile in Indonesia which made the Chairman ultimately initiate a joint venture with Birla. The outcome of the venture was a new firm named South Pacific Viscose (SPV) which was also the first foreign associate of Lenzing (Spar & Et. Al., 2 008). Problem Statement or Issues The joint venture resulted to be quite successful and in a short period of time the firm SPV started earning huge profits by being a contributor of rayon fiber to the flourishing textile trade of Indonesia. It was found that there was a huge demand of the rayon fiber in the country and the firm efficiently exploited this opportunity which resulted in the augmentation of their profits by around 15 percent every year. In the year 1988, another production plant was set up by Lenzing due to the impressive profits. The second plant was established so as to enhance its production ability from 32,000 to 73000 tons each year. With the taste of success in Indonesia, Lenzing started spreading even out of Europe by way of initiating quite some fresh projects. The experience achieved with the help of its joint venture, SPV assisted Lenzing to expand. In the year 1992, a third plant for the purpose of rayon production was acquired by the company at Tennessee. It also started its manufacturing operations in China in 1994 by way of entering into a contract with the government of China to build a manufacturing plant of rayon around Beijing. These various investments and expansions helped Lenzing acquire the reputation of the sole rayon company across the world which boasted of a factual global presence (Spar & Et. Al., 2008). The company’s joint venture with Birla in Indonesia was functioning quite productively and profitably by the year 1994. This made the company Lenzing think yet once again of expanding more with the help of starting a third manufacturing plant of SPV which would facilitate to enhance up the production to 109,000 tons. It was also planned by the company that the third plant would focus on manufacturing rayon fibers of the most exceptional quality. The company was aware of the fact that with the addition of the third manufacturing plant, the firm SPV would be placed amongst the biggest facilities in rayon manufacturi ng and would be ranked in the second position after the Austrian plant owned by Lenzing (Spar & Et. Al., 2008). Along with the profitability factor, there were other important factors too which were considered to be significant as they would majorly contribute towards the expansion. The other aspects that were measured to facilitate the expansion were the strong recognized associations with the firm’s downstream customers and also the admirable working association with the Indonesian local partner. The location of the firm in Indonesia was considered to be the major inducement behind the expansion owing to the country’s potential of turning into a motivating force for the international textile industry. Apart from the advantages that triggered the

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Reading Summary of Eric Abrahamson and Gregory Fairchilds Management Fashion Essay Thesis While most fads in management technique are short-lived some techniques become institutionalized and evolve and are reshaped to fits current fashions. Exogenous and endogenous forces shape the demand for management- knowledge entrepreneurs to constantly reshape and redefine rational management processes. Evidence Abrahamson and Fairchilds study yielded findings that help contextualize the concept of management fashion. Lifecycles of a management techniques typically follow a short-lived, bell-shaped, symmetric popularity curve. Positive feedback on management techniques increases the discourse promoting that technique, making it more diffuse across organizations. Exogenous forces facilitate or suppress fashion niches and endogenous maintain niches. Superstitious learning suggests that managers seek to find instant-results and cure-all solutions for their management approach, motivated by emotion rather than detailed studies. Whereas real-learning constitutes careful planning and evaluation of ideas to produce an effective management technique. Limitations Abrahamson and Fairchild articulate the negative aspects of constant transience -temporal instability and cross-sectional diversity- but fail to indicate the effects these management fashions have on the institutions in which they are implemented. Do shifting management techniques stunt institution growth, do changing techniques disrupt the markets for the products of these institutions? Questions (1) What causes certain management practices to become institutionalized while others are only passing fads? (2) Are the results of superstitious-learning or real-learning more likely to be adopted? Which is more effective?

Health Hand Hygiene

Health Hand Hygiene The compliance of health care workers (HCWs) with hand hygiene and disinfection quality practices is considered one of HHUMC principle objectives because of its direct impact on healthcare provision . Hand washing is the single most effective measure of preventing healthcare associated infections. The Infection Control committee runs an ongoing hand hygiene campaign to raise compliance rates. The main elements of which are: Promotion of alcohol hand disinfectants which have been shown to significantly improve compliance.: Alcohol-based hand disinfection dispensers were installed in all hospital departments Staff training : the infection control committee conducts routine and scheduled training on hand hygiene and the importance of alcohol disinfectant use for all hospital staff Hand washing Message: the infection control team encouraged the placement of hand hygiene posters in all hospital hallways and departments.The graphic reminders are an effective measure in reaching a large number of the hospital population which includes staff and hospital visitors and promoting the messag about the importance of good hand hygiene practices and techniques. Observational Audit: The Infection Control team carried an observational audit of targeted staff that have direct patient contact in all hospital departments during the period January 2007 to November 2007. The IC/OHS committee provided an annual schedule for the departments to be visited and audited. The audit entails monitoring the practice of all Health-care workers (HCWs) against the requirement that hands must be decontaminated before and after every contact with patients or invasive devices, prior to any aseptic procedure and after handling body fluids or contaminated materials. These contacts are described as hand hygiene opportunities. Compliance can be defined as either washing hands with liquid soap and water or rubbing with an alcohol disinfectant, in accordance with a hand hygiene opportunity. Compliance = Hand hygiene carried out x 100 Opportunity for hand hygiene (O) In quarter I of 2007 the compliance rate was 73%. During the quarter II, compliance decreased to 71% and in the quarter III and IV the compliance rate were 72.2 % 70 % respectively. The hospital-wide annual compliance average rate was 71.5 % which is an improvement from the 69% compliance rate of 2006 and a continued improment since compliance was measured in 2005. It is also above the hospital goal for the first time. The annual score for each department is shown in the figure below. The HHUMC Infection Control Department set a QI score of 70% or more to be achieved in 2007 in order to continuously improve compliance. The pie chart below represents the hospital department scores divided into the percentage of hospital departments that have achieved the score. The departments that received the lowest scores are the departments that will be closely monitored and already received extra attention in order to improve their compliance with the hand washing policy. Most of the hospital departments reached their goal. Interventions such as staff training, promotion of alcohol hand disinfectants, putting posters and monitoring staff performance played a significant step in improving hand washing compliance in the hospital. During the observations, barriers to hand hygiene were identified, e.g. no paper towels, alcohol disinfectants in dispensers. Some of the observations also gave concern about staff not decontaminating their hands following removal of gloves. Findings were identified and transmitted to the nursing director, department managers, and staff on duty after the audits. Future plans for hand hygiene campaign The infection control department plans to continue its activities to further promote and train the the hospital staff in the use of alcohol hand disinfectants. The observational audits will be repeated at least twice each year. Additional engagement with the nursing departments that have scored the lowest in the recent audit has already begun and the root causes for the lack of compliance with the hand hygiene recommendations will be analysed. The causes that are associated with lower compliance are related to the infrastructure and ease of available sites for hand disinfection as well as the promotion of the â€Å"hand hygiene culture†.

Entering the Fast Food Industry

Entering the Fast Food Industry Introduction Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk in, get on line, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, place your order, hand over a few dollars, watch teenagers in uniforms pushing various buttons, and moments later take hold of a plastic tray full of food wrapped in colored paper and cardboard. The whole experience of buying fast food has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it is now taken for granted, like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light. Eric Schlosser from the book Fast Food Nation The food that people always eat or dont it was always determined by some economical and environmental forces. And the big growth of the Egyptian fast food market occurred according to some main changes in the Egyptian society. One of the main changes was the huge entering the women the workforce, which increased the request on some service which women usually do like cooking, cleaning, and child care. And now you can see the double income of the household which make an increase of the requested fast food. Socially, these fast food chains created many changes within the Egyptian behavioral patterns as well. Cleanliness and quality allowed families to feel safe and comfortable, permitting their children to go out on their own. A cheerful atmosphere and fun promotional items and gifts available at these chains attracted children and the younger generation began to frequent them more often, meeting friends and planning parties. It gave the Egyptian youth a safe acceptable place to go to. From here was born the concept of home delivery, a hugely profitable business today. Now, one can order virtually any consumer product by telephone for delivery and thousands of young people are employed in this sector. As consumers became frequent customers, the database developed into a very important asset. Promoting sales and keeping information classified was a must, not to mention boosting an already-escalating competitive environment. Entering the fast food market can be done in several ways that each one of them differs from the other. There are two main choices; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, the second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Each one of them has their own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing an entry strategy heavily depends on several factors which will be analyzed in this paper. Before choosing an entry strategy the market has to be assessed extensively and to do so Porters Five Forces and the PEST (Political, Economical, Social Technological) analysis models represent the perfect harmony in analyzing the heavily saturated and very competitive Egyptian fast food market. Office of government commerce, (2006) Definition of alternatives Before proceeding with the market analysis we have to understand clearly what is meant by each one of the entry strategies to avoid any misunderstandings; According to (Treas, 1973) franchising can be defined simply as a business relationship between two entities; the seller (franchisor) and the license buyer (franchisee). The franchisee buys a royalty license from the franchisor to have the permission of doing business and opening fast food chains under the brand name of the franchisor. However, the franchisees are still independent and the chains are under full supervision and management by them but they have to abide to certain quality standards and regulations set by the franchisor to help them maintain and save the brand image of their trade mark. (Treas.1973) (Kaufmann Dant, 2001) On the other hand, opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new novel brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Some of the successful franchises in Egypt could be: McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, and Sbarro. While Successful examples of independent in Egypt could be: Cook Door, Smileys, Momen, Amo Hosny, Bon Appetite, and Prego. Porters five forces analysis Michael Porter in this analysis suggested a frame that industry influenced by five forces. These forces can determine the competitive intensity and therefore the attractiveness of a market and attractiveness means the overall industry profitability. These forces represent the micro-environment side which is more specific than the more general macro-environment one; they consist of those forces close to a market that affect its shape and stability. (Figure 1: Porters Five forces Model) (Michael E. Porter 1980: 31) Rivalry among existing competitors The first component of the five forces analysis focuses on the competitive rivalry. Competitive rivalry is one of the key areas for an industry, because in many cases it may determine the marketing strategies that will be developed and implemented. The purchasing power of the Egyptian consumers is quite strong and naturally those consumers have high expectations. That is the reason why fast food chains constantly compete for better products and more attractive promotions. For instance, McDonalds was the first fast food chain in Egypt that offers toys and games with meals to trigger childrens interest and this was hugely successful where most of the children buy McDonalds happy meal in order to get the offered toy. Rivalry can be found in many familiar forms such as advertising campaigns, price discounting, new product introduction and service improvement. The more the degree of rivalry the more it becomes an obstacle for profitability, and the degree of rivalry is determined through the intensity of the competition and on how they compete. The intensity of rivalry is influenced by the following characteristics: Large number of competitors: The huge existing numbers of food chains makes the competition more intensified where they have to compete for the same customers and resources in order to gain more market share. The market includes two main categories of chains; local branded fast-food chains which include (Momen, Smileys Grill, Cook Door and El-Shabrawy), and international branded fast-food chains such as (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and many more) Slow market growth: If the market growth is slow the fast-food chains will fight more for the existing market share. On the other hand, if the market growth is fast, the fast-food chains will be able to improve revenues simply because of the expanding market. Egypt is considered the largest in both Africa and the Middle East in the fast-food service industry where it represents US $7 billion and is expected to reach US $10 billion over the next five years (Schaefer 2008: 1) and due to this the fast-food market in Egypt is very fast growing. Highly perishable products: Food products is considered highly perishable where it urges the seller to sometimes lower the prices and sell the product while it is still consumable, thus it intensifies the rivalry. Low switching costs: When a consumer can freely switch and choose from one product to another there is a greater struggle to capture consumers and since most of the fast-food chains meals prices are nearly similar the threat for competitors is high where consumers can switch to another competitor at any time and this creates a pressure on the fast-food chains to create a competitive edge. Low levels of product differentiation: The low levels of product differentiation tends to increase the levels of rivalry thats why fast-food chains tends to increase their brand identification to maintain their market share since they are all serving relatively the same target customers with relatively similar products. Industry shakeout: The growing market of the fast-food industry and the potential for high profits encourages new competitors to enter the market and the existing competitors to increase their size. A point is reached where the industry becomes crowded with competitors and demand cannot support the new entrants and the resulting increased supply creating a situation of excess capacity with too many goods chasing too few buyers. Exit barriers included the issue of asset specialization which can determine how easy a fast food chain can exit the market without having difficulties in liquidating its assets. Due to the fact that most of the fast food chains require some tailor-made equipments that serve their specific needs and helps in maintaining their brand image throughout their products, the degree of asset specialization is quite high in the fast food market which subsequently creates many exit barriers. (Edward 2010) (Yacoub 2010) (Hamza 2010) When a rival acts in a way that draws out a counter-response by other competitors, the rivalry intensifies. The intensity of rivalry is commonly based on the chains aggressiveness in attempting to gain an advantage. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a fast-food chain can choose from several competitive moves: Changing prices: Raising or lowering prices to gain a temporary advantage, and many chains try to offer money saving combo meals that sounds more economically to the consumer. Improving product differentiation: Providing innovative and new products and improving the production process itself. For example, Pizza Hut has recently introduced interesting new types of pizzas that helps them to build a strong product differentiation. Using new channels of distribution: McDonalds was the first fast-food chain to introduce the drive-thru chains that conveniently have suited many consumers helping them to co-op with the fast paced lifestyle. Threat of substitute products or services Porter describes substitute product as it is another product that can be chosen as a substitution of the required product. The elasticity of demand could be affected by more than one variable like the price, quality, availabilityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The consumer buying decision can be changed to substitute products according to the change of the price, this change increase the demand on the substitute products. Also the consumer behavior now increased to healthy food which will affect the fast food market negatively. The threat of substitutes is increased if: The substitute product offers more convenient price or performance rather than the fast-food industry because consumers always choose the alternative that offers him greater value. For example, many consumers could choose eat-in restaurants because it can provide them with more food quality rather than the fast-food chains but eating in a restaurant can be more expensive. The switching cost is low and minimal, the threat of substitution becomes higher and the consumer has the ability to switch between alternatives easily with no extra charge and this is the case in the fast-food market Bargaining power of buyers There are several types of buyer power. The first is related to the customers price sensitivity. If each brand of the fast-food chains is similar to all the others, then the consumer will base the purchase decision mainly on price which will increase the competitive rivalry, resulting in lower prices and lower profitability. For example, some consumers would choose McDonalds rather than Burger King for being cheaper. Also the more number of substitutes is available for the buyer, the more powerful he becomes. The other type of buyer power which is not strongly relevant to our market analysis is the negotiating power where larger buyers tend to have more leverage to negotiate prices. Bargaining power of suppliers The fourth part of the five forces analysis focuses on the power of the suppliers and how is it easy for them to drive up prices. This is driven by the number of suppliers available for each key input. The uniqueness of their product or service and the cost of switching from one to another determine how powerful they are. Powerful suppliers can squeeze profitability out of an industry that is unable to pass on cost increases in its own prices. The supply power in our case is represented through the people who provide materials used for the fast-food production such as bakery, poultry, vegetables and packaging. To determine how much the suppliers are powerful we have to asses several aspects; The supplier will become less powerful if he depends heavily on a certain buyer for revenues. For example, Farm Frites-Egypt supply McDonalds for their French Fries, and McDonalds represent a major revenue resource for them where they cannot afford to lose such a strong customer, and this is the case for most of the fast-food chains in Egypt where the suppliers for the materials depend heavily on fast-food chains willing to offer convenient prices for them to become his exclusive supplier for a certain material. (Aly 2010) (Eslam 2010) Changing suppliers for fast-food chains have relatively high switching costs because choosing a supplier comes after several quality tests and approvals by the fast-food chain. Also most of the fast-food chains require exclusive materials and products to be made especially for them like for instance the packaging. (Edward 2010) The supplier will become more powerful if there are no substitutes for him, but in the fast food market in Egypt each key entry has several substitutes that a fast-food chain can choose from. As mentioned before, McDonalds depends on Farm Frites-Egypt to supply them with French Fries, but at the same time McDonalds has the option to choose another supplier with the same standards of Farm Frites such as UniFood. (Aly 2010) Barriers to entry/ Threat of entry It is not only the existing rivals that represent a threat for competitors in the fast-food industry; the possibility that new firms may enter the industry also affects competition. In theory, any competitor should be able to enter and exit a market. In reality, however, there are several aspects that can represent an obstacle for entry and these are called entry barriers. Entry barriers are unique industry characteristics that define the industry; it can reduce the rate of entry new rivals, thus maintaining a level of profits for those already in the industry. These barriers arise from several sources: Government creates barriers Present days, the procedures a fast food chain under-go to open a new outlet is very excruciating, time wasting and requires lots of paper work. This includes; safety regulations, health inspections and taxation procedures. And due to the high levels of bureaucracy in Egypt, the task is never easy. (Aly 2010) (Edward 2010) (Eslam 2010) In the past, the regulatory authority of the government in restricting competition is evident in Egypt during the era of Gamal Abdel Nasser in the sixties, most of the consumer products where locally produced by governmental companies. For example, consumer durables where locally produced by the Ideal national company. Anwar El-Sadats shift of alliance from the Soviet Union to the western world in the early seventies was followed by the Open door policy, or privatization at the expense of the public sector state monopolized large scale industries. The shift from Nassers State capitalist era to full integration into the world capitalist system went hand in hand with encouraging consumerism and franchising activities in Egypt.(Oweiss1988:73-76) b. Patent rights Ideas and knowledge that provide competitive advantages are treated as private property when patented, preventing others from using the knowledge and thus creating a barrier to entry. KFC has their own patent rights for the chicken recipe which positions them aside from other competitors as the leading fast-food chain serving chicken making it hard for competitors to compete in the same market. (Hamza 2010) c. Customer switching costs It becomes harder for new entrants to enter the market if the switching costs are high because it makes it harder for the consumer to switch their decision, and since switching costs between different brands of fast-food chains is low, then it is easy for consumers to switch their decision, thus, making it easy for new entrants to enter the market and gain market share. d. Capital requirement. Since entering the market requires huge financial capital requirement therefore the new entrants will decrease. Capital may be necessary not only for fixed facilities but also to extend customer credit, build inventories and fund start-up losses. There can be two types of start-up costs in our case; the first one is the cost of starting a locally branded fast-food chain, the other one is the cost of franchising an existing internationally branded fast-food chain which sounds easier than starting a locally branded one but can be more costly. Further details will be discussed when comparing between the two market entries alternatives. PEST Analysis. While starting the franchising or broadly speaking starting an international business the new market that the company wants to start business in should be analyzed to make sure that the company operations would work effectively in this market. One of the important tools that companies uses in the analysis process is the PEST analysis which analyze the market considering four factors Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors. In the coming words the four factors will be discussed. Office of government commerce, (2006) (Figure 2: PEST Analysis Model) The Times100 (2008) PEST Analysis of Egypt. 3.1. Political factors Examining the political factors is a very important task any company should do before entering a new market while focusing on the Egyptian case we can find that Egypt is politically stable compared to many countries, however sometimes companies faces some political issues there are many incidents that we can find people trying boycotting specific company because of the home country of the brand as for example USA, In many times there are people boycotting American restaurants therefore we can find many companies as for example McDonalds building on the local identity of the brand by producing a product locally as for example McArabia, McFalafel, etc and that helps in building the feeling that it is a local brand. Waguih (2002) 3.2. Economical factors As mentioned previously the change in the economy in the period of Sadat to his open door policy and globalization helps franchisors to work in Egypt because it is a healthy economy. While starting the business franchisors were used to import every ingredient, but after several years of success, they began in building food factories licensed by the international brands. Consequently, factories became so efficient in the production of quality goods that after fulfilling the local demand, they began exporting their products to countries throughout the Middle East and Europe. Aboul Fath, (2008) In the past few years there were a growth in the Egyptian economy the figure 3 below shows the increase in the GDP per capita which shows that economically the market is attractive for investments. Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) (Figure 3: Annual Percent Change %) Ministry of Finance Macro Fiscal Policy Unit (2008) The Egyptian government has identified foreign investments as a critical component to sustained economic growth. As a result, investors are given special exemptions and incentives. However, several barriers to investment remain including a high level of bureaucracy, complex tax systems and customs procedures. To overcome these obstacles, the Egyptian government is currently directing its effort to increase privatization and fiscal transparency, and to improve tax regulations thus encouraging foreign investments and easing the path for franchising. Aboul Fath, (2008) 3.3. Social factors Demographics The group of consumers in Egypt consist of low income families, middle and high income this may secure the success in Egyptian fast food market. In addition to that there is about 50% of Egyptian population young consumer which presented in figure 4. That may make an opportunity for the fast food chains as their young group becomes more targets to the American and European chains. There is also the percentage of the working age where they representing the purchasing power are nearly 62% showed in figure 4 below. The middle aged is seeking fast food as a solution for a ready meal. Awad, Zohry (2005) Shaefer(2008) (figure.4: Egyptian Population by Broad Age groups 1950-2010) Awad and Zohry (2005) Fast food expenditure and consumption patterns: In a study conducted by Fabiosa and Soliman (2008) they focused on explaining the impact of income changes on the expenditure behavior for the households, . Another study by Fabiosa (2008) shows the household food-away-from-home (FAFH) expenditure pattern in Egypt. When reviewing the life style of Egyptians, we can find that Egyptians eats three main meals, traditional Egyptians meals is made of rice or pasta and vegetables. Meat is also included depending on whether they can afford its cost or not. However in the past decade there were rapid increases in the interest of the Egyptians in the fast food especially in the American and European food. However, high class families usually are aware about healthy food and may choose products with lower fat and cholesterol. Fabiosa and Soliman, (2008), Fabiosa (2008) Average income families usually can afford to eat once a month outside, although dining outside of home is increasing in popularity among many consumers. More well-off households and single people may eat out more than once a week. The young consumer segment, especially wealthier segment, typically eats out more than it cooks at home and the consumption can reach as much as four or five times a week. Fabiosa, (2008) 3.4. Technological factors The several advancements in technology have allowed the food production to grow massively and at much lower costs than it used to be. Now, there are several ways a person can order his food; through telephone, internet, and drive-through fast-food chains. All of these ways are of course available beside the traditional way of ordering fast-food which is take-away. Due to technological advancements, buying fast-food is one of the easiest tasks a person can do nowadays. Technological advancement also reached the food itself, now with the increased health awareness, fast-food chains try to focus on producing healthy food and reducing all the harmful ingredients. For instance, KFC announces that they are using Trans-Fat free ingredients which raised many health concerns among consumers. Also technology offers wide array of flavors that can be added to make food more appealing to consumers. A.Hamza, (Branch Manager Hardees Restaurants. Personal Interview. 1st of Feb, 2010). 4. The Egyptian fast food sector Entering the fast food market in Egypt can be successfully done in two main ways according to the successful stories in Egypt which will be explain later; first is acquiring a franchise license from an international-branded fast food chain, The second is to create a new brand that is developed locally and independently. Opening an independent (locally branded) fast food chain is the total opposite of franchising. Instead of buying a franchise license from a well known established brand, the founder decides to create a new brand enduring all of the associated costs and taking the risk of creating a new brand image that requires time to gain the desired reputation. Aboul Fath ,(2008) 5. Franchising as an international business tool Internationalization became one important way of doing business allover the world.1980s shows the increasing in distribution number of international retailers. The retailers were acquired and forced to move and enter international markets as the domestic market gave them a limited option to distribute their products or services. By this increasing numbers of distributing in international markets which continued in 1990s the retailers considered developing themselves to enter new markets outside, Quinn Alexander, (2002). To enter a new market there are three main ways which are first is independent as to invest in the new market and work directly from there. On the other hand there is two ways which are distributorship and formal relationship and these two ways are to work throw another party which could be in many ways, figure 1 briefly explain this ways. Entry modes Independent Distributorship Formal relationship Joint venture Acquisition Franchising Licensing (Figure 5: Modes of entry) Distributorship theory which is having a relation with the supplier, the distributor buys in bulk quantities and sell in smaller quantities, this independent distributor can work with many suppliers and he may not receive training or support from the supplier and the relation simply is to buy the product from the supplier no more. Formal relationship: Elaborating more on the facts showed in the chart, there are other options in this case is to join another party as acquisitions, joint venture, licensing and franchising. 5.1. Franchising Concept Many people think that fast food restaurants like KFC, Pizza Hut, MacDonalds or Burger King are the only examples of franchising but already there are many types of franchising and as Mr. Sidney J. Feltenstein the chairman of international franchising association says one out of every three dollars spent by Americans for goods and services is spent in a franchised business. Homes we buy can be throw franchised business, cars we buy clean or cared also can be through franchised business. We can travel from country to another through franchised business transportation firms so there are many types of franchising. (Beshel, 2000). Beshel, (2000) defined franchising as an agreement between two parties or two independent persons which give that: one from this two parties (franchisee) get the right to trade or to work by the trade mark of the second party (franchisor) Franchisee gets the right to use the operating system of franchisor and his obligation to pay fees to the franchisor. Franchisors obligation to provide rights to support franchisee. So franchise is a continuing relation between the franchisor and the franchisee. This relation depends on the franchisors experience, history, image and success. Also franchisor technique in doing business is important point to be consider when use franchising. The agreement of franchise can be made using several arrangements. It can be by fixed fees, percentage of sum of sales or the franchisee purchasing the product from the franchisor. Rothenberg, (1976). Independent vs. Franchised Comparing between the two routes for analyzing the effectiveness of franchising on food market in Egypt, some points considered to show that. To gather such in-depth information, interviews were conducted with several fast food chains managers and supervisors (franchised and local) to help us compare and choose the most appealing strategy for market entry. 6.1. Start-up Capital To acquire a franchise license is a very difficult task, the reason is that the franchisor expects from his franchisee to be withholding a respectable amount of monetary resources that can enable the franchisee to be up to the franchisors expectations and standards. For instance, the franchisee can be subject to some strict conditions set by the franchisor asking him to open a minimum number of chains with certain quality standards or else the franchise contract will be voided. Kaufmann Dant, (2001) (Calhoun 1975) A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) On the other hand, starting up an independent local fast food chain can be much easier and much less in terms of cash resources required. You can start small and then expand and grow gradually without having the limitations and strict conditions of a franchise contract that can be in terms of: Huge initial franchise fees Previous experience Quality standards Size vs. time frame available for growth Thus, keeping up with the franchisors conditions and standards require huge capital investments at the beginning which can be a drawback for choosing the franchise route as an entry strategy for the fast food market. But in some cases, financing a franchise can be easier because are sometimes more likely to offer loans to buy a franchise with a good reputation. O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010).H.Anis( Founder of Harris Cafà ©. Personal Interview. 28th of Feb,2010). 6.2. Established Name A franchise opportunity provides its franchisee a well established and internationally recognized brand name and image that can acquire customers. In other words, buying a franchise can be like buying a business with built-in customers. Franchising a brand also doesnt carry the same risk as building a new one because when considering the option of entering the fast food market with an independent brand chains, founder will be struggling at first to achieve a good reputation and strong brand image that can earn the trust of consumers without having any doubts related to health or quality issues because one of the most difficult things to do when starting a business is to develop a recognizable presence with customers. This usually only happens over time and franchises eliminate this obstacle which saves both money and time. Also the franchisees will capture the benefits of the parent companys national marketing campaigns and advertising. A.Aly. (CEO of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb, 2010) S.Edward, (CEO of Future Franchises. Personal Interview. 13th of Feb., 2010). O.Eslam, (General Manager of Target Franchises. Personal Interview. 11th of Feb., 2010). M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Cook Door. Personal Interview. 25th of Feb., 2010). (Peterson Dant, 1990) 6.3 Access to Technology and Training When buying a franchise, the franchisor gives you support usually including training and orientation to help setting up the business and they provide you with manuals telling you how to run the business and ongoing advice. Also, most of the times the franchisor provide you with all the equipment, supplies and materials needed to conduct the business so you dont have to worry about acquiring assets that include state of the art machines and equipments like you do when opening an independent new chain. (Peterson Dant, 1990) M.Telleb,. (Branch Manager Starbucks Cafe. Personal Interview. 28th of feb, 2010). 6.4 Operating cost The franchisee will be able to acquire all necessary supplies at much lower costs because the prices are negotiated by the company with the suppliers in behalf of all the franchise units. Because of the size and regular occurrence of orders, the franchisor is able to get huge discounts on supplies. This gives an advantage compared to the route of entering the market with a new local independent brand. M.Yacoub,.( Branch Manager of Coo