SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo

Introduction Among the many techniques used to determine the market position of a business organization is SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is used by to keep a close watch of the progress of a company and take remedial actions in case there is a need. This paper will carry out a detailed SWOT analysis of PepsiCo.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Background of the Company Pepsi is the second largest food and beverage company in the world in market share; it was founded in the year 1965. The company is headquartered in the city of New York. The company deals with the manufacturing and marketing of several products, these products are salt, sweet and grain based snacks and carbonated and non-carbonated beverages. The company aims at achieving growth and long term value in its operations by seeking to create competitive advantages which can be realized th rough product innovation. The company’s mainstream and trade mark product is Pepsi which is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Pepsi company. The company’s revenue is more than 39 million and it employs approximately 200, 000 employees. The company is made up of Pepsi Company Americas Foods, Pepsi Co Americas Beverages and Pepsi Company International. Pepsi Company Americas Foods is based in Latin America and encompasses food and snacks business including its operations in Mexico; Pepsi Company Beverages is based in North America and its beverage subsidiaries in Latin America beverages businesses while the Pepsi Company International includes all the operations in Asia, Europe, and Middle East. The strategic and business affairs of the Pepsi Company are overseen by a Board of directors. The company has been in existence for a very long time after being pioneered by Caleb Bradham, pharmacists who began to experiment with various soft drinks.Advertising Loo king for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pepsi cola developed as a soft drink in 1898 and since then the company has grown to be one of the most recognized in the world. Since then the company has had a positive growth strategy due to its impressive presence in USA and across the globe leading to health profits and an increased market share. The company is broken into four major branches namely: Frito-lay North America, PepsiCo Beverages North America, PepsiCo International and the Quaker Foods North America. Using these markets, PepsiCo has had the largest foothold on the market. The financial position of PepsiCo is a strong. It has boasted of impressive results in the net revenue, total operating profits, return on investment and return to the shareholders. The cash flow from the operations was approximately $6.1 billion and increased earnings per share. The strong financial position is larg ely due to intense marketing undertaken by the company, product diversification and their unmatched strong presence in the USA which by itself is a large market. The company employs approximately 71, 000 employees in its international ventures and it engages in manufacturing, distribution, and the marketing of non–alcoholic beverages all over the world (PepsiCo 1). SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo SWOT stands for the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is one of the powerful ways of analyzing a current situation of a company. SWOT analysis examines the strong and weak areas of a company. The strengths are those factors that serve to enhance the company’s competitive advantage while the weaknesses are those factors that may hinder it. Through SWOT analysis, a firm can utilize leverage from its strengths, learn from its weaknesses and correct them, utilize the opportunities and prevent devastating threats (PepsiCo 1). Strengths of the Company Pepsi Company has s everal strategies which has enhanced its growth to being the third largest food and beverage company in the world. Among its strengths are discussed below.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Diversification Pepsi runs different lines of products; this diversification has enabled it to earn a lot of revenue, in this scenario, when one line of product fails in the market to gain some revenue, it can be balanced by the other divisions of the company. Pepsi has also realized a large market share as a result of its diversification and this is to the advantage of the company. This was realized as strength when PepsiCo in the North America decreased in market share, still due to other operations in other countries its revenue still increased. The diversification of PepsiCo is evident from its 18 range of brands which when combined generate a volume of sale s up to $1,000 million. Their products include â€Å"ready to drink teas, juice drinks and bottled water; other products are breakfast cereals, cakes and cake mixes† (Craw, Merchan and Feng 12). The many products that the company has give it a big advantage because of diversification of risks. Distribution Network PepsiCo has a strong distribution network. This is strength since it enables customers to easily access the company products which in turn can lead to large volume of sales. Large distribution channel guarantees wide market for the products. PepsiCo channels its products directly to the points of sales. This is a powerful strategy which includes â€Å"three pronged approach which also includes employees making direct store deliveries of snacks and beverages and the use of third party distribution services† (PepsiCo 5). Well planned distribution network has enhanced the competitive ability of PepsiCo. To strengthen their distributive capability, PepsiCo acquir ed three restaurant chains namely Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried chicken and the Pizza hut. PepsiCo can sell three products along one distribution channel which helps to reduce costs, improve their efficiency and to smooth out fluctuations which might seasonally arise as a demand for a specific product falls (PepsiCo 5). Quick Response to Emerging Trends and Issues PepsiCo has a quick response mechanism to emerging issues in the market. These issues may include health and environmental issues and the development of Pepsi generation.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 Penetration to the International Market The company has expanded its operation to the untapped international market. PepsiCo and Quaker oats merged and this led to increased revenue and a better international market share. PepsiCo have strong presence in snacks market in countries like Mexico, UK, Brazil, Australia, India and Russia and they are planning to enter an emerging market in China. This will lead to additional market and revenue for the company (Olidix Consultants 4). Strategies The company is driven by concise mission statement that it presents to its employees and shareholders so as to enable them understand what the company stands for. PepsiCo drives the local America market which they have used as leverage to expand into developing markets while still maintaining its strong market base in US. They also stress the importance of the relationship between the employees and the company. The mission, objectives and strategies that are pursued by the company are a reflection of the company’s intention to enter into international markets (Olidix Consultants 8). Enough Capital The company does not suffer from capital constraints because they have large cash flow system. This has enhanced their great brands, distribution network and their innovative capabilities. Branding The conspicuous market brand of PepsiCo is Pepsi and it is one of the most recognizable and household brand in the world ranked as interbrand. In the year 2006, Pepsi was ranked as position 26th in the list of top 100 brands in the world. Pepsi averagely makes $15 million from sales proceeds. The Pepsi’s brand is joined by other PepsiCo brands like the diet Pepsi, thirst quencher, Lipton Teas and Gatorade Mountain Dew among others. The brand dominance facilitates product loyalty and enhances repetitive sales which can contribute to approximately $15 million in annual volume of sales (Craw, Merchan and Feng 3). Better Marketing Strategy Pepsi has one of the world’s bes t bottling systems. This has enhanced its reputation on the international scale hence enabling it to transact business at the global scale while on the other hand it maintains its local presence. Implementation The company has a strong implementation strategy. The success of the company is due to its enough revenue base and stable market. Their implementation strategy include how to enter into new markets, how to improve employee relations and contemplating on how to reduce expenditure while maximizing costs. Services Quality PepsiCo exercises great care so as to ensure that high standards are maintained every day. This is applied to their products, packaging, and marketing. The company always aims at achieving the best for their customers since, according to their policies, customers deserve better and quality services and products. Consequently, this quality is manifested in their manufacturing and bottling process so as to meet manufacturing standards. They adhere to quality proc edures in their manufacturing and packaging. This is realized by ensuring that each bottle is subjected to a process of testing and inspection. This quality control measures are necessary to ensure that the integrity of PepsiCo and its products are maintained (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 4). Weakness of the Company Focus Due to the diversified market, the company has tended to have divided concentration on each of its products unlike its competitors who only have focus in one line of goods. This has negatively affected the sales of the different products by the company. PepsiCo has found it hard to inspire a direction and a vision for a large global economy. It is evident that majority of their products do not bear the names or the logo of the company (Olidix Consultants 8). Overdependence on Wal-Mart PepsiCo sales depend majorly on its sales to Wal-Mart. This sale represents approximately 12 percent of its overall net sales. Wal-Mart is undisputedly Pepsi’s larges t customer; this implies that the business fortunes of Pepsi are influenced by the ways that Wal-Mart does business. The low price theme of Wal-Mart has the impact of forcing Pepsi to lower their prices (Olidix Consultants 6). Overdependence on the US market Although Pepsi has an international presence, it is estimated that almost more than 50 percent of its sales revenue are from the US market. This overreliance and concentration on the US market leaves PepsiCo at a susceptible position in the event of changing market conditions. The economic recession that hit the US market in the year 2008 greatly affected the sales of PepsiCo. Consequently, the large US customer base has the effect of weakening PepsiCo bargaining power hence leading to decreased revenues (Craw, Merchan and Feng 7). Low Productivity By the year 2008, Pepsi company had close to 198, 000 employees. The revenue per employee totaled to $219, 439 which was comparably low when compared with that of its competitors whic h is an indication of low productivity. In the productivity volume, PepsiCo is far much behind Coca-Cola in the international market and hence they are unable to meet the elastic demand. Image Damage PepsiCo has suffered from image problems due to the recall of its products. In the year 2008, contamination by salmonella forced the company to call back some of its products which are already in the market; this followed another event of the explosion of its diet Pepsi cans in 2007. Such eventualities damage the image of the company and subsequently reducing customer confidence in PepsiCo products. The company has also been blamed for presence of pesticide residues in one of their products in the Asian market. Opportunities of the Company Efforts to Penetrate Emerging Markets The company has attempted to tap into the newly emerging international market through PepsiCo International. The company should strategize on ways to enter into new markets instead of wasting resources on the mark ets which are already captured. This will give PepsiCo an upper hand over its competitors; â€Å"PepsiCo is in the process of rolling out $1billion investment in China and further $500 million investment in India† (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 1). All these are initiatives to widen its international market and to reduce its dependence on the US market. The company has also plans to massively invest in Brazil and Mexico (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 1). Introduction of Pepsi Generation Theme The introduction of PEPSI generation theme for its products provided a perfect opportunity for PepsiCo. This is aimed at reaching the younger generations so as to endear them to be lifelong Pepsi drinkers and to nurture product loyalty. This opportunity of designing new trends can be endless but it serves to attract young people. Surfacing Issues PepsiCo finds opportunity in emerging issues like health and environment. They seize this opportunity by quickly responding t o these concerns as they emanate. This appeals to the consumers and further enhances its share in the market. The company has prospects in this area because of its potential as a corporate body. Broadening of its Product Base The company seeks to address some of its problems and potential weaknesses. This includes moving away from dependence on the US market and the acquiring the leading juice company in Russia called Lebedyansky and also acquiring of V water in the UK. The company has also â€Å"continued to broaden the base of its products through the introduction of True North Nut Snacks and increasing of its Lipton tea venture with the Unilever Company† (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 3). All these plans have widened the market share of PepsiCo and enabling the company to regulate into the dynamic ways of life of the clients. Growing Snack and Bottled Water Market It has been observed that the company has a huge potential in the snack and water market: The company is in a better position to take advantage of the growing market of snacks and bottled water which has been projected to be worth approximately $24 million by the year 2012. The company’s products like the Aquafina and Propel are better established and are in a position to surge upwards in terms of market share and sales. (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 3) Its large chains of snacks could also benefit from the growing savory snack market in the US which has been projected to reach 27 percent by the year 2013 which is a market growth of $28 million (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 3). Increasing Trend towards Health Food The world is experiencing an unprecedented trend for demand for health food. The ability of PepsiCo to adapt to these market trends towards health food could enhance its competitive advantage and will take its place as a socially responsible producer. Since this requires a lot of money that can be unmet with the current economic climate. People have become health conscious and hence they have a passion and preference for health foods and drinks. There is a growing market for healthy food products which the company needs to tap into. Internet Marketing The surging opportunities on the internet provide an opportunity for online marketing and advertisement which could be placed on the boxes and shelves of chain stores so as to tap into a wide market. In this age of communication technology, internet advertising and online marketing is indispensable. Internet promotion such as banners, adds and key words will increase the volume of sales. Their computerized manufacturing, ordering and packaging system will increase their efficiency. Threats of the Company Competitors PepsiCo has many competitors in the US as well as outside the US. It has been observed that most of the competitors engage in one product range; this provides the competitors an advantage of handling one line of the product in the market. Failure by PepsiCo to con sider it a threat may result to its diminishing market share. Coca-Cola particularly is PepsiCo’s number one competitor in the market and products innovation, others are Kraft foods and Groupe Danone. It is also observed that unhealthy competition may negatively affect the company. This was evidenced when Coca-Cola surpassed PepsiCo in juice sales. PepsiCo for example is far much behind Coca-Cola in the international penetration and market share, this has made it hard for it to compete substantially with Coca-Cola’s strong presence, strong brand identity and strong customers’ loyalty. High level of competition might result into losing of market share in the event that other companies adapt to the business environment faster. The company also competes with Cadbury Schweppes and other competitor companies which have sound financial management and are well run. This might stretch the resources of the company. In the mineral water segment, the company has to content with strong competition from Nestle. All these fierce competition is largely due to the fact that food and beverage industry has come of mature age (Craw, Merchan and Feng 7). Emerging Environmental and Health Threats These are new sources of threats to PepsiCo; more and more clients are adopting better eating methods whereby fast foods which PepsiCo among other companies offer. Declining Carbonated Drink Sales The sales of soft drinks have been predicted to decline by approximately 2.7 percent in the year 2012 which represents a drop of $63, 460 million in market value. Government Regulation Government regulation may affect the sales of PepsiCo: â€Å"It is anticipated that government initiatives related to environmental, health and safety may have the potential to negatively impact PepsiCo† (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 4). These government measures will likely alter the state of manufacturing, marketing and distribution of food products. First round examination on the acrylamide have indicated that it may likely cause cancer when it is used in large quantities. Therefore, if the company has to comply with these government rules or regulations and measures, it will be prompted to add labels to its products or to where its products are sold, and these will likely have an impact on PepsiCo (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 4). Potential Labor Unrest Arguing from the past record, PepsiCo is prone labor disruptions. In the year 2008, for example, there was a massive strike by the employees of Indian operation which paralyzed operations for almost a month leading to disruption of the manufacturing and distribution network. Recession and Economic Instabilities The ongoing recession in majority of the countries and the unexpected currency dynamics have had a lot of impact on the operations of PepsiCo. The global economic recession that hit the US in 2008 and 2009 led to considerable decline of revenues for the company which highly depended o n the US market. The company sells its products at expensive prices than their competitors. This can limit the poor or the lower income people from purchasing PepsiCo products (Sparks, Meack, Hillstrom and Cervantes 5). Works Cited Craw, Ford, Merchan Jennifer, and Feng Park. Coke vs. Pepsi. Computer Lab Nevada, n.d. Web. Olidix Consultants. The Pepsi-cola company competitive analysis. Slide Share, n.d. Web. PepsiCo. History Overview. PepsiCo Website, n.d. Web. Sparks, Aaron, Meack Cherokee, Hillstrom Elly, and Cervantes Sandra. PepsiCo Portfolio Marketing. PepsiCo Report, 2008. Web. This research paper on SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo was written and submitted by user Maya Pierce 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. 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The background of Hai-O in Malaysia Background of the Company Hai-O is one of the leading traditional healthcare companies in Malaysia, competing in the niche of traditional Chinese medicine. In the first chapter, this paper will discuss the background of the company in general to further illustrate the business nature of the company. This will provide the basis for the further discussion of Hai-Os business strategy. Introduction Hai-O is a local group of companies that operates in the business of traditional Chinese medicine. Hai-O Group of Companies (the Group) comprise of a few business divisions in the corporate structure. All of these divisions operate in the core business of Chinese healthcare products that include herbal medicines, pharmaceutical products as well as health food. Hai-O divisions include multi-level marketing (MLM) wholesaling, retail stores, as well as manufacturing. 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Through the case analysis, Hai-Os strategy formulation will be carefully examined and this will guide the finding of the critical issues and challenges of its business strategy. Companys Overview Hai-O was established in 1975, and has become a famous household name in Malaysia ever since. Originally, the Company offered an assortment of Chinese medicines and healthcare products. Much later, the business expanded and grew into Hai-O Group of Companies. It first made its way to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in the year 1996, by being listed in the second board of Bursa Malaysia. The Group has 5 principal business that are multi-level marketing, wholesaling, retailing, manufacturing and medicinal clinics. The Group was the first traditional healthcare company listed on the stock exchange. It was listed into the main board of Bursa Malaysia on 2007. Expert in its niche, Hai-O has managed to build extensive and efficient distribution network for the past three decades. 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Due to a lot of hard work and high optimism, the Group was able to break even within the first year and all of the key historical and inspirational accomplishment took place itself in the first year it was introduced. Throughout many years of operation, the Group has earned a lot of awards for their remarkable performance. Such recognitions are awarded to all the top performing companies within the Group. The Group take pride in its achievements which have help instil good confidence among its investors and customers. Awards and recognitions received by Hai-O Group are: Hai-O Enterprise: Best Small Capitalisation Company (Malaysian Corporate Governance Index 2009) by Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group (MSWG) Hai-O Enterprise: Best Return to Shareholder Category First Runner Up Award by Malaysian Business CIMA Enterprise Governance 2009 Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2009 Hai-O Enterprise: Ranked no. 6 in Top 100 Listed Company In Terms of Shareholder Values Creations 2008 by KPMG and The Edge Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2008 Hai-O Raya: The Brand Laureate 2008-2009 under the Product Branding for Traditional Chinese Medicine category Hai-O Marketing: Malaysian Business Ethics Excellence 2008 recognition certificate by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Hai-O Raya: Malaysian Business Ethics Excellence 200 recognition certificate by Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Hai-O Enterprise: Best Under a Billion Award by Forbes Asia 2007 Hai-O Marketing: Outstanding Contribution Towards Developing Bumiputra Entrepreneurs 2007 recognition certificate by MECD Hai-O Raya: Superbrand 2003/2004 Hai-O Raya: Malaysian Book of Records: Greatest Number of Traditional Healthcare Chain Stores in Malaysia 2001 Hai-O Raya: Golden Bull Award: Malaysias Top 100 Outstanding SMEs 2003 Hai-O Raya: Enterprise 50 by SMIDEC and Deloitte 2003 Top Malaysian Small Cap Companies (100 Jewels 2007) by OSK Investment Bank Bhd Hai-O Marketing: 13 Years Membership with Direct Selling Association Malaysia 2007 Diamond Club Award for Excellent Performance 2002, 2003, 2006 GMP Status and ISO: 9001certification by SG Global Biotech Sdn Bhd U.S. FDA Facility Registration certificate by SG Global Biotech Sdn Bhd Source: http://en.hai-o.com.my Vision, Mission and Corporate Values The Group ultimate goal is to become a premiere healthcare company in Malaysia. Focusing on it, its vision reads: We aim to become the premier healthcare company in Malaysia and thereby bringing the greatest value and pride to our customers, business partners, employees and shareholders. This explained that their vision of being the leading healthcare company are much focused on delivering value to each key element that make up their business, internally and externally. Hai-O has strived over 35 years to take the brand name beyond the image of Chinese medicine. The Group genuine interests in healthy culture boost their spirit to promote humans well-being with the mission statement that reads: We are committed to promoting healthcare culture and improving humans well-being. Such vision and mission is incorporated into the Groups corporate value. Hai-O means seagull in Mandarin. It is a metaphor that the Group will soar high and the Group incorporated its corporate values in the word seagull itself and the image of a seagull is embedded in the Groups company logo. Their 7 core values are: Social responsibility; Hai-O strives to repay society by helping those in needs through actions and monetary support. Excellent service; Hai-O strives beyond customers expectations to give excellent quality products and superior service. Attitude; Hai-O strives to sustain a positive attitude in every dimensions of the business at any circumstances it faces. Unity; Hai-O strives to unite its organization as one big family in Malaysian culture of different races to achieve its goals in the challenging business world. Growing; Hai-O strives to capitalise on its competitive advantage and knowledge to ensure continuous improvement and growth. Loyalty; Hai-O strives to be loyal to its business partners and its commitment to convey good results to the customers as well as the shareholders. Learning; Hai-O strives to build a knowledge-based working environment by collecting its resources together to achieve goals to educate consumers on healthcare and to contribute to the research and development in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical science. Figure 1: Hai-Os Company Logo Image source: Adapted from http://en.hai-o.com.my Strategy One of the obvious strategies to market its product was the Group formation of Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. in 1992. This subsidiary company is targeted to market Hai-Os products through multilevel marketing. Products that are sold through this company are health food, wellness and beauty products. This strategy of has boosted the Groups business substantially and has brought a huge exposure for Hai-Os brand into the consumer market. Although the business move has brought a giant impact, the Group fundamental strategies still remain in three main criteria; choosing the right product, targeting the Bumiputra segment and venturing abroad. Hai-O sources raw materials for its product from the main land China. TCM market in China is saturated and the products are variety. But Hai-O is devoted to solitary select the right ones to bring into its product line. Only importing patented products that are approved by the Ministry of Health, the Group built its clients trust by selling genuine quality products at a fair price with Hai-O branding. In 2002, links to China were further consolidated in a partnership with Peking Tongrentang, a renowned company with a 338-years history and is famous for working for the emperor during the Qing dynasty. Other than that, the Group also signed a sole distributorship agreement in 2007, with Yunnan Baiyao Group Co Ltd. Since the setting of its MLM division, Malay consumers have constituted a large segment of its market as well as its sales force, which has result in a remarkable transformation for Hai-O as a group. The concept of MLM suited the Bumiptra market very well. Famous product among the Malay consumer is the Pur Er tea which is considered as a wonder tonic with abundant health benefits ranging from removing toxins to improving blood circulation. Achieving reputation among Malay consumers has changed the Groups image from previously a mainly Malaysian Chinese trade. As a result, the brand is more accessible and well received by other citizen in Malaysia. As the power of traditional medicine is showing evident results in todays healthcare industry, the Group decided to take the business abroad by penetrating the lucrative markets of China and Indonesia. A joint venture company has been set up in Jakarta and has started business in August 2009. As for China, the Group is in the midst of obtaining the necessary rights and licences to promote Malaysias traditional medicines and health products such as Tongkat Ali, and Kacip Fatimah in its local market. Venturing into the international market is a strategy that the Group hope will help to expose their brand even further as well as promote traditional Chinese medicine to a higher level. Corporate Structure Figure 2: Hai-Os Corporate Structure Source: http://en.hai-o.com.my Wholesale Division As a second largest contributor to the Group, the wholesale division have secured exclusive agency rights for importing and distributing of more than 200 branded products from China under the company names Hai-O Medicine Sdn. Bhd., Kinds Resources Sdn. Bhd., Grand Brands (M) Sdn. Bhd., Chop Aik Seng Sdn. Bhd. and Vintage Wine Sdn. Bhd. These products include a wide range of traditional Chinese medicines, teas and wines that are distributed through Hai-Os multi-distribution channels. These channels offer a broad access to Chinese medical halls, hyper/ supermarkets, convenience stores, retail outlets and restaurants. Direct Selling Division The direct selling division, also known as the MLM division has been the Groups fastest growing segment since it is first introduced in 1992. Operating under the company name Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd., the division has a strong distribution force that helped the company to emerge as a leading local direct selling company. Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. is now serving over 34,000 distributorships, through more than 50 distribution centres throughout Malaysia. With the product mix ranging from healthcare to household products, Hai-O Marketing Sdn. Bhd. also owns a subsidiary company, PT Hai-O Indonesia which took up a 60% stake in a joint-venture company with an Indonesian partner. The company has started business in August 2009, selling products manufactured from Malaysia. Retail Division The Group has over 60 chain stores in major cities and towns across Malaysia. These chain stores carry an extensive range of traditional Chinese medicines, teas, wines and other healthcare products. Operating under the company name Hai-O Raya Berhad, the Group also owns retail counters in some of major supermarkets namely Carrefour and AEON Jusco. These outlets provide consultations on herbs and TCMs by professional herb masters. Hai-O Raya Berhad also provides a franchise program for entrepreneurs who are interested in operating a professional TCM store. In 2002, the Group expanded to also offer integrated clinical service under the company name, Peking Tongrentang (M) Sdn. Bhd. This integrated clinic is a joint-venture between Hai-O and Beijing Tongrentang Co Ltd, the largest producer of traditional Chinese medicine in China. Besides that, the Group also owns another subsidiary company that offers extensive traditional Chinese medicine products and service, Hai-O Polaris (M) Sdn. B hd. Manufacturing Division Realizing the importance and the fast growing demand of traditional Chinese medicine in the country, the Group made a decision to open up its own pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in 1994. Operating under the name SG Global Biotech Sdn. Bhd., it was the first traditional medicinal manufacturer that complies with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards in the country. The companys obligation to quality assurance has obtained the qualification under ISO 9002 in 1999 and ISO9001: 2000 in 2002. Its core businesses is producing and processing of herbal and other health products and SG Global is also active in a lot of research and development activities. The company shared the technology and expertise with China and several local counterparts in Malaysia. Riding on the potential growth of the research and development area in herbal and traditional medicine in Malaysia, the Group extended its operation into another subsidiary that focuses on laboratory research to increase product innovation. QIS Research Laboratory Sdn. Bhd. is established to offer a full service in analytical laboratory, microbiology and chemical analysis of traditional medicine. QIS Lab is accredited to ISO 17025 by the Department of Standard Malaysia (DSM) of the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the past years, the Group has also ventured in several other business segments. Other subsidiary companies include Seagull Advertising Sdn. Bhd., Hai-O Credit and Leasing Sdn. Bhd., Sri Pangkor Credit and Leasing Sdn. Bhd., Hai-O Energy (M) Sdn. Bhd. and Hai-O Properties Sdn. Bhd. The Group other supporting businesses involved the leasing of machinery and equipment, advertising services, investment holding as well as insurance agency. Corporate Governance The Board of Directors of Hai-O Enterprise Berhad (the Board) embraces the value of the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance which outlines the ethics and the best practices on corporate governance. In regards, the Board is dedicated to make sure that the corporate governance principles are well practiced and well observed throughout the operation of Hai-O Group in order to ensure integrity and professionalism within the organization to safeguard shareholders investment and value. Composition of the Board The Board of Hai-O Group is consists of 8 members, comprising of 3 Executive Directors and 5 Non-Executive Directors. 4 of these Non-Executive Directors are Independent Directors who act as independent advisors. This composition meets the terms with the Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd which requires one-third (1/3) of the Board to be Independent Directors. The Executive and Non-Executive Directors functions are defined clearly. The Executive Directors capacity is to administer the Groups operations and execute the operational and corporate decisions while the Non-Executive Directors offer the Company with necessary opinions and decisions. Formulation of the Groups strategies and policies are shaped from the combination between the expertise of the Independent Non-Executive Directors and the skill and wisdom of the Executive Directors. If a conflict of interest is likely to arise, it is the obligation for the director concerned to declare his interest and withdraw from the process of the decision making. The same formula is tailored to the responsibilities between the Chairman and the Managing Director in order to maintain a balance of authority and accountability. The Chairman provides a general leadership to the Board without restricting the principle of collective responsibility for Boards decisions. And the Managing Directors principal responsibility is to formulate the business strategies and to employ the corporate decisions as well as to administer the overall business operations. The Boards composition represents a mix of skill, knowledge and expertise that are significant to the activities of the Group. The Board meeting is held once every 3 months. The Board entrusted the Nomination Committee with the necessary responsibilities to appoint and re-elect the directors. This committee is comprises of Independent and Non-Executive Directors and is responsible to recognize and pick potential new directors and propose nominations to the Board. The Board also recognizes that constant learning is critical for its members in order to gain insights into the state of economy, technological advances, regulatory updates and management strategies. Thus all the Directors of the Company have to complete the Mandatory Accreditation Programme (MAP) which is compulsory for the Listing Requirements of the Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd. The Directors will continue to undertake other significant training programmes and the Continuing Education Programmes (CEP) to supplement and maximize knowledge in the latest statutory and regulatory developments. This is also to assist them in keeping abreast with developments in the business environment in order to enable them to uphold their responsibilities more effectively. Directors Remunerations A remuneration Committee was set up by the Board to manage the Executive Directors remuneration package. The committee members are majority consisting of the Non-Executive Directors. This remuneration package is based on the Groups results apart from the individual directors performance. The committee meeting is held frequently as required to resolve all aspect of remuneration as well as terms and conditions of service of the Executive Directors. Level of the remuneration is structured as such to motivate and encourage the Directors to run the Group at the top of their performances. And the compensation for the Non-Executive Directors is subjected to the Boards decision as a whole. The fees for both the Executive and Non-Executive Directors are approved by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Shareholders and Investors It is important to public listed organizations to inform the current status of the Group to the shareholders, stakeholders as well as the general public. Hence, the Group has been keeping up a constructive and active communication policy which enables the management and the Board to communicate effectively with its shareholders. The Groups website, www.hai-o.com.my is one of the channels available for corporate information to assist shareholders and investors to assess their investment decisions. The Groups AGM proceedings are open to all shareholders to promote transparency. Shareholders are also invited to attend any Extraordinary General Meetings which are announced through circulars and notice of meeting whenever it occurs. Accountability and Audit An Audit Committee is set up to manage the annual financial statements of the Group. This committee is responsible to ensure that the statements are complied with the requirements in the valid accounting standards in Malaysia under the Companies Act, 1965 as well as the Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd. The committee is also accountable to establish an appropriate and transparent relationship with the Groups internal and external auditors. The Board also recognizes the significant of financial controls, operational and compliance controls as well as risk management. Hence, the internal control system is designed to administer the risk of failure to accomplish business objectives. Board of Directors The names and positions of Hai-O Enterprise Berhads executive officers (as of February 17, 2010) are listed below: Table 1: Hai-Os Board of Directors Name Position Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Osman S. Cassim Chairman, Independent Non- Executive Director Tan Kai Hee Managing Director, Non-Independent Director Datin Sunita Mei-Lin Rajakumar Independent Non-Executive Director Tan Keng Song Executive Director, Non-Independent Director Chia Kuo Wui Executive Director, Non-Independent Director Y. Bhg. Dato Abdul Rani Bin Mohd Razalli Non-Independent Non-Executive Director Lim Chin Luen Independent Non-Executive Director Quek Ah Ba Independent Non-Executive Director Source: Adapted from http://en.hai-o.com.my Profile of the Board of Directors Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Osman S. Cassim (Chairman, Independent Non-Executive Director) Tan Sri Osman graduated from University of Malaya, Singapore with an Honors Degree in Arts. He later attended the Advanced Management Programmes by Harvard Business School, Boston in 1984. During his 30 years career in public sector, Tan Sri Osman used to serve as Secretary General in the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Information, and Ministry of Home Affairs. He was elected as the Director General of the Public Services Department Malaysia in 1980. Later in 1988, he was appointed as the National Advisor to the General Electric International (USA) Currently he is the Vice President in the Court of Fellows of Malaysia Institute of Management. Tan Sri Osman was also the Chairman of Southern Bank Berhad from 1990 to 2005. He joined Hai-O Group and become the Chairman on 31 January 2005. Tan Sri Osman is also the Chairman of the Remuneration and Nomination Committee of Hai-O Group. Tan Kai Hee (Managing Director, Non-Independent Director) Mr. Tan Kai Hee is one of the founders of the Group. He is also the main policy and decision-maker. Mr. Tan has more than 33 years of experience in the trading business. In August 2006, he attended China Market Study Tour Program which was carried out by Beijing International MBA, Peking University. Mr. Tan is also an avid social worker for the past 35 years. As also a founder of Malaysia-China Friendship Association (PMC), Mr. Tan acts as the Secretary-General. He is also the founder of Malaysia-China Medicine Health Product Association (MCMHPA), Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) and Malaysia Ru-Shang Social Association. Among others, Mr. Tan is also the Chairman in the Trading Services of the Malaysia China Business Council (MCBC) and the Advisor for the Federation of Chinese Physicians and Medicine Dealers Association of Malaysia (FCPMDAM). Mr. Tan holds directorship in Hai-O Raya Bhd. as well as a few other private limited companies. He was selected to the Groups Board o n 30 August 1975 and is also a member in the Remuneration and Investment Committee. Mr. Tan is the father of Ms. Tan Keng Song, who is the Executive Director of Hai-O Enterprise Bhd. Datin Sunita Mei-Lin Rajakumar (Independent Non-Executive Director) Graduated from University Bristol, United Kingdom, Datin Sunita holds a Bachelor Degree in Law. She is the Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, earning her qualification certificate in 1994. She used to work for Ernst Young, London as the Audit Manager. She also used to be the Manager in RHB Sakura Merchant Bank, Kuala Lumpur. In addition, she used to work in Corporate Finance as the Vice President at Petra Technologies and was appointed as the Director of Corporate Finance at Southern Plastic. She also used to work for MIMOS Berhad as the Venture Capital Consultant before joining the Groups Board on January 2009. Datin Sunita is also a member of the Groups Audit Committee. Tan Keng Song (Executive Director, Non-Independent Director) Ms. Tan Keng Song holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from University of Western Australia. Majoring in Marketing and Management, she used to work for UMW Group. She joined Hai-O Group in 2000 as the MIS Executive at Hai-O Raya Bhd. Later she was promoted to the head of the Groups IT and MIS division. Currently she is leading the Business Administration, MIS and Human Resources Department and is a member of the Investment Committee. Ms. Tan joined the Board on 2001. She is the daughter of Mr. Tan Kai Hee, the Managing Director of Hai-O Enterprise Bhd. Chia Kuo Wui (Executive Director, Non-Independent Director) Mr. Chia Kuo Wui obtained his Bachelor Degree in Accounting at Curtin University, Australia. Later he continued to earn his study MBA from Charles Stuart University at Help University College Kuala Lumpur. Mr. Chia joined Hai-O Group in the Corporate Planning and the Investor Relation Department. Holding key positions in some of Hai-O Groups, he also holds the directorships in a few other private limited companies. Mr. Chia Kuo Wui was appointed to the Groups Board on 14 November 2008. Y. Bhg. Dato Abdul Rani Bin Mohd Razalli (Non Independent Non Executive Director) Dato Abdul Rani obtained his Senior Cambridge Certificate in 1952. He used to serve the Government Royal Custom Excise, Malaysia as the Deputy Director General. He later ventured into commercial business in the fields of shipments, transportation, warehousing, and manufacturing. Dato Abdul Rani joined Hai-O Group on 1995 as the Executive Director. He was also a member of the Investment Committee of Hai-O Group and was re-designated as Non Executive and Non Independent Director in 2003. Lim Chin Luen (Independent Non-Executive Director) Mr. Lim Chin Luen has been involved with the trading of Chinese traditional medicine and herbal products for over 15 years. He also owns a nourishing food and noodles stores in Singapore. Mr. Lim joined the Groups Board in December 1997. He was also a member of the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committee of Hai-O Group. Quek Ah Ba (Independent Non-Executive Director) Mr. Quek Ah Ba served as an Accountant and Operational Manager in many companies. He also served two of the Securities firms, Noone Co Sdn Bhd from 1980 to 1983, and C.S. Securities Sdn Bhd from 1986 to 1989. Mr. Quek was a member of Australia Society of Accountants (A.S.A.) and CPA (Australia). He joined Hai-O on 2001 and became the Chairman of the Audit Committee. In addition, Mr. Quek is also a member of the Nomination Committee.

The Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness Essa

The Narrative Structure of Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness      Ã‚  Ã‚   Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was first published in 1847, during the Victorian Era. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad was first published as a complete novel in 1902, beginning what is referred to as the Modernist Era in literature. Each of these compelling stories is narrated by an uninvolved character who is quoting a story told to them by a character who actually participated in the story being told. There are both differences and similarities in these effective methods of narration that reflect the styles and expectations of those times.      In Bronte's Wuthering Heights, the character of Lockwood begins the tale, and then moves into recounting the oration of the history of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange as seen through the eyes of Nelly Dean. Lockwood's additions to the story are limited to the beginning of the novel and to the end, and to one occasion when he pleads with Nelly Dean, "Draw your knitting out of your pocket-that will do-now continue the history of Mr. Heathcliff, from where you left off, to the present day"(WH 70). Nelly Dean, who was an active participant in some of the episodes she tells of (but not all of them) tells the bulk of the story to the reader.    In Conrad's Heart of Darkness, an unnamed seaman is recounting a tale told to him by Captain Marlow. The unnamed narrator's appearance is interspersed throughout the story, reminding the reader that it is a story being told to a group of sailors. "I listened, I listened on the watch for the sentence, for the word, that would give me the clue to the faint uneasiness inspired by this narrative that seemed to shape itself without human lips in the he... ...the same type of narrative frame, each is indicative of the time when it was written.    Emily Bronte wrote Nelly Dean's narrative to fit with the times and the audience of 1847. Fifty-five years later Joseph Conrad began the Modernist Era with his narrative by Marlow, and captured the attention of a new audience. As things changed and time moved on, so did the audiences for British Literature.    Works Cited and Consulted Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism. New Jersey. Prentice Hall, 1999. Bronte, Emily.   Wuthering Heights.   W.W. Norton: New York, 1990. Conrad, Joseph. "Heart of Darkness" The Longman Anthology British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch. Longman. New York. 2000. 2190-2246. Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature: Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.

Confucianism vs Taoism

The Teachings of Confucius versus the Tao Te Ching The teachings of Confucius and the Tao Te Ching are two important schools of thought in China. In Confucius’s Analects, he talks mostly of political and social issues and also speaks about how people must govern by following rules and displaying virtuous qualities such as honesty and integrity. Lao Zi on the other hand talks of how the world has a propensity towards balancing itself and that people should govern by â€Å"going with the flow† while the cosmos sort out the events of life.He also mentions that people should have a detachment from many things in life such as material objects. Ultimately, the main difference between the Tao Te Ching and the teachings of Confucius is that the Tao Te Ching says that people should live their life in an ethereal manner by following the forces of nature, whereas Confucius’s teachings have a strict moral code that people must abide by. Confucius’s teachings tell peop le how to act by mentioning what character traits they should have and how to take action accordingly.For example, in the analects Confucius says, â€Å"He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it† (The Analects, Wei Zheng, 1). Lao Zi on the other hand describes the concept of governing in an entirely different manner. He says that, â€Å"Prizing no treasures keeps people from stealing †¦Ã‚  The  sage governs them all† (Tao Te Ching, 2). There is a noticeable difference between the ideas that are presented in the quotes of Confucius and Lao Zi.Confucius talks of ruling others by way of virtue and says that once people see the example being set by a government official, then they will follow it. On a different note, Lao Zi says that people should become detached from worldly things in order to encourage others to follow the rules and instill Te (virtue). The Ta o Te Ching and the Confucian analects differ here because Confucius talks of ruling by setting an example based on morality, whereas Lao Zi talks of governing by doing nothing and detaching oneself from material objects.Overall, the method of governing mentioned by Confucius involves worldly actions while Laozi’s method involves inaction and faith in an otherworldly force to sort issues out. The film  Confucius  was released in 2010 starring Chow Yun Fat. Given that Chow is a â€Å"superstar,† his casting tends to overshadow the verisimilitude of the film. For example, much of Confucius’ personal life in the film is fictionalized as we are introduced to his wife and daughter. Similarly, a scene in the movie is dedicated to the legendary meeting between Confucius and Lao  Zi  in which Confucius asks for and gets advice. [clip  three at 17:30]. The scene is a bit romanticized though because it features Confucius and Lao Zi meeting on a mountain above clo uds. Nevertheless, this scene reflects the ideas of Confucius as a scholar that believes in governing by morality and Lao Zi as one that believes in governing by inaction. On the mountain, Lao Zi mentions that Confucius believes in acting through â€Å"rituals and benevolence† while Lao Zi himself has the belief that one should act by doing nothing and should gain an otherworldly detachment from things such as desire.He offers Confucius this insight but Confucius politely refuses, saying that he must â€Å"follow his own path† and describing Lao Zi’s ideas as too ethereal for him to follow (Clip 3). Their conversation illustrates the basis of these two men’s ideas. The film portrays Laozi as one who believes in the natural course of things. He believes that by doing nothing and going with the flow of things, situations will eventually get better. This idea is even more exemplified when Confucius tells Lao Zi that he thinks he has failed in his mission to knock down the city walls.Laozi tells him to â€Å"stop trying when you have achieved nothing† and â€Å"maybe the best contribution is no contribution† and further reveals his Daoist principles (Clip 3). All in all, the film Confucius, Lao Zi is portrayed as a man who believes in otherworldly solutions to problems while Confucius believes in strict, absolute ones. A depiction of Confucius’s ideas of governing is also apparent in the beginning of the film. When talking to the emperor of Lu, Confucius mentions that people should respect the law because they’re civil and honest and have integrity to make their homeland a better place.This approach involves making an effort to have those specific character traits and differs from the teachings of the Tao Te Ching because it involves what Lao Zi called â€Å"chasing the light† (Tao Te Ching, 3). He says that too much light blinds, which in this case is the seeking of morality, and that it is better to want less instead of more. The confliction of Confucian and Daoist ideas illustrates the profound differences they have in regards to how people should act and be governed. Confucianism involves adhering to a strict moral code whereas Daoism involves going with the natural order of hings and by acting through inaction. Though the ideologies of Confucius and Lao Zi differ a great deal, they do have one similarity. They both serve as major moral codes that many people in China still follow today. Biblography Legge, James. The Analects. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. Web. http://ctext. org/analects/wei-zheng. 6 Mar. 2013. Red Pine. â€Å"Tao Te Ching. † N. p. , n. d. Web. https://elearning. uh. edu/bbcswebdav/pid-394869-dt-content-rid-1739781_1/courses/H_20131_CHNS_3354_11272/red_pine_dao. htm. 6 Mar. 2013

Christianity And Islam Comparison Religion Essays

Christianity And Islam Comparison Religion Essays Christianity And Islam Comparison Religion Essay Christianity And Islam Comparison Religion Essay Islam on the other manus is a faith expressed by the Quran. Quran is the book which contains the word of God every bit far as Islamic religion is concerned. It contains the instructions harmonizing to Prophet Muhammad who is the last prophesier of Islam. Those who follow the instructions harmonizing to Prophet Muhammad are called Muslims and the word Islam means entry to God. They do believe in one God and besides that old messages of God were altered and merely the message from Quran was non altered.Muslims patterns include the five pillars of Islam, fasting, praying, Alms-giving, pilgrims journey and following the Islamic jurisprudence which touches about every facet of life. The Muslim faith belongs to two denominations which are Sunni Islam and Shia Islam. Muslim believes that Prophetss like Moses, Abraham and Jesus as human existences who were sent by God to present his message to his people all over the universe. They believe that Prophetss are human existences merely like others and they are non godly but can execute miracles. They are encouraged to follow the life of Prophet Mohammad in their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours set abouting since he is the 1 who was eventually sent by God to convey message to the whole universe.DiscussionBoth Christianity and Islam are Abrahamic faiths due to the fact that they do follow their beginnings to Abraham. It is acknowledged in both Christianity and Islam that Abraham is their ascendant. For case Christianity began as a subdivision of Judaism which was regarded as the faith of Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham. It so evolved as a different faith with its patterns and beliefs. It came up with the thought of cosmopolitan community therefore replacing simple monotheism. Islam on the other manus was founded subsequently by Muhammad and was based on the instructions of the Quran.Inclusiveness of Christianity was maintained but reverted back to simple monotheism with a prophesier who is non godly. It is clear that all the Abrahamic faith worships an sole God, and is monotheistic. Christianity and Islam believe that there is one God, He is the Godhead, he regulations, loves, reveals, forgives and Judgess. They both believe that there is one God who created the universe and his word should be obeyed. It is besides believed by both faiths that the one and merely God will find on the twenty-four hours of the judgement the fate of all humanity based upon 1s actions and believes. As far the Bibles used by both faith is concerned, they both acknowledge the narratives of Adam, Moses and Noah but with a little difference.In Christian religion, Abraham is considered as a critical illustrat ion of religious, faith and ascendant of Son of God Jesus. His act of offering to give his lone boy Isaac is seen as conveying to realty the prognosis of God giving his Son Jesus Christ. Islamic position of Abraham is somewhat different because they consider him as a prophesier who is the courier of God. He is considered as the male parent of Islam since he was the first Muslim. In short, both Christians and Muslims do see Abraham as an of import portion and package of their religion and faith.Similarities of Christian and IslamBoth faith belief that there is merely one true God and one is non supposed to idolize any other God. Most of the Prophetss like Jesus and Ibrahim are from God himself and belief that ascended in Eden. Torah, Gospel and the Prophetss were given by God and trusters are supposed to obey the word of God. Believers should give up themselves to God. It is believed that Jesus will return and besides that God will raise all for the judgement. Those who believe in hi m will travel to heaven after their decease while who do non believe will travel to hell and be punished for of all time. No 1 should be killed as a consequence of his or her religion and besides the hapless should be accorded the aid that they deserve. The faiths are both massive due to the fact that they both believe in one God as the Godhead of Eden and Earth. God is besides considered to do compact with his people every bit good as holding a good relationship with those who believe in him. No 1 knows the Day of Judgment in both faiths and on that twenty-four hours, the Satan will be defeated and God will emerge the victor. Miracles besides occur on occasion and God forgives those who repent their wickednesss. The Prophetss in both faiths are believed to hold brought religious direction to God A ; acirc ; ˆâ„ ¢s people. There are some subdivisions in both the Holy Bible and the Quran that seem to be the same such as the narrative of Adam and Eve, kids of Israel and the na rrative of Moses. They expect that Jesus Christ will come once more on the judgement twenty-four hours.The pillars of Islam and ChristianityThe five pillars define the construction of the Muslim life. They are indicant of participant, religion, support for the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan and eventually a visit to Mecca at least one time in Muslim life-time for those who can afford. There are some bases that seem to associate Muslim to Christianity every bit far as both the Bible and the Quran are concerned. The first pillar of Islam is the testimony of religion. This means that harmonizing to the Muslim they do proclaim that there is no other god Apart from true God and none other should be worshiped. It is the most of import pillar of Islam and it is called Shahada ( Esposito, 1998 ) . The Christians besides proclaim being of one God through the apostle A ; acirc ; ˆâ„ ¢s credo. It is hence clear that both Islam and the Christian has a manner of proclaiming t he being of merely one God and no other God should be worshiped. The other pillar of Islam is giving Zakat which merely means that the destitute people amongst the Muslim community should be supported. They believe that wealth belongs to God. Zakat means giving a certain per centum of wealth to the needy but a Muslim can give every bit much as he or she pleases. This is echoed in Christianity by giving charity. Harmonizing to Christians, they give as a religious displine and it is non a must. This is a manner of admiting that the wealth they have is from God. This is the same position in Muslim faith. Christians start giving from every bit low as 10 % tithe of their wealth but it is recommended that this should be exceeded so that the needy can be assisted and besides that wealth can be used to distribute the word of God ( Ratzinger, 2004 ) . Christians operate utilizing the rule of generousness.The pillar of participant province that Muslims pray five times a twenty-four hours and during the remunerator there is a direct nexus between God and the supplication. They do play at morning, midday, mid-afternoon, sundown and at dark but one can pray anyplace. Besides in Christianity, participant is a Christianity value. Christians, most of the times use prewritten participants like Psalmss.Christians besides belief that there is personal relationship with God but through Jesus Christ. Players conducted by Christians are largely personal confession and congratulations to God.The forth pillar of Muslim is fasting during the month of Ramadan. They do fast from morning to sunset by abstaining from sexual dealingss, nutrient and drink. It is considered by Muslim as a manner of sublimating one A ; acirc ; ˆâ„ ¢s religious life through denying oneself the secular amenitiess. This is besides echoed in Christian life when they fast during the seven hebdomad period prior to Easter. This in Christianity is referred to as Lent period. This helps the Christians to conce ntrate on their life with God although one can fast any clip during the twelvemonth. From the Bible besides, Jesus Christ fasted for 40 yearss. This is a good illustration for Christians to follow.Pilgrimage to Makkah is another pillar of Islam. This is an duty to every Muslim to see Makkah at least one time in life-time. It is carried out during the 12th month of Islamic calendar. Male Muslims wear particular fabrics which eliminate differentiations of category, doing everyone look the same before God. Christians may besides travel to idolize God in specific topographic points such as churches and other historical topographic points and international churches like Hillsong in Australia. However it is non necessary to travel to these topographic points. Merely as Muslims, Christians are besides entitled to travel on trips of company and evangelism. Although it is non a must, every Christian is supposed to travel on a mission trip one time in a life-time.Critique of ChristianityMosle ms do non believe that Jesus Christ is the boy of God ; instead they do believe that Jesus is a prophesier merely like Moses. They don amp ; acirc ; ˆâ„ ¢t besides believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross. They believe that he ascended in to heaven. Christians believes in three that is, God the male parent, God the boy and God the Holy Spirit which is strongly opposed by Muslims. Muslim oppose the fact that all of world is held responsible for the wickedness of Adam and Eve.They do believe that all world is born pure and is responsible for his or her ain wickednesss.DecisionAlthough both Christianity and Muslim are of different faiths, they do hold a historical background which seems to portion some commonalties. For case they both believe and follow the instruction of Abraham. Their belief to some extent is similar for case believing in one God as Godhead of Eden and Earth and all world. Some of their moral codifications seem to be the same. Both Christianity and Muslim believe that religion should be based of the single workss. This merely means that one as a truster should pattern what one believes and non merely state by the word of the oral cavity. Besides human existences in both faiths are considered to hold rights and hence actions such as slaying and larceny are prohibited.

The good earth essays

The good earth essays the charachters of teh good earth are Wang Lung(husband) and Olan (wife) in the begining the setting is in China, at the house of wang.it starts of on wang lung's wedding day and he marrys olan. the woman picks up teh husbands peach pit and plants it. she was treated cruelly at her old house but wang lung is sweet to her.he likes her, the pech tree grows. Olan does alot of work on the farm and takes care of the house.she becomes pregnant. the husband is very excited and so is the father who is wang lungs' father. she hated teh house of wang and doesnt want to go back to give birth, only to show them her son witha red jacket to impress them. strom is comming and they lose all there harvest. and olan even though with child go out and teh field and works fast.she faints. she does not want help giving birth and does it by her self whilke wang is out farming.it was a boy.wang lung is very happy.everyone thinks she is a good wife. the uncle is stealing food and is discovered.he says that they are seeliing land.wang lung wants to buy it.it s teh chineese new year. they go to the house of wang to show everyone ther son.teh head of teh house is cruel and says he ill die.but olan disagrees.now wang Lung has 5 fileds and 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl.the land dried up and ther is famin.they kill thier ox to feed teh family. teh children are grown up and can read and write. one brother says he wants to go to college and get a degree in agriculture.the other wants to stay on teh farm sow hen the other b rother comes home they can farm better.they arrange a marraige for teh shopkeepers daughter.wang lung goes to teh tea house and watches buetiful women dance and becomes mezmorized. he is dressed in fine silks. he bought the hous eof lou an dmakes olan teh ehad mistress.olan is sick and old. the prostitut wants things from him and he gives it to her.the second son wants to leave and go to teh war, he is mad at his father.olan is mad at him to beca...

A rose for emily by Faulkner Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A rose for emily by Faulkner - Research Paper Example Since the story takes place in the 1930s, the government was not very serious in investigating matters affecting the society. Immoral acts took place in the presence of government watch. However, the government has changed its ways of operation since the 1900s. It has included inclusion of the intelligence service that gathers data before an atrocity has happened. The story symbolizes the failure of the society to accept change occurring and uses Emily as he symbol to reveal immorality in the society. According to Faulkner after the war, the Southerners resisted to change by clinging to their past instead of adopting the new ways and techniques of doing things. This led to the reconstruction era in the United Sates history where the rebellious Southerners were helped to get out of slavery. This act reveals many societies in our day-to-day life. Up to date, there are increased populations of the Black Americans in the Southern Sates of the United States increased due to rebellious cit izens. Some communities currently prefer to stick to their outdated ways, cultural beliefs and customs. In the story of â€Å"A rose for Emily,† is a symbol of the ‘inner circle’ of development. ... This is evident when the writer says, â€Å"Only now Miss Emily's house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and gasoline pump-a eyesore among eyesores" (Faulkner 9). The statement reveals that the south had been living in the dark without technology or new ideas or ways of doing things. The dark moments in the society are reflected in the story of â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† when Emily decides to lock herself inside the house after her fathers death. Emily behaves in a way that surprises her societies members who had come pay respect to her dead father but instead of being in a mourning state she acts as if nothing had happened. She then reveals the dark side moment of the town people when she intentionally refuses to pay taxes and refers people as a man who has been dead for ten years (Faulkner 10). The societies are less concerned about the issue and she does no go to jail. In comparison to the present world, action is taken to the indiv iduals who neglect paying the taxes. The town people do not take any action because is a reflective symbol of society and its old and unenlightened ways of handling issues concerning the society and its economy. These acts reflect how the society is not ready to let go of the wicked old ways. The story also reflects the old day practices by overlooking on the issue of house numbers and mailboxes are being implemented and issued in town. Emily refuses to have them and plans to stick to the old malpractices. Moreover, when the next generation starts ruling over the town with their modern ideas, the issue creates dissatisfaction to some individuals within the society. Some of the southerners stick to the old south ideas. This is evident where Emily is giving China painting lessons to the children most

Orphan Brands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Orphan Brands - Essay Example 1). Marmite is one of those orphan brands that people can tell what it is just from sight, and often grow used to its particular flavor after a while of using it. Children in Britain are generally fed the substance from the time they are weaned, and most never grow out of it. It has a high B-vitamin content, as well as riboflavin and niacin-and as such is very healthy for them to eat. (The vitamin-B complex helps prevent anemia.) Plus, they grow used to the taste, so it is sort of like soda, potato chips, of other snacks that children in the Western world get accustom to as they grow older. The purpose of this paper is first, to discuss branding, and also to define orphan brands and how they are created, determine why they are named orphan brands, why orphan brands are bought by other companies, weather or not it was a good idea for the company to sell them, how strong was the brand, what benefits are achieved from the new company, advantage(s) and disadvantages(s) of the new company, changes that were made by the new company, brand, what benefits are achieved through the new company, and advantages and disadvantages. We are also going to look at the success of the "orphan brands" and if in fact the companies who chose to sell them should have retained the brands or not, and weather or not it would have been more profitable to do so. Marmite: Love it or Hate it For the sake of further explaining the product in question for that those who do not know, marmite is a popular way to make a sandwich and other similar meals. Here is a popular recipe for the Marmite and Cheese Dream, taken from (Marmite.com.uk, 2008, pg. 1): Marmite and Cheese Dream 1. Take a couple of slices of bread and spread with butter. 2. On one of the slices spread your Marmite on top of the butter (we'd recommend 4g, or about the end of a knife). 3. Now lay on a slice of your favourite hard cheese (e.g Cheddar, Emmental etc). 4. Finish off with some salad vegetables and close this delicious combo with the other slice of bread. Other ideas taken from (Marmite.com.uk, 2008, pg. 1) include include the following delicious treats: Marmite and cheese dream The Italian job Ocean lovers' Ploughman's Sunday roast Mediterranean chicken Veggie delight Tomato with a twist Savoury cheese and cucumber Simple cottage cheese open face Cheat's Welsh Rarebit Marmite is a very niche product, and for the people who live it there is nothing else that hits the spot quite like marmite. It is a product that some people will for sure hate, but those that love it will even go out of their way to follow the product across name changes and product transfers. People are for certain loyal to marmite, no matter who is making the brand they love so much. Marmite's getting a 21st Century Makeover Today Marmite is evolving with the trends of the modern food world. According to the discussed herein article entitled Groceries that Time Forgot (2008,pg. 1), "Marmite's getting a 21st-century makeover. You'll either love it or you'll hate it - but Marmite is henceforth to be sold in plastic squeezable bottles as well as in those old-fashioned glass jars." Bowden adds, "Creating a