Tuesday, September 17, 2019
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
In the beginning of the novel A Lesson Before Dying Jefferson's lawyer in an attempt to defend him calls him a pig. He indicates that Jefferson has no ability to think so he could not have done things with thought. He Is trying to help but had deprived Jefferson of his own self-worth as a man. The idea of what makes a man is central to the idea of the story. As Grant helps to teach and educate Jefferson he helps to establish a bond with the man. As Jefferson has the chance to talk with Grant and learn he becomes more aware that he is a man with ideas and thoughts and not an nimal.Grant helps Jefferson to Identify himself as a man by giving him a voices to be heard. Being a man Is about recognizing that one Is a man first. Grant In many ways had not fully recognized his own manhood. Grant explains to Jefferson that a hero Is above other men because he thinks of others before himself. Although he understands the definition, he does not live it. He wants to live for himself. He starts a bar fght in the Rainbow Room, believing he was doing it in defense of Jefferson. In fact, Grant was only thinking of himself never noticing how he hurt others.Not only id he tear up the bar, Vivian had to leave her Job early to come drag him out. Following Grant's criterion, Rev. Ambrose Is a hero, having put his entire congregation before himself. Jefferson also has the potential to do something for others that they could not do for themselves. He can make Miss Emma happy by eating her gumbo. He can chip away at the myth of white superiority and show everyone ââ¬â both white and black ââ¬â that he is a man. â⬠ââ¬Å"At the beginning of the novel, Grant is convinced that any dignity he has comes from his high level of education.This attitude prevents him rom getting through to Jefferson, who is of significantly lower social status than Grant. It also brings him Into conflict with Reverend Ambrose, who believes that dignity can only come from faith in Godâ⬠at the Christmas pageant, Ambrose even implies that Grant is no better than Jefferson, because neither man has faith. By the end of the novel, both men learn from Jefferson that dignity is intrinsic and comes from loving and being loved, and does not come from external sources like religion or education. â⬠3. I can see the parallels between Jefferson and Jesus.Both were innocent men who were executed. In chapter 28, Jefferson seems to see that parallel himself when he says to Grant, ââ¬Å"Your cross, Nannans cross, my own crossâ⬠¦. You'all axe a lot, Mr. Wigginsâ⬠¦ .Who ever card my cross? â⬠It is Grant who has learned a lesson, though: ââ¬Å"My eyes were closed before this moment, Jefferson. My eyes have been closed all my life. Yes, we all need you. Every last one of us. â⬠As for scriptural connotations of the word ââ¬Å"lesson,â⬠all I can think of Is that Jesus was called ââ¬Å"rabbi,â⬠or teacher. HIS method of ââ¬Å"teachingâ⬠was to tell stories, or what we might call today ââ¬Å"object lessons. These stories are classified as parables. In a sense, A Lesson Before Dying is itself a parable. Indeed, in one of his parables, Jesus taught ââ¬Å"don't cast your pearls before swine,â⬠which is exactly how Grant felt at the beginning. Why teach someone so ungrateful of his help. He comes to learn, however, that redemption belongs to everyone. could not have done things with thought. He is trying to help but had deprived animal. Grant helps Jefferson to identify himself as a man by giving him a voices to be heard. Being a man is about recognizing that one is a man first. Grant in many ways had not fully recognized his own manhood.Grant explains to Jefferson that a hero is Following Grant's criterion, Rev. Ambrose is a hero, having put his entire congregation Grant. It also brings him into conflict with Reverend Ambrose, who believes that dignity can only come from faith in Godââ¬âat the Christmas pageant, Ambros e even himself when he says to Grant, ââ¬Å"Your cross, Nannan's cross, my own crossâ⬠¦ . You'all axe a lot, Mr. Wigginsâ⬠¦ .Who ever car'd my cross? â⬠It is Grant who has learned a connotations of the word ââ¬Å"lesson,â⬠all I can think of is that Jesus was called ââ¬Å"rabbi,â⬠or teacher. His method of ââ¬Å"teachingâ⬠was to tell stories, or what we might call today
Monday, September 16, 2019
Financial problem in a country or organization of your choice Essay
Discuss the causes of a financial problem in a country or organization of your choice and suggest some solutions. Specify the problem and the City/Country and relate to a particular study. Zimbabwe is an agricultural based economy previously known as the ââ¬Ëbread-basketââ¬â¢ of Southern Africa. In the past decade, the country experienced a drastic economic disintegration due to wide range of factors including: unconstitutional land redistribution, health, decline in foreign investment and hyperinflation. The Zimbabwean economy is strongly intertwined with politics; therefore the political instability subsequently offset the economy. In 2000, the government embarked on ââ¬Ëthe land reform programmeââ¬â¢ which removed white commercial farmers from arable lands so that it could be redistributed among black farmers. The experienced farmers were replaced by mostly black subsistence ones, with no farming knowledge, equipment and capital and therefore could not produce at a com mercial scale. There was no agricultural export, meaning there was a loss of foreign currency being injected into the economy on a regular basis. This marked the beginning of economic downfall. Richardson (2004:307). The failure of the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the economy led to the economic crisis. This meant that the government could not generate enough revenue to sustain its infrastructures such as the health sector. Health conditions are directly related to the poor economy. Sick workers were not able to work as much or as productively as healthy ones. Labour markets were less efficient and the market was not able to produce as much. Consequently, the economy produced far less per-worker than a similar healthy economy. This was evident in Zimbabwe by the low participation rate that at just over 35 %, as opposed to 51.08 % in the U.S. or 51.97 % in Japan. Richardson (2004:289). Another contributing factor was that foreign investors also fled, due to insecurities and the government policies dictating that 51% ownership of their businesses should be locally owned. Foreign direct investment fell to zero by 2001, and theà World Bankââ¬â¢s risk premium on investment in Zimbabwe shot up from 4 % to 20 % that year as well. Hill (2003: 109). Furthermore, the Zimbabwean economy was brought down by the illegal sanctions (an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with it. Merriam-Webster dictionary 2012:198) imposed by the American and European superpowers. This meant that no trade was to be done with Zimbabwe. There was a sudden death of foreign currency and investment influx to the country. The U.S. and Britain have partially withheld financial support for Zimbabwe and there would be no access to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because they could not pay their debt and the prevailing hyperinflationary conditions. Hill (2003: 102). The causes of Zimbabweââ¬â¢s financial problem can be mitigated by first achieving a ââ¬Ëpolitical breakthroughââ¬â¢ that will depoliticize the economy. Then, land should be re-redistributed among experienced commercial farmers and train the less experienced ones to ensure a more sustainable output. There must also be a liberalisation of foreign investment regulations to attract the foreign investors. In conclusion, these suggested solutions will help to rebuild the economy and restore Zimbabwe as the bread basket of Southern Africa. References: Richardson, C,J. 2004. The Collapse of Zimbabwe in the Wake of the 2000ââ¬â2003 Land Reforms. New York: Edwin Mellen Hill, G. 2003. The Battle for Zimbabwe. Cape Town: Zebra
Sunday, September 15, 2019
A short analysis of ââ¬ÅThe Bucket Riderââ¬Â and ââ¬ÅA Country Doctorââ¬Â
The Bucket RiderThis short story, typical of Franz Kafkaââ¬â¢s surrealist writing, would bring the reader into some false hopes that the speaker would somehow get through the dilemma or problem he is in, but ends in frustration and despair. Such false hopes that the narrator would somehow get some coal that she/he desperately needs are created by the magical elements in the story. Somehow likened to Aladdinââ¬â¢s flying carpet, the bucket becomes the narratorââ¬â¢s humble vehicle which safely brings her/him to the destination, the coal dealerââ¬â¢s cellar. Nevertheless, unlike Aladdin, the speaker shows extreme dependence on the bucket and what it should contain, i.e., coal. We could likely interpret the bucket and the coal as the narratorââ¬â¢s source of security that ought to be filled up once it goes empty.Probably it could be oneââ¬â¢s desire for love or (to be Freudian about it) it could be the libidinal desire for sexual gratification. In one way or another, t he characteristics of the bucket could be likened to human emotions: like emotions the bucket ââ¬Å"flies,â⬠and like emotions, the bucket, likened to a steed, could not resist. There could probably be many other interpretations on what the bucket and the coal may represent (as well as what the coal dealer and his wife, and all the other elements in the short story represent) but one thing clear is the ending: that eventually, coal would run out and when it does at the point when one is without means (but to beg) to get a new supply, then one would have to end in despair, in the regions of the ice mountains. This is the recurrent Kafka theme: that human life is inescapably frustrating and riddled with anxiety, riddles that seem not to have any answers.The Country DoctorThis short story stands out for its repeated use in classes in demonstrating Freudian psychoanalysis. A number of psychology and literature professors fancy using this short story to show how a classic surrealis t literature could be Freudian. True, the elements of this short story could well be translated in Freudian terms but that I shall not pursue in length. It may be enough for the purposes of this short essay to say that the groom, the doctorââ¬â¢s alter ego, could very likely represent his id, the hidden erotic side of his personality, and that being a professional could simply be the sublimation of his sexual desires.Such would bring a whole new paradigm in the short story; nevertheless, I would want to point out, not how the entire short story could very well demonstrate Freud, but the theme of how frustrating human existence could be. The district doctor is ironically portrayed as powerless to attend to his own needs and desires. Torn by the call of duty, he did not have the power to stop the groom from running after Rose when he explicitly said that he does not have the intention of handing the maid to the groom.It should be mentioned that the groom and the horses magically ca me from the doctorââ¬â¢s own pigsty, which made Rose say, ââ¬Å"You never know what youââ¬â¢re going to find in your own house.â⬠Such a frustrating existence could very well be seen in the patientââ¬â¢s house as the doctor once again is caught in the frustrating dilemma of a healthy boy wanting to die, only to be reversed afterwards, i.e., after diagnosing that the boy indeed is sick, this time the boy wants to live. While in the patientââ¬â¢s house, the doctor is constantly troubled by the horses, the parents, the sister, and other human beings like the village elders. Again he proved to be helpless when his upper garments were removed from him.He managed to escape but this time his magical horses would not canter but would rather go slow. The doctor, now in between the patientââ¬â¢s house and his own, gives a cry of despair: ââ¬Å"Never shall I reach home at this rate; my practice is done for.â⬠All of what he has, i.e., his home and his maid as well as his profession are all now gone, all because he made a mistake to respond to a false alarm. These entire surrealist events point to the meaninglessness of it all, the frustrating existence of the country doctor who is incapable of saving his own self.ConclusionThough there are obvious differences as regards the characters, the use of symbols and elements, etcetera, we could say that the two essays are similar in a number of ways: the theme, i.e., inescapability of frustrations and powerlessness in human existence; the use of surrealism and magic; and the possible use of Freudian paradigm to interpret the elements of the stories. All these we have seen in our discussion above.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
The Effect Of Population Growth
Population is the largest increasing factor in our world. This factor is the cause of many events in our world. Poverty hunger and war are just some of the immediate effects of increasing population. Among these extreme causes the less immediate events will be seen with air pollution, land degradation, which is the effect thatââ¬â¢ll have the longest term effect on the world. But how can these events are avoided? Is there any hope of stopping this from occurring any further? The largest, most identified reason for pollution could be mans technological advancements.Theses advancements such as those in agriculture, and those for transportation took a huge leap during a period in man called the industrial revolution. This period of time began the infectious state the world is in today. Around the early 18th century man had began the need for more things, which in this time was impossible with current methods of doing things. This began to change with the idea of mass production, this concluded in the establishment of large factories filled with hundreds of workers. These factories held the most advanced technology that increased time of production.Theses factories would produce so much fumes that snow and rain came in black droppings. The water was beyond consumable, this kind of behavior only increased over the next century when several parts of the world began their way into industrialization. But besides the factories them self the new form of work out rural areas out of business causing the need for migration to new urban areas better known as cities. These sites were far from sanitary the streets pilled with garbage which couldnââ¬â¢t be controlled without proper sanitation.The questions on the impact that man has put on the earth are seen every day in various ways some unseen to the naked eye but can be physically recorded. One well known example of the human footprint would be the increasing threat air pollution. The known causes of air pollution woul d the everyday events such as millions of car releasing exhaust fuels into the air. Fumes from car exhaust contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates. Major causes of air pollution would be from the emissions from industries and manufacturing activities.Waste incinerators, manufacturing industries and power plants emit high levels of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air. This happens almost everywhere that people live. Petroleum refineries also release lots of hydrocarbons into the air. The other well-known contributor to air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels, which aside from air pollution is major concern for the amount of possible fossil fuels reaming. Now a not so well known addition to air pollution is the household and agricultural chemicals.Crop dusting, fumigating homes, household cleaning products or painting supplies, over the counter insect/pest killers, fertilizer dust emit harmful c hemicals into the air and cause pollution. In many case, when we use these chemicals at home or offices with no or little ventilation, we may fall ill if we breathe them. Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay. The effects of human productivity, not only has an effect on our air but its damages the earth itself and the creature inhabiting it including humans.Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to peopleââ¬â¢s nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs.Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2. 5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution. People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. Air pollutants called chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) have destroyed parts of the ozone layer.The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere layer of Earth's atmosphere, shields our planet from the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. The areas of thin ozone are called ozone holes. Ultraviolet radiation causes skin cancer and damages plants and wildlife. Ozone molecules wind up near the Earth's surface as a part of air pollution. Ozone molecules near the ground damages lung tissues of animals and prevent plant respiration by blocking the openings in leaves where respiration occurs. Without respiration, a plant is not able to photosynthesize at a high rate and so it will not be able to grow.Apart from the effects living organism face with air pollution the earth is becoming less stable for life, these effects are known as global warming which is destroying the very structure of earth that sustains life. Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earthââ¬â¢s atmosphere.Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.These continuing air problems are only small compared to problems that can be seen. Water already being a scarce resource in many countries is also affected by the pollution of mankind that has harsh outcomes for people, the environment and its wildlife. We rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. Changing climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. As technology improves, scientists are able to detect more pollutants, and at smaller concentrations, in Earthââ¬â¢s freshwater bodies.Containing traces of pollution ranging from birth control pills, sunscreen to pesticides and petroleum, our planet's lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater chemical mixture. Beyond synthetic pollution, freshwater is also the end point for biological waste, in the form of human sewage, animal excrement, and rainwater runoff flavored by nutrient-rich fertilizers from yards and farms. These nutrients find their way through river systems into seas, sometimes creating coast al ocean zones void of oxygenââ¬âand therefore aquatic lifeââ¬âand making the connection between land and sea painfully obvious.There have been countless reports of the effects water pollution has caused. An article published by Dawn Walls-Thumma talk about the water pollution. ââ¬Å"Mississippi River, poisoning the water in the Gulf of Mexico and causing an 8,000-square-mile dead zone ââ¬â an area roughly the size of New Jersey ââ¬â in which aquatic life cannot survive. â⬠This is showing the connection between developed countries and developing ones are closely interacted when it comes to environmental health.Drinking water comes from surface water, such as lakes and rivers, and from groundwater Pollution in these sources affects the quality and safety of water available in your home and, if the problem is not detected, it can affect your health. Pollution of drinking water occurs because of contamination by human and animal waste, mining activities, fertiliz er and pesticides from homes and farms, industrial wastes, hazardous wastes generated by dry cleaners and gas stations, landfills and improperly disposed-of household wastes. Pollution with sewage or manure runoff can cause microbial contamination of drinking water.This results in gastrointestinal diseases that can be fatal in high risk individuals. Nitrates ââ¬â chemicals used in synthetic fertilizers ââ¬â can leach into groundwater or run off into surface waters. While most individuals suffer no adverse effects from high levels of nitrates, infants cannot convert them into a harmless substance; if they consume nitrates, they can die from blue baby syndrome, a disorder in which the blood cannot properly carry oxygen. Infants, young children, pregnant and nursing women and some elderly individuals are most at risk for nitrate poisoning.Increased demand for agriculture commodities generates incentives to convert forests and grasslands to farm fields and pastures. The transiti on to agriculture from natural vegetation often cannot hold onto the soil and many of these plants, such as coffee, cotton, palm oil, soybean and wheat, can actually increase soil erosion beyond the soilââ¬â¢s ability to maintain it. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species.And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding. Sustainable land use can help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and livestock, preventing soil degradation and erosion and the loss of valuable land to desertification. The conditions of human life causing pollution is putting an ne to the earthââ¬â¢s life, with increasing populations and developing cities the world will not be able to last past the next generation. The only way we can continue to enjoy our earth is by finding and following the sol utions to these environmental problems.Air pollution to combat pollution in the United States, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to establish and enforce air pollution standards and to set emission standards for new factories and extremely hazardous industrial pollutants. The states were required to meet ââ¬Å"ambient air quality standardsâ⬠by regulating the emissions of various pollutants from existing stationary sources, such as power plants and incinerators, in part by the installation of smokestack scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and other filters.Auto manufacturers were mandated to install exhaust controls or develop less polluting engines. The Clean Air Act, as amended in 1977, authorized the EPA to impose stricter pollution standards and higher penalties for failure to comply with air quality standards. another well needed policy revision is the Clean up oceangoing vessels. Cruise ships, container ships and tankers emit staggering amounts of smog-forming nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, heat-trapping carbon dioxide and particulates, among them black carbon (soot). New evidence shows that pollution from these vessels reaches surprisingly far inland.The U. S. government has requested that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) create an ââ¬Å"emissions-control areaâ⬠in American waters, including off Alaska and Hawaii. Although the U. S. signed the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, it cannot enforce those requirements until the IMO grants the right to create the control areas along its coastlines. Water pollution solutions are something that everyone can do to help prevent further pollution. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing.If we all do this, we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduces the amount of dirty water that needs treatment. Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the disposal of medicines and chemicals. If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the material into nearby water sources. With soil degradation the best way is to grow leguminous plants.We should use natural manure instead of fertilizers. Legumes are notable in that most of them have symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in structures called root nodules. The world is a far off better place without the constant rising pollution and all it would take is a decrease in the living standards of people in developed countries. The use of less water and care products thatââ¬â¢s add to water pollution driving cars that run on fossil fuels worsening our air quality and the chemical ways of farming in addition to the draining of resources.
Importance of Correlation Analysis in Decision Making
National language. Language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. Thus, the government has made Malay as the national language of our country. National Language Act 1967 has been allocated the Malay language as the official language. Starting in 1970, the discussion between the leaders has gradually replaced English as the medium of instruction in schools.Governments also undertook a campaign to promote the use of Malay with the launch of ââ¬Å"Gerakan Cintailah Bahasa Kebangsaanâ⬠. Unity is an essential element for a country to be more advanced. In order to improve the quality of a country in all aspect, the citizen playing the most important roles. For an example, Malaysia is independent with the unity of people of different races in 1957. This shows that a country will not be established without the true unity among the people.If one country has no unity where people is not trusting one another, the country will fall apart and lead to the the internal strife among the people. An dramatic example is the issue of the races riot happened on May 13,1969 in Malaysia. The internal conflict had caused 2000 people kill. This brings awareness to Malaysian that people without the true unity and the no trustworthy is capable to ruin a country. So we should turn our face to the sun and the shadows fall behind us.In order to avoid infighting among people, the spirit of unity should be planted in our souls. National language is important in every country as it is not only allow communication among the people but also increase the understanding of different ethnics among different races. National language plays an important role in the process of fostering unity among the races. This is because toleration and trustworthy among each other is needed to unite the people through understanding.
Friday, September 13, 2019
Study of The UK Food Manufacturing 2036 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words
Study of The UK Food Manufacturing 2036 - Essay Example The paper has deployed a number of strategic management techniques to determine market condition, consumer demand and position of the companies thereof. SWOT, PEST and Porterââ¬â¢s five force analyses were considered appropriate. Besides business environment, financial and non-financial performance of each company has been assessed along with their cumulative performance for a period of five years. The paper has elaborately discussed every aspect of business with respect to the subject companies using ratio analysis. The outcomes have also been critically assessed and recommendations have been provided keeping in view the future scope of growth and development for the firms. The food sector in the United Kingdom (UK) can be chiefly segmented in four areas, namely, food manufacturing, food retailing, food wholesaling and non-residential catering. Food is an essential purchase among all others by consumers and growth of food sector is being significantly driven by increasing population. Between 1992 and 2008, the food sector of the UK grew parallel with economic boom and stabilised by 2012. The food manufacturing sector is significantly dominated by different kind of foods that can be conveniently categorised as necessity food and luxury food and be further subdivided into other categories (DEFRA, 2014a; Manley, 2010). The diversified nature of the UK food industry and its contribution in the UK economy makes it an interesting choice of research. The food manufacturing sector is an essential part of the food industry as it acts as a link between agro-food industry of raw material and food retailing and wholesaling. Food manufacturing is also essential for the food industry because it generate employment, provides export opportunities, minimises scope of import and results in great value addition to local produces and local crop producers (ILO, 2014). The research paper
Thursday, September 12, 2019
The Global Social and Enviremental Opportunities and Risks Facing Essay
The Global Social and Enviremental Opportunities and Risks Facing Woolworths - Essay Example On a global front, Woolworths needs to keep identifying risks and prospects that keep emerging as well as those already in existent. A noteworthy characteristic of the retail industry that Woolworths face is the rising intensity of competition and domination by few companies (Seth & Randall 2001). Therefore, accurate evaluation of social and environmental opportunities and risks is very critical to enable the company to adopt apposite strategic measures. Understanding of these opportunities and risks helps in establishment of effective growth policies and expansion plans or in a more threatening environment measures that pre-eminently upholds the current position or if need be, allows pull-out from markets. Understanding of future opportunities and risks also helps toshape how the management base their strategic decisions. This is because they need to balance and in consideration of other factors, they determine a realistic and sustainable direction to the retail business. Opportunit ies and risk analysis enables a retail chain, such as Woolworths, to identify the global markets and areas that are viable to open up new ventures and how exactly to take care of the needs of the clientele (Richardson & Williams 1995). In addition, they determine the allocation of resources.Opportunities and risks can be in any aspect of the company. They can be in skills and abilities of the employees, location and environment of operation, products and branding, financial and informational management. Social Opportunities and Risks One of the most noteworthy social opportunities is the global Woolworths Trust EduPlant programme (Burch & Lawrence, 2007). In collaboration with other organizations and educational institutions in several countries, for instance South Africa the programme sponsors and funds educational institutions in the growing of healthy foods in a sustainable system (Burch & Lawrence 2007, p 24). For over the last ten years, EduPlant programme has supported thousan ds of educational institutions to boost food security in the societies and to improve the nutrition of their students (Burch & Lawrence 2007, p 24). The programme runs annually and begins with an invitation to various stakeholders in the education sector to go for one day all-expense paid permaculture training.Those who are trained on various permaculture techniques become food security campaigners in their societies. They are then sponsored to grow food gardens that produce much-needed food for the schools within the communities. Land portions within the schools are converted into healthy greened environments and the trained educators are empoweredto share their permaculture skills with other members of the community (Burch & Lawrence, 2007). After the learning institutions have grown their gardens, they register them into a national competition. They continue to get support and guidance from trained permaculture specialists who visit the institutions and finally choose 63 finalist s. All selected finalist institutions are awarded with cash rewards and environmental, health and agricultural resources. Further rewards- in both cash and resources are given to the winners of various other categories. This programme is a great opportunity to market and promote Woolworths and make it a great brand name across all generations as well as boost its corporate social responsibility regarding
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