SISCO Marketing Plan Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SISCO Marketing Plan - Case Study Example This being the first year of operation in the financial and mortgage industry, SISCO has developed its own customer base, thus cultivating its own niche market. An aggressive marketing will however lead to a growth of its customer base, thus making its presence widely known in Jeddah. SISCO's core business shall be the supply of financial services to both individuals and business owners, who have interests in the mortgage and property development industry. Following a study of the target market, the information acquired will hence help the company to better serve the needs of the customers. The kingdom is witnessing a change in demographics of home development. Previously, individuals build at least 98 percent of the homes, whereas developers only handled the remaining 2 percent. The trend is however rapidly changing owing to a drastic rise in both the building materials, and a corresponding increase in development cost The sector is bound to witness a rapid growth, and which will continue onto the following year. This saw investment into real estate increasing by more than two folds by the end of 2007. This review, which was provided by the Global Investment House, also reported of an annual growth in the sector of 115.9 percent, and which now stands at SAR 100.4 billion. In almost all the segments in this market, demand almost always surpasses supply. While this trend is expected to hold in coming years, real estate prices, as well as rental will more than likely remain buoyant. 9. Market trends: The real estate market in Saudi Arabia has remained buoyant, thanks to the availability of sustainable demand. As long as there is an economic expansion, there will be a resultant creation of investment opportunities in the region. Demand will thus continue picking up, fuelled by an influx of increased rates. In addition, population growth in the kingdom has been forecasted to continue growing annually at a rate of 2.5 percent, to reach 25.66 million at the end of 2009. At the same time, there shall be a decline in the average house hold size from 5.5 to 5.2 persons for the periods 2005-2009. This will in turn lead to a corresponding increase in housing demand, which has been estimated to be at 1 million units by the end of the same period. This translates into an increase of 200,000 units per year on average. Jeddah is also witnessing a growing trend, in which high rise and luxurious apartment are being designed and developed by real estate developers of repute (Parker 2007). 10. Market needs: There is a dire need to supply over 200,000 housing units per year. In order to achieve this, a total of 280 million square meters of land is needed. Further, SAR 500 billion needs to be invested in the sector to be able to construct the 1 million housing units. In order to quench this thirst for housing units, the availability of sufficient financial mechanisms are needed (Parker 2007). 11. SWOT Analysis: This is a description of the company's strengths, weaknesses, threats and

History 113 - Group project - A Tale of Two Cities - Ideas gathering Assignment

History 113 - Group project - A Tale of Two Cities - Ideas gathering - Assignment Example What factors led to the success of French Revolution? How did London contribute to this change? How did people, both of royal and lay descent, feel about the Revolution? By looking at the lives of Charles Darnay, Lucie Manette and Sydney Carton, Dickens tries to provide readers with a more personal understanding of the French Revolution and how it affected individuals from different backgrounds. A Tale of Two Cities is considered as one of the Dickensian of all Charles Dickens’ work. Gone are the main characters with exaggerated mannerisms, idiosyncratic speech of his earlier work. This time, Dickens has dealt with social issues head-on, minus the comedy. Many critics say that as the Tale is about love, violence and transformation, it is a representation of the the major events and changes happening in Dickens’ life during the period. On the outside, Dickens was faced with a rapidly industrializing society. At the time, England was considered as one of the wealthiest nations in the world, but its political and social stability was in danger as the French Revolution planned to expand their territory. Meanwhile, as turmoil in the English society increases, turmoil in Dickens’ life was also increasing. For one, his 23-year marriage with Catherine Hogart was coming to a close. He has also discovered a new zest for writing and acting when he fell in love wit h the younger Ellen Ternan. A Tale of Two Cities embodied the irony of Dickens’ life and contradiction in society – a life of hope and despair, of joy and sadness, of love and hate, of prosperity and poverty – a theme which can be seen immediately from the beginning of the book, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Importation of Agricultural Products from Africa to the EU

Importation of Agricultural Products from Africa to the EU The Role Certification, including Grading and Standards Play in the Importation of Organic Agricultural Products from Africa to the EU CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Abstract What are standards?; what is organic produce? What factors drive the economic climate in Africa and the EU? What is certification? What is the purpose of certification? and how important is the exportation of organic agricultural produce from Africa to the EU in terms of their economic relationship?, are all questions which go to the heart of this thesis. Accordingly they will be extrapolated throughout the thesis enquiry and where they intersect and overlap this will be explained throughout the thesis. Various themes will be incorporated into the thesis since these, too will be relevant to the answering of the above named questions. These themes include; the economic climate in Africa; poverty in Africa; the importance of the organic produce exportation market to African farmers; why regulation is important in the EU; supply chain management issues and their importance; business good practice; traceability of produce; pricing; productisation and marketing strategies. These themes an d the answers to these questions will highlight the role that certification, including grading and standards play in the importation of organic products from Africa to the EU. The purpose of these processes will be looked at throughout the course of the thesis and this will elucidate their role also. The place of certification, grading and standards processes will be assessed; and their overall contribution to the economic climate in Africa will be examined. In this sense, through analysis of contemporary and historical, economic and political issues, both in the EU and in Africa, a greater perspective on the role of these processes may be derived. Also, the importance of organic produce to consumers in the EU will be examined and the reasons for its growth in popularity will be analysed, since this too will shed light on the role played by certification, grading and standards processes in the importation of organic produce from Africa to the EU. Introduction The economic relationship between Africa and the EU is complex (Ake, C. (1996); p1), and may be described as of key economic significance to Africa, and, albeit to a lesser extent to the EU. The economic relationship in terms of organic commodity trade and exportation is also important. The market for organic produce in the EU is developing at an exponential rate. The reasons for this will be looked at in more detail, as the thesis progresses, but for the moment is is suffice merely to support this point in the following way: the Centre for the Development of Industry in the EU has estimated that the annual growth rate of the organic products market in global terms exceeds 20% (CDI, 1999; p1). Some more figures may put this statistic into perspective. This industry for organic commodity produce produces sales of an estimated 4.1 billion Euro, in Europe (as estimated in 1997) (CDI, 1999; p2). This is all the more significant for the EU, given that according to EPOPA (2006; Section 3.1 .1) the connections between Africa and the EU in the arena of organic exportation of agricultural produce are far more developed that those between Africa and Japan or between Africa and the United States[1]. This evidences the importance of the relationship between the EU and Africa, and the importance of sustaining this economic relationship by keeping standards of produce in terms of quality and integrity at a high threshold. This is one of the functions of the the process of certification, which will be examined in greater detail as the the thesis progresses. The European Union have strict regulations which apply to the importation of organic products from Africa into the EU, and this is particularly true of organically produced commodities such as coffee, vanilla and other foodstuffs produced by African farmers. Certification is one of these processes of regulation and it is a requirement which is just one of an amalgam of requirements which must first be satisfied before organic agricultural products may be exported from Africa to the EU. Many programmes and organisations have been established with the specific purpose of encouraging African farmers to export organic produce to the EU. Organic produce which is to be exported from Africa into the EU is required to be checked rigorously to ensure that its standards are acceptable for consumption in the EU. These standards, procedures and programmes and their purpose will be explained and discussed throughout this project. In particular, there will be a focus on the role that grading and standards play in the importation of organic agricultural products from Africa into the EU. The methodology which will be used throughout the thesis will be qualitative in nature and will revolve around the evaluation of secondary sources. Some quantitative material will be used but this will be evaluated qualitatively, in keeping with the emphasis which is to be maintained on the qualitative arm of research methodology. Research Aims and Objectives The objectives of the research are fairly straightforward. The primary concern of the research is to answer the thesis question as clearly and as concisely as possible. The writer wishes to formulate an originally conceived thesis and to draw conclusions on the basis of what has been discovered through the research enquiry. The limitations of the research will be assessed, and the best ways to lessen the effects of limiting factors will be identified and implemented. Therefore the writer wishes the thesis to contribute to research in the field and to be a source of information for others interested in researching the same field. It is the ultimate aim of the writer, to fully understand the role of certification (to include the process of grading and standards) in the importation of organic agricultural produce from Africa to the EU. Therefore these processes will be examined in depth and explained in full, with reference to academic publications and internet based resources. The socio-political and economic environment in which these processes operate is of crucial importance to the thesis, and accordingly it is the aim of the writer to fully explain these and the give illustrations of theory, where appropriate. A means of doing so effectively has been identified as the use of a case study. Accordingly, the country of Uganda has been chosen as the basis for the case study, and the socio political environment and the points made in relation to this will be illustrated through this mechanism. CHAPTER TWO METHODOLOGY Methodology This project will involve a qualitative evaluation of published and well known texts in the field. These will be secondary sources, as the topic is so far removed from Western culture and the resources available to the writer are such that credible primary research is perhaps not a feasible option. Nevertheless in depth and comprehensive insights will be gleamed from books, articles and web based resources. The methodology will therefore use secondary sources. Qualitative research mainly focuses on an interpretation of the world around the researcher. The researcher themselves is used as a mechanism of research and their observations form key elements in the research (Bryman, A. (1992); p45). Quantitative research, conversely focuses on scientific extrapolations of data (Bryman, A. (1992); p11) and quantitative research tends to predict and hypothesis about results whereas qualitative research results tend to be more malleable and subjective in their extrapolation. The focus on qualitative research was chosen for this project as it seemed more compatible with the ultimate aims of the thesis enquiry. A dearth of literature is available on the subject at hand and this may be explored through many means such as library based and internet based research. Therefore views and opinions, as well as the research of others were consulted in the course of the research. In the course of research of this nature, to preserve the integrity of the research; objectivity is obviously a prime concern. The writer must be careful not to extract views that are biased, or to formulate their own views through examination of biased material. Therefore a very wide scope was introduced to the research and a wide selection of texts were consulted. Where possible more than one text were used to substantiate points that are to be made. This scope will assist the writer to accumulate a more biased and open minded view of the issues which the research question will address. The objectivity of the research was also preserved as the writer consulted a wide range of sources published by interested parties, such as development agencies, non profit making organisations, government endorsed material and material available from the world of academia. The website of the European Union was also consulted as this is probably quite a reliable source of information, and reliability, like objectivity was paramount in the pursuit of the research objectives. Therefore sources that were disseminated through reliable and well recognised media like on-line book databases were consulted. In this sense therefore the qualitative research which was the objective of the project was gathered systematically and in a planned and structured manner. Potential drawbacks and potential problems for the thesis enquiry were also considered. Limited resources were obviously a primary concern, as any research project may be indefinitely improved upon through expenditure of money and availability of resources. However, since this is a university project and one which has a limited time scale, such investment was not feasible. Therefore the writer attempted to compensate for this by ensuring that the research objectives were identified clearly from an early stage of the research, so as to enable the writer to devote as much time as possible to the gathering of material for the project. The research was therefore well planned and executed in a consistent and methodical manner, adding credibility and depth to the finished piece. Ethics are also of primary concern to any credible researcher. Therefore, the writer ensured that they familiarised themselves with ethical research practices, prior to the execution of the research. In terms of ethics, for this research, which does not involve contact with human research subjects, the ethical concerns of the writer were probably much less onerous, as great care must be taken when human subjects are involved in research. Nevertheless, ethical concerns played a substantial part of the research skeleton and the themes of objectivity and reliability of sources were given much consideration, as has been explained above. The emphasis was on producing a wide, comprehensive, well thought out and ethically complied thesis and this is obvious from how the piece has been approached. CHAPTER THREE AFRICA, FARMING AND THE EU African Farmers and the EU Thousands of African farmers operate small farm holdings and they are, in many respects reliant upon these agricultural practices in terms of maintaining a healthy, or even subsistence standard of living. Poverty among this sector of Africans (the agricultural sector) has been explained in many ways, some of which are described in this passage: 'Tiffen et al.'s (1994) much-admired study of Machakos District, Kenya, demonstrates much success in agricultural development and improved rural welfare over the last 40 years. But there is precious little in that work about differentiation. Instead, we have had to wait for Rocheleau et al. (1995) for reports of increasing social differentiation in the District. This has been reinforced by the detail in Murton's recently published work (1999), based on surveys in one village in upper Machakos, supported by rapid appraisal for other villages.Forty per cent or more of households have not had the capital to invest in cash crops of coffee and French beans(Belshaw and Livingstone (2002); p110)'. The EU plays an important part in maintaining higher living standards for the African farmers, and a large part of this involves supporting the practice of exportation of organic produce from Africa to the EU. This supporting function engaged in by the EU involves the support and maintenance of various agencies and initiatives. The agencies to whom the responsibility of ensuring that the importation of organic agricultural products from Africa to the EU runs smoothly conduct research and gather data in relation to the operation of importing organic produce from Africa into the EU. They also offer advice to African farmers wishing to improve their circumstances through growing and exporting their products to the EU. Examples of the agencies and initives mentioned above include EPOPA (Export Promotion of Organic Products from Africa), Fairtrade and EFTA. EPOPA This is an organisation which is called a development agency. It was originally set up by the Swedish International Development Agency in 1997, and its aim is to educate African farmers about business strategy and awareness of the regulations which are involved in exporting their organic produce to Africa (EPOPA, 2006; p1). Specifically, this agency targets small holder farmers as this sector of the African population stand to gain the most from this education, advice and information provision service (EPOPA, 2006; p1). EFTA EFTA was established in 1990 and this term stands for the European Free Trade Association (http://www.efta.int/). This organisation operates as part of a network which involves eleven different Fair Trade organisations in various European countries, who import fair trade products from almost 500 economically disadvantaged countries, including Africa (http://www.efta.int/). Its head office is based in Maastricht in the Netherlands and its main official mission statement is to ensure that Fair Trade is conducted more efficiently and effectively; part of its role is also to disseminate information to farmers in Africa and to organise networks between farmers to ensure that they can exchange ideas and experiences of producing products, including agricultural products for sale in the EU (http://www.efta.int/). Markets for Organic Products It is important to be aware that the market for organic produce is limited when compared with the markets for more generic produce. Although it has been argued above that the market for organic produce in the EU is quite large, it is important to understand that this market is not comparable in terms of size with other markets, selling globally recognised merchandise and products such as Mc Donald's food and mobile phones. This puts the pressing need for quality standards in the organic food market into perspective, and highlights the need for processes of certification and quality control. In terms of organic trade the US, the United Kingdom and Germany have the biggest markets for the sale of organic produce; whereas the most significant per capita consumption can be found in Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark (EPOPA, 2006; Annex 2). This limited size exemplifies the importance of putting high quality produce into these markets; as often what drives the demand for organic produce is the perception that organic produce is of a superior quality and is more healthy for the purposes of consumption. Outlets for Organic Produce A look at the food outlets for organic produce throughout the EU will also allow the writer to gain perspective on the importance of quality and standards. This analysis will introduce the main thrust of the thesis, which is the role of certification, grading and standards in the importation of organic produce from Africa into the EU. In the EU, most organic produce tends to be marketing through hypermarkets and supermarkets (EPOPA, 2006; Annex 2). The emphasis is on cleanliness and presentability. This is an indication of the growing demands there are in the EU for organic produce. The features of organic produce are very marketable within the EU, in the face of public concerns about food safety and health issues connected with foodstuffs. The genetically modified food market has also perhaps strengthened the demand for organic foodstuffs within the EU, since this controversial issue has highlighted and contributed to the growing concerns there are among members of the public about the long term health impacts which may be the result of eating an unhealthy or overly chemically ridden diet. There are proven links between diet and cancer; proven links between some chemicals and cancer and obviously these health issues make the public image of organic foodstuffs very important. These factors have put organic food onto the shopping lists of many people within the EU, who perhaps traditionally would have regarded organic food as a luxury which was extravagant and unnecessary. The next section will focus on how Africa came to be one of Europe's main suppliers of these organic foodstuffs, that are growing in importance. CHAPTER FOUR AFRICA'S DEVELOPING ECONOMY Africa's Economic Climate and the Developments Which Have Affected the Agricultural Industry The Africa economy has undoubtedly become more sophisticated in recent years (http://europa.eu/pol/agr/index_en.htm) (Hanna, J. and Hanna, W. (1981); p81). Like the Republic of Ireland, Africa has seen a process of diversification. The age old dependency upon commodities for the economic well being of the country has been lessened through the process of diversification (Barber, W. (1961); p44) (Hyden, G., Kates, R. and Turner, B. (1993); p41). Mauritius is just one example; South Africa, Botswana, Senegal and Uganda are others. Commodities such as sugar cane, minerals and gold and diamond exportation and the manufacturing industries which have seen more investment have contributed to this emboldened leap forward(Arnold, G (2000); p91) (Konadu-Agyemang, K. (2001); p11). Strengthening political structures has also played a large part in the economic progress that has been seen to affect the commodity markets in particular in these countries (Yudelman, D. (1983); p3) (Ottaway, M. (1997); p15). Ottoway gives us some important detail here: 'The economy that the new democratic elites inherit in most African countries has typically suffered from two decades of mismanagement, exogenous shocks, and inappropriate policies, resulting in a growing debt crisis and a semipermanent process of negotiations and debt rescheduling with international creditors. In addition, the democratic transition itself has occasioned large economic costs, either because of extensive civil unrest and sometimes violence, or because of the fiscal recklessness of authoritarian leaders trying to hold onto power. Thus, the governments that emerge from the process of democratization face the daunting tasks of consolidating pluralist institutions and undertaking urgent economic reform simultaneously(Ottaway, M. (1997); p17)'. During the 1960s, when most African countries obtained independence from colonial rule, many commodity industries were subject to a process similar to the nationalised industry strategies we saw immediately prior to the Thatcher era in Britain (Aryeetey, E., Court, J., Nissanke, M. and Weder, B. (2003); p201). The commodity industries in most African countries therefore were heavily influenced by politicians often engaged in undemocratic practices (Reynolds, A. (1999); p28). Also, the absence of private enterprise which these national led economies fostered led to huge market inefficiency. These processes are slowly becoming more sophisticated, and African countries have moved from selling raw produce to packaging and marketing their own. Africa farmers are also engaged in direct trading with the West(Federici, S., McLaren, J. and Mwaria, C. (2000); p3); the EU in particular as we have seen explained in the introduction. Better investment in the economies of African countries has led to the availability of more education for more people. Interventions from agencies, described above have also contributed greatly to the increasing sophistication of the economies of African countries, paying dividends in terms of a strengthened economy and better stability for small holdings farmers (Abubakar, A. (1989); p83). Better roads have also been a dividend of this growing economic fervour, as these have led to better economic stability for producers who are able to sustain their own supply chains for private enterprise commodity exportation to the EU, and further afield. Specifically, this is of relevance to organic producers of agricultural produce for ultimate distribution in the EU. Sea and air freight are the most common forms of transportation used by African farmers to deliver their products to the EU (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.1.3). However there are countries such as Uganda and Zambia, which may be descried as landlocked countries, and as such they need to rely upon established and well constructed roads in order to ensure that there business supply chain is uninterrupted and reliable. This is so that they may be able to reach ports and airports with their produce. What is Quality/What are Standards? This refers to a measure of how much value the product may be seen as having. Higher quality products tend to have higher values. Standards, in the context of the certification process refer to a measure of quality. Quality is important in the context of organic commodity export from Africa to the EU as it allows producers to measure how valuable their produce is in a comparative sense. In this sense, quality informs the end consumer of the product and it also informs each and every actor who has contact with products along the supply chain which brings the product to market. Quality is therefore of key significance to all concerned with the presence of organic agricultural commodities from Africa in the EU and global markets. Specifically, quality in the production of organic commodities in Africa is measured with reference to particular characteristics. These are: origin, service, volume, and reliability of exporter (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.5). CHAPTER FIVE THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS AND WIDER ECONOMIC ISSUES Factors which an African Farmer Must Take into Account: The Certification Process Before an African farmer may export organic agricultural goods for consumption within the EU, the farmer must first obtain a certificate in Organic Standards (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.2). The purpose of the certification process is to ensure that the farmer is producing organic products that are of a high enough standard to enter the EU market and the homes of EU consumers. It is illegal for an African farmer to export goods from their farms, for distribution in the UK, without first obtaining such certification, and the organic certificate is only issued for a period of one year (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3). While obtaining the appropriate certification, is often time consuming and expensive, there are many ways this certification can be obtained and the two major categories are external certification and internal certification (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3). The farmers may engage in what is known as an Internal Control System or ICS. Small farmers can obtain certification in groups, which ameliorates the constraint of expense on the farmer in question (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3). This system of internal certification is advantageous to farmers also as it maximises contact between farmers in similar situations and enables networks to the established between the farmers and therefore facilitates the building of economic relationships and the sharing of experience and expertise. These groups need to be monitored internally. External certification involves an external certifier gathering much information about the farmers who wish to export their agricultural organic produce to the EU. In order for standards and grading to be conducted in a fair and consistent manner the farmer in question must provide much information about their business and agricultural practices (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3). The external certifier may organise inspections of the produce (and where quality suspicions have been raised, more inspections may be carried out at the certifier's discretion) which has been grown by the farmer wishing to export organic goods for sale and consumption in the EU and the certifier may make certain recommendations to the farmer; accordingly the external certifier holds much power and influence (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3). What Does the Certifier Look For in the Pursuit of Consistent Standards of Product Integrity? The certifier will look at a number of issues before the issue of a certification which will enable the farmer to distribute his organic agricultural produce for consumption in the EU. Firstly there will be a need to ensure that organic and non-organic produce is keep separate; secondly there will be a need to ensure that products are traceable; thirdly the technologies which are used in the growth and production process are strictly monitored, and lastly there will be a need to ensure that controls are imposed on agents used in the production process of the goods (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.4). These are the main issues which a certifier will look at before a certificate will be issued to the farmer who wishes to export his agricultural produce to the EU. Perhaps the most important of these processes is the need for traceability. This process refers to the identification of foodstuffs and an ability to trace where the product has come from (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3-2.4). This process is particularly important, where there are quality or health and safety issues with the organic foodstuffs. This process therefore involves a registration programme, where farmers are required to to register the full origin of the produce, including any supply chain transitions, so that the origin of the foodstuffs are always clearly identifiable (EPOPA, 2006; Section 2.3-2.4). In terms of the monitoring of technology and the other factors identified above; these are also very important in the process of standards and grading of the produce. Ethical factors are key here. Organic agriculture is often viewed by those who purchase and consume organic products as a safer and more environmentally friendly option. The certification process has to ensure that these standards are retained on a level which is commensurate with the levels of faith that consumers of organic produce place in them. Therefore technologies and production enhancement through the use of technology is strictly monitored in the standards/grading and certification process. The Need for Certification in Terms of Quality Control of Organic Agricultural Produce There is quite a broad spectrum of quality which may be expected from African producers of organic agricultural produce. This diversity exists even in spite of the checks which are imposed at certification level. The agencies which work closely with African farmers aim to eliminate these problems with quality. The certification process is just the first step, since even the checks which may be imposed at certification level can only guarantee a standard level of quality. In some cases, also the certification inspections may not be frequent enough to identify and eliminate sub standard produce. The long term solution to this problem therefore is arguably to attempt to look at why some African farmers are producing lower grade produce and in doing so to attempt to identify some possible solutions to this problem. Organic farming is also highly labour intensive and attracts very high distributions expenses. Also, in terms of organic produce from Africa, the African distributors often obtain very low prices for their products in EU markets and this encourages or even necessitates lower quality produce to be distributed (EPOPA, 2006; Annex 3). This is due to a number of factors, one of which is that the image of Africa and African produce is quite poor. Consumers are often very concerned with the origin of the products in question and, while this is an intangible issue, which is essentially reputation orientated; this does not imply that it cannot be addressed at source, by African farmers. One way to address this problem is to build rapport with the customer, by attaching recognisable names and personas to the produce, creating continuity and trust between producers and the end consumer. Examples of these 'personas' have been identified by EPOPA (2006; Section 3.2.1) as Tasty Toms, De l Monte Pineapples and Chiquita bananas. Branding therefore is a crucial part of the commodity market for sale of organic produce between Africa and the EU, as it builds trust and encourages the African farmers producing such commodities to maintain their reputations through strengthening the quality of the products they can distribute to end customers. The Fair Trade Certification Process This is a particular course of certification which may be acquired mainly for agricultural products (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.3.3). It is similar to the generic process of certification, although it is perhaps not as widely recognised by exporters of produce to the EU, which is because this particular method of certification seeks to target small and disadvantaged commodity producers in Africa (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.3.3). What is the Grading and Standards Process? The grading process is an essential part of the organic exportation business. It may be done by both farmers themselves and by exporters (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.2.2). It ensures that minimum standards are adhered to and that there are levels of consistency in terms of quality instilled in the quality control processes surrounding the exportation of organic produce to the EU. Grading may be carried out in conjunction with other processes that are linked to the grading system. Bulking, cleaning, grading and packing are usually undertaken at the same time (EPOPA, 2006; Section 3.2.2), as this enables the grader to identify and separate lower quality produce, and to ensure that the produce is fully prepared for exportation. For example, if a certain commodity is packaged in a particular way, it may be graded in a better category, since it is to be expected that the packaging may preserve the produce better than inferior packaging or no packaging at all. Grading and its Links with Better Infrastructure Grading is inherently linked with economic and infrastructure development in African countries. It makes sense that processes like this should not be regarded as isolated processes. For example, the grading of produce may be significantly affected by the length of time it takes for their produce to reach points where exportation may begin. Therefore the point that economic processes may be seen to be intertwined so crucially with more macro economic

High School Literature :: essays papers

High School Literature The story â€Å"Brownies† by ZZ Packer could be looked at as a work of literature from certain views, but in the opinion of Prose, the author of â€Å" I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read,† I do not believe that this story would be looked at as a work of literature. This story does not seem very â€Å"uplifting† as Prose would want it to be for a high school reader. Although it is a very interesting story and it holds many important messages about our society and culture, it does not hold up to Prose’s standards as a work of literature. Prose believes that we â€Å"have rushed to sacrifice complexity for diversity.† (Prose, 76) This is exactly why I do not think that Prose would choose this story as a something she would want students to read. â€Å"The reader is being squandered on regimens of trash and semi-trash, taught for reasons that have nothing to do with how well the book is written.† (Prose, 76) Prose often talks about how stories that are chosen for our society’s high school curriculum are not complicated enough. The stories read by students are easy to read, and demand very little thought from the reader. Prose uses words such as transformative, complex, powerful, and profound for the books she believes should be used. These words do not describe the story â€Å"Brownies† by ZZ Packer. Although there are many accurate similes and decently used language in the story â€Å"Brownies,† the overall point of the story seems very simple for a high school student to pick up on. I do not think it would engender a feeling of deep thought for students, as Prose would want. The story â€Å"Brownies† seems like it would be easy to analyze. It seems like more of the type of story that would evoke more of a response, which in my opinion would not be greatly valued by Prose. She seems like she would be more interested in having a high school student have to work to analyze a story, than respond about how they felt about a certain piece of writing. Racism is a strong message in the story â€Å"Brownies.† There are two troops of brownies camping in the same area. One of the troops is black girls, and the other is all white girls.

My worse day ever

My worst day ever was the day my brother fell out the window, and almost died. My brothers name is All. He was born on January 9, 2004 and Is the fourth child in our family. He was eight and a half years of old. It all happened on Tuesday September 11, 2012. My day began Like any other day not knowing what was hidden for me, I thought that this was going to be a great day. I had no Idea that my brother was going to fall from the second floor window and almost die. In this essay I will be informing you about how my day began, to how he fell and what happened at the end. I went to school like always and came home.When I arrived home we were told that guests might come over, so I cleaned the house and got dressed. After we completed cleaning we had our dinner. During the meal the children had made quite a mess under the table so I went upstairs to grab the vacuum. My room was next to the room where all the boys slept. There were five boys that slept in that room since we lived with our cousins. It was impossible to have beds so they had five mattresses on the floor but because we had to vacuum we put three against one wall and parallel to that wall and put the other two under the window.As passed through the rooms I noticed my brother All and cousin Mustang were throwing themselves and Jumping on the mattress from one wall to the other. As I grabbed the vacuum and left my room in the corner of my eye I saw my cousin Mustangs face. His face was red and he look like he was scared. I've never in my life seen a young child scared in that way. I sensed something wrong so, I began to look for All but, there was no sight of him. All I saw was the open window and oddly, the screen was half ripped off. I let go of the vacuum and ran to the window.I barely saw anything, al I saw was his arm, I felt my heart drop. If someone to hit me at that moment there would not have been even a single drop of blood that's how ice cold and shocked I was. As I ran down the stairs I was at a loss for words. Without thinking I swallowed and yelled†All Fell Out The Window Yummy!! â€Å". My sister summer and I said It at the same time because she was down stairs and saw him from the downstairs window. My mother was In the kitchen doing the dishes, when she heard her face changed In color and she fell to the ground In tears not knowing what to do.My Aunt quickly ran stairs to tell my uncle who has just entered the shower after a long hot day at work. Everyone in the house was crying as if he had died. All was in the backyard laying face down on the concrete floor. No one wanted to go outside and see him for the fear of him being dead. I couldn't Just leave him out there so I ran out. I opened the backyard door and went next to him. I began to cry as looked at him laying there. I felt as if the world had ended. I remember telling my self Hess alive. I felt him breathing but he was unconscious.Suddenly he woke up and began to try to get p so I picked him up in my ar ms and opened the door. SSL entered the house his forehead and his nose began to bleed. I went towards the living room and sat on the table with All In my lap and soon he began to cry because he saw everyone crying. My mother was hysterical so I yelled at her, and told her to get a towel and wipe the blood of his face. She did that while my uncle called the ambulance and my father. Hurt? â€Å". All replied in tears and a weak voice â€Å"l don't want shots! I don't want shots! â€Å".Through all that pain his only fear was to get shot. The police arrived and, a few seconds later the ambulance did too. They came in and wrapped All in a bed and took him. My mother went with, I wanted to go with her but the police kept asking me questions. They assumed that this had been purposely done and they wanted to keep us under surveillance. I had to tell the police everything and show them everything till they understood what happened and left. I was alone at home with all the kids, who wer e up stairs hiding in my room and crying from fear that All could have been dead.I went upstairs to comfort them and to tell them that All was â€Å"Okay' ND to Just make dud for him to come home soon. After a long time of waiting impatiently my mom finally called my aunt and told her everything. My aunt looked different and her face became pale but she tried to act normal. When she ended the call I asked her what happened. She told me that All broke his back, neck and, cheek bone and that he might not be ever able to walk again. I began to cry then she asked me not to tell the kids or anyone. She also said that the doctors will be taking one final x-ray to decide the outcome.That night I spent it entirely making dud and exiting everyone I know to make dud and ask others to make dud. That night was extremely long, I couldn't wait till morning to hear what happened. Morning came and no one called. I sat on the couch looking out the window and Just imaging All coming home all better then suddenly the phone rang. My uncle this time answered and he looked amazed for some reason. I waited till he hung up and then looked at him waiting for him to say something. Then he said â€Å"All is fine and is coming home tonight†. I looked at him and said â€Å"How? What do you mean by finer. He replied † Its a miracle ! Interrupting him I said â€Å"what is? â€Å"After the second x ray the doctors found nothing broken but his wrist. No one believed it, they had five doctors come in and check. â€Å". I was amazed † Allah had accepted our duds! † I replied. I felt that the time was going by slowly. They said they'll be here before seven but it was now seven thirty. We waited till eight and then they finally came. When I saw my brother I began to cry my aunt asked me to stop so I went to wash my face and came back down stairs and, spent time with my family. That was my worst day ever. I guess it ended up alright since my brother didn't die.

Denying human rights the immorality of abortion Essay

Abortion Imagine being ripped away from a chance at life, without even a choice. Abortion brings this awful thought to reality. Abortion disregards fetuses’ human rights to survive, for many different reasons. Abortion is a controversial topic that is debated by many across the United States. Abortion is wrong and should not be practiced in any circumstance, as it is taking away an innocent and helpless life. Abortion is immoral because of the late-term method and dejection of human rights and is a controversial topic conveyed in many different ways by the media. Late-term abortion is aborting a fetus at 20-24 weeks. â€Å"In 1992, Martin Haskell, MD† explained at a convention that â€Å"he â€Å"routinely† used to kill unborn children† (Wills 1).   He called this method of abortion â€Å"D&X†.   Partial-birth abortion is when the skull is crushed after exiting the uterus and the brain is vacuumed out. As violent as that sounds, many judges defend this method of abortion. An argument made is that it is just as gruesome as aborting in the second trimester, saying there is no moral difference between the two. Late-term abortions are â€Å"banned in 30 states†, and that should be enough to prove it is immoral to murder a fetus at childbirth (Wills 4). It was not the American public choice to permit these late abortions, but it is â€Å"the Supreme Court† and the unjust decision that there is â€Å"an arbitrary line between human life and (merely) â€Å"potential† life at the birth canal† (Wills 2). This court decision states that a â€Å"potential† life is not as important as an actual human life, and late-term abortion is permissible because the babies are not considered a human while inside the mother. If this were true, the baby would be a human life once exiting the birth canal. This states the decisions are unjust because the baby is no longer a â€Å"potential† life. Humans are born with basic human rights. Some might say a woman has the right to choose abortion, regardless of the reason.   A common argument pertaining to abortion is if the fetus has basic rights before actual childbirth. It is a choice for the mother to become sexually active in the first place, and a child should not have to pay for the mother’s mistake. In terms of rape cases, adoption allows the best option for both the mother and the baby. A philosopher, Judith Thomson, explains a â€Å"violinist† scenario to justify rape. She states that a woman wakes up strapped to a violinist, who is unconscious. The only way to detach herself is to kill him or wait 9 months and they will both live. Thomson is using the scenario to explain why abortion is permitted during rape cases. The fetus was not invited into the body, therefore was not wanted and can be aborted. She states the only type of immoral abortion is if you were planning on having a child when conceiving. Th is argument would not make sense, because the child would only be able to have rights if invited into the body, and the child cannot control the mother’s actions. A common reason for abortions is the burden a baby would have on a job or someone’s education. â€Å"While pregnancy is a temporary condition, abortion produces a permanent condition- the death of a child.† (Thompson 2).   Restraining from practicing abortions does not devalue the mother, but simply acknowledges a baby’s rights to be more important than pregnancy. A big influence on abortion is the media’s views on the procedure. Many celebrities, politicians, philosophers, and more have stated their views and reasons on why they support or disagree with abortion. A wide-known example of a supporter of late-term abortion is President Barack Obama. Obama has often stated his thoughts on abortion many times during campaigns. â€Å"President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign counterattacked, releasing a television advertisement in which a woman says that it is â€Å"a scary time to be a woman† because Mitt Romney has said he supports outlawing abortion.† (Singer 1). It is common for Republicans to be for the outlaw of abortion, and Democrats to support abortion. Hillary Clinton is for abortions, and even partial-birth abortions and that became a huge part of her campaign.   Whereas on the other side of things president-elect Donald Trump was very strongly against it. Many philosophers state their arguments and reaso ns for their view on abortion. Peter Singer is for abortion, stating if abortion is outlawed it will increase the unsafe abortions people would seek out. Despite the illegal abortions, outlawing abortion would help show society how wrong it is, hence why it is outlawed. Abortion is immoral because it is denying the rights to a human, regardless of it being unborn. A fetus is still of the human species, making it a human itself, even at contraception. A potential child should not have to face death because it is not responsible for the mother’s actions. Each view on abortion has many in-depth arguments, each providing viable points as to why or why not it should be allowed. Abortion should not be practiced early in the pregnancy, or at childbirth. It is the murder of an innocent and defenseless victim.