Money Saving Tips for College Students Essay Example for Free

Money Saving Tips for College Students Essay As for any college student the usual expenses of; school, personal life, food, entertainment, and leisure activities is enough to make you broke or for most of us, in debt. It is Thursday night and the weekend is here but your wallet is full of bank receipts and there is not any cash to been found. Your friend just told you the agenda for the night which involves; dinner, pre-game, party, and then night club. Chances are your staying in for the night unless you have a hidden supply of cash under your bed. This type of scenario is all too common for most college students, which is why I am going to explain in detail how to save and manage your money more effectively. With becoming better educated on how to manage your money properly you will be shocked at the amount of cash you can save. The following tips will help you to save money in the following areas of your college expenses; money management, organization of money, personal life, decision making, jobs, entertainment, leisure activities, food, dating, tuition, and books. Learning how to manage your money and having the proper knowledge on which banks to use with your money is an important part on saving your money. The following bullets will explain in detail on how to effectively manage your money: 1) Track your expenses – By tracking your expenses for 2 weeks to a month will allow you to have a better understanding where your money is going. Are red bulls at the 7-11 and a cappuccino at Starbucks 4 times a week actually needed? You will tend to realize the amount of money wasted on small items that are not necessary. Just by tracking your expenses you will begin to manage your money more effectively. To keep better and more organized track of your money, using a notebook or quicken are great tools to being better organized. Having good records prevents you from spending what you do not have and from over drafting your account. 2) Budget your money – The best way to manage your money over a period of time is to create a budget. Take the time to sit down and look at your incomes and expenses. Examples of income are scholarships, paycheck if working, loans, money saved throughout summer and money from your family. Examples of expenses are books, food, rent, bills, tuition, and entertainment. Create a list of your incomes and expenses, and then decide a way to budget your money from either week to week or month to month. It is important to pace yourself when putting yourself on a budget. If you spend all of your money in the beginning of the month, you will be stuck eating leftovers from the cafeteria for the last week. In addition, it is important to provide yourself with money for leisure and entertainment. You are a college student, it is refreshing to buy yourself something new or have a good time every once and a while. Putting your money on a budget will help you to manage your money very effectively. Remember, you don’t always have to spend the amount you budget yourself. Also, planning ahead is essential when you are properly managing your money. If you know that soon you will be going on a vacation, paying your car insurance, or just an expensive weekend; placing aside $50 a week is more reasonable than coming up with $400 at once. 3) Choosing a bank – Join a credit union. Credit unions are set up as non-profit so they do not charge those high interest rates and hidden fees as, for example, a Bank of America would. Also, look into online banking, this makes for a fast easy to use way of banking. ) Credit Cards – The most helpful tip that I can give to a college student would be to stay away from credit cards. Do not fall into the traps of free giveaway sign up booths, those guys trying to sign you up are only trying to take your money. The reality is that credit card companies see college students as suckers. That is why credit companies swarm campuses and make getting a credit card so easy. These credit companies also charge a high interest rate on these cards. The average interest rate is 18%; this means you will have to pay back an additional 18% on whatever you may purchase. The higher the interest rate, the harder it will be to pay off your bill. It is like a chain reaction that will just continue to bury you in debt. As you can only afford to pay off the minimum, the interest continues to gain as the bill continues to rise. To avoid this, it is important to avoid the temptations that come with having a credit card and to also try to make more than the minimum monthly payments. Although, having a credit card for emergency situations and to build up your credit for the future can be very beneficial. However, for college students reaching for that Visa can be a very hard habit to break. In addition, credit companies will give you a credit line well higher than what you may need. They may set you at a $5,000 credit limit, when you may only be able to afford $1,000. Just call the credit company and tell them the price you would like your credit line set to. With having a credit card it does not mean you can buy whatever you want. It is important to be realistic and to understand what you can and cannot afford. Most expenses tend to occur in the beginning of the school year. To plan accordingly for this, saving money while working your summer job would help to cut the cost of initial expenses. When coming back to school, books and various items for your apartment/dorm are going to be quite costly. To cut cost on buying books, it is often cheaper to buy books offline or off a friend. Buying books online can be easy and up to half the price that it would be in the bookstore. One downside to buying books online is the amount of time it can take for shipping, so be sure to place your order as early as possible. You may also have some friends who have had the same classes before you, buying a book off a friend who is not going to use it anymore can save you a good amount of money. With having the power of the credit card, it is important to keep a focus on what is important. You want to keep your expenses to either academic or personal essentials. It might seem as if the new PS3 is just the item to place on your credit card, but I can assure you it is not. If this may seem as an essential to you then place aside money each week to save and buy that PS3 with cash. When purchasing anything remember cash is king. For most college students; the pressures of going out on the weekend, taking a girl out to dinner, having the latest technology, and still trying to save money can be quite the challenge. Now remember, you’re in college and on your own now, you don’t have your mother yelling at you to brush your teeth before bed or to clean your room. This is an opportunity for you to begin working on your self-discipline. Having your life in order and maintaining a clear head are two things that college students tend to lose sight of. Making the right decisions when it comes to your personal health and responsibilities is an important part of self-discipline. Within this section of personal life I will relate how staying active, eating healthy, nd enjoying your social life can help you to better manage your money. Everyone is in college to better their future and to get prepared for the real-world, but just as any college student, you want to make the best out of your time here. 1)Staying focused and active – Living in dormitory or even in a house with eight roommates, you become very susceptible to catching different illnesses. By staying active and working out or excising several times throughout the week, your immune system will become stronger and fight off most illnesses. Staying in good shape also helps with increasing self-confidence, energy throughout the day, and keeping your mind active and positively focused. In college it is easier to gain the weight than it is to lose if you fall into the outside pressures of drinking, eating fast food, and sleeping all day. With keeping the self-discipline of staying focused and active it helps to keep a clear head which in return will help you to decide what expenses are important and what is a waste of your money. 2)Healthy diet To stay fit and keep your body in good shape, your diet is just as important as your workout. By going to the grocery store once a week and purchasing vegetables, fruits, meats, beverages, and carbohydrates can help you to save close to an additional $50-$100 a week. Not only is cheaper to purchase food at the grocery store but it is much healthier than ordering out or eating fast food. To cut the cost on buying groceries, divide the cost by you and your roommates, buy and share the food. In addition, you will receive more for your money when you purchase weekly groceries. To get the best prices for quality products, look through the newspaper ads for each supermarket and plan out where you can save the most money. Cut back on buying junk food, it is often expensive and is not healthy. If you do decide to eat out, college towns often have restaurants where you order and serve yourself, this cuts on the cost of leaving a tip. The only problem that some college students might have is that they do not know how to shop at the grocery store or how to cook the food. This is where it might be helpful to make a phone call home and get some instructions from your mother. For those that can cook and shop at the grocery store, this is a great way to get more for your money as well as maintain a healthy diet. )Social life – This is often times confused for the reason as to why you are in college. While it may be easy to fall into the trap of going out every weekend and living the party life it is essential to keep focus as to why you are in college. You are here to get an education and better yourself, not to blow all your money on partying and fail out. This is where the significance of self-discip line and managing your money properly should take first priority. Everyone likes to have a good time and enjoy themselves, it is important to keep things in moderation. Learn to limit your vices or â€Å"stress-relievers† (as some college students say) such as, beer, cigarettes, and etc†¦ These vices can be expensive and costly to your health as well. By keeping to your budget and using the allotted amount you give yourself a weekend you can enjoy yourself and still save money. Here are a couple tips on how to keep the expenses of your weekend nights to a minimum; †¢Have a meal before you leave to go out. Leaving the house/dorm hungry can cost you a lot of money that you may not have. †¢Leave your debit card and wallet home. Only bring the money you can afford for the night and your id. This will help to fight the temptations of buying unnecessary items, especially if you are under the influence. †¢If you have friends that have an unlimited bank account and spend lots of cash, try to avoid them and hang with friends that relate to your financial status. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself in college. The following is a list of inexpensive activities and entertainment for any guy or girl student who is looking to save money and enjoy their social life as well; †¢Newspapers offer listings of inexpensive or free events that are going to take place in your city/town †¢ Going to matinee movies School events, such as sporting events or clubs †¢Spend a day at the local park, go for a walk or fly a kite †¢Bicycle rides with a friend †¢Spending the afternoon baking and relaxing †¢Grab a couple friends and play sports at the school gym †¢Coffee shops often have free local bands play at night †¢Afternoon flea market †¢Depending on the season, apple or pumpkin picking for Halloween, Christmas shopping, Easter decorating or designing eggs, etc†¦ †¢Art gallery Student newspapers often give listings of free events or activities that are taking place around campus †¢Play video games with friends, create tournaments and play for bragging rights †¢Get involved in intramural sports †¢Ladies usually get into clubs for free and get drink specials †¢Go to bars with no cover charge and that have drink specials Throughout college you are going to meet a number of different people, some you will like more than others, and for those you do, you may find yourself taking him or her out on a date. Now for most people, saving money and dating are two notions that don’t connect. For most, on a first date you try to impress and give off the perception that you are not broke or even worse, cheap. To the disbelief of many, dating does not have to be expensive to be impressive, entertaining and unforgettable. Remember, you are trying to stick to a budget and with all other expenses it is challenging enough. The following bullets will explain how to have fun on a date without spending all your cash. †¢Mother Nature – It is all around us everywhere we go, natural scenery is different at every campus and usually the beauty goes unnoticed. A great idea for when the weather is nice is to take him or her down to Narrangansset or Newport and go for a walk on the beach. Take a walk around city blocks and stop somewhere there is nice view overlooking the city. Take time to find these spots at which ever campus you are, this can be extremely cheap and give quality time to build a better relationship. †¢Picnic A picnic in the local park is always a great idea. Bring sandwiches and beverages, it shows that you took the time to actually prepare something. This costs minimal as to what you spend at a restaurant and can be taken almost anywhere. Depending on the mood you are trying to create, you can make a picnic either casual or romantic by adding a few extra accessories. †¢Sporting events – If you get so lucky to find a woman who is interested in sports, this is a great opportunity to either play a sport together or to watch a sporting event at your school. This also allows you to spend quality time with one another as well as have a good time while saving your money. †¢Experience culture and history – In this city there a number of historical buildings, museums, art galleries, cultural centers and landmarks that are either very cheap or free. Often times, there are exhibits that are off campus that have reduced or free admission for college students. This is good for a date on a more intellectual level and gives time to get to know each other as well as the area you are in. †¢Dinner at home – For those of you who are culinary skilled, this is a great opportunity to impress your date and to save the cost of going out to eat. To make the date more interesting, cook the meal together and combine ideas. After the meal, this is a chance to hang out and watch a movie or play a game. This is a great date idea to impress and really have a good time. Miniature golf/go karts – This makes for a great afternoon date and adds a little excitement. Racing each other and fooling around on the race track provides a fun time for one another. In miniature golf, a friendly competition allows to make things more exciting and to fool around. †¢University events – In the school paper, there are listings of events that are taking place for the following week. Usually events are free or reduced admission, which includes concerts, art exhibits, guest speakers, and plays. This can make for a quality date as well as save you money. †¢Coffee houses – Stop at a local coffee shop to relax and have conversation. Coffee is much cheaper than a meal at a restaurant and provides the relaxed atmosphere to get to know each other better. Also, order a dessert and splitting it provides for a romantic experience. Making Money I’ve saved the best for last. If you can master even one of these, you’ll have a head-start on your friends. Master all four, and you’ll be on the road to wealth. No kidding. †¢Spend less than you earn. Don’t earn much? Then don’t spend much. If your spending and income are roughly even, you have two choices: earn more or spend less. When I was in college, I worked as many as four jobs at once. This gave me a lot of spending cash. (Unfortunately, I didn’t do a good job with the spend less part of the equation. ) †¢Be an outstanding employee. Good work habits can pay enormous dividends, leading to recommendations and contacts that you can use after you’re out of school. Several of my classmates turned work-study jobs into launching pads for future careers. †¢Start your own business. Can you install a hard drive? Can you strip a computer of spyware? Can you perform minor car repairs? Do you have a pickup truck you could use to haul furniture? Are you a passable guitar player? Charge cheap rates and exceed expectations. Word will spread. When you’ve built up a customer base, you can raise your rates a little. This is an awesome way to make money. Learn to invest. Find a discount broker and begin making regular investments. Sharebuilder is a great choice for college students. It costs only $4 to make a scheduled stock purchase, and you can invest any amount of money, even $20. Don’t obsess over the details yet. You can worry about high returns and low fees later. Right now the most important thing is to develop the investment habit. (Ad: Buy Stocks for $4 at ShareBuilder. Ten years from now, you’ll thank yourself. If you can find a way to invest $1000 a year for the next ten years, you can set yourself up for life. Organization and Planning Save your receipts. Put them in a shoebox under your bed if you must, but hold onto them. You’ll need to be able to compare them with statements at the end of the month. And some you’ll need to keep for several years. Guard your vital stats. Don’t give out your social security number or your credit card info except to known and trusted sources. Pay your bills on time. Basic advice, but it’s surprising how many people lose track of things. If you pay your bills as they arrive, you won’t have to worry about forgetting them. Tuition Expenses †¢Try looking for scholarships. You may think that youre no longer eligible for scholarships since youre a college student, but this isnt true. Your school or other foundations may offer scholarship programs that can save you loads of money on college tuition. For further information you may want to try www. findaid. org or www. college-scholarships. com. †¢Shop around for student loans. Just like choosing a credit card company, you should try going to different banks to see what types of interest rates are available. You may want to choose the type of loan that begins charging you interest after youre finished with collegenot the type of loan that charges you interest while youre in school. Other Expenses †¢Shop around for a reasonable cell phone plan. Try to find a plan that works best for the type of calls you make the most. Do you call your family or friends most often? Do you need a long distance plan? Do you text message often? †¢Try filling your prescriptions at your schools health center. Sometimes campus health centers will fill your prescriptions for a fraction of the cost of a regular pharmacy. See a doctor on campus. If you feel sick, you may want to consider seeing a doctor or a nurse practitioner on campus. These services are often free. †¢Bike, walk or take the bus to school. These alternatives may help you save money on gas and alleviate some of the stress you may experience trying to park on campus. †¢Go to the on-campus gym. Access to this gym equipment is usu ally free. If you want to take group classes, however, be prepared to pay a fee. http://www. getrichslowly. org/blog/2006/08/30/27-money-tips-for-college-students/

Assessment Frameworks of Multiple Stressors

Assessment Frameworks of Multiple Stressors A review of environmental and human health risk assessment frameworks of multiple stressors: the case of endocrine disruptors Abstract This review is a compilation of the recommended approaches and methods for the development of a risk assessment framework of multiple stressors. Some of the driving forces contributing to address this subject are the current demands of stakeholders like the drinking water industry, the society and regulators of evaluating the risks of mixtures of contaminants that may harm human beings and the environment. Therefore, our work aims at exploring the possibility of integrating within the risk assessment, environmental, human and societal aspects, acknowledging new international regulations and policies for the safe use of chemicals which enforce the integrative study of the hazards of multiple chemicals on humans and the environment throughout their life-cycle. We chose the group of compounds called endocrine disruptors as an example of multiple stressors because of their emerging relevance and the fact that they usually integrate complex mixtures, originate from multiple sources and ex ist in several environmental compartments, generating adverse effects on receptors through different routes and pathways. Their actions may be severe chronic and long-term modifications of the normal development and reproduction patterns of the individual and/or its progeny, eventually representing systemic risks at the population level which may affect sustainability and biodiversity. Due to the ubiquity of these chemicals, it is necessary to address the inclusion of human beings as potential receptors and deal with risk assessment in an integrated manner. As endocrine disruptors may provoke differentiated responses relative to the developmental stage, acting through varied mechanisms and at very low concentrations, with the particularity that their toxicokinetics may present sometimes unusual dose-response curves, might challenge long-term predictions and hazard characterization, adding to risk assessment uncertainties. References to the current methodologies including the applica ble bioassays, chemical analysis, modeling, statistics tools and equations to calculate joint effects considering the interactions of toxicants within a mixture are also discussed in this review. KEY WORDS: risk assessment, endocrine disruptors, multiple stressors 1. Introduction The aim of this review is to analyze the risk assessment frameworks and current practices, the integration of environmental and human health methodologies, the effects evaluation and how to assess the risk of complex mixtures of chemicals. Assessing the risks of multiple stressors for human health and the environment arises from the realization that biological and physical stressors usually coexist in complex mixtures in the natural and constructed environment, sometimes generating impacts on living creatures. Historically, since the publication in 1962 of the book â€Å"Silent Spring†, by Rachel Carson, a warning on the deleterious actions on wildlife of persistent toxicants, such as DDT, which caused a decrease of birds in Pennsylvania, became presentwas recognised among the scientific world, the media and the society. More recently, the research by Dr. Theo Colborn on the reproductive disorders of predators in the Great Lakes of North America and her book, published in 1996 â€Å"Our Stolen Future† co-authored by herself with Dianne Dumanoski and John Peterson Myers, was able to generate public awareness on the threats that EDCs might pose to human beings and the environment. Some of the driving forces for writing this review are the demands of stakeholders represented by the community, the NGOs, the health and environmental regulators, the manufacture industrial sector and the drinking water companies. For instance, the European Environment and Health Strategy emphatically stresses the gaps in knowledge related to risk assessment methodologies that include foetuses, infants and children and calls for the precautionary principle within the strategy for environmental contaminants, for which there is a sufficient level of scientific evidence at the effect level (e.g. molecular, cellular, or tissue-related) to show the likelihood of health impacts. Not enough information exists on the link between emissions of dioxins and PCBs and other substances and their accumulation in ecosystems and foodstuffs. The need for research on the understanding of the links between environmental factors and certain diseases is recognized, but, due to the complexity of the issue , the immediate action is to gather evidence in order to concrete measures to protect human health and the environment. Many reports are able to demonstrate through laboratory experiments and field surveys that exposure of animals to chemicals released into the environment exert reproductive or developmental effects on the individual and its off-spring, affecting the viability of the species at a population level (Colborn and Smolen 1997). As a matter of fact, these kind of adverse effects have been observed in wildlife and many of them can be attributed to the exposure to man-made chemicals. The cause-effect relationship is still controversial in human beings, but still a matter of concern due to the severity of probable harm that could affect individuals and populations. Thus, regulatory decisions must be informed by risk assessment on this important topic (Fenner-Crisp 2000). Endocrine-mediated effects may be more relevant in populations rather than in individuals. As there is still not consensus about a cause-effect relationship, it is recommended a science-based precautionary approach to protect public health. Further research is needed to demonstrate effects and carry out birth defect registries and epidemiology studies designed to track delayed effects of environmental exposures (Solomon and Schettler 2000). The classical paradigm of human health risk assessment authored by the National Research Council (NRC, 1983) is composed of four steps: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization. This paradigm was modified in 1994 to include characterization of each component. One of the approaches considered by some authors as best suited for developing a risk assessment of multiple stressors is a cumulative risk assessment framework, which may include societal aspects with participatory involvement of stakeholders (Gentile and Harwell 2001; Callahan and Sexton 2007; USEPA 2003). The global trend towards a policy-driven integration applied to risk assessment, demanded by regulations on safety of chemicals and industrial operations should ideally include a multiplicity of stressors, compartments, geographical scales, and end-points (Assmuth and Hildà ©n 2008). For example, the new European Union Regulation on chemicals and its safe use (REACH, EC 1907/2006) enforces linking risks to human health and the environment for chemicals throughout their life cycle. In United States, the Environmental Protection Agency, still discusses both topics separately because of practical reasons, but acknowledging the need to integrate them. An overview of the most suitable risk assessment frameworks is described in this literature review, focusing on the case of mixtures of reproductive endocrine disruptors. Matters that differentiate this topic are also presented, regarding particularities in mechanistic and toxicokinetics aspects and some of the sources of uncertainties and confounding factors. Developing a novel approach to the classical risk assessment scheme is also a goal, with the intention of contributing to design a risk assessment framework comprising a choice of tests, models, computational and statistical tools. 2. Hazard identification In this stage the nature of the hazard is described taking into account toxicity data. The hazard can then be characterized deriving numerical values of acceptability of the risk, based on mechanisms of action, biological extrapolation, dose-response and dose-effect relationships, and related uncertainties (Fenner-Crisp, 2003). 2.1. Nature of the hazard Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) are substances that interfere with the endocrine system by changing homeostasis and producing developmental effects and/or diminishing the fertility of the organisms. EDCs include a broad range of substances which can be classified according to their effect. The best known are the environmental estrogens, alkylphenol and its ethoxylates, the monomer in polycarbonate manufacture bisphenol A, some pesticides and chlorinated organics. 2.2. Sources of EDCs Possible sources of watercourses pollution with EDCs are wastewater sewage discharge, industrial effluents, or point and non-point source contamination of watercourses with agrochemicals such as herbicides or pesticides. Sewage discharge from cities contains residues of domestic products such as personal care products, pharmaceuticals and detergents and excreta with natural and artificial steroidal hormones from contraceptive pill usage. Nonylphenol (NP) is a highly hydrophobic bioccumulating biodegradation by-product of nonylphenol ethoxylate non-ionic surfactants which persists in sewage sludge and river sediments. Its use and production have been banned in EU countries and strictly monitored in many other countries such as Canada and Japan (Soares et al. 2008). Pulp mills are some of the industries associated to studies on endocrine disruption. Bleached Kraft pulp mill effluents have been linked to both estrogenic and androgenic effects on biota, depending on the process characteristics and wastewater treatment. Several studies have associated the chlorination of organic matter to the estrogenicity of the effluent. Nowadays, the application of elemental-chlorine-free processes has diminished the risk of dioxins and furans formation, but not eliminated it, as other halogenated organics are formed by use of chlorine dioxide as bleaching agent. Various wood-extractive compounds produced in the pulping process, such as rosin acids and phytosterols and found in pulp mills effluents have also been considered potentially responsible of endocrine disruption (Hewitt et al. 2008). The main identified resin acids in pulp mill effluents are: pimaric, isopimaric, sandaracopimaric, palustric, dehydroabietic, abietic and neoabietic acid (Merilà ¤inen and Oikari, 2008). Other compounds found in this type of effluent are phenolic guaiacyl-based lignin degradation products, diterpenoids, and dimethoxy stilbene (Belknap et al, 2006). Modern analytical methods, like full-scan GC-MS have been used to identify wood related extractives in final effluent from a chlorine dioxide bleached pulp mill effluent, including monoterpenes, phenolics, fatty acids, resin acids, resin acid neutrals and sterols (Wartman et al. 2009). Receptor binding bioassays for androgens and estrogens indicated that androgens were most abundant in this effluent and the range of androgens for the various extraction protocols used was 189-283 ng/L as testosterone equivalent concentration. Some examples of common sources of EDCs and typical environmental concentrations are summarized on Table 1. Table 1.Sources of EDCs and typical environmental concentrations Origin, use and occurrence Source of environmental exposure EDC group Example molecule Typical concentrations Reference Industrial (pulp and paper mills) Contaminated fish Resin acids pimaric acid 4-140  µg g-1 Owens et al, 1994 Industrial (pulp and paper mills) Industrial wastewater treatment plant Chlorinated organics 2,4,6-trichlorophenol 1.5  µg l-1 Owens et al, 1994 Industrial (pulp and paper mills) Final stage secondary treatment Phytosterols ÃŽ ²-sitosterol 58.42  µg l-1 Landman et al, 2008 Domestic, (contraceptive pills) Sewage effluent Pharmaceuticals 17ÃŽ ±-ethynylestradiol 14-17 ng l-1 Liu et al, 2004 Human and animal excreta Sewage effluent Natural steroid hormones 17ÃŽ ²-estradiol 5.0 ng l-1 Koh YKK et al, 2007 Domestic and industrial (laundry detergents, wool scouring processes) Sewage sludge Non ionic surfactants 4-nonylphenol 829.3 mg/kg Gonzà ¡lez et al, 2010 Domestic and industrial (polycarbonate bottles) Leaching from solid waste, sewage effluent Polycarbonate bisphenol A 0.62  µg l-1 Sà ¡nchez-Avila et al, 2009 Agricultural (soil fertilization) Livestock waste Male steroid hormones testosterone 10-1830 ng l−1 Lange et al, 2002 Agricultural (dairy farming) Streams contaminated by dairy cow excreta Female steroid hormones 17ÃŽ ²-oestradiol 0.04-3.6 ng l−1 Matthiessen et al, 2006 Agricultural (weed and grass control in soybean crops) Run-off Herbicide glyphosate 0.1-0.7 mg l-1 Peruzzo et al, 2008 2.2. Dose-response assessment There are several methods to demonstrate dose-response relationships, either by in vivo or in vitro tests. Fish reproduction tests, like the ones using the model fish fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) have shown a decrease in fecundity associated with depressed steroid and vitellogenin (Vtg) production in female specimens (Ankley et al. 2008). Many of the tests rely on the measurement of an increase of Vtg as biomarker of estrogenicity as seen in several publications (Schwaiger et al. 2002; An et al. 2008; Holbech et al. 2006 Panter et al, 1998; Sohoni et al. 2001; Kunz and Fent, 2009). Tests results on resin acids show different responses in the first generation of fish than in the second (Christianson-Heiska et al. 2007). In some cases there are not many examples of in vivo tests, like for glyphosate. A fish exposure tests with this compound showed Vtg induction in female fish, indicative of estrogenic activity (An et al, 2008). An investigation working the commercial formulation of the herbicide glyphosate and human placental cells demonstrated its toxicity at concentrations lower than the usual in agricultural practices. The aromatase activity disruption seems to be due not only to glyphosate but also to co-adjuvants (the surfactant nonylphenol or others), which enhance its bioavailability and/or bioaccumulation (Richard et al. 2005; Gasnier et al. 2009). Table 2 shows some examples of dose-response experiments working with fish, crustacea, molluscs and amphibia. Varied protocols exist to develop ecotoxicity tests, in flow-through, static or partly renewal conditions, and with different duration and end-points. Only chronic effects and particularly developmental and reproductive effects were conside red. Table 2. Dose-response for endocrine disruption effects in freshwater organisms exposed to single EDCs EDC chemical name Taxonomic group Species Dose to produce effect Effect Test conditions Reference 4-nonylphenol Fish Rivulus marmoratus 300  µg l-1 Testicular agenesis and oogenesis inhibition in 100 % fish Static system, daily renewal Tanaka and Grizzle, 2002 4-nonylphenol Fish Oncorhynchus mykiss, rainbow trout 1 -10  µg l-1 10  µg l-1 High Vtg in adult male fish plasma Low hatching rate Intermittent exposure of adult fish for 4 months until spawning Schwaiger et al, 2002 4-nonylphenol Crustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia NOEC for reproduction: 1  µg l-1 Low hatching rate 7 days chronic exposure, static Isidori et al, 2005 Glyphosate Fish Carassius carassius, crucian carp 100% effluent Vtg induction in female fish (38.6 +/- 9.8  µg l-1) 3 weeks, continuous exposure An et al, 2008 Glyphosate Mollusk Pseudosuccinea columella, aquatic snail 1 mg l-1 10 mg l-1 Faster development of F3 embryos Hatching inhibition 3 generation continuous Tate et al, 1997 Estrone Fish Danio rerio LOEC: 14 ng l-1 50 ng l-1 Significant Vtg increase Higher female ratio 40 days fish sexual development test Holbech et al, 2006 17ÃŽ ²-Estradiol Fish Danio rerio LOEC: 54 ng l-1 Significant Vtg increase Higher female ratio 40 days fish sexual development test Holbech et al, 2006 17ÃŽ ²-Estradiol Fish Pimephales promelas, fathead minnow 100 ng l-1 Significant Vtg increase Testicular growth inhibition 21 days male fish exposure Panter et al, 1998 Estriol Fish Danio rerio LOEC: 0.6  µg l-1 21.7  µg l-1 Significant Vtg increase Higher female ratio 40 days fish sexual development test Holbech et al, 2006 Dehydroabietic acid (DHAA), resin acid Fish Danio rerio, zebra fish 50  µg l-1 Low plasma Vtg in female in F0; high Vtg and affected spermatogenesis in F1 males 2 generations, continuous Christianson-Heiska et al 2008 ÃŽ ²-sitosterol Fish Danio rerio 10-20  µg l-1 F1: higher ratio of male fish; F2: higher ratio of female fish 2 generation fish exposure test Nakari and Erkomaa, 2003 Quercetin, phytoestrogen Amphibian Xenopus laevis, frog 200  µg l-1 Higher female ratio > 10% abnormal testes (some with ovotestes) Exposure up to 1 month post-metamorphosis Cong et al, 2006 Phenanthrene, PAH Fish Oryzias latipes, Medaka NOEL: 100  µg l-1 Developmental, hatching 18 days, renewal Rhodes et al, 2005 Bisphenol A Mollusk Marisa cornuaretis, aquatic snail NOEC: 640  µg l-1 Developmental 12 weeks, juvenile snails Forbes et al, 2007 Bisphenol A Fish Pimephales promellas 16  µg l-1 640 and 1280  µg l-1 640  µg l-1 1280  µg l-1 Altered spermatogenesis Growth inhibition and Vtg induction in male fish Reduced hatchability in F1 generation Egg production inhibition 3 generation reproduction exposure test Sohoni et al, 2001 Bisphenol A Fish Brachydanio rerio, zebrafish EC50: 2.90  µg l-1 Embryo malformation and low hatchability 72 h exposure Liu et al, 2007 Benzo-ÃŽ ±-pirene (BaP) (PAH) Fish Fundulus heteroclitus , common mummichog 10  µg l-1 CYP19A1 expression decreased by about 50% in immature stage I oocytes Exposure for 10 or 15 days by in situ hybridization, several developmental stages Dong et al, 2008 Polychlorinated biphenyl 126 Fish Danio rerio, zebrafish LC50: 3.270 mg l-1 Developmental effects through aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation Dilutions of PCB 126 for 12 weeks SiÃ…Å ¸man et al, 2007 Polychlorinated biphenyl 126 Fish Salvelinus namaycush, lake trout 3 ÃŽ ¼g kg−1body weight Retinol depletion Oral exposure for 12 weeks; confirmation with radiolabelled retinol Palacea et al, 1997 Benzophenone-1 Fish Pimephales promelas 4919  µg l-1 Vtg induction 14 days exposure, semi-static, renewal Kunz and Fent, 2009 3. Exposure assessment 3.1. Ecosystems and human sub-populations potentially at risk of endocrine disruption effects Increasing evidence generated by scientists turn endocrine disruption into a recognized risk to the environment. Due to the ubiquity of EDCs and the widespread routes of exposure, most ecosystems and human populations are potentially at risk of endocrine disruption. Notwithstanding this fact, under the scope of a risk assessment of EDCs the potentially most vulnerable risk subgroups are identified corresponding to maternal, fetal and early developmental stages. The concern that prenatal or childhood exposure to EDCs may be responsible for abnormalities in human sexual and reproductive health are still in the hypothetical ground. However, many reports on exposure to high concentrations of recognized EDCs such as DES, certain PCBs, and DDT demonstrate this fact. At low-doses the question remains unanswered whether there could be a critical window where they could harm the fetal development (Hood 2005). Several reports on human developmental anomalies and reproductive ailments have been raising international concern, such as a seven fold increase risk of testicular cancer since 1969 to 2002 in men from several countries of Europe, United States and New Zealand. Also, the sperm density halved, as rates of cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) and hypospadias (shortened urinary tracts) simultaneously rose. It is thought that human congenital malformation of sex organs, low sperm quality, endometriosis, reduced fertility and some types of cancers of breast and testis could be linked to exposure to EDCs. More than 80000 synthetic chemicals are produced in the world and have still not been fully evaluating with regards to endocrine disruption. In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiated an Endocrine Disruption Screening Program to evaluate more than 15,000 chemicals calling for a policy based on the â€Å"precautionary approach† to be overcautious and protect huma n health and the environment. A historical example of policies which demanded the banning of a drug due to these after-effects is the case of diethylstilbestrol (DEADES), which used to be prescribed to pregnant women to prevent spontaneous abortions because it produced higher risk of genital deformities and cancer in the offspring, among other effects (Stair 2008). Internationally there is consensus that the most vulnerable group for EDCs exposure are children. For example, in European countries, the Strategy for Environment and Health known as â€Å"SCALE† for Science, Children, Awareness, Legislation and Evaluation, has set as a priority agenda for the evaluation diseases caused by endocrine disruptors in children. The exposure to insecticides and herbicides used in agricultural practices has been linked to developmental or reproductive effects in wild animals and also in human beings. The occupational exposure to pesticide has received much attention, as for example prolonged time-to-pregnancy was observed in male greenhouse workers exposed to pesticides before conception of their first pregnancy (Bretveld et al 2008). The domestic exposure of children to residues of pesticides in low-level long-term exposures are associated to chronic effects and include routes of exposure such as fruit or breast milk (Goodman and Laverda 2002). 3.2. Evidence of endocrine disruption effects in wildlife around the world There are reports on impacts on wildlife reproduction and development observed in invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals, sometimes confirmed by laboratory tests. In laboratory experiments the impacts to fish populations by EDCs affect reproductive health and persistence of various fish species (Mills and Chichester 2005). Many examples of impacts due to exposure to endocrine disruptors exist in wildlife, such as the seals population decline in the Baltic and North Sea, the high levels of female egg yolk in male fish or snail imposex and intersex around the world. Intersexuality of fish has been demonstrated in several investigations carried out in rivers around the world. The findings of abnormal reproductive female-like ducts and oocytes in male fish were related to the treated sewage discharge from the cities in laboratory experiments measuring induction of plasma vitellogenin in exposed male fish (Jobling et al. 2002). Field studies were carried out using wild roach as a model fish to confirm the incidence and the severity of intersex which correlated with the predicted concentrations of the natural estrogens (E1 and E2) and the synthetic contraceptive pill estrogen (EE2) present (Jobling et al. 2006). Some case-studies have made clear that the estrogenic activity of municipal wastewater correlates to demographics. The number of inhabitants was found to correlate with changes in estrogenic activities in a research conducted at a university city in US, with seasonal fluctuations in population. The concentrations of synthetic and natural estrogens and other EDCs were measured and effects demonstrated through the application of in vivo and in vitro tests (fish exposure with Vtg induction measurement and the yeast estrogen screen) (Brooks et al. 2003). The demonstration of effects of pulp mill effluents has also been supported by fish surveys with a sampling design that includes upstream and downstream sites from the discharge pipe of the pulp mill. For instance, Munkittrick et al. (1994) have demonstrated that the absence of chlorine bleaching or the presence of secondary treatment does not eliminate estrogenic responses evidenced by decreased circulating levels of sex steroids, decreased gonadal size, which implies that there may be multiple causative agents. In other cases, androgenic effects have been noticed, such as a biased male to female ratio in fish in Sweden downstream from pulp mills (Larsson and Fà ¶rlin 2002). As seen on Table 3, several adverse endocrine effects are evidenced in various animals, from mollusks to amphibian but they also appear in higher animal species. Table 3. Effects of EDCs in wildlife evidenced through field studies Animal Effect EDCs Postulated mechanism or causative agent Reference Frog High incidence of deformed frogs in Minnesota, United States Multiple EDCs Retinoid signaling pathways activation Gardiner et al. 2003 Marine Gastropods Masculinization of female snails (imposex) occurs worldwide. Females grow accessory sex organs including sperm ducts, seminal vesicles, external sperm grooves, and penises. Exposure to low levels of tributyltin (TBT) (1ng/l) Aromatase inhibition, testosterone inhibition, or neuroendocrine disorder or interaction with retinoid receptors Novà ¡k et al. 2008 Wild roach (Rutilius rutilus) Intersex, and high plasma Vtg concentration Multiple EDCs Sewage effluent from wastewater treatment plant discharging into rivers Joblin et al. 2006 Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Masculinization (90% affected in number of segments in the longest anal fin ray). Androgen-dependent gene expression by luciferase test Kraft pulp mill effluent Affinity for human androgen receptor (hAR) Parks et al. 2001 Eastern Mosquitofish, (Gambusia holbrooki) Androgenic activity measured by androgen receptor transcription assay with human receptor in sediment. Fish masculinization. Paper mill effluent, river Pine pulp-derived phytosteroids accumulate in river sediment where they are converted by microbes into progesterone and this into androstenedione and other bioactive steroids Jenkins et al. 2003 3.3. Conceptual model Deriving a conceptual model requires knowing the pathways and toxicokinetics of the EDCs identified in the hazard identification step. An effects-based assessment start by identifying the effects and the relevant stressors and geographically located (for example through the use of GIS software). On the other hand, the model used in stressor-based assessments, depicts how stressors affect receptors and it is commonly applied when evaluating risks of environmental pollution. If a river basin is evaluated, the sources of contamination are studied, identifying the pathways, receptors and effects. To develop the human health risk assessment component, the fish consumption of the population and the drinking water intake are two of the main factors to consider especially for the most vulnerable population, which are newborn and lactating infants. The food chain is the main source of exposure, and in particular, fish consumption and drinking water are possible sources for the nursing mother and the pathway of distribution through the milk to the baby, but the direct intake of drinking water is important in the case of formula preparation. The environmental risk assessment should consider fish, crustacean and sediment dwelling organisms within the framework. During pregnancy maternal fat is moved, releasing to the blood the bioaccumulated compounds, due to their liposolubility and persistence, through all the different exposure routes (foodstuffs, environmental, occupational) throughout her life. Acute exposure should also be considered if it happened previously to gestation or during this period. There are substances that traspass the placental barrier and chemicals reach the offspring. Also, through the breastmilk, explaining the extrangely high levels of some xenobiotics (Fernà ¡ndez et al. 2007). 3.4. Methodologies to determine dose-response in exposure assessment The analysis of exposure and effect determines the concentration of the EDC on the environment matrixes matrices (water courses, ground water, drinking water, soil, sediment, air, biota), and assesses the potential or actual effects. In order to do so, many tools are recommended and in general a tiered approach is the most suited for this task as it helps to work in a logical order and increasing the specificity of the tests. One of the main sources of exposure to most chemicals is through the food chain. The bioconcentration of organics in beef, cow milk and vegetation correlates to the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) to predict the bioaccumulation in the aquatic and terrestrial food chains (Travis and Arms 1988). There are many models based on the characteristics of the chemicals, such as the fugacity model, which allows to predict the expected concentrations in six environmental compartments (water, air, soil, bottom and suspended sediment and fish) (MacKay et al. 1985). 3.4.1. The use of a tiered methodology to demonstrate endocrine disruptive effects This type of approach is carried out including different tests, such as bioassays, in vitro tests and field studies as part of the experimental design. The methodologies generally employed are in vivo fish reproduction exposure tests and in vitro receptor binding bioassays, for androgens and estrogens (Wartman et al., 2009). Even though there is an international trend towards diminishing the use of live organisms for experimentation for safety testing, in vivo tests are still of key importance for the confirmation of the findings of in vitro screens. Some of the most utilized tests relay on the use of fish as model experimental organism in various life-stages, as for example the 21 days reproduction fish test with fathead minnow (EPA/600/R-01/067). 3.4.2. In vitro screens and tests Some of the in vitro assays that can be used as screening tools of estrogenic activity are the following: yeast based assays, cell proliferation assays, bindin

Air Pollution :: Papers

Air pollution occurs when wastes dirty the air. People produce most of the wastes that cause air pollution. Such wastes can be in the form of gases or particles of solid or liquid substance. These substances result chiefly from burning fuel to power motor vehicles. Industrial processes and the burning of garbage also contribute to air pollution. natural pollutants include dust, soil particles and naturally occurring gases. The rapid growth of population and industry and the increased use of automobiles and airplanes, have made air pollution a serious problem. the air we breathe has become so filled with pollutants that it can cause health problems. Polluted air also harms plants, animals, building materials and fabrics. In addition, it causes damage by altering the earth's atmosphere. Chief sources of air pollution  · Forms of transportation,such as automobiles, airplanes, ships and trains are the leading source of air pollution of the industrial nations. The major pollutants produced by these sources are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons(compounds of carbon and hydrogen), and nitrogen oxides(compounds of nitrogen and oxygen). Nitrogen oxides can react in the presence of sunlight to produce a form of oxygen called ozone(O3). Ozone is the chief component of photo-chemical smog, which is a common form of air pollution.  · Fuel combustion used for heating or cooling in factories contributes significantly to air pollution. Electric power plants that burn coal or oil also release pollutants into the atmosphere. The major pollutants from these sources are nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides(compounds of sulphur and oxygen), and carbon dioxide.  · Industrial processes produce a wide range of pollutants. Oil refineries discharge ammonia, hydrocarbons,organic acids and sulfur oxides. Metal smelting plants give off large amounts of sulfur oxides and particles containing lead and other metals. Plants that produce plastic foam are a major source of chlorofluorocarbons(CFC's),compounds of chlorine,fluorine and carbon.  · Burning of solid wastes often creates a very visible form of air pollution-thick,black smoke. The burning of garbage, leaves and other

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future Essay examples -- Techn

How Educational Systems Will Operate In Future The education system over the last 100 years has largely remained unchanged despite major technological advancements and the changing global economic environment that require new skills and experiences. Despite numerous pedagogical concepts being introduced in the education system, the traditional mode of instruction has continued to dominate today’s classrooms. However, though most educators have been hesitant in adopting technological advancements and applying them in education, the wave of change is inescapable. Future educational systems will have to embrace new ideas in order to be more effective in preparing students for the changing global economic demands. This paper reflects on the views of authors of two journal articles on the topic of how educational systems will operate in the future. The main ideas presented in this paper include teachers’ competencies in preparing students for a knowledge economy and how educational computing will operate in the future. According to Andrawes, students need to be equipped with skills needed in accessing and processing the wide array of information made available by the advancing technology. Educators also need to equip students with the knowledge of using computers and be familiar with the wide range of technologies (2011). In addition, it is incumbent upon the stakeholders in the education system to incorporate technologies used in the marketplace and the newly emerging ones into the school program. Beyond meeting these recommendations, Andrawes (2011) go further and propose that educational systems need to focus on providing education to people of all ages. In this regard, schools in the future will be continuous and constant facili... ...geluth, 2011). In addition, the instruction function will play a fundamental role in assisting in the development of new instructional resources and managing a personalized scope of instruction based on the nature of each project. Within the instruction function, a fully integrated assessment function will provide original tasks aimed at assessing the performance of each student. In addition, the assessment function will be crucial in facilitating prompt feedback and in designing and developing personalized assessment of each student. Besides these primary multiple functionalities, the PIES will accommodate secondary functions such as information on school personnel, general student data, communication, and PIES administration. Therefore, PIES will be a major development that points to how future educational systems will operate (Aslan & Reigeluth, 2011).

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: Stanza 74 Essay -- essays research pa

In stanza 74, fit III, the lady of the castle offers a magical, green girdle to Sir Gawain and explains to him that the wearer of this corset "cannot be killed by any cunning on earth." Sir Gawain, amidst an ethical dilemma, accepts the gift and chooses to conceal it from Lord Bertilak. This passage contains three of the main themes of the story – the inner and outer conflicts between Sir Gawain’s ethics and desire to live, and the test of religion. When Sir Gawain is offered the girdle, his knightly principles are questioned. The honorable thing would be to reject the offer or bring it to the lord of the castle, but Gawain places the preservation of his life ahead of chivalry. The knight has withstood the lady’s constant barrage of sexual advances, and kept his promise to the lord of the castle, but when the chance to save his life is presented, he snatches it up without a second thought. This point is shown by the way the author puts "Outright" on a line of it’s own, emphasizing Gawain’s quick decision. He is then ecstatic about the thought that he will survive his meeting with the knight the next day, shown by "often thanks gave he/ With all his heart and might." Later, Sir Gawain finds three faults in his actions, the first being his cowardice – in direct contrast to the main principles of knighthood, the second being his covetousness, his lust for life, and the third being his lack of faith in God. Even when it is shown that God has forgiven him by healing the wound on his neck, Sir Gawain still feels that he has sinned, and is not as willing to forgive himself. He decides that more atonement is in order, so he makes the decision to wear the girdle from then on, as a sign of his eternal sin, but even then he does not feel that he has been cleansed of his sin. He understands that he will be forced to bear the shame and disgrace of the sin for the rest of his life. The observers’ opinions of whether Sir Gawain is forgiven are the complete opposite of Sir Gawain’s. In the passage, it is mentioned that the lady kissed the constant knight. The question arises as to the author’s meaning of constant. It is obvious that it does not mean that Gawain is constant in his moral decisions, as he just made an unethical decision. It also wouldn’t mean that he is determined or steadfast, for he just caved in to h... ...ly a minor sin though; when the truth about the Green Knight is revealed, Sir Gawain is repentant, and his penance is served through the knick of Bertilak’s axe. Though technically Gawain fails the test when he gives into the lady’s temptations, he does well enough to pass in God’s eyes. As mentioned before, Sir Gawain is forgiven by God, as shown by the healing of the axe wound. The combination of these three themes creates a complex moral dilemma for the antagonist, Sir Gawain. This perplexity asks the question of life versus religion; is it acceptable to forsake God to save one’s own life? In the poem, obviously, it would have been wiser for Gawain to have denied the gift of the girdle; denial of the offering would have been the more ethical, socially acceptable, and pious choice to make. Sir Gawain’s acquisition of the present is accepted by others and by God as only a minor fault, and that is the author’s point. When confronted with a complicated decision, the person making the judgment will always be either supported or forgiven by his peers and by God; that person must appease themselves, however, and make the decision that he or she feels is ethically and morally correct.

End of Year Speech Essay

Good evening everyone. I hope everyone is having a good time, and has eaten their fill. Please eat all the food, we’ve spent a lot of money on that to be put to waste, and you’ll make the caterers job a lot easier (if the food is catered) Ladies please, help yourselves. Come on, it’s the end of the year, you’ll have a whole year ahead of you to start your diet†¦anyway Vegas buffet rules apply ladies and gentlemen, NO TAKEOUTS! So please keep your Ziplocs where they are. (of course parts like these are jokes and should be said well, as a joke). But seriously, good evening everyone and welcome to our year end dinner. It has been another successful year for us. Thanks mainly to the summer blockbuster heroes, in a sense, they did save our lives, well, at least made our company earn more money, thanks also to the mom and dads that keep bringing their kids in our store, may they be blessed with more kids, and of course, kudos to all of you for helping make another year a successful one. It has been another heroic year for us, both for the toys that we have sold and our efforts to make our company better. First we were introduced to a wealthy scientist turned super hero, who would have thought that the cousin of the tin-man would be a successful toy. Yes, Iron Man is one of our most successful toys this year, if not all of all time. The fact that Iron Man is a robot,( well, technically a bionic suit, but that’s how Iron Man is perceived) makes him subject for a lot of modifications, and thus a lot of action figure variants. Seven year old kids were just half of the market of Iron Man, toy collectors of all ages had a field day hoarding Iron Man toys from our store. Action figures sales have never been higher since the come back of comic book adaptations into the silver screen. Thank you Stan Lee! You made a lot of toy companies such ourselves very happy, we hope for more new movies and sequels to your comic books. I hope I can say the same to your reality show. Batman’s appeal has not dropped, Batman Toy’s have virtually not stopped production since the franchise came to being way back. I think only X-men and Spider Man toys have achieved a similar feat, which makes Batman the most successful comic book hero without having any super powers. Spider Man was bitten by a radio active bug, and the X-Men are mutants. Batman is just a plain dude with a fancy belt, well, a dude that can kick all our butts in one passing. If I was a kid, I would definitely be a good boy (at least for a while) to get the latest Batman action figure. I bet if we just sold action figures of Batman or an equally popular comic book superhero, we wouldn’t go out of business and still keep the store. That’s how big these toys have become, and how big they’ve been to our company’s progress. What would be a hero without an arch enemy? Not only do the heroes need a bad guy to beat up, toy companies also need villains as a source of income. Chances are, when kids buy their action figures, they want something to tests its weapons on something, might as well be the actual enemy of the hero. The Joker has been the most popular action hero as of late, thanks to the films success and all these talks about the death on Heath Ledger, the actor that played Joker in the Dark Knight. This toy has suddenly become a limited edition because it is one of the last characters the actor has played before he died, for some reason, I don’t think Mattel would buy the idea of making an action figure out of Brokeback Mountain, but that’s just me, I’ve seen stranger toys made it into production. Spider – Man toys have been around almost as long as Batman toys, especially after the new Spider Man films came out. They did not leave our shelves even if the franchise has been on a hiatus from the silver screen for a while. Actually there have not been a major Spider – Man film until the recent films and yet Spider Man toys are one of our popular toys of all time After I thank the toys, sorry guys, they do come first you know, these toys pay our bills. I would like to thank the staff of our company for doing a job well done throughout the year. Our company would be nothing if not for your efforts. Thank you for maintaining a harmonious working environment and for keeping our customers happy, your service is much appreciated. Thank you also for an outstanding team performance in all departments. It is always good for any company to work together as a team. More than working as a team, we’ve worked together, and treated each other as family. I’m not saying exactly who the mom and dads are, let’s just say we are all the children of the company okay? Special thanks to the marketing people for actively promoting our products to the buying public. They managed to sell our toys to kids who, for some reason did not go to the toy store with a particular toy in mind. Their persuasive skills have managed to squeeze some extra cash out of mommy and daddy to spend on their kids toys. Now, if they can only sell our (name unpopular toy) we would give them a big fat raise! On a serious note, thank you guys for a job well done and keep up the good work, we’ll talk about that raise deal later okay? (of course with still a sense of candidness) This party would not have been possible if had not worked hard last year. So if you guys still want the free food, we have to do just as well next year or even better. Either way, we would still have a party for sure, but our party would definitely much better if we raise our bar even just a little. So I encourage everyone to work just as hard or even harder this coming year and I promise you, our hard work would be rewarded if we have good sales next year. Incentives and other privileges would be available for us if we exceed what is expected of us, so let’s keep it up guys! The boss expects nothing less than what has already been established this year. I know we have done a good job this year but why aim for good when we can do better? The boss expects for exciting and new ideas from our staff, especially from the marketing department. Don’t be afraid to pitch in ideas even if you are not from the marketing department or if you think your ideas are too crazy. We all love new ideas. Again, thank you everyone for being part of this end of the year party and for a job well done this year. More fruitful years to come for our company! Cheers, and enjoy the rest of the evening. Let’s give a hand to ourselves! Thank you.

How can buyer attitudes about products country of origin affect marketing strategy Essay

A number of researches have been done on the effect of the county of origin (COO) on the acceptance of a product.   There has been close related studies examining attitudes within a country towards imported goods based on the evaluation of their country of origin.   Although most of the studies have focused on  Ã‚   consumer from the developed country, it has been shown that even consumers in the developing nations have developed certain attitudes on products based on their country of origin. There are some countries which are associated with high quality products while there are others which are associated with low quality products.   The attitude of the consumers about a product based on their country of origin affect the marketing strategy of the commodity since the marketing strategy will concentrate on creating a positive attitude on the products in the markets where customers have a negative attitude.   Compared to other marketing influences, country-of-origin has a lesser effect on the process of consumer decision making but it affects the overall acceptance of the products depending on the level of influence in the market. (Daser 1997, p.53) The concept of Country-of-origin Country of origin is an important factor that affects the consumer purchasing decision making and industry purchases.   The country of origin in combination with other marketing characteristics has great influences on the perception of the product in the market.   This is  Ã‚   based on the concept o superiority or inferiority. Most of the studies conducted on the issue assert there are few stereotypical images that are consisted across a number of nations.   For example the image of robustness of Gernamn products, the luxurious products from France,   the cheap products from Korea, the substandard products from china, and many others.   There are also positive stereotypical images that have also been upheld. For example the Iranian pistachios and rugs, vegetable from Poland, Oranges from Israel, Coffee form Columbia, French perfume, Silk from china,   Leather from Italy, electronics from Japan, and Rum from Jamaica. (Cattin 1992, p. 244) These stereotypes have not been based on emptiness. They have either been based on  Ã‚   hearsay, experience or just a myth. At the same time is has been shown that customers will react different from country of origin cues.   For example, Japanese goods are highly rated by consumers all over the world.,   in china western products which retail   at more than three times the domestic products are   in   relatively high demand, in Russia the country of origin of the product is more important than then the brand name of the product which   pus product from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and others still suspicious in the country,   Australian like French perfume but   thy will not buy French cameras of French wine, and   others Most of the studies conducted on the evaluation of the Japanese and American consumers have shown that Japanese products are considered to be of high quality  Ã‚   and therefore they are  Ã‚   preferred by the consumer to product from other countries.   This same effect has also been found in studies conducted in several other areas on the world.   Studies conducted in other areas in the world like Saudi Arabia and Bahaarian, Nova Sotia, Finland, South East Asia, Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong, and other have all rated Japanese products as superior to other product in the world as far as it relates to service, promotion, and delivery. With the increasing presence of  Ã‚   foreign products in the domestic markets,  Ã‚   there have been increase studies in the last one decade about the perception of these productions the market and the preference of consumers when purchasing them.   The country of origin cue has become an important factor in the market as consumer tend to evaluate imported goods   differently than the way they   evaluate domestic produced goods. Most of the studies have been carried out in American and have shown that American consumes have a preference to certain products from some countries. They tend to purchase products from  Ã‚   some countries as compared to others.   This has shown a national stereotyping phenomena which is not limited to the US only but has been observed in other countries. The same findings have been found in England, Finland, Canada, New Zealand, France, and Singapore. (Howard 1994, p. 92) Consumer attitudes and perception of  Ã‚   important from various countries usually vary from one country to another. What the consumers of country A will perceive product from country X is not the same way consumer in Country B will view the same products.   Although it has been shown that the relationship between  Ã‚   the two countries  Ã‚   is an important factor, the overall reputation of the production the market is a major factor affecting the consumer perception. It has also been found out that even consumers writing the same country may have different views of the same product with show individual variance within the same country.   Consumers’ attitude about the product from a particular country can also vary with time as the rate of development and pace of industrialization changes.   Change in market development in the culture and  Ã‚   lifestyle in that particular country can also affect the perception of the product. (Akaah 2003, p. 78) A  Ã‚   country at its initial pace of development may accept cheap product from a country while this may change rapidly as the country develops its own industries. This varies with the levels of disposable income which signify the rise of a middle class in any country. As a middle class emerge in a country, it may have an influence in the perception of a product from country which may influence market trends. Early studies on consumer attitudes and preference of domestic and imported produces tend to focus on  Ã‚   just one cue instead of a number of cues that could show the market influences. However the trend have chanced in the last three decades with most studies focusing on multiple cues which   have been designed to use tangible products   rather that  Ã‚  Ã‚   description of the   products. According to these early studies,  Ã‚   the effects of Country of origin were shown to have a direct effect on the existing beliefs of eh consumers. The past experience on the product is also an import factors that influence the attitude that a consumer may have on the product from a certain country. Other studies have shown that it may necessarily be the same product that the consumer may have had an earlier experience with but it may be another product which will affect the construction about the product from that particular country. (Loureiro and Umberger 2002, p. 59) To create a certain perception about products from a certain country, consumer use  Ã‚   evaluation based inference to reason about the image of that product.   This means that it will evaluate factor of quality value, styling, and others and correlate them with  Ã‚   the country of origin.   This is known as the halo effect where a belief about a trait of a certain products which in this case is the country of origin of the product produces a certain belief structure on traits that are not known to the customer but which are congruent with the traits that have already been experienced by the consumer.   The willingness of any consumer to purchase a product is based on the  Ã‚   characteristics of the country of origin of the product and its people.   The perception about the country of origin may also be affected by the comparison that the consumer makes about the similarities and differences between their country and the country of origin of the product.   This comparison may be made in terms of the economic development, political status, the social culture climate, and other factors which may crate differences and similarities between the two nations. (Dougla and Nonaka 1995, p. 350) Therefore it shows the  Ã‚   country of origin is one factor that embraces so many other factors inside it.   There are other market considerations that are made about the country of origin that ultimately determine consumer perception of the  Ã‚   products.   In this case there are several factors that we can identify that influence the overall consumer perception of the country and the products. Some of these factors include the following: †¢ Quality †¢ Technology †¢ Features of the product †¢ Brand recognition †¢ Perception of value †¢ Advertising images †¢ Perception of retailers and distribution These are some of the factors that may affect consumer perceptions of the products based on the country of origin.   There are many other factors that a customer takes into considerations but these are the main ones. Let us look closely at each of these factors. (i) Perception of quality The quality of the product is important to the consumer as it is used to develop descriptive and inferential beliefs about the product and service.   The  Ã‚   actual consumer choice of a product can be as a direct function  Ã‚   based on these medicating beliefs.   This shows the  Ã‚   quality evaluation is important factor in the overall decision making process of the consumers.   If the consumer develops a positive quality attitude towards the product, they are likely to increase  Ã‚   their confidence on the  Ã‚   product evaluation before giving their final choice.   There are several studies that have documented that quality is second to price in the consumer choice of product from foreign countries. (ii) Technology sophistication perception Sophisticated technology can be defined as technology which involves a high level of  Ã‚   operation using complex material and equipment.   It is also as production process that uses high level of skills to formulate and develop products. In this case we can take the examples we had given earlier bout Japan. It ahs been argued that   products from Japan have been receiving a high   rating and   increased preference in different parts of the world owing to the   high level of   technology that is used to produce them.   It has also been shown that American consumers have shown increased preference to German made products owing the capability of German to produce high technology products.   Contrary to this   a study carried out in Austria showed that   they preferred products from   Euro pan compared to other products outside Europe due to the high level of technology used to produce   goods in Europe. (Crodel 2003, p. 53) (iii) Features of a   product as suited to the market The features of a product compared to other in the market are an important factor that determines the overall product perception and choice preference.   Simple features like colour of the product, has been shown to be an import factor in the purchase of product like bread as compared to  Ã‚   price and nutritional aspect of the bread.  Ã‚   Yellow coloured bread which appears to have been prepared with a lot of eggs is mostly preferred compared to white bread by consumers in the market.   A study carried out in New Zealand showed the colour of the automobiles was important in the overall effect of purchase of automobiles. (iv) Recognition of the brand   Consumers have shown increased preference of  Ã‚   well known brands compared to unknown brands owing to its prestige. It has also been shown that preference of favourite brands is a way of  Ã‚   reducing risk in the purchase decision.   Brand recognition is an important factor that helps the consumer confidence in the purchase of branded products.   A country with a portfolio of well known brands will create a positive attitude towards the consumers and they are likely to purchase other products from the same country event without  Ã‚   preference to quality of the product. In this case country branding is very important in influences the overall consumer perception of products from that country.   If we take a contemporary example of Japan and China, we will find the both of them are emerging markets in the world.   While Japan is reputed for its quality in and durable products, china on the other hand is known for  Ã‚   cheap low quality products.   Apparently china accounts for more than 70% of all the counterfeited products in the world.  Ã‚   Therefore it would be difficult to convince a consumer from a country that china which is reputed with cheap low quality products can actually produce high quality products. It has also been found out that consumer have an increased preference toward branded produces rather than unbranded products. A study carried out in Britain showed the American and French brands were preferred by British retail managers as they were more recognized compared to the domestic brands. (Bannister and Saundrsm 1998, p. 60) (v) Perception of values The perception of values involves the overall consumer assessment of the use of a product  Ã‚   based on the   consumer will give in monetary values and what they expect to receive in terms of  Ã‚   quality. This is a kind of a balance equation that the consumer makes regarding the products that they wish to purchase.   The past research that have been carried out on the perception of values have shown that compared to all countries in the world, Japanese products were low priced while at the same time they were considered to be of high values and therefore the consumes preferred to buy them because they got an acceptable product values for the amount of monetary sacrifice they made for that particular product.  Ã‚   A recent study has also shown that Japanese products are likely to be preferred to the US products even without so much concession on the price of the products. (vi) Advertising image The adverting strategies that are used in the market can improve the image of the products and therefore increase the consumer preference of the product.   There has been a reported relationship between advertising influence, that attitude toward a brand, and consumer preference in the marketing  Ã‚  Ã‚   of the product.   In the early emergence of the Japanese products, they were shown to receive a low key in the market  Ã‚  Ã‚   because they were not well advertised and their low prices  Ã‚   created a negative consumer perception.   After some years, Japanese product recorded increased sales in Canada, US, Britain, Hungary, and others where they had recorded low sales after an aggressive and competent advertising that changes consumer perception. (vii) Distribution and retailing perception   The realties influence the consumer preference and decision to purchase a product through their promotional efforts.   Retailers makes particular efforts to promote the products to in the market  Ã‚   through merchandise offering, merchandise display, reliable dissemination of information, and through many other efforts.   The retailer can also influence the consumers by presenting a higher credibility for a product and an apparent warranty and guarantees which increase consumer confidence in that particular product.   Consumer perception of a products has partly been linked to various level of activities carried out by the retailers in creating their awareness about that product in the market. Weak promotion activities have a negative effect on the consumer perception of quality and  Ã‚   preferences to purchase that particular product. (Cheung and Dention 1995, p. 55) There are the main factors that influence the perception of a product from a country.   This shows that  Ã‚   country of origin is influenced by the above  Ã‚   factors.  Ã‚   Consumer perception is not a  Ã‚   condition that is created at once but it is an after thought  Ã‚   which comes after interplay of the above factors.   Country of origin perception is not a condition that is crated overnight and does not evaporate overnight but it is a perception that may last for some time and may be difficult to deconstruct.