Hyundai Motors in the International Market Essays

Hyundai Motors in the International Market Essays Hyundai Motors in the International Market Essay Hyundai Motors in the International Market Essay Essay for International Trade Title : Hyundai Motors in International Market Hyundai Motors, one of the affiliates of Hyundai Corporation, started as a Joint- venture company with Ford. Before introducing more about Hyundai Motors, a man who founded the company should come first. Joo-young Jung was an entrepreneur, businessman and the founder of all Hyundai Groups of South Korea. Joo-young Jung was born in 1915 toa large impoverished family of peasants during the time when Korea was under Japanese rule. He dreamed of becoming a school teacher but his dream was cut short because the restrictive environment at the time kept the family tuck in poverty, and that kept him away from the opportunities of higher education. Despite of the situation he was in, he did not stop learning. He thought he would never success if he is stuck with his family so he attempts several times to run away from home, but every time he ran away from home he got caught by his father. At last, he succeeds at his fourth attempt. He got a Job as a deliveryman at the rice store in Seoul and soon he learned to manage the stores accounting the experience helped Joo-young thoroughly gain his business sense. After making some fortune, he urchased service garage to start A-do Service Garage and he founded Hyundai Automobile Industry in 1946. At first, its main business was repairing U. S. Army vehicles or Japanese cars, but thanks to Joo-young Jung, his wide knowledge of car mechanism helped the company to secure customers by providing high quality services. For 17 years, it remained as repairing company but when Korean government designated automobile as a main export product in 1962, Joo-young Jung waited his time and founded Hyundai Motors(HM) in 1967. At that time, no companies had technology to produce automobiles by themselves and it was same or HM either so they needed a partner. It was either GM or Ford, and HM choose Ford because GM tends to intervene deep down to the companys management even tor the toreign affiliated company. It may nave starte as M manutacturing company but with the strong will of exporting, HM also puts efforts developing its own automobile model. HM had the capital and the government support but the greatest obstacle was lack of technology. Nowadays, HM produces wide variety of automobiles from compact cars to SUVs. Among those various models, three main products would be Avante, Sonata, and Genesis. Avante and Sonata helped HM to be a leading company in the industry domestically and with Genesis, HM started to differentiate itself in the global market. Avante has great advantage of fuel efficiency and it was originally developed as global market targeted model but appealed to the domestic customers who are quite fuel conscious. These days, Avante is considered as most beloved model by Korean all time and its also the most exported car in HM history. Sontana, first introduced in 1985, is the model which gave HM its distinguished position in automobile industry in Korea. It has been produced in ifferent designs and features through six generations for more than 25 years and one of the most popular models in domestic midsize car market. The main slogan for Sonata is The car with innovative performance, high technology and reasonable price. Most recently developed model, Genesis, is a luxurious sedan and the first full- size car developed with the originality of HM. Its also the first luxurious car to export aggressively in HM history. Domestic car industry is literally overwhelmed by Hyundai Motors ever since it became Hyundai-Kia Motors after taking over the Kia Motors in 1998. Hyundai Motors(HM) market share is approximately 80% but as the tariff is getting lower, the growths of foreign automobile companies are not ignorable. In 2013, it is expected that the imported cars from Europe or America will come in to market aggressively and competition in mid-size and full-size car market will intensify. As import cars come offensively into the market, domestic automobile companies lead by HM will spur domestic market while invigorating the export. The forecasted analysis of domestic market of demand and supply is that in spite of internal and external negative facts like increase in households debts, economic ecession in Europe, and slowdown in China s economy effecting the domestic economy, positive facts such as base effect, low interest rate, low oil price stabilization and additional decrease in individual consumption tax due to FTA will increase the demand. On the other hand, due to the HMs new double shift plan in their domestic plant, without any additional plan to increase the productivity, the whole production quantity will decrease by 15% than before. Even though decreased working hours and double shift will increased the UPH(Unit per hour), the total production will decrease. By the rules of supply and demand, since the supply will decrease while the demand is expected to increase, the price will also increase to reach the market equilibrium price. HM is almost dominating the domestic market but in international market, the situation differs country to country. When HM first exported its Pony Excel to America in 1986, it was quite a success for a first export to the country which has one of the biggest automobile market. In 1987, proportion of Pony Excel in whole automobile demand in America was 2. 6%, which is 7% of imported automobile market and of compact car market in America. In that year, Pony Excel came top of Centra from Nissan and Civic from Honda. But the glorious days did not last long. In fact, Pony Excel was inadequate to export. At first, it had its competency over price but soon when Yen value dropped, it lost its strength. Despite of crash of Pony Excel, HM did not give up and started to regain reputation by 10 year-100 thousand mileage warranty in 1998. At first, it had to face the critics saying that the new plan it came up with is nothing but a marketing experiment or a cheap plan to attract the customers. American customers are considered as the most ational customers around the globe. They do not buy the car because it is guaranteed to be repaired free for 10 years. Americans accepted the HMs plan as a confidence and it worked. The market share rose from 1 . 1% to 3. 2% by the end of 2001. Its an explosive increase of 330% in Just 3 years. The market share kept rising gradually and peak its highest at 5. 1 in 2011. With the sum of market share with Kia Motors, which is part of HM, its 8. 7% of whole American automobile market and placed them sixth place among the domestic and foreign automobile producing companies in America. Compared to Toyota, the company placed third in automobile market in Ame rica, HM still has long way to go but considering the time of market entry and technology advancement, the progress HM made is remarkable. Unlike the domestic situation, even though HMs new double shift plan decreased the quantity of production units, it seems like there will be not much change in price for the HM automobiles in the international market. The reason is that the domestic market is dominated by HM if considered Kia Motors as part of HM and that means HM as a main supplier, it will determine the price. But in international market, for example in American market, the proportion of demand for HM is not that large compared to other companies. Furthermore, HM sells cars at the price of 90% of domestic price. No matter what, the price for the HM cars in American automobile market will be less than domestic market. As stated above, HMs first strategy to be a globalized company was to have competency in price. HM s strategy seemed successful at the beginning but after all, it only gave them a shameful title, cheap car with low performance and technology. HM tried its best to get rid of the standardized image y improving the performance, design, technology of the car and they succeeded. They still have the image of cheap car but now, relatively cheaper with great performance compared with the cars of similar features. Not only changing the image but HM improved their foreign plant and aggressively advertised its products also. The foreign plant in Alabama, U. S. A. , is run by robots during the whole process and it helped HM to produce same quality of cars throughout the production process with low rates of flaw. As a marketing plan, Hyundai Motors also placed its TV ads on ix national broadcastings, forty-one popular cable TV shows, and more than thirty magazines as well. If HM keeps concentrating on improvement of quality and brand image, it will give the competency in quality and price in a global market. Other example would be the strategy HM used in Chinese automobile market. China automobile market is expected to grow as a second largest around the globe. The market entry was easier than the other countries because the current chairman of HM, Mong-goo Jung, has a close relationship with China s high-ranking government officials. This relationship is crucial for the business. If he keeps good relationship with them, with the geometric advantage, HM can lead the Chinese automobile market. First, Sonata was a big success by being selected as an official model of taxi and it became a huge advantage for HM to spread its name in China. Avante also succeeded in the market because HM changed Avante ?s teature atter thorough research of road condition and customer preference in China. Especially, gold plated handle and other upgraded features attracted Chinese middle class greatly. If HM had competency of low price with fine quality in America, HM has competency of uite high price with guaranteed performance and quality. Expansion of local production plant in China is also helping the boost of sales. Current growth in international market does not mean HM will surely keep growing in the future. HM still needs to come up with new strategies to stabilize their sales and improve the brand image. Three main competition strategy can be issued RDE(Research Development Design Engineering), safety, and environmental performance. Each strategy point means enhancing brand value and power by improving design, securing safety that satisfies the global standard, and developing new generation of conomic and environmental power source. These three strategies will reinforce the selling capability by enhancing brand value and power to eliminate the possibility of over production and at the same time, move on from mass production company, to distinguished luxury brand. Automobile industry is all-around machine industry and those three issued I brought up is essential elements that cannot be weight one sided for the production of machine called car. If HM fails, company will fall behind and all the efforts it had put would be useless. References Ahn, S. 013), Automobile:l QI 3 Preview:The spring is coming, Dong-yang asset, retrieved May 1 5, 2013, from myasset. com/myasset/logindex. ]sp? direct=/ Jung, S. (2007), A Study on the global network of Korean automobile industry and its strategy based on the analysis of Hyundai Motor Company, Unpublished masters degree dissertation, Kook-min University, Seoul. Kim, K. (2011, July 18th), Hyundai Motors, the history of Korean automobile industry, is leading global Korea, Ulsan Maeil, Retrieved May 17th, 2013, from http:// www. iusm. co. kr/news/articleView. html? idxno=219593

Teaching Tips Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teaching Tips - Essay Example The questioning procedure makes the teacher aware of the understanding of the students. This helps the students to correct the mistakes and to make them understand the essence of the lesson better. (Academic feedback, n.d.,p 2). The activities of the students get monotonous if they are taught the same lessons. Asking questions and assigning them activities will help to break the monotonous routine of the students. (Teaching tip 18: Pacing, n.d.). If the questions are scientific, they arouse a certain level of interest among the students. If the students get interested in their studies, they understand the subject better. The frequency of the right answers in questions also helps the teachers to make an estimate of student understanding. If the right answers form a high percentage it has to be inferred that the students have understood the subject. (Academic feedback, n.d, p 3). Students should understand the lessons imparted by the teachers. It is essential for the teachers to ensure learner understanding for providing the right feedbacks. It is essential; therefore, that the students should understand the subject before the teachers can gauge them. Thus, it is very important for teachers to probe for learner understanding before giving feedbacks. (Teaching tip 18: Pacing, n.d.) Follow-up Questions are another important tool by which the progress of the students can be measured. The follow-up questions impart the need for reteaching the lessons if any. If a scientific approach is used in follow-up questions, a correct feedback about the students can be garnered.  

Russian Culture and Civilization under the Tsars Essay

Russian Culture and Civilization under the Tsars - Essay Example Each banner also has a cross on the support pole, again lending to a religious cause. The flags seem to symbolize peace in their beliefs, which is odd given the battle. Some figures do not carry banners; one holds a decorated wooden cross with rounded edges and a representation of Christ being crucified painted or etched into it. Another carries a flag with a representation of Christ on it, the white of the flag surrounded by unreadable red lettering. The back half of the flag is missing and aflame; it is burning in the hands of the carrier. One man in the back, behind the leading line of religious figures, holds a large bound book that may be a Bible, though there is no title on the cover. Another carries a lit candle, while at the other end of the religious figures, a woman holds a two-colored lamp of green and gold that is decorated with crosses on top, signifying her support for the religious cause behind this battle. The ages of those dressed in robes varies; a man with white ha ir and long beard stands facing the battling soldiers, holding a sword with determination and sadness in his eyes, but he does not actively attack. Some figures have elaborate gold embellishment on their robes, while others are clad in simple robes of white or light colors only. Others, as well, grown men of middle age, hold their own banners and flags or candles and look on with expressions of sadness and dismay, as though to say that they believe in their cause, but they worry and pray for the souls that will be lost. All the figures carrying religious banners or items appear to look alike, with their dark hair in the same style, as well as their facial hair, also all in the same style. Towards the back of the religious line, there is an older religious man with a cap, clad in blue; his expression is unreadable. An almost ethereal, heavenly glow appears to surround the persons that wear robes. In the front attacking line, a youthful boy clad all in white with no weapon in hand has an expression on his face of one that is in pain. This is most likely due to the soldier standing in front of him with his sword raised high, ready to strike; however, there is an absence of blood on the youth or the ground. The flag support being carried by the soldier closest to the walls has been broken, the sharp jagged ends sticking out. The flag itself is of a bright orange-red color with a white bird on it, possibly a dove or some other animal that is symbolized in religious writings. As with the banners, the flag has what appears to be a religious â€Å"figure† on top of the pole, cast in metal. The soldiers at the front of the walls are actively attacking the opposing army, with expressions ranging from fear to frenzied rage. All wield axes and strike with fury and vengeance. The soldiers look polished and clean, ready for battle. Others lie dead on the ground, their expressions ones of peace and serenity. All are clad in the same uniform with very slight difference in the attacking army uniforms vs. the opposing army; one must look carefully at the helmets to see that one is different from another. It is clear, however, from the expressions on some of the soldiers’ faces that they did not expect the strength or ferocity of the attackers to be so violent; their shock, fear, and horror are almost palpable. Some figures do not belong to either the religious group or the soldiers. Perhaps

Obesity in Childhood

Obesity in Childhood PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN CHILDHOOD Introduction In this assignment I will endeavour to tackle the prevention of obesity in childhood as an aspect of health promotion. The rationale of choosing this topic is that obesity and overweight increase the risk of contracting world killer diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes .The prevalence of obesity in United Kingdom and other countries and the cost to National Health Service and economy will be looked into. An analysis of the behavioural change model and how it relates to health promotion initiatives will be discussed. The role of a nurse and other professionals with regards to heath education and health promotion will be highlighted. What is health The World Health Organisation (WHO 1986)defines health as a state of complete physical ,mental and social well being and not just the absence of disease and infirmity. Forster (2002) confirms that health is generally seen in terms of people being ill or well but indicates that this is a simplistic view, as being well or ill are not entirely separate notions but in fact overlap to some degree. Forster(2002) while concurring with the definition of health as provided by the WHO (1986) adds that this definition provides a positive view of health and suggest that health fluctuates over time along a continuum, good and poor health appearing at opposite poles of the continuum. Ewles and Simnett(2003) also suggest that health is determined by many factors such as Physical health, body function, Societal health living accomodation ,employment status , Spiritual health, religious beliefs and moral values or behaviours, Social health being able to sustain relationships and make friends, Emotional health the ability to cope with depression, stress and anxiety. Therefore an individuals health position along this continuum is variable but no distinct demarcation line between health and ill health exists. With regards to the definition given it is argued that health professionals interventions should focus on helping the clients ,individuals, families and communities to gain health related knowledge, attitudes and practice associated towards achieving certain behaviours. Obesity and associated problems.Obesity is a condition of excess body fat associated with increased risks such as diabetes, cardiovascular and other common diseases (Beebe 2008) and (Campbell and Haslam 2005). Like smoking eating is a complex combination of behaviour driven by social and psychological factors as well as biological compulsion (Croghan and Johnson 2005).They went on to say that people eat fast food because it is socially accepted. For example some fast foods have high fat and high sugar content and people tend to overeat them because they are the most palatable and provide pleasure. The prevention and management of obesity has been a national governmental policy for a number of years according to the Chief Medical Officer,s Annual Report 2002,(DoH 2003).Obesity has been highlighted as a health time bomb and seen as a challenge for the government as a whole (DoH 2003).The World Health Organisation,(WHO 1998) has described obesity as a global epidemic as evidenced by the growing trends in most developed countries. Obesity in childhood carries health risks in both short and long term. Marshall et al (2003) agreed with Bond et al (2004) that obesity has been recognized as a major health problem as it is linked to number of diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes .Obesity is known as a major risk factor in the development of many diseases such as arthritis of weight –bearing joints, gastro esophageal reflux, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer,(Bond et al 2004).Therefore obesity can influence physical, intellectual ,emotional and social development influencing childhood .It is for the above reason that long term eating and exercise habits need to be promoted in health and stop obesity in childhood years. Primary care should play a leading role in obesity management and prevention. The above statement is supported by the document Choosing Health ;Making Healthier Choices Easier (DoH 2004) which identified primary care as crucial to the provision of services f or overweight and obese clients. Obesity is associated with many illnesses and is directly related to increased mortality and lower life expectancy. Tackling obesity is a government wide priority .Obesity was one the key areas highlighted in the governments white paper that needed reform and the plan to meet this target was that each primary trust should have a specialist obesity service with the clients have able to access to a dietician and able to receive advice and support on changing behaviour (DoH 2004) Possible causes of Obesity .A study by Mulvihill and Quigley (2003) has revealed that age, education, social class and prosperity have an important influence on the risk of becoming obese. Muller et al (1999) suggest that unhealthy eating habits are associated with overweight in children, they went on to say that overweight is linked with coming from a low socio-economic background, suggesting that these families should be a primary target for awareness and prevention campaigns. The figures released by the National Child Measurement programme are deeply disturbing.   The fact that 22.9% of children in year one in primary school are overweight or obese surely indicates that measuring the BMI of children should begin much earlier (National Obesity Forum 2008). How childhood obesity in England compares with other countries and the implications to the NHS and ecomony The 2002 review of the white paper (Health of the nation) target for obesity was just 6 per cent for 1992. A continuing rising trend in obesity to 2010 is predicted, when one-fifth of boys and more than one-fifth of girls will be obese,(King Fund 2007) . More recently the Munich Declaration(WHO 2000) recognized that actions need to be increased to enhance the roles of nurses and midwives in public health, health promotion and community participation. Irvine (2005) reported that in United Kingdom there has been corresponding growth in emphasis on health promotion in primary care. For example the liberating the talents policy document for England (DoH 2002) identifies the involvement of nurses in public health, health protection and health promotion as one of three core functions for nurses. In the United States the problem of obesity and overweight is a growing concern and the prevalence has nearly tripled during the past decade. The economic cost is approximately 117billion dollars annually taking into account hospitalization and the lost workdays,(Sitzman 2003)In Australlia the child obesity has increased dramatically and the contributing factors include the availability of affordable energy –dense food supply and sweetened beverages that are marketed aggressively. The studies by (Kaplan and Wadden 1986) cited (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008) has shown that obesity also causes adverse psychosocial problem such as bullying, discrimination and in older children and adolescent and low self esteem. The reduction of physical activities such as walking or cycling to school and an increase in computer and electronic games has compounded the problem (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008).Simillarly a study by Jebb(2005)has revealed that obesity and overweight continues to be a serious public health problem as it is rooted in three main areas such as excess food ,absences of controlling food behaviour and lack of physi cal activity. However the studies by ( Dietz and Robinson 2005,Kirk et al 2005 and Reilly 2006) cited by (Joanna Briggs Institute 2008) has evidence that indicates that a combination of dietary intervention, behavioural therapy and exercise will have significant impact on weight reduction in overweight and obesity children. In England the rates of obesity have increased dramatically over the last decade and if no action is not taken one in five children aged will be obese by 2010 (DoH 2003)The prevalence of obesity and overweight has a substantial human cost and serious financial consequences for the National Health Service (NHS) and the economy .In 1998 over 18 million days of sickness were attributed to obesity and the total cost of obesity was 2.6 billon (National Audit Office 2001). In order to tackle the growing problem of obesity, the then Public Minister of Health Tessa Jowell set in motion a wide ranging plan of action (DoH 1999) cited by White and Pettifer (2007) which included the follow ing; Healthy school programme, living centres to be established , safe and sound challenge, to increase activity levels in children and to increase information for public ,so that they can make informed choices. The Choosing Health White Paper (DoH 2004) demonstrated this shift towards this awareness with two of the overarching principles of the policy being reducing obesity and improving diet, nutrition and increasing exercise. Role of a nurse in health promotion Health promotion is at the forefront of healthcare and the teaching role of the nurse is more important than ever (Rush et al 2005). Whitehead(2004) agreed that nurses impart healthcare related information that influences values, beliefs attitudes and motivations. It is for this reason that nurses in primary care play a pivotal role in the management of obesity. Encouraging people to change their attitude towards a health issue is an important part of any health education programme (Clark 1999). Health promotion is a process by which the ecologically-driven socio-political- economic determinants of health are addressed as they impact on individuals and the communities within which they interact (Whitehead 2004).In agreement with Whitehead (2004) , Tones and Tilford (2001) viewed health promotion as political advocacy which is aimed at representing the underprivileged sections of society by helping them to redress the imbalances in power. The WHO( 1986) also viewed health promotion as a mechanism to enhance health and to prevent ill health in order to maintain and impose better lifestyles. Health education is an activity that seeks to inform the individual on the nature and causes of health/illness and that individuals personal level of risk associated with their lifestyle related behaviour (Whitehead 2004).He further states that health education seeks to motivate an individual to accept a process of behavioural-change through directly influencing their value, belief and attitude systems . However, Quinn (2001) argues that although health education is vital for health promotion ,the nurse must acknowledge that having the knowledge does not guarantee that people will implement healthy choices and a change in behaviour. To reduce obesity nurses can engage with young people for instance routinely measuring children s height and weight in order to obtain their body mass index (BMI),to establish the level of obesity. BMI is an accepted measure of obesity and is calculated as ratio of weight to weight, using the formula :BMI =weight in kilograms/height in square meters (Hump hrey Beebe 2008).The National Institute for Health and Excellence (NICE 2006) and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ( CDC 2006) guidelines define those with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight and those with 30 and over to be obese. There are several approaches that health care professional can implement to tackle obesity in childhood. For example the interventions and strategies can be targeted at the whole population ,individuals who are at risk , children and people with mental health problems. The House of Commons Health Committee’s recommendation (2004) that all children should have their BMI measured annually at school and that the results should be sent home to their parents or carers with appropriate advice. If fully implemented it would amount to full scale population level health screening programme that is cost effective. Health promotion is a vast subject with a variety of theories, models and approaches. Piper (2005) identified, the three models in health promotion frameworks that a nurse or midwife as behaviour change agent, the midwife or a nurse as empowerment facilitator ,nurse as strategic practitioner. Nurses as facilitators of self –help and promoters of positive health , are key to initiating change in this area (Croghan 2005).The nurses are ideally placed to adopt a public health role and can identify health needs as they are in regular and close contact with individual, families , communities and other health and social bodies (Jack and Holt 2008). The above models involve the midwives or nurses working with individual and the focus is on intervention. According to Ewles and Simnett (2003) there are fives approaches to health promotion namely the medical , behaviour change , educational , client centred and societal change. The model by Ewles and Simnett (2003) identify the needs and priorities by setting the aims objectives and decide on the best way of achieving the aims by identify the resources ,plan and evaluate the methods ,set an action plan. In tackling obesity in children the medical approach would include the monitoring of the BMI. The medical approach is a reactive and opportunistic process and is adopted where the client has an existing condition or illness (Whitehead 2004) and (Ewles and Simnett 2003).The medical approach promotes medical interventions from professionals to prevent or reduce ill health and this requires the individuals to comply with preventative medical procedures. The educational approach provides individuals with knowledge and information thereby enabling them to make informed decisions and choices about their lifestyles. For example the educational approach would include teaching the children about the importance of nutrition and exercise. The behavioural change approach is targeted at the individuals ability to change their attitude and behaviour in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle. However the behaviour change theory suggests that change will not occur until the individual is ready (Kopelman and Dietz 2005).The client-centred approach takes on the idea that people should act on their own problems. It helps client to identify what they want to know and act on them. The approach aims to empower the client. The societal approach aims to effect changes on the physical ,social , and economic environment to make it more conducive to good health (Ewles and Simnett 2003).Whitehead (2004) states that health education is an activity that seeks to inform the individual on the nature and causes of health or illness and that the individuals personal level of risk associated with their lifestyle related behaviour. The approach and aim of health promotion is to focus on changing the behaviour towards a healthier lifestyle. The stages of changes in health promotion developed by Prochaska and Di Clemente (1983)cited by Croghan (2005) are Precontemplation, contemplation, prepara tion, action , maintenance and relapse. This model shows the process through which people travel to change addictive behaviour.. During the precontemplation stage the individuals are not thinking about making any change in their lifestyle. Not all clients are a stage in their life where they want to make a lifestyle behaviour change (Croghan 2005).The clients may not be aware that there is a problem and could be resistant to making changes. Contemplation is a point where the individual may be aware that there is a problem and at this stage they are weighing up the costs and benefits of change. Simillarly the Cognitive dissonance theory Festinger (1957) cited by Clark (1999) is a state of tension that occurs when an individuals beliefs are at odds with their behaviours .The cognitive dissonance is viewed as a motivational state as it enables the individual to bring the behaviour in line with beliefs such as binge eating and may change attitude towards it (Clark 1999).Croghan and Johnson (2005) agreed with the above that the support package should begin with an assessment of client s readiness and motivation to change. Preparation is where the client becomes aware that the perceived benefits of change outweigh the costs, change is possible and small behavioural changes may occur. The Knowledge Attitude-Behaviour Model (KAB) proposes that as people acquire knowledge in nutrition and health areas, their attitudes change. Changes in attitude will then lead to changes in behaviours (Contento 2007). The next stage is where the individual takes action to change their behaviour and will lead to the maintenance stage where the new habits become established and the individual sustains the change in behaviour and moves on to a healthier lifestyle. The NICE guidlines (2006) came up with a Obesity Intervention Pyramid aimed at tackling obesity for all children. It starts by adopting a whole school approach by addressing the levels of overweight and obesity in school children. If children are encouraged to become healthier eaters the interventions are more likely to succeed if it is applied as a whole and monitored daily. This done by ensuring that the schools promote a culture where staff, pupils and parents or carers are encouraged to help each other to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The schools are advised to emphasise the importance of a balanced diet .A pictorial form of the balanced diet identifies those foods and drinks that should be consumed regularly and those that are high in sugar, fat and salt that should be limited. Physical activity in schools should be encouraged such as participate in sport and physical education(PE). Walking ,cycling, scooting and walk initiatives should be encouraged. This will reduce traffic outside the school thereby promoting healthy lifestyles. Avoid the blame culture that stigmatises those who are obese and overweight. Always stress the positive such as be healthy, get active, feel better and enjoy being active. The Health Schools Programme approach involves parents and carers since they are the main influence on their children lifestyle .Parents and carers are important role models for children and can help them to stay healthy (NICE 2006).The school based activity should involve General Practioners (GP),Paediatricians ,School nurses, Dietacian and other health professionals. The behavioural programme uses the behaviour change techniques such as self-monitoring ,goal setting, positive enforcement, stimulus control and relapse prevention. BENEFITS AND BARRIERS AND WHAT HAS CHANGED .The benefits of engaging the children are improved health, concentration and behaviour. Nurses must identify potential barriers to participation in health promotion and intervene to reduce those barriers such as (Padula et al 2006) Conclusion Obesity is a problem that plagues millions of people, and can be considered an epidemic. Social changes and the increase in fast food corporations are leading to an escalation in obesity. Diet companies are profiting from the unhealthy habits of individuals and creating a false sense of relief. The rise in obesity is a social inclination, and needs to be seen as more of a health issue, and not as a counter-culture way of life. With a decrease in obesity, our country will become more active, and current obese people will have a new found sense of heightened self-esteem

Filipino Fashion Essay

Just when you think that Filipinas do not know how to strut on the catwalk, Filipinas do not just have the passion to wear designed clothes; Filipinas are natural fashionistas. Tracing its origins, Filipinos had long since been very innovative and creative in the kind of clothes that they wear. The early settlers wore bahag, a loincloth commonly used by Filipino men before the European colonizers arrived. This is mostly used by indigenous tribes in the mountains, and until now, is still used in the Cordilllera Mountain. But this is not being looked down upon as a lowly garment as it is made of well-chosen materials, woven in intricate designs that are unique with each individual wearing it. The Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya are the country’s national costume. The barong is made of a variety of fabrics like the pià ±a fabric, jusi, and banana fabric. This is worn by men during official and special personal occasions. Nowadays, the barong has now been modernized with the polo barong, â€Å"gusot-mayaman† (â€Å"gusot† means â€Å"wrinkled† and â€Å"mayaman† means â€Å"wealthy†), linen barongs and shirt-jack barongs. Barong Tagalog The baro’t saya is the national dress and is worn by women. This is characterized by having a huge paà ±uelo or shawl around the shoulders, and the terno, having the butterfly sleeves popularized by former First Lady Imelda Marcos. As the years passed, the influence of the West and the influence of the East on local fashion has made Filipino fashion an ecclectic one. Some of the popular Filipino fashion designers we have today include Mich Dulce, Rafe Totengco, and Monique Lhuillier.

Are You An Informed Citizen? Essay

Let’s just start out by me explaining my political views and how well I am informed. I have to be truthful and say that I am not a very political nor am I an â€Å"Informed† citizen. I know this is crazy but after researching and doing a lot of reading, I have been enlightened and what I have read has been very interesting. â€Å"An informed citizenry will benefit from applying both creative thinking and critical thinking in solving the challenges of our society†, at first I was like what the heck does this even mean? Well, I have informed myself and I must say I feel I will be able to vote Tuesday feeling more informed about the issues that concern this country. In a democracy, public misperceptions carry an enormous cost and I would hate to be one that contributed to this. The main goal of citizenship education is to produce citizens who can make informed decisions on matters pertaining to the operation of government. Do you know that a very high percentage of citizens make their decisions based on appearance on television? I don’t fall into that category although I may fall into the category above that. Because in the past I have based my decision on commercials. I never educated myself to learn the facts from the opinions or lies one might say. A lot of powerful groups and interests in the country try to manipulate public opinion and they are very good at it. An essential element of critical thinking is learning how to ask questions that will uncover the information needed to make an informed decision. Many decisions that citizens make have direct impact on their day to day lives. People who possess higher level of critical thinking skills are able to face society’s moral dilemas with the confidence that they will be able to find answers that will solve the problem. Let’s go back to how people decide who to vote for. Several recent studies indicate that candidates who simply look more capable or attractive are more likely to win elections. It also states that people who watch a lot of television will base their decision on the candidates appearance and are likely not educated on either candidates. Also naive students based their decision on just a black and white photo. I feel like it would be a great idea to have a political course taken in high school. That way students know the importance of having knowledge and being â€Å"informed†. Teaching them the importance of having sufficient and sufficiently reliable information or knowledge to be able to understand a  subject or situation and make appropriate judgments or decisions regarding it. Teaching them how to search for information, digest it, and actively participate in society putting their knowledge to a good collective use. It’s very important that we do not allow others to think for us. That we should be able to think and make decisions for ourselves based on the information that we know and have researched. We have so many underlying issues that have to be dealt with in the country. For us to not be educated on each issue and just base our decision on someone looking the part, well we might as well just do a coin toss. Seems more interesting and â€Å"creative† to me. We have job issues, environment, education, healthcare, budget for the country, same sex marriage, economic, taxes, abortion, gun control, immigration, social security, welfare/ poverty, the war, and the list goes on and on. It is embarrassing for me to admit that I was the percentage that made my decision on the media when the only thing they are thinking of is entertaining and making money. If we want this country to be built back up and to be strong like it once was we have to become educated and educate the young, because they will be running this country one day. I would like to go through some of the things I mentioned above and let you know what I have learned just by having to write this paper. Because I believe I have become more educated just from this one assignment and to think how much more I would know if I had started researching years ago. First would be Same sex Marriage/ Adoption that is interesting. I have always believed in every human lives their life the way they want as long as they are not harming themselves or any one else. Who cares what someone else does in their life. If they are happy and a good person, let them be. A gay couple should be able to adopt. A baby that is with a loving gay couple will benefit more than staying with someone who will not give it as much love. Gay couples are just as deserving. Romney believes in marriage only between man and woman. Who is he to judge? One that I am un- decisive on is taxes. I honestly can see both sides. Why is it fair for one who goes out and works hard to make a great living have to pay so much more in taxes to give to some that just live off the government? But the I can see where jobs are hard to get and some people of disabled and they would love to be out there working and making money. That is just one that I will have to do more reading on to be able to see what my beliefs are there. I feel everyone  should have healthcare and no one should be turned away for pre-existing medical issues conditions and insurance companies should not be allowed to drop you if a patient has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. There are so many issues and debates that its overwhelming and stressful, this is one reason I have never been a very political person. I see now why it is important to be an informed citizen and to know the facts. No matter how good our leadership, if we don’t have discriminating citizens, this nation will not work very well.

An Analysis of the Samuel Huntingtons and Benjamin Barbers Theories of Hybrid and Hermetically Sealed Cultures Free Essay Example, 2250 words

This fact is over-generalized in Huntington s view and supports a deliberately biased superiority of western civilization over the rest of the world before 1991. The first basis of Huntington s theory on Muslim culture as to the historicity of violence that was founded in its early beginnings does not hold ground considering that Judaism and Christianity also propounded the use of the sword to fight with one another and also against other religions. Surely, the comment made by George Bush about a Crusade against Muslim terrorism reveals the age-old Christian tradition of using military force in the name of Christ? (Ford para. 2). Although Huntington likes to compare Christ s seeming passivity to his enemies in the Christian faith, the United States (as a Christian nation) has certainly gone against the dictates of Christ s message by attacking Iraq without any evidence of WMDS. Similarly, the hollowness of the hybrid foundation for western cultures like America is demonstrated in the way they imposed their will on other nations in the War in Iraq. Another problem with Huntington s theory is that it does not function very well within the context of the Arabic cultures that have been affected by the imperialistic policy in the War in Iraq. We will write a custom essay sample on An Analysis of the Samuel Huntingtons and Benjamin Barbers Theories of Hybrid and Hermetically Sealed Cultures or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The new government of Iraq, since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, was developed through American intervention. The tyrannical rule or dictatorship of the Saddam Hussein regime offers a stark contrast to the representative government the United States is helping to build in this underdeveloped country. The democracy being imposed on the Iraqi government is based on the proponents of the Bush Administration that views Iraq as a country of warlords, minority rule (the Sunni rule in Hussein), and other facets of a past dictatorship that are now gone after the invasion (Friedman 130-131). Certainly, this counter argument reflects the general consensus that Iraq is not able to build its own form of government after the long tradition of dictatorial government that preceded 2003.