Case Analysis- Colgate Max Fresh: Global Brand Rollout Essay

Q1. Did China and Mexico each do a good job of adapting the launch to meet local consumer needs? What is the likely profit impact of each plan? Which of the proposed adaptations were â€Å"must haves† versus â€Å"nice to haves†? China Though freshness accounted for 28% of consumer reason for a toothpaste purchase was a new concept Responses of the customer were above the norms for new toothpaste products in terms of buying behavior, perceived quality, value for money, and uniqueness Sales in first year of 3882 tons, COGS as 50 % of sales and marketing expenses of 78% Sales in second year of 4370 tons, COGS as 41 % of sales and marketing expenses of 42% Given this trend the expected contribution margin will go up to nearly 70% and if marketing expenses comes down to 35% we have an operating profit of 985,000$ in 3rd year. This adaptation is â€Å"a must have† as it clearly describes the need of the consumer that can be satisficed profitably. Mexico The main reason for purchase was cavity protection and freshness was an appealing concept. Responses of the customer were below norms for new toothpaste products in terms of intention to buy, buying behavior, perceived quality, and uniqueness. Sales in first year of 1600 tons, COGS as 47 % of sales and marketing expenses of 15% Sales in second year of 1850 tons, COGS as 40 % of sales and marketing expenses of 10% Given this trend the expected contribution margin will go up to nearly 70% and if marketing expenses comes down to 8% we have an operating profit of 700,000$ in year 3 This adaptation is â€Å"a nice to have† as it has acceptance that is slightly below par while at the same time preventing crest to gain acceptance in the market. Q2. From a global CMF perspective, what is the short- and long-term impact of the complexity born out of these local adaptations? Is this added complexity good or bad for the global CMF business? China Globally, the short-term affects of the complexity born out of these adaptations is rather expensive. Though it was expensive to adapt the Chinese advertisements, but in the long-term it will profitable since fressness is a important factor in china while making the purchase and the sales are increasing. Mexico In Mexico, the cost of adaptation is about a third of that in China, but they havent reached the market as well as they would have liked. It may have just held off Crest in the short-term for value share, but in they should meet the expectation of the customers while adapting marketing plan for Mexico. Global Implication Added complexity is crucial to Colgate Max Fresh’s global business as it shows that they have put lot of emphasis in meeting the customers needs and demand and positive reponse will be delivered. Had they not spent this time in studying customer needs the demand for the product would have dropped. Burton and Colgate-Palmolive need to make sure that they adapt all the aspect of their product to meet the consumers need and demand in local as well as global markets .It may be expensive in the short-run, but it will pay off in the long-run. Q3. What guidelines could Burton propose going forward to optimize new product introductions for CP worldwide, for the regions, and for the country subsidiaries? Global marketing strategy involves: Keeping the Balance in the global brand and appeal to distinct regions. Successful global marketing campaigns, leveraging similarities to deliver same message and limit costs while also modifiying advertising to align with regional cultural preferences. Forces to drive the globalization of marketing and demands: Market Drivers: Global customers, basic customer needs, Cooling crystals Cost Drivers: Economies of scale potential of campaigns, different icon as per the different regions or countries, importance of Trade-off between icons and opportunistic locations. Competitive drivers: Realisation of global competitors, first mover advantage,threats from competitors innovation Government drivers: Consideration of regulation and censorship, unique promotion strategy when there is inability to mention competitors name, understanding the market potential while entering new territory, Identify the antecedents of brand value, objective seting for brand development, allocation of resources across products.

Japan Invades China (1931-37)

Japan invades China (1931-37) Japan’s main objectives of invading China in 1931 were to destroy communism and poses control over neighboring areas on the Asian continent. It was believed such a control was necessary to be able to issue possible military threats and inquire the natural resources needed to insure Japan’s economic independence. â€Å"By defeating Russia in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, Japan acquired possession of Russia’s Liaodong Peninsula Leasehold, which she renamed the Kwantung Leased Territory, and the South Manchurian Railroad† (BJorge, 2011).After Korea was captured in 1910, Manchuria was filled with mineral wealth, gorgeous farmland, and potential value as a defensive Korea from both China and Russia. In the 1920s, many of the Kwantung army believed Japan should take over Manchuria just like they did in Korea. Plotting began to conquer Manchuria with direct military action which led to the first invasions of China in th e 1930s. (BJorge, 2011) The plan was made to be easy; a railroad on the Southern side of Mukden was made to explode to give the Kwantung an excuse to attack the nearby Manchurian army stations and the storage of weapons in the city.Once that was complete, the Kwantung army was easily expandable until all of Manchuria was captured. The government officials of Tokyo tried to stop the plot, but the Kwantung army attacked before the warning was issued. The bomb was set off on September 18, 1931 and the Kwantung army started moving into action. (BJorge, 2011) China turned to the League of Nations for support. At the time, the nationalist government did not want a war with Japan and either did the Japanese government and therefore ordered the Kwantung army to fall back and negotiate a reasonable solution.But the Kwantung army refused and continued attacking other cities and ended up sending troops into Manchuria. The Kwantung army was very powerful because of their popularly Japanese citi zens. Even though it was unacceptable for the Kwantung army to disobey, the separation of Manchuria from China would be in Japan’s favor. (BJorge, 2011) In May 1935, Japan’s Tinainjin fort demanded all Guomindang military units and officers to leave the Hebei state. Jiang Jieshi was still dedicated to his goal of destroying his communist enemies. Japan, it seemed, was well on the way to achieving her goal of separating north China from Nanjing government administration† (BJorge, 2011). In October 1935, the Japanese prime minster wanted China to accept Manchukuo to join with Japan to build up north China’s economy. This proposal was seen as impossible for the reason of the anti-Japanese anger in China. The anger forced Jiang to end his anti-communist cause. (BJorge, 2011) On the night of July 7, 1937, some Chinese fired shells where the Japanese troops were planning at the Marco Polo Bridge, which is about ten miles from Beijing.Japanese thought a missing s oldier was caught by the Chinese and the Japanese officer ordered a search. On July 8, when his requested was denied, he bombed the city. Chinese tried to attack the Japanese but failed. Several days later, five divisions were made in Japan by the Japanese War Ministry, four divisions were sent to southern Hebei, and the Japanese troops from Manchuria attacked northern China. Then on July 19, an agreement was signed, by the Chinese general Song Zheyan, to withdraw troops from Wanping. Six days later a fight broke out close to the Marco Polo Bridge and Japanese troops detained the bridge.On July 28, the Chinese evacuated to save themselves before it was too late, while Japanese forces captured Tianjin two days later. That was the day Jiang decided that he will lead Japan and fight to finish the operation until the end. (Beck, 2007) On August 11, Jiang Jieshi moved 80,000 men into Shanghai. China tried to air force bomb the Japanese warships, but ended up missing and killing hundreds of civilians in Shanghai. At the end of August the Chinese forces tried to fight and attack the Japanese in Shanghai, but were unsuccessful and turned back to the defensive side in September and October.The Chinese lost 250,000 soldiers compared to 40,000 Japanese soldiers. In November, thanks to French priest Jacquinot de Bessage, some Chinese civilians were given a place to live after losing their home. (Beck, 2007) The Shanxi capital Taiyuan fell on November 9. In late September, the Communists won at Pingxingguan successfully killing about 500 Japanese and gained a hundred equipment trucks. They would have retrieved more, but the remaining Japanese destroyed their equipment and committed suicide. Beck, 2007) The Japanese broke through enemy lines in Shanghai and Chinese began withdrawing toward Nanjing on November 11. Jiang felt the world was on his side, even though the League of Nations did not take any action, and the signing of the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union h ad no impact. But Japan was well on their way of completing their mission; the forces took over Beijing in September, Shijiazhuang in October, Taiyuan in November, Qingdao in August, and Jinan in December. (Beck, 2007) The former warlord Tang Shengzhi was ordered to hold Nanjing.The Japanese were promising the civilians to treat them well as their follow Chinese soldiers were killing and robbing people to take everything they could to escape. Jiang refused to stop fighting and the Japanese began bombing on December 10. Before the Japanese army arrived, half of the population had already left Nanjing. â€Å"The Presbyterian missionary W. Plumer Mills had learned of Bessage’s neutral zone, and the Americans and Europeans organized a safety zone that included Nanjing University, Ginling Women’s Arts and  Science College, the American embassy, and Chinese government buildings† (Beck, 2007).On November 22, the International Committee was made for the Nanjing Safety Zone. Three days later Adolf Hitler was asked to negotiate with the Japanese government to respect the neutral zone for the noncombatants. After all of that was settled, the Japanese continued their bombing to the military targets. More than one hundred thousand people were protected in the Safety Zone. (Beck, 2007) On December 12, Tang Shengzhi abandoned Nanjing and the Japanese troops entered the city the next day.For the seven weeks after that they killed about 30,000 Chinese soldiers, thrashed most of the civilians not in the safety zone, and burned most of the city. Between 20,000 and 80,000 women were raped or taken as slaves. It was estimated more than 200,000 Chinese civilians were exterminated by Japanese soldiers in Nanjing after the war. The Japanese dragged and murdered some of the ex-soldiers in the Safety Zone. â€Å"Jiang and Yan Xishan approved the Communist base in the Jin-Cha-Ji border region on January 22, 1938, but that was the first and last Communist base beh ind enemy lines that the Nationalists recognized† (Beck, 2007).The outcome of this invasion was terrible on China as the Chinese’s soldiers tried to fight to survive but were weaken and about 30 million Chinese civilians were forced to leave their homes and live in regions of their country unfamiliar to them as immigrants. Japan believed the invasion was going to be quick and easy, but they found themselves stuck in an unexpected marsh as China refused to surrender and the invasion turned into the beginning of the second Sino-Japanese War. Since it was too late to escape this battle, Japan reacted to the outbreak of war in Europe, which in time led them to attack the United States.With this action, Japan made China become part of World War II and with the defeat, Japan was forced to give up everything they gained in China since 1931. With the result of the war, the Japanese failed their main objective for the reason that the communist’s strength grew greater than it ever was. This marked the end of Japanese expansion. Reference List Beck, S. (2007). China at war 1937-1949. Retrieved from http://www. san. beck. org/21-5-ChinaatWar1937-49. html Benton, G. (2012). The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino–Japanese War of 1937-1945. China Journal, (67), 189-191.BJORGE, G. J. (2011, November 13). China, invasion of (1931, 1937–1945). Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1002/9781444338232. wbeow112/pdf Burrell, R. S. (2011). The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945. Naval History, 25(2), 78. Cho, A. (2011). In a Sea of Bitterness: Refugees During the Sino-Japanese War. Library Journal, 136(15), 88 Falk, S. (2011). Varied Fare. Army Magazine, 61(6), 73-74. Farrell, B. P. (2011). Book Review: The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937—1945.Edited by Mark Peattie, Edward Drea and Hans van de Ven . Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. 2011. xxv+614 pp. US$65 hbk. ISBN 978 0 .. War In History, 18(4), 566-568. doi:10. 1177/09683445110180040809 Historical Boys' Clothing. (2005, February 05). Second sino-japanese war: Japanese invasion of china (1937-45)). Retrieved from http://histclo. com/essay/war/ww2/camp/pac/china/w2c-inv. html History Learning Site. (n. d. ). The japan. Retrieved from http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/china_war. htm Wikipedia. (n. d. ). Second sino-japanese war. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War

Typography and Professional Nursing

N3645 Transition to Professional Nursing Part A Week 2 Assignment Instructions: Personal Philosophy of Nursing Submit by 0800 Monday of Week 3. NOTE: You will create a new Word document for this Assignment instead of typing directly into this document. Overview: â€Å"Personal Philosophy of Nursing† In this week’s Assignment, you will draft a formal paper expressing your personal philosophy of nursing. In this paper, you will provide a framework for your personal practice of nursing and reflect on why you chose nursing as a profession.Your paper will define how you interact with patients, family members, other nurses, and other health care professionals. Since this is your first formal paper for the program, be sure to use the resources listed below to ensure you are using the proper formatting, scholarly language, and saving and submitting procedures as you write and submit your assignment. Resources ANA Code of Ethics, 2001* APA Module* http://isites. harvard. edu/icb /icb. do? keyword=apa_exposed (This is also printable. Follow instructions in the tutorial. Scholarly Writing Tips* (*Available in the Resource section of this week) MS Word Help and How-To Word 2007 – http://office. microsoft. com/enus/word/FX100649251033. aspx? CTT=96&Origin=CL100636481033 Word 2003 – http://office. microsoft. com/enus/word/FX100649261033. aspx? CTT=96&Origin=CL100636481033 Review your course readings, lecture, and your Week 2 Resources before completing this week’s Assignment. Performance Objectives †¢ Compose a personal philosophy of nursing. †¢ Correlate historical, ethical, and/or political factors influencing professional nursing practice with what you believe the core of nursing is and should be. Apply professional practice standards. †¢ Use correct grammar, punctuation, and American Psychological Association (APA) format in writing professional papers.  ©2008 UTA School of Nursing Page 1 of 6 N3645 Transition to Profess ional Nursing Part A Rubric Use this rubric to guide your work on the Week 2 Assignment, â€Å"Personal Philosophy of Nursing. † Tasks Accomplished Proficient Needs Improvement ? Personal Philosophy of Nursing Paper Format (Total 40 points) Title Page No mistakes in APA format (5 points) Headings and References Uses APA format for headings and to cite 2 references. 25 points) Writing Conventions Professional grammar, spelling, and punctuation; paragraphs of at least 3, well-written sentences (10 points) Title Page Errors in APA format (4 points) Headings and References Cites 1 reference and includes headings in APA format. (20 points) Writing Conventions No more than 8 grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in the entire paper. (8 points) No Title Page (0 points) Headings and References Does not cite references and/or include headings. (0 points) Writing Conventions More than 8 grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in the entire paper (5 points)  ©2008 UTA School of NursingPage 2 of 6 N3645 Transition to Professional Nursing Part A Tasks ? Accomplished Introduction Writes a comprehensive overview of the paper in 1-2 paragraphs. (5 points) Choice of Nursing Clearly answers question in 2-3 paragraphs. (10 points) Essence of Nursing Clearly answers question in 2-3 paragraphs with correlations to historical, ethical, and political factors. (10 points) Beliefs and Values Answers each of the 4 questions in separate paragraphs. (15 points) Vision for the Future Answers question for all 3 time periods listed in separate paragraphs. (10 points) Summary Answers both questions in separate paragraphs. 10 points) Proficient Introduction Writes an overview of the paper in 1-2 paragraphs. (4 points) Choice of Nursing Answers question in 1 paragraph. (8 points) Essence of Nursing Answers question in 2-3 paragraphs without correlation to historical, ethical, and political factors (8 points) Beliefs and Values Answers 3 of the 4 questions in separate paragraphs. (12 points) Vision for the Future Answers question for 2 of the 3 time periods listed in separate paragraphs (8 points) Summary Answers 1 question in a separate paragraph. (8 points) Needs Improvement No Introduction (0 points) Content (Total 60 points)Choice of Nursing Does not answer question. (0 points) Essence of Nursing Does not clearly answer question. (5 points) Beliefs and Values Answers 1 or 2 of the 4 questions in separate paragraphs. (5 points) Vision for the Future Answers question for 1 of the 3 time periods listed in separate paragraphs. (3 points) Summary Does not directly address either question. (4 points)  ©2008 UTA School of Nursing Page 3 of 6 N3645 Transition to Professional Nursing Part A Personal Philosophy of Nursing Paper †¢ Use the following outline to guide composition of your personal philosophy of nursing. Follow both the content and format criteria in completing your composition. †¢ Open a new Word document, and save it to your Desktop with the filename, â€Å"yourname_Personal_Philosophy,† inserting your name in place of â€Å"yourname. † †¢ Begin your paper by setting the margins, font, and Header. (See MS Word Help. ) †¢ Click â€Å"Save† often to keep from accidentally losing your work. Content Criteria Section or Section Title Entire paper Description †¢ 1† margins all around †¢ Font – Times New Roman, 12 pt †¢ Double-spaced †¢ â€Å"Header† with short title and page How-To and Tips Select File – Page Setup†¦ †¢ Select Format – Font†¦ †¢ Select Format – Paragraph†¦ †¢ Select View – Header and number, right-justified Footer†¦ (Refer to the MS Word â€Å"Help and How To† links if you need help with any of these tasks. ) The short title should be in upperand lower-case, or â€Å"Title Case. † †¢ Professional grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and paragraphs compose d of at least 3 well-written sentences each Title Page †¢ Just below Header, include a â€Å"running †¢ See â€Å"Scholarly Writing Tips† head† as shown below, left-justified: (Replace â€Å"CAPITALIZED ABBREVIATED TITLE† with an abbreviated version of your paper’s title. See guidelines in section 5. 15 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition Running head: CAPITALIZED ABBREVIATED TITLE †¢ Title in upper half of page, centered, The running head appears only on the title page, and includes the words â€Å"Running head. † You can access the UTA directions and an example title page by looking in the Resources tab on the left menu of the course in Weeks 1-6. upper- & lower-cased letters (Title Case) o Title is content of unique paper, not assignment title; add your name or a unique descriptor to the title so not everyone’s is â€Å"Philosophy of Nursing. †¢ Student name, with â€Å"Un iversity of  ©2008 UTA School of Nursing Texas Page 4 of 6 N3645 Transition to Professional Nursing Part A at Arlington† underneath †¢ The following information centered, 1† from the bottom: (Fill in course, faculty details. ) Your finished Title Page should resemble this snapshot: In partial fulfillment of the requirements of Course name and number Faculty name, credentials Submission date Online RN-BSN (Introduction) Overview of the paper (1-2 paragraphs) Put title of paper at the top, centered, in Title Case. No section title, just start paragraphs (Remember to indent each paragraph! )Choice of Nursing Why did you choose nursing? (2-3 paragraphs) Insert Section title, centered and Title Case. Then start paragraphs. Essence of Nursing What do you believe the core of nursing is and should be? Correlate historical, ethical, and/or political factors influencing professional nursing practice. (2-3 paragraphs) Insert Section title, centered and Title Case. Then start paragraphs. (Do not start a new page; just continue in regular double-spaced body. ) Insert Section title, centered and Title Case. Then start paragraphs. (Do not start a new page; just continue in regular double-spaced body. ) Beliefs and ValuesWhat do you believe about patients? ( 1 paragraph) What do you believe about the patient’s family and significant others? (1 paragraph) What do you believe about your fellow health care providers? (1 paragraph) What do you believe about your own  ©2008 UTA School of Nursing Page 5 of 6 N3645 Transition to Professional Nursing Part A health? (1 paragraph) Vision for the Future What do you want to be doing in 2 years? (1 paragraph) 5 years? (1 paragraph) 10 years? (1 paragraph) Insert Section title, centered and Title Case. Then start paragraphs. (Do not start a new page; just continue in regular double-spaced body. Summary What strengths do you have that will support your achievement of your professional goals? (1 paragraph) What li mitations will you need to overcome to achieve your professional goals? (1 paragraph) References †¢ Title of this page is Insert Section title, centered and Title Case. Then start paragraphs. (Do not start a new page; just continue in regular double-spaced body. ) â€Å"References† should be centered at the top of the page just below the header. Be sure to left-justify the first line of each citation, but indent subsequent lines 5 spaces. References centered on top of page †¢ At least 2 professional references. Put references in alphabetical order by author’s name. Submitting Your Assignment †¢ Click Open at the bottom of the Assignment screen, then click Browse and navigate to the Desktop where your paper is located. Select the final version of your paper to upload. (Look for the file â€Å"yourname_Personal_Philosophy†. ) †¢ When you’ve selected your paper, click Open in the â€Å"Choose document to submit† dialogue box to att ach the file. The path and filename should then show up in the â€Å"Attachment:† space. Click Close, then click Submit at the bottom of the Assignment screen. †¢  ©2008 UTA School of Nursing Page 6 of 6

Virtual Classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Virtual Classroom - Essay Example dvisory Group behind the Crick Report was originally formed in 1997: â€Å"To provide advice on effective education for citizenship in schools – to include the nature and practices of participation in democracy; the duties, responsibilities and rights of individuals as citizens; and the value to individuals and society of community activity† (Crick Report, 1998: 4). As these observations and examinations into the National Curriculum were being made, advances in technology were also having an effect on the means by which this type of instruction, as with many other topics, could be transmitted. Technology is having an electric effect upon the way in which pupils learn and the ways in which teachers instruct, reducing the time teachers spend on mundane paperwork tasks and bringing students experiences in ways that have never before been possible while also attempting to bridge, to some extent, the so-called digital divide. Whether this is ultimately more or less effective than traditional methods of instruction alone will depend to a large degree on the way in which lessons are approached and how technology is used to enhance education rather than simply providing entertainment. To understand the ways in which Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be used to enhance inclusion and citizenship instruction to students, this paper will examine current practices by examining the ways in which ICT has been used thus far and discussing whether these uses have been effective educational tools. In making their recommendations for the revision of the National Curriculum, the National Union of Teachers (2005) cited the National Foundation for Educational Research: â€Å"from the pupil’s point of view, the curriculum should be ‘fun’ and ‘interesting’ †¦ it should be kept practical and challenging †¦ pupils should be given responsibility for their own work and a chance to work independently †¦ above all, pupils want greater connection of the

Historiography of America's relationship to Saudi Arabia Essay

Historiography of America's relationship to Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The paper tells that historically, The United States of America and the Saudi Arabia have shared a very good diplomatic agreement. For instance, in the middle of Cold War, the two countries upheld a common understanding that â€Å"godless communism† was problematic. This enhanced their diplomatic relationship as they both sought to fight against it. On the one hand, the United States laid a great emphasis on the part of â€Å"communism† while Saudi Arabia focused more on the part of â€Å"godless†. Through these diplomatic relationships, the Americans were considered to be decent people. This was the perception of the Saudi Arabians. This enabled them to cultivate a friendly relationship that existed between the nations. This is unlike the colonialist British whom Saudi Arabia detested seeing as they shared an extremely uneasy relationship. This is notwithstanding the fact that it never culminated into any form of hostilities between Britain and Saudi Arabia. Acc ording to the people of Saudi Arabia, the Americans were far much better than the British and this explains the good relationship between the two countries. The Americans employed the use of its vast technology and skills to accord help to Saudi Arabia in this developmental endeavors. However, Saudi Arabia had to return the favor by giving the Americans huge contracts as well as salaries to enhance the development of the country. Even at the present, it is noted that most of the infrastructure in Saudi Arabia was designed and built by the Americans.

Article Critique #1--Business Ethics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critique #1--Business Ethics - Article Example The myth that people are turning less ethical than an earlier generation has been criticized by the author. Along with clarifying myths prevalent about ethics management, the paper also provides practically applicable guidelines for the mangers to ensure business ethics. This makes the paper locally applicable in a business scenario. The need to understand the ethical culture as recommended by the paper is very important for a manger as today’s business environments are largely turning multicultural. Rather than having a theoretical framework for the code of conduct it is ideal that the manager directly communicate the ethical requirements to the employees. Thus the recommendation made by the paper in this context is very relevant. However, an overemphasis on rewards to encourage the employees to be ethical as recommended by the paper is contrary to the personal value oriented ethical approach. People must follow ethics not merely for rewards but must develop personal ethical responsibilities. This must be self driven and not motivated by materialistic rewards. The recommendation t o promote a culture of ethical leadership will be of high relevance for a manger to ensure ethical management. Interestingly, this recommendation is contrary to the other recommendation to have emphasis on rewards. In totality, the points raised by the paper can be successfully implemented by a manger to practically mange business

Teaching and Learning Turkish in Cyprus Thesis Proposal

Teaching and Learning Turkish in Cyprus - Thesis Proposal Example The research will target at evaluating the trends and the suitability of the technological environment of the county as well as the appropriateness of learning/teaching Turkish in the country as a foreign or second language in the southern part of Cyprus; Limassol. To have reliable results both quantitative and qualitative research methodology will be applied. Among the latest action plans put in place by the European Union is (EU) is linguistic diversity and language learning within lifelong learning scope. Lifelong learning refers to all learning activities undertaken within someone’s life, with an objective of improving skills, competence, and knowledge within a civic, personal, and other perspectives related to employment. Around 200 semi-structured interviews should be conducted using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The participants will include university students, colleges’ students and other Turkish speakers living in Limassol. Over 1000 det ailed questionnaires should be formulated and later analyzed after data collection. A comparison should be made and the conclusion drawn basing the argument on the results. Observations should be carried out mainly on the attitude, behavior, and approach of the e-learning by students and teachers. Other observations should target impacts of other language education, challenges facing those offering the languages as well as the gaps in language education in the country. Following the country’s education curriculum, Turkish e-learning, open-learning, and distant learning institutions should be set up in the strategic regions. The location should be based on long-run effects as well as competition from other language institution. The establishment should be after the shortest time possible. Other factors to be considered are government regulations, security, and mission. The learning schedule should be ready by this time; e-learning protocol should be well designed with simplici ty to facilitate comprehension by any kind of student. Guidelines of who can apply or how can one apply should be laid down; there should be an offer to facilitate many applicants and quick establishment.

Personality Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personality Development - Essay Example In hoarding we see people who see the entire world as a possession that they must acquire, while the marketing orientation includes those who mold themselves to what they feel society’s image of them is, they dislike anything old and crave anything new. These are closely related to Horney’s moving against people orientation, where we see the need for power, control, and recognition They also are similar to Horney’s moving away from people orientation, which includes the need of autonomy, the need for perfection, the need of self sufficiency, and the need to feel better than others. Like all of Horney’s orientations, moving toward people is also fraught with needs: the need to be loved, the need to gain the approval of others, and the need to please others. Fromm’s last orientation, necrophilous, deals mainly with death and destruction, something that Horney does not touch on. Fromm’s one orientation that is positive is the productive one, whe re people continually learn to relate to the world and others in it, and learn to truly love, and have no fear of acceptance.

Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Portfolio - Essay Example The topics have been of interest partly because they were part of the course requirement and because they aroused my curiosity to learn about some the aspects presented. This portfolio contains a reflection of the successes that I have demonstrated, the potential areas that need improvement as well as the failures thereof. My focus for writing the summary on the ‘Human Organs for Sale’ was not only to complete my assignment but also to understand the issues surrounding the controversial subject. I hope you will appreciate the way I was able to analyze my points in an orderly form, I brought out the summary in four main points that can be easily identified from the work. I successfully brought forward Holcberg’s point of view without any biasness, my own thoughts did not influence that of the piece of work I was summarizing. I found the work interesting to read and flowed well making it possible for the reader to follow every bit of the argument. In addition, the f act that I was able to quote Holcberg’s work made it possible for my work to link with the work I was summarizing. The piece of work that I wrote was very brief and straight to the point. This made the summary meet its objective of communicating to the audience without many explanations. Some mistakes were identifiable in my work providing a platform for future improvement. The fact that English is not my first language resulted to some personal bias. I realized that some of the thoughts that I had put across were not the information according to Holcberg. I also developed a huge passion for the topic that I went ahead to do further research on the issue of sale of organs. The information I acquired almost influenced my summary, but I was cautious hence making a deliberate effort to review my essay after I had written. I believe my grammar needs improvement in terms of sentence construction, use of vocabulary and the general articulation in English. However, the summary provi ded some effort in advancing these elements in English language. The second and most informative of the work that I engaged with was the ‘Petition to Waive the University Mathematics Requirement’. Talking about Gordon Adam’s incidence, I learnt so much about how to generate an article from a story that has appeared in some media. The essence of the topic was to understand some of the regulations that govern the choice of courses by the student. This particular incidence opened my understanding of the possibilities that are available for a student who wanted to forego a certain course and the grounds under which it is possible. The aspects that are presented in this article are not only beneficial to me but also the entire student community. The issues articulated are relevant and highly beneficial to not only the students but also the administrators. I presented the paper in a reader friendly format, having categorized my paper in three major sections, the introd uction, the summary and the analysis of the incidence under focus. This gave my audience and me an opportunity to comprehend the topic with ease and clarity. The critical analysis section of the essay provided information that was very helpful for me to understand as it relates to real life occurrences. I found the work explanatory as well as descriptive due to the fact that it provided quotations from the source document. Improvements in this project can be made in three areas

Supervalu Company Analysis Essay Example for Free

Supervalu Company Analysis Essay One company that may provide investors such an opportunity is Supervalu, Inc. Supervalu is an Eden Prairie, Minnesota based retail supermarket chain that has experienced sharp drop in the value of their share over the past several years. The company has committed itself to a turn-around by replacing Wayne Sales with Sam Duncan as CEO. Duncan followed his appointment as CEO by shuffling the top management deck and bringing in a new president in charge of Save-A-Lot, the companies most important subsidiary. All this was done with the ultimate aim of speeding up the turnaround. The company is also trimming down with layoffs and selling some of its well known brand to investment group Cerberus Capital (Anderson, 2013). 2. Overview of Supervalu Supervalu is an American retail giant. It has been in business for more than a century. With over 130,000 employees, it is the third largest food retail company in the United States (after Kroger and Safeway), and ranks number seventy five on the 2012 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies (Forbes, 2012). On June 2nd 2006, the company announced the purchase of Boise, Idaho based Albertsons, Inc and all of its 1,124 stores. The Supermarket News magazine’s ranking of â€Å"Top Wholesalers for 2008† put Supervalu at the very top of the list (Supermarket News, 2008). The company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1967. The company’s mission is served by operations consisting principally of grocery and pharmacy operations with a total of 2,432 stores with the firm also offering supply chain services for smaller retailers, serving over 4,300 retailers (Supervalu, 2012). The retail operations are supported by 22 distribution centers, and the wholesale distribution is supported by nine distribution centers, the latter of which also supply company owned stores. The company benefits from a solid level of diversification with a number of different brands targeting different markets, including Acme, Albertsons and Shop ‘n Save brands. The company owns 1,102 traditional food retail stores, as well as 397 hard discount stores trading under the Save-A-Lot brand name (Supervalu, 2012). In addition the company also licenses the Save-A-Lot brand to 935 independent operators. With what seems to be a successful operation, the company however still faces a number of uphill battles with the last three years reporting significant losses and extreme pressure from competitors. In 2012 CEO Craig Hackert in charge since 2009 was replaced by company chairman Wayne Sales. A move that saw a sharp drop in share prices was met eight months later with Sales’ own firing and replacement with newcomer Sam Duncan in January of this year with the aim of accelerating the company’s turnaround. There have been significant problems including massive losses and decline in revenue production. Measures are now being taken to limit losses, slash cost and regain sales, including the sale of non-profitable brands as well as a shakeup in top management as discussed earlier. However, issues such as high levels of debt, a low level of equity and difficult trading conditions may persist for some time. In order to assess the organization as a potential investment, it is necessary to look at the financial analysis. 3. Financial Analysis Companies produce annual reports designed with the shareholder as the primary audience. The annual reports which are published using the standard format present the performance of the organization in the preceding 12 month period. The annual reports the 10-K in the United States – are overseen by an auditor to ensure that they reflect a true and honest picture of the company and are compiled in line with the required account standards. It should however be noted that financial reports may sometimes be rife with misleading information as was the case in recent years with Enron and WorldCom. However, for the purpose of this project, it is assumed that there are no potential misstatements. 4. 1 Summary of Statements All figures presented will be in millions of US dollars when examining the different financial statements – unless otherwise specified with the exception of per-share numbers. All figures for Supervalu, Inc. , have been extracted from the 10-k for the financial year ending February 2011 and 2012. Where industry comparisons are made, these have been taken from relevant ratio pages on MSN Money. 4. 2. 1 Income Statement The income statement, which can be found in appendix 1 is also called the Consolidated Statement of Earnings and shows that the financial year which ended on February 25th 2012 (a 52-week year) saw net sales of $36,100. This represented a deep in revenues on the previous two years as the 2011 net sales was $37,534 and the 2010 net sales was $40,597. Since 2010 the company has seen an 11. 0 percentage point decline in revenues. Some downward movement in revenue was however expected as a result of the divestments that occurred in mid to late 2011. The gross profit for the year 2012 was $8,019 which is a gross profit margin of 22. 1%. However the company saw a loss in operating profit of $519, primarily the result of high cost on intangible assets. 2012’s operating profit was still a lower loss in operating profit compared to 2011 when it was $976 and a gain of $1,201 in 2010. Net earnings are shown on the income statement. For the sake of accounting, net earnings may be presente d before or after taxes. Since Supervalu is experiencing an adverse financial climate and took advantage of a negative tax payment in 2010 and 2011, this paper will utilize the definition of net earnings as being earnings after tax. After provisions for income taxes were factored in, the company showed a loss of $1,040 or -2. 88% in net earnings in 2012. It must however be noted that this number represents an improvement on the previous year when net earnings registered a -4. 02% loss at $1,510. In 2012 there was a loss of $43. 91 per share in net earnings. This number is however an improvement from 2011 when the net loss per share was $7. 13 . It should be noted that these changes are not influences by the weighted average of outstanding share which stood at 212 million (Supervalu, 2012). The income statement highlights a company in some serious difficulties; however the numbers show encouraging signs of a rebound to better times in 2010. 3. 1. 2Balance Sheet The balance sheet referenced in Appendix 2 defines the company’s position in terms of assets and liabilities. The company experienced a drop in the value of its assets in 2012, however there was also a decrease in total liabilities overall. Current assets generally calculated as having an economic shelf life of 12 months or less fell steadily from 2010 ($3,711) to 2011 ($3,420) and 2012 ($3,225). This decline can be seen across all asset categories. Long-term assets also declined to $12,053 representing a 12. 39% drop in value. Measures to cut cost and control debt are starting to take hold as the level of current liabilities has declined year to year since 2010. The long term liabilities of the companies on the other hand have seen an upward tick with total liabilities rising from $11,524 in 2011 to $12,032 in 2012. Important to investors is the decline in the level of equity within the organization. This has gone down from $2,887 in 2010 to $1,340 in 2011 and just $21 in 2012. The balance sheet continues to paint a picture of current gloom face the organization in the near term. 3. 1. 3 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement in Appendix 3 shows $157 in cash and cash equivalents in hand at the end of 2012. This represented a decline in the previous two years of $211 in 2010 and $172 in 2011. This represents a gradual but consistent drop in cash and cash equivalents of the company. Significant impacts are the losses carried over into cash flow which amounted to $1,040 for 2012 and $1,510 for 2011. The net effect is a reduction in the amount of cash provided for operating activities. It is important to make note of the fact that while the company has engaged in disposing of some assets, there have also been new investment resulting in overall net investing of $484 in 2012 and $227 in 2011. Cash flow from financing activities was also negative with $291 raised from the issuance of long-term debt, but this is counteracted with $798 payment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations. This results in net cash outflow from financing activities of $587. However, this is a decline on the previous year of $975. 3. 1. 4Statement of Owners Equity The consolidated statement of stockholders equity found in Appendix 4shows the balance of equity over a period of four years, 2009-2012. The statement shows that the position of common stock has not changed, with a total of $230. The capital in excess of par has only change very slightly from $2,853 in 2009 to $2,855 in 2012. The major factor of the equity level is a deficit which resulted in a negative balance of -$1,892 at the end of 2012. When added with other accumulated losses results in a total shareholder equity in the firm of $21. This is a notable change compared to 2009 when the total balance of equity was $2,581. . 1 Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis can be used here to explore the financial position of the firm and the way in which it is performing by analyzing internal performance as well as providing a benchmark for comparison with the industry. This section puts forward some ratio analysis calculations and makes comparisons with industry averages where available. 3. 2. 1 L iquidity Liquidity is an important measure companies facing hard times. It measures the firm’s ability to survive in the short term and meet its current financial obligations (Libby et al, 2010). The current ratio and the quick ratio are the two main measure of liquidity also known as the acid test. The current ratio measures the firm’s ability to use current assets to settle current liabilities. In the case of Supervalu, there are insufficient assets available to pay current liabilities. This is however not unusual as like in many industries with rapid cash flow, a relatively low current ratio may be acceptable based on expected cash flow. Supervalu is therefore not necessarily showing any signs of mounting distress with the current ratio at 0. 0 as shown in table 1. The industry average is slightly higher, however this difference may be indicative of better use of capital – although it could also indicate cash flow issues. Table [ 1 ]: Current ratio Current ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Current ratio| 0. 89| 0. 90| 0. 90| 1. 1| (Supervalu figures are extracted from Supervalu Inc. 10-K. Industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012). The quick ratio is another way to evaluate liquidity within a company. The idea behind this is that an organization may not be able to realize the full value of its inventory if they are required to liquidate inventory in order to pay current liabilities. Calculations for the quick ratio are similar to the current ratio minus inventory value which is deducted from the total current assets as can be seen in Table 2. Table 2: Quick ratio Quick ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Inventory| 2,342| 2,270| 2,150|   | Net current assets| 1,369| 1,150| 1,075|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Quick ratio| 0. 3| 0. 30| 0. 30| 0. 7| (Supervalu figures are taken from Supervalu, Inc. 10K. Industry figures are taken from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 2Asset Management The company’s ability to manage assets will be a key deciding factor in its return to profitability. Measures of asset management include return on assets and return on equity. For Supervalu, the return on assets shows a sligh t improvement in 2012 at -8. 06% compared to -10. 00% in 2011. Table [ 3 ]: Return on assets Return on Assets| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1510| -1040|   | Total assets| 16436| 13758| 12053|   | Return on assets| 2. 31%| -10. 00%| -8. 06%| 6. 80%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity is poor. While the actual loss has declined in 2012, the phenomenal change in the return on equity showing large losses is the results of adjustments that followed the steep decline in the level of equity. Table [ 4 ]: Return on equity Return on Equity| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Equity| 2,887| 1,340| 21|   | Return on equity| 13. 60%| -112. 69%| -4952. 38%| 15. 5%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity may not be enough to make an assessment of management’s use of assets. An alternative measure will be asset turnover (Libby et al, 2010). This analyzes the way in which assets are used to generate revenue. It will show how many times assets have been turned over in a given year. Supervalu seems to be improving efficiency in terms of utilization. They turned over assets equivalent to 2. 8 times in 2012 which was an increase from the previous two years (2. 9 times in 2011 and 2. 39 times in 2010). Looking at this in terms of industry context where the average is 2. 4 times, Supervalu appears to be improving efficiency which is positive for recovery. 3. 2. 3Debt Management The company’s debt equity ratio seems to spell doom for the future. This ratio measures the proportion of debt to equity. Compared to the industry average of 1. 03 shown in table 5 Table 5: Return on equity Debt to equity ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Total debt|   | 11,524| 12,032|   | Total equity|   | 1,340| 21|   | Debt/Equity|   | 8. 6| 572. 95| 1. 03| Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) Another measurement of debt management is the debt ratio. Supervalu’s debt ratio show s that it is in a delicate position with the majority of assets being funded by debt. Many companies have gone through similar issues due to losses in equity but have rebounded as was the case with auto maker General Motors. These numbers do not therefore signify an inability for Supervalu to rebound. 3. 2. 4 Profitability An important measure of viability is the profitability of the organization. There are various measures of profit, however in this report I shall focus on net profit margin. This is the level of profit that remains after all cost has been deducted. In this report, I shall utilize the measure after interest and taxes. As can be seen on table 6, the company is slowly digging itself out of a low point in 2011 when the net profit margin was negative 4. 02%. However in an industry where the average is 3. 24%, it is obvious the organization has a long way to go. Table 5: Return on equity Net profit margin| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Revenue (Net sales)| 40,597| 37,534| 36,100|   | Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Net profit margin| 0. 96%| -4. 02%| -2. 88%| 3. 24%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 5Market Value There are a number of different measures of market value, the most common of which is the price earnings ratio. This is a measure that assesses Harold company will take to earn is total capitalization. However, as Supervalu is making a loss this ratio is not relevant and cannot be calculated. To assess market value a measure which may be utilized are the earnings per share. The earnings per share are shown in table 10, and are a measure of the profit, or loss, the company makes attributed to each share outstanding. As expected, this is in line with the net profit margin in table 5, with the earnings per share being -$4. 91 in 2012 falling from -$7. 12 in 2011. Table 6: Return on equity Earnings per share| 2010| 2011| 2012| Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040| Average share out| 213| 212| 212| Net profit margin| 1. 84%| -7. 12%| -4. 91%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K 3. Competitors Supervalu is widely considered the third largest supermarket chain in the country. Its main industry peers are  Safeway, Kroger, and  Whole Food Market. Supervalu generated a steady gross margin of 22. 21% in 2012 and 22. 41% in 2011. However, the company is a loss-maker and it produced negative earnings in the previous year. Safeway, Kroger and Whole Food Market generated operating margins of 2. 37%, 1. 61%, and 6. 36%, respectively. It is clear from these gross margin numbers that the grocery industry has very slim operating margins on sales. Table 7: Competitor Analysis Figure in Million| Net Income| Long term D/E| Operating Margin %| Supervalu| -1244| Very High| -2. 1| Kroger| 728| 1. 8| 1. 61| Whole Food Market| 465| 0. 001| 6. 36| Safeway| 523| 2. 3| 2. 37| (Competitor results taken from Finviz. com) It also seems that Supervalu continued to struggle with insufficient growth in its operating activities in the last quarter of 2012. The corporations operating income fell for fiscal 2012. Furthermore, Supervalu is susceptible to financial leverage as it took on a new $2. 5 billion of debt in the third quarter of 2012 (Boehme, 2012). Supervalu needs to continue to reduce its operational cost in order to record positive results. 4. Conclusion The shedding of 877 grocery stores in a $3. 3 billion dollar deal with Cerberus Management LP in the first quarter of this year seems to have been a sign of a new and positive beginning (Dezember, 2013). The company’s stock has been one of the top performers this year; contradictory for a company still drowning in debt and declining sales. However the market has a positive outlook on the company. Since January 1st this year, shared of the company have gained a solid 133%. Supervalu closed the first day of trading this year at $2. 60 and ended the last week trading at $5. 26. Thanks to these positive numbers, both Fitch and Moody’s have upgraded their ratings on the company from negative to stable which has been a boost to investor confidence. The reduction in non-performing assets is expected to continue to improve the stability of the company. With less exposure to market volatility, the company should be able to rebound and even thrive. Decreasing the debt level will boost the balance sheet and future net revenues. 5. Recommendation Although the bullish run of Supervalu which started early this year continues, the company still has a long way to go in its quest to recover. Therefore the subjective recommendation of this report will be to hold. Based on the company’s current trend, it is very likely that within the next year the company will show even more positive signs of improvement and therefore warrant a change to a buy recommendation. If the organization is able to make a recovery it will be in a very strong position in the market as the number three grocer that also benefits from a large wholesaler and supply chain management operation. References Anderson, Jake, (January 10th 2013), Supervalu to Sell 5 Chains in $3. 3B Deal, Replace CEO. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://tcbmag. om/News/Recent-News/2013/January/Supervalu-to-Sell-5-Chains-in-$3-3B-Deal,-Replace Patton, Leslie, (July 30th 2012), Supervalu Names Wayne Sales CEO Amid Strategic Review. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. bloomberg. com/news/2012-07-30/supervalu-names-sales-chief-executive-officer-to-replace-herkert. html Forbes Inc. (2012), Fortune 500 List of Best Companies (2012). Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/full_list/ Supermarket News (2008, SN Top Wholesalers for 2008. Retrieved April 17th 2013 from http://supermarketnews. om/top-75-retailers-amp-wholesalers/sn-top-wholesalers-2008 Supervalu, (2012). About Supervalu. retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. supervalu. com/sv-webapp/about/about. jsp Boehme, Kate, (September 16th 2012), Can Supervalu Survive Its Debt? Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://seekingalpha. com/article/869491-can-supervalu-survive-its-debt Dezember, Ryan and Hudson, Kris (January 10th 2012), Property Is Plum in Supervalu Deal. Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424127887324581504578233411904827872. html

Should Sex Education Be Taught In Schools Religion Essay

Should Sex Education Be Taught In Schools Religion Essay Sex education has widely become an important issue to be discussed not only in the homes but also in schools. The teaching of sex education in school can be considered as a positive step in ensuring that the young adults get necessary moral tools which will enable them survive in an environment heavily corrupted by media advertisements and obscene content. Good morals results to healthy sexual behaviors and avoidance of diseases (Oakley et al, 1995). Religion can as well play a major role in preaching abstinence which is one of the laws taught in the church. In the paper, various reasons why sexual education should be taught in schools will be discussed and the role of religion in the participation in providing sex education will be recognized. Sex education refers to the knowledge about sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraceptives and other issues relating to human sexual behavior (Oakley et al, 1995). In the United States, there have been several debates as to whether sex education should be taught in schools or not. A small percentage of the entire American population say that that sex education should never be taught in schools while most of the Americans agree that sex education is as essential as any other type of education in the schools. Sex education is encouraged to be taught in schools rather than teenagers relying on their parents. This is because in schools teens will have a perception to sex education as any normal class work that they are supposed to be tested on. However, in the case of sex education being provided at home, teens will barely take it serious since they have the believe that it is not really mandatory. Sex education in schools is the best idea in consideration to sex education from the parents to the children. Sex education is seen to have a vital impact in the teenagers, in diverse ways. This is the main idea behind parents wanting sex education taught in schools. Its at the teenage years that teens start introducing themselves to the concept of sex; it was therefore advised that it could be better if they are given the guidance of an elderly person. This resulted to sex education in schools. Fewer than half of all 9-12th grade students report having had sexual intercourse, reflecting a decline during the last decade from 53 percent in 1993 to 47 percent in 2003 (U.S. Teen Sexual Activity, 2005). It is evident that teenagers tend to be sensitive and curious about their sexuality and the same applies to their sexual being. This initiates them to go on their own adventures to try most of the things they see on television or watch on the internet. Such teens may find themselves engaging in sexual activities, trying to uncover the mysteries of their bodies. They often do this without understanding the consequences involved such as the unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and sex addictions among many others. Sex education is a crucial component in the health and moral growth among teenagers. It is crystal clear that youngsters derive information on sex and related subjects from friends, books, movies, internet, magazines and even television. The problem is that these sources may lack information on how to go about the issues in sex. As such, sex education will help in transferring genuine information from experienced teachers and in the process also correct any misinformation that they may have (Oakley et al, 1995). This is the importance of sex education. Another importance of sex education to school students and teenagers in general is that sex education imparted through schools can prove to be a significant and effective method of avoiding premarital sex related perceptions, attitudes and behavior. This is so unlike in the case where parents are educating their children about sex. The teenagers will come to understand the rationale of being told to abstain by their parents. They will then appreciate advice from their seniors. Sex education in schools is encouraged because parents and guardians may shy to teach and talk about sex with their children. Teenagers therefore cannot rely on their parents for sex education, they themselves cant stand to share freely with their parents and ask questions and answer what they are asked. This is because of the fear they have for their parents, and the respect they hold for them. Such a discussion that is not free will not be effectively put in place as expected. The Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvards Kennedy School of Government finds that only 7 percent of Americans say sex education should not be taught in schools (Sex Education in America, 2004). Educating children and school students on sex related issues also requires one to know how to approach the subject, what information to pass on and what to hold back; most of the time this is guided by the level of study of the audiences. For instance, a kindergarten student would be unfit for issues of emotional relations, of the effects of sexual misbehavior. All this can be carefully handled by a trained sex educator, who understands well what is fit for who. This explains the necessity for sex education in schools (Oakley et al, 1995). It is evident that many teenagers are engaging in premarital sex. This calls for the need of sex education in schools, to educate and make the teenagers understand the repercussions of premarital sex. Sex education will help them make better and informed decisions about their personal activities. Many have argued that sex education also helps to reduce risky behaviors in teenagers for instance, engaging in premarital unprotected sex which results in unwanted pregnancies and STDs (Oakley et al, 1995). A plurality (46 percent) believes that the most appropriate approach is one that might be called abstinence-plus that while abstinence is best, some teens do not abstain, so schools also should teach about condoms and contraception (Sex Education in America, 2004). Religion also has plays a vital role in the sex education for teenagers. The basic idea here is that the religious groups emphasize on abstinence than anything else. An abstinence based approach to sex education focuses on teaching the teenagers that abstaining from sex until marriage is the best mean of ensuring that they avoid infection with HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies, as well as seeing abstinence from sex as the best option for maintaining sexual health (Abstinence and sex education, 2010). Many supporters of abstinence based approaches to sex education believe that it is morally wrong for people to engage in premarital sex (Abstinence and sex education, 2010) Although not all abstinence programs are similar, they share the essential purpose of teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity. As such, abstinence education tends to include a mutual faithful, monogamous relationship in the context of marriage. Further still, abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage is the expected standard for all school age children (Abstinence and sex education, 2010). Students should be made to understand that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health tribulations (Abstinence and sex education, 2010). In conclusion, my personal opinion is that sex education should be taught in schools as well as at home. There are some things that as a student I would not want to ask my mom or dad because it would just be awkward and may put them and me in an awkward situation. Teaching sex in school would answer those questions and allow the student to not feel intimidated. Also, as a Christian person I believe that abstinence should be taught in schools. Just imagine being able to tell your spouse when you get married that you have waited your whole life for them and really mean. Abstinence also teaches self discipline to someone because no matter what temptations you have you have the power to not give in. Also, with abstinence a student will not have to worry about if the girl is pregnant because she missed her period. You know she cannot be pregnant because you did not have intercourse. I have chosen to remain abstinent till marriage because I promised my mom and dad I would and made a person al commitment to Jesus that I would. Also, I chose to remain abstinent because I want to and I dont have to worry about any sexual transmitted diseases.