Mcdonald?S a Good Image with Bad Ethics

McDonald’s: A Good Image with Bad Ethics Aimee Gibison Introduction McDonald’s Corporation has been growing and spreading internationally for the past three decades. Although McDonald’s seems convenient, cheap and clean there are many negative aspects of the business. In spite of paying their employees low wages and negatively impacting other cultures, McDonald’s and chains like it, have managed to position themselves as a positive piece of Americana. McDonald’s promotes its positive image and products with greasy fries, and a clown named Ronald McDonald.The unethical practices of this large fast food corporation are known but do not seem to detract from the all-American image that the corporation seeks to project. History In the 1950s a new style of eating was introduced by brothers, Dick and Mac Donald. Their original small burger stand was soon transformed into one of the largest, well-known transnational corporations. Ray Kroc, a milk shake mach ine salesman bought McDonald’s from the Donald brothers and made the burger shack into a business characterized by conformity and uniformity. â€Å"Kroc †¦ believed fervently in the ethic of mass production† (Schlosser, 2004).Under the influence of this mass production ethic, McDonald’s developed new, uniform production methods such as using frozen beef patties, instead of fresh ground beef, and developing a genetically-modified potato rather than using locally grown produce to ensure that all McDonald’s fries have the same uniform taste. â€Å"McDonald's Corporation (McDonald's) is the world's largest foodservice retailing chain. The company is known for its burgers and fries which it sells through 31,000 fast-food restaurants in over 119 countries† (McDonald’s Corporation, 2006).With so many McDonald’s located world-wide, many find it somewhat refreshing to see a familiar place when traveling in unfamiliar places. By homogenizi ng products and appearance of the stores, McDonald’s sells this feeling of comfort and familiarity. Spreading Out to New Markets Because it is internationally known and markets a homogeneous image, McDonald’s remains a household name with offerings known for a uniform taste. But McDonald’s is trying to reach a broader market as well. The corporation is trying to reach out to a healthier crowd of customers by releasing salads with fruits and vegetables.To reach international customers, the company has also added specialty foods for different countries. â€Å"The McArabia (chicken patties on unleavened bread with garlic sauce and onion), the McPepper (a double-patty burger seasoned with black pepper sauce), the Bulgogi Korean pork barbecue sandwich, a teriyaki pork burger with lemon-flavored mayonnaise, and, soon to find its way onto the menu, the Mushroom Pinwheel, a five-pointed pastry concoction filled with chicken and mushrooms, are all specialty menu items f or different cultures in some Chinese or Middle Eastern countries† (Old McDonald’s has some smarts in China, 2006).McDonald’s also donates a portion of their earnings to Ronald McDonald houses, located across America, which helps children with life threatening illnesses. Efforts like this portray a corporation committed to the welfare of their customers. However, while the overall image of McDonald’s is that of a wholesome, family oriented business, there are contradictions to this image. The Ethical Problems Big Business Domestically Although McDonald’s makes the effort to support children with life threatening illnesses, the diet offered by this corporation and others contributes to obesity, heart disease, asthma, and possibly mad cow disease.What kind of message are we giving our children when we promote healthy eating, and â€Å"at least 59 of the nation's 250 children's hospitals have fast-food restaurants? † (Tanner, 2006) Environmental ly, McDonald’s practices are also questionable. Unlike a fresh ground beef patty at a local butcher shop, â€Å"a typical fast-food hamburger patty contains meat from more than one thousand different cattle, raised in as many as five countries† (Schlosser, 2004). This raises the possibility of a particular patty containing contaminants of unknown origin.As noted previously, instead of locally grown potatoes, the corporation uses their own genetically modified potatoes. The practices of using food from extreme distances, is problematic environmentally. From a public health perspective, the use of beef from multiple sources makes contaminated sources far more difficult to trace. Impact on Foreign Cultures Not only do McDonald’s products harm individual and environmental well-being, they are also having an influence on some East Asian cultures with the corporation’s entry into those countries. â€Å"Critics claim that the rapid spread of McDonald’s a nd its ast-food rivals undermines indigenous cuisines and helps create a homogenous, global culture† (Watson, 2006). Chinese parents want to connect their children to the world outside of China, so they reward them with a trip to McDonald’s, but in so doing they are also taking away from their culture. â€Å"In twenty years [Yunxiang Yan, a UCLA anthropologist] predicts, young people in Beijing (like their counterparts in Hong Kong today) will not even care about the foreign origin of McDonald’s which will be serving ordinary food to people more interested in getting a quick meal than in having a cultural experience† (Watson, 2006).Another major change brought to the East by the entry by McDonald’s and American corporations into Asian countries, is the new obsession with American culture. â€Å"Prior to the arrival of McDonald’s, festivities marking youngsters’ specific birth dates were unknown in most of East Asia. In Hong Kong, for instance, lunar-calendar dates of birth were recorded for use in later life- to help match prospective marriage partners’ horoscopes or choose an auspicious burial date† (Watson, 2006).With the presence of McDonald’s restaurants in Asian countries, and the accompanying American cultural norms, children in these countries are recognizing the potential for celebration of individual birthdays. McDonald’s exploits this cultural change to market party packages to Chinese children who want to celebrate this new occasion. In many respects, McDonald’s emergence in Asia is permanently altering culture, and norms of the past are being lost in their McDonald’s party packages and Big Macs.In addition to contributing to cultural changes in China, McDonald’s has offended other cultures through some of its actions. The chain has stirred up controversy with some United States Hindus, many vegetarians, and some Japanese. â€Å"McDonald's, the fast foo d giant currently embroiled in a row concerning undisclosed beef flavoring in French fries, has made a formal apology to those it has offended† (McDonald’s resolves french fry dispute, 2002). This may seem like a petty dispute, but is not a small issue to Hindus who believe that the cow is sacred.In response to this offense to Hindus, vegetarians, and others, McDonald’s offered an apology, and paid the groups ten million of dollars in settlement. In addition, â€Å"fast food giant McDonalds is facing criticism in Japan after a number of its apple pies were found to contain a banned food coloring agent (McDonald’s apple pies found to contain banned food coloring in Japan, 2006). In 15 McDonald locations across Japan there has been an apple pie recall due to the use of an illegal coloring agent known as azorubin.McDonald’s has claimed that the substance is not harmful, using consumers in the European Union and Australia as examples where people consu me apple pies containing azorubin, seemingly without ill effect. McDonald’s has, however, recalled the pies and announced that they will no longer purchase their pies from the China-based factory using azorubin. Controversy in the United States Another controversy arose in a Southlake McDonald’s because of a bacon ranch salad. Chrissy Haley, wife of an assistant coach of the Dallas Cowboy’s, found a rat in her salad after ordering that salad and a Happy Meal for her child.According to newspaper reports, Haley and her nanny found the dead rat under a large lettuce leaf in a shared salad. McDonald’s has yet to respond, apologize, or even ask if the women are okay. â€Å"Both women have had blood and stool samples tested repeatedly over the last five and a half months and are undergoing sessions with Dallas clinical psychologist Dr. Rycke Marshall† (Whitt, 2006). Chrissy Haley, who has tested negative for any illness, is suing McDonald’s for $1 . 7 million, for both the dead rodent in her salad and McDonald’s response (or lack thereof) to the incident.The corporation has chosen not to cooperate during the course of the law suit, which was set to reach court in September 2007. Labor Relations Besides health issues, the company also has issues with its workers. The corporation pays minimum wage to their workers, who essentially do assembly line, factory-type work. If the work done by burger manufacturers and drive-thru cashiers were reclassified as factory work, that would â€Å"add about 3. 5 million manufacturing jobs to the U. S. conomy, at a time when such jobs are rapidly being exported over seas. From a statistical point of view, it would make the U. S. seem like an industrial powerhouse once again, instead of an ageing superpower threatened by low-cost competitors† (Schlosser, 2004). In the 31,000 McDonalds world wide, most of the workers get paid minimum wage in spite of the fact that the company is now worth more than a billion dollars. The Backlash There are an increasing number of people who speak out against McDonald’s and similar corporations.George Ritzer is well known for his efforts to raise awareness of the impact of globalization and global corporations by speaking at different colleges around the country. In the article â€Å"Nuggets of Wisdom† author Madelyn Pennino refers to an Elizabethtown College assembly at which Ritzer spoke to students about the illusion created by McDonald’s, of bargain prices and convenience for people ordering a super-sized meal (2006). In reality, this bigger, faster, and cheaper choice is actually not very convenient. â€Å"Efficiency has become inefficient† Ritzer said referencing the huge line waiting in the drive thru (Pennino, 2006).One of the goals of Ritzer and other anti-McDonalds activists is to spread awareness of real costs of doing business with the corporation and to make sure that the name McDonaldâ €™s does not become synonymous with America around the world. Conclusion Over the past four decades McDonald’s has been transformed from a local burger shack serving fresh beef patties, into a huge corporation using mass production methods to produce and sell their products. One of the results of this international expansion has been a number of books, articles, and even documentaries outlining practices deemed unethical.There are many things that might be done to address the ethical problems raised by the behavior of multinational corporations: laws, legal action and public pressure arising from activists. In the end, public awareness might be the most important tool. If individuals are enlightened about McDonald’s practices and their impact on health, environmental pollution and culture change, we can choose to not patronize its restaurants. The action may not shut the McDonald’s down, but it might limit the impact of the corporation. References McDonaldâ €™s apple pies found to contain banned food coloring in Japan. 2006, September 23). MarketLine Business. McDonald’s corporation. (2006, November 26). MarketLine Business. McDonald’s resolves french fry dispute. (2002, June 6). MarketLine Business. Old McDonald’s has some smarts in China. (2006, December 11). Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Pennino, M. (2006, October 19). Nuggets of wisdom; Author paints picture of out fast-food culture. Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved March 2, 2006 from Lexis Nexis. Schlosser, E. (2004) Special report on slow food. In J. Johnson (Ed. , Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Tanner, L. (2006, December 4). Study finds allowing fast food in kid’ hospitals sends mixed message to families. Chicago. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from LexisNexis. Watson, J. L. (2006) China’s Big Mac attack. In J. Johnson (Ed. ), Global Issues, Local Arguments. Upper Saddle R iver, NJ: Pearson Education. Whitt, R. (2005, November 23). I smell a McRat; McDonalds serves up a rodent then scurries for cover. Dallas Observer. Retrieved on April 20, 2007 from Lexis Nexis.

International Integration

International Integration Introduction The ongoing process of international integration is often referred to as ‘globalization'. An organization called the ‘United Nations' (UN) is specifically important as it is contributing to this process by creating a possibility for its members to discuss problems, initiatives and much more. Almost all states are its members and through that an important environment is created for international integration. The question this article tries to answer is; ‘Is international integration an advantage or disadvantage for world peace? ‘.An answer is tried to be found through the exploration of the process of globalization, its link to the UN and the current conflict in Syria. The case study of the current conflict in Syria explores how the UN works in certain situations and the problems it faces for acting on an international level. It will be used as an example to find an answer to the main question. As the UN is almost an unive rsal organization it is the terrain for endless discussion between its members who all have certain interests. But its democratic character may not be truly valid as certain actors have more power than others, influencing the process of equal input.International integration and its features are constantly developing and as will be described the process has multiple consequences, positive and negative ones. Globalization Modern society anno 2012 could be described as an interconnected world where information is shared at a rapid pace through various channels as internet, television and telecommunications. Mankind has evolved a curiosity in everything that happens around him. Nowadays it is possible to acquire the latest news by a single mouse click and we are excited to share even the slightest happenings through our personal domains such as Facebook and Twitter.A global network of intelligence arose with the development of modern day communication resources, one of the reasons for t he process of globalization (Jeffery, 2002). The general understanding of the process of globalization is the increasing international integration of the world caused by mass trade and cultural exchange (Fincle & Govale, 2012). Although opinions also seem to differ about the meaning of the concept it is generally accepted that it is concerned with the growing scope, speed and intensity of interconnectedness worldwide (Goldstein & Pevehouse, 2011).Reasons given for globalization are; freedom of trade, improvements of transportation, labor wages and skills and improvement of communication resources (Fincle & Govale, 2012). Globalization has resulted in increased international trade, transnational corporations, faster and better accessibility of information, freer movement of persons and a greater dependence on the world economy. Opponents of globalization see an expanding gap between the rich and the poor, as wealthy states drain human and natural resources from less developed countri es for unfair compensations (Jeffery, 2002).Several indicators for globalization have been developed over the last decades, relevant are their variables and data they use. One of the first indicators designed and one that is used as reference for many others is the Kearney/FP index which is supported by a database (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007). It takes into account; â€Å"[†¦ ] the economic integration in the world economy, the extent of international political engagement, the internationalization of personal contacts of citizens and the use of internet technology. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007, p. 3).The Modified Globalization Index, by Martens and Zywietz, includes these four variables and adds another two;†[†¦ ] the involvement of a country’s military-industrial complex with the rest of the world, and the intensity of globalization in the ecological domain. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007,p. 4) Their definition of globalization is; â€Å"[†¦ ] the intensification of cross-national cultural, economic, political, social and technological interactions that lead to the establishment of transnational structures and the global integration of cultural, economic, environmental, olitical and social processes on global, supranational, national, regional and local levels. † (Lombaerde & Iapadre, 2007,p. 4). Another is the Dreher globalization index that builds on the Kearney/FP index and emphasizes on information flows and international integration through economic policy development. Another description of globalization is found in the work of Gibbens, who seems to agree that globalization is a process of cultural, political and economical integration of nation states throughout the globe (Giddens, 2000).Ritzer(2004) introduces, actually prefers, the use of the term ‘grobalization', since he focuses on the imperialistic character of nations and transnational corporations. He pinpoints the will to integrate international ly by those who have the resources required. International integration is a worldwide process with consequences. The process is steered by forces and it is important to mention that these forces are not divided equally across the world but rather are directed from a centre (Iadicola, 2008). Nowadays the United States of America is in this centre of a so-called global empire.It has the most influence on international organizations and the determination of integration on political, economical and societal levels among nation states (Iadicola, 2008). Iadicola(2008)researched this power centre empire idea. A passage concerned with globalization states that;†[†¦ ] globalization is in part a product of the power of empires as a result of conquest and trade and immigration creating patterns of cultural diffusion. â€Å"(Iadicola, 2008, p. 2-3). Globalization started long ago and it intensified during the colonial era.Yet, nowadays it seems globalization has increased in speed a nd reach as could be explained by the intense growth communication means, with internet as key feature. The empire has played a sufficient role in the distribution of capital flows, trade and economic partnership. Integrating more and more states into the world economy does not mean that wealth is equally divided among them, as Iadicola(2008) describes;†[†¦ ] the structure of international flows of income, investments, and royalty payments today does not correspond to any notion of an interdependent world that is mutually benefiting from these flows.In contrast, singular concentration and unidirectional flows towards imperial-based corporations dominates the process of globalization[†¦ ]. â€Å"(Iadicola, 2008). Empires have determined the forces of globalization for ages, The British Empire is a prime example of how trade was used to connect multiple continents. But also the Greek, Ottoman and the European empires as the Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch were all invol ved in international integration as they claimed overseas territories in the form of colonies and motivated international trade(Iadicola, 2008).Maier(2005)sees the empire as a major, leading actor in international integration. The forces needed to influence globalization are found at this actor. Empires are organized by and for those who principally control resources and production and not by those who work for it, as the empire has a class ideology(Maier, 2005). The empire has four essential features that relate to its influence or penetration of those dominated by it. These features can be seen as globalization forces, used to gain more wealth, power and increased global cultures.It uses; military-, economic-, cultural- and political penetration and integration. The USA has used these means with increasing intensity over the last decades to expand their interest (Iadicola, 2008). Globalization can be seen as international integration at multiple levels. Its intensification over th e last decades can be attributed to new and faster ways of communication, increased global trade and the need of the empire for expanding its power. Yet, there is more to describe that will help to discover its limitations, overall developments and influence.Relevant for the increasing international integration is international law. International law can be seen a system of principles, rules, concepts and norms for governing and managing relations among states, intergovernmental organizations(IGO), nongovernmental organizations(NGO), individuals and several other actors in globalization. International law's main sources of creation are custom and treaties(conventions). Customary international law can be seen as law that arises from certain, commonly practiced actions by states. An example is the immunity diplomats enjoy in foreign countries.Custom will most of the time be formalized into a treaty, the most important source of international law (Scott, 2010). These laws are created t o rise expectations, create stability among states and determine how states should interact on international level as well as national. Although states enjoy sovereignty, they are restrained when certain agreements are made between states and adaptation of domestic policy might be required and is sometimes urgent (Shaw, 2008). International law is created by states, IGO's and NGO's and it is made for them.The creation of international law is an outcome of international integration where states work together to set boundaries, create rules and determine what is important. Through international law it becomes clear that globalization influences all involved and will have consequences. The UN is the major actor that creates the environment for the adaptation of international law, what will become clear later in the article. As mentioned, treaties are the main source of international law. It is an agreement that legally binds parties under international law (Scott, 2010).There are bilat eral, two parties involved, and multilateral treaties in where three or more parties participate. The focus on international integration makes it relevant to research multilateral treaties. â€Å"A multilateral treaty is the culmination of what may have been a long political process. [†¦ ]Once the treaty document is in place it provides the central focus for the continuation of the political process that, together with the treaty itself, can now be referred to as a ‘regime'. [†¦ ] a pattern of cooperation[†¦ ]†(Scott, 2010, p. 161-163). According to Krasner(1983) a regime is â€Å"[†¦ principles, norms, rules and decision-making processes around which actor expectations converge in a given issue area. â€Å"(Scott, 2010, p. 163). The described passage provides a reasonable idea of what a regime in international law is. To establish a regime several factors or processes are involved. The first process is that of there being an issue of importance th at concerns three or more states(Scott, 2010). There is a need to manage a common problem. It triggers the process of international integration. This need will be generated by negotiations, the second process.It is in this phase that states or certain parties have the possibility to define, prioritize and recommend. Negotiations happen between states, but also between IGO's and NGO's who are capable of putting certain issues on the agenda of states, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(Scott, 2010). During the negotiations parties are able to hear each other out, trade information or make proposals. The very existence of a variety of parties makes it tempting to think that there are many issues that need attention, much negotiations happen and that there are an enormous amount of multilateral treaties.The last part is a fact, a solid proof of an interconnected world, where cooperation is extensively exercised. Yet, the value of an issue depends on by who it is prese nted. As mentioned before, globalization seems to be steered by an empire and especially from its centre. Scott(2010) does not mention empire, but he uses a different term, ‘hegemon'. â€Å"The theory of hegemonic stability suggests, most basically, that a regime emerges when a hegemon-a state with preponderant power- regards such a regime as being in its best interests.The United States has been a world hegemon since World War II. â€Å"(Scott, 2010, p. 165). A hegemon is a super power who is capable of exercising positive leadership and is capable of making others accept its preferences. Short term costs are seen as a possibility when the hegemon regards the regime to be useful and will pay off in the long run. Phase three and four are closely related. In the event of a conference all parties, or its delegations are presented the basic draft of the treaty in where an issue is tried to be managed.Proposals of laws, measures to be taken or cooperation to be achieved are pres ented and discussed during the conference which will result in a final draft on which all parties agree. Phase four is adoption and ratification of the final draft, legally binding all parties. A regime is established. Globalization is for a large part achieved through treaty making, where parties work together to find solutions, create plans for development and control processes. Besides states working together, individuals can influence its process by creating needs, address problems and inform.The modern means of communication have increased the connectivity between society and those in power as international integration is increasing on all levels. Some multilateral treaties establish an international organization that is concerned with the provisions the treaty entails. The United Nations The most known international organization, made up of states, is the United Nations(UN). It was established via the UN charter, a multilateral treaty, stating its goals, procedures, means and measures and much more on how all participants were to act. It started with 51 member states and it has 193 nowadays.The UN is an organization that reaches all over the globe and it is possible for every member to address a problem during certain occasions(Scott,2008). The UN is as it were an umbrella organization, it established many others to carry out what was agreed upon in the UN charter. The UN has so many organizations that it practically is involved all over the world with all kinds of problems on economical, social and conflict matters(Scott, 2008). The UN charter is made of several articles, divided in chapters, paragraphs and subparagraphs. It is an immense agreement on how states should interact, develop, help and much more.The first article states the UN's main purpose on which it was founded after World War II. Article 1 â€Å"The Purposes of the United Nations are: 1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace; . To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; 3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and 4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends. (UN, 1945) International peace and security, globa l peace and security, a global purpose which states that all members should help to solve and prevent problems as peacefully as possible. By signing the UN Charter a state will become part of an extensive network of rules and procedures which it has to embrace, which have been determined by them and others. The UN has increased its influence due to the creation of an environment for treaty making. Over time the UN has become the world's most important organization for international integration by motivating states to solve problems.Its power has be justified by its members and the agreements between them (Schooyans, 2001). The major organs of the UN are the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the Economical and Social Council and the General Assembly. For finding an answer to my question the focus will be on the Security Council. The Security Council is an organ that is most known due to the measures it can take. It is made up out of 5 permanent members and 10 non permanent members which will be selected by the General Assembly. Its permanent members are China, The United Kingdom, The USA, France and Russia.In chapter V of the Charter articles are defined to state its purpose. Article 24 â€Å"1. In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its Members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf. [†¦ ] (UN, 1945). All members should keep the Security Council informed, an obligation to make sure the UN can act if this is required.The five permanent members have a veto right, meaning they can dismiss certain decisions even when they are urgent, generally accepted and majority voted. According to article 42 and 43 of the UN charter the Security Council is able to implement measures as economical and political exclusion, named sanctions. If n o positive result follows, then it is allowed to use article 43 stating â€Å"[†¦ ]it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the United Nations. † (UN, 1945). Whenever the Security Council comes to an agreement about what measures should be taken it presents a resolution, a formal statement, extensively describing what is to come, how it is to come and who should be involved. A resolution could form the basis for a military intervention. A problem that needs attention, according to the Security Council is (article 39)†[.. ] any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression[†¦ ]† (UN, 1945).The Security council has presented multiple resolutions with regards to an act of aggression such as resolution 83 and 84, 1950, to use force â€Å"[†¦ ] to repel the armed attack upon the republic of Korea by forces of North Korea. â€Å"(Scott,2010, p. 103). The use of force has been authorized through more resolutions regarding, Kuwait, Somalia and Sudan. Looking back at the main question, it might be tempting to say that an organ, with multiple members, working for a safe and secure world is a definite yes. International integration has reached a point where there is a collective choice.A democratically (up till the veto) determined procedure that takes into account agreed norms and values by almost all states. The vision was formed by 51 founding members and today the charter is almost universal. When a decision to interfere, to use force, to discriminate sovereignty, to ‘ensure' safety and security is made it becomes clear that this world is so interconnected, that it lets an organization decide over life and death. Determining if the use of force is necessary, is not only led by the Security Council, it is allowed to ask help and advice to reach a conclusion.Many international organizations keep track of human rights and they are eager to alarm the security council to act, with sanctions or force, when they think something needs to be changed. Their expertise and resources make them trustworthy, not only for the Security Council but also for the world population. The increasing interconnectedness of the world makes it possible for these organizations to spread their worries and claims faster than ever before due to technological innovations as the internet, smart phones and global broadcast channels.International integration benefits from these technological innovations as problems become more visible and are spread faster. Communication and cooperation between organizations and states can lead to fast decisions and less damage to those under threat. International interventions, approved by the Security council, have increased in numbers since the ending of the cold war. The 1990's can be app ointed as the decade where most international interventions took place. It is also in this period that the idea of diplomacy over the use of force blurred.The use of force, military interventions, became a short term solution that would end the suffering of those suppressed. With regards to the twentieth century Afghanistan and Iraq are the most violent interventions so far. After the 9/11 terrorist attack in New-York, the USA promoted and executed the ‘war on terror'. This replaced the idea behind interventions for humanitarian and conflict reasons to a new enemy; international terrorism and its supporting regimes. The use of violence became a tool to scare off the opponent as well as completely deactivating him.Inner state conflicts that have been addressed increasingly over the past two decades are a relative new symptom for the UN and its Security Council. Shifting from conflicts between states to a state in conflict with itself. The traditional rules for peace keeping did not apply for these kinds of conflicts(Zandee, 2012). International integration reaches to the very integrity of states, as seen with the use of resolutions. Not only in cooperative ways, but also in the form of interventions approved through cooperation between states.The link between globalization and the UN is in its cooperative character, where the United Nations provides a ground for discussion, problem solving, initiatives and the creation of rules. The UN promotes development on different levels and multiple fields and it is to be reached through cooperation between its members (Bertucci & Alberti, 2001). In the year 2000 the ‘UN Millennium Summit' was held for the purpose of the discussion and adaptation of the ‘UN Millennium Declaration'. Over 150 world eaders eventually adopted the declaration, agreeing on the goals it set out to achieve for the upcoming 15 years such as less poverty, better health care and non-violence. Important was the emphasis on better an d more efficient cooperation between its members, an increase of international integration. One of the main points made was to make globalization a positive force for all world's people (Sneyd, 2005). Syria Syria is a state in the middle east neighboring Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq. Its main source of income is the oil- and gas industry and a small sector of tourism can be found at the Mediterranean sea.Syria has had several conflicts over time regarding territory with its neighboring states (Donker & Janssen, 2011). Syria's recent history has been used as one of the many motives for the protests that arose in the spring of 2011. In 1967 the Syrian political party Ba'ath took power by a coupe, overthrowing the government. After this, in 1970, the Ba'athist Hafez al-Assad took power in his own hands via a second coupe. He used his military connections, as he fought in many sections, too establish a loyal security force. Hafez al-Assad appointed many relatives and friends to several high governmental and military functions.In the beginning he was not very popular as he originated from a relatively small community of Alawi. Syria houses a variety of subcultures and religious sects and multiple conflicts between them have passed over time. Yet, the majority of Syria supported him for bringing stability to the economy and its inhabitants. This changed over time as Hafez al-Assads regime became more authoritarian and the economy started to fail. In the 1970's uprisings begun, which became more and more violent under the leadership of the ‘Muslim Brotherhood'.An example is its sniper campaign targeting the government's representatives. Many inhabitants did not support this way of protesting and the increasing awareness of the Brotherhood's intentions gave way for Hafez al-Assad to act brutally in 1982. This was the final standoff between the Islamists and the regime and it took place in Hama. An estimated number of civilian causalities varies betwe en 5000 to 20000. Hafez al-Assad's ruler ship was based on fear and showed severe consequences for those trying to destroy it. The media was state controlled and still is in present day (Donker & Janssen, 2011).To gain stability after the uprisings Hafez al-Assad assigned more political positions to other sub group members of Syria. In response to the Brotherhood, any political form of Islam was strictly forbidden. During the late 1980's and 1990's Syria underwent, as many other states due to ending of the cold war, economic liberation. Policies developed actually improved the position of political elites who had the resources to engage in exclusive economic deals. The tension between state, now seen as corrupt, and its society grew. In July 2000 Bashar al-Assad succeeded his father and he has been the leader of Syria ever since.His attitude and means concerned with ruling Syria do not vary that much from his father; society's voice and politics are still not coherent as a small gro up owns most of the states power as well as economical and military resources. Bashar al-Assad's nationalism, clientelism and severe repression held up over the years until March 2011 (Donker & Janssen, 2011). On March 6, 2011, children that were not older than 15 wrote the text ‘the people want the fall of the regime' (in Syrian) in the southern city Daraa. The children were arrested and tortured by Syrian security forces.Protests arose in response to this incident, first locally, but it did not take long for the remaining Syrians to participate in nationwide demonstrations. At first uprisings were generally peaceful, as people remembered what happened under his father's ruler ship. Yet, over time certain protest groups became more violent and separated themselves from the mainstream, but still recalling its support (Donker & Janssen, 2011). Videos posted on YouTube of the arrests spread a wide feeling of anger, among citizens, but also internationally (Times, 2011).Anti gove rnmental movements have been suppressed to underground spheres under the ruler ship of the al-Assads and its police state. Yet, there was an opening for coming out now. Support for protests and coordinated uprisings were now present and several movements tried to gather as much people as possible. Thus, it happened several times that the government controlled media was manipulated to prevent protest progress as when mobile phone networks were shutdown as well as many websites (Zoepf, 2011).The so-called ‘Arab Spring' started at the end of December 2010 as a series of protests and demonstrations across several North African and Middle Eastern states, such as in Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia and also in March 2011 in Syria (Schippers, 2011). The Arab Spring was mostly led by the voices of youngsters concerned with their future. The feeling of repression, unemployment, corruption and little democratic value triggered many to protest against their current leaders and governments. Many other states were showing symptoms of breaking regimes, motivating Syrians to continue to fight for their cause (Schippers, 2011).The peaceful protests gave way for more violent ones once the government started to repress them with violence. Heavy military resources were used to break up demonstrations as well as targeted assaults on protest group leaders (Schippers, 2011). More and more, images, videos and reports came from Syria and were spread all over the world. The cruel acts of armed government forces towards civilians were portrayed as terroristic, suppressive, inhumane and in violation with international laws (Khalay, 2011). As in other ‘Spring' states, governments were not going to settle easy.Violence was commonly used in Egypt and the prime example is Libya where the protests led to a civil war between government and several protest groups. The killing of civilians by a central, repression based government was described as a crime and the international communi ty was to be involved soon (Khalay, 2011). Amnesty International is an international organization concerned with human rights. It is mayor player in international integration, as its reports trigger discussion, provoke change and picture current developments.During the Arab Spring, Amnesty International has been highly concerned with the treatment of civilians. Reports about Syria indicate serious human rights violations and the organization is alarming the international community to act to stop these practices. Violent attacks harm civilians and there is a lack of primary resources and security. It is a situation that needs to be changed and it needs to be changed fast as these gross violations lead to more causalities every day (Khamis, 2012). International intervention returns to the picture.Up till recent day the inner state conflict Syria is dealing with, is still not resolved. Thousands of deaths are marking an ongoing civil war which seems not to end on a short notice as the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad still enjoys military support(although some soldiers turned over) as well as scarce, yet important public support. The international community, with the UN as main player, has alarmed the Syrian government to stop its activities and has applied multiple sanctions to pressure its movement and resources such as oil export restrictions (Iadtu, 2011).The security council has been involved since the beginning of the cruel acting of the armed government forces. The Arab Spring has been interpreted as a period of humanitarian crimes, where old repressive regimes are tried to be destroyed (Iadtu, 2011). The Security Council approved a military intervention in Libya, bombing governmental buildings, weapons depots and providing resources and manpower to the ‘democratic' opposition. The bombings were successful till the extent that they destroyed most of Libya's military force used for repression.Thus, the amount of civilian, unintended, casualties were h igh. The creation of an integrated democratic governmental structure has shown some progress, but the latest report indicates new instability as power protest groups now claims power and use force to gain this (Nazemroaya, 2012). The Security Council has send negotiators, as Kofi Annan, to Syria to discuss possible diplomatic solutions to end the conflict. Yet, Bashar al-Assad does not want to comply. Its government is also stating that it is fighting terrorist groups and not the entire population of Syria.He refers to groups of protestors that are well armed and are targeting the Syrian government. It accuses the USA and other Western countries of supplying the opposition with resources to take out the government. In response to this acquisition the Western society claims the protestors need to defend themselves from ongoing governmental attacks (Cunningham, 2012). The Security Council has suggested a similar intervention as in Libya, thus Russia and China stood in the way as they vetoed this proposal.Russia has been internationally criticized for the ongoing weapon supply to the Syrian government. Battle helicopters have been shipped several times and the USA is the main opponent of this practice as it implies Russia is supporting the al-Assad regime and therefore approving it means on how to settle the conflict. Russia says it is not violating any international laws and that it is providing the helicopters for protection and not for attack (Lathd, 2012) Russia is Syria's biggest arm supplier, it houses the only Russian naval base in the Mediterranean Sea.Syria has quite some Russian inhabitants and the Russian Orthodox church is influential regarding certain accommodations and populations in Syria (Carr, 2012). Besides these interests, other factors play a big role. Russia played its veto card with the statement that it does not want to see a Libya scenario again. That includes many civilian victims, the rise of radical Islamism and a lot of costs (Carr, 20 12). It is stopping the Security Council from taking action in the form of an military intervention.It can also be taken in consideration that Putin faced some severe resistance when he reassigned himself as president and its resulting protests. Supporting another military intervention might give Putin away as a person willing to participate in overthrowing repression led governments, as Russia might be labeled as such with suspicious democratic regulations (Lathd, 2012). The Security Council has not been able to stop the conflict, yet its sanctions are felt more every day. But also these means of conflict suppression are not only inflicting al-Assads government, large parts of the population are facing below average standards of living.Russia also shares the opinion that Western states are providing resources to destroy the regime (Cunningham, 2012). Cunningham(2012) and Nazemroaya(2012) argue that international interventions are a tool of Western imperialism, modern colonialism. T he power of the Security Council and its main members has grown towards a way to change states in such a way that the West will benefit from it, such as open economies ready for more foreign investments. The Western media plays a significant role in portraying situation as cruel and is good at moving the populations emotions and opinions.It tries to justify their actions by showing images of killed children, while negative reporting about NATO bombing and the resulted civilian deaths are hard to find. Once violence has started it is important to supply the opponent, in this case the protestors, with arms, so it can be said that the government, when shooting with sharp, is harming civilians. It is important that the media will justify the intervention with help from international organizations such as Amnesty International. The ‘Responsibility 2 Protect' has been used under the headline ‘humanitarianism' to execute violent operations as seen in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya .The Security Council, and the UN, have enormous international powers and are able to decide over death and life. The hegemon plays an important in addressing and executing issues and missions. Much military interventions have led to the destruction of regimes and set boundaries for future development. Syrians are pessimistic about a foreign intervention as some of them still support al-Assad. It is unlikely that Russia will set for a new direction soon, leaving the situation of ongoing civil war to continue (Cunningham, 2012) (Nazemroaya, 2012).Up till present day no military intervention has been undertaken. Constant debate about the use of such a mean slows the power to act and protect down. Syria is under international interest, but the international community has not yet found a way to act and stop the violence. The conflict in Syria provides a better look at the problems international integration is facing when debate and veto votes lead to a stop in developing solutions for c onflict. The democratic aspect leads to a proper justification of the Security Council's decisions, but it turns against him when there is no cohesion.The consequences are severe, as Syria remains in a civil conflict. Conclusion The answer to the main question revolves around the process of globalization, the United Nations and the current conflict in Syria. International integration has generated an interconnected world, in where more is known then ever before and where states are generating cooperation. The change in communication resources has led to a network of intelligence where one can find and publish almost everything. Accessibility, fluidity and transparency mark modern times.The United Nations is a prime example of international integration and it will continue to be. Its goals, declarations, treaties and resolutions illustrate the worldwide need for international integration and its further development. The UN's power has increased over time and the Security Council is o ne of the most profound organs to achieve its goals. The validity of the resolutions is determined by the permanent members, powerful actors in the world with more influence than other states. History illustrates interventions as successful means to stop violent conflicts and generate peace.Thus, this should be claimed with care as the current conflict in Syria is not benefitting from international integration. The empire steers the interests of the UN, yet others are able to influence its goals. As the USA is a superior military-, economical- and political power in the world, its influence has great consequence for international integration. World peace is one of the main goals of the United Nations and the integration of states worldwide has set out several positives achievements. Is international integration an advantage or disadvantage for world peace?The United Nations motivate international integration and its goals are clear. It wants to distribute wealth, create common inter ests of concern and stop violent conflicts. If international integration was less intense than it is nowadays, the legality of actions by states would be less, possibly provoking new conflicts. The democratic procedures justify the UN's actions and consensus is properly reached. Yet, as the Syria case has shown, it also slows down the process of acting. Overall I would like to answer the question with; an advantage.Cooperation leads to efficient usage of resources as knowledge, money and weapons. It also integrates multiple interests and reflects opinions. The recognition of the UN's goals creates a justifications for its actions and therefore prevents further conflict. If ( almost ) universal goals and means are approved, acting for the sake of world peace will be accepted faster. Bibliography Bertucci, G. , & Alberti, A. (2001). Globalization and the Role of the State: Challenges and Perspectives. New York: United Nations. Carr, B. (2012, June 25). Syrian Solution Lies in Putin's Hands.The Australian , p. 7. Cunningham, F. (2012). how the Arab League Has Become a Tool of Western Imperialism. Global Research. Donker, T. H. , & Janssen, F. (2011). Supporting the Syrian Summer; Dynamics of the Uprising and Considerations for International Engagement. The Hague: Clingendael Institute. Fincle, P. , & Govale, E. (2012, February 10). Globalisation. Retrieved July 1, 2012, from BBC Bitesize: http://www. bbc. co. uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation Giddens, A. (2000). Runaway World: How Globalization is Reshaping Our Lives. London: Routeledge Taylor and Francis.Goldstein, J. , & Pevehouse, J. (2011). International Relations. London: Pearson. Iadicola, P. (2008). Globalization and Empire. International Journal of Social Inquiry , 3-36. Iadtu, S. (2011, August 18). Can western sanctions touch Bashar al-Assad? Guardian Comment Network . Jeffery, S. (2002, October 21). What is globalisation? Retrieved July 1, 2012, from The Guardian: http://www. guardian. co. uk/world/2002/oct/31/globalisation. simonjeffery Khalay, D. (2011, October 24). Damascus may have to revise its political mindset. BBC Monitoring Middle East , p. 10.Khamis, N. (2012, July 2). Historic arms trade negotiations a chance to prevent future Syrian-style slaughter. Amnesty International Annual Report . Lathd, S. (2012). Russia's veto on Syria resolution sign or changing world order. BBC Worldwide Monitoring. Lombaerde, P. d. , & Iapadre, P. L. (2007). International Integration and Societal Progress: A Critical Review of Globalisation Indicators. Paris: OECD. Maier, C. (2005). An American Empire? : The Problems of Frontiers and Peace in Twenty-First Century Politics. In L. C. Young, The New American Empire (pp. 9-11).New-York: The New Press. Nazemroaya, M. D. (2012). From the Cold War to NATO's â€Å"Humanitarian Wars† – The Complicity of the United Nations. Global Research. Schippers, H. (2011, July). Op eigen kracht: taai verzet van Syrische oppositie. Int ernationale Spectator , pp. 401-404. Schooyans, M. (2001). The United Nations and Globalization. Louvain: Louvain University. Scott, S. V. (2010). International Law in World Politics. London: Lynne Rienner Publishers. Shaw, M. N. (2008). International Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sneyd, A. (2005). UN Millennium Summit.Hamilton: McMaster University. Times, T. N. (2011, March 19). In Syria, Crackdown After Protests. The New York Times , p. 10. UN. (1945). UN Charter. San Fransisco : UN. Zandee, D. (2012, April). International Interventies; ‘Lessons learned'. Retrieved June 28, 2012, from www. clingendeal. nl: http://www. clingendael. nl/search/results. html? term=Dick+Zandee&start=1&division_id=&target=author Zoepf, K. (2011, April 28). Long Repressed in Syria, an Internal Opposition Takes Shape. The New York Times , p. 12. ——————————————– [ 1 ].Transnational c orporations, also called multinational corporations, are corporations operating in multiple states all over the world. An example is McDonalds, with restaurants in more than 100 countries [ 2 ]. Sovereignty is seen as a concept of a state being independent from other states influences. It entails that a certain territory that belongs to a state should not be interfered by another state so that it is free to make its own choices, create laws and determine a governmental form. [ 3 ]. In this context the word regime refers to states that are lead by dictators, corruption and unjustified government violence.

Stone Cold Definitions: What is a Family?

American society is an interesting place: we value individualism and celebrate freedom, and strive for being the best in all that we do.   The road to achieving this is not an easy one, but as a nation, we understand this.   We train our children gradually by setting small tasks for them.   These tasks are designed to help our children â€Å"practice† for their imminent involvement in the â€Å"real† world, and it is the hope of those who create these â€Å"practice† sessions that children will grow into adults who are well-adjusted, productive Americans. This training includes learning to do a variety of things—from the mundane to the complex—primarily by trial and error.   We put training wheels on bicycles; we spread education out over a period of twenty-plus years; we encourage part-time jobs before careers and raising a pet to learn the value of life and the seriousness of responsibility; however, when it comes to creating a family, we act like it is an all-or-nothing affair.   We define it in a single way, and access it as â€Å"successful† only in the extremist of circumstances.   American society may value individualism, celebrate freedom, and strive for perfection, but it can be an extraordinarily judgmental place for those who fall outside the parameters of the traditional definition of â€Å"family.† Barbara Kingsolver examines the definition of â€Å"family† in her piece, â€Å"Stone Soup: What Does It Mean To Be a Family, Anyway?†Ã‚   Her conclusion: that the defined parameters are simply too narrow and that America’s continuing to use this false standard is detrimental to all people. There can be little doubt that the United States values individualism; however, it seems as though individualism is only acceptable if the involved party conforms to preconceived norms and moral standards set by the majority when exercising this right to be â€Å"individual.†Ã‚   Barbara Kingsolver asks readers â€Å"in the catalog of family values, where do we rank an occasion such as this?† (305). She is referring to a child’s soccer game and the fact that the child in question is surrounded by primary and extended family members—an entire cheering section of his own, but that social construct calls his family â€Å"broken† (305).   Obviously, â€Å"Andy† is not suffering for lack of anything while playing soccer—there is nothing at all â€Å"broken† about him or the people who make up his family.   Kingsolver’s point is powerful, and she demands each of us step back and consider the reason for family and the parameters by which the success of this configuration of people is judged. The point of people joining together to create a unified structure (i.e. a â€Å"family†) is to strengthen the one by adding others.   The make-up of the family structure is rather arbitrary, and as Kingsolver points out, in other countries as well as in America’s past, the presence of several generations under one roof was commonplace (308).   Modern society has changed the basic dynamic of â€Å"family,† expecting the branching out of children as they reach adulthood, and the defining of parenting â€Å"success† by an offspring’s financial and familial productivity out in the world. This does not sound at all like the makings of a strong â€Å"individual†; it sounds very much like a cookie-cutter environment churning out cookie-cutter people.   Kingsolver points out that â€Å"there's a current in the air with ferocious moral force [. . .] claiming there is only one right way to do it, the Way It Has Always Been† and expresses how nonsensical this attitude is (305). If we operated under the guise of â€Å"the Way It Has Always Been,† we’d still have slavery, children working in sweat shops, women who had no control over their own money, legalized domestic violence, etc.   Part of this nation’s strength comes from its ability to recognize flaws in its operations, make the necessary changes, and move on.   Why are we so slow to apply this to family?   As Kingsolver puts it, â€Å"this narrow view [of family] is so pickled and absurd I'm astonished that it gets airplay† (305).   Simply put, a group of people who join together to perform everyday tasks, including caring for a child/children, paying bills, maintaining a home, and caring for one another is a family. People who were born before the internet, cellular phones, and the microwave oven survived, and many of them continue to do so without having adapted or integrated any of those items into their daily lives.   Those of us who make use of modern technology are not harmed by the lack of understanding or participation of those who choose to remain â€Å"behind† the times. However, those who insist on the â€Å"traditional† definition of â€Å"family† and persist in applying derogatory terms to the variety of familial make-ups that have become more prevalent are harming those who choose to acknowledge familial advances.   â€Å"Divorce, remarriage, single parenthood, gay parents, and blended families simply are. They're facts of our time† (307). It seems odd that in a nation that is so sold on individuality and freedom of choice that it has  begun to package cheese in balls, slabs, individually wrapped slices, and sticks that we shy away  from a multi-faceted definition of family.   Perhaps the problem is the way in which people look  at things.   Can it be that only a single parent struggling to get by understands that the slab is  cheapest, and that it has the added benefit of one’s being able to cut it and wrap it in a variety of  sizes and shapes that can be determined based on need?   Isn’t this a simple, physical example of  the old adage that anyway you slice a thing, it is still the thing?   Does it really matter what the  make-up of the family is as long as it fulfills it goals?   There are legitimate reasons for the  changes seen in the modern family. â€Å"Some of the reasons listed by sociologists for these family  reconstructions are: the idea of marriage as a romantic partnership rather than a pragmatic one; a  shift in women's expectations, from servility to self-respect and independence; and longevity† (Kingsolver 307). Prepare a list of the things a person might fight hardest for in terms of â€Å"freedom,† and the freedom to choose a life partner has got to be near the top, and this freedom is not about one’s orientation: it is about one’s freedom—period.   Whether straight or gay, single or married, the freedom to enter into or leave a relationship seems fundamental. Barbara Kingsolver discusses her preconceived notion of marriage and divorce: a notion that was constructed by the society in which she grew up—the society that continues to exist in America (306).   She admits to her naà ¯ve belief that in choosing a mate one could not err, and admitted that â€Å"once upon a time [she believed . . ] that everyone who [divorced] could have chosen not to do it.   That it's a lazy way out of marital problems.   That it selfishly puts personal happiness ahead of family integrity,† but having lived her life and gone through a divorce, she now sees that this is simply not true. This bursts not only the bubble of her expectations, it places the rest of her family, including her children, into a category that implies imperfection and an inability to perform up to expected standards.   Kingsolver equates the â€Å"judg[ing of] a family’s value by its tidy symmetry is to purchase a book for its cover† (308).   Oddly, the â€Å"children of divorce† are profoundly unaffected in many ways, and where adults see defeat, they see the opportunity to have two different homes and two sets of things as advantageous.   Certainly this isn’t always the case—as it is not always the case that a child raised in a â€Å"traditional family† goes unscathed.   Each situation and each experience is—dare I say—individual. The closing anecdote in Barbara Kingsolver’s piece places the term Stone Soup in to context, and it is in this recollection that real advice can be seen.   While the story hinges on the soldiers’ plan, what happens all around them is of equal importance.   The message in the story is that both sides must be ready and willing to accept their opposition: the hungry soldiers gave in to the townspeople who in turn gave in to the hungry soldiers, and in the end, everyone is better for having shared. The same is true of the modern family.   No one should be forced to give up the ideal of â€Å"family† anymore than anyone should give up the ideal of having a cupboard filled with food; however, everyone has got to be willing to acknowledge that their definition of â€Å"family† is relative—much like the â€Å"full† cupboard, and often simply adding to the pot what you can is sufficient. Work Cited Kingsolver, Barbara.   â€Å"Stone Soup: What Does It Mean To Be a Family, Anyway?†Ã‚   The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across Time.   8th ed.   Ed. Gilbert H. Muller.   LaGuardia: City U. of New York, 2003.   305-310.

Comparison and Contrast of Websites on Herbal Drugs Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Websites on Herbal Drugs - Essay Example The first website that is with the title â€Å"The Herb Society of America† gives details about herbs whether they are of medicinal usage or not. The purpose of the website is to accommodate the internet users or searchers of herbal drugs with knowledge about all kinds of herbs and to facilitate them with the buying of those herbs for their personal or professional uses. The viewers of the website can also buy different published papers and articles on various herbs from this website. The first page of the website gives an introductory data about herbs and offers the readers to gain information on various topics on herbs. The content on the website of â€Å"The Herb Society of America† is quite readable and easy to follow because of its simplicity and eloquence. The readers can find beginners’ guide to herbs, which is supportive for people having no know-how of the herbs. The intended audiences of the website are the students, researchers, herb lovers and informa tion retrievers. In addition to the mentioned audience, patients of different diseases also look for herbal drugs on the website. The source is recommendable because of its reliability and validity. The information given on the website is well-researched and detailed. We can find facts as well as opinions on the website backed by the researchers and scholars. The information given on the website is current as the website is updated on regular basis. We can notice new and updated articles and written content on the website about herbal drugs and herbs, which are enough informative. Not only written content but also photographed and video-recorded content can be found on the website. As far as bias or prejudice of the organization â€Å"The Herb Society of America† is concerned in relation to the posted information, there is no such thing found on the website as it is about herbs and all kinds of herbs that are available are listed on the website along with their detailed specification. Not only scientific but also the traditional information is given bout the listed herbs. The other website that is part of the paper is www.herbmed.org. This website is a database of information about medicinal herbs. Unlike the previously mentioned website, this website is only reserved for revealing data about medicinal herbs and we cannot find any data about other herbs that have no drug related usefulness. The purpose of this website is to give information to the information finders about medicinal herbal drugs. The given information is knowledge giving and enlightening due to which, the users of the website access the website. This website is very dissimilar to the website of â€Å"The Herb Society of America† as the information on it is not free for everyone. A limited set of information is free for all internet users but for extended usage and detailed and updated information, the users have to pay to view and access the website. The website is divided into two parts that are HerbMed and HerbMedPro. HerbMed offers access to information to only twenty popular herbs while HerbMedPro offers access to two hundred and thirty three herbs. All of these herbs have medicinal usages. The website is quite useful and comprehensible as it provides all the uses of herbs to the health in a simple manner. Like the previously descr ibed website, this w

A study of Relationship Among Visitor's Experience, Travelling Dissertation

A study of Relationship Among Visitor's Experience, Travelling Motivation, Destination Image, Service Quality, Satisfaction an - Dissertation Example Hence, it has become a great concern for parents to spend quality time with their children and undertake meaningful cooperative activities. In addition, proper leisure time management and conveniences of air and sea transport, family tours have become more popular in recent times. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, WTTC, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and APEC data, tourism travelling encompasses activities such as restaurants, leisure entertainment, transportation, accommodation and travelling service, implying that tourism is indeed made up of big enterprises, which bring about a lot of economic effects (Kotler & Keller, 2011) Evidently, in modern times, people spend quite huge portions of their income and time traveling to destination and undertake activities such as sightseeing with their preschool age children, whose parents always take to theme parks around the world. According to World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2013 Annual Statistical Repost on Tou rism, the average number of trips per person during the year 2012 was 5.12, an increase of 0.66 trips from the 4.46 average of 2011 and 2012 respectively (Kotler & Keller, 2011 ). ... inment, education, unanticipated and happy whole-family experiences for children, parents and grandparents, which make entire families to have a good time at the park. In addition, Janfusun Fancyworld’s establishment, history, environment and activities therein also offer unique services for each person and for each special festival such as Halloween, Christmas, New Year, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter Day among other holidays and occasions. These are some of the reasons parents, preschool children and other members of families opt for Janfusun Fancyworld as their first-choice destination. In addition to these factors, the rapid increase in internet accessibility and use and emerging marketing concepts and applications have, consumer-oriented and customer-centered markets have also worked in favour Janfusun Fancyworld. To this effect, Janfusun Fancyworld, places emphasis on customer experience, customer value and satisfaction and high quality in its market ing strategies. Janfusun Fancyworld has also exploited the current advances in information technology to improve on creativity, aesthetics, sensibility, intellectuality and participative entertainment and recreational activities. Like other tourism destinations, Janfusun Fancyworld must prioritise strategies to establish and retain consumer satisfaction through quality and diverse services since a thorough understanding of customer service provision and satisfaction have profound effects on consumers’ perceptions on quality, value and satisfaction level is rather integral to modern tourism. Customers’ satisfaction and their intention to revisit are perhaps the most important cornerstones in the tourism industry that any tourist destination intending to remain viable ought not to overlook (Peppers &

Pediatric Nurse Population for ADHD Education Essay

Pediatric Nurse Population for ADHD Education - Essay Example Medications used in children should be of even greater interest due to the inability to monitor the effects of adverse reactions by objective methods. Nurses play a key role in the management of children with ADHD. This disorder may persist even to adult stages. The diagnosis of ADHD requires careful history taking ,use of standardized rating scales ,and close attention to patients behavior and informants reports. Statistics show that in order to fit in the field of nursing and favorably attend the ADHD patients especially the 6-18 age group, a nurse should be compassionate, and committed to help people. Skills, knowledge and competence are a major factor of requirement in the nursing career. Different ADHD patients will react differently to the particular drug regime .This is due to their different individual genetic system which stimulates enzymatic reactions. Nurses ought to understand this aspect in order to attend the affected effectively. Primary care should be an opportune location for close monitoring of individual reactions to drugs. Systematic follow-up is essential to monitor side effects, target outcomes and gather information from parents, teachers and the child. Yearwood, E. (2012). Child and adolescent behavioral health: a resource for advanced practice psychiatric and primary care practitioners in nursing. Wiley- Blackwell. ï‚ · Ryan-Krause, P. (2011, January - February). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Part III; Journal of Pediatric Health Care. V 25, pp

How can interactive media encourage students from secondary schools to Dissertation - 1

How can interactive media encourage students from secondary schools to eat healthy and thus contribute to reducing the growing o - Dissertation Example The present time reflects examples of advertising that make use of the persuasive technology with advertisers using words like ‘free’ and ‘hurry’ offering them with bargains on different products and services, and attracting greater number of consumers. This is reflected in the world of internet advertising as well. With the use of different software and applications, behavior and attitude of people are being altered. Such apps include financial apps or healthcare apps as well, thereby strongly communicating their messages to the people, and proving that web sites have become the most influential persuasive technology of the present times (Tittel, 2013). Beyond the web there are other persuasive technologies that have developed and become highly effective in the present day world. This includes the use of the mobile phones that has been obtained to have significant positive effects on persuading people towards better healthcare. Over the past few years, mobi le devices have been largely used for persuasion along with bringing together government agencies, academics, as well as health care organizations belonging to the private sector, for persuading people towards better healthcare. SMS services are used for promotion of healthcare trying to persuade people to change their attitudes and behavior towards how they maintain their health. This is also possible through the use of other media like the television, radio, and other forms of communications that people in general follow in the present times (Mobile Health, 2010). Considering contemporary examples of persuasive technologies beyond the web, such as mobile devices and hence SMS services have been mentioned earlier, and other communications media like television and radio (Mobile Health, 2010), the expansion and use of the persuasive technologies have been found in marketing of businesses, in environment, in education, and in health care. Use of body-wearable sensors, technologies th at are aware of contexts and real time information exchange are what makes up the persuasive technologies of the recent times involving devices like the mobile phones and other communicative devices (Chatterjee, 2009). 2. Advantages of Persuasive Technology Over Traditional Media and People: The emergence of persuasive technologies through the use of computers, web, and other devices has offered certain advantages over the traditional media and people. These include that it is more persistent than the human beings. It offers significant ambiguity. It has the capability to manage huge amounts of information. It can make use of several modalities to influence people. It can scale with ease. Also, persuasive technologies can be taken to places where it is not possible for human beings to reach. For example, Amazon.com offers books to its customers and along with that it suggests its customers for books through different links thus allowing customers to know about books that they otherw ise never knew (Drew, 2011). The development of information and communications technology has led to greater advantages of persuasion than the traditional media and people, with such revised development being more and more demanded. The present day persuasive

Strategic Management for FMCG Market During Recession Dissertation

Strategic Management for FMCG Market During Recession - Dissertation Example During recessions depending on its severity, the only surviving product that is still moving is the FMCG's otherwise known as FMCG. These are the essential products that are used by the consumers in their everyday lives. An example of FMCGs is coffee, milk, and sugars. Infant foods or pharmaceutical products used in the maintenance of ailments such as anti-hyper tension and anti rejections are also considered FMCGs. Laundry and dish washing soaps, including body soaps and shampoos, are also considered as FMCGs. Every FMCG manufacturer’s or distributor’s goal is to capture a big chunk of the market as much as possible during a recession since the trust that will be gained from the brand will be carried over until the recession is over. The foot in the door approach as a strategy for FMCG is an effective way of capturing a large chunk of the market. The most efficacious way of staying on the radar of consumers is the FMCGs price. During a recession, the resource that is the most affected is the liquidity of the company and most especially the consumers. Thus maximizing the use of money is the most potent approach for consumers to survive the recession. Armed with this knowledge further investigation was conducted for the purpose of determining the efficacy of the strategy of value-pack packaging as the direction of capturing the FMCG market. However, the investigation leads to the realization that value pack packaging is also environmentally harmful since it costs a lot of packaging raw material to packaging FMCG in smaller packs or volumes. ... Thus maximizing the use of money is the most potent approach for consumers to survive the recession. This paper investigated the theory by conducting a survey to verify the behaviour of consumers during recessions. Further investigation through the use of surveys determined that due to the affordability of products that are packaged in smaller volumes consumer behaviour therefore gravitate towards this direction. Armed with this knowledge further investigation was conducted for the purpose of determining the efficacy of the strategy of value-pack packaging as the direction of capturing the FMCG market. However, the investigation lead to the realization that value pack packaging is also environmentally harmful since it costs a lot of packaging raw material to package FMCG in smaller packs or volumes. Not only that but the intended reduction in price may not be realized since the cost will be eaten by the packaging materials and the increased cost of warehousing the added volume of sma ller packs packaging. Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge the many people who have supported me and provided me with moral and actual assistance during the time when I needed it most. The many stress filled sleepless nights has been made bearable with the help of the following people. My family who has given me the strength and moral support to continue to be resilient and strong while making this paper, my MBA Course Moderator, Ms. Helen Goworek for the guidance and support, Dr. Paul Yap (Executive Director, FMCG Company) for writing approach and Guidance. The many unknown faces of grocers, store owners and FMCG industry packaging supervisors who was patient in answering incessant questions about the FMCG industry. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Executive Summary 3

How important has Hollywood been in influencing Chinese filmmaking Essay

How important has Hollywood been in influencing Chinese filmmaking since the 1980s - Essay Example The resultant increase in local entertainment fare has created countrywide romanticism among the cultural detractors as well as some industrial practitioners as they prefer a cinema that is characterized by more cultural importance. Filmmaking in China is therefore trapped between economic ambitions in order to capture the local market that is occupied by imports especially from Hollywood and cultural ambitions to create films that have Chinese physiognomies. The present tension between nationalism and commercialization is similar to the events of the development of the Chinese cinema between 1922 and 1931 when competition from Hollywood shadowed the local screens. The irregular interaction between nationalism and commercialism is especially prominent during the periods when Hollywood dominates (Rojas and Chow, 2013, p. 554). In some instances hostile, while facing threats from Hollywood, nationalism supports the protection of China’s cultural identity through safeguarding its domestic cultural market. Conversely, commercialization provides a strategic solution for regaining market share through the production of popular entertainment cinemas. When considered from this point of view, nationalism assists in justifying the growth of commercialization, but the latter ultimately motivates the rebirth of nationalism. This is the case of the first and most current entertainment cinema waves from China that is characterized by vigorous interplay between nationalization and commercialization that is evident in its industrial practices and Chinese genres. The film industry in China has gone through a functional transition and a number of institutional reformations. Film was redefined in 1984 to become a cultural instead of an institution that carries propaganda meant to reinforce party ideologies. The ramifications of this functional reformation have been both positive and negative since the studios enjoys more

Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wal-Mart - Essay Example However, this paper will try to evaluate the success of Wal-Mart which is indeed the market leader in the retail industry, and it will prove the supremacy of the organization with personal experiences and supportive facts. Personal viewpoints and some observations about Wal-Mart: The base of this argument can be put as the undisputed crowd pulling ability and growing footfalls in Wal-Mart. There are many other retails stores are there and they also pull the crowd very efficiently but do they pull crowd like Wal-Mart? Well, from many personal experiences it can be stated that the world number one retailer indeed pull the crowd efficiently than any other stores. If a person goes to any Wal-Mart store in USA in any time, he or she will see a gathering of huge crowd looking to buy something or the other. The cash counters are always busy with long queues and happy customers are always coming out with their purchases. However, the question is how they are so successful and how they overco me the tough competition in the market. From the personal experiences and viewpoints it can stated that Wal-Mart follow the strict rule of POCKETS (price, operations, culture, key item promotion, expenses, talent and services). They follow unique penetration pricing policy, they never tend to compete, break through operations management can handle the customers and the employees wisely within the store, great culture, they promote the key products very tactically and the inner talent of the management is distributed properly within the lower level of the organizations. There are some points are also there to support the positive aspects of the Wal-Mart and they are mentioned bellow. Remarkable business strategy of the Wal-Mart to support the argument: Wal-Mart has changed the seller’s market to the buyer’s market with their great business strategy. In the United States the main strategy of the Wal-Mart is to open stores in every five kilometers. And the main concept is selling practically everything under one roof with large discounts. The main strategy is to compel the people to buy more and more. Evolution of the supply chain management system: Supply chain is a very important factor for a g lobal giant like Wal-Mart. And in this case they are very strict to choose their thousand of suppliers globally. Mattel, the toy maker is one of the biggest suppliers of toys to Wal-Mart and they admit that it is a great business channel but a tough client as they want great quality parameters. Wal-Mart looks for close and strong relation with their suppliers. Wal-Mart is always hungry for customer satisfaction and that is the reason they also look for great suppliers who can provide good quality products in proper time with competitive pricing. Evaluation of the brand image: Wal-Mart has always been in the way to strengthen its existence. Around 2000 they opened the walmart.com which is the online portal for online shopping. And they have all the facilities like on-time delivery, great products and easy to use. In 2008 they have changes their total brand image, from the Wal-Mart store; Inc they changed their brand name to Walmart. Criticism about Wal-Mart: It is a true fact that gr eat brands have great criticisms. The Wal-Mart has been criticized in many ways many times but somehow I had overcome the criticism and embarked towards the success. In many times it has been criticized as the slaughter of the small grocery businesses. There are many times when small grocery stores owners have opposed the erection of the Wal-Mart store in their vicinity. But, the success relies on the verdicts of the customers. Mr. Sam Walton understood the importance of the demanded products to be sold in a low price in a price sensitive market. The Wal-Mart is

Alcoholism and its Effects on Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alcoholism and its Effects on Society - Essay Example The extrapolation derived from the data on drinking practices from the surveys of household probability suggest that there are nearly 29 million children of alcoholic patents and an anticipated 22 million of them are either 18 years of age or older and nearly 6.6 million are below the age of 18 years. Regrettably, even though it is a known fact that this magnitude of population and the possibility of these individuals of suffering from a variety of problems, a well controlled research is not yet done. Along with descriptive epidemiological investigation a range of other forms of studies are needed. A systematically sound research can offer groundwork for the enhancement of early intervention and effective preventive programs to eradicate the potential adverse effects of alcoholism. Even though the children of alcoholic parents are at a higher risk for alcoholism, it should be observed that a huge percentage of these children do not necessarily develop this disorder. Different patterns of alcoholism are suggested by research both with a high environmental risk and genetic vulnerability. It is likely that some individual with high risk do not develop alcoholism they may employ coping mechanisms. Multiple coping mechanisms are clinically observed in these children and many of them grow up to be free from psychopathology or alcoholism. These studies of coping mechanism are employed by the resistant individuals that may have special value for prevention and treatment programs. Concerning the children of alcoholics the clinical reports have described a range of psychological impairments that have been experienced by them in addition to drug abuse or alcohol. The psychological problems that have been observed have included the presence of both minor and major types of impaired self-esteem, reality testing, vocational and impaired academic performance and susceptibility to a number of acting out behaviors including running away and delinquency. The majority of these studies were limited to assessing the children who were getting treatment of the problems or those whose parents were being cured for alcoholism. To examine the children of alcoholics a broader spectrum of research is needed. The study that compares non COA's and the COA's suggest that even though both the groups differ in a wide range of psychosocial aspect, the differences in the cognitive performance are observed frequently. The cognitive function in the children of alcoholics have been examined by researchers as it is significant factor require for adaptation at all the stages of development. This can be evaluated uniformly across the stages of development and is associated with symptoms of alcoholism. In the book Alcoholic fathering and its relation to child's intellectual development: A pilot investigation, the author Ervin and Et al have analyzed that the full IQ performance and the verbal score are lower among the sample of children those are raised by alcoholic parents than those raised

Diversity in the United States Essay Example for Free

Diversity in the United States Essay Diversity in the United States Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversity is the concept of acceptance and respect upon every individual in relations to sexual category, ethnic and sexual coordination, and stage of development, bodily abilities and political beliefs. In United States there is synthesis of world’s abundant and varied religions, cultures and ethnic groups since it is a home to everybody and there is no group which can call itself the most American than the other. However, the merging of cultures here is so irreplaceable and so outstanding that citizens can be just as pleased and proud of their main cultural legacy as they are to be an American after all. The diversity in United States assemblage takes a moral look at what it means to be an American and scrutinizes the rich legacies that encompasses the entire nation. Any culture provides its specific and incomparable contribution to the current understanding in America and to the world generally. The issue of diversity in America not only provides a multitude of friendly portraits of heritage and culture, but records the fights of nationalities to incorporate into the sentimental society of America, and highlights the power and honesty of several cultural influential and socialites (Naylor, 1999, Naylor, 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the current state of immigration in United States, diversity has however reached nearly every state in America. William Ferry, a demographer has stated that â€Å"This is just a strange explosion of diversity all across the United States† and thinks that diversity and immigration are going hand in hand. Due to the high of immigration, the current statistics indicate that Education ranks increased in every state from 2000 to 2010. Generally, the part of adults with 25 years and older with at least a high school diploma or certificate raised from 80 percent to 90 percent. Those adults with at least a bachelor’s degree from any university or college raised from 40 percent to 55 percent. This change could even rise higher in the coming years as far as there are available jobs and the growth of economy still continue growing in order to hold the population. Furthermore, there are all categories of construction, food p rocessing, every kind of service jobs, the full scale, where primary agriculture is practiced (Naylor, 1997)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Immigrants have also enriched American communities by bringing characteristics of their instinctive cultures with them. However, many of the black Americans now celebrate both Christmas and other festivals drawn from African rituals. Hispanic Americans enjoy their backgrounds with street fairgrounds and other parties or events. There are many ethnic restaurants that proliferate in many American cities. For example, President John Kennedy, the grandson of Irish immigrants, commissioned up this intermingling of the old and the new when he titled America as a society of immigrants, which could hold any person irrespective of their culture, race, religion or political ideologies and everyone would began life fresh, on an equal basis. Therefore, this is the secret of United State as a nation of people with the fresh retention of old backgrounds who venture to walk around with new borderlines (Lind, 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, apart from the benefits which have been brought by the immigrants in the United States, challenges have been there more so to the government on how to counter the growing population. Services in all fields need to be increased and improved that is in organizational centers, health centers and educational centers because among the immigrants there are disabled people or people with special needs and they all expect assistance from the government. The issue of ethnicity is still there among various groups of people and this has led to gender difference and reduced sexual orientation. The uniformity that is beyond our internal extents there is outward effects of life practices, plus the choices we decide in our lives also affect our chances, circumstances, and elevations and since these controls, outward extents of religion, maternal prominence, and presence may influence others to create conventions about the immigrants (Naylor 1999 ).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, diversity need to be fostered in all terms of climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the United States in the following ways. First, Asian, Hispanic, black, and American Indian kids require the same basic skills that we have low priorities that white children require. This is a recognizable point, but it is most forgotten idea when the subject of multiethnic education is raised. Second, they need a broad considerate of our form of government and its organizations because we live in a country in which we enjoy countless freedom, but we also live in a country in which people are extremely unconcerned. Third, we must teach our children the history of this United States and there are many sources where we can get that history. Finally, all American kids need a well understanding of the world in which we live, and this includes something of the history of other nations. They need a foundation in geography, which, if shown we ll, will also teach them why nations advanced as they did. Rivers, terrain and climate are all important to the improvement of culture and should be understood well (Naylor, 1997).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ways in which media perpetuate stereotyping and prejudice are relatively few. Erratically, there are studies within fields of journalism and mass communication that concentrate on stereotype and prejudice decline. One of the way is applying an audience-based tactic that openly teaches audiences how to be critical media consume while the other method is using message based method which enables the participants with all stereotypical news narratives that explain the existing cultural practices about various racial groups. The results of these two media-based methods on the accessibility of unfriendly and compassionate racial typecasts are considered to be having a great change. Finally every individual need to construct up prejudice like in other states such as Germany, china and Japan to improve our entrepreneurship. This may be called Ideology but we have to become one, not diverse and unlike (Lester, 2011, Lind, 2010). References Lester, P. M. (2011). Images That Injure: Pictorial Stereotypes in the Media, Third Edition. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Lind, R. A. (2010). Race/gender/media: Considering diversity, across audiences, content, and producers. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Naylor, L. L. (1999). Problems and issues of diversity in the United States. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Bergin Garvey. Naylor, L. L. (1997). Cultural diversity in the United States. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Bergin Garvey. Source document

Analysis of of Quercetin in Camellia Sinensis Extracts

Analysis of of Quercetin in Camellia Sinensis Extracts ABSTRACT A precise and feasible reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the novel analysis of of Quercetin in aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Camellia sinensis extracts with internal standard has been developed. The analysis was carried out on a Phenomenax-C18 column (250 Ãâ€" 4.6mm, 5ÃŽ ¼m). reversed-phase column, using a mixture of acetonitrile and 0.1% orthophosphoric acid in water at 60:40 ratio as the mobile phase; Propyl paraben was used as the internal standard. The linearity range of the Quercetin was found to be in 1-25  µg/ml and the retention times were found to be 3.3 and 5.6 min for Quercetin and Propyl paraben respectively. The accuracy was good and recovery values for Quercetin ranged from 100 to 102% respectively. The proposed novel method is precise and feasible for the determination of Quercetin with internal standard in a short analytical runtime. The method seems to be suitable for routine analysis in quality control laboratories an d research institutes. Keywords: Quercetin, HPLC, Propyl paraben, Validation. Introduction Quercetin (Fig. 1) chemically 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one is a plant pigment (flavonoid) found in many plants and foods, such as red wine, onions, green tea, apples, berries,  Ginkgo biloba. It is used for treating conditions of the  heart  and  blood  vessels including â€Å"hardening of the  arteries† (atherosclerosis),  high cholesterol,  heart disease, and circulation problems (1-3). It is also used to treat inflammation,  asthma,  gout,  viral infections,  chronic fatigue  syndrome (CFS), preventing  cancer, and for treating chronic infections of the  prostate (4-7). Quercetin is also used to increase endurance and improve athletic performance. Tooth decay is most common infectious oral disease that afflicts 95% of the human beings. The flavonoids Quercetin found in green tea can stop the formation of dental plaques and tooth decay. Fig.1 : Chemical structure of Quercetin Some analytical methods were developed for analysis of quercetin by spectrophotometric (8-10), HPLC (11-13), HPTLC (14-16), electrochemical detection (17). In spite of its wide economical importance, a rapid and efficient method forits identification and quantification is necessary. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published method for the determination of quercetin in Camellia sinensis extracts with propyl paraben as internal standard. The aim of the present study was to develop a rapid, economical, precise and accurate reversed-phase HPLC method for quantifying quercetin in aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Camellia sinensis. Materials and Methods Acetonitrile (HPLC grade, MERCK), Water (HPLC grade, Thomas Baker) and orthophosphoric acid (HPLC grade), Quercetin and Propyl paraben are procured from local analytical laboratories. Instrumentation and chromatographic conditions HPLC is a chromatographic technique used to separate a mixture of compounds in analytical chemistry and biochemistry with the purpose of identifying, quantifying purifying the individual components of the mixture. The system consisted of UFLC-Shimadzu make LC-20AD with PDA detector. The data acquisitionwas performed by LC solutions software. The chromatographic separation was achieved on Phenomenax-C18 column (250 Ãâ€" 4.6mm, 5ÃŽ ¼m) column. The elution was isocratic with mobile phase of 0.1% orthophosphoric acid in water and acetonitrile (60:40, v/v). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/ min and yielded a backpressure of about 57 bar. The column temperature was maintained at 40 °C, the detection was monitored at a wavelength of 262 nm and injection volume was 10  µL. UFLC is suitable for separation of Quercetin with propyl paraben as internal standard. The chromatographic conditions are shown in Table 1. Table 1: The chromatographic conditions of the developed method Plant material (Camellia sinensis) Dried leaves of Camellia sinensis i.e Green tea are collected from Doddabetta Tea Factory, Ooty, Tamilnadu and identified by Dr. K. Mruthunjaya, Asst. Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, JSSCP, Mysore. The procured leaves were used for the preparation of alcoholic and aqueous extract. Extraction Methodology: Alcoholic Extract of Camellia sinensis Alcoholic extract was prepared by hot reflux extraction method on a water bath temperature maintained at 78 °C for 2 hours. The dried coarsely powdered leaves of Camellia sinensis (550g) were extracted in 3 batches (150g each). The obtained extract was filtered and solvent was distilled out up to required concentration and combined extract was spray dried to get alcoholic extract of Camellia sinensis and stored in a dessicator. Aqueous Extract of Camellia sinensis Aqueous extract was prepared by hot reflux extraction method on a water bath temperature maintained at 80 °C for 2 hours. The dried coarsely powdered leaves of Camellia sinensis (550g) were extracted in 3 batches (150g each). The obtained extract was filtered and solvent was distilled out up to required concentration and combined extract was spray dried to get aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis and stored in a dessicator. Drying of Extract: Prepared extracts were dried using Spray dryer. Parameters maintained for Spray drying are Inlet temperature maintained at 70-80 °C, Outlet temperature maintained at 50-60 °C, aspiration rate 1200 rpm per min, feed pump 2ml per min respectively. PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS Preparation of mobile phase The content of the mobile phase was prepared from Acetonitrile, filtered and degassed mixture of and water and orthophosphoric acid in the ratio of 60:40 v/v. Preparation of standard solutions About 10 mg of pure standards of Quercetin and Propyl paraben were accurately weighed and dissolved separately in two 10 mL standard flask and dissolved in methanol to get standard stock solutions of concentration of 1 mg/mL (1000  µg/mL). From the prepared stock solution an intermediate stock solution was prepared which contains 100  µg/mL of Quercetin. From this intermediate stock solution serial dilutions were made to obtain final concentrations of the solutions in the range of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25  µg/mL of Quercetin. Propyl paraben solution was made to a concentration of 25 µg/mL and used as an internal standard throughout the methodology. Preparation of Camellia sinensis extracts sample solutions 100 mg of extract sample was weighed and transferred in to 10ml volumetric flask and dissolved in a mixture of 5ml of 6M HCl and 5ml of mobile phase and sonicated for 15min. The obtained solution was filtered through a 0.45  µ pore size filter into a HPLC vial and loaded to the instrument. Method development and optimization The chromatographic conditions were optimized by changing the mobile phase compositions; buffer used in the mobile phase column stationaryphase and organic solvent. Finally a mixture of 0.1% orthophosphoric acid in water, acetonitrile and C18 column were used. A typical chromatogram obtained by using the aforementioned mobile phase and column are shown in fig. 2 of blank chromatogram and standard drug quercetin chromatogram is illustrated in Fig. 3. Method validation When a method has been optimized it must be validatedbefore put into practical use. By following the ICH guidelinesfor analytical method validation e Q2 (R1), the system suitability Test was performed and the validation characteristics elinearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, limits of detectionand quantitation were addressed. Preparation of calibration curve Aliquots of quercetin (containing 10- 250  µg/ml) were pipetted into series of 10ml volumetric flask from 100 µg/ml of stock solution followed by addition of propyl paraben containing 250 µg/ml and made up to 10ml with HPLC grade methanol to obtain the final concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25  µg/ml of quercetin and 25 µg/ml of propyl paraben solutions were prepared. The responses were measured at 262 nm. The calibration curve was established by plotting the peak areas of Quercetin versus their concentrations. Assay Procedure The column was equilibrated for at least 30 min, with the mobile phase flowing through the system with a flow rate of 1ml/min. Detector was set at a wavelength of 262 nm. Two sets of the sample solutions were prepared containing aqueous and ethanolic extracts with mobile phase mixture. The retention time of Quercetin and Propyl paraben in bulk drug in two replicate samples were found to be 3.3 and 5.6 mins. The peak area of the Quercetin in sample was obtained and the regression equation of the drug concentration over the peak areas was calculated. The RP-HPLC method was used to estimate the amount of Quercetin in aqueous, ethanolic extracts of Camellia sinensis. The typical chromatograms of alcoholic and aqueous extracts are shown in fig. 4 and 5 respectively. It is found that alcoholic and aqueous extract contains 7.35  µg and 4.31  µg per 100 grams of the extract respectively. System suitability The system suitability test ensures the validity of the analyticalprocedure as well as confirms the resolution betweendifferent peaks of interest. A data from six injections ofstandard solutions were utilized for calculating system suitability parameters like %RSD (0.19), tailing factor (1.2), theoretical plates (10728) and resolution (7.8). Linearity and range To assess the linearity, calibration plots of quercetin in each dilution were constructed in the concentration range 1-25 µg/mL the correlation coefficients of quercetin was 0.9998 respectively. Accuracy and precision The accuracy and precision of the developed method was evaluated and results are expressed as percent recoveries 99.3 -101.7%. The precision study of intra-day and interday relative standard deviation was less than 2%, stating that method is more precise. Specificity The specificity test demonstrated that the used excipients did not interfere with the peak of the main compound. The results showed that the developed method was selective for determination Of Quercetin in Camellia sinensis extracts. Sensitivity The limit of detection and limit of quantitation decide aboutthe sensitivity of the method. Tests for the procedure wereperformed on samples containing very low concentrations of analytes based on the visual evaluation method. In thismethod, LOD (signal to noise ratio of 3:1) is determined by theanalysis of samples with known concentration of analyte and by establishing the minimum level at which the analyte can be reliably detected. Accordingly, the LOQ (signal to noise ratioof 10:1) is determined by the analysis of samples with known concentration of analytes and by establishing the minimumlevel at which the analyte can be quantified with acceptableaccuracy and precision (RSD RESULT AND DISCUSSION We developed and validated a simple and efficient reversed phase HPLC method for analysis of Quercetin in Camellia sinensis extracts. Method conditions were optimized by changing the mobile phase compositions; buffer used in the mobile phase, stationary phase and organic solvent. Finally a mixture of 0.1% orthophosphoric acid in water and acetonitrile and C18 column were used. In this study UFLC instrumentation with PDA detection, which is readily available in most analytical and pharmaceutical laboratories, was used. The analytical method was validated as per current International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. In addition, in the present study,an internal standard was used to provide higher accuracy and precision of several substances tested, propyl paraben was chosen as the most appropriate internal standard. This substance is stable and does not interfere with the excipients present in of samples and composition of the diluent.Indeed, in the developed method, Propyl paraben was adequately separated from Quercetin. Moreover, its elution time was shorter, which resulted in a short run time of less than 10 min. In the accuracy of the method, recovery is in the range of 98.3-101.7% and standard deviation was less than 2% proves that method is more accurate and precise. The LOD and LOQ values of quercetin are 0.03  µg/ml and 0.05  µg/ml respectively. The described HPLC method was successfully applied for the determination of Quercetin in Camellia sinensis plant extracts. Fig. 2: Blank chromatogram of the method Fig. 3: Chromatogram of Quercetin (25  µg/ml) and Propyl paraben (Internal Standard) Table 2: Recovery studies of the method Table 3: Intraday and Inter day study precision of the method Fig. 4: Assay of Quercetin in Camellia sinensis Alcoholic Extract Fig. 5: Assay of Quercetin in Camellia sinensis Aqueous Extract Table 5: Assay of quercetin in alcoholic and aqueous extract Conclusion The proposed method is simple, accurate, precise, specific andlinear over the analysis ranges and was able to simultaneous determination of quercetin with internal standard in a short analytical run time. Hence the method can easily and conveniently applied for routine analysis in qualitycontrol laboratories and research institutes. Acknowledgements Authors extend their thanks to the JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS University, Mysore for providing the facilities to carry out the research work.