Monday, January 27, 2020

Foreign Market Servicing Strategies of Lidl

Foreign Market Servicing Strategies of Lidl Lidl is one of the leading global discounter and owns round about 9000 stores in Germany and all over Europe. Lidl has beaten its main competitor Aldi. Aldi is already successful in the United States. The latest history of the company Lidl was clouded by the observation scandal in 2008. This scandal damaged their image. In the matter of the important topic Corporate Social Responsibility Lidl started a project called ECO2LOGISCH. This project is about building stores that are energy-efficient and sustainable. In addition the company sells Fair-trade products. The food retail industry in Germany had a moderate growth in the past but the forecast for the industry looks good. The category of supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters has the highest market share in the food retail industry. The buyer and supplier power is moderate as well as threats of new entrants and substitutes are moderate. The rivalry in the industry is very strong. The US food retail industry in comparison to the German one has a strong growth and the forecast is not less significant. The category of supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters has a major market share of 80.2 %. With a Gross Domestic Product of $ 14.2 trillion in 2009 the Unites States are the second largest economy after the European Union. There is a very high diversification of income and thereby a problem of poverty occurs in the United States. With predominating Strengths and Opportunities after the SWOT analysis, the United States satisfy all requirements to become the new market Lidl should expand to. Lidl has ownership, location and internalization advantages and thereby Foreign Direct Invest is the best mode of entry. Given that Aldi used Greenfield investment successfully to enter the US market in 1776 and Lidl did use the same strategy to expand to the European markets, Greenfield investment is the appropriate strategy to enter the new market in the United States successfully. Introduction In times of globalization and international expansion Lidl, who is one of the leading global discounter, should think about an expansion overseas. The following report should discuss if the United States are the right country to expand to and which mode of entry Lidl should use for the expansion. In the first steps the company Lidl itself will be analysed with a closer look at the Corporate Social Responsibility. After that the German food retail industry will be examined. Porters Five Forces Model will be used for this. The next step is to analyse the food retail industry in the United States. For this the industry itself will be investigated and the PEST analysis will give a closer look at the United States. The SWOT analysis will demonstrate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for Lidl by entering the US market. Afterwards the mode of entry will be discussed and the conclusion will give a final answer to the question, if the United States are the right country to expand to. The company Lidl Company overview Lidl is a German discount chain and is part of the Schwarz Beteiligungs GmbH (Holding company). The Schwarz group also owns the consumer markets Kaufland, KaufMarkt, Concord and Handelshof. The history of Lidl can be traced back to the beginning of 1930. At this point in time Josef Schwarz got general partner of the Sà ¼dfrà ¼chte Großhandlung Lidl Co. He restructured it to a wholesale business which was then destroyed in 1944. After ten years the business was rebuilt and in 1972 the headquarter was relocated to Neckersulm. After the dead of Josef Schwarz in 1977 his son Dieter Schwarz assumes full responsibility for the business. Dieter Schwarz bought the naming rights from Ludwig Lidl and from this point on the success started. Lidl first expanded in the region of Neckersulm and then to the whole republic. After the success in Germany, Lidl started to expand internationally. Lidl now owns round about 9000 stores all over Europe and thereby has more stores than its main compet itor Aldi (Langer, 2004; Wikipedia Lidl, 2011). Corporate Social Responsibility Due to the fact that Lidl is not a public company, it is very hard to find any information about Lidl itself. In the history of Lidl it was always the case that Lidl did not want to show any information about the company. For this reason Lidl got the nickname Geheimniskrà ¤mer (mystery monger) (Langer, 2004). In spring 2008 Lidl got involved in a big scandal in Germany. Lidl was accused to observe their employees. This scandal damaged the image of Lidl. Lidl Germany has apologized for this incident and has assured that they will promote immediate moves to prevent any of these incidents to happen again (Byrne, Skilly, 2008). After this incident, Lidl reformed the conditions of employment. A new project is called ECO2LOGISCH. This is a new store generation. The stores will be energy-efficient and sustainable. For example the new stores will be 100% heated using the waste heat from the refrigerated sections. Lidl plans that from 2010 on all Lidl-stores should be build ECO2LOGISCH. With this project Lidl is the first food retailer in Germany who sets sustainable building services engineering as a standard (Lidl: ECO2LOGISCH, 2010). In addition Lidl sells Fair-trade products and has some social projects like a football club for kids. The food retail industry in Germany The food retail industry includes the sales of food and beverages. In Germany the category Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Discounters has the highest market share of 47.6% (see Appendix 1). In 2009 the industry had a growth of 2.3 % and a value of $ 234.8 billion. In the past the growth was moderate with an average of 2.1 % (see Appendix 2). The forecast for the industry looks good. The growth should be steady and in 2014 the industry will have an expected value of  § 265.5 billion (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p. 10). With the help of the Porters Five Forces Model the food retail industry will be analysed in the following. In the analysis the buyers will be the end-consumer and the suppliers will be food manufacturers, farmers, and agricultural co-operatives. The players in this analysis will be supermarkets, hypermarkets and discounters. Buyer power There is one important change in the consumers behaviour to which the retailers have to respond to. Nowadays the importance of health gets bigger and bigger. The convenience food becomes less important and consumers are more interested in fresh and healthy food. Another important fact is the price. Because there is a wide range of large retailers in Germany the consumer faces no switching costs and thereby the retailers have to have an attractive price scheme. All in all the buyer power is moderate (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p. 15). Supplier power The big German retailers often have a large range of suppliers. With this strategy the retailers ensure stability. They avoid possible delays in deliveries and price fluctuations. In addition to that some large retailers have started to sell own brand products. These two facts weaken the supplier power in the German food retail industry. Overall supplier power is moderate (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p. 17). New entrants It is not easy for new entrants to enter the market because of the aggressive marketing and pricing schemes of the large retailers in the industry. Nevertheless there are low entry and exit costs in the food retail industry and the changes in consumers behaviour gives new entrants a possible niche to enter the market successfully. Besides the low growths rate makes the industry not that attractive to new entrants. In conclusion the threat of new entrants is moderate (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p.18). Substitutes The only real substitute to the food retail is the food service represented by fast foods restaurants, sit-down restaurants and delivery services. But for consumers the food service is more a complement than a substitute. A more direct substitute are individuals and families who cultivate their own food. This is no longer used nowadays but in the long term possible because of the changes in the consumers behaviour and the threat of economically and politically instability. The threat of substitutes is therefore weak (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p.19). Rivalry There exists a high competition in the food retail industry. Main reasons for this are the not existing switching costs for the consumers. The similarity in the basic products of the large retailers pushes them into a competitive pricing scheme. This leads the price wars. These are encouraged by the consumers who are now comparing more and more. They have a look on special offers and the lowest price. The German food retail industry has a lot of competitors. Therefore in a conclusion rivalry is strong in this industry (Datamonitor (a), 2010, p. 20). The United States for expansion Since Lidl already expanded to whole Europe it is time to think overseas. Aldi, one of the main competitors, expanded successfully to the United States in 1976. Lidl already beat Aldi in Germany and Europe. Lidl has more stores all over Europe and has overtaken Aldi in the rankings. So the existence of Aldi in the US food retail market is no real threat for Lidl. The food retail industry in the United States The US food retail industry in comparison to the German has a strong growth. The total revenues in 2009 had a value of $ 859.1 billion and the average growth rate in the years from 2005 to 2009 was 5.3% (see Appendix 3). The forecast is not less significant. By the end of 2014 the US food retail industry will have an expected value of $1,043.1 billion (Datamonitor (b), 2010, p. 10). In the US the category Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Discounters has the highest market share of 80.2 % (see Appendix 4). Worldwide the market share of the US food retail industry is 19.8 % billion (Datamonitor (b), 2010, p. 11). All these facts make the US food retail industry attractive for Lidl to expand to. To have a closer look at the real attractiveness of the US market for expansion a PEST analysis of the United States will be proceeded in the following. PEST analysis of the United States In this section the political, economical, social and technological environment of the United States will be analysed. Overall the United States are one of the strongest powers worldwide since more than 50 years. Politically the United States have a strong position. In 2009 the democrat Barack Obama displaced the republican George W. Bush. Barack Obama was inheriting a poisoned chalice because of the financial situation and the great debates about the military operations in the Iraq and Afghanistan. Nevertheless the US has a great global influence and a strong democratic setup (Datamonitor (c), 2010). With a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $ 14.12 trillion the United States were the second largest economy in the world in 2009 after the European Union (CIA The World Factbook, 2010). In the years before the 11th of September 2001, the United States had an economical boom, after that date the growth slowed down and they felt into a recession. The congress passed bills to stimulate the financial market in 2008 and 2009. Because of this the public dept in the United States increased from 39.7 % in 2008 to 52.9 % of the GDP in 2009 (Datamonitor (c), 2010). The United States are facing a rapidly aging population. This can lead to a decreasing economic growth and thereby to rising tax rates and shortages in labour. The US have a very high diversity in the distribution of income. The Gini index was 45 in 2007 (CIA The world fact book, 2010). 1 per cent of the population belongs to the upper class and in 2009 these people owned 37.1 per cent of the entire property of the United States (Wikipedia Vereinigte Staaten, 2010). However, the United States have a remarkable education system and Barack Obama passed a new health service reform in 2010 (Datamonitor (c), 2010). On the technological front, the United States are a world leader in adapting and applying technology and innovations and they will stay in the position in the near future. But there will be a threat of competition in this sector because of the continuing process of for example China (Datamonitor (c), 2010). SWOT analysis of the company Lidl The SWOT analysis brings together the analysis of the environment and the company. It identifies the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT is the basis for the strategy development of a company. The main facts of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats will be discussed in the following. The whole SWOT analysis is provided in Appendix 5. Lidl has a high market share in the fast growing market segment of the food retailers. It has become a global player due to the fact that Lidl expanded successfully to Europe and owns round about 9000 stores. After the success in Europe there are no more obstacles for an expansion to the United States. Another important Strengths is the very good pricing which attracts many consumers. The main Weakness of Lidl is the damaged image because of the observation scandal and the discussion about minimum wages, which affects nearly every discounter. Additionally the low customer loyalty represents another main Weakness. This is an issue because of the low switching costs for the consumers because of the high competition in the food retail sector. An Opportunity is that the category of supermarkets and discounters has a markets share of 80.2% in the food retail sector in the United States. Another Opportunity is the existing poverty in the Unites States. Poor people are more interested in low pricing products. The main Threats are the competitors on the US food retail market. There is Wal-mart, who now starts to open smaller stores like in the store model of Lidl and there is Aldi, the main competitor in Germany. Aldi is a Threat and an Opportunity. Lidl already beat Aldi in the German and European market and Aldi was successful on the US market by using the same discounter model like Lidl. But Aldi entered the US market in the 70s and is now integrated and accepted from the US consumers. This is a challenge for Lidl. In a conclusion the Strengths and Opportunities predominate and Lidl should start the expansion to the United States. Choosing the mode of entry to enter the US market After decided that the United States are a good market to expand to, it is now time to think about the mode of entry. There are various modes of entry: Exporting International Licensing International Franchising Specialized modes (e.g. contract manufacturing, management contracts) Foreign Direct Investment (Greenfield investment, Acquisition strategy, Joint Venture). Dunnings Eclectic Theory gives a good framework to decide which mode is the right one for the company and the market it wants to expand to. Dunning developed three conditions which a firm should be satisfying. Ownership advantage: The firm has to have some special advantages to compete with the foreign companies. For example a good brand name, special technology, know-how or a unique product. In this case exporting would be the mode of entry. Location advantage: It has to be more benefiting to expand to a foreign market rather than expand in the home market. For example lower labour costs. If the ownership advantage and the location advantage apply contractual arrangements like licensing, franchising or alliances are the best modes of entry. Internalization advantage: There has to be a higher profitability by controlling the activities on the foreign market on their own rather than recruit a local company to provide all the important services. For example lower exchange rate risks. In the case that all three conditions are satisfied Foreign Direct Investment would be the best mode of entry (Griffin, Pustay, 2010, p. 196). Lidl as a retailer has the ownership advantages like a bargaining power in purchasing and a special supply chain. Another fact is that exporting would be no alternative for Lidl because a retailer sells products it buys from suppliers. It would be meaningless to export the products again. There are location advantages as well. The German food retail market is concentrated with a high level of competition. Hence there is not much space for further expansion. The market in the United States is a big market and offers enough space to expand to. Even though there are some main competitors. The entry and exit costs are low. For a retailer franchising harbours some dangers. For example it is difficult to legally protect the innovations a retailer is making. Franchising has indeed lower costs but the firm has also a lower level of control. Internalization advantages occur when company-specific advantages cannot be achieved on the foreign market via franchising or similar cooperation forms. This is given because of the facts mentioned before (Borgstrà ¶m, Hertz, Nyberg, n.d.). In summary Lidl satisfies all three conditions and for this reason Foreign Direct Investment is the best mode of entry for Lidl. Now Lidl has the choice between Greenfield investment, joint venture or acquisition. By having a closer look at Lidls past expansion in Europe and the mode of entry Aldi chose in 1776, Greenfield investment is the best solution for Lidl. The company also entered the new markets in Europe via Greenfield investment and Aldi did the same in the United States and it was successful for both. Conclusion The food retail market in the United States offers a good opportunity to expand to. The market has a strong growth and the PEST and SWOT analysis acknowledge the choice of the United States for a new market for expansion. As a conclusion to Dunnings theory, Foreign Direct investment and more precisely Greenfield investment is the best mode of entry. Exporting, Licensing and Franchising do not offer Lidl a good business. These modes of entry are not appropriate for a retailer and in addition Lidl would lose parts of their revenues. Due to the fact that Lidl is not willing to disclose any internal information, Acquisition or a Joint Venture do not represent a possible choice, even though both possibilities have low fixed costs. Furthermore the companies could be competitors on another market and no company wants to share information with a potential competitor. Greenfield investment is the best solution for a successful expansion to the food retail market in the United States. Appendix Appendix 1: Germany food retail industry by categories: % share, by value, 2009à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.13 Appendix 2: Germany food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005-09à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..13 Appendix 3: United States food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005-09à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦14 Appendix 4: United States food retail industry by categories: % share, by value, 2009à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..14 Appendix 5: SWOT analysis of the company Lidlà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦15 Appendix 1: Germany food retail industry by categories: % share, by value, 2009 Source: Datamonitor (a), 2010. Appendix 2: Germany food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005-09 Source: Datamonitor (a), 2010. Appendix 3: United States food retail industry value: $ billion, 2005-09 Source: Datamonitor (b), 2010. Appendix 4: United States food retail industry by categories: % share, by value, 2009 Source: Datamonitor (b), 2010. Appendix 5: SWOT analysis of the company Lidl Strengths Weaknesses High market share in a fast growing segement (discounter) Global player Very good pricing (always offers the lowest price on the market) Very good store locations (near housing areas, good transport connections, good parking facilities) Fast reaction to changes in the market conditions (flexibility is very important in a high competition sector) Damaged image (oberservation scandal and dicussions about minimum wages) Dependence on discouter model Low customer loyalty Exit from the Norway market because of low success Changing consumer behaviour (healthy living) Opportunities Threats After successful expansion all over Europe its time for overseas expansion Significant market for supermarkets and discounters in the US Expansion of the product range (more healthy food) Poverty problem in the US leads to higher demand of low pricing products Aldi already had a great success on the US market (same discounter model) Only focus on low princing products Existing competitors in the US food retail market (Wal-Mart, Aldi) Limited success of food retailer Tesco after entering the US market in 2007 Source: Self made with the help of: Bord Bia, 2008; Jiroutek, n.d.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Alcohol abuse Essay

Alcohol is absorbed from all parts of the gastrointestinal tract largely by simple diffusion into the blood. However the small intestine is by far the most efficient region of the gastrointestinal tract for alcohol absorption because of its very large surface area. In a fasting individual, it is generally agreed that 10% to 20% of a dose of alcohol is absorbed from the stomach (the volume of alcohol affects the absorption) and 75% to 80% is absorbed from the small intestine. Because of this peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved in fasting people within 0. 5 to 2. 0 hours, (average 0. 75 – 1. 35 hours depending upon dose and time of last meal) while non-fasting people exhibit peak alcohol concentrations within 1. 0, and in extreme cases up to as much as 4. 0 hours (average 1. 06 – 2. 12 hours). Because it is distributed so quickly and thoroughly the alcohol can affect the central nervous system even in small concentrations. In low concentrations, alcohol reduces inhibitions. As blood alcohol concentration increases, a person’s response to stimuli decreases markedly, speech becomes slurred, and he or she becomes unsteady and has trouble walking. With very high concentrations – greater than 0. 35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0. 35 grams/210 liters of breath ) – a person can become comatose and die. The American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration level of impairment for all people to be 0. 04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to . 04 grams/210 liters of breath). The following is a generally accepted guide to the effects of alcohol. Distribution Alcohol has a high affinity for water and is therefore found in body tissues and fluids inasmuch as they contain water. Absorbed alcohol is rapidly carried throughout the body in the blood and once absorption of alcohol is complete an equilibrium occurs such that blood at all points in the system contains approximately the same concentration of alcohol. Elimination The liver is responsible for the elimination – through metabolism – of 95% of ingested alcohol from the body. The remainder of the alcohol is eliminated through excretion of alcohol in breath, urine, sweat, feces, milk and saliva. The body uses several different metabolic pathways in its oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde to acetic acid to carbon dioxide and water. Healthy people metabolize alcohol at a fairly consistent rate. As a rule of thumb, a person will eliminate one average drink or . 5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. Several factors influence this rate. The rate of elimination tends to be higher when the blood alcohol concentration in the body is very high. Also chronic alcoholics may (depending on liver health) metabolize alcohol at a significantly higher rate than the average. Finally, the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol quickly tend to diminish with age. Body Weight and Body Type In general, the less you weigh the more you will be affected by a given amount of alcohol. As detailed above, alcohol has a high affinity for water. Basically one’s blood alcohol concentration is a function of the total amount of alcohol in one’s system divided by total body water. So for two individuals with similar body compositions and different weights, the larger individual will achieve lower alcohol concentrations than the smaller one if ingesting the same amount of alcohol. However, for people of the same weight, a well muscled individual will be less affected than someone with a higher percentage of fat since fatty tissue does not contain very much water and will not absorb very much alcohol. Rate Of Consumption Blood alcohol concentration depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the rate at which the user’s body metabolizes alcohol. Because the body metabolizes alcohol at a fairly constant rate (somewhat more quickly at higher and lower alcohol concentrations), ingesting alcohol at a rate higher than the rate of elimination results in a cumulative effect and an increasing blood alcohol concentration. Alcohol Content It’s not how many drinks that you have, but how much alcohol that you consume. The concentration of the drinks that one ingest can have a slight effect on the peak alcohol concentration due to the differences in absorption rate of different concentrations of alcohol. Alcohol is most rapidly absorbed when the concentration of the drink is between 10% and 30%. Below 10% the concentration gradient in the gastrointestinal tract is low and slows absorption and the added volumes of liquid involved slow gastric emptying. On the other hand concentrations higher than 30% tend to irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and the pyloric sphincter, causing increased secretion of mucous and delayed gastric emptying. Food Food taken along with alcohol results in a lower, delayed blood alcohol concentration peak (the point of greatest intoxication). There are two major factors involved in this phenomenon. First, because alcohol is absorbed most efficiently in the small intestine, the ingestion of food can slow down the absorption of alcohol into one’s system. The pyloric valve at the bottom of the stomach will close in order to hold food in the stomach for digestion and thus keep the alcohol from reaching the small intestine. While alcohol will be absorbed from the stomach it is a slower and less efficient transition. Second and equally important is the fact that alcohol elimination rates are inversely proportional to alcohol concentration in the blood. Therefore the suppressed levels of alcohol due to food ingestion cause the body to eliminate the alcohol that is absorbed at a faster rate. The type of food ingested (carbohydrate, fat, protein) has not been shown to have a measurable influence on this affect but the larger the meal and closer in time between eating and drinking, the greater the diminution of peak alcohol concentration. Studies have shown reductions in peak alcohol concentration (as opposed to those of a fasting individual under otherwise similar circumstances) of 9% to 23%. Medication If you are taking any medication, it could increase the effects of alcohol. You should always consult your physician or the medical information that accompanies the medication when drinking alcohol in conjunction with any medication. Fatigue Fatigue causes many of the same symptoms that are caused by alcohol intoxication. These and other symptoms will be amplified if alcohol intoxication is concurrent with fatigue. Tolerance Tolerance is the diminution of the effectiveness of a drug after a period of prolonged or heavy use of that drug or a related drug (cross-tolerance). There are at least two types of tolerance at work with alcohol. The first is metabolic tolerance in which the alcohol is metabolized at a higher rate (up to two times as quickly) in chronic users. Because of the higher metabolic rate for alcohol lower peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved by chronic alcohol users than the average drinker when the same amount of alcohol is ingested. The second is functional tolerance in which there is an actual change in the organ or system’s sensitivity to the drug. Studies have shown that chronic alcohol users can have twice the tolerance for alcohol as an average person. It is important to note however that even in light of these tolerance factors, it has been shown conclusively that even in heavy alcohol users functional impairment is clearly measurable at the blood alcohol concentration levels that are currently used for traffic law enforcement and safety sensitive job performance. Gender Differences As outlined above in the section on Body Weight and Body Type different body types coincide with different body water percentages. In general, but by no means in all cases, women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and thus a lower percentage of body water. Therefore, in general, if a man and a woman of the same weight ingest the same amount of alcohol the woman will tend to achieve a higher alcohol concentration. This, of course, would not be true if the woman was very fit and the man was somewhat obese, but on average, this is the case. Furthermore, total body water tends to decrease with age, so an older person will also be more affected by the same amount of alcohol. According to the table below the differences in alcohol concentration due to average body composition differences based on gender would be between 16% and 10% depending on age. ________________________________________ Average Total Body Water as a function of Sex and Age AgeMaleFemale 18 to 4061%52% over 6051%46% ________________________________________ Another gender based difference is in the elimination of alcohol. Although not explained, studies appear to show that women eliminate alcohol from their bodies at a rate 10% greater than that of men. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) and alcohol abuse are two different forms of problem drinking. †¢Alcoholism is when you have signs of physical addiction to alcohol and continues to drink, despite problems with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities. Alcohol may control your life and relationships. †¢Alcohol abuse is when your drinking leads to problems, but not physical addiction. Causes, incidence, and risk factors There is no known cause of alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes and how they work are not known. How much you drink can influence your chances of becoming dependent. Those at risk for developing alcoholism include: †¢Men who have 15 or more drinks a week †¢Women who have 12 or more drinks a week †¢Anyone who has five or more drinks per occasion at least once a week One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor. You have an increased risk for alcohol abuse and dependence if you have a parent with alcoholism. You may also be more likely to abuse alcohol or become dependent if you: †¢Are a young adult under peer pressure †¢Have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia †¢Have easy access to alcohol †¢Have low self-esteem †¢Have problems with relationships †¢Live a stressful lifestyle †¢Live in a culture alcohol use is more common and accepted Alcohol abuse is rising. Around 1 out of 6 people in the world have a drinking problem. Symptoms People who have alcoholism or alcohol abuse often: †¢Continue to drink, even when health, work, or family are being harmed †¢Drink alone. †¢Become violent when drinking †¢Become hostile when asked about drinking †¢Are not able to control drinking — being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake †¢Make excuses to drink †¢Miss work or school, or have a decrease in performance because of drinking †¢Stop taking part in activities because of alcohol †¢Need to use alcohol on most days to get through the day †¢Neglect to eat or eat poorly †¢Do not care about or ignore how they dress or whether they are clean †¢Try to hide alcohol use †¢Shake in the morning or after periods when they have not a drink Symptoms of alcohol dependence include: †¢Memory lapses after heavy drinking †¢Needing more and more alcohol to feel â€Å"drunk† †¢Alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you haven’t had a drink for a while †¢Alcohol-related illnesses such as alcoholic liver disease Signs and tests The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical and family history, including use of alcohol. The following questions are used by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence: †¢Do you ever drive when you have been drinking? †¢Do you have to drink more than before to get drunk or feel the desired effect? †¢Have you felt that you should cut down on your drinking? †¢Have you ever had any blackouts after drinking? †¢Have you ever missed work or lost a job because of drinking? †¢Is someone in your family worried about your drinking? Tests that may be done include: †¢Blood alcohol level (this can tell whether someone has recently been drinking alcohol, but it does not necessarily confirm alcoholism) †¢Complete blood count (CBC) †¢Liver function tests. †¢Magnesium blood test Medical Illness Associated With Chronic Alcohol Abuse DisorderIllness MetabolicAlcoholic ketoacidosis, alcoholic hypoglycemia, water and salt disorders NeurologicChronic problems with thinking such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, and central pontine myelinolysis leading to problems walking and other motor activities, acute and chronic dementia, alcoholic peripheral neuropathy MuscularAcute and chronic alcoholic muscle weakness. GastrointestinalFatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis, poor pancreatic function, gastroesophageal reflux, esophageal carcinoma, erosive gastritis, chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, esophageal varices leading to bleeding into the GI tract Metabolic-endocrineHigh cholesterol, high levels of uric acid, low testosterone levels, impotence, testicular atrophy, gynecomastia, irregular menstrual periods, reversible Cushing’s syndrome BloodAnemia due to poor production of blood cells or slow intestinal bleeding, poor white cell production, destruction of platelets, blood too thin to clot properly. CardiacDecreased cardiac function, arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure PulmonaryIncreased incidence of pneumonia, increased incidence of tuberculosis OtherIncreased incidence of severe intestinal infections, fetal alcohol syndrome, vitamin deficiency syndromes, trauma, sexual dysfunction, insomnia Social Problems Associated With Alcohol Abuse Accidental death and injury50% of fatal car crashes 25-fold increased risk of falls or drowning 50% of fire-related burns or deaths 20% to 30% of trauma seen in emergency rooms. CrimeFrequently involved in violent crime SuicideInvolved in up to 35% of suicides Economic cost$148 billion annually (estimated); 15% for health care and treatment OtherAssociated with increased rates of spouse or child abuse and increased spread of sexually transmitted diseases Treatment Completely stopping the use of alcohol is the ideal goal of treatment. This is called abstinence. A strong social network and family support are important in achieving this. Completely stopping and avoiding alcohol is difficult for many people with alcoholism. There will be times when it is difficult. You should aim to avoid drinking for as long as possible. Some people who abuse alcohol may be able to simply reduce the amount they drink. This is called drinking in moderation. If this method does not work, you should try to quit drinking completely. DECIDING TO QUIT Many people with alcohol problems do not recognize when their drinking gets out of hand. The ideal approach to treatment is to help the person realize how much their alcohol use is harming their life and those around them. Studies find that more people with alcohol problems opt for treatment when their family members or employers are honest with them about their concerns, and try to help them see that drinking is preventing them from reaching their goals. Withdrawal from alcohol is best done in a controlled, supervised setting. Complications from withdrawal can be life threatening. For more information, see: Alcohol withdrawal Your health care provider should order blood and urine tests to check for health problems that are common in people who abuse alcohol. LONG-TERM SUPPORT Alcohol recovery or support programs can help you stop drinking completely. These programs usually offer: †¢Counseling and therapy to discuss alcoholism and its effects and how to control your thoughts and behaviors †¢Mental health support †¢Medical care You may be treated in a special recovery center (inpatient), or you may attend a program while you live at home (outpatient). Medications are sometimes prescribed to prevent you from drinking again. †¢Acamprosate is a drug that has been shown to lower relapse rates in those who are alcohol dependent. †¢Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces very unpleasant side effects if you drink even a small amount of alcohol within 2 weeks after taking the drug. †¢Naltrexone (Vivitrol) decreases alcohol cravings. It is available in an injectable form. You cannot take these medications if you are pregnant or have certain medical conditions. The medications are often used with long-term treatment with counseling or support groups. Depression or other mood or anxiety disorders may be noticed after you stop drinking. These should be promptly treated. It is important that the patient has a living situation that supports their need to avoid alcohol. Some programs offer housing options for people with alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Support Groups Support groups are available to help people who are dealing with alcoholism. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA) Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group of recovering alcoholics that offers emotional support and specific steps for people recovering from alcohol dependence. The program is commonly called a â€Å"12-step† approach. There are local chapters throughout the United States. AA offers help 24 hours a day and teaches that it is possible to participate in social functions without drinking. AL-ANON Family members of a person with an alcohol abuse problem often need counseling. Al-Anon is a support group for partners and others who are affected by someone else’s alcoholism. Alateen provides support for teenage children of people with alcoholism. OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS Several other support groups are available. †¢SMART recovery teaches you have to change your thoughts and behaviors to help people with alcoholism recover. †¢LifeRing recovery and SOS are two nonreligious programs that offer support for people with alcohol abuse. †¢Women for Sobriety is a self-help group just for women. Moderation Management is a program for those who want to reduce how much they drink. It recommends abstinence for people who cannot do this. Expectations (prognosis) How well a person with alcoholism or alcohol abuse does depends on whether or not they can stop drinking. Alcoholism is a major social, economic, and public health problem. Problem drinking can affect every part of a person’s life. If you have an alcohol problem, abstinence can help improve your mental and physical health and possibly, your relationships. Treatment programs can help you quit. However, drinking again after treatment is common. It is important to have a good support system. Complications Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can increase your risk of many health problems, including: †¢Bleeding in the digestive tract †¢Brain cell damage †¢Brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome †¢Cancer of the esophagus, liver, colon, and other areas †¢Changes in the menstrual cycle (period) †¢Delirium tremens (DT’s) †¢Dementia and memory loss †¢Depression and suicide †¢Erectile dysfunction †¢Heart damage †¢High blood pressure. †¢Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) †¢Liver disease, including cirrhosis †¢Nerve damage †¢Poor nutrition †¢Sleeping problems (insomnia) Alcohol use also increases your risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and violence. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can lead to severe birth defects in the baby. Prevention The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends: †¢Women should not drink more than 1 drink per day †¢Men should not drink more than 2 drinks per day One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1? ounces of liquor.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Analysis of the Bottled Water Industry Essay

The shortage of potable water on some islands in the Maldives has been described as â€Å"serious† by the national disaster management centre (NDMC). There are currently 12 islands which have been facing water shortages since mid-February, according to Moosa Ali Kaleyfaan, deputy director general of the NDMC. The NDMC has supplied 763 tons of water to eight islands, but four more islands [†¦ ] are in desperate need of water, he said. â€Å"The main reason is it hasn’t rained for a long time it’s the dry season,† said Moosa. â€Å"Even more islands are believed to face this problem. The department of meteorology has forecast the dry season will continue until June [2009]. The NDMC has spent an estimated US$60,000 to supply water to the 12 islands. â€Å"I am very upset with the government because we need water,† said 42-year old Jameela Aboobakuru from Gaafaru. â€Å"We ran out of water, so we borrowed water from our brother. When he ran out of water we started buying bottled water imported from Male’. † She said her 12-member family was spending US$22 a day to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking; their daily income, she added, was only US$26. On another island, Gulhi, Ahmed Ibrahim, the island office assistant director, said islanders had been importing bottles water from the capital as well as in jerry cans. â€Å"They are getting water somehow,† he said, â€Å"but the island needs a permanent solution to this problem like piped desalinated water. † Kaleyfaan agreed, saying although water was supplied to the islands from Male’, it was necessary to seek a long-term solution such the installation of a desalination plant on every island. We are already in the process of installing a desalination plant in a boat, so that in emergencies we can supply water by travelling between islands,† he said. [†¦ ] Almost 100 per cent of islanders use rainwater as the main source of drinking and cooking water. In [the capital] Male, 100 per cent of the population has access to piped desalinated water. After the 2004 tsunami, 38 islands were provided desalination plants by UN that are operated daily or on em ergency basis.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Essay Music Concert Report - 957 Words

Billy Hong 1st Concert Report Prof. Schonbrun F1 MU110 The chamber music concert was held in Manhattan School of Music at 5:00 pm Friday, April 15. The concert was conducted by many instruments with various types of music. The atmosphere was fairly intense as the concert hall was approximately the size of an average home living room with about 35 people in the audience. The camber concert was divided into two major parts with an intermission of 15 minutes in between the parts. As for this concert report I would like to focus on primarily the music pieces I’ve liked and the experience I have had. The first part of the concert was diverse and colorful as the beginning two pieces were featured by both violin and cello. These two†¦show more content†¦The distance from the performer and the audience was so close, allowing you to speculate every single emotion being produce throughout the concert. The room itself had a very tall ceiling which made this unique echo that amplified the instruments sound. The audience seemed very profession as total silence was the only response they had until the end of the piece .The concert overall was a great experience and I look forward to attending another chamber music concert soon. Billy Hong Prof. Schonbrun F1 MU110 2nd Concert Report The concert took place at Manhattan School of Music, which is located in the performing arts recital hall on Monday, May 1, 2011. The stage setting was neat, demonstrative, and very well organized as I first entered the entrance. I could feel electrify with many extreme bright lights hanged on the top, which made me felt more exciting. There were many types of people coming in this concert including teenager and elderly. This concert was conducted by Dr. Nicholas Muni from MSM Symphonic Band with one of the talented musicians from PCSl High School, Ms. Jai Sun Song. 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