Marketing creating hedonistic consumers

Marketing creating hedonistic consumers Within the academic and the marketing world it is recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers. The most extreme debates come from those who hold opposing views. This paper will look at some of these polarised views and perspectives in regard to consumer behaviour and will argue that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. According to Armstrong et al (2009, p8), wants are the form human needs take as they are shaped by culture and individual personality. Wants are shaped by ones society. Therefore, consumer wants are not shaped solely by marketers. Conversely, Solomon et al (2006, p21) highlight that marketing is often criticised for employing techniques that convince consumers that they need many material goods and that they will be unhappy and inferior if they do not have these necessities. Do marketers give people what they want, or do they tell us what we ought to want? Marketing is often assumed to be responsible for our consumer society and its hedonistic approach to consumption, and as a consequence undermines other cultural values by promoting a materialistic stance. For many commentators it is the dark side of marketing and worthy of review as it diminishes the marketing professions reputation. 1.1 Definitions Before defining hedonistic consumption, it is useful to define the philosophy of hedonism. This is a school of thought that says the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life, that views man as being motivated by the desire for sensual pleasures therefore this quest for the good life becomes mans driving force. The hedonistic consumer can be viewed as pleasure loving or self indulgent person with a high level of consumption, more preoccupied with their own material goals than thinking of the wider view of society. Hedonistic consumption is the multi-sensory, fantasy and emotional aspects of consumers interactions with products. (Soloman, 2006, p39). This element of fantasy is crucial to this theory as it is the imagined pleasure that attracts the consumer. OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy describe this as the general agreement that consumer pleasure lies not so much in the physical sense as in the total emotional experience. So the pleasure and happiness is real even though the experience can be imagined in the consumers brain. From a negative point of view Migone, 2006 views it as a highly wasteful and discrimatory pattern of consumption that predominates in current capitalist models. Hedonism and Fantasy The role of fantasy in hedonic consumption is key and whilst academics view it from different perspectives they do agree that it plays a pivotal role in pleasure seeking. Gabriel and Lang (2006) are of the view that Western consumption many agree is a realm of seduction alluring and glamour. As goods leave the world of production to enter the sphere of display, circulation and consumption, they become objects of fantasy and instruments of pleasure. Whilst Abercrombie states that lives are organised around fantasies and daydreams about consuming; they are hedonists, primarily interested in pleasure, and sensual pleasure at that they are individualists, largely pursuing their own ends and uncaring about others.(Abercrombie, 1994, 44). Campbell (1987) in The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism described the key aspect in the creation of the hedonistic consumer as being one concerned with the power of the imagination, he highlights the differences between what was regarded as the traditional view of hedonism and the modern view. He suggested that traditional version was a hedonism of a multitude of pleasures, of the senses whilst modern hedonism seeks pleasure not in sensation but in emotion accompanying all kinds of experiences. The pleasure lies in the meaning of the experience to the individual. This is the form we are dealing with in postmodern culture. Campbell suggested that the consumer as hedonist must be able to derive pleasure from every item they come into contact with and everything must be orientated to that end. That consumers are in a constant state of unsatisfaction, an ongoing state where we are dreaming about something new however this is linked to the other defining factor of modern hedonism that disillusionment comes from the disappointment when the imagined pleasure are always greater than the actual. When anticipate the enjoyment and pleasure that we will gain when we finally purchase and wear the new phone/watch/car we have been day dreaming about buying, our pleasure is often not as we imagined and is fleeting. We have moved on to dreaming about the next better version and start to feel bad about not having it. Consumerism good or bad? Underpinning the debate on whether marketing has created hedonistic consumers is the view on whether consumerism is a positive or negative force. Some celebrate the rise of the consumer, taking the view that consumerism is the essence of the good life, that a consumer society allows us personal freedom, power and happiness through our ability to choose, acquire, use and enjoy our material objects and experiences. Seen as a sophisticated, mature individual who seeks enjoyment in life: by making choices and exercising freedom. (Gabriel and Lang, 2006, p8). Others are concerned that consumerism is associated with reduced consumer well being, partly in terms of quality of human relationships and levels of happiness. That those focused on materialistic values have lower personal well being and psychological health. (Kasser,2002). Abela (2006) furthers this argument indicating that hedonistic consumerism shows an association between marketing practice and the harms of consumerism may be greater than it is generally believed to be by marketing academics. 3. Claims against Marketing Too much interest in material possessions is the responsibility of marketing? Critics have argued that the marketing system encourages too much interest in material possessions. people are judged by what they own not who they are. (Armstrong et al, 2009 p.552). Critics dont view this as a natural state of mind but one created by marketing. In answer to this claim many marketers would argue that this alleged ability of marketing to create needs is wishful thinking and is overstating marketings scope. In support of this it follows that marketers are most successful when they appeal to existing wants rather than when they attempt to create new ones. Also that people seek information when making important purchases and mostly do not rely on a single source (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). However, todays mania for goods is learnt not instinctive according to Naish, 2002. On a deeper level our wants and values are influenced by many factors including family, peer group, religion, ethnic background and education. If modern society is highly materialistic, these values arise out of socialisation processes that go much deeper than business and mass media could produce alone (Gabriel and Lang, 2006). OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) argue that accumulation of material possessions is a consequence of wealth. Marketers create artificial needs? According to Solomon et al (2006), some conservative traditionalists are of the view that advertising in particular, contributes to the moral breakdown of society by presenting images of hedonistic pleasure. Conversely, leftists argue that they same misleading promises of material pleasure function to buy off people who would otherwise be revolutionaries working to change the system. OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) note that wants must be created and that there must be an underlying appetite for the product in the first place. Solomon at al conclude that while marketers do not create artificial needs, they do contribute heavily to the socialization of people in contemporary society and thus to the establishment of the social system of needs. Consequently marketers must take a share of responsibility for the development of society. Marketers promise miracles? Consumers are led to believe that via advertising that products have special properties; they will so special things for them that will transform their lives. Soloman et al argues that the manipulative effect of advertising is often overstated, however does concede that there is little doubt that advertising creates and changes patterns of consumption. They offer the view that the main affect may be that the idea that we are defined by our consumer choices is perpetuated by the advertising medium. The impact of fantasy and imagery in influencing buying OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy (2002) cite Baudrillard (1981) who suggested that due to the new technology of electronic media we now have a world where the distinction between real and images has become blurred and consumers are viewed as non-rational who gravitate to instant gratification. The claim is that the consumer thinks that this is the reality, however according to OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy there is no proof to substantiate the claim. Image saturated environment pressing consumers to buy The sheer insistence and multiplication of marketing messages is evidence to critics of marketing. The sum of the mass effect on consumers pushes them in a hedonistic direction. However consumers are sophisticated and selective, they take notice of the products that attend to them. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy,2002). Consumerism and Identity Many cultural forces have been accused of having a role in the creation of hedonistic consumers the marketing of Hollywood and Celebrity culture are named often in the debate. Its is recognised by psychology that our ability to weigh desirability and value is knocked awry if the item is endorsed by a well known face. The part of the brain involved in trust and learning is activated and as a result we feel like we are their acquaintances and we want to be like them. (Naish, 2008). We chose carefully who we copy and why and have evolved to emulate the most successful, maybe why many of us feel compelled to keep up materially with celebrities. Consumption, is it addictive? Lasch (1991) takes a pessimistic view believing that western consumerism, sustained by mass production and celebrated in the mass media, amounts to a mechanism of addiction. Though Migone (2007) concedes that rather than marketing being at the root of this addiction: it is due to technological advances which facilitated large scale production which in turn leads to large scale consumption. Consumerism and loss of Community Naish notes that only modern capitalist countries concentrate on material greed. In pre capitalist societies the highest worths was ascribed to things like family, clan, religion, honour not shiny new objects. This he says relates to our most base instincts which are the need to relate to others and feel part of a community. According to Naish, man has lost his moral framework, sense of community and lifes higher meaning, so that now all that remains is our thirst for possessions and pleasure. That being a hedonistic consumer does not make us happy and has a detrimental effect on our human relationships. Critics have linked this loss to marketings lack of focus on these types of human values. In defence of Marketing Consumerism and Wealth The 80s recognised a triumph for consumerism old moral restraints on consumption (frugality, thrift and guilt) swept aside by an extraordinary, credit lead consumerist boost (Lee, 1997). Gabriel and Lang recall that greed lost some of its pejorative and puritanical connotations, in reference to the 1980s. Consumption and Identity It has been said that consumers take identity from their possessions. Consumption has expanded to fill the vacuum left by the decline of the work ethic. Bauman (1988) also argues that consumption is the new pioneer frontier in which individuals may successfully assert themselves, with no insecurity and not harming others. Shopping is not merely the acquisition of things: it is the buying of identity. (Clammer,1992). This is another view that consumer consumption comes from within. Also the general rise in disrupted families has been linked to new ways of forming identities through goods how negative the effects are depends on the underlying motives. Human Nature Naish believes we are genetically programmed to always want more. In prehistoric times its been discovered that cave dwellers had collections of axe handles, that these were the Jimmy Choos and Ferraris of their time. Important to note that OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy argue that marketing materialism are interdependent and that marketing helps precipitate materialism and materialism in society advances the development of marketing. According to Bauman, (1999) the major contributing factors to hedonistic lifestyle are pervasive insecurity and uncertainty fear of the future and the ecology of the planet; danger- threat of terrorism and wars; decline of family breakdown of traditional institutes such as family as one of the main cultural reference points. It has been argued that marketing creates hedonism by creating wants. This begs the question can wants be created? According to Moore (1994) materialism and hedonism were not invented by consumer marketing; they were there before its advent. Although, it has been widely acknowledged that consumers have latent wants that can be activated, but recognise that they have a great ability to filter information. Marketers often chose hedonistic appeals, but marketing in itself is simply an orientation and a set of tools that are value neutral and can be used to proselytise any perspective. (Cook, 1992). Social commentators have noted that that pursuit of pleasure is mans natural position and it goes against human nature to deprive oneself and that accumulation of material possessions is due to the fact we have the means to indulge our wants. However they agree there is an acknowledged link but no proven cause and effect but this is viewed as marketing being in the role of facilitator not creator. Marketing and Economy Marketers have accused critics of taking the hyper real world of marketing, advertising and dreams too literally. Arguing that freedom of choice is better for consumers and is a fundamental underpinning of our economic system. Stimulus-response model of buyer behaviour This widely accepted model of consumer behaviour illustrates that whilst marketing stimuli are important so are as are culture, politics, economics and technology. These come merge with consumer psychology and the individual consumer characteristics. These are interlinked and conclude with a final selection of a product. This model is illustrative of the fact that marketing stimulus is only part of the consumer behaviour process. (Please refer to appendix 1). The Future Western style consumerism is facing and creating serious threats ecological crisis, climate change, resources shortages and financial uncertainties. There is an increased awareness among academics and consumers of the ecological limits of consumerism and current debate is focused on its sustainability. Consumers are said to dictate production, they fuel innovation, create new social systems, drive modern politics to have the power to save the environment and protect the future of the planet and yet at the same time are seen as weak and malleable creatures, easily manipulated, dependant, passive and foolish. (Gabriel Lang, 2006). It is recognised that there is a need to engage in debate on the containment of the negative aspects of consumerism. At the centre of the debate is the question of social consequences and the role of marketing in creating the consumption culture.. If we suspect that marketing is contributing to the harmful effects of consumerism what are the courses of action marketers should review? Abela (2006) cites Csikszentmihalyis (2000) suggestion that greater transparency about the effects of materialism would help. Recommends marketers undertake studies for emerging groups the non consumerist consumer, anti consumerism groups and should monitor general consumer awareness. So if the consumer is more aware of the consequences they might not choose the path of consumption especially if it leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Increased efforts at consumer education maybe able to correct this and lead to changes in consumer behaviour. One possible area of study is to look at regions not affected yet possibly in eastern cultures. Some believe we are at the point of a fundamental structural change in the nature of consumerism. Others keeping the faith in the market to right itself. Optimists believe technology will provide an answer (cleaner cars, recycling, energy conservation). The outcome will be a complex dynamic between politics, production, international trade, economics cultural and moral values. (Abela, 2006, Gabriel Lang, 2006, Kasser 2002). In summary, the main culprit behind hedonism would be the development of strong value orientation that puts unrestrained freedom to the forefront. Marketing does not invent or creates wants; it merely surfaces them. Man has always been, in all societies materialistic. In older days poverty didnt allow him/her to indulge into hedonistic lifestyle. The role of marketing in creation of hedonism, is more of a facilitator than of an inventor. (OShaughnessy and OShaughnessy, 2002). Conclusion This paper has recognised that there is debate on what role the discipline of marketing plays in the creation of hedonistic consumers and outlined the argument that marketing has not created hedonistic consumers, that such a stance does not allow for the complexities of human behaviour and motivations and does not take account of the dynamic nature of consumer society. We agree there are associations and parallels in the development of both consumerism and marketing, but there is no evidence to prove cause and effect. However neither is there evidence to disprove. When deciding what marketing strategy an organisation should follow the primary aim is building profitable relationships with the target consumer however, the organisation has many choices in guiding their marketing strategy in terms of which philosophy should underpin the strategy. Many of todays large corporations employ the marketing concept by knowing the needs/wants of the target market and delivering satisfaction better than the competition. (Armstrong et al,2009). Based on the theory that there is a parallel in the patterns between the rise of the hedonistic consumer and the sophistication and intensity of marketing efforts (Abela, 2006) ethical marketers would be advised to consider a move toward the Societal marketing concept a concept that holds that marketing strategy should deliver value in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer and the societys well-being (Armstrong et al, 2009, p14-15). Executed correctly this strategy would provide long term profits and protect both society and the consumer within this framework. sReferences Abela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European Journal of Marketing Vol. 40 Number 1/ 2 pp 5-16 Abercrombie, N. (1994)The Authority of the Consumer, Routledge, London,UK Armstrong, G et al (2009) Marketing an Introduction, Prentice Hall, UK Baudrillard, J. (1981), The Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign, tr. Levin, C., Telos Press, St Louis, MO in OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, the consumer society and hedonism European Journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547 Bauman, Z. (1988) Freedom, Open University Press, UK Campbell, C (1987) The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism, Basil Blackwell, UK Csikzentmihalyi, M. (2000) The cost and benefits of consuming, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.27,September, pp 267-272 in Abela, A.V. (2006) Marketing and consumerism European Journal of Marketing Vol. 40 Number 1/ 2 pp 5-16 Douglas, M and Isherwood, B. (1979) The World of Goods, Basic Books, US Firat, A.F and Schultz, C.J. (1997) From Segmentation to Fragmentation: Markets and Marketing Strategy in the postmodern era, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 31, No 3 /4 Hirsch, F. (1977), Social Limits to Growth, Routledge Kegan Paul, London, UK Jantzen, C., Ostergaard, P. and Fitchett, J.A. (2004) A History of Mentality based Analysis of Hedonic and Experiential Comsumption, Advances in Consumer Research, Vol.31 pp 328 340 Gabriel, Y. and Lang, T (2006), The Unmanageable Consumer, 2nd Edition, Sage, UK Kagan, J. (1999) Three Seductive Ideas, Harvard University Press, US Kasser, T. (2002),The High Price of Materialism, MIT Press, Cambridge, US Kotler, P and Keller K.L. (2006) Marketing Management 12th Edition, Prentice Hall, UK Lasch, C. (1991) The True and Only Heaven; Progress and Its Critics, Norton New York Lee, M.J. (1997) Consumer Culture Reborn, Routledge, London Mick, D.G (2008) Degrees of Freedom of will: An essential endless question in consumer behaviour, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol.18, pp17-21 Migone, A. (2006) Hedonistic Consumerism: Patterns of Consumption in Contemporary Capitalism, Review of Radical Political Economics, Vol. 39, No 2, pp 173-200 Moore, R.L. (1994), Selling God, Oxford University Press, New York, NY Naish, J. (2008) Enough Breaking free from the world of more, Hodder and Stoughton, UK OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2002) marketing, the consumer society and hedonism European Journal of Marketing, Vol.36 Number 5/6 pp 524-547 OShaughnessy,J. OShaughnessy, N.J. (2007) Reply to criticisms of marketing, the consumer society and hedonism, European Journal of Marketing Vol. 41, Number 1 /2 pp7-16 Richins, M.L. and Dawson, S. (1992) A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, December 1992 Salzer-Morling, M. and Strannegard, L. (2007) Aint misbehavin consumption in a moralized brandscape, Marketing Theory, Vol.7(4) pp 408-425 Simmons (2008) Marketing to post modern consumers: introducing the Internet Chameleon, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 42, No  ¾, pp 299-310 Solomon, M., Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. and Hogg, M.K. (2006) Consumer Behaviour A European Perspective, Third Edition, Prentice Hall, UK. Further Reading: Arnould, M.J. and Reynolds, K.E (2003), Hedonic Shopping Motivations, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 79 Dittmar, H. (2004) Are you what you have? The Psychologist, Vol.17, No 4 pp 206-210 Dholakia (1999) Going Shopping: Key determinants of shopping behaviour and motivations, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 27,No 4 pp 154-165 Mick, D.G. (1996) Are studies of Dark Side Variables Confounded by Socially Desirable Responding? The Case of Materialism, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.23 pp106-119 Naish, J (2008) Enough is Enough: Learn to want less, http://women.timesonline.co.uk/to/life, Date accessed 04/10/09

Environmental Impacts of Food Production, Strawberries

Environmental Impacts of Food Production, Strawberries Introduction The high rate of environmental degradation and the depletion of our ozone layer are some of the reasons supporters of Green Revolution are demanding that food production processes should be energy efficient (Gardner et al., 2008; Perman et al., 2003). This report investigates and compares the possible environmental impacts of strawberry production in these two countries: Spain and UK. The approaches used in this study centre on goal definition and scoping and inventory analysis, which are important components of full life cycle assessments (LCAs) that is significant in analysing the production impacts on the environment. This investigation takes place during the U.Ks in-season production of strawberry: because out-of-season production would be time-consuming and is beyond the scope of this report. All the information presented below about the product system is strictly in accordance with the standardization ISO 14041, which states that: The systems should be adequately described in detail and clarity to allow another (LCA) practitioner to duplicate the inventory analysis, (Marinova et al., 2006). Strawberry Production in the UK Considering the goal and scope of growing strawberries in the UK, the following facts emerge in the course of this process: Goal and Scope: The goal of undertaking life cycle assessment on strawberry production in UK to ascertain the level of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, the possibility of understanding the benefits of the process and investigating if it is doable to engage in green marketing, eco-labeling and energy conservation. The scope is to define strawberry (product), its functional unit, product system and system boundaries. Product definition: Strawberries are traditionally grown in the UK to supply for local consumption. This is because they are mostly grown on small-scale fruit farming, producing only a small proportion of the entire quantity of strawberries consumed in the UK (Janick Paull, 2008). It is helpful to define the kinds of processes required in producing strawberries in the UK. Product function: The main function of strawberry in the UK is to be used as fruit and food supplement that provide the needed nutrients for the body. Some of the nutrients that strawberry produces include but not limited to water, energy (30,000kcal), protein (0.610g), total fat (0.370), Calcium (14,000mg), Potassium (166,000mg), vitamin C (ascorbic) (56,700mg), Cholesterol (0000 mg) and so on. These nutrients are required by human bodies to function properly. And for the fact that strawberries have zero calorie and little fatty contents, they are helpful to maintain ones weight, no matter the quantity of the fruit that was consumed (Berdanier, 2002). Product functional unit: The product functional unit is 100g of UK strawberries, which approximately provide the needed nutrients and supplements outlined above. Product system: the product system for the growing of strawberries in the UK including the following processes: and they are expected to be in conformity with ISO 14041. Growth: Preparation of the soil: choosing higher, frost-free soil which has the temperature above -2oC, and preparation of planting beds for optimum growth. Setting up Cloche or tunnel-protection to protect the strawberries from being damaged by frost during winter; and choosing sunny but least-winded areas for the planting of the strawberries. Final soil preparation is done a month before planting by mixing organic matter and some bonemeal with the soil. And a fertilizer like Growmore is applied to the soil a week before planting of the strawberry. The strawberries are planted in early September or April. The strawberries are protected from pests and diseases by using pesticides against aphids, red spider mite, slugs and powdery mildew. The strawberries are harvested in mid-April. Processing: The harvested raw strawberries are processed using simple methods: They are cleaned, graded and stored in a safer situation so as to prevent them from drying up. Packaging: The strawberries are packaged inside containers of different sizes and kinds. Though, the packaging materials are not expensive ones: they are those that would not make the strawberries price shoot. Quite inexpensive packaging materials. Transportation: The finished strawberry products are transported from the packaging unit to shops and stores where they would be delivered to the buyers. Also, transportation is needed to transport the waste materials back to the fruit farms. System boundaries: The system boundary for the growing of strawberries in UK consists of the following components: (1) Inputs composed of strawberry plantlets, fertilizer, organic matter, water, soil nutrients, pesticides, bonemeal etc; (2) output composed of strawberries, waste plant materials, and so on; (3) Sub-systems include the growth of the strawberries, its processing using some equipment, the packaging of the strawberries in different containers and the transportation of the finished products to the places of consumption. System Environment: The system environment is made up of those things outside the system boundary: in the case of growing strawberries in UK, they include the soil, the strawberry growers, the environmental conditions like weather and pests. Summary of Growing Strawberries in UK This approach above is chosen because it describes in detail the processes for growing strawberries in UK, taking into consideration all the inputs, subsystems, outputs and the environment. These procedures are graphical enough for any future LCA practitioners to digest and follow in repeating the same processes. Most importantly, the explanations of the processes are easily understandable and the materials used in the growing of UK strawberries are commonplace, not expensive and could be easily applied. There are no applications of very expensive technology that could discourage potential LCA practitioners from trying out these processes. Strawberry Production in Spain Looking at the goal and scope of growing strawberries in the Spain, the following facts are important to be considered: Goal and Scope: The goal of carrying out life cycle assessment on strawberry production in Spain is to discover the level of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, the possibility of understanding the benefits of the process and investigating if it is doable to engage in green marketing, eco-labeling and energy conservation. The scope is to define strawberry (product), its functional unit, product system and system boundaries (Handscombe Handscombe, 2007). Product definition: Strawberries are locally produced in the Spain to supply for local consumers and for the export markets. This is because they are mostly grown on both large- and small-scale fruit farming, producing a large proportion of the quantity of strawberries consumed in Spain and many other countries in the world, including USA and UK. (Janick Paull, 2008). It is helpful to define the kinds of processes required in producing strawberries in Spain. Product function: The main function of strawberry in Spain is to be consumed as fruit and food supplement that will provide the required nutrients for the body. Some of the nutrients that strawberry offers include but not limited to water, energy (30,000kcal), protein (0.610g), total fat (0.370), Calcium (14,000mg), Potassium (166,000mg), vitamin C (ascorbic) (56,700mg), Cholesterol (0000 mg) and so on. These nutrients are required by human bodies to function properly. And for the fact that strawberries have zero calorie and low fatty contents, they are helpful to maintain ones weight, no matter the quantity of the fruit consumed (Berdanier, 2002). They are also used as jams and preserves. Product functional unit: It requires about 150 g of Spanish strawberries to absorb the required quantity of nutrients and supplements that human bodies needed to function properly. Although this minimum quantity may change for different kinds of Spanish strawberries. But the commonly used average amount for Spanish strawberrys functional unit is 100g (Handscombe Handscombe, 2007). Product system: the product system for the growing of strawberries in Spain involves the following processes: and they are executed in accordance with ISO 14041. Growth: Majority of Spanish strawberries are grown in the South Western part of the country, in the Huelva Region. The fruit farms are made up of small-scale gardens owned by individual farmers, and a large-scale farms formed by consortium among many Spanish fruit growers (Medina, 2005). Spanish strawberries are of high grade, and they are planted with fertilizers, organic matter and other growth-enhancing substances. Because of their high quality, Spanish strawberries known as Aguedilla are always in high demand in Europe, including in the United Kingdom. The area where Spanish strawberries are grown has a hot summer and longer sunshine. These weather conditions help strawberries to be grown in large quantity. Processing: The raw Aguedilla are made to pass through the processes of cleaning, grading and storing. The Spanish strawberries are of high quality, and this is why it is marketable all the year round. Packaging: The next process in the production of Spanish strawberries is the packaging: the processed strawberries are packaged in different containers of different sizes. Transportation: since Spanish strawberries are consumed both locally and at overseas. This requires a great deal of transportation. Hence, much energy is used in delivering the finished products to the consumers and buyers. Spanish strawberries are not only marketable in Europe, but also in the United States (Baughen, 2007). This helped the strawberry business in Spain to expand, employing over 30,000 workers for a season (Handscombe Handscombe, 2007). System boundaries: The system boundary for the growing of strawberries in Spain consists of the following components: (1) Inputs composed of strawberry plantlets, fertilizer, organic matter, water, soil nutrients, pesticides, bonemeal etc; (2) output composed of strawberries, waste plant materials, and so on; (3) Sub-systems include the growth of the strawberries, its processing using some equipment, the packaging of the strawberries in different containers and the transportation of the finished products to the places of consumption. System Environment: The system environment is made up of those things outside the system boundary: in the case of growing strawberries in Spain, they include the soil, the strawberry growers, the environmental conditions like weather and pests, and the competitors. Fruit farming in Spain is competitive because many growers are involved in the process. The economy of the South West region of Spain totally depends on these farming activities (Medina, 2005). Summary of the Strawberry Production in Spain The processes of producing strawberry in Spain are similar to any other countries, but what is different is that the magnitude of production in Spain is bigger than any other countries. Hence, more energy is consumed and more wastes are disposed of. The culture of growing strawberries in Spain has become improved of recent, and there are more local growers competing for the markets: some are even forming alliances with one another to mass-produce strawberries. And for the fact that there are markets in Europe and the North America for Spanish strawberries, there is every possibility that the business would continue to grow in Spain, most importantly the area of the country that depends on it for economic miracle. Nowadays, Spanish growers experiment with using special equipment to improve their production activities. Differences between Strawberry Production in UK and Spain Though the methods of producing strawberries in both UK and Spain appear similar, but there are some great differences between them. Some of these differences are highlighted below: Strawberries in the UK are mostly grown under heated greenhouses or polytunnels; but they are only grown in polytunnels in Spain. Strawberries are available all-year round in Spain, while it is seasonal in the UK (summer only). The amount of labour used by strawberry growers in Spain in far greater than those used in the UK. Strawberry growing in Spain uses a lot of water and land (polytunnels), while in UK more heating energy is required to protect the strawberries. More energy is used in the transportation of strawberries in Spain than in the UK. Spain generates more wastes than the UK in the entire strawberry production processes. Growing strawberry in the UK is environmentally friendlier than doing the same in Spain. There is more competition in Spain than in the UK; hence, this could lead to adulteration of strawberries through sharp practices to reduce costs. References Baughen, S. (2007). International trade and the protection of the environment. London: Routledge-Cavendish. Berdanier, C.D. (2002). Handbook of nutrition and food. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. Gardner, G., Prugh, T., Starke, L. Worldwatch Institute (2008). State of the world 2008: innovation for a sustainable economy. London: Earthscan. Handscombe, C. Handscombe, D. (2007). Growing healthy fruit in Spain: From strawberries to oranges and watermelons. Malaga, Spain: Santana Books. Janick, J. Paull, R.E. (2008). The encyclopedia of fruit and nuts. Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: CABI. Marinova, D., Annandale, D. Phillimore, J. (2006). The international handbook on environmental technology. London: Edward Elgar Publishing. Medina, F.X. (2005). Food culture in Spain. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood Publishing Group. Perman, R., Ma, Y., Common, M. McGilvray, J. (2003). Natural resources and environmental economics. 3rd Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.

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All mammalian mothers feed their children breast milk directly from breast to mouth; this act is known as breastfeeding. The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommends early initiation of breastfeeding, within an hour of birth, and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life (Global strategy for infant and young child feeding, WHO 2013). Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as the infant receiving only breast milk without the addition of solid foods or other liquids. The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are numerous, with the most highly recognized being protection against gastrointestinal infections, which have been shown to be a cause of mortality in infants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card, approximately 77% of American children are breastfed at all, 40% are exclusively breastfed at three months old, and 16% by six months. Approximately 50% of mothers continue to breastfeed their children past six months, although the child’s sustenance is supplemented with solid foods and other liquids. Lack of breastfeeding has been linked to malnourishment, which is associated with 45% of child deaths globally (WHO 2013). In 2012, close to 100 million children under the age of five were below the healthy weight-to-height ratio as a consequence of malnutrition due to inadequate feeding and multiple infections. Research has shown that the act of breastfeeding not only provides benefits for the child, but also mothers. According to the federal agency on women’s health, breastfeeding has been associated with reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and other women’s health problems. Encouraging women to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of thei... ...initiatives have increased breastfeeding rates from 31% to 51% in a small rural community in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada (Martens, 2000). Increasing educational initiatives to encourage breastfeeding can be further fortified by encouraging the involvement of family and close friends in the decision-making process. The support of family members such as spouses, siblings, and the infant’s grandparents is essential in helping the mother as she decides how the baby will be fed and providing the necessary support once the baby is born. Family members can also serve as mentors to mothers who are considering their infant’s feeding options. The baby’s grandmother, for example, can be a key influence by sharing her breastfeeding experience with her pregnant daughter or daughter-in-law. A mother’s perspective on breastfeeding is greatly influenced by the community around her.

European Fascism Essay examples -- European Fascist Regimes

Fascism is both an outgrowth of and a reaction against nineteenth-century liberalism. Nineteenth-century liberals argued for laissez-faire economics, the equality of men (and it was, explicitly, men), and the universality of human progress and human reason. Underlying all of these ideals was the sanctity of the individual. By the 1920s, though, these liberal ideals were challenged (Paxton 36-41). Laissez-faire economics led to dingy, heartless industrial towns; anthropological research called into question the equality of all people; economic crises threatened to drop the newly emerging middle-class into the proletariat, arguing against progress; and the mass annihilation of human life in the Great War eroded belief in rationality. Fascist regimes developed in response to the crumbling world view of the West. Fascists offered a â€Å"national revival in which racial purity, mass fervor and authoritarian rule somehow reinforced one another† (Paxton 218). By defining the nation in opposition to other races, fascists promoted a sense of inclusiveness and security. The idealization of the nation as an organic being promoted jingoistic fervor and a sense of worth. Finally, the authoritarian figure (always a man) was reminiscent of older, and therefore more secure, forms of rule—the father figure or the monarch. Fascists offered remedies to what many saw as the disease that was modern culture. These fascist themes—racial purity, mass fervor, and authoritarian rule—are held together by one common principle: the degradation of the individual and concomitant exaltation of the group. This principle is a reaction against liberal ideas that lionize the individual. The mechanism by which fascists degraded the indiv... ...f fascism, can we afford it? These five authors answer a resounding no. Works Cited Blackstone, Bernard. Virginia Woolf: A Commentary. London: Hogarth, 1949. Camus, Albert. The Plague. Trans. Stuart Gilbert. New York: Vintage International, 1991. Horkheimer, Max, and Theodor Adorno. â€Å"The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception,† in Dialectics of Enlightenment. New York: Seabury Press, 1972: 120-167. Leser, Esther H. Thomas Mann’s Short Fiction. Cranbury: Associated University Press, 1989. Mann, Thomas. Mario and the Magician. Trans. H. L. Lowe Porter. New York: Knopf, 1931. Parker, Emmet. Albert Camus: The Artist in the Arena. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1966. Paxton, Robert O. Europe in the Twentieth Century. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985. Woolf, Virginia. Three Guineas. London: Hogarth, 1977.

Essay --

Where to begin? The job market can often be confusing, especially to those who are making a career change. The biotechnology field is no exception. When thinking about any sub-field within a field, it is useful to consider several key points. What are the requirements of the job? For example, what qualifications, education, work experience, and background are usually desired? What does a normal day look like? What will the interaction with other people look like? What is a typical pay scale? Will travel be required? Is there room for growth? To consider these questions, the following uses the job of Quality Control Analyst. Quality Control can be considered a field all of its own. Most companies that produce a product of any kind will have quality control. This field is particularly important to the biotechnology field. The function is to ensure that products are consistent and procedures comply with federal regulation (Freedman 157). While there are sections that deal specifically in regulatory compliance, quality control itself is usually found in lab settings. Regulatory compliance usually falls under the category of Quality Assurance (Freedman 160). For those who work in Quality Control, the day is mostly spent in laboratory settings. The type of lab will more narrowly define the type of work that will be done. Generally, the analyst will test and analyze samples and send the paperwork to be reviewed (Freedman 162). However, not all quality control is product or sample based. Some of the work might be more systemic, involving validating the entire system. In some cases, means reviewing protocols or SOPs (Freedman 163). No matter what the exact niche of Quality Control, the need for very good documentation is paramount. If it... ... know on the current and emerging technologies. It will be encouraged by the employer to sharpen education and skills (Freedman 166). In conclusion, a person looking for a job as a Quality Control Analyst can find employment just about anywhere. Any company that produces a tangible product will have quality control. The job can be found all over this country and around the world. The salary is pretty good. Most companies with quality control offer competitive benefits (like insurance, retirement, continuing education, etc.) The job requires a college education but not necessarily a PhD. The job is intellectually stimulating, but can be repetitive. It most definitely requires a keen eye for detail and obsessive care for documentation. A person needn’t travel unless he or she is doing auditing. It does require a person to interact with co-workers but not the public.

Challenges of special needs education Essay

Efforts involved in implementation of Special needs education in Uganda today have got challenges that are facing them. These challenges are Handling the problems of an inclusive classroom. The concept of having classrooms that contain both special needs students and students who are developing typically is becoming a popular one. This type of education poses new challenges for a special education teacher. For example, many students who have no disabilities are unaccustomed to dealing with those who do. Teachers in these classes are charged with eliminating cruelty and insensitivity from among  their students and ensuring that those with special needs are treated with respect. Professional Isolation. The nature of a special education teacher’s work is very different from that of traditional teachers; the result of this is that standard classroom teachers may not view them as colleagues. There may be a professional stigma attached to the work of teaching â€Å"slow† students. Special education teachers often work with smaller groups and may focus on skills rather than content, thereby leading to the perception that their work is easier or less important. Lack of support from parents. Some parents of special needs children are disinterested in the welfare of their children and fail to provide them with adequate care. Alternatively, they may be overly protective. Both can be problematic for the child and for their teacher. Disinterested parents may have no involvement with their child’s education or interaction with their teachers, WHEREAS OVERPROTECTIVE PARENTS MAY HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FROM THE CHILD AND THE CHILD’S teachers. Both attitudes can shape children in negative ways. Parental disinterest may make special needs students less motivated and parents who are overprotective often diminish their  child’s confidence and make it harder for them to learn. 2 otydally@gmail. com The difficulty of discipline in a special needs classroom. Disabled children may have behavioral issues including restlessness and moodiness. They may also exhibit problems like a short attention span or an inability to understand what is being taught. Special education teachers have to learn how to deal with these problems as well as how to take appropriate disciplinary measures. Budget problems. Across the nation, special education programs are facing increasing enrollment and decreasing budgets. The result is that there are fewer teacher assistants available, which results in a greater workload for special education teachers. They may also face shortages of essential resources and equipment for delivering effective lessons. Shortage of teachers to handle learners with special needs. Most of the teachers refuse to offer a hand once told to handle a class and later identify that learners in that class are disabled in one way or the other. Many teachers like to teach only learners who are able to do things without any difficulty. They fail to understand that ability is not to everyone. Shortage of teaching materials. Some schools in Uganda today support the learners with special needs but they are faced with a problem of the materials they are to use to teach the learners for example having brails for the blind. This poses a challenge to special needs education in Uganda today. Statistics about the number of the children with special needs. There is no correct statistical approximation of the number of the children with special needs in Uganda today. Supplemented by the enumeration of people taking place after a long period. With miss appropriated number of  children with special needs, there comes a challenge to the state to budget for them in terms of the resources like human resource available. 3 otydally@gmail. com Rigid curriculum. Rigidity of the curriculum is also a challenge as it does not clearly show how to handle people with disabilities. The curriculum provides the content but not the pedagogy. This poses achallenge to the teachers who handle learners with special needs on how to handle and present or deliver the content. There are few schools that offer special needs education in Uganda today. They are faced with  a problem of handling the whole multitude of learners all over the country. The population of learners in those schools is high becoming a challenge to teaching and special needs education in general. There are few training institutions for those who would wish to understand the necessary basics of handling learners with disabilities. Assumptions tend to be taken that it is automatic that an individual cannot fail to handle a person with any form of disability. This is a real misconception as for example a person may just think that he knows but when a disabled person asks him for some help, he directs him to specialists. Despite the fact that Special needs education is faced with a number of challenges. Some of those challenges can be mitigated. I suggest the following ways that can be used to act as solutions t the number of challenges above are:- Comprehensive review of state laws, regulations and policies should be done to in cooperate policies for efficient implementation of special needs education in Uganda today. In addition government policies should be put in place with clearly well-defined measures to the rights of the disabled and what is expected from the community as far as providing special needs education is concerned. This will enable the learners to be helped in whatever form the help may be but not being isolated and thus their presence in society thought of as being useless. 4 otydally@gmail. com Tertiary institutions that train teachers should in cooperate into their curriculum courses that train teachers to handle learners with special needs. This will help increase the human resource that handle learners with special needs eliminating the challenge of the shortage of teachers with skills of handling learners with special needs. Sensitization of stake holders of their roles regarding the support they should render to people  with disabilities. This will make parents not to keep their children at home rather send them to schools where they may be fully partially included in regular classes thus will end up having achieved their right to education. Parents should made aware of the consequences of not rendering a hand in the education of their children. The government should consider the special needs education sector on their budget. This will make them cater for the materials that the students need to learn. With these materials like the brails available, the implementation of education of learners with special needs will not have  much trouble. Review of the curriculum to check where people with various forms of disabilities can be infused into the system needs to be done as this will help teachers have at least some basics of handling the disabled not leaving everything tothose whom they claim to be experts inthat field. With maximum cooperation of teachers in the school, all the students will thus be catered for. REFERENCES Fanning, B. , Veale, A. , & O’Connor, D. (2001). Beyond the pale: Asylum seeking children and social exclusion in Ireland. Dublin: Irish Refugee Council. Farrell, P. (1997). The integration of children with severe learning difficulties: A review of the recent literature. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 50(2), 26-31 Ferguson, D. L. (2008). International trends in inclusive education: The continuing challenge to teach each one and everyone. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 23(2), 109-120 Gutman, L. M. , & Midgley, C. (2000). The role of protective factors in supporting the academic achievement of poor African American students during the middle school transition. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(2), 223-248.

Mac Vs. PC Essay

â€Å"The biggest ongoing discussion has to be the one that’s dominated the technological world for well over two decades: the Mac vs Pc debate† (Intel.com). Many have debated that Pc is better than Mac while others have debated Mac is better than Pc. Only a few have said that it depends on what it’s used for. If only we had more insight to both sides of Mac and Pc. Many people pick a computer based on what they are used for to and don’t find the computer that’s right for them. Others don’t find out the facts about each computer and just go with the cheapest because it’s cheap, even though they would be getting a cheap computer it can still be the wrong kind of computer for them, plus it wouldn’t work to their advantage. Before reading this you have to dismiss the ideas you had about Mac’s and Pc’s. If you put aside what you think you know about Pc, and Mac you will understand what computer is best for you. â€Å" Mac is a line of personal (PCs) designed, developed, and marketed by Inc. It was initially targeted mainly at the home, education, and creative professional markets. Since the introduction of the Macintosh, the computer has seen significant evolution now making it one of, if not the most powerful general-purpose computers on the market. It now targets the business, science, and law markets as well.† â€Å"Microsoft Windows is a series of graphical interface operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft. Microsoft introduced an operating named Windows on November 20, 1985 as a graphical operating system shell for MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUI).[4] Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world’s computer market with over 90% market share, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced in 1984.† The most important part of both computer systems is the cold hard facts between each other. The statistics of Mac and Pc vary depending on the website or article one finds. For example, on Computer Hope, they say that Mac wins at security, operating system, quality, boot time, and drivers while Pc wins at price, software, options for customizing, upgrades, gaming and repair. However some of the main differences are that Pc’s are not all the same, while some Apple Macs can now run windows, and if you’re looking at Windows XP it is not the same as Windows 7, or 8. Some other websites give more examples and reason in explaining with no bias opinion or clear winner and leave it to the user.  With the information of cost, popular applications, development and distribution, compatibility, gaming, supported architectures, user, virus attacks, system software, performance, repairs, programs and apps, privacy, customizability, messaging, and interface. According to Hongkiat.com the computer that is more successful can not be decided but, â€Å"To put it in easier te rms; Microsoft sold it’s operating systems to various computer companies, allowing a broad distribution for its operating systems. As a result, Microsoft is more popular than other operating systems in the market. Meanwhile, Apple has strictly designed their operating system to fit perfectly in their own hardware.† Mac is the new laptop/computer that has changed the minds of many into leaving the ways of the Pc. Is Mac really better than Pc? This debate has been on the minds of many, but the real question is, is the Mac better than Pc? According to the Ultimate Lab test article on Popular Mechanics.com, Mac is the winner of both desktops and laptops. After the test between both the website came to the conclusion that â€Å"In both the laptop and desktop showdowns, Apple’s computers were the winners. Oddly, the big difference didn’t come in our user ratings, where we expected the famously friendly Mac interface to shine. Our respondents liked the look and feel of both operating systems but had a slight preference toward OS X. In our speed trials, however, Leopard OS trounced Vista in all-important tasks such as boot-up, shutdown and program-launch times. We even tested Vista on the Macs using Apple’s platform-switching Boot Camp software—and found that both Apple computers ran Vista faster than our PCs did.† Techrater.com states that â€Å"Apple has had a head start when it comes to designing slim, sexy and powerful laptops but it is nice to see that Windows-based notebooks are finally catching up. If money (and platform) is no object, the MBP is probably the better choice given that it can be upgraded to an even more powerful beast.† Some people can’t do a lot of research before buying a Mac, there are five reasons why Mac is better than Pc. On KSL.com there are five reasons why Mac is better than Pc. The first reason is that Macs are easier to use, for instance the Mac in a way hides a lot of things that don’t usually need to be seen, so finding apps is easier. Second is that Macs just work, and this goes side by side with Macs are easier to use. Third is that the app store is on the Mac,  almost everyone one in the world is associated with the app store in one way or another, so one does don’t have to search the internet for a program, people can just go to the app store. The fourth reason is iPhone integration, in the world we live in today 43.5 percent of people use iPhones. The fifth reason is image even Microsoft admits that Macs are â€Å"sexy† computers. The bonus reasons for Macs are great battery life, fewer viruses, page is better than word, it keeps people from wasting time playing video games, high quality parts, doesn’t come with â€Å"bloatware,† or pre-installed stuff you’ll never use, and built-in backup software that’s easy to use. For those people who will argue that Pc is better than Mac, it’s time to show them what Pc does better than Mac. Pc is the laptop/computer that people know and love and could never separate from them. Intel informs us about Pc vs. Mac in compatibility, reliability, cost, memory, hard drive, stability, availability and software. However in the end Intel say’s PCs tend to be the winner, while Macs remain the choice for the more elite or anti-Microsoft computer users. Popular mechanics say that Pc is cheap, and the Pc comes with a bundle of free software immediately installed. KSL.com gives us five reasons why Pc is better than Mac. One of the five reasons that Pc is better than Mac is that they are cheaper, whether it’s buying the computer itself, or equipment for the computer. The second reason is that it has Microsoft office it’s a program that everyone knows and loves. Third, is the ability to play more games on the Pc than the Mac. Fourth of all is the flexibility of hardware with the Pc, such as opening up the Pc and adding a SSD, or more RAM. The final reason is that it ’s what you know how to use. Some bonus reasons are uninstalling programs is easier, you have more control of everything, their look is more â€Å"hard core†, and that Macs are dull and colorless. With all this information how does anyone know how to choose the right computer? How do people choose the right computer for themselves? What most people do is choose a computer they’re used to or the most expensive because they think that’s what they need, the latest and greatest technology. What they should do instead is learn about what they want in a computer to figure out which is better for them. According to howstuffworks.com there are ten  differences you should look for in your new laptop or computer. Design, price, technical specifications, choice, availability, operating system, users, software, security, and customer satisfaction. Theses are the differences between Mac and PC one should consider to look for when buying either computer. The debate between Mac and Pc has been going on for so long even Fox News did a story on Mac Vs. Pc. Harry McCracken say’s â€Å"Me, I’m cheerfully agnostic: I recommend both Windows PCs and Macs all the time, and use them both, too. The last computer I purchased was a thin-and-light Asus laptop running Windows 7; the one before that was a 15-inch MacBook Pro. When it comes time to buy a new machine, I’ll consider both options. And if your budget permits, I recommend you do the same.† In order to do this people have to look at several statistics to decide what computer they like for themselves. Cost is the most important statistic to look for. People say that Pc is a lot cheaper than Mac; while the truth is that it depends on the type of computer it is whether it be Mac or Pc. After cost people have to look at the selection of both computers. It is true that Pc has many different varieties that you can customize, while Mac has basically nine variants. Operating systems is one of the most important things to look for in a computer. Security is important but all computers have great security so no one should have to think about it. Last but not least is the service, because if Mac has better service th an Pc, then people should want a mac, but if Pc has better service, you want a PC. According to Harry McCracken â€Å"The best thing of all about the PC-or-Mac decision? Despite what impassioned partisans may contend, it’s not a big, existential question. Whether you buy a Windows system or a Mac, you’ll find that the Web is the Web, that good software (much of it free) is plentiful, and that printers, cameras and nearly all other hardware work fine. Hey, they’re just computers, folks and the only thing that really matters is choosing one to fits your needs, taste and budget. Between each computer there are some common misconceptions. For instance, Macs are more expensive than Pc’s, but the truth is â€Å"First Apple only sells top-of-the-line processors and equipment in their current computers, while you can buy a brand new Pc with pretty wimpy hardware. Second there are many comparison charts (see the website) that show how in order to get equivalent hardware and software to anew Mac you have to pay the same price for a Pc (even if you build it  yourself).†Another misconception is that â€Å"Pc’s don’t work for recording music, but the truth is PCs are used to make music all over the world, especially in home studios. It is true that in professional recording facilities, less than 10% use PCs for recording, but they are using them and they are working.† A third Common misconception is that â€Å"Macs are not as upgradable as Pc’s, but that is a lie because this is true only in the mind of computer nerds, but for the average person Macs and PCs are equally easy to upgrade. The major hardware components that average people upgrade on their computers such as RAM, hard drives, optical drives, and video cards are identical to upgrade on Mac and PCs.† The last common misconception that is mentioned on Safari books online is that â€Å"freeware and shareware is only available on Pc, There is an ever increasing amount of freeware and shareware programs available for Mac, but there are still more programs available for pc†. Information like this can help anyone to pick the right computer. The long debate between Mac and Pc will go on between for many more years because no computer will ever be the same, and each computer will always hate its flaws. However we need to go beyond what we think to find the right computer. It does not matter whether that you like Mac, or Pc, all that matters is the statistics between both computers. If you like Mac and don’t want to change then you don’t have to change, it’s just that you might want to think about what you want in a computer. The Pc is what people are used to and when people are used to something they don’t want to change, and that’s fine but if you want to do something along the lines of photography or design you might want to switch to Mac. The statistics between both can persuade anyone to like either or both Mac or Pc. The sole purpose of this paper is to show you all the facts about both companies, and let you decide. After all, the only person who knows you best is YOU!