Liberal Arts vs Science Essay

Liberal arts deal with the sections of education that specialize in imparting general knowledge to learners. This is usually meant to build a strong intellectual capacity on general subjects that would not require technical or even professional skills. The sections of arts that are basically seen as to be in this category include languages, philosophy, music, basic arithmetic and history. In as much as humanities are considered to be part of liberal arts, they my lean towards scientific processes like those in geography and research sciences. On the other hand, sciences are based on technical subjects like physics and chemistry. Scientific knowledge is specific and can be based on a plethora of scientific specialties. Some examples may include biology, physics, engineering and medicine. Other areas in sciences that are specific can include actuarial science and applied mathematics. Developments in the current world of education indicate that more and more students are being encouraged to specialize on sciences than liberal arts. Does this signal that liberal arts are dead and everything is now about science and technology? Specialists in many quarters have advanced arguments that point to the fact that liberal arts are dying fast. Reasons include the fact that more professionals in sciences receive better compensation packages than their counterparts in liberal arts. The idea that liberal arts are a dying section of education is supported by facts. This is due to the fact that more and more people are embracing education in sciences that seem to be generally more appealing. The Industrial Revolution experienced in the world over seemed to emphasize the fact that the world would lean more towards technical aspects of education than on the arts. During the onset of this revolution in the late nineteenth century, inventions in sciences drove many to pursue technical subjects as they seemed to be leading to the most lucrative jobs. Examples lay in the engineering and other technological fields that had strong foundations in sciences. As such, many institutions that were recruiting prospective employees developed pay packages that were tailored to be better than those for employees in the liberal art field. Other factors that point to this being true include the declining budgetary allocation in universities that specialize in liberal arts. This was aggravated by the recession experienced during the period 2008-2009. A study showed that most students who had degrees in the fields and disciplines in liberal arts suffered job cuts and lay-offs during this period (Cook 1) (The Death of Liberal Arts: How the Recession and Unemployment are making Schools and Students Rethink the Value of an Education in The Humanities 1). The numbers of tertiary institutions that offer courses in these fields have declined by nearly a hundred since the early nineties to date. Despite this trend in developments, there are facts that point towards this being the truth and there are some others that seem to dispute this idea. Current job markets indicate that every employee has to have at least some basic technical knowledge. This may mostly lie in the knowledge of Information Technology (IT). It is prudent to observe that in the modern world, nearly all organizations insist on recruiting employees who have basic knowledge on how to process data using computers. This may be in writing documents or even manipulating data to obtain a desired result. Therefore, most organizations recruit prospective employees with basic computer proficiency skills. These skills are deemed to be mandatory in communication and other day-to-day activities in the office. On the other hand, most companies that are recruiting prospective employees are insistent upon the ability of employees to integrate with the community. This would include the immediate community living within the precincts of the location of such companies or even the prospective customers. To have such abilities, one needs to have studied some form of psychology or even sociology. These form part of the liberal arts. Consequently, these companies recruit employees who have studied in these fields and hence have the abilities to mingle with the said people. This knowledge might be important in marketing or even companies that deal in communications and customer care. Therefore, there are job market patterns that may seem to suggest that liberal arts may not be totally dead. Kathleen Haney, a professor of Philosophy of Education in the University of Houston-Downtown, opines that in the view of a layman, liberal arts are dead. She observes that liberal arts are mainly important in the formative years of education such as the elementary and secondary education. Later on, when a student needs to become more skilled in specific subjects, he may need the knowledge acquired in the elementary and secondary that dealt more on liberal arts. Such skills might include languages so as to communicate with others well. However, in â€Å"The Liberal Arts and the End of Education†, she explains the need for everyone to view liberal arts as losing its shine due to the influence of development. Development, she insists, impresses upon scholars the need to embrace more technical subjects. This she attributes to the need by more organizations to employ people who have knowledge in practical-oriented subjects like sciences. In as much as her works seem to approve of this as the trend, she however goes ahead to implore us to change our mind-frame so that we can see liberal arts as pivotal in enabling us to be able to be proficient in these practical subjects. She insists that the more technical subjects would need the services of liberal arts to survive. This she subtly alludes to when she says that languages are the essence of understanding and communication. Therefore, she agrees to the fact that liberal arts are losing their shine due to the current patterns in job markets. She however does not encourage this as it might be of detriment to ignore important sections of liberal arts like languages. The trend that she observes goes way back in time and is founded from the early times. The enthusiasm with which liberal arts were embraced before the Industrial Revolution has considerably gone down due to the mentioned facts. There seems to be a number of reasons that have been fronted for this kind of happening. It is only natural that for this, there has to be some form of consequences. The future generations face a more challenging task of trying to ignore or even do without an important part of education. As a matter of fact, the consequences might have very heavy repercussions on education in general. The main factor that will contribute to this is the need for people who can efficiently communicate in certain settings. For instance, when languages are abolished in the curriculum, students will need extra efforts to learn foreign languages so that they can earn whole-some multi-cultural competency. An example is when a company needs to venture into a foreign market and it requires one of the staff members to be able to communicate to the natives in their language. This would mean that the staff will be required to learn the native language of the people residing in the area. This might be expensive to undertake as the only other option is to employ a native. Many people have come up with arguments in support of the notion that liberal arts are dead. However, there are some writers who have come up with opposing arguments that seem to be water-tight. The American Council of Learned Societies has come up with issues that seem to show that the liberal arts are still popular in colleges. It discusses the importance of liberal arts in communication and the full understanding of human nature (American Council of Learned Societies 1) (Liberal Arts in American Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities 1). It is subjects like philosophy and psychology that enable scientists like doctors and psychiatrists to understand how to deal with illnesses of the human mind. Coupled with this, the languages help in comprehension of several issues. Their argument is based on the fact that liberal arts build a comprehensive understanding of the human being. This seems to be a very convincing argument since most of sciences deal in the physical part of a human being but not on the moral, spiritual and social part. In the international arena, the science vs. art debacle has taken various forms depending on situations. For instance, many parents still insist on their children taking more professional courses as opposed to them having to take courses in liberal arts. It is of interest to note that many writers attribute this to the different priorities that people in the different social classes have. For instance, many students in the upper middle class will not feel pressured to earn degrees in the professional courses that are not seen as art-based. On the other hand, students who have to work to earn money for their fees have always chosen professional courses over the liberal arts. This has been attributed to the fact that the students from affluent families have no worries about fees and which college they feel they want to attend. Their schooling is a matter of choice as opposed to students with limited financial abilities who will be restricted to their budgets due to financial constraints. In conclusion, it has been shown that liberal arts are losing attention as an important part of education. Many factors have pointed to this. It is important to note that the need to study other technical subjects important in scientific development have led this. It is also important to note that the foundations of basic education are laid through the use of liberal arts like languages. Therefore, it is pragmatic to stop this trend before it leads to harm. The fact that more and more institutions are beginning to lower the budgetary allocations on liberal arts is worrying. It is worth noting that the recession exposed the weakness in the humanities sector of education as professionals in this field suffered more job cuts. This would actually lead to anyone conclusively saying that the liberal arts are actually dead. However, many a writer has sufficiently come up with arguments that signify the importance of liberal arts in the current and future settings. Therefore, while it is important to note that liberal arts are dying, it is a task set upon us to develop curricula that will ensure that the sections that liberal arts cover in education are taken over by an equally fulfilling branch of education. References Cook, N. The Death of Liberal Arts: How the Recession and Unemployment are making Schools and Students Rethink the Value of an Education in The Humanities. (5th April, 2010). Newsweek Web Exclusive. Web. America Council of Learned Societies. Liberal Arts in American Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities. 2005. American Council of Learned Societies. Print.

Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Three

There is no real way to describe rape. Sex with Kiyo or Dorian, the men I loved†¦well, I could have described that for hours in exquisite detail. I could have elaborated on the way they stroked my hair or the way their lips touched my skin. Even with Dean-my cheating bastard ex-sex had still had its share of affection and joy, back when things had been good between us. There was none of that with Leith. Well, not on my part, at least. And I think that's what made it especially bad. For him, with his crazy infatuation, it really was an act of love. He visited me often over the next few days, and each time he took me against my will, he'd tell me he loved me and attempt some sort of gentleness and affection. The horrible part was, I couldn't even resist that. It barely required any force on his part to make me submit. Honestly, I wished it had been violent. I wished he'd been cruel and brutal. I'd spent my life in fights, dealing with pain and blows. There would have been something comfortingly familiar about that, like it was just another battle for me. The twisted love he showed for me during each act of rape, however†¦well, that made it harder to bear. In that time, I only saw Art once. Abigail checked on me a number of times, and I learned that it was she who mixed the nightshade, though Leith had taught her the recipe. Cariena was the one I saw the most. She seemed to have been installed as the live-in maid and occasional sex toy for visiting guys. When I arrived, there had been three other gentry girls, but Isanna-the one I'd heard mentioned that first day-left shortly. She was very pretty, and Abigail seemed particularly happy at the price she'd gotten for her. The other two were stunning as well, and they seemed to glumly accept that their time would come. They faced it without much emotion or protest, like condemned criminals going to the gallows. Mostly, their faces were like pieces of a dream. I was kept so heavily drugged that my moments of clarity were few-though the drugs never made me forget what Leith did. None of the other girls had to be drugged; the iron was enough for them. Cariena told me, however, that when other women had required the nightshade, they hadn't taken nearly as much as me. Art and Abigail were too afraid of me getting loose, so they gave it to me more frequently than usual. â€Å"When will you know?† Leith demanded one day. He had just arrived and stood outside my room, arguing with Abigail. The door was ajar. â€Å"I thought you people had the ability to tell this kind of thing.† â€Å"We can,† snapped Abigail. â€Å"But not this soon. You've probably got to wait at least two weeks. Besides, you don't seem to mind passing the time that much.† The sneer in her voice came through loud and clear. I made a mental note to choke the life out of that bitch. Leith, however, didn't sound so happy. â€Å"Two weeks is a long time. I need to bring her back pregnant before anyone finds her! They're looking for her. She has powerful allies. Her people are loyal, and both the Oak King and the Willow Queen have taken up the search.† Dorian's dedication didn't surprise me, and knowing he was working to find me gave me the first hope I'd had in a while. But Maiwenn, too? Had that been Kiyo's doing? Or truly her own kindness? â€Å"I don't care about your tree-based monarchs,† said Abigail impatiently. â€Å"Nobody would think to look for her here.† â€Å"She suspected before. She told others. Someone could scry for her.† â€Å"They won't find her. Scrying won't work. Not with the wards here. Now why don't you stop whining and just get in there and do your business so this won't be a problem. She's almost due for her next dose.† I decided wringing her neck wasn't slow and painful enough. Yet, their words had given me a lot to think about. There was a search on, enough of one that Leith feared discovery. Her mentioning the wards had reminded me of when I'd sent Volusian here. Volusian†¦there was an option I hadn't considered yet. I could summon Volusian to me and have him warn the others. The wards were a problem. He couldn't break them on his own, but if I was calling him, the ties that bound us would be enough to pull him through. If I could muster the energy to do it. The iron and nightshade affected the gentry part of my magic. My shamanic powers, the ones I'd used for years, were tied into my strength and will-which I didn't have a lot of lately. That being said, I felt more coherent now than I had in a while-which was still pretty addled. Abigail had said it was almost time for my next dose. I had to imagine the further from the dose I got, the more its effects would dim. Cariena had said most people didn't take as much, which probably meant the nightshade would still stay in my system awhile. But if I could reach a point when its effects were lessened†¦ My brainstorming was halted as Leith entered. Consternation from his argument with Abigail showed on his face, but it soon transformed to a smile when he saw me. â€Å"Eugenie†¦you look so pretty today.† Yes, yes, I'd heard it all before. I was so beautiful, so amazing, a jewel among women that he loved so much. His words irritated me as much as insults would have. I'd been put in an ivory damask dress today, which gave me sickening bridal associations. He looked me over, and his admiration again changed to a frown. I was lying on the bed, one hand cuffed to the headboard. â€Å"What's this?† he asked. â€Å"Why did they do that?† â€Å"I was a smartass to Abigail. This was her punishment.† His face darkened further as he sat on the bed. â€Å"I don't like that†¦don't like her doing that. But, Eugenie, you have to admit you bring it on yourself†¦.† Oh, Leith. He was so lucky I could barely lift my free arm, or I would have punched that pretty face of his. He peered at me intently. â€Å"You have to get pregnant soon.† â€Å"It's not something I can really control,† I said. Well, I could have controlled not getting pregnant if I was still on the pill. I hadn't taken it in†¦how many days? Three? Four? I wasn't sure how long I'd been here. I knew all the stats, though, about women who'd gotten pregnant from just missing one pill†¦. He sighed and began unlacing the bodice of my dress. â€Å"We'll just have to keep trying then. If we just wait a little while afterward, I can do it twice today.† Oh, how fucking lovely. I wanted to explain that it wouldn't matter how many times he did it, not if I wasn't ovulating. That kind of science was lost on him, I knew, alleged genius or no. As far as most gentry were concerned, sex equaled babies, end of story. â€Å"Once it's done, we can go home. We'll get married, and you won't have to be restrained like this anymore. You can move freely and use your magic.† I decided not to mention that if we did that, the first thing I'd do with my magic was make sure I was a widow. â€Å"Things'll be good then,† he said, moving his body over mine. â€Å"I promise. I love you so much†¦.† I didn't need any nightshade to make me feel numb after Leith left. He'd held good to his word to have sex twice, and I was slowly reaching that point where it just didn't matter. I couldn't feel anything. My body wasn't even attached to my consciousness. It was like my mind existed elsewhere, dreaming or, occasionally, plotting my revenge through the drugged haze. I thought of anything I could-anything that wasn't the violation of my body-while he was on top of me. Usually, I imagined it was happening to someone else and not me. That made it easier to bear until after he left, when the ache inside reminded me that it had indeed been me. Cariena and another girl arrived shortly thereafter to give me my next dose of nightshade. I couldn't recall the other girl's name, though not for lack of caring. It was just the way my brain worked lately. She was extremely pretty, with curly black hair and sky blue eyes that reminded me of Ysabel's. Abigail occasionally let the girls administer the nightshade, confident enough in her hold over them to do it. And her confidence was well-founded. I'd tried before to talk them out of it, but their fear of her was too great. This time, I merely attempted a delay. â€Å"Wait,† I said, as they leaned over. It looked like the black-haired girl was going to hold me down while Cariena poured. â€Å"Let me just talk to you for a minute.† Cariena immediately grew nervous. â€Å"Your majesty, we can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sometimes I found her use of my title endearing. Other times, I thought it was a joke, considering my present situation. â€Å"Just a minute. That's all.† â€Å"Let her,† said the other girl. I flashed her a grateful smile. â€Å"What's your name again?† â€Å"Markelle.† It sounded familiar. Markelle. I would remember this time. I wanted to treat her as a person, not an object. â€Å"Look, I just want to know about the nightshade. How often do I take it?† â€Å"Every six hours,† said Cariena, still clearly worried about this delay. â€Å"That's twice as often as they usually give it,† added Markelle. And with those words, I saw the slightest flash of bitterness in her eyes, the first I'd seen in any girl. I wondered then if she was one of the other â€Å"difficult† ones that Cariena had described, one who had to be drugged as well and eventually subdued. â€Å"Is there any way†¦is there any way you guys could, like, dilute it?† There it was, the big question. Cariena gasped, but Markelle readily answered. â€Å"No, your majesty. Abigail makes it herself and makes sure we come straight here. There's no opportunity.† â€Å"Where? Where does she make it?† â€Å"In the kitchen. She has the ingredients set aside and makes a fresh batch every day.† â€Å"What else is in it? Aside from the nightshade?† Markelle looked at Cariena expectantly. Cariena gulped, and it took her several seconds to answer. She rattled off a list of herbs, some of which I knew, some of which were unfamiliar. They probably had different names in the Otherworld. â€Å"Do Abigail and Art ever eat here? Like, do they cook? Is their kitchen stocked?† Markelle nodded. â€Å"But we never prepare the food-it's always them.† She was quick-minded; she'd probably thought I was going to suggest poison. Not a bad idea, really. â€Å"Are there any ingredients in the nightshade mix that look like other herbs they might have in the kitchen?† Both girls looked confused. â€Å"I've seen no other herbs,† said Cariena. â€Å"You have freedom of the house.† I knew most girls stayed in the basement, though. â€Å"The next time they're not around, go through the cupboards. If their kitchen's stocked, they must have a spice rack.† A knock sounded at the door. â€Å"What's taking so long?† Abigail called. â€Å"See if any spices look like the ones in the potion,† I hissed as the doorknob turned. â€Å"Swap them.† Abigail entered just as Markelle held me down. Cariena poured while Abigail watched with a critical eye. â€Å"You're too slow,† snapped the shaman. â€Å"She needs this regularly.† Both girls groveled, bowing their heads deferentially. â€Å"Forgive us,† said Cariena. I knew her contrition wasn't faked. â€Å"It won't happen again.† Abigail rolled her eyes. â€Å"Stupid girls. I'll have to do it myself next time.† The instant effect that damned potion always had began to run through me. The familiar blackness swept over me, and I slept. Another day went by. Leith â€Å"visited,† and the girls apparently hadn't taken my advice on the nightshade because my six-hour cycle repeated as usual. Abigail usually came with one of the girls now, apparently not trusting them anymore. Art came once as well, and a few caustic comments from me earned me another cuffed hand. I began to understand the roles they played. Both participated in the brokering and sale of the girls. Art helped Leith's men catch the girls and offered his home-the one I'd once thought too large for a guy like him-as their prison. Abigail seemed to handle the day-to-day affairs of taking care of the girls, and it occurred to me one day that those handcuffs at her place hadn't been part of anything kinky. They'd been part of her arsenal for this hellhole, and I suspected the trip to see her â€Å"sister† that day had probably been to deliver some poor girl to her new owner. I cringed at what that car ride must have been like. For a gentry to be surrounded in all that metal and technology†¦it would have been awful for her. Leith was getting dressed after one of his conjugal visits one day. I was close enough to my next nightshade dose that I was able to shoot him looks of contempt-ones he didn't notice. He seemed particularly excited. â€Å"It's been a week,† he said. â€Å"One more week, and Abigail says we can test to see if you're carrying my child.† He pressed a kiss to my forehead. â€Å"I can feel it, Eugenie. I know we've done it.† There was no â€Å"we† in sexual assault, but again, I found it easier just to remain silent lately. It usually made him leave that much more quickly, which then left me alone with my thoughts and my aching body. Sometimes after he visited, my body would feel so violated and dirty that I'd hate it. Then I'd remember that none of this was the fault of my body or me. It was Leith. Shortly after his departure that day, Abigail and Markelle came in with my next dose. I'd heard talk that Markelle had a buyer. Her days really were numbered now, and I felt bad for her, this girl who'd once fought back against her captors. I was so used to the nightshade by now that they almost didn't need to hold me down anymore to force me to take it. It was a bit disheartening that I felt that way now and wondered if I too was on my way to that sad resignation everyone else had. The two of them left, and I lay there, waiting for the unconsciousness that always followed. It usually lasted an hour or so before I came to and lived in my fuzzy state until the next dose. Sure enough, I started to feel a little tingly†¦but no sleepiness followed. I lay there, scarcely daring to breathe. After falling drearily into a strict regimen, any sort of change was a shock to my system. I waited and waited. No unconsciousness. My blurry, addled state didn't disappear, but it didn't get any worse than when I was due for my next dose. Holy shit. One of them had done it. One of those girls had swapped out the nightshade tincture's ingredients. Who? I would have wagered money on Markelle over timid Cariena. Markelle occasionally had that rebellious spark in her eyes, despite her docile behavior, and her impending sale would be serious motivation. She was from the Thorn Land too-my subject. Sometimes I got the feeling that she truly believed her queen could get her out of this. But did I? I still didn't know if I could get myself out of this. My weapons were long since gone, and I didn't think I had the strength to launch a physical attack on Abigail or Art. My door was kept locked, so there was no prowling for me. Gingerly, I sat up. The world shifted as usual, but again, not like it normally would have post-potion. What to do with this freedom? I had no guarantees my next dose wouldn't be the usual stuff. That gave me six hours, and the further that time progressed, the better shape I'd be in. I would have given anything for a clock or even a glimpse of the sun. I needed to track the time, waiting until the last possible moment for my strength to be at its peak. It looked like I'd have to wing it and hope my guess was right. For a moment, panic washed over me. There seemed no obvious options, and I didn't know how fast the potion would let up. Anyone could walk right in at any time. Leith could come in. Leith†¦With some of that fuzziness gone from my head, the memories of what he'd done to me came through more sharply, and my fear grew- No! I swiftly ordered myself not to think about any of that. Not Leith. Not overwhelming odds. I needed to think only of escape, and for that, I needed to start with small details. I'd been good today-no bindings. And with the nightshade, no one felt the need to give me iron bracelets like the girls. That meant no blocking of my magic, short of the potion. Somehow, I doubted I'd have the power in six hours to blow this place up with a mini-hurricane. What did that leave me? Hopefully physical stamina†¦and with it†¦my shamanic powers? Now the countdown began. The minutes were agony, particularly since I had no way to count them. At first, I just attempted general counting in my head, but that grew tedious. I had nothing to do but wait and gauge my own body's recovery. And recover it did. Oh, I was a long way from being able to kick anyone's ass, but my wits grew a little clearer. Standing and moving didn't hurt much either. Finally, I decided it was now or never. I had to take my gamble. Maybe it was well before the six hours, but I couldn't risk going over. It would have been easier with my wand, candles, and other accoutrements. What I had to do wasn't impossible, though. I turned off the lights, plunging me into darkness, and sat on the bed cross-legged. â€Å"Volusian,† I said softly. â€Å"By the ties that bind, I summon you to come to me and obey my commands.† Weak as I was, I felt my will go out, stretching beyond the worlds to my minion. At first, I thought it was useless-then, I felt it. The slightest twitching of our bond. I gritted my teeth, drawing all the strength I could. â€Å"I summon you,† I growled. â€Å"Obey me and come.† For a moment, I thought I'd failed. Then, a coldness filled the room, and red eyes burned before me. Seeing them in the blackness was too scary, and I stumbled up to turn the lights back on. â€Å"My mistress returns,† he said. â€Å"Or rather, I return to my mistress.† I didn't need to see the slight curling of the spirit's lips to know my hold on him was tenuous. It was like a fragile string of silk, ready to snap at any moment. Bringing him here, through those worlds, had sapped more of me than I thought imaginable. I still held him, but for the first time in the years I'd enslaved him, the full realization of just how powerful-and dangerous-he was hit me. â€Å"I have tasks for you,† I said sternly. I could show no weakness. He took a few steps toward me. â€Å"My mistress is bold to say so. You can barely maintain the bond between us as it is.† â€Å"I can hold this bond until the end of time. Now, you will obey me.† And almost before I saw what was happening, his clawed hands were around my neck-cold, cold. So cold that they burned. â€Å"I have waited for this for so long,† he hissed. â€Å"So long for you to weaken so that I may finally kill you and make you suffer the way you have tormented me these years, enslaving me and sending me to do your menial errands.† I couldn't even manage a scream, not with the way his hands were cutting off my air. I could only manage something that was half-grunt and half-gasp. Desperately, desperately, I fought him mentally. I was one of the most powerful shamans in the world. I could control wayward spirits. I could enslave them easily. I'd once had a host of them. I could fight this. â€Å"You will feel pain like you have never dreamed possible,† he continued. â€Å"You will beg for death, beg for dismemberment†¦for even that would be easier than the agony I will inflict on you.† Everyone had warned me so many times about keeping Volusian. What if your control slips? they had all asked. Dorian had even offered to help banish him to the Underworld for good. I had laughed the worries off. I was strong. Even after a battle like I'd had with the fire demons, maintaining that link to Volusian was practically subconscious. But now†¦now, this was different. â€Å"You are losing it-the bonds are nearly broken. In a few heartbeats, your control will be gone†¦.† No! I couldn't speak a response, but the words in my mind burned. I would not lose this. I would not lose control of him. Wrenching up the last scraps of my strength was like ripping my own heart out. You will obey me! Back off! The world started to sparkle as my air grew less and less, and then-he did back off. His eyes blazed with malice. He'd been so, so close, and we both knew it. My control now was still a tenuous thing, and I had to hope I would recover my strength soon and solidify my grasp. â€Å"You will obey me,† I said in a thin voice. â€Å"You will not harm me.† â€Å"As my mistress commands.† But I could tell from his voice that he didn't believe this would last, that he was biding his time. Meanwhile, I was running out of time to decide what to do, not only because I didn't know if he'd break free again but also because Abigail could be here at any moment. My initial instinct was to tell him to simply get me out of here. But if that command took the last of my strength, he could easily kill me once we were out. And even if I made it out, what about the girls? I couldn't rescue them on my own. How long until Markelle disappeared? No, I needed to kick Volusian out of the house. If I didn't summon him back, those wards would keep me safe. I needed to send him for help, and that choice had to be a wise one. â€Å"Leave this house. Go to Dorian,† I said. I drew upon that fleeting strength of mine to enforce the order. â€Å"I command you. Go to Dorian and tell him where I'm at. Exactly where I'm at.† I could have sent him to Kiyo. Kiyo knew where this house was. But if the effort of these commands was enough to finally shatter my hold on Volusian, Dorian might be able to bind him back. It would be better than Volusian running loose. That, of course, depended on whether my order was strong enough to even get Volusian to Dorian to deliver the message. My first command had been to get Volusian out of the house and keep me behind the wards. If that was all I could manage, Volusian would no longer be bound to obey. He has to, I thought desperately. He has to get to Dorian†¦. â€Å"Go!† I ordered harshly. â€Å"As you command.† Volusian vanished, eyes narrowed, confident our bond was about to break. As soon as he was gone, I fell onto the bed, nearly ready to pass out. Would it work? Or had I just broken the last fragments of our bond? I was too afraid to reach out and test the link. I didn't have the strength. The door suddenly unlocked. Nightshade time. With a sickening thought, I realized that if it was the original kind, I would almost certainly lose that control of Volusian. If it was Markelle's decoy, I could hold onto my strength. Abigail entered, a cup in hand and Markelle in her wake. The gentry girl's eyes were down, her whole posture meek. I bit my lip at their approach, waiting to see what my future held.

Prepare an overview of the Banking Sector of INDIA. Mention your Essay

Prepare an overview of the Banking Sector of INDIA. Mention your sources - Essay Example This has led to competition and generated new level of expectations among the consumers. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central bank of the country and it closely monitors the developments in the financial sector. The banking sector is dominated by Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) including 27 Public Sector Banks (PSBs), 31 Private, 42 Foreign and 196 Regional Rural Banks as of March 2002 (Research & Markets, 2009). In addition, there were 67 scheduled co-operative banks consisting of 51 scheduled urban co-operative banks and 16 scheduled state co-operative banks. State Bank of India (SBI) is the largest bank in India with a market share of 20 percent while ICICI is the second largest bank in India. The commercial banks include the former development financial institutions (DFI) such as the ICICI and the IDBI. The commercial banks have on their books very long-duration GOI securities with some banks holding as much as 45 percent in these securities (Mor, Chandrasekhar & Wahi, 2005). The GOI and the RBI together direct and govern the functioning of the banks (Ra vichandran, 2003). The initiatives or the stimulus package by the GOI has transformed the banking industry which reflects in the significant growth in the banking sector as studied by Dun & Bradstreet, an international research body. Taking into account all banks of India, as of 2009, there are 56,640 branches or offices, 893,356 employees and 27,088 ATMs (IBEF, 2009). Public sector banks dominate the industry comprising of 87.7 percent of all offices, 82% of staff and 60.3% of all ATMs. As on 2nd January 2009, the aggregate bank deposits stood at 21.2% while the ban credit touched 24% against 21.4% as on January 4, 2008. There has also been an increase in the total flow of resources from the banking sector to the commercial sector which stood at US$ 58.83 billion up to January 2, 2009. Credit expansion varies across bank groups.

ABE Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ABE - Case Study Example of the people, while the technological environment determines the availability of new methods of carrying out activities and development of new products at SMB. To be successful, SMB has to make measures to adapt to this external environment in its operations. Save Britain Money is a Welsh company with headquarters in Swansea and large offices in Cardiff. SBM employs 950 staff members and a further 500 self-employed staff that work across the United Kingdom. The founder and CEO of SBM is Swansea businessperson, Neville Wilshire SBM has subsidiaries including Nationwide Energy Services, We Claim U Gain, Save Me My Money, Billscutter, HiS Energy, Debts Reduced, and FuelSwitch.com. The main business operations of the company include energy efficiency surveys, renewable energy advice, and installation, mis-sold payment claims, price comparison services, debt management plans, on-line fuel switching and much more. SBM was founded in 2005 in response to grants offered by the Welsh government; this was aimed for households to improve energy efficiency in their homes. This study aims at conducting an in-depth analysis of Save Britain Money using the PEST framework to understand each factors effect on the policies and competitiveness of the compan y in the market, strategies for the company to undertake and provide recommendations for the success of SBM. PEST is a tool for the generation of an understanding on the relation of the firm to the external environment (Warner, 2010). The main reasons for PEST analysis is that it is relevant in decision making as it informs the management on the situation of the firm in relation to the external environment (Slownam, & Jones, 2011). Political– this deals with the relation of the firm to the rules and regulations, tax rates, legislation, and laws in different countries in which the company operates. Globalization has led to the importance of the political environment as an influence on the ability of the firm to meet its goals

Why do Urban Chinese Households save so much Dissertation

Why do Urban Chinese Households save so much - Dissertation Example Life Cycle Hypothesis Theory, and Overlapping Family Models, as well as a Literature Review on basic economics will be submitted to help develop an understanding of the behavioral patterns of this section of the Chinese population. The paper will conclude in a futuristic manner, contemplating whether the phenomenon will continue beyond 2015, when it is projected that the present working population group would have aged, and seeking to retire. The reference sources were chosen from a wide field, so that the best views of the technical minds available could be extracted and used to arrive at the conclusions made. It also enable comparisons to be made to see if there consistency in applications. Where this is observed it is highlighted to serve as concept reinforcements. Thanks must be given to my Professors as well as others who have provided timely support to make this project a reality. A. Introduction It would seem superficially that the Chinese government had designed a program to generate an extremely high propensity to save among its population, as well as in the national economy, during the last 30 years of the history of the country, but this may be far from being true. Analysts and Economists worldwide have become engaged in finding the answers as to why the Chinese Urban Household is saving so much? China’s unprecedented economic growth between 1978 and 2007 has not been matched by the levels of economic reforms which would have stabilized its financial and insurance markets, according to Wei, Yi (2011). During this growth period, the country’s foreign reserve increased dramatically from $2 billion to $2.4Trillion- a1000 fold increase, and propelled the nation into the position as being one of the world’s largest foreign reserves holder (Wen, Yi, 2011). Chamon and Prasad (2008), reports that between 1995 and 2005 the average urban household savings increase by 7% to about one quarter of disposable income, despite the rapid economic growth, and low government capped interest rates offered by banks (Chamon, M. Prasad, E. 2008). Experts opinion as to why the Urban Chinese household has been saving so much include biological motivations, men engaging in marriage marketing, Confucian philosophical beliefs, social imbalance, government policies, economic uncertainties, sex ratio imbalance, urban household behavioral issues, market and economic variations. Models have been designed and developed to explain the behavior of urban Chinese households, but do they successfully account for all the variables and how they affect each other in different provinces, under different birth orders, the number of children, and the educational and financial status of parents, remains to be seen. The roles of the firms and the government regarding the wages paid to workers, as well as the removal of the benefits of the social net may also be the real reason why the savings patterns had developed under the puzzling eyes of the global experts. It is also worth contemplating whether the reliability of a model should

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

Written Assignment #2 - Essay Example Donatello’s version of David is estimated to have been created around 1440. It was a rather unique and famous statue owing to two facts; that one, it was the first unsupported bronze sculpture of the 15th century, and two, it was one of the earliest â€Å"nude† sculptures known to the Renaissance. It has the figure of a David who seems quite young, like a seventeen-year-old, wearing only a hat and some knee-height boots. The rest of his body is nude. He is holding a large sword (seemingly Goliath’s), in his right hand, and his left hand akimbo. Beneath his feet is Goliath’s head, badly severed. One of the Renaissance aspects of this work is in proportion. The Renaissance artists, focussed on realism, and that meant capturing their subjects accurately; as they appeared in nature. As is evident here, David is wholly proportional. The second aspect is texture. The body has been made smooth as should be in nature, and the hair has its texture simulated in a similar manner. The boots he is wearing also have the â€Å"leathery† appearance achieved through texture creation. The other outstanding Renaissance art feature is the capturing of fine details, such as his face in which one can see the smile on him. It displays a happy emotion. Finally, the body has been molded such that the light falling on it will create shading so some parts of David will be dark and others lighter; creating depth. Verrocchio’s David was created in bronze in the given period between 1473 and 1475. Similar to Donatello’s, it was commissioned by the Medici family for placement at the Medici Pallazo (Pallazo della Signoria). The David here is older than Donatello’s, seemingly in his early to mid-twenties. He has no hat on his head, wears a decorated battle vest, and a knee-length skirt. His hair falls freely and he is a little more muscular than Donatello’s David. The sword he holds in his right

United States's role in outsourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

United States's role in outsourcing - Essay Example Outsourcing presents both direct and indirect advantages and disadvantages. Several unfavorable conditions in the country make American companies outsource foreign employees and overseas locations. This paper explores United States role in outsourcing and its impact. The current  U.S. corporate tax code encourages companies to move their operations to foreign locations. It results in the offshoring of jobs that could currently be located in the United States. The government condemns the outsourcing of jobs out of the country by U.S. multinational corporations because it fails to solve issues the employment crisis in the country. In addition, outsourcing weakens the U.S. competitiveness in the international economy. The government tries to attract multinational companies in the country through tax incentives and formulation of policies that provide a favorable work environment. An increase in taxes for multinational business triggers an exodus of business, investments, and work opportunities (Wolverson 1). Multinationals often shift to low-tax countries in which they can maximize their profits. Commonly referred to as ‘tax havens’, such countries offer small corporate tax rates to persuade multinational corporations to transfer inc ome abroad. Production and labor costs are a cause for outsourcing. Other countries offer cheaper sources of labor as compared to American workers who demand high wages. China, for example, has an unrivaled large and reliable labor base that accepts lower pays. While unemployment is rampant in the U.S., it is worse in developing countries such as China, Singapore and Malaysia (Wolverson 1). As companies outsource to China, Americans remain unemployed because of limited job opportunities at home. The companies benefit because they reduce their capital and operating costs. Regrettably, the country loses its productivity and competitiveness in the global economy. Outsourcing

Segregation of Church and State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Segregation of Church and State - Essay Example r, p. 2-6).At present the separation of church and state1 is a predominant rule of United State's government and some other democracies. It tries to defend religious liberty and to avert unfairness or elimination on the basis of religion. In the United States, the partition of church and state has roots in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Additionally,The amendment maintains that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. " Courts have ruled that this amendment prohibits government from assisting an official or favored religion, or hindering with the practice of belief. (Hamburger, p. 21-89) Furthermore, various other countries, counting Australia, France, with Japan, also back division of church and state. Several countries, for instance the United Kingdom, continue separation in some regions but distinguish particular religions as reputable (national) churches.

Use of Acupuncture for Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis Essay Example for Free

Use of Acupuncture for Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis Essay Lateral epiconylitis is a commonly encountered condition resulting from minor injury to the extensor muscles of the forearm, which originate from lateral epicondyle of humerus. This condition is characterized by pain and tenderness over the lateral epicondyle of humerus. Pain is typically present upon the resisted dorsiflexion of the wrist, middle finger or both (Buchbinder, Green Struijs, 2007). Lateral epiconylitis is known by many analogous terms like tennis elbow (TE), rowing elbow, tendonitis of the common extensor origin, peritendonitis of the elbow etc. In the United Kingdom, the incidence of tennis elbow in general practice has been estimated to be about four to seven per 1,000 persons a year (Buchbinder et al). Though TE is a self-resolving condition its symptoms can persist for as long as 18-24 months. Pain of tennis elbow can interfere with normal day to day functioning like carrying objects, lifting and gripping things etc. Though pain of TE can be initially cured with various conservative treatment modalities and rest, it can frequently recur after resumption of activity. Thus TE can cause significant amount of chronic pain and disability, which can lead to considerable morbidity and financial cost (Buchinder et al, 2007). Thus there is a need for an efficient treatment modality for TE. Till date, physicians and physiotherapists are uncertain about the exact etiology and best management option for patients with TE. There are several conventional therapies which are being used for treatment of TE. These therapies are believed to relieve pain, promote tissue healing and improve joint mechanics. These conventional therapies include anti-inflammatory medicines [NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and corticosteroids], physiotherapy interventions (such as stretching and strengthening exercises), cast immobilization, ultrasound therapy, using ice packs, neural stretches, deep friction massages, surgery etc (Trinh, Philips, Ho Damsma, 2004). Various non conventional therapeutic modalities like acupuncture, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation etc have also been used for treatment of TE. In 1992, Labelle et al attempted to perform a quantitative meta-analysis in order to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of above mentioned treatment modalities (both conventional and non-conventional) for patients suffering from TE. They considered the results of 18 clinical trials conducted in the period from 1966 to 1990. From their analysis they concluded that the various randomized and controlled trials, which they had analyzed, were of poor quality and did not provide sufficient scientific evidence to support or oppose the therapeutic benefit of any of these conventional or non-conventional treatment modalities. Labelle et al (1992) did find some weak evidence supporting the beneficial effect of ultrasound therapy in comparison to that of placebo therapy in treatment of patients with TE. More recently, a systematic review of the literature, comprising of randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of various treatment options for TE was carried out by Assendelft, Green, Buchbinder, Struijs, Smidt, (2003). They have suggested significant beneficial effect of NSAIDS (both topical and oral) in comparison to placebo in the providing short term relief from pain in patients with TE. However they found little evidence regarding the beneficial effect of NSAIDS (both topical and oral) in providing long term pain relief. While the use of topical NSAIDS was not found to be associated with significant side effects, use of oral NSAIDS, typically aspirin was associated with significant side effects like gastro-intestinal bleeding etc. This review found limited evidence regarding the beneficial effects of steroid injections in comparison to placebo, local anaesthetic agents, elbow strapping or physiotherapy. Assendelft et al also found insufficient evidence to support long term or short term beneficial effect of treatment modalities like acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, orthoses (elbow strapping), extra corporeal shock wave therapy and surgery. They have recommended long term use of oral and topical NSAIDS and physical therapies (elbow strapping, physiotherapy, etc and avoidance of provoking activities as the first line of treatment, especially in the early stages of the disease.   They have also suggested the use of corticosteroid injections as second line therapy for providing relief from pain. However the pain relief provided by corticosteroids is usually temporary in nature with the pain recurring again after a few months. Thus they have suggested that the patients receiving such therapy should be counselled about not subjecting the extensor muscles to increased activity during the pain-free period resulting from use of corticosteroid injections. On the other hand, Bisset, Paungmali, Vicenzino, Beller,   Herbert, (2005) from their systematic review of literature, comprising of studies evaluating   the effectiveness of   various physical interventions (non pharmaceutical or   non-surgical therapeutic modalities) for treatment of TE have shown short term benefit   with the use of physical interventions like ultrasound therapy, ionisation, and acupuncture. However no evidence of long term benefit due to these therapeutic modalities was observed in this review; benefit due to these interventions was usually seen to last between two to eight weeks. Bisset et al observed insufficient evidence regarding the beneficial effect of manual therapy (involving manipulation of elbow or cervical spine), use of elbow strapping and physiotherapy exercises in the management of TE. They also observed the presence of sufficient evidence that disapproved the beneficial effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and laser therapy in the treatment of TE (both in short term and long term). However they have indicated the requirement of larger studies in future in order to confirm this finding. Since no clinical study till date has been able to demonstrate definite clinical efficacy of any conventional therapeutic modality in treatment of TE, there has been increasing trend towards the use of non-pharmacological treatment modalities, especially acupuncture, since last two decades, for alleviation of chronic pain due to TE. One major advantage of using acupuncture for treating   pain of TE over the conventional anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDS (oral or topical), corticosteroids etc is that it is free from the numerous deleterious   side effects commonly associated with the use of these drugs. Also the evidence supporting the use of these conventional pharmacological interventions is no better than that supporting acupuncture [National Institute of Health (NIH), 1998]. Despite the growing popularity of acupuncture in treatment of pain related to lateral epicondylitis, presently, there is little evidence which confirms the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of tennis elbow. The studies conducted until now have produced conflicting results. Bisset et al (2005), in their systematic review of literature considered four studies evaluating the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in treatment of TE. Three studies out of these four compared acupuncture with placebo whereas one study compared acupuncture with ultrasound. The overall evidence considered in this review supports short term beneficial therapeutic effect of acupuncture over placebo in patients with TE. Two studies, (Fink, Wolkenstein, Karst, Gehrke, 2002; Molsberger Hille, 1994) which compared acupuncture with placebo are described below in details. Fink et al (2002) conducted a study to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in   treatment of TE. They also tried to compare the therapeutic effects produced by stimulating selected acupuncture points (as defined by traditional Chinese acupuncture) in contrast to those achieved through stimulation at non-specific points (these puncture points were at least 5 cm away from the traditional Chinese acupuncture points). The results of this study indicated that use of acupuncture with correct location and stimulation, in accordance to the recommendations of tradition Chinese acupuncture helped in significantly alleviating the pain, reducing disability of arms, shoulders and hands (measured through DASH questionnaire) and improving the strength of the extensor muscles in the patients suffering from TE. However these therapeutic effects (pain relief and muscle strength) of acupuncture were less evident in long term. In this study, at the time of follow-up after two months, though the overall functioning of the arm was observed to be better in the treatment group as compared to the control group, the differences in pain intensity and muscle strength were no longer found to be significant. The main aim of the study by Molsberger Hille (1994) was to find out whether acupuncture showed an intrinsic analgesic effect even after only one treatment session in comparison to that of placebo treatment for TE pain. In one single session of acupuncture treatment, patients in the treatment group were treated at a non-segmental distal point on the fibulo-tibial joint of the homolateral leg. The painful area of the elbow itself was not needled. The depth of insertion was 2 cm and during the procedure of needling, the patient was asked to move the painful arm. Patients were treated for a total of 5 min. Overall reduction in the pain score was 55.8% in the treatment group and 15% in the placebo group. After one treatment session, 79.2% (19 patients out of 24) patients in the treatment group reported pain relief of at least 50%, whereas in the placebo group only 25% patients (6 patients out of 24) reported pain relief. The average duration of analgesia after one treatment was 20.2 h in the treatment group whereas that after placebo was 1.4 h. All these results show that acupuncture has a statistically significant intrinsic analgesic effect in the clinical treatment of TE pain, which exceeds that of placebo treatment.   Since this study dealt with short term analgesic effects of acupuncture, further studies need to be carried out in future in order to evaluate the long-term therapeutic value of acupuncture for treatment chronic tennis elbow. Davidson et al (2001, cited in Bisset et al, 2005) conducted a study to compare the   therapeutic effect of acupuncture with that of ultrasound treatment in patients suffering from TE. Though significant improvement in two outcome measures i.e. pain reduction and disability prevention were observed in both the groups, no statistically significant differences in terms of these outcome measures were observed between the two groups. Thus this study indicates that there is no difference in therapeutic benefit between ultrasound and acupuncture in patients with TE. However it is difficult to reach to any definite conclusion from the results of a single study. More studies are required in future in order to arrive at a definite conclusion. In a publication by the NIH in 1998, it was determined that the results of various studies conducted till date has been promising enough to support the use of acupuncture as an adjunct treatment or an alternative to classical conventional therapeutic modalities for patients with TE. Trinh, et al (2004) conducted a systematic review of literature regarding use of acupuncture in treatment of TE, using the best evidence synthesis approach (BESA), which aimed at qualitative analysis of clinically homogeneous studies. The results of this review strongly suggested that acupuncture was an effective therapeutic modality for attaining short-term pain relief in patients with TE. Though there was a great deal of clinical heterogeneity between various studies considered in this review, five studies out of six studies considered in this review indicated that acupuncture treatment was more effective compared to placebo treatment. The studies conducted till date have failed to provide us with definite results. This can   be attributed to a variety of factors like: flaws in study design, heterogeneous treatment protocols, small sample size, inherent difficulty in the use of appropriate controls etc (NIH publication, 1998). Selection of method for performing the procedure in control group for these studies poses to be a difficult problem. Method of performing the   procedure in control group is important because the insertion of placebo needles itself results in inherent analgesic effect due to release of local ?-endorphins (opioid like substances), which can influence the outcome of the study too (NIH publication, 1998). Future research is recommended to resolve the issues discussed above. Thus there is a need for large scale, well-designed, multicentric, randomized control trials in future that will use standardized treatment protocol and appropriate methods for performing the procedure in controls. It is evident from the above discussion that various studies which aimed at assessing the   efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of TE had employed different processes for performing acupuncture, in terms of location of puncture points, depth of insertion of needles, the number of needles used, duration of treatment etc. In order to arrive at a definite conclusion regarding the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of patients with TE and in order to maximize the chances for a successful treatment with acupuncture, there is a need for a uniform, accurate and complete description of the most effective method to be used for performing acupuncture in patients with TE. With this in mind, Webster-Harrison, White Rae (2002) conducted a study in order to develop a standardized treatment protocol for acupuncture therapy in patients with TE. They adopted a modified Delphi’s consensus technique to combine the opinions of fourteen British acupuncture experts into a standardized treatment protocol. This protocol contained eight items pertaining to the treatment of TE using acupuncture and has been described in table 1. The various items considered in this protocol were: selection of acupuncture points; length and diameter of needles used; depth of insertion; duration of treatment; interval between successive treatments; whether the needle should be stimulated or not; the type of response to be achieved upon stimulation and number of treatment cycles needed. Use of this protocol in randomized multicentric trials conducted in future is likely to give accurate results (Webster-Harrison et al). Conclusion From the discussion in this paper it becomes apparent that till date no study in published   literature has been able to demonstrate long term beneficial effects of any pharmacological, surgical or physical therapy in comparison to that of a placebo therapy for treatment of patients with TE. Among various non-pharmacological therapeutic options, acupuncture presents an effective and safe adjunct treatment or an alternative to classical conventional therapeutic modalities, especially in cases where these conventional therapeutic modalities had previously failed (NIH, 1998). Presently, the optimal treatment option for patients with tennis elbow in clinical care largely remains unclear. Acupuncture appears to be a lucrative treatment option for both clinicians and patients. However, the therapeutic benefits provided by use of acupuncture are not supported by sufficient evidence, at present. There is a need for well designed, high quality research studies, especially randomized control trials in future, in order to help in establishing the appropriate place for acupuncture in treatment of patients with TE in modern medical practice. References Assendelft, W., Green, S., Buchbinder, R., Struijs, P., Smidt, N. (2003). Extracts from concise   clinical evidence: Tennis elbow. British Medical Journal, 327, 329-340. Bisset, L., Paungmali, A., Vicenzino, B., Belle, E., Herbert, R.D. (2005). A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials on physical interventions for lateral epicondylalgia. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 39(7), 411 422. Buchinder, R., Green, S., Struijs, P. (2007). Tennis elbow. American Family Physician, 75 (5),   701-702. Retrieved on 30 June 2007 from http://www.aafp.org/afp/20070301/bmj.html Fink, M., Wolkenstein, E., Karst, M., Gehrke, A. (2002). Acupuncture in chronic   epicondylitis: A randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology, 41(2), 205 209. Labelle, H., Guibert, R, Joncas, J., Newman, N., Fallaha, M., Rivard, C. (1992). Lack of scientific evidence for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of the elbow: An attempted meta-analysis. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 74, 646–51. Molsberger, A., Hille, E. (1994). The analgesic effect of acupuncture in chronic tennis elbow   pain.   British Journal of Rheumatology, 33(12), 1162-1165 National Institute of Health (1998). NIH consensus conference: Acupuncture. Journal of   American Medical Association, 280, 1518–24. Trinh, K.V., Philips, S.D., Ho, E., Damsma, K. (2004). Acupuncture for alleviation of lateral   epicondyle pain: A systematic review.   Rheumatology, 43, 1085–1090. Webster-Harrison, P., White, A., Rae, J. (2002).Acupuncture for tennis elbow: An e-mail   consensus study to define a standardised treatment in a GP’s surgery. Acupuncture in Medicine, 20(4), 181-5.

Different Religions of the World Essay Example for Free

Different Religions of the World Essay There are many religions in the world. They practice many different ways. There is Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. I like to study about different religions. Islam worships the God Allah, which means God in Arabic Muslims religion is Islam. Mohammed is the prophet to follow and he was the last prophet. Muslims have three holidays. There is Ramadan, Eid and Eid-el-haj. Each year all the Muslims go to Mecca. Muslims believe women should not show their bodies, this keeps the men from sinning. Muslims holly book is the Qur’an. All Muslims pray five times a day and every Friday go to mosque. Muslims must pray in Arabic. Judaism was founded in Israel by a man named Abraham. Jews worship God. Jews have a holly book called Torah. Jews do not believe the Messiah has come yet. They speak and read Hebrew, and do it the most for prayer. Jews pray in a particular way. They have a special holiday called Hanukkah, which is the same as Christmas in America. The different thing is they use a menorah. A menorah holds candles that Jews light each night of Hanukkah. Jews have special celebrations called bar and bat mitzvahs too. This is a family celebration of a boy or girl celebrating being grown up. The new man or woman must prove themselves by saying parts of the Torah. Jews eat special food called kosher and is blessed by their preacher who is called Rabbi. This is for God. Christianity was founded in Israel by Jesus of Nazareth. Christians worship God just like the other religions. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Christians can be free and pray when they feel the need. However, most still attend church, which is like a Muslims mosque. Christians celebrate two religious Holidays Easter and Christmas. Easter is the celebration when Jesus rose on the third day. There is also Good Friday and most things close on this day. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born in a manor in Bethlehem, and his mother was Marry. Her husband was Joseph. Jesus was a gift from God because he was born of a virgin. Even though Christians are free, they still have strong faith. In conclusion, all of these religions have their own special ways, but the important part is that they all worship God. God is who made this world. These religions just worship God in a different way from each other. They also live life in a little different way. This is what makes the world special. I am Muslim, but I also like learning about different religions.

Bottled Water Preferences Analysis

Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Preface â€Å"Leaders arent born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And thats the price well have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal† Vincent Lombardi All the knowledge learning and procedures are useless without observations and practical experience. The purpose of this research is to acquaint the business graduate with empirical business practices. As a requirement for Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, I opted to conduct my research on â€Å"Consumer Preferences of Bottled water†, to fulfill my degree requirement. The reason for choosing bottled water was to get practical knowledge about consumer behaviour, so as to provide myself an opportunity to cope with the real life situation. This research covers the aspect about consumers preferences regarding usage of a certain brand of bottled water. The research focuses on the fact that why a consumer uses a specific brand of bottled water. Is it taste, health consciousness, fashion or any other aesthetic factor that makes a consumers use a specific brand of bottled water. The main idea for this research came from the observation, that why a consumer is using only a specific brand of bottled water, regardless of the fact that all the bottled water brands are providing â€Å"pure and clean† water. I felt that the knowledge that I have gained through this experience is an excellent way to think analytically for finding solutions to problems of day-to-day life. The study of consumer behavior and their preferences itself is a massive study comprising of different factors involved. It is impossible to study each one in detail and include everything in the report. However, I studied the consumer behaviour from preferences point of view. I am thankful to all my colleagues and higher ups for their valuable guidance in preparing this report in a presentable fashion. I am also thankful to my parents, teachers and all my friends for their cooperation. â€Å"MEASURING CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER† CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study: Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also drink bottled water because they care for their health. In Europe, there is a long tradition, dating back to Roman times, of spas and of drinking mineral waters for medical purposes. In the 19th century, this activity developed with the fashion for upper classes to go to spas in order to improve their health. Spas owners werent long in understanding that they could increase the wellness of their customers and their own benefits â‚ ¬Ã‚  directly supplying them their water in bottles. Until the 1950s, mineral water was sold in drugstores as a health product. It has now become an everyday product. Natural mineral water, now sold in supermarket, doesnt carry along anymore this medical image. People now buy bottled water to feel well, responding to advertising campaigns based on well-being, energy, slimming, fitness etc. Bottled water is a healthy alternative to other beverages. It is calorie-free and attractive for people willing to lose weight: â€Å"one of the sparks that ignited the bottled water fire was the fitness craze that skyrocketed in the early 1980† (Sullivan, 1996). Increasing urbanization can also explain this trend for bottled water consumption. In Increasing standards of living and greater use of cars enabled people to buy water in supermarkets and to bring home higher number of bottled water, without difficulty. The use of plastic makes bottles lighter and easier to carry than when they were made of glass. The expansion of shopping centers, outside city-centers, provides consumers with a greater choice in bottled water brands. The explosion of bottled water consumption also reflects deep changes in working habits in industrialized countries, with the decline of the agriculture and industry sectors. In these countries, most people have office works and the bottle of water is now a common element on a desk, next to the computer and the telephone. Drinking expensive bottled water (compared to tap water) is a sign of a rise in the social scale. In addition, bottled water is the result of a huge marketing success. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks. Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million liters of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million liters or 0.5 liters per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has witnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140%. Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 liters per person bottled water. Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 1.2 Purpose of the Study: This report/study is meant to: Understand what factors are influencing the consumer preferences to make them purchase different brands of bottled water. Identifying that what are the factors which affect the purchase of a specific bottled water brand. 1.3 Research Questions: 1. What do people expect from their water utility in the context of drinking water services? 2. What are consumers priorities? 3. What do customers consider acceptable in terms of the product and the service they receive? 4. What are they willing to accept for the current price they pay? 5. Why do people prefer to use a specific bottled water brand in terms of their priorities? 1.4 Scope of the Work: Scope of this report is limited to businessmen, professionals and students of Peshawar and Islamabad who are well users of bottled water. 1.5 Limitations of the Study: Expected limitations of this research can be: * Unavailability or Lack of data * Response from people * Limited time * Resource constraint 1.6 Research Methodology: The methodologies used for the research are as follows: 1.6.1.: Sample Unit: The respondents selected were belonging to different social backgrounds and different professions. 1.6.2: Sample Population: The study was conducted in Peshawar and Islamabad only. 1.6.3: Sample Size: A total sample size of 100 respondents was fixed for the research. 1.6.4: Sampling Procedure: Because of the limitations, convenient sampling has been selected, as the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non probability method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a random sample. The sampling was on the basis of Judgemental Sampling i.e. Non-Probability Sampling Method was used. 1.6.2: DATA COLLECTION: Both primary and secondary methods of data collection are used in the study. 1.6.2.1: Primary Data: The data-collecting tool for primary data was the questionnaire. The questionnaires were compromised of questions about personal preferences of the respondents along with questions on the subject of study. The questions used likert scale and category scale. This enabled the respondents to answer questions by marking most suitable answers. 1.6.2.2: Secondary Data: The most important source of secondary data for the study was articles from different websites and previous researches done on internet. Also different books and some related articles in different magazines and journal of marketing served as a source of secondary data. 1.7 Scheme of the Report: The report will comprise of following sections: Chapter 01: Introduction Chapter 02: Literature Review Chapter 03: Consumer Trust, Confidence and Customer Preferences for Drinking Water Chapter 04: Analysis and Findings Chapter 05: Conclusion and Recommendations CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is manifested in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the population without access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, up to 90 percent of the population may lack such access. As one indication of the magnitude of the problem, it is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Drinking bottled water reflects not just a certain way of life in the rich North but a necessity and the only option for safe water in the South. Beside official s, there should be no doubt that the majority of the Pakistans population is exposed to the hazard of drinking unsafe and polluted water. In an effort to improve this situation, many consumers in Pakistan have to turn to bottled water as a first alternative to drinking unfiltered tap water or contaminated water of other sources where no public drinking water service exists (GOP, Pakistan Environment Pro tection Agency, 2003). However, bottled water is a very expensive alternative and not always healthy because of infrequent testing for contaminants and sporadic inspection of processing plants. Bottled water should not be considered as a substitute to a sufficient service with drinkable tap water, but it is due to lack of access to water services or to bad quality of available resources (WHO, 2000). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is considered as one of the most dynamic sectors of all the food and beverage industry, where consumption in the world increases by an average 12% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water (UNESCO, 2003). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. This research report aims to provide background information on bottled water, the use of bottled water in order to understand the reasons of a trend that goes beyond a simple fashion and turns to be a real social phenomenon. It will first identify existing types of bottled water: although they seem very much alike, bottles of water dont contain the same product. The increase in bottled water consumption has boosted the bottled water industry and market trends show very promising perspectives for the future. This report will then identify the major reasons why consumers choose to buy speci fic expensive bottled water rather than drink tap water. It will finally analyze the impact this industry has on the environment. 2.2 Water Global Trends and Pakistans Struggle Water is essential for human beings to survive and develop. At the same time, water is a scarce good, and shortage sometimes results in crises. Both facts lead to the simple conclusion that lack of water hinders development and a dignified life. This can be assessed from global trends, as well as from Pakistans national and local struggles for better access for people to safe and sufficient drinking water. 2.3 Water A Global but Scarce Good According to s published by the United Nations, subsidiary organizations and other international organizations, 1.1bn people are without a sufficient access to water, and 2.4bn people have to live without adequate sanitation. Under current trends, the prognosis is that about 3bn people of a population of 8.5bn will suffer from water shortage by 2025. 83% of them will live in developing countries, mostly in rural areas where even today sometimes only 20% of the population have access to a sufficient water supply (Guissà ©, El Hadji, 2004). This actual lack of water is opposed to the theoretical conclusion that there is enough ground water existing in all regions of the world to guarantee an adequate water supply for all people. According to international law, in the case of concurring water users, the socio-economic priorities have to rest on human development and social interests of the people (UN, 1997). However, only 6% of global freshwater is used by households, while 20% is util ized industry and another 70% by agriculture. The conclusion drawn from these framework conditions is that water shortage and the unequal distribution of water are global problems rather than regional problems that require international solutions. Insufficient supply of drinking water is the main cause of diseases in developing countries. Already in 1997, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development concluded that 2.3bn people suffer from diseases rooted in insufficient water provision and quality (UN, 1997). More than five years later, it was estimated that 2.4bn people were suffering from water related diseases, and the World Health Organization reckons that 80% of all infections are traceable to poor water conditions. 5,483 people die daily of water caused diarrhoea 90 percent are children under five. Taking into account all water related diseases and deaths, international organizations estimated in 2001 that 2,213,000 people died because of inadequate water supply ten times more than the tsunami disaster caused in December 2004 (UNESCO, 2003). 2.4 Poverty and Access to Water in Pakistan It is acknowledged that lacking safe and sufficient drinking water as with other basic needs such as food, shelter and education is not a geographical but social problem. Being poor or rich is mainly decided by birth, and poverty perpetuates itself from generation to generation. Development strategies should be judged by their effort to break through this vicious cycle. Single indicators, such as literacy rates or households with access to water, are a litmus test for such an assessment. 2.4.1 Access to Water in Pakistan Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, whose aim is to enable its Muslim majority â€Å"to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah† (Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973). Water is recognized in Islamic teachings as a vital resource, of which everyone has the right to a fair share. Following the Hadith, it is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: â€Å"Muslims have common share in three (things): grass, water and fire† (Abu-Dawood 3470). Furthermore, the Holy Quran warns human beings against unfair distribution of common goods and the majority of scholars agree that Islam forbids speculation, manipulation and unbalance profit with a common good such as water (Faruqui, Naser I, 2001). In 1995, UNDP counted Pakistan as country having among the highest water potential per person out of 130 countries that should dramatically improve its water situation to overcome the current crisis and prevent future ones (IRIN, 2001). Obviously, Pakistan failed to make any improvement. In 2003, the United Nations dropped Pakistans ranking, because its total renewable water resources per capita per year have been estimated as 114th out of 180 countries (UN, 2003). Only three percent of Pakistans sweet water resources are used for household purposes and drinking (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Water and Power, 2002). Therefore the debate about access to water in Pakistan is dominated by irrigation disputes, mega-projects of dams and canals, and climate change. The focus is on water for agriculture rather than for people (UNDP, 2003). This production oriented perspective continues in the debate about groundwater use and extraction. It is estimated that surface water meets only 75-80 percent of crop water requirements. As a result, groundwater is merely seen as a reserve water source for irrigation and food production, as well as the maj or factor for the growth of agricultural production in the late 20th century (World Bank, 1996). With regard to the availability of safe and sufficient drinking water, Pakistan lacks reliable statistics. While data about the availability of water and field studies about water quality exist, there is no sufficient data that take both into account. Official data about the access to drinking water vary between 60 and 90 percent of households. In rural areas where a decline of households with access to water is documented s about availability differ between 10 and 53 percent. Differences in these statistics mainly emerge from the inclusion or exclusion of households that rely on privately owned wells and supply systems (Pakistan Mouza Report, 1998). In addition, having access to water in Pakistan is not similar with having access to safe and sufficient water supply. Pakistans water quality ranks as 80th out of 122 nations. Pipe water in Pakistan is contaminated either because of leakages with all sorts of bacteria or due to geological conditions and insufficient purification, with abnormally high levels of arsenic and elevated fluoride (IRIN, OCHA, 2004). Water, extracted by hand pumps the major water source in rural areas is mainly brackish water and not sufficient for drinking and cooking. The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) estimate that almost 50 percent of urban water supply is insufficient for drinking and personal use (GOP, Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources, 2004). According to a research which took data about availability and quality into relation and concluded that an average of 25.61 percent of Pakistans 159 million inhabitants has access to safe and sufficient drinking water ( Nils Rosemann, 2005). This calculation shows that in rural areas only 23.5 percent and in urban areas approximately 30 percent can use their source of water without jeopardizing their health. These findings come close to a conclusion by independent experts who predicted that already in 2001, with prevailing consumption rates and a population growth of 4 million people per year, one out of three people in Pakistan would face critical shortages of water, threatening their very survival. The Government of Pakistan estimated with regard to diarrhoea that this mainly water related disease accounts for 14 percent of illnesses for children under five and for seven percent of all disease in people age five and older (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, 2004). The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) assesses that 40 percent of all reported illnesses are water-related. It is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoea l diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Unsafe water affects mainly rural and urban poor, who suffer above the average from sickness and water related diseases. (GOP, Pakistan National Human Development Report, 2003). 2.5 About Bottled Water The term bottled water seems to tell that any bottle containing water, however there are important differences: all bottles dont contain the same product. There is very little in common between natural mineral water and purified water, as the chemical compositions or the treatments these waters can undergo respond to very different criteria that can change from one country to another. In some cases bottled water is merely bottled tap water. 2.5.1 Industry Definitions Several terms are commonly used to describe the products of the bottled water industry, including some of the following: * Artesian water bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. * Fluoridated Water often used as a health focused drink for growing children, it contains fluorine within permissible limits. * Ground water obtained from underground sources, pumped out using pressure that is equal to or more then atmospheric pressure. * Mineral water An extremely specific product that must meet certain criteria. Defined as water with at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. The source of water is either ground water or a spring. * Purified water or drinking water is water taken from rivers, lakes or underground springs that has undergone some form of treatment. It can be produced by â€Å"distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes. It can be chemically treated in order to have some components disappear. It is basically de-mineralized water from public sources. Purified water is actually a manufactured product. * Sparkling water water injected with carbon dioxide * Spring water water obtained from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earths surface. * Sterile water water that meets the requirements specified under government or other sterility tests. * Well water water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer. (IBWA, 2000) If these waters contain the minimum required mineral content according to US standards, they can be called â€Å"mineral waters†. So many different categories of bottled water, changing from one country to another, are not easy for consumers to differentiate. 2.5.2 What is Distilled Water? Distillation is a process that leaves water free of minerals. Distilled water has been brought up to a boiling temperature. The steam is captured and is cooled, which condenses it back into a liquid form. When the water turns to steam, anything heavier than water (like minerals, or unwanted organic matter) is left behind. Thus, distilled water only contains water. Distilled water is good to use in appliances such as coffee makers because since it contains no minerals it does not leave behind lime scale. 2.5.3 Packaging Packaging used for water can have very different shapes and colours and are made of different materials. For a long time, bottled water was only available in glass, a very good but heavy material. At the end of the 1960s, bottlers started to use packaging made of PVC (vinyl polychlorure). In the 1980s, a new kind of plastic started being used: PET (polyethylene terephtalate). PET is progressively replacing PVC because of its numerous advantages. Plastic, either PVC or PET, is the most frequently used material to make bottles of water; about 70% of the bottles used for natural mineral water are made of plastic. Bottles usually contain 33cl, 50cl, 1 litre, 1.5 litre, 2 litres or 5 litres. The biggest packaging for bottled water is a 5-gallon carboy (about 20 litres). Packaging is an essential part of bottled water marketing strategies. â€Å"The packaging makes the brand. The brand makes the packaging. A product must have visibility to sell its presentation refers to notions such as service, security, hygiene† (Miquel, 1999). In some cases, such as Kinley, it is even possible to recognize the brand of the bottled water thanks to the shape and colour of its packaging. Some brands have reshaped their bottles in order to make them look like the marketing message they are supposed to carry. Many bottles, for instance, now high mountains not only on the labels but also on the plastic itself. The packaging is an important part of the bottled water marketing success. All types of bottles coexist and are regularly reshaped in order to better catch consumers attention. Marketing and advertising campaigns are essential to differentiate the product and attract consumers. Brands tend to associate with specific activities: sport, fitness, slimming, fashion, etc. For the last 50 years, Evian has been the water of babies, emphasizing that its low mineral concentration is suitable for them. The brands marketing strategy capitalizes on infants, from the pink colour of its labels to advertising campaigns. 2.6 Bottled water market trends and Planets Health The world bottled water market amounts to an annual volume of 89 billion litres, which represents an average 15 litres of bottled water drunk yearly per person (Danone, 2000). Western Europeans are the major consumers, drinking nearly half of all the world bottled water, with an average of 85 litres/person/year (Sollberger, 1994). In United States, 54% of Americans regularly drink bottled water (Olson, 1999). More than half (59%) of the bottled water drunk in the world is purified water, the remaining 41% being spring or mineral water (Belot, 2000). Bottled water is an extremely competitive market; hence companies need to develop diverse marketing strategies. But according to campaigners, the planets health may be suffering as a result. A new report warns that peoples thirst for bottled water is producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. The report, released by the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), says global consumption of bottled water doubled between 1999 and 2004, reaching 41 billion gallons (154 billion liters) annually. 2.7 Bottled Water Market in Pakistan Before focusing on Pakistan in particular, one should note that bottled water consumption has generally grown around the world in the past 30 years, despite its high price compared to tap water. Lured by the potential for huge profits, multinational companies have been trying to create an international market for bottled water. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks (Pakistan Investors Guide, 2004). Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. Water supply and prices for drinking water and bottled water are not considered under the items in the Sensitive Price Indicator, Consumer Price Index or Wholesale Price Index. From this perspective; it is obvious that Pakistan has low consumption of bottled water. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million litres of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million litres or 0.5 litres per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has wi tnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140% (The Bottled Water Industry of Pakistan, 2004). Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 litres per person bottled water (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Compared with Thailands 43 litres and Philippines 15 litres per capita consumption, this seems relatively low. But taking Pakistans population into account, one has to estimate an annual consumption of 318 million litres. While, sufficient s are not available to prove this 964 percent consumption increase in five years, one is able to conclude that Pakistan is a highly dynamic and lucrative market. Market expectations are as high in the retail market of bottled water as in the household and operations sector for bulk water. Besides these market expectations, the production of bottled water is also considered quite profitable. It is estimated that a bottle of 1.5 litres has production costs of PKR 12.51 while it is sold for PKR 22 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). The profit is shared between producing corporations, with PKR 0.66-0.83, and middleman, with PKR 6.66-7.08. By this standard, the producing corporation makes a profit of 4-5 percent while the middleman makes a profit of 27-30.55 percent. In Pakistans water market, there are approximately 20 permanent players. Official s show an estimated number of 26 corporations, while in summer time, this number increases up to 70 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). But from the perspective of quality control, PCRWR is witnessing a fluctuation in the market of 50 percent, e.g. half of the brands disappear and are replaced by new brands yearly (PCRWR, 2003). In 2005, PSQCA admitted that 200 companies are selling bottled water in Pakistan, but only 27 are registered as maintaining standards stipulated for the product (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Nestlà © itself estimates approximately 150 water brands, with only 15 registered under the PSQCA scheme (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Regardless of this data, it is unquestioned that Nestlà © controls the majority of the market (over 50 percent) with its brands ‘Pure Life, AVA and Fontalia, while Danones subsidy 22 â€Å"Sparkletts† holds 12 percent and another local brand â€Å"BSW† has an estimated five percent market share (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 2.8 Bottled water consumption: a certain way of life Some consumers choose to only drink bottled water; we can identify several reasons for drinking bottled water. 2.8.1. Consumers care for their health and safety Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also look for security, in emerging as well as in industrialized countries. They often mistrust their tap water, because of previous bacterial contamination for instance, and perceive bottled water as being safer than tap water. In India, the suspicion of bad tap water quality, in addition to general and seasonal shortages of tap water, lead people to turn to bottled water. In Pakistan, only t Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Preface â€Å"Leaders arent born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And thats the price well have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal† Vincent Lombardi All the knowledge learning and procedures are useless without observations and practical experience. The purpose of this research is to acquaint the business graduate with empirical business practices. As a requirement for Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, I opted to conduct my research on â€Å"Consumer Preferences of Bottled water†, to fulfill my degree requirement. The reason for choosing bottled water was to get practical knowledge about consumer behaviour, so as to provide myself an opportunity to cope with the real life situation. This research covers the aspect about consumers preferences regarding usage of a certain brand of bottled water. The research focuses on the fact that why a consumer uses a specific brand of bottled water. Is it taste, health consciousness, fashion or any other aesthetic factor that makes a consumers use a specific brand of bottled water. The main idea for this research came from the observation, that why a consumer is using only a specific brand of bottled water, regardless of the fact that all the bottled water brands are providing â€Å"pure and clean† water. I felt that the knowledge that I have gained through this experience is an excellent way to think analytically for finding solutions to problems of day-to-day life. The study of consumer behavior and their preferences itself is a massive study comprising of different factors involved. It is impossible to study each one in detail and include everything in the report. However, I studied the consumer behaviour from preferences point of view. I am thankful to all my colleagues and higher ups for their valuable guidance in preparing this report in a presentable fashion. I am also thankful to my parents, teachers and all my friends for their cooperation. â€Å"MEASURING CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER† CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study: Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also drink bottled water because they care for their health. In Europe, there is a long tradition, dating back to Roman times, of spas and of drinking mineral waters for medical purposes. In the 19th century, this activity developed with the fashion for upper classes to go to spas in order to improve their health. Spas owners werent long in understanding that they could increase the wellness of their customers and their own benefits â‚ ¬Ã‚  directly supplying them their water in bottles. Until the 1950s, mineral water was sold in drugstores as a health product. It has now become an everyday product. Natural mineral water, now sold in supermarket, doesnt carry along anymore this medical image. People now buy bottled water to feel well, responding to advertising campaigns based on well-being, energy, slimming, fitness etc. Bottled water is a healthy alternative to other beverages. It is calorie-free and attractive for people willing to lose weight: â€Å"one of the sparks that ignited the bottled water fire was the fitness craze that skyrocketed in the early 1980† (Sullivan, 1996). Increasing urbanization can also explain this trend for bottled water consumption. In Increasing standards of living and greater use of cars enabled people to buy water in supermarkets and to bring home higher number of bottled water, without difficulty. The use of plastic makes bottles lighter and easier to carry than when they were made of glass. The expansion of shopping centers, outside city-centers, provides consumers with a greater choice in bottled water brands. The explosion of bottled water consumption also reflects deep changes in working habits in industrialized countries, with the decline of the agriculture and industry sectors. In these countries, most people have office works and the bottle of water is now a common element on a desk, next to the computer and the telephone. Drinking expensive bottled water (compared to tap water) is a sign of a rise in the social scale. In addition, bottled water is the result of a huge marketing success. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks. Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million liters of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million liters or 0.5 liters per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has witnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140%. Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 liters per person bottled water. Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 1.2 Purpose of the Study: This report/study is meant to: Understand what factors are influencing the consumer preferences to make them purchase different brands of bottled water. Identifying that what are the factors which affect the purchase of a specific bottled water brand. 1.3 Research Questions: 1. What do people expect from their water utility in the context of drinking water services? 2. What are consumers priorities? 3. What do customers consider acceptable in terms of the product and the service they receive? 4. What are they willing to accept for the current price they pay? 5. Why do people prefer to use a specific bottled water brand in terms of their priorities? 1.4 Scope of the Work: Scope of this report is limited to businessmen, professionals and students of Peshawar and Islamabad who are well users of bottled water. 1.5 Limitations of the Study: Expected limitations of this research can be: * Unavailability or Lack of data * Response from people * Limited time * Resource constraint 1.6 Research Methodology: The methodologies used for the research are as follows: 1.6.1.: Sample Unit: The respondents selected were belonging to different social backgrounds and different professions. 1.6.2: Sample Population: The study was conducted in Peshawar and Islamabad only. 1.6.3: Sample Size: A total sample size of 100 respondents was fixed for the research. 1.6.4: Sampling Procedure: Because of the limitations, convenient sampling has been selected, as the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non probability method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a random sample. The sampling was on the basis of Judgemental Sampling i.e. Non-Probability Sampling Method was used. 1.6.2: DATA COLLECTION: Both primary and secondary methods of data collection are used in the study. 1.6.2.1: Primary Data: The data-collecting tool for primary data was the questionnaire. The questionnaires were compromised of questions about personal preferences of the respondents along with questions on the subject of study. The questions used likert scale and category scale. This enabled the respondents to answer questions by marking most suitable answers. 1.6.2.2: Secondary Data: The most important source of secondary data for the study was articles from different websites and previous researches done on internet. Also different books and some related articles in different magazines and journal of marketing served as a source of secondary data. 1.7 Scheme of the Report: The report will comprise of following sections: Chapter 01: Introduction Chapter 02: Literature Review Chapter 03: Consumer Trust, Confidence and Customer Preferences for Drinking Water Chapter 04: Analysis and Findings Chapter 05: Conclusion and Recommendations CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is manifested in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the population without access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, up to 90 percent of the population may lack such access. As one indication of the magnitude of the problem, it is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Drinking bottled water reflects not just a certain way of life in the rich North but a necessity and the only option for safe water in the South. Beside official s, there should be no doubt that the majority of the Pakistans population is exposed to the hazard of drinking unsafe and polluted water. In an effort to improve this situation, many consumers in Pakistan have to turn to bottled water as a first alternative to drinking unfiltered tap water or contaminated water of other sources where no public drinking water service exists (GOP, Pakistan Environment Pro tection Agency, 2003). However, bottled water is a very expensive alternative and not always healthy because of infrequent testing for contaminants and sporadic inspection of processing plants. Bottled water should not be considered as a substitute to a sufficient service with drinkable tap water, but it is due to lack of access to water services or to bad quality of available resources (WHO, 2000). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is considered as one of the most dynamic sectors of all the food and beverage industry, where consumption in the world increases by an average 12% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water (UNESCO, 2003). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. This research report aims to provide background information on bottled water, the use of bottled water in order to understand the reasons of a trend that goes beyond a simple fashion and turns to be a real social phenomenon. It will first identify existing types of bottled water: although they seem very much alike, bottles of water dont contain the same product. The increase in bottled water consumption has boosted the bottled water industry and market trends show very promising perspectives for the future. This report will then identify the major reasons why consumers choose to buy speci fic expensive bottled water rather than drink tap water. It will finally analyze the impact this industry has on the environment. 2.2 Water Global Trends and Pakistans Struggle Water is essential for human beings to survive and develop. At the same time, water is a scarce good, and shortage sometimes results in crises. Both facts lead to the simple conclusion that lack of water hinders development and a dignified life. This can be assessed from global trends, as well as from Pakistans national and local struggles for better access for people to safe and sufficient drinking water. 2.3 Water A Global but Scarce Good According to s published by the United Nations, subsidiary organizations and other international organizations, 1.1bn people are without a sufficient access to water, and 2.4bn people have to live without adequate sanitation. Under current trends, the prognosis is that about 3bn people of a population of 8.5bn will suffer from water shortage by 2025. 83% of them will live in developing countries, mostly in rural areas where even today sometimes only 20% of the population have access to a sufficient water supply (Guissà ©, El Hadji, 2004). This actual lack of water is opposed to the theoretical conclusion that there is enough ground water existing in all regions of the world to guarantee an adequate water supply for all people. According to international law, in the case of concurring water users, the socio-economic priorities have to rest on human development and social interests of the people (UN, 1997). However, only 6% of global freshwater is used by households, while 20% is util ized industry and another 70% by agriculture. The conclusion drawn from these framework conditions is that water shortage and the unequal distribution of water are global problems rather than regional problems that require international solutions. Insufficient supply of drinking water is the main cause of diseases in developing countries. Already in 1997, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development concluded that 2.3bn people suffer from diseases rooted in insufficient water provision and quality (UN, 1997). More than five years later, it was estimated that 2.4bn people were suffering from water related diseases, and the World Health Organization reckons that 80% of all infections are traceable to poor water conditions. 5,483 people die daily of water caused diarrhoea 90 percent are children under five. Taking into account all water related diseases and deaths, international organizations estimated in 2001 that 2,213,000 people died because of inadequate water supply ten times more than the tsunami disaster caused in December 2004 (UNESCO, 2003). 2.4 Poverty and Access to Water in Pakistan It is acknowledged that lacking safe and sufficient drinking water as with other basic needs such as food, shelter and education is not a geographical but social problem. Being poor or rich is mainly decided by birth, and poverty perpetuates itself from generation to generation. Development strategies should be judged by their effort to break through this vicious cycle. Single indicators, such as literacy rates or households with access to water, are a litmus test for such an assessment. 2.4.1 Access to Water in Pakistan Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, whose aim is to enable its Muslim majority â€Å"to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah† (Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973). Water is recognized in Islamic teachings as a vital resource, of which everyone has the right to a fair share. Following the Hadith, it is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: â€Å"Muslims have common share in three (things): grass, water and fire† (Abu-Dawood 3470). Furthermore, the Holy Quran warns human beings against unfair distribution of common goods and the majority of scholars agree that Islam forbids speculation, manipulation and unbalance profit with a common good such as water (Faruqui, Naser I, 2001). In 1995, UNDP counted Pakistan as country having among the highest water potential per person out of 130 countries that should dramatically improve its water situation to overcome the current crisis and prevent future ones (IRIN, 2001). Obviously, Pakistan failed to make any improvement. In 2003, the United Nations dropped Pakistans ranking, because its total renewable water resources per capita per year have been estimated as 114th out of 180 countries (UN, 2003). Only three percent of Pakistans sweet water resources are used for household purposes and drinking (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Water and Power, 2002). Therefore the debate about access to water in Pakistan is dominated by irrigation disputes, mega-projects of dams and canals, and climate change. The focus is on water for agriculture rather than for people (UNDP, 2003). This production oriented perspective continues in the debate about groundwater use and extraction. It is estimated that surface water meets only 75-80 percent of crop water requirements. As a result, groundwater is merely seen as a reserve water source for irrigation and food production, as well as the maj or factor for the growth of agricultural production in the late 20th century (World Bank, 1996). With regard to the availability of safe and sufficient drinking water, Pakistan lacks reliable statistics. While data about the availability of water and field studies about water quality exist, there is no sufficient data that take both into account. Official data about the access to drinking water vary between 60 and 90 percent of households. In rural areas where a decline of households with access to water is documented s about availability differ between 10 and 53 percent. Differences in these statistics mainly emerge from the inclusion or exclusion of households that rely on privately owned wells and supply systems (Pakistan Mouza Report, 1998). In addition, having access to water in Pakistan is not similar with having access to safe and sufficient water supply. Pakistans water quality ranks as 80th out of 122 nations. Pipe water in Pakistan is contaminated either because of leakages with all sorts of bacteria or due to geological conditions and insufficient purification, with abnormally high levels of arsenic and elevated fluoride (IRIN, OCHA, 2004). Water, extracted by hand pumps the major water source in rural areas is mainly brackish water and not sufficient for drinking and cooking. The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) estimate that almost 50 percent of urban water supply is insufficient for drinking and personal use (GOP, Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources, 2004). According to a research which took data about availability and quality into relation and concluded that an average of 25.61 percent of Pakistans 159 million inhabitants has access to safe and sufficient drinking water ( Nils Rosemann, 2005). This calculation shows that in rural areas only 23.5 percent and in urban areas approximately 30 percent can use their source of water without jeopardizing their health. These findings come close to a conclusion by independent experts who predicted that already in 2001, with prevailing consumption rates and a population growth of 4 million people per year, one out of three people in Pakistan would face critical shortages of water, threatening their very survival. The Government of Pakistan estimated with regard to diarrhoea that this mainly water related disease accounts for 14 percent of illnesses for children under five and for seven percent of all disease in people age five and older (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, 2004). The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) assesses that 40 percent of all reported illnesses are water-related. It is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoea l diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Unsafe water affects mainly rural and urban poor, who suffer above the average from sickness and water related diseases. (GOP, Pakistan National Human Development Report, 2003). 2.5 About Bottled Water The term bottled water seems to tell that any bottle containing water, however there are important differences: all bottles dont contain the same product. There is very little in common between natural mineral water and purified water, as the chemical compositions or the treatments these waters can undergo respond to very different criteria that can change from one country to another. In some cases bottled water is merely bottled tap water. 2.5.1 Industry Definitions Several terms are commonly used to describe the products of the bottled water industry, including some of the following: * Artesian water bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. * Fluoridated Water often used as a health focused drink for growing children, it contains fluorine within permissible limits. * Ground water obtained from underground sources, pumped out using pressure that is equal to or more then atmospheric pressure. * Mineral water An extremely specific product that must meet certain criteria. Defined as water with at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. The source of water is either ground water or a spring. * Purified water or drinking water is water taken from rivers, lakes or underground springs that has undergone some form of treatment. It can be produced by â€Å"distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes. It can be chemically treated in order to have some components disappear. It is basically de-mineralized water from public sources. Purified water is actually a manufactured product. * Sparkling water water injected with carbon dioxide * Spring water water obtained from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earths surface. * Sterile water water that meets the requirements specified under government or other sterility tests. * Well water water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer. (IBWA, 2000) If these waters contain the minimum required mineral content according to US standards, they can be called â€Å"mineral waters†. So many different categories of bottled water, changing from one country to another, are not easy for consumers to differentiate. 2.5.2 What is Distilled Water? Distillation is a process that leaves water free of minerals. Distilled water has been brought up to a boiling temperature. The steam is captured and is cooled, which condenses it back into a liquid form. When the water turns to steam, anything heavier than water (like minerals, or unwanted organic matter) is left behind. Thus, distilled water only contains water. Distilled water is good to use in appliances such as coffee makers because since it contains no minerals it does not leave behind lime scale. 2.5.3 Packaging Packaging used for water can have very different shapes and colours and are made of different materials. For a long time, bottled water was only available in glass, a very good but heavy material. At the end of the 1960s, bottlers started to use packaging made of PVC (vinyl polychlorure). In the 1980s, a new kind of plastic started being used: PET (polyethylene terephtalate). PET is progressively replacing PVC because of its numerous advantages. Plastic, either PVC or PET, is the most frequently used material to make bottles of water; about 70% of the bottles used for natural mineral water are made of plastic. Bottles usually contain 33cl, 50cl, 1 litre, 1.5 litre, 2 litres or 5 litres. The biggest packaging for bottled water is a 5-gallon carboy (about 20 litres). Packaging is an essential part of bottled water marketing strategies. â€Å"The packaging makes the brand. The brand makes the packaging. A product must have visibility to sell its presentation refers to notions such as service, security, hygiene† (Miquel, 1999). In some cases, such as Kinley, it is even possible to recognize the brand of the bottled water thanks to the shape and colour of its packaging. Some brands have reshaped their bottles in order to make them look like the marketing message they are supposed to carry. Many bottles, for instance, now high mountains not only on the labels but also on the plastic itself. The packaging is an important part of the bottled water marketing success. All types of bottles coexist and are regularly reshaped in order to better catch consumers attention. Marketing and advertising campaigns are essential to differentiate the product and attract consumers. Brands tend to associate with specific activities: sport, fitness, slimming, fashion, etc. For the last 50 years, Evian has been the water of babies, emphasizing that its low mineral concentration is suitable for them. The brands marketing strategy capitalizes on infants, from the pink colour of its labels to advertising campaigns. 2.6 Bottled water market trends and Planets Health The world bottled water market amounts to an annual volume of 89 billion litres, which represents an average 15 litres of bottled water drunk yearly per person (Danone, 2000). Western Europeans are the major consumers, drinking nearly half of all the world bottled water, with an average of 85 litres/person/year (Sollberger, 1994). In United States, 54% of Americans regularly drink bottled water (Olson, 1999). More than half (59%) of the bottled water drunk in the world is purified water, the remaining 41% being spring or mineral water (Belot, 2000). Bottled water is an extremely competitive market; hence companies need to develop diverse marketing strategies. But according to campaigners, the planets health may be suffering as a result. A new report warns that peoples thirst for bottled water is producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. The report, released by the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), says global consumption of bottled water doubled between 1999 and 2004, reaching 41 billion gallons (154 billion liters) annually. 2.7 Bottled Water Market in Pakistan Before focusing on Pakistan in particular, one should note that bottled water consumption has generally grown around the world in the past 30 years, despite its high price compared to tap water. Lured by the potential for huge profits, multinational companies have been trying to create an international market for bottled water. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks (Pakistan Investors Guide, 2004). Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. Water supply and prices for drinking water and bottled water are not considered under the items in the Sensitive Price Indicator, Consumer Price Index or Wholesale Price Index. From this perspective; it is obvious that Pakistan has low consumption of bottled water. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million litres of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million litres or 0.5 litres per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has wi tnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140% (The Bottled Water Industry of Pakistan, 2004). Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 litres per person bottled water (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Compared with Thailands 43 litres and Philippines 15 litres per capita consumption, this seems relatively low. But taking Pakistans population into account, one has to estimate an annual consumption of 318 million litres. While, sufficient s are not available to prove this 964 percent consumption increase in five years, one is able to conclude that Pakistan is a highly dynamic and lucrative market. Market expectations are as high in the retail market of bottled water as in the household and operations sector for bulk water. Besides these market expectations, the production of bottled water is also considered quite profitable. It is estimated that a bottle of 1.5 litres has production costs of PKR 12.51 while it is sold for PKR 22 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). The profit is shared between producing corporations, with PKR 0.66-0.83, and middleman, with PKR 6.66-7.08. By this standard, the producing corporation makes a profit of 4-5 percent while the middleman makes a profit of 27-30.55 percent. In Pakistans water market, there are approximately 20 permanent players. Official s show an estimated number of 26 corporations, while in summer time, this number increases up to 70 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). But from the perspective of quality control, PCRWR is witnessing a fluctuation in the market of 50 percent, e.g. half of the brands disappear and are replaced by new brands yearly (PCRWR, 2003). In 2005, PSQCA admitted that 200 companies are selling bottled water in Pakistan, but only 27 are registered as maintaining standards stipulated for the product (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Nestlà © itself estimates approximately 150 water brands, with only 15 registered under the PSQCA scheme (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Regardless of this data, it is unquestioned that Nestlà © controls the majority of the market (over 50 percent) with its brands ‘Pure Life, AVA and Fontalia, while Danones subsidy 22 â€Å"Sparkletts† holds 12 percent and another local brand â€Å"BSW† has an estimated five percent market share (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 2.8 Bottled water consumption: a certain way of life Some consumers choose to only drink bottled water; we can identify several reasons for drinking bottled water. 2.8.1. Consumers care for their health and safety Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also look for security, in emerging as well as in industrialized countries. They often mistrust their tap water, because of previous bacterial contamination for instance, and perceive bottled water as being safer than tap water. In India, the suspicion of bad tap water quality, in addition to general and seasonal shortages of tap water, lead people to turn to bottled water. In Pakistan, only t