Introduction:

Project management is the application of skills, knowledge, tools, and techniques to the activities of the project to meet the requirements of the project. PMBOK Guide defines project management as the integration and application of all the concepts required to complete a project. A project is covered in four different stages encompassinginitiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling, and closing (Gray et al., 2008).

To handle a project is not feasible all the time. Most of the projects are produced, and only part of them get flourished. This thing happened because of multiple reasons depending on the complication and convolution of the project; it may face more or less failure possibility. Sometimes projects are led to delivered but not in a given schedule because of exceptionally exceed the given budget or with specific attributes that are not mostly respected. A well-managed and successful project has many key attributes. First, to understand the importance of project management, it is essential to know the fundamental nature of the project; the primary attributes of a successful project management process; how to evaluate the success, the key roles, activities, and responsibilities of the project manager and the efforts required to perform the tasks; and the surrounding where projects are being performed (Conboy, 2010).

These procedures handle the inputs to deliver outputs from specific activities; the core of project management depends on the continuation of inputs to outputs, and it needs repetition and integration. For example, a viability report could be the input to sketch episode; and the output of a sketch episode could be a set of intentions and specifications. This continuation needs project management efforts, competitiveness, expertise, and techniques including change control, incident development, and risk management.

Figure 1: Project Management

This research proposal focuses on the details of the research project. It starts with the introduction of the project management and the subject of the research of the paper. The proposal analyses the literature on the subject and reviews the concepts proposed by other researchers. The research proposal continues with the description of the research methodology covering the philosophy and approach. It also describes the sampling techniques along with the ethical issues involved in the study. The research proposal presents the significance of the research objectives and implementation timetable. The research proposal concludes with the evaluation of the plan.

Literature Review:

Any project or organization can experience project failure. It can occur due to an unlimited number of reasons. Most of the time failure is beyond the control of project manager and team members. However, failure can be managed in some cases. There are always some common factors between failed projects and people who fail them. In any case, generally quick solutions are advised to resolve failure into some success. However, it can also result is disastrous side effects. Many authors collaborated and did a survey that involved people from all over the world, working at project manager levels. The survey asked questions by using multiple key performance factors (Reich and Wee, 2006).

Mostly, it involved everything related to project failure. As a result, 43% of people confirmed lack of proper communication is the leading cause of failure, 42% thought project processing failure lead to failure, and 32% described incompetent workers are the cause of failure. When results if the above survey was compared to another survey on the web managed by Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) that involved more than 1000 persons, 28% confirmed poor communication as the leading cause of failure in any project. Plus, 18% described poor resource management as the most significant cause of failure in any project (Brown, 2007). As the research is focused on the identification and assessment of the project failures, different reasons for the failure of the project

Vision and goal

Every project has a clear-cut vision that is in written form somewhere. However, persons rarely use it for solid guidelines when it comes to strategic decision goal (Stoica, and Brouse (2013) explained that without understanding why, the project needs to deliver results that are desired for the goals of an organization. It means total failure towards the end goal. The absence of coordination between simultaneously running projects leads to the internal conflict of interest within the organization (Stoica, and Brouse, 2013).

Governance and leadership

The failure to build a governance structure that is right for the requirement of the project. It is a classic mistake. The researchers concluded that getting a sponsor who does not own the project entirely and consider everything is the responsibility of the project manager in order to achieve success. The failure to oversee the project at the right levels. For example, too much micro-management puts down the morale of the team, along with destroying focus on the purpose (Kokko, Kotoglou, and Krohwinkel-Karlsson, 2003).

Stakeholder engagement issues

Stakeholders are all the persons involved in the project. It includes customers, investors, project managers and controllers. The failure of the project can be the result of the failure to inform the stakeholder on the project properly in all issues. It can also be due to the failure to consider the narrative of stakeholders and compromising the interest of stakeholders in each step. Taking decisions and solutions without authorization from all stakeholders. It ensures giving permission to one group of stakeholders to take over the project and neglecting interests of the minor stakeholders. Failure to apply and implement change management, along with inappropriate transitioning of stakeholders between old methods and new ways due to the need for the project. Researchers have discussed that failure to communicate effectively with every person involved in the project, whether individuals or groups(Horn, Schiele, and Werner, 2013).

Team issues

There can be issues within the team as well which can lead to failure of the project. Many researchers have explained that lack of expertise on the subject matter of the project. Other factors include failure to train the team properly and effectively, absence of feedback process, failure to implement the dynamics of the project by the project manager, demotivating the team with specific activities, and overburdening the team with tasks simultaneously.

Estimation

In project management, estimation is crucial. Wrong estimation of workers and neglecting productive team members.Over shining the project by arbitrarily cutting estimates in order to look impressive. Estimating big tickets and neglecting smaller activities because of visibility. It has been observed that estimating without proper data from previous projects and failure to establish a plan to cover unknown factors. Sometimes making assumptions about new tools or systems that will suddenly improve the overall performance.

Planning

In several projects, failure to think properly in planning leads to defective execution and not considering all complexities of the project. Executing work under unnecessary pressure due to incompetency. Welsh (2000) concluded that making assumptions about productive performance and neglecting non-productive time. Failure to know the customer’s expectations can also lead to the failure of the project. Considering project managers has the sole responsibility for planning and failure to convert the master plan into small manageable tasks can cause the projects to fail. In addition to all this, failure to consider cultural change activities as a component of the project, failure to ensure user training and putting the product into the market environment and failure to allocate proper training time in the plan can also cause problems in project management. Moreover, handling change requests without considering the budget and schedulecan overrun the project (Welsh, 2001).

Risk management

Risk management is crucial. It protects from many problems. Failure to understand and forecast potential problems.Considering risk management separately from the project and not considering it as the component of the project.Confusing risk, problems, and issues in the project and neglecting risk management as a team effort can cause project failure.

Configuration and information management

Failure to administrate all versions of a document and confusing problems that impact the project’s progress.Failure to deploy the right tools in information handling and leaving important information behind (Welsh, 2001).
Quality
In more than half of the project failure case studies, failure to discuss and finalize quality requirements and allowing people to standardize different requirements at the same time causes failure of project. Failure to accumulate project’s performance indicators, such as reviews, tests, and checkpoints. So, these can verify the quality.
Reviewing documents and design material with just grammar and spelling, and neglecting the quality of the subject matter.Considering quality as a matter of testing and compromising working culture.Researchers discussed that evaluating the product with inappropriate tests under a totally different environment that is not the right operational environment(Elmquist, and Le Masson, 2009).

Project tracking and management

Considering budget and schedule as the main driver of the project, along with compromise on quality to get immediate results, whether it justifies the effort or not. Evaluating and tracking the project with large and visible deliverables and ignoring the process of small increments. Failure to judge and administrate small vendors and sub-contractors on a daily basis. Lauermann (2016) described that assuming that team has delivered all things for the project and neglecting revisions and assuming that a worker will remember all the intricate details and perform as directed before the project.

It leads to mismanagement because workers forget often

Decision-making problems

Lauermann (2016) concluded that allowing inexperienced people who do not have subject matter expertise to take important and critical decisions.Ignoring or soliciting expert’s advice while making key decisions for the project.Not understanding the situation while making key decisions.Failure to act for a longer period and not perform closure to critical decisions in a regular manner(Lauermann, 2016).

Research Aims/Objectives

The research study focuses on two different case studies. The research study aims to:
⦁ Analyze the effectiveness of the factors on the success of the project
⦁ Evaluate the different factors leading to the failure of the project

Research Methodology

The contextual analysis research, from the past reports investigations, allows the investigation and understanding of the major issues. It very well may be looked like a powerful technique to research most probably when an all-encompassing examination from top to bottom is need of hour. In most of the sociologies examines, it is perceived as a device. When there are issues concerning instruction then the job of contextual analysis technique in research turns out to be more evident. There are different research methodologies that contribute to the data collection as per the research objectives in a study.

The main types of research methodologies are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed research methodology. In qualitative research methodology, the focus is on the analysis of the non-numerical data. Many methods are used to collect data in qualitative research methodology such as interviews, observations, case study and focus groups. On the other hand, quantitative research methodology focuses on the collection and analysis of numerical data. It involves data collection via polls, surveys, questionnaire, or experiments. The third type of research methodology is the mixed. It involves combination of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

The choice of the research methodology depends on the nature of the research study and the type of the intended results. The current research study utilizes case study as the methodology of choice. Researchers can choose one individual case, or they can receive numerous case studies based on the problems being consulted. Where there are not many different issues accessible for replication then the single-case structure could be embraced by researchers. In this research study, the multiple-case study will be selected. The objective is the determination of the factors causing the failure of the project, it is essential to gain a different perspective.

Two different case studies are chosen for the research paper. The first case is the project failure of British petroleum. In the present ever-changing and dynamic situation, it is important to acquire and execute the latest strategies to essentially survive in a rapidly changing environment. In this scenario, we look and examine the circumstances of British Petroleum (BP) Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico located in the United States of America

. This Oil Spill shows a situation which not only censorious but also innovatory for any oil company in the globe. In the present era, this accident of deep Oil Spill was one of the worst and great disasters ever fetch. In such kind of situation, each company should have to take exceptional, wise, and extremely powerful strategic management decisions and the techniques that how to execute those plans (Kerzner, 2014).

In 1909 the British Petroleum founded as the Anglo-Persian oil and gas company in London England, United Kingdom. It ranked in the sixth position as the largest oil and gas company and the fifth position as the largest company by annual revenue. The major field operation of this company is exploration, production, refining, distribution, and retailing of the hydrocarbon material. BP operates in more than 80 countries across the globe having 80,000 plus employees.

The largest division of this company operating in America known as BP America and it is the second-largest oil and gas production company in the United States. It has around 22400 service terminals which selling about 5.9 million barrels each day. It considered as one of the top-notch oil and gas company which heavily invested in the formulation and execution of the latest exploration technology to invent petrochemical present under the earth surface. The other case study is based on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ failed project (Roger et al., 2004).

In this, the classic example of the failure of the project happened. “Companies face numerous situations during the process of change which leads to anxiety and ambiguity. In order to become a prosperous organization, it is imperative for the companies to incorporate upgraded technologies for producing goods, innovative products to be introduced which are anticipated by the market, modern methods of administration must be executed along with improvement in the expertise of the workers” (Abbasi, et al., 2014).

Research Philosophy

Research philosophy is a view as the manner through which background history about a question is collected, analyzed, and implemented. The epistemology term (what is considered to be valid) in place of song (what is thought to be valid) includes the different ways of thinking of approach which is used in research. At that point ,the reason for science is the way of changing one’s thought and perspective toward the things that are already known such as Doxa to episteme. The main two significant research ways of reasoning have been distinguished to be specific positivist (here and there called logical) and interpretivist (otherwise called ant positivist in the Western convention of science.

Sampling (Population profile, sampling theories, and sampling size)

Research studies are subjective and do not buy into the quantitative shows of sampling. It is called purposive sampling, where the sources are picked for having the option to give information that are generally important. Contextual investigation includes close assessment of information inside an exact setting. Normally, a contextual analysis chooses a limited number of masses as the subjects of study with point by point logical investigation of the information gathered on this number and their connections. In this research study, random sampling is done with a few inclusion criteria points. This inclusion criterion includes the existence of a project, failure of the project, and valuable lessons learned. The chosen case studies belong to famous companies and had huge impact. This increases the significance of the study.

Ethical Issues

Ethical considerations play a significant role in each research strategy which includes human subjects however they take on the involvement of centrality in an event that concentrates on research where researchers work intimately on daily basis with research members over some not defined time frame and as often as possible in the personal mode and up close (where the bond between the researcher-member is considered as a most important point in the research consequences). In case study research, there is assembling of a lot of profoundly point by point information on every case, for example, an account request may bring about long; or, a contextual analysis may collect a nitty gritty record of a particular social program; or, individual stories related with an incessant sickness. The chance of incidentally disclosing the personalities and character of the members (without their consent) runs high except if safety measures are taken under considerations in such sorts of studies.

Significance

The significance of reliable and effective project planning is undeniable. It is essential to pay special attention to the causes of failure in project management. The need for the identification and assessment of the causes of failure of a project gives an insight into the world of project management. The need for a deep understanding of the factors of successful projects is essential. However, to avoid mistakes, it is crucial to go for lessons learned. Every project in the project management domain focuses on lessons learned. Failed projects have more to offer as compared to successful projects in terms of learned lessons. Therefore, this research study is significant. Because it allows an in-depth analysis of two different failed projects. It will highlight the causes and solutions for future project managers and researchers. The research study will have theoretical as well as practical implications.

Deliverables

Deliverables are the activities or tasks which are assigned by the project manager. These tasks should be completed within a given amount of time (Woodford, Chow, and Lambe, 2014). Each deliverable marks a milestone. In a research project like this, the first deliverable can be the submission of the research proposal. After submission and approval of the research proposal, the next deliverable is the submission of the literature review and methodology. After the submission of the literature review and proposed methodology analysis will be started after the collection of data, the deliverable will be chapter 4, which will comprise of the results of the research paper. The last deliverable will be the complete research paper as per the requirements. It is essential to keep the task within the provided time and cost limits.

Required Resources

Research resources are generally thought of two types which include primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources, which are mostly composed by an onlooker or unique abstract or imaginative works, can be firsthand records of specific occasions. They might be unanalyzed measurable information, letters, official records, interviews, or review results. These resources comprise data and information which is yet not purified, the first showstopper or quick impressions. Primary data resources are easily available. They are clear and coherent (Rabianski, 2003).

However, Secondary resources, usually are amalgamations, investigations, conversations, and assessments of the data which is driven by primary-and secondary means. In the case study research methodology, there is the use of information from both the primary and secondary resources. It will focus on the information from the company’s websites as well from the analysis of different researchers in literature. All through scholastic vocation, researcher do not uncertainty use both primary as well as secondary sources. When both the resources are used together, it is merely because of the need for the research study (Hox, and Boeije, 2005).

The use of respective resources can provide sufficient information on the research subject. The main sources of information in the current case are the company websites and official analysis of the projects. It will also include the resources from the literature review.

Implementation Timetable (Gantt-like chart)

Gantt chart allows the visualization of the list of activities and the respective timeline (Maylor, 2001). The following Gantt chart depicts the completion of the research paper within ten weeks after the approval of the research proposal. The tasks are listed in the left column, while the time required for each activity is colored in the other sections.
Task/Weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Preparation of literature review
Analysis of the case study and data collection
Data alignment and analysis
Data analysis and write-up
Results and conclusion
Compilation of the research paper
Submission of the paper

Evaluation of The Individual Research Plan

Team Issues

Experts feel that there is lack of proper knowledge in this team issue. Most team leads and managers aren’t aware on how to train their team properly and in an effective manner. Also, the major drawback is the lack of feedback process that hampers the team interaction.

Most of the managers never think of employing the dynamics of project and some even indulge in demotivating their team members for certain jobs they do rather than encouraging them. Plus some of the managers and team leads never provide proper training and overburden their team in task that are too complicated. There were instances where experts saw that even though the project was late, the team leads put additional stress on their team members, just to show off their authority.

Estimation

The biggest mistake that managers do is the incorrect estimation of workers’ talent and their work experience. Also, most experts feel that managers and team lead often neglect those team members who are productive and have the necessary skills for doing the required job. Many of the managers in order to impress the higher authority initiate budget-cuts without doing a proper analysis.

Some managers go for big tickets and try to solve them rather than spending a small amount of time in resolving smaller issues due to the lack of proper vision. Most importantly, they never check into the estimates, data, etc from the previous project to make the necessary changes in the current project. These so called experienced managers fail to create and develop a plan that covers unknown factors. In addition, they assume that new tools and techniques will improve the whole performance without checking out or doing any kind of research on it.

Planning

It is a common knowledge that planning plays a major role in the execution of a project. Experts feel that the failure of a projects often occurs during the planning stage when a proper plan is not devised, thereby leading to a bad execution of the project. The managers or the planning in-charge never take into account the complexities present in the project.

The lack of incompetency is so great that these managers make their employees to do work under unnecessary pressure. Of course, there are certain managers who proudly boast of productive performance but never take time in analyzing the failures due to the unproductive issues. Lot of these team leaders and managers don’t have the necessary skills in grasping the requirements of customers.

Frankly, it the project manager that is incharge of the planning and he or she is the one that fails to convert the master plan into tiny manageable task for easy completion. Nowadays, the project managers contribute to an increase in schedule suicide which often occurs when they commit their team members to a particular schedule without taking into consideration whether it can be achieved or not.

Decision Making Issues

Various experts declared that the decision making issues are often caused when inexperienced individuals are assigned to take part in critical and important decision, even though they don’t have the subject matter expertise. Also, they never take into account if any of their team members provide expert advice in the decision making. Either they ignore it or never pay heed to it.

Another major issue in the failure of proper decision making which experts feel, is not understanding the situation while making the decision. Some of the project managers end up in delaying in taking decisions for critical situations and they never think of placing closure to any of the important decisions in a proper manner. (Lauermann, 2016).

Vision And Goal

According to Stocia and Brouse 2013, each project has a clear cut vision and this is recorded somewhere. When it comes to making strategic decision making, individuals rarely use it for getting solid guidelines.

Experts declare that Stocia and Brouse, 2013 clearly state that without understanding the necessity of the projects, it should deliver results that are desired as the goal of the organization. Here this would be a huge failure to the whole goal of the organization. The lack of coordination among projects leads to huge internal conflicts of interest among various organizations.

Project Tracking And Management

Experts feel that most of the project managers take into account the budget and schedule as the major force for driving the project. They end up compromising on the quality of the project to gain faster results, irrespective of whether it justifies the efforts or not.

In addition, experts declare that project managers and team lead make the biggest blunder of evaluating and tracking projects using large and visible deliverables and in turn ignoring the small increments in the process. Also, project managers fail to administrate and judge small sub-contractors and vendors on daily basis. Managers assume that team have provided all the required deliverables without doing any revision on them or even checking them.
They feel that team members will remember the various intricate details and do as directed as per the reviews of the previous project. Ultimately, experts clearly feel that this leads to mismanagement as workers often forget on how to work properly.

The main agenda of this research proposal is about evaluating the different factors leading to the failure of the project and examine the effectiveness of the factors on the success of the project. Carefully analyzing the problem or doing a detailed case study on the given problem provides us the best solutions, a way to prove lies and truths, and enhance our knowledge.

There are a number choices of the research methodology and depend on the use of the research study. I have chosen the case study as a methodology of choice and there are many reasons for it. I prefer it because it uses a number of different research methodologies and it can be done remotely. It is inexpensive and accessible to the researcher. Further, the case study method involves simply studying the case and observing what happens to, and assessment of the case history as in our case, Analysis of Causes of Failure in XYZ Project. We have two different case studies are chosen for the research paper. The first case is the project failure of British petroleum. The other case study is based on the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ failed project.

On the other side, some hurdles, such as influence factors within data, it takes longer to analyze the data and it can be an inefficient process. The case study method advantage and drawbacks offer a look at the effectiveness of the research topic. As with the right skill set, it can be proven the most effective method in research methodology, and without the right skill set, this method of research seems inaccurate and inefficient.

Ethical considerations play a significant role in each research strategy. they take on the involvement of centrality in an event that concentrates research where researchers work intimately on daily basis with research members over some not defined time frame and as often as possible in the personal mode and up close. Further considering the ethics of studies, the interaction between researchers and participants can be ethically challenging as they are personally involved in different stages of the study. Ethical issues are considered during the formulation of the evaluation plan such as Confidentiality Informed consent, Anonymity, Voluntary participation. Informed consent is participating in the evaluation is fully informed about the evaluation being conducted and aware of the purpose of the projects. As voluntary participation ethics, I have no one with me who helps me as a voluntary participant. In do no harm ethics, sometimes psychological harms such as stress and anxiety can be faced. In confidential issues, I couldn’t find any profound information available.

A little about timeline and budget, it usually depends on the length of the research thesis, this projects are approximately about ten weeks, and there is no specific budget fix yet. I am very interested in the topics and eager to perform research on it, with my deep understanding of the specific topic “Analysis of Causes of Failure in Project” I would do a profound research and show you the better analysis of causes of failure.

References

Abbasi, N., Wajid, I., Iqbal, Z. and Zafar, F., 2014. Project failure case studies and suggestion. International Journal of Computer Applications, 86(6).
Brown, M., 2007. Comptia RFID+ certification. McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media.
Conboy, K., 2010. Project failure en masse: a study of loose budgetary control in ISD projects. European Journal of Information Systems, 19(3), pp.273-287.
Elmquist, M. and Le Masson, P., 2009. The value of a ‘failed’R&D project: an emerging evaluation framework for building innovative capabilities 1. R&d Management, 39(2), pp.136-152.
Gray, R.M., Cook, M.B., Natera, M.T., Inglis, M.M. and Dodge, M.L., 2008. Project Management: The. In Managerial Process”, McGraw-Hill.
Hox, J.J. and Boeije, H.R., 2005. Data collection, primary versus secondary.
Horn, P., Schiele, H. and Werner, W., 2013. The “ugly twins”: Failed low-wage-country sourcing projects and their expensive replacements. Journal of purchasing and supply management, 19(1), pp.27-38.
Kokko, A., Kotoglou, K. and Krohwinkel-Karlsson, A., 2003. The implementation of FDI in Viet Nam: an analysis of the characteristics of failed projects. Transnational corporations, 12(3), pp.41-78.
Kerzner, H., 2014. Project recovery: Case studies and techniques for overcoming project failure. John Wiley & Sons.
Lauermann, J., 2016. Temporary projects, durable outcomes: Urban development through failed Olympic bids? Urban Studies, 53(9), pp.1885-1901.
Maylor, H., 2001. Beyond the Gantt chart: Project management moving on. European management journal, 19(1), pp.92-100.
Reich, B.H. and Wee, S.Y., 2006. Searching for Knowledge in the PMBOK® Guide. Project Management Journal, 37(2), pp.11-26.
Rabianski, J.S., 2003. Primary and secondary data: Concepts, concerns, errors, and issues. The Appraisal Journal, 71(1), p.43.
Roger, V.L., Weston, S.A., Redfield, M.M., Hellermann-Homan, J.P., Killian, J., Yawn, B.P. and Jacobsen, S.J., 2004. Trends in heart failure incidence and survival in a community-based population. Jama, 292(3), pp.344-350.
Stoica, R. and Brouse, P., 2013. IT project failure: A proposed four-phased adaptive multi-method approach. Procedia Computer Science, 16, pp.728-736.
Welsh, I., 2001. Anti-nuclear movements: failed projects or heralds of a direct action milieu?. Sociological Research Online, 6(3), pp.36-50.
Woodford, K.C., Chow, A.F. and Lambe, N., 2014. Using project deliverables and project management for timely completion of student projects. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, 5(3), pp.323-329.
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2022-08-04 14:52:23

Introduction

In the UAE, people are concerned about their fitness and they consider the sports and fitness industry an essential part of their life. Global Cigna 360 latest report of the Wellbeing survey once again has announced the UAE’s second consecutive year in fitness and wellbeing. This is how, why we should analyze the change in customer perception towards better health and wellness influences product design in the sports and fitness industry. Considering the level of concern, people have become aware of different aspects of wellbeing and health. Many people have proper knowledge about the sports and fitness products that they want to ensure a better and healthier life. Therefore, (Arabian Business, 2018).
The activity of being fit is increasing day by day in UAE, because today in the modern era, being fit means you must exercise on some extraordinary machinery. So, it has a significant impact on the design of the services and products. This requires the organizations working in the sports and fitness industry to become more aware of the customers’ changing needs and investigate which products and services they require. Therefore, the sports and fitness organizations are required to conduct an in-depth investigation of the expectations of the customers, their subjective norms, their perceptions, their attitude, and perceived behavior when deciding the purchase sports and fitness products and services (Zhang & Li, 2014).
Customer perception, in general, plays a central role in product development and marketing professionals. Customer perception changes over time and is affected by several factors including the pricing, service quality, customer service, and the utility that the product is providing to the customer. Furthermore, impacted by the value and ethics of the product and the reputation of the product in the market. However, with the increase in information flow, the knowledge of the customers regarding different products has improved (Canhoto, & Arp, 2017).
The customers have become more knowledgeable about their needs, which has resulted in altering the specifications of the products and services that are being offered in the market. These generic products and services can be made unique by adding the value of the extra features such as performance or quality enhancement, So the final version of the product in this context includes the augmented properties that offer the customer more tangible benefits and that best meet the customers’ needs and customers’ requirements (Nam & Lee, 2017). In every industry, the perception of the customer changes with time, and with increased awareness and knowledge, the perception and demand for the product and services vary significantly. The same is the case with the UAE sports and fitness industry. In the UAE, the desire of the customers has changed with related means of health and well-being. Within the UAE, the perception of the customers has changed greatly concerning the concept of health and wellbeing. People have become more conscious about their health and able to Know to improve quality Health. Sports and fitness are not only essential as a source of physical well-being, but it is also essential as a source of psychological well-being. (Lagrosen & Lagrosen, 2007).
So, from above all justification, it has become very essential to analyze the customer perception of fitness and well-being, and the impact of customer perception on the sports industry. The literature is very limited which we found on the influence of customer perception of health and wellbeing and its impact on product design and service. Same in the case within the UEA, also, very limited literature is available in the UAE region concerning the impact of customer perception on the product and service design of the sports and fitness industry. Considering the limitation of the research work on this area, it was necessary to investigate the said topic. This study can add value to the already available literature and might help to understand the perception of the customer about fitness and wellness.
Consequently, it will help to understand marketing and product service strategy regarding customer perception, so this dissertation would be proved important for MBA. In this era of a customer-targeted market, research on consumer behaviors has immense importance. It helps in understanding the behavior of users and arranging the focus as per the research to enhance profitability. The dissertation can aid the sports industries as well the sporting event organizers to target specific behavior of customers leading to presenting the research as more useful and effective.

Aim and Objectives

This study aims to analyze the influence of customer perception of health and wellbeing and its impact on the product and service design in the fitness and sports industry.

Objectives:

1: To analyze the importance of customer perception in the development of products and services.
2: To investigate the customer’s perception of health and wellbeing in the UAE region
3: To examine the extent to which customer perception has an impact on the design and service of the sports and fitness industry.
4: To know if fitness and support industries pay attention to customers’ perceptions.
5: To find out, Marketing and product service strategy concerning customer’s perception

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What is the importance of customer perception in the development of products and services for an organization?
  What is the customer’s perception of health and wellbeing in the UAE region?
• How do customer perceptions impact product and service design in the sports and fitness industry?
  How much reality is in that the sport and fitness industry flows customer perception?
• Within the UEA, have people become more aware of their health, and what is the role of fitness industries?

Key arguments from the literature review

Discussion and Arguments

Customer perception plays a significant role in designing any product or service. It helps in tailoring the product design and manufacture to their needs. As customers are the focus of a business. Customers also have become much more conscious about their need for the products and services that they need to keep themselves active and healthy. The change in perception of the customer regarding wellness and health has been changing over time. This has caused a change in the product and service requirements amongst the customers. Avourdiadou and Theodorakis (2014) discussed customer perception is the lifeblood of any organization. The customer is the boss and meeting their needs and demands is the prime responsibility of any organization. Designing products and services as per the needs of the customers is the prime priority of every organization (Avourdiadou & Theodorakis, 2014) Nam and Lee said customer perception in the current century has been predicted to overtake the precedence over the traditional competitive advantage features of the market such as usability, feature, and pricing. Therefore, for companies, it has become necessary to take into consideration customer perception and their related experiences. Ignoring customers’ perceptions might bring the company the risk of failing in the market (Nam & Lee, 2017).

Service strategy and the customer perception

García-Fernández et al., (2018) researched the relationship between service strategy and customer perception. The researchers concluded that all services which a company offers to their consumers are designed generally according to the need and demands of the customers. In several cases, it has been observed that the product and service development strategy usually depends upon two main goals which include keeping the product line and the new product and service in line with the overall objective of the organization and its marketing philosophy. It also depends upon establishing such a system that can evaluate the performance of the product. The evaluation of a successful product depends upon several factors which include customer response, market acceptance, sales, profit, and the current competition of product in the market (García-Fernández, et al., 2018). Nam and Lee (2017) shed light on the aspects of the progress of products and services. They argued that it depends on such criteria that help in putting together a strategy that can help in determining whether a product needs to be discontinued, continued, or modified. The development analysis, therefore, should include the guidelines for the services and the products that are likely to be introduced in the market (Nam & Lee, 2017). The research on the respective topic as per the marketing standards allows the researchers, statisticians, scholars, and companies to improve their strategies. The maintenance of customers costs more than the attraction and acquisition of new customers.

Customer’s perception of health and wellbeing

Customer’s perception of health and wellbeing in the UAE region Vremy-Miller ( 2017) said, in the UAE region, it has been noticed a growing interest amongst the UAE residents to send a healthy and more active lifestyle that can offer a better quality of life to the customers. This made the demand for personal training sessions, gym memberships, and other sports and fitness services. In the UAE region, factors such as more awareness about living a healthy life, perfect look, and being active have also contributed to an increase in social media content related to fitness and health. Therefore, people in the UAE region are showing much interest to seek the help of experts and professionals (Remy-Miller, 2017).
According to Gericke (2019), fitness and sports are innovative and challenging times for the health and fitness industry as the people in that era are very clear about the advantages of leading a healthy lifestyle. People generally make good decisions when it comes to the question of health as food consumption, selecting a sports activity, or selecting a product and service that can help them to remain active and fit (Gericke, 2019). Khaleej times said in the past five years, TV and social media have increased the content based on fitness and well-being in quantity for promoting the concept of proper nutrition and training. Therefore, people are much excited to follow the path of the experts whom they like the most. Almenhali (2019) said in his one module that the continuous demand in fitness and wellbeing centers has outdated the one size fits all approach of the gyms that were designed on the traditional products and service models. Therefore, for the sports and fitness industry of UAE, it has become increasingly necessary to design its products and services on one pillar that is customer perceptions (Almenhali, 2019)

Factors affecting customer perception

Enough research has been conducted in this sector which highlights different factors affecting customers’ choices. These factors encompass social, economic, personal, and environmental factors. Khraim (2018) discusses the effect of these factors on the customer’s behaviors leading to an effect on the sports industry. Customer perception, in general, plays a central role in product development and marketing professionals. Customer Perception changes with time and is affected by several factors, i.e. pricing, service quality, customer service, and the utility that the product is providing to the customer(Khraim, 2018). Furthermore, impacted by the value and ethics of the product and the reputation of the product in the market. However, with the increase in information flow, the knowledge of the customers regarding different products has improved. Therefore, the effect of marketing on the perception of customers regarding the purchase of goods surpasses the factors affecting their choices. Reference groups, friends, and family impact the choice of purchase of an individual to a great extent(Anderson, Narus, and Van Rossum, 2006).
The brand image impacts the choice of a person regardless of the item. In the sports and fitness industry, the brand image hikes as the quality of the products change a lot with the price. Here the debate of quality vs price comes in. CounterfeiCounterfeit products are not allowed, and the sellers are charged for the sale of fake products. However, the market for counterfeit products does not fail. According to a recent survey, more than 25 million counterfeit products are seized by the authorities annually in the UAE. The quality of products matters to consumers. The impact of buying a counterfeit sports product is negative for the sports industry. Khraim (2018) conducted a quantitative survey-based study with a focus on the effect of status, and process. Reference groups and consumption on user’s behavior while purchasing counterfeit sports products. The researcher focused on two of the most famous sports retailers in the UAE, Rebook and GO Sports. After a detailed descriptive and statistical analysis, it was concluded that reference groups and prices influence the attitude of consumers while buying fake sports products in the UAE. The consumption status was found to be insignificant. The rise of counterfeit products in the sports industry creates a bad image and a sense of disloyalty among consumers (Khraim, 2018).
The art of identifying different environmental and individualistic factors greatly influences the success of marketing in the sports industry. Despite limited control over these factors, researchers have tried to model the effect of certain factors on consumers’ behavior which ultimately affects their purchasing choices within the sports industry. Survey-descriptive research by Abdolmaleki, Mirzazadeh, and Alidoust Ghahfarokhhi (2016) presented a socio-cultural model of sports consumer behavior. Based on almost 400 people, the model concluded that “social class with the relative weight of 0.391 is the most important component”. The model consisted of evaluating the effect of social factors, which encompass, social class, idea leaders, family, and references group. Social factors seem to be the most important driving factor in influencing consumer behavior in the sports industry (Abdolmaleki, Mirzazadeh, and Alidoust Ghahfarokhhi, 2016).

Demographics and Consumer Behaviors

The living style of the UAE residents is luxurious. The lifestyle defines the preferences of the consumers. The high-end brands are essential for the maintenance of the image of living. Therefore, it affects the purchasing behavior in the sports industry. Women influence more than 70 percent of the purchase in Dubai while the purchase of sports products by women is minimal. Diversity is considered to be a good thing, but it can be a challenge for this supermarket chain. The people in UAE come from different continents. Some are from Asia while some are from Europe. The sports industry makes the effort to import various products from all over the world to meet the demands of their very diverse customers (Anderson, Narus, and Van Rossum, 2006).
A customer’s natural origin may greatly affect the type of products that he/she would like to see in the market. Residents of the region prefer international brands over the national brands of any products including sports products. However, some of the national brands such as Emirates merchandise have been among the top suppliers of sports products in the region as well as globally (O’Connell, 2011). The rise of sports goods has increased with the rise of the popularity of cricket and football. These factors impact consumers’ attitudes toward the sports industry. Consumers and the audience of the sports industry are directly linked to the factors affecting the choices of the customers, the understanding of the nature of consumer behavior, and their decision. In addition to the social, lifestyle, and demographics, the impact of psychological attitude where the audience’s activities matter (Anderson, Narus, and Van Rossum, 2006).

Impact on the Sports and Fitness Industry

Anderson (2019) argued that customer perceptions have changed and with the increased interest of the customers in sports and fitness, the UAE fitness and sports market outlook has also changed. This increase in the market has opened many opportunities for the people in the market. Within the UAE region, many organized fitness service centrifuges are expected to increase. As per the estimate, such outlets are expected to grow from 1400 outlets by 2022 due to the penetration of the existing sports and fitness players such as Gold Gyms, Fitness First, and Lifeline wellness (Anderson, 2019). According to Anderson (2019), It is experienced that the industry of fitness and sports are not able to sell easily the product and services which are easy for them to design or which they don’t consider customer Perception. The old players in the market, keeping into consideration the current surge in the needs and demands of the customers are further penetrating the areas such as meditations, salons, massages, and wellness centers (Anderson, 2019).
According to Almenhali (2019), the sports industry is also learning and increasing fitness special classes in the next upcoming two years. For example, demand for Pilates and Zumba, martial arts, and cross-fit have also increased and are expected to experience a further rise in the next coming years. Same as the fitness industry overall, the UEA region is also getting the gist and increasing numbers of exercise classes for people of different ages, both males and females. In this surge in the demands and needs of the customers, the new and old market players are increasingly experiencing the challenge to meet the changing customer needs especially in the environment where the customers have a growing number of health and fitness options. This trend of increasing new entrants in the business is making the shift away from the gyms and techniques that were traditionally in practice. In the meantime, the industries are in need to provide the product and services keeping in mind the desire of customers, their needs, perceptions, and customers expectations (Al Menhali, 2019).

References
Abdolmaleki, H., Mirzazadeh, Z. and Alidoust Ghahfarokhhi, E., 2016. The role played by socio-cultural factors in sports consumer behavior. Annals of Applied Sport Science, 4(3), pp.17-25.
Al Menhali, A.A.A., 2019. Embedding sustainable strategies for competitive advantage in the UAE sports sector.
Avourdiadou, S., and Theodorakis, N.D., 2014. The development of loyalty among novice and experienced customers of sports and fitness centers. Sport Management Review, 17(4), pp.419-431.
Anderson, J.C., Narus, J.A. and Van Rossum, W., 2006. Customer value propositions in business markets. Harvard business review, 84(3), p.90.
Canhoto, A. & Arp, S., 2017. Exploring the factors that support the adoption and sustained use of health and fitness wearables. Journal of Marketing Management, 33(1-2), pp. 32-60.
García-Fernández, J., Gálvez-Ruíz, P., Fernández-Gavira, J., Vélez-Colón, L., Pitts, B. and Bernal-García, A., 2018. The effects of service convenience and perceived quality on perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty in low-cost fitness centres. Sport Management Review, 21(3), pp.250-262.
Gericke, A., 2019. Sports sponsorship as a community engagement tool: Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria).
Khraim, H.S., 2018. The Influence of Price, Status Consumption, and Reference Groups on Consumer Attitude to Purchase Counterfeit Sports Products in UAE. Irish Business Journal, 11(1), p.1.
Lagrosen, S., and Lagrosen, Y., 2007. Exploring service quality in the health and fitness industry. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal.
Nam, C., Dong, H., and Lee, Y.A., 2017. Factors influencing consumers’ purchase intention of green sportswear. Fashion and Textiles, 4(1), p.2.
O’Connell, J.F., 2011. The rise of the Arabian Gulf carriers: An insight into the business model of Emirates Airline. Journal of Air Transport Management, 17(6), pp.339-346.

Benefits of drinking green tea.

You may want something which can protect the brain, heart, and eyes along with constantly improving your stamina, mood, and waistline. That is nowhere possible but green tea might make that wish come true and there are many more benefits of drinking tea. Green tea is tea made from unfermented leaves which are more bitter in flavor and pale in color.  If we laboratories the seeds, it is made from the same regular plants but the way, the leaves are processed gives it the medicinal edge. As you may know, the history of green tea began in China, where Chinese people have much healthier lifestyles, and to maintain this life expectancy green tea major role.  it is fact that green tea is rich in catechins, most notably epigallocatechin gallate because it is exposed to minimal oxygen after harvesting.

When I decided to analyze some of the research on green tea and its benefits, What I found was convincing and impressive.  green tea has been linked to many benefits including helping prevent cancer, weight loss, and how to rove heart functioning. This essay will look at the evidence behind these claims

Help Prevent Cancer

Green tea considers a means of lowering the risk of different types of cancer including breast cancer, colon, liver, breast, bladder, prostate stomach, prostate, and pancreas.  A study was conducted on almost 70,000 women which proves that drinking regularly can reduce colorectal cancer by 57%. Similarly, another study which was conducted on almost 50,000 men for 11 to 14 years shows a % decrease in the risk of advanced prostate cancer. So, it is worthwhile to mention here its benefits against cancer” green tea extract in an oral screening program for evaluating the premalignant lesions comparing the results between the treated and untreated group. Given the wide acceptance of green tea, its benefits may help in effective chemoprevention oral cancer”

Fat burning and weight loss

Green tea does its job amazingly in fat burning and weight loss. It proves beneficial and helpful because it helps the body’s metabolism to be more efficient. It is medically proven that green tea contains caffeine and catechin, and these compounds speed up the metabolism and metabolism is the process that allows the body to convert fat into usable energy which means Green tea does its job amazingly in fat burning and weight loss.

There could be found a significant number of pieces of evidence that linked green tea to decreases in both weight and body fat.  According to a recent study conducted in 2019, 60 obese people regularly drank green tea and followed a standardized diet, over the 12 weeks, those who drank green tea lost 7.3 pounds (3.3 kg). another stowaway by conducted and found that people who drink green tea extract for 12 weeks experienced decreases in body fat, waist circumference, and body weight, compared to people who do not drink. So, on behalf of this all research, we can confidently say Green tea can help fat burning and weight loss and these amazing results are because green tea is high in catechins and caffeine.

Green tea may lower heart disease risk.

You might be surprised to know that Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease is as easy as drinking green tea.

Several studies suggest that aromatic green tea may lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which indirectly mean green tea’s association reduces the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. Add to this, there conducted a study on 40,530 Japanese adults. The result shows that participants who were drinking more than five cups of green tea a day had a 26% lower risk of death from a heart attack than people who drank less than one cup of green tea per day.

“The limited data available on green tea support a potential association between green tea and beneficial properties in relation to risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” says Kathy McManus, director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

So, the bottom line is that why one should have no such drinks in the form of tea which may become the reason for their long life.  By looking at the above argument we can say Green tea can lower heart disease risk.

Conclusion

Sum up: Green tea has many benefits as it helps prevent cancer, and weight loss and improves heart functioning. This essay has proved all benefits with evidence.
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2022-07-30 12:34:07

Introduction

Culture plays a major role in any society. Every country has its own cultural values, and norms, which could be considered its most costly asset and sometimes become the reason behind its identity. In simple words, culture is a system or the way we see and do things as a society and an important part of the way we experience life. (Culture and Society | Boundless Sociology, 2021). The aim of this is to compare and contrast the culture of Pakistan and Canada which can be done by focusing on three main parts of the discussion: The daily lifestyles, festivals, and historical places of both countries.

Pakistani culture represents the sub-continent and Islamic culture. In Pakistan, people used to celebrate different festivals according to Islamic culture which is because of religious influence as 98% of the population of Pakistan is Muslim (Enoote,21).  Pakistani culture has festivals such as Eid, Shabraat, and Qurbani which are pure Islamic values. On the contrary, Canadian culture has been influenced by European culture and traditions, mostly by the British and French. In contrast to Pakistani culture, Canadian culture seems diverse that represents cowboy hoe-down to sophisticated cultural events (Toolstoy, 2021). For example, Canadian festivals such as Vancouver, the Calgary Stampede, Edmonton Folk Festival. So, the reason behind dissimilarities is the different cultural backgrounds these two countries have, as Pakistani culture is embedded with Islam values whereas the Canadian carries the liberal stuff influenced by the British and French.

The next discussion part which can help in comparing the culture of Pakistan and Canada is the historical places of both countries. Historical places have a soul and this soul always has a great impact on the culture of that country.  We can find a variety of historical places that signify the unique traditions and culture of Pakistan. Harappa, Mohenjo- Daro, and Taxila are the most renowned historical places in Pakistan which are historical because of their precious history. For example, Harappa has been recognized with the Indus Valley Civilization which is considered the most developed Civilization in the old Bronze Age. On the other side, historical places of Canada are some of the most impressive natural wonders in the world such as Fort Garry Hotel, Dawson, Yukon Territory, Fortifications of Québec (Chorney-Booth, 2021).  So, what makes both countries different, is the reason because of how historical they are. Pakistani historical places are more known for their old being whereas Canada has places that are natural wonders.

Conclusion

In this essay, I have compared and contrasted the countries of Pakistan and Canada by analyzing their differences and similarities in festivals, and historical places. Finally, we find out that Pakistani culture is traditional and conservative, on the contrary, Canadian culture is liberal. In Pakistan, people celebrate festivals according to Islamic culture whereas Canadian culture is diverse (Chorney-Booth, 2021). the cultures of Canada and Pakistan are different from each other and these differences make both countries’ cultures great and unique. This topic has appealed to me that there should be a compression between these two countries on lifestyles of the people.

References

Toalstoy, S., 2021. Why Is Culture so Important to Society? [online] Reference.com. Available at: <https://www.reference.com/world-view/culture-important-society-2f69d99fe0698d43> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Courses.lumenlearning.com. 2021. Culture and Society | Boundless Sociology. [online] Available at: <https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/culture-and-society/> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

Chorney-Booth, E., 2021. These are Canada’s most beautiful natural wonders. [online] MSN. Available at: <https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/these-are-canada-s-most-beautiful-natural-wonders/ss-BB1cf9pn> [Accessed 3 April 2021].

 
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2022-07-30 12:24:06

Introduction

“Religious freedom is the notion that people of religion can feel in the practices of the religion without opposition” (Brian).  Religious liberty refers to the ability to practice one’s faith without interference. It is also associated with the freedom of cognition and spending their life according to their rules and religious norms. Religion is generally identified with a specific system of worship that offers a transcendent deity, however, this is not always the case. “Religion is like a pair of shoes. Find one that fits you, but don’t make me wear your shoes” (Brain). Our society will not be free unless we can all practice our religions without fear of being hurt. Many people are unaware of the significance of religious liberty and where we have it. Religious liberty is crucial, and it is in danger. Religious liberty is a societal requirement since it affects both individuals and communities as a whole. Many people, for example, have a relationship with God that has grown to be the most significant component of their lives, therefore their religious beliefs enrich their values. And teaches kids how to be honest and responsible (Brian).

Discussion

Religious Freedom is eroding around the world.

Freedom of conscience is a fundamental human right that ensures that everyone’s conscience is protected. It allows us to think about, articulate, and react to our innermost beliefs. Freedom, on the other hand, is eroding around the world, even in the United States. Churches, religious organizations, and individuals face increasing limitations as they take part in the center of town, communicate their values, and help society. However, Church members and persons of goodwill can do a lot to help protect and enhance freedom of religion.

Religious Freedom Rules in a society

Religion has a significant impact on society. To have a positive influence, religious individuals and groups require active, social, and legal space to practice their religion. All lawful voices should be heard in the public realm. Both religious and secular perspectives should be heard. Religion encompasses both public and private expression on social and moral issues. Religious liberty precludes the majority culture from using the government’s power to impose its convictions on someone else (See Zubik). This protects everybody, religious and non-religious, from the government becoming too powerful to prescribe what people should think and do.

Impact of constrained religious freedom

Constrained religious freedom puts people out of work and prevents groups from providing critical social services to their communities. Religiously affiliated social care agencies and educational institutions frequently hold core ideas about marriage, family, and sexual activities. If they are forced to sacrifice their religious beliefs, it will severely limit their ability to serve their community. Individuals and organizations both benefit from religious liberty. When people establish a group, I believe they should not give up their beliefs or their rights. US Supreme Court recently ruled that the government could not force the Little Sisters of the Poor (a Catholic nuns’ order), Hobby Lobby stores, or faith-based institutions and universities to pay for abortion, including medications. And devices that are incompatible with their religious views (See Zubik).

No one should be forced to modify their religious beliefs.

Few things appeared more crucial to our forefathers than the separation of church and state. The first amendment guarantees that all Americans have the freedom to practice whatever religion they want and that the government will not favor one religion over another. Although the separation of church and state, as well as religious freedom, are firmly established in the United States Constitution. Recent events raise the question of whether this ideal is in danger of losing its status as an American standard. No one should be forced or persuaded to modify their religious beliefs by the government. Imposing some special religious concepts or activities on the whole society also goes against our country’s founding principles of freedom of conscience (John).

Conclusion

“The Supreme Court rejects the idea that the US government should compel any citizen to adopt an official belief in the West Virginia State Board of Education (John).” In a nutshell, I’ll conclude by stating that religious liberty is both a duty and a right. Religious liberty and civility are mutually dependent and create a mutual commitment based on each person’s inherent dignity. Religious groups and individuals have a responsibility to express their beliefs reasonably and courteously.

Work Cited

Brian J. Grim and Melissa E. Grim, “The Socio-economic Contribution of Religion to American Society: An Empirical Analysis,” Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion, Vol. 12, Art. 3 (2016), http://faithcounts.com/report/

John Corvino, Ryan T. Anderson, and Sherif Girgis, “Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination” (New York: Oxford University Press, 2017), p. 109.

See Zubik v. Burwell, 136 S. Ct. 1557 (2016); Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, 134 S. Ct. 2751 (2014).
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2022-07-30 12:12:48

 Introduction

Chocolate is an important commodity that everyone purchases around the globe. Chocolate can be defined as “a preparation of the seeds of cacao, roasted, husked, and ground often sweetened and flavored, as with vanilla” (chocolate, n.d., para 1). During the industrial revolution, in 1830, the world’s first edible chocolate bar appeared. The world’s production of cocoa beans was about 10000 tonnes, but the production of chocolate increased to three million tonnes nowadays, all because of the high demand for chocolate (The world of Chocolate, n.d.). Chocolate is a delicious commodity with a very delightful taste. However, chocolate has two major negative impacts, one is child labor in developing countries, and health problems in developed countries, so people in the UAE should be more careful with how they should consume chocolate.

Chocolate is considered an important commodity that is traded all around the globe. 90% of the world’s supply of cocoa is produced in eight countries, those are Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon in Africa, Brazil, and Ecuador in Central and South America, and Indonesia and Malaysia in south-east Asia. On the other hand, Europe and North America are the world’s largest chocolate consumers (The world of Chocolate, n.d.). Chocolate production is very complex and requires a lot of work. The process of chocolate production starts with collected seed pods from the cocoa tree, that are later shipped to the manufacturer. Cocoa seeds are found inside the pods. Cocoa seeds go through the process of being fermented and dried for a week. Cocoa is later sent to the chocolate factories, where they are roasted and winnowed. The producers then grind the cocoa nibs to produce cocoa liquor, which is unsweetened chocolate. Depending on the manufacturing methods, the cocoa liquor is either mixed with cocoa butter and sugar or with sweetened condensed or powdered whole milk. Finally, cocoa liquor is blended, and the chocolate is molded and waited to cool down and get hard into the shape of the mold; Chocolate is now ready to be packed and distributed around the globe (The production of chocolate, n.d.).

One of chocolate’s negative impacts is using child labor on cocoa farms in developing countries. McKenzie (2002) explained that he wanted to meet children who worked in cocoa plantations and chocolate production, therefore he went to Mali to the lush jungle of the Ivory Coast, where nearly half of the world’s supply of cocoa is produced. He met some, and they were all younger than 16, including the boss himself. The children worked on different farms depending on the season, and they were only paid about a pound a day. The problem was that it was not hard to find them, and if finding child labor is so easy, then there could be millions of them working instead of living a normal life. Moreover, Humphrey gave their names to the Ivory Coast government but unfortunately, there was no real will to help those children. The majority of children who are working in this industry have never tasted chocolate, never went to school, do not know how to read and write, and such a tiring job causes their scars and pain. According to UNICEF, there are probably about 500 thousand child workers on the Ivory Coast on all kinds of farms. Furthermore, Tulane University published a study that explained that the efforts in stopping child labor are both uneven and incomplete, with 97% of Ivory Coast’s farmers not reached yet, but those who represent the industry of cocoa production disagree with this assessment (McKenzie & Swails, 2012). Unfortunately, most people living in developed countries, the UAE being part of them, have no idea that such a serious problem exists.

People can be addicted to chocolate, but it can cause serious health problems when eating too much. Jaewjira (2011) explained that caffeine is a normal ingredient in chocolate, but it can cause many serious health problems such as hypertension, insomnia, anxiety, dehydration, and inability to concentrate. Aside from caffeine, chocolate also contains sugar, an ingredient that is less bad than caffeine, but also very harmful. Chocolate can cause diabetes and cavities because it is filled with carbohydrates that cause spikes in blood sugar. Moreover, chocolate contains sugar with no nutritional value, which causes heart disease and gaining weight (Fisk, 2014). As chocolate is one of obesity’s results of obesity, people in the UAE should be more careful since the obesity rate is increasing in the country.

There are two main solutions for chocolate’s problems, one is Fairtrade, and two is considering healthier options. The first solution is Fairtrade, which is a social movement that supports farmers and workers in gaining more money from trade, and provides them with better living conditions, a better future, and a better working and living environment. In 2013, Fairtrade paid about 9.8 million euros and producers chose to invest nearly half of this amount in productivity and quality. Fairtrade cocoa origins can be found in India, Sri Lanka, Ghana, and many other countries (Fairtrade International, n.d.). The second solution is either to reduce eating chocolate or replace chocolate with a healthier option such as dark chocolate. Jaewjira (2011) explained that even though this type of chocolate tastes bitter because it contains less sugar, it contains large numbers of flavonoids. Some flavonoids act like antioxidants in our bodies, which help in slowing down aging in our bodies. Other flavonoids help in relaxing the blood pressure and balancing the hormone. Dark chocolate can decrease high blood pressure, get rid of and decrease bad cholesterol, and stimulate endorphin production.

In conclusion, chocolate is indeed an important and famous commodity but people in the UAE should be aware of its negative impacts, and solutions. Child labor is considered a serious problem and people in the UAE can help by only consuming chocolate that is labeled with a Fairtrade label to help and support the workers and producers of chocolate, and reduce the number of child laborers. Moreover, there are many chocolate companies in the UAE that are labeled as Fairtrade, such as Cadbury. As chocolate is a cause of obesity, people in the UAE should be more careful when consuming chocolate, by either reducing the amount of chocolate a consumer eats or replacing it with healthier options. Finally, how many surprising facts and information would the people in the UAE, and people all over the world, find when researching the commodities they consume daily?

References

Chocolate. (n.d.). Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/chocolate

Fairtrade International. (n.d.). Cocoa. Retrieved from http://www.fairtrade.net/products/cocoa.html

Fisk, M. (2014). Live Strong. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/392195-chocolate-negative-side-effects/

Hawksley, H. (2002). BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2042474.stm

Jaewjira, W. (2011). Chocolate. Retrieved from http://www.student.chula.ac.th/~54407744/goodnbad.htm

McKenzie, D. & Swails, B. (2012). CNN. Retrieved from http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/19/child-slavery-and-chocolate-all-too-easy-to-find/1

The world of Chocolate. (n.d.). World Standards. Retrieved from http://www.worldstandards.eu/chocolate%20-%20random%20facts.html

The world atlas of Chocolate. (n.d.). The production of chocolate. Retrieved from https://www.sfu.ca/geog351fall03/groups-webpages/gp8/prod/prod.html
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2022-07-30 12:06:17

Cultural practices have an important role in middle eastern society and continue to permeate many aspects of life. In most countries, we see cultural practices such as the Sande (for women) and Poro (for men) which lead to many important but unfair roles in society. These traditional cultural practices are obediently delivered to the next generation as the parents or old people provide training to young people in the absence of formal educational structures for transmitting values and skills from one generation to the next (Ahmad,2012). However, I believe, sometimes traditional cultural practices go against human rights because of two reasons: first, ethnic communities in the majority have a significant negative impact on the enjoyment of minority rights, and second, some practices affect certain groups, such as women, children, and elderly persons.

The majority of ethnic groups impact the enjoyment of minorities’ rights. Because culture affects all aspects of human life, cultural rights illustrate the indivisibility and interdependence of all rights more comprehensively than do any other rights. At the same time, cultural rights are often in a state of tension or conflict with other human rights (Lennin,2018). So, basic human rights are like Safeguards that protect minority communities against the majority. near me, only human rights provide these safeguards because their purpose is to protect every human and promote equality as well as justice rather than majority and minority.

Some traditional cultures seem totally against certain groups, particularly women.  Women in the middle east are not as independent as women are in western society. According to traditional thoughts, somewhere somehow a woman is weak and modest. They cannot play an independent role and cannot work outside. So, there is a need for basic human rights so that such types of traditional cultural practices can be stopped.

In conclusion:  traditional cultural practices are considered religious practices in the middle east, however, sometimes these practices prove hurdles against human rights.  The majority ethnic groups have a significant negative impact on the human minority’s rights.  On the other side, some practices harm particular groups of people such as women are targeted because of traditional cultural practices.  So, In my opinion, human rights are much more important than the traditional cultures because their purpose is to protect Evey humans and promote equality as well as justice.

References

Changing attitudes, Ugandan Government Dismisses Bahati Anti-homosexuality Bill, available at http://changingattitude.org.uk/archives/3321 [accessed June 11, 2011].

International Commission of Jurists, Practitioners Guide No. 4, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and International Human Rights Law, p.16. 225  Uganda Opposed to Homosexuality, available at http://allafrica.com/stories/201006040263.html [accessed June 11, 2011].

Nakaweesi-Kimbugwe and Mugisha, Bahati’s bill: A convenient distraction for Uganda’s government, Pambazuka News (2009), available at http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/59556 [accessed on June 11, 2011
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2022-07-30 12:04:48

Introduction

In the past, Emirati traditions spelled into two dominant groups: seafaring pearl divers or fishers and desert-dwelling nomads known as Bedouins. So, most of the nations, we meet today, belong to these two groups. Before 1960, the only settlement was villages and small towns.  They have now established a modern multicultural society at the core of UEA with Emirati traditions.

At present, we know UEA as the melting spot of multiculturalism with over 200 nationalities. It has become difficult to figure out the bonafide Emirate traditions Because of overmuch emigration, many communities, and premix traditions. In this essay, I have discovered and compared some  Emirati traditions of the past and present through the interview with my old member of the family, which may help us comprehensively understand the culture and society.

Discussion

Traditional clothing

I have come to know through my grandmother that Emirati clothing has evolved but not wholly as certain aspects of clothing still mirror the traditional outfits of the times of Bedouin and fishers’ ancestors. They wore full sleeves and long hemlines mindfully to cover skin from the harsh desert height of the sun. Because of the uncooperative climates, they had to use loose cuts clothes as a traditional dress for Emirati men and women. So, traditional Emirati clothes were less functional and more comfortable with combined Islamic values practiced in the region.

Even today, most Emirati women wear Abayas and men wear long white traditional clothing called Kandura or Dishdasha.  This dress symbolized the traditional clothing of Emarti as well as the Arab world’s Islamic values. Abayas suites with headscarves called Shells. Some modern and fashion lovers Emarti girls like wear designer headscarves to cover their heads. Covering the head is a traditional style that has been carried until now by Emarti women. Similarly, women also cover their faces with a piece of cloth commonly known as Niqāb. On the other side, men like to wear Kanduru usually with the white color because Bedouins preferred to wear white to reflect the sun’s rays.

Weddings in the past and now 

In the past, marriage was performed according to the Bedouin’s religious point of view. When I ask my grandfather about the Traditional wedding in Emeriti traditional, he informed me that Sharia Law confirmed the traditional wedding styles.  Marriage was not merely between the two people man and woman but they carry and fix the things between the two families.  He further told that the Wedding preparations usually lasted at least seven days and performs simply at home.  They didn’t waste a lot of money on the name of weddings as today happens; even the food was made at home.   The bride and groom were not allowed to meet each other before the post-wedding dwelling.

In the present, the wedding has heavily evolved.  Most of the things are stilled hold to traditions but with new additions by Weston cautions influence and globalization as we have discussed the impact of globalization. Now the bride and groom are free to see each other.  In the engagement ceremony, the bride and groom place rings on each other’s hands. In contrast to traditional marriage, they waste a lot of money on marriage preparation and like to do a big wedding ceremony at hotels.

Traditional Emirati food

Historically, in the meat, they usually used camel and goat meat and fish from the Arabian sea.  In their diet, they included complex carbohydrates to get energy for long journeys. Using Indian species like saffron, cardamom, turmeric, and cinnamon was also introduced by Emirati traders and merchants, as they were used to traveling in India for the purpose of trading. The use date is also considered traditional by Emirati. Now, the young generations have made fast food their paradise such as shawarma; now it has become their most desired food as a snack or for refreshment.

The role of Religion in the past and now

Before in the past, religion, and Islam dominates all aspects of Emirati people’s life such as matters relating to marriage, inheritance, economics, divorce, politics, and personal conduct. But now although they are still connected to religious activities the dominations cannot be seen and the practice of religion is also not as it was before. It seems the youth of the Emirati wants more freedom.

Emirati traditional Language

In the past, Arabic was the only language spoken in the whole Emirati region. The people of the Emirati were proud of their language; although this language still dominates in the different regions other languages also exist such as English. In the UEA, English is used in trade schools and colleges.

Conclusions

So, after this interview, I have come to know that the Emirati traditions were both rich and interesting in the past, but instant changes in traditions are also noticeable. Modern technology has transformed the overall lifestyles of people and structures of places. Now they have wide roads, a variety of shopping areas, and a well-structured separated housing area.  Emirati traditions were a dominant event until a few decades ago, this era consisted of vast pieces of deserts but after the time of oil discovery, it has changed culturally as well as geographically.

Reference

Dubai Complete Residents’ Guide. Explorer Publishing. 30 November 2006. p. 29. ISBN 9768182768.

jenny Walker; Terry Carter; Lara Dunston (2007). Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula. Lonely Planet. pp. 381–. ISBN 978-1-74104-546-8.

Abed, Ibrahem (2001). United Arab Emirates: A New Perspective. p. 114.

 
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2022-07-30 06:21:01

Introduction

In the novel “WE NEED NEW NAMES,” AFRICAN AS OBJECT OF PIETY: COLONIALISM, Bulawayo’s narrative allows the application of the notion that African life and cultures are commonly misrepresented through typecasting and conventionalization. It engages with deprived postcolonial cosmopolitans and the legacy of colonialism in its retroflection of a vision that is influential and tragic. The novel is based on the story of an unprivileged black girl child navigating the difficult times in a country whose socio-economic situation is drowning and undertaking a diasporic journey to the West. Little Darling is not only the narrator of her own predicament but her country as well: through a naïve, brave, and intuitive voice, she accompanies the reader into a world whose image is often manipulated and misrepresented in the eyes of the West. As well as through Darling’s first-hand storytelling, the reader has the chance to access the events through the eyes of some Western media representatives.

So, the novel induces us to weigh how Zimbabwean peoples and traditions have been represented in order to get the attention of a hegemonic Western audience. These essay discussions justify that African life, and cultures are commonly misrepresented through stereotypes. This critique argues that Bulawayo has ironically reproduced stereotypes as a way to critique the market for African literary representation.

Discussion

Misrepresentation of images of distant Africa to the Western audience

Throughout the novel, pictures appear as the most deployed means to transmit images of distant Africa to the Western audience. Their predominant characteristic, though, is the inability to depict a situation in its entirety. Their presence in the country is depicted while capturing, by means of a camera, some key and tragic moments of Zimbabwean history, such as the demolitions taking place during ‘Operations Murambatsvina,  “then later the people with cameras and T-shirts that say BBC and CNN come to shake their heads and look and take our pictures like we are pretty, and one of them says, It’s like a tsunami tore through the place, Jesus, it’s like a fucking tsunami tore this up” (WNNN 67). They can only capture a scene partially, in pieces and fragments, often omitting the surrounding. The factual reality is susceptible to interpretation and thus exposed to the risk of being manipulated and misinterpreted according to different discourses. CRITIQUE ON “WE NEED NEW NAMES,” AFRICAN AS OBJECT OF PIETY: COLONIALISM

African as an object of piety

In the novel,(CRITIQUE ON “WE NEED NEW NAMES,” AFRICAN AS OBJECT OF PIETY: COLONIALISM), the African children are deliberately portrayed ironically in shabby conditions so that they no longer emerge as subjects but as objects of piety, in fact, fully responding to charitable needs. “ As soon as the cameraman sees Chipo’s stomach, after the first moment of shock, the pregnancy becomes the subject of his photo shoot and he starts taking pictures “like she has become Paris Hilton” (WNNN 53). Comparing the eleven years old pregnant child photographed by the journalist to an American VIP followed by paparazzi embraces a bitter irony: the child’s image is appropriated by the Western media while she is an unaware and powerless victim. The NGOs or Western media exploiting African children’s images in order to gain consent in the West is a good example of how “subaltern voices are often immediately recuperated, transformed and inserted into different narratives and agendas set by other interest groups.” a pattern into which African childhood doesn’t fit.

Africans Parents and their role

When talking about childhood, of course, also the figure of parenting is relevant, and parents as well are supposed to meet certain expectations in relation to their role? In order to control African childhood, institutions and international organizations expropriate the parents and their role, leveraging on their material and more trivial needs. In ” We Need New Names “, parents and adults are portrayed as infantilized by the NGO people and not capable of complying with their parental role, in the way the discourse on childhood globally disseminated would require. Among adults complaining about how the NGO people are not visiting often enough, the only Mother of Bones refuses to queue to be granted trinkets rather than more useful gifts. Clearly, what Bulawayo wants to stress is the extent to which African people suffering hardships are made dependent on Western economic aid. What stands behind his dynamic and its perpetration is, of course, the production of discourse about Africa arbitrarily constructed by the West. (CRITIQUE ON “WE NEED NEW NAMES,” AFRICAN AS OBJECT OF PIETY: COLONIALISM), the novel draws attention to how the discourse is spread through the mass media and how the control over the latter ensures control over the processes of representation and construction either of the self or the Other. Not only by producing a discourse on Africa but also by controlling the means of communications, the West has the power to produce knowledge with which to construct an image of the Other, in contrast to which it can shape its own identity. The interference of the NGO on the life of the locals, therefore, appears as nothing more than the perpetuation of colonial discourse that, building pieces of knowledge on Africa, becomes a tool to exert power over it.

Conclusion

Hence, if Africa is a helpless country in need of being savior’s role saved, the West obviously fulfills the role of the savior. The kind of aid provided does nothing but perpetuate a dynamic in which, instead of empowering African people by providing them the tools to go beyond their own predicament, Western institutions reinforce the patterns of dependency. This way of representing Africa and poverty does nothing but lead to a “dangerous paternalism” that “empowers the wrong person.

As we see, Darling’s identity in the West is often reduced to assimilation with the African continent. Since the first moment, the woman in the bathroom makes the girl representative of the whole of Africa, and most of all with Africa’s abjection, reporting a number of wretched episodes going on in different regions of the continent, such as Congo, where “rapes and all those killings” (WNNN 175) are taking place. This stereotypical association with Africa also happens to Darling while working at the supermarket when, since she is panicking at the sight of a cockroach in an empty bottle, her manager, Jim, says: “You’re just acting up, I know you’ve seen all sorts of crazy shit over there” . In the Western imaginary, hence, Africa is nothing but a receptacle of pain and unintelligible strangeness of all sorts, a site of abjection of which their inhabitants are the carriers.

Reference

Achebe, Chinua. [1958] 2001. Things Fall Apart. London: Penguin Classics. [Google Scholar]

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. 2013. Americanah. London: Fourth Estate. [Google Scholar]

Almond, Ian. 2006. “Rogues of Modernity: Picaresque Variations in the Postcolonial Genre of the Enlightenment Missionary.” Orbis Literarum 61 (2): 93–113. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0730.2006.00882.x.
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2022-07-29 06:16:13

Introduction

If someone asks a kid about the worst thing, a kid will say the homework because it is too hard to do, and if someone asks about the worth thing, a kid will say a game because it’s too easy.   How video games can make us better or worse, and how they change people, are important questions to ask. You may know the video game industry has surpassed the movie industry in revenue multiple times in the past (Gentile, 2009). This essay will compare Singapore and the USA on the use of video game technology and its effects on students by discussing the three-argument of discussion: parents’ rules on the effect of video games, the impact on mental health, and how the video games genre can have different effects on students’ social life.

Comparison

Parents’ rules on the effect of video games

Parents’ rules on the effect of video games matter because video gaming is one of the most time-consuming activities and it might leave a negative impact. In both countries, kids were allowed to play video games after weekends, after homework, or when friends came over. Apart from this, in both countries, parents have a sense about the standard of the game such as what types of games they should be allowed their child to play. For example, some parents allow their children to buy specific games with specific age ratings. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the maximum time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day which proves the parents’ rules on the effect of video games matter.

Effect on the situation and mental health of children

Video games may leave a clear effect on the situation and mental health of children, both, in either negative or positive ways. According to a study in the USA, 60% of teenagers play video games to get away from their problems. For example, when someone feels depressed video games can help to relieve their stress. In the same way, many video game players confess that they play video games for minds refreshing by video gaming. For instance, sometimes taking a break from schoolwork can refresh your mind. However, it can also waste a lot of time, such as some students taking a break from schoolwork to refresh their minds. Gentile and his colleagues have suggested that there are at least five dimensions along which video games can have effects: content, amount, mechanics, context, and structure, each of which is likely to have specific effects. So, mental health could be affected positively or negatively because of video games in both countries.

Effects on students’ social life

Video game genres can have different effects on students’ social life.  It was found that prosocial video games promote a prosocial lifestyle in both countries, such as video games that require cooperation with other people have helped to improve social life, on the other side, the students who play violent video games have been caught promoting a violent lifestyle in the society of both countries. For example, video games that require people to kill each other might affect students’ personalities. Apart from the prosocial video games and violent video games, solo games also have different effects on students’ social life as introverted students prefer playing alone as they are anti-social in both countries, so the results were very similar for the two countries.

Conclusion 

This essay is a comparison between Singapore and the USA in the use of video game technology and its effect on students by emphasizing parents’ rules, its impact on the situation and mental health, and different effects on students’ social life. The results were similar for both countries as surveys were conducted for school students around the same age. Although playing video games can result in negative outcomes, there are also positive outcomes. Parents setting rules for their children can help reduce some of the negative effects. Also, Video games can be a way for teenagers to forget about their problems. Lastly, the genre of the video game can also affect teenagers, as prosocial video games lead to a prosocial lifestyle. Some views portray that technology has great evil effects on our society, however, statistics have also proved its pros in different ways as we have discussed above in the USA and Singaporean culture.

Reference

Gentile, D. (2009, May 1). Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8 to 18. Retrieved from https://journals-sagepub-com.zulib.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02340.x

Gentile, D. (2009, June 1). The Effects of Prosocial Video Games on Prosocial Behaviors: International Evidence From Correlational, Longitudinal, and Experimental Studies. Retrieved from https://journals-sagepub-com.zulib.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1177/0146167209333045

 
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2022-07-28 06:11:52