How did economic change and the two world wars effect wome workers in Essay

How did economic change and the two world wars effect wome workers in Britain between 1750 - 1950 - Essay Example Both phases provided empowerment for women altering their roles in their workplace and at home, sometimes restricting opportunity (Noung, Para1). The first phase of industrialization, the outwork, involved the production of goods for home use and for export through the merchants who fed the local and outside markets with the goods. The families never hesitated to squeeze themselves, if it called for, due to the flexibility of the system even though there were frustrations placed on their leisure time by out putting merchants. During this era, the women played a very important economic role since all the members of a household knew how to operate a spinning machine, meaning that together they contributed to the household economy. Therefore, this phase empowered women by making them agents of production and not just consumption (Floud, p25). This development in the production sector was important due to the agricultural trends, which were extant since 1700. This was due to the economics of scales that proprietors were employing. Large farms were able to operate with few workers hence released much labour from the lands driving women out of the labour market. These could be associated with the fact that men still dominated social and economic sectors during this period. As their wages started going down, they sought to exclude women from the labour market to prevent further immiseration. Hence, women from the agricultural region had to seek employment at home. This exclusion of women came with some side effects to the farmers who were their employers. Most noticeable and comical was the violent clashes between well-organized groups of women gleaners and the farmers. They would invade their farms to collect leftovers after harvesting. As the farmers tried to limit this, they developed a stricter notion of property rights in the eighteenth century. The farmers worn the civil case but the local customary law pull-ranked it as the judiciary

Etty Hillesum & Religion & Holocaust Research Paper

Etty Hillesum & Religion & Holocaust - Research Paper Example The theory that it was God's fault, Etty explained, was an easy way out. Man created this world (1940's) and its atrocities, because of lack of faith in God. Her faith and belief in God helped many get through the horrible times before being transferred to Auschwitz. She did feel life was absurd though there were things each individual person could gain. Religion was not wishful thinking. She had a special religious vocation which was beyond the understanding of the times and a little bit more comprehensible today. "Fear created the first Gods". Perhaps, Etty considered that fear also took spirituality away from most. "Moreover, life itself contradicts the most basic of human aspirations: to live without suffering and cruelty because most are not prepared in "healing the soul". Life require work on the soul. This sound trite as a phrase but it was her aspiration in turning suffering and cruelty into an experience where some benefit could begotten. She made a transition in 1943, as sh e actually felt it was not fair that she did not share the suffering of others and volunteered to be transferred.. There are different explanations of the Holocaust but non like Etty Hillesum. Her diaries written from 1941-1943 give an incredible outlook to how one young women dealt with the atrocities from looking within. She shared her inspirations with others. She inspired many. Ester Hillesum was born in the Netherlands January 15, 1914. She died in Auschwitz November 30 1943. One of the most influential person in her short life taught her the value of looking within for the necessary answers of one's problems . Julias Spier, a psycho-chirologist, studied with Carl Jung the technique of analyzing the lines of the hand. Etty met him in 1941 at a conference and then in therapy. He showed her the value of writing as a part of her therapy. In her letters, she refers to him as .S. Etty became his good friend and secretary. She continued writing her diaries for 3 years. They are writt en in the forms of letters representing a spiritual journey. She wished to become a journalist 'if she made it after the war'. S woke the God in her. She saw that God was omnipresent in all aspects of life. She had two tendencies in her letters: to write of the God within her; and to write of the God of creation and creatures. Towards the end of the diary she converges these two thoughts. "For once you have begun to walk with God, you need only keep on walking with Him and all of life becomes on long stroll ...such a marvellous feeling....(14/07/1942). She continued writing about God until the end of her life. God is within man. Because God could do nothing with what man was doing at this time in life (WWII), she said it was time for man to help God. Take care of his presence. Don't just offer him your tears and sadness but make his time he has with you as agreeable as possible. Hatred and anger are the easy route to take though you have every right to do so. Any element of moral in dignation touches the soul. One element of hatred, one atom more of hatred added to this world renders it even more disagreeable. Life is absurd, but man still has libre-arbitre over his proper soul. "This hatred and animosity which exist in others is also in us. I don't see any other solution other than cleaning our souls of this rot. We cannot improve the outside world without having made progress within ourselves. There is one lesson that can be learned from the war, the need to look within". A lite comparison done in 2011 would be going to a cancer waiting room, seeing everyone with sour faces. Bring a box of chocolates, or tell a joke for

Causes of Prion Diseases

Causes of Prion Diseases Prion diseases or transmissible spongiform encephalopathys can be inheritable or transmissible, a common feature of the prion disease involves the change of the prion protein (PrPc) to the isoform PrPsc (Hu et al, 2007). Prion propagation involves a mechanism that changes PrPc to PrPsc in an autocatalytic way (Harris and True, 2006). PrPc is said to be the normal prion protein and PrPsc the scrapie isoform which is the mutagenic Prion protein said to be the un-normal form. Prion diseases can occur in both humans and animals, an though in humans they are particularly rare (Hur et al, 2002). They are known to be fatal neurodegenerative diseases (Hur et al, 2002). Hur et al (2002) said that the reason that there has become an increased interest in Prion diseases in science and health is because they are biologically different in their features compared with other known neurodegenerative diseases and that there are many gaps in the knowledge of prion diseases, for example the pathogenesi s, what causes the mutagenic prion protein and where prion diseases first arose from . The PrPsc isoform which is known to be the most common feature of the prion disease is dominated by a beta sheet containing strong hydrogen bonds and this structure is twisted, many researchers have found that the strong hydrogen bonds make this isoform resistant to digestion protein kinase k meaning that this protein can build up particularly in the brain tissue causing neuronal damage and therefore possibly leading to prion diseases. (Harris and true, 2006). Hu et al (2007) said that because the PrPsc isoform is protein kinase k resistant it isnt broken down and therefore increasingly accumulates in the brain tissue of patients with prion diseases and causes further neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative diseases commence from the build up and the wrong conformational folding of a protein, the biological activity of a protein depends on its correct folding in the native conformation (Soto et al, 2002). Strong evidence has been shown that protein misfolding plays a major role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathy pathogenesis (Soto et al, 2002). There are many different types of prion diseases that have been found in both humans and animals one example includes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and another example is Kuru (Hu et al, 2007). Examples of prion diseases concerned with animals include scrapie. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is also an animal prion disease which is also referred to as mad cow disease (Hu et al, 2002). Different forms of prion diseases both human and animal forms are associated with different forms of PrPsc (Soto et al, 2002). Many mutations in the PrPsc protein in prion disease have been found and linked to the different forms of Prion disease. The polymorphism at codon 129 has been found to play a major role in the phenotypic expression of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease which is the most frequent type of Prion disease (Mikol, 1999). Mutations and insertions have been found to be involved in another from of human prion disease known as familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Mikol 1999). A common mutation at cod on 178 had been found in the first case. Kuru is an acquired from of the prion disease, this can be characterised by kuru plaques which have been found in seventy percent of cases (Mikol, 1999). There has become recent interest in the kuru disease because of an increased resistance to this diseases. Kuru has the characteristic of quickly degenerating the central nervous system and it is fatal (Goldfarb, 2002). There was an outbreak of kuru which killed many people in new guinea most of these people were from a small area populated by a culture known as fore people (Goldfarb, 2002). It is not widely known how Prion diseases first developed in humans and animals but it is thought that kuru became transmitted to humans via cannibalism (Goldfarb, 2002). It was pursued in this culture to eat relatives who had died , therefore resulting in human to human transmission (Mead et al, 2009). By the late 1950s there was a stop to cannibalism and correlating with this the umber of people dying w ith kuru decreased also no person after the `1950,s had developed Kuru (Goldfarb, 2002). However how kuru first appeared in the fore people is still unclear, but a conclusion has been made that the kuru epidemic must have started with a single person who died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and then was eaten by traditional cannibalism . Many studies have aimed to find the mutations involved in Kuru. The methionine/valine variation encoded by the 129 codon in the PRNP gene has been recorded in many Kuru patients, a recent study has shown that the 129 genotype is associated with an increased vunerability to Kuru (Goldfarb, 2002). Goldfarb 2002 found that in the fore culture the 129 genotype methionine/methionine was the most common in patients suffering from Kuru at an early age and that a change to methionine/valine showed that Kuru developed at a later age. Methionine/valine, valine/valine carriers survived the Kuru epidemic, codon 129 heterogeneity is thought to therefore be a resi stance factor for Kuru disease (Mead et al, 2009). Mead et al also studied another polymorphism which was thought to be linked to kuru, the G127V polymorphism. They concluded that this G127V gene is an agent gained that provides resistance to Kuru in a heterogeneous state and isnt a mutation which could have caused the Kuru epidemic (Mead et al, 2009). Many hypothesise have been developed in order to try and explain prion diseases, however none have been fully accepted. The most common hypothesis is the Prion hypothesis which suggests that the agent causing neurodegeneration is the prion protein but the mutagenic form which escapes protein kinas k digestion and remains in brain tissue causing neuronal damage (Yull et al, 2008).The Prion hypothesis states that the infectious agent of prion diseases is an abnormally folded isoform of the prion protein (PrPsc) that replicates its abnormal conformation (Baskakov and Breydo, 2006). Strong evidence has been shown that protein misfolding has a major role in transmissible spongiform encephalopathy pathogenesis (Soto et al, 2002). A number of hypotheses have been made in order to try and explain the pathogenesis of prion diseases, they all correlate to the prion protein hypothesis indicating that the mutated prion protein PrPsc is involved in the pathogenesis. One hypothesis links the pathogenesis to oxidative stress and suggests that PrPc is involved in making sure that cells dont become damaged by oxidative stress (Westergard, 2007). The change in the function of PrPc for example by a mutation/ misfolding may therefore be linked to the role in disease (Westergard, 2007). Oxidants are produced as the result of another action in respiration usually via abnormal anaerobic respiration in many people with neurodegenerative diseases (Hur et al, 2002). Levels of MDA can indicate oxidative stress, this is a reactive aldehyde which causes toxic stress in cells and as a result generates the production of free radicals, levels, levels of MDA have been found a higher levels in scrapie infected mice showing an involvement of oxidative stress (Hur et al, 2002).. It has therefore been suggested that the normal prion protein PrPc protects cells from oxidative stress and therefore an abnormal form of this protein will allow oxidative stress and therefore cause damage to neurones and therefore leading to prion diseases (Westergard, 2007). Evidence has also been found that the PrPc protein has SOD (Superoxide dimutase) activity and that the PrPc uses detoxification to remove any reactive oxygen species that could cause oxidative damage in cells, however other studies have found evidence against this therefore further work needs to be done to confirm this. One way that the PrPc protein has been found to stop oxidative damage is indirectly by increasing the cell components such as proteins, for example a combination of copper-zinc SOD that can remove and damage and circulating reactive oxidative species, therefore a mutated from of the prion protein would ail to do this meaning that oxidative species remain in brain tissue causing neuronal damage (Westergard et al, 2007). However Westergard et al (2007) said that these results had failed to become repetitive in other scientific research. Copper may also be involved in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Copper is a substance necessary to the function of many enzymes (Westergard et al, 2007). Abnormal metabolisms in the body have been linked with many neurodegenerative diseases, it is thought that copper ions can change the properties of the normal prion protein (Westergard, 2007). Hur et al (2002) have reported that iron is involved in neurodegenerative diseases, scientists have shown that the amount of fe3+ is much higher in the brains of scrapie infected people, fe3+ is needed for free radical formation , concluding that there is a link to oxidative stress and neuronal damage therefore contributing to prion diseases (Hur et al, 2002). A role of the immune system in the propagation of prion diseases ahs been studied and suggests that inflammatory processors for example cytokines play a part in causing neuronal damage in prion diseases (Hur et al, 2002). The role of PrPc and the immune system still remains unknown(Hur et al, 2002). Although many hypotheses have been suggested many are still unclear. Other models for example the cells death model which links necrosis and apoptosis to the formation of a prion disease are still unclear further research needs to be done to support this model. To conclude many scientists have found that the PrPsc protein is the main cause of neuronal damage in patients. Mutations have been researched to find out the mutations linked to the disease. It is unclear of the pathogenesis of prion diseases as many hypotheses have been suggested. How prion diseases first arose is still unclear and how they are transmitted is still undergoing scientific research. References Baskakov I.V, Breydo L, 2007, Converting the prion protein: what makes the protein infectious. Cohen.F.E, 1999, Protein Misfolding and prion disease, Academic press. Goldfarb.L.G, 2002, Kuru; the old epidemic in a new mirror, Elsevier. Harris.D.A, True.H.L, 2006, New insights into prion structure and toxicity, Elsevier inc. Hur.K, Kim.J, Choir.S, Choir.E.K, Carp.R, Kim.Y.S, 2002, The pathogenic mechanisms of prion disease, Elsevier science. Hu.W, Kieseir.B, Frohman.E, Eagar.T.N, Rodger.N.R, Hartung.H.P, Stuve, 2007, Prion proteins: Physiological functions and role in neurological disorders, journal of neurological sciences. Mead.S, Whitfield.M.A, Poulter.M, Shah.P, Uphill J, Campbell, Al-Dujaily, Hummerich.H, Beck.J, Mein.C.A, Verzilli.C, Whittaker.J, Alpers.M.P, Collinge.J, 2009, A Novel Protective Prion Protein Variant that Colocalizes with Kuru Exposure, Massachusetts Medical Society. Mikol.J., 1999, Neuropathology of prion diseases, Elsevier science. Soto.C, Sabotio.G.P, Anderes.L, 2002, Cyclic amplification of protein misfolding: application to prion related disorders and beyond, Elsevier science. Westergard.L, Christensen H.M, Harris D.A, 2007, The cellular prion protein (PrPc):Its physiological function in disease, Elsevier. Yull.H.M, Ironside J.W, Head.M.W, 2009, Further characterisation of the prion protein molecular types detectable in the NIBSC Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease brain reference materials, Elsevier science.

Pygmalions Obsession with the Statue of Cyprus Essay -- Bernard Shaw

Pygmalion's Obsession with the Statue of Cyprus Pygmalion decided to portray women as he searched for the most perfect being and he hadn't found any in Cyprus. He placed all his love and wishfulness in his statues and so the most beautiful of his creations was sculpted. Pygmalion, being a man, and having 'animal' urges, must have wanted a partner to share his emotions and get frisky with, so this was the perfect idea for him. What could be better, a woman with beautiful looks, and never talks back or argues with you? Bliss. Since no one came up to his expectations, it became an obsession that he wanted the perfect wife. Or maybe he wanted to show off to his mates that he had the perfect woman in Cyprus, even though it was ivory. Does anything in the earlier part of the story help to explain Pygmalion's behaviour? Pygmalion's behaviour gets a lot more elaborate and somewhat more perverted with each line. As the story progresses, his obsession and passionate love for the statue gets stronger and stronger, until it reaches the climax of what a man can do with a statue, sleep with it. Nonetheless it is possible to retrace the reason for his perversion. It is explained at the very beginning of the text. Ovid writes that the women around Pygmalion spent their time in wickedness, and that he (Pygmalion), was disgusted by their very many vices, which nature gave to women's minds: "quas quia Pygmalion aevum per crimen agentes viderat, offensus vitiis, quae plurima menti feminae natura dedit." It was from this fact that Pygmalion's troubles started. Ever since Aphrodite had turned the women of Cyprus into whores, Pygmalion was never able to be satisfied by the real women on his island. This is what had originally turned his thoughts into creating something female, which was perfect in every way for him. His solution to this was creating a sculpture of a woman. He made this out of white ivory, and it seemed so real that people thought that it could move, and was alive: "quam vivere credas et, si non obstet reverentia, velle moveri". This perfection made Pygmalion fall in love with it, because it was an ideal woman in every way. From this point on Pygmalion's behaviour became more strange; he did many odd things to the statue, for example he gave her presents, kissed it and felt it. Basically Pygmalion became so desperate that... ...wers of a thousand colours, lilies and painted balls of crystal or amber. He adorned her body with clothes and decorations such as jewels for her fingers, long necklaces for her neck, rings of light pearl hanging from her ears and pendants over her breasts. At this point in the story there is a turning point. He comes more normal and real, in that he decides to ask Venus to turn her into a real person. He seems to realise that he can't continue like this and that it would be in his best interests if he had a real person instead of a statue as his 'wife'. It seems at this point as though he is a real person and has completely shrugged off his former madness, by actually having a normal woman and not having anything else peculiar about him. There is however one final moment of madness. When he returns home, he doesn't at first believe that she is real and, although he realises that she is warm, he does not dare to celebrate lest he is proved wrong. Throughout the story he behaves very unlike a normal person and acts very irrationally. However, the very last few lines show that he did manage to overcome it and he did end up being a normal and conventional person.

Chimney Sweeper Analysis

Chimney Sweeper Context the poem childhood away from them to how he received a (background of Subject Matter the Introduction of Industrialism took many children's pleasant childhood according to most sources. To the reader is that with the introduction of industrialism came the diminishing of many lives and childhoods as they were forced into slavery and work. Also, parenting can be see as a subject due to the fact in the first stanza, Blake mentions how one parent sold their child after the other passed away, honing how careless they were.The government Is also a target of this poem because of the fact that they didn't attempt to stop child labor which occurred throughout the beginning of industrialism. The subject of innocence can be seen throughout this poem because of the slavery which occurred. With the slavery of children came the loss of their innocence. Style Onomatopoeia: Use this technique in words like â€Å"weep! † and repeatedly to help depict the situation which it is describing. Rhyme: In the form of ABA, the rhyme in this poem arks together with enjambment to help the poem flow smoothly.Foreshadowing: This technique is used through the words â€Å"And he opened the coffins & set them free†. These words foreshadow the freeing of the enslaved children from working in the industrial factories. Colloquial language: The use of slang and informal words, such as â€Å"&† and â€Å"opened†, help the poem run smoother and effectively emphasis the vowels within the words. The poets William Flake's purpose to write this poem was to comment? ) beginning of industrialism, especially in terms of repose (social help the reader understand what it was like at the what children experienced.Industrial brought Jobs which needed filling, resulting in the slavery of children, so Blake is trying to tell us that it was wrong to strip the children of their innocence. Also, his use of first person in his writing helps create a more accurate e xperience in contrast to a second or third person view. Links to Romanticism Romanticism is about nature and how much the romantics worshiped it but it is also about industrialism and the effects which it brought. This mom focus' on industrialism and what it meant for children.Blake talks about how a child was sold and forced into slavery to work in the industrial factories. Like how romanticism is about innocence, the children which Blake is referring to in this poem lost their innocence as soon as they were enslaved and forced to work at such a young. Also, the romantics loved nature and practically treated it as a religion, so when industrial factories were built over nature, like it would have been in the poem, the nature lost its innocence like the children.

Class or Mass Essay

Neptune Gourmet Seafood is faced with the issue of increased supply in its market. The response action is very time sensitive as a failure to react may cause severe loss in brand perception. Though they have increased investments as of late to produce more and also maintain high quality products through their freezing technology, they still need to find a way to combat long-term supply issues. They should not threaten their high brand image through low cost maneuvers, as this is the key driver of their competitive advantage. The recommendation I propose is to partner with very well known supplement retailer GNC to begin exclusive production of fish oil. On top of that, Neptune should recommend to GNC in the partnership that they expand to the young and upcoming market of frozen healthy meal delivery. GNC can partner with a smaller company that has already established their healthy meal plans, such as MagicKitchen.com. Utilizing GNC’s distribution and marketing prowess, both Neptune and GNC will be able to sustain competitive advantages through high brand equity and first mover advantages in a small, yet poised to grow market. As the world starts to become more health conscious, it will be a huge competitive advantage to have already set up the correct infrastructure to tack this market. Industry Dynamics Neptune Gourmet Seafood is North America’s third largest seafood producer playing in a market where seafood is considered high-end. They have generated nearly a third of its revenue from selling frozen and processed fish through US grocery chains and organic food retailers. An even bigger market is through the many restaurants within 250 miles of Fort Lauderdale that they sell to; along with many big cruise lines. The final third of their market was through wholesalers who then sold the fish to restaurants across the country. Neptune was considered top quality, and therefore demanded a 30% premium over the majority of its competitors. They demanded this premium due to their investments in new ships and freezing technologies that allowed them to find the biggest and best catches along with administering their top notch freezing agents to keep fish fresh. Some customers even preferred their frozen fish to fresh fish. Situation  Analysis Neptune Gourmet Seafood is in a tough situation where they continue to have surplus inventory although demand for their product is increasing. They have recently become more productive through both investments in new freezing technologies as well as new government regulation forcing them to deeper waters where they are having more successful catches. After analyzing their current market situation, some possible opportunities have been unveiled (Appendix A) that could possibly remedy their current predicament. These opportunities are coordinated with the company objectives, but it is clear that not all will be optimal due to offsetting industry conditions. The managers and decision makers at Neptune Gourmet Seafood have each begun to disagree about the proper course of action to best sustain a competitive advantage. (Appendix D) These issues come down to three main areas: Inventory Levels: Is this a short-term problem that will pass with time or is it a strategic problem that must be addressed now to avoid long-term damage. Pricing Scheme: Will a 50% discount help to rid of excess inventory or will it simply reduce profits? Will profits be hurt in the long term? Brand Awareness: Should the brand equity of Neptune Gold be jeopardized with the creation of a secondary Neptune Silver brand? What other opportunities could be explored to increase the brand awareness and brand equity of Neptune as a whole. After performing a SWOT analysis (Appendix C) it became clear that the creation of a secondary discount brand would not only hurt the reputation of Neptune but also cut into its own sales. Moreover, the increasing supply of fish due to new regulation makes it clear that this problem is not something that will just go away by shedding a bit of inventory. It is an issue that needs a long-term solution in order to sustain a competitive advantage, whether that is in another market with a different product, or some other long-term strategy. (Appendix B). For that reason, the idea of expansion to the fish oil market with a partnership with GNC has emerged. This will be able to rid of excess inventory as supply increases while also tapping into a budding demand market. (Appendix E2). Further, they should use their frozen fish to provide the seafood for GNC expansion to the frozen meal delivery market. GNC can partner with MagicKitchen.com to utilize there already in place menu  (Appendix E4) while using the distribution, advertising, and target market that GNC already obtains. Importance of Decision The whole seafood production market is facing a difficult problem of how to deal with increased supply. The response that Neptune takes is vital to its long-term solvency as a misstep may set them back compared to their competitors. Due to its historical success along with a recognizable and trusted brand, Neptune’s customers expect no change in the status quo. Any negative spillover onto their current product or product mix may induce a negative customer response. Furthermore, a move to a low cost brand may hurt their brand image beyond repair. Evaluation Criteria Speed: how fast will the alternative address and remedy the surplus issue? Growth: will the alternative continue growth in current/new markets? Resource Usage: will the alternative use current resources or require new investments? Quality: will the quality of product be reduced through the alternative? Competitor Response: will the alternative start a price war? Customer Response: will the alternative affect customer perception of high quality? Supply Inventory: will the alternative address the increase in supply in short and long-term? Alternatives Neptune is at a point in which action is required. A â€Å"do nothing† strategy would almost certainly put them in a hole that would not allow them to compete long term in this industry. The alternative of a price cut does not align with their core values, and therefore the following three options were considered: 1). Create a Neptune branded chain of high-end Seafood restaurants located along the Florida Coast. Pros: Get’s rid of excess supply Maintains high quality brand perception Increases revenue while creating a testing ground for new products Cons: Large investment buildings and gaining restaurant experience Directly competing with a large portion of customer base 2). Form a partnership with GNC and begin production of fish oil tablets and recommend expansion into preplanned frozen meal market where Neptune would  be exclusive supplier of fish. (Further partner with MagicKitchen.com). Pros: Long term solution for increase in fish supply Extends brand to another market, non-seafood eaters GNC already understands processes to create/has distribution GNC has distribution system in place for frozen sector, already has target market as well Cons: GNC features many brands of fish oils already Possible cannibalization with GNC advised frozen meal plans 3). Create a mass-market brand called Neptune Silver that sells at lower cost through the same distribution channels. Pros: Addresses supply problem now and in the future Attracts new lower end customer base Cons: Decreased revenue Brand perception is lowered, may lose high-end customer base as well Possible lost ability to charge a premium in the high-end market Alternatives Evaluation Matrix Recommendations Short-term – Tactical: With the surplus of inventory increasing every day, Neptune must prepare its transportation services to begin regular deliveries to GNC’s manufacturing site. Long-term – Strategic: Neptune must take action in a few different areas if they are to be successful. Based on the alternatives matrix, the joint venture with GNC gives them the biggest opportunity to retain a competitive advantage. The current growth of the fish oil industry shows the trend that more and more consumers are starting to care about their longevity in health. Furthermore, the meal plan expansion recommendation to GNC helps to gain another competitive advantage in the pre-planned healthy meal industry. They must prepare an offer to GNC outlining the opportunities for GNC and the possible market penetration that they can achieve through this partnership. They will also recommend partnering with already in place frozen healthy meal delivery services such as MagicKitchen.com . The healthy frozen meals industry is growing and doesn’t have a lot of players. First mover advantages will be acquired and  flourished with the scale and distribution GNC already has in place. Key Implementation Actions 1). Begin weekly or monthly transport of specified amount of surplus fish to be used for fish oil at first until partnership with frozen meal team is acquired. 2). Fish oil production will begin at GNC production site, begin marketing and advertising campaigns. 3). Once GNC has partnered with a frozen meal provider, they must begin the marketing and advertising to help bring the health conscious customers of GNC together with the convenience of frozen meals. 4). MagicKitchen.com can utilize GNC distribution systems to deliver low transaction costs Impact to Resources and Capabilities on Competitive Advantages The impact of this partnership is an enhancement to both companies’ competitive advantages. Neptune is able to not only maintain its high quality perception but also penetrate a growing market of fish oil and pre-planned healthy frozen meals. GNC will be able to expand its product mix by penetrating the busy yet health conscious individuals. This is a market that is sustainable and growing due to the increase of information available about healthy eating habits and the importance of food to longevity. The groups of health conscious people are also great brand ambassadors, and are driving marketing efforts and demand for products through their use of social media (Appendix E5). Furthermore, through the partnership GNC will save on transportation costs and other costs by utilizing Neptune as its sole fish supplier. Expected Competitor Response Due to the common issue of increased supply throughout the market, it is likely that other competitors will be trying to find other outlets to sustain a competitive advantage. However, due to the lack of premium brand recognition it will be difficult for them to make such large partnerships. Neptune’s increasing margins over the past few years are giving it ample cash to make these big deals. The competitors will likely try to rid excess inventory through price cuts or charitable giving. Appendix A). Market Expansion Grid B). Porter’s Five Forces C). SWOT Analysis D). Stakeholder’s Analysis E). Exterior Research A) Market Expansion Grid B) Porter’s Five Forces C). SWOT Analysis D) Stakeholder’s Analysis E). Exterior Research E1. Finding New Uses Fish Byproducts Report http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/apr07/fish0407.pdfGlobal demand for fish protein will exceed supply by 2016 â€Å"Fish oil and protein supplements for humans can be made from high-fat livers. And low-fat livers, such as salmon, can be used as supplements for pets and livestock as well as humans.† E2). Grandview Research Industry Report: Fish Oil Market Global fish oil demand nearing $2 billion and expected to grow at 9% between now and 2014 The major driver of this growth is the increase in direct human consumption based on increased health benefit awareness and concern of general population. Not enough production to keep up with the increasing demand. E3). Global Frozen Food Market Report http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2013/09/global-frozen-food-market-to-reach-294-billion-by.aspxManufacturers finding more and more demand from organic and natural frozen market Overall market expecting nearly 15% increase by 2019 E4). Possible Partners for Frozen Meals for FNC http://www.magickitchen.com/press_releases/Local-Partner-Program.htmlDelivery of frozen healthy meals to individual doors Could do bulk deliveries to GNC for mass pickup and low costs E5). Health Conscious Shoppers building brands http://socialtimes.com/health-conscious-shoppers-become-powerful-brand-advocates-infographic_b149137More healthy people, more brand recognition and driving  demand. Infographics: