The Big Business of Dairy Farming Essay Example

The Big Business of Dairy Farming Essay The Big Business of Dairy Farming : Big Trouble for Cows June 11, 2007 Most people are aware that dairies in the United States bear little resemblance to the idyllic pastures of yesteryear. As with other branches of animal agriculture, such as chicken and egg production, hog farming, and beef production as well as crop growing small, traditional dairy farms have been steadily pushed out of the business by large agribusiness concerns. Since the mid-20th century, the growth of factory farming has led to the transformation of agriculture, forcing small farmers to ? et big or get out.? Small farms cannot compete with big agricultural firms because they cannot achieve the same economies of scale. The American dairy industry annually produces about 20 billion gallons of raw milk, which is processed and sold as butter, cheese, ice cream, and fluid milk. This amounts to about INR 1,739. 31 billion in sales each year. There are between 65,000 and 81,000 U. S. dairies, yet corporate consolidat ion means that about half of the milk sold comes from just under 4 percent of the farms. While the large number of brands and labels on store shelves would seem to indicate a diversity of sources, in reality many of these brands are owned by a handful of large corporations. For example, the countrys largest dairy producer, Dean Foods, owns 40 or so brands, 3 of them representing organic milk. As the number of dairy farms has decreased, the size of those remaining has increased. Between 1991 and 2004, the number of U. S. dairies dropped by almost half, and the number of dairies with 100 or more cows grew by 94 percent. Because big businesses typically seek continuously increasing profits, production must be maximized, almost always at the expense of the cows in one way or another. The cows must be pushed to produce more and more milk. The production of large amounts of milk has called for changes that affect the animal’s health, including the use of drugs, mechanization, and factory-like housing conditions. Most dairy cows are raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs); about 10 percent of those are considered large CAFOs, each with more than 700 dairy cattle. We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Business of Dairy Farming specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Business of Dairy Farming specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Business of Dairy Farming specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer One of the keys to higher production and higher profits is to increase the milk yield while raising fewer cows. Between 1950 and 2000, the number of dairy cows in the United States fell by more than half, yet during that same period, the average annual milk yield more than tripled. What made this possible, and how has it affected the welfare of the animals? Frequent pregnancy Cows are like any other mammal in that they produce milk for the nurturing of their young; in order to lactate, a cow must recently have given birth. In her natural state, a cow gives birth after nine months of gestation and nurses her calf for seven months to a year. This is ? wasted? time that a dairy factory farm can ill afford in addition to the fact that the milk is meant to go to market, not to the calf so calves born to dairy cows, whose primary purpose in being born is to induce lactation, are taken away either immediately after birth or within a day or so. This separation causes great distress to the mother, who would normally feed the calf more than a dozen times a day and, like other mammals, forms a strong bond with her young soon after birth. Male calves are killed or sent off to be raised for veal or beef. Females become dairy cows like their mothers; frequent replacement of herd members is necessary because the death rate of dairy cows is very high. Cows natural life expectancy is 20 years or more, but the average dairy cow lives just 3 to 4 years, exhausted by constant lactation and frequent disease. Cows on factory farms give birth once a year as a result of artificial insemination. About two to three months after calving, a cow is once again impregnated, and the cycle begins again. Lactation continues throughout, except for a few weeks break in between its cessation (about eight months or so after calving) and the next time she gives birth. Thus, dairy cows are induced to produce milk for most of the year. High-protein feed and growth hormones Cows naturally eat grass, which is how the bucolic image of dairy herds grazing in pastures became so well recognized. A diet of grass, however, is high-fiber and of low nutritional density and does not result in a high milk yield. The milk produced from this diet would be enough to feed a calf, but it is not enough to satisfy market needs. So modern dairy cows are fed a low-fiber, high-protein diet of grains such as corn and soy along with animal by-products. As ruminants, they have stomachs with four compartments that are made to process high-fiber grass; partially digested food, or cud, is regurgitated to again be chewed and swallowed, a process that occupies cows for up to eight hours a day. The feed given to cows on dairy farms, however, does not lend itself to this process and is thus difficult for them to digest, causing health problems. In addition, the use of high-protein diets because they contain animal protein, including, in the past, tissue from diseased cows has been implicated in the proliferation of mad cow disease. Another tool to increase milk yield is the use of the genetically engineered growth hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone). This hormone contributes to an average milk prouction of 100 pounds of milk per cow per day, 10 times as much milk as a calf would need. Maintaining such high production for such an unnatural length of time exhausts the cows bodies and depletes them nutritionally to such a degree that even the nutritionally dense feed cannot compensate. Copious milk production causes cowsbones to become severely deficient in calcium. They thus become prone to fracture, and the result is a sharp increase in the number of ? owned? cows, or ? downers,? a general term for farm and food animals who collapse, unable to stand up again, and must be destroyed. The use of rBGH causes other serious problems, including chronic mastitis (a painful bacterial infection and swelling of the udder), which is related to overproduction of milk. To treat infections and help prevent them, d airy farms routinely administer antibiotics to their cows. Antibiotics and rBGH find their way into the milk that humans drink. It is known that the overuse of antibiotics, including routine preventative use, encourages the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. In addition, milk from cows given rBGH shows an increased presence of IGF-1, an insulin-like growth factor, which has been shown to cause cancer in humans. The amount of IGF-1 present in milk produced by cows given rBGH is two to 10 times that in non-rGBH milk. The U. S. Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for regulating the use of such supplements, not only has allowed the use of rBGH but has also refused to allow the labeling of milk to advise consumers that it contains the hormone. The United States is the only industrialized nation that permits the use of growth hormone in animals used for food. How dairy cows are housed In 2001 more than 75 percent of dairy cows had no access to pasture. Cows in many dairies are housed in a combination of outdoor and indoor facilities, such as sheds, outdoor dirt corrals, and stall barns that may not have access to the open air and where cows may be tied up or otherwise restrained for long periods of time. Cows who are restrained in stalls show signs of stress from social isolation and the inability to lie down; further, they are likely to develop teat and skin injuries, lameness, and susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Over the last few decades, agribusiness dairies have experienced great growth in the southwestern United States, which has a very different climate from the country’s traditional dairy-producing regions, including New England and the Midwest. The Southwest does not have expanses of grassland, and most dairy cattle there are housed in unpaved dirt lots, or drylots. The undeveloped surface of such lots is hard on the cows and causes frequent lameness. Drylots offer inadequate protection from the elements, and heavy rains create layers of mud and manure several inches thick, often making it difficult or impossible for the cows to walk or lie down on a dry surface, which dairy experts recognize as a health requirement for cows. Further, the population density on dirt feedlots tends to be very high. In the southern regions of California, one of the largest dairy-producing states, the average number of cows per dairy was 800 to 1,000 in 2005aâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ more than three times higher than it was in 1972. High density makes it difficult to maintain sanitation, and dairy cows housed this way are subject to frequent illness and infections. Organic dairies Unlike the sorry state of most so-called free-range? hicken facilities, the majority of organic milk producers do treat their cows well, providing access to pasture and proper feed, avoiding growth hormones, and adhering to ethical standards. However, the growth of the organic milk industry in the 1990s and the early 2000s has attracted the attention of agribusinesses, whose desire to participate in this lucrative market has led them to compromise organic standards and lobby for the degradation of such regulations at the federal level. According to a 2006 report by the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group, some of the countrys leading producers of milk, after entering the organic market, have attempted to transfer their factory-farm dairying techniques to the production of aâ‚ ¬? organicaâ‚ ¬? milk. The study found that nearly 20 percent of the organic-brand milk on store shelves was from producers following substandard practices. Consumers should be aware that some of the biggest names in the business are among those implicated.

Fast Food Industry Essays

Fast Food Industry Essays Fast Food Industry Essay Fast Food Industry Essay In his essay, â€Å"Fast Food Nation† Eric Schlosser condemns the impact of fast food on human health and American economy. Schlosser detests the fast food chain because it causes thousands of independent business to come to an end. As a result, unemployment plays a major role among these small scale businessmen. In addition it creates social differences among the people due to food market being captured by fast food chain. In order to attain a monopoly and dominate the fast food industry, they employ low paid and unskilled work force which is a threat to the public and migrant farm workers. Every citizen has the right to know the ingredients being used in the food so they can avoid the deleterious effects of the fast food on their health. His assertion, â€Å"introduction of deadly pathogens† states the risk encountered by small children who are the future generation of the modern world ( 392). Addition of harmful chemicals to increase the taste and aroma of food leads to chronic diseases like cancer, stroke and heart diseases. Furthermore Schlosser’s fear about the fast food being a social problem and turning out to be a threat to the American economy is the pinnacle of this essay. : Small scale farms and full-time farmers are in the risk of losing their livelihood with the emergence of the fast food industry. He also points out the inability of the Government to eliminate the lethal meat which paves its way into the fast food industry and pose health problems. Then he moves onto the consumers and asserts that, â€Å"Even the anticipation of consumer anger has prompted McDonald’s to demand changes from its suppliers,† – this reveals that the consumers should be provoked and created an awareness about the ins and outs of the food they are eating (396). The insight of the author about the fast food industry builds up in a gradual process and finally reiterates the need for the public to take immediate action and cease the use of fast food as their regular food and search for other healthy options like simple and healthy cooking which would help them retain a hale and a healthy life. Saying no to the fast food makes the fast food industry to rethink their formula of safe food and saves our precious life as well as the future generation. Let’s think about it.

Great College Graduation Party Ideas by Lauren Gartner

Great College Graduation Party Ideas Great College Graduation Party Ideas When it comes to any great party, there are three things to keep in mind. Every party must be held in a great location, the decoration must be fun and festive, and the food and drinks mu st be wonderful. After all, if you are throwing a graduation party for a friend or family member, don’t you want everything to be perfect for them and the party guests? Throwing a party can be stressful and a lot of work. If you have an upcoming graduation party, keep reading. The next few paragraphs are full of college graduation party ideas that you can use to make your party an absolute hit. Consider Using College Theme Party Ideas One way to make any type of party planning easier is to base the entire party around a theme. Doing this will help you focus on the theme when you are tasked with making decisions. It can also make shopping of party supplies easier as your local party store likely has items representing specific themes displayed together. Here are some examples of college party themes: Graduation BBQ – Since graduations are often held in the late spring and early summer, this is a great option. Cook hot dogs and burgers on the grill. Serve with buns, condiments, and sides of baked beans, fruit salad, and potato salad. Offer strawberry shortcake for desert. Make sure guests are kept hydrated with plenty of water and lemonade. Beer and rum punch are always great options for the adults. Decorate card tables and picnic tables with traditional checked table cloths and mismatched plates and silverware. Have games available for guests such as horse shoes, badminton, and bean bags. Graduation Open House – People throwing graduation parties often worry about accommodating large crowds of people all at once. The solution to this is to have an open house. Set snacks and drinks up in stations, and allow guests to come in and mingle with one another and the guest of honor. Be sure to provide a guestbook that folks can use to sign and offer the good wishes to the recent graduate. Graduation Luau – This is another great outdoor party idea. Stake tiki torches in the back yard and string leis as garland. Serve guests chicken and pineapple skewers, or an even more traditional roasted pork sandwiches. Play luau music for to really set the mood. Coconut cake makes a great desert for a graduation luau. Fruity cocktails are perfect for the adults. Just replace the booze with sparkling water for guests who don’t drink. Finding the Perfect Graduation Party Location If the weather is going to be nice, and you have enough room, a backyard is the perfect place for a graduation party. If you prefer to keep things indoors, a roomy rec room or an open living room are good choices. If neither of these is an option, you’ll have to find a suitable location that can accommodate your guests, serving tables, chairs, chafing dishes, etc.. You may look into renting pavilions at local parks, private banquet rooms at local restaurants, church basements, or a local VFW or Eagle’s lodge.

Leadership and Talent Management as a strategy to motivated workforce Literature review

Leadership and Talent Management as a strategy to motivated workforce - Literature review Example In the conclusion we have stated the importance of leadership and talent management in motivation of employees at workplace. They both are required in today’s’ working environment for better outcome. The word â€Å"Motivation† has come from a Latin word â€Å"Mover† which means â€Å"to move†. It is the key factor which stimulate the internal as well as the external factors of the employees of any organization. This particular factor helps to inspire the employee towards their work. By this particular factor an employee finds the inspiration to come to the work place (Oettingen and Gollwitzer, 1996, pp.). The motivational factor can be both emotional as well as materialistic. This motivational factor is totally dependent upon the employer. How the employer wants to satisfy their employees, what are the benefits they want to give to them etc. Now making the employee satisfied is very important as they are the key tools with the help of which an organization achieves their desired goals and earned profit. That is the reason why the employees of any organization are termed as Human Resource. So it is very important to keep the employees happy and satisfied with the work environment. This is so because if they will be in a good and happy state the outcome what the company will get from them will be the optimum one and this will make it easier for the company to achieve their desired target and the company will progress in a healthy manner. A feeling must be there by the side of the employer that they do care for their employee and in any tough situation they are always beside their worke r (Weiner and Graham, 1990, pp. 63-64). Different steps and initiative taken for the motivational factor in an organization will help to develop a positive attitude in the mind of the employee. The initiative regarding this factor will create a thought in the mind of the employee that the employers are concern about them and want to develop their

Management Concepts in Hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Concepts in Hospitals - Essay Example Milton Siepman when appointed as the Chief Executive of General Health System, associating with Adventist Health Systems, is confronted with numerous challenges. The major ones that demand urgent attention from Mr Milton are as follows. Problem 1: The major problem that worries the CEO would the rising cost of health care operations that would cause severe constrains on the initiatives of General Health's various community based programmes. As the objective of the system is to ensure the health facilities to the needy and the poorest of the society it is necessary that new approaches need to be devised to ensure the successful implementation of sustainable health care schemes. Options available: The options are also available with Milton Siepman to prepare General health system to tide over such a difficult phase. One of the methods that are envisaged is to have corporate partnership with the various leading drug agencies to support the health cover programmes as part of their corporate responsibility. These medicines would be exclusive to General Health programme and would be explicitly mentioned on the package as an acknowledgement for this noble initiative. This would also be supported by incorporating a preferential sale policy for the products of the above said companies in the pharmacies attached to these hospitals. This would help the corporate houses to boost their medicinal sales volume by creating exclusive sales of their medicines but at the same time using these locations to support the needy and poor by providing the low priced medicines. Appropriate quality control systems would also be enforced to ensure that reduction in cost don't lead to the loss in standards and quality. In addition to this, the hospital services would be projected as a major place for other corporate houses that are not related to medical and health care but could be convinced to take up the role of a partner for their community support services. Problem 2: Employing specialist doctors in most of the needed domains of health care is another issue that demand immediate intervention. With the higher salary and other remuneration required for such type of specialists, to employ them regularly is not a feasible solution considering the General Health's financial performance. But most of the poor patients are undergoing very agonizing moments due to their inability to avail their services due to the very poor economic status. Even the existing government support may not be adequate to give them a reasonable level of comfort to approach a very specialized health care provider. Options available: A massive campaign has been planned among various specialists working across different regions to cooperate with General Health Systems in this connection. It is indented to associate them for the out door health support services of General Health units. These doctors would be contacted and the nearest outdoor unit to their location would be equipped to avail their facility. The patients would be contacted earlier and the profile and the status would be sent to the doctor for an assessment. Based on the reports attached doctors could make a judgment on the list of patients they would prefer to give their service at lesser cost. Problem 3: Improving pain and palliative

Louis XIV :: essays research papers

Louis XIV Greed is defined in the dictionary as selfish and grasping desire for possession; especially of wealth. It is also described as a noun. This definition can be directly related and best describes Louis XIV, the king of France in the sixteen hundreds. The effects of greed destroying peoples lives can be seen in the beginning of Louis XIV’s reign, during his reign, and after his reign had ended Louis XIV inherited the throne in 1643 when he was only five (Cairns 103). From the moment he entered power and his reign began he had greedy intentions and enormous ideas of divine rule (Cairns 112). In 1661, Louis chief advisor Cardinal Jules Mazarin died and Louis then decided that he would be the only ruler of France (Spielvagel 1). Louis once expressed, â€Å"It is now time that I govern them myself. I request and order you to seal no orders except my command,†¦ I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport†¦ without my command; to render account to me personally each day and to favor no one† (Spielvagel 1). This quote reveals Louis’s desire to have power over everything and control everyone around him. Louis used the sun as his symbol of power. He often quoted, â€Å"I am the state† (Cairns 35). Exposed in this quote is Louis mindset that he had all power. Using the sun as his symbol of power enforced his belief that he was the center of a ll things. Author of â€Å"Court Described by Duc De Saint Simon,† Elena Steingrad, stated the following when referring to King Louis’s life, â€Å"†¦ he compelled his courtiers to live beyond their income, and gradually reduced then to depend on his bounty for the means of subsistence. This was a plague which became a scourge to the whole country†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4). The quote shows Louis’ greedy intentions, which eventually led to widespread confusion and an economic drop to the country of France (Steingrad 4). Louis XIV in the beginning of his reign was starting to show signs of his enormous, greedy intentions and his belief in divine rule. It was the start of his reign that France began to slowly crumble. In the beginning of Louis XIV’s reign he made an enormous decision, which revealed his greed for his own personal needs. The Palace of Versailles that he had constructed in 1682 is an excellent symbol of Louis over usage of the country’s money on himself.

Preference of Foreign Brands amongst Chinese People

The acceptance of products of foreign origin by Chinese consumers is with a genuine enthusiasm and due to various seasons: better quality, good reputation, greater diversity of choice, more attractive appearance, a feeling of liberty, new arrivals and so on. During the recent period everything that has a foreign name had to be of good quality, high price, and all those who consumed these products were regarded as rich and refined. This research paper consists of four main parts. Initially, we believe it is necessary to present the evolution of foreign brands in China, which allows us to have an overview of the context of our research.The second part will be devoted to the presentation of he conceptual framework of the issue of foreign brands. Then, we will trace the development of consumption in China. Last but not least, we propose, from all our lectures, methods of the research to solve our problem. We will conclude with the presentation of the contributions of our research and con sidered future developments. BODY 1 . The evolution of the foreign brands in China The Chinese economy was characterized by shortages, due to insufficient domestic production before the year 1979 (Guy, 2005).Indeed, during the Cultural Revolution (1968-1978), ‘ration tickets' have been distributed to buy products in China. Obviously, it was impossible for the Chinese to make a choice among competing brands. After 1979, a reform and opening policy to engage fully in building a modern economy allowed all industrial sectors to experience prodigious growth. At that time, many foreign companies have failed to penetrate because of their lack of knowledge of the Chinese market and local habits, but foreign brands remained very attractive for Chinese. However, the price of foreign products was so high that average employees could not afford them.In 1990, many Chinese have expressed a genuine enthusiasm or foreign products, from car to food and clothing. By purchasing a product that be ars a worldly famous name, Chinese consumer achieved a part of their dream. Some even saved intentionally to be able to buy foreign products. With the deepening of reform and opening up the economy and improving the investment environment, especially with its entry to WTFO, the enormous Chinese market has attracted more and more foreign products in China, and attracts more foreign companies coming to invest.The number of applications for registration and trademark registrations is increasing, so is their proportion in the annual applications compared to all existing brands. In 1982, applications for registration of foreign brands accounted for 8. 4% with 1 565 applications. In 2002, one year after the formal accession of China to the WTFO, they increased by 25. 2% over the previous year to reach the number of 50 902, which stood 13. 7% of applications. Before 1979, only 20 foreign countries and territories had registered trademarks in China, for a total of 5130 recordings.At the end of 2003, the number of countries and territories reached 129 and the number of registrations was 361 795, as 71 times more. The proportion of the cumulative number of foreign trademarks registered in relation to the total rose from 15. 7% in 1979 to 18. 3% in 2003, representing a growth of nearly three points (1). At the same time, Chinese consumers like foreign products because they demonstrate a higher life quality. Thus, some foreign products with special character are still quite requested.For example, European or American clothing are still in vogue, and very high-end foreign products are the new trends in consumption in China. According to a study cited recently by the Financial Times, China is the third oral market for luxury products with annual sales of two billion dollars and growth prospects annual 20% until 2008 and 10% up in 2015 (9). The influence of foreign brands on consumer behavior is a hot topic. It is first studied in the literature in terms of brand strategy to be adopted by enterprises (non- domestic customers).Motormen & Sharking (1998, (10) have noted three main points to understand: 1 . How consumers in each country consider the choice of brands, 2. How they evaluate them, 3. The different needs that drive their purchasing decision. In a context of globalization of markets, there are many studies about the alternatives f a marketing strategy, standardized or localized, which derives the question of a branding strategy standardized (global) vs. brand adapted (Seafarer, 2002 (5) , Roth, 1992 (1 1), and 1995 (12)).Research shows that it is important to identify potential obstacles, for example, some national characteristics, in the process of developing a global brand. Before looking at the value of a particular brand in a given market, it is also necessary to know the predisposition with which consumers of this market consider the brand in general, and then this brand in particular. 2. The concept of country of origin and its effects on consumer behavior Indeed, much has been said and written about the role of country of origin on the perception, evaluation and choice of foreign products.However, the effect of origin on brand has rarely been studied, and only in recent years it becomes an interesting subject for the researchers, with the rise of a movement that believes that the congruence between these two variables is more important than their effects taken separately (Airier and Fort, 2005). Our research intends to adopt this congruence approach to better understand the symbolic value and the practical value of the country of origin in the perception of foreign brand by Chinese consumers. There are a smaller number of researches studying the problem of countries of origin in the context of developing countries.Bator & AAA. (2000 (3)) showed that consumers in these countries perceive the country of origin as a factor indicating not only quality but also social values symbolic, and they give preference to tradema rk ‘non-local † compared to local brands. However, these proposals were rarely tested by empirical work. The study of Bator & AAA. 2000) among Indian consumers is an important reference on this point. Their results showed that consumers in developing countries have a more favorable attitude towards brands perceived as non-local, and for reasons that go beyond evaluating the quality of the brand.According to the authors, non-local brands are regarded as symbols of prestige, at least by certain categories of consumers and for categories of products with high symbolic value. These consumers are identified as those with a high degree of standard setting influence, one of the main influences that a reference group has on n individual. This group admires the lifestyles of economically developed countries. It is interesting to note that the brands are generally presented as non-local and non- associated with a given country, as in other more conventional research on the effect of country of origin. In sum, the study Bator & AAA. Mongo consumers in India provides us with the first clues for further research on the perception of foreign brand by consumers in developing countries. In this research, an interesting feature of Chinese consumers towards foreign brands in a society in transition is explored. Basing on this literature review and its limitations, we can assume that cultural orientation can influence consumer attitudes towards foreign brand in a positive way. Cultural values are considered as determinants of attitudes and behaviors and provide a more stable and domestic-oriented consumers (Kumara and Novak, 1992 (5)). . The Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand 3. 1 The traditional Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand The presentation of some of these principles will help us gain a better understanding of the behaviors of Chinese people. Some elements or values are respected, promoted and implemented in everyday life, includin g how to choose a brand. The features are introduced below: -The first feature of Chinese society is the collective nature The Chinese will adhere more easily to the standards of group than people in individualistic societies.An essential element in Western culture and consumer behavior, the desire to distinguish themselves, is also in China. It assumes a difference as a member of one group over another group, while respecting individual standards of his group. We therefore believe that the consumption of the product of reign origin is rather symbolic other than utilitarian to correspond to social status. Imitation is also a behavior used for identification as a member of the group. Moreover, it is obvious that luxury products are well sold in China in recent years.This means that the brand is in the process of buying decision because it meets the needs of good social status than personal needs (Guy, 2005). -The second characteristic feature is the concept of social interaction The relationship of trust leads the development of interpersonal relationships that underpin the functioning of many Chinese. The behaviors of Chinese consumers are more easily influenced by the existing trust between people who have a good personal relationship.It is assumed that the recommendations and comments from others play a very important role in the choice of brand. The Chinese consumers tend to regard the brand as part of their social life and their relationships to others. The exchange of gifts is considered as the most direct and most visible to cultivate social interaction. The way a person respects and implements the complex rules of gifts exchange is an essential element in assessing the social position of that person. For example, luxury products and international brands that can be gifts are well sold in China in recent years. The third feature is the concept of self-esteem In Chinese tradition, the concept of elf-esteem refers to the obligation of reciprocity. It is im portant to give oneself a positive image, reflecting his role, his status and is in line with the traits that respect his group membership†¦ Len view of the higher price and ostentatious function of the international brand compared to the local brand, consumers choose brands which is best known locally and do not want to take the sis of spending money for these brands anonymous on the market (Lu, 2004 (8)).The reputation of the brand foreign in domestic market is required for the reason of saving face. 3. 2 The modern Chinese culture and consumption of foreign brand The attitudes towards international brands of Chinese consumers are influenced by modern Chinese culture as well as traditional one. Specifically, modernity, youth, success and wealth allow Chinese consumers to pay greater importance to the brand, to develop a preference for foreign brands since it itself can constitute a social and symbolic universe (Lenitive and London, 1997 (7)).Modern consumers have more ways, c onsume more symbolically; they look for products with brand, either for their good quality or value for signs of the brand through research statute. Western Life influences consumer behavior of young Chinese. The admiration of the quality of life of developed countries exerts a positive influence on the attitude towards foreign brands. The relationship of Chinese consumers with foreign brands, which includes several aspects, manifests itself in a more or less depending on different social backgrounds, different categories of people.Elements such as age, sex, education level, and the tankard of living†¦ Certainly seem to influence the perception of foreign brands. A global study published by Accentuate shows that to attract Chinese consumers increasingly sensitive to foreign brands, companies must adjust their marketing strategies to the preferences of three categories of clientele. So the â€Å"golden youth†, I. E. Young urban graduates, mostly women, who have a high sta ndard of living and significant interest to the foreign brands is the first category with the most potential.According to the study, consumers in this class are two times more likely than others to only to buy new brands (28% against 14% maximum for others), but also to be the first to test (43% against 32% maximum). The other two categories are, on the one hand, â€Å"ambitious†, young people who are sensitive to brands and covet the latest and best products, but whose incomes do not allow them to realize their dreams. On the other hand, â€Å"high income†, who are also looking for exclusive products at the cutting edge of technology, but unlike the former, deserve the brands (14). 4. Guidelines for the management of foreign brands in China – Practical ValueNumerous studies on the problem of country of origin are interested in the influence of this concept on consumer preferences, and more specifically, preferences for foreign products or domestic products. The research in this field has highlighted a trend among consumers in developing countries to prefer foreign products to domestic products because of the superiority of foreign products in terms of quality. Long accustomed to basic products and very poor quality, Chinese consumers welcome these products of foreign origin with an enthusiasm, which may explain a better quality of these products.We therefore believe that the greater the perceived quality gap between the local brands and foreign brands is, the more Chinese consumers are sensitive to foreign brands. – Symbolic Value The importance of symbolic value tends to increase when society evolves socio economically from a low level to a higher level (Supplely and GarГÃ'‘enough, 2003 (13)). The Chinese consumers today are looking for brands capable of performing not only utilities functions but also symbolic functions and give them greater importance.The value of symbols and social standards of Chinese culture invites us to assume that it esters the perception of foreign brands by Chinese consumers. We also assume that the differences of the perceived symbolic value between local and foreign brands exert a positive influence on the perception of foreign brands. 4. 2 Perception of foreign brands – Integration of foreign brands in the Chinese culture The Chinese cultural characteristics influence the behavior of Chinese consumers.More precisely, Confucianism (the collective nature, the concept of social interaction, the notion of the self-esteem and modern Chinese culture exert a positive influence on the perception of foreign brand. Segmentation of the Chinese market In addition to the cultural differences that characterize Chinese consumers, their attitudes and behaviors appear closely related to other factors such as age, sex, education level, the standard of living†¦ Indeed, the evolution of the perception of foreign brand in China takes place at a very rapid pace.This can create signi ficant differences between groups of people more or less susceptible to the effects of opening up the country, for example, between cities and rural areas, between generations†¦ For the foreign firm, it is essential to find segments of Chinese nonusers who are more sensitive to brands. – The impact of competition China is entering a new phase of its economic development during which the foreign brands are no longer in the same position visit-Г-visit the Chinese consumers. The local competition may exert a negative influence on the perception of foreign brands.The Chinese brands have made progresses and become competitors for certain foreign brands. Faced with the improving quality of domestic products and the maturity of Chinese consumers, foreign companies must understand the symbolism of consumption that is implanted in the mind of Chinese consumers as a fundamental element of Chinese culture. In summary, the situation of foreign brands in China and Chinese consume r behavior visit-Г-visit foreign brands are discussed in this paper. The Chinese preference to foreign products seems to be an interesting feature in a society in transition to consumerism.The phenomenon of foreign brands in China appears somewhat different from what is often addressed in research in marketing, because of the complexity of the market situation and cultural characteristics of today's Chinese society and consumer behavior, closely related to the combined experience of generations of Chinese. Together with globalization and integration of markets, foreign investors wishing to work in China have to be aware of this reality. To have a good strategy of building brand image, it is important to understand the symbolic values of prestige required by the Chinese.To attract Chinese consumers, our study suggests several options: to highlight differences in terms of product quality and in terms of the symbolic value of brands; to strengthen orientation to Confucianism and to the theme of modernity and youth linked to consumption; to emphasize the importance of segmentation for the Chinese market; to emphasize the difference in hooch between categories of products with high symbolic value and low symbolic value and at last to identify new constraints imposed by local competition.Finally, we hope that this study makes a contribution to knowledge about the management of the brand in general and on the issue of foreign brands in the Chinese market in particular.