External and Internal Environment Audit of Stenders Essay - 1

External and Internal Environment Audit of Stenders - Essay Example The paper tells that the management of the Stenders has decided to enter the UK market. They are eyeing to open franchisee retail stores in London considering the prospect of the market. The social demand for body and face cosmetics and beauty products is increasing significantly in London. Moreover, a favourable technological environment will help the management of the organization to enhance its manufacturing, distribution, selling and promotional practices. Availability of skilled and low-cost suppliers and supply chain option can influence the management to develop and implement unique strategies in business operation process. recent financial crisis and economic environment affected the purchasing power of people. Therefore, it can affect the overall business output of Stenders in London. Apart from this, too much intense market competition can make it difficult to develop potential customer base initially. Strict employment and environmental regulations and legal policies can b e considered as significant external challenges for the organization. Moreover, the intense market competition and strict entry lawsuits can help the management of Stenders to face a limited threat of new entrants. Huge market competition and availability of differentiated and substitute products can increase the threat of bargaining power of the consumers. Stenders has both internal strengths as well as weaknesses. Strong brand name, high customer loyalty, potential customer base across the globe and significant international business diversification strategy can be considered as the major internal strengths of the organization. Affective product differentiation strategy and strong financial also can be considered as one of the important strengths of the organization. Apart from this, the organization has developed the decentralized decision-making model that enhance efficient and quick strategy development and decision-making process.

In Asthmatic Children under the age of 5yrs is spacer inhaler more Essay

In Asthmatic Children under the age of 5yrs is spacer inhaler more beneficial than a nebulizer - Essay Example The recent British thoracic Society Guidelines (20) support the use of spacer inhaler over the nebulizer. The possible advantages that accrue include reduced cost of acquisition and operation, greater potential convenience and reduced incidence of infection. It is therefore very important to asses whether spacer inhalers are beneficial in children with with extremely asthmatic episodes. The above clinical question and the suggested intervention measures are relevant in clinical practice of our modern society. C- Comparison interest: indicate that nebuliser too can offer convenience depending on the prevailing situational circumstance in relation to time, cost and available staff training and level of professionalism. Search for the articles relevant for this research review was computer based. Article database search was based on the PubMed directory. An updated PubMed search (8 April 2013), with the key terms â€Å"asthma† â€Å" spacer†, â€Å"nebuliser verses spacer inhaler†, â€Å"asthma spacer inhaler†, â€Å"spacer nebuliser comparison†, â€Å"acute asthmatic children†, â€Å"or asthma with the key term limit of meta analysis, human, all children 0-5 years. This led to acquisition of 15 citations which included two systematic reviews. First search was done based in the key terms that reflect the clinical problem â€Å"asthmatic children, nebuliser verses spacer inhaler†, â€Å"acute asthmatic† and â€Å"asthma†. This directed the search towards the acquisition of many other incidences which are prevalent to the problem in question. By reading the abstracts and key terms of the first acquired article, other terms like â€Å"juvenile asthma† and â€Å"asthma spacer nebulizer†. This gave out a new dimension of the review. The new article obtained from the secondary search show a considerable compliance and correlation of the primary sources. They

Walt Disney Company Analysis | Five Forces and SWOT

Walt Disney Company Analysis | Five Forces and SWOT Multinational Corporation (MNC) is a large company with plants or other direct investment in one or more oversea countries. In the same way, it is also called a transnational corporation or an international corporation. The multinationals usually provide technology, finance capital, and marketing skills in return on a profitable market and where they operated in developing countries. However, even the high class industrial nations may be the scenes of investment by multinational companies. The multinationals have power that can influence over the foreign governments. It has been the criticism target, but many host countries have imposed regulations and given them a larger share of profits, jobs, and markets. (Investments Income, 2007-2010) Multinational corporations can be categorized into three types integrated according to the structure of their production instruments, such as horizontally integrated multinational corporations, vertically integrated multinational and diversified multinational corporations. Horizontally integrated multinational corporations manage production establishments located in different countries to produce the same or similar products, like McDonalds. Vertically integrated multinational corporations manage production establishment in certain country/countries to produce products that serve as input to its production establishments in other country/countries, like Adidas. Diversified multinational corporations manage production establishments located in different countries that are neither horizontally nor vertically integrated, like Microsoft. (Investments Income, 2007-2010) Company Information 2.1 Company History The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is the second largest media and entertainment corporation in the world, after Time Warner. It founded on October 16, 1923 by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as a small animation studio. But now it has become one of the biggest Hollywood studios, and owner of eleven theme parks and several television networks, including the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The Walt Disney Companys corporate headquarters and primary production facilities are located in California at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank). The headquarters is located in USs large-scale multinational corporation. The primary service manufactures including the entertainment program, subject park, toy, books, computer game and media network. The philosophers stone movie company, the Miramax movie, Hollywood Movie Company (company), the abundant great audio and video product, the ESPN sports, the ABC television network all is its uneven under company brand. (Usahm.net, n.d) Since its founding in 1923, The Walt Disney Company and its affiliated companies have remained faithful to their commitments that produce unparalleled entertainment experiences. It based on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments, such as media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. (disney.com, n.d) 2.2 Company Structure Walt Disneys Creative Organization Chart (Source: Kuang, C., 2009) Roy Disney was fighting for a strangely organized company that the Walt Disney Company created in many aspects. It depended to refining remarkable ideas rather than hovering profits. In other words, check out his organization chart of Disney under Walt Disneys Creative Organization Chart (above). (Fast Company, 2010) As At Issue points out, this wasnt your standard pyramidal corporate hierarchyit was one used to giving autonomy to the people. And it actually making the films, and letting each of their own processes works out themselves. Naturally, as Disney grew into a corporate behemoth, that organization was swept away in favor of layers of VPs and SVPs. Hence, Disney never makes movies again like they used toJust as Roy always argued. (Fast Company, 2010) 3 Globalization 3.1 Definition Globalization is the system of interaction among the countries of the world in order to develop the global economy. Globalization depends on the integration of economics and societies throughout the world. Globalization involves technological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges made possible largely by advances in communication, transportation, and infrastructure. (Hubpages Inc., 2010) There are two different types of integration, such as negative integration and positive integration. Negative integration is breaking down of the trade barriers or protective barriers such as tariffs and quotas. The migration of barriers can be profitable to a country if it allows for products that are important or essential to the economy. For example, by removing barriers, the costs of raw materials imported will decrease and the supply will increase. Therefore, it can make cheaper to produce the final products for export (like electronics, car parts, and clothes). (Hubpages Inc., 2010) Besides, positive integration is used to standardize the international economic laws and policies. For instance, a country which has its own policies on taxation trades with a country with its own set of policies on tariffs. In the same way, these particular countries must have their own policies on tariffs. By following the positive integration and the continuing growth on the influence of globalization, these countries will process on having similar or identical policies on tariffs. (Hubpages Inc., 2010) 3.2 Impacts of Globalization Global tourism is maybe the most obvious performance of a shrinking world to the western citizen. It allows short term travel to almost any part of the world, an avenue for greater social and cultural awareness and understanding. Vacations may now only a couple of days, instead of the month long tours on past centuries, no longer the domain of the ultra wealthy with increasingly cheaper flights. Disposable income and leisure time increased have empowered the western citizen to travel beyond national borders cheaply and easily. The Walt Disney Company manages the worlds largest vacation resort: Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as well as managing the top eight most visited theme parks in worldwide (TEA, 2010), occupying the leisure tourism market. It is significant to recognize that all the worlds offerings, so many people choose to vacation at Disney resorts. Even in the richer countries, tourism is very often a luxury unaffordable of the majority, especially regular internatio nal traveling. (Disney, 2010) Disneys power is dramatic. It will able to pressure governments of many major countries. Firstly, when Disney decided to create a central Asian resort, the company decided sites in China, South Korea, Singapore and India in order to set in Hong Kong (TNF, 2010). Disney was able to play offset the majority of countries against one-another as to secure the greatest financial benefit for the Walt Disney Company. A strategy is previously exercised in Europe (primarily between France and Spain) for Euro Disney (Lainsbury, 2000), and before that in California between the city councils of Anaheim and Long Beach for their second California park (Blue Sky Disney, 2007). In Hong Kong, Disney was able to secure a 43% stake in the resort, even if the contribution is less than 20% of the construction costs (Balfour, 2009) due to the enormous tourist boost Disney would guarantee (Hong Kong, 1999). (Disney, 2010) Globalization seems to have produced a commoditized, corporate-controlled experience of the world. For instance, being the relatively new Disney tour company Adventures by Disney. The Walt Disney Company applies the unlimited practices of its theme parks to real locations in pre-arranged itineraries such as Peru Vacation and Cities of Knights and Lights in London and Paris (Disney, 2010). Convenience and luxury replace uncertainty, providing the experience of backpacking adventure in a controlled manner effectively, and its all lead by knowledgeable Disney guides. For Adventures by Disney, perhaps the world isnt shrinking and the uninteresting parts are simply being cut out. For better or worse, what was once exotic and unusual is now becoming a tourist hotspot, where real culture is replaced in favor of tourist expectations and demands. The tourist gaze empowers the tourists contribution to the symbols of a culture unwisely. (Disney, 2010) Whether globalization is truly global, or simply an expression of Americanization, is uncertain. In terms of the Walt Disney Company, it is proudly American. The company devotes Disneyland to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America, in the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world (Marling, 2004). Disney is not only benefitting from this Americanization, but spreading it or even forcing it in some cases. Disney are adopting and selecting which elements they wish to claim as their own in line with Western ideologies. Probably in the future, this may balance, but as present there is certainly an American, or at least, Western governance. As so many of the folk stories and fairytales that had inspired, the designers of Disneyland Paris planned their project honestly to be a gift of the best of Americana to Europe, and sharing American culture with the continent that had provided Walt Disney. The result is a combination of genuine i nternational communication, and business practices. (Disney, 2010) Porters Five Forces Model 4.1 Threat of New Entrants Since the Walt Disney Company has been able to find a very unusual niche within the industry, the entrance barriers are high relatively. The company is able to grow over a long term period, and has to develop from the departments of Research and Development (RD), marketing, and finance. By depending on past experience, the company officials know to a large extent what the target customer wants. (scribd.com, n.d.) Threat of Substitute The products or services are moderate to low. Other cartoon figures, theme parks, and movies can search the market in which the Walt Disney Company is operating in, but this is obviously representing a significant threat. The Walt Disney Company has placed price controls on many of its product lines already, and should be able to cope with other new competitors. However, by upgrading products and services, the threat alone of new entrants into the market requires the Walt Disney Company to hedge against such risk by simultaneously. (scribd.com, n.d.) Bargaining Power of Suppliers The suppliers are governed by a few companies as the Walt Disney Company is operating in a highly differentiated and unique industry with high switching costs associated with operations. Besides, they are most probably very concentrated. However, the Walt Disney Company is a unique company and important customer of many suppliers. Furthermore, the size of the company may be a great advantage certainly. The company will create a dependency relationship in the industry by being able to order large volumes of unique products from unique suppliers. (scribd.com, n.d.) Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining power of buyers is high in the service and in the entertainment industry. The customers have powers certainly since a large number of customers are needed to make the Walt Disney Companys operations run smoothly. For example, if the price on a particular home video is too high, customers may be averse to spending the money needed to purchase the products. Another example is the entrance fee charged at the Walt Disney Companys theme parks. Furthermore, the entertainment industry does not take the buyer money, even if it is planned in a way that it will make the buyer spend more. A majority of the Walt Disney Companys product mix focuses on intangible returns of the buyers money. However, some customers may not realize that they are getting such a return may increase the bargaining power of the customers. (scribd.com, n.d.) 4.5 Rivalry among Existing Firms It does not play a very important role in the Walt Disney Companys external operational environment. Nevertheless, it is true that the companys exit barriers are extremely high. Furthermore, capacity is expanded in extremely large investments. However, there are no closer direct competitors to the Walt Disney Companys operations. Competitors such as Lonely Tunes retail stores do not appear to appoint themselves to expensive advertising campaigns in order to obtain market shares. Moreover, the Walt Disney Companys products are highly differentiated. The switching costs are therefore quite significant. A multinational corporation such as the Walt Disney Company faces internal weaknesses and strengths, which can to a certain extent be controlled. The external forces such as opportunity and threats are more difficult to control, and the Walt Disney Company has to adopt and take advantage to those forces. (scribd.com, n.d.) SWOT analysis 5.1 Strength The Walt Disney Companys main strength is in its resources, its experience in the business, and its low-cost strategy. Besides, the company has developed clearly a very strong and well known brand-name through many years. The company has also been able to diversify its operations and products to hedge against decreasing sales in product lines. In recent years, it has categorized into Home Video, Film, merchandise, Radio broadcasting, Net-work television and in theme parks. It has also effectively diversified globally its operations from USA to Japan and Europe. The main strengths in internal resources relate to human resources and financial stability. Employees in the Walt Disney Company studies appear to be extremely creative and they have produced several box-office productions in these recent years. A company without new ideas is bounded in todays competitive business environment. However, the low-cost-corporate-strategy is a benefit for the company. The company can control costs, and still produce quality goods and services. Financial risks have been minimized by sharing initial investment costs with a maximum number of outside participants. (scribd.com, n.d.) Weaknesses Corporations always have internal weaknesses. The Walt Disney Companys main weaknesses are the following: A very large work load, often changes in top-management, and high overhead expenditures. The company has 58,000 employees in 1991. This fact represents possible communications problems, and a high bureaucracy level through the corporation. The companys work load will increase even larger, and the organizational structure has to be able to support an extension of the work load by varying into more businesses and niches. The company has a very frequently changes and its corporate officers makes the corporate structure even more difficult. There are many positive things that often changes, but the changes are also associated with resistance, and high expenses. (scribd.com, n.d.) Opportunities External opportunities should be recognized, analyzed, and responded to in a very early stage. The Walt Disney Company is facing several external opportunities. However, the external threats facing the company are out-numbering the opportunities. Opportunities include the following; positive government attitudes towards its operations, barriers of entry are significant, and include the entertainment industry itself. Legal and legislative forces are usually identified as negative external factors to the company. Furthermore, the French government contributed greatly in the Euro Disneyworld project in the Walt Disney Companys case. The French government invested in the project to built communication facilities, and gave the Walt Disney Company tax reliefs on cost of goods sold accounts. In addition, since the barriers of entry into the highly specialized industry in which the Walt Disney Company is still operating, competition will find it difficult to penetrate the companys highly div ersified product or service mix. Therefore, large initial capital investments are required to enter the industry accordingly. (scribd.com, n.d.) Threats Major threats to the Walt Disney Company include the following; Over saturated markets, politics and economic aspects from a global perspective, and foreign competition. As the supply of products and services in the entertainment industry is starting to saturate the markets, competition will be more exciting, and only the most powerful companies will be able to survive finally. The Walt Disney Company has leveraged this risk to a certain level as it has diversified and globalized its operations, but still, the company is in the service/entertainment business. The Cable-giants such as Turner Broadcasting Systems (TBS) may not be able to manage the stress on its operation such as the Network-television division. (scribd.com, n.d.) Strategies The Walt Disney Companys corporate level strategy is based on a horizontal and scattered informal management approach. Ideas are born within the departments and are processed throughout the low hierarchy relatively from the final decisions. The management is placed on group creativity and in teamwork. For example, the most creative employees usually met the target in the purpose of generate with new ideas and new business strategies. As seen in this example, a large emphasis is focused on employee participation, especially on the most talented employees. Furthermore, the company is always refreshing its top management with new executives. Top-flight managers from the entertainment corporation and the financial business think new ideas and concepts which can be applied in the Walt Disney Company. There is however a significant increase in expense attached to attracting the very best to join the company. This increase in expense is related to special perk-packages directly, higher bonu ses and escalated salaries that are offered to the top-executives. (scribd.com, n.d.) Another interesting strategy is the focal point that is focused on enhancement of the business. The corporate policy is to grow slowly instead of impress others. It is important for the company to meet demand with a sufficient supply of goods and/or services. It can be accomplished by effective distribution channels and marketing department. This leads us to another corporate policy, efficiency and suppression. Recently, movie industry trend towards increase in costs rapidly, it have a direct effect on the profitability of the company. By reducing the costs involved in making and marketing Disney films, it is cheaper and more profitable movies can be produced. Efficiency enforced by tight budgets and expected high returns, Disney must be able to produce more efficiency and cheaper than its competition. (scribd.com, n.d.) In addition, the corporate strategy is clearly focusing on diversifying its products and services. The expansion overseas rapidly and an increase in the product and service mix have created an umbrella effect. Thus, risks have been reduced and minimized. If one product line fails, other product lines have to cover for its losses. (scribd.com, n.d) The Walt Disney Company is able to produce more and more products to the others countries which do not have Disneyland. Instead of going toward the countries that have Disneyland, the customers also can buy the Disney products in their own countries. Conclusion As a conclusion, Walt Disney is a master in globalization. It is one of the largest companies on the planet. Disney markets worldwide itself, creating big amount of revenues and further establishing itself as a global brand. It brand has been further developed as a result of merchandising. Merchandising has played a huge role in establishing the brand. (Suite101.com, n.d.) An important factor in the success of Disney has been the integrated nature of its products, with synergies between film and television, between media and theme parks, and between theme parks, hotels and resort operations, according to the 1998 book Embracing and Managing Change in Tourism: A Globalised Theme Park Market? The Case of Disney in Europe. (Suite101.com, n.d.) 8 References WEBSITES Multinational corporation (MNC) [Online] Available at: http://www.investmentsandincome.com/investments/multinational-corporation.html [Assessed 11st November, 2010] The Walt Disney Company Introduction [Online] Available at: http://www.usahm.net/news.asp?id=86 [Assessed 13rd November, 2010] The Walt Disney Company Overview [Online] Available at: http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/overview.html [Assessed 13rd November, 2010] The Walt Disney Company Structure [Online] Available at: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/roy-disney-rip [Assessed 15th November, 2010] Definition of Globalization [Online] Available at: http://hubpages.com/hub/Definition-of-Globalization [Assessed 20th November, 2010] Impacts of Globalization [Online] Available at: http://www.theneverlandfiles.com/misc/ColeYoungerDisneyGlobalization.pdf [Assessed 20th November, 2010] Porters Five Forces Model [Online] Available at: (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() [Assessed 28th November, 2010] SWOT analysis [Online] Available at: (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() [Assessed 3rd December, 2010] The Walt Disney Company Strategies [Online] Available at: (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() [Assessed 6th December, 2010] Conclusion http://www.suite101.com/content/disney-and-globalisation-a196391#ixzz17mk5w65J [Assessed 7th December, 2010] PICTURES, IMAGES AND PHOTOGRAPHS Walt Disneys Creative Organization Chart, 2009. Chart. [Electronic print] Available at: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/roy-disney-rip [Assessed 15th November, 2010] Disney and Globalisation, 2010. Marketing the Brand. [Electronic print] Available at: http://www.suite101.com/content/disney-and-globalisation-a196391#ixzz17mk5w65J [Assessed 15th November, 2010] Walt Disney, 2008. Header Logo. [Electronic print] Available at: http://www.toxel.com/design/2008/08/20/20-famous-logo-designs/ [Assessed 6th December, 2010] Disney Motion Picture Art, 1998-2010. Collections. [Picture] Available at: http://www.motionpictureart.com/Disneyana-p-1-c-35.html [Assessed 6th December, 2010] 9 Appendices Appendix 1 Source: Walt Disney, 2008

How To Find A Writing Topic Problem-solution Essays :: essays research papers

How to Find A Writing Topic Problem-Solution Essays Have you ever received a problem-solution essay where you cannot think of anything to write? Although many of the forty million students in America go through this at one time or another, don't despair! There are several systematic ways to find a writing topic. Some topics take no research at all. Let's look at a few of them. First, the local newspaper may contain some interesting articles. The newspaper can be used as a utility to the writing process. Problems will present themselves in many newspaper articles. Articles will most likely contain many facts and quotations about a certain problem making the subject easily researchable in a short time. People must be careful, though, when using the newspaper. Many other people may use it as a source and you may find yourself writing about the same thing as someone else. Another solution might be to write in regard to your own past experiences that have involved problems and solutions. They may be problems you have had with your parents or siblings. A problem could be that you cannot decide on something and have to make a tough decision. Writing about a decision that you made about clothes will suffice. But in the view of someone else, the problem may seem insignificant. Both previous solutions may in some cases fail. If so, writing about not knowing what to write and how to solve that may lead to the best alternative. It may look as if the assignment was quickly jotted down due to the fact that there is no research to do, but if it is well written it can turn out to be a very good essay. When specific information is needed there are many things that could be doctored to suit the needs of the article.

Ernst Junger and Audie Murphy Heroes of War Essay

Not many people are vested with such courage shown by the two men whom the title of this paper belong. Both men had exemplary displayed extremely great courage that was perhaps slightly short of suicidal attack. Without discounting their heroism, one cannot rest his mind without asking how these people could bravely defy the dangers of death through a daring exploit of the dangers itself. Courage that is inside them is what makes them brave enough to overcome the fears of the dangers and death. It is the courage that yields a man honors yet it will only prove when it is confronted by a particular kind of risk and emerge victorious in that situation. The many particular risk that both men had confronted and had successfully subdued, proves they are indeed men of great courage. Junger and Murphy may have served in the military in the same capacity, and in equally dangerous battlefield but of the opposing sides. They are equally courageous and possessed extra ordinary skills that put them distinct from the others, as evidenced by their war medals. However, there is an obvious difference between their personal backgrounds. Junger was highly educated, born, and grew up in a better family condition. Murphy on the other hand, had but all painful life experiences. His parents died while he was still young with twelve siblings. He grew up under difficult condition and had no proper education. This difference obviously influenced their military manner, Junger sees his accomplishment as an opportunity for advancement, while Murphy sees his accomplishment as merely his duty as a military. He considered his service to military as a family and was willing let opportunity for advancement pass him. Examples of Junger’s accomplishment that clearly reflect his organized out looked in to the future are as follows. First, he had served the German army with distinction. He was indeed a multi-awarded soldier. Second, He became officer of the army at a very young age of twenty-three; third, he became a writer after he was discharge from military service. His Storm of Steel seemed to glorify war although he did not justify nor extenuates the brutalities of war. Perhaps, the one thing that Murphy was very fortunate to have was, first, his extra-ordinary courage and ordinary qualities as a fighting infantryman. His enlistment in the US army proves to be successful as he was able to demonstrate his military skills in combat operations. Second, his military skills gave him numerous military awards and distinction above the others. He was even promoted to the rank of lieutenant despite his limited education and third, his loyalty to the military and his own company earned for him respect and admiration of others. Final Reflections These two men rose from their own ranks because of their courage, extra-ordinary skills and dedication to their duties. Two men of different backgrounds and belong to the opposing armies were able to build their own identities, developed their own outlook in life, and established their lives amidst the dangers of wars. Theirs is a lesson that though life is full of danger, full of opposing forces that affects us, and we are weak compared to these realities, yet they survived, and eventually succeed in life. This gives us hope of our own survival and success in what ever endeavor we are we are currently struggling.

Home Made Candles

Homemade Candle Materials: Matches Cotton Oil Salt Glass container Procedure: Step1: Put a salt in the container Step2: Put a little oil in the container Step3: History of Candles Candles have cast a light on man's progress for centuries. However, there is very little known about the origin of candles. Although it is often written that the first candles were developed by the Ancient Egyptians who used rush lights, or torches, made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in molten tallow, the rush lights had no wick like a candle.It is the Romans who are credited with developing the wick candle, using it to aid travellers at dark and lighting homes and places of worship at night. Like the early Egyptians, the Roman's relied on tallow, gathered from cattle or sheep suet, as the principal ingredient of candles. It was not until the Middle Ages when beeswax, a substance secreted by honey bees to make their honeycombs, was introduced. Beeswax candles were a marked improvement over those made w ith tallow, for they did not produce a smoky flame, or emit an acrid odor when burned.Instead, beeswax candles burned pure and clean. However, they were expensive, and, therefore, only the wealthy could afford them. Colonial women offered America's first contribution to candle making when they discovered that boiling the greyish green berries of bayberry bushes produced a sweet-smelling wax that burned clean. However, extracting the wax from the bayberries was extremely tedious. As a result, the popularity of bayberry candles soon diminished.The growth of the whaling industry in the late 18th century brought the first major change in candle making since the middle Ages, when spermaceti, a wax obtained by crystallizing sperm whale oil, became available in quantity. Like beeswax, the spermaceti wax did not elicit a repugnant odor when burned. Furthermore, spermaceti wax was found harder than both tallow and beeswax. It did not soften or bend in the summer heat. Historians note that th e first â€Å"standard candles† were made from spermaceti wax.It was during the 19th century when most major developments affecting contemporary candle making occurred. In 1834, inventor Joseph Morgan introduced a machine which allowed continuous production of moulded candles by the use of a cylinder which featured a movable piston that ejected candles as they solidified. Further developments in candlemaking occurred in 1850 with the production of paraffin wax made from oil and coal shales. Processed by distilling the residues left after crude petroleum was refined, the bluish-white wax was found to burn cleanly, and with no unpleasant odor.Of greatest significance was its cost – paraffin wax was more economical to produce than any preceding candle fuel developed. And while paraffin's low melting point may have posed a threat to its popularity, the discovery of stearic acid solved this problem. Hard and durable, stearic acid was being produced in quantity by the end of the 19th century. By this period, most candles being manufactured consisted of paraffin and stearic acid. With the introduction of the light bulb in 1879, candlemaking declined until the turn of the century when a renewed popularity for candles emerged.Candle manufacturing was further enhanced during the first half of the 20th century through the growth of U. S. oil and meatpacking industries. With the increase of crude oil and meat production, also came an increase in the by-products that are the basic ingredients of contemporary candles paraffin and stearic acid. No longer man's major source of light, candles continue to grow in popularity and use. Today, candles symbolize celebration, mark romance, define ceremony, and accent decor — continuing to cast a warm glow for all to enjoy. Candle Use & SafetyHow are candles made? While modern candle-making processes vary, most candles are made through the timeless process of placing a cotton wick into wax which is then molded, di pped, extruded, pressed, rolled, drawn or filled into a desired shape and size. What is the best way to store candles? Candles should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place and, for tapers, in a flat position to prevent warping. When stored properly, candles can be enjoyed for years and play an important role in traditions. Does the industry have standards for candles?Domestic candle manufacturers have a long tradition of making high quality, long-lasting and safe candles. National Candle Association members – manufacturers and suppliers – are working with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to implement voluntary standards for candles. Are candles safe to use? Candles are safe when burned properly and responsibly, and according to manufacturers’ directions. When burning candles, consumers should always follow these simple, common sense steps: †¢never leave a burning candle unattended keep candles out of the reach of children and pets †¢trim wicks prior to each use and keep trimmed †¢keep candles away from drafts, vents and flammable objects †¢extinguish a candle that smokes (check instructions before re-lighting) †¢extinguish candle when ? † of wax remains in a container †¢use only candle holders that have been manufactured for use with candles †¢keep matches and other debris out of the candle †¢Extinguish the flame if it burns too close to the container or holder do not move a glass container when the wax is liquid.