Coca Cola Company and its Product Modifying Method Essay

Coca Cola Company and its Product Modifying Method - Essay Example Currently, Coca Cola is undergoing a series of transformations specifically in the production of its products with the aim of ensuring it meets the set standards provided by the FDA. The company is now looking into the details of most of its recipes in order to ensure that it produces beverages that are in line with the recommendations and regulations of FDA. Given that research findings opine caffeine as well as tannin mixtures with cancer related causes, people are taking a step forward towards doing away with products said to have such ingredients in their contents (59). Change of such consumer market has seen most companies head towards the verge of losing a large market base. However, in order to ensure continued profitability, Coca Cola which happens to be one of the world’s largest producer and distributor of beverage products resolve to come into terms with the FDA standards which require companies to observe health regulations and recommendations.On March 7, 2012, Coc a Cola Company asserted that its use of caramel coloring in preparing its drinks has always resolved to put into consideration the necessary requirements and thus is safe. Douglas Karas, FDA spokesperson stated that FDA is working round the clock and ensuring that companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi provide their consumers with quality beverages that pose no challenge to the users. According to Beverage Digest, one of the most active industry trackers, PepsiCo and Coca Cola hold the largest percentage.

Greek Mythology Essay Example for Free

Greek Mythology Essay The Greeks believed that the earth was formed before any of the gods appeared. The gods, as the Greeks knew them, all originated with Father Heaven, and Mother Earth. Father Heaven was known as Uranus, and Mother Earth, as Gaea. Uranus and Gaea raised many children. Among them were the Cyclopes, the Titans, and the Hecatoncheires, or the Hundred- Handed Ones. Uranus let the Titans roam free, but he imprisoned the Cyclopes and the Hundred- handed Ones beneath the earth. Finally, Gaea could not bear  Uranuss unkindness to the Cyclopes and the Hundred-Handed Ones any longer. Gaea joined Cronos, one of the Titans; and together, they overcame Uranus, killed him, and threw his body into the sea. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, later rose from the sea where Uranuss body had been thrown. Now Cronus became king of the universe. Cronos married his sister, Rhea, and they had six children. At the time of Cronoss marriage to Rhea, Gaea prophesied that one of his children would overthrow. Cronos, as he had overthrown Uranus. To protect himself, Cronos swallowed each of his first five children Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon immediately after birth. After the birth of her sixth and last child, Rhea tricked Cronos into swallowing a rock and then hid the child Zeus on earth. Zeus grew up on earth and was brought back to Mount Olympus as a cupbearer to his unsuspecting father. Rhea and Zeus connived against Cronos by mixing a noxious drink for him. Thinking it was wine, Cronos drank the  mixture and promptly regulated his five other children, fully grown. Then Zeus and his brothers waged a mighty battle against Cronos and the other Titans. Cronos and the Titans were defeated when Zeus ambushed them with the help of the Cyclopes and the Hundred-Headed Ones, and they panicked and retreated. Cronos and the Titans were imprisioned in the Earth where their fighting still causes earthquakes from time to time. Zeus and his brothers and sisters went to live on Mount Olympus, where they ruled over the earth.

Illegal Drugs: Should they be? Essay -- Legalizing Drugs

There are very few people who can honestly claim that current drug policies have been a success. Aside from being ineffective the costly current drug policy of prohibition has created a set of unwanted consequences including; a high prison population of non-violent offenders, corruption, violence, and whole set of health issues. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, â€Å"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.† and despite the failures of the current policy in deterring drug use that is just what the government is choosing to do. Perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach to the drug issue. An approach which will address drug use in an innovative way while solving the problems which prohibition has created and also bring about societal, health, and economic benefits but most importantly it will also give back the individual liberties which prohibition has managed to erode. It’s time to consider the legalization of dr ugs. Drug prohibition has proven a very costly war. And the cost has not only been monetary, drug prohibition has lead to corruption, increase violence, increase inmate population, and it has also infringed upon our civil liberties. Currently the government spends $47.8 billion a year on prohibition enforcement, according to a 2010 Department of Economics, Harvard University report by Jeffrey A. Miron. Yet despite the exorbitant amount of money being spent fighting this â€Å"war on drugs†, drugs are still prevalent on our streets. According to an article published on CBS News website in 2008 by Jennifer Warner, the US leads the world in illegal drug use with a whopping 42.4% of Americans admitting to having tried illegal drugs at least once. In 2009 a the federal Substance Abuse ... ... York Times. 24 Mar. 2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2010. . Sterling, Eric E. "Foreign Policy In Focus | Drug Policy: Failure at Home." Foreign Policy In Focus | Home. 6 Oct. 2005. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. . United States. General Accounting Office. General Government Division. LAW ENFORCEMENT Information on Drug-Related Police Corruption. May 1998. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. Warner, Jennifer. "U.S. Leads The World In Illegal Drug Use - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. 1 July 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. . Wisotsky, Steven. "A Society of Suspects: The War on Drugs and Civil Liberties." USA Today [Farmingdale] July 1993: 17-21. SIRS Researcher. Web. 23 Nov. 2010.

Sales and Inventory System of Graph Image Paint Center

I. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY Inventory systems are tracking systems that inform the amount of raw materials, supplies or final products have readily available. Updated each time you sell an item or use raw materials to create and to know what you available for the following day or week. This type of system allows ordering products in advance, so you have everything you need at all times. 1. 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM How can the proposed system monitor the sales inventory of the transaction * How can the proposed system provide an accurate sales computation * How can the proposed system make a better sales record for each order transaction 1. 3 SYSTEM OBJECTIVES * To develop a Sale and Inventory System for Graph Image Paint Center that will give solutions to the problems encountered in their manual business processes. * To avoid excess inventory and stock outs by using the sales inventory system * To produce appropriate reports of the sales 1. 4 SYSTEM SCOPE AND LIMITA TIONScope: * records the customers’ order transactions * generate the customers’ order transaction report. * view the previous sales record * can add, edit, search or delete orders to be delivered * print a receipt * can view inventory record in daily basis * determines the lead point of reorder Limitations: * limited in cash-based payment * doesn’t accept a credit card payment * cannot perform the crediting of the custom II. Company Background Graph Image Paint Center is located at Salcedo Rosario, Cavite that sells different kinds of paint and painting materials.The store is owned by Mr. Gary Palima and Armie Palima. The business operates every Mondays to Saturdays from 8am to 5pm. The company is doing their annual inventory manually. 2. 1 Organizational Chart Gary Palima Armie Palima OWNER Alice Saqui CASHIER Mark Villegas Salesman 2. 4 ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONS 1. Manager * updates the records of the products * responsible for the entire paint products and ot her painting materials retailing and wholesaling business * in charge of annual inventory 2. Cashier * responsible for the monetary transactions * updates the transaction records in charge of receiving phone call orders from the customer 3. Sales Man * in charge of delivering the products to the customers * receives payment from the customers where the products were delivered 2. 3 SUPPLIERS * Davies Paints Philippines Inc. 1887 Mercedes Ave. , San Miguel Pasig City * Asian Coatings Philippines Inc. 48 Amang Ave. , Santolan Pasig City * Super Globe Inc. 08 Luis Street, Barangay San Miguel, Pasig City III. CURRENT SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION 3. 1 USER OVERVIEW OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM The existing system of Graph Image Paint Center is a manual sales and inventory transaction process.The process has its simple listing of transactions and issuing of receipts. Everything is manually operated. Their inventory is being checked every end of accounting period or in a Periodic basis. However, the syst em cannot easily search for a particular product if they wish to see the quantity available. Sales report is unsecured and not presentably recorded. All their products are just listed in and compiled in a clear book. If the records are lost, there is no backup storage that will recover their transactions. 3. 2 EXISTING FLOW PROCESS DIAGRAM STARTCustomer Order Yes Another Order? No Sell the Product? Cancel Order No Yes Prepare the Product B Payment from customer Another Order? No Yes Copy Information to Record Book All Payments Recorded? A No Customer Transaction Continuation D A Yes End of the Day? Daily Sales Report Compute for Daily Total Sales No D Yes End of the Week? Weekly Sales Report Compute for Weekly Total Sales D No Yes End of the Month? Monthly Sales Report Compute for Monthly Total Sales B D No END The start of the existing flow process transaction is from the selling of the product.There is a decision box that indicates the cancel order and preparation of the product. If there is another order then the transaction is back to the customer’s order. If no, then the customers pay and the information are copied in the information record book. Then another decision box will ask if all the payments are recorded. If no, then it is back to copying information to record book. Then the information is saved at the customer’s transaction. If yes, there are decision boxes that will ask if what mode of report view will be, if it is daily, weekly and monthly. If es, the cashier will compute for the daily total sales. Then daily sales report will be generated and ends the process. 3. 3 EXISTING CONTEXT DIAGRAM CUSTOMER Defective Payment Product Product Receipt New Replaced Inquiry of Order Product Customer’s Profile SALES AND INVENTORY DeliveryReceipt Manual Sales and Inventory Report Shipment Purchase Manager SUPPLIERS Order Payment The figure shows the existing Context Diagram of Graphic Image Paint Center that focuses on their sales and i nventory system. The researcher’s chose that aspect because of the manual operating and checking of their sales and inventory. All of the records and information about their business are ecorded in an excel sheet and record books. The context diagram shows how their business flows between customers, suppliers and the owner. The transactions are made personally like shipping of the products, payment, reports, and customer orders and inquiry. 3. 4 EXISTING TOP-LEVEL DIAGRAM SALES Checking of products availability INVENTORY MANAGEMENT Order Point Payment Deliver Issue finalproducts bill & receipts Customer Shipment of Products Payment SUPPLIER Purchase Order The figure shows the existing Top Level diagram of Graphic Image Paint Center that focuses on sales and inventory system.Payment and ordering of products are done personally. Checking of product availability is done manually through physical counting that links the sales and inventory management. IV. ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS Th e existing system has shown that the un-automated sales and inventory structure hinders the fast and smooth flow of sales and inventory reports. It also indicates that the transactions are time consuming and are written in a record book which are unsecured and can be lost. The store is currently managing their inventories in a periodic way in which it is being checked at the end of each accounting period in a quarterly manner. . 1 SYSTEMS COMPONENTS FOR IMPROVEMENT The researchers have managed to improve the system by installing an automated sales and inventory system that will cater to the needs of the store to be able for them to handle inventory management at ease. The proposed system is made through Microsoft Access which is easy to operate and user friendly. In the proposed system, the inventory checking is being done through perpetual way that updates inventory accounts after each purchase or sale. V. SYSTEM DESIGN 5. 1 OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED SYSTEM The proposed system will prov ide the needs of Graph Image Paint Center.The system has initial customer profile that needs to save the customer’s name in order to save the transaction. The system now looks for the product that is being asked then the item will be shown with unit and price. The system can search and add another product if the customer wishes to buy one or more products at the store. Then the total amount is shown with the number of units bought by the customer. Receipt is issued with the total amount of products purchased. The cashier now will be able to generate sales report based on the order transactions and inventory updates. 5. PROPOSED FLOW PROCESS DIAGRAM: STORE INVENTORY START PRODUCTS B A SUFFICIENT STOCKS ADD PRODUCTTS NO NO ADD PRODUCT TO ORDER LIST SEARCH PRODUCT YES YES ALL STOCKS CHECKED NO ADD NEW PRODUCTS A YES ADD AGAIN YES CHECK ORDER SLIP /LIST NO B PRINT ORDER SLIP/LIST GENERATE REPORTS END The start of the proposed flow process diagram of store inventory is from the da ta of the products then a decision box for adding a product. If no, then search a product then search a product. again, a decision box for â€Å"sufficient stocks†. if no, then add product to order list. If yes then a decision box for â€Å"all stocks checked†. f no, then it will go back again at the search product. If yes, then it will show the checked order slip list. Then goes to print order slip/list. Then it will generate reports. After generating reports, that will be the end of the process. PROPOSED FLOW PROCESS DIAGRAM Sales START Z Start order transaction Yes A No Generate reports? Yes B No Customer Module? C Yes No END A Enter Product Name to Search Engine Cancel Transaction Yes No Yes No Yes Customer Order Z Continuation D Another Order? Found Product? Another Order? No Payment for the Ordered Product Calculate the Total AmountReceipt and Change Sales Record D CONTINUATION: B Sales Record E Daily Sales Report Daily Sales Report? Yes Create daily sales report Sales Record E No Weekly Sales Report Weekly Sales Report? Yes Create weekly transaction report No Sales Record E Monthly Sales Report? Monthly Sales Report Yes Create weekly transaction report No Z E C Z No Yes Add another Customer? Customer’s Contact No. Customer’s Address Customer’s Name CONTINUATION: Customer Record 5. 2 PROPOSED CONTEXT DIAGRAM CUSTOMER Product Payment Receipt New Replaced Product Defective ProductInquiry ofProduct SALES AND INVENTORY Customer’s Profile Delivery Receipt Copy of Automated Shipment Purchase Sales and Inventory SUPPLIERS Order Reports MANAGER Payment Purchase Order The figure shows the proposed context diagram of Graphic Image Paint Center. The proponents chose to improve the sales and inventory management for proper and safe recording of information and data with ease and effectiveness. The proposed system consists of automated sales and inventory reports and customer’s profile and transactions recording. 5. PR OPOSED TOP-LEVEL DIAGRAM SALES Automated checking of products availability INVENTORY MANAGEMENT Order Point payment Deliver Issue finalproducts Customer bills and receipts Shipment of Products Payment SUPPLIER Purchase Order The figure shows the proposed Top Level Diagram of Graphic Image Paint center that focuses on automation of sales and inventory management. The checking of the availability of the products are done automatically using a inventory system design software for easy tracking of products. 5. 4 LAYOUT DESIGN Fig. 5. 4. 1 Sales TransactionThe sales transaction is composed of customer’s name, the search engine for product category, product number, product, price, quantity, amount, total price purchased and the output transaction. The system has the â€Å"Add to Cart† command for additional product purchases. The â€Å"Add Quantity† is a command for adding the unit of the product. There is also the â€Å"Buy† and â€Å"Remove† selection in which the user can easily remove and approve the products that will not be purchased and will be acquired. There is also the â€Å"Previous Transactions† selection for easy tracking of customer’s transaction.Fig. 5. 4. 2 Payment The payment area of the system shows the total amount purchased, amount tendered, and the change is being calculated for faster computation. The â€Å"Purchase† command serves as the finish button transaction. Fig. 5. 4. 3 Daily Report of Sales The daily report part of the system shows the 24 hour transaction made. The date is being displayed as selected in â€Å"Display Report† command. The transaction number, product purchased, product price, quantity, total price and date purchased are displayed. The total profit Fig. 5. 4. 4 Weekly ReportThe weekly report part of the system is almost the same with the daily report display; the difference is it is viewed weekly from the chosen date to a specified date with 7 days range. Fig. 5. 4. 5 Monthly Report The monthly report of the system shows the monthly transaction of Graph Image Paint Center and has the same features with daily and weekly report system. Fig. 5. 4. 6 Inventory Record The inventory record system serves as the product storage management in which it shows the quantity available in the store. The critical quantity is included in order to monitor the order point of the store.The price of all the products is also shown. The â€Å"+† command indicates the adding of another product when there is a new product to be stored. The â€Å"X† indicates the removal of the product. The â€Å"paper and pen† box is a command that edits the product name and product number. Fig. 5. 4. 7 Customer’s Profile The Customer’s Info area indicates the customer’s name, customer’s address, and customer’s ID and contact number. The â€Å"X† it the edit command which manages the customer’s information. 5. 5 PROPOSED SYSTEM DATA DICTIONARY: Table 5. 5. 1: Sales Information Proposed System Data Dictionary| *Sales Information|Data Element Name| Type | Length| Valid Entries| Sample Data| | | | | | Customer_Name| Alpha-numeric| 30| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Juan dela Cruz|   |   |   |   | Juana Miller| Category| Alpha-numeric| 16| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Gloss Latex|   |   |   |   | Enamel| Product_Number| Numeric| 10| any number (0-9)| 1005| |   |   |   | 206| Product_Name| Alpha-numeric| 20| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Nation-Gallons|   |   |   |   | Davies-1/4 Liter| Price_per_Case| Currency| 12| Php| Php2,045. 00| |   |   |   | Php610. 00| Quantity| Numeric| 10| Php| 12| |   |   |   | 5| Total_Price| Currency| 12| Php| Php1,128. 00| |   |   |   | Php15,600. 0| The Table shows the Proposed System Data Dictionary of the Graph Image Paint Center, This consists of the Sales Information of the Retail Store. Data Element, Type, Length, Valid Ent ries and Sample Data. Data Element involves the names, category, number, quantity and price of the product that the Retail Store has. Table 5. 5. 2: Daily/Weekly/Monthly Report (Transactions) Proposed System Data Dictionary| *Daily/Weekly/Monthly Report (Transactions)| Data Element Name| Type | Length| Valid Entries| Sample Data| | | | | | Transaction_Date| Alpha-numeric| 13| Valid Dates| 20130101|   |   |   |   | 1-Jan-13|Transaction_Number| Numeric| 5| any number (0-9)| 32| |   |   |   | 15| Product_Name| Alpha-numeric| 20| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Nation-Gallons|   |   |   |   | Davies-1/4 Liter| Product_Price| Currency| 12| Php| Php2,045. 00| |   |   |   | Php610. 00| Quantity| Numeric| 10| any number (0-9)| 12| |   |   |   | 5| Total_Price| Currency| 12| Php| Php1,128. 00| |   |   |   | Php15,600. 00| Total_Sales| Currency| 12| Php| Php18,900. 00| |   |   |   | Php6,700. 00| The Daily/Weekly/Monthly Report Transactions of the Retail Store which is the Graph Image Paint Center is discussed in the table and also the proposed systems dictionary.The same concept is shown in the table. With Data Element, Type, Length, Valid Entries and Sample Data are the one being discussed. This Table gives summarization for the store to have easy and productive results. Table 5. 5. 3: Payment Information Proposed System Data Dictionary| *Payment Information| Data Element Name| Type | Length| Valid Entries| Sample Data| | | | | | Total_Due| Currency| 12| Php| Php6,500. 00| |   |   |   | Php15,250. 00| Amount_Tendered| Currency| 12| Php| Php7,000. 00| |   |   |   | Php15,500. 00| Change| Currency| 12| Php| Php500. 00| |   |   |   | Php250. 00|The Payment Information of the retail store, Graph Image Paint Center is given in the table shown below, this has the same content because this is a Proposed System Data Dictionary, This table discussed the Total Due, Amount Tendered and Change of the store. Table 5. 5. 4: C ustomer’s Profile Proposed System Data Dictionary| *Customer's Profile| Data Element Name| Type | Length| Valid Entries| Sample Data| | | | | | Customer's_ID| Numeric| 12| any number (0-9)| 23| |   |   |   | 32| Customer's_Name| Alpha_Numeric| 12| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Ana Gonzales|   |   |   |   | Juan dela Cruz|Customer's_Address| Alpha_Numeric| 12| Php| Lagundi, MorongRizal|   | |   |   | Pandacan, Manila| Contact_Number| Numeric| 15| any number (0-9)| 2345678|   |   |   |   | 9108766543| The Table shows the Customer’s Profile Proposed System Data Dictionary of Graph Image Paint Center. The Data Element Name shows the information about the customer, it discussed the names, contact numbers, customer’s ID and address. Table 5. 5. 5: Inventory Information Proposed System Data Dictionary| *Inventory Information| Data Element Name| Type | Length| Valid Entries| Sample Data| | | | | |Product_Number| Numeric| 10| any number (0-9)| 1005 | |   |   |   | 206| Product_Name| Alpha-numeric| 20| any character (A-Z,0-9)| Nation-Gallons|   |   |   |   | Davies-1/4 Liter| Quantity| Numeric| 10| any number (0-9)| 12| |   |   |   | 5| Critical_Quantity| Numeric| 10| any number (0-9)| 200|   |   |   |   | 150| Product_Price| Currency| 12| Php| Php2,045. 00| |   |   |   | Php610. 00| The proposed System Data Dictionary of an Inventory information is shown in the table and the data element name discussed all about the paint products of the retail store, which are the item number, name and quantity. . 6 PROPOSED SYSTEM SPECIFICATION The proposed system is being operated through Microsoft Access. Microsoft Access, also known as  Microsoft Office Access, is a  database management system  from  Microsoft  that combines the relational  Microsoft Jet Database Engine  with a  graphical user interface  and software-development tools. Microsoft Access stores data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine. It can also import or link directly to  data  stored in other applications and databases.The proposed system is a combination of sales and inventory which are linked to one another to easily monitor transactions and manage products. 5. 6. 1 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Operating System: Windows XP or higher Processor: Pentium IV or higher Memory: 1 gb RAM Video Card: 256 mb Application Needed: Microsoft Access VI. CONCLUSION Therefore, the proposed sales and inventory system for Graph Image Paint Center is fast and reliable. They can manage inventory in automated way which will lessen the hassle of recording it manually. It may help the user to easily search for a particular transaction for later viewing of reports.

Assess the View That Cults and Sects Are Only Fringe Organisations That Are Inevitably Short Lived and of Little Influence in Contemporary Society Essay

It can be argued that cults and sects are only fringe organisations that are inevitably short lived and of little influence in contemporary society, however some may have views to contrast this idea. A sect is an organization, which usually breaks off from an established religion, which finds itself in disagreement with beliefs and values of wider society and refuses to tolerate the beliefs of others. Although the desire to be a member is voluntary, as oppose to being born into, like religion, sects are rejected by society and claim strong obligation and commitment by its members. A sect is an extremely narrow-minded organisation, which is often led by a charismatic leader. Whereas, in contrast, a cult does not progress from a mainstream religion and does not reject or challenge societal norms. However, as tolerant of other beliefs as they are, they still attract a great deal of negative press, for example brainwashing. Members in a cult are usually more like customers than followers. An example of a cult is Heavens gate, which is a destructive doomsday cult, centered in California. There is a mass of supporting evidence that cults and sects are short lived and insignificant to wider society. Nevertheless, it must be maintained that the matter is complex as there are many sects and cults, which identify themselves differently. There is evidence to support this view of a short-lived nature of sects. This is due to many reasons. World rejecting sects, due to their nature and succeeding societal rejection and stigma of bad press, must be able to compromise with society and becoming a denomination and therefore cease to be a sect, if this is not done then the sect will die out. There is also an argument that sects cannot have a great deal of affect upon society over a long term period as they cannot survive past the charismatic leader’s lifetime and therefore sustain themselves over more than one generation. The American theologian Niebuhr theorises that another reason for transience of sects is that they rarely live past the 1st generation because the 2nd generation usually lacks the belief of the 1st. In this way, their membership dwindles as the 2nd generation chooses to leave the sect and hold other views in wider society. However Wilson disagrees with Neibuhrs view and says that he overates his case and chooses to not pay attention to groups who did preserve a ‘ distinct sectarian stance’. Similarly, evidence proves to discredit the belief that a sect fails to live on past their leader’s death. For example, The Mormons have continued for many generations and also the Amish- however this could be attributed to the protective ‘isolation-like’ in which they live. There is also a possibility that the Moonies surviving is due to the leader preparing for his son to take over his position as the charismatic leader after his death, however this is yet to be seen. Cults have seen a large incline in their number recently and because they are more accepting of wider society and despite receiving bad press, offer a practical solution to peoples’ issues and wishes, seem less likely to die out due to refusal and disapproval. They are also financially rather stable, the Church of Scientology for example has an estimated income of over  £200m per year. This is down to the consumer attitude of cults. There is also a mass of evidence for their importance in society in a sense that audience cults have a mass market of ‘self help therapy’ there are many books available for example, tarot reading, crystals and reflexology regularly appear on the best seller list and often more room is devoted to these books rather than Christianity books themselves. The view that cults are fringe movements is less supported than that for sects. Sects very infrequently continue on as sects but cults such as scientology are not only prosperous but also have a huge celebrity following trend; admired by the public for example Tom Cruise. There is also evidence that sects and cults can be of great influence to society – though it is debatable as to whether or not that is possible today in a society as apparently secular as ours. Weber suggests in his Theodicy of Disprivilege that because they offer a solution to problems: justification and explanation for life and its problems, to marginalised groups such as dropouts or ethnic minorities, world rejecting sects that offer status appeal to people. An example of this is Liberation Theology which was for the poorer people which had great influence upon the priorities of the Catholic Church in Latin America (though it has become more conservative, it continues to represent human rights and democracy). Bruce argues that it is not a religion and is instead a shallow, meaningless thing. Due to the elements of choice it offers, the choice about which bits to believe and whether to take its readings into account, it does not require commitment. This he argues prevents it having religious status. Post Modernists see it as being spiritual shopping: it is part of a consumerist culture. Despite not necessarily being a religion, there is lots of evidence to show that it has influenced society as a whole and, some sociologists would claim, aided secularisation. There is also evidence to show that it is unlikely to be particularly short lived as it fits in so well with our Capitalist, consumerist society and our individualistic values and is so profitable. Therefore, though there is strong evidence to show that sects and cults are ‘fringe organisations’, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that neither are short lived in themselves either through the Sectarian cycle or demand and supply (though sects tend to become denominations) and also to suggest that the influence of sects and cults on society is greater than expected; though the influence of sects and cults is exemplified by older examples and so one cannot be sure as to how successful they will be in today’s society, except in regards to specific sects and cults. In conclusion, the view that cults, sects are fringe organisations that are inevitably short-lived and of little influence in modern-day society, is on the whole not wholly correct but has some strength in that the permanency of all is arguable as is their status as fringe organisations.