Thursday, October 31, 2019

Paper for international study class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paper for international study class - Essay Example Due to these many problems of war and terrorism, the United States of America has severally made interventions in countries like Iran and Iraq. These interventions have been to restore peace and tranquility in the economic resource endowed region that accounts for about 50% of all the oil consumed globally. It should be remembered that the United States foreign policy in the Mid-East dates back to the Barbary Wars in the early years of US existence. The system became more pronounced after the Second World War and has since then affected many ways in the affairs of Middle East and their relations with the West. During the cold war, the American policy aimed at curbing the influence of the Communist USSR through support to anti-communist countries in the region (Toaldo 23). In particular, US supported Israel against the Arab states that were majorly sponsored by the Soviet Union. To ensure the Western access to the Gulf oil in the 1960s and 1970s, the US became the major security patron of the Persian Gulf replacing the UK. The activities of the US in the Middle East intensified after 2001 9/11 attacks. An emphasis on counter-terrorism was declared and included in the US foreign policy. Although the relations between the US and the countries in the Middle East may be misconceived, the US has had Diplomatic relations with these countries except Iran. In 1979, the Iranian Revolution brought into power a regime that was completely anti-American derailing the relations between these two nations. The efforts of US activities in the Middle East including the most recent endeavour have been aimed at resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict and preventing the regional spread of weapons of mass destruction. These goals have been in line with the objectives of the UN Security Council that actively discourages the making and use of nuclear weapons.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Globalization of Health Care Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Globalization of Health Care - Case Study Example The beneficiaries of globalization of health care include the hospital in the host countries, which are mainly countries undergoing development. Patients also benefit from globalization since they can access quality healthcare at low cost. The loser are the mother countries, which are mainly the developed countries such as U.S. that train most of the medical personnel who end up working elsewhere. Moreover, the service is paid for at the place of delivery and countries like U.S. are losing greatly due to the large number of people seeking treatment elsewhere (Deloitte 1-2). There are risks associated with health care globalization. One risk is that professionals are increasingly moving from poorer countries resulting in shortage of care providers in poor countries. Resolving this issue would be hard since the professional cannot be prevented from seeking better payments. Accountability of healthcare providers might be reduced since medical ethics vary across nations. This can be dealt with through introduction of some international ethics to guide health professionals. On balance globalization of healthcare is god since it has enhanced care provision and ensured that the less advantaged can access quality care at a cost they can afford to pay. Moreover, it has reduced the burden of care provision in countries lacking enough

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Benefits Of Working In Partnership Children And Young People Essay

Benefits Of Working In Partnership Children And Young People Essay 7.1 Summarise the benefits of working in partnership with parents and others. The importance of building relationships and making links with parents is crucial. The old fashion attitude towards parents by early years workers was definitely wrong i.e. we know what is best for your child. This was an unhelpful attitude and created an atmosphere where parents did not feel at ease. Talking to practitioners parents felt that their views were not important. Parents did not feel comfortable coming into early years setting (nursery, school) unless they had been invited or had an appointment to attend. This approach and situation has nowadays generally changed and early years workers recognise that working with parents is very beneficial to childrens learning and development. As children come into settings with different experiences and many different needs, the main source of information about children is very often from their parents or main carers. Parents should be treated as partners as they are the childrens first and most influential educators. Working together the long term benefits of a constructive partnership between parents and practitioners will have a positive impact on a childs development and learning experiences. Parents may also feel more encouraged and supportive towards the school. There are many ways in which children benefit when parents and practitioners work together: Children will definitely settle more easily and feel more secure if they know that their parents and practitioners (childminder, nursery or school teacher) get on really well. Children will gain from having a similar routine or approach for example, parents are able to tell practitioners what time a child normally needs a rest, eats or feels tired, dealing with difficult tantrums and what to expect, or the use of a EpiPen if a allergic reaction is trigged and any difficult toilet issues. Practitioners and parents can work together to help a child who has a particular developmental need for example, a child with a language delay may need extra help in nursery or school with speech and some sign language enforcement i.e. Makaton which is a language program designed to help communication between individuals who cannot communicate efficiently by speaking or a child with poor pencil grip may learn the proper way of holding a pencil at school and will also help them at home when writing or drawing. Parents/ main carers are usually the first to notice that something is bothering a child, they can pass their concerns to practitioners who can recognise and help to resolve. Small unsolved problems or situations may become big ones if not treated promptly. Diabetes and insulin dependency is another very important area that needs to be discussed and completely covered so everyones aware of a childs needs. Early years personnel should have an understanding of diabetes and must be trained in its management and in the treatment of diabetic emergencies. There are many ways in which staff in settings can try to build up a good relationship between a childs home and the setting: In order to work effectively with parents most settings introduce an open door policy. The idea is to assure parents that they are able to talk to staff or teachers whenever they have any concerns. This means that instead of having to make an appointment or waiting until for example parents evening, any particular concern or worry can be raised straight away. The open door policy builds trust as parents know they are always welcome to pop in and have an informal chat or view their childrens work whenever they wish. Children also benefit from this very casual approach as they can sense that parents and practitioners are work closely together. Children can show their parents what they have been doing in their nursery or school. It is extremely important as children are excited to show off their work and achievements and they want their parents to be proud of them too. Getting to know the parents is essential in early years setting. Workers need to be welcoming and understand the importance of parents so that avenues of communication are established. Once the relationship is build it is easier for both parents and practitioners to bring up concerns that may arise for example, child has been diagnosed as asthmatic and a pump needs to be used, parents have separated from their partner and the child is aware, a family pet has just died. These are very personal and sensitive issues so the relationship needs to be close and comfortable for both parties. All the children are different and have different needs the same relates to parents. For example parents may be slightly anxious as they leave their children in school for the first time from parents who are experienced and comfortable with leaving their child. We have to remember that relating to parents well is just as much a skill as working with children. Some parents will be uncomfortable talking to members of staff while others will be friendly and feel relaxed. Early years workers will learn how to listen and talk to parents as their experience and confidence grows. There may be times when parents will need to be contacted quickly for example, child is not feeling well, had an accident etc. Exchanging emergency information its extremely important. It is vital that early years workers have the correct and update information to hand i.e. emergency numbers and addresses are usually exchanged during the admission procedure. We should encourage parental involvement as parents often have a lot to offer settings in terms of their knowledge, interests, experience, and in volunteering for activities. Working together can also help bring the community closer together; especially in areas where there are different cultural groupings. Many setting find that parents who come to help are able to bring in many skills and different areas of expertise. Some parents offer to help permanently i.e. reading mums in school one a week for an hour; others may help occasionally i.e. school production. Some parents find that working as helpers boost their confidence and give them the chance to meet other parents. We have to remember that nowadays for a parent to be able to work/help in a setting he/she needs to have a current CRB check by the police. A good working partnership between parents and settings should mean that parents enjoy coming in while the setting appreciates their time and help and the children are able to benefit from having extra adult attention. We have to realise that being friendly with parents is not the same as being friends as this may cause unnecessary problems i.e. parents asking for confidential information, or asking to let unwell child to stay in setting. Professional boundaries must be maintained at all times to avoid misunderstandings. It can be beneficial for early years setting to establish liaisons with other agencies. As a part of the process of helping children to settle in it can be helpful to exchange or gain information from other agencies for example, a previous nursery that the child has attended or from a childminder. Other professionals might be able to give us advice as how to meet that childs needs or might suggest strategies they used which were helpful. They may have also some information or observations or even notes about a particular child, which will be appropriate for us to see and know. Whatever information we receive from agencies should be referenced with parental consent. (The only exception case of suspected abuse). Working with Healthcare professionals. If a child has a disability or emotional issues it is likely they will meet with a variety of healthcare professionals, from Doctors, Physiotherapist, Social workers, Occupational therapist, Dieticians, Orthotics, Speech or language therapist. Parents must inform and communicate to practitioners if their child is seeing a healthcare professional, as for everyone to better understand the childs behaviour. For example if a child is being treated for anxiety or depression and the school is unaware of their condition, the child might be looked upon as being shy or a bad mixer when asked to participate with others, wrong diagnosis can be more harmful as the child is being left out or ignored. These experiences can cause a lasting impression on a childs life, as can a good experience with a caring early years worker or teacher. Working closely with parents, teachers and healthcare professionals can only improve a childs overall achievement and wellbeing to optimise their development and growth. The most important relationship you can develop will be with your general practitioner (GP). Doctors train for at least five years after medical school to become GPs and have an extensive knowledge base with regards to many health conditions .Getting your child used to seeing your GP from an early age will have major benefits as they grow older. Being in known surroundings and seeing a familiar face will help any anxiety they might have about visiting the doctor. Your doctor can provide a wide range of services and give advice on health issues. GPs will also refer you to hospital for treatment or to other specialist healthcare professionals. The relationship with other healthcare professionals is equally important as we need to build trust and confidence with each one. When dealing with patients, health professionals should be truthful and respect the privacy and dignity of any patient young or old. We have the right to information about the condition of our health and any diagnosis or illness. We also have a right to be involved in any decisions with regards to any treatment or care we may receive and warned about serious side effects. Our consent must be sought after and medical records should always remain confidential. Physiotherapists Physiotherapists are experts in the physical treatment and the improvement of certain conditions. Physiotherapists help to restore lost movement and function to someone affected by illness, injury or other disabilities. Social workers Social workers are professionally qualified health professionals who assess peoples needs for care or social services. They will support and find solution, to issues people find themselves in. They have good knowledge of the law, and the social welfare system. Occupational therapists Occupational therapists work with patients who have a physical disability, mental health issues, learning disability or medical conditions. Patients with difficulties doing everyday tasks, such as preparing a meal, going up stairs, taking a bath, or getting into bed. Dieticians Dieticians are health professionals who explain and treat diet, they assess and diagnose any nutritional problems a patient may have. Prosthetist and orthotist Prosthetist and orthotist provide care for anyone requiring an artificial limb, splints, braces or special footwear to assist in movement, they work with other healthcare professionals to provide treatment. Speech and language therapist The role of a speech and language therapist is in treating someone who has problems communicating with speech or language, by helping people of all ages, to communicate better. A patients beliefs or views should be respected during their healthcare, and they should receive treatment regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. It is very important our healthcare professionals work as a team as they are from a variety of disciplines and have to work together to deliver a professional service for all patients. Good communication is essential for effective relationship development. Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia www.daycaretrust.org.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk www.alt.org.uk www.hertschs.nhs.uk www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

Friday, October 25, 2019

Self-portraits - Van Gogh And Rembrandt Essay -- essays research paper

Each artist is an individual with a unique style, and although these styles can be similar in practice – the individuality of the artist often proves the discriminating factor for a successful artwork. Self-portraits are beneficial when looking at the individuality of the artist as there are two aspects to look at – the artist’s style, and the artist’s view of him/herself. The latter can provide a brief insight into the mental situation of the artist as well as any apparent influencing factors of the artwork. This view can often also include fragmental insights into the society and culture of the time. Rembrandt van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh are 2 artists of whom are well represented by this statement. Rembrandt was born into a Dutch society of the Baroque era . This time period influenced his style of artwork heavily as these were the Post-High Renaissance years. This meant that the accepted artworks of the society at the time were religiously based works influenced by the efforts of the Reformation which was also occurring at the time. This meant that Rembrandt painted his works using religious artwork methods such as the art of chiaroscuro, strategically planning the composition of light and dark to give the figures an enlightened or holy appearance. Therefore when Rembrandt painted self-portraits he carried over these methods, painting himself in this almost holy presence with the use of chiaroscuro. The self-portraits show a vast expressiveness that make the works succ...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Rc Server Motor

RC Servo C36R, C40R, C55R User’s Manual V1. 0 Apr 2009 Information contained in this publication regarding device applications and the like is intended through suggestion only and may be superseded by updates. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application meets with your specifications. No representation or warranty is given and no liability is assumed by Cytron Technologies Incorporated with respect to the accuracy or use of such information or infringement of patents or other intellectual property rights arising from such use or otherwise. Use of Cytron Technologies’s products as critical components in life support systems is not authorized except with express written approval by Cytron Technologies. No licenses are conveyed, implicitly or otherwise, under any intellectual property rights. ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R Index 1. Introduction 2. How RC Servo Motor Works 3. Product Specification 4. Wire Connection 5. Connection Between RC Servo and PIC 6. Dimension Drawing 7. Warranty 1 2 3 5 6 7 10 Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 1. INTRODUCTION Radio Control (RC) hobby servos are small actuators designed for remotely operating model vehicles such as cars, airplanes, and boats. Nowadays, RC servos are become more popular in robotics, creating humanoid robot, biologically inspired robot, robotic arm and etc. This is because its’ ability to rotate and maintain and certain location, position or angle according to control pulses from a single wire. Inside a typical RC servo ontains a small motor and gearbox to do the work, a potentiometer to measure the position of the output gear, and an electronic circuit that controls the motor to make the output gear move to the desired position. Because all of these components are packaged into a compact, low-cost unit, RC servos are great actuators for robots. Features: †¢ †¢ †¢ Control position through Pulse Code Modulation Pulse width range: ~ 0. 5ms – 2. 5ms Come with servo horn and screw accessories Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 1 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R . HOW RC SERVO MOTOR WORKS Servos are controlled by sending them a pulse of variable width. The signal wire is used to send this pulse. The parameters for this pulse are that it has a minimum pulse, a maximum pulse, and a repetition rate. Given the rotation constraints of the servo, neutral is defined to be the position where the servo has exactly the same amount of potential rotation in the clockwise direction as it does in the counter clockwise direction. It is important to note that different servos will have different constraints on their rotation. 20ms Pulse Width (0. 5ms-2. ms) The angle is determined by the duration of a pulse that is applied to the signal wire. This is called Pulse Width Modulation. The servo expects to see a pulse every 20 ms. The length of the pu lse will determine how far the motor turns. For example, a 1. 5 ms pulse will make the motor turn to the 90 degree position (neutral position). However, the exact correspondence between pulse width and servo varies from one servo manufacturer to another. 1. 5ms is not necessarily neutral or middle position. The position pulse must be repeated to instruct the servo to stay in position. When a pulse is sent to a servo that is less than 1. 5 ms the servo rotates to a position and holds its output shaft some number of degrees counterclockwise from the neutral point. When the pulse is wider than 1. 5 ms the opposite occurs. The minimal width and the maximum width of pulse that will command the servo to turn to a valid position are functions of each servo. Different brands, and even different servos of the same brand, will have different maximum and minimums. Generally the minimum pulse will be about 1 ms wide (some servo is 0. 5ms) and the maximum pulse will be 2 ms wide (some servo is 2. ms). Caution: Over range of the pulse will damage the servos. 2 Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 1ms 1. 5ms 2ms Another parameter that varies from servo to servo is the turn rate. This is the time it takes from the servo to change from one position to another. The turning ra te and torque value can be check at product specification section. Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 3 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 3. PRODUCT SPECIFICATION Cytron Technologies offer great range of RC servo motor. With the combination of various gear type, speed, torque and voltage, users are free to choose the suitable RC servo for project development. Of course, it can also be used for RC application. Below is product specification for Cytron RC Servo motor. Specification 4. 8V 6. 0V 7. 0V Speed (s/60o) Torque (Kg. cm) Speed (s/60 ) Torque (Kg. cm) Speed (s/60o) Torque (Kg. cm) o Servo Motor Model C36R 0. 16 3. 5 0. 14 4. 50 TTL PWM 0. 5 2. 35 4. 8-6. 0 50. 0 0-180 Ground 4. 8-6. 0 PWM signal ~ 40. 2Ãâ€"19. x36 36. 0 Plastic Gear Standard C40R 0. 19 6. 00 0. 16 7. 00 TTL PWM 0. 54 2. 40 4. 8-6. 0 50. 0 0-180 Ground 4. 8-6. 0 PWM signal ~ 40. 2Ãâ€"19. 8Ãâ€"36 38. 0 Plastic Gear Standard C55R 0. 22 9. 00 0. 20 11. 0 0. 17 13. 00 TTL PWM 0. 582 2. 50 4. 8-7. 0 50. 0 0-180 Ground 4. 8-7. 0 PWM signal ~ 41x20x37 55. 0 Metal Gear Standard Signal To Control Angle PWM At Min Angle (ms) PWM At Max Angle (ms) Operating V oltage (VDC) Operating Frequency (Hz) Moving Range(degree) Wiring (Black/Brown Wire) Wiring (Red Wire) Wiring (Orange/Other Wire) Dimension (mm) Weight (g) Gear material Servo type Pulse width range is for reference only; please start the servo calibration at 1. 5ms. Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 4 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 4. WIRE CONNECTION Below is example connection of RC Servo Motor to SC16A. (+) for VCC, (-) for GND and (s) for signal. Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 5 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 5. EXAMPLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SERVO MOTOR AND PIC * * Connector for RC Servo. RB1 is signal pin which is connecting to PIC. Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 6 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 6. DIMENSION DRAWING (unit in mm) C36R RC Servo Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 7 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R C40R RC Servo Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 8 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R C55R RC Servo Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 9 ROBOT . HEAD to TOE Product User’s Manual – C36R, C40R, C55R 7. WARRANTY Product warranty is valid for 6 months. Warranty only applies to manufacturing defect. Damage caused by mis-use is not covered under warranty. Warranty does not cover freight cost for both ways. Prepared by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. 19, Jalan Kebudayaan 1A, Taman Universiti, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. Tel: Fax: +607-521 3178 +607-521 1861 URL: www. cytron. com. my Email: [email  protected] com. my [email  protected] com. my Created by Cytron Technologies Sdn. Bhd. – All Rights Reserved 10

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Radical Feminist View on Porn

Radical feminists overall would have a very negative view towards pornography as a whole. They would frown upon child pornography and the kind of pornography that places the male gender in the driving seat and where men are under control.The reason that Radical feminists would have a negative outlook on pornography that places men under control is because this school of thoughts view is that the only way to achieve gender equality is through eliminating the assumption that women are only good for sex and reproduction. They feel that there is a subordination of women through sexuality and reproduction. Therefore they would view pornography of the above nature as supportive of the exact kind of thinking that they are trying to eliminate.Radical feminists also feel that the family system plays a very large role in either encouraging the objectification of women or in eliminating it and thus due to their high regard for family functionality they would also have an extremely negative outl ook towards child pornography as well as the fact that Radical feminists celebrate their roles as mothers, and no mother would like to see their child fall victim to child pornography or take part in the viewing thereof, not only for the child’s mental safety but also to avoid them growing up and falling victim to the view that woman are only good for sex and reproduction by the exposure of this kind of pornography.My criticism however of this school of thoughts view point is that Radical feminists have an extremely negative outlook towards men and their passion to eliminate heterosexual parenting and male sexuality is in some ways seeing men as the problem and painting all men under the same brush which is unfair towards the male gender as a whole because not all men objectify women in demeaning way.I also feel that through their efforts to try and abolish male sexuality and separate the link between their bodies and sex is only shooting themselves in the foot for through th e viewing of heterosexual porn these woman may find that they might just discover their sexuality and could come to feel empowered by their beauty and could then see their bodies as a beautiful thing instead of seeing their bodies as the problem. Some Radical feminists feel that reproduction can occur through a test tube rather than their womb and feel this way as an effort to remove the link between their bodies and reproduction but this would mean that sperm donators would be need and this would be objectifying men’s sperm so to speak. However due to their negative view towards men Radical feminists might just be supportive of lesbian porn and might see it as empowering towards women.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Woman in Politics Essays

Woman in Politics Essays Woman in Politics Essay Woman in Politics Essay While gender equality has been achieved many decades ago, women are underrepresented in politics, although if they succeed in gaining access to this male-dominated field, they prove to be highly successful and effective politicians. There are few spheres of social life where traditional patriarchic structures are as well preserved as in politics. While women won their right to vote many decades ago, they often find difficulties in realizing their political right to get elected. However, the only reason why female politicians are few and far between is tradition. Women are still regarded as belonging in the private sphere of homemaking and childrearing rather than public domain of politics.Despite the implicit discrimination against women, many of them manage to succeed and prove that they can be as skilled as politicians as their male counterparts. There are many females among the most influential world’s politicians. To name a few, they are Angela Merkel, Germany’s Cha ncellor; Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland; Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Condoleezza Rice, the United States Secretary of State; Senator Hillary Clinton; and recently appointed conservative candidate for Vice President Sarah Palin.From a historical perspective, there are even more examples of successful female politicians, such as Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the UK; Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India in 1966-1977 and 1980-1984; Edith Cresson the former Prime Minister of France; Kim Campbell, the Prime Minister of Canada in 1993; Mary Robinson, the president of Ireland in 1990-1997; Megawati Sukarnoputri, the President of Indonesia in 2001-2004; and many others. All these examples prove that women can be as successful in politics as men.

Monday, October 21, 2019

History-Busshist, Hindu, and Confucian Societies essays

History-Busshist, Hindu, and Confucian Societies essays The roles of women within the Hindu, Confucian, and Buddhist societies are comparable in a lot of different ways. Women are not the ones with the power. Men control almost everything, including the women in some cases. Women, I believe, had it very hard in these societies. In reading Lessons for Women, The Discipline Basket, and Laws of Manu, I have a much better understanding of the roles of women then and their rights as well. The Lessons for Women is a document explaining the Confucian societys look on women and their roles. In the Confucian Classics, women were not mentioned very frequently, suggesting that the reason for this is because they did not mean much in the society. Beginning at birth, the rules and restrictions are practiced. On the third day after the birth of the girl, she is put below the bed. This act indicates that she is weak and lowly (Lessons of Women, p.153). It is also suggesting that she should humble herself before others. On the same day, she is given a potsherd (piece of broken pottery). The baby is given this to play with. The potsherd signifies labor and that she should be industrious above all things. Lastly, the birth is announced to her ancestors by an offering. This is done so that it is known that her primary duty is to continue worship in the home. These three acts symbolize the rest of the babys life. Let a women modestly yield to others; let her respect others; let her put others first; herself last (Lessons of Women, p.153). The sentence alone describes how women must be humble and listen and obey everyone else. Women may not talk back to people who do evil to them. Women cannot speak about the good things that they did. Women were given no freedom to say what they wanted or to act upon others reactions toward her. Within the Lessons of Women is a list of things that women must do in order to be industrious. They ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Charater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Essay

Charater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Essay Tale Two Cities EssaysCharater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton, one of the main characters of the book, A Tale of Two Cities, is a drunken lawyer who works with Stryver on the trial of Charles Darnay.he doesnt care about anything. At first this man seems as if he is a lazy, good for nothing, alcoholic. he tells Lucie Manette he doesnt believe that his life is worth anything and feels as if it is pointless to even live anymore. When you first meet him during the court scene it looks as if he just rolled out of bed and was dragged to the courtroom. This one man sat leaning back, with his torn gown half off him, his untidy wig put on just sat it had happened to light on his head after its removal, his hands in his pockets, and his eyes on the ceiling as they had been all day. Something especially reckless in his demeanor not only gave him a disreputable look, but so diminished the strong resemblance he undoubtedly bore to the prisoner. However after he meets Luci e he falls madly in love for her. This marks a period of change for Sydney Carton. But he then knows that Charles Darnay is going to be married to her. He sill believes that his life is worthless but it seems as if hes a bit more willing to work and to do things for other people. Towards the middle of the book, A Tale of Two Cities, Carton professes his love for Lucie and he says For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you. And when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.' He means that he would do anything for her, because he loves her so very much. He tells Josh Barsad that he is going to marry miss Manette, but then he backs out of it. At the very end of the novel you find out that Carton is about to go to the guillotine, but not for him. Charles Darnay was found guilty of treason an d was about to be executed. However, Darnay and Lucie are madly in love. Another thing, is that Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay look very similar to each other or doubles. This means that they could easily take each others place if they wanted to. Earlier in the novel Carton told Lucie that he would do anything for the man she loved. Well, Carton then dies in Darnays place. He wanted to do something that was important for other people, so he took his life instead of another. Lucie had succeeded in transforming him into a man of profound merit. It seems that Carton doesnt care about anything, but obviously he does. He cares for Lucie.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Effects of information system and information technology on Amazon.com Essay - 3

Effects of information system and information technology on Amazon.com - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that there are many ways that Amazon as a company uses information systems and information technology to perpetuate its success. First, an information system is the system that uses information technology in order to manipulate, retrieve, capture or even display data. Information systems serve several purposes which fairly lead to achieving success by a company or a business. Such roles that the information system and information technology play in a business include attaining excellence in the operation of the business, business models, offering services, and also invention of new products, the information system, and the information technology has also been a tool to attaining intimacy between the customer and the supplier, for the company to attain competitive advantage and finally so that the business can survive in the business environment. Therefore, Amazon Company seeks to achieve all these advantages through the use of the informati on system and technology. There are other factors resulting from the use of information system and information technology. Such factors include the transformation of business enterprises, the fact that the digital firms have emerged, industrial economies have transformed, and a global economy has emerged and thus giving room for a lot of competition. Information systems and information technology enable the where many businesses and companies are competing

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital Research Paper

Depression in the Elderly in a Giatric Hospital - Research Paper Example A condition for inclusion in the sample was that the patient must have stayed in the hospital for a period of not less 3 months. This was informed by the reason that anxiety/depression is directly proportional to amount of time one spends away from their accustomed residence. Other criteria for inclusion included no psychological diseases, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score of 18, and participants’ informed consent of the study. The choice of sample from four different health facilities is laudable as it improves the randomness of the data used and thus limits un-representativeness of the findings. Administration of questionnaires formed the primary method of data collection. All participants were required to fill in their questionnaires with the best possible answers. Those who had difficulties providing responses were assisted by research assistants, who read out the questions to the patients and basing on the responses, filled in the questionnaires. All but 5 of the 200 administered questions were returned with completed responses. While questionnaires are effective tools for data collection, they may not be as effective among the elderly as compared to the other age groups. This is because a significant number of the elderly in these facilities suffer from abnormal conditions such as dementia which may compromise their responses. As such, the researcher should have focussed on either interview or observation. The research used descriptive research design. Such a design is the best technique for gathering information that would show relationships and define why the world exists as it is. In this research, Jee and Lee were certainly concerned with the cases of depression among the elderly. The choice to send the elderly people in rehabilitation facilities is often dreaded by many people who are aging. The fact on the ground is that such a shift in

What is the role of British cinema Critically examine the contemporary Essay

What is the role of British cinema Critically examine the contemporary British film industry with reference to ongoing debates about culture and commerce - Essay Example It is possible to explore these aspects when considering two films to be able to understand the role of the British film industry in the society. One of the major concerns of researchers and officials is the commercial value of the British film industry. It has been estimated that the UK film industry contributes over  £4bn to the British economy annually (Statistical year book 2014). This is achieved through international investment and production grossing. In the first place, it is necessary to note that many British filmmakers â€Å"have complained that there is no UK ‘industry’ as such† (Branston & Stafford 2006, p. 437). Clearly, Hollywood is seen as a well-established and even exemplary film industry as it has penetrated the world as well as the British market. Consumers all over the world prefer Hollywood products (James 2009). At the same time, it is clear that Britain has also become an attractive destination for various foreign (especially American) companies. For instance, the country attracted more than  £1bn in 2010 (Branston & Stafford 2006). This interest shows a great potential of the c ountry and its film industry. To facilitate development of the UK film industry, the government implemented quite dramatic changes in the 2010s. For instance, the UK Film Council that functioned as a body supporting the development of the industry ceased to exist and the British Film Institute (FBI) is now performing its functions (Higson 2010). Thus, the government has launched a policy that is aimed at increasing funding of the industry. These changes and increased attention to the industry are also associated with a desire to contribute to development and promotion of the British culture. This is also regarded as a way to protect the country from globalisation and preserve its rich cultural heritage (Higson 2010). Of course, it is difficult to trace the line between commerce and culture especially when it comes to cinematography. Some argue

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Mid-Term Status Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Mid- Status Report - Term Paper Example Development of the food industry in Saudi Arabia has placed the requirement for better quality of food supplies. Arzaq avails the chance of being one of the main importers of food supplies to keep their restaurants and grocery stores completely equipped with food items at all times. In the present competitive global business realm, marketing plays a vital role in guaranteeing the success of food industry in the market. Saudi Arabia is not an exemption from this competitive business atmosphere in the global market. The financial system of Saudi Arabia is oil-based and there is a well-built government control over all the main financial activities. So, proper attention should be given to every stage of the project by way of mid-term status report. This report includes mostly the analysis part since it is a mid-term report. Analysis part includes the market analysis of food industry in Saudi Arabia. As a direct outcome of such mid-term status report evaluation processes, various plans i ntended at improving the main plan have been drafted and as such, the proposals contained in the report have at the present turned out to be specific initiatives, looking to improve the execution of all programs that have been assessed and examined. Taking into account all efforts of various people involved in this mid-term status report, we would like to thank them as well as dedicate the document to them for having helped to turn it into a reality. Both primary and secondary sources will be used to recognize the most appropriate way to set up the HRD at Arzaq. Literature review and market analysis prove that the best way to establish the HRD is to evaluate the organizational structure of other business establishments of similar size and ideally carrying out similar services as well as find out how the HRD functions in them. The main aim of this project is to successfully set up the HRD at Arzaq that rapidly fits into the culture of the organization and assists the company in devel oping quality of performance of the workforce. After carrying out a marketing and situational analysis of Arzaq food industry of operations, there have been various discoveries as to how the organization can make use of its operations to increase its competitiveness. Background of the Project: Our viewpoint for the Saudi Arabian customer sector remains bright, in line with the most recent economic indicators. The Saudi Arabian financial system is currently firing on every cylinder, as high oil costs, heavy government expenses and buoyant customer confidence continue to drive development. The adjustment of the HRD into Arzaq’s organization and its competence will be examined after it has been established. The performance of HRD will be evaluated with regard to business of the Arzaq’s systems, volume of knowledge, and value of performance of the employees. Arzaq started out as a private company through a very limited scope, but in its successful efforts to respond to the increasing requirements of the market, has enlarged in its scope and size of work. The company is at the present large enough to contend with any reputable service providers in this area, and so needs an appropriate human resource department (HRD). Until now, the HRD services were being carried out informally by the top management that has been multitasking, but at the present the need for an

Impact of the proposed smoking ban on the restaurant trade Essay

Impact of the proposed smoking ban on the restaurant trade - Essay Example The strongest opponents of restrictions on smoking in public places have been bar and restaurant owners. Many restaurant and bar employees claim that say they've lost customers. Despite such opposition, some recent state legislation and local ordinances have banned smoking in restaurants and required strict ventilation systems in bars. These laws represent a key test in the continued expansion of clean indoor air laws and policies, and remain highly contentious; we treat them separately in this section. (Robert L. Rabin, Stephen D. Sugarman, 2001: 230) However, Studies examining implementation show that the law had little impact on the dining out patterns of consumers, did not result in job losses for the city's restaurant industry, resulted in high rates of compliance, and did not have a detrimental effect on business. (Robert L. Rabin, Stephen D. Sugarman, 2001: 230) The initial studies of smoking bans in restaurants suggest that there are no economic upheavals when smoking is banned in public places. Summarizing the existing data, Glantz (1999) notes convincingly those studies of sales tax data from 81 localities in six states (67 of which are entirely smoke-free) demonstrate that ordinances restricting smoking in restaurants have no adverse effect on revenues. In an important and related finding, Glantz and Charlesworth (1999) extend Glantz's previous work to consider the effects of restaurant smoking bans on tourism, which the tobacco industry has used as another argument against smoking bans.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

What is the role of British cinema Critically examine the contemporary Essay

What is the role of British cinema Critically examine the contemporary British film industry with reference to ongoing debates about culture and commerce - Essay Example It is possible to explore these aspects when considering two films to be able to understand the role of the British film industry in the society. One of the major concerns of researchers and officials is the commercial value of the British film industry. It has been estimated that the UK film industry contributes over  £4bn to the British economy annually (Statistical year book 2014). This is achieved through international investment and production grossing. In the first place, it is necessary to note that many British filmmakers â€Å"have complained that there is no UK ‘industry’ as such† (Branston & Stafford 2006, p. 437). Clearly, Hollywood is seen as a well-established and even exemplary film industry as it has penetrated the world as well as the British market. Consumers all over the world prefer Hollywood products (James 2009). At the same time, it is clear that Britain has also become an attractive destination for various foreign (especially American) companies. For instance, the country attracted more than  £1bn in 2010 (Branston & Stafford 2006). This interest shows a great potential of the c ountry and its film industry. To facilitate development of the UK film industry, the government implemented quite dramatic changes in the 2010s. For instance, the UK Film Council that functioned as a body supporting the development of the industry ceased to exist and the British Film Institute (FBI) is now performing its functions (Higson 2010). Thus, the government has launched a policy that is aimed at increasing funding of the industry. These changes and increased attention to the industry are also associated with a desire to contribute to development and promotion of the British culture. This is also regarded as a way to protect the country from globalisation and preserve its rich cultural heritage (Higson 2010). Of course, it is difficult to trace the line between commerce and culture especially when it comes to cinematography. Some argue

Impact of the proposed smoking ban on the restaurant trade Essay

Impact of the proposed smoking ban on the restaurant trade - Essay Example The strongest opponents of restrictions on smoking in public places have been bar and restaurant owners. Many restaurant and bar employees claim that say they've lost customers. Despite such opposition, some recent state legislation and local ordinances have banned smoking in restaurants and required strict ventilation systems in bars. These laws represent a key test in the continued expansion of clean indoor air laws and policies, and remain highly contentious; we treat them separately in this section. (Robert L. Rabin, Stephen D. Sugarman, 2001: 230) However, Studies examining implementation show that the law had little impact on the dining out patterns of consumers, did not result in job losses for the city's restaurant industry, resulted in high rates of compliance, and did not have a detrimental effect on business. (Robert L. Rabin, Stephen D. Sugarman, 2001: 230) The initial studies of smoking bans in restaurants suggest that there are no economic upheavals when smoking is banned in public places. Summarizing the existing data, Glantz (1999) notes convincingly those studies of sales tax data from 81 localities in six states (67 of which are entirely smoke-free) demonstrate that ordinances restricting smoking in restaurants have no adverse effect on revenues. In an important and related finding, Glantz and Charlesworth (1999) extend Glantz's previous work to consider the effects of restaurant smoking bans on tourism, which the tobacco industry has used as another argument against smoking bans.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Shapes of Human Communities Essay Example for Free

The Shapes of Human Communities Essay 1. In 1500, the world had all different societies, gatherers and hunters to empires, but it was different   2. Paleolithic Persistence a) gathering and hunting societies (Paleolithic peoples) still existed throughout the world but they had changed over time b) b. had new improved technologies and ideas, e.g., outrigger canoes, fish hooks, etc (had not adopted agriculture) c) exchanged goods over hundreds of miles and developed sophisticated sculpture and rock painting and northwest coast of North America developed very differently 3. Agricultural Village Societies a) predominated in much of North America, in Africa south of the equator, in parts of the Amazon River basin and Southeast Asia b) their societies mostly avoided oppressive authority, class inequalities ( forested region in present-day southern Nigeria – 3 political) c) Benin: centralized state ruled by a warrior king ,EwuareP d) Igbo : dense population and trade, and rejected kingship and state building e) Yoruba, Benin, and Igbo peoples traded among themselves and beyond 4. Agricultural village societies went through change in the centuries before 1500 a) population growth, emergence of distinct peoples b) rise of warfare as key to male prestige -creation of the Iroquois confederation c) some European colonists appreciated Iroquois values of social equality and personal freedom (even for women)agriculture,depose officeholders5. 5. Herding Peoples of the a) Turkic warrior Timur tried to restore the Mongol Empire ca. 1400 but ended up devastating Russia, Persia, and India b) his successors kept control of the area between Persia and Afghanistan for a century c) Timur’s conquest was the last great military success of Central Asian nomads d) the steppe nomads’ homeland was swallowed up in expanding Russian and Chinese empire 6. African pastoralists -independent from empires (Fulbe -West Africa’s largest pastoral society) 7. migration after 1000 c.e. ( small communities among agriculturalists) a) adopted Islam b) some moved to towns and became leaders c) jihads -created new states ruled by the Fulbe 2) Civilizations of the Fifteenth Century: Comparing China and Europe a) majority of the world’s population lived within a major civilization. b) China had been badly disrupted by Mongol rule and the plague and recovered under the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) i. Confucian learning 1) Emperor Yongle (r. 1402–1422) summarizing all the wisdom of the past and reestablished the civil service examination system (centralized government) 2) Chinese sailors and traders had become important in the South China Sea and in Southeast Asian ports in the eleventh century d) Emperor Yongle commissioned a massive fleet; launched in 1405 e) Admiral Zheng ried to enroll peoples in the tribute system f) no intention of conquering new territories, establishing Chinese settlements, or spreading culture 3) Chinese government abruptly stopped the voyages in 1433 g) Chinese merchants and craftsmen continued to settle and trade in Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia,( without government support) 3) European Comparisons: State Building and Cultural Renewal 1. a similar process of demographic recovery, consolidation etc 2. 2. European population began to rise again ca. 1450 a) state building fragmented -independent and competitive states 3. the Renaissance: reclamation of classical Greek traditions 4. began in the commercial cities of Italy ca. 1350–1500 5. . greater interest in the individual and in accurate depiction of the worl 4) European Comparisons: Maritime Voyaging 1. Portuguese voyages of discovery began in 1415 2. 1492: Columbus reached the Americas 3. 1497–1498: Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa to India 4. European voyages -small compared to Chinese ones a) unlike the Chinese voyages, Europeans were seeking wealth in Crusades against Islam 7. Chinese voyages ended; European ones kept escalating a. no political authority in Europe to end the voyages b.   rivalry between states = more exploration c. China had everything it needed; Europeans wanted the greater riches of the East 5) Civilizations of the Fifteenth Century: The Islamic World 1. Islamic world +four major states or empires. Took process of within and beyond new states 2. In the Islamic Heartland: The Ottoman and Safavid Empires 3. Ottoman Empire lasted from fourteenth to early twentieth century (huge territory) A .sultans claimed the title â€Å"caliph† and the legacy of the Abbasids (effort to bring new unity to the Islamic world 4. Ottoman aggression toward Christian (fall of Constantinople in 145 -1529 siege of Vienna) Europeans feared Turkish expansion 5. Safavid Empire emerged in Persia from a Sufi religious order -empire was established shortly after 1500 6. Sunni Ottoman Empire and Shia Safavid Empire fought between 1534 and 1639 1) On the Frontiers of Islam: The Songhay and Mughal Empires 1. 1. Songhay Empire rose in West Africa in the second half of the fifteenth century a. Islam was limited largely to urban elites. b. Sonni Ali (r. 1465–1492) followed Muslim practices, but was also regarded as a magician with an invisibility charm ( center of Islamic learning/trade) 2. Mughal Empire in India was created by Turkic group that invaded India in 1526 b. over the sixteenth century, Mughals gained control of most of India. 3. The age of these four great Muslim empires is sometimes called a â€Å"second flowering of Islam. new age of energy, prosperity, and cultural brilliance 4. spread of Islam to new areas, such as Southeast Asia 2) spread by traveling merchants, supported by Sufi holy men 6) rise of Malacca as a sign of the times—became a major Muslim port city in the fifteenth centuryMalaccan Islam blended with Hindu/Buddhist traditions (Islamic learning) Civilizations of the Fifteenth Century: The America a) Both the Aztec and the Inca empires were established by once-marginal peoples who took over and absorbed older cultures .(Both empires were destroyed by the Spaniards) b) The Aztec Empire a seminomadic people who migrated southward from northern Mexico c) Aztec Empire was a loosely structured, unstable conquest state ( population of 5–6 million d. local and long-distance trade on a vast scale (included slaves) 1) professional merchants (pochteca) became rich a. human sacrifice much more prominent in Aztec Empire than in earlier Mesoamerica 2) b. Tlacaelel is credited with the of state giving human sacrifice such importance Aztec Empire’s purpose is to maintain the cosmic order by supplying blood for the gods ocean trade in the west Atlantic/Indian Ocean picked up VII. A Preview of Coming Attractions: Looking Ahead to the Modern Era (1500–2000) A. No fifteenth-century connections were truly global. 1. those came only with European expansion in the sixteenth century 2. 1500–2000: inextricable linking of the worlds of Afro-Eurasia, the Americas, and Pacific Oceania B. â€Å"Modern† human society emerged first in Europe in the nineteenth century and then throughout the world. 1. core feature: industrialization 2. accompanied by massive population increase C. The prominence of European peoples on the global stage grew 1. , Western Europe became the most innovative, 2. spread of European languages and Christian religion throughout the world

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Impacts Of Social Media On Brand Marketing Marketing Essay

The Impacts Of Social Media On Brand Marketing Marketing Essay Introduction: This research will be conducted using Husqvarna as an exploratory case study. Husqvarna is the leading companies in the outdoor power product market and as the premium quality brand. They want to stand for professionalism throughout the company. Husqvarna is currently located in over 50 countries all over the world. During the last couple of years social media has grown rapidly and companies worldwide have started to use social media more frequently as a part of their marketing tool, no matter what market they represent. Even though if there is still a need for traditional marketing Husqvarna are shifting more and more from traditional marketing towards social media marketing, but all these parts are a part of their marketing mix. Husqvarna knows that their customers are out there on the net and for approximately one year ago they decided to start using social media marketing. Today they are primarily using Face book, Twitter and YouTube as their social media channels, which are a pa rt of their social media marketing. Background: Social Media is a new subject, but its background start from AOL Instant Messenger to Friendster to Google+ social media has perhaps changed more in ten years. Trend of online marketing, and specifically email marketing, is leap to happen. Internet marketing is becoming so common and included into the social media experience that its essentially becoming its own form of social media. Social media plays an important role in sharing information about products and brands. Actually I can say 60 percent of consumer researches are based on social media and learned about the specific brand or retailers through social networking sites. Problem Discussion: Social media marketing has emerged as the new way of doing marketing where the customers are no longer passive consumers as they were in the previous marketing forms, but rather here they are active participants; this is mainly due to the interaction possibilities that exist on Internet (Miller Lammas, 2010). The resources firms are investing on social media are incrementally increasing and firms are slowly shifting from a traditional way of doing marketing towards a more interactive way (Thackeray, al., 2008). When it comes to social media firms should focus more on creating long term relations with their customers and be active online, rather than on delivering messages and marketing different content (GrÙ nroos, 2007). Swedowsky (2009) mentions that if the firms manage to create strong brand awareness among their customers they will improve the likelihood of them do positive word-of-mouth promotion for the firm among their friends and family. This was the way before the st art of social media and the way has developed further (Swedowsky, 2009). GrÙ nroos (2007) mentions that Word-of-mouth promotion is the objective of social media marketing and the result of a successfully maintained relationship between the firm and their customers. Positive word-of-mouth results in improved brand awareness among current and potential customers, with an increased likelihood of them purchasing the firms products (GrÙ nroos, 2007). Carlsson (2010) mentions that the main obstacle for firms is that they cannot control word-of-mouth marketing, but rather it is the customers that have the control. Hence it is important that firms are successful in their interactions with their customers in order to keep the negative opinions to a minimum (Carlsson, 2010). If firms are successful in their social media marketing they will gain a competitive advantage over their market competitors, but firms have to be cautious due to they do not have a monopoly on the marketing tools, instead it is being shared with the customers whom has the majority of the control and can choose on their own accord where and how to reach out to the firm (Qualman, 2010). Carlsson (2010) mentions that there is a difference between what the firms tell their customers and what other people Are saying about the firm, therefore people usually tend to trust what is recommended by their friends and not the marketers. Swedowsky (2009) mentions that no matter how and why the firms tend to approach the customers to buy their products the purchasing decision has always been distinctive, mainly due to it is a social endeavor. Therefore is it necessary that retailers get involved and pay attention because people tend before making a purchase to consult somebody that they have trust in, mainly family members and friends (Swedowsky, 2009). Thus, if a firm has been successful in their interactions with their customers it can result in stronger brand awareness which has an impact on the customers willingness to purchase the firms products (GrÙ nroos, 2007). The stronger the customers brand awareness is, the more dominant will the firms brand be Because the customer will not look for other alternatives on the market, thus improving The customers loyalty to the firm (Kotler Ar mstrong, 2004). In order for a firm to gain long-term benefits from using social media they should use social media and relationship marketing concurrently due to here the customer is seen as a co-creator, compared to the old and traditional view where the customer is only a target to sell to (Miller Lamas 2010). When firms use social media they should have proper branding and customer service strategies that are needed for their overall social marketing strategy where participating in online conversation about the brand are vital for the firms success online (Williams, 2009). Hence, if firms want to be successful in their marketing activities they should listen to their customers, share information with them and build relationships in order to gain mutual trust so that they can influence their customers behavior (Miller Lamas 2010). Thus, social media facilitates the processes of interaction, relationship and value (Harridge-March Quinton, 2009). Research Objective: Objective of this research is to provide how companies can use social media as a marketing tool and branding tool in a consumer market. The result of this research will give a clear picture how companies can utilize social media in its marketing, what opportunities and challenges lies there, and tactics, tools and measurements, this study aims at offering a guideline for Companies planning marketing activities through social media. Research work will address the following main research questions: How does Social Media affect on consumers purchasing decision? What objectives, strategies and tactics can Companies use in marketing and branding through social media? What key performance indicators can Companies use in measuring the impact of marketing and branding activities through social media? How can Companies utilize social media as a marketing and branding tool in consumer marketing? Investigating the literature: I chose to do an analysis on the literature that has been conducted in the chosen field of interest. This due to I wanted to complement the previous research about how firms can use social media marketing in order to increase the brand awareness among their customers and thus have theories that can help me fulfill the purpose with our research. Besides social media marketing and brand awareness I decided to write about relationship marketing that is interrelated with social media marketing. Word-of-mouth is another phenomenon that is brought up in our theoretical investigation due to word of-mouth is the outcome of a successful managed relationship. Having a relationship based approach in firms social media activities is important because without a relationship approach the likelihood of the customer doing word-of-mouth marketing is less, compared to having a relationship based approach (GrÙ nroos, 2007). Thus I see how relationship marketing is important when firms do social media marketing and for the future outcome of the relationship which affects the word-of-mouth promotion. Another phenomenon I will bring up shortly that is relevant within this field is viral marketing that is closely interrelated to social media marketing and word-of-mouth promotion. I wanted to find out how firms should use social media marketing as a marketing tool in their daily operations and that is why we found these different areas that I mentioned above to be vital for my theoretical findings. We think that if a firm is successful to combine all these parts in their social media marketing they will be able to increase the brand awareness among their customers. I will mention these different concepts more in the theoretical parts, but this was a short introduction why I chose to bring them up in my theoretical findings. Brand awareness: Aaker (1991) mention that when customers recognize a brand in a specific product category and the brand is characterized by the customers attitudes that they are familiar with it is called brand awareness. Aaker (1991) further explains that brand awareness has three different levels: Brand recognition, brand recall and top-of-mind. Brand awareness is unique due to it something that the firm creates and promotes in form of marketing messages, but it is the customers brand recognition that is the objective of the firms marketing activities. Without brand recognition it would be difficult for the firm to create awareness and good perception of their brand among its customers. Brand awareness gets its full use when the firms brand is being shown in different social communities in order to be able to attract a large number customers to the firm (Aaker, 1991). According to Aaker (1996) the purpose of brand awareness is to create and improve the presence of the brand in the customers memory . The stronger presence the brand has in the customers memory the stronger brand awareness will the customer have and the firm can through different marketing activities like for instance repetitive advertising and active advertisement reach the mind of the customers (Aaker, 1996). Relationship marketing In 1994 GrÙ nroos defined the purpose of relationship marketing as: Identify and establish, maintain and enhance and, when necessary, terminate relationships with customers at a profit so that the objectives of all parties involved are met; and this is done by mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (GrÙ nroos, 1994, p. 275). HÙ†¡kansson and Snehota (1995) discussed that a relationships creates something priceless that neither the firm nor the customer can buy nor develop alone and the result of the creation cannot be easily copied. HÙ†¡kansson and Johansson (2001) further described that a relationship is built on collecting and sharing knowledge between the two parties involved that cooperate with each other by making the most in order employ the knowledge they share between them and in that way make a satisfying exchange that both parties are content with. The more the two parties involved have a mutual relationship and share their information to each other, the more valuable does the information get, leading to companies working harder to fulfill the other partys needs (Palmatier 2006). The firm should have a long-term relationship approach towards the customer , thinking long-term in order to create a dialogue with the customer that both parties will benefit from and not only look for a share of the customers wallet, but also a share of his heart and mind (GrÙ nroos, 2007, p. 321). Lifetime value of a customer relationship In 2006 Ford, Gadde, HÙ†¡kansson and Snehota explained that a relationship has value for both the firm and the customer in two different ways; a current and a potential value. The current value is obtained when the firm and customer have interacted for a while and learned about each other, which facilitates the future interaction between them. The information that is shared through interaction will lead to a more effective implementation of the problem that is discussed. The interaction can lead to creating and adapting new solutions which can improve the relationship so that future problems will be reduced and future, potential value will evolve (Ford, et al., 2006). Word-of-mouth Kirby and Marsden (2006) explain that through the years traditional marketing has become less effective and it has become more difficult for firms to reach the customers, therefore the concept of word-of-mouth has been an important role in attracting attention to the firm and its products and services in a natural way. Kirby and Marsden (2006) further mention that word-of-mouth is a non-commercial concept that has a commercial purpose, where the impact of consumers themselves spreading the information is higher and more reliable than if the firms would intentionally do it because here it is the customer themselves that recommend a company to someone else.Word-of-mouth is the collective name for the marketing that is designed in a noncommercial way to make the customers to start spreading information about the firm (Kirby Marsden, 2006). Social media marketing Drury (2007) describes social media as an online resource that people use to share different types of contents, for instance photos, videos, text, images, opinion, gossip, humor and ideas by using resources in form of blogs, social networks, wikis and others. As a user, social media marketing is based to give the opportunity to connect with friends and through linking sites, share their experiences. One may believe that it is just about giving and receiving a message, but that is not the case due to interactions within social media is about receiving and exchanging perceptions and ideas (Drury, 2007). Drury (2007) further explains that traditional marketing via television and newspapers is about delivering a message to the audience, whereas social media marketing is about building a conversation and relationship with the audience. Traditional marketing is a passive way of marketing compared to the fast and interactive social media marketing (Xiao, 2008). Social media marketing is a t wo-way process that engages an audience and a brand, and marketing has developed from one dimensional to a two-way process (Eely Tilley, 2009). Summary of the theoretical framework In the society usage of technology is high and firms offer their customers similar products to similar prices, thus having a relationship approach is crucial when firms do their social media marketing due to it offers something unique that no firm can buy; a relationship (HÙ†¡kansson Snehota, 1995). Having strong brand awareness among a firms customers will improve the relationship and improve the possibility of customer becoming brand advocates and doing free marketing for the firm in form of word-of mouth promotion (GrÙ nroos, 2007). Here the current customers can reach new customers that perhaps could not be reached by the firm or where the customers would ignore the firms initiatives due to they do not like to be forced into something and therefore prefer the word-of-mouth marketing which is a more unintentional and natural way of doing marketing (Kirby Marsden, 2006). By having current customers promoting the firms products and services they do not only attract new customer, but they also improve the firms relationship with current customers (Swedowsky, 2009) Improved brand awareness among the firms customers will result in a better relationship between the customers and the firm, thus improving the loyalty of the customer and also increasing the likelihood that the customer will continue purchasing the firms products and services (Anderson, et al., 2009). Having customers doing free word-of-mouth promotion for the firm is not only an objective with successful marketing, it is the outcome of a successful relationship and therefore relationship marketing and social media marketing are interrelated (GrÙ nroos, 2007). When we did the analysis of the literature we saw that social media and relationship marketing were interrelated due to both have interactions as an initial and essential part of their strategy to create or improve the relationship with the other party (GrÙ nroos, 2007). GrÙ nroos (2007) further mentions th at other aspects they have in common are that both have an increased customer loyalty and word-of-mouth as objectives. Hence we wanted to investigate more on this specific portion and see how it is related to brand awareness among a firms customers. A firm must cherish their customers brand awareness and continuously improve in order to be successful in their marketing (Anderson, et al., 2009). This improvement can be done by using different types of marketing activities, for instance use social media marketing and relationship marketing in conjunction to improve the customers brand awareness by having continuous interactions with their customers (GrÙ nroos, 2007). As the interaction becomes more regular it will become a dialogue where the firm is listening to the customers thoughts and feedback. If the customer is satisfied with the dialogue and the relationship it will result in the customer doing free word-of-mouth marketing to his friends and family (GrÙ nroos, 200 7). This can result in reduced marketing costs for the firm and in an increased possibility of the firm attaining new customers and thus generating higher revenues and improving the firms profitability (Ford, et al., 2006). With this in mind we saw that word-of-mouth is a powerful tool, but with a huge drawback from a firm point of view due to it cannot be controlled by them (Mangold Faulds, 2009). On the other hand a bad relationship where the customer is not satisfied with the interaction with the firm and the actions that the firm has made can result in the customer doing bad word-of-mouth promotion for the firm among his friends and family (Carlsson, 2010). Thus we see how important it is to cherish the relationship with the customer by using different marketing tools in order to strengthen the customers brand awareness, especially since the outcome of the relationship is either stronger or worse brand awareness, respectively good or bad word-of-mouth promotion from the customer (Gunawardena, et al., 2009) This shows how careful firms have to be in their marketing activities and take the relationship perspective due to having a satisfied customer will improve the likelihood of the customer doing good word-of-mouth promotion for the firm, and likewise having a dissatisfied customer will more likely do bad word-of-mouth against the firm (Carlsson, 2010). We have summarized th e theory in the figure below (figure 2.7), which we have illustrated on our own. Here we have tried to show the interrelation between the theories. Figure 2.7 show that if a firm wants to create strong brand awareness among their customers they have to use different marketing tools which we have mentioned throughout our theoretical part. There are marketing tools that the firm can control in form of social media, relationship and viral marketing that is initiated by the firm, and if the firm uses their marketing tools in the right way it will result in a stronger brand awareness among their customers (Aaker, 1991). This in turn will improve the likelihood of the customer promoting the firm and its products and services to new and current customers free of charge in form of word-of-mouth (GrÙ nroos, 2007). Word-of mouth promotion is the outcome of a successful relationship and strong brand awareness (Gunawardena, et al., 2009).

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Protecting Ourselves from Media Manipulation: The Use of Alternative Me

Protecting Ourselves from Media Manipulation: The Use of Alternative Media as an Information Source As far as one can recall the media has had a large influence over our perceptions of the world and the society in which we live. Why is it that we blindly seem to believe whatever we hear on the radio, see on the television, read in newspapers and more currently on the internet? The mass media has acquired a great control over the perceptions of how we interpret the world around us, it is only when we allow alternative media to develop and expand to greater parts of the world that we will be able to understand the different perspectives and work towards understanding the truth. There have been past reports on alien invasions, attacks made by giant worms and other exaggerated or made-up stories. Many of these events or attacks were based on popular fears during the time. This can also be seen during the â€Å"Red Scare†. Americans were afraid of being attacked by communists and were constantly afraid of spies thus, they proceeded to name anyone or anything a communist if they did not respond in the way that they had anticipated. These fears were manipulated by the mass media creating further anxiety. Plausibility and timing are equally as important in creating stories or news that can result in anxiety and fear. To fully deceive the public there has to be a plausible story occurring at the right time and place. In our post 9/11 world, where many people are already feeling on the edge it is important that the media is careful in what they produce, and think about the potential effects on their audience. We would not want to see ourselves confronted with the same tactics as those used previously during the â€Å"... ...acifici, The Moro Morality Play: Terrorism as Social Drama (Chicago: The University Chicago Press, 1986) p. 65, 90. Mueller, John E. War, Presidents and Public Opinion (New York: John Wiley, 1973). Newport, Frank, Public Opinion of the War in Afghanistan, Gallup News Service Poll Analyses, (31 October 2001) (http://www.gallup.com/poll/Releases/Pr011031e.asp) Orwell, George, Politics and the English Language in The Collected Essays of George Orwell (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1968) p. 167. Page, B., Shapiro, R. and Dempsey. 1987. What moves Public Opinion, American Political Science Review, 81, March, 23-43. Speech of George W. Bush, as reported on CNN, October 7, 2001 Cartoonstock,United We Stand, Holding Hands http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/nc_search.asp?x=a&keyword=&Category=Bin+Laden%2C+Osama&Boolean=Or&Artist=Not+Selected&submit=Search

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Religious Ceremonies In Theatre :: essays research papers fc

Theatre as a Religious Ceremony   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The drama in Greece was inextricably bound up with religious feeling and religious observance.† (Cheney 33) The citizens of the Greek states were the first European communities to raise dramatic performances to the level of an art. Furthermore, the Greek playwrights still exercise a potent creative force, and many modern dramatists find strong relationships between these legendary themes and modern conditions. The Greek’s religion is wholly responsible for the creation of all facets of early Greek theatre; whether it is the content of the plays, or the immense size of the theaters required to accommodate the attendance of the city’s men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although much is speculated about the origins of early Greek theater, it may be stated that the â€Å"source of tragedy is to be found in choric dithyrambs sung in honor of the god Dionysus† (Nicoll 9). The performance took place in an open-air theater. The word tragedy is derived from the term â€Å"tragedia† or â€Å"goat-song†, named for the goat skins the chorus wore in the performance. Originally these songs were improvised and rhapsodical as time passed by they were â€Å"poetized or rendered literary† (Nicoll 9). The word â€Å"chorus† meant â€Å"dance or â€Å"dancing ground†, which was how dance evolved into the drama. Members of the chorus were characters in the play that commented on the action. They drew the audience into the play and reflected the audience’s reactions. The change from freelance song to theatre was obtained at the hands of a Greek named Thespis. He turned what was originally a song lea der, or priest, into an actor whose words were answered by a chanting chorus. Thespis also â€Å"changed the subject matter of theatre events, expanding them to deal not solely on stories of Dionysus† (Nicoll 9). In the sixth century B.C., drama had been born in Greece and with the introduction of a second actor and later a third, this art form was ready to mature at the hands of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These festivals grew in size and complexity, especially in Athens, where the largest of these festivals were held and only the premier playwrights released their plays. These prestigious and elaborate plays were performed at dramatic festivals. The two main festivals were the Feast of the Winepress in January and the City Dionysia at the end of March. The Proceeding began with the procession of choruses and actors of the three competing poets.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Sociology of Sports – Baseball

There are several theoretical perspectives of looking at sports from the sociology of sports view including conflict, functionalist, interactions, and feminist. The most useful though, in looking at the sociology of sports is the functionalist view. Functionalist regard sports as an almost religious institution that uses ritual and ceremony to reinforce the common values of a society (Ekern, 2013). This means that functionalist view sports by the competition and patriotism of the younger generation and assist in maintaining a person’s physical condition. Not only do sports function as a safety valve for the viewers and the athletes for shedding destructive and tension energy in a way that is socially acceptable, but sports also assist in the joining of members of a community. The functionalist view seems to be the most appropriate over the other views in examining the sociology of sports. There are many reasons why the functionalist view is the most useful to use in viewing the sociology of sports. A big reason why the functionalist view is better is because many small communities spread throughout the world are built upon sports, especially in small communities that are not near any big cities. Sports are all they have in common and motivate the communities. Another reason is that the spectators and athletes always act in a different manner when they are either watching the sport or playing it, which is usually in an aggressive manner. When they are not watching the sport or discussing it they are usually completely different people. The last good reason is that it does help to maintain a person’s physical appearance, whether it is athletes staying in shape so they can be in top condition to compete or people that are ran by the idea of sports and want to stay in shape just like the athletes do. Sociology of sports, also referred to as sports sociology, is the study of the relationship between sports and society (Crossman, 2013). Aside from the functionalist view on sports sociology there other areas of study that are closely looked at, such as sports and gender, sports and media, and sports and gender and identity. Sports and gender targets man and women playing sports. Women were not even allowed to play sports until after the 1930’s because it was considered too masculine for them. Even in today’s age you never hear of women playing football or hockey, except maybe as a kid at school, and that is even very rare. Nowadays though in some sports they have a men’s team and a women’s team, such as basketball. There are even women that train in wrestling and boxing. The media is also another study of the sociology of sports that plays the games on the television. While the media will cover the men on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, boxing and pro wrestling, the sports that are usually covered for the women are figure skating, diving, gymnastics, and skiing. The media will also keep the audiences informed of player’s accomplishments and achievements. The gender identity of sports is another topic that often looked at because of sports having gender specific roles that is acceptable by society. Women are generally always treated more harshly in sports than men especially at younger ages. One reason that sports engage scholarly interests is because of the teaching of important values (Lewis, 2008). Sports sociology has studied higher education and sport and sport as a functional alternative to religion. Gender and racial discrimination in sports have also been studied, as well as social mobility on the basis of sport success that includes race and gender Another area that has been studied is the social problems of the sport that includes drugs, sports violence, and injuries. As you can see, all areas and aspects of sports, whether it was in the past or present day have been studied and as always to any debate everyone has a different view and perspective. There is no right or wrong answers to the sociology of sports, just opinions on different circumstances. The reason that people participate in sports, whether it is a fan, player, or a business is for the love of the sport and the profits. Some people just love the sport, while others try to make as big a profit as they can. Sports answer to a humans needs by providing a competitive entertaining experience. Sports can be explained from a sociological point of view as a necessity to most community’s different needs and circumstances. Baseball is a favorite pastime that dates as far back as 2000 B. C. with a ball and stick type games. However, the first rules were written by Alexander Cartwright, considered to be the Father of modern baseball (Penn, 2006). Alexander was part of the NY Knickerbockers, which was the first organization to play baseball in America that was established on September 23, 1845. In 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) were created and known as the first baseball league. It wasn’t until 1860 though, that it was commonly referred to as â€Å"the National pastime† in several publications. Baseball is one of America’s most played sports and continually competitive against other teams and between individuals, especially in today’s age of baseball. The Sociodemographic description of fans and players of baseball is simple. The average MLB player rakes in over $2,000,000 a year if they are eligible for arbitration, which could come from disparate socioeconomic groups and from different countries. The average fan has an income of 30,000 to 40,000 a year and the high up luxury seats are for professionals that are in a very high income bracket and the corporate types. Being that baseball is very popular and has a very high income potential, it is definitely a professional sport. Baseball fits in to contemporary American life by giving fans something to always talk about. This sport gives society a certain set of values that fans and players live by. There are also culture trends that have impacted the sport of baseball. In fact, look at the roster of just about any Major League Baseball team, and you’ll find many of the most talented players coming from Latin American countries (Thomas, 2007). The media constantly reports on baseball, which gives the fans something to always talk, such as if they lost or won a game. If you look at the players, most of them are younger in age and usually are not over 40. All major league players are also male, which affect the views for the fans on the sport. As a beginning sociologist, the meaning of baseball as a social institution is very clear. Baseball is talked about, whether it is off season or every game, either loss or win, that gives fans something to always talk about. Over half of America enjoys this past time and every single one of them has their own opinion, depending on their team of choice and the opposing teams. Baseball is a sport that is great to attend in person, in order to get the full effect of the national past time. The baseball game that I had the chance of observing was the Rangers versus the Angels. The setting of the baseball field was split between the Ranger fans, which was a home game and the Angels fans. The field was a big diamond shape with for bases that the players have to run after a successful hit to the ball that the pitcher is throwing at them. There were also players from the opposing team that were stationed at each base and in the field closer to the stands. I notice that the environment changed drastically after each successful hit that made it close to the stands. Most of the fans would stand with excitement and all the players would scramble to get the ball and the player that hit it would try to run to as many bases before the is taken control of. The fans that were at the game that I attended were in their mid 20s to early 40s. The fans were a majority of men, but there were women there too. It seemed like a majority of the fans also wore their favorite player shirts and got excited every time the player hit the ball. It seemed that the fans age ration compared to the players were on the same levels. Most baseball player retires by time their 40, so the age comparison was evenly matched, from what I saw. The social behaviors that stood out were most fans would purchase a hot dog and beer from the concessions. It is always tradition to purchase a hot dog†, some of the fans would say. Fans would also be in groups for supporting their favorite teams. One special language and knowledge that characterizes the sport is Home Run. One particular behavior that I witnessed at the game was that when one team is winning the fans are excited and cheering and when their favorite team is losing they are booing and unhappy. Being at th e Rangers game made me aware of people’s behavior and surroundings and was a great experience to participate in. Sports use to be a big part of my life when I was a kid. I can remember collecting the Tops baseball cards with the hard piece of gum in it. It seems that every time I got some money I would go purchase the cards. Now that I look back, I realize that was my sociology behavior of being a fan. I also played baseball in school a lot, as well as other sports, such as football and basketball. When I was playing my attitude always changed to a competitive nature and I always got the mindset of crushing the opposing team. When I look back, I was two different people when I switched from a fan to a player and vice versa. The experiences of being a fan and a player as a kid didn’t have a huge impact to my adult life. I think that maybe that I played and watched sports too much as a kid, because I don’t have much interest in sports in my adult life. I read the newspaper to learn who wins and who is playing, but that is about it. I just learn enough to hold a conversation with my coworkers and friends and that’s it. So I guess the role that it plays in my life is that I played and watched it so much that it has caused me to lose interest in it. I can see how my experiences can connect me to others who are sports fans and participants. Sports are very big for kids in school and always have been. Most kids have shared the experiences that I have growing up. I’m not sure if they still sell Tops, but nonetheless kids are easily influenced and they do what everyone else is doing. Since so many adults like to watch sports and participate, it is a good assumption to say that most kids participate in some way or another, whether it is being a fan or participating in the sport itself. References Crossman, A. (2013). Sociology of Sports. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of-Sports.htm. Ekern, J. (2013). Looking at Sports from Four Theoretical Perspectives. Retrieved from Article at Colorado Technical University Online. Lewis, J. (2008). Sociology of Sports. Retrieved from Kent State University at http://www.cengage.com/custom/enrichment_modules/data/0495598127_Sociology_of_Sports-mod_watermark.pdf. Penn, F. (2006). Early History of Baseball in America. Retrieved from Favorite Traditions. Com at http://www.favoritetraditions.com/baseball.html. Thomas, W. (2007). Sports – How Culture Impacts Our Choices. Retrieved from Ezine Articles at http://ezinearticles.com/?Sports—How-Culture-Impacts-Our-Choices&id=932334.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Finance and Banking Essay

â€Å"Identify an experience in which you failed to communicate a message.† As mentioned in the communication process, communication has only succeeded when the information given by the sender has been received and understood by the recipient. If the recipient has not understood the information, then this may not necessarily be the recipient’s fault. Typically, ineffective communications can be attributed to one of three things: 1. A poor message;  * The message was too short; * The message was too long; * The message was ambiguous 2. Poor transmission; * That the message is being delivered in a wrong format that the recipient both does not expect and understands; * That the message is being delivered when the recipient does not need it, and where the recipient will not expect to find it. 3. Poor reception;  * A lack of awareness; * Obstructionism; * A lack of understanding; A striking example where I failed to communicate a message was my first day as an ‘A’-Level biology teacher at a certain private college. I was lost and found myself tutoring a form 4 class instead of a form 6 class. Some of the teaching staff read, â€Å"Human monocytes were cultured for 24 h in serum-free AIM-V medium, followed by 24-h maturation by polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (polyI:C). Short term cultured, polyI:C-maturated DC, far more than immature DC, showed typical mature DC markers and high allogeneic stimulatory capacity and had high autologous stimulatory capacity in an influenza model system using peptide-pulsed DC. Electroporation of mRNA as an Ag-loading strategy in these cells was optimized using mRNA encoding the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Monocytes electroporated with EGFP mRNA, followed by short term, serum-free differentiation to mature DC, had a phenotype of DC, and all showed positive EGFP fluorescence. Influenza matrix protein mRNA-electroporated monocytes cultured serum-free and maturated with polyI:C showed high stimulatory capacity in autologous T cell activation experiments†. The text content was technically correct, but it was presented to the wrong audience, there was every chance that the students would not understand it. Such an example is a clear cut illustration of failure to communicate a message. â€Å"Investigate and discuss the possible forms of noise that can interfere with the communication process†. Communication noise refers to obstructions on effective communication that influence the interpretation of conveyed messages. While often looked over, communication noise can have a profound impact both on our perception of interactions with others and our analysis of our own communication proficiency. Forms of communication noise include psychological noise, physical noise, physiological and semantic noise. As postulated by (F. Teague, 2010), Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood hence all these forms of noise subtly, yet greatly influence our communication with others and are vitally important to anyone’s skills as a competent communicator. Psychological noise Psychological noise refers to qualities in us that affect how we communicate and interpret others. For instance, if you are preoccupied with a problem, you may be inattentive at a team meeting. Likewise, prejudice and defensive feelings can interfere with communication. Psychological noise results from preconceived notions we bring to conversations, such as racial stereotypes, reputations, biases, and assumptions. When we come into a conversation with ideas about what the other person is going to say and why, we can easily become blinded to their original message. Most of the time psychological noise is impossible to free ourselves from, and we must simply strive to recognize that it exists and take those distractions into account when we converse with others. Physical noise Physical noise is any external or environmental stimulus that distracts us from receiving the intended message sent by a communicator (Rothwell, 2011). Examples of physical noise include: others talking in the background, background music, overly dim or bright lights, spam and pop-up adverts, extreme temperatures, crowded conditions, a startling noise and acknowledging someone outside of the conversation. Semantic noise This is noise caused by the sender, that is, the encoder. This type of noise occurs when grammar or technical language is used that the receiver (the decoder) cannot understand, or cannot understand clearly. Semantic noise exists when words themselves are not mutually understood. Authors sometimes create semantic noise by using jargon or unnecessarily technical language. Physiological noise Physiological noise is distraction caused by hunger, fatigue, headaches, medication, and other factors that affect how we feel and think.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Bata Analysis of Markets and Segments

With main focus on providing a high product quality and keep prices reasonable compared to devastation of the markets caused by the wars, they kept expanding and follow the market changes. â€Å"As a result, Bata enjoys a long history as a leading manufacturer and retailer of quality footwear, and proudly serves some one million customers each day. With more than 30,000 employees, 5,000 international retail stores, and a presence in over 70 countries, Bata is positioned to deliver an unparalleled combination of selection, quality, and service to customers around the globe. (Bata, (C) 2013) The market In a now very overcrowded market defined as a fully competitive market, because it is a heterogeneous market and has a lot of competitors, this is the situation for all Bata’s markets as they are very similar around the world. Bata’s competitors are companies such as Zara, Hamp;M and Pedro as they sell cheap products to a segment very similar to the Bata’s. In most of the countries where Bata is visible there are many copycats and markets with very cheap shoes. These local shops are also a competitor to keep in mind. One of the big main competitors is the Chinese low cost products that are exported from China to many other countries. The competition is very intense and can be defined as close as there are many competitors with very similar products competing for the costumer’s money. Project focus This project will focus on analyzing the target group and the halo segment to learn more about why the already chosen markets are attractive to Bata and which markets could be interesting later on. This is necessary to make the right choice in market segmentation and selection. We will also look into an analysis of the current market segmentation and selection including what made Bata choose the countries that they are already in. Finally we will suggest a country for Bata that could be a new lucrative market to enter, based on the earlier findings. Research methodology For this project we will use secondary data gathered from sources like newspapers, internet newspapers and the like. For the sake of the project and its reliability it is very important that the information is conducted by valid sources. It is necessary to be critical when using secondary data, as the source can be pursuing different goals with its content. To show an example; Batas website is reliable for correct information as it is important to the company and its image that stakeholders can access the right information easily. At the same time the website should also pursue to sell the company’s brand which usually makes them show only the very best sides of the company. This makes some of the information partly unreliable or at least questionable. To overcome this problem we will be aware of the sources intensions and reliability. If the source is unknown to us or the information does not fit with other information we have, we will research this to make sure we end up with the right information to base a project on. We will always look at the opportunity to find the same data from other sources to back up its reliability. Primary data would be highly valuable to us in this project – and a credible and reliable source to us as the projects main topic is to analyze the company’s market segmentation. Interviewing the company would truly bring us inside the company and data the employees go through prior to screening and selecting markets. Unfortunately it is not possible for us to get in contact with Bata. Had the time and size of this project allowed us to, it would also be possible to conduct a questionnaire from consumers in the companys stores asking why they chose Bata over its competitors. Analysis of target group The markets Bata has entered (Bata, (C) 2013) shows a market segmentation that mainly sells shoes in countries with a large segment of costumers with lower purchasing power; the middle class and lower middle class of the society. It is presumable that this makes the consumer use high involvement when purchasing these products. When this segment is satisfied with the purchase it usually will stay loyal to the brand as the segment consider for a longer time before spending money; as loyal as consumers can be these days. It is noticeable that Bata is not visible in North America, Scandinavia and UK which is another argument for theory above (Bata, (C) 2013). This method of segmenting has a great likelihood of fighting against grey markets/parallel import which is highly likely to happen between markets with segments with low purchasing power. Due to the changing markets the competition started undercutting their prices and Bata tried pursuing a new segment; the higher premium society. Bata tried and failed. When a brand focusing on a (lower) middle class segments wants to change their focus – or add focus to a higher society it very often fails. This is very likely to be because the perceived brand value is lower – often created by the price of the products. This kind of change usually just work when an expensive brand changes the target group to a lower society class, which makes the price drop. Then in the beginning the sales will boost because the consumers still perceive the same value of the brand but at a lower price – the benefit (or value) exceeds the cost of the product (to state a very basic example: it is like exchanging one Malaysian ringgit and getting one Malaysian ringgit and fifty cents back. ). That only lasts for a while until the perceived value has dropped to the same level as the actual buying price. If Bata wants to include a higher premium brand they need to create another brand as to not affect the already known products and the new premium ones. Back to the original segments; middle Class families were being offered footwear by Bata as they had shoes ranges for  school going children, young men, and even some offerings for women. In terms of the behavioral aspects Bata’s target customers could be quite price sensitive, demanding value for money, looking for basic needs to be met, and not very conscious about the shoe lasting for a long time, yet at the same time demanding adequate quality footwear which is trustworthy to last for a while. Bata may also be categorized as a store where usually entire families visit together because of the various offerings that Bata has to offer to them. The following products are Bata’s main products and the segment they focuses on, to clearly specify what usually is in Bata’s markets around the world. Bubblegummers The Bubblegummers brand serves the children segment, in the age about 0-13 years. It has provided a variety of design and type of shoes the segment. Marie Claire The Marie Clare brand is for women. Bata is trying to target the young working women who wants reasonably priced, decent design and durable shoes for work and this brand in many cases serves its segment well. Sandak Sandak is a sponge sandal that mainly serves a women segment who wants very good quality sandals in different types. It is mainly used in rainy seasons when many prefer it because it is washable and decent in looks. Power This is reasonable priced good quality sports and sandal shoes for young males and females. The target segment of Power is teenagers and some parts of the elderly people who need sneakers for walking purpose. KingsStreet The most famous dress shoes from Bata. Targeted towards the family or working man who needs nicer looking shoes for work or special occasions. Weinbrenner This brand of Bata provides trendy, outdoor, rough use footwear for men. This is also a popular brand with the youth. Though the brand is not that cheap but the quality of it is very good. Bata has other products too and many products special to the individual markets. To include all these products would require a much bigger project and more time than given.