Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers Essay

Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers - Essay Example The paper "Fashion as Base in Involvement in Understanding Consumers" is the report understanding consumer behavior using purchase-decision involvement scale proposed by Mittal. What is involvement as far as purchase decision is considered? A consumer has some inherent needs values and interests and the object of consideration has to have relevance within that framework. Often the involvement is of two types, one is situational which happens when some one has to purchase the item right then and has to make a purchase decision. There is another more enduring form in which the buyer maintains the level of interest in a product or a service , well after the situation has passed and endures even if the purchase situation does not exist. The purchase decision involvement involves four parties, the individual definitely, the product or the service class , the situation and the communication. The scale which Mittal has proposed at a high level of enduring involvement the product or service would have many attributes evaluated with compensatory decision models a narrow latitude of acceptance and a true brand loyalty. At the low end of the scale attributes are less important, the decision model is non compensatory and a wide latitude of acceptance and spurious brand loyalty. Again on the high end of the scale you have substantive messages on why the brand is what it is on the low end , the ads have little substance. Ads are fewer on the high end and frequent ads on the low end. Price is less important.

Consumers’ Perception of Quality Essay Example for Free

Consumers’ Perception of Quality Essay This study primarily investigates the underlying factors that help to form consumer perception of quality toward private universities in Bangladesh. Five beliefs have been identified as salient to perceive the quality of private universities of Bangladesh. These are quality faculty members, university environment, campus facility, quality education and university image/reputation. Multi-item measures were used for data collection. Results revealed that three factors: campus facility, quality education and university image/reputation have positive and significant influence on perceived quality of private university in Bangladesh. Quality faculty members and university environment do not have significant influence on perceived quality of private university in Bangladesh. INTRODUCTION: Higher education in the university level has been imparted through two major types of institutions, namely: public university and private university. The concept of private university in Bangladesh is not a very ancient one. The emergence of private university in Bangladesh began with the enactment of a series of laws governing higher education in 1992. To fulfill the ever-growing demand of institutions of higher studies, at present there are 85 universities in Bangladesh where only 29 of those are public universities and remaining 56 are private (University Grants Commission Website). Establishment of private universities released the pressure of large-scale admission seekers for the limited number of seats available in public universities. The Private University Act 1992 mentions that the main objectives of private universities are to meet the growing demand of higher education and to create skilled manpower for the economic development of the country. The present study analyzes the perceived quality of private universities in Bangladesh focusing on some salient beliefs like quality faculty members, university environment, campus facility, quality education, image/reputation. Private universities in Bangladesh, no doubt, have contributed to responding to the social demand for higher education by absorbing a good number of students who otherwise could not have received university degree. The private universities are attracting a large number of students, while it seems that the reputation and teaching-learning process of the public universities are secularly on the decline, despite the fact that their worldwide reputation is higher than some of the private universities. The state has to form some sort of accreditation council and those private universities that satisfy certain critical minimum requirements of inputs, processes, and outputs will be given accreditation by the proposed council. RELATED CONSTRUCTS OF THIS STUDY: Faculty Members: Faculty members are one of the most important and crucial factors for any private universities. In order to evaluate perceived quality the key factor to be considered is the quality of the faculties as it has a significant influence on the perceived quality of private universities. Also to provide quality education the faculty members are also chosen from a pool of excellent academic background with national and foreign degrees. For ensuring the sound academic environment, now private universities are emphasizing research work of the faculty members. University Environment: The university environment is another factor for choosing university and perceiving the quality of a particular university. Therefore it is important that the university must have a congenial environment that will ensure friendly student-teacher relationship, politics free and no session jam or delay in achieving graduation, well organized authority, zero discrimination and good and healthy premis es. Campus Facility: The campus facility of any private university must have the basic facilities as well as some value added facilities as the students of private universities are paying some premium price in getting the education here. Quality Education: The students who get enrolled in private universities must have a minimum educational background to qualify for the admission test and finally enrolled in the university. The curriculum is designed to meet the international standard as well as the students should be able to take part in any competitive examination with full confidence as compared to those of public universities. The student-teacher ratio and the grading policy also have an impact on the quality education. Image / Reputation: The image or reputation of the university has an impact in the job market. The private universities like North South University, East West University, BRAC University, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), American International University, Bangladesh (AIUB) have been able to create an acceptance to the students and guardian community by their image and reputation. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study therefore is to identify, analyze, and explore how the students perceive quality of the private universities and what are the extrinsic factors (faculty strength, university environment, campus facility, brand image, and quality of education) influencing perception of quality to the students and guardians. Each of these extrinsic cues has positive or negative impact on the students evaluation of private universities in Bangladesh. Having identified all the cues we need to find out which cue/s has/have more influence on the students while evaluating the perceived quality of a particular private university. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: Given the importance of the topic, it is not surprising that a great deal has been written about quality. Consistency limitation preclude a comprehensive review (Castleberry 1985), only the literature that is relevant to the objectives of this exploratory study will be discussed here. Unlike the approach taken in this paper, many authors have offered definitions of quality. For example, Crosby (1979) defined it as conformance to requirements, while Kotler (2006) defined it as the rated ability of the brand to perform its functions. Others have highlighted aesthetic considerations. Thus, Bohr (1980) notes that quality also means aesthetic and sensuous pleasure as wellit is timeless style, simple elegance and a sensation that makes people feel comfortable and satisfied to be near it. Garvin (1984), however, concedes that the definition of quality remains a source of confusion. He states that quality often is equated with conformance to tight manufacturing standards but that there are many other dimensions of quality as well, to wit: performance, durability, reliability, serviceability, the bells and whistles, and aesthetic elements. In a similar view, Gronroos (1984) acknowledges the need to define quality of services in terms of consumer perceptions and suggests that service quality may be a function of a number of variables, i.e., consumer expectations, technical and functional characteristics, and image. After classifying definitions of quality that have appeared in marketing and other disciplines, Holbrook and Corfman (1985) developed a definition of quality within the framework of value theory, specifically: quality is the extrinsic, self-oriented, passive value. An empirical test of their conceptual definition was only marginally successful and the authors concluded that they had provided only a partial answer to the question of the meaning of qualit y. Years ago Wittgenstein (1953) stated that to understand quality from the consumers standpoint, one must be concerned with the everyday use of the word. However, as evidenced by examples from the literature, researchers generally have not adopted this approach. Moreover, no study was found which explored the extent to which consumers definitions of quality depend upon the product or service being considered. Another line of inquiry in the current study is whether consumers evaluate quality before and/or after purchasing a product or service ant, if so, how. Economists, who probably have contributed most to this topic, are divided into two groups. Wilde (1981) represents those who feel quality is a search attribute (i.e., quality perceptions are formed before purchase). Others (e.g., Hey and McKenna 1981), however, feel that perceptions of quality are formed only after purchase and hence quality is an experience attribute. Of the many issues relating to quality, consumer researchers seem to be most interested in how consumers evaluate quality. Most work has explored the effects of various cues and cue combinations on perceptions and evaluation of quality (Olson 1972, Olson 1977, and Monroe and Krishnan 1985). Recently, Gronroos (1984) and Parasuramen, et al. (1984) have developed conceptual motels of service quality and have identified possible determinants of perceived service quality. The fact that these are service quality motels suggests that the evaluation, as well as the definition, of quality is likely to be context-bound. Gronroos, however, has only tested his model with a sample of service business executives, and the Parasuramen, et al. motel is now being tested empirically. Therefore, considerable work must be done before a better understanding of the meaning and role of quality from the consumers perspective is achieved. ATTITUDE TOWARDS PRIVATE UNIVERSITY: As a purpose of the study, we examine the information integration process by which consumers form Attitudes toward Private University (APU). As per cognitive process of consumer decision- making, consumers combine some of their knowledge, meanings, and beliefs for choosing private university to form an overall evaluation. These considered beliefs might be formed by interpretation processes or activated from memory. All Beliefs about Private University: The pretest is conducted to identify the salient beliefs towards private university. Convenience sample of 26 students from North South University and East West University have been provided a survey question asking the attributes they consider to perceive the quality of private university.

Lost at Sea Essay -- Personal Narrative Rescue Essays

Lost at Sea The breeze from the Indian Ocean moved across my skin like freshly ironed silk as I stood on the fantail of the aircraft carrier looking up at the night sky. It is an impressive sight to look upon the fires of those uncountable stars. If you were to take the grandest starlit sky that you could imagine, then imagine it after God has thrown another bucket of stars across the dark. That is like the night sky at sea can be. Flight operations had secured several hours earlier, and I used the opportunity to escape from the steel interior of the ship. I tried to get some fresh air at least once a day to deliver my senses from the smells of jet fuel and sweat that pervaded my world. Days are long when the ship is underway. The fifteen or twenty minutes of fresh air I could get in the evenings rejuvenated me. There is no deeper dark than the dark at sea. The stars are bright in the sky, but they don't lower themselves to light the deck of the ship. Warships practice light security and no white light is allowed to breach the weather decks. White light travels for miles at sea. The only light on deck is what meager light your retinas can collect from the moon and stars. There seemed to be no moon in the sky on this night. I could barely make out the vague shapes of the aircraft parked around the flight deck. I stood there for some time letting the stars persuade me that my home wasn't really all that far away, when I sensed someone's presence. Half way through a turn toward the feeling, my arms were grasped and I was being pushed toward the catwalk. I remember calling out, trying to figure out what was going on, when I heard a gruff voice say, "This just ain't your night swabby, you're going for a swim with the... ...me small drinks of cold fresh water. I grabbed for the canteen, but didn't have the strength to take it. "It's a lucky thing we spotted you, shipmate." another voice said to me. I was lifted into a stokes type stretcher and a blurry face appeared before me "They've got the two dudes that tossed you in custody. It seems like it was a case of mistaken identity. They thought they were tossing someone else over." He laughed a quick short "Ha!" and looked at me like I was the hero, and not him. I would have cried if there had been any water in me to spare. The chopper followed the octopus wearing my boots and landed on the deck I had left four days earlier. I felt the stretcher being offloaded, bouncing me toward sickbay. I looked at the sea one last time with burnt red eyes before they brought me into the interior of the ship and I said to it, "I beat you!"

Explain why the Arab invasions of 710 and 711 were so successful. :: essays research papers fc

Explain why the Arab invasions of 710 and 711 were so successful. In answering this question we must first appreciate the difficulty historians face in discovering the real truth of the early Arab invasions, a fact well demonstrated in the varying estimates of Arab invasion forces (ranging from 1,700-9000 in current publications). Scant contemporary evidence exists beyond a short narrative present in a Spanish chronicle of 754, a vital surviving Islamic administrative document of the time, and some archaeological remains. Our knowledge of the invasions is largely founded on the works of later Islamic historians, the Ajbar Machmua text for example and the works of Ibn Idhari and al Maqqari. Unfortunately there are fewer Christian documents available. Julian’s ‘History of Wamba’ is one of few Visigothic texts to be found, further information has therefore been gained from later monastic chroniclers. For religious Muslim contemporary’s the success of the 711 invasion was attributed to the will of Allah as part of Islam’s rapid expansion. Likewise for the Christian author of the 9th century chronicle of Alfonso III the Visigoths’ defeat had been punishment for disobeying God’s commandments. To the majority of medieval men divine intervention was a valid explanation for occurrences, however even then secular minded writers appreciated more practical explanations; principally the unrest which existed within the Visigothic kingdom. The political and social problems which faced Iberia at the time are seen by many modern historians as vital to the conquest’s success. In 710, supposedly the year of the first major Muslim incursion into Spain under Tarif (whether Tarif’s raid even occurred is disputed by some historians ) the new King Roderic succeeded the throne. He was in a vulnerable position from the outset as controversy existed over his succession. It was argued that he had apparently usurped the throne from the rightful heir Akhila son of the old King Wittiza. Although Visigoth royal succession was theoretically elective it was in practice through primogenitor which naturally undermined Roderic’s position. The existence of a rival claimant caused dangerous divisions throughout the kingdom and in Akhila’s demesne land of Tarragona and Narbonne coins were minted without the king’s image, a clear measure of defiance. It is also reported in some sources that during the invasion Akhila conspired with the Arabs to depose Roderic. Some go as far as to say that during the final battle a wing of Roderic’s army loyal to Akhila turned on him in the midst of the fighting.

Why I need a degree in Christian ministry

I am a devoted Christian with a calling to serve human kind so as to convert as many people as possible to Christianity.   For me, nothing makes more sense that preaching the word of God.   Although I believe that Christianity is a matter of spirituality and the Holy Spirit is largely responsible for teaching Christians and especially preachers and ministers the word, I appreciate the role of studying the Christian ministry.With an increasingly elitist society, more people turning lukewarm to the word of God, with an increasingly rebellious youth and society, it is the high time that Christian ministers changed their approach in preaching and teaching the word of God so as to address the emerging situation.Preaching the word of God today is different from what it used to be in the past three decades or so. The preaching of the word of God requires a combination of spiritual knowledge and formal knowledge acquired through studies.A lot of contemporary issues affecting todayâ€℠¢s churches such as high rate of divorce and infidelity even amongst Christians is a cause for worry.   Even amongst the top leadership of churches, Christian leaders are often differing in the open on some issue affecting the society something which is threatening to tear apart the church. There is a need for church leaders to be equipped with leadership skills; these are only attainable through further studies.An issue such as the accommodation of homosexuals in the church is an example of an emerging challenge for the church leadership.   To handle the fresh challenges, a quality education and training in the word of God is very important.   Leading the church today needs managerial qualities as much as the spiritual issues.Studying a degree in Christian ministry combines teachings of the bible with other contemporary issues such as leadership.   A degree in Christian ministry is ideal for a church minister in that, a sense of management skills as well as leadership skill s has become a necessity in the management of modern institutions.For me a chance to pursue a degree in Christian ministry will grant me the opportunity to gain the management and leadership skills.   These management skills gained in education helps a lot in the management of churches; some of which are big enough and have congregations of tens of thousands with a network stretching many countries.I am already a Christian and I really need the training given the fact that I am planting a church in Haiti, a foreign country, with different culture from mine and under a totally different environment.   I need a combination of skills so as to be able to lead the new church into prosperity.   In preaching, it has become very important for the preachers to balance the sermons in order to meet the diverse needs of the congregation.   For instance, there could be some members of the congregation who are faced with parenting problems, others who are faced with financial challenges a nd others could be faced with marriage problems.The congregations look up to the ministers for hope, inspiration and for assurance.   To meet the needs such as those mentioned above, preachers must be competent in such matters.   This requires training and for me; the need for a degree in Christian ministry.Additionally, it has become very important for preachers to change the approach in missions.   For example, taking the example of nations where Christianity has not yet reached everybody or is faced with stiff opposition, there is a need for preachers to use the professional approach.   For instance, there are countries whereby a Christian teacher can not be allowed to preach.If one is trained and they have a degree, such a preacher can go into that country not necessarily as a preacher but an employee of non-profit making organizations.Once already in the areas where preaching is forbidden, it is very easy to preach in a work station.   Therefore a degree in the Christ ian ministry allows an individual to fit in many situations where the services of a minister are needed.A lot of scholarly materials have been discovered in the course of time which has served to fortify the belief and faith of Christians.   The best place to learn about historical discoveries on Christian issues is in the university.A degree in Christian ministry gives the student good background knowledge on topics surrounding the church, which become very useful in the conversion process whereby converts may question some teachings.   For preachers who have been through the university, they are better placed to solve such issues.ConclusionI am a devoted Christian, a Sunday school teacher and a traveling missionary with an aim of reaching the unreached and delivering the good news to those who have not has the wonderful opportunity. I really would love to pursue a degree in Christian ministry if I am granted the opportunity.ReferencesBarkley, Nella, and Sandburg, E. (1995).   Taking Charge of Your Career.   New York:   Workman

Matrix Concept in Management

Matrix Concept in Management Introduction The matrix structure is a management technique which diverts from the conventional manner of managing talent in the workplace. Often, the concept is applied throughout the organization, but there are cases where only part of the organization can be managed in this manner (Ford, 1992, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Matrix Concept in Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What is unique about the matrix concept is that, there are several reporting channels to the top management, as opposed to the conventional one channel of reporting. In the past, many organizations were known to dissect employee talent according to employee product association or functional levels. However, the matrix structure combines the two platforms to create a dual reporting system. The matrix technique therefore works by integrating cross-functional work teams in the sense that, employees now report to various sections of a company’s top managerial team (Kuprenas, 2003, p. 52). The entire concept of matrix management was derived from a diagrammatic form of organizational management where there is a grid of functions and product groups bound to be accomplished by selected employee groups (Samson and Daft, 2009). The matrix concept is normally adopted where there are sophisticated products to be developed and the input of various departments ought to be incorporated to make the project a success. However, there have been increased concerns among managerial circles that, the matrix concept creates more problems than it can solve. This concern is registered because from the dual reporting system which the matrix structure incorporates, organizational design is complicated. This study focuses on the matrix structure as the first part of the study and in the second part of the study, an analysis of the concept of teamwork will be made. An analysis of the matrix structure will be done to establis h why the matrix concept is weak in applicability and in the second part of the study; this study explains why most managers today adopt the concept of teamworkAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Applicability of the Matrix Concept Though the matrix structure has been advanced as a formalized way of making the organizational design process efficient, it also creates new problems for organizations which adopt the concept. In this regard, the matrix concept exposes a lot of weaknesses in its application, such that, it sometimes beats the sense of adopting it in the first place. The dual reporting structure of the matrix concept is the major element of crisis for the concept because it exposes organizations to a lot of problems regarding the applicability of the concept. For instance, the dual reporting system envisioned in the concept is very costly for organizations to implement and therefore this affects the productivity of the concept (Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis, 2005). More importantly, this problem is severe for organizations which are just starting up because they may lack the funds to bounce back into operations once they suffer severe operational losses. Through the dual reporting structure, the matrix concept creates a complex reporting system which causes a lot of confusion in the organization regarding which individual or department employees should report to. The chain of command is therefore distorted with the adoption of the matrix structure and chances of role ambiguity surfacing is high (Gottlieb, 2007, p. 2). This situation is likely to brew more conflict for organizations and especially individuals who hold high positions. This conflict is observed in form of interpersonal conflict because the matrix structure pits two individuals against one other (because employees report to both of them). Chances of superiority battles occur ring is therefore high and employees may find themselves caught up in the middle of the standoff since they may find themselves in a position where they have to pledge loyalty to a certain individual. For instance, a project manager may tell an employee to do one thing but another manager in a different department may tell the employee to do another thing which contravenes the first instruction.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Matrix Concept in Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This situation may corrode employee cohesion and reduces the synergy needed in completing given projects. It is therefore no surprise that, companies which have shifted their organizational designs from the conventional form to the matrix form experience high employee turnover as a result (Kuprenas, 2003, p. 53). The shortcomings of the matrix structure have also been practically evidenced in the United States (US) (in 1961-1978) wh en a quarter of the hospitals shifted their organizational designs to the matrix structure and later abandoned it after citing operational problems. At this point, several research studies were done to analyze why the concept was failing and it was discovered that, the matrix concept was more suited for larger organizations as opposed to smaller ones (Willmott, 2010, p. 114). However, this turned out not to be the case because subsequent studies done in General Motors (which is a large organization) revealed that, the concept was still not applicable because it was affirmed that, managers lost control of their departments, thereby decreasing productivity and efficiency. Teamwork Organizations have in the recent past greatly utilized the concept of teamwork in organizational processes. Teams are independent groups of people who work towards the achievement of a given organizational goal. The trend has picked up in the recent past because recent research findings show that, teamwork i s an efficient way of getting organizational objectives done within a short time (Parker, 2008, p. 183). The efficiency of teamwork has motivated more managers to nurture the concept because researchers who have past experiences in the use of the concept, acknowledge that, decisions are easily made in this regard and undertaking simple processes like encouraging employees to be more productive can significantly lead to a lot of improvements in the production process.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some companies also use teams because it is a simple way of controlling the behaviors of employees. For instance, when employees work in teams, they feel obligated to ensure the success of the team at all costs and many would often not want to be singled out as the derailing cause in a given team. For instance, if an employee falls sick, chances are that, he or she will struggle to come to work so that, he or she is not identified as the weak link in the team. This observation is a form of positive peer influence in the sense that, positive energies from team members are likely to spread to other team members as well. The uptake of the concept of teamwork among organizations is also motivated by the fact that, with team working, the organization can be able to integrate different talents towards the success of a given project. For instance, not every employee possesses the same skill or talent and therefore, it is only wise to integrate the different talents of team member towards t he realization of a given organizational goal. This fact is closely similar to the concept of building synergy because teamwork easily leads to the success of the concept. Synergy appreciates the fact that, two talents are better than one and the integration of different employee talent is more productive than if employees were to work individually (Parker, 2008, p. 183). This concept also changes the management’s view of the organization because employees are now perceived as part of an entire segment of an organization as opposed to individual people. Teamwork therefore helps to build synergy in this manner and managers appreciate its productivity as a result. For instance, an airport controller would find his job very difficult if he were not to embrace the concept of teamwork because controlling different airline companies to offer maximum service satisfaction to hundreds of customers is not an easy thing. For example: coordinating the checking of luggage; passenger aligh ting; cabin cleaning; replenishment of foods, drinks and snacks; airplane fuel refilling; luggage unloading and similar activities are tedious tasks. The adoption of the concept of teamwork is therefore useful in helping such an individual effectively handle such a hustle because through the adoption of teamwork, the airport controller will be able to speed up all the processes, say, if he adds two or more people in the luggage checking department as opposed to only four people, or if he adds more flight attendants to communicate with the pilot in times of landing or take off. Conclusion In light of the weaknesses of the matrix approach, many organizations have changed their perception (especially held in the 70s) that, the matrix structure is an antidote for all organizational design problems because the breadth of its potential for applicability significantly reduced as a result. However, the notion that, the matrix structure is appropriate for large organizations exists because i t is believed that, large organizations operating in a fast-paced business environment may benefit more from the organizational design strategy than companies which do not share the same nature. In the same regard, it is correct to say that, a coal mining company is not likely to benefit from the concept (matrix) as opposed to a company dealing in pharmaceutical products. Also, companies which do not heavily rely on the services of professionals or semi-professionals are likely to fail to benefit from the concept because the technique is best applied when an organization relies on the services of professionals such as engineers, surveyors and the likes. The matrix technique is also only applicable in an organization which has a diverse set of professionals who have various skills and in organizations which have nurtured employee behavior such that, the interpersonal skill level is high. However, getting organizations which have attained this level of employee cohesion is normally di fficult. Also, for the concept to effectively works, there needs to be sufficient authority given to project managers who work under the authority of the functional and product managers to make important decisions regarding the course various projects have to take. Considering these dynamics of the matrix concept, the matrix technique is applied best as part of a large inclusive strategy of organizational design, but it should not be left alone to stand as the only unique organizational design strategy. With regards to the teamwork concept applied by many organizations today, organizational managers have discovered that, it is easier to foster collaboration and cohesion in the organization through teamwork so that, tasks can be effectively completed in the organization. Managers also aim to improve their employee’s problem solving skills in the organization because working in teams is also strenuous and employees are bound to disagree with one another regarding various issues . The team environment however encourages them to solve their disputes and iron out their differences. This improves their problem solving skills. Moreover, the team environment encourages employees to come up with creative ideas which they can brainstorm among themselves and ultimately, the organization will be the one to benefit because such creative ideas are likely to be of benefit to them. References Clegg, S., Kornberger, M., Pitsis, T. (2005). Managing and Organizations: An  Introduction to Theory and Practice. London: Sage. Ford, R. (1992). Cross-Functional Structures: A Review and Integration of Matrix  Organization and Project Management. Journal of Management, 6, 1-22. Gottlieb, M. (2007). The Matrix Organization Reloaded: Adventures in Team And  Project Management. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Kuprenas, J. (2003). Implementation and Performance of a Matrix Organization  Structure. International Journal of Project Management, 21, 50-62. Parker, G. (2008). Team Players and Team Work: New Strategies for Developing  Successful Collaboration. London: John Wiley and Sons. Samson, D., Daft, R. (2009). Management Third Asia Pacific Edition. Australia:  Cengage Learning. Willmott, H. (2010). Organization Theory and Design. London: Cengage Learning.

Hallmark Essays - Hallmark Cards, Greeting Card, Postcards, Ephemera

Hallmark Essays - Hallmark Cards, Greeting Card, Postcards, Ephemera Hallmark "I love this business," exults Robert Kaynes Jr., vice president of sales (and grandson of the founder) at Bron Shoe, the Columbus, Ohio-based company responsible for putting millions of pairs of bronzed baby shoes on bookshelves in the homes of loving parents across America for the past 75 years. "It may sound schmaltzy" Kaynes concedes, "but it's a schmaltzy business. We're selling sentiment." Still, how do you market a memory? For companies like Hallmark, FTD, Bron Shoe, and others in the "sentiment expression" industry, selling can be a daunting task. After all, its hard enough to describe sentiment, let alone market it. Of course, its not all blue smoke and mirrors; there are products involved here. But even though you can "reach out and touch" things like flowers, cards, and bronze baby shoes, these aren't your standard durable goods by any stretch of the imagination. The real function and purpose of such items is to act as a messengera vehicle of communication between sender and receiver designed to capture a moment in a way that's both memorable "and affordable (in other words, not as constricting as vows or as expensive as diamonds), conveying the proper sentiment in a language and fashion that's as close to universal as possible. Naturally this requires using some highly creative sales and marketing techniques, and its a testament to the success of these three companies that many of the strategies they've developed over the years have since become standard operating procedure in areas like point-of-purchase, direct marketing, and distribution. And if you're wondering whether prophets can also make profits, consider this: Hallmark, FTD, and Bron Shoe together generate sales of over $5 billion a year, a figure that's guaranteed to make even the most hardened marketer a little misty- eyed. Despite such an impressive record of innovation and achievementboth historically and financiallythese companies aren't content to rest on their laurels. For them, success in selling sentiment is an ongoing process: Hallmark introduced both the first mass-marketed greeting card and the first computerized card; FTD developed flowers-by- wire (and later flowers-by-phone), as well as the first catalog of standardized bouquets and, more recently, the first tie-ins between flowers and brand name products; Bron-shoe was the first company to bronze baby shoes and has continued to innovate by adding porcelainizing techniques and branching out into related areas of sentiment expression. With more than 200 years of sales and marketing experience among them, these companies clearly bring a lot to the table when it comes to formulating strategies and tactics. The following stories of their individual successes provide irrefutable proof thatwith the right combination of perseverance, positioning, and producteven the most nebulous concept can come up a winner. HALLMARK Not only is Hallmark (known as Hall Brothers until 1954) the undisputed leader in the greeting card industry, it sits on the top rung of the entire sentiment expression industry What exactly can a humble mixture of wood chips, water, and ink do to produce such magical results? "At Hallmark, we believe a greeting card has the ability to warm a heart, tickle a funny bone, toast a bride, blow a kiss, ease a pain and start a tradition," says Donald J. Hall, chairman of Kansas City, Mo.-based Hallmark (and grandson of the founder). The popularity of mass-produced greeting cards can be traced to 19th-century England and America, when the advent of cheap, efficient color printing methods and low postage rates suddenly made it easier and cheaper to produce these poignant purveyors of sentiment. By the 1880s, there were literally hundreds of varieties of mass- printed Christmas, New Year's, and Valentines Day cards available at the neighborhood pharmacy, dry goods store, or print shop. The only thing was, those cards were typically kept in drawers behind shop counters and brought out only at the customer's request. That is, until 1910, when a clever marketerone Joyce C. Hallmade what turned out to be a revolutionary observation: why not put those charming, inexpensive greeting cards out where people can see them? Halls point-of-purchase display essentially transformed the greeting-card industry. Before long, cards were being proffered for every holiday, every faith, and every occasion. Today, roughly half of all greeting cards purchased each

A Rhetorical Analysis of The First Kiss by John Updike Essays

A Rhetorical Analysis of The First Kiss by John Updike Essays A Rhetorical Analysis of The First Kiss by John Updike Paper A Rhetorical Analysis of The First Kiss by John Updike Paper In the essay titled The First Kiss, author John Update portrays baseball as a love-hate relationship with its fans. Update effetely conveys his message by appealing to pathos using metaphors, personification, and rhetorical questions. He begins with a metaphor stating, The many-headed monster called the Fenny Faithful yesterday resumed its romance with 25 youngish men in red socks who last year broke its monstrous big heart. He describes the fans of baseball as a many-headed monster implying that they are aggressive from the passion that they feel for that sport. He goes on by saying that they resumed their romance with the ones who broke they heart. That suggests that even though the team had many losses last season, they will still be devoted to them at the beginning of next season. He then begins to express how the love turns to hate by stating, braced for the first kiss of another prolonged entanglement, then asks a rhetorical question, in. ho can forget the ups and downs of last years fling? he refers to the first hit of the baseball season as the first kiss, and the first kiss is always he sweetest. Next he uses personifications expressing that baseball did the cruelest tease. Hes referring to their great win streak against their number one enemy, the Yankees, but ends up losing to them because of a cheap home run. Update displays how fed up the team was by exclaiming, Enough. Youll never get us to care again, Red Sox. He puts emphasis on the word enough by making it a one word sentence. He does this to show how sick and tired the fan s and they are at their last straw. Update then returns back to the love between the fans and baseball by eating, But monster have short memories, elastic hearts, and very foldable faculties. Once again he refers the fans as monsters because he defines monsters of having short memories and elastic hearts; they quickly forget about all the bad that has happened in the past and will continue to adore them. Therefore, by using metaphors, personifications, and rhetorical questions about the ups and downs of relationships, Update effectively conveys the message that theres a love-hate relationship between baseball and its fans.

BHS 328 - Team Building (Mod 3 SLP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BHS 328 - Team Building (Mod 3 SLP) - Essay Example Goal setting is the most important component of Personal improvement literature. To be most successful goals that are being set should be realistic, tangible, specific, and have a time target for achievement. There should be sensible plans to attain an intended goal. One drawback of goal setting is that implicit knowledge may be subdued and inhibited. This is due to the fact that goal setting may support simple targets and focus on a result without openness to examination, understanding or expansion. Goals offer a sense of track and principle. Locke et al studied the behavioral effects of goal setting in great depth and concluded that 90% of laboratory and field studies linking explicit and challenging goals resulted in higher performance than simple or no goals. Some managers would believe it is adequate to push the employees to do their best, but in reality it is a very different scenario. A goal is thereby of critical importance because it facilitates an individual in focusing the ir efforts in a particular direction. Managers can not be regularly able to force motivation and keep trail of an employee’s work on an incessant basis. Goals are hence a very important tool for managers since they have the ability to act as a self-regulatory and self-checking mechanism that acquires an employee a positive quantity of assistance Strategic planning is basically an organizations procedure of specifying its strategy, or target, and making decisions on allocating its resources to track this strategy, including its capital and people. Strategic planning is essential to run a business successfully I would surely implement Strategic Planning as it would not only improve the overall employee performance and the motivation level but also boost up the productivity of my team. It is also very correct that strategic planning may be handy for effectively plotting the course of a company;

Human trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Human trafficking - Essay Example World governments, UN, Council of Europe, NATO and NGOs are making efforts to combat it. The U.S is leading efforts with efforts to combat it domestically and internationally. The U.S Trafficking and Violence Protection Act 2000 {TVPA} has defined human trafficking as comprising severe crimes: sex trafficking and forced labor. It defines sex trafficking as a crime where â€Å"a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.† TVPA defines forced labor as â€Å"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82902.pdf). Human trafficking is a transnational activity that does not consider boundaries or borders. Profits from human trafficking go into the strongboxes of international organized criminal outfits. Human trafficking is supported by other global crimes like money laundering document fraud and human smuggling (ht tp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/crimjust/human.htm). Human trafficking has a common denominator with all other forms of trafficking, i.e., reducing human beings to forms of property over which an unlimited power is exercised (Savona & Stefanizzi, 2007, p.10). Human trafficking is the ‘perfect’ crime because the risks of being caught are very less, negligible punishment awaits those unlucky enough to be apprehended, exorbitant profits are easily made and the whole business feeds on a traded item {human beings} that can be used and reused, marketed and exchanged (King & Clift, 2004, p.21). Human trafficking is the third most lucrative global illegal activity, surpassed only by illegal arms sales and illicit drugs. The human trafficking trade is widely and

Guy de Maupassant, The Necklace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Guy de Maupassant, The Necklace - Essay Example In the story â€Å"The Necklace† Guy de Maupassant makes use of the services of a third person narrator who owns a restricted sagacity. â€Å"I† is not employed in the story. The one who narrates the story has a connection with each and every character in the story which is told in retrospect. Maupassant writes, â€Å"She was one of those pretty and charming girls born, as though fate had blundered over her, into a family of artisans.† The narrator does not examine the inner world of a specific character at the given time. When Mme. Forestier meets Mme. Loisel after the lapse of a number of years, she does not refer to the substantial dent in the beauty of the latter, a routine conversation ensues, as if it is of no consequence, with no surprise element contained in the exchange of thoughts. As such limited knowledge about the characters is revealed, which is mostly about Mme. Loisel, the main character. In employing the third person, the characters emerge with l imited temperament; the narrator provides an opportunity to probe deeply into the working of the mind of the character than the narrator who is just concerned with the facts. Characters in a story are either â€Å"static† or â€Å"dynamic†. Dynamic characters impact the course of the story as it makes progress. Static characters move leisurely and have nothing much to contribute as they are not well developed. Mme. Loisel belongs to the second category. Her outlooks and emotional state change a number of times throughout the story.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Research Paper - 7

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - Research Paper Example Evaluations used for quantitative risk assessment of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have not kept pace with the modern analytical methods hence ability of detection is not assured. Therefore, despite the fact that it’s possible to measure these compounds in seafood, there is no sufficient information on the level of toxicity of these compounds known, thus cannot be incorporated in human health risk assessment since there is uncertainty. On the other hand, larger variety of chemically replaced PAHs are naturally happening and may include health risks if human populaces are open to hazardous levels. Therefore as a result of this, future research efforts should aim at filling this toxicological gap, so that in this way, human health risk assessment of PAHs in food can be appropriately determined. This is necessary in the case of petroleum spills. (Simon, 2003) Benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) has been tested in a range of species, among the animals being rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and rhesus monkey. The effect on the animals from this laboratory testing was that, tumours have been observed in all the laboratory experiments carried out on the small animals. Thus the effect of BaP has been seen as carcinogenic, when administered by a variety of routes, including diet, inhalation and intravenous. The carcinogenicity of individual PAH and PAH- containing combinations in experimental animals has been done. This has been carried out with individual PAH in humans but with no virtual data existing. These have indicated increased incidences of cancer to human population exposed. This finding carried out indicating that a number of individual PAH are carcinogenic to experimental animals show potential carcinogenic to humans. (Overton, 2003) Toxicological effect is another outcome which is as a resulted after the experiment on the animals. Severe haematological effects have been detected in animals after oral exposure to high doses of PAHs. In vitro experiments have

The New Strategy by the Seven-Eleven Stores Essay

The New Strategy by the Seven-Eleven Stores - Essay Example This will paralyze the distribution and meet the customer’s needs. The new strategy was anchored on demand, which was seasonal and was dependent on the new products thus this faced the risk of collapsing when the season was over. In addition, the decision-making process is made within three days, which means some decisions can contribute to business collapse as some decisions needed a lot of time (Akira 2003, p.66). Â  The Seven Eleven Company in Japan employed the use of the integrated store information system that aimed at simplifying its mode of operations. The installed information system connected each outlet, distribution stores, suppliers, and the headquarters of the company. The company in1991 developed two-way and online communication that enabled the company to link with their suppliers and customers’. In 2007, the Seven-Eleven introduced internet shopping that enabled the company to meet their customers online by enabling the customers to buy the products online that were not in their retail shops. This online service solved the problem of transportation while delivering goods to their clients situated in various parts of Japan. The distribution system of the company was flexible enough to change their delivery services to their clients thus meeting their demand (Akira 2003, p.67).This provided the customers with the element of convenience since they could not travel to retail shops to make purchases. The company further concentrated on regional merchandizing thus enabling them to meet their customer preferences easily.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Research Paper - 7

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) - Research Paper Example Evaluations used for quantitative risk assessment of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have not kept pace with the modern analytical methods hence ability of detection is not assured. Therefore, despite the fact that it’s possible to measure these compounds in seafood, there is no sufficient information on the level of toxicity of these compounds known, thus cannot be incorporated in human health risk assessment since there is uncertainty. On the other hand, larger variety of chemically replaced PAHs are naturally happening and may include health risks if human populaces are open to hazardous levels. Therefore as a result of this, future research efforts should aim at filling this toxicological gap, so that in this way, human health risk assessment of PAHs in food can be appropriately determined. This is necessary in the case of petroleum spills. (Simon, 2003) Benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) has been tested in a range of species, among the animals being rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and rhesus monkey. The effect on the animals from this laboratory testing was that, tumours have been observed in all the laboratory experiments carried out on the small animals. Thus the effect of BaP has been seen as carcinogenic, when administered by a variety of routes, including diet, inhalation and intravenous. The carcinogenicity of individual PAH and PAH- containing combinations in experimental animals has been done. This has been carried out with individual PAH in humans but with no virtual data existing. These have indicated increased incidences of cancer to human population exposed. This finding carried out indicating that a number of individual PAH are carcinogenic to experimental animals show potential carcinogenic to humans. (Overton, 2003) Toxicological effect is another outcome which is as a resulted after the experiment on the animals. Severe haematological effects have been detected in animals after oral exposure to high doses of PAHs. In vitro experiments have

Hunting falcons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hunting falcons - Essay Example The falcons are known to have a very high diving speeds compared to the other birds and can change directions very quickly. In terms of species number, more than 40 different species of falcon exists in different palaces of the world. However, the most common species of falcon is the peregrine falcon and the black falcon. The falcons also have great eyesight and have few predators that pose threat to their existence. In terms of distribution, peregrine falcon and the black falcon are the most widely distributed species of falcon throughout the world. The birds occupy most of the north America, pacific coast, Mexico and Central America all year round. In addition, studies have shown that peregrine falcons are also found in the Antarctica region. A more spectacular feature is that the peregrines also inhabit regions close to rivers due to the presence of target prays including fish. The falcons have no specific diet but their prey can be either on land or above the ground. For example, small birds in air contribute a large percent of prey above the ground. The falcons are able to prey on other birds because of their swift and calculative dives. On the ground, the falcon target on small animals like mice and frogs. Some species of falcons like the white backed vulture also do scavenge on body remains of bigger animals found on the ground. In addition to the small animals found on the ground, the snake eagles, which belong to the same class of falcons, preys mostly on snakes found on the ground. Lastly, the falcons also target fish and other small aquatic inhabitants found in rivers, lakes and oceans. On the other hand, falcons have adapted to their survival by having different features that enable them to get prey and survive in the different environmental conditions. For example, the snake eagles have very tough scales on their feet and have feathers surrounding their neck.

The Importance of Photosynthesis and Respiration Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Photosynthesis and Respiration Essay The Importance of Photosynthesis and Respiration Explain how photosynthesis and respiration are linked in order to provide you with energy from the food you eat: Photosynthesis is the process in which certain life forms are able to use sunlight to create energy. This energy is created by making carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll. Plants release large amounts of oxygen into the atmosphere as they produce much more than needed during the photosynthesis process. Aerobic respiration is an important process in life as we know it. This process further breaks down molecules and sugars using oxygen. During this process adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is created, used to store and transfer energy to cells throughout the body. (Aerobic respiration, 2010) Photosynthesis and aerobic respiration are both needed for each other to be able to perform their primary functions. One without the other would not work properly. Between both of these processes we receive three main sources; water, carbon dioxide and oxygen. Plants and animals require all three of these in order to live. Carbon dioxide and oxygen are a lot like a circle. Animals need oxygen to live and emit carbon dioxide, while plants need carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates and omit oxygen, thus completing the circle. (Photosynthesis, 2005) During the photosynthesis stage a plant produces oxygen that aerobic respiration will use in order to break molecules, during this process electrons are released creating energy and a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is created. Through ATP, complex molecules are broken down into simple ones, allowing them to be used appropriately. (Photosynthesis, 2005) In the absence of oxygen some cells and organisms can use glycolysis coupled to fermentation to produce energy from the sugar created by photosynthesis: Fermentation allows for the production of energy without oxygen using organic compounds. Fermentation produces ATP with organic compounds like carbohydrates as the electron acceptor instead of oxygen, although less than cellular respiration. Yeast and muscle cells are capable of both cellular respiration and fermentation to harvest energy. When yeast cells are in a non-oxygen placement, the cells are forced to ferment. This is partially what it means when brewers ferment there beer. Our bodies use cellular respiration, to produce ATP, as our primary source of energy during normal activity. Although when we exert large amounts of energy all at once like running sprints would do, the normal cellular respiration would be unable to keep up with the required amount of oxygen to create ATP, therefore fermentation begins to assist making ATP. Cells use enzymes as biological catalysts to increase or accelerate the rate of reactions, such as those in photosynthesis or glycolysis. This allows reactions to occur under conditions that sustain life: An enzyme is simply a catalyst; also something extra that’s only purpose is to speed a process up that would otherwise take a very long time. Our bodies have copious amounts of these enzymes whose only purpose is to speed up needed reactions and bonds between separate chemicals throughout the body. This bonding process is completed through what is known as enzyme substrate interactions. (Enzyme, 2005) An enzyme-substrate is most easily explained as being an extremely specific key whole in which only a specific enzyme has access to, allowing that enzyme to enter the key whole and pushing to molecules into one. An enzyme-substrate complex substrate undergoes a chemical reaction forming a new product. The substrate still has the ability to break away from the enzyme at this point allowing it the ability to form with a different substrate. An enzyme product is simply a solution. The eventual mating of two chemicals to bond together forms a new enzyme product. Enzyme activity is regulated a couple of different ways, one is known as allosteric inhibition and the other is known as competitive inhibition. Competitive inhibitors bind with the active site forcing the substrate to compete with it, hence the title competitive inhibition. Allosteric inhibition is when an ion bonds to something physically on the enzyme, no on the site, changing the shape of the enzyme. (Enzyme, 2005)? References Aerobic respiration. (2010). In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com. proxy. cecybrary. com/entry/heliconhe/aerobic_respiration Enzyme. (2005). In The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com. proxy. cecybrary. com/entry/hmsciencedict/enzyme Photosynthesis. (2005). In The American Heritage Science Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com. proxy. cecybrary. com/entry/hmsciencedict/photosynthesis

The Importance Of Pre-Modern Society

The Importance Of Pre-Modern Society Human history can be divided into three phases: pre-modern, modern and post modern. There is no definite beginning or end to each of these phases; rather they merge into one another, as not all societies moved forward at the same time. Although most industrialised countries are now considered post modern, a large proportion of the Third World remains modern or in some cases pre- modern. Pre- Modern is the period in society which came prior to Modernity, which began in Europe after the introduction of Industrial society and large scale production. Sociology and modernity are closely intertwined, but it has also been argued that sociology is actually a product of modernity. During this piece I will examine pre- modern society and discuss some of the reasons why the study of this era is important for sociology. What is Pre- modern Society? The pre-modern era spans from before history and can be separated into two phases, before and after settled agriculture. Before settled agriculture, society lives off the land, hunting and gathering. An example of a hunter- gatherer society that exists today is the Arctic foragers, who occupy the circumpolar region of the earth. Due to the lack of vegetation in this area of the world, most Arctic foragers are forced to live on a diet of meat. Many Arctic people are extremely mobile like the feudal societies of pre- modern times. Pre-modern society: The term pre- modern, covers a number of different societal forms: hunter-gatherer, agrarian, horticultural, pastoral and non-industrial. Pre-modern social forms have now virtually disappeared, although they are still in existence in some of todays societies, therefore pre- modern cannot be defined in terms of historical development. In this respect, pre-modern societies can be characterised by a combination of economic, political and cultural circumstances. In pre-modern society, work was not highly specialised and the number of roles necessary to produce things were relatively small, therefore the division of labour was simple when compared to modern societies. Most of the labour forces engaged in agricultural activity and produced food through subsistence farming. The majority of pre-industrial groups had standards of living not much above survival, meaning that most of the population were focused on producing only enough goods for means of survival. The rise of settled agricultural villages meant the build up of storable produce, which represented a cultural advance for civilisation. With the development of storage, in some rare cases came some social unrest, as what could be stored could also be stolen. It should be noted here that in pre- modern times there was very little deviance, as communities were extremely close knit and everybody knew each other. Pre- Modern society was a time without class distinctions and people shared the same sense of values. In Pre- Modern times, a persons sense of purpose was expressed through a faith. Religious officials held the positions of power within the communities and were the intermediaries to the general masses. The population of pre-modern times saw God as the main entity and those closest to him, for example the religious officials, were seen as the community leaders. Persons in pre- modern society did not see themselves as having an individual identity rather a group identity. Social life in pre-modern society also often had religion at its core. Villages were divided into parishes and the observance of religion took place at a community level. In post modern society, the influence of religion appears to have lessened, although it formed the basis for modern penal laws, which regulate human behaviour like religion did in pre- modern times. Industrialisation and the making of Modern Society: In order to understand why the study of pre- modern times is vital to sociology, it is important to look to the Industrial Revolution, as this was a time of great change for European society, and the crossing over from pre- modern to modern society. Industrialisation is the process whereby social and economic change transforms a pre- industrial society into an industrial one. Industrialisation also introduces a form of philosophical change, where people take a different attitude towards their perception of nature. During the Industrial revolution, an economy based on manual labour was replaced by one taken over by industry and the manufacture of machinery. Rapid industrialisation cost many craft workers their jobs and scores of weavers also found themselves unemployed as they could not compete with machinery. Many unemployed workers turned their anger towards the machines that had taken their jobs and began destroying factories and machinery. These activists became known as Luddites and became extremely popular. The British government took drastic measures against the Luddites using the army to protect the factories. The Industrial Revolution saw the emergence of class, urbanisation and the bad conditions in which people had to live and work in. Marxism essentially began as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. As the Industrial Revolution progressed so did the gap between class structures. According to Karl Marx, industrialisation polarised society into the bourgeoisie, and the much larger proletariat. Ordinary working people found increased opportunity for employment in the mills and factories and in some cases had no choice but to move to the towns and cities in search of work. By the early 1900s up to eighty per cent of the population of Britain lived in urban centres (Kumar, 1978, cited in Bilton et al, p.28). Using the clock to time ones self, as a basis of social organisation, was an indicator of the emergence of a modern society. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries both agricultural and manufacturing labour became set by the clock in a way that was very different to pre-modern production. In pre-modern times factors such as hours of daylight set work rhythms, whereas the factories were regulated by the clock, labour was synchronised and took place for a certain number of hours each day and on particular days of the week. For the factory owners and their employees, time now equalled money. The working conditions were often strict with long working hours and a pace that was set by machinery and production. With the Industrial Revolution came an increase in population. Education was still limited and therefore children were expected to work. Child labour was appealing to employers as it was cheaper than employing an adult yet productivity was similar. The machines did not require strength to operate and there were no experienced adult labourers as the system was completely new. By the eighteenth century there was only around thirty percent of the population who engaged in agricultural activity, this enables us to gain some idea of the nature of modern society and the economic changes that took place as modern society developed. The majority of ordinary people were greatly affected by capitalism and industrial production. By the late 1900s Englands Black Country was one of the most industrialised parts of the United Kingdom and in the 1830s was described in the following way; The earth seems to have turned inside out. The coal. is blazing on the surface by day and by night the country is flowing with fire, and the smoke of the ironworks hangs over it. There is a rumbling and clanking of iron forges and rolling mills. Workmen covered in smut, and with fierce white eyes, are seen moving amongst the glowing iron and dull thud of the forge-hammers. (Jennings,1985 p.165) Conclusion: The transition from pre- modernity into modernity was important for sociology as people began to see that society was something important to study. Some argue that this was when sociology began as the emergence of modern societies created a new intellectual world aware of its surroundings and concerned with acquisition of knowledge. Sociology is concerned with the study of human societies.a society is a cluster, or a system of institutionalised modes of conduct.sociology has as its main focus the study of institutions of the advanced or the industrialised societies and of the conditions of transformation of those institutions. (Giddens 1982) As modernity took form, changes in social attitudes within society occurred making society itself interesting to others. Unlike the static pre- modern society, modern societies appear to have created many different groups, causing new and interesting interactions between people. In the pre- modern era, relationships between people in society were extremely similar and perhaps uneventful and society had been static, therefore sociology was not required.

Using VotanWeb to Buy an Existing Website :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

Using VotanWeb to Buy an Existing Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com Have you considered being your own boss, creating your own financial independence and making your dreams a reality? You're not alone, owning your own website is the new "American dream". But the reality is that buying a website is a serious financial and personal commitment that requires an understanding of what makes a website successful. All too often, people jump blindly into a new venture. Before they know it, they are overwhelmed by the tremendous workload of starting a website from the ground up. A government survey shows that 80% of new websites fail within the first year. An existing, established website which is purchased by a new owner shows a minimal failure rate. If you have considered owning your own website, buying an existing website has many advantages over building a website from scratch: You can review actual operating results, rather than projected results. You get immediate cash flow from the ongoing website activities. You will have a trained webmaster already in place. You will have established suppliers. You will have established customers and referral business. The seller will train you in operating the website. VotanWeb ranks number one in the sale of existing websites. VotanWeb has over ten years experience of matching the right website opportunity with the right buyer. It's that simple. From understanding the reasons an on-going website can provide a positive cash flow, to the value of an established domain name and customer base to the inner workings of a website. VotanWeb can make your dreams reality. The right website will pay for itself over and over again - let VotanWeb show you how. Unlike the sale of a house or car, the sale of an on-going website is very confidential for both the seller and the prospective buyer.

Analysis of: Guy Montag :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Analysis of: Guy Montag   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His full name is Guy Montag. People call him Montag though. Montag is married to a depressed lady named Mildred Montag. But Montag is a fireman of ten years and is thirty years old. He also has black hair and black eyebrows. He takes pride in his job with the fire department. He enjoys dressing in his uniform and playing the conductor as he directs the fire hose toward burning illegal books. In his first few years working at the fire department, Montag had and even joined the firemen’s sport of setting animals loose and betting on which ones the Mechanical hound would demolish first.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last years, however, have caused some sort of emptiness and alienation. Maybe it’s because his wife is so depressed that he can’t really focus. Montag is very unsure of himself and requires drugs to make him sleep. He returns home daily to a loveless marriage. He always draws towards the lights and conversation of the McClellan family next door. But he forces himself to remain at home, yet he watches them and wishes that he had that same happiness. Even though he is unhappy because of his marital status, he becomes a friend with his neighbor Clarisse McClellan who shows him the meaning of things. Clarisse always teases Montag about not being in love. Finally, Montag comes to terms that he’s not in love with his wife. He suffers guilt because he hides the books in back of the ventilator grille and for failing to love his wife. Interested in books, Montag forces Mildred to read with him. His enjoyment for knowledge drives him to Professor Fa ber who he can trust to teach him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While Montag faces the burning of the old women, his company’s first human victim, he faces a dilemma of keeping his job or leaving it.

Sociology Film Analysis over Tim Wise “White Like Me.”

â€Å"White like Me† The film, â€Å"White Like me† is presented by author Tim Wise. I believe Tim’s main purpose for this film is to explain how white privilege damages people of color more than society is lead to believe. Also how damaging it can be to white people as well and how racial privilege shapes the lives and outcome of most colored Americans when it comes to institutions such as education, employment, housing, criminal justice, and healthcare. When it comes to prejudices, discrimination and segregation of minority’s and blacks in the U. S. , I believe the cause is racial profiling.For example, Wise talks about how black and Latino males are three times more likely than white males to have their cars stopped and searched for drugs; even though white males are four and an half times more likely to actually have drugs on them when they are stopped by police officers. Wise also asked law enforcement officers â€Å"What’s the first thing you think when you see a young black or Latino male driving a nice car in your neighborhood? † the officers responded, â€Å"drug dealer. † Then Wise asks again, â€Å"What’s the first thing you think when you see a young white male driving the same type of car in the same neighborhood? and the officers responded, â€Å"Spoiled little rich kid, daddy probably bought him a car. † The fact that these officers base their decisions on an individual’s race or ethnicity in whether to engage in enforcement is racial profiling. Wise continues to talk about The Fair Housing Act, which was passed in 1968; but the highest number of discrimination complaints based on race was in 2006, 38 years later. Wise brings up a point about how the media often reports individual hate crimes but rarely do they report on ‘systematic and institutionalized injustice,’ for example, between 1991 and 2000, there were almost one million black people in the U.S. who died because of insufficient healthcare, but it never received any media coverage. When wise says â€Å"insufficient healthcare† he refers to colored people being moved to areas with bad incomes and living near harmful toxics and if they had only been white and living in a suburban area they would have not died. According to wise, the average white family in America has 12 times the accumulated net worth of the average African American family, and eight time the accumulated net worth of the average Latino family. I believe Tim Wise main idea for this film is to let America now that racism is still alive today and is not something of the past. It is an issue we should think about every day and not pretend that it doesn’t exist. Also that white denial is a very real term and whites are in fact in denial about being judgmental towards other races to a point where it can affect colored people’s lively hood. I personally thought the speech was very well-articulated and t hought-provoking. He showed examples of institutionalized racism such as housing inequalities and gives a bit of the history of what he called â€Å"White Privilege. I found it interesting how he showed the housing discrimination that occurs among minorities. Walking away from this film I feel like I’ve learned the importance of racial awareness and try to remember that racism is in fact still around today. Reference page Wise, Tim. â€Å"Why whites think blacks have no problems. † White Like Me. (2001): n. page. Web. 2 Apr. 2013. .

Negative Economic Impacts of Tourism Essay

There are many hidden costs to tourism, which can have unfavorable economic effects on the host community. Often rich countries are better able to profit from tourism than poor ones. Whereas the least developed countries have the most urgent need for income, employment and general rise of the standard of living by means of tourism, they are least able to realize these benefits. Among the reasons for this are large-scale transfer of tourism revenues out of the host country and exclusion of local businesses and products. Leakage The direct income for an area is the amount of tourist expenditure that remains locally after taxes, profits, and wages are paid outside the area and after imports are purchased; these subtracted amounts are called leakage. In most all-inclusive package tours, about 80% of travelers’ expenditures go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies (who often have their headquarters in the travelers’ home countries), and not to local businesses or workers. In addition, significant amounts of income actually retained at destination level can leave again through leakage. A study of tourism ‘leakage’ in Thailand estimated that 70% of all money spent by tourists ended up leaving Thailand (via foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks and food, etc.). Estimates for other Third World countries range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40% in India. Of each US$ 100 spent on a vacation tour by a tourist from a developed country, only around US$ 5 actually stays in a developing-country destination’s economy. The figure below shows how the leakage happens. There are two main ways that leakage occurs: Import leakage This commonly occurs when tourists demand standards of equipment, food, and other products that the host country cannot supply. Especially in less-developed countries, food and drinks must often be imported, since local products are not up to the hotel’s (i.e. tourist’s) standards or the country simply doesn’t have a supplying industry. Much of the income from tourism expenditures leaves the country again to pay for these imports. The  average import-related leakage for most developing countries today is between 40% and 50% of gross tourism earnings for small economies and between 10% and 20% for most advanced and diversified economies, according to UNCTAD. Export leakage Multinational corporations and large foreign businesses have a substantial share in the import leakage. Often, especially in poor developing destinations, they are the only ones that possess the necessary capital to invest in the construction of tourism infrastructure and facilities. As a consequence of this, an export leakage arises when overseas investors who finance the resorts and hotels take their profits back to their country of origin. A 1996 UN report evaluating the contribution of tourism to national income, gross levels of incomes or gross foreign exchange, found that net earnings of tourism, after deductions were made for all necessary foreign exchange expenditures, were much more significant for the industry. This report found significant leakage associated with: (a) imports of materials and equipment for construction; (b) imports of consumer goods, particularly food and drinks; (c) repatriation of profits earned by foreign investors; (d) overseas promotional expenditures and (e) amortization of external debt incurred in the development of hotels and resorts. The impact of the leakage varied greatly across countries, depending on the structure of the economy and the tourism industry. From the data presented in this study on the Caribbean, St. Lucia had a foreign exchange leakage rate of 56% from its gross tourism receipts, Aruba had 41%, Antigua and Barbuda 25% and Jamaica 40%. Source: Caribbean Voice Enclave tourism Local businesses often see their chances to earn income from tourists severely reduced by the creation of â€Å"all-inclusive† vacation packages. When tourists remain for their entire stay at the same cruise ship or resort, which provides everything they need and where they will make all their expenditures, not much opportunity is left for local people to profit from tourism. The Organization of American States (OAS) carried out a survey of Jamaica’s tourist industry that looked at the role of the all-inclusives  compared to other types of accommodation. It found that ‘All-inclusive hotels generate the largest amount of revenue but their impact on the economy is smaller per dollar of revenue than other accommodation subsectors.’ It also concluded that all-inclusives imported more, and employed fewer people per dollar of revenue than other hotels. This information confirms the concern of those who have argued that all-inclusives have a smaller trickle-down effect on local economies The cruise ship industry provides another example of economic enclave tourism. Non-river cruises carried some 8.7 million international passengers in 1999. On many ships, especially in the Caribbean (the world’s most popular cruise destination with 44.5% of cruise passengers), guests are encouraged to spend most of their time and money on board, and opportunities to spend in some ports are closely managed and restricted. Other negative impacts Infrastructure cost Tourism development can cost the local government and local taxpayers a great deal of money. Developers may want the government to improve the airport, roads and other infrastructure, and possibly to provide tax breaks and other financial advantages, which are costly activities for the government. Public resources spent on subsidized infrastructure or tax breaks may reduce government investment in other critical areas such as education and health. Increase in prices Increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price hikes that negatively affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately. A San Francisco State University study of Belize found that, as a consequence of tourism development, the prices for locals increased by 8%. Tourism development and the related rise in real estate demand may dramatically increase building costs and land values. Not only does this make it more difficult for local people, especially in developing countries, to meet their basic daily needs, it can also result in a dominance by outsiders in land markets and in-migration that erodes economic opportunities for the locals, eventually disempowering residents. In Costa Rica, close to 65% of the hotels belong to foreigners. Long-term tourists living in second homes, and the so-called amenity migrants (wealthy  or retired people and liberal professionals moving to attractive destinations in order to enjoy the atmospher e and peaceful rhythms of life) cause price hikes in their new homes if their numbers attain a certain critical mass. Economic dependence of the local community on tourism Diversification in an economy is a sign of health, however if a country or region becomes dependent for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put major stress upon this industry as well as the people involved to perform well. Many countries, especially developing countries with little ability to explore other resources, have embraced tourism as a way to boost the economy. In The Gambia, for instance, 30% of the workforce depends directly or indirectly on tourism. In small island developing states, percentages can range from 83% in the Maldives to 21% in the Seychelles and 34% in Jamaica, according to the WTO. Over-reliance on tourism, especially mass tourism, carries significant risks to tourism-dependent economies. Economic recession and the impacts of natural disasters such as tropical storms and cyclones as well as changing tourism patterns can have a devastating effect on the local tourism sector. Seasonal character of jobs The seasonal character of the tourism industry creates economic problems for destinations that are heavily dependent on it. Problems that seasonal workers face include job (and therefore income) insecurity, usually with no guarantee of employment from one season to the next, difficulties in getting training, employment-related medical benefits, and recognition of their experience, and unsatisfactory housing and working conditions. Other industry impacts affecting tourism Economic crises, like the Asian crisis that hit Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia a few years ago, can be devastating to inbound tourism flows. The financial turmoil triggered a sharp fall in tourism flows to affected countries during 1997 and 1998. In the Philippines, the crisis and the temporary closure of Philippine Airlines affected inbound arrivals significantly as there was a decline of almost 3.3% in 1998. Economic Effects — Positive Tourism creates jobs, both through direct employment within the tourism industry and indirectly in sectors such as retail and transportation. When these people spend their wages on goods and services, it leads to what is known as the â€Å"multiplier effect,† creating more jobs. The tourism industry also provides opportunities for small-scale business enterprises, which is especially important in rural communities, and generates extra tax revenues, such as airport and hotel taxes, which can be used for schools, housing and hospitals. Economic Effects — Negative Successful tourism relies on establishing a basic infrastructure, such as roads, visitor centers and hotels. The cost of this usually falls on the government, so it has to come out of tax revenues. Jobs created by tourism are often seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism can push up local property prices and the cost of goods and services. Money generated by tourism does not always benefit the local community, as some of it leaks out to huge international companies, such as hotel chains. Destinations dependent on tourism can be adversely affected by events such as terrorism, natural disasters and economic recession. Social Effects — Positive The improvements to infrastructure and new leisure amenities that result from tourism also benefit the local community. Tourism encourages the preservation of traditional customs, handicrafts and festivals that might otherwise have been allowed to wane, and it creates civic pride. Interchanges between hosts and guests create a better cultural understanding and can also help raise global awareness of issues such as poverty and human rights abuses. Social Effects — Negative Visitor behavior can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of the host community. For example, crowding and congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, prostitution and increased crime levels can occur. Tourism can even infringe on human rights, with locals being displaced from their land to make way for new hotels or barred from beaches. Interaction with tourists can also lead to an erosion of traditional cultures and values. Environmental Effects — Positive Tourism — particularly nature and ecotourism — helps promote conservation of wildlife and natural resources such as rain forests, as these are now regarded as tourism assets. It also helps generate funding for maintaining animal preserves and marine parks through entrance charges and guide fees. By creating alternative sources of employment, tourism reduces problems such as over-fishing and deforestation in developing nations. Environmental Effects — Negative Tourism poses a threat to a region’s natural and cultural resources, such as water supply, beaches, coral reefs and heritage sites, through overuse. It also causes increased pollution through traffic emissions, littering, increased sewage production and noise. Tourism and Travel 1. Define the following terms: Hospitality Tourism Leisure Travel Attractions (20mks) 2. In your own opinion, what will make you choose to travel to Country A than to Country B during your holiday? (20mks) 3. What are the positive economic impacts of Tourism in Kenya? (20mks) 4. People do travel for a particular purpose; therefore what are the different types of tourism? (20mks) 5. The no. of tourist in a destination varies over time, what are the different reasons for that to happen? (20mks)

Newspaper and Internet Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Newspaper and Internet - Case Study Example The first newspaper was published in Beijing in 748 (newspaper–industry.org, n.d.). The paper reported further that the first daily newspaper circulated in 1702 in London and was called The Daily Courant. It was further revealed that in 1754, the first commercial newspaper The Daily Advertiser was published in London. In the U.S. earlyamerica.com, (n.d.) revealed that their first daily newspaper Boston News-Letter came out of circulation in April 1704. Since its inception, the newspaper is strictly for news and it was only in 1856 that commercial advertisements were discovered as a profitable endeavor by newspaper New York Ledger (Bellis, 2008). The invention of the radio in 1920 and television in 1939 did not affect the popularity of the newspaper as the source of news and an effective ads placement alternative. Williamson (n.d. 23rd par.) revealed that â€Å"Most all the major stores are getting back to the basics and finding the print advertising to be the best return on i nvestment†. In 1973, the internet was discovered by Vinton Cerf (ideafinder.com, 2007). It is a known fact that the internet is also a provider of news and ideas much like the newspaper. Critics conclude that the internet will cause the slow death of the newspaper and the people economically dependent on it. The conclusion is based on the fact that the internet provides what the newspaper can for free. Based from this, one need not spend a dime to buy a newspaper just for the news and ads because there is the internet, providing them what they need free of charge. This paper 2 aims to document and analyze the strength and weakness of the newspaper compared to internet and come up with strategies in order to survive in the context of customer service operation and excellence. Business Management experts agree that the obvious first step in order to come up with strategies for survival of a business enterprise is determine the developed perception of the customers about the business. The general truth suggests that this is of prime importance for the reason that perceptions should be well addressed in the formulation of strategies and action plans. Burns (2000), a university professor and a web site owner said that in case of a daily traveler, newspaper is still the choice over the internet for the simple reason that he has to download and print the crossword puzzle in order to work at it while on a public transport going to office. He continued by saying "Well, now you have to print it out, or download it onto a laptop for the trip. You're back to hauling things around again." (24th par.). A blogger by the pen name Lockergnome (2005) reported that what he usually read from the newspapers today are the news he read from the internet site yesterday. The blogger continued by saying that if all readers will finally realize this, surely they will not buy newspaper anymore, waste their time reading because what they are reading is already history. In the end, the perception being shown here is with newspaper, the happenings are not in real time unlike with internet. Another blogger by the name of Farsha (2007) feels that internet is not effective as newspaper in areas where access to the World Wide Web is limited. Farsha further said that if continues presence in the mind of the customer is needed

RA #8 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

RA #8 - Assignment Example We can also derive suitable instincts by establishing a balance between emotions and intellect (Hayashi 9). The information about how emotions can enhance intuitive decision-making can help me to improve my creative problem solving skills. Indeed, balancing my emotions will allow me to use my creativity and professionalism in solving problems. Moreover, balancing my emotions will allow me to research and apply relevant knowledge in making decisions that defines creative problem solving. The ability to recognize similar universal patterns across disparate fields is another interesting topic that I encountered in the reading (Hayashi 8). Indeed, such abilities enhance professional judgments. Identifying universal patterns in decision-making is a rare trait that many executives lack or disregard. There are standards and patterns that define intuitive decision making in diverse fields. The ability to identify these universal patterns can enable individuals to make homogenous and suitable decisions within short time. The information about universal patterns of making decisions across different fields can help me to improve my creative problem solving skills since I will possess the unique ability to solve different problems in a standard, suitable, and faster manner. The information will help me to establish a decision making culture that will depict my creativity in addressing various

Review of the Economic Development Theories in Africa Essay

Review of the Economic Development Theories in Africa - Essay Example This paper offers an analysis of practical implementation of the four models of development in African countries. These models includes Harrod-Domar Model, Exogenous Growth model, Surplus Labor Model, and Harris-Todaro Model. Economic development theories and models are built on three main blocks; the saving function, the production function and labor supply function. Growth rate and saving function are equal to s/AY (where s is the saving rate and AY is the output ratio). South Africa is one of the developing countries in Africa that has implemented the Exogenous Growth Model since it has acknowledged the inclusion of technology and innovation in its plans. This model explains the importance of technological change (and capital accumulation in an economic growth. In Ethiopia Harrod-Domar model applies where high population growth rate is constraint to the rate of technological change. Harrod-Domar model outlines an economic function relationship in which the â€Å"growth rate of gross domestic product (g) depend directly on the national saving ratio (s) and inversely on the national capital/output ration ratio (k) Libya is one of the developing countries in Africa with the highest income per capita GDP, however, most of its population still remain poor and unemployed because of the rural-urban migration in accordance to the Harris-Todaro Model. This is a theory of rural-urban migration and it is strives to address the high rates of unemployment problem issue in the developing countries (Ezeala-Harrison,p3). Rural to urban migration is mainly fueled by the creation of more employment opportunities in the urban areas than the rural areas. This is the reason why most of the Africa’s developing countries such as Kenya have introduced policy of rural industrialization and development to help deal with the problem of high population and unemployment rates in the urban areas. Creation of more industries and other employment opportunities in the rural areas has attracted more people to the rural areas and this is one of the policies required for a balanced development in any country. In developing countries such as Algeria and Tunisia most of the citizens move from their rural homes to urban areas in search of education, employment and high living standards. Some people are also driven away by the poor status of their lands which are unproductive. The current surveys show that about 53 per cent of the populations of Kenya, Tunis, Algeria and South Africa reside in the urban areas. Rapid urban growth rate in the current economic status of the developing countries is a strain to the level of national and local governments to provide basic necessities such as electricity, sewerage, water and adequate health facilities. In such situations, squatter settlements and over crowded slums begin sprawling up. In a country like Kenya over-crowded slums are the homes to millions of the citizens. In most developing countries, this growth rate reflects rural crisis other than urban-based development (Ezeala-Harrison, p5). Harrod-Domar Model Harrod-Domar model outlines an economic function relationship in which the â€Å"growth rate of gross domestic product (g) depend directly on the national saving ratio (s) and inversely on the national capital/output ration ratio (k) (Jurgen & Paul, p257). Mathematically it is expressed as g= s/k. This equation derived its name from two economists (E.V Domar of U.S and Sir Roy Harrod of Britain) who proposed it. This th eory has been majorly utilized by the developing countries in planning their economy in the early post wars. For a targeted growth rate to be realized, a required growth rate must be set. Countries which are unable to set this require savings can resort to a jurisdiction for borrowing from international agencies such as International Monetary Funds and World Bank. Most of the African countries are developing countries which are unable to set the required savings to meet the targeted growth rate. They therefore resort to borrowing from international agencies. Huge debts are disadvantages to developing countries because of the higher interest rates and poor credit (Jurgen & Paul, p257). Problems usually a rise when these countries make irregular loan payment and underestimate the project cost. Every country

Abstract for Conference paper about Energy Management 'Towards Essay

Abstract for Conference paper about Energy Management 'Towards Sustainable Energy for Developing Countries' - Essay Example By doing this, the water transmission and its various utilities will be at their best as excesses and irregularities are kept away. SSM is a strategic management tool whose goals is to improve on process eficiency and hence saves on money and other resources. This means that the SSM will creat an economical atmosphere that allows huge saving in water consumption. The water saved during transmission is used to bridge the shortage gap and hence people do not result to using ground water. In the wake of deregularization of the water transmission industry, the SSM policy becomes very important in sneaking back responsiveness of the industry. In this case, the SSM has become very crucial as it is the only remaining tool that can check on excesses and irregularities in the sector. Through implementation of the Policy Framework for SSM , the industry stands to increase its competitiveness in the market. The efficiency and check and balance in the water distribution will enhance proper management of water sources by reducing wastage as much as possible (Nwakanma& Mgbataogu, 2014). This paper deliberates on the enactment and implementation of the Policy Framework for SSM in water transmission that will ensure energy security in a country. By doing so, the paper will discuss how the policy framework will operate in the water energy sector regardless of the fact that the government has deregularized it, (Montanaro & Tonveronachi, 2012). Additionally, the projects seeks to recommend for a reduction of ground water abstraction to rates as low as 5MIG per day during the summer season. To do this, the article will establish effective methods of increasing the capacity for water storage to ensure long term water and power security especially during seasons of water shortage, (Niefer, 2014). In conclusion, this research will aim at setting the foundation of water supply to the entire country, devoid of inconveniences and