The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing Essay

The importance of statistics and consumer research in marketing - Essay Example In this way, both consumer research and statistics are found involved in marketing operation. This study is going to explore of how consumer research and statistics are important to marketing. The importance in terms of application and the outcome will be explored and described in this study. The objective here is to understand the relationships between marketing and consumer research and between marketing and statistics altogether. Importance of Consumer Research and Statistics in Marketing During marketing operation, strategists and marketers are keen to understand their consumers. They are deliberately in search of knowing their consumers’ perception, behaviors and their buying attitudes which help the marketers to bring effective marketing campaigns and strategies (Roosi and Allenby). For this comprehensive knowing and understanding, marketers plan the operation of consumer research which digs out all the information pertinent to consumers and their behaviors. Decisively, consumer needs and wants are uncovered through market consumer research (Mazzocchi). Consumer research basically gives the manifestation about how customers behave and what are their levels of motivations towards specific products or services. This research sets the direction for marketers that they bring a comprehensive marketing strategy, which is closer to consumers’ behaviors and their buying choices (Mazzocchi 10). ... Marketers conduct consumer research in order to understand the dynamics of a particular market. Definitely, each market has a distinctive background and which modifies or changes with the aspect of time and with the changes in attributes and characteristics of consumers present in that market (Mazzocchi). For understanding the varying dimensions of a market, the varying dimensions of consumers are important to be known, which is only possible by conducting effective consumer research and consumer diagnosis. Without studying the market and consumers trends, a marketer cannot devise a sound workable marketing strategy (Roosi and Allenby). The strategy, which can impact the dynamics of a market and can attract diverse market consumer, may certainly require a comprehensive consumer research. For all these reasons, marketers consider consumer research as a significant part of marketing planning. They realize that without consumer research, marketing plans cannot be effectuated or even ini tialized. A well-organized consumer research is actually a source to ideate a well-incorporated marketing plan. This indicates that strategically and distinctively there is a significant relationship between consumer research and marketing. Without consumer research marketing is incomplete and similarly without marketing consumer research is reasonless or futile. This shows a certain sort of connection between marketing and consumer research. Both are part of each other and so are dependent on each other (Mazzocchi 30). In marketing, the core objective of consumer research is to gather consumer related information. This process of information collection in consumer research is made possible by means of statistical models and techniques. There are different

Education Timeline Essay Example for Free

Education Timeline Essay Education Timeline Antiria Jenkins HIS324: History of American Education Instructor: Timothy Kilgore November 12, 2012 http://prezi. com/vcesi_y4xome/history-of-american-education-timeline/ Education in the United States has faced great changes toward development in the past hundreds of years. At the beginning, during the Colonial Era, the principles of education were mainly based on those already used by European nations at the time. However, the country began to adopt its own approaches toward teachings given different social, political and religious practices (Rippa 9). 1635The first Latin Grammar School (Boston Latin School): Founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts, it is known as the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States. The Latin grammar curriculum was designed for boys 8 to 15, based on European Schools in a Puritan area. Schools were to prepare boys for college and the service of God. Protestantism believed that education was needed so that individuals could interpret the bible. 1751American Academy founded by Ben Franklin: The demand of skilled workers in the middle of the eighteenth century led Benjamin Franklin to start a new kind of secondary school, thus, the American Academy was established in Philadelphia. American high schools eventually replaced Latin grammar schools. Curriculum was geared to prepare students for employment. Academies eventually replaced the Latin Grammar Schools and some admitted Women. 783Introduction of Noah Webster’s Speller: Noah Webster published the A grammatical Institute of the English language, also known as, â€Å"the blue-back speller. † This was the most widely circulated of the early American textbooks and like Webster’s American Dictionary it strived to establish a national identity as well as the United States’ linguistic and cultural independence of England. As the first popular American textbo ok, the introduction of Noah Webster’s speller stands as a significant event in the history of American education. 817(April 15, 1817) Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons: The Connecticut Asylum at Hartford for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons opens. It is the first permanent school for the deaf in the U. S. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc are the schools co-founders. In 1864, Thomas Gallaudets son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, helps to start Gallaudet University, the first college specifically for deaf students. 824First State-Supported School Established: Originally named the Boston English Classical School and established in 1821, the school was renamed the English High School in 1824 and also, during that year, became the first-state supported common school. The adoption of the English High as a state-supported common school is a significant event in the history of American education as it was, essentially, the first public school. 1855Abolition of Segregation of Schools in Massachusetts: Following the case of Roberts v. Boston, the state of Massachusetts abolished segregation in their schools. The victory would be the first in a long battle lasting nearly an entire century. This was the first law to oppose segregated schools in the United States and is, therefore, a significant event in the history of American education. 1856The First Kindergarten: In the United States Margarethe Schurz founded the first kindergarten in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1856. Her German-language kindergarten impressed Elizabeth Peabody, who opened the first American English-language kindergarten in Boston in 1860. The kindergarten was much more influential in the United States and in the northern part of Europe which encouraged the National Education Association to begin a kindergarten department in 1874, and later, teachers founded the International Kindergarten Union in 1892. 1896The Laboratory School of the University of Chicago (First Progressive Laboratory):John Dewey, the father of the progressive education, established the first laboratory school for testing the progressive educational method. This would lead to a popular trend in education adopted by schools during the first half of the twentieth century. Progressive education emphasizes cultivation of problem solving and critical thinking skills through hands-on learning activities. 1905 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of Congress, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center. The Foundation encouraged the adoption of a standard system for equating seat time (the amount of time spent in a class) to high school credits which is still in use today. This system is known as the Carnegie Unit. 1939 The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (first called the Wechsler- Bellevue Intelligence Scale): This scale was developed by David Wechsler and is intended to measure human intelligence reflected in both verbal and performance abilities. It introduces the concept of the deviation IQ, which calculates IQ scores based on how far subjects scores differ (or deviate) from the average (mean) score of others wh o are the same age, rather than calculating them with the ratio (MA/CA multiplied by 100) system. Wechsler intelligence tests, particularly the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, are still widely used in U. S. schools to help identify students needing special education. 1944 The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill of Rights): Bill signed into law on June 22, 1944 by President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. The GI Bill affords military veterans government funding to pursue or continue educational goals following their service. The GI Bill not only compensates veterans for their service, but has also been responsible for the growth of American colleges and universities. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka: On May 17, 1954, The U. S. Supreme court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate schools did not provide equal education to students and therefore banned the segregation of schools nationwide with a ruling of (9–0) decision stated that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal and declared unconstitutional. 1958 Defense Education Act of 1958: The Defense Education Act of 1958 was signed into law on September 2, 1958 by the United States government during the cold war in reaction to the successful launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik. The Soviets’ scientific success motivated the U. S. government to fund the U. S. Office of Education’s establishment of scientifically and mathematically centered curriculum. The act contained ten titles designed to improve the nations schools. 1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed on July 2, 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson banned discrimination in all federally funded programs and outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women. This law helped to further the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education as many schools had continued segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 financially, â€Å"cut-off,† institutions, such as public schools, which promoted discrimination of any and all types and gave leverage to the movement. 1965 The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA): The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed on April 9, 1965 s a part of the War on Poverty. It emphasizes equal access to education and establishes high standards and accountability as well as provides federal funds to help low-income students, which results in the initiation of educational programs such as Title I and bilingual education. 965 The Higher Education Act: The Higher Education Act was signed on November 8, 1965 to strengthen the educational resources of colleges and universities and to provide financial assistance for students in postsecondary and higher education. It increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, gave low-interest loans for students, and established a National Teachers Cor ps. 1965 Project Head Start: The Head Start program started in the summer of 1965 as an eight week summer program for children from low-income communities going into public school in the fall (Styfco and Zigler, 2003). The program provided preschool classes, medical care, dental care, and mental health services (Kagan, 2002). 1975Education for All Handicapped Children Act now known as The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs and requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each child which will reflect the individualized needs of each student. 002 The No Child Left Behind Act: On January 8, 2002, NCLB was signed into law. NCLB supports standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. States must give these assessments to all students at select grade levels in order to receive federal school funding. All students are required to meet the standards establish by NCLB at the accountability of educators. 2004 H. R. 350, The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA 2004): reauthorizes and modifies IDEA. Changes, which take effect on July 1, 2005, include modifications in the IEP process and procedural safeguards, increased authority for school personnel in special education placement decisions, and alignment of IDEA with the No Child Left Behind Act. The 2004 reauthorization also requires school districts to use the Response to Intervention (RTI) approach as a means for the early identification of students at risk for specific learning disabilities. RTI provides a three-tiered model for screening, monitoring, and providing increasing degrees of intervention using â€Å"research-based instruction with the overall goal of reducing the need for special education services (Re-authorization, 2004). The history of education has been influenced multiple times over the past years. In some shape, form, or fashion, the many changes have affected many lives, especially those with disabilities. Going from segregation to desegregation, women involvement in education and fighting for equal education of those individuals with disabilities has not only marked historical events but has brought togetherness among all races and genders. Without these historical events in shaping education, the world would be at a standstill. References Dewey, John. 1938 (1963). Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books Kagan, J. (2002). Empowerment and education: Civil rights, expert-advocates, and parent politics in Head Start, 1964-1980. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 516-562. Re-authorization of the IDEA 2004. Retrieved November 5, 2012 from http://www. nj. gov/education/specialed/idea/reauth/ Rippa, Alexander. Education in a Free Society. Eighth Edition. New York: Longman, 1997. 3-107. Print. Styfco, S. , amp; Zigler, E. (2003). Early Childhood Programs for a New Century. Reynolds, A. , amp; Wang, M. (Eds. ) The federal commitment to preschool education: Lessons from and for Head Start (pp. 3-33). Washington, D. C. : Child Welfare League of America, Inc.

A Cubist Perspective of Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay

A Cubist Perspective of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "The great cycle of the ages is renewed. Now Justice returns, returns the Golden Age; a new generation now descends from on high." - Virgil, Eclogues 1.5    As Virgil stated so many years ago, history is a cyclical phenomenon. The experiences of one age tend to be repeated in future generations. Knowing that, we should not be surprised to find the seeds of modern styles and philosophies sprouting in earlier ages.    Elizabethan England was a society undergoing major social changes. In religion the country had recently left the fold of Catholicism to establish the Church of England. While England during this time was a major world power, she also enjoyed a level of security thanks to her easily defended boundaries as an island nation with a powerful navy. The sense of power and security allowed for the growth of a prosperous middle class. Within this milieu of power combined with internal security and economic growth the seeds of change were nurtured#. Intellectual and artistic freedom and growth were fostered in this environment, Elizabethan England provided an envisronment that allowed men like William Shakespeare to find a voice that reached not only his own generation but continues to speak to the modern world.    If we look at the world at the beginning of the 20th century we can find many parallels with Elizabethan England. In both ages Europe was experiencing a great social and political realignment. The growing nationalism that was the precursor to World War I and the Russian Revolution was accompanied by a new sense of self and a new set of allegiances. For artists like Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris these ... ...."   William Shakespeare Comedies & Romances. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986.    Schanzer, Ernest.   "_A Midsummer-Night's Dream."   26-31 in Kenneth Muir, ed. Shakespeare: The Comedies: A Collection of Critical Essays.   Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1965.    Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream, ed. Brian Gibbons. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.    Vaughn, Jack A. Shakespeare's Comedies.   New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Company, 1980    Watts, Cedric. A Midsummer Night's Dream. London: Penguin, 1986.    Wells, Stanley & Gary Taylor, General Eds.   _William Shakespeare: The _Complete Works.   New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. Young, David P.   Something of Great Constancy: The Art of A Midsummer Night's Dream.   New Haven: Yale University Press, 1966.      

Inside out by Larry Crabb: a book review Essay

Introduction For a lot of people, life seems to be simply a string of frustrations, broken promises, and disappointments. Somehow, people are looking for something better outside of themselves. This results to dangerous behaviors such as alcoholism, substance abuse and depression. The root behind this is the fear of looking inside oneself. This fear may be born out of frustrations strengthened by negative experiences in childhood and even in adulthood. In spite of these fears and these frustrations, most people desire change for themselves. They want to feel that they are truly alive and that they are empowered to do the things that they are passionate about. They want to get over the helplessness and the feeling that they are trapped in something they do not want to be in. The problem is most people do not know where to start. They start to plan to change and implement. However, after a few days, they go back to where they started from. For people who truly desire to change, what is needed is a change of perspective and a good understanding of their struggles, their personalities and their character. After all, self-analysis will only work if a set of criteria has been determined at the outset. The first step to change is to know exactly where one is located. Looking Inside Dr. Larry Crabb’s Inside Out is an attempt to guide people to look at themselves and help them evaluate their situation, their background, and how they can change for the better. Dr. Crabb’s outlook is hopeful and he seeks to help individuals find the courage to change and improve their lives and their overall person. Although the book is addressed to anyone who wants to change. Dr.Crabb specifically directed his book to those who want to follow the commands of God written in the Bible, but for one reason or another, they fail to do so. As such, Dr. Crabb’s main goal is to promote obedience to the Word of God. Inside Out is divided into four parts. The first part deals with the importance of looking beneath the surface. In the busyness and crazy schedule of today’s world, Dr. Crabb invites individuals to take a moment and take a look inside oneself. His initial salvo is the call to look beyond the surface and the importance of looking inside in order to effect change. However, looking inside oneself, especially if one is honest about it, is frustrating. We discover that what we think about ourselves is not the complete picture and that we are still miles away from what we want to become. Looking inside, however, will not be successful without knowledge of what to look for. In this regard, Dr. Crabb provides a criteria and a set of factors that one should look for The second part deals with the needs of people since deep down inside we are thirsty people. We do not always realize the nature of this thirst and that is why it is being slaked by things that do not really satisfy. Dr. Crabb also wrote about the source of living waters, which is Christ. Christ’s invitation to himself as the living water so that humans â€Å"would not thirst again† is clear. Yet, there is still a lot of pain in the world and lack of maturity because individuals are not able to partake of this living water. More than that, however, the urges and desires are mistaken for what they truly are—they are the manifestations of thirst and of the needs of individuals. If people would realize their thirst, they would have a better understanding of themselves and of their needs. The next part of the book deals with the process of looking into the different solutions and alternatives that people seek to fill their thirst with. There are a lot of wrong directions and wrong decisions that people make in order to quench their thirst. Yet, before long, they will realize that these alternatives are but broken wells that could not really satisfy their thirst. These broken wells are uncovered in Part III and in the last part of the book, Dr. Crabb describes the principles and the steps needed in changing from the inside out. Dr. Crabb said that defining the true problem is the first step in solving the problem. In this regard, he used psychological steps and techniques in order to help individuals in assessing their condition and helping them in solving their problems. He does not stop at psychology, however. He highlighted the power of the gospel in bringing about change to individuals. The good thing about his strategy is that he integrates psychology into biblical principles and practices to achieve maximum effect. Changing for the better is not only for pre-Christian individuals. Rather, Christians also need to change for the better in order for them to be in step with the will of God for their lives. As such, psychological tools and strategies in counseling and analyzing personal situations can also be used by Christians in addressing their personal issues. Although this integration may not sit well with other Christians across the spectrum, psychological strategies recognize that as humans, we do have a role in improving ourselves and seeking the will of God. The Holy Spirit ultimately helps us with our struggles and with our issues. However, without our willing participation, the work of the Holy Spirit will be limited. Conclusion A lot of people have their struggles, past hurts, past sins and other issues that undermine their quest for wholeness and sense of being. People want to change and enjoy the best that life has to offer. Too often, however, they are looking in the wrong places and they quench their thirst with what does not truly satisfy. Even Christians are not spared from this. There are a lot of issues in obeying Christ and in viewing Christian life as a duty and not as journey to enjoy. Dr. Crabb’s book integrates psychology, theology, and biblical principles in helping people deal with their issues and struggles. This he did in a comprehensive and helpful way throughout Inside Out. Perhaps the most contentious part of his book is his integration of psychological concepts and ideas, which for some Christians is not acceptable. The counter-argument to this line of thinking is that God ordained humans as His partners in working out his will on earth. Through the sacrifice of Christ, humans have been ushered into a relationship of friendship with Him. As such, this relationship, which is at the heart of Christianity, makes it possible for humans to also endeavor for best practices and strategies in enabling the Holy Spirit to work. After all, human wisdom and activities should be evaluated in light of God’s Word and as long as they do not contradict Scriptures, then using such techniques and strategies, as long as they are helpful and not inimical to the process of change, would be beneficial. Jesus, himself, said that â€Å"whoever is not against us is with us. † Perhaps, this does not only apply to people but also to ideas, concepts, and practices that could enhance our spirituality and well-being.

Marks & Spencer Retailing Strategy Essay

1. Introduction In this essay, in scope of the subject Organizational Management I, we will study the case of one of UK’s leading retailers that is Marks & Spencer. We are proposed to answer 3 given questions regarding the firm, specifically its strategy. Not only will we answer these given questions, we intend to further develop the concept of corporate strategy taught in class and relate it to M&S case in order to better understand it. During this case study we will also explore the history of this company, explaining the firm’s organization problem, the crisis that happened within the firm and also it’s strategies to overcome this crisis. We are also going to focus on the brand and in the ranges that M&S has available in the clothing market. There will be presented in this report aspects such as the market segments that M&S products ranges serve, the order winners and qualifiers for them and, finally, the different logistics performance objectives for the different ranges. Operations Management I 2. Development 2.1. History Marks & Spencer (M&S) is one of UK’s leading retailers with over 21 million people visiting their stores per week. M&S offer stylish, high-quality, great value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food and financial services. The company was started in 1884, when Michael Marks (a Russian-born Police refugee) opened a stall at Leeds Kirkgate Market. M&S have over 700 UK stores and currently the firm finds itself in the process of expanding its business internationally: the company is already present in over 43 countries. Marks & Spencer employees over 78,000 people in the UK and abroad (as M&S site has published). 2.2. Marks & Spencer pre reorganization Focusing in clothing segment, M&S presented severe problems in their strategy department and, consequently, in their development and survival, due to massive mistakes. Seeing that M&S is a retailer type of firm, meaning that they only sell products, they don’t produce them: one of their main problems was the supply chain from the source to the consumer. This route was very expensive because they had a lot of suppliers, mostly at the UK. Overall, the company had several problems about the supply chain, like: All these problems made their supply chain really slow and time-consuming, not evaluating the suppliers nicely, not having a good balance between quantity and mix. Meanwhile, the marketing section had some issues too. They weren’t able to predict sales, they only made two sales seasons (while the others made four) and their product development was very slow and expensive. This enterprise only had one brand – St. Michaels – leaving few options of choice to the customer, being the only target women between 35 to 55 years old. This brand was focused on classic style clothes and some times out of fashion. Operations Management I In short, the notorious problems in the company were: 2.2.1. Crisis All these problems triggered the 1998 crisis, where Luc Vandevelde came as 4th CEO and responsible to change the company with some strategic measures. 2.3. Marks & Spencer after reorganization 2.3.1. Strategy changes To create, choose and implement their strategy, all the companies should have in consideration external and internal factors, social responsibility and the values of the company. On one hand, the internal factors explain the strengths and weaknesses of the company. On the other Operations Management I hand, the external factor relates the opportunities and the threats of the company, showing how that it influences the activity. These two are important in strategy creation, only if they are aligned with social responsible and company values. Marks & Spencer relied on its strong points (e.g. quality), trying to improve their weaknesses (e.g. slow response system). As stated above, the company also had high regard for social responsibility, as well as the company’s values. To implement strategy changes, we need to considerate these five philosophies: M&S ï‚ · The Total Quality Management is, as the name implies, oriented to increase the quality in the processes of the organization, by creating quality consistency; ï‚ · Just in time is a production management system that determines that nothing should be produced, transported or purchased before the exact time; ï‚ · Simultaneous Engineering acts on the development of products and is based on the use of engineering processes, manufactures, among other ones; ï‚ · The Compression Management is about to reduce processes time cycles; ï‚ · Reengineering helps manage through the increased efficiency and effectiveness. M&S based their strategy mainly on the first four points above. 2.3.2. Brand Nowadays, market segmentation is an absolute requirement for the market realities. Market Segmentation is related with a marketing concept and its objective is to enhance a company’s ability to understand and know its core customers as well as whom its core customers will be in the future. Most segments are formed by looking at certain characteristics such as demographic, geographic, and physiological, amongst others. These segments help the marketer identify very important consumption patterns. Therefore, the customers are treated accordingly to the firms view regarding what the customers wants or needs and its (the firms) ability to reach those needs in a profitable way. In Mark & Spencer specific case, it uses mostly a demographic segmentation to select its targets market for its products, targeting the customers by age, income, social class and lifestyle. There are 3 different ranges of M&S for Autumn 2001, including The Perfect and Classic Collection, The Autograph and pe r una. 2.3.2.1 The Perfect and Classic Collection Marketers are progressively more concerned in the outcome of the consumers lifestyle on demand. The market segments serve at this range, targets of those consumers who have busy lifestyles, therefore intend to save time and feel opportune when buying. This segment is for those customers that find themselves on a more price-orientated basis where they look for value at the lowest price. This is why, this range is targeted more on the middle social class and it’s a timeless collection (and not just the latest fashion) on any body size of both female and male customers. 2.3.2.2. The Autograph This range is a more specific, fashion-orientated designed for more mature upper class consumers who seek the â€Å"good life†. The collection in this range is designed by some of the best designers in the business, names such as Julien Macdonald, Philip Treacy and Sonja Nuttall. They have the capability to acquire it with a high street prices which are sold only in luxurious department stores. This range will normally target on those customers who prefer quality and the best design rather than the actual cost of the product. This range is targeted on female customers who have a keen sense of fashion, therefore it isn’t design for all ages nor all types of women. Per Una has concentrated its costumers to an age group between 25 and 35 with sizes from 8 to 18 (UK sizes) since the women that find themselves within these criteria nowadays do not want to be behind the latest fashion trends. They seek out fresh/new fashion and dress smartly and more importantly differently from another, therefore existing the Limited Edition, with that exact purpose. per una offers a better design and price to target young and middle-class women. 2.4. Order winners and qualifiers The different ranges that Marks & Spencer have available in the market presents competitive characteristics that make a costumer feel interested to buy a specific product. There are order qualifiers and order winners for these different ranges: The Perfect and Classic Collection (that we assumed that serve essentially the same range segment), The Autograph and the per una. The first order that we mentioned makes reference to the competitive aspects of a product that allows it to be considered by the costumers. On the other hand, order winners relates to the competitive characteristics that makes a product be chose by the interested in a specific product. Therefore, for the three ranges that M&S has available in the market and by the document we were presented to, we found some order qualifiers and winners for them. To The Perfect and Classic Collection we realized that size availability is a very important aspect to the costumers, which means that this factor is an order qualifier. In fact, there is a costumer that answered (to the questions that were made to her) that when â€Å"larger sizes have sold out† she gets â€Å"annoyed†. Thereby, some customers will have to go look in other stores to find what they need. About the order winners, in this range, costumers identify quality, price and variety of colors are three important aspects as they get interested in a product. Briefly, the item must be value for money and cannot require specialist washing as it has to wash well. In reference to The Autograph range, as it is defined to bring â€Å"cutting-edge design†, it is easy to understand that the most important order qualifier is the exclusive design of a certain item: the costumers want to buy a cloth that is â€Å"one of a kind†. Quality is the order winners in this range. When clients are looking for this products, they do not give so much importance to the price. Finally, the per una, a high-quality range, the attractive competitive aspect is the same as in The Autograph range: exclusity of design. The order qualifier is the rarity of a product and is difference . However, the segment of the market that looks for per una has a more concern about the price and, consequently, gives more importance to the value of a certain product. Even they care about the quality (as it must be well made and expected to last), the order winner in this range is the price that they are up to pay for the item. 2.5. Logistics performance objectives The planning and control of the organization will allow it to coordinate all the different operations that the organization has. It will grantee that all the materials are in the right place at the right time (just-in-time). Managers must control the operations to make sure that all runs like planned and finds the consumer needs. M&S changed the way to work with their suppliers and it provided a new approach to the market, principally the segment of clothes where they have done massive adjustments to get better performances. They created new divisions, and we will talk about those changes. Logistical department intends the enterprise to adapt itself to the market, so they created a new distribution of products by store and category. In other words, The Perfect and Classic ranges are located in almost all M&S stores because it is a product for the middle class, â€Å"for core customers†, with a low and viable price. The Autograph range, is into selected stores for the reason that its high prices can’t beat the most competitive brands in the common market and, finally, the per una collection is also in selected stores – despite its competitive price it’s a series that is very uncommon to find because the production has no repeats and so there is no piece like the other. This decision , to enter in the fashion business with a bigger offer then before, led the company to improve and presented a more efficient distribution of their products to the customers. In an organized way, each one of these brands according to their objective went to a shop strategically placed near to the right target. Like this they would have a faster response to the market resulting in the increase of the competitiveness of M&S. 3. Conclusion Marks & Spencer had several problems with the development of their company, having a huge crisis in 1998. To overcome this crisis, the company made some changes in their strategy in order to return to success. Changes in the supply chain, the marketing department and the increase of sub-brands, for example, led to: the increasing of quality, transparency, flexibility and the response of production cycle, elimination of duplication and gaining of more costumers. Nowadays, the company has a faster supply line, a more efficient marketing department and a huge variety of products, covering a larger number of customers which led to, generally, a better performance of the company. 4. Bibliography 1. CHASE, Richard B.; JACOBS, F. Robert; AQUILANO, Nicholas J.; Operations Management for Competitive Advantage; McGraw-Hill Irwin, 11th edition. 2. http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/aboutus/company_overview

Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children

Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children Who is guilty when teens break the law? Should parents be blamed? Read to know who should be responsible for the crimes of teens. It’s no secret that teens break the law, thinking they’re basically invincible. They engage in underage drinking, vandalism, also possession, and under the influence, of drugs. But then some young people commit much bigger crimes – felonies such as breaking and entering into a house, grand theft auto, even murder, and rape. Children of all ages are capable of breaking the law, but it can be speculated that adolescents tend to break the law more. Unfortunately, teens in American engage in some pretty risky behavior in their middle and high school years. And unfortunately, these crimes have severe consequences that last a lifetime. While these minors are often thought of as children simply making mistakes, they are still rational, mostly reasonable human beings who knowing exactly what they are doing. So, therefore, their crimes should not make their parents responsible. Should Parents Be Held Responsible for the Crimes of Their Children? Could not, for one, be responsible for the crimes of their children, because any person of sound mind is a rational being. They know when they are committing a crime and doing something wrong. It has nothing to do with their parents – unless the parents are condoning, encouraging or taking part in the crime; then, and only then, should parents be held responsible for their children’s crimes. It is rarely the parent’s fault, even if they do teach their children right from wrong. Many people attempt to commit a crime because they think they can get away with it. The same goes for teens committing a crime: They do it, most of the time because they anticipate getting away with it. This is no reflection of one’s upbringing – only the way that person views right from wrong. Even if the children are diagnosed as mentally unsound, insane, crazy, manic-depressive, it’s still not the parent’s fault. SINGLE-PARENT CHILDREN BEHAVIOUR If someone’s child commits a crime and gets caught for it, a parent should not be held responsible for the child because it is the child committing the crime, not the adult. Some may argue how a child’s sense of right and wrong derives from the way their parents raised them – which is true; however, in the case of committing crimes, a child can still steal a pretty piece of jewelry from a friend even if they were taught as a child not to steal. This has nothing to do with the parent, only the child, or teen, committing the crime. If the child commits the crime, they should be at fault and charged appropriately. If one’s child commits the crime, unless the parent directly took part in the illegal activity associated with their child, the parent should without a doubt never be held responsible – not morally, emotionally or legally – for this crime. Parents Are Not Guilty! Unless the parent assisted in helping the child commit the crime –underage drinking drug usage, for example – the adult should never be held responsible for the child’s actions. If a kid gets in trouble, it’s easy to blame the parents, attribute the mishap to how they were raised, the kind of family they were born to. But that is what is wrong with this country: no one takes responsibility for their own actions, especially if they’re minors. It’s a major problem. This way, people become adults never being accountable for anything – they just blame it on someone else. This isn’t the way to go; all it does is condition someone that they are not going to face consequences when the do wrong. Why is that detrimental? Because a person gets a pretty rough reality check as an adult when they are faced with legal charges for committing a crime. At that point, their parents surely aren’t even in the picture. Only the child/teen sho uld get penalized for committing and crime. IS GUN CONTROL AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF REDUCING CRIME In conclusion, we all make mistakes, and many of us, even on accident, commit crimes (just look at how often people send friends or family members prescription pain-relieve medication. One word: felony). And when people committing crimes are caught, they get charged. The same goes for children, mostly adolescents. They generally know when they are doing something wrong, so they should always be held responsible for their actions – and not their parents. The same, of course, applies to teenagers: when they get caught committing a crime, their parents should never be held responsible unless the parents assisted in the crime. It’s time to hold young people responsible for their actions.

Should Medical Marijuana be Le essays

Should Medical Marijuana be Le essays Marijuana is an illegal drug with many medical uses and should be made legal for those patients who need it. There are many valuable medical uses for marijuana not recognized by the Federal Government. Though some states have legalized its use for patients with the permission of their physician, it remains at large an illegal Schedule I drug. There are many medical uses of marijuana but while it is still an illegal drug the patients trying to reap its benefits must break federal laws. Marijuana is effective in lowering the internal eye pressure associated with glaucoma and slowing the onset of blindness in these patients. It can reduce the pain of AIDS patients and stimulate the appetites of those suffering from malnutrition because of AIDS wasting syndrome. Marijuana has many other uses such as alleviating muscle spasticity, anorexia, asthma, nausea, peptic ulcers, alcoholism, depression, migraine, anxiety, inflammation, hypertension, insomnia, and many other uses for cancer patients. "Marijuana has been found useful as an anticonvulsant, a muscle relaxant in spastic disorders, as an appetite stimulant in the wasting syndrome of human immunodeficiency virus infection and is also useful for relieving phantom limb pain and menstrual cramps. It has also been helpful in treating glaucoma, nausea from chemotherapy in c ancer patients, epilepsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and spinal fluid injuries."(5) Marijuana has many uses and should be legalized for use by patients who need it. California has legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes under the consent of a physician which is called Proposition 215. Tom Morganthau is against this legalization under Proposition 215 and he says: "What we have here, thanks to the voters of California and Arizona, is a nightmare for drug warriors everywhere - and a small but potentially significant breach in the national resolve against drugs. Earnest appeals by McCaffre...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Popular Book Series With Cartoons

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Popular Book Series With Cartoons The Diary of a Wimpy Kid  series is  a big hit with both boys and girls, ages 8 to 12. Billed as a novel in cartoons, Book One is the diary of protagonist Greg Heffley. (Greg is upfront in wanting readers to know, This is a JOURNAL, not a diary and ...this was MOMs idea, not mine.)  Diary of a Wimpy Kid, with its combination of words and cartoons, is particularly appealing to reluctant readers. Summary of the Story Greg is one of three children. According to Greg, his little brother, Manny, never gets in trouble, even if he really deserves it, and his older brother Rodrick is always getting the best of Greg. In his diary, Greg details his daily activities, starting with the first day of middle school and his warnings to readers about choosing where to sit in class. How does Greg feel about middle school? He thinks its dumb because  You got kids like me who havent hit their growth spurt yet mixed in with these gorillas who need to shave twice a day. Whether its dealing with bullying, his friend Rowley, homework, or family life, Greg is always busy trying to figure out the angle that will make things work out best for him. Author Jeff Kinney does a great job, in words and pictures, of illustrating the general goofiness that comes with being a self-centered adolescent, and the hilarious things that happen as a result. Author and Illustrator Overview Diary of a Wimpy Kid is Jeff Kinneys first book. While a student at the University of Maryland, Kinney had his own comic strip, Igdoof, in the school newspaper. After college, he began writing Diary of a Wimpy Kid and putting it online in daily installments on FunBrain.com. Then, publisher Harry N. Abrams signed Kinney to a multi-book deal to create a Diary of a Wimpy Kid series for the Amulet Books imprint. Despite the success of his books, Kinney has kept his day job working for an Internet publishing company. As far as how much the series is based on his life, Kinney said in an interview. that the books are a mix of his own family stories growing up, but with his own comedic spin on them. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Recommendation The books lined pages, plus Gregs writing and his pen and ink sketches and cartoons, make it seem like an authentic diary which adds greatly to the readers enjoyment and relatability. If you are looking for a book with a main character who is a perfect role model for your child, this isnt it. But if you are looking for a funny book your kids will enjoy and identify with, grab a copy. Diary of a Wimpy Kid  is best suited for tweens and younger teens. (Amulet Books, An Imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 2007. ISBN: 9780810993136) More Diary of a Wimpy Kid Books As of February 2017, there were eleven books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, including titles like  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw. In addition, if Gregs diary has inspired your kids to try writing and drawing, they will enjoy Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do-It-Yourself Book, which includes writing and drawing prompts, with lots of space for kids to fill. Sources ComicMix, Interview: Jeff KinneyWimpyKid.com, About the Author

Humanity sammary 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humanity sammary 1 - Essay Example She prays to Artemis, asking to be killed so that she could be with Odysseus in the Underworld. Penelope’s cries wakes up Odysseus, who prays to Zeus to give him a sign, and was reciprocated with a bang of thunder from Zeus. Odysseus asks for another sign and this time, one of Odysseus maids asks that this be the suitors last day. These signs were enough to encourage Odysseus to avenge himself on the suitors. Telemakhos gets up and the house springs to life as he puts on his full array. Eurykleia tells the maids to clean the house and fetch water for a feast day. Men went inside, bringing firewood, while the swineherd brings pigs, and the goatherd and two shepherds bring goats. Melanthios insults the beggar, who is actually Odysseus, but Odysseus restrains himself from fighting back. Philoitios was much kinder as he extends a warm welcome to the beggar saying that he reminds him of his master, Odysseus. Philoitios mentions that he also wants the suitors to be gone because they were making excessive demands on his cattle. The beggar tells him that Odysseus will soon come to kill them and to this, Philoitios replies that Odysseus can count on his help. Meanwhile, the suitors plot to kill Telemakhos, when an eagle with a dove in its talons flies by and so they drop the plan. Telemakhos seats Odysseus alone and warns the suitors to keep their hands and tongues to themselves. However, Athena prompts the suitors to continue abusing Odysseus and so Ktesippos throws a cow’s foot which did not hit Odysseus. Telemekhos becomes angry and threatens Ktesippos and the other suitors. The suitors conceded and agreed not to make fun of the beggar anymore. Then, Agelaos tells Telemakhos to talk with his mother and encourage her to marry one of them. Telemakhos says that he does encourage his mother but cannot force her. To this, the suitors burst out with laughter. Then, Theoklymenos the visionary tells

You decide the topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

You decide the topic - Essay Example However, later he took on the membership of this Cricket club known as Staten Island Cricket Club. The protagonist resides in the area of Manhattan with his wife and one child. At the beginning it was difficult for the man from Netherland to make any friends as all the people he could come around and meet up with had bust prior engagements and he was not able to connect or fill in with the people of the United States of America. He tried hard to get his drivers license that was an important part of his intermingling with the American people. He ultimately uses sport as a medium for intermingling with the people of the country. This has been the most important part of the book and the following part of the essay shall dwell into how a sport can help in eradicating politics and making friends with strangers. â€Å"The book’s second story line, and perhaps its more resonant one, is about the solace Hans finds in the vibrant subculture of cricket in New York, where he is among the few white men to be found on the hundreds of largely West Indian teams in the city, teams that fan out, in the hazy summertime, across scrabby, lesser-known public parks.† Apart from depicting the role of cricket in making friendship ties, the book focuses on the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the emotional burnout faced by the protagonist and his family, those who feared for their lives and those who thought that America is no longer a safe heaven as they once thought it was to be. In my opinion, the writer of the book has displayed impeccable tenacity by displaying two different situations and then bringing them together by a common thread with respect to the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the USA. The book is a masterpiece in the way it connects a sport to the politics of the country along with showcasing the emotional side of the person who, at the outset was a foreigner in the country, but was not treated like one by the

Holiday Harassment in Wanda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Holiday Harassment in Wanda - Essay Example The memories of twenty fifth December are as fresh in my mind as I can remember. The happiness that characterized the morning of that day cannot be compared with another day of the year. Cheers and ululations of women and children from the neighboring villages that sent a deafening voice could be heard from afar. As the first born in the family and one recognized by my mother’s kin, I won the pleasure of being invited to the nearby neighborhood called Wanda where she hails from. Though the place is very remote, it would be a very bizarre idea to reject the offer. So it turned out to be something of an obligation. As a city dweller and one used to travel by vehicle, I could not bear the blunt of walking through the rough terrain to the place. We had to board a taxi at least to display the acme of sophistication. My younger brother and sister were the main accompaniments. No sooner had we exchanged pleasantries with my family than we left for the place. The welcome I received from the people left the onlookers in awe. Greetings alone took half an hour, followed by unending presentation of gifts from their children and grand children. All kith and kin worshipped me, and the ordeal was more graced like a presidential visit. This left an awkward feeling because of the exaggerated welcome. Already, it dawned on me that much was expected from the light pocket I had. I began developing fear. Needless to tell, an eating and drinking program began, and the plates were filled with the normal, fresh, staple countryside food perfect for a celebration of some kind. Without prior confirmation, drinks followed, and I was amazed to be served with the local traditional liquor which I boldly declined. The rejection was treated with a stern look by the uncle. The lack of courtesy and genuineness began making the day boring early as it was. Not aware that this was only smoke and fire coming, people followed by small crowds began flocking the compound casting a glance at me every time they entered the house. I did not give a serious thought to these looks with the perception that it was a day of celebration and togetherness during such a day is the norm. Little did I know that I was the centre of attraction? The uncle and his wife had invited the whole village to come and see their rich nephew who resides in the city and who would bring money during the Christmas Day. Unfortunately, wishes are not horses because if I had known this, I would have turned down the offer immediately it was presented. When all the â€Å"guests† arrived, songs of praise began and I was surrounded as if I was the Christ himself. In fact, what I witnessed during that time left me shivering like a leaf on a windy day. The villagers were drunk and disorderly causing a sheer pandemonium in the house. Every man and woman was demanding that I buy them a packet of sugar a nd flour which is tantamount to fifty dollars each. I was even compelled to take the liquor I earlier

Identifying Innovations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Identifying Innovations - Assignment Example The most primary innovation in this industry is the method by which music is disseminated to audiences. Where in the past physical production of CDs and tapes marked the revenue building capability for the music industry, a radical innovation of using the Internet for downloading music has altered marketing distribution for music producers and production companies. This change was not incremental, but allowed music sellers to reach audiences in a radically different way, allowing for cost-cutting in distribution and inventorying while also essentially making a new market, a characteristic of radical innovation (Kim & Mauborgne, 2005). With the Internet as a radical change in music provision, marketers can now reach a whole different consumer segment that was likely not available to music sellers historically. An incremental innovation in the case study is the method of MP3 compression that simplified the process of consumer music downloading on the Web. The ability for music sellers to use the Internet remains the same, only with new compression technologies it now becomes more convenient for existing markets of consumers. This builds a better reputation for music sellers using this technology without necessarily capturing new market attention. Finally, the ability of music recording artists to use the Internet as a means of producing their own work and distributing it via the Web is another incremental innovation in the case study. The advent of chat rooms and home recording technologies now give artists a new type of liberation as it relates to production and distribution. Technological changes with the Internet as the appropriate medium for marketing was incremental, small yet fundamental changes to how music artists promote themselves and disseminate their music. This has cost-cutting capabilities consistent with incremental innovation (Leifer, McDermott, O’Connor, Peters, Rice & Veryzer, 2000).

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Case Study Example The US exporter could claim that the supplies were based on contractual agreement and that he did not breach contractual terms. The US exporter should not be made to reduce the cost of the goods if the contract did not state that the exports must all be male liver. The ruling by the arbitrator will depend on the laws of the trade. It will also depend on the kind of contract that existed between the two parties (Sornarajah, 2004). If the west German importer clearly stated that he wanted 100% male liver but received some percentage of the sow liver, then he will have right to have the cost reduced by the US exporter accordingly. The ruling will also depend on thee precedents of the trade. The arbitrator will have to determine whether the distinction of male liver and sow liver as known to both the parties to the trade and whether sow liver was considered of lower price than the male liver. In addition, the religious beliefs and practices would also determine the nature of the ruling (Sornarajah, 2004). International trade poses a challenge because of the different rules of trade between the parties. The arbitrator must be keen to ensure that the ruling is fair and just to all parties. The decision must not be biased to both parties. When entering into contracts, the parties should state categorically their terms without assuming they are

Famine, Affluence, and Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Famine, Affluence, and Morality - Essay Example We should according to peter be ashamed of our self and we should be guilty for our decision not to help those in the refugees’ camps, who are dying of hunger and due to lack of shelter and medication (Singer, 1972). According to him it should be good to help them and also not good not to help them. People who then don’t contribute toward assisting the unfortunate in the society should be condemned. Singer is actually right that we have an obligation to help minimize world hunger. This is because those trapped in such situations is not by their own making. Those in Bengal if we don’t rise to the occasion they will just be wiped with hunger (Singer, 1972). This situation is really not inevitable because if we decide to give towards a project to get the camp closed then in matter of months the problem will have been solved. We have therefore never given much attention to the magnitude of the situation at the ground. We have richer nations that have the capacity to bring this situation to an end (Singer, 1972). They are making millions of money and channeling towards research and development while turning a blind eye to human beings dying in refugees’ camps. ... We can therefore help to raise many so that India can not divert resources allocated for development to feeding refugees because this will cause another similar problem in the future. Al the governments of the world are aware of this situation in India and other parts of the world and therefore can not take refuge in pretence of not having been aware of it. Because the governments are therefore aware of this they should contribute towards it so that the blight of the refugees can be gathered for (Singer, 1972). The individuals are also aware of this and it is therefore immoral not to help those suffering yet you have information of their blight. B The most compelling part of singers’ argument is the fact that we should prevent something bad from happening without sacrificing something else of same importance (Singer, 1972). This is rather compelling because it is practical and real that we can be able to get rid of this suffering in the refugees and at the same time we will no t have created other such situations which means that such situations are brought to an end and totally gotten rid of. It is therefore not so much demanding to do so because we are only required to stop what is bad and no further demanded from us to promote good. If we therefore contribute to help those in refugee camp by giving money that we earn we will have helped them get out of the situation and at the same time we will have but ourselves in the same circumstance as that of the refugees. C Despite singers’ insightful argument in favor of moral obligation to get rid of hunger in the world, there are also enough reasons not to believe so. It can not be argued that

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Case Study Example The US exporter could claim that the supplies were based on contractual agreement and that he did not breach contractual terms. The US exporter should not be made to reduce the cost of the goods if the contract did not state that the exports must all be male liver. The ruling by the arbitrator will depend on the laws of the trade. It will also depend on the kind of contract that existed between the two parties (Sornarajah, 2004). If the west German importer clearly stated that he wanted 100% male liver but received some percentage of the sow liver, then he will have right to have the cost reduced by the US exporter accordingly. The ruling will also depend on thee precedents of the trade. The arbitrator will have to determine whether the distinction of male liver and sow liver as known to both the parties to the trade and whether sow liver was considered of lower price than the male liver. In addition, the religious beliefs and practices would also determine the nature of the ruling (Sornarajah, 2004). International trade poses a challenge because of the different rules of trade between the parties. The arbitrator must be keen to ensure that the ruling is fair and just to all parties. The decision must not be biased to both parties. When entering into contracts, the parties should state categorically their terms without assuming they are

Marketing strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing strategies - Assignment Example Implications of this change on marketing strategies, specifically, major shift from traditional ways of marketing and promotion to major usage of online social media like facebook, tweeter and other popular social networking sites will also be analysed in this paper. Therefore, this study includes a complete package of changing business environmental related issues and its effects and implications on marketing strategies. Introduction Continuous changes in various factors of macro business environment are the most important areas of global businesses. Business organizations keep in-depth focus on the new trends or changes in these macro factors. Most important macro environmental factors are political factors, economical factors, social factors, cultural factors and technological factors. Substantial changes on these environmental factors have major impact or effects on the marketing strategies of the organizations. Management of leading organizations in the world have collaborativel y developed business associations to research on the forthcoming trend and trend on global market. There are also many research organization have been formed who specialises in the market research to identify the changes and develop necessary changes in the strategic marketing and provide advisory services to the organizations in each countries. Organizations are constantly facing difficulties in this critical of business where expected or predicted changes sometimes differ from the actual changes in the market especially in the purchasing and consumption behaviour of the potential target consumers. Consumer behaviour changes according to the ever changing trend on economical, social and technological environment in the world or a specific country. In this study, the major changes in the macro environmental factors in South Africa will be discussed in details with respect to changing trend in the global business environment. Detailed overview of the change/ trend in macro business e nvironment Business organizations in South Africa or any other countries have become open systems after the worldwide globalizations or open economy or open market. Therefore, organizations get resources from the environment that may be domestic, may be regional or international. Similarly, nay organizations have the opportunity to get the world market as the target market of them and can access any market across the world. Therefore, external environmental factors of a business have major impact on the both input and output level as organizations always tries to grab the opportunities from the changing business environment in national or international level. Firms cannot change any of the macro environmental influences but they can only react by the continuous changing the strategies with the changes in those environmental factors. Therefore, business change the internal business environment i.e. strategies and activities to grasp the opportunities of changing trend in the external environment and also can protect from any negative impact of new trend on the businesses. Therefore, it is very impotent for the managers, strategic decision makers to analysis the business environment in regular basis be3fore developing any strategic decisions for the

Evolutionary Biology Essay Essay Example for Free

Evolutionary Biology Essay Essay Check’s article â€Å"How Africa Learned to Love the Cow† explores the studies and research of Sarah Tishkoff on genetic mutation and evolution of, more specifically, the gene that codes for lactase and lactase persistence within individuals in Africa. The frequency with which these genes occur fluctuates dramatically, which is noted in Tishkoff’s study on African populations, and account for tolerance and intolerance of lactose within humans (Check). It is interesting to see that environment may affect genetic mutation within individuals as well. Tishkoff’s research on lactose tolerance within humans in Africa is a revolutionary prospect, which allows others to study the issue of lactose intolerance in adult humans and view evolutionary trends in varied populations of humans, bringing new information and proof of evolution to the table. Only certain individuals from certain populations can tolerate milk as adults due to various factors, such as the presence of the gene that codes for the production of the enzyme lactase, natural selection, and vertical gene transfer. Lactase is essential for breaking down lactose, a sugar within cow milk that would otherwise pass through a human’s digestive system undigested (Check 1). Within adult humans, the gene that codes for the production of the enzyme lactase is sometimes inactive or missing, which causes the intolerance of milk and causes lactose to have â€Å"unpleasant results† (Check 1) if ingested by an individual. On the other hand, if this gene is present, there are multiple reasons as to why these individuals have it. According to anthropological studies in the 1960s, humans who tended and reared cattle for a living generally had tolerance for milk as adults (Check 1). This could be due to the workings of natural selection and vertical gene transfer. It is possible that the ancestors of these humans, who could tolerate milk and could take advantage of its nutritional benefits, had a higher survival rate than the individuals who could not tolerate milk; since diarrhea, which is a common result of lactose indigestion, â€Å"exacerbates dehydration† and can prove fatal during a famine or drought (Check 3). This would then lead to vertical gene transfer, which refers to the transfer of genes to offspring from sexual reproduction. If an individual with favorable genes were to mate, his genetic code could possibly be transferred to his offspring, which explains lactase persistence within humans at present. It is interesting to note that the existence of this â€Å"lactase gene† that has such specific, easily identifiable purposes, and frequency of appearance in unrelated individuals are strong indicators of convergent evolution (Check 1). The Homo Neanderthalensis is an extinct species that mainly survived on the hunter/gatherer lifestyle, scavenging for sustenance and hunting animals for food; with this in mind, it is highly possible that these individuals were lactose intolerant. Since the Homo Neanderthalensis were hunter/gatherers who relied on other methods of surviving than rearing and domesticating cattle, the idea of drinking milk from cattle rather than immediately killing it for meat was most likely foreign and is telling evidence that they most likely were lactose intolerant. This can be inferred due to the research presented earlier; that adult individuals with more exposure to cattle rearing were generally had a higher chance of lactase persistence than those who did not raise or domesticate cattle for survival. Judging by past research and Tishkoff’s study in Africa, if a population was to stop drinking milk for a prolonged period of time through multiple generations due to the introduction and increased availability of other foods and resources, that population may develop a lactose intolerance that was not present before. This is due to the idea that extended experience with milk results in a higher frequency of the gene that codes for lactase production. This effect is magnified with the presence of other evolutionary and genetic trends that occur naturally such as vertical genetic transfer. Today, lactose intolerance within adults remains a widespread issue. With the advent of lactose-free milks such as soymilk, the problem may have been somewhat appeased for lactose intolerant milk lovers. However, the fact remains that many adults still cannot tolerate milk. With the research of numerous anthropologists, geneticists, and Tishkoff, we can make sense of why this is still an issue and present educated inferences about our history.

Management in Multinational Corporations (MNC)

Management in Multinational Corporations (MNC) The internationalization of business activity is getting progressively essential and inevitable. Of considerably significance is thus also the  globalization of human resource management. Nowadays, an  increasing and sufficient flexibility of companies is required as well as  the ability to react to local circumstances and market constraints. Hence, in order to facilitate the process of adaptation to global developments in corporations, and especially in the Human Resource  vicinity, a set of typologies/approaches have been developed for  Multinational Corporations (MNCs). In that case, the approaches can  be used to illustrate the strategic intent and the situation in which the  MNC is in (Hollinshead, 2010, p. 51). Accordingly, there are different  approaches to IHRM developed by several theorists. This paper  examines four approaches, which have been developed by the US  management theorist Howard Perlmutter (1969) and by Adler and  Ghadar, with the purpose of giving an understanding to the association  between the multinational parent in the country of origin and the  subsidiary located elsewhere. The four approaches build up in  succession by describing a trend from immature dependency of  international subsidiaries towards mature autonomy (Hollinshead,  2010, p. 52). These approaches have b een created to be applied to  managing and staffing the subsidiaries and constitute certain policies  and attitudes in managing IHRM activities. Consequently, are there any  similarities and differences between these four approaches? Discussion MNCs have to decide upon one approach to apply to the HR  activities. The best suited one can be chosen among the ethnocentric,  polycentric, regiocentric, and geocentric style. Before starting to  outline parallels and divergences, it is key to get a short overview of  the characteristics of each approach. Firstly, the ethnocentric (also  called domestic) method has its focus on home market and export. Approved management techniques from the country of origin are  transferred to the operating international subsidiaries. The aim here is  to maintain the power in the home country; thus a centralized  managerial authority comes into its own (Hollinshead, 2010, p. 52). Another trait is that cultural factors do not play a role; the foreign  cultural influence is totally ignored. As outlined by Adler and Ghadar  ( 1990:242) it is more a matter of We allow you to buy our products  (Hollinshead, 2010, p. 55). Consequently, routine activities are carried  out by recruited host country nationals (HCNs), while parent country  nationals (PCNs) are in charge for the management of the subsidiary  (Hollinshead, 2010, p.52). In polycentric (international) oriented  companies, the focus lies on local receptiveness and transfer of  learning. The overseas subsidiaries are regarded as self-governing  business units, which are controlled and managed by HCNs, whereas  key decision making (e.g. financial investments, etc.) is still in the  responsibility of PCNs (Hollinshead, 2010, p. 54). The third method is  the regiocentric (multinational) approach, where the focal point is the  global strategy, low cost and price competition. This metho d is a  midway between the culture and the global profile. In this case, the  most effective managers get recruited regardless of their country of  origin, thus a sharing of common organizational culture across distinct  managerial alliances take place (Hollinshead, 2010, p.54-56). The last  approach is a geocentric (global) cultural sensitive one, where it is  concentrated on both local responsiveness and global integration. The  aim is to establish a collaboration between the parent and the  subsidiary and again between subsidiaries (Hollinshead, 2010, p. 54-56). Eventually, these approaches, when comparing, have similarities  and divergences in some aspects. In the polycentric method the  primary orientation is the market and in the geocentric one the  strategy, whereas ethnocentrism concentrates on the product or  service itself and regiocentrism on the price factor. Concerning the  worldwide strategy, the ethnocentric/domestic style permits overseas  clients to purchase the product/service, the polycentric/international  method focuses on augmenting the market internationally and to  transfer the technology abroad, whereas the regiocentric/ multinational  approach is looking forward to supply, market and produce the goods  globally, and the geocentric/global approach wants to gain global  strategic competitive advantage. Regarding the staffing of expatriates,  the international and global approach assigns many expatriates, while  the multinational method only allocates a few expatriates and the  domestic one even none. There are also differences referring to whom  gets send. In the domestic phase it doesnt matter whom to send to  the subsidiaries (regarding the fact that almost no one is sent abroad),  in contrast the international approach assembles OK performers and sales people, whilst multinational and global approaches give attention  to employ only very good performers as well as high potential managers and top executives. The aspect purpose varies again for the four approaches: the domestic one rewards employees when expatriating, the international approach regards expatriates as people who get the job done, in the multinational method a project and career development takes place and in the global approach a career and organizational development occurs. Furthermore, with referenc e to the career impact, in the domestic attitude, there is a negative career impact for expatriates, the international method states a deficient impact for the domestic career, which is in contrast to the multinational and global approach, where it is considered important for the global career and essential for the executive suit. For the matter of a professional re-entry, the domestic and international approaches aggravate this particular process to a great extent, whereas in the multinational and global methods it is less difficult to re-entry even professionally easy. Another facet, is the training and development (language and cross-cultural management) one, where in the domestic method no training is required and in the international approach only a time-span of one week. Quite the opposite is necessary for the  multinational and global ones, where training and development can be carried out throughout the career. Expatriates need also certain necessary skills. The ethnocentr ic approach requires technical and managerial skills, the polycentric one the same as the ethnocentric one plus cultural adaptation, the multinational one plus recognizing cultural differences and the global one plus cross cultural interaction, influence and synergy (Scullion Linehan, 2005, p. 28-29).To conclude, the four approaches can be splitted up to two blocks of approaches, by putting the domestic and international ones together in one block and the multinational and global approaches to the other block, with regard to similarities and differences. Eventually, it gets obvious that the multinational and global approaches are best suited for the globalizing market, because a change in business activities require also a change in HR policies and activities to be most efficient and effective.

Analysis of To His Coy Mistress :: To His Coy Mistress, Andrew Marvell

"To His Coy Mistress" is a very interesting poem. The main plot of the poem is about this guy that tries to pick up a girl for the night. The poem does not tell about the setting. I assumed that it was in a bar, because of the way he talked to her and that is where most guys go to pick up a girl for the evening. We see this poem through the eyes of the guy, by doing this Marvell gives a look into his mind and what he is thinking. This helps to bring the reader into the poem. It allows the reader to get into his mind as the poem goes along. We begin to see the guy develop his words more and more until eventually by the third stanza he is pretty desperate. In the first stanza we see the guy begin to make a move. He begins to tell her all these sweet lines about how he could spend eternity with her. For instance, he says on line 11, "My vegtable love should grow vastar than empires, and more slow;...." In these two lines he is trying to tell her how his love will grow more and more everytime he sees her. He will love her until the end of time. A few lines later he continues to talk about his everlasting love. He begins to divide his love up between her body parts. He promises to her that he will dedicate a hundred years to her eyes. Then he tells her that he would dedicate two hundred to each breasts. That last line about the breasts I thought was pretty funny. Here you begin to see how his mind begins to shift toward sex. He begins to shift his thoughts from her eyes to her body. He is very nonchalant about it. After the comment about her breasts he says and thirty to the rest. I can just see this guy talking to her. He puts a little e mphasis on the breasts comment, and then I picture him mumbling, "oh yea....and thirty thousand to the rest." The guy is only out for one thing, and that is sex. He is trying to be smooth about it, but in the next stanza we begin to see his patience giving out. In the second stanza we begin to see the guy's personality shift.

A Critical Analysis of Various Schools of Thought in Strategy Theory

Strategy theory is a multi-disciplinary academic field with competing schools of thought based on often-incompatible assumptions, including even the basic definition of the field of study.   This is highlighted by the many attempts in the last decade to identify main paradigms, and search for new approaches.Mintzberg (1990; 1998) has put forward a taxonomy of assumptions and approaches, identifying ten main schools of thought, of which three are normative and together constitute the â€Å"classical approach† to business strategy.   The other seven are descriptive in nature.   Mintzberg named these schools the design, planning, position, entrepreneurial, cognition, learning, power, cultural, environmental, and configuration schools (Haugstad, 1999).This paper will evaluate the design, planning, and position schools (the â€Å"classical† view) as a single approach, contrasting it with a hybrid of the learning and the cultural schools (the â€Å"resource-based† view, according to Mintzberg’s classification).1.0  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Classical Approach to StrategyThe 2nd Industrial Revolution saw the emergence of mass national markets as developments in technology provided means to production hereto unavailable.   Economies of scale and scope provided the rationale for large-scale investment, and thus the emergence of strategic investment, and competitive strategy, as a means to shape market forces and affect the competitive environment.Subsequently, World War II supplied a vital stimulus to strategic thinking in business as well as military domains, because it highlighted the problem of allocating scarce resources across entire economies (Ghemawat, 1999).The work of Andrews, Christensen, Smith, Selznik, and Learned et al in the 1950’s form the design school (in Mintzberg’s taxonomy), while Ansoff through his work on corporate strategy is seen as the founder of the planning school (Haugstad, 1999).The original des ign school outlook was that of essential â€Å"fit† between a company’s internal resources and capabilities (strengths and weaknesses) against an external environment (possibly hostile, providing threats as well as opportunities).This gave rise to a framework that came to be referred to as SWOT, representing a â€Å"major step forward in bringing explicitly competitive thinking to bear on questions of strategy† (Ghemawat, 1999: pg 6).The SWOT gained quick acceptance as management practice, but did not provide satisfactory closure to the problems of actually defining a firm’s distinctive competence, and resource allocation for long-term development versus short-term gain.Igor Ansoff’s book, â€Å"Corporate Strategy†, was seminal in establishing the planning school’s approach.   Ansoff subscribed to the â€Å"fit† approach of the design school, but emphasized resource allocation in relation to a â€Å"common thread† that he defined as a firm’s â€Å"mission† or its commitment to exploit an existing need in the marketplace (Ghemawat, 1999).The planning school also emphasized a formal planning process resulting in detailed programming of the organization (Haugstad, 1999).   Ansoff and others also worked to translate the logic built into the SWOT framework into complex sequences of questions that needed to be answered in the development of strategies.Adam Marshall combined the concepts of supply and demand analysis in 1890 into the â€Å"Marshallian scissors†, which featured a downward-sloping demand curve and upward-sloping supply curve.   He also introduced the concept of price elasticity of demand.Supply-demand analysis was quickly incorporated into economics and marketing courses at business schools, though it seems to have had less impact on the teaching and practice of business strategy.   Other economists of what became known as the â€Å"Harvard School† argued that the structure of some industries might permit incumbent firms to earn positive economic profits over long periods of time.Thus an industry’s structure would determine the conduct of buyers and sellers and, by implication, the industry’s performance in terms of profitability, efficiency, and innovation.Michael Porter, in his framework for industry analysis, generalized the supply-demand analysis of individual markets in several important respects:relaxation of the assumptions of homogeneity (of product) and large numbers (of competing sellers);shifting attention from 2-stage vertical chains, each consisting of a supplier and a buyer, to 3-stage chains made p of suppliers, rivals, and buyers;catering for potential entrants and substitute products.Porter’s work formed the basis of what became known as the position school of business strategy.   This school recognizes only three generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiation, and focusing.   Thus, th e school sees strategy as the selection of an attractive industry (Porter, 1980), and good positioning within this industry (Porter, 1985).   

What are the most important weaknesses of the environmental optimist position?

The essay provides a fairly sound critique of the environmental optimist position. However, it also has a number of important drawbacks. The article cites global warming as the evidence of inadequacy of environmental optimism. However, there is still a debate going on in scientific circles concerning the causes of global warming. There is no persuasive evidence that global warming is induced by human activity. Therefore, citing global warming as an example of inadequacy of environmental optimism is a risky strategy. The second argument used to refute environmental optimist position is formulated in a confusing way. It is not before the middle of essay that the actual claim is made in a comprehensible manner. The claim itself is disputable: the essay states that in the environmental optimist view, there is a positive correlation between the economy and the environment; however, evidence proves otherwise. The essay supports this statement by showing negative causal relationship between economic development and pollution. However, the article makes a factual mistake by listing China and India as developed countries; in fact, they are developing countries with low environmental standards and high industrial output, therefore they are among largest contributors to pollution. Consumerism is also cited as a problem that is getting amplified rather than solved by industrial development. However, the essay ignores the ongoing shift from material values to post-material values (e. g. solidarity, national self-identification, community, culture etc. ) that is happening in many European countries and catches on in the U. S. This trend might be the turning point in the relations between humankind and environment. Therefore, environmental optimism remains a credible theory.

Social Responsibility Theory

Social Responsibility Theory To combat the pressures that threatened freedom of the press, this theory was first introduced in 1947 and was recommended by the Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press. It stated that the media should serve the public, and in order to do so, should remain free of government interference. It defined guidelines that the media should follow in order to fulfill its obligation of serving the public. Ethics and the Media The Social Responsibility Theory claimed that the media could be self-regulating by adhering to the following precepts: †¢ Media has obligations to fulfill to a democratic society in order to preserve freedom. †¢ Media should be self-regulated. †¢ Media should have high standards for professionalism and objectivity, as well as truth and accuracy. †¢ Media should reflect the diversity of the cultures they represent. †¢ The public has a right to expect professional performance. The proponents of this theory had strong faith in the public’s ability to determine right and wrong, and take action to preserve the public good when necessary. ) The social responsibility does not only fall upon the reporters and producers of media. The responsibility also falls to the consumers to become media literate and maintain high, yet reasonable expectations of the media. In theory, if these things happen, there will be no need for government intervention. The Social Resp onsibility Theory was set forth as the ideal way for the media to conduct business. Over the years since its introduction, this theory has met with much criticism as well as support. It has become the standard for United States media practices. It has also set the standards for much of the currently accepted media ethics. [pic] [pic]Since the Hutchins Commission produced its famous theory, the United States has developed better educated journalists, seen a reduction in news sensationalism and enjoyed more accuracy in reporting. Many journalists are now also advocates for the public and for social issues and reform, getting heir messages out through the media. Read more at Suite101: What is the Social Responsibility Theory? : Written by the Hutchins Commission on Freedom of the Press http://press-freedom. suite101. com/article. cfm/what_is_the_social_responsibility_theory#ixzz0hYd9u8dH Social responsibility Social responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society at large. This responsibility can be â€Å"negative†, meaning there is exemption from blame or liability, or it can be â€Å"positive,† meaning there is a responsibility to act beneficently (proactive stance). Businesses can use ethical decision making to secure their businesses by making decisions that allow for government agencies to minimize their involvement with the corporation. (Kaliski, 2001) For instance if a company is proactive and follows the United States Environmental Protection Agency? EPA) guidelines for emissions on dangerous pollutants and even goes an extra step to get involved in the community and address those concerns that the public might have; they would be less likely to have the EPA investigate them for environmental concerns. â€Å"A significant element of current thinking about privacy, however, stresses â€Å"self-regulation† rather than market or government mechanisms for protecting personal information† (Swire , 1997) Most rules and reg ulations are formed due to public outcry, if there is not outcry there often will be limited regulation. Critics argue that Corporate social responsibility (CSR) distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; others argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations (Carpenter, Bauer, & Erdogan, 2009). Socially responsible Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable responsible (SRB), or corporate social performance,[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure their adherence to law, ethical standards, and international norms. Business would embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stockholders and all other members of the public sphere For each business, different measures are taken in consideration to classify a business as â€Å"socially responsible†. Each business attempts to reach different goals. There are four areas that should be measured regardless of the outcome needed: Economic function, Quality of life, Social investment and Problem solving. [citation needed] that is trying to be achieved should be measured to see if it meets with the cost guidelines that the business is willing to contribute. [edit] Emerging Normative Status of Social Responsibility Social responsibility as a non-binding, or soft law principle has received some normative status in relation to private and public corporations in the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Universal Declation on Bioethics and Human Rights developed by the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee particularly in relation to child and maternal welfare. (Faunce and Nasu 2009) The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is developing an international standard to provide guidelines for adopting and disseminating social responsibility: ISO 26000 – Social Responsibility. Due for publication in 2010, this standard will â€Å"encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility and will lead to common guidance on concepts, definitions and methods of evaluation. † (ISO, 2009) The standard describes itself as a guide for dialogue and action, not a constraining or certifiable management standard. Social Responsibility |[pi|Practiced in the US in the 20th century | |c] | |[pi|Purpose is to inform, entertain, sell, but also to raise conflict to the plane of discussion | |c] | | |[pi|Ownership is private | |c] | | The social responsibility theory is an outgrowth of the libertarian theory. However, social responsibility goes beyond â€Å"objective† reporting to â€Å"interpretive† reporting. A truthful, complete account of the news is not necessarily enough today, notes the Commission on the Freedom of the Press: â€Å"It is no longer enough to report the fact [pic]truthfully. It is now necessary to report the truth about the fact. † Today's complex world often necessitates analysis, explanation, and interpretation. As the Commission stated in 1940: The emerging theory does not deny the rationality of man, although it puts far less confidence in it than the libertarian theory, but it does seem to deny that man is innately motivated to search for truth and to accept it as his guide. Under the social responsibility theory, man is viewed not so much irrational as lethargic. He is capable of using his reason but he is loath to do so. If man is to remain free, he must live by reason instead of passively accepting what he sees, hears, and feels. Therefore, the more alert elements of the community must goad him into the exercise of his reason. Without such goading man is not likely to be moved to seek truth. The languor which keeps him from using his gift of reason extends to all public discussion. Man's aim is not to find truth but to satisfy his immediate needs and desires. It is the press, therefore, that must be the â€Å"more alert element† and keep the public informed, for an informed populace is the cornerstone of democracy. Today's large media conglomerates, however, may not function naturally as a public forum, where all ideas are shared and available. â€Å"The owners and managers of the press determine which persons, which facts, which versions of these facts, shall reach the public,† writes the Commission. In this same light, Siebert, Peterson and Schramm warn: †¦ he power and near monopoly position of the media impose on them an obligation to be socially responsible, to see that all sides are fairly presented and that the public has enough information to decide; and that if the media do not take on themselves such responsibility it may be necessary for some other agency of the public to enforce it. The Canons of Journalism, adopted by the America n Society of Newspaper Editors addresses these same obligations when it calls on newspapers to practice responsibility to the general welfare, sincerity, truthfulness, impartiality, fair play, decency, and respect for the individual's privacy. Siebert, Peterson and Schramm also note that â€Å"freedom of expression under the social responsibility theory is not an absolute right, as under pure libertarian theory†¦. One's right to free expression must be balanced against the private rights of others and against vital social interests. † For example, it likely would not be socially responsible to report how the terrorist, using some new method, evaded security measures and smuggled a bomb onto a commercial airline.

Odin and Jesus comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Odin and Jesus comparison - Essay Example One of the most recognized similarities between Jesus and Odin occurs in terms of the crucifixion. In the Jesus myth the Bible depicts Jesus as being crucified by Roman soldiers after being turned in by his disciple Judas. While the Biblical articulation of the Jesus myth is well understood, less is understood of the Odin myth. Still, scholars recognize many similarities between Jesus crucifixion and Odin’s; it’s noted that:   The parallels between Odin’s death and Christ’s crucifixion are striking: both die  voluntarily; Odin is pierced with a spear, so is Christ; Odin alludes to the lack of reviving drink and Christ gets vinegar; Odin screeches or shrieks before he dies, and Christ cries out ‘in a loud voice (Crossely-Holland, p. 187). The above secondary source indicates some of the significant similarities that have been identified between the two myths. There is the recognition that in some instances there is not a direct parallel; subsequen tly it is important to consider that some of the above established similarities may be the cause of confirmation bias. Still, the Odin emerged two-hundred fifty years before the Jesus myth and could easily have influenced the apostles when they were constructing the books of the New Testament. This perspective is further heightened by the recognition that Christian missionaries may have used portions of the Odin myth to convince individuals living in Germanic territories to convert to Christianity. In this way the Odin myth could have had a subtle influence on the way the Christian Jesus myth was articulated. When examining both crucifixion stories further there is the recognition that there are increasing similarities. In terms of spear piercing, Odin is recognized as having pierced his own side. This is contrasted with the Jesus myth, where a Roman centurion is the one who injures Jesus. Still, the effect of pain and suffering is one that remains constitute throughout both myths. In speaking of Odin hanging the myth indicates that Odin was hanged from a tree. After this occurs the Odin indicates, â€Å"With spear I was wounded, and offered I was† (Bellows, p. 60). There is the recognition that in both Jesus’ and Odin’s story a spear was used. There is also a similar qualitative consideration between the two myths. Jesus’ image on the cross is indelibly positioned with Western consciousness; a similar embodiment of suffering occurs with Odin as he hangs from the tree indicating that, â€Å"None made me happy with loaf or horn† (Bellows, p. 60). In both instances there is the image of the deity as suffering without help. Still, perhaps more significant is the underlining thematic recognition that in both instances the figure’s death constitutes a sacrifice for a greater cause. In the Jesus myth Jesus dies for the sins of humanity. This is contrasted with Odin who, â€Å"offered I was To Othin, myself to myself† (Bellows, p. 60). Here Odin is indicating that he sacrificed himself to himself. While the purpose for the sacrifice could ostensibly argued to be different between the myths, for Odin his death is done to gain knowledge for humanity. In both instances then there is the recognition that the death occurs to benefit humanity. In conclusion, this essay has compared the deities Odin and Jesus. Within this spectrum of examination the essay has demonstrated that both individuals share a number of