Letter of recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Letter of recommendation - Essay Example As a business and quality assurance analyst, Alvi demonstrated tremendous leadership and management skills. He acted as the link between the project team and the client, and he ensured that client requirements are effectively communicated to the team. His ability to coordinate project activities and monitor progress ensured that the final product met the needs of the client. His ability and eagerness to understand and resolve issues with project stakeholders made him the most outstanding and respected member of the team. Mr. Alvi was willing to go out of his way and help others during the project life. I was pleased with his creative and critical thinking ability. He was able to communicate authoritatively without hurting the feelings of other members. During the interactions I had with him, Alvi emphasized on the importance of applying knowledge acquired in class in undertaking real life projects. While working on the project, Alvi remained vigilant and never failed to ask the team members questions on unfamiliar matter or idea. Consequently, Alvi was ready to share his knowledge by explaining to other members any new concepts and ideas. Due to His desire to learn and apply his IT skills, Alvi occasionally reported to work with his laptop that contained notes and other resources. On many occasions, Alvi talked about his desire to further his education in IT. I believe that if offered chance, Alvi has the potential to use his knowledge and skills to transform the society for the better. His commitment and willingness to apply his knowledge make him a suitable candidate for this program. I believe he will be more than a student and prove to be a major asset to the program. I therefore offer my highest

Discuss the effectiveness of the opening three scenes of Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Discuss the effectiveness of the opening three scenes of Macbeth Essay Macbeth is a thrilling tragedy based on a mans lack of control over greed. A play that shows his downfall from being a noble lord who was in a close circle with the king, to losing all his morals. This escalated into his death. Its set in Scotland as it is somewhat known to be a nation of things such as blood feuds. Macbeth is a play associated with the supernatural. It is a theme throughout the play because it has reoccurrences from beginning to end. Examples of this would be the three witches. They appear right at the start where Macbeth is first mentioned. They have visions and further on tell Macbeth he will become thane of Cawdor and then king. This triggers off his arrogance. They then reappear to tell him that he will not die from anything human. The audience are repeatedly getting reminded that the play has a supernatural theme to it. A flying dagger also appears along with all of Macbeths strange hallucinations. Macbeth was written during the Elizabethan era. At that period of time the society had a very strong belief that witches and witchcraft was in existence. People would blame unexplainable events on witchcraft. These things would often include when people died from terrible diseases, an animals death, bad harvesting, and houses burnt down in fires. They didnt have any knowledge on what was really happening so witches were an easy target to use. There were 270 witch trials during the Elizabethan times. 247 of those people were all women and only a mere 23 were men and I think this is mainly because men were known as being all powerful. The people that were normally accused for being witches were the old, the unprotected, the poor and single women or widows. Elizabethan women relied on the male members of their family. They didnt have many rights and for that reason they were belittled by men and expected to obey them. The number of poorer people was increasing and old, poor and unprotected women needed to have some kind of support. Access to doctors and medicines was minimal. Women were expected to produce cures. Wise women used herbs. The use of herbs and plants such as mandrake, datura, monkshood, cannabis, belladonna, henbane and hemlock were common ingredients in brews and ointments for medical purposes. As the fear of witches and witchcraft increased anyone with knowledge of herbs were thought to be having a pact with the devil. This would be resulted in execution. In act one scene one a dramatic atmosphere is automatically created. As Macbeth is a play, when the audience is watching this, the setting will set the mood to the scene. Its set on a moor. This is telling us that its in a very quite, almost disturbing place as its a wasteland area. Theres thunder and lightning as the three witches enter. This allows the audience to have suspicions that something mysterious is about to happen. Thunder and lightning are also perceived as ghastly things which are associated with things that are awful or scary. This might set a tense atmosphere because the audience will now expect the witches to be like the thunder and lightning, something that will turn out to become awful or scary. In addition to this because the weather is unusual, its not like rain or clouds that we see near enough every day, it can let us acknowledge that something unusual will be at the entrance of the play. In this scene the witches are planning to meet again once the fighting is over to meet Macbeth. This would have made the Elizabethan audience a lot more frightened than our modern audience would ever be because back in that time there was a strong belief in witchcraft. They could have been alarmed and anxious to find out how the witches can be. But on the other hand they might think of the play as a re-enactment of things that have happened therefore being startled as the witches were a big fear in their lives. This is a peculiar scene because the witches saying things which are not normally supposed to happen. Things such as when the battles lost and won. We know that after a battle is either one or the other when its over. So saying that neither will happen makes the audience start to wonder. It gives the audience curiosity as they analyze what the witches words mean. It doesnt seem to make sense, so why are they saying it is a question that runs through my mind. At the end of this scene the all three witches say a line together. Fair is foul and foul is fair: hover through the filthy air. The language the witches use is often rhymes and riddles. This gives me several different interpretations of them. Either they want the audience to guess and attempt to solve the riddles in order to understand what they are talking about. They want us to be involved in the play by thinking of this as a game. Whoever solves the riddles will find their way to the plot the quickest. Or I think the witches are talking to the audience because they want us to wonder but they dont want us to understand what they are talking about. Exactly like when a parents talks by spelling out words so that a young child does not understand. This is the witches way of communicating by making sure that no-one will understand what they are talking about and we are not like them so we dont grasp their way of talking. It could also be a way of stating that they are witches in the play. Talking in a different sort of language to us means they are not from the same place as we are. In the Polanski film the witches are represented to be very mysterious creatures. They give off an eerie sense to them, with their old, haggered faces surrounding a human arm buried in the sand. The images alone tell us that the witches are nothing like the majority of the society. They are portrayed to look like outcasts as they appear on the moor when no-one is around to be seen. They look as if theyve been washed up from the sea from a whole other world. In Act one Scene two there is a dramatic contrast to the opening scene. In the first scene there is a mysterious and quite a scary theme but in scene two it turns cheerful. The witches are gone and no elements of the supernatural are now presented. It seems like they have skipped a few scenes as it goes from the three witches riddle to then after the battle. There is no information about the battle except from this scene where they are only talking about its past events. The good king Duncan hears the news on how the battle went in this scene. He gets told how heroically Macbeth and Banquo have fought against Macdonwald and his band of rebels; and then against the Norwegians and the Scottish traitor. King Duncan, Sergeant and Ross now views Macbeth as a brave warrior. For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name is how the sergeant describes him to be. This shows the respect and appreciation they have for him. They now portray Macbeth to be a noble gentleman and an idol that should be looked up to. At this point in the play the audience will also think highly of Macbeth by his description without even laying eyes on him yet. Whilst the sergeant carries on talking about Macbeth he then says Which neer shook hands, nor bade farewell to him, till he unseamd him from nave to the chaps. He was basically saying that Macbeth didnt give up the battle, he didnt leave until he had fully destroyed Macdonwald from nave to the chaps meaning from his nose to his jaws. This is showing Macbeths inner strength as well as outer strength by not giving up until he was done. In addition, it is showing their lifestyle and how it was a good thing to be able to fight so savagely. This might make an Elizabethan audience idolize Macbeth. Macbeth is then given the honour of Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan. He earns this by his courageous battle and has therefore made the Norwegian king beg for peace. Scene three is again dramatically different from the first two scenes. The first scene has a purely supernatural theme to it and the second scene has none whatsoever. Then the third scene comes in and this is where the two worlds collide. Supernatural versus normality. The audience find themselves back at the moor again with more thunder as the witches open the scene. This is like a flashback from the first scene. From the witches interactions at the start of the scene we find out that they are not in the least bit kind but instead they are rather malicious. At the start of their conversation after the first witch asks where hast thou been, sister? the second witch replied with killing swine. This is a simple but effective quote. It tells the audience that the witches stir up trouble. But it also gives them the tension of wanting to know the plans they have got for Macbeth. It is a forceful quote because where the witches are usually talking in riddles; instead she gives a heartless answer with no riddles as we know exactly what killing is. Generally most people would have been a little more shaken up by the thought of killing but not her. Then having no regrets whatsoever because she names the person she has just killed swine. Once Macbeth and Banquo enter the scene Macbeths firsts words into the play are So foul and fair a day I have not seen. This links him to the witches because right at the end of the first scene all three of the witches recite fair is foul, and foul is fair: hover through the fog and filthy air. Macbeth and Banquo describe the witches as so witherd and so wild in their attire, that look not like th inhabitants o the earth, and yet are on t?. They are describing the witches to be barbarians. He is questioning whether they should be on this world or not. This shows that he instantly knows that they are not entirely human. The appearance of the witches gives the audience a judgement to what their going to be like. The appearance of a character is supposed to be there in a play to show off the characters personality traits in it too. The predictions that are given to Macbeth and Banquo are that Macbeth will be the thane of Cawdor and then the king soon after and that Macbeth and Banquo will both be fathers of kings but they wont become them. Banquo questions the witches along with Macbeth shortly after. They are confused as to what had just happened. When they are about to leave Macbeth says stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more. This is telling the audience that Macbeth is anxious to find out where they have gathered this knowledge. They seemed to have been stunned by the news. It is weird that the witches already knew that he was thane of Glamis without anyone telling them so they must have some form of power. In addition, the Elizabethan audience thought that witches could tell the future so they would know that what they are saying is true. Plus, the audience now know that Macbeth has become thane of Cawdor already so the rest of their speech is likely to be true too. Afterwards Ross and Angus enter the scene once the witches have vanished and announce that Macbeth is now the thane of Cawdor. This is a really dramatic point in the play because after the witches telling them that Macbeth will become thane of Cawdor it suddenly happens. However the audience can judge the witches better than what Macbeth can because they know what happened in the previous scene. The audience knows that its due to Macbeths bravery that he has been given the honour of thane of Cawdor. It is dramatic because Macbeth and Banquo now think that its not because of courage it is because of the witches magic that got him there. From these opening scenes of the play it is dropping the audience some clues of what is about to happen. They know that something is going to happen to make Macbeth to become king but then he is going to lose that position. They know that Banquo and Macbeths sons are going to be kings and they know that king Duncan has to be killed if Macbeth is going to be king. In my opinion the first three scenes of Macbeth are very effective as an opening to the play. It has already showcased the main points of the play with not giving away too much information to make it predictable. It leaves the audience to ask questions to themselves to query what is going to happen next. The theme has been shown in the play by mixing the supernatural and the not. It is also showing how the play is all about power and the hierarchy that Macbeth is climbing up on. Then telling the audience that battles are something thats going to occur throughout this play by having the first three scenes based around one. The opening would have been more effective to an Elizabethan audience as opposed to a modern audience. The modern audience would find it a lot harder to understand the language thats being used as it has changed from when the play was written. The Elizabethan audience believed in the supernatural so it would have been more intense to watch. The play is based around things that might of happened around the Elizabethan era. They can relate the play more to their real lives. Whereas for a modern day audience, witches are not something that we talk about in our everyday lives so we cannot relate the play to our own experience. This might make the Elizabethan audience understand the play more.

The Death Penalty Essay -- Capital Punishment Essays

The Death Penalty in the United States is still intact, but in other Nations it has been abolished. These countries abolished it because they thought it to inhumane and cruel. One hundred and thirty-six nations have abolished the death penalty. Now in this essay I will tell the reasons some states and countries still have the death penalty and why some do not, also some cases of people getting sentenced to it when they were really innocent. The first thing I am going to talk about is the states and countries that still have the death penalty. In the United States the death penalty is still held as a sentence for many reasons like; most Americans still support the death penalty, the eye-for-an eye mentality still holds firm in the conservative heartland, and the leaders still believe that it is effective against a violent crime. I think the only thing they don't think about when they approve of the penalty is the innocent people that get â€Å"proven guilty† are not really guilty and they are put to death for something they didn't even do. In the case of Kobe Bryant, he was proven guilty for sexually assaulting a 19 year old girl in his home town of Eagle, Colorado. He even admitted that he had committed adultery but they still proved guilty even though he didn't do it. He was sentenced to maximum sentence to life in prison. In the state of Texas, they have prosecuted four times more inmates than in any one single state. Only thirty-six of the fifty states still have the death penalty and those states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connetticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana,. Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Miss... ... Each year there are about 250 people added to death row and 35 executed. From 1976 to 1995 there were a total of 314 people put on death row in the U.S. 179 of them were put to death using lethal injection, 123 were put to death using electrocution, 9 were put to death in a gas chamber, 2 were hung, and 1 was put to death using the firing squad. The death penalty is the worst form of punishment gave in the United Sates. Once the jury has convicted a criminal, they go to the second part of the trial, the punishment phase.   Different forms of the death penalty are more reasonable than others. In the 1920's people decided that lethal gas, or the gas chamber, was more reasonable than the electric chair. Is the death penalty just or unjust? Well one of the "Ten Commandments" states, " Thou shalt not kill." Wouldn't this mean that the death penalty is murder?

Company G 3 Year Marketing Plan Essay

XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices. Introduction With two decades of innovative and award winning design, Company G has grown to be a market leader in consumer electronics. The Company enjoys unparalleled brand recognition and is highly rated and trusted by consumers worldwide. Company G’s products are known for their original design, durability and use of innovative technology. Company G’s brands enjoy both high consumer desirability and high consumer loyalty. With a reputation as a trend setter, many of Company G’s mobile electronic products are sought-after as â€Å"Status Symbols† purchases. Some of the Company’s products benefit from a cult like following among early adopters and some serve as industry bench-marks against similar products. With the introduction of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, the Company plans to continue to strive to be the first to market in the consumer electronic market segments that it enjoys competing in. The Company will also maintain the practice of extending products life c ycles and promoting their market positions by offering novel peripheral products such as the XG Wi-Fi Gateway timed to support and broaden the market interest and appeal associated with other existing XG products. Mission Statement â€Å"We combine beautiful design and intuitive functionally to provide consumers with desirable products that enhance the quality and convenience of their lives.† The Product The new XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows consumers to easily manage which Wi-Fi enabled mobile device can assess their secured home Wi-Fi network. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product of the Company’s popular XG Wireless Router series. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is industry compliant with North America and Euro Zone wireless communication standards and is compatible with other manufacturer’s routers. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices allows a consumer to manage their secure home Wi-Fi network through any other device designated as the â€Å"Administrator†. When a new Wi-Fi enabled device attempts to access the home Wi-Fi network through the XG Wi-Fi Gateway, an alert message is sent to the administrator. The administrator can choose several pre-set network access options as well as select from their own custom rules allowing or limiting network access to specific devices. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is a 3 inch by 3 inch by 1/3 inch pad that links to the home router via a 2.0 USB plug. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices can also connect directly to any router with the additional purchase of a USB to Ethernet converter cable. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices has a minimal footprint. Once connected, the consumer does not have to interact with or manipulate the devices and it can be hidden or placed out of the way behind a computer or router. The administrator interacts with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices through the Wi-Fi Gateway application. The software is provided and compatible with desktop and laptop computers running Windows, OS X and Chrome operating systems. A free Wi-Fi Gateway application can also be downloaded, installed and run on smart phones and tablets using iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices is also compatible with the Xbox360 and PS3 gaming consoles. Consumer Product Classification The consumer product classification for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway for mobile devices falls under a shopping product. Additionally it should be considered with a sub-classification of unsought products. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway extends the functionality and security of modern router, thus the separate, pre-purchase of a router is required. Consumers have ample information available to make decisions regarding purchase decisions for routers; however, they have limited knowledge of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway peripheral or add-on. Consumers will require education and persuasion during the buying process. This is seen as a unique product, currently, there are no other devices or substitutes that offer the functionality of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Target Market Majority of our consumers will be males, head of household age 25-54, in a home with a wireless router. The household has multiple computers, smart phones or tablets. Our consumer expresses interest in electronic gadgets and considers themselves to be a â€Å"tech savvy† buyer. The target consumer is conscious about online security threats and has purchased or upgraded anti-virus software in the last 24 months. Our shopper is engaged with online social networks and media with most news delivered to the household digitally. Purchases of electronic products are heavily influenced by the favorable opinions and reviews from friends and colleagues. They are also strongly influenced by negative reviews of products by tech blogs and consumer comments in social media. Household income of our target consumer is $32,000- $70,000 annually with at least one child living in the home. Analysis of Competitive Environment Threat of new competition The threat of new competition is high. Our belief is the technologies associated with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be replicated by any of the other leading manufacturers of wireless routers. Company G hold proprietary technology in the design of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway and will fight to protect its interests and rights, however other manufactures could adopt their own existing patents and processes to compete. We feel these other established brands with distribution channels could generate a competitive rivalry if they choose to enter this market. Threat of substitute products or services The threat of a substitute product is low. Consumers determine if they have a need for the features offered by the XG Wi-Fi Gateway or they choose to forgo those features and service. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway has a high level of product differentiation. Consumers attempting to replicate the services of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will find it technologically challenging and cost prohibitive to duplicate. Bargaining power of consumers Consumers have moderate bargaining power. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a discretionary purchase. The consumer has to desire the enhanced control of their home Wi-Fi network and or the additional security offered by the product. Buyers who have suffered a loss from a network breach will be less price sensitive than those only looking to enhance their level of control. We expect downward price pressure due to demand to bundle and discount the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG routers. Bargaining power of suppliers Threats from suppliers are low. While our product is new, most of the individual components are already mass produced or can easily be produced on existing manufacturing lines requiring only minimal retooling. Key proprietary components can be produced by several of Company G’s subsidiaries. Suppliers and materials are plentiful and available globally. Intensity of competitive rivalry Rivalry is low. Currently there are no competing products for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway market. Company G enjoys significant brand recognition and brand loyalty. The XG lines also profits from a history of positive consumer reviews and ratings and benefits from higher perceived value when compared to similar products in the market. Outlays are kept low by utilizing existing manufacturing facilities and distribution channels. Costs, such as R&D, marketing, engineering and packaging design are allocated and shared across the whole XG catalog of products. SWOT Analysis Strengths 1.Company G and the XG Brand have high consumer loyalty and are recognized for innovative product design and functionality. 2.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is the first of a kind to market. 3.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway received positive reviews from influential tech blogs and media. Support 1.Company G has carefully nurtured and reinforced its company brands. Company G has invested a considerable amount of resources promoting and showcasing the various products in the XG line. XG branded products benefit for the loyalty and familiarity consumers have with the existing line thus helping to lower overall new consumer acquisitions costs. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 2.As a first of a kind to market, Company G can maintain a higher price point by controlling the amount of products available without fear of lost of market share to competition. Company G can operate as a monopoly until others enter the market. First to the market also helps reinforce the XG brand’s reputation as a leader in providing cutting edge technology to consumers. We consider this strength to be a core competency. 3.Our target market reads and is influenced by tech blog reviews. Tech blog reviews are a valuable cost neutral resource for increasing product awareness and help raise consumer sentiment and increase product differentiation. Weaknesses 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a secondary purchase or upgrade after the initial purchase of a router. 2.Low target consumer awareness of product. 3.Target consumer requires educated before purchase. Support 1.Consumers are resistant to making an additional secondary purchase after deciding to buy a router. Consumers realize the enhanced services the XG Wi-Fi Gateway offers are not essential to a secure home network and may postpone a purchase until a demonstrated need is established. 2.As a first of a kind to market, consumers are not aware of the product. The target market is highly sought after and regularly bombarded with sophisticated marketing campaigns. The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a peripheral product and does not command the spotlight associated with a flagship product launch. 3.Our target consumer will do research prior to making a purchase. Company G will have to put forth assessable information through multiple media outlets for the consumer to find and review. Additionally, sales persons and other trusted sources will need to be introduced to specifications and features of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to be credible and persuasive. Opportunities 1.The XG Wi-Fi Gateway can be developed for commercial and retail use. 2.Integration into other manufactures’ routers through licensing agreements. 3.Add versatility with the incorporation with NFC (near field communication) chips. Support 1.The technology in the XG Wi-Fi Gateway could be upgraded to provide a solution in commercial spaces (coffee shops, restaurants stores†¦) that want to control, monitor or monetize their Wi-Fi bandwidth service. This would expand the XG line into a new market. 2.Company G could increase revenues by licensing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway technology to other router manufactures. By providing completive licensing agreements, it reduces the incentive of the competition from developing rival technology. 3.Near field communication (NFC) chips are an emerging technology with potential to disrupt retail checkout/payment process. The inclusion of NFC could help broaden the market for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway as the technology becomes more widely available in the retail industry. Threats 1.Shifts in technology away from Wi-Fi protocols and services. 2.A low cost competitor enters and disrupts the market. 3.A widespread security breach or software flaw could be catastrophic for the product. Support 1.The pace of change and innovations in technology is ever quickening. Consumer sentiment tends to move towards the newest standard. Wi-Fi technology is well established, reliable and widely taken for granted, it is the old guard. Some modern countries have already shifted away from Wi-Fi services in favor of cellular protocols or Super Wi-Fi, which functions in the TVWS bandwidth. Any shift away from the Wi-Fi protocol would require retooling of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with new technology which may be prohibitive due to IP rights or development costs. 2.If a low cost competitor enters the market, Company G would have to spend additional marketing resources defending its market share. Company G would also have to engage in completive pricing to maintain its market position. Lower pricing and increased marketing efforts will have a negative impact on the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s profits. 3.A security breach could permanently tarnish the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s reputation. A major flaw or breach could kill the product’s viability in just a few days. Any breach would be an embarrassment to Company G, could result in lower share prices and expose the company to additional liabilities and lawsuits. Marketing Objectives Product Objective Provide our target consumer with an innovated and desirable product that is friendly and enhances their online activities with ease of use, technological compatibility and upgradeability resulting in annual sales of 1.5 million units in the first year, 3 million by the second year and 5 million by the third. Price Objective Pricing for a stand along XG Wi-Fi Gateway will start at $34.99. Company G will also offer up to a 20% savings premium when retailers order, bundle and promote the XG Wi-Fi Gateway with other XG products. Place Objective The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will utilize existing Company G online and retail distribution channels throughout North America and Europe. Additionally, the XG Wi-Fi Gateway will be carried and offered by the 3 leading cable companies in North America when selling optional residential broadband internet services. 100 days post launch, Company G will also introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway into AT&T and T-Mobile retail stores and kiosks in North America along with Vodafone retail outlets in the UK and Movistar retail outlets in Spain. Company G will continue to utilize its proprietary predictive algorithms to ensure global product availability. Promotion Objective We expect to increase our target consumer awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway by 25% in the first six months and by 33% by each year post launch. Catching the attentions of our target consume and demonstrating the XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s unique features will be critical to the product’s success. Company G will leverage its name recognition, reputation and media relationships along with its vast distribution channels to ensure the target consumer has ample opportunities to learn about and interact with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway prior to purchase. These Marketing Objectives are crafted to provide the optimal return for all of Company G’s stakeholders. Marketing Strategies Product Strategies †¢Compatibility The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is compatible with all major router equipment sold in North America and Europe. Our target consumer will be assured that The XG Wi-Fi Gateway will work will even previously purchased equipment regardless of the manufacture. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use The XG Wi-Fi Gateway is a plug and forget it device. The software is multi-operating system compatible. The user interface has been extensively reviewed and focuses group tested to ensure an appropriate and intuitive workflow. †¢Longevity, Durability The XG Wi-Fi Gateway hardware has no moving parts and is incased in a durable vinyl covering. The hardware has a life expectancy, with normal use, of 5 to 8 years. Software upgrades are pushed to the device as needed, no interaction is required from the consumer. Given current trends in Wi-Fi technology, Company G expects the software to be compliant with FCC and EU regulators for 10 or more years. Price Strategies †¢Skimming Model Company G will use Skimming Model for the first 100 days. Leading up to The XG Wi-Fi Gateway’s launch, marketing efforts will target the less price sensitive â€Å"early adopters† portion of our consumer group. †¢High-low Pricing High-low pricing will be utilized for the XG Wi-Fi Gateway after 100 days post launch. Special offers will be presented through online and traditional retailers when they bundle other Company G products with the purchase of a The XG Wi-Fi Gateway. Company G will also offer a rebate program in secondary markets coinciding with â€Å"back to school† activities. †¢Psychological Pricing Psychological pricing will be used to have an encouraging psychological influence on our target consumer. The consumer is well educated and well connected and knows what his peers have paid for other similar products. This pricing model will ensure he feels satisfied with the decision leading up to his purchase and comfortable sharing that information with his peer group. Place Strategy †¢Strategic Channel Alliances Company G will utilize strategic channel alliances to get the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to areas where our target consumers live, work and play. We are partnering with recognized industry leaders to cross promote their compatible products with the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. This strategy allows consumers to see how the product works with other devices and gives them the opportunity to realize an immediate benefit of ownership. †¢Intensive Distribution Model Company G will also unitize an intensive distribution model. We will maximize our current distribution network to deliver the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to all available channels our target consumer may wish to utilize to make a purchase. †¢Pull Strategy Since our consumer desires product specifications in order to make a purchasing decision, Company G will take that â€Å"teaching† opportunity and convert it in to a desire to, at a minimum, interact with the physical product. We will run a campaign to persuade consumers to â€Å"give it a try yourself at your local electronics retailer†. This pull strategy should help Company G entice retailers to provide the XG Wi-Fi Gateway a more prominent position in their outlets as consumers ask to interact with the device. Promotion Strategies †¢Trade Shows Trade Shows are an important and ideal location to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway to our target consumer. He regularly attends trade shows and often shares part of his experience on social media. If our consumer does not attend a show, he often seeks out opinions or stories from friends that have attended. The trade show environment allows us to craft the best possible informational and presentation opportunity outside of the consumer’s own home. This strategy is important because our consumer tends to make multiple electronics purchase within three months after attending a Consumer Electronics Show. †¢Product Placements Seeing the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in use is important to our target consumer. We are identifying their popular movies, television and web series and negotiating subtle placement of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in to the main story’s setting. Company G used this strategy successfully for several of its mobile products. The overall return for this strategy was better than that of a 30 second commercial buy on a similar type show. Our consumer pays attention to their favorite show and interprets the commercials as interruptions. †¢Trade Allowances Company G will provide advertising and promotion allowances in targeted markets. Trade allowances will be based on a matrix consisting of ratings for the importance of market, the retailer’s foot traffic, sales volume and ad placement and media buy. Retailers can determine how to use the allowance within the terms and conditions of the trade allowance agreement. This strategy demonstrates that Company G values the retailer’s understanding of how to capitalize on the unique marketing challenges in their local market. Tactics and Action Plan Product Action Plan †¢Compatibility oTactic: Test and adjust all XG Wi-Fi Gateway components to ensure the final unit meets all FCC and EU regulations. Test and rate for compatibility against all targeted compatible products. Make adjustments and updates when identified. oDue Date: 6 months before launch then ongoing every 6 months throughout the products life cycle. oResponsible Party: A team made-up of members for the software development group, components and hardware group, competitor intelligence group and the product management team. †¢Friendly, Ease of Use oTactic: Ensure the XG Wi-Fi Gateway is user friendly and offers an intuitive user interface. oDue Date: 9 month ahead of launch. Review will also be conducted before the release of any update that may impact the user interface. oResponsible Party: A team made up of members from market research, software development, public relations and the product management team. †¢Longevity, Durability oTactic: Only high quality components from Company G selected suppliers will be utilized in the manufacturing of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway. All parts are randomly selected for quality assurance and destructive testing throughout the assembly cycle. oDue Date: Continuous once components arrive for assembly. oResponsible Party: Quality control team as well as independent 3rd party auditors. Price Action Plan †¢Skimming Model oTactic: Capitalize and maximize revenue on consumer interest and desire to own a cutting edge product. oDue Date: Initial pricing to be finalized 90 days prior to launch and monitored for the first 100 days post launch oResponsible Party: Financial analysts, accounting, channel marking managers and product management. †¢High-low Pricing oTactic: To maximize the revenue opportunities by providing incentives for retailers and consumers by making special offers by bundling Company G products or offering appropriate rebates. oDue Date: Special pricing, bundling offers and rebate programs will be finalized at launch then reviewed every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, financial analysts, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Psychological Pricing oTactic: Ensure our target consumer is persuaded that the perceived value is greater than actual retail price. oDue Date: 90 days prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing managers, public relations team, consumer research team, independent 3rd party consumer survey team Place Action Plan †¢Strategic Channel Alliances oTactic: Partner with non-retail partners to introduce the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in unique and impactful locations and situations to our target consumer. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then every 3 months. oResponsible Party: Marketing team, channel marking managers and product managers. †¢Intensive Distribution Model oTactic: We will engage all of our distribution and retail partners throughout the entire product cycle. oDue Date: 1 year prior to launch then continuous. oResponsible Party: channel marking managers and distribution management team †¢Pull Strategy oTactic: Entice consumers to ask their local retailers about the XG Wi-Fi Gateway oDue Date:90 days prior to launch then continuously for the first 100 days oResponsible Party: Marketing team and public relations team Promotion Action Plan †¢Trade Shows oTactic: Secure prominent floor space at CESs and Home Shows in major and secondary markets oDue Date:1 Year prior to product launch oResponsible Party: Marketing team, product management team †¢Product Placements oTactic: Identify and secure placement opportunities on targeted media outlets/shows oDue Date: 9 months before launch and through the first year oResponsible Party: Marketing team and media relations team †¢Trade Allowances oTactic: Provide strategic retailers marketing and promotional resources to increase awareness of the XG Wi-Fi Gateway in the local markets they serve. oDue Date: 3 months prior to launch then ongoing. oResponsible Party: Marketing team and channel marking managers Monitoring Procedures To ensure the Product and Marketing Teams meet the XG Wi-Fi Gateway meets Company G’s financial performance goals: Monitoring Activity: Regular review of ongoing product performance and benchmarking. Due Date/Frequency: Weekly meetings.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

The movie â€Å"The Day The Earth Stood Still† is more of a propaganda film with themes than a science fiction film because its sci-fi characteristics almost feel like an afterthought. The movie is set in the early 1950’s, when American's showed deep concern towards Communism. Fear of the unknown, which was associated with Communism, is also a major point of the film and it exploits this theme with knowing veracity. In most respects, Klaatu is the epitome of this fear, and the characters of the film react to the alien with fright, due to our perceptions of the unfamiliar. The scene where Klaatu is shot because the soldier doesn’t know what the unknown device in his hand was is an example of fear in America at that time. Another theme the movie seems to deal with is religious symbolism. The arrival of a spaceship in Washington D. C from the sky carrying a celestial being that wishes to speak to the world but is denied doing so He is wounded and taken to the hospital where he escapes and assumes the identity of a Mr. Carpenter. It is after performing a â€Å"miracle† this Mr. Carpenter finds himself persecuted and executed by the powers-that-be for trying to deliver a message of peace and universal brotherhood. It is only after the Mr. Carpenter is resurrected and ascends into the heavens that his message is allowed to spread amongst the peoples of the world. This whole movie is taken from the bible and is a parody of Jesus Christ, right down to the usage of the name â€Å"Carpenter†, which was the job Jesus took during his lifetime. The movie also predicts what the military thinks like and the power it has and how it cannot always be good. The part of the movie where Klaatu speaks to the scientists about atomic power is an example. He speaks about using it for good like in his space craft, not for making weapons to destroy each other. He goes on to say that continuing to use it that way will only lead to earths destruction. Klaatu is informing the military to think on how they use the science that is given to them and to clean up their act. Another revelation that the film creates about the military is that they are everywhere. When the ship first lands the military had been tracking it and now has posted soldiers around the ship. Later when Klaatu escapes, the military leads the manhunt instead of the police through the city. Finally even after Klaatu’s death the military commands the police to let no one in or out to see the body. All these factors suggest to the viewer that the military is there for them, that if the Communists or another type of threat where to arrive in the United States the military would act at once for the protection of its citizens. The Day The Earth Stood Still remains on of the most significant science fiction movies ever made, and it has lost none of its impact, even after more than fifty years. Its themes can still be applied today because of the fear we have of terrorism and the threat of nuclear attacks from them.

The Politics essays

The Politics essays In the book The Politics, Aristotle analyzes different types of political communities. He examines these political communities on two different levels; first as a city and then as a regime. By studying both city and regime you get the full picture of the different types of governments throughout the world. Aristotle uses this dual approach to describe the different types of regimes. Through his evaluation of the city and regime, Aristotle comes to the conclusion that oligarchies, which are governments that are ruled by the few, are deviant regimes because they govern for the good of the rulers, and not for the good of the whole. The city is the first level that Aristotle uses to evaluate different types of political communities. A complete city is the multitude of such persons that is adequate with a view to a self-sufficient life (Aristotle pg. 87). Villages are collaboration of many households that have come together so they can obtain non-daily needs. Since villages are not self-sufficient, they join together to form cities. Cities provide you with the things your household and your village are not able to provide to you. Therefore, the city is the only thing that can exists self-sufficiently, and it exists for the sake of living well. The city is also the most authoritative partnership. The city embraces all other partnerships and therefore, it aims at the most authoritative good of all, which is living well. Aristotle uses city to generally describe political communities. The city only describes the people who inhabit it; it does not distinguish who the rulers are or what kind of rule the city has. The citizens are an important aspect of political communities because knowing the citizens allows you to investigate what type of regime that particular city has or should have. To find out who rules the city you have to study the citys regime. Regimes are the second level of analy...

All Quiet On The Western Front Essays (1050 words) - Free Essays

All Quiet On The Western Front Essays (1050 words) - Free Essays All Quiet on the Western Front Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the greatest war novels of all time. It is a story, not of Germans, but of men, who even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war. The entire purpose of this novel is to illustrate the vivid horror and raw nature of war and to change the popular belief that war is an idealistic and romantic character. The story centers on Paul Ba?mer, who enlists in the German army with glowing enthusiasm. But in the course of war, he is consumed by it and in the end is "weary, broken, burnt out, rootless, and without hope." Through Ba?mer, Remarque examines how war makes man inhuman. He uses excellent words and phrases to describe crucial details to this theme. "The first bomb, the first explosion, burst in our hearts." Ba?mer and his classmates who enlisted into the army see the true reality of the war. They enter the war fresh from school, knowing nothing except the environment of hopeful youth and they come to a premature maturity with the war, their only home. "We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces. We are not youth any longer." They have lost their innocents. Everything they are taught, "the world of work, duty, culture, and progress" are not the slightest use to them because the only thing they need to know is how to survive. They need to know how to escape the shells as well as the emotional and psychological torment of the war. The war takes an heavy toll on the soldiers who fight in it. The terror of death will infest the minds of soldiers and bring about horrible images of death and destruction until they break down and go to pieces. "Every hour and everyday, every shell and every death cuts this thin [line of sanity], and the years waste it rapidly." In these dangerous moments, anybody would have gone mad, have deserted their post, or have fallen. It takes a special kind of soldier to deal with this emotional abuse; a soldier who will not go to pieces at the sight of a mutilated body; it takes a soldier like Ba?mer. Ba?mer has "grown accustomed to it; war is the cause of death like influenza and dysentery. The deaths are merely more frequent, more varied and terrible." He has rid himself of all feelings and thoughts. His emotions lie buried in the earth along with the soldiers who fell prey to them. His dullness protects him from going mad at the sight a slaughtered comrade or butchered friend. He wants to live at all costs so "every expression of his life must serve one purpose and one purpose only, preservation of existence, and he is absolutely focused on that." For the cost of life is the death of his emotions, his survival depends on it. Every shell that falls, every shot that fires, a soldier must face the possible certainty of death. To Ba?mer, death carries hand grenades and a bayonet, and a rifle really to take what he has long protected-his life. Whenever he looks into the eyes of an enemy soldier, he does not see a man, but sees death staring back at him. What can you do but fight back? He can not and will not coexist with you. It does not matter that he is a man of your same distinction; it does not matter if he has a mother, a father, a sister or a brother. All that matters is that he wants to take your life. The only way for you to live is to destroy him before he does destroys you. Your salvation means his sacrifice. The life of a man is the price you pay for your continual existence. Ba?mer would destroy him because he threatens his survival and his survival is most important. "We march up, moody or good-tempered soldiers-we reach the zone where the front begins and become on the instant animals." The fate of Ba?mer and the fate of all soldiers depends on their faith in their primal instincts.

Supporting Children with Language Processing Delays

Supporting Children with Language Processing Delays Once children receive a diagnosis of a language delay or learning disability, they often discover that they have processing delays as well. What does â€Å"processing delay† mean? This term refers to the time it takes for the child to process information from text, from the oral information or to decipher vocabulary. They often have the language skills to comprehend, but require additional time to determine to mean. They tend to have language comprehension ability that is lower than other children have in their age group. Difficulties in processing language have an adverse effect on the student in the classroom, as the information coming to the child is often at a greater pace than the child is capable of processing. Children with language processing delays are at a greater disadvantage in the classroom setting. How Central Auditory Processing Disorders Differ from Language Processing Disorders The Speech Pathology website states that central auditory processing disorders refer to difficulties processing audible signals that are unrelated to hearing, sensitivity or intellectual impairments. â€Å"Specifically, CAPD refers to limitations in the ongoing transmission, analysis, organization, transformational, elaboration, storage, retrieval, and use of information contained inaudible signals,† the site states. Perceptual, cognitive, and linguistic functions all play a role in such delays. They may make it difficult for children to receive information or in particular, discriminate between the kinds of information they’ve heard. They find it difficult to process information on a continuous basis or to â€Å"filter, sort and combine information at appropriate perceptual and conceptual levels.† Remembering and retaining the information they’ve heard may also prove challenging for children with central auditory processing delays. They have to work to attach meaning to the series of acoustic signals they’re presented within both linguistic and non-linguistic contexts. (ASHA, 1990, pp. 13). Strategies to Help Children with Processing Delays Children with processing delays don’t have to suffer in the classroom. Here are 10 strategies to support the child with language processing delays: When presenting information, make sure you are engaging the child. Establish eye contact.Repeat directions and instructions and have the student repeat them for you.Use concrete materials to support learning concepts.Break your tasks into chunks, especially those requiring auditory attention.Allow additional time for the student to process and recall information.Provide repetition, examples, and encouragement regularly.Be sure children with processing delays understands that they can request clarification at any time; make sure the child is comfortable asking for help.Slow down when you speak and repeat instructions and directions often.Tap into the childs prior knowledge regularly to help the child make meaningful connections.Reduce pressure whenever possible and observe the child as much as possible to ensure that understanding is in check. Always, always be supportive. Fortunately, with early intervention and proper teaching strategies, many of the language processing deficits are reversible. Hopefully, the suggestions above will aid both teachers and parents in eliminating the struggles children with processing delays endure.

Case Study of Patient presenting with flu-like illness 2500 words Essay

Case Study of Patient presenting with flu-like illness 2500 words - Essay Example Patient satisfaction evaluated using typical patient questionnaires is said to be higher after advanced nurse consultations for flu-like illnesses and minor illnesses. It is from such data that it is discovered that advanced nurses give longer consultations and necessary information as compared to general practitioners. However, some patients who have ever visited a nurse practitioner for insignificant illness care have recorded a preference to seeing practitioners next time, regardless of the fact that they were satisfied with the consultants with the advanced nurse. Patients may not anticipate their general practitioner to create time and listen to hem but they may have much confidence that an advanced nurse would do so (Moulton, 2007). The aim of this evaluation is to determine how the consultation process is carried out by an advanced nurse, inclusive of the methods used in the context of general practice. The method used Subjects were interviewed before and up to one week follow ing their consultation with an advanced nurse. Constant comparative methods and semi-structured interviews were utilized to explore the matter from the patients’ point of view. ... Therefore, a specified 1-year practice-based training program was initiated. It was comprised of the Higher Professional Education Masters Degree in Advanced Nursing Practice (MANP), inclusive of training on managing common complaints. As the program went on, the advanced nurses were employed, educated, and facilitated with general practices. Common complaints associated with the flu-like illness was compiled for which the participants seek he nurses’ medical attention. According to Keenan, J, 1999, such common problems will always result in minor health issues. The role of the advanced nurse in this study was to assess symptoms like physical examinations, and diagnose or make decisions where appropriate. However, the advanced nurses were not permitted to prescribe any medications, meaning that the general practitioners were frequently available for consultations and validations on referrals and prescriptions. The process required that patients who had appointments for the stu dy be assessed for inclusion. Patients aged over 18 years and had come for the first consultation were welcomed to take part in the study if they requested for an appointment on a day when the advanced nurse was around and had time availed to him or her in the schedule. There was random choice of patients to be allocated in either the reference group or the intervention group. Assignments were given at random by an independent individual and he codes generated. In each project, a research assistant gave an explanation of the research to the patients as they came in and informed consent was achieved. Collection of data and the analysis Before the consultation in the general practice same day consultancy room, the first interview was performed, and the

Physical Activity and Academic Performance Essay

Physical Activity and Academic Performance - Essay Example As social psychology is the study of human behaviour in social contexts, much of the investigation into the factors that contribute to exercise and sport behavior, and the understanding of the relationships among these factors have been conducted by applying theoretical approaches from social psychology (Biddle and Nigg, 2000). This sociological approach to social psychology examines the effects of personal experience, meanings, language, culture, ideology, and the material or physical environment on the 'lived experience' of individuals in those contexts and, in particular, their relationships with others. The key unit of analysis in this approach tends to be representations, stereotypes, and cultural images and how they relate to people's construction and interpretation of the meaning they attribute to themselves and others on the basis of these broad social influences (Biddle and Mutrie, 2001). Many prominent athletes and coaches believe that although sport is played with the body, it is won in the mind. If psychological intervention improves physical performance, there can also be possibility that physical activity could also improve mental performance. This gives rise to the question as to whether regular physical activity improves mental performance and related academic achievements in academic settings including those for young learners. This question has validity from the social perspectives since if relevant evidence can be gleaned from the research articles; this can generate a means to improve academic achievement through promotion of regular physical activities including sports in the academic settings (Bodin and Hartig, 2003). Research Hypotheses In recent years, a great deal of research evidence has accumulated to show that regular physical activity is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits (Mutrie, 2002). Despite this suggestion and many circumspective evidences, there is reluctance to take up physical activity in the academic settings and even of started, there are problems in maintaining it. Data suggest most adult populations do not engage themselves in regular physical activities, and even if they begin, they do not continue or pursue exercise on a regular basis. These suggest not only that lack of physical inactivity is a growing concern for many communities but also that intervention campaigns are required to promote exercise initiation and adherence (Marcus and Forsyth, 2003). It has been observed that interventions of this magnitude present with formidable barriers. Implementation of these need behavior changes, since it is frequent finding that despite feeling refreshed or invigorated follow ing exercise, many fail to continue to it. On the contrary their effects on young school going population had been inadequately researched. It is pertinent to consider that behavioral interventions can best be begun early on, and thus it would be worthwhile to find evidence whether physical exercise could be

Research Reports Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reports - Research Paper Example In other words, the research report chosen substantially conforms to the standard template or outline presented in the text (Trieschmann, Dennis, Northcraft and Niemi, 2000, pp. 1130-1141). To be specific, the chosen research report details an Abstract, an Introduction, a section on Methods, a Results section, and a Discussion section. The Conclusion is lumped together with the Discussion, and forms the last part of that section, and ties with the first paragraph of the Discussion section too. The first paragraph looks at the factors that impact MBA program performance and research performance, and they are different, with also differing performance ratings for each set of criteria for all of the business schools examined. Meanwhile, the other half of that Conclusion found in the first paragraph of the Discussion section is in the last paragraph, and details a recommendation for business schools to be more balanced in their emphasis on both MBA program performance and business research performance. In this sense, based on the Discussion above, this research report deviates somewhat from the standard outline in the text, in that there is no separate Conclusion section. Other than that, the research report substantially complies with all of the required sections in the template (Trieschmann, Dennis, Northcraft and Niemi, 2000, pp. 1130-1141). To further discuss, the research report details a Discussion section that substantially tackles research implications, limitations, and directions/suggestions for future research, though not in the ordering as specified in the text outline. As already mentioned above, the Conclusion can be found as consisting of the first and last paragraphs of the section. Meanwhile, directions for future research are found right in the middle of the section, around the fifth and sixth paragraphs out of nine paragraphs, whereas in the text outline Future

Federal Constitution in US Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federal Constitution in US - Coursework Example In doing this, the federal constitution creates a balance of power between States and federal constitution. That is something that the state constitution could achieve for the federal government. State constitution is unable to define how a federal officer could act or behave. In addition, there could be conflicts and chaos as 50 States in the US would create 50 distinct sets of rules for the government to follow. It is possible that the US could have survived without a written constitution with all powers remaining in its 50 States. In this regard, the US government could have served as a place for the States to monitor and coordinate their policies. However, such a feeble link and association between the States would not have been workable since it would have caused many chaos and disputes between the States as the States had serious conflicts and disputes over the territories, commerce disputes, and land use conflicts. The US federal government, under its powers States in the cons titution keeps all States united, peaceful, and working together even if at times they are not happy about some policies that the government implements. It would have been very hard for the US to hang on and survive without a formal written constitution because the constitution gives the country stability and a way of discussing and resolving their disputes given that there are many States in the US. It is worth noting that constitution is not a static document thus it is flexible and open to changes with identification of faults and need of changing times. In this manner, written constitution aided in settling differences among States and reaching consensus among warring groups. In addition, the written constitution helped the US in balancing the power between the States and federal government thus binding all the 50 States in one nation. 2. Why shouldn’t the Constitution include an overall criminal code specifying crimes and punishments that could apply throughout the Unite d States? Most criminal policies and laws are formed by States in the US and the federal constitution was written as a guide for federal government. Therefore, penal codes are very lengthy in that they cover many things from standards such as murder and larceny to practicising clinics without a license. In addition, penal codes deal with traffic laws and by the time the constitution was enacted, there were no cars nor were there computers or credit cards. The constitution gave legislative powers to congress to tackle problems as they arose instead of assuming that the drafters of the constitution could anticipate the future and all tribulation that would come up in future. Furthermore, the constitution is enacted to protect rights of individuals and place limits on the authority or powers of the federal government. Listing punishments and crimes in the constitution would load it up with many specifics and hence infringe on the work of the judiciary and legislature, who are mandated to determine such matters. 3. Why is society considered the victim of a crime rather than the individual victimized? Criminal law considers society the victim because when an individual commits the crime, the behavior affects the society. For instance, if the society’s security is upset, all members of the community are considered victims. People need laws to identify what action is acceptable and to be able to deal with people who do not follow the law.

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

International Business - Essay Example (Appelbaum and Lichtenstein, 2006, pp.106-107). These global networks create buyer-driven commodity chains, which play the crucial role in shaping the world’s markets, setting the prices, and decide on the global distribution of labor. Both the UK and the US economies have undergone dramatic changes following the retail revolutions. The US is home to 7 out of 10 largest world retailers, which account for 30.1% of all sales of the 250 retailers(Campling,n.d). The most important US retailer is Wal-Mart, which owns nearly 4200 stores all over the world. In the UK, there are four big retail chains: Tesco, Asda, Safeway and Sainsbury, which possess 65% of the national market share (Burt and Sparks, 2003, p.239). Such market concentration, in the US case on international scale, has never taken place before. Thus, rapid rise of retail chains has benefited their shareholders and managers with enormous profits; Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, was ranked as the richest man in the U nited States from 1982 to 1988. Wal-Mart also created workplaces for 1.35 million associates all over the world. Thus, shareholders, managers and employees of large retail chains are definite winners of retail revolutions. However, there have been also waves of criticism regarding negative impact of retail concentration on suppliers, suppliers, and society in general (Seth and Randall, 2001, pp.256-257). Both the UK and the US economies have undergone dramatic changes following the retail revolutions. This paper focuses on the cases of Wal-Mart and the four leading UK retail leaders to contrast and compare the retail revolutions in both countries, their key factors, characteristics, and the winners and the losers of retail revolutions in the UK and US. To start with, while the changing structure of British retailing has affected the markets only on a national and local scale, the rise of large US retailers has had an enormous impact on the global economy (Burt and Sparks, 2001). In 2001, the world’s thirty largest retailers, most of them based in the USA or the European Union countries, reached the annual revenues of nearly 1.3 trillion dollars. The report by an international consulting group Deloitte from 2008 reveals that the economic concentration of the largest world retailers is growing continuously; in 2005 alone the market share of 10 largest retail companies increased 10 %, accounting for the 30.1% of all sales of the 250 top retailers (Campling, n.d). While 7 out of 10 the largest retailers are US-based companies, such as the world leader Wal-Mart or Home Depot, there is only one UK company, a grocery and general merchandising retailer, Tesco, in this ranking. Thus, the influence of the US leading retailers on the global economy is greater than of any other country; Wal-Mart alone operates nearly 4200 stores and employs nearly 1.35 million associates all over the world (Burt and Sparks, 2001). It owns over 386 million ft 2 of floor space in the US and 80 million ft2 abroad, with approximately 94 000 ft2 of sale space in each discount store and 182 000 ft2 per supercenter. In fiscal year 2000 Wal-Mart added 30 million ft2 to its floor space, planning to add further 40 million ft2 of space in 2001. In comparison, the British leading supermarket chain ASDA owns a total of only 18.8 million ft2, out of which 52% is sale space. That great difference in the scales of the UK and the US retail activities is also reflected through the overall share of world trade of these

Federal Constitution in US Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federal Constitution in US - Coursework Example In doing this, the federal constitution creates a balance of power between States and federal constitution. That is something that the state constitution could achieve for the federal government. State constitution is unable to define how a federal officer could act or behave. In addition, there could be conflicts and chaos as 50 States in the US would create 50 distinct sets of rules for the government to follow. It is possible that the US could have survived without a written constitution with all powers remaining in its 50 States. In this regard, the US government could have served as a place for the States to monitor and coordinate their policies. However, such a feeble link and association between the States would not have been workable since it would have caused many chaos and disputes between the States as the States had serious conflicts and disputes over the territories, commerce disputes, and land use conflicts. The US federal government, under its powers States in the cons titution keeps all States united, peaceful, and working together even if at times they are not happy about some policies that the government implements. It would have been very hard for the US to hang on and survive without a formal written constitution because the constitution gives the country stability and a way of discussing and resolving their disputes given that there are many States in the US. It is worth noting that constitution is not a static document thus it is flexible and open to changes with identification of faults and need of changing times. In this manner, written constitution aided in settling differences among States and reaching consensus among warring groups. In addition, the written constitution helped the US in balancing the power between the States and federal government thus binding all the 50 States in one nation. 2. Why shouldn’t the Constitution include an overall criminal code specifying crimes and punishments that could apply throughout the Unite d States? Most criminal policies and laws are formed by States in the US and the federal constitution was written as a guide for federal government. Therefore, penal codes are very lengthy in that they cover many things from standards such as murder and larceny to practicising clinics without a license. In addition, penal codes deal with traffic laws and by the time the constitution was enacted, there were no cars nor were there computers or credit cards. The constitution gave legislative powers to congress to tackle problems as they arose instead of assuming that the drafters of the constitution could anticipate the future and all tribulation that would come up in future. Furthermore, the constitution is enacted to protect rights of individuals and place limits on the authority or powers of the federal government. Listing punishments and crimes in the constitution would load it up with many specifics and hence infringe on the work of the judiciary and legislature, who are mandated to determine such matters. 3. Why is society considered the victim of a crime rather than the individual victimized? Criminal law considers society the victim because when an individual commits the crime, the behavior affects the society. For instance, if the society’s security is upset, all members of the community are considered victims. People need laws to identify what action is acceptable and to be able to deal with people who do not follow the law.

Burdens on the States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Burdens on the States - Essay Example Anita Dancs, the Research Director of National Priorities. reported that more than $200 billion was used for security. The recent report on military attacks in Iraq brought a heightened alert for security and the need to activate the government’s security plans. The New York City, after the sad experience of 9/11 launched the â€Å"Operation Atlas† that is designed â€Å"to beef up safety and security throughout the metropolitan area during a time when there is an elevated risk of terrorist attack† (Heather Cross) The plan has been estimated by New York City Mayor Bloomberg to cost the city $5million per week to pay overtime services of police officers. Report said that as of May 10, 2003, New York City had spent $1 billion on antiterrorism activities, but has not received any support from the federal government. In spite of â€Å"no budget† from the federal government, New York City government pledged to continue its present anti-terrorist â€Å"Operation Atlas† plans in the city.(â€Å"Operation Atlas†) The present mission of the Homeland Security, by definition, is focused on terrorist’s incidents. By that, report of Anita Dancs stated that respondent training and equipment was given more emphasis on terrorism as against all-hazards. All hazards are events of catastrophe, such as bird flue pandemic, the likes of Katrina hurricane, and others of the same nature. Dancs pointed to arguments of the members of Congress on the indifference of preparedness of Homeland Security to address this kind of problem and the importance of all-hazards preparedness. Danc’s report stated the Homeland Security mission defined by the federal government as: Response to natural disasters and catastrophe does not fall within the homeland’s definition of preparedness. The preparedness for all hazard response comes only as support preparedness for terrorism related

Market structures Essay Example for Free

Market structures Essay This week was very informative and interesting for me, I have learned a lot from this week. This week has helped me in comparing various market structures and their characteristic, along with evaluating the effectiveness of competitive strategies within market structures. Furthermore, this week has helped me in determining profit-maximizing strategies based on market structure analysis. Some of the most interesting things learned were the examples of monopolistically, oligopoly and monopoly. Keeping the concepts of Monopoly, oligopoly and perfect competition straight has proven to be a real challenge. The amount of information presented is overwhelming at times. I had to step back and reread several sections repeatedly to ensure a clear understanding. The side-by-side comparisons of market structure was very helpful and presented in a manner that was clear and concise, promoting a better understanding of their differences. Monopolistically would be coffee shops there is a lot of different coffee shops in one area each coffee shops offers certain specialize different from the other shops. An oligopoly would be vet office with only a few in a certain locations. An example of monopoly market would be a telephone company that is assigned to a certain area. A monopoly is a company that rules a location but if priced to high from competitors can lose if monopoly. When firms consider profit-maximizing strategies it is important to look at the short-term and long-term processes of product output. When doing this, one needs examine the different types of competition. Any market types of competition will affect a company’s marginal revenue and marginal costs. A monopoly can control the market of certain goods or service, and a phone company is an example of this. Phone companies often are the only supplier, so they have no competition and set their prices as consumers will pay them. In a monopolistic comp etitive environment competitive strategies are constantly changing because of different goods and services hitting the market. Finally, an oligopoly environment an organization will bear in mind how its actions will affect its rivals. Many firm’s use the concepts to be successful. I was able to understand what a market economy is. I also was able to understand how a market works. A market works by an individual providing a service and in return that person would be compensated for that service. Also when someone wants a product in order to receive that product a payment is made in exchange for thus product. The chapter also goes on to discuss capitalism and socialism, I would define socialism as a society making the decision about what people want and need and how much of those products to produce, basically the society is making the decision. Capitalism I feel based on the definition stated in the text book, can be defined as when a small group of individuals have the main control over the controlling companys of products and service that are used on a daily basis. This allows them to set a price and the amount of the product or service that are available. The chapter also makes us aware of feudalism, which basically means you follow the footsteps of your predecessors, if your parents were farmers you will be a farmer, in essence following the traditions. The chapter also discusses Mercantilism, this in essence means that the government has the means and the rights to hire a non government controlled company in order to achieve the needs of the government. I did very well with the various market structures and their characteristics, but not so well with the other topics. A monopoly is the only player in their respective industry. An example of a monopoly is the local power company because you cant get power anywhere else, unless it is natural energy. An oligopoly is similar to a monopoly but there is more than one firm that dominates the market. An example of an oligopoly is the operating software for smart phones, which has two dominate players, Apple and Google. Monopolistic competition is where many companies sell basically the same product with minor differences. Perfect competition is when everyone sells the same thing, everyone has the same information, and it is easy to enter and exit into the market. I personally do not believe that an example of perfect competition exists; the closest industry may be agriculture. For firms to maximize their profits costs need to be kept low and revenues need to be boosted. Whichever route a company uses to maximize profits, it will affect both cost and revenue. For instance, if a company decides to advertise a new product, the advertising will affect cost and revenue. The price of the advertising will increase the costs of the product, but at the same time increase revenues because consumers are now aware of the product. The chapters on Monopoly Perfect Competition were as I had previously understood, and the conditions for each make sense. The development of evolving economic systems as discussed in Chapter 3 was like a history lesson review and the restatement of the three different types of businesses that exist (sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation) a good reminder of what has been learned in prior classes. I gained some new understandings of Monopolistic Competition I had never heard the two used together before, but is a nice blend of the two market types. I didnt struggle with any of these things. What I did struggle with was the concepts, structures, and quite frankly the math surrounding Pricing and Profit Maximization in all the markets. I found it counter intuitive to my experience in business to not produce more, so as to create demand and keep pricing high, as is suggested in a Monopoly. The profit maximizing exercise was a challenge which boiled down to MR = MC is the profit maximizing rule for the monopolist. (Colander, 2010) This differs from the profit maximizing equation for Perfect Competition which is MC = MR = P but the TR and TCC graph for evaluating the best output level is perplexing and will likely take me the better part of 20 minutes to put one together myself I did enjoy this week’s team assignment. Was enjoyable writing about the new product option and th eorizing about the potential for said product. This week’s readings covered many different kinds of market structures. Starting with the basic Perfect Competition where the businesses sell the exact same product, to a monopoly that states that there is only one business that has complete control. From Monopolistic Competition which is where the businesses sell a similar product but not an identical product to the Oligopoly which is where there a few giants that control the industry. We went through all the different market structures, and there were many examples that were given to help explain the differences between the different market structures. One of the parts of the reading that I found very interesting, was on page 369, it discussed the idea of a sticky prices† This is where the idea is that if one company lowers its prices to try and gain business. The other businesses that are in competition will lower their prices too. This will prevent anyone from getting an edge on the competition. The gas prices are a perfect example of this. In Chapter 15, the cost of Welfare Cost Triangle, is discussed. The Welfare Cost Triangle is one of the many reasons that Monopolys are frowned upon by economists. It creates an untrue reflection to the cost to the society. With a monopoly the business can charge any price that they see fit and therefore it creates and unbalanced marginal cost. Chapter 3 discussed the idea that it is not just the United States Economy that is affected across the world. Many times as we are going through our lessons, and we, as a class are discussing economics, I fail to remember that there are many more markets in the world then just the United States. The chapter discusses the history of economics and how they work in the different social environments. They were very straight forward and very self explanatory. References: Colander, D. C. (2010).Economics (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Techniques of Team Building for Organizational Development

Techniques of Team Building for Organizational Development Abstract In organizational development the team building process can benefit the corporation by grouping people together with common skills and providing them with a clear and concise mission and common goal. Team building is also a function that does not end when the team comes together, but is an ongoing process that runs throughout the project. Teams are a necessary part of organizations and will be important far into the future. The knowledge of team cultures and dynamics can be an invaluable tool for organizations. Techniques of Team Building for Organizational Development A Review of Forming and Managing Teams within an Organization A team is a small number of people with complementary skills, who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Gordon p. 489). Teams are also described as groups of two or more people who interact and influence each other, are mutually accountable for achieving common goals associated with organizational objectives, and perceive themselves as a social entity within an organization (McShane 2010, p. 234). Since the beginning of time there have been teams such as hunting teams, where each member of the team has a specific task, but the overall goal for the team was to kill an animal for food. When man began building large structures there were work teams that would be in charge of producing the stones for the structure, work teams that would be in charge of moving the stones from the quarry to the structures construction site, and work teams that constructed the structure. The purpose of building teams is to allow employees to participate in the planning problem-solving and decision-making to better produce products and provide services. When companies grow they become more complex, therefore having groups or teams within the company allows the company to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively. An example of this can be seen in the automotive industry. Small car companies can have as few as seven employees performing specific skills to produce one vehicle at a time. Over time if this company is successful and begins to grow it will need to hire more employees. These employees will need to be placed into teams with each team performing a certain task or group of tasks in a certain area such as a body shop, and engine shop, a chassis shop, or an interior shop. Each shop has a group of employees that specialize in a particular area in the company that is necessary to produce the product. When the company was small one person could build an engine in a day for one car, but as the company grew more people are required to build more engines for more cars each day. There are various different types of teams: work teams, project and development teams, parallel teams, management teams, transitional teams, virtual teams, and self-managed teams. Work teams perform operations like manufacturing, assembling, selling, or providing services (Gordon p. 490). Work teams are the most common type of teams because theyre the most basic. Project and development teams work on projects that take a long time and they have specific tasks such as research and development. The teams new members usually contribute expert knowledge and judgment to the project, so they must be trained in that particular area for the work that is being performed. These teams work on one project and then disband when it is completed. Parallel teams are made up of individuals who are picked from various different teams in the organization and brought together to work outside the organization temporarily. Parallel teams are different in that they are formed to produce a product or service that is not normally done within the organization. Management teams provide direction to and work within, to other teams under their leadership. Management teams are a group of managers responsible for different subunits were together form a team and establish should take a direction and manage the companys overall performance. Transnational teams have members in multiple countries and are different from other work teams because they are multicultural and geographically dispersed. Also transnational teams also tend to be virtual teams. A virtual team has members that are not located in the same location. They communicate through e-mail, telephone, or with a teleconference system. Virtual teams created difficult challenges because of the way they operate and communicate. Virtual teams are usually made up of self-managing professionals. Some of them are made up of individuals that are trained to do all or most the jobs for specific task and have no supervision. Usually, as with virtual teams, self managed teams make the decisions that are usually made by their supervisors. There are advantages and disadvantages of forming teams. Early studies have shown that under the right conditions teams make better decisions, develop better products and services, and create a more engaged workforce than do employees working alone (McShane p. 237). Most teams create an environment that promotes communication, motivation, and better work ethics. Most employees prefer to work in teams because it gives them a sense of belonging. The motivation to work can be strong when the team is part of the employees social identity and by being accountable to their team members who watches their performance and quality of work more than their supervisor would. The drawbacks of developing teams is that the teams take a lot of energy and resources to develop and that some of the members of the team may not be trained to the level of skills that are required to be at to perform the certain task asked of them. Another disadvantage of developing teams is that adding new members to an ex isting team may drawdown the process and quality of work performed by the team. Source: Retrieved from PM: Program Manager (Online) July August 2002 Issue p. 79 There are five stages of team development; they are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjoining. Forming is when the members get acquainted with each other and figure out the benefits of staying in the team. During this stage the members learn about the evolving culture within the team and the social boundaries in its environment. The storming stage is when the members become more comfortable in the team that they begin to test the boundaries and become more competitive with each other. During this stage norms of appropriate behavior are established. Norms are the shared rules and expectations that are established to regulate the behaviors that are important to the members of the team. The norming stage is when the team members come together and gain trust within the team. As objectives are established the team members begin to form a consensus on the goals. During the performing stage the team member are resolving conflicts by themselves. The members adjust to changes in the environment easier than at any other time. The adjourning stage comes at the completion of the project, the members disband and move on to other projects and teams or as an old team they take on a new project and start the process all over again. Teambuilding is an ongoing process, even though the team is formed, the process of maintaining the team goes on throughout the project. The most important property of a team is cohesiveness. Cohesiveness is the degree to which a group is attractive to its members, members are motivated to remain in the group, and the members influence one another (Gordon 2010 p. 501). The two reasons why cohesiveness is important in the team is first, it contributes to the member satisfaction and second, cohesiveness has a major impact on the teams performance. An organizational planner may be called on by company to assist them in developing or managing their teams. To be successful in this you need to know about personal behaviors, team dynamics, and about the individual roles within a team. When constructing teams it is best to select team members who are trained to perform the required roles necessary for that job so they may become effective contributors to the team. There are two roles that must be performed within the team, first the team specialist is a role that is filled by an individual who has a particular job-related ski ll and ability, secondly the team maintenance specialists develop and maintain harmony within the team by boosting morale, giving support, providing humor, soothing hurt feelings, and generally exhibiting a concern with team members well-being. The most important facet for team effectiveness that an organization must know is that to enable the teams productivity and cohesiveness the members must have a clear and concise knowledge of what tasks and duties they are responsible for. As a team performs a job, the individuals within the team perform specific tasks the culmination of these tasks make up the jobs at the team is responsible for. Allowing team members to be involved with the leadership and decision-making process will also motivate them toward superior performance as well as assisting them in the understanding of what they are required to perform through clear communication. Being able to identify performance norms allows for adjustments in the team to achieve optimal output and member satisfaction. In an article about building a better team Kevin Mehok stated: Picking the right players is critical to building a solid team. There are so many aspects of this process. You need to have the right people for the right job (2010 p. 2). The following chart displays the high and low cohesiveness versus the high and low performance norms. (High cohesiveness and low performance norms shows that there is high goal attainment based on the groups perspective but there is a low task performance based on managements perspective. Source: retrieved from, /imagecache/book/28776/fwk-bauer-fig09_004.jpg>. Low cohesiveness and low performance shows that there is poor goal attainment and poor task performance. With high cohesiveness and high performance norms there is a high goal attainment and a high task performance whereas with the low cohesiveness and high performance norms there is moderate goal attainment and task performance. Non-cohesive groups with high performance norms can be effective from the companys standpoint; however they wont be as productive as they would be if they were more cohesive (Gordon 2010 p. 502). Being able to understand the teams cultural environment makes it easier to make adjustments if necessary to enhance the teams cohesiveness. Some of the cultural environments are the clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy. A summary of the Hawthorn White Paper (2009) described the four different cultures as in a clan when the members identify with the group like they would a family where the emphasis is on team and teamwork and the members are loyal and friendly. Adhocracy is when the members have a large amount of independence with an emphasis on developing cutting-edge products and services. Hierarchy is where tradition and formality are dominant values and the emphasis is on stability, rules, and efficient processes. Market is where the members are competitive, hard-working, and demanding with the emphasis on productivity and beating the competition. Teams that are operating effectively and efficiently can identify problems faster. This allows the members to feel more confident in the decision making process. Having confident team members also reduces constructive conflict. When building an effective team there are a few activities that can be performed to boost morale, communication, and trust, along with having a lot of fun. Activities can range anywhere from a simple 10 minute exercise to a week long adventure. Measuring how effective such one-time activities are in changing a culture is difficult, so team building now employs more subtle methods to break down mistrust, inadequate leadership, and weak communication among employees (Laff 2006 p. 1). The greatest effect of these activities is the members are awakened by the obstacles of working with others, this comes out at the end of the exercise when they discuss there experience with each other. Usually a company will hire someone to facilitate these team building activities. One of the activities is that Alan Chapman (2010) posted on his web site that a developer can facilitate. It is an experiment to explore the brains capability to estimate scale. Using sticky notes have the team members mark a distance of ten feet on the floor, a height of three feet on a wall, and a distance of one yard on a table. They must do this without a measuring device. Review the activities as appropriate for your purposes, points for example: What surprises did we find? What clues are there to peoples different abilities? What differences are there in guessing different types of scale? What creative methods were used in measuring? How does the brain guess something? In work/life how do we decide when to guess and when to measure, and are these the best criteria? How can we make our guessing more reliable? (If exercises are performed in teams) are team guesses more reliable than individual guesses? What merit is there in the Wisdom of Crowds in guessing and making intuitive judgments? At the end of the exercise the facilitator will provide an assessment of the effectiveness that the activities provided the organization along with possible follow up events to maintain team cohesiveness. Have a facilitator draw out the dynamics using the Socratic Method of learning to tie together what happens in the office setting with what the members just experienced. Also remember to remind participants that they are not at the office, many of the activities still contain some form of gaming (Laff 2006, p. 1). Training team members to operate in the environment around them and not to hide from it, ignore it, and to not fight it will further enhance their efficiency in the team. May organizations are looking to streamline their operations, one of the tools they can turn to is hiring team building facilitators to perform exercises and give feedback. Of all of the functions an organizational developer performs to analyze, troubleshoot, and coach an organization toward their optimal output, team building is one of the most effective.

Far East :: essays research papers

A Critique Abstract The Far East, written by Paul H. Clyde and Burton F. Beers is a book containing a collection of facts and is presented in chronological and topical order starting with history in general and this history in particular. The authors begin their book with â€Å"What is history?† The answer is â€Å"In its simplest form, history is the record of things thought, said, and done. Such a definition is a useful starting point but it leaves a host of questions unanswered†. (p.1) It is here that I find myself in complete agreement with the authors not just for this book but history in general as a subject. The authors’ foundation for their book is centered on the subject of history itself. However, it is at this point that I begin to have problems with analysis presented. The authors make the examination, â€Å"For those who are practically inclined, it is a principal means through which man may anticipate the future†. (p.2) I think this statement is more wishful than realistic. The geographic depiction offered in the book gives the reader unfamiliar with this region of the world a 1) starting point on a world map and a 2) sense of not only where but the density covered by the book. With this sense the reader can better understand why there is demographic, cultural, and language differences within and among the many countries as well as the root similarities. The reader finds enhanced discerning to the impact of east meeting west; how from their views the cultural shock was enormous in the past and continues today. The book research is both extensive and systematic, cumulating some 50 odd years. I, as a reader, cannot say the good or bad of this other than to say the focus of the book seems distinctive in content, with the sources listed point to this detail. Book Organization Overall Composition The book includes thirty-six chapters of surprising stories some superb and some grisly of regional history and is arranged in chronological order. Selective chapters are organized with regional chronicles of Old China to New Governments of Asia since 1953. The chapters relate many details and events and processes with noteworthy consequences that have made a foremost impact to the past and present world. It is pragmatically written and contains distortions and omitted parts. It is apparent that it is written from a Western point of view.