Performance pay at safelight Auto Glass Case Study

Performance pay at safelight Auto Glass - Case Study Example Because of this, Safelite created this incentive system to motivate their employees and decrease turnover. As additional motivation, they created a table to show their technicians how much more money they could make if they put in more effort. They were still guaranteed their hourly wage, but if they put more effort into their work and increased the numbers of installations, they effectively would be able to increase their wage by $3 per hour or more. In addition to the technicians, it was important that store managers were also able to partake in and understand this PPP schematic. Depending on the size of the store, the managers were also expected to install a certain number of glass pieces, as well as maintaining the motivation of their staff. Safelite understood that there may be instances where a manager spending time installing glass would be detrimental, so they categorized their stores based on size. They largest, busiest store managers were not expected to install glass, but still needed to understand the PPP. Whereas managers in the smaller, slower stores were expected to spend some time in installation. This, according to Bill Rapp, was an incentive for them to hire and maintain a small number of technicians. â€Å"We want them to think, ‘If I hire another tech, I’ll have less to install myself.’† ultimately reducing the manager’s overall pay. 1B. Does it introduce new problem? Yes, it does. A reduction in the technician’s guaranteed hourly wage may result in a huge turnover. If a technician was for some reason unable to install enough glass pieces to compensate himself to his satisfaction, he likely would move on to a competing company that would offer him the highest rate possible. There are also a number of extenuating circumstances that were not taken into account. These include: scheduling errors or miscommunications, operational problems and inclement weather. All of these could prevent the technician fro m installing enough glass to make the PPP rate. Also, in winter time, the PPP was nearly impossible to attain, and the technicians were essentially at the mercy of the CSR’s, warehouse drivers and the employees at the manufacturing facility, who were not a part of the PPP plan. The PPP plan also came across to the technicians as, â€Å"†¦We’re gonna cut your pay by 30% and you can make up the difference,† (Gassiot). This likely induced a fear in the Safelite technicians, encouraging them to move on to a company that did not gamble with their wages. 2A. What are the pros and cons of switching from wage rates to piece rate pay? The pros and cons are very similar to the answers to questions 1A and 1B. The introduction of the PPP was a great idea, in as much as it offered technicians and managers alike the opportunity to earn a higher wage. Based on their productivity and how motivated they were, they could potentially increase their salary by $3 or more per ho ur. Given that the average technician in this study only received between $10 and $12 per hour, the additional $3 per hour or more was very enticing and motivating. The PPP did not only cover glass installation, which was another incentive. It covered windshields, other glass pieces, repairs, wipers and other items used and sold in the shop, which increased the ability for an installer to increase their pay rate even more. This was good for the managers in the smaller,

The Lord of the Rings Essay Example for Free

The Lord of the Rings Essay The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings follows the story of Frodo as he and a group of friends set off on a quest to destroy the One Ring before its evil creator, the Dark Lord Savron, can get it and use it to obliterate Middle Earth. This film has a huge following of fans, which is probably something to do with how well such a wide variation of themes and genres are included in the storyline of the film. Although it is obviously a fantasy film this is clear from the opening sequence in which the different races of Middle Earth are each given a set of rings it has elements of other genres featured as well. The huge battle scene towards the beginning of the film hints towards an action/adventure aspect whilst the friendship between Frodo and Gandolf shows that the importance of trust and companionship will play a key part in how the plot evolves. The film begins with a womans voice telling the story of how the rings began life and goes onto explain who got the rings. Whilst she is talking, we see the action on screen mirroring her words as well as an ancient map, which points out where in Middle Earth the different races of life live. We are then taken to a panning shot of a huge battle scene in which the keeper of the last remaining ring is defeated. From then on filming follows this one ring as its new owner is ambushed in the forest and the ring drops to the riverbed, then as a creature known as Gollum finds it. This sequence of filming ends when Bilbo Baggins finds the ring. The next shot is in the Shire, sixty years later, and here we watch as Frodo meets up with Gandolf and the two friends take a trip through the village Frodo lives in. The locals are preparing for a party and for a while we are oblivious to who or why they are celebrating. This is until banner reading Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins is raised between the trees. It is exceptionally important in this film that the setting is explained to the audience. This is because the entire world that the story is played out in is completely fictional. To gain such needed explanation of setting, extreme long shots and panning shots were used during the battle scene, which meant the audience could understand the enormous scale of the battle. During the opening voice over section, a map was shown on screen pointing out where each of the races live, this gave the film more authenticity and almost made the audience feel this was a real place, and these creatures were real creatures, which was essential if the film wanted to capture the audiences imagination.

Distortion in Brave New World Essay -- Brave New World Essays

Distortion in Brave New World    Distortion is an image of a thought or idea that appears to have a single affect on a society, but in actuality provides one that is totally different. Often times in order for readers to understand the realism of today's society and the point that the author tries to make in presenting its flaws, the writer must distort reality. In doing this he urges the reader to engage in a deep thought process that forces them to realize the reality of a situation, rather than perceiving it to be good or evil based on the dilutions of individuals. In his novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley uses tomorrow's dystopia and distorts it by creating a utopian visage. By distorting religion and science, Huxley allows readers to realize the happiness that the inhabitants feel is in actuality the unhappiness they are trying to avoid.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley's brave new world loathes the pain and agony of religion, as well as the complications that it creates; but in reality the inhabitants have a rigorous... Distortion in Brave New World Essay -- Brave New World Essays Distortion in Brave New World    Distortion is an image of a thought or idea that appears to have a single affect on a society, but in actuality provides one that is totally different. Often times in order for readers to understand the realism of today's society and the point that the author tries to make in presenting its flaws, the writer must distort reality. In doing this he urges the reader to engage in a deep thought process that forces them to realize the reality of a situation, rather than perceiving it to be good or evil based on the dilutions of individuals. In his novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley uses tomorrow's dystopia and distorts it by creating a utopian visage. By distorting religion and science, Huxley allows readers to realize the happiness that the inhabitants feel is in actuality the unhappiness they are trying to avoid.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley's brave new world loathes the pain and agony of religion, as well as the complications that it creates; but in reality the inhabitants have a rigorous...

Project Management Plan for Restaurant Essay

A factor analytic approach revealed that there were different consumer segments based on identified attitudes in the hospitality industry, developing their hospitality selection on different attributes of hospitality services. This requires specific marketing segment and management strategies. A repeated measure some six years later demonstrated the robustness of the identified consumer attitudes. The impact of the attitudes on consumer behaviour is demonstrated and areas of research are identified in which this hospitality monitor may better inform theory development and best practice. Keywords: Consumer behavior, Marketing, Attribute-value theory, Service quality ** Vera Toepoel is an assistant professor at Leisure Studies, Tilburg University, Netherlands. E-mail : V. Toepoel@uvt. nl 76 Vera Toepoel Introduction Consumer trends come and go, affecting the extent to which individuals appreciate certain aspects of hospitality services, and over time this can have significant implications for businesses in the hospitality industry. It is important for the sector to understand what the current trends in consumer behavior are, which consumer segments exist, and how consumer ehavior will develop in the future. Verma, Plaschka, and Louvriere (2002) argue that it is imperative that businesses take into account consumer preferences when making decisions regarding product and service attributes. Understanding consumer choices is the key to successful management of hospitality services. According to attribute-value theory (Mowen and Minor, 1998), consumers base their choice o n different attributes. Consumers may be attracted by price, by quality, by location etc. Consumers weigh up the overall value in terms of the presence and weight of each attribute. A favorable overall attitude is expected to result in repeat business. Over the last decades, several studies on market segmentation in the hospitality sector have demonstrated that consumers’ requirements of hospitality services differ between market segments. Market segmentation divides a market into distinct groups of buyers who might require different products or services. Understanding what various segments require and developing focused management strategies to fulfill these specific requirements are crucial to penetrating new markets and maintaining repeat business (Yuksel and Yuksel, 2002). The benefits of monitoring consumer attitudes seem evident. Incorporation of these attitudes into market segmentation and management is limited, however. In addition, although many segmentation studies have been performed in the hospitality sector (see John and Pine, 2002), research on stability over time is scarce. This study investigates which consumer segments exist in the hospitality sector in the Netherlands. A segmentation analysis based on consumer attitudes in the hospitality industry is used. This study demonstrates differences in personal characteristics and behavior of the identified consumer segments. The measure is repeated to demonstrate the robustness of results. In addition, the repetition of the measure demonstrates how segmentation studies can serve to monitor consumer trends over time. This research can be used to map consumer attitudes and assist hospitality organizations in designing effective market strategies to attract, satisfy, and retain consumers. Monitoring Consumer Attitudes in Hospitality Services: a Market Segmentation 77 Literature Reviews Since the 1970s a coherent theoretical structure has emerged to underpin consumer research. One of the main theories on consumer behavior believes that consumers base their choices on different attributes. These experiences may best be described by multi-attribute models (Mowen and Minor, 1998). These models identify how consumers combine their beliefs about product attributes to form attitudes. Consumers are considered to assess hotels, restaurants, cafes etc. through sets of attributes (Pizam and Ellis, 1999). Multiattribute models assume that consumers are using the standard hierarchy-ofeffects approach in which beliefs lead to attitude formation, which, in turn, leads to actual behavior. One of the most frequently used multi-attribute models is the attitude-towards-the-object model. Mowen and Minor (1998) describe this model in detail. It identifies three major factors that predict attitudes; the saliency of an attribute, the strength of the belief that a product or service has the attribute in question, and the evaluation of each of the salient attributes. Consumers weigh up the overall value in terms of the degree to which each attribute and its relevant weight is present (attribute-value theory). A favorable overall attitude is expected to result in repeat business. For a review of papers which have analyzed the attributes that are valued in the hospitality industry, see Johns and Pine (2002). The importance of the different attributes may differ per market segment. For example, one market segment may be attracted by a restaurant’s low price, another by its food quality, another by its location, and so on. Consumers assess certain attributes of the products, but the key factor is that this assessment is conditioned by the segment to which they belong. Consumers do not value attributes in the same way but in general terms. If they belong to the same segment they usually have similar attribute weighting coefficients. Hence there is a need to properly identify segments, so that managers can identify which attributes of specific services are valued by consumers in each segment. For this reason it is interesting to connect these attributes with the valuation of the different segments. The Dutch Research Institute for Recreation and Tourism (NRIT) claims in their report on trends in tourism, recreation, and leisure (2009) that due to the focus on the economic crisis focused marketing segmentation is an absolute must. Most studies on market segmentation focus on a three-step process of segmentation (who will come), targeting (what do they want), and positioning 78 Vera Toepoel (what can we offer). There are many studies dealing with consumer segmentation in the hospitality industry. For an exhaustive overview of different segmentation approaches and their pros and cons, see e. g. Bowen (1998) and Johns and Pine (2002). Traditionally, segmentation was based on demographic characteristics, later on other variables were used, e. g. geographic, psychographic, and behavioristic variables (Bowen, 1998). For example, Legoherel (1998) focuses on expenditure-levels in terms of consumers’ estimation of travel expenditures; Grazin and Olsen (1997) identify groups depending on their frequency of use with regard to fast food restaurants; Nayga and Capps (1994) relate demand for different types of restaurants to different socio-economic segments; and Binckley (1998) shows that population density has a powerful effect on demand. Victorino, Karniouchina, and Verma (2009) use segmentation based on consumers’ comfort with technology to tailor communication service to guests’ computing and connectivity needs. Oh and Jeong (1996) base their segmentation on characteristics of the organization: product, service, amenity, appearance, and convenience. Lewis (1981) finds that segments in restaurants differ in their opinions about the importance of several service attributes, while Bahn and Granzin (1985) find that nutritional concerns affected restaurant selection. As hospitality organizations provide a number of services, it seems appropriate to consider the benefits in terms of the attributes of the total service product provided (Bahn and Granzin, 1985). Much hospitality research reflects the broad theoretical structure of attribute-value theory. Thus a number of authors have studied hospitality attributes, but the authors disagree about the relative importance of the attributes (Johns and Pine, 2002). Clark and Wood (1996) attribute the differences in importance of attributes to different styles of hospitality services, e. g. types of restaurants. Differences could also come from different trends or cultures and even different types of survey questions, however. It is difficult to develop standardized questions to measure generalized attributes that are considered relevant to all hospitality services. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988) made a major contribution to the service industry by developing the SERVQUAL instrument. They demonstrated that service quality depends on five dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. The applicability of SERVQUAL in the hospitality industry is demonstrated by several studies (e. g. Bojanic and Rosen, 1994; Lee and Hing, 1995; Stevens, Knutson, and Patton, 1995). Although SERVQUAL summarizes service attributes in a theoretically satisfying way, it takes little account of differences in consumer’s wishes regarding service quality over time. In Monitoring Consumer Attitudes in Hospitality Services: a Market Segmentation 79 addition, each study on market segmentation in the hospitality industry reveals distinct consumer groups, but it is often unknown, however, whether the segmentation holds over time or in different settings. Research on stability in market segments over time is scarce (Dolnicar, 2006). Stability is essential as every segmentation solution is different. Only if a segmentation solution can repeatedly be found, does it give a secure basis to postulate existence of segments. In her study on market-segmentation in tourism over the recent decades, including papers in academic journals from 1981 until 2005, Dolnicar reports less than 14% of all studies reporting on any form of stability in market segmentation. Stability over time is claimed to be one of the most important potential developments in hospitality segmentation. The hospitality sector is always moving and all kinds of trends and developments influence the sector locally, nationally, and internationally. Therefore, it is important to monitor what hospitality consumers want. The Dutch Tourism Knowledge Centre, the Dutch umbrella organization for the hospitality sector, acknowledges in its report on consumer behavior (2000) that consumers found that hospitality businesses did not know what their consumers wanted. In 2002, the Dutch Tourism Knowledge Centre adapted the SERVQUAL instrument of Parasuraman et al. (1988) to five consumer attitudes in the hospitality sector , in order to better keep up with consumers’ wishes. The Moment Consumer (SERVQUAL: tangibles) chooses what is convenient at a certain place and time. Physical facilities, equipment, and appearance are found to be important attributes of hospitality services. This consumer is unpredictable and consumer loyalty is low. This consumer feels more and more the need for efficiency. Price is not an object of concern. Moment Consumers are sensitive for trends and tire of concepts relatively quickly. The Conscious Consumer (SERVQUAL: reliability) appreciates the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. The Conscious Consumer emphasizes nutrition, origins of products and security. Conscious consumers are concerned about the negative consequences of their behavior for the environment and their health. For the Assured Consumer (SERVQUAL: assurance), health and a good and safe environment are important. Under the influence of food scandals the emphasis is on natural and biological products. Consumers are driven to find alternatives if there are indications of potential risks. Information on the whereabouts of a product, the methods used for preparation, and â€Å"pure† products, are important attributes for this consumer. Violence and aggression have to be tackled by the hospitality business openly. The Healthy Consumer (SERVQUAL: responsiveness) values 80 Vera Toepoel â€Å"healthy† food. Colour, taste, form, structure, odor, and appearance are important attributes for a healthy lifestyle. The origins printed on products are also criteria for purchase. The Healthy Consumer buys at responsive businesses. The Experience Consumer (SERVQUAL: empathy) wants more than food or accommodation. Eating, drinking, and sleeping have to be experiences, where the consumer is able to participate in the business process and above all is surprised by the experience. The Experience Consumer wants individual attention and empathy from hospitality businesses. All of the identified groups value different attributes in the hospitality sector. Attitudes towards different attributes are found be related to demographics. Lea and Worsley (2005) find a significant effect of sex on hospitality beliefs. Bittencourt, Teratanavat, and Chern (2007) discuss household income, family size and composition, residential location, and age as important influencing factors on food and hospitality consumption. For example, age effects are associated with changes in nutritional requirements, tastes, and preferences due to aging and life cycle (Mori et al. , 2000). Cook (1994) discusses that spending on dairy products generally decreases with age, while spending on vegetables and fruits are higher in older age groups. Nayga and Capps (1993) give an overview of studies on food away from home and the socio-demographic factors considered. They find gender, urbanization, household composition, age, education, and income as most important factors influencing consumer behavior. Demographic factors can be used to predict differences in attitudes because the structure of demographic characteristics follows a specific pattern (Bittencourt et al. , 2007). It is important to take into account demographic characteristics to see how they influence consumers’ attitudes towards certain attributes. National policies can also influence consumer behavior and attitudes. At the time of this research, smoking policies were a hot topic in the hospitality sector. Although many businesses feared for their turnovers and some faced major losses due to the introduction of a smoking ban (Frumkin, 2004), other businesses did not notice any differences in consumer behavior before and after the introduction of the prohibition (Kramer, 1995), or even saw a business opportunity in it (Pratten, 2003). It is interesting to see how policy measures such as a smoking ban can have different effects on consumer segments. When hospitality businesses monitor which consumer segments they attract, it becomes more feasible to understand and react to national policies. In the remainder of this paper the five consumer attitudes are presented in a research instrument based on consumer segmentation, the Hospitality Monitor, together Monitoring Consumer Attitudes in Hospitality Services: a Market Segmentation 81 ith information attesting the reliability and validity of the scale and evidence that the construct is meaningful in analyzing consumer behavior. Methodology Design and implementation A research instrument was developed to distinguish different consumer segments in the hospitality industry based on the five consumer attitudes identified by the Dutch Tourism Knowledge Centre (2002). Since the boundaries between different attitudes are often blurred, the consumer attitudes were classified i nto the five main consumer service attributes of the SERVQUAL instrument (Parasuraman et al. 1988). These attitudes are clear and can be manipulated. The attitudes are useful for all sectors in the hospitality industry, from drinking, eating, to accommodation. About ten items per attitude were constructed to differentiate between attitudes. The research instrument consisted of 50 items measured on a five-point Likert scale. Items are presented in Appendix A. The score on each attitude indicates the respondent’s attitude towards the topic. Questions on gender, urbanization, household composition, age, education, income, and the smoking ban were also taken into account. Longitudinal measurements reveal the augmentation or weakening of certain attitudes. To demonstrate, the exact same measure was repeated some six years later. The questionnaires were fielded in the CentERpanel, an online household panel consisting of more than 2,000 households administered by CentERdata. The panel aims to be representative of the Dutch-speaking population in the Netherlands, including those without Internet access. The CentERpanel is based on a household probability sample selected by Statistics Netherlands, the national statistical agency. Households with no Internet access when recruited were provided with a so-called Net. Box, enabling a connection via a telephone line and a television set. If the household did not have a television, CentERdata provided that, too (see Appendix B for details about the panel). Data collection for Wave 1 took place in August 2003; 1644 panel members were selected and 1410 responded (response percentage 85. 7%). Data collection for Wave 2 took place in March 2009; 2446 panel members were selected and 1677 responded (response percentage 68. 6%). The demographics in both samples are roughly the same, as can be seen in Appendix C. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17. 82

Not All Criminals Are Bad (Great Expectations)

In the novel Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens he tackles various social problems that plagued London in the Victorian era, some of which were Poverty, Hunger, Child Labour and Crime, which Dickens himself endured. Crime as a main source of London’s social problems ran rampant, streets became unsafe as criminal activity spiked and new criminals were being imprisoned every day. In these times criminals were considered to be the lowest people in terms of social class and so were often deemed as dangerous, Disgraceful and generally bad in every sense. Charles Dickens believed that there are exceptions to all criminals being bad, in the sense that you cannot determine a person’s character just because he commits a crime but rather by his motives for doing it. Dickens expresses his theory in Great Expectations through Characters such as Abel Magwitch who is a criminal who seeks redemption and Compeyson who is a criminal who wishes to do nothing more than to swindle people. A criminal by definition is someone who breaks the laws set by society (government), therefore although these characters are not stated or known as criminals in the novel Pip, Herbert, and Wemmick by definition can also be considered as criminals for helping Magwitch, this proves that Dickens also believed that anyone can be a criminal not just people of low social class even the innocent but, Dickens did not fail to expose that criminals can be bad and that even though some criminals do not chose to live the life they do there are those who like the life of crime , which he shows through Compeyson. You can read also King v Cogdon The character Compeyson represents Charles Dickens ideal image of a criminal and in fact Compeyson is the stereotypical criminal with the exception thathe is not a lowly criminal but that of a gentleman: â€Å"He set up fur a gentleman, this Compeyson, and he’d been to a public boarding school and had learning. He was a smooth one to talk and was a dab at the ways of gentlefolks. He was good looking too† (Pg. 343). Although Compeyson is a gentleman he chooses a life of crime, his motives for committing crimes is simply for the fun of swindling people he is portrayed as a cold hearted and disloyal man in which Dickens wished to fully convey as his view of a bad person. Compeyson is much smarter than the average criminal for example Magwitch and uses his wit to manipulate his partners. In the novel it was said that Compeyson had a former partner by the name of Arthur who helped Compeyson form an elaborate plan to steal money from his own sister in law namely Miss Havisham and leave her at the alter on the day of their wedding day. After which his partner Arthur unable to bear the guilt of what he had done killed himself and Compeyson shows no remorse even saying that it’s a good riddance (Pg. 345). This shows how low Compeyson is in terms of him as a person, not caring for his own partner and shows no guilt for using him as nothing more than a tool for committing the crime. It is also revealed that Compeyson had a wife that he kicked mostly, here Charles Dickens further develops Compeyson’s bad image by adding minor details that he abuses his wife giving readers a foul image of him and a general dislike for his character. Compeyson also has history with the more redeemable criminal Abel Magwitch and it becomes evident that Magwitch was used by Compeyson just like Arthur was. In the novel Magwitch tells Pip of how he met Compeyson, Magwitch meets him a couple years back before ever meeting Pip and they quickly become accomplices, after getting committed for felony on the charge of putting stolen notes in circulation and other charges, Magwitch and Compeyson were both sent to trial, Compeyson deserted Magwitch and made it seem like Magwitch did all the dirty work and he was helpless under him. The fact that unlike Magwitch, Compeyson is a gentleman and younger works in his favour and he is given a lighter sentence, exactly 7 years to Magwitch’s 14 year sentence: â€Å"when we was put in the dock†¦ain’t it me as the judge perceives to bea old offender of wiolent passion, likely to come to worse? † (Pg. 346-347). Charles Dickens again gives more information on Compeyson’s past involving Magwitch to show what a dark and sinister person he really is , he sold out yet another accomplice proving that he is indeed bad person because instead of him to try to help Magwitch he looks out for himself and ensures his verdict is lighter, Here Dickens uses bad characteristics as his evidence that he is bad . Later in the novel when Pip is aware of him, Compeyson becomes the main antagonist as he tries to foil Pip’s plans of helping Magwitch; the antagonist is usually a bad person in any play, novel or film so Dickens supports his view of Compeyson being a bad person by subjecting him into this role and not only does Dickens support that Compeyson is a bad criminal by him being dangerous, cold and untrustworthy he also shows the difference in character between him and Magwitch because Compeyson was afforded a great opportunity in life him being a gentleman and yet he wasted his life being a criminal when he could have become so much more in life unlike Magwitch who was not granted the same opportunities. The character Abel Magwitch in the novel represents Charles Dickens exception to the belief that all criminals are bad people. Magwitch is first introduced in the novel through the eyes of Pip the main character: â€Å"A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin† (Pg. ). Here Dickens uses powerful adjectives to describe Magwitch as most people would view a criminal to suggest that his appearance was just as he was which is low. The impression of Magwitch at this point would be a bad person purely base on dickens description of him, I believe that Dickens does this purposely not only to relate how Pip felt but to later prove that not everything is what it appears to be. Magwitch at this point of the novel has just escaped from prison and threatens Pip into retrieving food and file to remove his shackles, here Magwitch is given a negative image by corrupting Pip, an innocent child to steal for him contrasting Dickens belief but readers are also given a hint of compassion through Pip who instantly sees redeeming qualities within the criminal Magwitch who although he sees as terrifying but also as a starving, shaken man who is in need of help. Already Dickens has established that Magwitch is not all bad and that there is more to his story which must be revealed before making any final judgements which is proven when he meets Pip again who is no longer a poor boy living in the Marshes but a Gentleman through acquired expectations from a secret benefactor. Later on in the novel Magwitch seeks out Pip, who now lives in London and the shocking truth is exposed as Magwitch tells pip that he in fact is his secret benefactor (310-315). Magwitch then explains himself saying that he was so moved by what Pip had done for him when he was a child that he felt that he had to repay him by doing everything in his power to make him a gentleman which was Pip’s lifelong dream. Magwitch also tells pip how he went to Australia where he worked in sheep ranching and earned a huge fortune in which he gave to him. Dickens completely turns Magwitch’s image around by showing that he is very loyal and generous, that he is not cold hearted like how a criminal would normally be viewed as. His devotion to Pip’s success proves that Magwitch is not a bad person, it shows that he somewhat cares for Pip and the fact that he had a chance to become rich elevating his own status but instead chose to give all his fortune to Pip shows that he is very selfless. Charles Dickens gives Magwitch redeeming qualities to prove that the man behind the criminal is not bad but indeed good at heart. If the fact that Magwitch was a criminal was removed Magwitch can be seen as a loyal, honest and hardworking Person whose heart is filled with admiration towards a young man namely Pip and wishes to do nothing more but to see him become a gentleman all characteristics of a good person but, one question arises which has not been answered, since Magwitch can become so virtuous why is he even a criminal in the first place, this explanation of why Magwitch is a criminal further explains what dickens meant that there is an exception to the statement all criminals are bad people. Magwitch explains to Pip the reason behind his hatred for his former accomplice Compeyson and basically how he became a criminal. In this he tells Pip the story of how he met Compeyson and the story of Arthur and Compeyson. Magwitch’s background story is that of poverty, he was an orphan just as Pip was and he had to steal as a means of surviving. Magwitch’s story gives readers and understanding of why he got into the life of crime and although stealing cannot be excused as a crime, Dickens represents Magwitch’s case as a justifiable reason for being who he is in terms of being a criminal. Magwitch was not given the same opportunities as his partner Compeyson and so basically grew up into a life of crime, with him being an orphan he had no other means of living, he had to fend for himself, but although he was already at this great disadvantage he also tells Pip that he tried to work sometimes but it wasn’t enough which unfortunately turned him into a criminal when he met Compeyson: â€Å"I’ve no notion where I was born†¦tramping, begging, thieving†¦gone last night† (Pg. 342-343). This suggests that maybe if Magwitch was given a better chance to be successful in life like Compeyson was that he would not be a criminal ultimately supporting that it was out of his hands and that he had no other choice, His motives unlike Compeyson, was purely to survive. It is evident in the novel that Charles Dickens has a soft spot for Magwitch through his history with Compeyson in which he got a heavier sentence just because he looked more of a criminal than Compeyson. Dickens does this to show sympathy for Magwitch but also a satire towards the justice system. Magwitch’s relationship with Pip grows towards the end of the novel as Pip realises that Magwitch sincerely cares for him and that he has not been very accepting of him. Dickens uses Pip’s realization to bring across the point that Magwitch is indeed a good person and that him being a criminal does not define who he is, even a person such as Pip who looked down on Magwitch as being low and nothing more than a criminal even being ashamed when he found out that he was his secret benefactor has been enlightened and now accepts him. Charles Dickens contrast of both characters was his major evidence in proving what he believed, both characters were similar in the sense that they were both criminals but their personalities were completely different, showing that being a criminal has nothing to do with him being good or bad but rather his reason for committing crimes is what actually determines whether he can be judged as a bad person or not. Charles Dickens in proving this also suggested that anyone can become a criminal from Magwitch’s life story and to further prove this the man Character in the novel Pip is surrounded by a life of crime. As a small boy Pip has his first encounter with crime through Magwitch and it is evidently seen that the Marshes has some tainted atmosphere filled with crime through Convicts always breaking out, the hulks (prisoner ship) sailing by and cannons firing to alert residence of a breakout, so it can therefore be said that Pip’s life even before meeting Magwitch had some element of crime in it. When Pip receives his great expectations and moves to London to meet Jaggers (criminal lawyer), he finds out that Jaggers office is beside New gate prison and realises that crime has always been present in his life. Dickens incorporates this element of crime in this new setting not only to relate his experience with the Debtors prison in his own life and foreshadow future encounters with crime but I believe it can be connected to Magwitch in the sense that Magwitch lived in poverty something that he could not control meaning he did not choose to be poor which drove him to become a criminal and Pip now is surrounded by all this crime, he could be easily be influenced in the future to become a riminal also and although one might say that you decide your own future and if you turn out to become a criminal it is your own fault but Dickens gives evidence through Magwitch’s story that sometimes our future can be influenced by factors surrounding us that we have no power over. Pip’s involvement in crime worsens when Magwitch told him that he was his benefactor, he is torn apart with guilt and shame but is further concerned by the fact that Magwitch has yet again escaped from prison and ne eds Pip’s help to prevent him from being caught. By law anyone who assists a criminal is also considered a criminal by association, Pip knows this but feels guilty that Magwitch who although at this point he was still ashamed of had done so much for him and so he felt obliged to returned the favour. Here it is proven that Pip has been influenced to become a criminal and has no power over this situation, Pip eventually decides to help Magwitch knowing that he could also be sent to jail. Dickens shows that even though Pip wants commit a crime it is for a justifiable reason just as Magwitch did stealing turnips to eat as a child. Pip receives help from Wemmick (Jagger’s clerk) and Herbert (Matthew Pocket’s son) with hiding Magwitch from the police and planning to smuggle him out of London. They also could be considered as criminals by helping Pip but their motives for helping Pip is purely good, Pip is their friend who they care for and so they would do anything to help him by doing this Dickens has proven that anyone can become a criminal under the circumstance meaning even good people can become criminals for good reasons. In the world today there are many different types of people, when we say that all criminals are bad it is not true which dickens himself believed, an example of what he meant by an exception is in the case of an 80 year old woman who has nothing left, no one to take care of her, if she has no other means of surviving but to steal does that make her a bad person? What about the man whose father is dying of an illness and he needs money for the operation but he lives in poverty so he robs a bank to pay for the operation, is he also bad for wanting to save his father’s life? Although there is no excuse for committing a crime just as Magwitch realized that the life he lived was inexcusable (), it does not mean that he should be labelled as being a bad person. Therefore with all the evidence that has been given it can be concluded that if people who commit crimes based on good intentions are considered criminals not all criminals are bad, but the question now becomes , who decides which intentions are good?.

Presentation Essays - Biotechnology, Free Essays, Term Papers

Presentation Essays - Biotechnology, Free Essays, Term Papers Good afternoon every one, its great to see you all here. My name is Yamuna Sri and this is my groupmates (names) , today we are here to present about biotechnology in this 21st century so that we can learn most of it. Would it interest you to know about Biotechnology at first, if youre not interested in biotechnology, this presentation might bring a new thought in your mind about it. Firstly, we will look through the content of our presentation before I proceed with the presentation . As you can see here, the content consist of (Whats inside contents and explain each is for what). Next let me start with objective of this topic, there is a lot of things around you that can be seen and some cant , but how many of us know how it comes and is it naturally exist or created by humans. Thus we are interested to create an awareness to the public about the Biotechnology in this 21st century. Next we are here to identify the knowledge of the students on Biotechnology. This slides will be able to recognize uses of biotechnology. Nonetheless, it is also important to know the risks in it and how it benefits us. Before we move on to next part let me do some acknowledgement, this project consumed huge amount of work, research and dedication. Therefore we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of them. I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to Miss. Arnie Chiah Liling the lecturer of AE 501 Communicative English 3 who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic Biotechnology in 21st century. Finally, i would also like to thank my friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time frame. As it is to clarify the understanding of students in Biotechnology of 21st century, a survey have been conducted on how many students from have the knowledge about Biotechnology in 21st century. To get the best from students , this survey was done by apportioning questionnaires to study their knowledge and understanding regarding biotechnology field. It never ceases to amaze me that most of the-students acquire the existence of Biotechnology. Based on the survey, respondents did a very good job and cooperated well which make us easy to analyze the result very well. We are in the century where we can modify few Gods product on earth such as plants , animals and also humans. All this can only happen through Biotechnology. So what is Biotechnology? Where it comes from? Why we are studying Biotechnology? Let me start with explaining what it is, Biotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life. For example , the difference between this cute little pets, Cute Right Haha To acknowledge the difference, the cute blacky have to test its DNA with either one of the rest four pets whether to know it is from same mother or different. There more applications on biotechnology and it will be present by .

Mobile Phone Communication and Development of Intimacy

Mobile Phone Communication and Development of Intimacy Introduction Intimacy entails development of feelings of closeness and belonging between two individuals involved in an intimate relationship. The closeness, which develops over some time, involves the two people having knowledge and experience of each other thereby giving room for the development of awareness and affective behaviors (Morris 2002, par. 3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Phone Communication and Development of Intimacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the intimate interactions are the interpersonal associations, which develop out of repeated interactions between two individuals and fulfillment of the emotional needs of each other. Social psychologists indicate that the late adolescence and premature adulthood stages of life-span development are the most important stages for development of interpersonal associations in an individual. This also involves the period when most ind ividuals are occupied with the urge of experiencing romantic and intimate relationships. Research studies indicate that development of intimate relationships follows the development of self-experience and self-formation. In this case, self-formation entails the way in which an individual presents oneself to others and to him/herself in the society. The social environment plays a major role in shaping the development of oneself in that an individual’s characteristics are attributable to the way that individual presents oneself to the society (Goffman 1973, par. 2). In the theory, Front and Back regions, it is indicated that, in the day-to-day interpersonal interactions, a social meaning is attached to how one individual’s roles or appearances are perceived by others and the society at large. This then implies that for two individuals to develop a connection, they must be engaged in a physical interaction, which will then lead to development of an emotional connection an d thus intimate relationships. However, with the emergence of technological changes, the perception of intimacy and thus development of intimate relationships has changed to a great extent. Besides the society playing a major role in the development of self-experience and self-formation, the mediated interactions such as mobile phone communications has added to the options an individual explores when undergoing self-differentiation. This essay is aimed at evaluating the impact of using the mobile phone as a medium for development of intimate relationships on the current perceived meaning of intimacy. The essay further compares the perception of intimacy in an ordinary society and in a mediated environment in order to acknowledge the major changes that have occurred in the contemporary society as a result of technological changes. Intimacy in the Contemporary Society The above discussions indicate that development of intimacy follows the development of self-experience and self-format ion. In the ancient society, the two processes were mainly dependent on social factors, which determine their formation and appropriation.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the contemporary society, which is characterized by new methods of telecommunication and visual technology, the process of self actualization has changed largely affecting most intimate relationships. In this case, self-formation is more spontaneous and undefined in that a person will always rely on various resources within his/her reach, which are perceived to be important in the process of self-identity (Thompson 1995, p. 207). This individual enjoys the freedom of exploring a variety of media resources such as the television, the internet, films, and movies, which provide figurative materials that guide a person through self actualization. Thompson (1995, p. 208), states that when the process of self-formation is guided by the media, its connection to the society or the social factors that govern the process is slackened but not obliterated. The connection between the social factors or milieu and self-formation can remain loose for as long as the mediated interaction between two individuals is sustained. The situation further offers an individual non-local familiarity of the other person (Miller et al. 2007, par. 14). On the other hand, social psychological studies indicate that development of intimacy is pegged on the development of familiarity and closeness between two individuals in a social setting. Through expressions better known as the front, an individual is able to display the expected impression to others. The front will therefore influence self-formation in the sense that when an individual interacts with others in the society, chances are that this individual will tend to act in such a way to impress others. In addition, a person who realizes self-formation thr ough his/her physical interaction with others in the society will be better placed in terms of understanding what other individuals and the society at large expects of someone. The Front and Back theory posits that the front can be anticipated through a variety of expressions and signs. Through these expressions, an individual displays certain characteristics such as appearances and manners, which can tell others about his/her status in society. On the other hand, the back or the secondary presentations displayed by an individual are observed in mediated interactions such as through a mobile phone conversation (Thompson 1995, p. 209). In such a situation, it is hard to feel or create an impression of what the other person displays. Research studies indicate that relationships built on the foundation of mediated interactions are characterized by contradicted truths behind expressions and they are bound to face many conflicts and differences. This is because the two individuals involv ed in such a relationships feel less bound by the social norms or responsibilities defining them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Phone Communication and Development of Intimacy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is worth noting that mediated communication and interaction between two individuals in a relationship brings with it a new form of intimacy, which differs in certain aspects with what has been regarded as intimacy for decades. In the ancient society, intimacy was characterized by reciprocity whereby one positive action is met with an equivalent positive response. Therefore, utterances and actions are exchanged between the two individuals in such a way that conflicts are resolved easily and thus intimacy rules. Meanwhile, a relationship founded on the basis of mobile phone conversations can also experience reciprocity of some kind but fail to display the fundamental characteristics of the intimate re lationships existing between individuals sharing the same milieu (Fehr Gachter 2000, par. 1). Looking at the characteristics of intimacy in the context of mediated environments, it is thus evident that media has brought with it a new form of non-reciprocal intimacy free of any formal commitments associated with reciprocity. This is a form of intimacy that can exist between a wide range of individuals sharing divergent views, social backgrounds, and localities over a long period of time. Conclusions This essay explores the various ways in which the perception of intimacy in the modern society varies from that held over the decades in the ancient society. This is achieved through critically analyzing the principles of two theories, the front and back theory and the theory of self-formation and experience. From the discussions above, it can be noted that intimacy is a poignant or bodily connection that exists between two individuals sharing the same locale or different locales. In the ancient society, intimacy was known to develop when two individuals sharing the same locale came together to share actions and utterances in a reciprocal manner. However, with the emergence of modern technology, new forms of intimacy arose in the contemporary society. These forms are characterized by non-reciprocity and wide geographical distances between the two partners. Reference List Fehr, E, Gachter, S 2000, ‘Fairness and retaliation: the economics of reciprocity,’  Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol.14, no. 3, pp. 159-181. Goffman, E 1973, The presentation of self in everyday life, The Overlook Press, New York.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Miller, RS, Perlin, D Brehm, SS 2007, Intimate relationships, 4th edn, McGraw-Hill, Toronto. Morris, D 2002, People watching: the Desmond Morris Guide to body language,  Vintage, New York. Thompson, MB 1995, The media and modernity: a social theory of the media, Polity Press, Cambridge.

How to Keep Up With College Reading

How to Keep Up With College Reading The level of out-of-class reading required in college can be pretty intense. If youre new to college, your reading load is likely significantly higher than what you experienced in high school; if youre a senior in college, the level seems to go up each year, just as you think youve adjusted. Regardless of your specific situation, knowing how to keep up with college reading can be a serious challenge. Fortunately, theres no right way to stay on track with your reading load. A manageable solution comes from finding something that works for your own learning style - and from realizing that being flexible is part of any long-term solution. Figure Out How You Best Make Progress on Your Reading Completing your assigned reading is more than just scanning your eyes across the page; its understanding and thinking about the material. For some students, this is best accomplished in short bursts, whereas others learn best by reading for longer periods of time. Think about and even experiment with what works best for you. Do you retain more by reading in 20-minute periods? Or do you learn better by spending an hour or two really diving into the reading and not doing anything else? Similarly, do you need to have background music on, be in a loud cafe, or have the quiet of the library? Each student has his or her own way of doing homework effectively; figure out which way is best for you. Schedule Reading Time Into Your Calendar Most students are great at scheduling things like club meetings, football games, classes, and other activities into their calendars. Additional things, like homework and laundry, often just get done whenever possible. This kind of loose scheduling with reading and assignments, however, can lead to procrastination and last-minute cramming. Consequently, write down (and make sure you keep) time in your schedule to do your reading each week. If you can make an appointment to attend a club meeting, you can certainly make a similar appointment to get your reading done. Read Effectively Some students take notes; some students highlight; some students make flashcards; others have their own system that works for them. Doing your reading involves more than just getting from page 1 to page 36; it involves understanding what youre reading and, possibly, having to use that knowledge later (like during an exam or in a paper). To prevent yourself from having to reread later, be effective during your first read-through. Its much easier, after all, to go back through your notes and highlights for pages 1-36 than it is to completely reread all 36 pages before your midterm. Acknowledge That You Can't Get Everything Done All of the Time Its a harsh reality - and great time management skill - to realize that doing 100% of your reading 100% of the time is nearly (if not actually) impossible in college. Its important to learn what you cant get done and then to go with the flow sometimes. Can you work with other students to break up the reading, and then discuss in a group later? Can you let something go in a class youre already doing well in and focus more on a class youre struggling in? Can you skim materials for one course, thereby allowing yourself to read materials for another course with more time and attention? Sometimes, you just cant get all of your college reading done, no matter how hard you try or how good your intentions are. And as long as this is the exception and not the rule, learning how to be flexible with and adjust to what youre realistically able to accomplish can, in fact, lead to you being more effective and productive with what youre able to do.

The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Effectiveness of Psychotherapy - Essay Example This in turn would help promote psychotherapy. In 1995, it was determined that professionals should be trained exclusively in the use of Empirically Supported or Validated Therapies. This move was given a push when the American Psychologists Association (APA) published the first of its task force reports. Since then Empirically Validated Therapy (EVT), Empirically Supported Therapy (EST), and Evidence Based Practice (EBP), refers to therapeutic treatments which are deemed empirically sound and valid, by a particular research methodology. Thus these therapies or treatments can be officially used in the psychotherapy. This however implied that those therapies which do not make the list are not empirically valid and these alternative methods of treatment are therefore considered irrelevant. This stirred up a hornet's nest in the world of psychotherapy and was the beginning of a controversy which persists even today. The Empirically Validated Treatment movement brought about a split between psychotherapists, i.e. those who saw thems elves as scientists and those who saw themselves as practitioners. a science, it deals with human emotions which vary a great deal from person to person and hence a humanistic psychodynamic approach has to be used which is tailored to individual clients. If this is the case then most of their techniques would not validated by the strict research methodology put forward for Empirical validation. Today, the controversy continues as the psychotherapists challenge the traditional methods of research and expose unsubstantiated assumptions on which this research is based and therapies accepted as Empirically Validated/Supported Therapies. Arguments for the Empirically Validated/ Supported Treatment It is important to know why and how the Empirically Validated/Supported Treatment came into being. The American Psychiatrists Association developed the Empirically Validated Treatment (EVT). These were mostly medications and validation methods favoring biological treatment approaches. This is when the American Psychologists Association decided to develop their own EVT. The psychologists did not like the idea of research proving therapy or the claim that the success of a therapy could be proven. Since validated could mean proven, they changed the terminology to EST, i.e. Empirically Supported Treatment. The arguments for having EST in psychotherapy are extremely valid and relevant. 3 1. Psychotherapy is a Science: Psychotherapists have always been considered scientists and psychotherapy a science. However science demands empirical validation of theory. Thus it is maintained that only effective psychotherapy which is supported by empirical proof should be considered for treatment. It is inconceivable that physicians would conduct experimental treatments without the consent of patients or that FDA would approve medicines without proof of their efficacy and knowledge of side-effects. To the scientific committee it is therefore shocking that there is no way of determining what is and what is not effective psychotherapy. Hence for psychotherapy to remain in the realms of science it is necessary that ESTs be used in the clinics. 2. Protection of Patients: In the 1970's and 80's there were a multitude of psychotherapy

Diane Meyers' Feminist Perspectives on the Self, Essay

Diane Meyers' Feminist Perspectives on the Self, - Essay Example This continues to perpetuate the idea that females are somehow secondary. This has led many women to lose or never develop a sense of self identity and autonomy. Modern feminists, like Diane Meyers, feel that in order for woman to gain a proper identity, sense of self and true equality it will require complete reforming or completely inventing new philosophies with the intention of elevating not diminishing woman. History There is a distinct difference between sex and gender. Biologically speaking, sex refers to the genetic determination, sex organs, and levels of hormones. However gender is something different. People’s gender identities are not always in agreement with their sex organs; as in the case of the transgendered, for example (Gender spectrum).Western philosophy prefers to see the world in a far more black and white, hence male and female kind of world. Much of U.S. perspectives are guided by Christian ideologies that are renowned for elevating the value of men and diminishing and limiting the place of woman. Gender in modern society is a matter of learned behaviors and indoctrination to behave appropriately for their sex. This is reflected daily in the purchasing of pink clothing, baby dolls, and toy sewing machines for girls, while boys receive blue clothing, dump trucks, and play weapons. From the day you are born to the day you die social structures and gender traditions will dictate who we are and who we become based, primarily, on whether we are male or female (Dietert, and Dentice 121). Discussion Once we are ingrained with the ideas of our gender identity taught to us by others, anything that varies from that may seem wrong, freakish, and makes changing quite difficult. She identifies women can never gain a sense of self identity or autonomy in modern society as long as society is working with the principles founded on male dominant ideologies. She believes existing society is far to andocentric, or male dominant, it by nature demeans females as secondary and it works continually perpetuate make dominance and control (Meyers). For example, a recent cases involving courts giving dirty cops a free pass and refusing to prosecute and officer accused of rape. Men protecting men from accountability in the crimes against women is the truest example of male dominance. (Bennetts ) In order for woman to gain a sense of self identity, autonomy, and true equality is to restructure outdated, male dominated, and offensive concepts it will be necessary to rethink the activities of motherhood, developing ethics of care, exploring separatist practices, and re-conceptualization of the definition of autonomy. Motherhood has always been perceived by the male dominated society as actions that were biological imperatives and instinct. However, in the modern era mothers like Susan Smith and Casey Anthony are not at all women that are naturally meant to be or are capable of being good mothers. In other words, being a good mother is a mo ral and ethical choice that women make, which means they are capable of thinking, being moral, and ethical people. Women have been referred to as somehow morally inferior to men because they are not capable of applying morality, logic, or wisdom due to their very emotional tendencies. This, also, reflects back to Christian ideologies, Eve disobeyed God and tricked Adam into eating the apple and apparently every female,

Facebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Facebook - Essay Example Business, marketing, advertising, politics etc are some segments in which facebook contributed heavily to the global public apart from providing instant communication opportunities. The recent political developments in Arab world are believed to be stimulated by facebook. In fact the current Arab revolution is referred as facebook revolution. â€Å"The dictator of Tunisia was overthrown in less than one month after being in power for 23 years. There is no question about how opponents of his regime were able to topple it. Two words describe it: Facebook, Twitter†. In Libya also facebook contributed heavily for the expulsion of Gadhafi. In short, the influence of facebook over human life is growing day by day. â€Å"Facebook was founded in 2004 by a former-Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg†. He has also pointed out that â€Å"facebook and its idea spread across the college campus within months from launching and at present it is the second largest social networking site, s econd only to my space as far as traffic is concerned†. The founding of facebook has raised some controversies about the ownership of the idea of facebook. Mark Zuckerberg was accused of stealing the idea of his college roommates and fellow computer science students. Anyway, it is a fact that in early 2003 itself, the idea of creating a social network was in the mind of Zuckerberg. In fact he has started another social network Buddy Zoo in 2003 itself with the help of some of his close friends. In January 2004, Zuckerberg started writing the source codes of facebook and on February 4, he launched Thefacebook. In 2005, the name Thefacebook has been changed to Facebook. Controversies regarding the founding of facebook Former Harvard classmates Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea for a social networking site whilst he was employed by them to assist with the sites development, the site in question being connectu.com. They filed a lawsuit as early as 2004 but the case was dismissed in March 2007, although it was quickly re-filed in Boston, eventually Facebook settled the case for $65m (Ryankette, 2011). Still there are many stories spreading about the stealing of this idea by Zuckerberg. â€Å"After Facebook announced the settlement, but before the settlement was finalized, lawyers for the Winklevosses suggested that the hard drive from Mark Zuckerberg's computer at Harvard might contain evidence of Mark's fraud†(Carlson, 2010). Critics label him as a cheat. It should be noted that besides Zuckerberg, there three co-founders for facebook; Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, and Chris Hughes. In short, the disputes about the ownership of the idea of facebook created lot of negative publicity to facebook. What made Facebook a success today? According to Shih (2009), â€Å"right this moment at least 150000000 people are interacting with friends and talking about the brands on facebook†(Shih, 2009, p.i). The success of facebook primarily lies in its ability to attract business people towards it. Business has realised the potentials of facebook quickly in conducting its marketing campaigns successfully. Facebook users normally share their ideas and opinions about the new products they might have purchased recently and this type of publicity is even better than word of mouth publicity for business people. So they have shown increased interests in posting marketing ads in facebook which helped facebook to grow considerably. Marketers can make use of targeted ads to reach specific segments of customers using facebook and that also with a minimal spending for advertising. Facebook ads are more effective and cheaper than other

Gun Manufacturer's Liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gun Manufacturer's Liability - Essay Example It was due to these persistently occurring firearms caused mortality incidents that spurred the application of legal remedies to regulate the purchase and use of firearms. Regulatory statutes in the past 15 years focused on mandating the legal responsibilities of gun manufacturers in an effort to reduce firearms related deaths. According to former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, "It is a responsibility to put away childish things - to make the possession and use of firearms a matter undertaken only by serious people who will use them with the restraint and maturity that their dangerous nature deserves - and demands" (US Department of Justice 2). Deterring firearms deaths require a holistic solution that targets two major sectors for gun regulation, gun owners and gun manufacturers including the channels of distribution between the two sectors. Every regulatory measure have been met with opposition and criticism from one sector or the other due to the public interest issues involved in gun manufacture and ownership. Strict regulation of gun manufacturers led to the enactment of laws providing the responsibilities and corresponding liabilities of gun manufacturers. An analytical discussion of the responsibilities and liabilities of gun manufacturers, the controversies surrounding the s... In terms of the responsibilities for firearms production, manufacturers hold the duty to design and assemble their products for safe use so that in case of defects they hold liability for injuries and damages subject to the provisions of tort law. The purpose of liability is to motivate gun manufacturers to consider optimum safety in firearms design. This is important since guns together with tobacco are exempt from safety oversight by the federal government. (Low 43) Under tort law, the failure of gun manufacturers to perform their duty of care in ensuring that the firearms they sell to the public are free from foreseeable design defects opens them to liability for negligence based on claims for damages and physical injuries. Penalties for negligence range from suspension and cancellation of businesses licenses to payment of compensation for damages depending upon the extent of link to these incidents. (Cook and Ludwig 2) Responsibility for product design fell upon gun manufacturers because of the significant number of deaths and injuries caused by faulty firearms designs together with recognition that gun manufacturers hold the best position in identifying potential defects and ensuring that the firearms they sell to the public are free from faulty design. Moreover, gun manufacturers have a certain degree of control over the use of the firearms they produce. They can implement certain control mechanisms over the distribution of their products to the criminal market. (Low 43) In relation to the accountability of gun manufacturers for the distribution and sales of firearms, their statutory responsibility is enshrined in the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1993 as strengthened by the Youth

Compare messages and representations of sex, love and romance across Essay

Compare messages and representations of sex, love and romance across different magazines - Essay Example The images in the covers quite imply sexual messages, peculiar relationships, and gender. The following analyses look into how popular culture sources such as magazines represent issues on relationships. These sources feature salient commonalities. The substantial connection signal the inclination of the present times. In particular, literature such as Glamour, Hilary, and Cosmopolitan magazines focus on practicability, assertiveness, and open-mindedness as foundations of ideal intimacies. Therefore, a good number of popular culture sources embody sex, love, and romance through open, brazen, and mature characterizations that are likewise observed in other features of civilization. Discussion Glamour. One of the famous publications widely read by women is Glamour magazine. In fact, it has editions in other parts of the world such as Mexico, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Its issue regarding â€Å"Sex and Love† gives various tips on what men think, dating, relationships, sex, and breakups. Issues target the needs and interests connected to improving affections such as how to please men more. This entails being more active in exploring delicate body parts. For example, one article suggests that men like to be touched in certain sensitive areas such as the butt, neck, ear, feet, and nape (Gold, â€Å"10 Places to Try Touching Him Right Now†). The directness of the subject reflects the empowerment of women when it comes to how they can be the source of pleasure in an intimate relationship. Seemingly, they are given authority and perhaps even the responsibility to adduce gratification in men. This kind of theme may affect readers to be more experimental, bold, and sensitive on how they touch their partners. Furthermore, another article recommends some standards when dating older men. Several of the â€Å"dos† are: to be mature, be oneself, and realize the fact that guys look better with age (Melms, â€Å"The Dos and Don’ts of Dati ng an Older Man). The advices indicate the vulnerability of older men’s egos in a relationship. Hence, it encourages the public to view older partners in a more realistic and mature light. It does not always impose that if the partner is older, he is higher in stature relationship-wise. In a loving relationship, both should have a more or less fair ranking on how they treat each other. Another very thought-provoking classic is on the 7 things that a girl must feel comfortable doing when she is really in love with a guy. These are being able to show one’s anger toward him, letting him know how upset one is because of others, being able to lose control and cry, showing certain insecurities, looking scruffy, getting ill, and being affectionate to other people (Melms, â€Å"Listen Up: It’s Not True Love Unless You’re Doing These 7 Things†). Basically, the sign of true love is knowing and feeling that one can be accepted despite one’s weaknesses. It also implies that relationships should be a home of acceptance, warmth, and confidence. Hilary. Another periodical which proclaims itself to be â€Å"North America’s first and most popular online women’s magazine† is Hilary. Certainly, the publication uses amatory visual cues to evoke sex and romance. The topic is emphasized by the background picture which features a young woman in a suggestive pose. Wearing a revealing black top with matching black

ICT AND LITERACY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

ICT AND LITERACY - Essay Example rofound impact on our education, society and economy .But, teachers are not being well informed on ICT field as in contrast happens with the young pupils, considered as â€Å"digital natives†. Both teachers and pupils have to be taught to use the above devices and retrieve the appropriate information from the suitable web sites. The impact of technology on human lives will surely increase in times to come. The dependence of human race on technology is increasing at a terrific pace. Technology is no more meant for the ones who hold a degree of it like the software engineers and technicians, etc. The arena of technology use has penetrated to the common people segment also. Whether it is about withdrawal of money from an ATM, net banking, or reading voice messages on the telephone, technology has its presence everywhere. Thus, it becomes rather necessary to make the world population technologically literate. This will provide ease to the people to work and understanding the working in this rather technological world of today. Thus, the importance of ICT in literacy not is denied (Alan Rodgers, 2002). ICT has proved to be a huge success in value addition to students in every phase of learning and for every age group, be it children or adults, ICT offers learning advantages to all of them and can be used to provide learning in any discipline. Though, it is important to note that the ICT technologies have to be customized in order to suit the requirements of learners. Accepting the fact that being educated and adapting to today’s school and social needs, in my perspective, constitutes the major challenge of any time and the characteristic feature of the literate citizen in order to be considered productive and useful and not marginalized. And the current challenge regards information and communication technologies (ICT) that play an essential role in supporting daily life in todays digital society. They are used at school, at work, in day-to-day relationships, in

Compare messages and representations of sex, love and romance across Essay

Compare messages and representations of sex, love and romance across different magazines - Essay Example The images in the covers quite imply sexual messages, peculiar relationships, and gender. The following analyses look into how popular culture sources such as magazines represent issues on relationships. These sources feature salient commonalities. The substantial connection signal the inclination of the present times. In particular, literature such as Glamour, Hilary, and Cosmopolitan magazines focus on practicability, assertiveness, and open-mindedness as foundations of ideal intimacies. Therefore, a good number of popular culture sources embody sex, love, and romance through open, brazen, and mature characterizations that are likewise observed in other features of civilization. Discussion Glamour. One of the famous publications widely read by women is Glamour magazine. In fact, it has editions in other parts of the world such as Mexico, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Its issue regarding â€Å"Sex and Love† gives various tips on what men think, dating, relationships, sex, and breakups. Issues target the needs and interests connected to improving affections such as how to please men more. This entails being more active in exploring delicate body parts. For example, one article suggests that men like to be touched in certain sensitive areas such as the butt, neck, ear, feet, and nape (Gold, â€Å"10 Places to Try Touching Him Right Now†). The directness of the subject reflects the empowerment of women when it comes to how they can be the source of pleasure in an intimate relationship. Seemingly, they are given authority and perhaps even the responsibility to adduce gratification in men. This kind of theme may affect readers to be more experimental, bold, and sensitive on how they touch their partners. Furthermore, another article recommends some standards when dating older men. Several of the â€Å"dos† are: to be mature, be oneself, and realize the fact that guys look better with age (Melms, â€Å"The Dos and Don’ts of Dati ng an Older Man). The advices indicate the vulnerability of older men’s egos in a relationship. Hence, it encourages the public to view older partners in a more realistic and mature light. It does not always impose that if the partner is older, he is higher in stature relationship-wise. In a loving relationship, both should have a more or less fair ranking on how they treat each other. Another very thought-provoking classic is on the 7 things that a girl must feel comfortable doing when she is really in love with a guy. These are being able to show one’s anger toward him, letting him know how upset one is because of others, being able to lose control and cry, showing certain insecurities, looking scruffy, getting ill, and being affectionate to other people (Melms, â€Å"Listen Up: It’s Not True Love Unless You’re Doing These 7 Things†). Basically, the sign of true love is knowing and feeling that one can be accepted despite one’s weaknesses. It also implies that relationships should be a home of acceptance, warmth, and confidence. Hilary. Another periodical which proclaims itself to be â€Å"North America’s first and most popular online women’s magazine† is Hilary. Certainly, the publication uses amatory visual cues to evoke sex and romance. The topic is emphasized by the background picture which features a young woman in a suggestive pose. Wearing a revealing black top with matching black

Factors Influencing Process Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Factors Influencing Process Design - Essay Example The choice of materials is one factor that affects the process design of products. In the process of choosing the right material for products, there are a number of factors that are considered in relation to material choice (Cresswell, 2002). Quantity of products to be manufactured, market costs and product use are the factors associated with material choice. The material to be used should consider what environment and the product will be used. For example, when manufacturing cups for taking tea, the material used should be able to withstand hot or cold temperatures and washing. The quantity of products to be manufacturedrelates to the amount required to be sold to the target market. For example, a large amount of cups can be manufactured if many orders are required by the client. Moreover, marketing cost refers to the final product costs. The end costs of products should not exceed the cost that product will be sold in the market so long as it can perform the function it was manufac tured for and reflects the quality (Kalakul et al, 2014).Product purpose fitness and durabilityare other factors that influence product design. This means that the product should do the function it was designed for. For example, a cup is manufactured for the purposes of taking liquids such as tea. Other factors such as weight and size should be considered when designing products.The weight and size should be reasonable in order to perform its intended purpose. Therefore, when considering product fitness, designers should establish all the important elements of the product

Original intent of Second amendment Essay Example for Free

Original intent of Second amendment Essay The second Amendment text is very clear to most of us, â€Å"A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed† (Second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution). Is such a text so complex to comprehend? It appears that yes, it is complex. Even a number of those who back it are not fond of the wording of the text, since it supposedly raises misunderstanding. However, the Second Amendment is in fact a well-formulated statement. By this it means that, the wordings of Second Amendment only allow one logical interpretation of the intended meaning, â€Å"the right of individuals to own firearms need to be upheld and respected† (Van Alstyne, 1242). This essay aims at discussing the original intent of the second amendment, to discuss this issue; the paper will start by explaining the founding father’s viewpoint of their intent in writing the second amendment. Then, the paper will explore the meaning of the word â€Å"militia† as it was used in its historical perspective for a clear theoretical understanding. The essay will also review the Miller vs.  US (1939), court case which is related to the subject under discussion, and lastly a brief conclusion will be provided to sum up the essay. The founding fathers’ view of second amendment The founding fathers of America who founded the American nation were well educated, and a lot of them studied Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages which allowed them to study the classic literature from their original scripts. The founding fathers were as well influenced by different great philosophers who lived before them like Aristotle, Plato, Richard hooker, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Adam Smith, Sir William Blackstone and many others (Skousen, 67). Sir, Blackstone an English law scholar and lecturer at the Oxford University was the most influential since he lived at same era with the founding fathers. In his well-known commentaries about England laws, he for instance incorporated the right to firearms as one of the five â€Å"absolute right of Englishmen† (Gottlieb, 72) When the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, he recognized ‘unalienable rights’, which included life as well as liberty. These two rights are as well called natural rights, and are believed to have been given to man by nature or God and these rights can not be lawfully denied (Gottlieb, 72). During this period, John Adam in his writing wrote that there exists a law though not written down at anyplace, but which is inherent, a law that comes to human beings without any training or tradition or learning but which is derived and absorbed and adopted from nature. He added that this law had came to man by practice and not theory, and through natural intuition and not by instruction. He concluded that he was referring to the law which stipulates that, if an individual life is endangered by armed robbers or violence or by an enemy, then an individual had a moral obligation to use any method possible to protect himself. Thus, John Adams had a conviction that every person was born as a free individual and with his independence, and such a person had some natural, basic and undeniable rights, and one of the rights was the right to defend one’s life and liberties (Cooper, 25). During the month in which the Declaration of Independence was written, Thomas Jefferson had written a model constitution for the state of Virginia which stipulated that â€Å"no free man shall be denied the use of firearms† (Gollieb, 68). The American founding fathers had personal experienced the pain of being occupied by the British troops and they understood how it felt to be occupied by foreign forces. In addition, they understood the essence of having prepared citizens to challenge the power of a suppressing government or an attacking army. Without the armed citizen, victory and success of Americans in the revolutionary war fought to liberate the country would possibly have not been achievable. In addition, Richard Gardener who was a Director of the National Rifle Association (NRA) explains that during the period of American Revolution, the English law had established a custom of keeping and carrying firearms which went back for nearly 100 years. Thus, it was in this custom of an individual’s right to own and use firearm for personal defense, and also to for defending the country that sparked off the American Revolution when the British army that was occupying America tried to takeover powder stores and disarm the people of Boston, seeking to deny them the ability of protecting their natural rights. After the revolution war and victory to the Americans, the founding fathers were faced with a new challenge; this challenge was establishing a constructive government for the new independent nation. Naturally, the founding fathers utilized their vast knowledge of philosophy and history together with spiritual beliefs, to formulate a government for the people of America which above all would preserve and maintain individual liberties and govern the people through their consent. Among the freedoms which were not to be interfered by the government were speech, religion and press. But, the founding fathers of the nation were also firm in their conviction that firearms were legitimate, valuable and essential component of a free nation. Richard Henry Lee wrote that, to protect and maintain liberty, it was necessary that the entire mass of people always should possess arms and more so, they should be taught particularly when they are young on how to use these arms (Gottlieb, 74). Accordingly, it can be seen that the fathers who founded America were not ashamed in any way about their liking of fire arms. For instance, Thomas Jefferson got a handgun when he was only ten years. Jefferson had a conviction that each boy ought to be given a chance to carry a gun. Below is an extract form one of the letters he sent to his nephew. †¢ A body that is strong makes the mind to be strong. For exercising your body and mind, I recommend a gun, whereas this provides a modest exercise to ones body, it as well offers boldness, activity and autonomous to the mind. Ball games and some other games are extremely violent to the body and they do not provide any character to the mind. Therefore, let your firearm be the usual escort as you work (Gottlieb, 70) During the ratification of the constitution, Van Alstyne (1237) explains that, both sides on the political divide supported the right of citizens to own firearms. John Adams and his cousin Sam Adams on opposing sides of the debate to make the ratification both agreed that, citizens had a right to own and carry firearms. At the Massachusetts conference, Sam opposed any ratification unless if accompanied by a stipulation â€Å"that the said Constitution be never construed o prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms. † (Gottlieb, 73) On the other hand John Adams, who later became president of America, wrote that firearms being owned by citizens might be used according to a person’s judgment, to defend his country, overthrow an oppressive regime, or defend himself (Gottlieb, 73). Indeed, those opposing the federalist government, like George Mason opposed the ratification of the constitution because it did not contain the Bill of Rights. Mason, who earlier had taken part in the constitution writing left, Philadelphia earlier and refused to endorse the document, since it did not incorporate a particular bill of rights, He reminded the delegates at Virginia that the revolutionary war fought earlier had been started by the attempt of the British to impound the firearms of the patriots of Concord. Thus, Mason liken the British approach of trying o disarm people, as a way to try and enslave them. Gottlieb, 59) However, Alexander Hamilton argued that it was not necessary to include the bill of rights since the individuals were already having those rights and they could not be denied or taken away from them. He added that, if the government which represented the people betrayed its people, then the citizens will not have any option apart from exercising their initial right of defending themselves, he further argued that, this right is important, and should be given to the people by all positive governments. But, supposing the government creates an army to force its will; then such an army will never be strong enough to defeat people ready and willing to defend their won rights. Madison as well was against the bill of rights (Van Alstyne, 1234). However, he gave in because of pressure from the Anti-Federalist (who wanted a fresh constitutional convention) so that he could preserve what had been already achieved regarding the constitution. But, Madison made a promise to propose some amendments to include the Bill of Rights supposing the constitution was ever ratified. As we are aware, the constitution was later ratified and true to his words, Madison fulfilled his earlier promise. Here is an original wording amendment that Madison initially proposed in the House of Representatives in August of 1789 â€Å"A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, being the best security of free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; but no person religiously scrupulous shall be compelled to bear arms†. (Halbrook, 77) But, Halbrook (78) explains that there was a debate afterwards and thus some alterations on the wording of the text were done, for example the mention of religious people was removed. To add on that, Halbrook also explains that since there was a general understanding on the meaning of the word ‘militia’, the expression â€Å"composed of the body of the people,† was removed from the text to make it short and clear (Halbrook, 78). At the time the first congress adopted the Bill of Rights, there was an understanding that the federal government had limited powers over the citizens. Presently a number of people dispute the understanding that the Second Amendment provided each and every citizen the right to own and carry firearms. They argue that the right stated in the Amendment implies a ‘collective right of the nation’ however such a viewpoint ignore the phrase â€Å"the right of the people† a phrase used in the first, then the second and also in the fourth amendments. Moreover, supposing that the collective concept is used on some other amendments which acknowledges natural rights of an individual or on individual rights like speech and religion, then it will mean that the state would as well have power over these rights also! A notion that would shock and outrage the country. In addition, the positioning of the Second Amendment within the Bill of Rights, which is amidst the rights of speech, right to assembly and the right of individuals from unnecessary searches and confiscations clearly indicates that the concept of collective right by the state is incorrect. In deed, Alan Gottlieb, president of The Second Amendment Foundation, asserts that each of founding fathers who debated arms categorically endorsed possession of firearms as a basic individual right (Gottlieb, 76). To explore this observation we shall outline the thoughts of George Washington.

Morals and values learnt in Under a Ramshackle Rainbow Essay -- Engli

Morals and values learnt in Under a Ramshackle Rainbow " Under a Ramshackle Rainbow", is a very deep poem in which the poet uses dark and morbid images and symbols to get across morals and values to the reader. The underlining theme of the poem is how one should treat their surroundings and what the consequences to their actions will be. From the immediate start of the poem, a creepy and eery atmosphere is created by casting a dark image in the reader's mind. ' A dead tree. On a rotten branch sit two wingless birds.' The words 'dead' and 'rotten' show the sincerity of the issue. The mentioning of two wingless birds is very significant as they portray the poet's first message to the reader. The wingless birds basically defy their objective in life. Birds need wings to fly and without wings not only do they not have their freedom, but they have no means of survival; they cannot avoid predators or catch prey. Therefore death is inevitable. After only reading the first two lines the reader may feel confused to why the birds are wingless and why their habit is in such an unusual state. The ending to the first stanza clarify the confusion. ' Among leaves on the ground a man is searching for his hands. It is fall. By this, the poet is explaining the cause of the dead tree and the wingless birds. When saying that the man is ' searching for his hands', it is made clear that the search is a pointless exercise as the reader is told that it is fall and therefore the pile of leaves would be extremely deep. Although the man still has his site, he does not have his hands which are essentially needed to search through the leaves. The poet uses this description as it is symbolizes man searching ... ...re successfully receiving compensation for man's behaviour is secured by the last line of the poem. ' The ants gather on the shore. ' It is as though the ants represent nature and are the audience that witness the death of the man. After reading " Under the Ramshackle Rainbow" the reader understands perfectly, the aim of the poem. The aim of the poem is to get across a message that one should respect their surroundings and instead of neglect or abuse them, giving back to them what you take. If one should act in greed and only take from nature, they will have to suffer the consequences. The aim of the poem is put forward effectively by using methods such as patheticfallacy, irony and dramatic twists. The poet also uses enjambement to give the poem a more distorted rhyme and structural appearance that emphasises the destruction and ruin of the poem.

Essay --

Many may say that the Antebellum Temperance Movement was primarily motivated by religious moralism. I tend to take that stance as well. The Antebellum Temperance Movement of the 18th century was focused around the idea that people, mostly men, should abstain from alcohol if they could not drink the spirits in moderation. In this era, many women had suffered greatly because their loved ones would imbibe excessively leaving them short on money, food, and even shelter which left many impoverished and unable to care for their families. Additionally, the excessive consumption of alcohol led to health care issues, crime and in the end, destitution. The first author, W.J. Rorabaugh, is a proponent on the side of how Christian ministers, â€Å"portrayed liquor as the tool of the devil and develop temperance societies as socialization institutions to ease social tensions and anxieties that contributed to alcohol consumption,† (Madaras, L.; SoRelle, J. Pg. 256) Appositionally, John J. Rumbarger opposes by stating that, â€Å"the nineteenth–century temperance reform was the product of the pro-capitalist market economy whose entrepreneurial elite led the way toward abstinence and prohibitionist campaigns. In order to guarantee the availability for a more productive workforce,† (Madaras, L.; SoRelle, J. Pg. 256). I agree with W.J. Rorabaugh that during the Antebellum Temperance Movement, the church’s played an enormous role in prohibiting alcohol consumption because it was the â€Å"tool of the devil†. In taking sides, it is evident that W.J. Rorabaugh was on the right track when he points out that many evangelic religious leaders formed groups to reiterate to the people that liquor was the tool of the devil and that basically, society would continue to... ...d represent a mechanism of social control and did instigate the connection between religion and the need for social reform. In Taking Sides, although Rumbarger and Rorabaugh both had strong, compelling points on the Antebellum Temperance Movement, I believe that W.J. Rorabaugh provided enough evidence that convinced me that the Church’s definitely furthered the movement of Antebellum Temperance Reform. Since drinking was labeled as the â€Å"devil’s tool†, many of the temperance movements and the participation thereof consisted of women and pastors. I believe that the two combined were a powerful entity and really wanted to believe that ultimately, people could make better choices for their lives. Therefore, it was easier to convince society that by living a life with a moral code, free of alcohol and all the turmoil it brought, further helped reshape the society.

Entering the soft drinks industry in india Essay

India is an enormous and diverse country with a population of over 1 billion people, making it difficult to make any generalisations about what Indians like and want from a soft drink (Background to Business in India, 2011). The soft drink industry in India has been growing rapidly since 2006 and in 2010 generated a profit of $3. 8 billion and although the market is set to decelerate, by 2015 he market value will be $5. 9 billion (Soft Drinks Industry Profile: India, 2011). From this, India is an attractive marketplace with many opportunities for a soft drinks manufacturer to want to expand in to. Porter’s National Diamond: Factor Conditions India has a very young population with over half being under the age of 25 (BSCAA , 2009) This is an advantage to the MNC wanting to expand their business in to India as research by Euromonitor (2011) suggests that young people aged 16-25 are more likely to purchase bottled soft drinks. Conversely, the diversity of the population in India must be stressed as it is such a large country, with a huge divide between rich and poor. Also with regards to human resources, the MNC could benefit from the profusion of low-cost labour in India (Maan, M et al, 2011), meaning the MNC could move its manufacturing to India to reduce its operating costs whilst targeting the young population with their soft drink product. When assessing the physical resources in India, the MNC needs to consider the poor infrastructure in the country and how rural some of the areas are. It would not be advised to enter the market in east/northeast India unless selling cheap bottled water because the area is very rural and poor and there is only really a market for selling healthy, clean and sanitised water (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). However, south India would be a much more promising area to invest in to and the MNC would have better business opportunities here. Southern India benefits from a much more affluent population of young, employed people, who in recent years have become much more health-conscious, which has led to an increase of 24% in market sales (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). If the MNC were to invest in India, concentrating on one area to ensure they reach the correct target audience, Southern India would be ideal to bring out a range of waters and juices to attract the young, health-conscious population there. Carbonated drinks should not be considered at research by Euromonitor (2011) stress the saturation of the market by megabrands such as Coca Cola and the need for â€Å"healthier† bottled, soft drinks. These also relate to the social and environmental sectors of the PESTLE model. Porter’s National Diamond: Demand Conditions In India, there is an increasing demand for healthy and hygienic soft drinks but sports drinks will remain to be the most rapidly growing sector due to the popularity of sports with young Indians (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). The research from Euromonitor (2011) states that Indians have moved away from carbonated drinks due to the rising health awareness, and have started to purchase more water and fruit and vegetable juices. For the MNC to compete against the increasing international competition, they would need to think â€Å"glocally†. Glocalisation entails local and global activities acting simultaneously, where they would â€Å"think globally and act locally† (Glocalisation, no date). By adapting to the local environment, the MNC could gain a competitive advantage as an international brand as they would appear to take in to account the local surroundings of their brand and they are more likely to be successful as they would be selling a product that the local Indians would want. The MNC should internationalise to respond to the megatrend of competitors, which is a deterministic force, and then compete through adaptation of their product to suit the local surroundings in India. The strategy the MNC should consider after analysing the demand conditions is to consider both price and value together. They should differentiate themselves from other soft drink suppliers by offering a strong brand that young Indians are conscious of (Soft Drinks in India, 2011) but also an acceptable price. Although there is a huge poor population in India, if the MNC were to target Southern India as suggested after looking at the factor conditions, research by the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (2011) depict a large and growing middle-class population of India that have a disposable income of between $4,166-$20,833 per year; this suggests that they could price their product in correspondence with the other brands as there is a growing population of richer Indians. Also by offering benefits of a brand and a health-conscious drink that is in high demand at the moment, they can concentrate on focussing on that one area of India where they could possibly dominate the market in a smaller area. Porter’s National Diamond: Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry With regards to structure of firms, the MNC will have to consider how different India is in terms of how they do business compared to Europe. In India, the majority of organisations have a strong hierarchical structure, with one authoritarian leader at the top (World Business Culture, 2011). When investing in to the Indian market it is recommended to approach business in the same hierarchical structure that India have as it is indisputably acknowledged. If they were to enter the market dealing with business in a more democratic, flat manner, how Europe would normally deal with business, they are unlikely to thrive. In terms of rivalry, there appears to be a lot of competition from other brands of soft drinks. Bisleri holds the largest amount of market share with 23. 6% in 2010; however this is the main seller of clean, hygienic water in India (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). After this, Coca Cola and Pepsi with all their sub-brands hold high shares in the market in India. If the MNC were to invest in to the Indian market, the strategy they would have to take would be to introduce a new soft drink that promotes sustainable benefits of being a healthy, branded, bottled soft drink that is different from the standard carbonates that the international, well-known brands offer. By differentiating their product and adapting it to the local environment in India, the MNC will gain competitive advantage. Porter’s National Diamond: Related and Supporting Industries Soft drinks are sweetened with sugar (Beverage Health, 2010) and India is the second largest producer of this commodity in the world (Sugar: Supply and Demand, 2010). This would be a benefit to the MNC as a main ingredient to soft drinks is readily available and will be cheaper rather than importing it from other countries. Plastic is also heavily involved when packaging soft drinks, through a third party factory. Luckily for the MNC, India has had a high development of their machinery which can create high-quality plastic products, including bottles (Indian Plastic Portal: 2009). By having plastic bottlers locally available, the MNC will have an advantage on being able to easily be supplied the service; however the price at which they purchase the plastic bottles for their soft drink product could be expensive due to the competition of other, more established brands such as Coca Cola. Porter’s National Diamond: Role of Chance The role of chance could invalidate the advantages of investing in the market in India at any time. Chance events that could affect the MNC introducing a new soft drink in India could include: well-established brands like Coca Cola or Pepsi creating a new product which young Indian’s are more likely to be swayed towards due to brand loyalty; another chance event could be new health awareness campaigns that may affect a young individual’s view on bottled soft drinks. There are constantly rising issues concerning health and the amount of sugar young people consume which could seriously harm the reputation and also the sales that the MNC could potentially make when entering the Indian Market. Also factors such as soaring prices in sugar or limited water supply could dramatically affect the manufacture and production of soft drinks. Porter’s National Diamond: Role of Government Currently, India is considered at a low-cost option for organisations to invest in to with its strong domestic market, high savings rates and positive demographic trend (World Business Culture: 2011), however, this could quickly change as India’s government could, at any time, implement new tax laws, quality standard laws or changes in antitrust laws which could alter the ease of entering in to the Indian marketplace for soft drinks. The MNC must take in to account and assess all the different policies and laws for foreign markets to invest to ensure they can operate their business properly. Issues that may arise in this determinant will also occur in the PESTLE model if the MNC were to undertake this from of country analysis. Porter’s Five Forces Buyer Power: Research by Datamonitor (2010) suggests that buyer power is temperate within the current soft drink suppliers in India as they sell not only to independent retailers but they sell their concentrates to bottling companies. However, the buyer power for a new brand of soft drink in India could affect the MNC profusely; this is due to the fact that the consumers will already have brand loyalty to the well-known and well established soft drink brands in India. The buyers would have to have an incentive to purchase the new product over something they are already used to and like; therefore having a relatively strong power over the new entrant. Supplier Power: Due to the fact that most ingredients of soft drink products are commodities means that supplier power is reasonably low and these commodities are readily available, for example: sugar (Datamonitor: 2010). Water, which is also a main component needed for the manufacture of a soft drink product, could be a problem in India as the sanitation of the water can be a problem and the supply is not always constant (India: Development Policy Review, 2007). Finally, supplier power from plastic packaging companies is growing due to the rise in awareness of environmentally friendly packaging (Datamonitor, 2010). New Entrants: If the MNC were to invest in to India, to ensure they were successful, they will need to ensure that they concentrate on differentiating and adapting their product to the area and from other brands (Datamonitor, 2010). Research by Euromonitor (2011) also suggest that by having a strong brand name and by using national figures to advertise the brand, a new entrant to the soft drinks market in India will thrive. From this, it suggests that there is a market for new entrants as long as the product is differentiated and well distinguished from the other products that already exist. Datamonitor also recommend that a new entrant should stress the health benefits of their product to attract more consumers. Substitutes: There is a reasonable threat from substitute products in the soft drink market in India. Research by Datamonitor (2010) depicts the larger brands like Parle Bisleri to be a higher threat as they offer other kinds of confectionary products as well as a wide range of soft drinks and the substitutes are able to stored differently (on shelves at room temperature). Datamonitor recommends that leading brands, as they have a diverse range of products, can reduce the risk of the substitutes on their performance. Rivalry: Research by Datamonitor (2010) gives evidence that the marketplace for soft drinks in India is concentrated with the top three players (Parle Bisleri, Coca Cola and Pepsi) holding 74. 1% of the market volume. These brands not only offer standard carbonated soft drinks and bottled water but speciality bottled teas and coffees. Therefore, if the MNC were to enter in to the Indian soft drink market, to remain a competitive brand, they would need to offer an adapted product to attract new consumers and draw them away from the well-established brands they know well. The Diffusion Curve. (Pearce, 2011) India as a whole would be placed in sector â€Å"late majority† due to the whole population of India being respectively poor with a GDP of only $1190 (World Business Culture, 2010). This means that they would purchase the product but maybe not straight away, when it is released, they will start to consume when the soft drink has become much cheaper. However, in a much more affluent area like South India where there is a population of young professionals with brand consciousness (Euromonitor, 2011) the population would be within the â€Å"early majority† sector. This is due to the fact that younger, wealthier people are more likely to want to try out new products when they see others consuming them and also feel the need to try out new products if the benefits and brands are well advertised to them (Euromonitor, 2011). Recommendations After assessing the market for soft drinks in India, it would be recommended for the MNC to invest in to this attractive marketplace. It is important for the MNC to internationalise its operations to diversify themselves, to respond to foreign competition and to take advantage from lower costs and increased technological expertise. However, there are many factors to consider when entering the market in India: firstly, the MNC must take in to account how diverse the nation is. As mentioned before, the population is huge and it would be ignorant to make any generalisations; therefore it would be a sensible idea for the MNC to only enter the market in one area of the country, for example southern India. It has been discussed that southern India is a much more affluent area of India, in which are many young, employed Indians who should be the target audience for the MNC as they are accessible and sustainable. Secondly, the competitors in this area must be considered. In order to be successful in investing in to India, it would be sensible for the MNC to create a product that is not standardised but adapted to the needs and likes of the population in this area. The MNC should conduct some research in to what kinds of flavours and tastes that are preferred in order to create a product that would thrive in Southern India. It is also very important for the MNC to create a product in which the health benefits are a main factor of their soft drink. Throughout the research in this feasibility study, it has been stressed that there is a need from consumers for a soft drink where the health benefits are highlighted as although the carbonated soft drink market is booming (Euromonitor, 2011) it is saturated with other competitors; therefore, the MNC should compete through differentiation and offering benefits of their â€Å"healthier† soft drink product. Overall, the MNC has the chance of being successful when investing in to Indian soft drink market. They need to be careful when dealing with business with them, ensuring they have conducted enough research in to how they do business as it is very different to Europe, as said before, they deal with business in a hierarchical and authoritarian way. However the foreign environment is uncontrollable and the MNC has no control over the macro environment, so they must ensure to fully understand the marketplace and how India operates with foreign investors. Critical Evaluation of Porter’s National Diamond Porter’s National Diamond is described as a â€Å"methodological approach to analyse the most current industry occurrences and competitive status, and to identify emerging issues and opportunities for successful market development† (Batra, M et al, 2009). The diamond is used to investigate an organisation’s ability to compete in international markets by looking at four different components: factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and strategy, structure and rivalry. Secondary to these four determinants, porter stresses the need for considering the role of chance and the role of the government in order to have a sound analysis of the competitive advantage of nations. Porter’s national competitive advantage theory suggests that a country’s competiveness within a certain industry will depend on the whether or not the industry has the room to innovate and advance (Wild, 2011, p177). Porter’s diamond is mainly concerned with how and why certain countries are more competitive in different industries. His theory amalgamates the two different denominations of international trade theory from country based theories such as mercantilism and comparative advantage, and also firm based theories such as product life cycle and national competitive advantage (Griffin, 2007, p164) There are many advantages of using Porter’s National Diamond: it allows an organisation to asses and analyse a country, covering all necessary areas to think about, ensuring that it would be a successful country to invest in to. It ensures that the organisation takes in to account everything they need to when considering investing in another country. Although it is only a forecast, if the organisations thinks about all possible occurrences and fully assesses all the components, it should give them an extensive knowledge and assertion that they are making a prosperous investment. Another advantage is that it is academically renowned and used by many organisations and governments across the world. However, Porter’s National Diamond has been criticised for many reasons: firstly it suggests that any role of government is negative, where it could be positive and encourage foreign investments and make domestic industries less competitive (Hadjidakis, 2007, p88). The role of chance is also too difficult to predict as any environment can change very rapidly and unexpectedly. According to Dickens (2007, p187) the diamond compresses too much complex and intricate information in to a â€Å"four-pointed diamond model† and this is not enough to be able to measure the national competitiveness of a country adequately. It has also been argued that porter’s model lacks any distinct definition of the four determinants which in turn, will reduce the predictive power and accuracy of the diamond model (Grant, 1991). Within international business management, when applying Porter’s national diamond, it should be ensured to consider every single aspect that Porter recommends in to major detail to ensure a forecast for investment is as accurate as possible. The different aspects of the diamond should be developed as much as possible so that international competitiveness is driven to thrive and succeed. Reference List Background to Business in India (2011) Available at: http://www. worldbusinessculture. com/Indian-Business-Style. html (Accessed: 10 January 2012). Batra, M. , Niehm, L. (2009), â€Å"An opportunity analysis framework for apparel retailing in India: economic, social, and cultural considerations for international retail firms†, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 287-300 Beverage Health (2010) Available at: http://www. beveragehealth. org. au/scripts/cgiip. exe/WService=ASP0017/ccms. r? PageId=10053 (Accessed: 12 January 2012) BSCAA (2009), â€Å"Background note: India†, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Available at: www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454. htm (Accessed: 10 January 2012) Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (2011) Background Note: India. Available at: http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454. htm#econ (Accessed: 10 January 2012) Dickens, P. (2007) Global Shift: Mapping the challenging contours of the world economy. 5th edn. Sage Publications: London. Grant, R. M. (1991), â€Å"Porter’s ‘competitive advantage of nations’: an assessment†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12 No. 7, pp. 535-48. Griffin, R. (2007) International Business: A Managerial Perspective. 5th edn. Pearson: Upper Saddle River. Glocalisation (no date) Available at: http://rija-rasoava. weebly. com/glocalisation. html (Accessed: 10 January 2012) Hadjidakis, S. Katsioloudes, M. (2007) International Business: A Global Perspective. Elsevier. 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Available at: https://elp. northumbria. ac. uk/webapps/portal/frameset. jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_223681_1%26url%3d (Accessed: 14 January 2012) Soft Drinks Industry Profile: India (2011) Available at: http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=5&hid=24&sid=89a8abec-1124-46fa-8180-57eef84e8a7d%40sessionmgr4 (Accessed: 10 January 2012). Soft Drinks in India (2011) Available at: http://www. portal. euromonitor. com/Portal/Pages/Search/SearchResultsList. aspx (Accessed 10 January 2012) Sugar: Supply and Demand (2010) Available at: http://www. spectrumcommodities. com/education/commodity/statistics/sugar. html.