The Legal Limit Blood Alcohol Content - 1018 Words

Driving under the influence is a continuous problem which is on the rise today. According to the Center of Disease and Control, â€Å"every day, 28 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 53 minutes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016) That is over ten-thousand preventable deaths every year. The United States Department of Transportation believes that between laws and DUI awareness may be helping decrease the fatality rate by an estimated of eight percent over the course of twenty years. Laws have been put into place to prevent drivers from driving intoxicated, yet it still happens The legal limit blood alcohol content(BAC) that can be in your system while driving is .08, and if you are under the national drinking age of twenty-one, then a zero-alcohol policy is in effect. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016) However, driving impaired in any amount or form can incr ease the risk of accidents and fatalities. Most states also have a law that prevents driving with an open container in the car. Fines and DUI incarceration lengths vary per state, and also vary due to different factors, such as the blood alcohol level, repeat offenders, and dependent upon if the DUI resulted in an accident or death. If the nation continues to enforce laws, initiates more DUI checkpoints, and continues to preach prevention methods and awareness about the dangers of driving under theShow MoreRelatedLower Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits1308 Words   |  6 PagesLOWER BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION LIMITS 1 Lower BAC Limits 7 Lower Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits Miss Pounsberry Vernice P. Briddell-Sewell Delaware Technical Community College Abstract This writing is on the many arguments that arise about the blood alcohol concentration limits around the country. Should the limits be lowered, keep them the same, and is there too much of a risk involved by lowering (BAC) limits? Costello (2014), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),Read MoreMyths around Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol1173 Words   |  5 Pagescreated a study that determined intoxication, they reached a conclusion that a Blood Alcohol Content above 0.15 was intoxicated and anything under a person was sober, this became the first legal limit for BAC in 1938. Although as time progressed the laws became stricter, this was due to various groups that petitioned against drunk driving. The pressure from these organizations led to changes, such as raising the legal drinking age to twenty-one years of age, which was required for all states, yetRead MoreDrunk Drivers Should Not Be Banned1279 Words   |  6 Pagesalmost every year there are dru nk drivers getting away and not having any harsh consequences.Drunk driving has killed over hundreds of citizens due to the mistakes by over intoxicated drivers. States all across the country have lowered the blood alcohol limit to keep drunk drivers off the road from hitting a pedestrian. Some citizens believe that drunk drivers should not be punished more harshly due to be over intoxicated while driving. If there is no harm due to them or the others around them whatRead MoreDriving Under the Inluence and Driving While Impaired1549 Words   |  6 PagesAn implied consent hearing is an administrative hearing conducted by an administrative law judge to determine if the suspension legal under all applicable statutes. By law, a person who drives a motor vehicle is deemed to have given his or her consent to chemical testing of his or her blood or breath for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of his or her blood, if lawfully arrested for driving under the influence. Just by driving a motor vehicle, the motorist has consented to giving aRead MoreEssay on Kill the Buzz1250 Words   |  5 Pagesthe biggest rivalry in sports? Of course nothing ruins a good family sporting event like a bunch of out of control intoxicated fans. Alcohol presents nothing but foul language, fights, possible DUI’s and car accidents. The presence of alcohol only puts the public at risk at the expense of giving people entertainment by being under the influence. Having alcohol present at collegiate sporting events is not only unnecessary, but it’s more of a nuisance than anything else. When you’re at a gameRead MoreLowering The Legal Drinking Age1387 Words   |  6 PagesThe concerns about safety involving alcohol, including alcohol-related fatalities, â€Å"binge drinking†, and long-term health effects, will not be compromised by lowering the legal drinking age to nineteen in the United States. Activists who wish to raise the legal minimum age frequently discuss the ways that driving while intoxicated endangers countless lives every day in the United States, and is an increasing problem in model Europe as well. However, drunk driving increases will secrecy, not withRead MoreDrunk Drivers Should Be Imprisoned in the 1st Offence1086 Words   |  5 PagesDRUNK DRIVERS SHOULD BE IMPIRSONED ON THE FIRST OFFENCE Drunk driving is the criminal offence of driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level higher than the local legal limit. The blood alcohol content (BAC) drink driving limit in Malaysia is 0.05%. Driving while either intoxicated or drunk is dangerous and drivers with high blood content or concentration (BAC) are at greatly increased risk of car accidents, highway injuries and vehicular deaths. There are a number of possible preventionRead MoreDrinking and Driving Essay1487 Words   |  6 PagesIllinois, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) or .08 percent or more. A driver also can be convicted of DUI with a BAC of more than .05 if additional evidence is present (DUI Laws par. 1). According to the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crashes cost more than thirty-seven billion dollars annually and in 2010, more than ten thousand people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes - one every fifty-one minutesRead MoreDriving Under the Influence of Alcohol Essay1628 Words   |  7 PagesDriving under the influence of alcohol has been a major issue in America, spanning all the way back to more than 50 years ago (Raymond). Many accidents are caused from drinking and driving yearly, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries involving innocent people. When alcohol is mixed with driving a motor vehicle, there are no limits to who may be at risk. This means that drunk driving has been harming, hurting and killing many innocent people in America. Over the years I have witnessed manyRead MoreWhy Shouldn’t We Lower the Blood Alcohol Rate? Essay838 Words   |  4 PagesWhy Shouldn’t We Lower the Blood Alcohol Rate? It is a tragic truth: About 10,000 lives are lost in the United States because of drunk driving each year. Alcohol is wildly known as one of the main reasons of causing social security issue. Small amount can make people feel relaxed, but bigger amount could make them loss their coordination, get feeling of confusion and disorientation, and significantly slowed their reaction time. On average, one person dies every hour because of alcoholic traffic

Revenge Is A Harmful Action Against A Person Or A Group

Revenge is a harmful action against a person or a group. It is characterized as a form of justice, seeking or taking vengeance for oneself or another person by retaliating in response to a grievance. Within the short declaration Of Revenge by Francis Bacon he describes the self-destructive nature and the injustices that revenge brings about while detailing the benefits of forgiveness. While He Becomes Deeply and Famously Drunk by Brady Udall s story explores the concept of revenge as Archie contemplates killing his father s murderer until realizing the elderly man Calfred Pulsipher is not worth the effort and lets go of his anger. From the short story Spanish Roulette by Ed Vega the poet Sixto vows revenge against a local gang†¦show more content†¦He appears as a â€Å"loudmouth juvenile delinquent with bad table manners† (Udall 533) having been so since his father’s death at the age of five. Archie yearns deeply to exact vengeance upon his father’s old friend, Calfred Pulsipher, who killed him in a drunken stupor (Udall). Most of the story is spent helping the reader identify with Archie- his every day, his companions, and his every thought- so that when he doesShow MoreRelatedRevenge Should Be Carried Out1103 Words   |  5 PagesRevenge â€Å"No trait is more justified than revenge in the right time and place.† -Meir Kahane People just use revenge just to get even without fully understanding the effects that their actions can hold. Revenge should be done with purpose and reason. It should not be done in the heat of the moment or spontaneously. The purpose of revenge should be thought about deeply and carefully. Revenge should always be the last resort; however, if necessary, revenge should be carried out. Revenge is unavoidableRead MoreJustice vs Revenge1325 Words   |  6 PagesJustice is part of revenge; as also for revenge is part of justice. â€Å"Justice† comes from a Latin word that means â€Å"straight, fair, equal†, it’s the quality of being righteous and loyal towards one’s state, although serves the interests of the stronger (Hourani, 1962), while revenge is the act of taking retaliation for injuries or wrongs. What ever the circumstances are being the individual who experiences a unjust act, results in the hunt for one of these two things: Justice or revenge. What are the keyRead MoreThe Ethical Theory Of Torture1111 Words   |  5 Pagestopic of torture, and will argue both sides of this ethical dilemma. To begin let’s talk about what defines torture. Torture is defined as one inflicting a great amount of physical pain or a great deal of mental anxiety and suffering on another person or persons. Torture became widely talked about, and a greatly debated ethical issue, when Inmates at a detainment camp at Guantanamo Bay were interrogated in the attempt to gather information to prevent domestic terror attacks or to gather informationRead MoreFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley1545 Words   |  7 Pagescan cause major emotional complications later in life. Through the actions of murdering Victor’s family and loved ones the creature shows his desire for revenge against Victor for abandoning him. At the end of the book the creature has come face to face the death of his creator, instead of feeling rejoice for the death of the man he tortured and hunted down, he feels sorrow and remorse. The creatures hate and desire for revenge blinded him from seeing his desire to be accepted by his creator. Read MoreCyberbullying : It All Happens Behind A Screen1581 Words   |  7 Pagesreceiving a threatening email or a harmful text message, Around a fourth of young individuals have reported being targets of cyberbullying. In my opinion, I find it terrible How an innocent teenager should have to go through the unthinkable. The embarrassment, the isolation, the feeling of helplessness. The victim starts to feel like they are going on a downwards spiral; A roller coaster that’s only going down. But why? All because of the horrible choices made by one person. The bully. Maybe they thoughtRead MoreOnline Harassment Is A Bigger Problem Than We All Think1126 Words   |  5 Pagescyberbullying; when a person goes online to humiliate and destroy someone behind the internet. It occurs if someone is trying to get revenge or if a lot of anger is built up, and entertainment. People get harassed through texts, tweets, posts, etc. but it is not right. One reason people have the right to harass others is because of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech. Cyberstalking is similar to cyberbullying. Cyberstalking is illegal and it is when a person harasses another individualRead MoreCause and Effect of Forgiving1403 Words   |  6 PagesLife is flawed, and at some point nearly everyone has been hurt, criticized, or teased. Harmful actions leave a wound that can be long-lasting, and can affect others as well. The anger and bitterness a victim carries can be used as vengeance on the perpetrator. It is at this point that forgiveness can play a vital role. Many people do not realize the impact of choosing whether to forgive or not. If forgiveness is not the chosen path, the victim can be the one who suffers the most. The act of hurtRead MoreWhat Rights Of Actions Are For The Unlawful Surveillance Of Your Home Privacy?1522 Words   |  7 PagesWhat rights of actions are available to your case? As you could see in the above reflection of our state and national privacy laws, currently, in Victoria we do not have a direct cause of action for breach of privacy. However, will discuss other possible causes of action potentially available for the unlawful surveillance of your home privacy. Breach of Confidence (500) This is an equitable cause of action that protects against the improper disclosure of private information. In Australia, theRead MoreCyberbullying : A Behavioral Pattern That All Cyberbullies Share? Essay1668 Words   |  7 Pagesoccurs through modern technological devices, and specifically mobile phones or the internet (Slonje, R. Smith P.K. 2008). â€Å"Bullying† is often defined as being an aggressive, intentional act or behavior that is carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself† (Whitney Smith, 1993; Olweus, 1999). Cyberbullying is simply another form of traditional bullying, just with the satisfaction of anonymity and convenience. However, cyberbullyingRead MoreCyber Bullying : Bullying And Bullying1290 Words   |  6 Pagespeople taking action. Bullying damages the victims and the computers can cause cyber-bullying also the victims have problems after being bullied. Cyber bullying and it keeps people hooked on computer. Ways of getting to social network for cyber-bullying. Targets of cyber bullying can experience emotional distress, anger frustration, embarrassment, sadness, fear, and depression. Cyber bullying is the use of the internet cellphones, and other electronic communication devices to spread harmful or embarrassing

Cure the bigot with a book free essay sample

Sikh professor of Colombia university, had fallen victim to an assault by a group of teenagers (Georges). The misguided teens had mistaken Mr.. Sings for a Muslim; therefore, they ruptured his ribs and left him with a broken Jaw. This event represents a single drop In an ocean of hate crimes that occur dally In the world. Hate crimes are a form of discrimination that results from an individuals intolerance towards people of different cultures and beliefs. According to the FBI, U. S.Law enforcement agencies reported 6,222 hate crimes involving 7,254 offenses in 2011 (Hate Crimes Accounting). The high number of hate crimes suggests the existence of biased individuals and it also emphasizes the fact that minority groups face hardships in order to persevere in society. Regarding Muslim discrimination in America, the FBI reported that ant-Islamic incidents became the second highest reported among religion-bias incidents. From pre-9/11 to post-WI 1, a growth of 1600% took place (Statistics). We will write a custom essay sample on Cure the bigot with a book or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Considering this tremendous increase In anti-Muslim hate crimes, the Issue of a chauvinistic society comes to light. Modern society has evolved to become very sophisticated and cultured, however It has failed to laminate the narrow mindedness of Its public, Due to the bigoted beliefs of Its Inhabitants, hate crimes against molesters continue to occur time after time. Despite the fact that it might contradict with certain peoples beliefs, students should take a mandatory course which educates them on major cultures and religions. Many argue that incorporating religion and culture in schools will lead to complications and create more problems rather than solving any.

Quality free essay sample

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management strategy that puts awareness of quality at the heart of all organizational processes. This is combined with a strong philosophy of lowering costs by eliminating waste and defects. So TQM can be described as a management system that aims at a continual increase in customer satisfaction while continually lowering real costs. The father of TQM was William Deming, an American college professor, author, and consultant. Deming played a major role in improving production in the United States during World War II, but after the war he moved to Japan. There, from 1950 onwards, he taught top management how to improve design, product quality, testing and sales (the latter by entering global markets). Deming is regarded as having had more impact upon Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage. Demings ideas were developed in America around the same time by Feigenbaum and others, and an early adopter of TQM in the States was the US Navvy. We will write a custom essay sample on Quality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the original Japanese model of TQM there are four steps to improving performance: 1 Kaizen: a focus on continuous improvement through making processes visible, epeatable and measurable. 2 Atarimae Hinshitsu: making sure that things work exactly as they are supposed to. 3 Kansei: examining the way the user actually uses the product in real life in order to improve the product. 4 Miryokuteki Hinshitsu: making sure that products have an aesthetic quality. The slightly more restricted term quality assurance refers Just to product quality in a manufacturing operation, rather than wider issues of customer service, etc. Quality assurance involves sampling a random selection of the product and then testing this sample for hatever matters most to the end users. The causes of any failures are isolated and corrected, and the process of analyzing the causes of any problems often leads to a redesign of the production process or of the parts and components themselves (to make them easier to manufacture). TQM peaked in the early 1990s, and it is sometimes seen as Just another management fad. Perhaps it is a victim of its own success most modern products are much better quality than 20 years ago. It has been replaced by other related concepts and processes. These include lean anufacturing and Six Sigma. Lean manufacturing (= lean production) aims to eliminate waste in every area of production, so that means less human effort, less inventory, less time to develop products, and less factory space. Some key techniques include: Pull processing: products are pulled from the consumer end (demand), not pushed from the production end (supply) Perfect first-time quality, solving problems at the source Continuous improvement: reducing costs, improving quality, increasing productivity and sharing information Flexibility: producing different ixes or a greater diversity of products quickly Building a long-term relationship with suppliers through collaboration and the sharing of risk, costs and information Six Sigma is a collection of tools, training and measurements developed by Motorola to improve the manufacturing process. It aims to reduce defective parts to 3. 4 per million opportunities (this measure being called six sigma in statistics). One of its features is the appointment of in-house champions, experts and black belts to tocus on quality across tunctions and departments

No Situational analysis SWOT analysis is the most viable tool for analyzing the situation and developing a marketing plan.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on No-Goat Smelling X5 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strengths The company has a strong financial position and an active research and development department. The strengths of the proposed deodorant include being the first in the market. There is good scope for scalability of the product acceptance, which would enhance the brand image and market share. The product promises freshness for up to five days besides being presented by the reputable Airmount Company. Weaknesses The company has to create a sustainable logistics and distribution channels in order to meet the market demand. The main weakness is the fact that a brand new idea may be not be convincing for the senior segment of society, as they tend to be reluctant to change. Besides, the narrow product line, with limited distribution channels at the beginning, would restrict the customers from accepting the product. Threats The main threats facing the proposed ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ deodorant is presence of competitors providing similar or nearly similar product at low cost. For instance, the Procter and Gamble Company controls 37.7% of the beauty products market and recorded an annual turnover of $488.5 million at the end of the 2013 financial year.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, the Uniliver Company controls 18.6% of the total market share and recorded an annual turnover of $245.8 million at the end of the 2013 financial year. In addition, the Lever Brothers Company controls 11.3% of the market share and recorded an impressive turnover of $149.2 million at the end of the 2013 financial year. In addition, the Airmount Company may n ot be able to change the product features according to changing external environment and needs of the customers, since the US product patent policy may limit it. Opportunities The new ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ product may facilitate revenue growth for the Airmount Company upon acceptance by the target market.The company may also take advantage of the market demographics to create multiple brands for the male and female customers. Marketing strategy Marketing strategy is essential before actualizing projections of a blue print of a marketing plan. As a matter of fact, this plan functions on the margins of informed decision making based on comprehensive research on viability and sustainability. In the overcrowded cosmetics industry, product positioning is directly linked to the success in the short and long term, especially for a new product such as the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ deodorant. Adopting a First-Mover Strategy, the Airmount Company will position this produ ct as the first of its kind in the market. Through a defined delivery channel and strong media marketing, the company will revolve on quality maintenance to support the leading marketer status. In the process, focus will be directed to the most competitive price and what the customers are able and willing to pay.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on No-Goat Smelling X5 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides, the company may develop multiple brands of the product that targets the adolescents, female, and male market segments (Kotler Keller, 2012, p. 19). Despite the crowded market, the product will be marketed as first of its kind. In order to achieve this aim, demographic differentiation will be based on income supported by strategic packaging and series of relevant marketing campaigns, as the best approach towards commanding a price premium. As a result, the fair pricing mechanism, among other factors, will posi tively skew competitive advantage in favor of the Airmount Company. In addition, the company will have to recruit distribution agencies across the market regions and well trained marketers for this product (Kotler Keller, 2012, p. 29). In order to diversify market operations, the Airmount Company may create multiple brands from the same product with different coloration, scent, sizes, and packaging (Harrison St. John, 2010, p. 43). This will create an environment of own competition and block other competitors from encroaching into the company’s market (Dagnino Rocco, 2009, p. 31). These sub-products will be differentiated by features, prices, and difference in quality. As forecasted in the market research, this strategy will be successful towards dominance as it offers variety of options to consumers, while at the same time maximizing benefits of economies of scale (Harrison St. John, 2010, p. 32). Since cosmetics market has low entry barriers, the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ product is likely to reap from the experimenting consumers as the product may appeal to the young generation who are often willing to try new products. The high-end and the low-end varieties will target the high and low income earning consumers.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With the high-end and low-end varieties in the market, little room will be available for competitors to create a third product based on quality (Rossiter Bellman, 2005, p. 45). Thus, when properly implemented, the company will reap major returns on the upper-end and lower-end of the male cosmetics market. The Airmount Company should introduce the aspect of appealing to ideals of the target population by contracting a popular celebrity as company’s products image. Through recommendations of such celebrity or a popular public figure, the target consumers would be persuaded to try out the ideal product recommended by their favorite celebrity. The marketers of the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ product should also include catchy advertisement short messages that appeal to male and female sexuality such as ‘vitality in totality’. In the aspect of self-concept, marketing strategies for the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ should be based on idolizing the male pe rson as an equal user of its products. Financials Budget for the marketing plan Cost Quantity Total Cost Equipment Cost $5,000 10 $50,000 Advertisement Posters $10 10,000 $100,000 PA System Hiring $1,000 5 $5,000 Personnel Hiring $3,000 20 $60,000 Advertisement Media $10,000 $10,000 Total Cost $225,000 The financial implication of implementing the above marketing strategy includes active advertisement in the traditional media such as television and newspapers. Besides, the Airmount Company will have to embrace social media in promoting the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ product. Controls In order to move the ‘No-Goat Smelling X5’ brand forward, it is critical to adopt the localization strategy that directly appeals to different target markets. The Airmount Company should remain the organization that has localized its means of production and marketing to capture different customer bases. The localization strategy will help in triangulation o f the â€Å"how†, â€Å"where†, and â€Å"what† of management strategies, since it focuses on a specific market. It involves the identification of the unmet customer needs, examining and deploying potential enablers in new converging innovative technologies, and identifying capabilities to ensure that the needs are met (Harrison St. John, 2010). The above elements should then be integrated in a marketing communication plan that runs continuously within the stipulated marketing timetable. References Dagnino, G., Rocco, E. (2009). Competition strategy: theory experiments and cases (1st ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Harrison, J., St. John, C. (2010). Foundations in strategic management. Ohio, Oh: South Western Cengage Learning. Kotler, P., Keller, K. (2012). Marketing management. (14th ed.). New Jersey, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Rossiter, J. R., Bellman, S. (2005). Marketing communications: Theory and applications. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.

Twentieth Century President

Twentieth Century President Introduction Twentieth century saw United States’ policies shifting from domestic to foreign issues. Increasing global issues that affected the country such as war, politics, and economic crisis compelled the United States to formulate more foreign policies that would cushion the country against changing trends of globalization. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Twentieth Century President specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During early 20th century, the public evaluated presidential leadership from the nature of domestic policies, but in the mid 20th century, the public used foreign policies to gauge their presidential candidates (Hook 5). The change in polices from domestic to foreign issues reflects trends in economic and political status of the United States. Before the United States became a super power nation, it had been grappling with domestic issues of poverty, racism, democracy, and radical reforms tha t would propel the country to achieve world’s status. Policies formulated shortly before the Second World War by the United States were foreign policies that saw her emerge triumphantly as a super power. Based on the above insights, Theodore Roosevelt had the greatest domestic policies while Franklin Delano Roosevelt had the greatest foreign policies of as United States presidents of the 20th century. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) At the turn of 20th century, Americans were isolationists for they wanted to resolve their domestic issues before engaging in foreign issues that seemed to have no benefits to their country then. Theodore Roosevelt became president in time when there were pressing economic issues that involved monopoly by mega companies and exploitation of the poor. To resolve these issues, Theodore Roosevelt advocated for the formulation of radical reforms that would ensure social and economic justice to the Americans. Theodore Roosevelt believed that social an d economic justice were part of critical reforms that the Americans needed to free themselves from bondage of exploitation by the mega companies. Northern Security Company was one of the mega companies in the United States that dealt with railroad transport system and had abused the transport industry by disregarding welfare of the public (Hook 16). Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Realizing the abuses, Theodore Roosevelt called for the urgent regulation of the railroad transport system by empowering Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Elkins Act and Hepburn Act are two major domestic reforms attributed to Theodore Roosevelt that led to regulation of railroad transport system for the benefit of the public. In pursuit of social and economic justice, Theodore believed in sustainable use of natural resources for economic growth and benefit to the society. In 1902, there was sev ere shortage of coal in the United States due to strike of mine employees at Pennsylvania. Though Theodore Roosevelt had no powers to intervene the stalemate between labor unions and mine owners, he overstepped his mandate to bring sanity in the mining industry. He threatened to seize mines and let the government run them if the mine owners and labor unions were not going to negotiate and settle their differences. The settlement became a ‘square deal’ where the conflicting parties made fair agreement and this become one of the Theodore Roosevelt’s grand domestic programs. In addition, Roosevelt Theodore made significant efforts in conserving natural resources for he believed in sustainable use of natural resources. In his domestic policies regarding conservation, he ordered creation of 150 extra natural forests, 18 national museums, 51 wildlife refuges, and 5 national parks Therefore, Theodore Roosevelt was a 20th president who concentrated his policies on dom estic issues. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945) Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the United States president when Americans were making transition from isolationism to internationalism. Faced with great economic crisis and impending Second World War, Franklin Roosevelt embarked on the formulation of foreign policies that made United States become a super power. During his first term in office, Franklin Roosevelt counteracted isolationism policies by advocating for new foreign policies that would enhance country’s capacity to cope with threatening worldwide economic crisis.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Twentieth Century President specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He formulated Good Neighbor Policy as a way of encouraging lucrative relationship with foreign countries, particularly Latin America, European, and Asian countries. To overcome economic challenges that rocked the country, Franklin Roosevelt mob ilized the Congress and signed series of treaties that provided framework for implementation of foreign policies. During his second and third term in office, Franklin Roosevelt concentrated on foreign policies of war since Second World War was an impending crisis then. To convince isolationists, Roosevelt advocated that the United States government should play a neutral role in mediating international conflicts and wars. Congress passed a Neutrality Act, which prevented the United States from taking sides, but as build up to the Second World War increased, Franklin Roosevelt recommended to the Congress that the United States should not only play neutral role in bringing peace but must also war against aggressive nations (Hook 12). Due to threat of Nazis in Europe, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill signed an agreement of ‘Lend Lease’ and Atlantic Charter that gave the United States powers to support her allies. The foreign policies of war that Franklin Roosevelt advocated propelled the United States to become super power, and it marked the beginning of internationalism. Conclusion Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945) are the United Sates presidents who made significant contributions to domestic and foreign policies respectively. In domestic policies, Theodore Roosevelt demanded regulation of mega companies from exploiting Americans through monopoly, which led to improvement of the railroad transport system as an elaborate economic infrastructure. Moreover, he advocated for sustainable use of economic resources to meet social and economic demands by settling coalmine strike and carrying out extensive conservation of natural resources. On the other hand, Franklin Roosevelt made his remarkable foreign policies that gave the United States powers to intervene international crisis of economy and war. Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More His policies bolstered the United States engagement in war resulting into her supremacy after Second World War. Therefore, Theodore Roosevelt had the greatest domestic policies while Franklin Delano Roosevelt had the greatest foreign policies of as United States presidents of the 20th century. Hook, Steven. â€Å"The United States Foreign Policy.† Journal of International Relations 4.6(2009): 1-23.

Philosophy - gun control article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy - gun control article - Essay Example However, in November 1993, legislators passed the Brady bill. The Brady bill mandated federal checks on the background of purchasers of firearms in the United States. However, has this bill been successfully instituted? Has it had tangible results? This paper aims to show how this bill, while noble in intention, has failed to address the real nature and reason for criminal activity, via the eyes of the author. The notion about linkage of violence and guns, however, immaculately documented is mistaken. Firearms and their possession do not cause a surge in crime rates. The resulting legislation of laws controlling possession of firearms causes the surge in crime rates. Violence and crime rates are currently below the monstrous rates, witnessed in the 70’s. An increase in population of 15-24 year old males, who are noted as being the at-risk population, will inevitably lead to worsening crime rates. There is certainly no evidence that this fresh criminal generation will find it more difficult to obtain firearms than their elder statesmen will. As the violence grows, call for harsher laws will escalate. However, each piece of legislation will only precede renewed frustration over seemingly un-deterred criminals (Polsby 1). The argument that gun control works is ignorant, to say the least. Markets that deal with the illicit trade of firearms will always find a way to adapt to the intense scrutiny, regulation and bureaucracy hurled at them by the legitimate world. It is also worth noting that the increased control of firearm supply infringes on privacy interests and freedom, which are the foundation of American life. Moreover, the war on prostitution, pornography and drugs should at least educate us on the methodology of illicit markets and expenses the public has to foot in a doomed effort to control them (Polsby 1). The Brady bill is an amalgam of two types of firearm control laws in the US; those that seek to the regulate

Bill of Rights Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bill of Rights - Assignment Example s in the law courts, is forbidden by the law while, in South Africa, the law can impose any heavy fine on the offender according to the seriousness of the crime (Pederson, 2010). The United States should amend the law on protecting offenders from heavy fines because this encourages them to commit serious crimes because they are aware that no heavy fines will be imposed on them. In the United States, that cruel and unusual punishments should not be imposed on the offenders while, in South Africas law, there is a specification limiting any unusual punishments. The United States should change its view on the type of punishment because if someone has killed deliberately then he/she deserves heavy punishment including life imprisonment, which is not yet approved by the United States government (Pederson, 2010). People in South Africa may fear to commit crimes because of the fear of heavy punishments while people in United States may dare commit serious crimes because they are aware the law does not allow heavy

The Italian Americans Essay Example for Free

The Italian Americans Essay The dream of America has always been a powerful beacon of hope for people of other countries searching for a better life. The Irish came in droves to escape starvation, the Jewish came to seek safety, the Russians looking for improved living conditions. Regardless of the reasons, millions have sacrificed everything at the chance for something better. It is the same for the Italians. The real immigration of Italians didn’t start until the early 1900’s when the number of immigrants mushroomed from 70,000. â€Å"This figure changed to close to four million who arrived between 1880 and 1914. † (Davison, 1998) The reasons for immigration are varied and include overpopulation, a scarcity of jobs and the hope for better economic opportunity. Italy at that time was fairly agricultural with most of the land being owned by a small group of wealthy families. Many of the immigrants that came to America during this period continued their tradition for growing and cultivating things and many sold the small crops they grew in their little gardens. And many Italians came temporarily, working and sending money back to family in Italy. Regardless of the reasons, the Italians had one strong trait in common, they came to work. Although they were a predominantly agri society, many found work here using the various skills and trades that they brought with them from Italy. Oftentimes, however, they changed what they did to fit into the new life they were creating. As they landed in port towns they spent their time recreating the country from which they came and generally segregated themselves in this way. The concept of paesani, or little villages, was kept in tact by blocks of Neapolitans sticking together, and blocks of Calebrese living together. This tradition of paesani helped with the cultural assimilation that many Italians found difficult. During the rush of immigration the greatest number of Italian immigrants focused on America and Brazil. However, because the English language, family values and traditions, and religion were very much different from their own, â€Å".. The Italians in New York confronted significantly greater cultural differences. † (Italain American Civil Rights, 2007) These cultural differences reared their heads in a variety of different forms. Religious persecution was one of them. When the immigrants arrived they found that the predominant religion was white Protestantism as opposed to the Catholicism they came from. However, things became even more difficult when the Irish, who also practiced Catholicism, found the Italian from of practicing their same religion unsatisfactory. They began to be â€Å"†¦ attacked for being prejudiced against blacks and for being super patriotic hard hats with little sophistication or with connections to the Mafia. † (Bailey, 1999) Tensions rose quickly as the once disparaged Irish were now replaced by newly immigrated Italians. A common thread of prejudice began to grow and immigrants that were not of an Anglo-Saxon decent were looked at as less than human. There are many factors that aided this prejudice. One of the most important was the issue of racism. In the summer of 1989 a sixteen year old African American was shot and killed during an argument by a group of youth in an Italian neighborhood. Although the community was aghast and all applauded the severe punishment of the boys, the Italians were labeled â€Å"racists†. This is both interesting and strange because at the same time in the south the Italians were a threat to white solidarity as they were more apt to side with black rights. This so enraged the southern whites that it was not uncommon for Italians to be hung for their beliefs. It was obvious then that American had found a new scape goat. † Since then, the stereotype of the Italian American-as-bigot has become accepted by the general public, thanks in large part to the U. S. entertainment industry, which routinely portrays its fictional Mafia characters as racists. † (Faegin, 1978) In addition to trouble with racism, and false stereo-typing, Italians found problems with class walls. They were portrayed by the media as illiterate and diseased, and the general public accepted this view. It was not helpful that Italians seemed to like to stay close to the city centers, often as home owners, and they blame for crime and other offenses also began to be laid at their feet. However, it was shown that, this mafia based criminality blame was also unfounded. â€Å"Italian Americans had relatively low crime rates, close to those for all native-born Americans. † (Faegin) However, regardless of the facts, these myths provided difficulties for Italians to overcome in all facets of society. Nevertheless, overcoming them is exactly what they did. Italian Americans today continue to play an active and vital part in American society. They continue to hold strong family and cultural ties, and to work within the fabric of America to make it a better place. Bibliography Bailey, S. (1999). Immigrants in the Land of Promise. Ithaca: Cornell University. Davison, B. (1998, May 2). Italains Immigrating to Maryland. Retrieved March 17, 2007, from www. oriole. umd. edu Faegin, J. (1978). Racial and Ethnic Relations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Italain American Civil Rights. (2007). Retrieved March 18, 2007, from Order of the Sons of Italy: www. osia. org

Contrasting Macbeths Two Meetings With The Witches :: essays research papers

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth there are two instances in which Macbeth comes into contact with the three witches. These two instances are located in Act 1 Scene 3 and in Act 4 Scene 1. In both scenes Macbeth is informed about his future. However, these two scenes are greatly different from each other in many ways. When Macbeth first meets the witches in Act 1 Scene 3 he doubts that the witches are â€Å"of this earth† and doubts that they are capable of basic abilities such as speech, evidenced by the question, †Speak, if you can, what are you?† In the second confrontation with the witches, Macbeth believes that the witches are real and thinks them to almost be superior. He shows this by attributing the witches with awesome powers when he says to the witches, †Though you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches†, meaning that he believes the witches are capable of manipulation of these natural phenomenon. In addition, he asks Lennox if he had seen the witches leave, showing his belief that the witches are, in fact, real entities that exist in his world. In addition, when Macbeth first meets the witches, he does not believe the prophecies given to him by the witches. This is best said as, â€Å"and to be king stands not within the prospect of belief, no more than to be Cawdor†. This exemplifies Macbeth’s disbelief in the prophecies that he is to become the Thane of Cawdor and the King of Scotland. In the second meeting, however, Macbeth devoutly believes in the predictions of the witches, as the first set has come true. This is evident as Macbeth seeks the witches’ prophecies and also says, â€Å"I conjure you, by that which you profess, howe’er you come to know it, answer me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , showing that he believes the witches regardless of how they know the future. The predictions themselves have great differences. In the first meeting, the witches tell Macbeth three things that will be his rise to power. The three prophecies that forecast Macbeth’s rise are, â€Å"Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!†, â€Å" Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!† , â€Å"All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king here after!† In the second meeting with the witches, however, Macbeth receives three predictions that will lead to his downfall and ultimately his demise. These three prophecies are shown to Macbeth, rather than told to him.

Early Childhood Education Compare & Contrast Paper Essay

As early childhood educators we all have our own philosophies and approaches to education. There are several types of early childhood programs. Each program has its own philosophies, methods, and program goals. Every early childhood educator is unique making each early childhood program experience special. Consistently, early childhood programs offer educational foundations that prepare young students for their educational futures. In this paper I will focus on comparing and contrasting two programs that stood out to me, Ridgeline Montessori and the Whitaker Head Start. When examining early childhood programs there are many similarities and differences across the board. After observing both programs, I noticed that both schools have benefited from tailoring the services and programs provided to their communities. It helps early childhood programs become more effective at reaching their students. These two programs focus on providing services to two different communities of families, however, they both have the same goals in preparing students for formal schooling. The environment of each of these two programs differs in many ways. Due to the different methods, curriculum, level of family involvement, resources, funding, and teacher’s available programs can differ in structure. Some programs are built on models based upon psychological theories and principals, while others are more focused on students’ interests and individual needs. Ridgeline Montessori school is a free public charter school that is offered to any students in the community, through a lottery system. Students who don’t initially get in are placed on a wait list in the order in which they applied. Read Also:  Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Elementary Students Even though Ridgeline is a public charter school, many low-income families may not be aware of the opportunity or have the resources to send their children there. Head Start on the other hand is a national federally funded program, in which enrollment is based on family income. Head Start also has a wait list and there are many families who have to wait to get into the program. The difference in program eligibility creates a difference in the types of families and children that enter these programs. Most students enrolled at Ridgeline come from middle class families, where they do not have to worry about their basic needs being met. This allows these students families to be more involved helping channel their energy and attention towards learning. Head Start children, on the other hand, usually come from low-income families, in which meeting their basic needs can be an everyday challenge. The differences in these two home environments play an intricate role in the set up and implementation of each program. The Head Start program focuses not only on educating young children, but also making sure that they’re socially, emotionally, and physically healthy. Head Start programs provide families with services that ensure students are receiving adequate nutrition, proper care, and that there basic needs are being met. Ridgeline Montessori offered free and reduced lunches at one time, however, due to the lack of need for this service, the program was cut. Students’ at Ridgeline seem to have less of a need for services and therefore, more focus is put forth on education and learning. Ridgeline Montessori uses the Montessori method, which was developed by Maria Montessori. The Montessori method views children as being unique individuals in which each child has their own interests and learning potential. The classroom and materials are prepared in advance, with manipulatives set up all around the classroom. At first glance the classroom looked similar to the classrooms I previously observed, however, with further examination I noticed many differences. One of the most noticeable differences I detected upon walking into the Montessori classroom was the noise level. The classroom seemed rather quiet considering the number of students. The layout of the classroom is much different. Instead of having several different designated centers the whole classroom is a center for exploration and learning. Materials and manipulatives are spread along the outside walls of the classroom and children are free to choose which type of materials they would like to work with during independent work time. You do not notice any individual desks and chairs set up in the classroom, rather a few tables and chairs grouped together. The furniture is all child size and you do not see any adult sized furniture throughout the classroom. Students spend most of their time working on the floor where they have their own individual carpets. They put them down to outline their personal workspace. Instead of there being various toys and games spread through out the classroom, there are specific sensory materials and manipulatives that are self correcting and purposeful to student’s learning. On the walls students’ work fill spaces throughout the classroom, similar to the walls of a Head Start classroom. Montessori classrooms are made up of mixed grades and ages, something that is not typical of traditional classrooms. The Head Start program I visited uses a more traditional comprehensive method. Students are all close to the same age. Since the program is federally funded there is much emphasis put on performance standards and teaching objectives. The classrooms at Head Start are a center based classroom with different areas for pretend play, math manipulatives, language/ reading/ writing area/ art exploration, blocks and large motor, water play, sand table etc. There is a group area for circle time activities and line time. The classroom time normally starts out with calendar work or story time. Children then tell the teacher what center or â€Å"key experience† they will start on and they choose work. Students are free to move from center to center as they choose as long as they stay somewhat involved in something and are not bothering others. Students don’t have to go to any center they are not interested in although a teacher may suggest an interesting activity to a child who has stuck to the blocks for a few days. Classrooms tend to be lively with a hum of activity. Materials are often brightly colored and made to imitate real life materials. There are specific skills and concepts that each center is aimed to teach students. Throughout the classroom there are individual desks and chairs for students to sit at or large cooperative tables to work at. Students also have a specific spot on the large rug where story time and group time takes place. In the Head Start classroom the teacher’s role is well defined, the teacher is responsible for implementing and directing the classroom activities. Head Start teachers are required to have at least a two-year degree and must complete a certain amount of educational training hours. Teachers’ are also expected to complete home visits, where they visit their student’s homes. Teachers direct the classroom activities and dictate what materials will be covered throughout the day; however, students do have periods of time where they get to decide what they want to work on. Student’s interests shape the Montessori teachers’ role in the classroom. Teachers are expected to allow the individual interests of the students to shape the activities of the day. The teacher is responsible for preparing the classroom environment that is educationally interesting and safe. The teacher acts as a guide, initially introducing a new concept to a student. Then the teacher will observe and analyze as the student works with the new concept, until mastering it. Montessori teachers go through special training to become a certified Montessori teacher. Teachers are required to maintain regular communications with the parents and guardians of students. Teachers are also expected to keep good documentation of the students’ growth and progress. Both Head Start and Ridgeline strive to develop a high level of family and community involvement. Head Start requires home visits and parenting classes for some families. The program is set up, to not only help the child get on track and ready for formal schooling, but also help the parents and guardians be prepared for the process as well. Ridgeline requires that parents and guardians volunteer or help out in the classroom at least 40 hours a year. Both programs put great emphasis on family involvement. Since Ridgeline is a Montessori school the curriculum is already set up. It is shaped by a sequence of three broad phases. These phases include: exercises for practical life, sensory education and language activities. The rate at which the students move through the areas of curriculum is directly related to the student’s mastery of each sequenced level. There is also a great importance put on learning through the senses and all materials and manipulatives are meant to be aesthetically appealing. The Montessori method uses five basic principles as the foundation for the program: respect for the child, auto-corrections, prepared environments, sensitive periods, and absorbent mind. These five principles are the guides for all Montessori programs. The Head Start curriculum is quit different from the Montessori curriculum. Head Start uses a traditional high/scope curriculum which is emergent, meaning it is not planned in advance. In the same way that student’s interests shape the Montessori curriculum, students’ help to determine the curriculum in a Head Start program. Plan-do-review is the teaching-learning cycle that is implemented throughout Head Start programs. In the Plan-do-review teachers and students plan out what they are going to do, do it, and then review the outcome with the classroom community. Since Head Start is federally funded the curriculum must meet national and state standards. The Whitaker Head Start I observed used routine and structure to help guide students throughout the curriculum and the day. The predictability of the day’s routine help student’s to know what is next in the day. Montessori schools work off a philosophy of respect for student’s abilities and interests. The main idea is to allow children to explore, grow and develop at their own pace. Head Start works off of a philosophy which promotes equality in social and emotional growth. The main idea is to provide students and families with the tools and resources to help prepare young children for formal schooling. Both programs are critical and beneficial to the students and families they serve.

The United States Became an Industrial Power

The United States became an industrial power by tapping North America’s vast natural resources, including minerals, lumber and coal, particularly in the newly developed west. Industries that had once depended on waterpower began to use prodigious amounts of coal. Steam engines replaced human and animal labor, and kerosene replaced whale oil and wood. By 1900, America’s factories and urban homes were converting to electric power. Dependence on fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas), which powered machines of unprecedented speed and strength, transformed both the economy and the country’s natural and built environments.What is vertical integration? Vertical integration is a business model in which one company controlled all aspects of production from raw materials to finished goods. Once his engineers designed a cooling system, swift invested in a fleet of refrigerator cars and constructed a packing plant near Chicago’s stockyards. What is horizontal integrat ion? Horizontal integration is a strategy pioneered by Rockefeller. Like swift he pressured competitors through predatory pricing, but when he had driven them to failure, he invited rivals to merge their companies into his conglomerate.The roles the government played in this story were in an effort to attract corporate headquarters to its state, New Jersey broke ranks in 1889, by passing a law that permitted the creation of holding companies and other corporate combinations. Despite reformers’ efforts, a huge wave of mergers in the 1890s further concentrated corporate power. By 1900, America’s largest one hundred companies controlled a third of the nation’s productive capacity.Such familiar firms as DuPont, Eastman Kodak, and singer had assumed dominant places in their respective industries. The immense power of these corporations would henceforth be a recurring political concern. Roles that the government could have played but didn’t was that distressed by the development of near monopolies, reformers began to denounce â€Å"the trusts† and that some states outlawed trusts as a legal form. The nineteenth century's industrial philosophy dates, actually, from Adam Smith's â€Å"The Wealth of Nations†, published in 1776.This is really the â€Å"capitalist bible† in which the notion that greed has a socially useful role is first popularly put forward. It also puts forward the notion of the â€Å"invisible hand† that guides the market to improve the standard of living of everyone, without regard to the actual intentions of its participants. This is the â€Å"magic of the marketplace† many capitalists are so fond of referring to. But, by the late nineteenth century, these concepts of Adam Smith had been distorted and fused, to some extent, with the ideas of Charles Darwin about evolution.This led to the extremely pernicious and largely discredited concept of â€Å"Social Darwinism†, related to Na zism, in the twentieth century. Social Darwinists believe that only those who are socially successful and powerful should have the right to survive, and that providing assistance and support to the â€Å"weak† is, actually, antisocial. According to this view, society can only progress if the â€Å"strong† exploit, suppress and, eventually, destroy the â€Å"weak†. The factors that I don’t really agree with are the Ideas of social Darwinism.I don’t think that the strong should not help the weak because what if were the strongest person in the world with the most money and were at the top and we refuse to help someone who is at the bottom like the very bottom were in there’s no more down only way is up at that point say we become the weak party and them the strong party what if we need the help they need and the refuse us that help because we believe in social Darwinism as an whole and we didn’t help them reach the top when we were up t here so why should they help us.Industrialism changed the nature of work and in many respects caused an uneven distribution of power Among interest groups in American society. Industrial workers were employees rather than producers, And repeating specialized tasks made them feel like appendages to machines. The emphasis on quantity Rather than quality further dehumanized the workplace. These factors, in addition to the increased Power of the employer, reduced the independence and self-respect of workers, but worker resistance only led employers to tighten restrictions. Industrialism also brought more women and children into the labor force.Although job opportunities Opened for women, most women went into low-paying clerical jobs, and sex discrimination continued in the workplace. Employers also attempted to cut wage costs by hiring more children. Although a few States passed child-labor laws, such laws were difficult to enforce and employers generally opposed State interference in t heir hiring practices. Effective child-labor legislation would not come until the Twentieth century. As the nature of work changed, workers began to protest low wages, the attitude of employers, the hazards of the workplace, and the absence of disability insurance and pensions.The effectiveness of Legislation designed to redress these grievances was usually limited by conservative Supreme Court Rulings Out of frustration, some workers began to participate in unions and in organized resistance. Unionization efforts took various directions. The Knights of Labor tried to ally all workers by creating Producer and consumer cooperatives; the American Federation of Labor strove to organize skilled Workers to achieve pragmatic objectives; and the Industrial Workers of the World attempted to Overthrow capitalist society.The railroad strikes of 1877, the Haymarket riot, and the Homestead and Pullman strikes were all marked by violence, and they exemplified labor’s frustration as well a s its active and organized resistance. Government intervention against the strikers convinced many workers Of the imbalance of interest groups in American society, whereas the middle class began to connect organized working-class resistance with radicalism. Although this perception was by and large Mistaken, middle-class fear of social upheaval became an additional force against organized labor.Not only did industrialization affect the nature of work, it also produced a myriad of products that affected the everyday lives of Americans. As America became a consumer-oriented society, most of its Citizens faced living costs that rose faster than wages. Consequently, many people could not take advantage of the new goods and services being offered. But, as noted above, more women and children Became part of the paid labor force. Although many did so out of necessity, others hoped that the Additional income would allow the family to participate in the consumer society.The Nativists didnâ⠂¬â„¢t take too kind to the wave of new immigrants. The reason most industrial workers put up with the difficult conditions of their work because factory owners, especially those involved in the steel industry and in the coal mine industry, often would build company towns. Workers were given cheap rent in these towns to go along with their low wages. In essence the worker was trapped. The company town afforded him a place to live and without the job he couldn't live there.

Words with the Suffixes -ance and -ence

Words with the Suffixes -ance and -ence Words with the Suffixes -ance and -ence Words with the Suffixes -ance and -ence By Maeve Maddox One of our readers asks if there is a rule for knowing when to write ence and when to write ance at the ends of words such as: affluence, eloquence, essence, influence, insurgence and ambulance, clairvoyance, finance, ignorance, nuisance In a priority list for English spelling reform, the spellings ence and ance, ent and ant, surely deserve a place near the top. Both ance and ence derive ultimately from Latin endings spelled entia and antia. Before the Sixteenth Century when English scholars busied themselves trying to make English spelling and grammar conform to the logic of Latin, some words that had already entered the language spelled with -ance were altered to ence. NOTE: The silent b came into the word debt at this time. In Middle English the word was usually spelled det or dette, rarely debte. The reforming scholars decided that since the word came from Latin debitum, it needed the b. As for knowing when to write -ence and when to write -ance, I believe that this is a case in which observation and practice offer the best solution. A spell checker can also help. A website called Everything2 formulates several rules for the ence/-ance, -ent/-ant spellings, but the multiplicity of rules and exceptions would seem to demand more mental exertion than simply memorizing the words one has trouble with. I was taught to attach what my teacher called a spelling pronunciation to words that do not sound the way they are spelled. For example, I have no trouble spelling chihuahua because I think /chI hoo-a hoo-a/. The same goes for words in ence and ance, ent and ant. I look at the word and emphasize the ending in my head: de fen DANT, prev a LENT. Do this often enough and the correct spelling will enter your long term memory. CAUTION: Some danger may attach to the use of mental spelling pronunciations: they may slip into your speech. Ive heard more than one TV lawyer pronounce /de fen dent/ as /de fen DANT/. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive InterjectionsTen Yiddish Expressions You Should KnowInspiring vs. Inspirational

How to Sound Smart When You Have Nothing to Say

How to Sound Smart When You Have Nothing to Say You’ve all been caught in a conversation or meeting where you really,  really have no idea what’s going on, right? You try to understand the gist of the topic, but you keep drifting. And then†¦it’s your turn to speak.  What can you do to say something coherent  in order to seem cool, collected, and competent? Here, New York Magazine gives stellar advice on how to give the impression that you are aware, awake, and interested in any topic.

Critically assess the proposition that collective bargaining is the Essay

Critically assess the proposition that collective bargaining is the most appropriate channel to redress the power imbalance within the employment relationship - Essay Example With the cases of Company A and B, such demands can be regarded as a non-issue since it is the right of every employee to be provided with their basic needs. However, the unwillingness of employers to grant the aforementioned requests pose a big problem, and might eventually strain the relationship between the management and its numerous employees. Without a proper venue to hear both parties, a collective decision may render impossible to happen. If this happens, employees would have no other choice but to go to the streets and hold the picket lines until other labour unions or government agencies get hold of their case. Hence, there is a need to emphasise the fact that every company or organisation must acknowledge the rights of their employees. And the only way to meet halfway through the conflict is through a collective bargaining agreement between the two parties involved (Cornell, 2007). In the UK alone, collective bargaining has been exercised by at least 15.5 million employees from a manpower population of about 17.5 million since 1945 (Cite filename: Personnel & HRM). British Academic Beatrice Webb was said to have coined such term in her 1891 book entitled ‘Cooperative Movement’ in an effort to provide an alternative movement from individual bargaining between a company and its individual employee. However, it was the definition made by Allan Flanders, as a ‘process of rule-making leading to joint regulation in industry,’ that further refined the meaning of collective bargaining (Wikipedia, 2007). He even expanded the significance of the term as not only limited to determining pay but as well as in the (cite filename: employee relations): †¦management acceptance of a style of employment relationship which is based on the legitimisation of the expression of the different interest within the organisation (conflict), on joint regulation (constraining the unilateral exercise of managerial authority over

Betty Woodman Work of Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Betty Woodman Work of Art - Research Paper Example She has combined the artwork of ceramics into the functionality of day to day use and as pieces of art. Most of her works are colorful and varies in style. She would rather be eclectic that be identified by one style. Her work is not boring. It is diverse, interesting and shows influences that span different cultures. Her work cannot be said to come from one nation. She is an international artist. The two works chosen represent two complete opposites of her scope of artwork and to show her style is eclectic. In 2008-2009, she composed a series of Gauguin, Vase Diptyque for the Sevres Gallery. They are made of tender porcelain. It is interesting to understand why she called them Gauguin. She must have been influenced by his Double-Vase decorated with a Breton Figure, 1886-7. (History of ....) It is made of clay. He considered ceramics another form of sculpture and the Sevres Porcelain factory had ruined it with their development of porcelain. expressed in these vases come from the Baroque period of the 18th century by the sumptuous use of curves in furniture. This is a personal interpretation. These vases are wonderful in the use of white because they are so atypical of most of her works. They can been seen on the Sevres site listed in the "Works Cited". A similar representation of these vases can be seen on the American Academy in Rome Site. Last year until December 2010, she was showing at the American Academy in Rome. Her Roman Fresco/Pleasures and  Places was the premium work. It has a double interest as it shows her diversity in her work and represents her life that she spends in Italy. She has divided her life between the New York and near Florence where she has had her studio for the last 30 years. The Fresco is made of ceramic on canvas. She was strongly influenced by her time spent doing a fresco in the American Embassy in China in 2009 . She was able

Thirty Years War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Thirty Years War - Essay Example The Thirty Year War marks the last of its kind-a religious conflict fought under political guises. Unlike other religious wars, however, the Thirty Years War is known much more for its destruction, destitution, and lingering consequences: All this was effected by religion. Religion alone could have rendered possible all that was accomplished, but it was far from being the SOLE motive of the war. Had not private advantages and state interests been closely connected with it, vain and powerless would have been the arguments of theologians; and the cry of the people would never have met with princes so willing to espouse their cause, nor the new doctrines have found such numerous, brave, and persevering champions. The Reformation is undoubtedly owing in a great measure to the invincible power of truth, or of opinions which were held as such. The abuses in the old church, the absurdity of many of its dogmas, the extravagance of its requisitions, necessarily revolted the tempers of men, already half-won with the promise of a better light, and favourably disposed them towards the new doctrines. The charm of independence, the rich plunder of monastic institutions, made the Reformation attractive in the eyes of princes, and t ended not a little to strengthen their inward convictions (Schiller, 2006, p. 2). UndoubtedUndoubtedly, Europe had suffered through centuries of warfare before the Thirty Years War started in 1618; and the history of warfare, sadly, did not end after the Thirty Years War ended in 1648. In fact, shortly after the war in 1945, some historians tried to revise the traditional image of the Thirty Years War by: ...suggesting that the numerous complaints about the destruction of towns, the cruelty of soldiers and in general about unmitigated plunder, pillage and atrocities should not really be taken seriously. Rather, it is argued, they are so many cases of special pleading by farmers and citizens in order to get taxes and other impositions reduced (Asch, 2000, p. 291). Essentially, historians have attempted to scale down the level of destruction and destitution caused by the Thirty Years War by claiming that these farmers and citizens raised complaints and exaggerated their claims regarding the war in an effort to receive tax waivers and reductions (Asch, 2000). However, many historians have dismissed these claims. This dismissal may be partially due to a treatise released during the height of the Thirty Years War written by Franciscus Bonbra in which he describes some of the atrocities committed by mercenary soldiers: "They would rape any woman who seemed halfway attractive, plunder the houses, destroy the crops and beat and torture the peasants to extort money. In the end they would set the entire village on fire" (Asch, 2000, p. 292). Bonbra's treatise helped to lend credibility to the argument that the claims of destruction were valid; since Bonbra's treatise was written as a theoretical treatise rather than a petition seeking support or tax wa ivers (Asch, 2000). In truth, the Thirty Years War left a wave of destruction unmatched until the 20th Century's World Wars. The destruction, whether caused through poor militaristic strategies, army composition, or overall famine and disease, led to several changes

Commercialization of Beauty Essay Example for Free

Commercialization of Beauty Essay To help with any queries you may have about the examination, I have written some guidelines below. You will have had experience preparing exam questions in your review sessions. The following document provides some further hints and tips, with some sample questions at the end. I have also attached a document with questions from January and Resit last year, with an outline of what the answer should contain. What do I have to do? In the examination, you will be asked to select three questions to answer from a choice of six. Very broadly, these areas might be taken from the nine major sections listed in the course outline as below. 3) Marketing to Consumers Consumer Behaviour * Why is customer analysis an important component of strategic marketing management? Making reference to a company of your choice suggest TWO models that can be used in undertaking such an analysis. * With reference to models and products of your choice, describe both the Consumer Buying Process and four common types of behaviour that consumer’s exhibit. * Explain, using examples, how marketers try to influence consumers at the different stages of the consumer decision process. 5) Product Strategy, Brand Management * Describe and discuss each of the key stages involved in new product development and explain why innovation is a key marketing strategy for organisations today. * What is the Boston share/growth matrix? [30] In turn, give an example  product for each of the four boxes and describe the marketing implications. [70] * What is a positioning map and how are they useful to marketers? [50] For an industry of your choice draw an example of a positioning map with at least 6 product/brands located on it according to appropriate criteria with comments on the strengths and weaknesses of each location. [50] * Assess the advantages and disadvantages of brand extensions. Use appropriate examples to illustrate your answer. * Examine the components of effective brand positioning, illustrating your answer with examples of well-positioned brands and poorly positioned ones. 6) Pricing Strategy * Discuss the following strategy using pricing theories and concepts from the course: The only reason that companies set low prices is that their products are undifferentiated. * List and explain the keys mistakes a strategic marketer could make when setting the price of a good or service. * You have been asked by a company specialising in consumer electronics about the pricing of a new product about to be launched. Describe the factors that the company should consider in setting the price of their new product. * Discuss how pricing should play a strategic rather than a tactical role for an organisation. Use relevant industry examples to illustrate your answer. 7) Distribution Strategy * Marketing channel issues are amongst the most important decisions that  management faces. To what extent do you agree with this statement? * Why might a supply channel become disintermediated? 8) Promotions Strategy, Marketing Communications * Advertising is the most obvious form of promotion. Using examples, describe at least three other forms of promotional activity. * Identify and discuss the key strategic actions marketers must take to ensure Integrated Marketing Communications are successful. * Different advertising campaigns can have different objectives. With reference to recent examples, list and discuss four different types of objective. * There are five main promotional tools. Define each and use examples to illustrate their potential usefulness. 9) Services Marketing * Using strategic marketing theories and concepts, state whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: â€Å"Creating marketing strategies for services is no different to the marketing of goods†. * Discuss the extended marketing mix used for services. Why are these useful, given the characteristics of services? Below are listed the exam questions and outline answers for a previous January examination and Resit. The outline answers are produced so that the external examiner and markers have a good idea about what the answer should contain. However, to achieve top marks (70+) you would need to include these points in a coherent argument, aided by relevant examples and context. Resit 2012 1) What are the four distinguishing characteristics of services marketing? What challenges do these present to the formulation of marketing strategy and implementation? Answers should define what is meant by a service: a provider/client interaction that creates and captures value. Definitions such as â€Å"Deeds, processes, performances† (Zeithaml Bitner, 1996); â€Å"An activity or series of activities†¦ provided as solution to customer problems†(Gronroos, 2000); may be used. The four distinguishing characteristics of services marketing will be defined as: Intangible (as opposed to tangible goods): The implication of this is that services cannot be inventoried, or easily patented. They may therefore be easier to copy, and gaining real competitive advantage may be more difficult. Services cannot be readily displayed or communicated- this raises issues in terms of the promotional strategy and message designs that can be used. Airlines may emphasise the relaxation of being on board as the actual process of travel is more difficult to represent, and might be more problematic when communicating the company’s positioning strategy. Intangibility also makes pricing more difficult. With goods, a differentiation focus and premium pricing strategy may be clearly identified by the consumer through the tangible attributes of the products and the difference in quality. The quality of a set of accounts, or a medical procedure may be less tangible, and therefore high prices may need to be supported by other aspects of the strategy and marketing management process. The extended marketing mix, such as physical evidence may be helped to signal quality to consumers. Heterogeneous (as opposed to standardized): Service delivery and customer satisfaction depend on employee and customer actions. Therefore plans for marketing strategy and implementation cannot be guaranteed in the same way as for products. Service quality depends on many uncontrollable factors. There is no sure knowledge that the service delivered matches what was planned and promoted. The extended marketing mix, particularly the planning  of the ‘process’ may be to alleviate problems of standardization. Some companies such as McDonalds have tried to implement a standardized service experience. This may only be appropriate for some sectors however. For luxury services or professional services, the heterogeneous and client-specific exchange may be part of the value of the service. Companies will need to carefully monitor and control implementation. Simultaneous production and consumption – customers participate in and affect the transaction, and each other. Employees also affect the service outcome. Decentralisation may be essential. Mass production is difficult. Because services depend critically on the co-production relationship, it is very important that the service contract spell out mutual responsibilities and expectations. A significant percentage of service engagements (estimates range from 10-50 percent) do not meet the clients or providers expectations, resulting in poor performance and low satisfaction, and, therefore, in less value created and captured than anticipated. This gap is an opportunity for services innovation that will improve returns, performance and satisfaction. The training and management of people, another aspect of the extended marketing mix, may help the control and implementation of strategy in this respect. Perishability (as opposed to non-perishable)- It’s difficult to synchronise supply and demand. For many services, demand may be affected by geographical location, seasons, timing etc. Marketing management has to try to balance supply and demand, for example through pricing strategies- bundling return journeys or making seasonal promotions to stimulate demand off-peak. In this sense, segmentation, targeting and positioning is of key importance- identifying the value sought by different consumers and managing the marketing mix accordingly. Services cannot be resold or returned, therefore pricing and promotional tactics may be to sell services at cost alone, for example last minute hotel bookings and flights. Considering overheads are fixed, it is better to have costs covered than an empty seat or hotel room. However, these tactics may not integrate effectively with the company’s generic strategy. 2) What marketing strategies and marketing mix decisions are associated with the different phases of the product life cycle? Discuss how the product life cycle can help companies to plan its product portfolio. The concept of the plc should be introduced and how marketers use it to make strategic planning and marketing mix decisions. The four phases should be identified as: Introduction: Characterised by low sales and high cost per customer. There are ways which marketers categorise consumer’s willingness to adopt new products, such as Rogers (1983) seminal work on the adoption of innovation. At this phase the segments which should be indentified and targeted are innovators, who are risk takers and open to new ideas. A similar adoption model is proposed by Moore (1999). His chasm strategy would argue that the early phases should involve techies, to iron out bugs. There are few competitors at this stage, and therefore some advantages may be found in being first to market. Consumers may be willing to pay a premium price for products at the introduction stage, and therefore a market skimming strategy may be adopted. Alternatively depending on product type, a cost-plus or penetration strategy may be appropriate. Promotional strategy will have the objective of raising awareness. Heavy sales promotion may also be used. Distribution is likely to be selective at this phase. Growth: This phase is charaterised by rapidly rising sales, lower average cost per customer, and rising profits. At this phase early adopters will consider purchase. They should be targeted by companies as they tend to be respected opinion leaders in the product field will promote wider adoption through word of mouth. Moore’s (1999) model would propose that visionaries should be targeted to help find competitive advantage and to establish the basis of the appeal for the pragmatists. There will be a growing number of competitors at this phase so marketing management and strategy is likely to reflect this. Extensions, warranty, and service may become more important add-ons to secure competitive advantage. Pricing may be competitor-orientated or for penetration. Efforts should be made to build intensive distribution to try to remain market leader. Promotional efforts will continue to build awareness but in the mass market, rather than targeted at a niche. Maturity: This phase is characterised by peak sales, low cost per customer and high profits. Purchasers will be the early/late majority (or the pragmatists and conservatives). Competition is likely to have stabilized as weaker products are forced out of the market. Strategies at this stage might involve diversifying brands (brand leverage, brand extension) and product line changes (widening, filling, stretching). Prices will most likely be lowered at this stage, possibly to match or beat competitors. Sales promotion may become more prevalent. Generally promotional strategy will be to stress brand differences and encourage brand loyalty. Advertising will try to remind and reinforce the brand. Decline: This phase is characterised by declining sales, and declining profits. Laggards or the skeptics will buy the product now cost and risk is low and most other people have purchased the product. Competition will reduce as company’s divest products in a declining market with declining sales. Strategies at this phase may be to phase out weak items. Prices may be cut. All aspects of the marketing mix might be cut back to reduce costs with efforts made at the level to retain loyalists. The PLC can be used in planning a company’s product portfolio. The ideal is to have products at different phases of the life cycle so that products at the maturity phase can provide profits for investment in the mix for products at the introduction and growth phases. Portfolio planning models like the BCG matrix allow firms to address this, and to make sure they are channelling their efforts into products which have potential for growth (stars and question marks) or profit generation (cash cows). Portfolio planning will also be about phasing out products which do not have a future (dogs). Best answers will emphasise the limitations of the plc model (linearity, not all products ever do into decline). 3) Discuss the main areas an advertising company will consider when given a creative brief. Using examples, explain why a celebrity may be chosen as a  message source. What factors determine the success of a celebrity endorsement? Answers should outline the following areas for a creative brief: Positioning statement- what is the overall positioning of the brand. What are the key brand benefits and brand promise. It could be based on: Features: how the brand delivers its promise; Values and personality: what the brand stands for and signifies, which affects relationship and loyalty; or Key reward: may be based on one of these features, safety, classy personality etc. Proposition: spells out what you want to say: big ideas, strategically central. Potential sources of a proposition are: user characteristics, price, brand image, product service heritage, ways of using the product, comparison with rivals, surprising points etc. What are the specific objectives for the campaign- may be to inform, persuade, remind or reinforce. This should help formulate specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and targeted/timed objectives. Objectives may be to move buyers through readiness stages. Models such as AIDA and Dagmar may be mentioned. Target market- what segments are being targeted. This will impact greatly on the message strategy, creative considerations and media choice. Communication is a transactional process whereby meaning is exchanged through the intentional use of symbols. The firm must encode- reduce the concepts to a set of symbols which the recipient will decode. There must be a shared view of what the symbols mean, a shared field of experience. This will be determined by the target market as well. Message strategy: appeals, themes or ideas that tie into the brand positioning and establish points of parity or points of difference. Rewards may be intrinsic e.g. quality or extrinsic e.g. traditional. Buyers expect one or more of the following rewards: rational, sensory, social or ego  satisfaction Creative structure- how should we express our message: informational (rational, logical, product demo, comparison, testimonials); transformational (non-product related benefit or image, stir up emotions, negative: fear, guilt, shame, positive: humour, love, pride and joy, often use borrowed interest devices- music, provocative images, cute animals etc.). Media choice- Where is the communication(s) going to appear? Media classes (media types such as PR, press, TV- does it reach the chosen audience?); Media vehicles (choice within the chosen class such as the Times or the Sun). How frequently? What impact? What exposure? (Burst- concentrated, Continuity, Pulsing etc.). How much is to be spent? Budget and control measures. Message source- who should express the message? Credibility, celebrity endorsement, modelling. Celebrity endorsement: used extensively. The product or service is given credibility through association with someone the audience trust or aspire to be like. Success depends on having a believable link between the meanings associated with the celebrity and the product; Class, status, gender, age, personality and lifestyle are all part of what the celebrity transfers to the product. Likeability also important; Celebrity credibility is comprised of attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise. The various endorsements of a celebrity such as Tiger Woods may be used to discuss the effectiveness of this method. 4) Using the purchase of a particular product as an example, describe the decision process model of consumer behaviour. What are the short comings of the model in understanding this purchase? The answer to this question will largely depend on whether the student decides to focus on a high involvement purchase such as a car, or a low involvement purchase such as a can of soft drink. All answer will identify  the 5 stages of the decision process model of consumer behaviour: Problem recognition: consumer’s either recognise a problem or have a need triggered by internal or external stimuli. If the stimulus is internal for example hunger, it may rise to threshold level and become a drive. A need can be aroused by an external stimulus such as seeing a neighbour’s new car may trigger thoughts about buying one yourself. Information search: Sources of information may be personal, commercial, public or experiential. Of the total set of brands available, the consumer will only be aware of a subset called the awareness set. Some brands will meet the initial buying criteria and become part of the consideration set. As the consumer searches for further information, a few brands will form the choice set from which the final choice will be made. The awareness set will depend on whether companies have got themselves noticed. Consumers will then have positioned these according to a hierarchy of attributes- type/price/brand dominant. The car purchaser may decide on brands in the consideration set: audi/BMW/Mercedes. The drink purchaser may decide on type, cola with the options of Pepsi, Coca Cola and Supermarket own-brand. Evaluation- will depend on the need the consumer is satisfying; the benefits they are seeking; and the bundle of attributes that will satisfy this need. Attributes that deliver sought after benefits will vary: for the soft drink it may be taste, price, packaging, for the car it may be safety, performance, price. Expectancy value model assumes consumers arrive at decision about brands through an attribute evaluation procedure, combining brand beliefs, the positives and the negatives according to importance. Decision- the consumer makes the choice of their preferred brand and also decisions about quantity, timing and payment method. The car purchaser may have decided on a BMW but there was a waiting time and no interest-free finance so actually decided on an Audi. The soft drink purchaser discovered Pepsi had a trial price and opted for that. Post purchase behaviour- consumer’s often feel dissonance that stems from noticing disquieting features or hearing unfavourable things about the brand and will be alert to information that supports the purchase decision. No single process is used by all consumers, or by one consumer in all buying  situations. There are several processes which are not necessarily made on the basis of such conscious and rational judgements. Non-compensatory models of decision making using heuristics may be used, depending on brand knowledge, differences among brands and the social context. In reality, the soft drink purchaser is very likely just to choose the Cola brand they have previous experience of, or the one all their friends drink. The elaboration likelihood model would suggest consumers may take a peripheral route for this type of purchase, as they are unlikely to have the motivation for a diligent rational evaluation of alternatives. The consumer could just go straight from problem to decision, or certainly skip stages. This model also ignores other consumer psychology such as variety seeking, which happens in low involvement but significant brand difference sectors. Therefore consumers try Cherry Coke, Coke with Lime etc. purely for variety. A car on the other hand would demand the central route. Perceived risk will vary with the amount of money at stake, the amount of attribute uncertainty and the consumer’s self-confidence. For the purchase of a car, there could be functional, physical, financial, social, psychological and time risk. This uncertainty may lead the customer to postpone the decision, as might unanticipated situational factors, both of which are not included in the decision model. High involvement decisions are more likely to proceed down this central route for purchases that are financially involving, technically complex or have social implications (examples might be cars, mobiles). 5) What are the three key stages of the strategic marketing management process? Explain what activities are undertaken at each stage of the process and why this is so critical to a firm’s long term competitive advantage. Strategic analysis- where are we now? This is concerned with understanding the strategic position of the organisation in terms of its external environment, internal resources and competencies and the expectations and influences of stakeholders. Strategy is the development of long-range plans for the effective management of environmental opportunities and threats  while taking into account the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses. At this stage firms will collect and analyse relevant types of information about environmental forces and trends. This will be on two levels: the macro- for which a PEST analysis may be performed; and the micro- for which the Five Forces model for industry analysis may be used, in addition to analysing other relevant factors such as consumer behaviour and perceptive competitor analysis. The other environment is the internal environment in which a firm will identify its assets, resources and their application to determine where strengths and weaknesses may exist. Models such as a resource audit or value chain are used to collect this information. All relevant environmental analysis is then compiled into SWOT from which the organisation will determine where its future strategy should lie given the major factors and trends identified. This stage is crucial for competitive advantage as market information and intelligence is essential for developing a successful marketing strategy based on and for creating and sustaining competitive advantage is today’s rapidly changing environment. Strategic choice- where do we want to be? This involves understanding the underlying bases guiding future strategy, and generating strategic options for evaluation and selecting from among them. Strategy is decided upon in terms of objectives, financial decisions, segmentation, and positioning. These are the crucial and central decisions in developing a competitive marketing strategy. Based on the SWOT, strategic alternatives may be suggested and a decision needs to be made at corporate and SBU levels. Deciding the the mission and directional strategy and allocating resources will be decided at a corporate level. Portfolio planning models such as the BCG matrix may be used. At the SBU level, a generic strategic orientation (cost leadership, differentiation, focus) will be chosen based on unique competitive advantages. At the functional level, strategists consider decision such as what products to offer. Ansoff’s matrix may be used a tool to choose between the four possible options available to any organisation with regard to product/market strategy. Market segments to target and market position strategy are also decided at this stage, as well as competitive positioning and relationship strategies. Segmentation, targeting and positioning are the cornerstone of marketing strategy and key in developing  a distinctive position in the consumer’s mind, developing brand loyalty and therefore building long term consumer franchise that will help the company defend itself from competitive threats. Strategic implementation- how are we going to get there? This is the translation of strategy into organisational action through organisational structure and design, resource planning, and the management of strategic change. This involves the strategic, rather than tactical planning of product innovation, branding, services, pricing and distribution, marketing communications and emarketing. Some responses may also identify a fourth stage- strategic monitoring and control- did we get there? The importance of monitoring and control in strategic planning. 6) Identify what is meant by Value Chain Analysis. Why would a firm decide to use this analytical tool? Framework developed by Porter (1985) as a way of examining the nature and extent, if any, among the internal activities of a firm. Porter argues every firm is a collection of activities that are performed to design, produce, promote, deliver and support its product. All these activities can be represented in five primary activities and four support activities using a value chain concept. The primary activities of the value chain are inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and services. Support activities are firm infrastructure, human resource management, technology development and procurement. Value chain analysis has been widely used by firms as a means of analysing the internal activities of an organisation. One of the key benefits is the recognition that organisations are much more than a random collection of machines, money and people because these resources have no value unless they are deployed in activities and organised into systems which ensure products and services are produced and valued by the end customer. Firms which produce several products may evaluate several value chains. Examining each  chain and the linkages may allow firms to examine the potential synergies between the value chains of different products. Internal analysis provides a detailed understanding of those aspects of an organisation that are of strategic importance. It is often the way a firm’s assets and resources are applied that explain differences in performance among companies, rather than industry structure. It has been argued that the significance of the external environment has been over emphasised and a more appropriate focus for strategy is the organisation’s resource base. The key idea is that the value chain is a systematic way of examining all the activities a firm performs and how they interact to differentiate a firm’s value chain from its competitors value chains. This differentiation is recognised as a key source of competitive advantage. A firm is therefore likely to use this tool when undertaking a strategic analysis. It will analyse the various activities and determine where its strengths and weaknesses lie. For example high levels of absenteeism and ineffective warehouse automation may be identified as weaknesses. Strong research and development and salesforce results might be strengths. The company will then decide whether to match their strengths or to convert or nullify their weaknesses. The value chain would be used when determining a strategic capability profile or using a SWOT analysis. Answers may explore the alternative forms of internal analysis, such as the resource-based approach, performance analysis approach and functional analysis approach, commenting on potential strengths and weaknesses of these analytical tools. Like any strategic environmental analysis, internal analysis must be rigorously performed and undertaken at regular intervals to monitor and evaluate strategies and changes. Answers may also critique the fact that value creation does not only occur in the organisation but also in the supply and distribution channels. For example the quality of a car is influenced not only by the activities within the firm but by the quality of spare parts, components and the performance of distributors. January 2011 1) Discuss the factors that influence a companys choice of promotional mix. (50%) Name and describe the scope and characteristics of various promotional tools. (50%) The main 5 factors that influence the choice of the marketing mix are: 1) Resource availability and cost of promotional tools 2) Market size and concentration 3) Customer information needs 4) Product characteristics 5) Distribution push versus consumer pull strategies Other relevant points are that: decisions must not be made in isolation from the rest of the marketing mix- must be aligned; marketers need to make the correct choice of the promotional blend to communicate to the target audience; Marketers weigh strengths and weaknesses of tools against promotional objectives Advertising is defined as â€Å"Paid for communication by an identified sponsor with the aim of influencing and informing one or more people†. It is mainly used in the long term and is useful for raising awareness or influencing consumer’s attitudes about brands. Advantages are that it can communicate amplified and expressive messages through the use of sight, sound, music, experience etc. Disadvantages are that is is one directional, impersonal, expensive and can be seen as pervasive. Direct marketing is defined as â€Å"The recording, analysis and tracking of customers’ direct responses in order to develop loyalty†. It is used in the long term and short term. It is mostly used for retention but can also be used for acquisition of new customers. With improvements in databases, direct marketing can increasingly be customised and up to date. It is also interactive i.e. generates responses from customers and builds relationships. Disadvantages can be cost, and that telemarketing and direct  mail etc. are often seen as a nuisance by consumers. Public Relations is defined as the â€Å"Formulation, execution and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding and reciprocal goodwill between an organisation and its stakeholders†. It is used in the short and long term and is particularly useful for building reputation. It has the advantages of low media costs, credibility, visibility, and dramatisation- can catch consumers off guard. Major disadvantage is that it is difficult to control. Sales promotion is â€Å"An incentive for the customer, salesforce or distributor to make an immediate purchase†. It is mainly used in the short term. When used strategically, it can be useful for encouraging trial, re-trial, extended trial, building databases and getting rid of old stock. From a trade perspective it can be useful for increasing distribution, increasing inventory, and improving shelving space/position. Disadvantages are that it does not build brand loyalty and is mainly tactical in its horizons. 2) Explain the concept and purpose of analysing industry competition using Porter’s Five Forces model. Use illustrative examples to support your answer. The reason the Five Forces are important is that whilst industry structure has a strong influence in determining the competitive rules of the game as well as the strategies potentially available to the firm. Forces outside the firm are significant primarily in a relative sense; since outside forces usually affect all firms in the industry, the key is found in the differing ability of the firms to deal with them. The purpose of analysing industry competition is that it: Determines sectoral structural attractiveness Collective strength determines the ultimate profit potential of the industry and the ability of firms to earn rates of ROI in excess of the cost of capital Links with strategy development- goal of business is to find a position in the industry where it can defend itself Strategists should evaluate and rate these forces (high/medium/low threat or power) Accounts  for most of the micro-environment by acknowledging that competitive structure is not just determined by direct industry competitors Answers may outline the different Forces and raise some or all of the following points: Rivalry determinants: Industry growth; exit barriers; brand identity; switching costs; concentration; corporate stakes; diversity of competitors; informational complexity; intermittent overcapacity; fixed costs/value added; product/service differences Buyer power : Bargaining leverage e.g. Buyer information, Buyer switching costs Buyer volume Price sensitivity Brand identity, Product/service differences, Impact on quality performance Supplier power e.g. Switching costs; substitute inputs; impact of inputs on differentation; threat of forward integration; importance of volume to supplier Substitute threats e.g. Relative price performance of substitutes; switching costs; buyer propensity to substitute Entry Barriers e.g. Economies of scale; brand identity; switching costs; capital requirements; access to distribution; expected retaliation 3) Discuss the role that segmentation, targeting and positioning each play in developing a successful marketing strategy including managing the marketing mix. STP is central to development a marketing strategy. The marketing concept assumes different preferences amongst consumers, and STP is how consumers are grouped into clusters with similar characteristics or needs, so that products and services can be targeted to satisfy them. Segmentation is dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics or behaviours, who might require separate products or marketing mixes. The reason companies use STP is that: * It is profitable business. * May discover unfulfilled consumer needs. * Strengthens management capabilities. * Allocates marketing resources. * Sets market objectives. There are 6 stages to STP, which are: When considering which segments to target, marketers consider a mixture of managerial concerns and customer needs which include: * Is servicing the segment consistent with corporate goals? * What is the strength of competition targeting the segment? * Is it desirable in terms of size, future growth and saturation? * Selecting segments whose needs match the companies ability to deliver. * Profitability and strategic fit- SWOT * Ultimately the decision is conceptual- who we are as a company, and where we want to be The strategic role that STP plays is in allocating resources to the potentially most profitable segment of the market. Product lines are then designed to match demand in the market place or match resources. STP means companies can catch the first sign of change to give time to prepare and take advantage of it, and consider best competitive position to adopt for each segment. With marketing management STP allows firms to determine the right style of comms campaign; choose the most cost effective advertising media; apply demographic data effectively; price for maximum effectiveness; and develop the right channel strategy. Ultimately STP results in positioning which is possibly the most important aspect of marketing- it results in changing and forming perceptions about brands, creating brand identity and is about designing, communicating and delivering value (crafting the marketing mix to the needs of the target market is the foundation upon which customer relationships and brands are built). A  product’s position is the way the product is defined by consumers on important attributes, it is the place the product occupies in the consumer’s mind relative to competing products. Positioning is based on unique selling proposition (USP) (what is unique/what are you selling); a Brand’s competitive advantage- with whom are you competing and how are you better? And who will use the product? 4) What personal, social and cultural factors influence buyer behaviour? (50%) Choose an example of a high involvement purchase, such as a car, and describe how these factors influence the consumer’s choice.(50%) Cultural Influences have the broadest and deepest influence. Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and behaviors acquired through socialization processes with family and other key institutions. Your values are formed on achievement and success, individuality, freedom, humanitarianism etc. (or Hofstede’s model). Subcultures- more specific identification and socialisation for members on the basis of nationalities, religion, geographical location, political perspectives. Social classes: show distinct preferences in terms of product choice, brands, media choice and languages. Social influences. Relevant factors include: Reference groups: have a direct or indirect effect on attitudes or behaviours; consist of primary and secondary; aspirational and dissociative; they introduce ideas and behaviours, influence attitudes and self concept; they create pressures for conformity which may affect brand choice. Opinion formers (e.g. designers), opinion leaders (offers information and usage advice), confident social and involved with category; and opinion followers. Companies try to reach leaders to disseminate messages. Family- the most important consumer buying organisation and the primary reference group, different priorities and decision-making influences. Personal Influences: Relevant factors include: Age and stage in life cycle- family/ psychological/ transitions. Occupation and economic circumstances- occupation may affect products and services required and what you can  afford. Personality: a set of distinguishing human psychological traits that lead to relatively consistent and enduring responses to environmental stimuli. Often consumers try to buy brands that reflect their own personality (Aaker’s brand personality typologies: sincerity/ excitement/ competence/ sophistication/ ruggedness). Self-concept: actual/ ideal/ others’ self-concept/ multiple selves. Lifestyle: pattern of living as expressed in activities, interests and opinions and values; influences such as time constrained, multi-tasking. Core values: the belief systems that underlie attitudes and behaviours. 5) Discuss THREE different approaches to pricing, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. The three approaches are: Cost-based pricing : strong internal orientation and based on costs Competitor-orientated pricing : major emphasis on levels set by competitors Market-led pricing: focuses on the value that customers place on a product in the market place and the nature of the marketing strategy used to support the product. Cost-based pricing involves setting prices based on the costs of producing, distributing and selling the product plus a fair rate of return for the company’s effort and risk. Methods include: Cost-plus pricing- simplest method of pricing- involves adding a standard mark-up to the product; break-even- what’s the minimum price we can charge to match the cost of making and marketing a product (BE= (fixed costs)/[(price-variable costs)]. Marginal cost- setting prices below full cost. Often used by service companies like hotels and airlines to make a contribution to direct costs. More complicated for services- variable costs move faster with an increase in demand. Advantages: simple; ensure you stay in business by setting minimum floor on pricing; and helps to set objectives in terms of the minimum number of units that need to be sold Disadvantages: In reality many business use cost-based approaches but they can have huge disadvantages: illogical: raised prices when sales fall; sales estimates are made before a price is set; ignores elasticity of demand; ignores competitor’s pricing; no incentive to reduce costs; ignore the impact of consumer perception and psychology; estimates overheads against individual products in an arbitrary way Competitor-based pricing- Can take three forms: 1) Firms follow the prices set by leading competitors Benchmark then set either above, below or the same as competitor Popular in financial services Can be risky, especially if cost position is not as good as a competitor Could start price war 2) Going Rate- all competitors receive the same because it is the going rate Undifferentiated commodities like coffee beans Challenge for marketer is to find creative ways of differentiating to charge higher price e.g. fair trade coffee beans, premium quality coffee beans 3) Competitive bidding process- contract goes out to tender sealed bids or competitive auction usually lowest price accepted increasing price pressures, European competition legislation and growing use of technology has increased the use of competitive bidding Very common in government and public sector markets Market-led pricing- favourable as it takes into account value rather than price. Main methods: 1) Trade-off analysis- also known as conjoint analysis, determines the trade-off between price and other features different combinations of variables such as brand, packaging, product features and price are tested can measure the impact on preferences of increasing price and determine the price level customers are willing to pay 2) Experimentation- places products on sale in various locations at different prices 3) Economic Value to the Customer (EVC) reducing costs and increasing revenue are primary concerns of companies Therefore in industrial markets, EVC is calculated- can charge more for a product if it will help your customer increase their revenue more than the competition e.g. new technology. Market led pricing is favourable as it takes into account the psychology of  prices and not simply economics; the price is used to say something about the product, and other factors such as stage in the product life cycle. Price often indicates quality especially in services. However, organisational considerations such as costs and the nature and structure of competition must also be considered. 6) Outline how you would construct a SWOT analysis. (50%) Explain the purpose of a SWOT analysis in the marketing planning process. (50) Answers should explain how the marketing environment is analysed- Macro environmental analysis conducing a PESTEL analysis, Micro-environment- examining Five Forces and other factors such as consumer behaviour. These result in identifying opportunities and threats. An internal analysis using e.g. value chain, identifies an organisations strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of conducting a SWOT is to identify strategic choices available to a company. It’s the internal communication of external information about emerging issues, situations and potential threats that potentially influence an organisation’s decision making (Albright 2004). SWOT is essential for firms growing in size and complexity and is an important component of a company’s approach to developing a market orientation. Market orientated companies are more profitable. SWOT is essential in markets where the pace of change and uncertainty is increasingly high- companies need to take a proactive direction. It identifies fads, trends, and megatrends. Scanning customer trends helps you create, communicate and deliver value and beat the competition. SWOT/TOWS is the basis for making strategic decisions about growth, what products, what markets, and whether to convert weaknesses or capitalise on strengths etc. Decisions are then made about STP and how the marketing mix will be managed in order to achieve marketing objectives. SWOT is the result of the strategic analysis which is followed by strategic choice, strategic implementation, and strategic control.