Comparative essay for world literature Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparative for world literature - Essay Example The play is built upon an aura of tragedy where most of the characters including the ruler Creon justify their decisions according to the prevalent as well as divine law but suffer the consequences. Antigone is adamant in providing a decent burial to her brother against the royal edict and tries to convince her sister Ismene about her decision who is reluctant to go against the royal edict. But Antigone who is betrothed to the son of Creon is adamant and goes ahead with the burial of Polyneices which is later reported. This is followed by a chain of tragedies when Antigone is sentenced to be buried alive in a cave, resulting in her death and subsequent suicides by the son of Creon, Haemon and the Queen Eurydice who cannot bear the grief. Although Creon was warned of his wrong decisions by Teiresias, a prophet who proclaimed that the denial of burial to Polyneices and the imprisonment of Antigone were against the wishes of the gods, he sticks to his decisions only to relent later. Alt hough Creon has protected the royal order he suffers as a result and finally agrees that his actions which were against the wishes of gods had resulted in his dismal fate. The second play ‘Ghosts’ by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen was originally titled ‘Gengangere’ which meant ‘the ones who return’. It highlighted the moral turpitude of those times which results in tragic circumstances for an otherwise well established family in society with the main sufferer being Mrs. Helene Alving who has to bear the adversities in life due to her philandering husband Captain Alving silently while being forced to keep up an honorable image of the family to the outside world. She tries to shield her son from the evil influence of his father, but after all her penance she discovers at the fag end that the son too suffers from a disease inherited from his

Cult of Hera Essay Example for Free

Cult of Hera Essay Cult of Hera Olympia Hera, queen of the gods, also known as the goddess of the sky, women, and marriage. She has many cults in Greece and is highly worshipped. I am going to focus on her oldest cult, which resides in Olympia. The cult was constructed around 600 BC, in fact it is the oldest temple in Greece. The style of the temple is peripteral hexastyle with six columns on the front and back and sixteen on both sides comprising pronaos, calla and optistodomos. The columns are a little over 15 feet. Originally these columns were made of wood and were gradually replaced by stone. The temple was thought in earlier times to have been dedicated to Zeus and Hera. When the temple of Zeus was completed it was officially only the cult of Hera. There is still an image of Zeus in her temple. In the cella there is Hera seated on a throne and Zeus is standing beside her wearing a beard and an helmet on his head. Only the head of Hera remains. There is also an image of Athena with an helmet on her head as ell as Zeus, carrying a spear and shield. The image of Hesperides was removed out the cult by the Eleans. The people of Megara built a treasury and dedicated offerings in it. The offerings were cedar white figurines inlaid with gold, represented Herakles fight with Acheloos. Other items important to the ancient Greek, such as, Iphitus bronze disk and a carved ivory chest hidden by cypselos, were believe to have been stored in the temple. In later years the cult housed the famous Hermes of Praxiteles. The cult stood for almost a thousand years, until about 300 A. D. References JSTOR: The annual of the British school, Vol. 90 Gate to Greece: Guide to Greece: Peloponnese: Olympia Temple of Hera Heraion Cult of Hera 1: Ancient Greek religion

The Theory Of Functionalism

The Theory Of Functionalism The theory of functionalism is the oldest, and may also be the most dominant theoretical perspective of sociology. Functionalism agrees that brain states are responsible for mental states, but disagrees that they tend to be identical to each other. It is the argument from a functionalist perspective, that, the brain activity or neurological states are what realizes mental states, which in turn lead to the behavioural output in a physical way. It has a broad variety of positions which it is capable of articulating in many different diverse forms. They can be classified into the following; Analytic functionalism: The most widely used form of functionalism, which describes the causal role as a job description of mental states, which are derived from our concepts. Analytic functionalists claim, that, the specifications for a functional role (job descriptions) for mental states are a priori. The second version is Physchofunctionalism; which rejects the idea of behaviourism in psychology, as well as reject the physical aspect of the mind. The third would be Machine-state functionalism: This analogy was put forward by Hilary Putnam, a well-known American philosopher, who was inspired by the analogies of mind (the Turing machines) which is able to compute all given algorithms. In non-technical terms, the mind is a very complex computer program. It is a state in which given an input B, and such and such tends to happen. An example is when we input a set of numbers into the computer through a keyboard/software. It proposes that brain states are activities which are low level, whilst helping to realize mental states which are high level. To help the reader understand about the idea which was described above, I will use the more common functionalist example to discuss the relationship between the software and the computer. For example, we type the numbers 5 plus 8, on the one level (low level), the computer is dependent on the software for input. The software within the computer is calculating the answer to the numbers entered, while at the other level (high level), the information is output on the screen. In this instance, the functionalists would argue that the process of calculation would be released by the hardware (monitor). Therefore, the software which is used by the hardware, acts as the function role. This computer example can be used to translate into the terms of the brain. The mental states are dependent on the brain states in the same way, as the computers software is dependent on the computerÃÆ' ¯Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¿Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ½s hardware for the output of the information (monitor) and vice versa. In the functionalists view, the brain states help to realise the mental states which functions as a total functional system. With this, it is meant that the mind is made up of the total possible functional mental states that it can have. These will interact with the inputs (software), and the hardware (monitor) together, before they both produce the outputs. Functionalists say that if we think of mental states in a similar way, then maybe one day the machine may do the thinking or be artificially intelligent. This way, we could compare our process of thinking to a computer software, which in turn could run on several different machines. The concept for a machine is the concept of an artificial intelligence. This intelligence can be classified as weak AI or strong AI. This type of intelligence would make it possible that one day a computer could be invented with a mind of its own. In other words, it would think, imagine, and reason. It could eventually do all the things we associate with the human brain. In a weak AI example, it is argued that the intelligence of a computer appears to think on its own, but it is actually unconscious the same way human brains are. In the weak AI, just like in the human brain, an input must occur in order to produce an output. When comparing functionalism with dualism for example, it has obvious strengths. Functionalism tries to explain behaviour, rather than just observing it. It uses the physical world to explain the mental states, combining physical inputs with the outputs, rather than segregating the physical world from the mind. In Dualism for example, mental and physical states are both separate, in general terms, the two cannot be assimilated to form one unit (Levin, 2009). One of the most famous philosophers in the 17th century, Descartes, who considered himself a Dualist, also argued against the thought of mechanical and mind properties to be the same (Cottingham, p. 221, 2012). His notion led him to believe that the mind and the body could indeed exist without one another. Then again, how could the mind operate without the physical? This would not be possible. For example, if we take pain as an example. Pain just does not happen in our brain. Pain can be identified with something material (physical) which sends a neurological message to our brain that something hurts (mental). As you can see, the physical and mental aspects correlate, rather than act separately. Another strength of functionalism, is that a functional system can be realisable in multiple ways. For example, if we refer back to the computer analogy, the same computer software should be usable on different computers. Potentially, computers could have minds similar to ours, as long as they can perform the some functions as us. On the other hand, some philosophers think functionalist accounts of mental states tend to be too liberal. For some, it is a mistake for a computer and its software to have the same mental states as a human. Some of these philosophers have argued that a computer and software would be unable to show genuine emotions. It would also be incapable of consciousness without someone inputting information e.g. typing the numbers 5 plus 8 into the software. Functionalism seems to omit the qualia of emotion or any consciousness in the process. This could be in part that is includes non-living things, as possible mental states. Some critics of functionalism do argue that mental states of living things (humans) or systems (computers) ought to include an account of qualia (emotions and consciousness). Another objection to functionalism would be that computers are non-living, it doesnt not use its own incoming information for their behaviour as do humans and other living things (non-human animals). In regards to non-living things, they are not systems or living things which rely on survival; and they do not have self-interests of their own. These are some of the considerations which objectors argue for, and call for functionalism to refine its theory. The minimum would be to try and distinguish the living things from the non-living. Would the objection to functionalism be answered if we were to imagine the mind as if it were unified? Perhaps one could look at individual mental states and imagine that some of them could portray certain aspects? i.e. memory and solving problems, but no kind of emotion or consciousness. If the computer for example would portray any of the above mentioned such as memory or solving problems by itself, one would not speak of the computer with having a mind or not. One would speak of the computer as having been able to solve a problem and using its capacity for memory to store the data etc. Would one ask a cat if it has a mind, although, one would rather enquire about its capacity for memory, its deception etc. The strengths and weaknesses have been stated for functionalism. It is an odd theory that non-living things could give rise to different mental events. In order for us to understand on how our mind works, we need to understand these processes. Only one type of brain state is needed according to functionalism, in order to correlate with events in our brain. It also seems, that, functionalism is dependent on things which are physical rather than involving mental events from the outset. It certainly leaves out emotions and thinking. The basis for functionalism seems to be input output only. Lets say, someone steps on a pin and they shout. The functionalists view seems to indicate that artificial beings and systems could produce their own consciousness and thoughts. Even if technological advancements of great magnitude can be made, a machine could not replicate the feelings and thoughts of a human. These examples would include stress, anxiety, nervousness etc.. It would be odd to think that a machine could be producing a personality that feels nervous or has a moral obligation to things. It perhaps maybe the case that functionalists are digging really deep in order to find and justify their theory on mental states and mental events.

Robert E. Lee :: essays research papers

The idol of the South to this day, Virginian Robert E. Lee had some difficulty in adjusting to the new form of warfare that unfolded with the Civil war, but this did not prevent him from keeping the Union armies in Virginia at bay for almost three years. The son of Revolutionary War hero "Light Horse" Harry Lee-who fell into disrepute in his later years attended West Point and graduated second in his class. During his four years at the military academy he did not earn a single demerit and served as the cadet corps' adjutant. Upon his 1829 graduation he was posted to the engineers. Before the Mexican War he served on engineering projects in Georgia, Virginia, and New York. During the war he served on the staffs of John Wool and Winfield Scott. Particularly distinguishing himself scouting for and guiding troops, he won three brevets and was slightly wounded at Chapultepec. Following a stint in Baltimore Harbor he became superintendent of the military academy in 1852. When the mounted arm was expanded in 1855, Lee accepted the lieutenant colonelcy of the 2nd Cavalry in order to escape from the painfully slow promotion in the engineers. Ordered to western Texas, he served with his regiment until the 1857 death of his father-in-law forced him to ask for a series of leaves to settle the estate. In 1859 he was called upon to lead a force of marines, to join with the militia on the scene, to put an end to John Brown's Harper's Ferry Raid. Thereafter he served again in Texas until summoned to Washington in 1861 by Winfield Scott who tried to retain Lee in the U. S. service. But the Virginian rejected the command of the Union's field forces on the day after Virginia seceded. He then accepted an invitation to visit Governor John Letcher in Virginia. His resignation as colonel, 1st Cavalry-to which he had recently been promoted-was accepted on April 25, 1861. His Southern assignments included: major general, Virginia's land and naval forces (April 23, 1861); commanding Virginia forces (April 23 July 1861); brigadier general, CSA (May 14, 186 1); general, CSA (from June 14, 186 1); commanding Department of Northwestern Virginia (late July-October 1861); commanding Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida (November 8, 186 1-March 3, 1862); and commanding Army of Northern Virginia June 1, 1862-April 9, 1865). In charge of Virginia's fledgling military might, he was mainly involved in organizational matters. As a Confederate brigadier general, and later full general, he was in charge of supervising all Southern forces in Virginia. In the first summer of the war he was given his first field command in

Operant Conditioning and Classical Conditioning

Operant Conditioning and Classical Conditioning Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. The process relies on the idea that organisms respond to stimuli, and that if they can be taught to associate a specific stimulus with a particular behavior, they will be more likely to engage in or avoid the behavior, depending on the type of stimulus involved.In the other hand, classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs through association between an environmental stimulus and a naturally stimulus. It involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally occurring reflex. While operant conditioning and classical conditioning techniques share some similarities, it is important to understand the differences between them. One of the major differences involves the types of behavior that are conditioned. While classica l conditioning is centered on involuntary, automatic behavior, operant conditioning is focused on voluntary behavior.An example of classical conditioning could be when: someone flushes a toilet in your apartment building or your house, the shower becomes very hot and causes you to jump back. Over time, you will begin to jump back automatically after hearing the flush before the water temperature changes. As a child my mother would always tell me to go to the store and buy fresh baked bread first thing in the morning, and I would immediately put a piece in my mouth, years has past and the smell of fresh bread baking makes my mouth water.We have a lion in a circus. It learns to stand up on a chair and jump through a hoop to receive a food treat, this example is operant conditioning because standing on a chair and jumping through hoops are voluntary behavior. You check the coin return slot on a pay telephone and find a quarter. You find yourself checking other telephones over the next few days. This is also an example of operant conditioning because checking the coin return slot is also a voluntary behavior

Beauty of Music

Beauty of Music Free Online Research Papers Beauty is an object, person, or an idea that creates a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. Beauty is found in many everyday things such as nature, art, literature, and music. The most beautiful of all of these is music. Music is beautiful in a way that nothing else can be. Music is beautiful because it makes the listener have pleasure and satisfaction while listening to it, but it also leaves the composer with pleasure and satisfaction from writing it. Some ways that music is beautiful are that the listener can relate to the lyrics, the composer can express their feelings through the lyrics, and a song can tell a story. Music has been a way for people to express their feelings and tell a story for thousands of years. One genre of music that holds this to be true is rap. Rap is common for being a way of expressing ones feelings through song. Not only does rap express ones feelings but it is also known for a way of rappers to tell either the story of their life or the story of the lifestyle from where they grew up. Rap proves music is beautiful because of the satisfaction and pleasure it gives to the composer and nothing is more beautiful then someone being satisfied. I see no changes all I see is racist faces misplaced hate makes disgrace to races We under I wonder what it takes to make this one better place, lets erase the wasted Take the evil out the people theyll be acting right cause both black and white is smokin crack tonight and only time we chill is when we kill each other it takes skill to be real, time to heal each other And although it seems heaven sent We aint ready, to see a black President, uhh It aint a secret dont conceal the fact the penitentiarys packed, and its filled with blacks But some things will never change try to show another way but you stayin in the dope game Now tell me whats a mother to do bein real dont appeal to the brother in you You gotta operate the easy way I made a G today But you made it in a sleazy way sellin crack to the kid. I gotta get paid, Well hey, well thats the way it is. (Shakur) Another example of music expressing feelings and telling a story is music from the 1960s. During the 1960s, America had a lot of conflict with communism and was at war with Vietnam. The general public was not happy with the way the American government was dealing with the pressure of communism. The way people felt influenced them to write songs about peace and no war. The music from this time period was about peace and loving. Most songs were about politics and that America should pull out of Vietnam. Musical artist expressed their feelings about Americas involvement in the war and sang about the corruption of the government at the time. Music in the 1960s is another example of how people can express their feelings through music. A composer expressing his or hers feelings is only one way that music is beautiful. Music is also beautiful because it can bring people together and give people a common interest. Music has been known to make people who have conflict with one another put aside their differences and get together in peace. Nothing is more beautiful in this world then conflict and fighting to come to an end and enemies becoming friends. Because music has that power, it makes it the most beautiful thing in the world. Research Papers on Beauty of MusicHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetMind TravelThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementCapital PunishmentHonest Iagos Truth through Deception19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and Canada

Crop Production essays

Crop Production essays Beginning about 12,000 years ago, the human population began a trend that completely changed the way we, as a race, evolved. For the first time in history, humans pushed beyond the restraints of traditional hunting and gathering, into domestication and farming. It was a change that would not only take thousands of years to prove worthy, but also may have set us back on the evolutionary path at the time. Along the path to this point, we have been constantly changing and finding new ways to produce and maximize the yield of the crops we sow. Have these changes been successful or detrimental to us? The following will search into answering this question. Since the beginning, increased crop production has been the ultimate goal of the farmer. The very basic advances toward this included fertilization and rotation of crops. These simple steps alone took thousands of years to come about. Domestication perhaps, was the first process to actually take place. Evidence of this is prevalent throughout many parts of the world, as far back as 11,000 years. Detection of this was done by comparing wild varieties of the product to the preferred and produced varieties. Changes in size are the most common differences, especially among types of grain. However, this domestication came about mostly through the selection process. Since the people naturally selected the larger more hearty vegetable or grain, those larger specimens of the species would go on to produce the next generation. Though this may seem primitive, it has led to the varieties we see and eat today. The past two centuries have, no doubt, been the most influential and beneficial to the agricultural industry. Fertilization has been around for a long time, but not until recently did we really understand how to maximize the potential. Native Americans have known that burring a fish while planting seeds provides a larger yield. And mixing animal manure into the soil to increase produ ...

Food Lesson for an ESL Learner

Food Lesson for an ESL Learner Learning about food is an important part of any ESL or EFL class. This food lesson provides some fresh approaches to help students practice speaking, writing and dealing with everything related to food. Before using this lesson, it is a good idea to have students learn some basic food vocabulary including vocabulary related to different names of food, measurements, and containers, ordering food in restaurants, and preparing food. Once students are comfortable with this vocabulary, you can move on to some more inventive activities such as writing recipes in English and having students describe their favorite meals to each other in class. Use this lesson as a way to review and expand all the various vocabulary and expressions related to food that youve explored with students in your class. The premise of this lesson is that students identify a new type of dish theyd like to prepare, research and write a recipe and make a list of ingredients. Finally, students make a trip to the supermarket - virtually or in the real world - to price items. Youll need access to computers to complete this lesson, or you can do the old fashioned way by actually going to the store with students. It makes a fun, if slightly chaotic, class excursion. Aim Researching a recipe from A to Z Activity Working in teams to identify, research, plan and shop for an exotic meal Level Beginner to intermediate English learners Outline As a class, begin the discussion by describing a delicious meal you have had. Go into as much detail as youd like, students will enjoy this unless its dinner time!Have students get in pairs or small groups of three or four. Each group should share their own experiences with great meals.Once students have shared their experiences, ask them to decide on one of the meals that have been discussed.Each group should then use a computer to find an image that fits one or more of the dishes in the chosen meal. Suggest students google the dish and click on images to find the image. Each group should print out their chosen image.Tape the image of each group to the wall.Ask students to take a piece of paper and circulate around the room to choose a dish that looks tasty. Once theyve chosen the dish, students should write down the ingredients they feel are necessary to make the dish.When students have made their choice and written down the necessary ingredients, group students by who has chosen w hich image. Students should then compare notes on the necessary ingredients. Note that students should be taking down the ingredients for a new dish based on an image that appealed to them from another group. Next, have students find a recipe for their chosen dish by using a cookbook (old school), or by choosing a recipe online.Ask students to compare their list of ingredients to the recipe and make any changes or additions necessary.Once students have created their list, its time to go shopping. As a class, you can visit an online grocer such as Safeway, or you can take the class on a field trip to a local supermarket.Students then go shopping. They take note of the products they need, the price, etc. I like to insist that students include the name of the container to help practice this type of vocabulary.As a class, have each group report back on how many containers, boxes, heads of a certain produce item, etc. were bought and how much they paid including the total.Optional: For truly adventurous classes - Ask students to actually go shopping and purchase, cook, and serve up the dish they have chosen. This would make a great pot-luck lesson for all to enjoy which would be tied into a sp ecific learning objective.

Brand names as loan words Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Brand names as loan words - Essay Example The interaction of cultures and races has presented the multinational companies and their marketing strategies with the challenge of utilising â€Å"loan words† as brand names and vice versa to capture greater market shares. This paper explores not only various examples in this regard but their underlying linguistic implications and explanations. Loan words which are used as brand names are borrowed from other languages in referring to foreign items of food, sports, and clothes.(Koslow 1994:575-585) There are many examples of the use of foreign words like kebab, sushi, pasta, Eu de toilette ,cologne which are all basically foreign brand names and †¦.and the list could go on running into thousands of pages. The question at hand gives an interesting example of the Omo washing powder itself. A similar example can be given about many other brand names.In the early nineties when washing powder was replacing washing soap in the South East Asian countries especially Pakistan and India, people increasingly used the term â€Å"Surf†(which was the original name of the brand) to refer to any washing powder.†Surf† was therefore a loan word.Another modern example is Google.Nowadays nobody wants to just search the â€Å"search engine†.In fact the term search engine has become obsolete eversince the term â€Å"to google† or â€Å"googled† was invented."to google" or "googled" was invented.Therefore there has been an increase in the situations where foreign brand names have infiltrated our local languages as well as where loan words used as brand names become common colloquialisms.(Luna.D 2001;284-295) Consider the term "xeroxing" for example which comes from t he Xerox brand photocopiers and "hovered"(meaning to use a vacuum machine) coming from the famous Hoover brand of Vacuum Cleaners. The mass media has become a leading source of new loanwords. In the new age we have the American advertisements asking Asian audiences to "do the dew" and almost every other cold drink bottle is called Pepsi or Coke, regardless of what the brand on top of the bottle says. News, programs, documentaries, game and quiz shows, sports, even dramas have all got a significant role to play in adding more and more foreign words and phrases to the local languages through clever advertising and catchy slogans.(Danesi 2004). The main reason for this may be because, "Copywriters believe that foreign words add class or mystique to their copy. It makes no difference that the average reader doesn't understand the message. They aren't supposed to. What does matter is that the text evokes an image and attaches prestige value to the products being advertised." (Douglas 2006) These strange usages can often become household names successfully yet they cause conceptual problems for learners faced with processing English as a second language along with their native languages. Academics have often argued that languages have an evolution history of their own and the usage of these languages is in a constant state of influx. Some languages die or get extinct, others get old yet

Contract & Agency Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contract & Agency Law - Essay Example This requirement created the need have the separation of power within the government. The government is created to comprise three branches. They are the legislature, executive and the judiciary (Tabalujan, 2009). The legislature is responsible for the creation of laws. It formulates and presents laws that are then implemented as laws on the land. This is done upon its interpretation of the law and what is required to be drafted as law. The executive is referred to as the ruling branch of the government. The executive lays down implementation plans of the laws created by the legislature. In general, the executive implements the laws that are created (Tabalujan, 2009). The judiciary acts as an independent body but as a creation of both the executive and legislature. The judiciary interprets the laws created and implemented. This is done by creating legal provisions that are generated from the interpretation of the laws created. In addition, the judiciary dictates the legality that may arise from the implementation process. The three branches of the government to are referred to as the separation of power. The collaboration of the branches ensures the efficient creation, implementation, and supervision of laws in a state. In Singapore, separation of power is made under the concept of constitutionalism. This is aimed at limiting the mandate and freedom of the government to exercise power. The constitution in the Republic of Singapore separates power in three function or branches of the government (Tabalujan, 2009).They are the legislature, executive and the judiciary. The Singapore executive arrangement is derived from the British government system (Tabalujan, 2009). The President is the head of state. He is a member of both the parliament and the executive. However, he has a minimized role in both bodies. The citizens of Singapore elect the President and the members of parliament but

Research Proposal on the topic Effects of substance abuse on prisoners Assignment

Research Proposal on the topic Effects of substance abuse on prisoners in Austin, Texas - Assignment Example The qualitative data shall be coded, enumerated and listed. Averages, percentages and chi square testing shall be used to analyze quantitative data. Photographs and matrix maps shall be used in the presentation of qualitative data. The quantitative data shall be presented in tables and graphs. Introduction Substance abuse among the prisoners in Texas has been on the rise in the recent past. The detrimental impacts that substance abuse has on prisoners cannot be underestimated since they present challenges to the victims and other stakeholders such as the society and correctional institutions. The high rate of consumption of drugs by inmates in prisons, impact negatively on their health, and in the extreme cases leads to death. Substance abuse in Austin prisons is not a new trend, and it requires maximum attention, as the effects on the inmates are severe. Prisons are places meant to rehabilitate and reform the inmates, rather than to destroy them, in one way or the other. Therefore, the high incidences of substance abuse in correctional facilities have led to questions raised about the effectiveness of criminal justice systems in Austin, Texas. The high numbers of prisoners in Texas and the increasing cases of substance is a major cause of concern. Hence, there is a need for close attention to avert negative effects. Purpose Statement The study focuses on impacts of substance abuse to prisoners and the society. A major focus was on establishing reasons behind the high incidences of substance abuse in the correctional facilities. Through the study, negative impacts of substance abuse on prisoners and the community as well as other stakeholders would be determined. The effectiveness of mechanisms put in place to treat substance abuse and rehabilitate victims is examined. This would help in identification of loopholes, which result in negative outcomes. Literature Review Literature Review The number of inmates in the US prisons has continued to increase with about 2 million people imprisoned (Neubauer, 2012). The issue of incarceration in the United States is faced with a number of challenges due to the high numbers of Blacks, Latin Americans, and Native Americans. According to Stuntz, (2011), this has been met with many questions concerning the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in the US. Texas has the highest prison population. This being the case, Austin its capital City is of major concern. According to Jennifer et al. (2012), there are many problems faced by inmates in most prisons in Austin, ranging from social to psychological problems. Some of these problems arise because of under-provision of programs and policies by the criminal justice system. Substance abuse in prisons is widely spread among many inmates (Texas Statistical Report, 2012). Despite the negative impacts that it brings, some inmates continue to abuse drugs for personal or other reasons. This has been associated with under-provision of treatment for drug abu sers in prisons, which make them, engage in this activity that deteriorates their health ,as well as their social lives. It has been noted that approximately 85% of prisoners in the US meet the criteria for diagnosis in drug abuse (Frakt, 2012). This is because this population has a problem of substance abuse. Texas has a wide range of correctional facilities, and this are meant to change the individual’s behavior as well as attitudes towards actions that may have led him or her to engage in criminal

My personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My personal statement - Essay Example With a strong academic background in computer science and economics, it is my belief that thorough training in finance and business from NAME OF SCHOOL HERE will provide the necessary theoretical foundations for me to move forward in my career. Given the current level of demand for specialists in financial/quantitative modeling in Africa and across the world, in addition to the emerging sector of electronic financial instruments and tools, I have a strong interest in positioning my career to participate in these sectors as they emerge in the developing world. My personal strengths, coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit and affinity for business development, have prompted me to submit my application to the Masters in Finance & Investment program. The successful attainment of a Masters in Finance & Investment at this stage of my career will give me both the financial knowledge and the entrepreneurial skills necessary to enhance my management effectiveness. It will provide me with the analytical tools and new skills necessary to position myself as an important player in facilitating electronic equity trades in Africa. I believe that my broad academic background and my knowledge of financial markets and business practices in a developing context make a most valuable and stimulating addition to classroom discussions. A 750 GMAT score reflects my ability for clear and systematic thought and would erase any doubts about my ability to handle the intellectual rigor of the program. Given the confluence of my personal and professional interests, I foresee my career moving initially from serving clients in a financial advisory capacity to a leadership role within a financial entity, preferably within start-up venture. Thus, in the five-year period after I successfully complete London Business School, I figure one of two things will be happening. Either I would have found some inspiring colleagues; conceived of a plan with them, and be preparing to launch a company, or I will find a company prepared to do partake adventurous opportunities in my field and I will be ready to take the helm of their projects or organization. Additionally, I am also drawn to the Masters in Finance & Investment program instead of a more general Masters degree because of the fact that this program provides an extensive choice of electives in the field of finance, which will allow me to tailor my course of study directly to a personal career interest. While I cannot imagine doing anything else, I am also realistic and understand that there are challenges that come with taking an employment break as well as getting the consent of my partner and family members to study abroad. To overcome this challenge, I have discussed my ambition with mentor and superior, who has been quite supportive of my goals. My partner and family members are also extremely excited about the fact that I am internationalising my career. I thoroughly believe that NAME OF SCHOOL HERE will help me by placing renewed emphasis on the technical and analytical skills I need, in addition to a management orientation, coupled with rigorous research methodology. The strengths of this University in finance and investment cohere with my personal research interests and I hope to gain a great deal from my experiences here. A reputation for excellent teaching, challenging

Research Paper - Sexual Assault - Part One Essay

Research Paper - Sexual Assault - Part One - Essay Example Sexual assault, which is a general term encompassing rape, sexual battery and sexual harassment, is the forcible, non-consensual subjection of a person into an unwanted sexual activity by the use of physical or emotional violence. It can be physical, verbal or visual (e.g voyeurism). Sexual assault statutes vary from state to state but basically it is based on the precept that no one has the right or the privilege to coerce sexual contact and that a person has the right to determine who may touch hiss/her body and â€Å"when and under what circumstances†. Moreover, â€Å"each person has the right not only to decide whether to engage in sexual contact with another, but also to control the circumstances and character of that contact† (Brody et al 2000, p.426). The act of sexual assault is consummated when the assailant has intended to perform forcible nonconsensual sexual contact but fails to actually complete the act (Lindemann & Kadue 1999, p. 373). Herein, a demarcation line is drawn between rape and sexual assault because on the basis of this definition, sexual assault is tantamount to attempted rape and sexual battery. One author kept one step ahead by suggesting that sexual assault has been institutionalized since time immemorial and that the culprit is patriarchy, which propagates male gender domination favoring man’s power to exploit without legal restraint women and children â€Å"whose consent is mainly taken for granted unless actively withheld and whose communications are consistently devalued or misinterpreted because of patriarchal values and assumptions† (Pickard et al 2002, p.542). Many state laws are also one in affirming that to convict the sexual assailant, it must be proven beyond reasonable doubt that â€Å"there was sexual penetration and that it was accomplished without the affirmative and freely-given permission of the alleged victim† (Brody 2000,

Consumer Behaviour and Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Behaviour and Research - Essay Example The theory presents a model that states the factors stimulating individual, group or corporate purchases, the intervening variables that may influence the purchase decisions, and the likely outcome of such purchase decisions. The factors influencing the purchase decision, according to this theory, is the sensitivity to information, perception bias and the active search for information, which ends-up indicating the favorable purchases to be done, based on the buyer preferences (Howard, 1965 p84). This is a progressive development from the earlier utility and Herbert Simon's satisficing life theories, which based the consumer behavior solely on the needs of the individual, ignoring all the intervening factors that could alter the purchase decision (Loudon, 1988 p 48). Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) This theory was developed in 1975, postulating that the buyer decision is fully influenced by beliefs and attitudes (Foxall, 2005 p16). Thus, the process of buyer behavior is preceded by at titude formation, where the buyer evaluates the alternative products and services that are available to satisfy their needs, while gauging each product and services upon its effectiveness and attractiveness. The theory further advanced, to not only look at the attitudes, but also interrogate the behavior depicted by the buyer throughout the purchase decision and execution process (Engel, Kollat & Blackwell, 1968 p10). This advanced the development of the consumer behavior theories further, from a mere focus on the needs and satisfaction process, to the actual involvement of the buyer, in information evaluation and arriving at informed decisions (Massy, Montgomery, & Morrison 1970 p16). The Theory of Planned Behavior This is a buyer intention and prediction analysis... The researcher of this essay aims to analyze the consumer behavior, that usually depicts the processes by which individuals or groups of people secure, utilize and dispose products or services, in a bid to satisfy their needs. Today, there are various theories that have been put across to explain the consumer behavior. Notably, theories of consumer behavior have been widely developed since 1800 to present day, with subsequent theories improving and expanding the previous ones. The development in the theories of buyer behavior took an upward trend starting 1950, with many researchers keenly engaging in the evaluation of the factors that influences the consumption behavior in individuals. The consumer behavior theories that have been subsequently developed include: Herbert Simon's satisficing life theory, the Theory of Buyer Behavior, Theory of Reasoned Action, The Theory of Planned Behavior. These theories were analyzed in details in this essay. The researcher also described the onlin e buying, that has become a norm for many people, owing to the recent technological developments that allow individuals to purchase products and have them delivered, in the comfort of the houses. While traditionally people used to visit stores and premises to inspect the products on sale, they are currently viewing the products online, while assessing their features and usability from the seller’s website, so that straight-to-the-point description of the products are needed for the implementation of the successful strategy.

My personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My personal statement - Essay Example With a strong academic background in computer science and economics, it is my belief that thorough training in finance and business from NAME OF SCHOOL HERE will provide the necessary theoretical foundations for me to move forward in my career. Given the current level of demand for specialists in financial/quantitative modeling in Africa and across the world, in addition to the emerging sector of electronic financial instruments and tools, I have a strong interest in positioning my career to participate in these sectors as they emerge in the developing world. My personal strengths, coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit and affinity for business development, have prompted me to submit my application to the Masters in Finance & Investment program. The successful attainment of a Masters in Finance & Investment at this stage of my career will give me both the financial knowledge and the entrepreneurial skills necessary to enhance my management effectiveness. It will provide me with the analytical tools and new skills necessary to position myself as an important player in facilitating electronic equity trades in Africa. I believe that my broad academic background and my knowledge of financial markets and business practices in a developing context make a most valuable and stimulating addition to classroom discussions. A 750 GMAT score reflects my ability for clear and systematic thought and would erase any doubts about my ability to handle the intellectual rigor of the program. Given the confluence of my personal and professional interests, I foresee my career moving initially from serving clients in a financial advisory capacity to a leadership role within a financial entity, preferably within start-up venture. Thus, in the five-year period after I successfully complete London Business School, I figure one of two things will be happening. Either I would have found some inspiring colleagues; conceived of a plan with them, and be preparing to launch a company, or I will find a company prepared to do partake adventurous opportunities in my field and I will be ready to take the helm of their projects or organization. Additionally, I am also drawn to the Masters in Finance & Investment program instead of a more general Masters degree because of the fact that this program provides an extensive choice of electives in the field of finance, which will allow me to tailor my course of study directly to a personal career interest. While I cannot imagine doing anything else, I am also realistic and understand that there are challenges that come with taking an employment break as well as getting the consent of my partner and family members to study abroad. To overcome this challenge, I have discussed my ambition with mentor and superior, who has been quite supportive of my goals. My partner and family members are also extremely excited about the fact that I am internationalising my career. I thoroughly believe that NAME OF SCHOOL HERE will help me by placing renewed emphasis on the technical and analytical skills I need, in addition to a management orientation, coupled with rigorous research methodology. The strengths of this University in finance and investment cohere with my personal research interests and I hope to gain a great deal from my experiences here. A reputation for excellent teaching, challenging

Consumer Behaviour and Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer Behaviour and Research - Essay Example The theory presents a model that states the factors stimulating individual, group or corporate purchases, the intervening variables that may influence the purchase decisions, and the likely outcome of such purchase decisions. The factors influencing the purchase decision, according to this theory, is the sensitivity to information, perception bias and the active search for information, which ends-up indicating the favorable purchases to be done, based on the buyer preferences (Howard, 1965 p84). This is a progressive development from the earlier utility and Herbert Simon's satisficing life theories, which based the consumer behavior solely on the needs of the individual, ignoring all the intervening factors that could alter the purchase decision (Loudon, 1988 p 48). Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) This theory was developed in 1975, postulating that the buyer decision is fully influenced by beliefs and attitudes (Foxall, 2005 p16). Thus, the process of buyer behavior is preceded by at titude formation, where the buyer evaluates the alternative products and services that are available to satisfy their needs, while gauging each product and services upon its effectiveness and attractiveness. The theory further advanced, to not only look at the attitudes, but also interrogate the behavior depicted by the buyer throughout the purchase decision and execution process (Engel, Kollat & Blackwell, 1968 p10). This advanced the development of the consumer behavior theories further, from a mere focus on the needs and satisfaction process, to the actual involvement of the buyer, in information evaluation and arriving at informed decisions (Massy, Montgomery, & Morrison 1970 p16). The Theory of Planned Behavior This is a buyer intention and prediction analysis... The researcher of this essay aims to analyze the consumer behavior, that usually depicts the processes by which individuals or groups of people secure, utilize and dispose products or services, in a bid to satisfy their needs. Today, there are various theories that have been put across to explain the consumer behavior. Notably, theories of consumer behavior have been widely developed since 1800 to present day, with subsequent theories improving and expanding the previous ones. The development in the theories of buyer behavior took an upward trend starting 1950, with many researchers keenly engaging in the evaluation of the factors that influences the consumption behavior in individuals. The consumer behavior theories that have been subsequently developed include: Herbert Simon's satisficing life theory, the Theory of Buyer Behavior, Theory of Reasoned Action, The Theory of Planned Behavior. These theories were analyzed in details in this essay. The researcher also described the onlin e buying, that has become a norm for many people, owing to the recent technological developments that allow individuals to purchase products and have them delivered, in the comfort of the houses. While traditionally people used to visit stores and premises to inspect the products on sale, they are currently viewing the products online, while assessing their features and usability from the seller’s website, so that straight-to-the-point description of the products are needed for the implementation of the successful strategy.

Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Statement Essay The sound of the thunderous crowd in the background seemed to fade away as I approached the stage. Droplets of sweat began to run down my face as my sympathetic nervous system kicked into gear, sherona grant stand up I began to shake and become weak but gained a lot of confidence and I walked upon the stage and held my head high and looked into the crowd and turned around and received my diploma and then on to getting accepted into universities and making my mother a proud woman has been an amazing feeling so I want to continue to place a smile on her heart and a memory on her forehead to show her that I am an success story. A dream can lay waste only if there is no kick start to reality. In the sleep state there is no conscious being but once you are awoken from the formality of death, only being that you were in darkness for nine months and light is at its standing ovation your passage way is a wide and broad path either you take the path less traveled or you take the most traveled path. I chose to uphold a different light I chose the path less traveled, amongst millions I stand out because of my kindled soul encamping the dark world bringing forward a sense of light to the wilderness. My confidence does not over power my personality, I am a very relaxed person and in the humble state you can only wait upon things to take its place and move freely in your life. In the bible it states faith without work is dead and god helps those that helps themselves. I’m attending Florida a amp; m university at this moment and I do not think this is the place for me I prefer to attend a university like point university because it has a Christian environment that I need to get closer to god along with my personal experience with god. I went to a high school that had Christian values and the school taught me patience in every way possible. From the research I did I believe Point University fits who I am as a whole in the mission, values, goals statements states that Point University is a school that educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. They statements begin to breakdown how and what will be done to show the teachings of Christ and how the student has grown and will learn through the teachings of the teachers and how the atmosphere will flow. Academic background comes from when I first started school in Jamaica and then when I came to America I always been a person about business and never gave up no matter how hard a subject was for me. I have volunteered at plenty of place I was a volunteer at a hospital named memorial regional hospital, I was also a water girl for my schools football team and I was an active member of my church with the youth department. I have been put down and told that because of certain things I will not make it but god was judged so who am I not to be judged I will never give up my dreams that I have because of my pride and who I am which is a strong willed person. I am a person that does not care what another person has to say about me because god created me to be who I am a strong, persistent and hard working person. Point University seems to be a place where there is no playing just strictly business and support from staff no matter if you mess up. I’m interested in attending Point University to grow spiritually and finish my education in the biological studies to become a doctor. My personal motto states no matter how long it takes you to achieve a goal as long as you get it is all that matters. A change has to be made in your life and this change of wanting to attend a Christian school will be a better one for me instead of a school with no order. My achievements in my academic career have been my main focus but god should always be my number one choice and then all other things will be added onto my life. As I reflect back over my experiences, I have come to realize that medicine is not only a career, but also a lifelong relationship and strong commitment to my future. I believe that I am equipped with qualities needed to excel as a future student and as a future doctor. Whether it be the patience learned while attending school or growing in god I will come out with something worth the wait. Also the compassion radiated while learning and helping others while I obtain my career or the stamina needed to compete and learn all material given to me I know without a doubt that I am and will be a student and a doctor.

Primark Is Very Famous Retail Clothing Store Chain Marketing Essay

Primark Is Very Famous Retail Clothing Store Chain Marketing Essay I will highlight the basic components of strategic marketing and discuss how strategic planning process is vital and how much its important for making an effective marketing strategy. This assignment has been divided in to three learning outcomes. First learning outcome is about how marketing plan supports the strategic objectives of the organization. This learning outcome includes marketing planning process, how SWOT could be an effective tool and difference between marketing strategies and marketing planning. Second learning outcome is about the construction of marketing plans. This includes analysis of marketing mix how to produce marketing plan. Third and the last learning outcome are about how to promote the marketing plan in support of strategic objectives. Primark Primark is very famous retail clothing store chain, providing clothes to customer at reasonable and affordable prices. Primark is actually an Irish retailer of clothing with the numbers of stores in United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain. Primark has more than 170 stores in which 125 stores are located in all over United Kingdom, 35 stores in Ireland and round about 10 stores in Spain. The first Primark store was established in year 1969 in capital city of Ireland in Dublin by Arther Ryan with the collaboration with Micaela Mitchell. After achieving the first success, they open more stores in different business centres with in local and regional areas, which alternatively generate more profits. (Source: www.primark.co.uk) Now I would like to discuss the first learning outcome of my assignment that how marketing plan supports strategic objectives. I will first define both of them then focus on the vision and mission statements of Primark. The Marketing Concept The marketing concept emerged in the mid-1950s. Instead of a product-cantered, make-and-sell philosophy, business shifted to a customer-cantered, sense-and-respond philosophy. Instead of hunting, marketing is gardening. The job is not to find the right customers for your products, but the right products for your customers. The marketing is actually a tool to hold the key to achieve organizational mission and goals. In this way company become more effective than its competitors in the market for creating, delivering goods to the customers. (Source: MBA Career Program) Theodore Levitt of Harvard drew a contrast between selling and marketing concepts: Selling is the concept which only focuses on the needs of the seller; marketing is on the need of the buyer. Selling is actually a phenomena with sellers need to convert its product into cash; marketing is an idea of satisfying the need of the customer by mean of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it. (Source: International Marketing Strategy, fifth edition) What is strategy and why it is important: A strategy is actually a plan of action which is designed to achieve the particular goals. Its consists of competitive moves and approaches used by the managers to run the company Management is concern with the following action plans their main aim is to Grow the business Please attract the customers Compete in the market successfully Conduct different operations Achieve targets of organizational performance Strategy involves in three questions and the answers of these three are on the basis of an organizations strategic planning these questions are Whats the present situation of the organization? Where does the organization need to go from here? How will the organization get there? The organizations answer to how it will get there is its strategy. Strategy and Competitive Advantage: Now days to survive in the market its very important to have competitive advantage over your competitors and rivals. Strategic planning helps us to get the competitive advantage so that organization can increase their market shares and earn more profits. A different and distinctive strategy thats helps and makes the company apart from their rivals and gives a company competitive advantage is a companys most reliable way to get the profit above average profits. Competing with competitive advantage is more beneficial than competing with no advantages Competing without competitive advantage result in low profitability. Vision of Primark: The mission of the management and the staff of Primark have been to supply quality and affordable product to the customers with a focus on new promotion. Mission Statement The Mission statement of Primark Company is to provide good and quality product to the customer relativity low as compare to the other retailers working in the market and with this stay competitive and should have a competitive edge with other clothing retailers in order to promote the culture of value for money. SMART Analysis: If we apply SMART analysis is accordance with the mission statement of Primark we can analyse the following Specific: Specific means that mission statement of Primark is specific in nature in terms of its objective. Measurable: The mission statement to some extent doesnt provide any time frame. Achievable: The targets of the organization are quite achievable. Realistic: Primark stores have adopted a realistic approach. Timely: to achieve the organizational goals Primark has no set any time framework. Importance of Marketing Planning at Business Product Level: The success of any business and any product which is launched in the market is depends on its Marketing Planning. For this reason I will focus on the importance of marketing planning for the business as well as the product. Let me discuss what is Product. Products: A product is something which is tangible in nature that can be touch or have a physical existence i.e. shape, size, colour dimensions etc, but this is a misleading concept in term of product definition because product can be intangible in nature as well like financial services provided by banks, services provided by the insurance companies to the customers etc. (International Marketing Analysis Strategy P-275) Now I would like to discuss the marketing planning process and analyse how this process is important for business and the products. Marketing Planning Process: Market plan is a document that has the details regarding the product or the actions which company takes. (Kotler et al. (2010). The different methods used by the management of the organizations in which they defines in details there current and future strategies, objectives and aims is called planning process. By this they can access the current and future trends of the markets and this evaluates the current and potential capabilities of the organization and an attempt to forecast the future in order to achieve its objectives. The international planning process allows the organizations to answer the below mentioned questions. What is the present state of the company now? Where does the company want to go? How will the company get there? An efficient marketing planning process consists of the following steps. Determining the objectives of the organization. Assessing and evaluating organizational resources. Evaluating the opportunities risks. An efficient Marketing strategy. Evaluating and implementing marketing plans. (Source Doole Lowe 2004) Explanation: As it is already mentioned in the stages of the marketing planning process, first step is to determine the organization goals and set the objectives of marketing plan. This is the stage where the organization decides that what need to do and how we gong to achieve that. Keeping in mind the objectives, organizational resources are assessed which include the financial condition of the organization, its people, technology used and production capability. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis is considered to be the very useful tool now days. It is actually a strategic planning method or approach to evaluate the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of an organization. It involves in the project and business ventures as well. SWOT analysis consists of following Strengths: The characteristics of the organization or business thats gives an advantage to the company over its competitors or rivals. Weaknesses: The characteristics of the firm that have disadvantage to its competitors or rivals. Opportunities:  The opportunities are the external chances that make greater sales and can earn more profits. Threats:  Threats are also the external elements in the environment that cause trouble for the business. An  overall  plan  is based  on  the first  3  steps  of the SWOT analysis that will help the the  marketing  plan  a  major success  in the future. As I already mentioned marketing strategy gives us the answers for the following questions What is the present state of the company now? Where does the company want to go? How will the company get there? With the help of SWOT analysis we can analyse the company strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. At the same time we can use the tool of PEST analysis that helps us analyse the political, economic, social and technological analysis. It helps us describe the work of marketing plan of the company. Porters five forces model gives us the knowledge of the number of forces that affects the marketing strategy of an organization. Last phase is to apply and implement the marketing plan; on the basis of the analysis the organization chooses its targeted market by using market segmentation methodology. And in the end the combination of effective and right marketing mix can give an edge over its competitors and rivals. During the stage of the planning process, organizations give more importance to their External Environmental Forces that can or will affect the marketing process. PEST analysis plays a very important and vital role at this stage and this gives the organizations a thorough analysis of the products. Difference between Marketing Planning Strategy: Strategy of an organization actually defines the overall aims, objectives mission of the company. Every business/ organization has set their goals and objectives in order to gain the market share and earn more profits as compare to their competitors. As I already mentioned that strategy of the company provides the answers of the following questions; As mentioned earlier that strategy of the company provides answers for the following three key questions; What is the present state of the company now? Where does the company want to go? How will the company get there? On the basis of these 3 important questions, an organization or a business sets its targets and makes a proper plan of action to achieve their goals. Marketing Planning: The process of promoting the product or services of the company on the basis of over all strategy of the organization is called marketing planning. Marketing planning involves Situational Analysis, Internal External Analysis of the organization and on the basis of the above factors choosing a right kind of marketing mix to increase the market share and maximize the profit and getting company competitive advantage over the competitors and rivals in the market. Construction of a Marketing Plan: It is extremely important for the businesses to make a proper marketing plan when they promote their product. This should be done efficiently in order to gain competitive advantage over competitors in an effective manner so that the organization can make more profits. Now I would like to focus on the components of the marketing plan. In this phase I will highlight the importance of marketing mix which helps us while making a marketing planning. The efficient kind of marketing mix strategies always gives a company an advantage in the market place. Marketing Mix: Marketing mix is defined as a set of tools an organization may use to achieve its marketing goals. (Kotler, Managing Markets 2006, P-19) McCarthy divided marketing mix in to four groups, which are commonly knows as 4Ps Product Price Place Promotion An organization uses the all four factors of marketing mix to attracts and target their customers. A company can change its price and keep changes its promotion schemes in short run but it might take longer period for them to change their product or places. Most of the organizations working in the market use Price and Promotion as key factors to target the customer to earn profits. The above mentioned 4Ps helps and represents sellers view of the marketing tools in order to attract the buyers. (Kotler Managing Markets 2006, P-20) Some other authors include 7Ps as the complete version of marketing mix. The remaining three are as follows: People Processes Physical Evidence If we look on the marketing mix of the Primark then we can analyze the marketing strategy they adopted so that they attract numbers of customers. Marketing Mix of Primark: Primark is widely knows and popular as a clothes retailer which keep attracting the customer by their low price and good quality clothes. I will highlight the marketing approach Primark adopted to get the benefits as compare to their competitors. Product: Primark is a clothes retailer, it is producing good and quality product according to the need of the people for all range of ages. In this section I will discuss what products they are selling and what are the different features of their products from mens wear, ladies wear and childrens wear. Quality: Quality of the product of Primark is quiet reasonable as compare to their prices especially if we look on the other retailers in the high street market retailers. Designs: Primark keep introducing latest designs at their retails out lets. Primark targeted people of ages from 25 to 35. Primark keep providing latest designs in their retails outlets at reasonable prices. Brand Names: Primark has launched different types of brands in their retails outlets for their customers, which are quite popular. I am discussing few brands of Primark that has become a part and become a value for money business. Rebel Active CS Active Early Days (For babies) Young Dimensions Active Cedar wood State (For Gents) Atmosphere (Source: www.primark.co.uk) Packing Sizes: The product which Primark produces are good in quality and their packing is extremely good that people attract to their products. In these products ladies wear and gents dress shirts comes under good packing and in all sizes. Services, Warranties Returns: Primark is one of the company which is growing very rapidly and company core objective is to provide the best services to their customers. Each and every Primark store has a customer services department where trained customer representative staff help the customers to their concern are solve the problems of the customers on priority basis. At Primark the product that has been purchase by the customers can be exchanged or it can be even refunded within the prescribed 21 days time of the day of purchased date. Price: Primark as a retail company is focusing to provide good quality of products to the customer at the very reasonable prices. Primark is one of the retailers in the Europe where a customer has been targeted by the price of the products. Their marketing strategy most important aspect is value for money with the slogan Look good pay less Examples: Gents shirt prices starts from only  £2.00 Gents jeans pent can be purchased with in  £10.00 Gents formal suite can be purchased in  £40.00 Apart from all that above Primark keep on reducing the prices of the product from time to time and in this way company fulfilling their promise of Look Good Pay Less. Promotion: Like other retailers working in the region you cannot see many promotion schemes but Primark do make promotions schemes so that they can create more market share. But over all the promotion factor of Primark is bit low because they dont have online shopping facility for their customers. This online shopping has been neglected which shouldnt be neglected as this is a very important factor in now days. Like all the other companies in the region, Primark introduced Pennys Gift Card in all their stores in Ireland. This brings a lot of saving on shopping in the Primark outlets. Place: In marketing mix the 4th P is a very important as far as the clothes retailer concern. You will see Primark stores and outlets on all major and important high streets and shopping centres. Primark has also opened a shop at the famous Oxford Street in the Central London, this store at Oxford Street doing a very good business. The Primark store at Lakeside is also one of the busiest stores at Lakeside shopping centre. If we talk regarding the transportation point of view, all Primark stores and outlets are easy assessable to the general public through public transports as they are located at the very important and majors high streets and shopping centres, and this make Primark a value for money brand for the consumers in the recession period. People: This is also a very important factor of marketing mix and it is very significant as well. Marketing strategy should be made for the people who either are the end users of are the part of the organization for e.g. workers, management, consumers etc. this also defines the market segmentation and demographic segmentation. Processes: This process also plays a vital role because its gives an overview about the processes involved in the business. Like mechanism, procedure and flow of all the activities by which services are used. This also tells us the procedures that how product reach the end users. So its important that marketing process should be flexible to meet the needs of the businesses processes. Physical Evidence: The last 7P of marketing mix is physical evidence this mean that the marketing strategy should include effectively communicating their satisfaction to potential customers. Impact of Marketing Mix on the Management Decision Making: The importance of marketing mix is very important for every organizations business and marketing plans. Marketing mix is chosen after the very critical analysis of the forces that affects internal and external environment. In this way management can get the better idea about the strengths and weaknesses of the organizations. The potential business opportunities and threats are due to the presence of the different companies offering and doing the businesses by same sort of services and product. After the very careful and critical analysis of all the above factors the management of the companies make very good and fruitful decisions. An effective and correct Marketing Mix strategy will give the companies competitive edge over the competitors in this way they can produce more profits and maximise the market share of the company. Importance of Budgeting in Marketing Plan Financial forecasting is also very important and vital in over all running of the business unit. In case of marketing the funds availability is very important. On this basis the organization allocates resources and funds for an effective marketing plan so that they can produce more result in shape of success. Here the question arises that what should be the cost of the whole marketing campaign of the product or the business and how we can allocate the funds for that. Promotional budget normally determined by how much fund provided and how much percentage is available out of the revenue received from the sale of the brand.

Internal Conflict: Nature, Humans, and Animals :: Philosophy Essays

Internal Conflict: Nature, Humans, and Animals Caught up in the modern day scheme of things, I haven't felt connected to nature in some time. I always considered myself a lover of nature and the outdoors. But driving west on US 41, as I passed the turnpike and headed into the everglades, I began to think about the last time I had been so removed from the everyday hustle and bustle. I have been having internal conflict as of late, and it seems this trip illuminated some facets of this inner unrest. It has always been easier for me to put my thoughts on paper. This is the attempt of this essay, to externalize this internal conflict. As I do this, I am hoping to better understand myself. One such debate I have with myself is whether human life is to be held above other life, and if such a concept is even possible. The second of my internal conflicts is animal rights. Do or should animals have rights? Finally, and most important, what is my responsibility or place in the grand scheme of things? This includes my decision to be a responsible human being, and whether I should have children or adopt. These ideas, not mutually exclusive, tie together and overlap in a common theme of my current internal thought processes. It seems to be my understanding that western religion or Christianity holds the belief that animals were put here on Earth for us humans. Human beings are held above all else. This is the justification for things like animal research, and the draining of the everglades for human habitation. I personally would put most members of my human family above my pet dog, if it came down to a choice. But my question is, are our lives more valuable than other life in the grand scheme of things? Or are all living things, being in a common ecosystem, interdependent? Finally, what kind of life will there be if we continue our current path of destroying these habitats, our habitat? When I pulled into Coopertown, I noticed I was the first person to arrive. This gave me a chance to look around a little. Coopertown is a tourist trap. It includes a quaint restaurant which offers gator tail and airboat rides, the latter being the reason for our trip. As I walked past the restaurant and toward the dock where the airboats depart, I came to a hut with a counter where you inquire about the airboat rides.

Data Mining and Privacy-an ethical look Essay -- Data Mining Technolog

Data Mining and Privacy-an ethical look I. Introduction In 2001, the MIT Technology Review listed data mining as one of the top 10 technologies that will change the world.[i] So, what is data mining? For many people, the simple answer is that data mining is the collecting of people’s information when logged onto the Internet. But Webopedia emphasizes that data mining is not the collection of data itself, but the statistical interpretation of it – allowing people to obtain new information or find hidden patterns within that collected data.[ii] It is the combination of these, collection and analysis, which are cause for concern. People want to know: What information is being collected about me? Who has access to that information? What decisions are people making about me based upon that information? This paper looks at how data mining is currently being used on the Internet. It examines whether our privacy rights are vulnerable. Ways in which our privacy can be protected are explored. Finally, an ethical question is considered: ‘Are we maintaining our privacy with the current usage of data mining on the Internet?’ This question is looked at from several ethical points of view. II. Examples of Data Mining Use In general, nearly every time you surf or make a purchase online, information is collected on your actions. Then targeted advertising can be presented online, emailed, snail-mailed or even phoned to you. The business concept behind this is â€Å"best predictor of future behavior is relevant past behavior† (ala Dr. Phil). One company claims that retailers can increase their return on data mining investment by 1,000 percent.[i] The first step in understanding data mining is to look at the various ways t... ...www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/thuraisingham.pdf [x] Sara Baase, A Gift of Fire (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003)44, 46, 55, 85, 86 [xi] American Civil Liberties Union, MATRIX: Myths and Reality, 10 Feb 2004, 17 Feb 2004, http://www.aclu.org/news/NewsPrint.cfm?ID=14894&c=130 [xii] Dan Verton, Senate Kills Data Mining Program, 18 Jul 2003, Computerworld, 17 Mar 2004, http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0%2Caid%2C111626%2C00.asp [xiii] Martin S Olivier, Database Privacy - Balancing Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability, SIGKDD Explorations 4:2 (December 2002): 20-27, 29 Feb 2004, http://www.acm.org/sigs/sigkdd/explorations/issue4-2/olivier.pdf [xiv] Patricia Ellen Freed, Thinking Ethically about Policy Issues, Jewish College of Nursing and Allied Health, 13 Mar 2004, http://www.icss.net/~freedos/Pages/Debate/Review.html

Venture Screening

The business plan is a written proposal that identifies the intended company, analyzes the business situation, lists planned operations, and projects financial data. It puts your business ideas into written form. Planning is critical to a successful business. Types of plans vary according to the needs of the business. For example, plans may be long-term and/or short-term; simple or complex; detailed or general; lengthy or brief.The specific needs of the business should include: purpose and objectives; expansion or curtailment strategies under consideration; possible new reduces; financing needs; and identification of problems and potential solutions. The primary purpose of business planning is to ensure profitability. Planning helps you determine the purpose of the business. It also helps you know where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. A plan gives you a path to follow as you seek your goals. It provides details for potential lenders to examine. Lenders must gain insight into your situation before deciding whether or not to lend you money.The business plan serves as a communication tool to consultants, advisers, investors, true employees and suppliers who need to learn about your operation and objective. Collecting data causes you to discuss your proposed business with specialists in your field of interest. Banks and other lending institutions vary in their business requirements. Lenders are taking a risk when they lend money to a new business. Therefore, the plan must convince them that your business has the potential of a making a profit, enabling you to repay the borrowed money.Business Plan Outline: Identification Business Name Business Owner Date of Preparation Introduction Types of Business Goods and/or services Sources of information Primary sources Secondary sources Analysis of Business Situation Self-Analysis Trading-Area analysis Market-segment Analysis Analysis of Location Planned Operation Organization Proposed Services Proposed Products Proposed Marketing Strategies Planning Financing Income and Expenses Capital Needs Being able to have a small business that is important to the community is the ultimate goal for my company.Providing lost cost party and wedding planning is goal of Deed's Supreme Planning. Deciding on the best business form out of sole repositories, partnership, â€Å"C† corporation, and â€Å"S† corporation are the first step in building a lucrative company. Once the business organization has been decided, we have to decide on the best financial statement associated with the business. Understanding the business forms such as tax implications, legal implications and accounting implications will provide clarity during the filing for taxes.There are several advantages and disadvantages to sole proprietorship, partnership, â€Å"C† corporation and â€Å"S† corporation. A sole proprietorship is one person alone. He or she ill have unlimited liability for all debts of the business, and the income or loss from the business will be reported on his or her personal income tax return along with all other income and expense he or she normally reports (although it will be on a separate schedule).Although proprietorship avoids the expense of forming a partnership or corporation, many start businesses this way because they are unfamiliar with the other forms of organizations (Business Organization, 2011). All profits and can be re-invested in the business or it can be used by the owner and active aspect is Owner has full liability for entire business operations including all debts or lawsuits against the business. The owner's entire personal assets are at risk. There are two types of partnerships.General and Liability both allow unlimited liability for debits of the business. The general partnership, each of the two or more partners will have unlimited liability for the debts of the business. The income and expense is reported on a separate return for tax purposes, but each partner then reports his or her pro-rata share of the profit or loss from the business as one line on is personal tax return (Perez, 2011). Limited seems to more for every partner for themselves based on the amount they are able to input to the business.With a limited partnership, each of the general partners has unlimited liability for the debts of the partnership, but the limited partner's exposure to the debts of the partnership is limited to the contribution each has made to the partnership. With certain minor exceptions, the reporting for tax purposes is the same as for a general partnership (Perez, 2011). Partnerships are advantages because they are still easy to establish but o should have a professionally done operating agreement and the disadvantage is employee benefits cannot be deducted from the businesses income.This includes The â€Å"C† corporation files its own tax return and pays taxes on its insurance. Income. If the corporation distribute s some of its earnings in the form of dividends, it does not deduct the dividend in computing its taxes, but the shareholder recipients must pay taxes on those dividends even though the corporation has paid taxes on its earnings. A corporation has some tax benefits such as deductibility of health insurance premiums (Woodruff, 2011).Finally, the â€Å"S† corporation is for federal income tax purposes is treated as a partnership for tax purposes, although it is treated as a regular corporation for other purposes. The sole proprietorship has the balance sheet and the income sheet, which is associated with all of the business origination forms. In sole proprietorships, the profit of a business occurs after the owner has taken a reasonable draw for his salary. A sole proprietorship must make enough profit to pay the owner's salary and still have enough left to support the growth of the business (Woodruff, 2011).The major difference between for the readership financial statement is the earnings can be allocated based on a stated fractional basis; a ratio of capital investment or on salary and interest allowances, but are still associated with a balance sheet and using the company's equity financial statement. The different types of financial statements for corporation are income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, and statement of retained earnings. Their purpose is to provide information on the performance and strength financially to the position of a company.This financial statement is valuable for the users while they go for economic decisions. The consequences associated with each form of business will vary based on the business organization selected. The legal implications are based on the organization selected as well. Legal problems can come from taxation liabilities and making sure that the correct tax information is being added. Deed's Supreme Planning will take away the stress from customers in planning for that big day or that specia l occasion.We are able to provide your dreams within your budget. We also sponsor for the community so we are able to show them how we can provide our services for their budget. We also get discounts or products and venues for these events when business or customers use our service. We can get meet and exceed your demands with your budget. The business choice for Deed's Supreme Party planning is general partnership organization. This option is selected because it will fit our needs the best.Having the ability to be considered self-employed, and sharing of profits are subject to the self- employment tax with each partnership having at least one partner. A value proposition in business and marketing is a statement summarizing the customer segment, competitor targets and the core differentiation of one's product from the offerings of competitors. A company's market contribution normally extends further than its core product to include services, programs and systems rudiments. Venture Screening The business plan is a written proposal that identifies the intended company, analyzes the business situation, lists planned operations, and projects financial data. It puts your business ideas into written form. Planning is critical to a successful business. Types of plans vary according to the needs of the business. For example, plans may be long-term and/or short-term; simple or complex; detailed or general; lengthy or brief.The specific needs of the business should include: purpose and objectives; expansion or curtailment strategies under consideration; possible new reduces; financing needs; and identification of problems and potential solutions. The primary purpose of business planning is to ensure profitability. Planning helps you determine the purpose of the business. It also helps you know where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. A plan gives you a path to follow as you seek your goals. It provides details for potential lenders to examine. Lenders must gain insight into your situation before deciding whether or not to lend you money.The business plan serves as a communication tool to consultants, advisers, investors, true employees and suppliers who need to learn about your operation and objective. Collecting data causes you to discuss your proposed business with specialists in your field of interest. Banks and other lending institutions vary in their business requirements. Lenders are taking a risk when they lend money to a new business. Therefore, the plan must convince them that your business has the potential of a making a profit, enabling you to repay the borrowed money.Business Plan Outline: Identification Business Name Business Owner Date of Preparation Introduction Types of Business Goods and/or services Sources of information Primary sources Secondary sources Analysis of Business Situation Self-Analysis Trading-Area analysis Market-segment Analysis Analysis of Location Planned Operation Organization Proposed Services Proposed Products Proposed Marketing Strategies Planning Financing Income and Expenses Capital Needs Being able to have a small business that is important to the community is the ultimate goal for my company.Providing lost cost party and wedding planning is goal of Deed's Supreme Planning. Deciding on the best business form out of sole repositories, partnership, â€Å"C† corporation, and â€Å"S† corporation are the first step in building a lucrative company. Once the business organization has been decided, we have to decide on the best financial statement associated with the business. Understanding the business forms such as tax implications, legal implications and accounting implications will provide clarity during the filing for taxes.There are several advantages and disadvantages to sole proprietorship, partnership, â€Å"C† corporation and â€Å"S† corporation. A sole proprietorship is one person alone. He or she ill have unlimited liability for all debts of the business, and the income or loss from the business will be reported on his or her personal income tax return along with all other income and expense he or she normally reports (although it will be on a separate schedule).Although proprietorship avoids the expense of forming a partnership or corporation, many start businesses this way because they are unfamiliar with the other forms of organizations (Business Organization, 2011). All profits and can be re-invested in the business or it can be used by the owner and active aspect is Owner has full liability for entire business operations including all debts or lawsuits against the business. The owner's entire personal assets are at risk. There are two types of partnerships.General and Liability both allow unlimited liability for debits of the business. The general partnership, each of the two or more partners will have unlimited liability for the debts of the business. The income and expense is reported on a separate return for tax purposes, but each partner then reports his or her pro-rata share of the profit or loss from the business as one line on is personal tax return (Perez, 2011). Limited seems to more for every partner for themselves based on the amount they are able to input to the business.With a limited partnership, each of the general partners has unlimited liability for the debts of the partnership, but the limited partner's exposure to the debts of the partnership is limited to the contribution each has made to the partnership. With certain minor exceptions, the reporting for tax purposes is the same as for a general partnership (Perez, 2011). Partnerships are advantages because they are still easy to establish but o should have a professionally done operating agreement and the disadvantage is employee benefits cannot be deducted from the businesses income.This includes The â€Å"C† corporation files its own tax return and pays taxes on its insurance. Income. If the corporation distribute s some of its earnings in the form of dividends, it does not deduct the dividend in computing its taxes, but the shareholder recipients must pay taxes on those dividends even though the corporation has paid taxes on its earnings. A corporation has some tax benefits such as deductibility of health insurance premiums (Woodruff, 2011).Finally, the â€Å"S† corporation is for federal income tax purposes is treated as a partnership for tax purposes, although it is treated as a regular corporation for other purposes. The sole proprietorship has the balance sheet and the income sheet, which is associated with all of the business origination forms. In sole proprietorships, the profit of a business occurs after the owner has taken a reasonable draw for his salary. A sole proprietorship must make enough profit to pay the owner's salary and still have enough left to support the growth of the business (Woodruff, 2011).The major difference between for the readership financial statement is the earnings can be allocated based on a stated fractional basis; a ratio of capital investment or on salary and interest allowances, but are still associated with a balance sheet and using the company's equity financial statement. The different types of financial statements for corporation are income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, and statement of retained earnings. Their purpose is to provide information on the performance and strength financially to the position of a company.This financial statement is valuable for the users while they go for economic decisions. The consequences associated with each form of business will vary based on the business organization selected. The legal implications are based on the organization selected as well. Legal problems can come from taxation liabilities and making sure that the correct tax information is being added. Deed's Supreme Planning will take away the stress from customers in planning for that big day or that specia l occasion.We are able to provide your dreams within your budget. We also sponsor for the community so we are able to show them how we can provide our services for their budget. We also get discounts or products and venues for these events when business or customers use our service. We can get meet and exceed your demands with your budget. The business choice for Deed's Supreme Party planning is general partnership organization. This option is selected because it will fit our needs the best.Having the ability to be considered self-employed, and sharing of profits are subject to the self- employment tax with each partnership having at least one partner. A value proposition in business and marketing is a statement summarizing the customer segment, competitor targets and the core differentiation of one's product from the offerings of competitors. A company's market contribution normally extends further than its core product to include services, programs and systems rudiments.

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010 Essay

Analysis of the US carbonated soft drinks (CSD) industry (a) Strategic issues The CSD market in the US (approx. $74 billion) is dominated by two concentrate manufacturers – namely Coke and Pepsi –. Both companies have been competing intensely since the 1970s, yet have thrived from this competition and have grown the business very profitably, as both have benefitted from the CSD market growth rates of around 10% p.a. until the early 2000s, when domestic consumption started to decline and in 2009 fell back to levels of 19901: U.S. Liquid consumption Trends (gallons/capita): 1970 Carbonated soft drinks 1990 2000 2009 22.7 46.9 53.0 46.0 U.S. Soft Drink Market Share (Unit Case Volume %): 1970 Coca-Cola Company PepsiCo, Inc 1990 2000 2009e 34.7 19.8 41.1 32.4 44.1 31.4 41.9 29.9 In order to understand the strategic issues of the concentrate manufacturers in the US market, an analysis of the CSD industry structure appears necessary. A practical tool for assessing strategic issues is Porter’s Five Forces, as this tool supports analyses of competition, as strategy is fundamentally about competition2. The model of Porter is an outside-in business unit strategy tool that analyses the attractiveness (value) of an industry structure, capturing the key elements of industry competition. Source: HBS case study ‘Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010’ May 26, 2011, Exhibit 1 Source: Porter, ‘Competitive Strategy’ Figure 1: Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Summary on figure 1 Barriers to entry are very high due to the following key factors: (1) anybody trying to break into the CSD market must compete with Coke’s and Pepsi’s combined market share of >75%; (2) the market leaders have – over decades – built up strategically critical supply, production and sales channels, which would require enormous investments for followers to copy and (3) the strong brand recognition in the market mainly developed via the cumulative effect of long-time advertising and the geographical availability of their products. Understanding the CSD industry and its competitive landscape and – given that the overarching goal of the concentrate manufacturers is to secure profitable growth – the primary strategic issue (central problem) for the concentrate manufacturers is the declining demand for CSDs, as these manufacturers have built their strategy over the decades on large volume production and distribution involving high amounts of investments (fixed assets) which are now (1) underutilized and (2) are not designed for alternative products (‘non-carb’). (b) Macro-environmental factors shaping the US CSD industry Since the early 2000s several macro-environmental factors have started re-shaping the US CSD industry. To obtain a full picture of the potential macro-environmental impact on this industry, I used the PESTLE framework. PESTLE stands for – Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental. This framework is a tool for identifying, tracking, projecting and assessing macro-environmental trends and patterns which helps decision-making and to plan for future events. Figure 2: PESTLE Analysis Summary on figure 2 Based on the PESTLE analysis, 4 major trends that have already shaped respectively will continue to shape the current US CSD industry and influence the attractiveness of this industry are: (1) Shift in consumption  patterns towards healthier nutrition (non-carbs such as juices and juice drinks, sports and energy drinks and tea-based drinks but also bottled water) causing the CSD to fizzle (2) US Government fighting the US #1 health problem obesity by tightened nutrition guidelines and imposing taxes on CSDs (3) Increasing pricing power of emerging mass-merchandisers (e.g. Wal-Mart) posing a new threat to profitability for Coke, Pepsi and their bottlers (4) Non-carb market is open to new market entrants, as it is a stronger fragmented market not dominated by the ‘classical’ CSD companies (Coke, Pepsi, DPS, etc.) The PESTLE analysis also reveals that the change in the US CSD industry is not a one-timeimpact but rather an ongoing process: 2000s (early): start of a declining domestic consumption of CSDs 2005: new federal guidelines to fight obesity 2010: already 29 states introduced a ‘soda tax’ (c) Future attractiveness of the US CSD industry The US CSD industry will continue to be a very attractive market for the established players alone considering the size of the market and the strong position in the market of these players. The 3 A’s (Advertising, Addiction, Availability) continue to be the main purchasing criteria for consumers. Still these players will have to adapt their strategies to maintain market levels for CSDs. Possible strategic moves to act / react on the trends stated above should be based on the findings of the Five Forces Analysis and the PESTLE Analysis and could include: (1) Development of (approved by the US F&D Admin.) alternative sweeteners to reduce obesitycausing sugars (2) Compete on availability (through their impressive geographical reach) (3) Create a fragmented bottling network but give territorial exclusivity to bottlers as incentive to ‘grow the pie’ and use the bottling network as a competitive firewall (especially against massmerchandisers) (4) Escalate advertising sp ending to keep out entry Further market analysis can be carried out by using proven tools such as ’Ansoff’s Growth Strategy Matrix’ (market present vs. market future / product present vs. product future) or the brand analysis (brand strength = differentiation + relevance vs. brand stature = knowledge + esteem) but which I have not described in this report. The competition in the CSD industry is a stronghold between Coke and Pepsi with a few minor players together holding approx. 25% market share. Coke and Pepsi leverage their strong market position and build on economies of scale crowding out smaller players or – if necessary – acquire them. Competition between Coke and Pepsi is reciprocal, with both responding to each other’s strategy shifts. Most prominent were the development of diet and flavored varieties of CSDs. To further support the analysis of the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry, the following Force Field Analysis is useful, as it also reveals potential ‘restraining forces’ of change. As figure 3 shows, especially the market disruptions coming from domestic consumption of CSDs continuously declining have caught – to a certain extent – the ‘classical’ CSD companies by surprise, as they cannot respond to this development by standard measures – such as increasing advertisement or bringing new CSDs to the market – but are now facing a structural change in the beverage market with an uncertain outcome. Figure 3: Force Field Analysis The Force Field Analysis – as described in literature – is especially useful to identify â€Å"resistance to change†, providing a systematized framework that supports identify factors that hinder change (restraining forces) and factors that support change (driving forces). Kurt Lewin developed the principle, which is a significant contribution to the fields of social science, organizational development, process management, and change  management. (d) Potential impact of the four pressures (industry dynamics, globalization, risk and ethics) on the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry The insights gained from the analyses carried out under 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) summarize the potential impact of the four pressures as follows: (1) Industry dynamics (defined as understanding how industries and companies change over time and understand their drivers of these changes): The environment in which CSD companies have been operating until the early 2000s was 5  characterized by competition but the industry dynamics tended to be ‘evolutionary’. The PESTLE analysis has shown, that since that time, market dynamics have dramatically picked up and several lasting disruptive changes (e.g. introduction of a ‘soda tax’) have happened. Subsequently this has had an impact on top and bottom line of the CSD industry (‘Cola Wars’ business case, Exhibit 3a). (2) Globalization (defined as when an industry globalizes, it undergoes structural shifts, so that the organizations within it find that their position in one country is significantly affected by their position in another country): Even if the aforementioned analyses are aimed to the US CSD industry, the data provided by the case study reveals that Coke’s share of US business in % of total global business is around 20% while Pepsi’s share is around 50%. The international business – in contrast to the US market – has been growing nicely given the strong population growth in emerging countries and the establishment of a ‘middle class’ in large nations such as India and China that can now afford CSDs. Coke has stronger benefitted from this growth as Pepsi has. This should give Coke further potential for economies of scale which should benefit bottom line considerably. (3) Risk (defined as the evaluation of levels of risk and reward attached to each potential business opportunity): The exposure of risk in the CSD industry – given that especially Coke and Pepsi (a) have a significant share of business in the single largest CSD market worldwide, which is the US and (b) rely on the success of a single type of product (carbonated soft drink) – is high. Impacts coming from macro-environmental factors – as shown in the PESTLE analysis – can be game changing for this industry, as already happening since the early 2000s. (4) Ethics (defined as a set of values and beliefs that do transcend cultures, time and economic conditions): Again stressing PESTLE, environmental protection has become one of these values that have affected the CSD industry and have at least forced the CSD companies to re-think their packaging strategy and in consequence potential changes in the production and bottling process. From the aforementioned I would draw, that industry dynamics has the major impact on the future attractiveness of the US CSD industry. General observations on using module concepts Engaging with theory and applying this to day-to-day business life has many advantages of which I would highlight: best quality: proven concepts efficiency: not to â€Å"re-invent the wheel† for free: applying theory in daily business life is – from an intellectual property stand point – basically not linked to any cost [except costs for implementation] The challenge left for every corporation is to understand, select and implement the theories, methods and tools that best suit their purpose. This requires experienced managers and experts that are capable of making use of theory to change practice. 1. Module concept I: Porter’s Five Forces Strategy is fundamentally about competition. Competition comes from many places. Therefore it is essential to carry out an ‘environmental scan’ in a systematic way. Porter Five Forces model is a proven outside-in business unit strategy tool that analyses the attractiveness (value) of an industry structure, capturing the key elements of industry competition. (a) Strengths of the framework Porter refers to these forces as the micro environment or line-of-business industry level (those forces that are close to the company and that drive the business). If changes happen in one of these forces, the company should re-assess their strategic position and – if required – take corrective action. Also it provides useful input for performing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. (b) Limitations of the framework The framework does not look at strategy from the inside-out. Consequently the view on core competencies on a company are ignored. I would have found it useful to understand where Coke has developed a competitive advantage vs. Pepsi and vice-versa. Therefore a SWOT analysis should always complement the Five Forces Analysis. Another critique I would make to the framework is the fact, that the 4 forces (1) entrants, (2) substitutes, (3) customers and (4) suppliers only relate to the center (competitors) but do not ‘interact’ among themselves. In the ‘Cola Wars’ e.g. the interaction between substitutes and customers would have been of interest. Last I would criticize the framework is not very useful for environments that are characterized by rapid, systemic and radical change which requires more flexible or emergent approaches to strategy formulation (this often happening with industries where disruptive innovation is foreseeable). This is also true for disruptions that give the possibility to create completely new markets (how to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant)3. 2. Module concept II: PESTLE framework The PESTLE framework is a powerful tool and I used it to weigh up the wide range of factors in an organization’s environment that will impact on its strategy. Reading through the ‘Cola Wars’ business case it quickly became evident, that it is not one but several factors that are influencing the US CSD industry. PESTLE very much serves as a checklist of macro-environmental factors that can influence strategy. I personally prefer using the PESTLE framework in combination with the Force Field Analysis as I believe that PESTLE covers well the ‘driving forces’ of change but does not address the ‘restraining forces’. This becomes particularly evident in the analysis carried out under 1(c). (a) Strengths of the framework Similar to the Risk Management System, PESTLE provides a comprehensive ‘checklist’ of macro-environmental factors to make sure, that all ‘dimensions’ have been thought of and have been documented systematically. Also these factors can be classified as opportunities  and risks in the SWOT analysis as well as a risk register. Last but not least, PESTLE is easy to use and adaptable to any business. (b) Limitations of the framework Except for the stated under 2., I have not identified any major limitations of the framework, making it a tool I prefer working with. 3. Module concept III: Lewin’s Forces Field Analysis Lewin’s Force Field Analysis belongs to the great change management tools. He saw the drivers for and against change as a moving equilibrium and developed a way to analyse these drivers, giving birth to what he called a ‘force field analysis’. By knowing the driving and restraining forces of change, strategies can be developed to reduce the impact of the restraining forces and strengthen the driving forces. Even if the Force Field Analysis looks simple at a first glance, the following benefits are built into the system: Dynamics on action vs. reaction Allows different perspectives Highlights most critical matters (size of the arrow) (a) Strengths of the framework The Force Field Analysis complements the PESTLE framework as PESTLE covers well the ‘driving forces’ of change but does not address the ‘restraining forces’ in a structured or transparent manner. It is easy to use and adaptable to many situations in business. Especially I would like to highlight, that one has to put himself in the shoes of the other to understand drivers and restrainers for change. This can make a difference in outlining a strategy. (b) Limitations of the framework The Force Field Analysis is – different to e.g. a Risk Management System – by far not so sophistically developed. One generally starts the analysis on a white piece of paper with only very few supporting guidelines. ‘Checklists’ to avoid omissions of major drivers / restrainers are not known to me.