Music and Soundscapes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Music and Soundscapes - Research Paper Example That simply illustrates the power of the musical score, or the music that is played in the background of a scene as action takes place (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). The clip from the film â€Å"The Mask,† benefitted most from the power of sound effects. In general, rompy comedy clips do use a lot of exaggerated sound effects to enhance the humor in the scene and basically, to cue the laughter from the audience. The sound effects from the clip no doubt exaggerated the aspects of the scene but in a good way. The last category of sound is dialogue. This is simply the conversation that goes on among, and sometimes within, the characters (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). In my opinion, this is also the part that turns off most men from â€Å"chick flicks,† with the clip from â€Å"When Harry Met Sally† to stress my point (Ladies, we get enough of that from you at home so imagine what two hours of that will do to

My First Skydiving Experience Essay Example for Free

My First Skydiving Experience Essay Jumping is fun! Skydiving is not just falling; it is flying—the closest we have been able to come to free, unencumbered, non-mechanical individual flight, says Mike Turoff in the book The Skydivers Handbook. I totally agree with him because skydiving provides the maximum liberty that one can ever experience. In this article, Id like to describe to you my first jump in order to show you how much fun skydiving is. First of all, I learned about skydiving via the Internet and TV. There are countless pages of information about skydiving on the Internet. My first jump was a part of the accelerated free fall (AFF). AFF is a course for training new skydivers which includes fourteen jumps. Even though it has fourteen jumps, you will always remember the first one! On the jump day, I went to the skydiving center at 8:30 in the morning. The AFF course started at 9:00. The course included basic parachute equipment information, free falling information, emergency procedures, parachute opening, canopy control, and finally landing information. We were only four people in the classroom. The AFF students studied all the necessary lessons to make a safe skydive. We used special equipment to study parachute equipment, canopy control, and landing. After seven long hours, at the end of the class, we took a written exam. We had to score 100% in order to pass the test. Everybody passed. Then came the gear-up part! We put on our diving overalls, parachutes, altimeters which are used to watch the altitude during the skydive, helmets, gloves and goggles. There were many professional skydivers around, and they were giving us a hard time with some traditional skydiving jokes. I myself was the first person from the class who was going to jump. The next step was boarding the airplane. We used a twin otter double engine aircraft. That was a large aircraft; at least twenty skydivers could get on that plane. I was sitting between two jumpmasters (skydiving instructors) and in front of a cameraman. At that moment, I started feeling extremely worried and excited. The jumpmasters were talking to me, asking questions about my feelings. During the planes take off, all I could say was, Wow! Then, I began watched my altimeter to see whether the altitude number was changing. I want to stop here to tell you something about the other skydivers on board. They were very relaxed although the aircraft was uncomfortable. Probably, I was the most frightened person on board. The others were telling jokes to each other and even drinking juice. Some of them were offering me candies and gum to celebrate my becoming a skydiver. In short, those guys were the craziest people that I have ever seen together. Can you imagine someone drinking orange juice just before jumping down from thirteen thousand feet? Well, thats what they did. The altimeter was working perfectly. Only that fact was able to make me smile a little bit, but I was also considering what I could do if my parachute didnt open! Finally, all the altimeters were saying thirteen thousand feet. The jumpers opened the door. I looked down and was able to see someone who had al ready jumped. Then, because of the cold air at that altitude, my goggles smoked up and I could hardly see anymore. After a few seconds, the smoke disappeared and I could see the airplane was empty. All the other skydivers had already jumped except for my jumpmasters and myself. They told me to stand up and walk toward the exit door. I felt pretty heavy and could hardly walk.This may have been because of the heavy jump suit and parachute equipment. As I approached the door, I felt colder and colder. My cameraman was outside of the plane, and the jumpmasters were holding me tightly for a safe, very first skydive. My jumpmasters and I did the exiting procedures and finally let ourselves go out of the airplane. Those were the most interesting and enjoyable seconds that I have ever experienced. For a few seconds, I had a sense of falling. Then, I noticed that we were falling faster and faster as the seconds passed. After a while, after about the first ten seconds, I could see my cameraman filming my free fall. I was supposed to do some air maneuvers to pass to the second AFF level. I did those. My jumpmasters were still holding me and waiting actively for any possible emergencies. There was no longer any sense of falling and speed. It was mostly like floating in the air and hearing the wind deep in your ears. I periodically checked my altimeter to see the proper altitude to pull my ripcord and open the parachute. The necessary altitude to pull it was 5,500 feet. At that altitude, I gave a 5-5 signal to my jumpmasters, and I pulled my ripcord. That was extremely enjoyable. My parachute opened fast, and I felt a little shocked. Once my canopy opened, I checked it for any malfunction. It was perfectly okay and stable. The canopy flight, of course, was much slower than the free fall. I could see the beautiful environment from thousands of feet above. Then I looked for the drop zone landing area and saw it behind the clouds. I flew my parachute to the drop zone and very smoothly landed on the ground. I was one of the successful students who were able to walk right after touching down, without falling. The 5-minute adventure was ended! I picked up my parachute and walked through the skydiving building. It was a sunny day. My friends and my family members celebrated the adventure for the rest of the day, and I decided to continue skydiving. Today, I am an AFF level four student with three successful jumps. However, of course, my first jump will always be the most enjoyable and unforgettable one. If I were you, I would not waste any more time. I would sign up for a very first jump as soon as possible. Once you try it, you will not be able to stop making jumps. At least, I have not been able to do so. I continue to go skydiving whenever I can. I would like to give one more personal message: Skydiving is a must-do activity, and everyone must try it at least once in his or her life. I guarantee you that it will be an unforgettable experience for you, too!

Abe Lincoln :: essays research papers

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin in the Kentucky wilderness. When be was a little boy his Grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War. He had a little sister by the name of Sarah. As he went to school he met a boy by the name of Austin. They instantly became friends more so best of friends. At first Abe wasn't allowed to go to school because he didn't have a good pair of britches. In his pastime he loved to read. When Abe was eleven, his mother died of what they called "milk sick" which occurred from drinking unpasteurized milk. That was four years after they moved to a new farm in southern Indiana. He had to live in an open shed throughout the winter. The same year his mother died, his father remarried. He married Sarah Bush Johnson. She brought three kids and a cousin Dennis Hanks. When Abe was nineteen, he worked as a boatman and make his first trip down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, the center of the slave trade. When Abe was twenty-one, he moved with his family to Illinois. However Abe's brother Thomas didn't make it to Illinois because he died of influenza. Soon after Abe made his second trip on the flatboat to New Orleans to defend the blacks and fight slavery. Abe served as a captain in the Black Hawk War and was defeated. Abe came back to Illinois and not long after was elected to the State Legislature and soon became one of the most promising young Whig party leaders. When Abe was thirty-three, he married Mary Todd on November 4,1842. Over the next eleven years the two would have four children their names were Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas. Not long after their marriage Abe became a lawyer and practiced in Springfield, Illinois. Not long after that Abe was elected to Congress. While in Congress it was said that Abe had a secret romance with Ann Rutledge sadly, Ann died in 1835. Also during his reign in Congress Abe proposed that slave owners in the District of Columbia he lost a lot of popularity when doing so. Abe and his counter part Douglas debated each other over the expansion of slavery into the territories. As these debates went on a man by the name of John Brown attempted to start a rebellion by leading an attack on Harper's Ferry.

Healthy eating in schools

Hi, my name is Ben Dickens and I'm here today to make you are aware of the appalling state of food on offer at Salendine Nook High. We all send our Children to school believing that they will be there to learn and work towards attaining good grades. We also expect them to get a healthy and well balanced meal at lunch but to my amazement, this isn't the case. During a recent visit to the school through my job I was perplexed at how awful the food at the school is. Unbelievably our children are offered crisps, chocolate, cakes and fizzy pop at break times. At lunch times the food gets shockingly worse, our children are once again offered cakes and fizzy pop in addition to chips, burgers and pizzas. This is a total disgrace and it should not be allowed to happen to our children. The school has a responsibility to look after our children and I don't believe that offering this complete rubbish as food is responsible. In fact it's an outrage so I urge you to join me in my fight against the school and force them to change their menu. The only way it can happen is if we all join together and campaign to get the school to change. I feel change starts in the classroom, and educating our children in school would be the first step towards achieving our goal of healthier school meals. The school would also need to train the current staff or find better skilled staff to be able to prepare the meals. Doing this would mean we have a better chance of succeeding on our fight to reform school meals. I really can't stress how important healthy eating is at school, not only does it teach the children good habits and get them used to healthy foods but it can also boost energy and concentration levels. In a recent survey conducted by The School food trust claims that if a child eats a hot, well balanced and nutritious meal at lunch time it can boost concentration levels for afternoon classes. So not only is eating healthy good for our children's physical health it can also have a positive effect on their school work. Recently you may have heard about Jamie Oliver's healthy eating campaign and the positive effect it had on the children at Kidbrooke School. Before Jamie Oliver was involved at the school the exam results of year eleven students was at the lowly level pass rate of 74% after the school food was overhauled the pass rate is now at 90% and rising year by year. This is the effect that eating healthily at school can have on our children's exam results and their overall wellbeing. We all want the best for our children so why shouldn't we campaign for the school to change? Questions needs to be asked of the school as to why they aren't offering wide range of healthy foods. Is it just convenient for them to cook fast food without a thought for our children's future health? Are the school cooks skilled enough to prepare good food? Does the school actually care what they feed our children? Only the school know so we must demand answers and we must plead for change. We must do all we can to force the school to change, starting by directly contacting them and questioning their policies on the food in school. We must also contact local councillors and government officials to see if they can help change the food. Doing this may also spark a more widespread change which can only be good for the future of all our children. Hopefully if we persist with this campaign the school will eventually realise that the food needs to be healthier. I cannot stress enough how important it is to change the food. After all we all attempt to give our children a healthy diet at home so why should the school ruin that by feeding them disgusting greasy food? We don't want them growing up on such a bad diet so we must act now and stop the school from ruining our children's diets. So join me in this campaign so we can ensure a healthy experience at school for all of our children. Thank you very much for listening, on your way out of the venue please take an information pack with some further information for you to read. You can also follow us on twitter for updates on our fight.

Responses to the Spread of Buddhism

Responses to the Spread of Buddhism Although some elites in China found Buddhism to be important for the development of China between 220 CE and 570 CE, as time progressed through this period, Buddhism’s popularity seemed to decrease. Between 200 CE and 500 CE, scholars and the few followers of Buddhism seemed to have simply been trying to inform the people about Buddhism and they were attempting to gain popularity. Unfortunately, by around 819 CE, people seemed to have started disproving of Buddhism as China started to turn towards a more imperial society.Shortly after the fall of the Han Dynasty in 220 CE Buddhism started to spread very rapidly throughout the Chinese society. The people of China in this period were in a devastated state with no structured government and a falling economy. For them, Buddhism was a form of mental escape and it gave them a chance to let go of the natural world and reach a peace of mind. The first sermon preached by Buddha (Doc 1) was preached t o help people who were unaware of the religion to acknowledge it and realize that it is a religion that will give them an opportunity to forget about the current devastation they are in.The sermon teaches the people that there is no point in grieving over something and instead they should rid themselves of their pleasures and try to look beyond the material world. The sermon teaches that every negative feeling someone might have is a form of sorrow and getting rid of that sorrow is the only way to attain happiness. Zhi Dun (Document 2) is conveying both to Buddhists followers and non-followers of Buddhism that Buddha is the almighty. He is trying to teach the people that without recognizing and obeying Buddha, it is impossible to attain enlightenment.Both Dun and Buddha are find Buddhism to be relieving and are attempting to gain more followers. Both documents are attempting to convince and inform people of what Buddhism really is and how it can help one’s mental stability. A fter about 500 CE, as Chinese people seemed to start rethinking their disposition on Buddhism more people became accepting of Buddhism and other religions or philosophies to coexist. Both â€Å"The Disposition of Error† (Doc 3) and Zong Mi (Doc 5) are neutral in their point of view of religion and they are both willing to accept more than one religion. â€Å"The Disposition of Error† is claiming that Confucianism and Buddhism should both be accepted and that Confucian and Buddhist practices should not have to wholly agree with each other in order for both of them to be accepted. Although ancient Confucian scriptures to not contain any mention of Buddhism, it does not mean the Buddhism cannot be practiced by anyone because Confucian scriptures do not consist of every possible view of the world. Likewise, Zong Mi (Doc 3) believes that Confucianism, Daosim, and Buddhism all took a major role in creating the orderly society that the Chinese were currently living in.He beli eved the all three were equal in their teachings even if they were being taught in various ways and they should all be accepted with the same amount of respect. After the late 700s, as societies in China became more developed and a finally stable nation seemed to be right around the corner, people started to view Buddhism as impractical in their current societies. They felt that practicing Buddhism would cause much disruption in the society. This mentality started to develop because Buddhism asked for a person to let go of everything in life and to live independently.Unfortunately, not many people liked this lifestyle anymore because in order for the society to function there would have to be a working class and in order to increase population, a man must be able to start a family neither of which Buddhism allows. Han Yu (Doc 4) felt that Buddhism was a crude religion and that Buddha himself was an immoral person. He felt that Buddha disobeyed Confucianism which he claimed to follow and he did not even follow a simple dress code for the society.Yu sees Buddha as a form as a rebel and did not understand the importance of obeying rules. Yu is disgusted at the fact that servants and citizens are bringing back newly found remains of Buddha’s body into the palace. Similarly, Emperor Tang Wu (Doc 6) believes that practicing Buddhism is extremely unreasonable. He feels this way mainly because Buddhism does not allow men to work or contribute to society and that is vital in order for the developing Chinese society to keep building.Wu finds Buddhism as evil because he believes it causes people to abandon their responsibilities as a part of society such as having kids and cultivating their crops, much like the ideas of Han Yu. Although many different documents from various time periods were provided, additional points of view could help the reader’s analysis on the response to Buddhism more accurate. For example, all of the documents were of only elite cla ss people while the readers are unaware of what a peasant in the society feels about Buddhism.A peasant’s input would be a great contribution to the overall analysis of responses because peasants make up most of the population so their point of view would be extremely important. Another possible extra opinion could be that of a woman. Although a woman’s opinion didn’t necessarily have much importance in early China, it may still be important for us to know whether women truly accepted Buddhism, or if they went along with it only because they were forced to.All in all, Buddhism was met with many mixed reviews in its introduction shortly after the fall of the Han Dynasty. At first many people found Buddhism as an excuse to not have to cope with the devastating society they were living in. However, as time progressed and China’s future seemed much brighter, people started feeling as though Buddhism was in fact hindering the society from being able to move fo rward and catch up with the rest of the world. Overall, Buddhism has greatly affected our world’s past and present and with without it, we wouldn’

AQA Computing CPT3 Essay Example

AQA Computing CPT3 Essay Example AQA Computing CPT3 Essay AQA Computing CPT3 Essay This will provide a temporary variable location which holds the representation of the digits, this is stored in form of number User Interfaces This part of section 1 will show a diagram of the petrol pump, with appropriate annotations and notes identifying the features of the petrol pump console, such as the buttons and displays. The Lift Nozzle Start Dispensing button starts the petrol pump timer, this will make the dispensed petrol clock (variable fuelClock) start, incrementing 0.01 each time. It will also allow the customer to pay display (variable totalToPay) to function correctly by calculating the amount the customer has to pay according to the price per litre (variable pricePerLitre) and the dispensed petrol clock (variable fuelClock). This button will also change the pump status from the default status of Pump Is Ready To Use to Pump Is In Use.The Stop Dispensing button will stop the petrol pump timer, this will make the dispensed petrol clock (variable fuelClock) stop, it will also stop the pay display (variable totalToPay) to stop calculating, and provide the final amount of petrol that the customer has to pay for the current transaction, this is calculated according to the price per litre (variable pricePerLitre) and the dispensed petrol clock (variable fuelClock). The button will also change the current pump status of Pump Is In Use to Pump Stopped, Replace Nozzle.The Replace Nozzle button will change the current status of the pump from Pump Stopped, Replace Nozzle to Awaiting Payment, this will allow the cashier to await actual payment for the current transaction so that they are able to press the Reset button on their interface. User Interface (Continued) The Reset Pump button will change the current status of the pump from Awaiting Payment to Pump Is Ready To Use, the petrol pump will also reset the fuel timer / dispensed total (variable fuelClock), the to pay total (variable totalToPay), the pump will add the pay total for the current transaction to the total takings for the day (variable totalTakings), and the pump will add the dispensed total for the current transaction to the dispensed total today display (variable dispensedTotal). A message will also appear in the message box, on the cashiers interface identifying that the petrol pump has been reset (message The Pump Has Been Reset).The Show Daily Report button will change the message box status showing the total takings for the day (variable totalTakings) and the dispensed total today (variable dispensedTotal). After each transaction the Total To Pay is added to the Total Daily Takings variable (calculation totalToPay + totalTakings).The Set Price input box and button in conjunction will update the price of the petrol per litre (variable pricePerLitre), the user will have to input the new price, and then click the Set Price button to change the price, once the price has been changed the status of the Message Box will change to Price Has Been Adjusted. If the new price entered is below 0.01 and above 2.00 an error message will display, such as Price Is Too High, Must Be Below à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.00. The price per litre displays on the customer and cashier interfaces will change immediately after the price has been adjusted.

Charles Law essays

Charles Law essays Using Charles Law To Determine Absolute Zero One of the variables that affects the volume of a gas is the temperature of the gas and its surroundings. This volume-temperature relationship is quantified in Charless law. The law states that as the temperature of a gas decreases, the volume of the gas decreases proportionately. An ideal gas at 273 K, for example would decrease in volume by 1/273 of its original volume for each Celsius degree the temperature decreases. If the temperature decreased sufficiently, the volume should decrease to zero. Real gases, however, liquefy and solidify long before this theoretical limit, called absolute zero, is reached. By using air as a sample of a real gas and limiting the temperature range, it is possible to estimate the temperature that would correspond to absolute zero. Demonstrate the relationships between the temperature of a gas and its volume. Estimate the temperature of absolute zero by extrapolation. Fill two 400-mL beakers half full with tap water. Begin heating the water in one beaker to a temperature that is 10*C above room temperature. Fill a thin stem pipet completely with room temperature water. To make sure the pipet is filled, first draw in as much water as possible. Then, holding the pipet by the bulb with the stem pointing upward, squeeze the bulb slightly to eject any air left in the bulb and stem. Keeping this pressure on the bulb, insert the tip of the stem into the water. Release the pressure on the bulb, and the pipet will fill completely. ...

How to Convert Miles to Kilometers - Example Problem

How to Convert Miles to Kilometers Problem The method to convert miles to kilometers is demonstrated in this worked example problem. A mile (mi) is a unit of distance used in the United States, particularly for travel. The rest of the world uses kilometers (km). Miles To Kilometers Problem The distance between New York City, New York, and Los Angeles, California is 2445 miles. What is this distance in kilometers? Solution Start out with the conversion factor between miles and kilometers: 1 mile 1.609 km Set up the conversion so that the desired unit will be canceled out. In this case, we want kilometers to be the remaining unit.distance in km (distance in mi) x (1.609 km/1 mi)distance in km (2445) x (1.609 km/1 mi)distance in km 3934 km Answer The distance between New York City, New York, and Los Angeles, California is 3934 kilometers. Be sure to check your answer. When you convert from miles to kilometers, your answer in kilometers will be about one and a half times larger than the original value in miles. You dont need a calculator to see whether or not your answer makes sense. Just make sure its a larger value, but not so big that its twice the original number, Kilometer to Miles Conversion When you work the conversion the other way from kilometers to miles the answer in miles is a bit more than half the original value. A runner decides to run a 10k race. How many miles is it? To solve the problem, you can use the same conversion factor or you can use the conversion: 1 km 0.62 mi This is easier because the units cancel out (basically just multiply a distance in km times 0.62). distance in miles 10 km x 0.62 mi/km distance in miles 6.2 miles

FBI National Security Branch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FBI National Security Branch - Essay Example According to the Federal Bureau of Intelligence, the NSB plays a critical role in protecting the United States against terrorist attacks, weapons of mass destruction, espionage, and foreign intelligence operations. The NSB mission ensures that the Bureau is in a position to perform its national security duties (FBI, 2006). The national security branch is made up of the counterterrorism division, counterintelligence division, and directorate of intelligence, terrorist screening centre, weapons of mass of destruction and a counter proliferation centre. The counterterrorism division concentrates on international and local terrorism related issues (fbi.gov, 2012). This division utilises its investigative and intelligence capabilities to fight acts of terrorism. The counterterrorism division fights against terrorism by dismantling terrorist networks worldwide, and cutting off any form of support that terrorists gain from sympathizers. The FBI states that the counterintelligence division i s responsible for preventing and investigating foreign intelligence activities in the United States. The counterintelligence division investigates the past and emerging threats to determine the state of national security. The counterintelligence division employs intelligence and law enforcement procedures to carry out investigative operations such as spying activities (wordpress.com, 2010). The directorate of intelligence (DI) is in charge of the Bureaus intelligence functions. The directorate of intelligence supervises field intelligence operations, which include collections down to dissemination. The DI ensures that intelligence is incorporated in all investigative programs. The DI continuously improves on its compilation, investigation, and dissemination capabilities to enable them provide intelligence that is important in protecting the nation (fbi.gov, 2012). The terrorist screening centre is another important division in the national security branch. The terrorist screening ce ntre supports the bureau in the fight against terrorism. The terrorist screening centre is responsible for providing a comprehensive watch list of identified or suspected terrorists. The terrorist screening database is accessible to government agencies such as departments of states, central intelligence agency, counterterrorism centre, department of defence, and the department of homeland security (FBI, 2006). According to the Bureau, the terrorist watch list is one of the most valuable counterterrorism tools for the United States government (fbi.gov, 2012). The national security branch has the weapons of mass destruction directorate, which is responsible for preventing and disrupting the possession of weapons of mass destruction capabilities and technologies. The National security branch created the WMD directorate in July 2006. The directorate deals with incidents that involve nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical weapons. The directorate employs intelligence to carry out investigations, develop countermeasures and drive preparedness that will ensure threats are prevented from becoming a reality. The FBI explains that the WMD directorate has a vision to eliminate the use of WMD. The directorate identifies and responds to WMD threats. The directorate cooperates with other law enforcement agencies to identify, and disrupt WMD operations (FBI, 2006). The Directorate supports the United States

Human Resources Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resources Management - Research Paper Example Diverse workers are more like to indulge into dysfunctional interpersonal conflicts for the same reasons. In organizations with diverse workforce, human resource management frequently encounters the challenge of groupism and polarization. Workers belonging to the same community or those that can identify with one another because of a common basis or interest tend to have their own preferences and criteria that are different from those of the rest. In a vast majority of cases, this tendency of the diverse workforce functions against the interests of the organization as a whole. Such moves by the workers also distract others from taking the necessary measures to obtain the goals that are valued by the organization as others tend to be defensive and protect their own interests. This makes maintaining discipline in such an organization very difficult for the human resources management. In an organization with a diverse workforce, the organizational culture is so complicated that it is of ten very difficult to reach decisions with mutual consensus. Decision making is complicated substantially that leads to poor productivity and eventually lesser profitability of the organization. ... Racial polarization at the workplace can have dangerous implications on the organization. For example, one issue that racial polarization can pose for the recruitment is fair judgment of the skills of the candidates. In organizations with a diverse workforce, a monopoly commonly exists. Employees tend to be biased toward workers belonging to them because of one or more of these factors; race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, and religion. An organization needs highly talented workers in order to progress in the present increasingly competitive market. If the preference of the recruiters is to hire workers that they can identify with because of any of the aforementioned factors rather than skills, talent, and competencies of the candidates, it may have many negative implications for the organization as a whole. Sexual harassment Sexual harassment of workers is a potential issue in organizations that have a diverse workforce with respect to gender. Workers of one gender tend to be sexu ally offensive toward their colleagues, subordinates, and even bosses belonging to the other gender. Offense is made in a variety of forms ranging from inappropriate behavior, abuse, bullying, to proposal of sex. Most of the times, workers who are victimized are in a compromising position either because they lack the courage to bring the issue into the attention of the concerned authorities or they have no hope of getting justice. Many workers feel the risk of losing their jobs if they do not grant sexual favors to their seniors. Sexual harassment is tiring and stressful for the workers emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Sexual harassment is traumatic in effect

The American empire Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The American empire - Personal Statement Example Previously, a good number of individual’s perspectives were totally on their families and the society, a certain neighborhood was used to form feasible and economical empires which ruled the others. The African and Asian empires which were acquired by the western authorities through the industrialized rebellion came to an end due to foreign law that tore apart the restricted as well as the provincial ways of uniqueness that held the imperial firmness and endurance. The organization wanted neighboring associates but the empire was already paralyzed since the input in the system became impossible. Furthermore, the dominated populations are equipped ready to frustrate the colonial imperative. This is strengthened by the simplicity at which everything is flowing in the regions and largely the globe (Parsons, 2012) In real sense, the Roman has extremely so minimal significances to the current America. The United States and the orthodox Rome have a common blissful and afflicted exce ptionalism. This was experienced in America when Winthrop uplifted his people who wanted to inhabit the Massachusetts Bay Colony to the seven hills. From this time, different head of states described America in a similar way as how Cicero described the Romans and the faultless urban in the leading seven hills. Rome defeated many countries irrespective of their mightiness in different perspective like, corporal power as portrait by the Gaul, unevenness of the Carthaginians, Spanish who had the numbers , Greeks who led in traditions as well as the Latin’s and Italy who astute the intelligence and got the empire (Isaacson, 2007). As cited by Isaacson (2007), the major thing that strengthened the Roman authority for so many years was its triumphant armed forces. Others included the enlargement of the most recent technology as well as the large statistics of the new born alongside a firm council and more assets to keep their expectations. They also had an excellent way of disposin g waste, good infrastructure, and good machines for plumbing which other counties including America lacked. In times of war, Rome had to select from its overwhelming list of choices. The defense forces were largely made of very powerful warriors. In addition, they were in possession of incomparable horses, thus the combination was used as a great aspect in war. Using their total strength, on their flanks they enclosed their enemies thus overpowering them (Isaacson, 2007). They progressed unto the time hi tech was used to wreak fatal destruction upon their enemies using blockade equipments. Any nation that was defeated by the Romans profitably increased the treasury and the funds were in turn used by their defense forces in purchase of newest arms as well in encouraging the soldiers. By these attacks they claimed so many countries including Spain, France, and Italy, just to mention but a few. The Roman Empire also brought into knowledge the Christianity religion to Europeans, a fact that makes it of great influence to many things that were set to happen afterwards and this altered the globe at large. They will forever be remembered and honored for their strong principles, way of life and inventiveness. In contrast to other states like the earlier Roman Empire, America fails to satisfy the ever rising discussion of whether it is a modern empire since the normal form of imperialism rule is no longer a consideration in the present

Money versus Religious Object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Money versus Religious Object - Essay Example I have a parachute and obviously money would mean I will be able to buy anything I longed for. Money in itself serves as a religious object. Evidently, benefits of the $10 million will be more compared to the one for the religious object.In my economical perspective, money is the stronghold of my survival and this is why I have chosen to go for the $10 million. It is not that I am not religious. Good life is proportionally related to the money one has in this world. Everyone in this world longs and works hard to get more and more money. This is because they have a longing for something money provides. In this regard, I believe to some people money serves as a religion. This is so because it controls and manipulates people towards doing some things they were not likely to do. In order to maintain order and a sense of belongingness in a community, money is a pre-requisite. I choose the $10 million dollars not only for a good life but also for respect in society. I chose it because I al so have dreams that I ought to make a reality. I believe money is just a need and would not overcome my religion. I do perceive it differently in my case. I cannot enslave and misuse humanity since I have all the money in the world. I envision a sense of purpose when I have the $10 million dollars and not the religious object. The advantage about the $10 million dollars is that given I use it wisely, I will generate more and more of it and this will boost my survival instincts and that of the society as a whole.

Learning Is Business at Nokia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Learning Is Business at Nokia - Case Study Example The 50,000 employee workforce must align their vision to ensure the company succeeds. Nokia Corporation has a great philosophical approach that encourages continuous learning. One method that the company is utilizing which can effectively improve the capabilities and skills of the staff at an accelerate pace is e-learning initiatives. The problem with e-learning initiatives is that they don’t provide the human touch needed at times for the learning experience to feel real. The company should extend its current utilization of project teams to formulate strategic hundreds or even thousands of strategic team units. Every employee should be part of a strategic team unit. Teams should meet for at least one hour a week to discuss company business. A team leader should provide a one to two page summary of the brainstorming performed. The data would then be uploaded into a company intranet to be evaluated by the managerial staff. A systematic problem the company faces is finding an efficient manner to promote the company’s idealistic approach of knowledge sharing. The first step towards creating an environment that fosters this type of learning is for the lines of communication to be completely open between the floor workers and the supervisors. If the employees feel comfortable they will speak out their minds. The human resource staff must interview every single employee in order to learn the best path to achieve a proper professional development path for each employee. Due to the fact that the company has over 50,000 this task might be difficult to achieve. An alternative solution is for the HR staff to prepare collective seminars to reach out employees 100 of them at a time and provide them with an orientation on how to better themselves professionally. Even though Nokia has a clear strategic plan to provide support for learning this does not imply that the company will reap the benefits if does not differentiate between support for

Money versus Religious Object Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Money versus Religious Object - Essay Example I have a parachute and obviously money would mean I will be able to buy anything I longed for. Money in itself serves as a religious object. Evidently, benefits of the $10 million will be more compared to the one for the religious object.In my economical perspective, money is the stronghold of my survival and this is why I have chosen to go for the $10 million. It is not that I am not religious. Good life is proportionally related to the money one has in this world. Everyone in this world longs and works hard to get more and more money. This is because they have a longing for something money provides. In this regard, I believe to some people money serves as a religion. This is so because it controls and manipulates people towards doing some things they were not likely to do. In order to maintain order and a sense of belongingness in a community, money is a pre-requisite. I choose the $10 million dollars not only for a good life but also for respect in society. I chose it because I al so have dreams that I ought to make a reality. I believe money is just a need and would not overcome my religion. I do perceive it differently in my case. I cannot enslave and misuse humanity since I have all the money in the world. I envision a sense of purpose when I have the $10 million dollars and not the religious object. The advantage about the $10 million dollars is that given I use it wisely, I will generate more and more of it and this will boost my survival instincts and that of the society as a whole.

A written analysis of an ethical dilemma in health care ethics Essay

A written analysis of an ethical dilemma in health care ethics - Essay Example The health care industry is one such organisation that tries to balance individual thought and critical thinking decision-making skills with ethical guidelines set forth via laws, regulations, and company policies. Every person, regardless of his or her chosen career or lifestyle, will eventually be forced to make a decision in an ethical dilemma. This dilemma may be as simple as whether or not to tell a friend that he or she may be getting laid off from work or as difficult as deciding whether or not a person has the sense and capability of making a decision on his or her own regarding healthcare and treatment. Doctors often face scenarios such as these often. Generally, doctors can turn to laws and legal documentation regarding how to proceed with a course of action. For example, if a woman were to go to a hospital with an extreme case of preeclampsia: do the doctors work to save her life and the life of her child, or do they respect the patient's wishes to be left alone. In this particular scenario, several people are involved in the decision-making process; and several others hold stakes in the results of the decision once made. First, the mother has already been informed that without a caesarean, she will die. Additionally, without allowing the doctors to perform the caesarean, the mother has been informed that her baby will also die. The third group of stakeholders in this scenario is the doctors treating Mrs. M. The Doctors face the difficult decision of forcing Mrs. M to endure a terrifying and difficult procedure, or allowing Mrs. M to make a choice that may kill both herself and her baby. Preeclampsia, sometimes called toxaemia, affects nearly five percent of all pregnancies throughout the world (Cleveland Clinic 2007); this disorder is "one of the leading causes of premature births and the difficulties that can accompany them" (Cleveland Clinic 2007, 2). This is because when a woman acquires preeclampsia her uterus becomes deprived of oxygen due to the low amounts of blood able to flow there. Some doctors believe that this spike in blood pressure is caused by poor nutrition; however to date there has been no specific cause defined. The only known cure for preeclampsia to date is to birth the baby. However, since many cases of preeclampsia become apparent merely half-way through a pregnancy, this may not always prove to be the best or most viable option (Cleveland Clinic 2007). If too early in the pregnancy, some doctors can monitor the baby's health and attempt to let the baby stay in the womb for a longer period of time to develop more fully before being delivered. However, in this particular scenario, allowing the baby to remain inside the mother's womb was not an option. The preeclampsia had already placed both the baby and the soon-to-be mother in danger of losing their lives. Allowing the child to remain inside the mother would surely kill both mother and child. A caesarean section is a procedure in which doctors can deliver the mother's baby "through an incision made on [her] pregnant belly" (BellyBelly 2007, 1). Essentially, rather than allow the baby to finish developing in the womb and be birthed vaginally, doctors believed that the best way to ensure safe delivery would be to cut

Hr a Short Briefing for New Hr Colleagues to Help Them Perform Effectively and Efficiently in Their Roles. Essay Example for Free

Hr a Short Briefing for New Hr Colleagues to Help Them Perform Effectively and Efficiently in Their Roles. Essay HR Professionals must understand the business and culture for which they serve and the HR strategy must be aligned to this. As shown in the map above, there are ten professional areas in which as a HR Professional you should strive to demonstrate the highest achievable level of competence. As a new member of the HR Team at YWP, we expect you to support the improvement of HR processes and policies. This includes continuously looking at opportunities in which to improve the HR Function and its implementation within the organisation. You will act as a sounding board for employee relations, feeding back information to your HR Manager and facilitating change initiatives when required. You will be responsible for your own personal continuous professional development and as such will record and plan your development during your time at YWP. You will work with the HR Team to ensure you are well versed with the organisation and its context to ensure all decisions made within the HR Function are in alignment with this. You will keep up to date with developments in the HR industry and implement and analyse how these will affect our organisation as they arise. You will be expected to act as a role model and deliver and exceed objectives and expectations. Showing courage to challenge, you will act as a driver for operational excellence within the organisation. http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/48FF823A-1A33-4C90-8B9B-B691D9130C01/0/AssociatemembercriteriaAug11.pdf The four concentric circles of HR Professionalism The four concentric circles of HR professionalism comprise of managing self, managing groups/ teams, managing upwards and managing across the organisation. These are all areas which you will demonstrate at some point during your career at YWP. As a HR Professional, you are responsible for the management of your own skills, knowledge and development. Use of a development plan and record will go some way to help you achieve this. However you must also be open to feedback from others and undergo frequent self evaluation in order to identify development areas and review set objectives. By undertaking this not only will you develop as a HR Professional but you will also add value to the organisation for which you serve. Effective management of a team or group requires effective leadership. Management and leadership can exist independently from one another however to be fully effective must co-exist. Leadership is something which must be worked towards and is not inherited automatically with the assignment of a managerial task or role. How you manage your team will ultimately determine how you are perceived as a leader in that team. (Selden, 2010) Effective delegation, motivation, development, communication, discipline and conflict management are all aspects of team management and how you manage these aspects will have a direct influence on the dynamics and success of your team’s outcomes. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_92.htm Managing upwards is an important aspect of a successful HR Professionals’ management strategy. It is essential to ascertain the key factors which your manager expects you to deliver, how they expect you to deliver them and to what standard. Analyse what is expected from you by your line manager and seek regular feedback to ensure you consistently meet their objectives. Seek new responsibilities and provide regular updates to your line manager on your achievements and successful project outcomes. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/03/7-ways-to-manage-up/ Collaboration across the organisation is imperative to ensure the full impact and implementation of any HR initiative. Managing HR across the organisation involves maintaining inter-department relationships and alliances, facilitating communication channels, ensuring credibility and the positive perception of the HR Function. Managing across the organisation by using its line managers to implement HR initiatives will ensure the HR Functions objectives are much more likely to be realised. Adding Value to the Organisation The HR Function drives performance and provides line managers with the tools and resources to increase the performance of the organisation’s employees. It must do this by identifying the business values and formulating a strategy in line with these. This strategy must then be effectively implemented at all levels. You will work with your HR colleagues to identify the business values as they evolve and formulate a strategy in line with this. In order for HR to add value in any organisation, the team members of that HR Function must align their goals to that of the organisation. You will work with the HR team to design strong policies and procedures which encourage managers and employees to focus on the growth of the company and maintain the competitive edge. http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2010/05/add-value-to-hr-not-spin.htm The behaviours you demonstrate on a daily basis will have an impact on the credibility of the HR Function, it is therefore essential to demonstrate operational excellence, stewardship, insight and influence in line with the business values in every action you undertake. Conclusion Your actions to influence the efficiency, relevance, effectiveness and credibility of the HR Function have the potential to affect the bottom line of the business. The effectiveness of the HR Function within the organisation is largely dependent on its perception within the organisation and we hope you will join us to ensure the HR Function continues to act effectively and in line with the organisational goals and business values. We look forward to a long and fulfilling partnership with you here at YWP. We hope you will use the time not only to develop the organisation but also your own professional skills, attributes and knowledge.

External Environment Macro Analysis Pest Analysis Marketing Essay

External Environment Macro Analysis Pest Analysis Marketing Essay Political -. European Union and world trade union had contributed massively in the globalisation that had promoted globalisation but due to recession especially in US and European market the governments of the countries have started pursuing protectionism policies. In UK and USA the government is promoting the policy of giving job opportunities to their citizens first then the outsiders. Such policies would bring a big change in strategy formulation of many companies. Economic the GDP growth of the developed countries have been falling in the last five years. Moreover the year 2009 would experience more big fall in GDP whereas the BRIC countries have shown good growth of more than 7% in last five years but due to recession in the world market there will be fall in their growth also due to global impact Social- due to globalization in last two decades a convergence approach has been observed the world over of accepting global brand irrespective of their culture. Purchasing power in developing countries have increased which had made them spending more on luxuries products. Similarly women and children segment has also become an active segment in the last one decade. Technological -globalization had given rise to tough competition among the MNC, they are investing huge amount on research and development to bring new improved products to attract customers. Providing differentiated products from the competitors is generally the aim of giant companies. external environment o t internal environment sW SWOT ANALYSIS BAT is engaged in the manufacture, marketing and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products. The groups brand portfolio includes over 300 global and regional brands. Strong brands provide the group with the flexibility to frequently launch new products as brand extensions. strong brands provide a competitive advantage to the group in the market place. However, increasing advertisement restrictions may negatively impact the group sales, as advertising is important in driving tobacco sales. Strengths Strong brand portfolio The groups brand portfolio includes over 300 global and regional brands. The groups Global Drive Brands (GDB) including Kent, Dunhill, Lucky Strike and Pall Mall, account for more than 26% of the group global volumes. Strong brands provide the group with the flexibility to frequently launch new products as brand extensions. More importantly, strong brands provide a competitive advantage to the group in the market place. Diversified revenue streams BAT has a wide geographic presence. It operates in 180 markets in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the American Pacific region through a large number of subsidiaries and associate companies. Continuous orientation towards research and development The group has been continuously strengthening its research and development (RD) activities in recent past. The group devotes significant resources and attention to product development, process technology and consumer insight research to develop consumer-preferred products with innovative and distinctive features. This is evident from the fact that the group incurred  £105.1 million in the RD activities in FY2008. The RD provides support for the groups current range of products . It also provides guidance on the use of ingredients in products to help to improve the quality and standard of the products as well as comply with national legislative requirements. RD initiative helps BAT to innovate and introduce new products in line with changing consumer preferences. Weaknesses Low employee productivity BATs revenue per employee is lower than that of its closest competitor.The group recorded revenues of  £12,122 million in FY2008, with a total number of 56,170 employees. The groups revenue per employee stood at $400,365.0 in FY2008, significantly lower than that of its closest competitor, Imperial Tobacco. In FY2008, the revenue per employee of Imperial Tobacco stood at $952,078.4, Lack of scale The group lacks scale when compared to its competitors in the market. Many of its competitors, such as Philip Morris International and Imperial Tobacco are much larger in size and in terms of revenues. Philip Morris $63,640.0, Imperial Tobacco  £20,528 BAT,  £12,122 million in FY2008. The groups small scale of operations could turn out to be a disadvantage in the fiercely competitive market. Lack of scale also reduces the bargaining power of the group. Opportunities Acquisitions to strengthen the market position The group has entered into some strategic acquisitions in the recent past. As a result of these acquisitions, the company now has a much stronger market position in Turkey, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Poland and both acquisitions have performed in line with expectations, while contributing positively to earnings. These strategic acquisitions would continue to benefit the group in future as well. Growing global tobacco industry The global tobacco industry is forecasted to witness growth through 2013. Volume declines are evident in developed markets. However, some developing markets in Eastern Europe and East Asia are recording growth. The performance of the industry is forecast to accelerate, with an anticipated CAGR of 4.1% for the five-year period 2008-13, . This would give a positive boost to the revenues of groups overall business. Declining oil prices The oil prices have been declining in the international markets. declining oil prices is likely to positively affect the groups operations. Declining oil prices would reduce its cost, thus enabling it to increase its operating margins. Threats Increasing advertising restrictions Advertising, promotion and brand building, which are critical to the tobacco industry, are facing increasing regulatory obstacles across the globe. Growing illicit trade Illicit trade in the form of counterfeit products, smuggled genuine products and locally manufactured products on which applicable taxes are evaded, represents a significant and growing threat to the legitimate tobacco industry. The illicit trade constitutes a larger portion of the total tobacco industry across the world. Economic slowdown in Euro zone BAT derives major portion of its revenues from the European market Representing 39.1% of the total revenue. A weak economic outlook for the Euro zone is likely to depress the demand for the groups products, impacting the revenues of the group in the immediate future. external environment FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Buyer Power The main retail outlets for the US tobacco market include independent retailers, service stations, and supermarkets/hypermarkets. The concentration of retail outlets selling tobacco products is relatively low here, as there are number of outlets where the products can be sold. In the US, independent retailers are the most predominant distribution channel, with 27.6% share of total distribution Furthermore, tobacco products are not the only products sold by most retailers and in most cases retailers are not reliant upon tobacco sales thus boosting buyer power. Customers are likely to be susceptible to brands, so potential pull-through of end-consumer demand on retailers exists, weakening buyer power somewhat. Overall, buyer power is moderate. Supplier Power Tobacco is an agricultural product and therefore key suppliers to the tobacco market include tobacco leaf farmers. These farmers lack power in the supply chain due to their smaller size, with many farms being family run businesses, particularly those in developing countries. Further inputs to the market include processing aids, humectants (which keep the tobacco moist and pliable), preservatives and brandspecific flavors. Other key inputs include packaging materials, such as paper/card, plastic, and foil to protect and preserve the products of this market. More specifically, packaging manufacturers supply the market with in-line rotogravure printed hinge-lid blanks and soft packs, RYO (Roll Your Own) tobacco booklet covers, as well as printed OPP film (Oriented Polypropylene film), bundle wraps and tobacco pouches. Due to the relative size of such suppliers, their respective influence over the market is increased. There are limited alternative raw materials in this market, so players are unlikely to switch between suppliers boosting their power somewhat. Overall, supplier power is moderate. New Entrants The dominance of existing brands is notable within the US tobacco market, with leading players such as Altria Group or Reynolds American benefiting from scale economies. Legislation and Government regulation with regards to smoking also continues to get more and more stringent within this market, i.e. a complete ban for smoking in public places has been implemented in a number of states. Current tobacco control strategies seek primarily to decrease the demand for cigarettes through measures that encourage individuals to adopt healthier behaviors, raising entry barriers. Such regulations could effectively deter the threat of new entrants. Furthermore, shelf-space in retail outlets is finite and retailers may be unwilling to substitute other established brands in order to stock those of an entirely new, unproved brand. Overall, there is a moderate from new entrants to the US tobacco market. Substitutes Tobacco products are non-durable goods, and substitutes for tobacco products may include various other non-durable consumer goods, for example nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and herbal cigarettes. However, there are inter-segmental substitutes apparent within this market, alternatives to cigarettes and fine cut tobacco products include: smokeless tobaccos, cigars and pipe tobacco. Players and consumers alike may substitute one tobacco product for another, with players who specialize in the manufacture of cigarettes diversifying into cigars as an example. However, inter-segmental substitution still involves essentially the same product. The benefits of substituting tobacco products for alternate non-durable consumer goods are especially notable in concern to consumer health, largely due to the health risks associated with smoking (e.g. increased risk of lung cancer, heart disease etc.). These alternative products fulfill consumers need for nicotine, without the harmful effects of inhaling smoke. Unlike tobacco products that face restrictions on advertising in many markets, nicotine replacement products are highly promoted through a variety of media. Overall, there is a strong threat from substitutes to the US tobacco market. Rivalry The US tobacco market is concentrated, with Altria Group and Reynolds American collectively holding over 76% share of the markets value. Product differentiation is essentially limited between the core tobacco products, which include: chewing tobacco, cigars and cigarillos, cigarettes and loose tobacco, which increases rivalry. Illicit tobacco supplies have a negative impact upon players revenues and it is estimated that over 10% of tobacco consumption (around 600 billion cigarettes) a year, globally, is supplied by smuggled or counterfeit trade, which will serve to boost rivalry. Overall, there is a moderate degree of rivalry in the US market. Company analysis MARKET SEGMENTATION I Cigarette sales constitute the largest share of the US tobacco market, accounting for 93% of the total revenues. In comparison, sales of chewing tobacco generate 3.3% of the markets value. MARKET SEGMENTATION II The United States accounts for 21.8% of the global tobacco markets value. In comparison, Europe generates 41.2% of the markets revenues. Company analysis COMPANY VIEW A statement by Jan du Plessis, Chairman at BAT is given below. company strategy: growth, productivity, responsibility and building a winning organization. Growth company continued focus on our 4 Global Drive Brands (GDBs) has played a major role in these achievements. Last year, our 4 GDBs grew by 16 per cent, with about a quarter of the increase attributable to successful brand migrations. Kent rose by 18 per cent and Pall Mall by 22 per cent Lucky Strike increased by 9 per cent and Dunhill by 7 per cent. GDB volume now represents over 26 per cent of our total volume, providing us with a significant opportunity to add scale to our key competitive innovations. Productivity We have also made further progress with our productivity savings and we are very much on track towards our target of reducing our costs by  £800 million by 2012, Responsibility In 2008, for the seventh year running, we were included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and we published our first Sustainability Report. Winning organization Employee opinion at British American Tobacco compared favorably with other FMCG companies in the comparator group. Earnings, dividends and share buy-back Adjusted diluted earnings per share grew by 19 per cent to 128.8p. the benefit from the share buy-back programme were partially offset by higher net finance costs, a higher tax rate and an increase in minority interests. Liquidity Arguably the most satisfying feature of our results last year was the high level of cash generation. Free cash flow rose 52 per cent. they continue to maintain investment grade credit ratings. Outlook We remain alert to the possibility of down trading. However, our well balanced portfolio of brands covers all major price points, while our geographic diversity further mitigates the risks for shareholders. We are very much aware of the potential challenges but the inherent strength of our businesses, our brands and our people should make us more resilient than most. Current strategy ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS It is one the most popular strategies which are being used by the modern corporate for the purpose of diversification. In this most of the tobacco industry it is becoming increasingly popular strategies for the purpose of acquiring market leadership In this BAT are tried to acquire many companies globly for its core competencies, market shares, brands well known R and D and their special technologies The main reasons for acquisition and mergers are the following: It is the strategy by which the BAT is trying to get market leadership and as an edge over its rivals especially in the tobacco industry . BAT is operating in the tobacco industry is attempting mergers and acquisitions as strategy for expanding operations in the world. By using the strategy the corporate are trying to increase their geographical coverage which is a most crucial strategy or technique by which it is a able to target its final consumers thus it is an effective strategy by which the customers are being targeted in a short span for its main benefit is the integration which helps the firms to increase their outlets. Acquisitions and mergers helps in expanding of the output that leads to achievement of economies of scope which in turn increases the earning capacity or the profit margins of the firms using such a strategy. This helps in the using of the brand name of BAT by the acquiring firm which helps in providing benefits to BAT, by using strong brand name for increasing their customer force. ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS PROBLEMS Problems of integration- if the subsidiary organization is not able effectively integrate with the parent organizations operation then the whole exercise of acquisitions and mergers can be into a big problem. In case of BAT has always maintained its independence and culture. Problems concerning the human resources-If the resources especially its human resources are not being utilized properly in accordance then in such cases the usage of such strategies for the purpose of acquiring company can be futile Problems concerning the conversion of the subsidiary company into the parent companies culture- The acquiring company has to ensure that the subsidiary company should not have much problem in converting in accordance to the BAT framework. Future entry strategy There are many ways to enter the foreign market as explained in the diagram above Acquisitions Probably the most important reason for this method of market expansion is that associated with the particular assets of the company: brands, market share, core competencies and special technologies may all represent reasons for purchase Mergers. Mergers are similar to acquisitions in the sense of two companies combining. However, mergers usually arise because neither company has the scale to acquire the other on its own. Joint ventures and alliances-A joint venture is the formation of a company whose shares are owned jointly by two parent companies. It usually shares some of the assets and skills of both parents. Cereal Partners Inc. is a 50/50 joint venture between Nestle and General Mills (US) whose purpose is to attack Kelloggs breakfast cereals Franchise-A franchise is a form of licensing agreement in which the contractor provides the licensee with a pre-formed package of activity. It may include a brand name, technical service expertise and some advertising assistance. Payment is usually a percentage of turnover. McDonalds Restaurants are among the best-known franchises. theory The main advantages and disadvantages of the various methods of market expansion are summarised Methods of expansion: advantages and disadvantages- Advantages Disadvantages Acquisition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be relatively fast à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Premium paid: expensive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ May reduce competition from a rival, although such a move usually has to be sanctioned by government competition authorities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High risk if wrong company targeted à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Best targets may have already been acquired à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cost savings from economies of scale or savings in shared overheads à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Not always easy to dispose of unwanted parts of company à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintenance of company exclusivity in technical expertise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Human relations problems that can arise after the acquisition: probably the cause of more failures than any other à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extend to new geographical area à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Problems of clash of national cultures, particularly where target foreign à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Buy market size and share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Financial reasons associated with purchase of undervalued assets that may then be resold Joint venture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Builds scale quickly Control lost to some extent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Obtains special expertise quickly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Works best where both parties contribute something different to the mix à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cheaper than acquisition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be difficult to manage because of need to share and because parent companies may interfere à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be used where outright acquisition not feasible à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Share profits with partner Control lost to some extent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can be used where similar product available Alliance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can build close contacts with partner à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Slow and plodding approach à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Uses joint expertise and commitment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Needs constant work to keep relationship sound à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Allows potential partners to learn about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Partners may only have a limited joint commitment to make alliance a success each other à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unlikely to build economies of scale à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Locks out other competitors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Slow and plodding approach Franchise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower investment than outright purchase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Depends on quality of franchise à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some of basic testing of business proposition undertaken by franchise holder: lower risk à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Part of profits paid over to franchise holder à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Exclusive territory usually granted à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Risk that business built and franchise withdrawn à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower investment than outright purchase à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some of basic testing of business proposition Future entry strategy Three main criteria for deciding how to invest or enter new market are Risk of losing proprietary information in case of direct investment and exporting the risk is very low, whereas in case of licensing and joint venture risk is medium) Resources if company has less resources it should go for licensing and exporting, if it has medium resources it should go for joint venture and if has high resources then direct investment Control if company wants to have full control it should go for direct investment or export with own staff, if medium control then joint venture and licensing and low control then exporting with middlemen in case of BAT the firm should go for acquisition merger because it would give the company full control on the brands of the acquired company. thus freedom to take their own decisions. Secondly the risk of losing proprietory information would be very less as acquired company would not copy such information Thirdly the company has enough resources to go for such move Current strategy or company analysis Marketing mix strategy While entering in different countries BAT has to take decision or formulate strategy relating to four factors of marketing mix -product -promotion price place BAT would be mainly has to decide about the Problem relating to standardization or adaption-Standardising or adapting the international marketing mix Product as BAT has to enter in the new market they have to take decision relating to product positioning and formulation. The company has to analyse the culture of the country and then take appropriate decision whether to use same brand names or to lanch changed brands or products in the market. the changes if required might be done in many areas like design, service offering, brand name, pack design Promotion- BAT has to decide whether advertising proposition, creative presentation, sales promotion, personal selling style needs changes or not. Generally if the products are changed that definitely requires changes in promotion strategy according to the culture Price especially in case of developing countries prices pay major role on the decision of the customers purchase. Therefore appropriate decision have to be taken by BAT for price, discount structure, credit terms distribution channels- distribution channels have to used which are more famous in the new market to reach the products to customers in time. Therefore the company need to make changes in such direction. Future strategy Ansoff matrix In market penetration, a firm seeks to expand the sales of its present products in its present markets through more intensive distribution, aggressive promotion, and competitive pricing. In market development, a firm seeks greater sales of present products from new markets or new product uses. It can enter new markets, appeal to segments it is not yet satisfying, reposition products, and use new distribution methods. In product development, a firm develops new or modified products to appeal to present markets. It emphasizes new models, better quality, and other minor innovations and markets them to loyal consumers. In diversification, a firm becomes involved with new products aimed at new markets. The products may be new to the industry or to the company. Distribution and promotion orientations are different from those traditionally used by the firm. BAT would be using market development strategy to avoid many problems like illegal trading of their products in the market where they havent entered. The main reasons for choosing this strategy are BAT has good experience in entering successfully in new market, at present they are already in 113 countries. BAT has to aggressively pursue this strategy to increase its sales where the market is showing high growth Through this strategy the company can avoid illegal trading of their products in the market where they have not entered. Current strategy generic strategies We begin our exploration of environment-based options by considering the generic Definition strategies first outlined by Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School. Generic strategies are the three basic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and focus (sometimes called niche) open to any business. The Porter generic strategy model identifies two key planning concepts and the alternatives available for each: i) Competitive scope (broad or narrow target). It is possible to target the organisations products as a broad target covering most of the market place or to pick a narrow target and focus on a niche within the market. ii) Competitive advantage (lower cost or differentiation). There are fundamentally only two sources of competitive advantage. These are differentiation of products from competitors and low costs. The following three basic strategies are identified (see Figure): Cost leadership-broad market and low cost position. Differentiation-large market and unique strategy. Focus-narrow target segment and either low cost position or a unique strategy. Cost leader ship and differentiation strategies are alternatives for large firms; a focus strategy isavailable to smaller firms. Porter modified the concept to split the niche sector into: niche differentiation niche low-cost leadership. Cost Leadership strategy: this generic strategy calls for being the low cost producer in an industry for a given level of quality. The firm sells its products either at average industry prices to earn a profit higher than that of rivals or below the average industry prices to gain market share. The cost leadership strategy usually targets a broad market ii. Differentiation Strategy : This strategy calls for the development of a product or service that offers a unique attributes that are valued by the customers and customers perceive to be better than or different from the products of the competition. The value added by the uniqueness of the product may allow the firm to charge a premium price for it. The firm hopes that the higher price will more than cover the extra costs incurred in offering the unique product. Firms that succeed in differntiation strategy often have the following internal strengths: Access to leading scientific research. Highly skilled and creative product development team. Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceives strengths of the iii. Focus Strategy : this strategy focus on narrow segment and within that segment attempts to achieve either a cost advantage or differentiation. The premise is that the needs of the group can be better serviced by focussing entirely on it. A firm using a focus strategy often enjoys a high degree of customer loyalty and this entrenched loyalty discourages other firms from competing directly differentiation focus super premium ice cream segment; cost focus economy ice cream segment. In the global car market, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari are clearly niche players they have only a minute percentage of the market worldwide. Their niche is premium product and premium price. BAT should pursue cost leadership strategy because -as the company is using its financial resources in acquiring other companies therefore the company should pursue strategy in which they can earn more profit by spending less or by reducing the cost of production. This strategy would enable the company to earn more profit. Company current analysis BCG Model- product portfolio The BCG Matrix, named after the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), is perhaps the most famous 22 matrix. The matrix measures a companys relative market share on the horizontal axis and its growth rate on the vertical axis. market growth rate for each product, the market growth rate of the product category. Market growth rate is important because markets that are growing rapidly offer more opportunities for sales than lower growth markets. THE GROWTH SHARE MATRIX- the market growth rate on the vertical axis indicates the annual growth rate of the market in which the business operates. It ranges from 0 to 20 percent. A market growth rate above 10 percent is considered high. Relative market share, which is measured on the horizontal axis, refers to the SBUs market share relative to that of its largest competitor in the segment. The growth share matrix is divided into four cells, each indicating a different type of business: stars cash flow question mark dogs high growth high share low growth high share high growth low share low growth low share in this case the business is likely to generate enough cash to be self sustaining Firm can further promote Expand more in the service and product. Invest in R and D Stars are high-growth, high-share businesses. Very often, they need heavy investment for financing their rapid growth. Eventually, their growth slows down and they turn into cash cows. in this case business can be used to support the other business unit -due to high share these units are generating cash to support other sbu They may generate enough surplus to maintain themselves. due to low share the business unit is not able to maintain market share Question marks, are low-share business units, in a high-growth market. -They require a lot of cash, for maintaining the market share. -Any business has to think between building a question mark into stars or whether they have to be phased out. in this case the business is a cash trap as both are low -limited future short term focus and avoid risky projects. Dogs are low-growth and low-share businesses. Current situation BCG matrix Many of the brand of BAT are in star position in certain countries and some are in cash cow position in certain countries, some are in question mark and certain are in dogs position. Benson and hedges, dunhill, lucky 7 and john player are in star position in many countries. These brands are having good market share and good market growth therefore the company should keep investing in such brands. In case of 555 and Viceroy they are in cash cow position in certain developed countries where the market growth has decreased but

Business Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

Part I. Case Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Working in Human resources can make it very difficult to meet friends at work. Many Human resources professionals avoid being too friendly with employees outside of the department and there are employees who keep their distance from being too friendly with Human resources personnel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I did break this rule several years ago when we hired a new employee. This employee and I hit it off immediately and we became very good friends and remain this way today. This friend was an excellent employee. Everyone loved working with her and her assistance was in great demand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Several years after meeting this new employee the two of us decided to become roommates. We were both in the market to move and both of us were students working full-time, so we rented an apartment together. Soon after becoming roommates my friend broke-up with her boyfriend of several years and it wasn’t long before that I noticed frequent phone calls to the apartment from a partner at our firm. The partner was her direct supervisor so I found it somewhat strange that he would call her at home so often and at such hours. At the time I chose not to say anything as I did not think it was any of my business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As time went on the calls started to get more frequent and on several occasions my friend called the partner, in my presence, very late at night and left him what I believed to be a very personal message and not work-related. Even more interesting was the fact that the partner was married.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After some consideration I decided to bring up the subject of the calls with my friend. I was merely inquiring as to what was going on between her and this partner. My friend brushed it off and implied that nothing was going on between them. I accepted this at the time and decided to drop the subject for the moment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sometime later I learned that my friend was traveling to London on business with this partner. My suspicions were raised at this point since I knew that employees in my friend’s position did not typically travel on business. I started to get a little concerned at this point. I knew the potential risks involved when a manager is intimately involved with a subordinate. In addition, I knew that the f... ...ships between employees but discourage relationships between managers and direct subordinates. These relationships can be consensual and lead to very positive outcomes but the risk will always be there. Discouragement does not prevent them from happening. Having a simple policy outlining some guidelines and incorporating the topic into management and sensitivity training is a good approach. References Greenwald, J. (2000). Office Romances May Court Trouble. Business Insurance. Vol. 34, Issue 7, p20. Peikes, L. and Burns, M. (2004). No-Fraternization Policies Under the Judicial Microscope. SHRM Legal Report. Retrieved February 4, 2004, www.shrm.org. Poe, A. (2000). Office Romance: HR’s Role. SHRM White Paper. Retreived February 4, 2004, www.shrm.org. Powers, D.M. (1999). Consensual Workplace Relationships: The Stereotypes, policies and Challenges. Compensation and Benefits Management. Vol. 15, Issue 3, p35. Quinn, R.E. and Lees, P (1984). Attraction and Harassment: Dynamics of Sexual Politics in the Workplace. Organizational Dynamics. Vol. 13, Issue 2. Spragins, E., Overfelt, M. and Sloane, J. (2004). Dangerous Liaisons. FSB: Small Fortune Business; Vol. 14, Issue 1, p62.

Littering of Country Roads

We see the signs everywhere, â€Å"LITTERING IS A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY A MAXIMUM $1,000 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT UP TO ONE YEAR, OR BOTH!† (Litter, 2007). The question in the minds of many of us though is â€Å"Why do people litter and especially along our country roads?† One of the definitions used for litter is â€Å"misplaced trash or solid waster† (Litter, 2007). Research in the area of â€Å"why do people litter† has been completed by several organizations and government entities. I will examine some of the reasons I found in the research. One of the factors noted in the research was just simply lack of knowledge of the environmental effects of littering (Why, 2007). It has been shown in studies that just educating those who litter can make a difference in whether or not they continue to litter. We could speculate that possibly many of those in the country will not have as great of access to the information that helps to create an awareness to the problems littering creates. When litter has already accumulated in an area, research has shown the area to be more susceptible by others to be seen as an easy dumping grounds or an invitation to dump more. One of the reasons they encourage volunteers and regular litter clean-ups is to prevent further litter build-up. Because country roads are less likely in general to be a part of litter clean-ups this can add to the problem. Lack of social pressure to do the right thing was mentioned as contributing to the problem (Why, 2007). This could also be a contributing factor as to why litter is often seen more in rural areas or areas where the population tends to have a greater financial disadvantage. Litter in these areas may not be seen as great a priority as more basic needs and problems in the rural neighborhoods. Another factor was mentioned as there being a lack or an absence of consistent enforcement of the laws against littering (Facts, 2004). Although signs may be posted, if there is seen to be lack of enforcement in backing those littering laws, they will have little effect in that area or neighborhood. This can be another reason why there may seem to be more litter along the less visible and often less-traveled country roads. Enforcement officers tend to concentrate where there is greater population. According to one study, if the people or residents of an area have little pride in their neighborhood or in another person’s neighborhood, they are then more apt to toss out trash in that particular area. It also may be that if my neighbors yard is littered, it is less noticeable when my yard is littered. The country roads and rural areas are generally less noticeable than the city or urban areas. It is no secret that individuals with higher income who live in the suburbs have more income to spend on lawn upkeep and continuous lawn maintenance. Many areas in the country attract those with less income who would have less to continuously maintain their properties and the roadways that run along their properties. Lastly, it may be surprising to some, however, not all people see what they toss out as being regarded as litter. Studies show this is often the case for those who toss cigarette butts out the car window. When asked why they toss them along the roadside, they often respond in a way to indicate they do not feel as if cigarette butts, or some items should be included as trash or littering. However, cigarette butts â€Å"can take up to five years to break down† (Facts, 2004). References 2004. Facts about litter. Department of Environment and Conservation. http://www. Environment.nsw.gov (accessed April 21, 2007). 2007. Litter laws. Official Website of the city of Rock Hill. http://www.gov.pe.ca/ enveng/litter/index.php3?number=61866&lang=E (accessed April 21, 2007). 2007. Why do people litter? Government of Prince Edward Island. April 21, 2007). Wikipedia contributors, ‘Litter’, Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 April 2007, 22:02 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Litter&oldid=126719517 [accessed 24 April 2007]         

Professional Goal Statement

There are many who feel that education ends upon completion of college. I feel differently, however, and understand that there is so much that can be learned in further studies such as graduate school. In line with my decision to pursue my studies in graduate school, I understand that there are more opportunities for those who receive the extra training necessary to be ahead in today’s competitive world. I feel that in order for me to gain an advantage in the field of Organizational Psychology, I need to devote more time and energy in learning more about the recent developments in this field. This will enable to pursue my career as either an experienced business managers or as a human resource professional. †¢ Academic Experience Having completed my degree at the Pennsylvania State University and having specialized in Psychological & Social Sciences, I am confident that I am fully equipped for the minimum requirements of this course. The various courses and training programs that I enrolled in during my tenure in college such as values and ethics in health and human development professions, legal and ethical issues in human services, social psychology, applied social psychology, advanced cognitive psychology, abnormal psychology, child behavior disorders, learning and instruction and elementary statistics in psychology have all given me the insight that I need to keep up with the course requirements for this program. Work /Other Experience I am currently employed as a Social Service Counselor at the Office of Youth and development at the Swanson Youth Center in Monroe, LA. As such, I handle the decision making process of the treatment team including formulating therapeutic activities and recommending a treatment plan as well as managing a caseload by scheduling appointments, evaluating client progress in counseling sessions and making recommendations to the treatment team. I believe that this work experience is vital to my training and the pursuit of my career because it will help to prepare me for what comes ahead. It is said that not every lesson can be learned in the confines of the classroom and that most of what is learned comes from experience. As my resume shows, I have ample work experience that I am confident will be invaluable to my development in the future. †¢ Personal Qualities I get things done. The job gets done faster and more efficiently as and when the objectives are clear, the strategies acceptable, and the resources are available. Of course, in the real world, these do not always happen. To the extent that they happen and to the extent that I can make them happen, I go after them and manage to get the job done. This work ethic which I have developed over time will prove to be very helpful once I am dealing with the requirements of this course. †¢ Why Walden? One of the most difficult choices is always that of choosing a good school for the reason that there are many different factors to consider. There are many things that need to be examined yet when it came to deciding why I would select Walden there was no such difficulty. Given the global reputation that Walden enjoys as being one of the leading academic institutions in the country, it would serve me well to be able to gain the knowledge that this fine school can impart upon me. The fact that the school also offers an online program is another great advantage because it will allow me to study and work at the same time.

Brand Loyalty from a Multi-Faceted Perspective Essay

Brand loyalty is the ‘Holy Grail’ to all marketing organizations. Marketing practitioners are consumed by it. They search. They try. They dream. They want to achieve the ultimate in brand loyalty, making it so airtight that no competition can lure their consumers from their brands of products. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fit-all methodology. Competition is dynamic. There’s no way to accurately anticipate what the creativity of their competitors can bring to the marketplace, which can lead to the eventual overwhelming of an established brand. There’s no telling how the motivations and perceptions of their customers may change, having inundated by communications in every conceivable fashion on a daily basis. Yet the organizations that can achieve strong brand loyalty for their products can ensure profitability for their stakeholders. Those who cannot shall perish in the war of the marketplace. Building strong brand loyalty for a company’s products is not just an idea, or a one hit wonder. Rather, building strong brand loyalty is a process that requires management excellence. For this reason we look at brand loyalty from a multi-faceted perspective. Somewhere out there, among the numerous ideas and theories, may lie one that may help turn the fortune of an organization. Hà ¤rtel, C., Russell-Bennett, R., Worthington, S. (2010). Brand Management. A Tri-dimensional Approach for Auditing Brand Loyalty, 17(4), 243-253. Retrieved from http://palgrave-journals.com/bm/. In this article, the authors outline a framework for conducting a brand loyalty audit that uses a tri-dimensional approach, which are, cognitive (I think), emotive (I feel) and behavioral (I do) response. With different levels and intensity of brand loyalty, the tri-dimensional approach allows the manager to target the significant market segments more effectively. The authors have very strong academic credentials from universities in Australia. Worthington is a Professor of Marketing at Monash University specializing in distribution of financial services. Russel-Bennett is an Associate Professor at Queensland University with research and consulting work on the role of emotions in organizational and consumer behavior. Hà ¤rtel is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Development and Director of the Social and Economic Interface Research at Monah University. In conducting the audit, the first step is to measure the current level of emotional, cognitive and behavioral loyalty, and then, in step two, prioritize the segments. Once the priorities are set, the manager will have to strategize to increase loyalty (if it is low) or maintain loyalty (if it is high). Thus, this article is for managers looking to evaluate the strength and flaws of their product, with the goal of brand loyalty in mind. This article has 24 references; nearly half of these references are based on the authors’ previous research involving brand loyalty and marketing, the other references help to build on concepts and research examples. The tri-dimensional audit faces two challenges. First, the framework is untested and therefore requires validation across product types. Second, the level of influence on priority and strategies is not knowable and therefore is subject to arbitration. More work has to be done on this model. Nevertheless, it introduces new ideas in understanding brand loyalty. Babur, M. N. & Naveed, F. (2011). Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business. The Real Battle Starts Now; Moving Beyond Brand Management, 2(12), 629- 635. Retrieved from http://ijcrb.webs.com. This article looks to examine the steps an organization can take after establishing the brand to achieve sustained brand loyalty. This can be achieved through continuous advertising and managing ethical burden. The authors describe ethical burden as the necessity of company to charge real cost of doing business, ensure quality of products and services and develop strong customer relations. The focus group study with a sample of 50 business professionals contends that by managing ethical burden with continuous advertising, it can lead to creating positive brand image and hence, brand loyalty, that will sustain the brand in the long term through repeat buying phenomena. Babur is an Assistant Professor and Principal at ISRA University, Islamabad Campus Pakistan. Naveed is a Senior Research Associate at Riphah International University, Islamabad Pakistan. There are 15 references in this article. The authors use these references to elaborate on concepts relating to marketing in regards to ethical burden, brand image, brand loyalty and, advertising in general. The results of the study indicate that a large portion of the repeat buying behavior is due to unexplained factors across purchasing occasions. The authors state that this study has a 72% of reliability, but did not show the calculation of how the number was derived. The written English is weak and some descriptions are not so clear. Despite this deficiency, this article provides marketing managers with another perspective to sustain brand loyalty. In regards to the 72% reliability, further research can incorporate quantitative methods of research to indentify outliers, which can lead to a more accurate study. Furthermore, additional research should link the actual strategy of using ethical burden and continuous advertising to sustain brand loyalty – preventing or postponing the decline of a mature brand in its product life cycle. Alwi, S. F. S. (2009). International Journal of Business and Society. Online Corporate Brand Images and Consumer Loyalty, 10(2), 1-19. Retrieved from http://feb.unimas.my. This article examines how, traditionally, organizations build their brand image targeting consumers through media such as television, newspapers, and radio. With the advent of online media, the author evaluates if offline brand success can be translated to a positive corporate brand image perception in the online environment. Using the personification approach, a sample of consumers was asked to rank a list of companies (by imagining the company was a human being) based on five main criteria: agreeableness; competence; ruthlessness; chic; and enterprise. The results were, then, compared to several pieces of previous research from both offline, and online perspectives. Syed Alwi is a Professor in the Faculty of Business & Accountancy at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. She received an honors degree in Business Management, and completed her Masters in Marketing all at Salford University in the United Kingdom. She received her PhD in Marketing at the University of Manchester. Managers looking to integrate their marketing plans into the online environment would find this information extremely useful. The article has about 50 references; most of which are used to incorporate ideas and results from previous research. The other references are used to build concepts involving the transition of marketing and branding into online media. When applying the personification results to previous research, it shows that there is a high correlation between high scores in the categories of agreeableness and informality, when compared to a high level of brand loyalty of online consumers. Therefore, for an organization to translate previous brand success to online success, it must portray itself as pleasant, friendly, supportive, open, easy and outgoing to targeted consumers. Using a research method like this seems arbitrary and a more structured research method like a longitudinal study would probably give less erratic results. Anderson, K. & Sharp, B. (2010). International Journal of Market Research. Do Growing Brands win Younger Consumers?, 52(4), 433-441. doi: 10.2501/S1470785309201387 This article attempts to shed some light on the presumption that younger consumers are less loyal and more willing to try new brands than older consumers. The authors analyzed 230 brands from 12 categories such as coffee, beer, internet service provider, and mobile phone. By comparing two periods of data, the authors were able to determine which brands grew and which declined. The results of each brand were, then, compared to an age profile. Consumers under the age of thirty were defined as ‘young’, and those over the age of fifty five were defined as ‘mature’. The research concludes that younger consumers are slightly easier to attract. This is because young consumers are more willing to take risks and their styles are not so fixed, whereas older consumers are more attached to certain existing brands. It is not easy to change the loyalty of buyers, but it is possible. Brand loyalty is indeed alive and well, it is not entirely entrenched. Sharp is a Professor of Marketing Science and Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Australia. Anderson is a Research Associate at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Australia. Sharp has published several academic papers and books including, â€Å"How Brands Grow† published by Oxford University Pres. Only 10 references are used as most of their data was purchased from one source, the other references allow them to compare data with similar works and draw scholarly conclusions. This article provides a new perspective that while the presumption that it is easier to attract younger consumers is true, the established marketers, to whom this article is intended for, should not target the younger consumers exclusively. Further research should use a larger variety of sources emphasizing exactly how a growing brand should target certain demographic groups in order to achieve greater sales volume. Grzeskowiak, S., Krishen, A. S., Labreque, L. I. (2011). Journal of Brand Management. Exploring Social Motivations for Brand Loyalty: Conformity versus Escapism, 18(7), 457-472. doi:10.1057/bm.2011.12 The authors identify two central moderating variables that explain brand loyalty, which are product knowledge and self-image congruence. Self-image congruence enhances brand loyalty for consumers who desire to conform to the groups or societies they are in. However, those that want to break away from these groups are called escapism-motivated consumers. Escapism-motivated consumers derive their brand loyalty from product knowledge, but product knowledge inhibits brand loyalty for those who are bound to conformity. This study shows that common communications for these two groups are asymmetrical. Labrecque is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Northern Illinois University. She received her PhD in Marketing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Krishen is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Krishen logged 13 years of corporate experience before receiving her Masters and PhD in Marketing from Virginia Tech. The authors used about 60 cited references. However, only a handful of these references are used to expand on key concepts. Most of them are used to elaborate on results using graphs, tables, and cross tabulation. This study highlights the challenges facing the marketers when developing advertising messages for their intended audience. The marketers have to be mindful of the implication of their communications to their diverse group of consumers. This study, though, is limited to focusing only on two motivations – conforming versus escaping. But there are numerous other social motives that are likely to affect brand loyalty. Further research should be done to explore these boundaries. References Ahn, K., Hur, W., Kim, M. (2011). Management Decision. Building Brand Loyalty through Managing Brand Community Commitment, 49(7), 1194-1213. doi: 10.1108/ 00251741111151217 Alwi, S. F. S. (2009). International Journal of Business and Society. Online Corporate Brand Images and Consumer Loyalty, 10(2), 1-19. Retrieved from http://feb.unimas.my. Anderson, K. & Sharp, B. (2010). International Journal of Market Research. Do Growing Brands win Younger Consumers?, 52(4), 433-441. doi: 10.2501/S1470785309201387 Babur, M. N. & Naveed, F. (2011). Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business. The Real Battle Starts Now; Moving Beyond Brand Management, 2(12), 629-635. Retrieved from http://ijcrb.webs.com. Balasubramanian, S. K. & Patwardhan, H. (2011). Journal of Product and Brand Management. Brand Romance: A Complementary Approach to Explain Emotional Attachment toward Brands, 20(4), 297-308. doi: 10.1108/10610421111148315 Grzeskowiak, S., Krishen, A. S., Labreque, L. I. (2011). Journal of Brand Management. Exploring Social Motivations for Brand Loyalty: Conformity versus Escapism, 18(7), 457-472. doi:10.1057/bm.2011.12 Hà ¤rtel, C., Russell-Bennett, R., Worthington, S. (2010). Brand Management. A Tri-dimensional Approach for Auditing Brand Loyalty, 17(4), 243-253. Retrieved from http://palgrave-journals.com/bm/. Kharaim, H. S. (2011). International Journal of Marketing Studies. The Influence of Brand Loyalty on Cosmetics Buying Behavior of UAE Female Consumers, 3(2), 123-133. doi: 10.5539/ijms.v3n2pl23 Kwok, S., Uncles, M. D., Wang, C. (2010). Journal of Marketing Management. A Temporal Analysis of Behavioural Brand Loyalty among Urban Chinese Consumers, 26(9-10), 921-942. doi: 10.1080/02672570903441454 Tsai, S. (2010). International Business Review. Fostering International Brand Loyalty through Committed and Attached Relationships, 20(5), 521-534. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2010.10.001