Wednesday, October 30, 2019

ISMG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

ISMG - Essay Example The supply is controlled by the weather while the demand is controlled by spikes and shifts in demand like for other manufacturers. Due to the supply being clustered in one area and the processes after harvest being too many it raised a lot of problems for the company in terms of costs. The company needed a system that could solve the problem of line utilization, scheduling, reducing inventory, transportation costs and lead time. The sales and operations (S&OP) program was adopted to help alleviate these problems. It was meant to handle problems such as unanticipated demand, shortages in supply, and production disruptions. The paper-based spreadsheet system that the company previously used became inadequate in supporting the complex nature of the business while also not meeting demands of the company. This is mainly because the company was too big and more complex while the spreadsheets relied on outdated data that required a lot of effort to analyze. The S&OP program is implemented in different stages with the first stage being scrubbing all the previous data and unifying it in one database. This step was mainly meant to ensure that all the participants of the supply chain worked together with each other and understood the other departments accordingly. This was followed by a five phase implementation program to show value of S&OP program early in the transformation. The first phase required improving demand visibility that necessitated better communication at the decision making level while also ensuring that every member of the group gained same data and each other’s goals. The program also helped in training the users of the program while also testing the scalability of the program without disrupting the company’s existing workflow. The statistical forecasts and preparing plans for price changes and promotions in future and an analysis of demand data was also improved thereby

Monday, October 28, 2019

Foregrounding Techniques in the Yellow Dog by Martin Amis Essay Example for Free

Foregrounding Techniques in the Yellow Dog by Martin Amis Essay The second half of the XX century is defined as the Postmodern Era in the development of civilization. It has been singled out into a separate period because of certain changes in human thought, world view and mode of living. The world has changed much since the beginning of the twentieth century – there has occurred a rapid development in contemporary technology which revolutionized our way of thinking. Postmodern literature, like postmodernism as a whole, is hard to define and there is little agreement on the exact characteristics, scope, and importance of postmodern literature. However, unifying features often coincide with Jean-Francois Lyotard’s concept of the ‘meta-narrative’ and ‘little narrative,’ Jacques Derrida’s concept of ‘play,’ and Jean Baudrillard’s ‘simulacra. ’ For example, instead of the modernist quest for meaning in a chaotic world, the postmodern author eschews, often playfully, the possibility of meaning, and the postmodern novel is often a parody of this quest. This distrust of totalizing mechanisms extends even to the author; thus postmodern writers often celebrate chance over craft and employ metafiction to undermine the authors ‘univocal’ control (the control of only one voice). The distinction between high and low culture is also attacked with the employment of pastiche, the combination of multiple cultural elements including subjects and genres not previously deemed fit for literature. A list of postmodern authors often varies; the following are some names of authors often so classified, most of them belonging to the generation born in the interwar period. Her father was a barrister and later a judge; her mother was a former elementary schoolteacher, neurotic and frustrated, angrily unhappy at being a full-time housewife. Both came from working-class families but had studied at Cambridge, and the household was one of books, book talk, and slamming doors. Many comparisons are possible in discussions of these novellas, both comparisons of the novellas to each other and of one or both to other works by A. S. Byatt. The Victorian setting, not paralleled here by a modern setting as it is in Possession, may stimulate discussion of the strengths and shortcomings of [pic]Victorian society and how it compares to modern society. The double voice of postmodern fiction presents a challenge because it requires that we question the way we read and interpret not only postmodern literature but also literature as a whole.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Analysis of J Sainsbury’s Essay -- essays research papers

Analysis of J Sainsbury’s Unit 1- Business at work Businesses exist to produce goods and services. If someone is thinking of starting up their own business or becoming part of an existing business, they would have to have the knowledge of what makes business work successfully and know how to how to apply that knowledge in the particular area of business. For this unit I will be entering and exploring the world of business. For this unit I will encounter and evaluate information provided by certain businesses and actually gather my own information from at least one business. The business I have chosen to study is J Sainsbury’s. There are many types businesses in this world; these include Sole trader, Plc, Ltd, Partnership, Co-op and franchise. These types of businesses are all different from each other. Some of them need just one owner, some have hundreds. Sole Trader A sole trader is a one man business. There is just one manager. Although they are the sole manager and owner they can employ staff to work for them. They can employ as many as they want to work for them. A sole trader is self employed, this means they work for themselves, they employed themselves, they for nobody. Sole traders trade with others. They may trade expertise, an example of this would be a business consultant taking on a big job and needing an extra hand just for that job, so this person may employ a person with the expertise he/she needs. Because a sole trader is the sole owner he/she keeps all the profits, unless he/she has any employees. The owner of the business makes all the decisions, he/she will not have anyone telling them what to do. When one wants to set up a sole trader business it is relatively easy. There is little paper work involved bec... ...nagement practices which result in measurable continous quality improvement. It is this ongoing procceess of quality improvement. It is this ongoing process of quality improvement which contribute to changes in production. Advantages Prevents errors Prevents poor quality products Features of TQM: Quality Chains Company policy and accountability Control Monitering the process. Monitering the process. Quality Certification This is where the item being sold has been given a kite mark from the british standards institite for being at a certain standard of quality. Advantages: Marketing necessity Saving in cost Fewer problems and complaints Reduction of waste in internal process Disadvantages: Costly Lots of processes to go through Takes time Many take time to produced new products Lots of paperwork   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Esther`s Suicide Attempts in Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar :: Plath Bell Jar Essays

Esther`s Suicide Attempts in The Bell Jar One of the main reasons why Esther tried to commit suicide was the way she perceived her mother's actions, and the fact that she hates her mother: `"I hate her", I said, and waited for the blow to fall.` she obviously believes that hating her mother is wrong, as she expected the doctor to react negatively to her comment. Throughout the novel, her mother has contributed to Esther`s problems. From Esther`s point of view, consequences of her mother's actions have lead to further problems for her. It was her mother who denied Esther the right to go to her father's funeral: `My mother hadn't let us come to his funeral because we were only children then, and he had died in hospital, so the graveyard and even his death seemed unreal to me.` The fact that Esther couldn't really accept her father's death contributed to career problems: she had no idea of what to do with her life, she `thought that if my father hadn't died he would have taught me....` Before visiting New York and getting thrown into the real world Esther had been very successful academically: `I had already taken a course in botany and done very well. I never answered one test question wrong all year.` Because of her perfectionist attitude, Esther was surprised to hear herself say that she didn't know what her career plans were: `Usually I had these plans on the tip of my tongue. "I don't really know", I heard myself say. I felt a deep shock, hearing myself say that, because the minute I said it, I knew it was true.` She claims that she has `always wanted to learn German` although `the very sight of those dense, black, barbed-wire letters made my mind shut like a clam`. Esther associates the language with her `German-speaking father`, who `cane from some manic-depressive hamlet in the black heart of Prussia'. I think that Esther`s stunt in progress is directly linked to the death of her father, and the little that she knows about him, and that a major factor contributing to her eventual suicide attempt is the fact that she used to be the best and no longer can be. Esther also associates the death of her father with her happiness: `I was only purely happy until I was nine years old. After that - in spite of the girl scouts and piano lessons. Esther`s Suicide Attempts in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar :: Plath Bell Jar Essays Esther`s Suicide Attempts in The Bell Jar One of the main reasons why Esther tried to commit suicide was the way she perceived her mother's actions, and the fact that she hates her mother: `"I hate her", I said, and waited for the blow to fall.` she obviously believes that hating her mother is wrong, as she expected the doctor to react negatively to her comment. Throughout the novel, her mother has contributed to Esther`s problems. From Esther`s point of view, consequences of her mother's actions have lead to further problems for her. It was her mother who denied Esther the right to go to her father's funeral: `My mother hadn't let us come to his funeral because we were only children then, and he had died in hospital, so the graveyard and even his death seemed unreal to me.` The fact that Esther couldn't really accept her father's death contributed to career problems: she had no idea of what to do with her life, she `thought that if my father hadn't died he would have taught me....` Before visiting New York and getting thrown into the real world Esther had been very successful academically: `I had already taken a course in botany and done very well. I never answered one test question wrong all year.` Because of her perfectionist attitude, Esther was surprised to hear herself say that she didn't know what her career plans were: `Usually I had these plans on the tip of my tongue. "I don't really know", I heard myself say. I felt a deep shock, hearing myself say that, because the minute I said it, I knew it was true.` She claims that she has `always wanted to learn German` although `the very sight of those dense, black, barbed-wire letters made my mind shut like a clam`. Esther associates the language with her `German-speaking father`, who `cane from some manic-depressive hamlet in the black heart of Prussia'. I think that Esther`s stunt in progress is directly linked to the death of her father, and the little that she knows about him, and that a major factor contributing to her eventual suicide attempt is the fact that she used to be the best and no longer can be. Esther also associates the death of her father with her happiness: `I was only purely happy until I was nine years old. After that - in spite of the girl scouts and piano lessons.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Id, Ego and Super-Ego As it relates to “The Lord of the Flies” Essay

Many people have different types of personalities. The characters from the story The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, have 3 different parts of personality of the brain. According to Freud these are the three parts Id, Ego and the Super-Ego. Freud’s personality theory really shows in The Lord of the Flies. In the story Jack would be described as the Id. According to Sigmund Freud, Id is the part of your personality you are born with that you have to control. These aspects of personality are entirely unconscious and make you have a bad behavior if you don’t get what you desire, want or need. Jack had a problem following the rules and controlling his behavior about working together to get rescued with the other kids. He killed people, not caring about the consequences. He felt like he could do anything he wanted, Id people don’t care about following rules; that’s the last thing they care about. On the other hand, Super-ego is very different from Id. People who are ruled by Super-Ego follow the rules and even make them. They sense what’s right and wrong. In The Lord of the Flies the Super-Ego was Piggy. He would take everything very seriously when it would come time to make plans. For example he said, â€Å"How can you expect to be rescued if you don’t put first things first and act proper?† (p 45). It shows us how much he wants order in the group and for everybody to act maturely. Super-Ego also operates in accordance with social conformity and appropriateness. The super-ego, its role of moral authoritarian, is the opposite of the Id. The other main character from the Lord of the Flies was Ralph. He’s the one known as the leader. He cared, showed kindness and also was very  intelligent. The personality represented by Ralph is the Ego. The role of the Ego is to sift through what is real and what isn’t. They make decisions by their thoughts, theyfollow what makes sense to them and how they relate it to the world we live in. Ralph demonstrates common sense and reality, which is one of the things Ego has. Ralph was very realistic about being rescued when everybody was saying that nobody would find them. He also wanted to have fun; an example of how the Ego balances the Id and Super-Ego is showed Ralph is figuring out what to do, â€Å"†¦This is what I thought. We want to have fun. And we want to be rescued.† (p 37). William Golding really shows us how human nature could be. He illustrates how truly destructive humans can be. Golding makes very good use of characters in The Lord of the Flies, he shows both good and evil through each of the characters. He saw how destructive humans can be, and how normal people transform from a civilized human being into a savage in a quick second. The ending tells us that people don’t really imagine what other people can do. The military officer made a joke that it was ironic of what’s happening on the island, â€Å"We saw your smoke. What you been doing? Having a war or something?† (p 201). It’s ironic how the military officer said something that was exactly what was happening†¦he would have never thought some little kids would do something like that. The Lord of the Flies is a picture of the society in which we live today. It is a novel, which explains some of the issues like violence and many other things that are happening in the world. It is much easier to side with evil but very challenging to support humans and what we know is right. Society keeps everybody civilized and we need rules and principles to live by.The Id, Ego and Super-Ego are why we are different from each other, it explains why we think and behave differently. Freud knew all parts of personality must exist together in balance for a person or a society to stay healthy, live happily and safely.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Comes to Bear

Comes to Bear Comes to Bear Comes to Bear By Maeve Maddox A question on an ESL forum alerted me to the expression â€Å"to come to bear.† What is the meaning of â€Å"comes to bear† in this context: Speaker One: I want to tell you about summer camp. It was a wonderful childhood experience. Speaker Two: We can get to it later. Speaker One: We can get to it now. You see, it all comes to bear. Various possibilities were offered by other members of the forum: It probably means â€Å"it has a bearing on (something).† â€Å"Bear† in this sense means â€Å"produce†. A tree can bear fruit, or a woman can bear children. â€Å"It all comes to bear† means â€Å"it all comes to fruition.† Searching the web, I found numerous examples of â€Å"come to bear,† mostly in headlines. but sometimes in connected text. Will FedEx pressure come to bear? Political pressure will come to bear on US margin rules The roles of first lady come to bear Polar policies come to bear On a site dedicated to the writing of business letters, I found this definition of the phrase: Come to Bear: If something comes to bear on you, you start to feel the pressure or effect of it. Although this definition does not explain the use of â€Å"it all comes to bear† in the quotation that started this inquiry, it does shed some light on the other uses. â€Å"Come to bear† seems to be derived from the idiom â€Å"bring to bear,† meaning â€Å"to apply (pressure) or exert (influence).† Pressure is brought to bear. Influence and arguments are brought to bear. Then, once such things are brought to bear, the objects of the pressure, influence or arguments feel the effects. They are affected. It seems to me that the expression â€Å"comes to bear† is a messy, obfuscating circumlocution for â€Å"affects† or some other verb. Like passive voice, the â€Å"comes to bear† expression conceals part of the message to be conveyed. Compare: Will FedEx pressure come to bear? Will FedEx pressure affect the golf playoffs? Political pressure will come to bear on US margin rules Political pressure will affect/alter existing US margin rules The roles of first lady come to bear The role of First Lady affects the woman in it â€Å"Comes to bear† is an expression that careful writers can do without. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases20 Pairs of One-Word and Two-Word Forms30 Nautical Expressions

Monday, October 21, 2019

Social Constructivism The Self according to George Mead, Lev Vygotsky Margaret Donaldson and Richard Stevens essays

Social Constructivism The Self according to George Mead, Lev Vygotsky Margaret Donaldson and Richard Stevens essays In the interactionist tradition, humans are seen as constantly and dynamically changing and giving meanings to their social realities. As people interact with one another, the process of giving meanings to activities conducted is inevitable, thereby resulting to new constructs' that alters or modifies the individual's social reality. Indeed, in the social construction of reality, "our meanings and understandings arise from our communication with others, a notion of reality deeply embedded in sociological thought" (Littlejohn, 1998:175). Furthermore, in the social construction of reality, the individual, or the self, knowledge obtained is considered a "social product" and is understood in the context in which this knowledge or reality is experienced. Studies on the phenomenon of the social construction of the self has become rampant, and has produced theories that explain in various dimensions how the concept of the "self" is constructed by the individual, as influenced by his/her social environment. These theorists and social scientists are George Herbert Mead, Lev Vygostky, Margaret Donaldson, and Richard Stevens. Knowledge as a social product is the common premise subsisted to by these theorists, but they differ in the perspective and approach that they use in explaining the construction of the self.' For Lev Vygotsky and Margaret Donaldson, the cognitive development of an individual is vital in explaining how the self' is constructed by an individual. Lev Vygotsky, a social psychologist, posited that higher cognitive processes are products of social development, manifested through linguistic development. In using the term, "cognitive processes," Vygotsky is referring to the process of thinking within individuals from a highly concrete to abstract level. Upon the development of these levels of thinking, an individual goes through the process of "...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

An Actors Guide to Laughing on Stage

An Actors Guide to Laughing on Stage For some actors, crying on cue is easy, but laughing naturally on stage is the big challenge. Since there are so many ways to laugh in real life, there are many different techniques for evoking laughter for a theatrical performance or for the camera. The Study of Laughter The sounds of laughter are similar around the world. Most laughter consists of H-sounds: Ha, ho, hee. Other bursts of laughter might contain vowel sounds. In fact, theres an entire field of science dedicated to the study of laughter and its physical effects. Its called gelotology.   Learning about the mental and physical aspects of laughter can help actors become more adept at producing laughs on cue. Behavioral neurologist Robert Provine conducted a year-long study and discovered some of the following: Females laugh more often than men.Men are more likely to attempt to make others laugh.Speakers (joke tellers) laugh almost 50% more than their audience.Laughter often occurs at the end of a sentence.We laugh more when in the company of others than when we are alone. If youd like to know more about the psychological aspects of laughter and humor, check out Provines article The Science of Laughter and this excellent essay Marshall Brain that provides biological information on How Laughter Works. What Motivates Your Characters Laughter? If you can laugh spontaneously and sound believable, youre ready for your audition. If the laugh sounded forced it might be because you have no idea why your character is laughing. The more you empathize with your character, the more you can feel like her and laugh like her. Psychologists say there are typically three reasons for laughter: Incongruity: We anticipate something but then experience something surprisingly contrary to our expectations. (This often happens when responding to a hilarious comedian.)Superiority: We witness someone making a fool of himself and we feel better because of his idiocy. (This happens a lot with slapstick humor.)Relief: After a tense situation has occurred, we might ease our stress with our laughter. Or, sometimes we might laugh in order to remove tension from a situation. (This is where most nervous laughter originates.) Practice various types of laughter based on the different motivations. Working by yourself (possibly filming) is a good way to begin. However, you might get better results by practicing with a fellow actor. Try some simple, two-person improv activities in order to place your characters in situations that call for laughter. Afterward, you can touch base with each other, discussing what looked and felt real. Watch Yourself/Listen to Yourself Before you worry about imitating others, get to know your own natural laugh. Try to film or record friendly conversations with others. Set aside enough recording time so that you and your friends can overcome your self-consciousness. (Knowing that you are supposed to laugh is often the best way to kill potential laughter.) Once the conversation gets going, the recording device wont seem so intrusive. After you have some of the laughter recorded, watch and/or listen to yourself carefully. Notice the movements you make. Notice the pitch, volume, and length or your laughter. Also, pay attention to the moments before the laughter. Then practice recreating these same gestures and sounds. (More improv activities might be in order.) Watch How Others Laugh As an actor, you are probably a people watcher already. If you havent taken up the pastime of carefully watching others, its time to begin. Spend the next five days observing how others laugh. Do they giggle in a high pitched spurt? Do they phone in a courtesy laugh just to please others? Are they intoxicated? Maniacal? Childish? Are they laughing sarcastically? Uncontrollably? Are they trying (but failing) to hold it in? Take notes if you can. Watch movies and television shows, keeping an eye on the characters that laugh. Do the actors make it work? Does it seem forced? Why /why not? When rehearsing, try out some of these brand new laughs which you have observed. Acting for the stage can be a highly repetitive art form. Once you have mastered a laugh, you must then find ways to keep your reaction fresh. Be in the moment, be in character, and above all, listen to your fellow actors, and your reaction of laughter will be natural night after night. Laughing for the Camera If you are acting for the camera, theres good news and bad news. The good news: you can create many different takes and an editor/director can choose the one that works best. The bad news: film crews are expensive, and time equals money. The director will grow impatient if you cant come up with a realistic chortle. Depending on the scene and your fellow actors, the off-camera interaction can often evoke genuine laughter. Also, surprise moments between actors can work wonders as long as the director is in on the joke. A classic example of this is the famous jewelry box scene from Pretty Woman. According to Entertainment Weekly, director Gary Marshall instructed Richard Gere to snap the jewelry box shut as Julia Roberts reached for the necklace. Ms. Roberts did not expect the action, and she bursts into laughter. What started out as a prank became one of the most memorable parts of the film. Theres a clip of this scene currently on YouTube. Check it out, and then begin finding your own techniques; perhaps youll laugh your way to a successful acting career.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Aceto 10K Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aceto 10K - Essay Example The companies are primarily located in the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. The customers range from small enterprises to large firms (Aceto, 2014). The financial analysis was from the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2014. The Human Health segment had net sales of $160,217, which represented a 23.6% increase from the previous year. The Pharmaceutical Ingredients segment had a net sale of $176,425, a 4.6% decrease from the prior year. The Performance Chemicals segment had net sales of $173,537, a decrease of 6.3% from the previous year. The Pharmaceutical Ingredients section seems to be the largest contributor to the net income of the company followed by the Performance Chemicals segment. Ironically, the two significant contributors dropped yet the overall net sales of the company increased by 2.1% to $510,179. It seems the vast rise in the Health Segment were enough to buffer the shortcomings in the other segments (Aceto, 2014). The company faces a lot of risks that could affect its financial performance in the future. Being a business that first sources before distributing products, it faces a significant challenge in case some of its suppliers close down or decide to sell their products. Also, low-quality products from the suppliers can affect the company’s image if the goods manage to reach the consumers. Another risk factor that could face the company is the increasingly invention of new technology in the health and pharmaceutical fields. For example, genetic engineering and gene-based medications could pose a big threat to the products of the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Rising china or peaceful rise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rising china or peaceful rise - Essay Example China's rise can directly be linked to the opening up of its economy, which has resulted in a transformation of every aspect of China's interaction with the world. From exclusion from the United Nations to participation in over 150 international organisations, including the China sponsored and driven Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; from a closed economy to $ 300 billion in foreign direct investment; and from self-isolation and suspicion to one of openness and integration. All this has resulted in the Chinese economy becoming the world's fourth largest economy in 2006, with many experts predicting that, " the Chinese economy will be second only to the United States by 2020 and possibly surpass it by 2050".1 What does the future hold for China and the world Will a resilient economy enable China to ease itself benignly into the international power equation, being called a 'Peaceful Rise' by Chinese leaders keen to play down the obvious ramifications of China's growing economic clout Or are there any threats - both internal and external - to Rising China that can undermine the whole process, and the stated Chinese aim of becoming an intermediate developed nation by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China China's eventual rise to global power status and the path it then adopts to achieve its national goals is difficult to predict given the inscrutable nature of the Chinese character. Ashley Tellis of the Carnegie Endowment has this to say, "Will China's rise trigger regional counterbalancing The answer is "yes." The long answer is "yes, possibly"; and the real answer is "yes, possibly, but we can't be entirely sure."2 Pei seems to challenge the accepte d hype over China being both the world's largest manufacturer as well as the world's biggest market simultaneously. Pei feels that China's current policies, " [are] spawning a dangerous mix of crony capitalism, rampant corruption and widening inequality [and that policies]adopted to generate high economic growth are compounding the political and social ills that threaten its long term survival".3 Be that as it may, it may be surmised that latent impulses to become a global power and a direct challenge to the supremacy of the United States would emerge as a consequence of its Comprehensive National Power, driven by its rapidly expanding economy, backed by a modern military machine. Internal Challenges to China's Peaceful Rise China is conscious of the fact that its geo-political power is directly tied to its economic growth, which requires a stable internal and external environment. Since the present global balance of power is not in its favour, and since this balance is unlikely to change in the mid-term, it has limited its geo-political ambitions while it goes about quietly building up its Comprehensive National Power. While other countries would seek to contain China's attempts to become the sole power in Asia, there are several domestic liabilities that China must address before its can aspire to that exalted status. These liabilities according to some analysts have reached, or are at the point of reaching critical mass, and under such circumstances, China might not be able to withstand a crisis situation

Read the Dunkin Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Read the Dunkin Case - Essay Example While the Dunkin’ Donut retail stores continue to expand, the Starbucks stores are closing by the hundreds. In the past Dunkin’ Donuts target markets where focused primarily in the Eastern part of the U.S. with little presence in the West. Starbucks already has a somewhat of a uniform distribution across the country which will constrain their growth as Dunkin’ Donuts expands into the West into untapped regions. Dunkin’ Donuts market strategy is different in that they are targeting a group of no frills, cost-conscious coffee drinkers. At Starbucks, there is a market segment that is willing to pay a premium for drinks like the ‘skinny half-caf soy caramel Macchiato’. While the market segment at Dunkin’ Donuts is focused at those who just want a consistent, well tasting, old fashioned brew of coffee that doesn’t exceed more than $3. (Mitchell, Dan). From the previously aforementioned statements, one can see how Starbucks marketing s trategy has always focused as much on the overall store experience as they have the product itself. With free Wi-Fi provided by ATT&T and a recent partnership with HP to provide music downloads in the store, Starbucks has positioned their efforts towards creating an upscale informal coffee shop and social experience. (DiCarlo, Lisa).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do Internation Business with Term Paper

Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do Internation Business with - Term Paper Example Considering that it is currently on an economic high, Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do international business with. Trinidad and Tobago has the highest per capita income in terms of direct foreign investments in the region. There are more than 150 firms that have already established businesses in the country. These companies include Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Citicorp, Fujitsu and PricewaterhouseCoopers (International Monetary Fund 4). Currently, the country is enjoying its highest foreign investments opportunities in history. Fueling the high levels of foreign direct investment is the country’s expansion of its energy sector. Trinidad and Tobago also offers a warm, diverse and stable business climate, which is contrary to the unpredictability witnessed in other Caribbean countries. The country also boasts a diverse cultural setting that makes it easy for locals and foreign investors to set up and carry out business activities (Rojas-Suarez and Elias 17). The bus iness environment in Trinidad and Tobago makes it an ideal country to do international business with. The country’s socio-economic, cultural and political structure sets it apart from its neighbors in the Caribbean since it offers excellent investment opportunities for both big and small international businesses. ... The country is also considered to be the most industrialized in the Caribbean and Latin America region (International Monetary Fund 7). Trinidad and Tobago has not always been an investor’s choice of business destination. The twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago were Spanish colonies before they fell into British authority during the early 19th century. At the time, much of the country’s economy was pegged on its sugarcane industry which came to near collapse following the emancipation of slaves in 1834. However, the importation of plantation workers soon revived the sugar industry and enhanced the coca industry. A further boost to the country’s economy was realized with the discovery of oil reserves in 1910. Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from the British in 1962 and has been expanding its economic opportunities ever since (Rojas-Suarez and Elias 176). There are two major ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago: Indian and African. The Indians make up 4 0% of the total population while Africans are about 37% of the population. People of mixed ethnicity make up about 21 percent of the population. According to July 2011 estimates, the country has a population of about 1,227,500 people. A majority of the country’s citizens lie in the 15-64 years age bracket. This means that the labor market is quit big in the country. 14% of the total population can be found in the urban areas, with many being in the country’s capital, Port of Spain (CIA World Factbook). This is because the majority of the country’s industries and businesses are based in the urban areas. Many of the people of Trinidad and Tobago are either Christian or Hindu. However there is a sizable number (less than 20 percent) who profess the Muslim

Stop YELLING AT YOUR KIDS. It's Bad for Them Essay

Stop YELLING AT YOUR KIDS. It's Bad for Them - Essay Example There is a lot of research that supports the usefulness of this system. Unless, an individual is rewarded for showing good discipline and punished for showing bad discipline, the individual cannot learn, actively or passively, which behaviors are socially acceptable and which are not. The author has based her results on a study that found out that yelling has bad effects on the psychology of the children which can be biased. Furthermore, the study is based on middle-class families in which the children require least disciplining anyway. Even if the results of the study are believed, they cannot be applied on poor and elite Americans that make a larger part of the American society combined, alike. The author has made a good analysis of the possible outcomes of yelling i.e. either the child gets embarrassed and becomes quiet or the child yells back. While these are rightly the two possible outcomes of yelling, it is wrong to say that parental yelling instills embarrassment or anger in the children. Yes, it does induce these feelings in the children for a while, but this is healthy. If a child is raised without letting him/her experience these feelings at all, he would not know when to use these feelings in his/her dealing with others in the society. ... Not only those children never shout back at their parents themselves, they cannot take it when somebody else even talks bad about their parents. Their behavior toward their parents is so nice because their parents have used right combination of spanking and yelling to raise their children in such a way. Their technique works more often than not. The west should take lessons from those societies. On the contrary, what happens in our society where the law has placed so many restrictions over what a parent can and cannot do to the children is completely devastating. Let’s take the Maury Show for example. It is a very popular show in which Maury, the host introduces the problems faced by average Americans in their personal lives. This includes all classes of Americans, including the rich, the middle-class, and the poor. One can frequently find such episodes in the Maury Show where a parent is abused verbally, physically, or both by his/her children. This is a really upsetting situ ation and parents in such a situation feel awkward and unsafe in their own home. This is definitely the result of such a legal framework in which parents’ hands are tied whereas the children are given the leverage to do whatever they want to do. Children in such a society as ours know the legal limitations imposed on the parents and tend to blackmail the parents for that. Concluding, in a society in which beating, spanking, and so many other kinds of behaviors that a parent can execute to discipline a child are forbidden, yelling is the one and only weapon in the hands of the parents. If the weapon of yelling is taken away from the parents, they practically get into an inferior position to their children because while

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do Internation Business with Term Paper

Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do Internation Business with - Term Paper Example Considering that it is currently on an economic high, Trinidad and Tobago is a good country to do international business with. Trinidad and Tobago has the highest per capita income in terms of direct foreign investments in the region. There are more than 150 firms that have already established businesses in the country. These companies include Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Citicorp, Fujitsu and PricewaterhouseCoopers (International Monetary Fund 4). Currently, the country is enjoying its highest foreign investments opportunities in history. Fueling the high levels of foreign direct investment is the country’s expansion of its energy sector. Trinidad and Tobago also offers a warm, diverse and stable business climate, which is contrary to the unpredictability witnessed in other Caribbean countries. The country also boasts a diverse cultural setting that makes it easy for locals and foreign investors to set up and carry out business activities (Rojas-Suarez and Elias 17). The bus iness environment in Trinidad and Tobago makes it an ideal country to do international business with. The country’s socio-economic, cultural and political structure sets it apart from its neighbors in the Caribbean since it offers excellent investment opportunities for both big and small international businesses. ... The country is also considered to be the most industrialized in the Caribbean and Latin America region (International Monetary Fund 7). Trinidad and Tobago has not always been an investor’s choice of business destination. The twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago were Spanish colonies before they fell into British authority during the early 19th century. At the time, much of the country’s economy was pegged on its sugarcane industry which came to near collapse following the emancipation of slaves in 1834. However, the importation of plantation workers soon revived the sugar industry and enhanced the coca industry. A further boost to the country’s economy was realized with the discovery of oil reserves in 1910. Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from the British in 1962 and has been expanding its economic opportunities ever since (Rojas-Suarez and Elias 176). There are two major ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago: Indian and African. The Indians make up 4 0% of the total population while Africans are about 37% of the population. People of mixed ethnicity make up about 21 percent of the population. According to July 2011 estimates, the country has a population of about 1,227,500 people. A majority of the country’s citizens lie in the 15-64 years age bracket. This means that the labor market is quit big in the country. 14% of the total population can be found in the urban areas, with many being in the country’s capital, Port of Spain (CIA World Factbook). This is because the majority of the country’s industries and businesses are based in the urban areas. Many of the people of Trinidad and Tobago are either Christian or Hindu. However there is a sizable number (less than 20 percent) who profess the Muslim

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

American political system, contraception mandate act Essay - 1

American political system, contraception mandate act - Essay Example As policy solutions to the contraceptive mandate, the religious groups prefer to use the natural family planning methods instead of using contraceptives as a family planning method. In as much as the religious groups views the natural family planning as the best policy solution to the contraceptive mandate, officials views have so far failed to necessarily match the behavior (Cutrer, 2005). As part of the alternatives which the religious groups advocates for include the periodic abstinence or the aspect of post ponding pregnancy. The religious groups view these solutions as a perfect way of solutions in relation to the contraceptive mandate. As Msgr. Flanagan claims, it is always against the artificial contraception but the religious groups favor natural body rhythms thus the natural family planning methods (Pipes, 2013). In most cases, the religious groups never oppose mandates, which require them to be competent especially on medical personnel so that they could teach natural family planning forms to couples and not just women involved (Cutrer, 2005). The decree requires the religious group members to pay for something, which is usually immoral. Additionally, the religious organizations, which are against contraceptives use,should then teach their religious members on using some of these types of these methods (Pipes, 2013).However, it is always up to the members of the religious groups to decide on what type of contraceptive they would prefer to use. In as much as the church is against the use of contraceptives, the church cannot force an individual on what method of family planning they can use. According to Becky Lynn who is a Health care providers thus the OBGYN, the contraception mandate remains a crucial to not only the women but also people involved or the couple. The health providers are advocating for more coverage for all

Reinforcement Theory Essay Example for Free

Reinforcement Theory Essay Q# 1: Identify the practices of organization that are indicating the application of reinforcement theory? Answer 1. Focus on proper training before giving task to the employees 2. Monitoring the performance of employees. 3. Formulation of procedures, rules and regulations in detail. 4. Strictness in compliance of rules. Q# 2: You are required to suggest some measures of positive reinforcement that can be implemented by the management of Crisp Soft restaurant. Answer 1. The manager can start a practice to greet the employees and having pleasant conversation with those who came on time at start of day and conduct a small meeting with staff at closing of day and praised and say thanks those who performed good during the day. These practices will decrease late arrivals and early leaver. 2. The management can start â€Å"Employee of the month† award scheme in which at end of every month letter of appreciation along with small cash price will be give to the employee how performed well during the month. 3. A roll of honor board should be maintained at prominent place in the restaurant where everyone can see it. The pictures of â€Å"Employee of the month† pasted on that board. Q# 3: Assess which level of Maslow’s hierarchy of need the organization is satisfying for lower level staff and managerial level staff? Explain Answer As per Maslow’s hierarchy of need, there are following five levels of human needs: i. Biological Need: The basic requirement for survival of human body e.g. food, water, air and shelter etc. ii. Safety Need: Protection from Cold, Heat, Sand, Storm, Earthquake, Animals, Enemies iii. Social Need: love, acceptance, belonging etc. iv. Self Esteem: Respect, reorganization v. Self Actualization: challenging tasks, In case of lower level workers the Crisp and Soft restaurant management is satisfying level 1 by providing free meal and uniform, paying salaries at reasonable rate and level 2 by making HVAC arrangement for workers. In case of management staff, the restaurant management is trying to satisfying level 3 along with level 1 and 2 also, by providing good salaries (level 1), good working environment (level 2) and membership of social club of restaurant to their staff(level 3) where they can attend get to gathers, family dinners etc.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Issues in the Construction of the Scottish Parliament

Issues in the Construction of the Scottish Parliament Introduction This report intends to answer how a national iconic project turned into â€Å"a hugely expensive and politically embarrassing fiasco?† (Fortescue, 2004) by analyzing the reasons that led to delay, cost overrun and quality issue in construction of new Scottish Parliament Building. This report has utilized the researches available on the internet, auditors report and other articles available from varied sources. This report will start by introduction to the background of Scottish Parliament project and will continue by discussing the reason for delays and cost increases, role of the project management and at the end concluding the lessons learned from this project. The reason for selection of this project is that the Scottish Parliament building was estimated to be completed in  £40m but finished at over  £400m which is an interesting parameter to study (BBC, 2004). Background to the Scottish Parliament Project: After the referendum in 1997, Scottish parliament was established as a devolved legislature by Scotland Act 1998. Thereafter, Donald Dewar, Secretary of Scotland state adjudicated to have a purpose built facility to accommodate the Parliament in the Edinburgh city. After having a chaotic journey to completion, Scottish parliament Complex was inaugurated on 9 Oct 2004 by Queen Elizabeth II. Remarkable features of the complex consist of leaf-shaped buildings, flipped over boat shaped roof, a grass-roofed division meeting into adjacent parkland and gabion walls made from the stones. All over the building there are various repeated motifs. Scottish parliament is a complex building comprising of new and old buildings such as Dewar room, Canon gate building, Debating chamber, Garden lobby, MSP building, Media tower, Main hall, Tower building, and Queensberry house. All of these buildings were renovated or constructed as per Architects vision. High end materials like Granite, Cattiness Ston e, Oak Timber, Sycamore Timber, Steel Glass and Marble was used in the construction. Detailed environment and sustainability study was carried out which confirmed that propose built complex is environment friendly (Fraser, 2004). Brief summary of the Project: Road to Holyrood Site Selection: To begin with, Edinburgh City Council provided a long list of 27 sites in Edinburgh. In September 1997 officials short listed three leading options: two new build options, either at Leith or Haymarket, or adapting and developing the existing St Andrews House building (old Royal high school). At this stage, an engineer Jones Lang Wootton was engaged by the Scottish office to viably evaluate the acquisition costs of the shortlisted sites. Measurements of environmental issue and traffic issue were also considered at this point. Haymarket was never considered as preferred option and officials sensed real hostility in Edinburgh to house the Parliament anywhere except centrally thus reducing the chances of Leith (Auditor General, 2000). The Holyrood site was not considered at this stage as it was occupied by Scottish and Newcastle brewery and was anticipated that it would not be completed within the required deadline. However, an accidental meeting of a civil servant on train with an official of Newcastle and subsequent negotiations resulted in the company demonstrating that they would evacuate the site in early 1999. As a consequence, on 8th December Holyrood was short-listed, and design and cost viability studies undertaken. Davis, Langdon and Everest (DLE) , Cost Consultants were commissioned to provide initial cost estimate for proposed sites and the Holyrood site was selected in early 1998 from the shortlist based on the following cost estimate (Auditor General,2000).: Design Selection: Once, the location was finalized the Scottish Office announced an international competition to acquire a designer for a new-fangled building to accommodate the parliament through a competitive selection procedure. The competition was suitably setup with a press release on 26 January 1998. The final design teams named on 7th May 1998 providing the project cost as being in the range of  £50 million excluding VAT (Fraser, 2004). Under the chairmanship of Dewar, a design committee was allotted to choose from a shortlist of designer. Conceptual designs were cost and displayed for public to view and provide their opinion. Feedback from the public depicted that the Catalan architect Enric Miralles designs were one of the most popular. The design team considered public opinion on the designs, and on 6 July 1998 the Enric Miralles‘s design was selected, with work being awarded to a Spanish Scottish design company namely EMBT/RMJM (Scotland) Ltd, exclusively created for the project. Construction management system of procurement was adopted and BLL was appointed as construction manager. In June 1999, construction commenced, by demolishing the Scottish and Newcastle brewery and opening the foundation work (The royal society of Edinburg, 2001). Journey of Estimate: The construction of the Scottish Parliament Complex generated controversy in several aspects. Spiraling costs and the use of public capital to fund the project rendered most controversy. By early 2004, the project was estimated to be  £430m, some ten times higher. In my opinion it is not fair to compare final figure with initial figure of  £10m as it was never an estimated price but an indicative one (Fraser, 2004). Time delay and cost overrun From the beginning, the complex and its construction have been controversial. For instance, Auditor General of Scotland expressed â€Å"in the recent history of Scotland there has not been public building project as complex or as difficult to deliver as the Holyrood Project† (Prasser, S., n.d.). Almost all aspect such as location, design, architect, construction management company, project manager all have been criticized by different factions namely, politician, media and general public. Due to complexity of the project, it is very difficult to single out one reason for delay and cost overrun but infect it was compound and interaction of many factors that resulted in delay and cost overrun (Fraser, 2004). Location: Selection of Holyrood to be the seat of parliament has contributed to delay and cost overrun. Holyrood was not an easy area to work due to the approach and being located in populated area. The selection of Holyrood added  £4.5m to the project being the cost for site acquisition and clearing. As the table1.1 (Fraser, 2004) shows, according to the costing done by DLE Holyrood was not economically attractive. Design and Design Development Factor: Main cause of the delay to the project was from Sept2000 due to the production of detailed design variations and the late supply of information during the construction process (Auditor General, 2004). Construction started in June1999 but Stage D design was approved after a year. Everyone anticipated that this will put an end too uncertainly and provide some sort of anchorage for the project but it did not happen. The project was densely populated, unusual and complex and was pitted against tight deadline. In some cases, trade contractors were responsible for part design but both the architects and some trade contractors failed to deliver some critical elements on time. Design development process added another  £80m to the cost of project. It is a process of bringing approved design to detailed design. This process runs parallel to Tendering and award of work packages and subsequent work on site. From 2000 onward, client didnt change its requirements significantly but the cost of br inging envisioned design to reality escalated (Black, 2004). Increase in area: after several revisions and new requirement were incorporated, total area reached from 16000.00 m2 to 31,000.00 m2 resulting in an increase of 47% and consequently effecting schedule and cost of the project. Building users brief prepared by the authorities substantially underestimated the requirements which resulted in various revisions and thus increase in area. For instance, Mr. Stewart said that the original estimate was â€Å"absolutely, too optimistic for a public building of this nature† (Fraser, 2004). The experience and expertise in construction management was not fully developed and was not present in the early stages of development. Procurement vehicle: In 1998, Civil servants opted for fast track method known as construction management form of procurement to build the parliament complex (Fraser, 2004). It works by fragmenting complete job into several small packages that are awarded, monitored and designed independently of one another. Its advantage is that the overall design doesnt have to be complete at the start of building works. In this form of contract, risk stays with the client, which is responsible for management of each individual work package-in this case around 60. However, after keeping in mind importance and urgency of the project, construction management procurement was the only viable option available. For instance, Harry Thorburn articulated, â€Å"The reality is that construction management was the only contract option for a client wanting to make an early start on a project that was still at the design concept stage† (Fortescue, S. 2004). Communication and coordination was another issue which added to the foes of already troubled project. Fraser (2004) reports that there was a lack of communication, coordination and understanding between stakeholders, for example, resolution of many design issues was delayed due to misunderstanding and lack of communication between RMJM EMBT. Landscaping is although minor part of overall figure, still it reflects failure of system. Cost of landscaping amounting to  £ 14 m came to the surface and was added when the project was well underway during autumn 2001 (Fraser, 2004). Schedule: Time-table for completion by project management was very demanding and idealistic rather than realistic. Construction manger consistently tried to achieve the set target but failed. According to Auditor Generals report (2004), schedule set in Sept 2000 for completion by December 2002 was probably unachievable. Proper EU guidelines and procedures were not followed for appointment of Bovis Lend and Lease as construction manager. BLL was not the lowest, yet they were awarded. BLLs contract was supposed to be converted to Lump sum after finalization of cost plan but was not done. Conversion of fees would have provided a powerful incentive to Bovis to apply maximum rigor in relation to cost control. No system was devised and implemented neither for performance measurement nor for cost reporting, analysis and financial control. Queensberry House proved to be the most costly item, in terms of cost per square meter (Fraser, 2004). However, Queensberrys cost was comparatively minor in context of the full cost of the Project at completion. Golden triangle of quality time and cost was ignored and quality was preferred against time and cost, time was preferred against cost. The undue importance given to time and quality resulted in escalated cost. Security issue and 9/11 factor also played an important role in delay and spiraling cost of the project. Fraser in his inquiry agrees that security bill amounted to  £29.11. Design of anti-blast measures causes a sum of  £17.54m and delay associated with blast causes additional sum of  £11.57m. Another major factor to be recognized was constructing a very complex, unusual building, visionary architecture was difficult to bring to reality. The Debating chamber roof, for example, was an extremely challenging task both for designers and builders (Fraser, 2004). Proper risk analysis and cost management studies were not done. At the early stage of decision making, no independent professional project management company was involved to advise the client. Role of Project Management Role of Project management is to deliver the project on time, within budget and with acceptable quality (Fraser, 2004). In this case, Project management provided an exceptional complex of high quality but failed miserable in context to cost and time. Black (2004) criticized performance of the project management or officials responsible for delivering the project. Decision making process and control over project was not clearly recognized along with lack of leadership. Normally project director is responsible for leadership and control, client delegates the authority to project director to render the project. Here, project director should have had clear responsibility in making decisions on balancing time, cost and quality/performance of the project. Auditor General (2004) affirmed that the client (the Parliament) did not clearly establish leadership and control of project. Leading parties could not agree on cost plan which was a missing link in effective project management, a draft plan was made in late 2000, that was an indicator of the costs instead of available estimate of the cost. Under construction management, design was vague and deficient initially, therefore the risks remained with the client (Fig 1.1). Project management selected a high risk route but failed to manage it properly. Risk accounting was insufficient in early stages and there was no quantified allowance for risk facing the project. Initially project management did introduce a process for quantifying risk and conducted some reviews but the general approach was to accept the cost increase and increase in the forecast as risk materialized. No system or forceful action was adopted to reduce the increase in cost (Fraser, 2004). Project management did not fully implement cost reporting and financial controls. Regular reporting of the total estimated costs of the project only started in July 2003(Black, 2004). Earlier financial reporting was neither comprehensive nor systematic. Once, the overall budget constraint of  £195m was removed by Parliament in June 2001, management did not establish an alternative budget which gave them liberty to achieve high quality and tight deadlines without due considerations of cost implications (Black, 2004; Fraser 2004). Conclusion Project management plays an important role in the success of mega and prestigious projects. Construction of Scottish parliament has put a negative mark on the role of project management. Delay and cost overrun of the project cannot be attributed to the failure of project management only, Fraser (2004) in his inquiry stated that it was the result of systematic failure and it is difficult to single out one villain. Also, there were several mistakes but the biggest one was involved in Procurement system. They were interconnected, increased exponentially, and had a rippling effect which was visible all throughout the period of construction. Despite of all the problems, Scotland has got an architectural gem; its an iconic building representing the land. In few years, the people of Scotland will be as proud of it as the people of Sydney are of Opera House, which was also an example of project failure when it was built (Australian Government Department, 2006; Mosaic Projects, n.d.). The entire project should have agreed project budget and proper set of performance indicators. Proper benchmarking should be done to measure the performance. If, competition is commissioned for selection of design, proper evaluation of pre qualification must be done and compatibility of working cultures should be considered. While selecting the design, attention should be paid to cost and execution problems that may arise due to complexity of design. Procurement route must always be chosen with care coupled with comprehensive evaluation. Construction management procurement route should be used rarely for public projects. Before construction starts adequate time should be available for the planning stage. As Fraser (2004) reports that investing time initially, to develop complete definitions reduces the chance of changes later. Good planning will involve (a) right sequence of construction to avoid delays and extra costs, (b) risk management (c) using value management to evaluate the role of each element of the construction processes (Black, 2004) (d) Selection of proper planning system â€Å"There must always be sufficient time for procurement to allow the clients requirements to be adequately defined so that it may obtain fixed and firm prices for the work in a competition† (Black, 2004). In all projects, performance payment incentives system should be initiated for contractors to perform against targets for quality, time and cost. Clearly defined duties and single point of leadership with explicit authority and responsibility should be ensured. Strong system of reporting and transparent channels of communication must be devised. It is essential that full contracts, guarantees and bond should be secured to prevent the risk. Early involvement of contractors in design phase might help in solving the problems later on. Concurrent engineering should be carried out to avoid complications during execution. Safety measures needs to be a considered as an integral part. In this particular case, no one would have anticipated the impact of 9/11. So it is better to have some contingency plan in place to tackle unforeseen events. Bibliography: Auditor General (2004). ‘Management of the Holyrood building project prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland Project overview, the reason for later delivery and increased costs, project management and control. Chapters 1-5., pp 1-92. Available from: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2004/nr_040629_holyrood_project.pdf [Accessed: 2nd April 2010]. Auditor General (2000). ‘The new Scottish Parliament building an examination of the management of the Holyrood building project prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland. Available from: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2000/nr_000919_new_parliament_building.pdf [Accessed: 3rd April 2010]. Australian Government Department (2006). ‘Sydney Opera House Nomination by the govt of Australia. Available from: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/uploadedFiles/About_Us/Ad_Hoc_Information_Pages/WorldHeritageNominationDocument.pdf [Accessed 8th April 2010] BBC (2004). ‘Timeline: Holyrood. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3210729.stm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010]. Black, R. (2004). ‘Presentation by the Auditor General for Scotland, Robert Black to the Audit Committee of the Scottish Parliament, on his report, Managing of the Holyrood building project Available from: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2004/nr_040629_holyrood_projec_statement_pr.pdf. [Accessed: 4th April 2010] Black R. (2004) ‘Audit Scotland. Available from: http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pdf/2004/04pf07ag.pdf [Accessed: 4th April 2010] Black R. (2004) ‘Audit committee official report 29 June 2004 Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/audit/or-04/au04-1402.htm [Accessed: 4th April 2010] Edinphoto (n.d.). ‘Scottish Parliament Complex at Holyrood. Available from: http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_edin_t/0_edinburgh_transport_buses_terminus_36_holyrood_024373.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fortescue, S. (2004). ‘The  £431 million question. Available from: http://www.pennwood.org.uk/Level%20Four/L402/Holyrood%20example.pdf [Accessed: 3rd April 2010] Fortescue, S. (2004). ‘The  £431 million question supply management. Available from: http://www.supplymanagement.com/analysis/features/2004/the-431-million-question/ [Accessed: 3rd April 2010] Fraser, R. H. L. (2004). ‘A Report by the Rt Hon Lord Fraser of Carmyllie QC on his Inquiry into the About Holyrood Project. SP Paper 205. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-00.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010]. Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Events Prior to 1 May 1997. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-02.htm. [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘White Paper to the Passing of the Scotland Act 1998. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-03.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Selection of the Holyrood Site. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-04.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Appointment of the Architect Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-05.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Evolution of the Building User Brief. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-06.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Construction Management. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-07.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Appointment of the Construction Manager. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-08.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Project Management 1998 to 1 June 1999. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-09.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Project from Handover to February 2000. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-10.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Early 2000 and the Establishment of the Holyrood Progress Group. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-11.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Holyrood Project June to December 2000 -Stage D The Cost Plan. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-12.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Project from Late 2000. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-13.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Planning, Queensberry House and the Role of Historic Scotland. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-14.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Programming and Design Delay- Factual Background- Construction Manager. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-15.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘Security Issues. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-16.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Fraser, R.H.L. (2004). ‘The Holyrood Project from Autumn 2003 Onwards. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/holyrood/inquiry/sp205-17.htm [Accessed: 2nd April 2010] Meredith, J.R. Mantel, S.J. (2006). ‘Project management a managerial approach 6th edition. John Wiley sons, New York. Mosaic Projects (n.d.). ‘Avoiding the successful failure. Available from: http://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF_Papers/P046_Successful_Failure.pdf [Accessed: 8th April 2010]. Prasser, S. (n.d.). ‘Parallels with Overseas Experience: The Holyrood Building Project, Scotland Overcoming the White Elephant Syndrome in Big and Iconic Projects in the Public and Private Sectors. Available from: http://epress.anu.edu.au/anzsog/imp/mobile_devices/ch05s07.html [Accessed: 4th April 2004] Project Management Institute (2004). ‘A guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge third edition (PMBOK Guides). Project Management Institute. Newtown Square. USA.:Philadelpia. Roberts, D (2003). ‘MSP says Holyrood builders are left idle Available from: http://www.scotsman.com/politics/MSP-says-Holyrood-builders-are.2459894.jp [Accessed: 4th April 2010]. Supply management.com (2004). ‘The  £431 million question. Available from: http://www.supplymanagement.com/analysis/features/2004/the-431-million-question/ [Accessed: 3rd April 2010] Scottish Parliament, (2001). ‘The Scottish Parliament building. Available from: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/pdf_res_notes/rn01-64.pdf. [Accessed: 5th April 2010] The royal society of Edinburg (2001). ‘Engineering the Scottish Parliament building. Available from: http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/events/reports/2000-2001/rae_01.pdf [Accessed: 4th April 2010] The Scottish Government (2007). ‘The government economic strategy. Available from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/202993/0054092.pdf. [Accessed: 3rd April 2010] Westland, J. (2006). ‘The Project Management Life Cycle. London: Kogan Page.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

John Rawls’s The Law of Peoples :: John Rawls Law Peoples Essays

John Rawls’s The Law of Peoples From its beginnings, Edward Said's Orientalism (1978) has produced conflict in post-colonial studies. Does Professor Said’s theory suggest global implications and/or strategies as Culture and Imperialism (1993) argues? Or does the East of Orientalism belong only to the Middle East and particularly to Middle Eastern studies? Is there a monolithic "Othering" at work? Or do resistive pockets exist within Western imperial discourse? Perhaps the thorniest issue, however, concerns the stance from which to view global issues of imperialism and colonization. Ethical decisions—judgments, in a word—should play a large part in post-colonial theorizing and critiques. But on what basis can judgments be made? Where should accountability lie? And if there is accountability, how can it be enforced? Moreover, there has been a recent shift in the major players in the 21st century version of the Great Game. Said and Bhabha have, in characteristically fine ways, questioned the stability of the term â€Å"nation.† â€Å"National identity† may now be seen more as a â€Å"notional identity.† But does it matter any more? Does national identity even count? These questions come on the heels of global political reactions to global capitalist institutions (multinational corporations) and the global political institutions wholly owned and operated by them. By global capitalist institutions, I mean organizations like Bertelsmann, Aramco, Merck, Sony, Microsoft, Daimler-Benz, and so on. By global political institutions, I refer to the World Bank, the IMF, the WTO, and the various protectors of Intellectual Property. Imperialism and colonization must now be looked at in terms of these global institutions, rather than in political or even cultural terms. The dichot omies first world/third world, east/west, north/south, developed/underdeveloped do not hold the relevance they once had. There are thus two issues to be faced: first, how to establish a foundational basis for ethical judgments, and second, how to theorize resistance to the new economic imperialism which has changed rather radically from the old imperialism of nation-state or region and which has rendered Samuel Huntington’s â€Å"clashes of culture† obsolete. Critics of both of these situations must ask where to look for guiding principles upon which to base judgments within a global context. I want to avoid both the hegemonic â€Å"westernization† of democratic/capitalist values and the seemingly benign cultural relativism that avoids any standards of ethical or political judgment.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Dead Man Walking Essay examples -- essays research papers

Dead Man Walking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film â€Å"Dead Man Walking† is a film about redemption. The film is directed by Tim Robbins. Susan Sarandon plays a Nun called Sister Helen Prejean. She is asked by a convicted murderer to get him a lawyer, and then later is asked to be his spiritual advisor. The convicted killer is named Matthew Poncelet, and he is played by Sean Penn. The film is set in the Angola state penitentiary, in Louisiana. Matthew Poncelet first asks her to get him a lawyer so he can repeal his Death sentence. Sister Helen gets him a lawyer, but they fail after several good attempts to get him off death row. Sister Helen begins to come to him almost every day after Poncelet asks her to be his spiritual advisor on the day of his death. During this phase of the film Sister Helen tries to get Poncelet to tell her about his own life. Poncelet tells her about his life and why he was put on death row. Poncelet was convicted along with another man in the murder of the youth and a girl after raping the girl. Sister Helen is very sympathetic and is also looked down upon for this reason. Though she is repressed she still goes on helping Poncelet and she digs around in his feelings and soul. Sister Helen eventually finds a good soul in Matthew Poncelet, a person no one else knows. Matthew constantly denies to Sister Helen, himself, and to God that he had committed his horrible crime. Poncelet continues to blame his problems on other things such as his father dying early in his life, his drug use, his immaturity, and that he was unable to stand up to his partner in the brutal crime. Sister Helen urges Poncelet to come clean and face the part that he took in the crime. And at nearly the last minutes of the film he tells the truth. Though he tells the truth of his sin, he is still put to death by lethal injection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this film, I believe, was to show that capital punishment is not right in all circumstances, but the redemption and preservation of the human soul being better. Tim Robbins tried to show how most people and even more accurate, Christian people tend to always want vengeance for a crime. Most of them have a line from the old testament committed to memory, â€Å"An eye for an eye,† is what they always want to say. But it really confuses me. To me that saying is not clear, if you think about it, i... ...n church. I read the Bible, though not as much as I should, but the â€Å"Eye for an Eye part has always confused me. If the Bible states, â€Å"Thou shall not kill,† then why does it justify the killing of a person who has killed before. I believe that God loves all his children. If people are really followers of Christ, they will learn from him how to forgive people for their faults and mistakes during life. If the people in the film would have stopped and though what it would be like to be in Poncelet’s shoes, maybe they would feel different about the death penalty. He was in jail facing lethal injection. I’m sure if they thought about it they would not want to be killed, but then the people who Poncelet had killed did not have a choice, they had death forced on them. This film does a great job of showing both sides of the capitol punishment controversy. I can see how people think killing someone who has killed is a good thing. It keeps the person off the streets and from killing again. Though is it really justice? I still believe that people can be evil, but people can also be cleansed. I believe this film has a dramatic point, and the purpose is pretty clear to anyone who may watch it.

A Study On Customer Attitude Towards Online Shopping

Abstract:The technological development with respect to internet has given a new dimension to marketing. Online customers are increasing and the virtual marketers realize the importance of customer oriented approach. This online facility benefits the users to gain in depth information about the product and to compare and evaluate the products offered by various suppliers. To conduct an empirical investigation a survey was conducted to collect data and was analyzed and interpreted using SPSS.A questionnaire was developed based on the objective of the study. The factors facilitating online shopping were measured on a five point Likert Scale. It was very clear from the study that security was the main concern and the users also mentioned about the absence of physical handling of the products in online shopping. At the same time many users felt that it was very convenient and cost effective.IntroductionOnline shopping has been growing because of the technological advancement, convenience, better purchasing capacity and the availability of different search engines and easier payment modes. The availability of the quality of the information, various brands and products enable the customers to make a choice from a wider market. Customers come across different types of risks in online shopping and they may not opt for internet marketing.With the advent of the internet , online shopping has gained immense popularity . The ease and convenience of shopping from anywhere in the world without having a physical visit to any shopping mall, has made online shopping or e-shopping an indispensable facility for many people.Internet marketing tools such as e-mail marketing, blogs, face book,  twitter, MMS, SMS and webisodes ( webisodes are created to enable the customers to visit the sites repeatedly and thus converting them into brand loyal customers) make it easier for the marketers to reach to their customers. They also combine the various marketing activities such as advertis ing, online campaigns and other public relations to create product awareness.In a constantly changing world of today, where past is replaced by dynamic present and the dynamic present is replaced by more challenging future, the old ways of doing things is no longer valid thus a new technology brings with it not only the potential for success but also a good design , its value to its users, ultimate use and acceptability. The current situation of shopping is changing due to globalization, technical innovations and market saturation.The intensity of competition increases due to new products and services as well as the entrance of competitors from other industries. The continuously growing educational standards and the opportunity to gather information induce enormous changes in customer behavior.Consumer attitude towards e-shopping is s a new strategic marketing and the information available influences customer attitude positively. The advent of web technology constitutes a new medium of commerce which puts the customer in a position to directly and quickly interact with the web services.The empirical study will find whether online shopping will gain importance and its use will accelerate at a faster rate in the coming years. Thus the study concludes that the online shopping is more cost effective and less time consuming. The study also confirms that there is a willingness and readiness on the part of the users to go ahead with such technological sophistications or improvements.However in certain respects the users felt online payments system lacks in security and it caters to the needs of the educated mass and felt that it may not be of any use where the physical  handling of the product becomes important. A few users felt that shopping means a family affair and a few felt that they enjoy their shopping with friends. In such cases e-shopping may not be too interesting under certain field of marketing. This study covers the key areas related to internet market ing and the customers attitude towards shopping using internet.Literature ReviewThe researcher has made an attempt to present the reviews of available studies which consists of articles and other research papers in the related areas. The study revealed the customers’ perceptions and characteristics that influences customers attitudes toward online shopping. An earlier study conducted by Ghose (1998) predicted that the internet may be an important channel for marketing. Another study has revealed that the fear of security system in online shopping due to credit card fraud has been one of the major reasons for customers avoiding online shopping. (Ratnasingham 1998).A study by Palumbo and Herbig (1998) suggested that in coming years internet may offer cost effective and sophisticated tools for online advertising, sales promotion and placing orders and communicating with their customers all over the world. The study of Walters and Lancaster (1999) revealed that the internet offer s direct links with customers and suppliers and facilitates transactions processes and information transfer at a faster pace.Jayawardhena and Foley (2000) identified that convenience, site design and financial security are the dominant factors in customers assessment of e-satisfaction. A study by Torre and Moxon ( 2001), concluded that many companies have adopted internet for conducting business transactions and sharing business information with their customers. The study made by Thomas S.H. Teo (2001) revealed the linkage between the use variables such as age, gender,income, education and internet usage established the relationship of internet usage with respect to surfing , mailing, chatting and messaging.A study by Ranganatham and Ganapathy(2002) revealed that the safety, security and privacy of  websites have a greater impact on the intention of the customers do go for online transactions. The most important reason for internet users to avoid online shopping is its security. K een et al (2002) found that demographic factors such as age, gender, education and income has a significant effect on the attitude of the consumers towards online shopping and also revealed that educated internet users are more comfortable to go for online shopping. Benedict et al 2004 found from their study that the need to touch, feel, smell or ability to try a product influences customers decision whether or not to shop online. One of the main reasons for which customers hesitate to shop online is that online shoppers are unable to touch the real products in order to evaluate the quality.Different types of online buyers have different evaluations of website design and website reliability but similar perception of website security (Shegill and Chen 2005) . Nearly 70% of web users use internet for sending and receiving emails, surfing, chatting and messaging . India was ranked fourth after US, China and Japan in terms of internet users by Computer Industry Almanac in 2005. A study by Collier and Bienstock (2006 ) identified product delivery as an important factor that influences online customers satisfaction and future purchase intention.Online purchase intentions and influences of personal attitudes were similar for males and females. (Yu-Bin Chiu, Chieu-Peng Lin Taiwan and Ling Lang Tang ) Customers showed interest in products like cars, computers, mobiles apparel and also services such as ticketing, health management and tourism management. Approximately 10 percent of the world’s population use online shopping has been shown in Online Consumer Opinion Survey of AC Neilsen. Ebay Pay Pal has been established as pay sources for various online purchase that includes air , rail and movie tickets , electronic items and apparels Taylor Nelson Sofres refers in the Third Annual Global E-commerce report that e-shopping in India includes a variety of products such as  books, apparels and electronic items.Factors including competitive cost, better customer se rvice and other demographic considerations have helped the marketing industry to soar to greater heights. The development of information technology and the growth of the communication network has opened new horizons in the world of marketing . This has enabled the customer to enter into a new technological development called e-tailing. This e-shopping enables the customer to benefit from the pool of information , product comparison, cost effectiveness and various other offers from its suppliers and thus making a better choice of product.Research MethodologyA pilot study was conducted among fifteen people consisting of neighbors, students and colleagues to evaluate how well the questionnaire was framed and understood.Sampling DesignThe sample has been taken only from the IT industry and the education sector since they have the prior knowledge about internet browsing. A sample size of 240 was considered for the study. Respondents were selected by purposive and convenience sampling met hod for the study. The study uses exploratory research design and analyses the primary data to show customer attitude towards online shoppingThe primary data has been collected through a self administered and structured questionnaire. Questionnaires were given to different age group of people ranging between the age group of 25 to 50. The questions were framed in view of the main factors like Security, Reliability, Quality and Loyalty. The variables were measured against a five point Likert scale.Following the literature review Questionnaires were developed based on the literature to determine the behavioral pattern while purchasing  online. The questions were designed and presented in two different parts. Part I comprised of the respondents’ personal background such as age, gender, educational qualification , occupation and income per month. Part II enabled the respondents to furnish the factors that influenced them to buy the product online.The questionnaire was developed based on the observations of the researcher, review of the literature and consultations with the people on the same area of interest. The variables used in the study is also based on the review of the literature and the researches done by other researchers. The research objectives of the studyTo analyze the customer behavior pattern in on line shopping To understand the relevance of online shopping for retail products and services. To understand the views of the respondents about the retail and service industryStatistical AnalyticsData in this study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Version 19.0) and Amos (Version 19). Factor analysis is used to identify the load variables to the factors such as Security, Reliability, Quality and Loyalty. Further these factors are analyzed to identify the inter relationship among the factor using the path analysis.Data Analysis Frequency table of demographic profiles Table – 1 AGE Age GroupMale Female 25 – 3 04838 30 – 353930 35 – 403217 40 – 451908 45 – 500603 Total14496Table -2 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION EducationMale Female UG7342 PG4124 PROFESSIONALS2116 RESEARCH ERS0914 TOTAL14496Table -3 HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER MONTH IncomeMale Female Less than 10,0002416 10,001 – 20,0004237 20,001 – 30,0004825 30,001 – 40,0001813 40,001 & above1205 Total14496Table -4 FREQUENCY OF USERS Frequency of usersMale Female Daily3728 Alternate days5134 Once in a week3823 Occasionally1811 TOTAL14496Table -5 ONLINE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AND SATISFACTION Satisfied with online shoppingMaleFemale Yes10258 No 4238 Total14496From the Tables 1 – 5 the following inferences were observed. Out of the 240 respondents men accounted for 60% and women accounted for 40% of the total respondents . Out of the 240 respondents the age group between 25 – 30 years represents 36% of the respondents and the age group between 30 – 35 represents 28% of the total  re spondents Out of 240 respondents, household income per month of Rs 10,001 – Rs 20,000 represent 33% of the respondents and income of Rs20,001 – 30,000 represents 30.4% of the total respondents.Out of 240 respondents holding Post graduate and above degrees represents 52% of the respondents and professional degree holders represent 15% and researcher scholars include 9% of the total respondents. Around 87.5% of the males use online services at least once a week while 88% of the females are online service once a weeks. About 71% males experienced satisfaction in online shopping while 60% females experienced satisfaction in online shopping.Hypothesis testing: The following are the findings of the hypothesis testing using chi-square through SPSS. Result 1: There is association between age and online shoppingResult 2: There is association between monthly family income and online shoppingResult 3: There is association between frequency of internet use and online shoppingResul t 4: Educational qualification and online shopping are relatedAround 82 % of the respondents felt that internet shopping was available 24Ãâ€"7 and it could be done from any place. They also expressed the convenience of home delivery at a cheaper price. A few respondents felt t hat it enabled them to engage themselves in other activities while shopping since extensive information was available online in different fields. However around 78% respondents felt t hat the payment gateway is not secure and they were under constant insecurity of their credit card information being hacked.They also said that it lacks the physical touch of the product and thus they were unable to judge the quality of the product. A few respondents felt that the absence of social interaction made online shopping a less interesting way of shopping. A few elders felt that  they didn’t have a credit card to use the internet shopping. One should accept the fact that though e- shopping is slowly increasing in India it doesn’t keep pace with the increase in global marketing.Many Indian customers do not use internet market due to their fear factor and the apprehension about the quality of the goods that they may receive. With increase of the secured payment gateways and the use of SSL ( Secure Socket Layers) which enables a safe transfer of private documents via internet may allow the e-marketing industry to flourish in the coming years.2.3 Factor AnalysisThe following table shows the various variables that were considered in the study. Table – 6Q1I trust the brand of the product Q2Novelty and innovation in the product Q3Delivery of the product is shipped to a wrong destination Q4My credit or debit card information can be misused Q5Product delivered on time Q6Shipping cost and FOB are clear Q7On line transaction is interrupted due to virus transmission Q8Product quality cannot be judged without physical touch Q9Extensive information about the product Q10Payment process is not safe Q11After sales services are not maintained Q12Goods delivered in good condition Q13Online customer satisfaction Q14Product packaging Q15Lack of knowledge about the stock in hand Q16Wider range of product line Q17Duplication of transaction due to network failures Q18Home delivery Q19Price list and discount offer are clear Q20Availability 24Ãâ€"7Table -7 KMO and Bartlett's TestKaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy..837 Bartlett's Test of SphericityApprox. Chi-Square3709.515 df190 Sig..000The KMO measure of sampling shows that 84% infers that the sampling procedure is good and this leads to factor analysis.Table 8 Extraction Method – Principal Component AnalysisQ210.894964 Q110.883193 Q1010.826436 Q1310.813798 Q1210.807486 Q1410.798794 Q1810.788084 Q1910.766677 Q910.751079 Q1110.74923 Q1610.726154 Q1710.69611 Q810.670899 Q1510.657976 Q510.649796 Q2010.573682 Q410.560741 Q610.478726 Q310.439737 Q710.434629From the scree plot we confirm that the four factors S ecurity (F1), Reliability (F2), Quality (F3), Loyalty (F4) can be formed.Table – 9Component 1234 Q11.772 Q8.755 Q12.753 Q5.744 Q17.685 Q10.666 Q4.661 Q7.656 Q15.639 Q3.607 Q6 .830 Q20 .787 Q9 .779 Q16 .582 Q19 .568 Q13 .876 Q18 .814 Q14 .789 Q2 .930 Q1 .924 Table – 10Rotated Component Matrix(a)Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. a Rotation converged in 8 iterations.Table -11 Transformation MatrixComponent1234 1.795.494.342.085 2-.420.404.198.789 3-.097-.450.887-.044 4.427-.625-.241.608 Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.Path Analysis diagram is drawn and from the diagram it indicates that the variables are factored as follws.This diagram shows that in Factor 1 Security the following variables are identified. Q17Duplication of transaction due to network failures Q10Payment process is not safe Q4My credit or debit card information can be misus ed Q7On line transaction is interrupted due to virus transmission Q15Lack of knowledge about the stock in hand Q3Delivery of the product is shipped to a wrong destination Q11After sales services are not maintained Q8Product quality cannot be judged without physical touch Q12Goods delivered in good condition Q5Product delivered on timeThe following variables are identified by Factor2Q16Wider range of product line Q19Price list and discount offer are clear Q6Shipping cost and FOB are clear Q20Availability 24Ãâ€"7 Q9Extensive information about the productThe following variables are identified by Factor 3Q13Online customer satisfaction Q14Product packaging Q18Home deliveryThe following variables are identified by Factor 4Q1I trust the brand of the product Q2Novelty and innovation in the productScope for further Research and Suggestion Several types of viral marketing can be studied with relevance to viral marketing for retail products in India. This study is restricted to Chennai and i t can be further extended to other metropolitan cities as a comparative study for future research.ConclusionThe study revealed that the customer were more willing to use internet for the services rather than the products. Most of them were content with rail booking through online however a few felt that booking air tickets were little more expensive since the travel agents were able to give better competitive ticket fare. The study also revealed that internet is less time consuming and more cost effective. Many were of the opinion that while travelling to new places they were very comfortable to find the details of places, accommodation and food.They were also able to make a better choice by comparison the prices offered and the kind of the service provided. Even though in many hospitals online booking was available many felt that it was easier to call and fix up and appointment rather than doing it thro online. However they felt that many foreigners take up the treatment by using t he internet. People were also keen on placing orders for health care products like Amway. Another factor that influenced the buyers was the physical touch of the product.Though there may be a larger range of products to select from, the n on disclosure of all the information about the product may pose a threat to the web users. Moreover the browsing speed, connectivity , power shut down and other technical problem may further crb the growth of internet marketing. The most important factor that prevents the growth of the online marketing is the safety and security .The fear of their debit/credit card being misused and the lack of information posted in their respective web sites post a major threat for the customers. A The online transactions doesn’t allow for a social network or a pleasant family outing and in practice the expectations of the customers is to shop with friends and family and such an expectation may not be fulfilled in online shopping.SuggestionsBrands should mo nitor the cyberspace for unauthorized use of their brand names. The companies should have policies and procedures that enable them to remove the web sites that violate the copyright laws. They should also educate their customers about the risks of buying from unauthorized sources and should have a consortium to report suspicious goods and sellers.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Supply and Demand and Price Elasticity

Apple I-PHONES – Elasticity of supply and demand ABSTRACT I-PHONE' ELASTICITY OF DEMAND What determines price elasticity of Iphones demand? Demand for Iphones – It seems like Iphone sales are above expectation and Apple can't meet current demand. People all over the world are enthralled and want to hold one of the advanced and sexiest products in the market. The degree of necessity or whether the good is a luxury – goods deemed by consumers to be necessities tend to have an inelastic demand whereas luxuries will tend to have a more elastic demand because consumers can make do without luxuries when their budgets are stretched. It's likely to assume that Iphone considered as a luxury and in an economic recession customers can cut their spending on Iphones. The cost of switching between different phones – there may be difficulties involved in switching between different phones. In this case, using Iphone, with its unique applications and software might involve with issues of transferring data from one phone to another. This also imply when moving from using another phone to Iphone. I consider this part for some extent as an insignificant. Summarizing, Iphone is a very unique product, differentiated but have some competitors. Price elasticity of demand is definitely not inelastic but not perfectly elastic. If prices go up significantly, there's no doubt that quantity demanded declines. I-PHONE' ELASTICITY OF SUPPLY Price elasticity also affects supply. Products with an inelastic supply usually have a long lead time, with little power over the quantity produced. Hotel rooms are one example, because if there's a price change, hotel owners can't decide halfway through the growing season to provide more or less of rooms. On the other hand, products with a high elasticity of supply tend to come from industries that can change their production levels more quickly – for example, milk and dairy products. If we examine Iphone elasticity of supply we should consider Apple manufactures for being able to adapt to high demand. From past publications, we could learn that Apple had some issues with facing demand, and that it couldn't meet demand. From my perspective Apple incorrectly predicated its sales, and that was the basis for the shortage. Iphone supply should be more elastic than inelastic at the end of the day.