Fcuk Swot

SWOT Analysis Prepared for: Prepared by: 2 September 2008 Introduction I have created this SWOT analysis on French Connection’s Regent St. branch. I have identified and discussed the strengths/weaknesses of the store, and examined the opportunities and threats it may face. Strengths French Connection targets a fashion-oriented customer typically aged 18 – 35 and produces fashion-forward, well made, on trend, accessible clothing. Positioning is in the upper end of the mass market so that pricing reflects the good quality and fashion element of the offer. It is a well-known brand that all young adults can identify. The brand holds a large share of the competitively priced clothing industry, with a large capital they are able to advertise and market the products on television, Internet and large billboards across the globe. During my visit in the Regent St. branch, I found a nice, clean and well presented store. The strong shop window invites for a quick browse. The good layout gives grate opportunities for positioning best sellers, new collection and add-ons. Most of current trends are presented in the new collection. Very good designs in women’s wear satisfying different tastes and needs. Effective merchandising in women’s area, good stock presentation is giving great ideas for matching items and for whole outfits. Good range from classy to casual. Staff has good a product knowledge. Management seems committed and confident. Comfortable shopping ambiance. Down stairs till area good selling point. The location offers a wide range of customers. (high footfall) Weaknesses Poor selection of men’s wear. Men’s Visual merchandising is not as strong as the women’s, although in the shop window they were presented better then the lady’s. Unfortunately I found the men’s area half as effective as the women’s. I know most of the company’s profit is coming from women’s wear but I think there are a lot of potential male customers out there and a little bit more focus on men’s wear would bring them in more often. Customer service: During my visit I was approached once after 15 minutes browsing in the store. The staff seemed demotivated and there was no interaction with customers on the shop floor nor by the till. After trying on an item wasn’t offered a different color in the same style, a different style in the same color or an add-on. Lack of selling techniques) Also I wasn’t informed about witch items are on sale or where can I find them and they are quite â€Å"hidden† so found it a bit difficult to identify them. (Lack of promoting sales in store) Staff left their sections unattended leaving no possibility for me asking for help. (Lack of attention to the shop fl oor) Store’s interior needs a refit with a trendier design. Changing room on the ground floor is tight and during peak hours just disappointment for customers. Kid’s section upstairs easy to miss out for customers who don’t even know there’s a selection for kids. Ground floor till area poor of add-ons, found just a small box of bangles. Opportunities More staff meetings and training on selling techniques, customer service, customer relations (keeping regular customers is one of the first priorities). Doing role plays during quiet times to build confidence. Customer service checklist twice a week monitoring staff performance with regular feedbacks. (constructive criticism. ) More team spirit. On the maping plan assign staff to sections so they’re responsible for it for the day. Great visual merchandising opportunities due to store layout. Monitoring sales week by week and merchandise accordingly. Staff (Men mostly) wearing latest trends this way giving examples for customers what to look for. Sales assistant who’s greeting customers by the entrance promoting sales or at least inform customers where to find items on sale and the new collection. Because of the location lot of tourists are visiting the store, they are a good amount of potential sales. (With the right atmosphere and service it’s easy to get them spending). Under the staircase in the men’s section is a good area for positioning better selling products because that is the only spot what you can see from the upper level when you’re looking down if there’s more to see downstairs. Ground floor changing room more organized and approachable. Local competitors have poor products. Can surprise competitors. Threats †¢ Customers leaving store without purchasing an item. †¢ Theft (Staff not paying attention), high stock loss. †¢ Loosing regular customers and potential regular customers. †¢ High staff turnover. †¢ Poor reputation among customers. ———————– fcuk fcuk

How did Stalin come to power and stay there? Essay

Stalin came to power in 1929, after out-manoeuvring his opposition in the Communist Party through political scheming and taking advantage of the mistakes they made. He stayed in power by getting rid of his opponents in brutal and unfair ways. It took Stalin 5 years to become completely established as Lenin’s successor. Stalin started his climb to power when Lenin gave him the important job of requisitioning grain from Southern farmers in order to feed the North. As a reward for this, Lenin made him responsible for the Red Army in the South. This brought him in direct conflict with Trotsky. He was then given the position of General Secretary of the party. By taking on many important jobs he was able to create an important power base because he had many supporters who owed their position to him. Before Lenin died, he had to decide who would succeed him; the obvious two choices were Trotsky and Stalin. Although it was very close Lenin had wanted Trotsky to be the one, this was a major draw back for Stalin. No one really knew about this until after Lenin died. Lenin’s funeral was a good time for Stalin to be back at the top. Before the funeral he had told Trotsky, who was ill at the time, that it was on a different date to the time it really was. As Trotsky was out of the picture for a while, it meant Stalin could take the glory for organising the funeral and leading the mourning. When Trotsky arrived for what he thought was the date of the funeral, he was told that he had missed it and this put him out of favour with the people of Russia. When Lenin’s Testament was about to be released to the public, Zinoviev saved Stalin from losing his chance by saying that it was out of date and it was never made public. By this time Stalin was Head of the Control Commission, which meant he could purge and expel members who were unreliable and control party membership. He was also made the party’s Orgburo; this meant he ran its’ organisational matters. By this time, Trotsky was furious and in his anger he gave up his only symbol of power by resigning as Commissar of War. Trotsky seriously underestimated the threat that Stalin was to him until it was too late. He was arrogant and often offended other senior Party members and made little effort to build up support for himself in the ranks of the Party. Many people in the USSR were frightened of him because they were worried that he would involve the USSR in new wars. They were tired of war and revolution and Stalin seemed to understand the people’s feelings. Stalin was now in the spotlight; he joined the Rightists, attacked the leftists and forced them out, this left space that was filled immediately by Stalin’s supporters. He then turned on the Rightists, voted then out and filled these spaces with more of his supporters. By his 50th birthday in December 1929, Stalin was finally made Leader of the Soviet Union and Stalin’s supporters now filled most of the Politburo. Once Stalin was in power he found it easy to stay there, through harsh ways he defeated his opponents. As Stalin’s supporters now filled the Politburo, he now had a good relationship with the members, which meant he could make as many new policies as he wanted without having people oppose them. Stalin made new economic and social policies all of which were carried through. As part of his economic policies, Stalin decided to modernise the USSR as it was far behind any other country, technology wise. Stalin himself said, â€Å"We are 50 to 100 years behind the advanced countries.† To start with brought peasants in from the country to towns to work in newly built factories. He dedicated these factories to building artillery. He came up with 3 ‘Five Year Plans’ each of which were set up to enable the USSR to ‘Catch-Up’ with technology. The 1st FYP was dedicated to building new industrial cities from nothing and setting up steel mills in many places. The 2nd FYP was focused on the 1st but built upon it. Heavy industry was still a priority but other areas, such as mining for lead, tin, zinc and other minerals, transport and communications and railways and canals, were developed. The 3rd FYP was in 1938. Some factories were to switch to the production of consumer goods such as, cars, radios, clothing etc; however, this plan was disrupted by the Second World War and so was not completed. Stalin also made some social polices which helped him keep the USSR under control; most of these were harsh and brutal. For example, he arrested people if they had links to Trotsky, he sent workers to labour camps, and he would put people in show trials for making the slightest mistake. These were important because people lived in fear and this made him very powerful because it squashed any opposition. Other policies, however, made him popular because they improved the way people lived, for example he improved living conditions for people throughout the USSR and he made factories produce consumer goods. This made the public happy. Education and religion were also factors of Stalin’s social policies, children in schools were shown pictures of party leaders which they burned when a new person was arrested and churches were closed and the ‘League of Militant Atheists’ was set up. These were both ways of subduing the public into supporting Stalin, which kept him in power longer. Another factor that helped Stalin stay in power was the fact that he was a cult figure; everybody knew Stalin was the leader, whole buildings were covered in portraits of his face and almost everything was named after him. He had many other names such as ‘Man of Steel’, ‘Iron Soldier’ and Universal Genius’, which proved how much the public liked him. People at meetings applauded whenever his name was mentioned and films, poems, plays, stories and novels celebrated his life. It even seemed Stalin could improve some ones love life. This all was a very important factor, which helped Stalin stay in power because he was so popular. Stalin was able to succeed Lenin because he was a very clever politician and planned his rise to power very carefully. He made sure he was close to Lenin so that he was popular with the people. He used the positions of power that he held very shrewdly by making sure that anyone who opposed him lost their job and putting in their place people who would support him. He was very ruthless and played those who opposed him, such as Trotsky and Bukharin, off against one another. Once in power he ruled by fear by controlling the people so that they would be too afraid to oppose him. He used the secret police to crush any opposition. He remained popular with the people by developing the ‘Cult of the Personality’; history was rewritten so that Lenin and Stalin were the only heroes of the Revolution. He used propaganda to good effect especially in Education. Portraits, photographs and statues of Stalin were everywhere and everything was done to promote Stalin from street names to poems about him or music composed praising him. Religious worship was banned, as he did not want the people to have any loyalty other than to him. Stalin had control of everything, from the economy to the mass media and freedom of speech was denied to Soviet citizens. So it was by these means that Stalin was able to take power and hold on to it after Lenin’s death. Bibliography: My Coursework Book Modern World History Text Book

Case for Legalizing Marijuana Essays - Herbalism, Medicinal Plants

Case for Legalizing Marijuana What Is Marijuana? Marijuana, a drug obtained from dried and crumpled parts of the ubiquitous hemp plant Canabis sativa (or Cannabis indica). Smoked by rolling in tobacco paper or placing in a pipe. It is also otherwise consumed worldwide by an estimated 200,000,000 persons for pleasure, an escape from reality, or relaxation. Marijuana is known by a variety of names such as kif (Morocco), dagga (South Africa), and bhang (India). Common in the United States, marijuana is called pot, grass, weed, Mary Jane, bones, etc. The main active principle of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol. The potency of its various forms ranges from a weak drink consumed in India to the highly potent hashish. The following consists of pure cannabis resin. Marijuana is not a narcotic and is not mentally or physically addicting drug. One can use mild cannabis preparations such as marijuana in small amounts for years without physical or mental deterioration. Marijuana serves to diminish inhibitions and acts as an euphoriant. Only once in a while will it produce actual hallucinations. More potent preparations of cannabis such as hashish can induce psychedelic experiences identical to those observed after ingestion of potent hallucinogens such as LSD. Some who smoke marijuana feel no effects; others feel relaxed and sociable, tend to laugh a great deal, and have a profound loss of the sense of time. Characteristically, those under the influence of marijuana show incoordination and impaired ability to perform skilled acts. Still others experience a wide range of emotions including feelings of perception, fear, insanity, happiness, love and anger. Although marijuana is not addicting, it may be habituating. The individual may become psychologically rather than physically dependent on the drug. Legalization Of Marijuana Those who urge the legalization of marijuana maintain the drug is entirely safe. The available data suggested, this is not so, Marijuana occasionally produces acute panic reactions or even transient psychoses. Furthermore, a person driving under the influence of marijuana is a danger to themselves and others. If smoked heavily and a great deal of consistency, its use has been clearly associated with mental breakdown. In many persons who smoke chronically, the drug reinforces passivity and reduces goal-directed, constructive activity. The chronic use of pure resin (hashish) has been associated both with mental deterioration and criminality. One of the major complications of marijuana use is the tendency on the part of some users to progress to more dangerous drugs. Users in economically deprived areas usually go on to heroin, whereas more affluent individuals tend to move from marijuana to more potent hallucinogens such as LSD. There is no established medical use for marijuana or any other cannabis preparation. In the United States, its use is a crime and the laws governing marijuana are similar to those regulating heroin. Many authorities now urge that the laws be modified to mitigate the penalties relating to conviction on marijuana possession charges. The Case For Legalizing Marijuana Use The United States stands apart from many nations in its deep respect for the individual. The strong belief in personal freedom appears early in the nation's history. The Declaration of Independence speaks of every citizen's right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." The Constitution and Bill of Rights go further, making specific guarantees. They forbid the government to make unwarranted entry into dwelling places. They forbid seizure of personal property, except when very clear reasons are approved by the courts. They allow every citizen to remain silent in court when accused of a crime. Legal decisions have extended these rights, so that every citizen may feel safe, secure, and sheltered from public view in the privacy of his or her home. The Right To Privacy In recent years, Americans have referred to privacy as one of the basic human rights, something to be claimed by anyone, anywhere. United States citizens feel strongly about this and often tell other countries that they must honor their people's claims to privacy and personal freedom. Foreign leaders often disagree. They resent what they deem arrogant meddling by the United States. Leaders of the Soviet Union, for example, regard individual privacy as trivial when compared to the needs of the state. If the United States is

LSTD303 Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

LSTD303 Paper - Essay Example The issue of divorce does not only entail the end of a marriage or union between the two individuals involved, but also other relevant and complex legal issues such as the sharing of property, the custody of the children, the financing of the children’s lifestyle, among other fine legal details (Virginia State Bar, 2013). No wonder therefore, that the issue of divorce is a fundamental legal issue in the state of Virginia, where the State has provided that for any divorce to occur, there should be sufficient grounds which are to be applied as the basis. Besides the fundamental requirements regarding sufficient grounds for completing a divorce, there are also some requirements regarding the residency of the area of jurisdiction, which also informs the settling of the divorce issue between the involved parties. Therefore, the article seeks to address the fundamental questions that different individuals might have, regarding the issue of divorce in the state of Virginia, with a fo cus on the types of divorce, the required grounds for completing divorce, the property rights and how they are addressed, the award of spousal support, the custody of children and the children support obligations. Types of divorce in the State of Virginia The state of Virginia recognizes two type of divorces; divorce from bed and board or divorce from the bond of matrimony (Hofheimer, 2009). The divorce from bed and board refers to the situation where the husband and wife are legally separated from each other, and they are not allowed to remarry again. This is a qualified type of divorce, under which the parties involved can then go back to the court and petition the court to merge the divorce into a divorce from the bond of matrimony, after one year has passed from the date the two were legally separated (Virginia State Bar, 2013). On the other hand, the divorce from the bond of matrimony is the absolute form of divorce, where the links between a husband and wife are permanently se vered. Annulment is the other type of divorce, which takes the form of a legal decree that declares a marriage null and void, on the ground that such a marriage was entered under conditions of fraud, duress or coercion of one of the party (Stim, 2013). The Grounds for Divorce in the State of Virginia Under the Family Laws of the State of Virginia, it is provided that a divorce cannot just occur out of the mere agreement between the husband and wife. Under this law, it is required that sufficient ground should exist for effecting a divorce between a husband and wife, even where the two have mutually agreed to have a divorce (Gross & Callahan, 2006). The bases for the two types of divorces are provided for differently. The required grounds for completing a divorce from bed and board, as provided for in the State of Virginia, include a Willful desertion or abandonment, where the individuals involved have broken the bonds of cohabitation, and they have the intent to dessert or abandon e ach other (Virginia State Bar, 2013). Thus where sufficient grounds exist for one member of the marriage to dessert, the court will then grant the authority for the application of a divorce from bed and board. The second ground under which a divorce from bed and board can be applied is the acts of cruelty or bodily harm perpetrated by one party in the marriage, against the other (Hofheimer, 2009). Under circumstances where it is evident that one party to the marriage is capable of bodily causing harm to the other, and thus

ABC COMPANY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

ABC COMPANY - Essay Example The company will now move to a Cell Manufacturing Process Plant. A thorough analysis was transpiring for the re-engineering of obligatory business process and the preliminary efforts intense on essentials up to five years hallucination. But prior to endeavor of re-engineering processes by their trade allies, ABC, initially, wanted to improve their internal systems. The first step ABC took in this regard was the installation of monetary software. After that exemplary action several steps in the same track were taken gradually with more advance software modules as per their requirements and the progression is still going on. The main reason for the success of ABC is their implementation of the advance techniques of pricing and distribution in their business. To congregate the supply chain necessities ABC’s management decided to come up with two way solution, first they use radio frequency based data capture to support the on-line communication runs inside the company and then use the bar coding facility, to make it more authentic at their prime retail customers side. For combine podium of B2B communication, ABC and its trade cohorts were selected the Microsoft’s Biztalk. To implement this facility, external experts were brought in with the stern idea of in-house development to stay autonomous on their leaving. 1. Identify the different strategies you will employ to each of the 4 categories of suppliers and material/equipment purchased. Discuss the body of knowledge that surrounds supply chain strategies. (15%) The purchasing of new plant equipment requires selection of qualified suppliers and preparation and evaluation of bids. Since the product is new and the supplier not pre-qualified in most of the cases, hence the due diligence step in the process has to be carried out. This process is timely and energy consuming since loads of insight has to be put into the process before

In what ways have your previous educational experiences prepared you Essay

In what ways have your previous educational experiences prepared you to be a college scholar - Essay Example As a result, my grades have fallen and due to the low GPA, I could not pursue college education. Later, after I earned a job in a bank and got married, I saw that people around me are continuing their education irrespective of the other commitments in their lives. This has made me fully realize the value of education and further motivated me to pursue college studies so that I can get a better job and thus improve the quality of my life. During my school years, especially when I was studying in high school, I have not given much priority to my studies. I did not fully realize that lower grades at this stage will hamper the chances of my going to college. Thus, I failed to pay the required attention to my academics and rather focused on other activities. After high school, when some of my friends who have taken their studies seriously received college admission and began pursuing higher studies, I realized my mistake. Even then, I did not feel like pursuing my studies and instead I started looking for a job thinking that this will compensate my lack of education. However, none of the jobs I got was good enough to motivate me to stay on and I kept switching between workplaces until I finally got a job in a bank. It is here I understood that people can pursue their studies even after getting a job and being settled in life. I saw my colleagues as well as seniors doing higher studies part time and this motivated me to c ontinue my education. I joined an evening class, being determined that this time I will take my studies seriously and work hard for higher education. The best part of failure is that it enables people to realize where they have gone wrong and help them make appropriate amends. During my school years I have never attempted to understand any subject thoroughly but just read my textbooks to gain pass marks. Now I know that this will not help me gain in depth knowledge in any subject and I will

Ipad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ipad - Essay Example Let us first look at the features of the iPad. â€Å"There’s more to it. And even less of it.† this is the new tagline of the Apple store for the newly released iPad. The newly released iPad has two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording. There is a dual core A5 chip, which I don’t even know what it means. It sounds so technical that I can feel that my nose is starting to bleed. I’m just kidding. The battery life of the iPad is 10 hours. That sounds amazing right? All in thinner, lighter design, the new iPad is even more amazing and even less like anything else. Once you pick-up IPad, it would be hard to put down. The iPad and the latest iPad 2, is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter so it feels even more comfortable in your hands. There’s incredible technology under your fingers that makes surfing the web, checking the email, watching movies and reading books so natural. iPad has dual-core A5 chip. This technical term makes my head hurt. Kidding aside, the two powerful cores in one A5 chip mean iPad can do twice the work at once. You’ll know these changes when you surf the web, watch the movies, make FaceTime video calls and play games. Aren’t you excited to try the Facetime video calls? This will very useful to those who have their boyfriends or girlfriends. But it will be very scary to use this with our parents, right? I bet we’ll get the same lecture in life like we used to have when we are having dinner with our moms or dads perhaps. The two cameras on iPad, one on front and one on the back, may look tiny but they’re a big deal. The so-called Facetime video calling uses the two cameras so you can talk to your favourite people and see them smile and laugh back at you. For those game enthusiasts, we’ll this is good gadget for you. The graphic performance is nine times better which makes the gameplay on iPad even smoother and more realistic. The iPad also has the world†™s most advanced mobile operating system. iOS 4 lets you browse, read and see everything just by touching the screen. iPad also stays connected though wifi and 3G. Everything is at our fingertips. The multi-touch capability let us use our fingers to do everything. I hope you are all still ok listening to me. Am I boring you? Well, you have no choice, or else you’ll get detention. I’m just kidding. I don’t want to state all the features of the iPad because I believe my nose will bleed due to the technicalities. iPad may have a lot of features that can make us drool to buy one. But what is more important is to know what it can give us or its importance, right? Many new gadgets don't live up to the hype, but the iPad is one gadget that is as good as it looks. You could say that it’s somewhere in between a laptop computer and an iPhone, but really it’s more than that. If you're planning to get an iPad, then the first step should be to find out a bit more about what it can do. First, iPad is the best way to experience the web. iPad is used mainly to surf the internet. It is really convenient to surf the internet anywhere and anytime you want. Second, iPad is ideal for checking e-mail and sending short emails, especially when you’re on the go. iPad has a split-screen view and expansive onscreen keyboard where you can see and touch your email in ways you never could before. Third, iPad can be the world’s biggest cookbook. It is easier to cook having the recipe with you in the kitchen. There are great recipe websites

Stress Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stress - Research Paper Example Some people worry too much, and this constant worrying about different problems leads the person to be uncomfortable and anxious. Fatigue and overwork can also have affects that cause stress. People might feel stressed out when they find out that they have worked for too long, but without a credible accomplishment, or when time isnt on their side and they fail to achieve what they had set out to do. If these problems reach a point where a person experiences stress, stress may lead to depression, among other consequences. Depression may also be brought upon by the person himself. If somebody failed at what he set out to do, he might not think of himself as highly as he did before and fail to achieve congruence. He might constantly blame himself for everything unpleasant in his life, and that causes the person to have a lack of self-confidence. This person might also be fearful and suspicious of himself and other people he interacts with. Depression itself has its own consequences and affects, and one of the most dangerous affects might lead the depressed person to commit suicide. The Japanese society is a fine example of how the chain of overwork, stress and depression all take part in causing a person to become suicidal. The typical Japanese workingman leaves in the morning for a full day of work until nightfall where he might go out with his co-workers then set out to take a late train back home where he sleeps late and wakes up for another morning. Among the Japanese working population, almost 63% work as employees in different companies. This means that more than half of the working force of Japan experiences almost the same working routine. This sort of lifestyle is very stressful and demanding, and causes a person to become exhausted and depressed. This kind of depression could lead to suicide, which is why Japan has one of the worlds

Government Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Government - Case Study Example But at the same time, prosecution gave impression of being over zealous in indicting only Martha, who was actually a much smaller culprit of the said crime as against the Mr. Samuel Waksal, who was a major offender. Mr. Samuel was a cofounder of the company, who had intentionally set to defraud the various stakeholders through deliberate insider trading based on confidential information. Business persons are guided by their financial advisors and therefore, Martha Stewart’s only crime was that she had trusted financial advisor, Peter Bacanovic and then continued to follow his instruction under the misguided notion that her actions would actually acquit her of the financial misdeeds. The market driven approach of the health industry is neither valid nor ethical. In the market driven health system, consumers or people decide what goods (health module) to buy and at what cost. The prices and the level of services become the crucial factor in the exchange of goods or the healthcare services. In US, the healthcare is market driven and even the essential ones like insurance, accessibility etc are treated like commodities. The healthcare components like accessibility to good medical care, quality and cost are therefore, increasingly moving beyond the grasp of general public. In the current scenario of recessive trends, huge unemployment and rising cost of health care imperatives, increasing number of Americans have inadequate or have no health insurance cover because of unemployment. The market paradigms of the healthcare system have made it extremely discriminatory and unaffordable and thereby inaccessible for the unemployed and low income citizens. Thus, it can be concluded that an unprecedented commercialization with the healthcare industry that has not boded well for the masses. The government must come up with more stringent measures and controls so that market driven interests are not able to exploit the vulnerable class. The government must ensure

Comparison and Contrast of the Story of Joseph in the Bible and the Essay

Comparison and Contrast of the Story of Joseph in the Bible and the Koran - Essay Example The Koran and the Bible present similar accounts only for Joseph and Moses, whereas they widely differ in accounts of Noah, Abraham and Jonah. The story of Joseph has the main basic theme, but some of the details presented differ in some ways. The Biblical story of Joseph is presented in detail, whereas the Koran presents a broader version. The paper will analyze the differences between the two stories. These are discussed in detail; 2. The Dreams In the Bible two dreams are mentioned. The first dream is of sheaves that bow down to Joseph’s sheaf. The second dream mentions eleven stars, the Sun and the Moon bowing down before Joseph. The Koran mentions only one dream which is the second dream. There is no mention of the first dream. Furthermore, both versions vary in accounts of Joseph telling his father Jacob about the dreams. In the Koran version Jacob advised Joseph to keep the dream to himself and not tell his brothers. Jacob seems to understand the meaning of the dream an d understands that Joseph has been selected by God and may possess special knowledge to interpret dreams. As per the Koran the reaction is as follows: â€Å"My little son! Relate not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they concoct a plot against thee: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy! Thus thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories and perfect His favor to thee and to the posterity of Jacob† (Sura 12:5-6). He believes the dream to be true. Whereas, as per the Biblical account, Jacob seems unsettled and keeps the dream under consideration that it may come true. 3. Cause for Hatred The Bible has explained the cause of hatred of Joseph’s brothers. Joseph shared his dreams with them. The brothers are jealous of his dreams and that he has been granted higher position and respect. Other reasons explained also include more affection of Jacob towards Joseph since he was born to him in his old age. As per the Bible, â€Å"because he had been born to him in his old age† (Gen 37:3). Furthermore, Joseph also brought his father bad reports about his brothers. Apart from these reasons, signs of favoritism are shown towards Joseph from his father. This specially includes the colored shirt given to him. The Koran on the other hand does not mention any colored shirt, though the favoritism is the only cause explained for the hatred of his brothers for Joseph. 4. Sending Joseph with his Brothers The Koran mentions detail account of Jacob not trusting his sons. They ask permission from him to take Joseph along with them. The Koran mentions this part in a way that Jacob had knowledge of enmity that his sons were against Joseph and their intentions were not good. He was worried but allowed his sons to take Joseph along with them after some pressure and pleading. This account is not mentioned in the Bible. Furthermore, the plan to kill Joseph or to get rid of him was not premeditated as per the Bible, whereas, as per the Koran this comple te activity was planned before and the permission to take Joseph along with them was a part of this plan. 6. Selling Joseph Both the books have account of Joseph being sold into slavery. The Bible has detailed account in this act. Though, the plot is the same that Joseph was sold to a caravan headed

Journal Assignments Essay Example for Free

Journal Assignments Essay Topic 1 The Critical Role that Parents played in the learning and social development of Children with Disabilities The reading on this particular topic is concern about the critical role of parents towards the education of children with disabilities. The author cited that in the past and even today, parents have been blamed by teachers and professionals for their children’s learning and social problems claiming that parents are responsible towards their children’s development. In the particular research regarding the role of parents with their children with learning and social disabilities, the author cited that parents are not entirely to blame for their children’s learning and social disabilities.    Instead the author pointed out the neurological organization theory which had placed all the burdens to parents regarding their children’s learning and social problem (p. 109). This line of reasoning is challenging because most of us are used to the idea that parents are responsible for their children. Nevertheless, I would agree with the author that parents are not to blame completely especially in the context of what the author calls â€Å"reciprocal effects† wherein researchers have found that some babies, especially those with disabilities, â€Å"are born with difficult temperaments, which can influence how their parents respond to them† (p. 110). For me this is interesting because it shows how parents care for their children. It is also interesting to note that the government is doing its part in order to insure that children with disabilities are given necessary attention and care so that as they grow they will realize that despite of their disabilities they are part of the normal society. Indeed play a critical role in helping meet the needs of children with disabilities. With the enactment of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the author cited the teachers and professionals are now cooperating closely with parents as this law provides parents opportu nities to participate in activities relating to forming curriculum for their children’s learning and social development. New Learning and relevance What I have learn from this reading is that parents with children with learning and social disabilities should not be ashamed to bring them into the society as there are a lot of opportunities awaiting them. Many parents having this problem would not dare to admit their child has learning disability. But the lesson that could be drawn here is that they should not be ashamed to admit this reality, instead recognized their child’s need for special attention, special care, and special education which could be provided to them by the government through the help of special education teachers. This learning is relevant to my work with children with learning disabilities as it helped me realized my responsibility towards these special children. Topic 2 Prevention of Learning Disabilities Discussion Can learning disability be prevented? What is this all about? At first glance on the first question, this seemed impossible as we do not know the new born child will have learning and social disabilities when he or she grows up. Besides, I am used to the fact that most of the programs for children with disability are concerned about correcting if not merely to comply with the provision of No Child Left behind Act, as this law provides that all children including those with disabilities have an access to quality education. But before going into detail, let’s answer the second question. There are three types of learning disabilities prevention namely: the primary, the secondary, and the tertiary prevention. Primary prevention is concern about keeping the disability from occurring. This could be done by reducing the chances of brain injury, by improving teacher’s skills particularly in behavior management, and by providing parents necessary child-rearing skills. To achieve this goal, utmost care and protection is needed against potential causes such the one mentioned earlier. As per the reading is concern, secondary education assumes the responsibility of correcting disability after it occurs. These include keeping the disability from getting worse which could be facilitated by remedial instructions that could be provided by special education teachers.   That means that there should be close cooperation between parents and special education teachers on how their children’s disability can be corrected. The tertiary prevention which is already a higher concern goes beyond correction. It is â€Å"keeping the effects of disability from spreading to other areas of functioning† (p. 144). New learning and relevance Based on the discussion above learning disabilities are possible to occur but it can be prevented by reducing the chances of its occurrence such as brain injury, or any type of accidents during pregnancy. Learning disability can also be corrected. What is needed is utmost care, sincere effort to provide love and affection for children with disabilities, and commitment to teaching them. For, what is new here is the idea that learning disability can be prevented and corrected. My concept regarding special education for children with learning disability is to provide them education using the most appropriate instruction in order for them to be at par with normal students. I just realized that it is possible that the goal for this type of education is for corrective purpose. Given this, notion, I can develop this idea further to provide a more meaningful programs using the knowledge I just gained. Topic 3 Technology assisted instruction for Children with Disabilities Discussion What is this topic all about? The idea of technology assisted instruction for children with disabilities seemed odd because these children need somebody whom they can hold, can communicate with them, and somebody who will show them affection. But today, according to experiments computer assisted instruction or CAI is an instructional task option â€Å"that can be used with good results for teaching preacademic or basic academic skills.† Findings on the use of computer assisted instruction for children with early childhood learning impairment (ECLI) reveals that CAI can be a good tool towards the promotion of skills generalization and for motivating students to participate in the study. According to the reading, children enjoyed interaction and the control they had with the computer. It also facilitates teacher and students interaction through the items in the display which serve as an instant visual aid. In general, researchers in this type of instruction listed quite a number of benefits on the use of CAI both for teachers and students. New Learning and relevance Given this development, this study is certainly interesting and relevant because of the current trend in the use of technology almost in every realm from communication to identification, and now for learning instructions. Of course this is not really surprising given the trend of using technology, but what is surprising for me is the success that it has contributed to teaching/learning situation of early childhood learning impaired students. This is something new as we are used to see this job done by a real person skilled in teaching special education to children with learning disability. Given this findings, those who are computer literate will surely feel comfortable because they can further enhance the benefit of using their computer. In my case I can use this knowledge by creating programs in the computer that could further enhance the learning process. This is exactly the reason why I chose this topic being computer proficient my self.

Structure And Organization Of The Petroleum Industry Economics Essay

Structure And Organization Of The Petroleum Industry Economics Essay From driving industries globally to heating our homes and fuelling our cars, oil plays a major role in our lives as consumers but most people are yet to ask themselves how the industry that produces this oil has evolved to what it is now. The petroleum industry has evolved overtime and the use of its products has also grown to become an essential part of todays global economy (Business and Economic Research Advisor, 2006). The petroleum industry is involved in the global business of discovering oil, extracting it from the subsurface, refining it into a variety of useable products, distributing it through pipelines and oil tankers, and finally marketing it for public use (Wikipedia, 2010). While some companies in the industry (integrated companies) perform all these functions, others only perform one or some of them (independents) (Davies, 1999). The source of energy that currently provides most of the worlds energy demands as well as raw material that the petroleum and chemical industries refine into a variety of essential industrial and chemical products came with the development of the petroleum industry in the nineteenth and twentieth century. These products include amongst others fertilizers, pesticides, solvents, pharmaceuticals and plastics. Products derived from crude oil refining are grouped into gasoline (motor spirit/fuel), heating oil, middle distillates (jet fuel, diesel for vehicles and other motor engines), kerosene for cooking and fuel oil (boiler fuel for industry, power and shipping). According to the American Petroleum Institute, the industry is divided into sectors that cover all the procedures involved in finding, producing, processing, transporting and marketing oil and gas. These include: upstream- involved in exploration and production of oil and gas using advanced geology to high-tech offshore drilling platforms; downstream- involved in refining and marketing. It also includes the transportation of products using tankers from local terminals to service stations and ownership and operations in retail outlets; pipeline- involved in the movement of oil from ocean platforms and wells on land to refineries and finally to terminals where they are released to retail outlets; marine- comprises all aspects of petroleum and its products movement by water, including port operations, maritime fighting and oil spill response; service and supply- includes companies that provide supplies, services, design and engineering support for exploration, drilling, refining and oth er operations. Prior to oil being commercially discovered and drilled in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, which saw the birth of the modern petroleum industry, natural petroleum served the primary purpose of kerosene for lighting and heating. In the early twentieth century, the use of coal as the worlds primary energy source was eventually replaced by oil and as gasoline for the newly invented internal combustion engine (Jones, 2005). Oil and gas development has evolved overtime. Their use has also grown to become an essential part of todays global economy. As oil and gas powers todays economy, its availability and control was important in both world wars and it still remains the critical fuel source that powers industry and transportation (BERA, 2006). With oil being commercially available in the US, the first major oil company, the Standard Oil Company was formed by J.D Rockefeller in 1870 and United States became the worlds giant in oil production until the end of World War two when the Middle East countries took the lead. The post world war era witnessed the union of Anglo-Saxon companies called the Seven Sisters as coined by Enrico Mattei, an Italian entrepreneur. They included four companies and three others ( Standard Oil Companies of New Jersey- Esso, New York- SOCONY, and California- SOCAL) formed by the break-up of Standard Oil Company in 1911 by the U.S government when the Companys operations were declared monopolistic and infringing the Countrys unique antitrust law as of then (Jones, 2005). The Seven sisters were vertically integrated international companies according to Jones (2005) that arose because of the need to ensure efficient operations of the refineries to assure and manage oil flows, secure outlets for crude oil and adjust to short-run changes in the demand for different products in different areas. They were involved at all stages in the industry from exploration and production of crude oil to marketing the products to its final consumers. They also diversified into fertilizers, pe trochemicals and other industries that utilized petroleum derivatives as raw materials. Except in North America and the communist countries, the seven sisters were responsible for 85% of gross crude oil production and 72% of refinery globally in the 1950s and they all made the list in the 1956 ranking of the worlds largest industrial firms by revenue (Jones, 2005). Intra-firm trades and the vertically integrated status of the multinationals had began to decline at the beginning of the 1950s as host governments policies to increase ownership and control over resources did not favour them. This was the period of nationalization with the majors, who had been strong players in the Middle East and other OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) countries, being dealt massive blows by the nationalization of assets in the Middle East and other countries (Davies, 1999). From the late 1960s, this trend led to the expropriation of foreign assets (nationalization without compensation) and the formation of national cartels intended to enhance the bargaining power of host countries against the seven sisters. A typical case was the formation of OPEC in 1960 by Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. They were involved in product pricing and quota sharing but overtime their influence was no more successful than the seven sisters in price re gulation in the long-run (Jones, 2005). The state owned national oil companies sprung up as a result of the nationalization during this period and foreign ownership of resources declined. Significant in the industrys development in the 70s and 80s was a change in the corporate structure of the industry and the policies of the host governments. New entrants emerged as the industry became more global in nature. Other world markets in Europe, Asia and Russia and began to play a much greater role and the seven sisters now had competitors. Amongst these were the U.S European State-owned oil companies like ENI, Italys AGIP and Frances CFP. Others who joined the competition for concession and market were independents like the U.S Occidental, Getty Oil, Continental and Amerada. Their involvement, increased the bargaining power of producer governments, weakened the control of multinationals over world oil prices and made the industry highly competitive forcing the incumbent multinationals to diversify into other industries but this was hardly successful (Jones, 2005). Despite the extensive global changes in the technology, markets and geopolitics, the structure of the industry had remained fairly intact some few years ago but in 1998/99 a period of corporate consolidation was introduced bring an abrupt end to this era of fair constancy (Davies,1999). From a series of mergers and acquisition between 1998 and 2002 in response to a severe deflation in oil prices was the emergence of the super majors in the industry. They included non-state owned companies like British Petroleum (BP), Total, ConocoPhilips, Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron. In an attempt to hedge against oil price volatility, improve economies of scale and reduce large cash reserves through reinvestment, they began merging in the nineties. BP acquired Amoco in 1998. From a merger of Esso and Mobil, ExxonMobil arose in 1999. Total Fina Elf arose from the merger between Total, Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine in 2000. A merger of Chevron and Texaco in 2001 created Chevron Texaco and finally in 2002 Conoco Inc. and Philips Petroleum Company became ConocoPhilips (Wikipedia, 2010). In some cases, these mergers at the micro-level increased profit but they were insufficient at having a major impact upon corporate level returns and profitability (Davie, 1999). Presently, the only survivors of the seven sisters are BP, Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron contributing only 10% of the worlds oil and gas production and they hold only 3% of reserves with the states from developing countries owning the remainder. This notwithstanding, their integrated nature pushes their revenue higher than those of the new entrants (Jones, 2005). An interesting development as reported by the financial times of March 11, 2007 is the existence of the new seven sisters. They have become the most influential state-owned companies controlling nearly a third of the worlds oil and gas production. They include Gazprom (Russia), National Iranian Oil Company (Iran), Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia), Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Malaysia), China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), Petroleos de Venezuela, (Venezuela) and Petroleo Brasileiro, Brazil (Wikipedia, 2010). From current trend of events, the industry is still evolving and further change is anticipated by some factors discussed herein. Firstly, oil reserves will decline because of the increased demand for petroleum resources globally. This will prove the Peak oil theory propounded by M. Hubbert in 1965. Regrettably, this has been unsubstantiated because of the continuous oil finds being made in other parts of the world and technological advancement which has allowed old oilfields once thought as depleted to be produced. Secondly, exploring in some parts of the world where finds has been made will require complex and cutting-edge technology making exploration difficult, expensive and highly risky. This may only favour the large companies as they will be equipped financially and technologically. Thirdly, the future petroleum industry will be increasingly competitive for oil prospect which may favour the super majors as they possess more technical know-how, finance and popularity. Nevertheless, the nationally-owned companies (NOCs) may be a strong match for them as they are supported by their state governments and also have the wherewithal to seek for concession. Fourthly, the wish of some countries to create their own oil companies and the concern about energy security is likely to increase resource nationalism in the near future. Unfortunately, this will be a minus for the super majors but a plus for the NOCs. As aftermaths of these possible future changes, there are likely to be more mergers and acquisitions, drop in the quota contributed by the individually-owned multinationals, shift of investment from petroleum to alternative energy forms and complete diversification of the majors from production to become companies servicing the NOCs. In conclusion, the petroleum industry plays a vital role in driving worldwide economy because its resources are considered amongst the worlds most important. This importance attached to petroleum would be reduced if the world diversified to alternative energy forms, some of which are renewable. This will not only reduce the influence of the industrys giant but it will also prolong the life of petroleum reserves, encourage the use of alternative energy such as natural gas, wind and nuclear power, and make our environments safe by reducing air pollution, global warming, acid rain and other environmental issues. Despite participation by the NOCs in international oil markets, the industrys boundaries have widened. There are potentials for the majors to improve their profitability but they will not have the unique advantages that could allow them dominate the industry (Davies, 1999). From the popular saying, change is the only constant thing in nature, the petroleum industry has had its fair share of structural and organizational changes over the past years, which has resulted in the industry having the state-owned companies, five supermajors, over a dozen large independents (e.g Amerada Hess, Marathon etc) and small independents (e.g Anadarko, Talisman, Lasco, British Borneo etc) and the specialist firms (e.g Schlumberger, Weatherford, Halliburton etc) as its current structure.

Competition in the sportswear industry

Competition in the sportswear industry This report is about a competitive analysis watch based on competition in the sportswear industry, dominated by Nike Inc., followed by Adidas and Puma. The article with the title, Competition comes to a Head for World Cup Sponsors was published on The New York Times on 6th June 2010. This report discuss about the competitive strategies adopted by Nike, as the market leader. Porters five forces of competition framework have been used to analyze the competitive advantage Nike has over its rivals. The objective is to understand the aggressive level of competition within the industry and also how firms try to dominate the market, through cost cutting and innovation. Company Background Nike Inc. was founded in 1962 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight as a partnership under the name, Blue Ribbon Sports. When Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman made this observation many years ago, he was defining how he viewed the endless possibilities for human potential in sports. He set the tone and direction for a young company created in 1972, called Nike, and today those same words inspire a new generation of Nike employees. Nikes goal is to carry on Bills legacy of innovative thinking, whether to develop products that help athletes of every level of ability reach their potential, or to create business opportunities that set Nike apart from the competition and provide value for our shareholders. Along the way, Nike has established a strong Brand Portfolio with several wholly-owned subsidiaries including Cole Haan, Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, NIKE Golf, and Umbro Ltd. The mission of Nike is: to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. Nike maintains traditional and non-traditional distribution channels in more than 160 countries targeting its primary market regions: United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas (not including the United States). They utilize over 20,000 retailers, Nike factory stores, Nike stores, Nike Towns, Cole Haan stores, and internet-based Web sites to sell their sports and leisure products. Nike Inc. attains their position through quality production, innovative products, and aggressive marketing. Nike acquired Umbro in 2007. This acquisition indeed became the first decisive marketing goal of World Cup 2010. Nike has 10 World Cup contenders including Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Australia, Slovenia, New Zealand, U.S.A, Korea Republic, Serbia, and the deal with England and Umbro, which Nike maintains as a separate brand. The England and Umbro deal is the most Lucrative in international soccer, valued 34 million ($ 40.7 million) a year according to Sport+Markt, a research firm. This deal was a new determination for Nike to challenge Adidas, the German soccer apparel powerhouse, on its European home ground. Nikes continuing relationship with Brazil is worth 22 million a year. Competitor Analysis Adidas and Reebok breathing down the companys neck, the heart of the Adidas product line is athletic shoes, but the companys iconic three-stripe logo appears on apparel and other jock accessories. As the No.2 maker of sporting goods worldwide behind Nike, Adidas has inked deals with football and basketball athletes, as well as the New York Yankees, and it serves golfers through its Taylor Made-Adidas Golf. The company operates some 2,200 retail locations under the Adidas and Reebok banners. Adidas, which boasts the official match ball (named Jabulani) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, expanded its business and breadth when it bought Reebok for some $3.8 billion. Nikes rival PUMA is another leading sport lifestyle company that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. In soccer, PUMA is the official supplier to 7 world cup teams including defending world champion Italy, Uruguay, Switzerland, Ghana, Algeria, Cote dIvoire and Cameroon. PUMA Vision states that, we are committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, Safe Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the values of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PORTERS FIVE FORCES 1. Barriers to Entry The threat of new entrants to the profit potential of sports accessory and athletic shoe manufacturers is minimized through high entry barriers. Due to large scale production, high cost on research and development and extremely large capital investment on innovation, factories and stores has made Nike able to control its cost and retain performance advantage over emerging competitors. 2. Bargaining Power of customers Relative to the number of firms in the industry there are a large number of buyers in the market with high bargaining power. Therefore in order to increase sales and market share, firms need to continuously market their product and differentiate their brands against competitors. The recent emergence of e-commerce and online shopping has helped enhanced the accessibility and intimacy among consumers. For example, NikeiD allows customers customize and design their own footwear by permitting customers to specify the desired colours and options to personalize the footwear with their name. Brand identity plays a critical role in the buying behaviours, as it offers customers loyalty and trust. 3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Abundant numbers of input suppliers are available in the sportswear industry. There is little differentiation among the suppliers which makes the suppliers bargaining power low or non -existence. Input items such as Leather, rubber, cotton and plastic are available in large quantities. Nike has a definitive advantage and power over these suppliers when they become dependent on these firms as their means to survive. Nike have standardized their input procedures pertaining to the materials used, their labour force, supplies, services and logistics. Due to global networks of cheap labour on various continents, firms are able to switch between supplies quickly and easily. 4. Threats of substitutes Due to little alternatives to switch between, within the sportswear and athletics footwear industry, buyers propensity to substitute is low. For example: Nike shoes are designed to improve comfort and personal safety during periods of increased movements. The possible substitutes for footwear could be boots, sandals, bear feet or dress shoes, which however cannot be replaced for sporting purposes or for athletics. Hence, there are no real substitutes. 5. Competitive Rivalry within the industry There is countless number of competitors in the global arena for Nike. However not all companies have the power to compete with Nike. But few major competitors such as Adidas and Reebok, Puma, Joma, Legea and Brooks exist. These companies signed up in the World Cup arena are more evenly matched than ever. With 32 teams participating in the world cup, 12 teams including Argentina, France, Germany and the host nation South Africa wore Adidas on them, and Adidas was the official sponsor of the world cup. According to Hartmut Zastrow, executive director of Sport+Markt Adidas is still slightly ahead of Nike, on awareness and they have defended themselves well, but Nike is pushing aggressively. The fat checks from Nike and Adidas have not entirely priced rivals out of the market. With Nike and Adidas playing the equivalent of a possession game, the third-biggest soccer sponsor, Puma, has exploited unexpected openings in its rivals defenses an opportunistic strategy modeled on the playing style of Italy, Pumas biggest sponsorship. Puma is spending an estimated 30 million this year to sponsor teams in the 2010 World Cup, compared with 104 million for Nike and Umbro together and 85 million for Puma was also forward-looking in its recognition of the marketing potential of aligning itself with African national teams, long before South Africa was chosen, in 2004, as the first World Cup host on the continent. In 1997, Puma signed up Cameroon, and it has strengthened its ties to Africa since then. Equipment manufacturers logos are the only branding allowed on World Cup soccer jerseys, in contrast with professional club soccer shirts, which generally also include another prominent sponsor, like a gambling, electronics or car brand. That means even lesser known labels can stand out. Joma, a small Spanish provider of athletic gear, has high hopes for its sponsorship of Honduras. The company expects its sales to rise 40 percent in that country this year and 15 percent in the United States, which has a large Honduran community, a spokeswoman said. Brooks, a U.S. maker of running shoes is supporting Chile. Legea, an Italian provider of sports equipment had signed an agreement to supply uniforms to the North Korean team, which is in the World Cup for the first time since 1966. Self-Evaluation: Nike has planted itself firmly on the global business arena and appears to be a role model for other sportswear rivals. They have proved to be innovative, smart, environmentally friendly, and consistent with their product effectiveness and differentiation. For the company to continuously grow and sustain its competitive advantage, it is essential to invest on innovation and new products development that creates a need for the consumers. Nike appears to be a stylish, comfortable, and a reliable giant supplier with varieties of product line. The most informative part of this assignment was learning about capital investment firm make in order to dominate the market. There is also evidence of Hypercompetiton or rather cut throat competition within the industry amongst the major market challengers. Nikes attempt to snatch Germany away from Adidas, a German brand and the lucrative investments on acquisitions and sponsorship are evidence of desperate challenge for sustaining its dominance i n the market. Conclusion: From equipping athletes with the finest sports equipment in the world to continuously improving their financial performance, Nike dominates its competitors. Despite a changing marketplace for athletic footwear, Nike continues to expand its product lines and marketing reach to become a more powerful global brand. Due to the product differentiation, brand identity has an immediate competitive advantage. Aggressive promotions and advertisements also contribute to the success of Nikes well establishment in the industry. Nike has signed France to a seven-year deal and it will pay the countrys soccer federation more than 40 million a year to maintain hard grounds on its position for the next tournament, in 2014 in Brazil. The agreement will leapfrog France past England, making its shirts the most lavishly sponsored uniforms in international soccer.

Free Canterbury Tales Essays: Rape and Power in The Wife of Bath :: free essay writer

Rape and Power in The Wife of Bath  Ã‚  Ã‚   Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London in 1340 (Fuller 12). Geoffrey Chaucer's fortunes were closely bound with these of John Of Gaunt, the son-in-law to the Earl of Derby (Fuller 12). Around the year 1380, Geoffrey Chaucer was charged with rape by a woman named Cecily Chaumpaigne (Williams 28). It is most likely that a distinguishable character, such as Chaucer would not have been guilty of this charge. However, the word "rape" probably referred to abducting rather than assaulting a woman as it means today (Halliday 68). Cecily Chaumpaigne in 1380 released Chaucer of all charges of "raptu meo," a phrase that could be interpreted as "seizing me" (Williams 28). It is possible that this allegation of rape brought on to Chaucer by Cecily Chaumpaigne, is the very reason behind the Tale of the Wife of Bath.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Wife of Bath was a plump, florid, jolly, bold, lusty, and voluptuous woman. She was the most valuable of women. The wife of bath cannot resist telling her companions about all of her sexual experiences. She has had five husbands. Her husbands fell into two categories. The first category of husbands was: rich, but also old and unable to fulfill her demands, sexually that is. The other husbands were sexually vigorous, but harder to control. The first three were rich, old, and jealous. She tamed them by accusing them of promiscuous behavior, that she herself practiced. Her fourth husband had a mistress, so she "gave him a real cause for jealousy" (Halliday 119). At the funeral of her first husband she fell in love with the legs of an Oxford clerk. Although he was half her age, he became her fifth husband. This marriage was unhappy because he beat her. To anger her fifth husband, the wife of Bath tore three pages from his book. After this he beat her again. She pretended to be dead and he felt so guilty that he threw his whole book in the fire. This gave her the upper hand for the rest of his life. She presently is looking for a sixth husband when her character is introduced (Halliday 119).   Ã‚  Ã‚   The tale The Wife of Bath tells us all is about a Knight who ultimately rapes a maiden and is sent by the queen on a quest to seek out what it is that women want most.

Motivation in Business Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Ess

Motivation in Business Thesis: Organization member can be effectively motivated by organizational leaders Motivational Styles Motivation is the ultimate goal of management in business, and the topic of multiple seminars, books, and videos. Engendering the emotional energy of frontline workers is the most difficult challenge facing organizational leaders worldwide. The is a difficult task because â€Å"most frontline employees work for a regular paycheck and nothing more; they never emotionally connect with their employers, let alone care about the company’s long-term performance.† (Katzenbach) By following the principles employed by successful organizations, organization member can be effectively motivated by their leaders. One method of inserting motivation into the lives of organization members is through what Katzenbach and Santamaria explore in their article in Harvard Business Review, the â€Å"mission, values, and pride† path to an emotionally engaged, high-performing workforce. This is a system where emotional energy is generated by mutual trust, collective pride, and self-discipline. The employees are typically proud of the aspirations, accomplishments, and legacy of their organization; they share its values. This method is typical of the U.S. Marine Corps, 3M, and the New York City Ballet. A second method is to set transparent performance measures and standards and to have a clear tracking of results. This fosters deeper organizational ...

Submarines :: essays research papers

The History of Submarines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the year 2000, the American submarine force will celebrate the first century of service by highly skilled people in some of the most technologically advanced vessels ever built. The past 100 years have witnessed the evolution of a force that mastered submersible warfare, introduced nuclear propulsion to create the true submarine, and for decades patrolled the deep ocean front line; the hottest part of an otherwise Cold War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Submarines in War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The U.S. Navy’s involvement with the submarine dates form 1888 when the Bureau of Construction and Repair (BUC&R) sponsored a design competition that brought John Holland a naval contract to build the experimental Plunger. As the new century dawned, prominent American naval leaders like Admiral George Dewey called the submarine a real threat to international surface forces, leading the Navy to acquire its first submarine in 1900. Overcoming competition from fellow American inventor, Simon Lake, Holland sold his newest model, Holland VI, to the Navy for $160,000 on April 11. This 64-ton submarine commissioned as USS Holland, or SS-1, on October 12 of the same year, was equipped with an Otto-type gasoline engine for surface running and electric motors for submerged operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to the volatility of gasoline, American submersible designs soon followed the French practice, adopting the diesel engine in 1909 with the Electric Boat Company’s F class (SS-20 through 23), built at Union Iron Works in San Francisco. Combining the influence of diesel propulsion with the submersible designs of Holland and Lake, American submersibles took a familiar configuration through American entry into the Great War. Submarines of the E, H, K, L, M, N, O, and R classes and ranged in displacement form 287 to 510 tons, with the fastest boats displaying a top surface speed of barely 14 knots on diesel power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During World War I the U.S. Navy separated these submersibles into two groups according to mission. â€Å"Boats† of the N and O classes, as well as some of the E type, patrolled American coasts and harbors following a defensive strategy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other submarines drew assignments that sent them to hostile European waters after 1917. Some K-, L-, O-, and E-class boats conducted offensive, open-sea operations from the Azores and Bantry Bay in Ireland. They supported the Allied effort to maintain open sea lanes along the European coast and in the approaches to the British Isles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Nay Department’s plans for these vessels reflected the prevailing surface warfare thinking, which perceived the submersible as a type of destroyer or torpedo boat that should operate with the battle fleet.

Elizbeth Bishop Personal Response Intro Essay

The poetry of Elizabeth Bishop appeals to me because she writes about things which are relevant, in a remarkably vivid and vital way. Bishops misfortune in life has inspired her to write distressing poems in which she describes to us the loss she suffered at an early stage in her childhood. She also tells us about her deepest and darkest moments in life. Out of Bishops troubled life, her poetry was born. Bishop has a painter’s eye and she vividly describes the world around her. She has a keen eye for detail and this is shown in the descriptive language in her poetry. Her strong sense of imagery draws the reader into her poetry. The themes exploded in Bishops poetry have universal appeal. What makes Bishops poetry particularly appealing is her ability to make ordinary everyday objects seem fascinating. Through Bishops poetry we see how close observation leads the poet to have several moments of awareness where she experiences several epiphanies. These moments of awareness are highly dramatic but extremely interesting. The poems ‘Sestina’, ‘First Death In Novia Scotia’, ‘Filling Station’, ‘The Fish’, ‘The Armadillo’ and ‘The Prodigal’ all demonstrate various issues such as nature and childhood memories. What appealed to me most about Bishop’s poetry was her use of striking and powerful imagery. I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Fish’ for its unusual imagery and detailed description. I was drawn into the poem immediately as she says, ‘I caught a tremendous fish’. She describes the fish as ‘battered’, ‘venerable’ and ‘homely’. Bishop then goes on to compare the fish to everyday domestic items. ‘His brown skin hung in strips / like ancient wallpaper’. I found this statement particularly appealing as it evoked a sense of homely familiarity in me.

Educational Research Methods Essay

It is the research method conducted by subject teachers, course teachers and other schools staff side by side with their teaching. It is becoming increasingly popular as it encouragers to evaluate new methods in their work and study which is highly acceptable by all. It is the methods by which change can be noted and helps in understand the reaction of at one time, with action and critical reflection taking place. It is special type of research in education which mostly emphasize on continuous improvement in the field of teaching. There are three main goals of action research such as improvement of practice through continuous learning and problem solving, deep understanding of practice and development of action, improvement in the community through research. This research helps to gather detail information about the organization, vision and insight, a quest of new knowledge, a desired of improved performance, a self- reflective activity and willingness of effect change. It is basically conducted to discover plan for innovation and their successful implementation. It provides practical way of looking at owns work to check its efficiency of work. The Action Research is used to determine efficiency of study material, teaching techniques, classroom response and with their interest. There are numbers of outcomes of implementation of action research. Such as: †¢ Greater risk taking among the students and teachers helps them to identify new ways in their system. †¢ Comfort with inquiry and exploration creates increase comfort among the students. †¢ Greater direction in exploration helps to draw innovative techniques. Improved and broader questioning increases interest in the study of their subjects. †¢ Evidence of student self- evaluation can be immediately ascertained with the teaching in the class. †¢ Improved and extended science writing is the result of action research which helps tom explores their writing skills. †¢ Greater and broader interest in science is possible with the initiative of action research. The research results in increase in student interest, risk taking, questioning ability and comfort with teaching. For e. g.  If the teacher or researcher is worried or not satisfied with the current mind status of students or they are not doing well in class then the first question which arise in the mind of researcher is how to satisfy the need of all the students. So numbers of steps of action research can be adopted by the teacher to outcome result. Especial emphasis is made on listening to students and to better understand their needs. Then consideration should be given to set up community circle to listen to students describing learning experiences in classroom and helps to redesign strategies. During the course of listening researcher can discover information that focus on satisfaction of different user at a time. In other e. g. In an organization where peoples of diverse field are working requires more coordination. With the help of action research current problem â€Å"poor coordination† si ascertained. So after deep research and enquiry the researcher evolve new solution to problem such as creating database for storing and sharing and documents. They main Question which lies with the researcher is how to create healthy and fruitful relationship to increase coordination among them. The next step which is adopted by researcher is what kind of tactic to be employed to get the desired result. After integrating with all the employees at various stages and their suggestion which action is to be taken to increase coordination? Action Research helps in better understanding the situation being studied and also of participants directly involved in the process. This is considered vital in all the sphere as it generate collective action as well as develops participants skills through â€Å"learning by doing† to promote their self reliance. So, it can be said that action research provides opportunity for professional growth of researchers, to improve their practice, to examine findings in their own context. Action Research creates a sense of responsibility, development and improvement on the teacher and classroom. Builds up morale, and encourages collegial interactions.

The Challenges for Informatics in Developing Software for Modern Multikernel Computers

The challenges for Informatics in developing software for modern multikernel computers Abstract The purpose of this post is to examine the introduction of  parallel computing and the challenges of software development  for Parallel execution environment. First I will introduce the idea of parallel computing and up next I will present and evaluate the challenges of parallel computing along with their solutions and finally some conclusion will be drawn. Vertical & Horizontal Development in ComputingThe question arise when we are thinking about how the  complex scientific problems  of the twenty-first century including climate modeling, genomic research and artificial intelligence are testing the limits of the Von Neumann model of sequential processing. In the past, computer scientists worked on the new approach to extend the  power of computers in vertical manner, this means that they were working on producing huge super computers but with recent advances in technology and re ducing cost of resources and arrival of multi kernel processing has helped us to think about new ways to solve huge and complex problem in parallel manners.Introduction to parallel computing For the most part, along with a host of new research questions that have arisen in the last decade, there remains a significant challenge today. Parallel processing  offers the promise of providing the computational speed required to solve important large-scale problems. In fact, parallel processing requires a big shift in how we think to solve the problem. Regardless of new hardware technologies, we should think about the new approach of developing software systems and also the way we think about our problem and presenting our solution. (Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms).Challenges of parallel computing For the sake of applying the power and flexibility of multi-core processors, we should think about a new approach to  breakdown huge problems  into smaller elements. A better ill ustration of parallel processing occurs when a divide and conquer model is used to solve a task. In this approach the problem is successively partitioned into smaller and smaller parts and sent off to other processors, until each one has only a trivial job to perform. Each processor then completes that trivial operation and returns its result to the processor that sent the task.These processors in turn do a little work and give the results   back to the processors that gave them the tasks, and so on, all the way back to the originating processor. In this model there is far more communications between processors. n the next step, we should think about how to express our program which can be executable in a parallel computing environment. Functional Programming plays a vital role in this area, since it provide programmer to solve their issue in functional manner rather than sequential processing.There are simple principles in functional programming such as avoiding Mutable states, L ambdas, Closures and more importantly declarative paradigm which help programmers to free their mind about concurrency, synchronization, Race Condition and other multi core computation issues. Although parallel  functional programming  helps us to represent our program in declarative manner in order to be applicable for parallel execution, but the problem is remain unsolved without thinking about how we can manage data in parallel computing environment.Industrial Revolution of Data – Age of Big Data We’re now entering into new age of computing named as â€Å"Industrial Revolution of Data†. In fact, the majority of data will be produced automatically by different kinds of machine such as software logs, video cameras, RFID, wireless sensors and so on. Due to the considerable decrease in cost of computer resources, storing those data is so cheap, so companies tend to collect and store them in huge data warehouse for future when it can be mined for valuable info rmation.The  Big Data now comes to play, working with such distributed, huge and complex data would be impossible or better to say inefficient with existing software and databases system. We should think about other approaches for storing large set of data which is stored in different computers and in the next step effectively mining and executing queries from those sources. Perhaps the biggest game-changer to come along is  MapReduce, the parallel programming framework that has gained prominence thanks to its use at web search companies.The research in parallel computing has had the most success and influence in parallel databases. In fact, instead of breaking out a large problem into smaller element execute by different threads simultaneously, parallel database help us to store, querying and retrieve data from distributed resources over network effectively. MapReduce as Parallel Programming Framework MapReduce  algorithm is invented by Google to cope with Big Data in their s earch engine system. In fact, MapReduce is containing two simple primitives function which are available in Lisp and also in other functional languages.The computation include two basic operation, a map operation which execute on input records containing key/value pairs, and then invoking a reduce operation which collect and aggregate all responses from different nodes. There are many different Implementations in different programming languages which are exist and used in industry for processing large set of data. In fact, most of  NoSQL databases  use this algorithm for collecting data from different sources in distributed heterogeneous environment. The biggest advantage of MapReduce is that it allows for distributed processing of map and reduction function.In fact, it allows us, to collect and process distributed data stored in different machine simultaneously. Conclusion Parallel computing  can help us to solve hug complex problem in more efficient way. In order to parallel ize our task we should think about different challenges which we cope in developing software for parallel execution environment. However, we should bear in mind that parallel computing is useful when we are facing with a big problem which can distributed among different computing agents. In addition, we should deeply think about the  nature of problem,  time  as well as  limits  and  costs  of Parallel Programming.

Study Guide, Principles of Marketing

Module Study Guide Taylor’s University Undergraduate Business Programs BUS2304 Principles of Marketing August Semester 2012 BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 1 TUTORIAL 1: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? Module Information Booklet will be discussed and explained in detail Form Groups Tutorial exercises – Introducing the basics concepts of marketing LEARNING OUTCOMES ? ? ? Understand key marketing concepts and marketing management philosophies used in marketing planning Understand the importance of marketing in business practices Understand the concept of the marketing experienceDiscussion questions 1. What is the most amazing marketing experience you have ever had? ? Was it an individual employee or a business processes? ? Describe a situation in which you became a â€Å"lost customer†. Was it because of poor product quality, poor service quality or both? Using the concept of â€Å"consumer need† to identify markets: What is National E xpress’s ‘product’? What market (need) does it serve? Who are their direct competitors? What are the potential substitutes? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 2 What is their ‘product’?What markets do they serve? Who are their competitors? What new markets might they exploit? Journal Article: Theodore Levitt’s Marketing Myopia (1960) Students to understand the concept of ‘marketing myopia’ and the dangers that defining their products and markets too narrowly might pose for an organization. What is Cellular One selling? What marketing management philosophy do you see in evidence? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 3 Is there anything that can't — or shouldn't — be marketed? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETINGPage 4 TUTORIAL 2: MARKETING ENVIRONMENT CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Group activity Discussion questions LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? Explain how changes in the marketing environment can effect marketing activities Identify the different micro environmental factors Identify the different macro environmental factors TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Discussion questions 1. What are some of the cultural differences that you have observed when you lived or travelled abroad? ? What were some of the similarities/ differences that you observed? To what extent should cultural differences be considered in international marketing? 2. Imagine a company that is considering changing its product line to become more environmentally friendly, which might increase costs. Use the six major forces of the macroenvironment and list pros and cons that the company should take into consideration before making its final decision. Group Activity In a group – Bring broadsheet newspapers. Mark/highlight articles relating to Macro and Micro environment. Explain. Refer to examples shown by your tutor.BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 5 TUTORIAL 3: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 1 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Discussion Questions Group activity LEARNING O UTCOME: ? ? ? ? Identify the different characteristics that influence consumer behavior Differentiate the different types of buying behavior Identify the different stages in a buyer decisions process and apply different marketing strategies to stimulate interest / purchase in these stages Identify the different macro environmental factors TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Discussion questions Could KFC use this ad outside Asia?BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 6 Group Activity Activity 1 Examine Maslow’s 5 stage Hierarchy of needs model. Go through the advertisements in your national and local newspapers, magazines etc to see if you can identify and collect at least one advertisement which focuses on each of those stages, from physiological (biogenic) through to self actualization (psychogenic). Also consider TV channels and websites. Print out examples if you can. Activity 2 Consider two purchases you have made recently e. g. soft drink (limited problem solving) and a car, holiday, com puter or a degree course. (extended or involved problem solving). Examine in each case how the decision making process model outlined above may have differed. Here you may consider giving particular attention to the evoked set and post cognitive dissonance. Does your experience differ from the accepted theory? If so why do you think this may be? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 7 TUTORIAL 4: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR 2 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Discussion Questions Group activity LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? Identify the different characteristics that influence consumer behavior Differentiate the different types of buying behavior Identify the different stages in a buyer decisions process and apply different marketing strategies to stimulate interest / purchase in these stages Identify the different macro environmental factors TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Discussion questions 1. Would the marketers at Mercedes be pleased if the coach of a sporting team or the head teacher at a primary school purchased a n A-Class? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 8Group Activity Social grade classification The UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) produced a new socio-economic classification in 2001. The reason was to provide a more comprehensive and detailed classification to take newer employment patterns into account. Group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Description Higher Professional and Managerial workers Lower Managerial and Professional workers Intermediate occupations Lower Supervisory and technical Semi Routine Occupations Routine Occupations Long term unemployed A B Grade C1 and C2 C1 and C2 D D E Small Employers and non professional self-employed C1 and C2Many commercial market research programmes have found significant differences in buying behaviour between the various social grades. The Market Research Society argues that this system can be justified as it is easy to research and that the social grade appears to be a reasonably good discriminator in many product markets profiled in MINTEL repo rts. Social grade reflects lifestyle patterns and is used widely by advertisers while profiling consumers. Questions a. To what extent do you think that social class is a helpful concept in improving the marketer’s understanding of consumer behaviour. . What do you the major criticisms to the social grade system are? c. Consider the following occupations and allocate a social grade to them: i. Student ii. Chartered Accountant iii. Bricklayer with City Council iv. A backpacker v. A retired pensioner on state benefits vi. A High Court Judge BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 9 vii. viii. ix. x. xi. xii. A self employed plumber. Teacher aged 23 (qualified) Teacher aged 32 (qualified) Retired employee, company pension Shop Assistant Unemployed farm workerBUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 10 TUTORIAL 5: SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? Watch the video â€Å"LoReal Percier† Discuss questions Mini case discussion LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? Ident ify the different bases for segmenting consumers and business markets. Evaluate market segments, select market segments and choose market coverage strategies TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Discussion questions 1. What is the basic rationale for segmentation? 2. What are some of the common variables used to segment a market? 3.What are the requirements for effective segmentation? 4. What is the difference between segmentation and targeting? Group Discussion Market segmentation is built around identifying differences in needs between different groups of customers. How could a bank segment its consumer market? BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 11 Video: L’Oreal Watch the L’Oreal Percier video a) Who is the target market for the product? b) What bases for segmentation has L’Oreal used? (Consider the importance of geographic, demographic, behavioral and psychographic)Read Tasty Bite: Coming to America (Textbook page 133) Discuss the segmentation, targeting and positioning st eps that Tasty Bite has taken in entering the US market. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 12 TUTORIAL 6: PRODUCT AND SERVICES STRATEGY 1 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? Identifying slogans for brands Group activity Mini case LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? Identify different product / services and their classifications Recognize the importance of branding, packaging and labeling a product Suggest product line and product mix strategies for product / service TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES . Brand Association & Slogans. Identify the brand name for each of the following slogan/phrase. How many slogans/phrases did you identify? 2. Brand 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Slogan Impossible is Nothing The world’s local bank It’s the real thing The world leader in oral care. The most powerful alkaline battery in the world. Take power to the next level. Share moments. Share life. Because I'm worth it. Awaken your senses. Connecting people. The choice of a new generation. There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s [product name].Don’t leave home without it The ultimate driving machine The happiest place on earth Put a tiger in your tank The power of dreams Page 13 BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING 18 19 20 Melts in your mouth, not in your hands Just do it Give me a break! Read Pepsi Sakes bubble with limited edition soft drinks (Textbook page 334) Read case 11. 2 (Textbook page 334) and answer the discussion questions. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 14 TUTORIAL 7: PRODUCT AND SERVICES STRATEGY 2 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Group activity Case Study – New Belgium Brews up strong brand equity LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ?Identify different product / services and their classifications Recognize the importance of branding, packaging and labeling a product Suggest product line and product mix strategies for product / service TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES 1. Group Activity – Who am I? a. Select a product category –mobile phones, computers, cars etc. b. Brainstorm and list all competing brands within that category. c. Each group is allocated a brand and brands must be highly differentiated. d. Each group must humanise their brand: Am I female or male? How old am I? What level am I educated to? What colour is my hair?Do I have hair? What is my nationality? What is my occupation? Do I work? What type of clothes do I wear? Where do I go on holidays? What are my hobbies? Am I married or single? Do I have children? What type of car do I drive? Do I have a car? Do I own a house/flat? Where do I live? e. Each group to present their brand personality back to the class. 2. Read case 13. 1 (Textbook page 390) and answer the discussion questions. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 15 TUTORIAL 8: PRICING STRATEGIES CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? Case study Discuss questions Presenting and defending pricing decisionsLEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? Recognize the importance of importance of considering internal and external factors wh en setting final price for products/services Identify the different pricing strategies Know the format of the examination and have a guide to revising and preparing for the examination. TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES 1. Read the Case study â€Å"Plug & Sons†. 2. In your group discuss your strategy. 3. Each group is to present and defend their strategy and challenge others to draw attention to: ? ? ? The importance of defining the target market and positioning – who’s going to buy this and why?This is a decision that the students will have to make, as no target market has been identified. The tendency of marketers to compete on value rather than price. Marketers usually try and charge as much as possible for products The way theory such as customer price dynamics can be used to structure and analyse and build a coherent argument BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 16 TUTORIAL 9: DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? ? Read the case â€Å"Dell Direct and not so D irect† Discussion Questions Discussing FedEx based on www. fedex. comLEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? ? Recognize the importance of marketing channels in marketing activities Explain the different levels in a marketing channel Explain the main considerations in a marketing channel Discuss the different ways in managing channel members TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Activity 1 Visit www. fedex. com Many companies lack their own distribution systems. firms in this situation may rely upon the service provided by companies such as FedEx to handle their distribution. 1. What tools does FedEx provide to make shipping process easier? 2.Other than shipping products, what other services does FedEx provide? 3. Is there information on FedEx website that would help a potential FedEx customer to evaluate FedEx regarding some of the selection criteria shown in Table 14. 3 in the textbook? Activity 2 Dell Direct and not so Direct Read case 14. 2 on page 342 and answer discussion questions 1, 2 and 3. BUS2304 PR INCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 17 TUTORIAL 10: PROMOTION STRATEGIES 1 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? ? Video â€Å"Mercedes Benz† Case study – At Southwesr airlines, â€Å"We Love Your Bags† Discussion Questions LEARNING OUTCOME: ? Recognize the difference between conventional promotional practices and the IMC concept Recognize the growth and importance of the IMC concept TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Video Mercedes Benz. Watch the two videos on Mercedes Benz. 1. What is the objective that Mercedes is trying to achieve? 2. What appeals have they used in their advertising strategy? 3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using such a strategy. At Southwest Airlines, â€Å"We Love Your Bags† Case 16. 2 , Text book page 500. Answer discussion question 1 to 3. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 18 TUTORIAL 11: PROMOTION STRATEGIES 2 CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? Watch video â€Å"Earth Hour† Discussion LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? Recognize the difference between conventional promot ional practices and the IMC concept Recognize the growth and importance of the IMC concept TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES 1. Watch the different videos of Earth Hour. 2. Based on the different videos you have watched, what are the different types of promotion being used for the campaign? 3. Who is one target audience for Earth Hour? Based on the target group you have defined, select one product that caters to this segment that participated in Earth Hour? 4. Do profit and non-profit organizations use the same promotional tools?Give examples. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 19 TUTORIAL 12: SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND MARKETING ETHICS CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Case â€Å"At Timberland , Doing Well and Doing Good are Laced together† Discuss questions LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? ? To understand the concept and dimensions of social responsibility To define and describe the importance of marketing ethics To understand the role of social responsibility and ethics in improving marketing performance TUT ORIAL ACTIVITIES 1. What is social responsibility? Why is it important? 2. What are some social responsibility issues? Give an example of each. 3.What is the difference between ethics and social responsibility? 4. Read Strategic Case 8 – At Timberland, Doing Well and Doing Good are Laced Together. Answer questions 1 to 4. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 20 TUTORIAL 13: ONLINE FORUM AND DISCUSSION – EXAMINATION FORMAT CLASS ACTIVITIES: ? ? Online forum and discussion E-Learning week LEARNING OUTCOME: ? ? Know the format of the examination and have a guide to revising and preparing for the examination. Discuss different techniques for answering examination questions TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES Students’ participate online in a forum and discussion. BUS2304 PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING Page 21