Nature of the Consumer Decision Making Essay

Introduction Now more than ever in such a highly competitive business world were each product and service offered is competing with similar and alternative products, it is crucial from the businesses point of view that their product or service is of the highest standard possible. Correctly marketed a product could be infinitely successful, whilst on the other hand a poorly marketed product could be the death of it. From a marketers perspective it is them making the product what it is, from deciding consumer’s wants and needs, to interpreting these in an end product that satisfies these needs. In order for this to happen marketers must take into account the vast amount of cognitive processes the consumer goes through before, during and after making a purchase. This report provides a view into the consumer’s decision making process, looking more depth into the role motivation plays in these decisions and the various theoretical model frameworks that are used in this process. The repor t will also outline how a marketer can use this knowledge to assist consumers in their purchasing choices and decisions throughout the report when applicable. The consumer decision making process Four views of consumer decision making The consumer decision making process is one that the consumer makes when making a purchase. There are different models that have been produced in time to support this idea, with four generalist views of consumer decision making, each highlighting different variables. These are the ‘Economic view’ which focuses on the idea that the consumer makes decisions based on rational behaviour, i.e. cost verse benefits, will I get a good enough product service for my money?. Another view that marketers hold is the ‘passive view’ in which opposes the economic view by believing consumers to be submissive to all marketers input, stating that consumers are impulsive buyers, easily manipulated with marketing efforts. Thirdly is the ‘Emotional view’ which may be seen as irrational behaviour based on feelings rather than any logical reasoning, i.e. decisions based on love, hope, sexuality etc. Fourth and probably the most prolific one would be the ‘5 stage (cognitive process)’. The 5 stage process outlines the cognitive procedure consumers go through when making decisions. Marketers will often refer to  this model when considering how to effectively influence the consumer’s choices. It shows that more consideration goes into the decision making process than just a purchase decision and even continues post-purchase. Although the consumer does not always necessarily follow each stage, sometimes they may skip stages when making more impulsive decisions or routine purchases. For example when considering this model it would be naà ¯ve to think the consumer will put the same amount of thought into buying a pack of chewing gum at a newsagent to buying a new car. The purchase of chewing gum is generally an impulsive decision that does not require much previous thought, whereas the purchase of a car is less routine and requires a lot of thought into varying factors such as cost verses benefits. (Consumer Decision Making Process, 2008) Schiffman and Kanuk describe the process as being viewed in 3 distinct but interlocking stages, the input stage, process stage and output stage. Below is an extended model of this process, which includes external influences and psychological factors. Figure 1 External Influences Before the consumer even has the thought of making a purchase, they are already influenced by two sources subconsciously, the first being the firms marketing efforts (the four P’s) which creates an awareness for the product via marketers attempts to inform and persuade the consumer through products, promotion, price and channels of distribution . Secondly, sociological influences reveal an underlying fundamental need to fit in to certain social groups, lifestyles, cultures etc. that are not directly commercially related i.e. A neighbour or friend owning a product that an individual likes, therefore perhaps creating a want for it. Consumer decision making model The decision making model as shown in figure 1 could reflect not only the cognitive view to decision making, but also the emotional view as it incorporates various socio-cultural input (as previously mentioned) that could be described as emotional based, and also psychological processes(discussed later)involved when actually making the decision. Looking at figure 1 the first stage of the decision process is the ‘need  recognition’, this is where the consumer realises a need for something. This could come from perhaps running out of something and needing more, or receiving information on a product from an external source that leads them to want it. This would logically then lead the consumer to the second part of the process ‘the pre-purchase search’, this is the point where the consumer begins to process the thought of what product may satisfy their need, they may base their ideas on previous experience and memories (psychological factors), or may opt to s earch for useful information to help in their decision (basic internet search). At this point the consumer is drawing up information from external sources and at the same time has psychological factors influencing their decision. i.e.Consumer’smotivation, perception, learning, personality and attitudes. Solomon (2006) addresses the fact to how much actual searching takes place, stating that younger, better educated people will spend more time searching/fact finding before making a decision in comparison to an older person, who has less available channels to search. He also says that women are more inclined to research products. A generalisation that is worth keeping in mind from a marketer’s perspective as based on this theory it would be logical to focus marketing efforts at these for a more effective result. For example it would not be cost-efficient for a business to waste money trying to advertise a product to a social group that tends to have limited internet access, i.e. older people. The third stage of the process ‘the evaluation of alternatives’ is probably the longest part of the decision making process in terms of time as the consumer has multiple factors to consider. At this point the consumer, given previous knowledge built up in the previous stage, now has to filter from the potentially hundreds of available possibilities. Perhaps using basic cost v benefits and perceived risk of alternatives, or even more complicated cognitive processes requiring more effort. The considered sets of choices are known as the ‘evoked set’ The fourth stage enters the output area of the decision making process, this is where the consumer has made a decision and makes the purchase from the set of possibilities acknowledged in the ‘evoked set’, this would be classed as a ‘trial purchase’ as the consumer has not previously tested the product. The other type of purchase would be the ‘repeat purchase’ in which the consumer skips steps of the process because they already have a want for the product due to already  using it and needing more (brand loyalty). Once purchased the next and final stage of the process would be ‘the post purchase evaluation’, consumers now evaluate their purchase decision, deciding whether they are totally happy with the product, or perhaps would have preferred one of the alternatives. At this point it is vital for the marketers to make sure the consumers feels they made the right decision in choosing their product, as next time they will take their business elsewhere. Psychological factors The psychological factors in the human psyche that influence the input stage of the model are key tools that a marketer can use to utilise their relationship with the consumer. A good understanding of each can help the marketer focus efforts based around the consumer’s way of thinking. Consumer Personality – this is what separates humans and reflects individual differences, personality is always consistent and enduring. Sigmund Freud famously split the complex subject into three interacting parts, ID, Superego and Ego. The ID being your basic needs (hunger, thirst and sex). Superego being the way the people act out their primitive needs in a socially acceptable manner (restraining impulsive ID feelings). Lastly the Ego is the consumer’s conscious ability to control the demands and constraints of the previous two. Freud believed that an individual’s successfulness in tackling each stage will in turn reflect personality. For example a person can be fixated in later life through a dissatisfaction of needs in development stages in early life. i.e. if a child does not feel loved when developing it could leave them striving to feel it in later life, or perhaps opposing this lead them to not seek love due to not experiencing it (a defining characteristic in any personality). From a marketers opinion a person could be easily manipulated in later life due to decisions they have made in earlier stages. Consumer Perception – â€Å"†¦the active psychological process in which stimuli are selected and organised into meaningful patterns†, (Buchanan, 1991). Perception is how humans interpret information they make pick up through sensations like sight, taste, hearing, smell and touch, and then respond to accordingly to create a perception. For example from the marketer’s perspective, it is crucial that the perception of their product or service to the consumer is good i.e. effective stimul i,  as if the consumer gains a bad perception of a good they will not wish to purchase. Marketers can seek to improve brand perception through trials i.e. if consumer enjoys the product they will re-purchase based on previous experience. This would be one example of assisting a consumer in a purchase. Consumer Learning – refers to a human’s capacity to pick up knowledge, through information or experience on a product, directly or indirectly i.e. a consumer does not have to have tried a product to have a perceived familiarity with it, they may know somebody who has a familiarity and has told them about it, given them enough of an understanding to either like or dislike it. The general idea that when a product is completely unknown to the consumer that the quality of it is reflected in price. Consumer Attitudes – An attitude in marketing terms is defined as a general evaluation of a product or service formed over time (Solomon, 2008). An attitude satisfies a personal motive—and at the same time, affects the shopping and buying habits of consumers. Dr. Lars Perner (2010) (Understanding Consumer Attitudes, 2010). For the marketers it is up to them to understand why certain attitudes exist and either work with them or seek to change them. Consumer Motivation – defined by Schiffman and Kanuk (2010) as being ‘the driving force within individuals that impels them to action’. It could be referred to as the processes that cause people to behave as they do, from a psychological need to how they seek to satisfy it. Marketers can use identified motives to develop a better marketing mix giving them a better targeted marketing strategy. The role of motivation Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Dr Abraham Maslow formulated this hierarchy of needs as a theory behind how human motivation works, a theory now widely accepted. Similarly to Freudian beliefs (the ID) that basic physiological needs have to be fulfilled in order to reach higher satisfaction. i.e. food, water, air, shelter and sex. Generally these needs are satisfied by the majority (unless homeless, then these would be entire needs). Once satisfied the next stage would lead to safety needs not only physical safety but also safety in terms of finance, stability, education etc. Once an individual believes the previous needs are  met they then consider social needs. These needs include love, affection and acceptance, all of which are socially desired by everyone as we are motivated to find good relationships. Once these needs are generally met, the ego needs of human nature come into play. The ego needs can be of two types, inward directed i.e. self-esteem, success, personal satisfaction, or outwardly directed ego ne eds such as prestige, status and reputation. The ultimate need is for humans to reach self-fulfilment, to become the best of their potential (according to Maslow this need is rarely satisfied because generally ego needs are not fully satisfied) Alderfer (1972) describes there being two types of needs, a basic need (innate), innate needs being the basic level of needs relating to survival i.e. hunger, thirst and sex, and also Acquired needs which are picked up in life as a response to the environment and cultures. A theory echoed by Freud and also Maslow. Although Alderfer revised the latter stages of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs by realising some of the middle stages overlap, confusion of these needs could lead a marketer to appeal to the wrong type of consumer. So Alderfer changed Maslow’s five stage process into a more simple three stage one, which is similar in the fact it represents levels of needs (pyramid). Although Alderfer’s model states that humans may be motivated by more than one need and non-reliant of satisfaction of each need for progression i.e. an artist who may place growth needs above existence. An article by Mark Rodgers called ‘Challenging Maslow’ refers to the period of time in which Maslow has created this theory on motivation, stating that given the time in which it was created would not depict modern views to human motivation. Rodgers believes that Maslow produced his theory in a time when his home country had just emerged from a world war and out of the greatest depression of the 20th century, needs at this time would be lower as in physiological and safety. Whereas nowadays with more than 50 years of economic growth, the average person enjoys a more stable lifestyle and allows them to have higher focused needs such as egoistic and self-actualization. (Rodgers, 2004) How marketers can apply understanding of these processes and motivation to assist consumers in purchasing decisions Developing on what has been previously touched upon it would be a fair  judgement to say that marketers have the ability to manipulate consumers entirely. Once they have understood consumers’ needs and wants they can use them again when producing a marketing plan to reposition a product or perhaps launch another. Using theories such as Maslow’s, marketers can advertise to specific motivational needs, using powerful marketing tools such as advertising. Advertisements are cues used to arouse needs, marketers therefore creates ads to aid consumer choices. Advertising techniques can attract attention by appealing to needs (innate) or perhaps having such an image to create a new need or desire (acquired). They can advertise a product to directly stimulate levels of motivation i.e. Maslow’s self-fulfilment or Freud’s super ego through making a product seem visually emphasised as a certain amount of perfection which would satisfy top level needs. Physiological arousal can be used to stimulate consumers most basic needs, for example a visually ‘sexy’ advertisement would attract the attention of most adults, or perhaps an advertisement of a new burger at a fast food chain would focus to basic biogenic hunger needs. Cleverly marketed an advert can appeal to multiple needs, making a product seem vital for a consumer to own as it is seen as satisfying many needs, creating a strong chance of consumers purchasing this product. Looking into an emotional arousal view of marketing it can be seen that a lot of charity based organisations use emotional advertising to trigger a sad response from the audience. For example an advert seeking to create an awareness and revenue for starving children of third world countries would seek to discomfort the viewer by highlighting their struggle to find satisfaction of their biological needs and contrast this with our perhaps unnecessary ego and self-fulfilment needs. This in turn triggers an emotional response, and perhaps self-disappointment which would lead the individual to donate sympathetically. Conclusion To conclude, there has been a build-up of various consumer decision based theory and framework in this report that helps give an understanding to how the processes work, leading into motivation and various theory and models behind them. The theory can be applied directly when producing a marketing mix or segmenting the market, as it offers a clear insight into how the  human mind operates when considering purchase decisions. Another key aspect of marketing, by gaining an understanding of the consumers wants and needs before creating a product and marketing campaign that could ultimately fail and cause substantial losses financially. Marketers nowadays have to be at the top of their game due to flooded markets with similar products they have to be able to communicate the benefits of their product to the consumer and how it may differentiate from competitors. Marketers have the ability to create a want for a product that would not previously have been desired and therefore have the ability to manipulate people’s needs throughout their lifetimes through this incredibly strong tool and the added benefit of ease of distribution channels of information through advancements in modern day technology.

Les Murray’s “The Widower in the Country” Essay

In â€Å"The Widower in the country†, change is conveyed in many ways. The poem shows that change can bring a life of isolation and loneliness. The poem also shows how change is not always embraced and how we should not lead a life with a lack of change. The title of the poem, the widower in the country immediately gives the reader the impression of an individual in a vast area. This lets the readers know that the widower is alone and isolated. Already, the reader already feels sympathy for the widower, not only because he has lost his wife, but he now lives alone in a vast and empty area. In the first stanza, the first line, â€Å"I’ll get up soon, and leave my bed unmade†, shows how the persona leads a life that is monotonous and repetitive each day. There is a certainty and reluctance in his tone and it seems as though he now has no reason to make his bed, as he is lonely and there is no one who will see the bed even if it was made. At the end of the stanza, â€Å"For I get up late now†, the word â€Å"now† has been deliberately placed to show how the widower has changed his behaviour. In the second stanza, the personification of â€Å"Christmas paddocks, aching in the heat†, imitates the personas own feelings, and the words â€Å"aching in the heart† look like aching in the heart, which is what the persona feels like, as he has lost his wife. Christmas is also usually a time for family gathering, and this highlights how change has caused the widower to lead a life of loneliness and isolation. This stanza is also filled with negative imagery and mundane activities- â€Å"The windless trees, the nettles in the yard†¦ and then I’ll go in, boil water and make tea.† The †¦ at the end of the sentence shows that the widowers day is filled with other activities that are more or the same, again highlighting his life that has a lack of change. The lack of punctuation in this stanza also reflects the widower’s monotonous life and again shows how change can bring a life of isolation and loneliness. In the third stanza, there is again a lack of punctuation. â€Å"I’ll stand out on the hill and watch my house away below, and how the roof reflects the†.  There is a certainty in the widower’s tone and the detached images show he doesn’t want to be in this situation. â€Å"Makes my eyes water† gives us an image of the widower in misery and crying and we feel sympathy for him. This also shows he has not embraced the change. â€Å"Close on bright webbed visions smeared on the dark of my thoughts to dance and fade away† shows how the persona has visions and memories of the past. There is a paradox between bright and smeared and this reflects the persona’s misery. Although he wishes to think of the happier times in the past, they have now become blurred and have faded away. â€Å"Then the sun will move on† shows the widowers unhappiness and â€Å"I will simply watch, or work, or sleep† is a cumulative listing of three monotonous and mundane activities, which highlights the lack of variety in the widower’s life. The sentence also shows how the monotony is never-ending. In â€Å"And evening will come on† the â€Å"and† is placed at the start of the sentence to draw attention to how the widower is so certain about his life as it is always the same, day after day. In the last stanza, â€Å"Getting near dark, I’ll go home, light the lamp and eat my corned-beef supper, sitting there at the head of the table† shows how the widower’s day is filled with even more mundane activities and his reluctance to make any changes. The fact that he is sitting at the head of a table highlights his loneliness, as he has no family, and is by himself. â€Å"Then I’ll go to bed† again shows the certainty in his tone and his lack of change. â€Å"Last night I thought I dreamed† is the only time there is a change in tense and harsh sounding images- â€Å"the screaming was only a possum ski-ing down the iron roof† follows it. The widower has lost all hope as he cannot even dream and has nothing positive to look forward to, not even in his dreams. The poem ends with its only positive image â€Å"little moonlit claws†. With uses of imagery, personification, paradox, assonance and cumulative listing, Les Murray’s â€Å"The Widower in the Country† clearly shows how change can lead to a life of isolation and loneliness.

AIDS identified 1981 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

AIDS identified 1981 - Essay Example , the United Nations, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as those in the national and local levels have remained troubled of the effects of this condition as millions continue to contract the virus and die every year. In fact, the United Nations recorded 2.7 million new cases of HIV infections worldwide in the year 2008 and noted almost three-quarters of this number have died an AIDS-related death in the same year (â€Å"The Global AIDS† 1). As it worries the authorities and the total population of the current times, this paper intends to tackle how the condition was discovered and how it has affected the history since then. AIDS first came to view in the early 1980s when a number of homosexual men presented a kind of ill health condition which had not been identified in the history of the medical field Practitioners in Los Angeles, New York, and California have linked and treated the unknown condition with mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus, and other related conditions with their designated treatments as supported by the signs and symptoms seen in the patients (Grmek 3-5). The homosexual men who went to Joel Weisman showed â€Å"hectic fever, weight loss and swollen lymph nodes† (Grmek 3). A New Yorker also presented the same condition when he illustrated â€Å"lassitude, weight loss, spiking fevers, and slow consumption of the body† (Grmek 5). However, despite the attempts to counter the symptoms observed, no improvements became visible. Grmek even pointed out that two of Weisman’s patients â€Å"treated since fall of 1980, went from bad to worse† (4). After a number of labora tory works, the cause of the involvement of some opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were attributed to the â€Å"reduction in the population of lymphocytes, due to the almost complete disappearance of the helper T subgroup,† components of the immune system that helps fight infection (Grmek 4). This decrease in efficiency for immune

Wk 10 (67) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wk 10 (67) - Essay Example Beverly is upset because her surgery is next week and although she will not stop it, she is not sure how to talk to Sally about this final situation. From the conversation it seems that Beverly is asking the counselor to help her help Sally. The first strategy may be to explore the idea that Sally is grieving the loss of someone she dearly loves. This final step is the last identification that Sally has with Beverly as a man. This is now going to go away and Sally is probably going through the various phases of grief; this would be something to explore. According to Carroll and Gilroy (2002) counselors must first understand this issue and move part their own transphobia (p. 235). Certainly a man who is turning into a woman who legally married a woman can be cause for concern for the counselor, so they would need to deal with their own problems with the situation before counseling Beverly. Carroll and Gilroy also suggest getting more information through novels, films, biographies and periodicals (p. 235). In terms of counseling a client centered approach seems to be best because many transgendered people have challenges with trust in someone who is not transgendered because of ill treatment in the past (p. 238). Carroll, Gilroy and Ryan (2002) suggest that counselors should also have a growing knowledge of terminology that is evolving in the transgendered community along with "local, regional and national support networks (p. 134). This information can assist the client and give more information. Mark is a 35 year old male of mixed heritage. His father was black and American Indian and his mother identifies as "white" because her parents were Jamaican and Scotch Irish. Mark grew up in a home where he had no real understanding of any heritage because his family did not identify with any one group. As Mark grew older and left the family he has tried to interact

The Post-Washington Consensus policies should be completely abandoned Essay

The Post-Washington Consensus policies should be completely abandoned and countries left to choose their own development paths. Discuss - Essay Example nomic level to be adopted by these developing states, especially the Latin American states and the ex-communist bloc, to help them come out of the dire economic crisis. The main idea behind the propagation of the ideals behind Washington Consensus implied that there would be fre flow of capital across borders, including the free flow of services along with the goods, increasing market efficiency by monitoring and assistance via International Financial Institutions i.e. the IMF (International Monetary Fund). However, during the 1990`s the definition and the context of the Washington Consensus was revised, and consequently what is now being termed as the â€Å"Post-Washington Consensus† was deemed as a product of this development. As opposed to the earlier definition, where the ideals of Washington Crisis were being adopted for the well-being of the developing states, the ideals now being implemented were rather aimed at dictating biased policies on the part of the IFI`s with th e sole purpose of maintaining their status quo which is now being rejected by the mainstream intellectual community in the developing world. The Post-Washington Consensus must policies must be replaced by a progressive set of policies, considering the needs and economic feasibility of the developing world. Also, instead of imposing the neo-liberal policies on the Global South, the states must be left with an option to adopt a set of policies more suitable to their socio-economic setup. The Post-Washington Consensus was inherently flawed in understanding the basic economic structure of the developed states, and adopting generic measures for intrinsically complex state of affairs governing in each setup (Jomo & Fine 2006). Thus, the tools and techniques being applied in this context failed to produce desired results, and thus the wave of disappointment amongst the economically weaker states was instigated. Also, instead of coming off as industrially developed nations, these states turned into

Middle School Classroom Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Middle School Classroom Management - Essay Example Why do we eat fast food, in particular It is quick, easy, and comforting. Why do we complain or get angry Perhaps to influence others and to get rid of negative feelings. Why would we avoid meeting others or talking to people We're perfectly comfortable in our own little zone. And the list goes on and on. (Managing, 2006 p. 1). By the same token, why do we avoid good choices such as going to the dentist or doctor. Well, that one's obvious-it's costly and painful! Why don't we save money Because we want things now. Why don't we exercise or eat healthy foods Exercise is hard and preparing healthy foods takes time. For we adults, three steps are needed for us to obtain self-control: We need "standards," which means we need to know what we should do. Secondly we need to be aware if our behavior is failing to meet these standards, and finally, we need to be able to correct the behavior that is producing sub-standard behavior. (Managing, 2006 p. 4). The principles that we as adults can use to change our negative behaviors can translate into principles that we can teach middle school age children as well. These principles will create the lifelong ability for them to both monitor and modify their behavior in many areas of their lives. Of course children misbehave for a variety of reasons; it can be as simple as a cry for attention-good or bad-or as complicated as a difficult situation in their home life. A child may be troubled about an issue and acting our, or simply showing youthful exuberance which goes over the line into disruptive behavior. Many times a teacher is required to be much more than a teacher, and one of these things would be a psychiatrist. The teacher must come to know each and every individual student in such a way that it is obvious to her, even if not to others, just which of the above issues may be the at the root of the bad behavior. The first day of class student and teacher needs, rights and expectations should be openly discussed on the first day of class and reviewed periodically. The student's basic needs includes survival, belonging, power, fun and freedom and they have the right to learn without being disrupted by others. (Wiggins 2006 p. 2) In turn, the teacher has the right to expect the full attention of each and every student as well as the right to establish a learning environment that facilitates optimal success. (Charles 1992 p. 109). Even beyond these basic rights and expectations, the student is expected to come to class both prepared and with the desire to learn. They are expected to behave in a respectful manner both to teachers and other students, and accept any consequence of their own negative behavior. The teacher is expected to consider interesting curricula that both engages the student's full attention

Life after death in Ancient Egypt Research Paper

Life after death in Ancient Egypt - Research Paper Example Admittedly, ancient Egyptians were afraid of death and could only imagine what happened in their afterlives: â€Å"Except in imaginative tales, no one had ever come back to tell of it† (qtd. in Bricker 99). Therefore, ancient Egyptians’ beliefs about life after death deserve special attention. In the first place, it is worth considering ancient Egyptians’ attitude towards death. On one hand, people were afraid of death. Many written works suggest that people regarded it as â€Å"an enemy from which there was no escape, regardless of all preparations† (Hodel-Hoenes and Warburton 26). Everyone, be it a pharaoh or a poor, eventually dies. Thus, death was also regarded as something inevitable. This was, perhaps, one of the reasons why ancient Egyptians respected it so much. There was even The Book of the Dead which was a guideline that depicted all necessary operations to enable diseased to enter the other world and start their afterlife (Hodel-Hoenes and Warb urton 25). The book was concerned â€Å"with practical help and magical assistance for the hereafter†; it was not a simple description (Hornung and Lorton 17). Death was regarded as a turning point where people transformed and began their existence in a new form in another world. It is important to point out that ancient Egyptians’ ideas about the form of the afterlife are quite complex. Thus, there is no certain word in the ancient Egyptian language which reveals the idea of the â€Å"modern concept of soul† (Pinch 147). In ancient times Egyptians believed that â€Å"several components† of a person usually survived death (Pinch 147). The major component was the ka, â€Å"a person’s vital force† which was usually depicted as â€Å"a double† and dying was described as â€Å"joining your ka† (Pinch 147). The ka was closely connected with human body, and mummification was aimed at preserving one’s body for the ka to return to the body â€Å"for a more complete union† (Pinch 147). Mummification is worth special attention since it was essential for â€Å"successful† afterlife. Cunningham and Reich claim that mummification is a reflection of â€Å"the most striking aspect of Egyptian religious thought†, i.e. â€Å"its obsession with immortality† (11). However, James Henry Breasted found quite an interesting explanation for the existence of such beliefs and â€Å"popularity† of mummification. He claims This insistent belief in a hereafter may perhaps have been †¦ greatly favored and influenced by the fact that the conditions of soil and climate resulted in such a remarkable preservation of the human body as may be found under natural conditions nowhere else in the world. (Breasted 49) Thus, the nature itself influenced the beliefs of ancient Egyptians who worked out certain techniques to preserve human body. It goes without saying that elite had more elaborate funer al than poor people did. However, it is important to note that all people were to be buried in accordance with the necessary rituals. More so, there was even a law concerning people dying in the Nile. According to this law all people, irrespective of their social status and wealth, be it an Egyptian or a foreigner, who died in the Nile (even if the person was unidentified) should be buried â€Å"by the inhabitants of the city† and all the necessary rituals should be carried out (Chan et al. 2032). This precision is due to the beliefs that deceased who

Huge Quantity of Heroin Seized in Bronx Term Paper

Huge Quantity of Heroin Seized in Bronx - Term Paper Example The men arrested in this particular operation would be booked for various charges, including those related to other offenses linked to their primary operation of narcotics processing and distribution. But two of the main charges against them would be Criminal Possession of Controlled Substances and Criminal Sale of Controlled Substances, as per the New York Penal Law. Depending on pertinent facts of individual cases, the punishments of these crimes vary from a simple fine to imprisonment for a duration extending to more than a decade.But in this particular case, as the arrested men are a part of a well-organized criminal gang, there is a very small possibility of the eventual punishment being on the milder side. As a matter of fact, it would not be an exaggeration in maintaining that the accused, in all probability, would be handed over a severe sentence. It needs to be conceded that the final punishment in the case would rely on various vital factors such as other facts of the case and the defense, to cite a few. Before focusing on the aspect of the defense, an understanding needs to be obtained about the two Latin Terms –Actus Reus and Mens Rea. This is of utmost relevance for thoroughly appreciating the likely possibilities of this particular case. Actus Reus, which means a â€Å"guilty act†, refers to the actual act that is punishable by the Criminal Law. On the other hand, Mens Rea, whose meaning is guilty mind, refers to the actual intention in the mind of the person, while committing that act.

The Value of Money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The Value of Money - Essay Example Some of the items included a baby doll, a puzzle of teddy bears, baby clothes for the baby doll, and a package of M&Ms for my sweet tooth. I was putting the items in the cart without my moms knowledge, hiding them to make sure she would not see them until we were checking out. Once at the checkout, my mom would put each of the items on the conveyer belt. When she came to the items that I had picked out, she shook her head and asked me â€Å"are you paying for the items that you have put in the cart?†. I answered â€Å"No, I don’t have any money.†. My mom replied â€Å"You know money doesn’t grow on trees. You need to learn that you have to earn your money to buy the things that you want.† My mom told the cashier that everything that I picked out would have to go back, except for the M&M’s. After this incident, my mom decided to help me learn about the value of money and how to earn it. She started having me do chores around the house so that I could earn money to buy some of the items I wanted. Although this helped me understand that money was not free, I remember thinking how unfair it was that I had to earn money to buy my toy(s). Now that I’m grown up, I have a great job, and a family of my own. I have learned that not only do I have to earn the money I need, I have to manage my money in order to pay bills and buy the item(s) I want. Every trip to the store now consists of me asking myself whether or not I need the item as opposed to wanting the item, regardless of whether I can afford the item or not. During my most recent trip to Wal-Mart, I strolled up and down the grocery aisle, picking up the items that were on my grocery list. After I was finished getting all with my list, I found myself wandering around looking for anything else that I might want. My first stop on my whimsical items splurge took me to the candy aisle for a big bag of M&Ms

The Origins of the Korean War Essay Example for Free

The Origins of the Korean War Essay The Korean peninsula used to be a unified nation until the Korean War. The book, The Origins of the Korean War by Peter, published in 1981 was among Lowe’s series of books, which among others take the Korean War or any other World War II event for his topic. In this book, the second edition of ‘The Origins of Korean War’, Lowe was convinced that the war was in fact ignited by North Korea when it initiated the attacks to South Korea. However, after a thorough discussion of the events that lead to the war, including the influences from neighboring nations like China and Russia, Lowe ended the book with a discussion of how, the two separated countries of Korea (North Korea and South Korea) were able to settle their differences and resolved the conflicts despite the war. Clearly, in opposition to the common beliefs of many, the Korean War, had long been blamed upon the South Koreans. But with this book, Lowe discussed the various events that surrounded and led to the war. It clarified the notion that the war between the nations resulted from the influences of other countries. According to Lowe (135), the Korean War, started on April 3, 1948 when the Communist attacked the civilian government that led to the two long years of conflict and more than thirty thousand lives lost. However, Lowe (135) also argued that the conflict reached its peak only on June 25, 1950. From its very title, Peter Lowe tried to prove how the Korean war originated. In this book, Lowe claims that the Korean War was a result of the â€Å"combination of animosity† between the Koreans, the indecisiveness of the Americans and the duplicity of the Russians (Lowe 135). With the intervention of then more powerful nations like the United States an, China and Russia, Korea was left divided in parts as North Korea and South Korea and remained in conflict even after the wars. From Lowe’s narrations and circumstantial evidence, the Korean War was initiated by North Korea and led to what has then been known as â€Å"the ‘forgotten war’ or the ‘war before the Vietnam ’ (Lowe 135). One of the more important parts of the book and explanations by Lowe is the part that considers the Korean War, more of a war caused by the international conflict and more importantly of the Second World War instead of the unstable civil society. The domestic factors, although contributed and facilitated the war, the Korean War is more of a war between non-Koreans than Koreans. Because the Korean war did not only involved the Koreans, but also the United States, Russia and China, Lowe discussed the various claims as to how the war originated by stating how each of these countries, their then leaders, have been involved with Korea and the war. After which, Lowe, as well as his evidence, with how presented the chronology of event that led to the Korean War, that it was in fact the North Koreans that started the attacks. It was however not clear whether the attack was purely of Korean prerogative or based upon influences from any of the other huge nations involved. Lowe’s book on the origin of the Korean War, clearly gave meaningful insights on how the conflict started once and for all. This is very informative especially among Koreans, who, for the past years have not been so eager to know the reasons behind the war. For some time, the Korean War remained in the dark, and surrounded by myths regarding its origin. After the long discussion on the origin of the war, Lowe concluded by sharing how North Korea and South Korea was able to settle the dispute and how eventually the war ended. I agree with Lowe in saying, that even after twenty years in war, the Korean peninsula was reunited, although, it cannot be denied that until today, wounds caused by the war permanently marked with scars the relations between the two nations. Although the violent wars have stopped, it cannot change the fact that it left Korea in agony. Until today, communist movements still persist in the Korean peninsula. The book likewise validates the claim that it was communism that caused the war, and not for some influence or direct orders of attack from other nations like Russia. In fact, just recently, the threats of nuclear war and the debate on the use of nuclear weapons started with the admission that the Koreans are holding nuclear weapons. Korea remained one of the most feared nations, especially when it comes to war and combat. In the book, contradictions are evident. First, Lowe concluded that the North Koreans initiated the Korean War, but, later in his discussion, he also intimated that the Korean War was due to some peripheral hostility from stronger nations like Russia. He only reconciled these opposing claims when he clarified that the attack was initiated by the North, while the pending aggression from outside the peninsula forced and caused for the North Koreans to believe than an attack to the south is the best thing to do. Before this Lowe’s book, the truth about the origins of the Korean War has vaguely been debated on internationally. However, when Lowe published this book, he was able to explain and present pieces of evidence that will discount and strengthening various points in the debate. For example, he discussed the arguments as to the Americans to have provoked the war, same with how the Russians and the Chinese did. The Korean War is one of the vaguely and rarely talked about conflicts. With Lowe’s book, with perspectives from the Americans, the Chinese and the Russians, the Koreans, and more importantly, the readers are apprised of the near truth about the Korean War.

Bmw overview and industry trends and issues

Bmw overview and industry trends and issues BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke Group) is a one of the leading luxury carmakers European automobile industry. BMW was founded on March 7th 1916 by Franz Popp and Max Friz. BMW started out by making airplane engines for German army up until the end of WWI in 1918. BMW in this report will look at BMWs position in the European automobile industry and it will also analyse the marketing mix, Trends and issues in the industry. BMW based in the German state of Bavaria. BMW is creating and distributing a series of successful, premium-priced passenger cars and motorcycle. In 1928 BMW purchased their first car factory at Eisenach/Thuringia and with it, the license to build a small car call, Dixi. Also provides financial service to support worldwide sales and distribution of cars and motorcycles. In 2008 the company sold 1.2 million automobiles under its largest brand-the BMW. Trends and issue in the Industry: SWOT ANALYSIS My S.W.O.T analysis will define each of the Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) Companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths BMW group has luxury brands ranges MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW its very popular car so its strengths of BMW. BMW current positions in market are very repudiated and loyal so company turnover and trading profit growth are also high. BMW is a reliable brand. BMW has a new technology and worlds leading premium quality of automobile manufacturer so its create good reputation of all the customer and company profit are high. BMW is a brand so everyone know that what is BMW so its good to launch a new product on market and earn to profit. Weaknesses BMW is brand so its know as a leading automobile company and very high prices so normal person has a perception that BMW prices are always high so they can affordable so its one of the BMW weaknesses. BMW are luxury cars manufacturer so its middle class people not affordable so this one also BMW weakness. Opportunities BMW image in market its good so if the new product launch its good for earning money and increase sales. BMW customer care service are good so if there any customer need any help and improved a cars so its will be consider to new other cars and launch it. BMW release a Miniseries car its successful in Europe and the US market so BMW continue with this success they offering a diesel version to be released and its really helpful to BMWs profile and brand value. So its good opportunity to release this model to other country. BMW Economy is growing by 2007 2.75 to 3.75 percent and then 2008 and 2009 its 2.5 to 3 percent so its mean more people purchasing BMWs so its good opportunities to cover the uk and other market. Threats BMW most of the model are oil and current condition are oil prices going high and high so its really one threats for the BMW so maybe they have to launch a Diesel model more than oil car model. Current situation and globalize market governments policies always changes so its one of the threats for BMW to due a tax rate and import and export his car model etc. BMW has to always know the current political issues and new legal polices so if the interest going high so its will directly effect to BMW cars. PEST ANALYSIS Political In this time budget, Gordon Brown penalize drivers of the eco-friendly cars. In budged he announced that heavy polluting cars would be higher rate of road tax  £210 a year. So its means BMW has to improved his car petrol engine so its performed longer as well as last longer life value. BMW has to always careful about launching new cars and give the proper safety equipments on it. For example BMW manufacture one of their car without any airbags that could be illegal so its they always checked all the cars and awarded that safe of the car. Economic If the interest rate going high its really effect to BMW and other company of sales and profit, its means that if the rate going high customer not buying a new cars and not investing any money. So that why BMW decrease the cars price and so not good for the BMW. Currents interest rate is 0.5% so its good for the customers to buy new cars. One of the most important point is unemployment, currents situation still many sector reseation period most of the people not doing any job so they not buy any luxury cars and any other item so its not good for BMW. Social: In current market day by day new fashion and life style will be change so its really hard to manage the customer need and what they wants so BMW always care of this which of the product customer really needs and market demand. Population also effect the BMW sales market, if the family size reducing that means they just saving a money and not buying any luxury cars and item so BMW has to control his model price and also look the customer needs. Technological: Technologies are more important factor to currents situation for BMW because all the other competitors using a new technology to give a better performance against to other company. And they improved the cars to new materials and developments. If the technologies will be increase its means BMW also promote his model through internet and other media so its really helpful increase sales and profit. Porters Five Forces Analysis Threats of new entry : In new company entering an automotive market a massive amount of capital is required. In automobile industry BMW brands are very loyal so any new customer trust to this company and buy a new car. But a new company launch in an automobile industry its really hard to manage customer and they needs. Power of buyers : In automobile industry most of the time prices are fixed. In this industry individual buyers are less power but a large buyer have a bargaining power to lower price level. BMW always buy a bulk not a single to its really help to buyers power. Power of suppliers : In BMW, powers of suppliers are low because of the high production. If the BMW switching the suppliers then it will be suppliers power will be high so automobile industry everyone doing a good relation to the suppliers so that the powers of suppliers are low and production of the company going high. Competitive rivalry : In automobile industry competitive rivalry is very high. Strong advertising and promotion brand make a different to the product. Its really easy to buy a new product to customer but its really hard to buy a suitable and good quality product. Substitution: Substitution are really affect the BMW sales because of the high price of model customer choose the same cars but a low prize on other company etc. Audi TT, Mercedes CLK who fulfill customer need. Marketing Objective BMW never publish its aim and objective because of the competition. But in my research I can find some statement the main aim would be: BMW increase sales growth in all criteria Profit maximization Growth into new market Meeting stakeholder needs Aim Objective Increase Sales Growth in all aspects of BMW Sales increase from 1.4million to 2 million by 2020. Motorbike sales increase from 100,000 to 150,000 by 2012 To raise its production capacity in China to 41,000 cars per year. Profit Maximization Increase efficiency by 3.3% in the production of cars Costs savings of  £1.6bn by 2012 without cutting jobs. Profit margins from BMWs automotive operations should exceed 8% by 2012, up from 6.3% in 2006, Growth into new markets Research in to new markets Meeting stakeholders needs BMWs share price has been slipping in recent months, so investors want it to find economies of scale and cut costs Cut average emissions by 25% by the end of 2008, in line with a voluntary industry agreement struck in 1998. www.bmw.com BMW has to improved sales and profit to consider this topic and work on it. Marketing strategy Segmentation BMW have to identify specific characteristics to improve the segmentation area. In this segmentation BMW has to look at this geographic, demographic, behavioral, and socioeconomic. Market segmentation provides guidelines for company to develop new marketing strategy and diverse product market. BMW three brands BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce clearly focuses on international market. Geographic: In geographical segmentation divided on district, country, village, state, regions. BMW has to choose one particular geographic sector and concentrate on them. Because of the company launce a new product in new area its really hard to increase the demand but its easy to sale on old sector. So BMW will have to chances of generating profit and gaining market share in specific market. Geographically, BMW main markets are Europe and North America both are heavily manufacturing and residents are situated to buy upper market. Demographics: In this demographics segmentation divide the market into personal characteristics such as: age and family life cycle, Gender and income, race, nationality and generation also include. So BMW has to target to particular market to sell their products. Demographics segmentation is the easiest way to measure the market. Age and family life cycle: customer needs always change to grow and his life style status change so its company has to decide which product are better for particular age and their life style. Gender: BMW has to always include this point to launch a new product because of the particular area and gender its really help to BMW to increase the sale. Targeting: BMW using a particular target specific automobile market, it means different people and BMW give the different cars sector so its really help to customer find a his needs and budget cars. BMW divided the different section of the cars to customer demand. Sports convertible (Z3, 3 series and Z4), Executive (3 series, 5 series) super executive (7 series), Touring/Estate (3 series, 5 series), Grand Tourers (Z5), Super sports (M series) and 4X4 (X5). This all model BMW launce a different sector and customer needs. Positioning: BMW image has a very high to luxury cars, performance, technologically advanced, good quality this are the main factor, so BMW has a good positioning in automobile industry. Its good for the BMW because of the new company launch a same cars and cheap price but never effect to BMW sales. BMW compete to Mercedes, jaguar, Audi, Lexus so its really difficult to manage cars quality and marketing strategy. The positioning of the companies and their brands has been build up over many year sales and customer satisfaction. Evaluate and Marketing Mix Marketing mix under for heading often referred to as the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Promotions and Place. Marketing mix is really good important elements of a company plan. So BMW has to consider this point in to his strategy. Product : The Most important elements in the marketing mix is company product, because this provides the useful to know customer requirements. BMW have to develop their product into the brand that helps to create a good position on customer mind. If the BMW brand are superiority leads its help to high sales, and give the BMW power the premium price. BMW products are very high performance, technologically advanced and luxuries. This will be start middle to prestigious card. The present models are: BMW 3 Series   Sedan, Coupe, Convertible, Touring, Compact BMW 5 Series   Sedan, Touring BMW 6 Series Coupe, Convertible BMW 7 Series   Sedan BMW Z4 Roadster BMW X3 SUV BMW X5 SUV BMW M -Convertible, Coupe Mini Cooper   an independent brand within the BMW Group Rolls-Royce According to GM of BMW the management of products and brand is a key factor in marketing success. www.bmw.com Vehicle Production 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 % Change BMW 1,059,978 1,122,308 1,179,317 1,302,774 1,203,482 1,043,829 -13.3 MINI 189,492 200,119 186,674 237,700 235,019 213,670 -9.1 Rolls-Royce 875 692 847 1,029 1,417 918 -35.2 Motorcycles * 93,836 92,012 103,759 104,396 104,220 82,631 -20.7 * from 2006 including BMW G650 X assembly by Piaggio S.p.A., excluding Husgvarna Motorcycles (14,232 motorcycles)   BMW Group deliveries to customer 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 % Change BMW 1,023,583 1,126,768 1,185,088 1,276,793 1,202,239 1,068,770 -11.1 MINI 184,357 200,428 188,077 222,875 232,425 216,538 -6.8 Rolls-Royce 792 796 805 1,010 1,212 1,002 -17.3 Motorcycles ** 92,266 97,474 100,064 102,467 101,685 87,300 -14.1 ** excluding Husqvarna Motorcycles (13,052 motorcycles).   BMW Group deliveries of automobiles* by region and market (in 1,000 units) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Germany 283.6 295.9 287.7 280.9 280.9 267.5 Rest of Europe 299.7 350.8 375.0 443.6 432.2 357.3 Northern America 315.9 329.0 337.4 364.0 331.8 271.0 United Kingdom 145.3 156.2 154.1 173.8 151.5 137.1 Asia 106.4 125.7 142.1 159.5 165.7 183.1 Other Markets 57.9 70.4 77.7 78.9 73.8 70.3 http://www.bmweducation.co.uk/coFacts/view.asp?docID=73 In BMW product life cycle main points are Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline. So its true that new product has to pass all the product life cycle factors. BMW knows as good brands so it not very difficult to launch a new product in the market and also BMW international represented so all over the world. In 2010 BMW launce a new series 7 and 8 so every product has to pass on this life cycle its depend on customer demand and market strategy that how product work and what is the sales and profit. Introduction: BMW new series are straggling on introductory periods because of the customer not knows the cars feature and price and compare to other product. Starting point there is no competition and also low scale volume of product. Its really hard to create a demand of new product and BMW always launch luxury cars so its to high cost so starting point company has to lose some money. Growth: BMW new series its growing periods demand already increase and company make money so its good to for the profit also. If the cars market going high the BMW share also high. Growth periods is competitors also entry the market so BMW has to control price and technology. BMW launch a MINI brand in Europe and other markets and its really high-performance in 2002, BMW sale more than 144,000 Mini brand cars on particular periods. Maturity: In this periods most of the product are common periods and all prices are same and feature also same. In Maturity periods production cost and manufacturing cost are low and profit are also normal so its really good for company. BMW has to good competition market on this maturity periods. Decline: In this stage BMW product demand will be going down so its company due to new product launch and replace the old one. In this stage company give the discount and sales his cars so its lose for the company. BMW is a one of the luxury brands and its popular for cars in automobile industry. BMW customer sector are upper and middle class people and price rate are also premium. BMW is a brand so most of the people like to buy and BMW use a new technology and give the customer needs. Price: The price strategy has been used to BMW and other company competition. BMW is series market based around the same price. In automobile industry is large and production cost are not so important but creating the large profit is not a necessary as it would be a smaller company. In automobile Industry BMW compare with other competitors same market: **Prices are in US Dollars Models (From) Lowest price** (To) Highest price** 3 Series Sedan $29,850 $36,950 Coupe $30,500 $36,800 Convertible $37,800 $44,100 Touring $30,800 $32,550 Compact $28,100 $35,200 5 Series Sedan $39,800 $58,300 6 Series Coupe $69,300 $72,200 Convertible $76,300 $78,900 7 Series Sedan $69,300 $117,200 X3 (SUV) $30,300 $36,300 X5 (SUV) $40,800 $69,800 M Series Coupe $47,100 Convertible $55,600 Z4 (Roadster) $33,600 $40,900 Mini Cooper Rolls-Royce www.bmweduction.co.uk/companyfacts/competitors/fact1.shtm BMW has to always think about prices of the product because if the price will be high to other competitors demand will be down so its very difficult to manage price and everything will be covered. Promotion: BMW using advertising most obviously as promotion techniques, advertising has always focused on entirely on their cars with same advertising company. BMW always using advertising like media, TV, Magazine and other sources, so its really useful to new cars launches. In 2002 BMW branding campaigns use first radio for a national advertising. BMW was worked advertising agency WCRS since 1979 to develop adverts for BMW cars. BMW also use online advertising so in current situation its really help to customer find a new cars feature in online and know the price and how to get it. So advertising its really help to BMW sales. Place: Selecting a proper Place its really hard decisions for the company and particular target market. BMW has to distribution system performs logistical, transactional and facilitating. Function. BMW has to improved to select a proper place to going a business because its seems that more places your product is available, so more money youll get. BMW give a dealerships on every street but its selected areas and target market. So its really helpful decision to take a good place for the company. BMW always used one level distribution this is where it comes from the manufactures to independent dealers who then sell to the consumers. Its shows that BMW using one level of distribution so its good for BMW to contact to direct customer and know what the customer need. Recommendations: BMW cars navigation system are quite complex so its really improved to new cars. If BMW increase navigation system then its his car value must be high. BMW launch new six gas cylinder vehicle but its will be give low mileage. So BMW has to do any work on this problem and use the proper technology and improved the cars mileage. A BMW car has a limited cargo space compare to other competitors car. So BMW has to work on it and improved a new cars and then launch. Most of the customer has a perception that BMW cars are always high prices so its bad for BMW sales and profit. So BMW has to advertised and give the proper cars feature and price to customer and other media so he knows that which cars better for and what is the feature. Conclusion: BMW group has a good brand value so its really more opportunities and wide production plants and high technology give the more cars sales and increase the BMW profits. BMW is currents luxury car manufacturing companies so its brand value are very high. In currents situation cars are very important and primary transport to society. BMW earn more profit from the increasing a sales to high quality of cars and good service. BMW are loyal to the customer so they like to buy a new car. BMW group has a high standard production and efficient managements. Its future depends on the external environments and internal activities.

September 11: War Against Terrorism is Necessary Essay -- September 11

September 11: War Against Terrorism is Necessary      Ã‚   On the fateful morning of September 11, 2001, few of us knew that the history of America, let alone our individual lives, was dramatically and permanently changing. As the day progressed, Americans, one by one, were dumbfounded at the events that had occurred.   This is by no means the first terrorist attack in the history of the world.   Nor will it be the last.   Many cultures over time have been greatly wounded and even overcome by these fiendish terrorist attacks.   Thankfully, the United States' history has not been heavily tarnished by these assaults - until now.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the days of the attack, many national and world leaders have come together to declare war on terrorism.   A valiant effort has been made in order to defeat these evils.   An immediate counter-response has been called for, and necessarily so.   On September 20, 2001, in a joint session of Congress, President George W. Bush spoke of a new war when he said, "Our war on terror begins with al-Qaida [the terrorist group founded in Afghanistan by Usama Bin Ladin in the late 1980s], but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated" (Bush Announces Start of a "War on Terror").   He expounded further, explaining that "...the only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it, and destroy it where it grows" (Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People).   Our way of life would most assuredly be preserved, were it only possible to realize these noble ideals of eliminating terrorism.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the war against terrorism, it is, unfortunately, nearly impossible to beco... ...oes the occurrence of retaliatory behaviors.   The war against terrorism is a needed effort, however it is a war whose end is not yet in sight. Works Cited: Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People. September 20, 2001. White House: President George W. Bush. 25 September 2001 <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html> Bush Announces Start of a "War on Terror". 20 September 2001. U.S. Department of State's Office of International Information Programs. 24 September 2001 <http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/pol/terror/01092051.htm> Punishment and aggression. Selva, Michel. 27 February 1998. NESBAT. 02 October 2001   <http://www.tiac.net/users/suzon/sloane.html> Sidman, Murray. "Coercion and Its Fallout." Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. 24 September 2001. http://www.behavior.org/>.

Music Education Advances Culture Essay examples -- School Art Essays

Music Education Advances Culture With many music programs now beginning to be cut from public schools, music educators now find themselves having to defend the value of their art in an educational setting. Most educators view music education to be an important aspect of overall education, but they view it as luxury rather than a necessity. Often times, music and art education unfortunately lead the way when tough budget cuts have to be made. Some people even believe that the arts should not be included in curriculum because it is difficult to evaluate art formally. Others believe that a culture as advanced as ours should have the arts as the keystone of our educational system. I believe that music education plays an important and valuable role in the further development of our culture and is essential to a good education. Music education is important in the development of a stronger culture and society because it encourages creativity and individuality. Students are provided with an opportunity to expand their minds and experience what their true potential is through the art of music. This encourages individual opinions and allows students to draw their own conclusions without a correct or incorrect answer. I believe that music education should be a keystone in the foundation of our educational system. As Williams states, "the arts are a basic and central medium of human communication and understanding."(Williams 190) Music communicates aurally what we can not put into words or visual images. Music and the other arts should be treated as essential to improving and strengthening our culture. Music always requires more than 100%. It is not enough just to play all the correct notes. Musicians strive for something greater than ... ...and increased math and reading scores. I think that we will find that music directly impacts math and reading skills. I believe that music requires a more diversified utilization of the brain, and that it inherently combines both math and communication skills. Yes, it is true that music may not fit into our modern mold of statistics, test scores, and financial value. Although music may not fit the mold, it is essential to all advanced cultures and its value is shown throughout the history of the world. Although technology in the modern world offers quick satisfaction, we must remember that without music and the arts culture becomes stagnant. Music is essential to our culture and should be essential to our educational system. Works Cited Dahl, Ronald. "Burned out and bored" Hughes, Robert. "Behold the Stone Age" Williams, Harold M. "Don’t Ignore the Arts"

The Significance of Islamic Calligraphy in the Muslim Culture Essay

Abstract Although it could be considered an insignificant part of society, Islamic calligraphy is crucial to its culture because of its role in religion and architecture, and its help in creating unity among Muslims. Calligraphy's function in religion is mainly due to the Muslim forbiddance of the "representation of living beings" (Schimmel, Islamic 11) in art. In architecture calligraphy is used to decorate the interior and exterior of buildings to help remind citizens of the purpose of the architecture: to glorify God. Lastly, calligraphy helps to unite Muslims because everyone must learn the Arabic language to participate in prayers and recitations. Introduction Islamic calligraphy is considered to have developed into an art during the time of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph and the son-in-law of Muhammad (Schimmel, Islamic 3). Not only a religious leader, Ali ibn Abi Talib was a great calligrapher and artist. The use and importance of Islamic calligraphy grew rapidly after his extensive development of the art. Muslims are cautioned against producing illustrations of living beings, therefore much of Islamic art is calligraphic. Although it is not seriously considered a real art form by many western societies, Islamic calligraphy is essential to its own culture because of its crucial role in religion, architecture, and creating unity among Muslims. Background Islamic calligraphy is unique in several distinct traditions. The letters of the alphabet can be written in different forms, making the writings difficult to read (Piotrosky 27). It is considered a noble art form, and has its own rhythm and harmony (Khan 7). It is written from right to left and lacks capitalization and punctuation marks (11). Each o... ...ans. Rosanna Giammanco Frongia. New York: Abbeville Press Publishers, 2001. Khatibi, Abdelkebir, and Mohammed Sijelmassi. The Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy. Paris: Thames and Hudson, 1994. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Islamic Art and Spirituality. New York: State University of New York Press, 1987. Parry, James. "Calligraphy as a Contemporary Art Form." Arts & the Islamic World 31 (1997): 54-55. ---. "First International Calligraphy Festival in Tehran." Arts & the Islamic World 31 (1997): 50-53. Piotrovsky, Mikhail B. Earthly Beauty, Heavenly Art: Art of Islam. Ed. John Vrieze. Amsterdam: De Nieuwe Kerk, 1999. Rosenthal, F. Four Essays on Art and Literature in Islam. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1971. Schimmel, Annemarie. Calligraphy and Islamic Culture. New York: New York University Press, 1984. ---. Islamic Calligraphy. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1970.

Merchant of Venice Glossary and Character Sketch

Glossary—The Merchant of Venice Act I, Scene II 1. â€Å"By my troth†Ã¢â‚¬â€a mild oath like â€Å"Upon my word† 2. aught—anything 3. surfeit—overindulge 4. superfluity—excess 5. Hare—to run fast 6. â€Å"overname them†Ã¢â‚¬â€say their names over 7. colt—a young, or inexperienced person 8. Death’s-head—skull 9. a-cap’ring—dancing 10. pennyworth—a small amount 11. doublet—a close-fitting outer garment, with or without sleeves and sometimes having a short skirt, worn by men in the Renaissance; an undergarment, quilted and reinforced with mail, worn beneath arm. 12. ound hose—very full short breeches which varied in length from the upper thigh to just above the knee, giving a rounded look to the hips and showing off the leg. 13. surety—a person who assumes legal responsibility for the fulfillment of another's debt or obligation and himself becomes liable if the other defaults. 14. viley—highly offensive, unpleasant, disgusting 15. Sibylla—the Sybil of Cumae, to whom Apollo granted as many years of life as there are grains in a handful of sand 16. Diana—goddess of chastity Character Report—Nerissa What does your character want in this scene? Nerissa wants to know whether Portia has feelings for any of her suitors and whether she will consider disobeying her father’s will. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? She is Portia’s waiting-gentlewoman and friend, who is concerned about Portia’s future. Also, she shows some eagerness for Bassanio to arrive with her future husband, Gratiano. What obstacles stand in his or her way? Portia’s independence and defiance of her father’s will that causes Portia to show distaste toward all her suitors. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles? Nerissa finds that the heiress might be interested in Bassanio. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his of her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what? ) She is inquisitive and curious. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events? ) She in inquiring about Portia’s suitors. She must be interested in their futures. Character Report—Portia What does your character want in this scene? Portia wishes to choose the fate of her marriage instead of following her father’s will. She also seems to express interest in Bassanio when he is mentioned. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? She is an orphan that has no say in who she marries so Portia motivation to protest is her want of freedom. Even after her father’s death, she is still under his control. What obstacles stand in his or her way? Her father’s will and the test of the caskets deciding her husband. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles? Nothing really, as she just points out all the flaws of the suitors she meets. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his of her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what? ) So far she has only spoken in complaints and a bit condenscendingly. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events? ) She is most likely thinking of loopholes to get out of her father’s demands. She is probably also thinking about Bassanio and when he will come court her. Company Report—Queen Murphy’s Two 1. What happens in your scene? Outline the basic events. . Portia complains about how she cannot choose a husband because of her deceased father’s will. Explains the caskets and the requirements for Portia’s hand in marriage. b. Nerissa names the different suitors of Portia and Portia points out all their flaws. c. Nerissa tells Portia that all the suitors were leaving and Nerissa mentions Bassanio. Portia is interested. d. A serving man appears stating that the Prince of Morocco is arriving soon. Portia doesn’t really care too much. 2. What do you think are the key purposes of your scene? a. To introduce Portia and Nerissa as key characters and explaining their personalities. b. To explain the idea of the caskets (gold, silver, and lead) and the parameters behind Portia’s engagement. c. To foreshadow the relationship that will happen between Bassanio and Portia later on. 3. What are your reactions to this scene? That Portia seems to be stuck in a situation that she’s very stubborn about. To go against her father’s will, she is headstrong and picky in choosing her husband. I feel like supporting Portia to go for her need to be independent.

Chpl500 Writing Assignments

Written Assignments Liberty Theological Seminary Chpl 500 Chaplaincy Foundations Review this document carefully, preparing early and in a timely manner is the key to success. Submit each assignment through the Assignments folder for the appropriate module. For each paper, follow the general guidelines (Services/Support area) and in the Additional Information folder (Course Content > Syllabus and Assignment Instructions). Module 1: Explain the early history of the chaplaincyRead carefully pages 1–68 (chapters 1–2) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Emperors, Priests, and Bishops, Military Chaplains in the Roman Empire† & â€Å"The Liturgy of War from Antiquity to the Crusades. † A discussion of military chaplains in the Roman imperial period, that is, from approximately 27 BC–500 AD will be examined with all its difficulties involved. After completing your reading you will need to do the following exercises: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, explaining the use of religion in the early history of the chaplaincy.This assignment is designed to get you to think critically about how religion and those picked to provide religious activities grew into what is now called chaplains. Module 2: Evaluating the duties of chaplains from 1200-1600AD Read carefully pages 69–104 (chapters 3–4) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"The Medieval Military Chaplain and His Duties† & â€Å"Did the Nature of the Enemy Make a Difference? Chaplains in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1642–49. † By the mid-thirteenth century, the sacramental and moral aspects of the chaplain’s office had achieved a firm basis in law.After completing your reading you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on evaluating chapters 3-4 using the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of the cha plain’s duty during this period of history? This assignment is designed to get you to think critically about, the duties of chaplains during this period of history and to understand their difficulties surround their duties.Module 3: Evaluating the chaplains role during the Civil War Read carefully pages 105–140 (chapters 5–6) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Faith, Morale, and the Army Chaplain in the American Civil War† & â€Å"In the Service of Two Kings: Protestant Prussian Military Chaplains 1713-1918. † During the Civil War, a total of approximately 2,500 men served as chaplains in the Union Army. Many of them experienced serious problems and concerns during this period of history. After completing your readings you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. formatting style, on the responsibilities and duties of the Civil War Chaplain. This assignment is designed to help you understa nd the awesome duties these men had to carry out as chaplains and all the issues that so divided our country during this time in American History. Module 4: Evaluating German Chaplains and their legitimacy Read carefully pages 141–186 (chapters 7–8) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"Where’s the Padre? Canadian Memory and the Great War Chaplains† & â€Å"German Military Chaplains in the Second World War and the Dilemmas of Legitimacy. Chaplains in the German Army experienced many issues, one of which was their legitimacy as ministers and priest. After completing your readings you will need to do the following exercise: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the Pro’s and Con’s on the legitimacy of German Chaplains. This assignment will center your focus on how can ministers serve as chaplains under a dictatorship and still be legitimate chaplains. Module 5: Evaluating chaplains during the Vietnam EraRead carefully pages 187–232 (chapters 9–10) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"We Will Be: Experiences of an American Jewish Chaplain in the Second World War† & â€Å"Clergy in the Military—Vietnam and After: One Chaplain’s Reflections. † As you read about a Jewish chaplain’s experience, it is vital to remember that chaplains are to provide â€Å"freedom of the exercise of religion† to all military members and their families and all DOD employees. What does this really mean? If you are a protestant chaplain, do you have to become a catholic chaplain or Muslim, etc.? Pluralism is important.You should understand the duties you are to carry out under this term. These two chapters and your written assignment should assist you. Once you have finished your reading assignment, you will need to do the following exercises: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the topic â€Å"What is p luralism? † You may use other resources not included in this course to assist you in this assignment. Module 6: Evaluating chaplains from morale builders to moral advocates Read carefully pages 233–270 (chapters 11–12) in Bergen’s text, â€Å"From Morale Builders to Moral Advocates: U.S. Army Chaplains in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century† & â€Å"In Place of an Afterword: My argument with Fr. William Corby, C. S. C. † Chaplains are essential to Commanders, to First Sergeants, and to their parish on moral issues. With today’s morals changing from day to day and from court to court rulings, it is vital that chaplains know and understand moral issues and be ready to speak out on them as they relate to the military service. Once you have finished your reading assignment you will need to do the following: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. formatting style, on why is it important for chaplains to addres s moral issues with their commanders and parish. This assignment is designed to help you understand that chaplains are moral advocates and must address the key moral issues of our day. Module 7: Identifying the USAF, USA, & USN Chaplain’s Role of Today Watch carefully the video clips on the various Armed Forces Chaplain Services and take notes about their history and the duties of the chaplains.After completing your viewing you will need to complete the following assignments: †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on one of the Branches of Service and discuss the Chaplain’s Ministry in the areas of Worship, Counseling, Visitation, and Readiness-War-Time Preparedness. You may choose the USA, USAF, or USN to write about. You do not have to write on all three; choose only one branch of service to discuss. The purpose of this assignment is to aid students in a better nderstanding of how a chaplain’s role and duties diffe r depending on which branch one serves in. Module 8: Evaluating the Geneva Convention Read Articles 1–45 on the following website of the Geneva Convention and be prepared to explain the chaplain’s role as a POW. History has proven that chaplains are a vital resource during wartime, and especially in a POW Camp. The Geneva Convention lays out the roles and responsibilities of chaplains when captured and placed in a POW Camp. It is of most importance that chaplains know the GC guidelines as they relate to them.This assignment will assist you in understanding your role as a chaplain in a POW Camp. After reading your assigned readings on the articles of the Geneva Convention, you will need to complete the following assignments. †¢ Write a two-page paper, following Kate Turabian (6th ed. ) formatting style, on the importance of the Geneva Convention as it relates to chaplains who are POWs. This assignment is designed to underpin the importance of the chaplain’s role when captured and placed in a POW Camp.

The War Between Detergent Giants Hindustan Unilever (Hul) and Procter & Gamble (P) Continues

The war between detergent giants Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Procter & Gamble (P&G) continues. [pic] This ad is special as it is plain stupid. However, a recent ad on TV takes a direct dig on the competitor’s product which is not something that has been seen on the Indi-Ad scene. The indirect references in ads have been in plenty but never ever I have seen such a direct attack. If you are familiar with Tide ads, their USP has been to highlight the superior technology which make the clothes more white/bright as compared to the other detergents. The new campaign that I am referring to has been started by Rin, a product of Hindustan Unilever Limited. It is a direct attack on the Tide Naturals product by Procter & Gamble. Note that when I say a direct attack – it means an uncensored visual shows the competitor product and then highlights how the other product is better then the former. The sequence of the ad is as follows 1. Two ladies are standing on a bus stop, waiting to pick their kids from their school bus. 2. Both are carrying their shopping basket/bag with them. 3. Lady 1 has Tide Naturals in her bag. 4. Lady 2 has Rin in her bag 5. Both ladies have a look at each other’s bag and Lady 1 boasts that Tide has a good fragrance and provide better whiteness/brightness to the clothes 6. In the meantime, the school bus arrives and it’s shown that the white shirt of Lady 2’s kid is strikingly brighter and whiter then the Lady 1’s kid. 7. Lady 1 gets astonished by the whiteness seen. 8. Lady 2’s kid reacts by asking he mother, as to why is the other lady so observant and amazed 9. There is a disclaimer during the ad that the analysis has been done by an independent agency 10. It’s then claimed that now there is promotional price of Rs. 25 on Rin as opposed to the earlier Rs. 35. As you can notice, there is a direct mention of the competitor product along with the visuals. Earlier we had seen, how a row was created when Onida referred to Nokia in it’s ad though   indirectly . This one seems to be an absolute direct attack. It is difficult to say if the ad will continue on TV. Tide would definitely come out with a protest. However, I think the damage is already done. The main point about the reduced price of Rin would definitely catch the consumer’s eye benefiting HUL. The ad is as given below The gloves are off, and it seems a bare-knuckle fight between consumer product majors Hindustan Unilever and Procter & Gamble is inevitable in the market. HUL has landed the first punch on Cincinnati-headquartered P&G on air, in front of millions of viewers on primetime television. In the first move of its kind by HUL, the latest on-air communication of homecare brand Rin has openly taken on rival P&G’s Tide, without the typical airbrushing or pixellation to hide the rival brand name on TV. The Rin washing powder commercial, which went on air on Friday, claims to be a better quality product in comparison to Tide. The visual clearly shows a variant of Tide, Tide Naturals, shown against Rin with the audio saying ‘Tide se kahin behatar safedi de Rin’ (Rin gives better whiteness than Tide). Within a day of its going on air, the campaign has landed up in court. A source at HUL said its rival has gone to court and everyone at HUL has been asked not to speak about the ad. â€Å"I have not even seen the advertisement,† said a person in the sales team handling Rin’s marketing. But we have been told not to comment on anything. † However, the HUL spokesperson said, â€Å"This advertisement reinforces the promise to Rin consumers that Rin delivers superior whiteness. This claim is based on laboratory tests done through globally accepted protocols in independent third-party laboratories. † People close to the action said the HUL move comes as the company was worried about the Tide variant eating into Rin’s pie riding on superior quality attributes. Earlier, skirmishes between the two companies were always restricted to disguised comparative advertising or matching each other’s price cuts in the market. This time, however, HUL has decided to engage P&G directly, backed by laboratory data and certification of a superior quality product. â€Å"The company realised there was some confusion in the minds of Rin consumers because of the rival offering at a lower price. So HUL decided to take on competition openly,† a person said. When asked about the likely response to the ad, a P&G spokesperson said, â€Å"We are aware of a disparaging advertisement on air against one of our brands. We will, however, continue to stay focused on growing our share via delighting consumers and focusing our communication on the benefits of our brand. A market expert said the HUL commercial was strategically timed to coincide with the long weekend thus giving the Anglo-Dutch company enough air time to show the commercial. â€Å"Even if P&G decides to take any action against HUL, the TV commercial running on prime time has already got enough visibility in the past few days. † Industry observers are now watching with interest P&G’s possible response to such a blatant claim by a rival. While some are talking about a possible legal recourse, another school of thought envisages P&G opening up another front against HUL by taking on Surf. The war between FMCG giants Hindustan Unilever and Procter & Gamble intensified with the two seeking legal redressal alleging foul | | play on detergent powder advertisements. HUL, which has been asked by advertising watchdog ASCI to respond to complaints of â€Å"disparaging† the rival product Tide in its Rin ad, got a boost from an order by Madras High Court directing P&G to modify its Tide ad. Meanwhile, P&G moved Calcutta High Court yesterday against HUL for putting out a â€Å"disparaging† advertisement against Tide. We are aware of the disparaging advertisement on air against Tide Naturals and have filed a case against the same,† a Procter and Gamble spokesperson said. â€Å"The matter is currently being heard in the court and we are not in a position to comment on the outcome,† the spokesperson added. HUL's Rin TV commercial, which went on air on February 26, claims that it is better than Tide, with a tagline ‘Tide se kahin behatar safedi de Ri n'. Until now, it has been rare for Indian companies to compare rival brands by naming and/or attacking them directly in advertisements. According to the latest January report by Morgan Stanley, Rin has lost as much as 25 basis points in market share while P's Tide has gained 60 basis points. HUL has already reduced prices of Rin to arrest the decline. In its case HUL has challenged P&G's claim in an advertisement that Tide contains natural ingredients like lemon and chandan. The Court on March 1 passed an order asking P to mod he gloves are off, and it seems a bare-knuckle fight between consumer product majors Hindustan Unilever and Procter & Gamble is | | nevitable in the market. HUL has landed the first punch on Cincinnati-headquartered P on air, in front of millions of viewers on primetime television. In the first move of its kind by HUL, the latest on-air communication of homecare brand Rin has openly taken on rival P Tide, without the typical airbrushing or pixellation to hide the rival brand name on TV. The Rin washing powder commercial, which went on air on Friday, claims to be a better quality product in comp arison to Tide. The visual clearly shows a variant of Tide, Tide Naturals, shown against Rin with the audio saying ‘Tide se kahin behatar safedi de Rin’ (Rin gives better whiteness than Tide). Within a day of its going on air, the campaign has landed up in court. A source at HUL said its rival has gone to court and everyone at HUL has been asked not to speak about the ad. â€Å"I have not even seen the advertisement,† said a person in the sales team handling Rin’s marketing. â€Å"But we have been told not to comment on anything. † However, the HUL spokesperson said, â€Å"This advertisement reinforces the promise to Rin consumers that Rin delivers superior whiteness. This claim is based on laboratory tests done through globally accepted protocols in independent third-party laboratories. † People close to the action said the HUL move comes as the company was worried about the Tide variant eating into Rin’s pie riding on superior quality attributes. Earlier, skirmishes between the two companies were always restricted to disguised comparative advertising or matching each other’s price cuts in the market. This time, however, HUL has decided to engage P directly, backed by laboratory data and certification of a superior quality product. â€Å"The company realised there was some confusion in the minds of Rin consumers because of the rival offering at a lower price. So HUL decided to take on competition openly,† a person said. When asked about the likely response to the ad, a P spokesperson said, â€Å"We are aware of a disparaging advertisement on air against one of our brands. We will, however, continue to stay focused on growing our share via delighting consumers and focusing our communication on the benefits of our brand. A market expert said the HUL commercial was strategically timed to coincide with the long weekend thus giving the Anglo-Dutch company enough air time to show the commercial. â€Å"Even if P decides to take any action against HUL, the TV commercial running on prime time has already got enough visibility in the past few days. † Industry observers are no w watching with interest P possible response to such a blatant claim by a rival. While some are talking about a possible legal recourse, another school of thought envisages P opening up another front against HUL by taking on Surf. ify the ad.

New York: A Carefree Expression of Freedom

NEW YORK Descriptive essay New York City is the place that I want to visit, revisit, and visit again. Out there on the streets, I feel free. When coming from New Jersey to New York City on the New Jersey Transit tTrain, which is grimy but comfortable, it is an experience unlike I have ever felt before. Crossing under the Hudson River and coming into the crammedjam-packed full station is reminiscent of having some kind of travel machine bringing you from earth to space in a flash. When I visited I felt like anything isn’t impossible .Living in the turks and caicos islands is a fantastic privilege; living in New York City is something further even better. As you stagger up those stairs to the city streets and you capture that first breath of city air, you declare to yourself, this is Freedom!!!!! The buildings are so astonishingly tall and eye-catching. I think to myself, there are so many buildings here I find it hard to believe that man is capable of putting them up, but on th e other hand also knocking them down. The buildings look like they had plunged from God's hands and landed in one spot, where else but in New York City.As I make my way down the city street, I feel overwhelmed by people walking and talking in scores of different languages. People with looks that I have never seen before. , Ppeople that look somewhat bizarre to me. Everyone is different in their ownere way of style. Let me tell you something, this big place called â€Å"New York† is the capital of all the new fashions and old fads. What styles I might find either peculiar or eccentric usually becomes what I start to copy in later years when it becomes starts being the local fashion of my town.What I am trying to say is that New York is the inventor of all invertors. I perceive New York City as a carefree expression of freedom. Most of today's new clothing styles are adopted from New York. People are so full of life and encouragement. No one judges the way you present yourself in this unrestricted environment. People in New York feel comfortable dressing and acting anyway that they care to. Everything there are so upscale and amazing but one thing that caught my attention is that all athough all these things were said theres no place like home

Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Portfolio - Essay Example I am, however, still having difficulties in more difficult English words, those that are not usually used in the every day life or in the regular textbook. I still find myself searching for the meaning of these words. Also, I’m still having problems in writing English paragraphs because I tend to write the same words in the different sentences within the same paragraph. This is because I still need to further expand my knowledge of English words and their synonyms. However, I know that I can still add to my knowledge in the English vocabulary by exposing myself more to this language through reading English books, papers and articles and through interacting with other people who are native English speakers and writers. Before taking this class, the English grammar was the most difficult area for me. As I am not used to writing or speaking English sentences, my sentence structure in English was not really that good. The grammar pre-test that we took at the start of this class really showed that grammar is a big weakness for me. But after taking this class, I can say that my English grammar has significantly improved. The lessons on verb tenses and the subject – verb agreement could be simple lessons for those who are good in writing in English but for me, these two lessons were challenging ones because they are at the core of what I needed to correct in my grammar. Although these lessons were hard for me, they have helped me improve my grammar in this aspect. Reading the two textbooks, the reading strategies and the improving study skills have also exposed me to proper English grammar. Of course, as I am still developing my English skills, I still find it hard to write English sentences prop erly. Sometimes, it is easier to go back to my old English grammar rather than to have to think things through to ensure that the subject and the verb agree all the time, that I am using the proper verb tense and that

Management coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management coursework - Essay Example Some of their aspirations: housing, public facilities, schools, hospitals, religious centres, cultural and recreational centres. People work hard for these aspirations, for these reflect one special characteristic of man – survival. Survival also involves the psychological, spiritual, physical and mental needs. Political situation in the community or country where port is located has to be looked out and given much importance. Political aspects vary from port to port or from country to country. Local authorities may provide different procedures, and may not be very cooperative when it comes to the development of business. Diplomatic procedures have to be in place to gain cooperation from local authorities. Careful study has to be done on particular ports and terminals in other countries, particularly Asian countries. These areas have different laws and political situations which can not be treated the same with more advanced countries. They have situations that are sometimes unstable, and laws and procedures which seem, at first, hostile to a new organisation. However, with recent trends, more and more countries, like Asian countries, are encouraging investors to conduct business into their lands. In most instances, local authorities support development of business in their area. They entice businessman to venture in their lands for economic growth. They become cooperative and encourage businesses to invest more. They do this with some special tax reductions and incentives to foreign businesses. Countries have different laws and procedures for business, especially if that business is for big ports, so called the nodal points of commerce where ships and other forms of transportation are interconnected. Laws naturally affect the operations of these terminals. Management must be able to give a thorough study of these ports. Port law is a branch of law which makes use of the general