Movie Review Taare Zameen Essay - 1697 Words

MOVIE REVIEW HINDI TAARE ZAMEEN PAR: EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL Submitted to: Dr. Uma Maheshwari Chimirala Course Instructor: Writing for Academic Purposes Contents I NTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1 II CHARACTERIZATION †¦.....................................................................................................2 III SYNOPSIS...............................................................................................................................3 IV ANALYSIS..............................................................................................................................4 V IDENTIFICATION OF THEMES...........................................................................................5 VI THEME ANALYSIS..............................................................................................................7 I INTRODUCTION The film Taare zameen par: every child is special, makes us to look at the world through the eyes of innocentShow MoreRelatedMovie Marketing6914 Words   |  28 PagesCONTENTS Media, messages and styles used by Indian marketing communicators of Films 1. Overview of Indian Film Industry and Market 2. 4Ps concept applied on the movie industry as a whole 3. Overview of the film making business 4. Classification of movies from a producer’s or distributor’s point of view 5. Classification of movies as products 6. Publicity of movies 7. How different media is used for publicity of movies? 8. Alterative marketing methods 9. Music as a promotionRead MoreHanson Production18651 Words   |  75 PagesProduction Houses In India 1.2 An overview of Indian film industry 1.2.1 Historical Section - How Bollywood has evolved 1.3 Size and growth opportunities 1.3.1 Current situation 1.4 Aims, Objectives and Research questions 2. Chapter Two: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Corporate Structure Of Production Houses 2.2 Indian Film Industry   2.3 Corporate Production House 2.4 Individual Production House 3. Chapter Three: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction   3.2 Secondary Data   3.3 Primary Data   3.4 Data Collection

The War Against Evaluative Essay Topics

The War Against Evaluative Essay Topics Understanding people comes in a great deal of flavors. Personal views aren't accepted and it shouldn't be stated. The aim of the process evaluation is to see whether the program is meeting its intended objectives. It is the process of determining the worth of a program. Formative evaluations are evaluations that happen during the procedure. An informal evaluation does not need to be done by means of a supervisor or someone in upper management. What You Should Do to Find Out About Evaluative Essay Topics Before You're Left Behind Deciding upon the correct topic is significant because the more clear the topic is, the simpler it is going to be to pinpoint the benefits and disadvantages connected with it. Students lead busy lives and frequently forget about a coming deadline. They can research about latest developments as well as future possibilities in certain subject. They must make sure that their topic will meet the word limit. The Fight Against Evaluative Essay Topics When there is another historical movie I would like to watch it and to learn more about it. Genre is the thing that dictates the way the movie will be classified at the video shop. The movie is wholly engaging since it's graphics and emotions indicates that the movie is very worth to watch. Analyze the way the movie compares to previous films on the exact same topic. Evaluative Essay Topics - Dead or Alive? For example, Nielsen and Molich's heuristics would be too general to rate the usability of designs meant for online communities or cellular devices where the working environment is continually changing. Therefore, you only ought to select a topic you know or understand well or a minumum of one that has a lot of research information which can help you write effectively. Provide background information regarding your topic or subject before you commence evaluating. You have to become conscious of your behavior as a way to change it. If you attempt to squeeze deep understanding into your current cycles, you are going to attempt to push it too fast, and inadequate information will result. Moreover, ideas have to be supported by examples. There are a great deal of places you are able to go online, or you'll be able to take the opportunity to go to the library to locate ideas about advantages and disadvantages topics. People today achieve that larger purpose in lots of various ways, following a range of distinct philosophies. Evaluative Essay Topics Explained Make an outline An outline is an easy plan showing how you mean to present the review. You need to provide the audience enough info to back up your thesis later so take thorough notes. It's important to pick the ideal interval for your particular project. Nevertheless, it's still important to stay subjective to give the ideal evaluation on a thesis, query or subject. What will have to be included in your essay will differ based on your level. You're lucky since there are tips that you could follow and serve as your guidelines in writing the lengthy essay. One more thing you've got to contemplate is whether the origin of the essay is reliable. The very best evaluation essay topics ought to be narrow and ought to concentrate on a particular region of interest in the place of a broader one. Life, Death and Evaluative Essay Topics When one writes a personal sort of essay, the initial impression is the fact that it is entirely devoted to self expression and devoid of any sort of technicality. If deafness was caused by accident or disease it isn't in any degree inheritable. You're a spiritual being, you've got an intellect, you dwell in a tangible body. When it has to do with their research, the outcome needs to be coherent addressing a particular issue answering their research question. The outcome evaluation has the ability to assess the changing attitudes and understanding of the target audience. There is a particular quantity of self awareness one should have to be able to evaluate her or his own. Becoming critical to oneself is not a simple job, which means you may look at a self evaluation paper is aimed to develop the capability to criticize your personality.

Leadership Impact on Organisation Culture-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Leadership Impact on Organisation Culture. Answer: Literature Review Perception of leadership differs across cultures hence perceptions are varied in global business world(Sarros, 2008). Contemporary businesses need to understand and analyse nuances of leadership that are applied onto various cultures. Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness Research Program (GLOBE) researched hypothesis of leadership cultures across 60 cultures from major regions globally. GLOBE study was primarily focused on understanding various key attributes that contributes culture based organisational leadership. A best type of leader is one who is charismatic and can develop transformation style of leadership for adapting to situations. Organisational culture are set of values, beliefs that exists within organisations for a long period of time. Such also includes beliefs of staffs and leadership behaviour is aimed at accomplishing mission of the organisation through such cultures. The scope of this literature review discusses leadership impact on organisat ion cultures(Ofori, 2009). Various researchers perceive culture and leadership as being two sides of same coin. Leaders conduct themselves in a manner such that they can apply various aspects of organisational culture for conducting their employees(Chang, 2007). While leaders often elevate interests of followers for generating awareness amongst them, creating acceptance and awareness for generating motivation and awareness amongst followers. Different leaders might impose varied type of cultures for imposing effective leadership. Leaders hence impact organisations with their actions and behaviours(Huey Yiing, 2009). An organisational culture is in fact created by action and behaviours of leaders, matters they pay attention to, ways rewards and punishments are mobilized and resource allocation methods. Every challenge that a leader faces and then consecutive actions that are created arises from communications and course of action. An organisational culture dramatically determines rate of success for an organisation, and a leaders central role is to achieve organisational success(knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu, Retrieved on 12th August 2017). In every ways, a leader develops actions and behaviours such that effectiveness can be enhanced. Implementation of poor organisational cultures can have a plethora of problems associated with destructive behaviours. Poor performance of employees, in appropriate behaviour and so on, culture being an element of success, a leaders central role is to apply such appropriately. Hence, relationship of leadership with that of culture is a contentious issue that has their individual merits(www.eremedia.com, Retrieved on 12th August 2017). Leaders are able to generate a positive impact on their organisation, such that competency can be reflected through aligning of values and behaviours that are within organisational cultural set-up. An essential role of a leader is to set directives within organisational culture to achieve goals in turn success for the organisation. Leaders enhance culture within the company by viewing the same as an outcome of values and behaviours. Certain styles of leadership instill positive behaviours that trickle down to team members and followers. Such behaviours in turn encourage employees for taking initiatives and engage in constructive behaviour. Leaders who demonstrate participative leadership attributes can reap benefits from engaged workplace. More is the success in an organisation with more application of organisation culture by leader. Reference Lists Chang, S. C. (2007). A study on relationship among leadership, organizational culture, the operation of learning organization and employees' job satisfaction. The learning organization, 155-185. Huey Yiing, L. . (2009). The moderating effects of organizational culture on the relationships between leadership behaviour and organizational commitment and between organizational commitment and job satisfaction and performance. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 53-86. knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu. (Retrieved on 12th August 2017). Leadership impact on Organizational Culture. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/how-cultural-factors-affect-leadership/. Ofori, G. (2009). Ethical leadership: Examining the relationships with full range leadership model, employee outcomes, and organizational culture. . Journal of Business Ethics, 533. Sarros, J. C. (2008). Building a climate for innovation through transformational leadership and organizational culture. . Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, 145-158. www.eremedia.com. (Retrieved on 12th August 2017). Leadership impact on Organiza tional Culture. https://www.eremedia.com/tlnt/culture-and-leadership-theyre-simply-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/.

The Yellow Wallpaper - Journey Into Insanity Essays - Beecher Family

The Yellow Wallpaper - Journey into Insanity In "The Yellow Wallpaper", by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the dominant/submissive relationship between an oppressive husband and his submissive wife pushes her from depression into insanity. Flawed human nature seems to play a great role in her breakdown. Her husband, a noted physician, is unwilling to admit that there might really be something wrong with his wife. This same attitude is seen in her brother, who is also a physician. While this attitude, and the actions taken because of it, certainly contributed to her breakdown; it seems to me that there is a rebellious spirit in her. Perhaps unconsciously she seems determined to prove them wrong. As the story begins, the woman -- whose name we never learn -- tells of her depression and how it is dismissed by her husband and brother. "You see, he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression -- a slight hysterical * * * * * Roberts 2 tendency -- what is one to do?" (Gilman 193). These two men -- both doctors -- seem completely unable to admit that there might be more to her condition than than just stress and a slight nervous condition. Even when a summer in the country and weeks of bed-rest don't help, her husband refuses to accept that she may have a real problem. Throughout the story there are examples of the dominant - submissive relationship. She is virtually imprisoned in her bedroom, supposedly to allow her to rest and recover her health. She is forbidden to work, "So I . . . am absolutely forbidden to "work" until I am well again." (Gilman 193). She is not even supposed to write: "There comes John, and I must put this away -- he hates to have me write a word." (Gilman 194). She has no say in the location or decor of the room she is virtually imprisoned in: "I don't like our room a bit. I wanted . . . But John would not hear of it." (Gilman 193). She can't have visitors: "It is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work. . . but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now." (Gilman 196). Probably in large part because of her oppression, she continues to decline. "I don't feel as if it was worthwhile to turn my hand over for anything. . ." (Gilman 197). It seems that her husband is oblivious to her declining conditon, since he never admits she has a real problem until * * * * * Roberts 3 the end of the story -- at which time he fainted. John could have obtained council from someone less personally involved in her case, but the only help he seeks was for the house and baby. He obtains a nanny to watch over the children while he was away at work each day: "It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby." (Gilman 195). And he had his sister Jennie take care of the house. "She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper." (Gilman 196). He does talk of taking her to an expert: "John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall." But she took that as a threat since he was even more domineering than her husband and brother. Not only does he fail to get her help, but by keeping her virtually a prisoner in a room with nauseating wallpaper and very little to occupy her mind, let alone offer any kind of mental stimulation, he almost forces her to dwell on her problem. Prison is supposed to be depressing, and she is pretty close to being a prisoner. Perhaps if she had been allowed to come and go and do as she pleased her depression might have lifted: "I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve

4 Types of Business Writing [And When to Use Them]

4 Types of Business Writing [And When to Use Them] The world of business writing can seem vast. Each office seems to have variations of documents, each with their personalized templates and industry focus. Varying scenarios require varying forms of business writing. However, the innumerable documents can be distilled into to four main categories. Each category has its overall goal. Based on the objective, each of the many business documents falls within these four broad segments. This article will break down the broad field of business writing into four categories. Understanding these conceptual divisions will help guide your decisions about your document choice and goal. Style Reminders While the document goal varies, the core of business writing does not. Effective professional writing is written with a clearly defined audience and purpose in mind. This is results-oriented writing. The text helps the reader do or know something. The writing style should be written to be concise, relevant, and understandable. Excessive wording, jargon, or extraneous information have no place in any type of business writing. Each element of the document supports the communication of the purpose to the reader. Of course, good writing is free of grammar and spelling errors and inaccurate information. 1. Instructional Business Writing Instructional business writing provides the reader with the information needed to complete a task. The task may need be accomplished immediately or it may be for future reference. This type of document must break down a process into steps that are understandable to the reader. The written record must account for reader’s knowledge of the area, the scope of the task while integrating variations or potential problems. Examples: User Manual: a guide focused on allowing the customer to use a product. Effective user manuals are crucial to a good user experience and a happy customer. User manuals are often considered part of technical writing, which is closely related to business writing. Specifications: a technical document which provides an outline of a product or process that allows it be constructed or reconstructed by an unfamiliar but knowledgeable user, enabling effective distribution. Memo: a short notification of new information shared within a large group in an organization. The memo may include a direct instruction or be a reference on how to complete future tasks. 2. Informational Business Writing Not all business writing requires action. A large volume of writing is created for reference or record. This category can include some of the less glamorous but still essential documents. Recording business information accurately and consistently is important for marking progress, predicting future work, as well as complying with legal and contractual obligations. Report: perhaps the bulk of informational writing is report writing. Organizations rely on reports to act, to communicate business and technical information, to capture work completed, to record incidents, to finalize projects and recommendations, and to act as an archive. A well written report allows the reader to easily grasp the content and, if applicable, make informed decisions. Financials: documents that outline the financial state of a company. These statements provide a fiscal snapshot of a company over a defined period. Minutes: a summary of the proceedings of a meeting. A record of discussions, decisions, and assignments for attendees and others. 3. Persuasive Business Writing When people think of business writing, they often think of the persuasive writing category. These documents are generally associated with sales. The persuasive writing may be direct, with focus on a specific item, or indirect, with focus on developing the client relationship. The goal is to two-fold: to convey information and to convince the reader that the presented information offers the best value. The text is written to impress the reader and sway their decision. Proposals: these documents outline an offer of a product or service to a specific potential client. The proposal generally presents project overview, benefits, timeline, costs, and competency. Sales Email: an email written to a large number of people to pitch a product or service. Press Release: a text written for journalists and media presenting new information. The text aims to persuade the reader to share the content through their own channels 4. Transactional Business Writing Everyday communication falls under transactional business writing. The majority of this writing is by email, but also includes official letters, forms, and invoices. An easy way to quickly improve your transactional business writing is totake an online course. These documents are used to progress general operations. They are also used to convey good and bad news, often associated with human resource processes. Emails: documents used to quickly communicate information between staff or clients in business activities. Read our guide on how to write a business email here. Dismissal notice: this letter provides the official context and procedural details associated with employment termination. Each business document falls into one of these four categories. By determining the category, you will better understand your document’s goal. This insight will improve your writing.

What to Do About College Drinking

What to Do About College Drinking College is typically viewed as the pathway to gaining the skills and knowledge needed to embark on a successful career. However, it can also be a pathway to the casual acceptance of dangerous levels of alcohol consumption. Drinking is as much of the college experience as studying, sleep deprivation, and junk food. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, roughly 58% of college students admit to drinking alcohol, while 12.5% engage in heavy alcohol use, and 37.9% report binge drinking episodes. Terminology An alcoholic drink typically has 14 grams of pure alcohol, as defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Examples include 12 ounces of beer containing 5% alcohol, 5 ounces of beer containing 12% alcohol, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits containing 40% alcohol. Binge drinking is typically defined as men students consuming five drinks in the course of 2 hours, or women students consuming four drinks in the same time frame. The Problem While college drinking is often viewed as a fun and harmless activity, alcohol consumption among college students is associated with a variety of issues. According to the NIH: Over 1,800 college students die each year from alcohol-related incidents, such as vehicles crashes.Almost 700,000 college students are assaulted each year by someone who has been drinking.Roughly 79,000 college students report being raped or sexually assaulted (when either one or both parties have been drinking). At least 20% of college students develop an Alcohol Use Disorder, which means that alcohol consumption is impulsive and uncontrollable. These students actually crave alcohol, need to increase consumption levels to obtain the desired results, experience withdrawal symptoms, and prefer drinking to spending time with friends or engaged in other activities A full quarter (25%) of students admit that alcoholic consumption causes problems in the classroom, including such behaviors as skipping classes, failing to complete homework assignments, and performing poorly on tests. Too much alcohol can also result in fibrosis or cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, a weakened immune system, and various types of cancers. Prevention Strategies While the natural response is to simply discourage college students from drinking, Peter Canavan, a public safety officer at Wilkes University, and the author of The Ultimate Guide to College Safety: How To Protect Yourself From Online and Offline Threats to Your Personal Safety At College Around Campus, tells ThoughtCo that providing fact-based information on the dangers of drinking to excess is a better approach. â€Å"Education should be the first step to a successful strategy designed to eliminate or limit drinking,† Canavan says. â€Å"Responsible drinking and knowing when you have had too much to drink are important factors to staying safe.† Besides the laundry list of negative effects listed above in this article, Canavan says it’s possible for students to become victims of alcohol poisoning the very first time they drink. Aside from heart-rate and breathing changes, quickly consuming a large amount of alcohol could lead to a comatose state or even death. â€Å"Any time an individual consumes alcohol for the first time, the effects are unknown, but alcohol does cause memory and learning issues, forgetfulness, and bad judgment.† In addition, Canavan says alcohol dulls the senses, which can be catastrophic in an emergency situation.   Canavan provides the following tips to help students stay safe: Regulate your alcohol consumption to reduce the chances of experiencing dangerous outcomes; know your limit.Never leave your drink unattended; it may be compromised with a date rape drug while it is out of your sight.College is a huge investment in your future; dont jeopardize it by making poor decisions as a result of drinking. A drunk driving accident can harm or kill you or your passengers, so dont drink and drive. If you are convicted of a DUI, you may lose your license and be unable to get to college or work. Long-term, a DUI on your driving record could prevent you from getting a good job after graduation since many employers look at that when reviewing job applications. Colleges and communities can also play a role in preventing underage and excessive alcohol consumption by educating students. Additional strategies include reducing access to alcohol through such ways as checking a student’s identification, ensuring that inebriated students aren’t served additional drinks, and limiting the number of places that sell alcoholic drinks.

Kantian Sincerity and Professional Ethics Assignment

Kantian Sincerity and Professional Ethics - Assignment Example Sincerity makes him weigh his acts according to ethics. Kantian sincerity explains the aspects of sincerity based on good will. This paper intends to explain the essence of Kantian sincerity, and how it can relate to professional ethics and good will. The importance of professional ethics in the life of an organization is discussed, in correlation with Kantian sincerity. The characteristics of a sincere and ethical leader have been described, so as to give the reader an idea as to what is expected of a person who follows Kantian sincerity and ethical guidelines. Kantian sincerity is based on good will. â€Å"†¦the sincere will is both good and autonomous†, according to Palmquist (2010:635). Palmquist writes in his book that Kantian’s good will considers acts to be virtuous, good, and sincere, by associating them with the moral law coming from within the person, rather than weighing the acts on some external principle, lying outside the person. Similarly, profession al sincerity cannot be measured by a parameter defined by the external world; instead, sincerity will be measured by the person’s own good nature. The Kantian model helps us understand how professionals can generate professional sincerity or good will.... Professional sincerity has also got the same philosophy. When Kantian sincerity works with professional ethics, it becomes a part and parcel for the progress of an organization. Also, when this sincerity, which is valued by a person’s internal good will, is also recognized as a precious asset by the outside world, this is the point when sincerity achieves its milestone in the chain of human progress. This sincerity also plays an important role in Confucian process of moralization. Palmquist (2010:633) states that: The centrality of sincerity can be seen even more clearly when we take it to be primarily a quality of the will and when we compare the sincere will with the Kantian good will. As Kant says (4:392-3): â€Å"Nothing in the world- indeed nothing even beyond the world- can possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except a good will. Hence, Kantian sincere will brings the self in agreement with the dao; and since dao is good without qualifi cation, in the same way, sincerity is also good without qualification. Kantian model also states that sincerity is the Way of Heaven; and to achieve this sincerity is the way of man. And whosoever is easily walking on the Way of Heaven led by sincerity, is the one who can be called a sage. Kantian model describes a sage as a person who has got a perfectly manufactured good will. A Sage’s good will is absolutely sincere, and thus, it can also be related to holy will, guided by sincerity on the Way of Heaven (Palmquist 2010:636). 3. Professional Ethics Kantian ethics describe that those acts should be considered as right which seek our good will. We know that the accomplishment of an organization depends mainly on value-based actions and decisions. Value-based actions and

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

Workplace Risk - Case Study Example The Court of Appeal agreed with the trial court, that the movement of the reel was caused by a gravity risk and the failure to provide adequate device for safety was the main cause of the injury. In addition, the reel had to be moved from a high to a low elevator and the danger that was supposed to be guarded against came about from the force of the reel. The plaintiffs’ injury was as a result of a direct consequence of the reel going downstairs as if he was positioned in the reel’s path (Victor Vs New York Exchange, Case no 197). As a result, he suffered from an injury that was elevation related while acting as a counterweight pulley to descend an 800 pound reel down stairs. He is said to have been dragged into the make shift pulley when the reel rapidly descended downstairs. The question was whether the plaintiff injury was as a result of a direct consequence of failure to have adequate protection against such a risk that arose from physically differential elevation. 240(1), of labor law claims that a liability strict statute was designed to prevent accidents where protection devices of the above enumerated injury of the statute proved to be insufficient to shield the plaintiff from any injury that occurred from the force of gravity to the reel. Nevertheless, since the plaintiff was injured while trying to descend following the reels path, he is entitled to recover under section 240(1), and should not be denied any legal course. The differential elevation was not seen as de minimis, because the weight of th e reel and the amount of force it had was enough to generate the course of a short descent, as well as cause harm to the worker (Victor Vs New York Exchange, Case no 197). The trial courts showed that the worker was indeed injured, in addition to suffering from permanent and serious injuries on both his hands while trying to descend the reel downstairs, as well as installing defendant power

Hafford furniture Essay Example for Free

Hafford furniture Essay A Crisis at Hafford Furniture: Cloud Computing Case study MMBA 507 Student ID: 300333323 PROBLEM DESCRIPTION Hafford Furniture was a furniture manufacturer since 1970, supplying to furniture retailers, wholesalers and occasionally one-time bulk purchasers across the United States. Hafford relied on a Business Information System (BIS) to handle all the internal business processes. The BIS was seamlessly connected to a VAN-based EDI system, which served as the customer’s interface for making orders. In 2008, Hafford’s entire IT infrastructure and data storage were destroyed by a massive hurricane. Hafford was able to restore the company data with its disaster recovery plan, but not all its IT function. In March 2009, VP of IT proposed in a management meeting to adopt SaaS cloud solution to restore the IT function. Hafford could access to the same BIS without having to worry about the cost to rebuild another IT data centre. He projected that the IT staff strength could be halved, as the cloud vendor would take care of the management of the software’s platform and its infrastructure. The next day, the president of Hafford ignored the internal decision-making protocol and contracted their disaster recovery vendor, PFI Services for that same cloud service. In January 2010, Hafford was faced with appalling sales report for the year before, mostly caused by bottlenecks in the ordering system supported by PFI. Not only was the cloud capability insufficient, PFI was also filing for bankruptcy and undergoing liquidation. Hafford once again fell into a desperate situation. REVIEW OF KEY ISSUES Management issues Lack of Corporate governance The weak corporate governance in Hafford is especially notable in the fundamental change process. While there was an internal policy for creating a fundamental change in Hafford (Fig 1), Feckle, the President, had ignored it by entering into a cloud contract without consulting any of his top management, just one day after the premature proposal was shared with him. It was extremely risky to make such a significant business decision without sufficient knowledge in the service that he engaged. To make a well-informed decision, Feckle should have adhered to the corporate policy and trusted the IT professionals to evaluate and recommend a suitable vendor. Figure 1 Fundamental change policy 2. Failure to think critically during decision-making It is understood that Hafford used to adopt a VAN-based EDI-system specifically due to its security, despite it being slower and more costly. In Norris’ proposal for using cloud, he altered the company’s priority by pushing for an internet-based EDI-system, without providing solid justification. Questions like â€Å"will the internet-based EDI change the business in any way?† or â€Å"will it compromise customers’ security? † were not asked. The management seemed to have accepted this change too easily, without understanding its impacts. This concern should have been analysed more thoroughly before concluding to transit to an internet-based EDI-system. 3. Poor understanding of business needs The IT obj ective was not fully aligned with the business objectives. For example, in 2009, while the company was expecting a 30-35% increase in sales due to the efforts in a series of product improvements, the IT team was preparing a cloud proposal to the company basing only on the old IT functions. It had missed out on considering how it could support an explosive sales surge. Furthermore, Hafford was switching its VAN-based EDI to an internet-based EDI, which could potentially allow Hafford to widen its reach to attract a new group of SME customers. This could play a part in increasing their sales. However, Hafford did not foresee these changes, likely due to lack of communication between departments within Hafford. IT issues 1. Lack of thorough analysis in cloud computing The IT team failed to conduct due diligence in exploring all possible solutions that could meet its needs. While cloud offered great advantages for the company, it might have been too hasty to consider only private cloud as the final solution. In fact, public, private or hybrid cloud offered different potentials and could achieve the goal within competitive cost as well. The IT team should also have analysed each cloud model against its business needs before determining if software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS) or a combination of services would work best. 2. Lack of on-going management While cloud is said to be flexible, it demands some level of active management to harness the most of it after implementation. The IT team should be able to react quickly to resolve problems like the order bottleneck or a data lock-in. Besides, the IT team should have been more vigilant in ensuring business continuity for the company. RECOMMENDATION The key failure observed in the case was the lack of understanding in cloud computing and the lack of communication in the company. Like any other business decisions, the management should have exercised prudence by developing clear objectives and analysing the opportunities and threats before arriving at its conclusion. In this section, a recommended methodology to approach Hafford’s IT restoral problem is presented. Step 1. To develop business objectives The most important step is to approach a business problem with a clear business objective. It will be necessary for the management to look at the restoral of the IT centre as a collaborative business problem. Communication within the organisation is crucial in aligning all the stakeholders’ goals. With effective teamwork, the IT will appreciate the business values better and be able to analyse the suitability of various options. Step 2. To compare various viable options The IT team should research on what the available solutions are, before zeroing into a particular infrastructure option. While the restoral of a physical data centre may be expensive, there may be payment structures that could help reduce the impact. On the other hand, cloud computing may appear cheaper but it inextricably exposes users to a range of risks, especially in the aspect of security. Also, there are hybrid options that can minimise risk while offering cost benefit. In short, the IT team should fully understand the merits and shortcomings of the following options before selecting the IT infrastructure. 1. Public cloud 2. Hybrid cloud 3. Private cloud 4. Public cloud – Physical data centre 5. Physical data centre Step 3. To choose the suitable cloud service model There are three common service models in cloud computing. It is important to evaluate each model’s attributes and determine which cloud model would be more suitable for the business needs. 1. Software as a service (SaaS) To understand threats and opportunities of cloud computing Cloud computing offers the following powerful advantages but also opens a gateway to a wide range of threats. 1. Elasticity Usage-based pricing model, charging users only for the capacity used Scalability in terms of network and speed depending on demand 2. Simplicity Setting up and maintaining a data centre can take significant manpower. Cloud computing offers convenient and economical business solutions to clients, while taking advantage of the economy of scale by taking care of one specialised area in bulk. 3. Cost-efficiency No capital cost required. Companies benefit from the transference of risk (of over-provisioning and under-provisioning) of investing in a private data centre. While accepting these benefits from cloud, users should also exercise due diligence by being aware of all the possible problems cloud computing brings. Some of the crucial problems are outlined as follows. 1. Business continuity There is always a risk with placing valuable business information with a single third party. As such, the best way to go about is to even out the risk by employing multiple cloud providers and devising a business continuity strategy should any of them fail. Data lock-in It would be risky for a company to be unable to easily extract their data and programmes from one cloud provider to another due to compatibility issues of the programme and data from one cloud provider. In order to mitigate this risk, SaaS developer could use standardised API so that the business can remain flexible and mobile. 3. Data security While most cloud providers invest a considerable amount of attention on managing security, users should assess the security standards adopted by the cloud provider against their requirements before engaging it. 4. Insufficient capacity Although it is said that cloud is scalable, in rare occasions, businesses may experience traffic surges beyond what their contracted cloud can offer. Hence, it is important to strategize carefully before deciding on the cloud service. Step 5. Choosing the cloud vendor After thorough analysis and establishing a clear description for the cloud service needed, the user will have to evaluate the following factors to arrive at the most suitable vendor. 1. Pricing structure While cloud vendors typically follow a pay-as-you-use pricing model, pricing structure varies. For example, Google AppEngine charges users by the cycles used while AWS charges by the hour for the number of instances the user occupied. 2. Security Users need to look at a cloud service’s physical as well as network security. This refers to the physical location the cloud provider houses its equipment and network security measures like firewall and data encryption. Also, a cloud provider should be compliant to government standards specific to your business. In the case of Hafford Furniture, it was an auditing requirement for Hafford to ensure the cloud vendor is compliant with Statement on Auditing Standard No.70. 3. Other factors A clean record does not promise anything, it would be beneficial to also look at the vendor’s track record against available benchmark systems. Also, it would be helpful to have a vendor that can provide reasonably good service. Hence, it is important to know about the extent of customer support services, the setting up process and the ser vicing response and resolution time. Step 6. Engagement of cloud vendor and getting started During cloud rollout, especially from a different sort of data management, it would be common to face various teething problems. Cloud vendor should try to achieve seamless implementation, and companies might need to prepare their staff and/or customers should it affect their routine jobs significantly. Step 7. On-going active management of the cloud service Internal IT team should be continuously vigilant towards possible threats to ensure that the cloud service adopted by the company is safe and secure. Active backups of data must not be neglected. Also, internal feedback reviews could help the IT team understand the possible difficulties faced by the users, and also stay up to date with the company’s business initiatives.

Neal Stephensons Snow Crash Essay -- Neal Stephenson Snow Crash Essay

Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash In Snow Crash, a novel by Neal Stephenson, Stephenson examines how expanding technology affects a society. He introduces us to a world where a computer virus is altering people's minds, and where they have no control over themselves. He vividly describes how Hiro, the protagonist, must fight the virus to save the future of the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology is expanding everyday. Our society has grown and expanded and has become extremely powerful because of new technologies. People are learning how to use computers in place of their tasks. The Internet is a prime example is of expanding technology. One can obtain yesterday's and today's news, listen to music, talk to a friend over seas, view pornography, and countless other things in the privacy of one's home via the Internet. There is no way to really regulate what is on the Internet. Essentially, the government has no place on the Internet. This world is free of from laws. As society moves closer to advanced technology, the government becomes removed. There is no way for them to regulate society's actions once everything is computer based. In Snow Crash, Stephenson creates the Metaverse. In this society no laws exist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hiro, the Protagonist, is the narrator of the novel. As Hiro tells the story, there is no form of government anymore. The government has long been over, and has been replaced by individual corporations with their own sets of rules. There were many corporations, Mr. Lee's Greater Hong Kong being one of them, where one could be a citizen and apply for a passport. Mr. Lee owned franchises in Hong Kong and people needed a passport in order to get into Greater Hong Kong (p.99). Information was vital to these corporations. Mr. Lee's Greater Hong Kong asked people to share information with them if the person decided to join the corporation and become partners (p.99). Hiro worked for the CIC (Central Intelligence Agency), where he got interesting information-gossip, videotape, audiotape, or a computer disc concerning different corporations. Large corporations, or any person interested in something he found, paid him for use of the information and used it to their advantag e (p.22).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As well as working for he CIC, Hiro is a freelance hacker. He is one of the creators of the Metaverse. The Metaverse is "virtual reality." People here are represented by a pie... ... the Internet, you can have an e-mail address which can essentially take the place of regular mail as well as the telephone. With all the technology today, the Internet is still off-limits to certain people. Everyone does not own a computer and because of this, everyone is not computer literate. Mostly middle and upper class people have their own laptops, or computers, and are able to pay for Internet service. Other people, like student's who use their schools computers or people who go to libraries, are forced to use whatever equipment is available, which is, in most cases, not top of the line and sometimes may or may not have the Internet. Soon this world will be computer-based and if you do not have your own computer or at least access to one, you will be behind. The Internet is an important part of computers considering the many uses it offers. Stephenson foretells how the future for today could be if we allow all these new technologies to take over our lives. Everyone must learn how to incorporate new technology into their lives without letting it consume them, even though it will still consume many. Once it consumes you , you are pretty much a victim of Snow Crash.

Coffee Trends in Singapore Essay

†¢In 2011, the total volume growth of coffee was 5%, which was a similar trend as in 2010 due to the continuous strong economic growth in Singapore. Due to the high density of on-trade channels including chained local coffee shops such as Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Old Town White Coffee and chained Western-style specialised coffee shops such as Starbucks and Gloria Jean’s Coffee, coffee drinking culture has penetrated into the Singaporean market. The manufacturers have also launched high-quality products in the off-trade channel. Hence, consumers are seeking to have the authentic high-quality brewed coffee at home. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE †¢Nestlà © Singapore Pte Ltd continued to post the leading position in terms of off-trade value sales with a 40% value share. This success could be attributed to its constant research and development as well as the frequent promotional campaigns due to the companies’ economic scale, which can keep attracting the consumers. Due to the companies’ global strong presence, the company develops not only instant coffee products but also enhances the fresh coffee category by introducing the coffee machines and fresh coffee pods such as Nespresso and Nescafà © Dolce Gusto. PROSPECTS †¢Total volume of coffee is expected to increase by 2% CAGR over the foreacst period. Considering the review period, this growth is slightly conservative, which reflects the current uncertain global economic condition. Although local consumers are becoming more affluent and have more disposable income, their consumption patterns are likely to follow the economic outlook in Singapore, which will reflect, in particular, the growth in on-trade volume.

Macroeconomics in US

US Economy is a mixed economy where the private sector plays a major role in economic activity and the role of government is minimal compared to other industrialized countries like Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Scandinavian Countries and East European countries. However after the Great depression in1930’s the government at least used monetary and fiscal policy to achieve the macroeconomic objectives of full-employment, price stability External balance and non-inflationary economic growth. However the reliance on the above macroeconomic policy varied from one administration to the next after world war II as well the orientation towards fiscal and monetary policy to control or stabilize the economy or in other words there is controversy among economist whether the fiscal and monetary policy will actually work in practice and to the extent to its effectiveness in stabilizing the economy or whether these policies may be counter productive to the market economies and the causes of economic cycles and explanation of the causes of the great depression at least among US economist or among economist in general. However even with these controversies and differing perspectives how the economic variables relate and the differing confidence of market mechanisms to come to equilibrium at full employment if the market is allowed to work without any interference the monetary authorities intervene in the economy to correct market failure and other externalities or for some political and welfare reasons. In this context it is necessary to consider the effectiveness of these policies in the context of empirical evidence and give due  consideration of the structural or institutional framework and the market conditions particularly the labor market conditions in US in goods markets as well as in the financial market structure and workings within the context of global economic interdependencies between economies in the contemporary economic climate as well as how the agents react or form expectation about inflation as well as the political imperatives influencing policy orientation in US. In macroeconomic policy development in the context of the US political institutional structure and political process as well as the probability of economic shocks and political shocks in other parts and how these affects the occurrence of   volatility in economic performance and the current concerns of environmental issues and the cost and benefits and the impact of regulation on the level of economic activity and the rate of economic growth fluctuation and its predictability or uncertainty in forecasting economic outlook for short, medium term . As well the cost of oil and the political instability in the middle east and how the energy issue is addressed in US by the market mechanism will definitely affect the economic performance in a macroeconomic perspective for US in the future and the importance or other wise of macroeconomic policies or the status of macroeconomics in general as opposed to neoclassical economics or microeconomics foundation or neoclassical monetarist perspectives and less preference to fiscal policies and micro economic reform or supply-side economics and minimal interference by government in the market operation. The effectiveness of Fiscal and Monetary policy in US In context of US economic system and the flexibility of markets to responds to changes in demand and supply and other economic information particularly the labor market flexibility in the US compared to other industrialized countries and historically less preference of economic agents for government to be interfere in the market and in its political institutions suggests that rational expectation theory may be mostly applicable to US and there fore the effectiveness of Fiscal and monetary policy may be less effective in US compared to other industrialized countries and microeconomic reform polices and neoclassical monetary theory may be most applicable in the US context. However the expectation formation in reality is not completely rational and adaptation may also be not rational completely and there fore at least in short term monetary policy may be effective in controlling the rate of inflation in the context of US economy and keep the inflation target at optimum level. In practice the monetary and fiscal policy has time lag to work in practice and there fore if they are used to stabilize the economy because of the time lag it takes to work it may increase the cyclical boom bust pattern of economic development and there fore loose its credibility particularly the discretionary fiscal and monetary policy in reducing unemployment or controlling inflation. Or it may be achieving low unemployment at a very high rate of inflation or low inflation at a high level of  unemployment in the short term and in long term the economy will move towards the original level because of the market incorporates all expectation rationally and moves to  the non-accelerated Inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU) as well flexibility in the labor market to a greater extent because of less stringent regulation of labor market in US compared to say for example Germany or other advanced European economies. However fiscal, and monetary policy has worked in short term in context of high unemployment at least after the great depression for some time in the 1990’s and still has a role to play at least to control inflation and response to inflationary shocks by monetary policy. In summary given the empirical evidence and the market characteristics of US and the Institutional frame work politically and socially the macroeconomic polices effectiveness suggests in practice to be less effective in US context. Conclusion As discussed above in US Macroeconomics is considered at least in terms of its usefulness to some extent achieve its macroeconomic objectives. However the effectiveness of such policies and the controversy among economists in regards to trade –off between economic variables and its relationships in US context reduces its importance and move towards to microeconomic foundations of Says Low or neo macroeconomic foundations and far from Keynesian Economics of fiscal policy particularly the discretionary fiscal policy and deficit financing to reduce unemployment because of market failure. This to some extent due to Friedman monetary revolution in US and  cased doubt about the inflationary outcomes of fiscal policy and crowding out effect and its impact on interest rat and its effect on investment level and there fore not increasing output and employment level but on prices. In addition as discussed above due to the political institutional structure and expectation formation in US the macroeconomic  foundations are contentious in US. In addition the flexibility of labor market and other markets in US suggests that market may work in an opposite direction to nullify the impact of these policies on macro economic variables such as employment level and inflation and increases the adoption of microeconomic reform and supply-side economics to address economic growth, unemployment, price stability and external balance rather than only relying on macroeconomic policies and macroeconomic theories which has many controversies and diverse policy prescriptions to address any macroeconomic objective and the trade-off between these objectives and the relationships between economic variables. Given the macroeconomic knowledge how an economy works is incomplete and its predicts are far from certain. There foe given the arguments and the discussion it can be said macroeconomics in US has a role to play in formulating polices in the future however given the practical issues of macroeconomic policy effectiveness micro foundations of economy may become important in the future in context of US market conditions and flexibility as well as how expectations are formed and adaptations of expectations in practice and political institutional and political orientation towards a free market perspective. Bibliography Brayton. F, Mauskpf. E, Reifschneider. D, Tinsley. P, Williams. J. (1997). The Role of Expectations in FRB/US macroeconomic model. Federal Reserve Bulletin. Retrieved March, 2, 2007, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4126/is_n4_v83/ai_19405190 Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. (1997). What is the Optimal Rate of Inflation?. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Reteived march 2, 2007, from http://www.frbsf.org/econrsrch/wklyltr/el97-27.html Fiscal and monetary policy – comparisons (n.d). Retrieved March 2, 2007, from http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/fiscalpolicy/fiscal_monetary_comparison.htm Palley. T. (1998). Zero is not the Optimal rate of Inflation. Challenge, 41, 1, Retrieved March 2, 2007, from http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001329648 Roach.S. (2006). Global economy, Chinese economic policy, US hosing slump, Money Week. Retrieved March 2, 2007, from http://www.moneyweek.com/file/21503/the-two-key-issues-facing-the-global-economy.html                           

Meiosis vs. Mitosis essays

Meiosis vs. Mitosis essays Major Comparisons Between Meiosis and Mitosis The two processes of nuclear division are similar as in they allow cells to divide and reproduce, but they also have many differences. Meiosis is the type of nuclear division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms. In meiosis, the diploid number of chromosomes is reduced to the haploid number. Gametes have the haploid number, while zygotes have the diploid number. The homologous chromosomes that appear in the zygote look alike and have the same length and centromere position, but the genes they hold may be for opposing traits. After duplication, the homologues become sister chromatids that are joined together at the centromere. Meiosis also has two cell divisions, meiosis I and meiosis II. Synapsis occurs at the start of meiosis I. The lining up of the homologues results in a bivalent, two homologous chromosomes that stay together during the initial phases of meiosis I. After synapsis, the homologous chromosomes separate and the daughter cells have one copy of each kind of chromosome. During meiosis II, the daughter chromosomes move to opposite poles, leaving the chromosomes with only one chromatid each. The main purpose of meiosis is to keep the chromosome number constant generation after generation. If not for meiosis, the chromosome number would continue to increase inevitably. It also ensures that genetic recombination will occur. Genetic recombination makes it so that offspring do not have the same combination of genes as their parents. One way this is achieved is through crossing-over. Crossing-over is the process of distribution of the homologues to different daughter cells during synapsis. The genetic instructions from a mother and father are mixed and the joined chromatids are no longer identical. The other key way for genetic recombination to occur is through independent assortment. When homologues align at the metaphase plate, the mate ...

Grand Bargain - Details and Explanation

Grand Bargain - Details and Explanation The term grand bargain is used to describe a potential agreement between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in late 2012 on how to curb spending and reduce the national debt while avoiding steep automatic spending cuts known as sequestration or the fiscal cliff set to take place the following year to some of the most important programs in the United States. The idea of a grand bargain had been around since 2011 but the real potential emerged following the 2012 presidential election, in which voters returned many of the same leaders to Washington, including Obama and some of his fiercest critics in Congress. The looming fiscal crisis combined with a polarized House and Senate provided high drama in the final weeks of 2012 as lawmakers worked to avoid the sequestration cuts. Details of the Grand Bargain The term grand bargain was used because it would be a bipartisan agreement between the Democratic president and Republican leaders in the House of Representatives, who had been gridlocked on policy proposals during his first term in the White House. Among the programs that could be targeted for substantial cuts in a grand bargain are the so-called entitlement programs: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Democrats who resisted such cuts would agree to them if Republicans, in return, sign off on higher taxes on certain high-income wage-earners much like the Buffett Rule would have imposed. History of the Grand Bargain The grand bargain on debt reduction first emerged during Obamas first term in the White House. But negotiations over the details of such a plan unraveled in the summer of 2011 and never began in earnest until after the 2012 presidential election. The disagreements in the first round of negotiations reportedly were the insistence by Obama and the Democrats on a certain level of new tax revenue. Republicans, particularly more conservative members of Congress, were said to have vigorously opposed raising taxes beyond a certain amount, reportedly some $800 million worth of new revenue. But following Obamas re-election, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio appeared to signal a willingness to accept higher taxes in return for cuts to entitlement programs. In order to garner Republican support for new revenues, the President must be willing to reduce spending and shore up the entitlement programs that are the primary drivers of our debt, Boehner told reporters following the election. We’re closer than anyone thinks to the critical mass needed legislatively to get tax reform done. Opposition to the Grand Bargain Many Democrats and liberals expressed skepticism over Boehners offer, and restated their opposition to cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. They argued that Obamas decisive victory allowed him a certain mandate on maintaining the nations social programs and safety nets. They also claimed the cuts in combination with the expiration of both the Bush-era tax cuts and payroll-tax cuts in 2013 could send the country back into a recession. The liberal economic Paul Krugman, writing in The New York Times, argued that Obama should not easily accept the Republican offer of a new grand bargain: President Obama has to make a decision, almost immediately, about how to deal with continuing Republican obstruction. How far should he go in accommodating the G.O.P.’s demands? My answer is, not far at all. Mr. Obama should hang tough, declaring himself willing, if necessary, to hold his ground even at the cost of letting his opponents inflict damage on a still-shaky economy. And this is definitely no time to negotiate a grand bargain on the budget that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

Korean American Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Korean American Media - Essay Example That was the reaction that went viral when word spread about the making of K-Town in Los Angeles’ Korea town. Even the Korean American greybeards were afraid that this show would make them look bad.K Town’s executive producer, Mike Le, was amazed at how fast the rumor went before they produced anything. This excitement and media coverage illustrate the thrill felt by the world feels, as if they were not expecting such a show to be released. This gave the production crew the much-needed morale to provide quality production, as they enjoyed media coverage before the show’s release. Magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and New York Post. Even SNL and Chelsea Lately covered the story of KTown’s release (Yang, 2012). Soon, Hollywood also got wind of this upcoming reality show, and two prestigious networks were battling over airing of the show. However, things did not work out from there on. This was until LOUD’s newly launched YouTube ch annel aired no holds barred online edition of KTown. The show was described as buzz worthy and high impact. From the cast and character development in K Town, it is evident that its production is aimed at challenging some of the existing stereotypes of Korean Americans. ... This leads to a series of vengeance, betrayal, and romance. This depiction contradicts the model minority stereotype. This is according to an article by Yang Jeff, ‘Tough Times for Tiger Mom as Asian America Meets Jersey Shore’ that was posted in Speakeasy on July 17, 2012.K Town portrays Korean Americans as partygoers, with theimmense preference to the nightlife of Korea town. In this show, both men and women party together and the men are portrayed asflirtatious and fighters.This is contrary to the known stereotype that Korean Americans are conservatives and with good morals. They do not publically display affection like kissing, and they are faithful, sticking to one partner. Furthermore, Korean American women have always been assumedconservative as opposed to outgoing. Their women do not indulge in public drinking, let alone with men. However, K Town’s Scarlet and Jowe both go out, and get seriously drunk after which Jowe starts flirting with other girls. Anot her stereotype is that Koreans mind about their perception and image they portray to the world. Because of this, the show was met by some criticism since the Korean community was afraid of negative depiction of their culture to the world (Wang, 2012). And indeed, the show portrayed the side of Korea’ nightlife that they are not comfortable with exposing to the world. As such, K Town was described as an Asian version of America’s Jersey show. It should be noted that these criticisms do not imply that such occurrences do not happen in Korea. Far from it, they do happen but most Korean K Town critics object because of public exposure. This is according to another article titled ‘The Altered Reality of K

Judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Judaism - Essay Example Secondly, the Jewish had a substantial meaning in creation embedded in the magnificent work of God as cited in Genesis chapter one, verse one. The Jewish also established a meaning in human existence to determine the human nature concerning freedom and the truth-for-life (279-281). The Jews have a keen interest in history, as it is not a Maya or a circular process of nature but the arena of God’s purposive activity (Smith 283). The Jews view the uniqueness of history as Gods interventions and they are the chosen people. Judaism has substantial meaning and value in molarity, as they believe each social creature ought to have the ability to interact with others (Smith 286). Judaism grounds its values in the importance of meaning injustice. Specifically, they believe that the future of the society depends on the legitimacy of the social order (288). The Jewish have meaning in suffering as a Gods way of underscoring righteousness. In upholding these values and others, Judaism has grown into an active culture adopted by most modern societies and traditions including

Zombies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Zombies - Research Paper Example The research paper "Zombies" discusses the question of zombies existence, the corpses of human beings that have been raised from the dead, through magic. The term Zombie emanated amongst the Haitian Slaves, who believed that Baron Samedi, one of the spirits of the Haitian Voodoo would pick them from the dead, and take them to heaven. This is only if, the slaves under consideration did not offend this spirit. The spirit of Baron Samedi would be offended in case an individual committed suicide. If this action occurred, then the person under consideration would remain a slave forever, even after death. On this basis, this concept of Zombies has been largely linked to the practice of Voodoo, i.e. magic. Kloepfer denotes that people, who believe in Zombies or claim to have seen Zombies, are either mentally unstable or religious fanatics. In the case of Felicia Mentor, scholar denotes that science was able to prove that the woman under consideration was not Felicia Mentor. On this basis, the family members of this woman were only superstitious and highly religious. Kloepfer states that this aspect of Zombies has gained prominence, because of their depictions in horror movies. There isn’t any scientific research that that has been able to prove that a Zombie actually exists. In regard to these arguments, the concept of magic does not exist, and on this basis, witches, wizards and the practice of Voodoo are just a myth. Scholar gives an example of the Salem witch trials, which occurred between the periods 1692 to 1693.

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay

Expanding The Market Share For Apples Iphone Marketing Essay A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 Executive Summary The purpose of this research was to determine how to increase the market share of the iPhone in China. In order to conduct the study, the marketing research problem was identified as to determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market. In line with the research problem six hypotheses were developed to be tested. In this project, several research approaches were used. Exploratory research was conducted to help the researchers obtain a basic understanding and insight into the problems facing Apple Inc., while conclusive research helped to build upon the findings of the exploratory research. Through searching and reading secondary data, the researchers identified the different factors, in terms of physical factors (e.g., price, quality, ease of use), social factors (e.g., fashion purchasing, group identity, symbol of status) and emotional factors (e.g., brand image, appearance, advertisement, etc.), that theoretically should influence purchase behaviour. Based on the secondary data, a questionnaire was designed and administered to 176 Chinese students in the University of Leeds from 11th to 22nd November 2010 to collect the primary data of their perceptions and satisfactions towards smartphones and the iPhone. The results were analysed using SPSS, and several statistical tests performed to check whether the hypotheses were accepted in the study. From the project, the researchers found that all the three factors (physical factor, social factor and emotional factor) individually were closely related to the perceptions of iPhone, and also that these three factors combined exerted influence towards the perceptions. Moreover, consumers perceptions toward the iPhone were found to be related to their post purchase satisfactions as well. Gender and income, as the demographic moderators, also have influence on the perceptions and satisfactions of iPhone, although the effect of gender was limited. As a result, the study could be considered as a reference of iPhone to identify their current problems in Chinese market and design corresponding marketing strategy to increase their marketing share in China. Table of Contents 1 A Marketing Research project for the MSc International Marketing Management programme 2010/11 1 Introduction 4 Background 6 SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market 7 Problem Definition 7 Management Decision Problem 7 Market Research Problem 8 Research Components 8 Research Approach Development 8 Literature review 8 1.1.1Physical Factors 8 1.1.2Social Factors 9 1.1.3Emotional/Psychological Factors 9 1.1.4Demographic Factors 9 Conceptual Model 11 Research Question and Hypotheses 11 Research Design and Methodology 13 Research Design 13 Secondary Research 13 Primary Research 14 1.1.5Research Approach 14 1.1.6Sampling Design 14 1.1.7Questionnaire Design 16 Field work 19 Analytical Methods 20 Results and Hypotheses Testing 21 Profile of the respondents 21 Factors influencing mobile phone choices 21 1.1.8Factors influencing smartphone preferences 21 1.1.9Factors related to iPhones 22 1.1.10Post Purchase Satisfaction 23 Hypothesis Testing 23 7. Conclusions and Recommendations 29 7.1 Conclusion 29 The conclusion is shown in the following model: 30 7.2 Recommendations 30 7.3 Limitations of the Research 31 8. References 32 9.List of Appendix 34 Appendix 1: Questionnaire 34 9.2 Appendix 2: Respondents Profile Frequency 39 9.3 Appendix 3: Mean Value 41 9.4 Appendix 4: Moderator regression table 44 Introduction The market for smartphones has been growing continually. The proof of its popularity is that sales of smartphones to end users have reached 54.3 million units in the first quarter of 2010, an increase of 48.7 percent from the same period in 2009. smartphones hold 17.3 percent of worldwide mobile phone devices sales (Gartner, May 2010). There are currently more than 6 types of operating systems available in the smartphone market, such as Symbian, RIM, Apple iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Linux. The Nokia Symbian holds the highest market share followed by RIM BlackBerry and Apple iOS in the year 2010 (Gartner, May 2010). The players in the market compete by introducing new innovations and adding value to their phones, since the consumers expect more from smartphones than from basic feature phones (Mintel, January 2010). Creating an image of being a state of the art technology provider may give the positive connotations in the customers head that allow them to set a higher price, as the strategy that Apple implemented with the iPhone has shown (Data Monitor, May 2010). Even so, according to the fact that 51 percent of the consumers will not buy the phone unless the price come down (Mintel, January 2010), price does clearly matter to them. The factors influencing smartphone purchasing decisions needs to be identified in order to develop new potential opportunities to create distinctive competencies. This study will cover factors influencing iPhone perception and iPhone post purchase satisfaction. This should give a guide to a successful marketing strategy in the future. Background Apple Inc. is one of the major companies of technology and innovation in consumer products in the world. They provide a wide range of products and services, from laptop and desktop computers to accessories and software services. The company recorded revenues of almost $43 billion during the financial year ending in September 2009 (FY2009), an increase of over 14% since 2008. The increase in revenues was mainly due to growth in sales of iPhone handsets and the related sales of third-party digital content and applications from the iTunes Store (Data Monitor, May 2010). But even though China has the highest number of mobile phone subscribers in the world, the sales figures for iPhone in China as reported by China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. are far behind the rest of the big markets in the world. It took only 30 hours for Apple iPhone to reach over 200,000 sold units in the U.S. in 2007, but it took more than a month to reach the same number in China (The Economic Times, October 2010). One possible factor holding the iPhone back in China is its relatively high price. Apple and Unicom charge $730 to $1,020 for the iPhone, not including discounts on service, making it more expensive than grey market iPhones brought into the country through places like Hong Kong. There may be up to two million such grey market iPhones in China according to an estimate by Paul Wuh, an analyst covering China Unicom for Samsung Securities. In addition to this, the Wi-Fi Internet function was initially disabled on Unicoms iPhones to comply with Chinese government rules (Wall Street Journal, Dec 2009), which might also have contributed to the slow take-off of iPhone sales. NOTE Is this a reference SWOT analysis for iPhone in Chinese market Strengths Strong brand name Focuses RD driving innovation Provides State of the art technologies Opportunities Strong growth in smartphones market segment Continuing growth in demand for handheld devices Weaknesses Product recalls Patent infringement Expensive Price Threats Intense competition Dependence on specific suppliers Chinese Governments regulations High cost of internet bundle provider Reference: Data monitor 21 May 2010 Available at http://www.datamonitor.com Problem Definition Management Decision Problem Apple Inc. has encountered some potential limitations for the iPhone in the Chinese market, such as government regulations, grey market opportunities and the high price of the phone. Even though 100,000 iPhone 4s were sold in the first 4 days of availability (Sutherland, 2010), representing a high demand for the iPhone, the market share in China is still lower than anywhere else in the world. Hence, the management decision problem for Apple could be How to increase iPhone market share in China? Market Research Problem To answer the management decision problem it needs to be translated into a market research problem, which the researchers therefore define to be: To determine the needs and preferences of buyers of smartphones in the Chinese market Research Components To clarify consumers perceptions toward smartphones. To determine the factors that influence consumers decision to buy the iPhone. To evaluate consumers post purchase behaviour of iPhone. To discover potential influence of demographic factors on iPhone satisfaction Research Approach Development Literature review According to the secondary data that have been collected for this study, there are 4 main factors that should influence consumers technology buying decisions. Physical Factors Consumers would look into visible aspects (design) more than software specific aspects (operating system). Three main factors that consumers focus on are good design, the brand of the handset and quality of integrated camera. The consumers cannot always tell the distinction between the latest innovative phones and other phones. The companies attempts to position themselves, as high technology innovators may not be significant when consumers do not look for it (Mintel, January 2010). A better design leads to a sense of better usability and help to extend users emotional attachment to the device (Nanda, 2008) Social Factors As a rule, in the emerging markets of the world the penetration of mobile technology is higher in the high-income segments of a population. In the developed world a mobile handset is part of the everyday world, while elsewhere it is still considered as a luxury and a symbol of status. Thus, while income is less related to the ownership of a mobile handset in Europe, in China it is still a very important factor (Castells et al., 2004). To specify on teenage consumers, they want to keep up with the most recent trend so there is a quick turnover in their technology adopting behaviour. They were controlled by trend not technology and they fear to be excluded from their group because the lack of technology involvement (Mintel, August 2008). People were influenced by their own group about which phone to buy. The innovation and designs were developed to satisfy consumers social needs (Vincent, 2009). Young users are also more likely to use SMS rather than voice calls than other users, mainly because it is cheaper and because they usually have more time to master the technical skill of texting. For the older, working population where the employer pays the bills the opposite is the general rule (Castells et al., 2004). Emotional/Psychological Factors The role of the phones is more than just a communication tool. They become personal objects (Hallnà ¤s Redstrà ¶m, 2002). The common emotional responses among mobile phone users are being cool, chilled out and tuned into a mobile phone culture The thrill and the novelty of the mobile phone: What the phones can do for the users are the factors that enable and strengthen the relationship. Demographic Factors There is a positive relation between age and price concern. Older buyers would take price as an important factor when deciding to buy a new phone (Mintel, January 2010). As well as teenage buyers, they have a budget constraint due to their limited income. Consequently they would wait until they are certain about their choice so as to avoid making a bad purchase. This concern leads to a brand criterion. In order to reduce the risk of wasting their money, they would stick to the trusted brand only (Mintel, August 2008). Technology goods are a low elasticity product to men. During the recession men still buy new technology goods. Women are more prices sensitive than men and they are also interested in design more than men (Mintel, June 2009). Due to the two facts that in China ownership of a mobile phone is positively related to income, and that a larger part of the high-income earners are men, there is a gap between number of male and female users of mobile phones. However, there is a growing market segment targeted at women where the exterior design is the major selling point (Castells et al., 2004). There is also a difference in how male and females perceive and use their handsets; female users are not only likelier to see the phone as a fashionable accessory but also use it as a key channel to maintain personal relationships. This becomes evident in studies that show that even if more men than women use SMS, women are more frequent users of it than men (Castells et al., 2004). Conceptual Model Figure 1: Model of Smartphone Purchasing Decision H1 H3 H4 H5 H6 iPhone Perceptions Post purchase Satisfaction Demographic Moderators Physical Factors H2 Social Factors Emotional Factors Research Question and Hypotheses Q1: Is there any relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions? H1: There is a relationship between physical factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q2: Is there any relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions? H2: There is a relationship between social factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q3: Is there any relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions? H3: There is a relationship between emotional factors and the iPhone perceptions. Q4: Is there a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions? H4: There is a relationship between physical factors, social factors and emotional factors and iPhone perceptions. Q5: Is there a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions? H5: There is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfactions. Q6a: Does the demographic moderator of income influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6a: The demographic moderator of income influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Q6b: Does the demographic moderator of gender influence the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction? H6b: The demographic moderator of gender influences the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction. Research Design and Methodology Research Design Research design is a framework or blueprint conducting a market research project that specifies the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed to structure or solve the marketing problem (Malhotra, 2009: 94). The objective of this project is to improve the sales volume of iPhone in China. The first step here was to define the management decision problem and then apply suitable market research approach. There are two types of research designs; Exploratory: An exploratory research was conducted to gain a basic understanding and insight in the problems faced by Apple Inc. This was done mainly through secondary data. The exploratory research proved that there was some problem and further research was required in order to address it appropriately. Conclusive: A conclusive research was conducted to build upon the finding of the exploratory research. It is done mainly to test the formulated hypotheses. The conclusive research is of two types; descriptive and casual. The descriptive research was used to identify the relationship between the different variables affecting the buying behaviour whereas the causal research was used to determine the cause and effect relationships between the moderator and the variables. Secondary Research This is one of the most important elements of a market research project especially when there is time and cost constraint. Since the study revolves around a very new, unique and innovative product so the secondary data has been entirely sourced from the quality journals, newspapers and research articles. In order to maintain authenticity of the data, all the data was compared among each other and this lay the foundation for the development of the research model for the study. Primary Research Research Approach The survey method was used to collect the information from the respondents in this research. This method was chosen due to its advantages of ease, reliability, and simplicity along with the fact that it can simultaneously demonstrate the insights into who the actual consumers are, how the consumers behave, and why the consumers behave in certain way (Malhotra, 2009: p214). With the consideration of time and resource constraints, the questionnaires were distributed to Chinese students at the University of Leeds. In addition to distributing the questionnaire face to face to the respondents, an on-line version of the questionnaire was also made available by the researchers to collect data from the respondents. Sampling Design In this case, to understand the correlations between different types of factors and the smartphone purchasing decision of Chinese consumers and between demographic moderators and the customer satisfaction, the sample size was determined according to the four steps of the Sampling Design Process (Malhotra, 2009: p371). Defining the Target Population: Elements of the Sample: Prospective purchasers of mobile phones in China Sample Units: Chinese mobile phone users Extent: Chinese students study in the University of Leeds Time Period: November, 2010 Sample Frame: The Chinese students who study at the University of Leeds were the target population of this research. According to the web page of the University of Leeds (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30313/asia/200/china), the number of Chinese students was 561 when the research was undertaken. Therefore, the sample size was calculated based on the population size of 561. Sampling Technique: Sampling techniques can be classified as non-probability sampling and probability sampling (Malhotra, 2009: p373). Non-probability sampling was selected for the data collection in this research due to the time and resource constraints; the selecting of sample elements was based on the research teams personal judgment and conveniencealecting of sample elements was survey was carried out among different income level.ch could expand the age interval of the re. Determining the sample size: The sample size of the research was calculated by statistical method with the formula below: n = where: n = sample size required N = population size Z = number of standard errors (Z=1.96 for 95% confidence level) (Anton, 1995, cited by Palihawadana, 2009) The sample size was calculated at 95% confidence level, therefore n = = 229 According to the calculation above, 229 questionnaires were required to be collected in this research. However, due to the time and resource constraints, instead 76% of the required sample size or 176 questionnaires were to be included in this research. Questionnaire Design A questionnaire was designed to collect the quantitative primary data. According to the literature review, three factors were embraced in the questionnaire to determine their relevance of smartphones purchasing decision. Besides, collecting basic information of the respondents helped to investigate whether the demographic moderators affected the consumer satisfaction. The questionnaire was designed on the basis of questionnaire design process (Malhotra, 2009 p.331). Information Needed: The first step is to make sure the information which should be collected and used to analyse the result. Thus, it is vital to clearly understand the research questions and hypotheses so as to help the questionnaire remain focused. As the respondents are students at the University of Leeds, the wording and style used in the questionnaire was appropriate to their level of education. Type of Interviewing Method: The survey was conducted mainly by using personal interviews, accompanied by an internet survey. As a result, complex questions were avoided and all the questions were made as detailed and clear as possible so as to avoid any ambiguity. Content of Individual Questions: All questions were designed based on six hypotheses. Reviewing the form and structure of related researches helped the questionnaire to be succinct and well-structured, and thus easy for young respondents to answer. Question Design: The questionnaire was designed to be as simple as possible to achieve raise the willingness to answer of the respondents. Moreover, the questions were oriented to require less effort and to avoid asking for sensitive information. Question structure and operationalisation of the variables Question design: 7-Attitudinal Scales Dichotomous Data Multiple-Choice Questions Questions Social Factors Physical Factors Emotional Factors Q: 3d, 3e, 3f, 7d, 7e, 7f Q:3g-i, 7g-i, 8a-g, 12a-g H1 H2 H3 Q4,Q10,Q14 Q1, Q2, Q5, Q: 3a, 3b, 3c, 7a, 7b, 7c Demo- graphic Moderators Q15, Q16, Q17, Q18, Q19 H6 Post- purchase Satisfaction Q13 Q6 Construct Item Reference H4 iPhone Percep-tions H5 Q11 The questionnaire included 19 questions in four pages. In this questionnaire, three formats of questions were designed, which are, respectively; multiple-choice questions, 7-attitudinal scales and dichotomous questions. Multiple-choice questions were designed in order to get the general information about peoples perception of mobile phones and smartphones, as well as respondents personal information. As respondents are familiar with phones, and the personal information questions are basic background questions, respondents could easily choose a preference choice from the several alternatives. In addition, since the questions were asked in an objective way, the data collected can be taken as reliable. Dichotomous data is that classified into either one of two mutually exclusive values. In the questionnaire, the dichotomous questions were about Yes or No questions about purchasing phones of respondents. Scale questions were used to indicate respondents attitudinal preference of the given items or sentences. In the questionnaire, scale questions were designed as the model of 7-attitudinal scale questions. Among most of these questions, 7 represented strongly agree or strongly satisfied while 1 represents strongly disagree or strongly dissatisfied, indicating respondents attitude in a much more detailed manner. All the factors that directly influence the hypothesis can be evaluated in on the 7-attitudinal scale question model, including physical factors, social factors as well as emotional factors. In this way the researchers found it easy to evaluate the factors that influence peoples preferences regarding smartphones according to the data. Question wording: Questions in the questionnaire were appropriate, simple and objective. While designing the questionnaire, special attention was given so that the questions did not mislead or prime the respondents in any way. This way the reliability of the data is enhanced. Sections of the questionnaire: The questionnaire was divided into four parts; Section A: Mobile Phones in the Market; Section B: Smartphones in the Market; Section C: iPhone and Section D: Personal Information. In Section A, it the respondents general perception about mobile phones was explored; in Section B, the questionnaire tried to get an idea of Chinese international students preferences towards smartphones at Leeds University; in Section C, the questionnaire focused on the attitude towards iPhone among Chinese students at Leeds University; and in the last part, Section D, it is appertained that all the respondents provide their basic personal information, which is an essential part of demographic factors as it would help the researchers to test Hypothesis 4 as a reference. Among the first three sections, equivalent attitudinal questions are asked in order to make a comparison among students attitude towards feature phones, smartphones and the iPhone. Also, all these three parts contained questions about physical factors, social factors and emotional factors that could influence peoples decision while buying phones. Form and Layout: The questionnaire was designed in a way that would inspire the respondents willingness and interest to finish it. This was done by way of keeping sections clearly defined, avoiding the title or questions within a section to be separated between alternatives in two pages. Additionally, certain care was taken to give the questionnaire an appealing look, and the university logo was added to give a serious and trustworthy impression. Pilot testing: Before collecting data from Chinese students in Leeds University, a pilot testing was made among five Chinese students at different schools, to test the practicability of the questionnaire. The suggestions from the five respondents were taken into consideration. The questionnaire was then complemented with some new alternatives, covering more situations and factors in a better way. While doing the actual survey, it was concluded that the respondents of the questionnaire perceived it to be much easier to answer all the questions after the views of the respondents of the Pilot project were incorporated. Field work The duration of data collection was between 11th and 22nd of November 2010, when 176 questionnaires were distributed by the six members of the research team. The researchers collected the data from Chinese students by requesting them to fill out the questionnaires on the campus of the University of Leeds. Analytical Methods In this study, a variety of statistical methods were used to analyse the data which had collected from 176 respondents, in order to understand whether the physical factor, social factor and emotional factor significantly relate to iPhone perceptions, whether these three factors combined together and affected iPhone perception, whether there is a relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction, and whether demographic factor could be considered as a moderator influences on the relationship between iPhone perceptions and post purchase satisfaction according to the conceptual model. The following are the methods adopted: Bi-variate regression analysis was used to calculate whether there was a relationship between the respondents preferences regarding the different factor (independent variable) and their perception of iPhone (dependent variable). This method was also used to test whether there was a relationship between the perception of respondents towards iPhone (independent variable) and the post purchase satisfaction (dependent variable). When measuring the importance of demographic moderating variables affect the satisfaction of iPhone (dependent variable), bi-variate regression analysis was be used as well. Multiple Regression analysis was conducted to analyse the degree of connection between three factors in terms of physical factor, social factor and emotional factor (independent variables) and the perception of iPhone (dependent variable). Results and Hypotheses Testing Profile of the respondents Among the 176 respondents, 63 of them (35.8%) were male while 113 of them (64.2%) were female. 72.7% of total sample are between the age of 20 and 23. Merely 13.1% of the respondents came from families with the family income level of less than RMB 5000 per month. 61.4% of all the respondents studied in Business School. 64.8% of the respondents have postgraduate educational level. The largest percentage of respondents came from East China, accounts for 43.8%, while only 5% of the respondents came from Northeast China. Factors influencing mobile phone choices Factors influencing smartphone preferences According to the questionnaire result, physical factors were the most important factors that influenced peoples purchasing of smartphones, with an average score of 5.77 on the attitudinal scale while social factors were the least important with an average score of 4.65. Among the physical factors that influenced respondents decision of buying smartphone quality was the most important with an average score of 6.21, while price was the least important with 5.17. Among social factors, pursuing fashion was the most important with an average score of 5.10 while group identity was the least important with 4.40. As to the emotional factors, the appearance of the smartphone was the most important in respondents mind with 5.80 average score, while advertisements were of least importance with 4.09. As mentioned about the functions of smartphones, which are part of emotional factors that influencing peoples decision of buying smartphones, the function of browsing the websites was the most attractive with an average score of 5.70 while the function of video was the least important with 4.51. Factors related to iPhones Regarding the iPhone, emotional factors were the most important factors affecting respondents purchasing behaviour with an average score of 5.26, while the social factors were the least important with 4.37. Among the physical factors, most of the respondents agreed with the sentence iPhone has a high quality, with this factor getting the highest score of 5.47. At the same time most of them think iPhone is expensive because the sentence iPhone has a reasonable price only registered the average score of 3.72. Within the social factors a majority of the respondents believed iPhone to be a symbol of fashion with the score of 5.65, while few people wanted to buy an iPhone just because their friends or family have one, this factor recording only 3.28. Among emotional factors, iPhone has a good design of appearance was the most agreeable sentence with the score of 5.61, and the sentence The advertisements of iPhone are attractive the least with an average score of 4.79. As to functions, included in emotional factors which influence peoples purchasing decisions regarding the iPhone, the availability of applications through which you can go over websites like Facebook or Youtube was the most attractive with a score of 5.91, while

The Green IT Movement Essay -- Trends in Green IT

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