Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time free essay sample

In the novel the curious incident of the dog in the night time Mark Hadden demonstrates the qualities of hardships and problems which every key character in the novel has to deal with. Some are stronger or harder than others but in the end they still have to jump that hurdle they are trying to get over. Every character does find a way to manage their problems and deal with them sensibly. But I respect Mr Boone the most because he deals with two lots of troubles, his own and his son Christopher’s. Mr. Boone deals with a substantial amount of problems throughout the novel. Not only his personal problems but dealing with Christopher as a son, and for filling his needs. He learns to manage and structure his life with the problems he has surrounding him. At the begging of the book Ed Boone’s character portrays a strong personality that can stand up to his problems. We will write a custom essay sample on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Christopher gives him nuisance with him not being able to understand the emotions that a person can go through. This leaves Mr Boone on his own when things get emotional, he can’t hug his son or give any affection. Mr Boone and Christopher send love to each other by touching fingertips together: We do this because sometimes father wants to give me a hug but I do not like hugging people, so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me . Mr Boone faces his wife leaving him for another man. He hides this to the one he loves the most, his son. As the author depicts in the book, Christopher has a few problems comprehending emotions, this is why Mr Boone hides Christopher’s mother leaving the family. Not only does he have trouble dealing with the fact his wife left him but he has to carry the guilt of keeping this big secret from Christopher. Mother had not had a heart attack. Mother had not died. Mother had been alive all the time. And father had lied to me about this. Pg 141 Mrs. Boone initially runs away from all of her troubles but as she comes to a reality of what she has done she tries her best to fix and overcome every hardship she escaped from. Mrs Boone has various problems to deal with throughout the novel. The first hurdle she has to jump over is having Christopher as a son and trying to cater his needs. She finds all of this too hard and decides to escape and have an affair with Mr Shears. The prime emotion she overcomes is guilt. Guilt plays a massive role in her life after she leaves Christopher with his father and whether she would hurt him. I was not a very good mother Christopher . This section of the book is really demonstrating the guilt and pressure she felt leaving Christopher. Guilt also comes up when she leaves her husband for another man. She never intentioned to hurt anyone all she wanted was the best for Christopher That was when I realised you and your father were probably better off if I wasn’t living in the house. Mrs Boone was doing the best for the boy she loved the most, her son. Christopher has to deal with the problem of not being able to comprehend others emotions. This affects Christopher in every aspect of life because it makes it hard for him to commutate with strangers or new people. This makes it difficult for him to make a strong friendship with someone. He does not understand imaginary feelings; he is blunt and cuts straight to facts. There were tears coming out of his eyes. This shows that Christopher see’s the physical side of things but can’t go into someone’s shoes and feel what they are going through. As Christopher and Mr Boone have a strong relationship at the start of the book, Mr Boone tells lies about Christopher’s mother’s departure from the family. Christopher fells betrayed and alone after he finds out his father had lied to him the whole time about his mother leaving. All of a sudden Christopher has to deal with the feeling of being alone after he cannot trust his father. Mr Boone tries to convince Christopher to trust him again: I want you to know you can trust me . But Christopher found it hard to gain trust back with his father. Throughout the book all of the characters discover their weaknesses and strengths. But they all have problems they have to go through. All though they all have their problems I admire Mr Boone the most because unlike the other characters he has two types of problems to deal with. His own problems and dealing with his son’s difficulties; with the condition of Aspergers Syndrome. All of the key characters deal with their issues and can go through hard time in the novel but they all discover strategies on how to overcome their hardships. Mr Boone deals with the greatest amount of problems and I admire all of the characters for facing their problems and conquering their issues.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Single Displacement or Substitution Reaction

Single Displacement or Substitution Reaction A single displacement reaction or substitution reaction is a common and important type of chemical reaction. A substitution or single displacement reaction is characterized by one element being displaced from a compound by another element.A BC → AC B A single displacement reaction is a specific type of oxidation-reduction reaction. An element or ion is replaced by another in a compound. Single Displacement Reaction Examples An example of a substitution reaction occurs when zinc combines with hydrochloric acid. The zinc replaces the hydrogen:Zn 2 HCl → ZnCl2 H2 Here is another example of a single displacement reaction: 3 AgNO3 (aq) Al (s) → Al(NO3)3 (aq) 3 Ag (s) How To Recognize a Substitution Reaction You can recognize this type of reaction by looking for a trade between one cation or anion in a compound with a pure substance in the reactants side of the equation, forming a new compound in the products side of the reaction. If, however, two compounds appear to trade partners, then youre looking at a double displacement reaction rather than a single displacement.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The crucible by arthur miller, John Proctor's diary Coursework

The crucible by arthur miller, John Proctor's diary - Coursework Example It is already night and that is when Reverend Hale came to my house. While Hale was investigating our role in the witchcraft, the court’s clerk named Cheever was at my doorstep. As soon as I saw him, I became nervous and feared that something wrong is about to happen to me. However, when he demanded to see Elizabeth, accusing her of being involved in the crime of witchcraft, my fear got heightened. I also become very concerned. I could not believe that even a simple doll would be used against Elizabeth. She got frightened and is drowned in tears. The plight of my children without their mother crossed my mind and made me more anxious and scared. I was guilt ridden as well. I felt that I could have talked about Abigail’s lies and her wrong intentions in the court earlier itself. I went back further down the memory lane and felt I could have surely avoided the affair with this questionable woman. But, I felt that I cannot be weakened by her arrest. Instead, as she gave me a goodbye and left the house, I had sworn to myself that I will protect her and will not allow anything bad happen to her. I reached the court to show to the world that Abigail is coming up with these false accusations against my wife due to her vengeance against me. I thought that if I could first prove to Governor Danforth that all accusations of witchcraft are false than half of our battle is won. At the same time, I understood that it is not an easy task to complete. I feared that the village people have already idealized these â€Å"afflicted† girls. Considering this challenge, I even brought Mary Warren to reveal the lies of those girls before the court. However, all these plans of mine were spoiled by the girls who started accusing Mary Warren of witchcraft. Aye, it is all lies. But, I was shocked and helpless when Mary also started accusing me of being a witch along with my wife. Hearing this accusation, I was so angry and at the same time felt hapless. I felt

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

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

ART - Essay Example amous 16th century portrait by Leonardo da Vinci, has been painted in oil on a poplar panel which illustrates the essential features of the Italian Renaissance. To perceive it visually, it is a length portrait depicting a woman who has an enigmatic expression on her face and the piece was celebrated for the ambiguity concerning the woman’s expression. The social relevance of the work by da Vinci is due to the monumentality of this half-figure composition and the delicate modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism. These features were central to the progress of painting and there is a sense of mystery connected with the work. â€Å"Given the fact that Da Vinci manages to capture so many different emotions and character-traits in one painting, it seems natural that every time one looks at the Mona Lisa, one sees something different, irrespective from which direction the painting is looked at. In that light her ‘mysterious smile’ seems nothing out of the ordinary .† (Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa) In comparison with this celebrated work by Da Vinci, Marilyn Diptych, the 1962 painting by the American pop artist Andy Warhol, is an illustrious example of silkscreen painting which is important to the pop art style in painting. This work of acrylic and silkscreen on canvas makes use of the juxtaposition of the color images in order to depict the meaning of the artist. â€Å"The ‘Marilyn Diptych’ divides into 25 colored Monroes on the left and 25 black and whites on the right, with the image passing through near total blackening and disfiguration in the seventh column to extreme faintness on the far right. The more you look at the coloured panels, the more the hair, eye-shadow and lips look like paper cutouts that have been stuck on the faces, emphasising the artificially constructed nature of the Monroe ‘image’.† (Molyneux) Also, the misregistration or the failure of the color to fit exactly with the underlyin g black and white photograph gives the painting its great

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Eco-system Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Eco-system - Case Study Example According to lundy.org.uk (1999) provision for the establishment of statutory Marine Nature Reserves was included in the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. After public consultation, on 21st November 1986 the Secretary of State for Environment declared a statutory reserve at Lundy. The Management of Marine Nature Reserve was given to English Nature by "the statutory advisor to Government on nature conservation in England" (lundy.org.uk, 1999) i.e. the English Nature is responsible to look after the Marine Nature Reserve. Landmark Trust employed a Warden for funding who lease the island in association with the Devon Sea Fisheries Committee that regulates and manage fisheries in the area. Devon Sea Fisheries Committee and English Nature jointly proposed the first statutory No Take Zone which is a 3.3 square kilometer of sea on east side of the Lundy Marine Nature Reserve in the UK. According to this proposal of No Take Zone none of the marine life including lobsters, fish and crabs of the sea should be taken and if any one does he/she is punishable under Marine Life Act. The No Take Zone has received support from every quarter of life i.e. from local fishermen to Lundy management, Advisory Groups and Devon Sea Fisheries. The main purpose of the No Take Zone proposal and according to bbc.co.uk (2006) was introduced to try to reverse the problems caused by over-fishing, which has depleted stocks in the oceans. This step was taken to protect and restore marine life, which dipped a new low because of over fishing that depleted the marine stocks in the ocean. The above figure shows how the Marine Nature Reserve was divided into zones. The following are the zones of Lundy Marine Nature Reserve: Red area: It is a highly restricted area and is protected 24/7 all through the year. Fishing or collecting or catching of sea life of any kind is not permitted and if any one does they would certainly face heavy legal penalties. The No Take Zone that was proposed by Devon Sea Fisheries Committee and English Nature and according to lundy.org.uk (1999) stretches north to Lat 51 12.04N, south to Lat 51 10.07N and east from Lundy's shores to Long 004 39.00W. There are restrictions to divers also. There is no permission of any kind for anchoring or diver shot lines. Yellow area: In this fishing is not allowed except potting or angling. This zone is known as Refuge Zone. Green area: This zone is known as Recreational Zone and is strictly restricted as for the Yellow Zone and it is a protected area. No fishing is allowed except potting and angling. The Black Circles are the legally protected wrecks. Strictly no diving or fishing, only those will be allowed fishing who are having license permission from English Heritage. General User Zone: Any severe laws do not restrict the Blue area as it is in the case of other zones that are heavily guarded zones. It covers the remaining part of the Marine Nature Reserve and is generally termed as General User Zone. In this zone everything is allowed i.e. from fishing or catching any marine life including lobsters, fish, etc., to sailing. Only spear fishing is not allowed. Some of the long term benefits of No Take Zone are as following: Considerable increase in populations of fish and shellfish stock in and outside No Take Zone. Establishment of refuge for fish and shellfish stock effectively in the restricted No Take Zone. Fishermen around the

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Types Of Inflation Economics Essay

The Types Of Inflation Economics Essay Inflation indicates to a rise in prices that causes the purchasing power of a nation to fall. Inflation is a normal economic development as long as the annual percentage remains low; once the percentage rises over a pre-determined level, it is considered an inflation crisis. The term inflation once referred to increases in the money supply (monetary inflation); however, economic debates about the relationship between money supply and price levels have led to its primary use today in describing price inflation. Inflation can also be described as a decline in the real value of money-a loss of purchasing power in the medium of exchange which is also the monetary unit of account. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. A chief measure of general price-level inflation is the general inflation rate, which is the percentage change in a general price index, normally the Consumer Price Index, over time. Inflation can cause adverse effects on the economy. For example, uncertainty about future inflation may discourage investment and saving. High inflation may lead to shortages of goods if consumers begin hoarding out of concern that prices will increase in the future. Low (as opposed to zero or negative) inflation may reduce the severity of economic recessions by enabling the labor market to adjust more quickly in a downturn, and reducing the risk that a liquidity trap prevents monetary policy from stabilizing the economy. The task of keeping the rate of inflation low and stable is usually given to monetary authorities. Generally, these monetary authorities are the central banks that control the size of the money supply through the setting of interest rates, through open market operations, and through the setting of banking reserve requirements. Types of Inflation Demand-pull The most important inflation is called demand-pull or excess demand inflation. It occurs when the total demand for goods and services in an economy exceeds the supply available, so the prices for such goods and services rise in the economy. Cost-push inflation The name indicates the cause i.e. costs of production rise, for one reason or another, and forces up the prices of finished goods and services. Often a rise in wages in surplus of any gains in labor yield is what raises unit costs of production and thus raises prices. This is less common than demand-pull, but can occur independently as well as in combination with it. Pricing power inflation It occurs whenever businesses in general make a decision to boost their prices to boost their profit margins. This does not occur normally in recessions but when the economy is booming and sales are strong. Causes of Inflation There are many causes for inflation, depending on a number of factors. Excess money printing Inflation can happen when governments print an excess of money to deal with a crisis but dont have resources at backed, usually governments are allowed to print only that amount of currency that is equal to gold available to that country. As a result, prices end up rising at an extremely elevated speed to keep up with the currency surplus. In which prices are forced upwards because of a high demand. High Production Cost Another common cause of inflation is a rise in production costs, which leads to an increase in the price of the final product. For example, if raw materials increase in price, this leads to the cost of production increasing which in turn leads to the company increasing prices to maintain steady profits. Rising labor costs can also lead to inflation. International lending and national debts Inflation can also be caused by international lending and national debts. As nations borrow money, they have to deal with interests, which in the end cause prices to rise as a way of keeping up with their debts. Federal taxes Inflation may be caused by federal taxes put on consumer products such as cigarettes or fuel. As the taxes rise, suppliers often pass on the burden to the consumer; however, once prices have increased, they rarely go back, even if the taxes are later reduced. For example a rise in the rate of excise duty on alcohol and cigarettes, an increase in fuel duties or perhaps a rise in the standard rate of Value Added Tax or an extension to the range of products to which VAT is applied. These taxes are levied on producers (suppliers) who, depending on the price elasticity of demand and supply for their products, can opt to pass on the burden of the tax onto consumers. For example, if the government was to choose to levy a new tax on aviation fuel, then this would contribute to a rise in cost-push inflation. Effects of Inflation Most effects of inflation are negative, and can hurt individuals and companies alike, below is a list of negative and positive effects of inflation. Negative Effects Hoarding People will try to get rid of cash before it is devalued, by hoarding food and other commodities creating shortages of the hoarded objects. Increased risk Higher uncertainties: Uncertainties in business always exist, but with inflation risks are very high, because of the flux of prices. Fixed income recipients will be hurt: Because while inflation increases, their income doesnt increase, and therefore their income will have less value over time. Lowers national saving: When there is a high inflation, saving money would mean watching your cash decrease in value day after day, so people tend to spend the cash on something else. Existing creditors will be hurt: Because the value of the money they will receive from their borrowers later will be lower than the money they gave before. Distortion of relative prices: Usually the prices of goods go higher, especially the prices of commodities. Causes an increase in tax bracket People will be taxed a higher percentage if their income increases following an inflation increase. Causes business life cycles: Many companies will have to go out of business because of the losses they incurred from inflation and its effects). Positive Effects It can benefit the inflators (those responsible for the inflation) It can benefit early and first recipients of the inflated money (because the negative effects of inflation are not there yet). It can benefit the cartels (it benefits big cartels, destroys small sellers, and can cause price control set by the cartels for their own benefits). It might relatively benefit borrowers who will have to pay the same amount of money they borrowed (+ fixed interests), but the inflation could be higher than the interests; therefore they will be paying less money back. (example, you borrowed $1000 in 2008 with a 5% fixed interest rate and you paid it back in full in 2010, lets assume the inflation rate for 2005, 2006 and 2007 has been 13%, and borrower was charged 5% of interests, but in actual borrower earning 8% of interests, because 13% (inflation rate) 5% (interests) = 8% profit, which means you have paid only around 65- 70% of the real value in the 3 years. The first three effects are only positive to a few elite, and therefore might not be considered positive by the general public. Surviving in inflation Be wise when holding cash, whether in your home or in your savings account, if youre earning 5% interest on the money you have in your bank, and inflation rate is 10% then youre in reality losing 5% and not earning anything. Be vigilant when buying bonds, high inflation rates completely destroy the value of long-term bonds. Invest in durable goods or commodities rather than in money. Invest in things that going to be used anyway and will serve for a long time. Invest for long-term capital gains, because short term investments tend to give misleading results or sense of making profits while in reality its resulting in loss. Manage wisely recurring monthly bills such as (phone bills, cable TV), it would help to reduce them or eliminate some of them. Ask yourself, do I really need these things Im spending my money on? Think how much and how often you will need something before buying it. Use the money saving tips such as: you need to reduce your consumption of things that are rising rapidly in price (e.g, gas) without having to reduce your consumption of goods that are rising less rapidly or even falling in price (eg, clothes). Buy only what is need, especially objects that have multi-tasks, and are considered durable goods. Causes of Inflation In Pakistan Several supply and demand factors could be responsible for this surge in inflation. Supply-side shocks If occurs can cause large fluctuations in food and oil prices, which impacts over all inflation, at times, can be so extreme that these cannot be countered through demand management, including monetary policy. Increased domestic demand Increased domestic demand can create an output gap, putting upward pressure on prices. Growth in private consumption on the average remained over 10 % between fiscal year 2004 and 2006, depicting signs of demand side pressures on price level. The relationship between growth and inflation depends on the state of the economy. High growth, without an increase in inflation, is possible if the productive capacity or potential output of the economy is growing enough to keep pace with demand. A prolonged phase of rising inflation in such a case can have severe consequences for the economy. Rising trade deficit The prospect effect is very important since there is a danger that the current high rate of inflation can get locked into expectations of inflation. People expect higher salaries to compensate for intended increase in prices, speculation in asset prices increases, credit meant for manufacturing sector diverts to real estate and stock markets, and hoarders, profit and rent seekers become active in expectation of high price in the future. All this can have devastating effect for the prices. Fiscal policy remained expansionary Fiscal policy has remained expansionary in the last few years. Expansionary fiscal policy fuels domestic demand and puts pressure on the current account deficit. It widens the investment-saving gap, which has to be financed externally. Financing of fiscal deficit through money creation adds to inflationary pressures. Increased government borrowing from central bank can have serious consequences for general price level. Expansionary monetary policy The expansionary monetary policy- high growth in money supply and loose credit policy- was believed to be contributing to high inflation. Although expansion of credit is usual in expanding economies, excessive credit growth can have adverse effects on real variables. Increase in import prices Increasing import prices are also considered an important factor for inflation. Exchange rate, if depreciating can also put upward pressure on price level. Increase in prices of goods, such as petrol, raw material etc makes our imports costlier, impacting on cost of production. Indirect taxes Indirect taxes are also blamed as the main cause of inflation. The indirect taxes, such as sales tax and excise duties raise the prices of consumer goods. This creates inflationary pressure. contarary, direct taxes reduce the take-home income and have anti-inflationary effect. A substantial increase in support price of wheat is estimated to have an inflationary effect on consumer prices, particularly food prices. This effect is due to the fact that wheat and wheat-related products account for 5.1 per cent of the CPI basket. Measuring Inflation Four different price indices are used in Pakistan over the course of fiscal year, namely: the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) and the GDP deflator. The CPI is the main measure of price changes at the retail level. It covers the retail prices of 374 items in 35 major cities and reflects roughly the changes in the cost of living of urban areas. The WPI is designed for those items which are of day to day use on the primary and secondary level; these prices are collected from wholesale markets as well as from manufacturers. The WPI covers the wholesale price of 106 commodities prevailing in 18 major cities of Pakistan. The SPI shows the weekly change of price of 53 selected items of daily use consumed by those households The SPI is based on the prices prevailing in 17+ major cities and is computed for the basket of commodities being consumed by the households belonging to all income groups combined. In Pakistan, the main focus is placed on the CPI as a measure of inflation as it represents more with a wider coverage of more than 374 items in 71 markets of 35 cities around the country. As such, the change in CPI becomes an indicator of the inflation that affects all of us. WPI indicates the change in wholesale prices which affects businesses and industries. And SPI that covers a limited number of essential items of daily use including food and fuel can be termed as the inflation for the poor. CPI Analysis from 2008 to 2012 In March 2012 inflation rate in Pakistan was reported to be 10.8%. From 2003 until 2010, the average inflation rate in Pakistan was 10.15 percent reaching an all time height of 25.33 percent in August of 2008 and a record low of 1.41 percent in July of 2003. Controling Inflation To reduce our Government Luxury Expenses both Federal and Provincial. To reassess the complete system of Direct and Indirect Taxes. To increase the Production of Food, Industry and Service things. Take benefit to public in shape of (Oil Petrol is low than reduce the prices) Reduce Unemployment Increase in Agriculture, industry Monopoly Control System should be work accurately SBP should take major steps to control inflation Conclusion Inflation impacts the multiple sectors of the economy (impact on the distribution of income and wealth, impact on production, impact on the Government, impact on the Balance of Payment, impact on Monetary Policy, impact on Social Sector, impact on Political environment) and different classes of the people (Debtors Creditors, Salaried Class, Wages earners, Fixed income group, Investors and shareholders, Businessmen, Agriculturists). A reasonable rate of inflation of around 3- 6 per cent is often viewed to have positive effects on the national economy as it encourages investment and production and allows growth in wages. When inflation crosses reasonable limits, it has negative effects. It reduces the value of money, resulting in uncertainty of the value of gains and losses of borrowers, lenders, and buyers and sellers. The increasing uncertainty discourages saving and investment. Not only can high inflation grind down the gains from growth, it also makes the poor worse off and widens the gap between the rich and the poor. If much of the inflation comes from increase in food prices, it hurts poor more since over half of family budget of the low wage earners goes for food. Second, it redistributes income from fixed income earners (for instance pensioners) to owners of assets and earners of large and variable income, such as profits. For Pakistans economy, inflation can be bad if it crosses the threshold of six per cent, and can be extremely harmful if it crosses the double digit level. Several supply and demand factors could be responsible for this surge in inflation. Supply-side shocks can cause large fluctuations in food and oil prices, effects of which on overall inflation, at times, can be so excessive that these cannot be countered through demand management.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Shakespeares As You Like It - The Romantic Love of Silvius and Phebe :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

As You Like It:   The Romantic Love of Silvius and Phebe    There are several types of love depicted in Shakespeare's As You Like It.   One variety of love portrayed in this comedy is romantic love, the romantic literary ideal which became popular in the Middle Ages. According to the courtly love tradition a lover worships his lady and serves her, suffers all sorts of indignities for her sake, and thinks only of her. He must be loyal to her for life, no matter how badly she treats him, or how much he suffers for unrequited love. A true lover never ceases to adore his lady, and when he speaks of her he only uses poetic language and style. These conventions of courtly love are clearly exemplified in As You Like It in the romantic attachment of Silvius and Phebe. When Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone arrive in the forest of Arden they meet Silvius and Corin, an old shepherd, who are engaged in a conversation about love. Corin is advising his friend on how to treat the woman he loves. However, Silvius doubts the old shepherd's authority in such matters, for although Corin admits having been drawn into acts of madness for the sake of love during his youth, he cannot recall any of them. Silvius clearly manifests that if Corin has forgotten even the most insignificant detail of the actions love made him run into, then he has never been truly in love. Even more, Silvius also explains that a true lover never ceases to adore his lady in speech, even if this moves his listener to discomfort, and further explains that sincere love may drive a lover to interrupt a conversation out of passion. To prove this last point, Silvius suddenly interrupts his speech passionately crying the name of Phebe, his beloved, several times. Silvius reflects the behavior of the courtly lover, who is capable of the most foolish actions for the sake of his beloved, and who suffers the pangs of unrequited love and the abrupt separation from his lady. His only concern is love and, although he is uneducated, his language is lofty, poetic, and artificial when he speaks in praise of Phebe. Indeed, both Phebe and Silvius speak in elaborate verse in order to comply with the courtly love conventions. In their courtship, Silvius praises her virtues and begs for the slightest sign of affection, and Phebe scorns and rejects him all along.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

History of Nature and Nurture Essay

Abstract Nature vs. nurture has been discussed by philosophers in the past and by scientists most recently. Philosophers such as Plato argued that all knowledge was inherited through your parent and when you were told something you didn’t learn it you were just reminded of it. Aristotle however argued that all humans were born with a blank slate and built on it with influence from there environment. In the 1700’s the empiricists and the internalists took over the argument. They fought through letters explaining there point of views and denouncing the others. This leads to Pavlov coming up with the idea of behaviorism in the early 1900? s. Behaviorism became the new wave of Psychology and influenced a lean towards the nurture side. It was not effectively argued against until 1928 when Watson published his book. This opened up the floodgates for environmental influences studies. Soon the idea of nurture was the popular excuse for behavior. Studies using animals were the most popular was in which scientists used to prove a theory, or disprove a theory. The newest studies use human twins to prove nature vs. nurture. An age-old question has been asked for generations before us. What is the reasons behind the development of human behavior? There have been many theories formulated to explain why humans behave the way they do. Explanations vary from demonology to magnetic fluids controlling people’s behaviors. Over time, two theories have remained popular in academic fields such as philosophy and psychology. The surviving theories for behavior stem from physiological and sociological explanations. However, the two explanations have not always been compatible with each other. The famous nature vs. nurture debate over human behavior resulted from conflicting views between proponents of the physiological (nature) and sociological (nurture) explanations. Throughout history, research has swayed popularity back and forth between the theories. Yet, theorists have broken down the line separating nature and nurture. Today, people us both explanations in research to advance the knowledge of human behavior. Thousands of years before the field of psychology, philosophers pondered on human behavior. As early as 350 BC, such philosophers as Plato and Aristotle tried to understand behavior. The question of nature or nurture as the primary drive can be traced to these times. Plato believed behavior and knowledge was due to innate factors. Author Fiona Cowie states, â€Å"The claim that the character of our mental furniture is to a large extent internally rather than environmentally determined found its first substantive defense in the works of Plato†¦ † (Cowie, 1999, p. 3). Plato theorized, and Descartes later agreed, that all knowledge is present at birth. Plato also believed that the environment played a part in human processes, but he thought it had an unique role. He believed the environment did not teach people anything new, but its purpose was to remind people of information they already knew (Cowie, 1999). Although Plato’s views are not supported today, he laid the groundwork for other researchers to follow. On the other hand, philosopher Aristotle theorized a different idea about human behavior. He presented the idea that humans are born into the world with a â€Å"blank slate† and people’s behavior and thoughts are due to experience (Ashcraft, 1998). His tabula rasa explanation believed that the environment and experience were the important influences in human behavior. Unlike Plato, Aristotle hypothesized that humans were not born with knowledge, but they acquire it through experience (Ashcraft, 1998). Aristotle’s idea of the tabula rasa is not believed today. Nevertheless, his belief that the environment was a vital factor in behavior influenced many empiricists throughout history. During the late 1700s, the nature vs. nurture debate began to heat up between philosophers. Internalists (nature) and empiricists (nurture) wrote literature back and forth trying to prove their beliefs and disprove the other’s theories. Two philosophers, G. W. Leibniz and John Locke, were main representatives of their respected explanations. Leibniz promoted the internalism point of view. Cowie states, â€Å"†¦ Leibniz’s position on this issue is, of course, that the tabula is far from rasa: ? The soul inherently contains the sources of various notions and doctrines, which external objects merely rouse up†¦ ‘ † (Cowie, 1999, p. 7). Leibniz argued against Locke and other empiricists stated that â€Å"†¦ there is no way ideas which come into the mind from outside can be formed into beliefs and judgments without the operation of specific internal mechanisms† (Cowie, 1999, p. 17). At the same time, John Locke and his fellow philosophers campaigned for empiricism. Like Aristotle, the philosophers believed that humans’ thoughts and actions were determined not by innate factors, but by the their unique experiences (Ashcraft, 1998). Locke argued against the internalists by examining different human processes such as logic and reasoning. He would ask how it was possible to use logic and reasoning if people were born with all of the knowledge they would ever acquire (Cowie 1999, p. 19). The contrasting views of the two groups had begun the nature vs. nurture debate, which would linger in the fields of philosophy and psychology for decades. A point should be made that even though the interalists and empiricists felt strongly about their theories, the explanations were not entirely opposite of each other. Cowie explains, â€Å"? rhetoric aside, both empiricists and nativists are both internalist and externalists about the origin of what is in our minds†(Cowie, 1999, p. 17). Even Leibniz and Locke stated that the philosophies sometimes were only different by the choices of words they used to describe their theories. Leibniz once wrote that fundamentally their views were the same about the nature vs. nurture question (Cowie, 1999). Over the next couple hundred years, popularity was split between nature and nurture. However, in the early 1900s Ivan Pavlov accidentally discovered what eventually became labeled as behaviorism. Behaviorists believed that the environment was the greatest factor in shaping behavior. The theory quickly gained notoriety in psychology and swayed popularity to the nurture side. One of the leaders in behavioral research was John Watson, who is most recognized for his work in conditioning â€Å"Little Albert. † In 1928, Watson published a book that included his idea that infants were like clay. Watson stated that he could make an infant anything he desired by manipulating the environment (Barnet, 1998). Watson wrote, â€Å"Give me a dozen healthy infants†¦ and my own special world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one†¦ and train him to become any type of specialist†¦ â€Å"(Amsel, 1989, p. 24). In the 1960s, Skinner also became well known for his research in behaviorism. Most of his work dealt with behavior modification with animals (Amsel, 1989). Probably Skinner’s most famous research is when he conditioned pigeons to guide missiles (Modgil, 1987). However, Skinner, and others in his field, began to receive scrutiny for ignoring the biology of humans. Yet, Skinner responded by saying, â€Å"The objection to inner states is not that they do not exist, but that they are not relevant in a functional analysis† (Modgil, 1987, p. 228). From the 1920s to 1950s, behaviorism and nurturism dominated psychology. The domination did not go without any challenges, and it did not last forever. As early as 1929, behaviorism came under attack by psychologists who believed genes were the key to human behavior. To begin, Arnold Gesell questioned the environmental view of Watson. Author Myrtle McGraw states, â€Å"Gesell contended that there was nothing one could do through training young infants to accelerate their development; one simply had to wait until the cells of the nervous system ? ripened'†(McGraw, 1995, p. 264). The biological research continued to build against behaviorism, and its popularity began to decrease. In 1959, the final attack that swayed popularity to the nature side of development originated with Noam Chomsky and other psycholinguists. Chomsky attacked behaviorism’s scientific empiricism, especially dealing with the acquisition of language (Amsel, 1989). Ashcraft (1998) explains, â€Å"†¦ Chomsky argued not only that the behaviorist account of language was seriously wrong and misguided, but that behaviorism was unable in principle to provide useful scientific knowledge of language† (p. 22). In addition, research developments in physiology and new studies involving genetics, such as adoption studies, and studies on twins, popularized genetic influence over environmental. The most resent studies that have been done on twins and adoption use both identical and faternel twins. This consists in the studying of twins that were separated at birth and grew up in separate homes. Identical twins are 100% genetically similar and offer exact genetic replicas to study, where fraternal twins are the same as any other siblings at 50% similar (Vanderbilt pg6). Some of the final results of these studies show astonishing similarities between identical twins, yet others show little evidence of these similarities. With fraternal twins there is some similarities but none that are complete evidence of the nature theory. These studies fuel the pot for both the nature and the nurture ideas. The nature vs. nurture debate over the last forty years has reached an agreement that they both influence the development of human behavior. In the 1960s, researchers from both theories began to study the interaction of the genes and the environment (Devlin 1997). Dr. Ann Barnet explains, â€Å"Even in an unborn baby, genes and environment interact almost from the moment of conception†(Barnet, 1998, p. 10). The interaction between nature and nurture can be summed up by the statements of Dr. Fausto-Sterling and Dr. Evan Balaban. Fausto-Sterling states, â€Å"People want simple explanations for hard-core problems. If there was an antitestosterone drug that we could to inject to make young boys nice†¦ it would be easier and cheaper than transforming schools†¦ or whatever is at the heart of the problem† (Barnet, 1998). However, Balaban replies, â€Å"†¦ don’t hold your breath if you think looking for genes to help you understand violence. I would put my money on some clever environmental manipulations, because in the end you’re going there anyway† (Barnet, 1998, p. 206). The nature vs. nurture debate has produced many research advances in the area of human development. Even though evidence proves that there is an interaction between genes and the environment, people will continue to study the effects of each in development. In these future studies, more groundbreaking advances will be made to aid humans in better understanding human behavior. In the end, that is what both sides of the nature vs. nurture debate intended to accomplish. Bibliography Amsel, A. (1989). Behaviorism, Neobehaviorism, and Cognitivism in Learning Theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum,. Ashcraft, M. (1998). Fundamentals of Cognition. New York, NY: Longman. Barnet, A. (1998). The Youngest Minds. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. Cowie, F. (1999). What’s Within?. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Devlin, B. (1997). Intelligence, Genes, and Success. New York, NY: Copernicus. Deutschmann, Linda B. (2002). Deviance and Social Control Third Edition. Scarborough, ON: Nelson Thomson Learning. Fujita, Frank. (2000). Nature vs. Nurture. 3/15/2002 from http://folk. uio. no/roffe/faq/node 11. html McGraw, M. (1995). Beyond Heredity and Environment. San Francisco, CA: Westview Press. Modgil, S. (1987). B. F. Skinner: Consensus and Controversy. New York, NY: Falmer Press. Myers, David G. (2001). Psychology Sixth Edition. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Hotels Resource Management

Hotels Resource Management Summary Proper management of resources of an organization both physical and human resources is one of the crucial initiatives imperative for the purpose of its survival. The success and performance of an organization is dependent upon the management of its available resources. However, the management of these resources differs from organization to organization depending on the industry a business entity is operating. The above provided case study provides an insight of a unique and peculiar industry, hotel industry where the management of resources is slightly different from other industries. It is unique in the sense that most of the assets in the industry have a very short lifespan and the high chances of theft and fraudulent activities involved in the industry (Branson Lennox, 1989).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Hotel’s Resource Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is nothing hard like managing the resources of a hotel and cont rolling the costing elements bearing in mind that most of the products in a hotel may not have standard costs and therefore some dishonest employees or managers may manipulate some prices for their own personal gains. The manager of a hotel must be very keen in ensuring high standards are maintained to achieve the most important goals, which are customer satisfaction and maximization of owners’ equity hence increasing the profitability in the hotel (Jones, 2002). The assets of the hotel must be used in a way that will guarantee desirable returns to its owners. The manager should be proactively involved in close monitoring of all the physical assets and prevent unexpected losses. For instance, there are fragile assets involved in the hotel industry that can bring about huge losses if not properly monitored (Jones Jawell, 1998). On the bar wing of the hotel there are always drinks that are contained in very fragile bottles that can e asily break not to mention the other side of the hotel where the foods might be handled using glass materials that are also highly fragile. If considerable care is not taken in these medium-term assets, they can impact negatively on the performance of a hotel (Kreek, 1978). There are always challenges involved in the management of hotel’s property to maximize the profitability.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is because the industry itself is regulated by certain rules and regulations that have to be fully complied with. In some countries, there are laws that stipulate specific hours for alcohol consumption and any one found violating this law could face serious prosecution. Therefore, some assets in the hotel remain unproductive for quite some time and the.manager should implement a strategy that will ensure this time is compensated. The hotel man ager must also ensure there are set standards that will enable in determination of whether the intended goals are being adequately met (Lawson, 1995). The actual/achieved standards must be measured against the set standards and the resultant deviation that may be favorable or unfavorable will allow appropriate corrective measures to be taken. Another important section of the hotel that need constant check up is the purchasing/procurement department. There are two reasons for this. First, the purchasing of hotel consumables constitute huge amount of the hotel’s budget and secondly the hotel items are more vulnerable to theft. From an economic point of view, it is important that the input prices of various hotel items being thoroughly studied and the ones with the lowest possible prices be purchased when comparing more than one input items that will yield the same quality. This will reduce the ghost costs incurred in the hotel. However, all the goods must meet the expectations of the guests and other customers, in other words the customers must be fully satisfied. Cost-effective and customer satisfaction are the overriding goals (Loether, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Hotel’s Resource Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All the items purchased need to be properly recorded and accurate records concerning the same fully maintained. There must always be proper protocol of handling various assets and other things purchased and this can easily be achieved through specialization in asset handling. For example, goods ordering, reception and accountability should be handled by separate individuals and this will reduce chances of fraud (Powers, 1995). Health and safety are other aspects that provide uniqueness in the management of hotel resources. In the recent past, there have always been instances of terrorism attacks with hotels and restaurant facilities being the k ey targets (Rushmore, 1992). This has made the managers to be extra cautious to ensure there is adequate security in the hotel facility and its environs since this can drive away many customers hence bringing substantial losses to the business. Improved technology has enabled the installation of complex and sophisticated surveillance cameras in hotel rooms such that the guests can view all the relevant happenings while still in their own rooms. This can increase the number of guests since they are assured of their safety. There is also another important issue in the management of resources of a hotel. The hotel lifecycle has to be taken into account monitoring the nature of income and occupancy fluctuations over the years. Hotels seem to have high income and occupancy during their first years of operations and in most cases during their initial ten years (Schneider Tucker, 1989).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After that the bed occupancy and income declines and there is subsequent increase in maintenance and repair costs. Therefore, the manager needs to be keen in managing these crucial resources and come up with a strategy that will ensure there is constant income flow in the hotel. Maintenance planning and house keeping need to be given a priority while managing hotel resources. Though there is always a maintenance department responsible for that role, it should be a shared responsibility and every person must actively participate. A well-maintained property will attract large number of guests and hence improve the profitability of the business. House keeping department is one of the most important sections in the hotel. This is because it has to continuously communicate with all the other sections for it to operate effectively. This section maintains the required cleanliness and handling of guests’ belongings rests on their hands (Alexander, 1996). The manner in which some item s are handled including beds, tables will determine how such items will last since handling them carelessly can lead to their spoilage (Alexander, 1994). Identify and discuss five or six standards that could be established; include how variance from such standards could be measured Measurement standards can be used in hotel business to provide an analysis of the deviations realized from the achieved rather than anticipated results. Always the set standards are measured against the actual standards (Anderson McAdam, 2004). This is so obvious since in most cases the achieved results may not precisely match what was expected by the management. Some standards can be applied using variance analysis. Standard measurements cannot be established without incorporating variance analysis. Variance is the difference between a budgeted, anticipated outcome and the actual outcome realized from a process. Variance analysis is a budgetary tool control used to analyze the difference between the sta ndard and actual costs. Every manager sets what he wants to achieve and strictly put some structures in place to ensure the set goals are achieved through the joint efforts of other employees. The following are some of the standards that can be applied. Labor Efficiency Variance (LEV): It is the difference between how many hours were worked for a given number of units actually produced and how many hours should have been worked valued at the standard rate per hour (Hronec, 1993). This can be applied with regard to how many guests have been attended over a particular period in time and compared to planned time in hours. In addition, the number of hours utilized in the kitchen to produce a given number of can be compared with actual planned hours. In the event that lesser time is taken than the anticipated one, then the variance is said to be favorable and the reverse is unfavorable. Material Price Variance (MPV): It occurs when there is a disparity between the actual cost of the mat erial and the budgeted cost. The hotel purchasing department may incur more costs than anticipated or lesser costs due to factors like quantity discounts or abrupt price cut of raw materials used in the hotel due to unforeseen factors. In the event that the actual costs are more than the budgeted costs, there is unfavorable variance and this calls for appropriate measures to be taken. Labor Rate Variance (LRV): This is the difference between what the actual number of hours worked did cost and what it should have cost. This in most cases is attributable to casual employees in the hotel. Sometimes a situation may arise where the costs incurred in production for a particular time period is less than what had been initially planned. This may be due to high efficiency machines in the hotel or costs may be high than expected due unexpected overtime hours worked. The variance will be unfavorable if the actual hours cost more than the planned. Material Quantity Variance (MQV): It occurs whe n there is disparity between the actual material that was used and the budgeted material quantity at standard cost. Sometimes the material used and in this context may refer to ingredients used by the kitchen department that may be less than what had already been budgeted. This again may bring about favorable or unfavorable variances depending on how much material was used. Variable production overhead total variances: This is the disparity between the actual cost of a given output and the budgeted cost in terms of variable costs /overheads. This variance or standard measure costs ignores the fixed aspect of the hotel and takes into consideration only the variable costs (Amaratunga Baldry, 2003). This may include wages and costs incurred in purchasing consumables to be used in the hotel. From the perspective of a hotel’s general Manager, evaluate techniques that can be used to control the cost of purchasing The profit maximization of any business entity is dependent upon th e cost control in an entity. It is the role of the manager to minimize costs as much as possible while at the same time maximizing the total revenue. This will ensure the difference between the overall costs and the total revenue is as wide as possible. The managers need to identify the need for the purchase as well as the person who is handling those services and goods (Massheder Finch, 1998). The manager must ensure that goods are purchased when they are required. This is aimed at reducing huge storage costs that may be attached to holding of goods. This is one strategy towards ensuring that minimal costs are incurred. Such a strategy not only reduces the costs in terms of storage costs but also in terms of avoidance of spoilage of some perishable materials used in the business. The manager must be able to compare the goods or rather materials that are likely to yield the same utility and ensure only those goods with the lowest cost are purchased. This is because there is no need of going for materials with high costs and there are other materials with relatively lower costs and at the same time, they are of the same quality. As noted earlier, the items purchased in a hotel are small and so numerous making them more vulnerable to theft and misappropriation. The only way a manager can minimize this is ensuring every single item that has been bought is accounted for and proper records are kept with utmost accuracy (Tidd, Bessant Pavitt, 2001). Several operations need to be specialized such that the employees in the hotel do not handle the entire or full system of a particular item. Regular transfers of some workers or inter-departmental transfers may also help reduce costs. This is because many unnecessary costs incurred in the hotel are as a result of theft cases amongst the employees. If employees are left in one department for along time, they become used to that department and the chances of perpetrating frauds are very high. Continuous stocktaking and s urprise checks of physical stock are other ways of minimizing purchasing costs. This will make those responsible for stock maintenance careful and aware such that the records are up to date and accurate at all times (Amaratunga, Baldry Sarshar, 2000). Finally, there should be optimal utilization of materials, very minimal wastes should be witnessed in the hotel, and this is the one area where kitchen department misuse the essential materials. In general, the manager should keep an eye on all the departments that are directly linked to handling of hotel goods and materials and in particular purchasing and kitchen departments. References Alexander, K. (1996). Facilities management theory practice. London: E FN Spon. Alexander, K. (1994). Facilities management. A journal of Facilities, 12(11), 33-40. Amaratunga, D. Baldry, D. (2003). A conceptual framework to measure facilities management performance. Journal of Property Management, 21(2), 171-189. Amaratunga, D., Baldry, D., Sars har, M. (2000). Assessment of facilities management performance- what next? A journal of Facilities, 18(1/2), 66-75. Anderson, K., McAdam, R. (2004). A critique of benchmarking and performance measurement lead or lag? Benchmarking an International Journal, 11(5), 465-483. Branson, J. C., Lennox, M. (1989). Hotel, hostel and hospital housekeeping. 5 Edn. London: Hodder Sloughton. Feldinan, D. S. (1995). Asset management: here to stay. Cornell hotel and restaurant administration quarterly, 36(5), 36-52. Hemmington, N., King, C. (2000). Key dimensions of outsourcing hotel food and beverage services. International journal of contemporary hospitality management,12(4), 256. Horner, S.M. (1993). Vital signs- Using quality, time and cost performance measurements to chart your company’s future, New York, NY: Amocon. Jagels, M. G., Coltman, M. M. (2004). Hospitality, management accounting. 8 Edn. Heboken. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Jones, C. (2002). Facilities management in med ium-sized UK hotels. International journal of contemporary management, 14(2), 78-80. Jones, C., Jawell, V. (1998). Managing facilities. Oxford: Butterworth Heineman. Kreek, I. A. (1978). Operational problem solving for the hotel and restaurant industry. Boston, MA: CBI Publishing Company. Lawson, F. (1995). Hotels and resorts. London: Architectural Press. Loether, J. (2005). Meeting technology in on the move: plan for future. Hotel and motel management, 220(4), 14-21. Massheder, K., Finch, E. (1998). Benchmarking methodologies applied to UK facilities Management. Facilities journal,16(3/4), 99-106. Powers, T. (1995). Introduction to management in the hospitality industry. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons. Rushmore, S. (1992). Hotel life expectancy. Lodging Hospitality journal. 48 (5), 16-19. Schneider, M., Tucker, G. (1989). The professional housekeeper. New York, NY: Van Nustrand Reinhold. Tidd, J., Bessant, J., Pavitt, K. (2001). Managing Innovation: Integrating technological, M arket and Organizational change, UK: Wiley, Chichester,

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

An Understanding of Creating and Managing Products or services is essential for effective marketing

An Understanding of Creating and Managing Products or services is essential for effective marketing Abstract Marketing is an extensive process that involves quite a lot of activities. In this diverse field, one is required to do a lot of research on the destined market, sell some products or perform some services to clients, promote their products and services through different means like advertising which at the end of the day helps in the promotion of the sales activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Understanding of Creating and Managing Products or services is essential for effective marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the field of marketing, strategies have to be developed which aid in communication, technique improvement, and for the eventual development of the business. In this conglomeration of activities which form the field of marketing, the company creates a face which it uses to keep in good relationship with the most essential part of the business, the customer. This paper seeks to dwe ll into the field of marketing with a lot of weight behind creation and management of products as one of the essential tools for effective marketing. The paper will first introduce the concept of marketing theoretically looking into the main models of this field and then establish the extensiveness of this concept to the impact it has on the customer. The paper will conclude with a simple study sample of how the values learnt in the body of the paper can be established in a real life situation. Introduction In marketing, one is supposed to keep value on the customer in various ways, identity of the right person, satisfaction to the customer, and maintenance of the customer. In order for any business venture to stay profitable in whatever it is engaging in, they have to then shift they focus from mainly production to the needs of the customers. In this manner, this paper seems to imply that the production sector should not be halted but should be oriented towards the needs of the peo ple to whom that production is aimed at. The concept of marketing has it that in order to achieve the goals and needs of any organization, one has to know what the target customer base or the target market requires such that he/she or the company is able to deliver the required product in accordance to the needs of that customer at any one time in order to satisfy the customers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the same concept, for the company to be able to meets its targets as they might have been outlined in the mission and objectives, it should mostly consider the needs of the customer more than it would look into the competitive market. If the company was to focus on the above discussed criteria then the question at hand gets answered; an understanding of creating and managing products is indeed essential for effective marketing1. There are many models and a pproaches today that are applied by different organizations in marketing their products. Depending on the approach or the model that a company employs, eventual effectiveness in marketing is determined and thus determines the profitability of the company. In all these dimensions, the most important aspect is the achievement of marketing effectiveness. Marketing effectiveness is chiefly concerned with optimization of the expenditure in a bid to improve the returns. In marketing effectiveness, there are four dimensions which help in ensuring its effectiveness. The corporate body determines the bounds within which the market operates. Competition helps the marketers to consider offering products that would augur well into the wants of the consumers. The decisions that customers make and put in place as they consider going on with their purchases are very important in any market situation. It is due to this that the business values the quality of the product during its creation and deve lopment in order to suit what the customer requires. Other factors that may affect the marketing departments are those without the control of the business which can vary from geographic and climatic conditions, political and economic stability and government decisions and taxes. Product management is the cycle within a certain organization or a company that is concerned with the planning on the product, marketing of the product and market forecasting. This edge has a lot of activities involved within it which need to have keen strategies and tactics depending on the nature of the company. As a part of marketing among other arms of the business organization, knowledge in this field is critical in determining the effectiveness of the marketing team. Product management, when compared to product marketing, happens to be two different things but they interrelate with each other in a number of ways.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on An Understanding of Creating and Managing Products or services is essential for effective marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They all have a focus on the maximization of profits and also the market share. Product management has a grass root which is focused on product creation. When the two interrelate, then the company can be focused on the likely effectiveness of the market2. Models of management Before grasping the concept and getting into the models which can be applied to product management for the enhancement of marketing effectiveness, the paper will look into the disciplines involved in product management. Majorly, the field has planning of the product and marketing of the product. Planning of the product is a dynamic process that identifies and articulates the requirements in the market that define how the product will be or the features of the product. Marketing of the product is outbound. It seeks to establish to the populace that a certain product is th ere and gives its features so that the people can get involved interested in the product3. One of the marketing models that is constantly applied by different organizations in their strategies is the 4P’s strategy. This strategy is also known as the marketing mix model. The model is mostly applied by marketers in various areas in order to assist them in their marketing strategy. In this model the marketing managers try they best that they can to try and put together 4, 5 or 7 variables in a way that is optimum and aimed at achieving the optimum objectives. The variables that are used in the marketing mix model are controllable. This entails that the strategy or the marketing mix model can be adjusted frequently such that it meets the ever changing requirements of the target customer base and also some other changing things in the marketing environment which can be referred to as marketing dynamics. In the 4P’s model, the major issue is the product. In the olden days, i t was assumed that once a product is good, it is bound to sell itself. The difference between now and then is the fact that manufacturers have become keen and products are becoming better with days bringing along a stiff competition. Still on the same issue, legislations have been put in place that have given the customer a right to having a Good product and thus once he/she perceives that a certain product is not good, the product can be returned. It is thus the purpose of the organizations to ensure that the products that they create and supply to the customers are good and satisfies the needs of the customer.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, there is the price option. One should take into consideration the amount that the customer is willing to produce for the particular good. Companies should therefore be very keen on pricing and incentives like discounts and offers. The place where the product is available comes into place also. Availability of any good is the most important thing. Promotion also plays a very big role in today’s market world. In this realm the market groups must be well informed about the organization and more so the products that the organization offers. This model can thus be seen to be having two very crucial benefits which include satisfaction of the customer and also the maximization of the performance of the organization4. Applying the right marketing mix comes up with an extra model which can be termed as strategic marketing and tactical marketing. As discussed earlier, marketing and selling are two very different approaches to a product. In marketing, there has to be identific ation, anticipation and meeting of the customer’s requirements in such a way that the organization will remain at a profit. Of most importance in this area is the research that is done or in this case, the market research. It is a crucial step in that it leads to creation of the right product. For the process to be successful, then the right mix has to be applied. In this case, the previous model is applied where one gets the right product from the right place at the right price. The model in discussion from the previous paragraph operates mainly in two levels; strategy and tactics. The strategic part is mainly concerned with the long term choices that have an impact on the organization in its entirety. In this realm, marketing is visualized as the backbone of the company or the organization. This makes all the concerned parties in that organization get responsible and focus on meeting the needs and requirements of its customers both externally and internally. Tactical market ing helps in the right application of the marketing mix. In other words, it is the right application of the marketing mix. While trying to apply the right market mix, all the activities outlined in the previous model are put in place. When the conditions discussed are met, focus is shifted from selling of the product to marketing which eventually leads to buying of the product by the customers. Analysis According to the arguments which have been put across in the discussions above, it is clearly evident that marketing revolves around two main entities; the product and the customer. In practice the customer or the consumer of any product is concerned with the value of the product. The consumer is interconnected with the product primarily due to the need of the consumer to purchase the product in the first place. If the company does not offer the expected value to the customer, it is highly likely that the customer will not get back to the same stalls due to dissatisfaction. It is thu s important that the customer gets the right value for the purchase made. Before dwelling deeper into this topic, it is important to know what the meaning behind the term value? Popularly, many people have taken value to be a low price. On the other hand value is an attribute that has a certain set of features. The features are then followed by benefits by the product that has been purchased, and also the psychological and the service benefits that a marketer offers due to the need of the customer to buy a certain product and thus use their money in such an endeavor. It can thus be clearly put across that value is a direct association between the product’s price and the customer. Depending on how the customer perceives this question, a product can be taken to be of a high value or of a low value. Practically, there is no measure of value. It all depends on the customer and the needs of the customer and the satisfaction that the purchase brings along with him. People perceive things in different ways and thus value to them comes in differently. As an example, two people might want to buy shoes. One of them is willing to buy a shoe directly from Adidas whilst the second one might be requiring the same shoe but from a second hand store. Despite the similarity in the make and the difference in usage and of course the price, both the people might perceive the end products to be either of high value or of low value5. This hence seems to justify the argument that when the segments are combined differently, them there lies a different combination in value. The perception of value to this person who can afford the second hand shoe is very different from the perception of value from the person who wants to get the product directly from the manufacturer. A low end person as per the example posed before will probably be concerned with the functionality of the product he is purchasing, the price and maybe the design. The other person is seeking to fulfill his person al expression, the outlet retailing to him and maybe after-sales-service. Some other factor that may determine the value of the product is the psychological implications that the product comes along with. Risk is one of the factors that affect the psychology of the consumer and it is possible to find most people choosing a brand that has been renown over time so as to feel safe with their purchases. Perception of value When trying to market any product to a person or to a group or set of consumers, it is good to consider what the consumer perceives to be value. When such a matter is put in focus, some attributes of the product may even not be necessary to the target person as it depends on his/her perception. To some people, affordability may mean a huge deal to them but to some people; it might not be anything but control over the product matters. Taking an example of a product which is packed in small packages or in bigger packages for usage at home, there are those people who wil l prefer the sale package as they will be able to manage usage of the product as much as they can afford the bigger packages. In such a case, value to the person is not the price but the size. The smaller package is more valuable as it will be easier for him to manage than the bigger package which will be a bit hard to manage. To some people, value is depicted by the price. Some people might fear visiting exclusive places due to fear of high costs which might not be the case as it all arises from the fear that the offer might prove to be a little too expensive for them. If a way was found to prove to the consumer that the price is not as expected, then there is a high likelihood that the consumer will try to accept value. From the above examples, it is evident that different people perceive value differently and it is upon the organization to create that link which connects the product to the target. This can simply be done using the marketing mix method through the application prom otion. Promotion carries along with it the aspects of understanding the organization as well as the product and bringing it closer to the target consumers. This can be enhanced through a variety of ways like advertising, offering and other incentives which tend to pull the end user closer to the product specifications and thus value6. In creating this link, the organization will have respected the needs of the customers that it holds. Following up the link creation from the beginning of this paper the following points hold up; effectiveness in marketing is found once the customer is satisfied with the value. To reach the right value, the marketing mix strategy is applied after a thorough research. The right product hence gets created and through proper management, the customers get the right value for their purchase and thus effectiveness in the whole process. Conclusion This part seeks to study a company which has applied this strategy in marketing its product. Procter and Gamble i s a German company that supplies consumer products. It majors in pharmaceuticals, personal care, cleaning paraphernalia and more. In the recent past, the company was forced to restructure its packaging to modes that were friendlier to the environment. The reason for this was due to some emerging and increase in resistance from the consumers who demanded that the products had to be friendlier to the environment. Consumers were pushing for an environmental friendly product and so the only way that the company would stay safe was by respecting the decision of the customer. Arguing from the basis of the discussed aspects, organizations need to be aware of the needs of the consumers. With this knowledge, they can then be able to create products which will be meaningful to the customers and thus be profitable to the organization. After creating the right product, proper management of the product should follow which will cement the factor of effective marketing. In the case of Procter and Gamble, they discovered what the consumer wanted and went ahead to create it. After, this, proper management of the product led to the effectiveness in the market. Without this knowledge, the company would probably have gone so down in business today. References Andreasen, R. Marketing Social Change, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995, pp 100-232. Berger, P. and Nasr, N., ‘Customer lifetime value: marketing models and applications’ journal of interactive marketing, 12(1); 17-30. Blattberg, R., and Deighton, J., ‘Manage marketing by the customer equity’, Havard Business Review, July-August, 1996, 136-144. Day, G., ‘A two dimensional concept of Brand loyalty’, Journal of Marketing Research, 2(2), 29-35. Kumar, R. The power of managing value, The Hindu Business Line, 2003, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/catalyst/2003/01/23/stories/2003012300140400.htm Walsh, D. et al., â€Å"Social Marketing for Public Health,† Health Affairs , Summer, 1993, 104-119.7 Footnotes 1 Andreasen, R. Marketing Social Change, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1995, pp 100-232. 2 Day, G., ‘A two dimensional concept of Brand loyalty’, Journal of Marketing Research, 2(2), 29-35. 3 Blattberg, R., and Deighton, J., ‘Manage marketing by the customer equity’, Havard Business Review, July-August, 1996, 136-144. 4 Walsh, D. et al., â€Å"Social Marketing for Public Health,† Health Affairs, Summer, 1993, 104-119. 5 Kumar, R. The power of managing value, The Hindu Business Line, 2003, 6 Berger, P. and Nasr, N., ‘Customer lifetime value: marketing models and applications’ journal of interactive marketing, 12(1); 17-30

Sunday, November 3, 2019

REGULATION, COMPLIANCE AND GOVERNANCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

REGULATION, COMPLIANCE AND GOVERNANCE - Essay Example The essay highlights on similarities and dissimilarities between the failures of Enron and Northern bank. Regulations that are introduced for addressing such corporate failures are also discussed. Enron Corporation was an esteemed energy provider company, which had its headquarters in Houston, Texas. Prior to the period of December 2001, Enron had enjoyed a prosperous position in the United States (US) and achieved the seventh position for being the most innovative firm operating worldwide. The main problem for Enron had surfaced from wrong and questionable practices followed therein. The company desired to expand its territory and operations through diversification of the products as well as introduction of online trading. Nevertheless, following its success, Enron breached the usual practices that are prevalent in the industry. Instead of acting as a broker between the sellers and buyers, the company traded in products and gas. This fact indicated that purchasers bought the products and gas from Enron directly, whereas the latter bought the same directly from suppliers (The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2014). Hence, it can be stated that continuity of business operations wa s solely dependent on proper credit rating. Eventually, when the credit rating of Enron dropped drastically, the sellers and buyers stopped the trade. The board of Enron had devised a very risky strategy, which could not be undertaken by the security of the company, given that there was a drastic slump in credit rating and consequently, in the trade (The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2014). Enron had devised another strategy by appointing Special Purpose Entities (SPEs), which were basically a third party who collected investment funds from companies and people. Even though these entities were not directly related to Enron, yet the latter was the guarantor of payment for the borrowed funds. This process was executed by offering shares to the investors. It was observed

Friday, November 1, 2019

Phenomenology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Phenomenology - Essay Example According to these authors, the concerns were whether measurement, categorisation or statistical indexes that characterises the quantitative research approaches were adequate to understand a person, in its entirety; and the ability of such research paradigms to adequately explain or predict human experience (Van der Zalm and Bergum, 2000). Phenomenology, a research paradigm that in its pure form is a qualitative research approach that seek to make explicit, the implicit structure and meaning of the human experience, provided the answer to these research concerns (Sanders, 1982). In phenomenology, the human subjective experience that is obviously missing or ignored in objective scientific research approaches became a core point. ... Therefore, the phenomenological researcher is saddled with the responsibility of investigating the contents of 'conscious phenomena, both objective and subjective, or consciousness itself' (Sanders, 1982 p353). However, it must be noted, that phenomenology is a broad research approaches with several varying, and at times contradictory philosophies and approaches, but in the simplest and basic form, is defined as a qualitative method of research based on the grounds that reality consists of objects and events as they are experienced or understood in human consciousness, and the rejection of anything outside the human consciousness (American Heritage Dictionary, 2006). As a result, Embree (1997) identified the following widely accepted features of the phenomenological paradigm: the rejection of unobservable matters and grand systems erected in speculative thinking; rejection of naturalism (or objectivism and positivism), which is a worldview growing from modern natural science and technology since the Renaissance; emphasis on extracting the essence from human experiences and the value of what is known as epoch and eidetic reduction to the validity of phenomenological research (Sanders, 1982; Embree, 1997). While appreciating the several strands of opinions and approaches within phenomenology school of thought, the purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of phenomenology as a research approach. Therefore, this paper will provide an overview of major features of phenomenological research approach. To achieve this purpose, the paper will be structured as follows; the next section will provide a concise definition and history of the phenomenology school of