Whole Foods Market in 2008 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Whole Foods Market in 2008 - Case Study Example e firm realize that provision of nutritious food products to the consumers would enhance consumers’ preferences of its products and in turn would generate competitive position in the market. The strategy for Whole Foods Market has great compatibility with the present conditions prevailing in the section of organic and natural foods in the retail food industry. This compatibility can be proved from the huge success that the firm has generated over the previous two decades or so. One of its main strategic elements i.e. the people has accepted its performance across the world and the firm is now bestowed with both satisfied customers and satisfied team members (Thompson, 2008). John Mackey, the present CEO of Whole Foods Market is deemed to hold strong strategic vision for the firm. He has kept his performance level in line with his strategic vision throughout the several years of his reign in the organization. His achievement by maintaining high level of performance is evident from the firm’s products of higher quality, firm’s stores across the home country (US) and certain locations outside the country and enhanced incentives being offered to Whole Foods’ team members operating all over the stores chains (Thompson, 2008). Company’s success is heavily dependent on the perceptions and notions of the people within an organization and the core values play the most important role in motivating the people towards achieving success. It is important for an organization to effectively design its core values. The core values determine the path to be followed by the organization’s personnel and it is the core values which creates one common goal in the minds of every person within an organization. Core values are at times so effective that they lead the organization towards framing the long term strategic vision (Collins & Porras, 1996). Considering the financial performance of Whole Foods Market, during the year 2008, it can be stated that the firm was not in

Project Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project - Term Paper Example However, it is important to note that this is not the only factor that is considered. This paper shall give an in depth analysis of the factors that are considered before one embarks on a tourist adventure. In essence, the question being answered here is ‘what affects the way one travels?’ This paper shall concentrate on two articles that are relevant to the topic at hand. The demography of societies varies. These changes remain one of the key factors that affect the economic and social life in the world today. This particular article makes an attempt at identifying the chief changes in demography that influence health tourist services’ demand. The article zeroes in on Poland’s situation. This is because the country records the lowest levels of the basic indicators of demography in Europe in recent years. The effect of key aspects was examined through the relationship between the time series of these factors and the demand for health tourism services. After the results were analyzed, it was realized that changes in demography are major factors affecting health tourism in Poland. It was also concluded that the recent upward trend in the demand for the same but with high probability of the demand decreasing. It is evident that the article has a direct correlation on the topic at hand. Thus, it is important to note that using the approach of analyzing demographic changes on the current economic and social processes, inclusive of tourism is narrow. This is because some of the factors are interdependent. Therefore, it is important to note that the factors should be increased. These factors should not be interrelated with demography. Without a doubt, the changes in family patterns influence the demography and in turn tourism. These determine the way a family chooses to spend time with each other their leisure time. Indeed, this is the very bases on which income, gender and other factors lie. This article explores the impact of demographic

The Neoplatonic Conception Of Love Between People English Literature Essay

The Neoplatonic Conception Of Love Between People English Literature Essay The concept of love in the neoplatonic point of view is viewed as a very strong connection between people. However, love is viewed as an emotion that can be experienced in different forms thus there is the spiritual love and the physical love. It is viewed as a force that can be used to bind everything together and this is highly connected to the love present in religion. This is attributed to the fact that love is the main reason why God has spread himself in the world. The spiritual love that is shared between two people is compared to the love that God shares with people although this has been quite a controversial issue within religion. Love at a spiritual level is viewed as the connection of souls where one has to separate themselves from any physical connection. This kind of love has been known to be quite strong but there is the point that the physical connection is equally important. In one of the poems written by Donnie the ecstasy the concept of the soul needing the body is derived as one of the souls in the lovers story needs the body in order to attain complete satisfaction. The importance of physical connection is also viewed in the second poem where the love if felt despite the fact that here is no spiritual connection. This is attributed as to one of the reasons why the concept of sex does not lack in most love poems. Therefore, this paper aims to look at the concept of the neoplatonic conception of spiritual and physical love derived from two poems. Donnes perception of the Neoplatonic Love is seen to be reflected as two different conceptions but is connected by the same impulse. He uses the concept of renaissance so as to captivate the perception of love according to the neoplatonic love. The human body is used as a mirror of the physical love experienced between people. Donne uses the love shared between two lovers to show that the world can be a small space if it is compressed accordingly. The love shared by the two individuals indicates that they feel like they are the only people existing in the world. Spiritual connectivity is brought out in the poem but it clearly is not enough as the religious concept is not fully brought out as sexual ecstasy. Donne aims o compare religious fulfillment to that of sexual ecstasy and places the two concepts against each other. He feels that the pleasure gained from the two concepts is the same and this is expressed in his work. This was a shocking concept especially considering that it wa s being done during the renaissance period. Donnes poetry is very intimate when it gets to the connection that the souls share in form of love. The souls do not seem to share the connection with the body as they are suspended in a space of their own where their love exists. Their souls are at peace with each other when they are suspended from their bodies and they communicated in a language that only they could understand. During the entire time their bodies lay motionless as their souls bonded with each other. However, even if sex is not involved in the love connection, the bodies are viewed to be very important. This is indicated at the point where one of the souls misses the body and decides to go back. The love that existed between the two lovers seemed to be enough without having their souls involved but with time it proved that physical love was important as well. According to Neo platonic views, love is the main thing that binds all things together. As much as the concept was based on the emotion of love and that it can sustain all, the fact that human beings are fundamentally social is also clearly brought up in the concept. This is despite the fact that the human souls are known to function best when in isolation from the body but the results are not always satisfactory without the body playing its own function. This is compared to the spiritual relationship that an individual shares with God since one is said to seek total contemplation when he is in Isolation seeking God. Thus, if the relationship shared between two people is in the same path as the love of God, then the relationship between the two lovers if the greatest love of all times. The concept of sex is important despite the fact that it is not reflected on a personal level but the connection that the two lovers have bring out the concept rather clearly. The poem appears to be incomplete without it because the neoplatonic love distinguishes between normal sexual pleasure and passionate love. Thus, the connection shared by the souls represents passionate love that could be used to discuss sex in the poem. The sex part of the poem is important as it shows the physical connection that people have which means that their bodies have to play a role. The poem tries to show how the love of the two lovers would strive within their spiritual connection but this is not made possible as the soul longs for the body at some point. Another area where neoplatonic love is highlighted in the form of poetry is in the poem he Passionate Shepherd to His love. The speaker in the poem is a shepherd who is ready to pledge his love and do anything for the female he so admires. He proposes these sacrifices if only the female would agree to be his. The concept of sex is not brought out openly but it is felt in the poem. The speaker does not express the need to enjoy a long term commitment with the female object but his admiration in her is evident. This could mean that he is interested in her sexually in that eh even proposes to give her the finest clothes that the fur from the lambs can make and dress her in expensive ornaments. This will make her an object of his desire in a sexual manner. This is seen in that his main aim is he wants her to come and live with him but which role and enjoy the pleasures of love together. The body of the female of object is viewed as a source of entertainment for the shepherd. The poem is very intimate in expressing emotions to the female object but the aim derived from the passionate expressions is that he wills to posses her sexually. The desire that the shepherd has for the female object is what represents the presence of the woman although she does not play any other role in the poem. The shepherd has physical love for and passion or his object of desire and uses physical matter to woo her. The fact that the shepherd says come live with me and be my love expresses the fact that he is mainly focused on the physical love other than the spiritual connection that the two individuals might have with each other. However, the fact that he is keen enough to offer these gifts shows that he is greatly attracted to her and this is interpreted as love. His approach to the lady is rather civil as he does not directly mention the concept of sex. He knows that he directly makes his motives clear then he might miss out on the chance with the lady. According to the neoplatonic love, passion and attraction varies according to different stages and in this case the love for physical beauty is clearly established. The physical attractiveness is what captures the heart of the shepherd and he approaches it by offering physical attraction as well. The time also matters as it is a pastoral tradition and the available items that can be used to attract the female are used effectively. As much as this poem is set in the renaissance period and the concept of love is greatly reflected in the poem, the subject of sex is also present but in a less expressive manner. The shepherd is calling on the female so that she can be his lover. The subject of sex has been known to play a great role in most poems and this is no exception. This may be attributed to the fact that the poet wants to show the physical attraction that is existent in the concept of love. This is connected to the fact that human beings are very social and this is mainly expressed on physical terms. This forms the completion process of two lovers had begun as proven in the first poem the connection of the soul through the basis of love is not satisfactory enough. Physical attraction and connection is what completes the connection that the souls have hence, the concept of sex is mainly relayed in poems that revolve around love. Neoplatonic conception spiritual and physical love is reflected in the two poems but by using different approaches. The two aspects body and spirit are viewed differently when it comes to the connection of love. At some point spiritual love that is experienced between souls is compared to that spiritual love that God shares with His people. This is because there is the belief that the purpose of human life is to achieve that spiritual connection that man should have with God. For this concept to be achieved, man should separate himself from the physical world and engage with God at a more spiritual level. The same theory is taken and applied in the concept of love. The bonding between souls is considered to be quite passionate and emotional and intimate than the physical connection shared between people. This is the concept that is derived from the ecstasy poem, where the speaker expresses a feeling of victory and satisfaction once the souls are bonding in an intimate session. Howeve r, the concept of neoplatonic love has been quite controversial because at some point, the soul is seen to need the body. Thus, this shows that the existence of the soul without the body does not bring out the desired results in form of connection and passion. Conclusion The physical connection that bodies have is mainly attributed top the fact that human beings are very social and there cannot be existence of the soul connections without physical attachment. This is clearly seen in the second poem where the love that exists between two people physically proves to be equally passionate. The shepherd expresses his love at a physical level and sex is behind his intentions although he does not make that clear. Other factors clearly indicate where the interests of the shepherd lie and he views the body of the female object as impressive and entertaining. Although, the aspect of spiritual connection is not fully expressed in the second poem there is clearly a lot of passion in the shepherd.

Platos The Republic and The Old Testament Essay -- Philosophy Buddhis

Plato's The Republic and The Old Testament A Buddhist teaching suggests that practicing Buddhism is like taking a raft over a great river. One riverbank represents the realm of ‘samsara,’ the cycle of suffering that we are all spinning around in. On the other side is ‘wakefulness,’ or ‘nirvana,’ an enlightened state of awareness characterized by an infinite sense of unity and bliss. The raft symbolizes Buddhism; its purpose being to help us cross over from samsara to nirvana. According to the teaching, however, a curious thing happens to the individual who manages to reach the ‘banks of enlightenment.’ Having climbed off of the raft, she turns around to discover that she cannot now see any riverbank on the side from which she departed. In fact, she realizes that there is no river, no raft, and – to her pure astonishment – no Buddha at all! (Zimmer, 82-90) The story is a way of reminding us that the state of wakefulness involves an experience of reality so utterly beyond linear comprehension, so overwhelming and indescribable, and so categorically unlike anything one could possibly imagine or articulate in finite terms, that even the means of achieving it are, at best, illusory roadmaps – roadmaps that use boundaries in an attempt to help people grasp a condition of being that has no boundaries. Thus, in essence, it would never be possible to attain a complete understanding of wakefulness using Buddhism or any other practice or paradigm arising out of the substrate of finite consciousness. It could be said that systems like Buddhism are limited to pointing us in an appropriate direction or helping us to look in places where we might be more likely to become enlightened. They may embody or convey truth in one form or ... ...ntext, but this does not prevent us from encountering the Ultimate in the writings of the Old Testament as well. The texts each approach the subject from foreign perspectives, describing unique facets of the same idea. If we work from that point of view, we can see unity between them, and develop a broader, more encompassing understanding of the world. Works Cited: Plato. â€Å"from The Republic.† In: Benton, Janetta Rebold and DiYanni, Robert. 1998. Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 152-154. Wilber, Ken. â€Å"The Perennial Philosophy.† In: Wilber, Ken. 1998. The Essential Ken Wilber: An Introductory Reader. Boulder, CO: Shambhala Publications. 7-8. Zimmer, Heinrich (trans). â€Å"Buddhahood.† In: Eastman, Roger. 1999. The Ways of Religion. 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. 82-90.

China’s Trade Disputes

China's Trade Disputes Disputes over protection of Intellectual Property Complainant: United States Respondent: China Before China Joined the GATE (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) in 1986, it was a planned economy. What that does mean? It means that the government was in charge of the production, investment and prices. In other words, the government was in charge of running the economy. By that time, China almost had no international commerce but only with socialist countries such as the former USSR and Yugoslavia.It was not until 1992, that China began to lower its tariffs. As a result of that, China began to grow steadily and in 2001 China Joined the WTFO (World Trade Organization). According to Professor David W. Conklin and Danville Caddied (China's Trade Disputes, Richard Vive School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 2009) China had a 42. 9% tariff rate in 1992; 16. 6% in 2001 and since then it has been around 9. 8%. These figures show how China the decreas ed its tariff rates since 1992 to the present.According to the WTFO (World Trade Organization), the average Chinese tariff rate in 2011 was 9. 6%. 1 China Joining the WATT had its own percussions; on one hand, it was a new market with a rapidly growing population, which was attractive for many international investors. On the other hand, China's export increased extremely fast, this rapid growth affected many industries in advanced economies. What is the reason behind this outcome? There were several issues regarding China's commerce policies that caused a stream of trade disputes between China and other economies.In spite of having the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), many Chinese producers were accused of racy and counterfeiting. The purpose of the Trips was to provide protection in the wide area of intellectual property. However, that was not the case in China; even though, the Chinese government based its Intellectual Property Rights on U. S. And EX. countries, they were not applying those policies effectively.Counterfeiting and piracy in China were estimated to be around 15% to of all the products made in the local market. These type of illegal activities composed 8% of China's GAP. 5 The main issue regarding Intellectual Property is the fact that for most developing countries, he easiest way to achieve competitiveness is through counterfeiting successful products and by copying business practices. Why is this a major problem? The answer is simple; these developing economies have as their competitive advantage: low wage rates.If they copy a product and produce it with those low salaries, they are able to sell it with a price lower than the original one. There is no doubt that these type of products are going to steal market share from the companies that originally produced them affecting not only those companies but also the economies that purport them. The main purpose of International laws that protect Intellectual Property is not only to secure fair business but also to keep Jobs in the domestic market not to offshore all those Jobs to other foreign countries.We know that weak PR polices and lesser penalties are factors that allow the spread of counterfeiting and piracy within an economy. Furthermore, a deficient legal system can be a cause of this too. However, according to John Lehman, this issue might be caused by a different factor: he said that Intellectual Property was not part of the â€Å"Traditional† Chinese legal code. He concludes that the main problem about Intellectual property in China is not caused by a deficient legal system nor economy but from intellectual and cultural factors. After the creation of the WIPE (World Intellectual Property Organization) in 1970, the WTFO functioned as a forum for the negotiation of international policies on major issues. However, violations concerning PR (Intellectual Property Rights) proved to be extremely difficult to handle. Especially with te chnological products that use to have very short product cycles. Overall, with all the genealogical advances, it was really hard to create an accurate legislation to address all of these new type of problems.There is a thin line between counterfeiting and using the product as a base to improve it, issues like that were a headache for the WTFO. On April 2007, the United States demanded a consultation with China relating to the protection of PR in China. The matters that were discussed during this series of consultations were: the lack of an efficient criminal procedure and set of penalties for commercial piracy, the prohibition to let counterfeited products to be released onto foreign markets and the boundaries in which a copyright piracy consists in of an unauthorized copying. The panel concluded that, to the extent that the Copyright Law and the Customs measures as such are inconsistent with the TRIPS Agreement, they nullify or impair benefits accruing to the United States under th at Agreement, and recommended that China bring the Copyright Law and the Customs measures into conformity with its obligations under the TRIPS Agreement†. 8 On April 2010, China and U. S. Informed the Dispute Settlement Body (ADS) that the agreed procedures were effectively in progress. Opinion: The protection of PR is one of the most important things for developed countries.I agree that counterfeiting and piracy should be severely punished. However, in this case I found an interesting opinion: â€Å"Why should these countries honor the property ownership of other when their own manufacturers could create Jobs and nurture domestic prosperity through piracy and counterfeiting? † This is obviously the other side of the coin it involves a social issue. But I think that copying (not counterfeiting not piracy) can be useful sometimes. I remember reading that after WI, Japan sent several of this workers to work in U. S. In order to get the American know-how.What they did was not counterfeiting because they didn't copy the products but they used the models as their base in order to improve it. That's an interesting idea, especially for developing economies. Recently I watched a documentary about the race between China and India. The main difference between both economies was that India was using innovation in order to grow; on the other hand, China was relying more on copying products than innovating. The same documentary showed that in the present counterfeiting laws are stronger in China but it is still an issue. China’s Trade Disputes China's Trade Disputes Disputes over protection of Intellectual Property Complainant: United States Respondent: China Before China Joined the GAIT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) in 1986, it was a planned economy. What that does mean? It means that the government was in charge of the production, investment and prices. In other words, the government was in charge of running the economy. By that time, China almost had no international commerce but only with socialist countries such as the former USSR and Yugoslavia.It was not until 1992, that China began to lower its tariffs. As a result of that, China began to grow steadily and in 2001 China Joined the WTFO (World Trade Organization). According to Professor David W. Conklin and Danville Caddied (China's Trade Disputes, Richard Vive School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, 2009) China had a 42. 9% tariff rate in 1992; 16. 6% in 2001 and since then it has been around 9. 8%. These figures show how China the decreas ed its tariff rates since 1992 to the present.According to the WTFO (World Trade Organization), the average Chinese tariff rate in 2011 was 9. 6%. 1 China Joining the WATT had its own percussions; on one hand, it was a new market with a rapidly growing population, which was attractive for many international investors. On the other hand, China's export increased extremely fast, this rapid growth affected many industries in advanced economies. What is the reason behind this outcome? There were several issues regarding China's commerce policies that caused a stream of trade disputes between China and other economies.In spite of having the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), many Chinese producers were accused of racy and counterfeiting. The purpose of the Trips was to provide protection in the wide area of intellectual property. However, that was not the case in China; even though, the Chinese government based its Intellectual Property Rights on U. S. And EX. countries, they were not applying those policies effectively.Counterfeiting and piracy in China were estimated to be around 15% to of all the products made in the local market. These type of illegal activities composed 8% of China's GAP. 5 The main issue regarding Intellectual Property is the fact that for most developing countries, he easiest way to achieve competitiveness is through counterfeiting successful products and by copying business practices. Why is this a major problem? The answer is simple; these developing economies have as their competitive advantage: low wage rates.If they copy a product and produce it with those low salaries, they are able to sell it with a price lower than the original one. There is no doubt that these type of products are going to steal market share from the companies that originally produced them affecting not only those companies but also the economies that purport them. The main purpose of International laws that protect Intellectual Property is not only to secure fair business but also to keep Jobs in the domestic market not to offshore all those Jobs to other foreign countries.We know that weak PR polices and lesser penalties are factors that allow the spread of counterfeiting and piracy within an economy. Furthermore, a deficient legal system can be a cause of this too. However, according to John Lehman, this issue might be caused by a different factor: he said that Intellectual Property was not part of the â€Å"Traditional† Chinese legal code. He concludes that the main problem about Intellectual property in China is not caused by a deficient legal system nor economy but from intellectual and cultural factors. After the creation of the WIPE (World Intellectual Property Organization) in 1970, the WTFO functioned as a forum for the negotiation of international policies on major issues. However, violations concerning PR (Intellectual Property Rights) proved to be extremely difficult to handle. Especially with te chnological products that use to have very short product cycles. Overall, with all the genealogical advances, it was really hard to create an accurate legislation to address all of these new type of problems.There is a thin line between counterfeiting and using the product as a base to improve it, issues like that were a headache for the WTFO. On April 2007, the United States demanded a consultation with China relating to the protection of PR in China. The matters that were discussed during this series of consultations were: the lack of an efficient criminal procedure and set of penalties for commercial piracy, the prohibition to let counterfeited products to be released onto foreign markets and the boundaries in which a copyright piracy consists in of an unauthorized copying. The panel concluded that, to the extent that the Copyright Law and the Customs measures as such are inconsistent with the TRIPS Agreement, they nullify or impair benefits accruing to the United States under th at Agreement, and recommended that China bring the Copyright Law and the Customs measures into conformity with its obligations under the TRIPS Agreement†. 8 On April 2010, China and U. S. Informed the Dispute Settlement Body (IDS) that the agreed procedures were effectively in progress. Opinion: The protection of PR is one of the most important things for developed countries.I agree that counterfeiting and piracy should be severely punished. However, in this case I found an interesting opinion: â€Å"Why should these countries honor the property ownership of other when their own manufacturers could create Jobs and nurture domestic prosperity through piracy and counterfeiting? † This is obviously the other side of the coin it involves a social issue. But I think that copying (not counterfeiting not piracy) can be useful sometimes. I remember reading that after WI, Japan sent several of this workers to work in U. S. In order to get the American know-how.What they did was not counterfeiting because they didn't copy the products but they used the models as their base in order to improve it. That's an interesting idea, especially for developing economies. Recently I watched a documentary about the race between China and India. The main difference between both economies was that India was using innovation in order to grow; on the other hand, China was relying more on copying products than innovating. The same documentary showed that in the present counterfeiting laws are stronger in China but it is still an issue.

Youth Policy Kazakhstan

Introduction It is 8 o’clock in the morning. The alarm clock rings and everybody in the house wakes up. Kids get ready for school, adults go to work. Only Almas is not in a hurry, it has been six months since he graduated from university and cannot find a job that suits him. While studying at university everything seemed so easy: â€Å"Graduate, find a good job, become rich†. However, in reality, getting a job came out to be not as easy as he expected. Youth unemployment is one of the problems in the world nowadays.The percentage of unemployed young people in Kazakhstan is equal to 28. 6% (â€Å" †, 2006). This means that the big portion of youth cannot find proper jobs. It is a recognized fact that unemployment is one of the dynamics through which the social condition of a country can be defined. First of all, how can â€Å"youth† be defined? Youth is considered as either a phase of life or as a social category. The phase of life refers to youth being th e period between childhood and adulthood. In this report I will consider young people at the age of 20 to 24.Secondly, what is considered as â€Å"unemployment†? According to Investopedia (2012), unemployment is â€Å"when a person who is actively searching for employment is unable to find work†. According to the United Nations Economic Committee for Europe (UNECE, 2011), youth unemployment was one of the drivers of the worldwide financial crisis in 2008. Thus, a governmental youth policy is one of the main policy directions in which a lot of countries all over the world are trying to improve nowadays. The Republic of Kazakhstan is also in the list of these states.The attitude of the Kazakhstani government to young people is seen in the law â€Å"About governmental youth policy† ?581 from 7th of July 2004 (Kazahstanskaya Pravda, 2004). This law points out that youth are the future of the republic and this law is created to reduce the number of unemployed youth. According to the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2003) the percentage of youth of the overall population was equal to 29. 1% in 2003 (cited in: A Social Portrait of Young People in Today’s Kazakhstan, 2006).This means that the youth is a significant fraction of the country’s population. Nowadays, young people face difficulties in receiving health service, good education, employment housing and other social issues. By providing support to this portion of the population and paying more attention to the development of youth policy, the Kazakhstani government could give the country an opportunity to build the basis for the brighter future for Kazakhstan. The main research question of this report is: What factors are contributing to youth unemployment?I will be investigating the reason young people cannot find jobs; despite the fact that the government is making everything they can to reduce the number of unemployed young people. As I am graduating soon this issue has a direct connection to me, so I also want to find out what can I do to avoid this problem. In order to answer the key research question I will follow the three research objectives. Firstly, as I have written in the previous paragraphs young people have a huge influence on the economy of any country.That is why I will analyze the current economic, social and political situation in Kazakhstan. Secondly, I will estimate the effectiveness of youth policy of the government in Kazakhstan. Finally, I will consider the opinions of young people on the issue of youth unemployment. The research project will consist of a survey and interviews. Questionnaires will be distributed among the alumni students of universities as Kazakhstan Institute of Economics, Management and Strategic Research (KIMEP), University of International Business (UIB), Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) and others.The reason I’m choosing exactly Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) and others. The re ason I’m choosing exactly this kind of survey is that results are likely to be objective because of to the anonymity of the surveyed people. Moreover, through questionnaires I will be able to gather information from a significant amount of people in a short time. The surveys are planned to be held during the midterm break (October, 2012). The representatives of such governmental youth organizations such as KIMEP Students Association (KSA) and â€Å"Zhas Otan† Youth Political Party will be interviewed.I will interview them, as they know the problem from the inside: from the governmental point of view. Also, they are university graduates, so they can analyze the problem by combining the two different sides. Interviews are helpful, as during the interview I will be able to ask questions I’m interested in and find new information from the knowledge and experiences of the representatives. Interviews will also be held in October, 2012. The first paragraph of this repo rt gives information on the general background of research problem and also identifies the main research uestion. Moreover, introduction includes the short description of the research methods. It also consists of the work plan. The second section addresses the literature review, which is based on the information collected from academic articles of Google Scholar databases, EBSCOhost, magazines, Kazakhstani newspapers, different Internet resources, and books. The third chapter covers the data and methodology information. The next chapter focuses on the analysis of received data and its discussion. The last chapter is the conclusion. It summarizes the done work.The sources used and gathered are provided in the bibliography section. Each section is approximately from four to seven pages. References: Eshpanova D. D. & Nysanbaev A. N. (2006). A Social Portrait of Young People in Today’s Kazakhstan. Russian Education and Society, 48, 75-96. Retrieved from EBSCOhost Database  « ? ?  » 7 2004 #581 (Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan â€Å"about Governmental youth policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan† July 7, 2004, ?581).Kazahstanskaya Pravda, 158. (The problem of unemployment amoung young people). (2006). Zakon. Retrieved from http://www. zakon. kz/77840-obsuzhdeny-problemy-bezraboticy-sredi. html United Nations Economic Committee (2011). Men are more affected by rising youth unemployment in most UNECE countries. Retrieved 10, September, 2012, from: http://www. unece. org/statshome/news/newsyouth-uneployment-rate. html

Telecommunication and Computer Networking in Healthcare

Telecommunication and Computer Networking in Healthcare Overview of the healthcare and security systems Information security as well as well as privacy in the health sector is an issue whose prominence has been swelling day by day. Healthcare sectors have been called to adopt information technology systems to aid in speeding activities and securing records. Efforts to adopt information technology in healthcare have been practiced for a long time. Several developments point to the need for better security systems in healthcare.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Telecommunication and Computer Networking in Healthcare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These developments include the use of patient records that are digitalized, the consolidation of healthcare providers and the rise in healthcare regulation. Also, there has been an increasing need for the exchange of healthcare information between healthcare providers, patients and healthcare institutions. All these devel opments are strongly bonded on security thus making security a paramount issue in healthcare (Symantec, 2009). Information systems are seen as the available and efficient options of improving the quality of services and security of information transfer and exchange in the healthcare sector. Many countries, including the United States, have created strategies to adopt automated systems in healthcare. Therefore, a lot of research has been done about how best information systems can be incorporated to improve information exchange and security (Appari Johnson, 2010). The requirements of HIPAA for network security to maintain confidentiality of patient records Patient information is extremely valuable in healthcare. This information has become increasingly vital not only to the doctors but also to other healthcare givers providers like health insurance firms. The confidentiality of this information in the US was boosted through the formulation of a law in 1996. This piece of legislation is referred to as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This piece of legislation was formulated by the federal government hence it is applicable in all states. It regulates the security as well as privacy of health information. The key areas emphasized in this legislation are the maintenance of confidentiality, the protection of patient information and the respect of the rights to privacy of the patients (Keir Keir, 2008). HIPAA contains regulations on communication mediums to be used in medical institutions. These rules require staffs in the healthcare institutions to know privacy and security rules of the electronic media tools used. Under this piece of legislation, the securing of office computers must be a priority in healthcare institutions. Appropriate information technology safeguards must be acquired by the institutions. They include virus protections, firewalls and antispyware which help in locking out cyber hackers. They also prevent virus attack on t he downloaded information and even people with ill motives who may want to intercept in the exchange of information. The presence of the secured network systems provides the medical staffs with the green light of using their emails for sending and receiving of patient information (Keir Keir, 2008).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other regulation measurers in HIPAA are that emails must contain email notices. Email notices must be embedded on patient information. These caution users about sending messages to unintended people. It also helps senders in identifying messages that are sent to un-intended recipients. Other security measures include the encryption of the emails containing the information of patients. Subject lines in the emails have to be generic and not specific. Patient information is not to be included in the subject line of the emails (Keir Keir, 2008). HIPAA also contains auditing requirements for healthcare institutions. Healthcare organizations must enhance their capacity to control the people who access patient records. The code of control of access to patient records is contained in the American Academy of Family Physicians. A system network is used in discharging this function. Such a system must have the ability to assign usernames and passwords that are unique and in accordance to the people who are allowed to access the accounts. The users are saved according to the access levels. Different user levels are assigned to different users. The security level limits the access of a person to a person. The legislation allows health organizations to develop their own system networks according to the way their activities are structured (Lindh, 2010). Technical Risk Assessment of the healthcare security networks Risks are inherent in security network systems. Therefore, risk management systems have to be put in place in order to help reduce the risks that can be posed in the implementation of security systems. The following risk reduction steps can be followed to ensure effective implementation of security systems (NEMA/COCIR/JIRA Security and Privacy Committee, 2007). The first step entails the listing of all the assets to be used in establishing health security systems. Each of the items in the security system has to define in terms of its uses. The second step entails the collections of the entire security-related requirement for the assets to be used in setting us the security system for the company. Most of the assets have various security specifications which must be availed for the proper working of the security system. The third step involves the identifying and elaborating on the threats and applying these threats to the system to determine the vulnerabilities of the system. Threat paths are easily identified. The probable risks are then scored. Mitigations measurers are then proposed for the inherent vulnerabilities in the healthcare security system. Lastly, the residual risks are summarized and the details of coming up with details of coming up the Compliance with state laws concerning privacy of patient records The protection of health information is guarded by the federal government through the federal law. The federal government through the federal law defines how the information on patients should be protected by the actors in the healthcare sector. The federal law is affected or enforced in different states. The states are the enforcers of the laws that are set by the federal government. The states set their own standards as well as sub-legislations to help them in enforcing the laws that are set by the federal government. The state laws may differ from the federal laws. However, the state laws are proactive.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Telecommunication and Computer Networking in Healthcare specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When state privacy legislations promise to be more protective of patient information, then they are preferred over the state laws. Healthcare networks in such cases are implemented basing on the most proactive legislation. States pose detailed and private patient records which are the reason as to why they are better placed in enforcing the healthcare security network (NEMA/COCIR/JIRA Security and Privacy Committee, 2007). Compliance with Meaningful Use requirements for managing IT security For healthcare security systems have to be efficient and meaningful to the healthcare institutions, they must be implemented systematically. They must be coherent with information technology standards as per the standardizations of the International Standards Organization. Standardization of the systems is a crucial issue which will help in bringing about well-coordinated use of healthcare IT security networks. The first consideration is the ident ification of IT security system which meets the industry standards. All the organizations in the healthcare sector must then be notified of It standards of the IT systems which will be required. The organizations must also be made to understand the regulations and how they can keep to the required stands. This will help these organizations to equip themselves with the standard or right healthcare Information Technology tools to be used in implementing healthcare networks. The healthcare sector must also find proficient IT dealers to help them in the management of the Healthcare information security systems (NEMA/COCIR/JIRA Security and Privacy Committee, 2007). Policy and procedures required to manage ongoing security principals and provided security guidance to staff As mentioned earlier, there is a strong need to have the staffs in the healthcare sector informed of the policies that govern the use of healthcare security networks. This is because most of the staffs in this sector a re not experts in information technology. Therefore, they must be guided on how to attain the best results out of the use of healthcare security networks (Cooper, 2007). Therefore, three main key issues are addressed as it concerns to the adherence of the healthcare security principals by the healthcare staffs. The first thing that is addressed is the training of the staffs on the importance and the use of the security tools. The training on how to share patient information on a security networks then follows. The staffs are made to understand all the regulations on information sharing and exchange including the risks that might be posed and remedies to these risks. The HIPAA clearly stipulates the guidelines on effective use of healthcare security networks (Cooper, 2007).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Appari, A Johnson, M. E. (2010) Information security and privacy in healthcare: current state of research. International Journal of Internet and Enterprise Management, 6(4):pp. 279-314. Cooper, T. (2007). Managing Information Privacy Security in Healthcare Privacy and Security Principles. Web. Keir, L., Keir, L. (2008). Medical assisting: Administrative and clinical competencies. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Lindh, W. Q. (2010). Delmars comprehensive medical assisting: Administrative and clinical competencies. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning. NEMA/COCIR/JIRA Security and Privacy Committee. (2007). Information Security Risk Management for Healthcare Systems. Web. Symantec. (2009). Security and Privacy for Healthcare Providers. White Paper: Best Practices Series for Healthcare. Web.

Ballad Of A Soldier Essay Example

Ballad Of A Soldier Essay Example Ballad Of A Soldier Essay Ballad Of A Soldier Essay Grigory Nuamovich made the movie Ballad Of A Soldier (1959) very intriguing, suspenseful and informative of the Soviet Union between the year 1939-1945, because of the various filming techniques that he utilized. For example, he perfected the most difficult shot in film making; the long shot. In addition, the various themes and sound effects made the movie were very fascinating. Mr. Nuamovich also made the characters more real by utilizing the reaction shot, medium shot and close up shot. Furthermore, the lighting by cinematographer really worked for this movie.Similar to most Russian Cinema, Grigory Nuamovich clearly displayed the beauty of the land by utilizing the long shot. For example when Alyosha Skvorstov rides on the train and reminisces of Shura, there is a long shot of the woods. In addition, the village shots, where Alyosha is driving around looking for his mother, clearly depicts the life style of a Russian farmer in a small village, that is secluded from everything else and can only be reached by one dirt road. The scene where the tank is chasing Alyosha on the open land is also the long shot working at its best. The extreme long shots of the tanks really gave the audience a feel of open land combat and it kept the viewer on the edge of the seat due to the suspense. In addition, the aerial shot also really worked in the tank chasing Alyosha scene.The various themes and sound effects really worked in this movie. The music during the tank scene kept the audience in high suspense. In addition, the scene where the lieutenant allows Alsyosha vacation time and random gunshots rang out shows the audience that although, the soldiers are inside and seem safe, there is no safety on the battle field. Furthermore, the various themes through out the movie kept the movie flowing very well.Mr. Nuamovich made the characters more dramatic and believable with the use of reaction shots. For example, Vergenty Urtanskiy (the one leg soldier), reaction shots showed how miserable he truly was when everyone was laughing and he was not. Furthermore, the reaction shot of the girl at the ticket counter scene, when the one leg soldier said that he does not want to go home. Her reaction shot really made his decision look foolish to the audience. Also when the one leg soldier was walking away and thought that his wife didnt show up and she screamed his name, the scene was intensified with the reaction shot of the one leg soldier. Another reaction shot that really intensified a scene is when Alyosha is telling the Shura that; Alyosha thought that Shura was the lieutenant when she first walked into the train cart. Furthermore, the reaction shot of the Ukranian girl hoping that what she heard was lightning on the train and not a bomb also strengthened the scene. The audience was shown again that during wars nothing is safe. In addition, Alyoshas reaction when he finds out that another train wont come for another two hours, also worked very well, because it r eminded the audience that his time is limited.The medium shot also worked very well for this movie the various scenes of Alyosha and Shura on the train really made this movie a love story. In addition when the one leg soldier was holding his wife in his arms the two shot made the audience feel the love.The various framing techniques that Grigory Nuamovich utilized made this movie work. For example, the train scene where Alyosha and the one leg soldier are riding with their comrades, they were tightly framed directly in the middle of the scene, because the scene was about them. In addition, the scene where Shura first came into the cart and began running around and screaming, because she was petrified by Alyosha. Alyosha was framed slightly in the middle of the screen and Shura was framed at the edge of the screen to show that she is on the edge of her fear of Alyosha.The cinematographer also did a wonderful job in using lights and darks inside the train cart. For example, in the sce ne where Shura fell asleep, the cart was dark; however her face had a spotlight. In addition, the whole time that Alyosha and Shura are in the train wagon its dark, however most of the time they have a spotlight on their face. Another example, of the cinematographers excellent work is when Shura is chasing the train that Alyosha is on and he is trying to give her his address.I really enjoyed Ballad Of A Soldier because not only is it thrilling and intriguing, because of the various filming techniques that Grigory Nuamovich used, but it also shows the beauty of the land and the mindset of the Russian people during that time period. Everyone worried about their kids and loved ones on the battle field. In addition, the train scene in which Alyosha was riding with his comrades shows Russian hummer at its best. (Hard to explain) Furthermore, the scene in which the fat soldier that lets Alyosha on the train really shows how soldiers abuse their authority during the war.

Quotes to Welcome Your Baby Boy

Quotes to Welcome Your Baby Boy So youre pregnant with a baby boy? Congratulations! The journey from pregnancy to childbirth, although arduous, is filled with untold joys and pleasures.  A baby boy is a unique bundle of joy. If youre expecting a boy, you might find a few tips on how to handle boys in these baby boy quotes: Mark Twain There comes a time in every rightly constructed boys life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. Irish Proverb It’s the merry-hearted boys that make the best men. Ralph Waldo Emerson There was a never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep. Paul Walker If you spend any time with a man, you’ll realize that we’re all still little boys. Eric Berne The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow A boy’s will is the wind’s will, and the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts. Jenny De Vries A small son can charm himself into, and out of, most things. Charles Dickens A boy’s story is the best that is ever told. Anonymous What are little boys made of? Frogs and snails, And puppy dog tails, Thats what little boys are made of. *** To be in your childs memories tomorrow, be in his life today. Joseph Heller When I grow up I want to be a little boy. Maya Angelou If I have a monument in this world, it is my son. Plato Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable. Alan Marshall Beck Boys are found everywhere- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket. A boy is a magical creature- you can lock him out of your workshop, but you cant lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you cant get him out of your mind. Might as well give up- he is your captor, your jailer, your  boss  and your master- a freckled-faced, pint-sized, cat-chasing bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic words: Hi, Dad! James Thurber Boys are beyond the range of anybodys sure understanding, at least when they are between the ages of 18 months and 90 years. Robert Baden-Powell A boy is naturally full of humor. Christina Aguilera There’s nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm. Johnny Depp Young boys should never be sent to bed; they always wake up another day older. Cyril Connolly Boys do not grow up gradually. They move forward in spurts like the hands of clocks in railway stations.

Language of Art and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Language of Art and Design - Essay Example We must learn to do this before we can learn about interpretation and the meaning of various art works.1 We have to know how to walk before we can know how to run very fast. Firstly, we need to look at the physical parts of a work of art – how do we name and describe the visual facts? To do this we need a basic vocabulary. These are terms that can be applied to a work of art in any of the forms of art, be it photography, sculpture, or painting—these are the things we first see.2 The first thing we see is the medium, the material used in the work of art. Medium also refers to dimension as well. Is it two dimensions or three dimensions? Is it a painting on a piece of canvas or on a wood? Is it a sculpture in clay or charcoal? What kinds of paints are used? Acrylic, oil, watercolour? These factors all add to the effect of the creation. To understand the creation we must understand the many parts that make it up. Another important building block: One of the first rules of geometry is a line. A line the â€Å"path of a point moving through space.† It can be used to draw the eye to important parts of a composition. Lines also mark divisions between different spaces. You could say they are the basic â€Å"building blocks† of shape and form.3 Colour is another important one. Everything that we see from nature to fashion to our favourite football team impacts our brain with the exciting colours available in our world. Colour effects our emotions in both subtle and unsubtle ways. Without it, our daily life experiences would be dull as dishwater. Think how much our eyes are more drawn to a colourful magazine than to a black and white newspaper. The artist is sensitive to these issues and takes the use of color seriously, making serious choices for a various effects. For example, Matisse was a master of using colour and created some of his best paintings using the colour red. As with colour, light makes

Using the DIKW Continuum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Using the DIKW Continuum - Essay Example By properly changing the collected data into useable information, nurses are able to meet the unique needs of the patients in different care settings. The purpose of this treatise is to explore the progression of the four phases of data, informing, knowledge and wisdom scale by using research information to be able to answer a pertinent clinical question in the acute care setting. With the design and application of electronic health record in the acute care setting, physicians are now able to make decision without relying too much on manually recorded data. Such changes, coupled with the available decision support systems have reduced the transcription errors in the processes while at the same time enhancing the overall quality of care offered (Carrington & Effken, 2011). In order to explore how the DIKW continuum is used in the acute care setting, this paper will rely on the research question shown below: According to Moreland,  Gallagher, Bena,  Morrison & Albert (2012), some hospitals are yet to incorporate eMAR in their processes. Errors during the medicine administration process are very common in hospitals and are considered to be among the main inhibitors to quality care. To reduce the errors that occur in the drug administration process, some hospitals rely on technology to improve the quality of the decisions made by the physicians. Stevenson & Nilsson (2012) state that the importance of electronic drug administration and drug issuance has not been well understood. Some care givers are not are not well versed with the benefits of eMAR. The commonly identified benefits of the process include reduced workload, ease of documentation, promotion of evidence based decisions and enhanced team work. Working with the DIKW continuum to answer the question on the application of electronic medication process in the acute care setting begins with the collection of relevant data on the issue.

Relationship between Direct Marketing and Branding Essay

Relationship between Direct Marketing and Branding - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the primary objective of branding application is to develop and reinforce central messages of a company along with the product brands. It aims at a high quality of service, environment-friendly attributes, longevity, durability, and cost-saving objectives in order to enhance brand image and ensure sustainability. Branding and direct marketing are two distinct approaches to marketing. Direct marketing is intended to drive immediate customer responses; however, branding is a delayed response advertising technique. Direct marketing activity is the process through which various advertising media interact directly with consumers and obtain responses about a brand. The responses that are obtained with the help of direct marketing can be tracked, analyzed and stored in a database, which can be used further for development of long lasting customer relationships. With the help of direct marketing application, most of the companies try to record the trial, purchase or inquiry related issues of Customers. These issues are analyzed by the companies and significant changes are incorporated if required. The changes or developments in an existing product of a brand are made after studying the demand of the customer market thoroughly. Direct marketing is generally controlled with the help of electronic or digital marketing strategy in the contemporary era. Most of the advertisements are sent via e-mails and phone messaging systems. In some cases, companies post their advertisements along with survey rating ability in social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter. The enhancement of direct marketing strategy sampling can be clearly observed in the fast food business operations. The advertisements provided by the Fox’s Crinkle Crunch biscuits illustrate the importance of customer responses for brand promotions.

Managing Diversity in Hotels in Lebanon Research Paper

Managing Diversity in Hotels in Lebanon - Research Paper Example Diversity in the workplaces has been beneficial because the diverse groups possess more tools, heuristics, perspectives, insights and knowledge when it comes to problem solving than homogeneous groups. The owners of these hotels also have different nationalities and possess diverse cultural backgrounds, therefore, integrate diverse people into the workforce. As diversity increases in the hotel industry, managers have seen an increasing number of matters concerning the management of diverse workplaces. This has prompted them to adopt strategies and methods that will help them in managing diversity (Groschl 225). This paper is concerned with the strategies, aspects and enhancements that are being utilized in managing diversity in the hotel industry of Lebanon. Diversity can be explained as the varying individual differences that organizations are faced with ranging from the visible differences such as age, sex, and ethnicity to the invisible differences such as social class, sexual orientation, culture, religion, educational background, skills, personality, and experience. Diversity management involves the handling and comprehension of these individual differences that the employees and the clients possess in an effort to achieve the desired goals of the hotel industry. Diversity management not only recognizes that every individual is unique and has a particular vital role in the organization but also includes the achievement of the organization’s goals as a tool to foster the advancement of the individual (Heres and Benschop 437). In simpler terms, it involves proper management of diverse human resources to ensure that the best outcomes for the business are realized. Lebanon for a long time has valued its tourism industry immensely as it provides a sizeable source of revenue to the country’s economy. Cultural tourism has always been a part of Lebanon’s broad tourism industry with many Europeans finding their way into the culturally diverse country. The hotels feature diverse workforces like their diverse customer base. In the advertisements the hotels showcase mountain ski resorts, discos, and well preserved churches among other features that attract tourists from different places in the world. They offer international cuisines and a wide variety of beverages to the customers’ preferences. The hotels are also strategically located near bars, restaurants, pubs and even churches such as the Maronite Catholic Cathedral, which are amenities exclusively meant to serve the tourists since Lebanon’s population is largely composed of Muslims (Beirut Hotel 2013). Managing cultural diversity is important for the line managers, expatriate managers and the Human Resource professionals in order to create effective programs that will help the hotel meet its goals. They must possess relevant information on the different cultures and ethnicities that will help provide a base on the activities that should be done to increase the efficiency of the diverse workforce. It is important for the managers to attend trainings and workshops to assist in managing the diverse workforce. Many hotel managers are required to take such trainings in order to effectively manage diverse workforces. Take the example of The Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Beirut. This hotel recruits employees from across the globe and receives a diverse customer base. In order to manage and serve the employees and the customers, the managers have undergone training on how to manage a culturally diverse hotel. In order to successfully manage a diverse workforce, some strategies such as adopting recruitment and training programs, and corporate diversity programs can be used.

Lignin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Lignin - Research Paper Example de Candolle. His explanation about lignin was that it is a fibrous material that does not have any taste, it cannot be dissolved in water or alcohol but is soluble in weak alkaline solutions, and in order extract it from the solution an acid could be added to it which would cause its precipitation. Lignin is among the most commonly found organic polymers, and only cellulose and hemicelluloses is ahead of it regarding abundance (Shi, Xiao, Deng, & Sun, 2013). Thus, lignin forms the majority of the natural resources that man has. 30% of non-fossil organic carbon is made up of lignin while making up almost one-fourth to third of the dry mass of wood. Every species contains a unique type of lignin, the difference lying in its composition. Since lignin is a biopolymer, it attains its uniqueness owing to its heterogeneity and because it does not really have a properly defined primary structure. The most important and common function of lignin is to strengthen wood in trees, which is made from xylem cells, by providing it with support. The natural state of lignin as present within a plant is known as protolignin (Kutscha & Gray, 1970). The classification of lignins depends on their structural elements. Softwoods, hardwoods and grasses contain different lignins and the reason behind the difference between the three is the different content of guaiacyl (G), syringyl (S) and p-hydroxyphenyl (H) units. Guaiacyl lignin is present in the majority of softwoods and is mainly a polymerization product of coniferyl alcohol. Hardwoods typically contain the guaiacyl-syrinngyl lignin which is a copolymer of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols, the ration varying from 4:1 to 1:2 for the two monomeric units (Pereira, Portugal-Nunes, Evtuguin, Serafim, & Xavier, 2013). Another type is that of compression wood that is largely made up of phenylpropane units of the p-hydroxyphenyl type along with the usual guaiacyl units. At times the term syringyl lignin and p-hydroxyphenyl lignin

Passage Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Passage Analysis - Essay Example In addition, the author uses sound as a major symbolism in the whole narrative in which case he categorically mentions the distraction that the intermittent but rather scary voices cause to Montesore. Nonetheless, the author reveals the wickedness of Montesore as the narrative progresses until one becomes acquainted with the character traits of Montesore in the end (Poe Web). While it appears from the onset, that Montesore is an industrious and detailed person, his villainous character is later revealed, as it later emerges plainly that he practises undesirable activities including lack of remorsefulness and mockery to victims. In essence, Montesore reveals a great deal of his evil character by mocking Fortunato through the echoing of her voice in order to scare her. Indeed, the main character, who is Montesore, keeps on echoing supposedly Fortunato’s voice with an ill intention. For instance, when he repeats after her scary laughs and words "He! he! he! -- he! he! he!† he is sure that he will confuse the supposed recipient of the sound. Furthermore, he says, â€Å"Let us be gone,† echoing after Fortunato’s voice (Poe Web). This is a clear sign of revenge in the sense that instead of Montesore showing remorse towards fortunate, he has the strong conviction that he is vindicated to offer vengeance against Forunato. Perhaps one important aspect worth noting is that the whole passage is dominated by several episodes of Montesore counting the tiers as he continues laying them. This may have had an impact in raising the tension in the sense that Fortunato was inside these rising walls as she continued to produce noise (Poe Web). In essence, one has no idea about the whereabouts of Fortunato until Montesore reaches the eleventh tier. Owing to the fact Fortunato was also supposedly building the other side of the wall, one sees a clear sign of neglect and ignorance on the side of Montesore. This is particularly so in the sense that he does not reach out to tell

Lignin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Lignin - Research Paper Example de Candolle. His explanation about lignin was that it is a fibrous material that does not have any taste, it cannot be dissolved in water or alcohol but is soluble in weak alkaline solutions, and in order extract it from the solution an acid could be added to it which would cause its precipitation. Lignin is among the most commonly found organic polymers, and only cellulose and hemicelluloses is ahead of it regarding abundance (Shi, Xiao, Deng, & Sun, 2013). Thus, lignin forms the majority of the natural resources that man has. 30% of non-fossil organic carbon is made up of lignin while making up almost one-fourth to third of the dry mass of wood. Every species contains a unique type of lignin, the difference lying in its composition. Since lignin is a biopolymer, it attains its uniqueness owing to its heterogeneity and because it does not really have a properly defined primary structure. The most important and common function of lignin is to strengthen wood in trees, which is made from xylem cells, by providing it with support. The natural state of lignin as present within a plant is known as protolignin (Kutscha & Gray, 1970). The classification of lignins depends on their structural elements. Softwoods, hardwoods and grasses contain different lignins and the reason behind the difference between the three is the different content of guaiacyl (G), syringyl (S) and p-hydroxyphenyl (H) units. Guaiacyl lignin is present in the majority of softwoods and is mainly a polymerization product of coniferyl alcohol. Hardwoods typically contain the guaiacyl-syrinngyl lignin which is a copolymer of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols, the ration varying from 4:1 to 1:2 for the two monomeric units (Pereira, Portugal-Nunes, Evtuguin, Serafim, & Xavier, 2013). Another type is that of compression wood that is largely made up of phenylpropane units of the p-hydroxyphenyl type along with the usual guaiacyl units. At times the term syringyl lignin and p-hydroxyphenyl lignin

Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Example for Free

Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Bok choy or bok choi, pronounced â€Å"bahk choy†, is a green leafy vegetable. It is sometimes referred to as â€Å"Chinese cabbage† or â€Å"the white cabbage†. The Chinese spelling is ‘bok choi† but in America it is known as ‘bok choy†. Bok choy is one of two types of Chinese cabbage, the other being Pe-tsai. However, bok choy has become popular in America after being grown in China for 1500 years. Because Chinese stir-fry and other popular Chinese foods have grown in popularity in North America, bok choy is becoming a well-known food in the United States and Canada. Although there are over 20 types of bok choy in Hong Kong, in the Americas you will usually only find the most popular type with crisp, white stalks and dark green, leafy tops. Nutrition Bok Choy is rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C and folic acid. Bok Choy also provides a good source of fiber. This vegetable is recommended by the American Cancer Society as a green leafy vegetable option for a healthy diet that is high in potassium and magnesium. These minerals have been shown to help regulate healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar. Because it is a sweeter, milder option to cabbage and other recommended green leafy vegetables, bok choy is also a preferable option for a diet rich in beta carotene and folic acid. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating recognizes bok choy as a dark green, leafy vegetable. The food guide recommends at least one dark green vegetable daily. A serving is recognized as 1 cup of shredded bok choy stalk or 70 grams of leaves. Purchasing and Storage When selecting bok choy you must go to the produce department at your local grocer’s. Make sure you are selecting a vegetable with long, white and unblemished stalks. The leaves should be dark green tapering to a light green near the stalks and never limp. Stay away from any plants with yellow leaves or brown spots on the stalks. This is old or poorly grown bok choy. To store your bok choy, refrigerate in an unsealed plastic bag . Use bok choy within a week and preferably within 4 to 5 days of purchasing to get the best flavor from this vegetable. Preparation Bok choy can be prepared in many different ways. The most popular methods are to boil, saute, or steam the vegetable. Before cooking by any method, the bok choy must be cleaned properly. To do this, cut at the base so as to separate the stalks so they can be washed individually. Then, wash under cold running water. Make sure to clean the stalks and the leaves, scrubbing the stalks with a vegetable brush only if necessary. Drip dry is not necessary as steaming or boiling will wet the bok choy anyhow and it is okay to saute and stir fry wet. However, the stalks can be eaten raw like celery. But bok choy stalks are not stringy like celery so are even better! Try the stalks cut into strips and dipped in your favorite dip. Or boil stalks in salted water for four minutes, leaves for only two or three minutes and serve as is. If you wish to add more flavor, bok choy is known to go well with peppers, soy sauce, or sauteed in sesame oil. Because it is so versatile, this Chinese cabbage can be a side dish or added to a stir fry for a main dish. Recipes Bok Choy with Chestnuts 5 oz. Packaged, cooked Chestnuts 1 ? lb. bok choy salt and pepper 3 Tbsp of chicken broth ? tsp of potato flour mixed with a Tbsp of cold water 1 tsp of sesame oil 1 Tbsp Peanut oil for cooking

Marketing Strategy for Low Income Consumers

Marketing Strategy for Low Income Consumers After evaluating the Case Study Unilever in Brazil(1997-2007): Marketing Strategies for low-income consumers the following points are credible. After the long recession period Brazils economy is growing and that is reflected on consumers purchasing power(Increased by 27% for the poorest 10%) and market is also growing with 17% annual rate. After analysing various options, I think it would be beneficial for Unilever to choose a strategy for Market development by introducing existing brand from its Latin American portfolio like Ala. New Marketing Mix should consist Good Quality, Low Price, Attractive packaging, Specialized Distribution system and Promotion. Changes in a new marketing strategy is urgently required for Unilever as PG is very aggressively reactive (By acquisition, re-imagining and re-positioning of brands.) Ala should be priced $1.55/Kg (Approx) and should be launched in both box and sachet packing. Sachet packing will be offered with free extra quantity due to cheap packaing cost. We can introduce 2kg 3kg bags with attractive price. Unilever should introduce a new distribution management system that includes both Generalist Wholesaler and Specialized Distributors. Unilever need to build direct relationship with 75,000 small shops by giving credit and incentive. Unilever also be having an option to start production of Ala in NE region, as government is providing lot of tax Incentives that will help Unilever to produce at low cost. Consumer Behaviour Like any other country Brazilian consumers also have their own beliefs, values and lifestyle. Washing is one of the major activity for women in NE and various sentiments and emotions like pride, care, pleasure and satisfaction are attached to it. Washing is a medium of socializing for women in NE, because only 28% household own a washing machine and mostly they wash their clothes in a public laundry, river or pond. Women in NE wash clothes using laundry soap and around 73% thinks that for cleaning clothes bleach is necessary. Current usage of detergent powder is just for giving good smell to clothes. Decision making process for buying a detergent powder in NE is based on several criteria as shown in Table 1. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.155) Table 1: Evaluation Criteria [Source: Exhibit 5 : Unilever in Brazil Case Study] 30% (51.06 Million) of Brazils population earn less than $125 a month. More specifically 25.4miliion in NE and 25.62 Million in the SE.NE consumers are very price sensitive. Diagram 1 Around 40% of Northeast population is illiterate and they generally buy products on the recommendation of local shopkeepers, word of mouth, television advertisements, visual identity and graphics. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.158) In spite of low Income, NE consumers are very self esteemed and sensitive about their social status and cleanliness, so they wash clothes more frequently 5 times a week compare to 3.9 times a week in SE. Washing can be considered as Ego need (Higher-Level Need) for NE consumers according to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Abraham Maslow (1970) in his study of Consumer behavior proposed a Hierarchy of Needs and related Products. And refereed Self esteem as Ego based need. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.161) Physiological Need (Water, Food, Sleep) Safety Need (Security, Shelter) Belongingness (Love, Friendship, relationships) Ego Needs (Prestige, status, self esteem) Self Actualization Higher -Level Needs Lower-Level Needs NE Customers needs with respect to washing is more Ego based (Pride, Self Esteem Status) Diagram 2: Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and related Products (Maslow, 1970) [Adapted and modified from Solomon et al (2009), Marketing Real People,Real Decisions,Page 161.] Market Analysis Major Brands in Market Unilever is a Market leader in Brazils detergent powder market with 81% Market share followed by PG with 15% market Other local brands(4%). In Northeast region Unilever is having 75% market share followed by PG 17.5% and others with 7.5% market share. NE Detergent powder market is growing with 17% annual growth. Table 2: Main Players in NE Detergent Market [Source: Exhibit 7 : Unilever in Brazil Case Study] But unlike NE Detergent powder market, Laundry market ($102 Million, 81,250 tons) is totally different and growing with 6% annual growth, Unilever is a market leader in Laundry soap market as well with one brand Minerva (19% market share) and major competitor for Unilever is ASA with a brand Bem-te-vi (11% market share). Table 3: Main Players in NE Laundry Soap Market [Source: Exhibit 7 : Unilever in Brazil Case Study] Strategic Competitive Analysis Unilever has segmented market by geo-demographic segmentation based on Income(High Income Low Income) and geographic locations (SE NE) and currently targeting the high income consumers in SE.(Solomon et al, 2009 p.215-220) Unilever has positioned their products in market with respect to various key features of products like Omo with remove stain with low quantity, Minerva with Emotional appeal and Pleasant smell and Campeiro with Low cost. Whereas PG has started reacting very aggressively after taking in consideration of growing Brazils economy by acquiring Quanto, Odd Faces and Pop from Bomrill. And after making some manufacturing changes, launched Quanto as Ace, Odd Faces as Bold and kept Pop (the low price brand) unchanged. PG positioned their products like Ace with Whiteness, Bold with Softness and Pop with low cost. Table 4: Current Strategies of Various Brands ASA (Local Brazillian Comoany), also segmented market by geo-demographic and currently targeting Low income consumers in NE. ASA positioned its brand (Invicto) in market by focusing the low income consumers. Invicto is one of the key competitor of Campeiro in low income consumer segment. After analysing the complete market situation, I found that currently PG is the most active player of the market though PGs market share is not much high (As they acquired all the three brands this year.). So I think PG will give very tough competition to Unilever in a long run. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is the method of understanding Internal and External Environment of an organization (Kotler 2000, Page 46 and Solomon et al, 2009 p.66). SWOT analysis of Unilever provides a summary of Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths Threats Opportunities WeaknessesInternal Environments External Environments Diagram 1: SWOT Analysis Internal Environment Strengths Good Market reputation with 75% market share. High quality products Differentiated Products Brand Awareness Weaknesses Demographic market Segmentation Weak distribution system Lack of Expertise in Customer relationship Management Week RD and marketing expertise External Environment Opportunities NE is a very high potential market (48 million). NE detergent powder Market is growing by 17% annual growth. Unilever can capture NE low income market to enter first in it. Increase in purchasing power of poorest 10% consumers. Brazilian government providing tax incentives for encouraging investment in NE. NE women wash clothes more frequent then SE, so it leads to higher consumption. Threats Economic downturn might affect the growth and sales. PGs RD and Marketing Expertise Cannibalization Local NE detergent manufacturers. Marketing Strategy Segmentation Diagram 2: Distribution of Social Classes Northeast Southeast Unilever had segmented the complete Brazilian market into two segments based on location and Income (demographic Segmentation). (Solomon et al, 2009 p.215-220) But I think Unilever need to create a new segment that will focus consumer in Social class E- E+, because we have 53% (25.44 million) in NE and 21% (25.62 million) in SE. Both the region is having equal number of low income consumers (as per percentage of total population in region). So this new segmentation will target not only NE low income consumer but SEs low income consumers as well (30% (50.70 Million) of Overall Brazil population). Table 5: Distribution of population as per social classes [Source: Exhibit 2 : Unilever in Brazil Case Study] Targeting Market Till now Unilever is a Market leader by targeting High Income Consumer segment (SE). For entering into Low income consumer market, Unilever need to prepare and implement a new targeting strategy because its a very huge market segment (53% NE and 21% SE). So what will be the Unilevers possible targeting strategy? Igor Ansoff (1957) in his study on Strategies of Diversification suggested a marketing tool (Market growth Matrix) and as per Ansoffs market growth matrix, Unilever is having two potential options out of four: Unilever is targeting new market segment, so option 12 automatically neglected. (Ansoff, 1957 p.113) Existing Product New Product Market Penetration Diversification Market Development Product Development Unilever can launch a Completely New Product in NE after RD and according to NE customers need. Unilever can Re-position existing brands or launch brand from existing international portfolio. Market. Diagram 3: Ansoffs Market Growth Matrix [Adapted and modified from Ansoff ,(1965), Corporate Strategy ,Page 109.] Existing Product in Existing Market (Market Penetration) Unilever is already having 87% (National Average is 81%) market share in SE with three brands. New Product in Existing Market (Product Development) Unilever is a market leader in SE higher Income segment, so no need to launch Ala. Existing Product in New Market (Market Development) Market Development can be the best strategy for Unilever in current scenario because Unilever is already having a good brand image in NE. Unilevers main challenge is to develop a market and try to change the washing habit of Low Income consumers by shifting them to detergent powder from laundry soap. New Product in New Market (Diversification) Diversification is the most risky option compared to the others because we are moving into the market with a New Product in which company is having very little or no experience. Market Penetration Product Development Market Development Diversification Low Risk High Risk Diagram 4: Risk associated with Market strategies In the current situation Unilever should choose the 3rd Option (Market Development), because Unilevers existing market (SE) is already developed with 87% Market Share (Option 12) and currently Unilever is looking for expand his business in NE and to capture low income consumer in SE as well. What all options are currently available to Unilever in Market development? Positioning the Product (Marketing Mix) Positioning Positioning New Brand in NE market by fulfilling customers need Distribution Specialized Distribution High availability Price Low Price (affordable) Product Fulfill NE Consumers need Good Smell Low Price High Quality Promotion TV Advertisements Sponsoring local Events Sample distribution Diagram 5: Marketing Mix [Adapted and modified from Ansoff , Lars Perner, 2010 http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/cb_Segmentation.html.] Product Strategies Unilever is having four options to position Product in NE market. Brand Extension of Omo (A cheaper version of Omo): It is a very risky option and will lead to high cannibalization. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.290) Re-positioning Minerva: It can be an option but Minerva is a bit costly product ($2.40 WP) for Low income consumers and reducing price and compromising in Quality can damage a brand image and lead to cannibalization. Re-positioning/Brand Extension Campeiro: Camperio is available in the market since 1984 and having just 6% market share. It is currently positioned as a Cheap Low Quality product in NE consumers, so Re-positioning of Campeiro is very time taking and a costly affair. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.228) Introduce a brand from the international portfolio: Without taking risk with existing brands, this can be a potential option for Unilever to introduce a new brand from its international portfolio like Nevex, Ala or Marsella (Latin America). I think It can be Ala (Means WING in Portuguese), only brand that is having a meaningful name. Ala can be positions between Minerva and Campeiro in terms of quality and below Campeiro in terms of price by effective marketing planning. Since NE consumers like Omo very much and currently use detergent powder just for good smell, so the fragrance of the Ala should be same as Omo and if possible Unilever should launch Ala in 2 or 3 different fragrances. Alas Packaging should be Proper, Attractive and cost effective packaging. Ala should be available in the market in a pack of 1kg, 500gm in both cardboard pack and plastic pack (Save detergent from moisture) and 250 gm 100gm in plastic sachets. Plastic sachet cost just 30% of Cardboard pack, so Unilever can offer consumers an additional quantity in plastic bags in same price. Ala will be priced between $1.5 and $1.6 per Kg, so we can easily offer an extra 20% to 25% quantity in plastic bags as Cardboard box cost $0.35 and Plastic Pack $0.10. (Solomon et al, 2009 p. 307 and Kotler, 2009 p.195) Table 6: Product Packing Matrix *Extra Quantity on plastic bag because of low cost of packaging Consumers always get attracted by special offers and additional quantity of product and since Unilever is the pioneer in the market, it will help Unilever to achieve good market share. While launching Ala, we can give some introductory offers like buy 1kg and get 500gm and 2kg and get 1kg free. Pricing Strategies Currently Unilever has priced (Whole Sale) product Omo with 22.45%, Minerva with 11.63% and Campeiro with 9.68% profit. Ala will also be priced with 9.15% (Approx) profit to wholesalers at $1.55 (Approx) that will be the lowest priced detergent powder available in the market as per the data available in case study. Best quality product in the lowest cost will be the USP for this Ala. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.370-374) Table 7: Cost Profit Calculation Matrix [Source: Exhibit 10 : Unilever in Brazil Case Study] Plastic Sachet packing reduces total cost of production by 25%, but NE consumers are having special attachment with boxes and Plastic Sachet Packed Product is assumed as low quality product. So we will introduce Ala in both box and plastic sachet packing where on the latter we give 25% extra quantity. Table 8: Profit difference in Box Sachet Packing *will offer 25% extra quantity Promotion Strategies Currently Unilevers promotion strategy is 70% above-the-line and 30% below-the-line. But for Ala it need to be changed to 40% above-the-line and 60% below-the- line, as low income consumers more attracted and relies on word of mouth publicity, small shop displays, holdings, sample distribution, free gifts etc. But moving towards below-the-line promotion not only Unilever can achieve better results in a low income consumer market but can also save money on promotions. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.37, 398-406) Ala should be promoted with the key messages like best quality, good smell, Care, Pride and self esteem. Ala will Packed in colorful box and sachet with the indication of quality and good fragrance by showing flowers etc. Point of purchase also need to be modified accordingly because several time consumer make decision changes by viewing point of purchase promotion and shopkeepers advice. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.167) Shopkeepers also need to be taken in confidence by providing credit and incentive. Target Audience (Women between 20 -50 years) Budget and Promotion Objective ($0.20/kg and Emotional appeal (Like Care, Pride and Good Smell) Designing Advertisement Media Type (TV, Outdoor Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Promotion by sample distribution, shop displays etc). Evaluation of Promotion Diagram 6: Promotional Strategy development [Adapted and modified from Solomon et al ,(2009), Marketing Real People Real Decesion ,Page 109.] Distribution Strategies The most important thing to make any product successful and to increase revenue, sales and market share is a good distribution system. You cant sell, what isnt there7 (Solomon et al, 2009, Page 494) With the Ala, Unilever is targeting to gain business in a low income consumer market that will be possible only when the product will be available on traditional retail shops (Main point of purchase for Low income consumers). For targeting the high income consumers in the big supermarket Unilevers current distribution system is well sufficient but to target low income consumers Unilever should take help from specialized distributors as well. (Solomon et al, 2009 p.498-500) Unilever need to make some changes in the distribution system by creating the proper mix of Generalist Specialized distributors, so the product will be available at as many as locations possible. New distribution mix can be applied in SE as well because there are also 21% of low income consumers. New distribution system will not only captures more ground area but also reduce the cost of distribution.

The Scarlett Letter Review :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter is a movie that has changed many times and in this summary I will try to stick to this one movie, even though I may compare it to the novel. As you already know, The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne dealing with the times of the Salem witch trials and puritan life. It is said that Hawthorne was very focused on these times because he felt guilty because his ancestors sent many men and women through various trails including burning and drowning them. Hawthorne is a great writer and one of my personal favorites, he writes in such a way that a vision is formed in your mind and he shows the feelings of those in his stories, real or imagined.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For preset the movie is told from Pearl’s eyes as if looking back on the lover her mother and father shared and their trials to be together. It begins with Mistress Hester Prin coming to the colonies without her husband, which many viewed as odd anyway. Hester finds her a nice cottage on the coast and precedes to buy help and live fairly normal. Many look down on her because she is alone and they expect something terrible of her. There is a group of women that take her in because they too are shunned from society, this group includes Harriet, she is very helpful and friendly to Hester throughout the movie. One day while Hester is gardening she sees a red bird and follows it to where she sees a young man swimming in the nude. On the Sabbath on her way to church her carriage gets stuck in the mud, and the nude swimmer helps her and admits that he has been trespassing on her property. The two get to town and he disappears before she can get his name. Then she enters and sits and he enters the pulpit. After the service they are properly introduced and he finds out that she is married. You can see in his eyes that this truly hurts him especially since many, many women introduce her to him as Mrs. Roger Prin. The two a obviously very intrigued with each other and eventually their passion is freed on a chance meeting. Hester then realizes she is pregnant and one of the ladies that also joins her at Harriet’s told the elders, because she had saw Hester throw up in the morning hours. Hester refused to reveal the father and lie in prison until her child was born. Rev.

William Wycherley’s The Country Wife Essay -- William Wycherley Countr

William Wycherley’s â€Å"The Country Wife† â€Å"A Restoration comedy is like an eighteenth-century sitcom; it’s entertaining† (MacKenzie, â€Å"Behn†). However, the similarities between the two genres are more far-reaching than their equal entertainment value. For example, the cast of William Wycherley’s Restoration comedy, â€Å"The Country Wife,† consists of some central characters that are strikingly similar to those in the cast of the modern situation comedy, Seinfeld. Harry Horner from â€Å"The Country Wife† and George Costanza from Seinfeld both fit the male â€Å"wit† character type. Likewise, Lady Fidget, one of Horner’s lovers, and another woman, who’s one of Costanza’s fleeting lovers, both fit the female â€Å"wit† character type. Through the interplay of these characters, the Restoration comedy and the situation comedy both assert the superior power of the female wit, when compared to that of the male wit. Wits of both genders ar e characterized by their skill at lying, hiding their lies from the public, and seeking and obtaining selfish, short-lived pleasures; they are also characterized by their discerning nature and their gambling nature of risking losses to get gains (MacKenzie, â€Å"Wycherley†). However, female wits are more powerful than male wits when they take risks to secure pleasures because: female wits are not required to hold down a job or earn money; they gain greater returns from the risks they take, than men do, and they never risk losing their honor. First, female wits are more powerful than male wits because they are not required to hold down a job or earn money. Lady Fidget and Horner illustrate this assertion through their interactions in â€Å"The Country Wife,† and another woman and Costanza illustrate it in an epis... ... the social rules that do not require a woman to work, or that prohibit her from working, paradoxically conspire to make female wits more powerful than male wits. Society provides women with ample free time to pursue pleasure, and their interdependent cohorts provide them with the free reign to do so. As a result, these powerful female wits take more selective, calculated risks than male wits do; they also gain greater returns, whether they appear in an eighteenth-century Restoration comedy or a twentieth-century situation comedy. Works Cited MacKenzie, Scott. â€Å"Behn, Oroonoko.† Seventh Class Meeting. English 260. Davidson College. 8 Sept. 2004. MacKenzie, Scott. â€Å"Wycherley, The Country Wife.† Ninth and Tenth Class Meetings. English 260. Davidson College. 10, 13 Sept. 2004. (Textbook). â€Å"The Subway.† Seinfeld. NBC. 8 Jan. 1992.

Environment Factors of Nascar Essay

Q1: What micro environmental factors affected the introduction and re-launch of the Toyota Prius? How well has Toyota dealt with these factors? Firstly, the company has spent a lot of money on the re-launch of the new and improved Prius model which is over 40 million dollars. On the same note it was also able to generate a profit represented by a 120% rise in the sales after some time of the re-launch. Starting off with the main objectives of the company to provide a new and technology product to the target market it was able to cover its operating and marketing costs and also make build a profitable customer relationship. Secondly, the agents helped promote the new brand hybrid. Since the company did not want to take any chance for interpretation of the features of Prius, they did not offer online purchase facility to customers. Thus, Toyota hired agents and provided professional training to them to provide maximum customer satisfaction. Thirdly, the company’s main target was those customer who were ‘techies’ and were ready to buy the product at its launch. The company made sure that their focused customers were well informed before the products launch i. e. 2 years before. Then, the company’s marketing strategies also included taglines with emotions which were very effective in its promotion. In summer 2004, the gasoline prices rose so the demand for Prius increases and so did the waiting lists. Toyota tried its best to cover the entire demand but still left some customers unsatisfied. Later on, it overcame this problem by a 33% and then a 100% rise in the monthly production. But the extensive and large scale advertising campaign and strong, overall marketing strategies helped Toyota to gain the competitive edge over them as well as the rest of the smaller rivals. Then, the incentive provided by the government of tax deduction also helped but the increase in the speed limit was a hindrance for Toyota which was also covered by the heavy marketing strategies. Q2: outline the major macro-environment factors demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural that affected the introduction and re-launch of the Toyota Prius. How well has Toyota dealt with each of these factors? The main customer focus of the company was those people who were youngster i. e. belonging to generation Y. so the main focus of the entire promotional activities were the ‘techies’ due to which a major portion of their profits was contributed by them. With respect to the economic factors, the case shows that the customer had enough income to spend on this luxury. This is shown by the fact that the company was able to sell 1800 cars in immediately and also had to raise the monthly production level by 33% and then even by 100% to meet the demand. Toyota is an â€Å"environmentally concerned† company since it had greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions. It also took advantage from the environmental appeal by spending out green seed cars shaped like Toyota’s logo to prospective buyers on Earth Days. The technological factor is explained by the many factors including adding cruise control by some wiring, dashboard display screen, playing video games, installing sniffer, 7-inch energy monitor, a CD player holding 6 discuses at a time and many more. Since the customers favored technological products and had enough knowledge Toyota was able to maintain customer loyalty. Politically, the company received support from the government in the form of tax deductions which helped efficient production but on the same note the speed limit factor acted as a hindrance but was covered by extensive marketing campaigns.