Marketing Plan For A Marketing Mix - 879 Words

The promotional concept has been used in many instances to create a meeting point between sellers and buyers. This occurs through providing critical information to customers. Promotion as a marketing mix can be defined as the art used to inform, persuade and remind a target audience regarding a given produce and service (Kazmi Batra, 2008). In many circumstances, it involves the reduction of prices of products for a limited time (Wiehenbrauk, 2010). This is mainly to attract consumers into purchasing the company’s product. Promotion as part of the 4P’s in marketing will take into consideration various promotional activities in order to persuade people into buying the healthy diet pill. Advertising Advertising is a promotional tool that establishes a link between buyers and sellers in a market (Mehta, 2008). It is usually used to relay information to the target market using mass-media advertising tools. In advertising, the company will communicate the products availability to the audience to increase awareness and inform customers on the existence of the product. The company will advertise the healthy diet pill through the use of billboards, television and radio. In this strategy, billboards will be used to run an advertising campaign that uses an outdoor advertising strategy where billboards are mounted on specific highways and places (Shimp Andrews, 2007). This outdoor tool will be mounted in high traffic areas, avenues and on buildings to inform masses on theShow MoreRelatedMarketing Mix And The Marketing Plan1335 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Competition, Marketing Mix and pricing plays a major role in the marketing Most marketing plans are conceived to extend no longer than one year before the plan is reassessed for modifications, additions, subtractions or entire reinvention depending on constantly evolving business goals and circumstances. In fact, a properly implemented marketing plan is constantly being assessed by accurate and consistent tracking systems to evaluate the plan’s performance against expectations. ThisRead MoreMarketing Mix And Marketing Plan1057 Words   |  5 PagesPromotion is one of the key elements to the Marketing Mix and is used by businesses to communicate information about their product in order to meet specific promotional objectives. To effectively promote a product or service, a business must first decide which communication process is best suited to their target market (Palmer, 2004). There are many different communication tools which a business can use, all of which can be classifi ed into one of two promotional categories. These two categoriesRead MoreCase Study : Marketing Mix And Marketing Plan2462 Words   |  10 Pagesengage, scope, plan, metrics, research, innovate, decide, manage, communicate, diversity and close. 1. Sell: convince customer to buy 1.1 Marketing: consist of 4 ingredients It is crucial for marketers to consider 4 P’s when coming up with a marketing plan: product, price, promotion and place. These 4 P’s, proposed by E. Jerome McCarthy in 1960, are ingredients of the marketing mix. A product could be a physical good or an intangible service. The product is the core of marketing. Marketers needRead MoreMadza Marketing Mix Plan4644 Words   |  19 Pagesit as a transport only and do not care about status. Currently, as we choose to believe, this car is in the maturity stage for its targeted group of consumers. Even though the company is showing the specifications of this car clearly on all its marketing collaterals, consumers might not be able to understand the technical issues or language used. They could use simpler terms to describe the technical terms used so that it will be easier for the consumer to understand. 2.2 Current Pricing The priceRead MoreIntegrated Marketing Mix And Implementation Plan1194 Words   |  5 PagesIntegrated Marketing Mix and Implementation Plan Product STORY’s core customer value is status, achieved through the product’s unique and groundbreaking luxurious design. Beyond this core value of status, the actual product must be consistent with the modern, luxury aspect of the clock. The clock features a design which simultaneously combines high-end design with levitating technology, supporting the goal of status for customers. The product is made from quality materials, including stained ashRead MoreMarketing Mix Model And Digital Marketing Plan For My Firm1575 Words   |  7 PagesMarketing Mix Model and Digital Marketing Plan for my Firm Using social media to market ones program is a growing marketing trend which often ends up in spectacular results. But repeating the same success level when it comes to ecotourism is a difficult task. Traditionally, sensations created by social media are often related to entertainment industry or really important events that can stir public interest. But when it comes to ecotourism, we are dealing with a sustainable business market that requiresRead MoreHaribo Cupcake Mix Marketing Plan6775 Words   |  28 Pages[pic] MARKETING PLAN: [pic] CONTRERAS VALDERRAMA Ivà ¡n FERNANDEZ Ana Laura GASPARINI Fabien GRANDPRE Sà ©golà ¨ne HAMRANI Sonia ING Morgane Foreword Created in 1920, in Bonn, by a German named: Hans Riegel, Haribo (stands for Hans RIegel BOn) is today known worldwide for its candies such as: Gold-Bears, Tagada Stawberries or Fizzy Cola. Indeed, Haribo is the first manufacturer of gums and jellies within the total sugar confectionery market, whoRead MoreHaribo Cupcake Mix Marketing Plan6790 Words   |  28 Pages[pic] MARKETING PLAN: [pic] CONTRERAS VALDERRAMA Ivà ¡n FERNANDEZ Ana Laura GASPARINI Fabien GRANDPRE Sà ©golà ¨ne HAMRANI Sonia ING Morgane Foreword Created in 1920, in Bonn, by a German named: Hans Riegel, Haribo (stands for Hans RIegel BOn) is today known worldwide for its candies such as: Gold-Bears, Tagada Stawberries or Fizzy Cola. Indeed, Haribo is the first manufacturer of gums and jellies within the total sugar confectionery market, who owns other famous candy brandsRead MoreMarketing Plan for Fit Mix Protein Water Mix3329 Words   |  13 PagesMarketing Plan Executive Summary The Fit Mix Protein Water mix is a new product that is being launched. This consultative report presents a marketing plan for the company developing the product. The recent political and social trends towards healthier lifestyles have increased the market for health drinks. The consumers are sensitive to health benefits including weight control offered by such products. The Fit Mix protein water mix would address health issues for the whole family. It will beRead MoreMarketing Mix Plan for Baskin Robbins2131 Words   |  9 Pagesagainst their competitors at the Los Angeles County Fair. That year they won their first Gold Medal and set the pattern for county and state fair participation, earning Gold Medals for Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream every year since that first contest. Marketing Mix PRODUCT Baskin Robbins has never used artificial flavorings; its extensive Ramp;D efforts have focused on developing a wide range of flavors by using natural ingredient. As a result, BR’s products smell distinctly different from other products

The Effects Of Nonpharmacological Interventions On The...

Adults with Schizophrenia: Impacts of Nonpharmacological Interventions Despite the advances of antipsychotic medications, schizophrenia is a leading cause of global disability associated with high rates of hospitalizations, depression, and suicide attempts (Statistics Canada, 2015, para. 5). According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2016), â€Å"schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves† (para. 1). Additionally, individuals with schizophrenia may experience varied symptoms including: delusions and hallucinations; movement and thought disorders; flat affect and decreased pleasure; and impaired attention and memory (NIMH, 2016, para. 4, 5, 6). The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of nonpharmacological interventions in the population of adults with schizophrenia. Several modalities of nonpharmacological treatments have been examined for efficacy, however our research focuses specifically on the following categories: (a) psychoeducation and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), (b) physical fitness and yoga programs, (c) combined pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies, (d) case management and community services, and (e) technology and relational agents. The management of schizophrenia is complex and requires an â€Å"all-encompassing approach† which should be individualized to meet the needs of a particular patient (Schizophrenia Society of Canada, 2016, para. 5).Show MoreRelatedSymptoms And Treatment Of Pain1654 Words   |  7 PagesBredow 2009). When pain is poorly managed, it can delay healing and recovery. Using the proper nursing assessment skill is very important to assess a patient’s pain level, and determine the best intervention to reduce or eliminate it. Middle range theory such as Pain: a balance between analgesia and side effects and the theory of unpleasant symptoms (TOUS) helps interpret and serves as a tool used in assessing patients in nursing practice. Background of Pain Theory During the 17th centuryRead MoreSurvey Of Cognitive Remediation Practices For Individuals With Schizophreni Implementation And Barriers9236 Words   |  37 Pages Survey of Cognitive Remediation Practices for Individuals with Schizophrenia: Implementation and Barriers Jessica Ryan Cuttance, M.S., CRC Dr. Dara Chan, ScD, CRC Dr. Mark Klinger, PhD University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Abstract Cognitive impairment (CI) is observed in the vast majority of individuals with schizophrenia and has long been identified as a principal contributor to functional deficits. To date, pro-cognitive pharmacologic therapies have been largely unsuccessful

Business Model Innovation Portfolio Strategy †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Business Model Innovation Portfolio Strategy. Answer: Introduction Competitive advantage provides the organisations to have better returns on capital and organisations take different strategies to gain the competitive advantage. As stated by Madsen and Walker (2015), organisations want to create sustainable competitive advantage through taking competitive strategy that can provide single attribute. In this essay, three different industries are chosen and from each of the industry, three different organisations are selected to show the application of competitive strategies. The aim of the essay is to show the process of sustainable competitive strategies taken in different industries. In this essay, tourism industry, aged care and education industry of Australia are chosen to show the competitive strategies. Three different strategies are Ansoff Matrix, Blue Ocean Strategy and Porter's Five Forces. Tourism in Australia can be taken as an important part of the economy of Australia. In 2016-17, tourism provided 4% of Australias GDP. Domestic tourism is also a significant part of Australian tourism industry as 73% of tourism revenue comes from domestic tourism (Mistills et al. 2017). Strengths of tourism industry in Australia lie in world class nature, safe environment and ability to connect with world while travelling. On the contrary, weaknesses of tourism in lie in busy destinations, expensive and all the places cover with immense distance. Opportunities in tourism are fast growing economy in Australia and Australia government spends in tourism infrastructure (Madsen and Walker 2015). On the other side, threats in this industry are exchange rate and environmental destruction. Cosmos Tour is an Australia based Tourism Company as Cosmos helps to travel the tourists from East Coast to Eastern Europe and from Italy to the USA (Cosmosvacations.au 2018). The goal of Cosmos Australia is to make the favourite pastime for the tourists for an affordable reality. In Australia, there are various tourism companies those are working in the same field and offering the same types of services. Therefore, Cosmos Tour does not get enough opportunity to increase the market share by creating a large customer base. Blue Ocean Strategy refers to the creation of new and uncontested market space which can make competitors irrelevant. Blue Ocean Strategy can create new customer value through decreasing the costs (Kim and Mauborgne 2014). The main principle of blue ocean strategy in the tourism industry is to rethink key elements of the services that can meet the different market segment. Cosmos Tour in Australia tried to make long-lasting brand equity for a new destination. Cosmos Tour previous did the tour operation in Australia and mostly in European countries. In recent time, Cosmos Tour has adopted a plan to start Antarctica Tourism. Cosmos Tour has already scheduled the date to speak to Antarctica Flight organisation. Cosmos Tour is trying to take the initiative to conduct the Antarctica Tour as a first tourism company in Australia. Cosmos Tour is planning to take the permission from Antarctica Flights about the sightseeing over Antarctica from Australia. Cosmos Tour will operate one-day sight seeing as Tour Company making a partnership with Antarctica Flights over Antarctica departing from Australia every summer and spring. This trip will be around 12 hours and the flights will be the easiest way to see the great white continent. Cosmos Tour will provide parachute diving as an adventure sport to attract the maximum tours. The tours will not need any passport for this. The package cost will be lower at first if the customers book from Cosmos Tour. Therefore, in Australia, the tourism industry has become red ocean as there are many tourism companies those offer same services. Cosmos Tour has reconstructed the market boundaries by offering exclusive tour to Antarctica. Cosmos Tour focuses on the big picture and it reaches beyond the existing demand in the market and in this new venture of tourism, there will be no competitors. As opined by Agnihotri (2016), the motto of blue ocean strategy is to break the value-cost trade-off. Cosmos Tour will be trying to align the whole s ystem of organisational activities in pursuit of differentiation and low cost. Aged Care in Australia Australias population is getting aged and this demographic shift represents the range of opportunities and challenges for older Australians. These aged people cannot read, communicate and have issue with mobility or self-care. Strengths in aged care industry are clinical practicum, ability to work in team and enough nurses availability. Weaknesses in this aged care industry lie in knowledge gap and nurses involvement in personal life (Henderson et al. 2017). The competitors are enough in nearby places. Opportunities lie in expenditure, career opportunity and learning in aged care industry. Threats in this industry are financial limitation, emotionally stress of the nurses and work-life balance of the employees. Royal Freemasons Coppin Centre is one such aged care home in Melbourne where they provide aged care services to the service users (Royalfreemasons.org.au 2018). In Melbourne, there are many other nursing homes those provide aged care service and numbers of aged care homes are more than the demand in the market. Therefore, the aged care homes need to analyse the competition in the market. As pointed out by Baldwin et al. (2016), assistance is also provided to older people by the informal providers (73%) and older people find care from the formal providers (60%) also. Porters five forces analysis Competitive Rivalry: In aged care sector, key changes in industry structure have observed. These changes are associated with the increase of numbers of beds and technological innovation. This change can be seen in the for-profit aged care homes. Competitive rivalry is not intense due to the geographical position of each of the aged care homes in Melbourne and these aged care homes are strategically located near the cities and markets that provide both referrals and aged patients. The threat of new entrants: In aged care sector, new entrants can be understood through barriers to entry and level of attractiveness. In aged care sector, the income has increased by 9% during the 2015 and 2016 (Henderson et al. 2017). Price changes have been shown in Australian aged care, therefore, the figure showed the increase in price by 6%. Australian aged care sector is moderately attractive for potential entrants. Future profitability is certain though in this sector as the numbers of older people have been increased. Threat of substitutes: Threat of substitutes in the aged care sector is high as the substitutes are private nursing homes, not-for-profit healthcare homes, public hospitals and daycare hospitals. Aged people can admit to any of the health care hospitals. Therefore, the threat of substitutes in the industry is high. Aged care homes are costlier than the public hospitals and not-for-profit healthcare centres. Bargaining power of buyers: In Australia, more than 9 million people aged over 40 years. Most of the Australians want to remain in their own homes when they would be aged. Almost 5% aged Australians live in aged care homes (Wakefield et al. 2015). Customers of the aged care homes are older people and the customers have the ability to influence the industry in a negative way or it can damage the shareholder's interest as well. This force is moderate. Bargaining power of suppliers: Medical practitioners, consumable medical supplies and medical equipment sellers are the suppliers of aged care sector. This influence is not activated positively as it has latent power to negotiate the condition to supply of the industry. This force is low. Education industry in Australia The education industry has undergone a significant change over the past few years in Australia. This change has included the introduction of new school or college funding model, demands-driven systems, and policy initiatives and increasing the access of internet. Current revenue in the education industry in Australia is $121 billion and annual growth is 3.5% (Verger et al. 2016). It provides the employment of more than 800,000 and more than 19,188 educational institutions are there in Australia (Booth and Whelan 2016). Strengths of education industry in Australia lie in affordability value, instruction quality and programmes offering by the institutions (Verhoven and Johnson 2017). In higher secondary sector, many foreign students also come for studies in Australia and educational institutions try to attract the more students with better opportunity. Weaknesses of education industry lie in the collaboration between district and colleges, communication, process improvement. Opportunit ies in this industry are the faculties, trends in education, annexation leading to better enrolment and technology. Threats are associated to the funding restriction, high school misalignment and accountability requirement. Monash College is one such educational institution that offers courses like Certificate in Diplomas in art, design, architecture, arts and businesses. Monash College provides future students visas, accommodations, airport pick-up facilities and the opening of bank account ( ). Monash College is fully owned by Monash University and it is the path way of the international students (Monashcollege.edu.au 2018). It has been in the industry for more than 20 years. Ansoff Matrix Ansoff Matrix is strategic planning that provides a framework to help the management for future growth of the organisation. Ansoff Matrix has four quadrants, market penetration, product or service development, market development and diversification. In market penetration segment, Monash College must look at the present courses with the unique teaching methods. Monash College offers MCU e-learning, Recognition Prior Learning, Student Support Service and English Language Support. Monash College does career fair where they can attract the students from existing market through offering their courses and from where the college can expect a maximum of the income to be generated (Monashcollege.edu.au 2018). In market development segment, the market should be new and the service should be existing (Verhoeven and Johnson 2017). Monash College can tie up with the government department or the foreign universities in order to increase the numbers of students. Partnering with the foreign universities will provide future students if Monash College can advertise better. Moreover, product or service development segment, Monash College needs to do marketing in existing market with new services. Monash College can start Science courses apart from diploma in business, arts and accounts. Monash College can start short courses of communication and personal development that help the career aspirants to develop their personality. Lastly, diversification strategy can be done in new market with new services; Monash College can attract the students from wider range of sources and it is going to identify and cultivate emerging countries from where the students can come for higher studies; Monash College will help the students to get the loan. Conclusion Competitive strategies allow the organisation to earn excess revenue for the shareholders and without the competitive advantage; the organisations will decline. Organisations take the competitive strategies in order to make them differentiate from other competitors and these competitive strategies help them to gain the competitive advantage. Cosmos Tour's blue ocean strategy will make them differentiate where they make space with the uncontested market through providing tour opportunity in Antarctica. Aged Care sector does not have much competition in Melbourne; however, the competition can be increased with time as large numbers of people in Australia belong to an older generation. Existing companies need to aim the target audiences and create demand in the market through driving the economic growth. In the education industry, Australian educational institutions have enough scope to expand the market as maximum numbers of foreign students come here for studies. Service and product d evelopment will be a suitable option for expanding the business. Reference List Agnihotri, A., 2016. Extending boundaries of blue ocean strategy.Journal of Strategic Marketing,24(6), pp.519-528. Baldwin, R., Chenoweth, L., Rama, M. and Liu, Z., 2016. Quality failures in residential aged care in Australia: The relationship between structural factors and regulation imposed sanctions.Australasian Journal on ageing,34(4), pp.23-28. Booth, S. and Whelan, J., 2016. Hungry for change: the food banking industry in Australia.British Food Journal,116(9), pp.1392-1404. Cosmosvacations.au. 2018.Why Choose Cosmos Holidays? Budget Europe, US Canada Vacation Packages. Available at: https://www.cosmosvacations.au/about/ [Accessed 13 Apr. 2018]. Henderson, J., Willis, E., Xiao, L. and Blackman, I., 2017. Missed care in residential aged care in Australia: An exploratory study.Collegian,24(5), pp.411-416. Kim, W.C. and Mauborgne, R.A., 2014.Blue ocean strategy, expanded edition: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Harvard business review Press. Madsen, T.L. and Walker, G., 2015.Modern competitive strategy. McGraw Hill. Meng, W., Xu, L., Hu, B., Zhou, J. and Wang, Z., 2016. Quantifying direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions of the Chinese tourism industry.Journal of Cleaner Production,126, pp.586-594. Monash College. 2018 About us. Available at: https://www.monashcollege.edu.au/about-us [Accessed 18 Apr. 2018]. Royalfreemasons.org.au. 2018.Royal Freemasons - Coppin Centre. Available at: https://www.royalfreemasons.org.au/care/residential-care/locations/coppin-centre.html [Accessed 13 Apr. 2018]. Verger, A., Lubienski, C. and Steiner-Khamsi, G. eds., 2016.World yearbook of education 2016: The global education industry. Abingdon: Routledge. Verhoeven, B. and Johnson, L.W., 2017. Business Model Innovation Portfolio Strategy for Growth Under Product-Market Configurations.Journal of Business Models,5(1), p.35. Wakefield, M., Coomber, K., Zacher, M., Durkin, S., Brennan, E. and Scollo, M., 2015. Australian adult smokers responses to plain packaging with larger graphic health warnings 1 year after implementation: results from a national cross-sectional tracking survey.Tobacco control,24(2), pp.17-25.

Nathaniel Hawthorne Stories Essays - Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne Stories Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne, created many short stories which involved strange, or even stranger, supernatural events and behavior. Many of Hawthorne's stories were written on the basis of his life occurrences and what he believed and also what he wanted his readers to believe. Also, almost every single one of Hawthorne's characters in each of his short stories are faced with a choice in which they most choose between either doing something in which that is right, or doing something of which that is wrong, and there are consequences that follow either decision. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his romantic short story "The Hollow of the Three Hills" illustrates his view through the main character, that life is short, and you need to do the right things while you have the time.Hawthorne's life, what he did, and what happened to him, greatly influenced his writings, in fact, that is the only basis in which he wrote upon. When he graduated from Bowdoin College in 1825, he was determined to become a writer of fiction. Composition was the only subject in school he had shown interest in and actually excelled in. His wife, Sophia Peabody was the most important person who was in his life. He had the happiest years spending most of his life with her in Concord, New Hampshire. For Hawthorne, Sophia was his salvation, his only link to human companionship. As in the story "The Hollow of the Three Hills", life and death are circumstances in which Hawthorne particularly likes to write about. Many other occurrences also influenced his writings, such as historical and legendary pasts, and his own life at Brook Farm, where he once lived. He would also often write about people who go through real life situations, but he likes to put a twist on them. Another thing that inspired him to write was what he could not see, rather than what he could see. He thought that writing on things that he could see, everyone one else could see as well, but if he wrote on things that he could not see, most likely no one else could see those things either, which would, in turn, make his stories more interesting to read about. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. During this time was the age of Puritanism, which was also an idea that he often wrote upon. Biographers view Hawthorne's preoccupation with Puritanism as an outgrowth of his background. He also wrote about supernatural events. As in the story "The Hollow of the Three Hills", supernatural events occurred. An example of this would be when an anonymous young character seeked advice from a much older anonymous character. The older character gave her the advice she needed through "fortune telling" and spells. After the younger character got the advice she seeked, shedied instantly in the lap of the older character. Hawthorne frequently uses characters which have mesmeric powers. Mr. Hawthorne's distinctive trait is invention, creation, imagination, and originality. These traits are the prime example of Romanticism. He also wrote about the positives and the negatives of romance, and the affects in has on common people.Hawthorne, not only through his short story "The Hollow of the Three Hills", but in other short stories that he has written, explains or rather tries to tell his readers that life is short, and you need to do the right things while you have the time. Because if you do not do the right things while you have time, you will most likely regret the choices that you have made, or did not make. Some of Hawthorne's life experiences influenced his writing. Hawthorne liked solitude, he often roamed forests and lakes by himself. Troubled about money and saddened by the death of his mother, inspired him to write "The Scarlet Letter". "The Marble Faun" was written by the influence of Rome's historical and legendary past, it's artistic treasures, and the blended grandeur and squalor of life. Recurring thematic patterns occur in Hawthorne's work, this shows Hawthorne's emphasis on the events on the human heart rather than on the events themselves.

Free Essays on Teenage Pregnacy

In recent years, teenage pregnancy has been labeled a major issue amongst teens that it can be known as an â€Å"Epidemic.† Is teenage pregnancy directly responsible for a host of society’s ills? Increasing teenage pregnancy rate translates directly into increasing rates of â€Å"school failure,† early behavioral problems, drug abuse, child abuse, depression, and crimes. Many social problems can be directly attributed to the poor choices of teenage girls. The talk shows today are flooded by episodes dealing with teen pregnancies. The teenage rate in the United States declined in 1993 and 1994. Unfortunately, the number of birth decreased only to older teens, ages 18 and 19. Babies born to teens younger than 17 actually increased, reflecting a growing population of younger girls who are what we now euphemistically call â€Å"sexually active.† The number of girls aged 14-17 will increase by more than a million between 1996 and 2005. Increasing numbers of children born to children are likely to repeat the devastating cycles of almost everything bad-teenage pregnancy, school failures, early behavioral problems, drug abuse, child abuse, depression and crime. Has anyone ever heard of a child who is happy because he does not know his father? Being a child of a single mother is a handicap, regardless of the wealth, maturity, or social status of that mother. Growing up as the child of a single parent is linked with lower levels of academic achievement (have to repeat grades in school or receiving lower marks and class standings); increased levels of depression; stress and aggression; a decrease in some indicated for physical health; higher incidences of needing services of mental health professionals; and other emotional and behavioral problems. All these effects are linked with lifetime in poverty, poor achievement, and susceptibility to suicide, likelihood of committing crimes and being arrested, and other issues. When children... Free Essays on Teenage Pregnacy Free Essays on Teenage Pregnacy In recent years, teenage pregnancy has been labeled a major issue amongst teens that it can be known as an â€Å"Epidemic.† Is teenage pregnancy directly responsible for a host of society’s ills? Increasing teenage pregnancy rate translates directly into increasing rates of â€Å"school failure,† early behavioral problems, drug abuse, child abuse, depression, and crimes. Many social problems can be directly attributed to the poor choices of teenage girls. The talk shows today are flooded by episodes dealing with teen pregnancies. The teenage rate in the United States declined in 1993 and 1994. Unfortunately, the number of birth decreased only to older teens, ages 18 and 19. Babies born to teens younger than 17 actually increased, reflecting a growing population of younger girls who are what we now euphemistically call â€Å"sexually active.† The number of girls aged 14-17 will increase by more than a million between 1996 and 2005. Increasing numbers of children born to children are likely to repeat the devastating cycles of almost everything bad-teenage pregnancy, school failures, early behavioral problems, drug abuse, child abuse, depression and crime. Has anyone ever heard of a child who is happy because he does not know his father? Being a child of a single mother is a handicap, regardless of the wealth, maturity, or social status of that mother. Growing up as the child of a single parent is linked with lower levels of academic achievement (have to repeat grades in school or receiving lower marks and class standings); increased levels of depression; stress and aggression; a decrease in some indicated for physical health; higher incidences of needing services of mental health professionals; and other emotional and behavioral problems. All these effects are linked with lifetime in poverty, poor achievement, and susceptibility to suicide, likelihood of committing crimes and being arrested, and other issues. When children...

European Exploration of Africa

European Exploration of Africa Europeans have been interested in African geography since the time of the Greek and Roman Empires.   Around 150 C.E., Ptolemy created a map of the world that included the Nile and the great lakes of East Africa.   In the Middle Ages, the large Ottoman Empire blocked European access to Africa and its trade goods, but Europeans still learned about Africa from Islamic maps and travelers, like Ibn Battuta. The Catalan Atlas created in 1375, which includes many African coastal cities, the Nile River, and other political and geographical features, shows how much Europe knew about North and West Africa. Portuguese Exploration By the 1400s, Portuguese sailors, backed by Prince Henry the Navigator, began exploring the West coast of Africa looking for a mythical Christian king named Prester John and a way to the wealth of Asia that avoided the Ottomans and the powerful empires of South West Asia.   By 1488, the Portuguese had charted a way around the South African Cape and in 1498, Vasco da Gama reached Mombasa, in what is today Kenya, where he encountered Chinese and Indian merchants. Europeans made few inroads into Africa, though, until the 1800s, due to the strong African states they encountered, tropical diseases, and a relative lack of interest. Europeans instead grew rich trading gold, gum, ivory, and slaves with coastal merchants.   Science, Imperialism, and the Quest for the Nile In the late 1700s, a group of British men, inspired by the Enlightenment ideal of learning, decided that Europe should know much more about Africa. They formed the African Association in 1788 to sponsor expeditions to the continent.   With the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808, European interest in the interior of Africa grew quickly.   Geographical Societies were formed and sponsored expeditions. The Parisian Geographical Society offered a 10,000 franc prize to the first explorer who could reach the town of Timbuktu (in present-day Mali) and return alive. The new scientific interest in Africa was never wholly philanthropic, however. Financial and political support for exploration grew out of the desire for wealth and national power. Timbuktu, for instance, was believed to be rich in gold.   By the 1850s, interest in African exploration had become an international race, much like the Space Race between the U.S. and U.S.S.R in the 20th century.   Explorers like David Livingstone, Henry M. Stanley, and Heinrich Barth became national heroes, and the stakes were high. A public debate between Richard Burton and John H. Speke over the source of the Nile led to the suspected suicide of Speke, who was later proven correct.   Explorers’ travels also helped pave the way for European conquest, but the explorers themselves had little to no power in Africa for much of the century. They were deeply dependent on the African men they hired and the assistance of African kings and rulers, who were often interested in acquiring new allies and new markets.   European Madness and African Knowledge Explorers accounts of their travels downplayed the assistance they received from African guides, leaders, and even slave traders. They also presented themselves as calm, cool, and collected leaders masterfully directing their porters across unknown lands.   The reality was that they were often following existing routes and, as Johann Fabian showed, were disoriented by fevers, drugs, and cultural encounters that went against everything they expected to find in so-called savage Africa.   Readers and historians believed explorers accounts, though, and it was not until recent years that people began to recognize the critical role that Africans and African knowledge played in the exploration of Africa. Sources Fabian, Johannes, Out of Our Minds: Reason and Madness in the Exploration of Central Africa. (2000). Kennedy, Dane. The Last Blank Spaces: Exploring Africa and Australia. (2013).

Consumer behaviour Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Consumer behaviour - Case Study Example Situational analysis on the company is conducted to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which used as a basis of formulating the various alternative strategies for addressing the underlying issue. The best option is selected for the implementation and this option is cost effective and has significant favorable effects to the company. Problem statement Levi Strauss & Co. is a giant apparel company based in San Francisco and it is privately by the Levis for the last 147 years which has been marked by the years of success characterized with increased profits and the overall sale of its cloth wears. Levi Strauss is an all American brand and that its corporate image among the potential and the existing customers has a higher level of publicity. Therefore the goals and the objectives of this giant apparel cloth wear company for the last few years is to constantly sustain their increased sales and profitability, maintain its market share, consistently develop new products that is available to the existing and the emerging market segments through regular company research and development and finally is to consolidate its customer base by maintaining customers loyalty and satisfaction. Unfortunately Levi Strauss & Co in the recently over a period of time has become difficult in meeting these goals and objectives. Notably this trend has been attributed by the consumer changes in the cloth ware and apparel industry where there is frequent changes in fashion and designs thus affecting the changes and preference of the consumers across the entire market segment (Stamatiadis 2009). The key move that Levi Strauss & Co did not take keenly in during this period of fashion change and designs of the clothing wear in this industry is the failure to make changes according to the changes in the taste and preference of their existing customers thus contributing to Levi Strauss & Co being always seasons behind in terms of the emerging trends and designs hence their major competitors. More important is that they have not been able to sustain the market segment that comprises the young comprising of the under twenty five and the kids who have perceive that the Levi’s styles are too tight and they are suitable for the old generation thus resulting into the loss of the market share in which the younger generation has been Levi Strauss & Co major existing customers. One of the major setbacks is the failure to consolidate the younger generation who have been contributing more to their profits (Stamatiadis 2009). These emerging issues has resulted into the company realizing little success in its operations and the overall revenue generation and the loss of the customers and the reduced market share in the cloth wear industry, the changes in the consumer behavior in due to change in their taste and preference has resulted into their competitors such as JNCO, Old Navy and Kirkwear having an added advantage over them this resulting into th e loss of market share from 31% to 17% despite increase in the market of jeans wear and the overall cloth wear in a span of three years. The implication of these problems to Levi Strauss & Co include tumbling sales due to the loss of market share and the existing customers, layoffs of the employees where they reduced the number of employees by 40% laying off over 15000 total number of employees, plant closings due to the reduced sales and the loss of t

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries Essay

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries - Essay Example In numerous developing countries, the trend is shifting from trade liberalisation to economic independence (Candau & Jean 2006). The multilateral trading system is enduring from the instability of the economy while preferential agreements keep on flourishing. Nowadays, no developing country is withdrawing from this development. Even if the European Union (EU), which began with the enforcement in 1958 of a customs union, has been putting into effects preferential agreements for several years, other developing countries, particularly those in East Asia, did not aid the increase in the prevalence of preferential agreements (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). Nevertheless, in the recent decades, developing economies, such as China, have further strengthened this risky development. Because of the failure of the Geneva ministerial convention in 2008, there will be heightened need for PTAs (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). The issues raised in the recent decade will occur again. The absence of growth in the mu ltilateral stage will be considered as the major justification for preferential agreements and, apparently, this claim is currently more compelling than before (Falvey & Reed 2002). With the absence of any possible settlement on the Doha Development Round, the international economy is seasoned once again for a new batch of preferential agreements. However, policymakers should understand the risks that PTAs create for developing countries. Theoretically, preferential agreements rule out countries (Candau & Jean 2006). Liberalisation is PTAs’ deal and countries make compromises in them, yet these are exclusive to the signatories. Hence, preferential agreements exclude (Evenett 2008). Given this fact, the first most favourable solution would be to remove preferential agreements in general. Countries, without preferential agreements, could either agree in multilateral discussions on liberalisation plans or have unilateral trade regulations (Hoekman et al. 2008). Nowadays, neverth eless, this is not a possible suggestion. All countries would have to concur with the restrictions of PTAs. Hence, the challenge at present is to enforce mechanisms that lessen the unfavourable effects of PTAs, in particular on developing countries. This issue will be thoroughly discussed in this paper. Preferential Trade Agreements: Favourable or Unfavourable to Developing Countries? Several studies have investigated the effect of the trade preferences of EU on imports from developing nations. Majority have reported favourable outcomes, specifically for the preferences provided to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states (Persson and Wilhelmsson 2007), which are aiming for sustainable development and reduction of poverty levels. Evenett (2008) emphasises that the effect of the EU Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (GSP), which guarantees that exporters from developing countries are charged with lesser duties, relies on which of the EU GSP agreement that is concerned an d that the organisational expenditures related with acquiring level of preferences to that margins of preference of not below 4.5% are non-utilised (Nilsson & Matsson 2009, 5). Other scholars, such as Cipollina and Salvati (2008), study the effect of preferences of the EU in the industry of agriculture. These scholars reported that the preferential schemes of

The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s Essay Example for Free

The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s Essay The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s brought a close to a chapter in history that brought the world to the brink of global nuclear-armed conflict. However, at the dawn of the 21st century President George W. Bushs administration is poised to reopen that chapter by pursuing a unilateral defense posture that will only serve to modernize and expand current nuclear war fighting capabilities and break the taboo of nuclear non-use. This paper will argue that the failure of the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as the pursuit of a National Missile Defense (NMD) will lock the United States back into its Cold War security dilemma in which striving to increase security breeds more insecurity. CTBT Since the 1950s, opposition to nuclear testing has been spurred by concerns over its health and environmental effects and by testing being one of the more visible signs of the nuclear arms race. Most recently, in 1995-1996, massive worldwide criticism of French nuclear tests in the South Pacific, caused France to curtail its test program. Public opposition and the dangers of an arms race fueled by nuclear testing have lead governments to try to limit and stop nuclear testing for over 40 years. However, in 1999 the United States Senate refused to implement the CTBT, which would have put an end to nuclear weapons testing and development. The United States failure to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty guarantees a future end to the ten-year moratorium on testing. The events of September 11th and the subsequent war on terrorism have the Bush administration searching for new options on the battlefield. Recently the administration began studying options for the development and production of a small, low-yield nuclear weapon called a bunker-buster which would burrow into the ground to destroy buried hideaways of rogue leaders like Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden. This pursuit not only guarantees no chance of the CTBT ever coming into law in the US but it also guarantees the breakdown in the firewall between conventional warfare and nuclear warfare. Using nuclear weapons in conventional warfare guarantees the escalation of conflict that would spiral out of control and only serve to hurt future arms reductions negotiations. The development of low yield nuclear weapons is also likely to spur a new arms race between the US and Russia because of an increased reliance on tactical nuclear weapons, in which the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction is no longer employed as deterrence but as procedure. 1 Therefore the United States effort to increase its security by developing weapons to defeat terrorists would only serve to escalate its own insecurity and showcase US military paranoia. The failure of the US to ratify the CTBT also makes it less likely that other states will enter into the treaty. Pakistan and India, known nuclear states that are the most likely to start a nuclear confrontation have long been waiting to see what the US is going to do on CTBT before they take a stance. The effect of the US ratifying the CTBT would be the equivalent of saying Gentlemen, start your engines. 2 Every government in the world that is considering the treaty would race to get the treaty to enter into force. If those countries were to continue on their current course of nuclear development it is likely that the Bush administration would have to uphold its doctrine that it is using against Iraq in order to prevent the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction to terrorist organizations. Ratification of the CTBT would not only halt US weapons development at its current state but it would also help pave the way for eventual disarmament. The ratification of the CTBT would also help undermine the current security dilemma the United States is locked in to. NMD NMD first appeared under President Reagan in the early 1980s. It was popularly known as Star Wars because it was intended to be a space-based system for the reconnaissance and prompt in-flight destruction of long-range missiles fired at the US3. However, due to its complexity and cost, the Star Wars system was never built. However, anti-missile systems continue to be explored, as for example the Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle developed under President Clinton. 4 NMD represents an attempt to ensure that the US is forever safe from any kind of attack, especially from irrational rogue states armed with long-range missiles. It shows clearly that an interdependent world and globalisation bring with them a sense of insecurity. This sense of insecurity could be said to verge on paranoia, considering the disparity of forces between rogue states and the US. Indeed, as there is brought here, every threat is magnified under the lens of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and must be hedged against. Echoing President Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair argued that in an interdependent world, extensive multilateralism was the only choice that could lead to true security from multiple, global threats. 5 However, President Bush seems to have chosen the opposite path by seeking to protect the US unilaterally, resulting in the logic of the Cold War arms race. NMD in particular, as it is a space-based defense system, seems particularly vulnerable to the logic of the arms race. Indeed, today only one in eight active orbiting satellites belong to the US military. 6 This proportion is set to decrease, as launching satellites into space continues to become more and more affordable to companies and smaller countries. Therefore, in the unilateralist logic, space-based weapons will also become increasingly available to possible enemies, presenting a new threat to US security that must be overcome by ever more expensive technological fixes. Furthermore, since i la carte multilateralism undermines the ABM Treaty, the arms race perspective becomes even more likely, as it contains the most explicit protections of satellites on the books. 7 The ABM Treaty effectively blocked the development of anti-missile defense systems,8 thus ensuring that any country launching a missile attack would be unable to defend itself from a retaliatory strike. Were this treaty to disappear, aggressive acts towards satellites, most probably by present or future rogue states, would only become more likely a self-fulfilling prophecy. This logic serves only to reiterate the fact that The basis of security is that it never works for just one. You have to have security for everyone or it fails. 9. That entering the arms race logic is the result of paranoia rather than realism is shown by the fact that the widening access to satellites to both businesses and countries could equally be seen as reinforcing the USs dominant position. Indeed, because of the USs undoubted technological advantage, it has developed many of the technologies which have become commonplace. For example, the Australian army relies on the American GPS system,10 and it is further woven into the fabric of daily life by being used by navigators in the worlds airlines and ships and even in ordinary peoples boats and cars. 11 Thus it is possible to say that the GPS system is universal and is no longer being tied to any particular territory. A more liberal approach than that taken by the Bush administration would suggest that overall, this diminishes the likelihood of an attack upon the satellites. Indeed By sharing GPS, no one feels so threatened to compete with it, and because of its widespread use any country that damaged it would provoke a global fury. 12 US insecurity is further demonstrated by frequent inversions of its actual military posture. Hence, the US is often represented as a weak military nation, despite its crushing military superiority. For example, Condoleeza Rice, President Bushs national security advisor, claimed during President Clintons tenure that US soldiers had been turned into social workers, and that the armed forces as a whole were as weak as in 1940. 13 The current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of the increasing vulnerability of the US, and evoked images of a space-based Pearl Harbor early on in President Bushs tenure. 14 This constant fear of vulnerability is mirrored in academic circles. Kagan states that the defense budget needs to be increased rapidly, by as much as $50-100 billion per year. 15 As a budgetary recommendation, this figure seems fanciful, considering the combination of a slowing US economy, the $1. 35 trillion tax cut promoted by President Bush and the difficulty of pushing a far more modest budget increase through Congress this past budgetary session. However unrealistic, it does serve to reflect the condition of institutionalised paranoia. Insecurity is clearly shown when the US, by far the worlds leading military power in terms of budget, technology, logistics and training, is portrayed as being highly vulnerable to people such as Osama Bin Laden,16 the alleged terrorist. Rather, the US is creating the conditions of its own insecurity. Indeed, the combination of i la carte multilateralism, dreams of Full Spectrum Dominance and the idiosyncratic branding of certain states as rogues can only serve to antagonize friends and foes alike. Rather than defusing possible threats at the source, President Bushs policies seem more likely to provoke attack. Of course, any attack would be taken as a justification of these policies, feeding into a vicious circle of insecurity resolved through the deification of technology and the abandonment of the human contact represented by treaty negotiation. In Der Derians words, President Bush symbolizes the leader who has given up on peace on earth and now [seeks] peace of mind through the worship of new techno-deities. 17 Rumsfelds drive to reform the military on the basis of NMD and other space-based technologies implies deep and risky reductions in conventional forces, such as cuts in the number of Army divisions, Navy aircraft carriers and Air Force fighter wings. 18 This further reinforces the fact that techno-strategy is supplanting humanity in security considerations. The search for unilateral absolute security, especially through technology and unilateralism, is a form of the necessarily doomed search for a single power or sovereign truth that can dispel or control the insecurities, indeterminacies, and ambiguities that make up international relations. 19 The negative consequences of smart warfare are one instance of the risks of President Bushs logic. It is clear that if the United States continues to pursue its misguided foreign policy the world will soon witness a new wave of arms races and decreased securitization. Only by pursuing confidence building, regime oriented measures can the United States help avert the next Cold War. Ratification of the CTBT and ending the pursuit of a National Missile Defense seem to be the first steps in the process toward paving the way into the 21st century. The United States can either sit back a not take on its role as a champion of the free world or it can take a proactive stance in stomping out the possibility of a renewed arms race and break out of its Cold War security dilemma. 1 Alexander, B. and Millar, A. (www. fourthfreedom. org/php/print. php? hinc=DefenseNewstnw. hinc) July 11, 2001 2 Kuchta, A. Dickinson Journal of International Law A Closer Look: The US Senates Failure to Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 19 Dick. J. Intl L. 333. 3 http://www. nuclearfiles. org/chron/80/1980s. html 4 http://www. msnbc. com/news/845497. asp? 0cv=TB10 5 Blair, T. , Doctrine of the International Community, speech delivered in Chicago, 23 April, 1999, http://www. number-10.gov. uk.

Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia - No Human Life Should End by Unnatural

Euthanasia: No Human Life Should End by Unnatural Means Euthanasia, the medical term for assisted suicide or mercy killing, is an issue still being debated almost a hundred years after a proposal to legalize it in Ohio. The medical community was in turmoil even before its legal proposition, unable to decide amongst themselves how to deal with the issue. The same arguments still rage today, though the public is more aware of the issue thanks to high-profile court cases, like the trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Some claim that the terminally ill have a â€Å"right to die†, but no human life should end by unnatural means. As medical technology continues to expand at an astounding rate, doctors are finding treatment for diseases and ailments that would have been untreatable a mere five years ago. The main selling point of euthanasia seems to be to put terminally ill patients out of their misery—but what happens when the medical community finds a way to cure the formerly fatal disease? If the patient is still alive, the new treatments may alleviate their sufferings entirely, but if the patient has already given up hope then they may have unwittingly sacrificed several years of their life. Advocates of euthanasia that make comparisons of terminally ill patients to animals that are â€Å"put to sleep† when they grow old and weak insult the people they describe. Animals do not understand why their bodies no longer work correctly, can take no preventative measures in keeping their bodies healthy, and cannot share the experiences of a lifetime with others. Suicide has always been a touchy subject for debate. One of the leading causes of death in America, over 30,000 people take their lives every year. Our society’s concern for the people ... ..., by banning its legal use, hammering out strict guidelines as to what is and what is not considered assisted suicide, and then enforcing those guidelines to the full extent of the law. If we can do this, the argument of how to deal with euthanasia will end, at least in the United States. Works Cited â€Å"Let Death Be My Dominion.† The Economist. Oct 16, 1999. 353 (1999): 89-92. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. Daniel, Caroline. â€Å"Killing with kindness.† New Statesman. 126 (1997): 16(3). Infotrac. Online. 19 Nov. 1999 Emanuel, Ezekiel J. â€Å"Death’s Door.† The New Republic. 220 (1999): 15-16. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. Gillon, Raanan. â€Å"When Doctors Might Kill Their Patients.† British Medical Journal. 318 (1999): 1431-1432. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. â€Å"Suicide.† Clinical Reference Systems. Jul (1999): 1421. Infotrac. Online. 2 Dec. 1999. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia - No Human Life Should End by Unnatural Euthanasia: No Human Life Should End by Unnatural Means Euthanasia, the medical term for assisted suicide or mercy killing, is an issue still being debated almost a hundred years after a proposal to legalize it in Ohio. The medical community was in turmoil even before its legal proposition, unable to decide amongst themselves how to deal with the issue. The same arguments still rage today, though the public is more aware of the issue thanks to high-profile court cases, like the trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Some claim that the terminally ill have a â€Å"right to die†, but no human life should end by unnatural means. As medical technology continues to expand at an astounding rate, doctors are finding treatment for diseases and ailments that would have been untreatable a mere five years ago. The main selling point of euthanasia seems to be to put terminally ill patients out of their misery—but what happens when the medical community finds a way to cure the formerly fatal disease? If the patient is still alive, the new treatments may alleviate their sufferings entirely, but if the patient has already given up hope then they may have unwittingly sacrificed several years of their life. Advocates of euthanasia that make comparisons of terminally ill patients to animals that are â€Å"put to sleep† when they grow old and weak insult the people they describe. Animals do not understand why their bodies no longer work correctly, can take no preventative measures in keeping their bodies healthy, and cannot share the experiences of a lifetime with others. Suicide has always been a touchy subject for debate. One of the leading causes of death in America, over 30,000 people take their lives every year. Our society’s concern for the people ... ..., by banning its legal use, hammering out strict guidelines as to what is and what is not considered assisted suicide, and then enforcing those guidelines to the full extent of the law. If we can do this, the argument of how to deal with euthanasia will end, at least in the United States. Works Cited â€Å"Let Death Be My Dominion.† The Economist. Oct 16, 1999. 353 (1999): 89-92. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. Daniel, Caroline. â€Å"Killing with kindness.† New Statesman. 126 (1997): 16(3). Infotrac. Online. 19 Nov. 1999 Emanuel, Ezekiel J. â€Å"Death’s Door.† The New Republic. 220 (1999): 15-16. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. Gillon, Raanan. â€Å"When Doctors Might Kill Their Patients.† British Medical Journal. 318 (1999): 1431-1432. Proquest. Online. 19 Nov. 1999. â€Å"Suicide.† Clinical Reference Systems. Jul (1999): 1421. Infotrac. Online. 2 Dec. 1999.

Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Google Essay

This paper will discuss a comprehensive strategic plan for google. First, an analysis of Google’s competitors: Microsoft, yahoo and Amazon analyzed. A critical analysis of Google’s operational and business strategy follows that. Then Google’s approach to corporate strategies that include vertical integration, diversification and Google’s global reach. The comprehensive strategic plan (CSP) is extrapolated from the critical evaluation of business and corporate strategy and based on the degree in which strategy is aligned to support Google’s espoused values and support its mission. The CSP includes strategic recommendation and measures in three areas: change to either corporate or business strategy, leverage resources that can drive sustained competitive advantage and align organization structure and management to enable resources and capabilities that will drive sustained competitive advantage. Google’s competitive environment With the advent of the internet, competition within the industry of searching the web has intensified. The completion for google has always been other search engines like Bing, metacrawler and yahoo. In today’s world competition for google is not merely other search engines, but it has reached to advertisement, product and services. For instance google are trying their hand in cloud computing. Google offers a wide range of services, so it only practical that google has its fair share of competitors. Google considers a wide range of services on the internet to be its competitor (Goodstein, Nolan & Pfeiffer, 2006). Google competition comes from those businesses that seek to offer the public with information and provide them with advertisement. These competitions include traditional search engines; yahoo and Bing. Just like google, E-commerce sites and vertical search engines: kayak, amazon. com and eBay, that offer product and services to consumers. Therefore, users go directly to these sites instead of going through google. Sites like facebook and twitter offer competition because users are now relying on these services for referrals instead of using traditional search engines. Google also has competition for the ad dollar from the traditional form of advertising: TV, radio, Newspapers, magazines and billboards. In addition, with the development of apps, users are now accessing e-commerce directly from these apps, instead of search engines. Google also offers product and services that comprise of Gmail, YouTube and google docs that competes with new and established companies that offer information, communication and entertainment services. Therefore, google competes with most of the internet (Dess & Miller, 2007). Google receives competition from its rivals on the internet for the market share and financial performance. Google has introduced google chrome, which is cloud-computing software that allows its users to upload and download documents on the internet. However, the large market share is held by Microsoft’s office. Moreover, google has competition in the mobile industry from its android operating system. (Gru? nig & Ku? hn, 2005). To compete with Apple’s iPhone and to increase market share of ads displayed on smart phones, Google launched their android operating system. Although google receives stiff competition from its rivals, it still holds a high market share because of its brand positioning (Casson, 2004). Hence, Google holds such a great market share; advertisers would not receive nearly the same amount of ad exposure using a different search engine. Google has continued to make a net profit even as its rivals net plummeted; probably the most important aspect of a company’s financial performance to a potential investor is the earnings per share ratio. It is widely acknowledged that Google puts great stock in being able to show investors that their money is safe. This company’s earnings per share ratio had grown impressively in the four year period from 2007 to 2010, with only a slight decline when the recession hit the hardest. This shows that Google is a true powerhouse, especially when compared to their top competitors, Yahoo and Microsoft. With Google increasing their percentage of searches, in comparison to all other search entities, it is easy to see that Yahoo and Microsoft are losing the battle against this Internet behemoth. In the period from 2008 to 2010, Microsoft maintained a constant net profit margin (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009). This would indicate that Microsoft is outperforming Google, but these impressive numbers do not tell the story for the segment of Microsoft that is competing against Google. The operating profit margins during this period for Microsoft’s online services business unit are embarrassing at best, with negative margins in 2009 and 2010. This indicates that Microsoft is hemorrhaging money at an increasing rate while it tries to compete with Google. Similarly, Yahoo shows declining net profit margins for every year from 2007 to 2010, with margins for 2009 and 2010 dropping below 0. 1. (see appendix). Overall, while its top competitors are losing money and market share, Google continues to grow and provide investors with profits. Several factors are what make customers prefer google to its competitor. The search industry giant’s success is a cause of many key resource strengths and competitive capabilities. Google gains the trust of users through reliable, accurate searches and a clear distinction of upfront ads in searches. Their online business conducted with minimal physical locations and a low fixed cost. Instead of looking at these locations as burdens, they maximize the creativity and high-spirit of their work environment. The reason that makes google stay ahead of the curve is its ability to provide main resources to the users. Google would not be highly valued without the high content that it provides to its users. (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009).. Google’s Operational and Business Strategy The relevant searches that google provides, and the large amount of available information, is what makes google attractive to its users. Amazon a company that deals in downloading books, music and videos, offers google competition in the provision of content. The technology for providing relevant searches to end users, thus competition has become stiff. Therefore, google has to develop new ways to remain ahead of its competitors. So google has gone to develop its technological expertise as its key resource. (Centindamar, 2013). Currently as the leader in the industry, Google is attracting the best and the brightest. However, technology is a rapidly developing field that is continuously changing and improving. For Google to maintain the high standard of performance expected by users, they must attract and retain top technological experts. The search industry is changing to encompass not only searching technology any longer. Users’ preferences are constantly growing. A service provider provides mobile phone search and business technology software. There has also been a shift in how search engine users are using the product. This is mainly due to the emerging new capabilities of the Internet. For example, ever since Google acquired Keyhole, a digital mapping company in 2004, they are able to show users satellite and street view images of any location in the world using Google Maps. Google has added over 40 different tools and services aimed at providing the user the best experience possible (Hitt, 2002). Google is also able to customize which advertisements appear next to the users’ search results by tracking their history. While some may like this idea, the lack of user privacy has raised ethical concerns. In the next three to five years, the industry will most likely continue to change and evolve even further, adding more tools and features to further cater to the needs of the typical user, the mobile on-the-go traveler and the business person alike. The search industry giant’s success is a cause of many key resource strengths and competitive capabilities. Google gains the trust of users through reliable, accurate searches and a clear distinction of upfront ads in searches. Their online business conducted with minimal physical locations and a low fixed cost. Instead of looking at these locations as burdens, they maximize the creativity and high-spirit of their work environment (Volberda, 2011). Employees are hired selectively amongst some of the greatest minds in technology and related fields, and are given the tools, freedom, and encouragement to be innovative and fulfilled by their job. Several iconic features of Google remain unparalleled, including their extensive Google Earth and Google Maps capabilities, YouTube video streaming, and Google Search Appliances that allow other companies to feature Google search bars within their own sites (Hitt, 2002). Google has continued to have an edge over its competitors because of its goals and values. Google’s number one priority is to offer value to their users. Enshrined in their ten values, that makes up Google’s corporate philosophy. At the top of the list is, â€Å"Focus on the user and all else will follow. † Google has developed a certain trust factor with its users over the years that many companies strive to become. Google has always made decisions with their users in mind, and has not ever chosen to make a change in order to increase shareholder value if it did not also improve the user experience (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009). By resisting the desire to make a quick profit that many other companies give in to, Google has made a lasting impression. That is evidenced by the growth in their percent of searches from July 2006 to June 2009. While Google led the pack back in 2006 with 43. 7% of searches, Yahoo was not far behind with 28. 8% of searches. In the following three years, however, Google has been able to increase their percentage of searches to 65% and increase the gap between itself and Yahoo! from 14. 9% to 45. 4%. Google’s Corporate Strategy Corporate strategy refers to the overarching strategy of the diversified firm (Colley, Doyle & Hardie, 2008). Such corporate strategy delves â€Å"in which businesses should we compete? † moreover, how one business add to the competitive benefit of another portfolio firm, as well as the competitive gain of google as a whole. Google has relied on vertical integration to stay ahead of its competitors by diversifying their products and services (Casson, 2004). In September 2008 before google chrome was launched, companies like Microsoft wanted to prevent Google from collecting user specific information. They allowed users of Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox to block their viewing history and Internet address so that Google could not collect this information. When Google Chrome was released, it gave Google a way around this Internet â€Å"firewall†. Google understood that as the Internet shifts toward cloud computing there would be a need to have a browser that is able to support multiple programs at once. Getting users used to Google Chrome now before the switch to cloud computing begins, gives Google an upper hand when that switch occurs. This Google’s diversification development represents some kind vertical integration, though, google was known for being just a search engine (Chopra, & Meindl, 2007). Google has diversified to same-day delivery by the provision of a courier services for it users. As online users are embracing e-commerce, online retailing is skyrocketing. Therefore, same-day delivery is going to be a commonplace thing in the future. Google has gone to exploit this opportunity, thus edging its competitors. Google same day delivery has already rolled out in the United States. Therefore, Google’s diversification strategy is going to make it the top e-commerce technological tool. Google is soon to own the browsing and buying and finally the delivery to homes. Therefore, the so-called google shopping express provides diversification on technology and data. Already google is ahead of its e-commerce rivals with its easy to use user interface (Volberda, 2011). From Google’s mission statement, it exemplifies this idea of being a global brand. Its mission statement is to organize the world information to be globally accessible to users. Google is not only available to English speaking countries, but available in other languages of the world Casson, 2004). Furthermore, google has developed an app specific language, therefore being global. Again, google has taken up over fifty companies to export itself globally. The co-founders have expanded into foreign markets to satisfy the internet experience globally. Comprehensive Strategic Plan Google’s weaknesses, while fewer in number than their strengths, could have serious implications on the future of their business. The low revenue earned from YouTube represents a lost opportunity for such a large online presence. Their grasp on the comprehensive social networking market is far behind those of their competitors. Although, they remain an industry leader, their international reach in emerging markets such as China leave much lacking (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009). The organization and management system should align resources and address several strategic issues to remain competitive in the coming years. Recommendation is that the management system must encourage innovation in their strong labor force and expand research and development to its fullest achievable potential. Placing more emphasis on Chrome through advertising would increase market share in web browsers, allowing for access to more information. This goes hand-in-hand with the goal of strengthening users’ reliance upon Google accounts, comparable to those existing with comprehensive Yahoo accounts (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009). It is also crucial to pay attention to the path and future of mobile advertising, likely to progress through rich media ads that can synchronize with existing smart phone features and apps. Furthermore, it would be wise for Google to condense their wide selection of Android phones, keeping enough variety to suit consumer desires, but streamlining their product line to a more lean production (Dess, 2012). When there is potential to be profitable, Google should also expand its efforts to developing countries that are passing computers by and accessing the Internet through mobile phones. This would portray Google as a reliable product and service in these countries and build a strong brand recognition early on. To increase revenue from YouTube, they can consider charging corporations for having accounts solely for business purposes (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2009). Google’s strongest ability lies in their existing features, though they must fine-tune the quality of their weaker applications like Google+ and Google Docs that have trouble comparing to industry competitors. Further developing features to compete with the capabilities of Microsoft Office can gain a major advantage, by promoting users to share documents, by Google Docs. Overall, Google must capitalize on its existing features, refine them, and continue to use research and development along with innovative technology to maintain their position as the leader in the search engine industry (Fox, 2012). Conclusion Because of the rapid growth in industries revolving around technology and the Internet in particular, many opportunities present themselves to Google currently and in the near future. Internet and mobile advertising growth lead the way for the increasing importance of Search Engine Optimization for marketers. Using data collected from searches and Chrome, more data on users becomes more readily available. Possibly the most important up-and-coming necessity for innovative companies such as Google is the availability for users to have all of their information in one account through cloud computing (Casson, 2004)..

My Favorite Dish Essay

My Favorite Dish Most of us have a certain type of favorite dish, but my favorite dish is seared steak with a garlic glaze. I love this dish because it reminds of that time my cousin told me about it and described it. Ever since he told me I always wanted it to try it. I couldn’t try the dish because he didn’t know the name of it and so I couldn’t try it out in some other restaurant or make it myself. The only way I had to try it was to go where he lives and he lives out of state, I had to wait a few months to taste it. That made me want to try it even more. 2 years ago my dad came home from work with very good news he told my family that we were going to spend Christmas with my family in Bellevue, Washington. When I heard the good news I was so happy I was going to try the dish my cousin was telling me about. I was just counting the days to go, I remember it was December 15 we packed out stuff and went to Washington. The first thing we did was go out to eat and it was in that Restaurant in Bellevue I don’t really remember the name of it I just wanted to try the dish. The restaurant was located between Bellevue and Seattle. In the restaurant we got the got the menu and my cousin pointed at the dish and it was called Seared steak with garlic glaze. I didn’t really want to try it because of the garlic but I waited so long for this dish I had to try it. I got my dish and it looked weird but smelled so good. The garlic along with the spices it had on the glaze smelled so good was making me want to jump for it right away. The steak was hot and cooked well done and was about  ½ inch thick had good color to it the glaze was brownish looking. The glaze was covered with garlic cloves I made a weird face when I saw it. I took my first bite and I am not a fan of garlic but I loved it was so good, I said to myself all this wait was worth it that garlic taste mixed with some spices they used made it taste so delicious never have I tasted something like it. After Christmas we came back to Los Angeles California I was just  remembering the taste of seared steak I wanted to try to and make my own. I searched online and found a recipe and it seemed pretty easy and didn’t use that many ingredients. I went to the local super market by my house and had most of the ingredients it required, the only thing I couldn’t find was rosemary I think they had it I just didn’t know where to find it. I went home and luckily there was rosemary in the house. I seared the steak so it can be really dry and I seasoned it with salt, pepper and steak seasoning so it can have a good crust and cooked it in a cast iron skillet. The steak smelled good already so was time to make the glaze the glaze was really simple just some garlic beef broth and rosemary. My dish was done it didn’t take a long time it took me about 25-30 minutes. My dish didn’t come out as it looked back in the restaurant I think because my stake was a little thin then  ½ inch. I tried it and it didn’t really taste the same like the one in the restaurant didn’t have that good garlic flavor maybe in the restaurant they added some extra spices or secret ingredient. I would make this dish again but this time I would like to experiment and add more spices to the glaze or maybe make it a little spicy probably next time when I go to Bellevue Washington I should ask the chef what are the ingredients in making this wonderful dish. Next time I am probably going to make it with pork chops I think it will be pretty good maybe even better. I like my visit to Washington and going to that restaurant next time I will remember the name of it. I had fun in making this dish and I will try to make it as good as the one in the restaurant or probably even better. I will never give up!

7th Grade Math Course of Study

7th Grade Math Course of Study The following list provides you with the basic 7th grade math  concepts that should be attained by the end of the school year. Mastery of the concepts at the previous grade is assumed. A standard seventh grade course of study includes numbers, measurements, geometry, algebra, and probability. Heres a breakdown of the specific topics. Numbers Give factors, multiples, integer amounts and square roots for numbers.Compare and order decimals, fractions and integers.Add and subtract integers.Be able to perform multi-step word problems for all of the above operations.Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and convert between fractions, decimals and percents.Explain and justify a variety of procedures for the above related concepts in problem solving. Measurements Use measurement terms appropriately, be able to measure a variety of items at home and at school.Be able to solve more complex problems with measurement estimations an problems using a variety of formulas.Estimate and calculate areas for trapezoids, parallelograms, triangles, prisms circles using the correct formulas.Estimate and calculate volumes for prisms, sketch prisms (rectangular) given the volumes. Geometry Hypothesize, sketch, identify, sort, classify, construct, measure, and apply a variety of geometric shapes and figures and problems.Sketch and construct a variety of shapes given the dimensions.Create and solve a variety of geometric problems.Analyze and identify shapes that have been rotated, reflected, translated and describe those that are congruent.Determine if shapes/figures will tile a plane (tessellate).Analyze different types of tiling patterns. Algebra/Patterning Extend, analyze and justify the explanations for patterns and their rules and a more complex levelBe able to write algebraic equations/expressions and write statements to understand simple formulas.Evaluate a variety of simple linear algebraic expressions at a beginning level 1 variable and first-degree.Be able to solve and simplify algebraic equations with the 4 operations.Substitute natural numbers for variables when solving algebraic equations. Probability Design surveys, collect and organize more complex data and identify and explain patterns and trends in data.Construct a variety of graphs and label them appropriately and state the difference between selecting one graph over another.Defend your choices of graphs.Make more accurate predictions based on data.Understand the importance of statistics on decision making and provide real life scenarios.Describe collected data in terms of mean, median and the mode and be able to analyze any bias.Make inferences, predictions and evaluations based on interpretations of data collection results.Be able to predict possible outcomes based on background information.Apply the rules of probability to games of chance and sports. Course Topics for All Grades Pre-K Kdg. Gr. 1 Gr. 2 Gr. 3 Gr. 4 Gr. 5 Gr. 6 Gr. 7 Gr. 8 Gr. 9 Gr. 10 Gr.11 Gr. 12

How Dyslexia Impacts Writing Skills

How Dyslexia Impacts Writing Skills Dyslexia is considered a language-based learning disorder and is thought of as a reading disability but it also impacts a students ability to write. There is often a large discrepancy between what a student thinks and can tell you orally and what he can write down on paper. Besides frequent spelling errors, some of the ways dyslexia affects writing skills: Essays are written as one paragraph with several long, run-on sentencesUsing little punctuation, including not capitalizing the first word in a sentence or using end punctuationOdd or no spacing between wordsCramming information on the page rather than spreading out In addition, many students with dyslexia show signs of dysgraphia, including having illegible handwriting and taking a long time to form letters and write assignments. As with reading, students with dyslexia spend so much time and effort writing the words, the meaning behind the words can be lost. Added to difficulties in organizing and sequencing information, writing paragraphs, essays and reports are time-consuming and frustrating. They may jump around when writing, with events occurring out of sequence. Because not all children with dyslexia have the same level of symptoms, writing problems can be hard to spot. While some may only have minor problems, others hand in assignments that are impossible to read and understand. Grammar and Conventions Dyslexic students put much effort into reading individual words and trying to understand the meanings behind the words. Grammar and writing conventions, to them, may not seem important. But without grammar skills, writing doesnt always make sense. Teachers can take extra time to teach conventions, such as standard punctuation, what constitutes a sentence fragment, how to avoid run-on sentences and capitalization. Although this may be an area of weakness, focusing on grammar rules helps. Choosing one or two grammar rules at a time helps. Give students time to practice and master these skills before moving on to additional skills. Grading students on content rather than grammar also helps. Many teachers will make allowances for students with dyslexia and as long as they understand what the student is saying, will accept the answer, even if there are spelling or grammatical errors. Using computer programs with spelling and grammar checkers can help, however, keep in mind that many spelling errors common to individuals with dyslexia are missed using standard spell checkers. Specific programs developed for people with dyslexia are available such as Cowriter. Sequencing Young students with dyslexia show signs of sequencing problems when learning to read. They place letters of a word in the wrong place, such as writing /left/ instead of /left/. When recalling a story, they may state events that happened in an incorrect order. To write effectively, a child must be able to organize the information into a logical sequence in order for it to make sense to other people. Imagine a student writing a short story. If you ask the student to verbally tell you the story, he probably can explain what he wants to say. But when trying to put the words on paper, the sequence becomes jumbled and the story no longer makes sense.Allowing a child to record his story or writing assignments on a tape recorder rather than on paper helps. If necessary a family member or another student can transcribe the story on paper. There is also a number of speech to text software programs that allow a student to say the story out loud and the software will convert it to text. Dysgraphia Dysgraphia, also known as written expression disorder, is a neurological learning disability that often accompanies dyslexia. Students with dysgraphia have poor or illegible handwriting. Many students with dysgraphia also have sequencing difficulties. Besides poor handwriting and sequencing skills, symptoms include: Grammar and spelling errorsInconsistencies in written assignments, such as different size letters, mix of cursive and print writing, letters with different slantsOmitting letters and wordsNon-existant spacing between words and sentences and cramming the words on the paperUnusual grip of pencil or pen Students with dysgraphia can often write neatly, but this takes an enormous amount of time and effort. They take the time to correctly form each letter and will often miss the meaning of what they are writing because their focus is on forming each individual letter. Teachers can help children with dyslexia improve writing skills by working together to edit and make corrections in a written assignment. Have the student read a paragraph or two and then go over adding incorrect grammar, fixing spelling errors and correcting any sequencing errors. Because the student will read what he meant to write, not what is written, having him orally read the written assignment back can help you better understand the students meaning. References: Dysgraphia, Date Unknown, Author Unknown West Virginia UniversityTeaching Dyslexic Students, 1999, Kevin L. Huitt, Valdosta State University

Interactive spatial urban planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Interactive spatial urban planning - Essay Example The urban population health is affected by interplay of multiple environmental factors such as air pollution, noise pollution, traffic and external safety (Galea & Vlahov, 2005). The traditional urban planning has increasingly been termed as an inefficient tool, due to its inability to take all these multiple environmental factors into consideration, when planning for urban developments. Consequently, Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSSs) for interactive spatial urban planning have become an important tool for the modern urban development planning (Sugumaran & Degroote, 2010). This is due to their ability to use high-tech computers that are linked to databases to simulate interactive models that create interplay of the multiple environmental factors that are of concern to the urban planning (TNO, n.d.). The overall effect is that with this type of technology, it is becoming increasingly easier to understand the problem of spatial planning for urban developments, long way before the actual planning and designing is done (Pearce, Richardson, Mitchell & Shortt, 2010). This is advantageous, sine it allows for understanding the likely problems and addressing them during the planning and designing stages, as opposed to controlling the problems later, when the urban developments have already been designed and constructed. This does not only help to solve the issues of h uman and environmental health associated with urban spatial planning, but also in the development of cities and urban regions that will not require to be redesigned in the future( Galea, Freudenberg & Vlahov, 2005). Therefore, the modern architectural design is not only affected by the issue of generating appropriate designs for cities and urban regions, but also ensuring that the health concerns are equally addressed (Pearce, Richardson, Mitchell & Shortt, 2010). A Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSSs) as an urban planning tool can be

Barriers to participation in adult learning Essay

Barriers to participation in adult learning - Essay Example In acting on this need, the adult learner will find that there are obstacles to going back to school, some of which will be anticipated, but others which will create a surprising result. While real life obstacles of a financial variety, including childcare issues and spousal resistance may come into conflict with ambitions, the unexpected feeling of being aged out and inappropriate to the social setting may have more impact than expected. The following study is intended to critically evaluate the literature in order to assess the problems that adult learners will face when going back to school. Through secondary research review, the project will provide contest for the nature of the phenomenon of the adult learner, thus creating a discourse on the identity issues that will result from the choice to go back to school after an absence in between which life has taken place. 1.1 Background The barriers that exist to adult learning can be defined by a great number of categories, through a spects of social classifications, medical classifications, and through aspects of cognitive development as it affects age. Issues of class, race, gender and disability can contribute to problems that might arise as those issues in combination with generational gaps can create issues that many students will not have to address. The number of ways in which an adult learner will be affected in a classroom setting can equal the number of ways in which the adult learner diverts from the socialization of the common, age specific learner in a university setting. According to Podsen (2002: 18) there are four specific areas that will affect an adult learner: Adults are self-directing and desire to be in charge of their learning, including the content time and effort. Adults’ prior life experiences play a key role in their learning activities, and they rely on these experiences as a resource from which they can learn new things. Adults have distinctive learning styles, with their routi nes and strategies for processing information already established. Adults pass through various developmental stages, and this impacts the types and methods of learning in which they will engage. However, these advantages have their disadvantaged counterparts, creating barriers that are designed through the social status of an adult over a young adult who is still within the framework of the support of a family. As an adult learner, the support system that is in place for most young adults will more than likely not be relevant to the adutl learner with more years of life experience. While learning will be easier under many course objectives, financial pressures, home life stressors, lack of parental support, and child care necessities will complicate the process. With a developed life experience ‘portfolio’ lying underneath the experiences of an adult, the pressures that can distract for the efforts towards achievement provide a different framed experience in a learning institution than that of a young adult learner. Additionally, the social structure of a learning institution is constructed to support the socialization of young adults, thus leaving older students out of an important aspect of university life. Therefore, the pressures on an adult learner are far different than those of a young adult learner, creating a diverted atmosphere than the one that has been created by the university. 1.2 Research Questions The following research questions have been used to frame the discussion of adult learners in a

What motivational factors facilitate or hinder student performance in Essay

What motivational factors facilitate or hinder student performance in the process of EFL learning - Essay Example The importance of the topic on determining diverse motivational factors that influence academic learning in the EFL environment is to enable educators to apply best practices in contemporary setting. Most of the studies encountered acknowledged the importance of motivation in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Some studies discussed and proposed different motivational approaches, ranging from group processes (group norms and cohesiveness); focusing on the teachers’ instructional style and the educators’ ability to creatively provide examples that are vivid and acclimatized to local settings; and also instructional interventions applied by educators in conjunction with self-regulating strategies applied by learners. There are studies that aimed to determine the effectiveness of the motivational strategies in enhancing the academic performance and understanding of ESL students. One would like to determine if these factors were effectively used by teachers in designing mot ivational strategies. If so, were performance evaluation or monitoring measures been implemented to gauge the effectiveness of these strategies in creating a conducing learning environment for ESL learners. The articles reviewed were published within the last seven years where one study, Chen, Warden, & Chang was the oldest, published in 2005; followed by Lamb’s article which was published in 2007; Guilloteaux & Dornyei in 2008; and finally, two articles that were covered in the review were published in 2010: Chang and Wong.... C. Goal of the Review The overall goal of the review, therefore, is to add new factors that have been deemed instrumental in motivating ESL learners to manifest enhanced performance within contemporary setting. From the authoritative sources that have been evaluated, one recognized the value of incorporating culture, or specifically birthplace differences (Wong, 2010); acclimatizing examples used to local settings (Lamb, 2007); and even differentiating three distinct motivation orientations (instrumental, required, and integrative) where â€Å"integration may not be a significant factor in motivating language learning effort† (Chen, Warden, & Chang, 2005, p. 622) within the Chinese cultural context. With increased universality of recognizing diversity in culture and in emphasizing the need to integrate factors that have been proven to be motivating and improving the learning environment, the current literature review would present these findings for future applicability. II. M ethod Section A. Years Covered The articles reviewed were published within the last seven years where one study, Chen, Warden, & Chang was the oldest, published in 2005; followed by Lamb’s article which was published in 2007; Guilloteaux & Dornyei in 2008; and finally, two articles that were covered in the review were published in 2010: Chang and Wong. B. Preliminary Sources Used to Locate the Studies These sources were all searched from the TESOL Quarterly (four articles) and TESOL Journal (one article). The TESOL Quarterly is explicitly described as â€Å"a refereed professional journal, fosters inquiry into English language teaching and learning by providing a forum for TESOL professionals to share their research

The Importance Of Acoustic Treatment Music Essay

The Importance Of Acoustic Treatment Music Essay Sharp tools make good work!(Chinese Proverb, online) To have a nice recording, we must choose the nice recording studio. To have a nice recording studio, acoustic treatment is the most important progress while building the studio! Why acoustic treatment is so important? Acoustic treatment does make the actual recordings sound better, it is just as important to the mixing process. The purpose of acoustic treatment is to improve the quality of sound in the room. Acoustics Treatment of the studio is very important than the used of the equipments for record the track on. Yet there are still many people they just allocate only a tiny portion of their budget to acoustic treatments when building a recording studio or home studio. It is very important to choose the right type of room and after that we have to testing the acoustic in that room, make sure that everything like the soundproofing of the studio is good. Let say, we can listen to the tracks that recorded in the studio, if we can he ar something like reverb or echo on the track, or the sound is rather flat, that is mean the treatments of the studio have wrong. External interferences, such as the outside noise of people talking or transportation noise, are due to insufficient sound isolation. People always think they can or able to overcome acoustics with equipments but you just cant. Russ Berger, the president of acoustic and audiovisual consultancy firm, Russ Berger Design, told Carolin Heinz in an article for the website Electronic Musician. Beside that, there is another common mistake that people always make, according to Berger, is to confuse sound isolation with the acoustic performance in a room. Sound isolation is simply the process of stopping sound entering or leaving the room. It has no bearing on how sound is absorbed and diffused in the room itself, which are the key determinants of how a recorded track sounds when listened to. Every studio building needs to be acoustically treated as standard professional music or audio studio requirement for professional sound quality. So when building a recording studio, we have to pay much attention to this avoid any frustrations in future during recording and monitoring, without overdoing it to preserve certain amplifying qualities of the room. Page Contents: A) Acoustic Treatment Overview B) Acoustic Treatment C) Construction Details D) Conclusion E) References Treatment Characteristics Acoustic Treatment is so important to the studio it is because we want to prevent standing waves. When the standing wave occurs, it will affect the frequency response of the listening rooms and the recording studio. Beside that, by using the right acoustic treatment, we can absorb or diffuse the sound in the room to avoid the flutter echoes and improve the stereo imaging while the recording and keep the sound from leaking into or out from the room. A correct way of acoustic treatment can lower the reverb time in the larger space or room and reduce the modal ringing in the small room. There are few things and problems that we have to concern while building a studio such as absorption, diffusion, reverberation and isolation. Sound absorption can be defined as when sound that strikes the materials and it doesnt reflected back. An open window is the good example for the absorption because the sound goes through the open window and never reflected back. The more fibrous materials have more absorption; oppositely the denser materials are less absorption. By using the absorption materials in the studio, it can minimize the reflections while the recording going and it can also prevent the standing waves and flutter echoes. But, the control room is treating to be more diffusive than absorptive with the LEDE (Live End Dead End) concept for the monitoring purpose. On the other hand, the recording studios are more likely to be acoustically dead and distributive. In general, low frequency sound has a very bad absorption because of their long wavelength. High frequency is very effective in absorption, essential for reducing the flutter echoes. Product like bass trap is a material for absorption, but is specifically designed in order to absorb the low frequency energy. The good bass trap is the combination of the hard, soft, thin materials. By the way, the back of the trap and the gap between the walls can make it even more effective. Diffusor is used to reduce the reverb or echoes that will be occur in the room that has parallel walls and the flat ceiling. Through the research and books that I have read, all the professional studio designers they agree that periodic reflections caused by parallel walls are best avoided. So, diffusion is always used into absorption to tame these kinds of reflections because diffusion is handful of sound energy using multi-faceted surfaces. Diffusers are commonly made of wood, plastic, or even polystyrene. Jorge Castro (2004, online) explains: diffusion helps in energy control and improves the sound quality in frequencies throughout the middle and high range of the spectrum, and also improves sweet-spot should be sitting to get the best stereo image (imagine that your head and the two speakers form an equilateral triangle). Isolation is to block sound from leaking out from the room and is also to soundproof the room from the vibrations or from the external sound. The good noise controls room can retain the sound within the listening area. Isolation is a very critical question, but the most important is still about the room treatment. Even you will feel something going wrong while you are in the quiet room if its acoustic treatments are wrong. And what can you do for the isolation if your studio is going to build nearby the highway, or beside the train track? Only two things we can do to isolate the sound that are mass and space. This is meaning we have to mass the airborne sound but we still need to space so that the structure borne sound cannot be transmitted. By the way, what about the noise that generated by the HVAC (Heat and Air Conditioning system? So, we have to determine all the noise problems and make everything under the control. Reverberation time will be affected by the absorption. The lower the reverberation time, it is mean there is more absorption. By adding the porous absorber is the easiest way to make the good absorption. Beside that, placing the acoustical foam on those reflective surfaces until the reverberation time is suitably reduced. On the other hand, by removing the absorbing materials will lengthens the reverberation time. Materials With good and correct materials in building a studio, it can help you to recording and mixing your music correctly. A good room, good acoustics can defined as we can get the sound from the speakers in the room and listen through your ears as unchanged as possible. A good studio should have a very good isolation but still as neutral as possible for you to hear the details such as stereo positioning properly. So, the music we have mixed and equalized can sound good and has the good opportunity of sounding good in other rooms as well. Controlling the sound in a room is achieved by selective acoustic treatments. Materials are the source out for the best acoustic characteristics in terms of isolation and diffusion, but since there are many ways and different materials to do this, we try not to go overboard with specialized materials as they can break the budget. Instead to use effective construction methods with typical materials, and whatever that works fine as well as cost-effectiveness. The most important aspect of any studio or home theater probably is the using of acoustic foam. Even the listening room, it can also make or break a project studio. It doesnt matter how much money you will spend on the recording and monitoring equipments. If the room itself doesnt has a good acoustic treatment, the result of the recording will never as good as it could be. Usually the room in which the customer plans to record or perform in is not specifically built with acoustics in mind. If this is the case then acoustic treatment is all the more important. Rooms have their own sound already within the room. While the sound is traveling around the room it will come into contact with different surfaces and other sound waves moving around the room. This means that the room can suffer from a lot of acoustic problems. These could include reflections, reverberation, slap echo, flutter echo, inadequate frequency response, standing waves and modal problems. When all of these frequencies s tarted bouncing around, the sound waves can change because they are clashing into each other. This will absolutely affects the last result for the negative. That is meaning you will start to off with one sound and end up with another sound while in the recordings. When there are two parallel walls, or two parallel ceiling and the floor, it will create standing wave. So the distance between the walls, ceiling or the floor will reinforce some of the frequencies, we can call it by boundaries. This mean the sound will makes exactly one round trip in each cycle of the speaker and the pressure fronts pile up. So, this is why people like to sing in the bathroom while taking the shower because the low frequency of the voice are greatly amplified by the standing waves and it will sounds nice. The installing of the acoustic foam can improved the response of the room and the sound of the room can be under control. The use of the acoustic treatment is the only way that can tell you the accurate while you are doing your recording, mixing, editing, or monitoring as well as not to affected by the room you are in. Whatever you want your room to stay live or dead, good acoustic treatment is the only way to help you to tame the beast that in your room and keep everything under the control. So, you have the ability to record and monitor your stuff accurately. Polyflexà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ ProFoamà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ is fabricated from a UL94 2 lb./cu. ft. polyester urethane, which should only be used in Class B or C spaces. Since Polyflexà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ is flammable, extreme care should be exercised in its use as interior finish the industrys first patented nestable foam. It can be used in any critical listening space. It mounted in a 1 x 1 checkerboard pattern to provide a variable impedance surface, offering moderate passive surround sound. By the way, it will attenuate and disperses specula reflections, as well as scatters 1000Hz and above and control comb filtering arising. In the meantime, it offers a new look in acoustical foam and an attractive and flexible wall treatment for controlling first order reflections. The ProCornerà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ is an effective way to increase low frequency absorption (minimizing low frequency room modes and speaker boundary interference distortion) by increasing acoustical foam thickness in the corner, while visually extending and seamlessly integrating with the Profoamà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ wall design. RPG ® Diffuser Systems Studio in a Box Diffuser and Absorber: Additional panels may be layered to any thickness offering unlimited absorption. The using of ProFoam because its absorption and diffusion properties are sufficient for the studios surface, as its stackable, and for a uniformed look. FIGURE 1: Gypsum board (http://www.bombayharbor.com/productImage/0578747001219286428/Gypsum_Board.jpg) Gypsum board is a typical material used for layering walls, holding insulation fibers, providing a certain amount of damping and as wall surface. It is also used for floors, doors and ceilings treatment. FIGURE 2: Plywood (http://www.stockporttimber.co.uk/st_cms/data/upimages/Plywood.jpg) Plywood to separate gypsum and studs and adhere with soundproofing mat. Chip wood (recording room floor) is an ordinary chip wood for flooring. FIGURE 3: Sound Blocker Membrane (http://www.soundservice.co.uk/images/PRODUCTS_gallery/ACOUSTIC_MEMBRANE/1.jpg) Sound Blocker Membrane have excellent sound insulating qualities and it can be used as a sole sound barrier layer, or as part of a multilayer composite with other materials such as sound absorbing foam and carpet. It acts, as a thin, dense sound barrier layer in walls, ceilings or floors and its most effective when used as one component of a multi-layered construction scheme. It extremely effective at improving the sound and insulation properties of lightweight plasterboard partitions, floors and almost anything else. 2-3 layers used on wooden floors can reduce airborne noise transfer dramatically. Spray adhesive is ideal for sticking these mats to walls, floors, and. FIGURE 4: Mineral Woll (http://www.domesticsoundproofing.co.uk/soundproofing/amw_slabs1.jpg) Acoustic mineral woll is use for the reduction of airborne noise between flooring joist, suspended ceiling and in partition walls, it is a good sound absorbing infill. It consists mainly of silicon-oxide together with a number of other metallic oxides. By using the acoustic mineral woll, it will has more efficient for the purpose of soundproofing than a lightweight thermal insulation, chemically and mom-flammable insert. By the way, this will not adversely affected by any substance. To be ensures there is no water penetration in any direction; it may come into contact with a random of fibres. It does not sustain vermin and will not encourage the growth of fungi, bacteria or moulds. Beside that, it will not react with metal wall ties and wired plastic, masonry or brickwork. While using in a standard stud wall, it can increase the sound insulation performance by up to 150%. It normally will provide a reduction in the reverberant noise level up to 200% when fitted under the roof constru ctions. Besides, it will provides a reduction in air bone noise levels by up to 100% when it fitted in-between the ceiling or the floor joists. FIGURE 5: Resilient Bar  ¼Ã‹â€ http://www.soundservice.co.uk/images/clip_image001.gif ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Resilient Bar is a thin metal channel, which is designed to substantially improve the sound insulation of the plasterboard ceilings and walls. It can easily isolate the plasterboard from the studworks, and it will contact directly to dissipate sound, which is normally being transfer through the frame. Because of the improvements in both impact and the airbone noise, so the sound will normally act well in excess of 300%. On walls the bars should be mounted at right angles to the frame with the narrow mounting flange at the bottom and the wider flange at the top. This allows the plasterboard to draw itself away from the studwork. For ceilings the flanges should be pointing in alternating directions. Mount the bars parallel at a max of 600mm centers. The bars should be screwed to all of the battens with 36mm drywall screws. Bars should be joined by overlapping them by a few centimeters directly over a batten with the corrugated webs nested together and both base flanges screwed through to the batten beneath. FIGURE 6: Gasket (http://www.customaudiodesigns.co.uk/seals/neoprene2.jpg) Gaskets/ Cushioning, self-adhesive EPDM / Neoprene blend expanded foam rubber sealing strip. This is ideal for exposed sealing, damping and cushioning. It age resistant and chemically neutral against the most commonly used lacquers and Plastics and resistant to most caustic chemicals, resistant against ozone, moisture and UV radiation. This is good for isolating and decoupling battens attached to walls and ceilings When a room is soundproofed, builders create sound barriers using specialized materials that easily absorb sound or redirect it toward proper areas. This keeps sound generated in the room from exiting, or gives normal walls acoustical properties so that sound bounces off instead of being absorbed into the wall itself. In soundproofed areas, outside noises are also absorbed, keeping the room quiet, which is ideal for recording studios and similar establishments. Acoustical caulk is a product used in the creation of these rooms. It primary function is to achieve and maintain the specific STC (Sound Transmission Class) value of the system designed to remains permanently flexible and adheres firmly to wood or metal studs, concrete, gypsum board, AudioSealà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Sound Barrier, and most other types of building substrates. It unique formulation is non-drying, non-hardening, non-staining, and non-migrating and can be used for unexposed applications at perimeter joints, floor and cei ling runners (either wood or metal), cutouts in gypsum board, veneer plaster systems, and other areas where a sound rated assembly is required. By the way, it can also be applied or buttered around all electrical boxes and outlets, air returns, heating and air conditioning ducts, and other utility equipment penetrating wall surfaces for increased acoustical performance. Studio Design Room mode or natural resonant frequency, which is related to the length, width and height of the room, is one of the most important properties in the studio design and it determines its natural resonances. Let say the rectangular room has 3 sets of primary modes, which are length, width and height. So, if you have got a irregular room shape or irregular angled walls, then you have to average the dimensions and get the rough idea of the mode frequency. The larger room it has the better acoustically than the smaller room because larger room because the modes are spaced more closely. Studio Layout Construction Details Dry Walls is a Simple single stud design sufficient for wall because the dry walls are doubled, one on the existing outer wall and one as inner wall. We make the double walls to minimize structural linking. Studs spacing are 24, on center instead of the usual 16 spacing, this yields a slight increase in TL (transmission lost). The walls are angled but room shape symmetrical to provide even dispersion and prevent flutter echo. Diameter approx 5 to 6 Total estimated wall area : Total wall perimeter x Average Ceiling height 239.5 ft * 12.125 ft = 2903.9 2903.9 * 2 = 5807.9sq ft. (http://www.ethanwiner.com/BTPlans.gif) (http://www.ethanwiner.com/BTParts.html) Ceiling angled upwards at 12 degrees from the front to the middle of both rooms and then back down at 12 degrees.10 ft ( 3.05m) min height for optimal drum sound recording. The diameter approx 10. Total estimated ceiling area: 289 + 305.15 + 238 + 295.87 = 1128.02 sq ft. Diameter of floor is approx 10 Total estimated floor area: 280.7 + 296 + 231 + 287 = 1094.7 sq ft. Acoustic Timber Door ¼Ã…’STC 30-35 each leaf. It has a same construction as walls using timber and narrower studs. The dense yet lightweight mineral fiber for more STC and it including gaskets to seal sound, hinges, knobs Total : 6 doors with dimensions of approx 6.5 x 2.7 x 3 Acoustic Window Double Glazed The space between glass panels sealed. Use two different thicknesses of glass to prevent resonant frequencies and sealed enclosure up to STC 47. The distance between the panesis about 150mm. Total: 2 double glazed acoustic window with 6 x 2.5 panes The use of sound lock can reduce -3 dB. As sound insulation by air volume and air sealed by door gaskets. Air-conditioner Duct Damping About the noise-reducing enclosure of air-conditioning by using plywood baffle and installed into the opening of the air-con duct with simple plywood baffle held together with strong and moisture resistant adhesive. The plywood maze slows down the airflow or the air-con, thus reducing noise. The absorbent foam lined/covered on plywood baffle to absorb airflow noise as well as noise from generator. Its 4 ft in length. Example Example of a self-made duct baffle Conclusion: Overall, are acoustics really that important? Even though the quality of the instruments, speakers, recording gear and amps are expensive, but without the good acoustic treatments, all the recording will be bad and it will take you even more time to get your track done. We can noticed that why professional recording studio they spent so much time and money in order to get a good acoustics design but why there is still a lot of people they dont take this seriously and record in their house without doing any acoustic treatment? For an example, MIDI (Musical Instrument Interface), there is countless plug-ins, synthesizers, samples and loops available in the market, and all these elements have become the major elements of music production and major arrangement of popular music nowadays. So with this new popular culture, many people can produce their music or track in the house just only using their computer. Another example such as disk jockey, they have an expensive DJs sets so they gain more flexibility of their creating and producing music with only a laptop computer as such a convenience rise of a fact, they can make satisfaction, high quality music in a more efficient and cost-effective way by using samples, plug-ins, they can perform unlimited var iation of sound, instrument, techniques that without any acoustic treatment needed. But is it possible if a rap artist or vocalist they want to record a good quality track without any good environment? The answer is no. Let say if the rap artist or vocalist they record their song in their house by using a very expensive microphone and gear but without any acoustic treatment, in the result of the recording will be too much room noise on the track such as the ceiling fan in your room, outside traffic and etc, all of these will produce the low frequency rumble. So it will take you a lot of time and it is very hard for you to do the mixing. Equipment is useless if sound is recorded badly. This is why professional recording studio they will spend so much money on the acoustic treatment. Beside to give you the good environment to recording your music and track, and it also because you can get the good quality on your final production. we still need to pay a lot of attention to the space in which we use them. The acoustic treatment of recording studio is very tricky because of the construction materials used and the size of the studio. Restate original argument (are acoustics important) State your findings Compare expensive and cheap home solutions