Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Teenage Wasteland
Anne Tylerââ¬â¢s short story ââ¬Å"Teenage Wastelandâ⬠represents a moms battle to comprehend and support her kid. The story happens in a working class neighborhood, where the hero Daisy, is a mother of two and a housewife. Daisy attempts to help her child Donny, an obstinate and misconstrued adolescent. Donny is a disturbing teenager who is defiant and consistently causes hardship. At the point when Daisy gets a call from the head of Donnyââ¬â¢s non-public school mentioning a gathering about Donnyââ¬â¢s horrible scores and youthful conduct, she does all that she can to help Donny develop and develop by employing a tutor.Unfortunately, Daisy finds that Cal, Donnyââ¬â¢s guide, didnââ¬â¢t help Donny raise his evaluation, however rather made his evaluation drop. Daisy saw that Donny has gave some improvement in his conduct and mentality in school. Anne Tyler uncovers that being a parent is never a simple activity, a few guardians, similar to Daisy and Matt, have no influence over their children. For the duration of Daisyââ¬â¢s life she has attempted to show signs of improvement comprehension of Donny, she needs to associate with him and wishes to recognize what heââ¬â¢s truly like. As a mother Daisy is mindful and inspired by Donnyââ¬â¢s prosperity, she is unreliable in light of Donny, and Donny is Daisyââ¬â¢s fundamental priority.Like all moms Daisy is keen on her kid's prosperity. For this situation, Donnyââ¬â¢s prosperity is all that she thinks about. Daisy experiences experienced such a great amount of difficulty in the recent weeks only for Donny to be upbeat. Daisy is interested about Donny, he is extremely clandestine and likes to keep things on the low. ââ¬Å"Well? What did you think? â⬠(Tyler. 260). Daisy requests Donnyââ¬â¢s sentiment, sheââ¬â¢s needs to know how he feels. Likewise, itââ¬â¢s as though his choice is the main thing that issues to her, she needs to comprehend what his principles are.Daisy t hinks about Donny, she needs to speak with him and become more acquainted with him. Daisy is uncertain about herself due to Donnyââ¬â¢s conduct towards her. In light of the way Donny treats her, Daisy feels no certainty even with the manner in which she dresses. For this situation, she is reluctant in light of the fact that she feels that Donny is awkward being around her. She becomes hesitant over the smallest things that donââ¬â¢t mean anything. ââ¬Å"Daisy held in her stomach in and gave Mr. Lanham a firm, capable handshakeâ⬠(Tyler. 258). Daisy attempts to suck in her stomach when giving a handshake, imagining that she isà overweight.ââ¬Å"She wished sheââ¬â¢d worn nylons rather than knee socksâ⬠(Tyler. 257). Likewise, she is uncertain about the littlest things like the way sheââ¬â¢s dressed, she gets worried over socks imagining that they make her look amateurish and uninformed. She attempts the spread and conceal the parts where she is shaky about, simi lar to the things that may humiliate her. Daisyââ¬â¢s principle individual of intrigue is by all accounts Donny. She discovers Donny intrigueing, he mistakes her for his blended feelings. For this situation, Daisy needs to become acquainted with Donny he befuddles her alot, all moms are interested about their children.When she picks Donny up from Calââ¬â¢s heââ¬â¢s making some extraordinary memories, grinning and chuckling which Dasiy has never observed that side of, however when he gets in the vehicle he becomes quiet and bothered a piece. Donny is raising a ruckus which is picking up him consideration, shes placing all her consideration into him. ââ¬Å"She had consistently disclosed to Donny he had ability, was brilliant, was acceptable with his handsâ⬠(Tyler. 258). Donny has consistently been Daisy's fundamental need, until his more youthful sister was conceived. Be that as it may, significantly after, he was as yet her principle individual of interest.Daisy places all her consideration into Donny, she attempts to make sense of him all around she can, yet she canââ¬â¢t break him. She doesnââ¬â¢t comprehend Donny and the reason for his activities. Donny attempts to keep away from his folks in any capacity he can, he overlooks them and gets irritated over all that they instruct him to do. The beginning of all of Donnyââ¬â¢s hubbub is the thing that carried Daisy to think about him, and what made him her primary individual of intrigue. For the duration of Daisyââ¬â¢s life she has attempted to show signs of improvement comprehension of Donny, she needs to associate with him and wishes to realize what heââ¬â¢s truly like.To finish up, Daisyââ¬â¢s edgy battle to comprehension and coexisting with her child, Donny, comes down to them turning out to be much increasingly like outsiders. Daisyââ¬â¢s plan on coexisting with Donny flops horrendously because of the reason for her recruiting Cal, Donnyââ¬â¢s coach. Before long she fi nds that the reason for Donny acting insubordinate, is on the grounds that she didnââ¬â¢t care a lot about him previously. On the off chance that Daisy would have acknowledged Donny the manner in which he was, and centered more around different things than him it would have most likely turned out contrastingly and he wouldnââ¬â¢t have fled.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Saul Perkins U.S. Multicultural Visions Essays - Chinatown
Saul Perkins U.S. Multicultural Visions November fourth 1998 Paper 3 Ask any run of the mill looking Asian understudies around grounds whether they are Chinese or Japanese and the answer will most likely be all inclusive: ?Neither, I'm Chinese-American.? As a general rule, building up an away from of precisely how they characterize themselves as a ?race? has become a troublesome activity these days for most Chinese-Americans. Many have gotten so composed to the American lifestyle, that the main thing as yet binds them to their genealogical roots is physical appearance and the response to the SAT poll about ethnicity foundation. This is the reason for the general topic of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. The Joy Luck Club is a gathering of fluctuated stories established in the way of life conflict between four ladies whom unyieldingly follow Chinese refinement and their separate girls, who are Americanized. All through the story, it becomes evident that the little girls have become Americanized and are veering ceaselessly from the holy culture with which the moms have come to acknowledge as the reason for what keeps them stable all through the unlimited path and hardships they face. The distinctions in the childhood of those ladies conceived during the principal quarter of this century in China, and their little girls, conceived in the American environment of California, are contrasts that structure an allegorical block divider between the two ages' lives. Confronted with this divider, the two sides make some hard memories identifying with each other. From the earliest starting point of the novel, Suyuan Woo recounts to the tale of The Joy Luck Club, a gathering began by the four Chinese moms during World War II, where we ate, we giggled, we messed around, lost and won, we recounted to the best stories. Furthermore, every week, we could would like to be fortunate. That expectation was our solitary delight. (p. 12). Clearly throughout the years this week after week occasion has gotten something other than a round of Mah Jong and an additional aiding of supper for these ladies. The tie ties them together; it is the thing that keeps them grounded in what minimal Chinese culture is left for them to have and hold. Growing up during risky occasions in China, they all were educated to want nothing, to swallow others' wretchedness, to eat [their] own harshness. (p. 241). Despite the fact that relatively few of them grew up horrendously poor, they all had a specific regard for their older folks, and forever itself. These Chinese moms were totally educated to be decent, to the point of giving up their own lives to keep any relatives' guarantee. They all were instructed to want nothing, to swallow others' wretchedness, to eat [their] own sharpness. (p. 241). This is in contrast with the American girls who grew up with little to basically no culture. Lindo Jong, whose little girl, Waverly, doesn't know four Chinese words, depicts the total contrast and inconsistency of the two universes she attempted to associate for her girl, American conditions and Chinese character. She clarifies that there is no enduring inclination in being conceived in America, and that all being a minority implies is that you are the preferred choice for grants. In particular, she takes note of that In America, no one says you need to keep the conditions another person gives you. (p. 289). Living in America, it was simple for Waverly to acknowledge American conditions and to grow up as some other American resident. As a Chinese mother, Lindo need ed her little girl to gain proficiency with the significance of Chinese character. She attempted to show her Chinese-American girl How to obey guardians and tune in to your mom's psyche. How not to demonstrate your own musings, to put your sentiments behind your face so you can make the most of shrouded openings . . . The most effective method to know your own value and clean it, never blazing it around like a modest ring. (p. 289). The American-conceived girls never handle on to these attributes, mostly why their story lines become so not quite the same as their simply Chinese guardians. ?Rules of the Game? is a set model where the mother-little girl social clash is apparent. Waverly's mom is continually flaunting her little girl since she is a national chess champion. In a
Thursday, July 30, 2020
Guest Lectures
Guest Lectures Once I was at a fancy banquet-type event, one of the ones where they have multiple courses. Well, the soup was yummy and the fish was good, and then they brought out dessert. And it was gorgeous. A beautiful, sparkling peach, a couple of berries, a needle-thin stick with a pale green flower attached it must have been made of something sweet, chocolate or sugar or something, but I never found out. It was too pretty and uncluttered to touch. Thats how I feel about the new MIT admissions website. I cant write a blog post! I cant mar this clean, polished page with my humble observations about the Institvte! And yet I have things I want to blog about, so here I am. But switching website designs also means switching back ends. I get to learn a whole new process for bringing my words to your web browser, and the best part is pictures are now super-easy to upload. You know what this means? Photos of kitties! This is Galileo, one of two new kittens on Third East. He and his brother were adopted by Kerry N., 14. If you think thats cute, just imagine him falling asleep in your arms, his little belly moving up and down as he breathes (Photos by Greg Steinbrecher) Needless to say Ive been trying to spend every spare second sneaking off to Tetazoo to see the kitties. This hasnt always been possible though: my summer job as Awesome Diva for the Research Science Institute has been keeping me busy in the evenings. Every night this week has been spent in formal wear, hosting guest lecturers or college reps. Mondays lecture was by Dr. John Cohn, from IBM. As soon as he started speaking, I knew I had to work him into a blog post. Unfortunately, he beat me to it. He got a pretty good picture of me wearing his rainbow-LED-crown, which should give you an idea of what he talked about. Most lecturers come to RSI to talk about their work and their journey through the world of science; Dr. Cohn brought a quarter launcher and a light-up crown hed built himself. His message was about the importance and excitement of engineering careers; he told us about his lifes path, his involvement with Watson, IBMs programmed jeopardy contestant, and his stint on a TV reality show (Colony) building flamethrowers to fend of fictional post-apocalyptic bad guys. At one point he asked the group to raise their hands if they saw themselves as an engineer, and pitifully few did. I actually almost raised my hand, thinking he was talking about the MIT mascot. We are, we are, we are, we are, we are the engineers But Im definitely a mathematician, not an engineer: the last time I tried to build something (an ill-fated arch of cardboard boxes in the ESP office) it came toppling to the ground the minute I touched it. After his talk, we had our RSI international night, so students from different countries could tell us about their country. If Id had any doubt about the sheer awesomenees of Dr. Cohn, it was erased when he agreed to stay! However, hed gotten the message that we needed more engineering in our lives, so while the students got set up to dance, sing, and present their countries, he ran off to get supplies for more demos. He took over an intermission during international night to make a pickle glow, and use piezoelectonics to shoot wet paper towels across the room. What? Pojectiles in 6-120? Mr. Facilities man, I have no idea what youre talking about! By contrast, Wednesdays lecture was different in almost every way. Instead of 1 speaker, we must have had 20, from over 15 different colleges. Instead of 1 program, we had 3: two other summer programs joined us for RSI/MITES/WTP college night. I mention the college night in a blog that is by necessity biased towards MIT, because of what I was thinking during the presentations. I was timing all of the college reps to keep them under 3 minutes, but when I listened to what they said, I just felt more sure that I had made the right choice. Its not that they were bad speakers or they were saying bad things about their colleges. It was really easy for me to see the right person being happy there. But whether they emphasized things that I didnt feel were that important to me, or they highlighted things Id realized I didnt want in a college, I never got the wistful feeling of What would it have been like if Id gone there instead. I guess what Im trying to say is, if I had to go back and do it all over again, I wouldnt do anything differently. IHTFP. Then again, the MIT reps three-minute talk was the best by far, anyways. Matt McGann, of blogger-and-general-awesomeness fame, got up and in 3 minutes basically conveyed the contents of this blog post. Of course, there I am, thinking Thats so cool! I should totally blog about it! and completely forgetting that of course he would have beaten me to the punch. When we broke out into information tables, every other college brought info sheets and postcards. Apparently, even though the event was held at MIT, nobody could find any similar swag for the MIT table. Matt had a printout of a paper written at MIT, about developing an Invisibility Cloak, so we put that on the table. I cant tell you how many people came up as I was standing there and tried to take the first page, thinking it was a stack of information sheets, and I had to chase them down and get it back so other people could read it. For the rest of the night I talked myself hoarse answering questions about student life and academics, at least for the MITES and WTP kids who hadnt been putting up with me for 4 weeks already!
Friday, May 22, 2020
Why Do Italians Consider Friday the 17th Unlucky
When Friday the 13th comes around in the Western world, people start talking about possibilities of unfortunate things happening, and while the superstition runs deep in many countries, including America, Finland, and the Philippines, you wonââ¬â¢t find anyone in Italy stressing out on the 13th. In fact, the number 13 is considered good luck in Italy! Thatââ¬â¢s because in Italian culture, the number 17ââ¬ânot 13ââ¬âis considered unlucky, and when it comes to Friday the 17th, some would even call it ââ¬Å"un giorno nero - a black dayâ⬠. So why all the fuss about Friday the 17th? Why 17 Is Considered Unlucky Some believe that this belief started in Ancient Romeà because when the number 17 is viewed as the Roman numeral XVII, and then changed anagrammatically to VIXI, it reminds Italians of the Latin language phrase which translates to I have lived, which can be understood as, My life is over. Whatââ¬â¢s more, in the Old Testament of the Bible, itââ¬â¢s said that the great flood happened on the 17th of the second month. So why Friday? Itââ¬â¢s said that Friday is considered unlucky because of Venerdà ¬ Santo, known as Good Friday, which was the day of Jesusââ¬â¢ death. Furthermore, the unluckiest day of all would be if Friday the 17th fell in November because November the 2nd is a memorial day to the deceased in Italy. This surprisingly beautiful holiday is called All Soulsââ¬â¢ Day and directly follows All Saintsââ¬â¢ Day on November 1st. When that occurs, November is called the month of the deceased. How Strong the Superstition Is While many people wonââ¬â¢t bat an eye at the seemingly unlucky date, many will take the day off of work to avoid leaving the house, wonââ¬â¢t have any important meetings, get married, or make any important decisions. There are others who carry around lucky charms, called i portafortuna, like a rabbitââ¬â¢s foot. Italians also carry charms, like a small, red horn pendant, a horseshoe, or an old hunchbacked man in their pockets, bags or homes, which are all derived from the Neapolitan tradition. You may hear a proverb, like ââ¬Å"Nà © di venere, nà © di marte ci si sposa, nà © si parte, nà © si da principio allarte! It means ââ¬Å"Not on Friday nor on Tuesday one marries, one leaves, or one starts something.â⬠When it comes to businesses, the Italian airline carrier, Alitalia, does not have a seat 17 in the same way that many hotels in America donââ¬â¢t include the thirteenth floor. Renault sold its R17 model in Italy as R177. Finally, at the Cesana Pariol the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Cesana, Italy, turn 17 is named Senza Nome. Important Vocabulary Here are some key vocabulary words, so you can bring unlucky Friday the 17th up as a topic with your Italian friends and family. Portare sfortuna - To bring bad luckIl portafortuna - Lucky charmLa sfortuna/sfigaà - Bad luckLa zampa di coniglio - Rabbitââ¬â¢s footLââ¬â¢Antica Roma - Ancient RomeI superstiziosi - Superstitious (people)Thirteen - TrediciSeventeen - DiciassetteFriday - Venerdà ¬Un giorno sfortunato - An unlucky dayLa bibbia - The bibleLââ¬â¢Antico Testamento - The Old TestamentIl diluvio universale - The great floodLe leggende - LegendsLe credenze - BeliefsI miti - MythsIl Giorno dei Morti - All Soulsââ¬â¢ DayLa Festa di Ogni Santi - All Saintsââ¬â¢ Day
Saturday, May 9, 2020
The 5-Minute Rule for Expository Essay Samples Students
The 5-Minute Rule for Expository Essay Samples Students Essay writing is a challenging business when you're at college. Benefits of Online essay Writing Services Essay writing is an ambitious endeavor for the majority of the students today. It provides a lot of benefits to students in the academe. Expository essay is just one of the intricate academic assignments, which takes a profound analysis to be conducted and amazing writing abilities. It will be less difficult to compose an expository essay according to a thorough plan. Moreover, an outline is a critical part of an expository essay also. At times, you'll be asked to compose an expository essay outline. There are a lot of ways to write an outstanding essay, however all expository essays follow the exact standard measures. Expository essays offer more thorough understanding of a specific topic. Although the expository essay ought to be clear and brief, it may also be vivid and appealing. Any expository essay needs a concrete structure that includes five primary paragraphs. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Expository Essay Samples Students The very first step is understanding what kind of expository essay you're likely to write. There are a few topics which are absolutely unseen and students find difficulty in locating the suitable direction and method of information collection. Using transition words while describing procedure is inevitable. All the steps ought to be familiar to one another. If you wish to excel in writing your descriptive essay writing but don't understand where to begin or the way to do it, the very first place you ought to consider is our expert wr iting team. In case you have any difficulties with writing your expository essay, we understand how to help you perform nice and impress your intended audience. At all writing stages, it's important to not forget the principal features of expository writing. Deciding on an essay topic can stall your writing process for quite a while, as you just do not understand what you will write about. The 5-Minute Rule for Expository Essay Samples Students If you would like to find out more about writing different forms of essays, check out other posts on our blog which is going to teach you the way to compose academic papers successfully. The writer should give a list of solutions to address a problem in the most efficient way. When the thesis statement is finished, writers are now able to think about supporting topics that'll be the content of the essay's body. All sorts of academic papers like argumentative and persuasive essays consist of expository writing in some form or form. For example, you might have a particular kind of essay to fulfill for an assignment that doesn't require that you pick a topic, or as detailed above, you presently have a subject in mind and has to decide on how best to present it and which essay format would be far better use. Expository essay is targeted at clarifying a particular problem or event in an easy language. A number of the essays require that you describe what's happening and a number of them are about why it's happening. To put it simply, an expository essay explores all angles of a specific topic in an attempt to teach the audience something they may not know. There are a couple of unique strategies for writing an expository essay. A properly formatted paper that's a customised essay can decrease the likelihood of purchasing essays from online sources. Absolutely free Expository essay samples are offered on FreeEssayHelp with no payment or registration. Look at Probably the most importantcollege essay tipsis to lo ok at your creating after you have concluded essay editing services. You've learned main objectives and types of expository essay. You must begin your work with an introduction in which you explain the chief aim of your essay to readers. There are lots of expository essay topics to pick from. Frequently, students utilize ready-made samples and examples to figure out the way to compose a superb essay paper with a suitable structure and style format. Possessing a look at the expository essay sample will certainly be an advantage and will cause you to avoid any form of errors. Or becoming a specific subject or you're searching for examples, metaphor, take a look at our help. You must find the most suitable resources for your essay and patience when finding the proper inspiration to write. The majority of the moment, expository essays are presented by offering a wide range of topics and approaches to bring up the idea.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Pnu Application Form Free Essays
Philippine Normal University The National Center for Teacher Education OFFICE OF ADMISSION Manila 1â⬠x 1â⬠ID Picture APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TEST PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY ADMISSION TEST (PNUAT) Name: _________________________________________________________________________________ Gender: ____________ Print: Last Name Given Name Middle Name Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Contact No: _______________________________________________ E-mail Address: ____________________________________ Date of Birth: ______________________________________________ Place of Birth: _____________________________________ Age: _________ Citizenship: ____________________________ Religion: ______________________________________________ Name of Present School: _______________________________________________________________________________________ School Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ EDUCATION: School Attended Elementary: ____________________________________ High School: Other Courses: ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Inclusive Dates ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Degree/Course Completed ____________________________ _______________ _____________ ____________________________ Honors/Awards Received: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Extra-Curricular Activities, Hobbies, Talents: _______________________________________________________________________ I hereby apply for permit to take the PNU Admission Test (PNUAT) on: __________________________________________ I certify that the information given on this form is true and correct. It is understood that my final acceptance to the University will depend on the results of the Universityââ¬â¢s screening procedure. I understand that I have to pay a non-refundable examination fee of P350. We will write a custom essay sample on Pnu Application Form or any similar topic only for you Order Now 00, the receipt of which is to be attached to the application form. I attach a photocopy of my High School Card / Transcript of Records. ____________________________________ Signature over Printed Name of Applicant OR # _______________________________ Date of Application: ___________________ Name: _________________________________________________________________________________ Gender: ____________ Last Name Given Name Middle Name Preferred Academic Program: (Please indicate three choices by placing 1 to 3 on the blank, no. as the most preferred) __________ __________ __________ Bachelor of Early Childhood in Education (BECED) Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSE) with specialization in ââ¬â __________ Biology __________ __________ Chemistry __________ __________ English __________ __________ Filipino __________ __________ General Science __________ __________ History __________ __________ Home Economics __________ __________ Information T echnology for Teachers __________ Mathematics Others (Allied Fields ââ¬â with limited enrollment) __________ Bachelor of Library and Information Science __________ Bachelor of Science in Psychology __________ Bachelor of Science in Home Economics Technology __________ AB/BSE Literature Music Education Nutrition and Dietetics for Teachers Physical Education Physics Social Science Speech and Theater Arts Values Education How to cite Pnu Application Form, Essay examples
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Power Of Government Vs. Individual Rights Essays -
Power Of Government Vs. Individual Rights Alexander Hamilton was a brilliant member of the federal government whose political principles were based on the idea that the greatest threat to political stability was anarchy rather than monarchy. He believed that the government should be left in the hands of a concentrated few, and that those chosen would lead the country into prosperity. He did not think the ?swinish multitudes? capable of governing themselves. On the other hand, Thomas Jefferson was in support of making states' rights more powerful than those of the federal government. Each individual, in his opinion, deserved the right to make the decisions that would govern the country in which he lived. He thought the federal government was too far removed from its people so that their voices would not be able to be heard in the decision making process; thus, their needs would go unfulfilled. The Hamiltonian point of view that a strong, centralized form of government should be employed is in accordance with my own beliefs. The power of government should be used to unify the people under its jurisdiction, not stand merely as a lame parent to watch its reckless teenage children make decisions that contradict the good of all the people in his household. In Europe, each country has its own set of laws that govern its people; however, for the good of the continent, the united move to the Eurodollar will stabilize the currencies of those countries having trouble with the fluctuations of its money values and also further ease of trade and transportation. In part, the Civil War was the result of too many decisions made by too many people. Since the country as a whole put off deciding what to do with the ever-present slavery question, each state formed its own policy in dealing with slave trade, runaways, and other such issues. Unrest was the underlying feeling throughout the country and made more prominent other touchy issues, and this lack of unity eventually erupted in warfare. Unity under one central government was re-formed and the system as it is known today is still in place. To counter overly strong businesses, the power of government was later used to balance the free enterprise system of the United States. In the late part of the 19th century, monopolies caused tiny shops to be run out of business, sending unemployment rates to rise. The wealth of the country was concentrated in the hands of very few people. The Sherman Antitrust Law (1890) was created in order to control companies which restrained normal commerce, like monopolies and trusts, for the good of the prosperity of the country. Hamilton's principles, though frowned upon by many that were running from the tyranny of England, were those that kept the nation together. A country that later became a superpower in the eyes of its neighbor relations would never have emerged as such if there had been no brain to establish the functions of its many member body parts. Political Issues Essays
Friday, March 20, 2020
Baleful and Baneful
Baleful and Baneful Baleful and Baneful Baleful and Baneful By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Would you please tell me the difference between baleful and baneful. I know both adjectives relate to evil. Both of these adjectives derive from ancient Old English words. In Beowulf, a bane is a murderer. By extension, bane came to mean anything that causes destruction. In time, bane came to be a synonym for poison. The element appears in the names of several plants that have poisonous properties: henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) dogbane (Apocynum) wolfsbane (Aconitum lycoctonum) A common name for rat poison (especially white arsenic) is ratsbane. In modern usage the meaning of baneful at its strongest is pernicious; at its mildest, harmful. Here are some examples: The authors neglect the baneful effect of the gold standard in their discussion of the Great Depression and other economic periods.à The Baneful Consequences of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines He deplores the general decline of handwriting and theà baneful effectà on communication.à On the one hand, there is persuasive evidence that gender bias, gender segregation, and gender discrimination still exist and still have a baneful effect on access. The Old English word bealu (the source of bale in baleful) may be translated variously as harm, injury, ruin, evil, mischief, and wickedness. A bealu could be a wound or anything unpleasant. In modern usage, the adjective baleful is used in the sense of threatening: And as he spoke his eyes gleamed, and again thatà balefulà smile passed over his face. Aà balefulà star, come to cause us harm IRS Turning Its Baleful Gaze At Company Cafeterias That Churn Out Freeà Food Sometimes the phrase ââ¬Å"a baleful lookâ⬠seems to be used as the equivalent of ââ¬Å"an accusing lookâ⬠or ââ¬Å"a dirty lookâ⬠: I have one-sided conversations with the dog (who at best cocks his head quizzically at me but most oftenà casts me a baleful look). Kevin sat on my bedà giving me baleful looks. When I called out to her, she turned and gave me what could only be described as aà baleful look.à As the reader suggests, both baneful and baleful carry connotations of evil. Some speakers do use the words interchangeably, but thereââ¬â¢s a difference. In the following examples the word baneful (harmful) would be the clearer choice: The baleful effect of computer benchmarks upon applied mathematics, physics and chemistry. (Title of a paper by a mathematics professor). First, since the evidence suggests that computer technologies generally improve student achievement overall, and no baleful results were found, there should be more computer use by students regardless of social class or geographic location. (From an academic paper about technology and education). Bale (evil) is no longer used apart from the adjective baleful, but the word bane continues to be used as a stand-alone noun in the sense of ââ¬Å"a person who makes another completely miserableâ⬠or ââ¬Å"the agent or instrument of ruin or woeâ⬠: My ex-husband is the bane of my happiness. Edward Snowden continues to be the bane of U.S. government surveillance and spy operations.à Opium had in fact been the bane of the economic and social life of the Assamese people. Bradford pear one of lifes many botanical banes Fleas are theà bane of my existence. Baleful conveys menace, whereas baneful connotes definite harm. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial Expressions"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?Drama vs. Melodrama
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Qu pasa con mexicanos menores detenidos en la frontera
Qu pasa con mexicanos menores detenidos en la frontera Estados Unidos y Mà ©xico tienen un acuerdo que aplica a los menores de edad de esta à ºltima nacionalidad que son agarrados cruzando la frontera entre esos dos paà ses. Sin embargo, su aplicacià ³n ha sufrido un importante cambio recientemente. Qu dice la ley para el caso de menores de Mxico (que no de Centroamrica) Los mexicanos menores de 18 aà ±os que son agarrados cruzando ilegalmente la frontera son devueltos a Mà ©xico tras serle tomadas las huellas digitales. Muchas veces, el regreso se hace incluso el mismo dà a, por autobà ºs. Pero grupos criminales de trfico de personas y/o drogas comenzaron a tomar ventaja de esta regla legal para reclutar - a veces con violencia o coacciones- à menores mexicanos para actuar como polleros y cruzar la frontera con migrantes indocumentados o narcà ³ticos.à Para hacer frente a esa situacià ³n, las autoridades de los Estados Unidos detectaron que muchos jà ³venes cruzaban como polleros la frontera numerosas veces, encontrndose casos de muchachos que ingresaron ilegalmente unas 60 veces. Para poner fin a esta situacià ³n de ingresos ilegales repetidos se comenzà ³ a cambiar la aplicacià ³n de la ley Cmo se est aplicando ahorita el acuerdo entre Estados Unidos y Mxico Cuando la Patrulla Fronteriza arresta a un menor mexicano que acaba de cruzar la frontera mexicana ilegalmente lo retiene en un centro cercano al lugar de su detencià ³n por un tiempo limitado. Despuà ©s de sacarlas las huellas digitales y de entrevistarlo, si consideran que es un caso de ingresos repetidos se lo estn entregandoà a la Office of Refuge Resettlement. A continuacià ³n estos menores son enviados a un centro de detencià ³n de migrantes donde precisamente estn los centroamericanos que en muchas ocasiones intentaron introducir ilegalmente en Estados Unidos. El centro de detencià ³n puede estar en cualquier estado y pueden ser enviados por avià ³n. Por lo general, pueden acabar muy lejos del lugar en el que fueron detenidos. Qu pasa una vez que los menores mexicanos llegan al centro de detencin Comunicacià ³n: se les permite comunicarse con su familia en Mà ©xico. Tener presente que desde el dà a de la detencià ³n a la primera llamada pueden pasar varios dà as, incluso 10. Y eso puede ser un gran motivo de angustia para las familias, porque durante esos dà as no saben quà © pasà ³ con el muchacho. Traslados: es posible que cambien de centro de detencià ³n. Clasificacià ³n: se les clasifica en tres categorà as por colores: pà ºrpura, amarillo y verde, segà ºn su grado de peligrosidad. Vida cotidiana: si no son peligrosos pueden, en ocasiones, salir del centro de detencià ³n (acompaà ±ado y controlado) Cargos: no son acusados de nada en particular. Tiempo: la detencià ³n dura, como media, 75 dà as, aunque hay casos ms cortos y otros que han llegado a durar seis meses.Cuando acaba la detencià ³n se les expulsa a Mà ©xico, llevando esto aparejado su penalidad. Qu busca Estados Unidos con estapoltica y qu consigue Persigue bsicamente dos fines: Poner fin a los repetidos ingresos ilegales de menores de edad mexicanos. En este sentido, la polà tica ha sido un gran à ©xito, ya que se ha detectado una caà da enorme en el nà ºmero de jà ³venes que, despuà ©s de ser retenidos en los centros de detencià ³n, regresan de nuevo a Estados Unidos como polleros (se sabe porque como se les toma las huellas es posible determinar quià ©n ha sido detenido con anterioridad y cuntas veces). Y, tambià ©n intenta sacar informacià ³n sobre quà © lugares utilizan los contrabandistas de personas para esconder migrantes ilegales y/o drogas. Consecuencia negativa de esta poltica La principal es que se conoce que ha habido casos en los que las bandas de narcos que reclutaron a jà ³venes como polleros se han vengado en ellos o sus familias por sospechar de que han dado informacià ³n a la Patrulla Fronteriza. Asimismo, es una medida criticada porque son casos de detenciones sin que a los detenidos se les acuse formalmente de nada. A tener en cuenta En el caso de menores de 21 aà ±os que no està ©n casados y que hayan sido abandonados o abusados por uno o ambos padres podrà an beneficiarse del programa de Inmigrantes Juveniles Especiales (SIJ, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), si se cumplen todos los requisitos. Telfonoimportante para encontrar informacin gratis El telà ©fono del Centro de Informacià ³n y Asistencia a Mexicanos (CIAM) brinda gratuitamente importante ayuda a presos y tambià ©n a sus familiares. Se puede marcar desde Estados Unidos y tambià ©n desde Mà ©xico. Informacin de inters En situacià ³n diferente a los mexicanos menores se encuentran losà centroamericanos detenidos en la frontera, a los que se aplica reglas diferentes.à En el caso de que la persona de la que se sospecha que est detenida sea mayor de edad, tanto mexicana como de otro paà s, existe una base de datos para encontrarlos. Por à ºltimo, tener en cuenta que dentro del interior de los Estados Unidos tambià ©n existenà controles de la Patrulla Fronterizaà y que ingresar ilegalmente despuà ©s de haber sido deportado est entre losà casos que son prioritarios para una nueva deportacià ³n. Finalmente, antes de cruzar ilegalmente la frontera conviene estar familiarizado con quà ©Ã es el castigo de la prohibicià ³n permanente yà que las consecuencias pueden ser graves, incluyendo aà ±os de prisià ³n, multa y perjuicios migratorios de por vida. Este es un artà culo informativo. No es asesorà a legal de ningà ºn tipo.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Portfolio AT&T Horizontal and Vertical Analysis Essay
Portfolio AT&T Horizontal and Vertical Analysis - Essay Example AT&T had a net margin of 11.93%. In comparison with the industry average net margin of 7.8% the firmââ¬â¢s net margin is 4.03% higher (Dun & Bradstreet, 2012). As of September 30, 2012 the total assets of AT&T were $266,849 million dollars. In comparison with fiscal year 2011 the total assets of the firm decreased by 1%. â⬠Total assets include cash and other items of value that can be converted into cash that are owned by a person or companyâ⬠(Crutchfield, 2012).The current assets of the company in 2012 were $18,958 million which represents a decline in current assets of $4,069 million in comparison with the previous year. Based on the vertical performed the current assets of the company represent 7% of total assets. The current and total liabilities of the company during 2012 were $30,758 million and $165,575 million respectively. The current ratio shows the ability of the company to pay off its current debt. AT&Tââ¬â¢s current ratio during 2012 was 0.62. The curren t ratio of the company is bad considering the fact that a good current ratio is above the 1.0 threshold. The formula to calculate current ratio is current assets divided by current liabilities. AT&T must improve its current ratio; otherwise the company might face liquidity problems. The return on assets (ROA) metric measures how profitable a company is in relation to its total assets (Investopedia, 2012). A high ROA is the preferable outcome. During 2012 the return on equity of the company was 4.24%. In comparison with the industry average of 17% AT&T is not exploiting and generating sufficient income from its assets (Dun & Bradstreet, 2012). The return on equity of AT&T in 2012 was 11.17%. Return on equity (ROE) is calculated by taking a year's worth of earnings and dividing them by the average shareholder equity for that year (Fool, 2012). The firmââ¬â¢s debt ratio is 0.62. A debt ratio is a financial metric that measures how much debt a company has in relation to its assets. T he firmââ¬â¢s debt to equity ratio is 1.63. The debt to equity ratio is calculated dividing total equity by the total assets of the company. The financial analysis performed on AT&T shows that the company has good profitability, but the firm seems to be using too much debt to finance its operations. The low current ratio of the company is a warning sign. Assuming the company enjoys the same revenue growth of 1% in the following fiscal the projected sales of the company in 2013 are $95,162 million. Credit Worthiness The creditworthiness of a corporation can be evaluated in a variety of ways. Corporations just like individuals have credit scores from the major credit agencies. This information is private and not accessible to the general public. Banking institution gain access to a firmââ¬â¢s credit scores whenever a firm applies for a loan or others financial instruments. An investor can evaluate the credit worthiness of a firm using a combination of ratios. The current ratio m easures a firmââ¬â¢s ability to pay off its current or short term debts. The debt to equity and debt ratio are two good indicators of how much leverage a firm has in the long term. Comparing these ratios to the industry standard is a good way to determine the credit position of the firm. Management Discussion and Analysis Four key findings for the MD&A section of the annual report of AT&T are: The future of wireless growth depends on the ability of companies to provide new innovative services and devices. The managerial staff
Monday, February 3, 2020
Socratic discussion exercise Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Socratic discussion exercise - Research Paper Example People are an important part of the culture as an organization depends upon its people ability and willingness to embrace the values. Narrative and places are also essential parts of the corporate culture and have importance as they are required to achieve the above four corporate cultures (Flamholtz & Randle, 2011). The above mentioned elements of corporate culture can be incorporated by developing a human-centered culture in which there must be trust between employer and employees. Strong leadership is one of the policies that help in incorporating the elements of corporate culture. An effective leadership style explaining the employees about the culture of the organization and working along with them can be very beneficial for the organization. Another policy to implement the elements of the corporate culture is to establish clear principles for the employees to work in a proper framework (Flamholtz & Randle, 2011). There are many policies to incorporate the essential elements of corporate culture, and the best procedure to establish is to have an effective leadership along with strategic communication as effective leadership, and communication are the only things that can build an
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Theories of Compulsive Buying Behaviour
Theories of Compulsive Buying Behaviour Above all, it should be noted that shopping is big business. Shopping centers employ approximately 8% of the US workforce. These portion of the workforce helps drive the machine that creates about à ½ of each stateââ¬â¢s tax revenues and there are currently more malls and shopping centers that US high schools (Farrell, J. 2003, pp. xi-xii). Seemingly powering this juggernaut of commerce is ever increasing and apparently insatiable appetite of the modern consumer. Behind the 4x growth in the number of shopping centers and the over 3x growth in retail square footage during the 30-year period of 1970 ââ¬â 2000, is the fact that Americans (and likely other ââ¬Å"civilizedâ⬠consumers) are consuming goods at twice (2x) the rate as they did in 1950 and ten-time(10x) as just over seventy years ago (Farrell, J. 2003, pp. xii-xiii). It is also worth noting that this increase in consumption is evidenced across all income levels though not necessarily equally across all segments (Gini, A. 2003, p. 85). In fact, more severe cases are significantly correlated to a lower the level of income, a greater likelihood of having below-average income and spending a lower percentage of income on sale items, suggesting overall an inability to handle financial issues well (Black, D. 2001, p. 23) As a ââ¬Ëcounter-statisticââ¬â¢, Americans have a level of production that is currently at approximately 2x that of the same period (1950). This implies that, we could consume the same amount as in 1950 and work half as much or, as reality has it, work even more to consume over twice as much (Gini, A. 2003 p. 82). Similarly, in a predictably correlational fashion, the not only has the number of shoppers and shopping centers increased but there has been a sharp increase in the number of newproducts, particularly in the advertised ââ¬Å"must haveâ⬠category as wellas the emergence of the entirely new ââ¬Å"disposableâ⬠category (Pooler, J.2003, p. 9). As shoppers and products have changed, the relationship that existed between them has also morphed into something new. With the proliferation of retail venues that profer an ever-increasing number of products and categories, the arrival of the ââ¬Å"disposableâ⬠product should not go unnoticed. Though without question, many if not most products are very high quality and manufactured to very exacting standards, many products are less durable or are ââ¬Å"designed for obsolesceâ⬠. Durability was the characteristic that was promoted while the products of today push a message of convenience. In a society rampant with such explicit and implicit messages, it is no wonder that the emotional connections to most any product are decreasing (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 10). Products such as cameras or contact lenses were highly contemplated purchasesthat were expected to last a significant period of time. Likely more important than simple the volume of shopping is its intensityâ⬠¦shopping means more than it did in the past. Previously,people shopped for items that they needed. Now, such shopping still occurs but it occupies a small fraction of the process. Studies estimate that as much as 2/3 of consumer purchases are ââ¬Å"unnecessaryâ⬠(Pooler, J. 2003 p.2). This excess is bought from a want rather than need. As an additional sign of the times, consumer research has even indicated that over half of all gift purchases are actually gifts forââ¬Å"meâ⬠(Pooler, J. 2003, p. 11). Shopping ââ¬Å"used to beâ⬠a more utilitarian and logical task in which purchases were planned and for the most part, the consumer-focused onââ¬Å"needsâ⬠. Contrasted with the modern shopper for whom it has been estimated that only about 1/3 of purchases are ââ¬Å"necessaryâ⬠, it is clear that unfulfilled desire must play a very much larger role (Pooler, J.2003, pp. 2, 6). For example, as Pooler states, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦people have a need for a new pair of pants but a desire to buy designer-label pants is a wantâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 22). Today, brands are power, disposablecontacts are the norm and OTUC, ââ¬Å"one-time use cameraâ⬠, are almost always within arms reach. It is important to note these products arenot inferiorâ⬠¦in many ways, they are functionally far superior toyesterdayââ¬â¢s products, rather, simply illustrative of a pervasivementality that merits acknowledgement and consideration. Understandingthe mentality that these ââ¬Å" wantsâ⬠, in the minds of individual consumers,are likely felt to be ââ¬Å"needsâ⬠. The eye of the would-be beholder isparticularly relevant. By utilizing the ââ¬Å"Hierarchy of Needsâ⬠, it is possible to shed significant insight into how some of these psychological shifts are occurring. Developed by noted psychologist Abraham Maslow over 75years ago, this pyramid of hierarchically ordered needs is fundamental to many issues with psychological affect. At the base of the pyramid are ââ¬Å"basic needsâ⬠such as food, shelter and clothing. Above the basic,physiological level are needs that could be classified as ââ¬Å"safetyâ⬠and would include anything that can provide psychological security and stability. Above this are ââ¬Å"socialâ⬠needs such as the need for friends and companionship. Nearing the top of the pyramid are needs under thelabel of ââ¬Å"self-esteemâ⬠in which feeling such as pride and respectbecome important. Finally, the highest level of needs is characterizedas being ââ¬Å"self-actualizationâ⬠needs in which a person has the desire tomake the ââ¬Å"mostâ⬠of themsel ves and to ââ¬Å"beâ⬠more. A key component of Maslowââ¬â¢s influence is his belief that higher needs can not be addressed until lower needs are satisfied. This is especially salient as most people living in ââ¬Å"modernâ⬠civilized countries have all the more ââ¬Å"basicâ⬠needs met. Consequently and with few exceptions, most can spend their days in pursuit of the satisfaction of ââ¬Å"higherâ⬠needs such as self-esteem and self-actualization. As America or any modern society has evolved, psychologist and philosopher Eric Fromm indicates that society and its members have also evolved to a point at which ââ¬Å"beingâ⬠is confused with ââ¬Å"havingâ⬠(Gini,A. 2003, p. 84). Such as materialist possessive mindset will leavevacant the needs at the top of the pyramid and individuals will exhibitfeelings associated with not having these innate needs unfulfilled. Fromm further indicates that much of the symptoms of this empty questare typical of a ââ¬Å"westernâ⬠mindset and ultimately result in a mentalityof ââ¬Å"to be much is to have muchâ⬠(Gini, A. 2003, p. 82). To have a high standard of life means to enjoy a pleasure intensely and tire of it quickly. Simon Patten (Hine, T. 2002 p. 17) The fact that people, in general, are consuming more, that there are more products and more places to buy them go a long way in describing in somewhat imprecise yet accurate terms that context of modern society. Maslowââ¬â¢s hierarchy of needs also provides significant insight into the circumstances of the continuing patterns of increasing consumption that indicated a struggle to satisfy a need that cannot be satiated through the mechanism of acquiring things. At this point, a further differentiation between ââ¬Å"needsâ⬠and ââ¬Å"wantsâ⬠can be drawn: a need is often physical and should be satisfied externally; a want is most likely a psychological, internally manifested desire. In the same way that you could not satisfy a real, physical hunger with psychological fish and chips, attempts to quench a psychological desire with a tangible object are likely short-lived and misguided and willend in psychological frustration. This misguided attempts to assuage oneââ¬â¢s highest psychological needs is not unreasonable given the mixed messages in society of which there is a clear emphasis placed upon highly superficial qualities. Shopping is simply the process whereby one attempts to execute these omnipresent messages. As a cultural phenomenon, shopping is the procedural execution of economic decision-making. This decision-making takes places in a sea of in which image and emotion are perhaps more likely to take precedence of narrowly defined economic and functional utility. The price tag on an item reflects a certain value but the real value is in the eye of the consumer and is the item worth that much to me. Using economic terms such as opportunity cost and opportunity benefit are especially relevant as a purchase decision hangs in the balance: ââ¬Å"what will my friends think?â⬠, ââ¬Å"does it make me more attractive?â⬠, ââ¬Å"does it make me happy?â⬠are examples of what goes throug h the ââ¬Ënewââ¬â¢ consumer mind. The fact that a product will do the job is, at best, necessary but not sufficient and, at worst, totally irrelevant. As noted above, the process of shopping along with the acquired resultant booty are a reflection of a changing culture and value system. ââ¬Å"Shoppingâ⬠is part of a manner by which a person defines who they are. What is bought, where it came from and the motives define a person for themselves and, probably in large measure, to others aswell. Just as important as what, where and why that someone bought something are the ââ¬Ëfacts of omissionââ¬â¢: that they did not buy it at a certain store, etc. is as relevant as the ââ¬Ëfacts of commissionââ¬â¢. Consider the following telling examples of self-expression: the shopper purchases prominently labeled Pampered Chef cookware in lieu of functionally equivalent store merchandise,the man who purchases a Polo sweater with its distinctive logo over the perhaps even pricier/better nondescript brand,the person who chooses name-brand drinks when company is expected over the undistinguishable other brand.While the rationale for purchases are intriguing issues, it is interesting to note that everyone thinks they are good at it (Pooler,J. 2003, p. 4). This is all the more interesting in light of how one might possibly define ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠or ââ¬Å"successâ⬠. Certainly, in the mind of the ââ¬Å"above averageâ⬠or even ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠consumer, it would be a short-lived experience as the satisfaction of a successful hunt only fuels the thirst for additional quarry. That this ubiquitous activity is seldom relegated to being considered just a ââ¬Å"functionalâ⬠activity in whichââ¬Å"functionalâ⬠products are the goal is c onsistent with the fact that itis now something of a recreational pursuit in which objects of deep psychological desire are hunted with a relish most often associated with sports participation. As most activities in which there is the reward, shopping can go ââ¬Å"tofarâ⬠. For many the allure of shopping can be a bit too much. The attraction of shiny products, sexy packaging, tempting displays, glamorous advertisements, ever-so-helpful service staff and the extreme ease by which one can proffer payment, it is no wonder that someââ¬Å"over-succumbâ⬠to the retail sirens. Given a society that is behaviorally and cognitively conditioned respond to the stimulus of retail, it is no surprise that some spend beyond their means. Others may have the means to financially afford the habit but are continue to seek fulfillment in a venue that cannot provide anything else than transitory happiness until the cycle begins again. The idea of more, of ever increasing wealth, has become the center of our identity and our security, and we are caught by it as an addict by his drugs. Paul Wachtel (Gini, A. 2003 p. 81) The idea that shopping can get out of hand does not escape the attention of either popular press such as Essence or more scholarly tomes such as the Journal of Consumer Research or CNS Drugs [CentralNervous System]. ââ¬Å"Behind the urge to splureâ⬠reads Essence, is often a person who some degree, find that they cannot help themselves. For some, a certain purchase is simply ââ¬Å"merchandiseâ⬠, even if a bit pricey and fashionable. For others, it may represent a conscious or unconscious ââ¬Å"sense of entitlementâ⬠or it may be a form of self-medication that is termed in some circles to be ââ¬Å"retail therapyâ⬠(Bridgeforth, G. 2004, p. 156). This so-called therapy is likely caused by the psychological frustration from the lack of lasting fulfillment of pasting attempts to achieve ââ¬Å"self-actualizationâ⬠via shopping as a compensation mechanism. While a problem in itself,ââ¬Ëshopping for psychological satisfactionââ¬â¢ may be masking serious is sues such as a ââ¬Ëclinically-qualifyingââ¬â¢ depression or just ââ¬Ëregularââ¬â¢ issues for which shopping is simply a surrogate means to attain a bit of self-esteem through ââ¬Å"good shoppingâ⬠. Though many in the popular press refer to someone as being a ââ¬Å"shopping addictâ⬠, it is important to note that there are different types of addiction. Commonly, when one refers to someone as an ââ¬Å"addictâ⬠, the mind conjures up the person who is addicted to cocaine, methamphetamines or even alcohol. These types of addictions are undoubtedly very real and, because of their nature, are referred to as physiological addictions. The chemicals in the abused substanceshyper-stimulate certain receptors in the central nervous system and their prolonged use created a deficit in the bodyââ¬â¢s production of endogenous analog. Such a deficit is augmented by a strong desire for such chemical stimulation as well as certain psychological ââ¬Å"needsâ⬠or perhaps more accurately, ââ¬Å"compunctionsâ⬠. If it were the case that shopping was addictive in the same way that drugs are, we might expect to find that purchases of various persons showed little trends in that the same types or categories of items did not construe a consistent purchase incidence. In actuality, items that tend to be moreââ¬Å"emotionalâ⬠in nature have a distinct tendency for a greater purchase frequency that items with than items with less potential for attachment(Pooler, J. 2003, pp. 24-25). For example, ââ¬Å"duct tapeâ⬠or ââ¬Å"milkâ⬠are items that would not be likely to be on a shopping addictââ¬â¢s list whereas items such as jewelry, fashion items or ââ¬Å"elegantâ⬠undergarments are strong contenders. Though not quite like a drug addiction, shopping for certain individuals can be maladaptive or pathological in nature. Though it can not be deemed a physiological addiction, as we will discuss in more detail later, there are physiological consequences and manifestations of what is otherwise a psychological presentation. For these individuals, the entire shopping experience is different: to someone who has not experienced it, it would seem almost inconceivable that a person could be ââ¬Å"out of controlâ⬠to the extent that those suffering from compulsive spending disorder report as being. As Black reports,ââ¬Å"â⬠¦compulsive shoppers often describe their experiences as being enhanced by color, lighting or the odor of stores, as well as the textures of clothingâ⬠¦ [with] some even describing the experience as being sexually excitingâ⬠(Black, D. 2001, p. 23). According to these same reports, 83% of compulsive shoppers report that it makes them feelââ¬Å"happyâ⬠while 71% indicate a ââ¬Å"powerfulâ⬠feeling. This feeling persist in the face of the guilt and consequences following their purchases which, in many cases, are either returned or given away and not retained (Black, D. 2001, p. 23). In determining if someone should be fitted with the label laypersonââ¬â¢s terms being of a ââ¬Å"shopping addictâ⬠or a ââ¬Å"shop-a-holicâ⬠, a key qualifier is the expression of consumer demand that could be considered to beââ¬Å"irrationalâ⬠. Such classification must be considered in the context of the consumerââ¬â¢s lifestyle and income. With this in mind, it is not the object of demand so much as an extreme emotional or otherwise inappropriate level of demand within a ââ¬Ëreasonableââ¬â¢ framework of acceptability (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 26). For example, the strong desire of a comparatively wealthy person or perhaps the elite harrier who wants the ââ¬Ëvery latestââ¬â¢ in performance athletic footwear is insufficient to earn such a label. On the other hand, the individual who is not, by any stretch of the imagination, remotely athletic and whose income in inconsistent with shoeââ¬â¢s whose price exceeds ten hours wages would likely be labeled i rrational. Such information in conjunction with other facts and the overall context would be in line with consideration for such a designation. Another consideration in the determination of the appropriateness of anon-clinical label such as a shopping addict is the overall magnitude of the behavior. A common behavior is that people, when they feel they have done ââ¬Å"a good jobâ⬠with some task will ââ¬Å"self-rewardâ⬠. This construct is could generally be termed to be a more benign presentation of the ââ¬Å"self-medicatingâ⬠label often is implemented in regards to a work-related behavior. This ââ¬Å"psychological pat on the backâ⬠, whether a alternative compensation mechanism or a pure positive reinforcement of a selected behavior. Regardless, there is an intuitive level of reasonableness in relation to the magnitude of the reward with the degree of difficulty or relative ââ¬Å"greatnessâ⬠of task achievement. Depending on a number of factors, one employee may seek self-gratification through treating themselves to lunch while another could give them a license to splurge and run up a dispropor tionately hefty bill. All in all, though it would be exceeding convenient if there were a blood test to determine if one were an addict, it is simply not the case. Despite this, there are certain patterns that do fit the criteria for shopping being an addiction. While there are diagnostic criteria for the determination that an individual is a ââ¬Å"shopping addictâ⬠, it is quite likely just as useful to define ââ¬Å"addictiveâ⬠behavior as occurring when there is strong irrational desire based upon a perceived need for some stimulus despite, in the long run pathological or maladaptive. The addict may likely know that the pursuit of such a stimulus is not in their best interests or they may, through ignorance or extreme desire, be blind to the negative consequences of continued consumption. Defined similarly as beingââ¬Å"behavior triggered by internal psychological tension and accompanied by relief and frustrationâ⬠¦ performed repeatedly despite its negative consequencesâ⬠by DeSarbo and Edwards in research conducted to more accurately ascertain related psychological factors, either definition seems to adequately capture the intuitive connotation for such an assessment (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 231). If 10% of the population have a problem and 9 of your friends are OKâ⬠¦Is it YOU? While it may not, in fact, be ââ¬Å"1 in 10â⬠, the incidence of compulsive buying disorder has been estimated to be between 2-8% with the overwhelming majority being female and with a comparatively young( Before plunging headlong into the issue of shopping as an addiction, itis important to differentiate between ââ¬Å"compulsiveâ⬠and ââ¬Å"impulsiveâ⬠spending. The distinguishing feature between them is the source of the impetus as being internal or external. Internal motivations such as anxiety or the seeking of increased self-esteem or gratification are the motivations for compulsive spending. Impulsive spending is differentiated by the stimulus for purchase is being driven by an external mechanism such as a blinking package, prominent placement such as an endcap or a ââ¬Å"specialâ⬠(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p.233). Such as differentiation is important as it is not uncommon for compulsive buyers to also be impulsive buyers yet there are discernable differences in their psychological makeup. Clearly, shopping can be addictive and merits attention and possibly intervention. While there are common sense guidelines to assessing the such behavior as indicated previouly, more standard criteria have been developed to aid both a person in determining that they ought to seek professional help as well as aiding mental health professionals in making a confirmatory diagnosis. Developed under the assumption that materialism is a pervasive and global human trait, the Diagnostic Screener for Compulsive Buying Behavior (DSCB) was developed with seven key items: I made only the minimum payments on my credit cards.I wrote a check when I knew I didnââ¬â¢t have enough money in the bank.I felt others would be horrified if they knew of my spending habits.If I have any money left at the end of a pay period, I just have to spend it.I bought things even though I couldnââ¬â¢t afford them.I bought myself something in order to make myself feel better.I felt anxious on days I didnââ¬â¢t go shopping (Kwak, H., G. Zinkman, M. Crask 2003, p. 166).These items had an approximate overall reliability of 0.75 and were significant at the p>.05 level. Despite this, in trials with multiple samples from both the US, represented individualized ââ¬Ëwestern culture, and South Korea, representing more a community/group-driven eastern culture, the emergence of dimensionality in the data was observed. In US samples, the premise that the seven test items capture adequately the various psychological tensions and anxieties that a person who suffers from compuls ive buying issues is supported without modification. However, South Korean samples, though supporting the hypothesis this instrument can reliably detect such issues, revealed bi-dimensionality in two constructs of: ââ¬Å"Financial outcomesâ⬠(items 1,2 and 3),ââ¬Å"Unfettered spendingâ⬠(items 4,5 and 6) (Kwak, H. 2004, p. 167).Such a finding indicates that, in some cultures, consumers may see that an certain issue has different or distinct angles. For example, either an problem with the financial outcomes of behaviors or the fact that one may not be very restrained in spending is likely seen as the same issue by American consumers. In essence, the answers may be the same and the result the same but the meaning that a certain culture places upon one factor or another is relevant and only reiterates the changing nature and that interpretation of such instruments cannot be removed from the culture. Additional research by DeSarbo and Edwards published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in which advanced statistical controls were utilized provide significant additional insights in the both the nature of the problem of compulsive buying and the discernment of the problem itself. In this research the authors cite numerous previous studies in which the behavior of compulsive buying has been linked to a number of psychological personality characteristics such as: Dependence DenialDepressionLack of impulse controlLow self-esteemApproval-seekingAnxietyEscape coping tendenciesGeneral compulsivenessMaterialismIsolationExcitement-seekingPerfectionism In addition, the factors of family environment, childhood experiences with money and spending, family communication patterns, as well as factors such as the number of credit cards regularly used,degree of credit debt and other compulsive behaviors demonstrated have been identified as potential predictors of compulsive buying activity(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 232). Of all the factors indicated in assessing the issues that predispose an individual to compulsive buying behaviors, the ââ¬Å"escape from anxietyâ⬠is most often labeled as the most influential factor. As multiple studies indicate, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦compulsive buyers react to stress with higher levels of anxiety than do noncompulsive buyersâ⬠. When ââ¬Ëstressed outââ¬â¢, compulsive shoppers attempt to utilize purchases as a compensation mechanism or as an escape from the anxiety (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards2004, pp. 235, 236). Additionally, the following significant contributing factors are listed below: 1. Self-Esteemââ¬â Cited as the most common deficiency in those who are compulsive shoppers, it is easy to see how the act of purchasing an item can convey a sense of power and entitlement although it is one that is short-lived (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 236). This non-durable pleasure serves to enhance the vicious cycle in which the progressive qualities of the ââ¬Å"diseaseâ⬠are exhibited. This cycle is virtually identical to many physiological addictions in which there is desensitization or habituation to a certain level of stimulus: which each engagement, the person wants/needs a larger ââ¬Å"doseâ⬠or a greater frequency of stimulation. 2. Perfectionism ââ¬â This trait is frequently associated with invididuals who suffer from addiction and is characterized as being ââ¬Å"unrealisticâ⬠expectations whose unfulfillability can result in a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, and self-doubt. By purchasing, individuals with this trait are seeking to assuage these feelings and, for a short while, they may succeed (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 236). 3. Impulsivenessââ¬â In the scheme of medical or psychological diagnosis, ââ¬Å"compulsive buying behaviorsâ⬠are close relatives of obsessive-compulsive behavioral disorders. The inability to control impulsive thoughts and/or the related ability to defer gratification are likely important contributors to this behavior (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, pp.236, 237). Also, as indicated earlier, there should be a distinction drawn between ââ¬Å"compulsiveâ⬠and ââ¬Å"impulsiveâ⬠buying behaviors in which the stimulation for action is internal or external, respectively. 4. Locus of Control ââ¬âMuch compulsive buying is likely related to a internal struggle to gainââ¬Å"controlâ⬠of a confounding and stressful external environment. When a person chooses to make a purchase, feelings of control are present as the person chooses the object, means, timing, location and, in some cases, the cost of their desires. This highly controlled situation could likely be contrasted to the context of the balance of their lives in which they are at the whim of others and exert no control and possibly even little influence upon the events and objects in their day. As such, those who are characterized as being compulsive consumers are likely to view themselves as ââ¬Å"being controlled externallyâ⬠as they have an inability to see themselves from the perspective that they are able to influence their lives internally(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 238). In addition, addition personality traits such as ââ¬Å"excitement seekingâ⬠, ââ¬Å"approval seekingâ⬠or ââ¬Å"dependenceâ⬠issues as well as environmental factors or familial factors are considered to be characteristics that can contribute to or perpetuate cycles of compulsive consumerism. An example of an environmental factors that are potentially relevant are ââ¬Å"isolationâ⬠in which the occasion of compulsive buying may provide a social outlet or ââ¬Å"materialismâ⬠in which ââ¬Ëkeeping up with the Jonesââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ becomes a compelling rationale for such spending (DeSarbo, W. and E.Edwards 2004, p. 239). With regards to familial factors, there are a great many learned behaviors that are internalized as ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠in the context of the home. Additionally, most people first experience with money and managing finances come through the context of chores, an allowance and forms of rationed spending. These early experiences have a signi ficant influence upon adult behaviors as is the case in which children learn that ââ¬Å"money is a rewardâ⬠or perhaps are not taught that saving is a very important part of earning as well as spending(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, pp. 239,240). One of the ultimate goals of psychology is to understand, predict and influence behavior. To more fully understand the role that these personality traits, environmental and family or sociological issues plays in the expression of compulsive buying behaviors, DeSarbo and Edwards utilized advanced regression techniques to ââ¬Å"tease outâ⬠additional insights that would otherwise be ââ¬Å"buriedâ⬠in using simpler techniques. The basic idea behind regression analysis is to plot a line which represents the extent to which a certain factor or group of factors can explain the variance of measurable behaviors within a sample group. More basic regression techniques such as linear regression utilize a formula of y=mx+b in which y is the expected behavior and x is the independent variable in which there it is posited there will be a influence y. In its most basic forms, variables are ââ¬Å"lumped togetherâ⬠and one can determine only is a certain combination significantly influences the outcome. In more intermediate approaches, differing variables can be accounted for by there relative contribution to the outcome. In the more advanced data manipulations, technology enables the rapid assessment of various combinations or ââ¬Å"clustersâ⬠of variables can be examined in order to more fully account for the observed sample variability. It was such an approach, ââ¬Å"clusterwise constrained and unconstrained step-wise regression analysisâ⬠, that was employed by DeSarbo and Edwards to predict the maximum likelihood of compulsive buying by grouping specific combinations of these factors which each iteration testing for deviations in outcome as various factors or groups of factors are included or omitted. Results from this manipulation confirm the difference between ââ¬Å"compulsiveâ⬠buying in which the behavioral stimulation is more due to internal psychological factors and ââ¬Å"impulsiveâ⬠buying in which key drivers are more externally biased. In this analysis, the study revealed the key predictors of compulsive buying to be self-esteem, dependence and anxiety. For impulsive buying, factors yielding statistically significant influence were determined to be denial, isolation, approval seeking and coping. Additionally, ââ¬Å"impulsivenessâ⬠as a personality trait factor displayed a significan t degree of influence over internally- and externally-driven compulsive buying behaviors (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 248). Though the assessment devices that can shed insight on such psychological concepts as are indicated above, when utilized by a trained technician, can provide a more ââ¬Å"clinicalâ⬠means by which compulsive buying issues can be gauged, many of the same indices are often incorporated in to what might be termed ââ¬Å"user-friendly field assessment quizzesâ⬠. Such a screening tool may be especially helpful as a guide to help one self-determine if there is a potential likelihood of an issue that may need merit professional assistance. An example of this type of quiz is given below: 1. Do you hide purchases from your partner to avoid a fight?2. Are there garments in your closet from seasons past that still have tags on them?3. Do you ââ¬Å"forgetâ⬠about purchases made and then find yourself without the money to pay for them when the bill arrives at the end of the month?4. Have you consolidated your credit card debt or rolled it into a refinance?5. Do you travel at the drop of a hat and take additional trips before past trips are paid for?6. Do you tap into ââ¬Å"emergencyâ⬠savings regularly to make ends meet?7. Are you unable to contribute the maximum to your 401(k) because you need extra dollars to pay your bills?8. Have you withdrawn from or made loans against your 401(k)? (Bridgeforth, G. 2004, p. 158) Though these ââ¬Å"yes or noâ⬠questions are relatively unsophisticated, they can provide significant insight into the issues identified by Kwak, et al., such as the emphasis on financial outcomes, unrestrained spending and activities that might be suggestive of behavioral patterns as opposed to single incidents. Grappling with the Gray Areaâ⬠¦ A Continuum Approach to Pathology One of the key features of this ââ¬Å"diseaseâ⬠is that, like many psychological issue, it typically begins almost unnoticed and gradually progresses. The initial cycle is likely to begin even innocuously yet the behavior of spending is reinforced by the association of the positive feeling that one has shortly after the purchase. Though this seems reasonable, there is a pronounced tendency on behalf of most people if not medical professionals are well to see illness in terms of a dichotomous perspective. While this is a convenient method, it is indeed too convenient to model the reality of a continuum-approach to this issue. Further, there are traits that seem to predispose one to compulsive spending such as personality or familial factor
Friday, January 17, 2020
Inline Skating
Inline Skating Marketing Plan Pegasus Sports This sample marketing plan was created with Marketing Plan Pro software. Plan Outline â⬠¢ Executive Summary â⬠¢ Situation Analysis o Market Summary ? Market Needs ? Market Trends ? Market Growth o SWOT Analysis ? Strengths ? Weaknesses ? Opportunities ? Threats o Competition o Product Offering o Keys to Success o Critical Issues â⬠¢ Marketing Strategy â⬠¢ Financials â⬠¢ Controls Executive Summary Pegasus Sports International is a start-up aftermarket inline skating accessory manufacturer. In addition to the aftermarket products, Pegasus is developing SkateTours, a service that takes clients out, in conjunction with a local skate shop, and provides them with an afternoon of skating using inline skates and some of Pegasus' other accessories such as SkateSails. The aftermarket skate accessory market has been largely ignored. While there are several major manufacturers of the skates themselves, the accessory market has not been addressed. This provides Pegasus with an extraordinary opportunity for market growth. Skating is a booming sport. Currently most of the skating is recreational. There are however a growing number of competitions, both team orientated such as skate hockey as well as individual competitions such as speed skate racing. Pegasus will work to grow these markets as well as develop the skate transportation market, a more utilitarian use of skating. Several of Pegasus' currently developed products have patents pending and local market research indicates that there is great demand for these products. Pegasus will achieve fast, significant market penetration that will be achieved through a solid business model, long range planning, and a strong management team that will able to execute on this exciting opportunity. The three principals on the management team have over 30 years of combined personal and industry experience. This extensive experience provides Pegasus with the empirical information as well as the passion to provide the skating market with much needed aftermarket products. Pegasus will sell their products initially through their website. This ââ¬Å"Dellâ⬠direct to the consumer approach will allow Pegasus to achieve higher margins and maintain a close relationship with the customers which is essential for producing products that have a true market demand. By the end of the year, Pegasus will have developed relationships with different skate shops and will begin to sell some of their products through the use of retailers. [pic] Sales Forecast | | |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Sales | | | | |Recreational |$455,740 |$598,877 |$687,765 | |Competitive |$72,918 |$95,820 |$110,042 | |Total Sales |$528,658 |$694,697 |$797,807 | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Recreational |$82,033 |$107,798 |$123,798 | |Competitive |$13,125 |$17,248 |$19,808 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |$95,159 |$125,046 |$143,605 | Situation Analysis Pegasus is entering their first year of operation. The products have been well received and marketing will be key to deve lop brand and product awareness as well as grow the customer base. Pegasus International offers several different aftermarket skating accessories, serving the growing inline skating industry. Market Summary Pegasus posesses good information about the market and knows a great deal about the common attributes of the most prized customer. This information will be leveraged to better understand who is served, their specific needs, and how Pegasus can better communicate with them. [pic] [pic] [pic] Market Analysis | | | |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 | | |Potential Customers |Growth | | | | | |CAGR | |Recreational |10% |19,142,500|21,056,750|23,162,425|25,478,668|28,026,535|10. 00% | |Fitness |15% |6,820,000 |7,843,000 |9,019,450 |10,372,368|11,928,223|15. 00% | |Speed |10% |387,500 |426,250 |468,875 |515,763 |567,339 |10. 00% | |Total |11. 36% |26,350,000|29,326,000|32,650,750|36,366,799|40,522,097|11. 36% | Market Needs Pegasus is providing the skating community with a wide range of acc essories for all variations of skating. Pegasus seeks to fulfill the following benefits that are important to their customers: â⬠¢ Quality craftsmanship: The customers work hard for the money and do not enjoy spending it on disposable products that only work for a year or two. â⬠¢ Well thought out designs: The skating market has not been addressed by well thought out products that serve skaters needs. Pegasus' industry experience and personal dedication to the sport will provide Pegasus with the needed information to produce insightfully designed products. â⬠¢ Customer Service: Exemplary service is required to build a sustainable business that has a loyal customer base. Market Trends Pegasus will distinguish themselves by marketing products not previously available to skaters. The emphasis in the past has been to sell skates and very few replacement parts. The number of skaters is not restricted to any one single country, continent, or age group, so there is a world market. Pegasus has products for virtually every group of skaters. The fastest growing segment of this sport is the fitness skater. Therefore, the marketing is being directed to service this group. BladeBoots will enable them to enter establishments without having to remove their skates. BladeBoots will be aimed at the recreational skater, the largest segment; however SkateAids are great for everyone. There is one more way the sport of skating will grow, and that is through SkateSailing. This sport is primarily for the medium to advanced skater. The growth potential for this sport is tremendous. The sails Pegasus' has manufactured so far have ended up in Europe. The same thing happened with windsurfing. It started out here in Santa Monica but did not take off until it had already grown big in Europe. More and more groups are getting together on skate excursions in cities all over the world. For example, San Francisco has night group skating that numbers in the hundreds of people. The market trends are showing continued growth in all directions of skating. [pic] [pic] Market Growth With the price of skates going down due to competition by so many skate companies, the market has had steady growth throughout the world, with 22. 5 million in 1999 to over 31 million in 2002. The growth statistics for 2003 are estimated to be over 35 million. More and more people are discovering, and in many cases rediscovering, the health benefits and fun of skating. [pic] [pic] SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses within the company, and describes the opportunities and threats facing Pegasus. Strengths â⬠¢ In-depth industry experience and insight. â⬠¢ Creative, functional product designers. â⬠¢ The use of a highly efficient, flexible business model utilizing direct customer sales and distribution. Weaknesses The reliance of outside capital necessary to grow the business. â⬠¢ A lack of retailers who can work directly face to face with the customer to generate brand and product awareness. â⬠¢ The difficulty to develo ping brand awareness as a start-up company. Opportunities â⬠¢ Participation within a growing industry. â⬠¢ Decreased product costs through scales of economy. â⬠¢ The ability to leverage other industry participants marketing efforts to help grow the general market. Threats â⬠¢ Future/ potential competition from an already established market participants. â⬠¢ A slump in the economy that could have a negative effect on people's spending discretionary income on fitness/ recreational products. The release of a study that calls into question the safety of skating or the inability to prevent major skating induced traumas. Competition Pegasus Sports International is forming its own market. While there are a few companies that do make sails and foils that a few skaters are using, Pegasus is the only one that is truly designed for and by skaters. The few competitors' sails are not designed for skating, but for windsurfing or for skateboards. In the case of foils, storage a nd carrying are not practical. There are different indirect competitors who are manufactures of the actual skates. After many years in the market, these companies have yet to become direct competitors by manufacturing accessories for the skates that they manufacture. Product Offering Pegasus Sports International now offers several products: â⬠¢ The first product that has been developed is BladeBoots, a cover for the wheels and frame of in-line skates, which allow skaters to enter places that normally would not allow them in. BladeBoots come with a small pouch and belt which converts to a well-designed skate carrier. â⬠¢ The second product is SkateSails. These sails are specifically designed for use while skating. Feedback that Pegasus has received from skaters indicates this could become a very popular sport. Trade marking this product is currently in progress. â⬠¢ The third product will be referred to as SkateAid and be in production by December. Other ideas for products are under development, but Pegasus must hold back until they can protect themselves through pending patent applications. Keys to Success The keys to success are simply designing and producing products that meet market demand. Additionally, Pegasus must ensure total customer satisfaction. If these keys to success are achieved, Pegasus will become a profitable, sustainable company. Critical Issues Pegasus is still in the speculative stages as a start-up business. The critical issues are: â⬠¢ Establish themselves as the premier skating accessory company. â⬠¢ Pursue controlled growth that dictates that payroll expenses will never exceed the revenue base. This will help protect against recessions. Constantly monitor customer satisfaction, ensuring that the growth strategy will never compromise service and satisfaction levels. Marketing Strategy The key to the marketing strategy is focusing on the speed, health and fitness, and recreational skaters. Pegasus can cover about 80% of the skating market since they produce products geared towards each segment. Pegasus is able to address all of the different segments within the market because although each segment is distinct in terms of its users and equipment, Pegasus' products are useful to all of the different segments. Mission Pegasus Sports International's mission is to provide the customer with the finest skating accessories available. We exist to attract and maintain customers. With a strict adherence to this maxim, success will be ensured. Our services and products will exceed the expectations of the customers. Marketing Objectives â⬠¢ Maintain positive, strong growth each quarter (not withstanding seasonal sales patterns). â⬠¢ Achieve a steady increase in market penetration. â⬠¢ Decrease customer acquisition costs by 1. 5% a quarter. Financial Objectives â⬠¢ Increase the profit margin by 1% per quarter through efficiency and scale of economy gains. â⬠¢ Maintain a significant research and development budget (as a percentage relative to sales) to spur future product developments. â⬠¢ A double to triple digit growth rate for the first three years. Target Markets With a world skating market of over 31 million and steadily growing (statistics released by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association), the niche has been created. Pegasus' aim is to expand this market by promoting SkateSailing, a new sport which is popular at both Santa Monica and Venice Beach in California. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association survey indicates that skating now has more participation than football, softball, skiing, and snowboarding combined. The breakdown of participation of skating is as follows: 1+% speed (growing), 8% hockey (declining), 7% extreme/aggressive (declining), 22% fitness (nearly seven millionââ¬âthe fastest growing), and 61% recreational (first-timers). Our products are targeting the fitness and recreational groups, as they are the fastest growing. These groups are gearing themselves towards health and fitness, and combined, they can easily grow to 85% (or 26 million) of the market in the next five years. Positioning Pegasus will position themselves as the premier aftermarket skating accessory company. This positioning will be achieved by leveraging their competitive edge: industry experience and passion. Pegasus is a skating company formed by skaters for skaters. They are able to use their vast experience and personal passion for the sport to develop innovative, useful accessories for a broad range of skaters. Strategies The single objective is to position Pegasus as the premier skating accessory manufacturer, serving both the domestic market as well as international market. The marketing strategy will seek to first create customer awareness concerning the offered products and services and develop the customer base. The message that Pegasus will seek to communicate is that they offer the best-designed, most useful skating accessories. This message will be communicated through a variety of methods. The first will the use of their robust website. As well as a rich source of product information, the site will also be used for purchasing. A lot of time and money will be invested into the site to provide the customer with the perception of total professionalism and utility for Pegasus' products and services. The second method will be advertisements placed in numerous industry magazines. The skating industry is supported by several different glossy magazines designed to promote the industry as a whole. Additionally, there are a couple of smaller periodicals that serve the smaller market segments within the skating industry. The last method of communication is the use of printed sales literature. The two previously mentioned marketing methods will create demand for the sales literature that will be sent out to customers. The cost of the sales literature will be fairly minimal as it will use the already compiled sales information from the website. Marketing Mix Pegasus' marketing mix is comprised of the following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. â⬠¢ Pricing: This will be based on a per product retail price. â⬠¢ Distribution: Initially Pegasus will use a direct to the consume distribution model. Over time Pegasus will use retailers as well. â⬠¢ Advertising and Promotion: Several different methods will be used for the advertising effort. â⬠¢ Customer Service: Pegasus will strive to achieve benchmarked levels of customer care. Marketing Research Pegasus is blessed with good fortune of being located in the center of the skating world, Venice, CA. Pegasus will be able to leverage this opportune location by working with many of the different skaters that live in the area. Pegasus was able to test out all of their products, not only with the principals who are accomplished skaters, but also the many other dedicated and ââ¬Å"newbieâ⬠users located in Venice. The extensive product testing by a wide variety of users provided Pegasus with valuable product feedback and has led to several design improvements. Financials This section will offer the financial overview of Pegasus as it related to the marketing activities. Pegasus will address Break-even Analysis, sales forecasts, expense forecast, and indicate how these activities link to the marketing strategy. Break-even Analysis The break-even analysis indicates that $7,760 will be required in monthly sales revenue to reach the break-even point. [pic] [pic] [pic] Break-even Analysis | | | | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |$6,372 | | | | |Assumptions: | | |Average Percent Variable Cost |18% | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |$6,363 | Sales Forecast Pegasus feels that the sales forecasting is conservative. Pegasus will steadily increase sales as the advertising budget allows. Please refer to the Sales Forecast Chart. Please note that while in the market segmentation section all of the potential customers have been broken down into separate groups, for the sales forecasts, the grouping has been changed Recreational and Competitive. By reducing the number of categories it allows the reader to quickly discern information, making the chart more functional. [pic] [pic] Expense Forecast The expense forecast will be used as a tool to keep the department in target and provide indicators when corrections / modifications are needed for the proper implementation of the marketing plan. [pic] [pic] [pic] Marketing Expense Budget | | |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Website |$25,000 |$8,000 |$10,000 | |Advertisements |$8,050 |$15,000 |$20,000 | |Other |$1,725 |$2,000 |$3,000 | | |ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â |ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â |ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â | |Total Sales and Marketing Exp enses |$34,775 |$25,000 |$33,000 | |Percent of Sales |6. 58% |3. 60% |4. 14% | Controls The purpose of Pegasus' marketing plan is to serve as a guide for the organization. The following areas will be monitored to gauge performance: â⬠¢ Revenue: monthly and annual. â⬠¢ Expenses: monthly and annual. â⬠¢ Customer satisfaction. â⬠¢ New product development. Implementation The following milestones identify the key marketing programs. It is important to accomplish each one on time and on budget. [pic] Milestones | | | | | | | | |Advertising |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Marketing plan completion |1/1/2003 |2/1/2003 |$0 |Stan |Marketing | |Webiste completion |1/1/2003 |3/15/2003 |$20,400 |outside firm |Marketing | |Advertising campaign #1 |1/1/2003 |6/30/2003 |$3,500 |Stan |Marketing | |Advertising campaign #2 |3/1/1999 |12/30/2003 |$4,550 |Stan |Marketing | |Development of the retail channel|1/1/2003 |11/30/2003 |$0 |Stan |Marketing | |Name me |1/1/2 003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Advertising Budget | | |$28,450 | | | |PR |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total PR Budget | | |$0 | | | |Direct Marketing |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | Total Direct Marketing Budget | | |$0 | | | |Web Development |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1 /1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Web Development Budget | | |$0 | | | |Other |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Other Budget | | |$0 | | | |Totals | | |$28,450 | | | Contingency Planning Difficulties and Risks â⬠¢ Problems generating visibility, a function of being a internet-based start-up organization. â⬠¢ An entry into the market by an already established market competitor. Worst Case Risks Include â⬠¢ Determining that the business cannot support itself on an ongoing basis. â⬠¢ Having to liquidate equipment or intellectual capital to cover liabilities.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
The Inclusion of Transgender Women in the Miss Universe
Chapter I Introduction In a beauty-pageant-crazy country like the Philippines, the annual Miss Universe pageantry is a most-awaited event for many Filipinos. It is that time when many Filipino people gravitate towards their TV sets with their eyes wide open as though entranced on the pageant events as they unfold. Probably next to boxing, the Miss Universe pageant is the most-widely watched worldwide event in the Philippines. As evidence of the countryââ¬â¢s penchant for this event, the country has fared quite well as far as producing winners is concerned. Gloria Diaz copped the coveted crown in 1969. Margie Moran duplicated the feat in 1973. And not a few others almost brought home the crown in their respective attempts: Miriam Quiambaoâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Scope and Delimitation The researcher has conducted its research in GenSantos Foundation College, Inc. and selected students from first year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing Management as respondents. Definition of Terms Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles. This was emphasized in this study. Students are a learner or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term or its cognate in another language is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil, in English or an equivalent in other languages. In its widest use, student is used for anyone who is learning. They wereShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 PagesOverview 23 â⬠¢ Inputs 24 â⬠¢ Processes 25 â⬠¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? ââ¬Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Womenâ⬠12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce Diversity 32 Ethical Dilemma
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