Political Movements Like The No Child Left Behind

Intro Political movements like the â€Å"No child left behind†, have in turn placed political pressures on teachers. This is largely impart because teachers are intimately integrated into a larger political fight, that of educational reform. When considering educational reform, teacher tenure reform becomes the hot topic under scrutiny. According to Greenwald (2010), â€Å"†¦teacher tenure represents all that is wrong with the system – protecting ineffective and unprofessional teachers† (p.20). However, statements like this take a one size fits all approach, which is generally a path of ignorance. Teacher tenure was created from a fight for First Amendment protections and freed teachers from harsh administrators, protected teachers from principals who could simply hire and fire at their own whim (Greenwald, 2010). Schools that are located in areas with high poverty and crime are usually underfunded and good teachers are not attracted by what they are bei ng paid for those positions. Should teachers get special treatment and pay, because they are educators? The recruitment efforts of hiring new teachers into bad impoverished areas should be offset by higher salaries and combat pay to compensate for the risk of working in that type of environment. Teacher tenure was created from a fight for First Amendment protections and freed teachers from harsh administrators, protected teachers from principals who could simply hire and fire at their own whim (Greenwald, 2010). ManyShow MoreRelatedEssay on National Education Standards1286 Words   |  6 Pagessociety and culture has placed on curriculum development from local, regional, and/or national standpoint. Society can be defined as an organized group of people within a community who have come together for the purpose of culture, religion, political, or other personal reasons. In today’s society many influences affect the patterns of education regarding curriculum development. What was deemed the norm ten or twenty years ago has been noted as outdated due to technological advancements and manyRead MoreThe Progressive Era Of The Gilded Age1465 Words   |  6 Pagesand now that this era was coming to an end, reformers were left to clean up the mess. Hence, the Progressive era was born. The Progressive movement was based in the urban middle class and focused on the improvement of society, the economy, and politics. Yet, the movement was not unified. Each reform group of the era had a separate goal that they would focus on. Each president also had a separate vision of national reform. Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow WilsonRead MoreAnalysis Of T he Sound Of Music1262 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Wise and released in 1965, The Sound of Music features musical numbers accompanied by the movement and dancing of the von Trapp family. The setting of the film is Salzburg, Austria in 1938 immediately following the start of German occupation due to the Anschluss. Ultimately, the reprise of â€Å"So Long, Farewell† in The Sound of Music subverts governmental authority over war by portraying a movement shift from being restricted and uniform to running away with hope of freedom. The reprise of â€Å"SoRead MoreAfrican Americans Freedom1653 Words   |  7 Pageslives of many. Names such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Jackie Robinson are names forever recognized and remembered by every American black or white. Many of those people led the way and instituted themselves leaders in the movement which directed everything that is connected to the life of African Americans. The biography of Anne Moody Coming of Age in Mississippi chronicles the many events she lives while enduring the harshness of discrimination. Moody’s traces her lifeRead MoreNation At Risk Gave Rise To Two Major Education Reform974 Words   |  4 PagesNation at Risk gave rise to two major education reform movements; accountability and school choice. Federal government started thinking about testing, and standardization, which resulted in No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and Race to the Top. McGuinn’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB), describes the politics of accountability as setting a standard for teachers, testing students to see if the schools meet the set standards, and then holding the schools and teachers accountable for not achieving those standardsRead More Lyrical Ballads Captures The Hour of Feeling Essay1207 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand and self educate, which many of them were very interested in doing and bettering themselves, much like Wordsworth himself and his sister as shown in ?Tintern Abbey?. Here he talks of her being at the stage of education that he was five years before when he last visited. Despite all the war and upheaval there was very little provision for those who got left behind such as those left unemployed due to the Industrial Revolution and enclosure as well as returning servicemen. The effect ofRead MoreEquity and Equality723 Words   |  3 Pagesdifferent groups of people. Equal access to educational opportunity has been a central issue of legal, educational, and social debates since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1954. Affirmative action policies like busing, a strategy for balancing racial distributions in public schools, are examples of public actions aimed at improvement of educational equity through desegregation. Fiscal equity and educational adequacy lawsuits represent other examples of legislativeRead MoreThe Corporate Side Of American Public Education And The Reformists Misled Beliefs That The School System1389 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"replace public education with a privately managed, free-market system of schooling† (Ravitch, p.4). Diane Ravitch supports her claim that the reformation movement has poor intentions with multiple sources of evidence. Among these facts she uncovers the truth behind test scores and the achievement gap. Furthermore, Ravitch exposes how the reform movement is a back-door way to privatize schooling with monetary motives in mind. In response to these problems, Diane Ravitch offers several solutions in anRead MoreWhat Caused The Rise Of Protesters Throughout The 1960s? Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pagesa significant positive change in American politics, culture, and society. New Left, a political movement consisting of educators, and not others who so ught to implement a broad range of reform on issues such as gay rights, drugs and so on, had an impact in the 1960s. On the other hand, Peter Clecak issued that during the 1960s, the society failed to revolutionize themselves, and without the specific program s movements American becomes powerless. The activism of the 1960s transformed the United StatesRead MoreThe Acquittal Of George Zimmerman For The Death Of Trayvon Martin1404 Words   |  6 Pagesmedia platforms and subsequently created a socio-political campaign. Soon it became a powerful force of hashtag activism that is now an international movement that has more than 26 chapters globally. According to it founders the activist movement follows guiding principles that support â€Å"an ideological and political intervention in a world where black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise.† It was the emergence of a movement like this that destroyed the newly formed notion of

The Story Of Alaynas Journey To The King - 1305 Words

Life in King’s Landing fell into its usual routine once the royal party returned from Harrenhal. Although it was not without tension as most of the court still whispered about Rhaegar’s actions at the conclusion on the tourney and who could blame them? Alayna most certainly didn’t seeing as she had yet to speak with the crowned prince any more than necessary since her return to the capital. At the moment, Elia’s health and well being ranked above Rhaegar and his needs as far as Alayna was concerned. Anything else would have to wait for the time being. Three moons had passed since Alayna resumed her place in court. Peculiar as it was, she felt as if she’d never left in the first place. Perhaps this had more to do with her lingering†¦show more content†¦He held the power to ruin everything Rhaegar was building with a simple murmur in the wrong ear. His influence also seemed to grow as Aerys descended even further into madness. Rhaegar’s supporters included most of his friends like Griff, Ser Myles Mooton, Ser Richard Lonmouth, Prince Lewyn, and Arthur. While these men didn’t hold quite the same influence over the court as Aerys’ followers, they were much younger and more adaptable in their ways of winning undecided courtiers to their side. Oddly enough most of the prince’s allies were men of action rather than words something more and more people were beginning to crave as Aerys’ promises at the beginning of his reign had become nothing more than wind. Alayna supposed she could count herself and Ashara among those who advocated for their prince although his actions had certainly placed a strain on their relationship with him. Even stranger still was the fact the task of keeping the peace between the factions fell to the blundering Grand Maester Pycelle and the newly minted Hand of the King, Owen Merryweather. Compared to his predecessor, Lord Merryweather was a rather incompetent Hand only good for throwing feasts and keeping spirits lifted to distract from what was brewing. Alayna knew if Lord Tywin still filled the position, the Lion wouldn’t have allowed such estrangement to happen in the first place. The Lord of

Three Main Learning Styles Free Essays

There are around three main learning styles. These are visual, which include those who learn by watching and seeing; auditory and interpersonal, including those who learn by listening and discussing; and kinaesthetic or tactile, which comprises of those who learn through activity. For the purpose of this essay I choose to compare my learning style with my classmate, Melissa Horner’s. We will write a custom essay sample on Three Main Learning Styles or any similar topic only for you Order Now Melissa Horner’s style is definitely auditory and interpersonal. She learns best within an environment where the teaching is verbal in nature. Even when studying, although Melissa likes a quiet time for study, she will still read aloud to enable her to absorb the information better. My style is different. I would say my learning style falls into the kinaesthetic category, because I find it difficult to be still for long periods of time and learn best when there is a lot of activity around me. I also find that I am very active when I am studying. I need to express myself physically, for example I will use objects such as a pencil to help me whilst I am thinking. The most effective ways in which Melissa can produce the best quality work is by working within a group or class and listening to others explaining the situation. It is also helpful to Melissa to make notes in her own words and them reading those notes aloud so that a full grasp of the subject is achieved. For me to produce the best paper, it is necessary to be active. I do best when I am able to physically explore the subject being discussed. My opinion is that by combining the learning styles of Melissa and myself, we can produce a really effective paper. This can be achieved by utilizing Melissa’s note taking and need for vocalization of a project or study together with my need for activity in study. As these aspects of learning complement each other, the quality of the paper produced would be better than one that is produced using only one of the styles in isolation. Work cited Riding, Richard and Rayner, Stephen (1998) Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies: Understanding Style Differences in Learning and Behavior. David Fulton Publishers Ltd. UK How to cite Three Main Learning Styles, Essay examples

Homelessness with Mental Health and Policy and Legislation

Question: Discuss about theHomelessness with Mental Health and Policy and Legislation. Answer: Youth homelessness age 14-21 has a significantly higher psychological distress. This includes a higher suicidal behavior, which involves these teens that have no homes to participate in taking drugs to the extent of overdosing and purposely getting involved in car accidents (Gregory Kamieniecki, 2009). A sample of youths who had no homes was interviewed, specifically about living and family histories and their experiences of under such conditions. The sample was a quick large number of 364 homeless adolescents. Lack of homes amongst youths comes from distressed backgrounds. It is different for both gender; boys and girls, for boys its usually histories that include physical abuse in their childhood. It could also contain physical assault on the street. For girls, it an entirely different case compared to the boys. Their histories involve sexual abuse throughout their childhood. These histories have influenced their mentality in a negative manner (Ana et al., 2000). A recent research was conducted, and it suggested that nearly one-third of the population of youths with no residence suffer from mental illnesses (Levine et al., 1990). A study was done in Melbourne and found that 30 percent of their sample had mental health complications. On the other hand, 43% had substance use difficulties (Mental Health Council of Australia.2009). The Victorian government framework will provide housing assistance to the youth with no residential homes in Victoria. These are the support innovative they offer to bring to help the homelessness. This includes building a service system that will meet a variety of requirements for these victims. However, the system will enable homeless to be able to access help especially when they are in needed. Theses interventions and prevention have a positive influence towards the situation of having no homes. Therefore, Victorians will get better housing opportunities results from a way that will suit individuals as well as fami lies (Victoria State government, 2015). Furthermore, these are the homelessness policies the Victorian government has sent additional $1 billion in programs towards supporting the youth facing lack of homes. The programs were the supported accommodation assistance program that worked across one hundred and fifty funded organizations within Victoria. The transitional housing program had 3600 houses with 20 houses supported. There is convenient funding help to individuals in disaster, and as a result, it helped 120000 households in the past two years. Lastly, the government of Victorian is working diligently in collaboration with the community of Commonwealth to average persons undergoing homelessness in Victoria as well as the entire country of Australia. Most significantly, the Commonwealth administration has considerably offered support in funding throughout from the Jobs Plan, National Partnership Agreement on Nation Building, National Affordable Housing Agreement and National Partnerships on Social Housing and Homelessness (Victorian Government Department of Human Services, 2010). The administration guaranteed to make sure the new legislation to warrant people who lack homes obtain sufficient support and excellence service. Therefore, the youth experiencing homelessness in Victoria are positively influenced. It is because the government is working hard to ensure homelessness ends. References Ana Mari Cauce, Matthew Paradise, Joshua Aaron Ginzler, Lara Embry, Charles J. Morgan, Yvette Lohr, Jim T. (2000). The Characteristics and Mental Health of Homeless Adolescents. Retrieved from.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/106342660000800403 https://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1992-09163-001https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=enlr=id=sg7opAAXmYcCoi=fndpg=PP1dq=homelessness+legislation+in+mental+health+australiaots=2x2HtLWaVUsig=Yey4tP53qfdFJONCrgzaf6-7-CY#v=onepageq=homelessness%20legislation%20in%20mental%20health%20australiaf=false Kamieniecki, G. W. (2001). Prevalence of psychological distress and psychiatric disorders among homeless youth in Australia: a comparative review.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry,35(3), 352-358.Retrieved from.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1440-1614.2001.00910.x Levine, I. S., Rog, D. J. (1990). Mental health services for homeless mentally ill persons: Federal initiativesandcurrentservicetrends.AmericanPsychologist,45(8),963.https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/amp/45/8/963/ Mental Health Council of Australia. (2009). Mental Health, Housing and Homelessness in Australia.Retrievedfrom.https://mhaustralia.org/sites/default/files/imported/component/rsfiles/publications/MHCA_Home_Truths_Layout_FINAL.pdf Victorian Government Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Australia. (2010) A Better Place VictorianHomelessness2020Strategy.Retrievedfrom.https://www.nwhn.net.au/admin/file/content101/c6/A-Better-Place-Victorian-Homelessness-2020-Strategy_1285220695133.pdf Victorian Government Department of Human Services. (2015). Victorian Homelessness Action Plan.Retrievedfrom.https://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/documents-and-resources/reports-publications/victorian-homelessness-action-plan-2011-2015

Portrayal of Women in Ads - Questions free essay sample

How do ads portray women? 2. What do you think of the ads portrayal of women? How do you find it? 3. What do you think do these portrayed Images promote? 4. Do you agree with these portrayals of women? Do you think these portrayals are accurate or In line with reality? A. B. Do you think these images represent women well? 5. If not, how do you think should women be portrayed in ads? 6.What is your perceived image of the ideal woman? 7. Where do you base your ideal image of a woman? From what or whom? Definition of beauty In ads 8. How do ads define beauty? 9. What do you think of the ads definition of beauty? How do you find it? 10. What do you think do this definition of beauty promote? 11. Do you agree with this definition of beauty? A. Do you think this definition is accurate? B. Do you think this definition Is suitable? 12. We will write a custom essay sample on Portrayal of Women in Ads Questions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How do you think should ads define beauty?Year Ads, society culture 14. What do you think are the effects of these ads to culture and society (men, women children)? 15. Do you think the portrayal of women definition of beauty in ads are a matter of societal concern? 16. Who do you think are responsible for the way women are portrayed in ads? 17. Why do you think these portrayals exist? Why are they portrayed that way? 18. What do you think you can do in order to maintain/change these portrayals?

The Broken Column essays

The Broken Column essays Words that come to mind when looking at The Broken Column are mesmerizing, compelling, capturing, anguish, distress, torment, pain. I was captured by Frida Kahlos portal of herself in The Broken Column as I found myself becoming aware of her pain with an intense passion. It was as almost, as if her eyes were looking directly at me, telling me the story of her sorrows. I was drawn to her suffering. Frida Kahlos was a Mexican painter. Her life was marked by physical suffering, started with the polio contracted at the age of five and worsens by her life-dominating event occurred in 1925. In 1925, Kahlo was involved in a bus accident that so seriously injured her that she had to undergo some thirty-five medical operations; this would set the pattern for much of the rest of her life. During her slow recovery from the trauma, Kahlo taught herself to paint. In 1926, during her convalescence, she painted her first self-portrait, the beginning of a long series in which she charted the events of her life and her emotional reactions to them. It is as though, through her paintings she would reveal herself or at least herself after her ordeal. She would marry and soon find herself in the artistic shadow of her famous husband, Diego Rivera. Diego a womanizer would have several affairs, including Fridas sister, Christina. Frida said to a friend, I have suffered two serious acciden ts in my life, one in which a streetcar ran over me. The other accident was Diego. [1] She became known for illustrating great pain and suffering, both mental and physical in her art. [2] Usually classed as a surrealist, the she had no special explanation for her methods. She said only: I paint my own reality. The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration. [3] ...

Industrial Revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industrial Revolutions - Essay Example According to Read and LeBlanc, current methods such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and oral pills have high proven effectiveness (63). These methods reduce the rate of fertility in human beings and limit the likelihood of conception during the period of their consistent use. Some contraceptives such as oral pills, according to Read and LeBlanc can impact the health of newborns, especially if they are used for birth control in extensive period of time (65). Induced abortion limits fertility not by impacting fecundability but by flushing out the pregnancy. The practice has for long been the order of the day in populations and is fairly ordinary in less Christian societies (Read and LeBlanc 68). Read and LeBlanc aver that official statistics of the rates of abortion exceeds 30 percent in countries where the rates are high. Unfortunately, a fairly high number of unrecorded terminations of pregnancies probably take place even in nations reporting very insignificant figures (69). This practice impacts the evolution of populations by denying the unborn an opportunity to live. Complete cutting off of one’s ability to conceive or contribute toward conception impacts evolution of population. The surgical processes of vasectomy and tubal ligation in men and women respectively have become widespread in many countries and cultures. Sterilization denies the affected parties a chance to give birth to children of their own. High death rates among populations, perhaps due to poor health care, and nutrition programs can impact the evolution of population by increasing the likelihood of lower life expectancy. But better health care programs will enhance life expectancy in a particular population. Infant mortality impacts evolution of population by determining the number of infants who will survive to maturity and those who die at birth or immediately after they are born. Improved

Ford and the World Automobile Industry in 2009 Essay

Ford and the World Automobile Industry in 2009 - Essay Example Overview of the Company Ford Motor Company founded in 1903 by Henry Ford, an automotive and industrial pioneer remains today as one of the oldest firms within the industry. The automotive firm in Dearborn, Michigan and has so far grown into other nations. Ford established itself as a major player in the automotive industry in 1908 commanding close to 50% of the market share after sales of 15 million vehicles of Model T (Grant, 2010, p. 46). In 1950, Ford became a public company making it to grow significantly. Ford’s main products include cars, trucks, and SUVs with different types of brands such as Jaguar, Volvo, Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Aston-Martin, and Land Rover amongst others. Ford also has finance division, parts and service department, and they own Hertz Corporation, being the largest car rental firm in the world. In 2003, Ford was second after a pre-tax profit of about $ 1.3 billion despite a $ 1.1 billion loss in North America. Nevertheless, the company experienced si gnificant losses between 2000 and 2008 attributed to rising costs of commodities, ongoing and rising healthcare expenses, lagging behind of sales of vehicles, and bailing out of major parts supplier from bankruptcy such as Visteon. Ford recorded huge losses in the fiscal years 2000 to 2008 as shown in fig. 1. The following is a Porter’s Five Forces analysis explaining this trend. Figure 1: Table showing return on Equity of various Automotive Firms Courtesy of Grant (2010) Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Various models used in industry and firm analysis to develop the right managerial strategy. Strategic management is a complex due to dynamism and turbulence in business environment. Nonetheless, through Porter’s five forces model, organizations are able to identify areas requiring overhauling for effective and efficient performance (Blake, Cucuzza, Rishi, 2003, p. 11). Like many other firms, Ford’s strategic management can be enhanced through a deeper insigh t into five forces that has been reducing their competitive advantage from 2006 to date hence recording such huge losses. Porter described competitive advantage as significantly influenced by five forces; bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, intensity of competition rivalry, threats of new entrants, and threats of substitutes. These same forces led to Ford’s current economical situation (Windecker, 2004). In each of the below forces, a conclusion regarding rating in a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being very weak and 5 very strong is provided. The full scale is as follows; Bargaining Power of Buyers There is high intensity of competition coupled with increasing demand for automotive products in major markets. Hence, consumers have a variety of firms to choose from unlike during the classical time when there were limited manufacturers. United States of America and European Union consumers have a high bargaining power necessitated by availability of information regar ding various products (Grant, 2010, p. 49). The buyers in automotive industry are powerful due to unavailability of grand proliferation of companies that manufacture automotives. In addition, the largest automotive manufacturers within US have approximately 90% value shipped hence additional value to the product. Another important feature of automotive industry in US is the fair standardization of parts used in assembling of products (Waraniak,

Value Risk Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Value Risk Management - Case Study Example TechWatt shall use it starting by doing our Value Study (this Study) during the Headquarters briefing stage preparations. Assuming the Value Study validates that it is a good idea to follow through and do our HQP, we shall carry out the Risk Management Study after awarding the architect-design contract, but before site set-up. The following advice is among RIBA guidelines. Architects (VRM professionals) and clients need to make and use a Plan of Work. They must work closely to form a good team for a successful project, and to be sure that all project team-mates know the information they must provide and their clearly-defined responsibilities. This VRM Study is our set of working ideas at TechWatt to use for a smart plan, to optimise value and minimise risk, to foresee some possible problems and consider ways to deal with them, and to lose no value to risks; or lose as little value as possible. Our business wants a new headquarters that is valuable to us now and in the future. First, we must consider many things including at least: future growth and financial stability, our company's needs, the location and costs of a new headquarters, and the monetary and non-monetary benefits we expect from moving into a new headquarters. To keep optimum value we must make and follow a Plan of Work with our architect. Our Plan must include and address negative situations or risks that can take away value. This Study leads to the following Plan of Work (in this order): - TechWatt's Strategic Briefing which states requirements for a Headquarters facility - a Project Briefing that has Outline Proposals by the Design Team (based on a review and further development of ideas in the Strategic Briefing) - Detailed Proposals that build on the ideas outlined in the Project Briefing Each step moves nearer to design and site development. The Risk Management part of this VRM Study suggests ways and back-up plans to minimise loss from risk. TechWatt's professional business is making hardware & software products. With no appreciable experience in facility construction, we will rely greatly on our architectural Design Team. Value Management We seek "value" at TechWatt, for the present and the future. We must clearly define what value is. RIBA makes clearly defining value a high priority in projects. It is the project vision so all on the project team work for the same goal. So, as early as possible and from the start, TechWatt must define "value" so the architect-design-construction team can work to achieve value. It becomes the centre of the Pre-Project Briefing, the Plan of Work and is designed into our headquarters. Value is the compass giving direction to all activity. Pre-Project Briefing: Do good appraisals (RIBA Work Stage A) We must carefully consider and appraise options to make Headquarters. We'll brainstorm the definition of value in the Pre-Project Briefing and put those ideas into our Strategic Brief to give to our architect-design team partners. Lacking experience in this area, we shall depend heavily on our design participants for expert advice during the Pre-Project Briefing (PPB). The PPB is a good starting point for all parties. TechWatt's key participants will include top management and other resident experts who should help appraise needs for a new facility and moving into it. We need similar participation by

The Transformational and charismatic leadership theory

The Transformational and charismatic leadership theory In examining transformational leadership some outstanding examples can be found in both ancient and modern times as exemplified by phenomena. Ghandi, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and even Adolf Hitler were outstandingly successful as transformational leaders (even if Hitlers success was (mercifully) short lived). Hitler galvanized the German people by appealing to their national pride; Lincoln led his country in the face of devastating internal differences; Churchill rallied the nation in the face of impeding invasion and Gandhi moved his people to throw off the British yoke in the interests of national self-respect. In all of these cases, the situation presented national challenges to which in the opinion of the relevant leaders required national responses. The resources that these leaders had at their disposal would scarcely have been enough to lead successfully in a transactional manner. The necessary resources came from the people themselves an example previously recorded in the Bible as the Parable of the five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 15:34). Therefore, one quality of a transformational leader is that followers not only follow, contribute effort but also even contribute material resources needed to get the job done. Leadership requires followers or subordinates and a vision. This notion of leadership has existed for millennia and is recorded in both the Bible and (in China) the Tao Te Ching.(Blanchard Carey cited in Hesselbein Goldsmith, 2006). At the same time, new concepts of leadership stress that leaders will need to take into account the wants of the subordinates that now no longer focus primarily on money (Goldsmith, cited in Hesselbein Goldsmith, 2006). If more money is no longer a prime incentive for followers then transactional leadership has become lost some of its influence and a leader needs to be more aware of emotional appeals. Huang (2005) noted that scholars in characterizing leaders as transformational often filter out the structural components of action and portray a leader as a person of extraordinary qualities performing heroic and revolutionary actions. A transactional leader on the other hand strongly emhpasises contextual factors but neglect how a leader can create his or her own context. If no reconciliation is possible between the structural relations shaping of and being shaped by a leader then a leaders contribution may be misleadingly attributed to a brilliant and catastrophic outcome. The circumstances that may call for exceptional leadership are not always foreseeable although both Scharmer (2009) and Cashman (2008) indicate that leaders can and should be developed that can foresee the future enough to take strategic and preemptive ,measures. Such ability requires a leader posses a degree of flexibility (Doz Kosonen, 2008; Navarro, 2006; OSullivan Dooley, 2009). Given that circumstances will play an important part in determining how a leader performs, the leaders should be able to adjust his or her leadership style accordingly. Amernic, Craig, and Tourish, (2007) in describing Jack Welch noted the different ways in which Welch acted at different times. Beddell, Hunter, Angie, Vert,(2006) compared charismatic, ideological and pragmatic leaders. Beddell et al. noted that a charismatic leader will seek to engage their followers by inviting them on emotional grounds to participate in a future vision. Charismatic leaders will willingly and opportunistically adapt their strategy to obtain their vision (Beddell et al.). Ideological leaders on the other had appeal to visions that emphasise traditions and common past experiences (Beddell et al.). This distinction brings into focus what type of leader is best suited for the current environment. Beddell at al. (2006) reported on the orientation of leaders and differentiated between socialised leaders and personalized leaders. Socialized leaders try to improve and enable others in order to contribute to the improvement of society as a whole, whereas personalized leaders focus on the image their followers have of them. Beddell at al. noted that socialized leaders look farther into the future and are able to identify the important issues to be addressed. Integrity was identified as a critical determinant of performance and outcomes of outstanding leaders. Given the events of the last few years in the financial world, integrity in leaders may no longer be taken for granted. Current leadership faces an environment that can be described as not dissimilar to the crises environments that were faced by the above mentioned leaders. The criteria of today and the future have changed from the immediate past. Current leaders continue to maintain mission statements that are unclear, wrongly focused or misleading; the social contract between leadership and followers that has been in place for decades has weakened to the point of ineffectiveness; concepts of justice and fairness are being reexamined (Handy, 2006). The ethical behavior of several leaders has called into question if current leaders can be trusted (Blanchard Carey, 2006). Transformational and charismatic leadership theory address the leadership styles that foster change by appealing to emotional rather than material values (Barbuto, 2005; Antonakis House, 2002 Nahavandi, 2006). Twigg Fuller, and Hester (2008) found that transformational leadership fostered organizational commitment by stressing a sense of common participation. Twigg et al. found that transformational leadership style was a better determinant of citizenship behavior than other leadership styles. Twigg et al. noted that transformational leadership augments transactional leadership but goes beyond material exchanges. Transformational leaders establish covenants whereby commonly held beliefs and values are considered in addition to contractual obligations. Examples of transformational leadership abound and can make the difference in achieving goals that transactional leadership is unable to achieve. In the organizational field, Kelly (2004) analysed NASA and concluded that there were two eras the first of which was characterized by recognized leaders and programs that were embraced by both the public and the organization. The second era on the other hand was seen as a bureaucracy subject to political and budget influences. The difference between the two eras can be deduced from the leadership. President Kennedy in announcing that the United States would send a man to the moon and return him safely before the Russians did so was the transformational leadership that Scientist Werner von Braun and NASA Director Webb transactionally (Scott Davis, 2007) put into effect. Amernic, J., Craig, R., Tourish, D. (2007, December). The transformational leader as pedagogue, physician, architect, commander, and saint: Five root metaphors in Jack Welchs letters to stockholders of General Electric. Human Relations, 60(12), 1839. Antonakis, J. House, R.J. Â  (2002). The full-range leadership theory: The way forward. In Avolio, B. J. Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.) (2002). Transformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead. New York, Elsevier. Barbuto, J. E,. Jr (2005). Motivation and Transactional, Charismatic, and Transformational Leadership: A test of antecedents Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies; 11,9(4); Beddell, K., Hunter, S.,Angie, A., Vert,A.(2006). A historiometric examination of Machiavellianism and a new taxonomy of leadership. Journal of leadership and organizational studies, 12(41),15-32. Blanchard, K. Carey D. (2006) Regaining Public Trust; a leadership challenge. In Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. (2006). The leader of the future: Visions, strategies and practices for the new era. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cashman, K. (2008). Leadership from the inside out: Becoming a leader for life. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. Doz, Y., Kosonen, M. (2008). Fast strategy: How strategic agility will help you stay ahead of the game. New York: Pearson/Longman Goldsmith, M (2006) Leading new age professionals. . In Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. (2006). The leader of the future: Visions, strategies and practices for the new era. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., Mckee, A.(2002), Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. In Business Leadership. Jossey- Educational Leadership. San Francisco: A. Wiley Handy, C. (2006) Philosopher leaders. In Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. (2006). The leader of the future: Visions, strategies and practices for the new era. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Hesselbein, F., Goldsmith, M. (2006). The leader of the future: Visions, strategies and practices for the new era. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Huang, G. C. (2005). Chiang Kai-Shek`s use of shame: an interpretive study of agency in Chinese leadership. Doctoral Dissertation University of Chicago. Chicago Illinois. Retrieved October 25, 2007, from ProQuest Digital Dissertations database. Kelly, J. D. (2002). An organizational history of the national aeronautics and space administration: A critical comparison of administrative decision making in two pivotal eras. Los Angeles: School of Policy and Planning, University of Southern California Nahavandi, A. (2006). The art and science of leadership (4th Ed.). Upper Saddle River New Jersey: Pearson Publishing Inc. Navarro, P. (2006). The well-timed strategy: Managing the business cycle for competitive advantage. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Pub. OSullivan, D. Dooley, L. (2009). Applying innovation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Scharmer, C. O. (2009). Theory U: Leading from the future as it emerges. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. Scott, W. Davis, G. (2007). Organizations and organizing rational natural and open system perspectives. New Jersey:Â  Prentice Hall. Twigg N.W., Fuller J.B. Hester, K.(2008). Transformational Leadership in Labor Organizations: The Effects on Union Citizenship Behaviors Journal of Labour Research.(2008) 29:27-41,27-41. Published online: 24 November 2007 Springer Science + Business Media B.V. Retrieved November 25 2008 from Emerald data base.

Rat Bite Fever Essay -- streptobacillus moniliformis, rna

One of the main causes of the disease known as Rat Bite Fever is from infection by the bacteria Streptobacillus moniliformis. This bacterium is commonly the cause of the disease in North America (Elliot, 2007). This disease is typically difficult to diagnose, leading to a delay in treatment and unnecessary increase in the severity of its symptoms. Cases of rat bite fever are rather rare in North America, and those resulting in death are even less common, making the study of its pathogenesis difficult. In order to better understanding this disease, work is being done to annotate the genome of the bacterium. Gene annotation is a process in which biological information is attached to a single gene or genomic sequence. Oftentimes, this is initially done automatically via computer analysis, and then later is manually annotated. That is the case here, where an automatic annotation has been performed for many of the genes within the S. moniliformis genome (Nolan, 2009), but it is necessary to manually annotate the genome in order to better understand the biological processes. The manual annotation includes identifying or confirming the gene’s role in coding, gene expression, biochemical function, and many other functions (Stein, 2001). Smon_0852 & Smon_0853: Smon_0852 is annotated as a Polynucleotide adenylyltransferase region, which is involved in the biological process, RNA processing, and its molecular function is ATP binding, RNA binding, hydrolase activity, and nucleotidyl transferase, according to GO. Pfam identifies that Smon_0852 is a part of the Protein domains Poly A polymerase head and Nudix family. The Poly A polymerase head domain is involved in adding the poly (A) tail to mRNA (Cao, 1992). The Nudix family is ... ...l structure of NGO0477 from Neisseria gonorrhoeae reveals a novel protein fold incorporating a helix-turn-helix motif. Proteins 78:1798-1802(2010). Stein, L. (2001). "Genome annotation: from sequence to biology". Nature Reviews Genetics 2 (7): 493–503.doi:10.1038/35080529. PMID 11433356. Tscherne, J.S., Nurse, K., Popienick, P., Michel, H., Sochacki, M. and Ofengand, J. "Purification, cloning, and characterization of the 16S RNA m5C967 methyltransferase from Escherichia coli". Biochemistry 38:1884–1892(1999). Yau, K. Cyclic Nucleotide-gated Channels: an expanding new family of ion channels Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 91(9): 3481–3483 (1994). Zhang H, Huang K, Li Z, Banerjei L, Fisher KE, Grishin NV, Eisenstein E, Herzberg O, Crystal structure of YbaK protein from Haemophilus influenzae (HI1434) at 1.8 A resolution: functional implications. Proteins 40:86-97(2000).

Report on Business Level Strategy

BUSINESS LEVEL STRATEGY Any given organization may comprise a number of different businesses. Each operating in distinct markets and serving different customers. A market is defined by demand conditions and based on an organization’s customers and potential customers. Industry is determined by supply conditions and based on production technology. Business level strategy is a means of separating out and formulating a competitive strategy at the level of individual business unit.This is sometimes referred to as a Strategic Business Unit (SBU). A Strategic Business Unit is a distinct part of an organization which focuses upon a particular market or markets for its products and services. The parent company sets the overall or corporate strategy. The role of the business unit is to devise a strategy which allows it to compete successfully in the marketplace and to contribute to the corporate strategy. GENERIC STRATEGYA sustainable competitive advantage is about performing different activities or performing similar activities in a different ways. In other words, the firm must be capable of producing value for the customer that is recognized as being superior to that of its competitors. Michael Porter (1980) developed three generic strategies to help an organization outperform rivals within an industry, and so successfully position itself against the five forces.These strategies are referred to as generic because they apply to different types of organizations in different industries. The first of these three strategies is called Overall Cost Leadership. A cost leadership strategy involves a firm being the lowest cost producer within the industry. This allows the firm to outperform the rivals within the industry because it can charge lower prices and its lowest cost base still allows it to earn profit. In effect, this firm can charge the lowest price within the industry which the rivals simply cannot match.Therefore, a cost leadership strategy allows the firm to make superior profits. A Differentiation Strategy is based on producing products or services which are perceived by the customers as unique or different. A differentiated product has the opportunity to meet different customer needs more closely. It is the difference that is the basis on which the customers are prepared to pay a premium price. Clearly, the cost of producing differentiation must not outweigh the price being charged.Or, put another way, customer should be prepared to pay a price which exceeds the costs of differentiation, thereby allowing the organization to earn superior profits. The third Strategy is referred to as a Focus Strategy. A Focus Strategy allows an organization to target a segment of niche within a market. The segment may be based on a particular customer group, geographical markets, or specific product lines. Unlike overall cost leadership and differentiation strategies which are industry-wide, a focus strategy is aimed at serving a particular target mar ket efficiency.

Are You a Genuine Author

Are You a Genuine Author Sure you are. Writing is in your blood. You adore telling stories, and if you could, youd do nothing but write for a living . . . forever and ever. But do your readers know that? The majority of writers struggle to make that connection between themselves and readers. They assume their book speaks for them. But there are a gadzillion books out there, and until a reader loves the book and decides to know more about the author, that connection isnt made. Let me say it another way . . . do readers like you? Do they feel they are getting to know you? Are you reachable? Are you personable? How do readers know? They dont have to be groupie-in-love with you, but are they curious? Do they like what you represent? Sometimes its simply do they like your smile? Your love of cars, your love of travel. The fact you bake quiche, paint chicken pictures, or garden spaghetti squash. How can they relate to you? After all, you wouldnt put yourself out there if you didnt want to be friends, right? Your job as an author is not only to write a good book and market it well, but you have to make readers enjoy the fact you are there for them. And to do that is to act like you appreciate them. You dont have time for all of that? Then how do you expect readers to have time to read your work? The connection is more about relationships than  you may think. Some ideas to show your care: 1) Make every single blurb you sign in your book different, and relatable. 2) Answer all emails from readers timely. 3) Wish people happy birthday on Facebook . . . and say more than just Happy Birthday. 4) Give advice when asked. You dont have to write a thousand words. Just the fact you gave back matters. 5) Give back. Review other books often. Not only will the author appreciate it, but others who read the reviews will recognize your name, your sincerity, and your respect for reviews. 6) Appear at someone elses reading, speaking engagement, class, presentation. 7) Recommend others. 8) Congratulate others. 9) Welcome others. 10) Thank others. It isnt about your book. It isnt just about you. Its about making readers and other authors (who are your readers, too) feel good that they are in your world. It isnt hard once you think about it.

Sentence Structure Mistakes Youll Never Make Again

Sentence Structure Mistakes Youll Never Make Again Do you sometimes wonder why your editor moves words around, rephrases your sentences or adds/deletes words? The goal is to place your words and/or phrases, and in some instances Replace words and/or phrases, so that there can be no misunderstanding on the part of your reader as to your message.Sentence structure is the backbone of your paper, letter, story, email, script or any other written communication. If you are aware of the following missteps and vigilant about watching out for them, your writing will become clearer and better understood by your readers.Placement of sentence partsIf even one word is placed in the wrong position in a sentence, the meaning of that sentence can be changed dramatically. Re-read every sentence as if it were the only sentence you were writing, and focus on whether the meaning of each sentence is completely clear.ExamplesONLY you have paid $60 for the concert tickets. (You alone have paid $60.)You have ONLY paid $60 for the concert tickets. (You paid the $60 and nothing more.)You have paid ONLY $60 for the concert tickets. (You got a deal on the concert tickets.)You should AT LEAST try to get 10 concert tickets. (You should attempt to get 10 tickets.)You should try to get AT LEAST 10 concert tickets. (You should get a minimum of 10 tickets.)Parallel constructionTo help your reader identify and recognize the similarity of ideas in a sentence, make sure that ideas of equal value are expressed in the same form. This applies most often to lists within sentences, bullet-point copy, and complex sentences. To check parallel construction in your writing, read each element separately and determine if they are expressed in the same way.ExamplesWrong: The best things about a concert are the band, sound and the lighting.Right: The best things about a concert are the band, the sound and the lighting.Wrong: The three things I like most about a concert are: (1) hearing the loud music, (2) to see the pyrotechnics, and (3) to yell loud enough to get the band to do an encore.Right: The three things I like most about a concert are: (1) hearing the loud music, (2) seeing the pyrotechnics, and (3) yelling loud enough to get the band to do an encore.Wrong: You could inform the class about the concert either by making a telephone call or send an email.Right: You could inform the class about the concert either by making a telephone call or sending an email.Complete comparisonWhen making a comparison within a sentence, make sure you supply all the words necessary to complete the comparative thought so that your reader doesnt have to assume facts that are not in evidence.ExamplesWrong: She sings louder.Right: She sings louder than anyone else in the band.Wrong: This concert was much better.Right: This concert was much better than the one in January.Pronoun referenceMy personal pet peeve is the misuse of pronouns. Remember that pronouns take the place of persons, places or things, and they must agree with the persons, places or thin gs to which they refer. Your reader should not have to re-read the sentence to determine the person, place or thing to which the pronoun refers. Again, read each of your sentences for clarity, asking yourself whether your reader might be confused with your pronoun reference, and rewriting when necessary.ExamplesWrong: I enjoy concerts because you get to hear great music.Right: I enjoy concerts because I get to hear great music.Wrong: After James spoke to Alan, he wanted to go, too. (Does he refer to James or Alan?)Right: Alan decided he wanted to go, too, after he spoke with James.Wrong: Everyone should get their autographs after the concert. (Everyone is singular; their is plural.)Right: All concert-goers should get their autographs after the concert.Wrong: Someone left their program in their seat. (Someone is singular; their is plural.)Right: A program was left in someones seat.Positioning words and phrases for emphasisPlacing emphasis on certain words or phrases by placing them a t the beginning or end of a sentence is a technique used to focus your readers attention on certain ideas, opinions or facts.ExampleEmphasis 1: Based on the audience response, the first band rocked the house. (Emphasis is on the audience.)Emphasis 2: The first band rocked the house, based on the audience response. (Emphasis is on the band.)Emphasis 1: Once the concert had ended and the students had gone outside, they saw the star of the show signing autographs. (Emphasis on the end of the concert; autographs by the star is secondary.)Emphasis 2: The students saw the star of the show signing autographs outside once the concert had ended. (Emphasis on the exciting prospect of getting an autograph.)As a general rule, always read every sentence you write from your readers viewpoint, to ensure that words and thoughts are connected in proper relationships so that there is no chance for misunderstanding. Whereas you are intimately familiar with your subject matter, your reader is presumabl y reading your message for the first time and is looking forward to reading your paper smoothly without confusion or the need to re-read for clarity. Sentence coherence is successfully achieved when all the sentence parts are correctly related, and you proceed positively toward the goal of making the sentence clear and easily understood.

Importance of Marketing on Organization's Goodwill Assignment

Importance of Marketing on Organization's Goodwill - Assignment Example G. and. Schneider, 1995). This is achieved by providing clients with company’s production. That’s why marketing is considered to be the one of the leading functions of the strategic management. For a great number of organizations marketing is the key function that secures their successful activity depending on how they follow their goals and which strategies they realize. Kotler & Keller (2012) state that according to the philosophy of management, the company should avoid just making unfavorable products trying to sell them to the client by all means, and in this case marketing is becoming something more than separate function of management (Kotler & Keller, 2012). In the modern world marketing influences all the spheres of company’s activity. The concept â€Å"goodwill† implies the readiness of the buyer to pay bigger or smaller sum of money than the net assets of the company that he wants to purchase may cost. The goodwill can be positive or negative. In many cases business owners tend to overestimate the influence of their intangible assets and as a result the realized value of business increases substantially (Massoud, M. F. and Raiborn, C, 2003). It is important to take into account the fact that intangible capital should convert into income and the index of this income should be substantially higher than the market average one. The given paper will discuss the importance of marketing for establishing goodwill. The review of literature will be implemented in order to answer the question. The main goal is to investigate the importance of marketing on organization’s goodwill Literature review a) The notion of goodwill According to Johnson and Petrone (1998), goodwill is a strong management team and developed market strategy, high level quality of production, high credit measures as well as corporate culture and favorable location, good relations with suppliers (Johnson and Petrone, 1998). Day states that â€Å"goodwill is the difference between the value of a business enterprise as a whole and the sum of the current fair values of its identifiable tangible and intangible net assets. Net assets are the assets that are left after subtracting the company’s liabilities. Goodwill is only recorded when its amount is substantiated by an arm’s-length transaction. Goodwill cannot be sold or acquired separately but has to be included in a purchase with the net assets of a business enterprise† (Day 2008: 1). It is clear that the cost of organization that is represented by the single property complex differs much from the assets and liability cost of the organization. The great amount of mergers and takeovers in the USA and Europe can serve as a proof of such statement. It is enough to recollect the time when companies were bought by the sums of money, which were considerably bigger or smaller than the cost of company assets (Samuelson, 1996). The difference between these two indicators is ca lled goodwill. It means that brand is less valuable in case if it fails the competitive struggle and does not allow to sell the product at the higher price than the similar product of the competitors is sold at. Accrodign to Stolley (2013), in this case goodwill is negative and has a negative impact on the final cost of the company. It can be easily explained as it will be more difficult to realize the production with the same tangible assets than with the positive goodwill (Stolley, 2013). b) The evaluation of goodwill According to Wang, the estimation is made with the help of management account and provides the owners and managers with the important information (Wang, 1995). In order to find the answer to the question, it is essential to determine how the goodwill is

Marketing Planning Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Marketing Planning - Research Proposal Example Animeinternational.com (2006) is an online retailer of anime related products: Dvds and Music; Manga and Books; Toys and Figures; Art Work; Cards and Games; and other merchandise such as accessories, jewelry, and even kitchenware. The company sells over 10,000 diverse products in the anime genre. Animeinternational.com also caters to the multimedia consumer, offering specialized downloads such as wallpapers and avatars (used in Internet forums, emails and online gaming). This diversity in product, design and orientation allows animeinternational.com to offer consumers a wide variety of the most popular anime titles through E-commerce and telephone purchases. Animeinternational.com (2006) slogan is "Your Online Anime Mega Store for all your Anime Needs" and advertises that "Unlike our competitors our focus is not only the North American market, rather we cater to the needs of customers in all countries worldwide." Claiming "price leadership and unparalleled customer service" (animeinternational.com 2006) the company exhibits a strong focus on total quality management in the domains of business to customer and business to business transactions. There are multiple products and services available. ... th American market, rather we cater to the needs of customers in all countries worldwide." Claiming "price leadership and unparalleled customer service" (animeinternational.com 2006) the company exhibits a strong focus on total quality management in the domains of business to customer and business to business transactions. There are multiple products and services available. This marketing proposal paper will focus on expanding the services to include tailored customer relationship management service using use-case scenario technology and focus on expansion service lines in opening markets, particularly the female age 15-24 market that is highly undeserved in the anime industry. Marketing Environment Animeinternational.com has a strong market orientation towards customer relationship management (CRM). CRM is "identifying prospective buyers, understanding them intimately, and developing favourable long-term perceptions of the organisation and its offerings so that buyers will choose them in the marketplace" (Kerin p 21 2002). Animeinternational utilises several online techniques with the purpose of concentrating towards CRM. Some of these methods include blogging, online community, and 'fan fiction.' This type of 'free service' allows animeinternational.com to communicate with, understand and respond to the average consumer base, which has been identified as the young adult male in the Internet and gaming community (animeinterantioal.com 2006). Animeinternational.com also offers online 'chat' customer service, telephone service and specialised anime resources, such as an encyclopaedia. By continuously interacting with the customer base through communication, animeinterational.com exhibits strong consumer relationship management. Company Animeinternational.com (2006)

Macroeconomics for business and government Essay

Macroeconomics for business and government - Essay Example This assignment is designed to test your knowledge about the basic terminology used in macroeconomics and your understanding of key macroeconomic concepts. It will also reinforce what is studied in modules 1, 2 and part of module 3. The assignment is made up two parts: part A and part B. The questions in Part A will be marked out of a maximum of 20 marks, and the questions in Part B will be marked out of a maximum of 30 marks in total. Part A This part comprises ten multiple choice questions each worth 2 marks. These questions are designed to test your knowledge of the course content. The questions in this section are typical of the kind of question that will be in part A of the examination paper. Q. 1 Policy makers can become concerned if the unemployment rate is too low because: Answer : B A. stock prices will fall. B. inflation might increase.- C. output will decrease. D. an exchange rate crisis might occur.. Q. 2 If nominal GDP rises from $10 trillion to $12 trillion, while the G DP deflator rises from 2.0 to 2.2, the percentage change in real GDP is: Answer: B A. -10% B. 10% C. 1.1% D. 9.1% E. 20% Q. 3 Which of the following events would cause a reduction in the size of the multiplier? Answer: D A. an increase in the marginal propensity to consume B. an increase in the marginal propensity to save C. a reduction in taxes D. a reduction in government spending E. none of the above Q. 4 Suppose the supply of money equals the demand for money. Given this information, we know that: Answer D A. the price of bonds will tend increase. B. the price of bonds will tend to fall. C. production equals demand. D. the goods market is also in equilibrium. - E. the supply of bonds also equals the demand for bonds. Q. 5 Suppose there is a simultaneous tax cut and open market sale of bonds. Which of the following must occur as a result of this? Answer : D A. Output increases. B. Output decreases. C. The interest rate increases. D. The interest rate decreases. E. Both output and the interest rate increase. Q. 6 The reservation wage is: Answer: C A. the wage that an employer must pay workers to reduce turnover to a reasonable level. B. the wage that ensures a laid-off individual will wait for re-hire, rather than find another job. C. the wage that would make an individual indifferent between working or not working.- D. the wage offer that will end a labour-strike. E. the bribe that must be paid to a maitre d' when you want a table but did not call in advance. Q. 7 Which of the following describe the rising distortionary effects of taxes in the economy: Answer : D A. the price-setting curve shifts downwards. B. the wage-setting curve shifts rightwards. C. an increase in the proportional tax wedge. D. an increase in the natural rate of unemployment. E. all of the above Q. 8 The aggregate demand curve will shift to the right when which of the following occurs? Answer : D A. a decrease in the money supply B. a reduction in consumer confidence C. a rise in the p rice level D. a decrease in taxes E. a decrease in the price level Q. 9 Which of the following represents the medium-run effect of an increase in the price target? Answer : D A. a decline in output B. an increase in the interest rate C. a decrease in the price level D. all of the above E. none of the above Q. 10 - When inflation has not been very persistent, we can expect that: Answer D A. expected price level for a given year will equal the previous year's actual price level. B. the current inflation rate will not depend heavily on past inflation. C. lower unemployment rates will be associated with higher inflation rates. D. all of the above - E. none of the above Part B Please answer each of the following questions using your own words. Use diagrams, tables or equations in your answer where appropriate. As a guide, you should be able to answer questions 11, 12 and 13 within 150 words (each question), and questions 14 and 15 within 250 words (each question), plus diagrams if approp riate (except where a question requires only a list or calculation). Note:

Why I Joined the Marine Corps Essay Example for Free

Why I Joined the Marine Corps Essay In this paper I will illustrate the fallowing two points: â€Å"why I joined the United States Marine Corps and how as an anti tank guided missileman with the billet of driver; I can be useful to not only TOW platoon but the current second section. I will begin by explaining chronologically the events that led me into making the life altering decision to join America’s finest fighting force, the tip of the spear, those who run not away from but towards the sounds of the gun; The United States Marine Corps. I shall than thoroughly and objectively examine the billet of driver within an infantry platoon; and elucidate on how this billet (job) is useful. I will then proceed to illustrate as one who hold the hence forth mentioned billet how it is or can be useful to tow platoon. My decision to join the military in general I believe subconsciously started when my older brother returned from Army basic training. While my brother was a pretty smart guy he had never really been to apply himself nor did he have the drive to, but whatever had happened to him during army basic training had made a change in him; a change for the best. He came back and the transformation was evident in every single one of his actions and thoughts. He had a drive to accomplish all of his goals dreams and aspiration, not only that he had the discipline necessary to stay on his new found path. I went on to college in the fall fallowing his return from basic training not sure if these new traits and strength I saw in him would continue or disappear. When I returned home that fall after my first semester and talked to him and I saw the changes had stayed with him and grown even further. With all that he had used the tools he had been given to accomplish so much in already so little of time. All that stayed in my head, but it did not become relevant to me until my sophomore year of college. I realized that while I was doing well, I was simply just going through the motions. That’s when I made the decision to join the military. I first though I would join the army like my brother, however through a series of events and a need to surpass my brother I decided to join the few the proud The United States Marine Corp. I joined with the fallowing goals and mindset. I wanted to use the Marine Corps to not only further my education but focus it. I joined with the idea that once I got in I would have the drive and tools necessary to not only continue my education but just as my brother had done; I would strive to accomplish my dreams goals and aspirations with even more passion. Whether or not this has happened, is still to be determined. I think I’m still at the eve of my Marine Corps, wherever this institution will be able to help me accomplish what I hoped it would do career so that is all still up in the air. Now onto the subject of what I can contribute to tow platoon as driver. The job a driver within tow platoon as I understand it is to: â€Å"Know all the vehicle formation, all mounted IA drill, be able to maintain and upkeep the vehicle(s) assigned to him as to lessen the load of the vehicle commander; he should also know and understand the job and knowledge of one billet above and below (in this case only above)†. As such those would be my contribution to the platoon as a driver in town platoon second section. In summary I joined The united states Marine Corps with the purpose of furthering my education, and canalizing my energy and thoughts towards my aspirations, and work. Currently it seems like all of that will have to be at a standstill until the opportunity arises to forge forward with the aforementioned plans. On the subject of my contributions as a driver, I must maintain and increase my knowledge of what the driver is suppose know and be able to do; thus I will be able to contribute to tow platoon and second section by simply doing factions of the billet assigned to me.

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay

How Is Inactivity And Obesity Effecting Children Young People Essay The rise of inactivity and its consequences The prevalence of sedentary lifestyles is increasing in America and much of the developed world. In the US (our core geographic area of focus for this project) this trend coupled with poor eating choices has notably manifested itself in rising obesity rates across the country over the past two decades as depicted in Exhibit 1. As of 2008, over 68% of Americans were categorized as being overweight, with nearly half of that group being defined as obese or morbidly obesei. Between 1980 and 2002 overweight rates for children aged 6 11 more than doubled from 7% to 16%ii. Today that number is estimated to be closer to 20%iii. Shortened life spans. More than 14% of deaths in the US in 2003 resulted from obesity related conditions; and Diminished motivation to be active. Being overweight or obese makes physical activity more challenging, thus requiring greater commitment and effort to be active compared to a healthy weighted individual. The more overweight people become due to reduced levels of activity the less likely they are to engage in future activity. Furthermore, obesity is often tied to depression which causes individuals to experience lower levels of energy and motivationiv. Teenagers the gateway to addressing rising inactivity levels . The number of years a consumer leads an active life; The variety of sports or fitness related activities the consumer engages in over those years; and The products that the two factors above drive demand for. In order to optimize across all drivers we honed in on teenagers (primarily 13-15) as our focus segment. We view other groups, such as adults and, retirees, and so forth, who have a shorter customer lifetime value and being, as being more set in their ways, both in terms of habit and product affinities. In arriving at this focal segment we have taken the following factors into consideration: According to the Eight Stages of Development, adolescents learn about and define who they are between the ages of approximately 12 and 19. If being athletic, or at least active, is not established as central to ones identity, the probability of prioritizing athletic activity later in life is likely diminished. If more children define themselves as being active during this influential period, the market for healthy, sustainable athletes will likely increase over time. From a commercial perspective, the potential lifetime value of an active teenager is likely to be higher than that of an average U.S. adult. Firstly the cost of acquiring an active youth is lower, as there are fewer barriers to exercise/activity as outlined above. Secondly, the number of years that teenagers have to be active is significantly greater as they not only start younger but may potentially live longer due to their adoption of healthy and active lifestyles. Teenagers generally have lower opportunity costs of activity and learning to exercise than adults. A combination of the greater amounts of leisure time available to them and their propensity to experiment with new things makes teenagers more likely to be comfortable learning about and engaging in activity. Teenagers also tend to have many opportunities to choose to engage in activities. These include physical education (PE) programs, sports teams, community teams, and informal pick-up games. Section 2 of this report presents key underlying influences and trends that currently inhibit and have the potential to further diminish activity levels among teenagers. Section 3 of this report then discusses the selection criteria that potential solutions must satisfy in order to most effectively address the problem of teen inactivity. Finally Section 4 lays out a potential solution aimed at leveraging key influences to encourage more active lifestyles among teenagers. Section 2: Factors underlying teenage inactivity Family influences In order to address the rising levels of inactivity among teenagers, it is necessary to first identify and understand the primary network of influencers that ultimately impact their decision making behavior and involvement in activities. Dual income single parent households Traditionally parents have been one of the strongest sources of influence over teenagers, and have played a crucial role in shaping their overall growth and development. However insights from interviews conducted with families in the Boston area suggest that shifts in the overall structure and composition of the average American family have decreased the amount of influence that parents exert over their children. In particular, the steady increase in the number of dual income earners1 and the rise in the number of single parent households highlight that parents today are facing increasing time constraints. A significant consequence of this phenomenon is that teenagers are increasingly subject to less direct parental oversight, as working parents often outsource the supervision of their children to external parties such as baby-sitters, nannies and daycare centers. While parents have a vested interest in encouraging their children to lead active lives in order to promote overall health and well-being, external parties are more likely to encourage teenagers to engage in sedentary, home-based activities that are easier to supervise. Examples of such activities include watching TV, surfing the internet or playing video games. Decline of parental role models Another implication of parental time constraints is that parents have less face-to-face time with their children and consequently fewer opportunities to educate them on the merits of leading an active lifestyle and adopting healthy eating habits. Given these time constraints parents themselves are also less likely to demonstrate the very behaviors that they aim to instill in their children. Thus, an absence of role models that are leading active lives in the household could further explain why teenagers are tending towards more sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, if parents spend less time prioritizing the on-going supervision and support of their childrens activity levels, teenagers may feel less motivated to participate in sports or other physical activities at school. For example our interviews with parents suggest that parental inability to attend games to cheer for their children or even provide the basic resources that support their childrens involvement in sports, such as providing rides to practice, may result in teenagers being less inclined or able to pursue active lifestyles. Evolution of family dining A further implication of parental time constraints is that working parents are increasingly relying on convenience and on-the-go food solutions for meal preparation. These habits can have a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of their children as evidenced by Child Development research which suggests there is a link between the number of years a working mother spends in the workforce and their childs BMI.v The increase in child obesity has attracted a great deal of media attention which has, in turn, resulted in a heightened sense of awareness of health wellness issues among parents. The observation that child obesity persists in the face of this awareness suggests that parents are precluded from developing solutions because they lack the necessary tools to motivate their children in the face of time constraints. This insight highlights an area of opportunity for Nike to provide tools to: Assist parents in incentivizing their children to lead more active lives; and Assist parents in motivating their children in a way that fits into their busy schedules. Crime parental attitudes An emphasis on helicopter parenting2, which has gained popularity in recent times, combined with the persistent coverage of criminal activity in the media has resulted in a heightened sense of paranoia around crime levels and neighborhood safety among parents. The implications of helicopter parenting are straightforward. As parents become more concerned about the overall safety of their neighborhoods they are more likely to only allow outside activity with adult supervision. However, due to their personal time constraints, they often encourage their children to stay indoors or commute to school by car, rather than engage in outdoor activities or walk, for example. In this case, parents appear to be prioritizing the short term benefits of child safety over the long term risks of obesity and other future health problems due to reduced activity levels Friend influences Increasing prominence of friends as influencers Siblings, particularly older ones, have traditionally been a powerful source of influence over teenagers. Younger siblings generally tend to emulate the behavior and habits of their older siblings, especially if there is a positive relationship between the two. However as the size of U.S. households continue to decline, the average teenager is growing up with fewer siblings to rely on and learn behaviors from. As a result of teenagers being exposed to fewer siblings and busier parents, peers and friend groups have gained more prominence in the influence and authority they have over teenagers lives. School influences In light of the factors discussed above, such as the limited amount of time parents spend with their children; external environments can serve as important influences on teenagers. Schools are not only a physical representation of where teenagers spend most of their time outside the home, but are also the arena within which their social networks converge. Teacher attitudes resource constraints Given that teenagers are highly exposed to their social networks at school, their fear of failing at physical activities can often overshadow their desire to try something new or different to shine in front of their peers causing them to shy away from any activity. For example, a school that has a reputation for being a leader in a certain sport, say basketball, may place significantly more emphasis on winning than inclusion. In such environments, children have less room to fail, that is to say, not to be good at basketball. Such overtly competitive situations can lead to divisions (ball players vs. non ball players) which amplify less skilled students feelings of inadequacy. Teachers serve as de facto parents in the school environment. Their attitudes towards general wellness and encouraging teenagers can be powerful drivers of childrens sustained engagement in activities. However, the continuous budgetary pressures schools face often result in understaffing, which causes teachers to stretch themselves very thinly across large student bodies. In these situations, teachers may not be able to provide the level of encouragement and personal attention necessary for children to enthusiastically engage in activities. If a child does not enjoy participating in an activity, the child is unlikely to engage in that activity again in the future. Tension between academics activity Teenagers are increasingly living in an achievement-oriented society, wherein the results of their efforts today can have a profound impact on their future options. In light of this, parents are getting their children involved in an array of extracurricular activities, such as debating clubs and honors classes, in order to increase their childrens chances of getting into good colleges. This additional competition on teenagers time often leads to reduced levels of activity. City influences Rural vs. urban settings The natural resources and climate of a region can impact activity levels depending on the type of sports they encourage. For example, hiking is an activity that requires minimal financial resources to participate and would likely encourage higher levels of activity. However, the relatively higher cost of participation in skiing may deter people from adopting the sport and therefore drive lower levels of activity. Media Technology influences Celebrity influence Proliferation of media distribution channels Celebrities and pop culture icons have become significant influencers of social behavior as children spend less time with their parents. The emergence of distribution channels such as Twitter has increased teenagers ability to gain direct access to celebrities. Given parents limited ability to monitor their childrens internet and mobile phone usage, teenagers are now accessing messages of varying quality. For example, children are no longer confined to watching PBS, which has focus on activity and wellness. They can now watch the latest craze on YouTube or access celebrity gossip on other outlets, which typically place a premium on glamorous lifestyles over healthy ones. Such messages can have a great degree of influence on children, who are particularly impressionable. Addictive characteristics of technology Perpetually connected to the internet and their mobile devices, teenagers today have become attuned to interacting with their environments using technology. Activity which requires them to disengage from electronic devices may be seen as dull and involve de-addiction from perceived high stimuli technology driven experiences. Physical vs. virtual interaction The advent of mobile phones and online social networks has reduced teenagers need to meet in person, as they can rely on the immediacy of virtual communication. The increased usage of these platforms has fundamentally changed the ways in which teenagers interact with one another by allowing them to remain socially engaged without needing to physically walk or bike over to see a friend.

Cultural Criticism in W.B.Yeats’ An Irish Airman Foresees His Death Ess

Cultural Criticism in W.B.Yeats’ An Irish Airman Foresees His Death The various levels of interpretation that a poet, such as W.B.Yeats, welcomes to his poems is difficult to grasp upon first reading his poetry.   What appears to be a straight forward poem, such as, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, is actually an intellectual cultural criticism of Yeats’ modern day society.   The poem, written as a testament to Lady Gregory’s son, captures the innermost concerns and perceptions of an Irish airman in World War I.   However, through Yeats’ sentimental and poetic style, the poem incorporates a double meaning, and hence, focuses on Irish nationalism and its lack of an international consciencesness.   The airman is Ireland personified, and his outlook on war and society is a window into the desolate situation that Ireland faces. As the title suggests, there is a sense of imminent doom for the soldier (Ireland).   He foresees his death, but has not yet experienced it and does nothing to prevent it.   The poem is written in the first person which gives a first hand feel for the tragic loss that the Irish soldier will experience.   (i.e. his own death).   Yeats is making a subtle commentary on the state of his modern Ireland.   He can foresee her doom, yet, unlike the subject of his poem, does not sit back and accept his fate.   The lack of a unified republic in Ireland and the ominous presence of English colonization, stand in the way of   progression for the Irish people.   Yeats writes a poetry (specifically, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death) to open the eyes of the world to the shadow of desolation that covers Ireland like an umbrella.   Lady Gregory’s son is used as a catalyst to project Yeats’ imagery of Ireland’s desperate situati... ...otism is established in a seemingly simple testament to a dead soldier.   What better way to honor the dead than to personify Lady Ireland through his character!   The passion that Yeats subconsciously incorporates into his poem equals that of his love for Ireland.   An Irish Airman Foresees His Death begins on a low and desperate note, but reaches its’ climax upon Gregory answering Ireland’s call, and ends by, essentially, posing a question to the reader.   ‘As a collective people, which side of the teeter-totter do we belong?’   He leaves his hero (Gregory) hanging in the balance of an important national question.   The poem may be about Yeats’ character foreseeing his death, but the fact remains: he is in the act of ‘foreseeing,’ he is not dead yet†¦and neither is Ireland.    Works Cited Townshend, Charles.   Ireland: The 20th Century.   New York: Oxford UP, 1998.

Lg Brown Goods

Project on LG Contents Mission3 Mission Statement3 Vision3 Core Values3 How the present strategies are within the mission, vision and core values3 Present Strategy3 Market Analysis3 Segmentation3 Targeting4 Positioning4 Needs4 PESTLE Analysis4 Political factor4 Economical factor4 Socio-cultural factors5 Technological factors5 Legal factors5 Environmental factors5 Industry/ Competitive Analysis6 Industry in which LG Competes6 Industry performance for last 5 years and projections for next 3 years6Market share of Top 5 players by segments7 Market share of organized and unorganized for last year and projection for next three years8 Industry’s 5 competitive forces9 Indirect Competitors of LG Electronics (Brown Goods) –9 Top Direct Competitors of LG Electronics in INDIA –9 Competitive advantages of Samsung Electronics –10 Competitive Advantages of Sony Electronics –10 Competitive Advantage of Videocon –10 SWOT Analysis of LG Electronics –10 Performance Review11Past performance of the product and elements of the marketing mix11 Objective of the company13 Mission Mission Statement To become a top innovative electronics company in the world. It takes pride in its company and employees and believes that this is what will make it into one of the most innovative companies of the 21st century. Vision LG’s vision is to deliver innovative digital products and services that make our customers’ lives better, easier and happier through increased functionality and fun. Core ValuesGlobal, Tomorrow, Energy, Humanity and Technology are the pillars that this corporation is founded on; with the capital letters L and G positioned inside a circle to centre our ideals above all else, humanity. The symbol mark stands for our resolve to establish a lasting relationship with, and to achieve the highest satisfaction for our customers. How the present strategies are within the mission, vision and core values By adopting the Blue O cean Strategy LG will be able to sustain its leadership position.BOS provides a systematic way of identifying and creating high growth opportunities. LG is looking not just to maintain its leadership position in India, but to continue to grow, and to transition from a mass brand to a premium one. Through the adoption of this policy, LG plans to launch products or services which create or significantly increase its market shares and profit by offering differentiated values in view of customers. The move to adopt Blue Ocean Strategy is seen as an ambitious drive to resurrect LG globally.The strategy aims at designing in order to exploit opportunities, so far untapped; either within the present segments of LG or outside, where there is zero or negligible competition. Present Strategy * Local and efficient manufacturing to reduce cost * Product localisation; LG came out with regional language menus on its TV * Introduction of low priced products for the rural market especially in the TV segment * LG has adopted the regional distribution model in India * Offering affordable products at a lower margin –cutting on volume to ring in revenues * LG is adopting the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) in India as part of its global strategy * BOS gives a frame work for breaking away from the competition to achieve high customer value and profitability simultaneously * Blue Ocean Products are products and services which create a differential value for the customer, thus opening up vast, new markets to drastically improve profitability and market share * Blue Ocean Business Model is one that focuses the efforts of the company on providing differentiated value to customers. Market AnalysisSegmentation – Demographic Higher income group Occupation – Geographic Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities – Psychographic Loyalty status – switcher loyal because product of different need are taken from different brand considering superiority Usage rate – high in terms of usage user life stage – marriages and other life stage are when brown good and eletronics are bought benefts – for consumer who seek benefits derived with tech occassion – bought mostly on festive season so provided with various schemes. – Behavioural LG look for Value and lifestyle which people believe they correspond to. TargetingLG has targeted its market on the basis of the product that they are offering to the consumer. upper-lower and higher segments people more concern to health benefits, life style and quality products LCD and Plasma TV for premium segment trying to shift to mid class and mass market of product selective specialization Positioning Differentiate product on technology which appeal to consumer on basis of health benefits like health wave system for oven, golden eye for TV its tagline describes to make people life better convenient and healthier they try to position as young vibrant and premium brand NeedsNeeds met by the LG brown n electronics product – ease of use, higher efficiency PESTLE Analysis Political factor Taxation policies, foreign trade regulations, trade policies are the important political factors. LG must follow the compliances given by the government like the Environmental Protection Agency. Sales volume gets negatively affected due to any change in the policies or foreign trade regulations. It will cause consumer to pay more for products. There is a possibility that the change in government can have an effect from the support of LG’s Research and Development. These political factors are:High import duty Export promotion scheme of Indian government like EPCG(Export Promotion Capital Good Scheme), EOU(Export Oriented Units) status Plants in Tax incentive areas like Pune, Greater Noida. Economical factor Price wars is the biggest economic factor for LG. LG has used competitive strategies like localization and adapting it to different markets. Making it easier to grab consumerâ₠¬â„¢s attention with products that are easier for their everyday living. In India, LG opened manufacturing facilities that begun with the R&D looking at what competitors have already brought to the arket and made their product unique and geared towards the consumers needs. Things that may affect sales volume from a economic stand point is a sudden change in consumer’s income. So LG would have to look in to how they can make products more affordable for consumers in recession. In India GDP is rising. Per Capita Income is increasing, so spending power of consumer is increasing. Socio-cultural factors LG went into the market in India with all the right tools. They adapted to the market and immediately began to be the innovators of that market.They have given back to the society by providing them with employment opportunities by building manufacturing plants. They are manufacturing eco-friendly products and increasing the life style of the people. Within the social factor, LG has been able to achieve a higher sales volume in India. Technological factors LG has always been a leader in innovation from the 1980s so technology is the important factor for them. LG is expanding in 3G Network technology. In India, Reliance incorporation with LG has 3G plans made for smart phones. LG introduced its LG Optimus 3D to the market in India.Improvement in technology made the product cheaper and quality of product has been increased. Legal factors Legal factors like employment law and consumer protection law can also affect the start-up of a company. Employment laws, like how many people a business employs the number of employees in each location, the minimum number of employees specified in the employment law etc. Consumer protection law protects consumers from fraudulent or unethical business practices, misleading advertisements, and defective products. So, these are some of the laws that businesses must abide before starting a venture.Environmental factors LG must foll ow the compliances given by the government bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency which also monitors the implementation. The company was penalised for failing to meet its commitment to make products free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by the end of 2010. All of LG's mobile phones are now free from PVC and BFRs while other products such as TVs and notebooks contain PVC/BFR free parts; LG aims to phase these substances out from TVs monitors and PCs by 2012 and household appliances by 2014.In the Guide the company scored badly on the Energy criteria, being criticized for setting a weak target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and not making renewable energy part of its low carbon strategy. LG scored most points in the Sustainable Operations category with the company providing take-back for obsolete phones in 52 countries and being in the process of addressing the issue of conflict minerals. LG is now following a green pr oduct strategy. The objective of LG Electronics’ green product strategy is to minimize the environmental impact on the whole value chain while enriching lives.The strategy consists of three components; energy, human and resources. The strategy is based on a model that takes into consideration high energy efficiency, a reduction in raw material usage, and human welfare. Industry/ Competitive Analysis Industry in which LG Competes LG Competes in Consumer Durables industry. The  consumer durables industry  emerged in the twentieth century and has now become a global industry worth billions of dollars. * LG specializes in the manufacturing of consumer durables The scope of our report covers LG’s brown Goods which include: * Television * Audio-Video Systems Computers * Electronic Accessories Industry performance for last 5 years and projections for next 3 years * We believe that the Indian consumer durables industry will post strong double digit growth of ~15% over the next 3 years. * We believe that the industry will continue to grow led by lower penetration, increasing disposable income, easy credit availability coupled with declining prices. Increasing rural demand would be the key feature of the industry growth going ahead. * However, increase in raw material prices and intense competition among players, are key challenges for the industry. In a scenario of shorter product life cycles and increasing competition, we believe that the companies with strong R;D, wide distribution network, strong brand would benefit most from the strong industry growth. * We believe that the consumer durables industry’s growth has been two pronged: (a) driven by lower penetration in rural markets and (b) new innovations and replacement demand in urban markets. Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Research Market share of Top 5 players by segments Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Research Source: Display search ,CEAMA, GEPL, Capital Resear chMarket share of organized and unorganized for last year and projection for next three years Present Scenario : At present around 97 per cent of the more than 5 million retail premises of all types in India are smaller than 50 sq mtrs. So organized retail forms only 3% of the total retail sector in consumer durables industry. Prediction for the future : The urban and rural markets in India are growing at an annual rate of 7 to 10 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. One of the key enablers of this growth has been the increasing penetration of organised retail.While there are established distribution networks in both rural and urban India, the presence of well-known brands and organised sector is increasing. This situation is, however, transforming. Shopping malls are becoming increasingly common in Indian cities, and based on plans announced by key developers, a proliferation of new malls is expected over the next three years. Although many of the new malls would be much smaller than their western counterparts , Indian consumers will have a far larger number of attractive, comfortable, brand-conscious outlets in which to shop.As a result, the organized retail industry is expected to cover a market share of 15 to 18 per cent by the end of 2010, from just 3 per cent at present. This will have a positive impact on the consumer durables industry, as organized retailing would not only streamline the supply chain, but also facilitate increased demand, especially for high-end and branded products Industry’s 5 competitive forces Indirect Competitors of LG Electronics (Brown Goods) – The indirect competitors of LG electronics brown goods such as television, audio systems and cameras are the manufacturers of modern computers and laptops such as Lenovo, H.P and Dell. Modern laptops offer a variety of multidimensional features to the consumers who use them. For instance they can be used as a television, as a video and audio music player or even as a camer a as it hosts all these capabilities in itself. Thus it provides indirect competition to firms which produce the exclusive gadgets offering these services on a single unit basis. Another form of indirect competition is posed by the major mobile phone manufacturers of the world such as Apple, Nokia, Samsung and H. T. C.Modern mobile phones have become very sophisticated and encompass a variety of multimedia features such as gaming, videos, music, camera and the internet. Thus it is acting as a one for all device today and thereby poses indirect threat to dedicated players offering singular service gadgets such as T. V, Music systems or D. V. D players. Also LG faces indirect competition from cheap imitations and imports especially from China and Singapore. These products though poor in terms of quality are very economical and hence cater to a wide range of rural consumers who are extremely price conscious.They can easily purchase these cheap electronic goods at low prices. Thus, they are eating away a possible market share of LG electronics and thereby acting as an indirect competitor to it. Top Direct Competitors of LG Electronics in INDIA – 1. Samsung Electronics 2. Sony Electronics 3. Videocon Competitive advantages of Samsung Electronics – Samsung electronics gains competitive advantage by innovations in the process of product manufacturing, design and development. It has a very strong research and development unit that is working continuously to offer new and innovative product designs.Its speed of execution is perhaps its biggest strength. The time gap between product visualization and its actual delivery is very short which helps it offer the latest in technology trends to its customers in a short span of time. It maintains a very talented pool of creative people who help in driving its technological innovations. It has also been able to feel the pulse of the customers over the years and has been successful in offering product features whic h were highly desired by the customers at acceptable prices.Competitive Advantages of Sony Electronics – The biggest advantage possessed by Sony Electronics is its strong brand image which it has been able to build over a period of time. Its core competence includes the miniaturization of products which involves making products and its components of very small sizes without compromising on its quality. It has a great research and development wing that helps it come out with cutting edge breakthroughs in technology and innovation. Thus, it has been able to offer products with high quality.It has been successful in creating a pool of loyal customers from urban and semi urban areas who seek advanced high quality products without being too concerned about the price factor. Competitive Advantage of Videocon – Videocon has gained competitive advantage in the electronics industry by offering technologically advanced good quality products at relatively low prices. It strives t o provide the best possible service at the lowest possible prices. This has enabled them to become a hot favourite among the price sensitive Indian consumers especially those belonging to rural areas having low purchasing power.It uses strategic planning and vendor management to achieve operational efficiency. It has been able to penetrate a wide market area due to its efficient distribution systems. It has the largest distributed manufacturing base in India having twelve facilities across the country. Thus it has been able to manage a complex supply chain effectively. SWOT Analysis of LG Electronics – Strengths – 1. LG electronics is one of the market leaders in home appliances segment in India and so enjoys a position of strength in the electronics industry. 2.Most of the LG products are of simple design and very ease to use which helps it in satisfying its customers and building trust. 3. It has alliances and partnerships with major technology companies of the world such as G. E, Siemens and Microsoft etc. 4. It has a very wide range of product categories to tap consumers of various segments. 5. It has one of the widest distribution networks in the industry with more than 47 branches and 175 area offices. 6. It has a strong R;D division which helps it to come out with technologically advanced products. Weaknesses – 1.The after sales service of LG is not perceived to be up to the mark as customers are not highly satisfied with it. 2. It has similar product categories and features as compared to its close competitors. 3. It has not been able to create a powerful brand image for itself in the market. 4. It is often directly compared to its biggest competitor Samsung and its supremacy over other brands is overlooked. 5. It has not been able to attract the top talent in the form of highly skilled employees to its fold. Opportunities – 1. The rural market in India is growing as the economic condition of the areas is improving at a fast rate.This has opened a huge potential for sales in these areas for LG. 2. The consumer electronics industry in India is also poised for further growth thereby giving ample opportunity to LG to expand its scope. 3. There will be great opportunities to launch new products in the future as technology is advancing and consumers are always on the lookout for something new. 4. LG has the opportunity to become the leader in white goods market as well by leveraging its supremacy in the other electronics fields. Threats – 1. The biggest threat to LG electronics is from its biggest competitorSamsung which is also from South Korea and is a dominant force in the Indian Electronics market. 2. There is a threat of entering into a price competition with its close competitors that could lower its profit margins. 3. The short product life cycle of electronic products is also a threat to the company as they become obsolete very quickly. 4. The changing government regulations on health, safety and environment issues may also pose a threat to the operations of LG. 5. Cheap imitations and imports from China also pose a small degree of threat to its sales. Performance ReviewPast performance of the product and elements of the marketing mix LG Electronics is doing everything it can to retain its number one position in the Indian brown goods consumer durables market, estimated at Rs 35,000 crore. With more than 30 per cent share of this market, it now expects its India operations to overtake its Korea sales in the next three to four years. LG Electronics India is targeting revenue of Rs 20,000 crore (the figure currently is Rs 16,000 crore) through rapid expansion and new product launches. It is investing Rs 800 crore to expand production capacity, and the advertising budget is Rs 700 crore for this year.LG is focusing on key innovations including 3D TV, mobile digital television, and new solar cell business. The performance highlights – Sales have been shown according to product and place. The following chart shows the percentage contribution made by different product categories in total sales of LG Company. The chart shows that major part of LG revenue comes from brown goods (Home Entertainment and Mobiles). The chart below shows the breakup of sales region wise: Source: 1. Business Standard article June, 2012. 2. Annual Report-LG, 2011 Product Product localisation is a key strategy used by LG. LG came out with Hindi and regional language menus on its TV. †¢ Introduced the low-priced â€Å"Cineplus† and â€Å"Sampoorna† range for the rural markets. †¢ LG was the first brand to introduce gaming in CTVs. In continuation of its association with cricket, LG introduced the cricket game in CTVs. Price To overcome high import duties, LG manufactures PC monitors and refrigerators in India at its manufacturing facility at Noida, Delhi. LGEIL had already commissioned contract manufacturing at Mohali, Kolkata and Bhopal for CTVs. Th is has helped LGEI to reduce costs.LGEIL is implementing a â€Å"digital manufacturing system† (DMS) as a cost-cutting innovation. This system is a follow-up to the Six Sigma exercise LGEIL had initiated earlier. Place (Distribution) LG has adopted the regional distribution model in India. All the distributors work directly with the company. This has resulted in quicker rotation of stocks, and better penetration into the B, C, and D class markets. LG also follows the strategy of stock rotation, rather than dumping stocks on channel partners. LG has over 46 branch offices and another 110 areaoffices across the country.LG had set a target of developing 2,000 dealers, in addition to the existing 3,000 dealers all over India Promotion To make itself a known brand in the consumer electronics sector, LG has taken innovative marketing and promotional initiatives: †¢ Launch of new technologies in consumer electronics and home appliances. †¢ LG was the first brand to enter c ricket in a big way, by sponsoring the 1999 World Cup, and followed it up in 2003 as well. †¢ LG brought in four captains of the Indian cricket team to endorse its products. LG invested more than USS 8 million on advertising and marketing in this sport. LG has differentiated its products using technology and health benefits. The CTV range has ‘Golden Eye’ technology, air-conditioners have the ‘Health Air System’ and microwave ovens have the ‘Health Wave System’. Objective of the company LG Electronics India aims Rs 16,000 crore sales turnover in 2012. The Indian unit of South Korea's LG Electronics expects to double its revenue to $9 billion by 2015, a top executive said, as rising incomes and growing urban households expand the consumer durables market in Asia's third largest economy. LG Electronics Inc, the world's No. TV brand, said on Sunday it aimed to increase its global market share in LCD TVs to 15 percent this year from 11 percent last year by boosting unit sales by 54 percent. LG Electronics is aiming at a 50% market share in the 3D TV market this year, as against 40% last year with the launch of its latest series of Cinema 3D Smart TVs priced in the range of Rs 55,000 to Rs 7,00,000, boasting of world's slimmest bezel TVs. Soon Kwon, MD, LGEIL says, â€Å"We are targeting business worth Rs 1000 crore from 3D TVs and aim to consolidate our position in the Flat Panel TV segment with 30% market share.We have an aggressive marketing strategy with target investment of Rs 100 crore. † The new range is also accompanied by new Cinema 3D glasses for 2012. Adds Kwon, â€Å"3D entertainment is set to explode in India at a steady growth of 500%. We are anticipating the size to go up to 5 lakh units this year, as against 1 lakh units last year. † LG’s aim is to increase export from India to about 40%. LG’s estimated sales(in million) of year ending dec’12 is 47 and dec’13 is al so 47.