Hello My fellow classmates Essay

1.You have a friend who is of Jewish heritage; however, she has no religious belief. She asks you why, if God is good, He permitted the Holocaust to happen. What would you tell her? 2.You want to convince your professor that the reading load he has assigned is too heavy, given that you also have to write a research paper. You are asking him to eliminate one book from the class assignments so that you can concentrate on your own research. 3.You are writing an article for a theological journal arguing that heaven and hell must be understood as literal, physical places (as opposed to metaphorical or symbolic states of mind). 4.You want to start exercising for 30 minutes per day, but your spouse doesn’t want to. How would you kindly convince your spouse to join you? 5.You are reviewing a book manuscript for a university press. Although the book is skillfully and stylishly written, you think it may obscure or leave out some important facts that need to be pointed out. How would you point this out (without suggesting the book is bad and shouldn’t be accepted)?

Pip’s conversation with Biddy Essay

Pip’s change whilst being in London, has meant he sees wealth as everything. â€Å"If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money.† Showing that firstly, he’d do anything to stop Joe’s visit, and also he can buy anything, and that money can solve anything.  Pip feels embarrassed, he doesn’t want to be seen with Joe, â€Å"my greatest reassurance was, that he was coming to Barnards Inn,† showing he doesn’t want to be associated with someone of Joe’s status. Joe himself realises the change in Pip, † you wont find half so much fault in me if you think of me in my forge dress.† This displays Joe’s uncomfortableness, and unease, he realises Pip has change, and doesn’t see Joe the same as before. However Pip also becomes conscious of his change, â€Å"if I had been easier with Joe, Joe would have been easier with me.† Showing Pip’s tension, and impatience with Joe. Pip makes Joe feel uneasy, † us two now being now alone Sir.† The key word is ‘Sir’, Joe sees the change in Pip and feels obliged to call him Sir. As Pip has ‘grown accustomed’ to his great expectations, he has noted the change in himself. â€Å"I had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon myself,† showing he realises the effect people have had on him, which has caused him to change during the course of his ‘expectations.’ He recognizes this effect is not all positive, â€Å"I knew very well that it was not all good,† screening he has accredited the change within him. We see Pip build a sense of guilt, towards Joe and Biddy, â€Å"I lived in a state of chronic uneasiness respecting my behaviour to Joe.† â€Å"My conscience was not by any means comfortable about Biddy.† He has realised his mistreatment toward them.  Upon hearing the death of his sister Pip, starts to notice her, in ‘his world.’ â€Å"In my rooms too, with which she had never been at all associated, there was at once the blankness of death.† Showing the effect of her death within him.  Biddy tells Pip she is leaving the forge, he replies with: † I am not going to leave poor Joe alone,† showing his fondness of Joe, which is a drastic change, from their previous meeting in London. Even whilst at the forge and with Biddy, Pip still relates to wealth, â€Å"I would spend any money,† showing his continuous thought of money, which is such a change from his young childhood.  Pip changes towards Joe, â€Å"good-bye, dear Joe!- no don’t wipe it off- for God’s sake give me your blackened hand. This shows he respects Joe and likes him for who he is â€Å"man he was.† Pip realises he prefers London, he thinks Joe and Biddy knows he does, he thinks they believe he wont come back, his response is a â€Å"they were quite right to.† This is a clear representation of his change since his younger years. When Pip sees Magwitch, and learns that he is in fact his benefactor, he is disturbed, he is positively repulsed to find, Magwitch is the person who has raised him to become a gentlemen. â€Å"The abhorrence in which I held the man, the dread I had of him, the repungance with which I shrank from him, could not have been exceeded if he had been some terrible beast.† Dickens choice of words, illustrate Pip’s horror and hatred towards Magwitch, â€Å"abhorrence,† â€Å"repungance,† and â€Å"dread.† He uses animal imagery to convey his pure displeasure that Magwitch is in fact his benefactor. We see the change Magwitch brings about in Pip, † O, that he had never come! That he had left me at the forge-far from contented, yet, by comparison, happy.† For the first time since being in London, Pip’s views of the forge, have changed. He reconsiders his current position in London.  Pip doesn’t want anything to do with Magwitch, † he laid his hand upon my shoulder. I shuddered at he thought that for anything I knew, his hand might be stained with blood.† He sees Magwitch as dirty, he sees the money to be untrue and dirty also, which is a change, as before the money was everything to him. When pip finally reconsiders his situation, he is thoroughly disheartened: â€Å"It was not until I began to think, that I began fully to know how wrecked I was, and how the ship in which I has sailed was gone to pieces.† Showing that he believes his, ambitions, aspirations and hopes are all shattered.  Pip regrets his mistreatment of Joe and Biddy, â€Å"worthless conduct,† he sees how bad he’s been. He sums his emotions up at the end of the chapter, â€Å"thick black darkness,† this is how he sees his life after his changing reunion with Magwitch. Within chapter 40, Pip is still demoralised by finding Magwitch to be his benefactor, † I was greatly dejected and distressed.† Showing the change Magwitch has had on Pip since he made himself recognized. Pip analyses Magwitch, â€Å"he ate in a ravenous way, that was very disagreeable.† This is a sign of his change, he notes his manners, and sees his etiquette as wrong. Dickens used the word ‘disagreeable,’ which, represents, that its disagreeable to Pip, in his new found hierarchy. Dickens again uses animal imagery to convey Pip’s feelings towards Magwitch , â€Å"he looked terribly like a hungry old dog.† This represents Pip’s dislike for Magwitch. Pip is desperate to know how long Magwitch will stay, â€Å"in a frenzy of fear and dislike†¦. I want to know how you are to be kept out of danger, how long you are going to stay.† The key words are: ‘fear’ and ‘dislike,’ these are clear depiction of his disgust towards Magwitch.  We notice a huge change within Pip. He now recognises his affection toward Magwitch. He believes he should do right by Magwitch before he dies, â€Å"it became the first duty of my life to say to him, and read to him, what I knew he ought to hear.† Showing his consideration of compassion for Magwitch. Pip informs Magwitch about Estella, â€Å"she is living now. She is a lady and very beautiful. And I love her† He feels his duty, is to complement Magwitch on Estella. The change in Pip is that he inevitably forgives and pardons Magwitch, he wishes the best for him. â€Å"O, lord be merciful.† This is a drastic change to his initial thoughts towards him, when he discovered he was his benefactor.  Within chapter 57, as Pip comes out of his fever, we observe a change in him. Pip again worships Joe, â€Å"O, God bless him! O, God bless this gentle Christian man!† Showing his repentance. Pip changes his view of the word ‘wealth.’ â€Å"Wealth of his good nature,† showing his new appreciation of wealth, he has realised that, wealth in money terms doesn’t make a gentlemen, where as wealth in nature, and kindness does. Pip’s change is shown with: â€Å"I went towards them slowly, for my limbs were weak, but with a sense of increasing relief as I drew nearer to them, and a sense of leaving arrogance and untruthfulness further and further behind.† This shows he believes he’s leaving his ‘arrogance’ and ‘untruthfulness’ behind him, these are the factors of a gentlemen he now perceives to be appalling. Pip’s appreciation of Joe is exposed with, â€Å"my first thought was one of great thankfulness, that I had never breathed this last baffled hope to Joe.† He’s so happy he didn’t destroy Joe. This is a change in his feelings for Joe. His further appreciation of Joe is shown within Pip’s conversation with Biddy. â€Å"Dear Biddy, you have the best husband in the whole world, and if you could have seen him by my bed you would have-But no, you couldn’t love him better than you do.† This shows his sheer delight with both Joe and Biddy. He both recognises Joe and Biddy as good natured people, but also he recognises his mistakes. â€Å"You were both so good and true.† â€Å"To grow up a much better man than I did.† He identifies his life wasn’t all good, and he acknowledges his mistakes.  In conclusion, Pip has changed his depiction of the word, ‘gentlemen.’ He no longer sees it to revolve around education, wealth and social standing. Due to the positive effect that Joe has upheld within Pip, Pip appreciation of a ‘gentlemen’ is to be concerned with, faithfulness, generosity and goodness. Pip lost everything whilst in London, he now however has gained so much more, with respect and understanding, of not only himself but others also.

Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wal-Mart - Essay Example In order to achieve this, Wal-Mart has mostly relied upon foreign vendors. â€Å"From the beginning, like other discounters, Walton had bought goods wherever he could get them cheapest, with any other considerations secondary† (Ortega, 1999, p. 205). By doing so, Wal-Mart has partly moved against the interest of America since the local business was affected and more foreigners were involved in the business than Americans, yet Wal-Mart was able to make the profits beyond expectations at the end of the day. Wal-Mart has been conventionally criticized for its supplier base and marketing strategies, though whatever it did worked at least for Wal-Mart. Although Wal-Mart has actually chosen diversity as a tool to encourage the associates to optimize on their skills (Walmart Corporate, n.d.), yet the emphasis on diversity also provides Wal-Mart with a smart way out with the inclusion of foreign vendors in the Wal-Mart’s

Executive Interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Executive Interview - Assignment Example In other words, the person has a certain ideal that is used to measure the correctness of each action. Another point that should be mentioned is that the subject draws a direct connection between the notions of ought and can (Doviak, 2011, p. 262). As a result, the ethical rules are not something that exists in the abstract environment, but something that should be applied to everyday interactions with the people. This is particularly important since it shows that the person in question actually engages ethical consideration in the everyday practice. That is why his behavior should be praised as it as directly effected by the ideals and is performed is close relation to the ethical framework that the person has developed. By far, this is a big difference if compared to the majority of the people who do not engage Ethics in the daily life. One would make no mistake suggesting that person has experienced some problem in the course of professional activity. It was noted that one of the biggest ones was to save the integrity and make sure that the ethical standards are not compromised (Constantin, 2014, p. 432). This is rather important since it shows that a person truly wants to live to his expectations and make sure that his image in the workplace serves as a role model for other people. It is quite obvious that the question of integrity is significant for the people who are in the military since it is one of the values that is being highly praised in their environment. That is why keeping it was named among the major challenges in the work place. Another challenge which was mentioned focused on making sure that people who are not able to conduct according to the high ethical standards do not get away with it. One might suggest that this not only goes contrary to the notion of justice, but also undermines the ground on which the military stands. Thus, the latter greatly relies on the

UC transfer personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

UC transfer - Personal Statement Example Volunteering in the computer club of my college gave me a deep insight in the extensive world of computers. I have a strong flare to work for social causes such as charity work which provides me with inner satisfaction and peace of mind. I feel proud to mention that I have been deeply involved in causes such as helping my professor clear trash on the beach several times. The complexity of computing and its use in the real world fascinates me, like helping the human genome plan for technical development, algorithmic skills for raising the effectiveness of economical markets to generating the digital transformation from the internet to other equipments that are wireless. Owing to my keen fascination with the subject I have had the advantages of reading some books on programming on my own which includes â€Å"The art of computer programming† by Donald Kuthe by Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman and â€Å"Programming pearls† by Jon Bentley. These books have provided me w ith a thorough knowledge of programming software and computing. I plan to have computing as my major in the university as my deep interest in the subject would guide me towards a bright future. Being a cool, calm and collected person, I take pleasure in the challenge of solving problem with explicit answers. My inventiveness assists me in accepting innovative ideas, these aspects of my personality compels me towards the field of computing and programming. As Gail Devers said â€Å"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe† I want to live my dream of leading a successful career in computing. Before enrolling in the Santa Barbara, I first studied in a language school called â€Å"Kaplan† for five months. For the past two years in SBCC I have

Job Hunting in the Health Care Environment Term Paper

Job Hunting in the Health Care Environment - Term Paper Example This is since the requirements are still high. This implies that, the only thing that can reduce the working force in the health care environment would be the qualifications of the labour force. This paper will review how the health care environment has grown. It will also look at how the job hunts for opportunities in the health care environment are being handled by individuals. Finding a job that one could solely depend on in these harsh economic times is hard (Derricott, 2012). Some consider looking for a job, a job in itself. It is not what one is able to do, but who one knows. In the health care system, many young people are keen to capitalise on the opportunity of landing a job, and being able to enjoy life. However, this dream is turning into a nightmare for many. Those that have finished medical school, looking to find a job are being taken through a system of continuous assessments to ensure they are fit for the job. After the tests, they find that they have not been selecte d for the job (CAPS, 2012). Many people are crying foul over such treatment in the health care environment. It is not that they are not qualified for the job; it is just the system is considered biased. Some have claimed that the reason why they never got the job was because they did not look the part. They, therefore, end up looking for opportunities outside the hospital field. They do this so that they can balance their personal life with their careers. As seen above, the health care market has not suffered that much due to economic turmoil; hence the people in this field are enjoying the advantages (Damp, 2006). However, not many people can claim the same. In many third world continents, the health care system is facing significantly enormous problems. The pay the doctors and nurses get is considered not to be enough by the parties involved. Patients are left to their own devices in many hospitals when the doctors and nurses down their tools due to monthly pay. In Africa, for exa mple, patients are left on the operating table if the doctors feel that the pay they receive is not enough to cater for their needs. It is often a nationwide thing so many people can be reported dead in a span of 24 hours. Those who are left in hospitals are those freshly appointed carers who fear the loss of the jobs they just got. As the job hunts continue, the health care environment seems to be biased. Ever since the beginning of job hunting, sex discrimination has played an intricate role in the manner in which jobs are offered. Men get an upper hand when it comes to jobs. This is a problem that many women face. It still goes on today, and as a result, there are a fewer number of female doctors around the world. Countries like Saudi Arabia cannot allow their women to drive let alone become doctors. In Saudi Arabia, a small number of female doctors are allowed into the medical field, so it is considered a dying field for the women. The environment has grown over the past decade, and it is gaining popularity with each passing day. Many people are accepting the challenge of taking care of other people as a vocation, and not just something that offers a pay check at the end of every month. Truth of the matter is, not everyone gets the pay check at the end of the month (The Careers Group, 2010). In conclusion, the hunt for jobs in the health care environment is getting more competitive. The equipment needed to land a

My Role in Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Role in Leadership - Essay Example Few concepts are more crucial to the human organization than leadership. Efficient leadership helps organizations in times of peril, making the set up more successful and receptive to change. Doing things effectively while influencing others enables the fulfilling of the set down objectives. It is essentially the backbone of productivity. The absence of efficiency in leadership proves to have dramatic effects. Because of good leadership skills, it is not easy to lose track of what is important. Much of the challenges that are associated with leadership success lies with decision making and implies that complete and accurate decision making ensures prosperity. What are you going to do next? What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will this influence who you are and how you relate to others? It will be important to influence the thoughts, attitudes, behavior and inspire others as a good leader. As a leader, I will set directions for my peers and help them focus on what lies ahead. Through this forecasting, a good visualization of what is achievable will be evident. Without this visualization of the benefits associated with the good leadership, it is likely that our way of organizing things will easily degenerate into conflict and argument. An effective execution of leadership will ensure that my personal perception by others is greatly influenced by the enormous benefits of respect.   This is a good way of staying relevant to my peers as encourage and instill positive values in them.

Challenges Minorities Face Trying To Get Ahead in Corporate America Essay

Challenges Minorities Face Trying To Get Ahead in Corporate America - Essay Example As an initial matter, the barriers to minority success in the corporate world are well-known. A Glass-Ceiling Commission was formed by Congress in 1991 to study the barriers and to make recommendations. Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor, described this glass ceiling as "the existence of invisible, artificial barriers blocking women and minorities from advancing up the corporate ladder to management and executive level positions" (Good for Business, 1991, p.iii). The problem, therefore, is not whether such problems exist, for they most certainly exist, but how to remove the barriers to corporate advancement. The first barrier is defined as a societal barrier, and this type of barrier is considered to be outside the power of the corporation. This barrier refers to educational restraints and to stereotyping and bias, whether conscious unconscious, which affect minorities. Minorities need the educational qualifications to even begin to think about working for a corporation in a significant capacity. This, in turn, demands access to good schools, access to the money necessary to focus on studying rather than working part-time jobs, and a commitment by corporations, communities, and governmental organizations to provide minorities with the financial resources and proper education. This is a dangerous barrier. The lack of access to a good education can lead to failure in the very beginning of a person's life. The second barrier is referred to as an internal structural barrier. This barrier, in contrast to the societal barrier, is firmly within the control of corporations. This refers to a lack of commitment to minority hiring, training, and inclusion in the "pipeline" system of advancement. This barrier assumes that a minority has the educational qualifications for a particular job. Nonetheless, statistics demonstrate that minorities with the same educational qualifications are not treated equally. The Glass Ceiling Commission highlights this barrier, An analysis of 1990 U.S. Census data shows that Black men who hold professional degrees and top management positions earned 79 percent of what white men earn. Black women, also with professional degrees and in top management positions, earn 60 percent of what white men in comparable positions earn (Good for Business, 1991, p. 13). These statistics suggest that corporations are not doing enough to promote capable and well-qualified minorities within their own organizational structures. There is, in short, no disparity in educational qualifications. Indeed, the sole disparity seems to be in terms of compensation and access to promotion. The latter disparity, in a nation which prides itself on equality, is impossible to justify. The third barrier is a more generalized governmental barrier. This barrier ranges from the lack of data collection about minorities in private business to weak enforcement of government mandates and poor reporting of problems for minorities in the labor force. It must be admitted, in fairness to corporations, that their primary function is maximizing profits for shareholders. To impose costly and time-consuming governmental duties on corporations would result in dislocations of labor and inefficiencies. That said, it is the duty of the government, whether national, state, or local, to promote and protect the welfare of its

Single Life Essay Example for Free

Single Life Essay Group member: Li Ruixuan, Chen Yi, Ai Huanyu, Jin Peiyao, Wu Jindi. Research method: This case talks about Slavery in the chocolate industry. They treat children as slavery, and force them to do hard work. The reason by various factors, we can discuss form systemic, corporate and individual ethical issues. Such as systemic, economic systems should be taken into consideration. Cocoa bean prices had declined, between 1996 and 2000, the price control by the global market but farmers had no control. Farmers turned to slavery to try to cut labour cost for their survival in this situation by the low prices. Slavery on farms is illegal in the Ivory Coast but the law is rarely enforced. But the government from their country has their own situation, a shortage of enforcement officers, the willingness of local officials etc. The case information we found it by some website: http://www.foodispower.org/slavery_chocolate.php http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/index.html And we also got some useful information from the book in page 64-67. Division of labour and schedule including presentation preparation: We followed the question below the case from the book to division of labour. Each question was answered by one or two group member, the number decides by question. Presentation follows the report, which part of report you did, then which part of presentation you do. Initial findings: After read the case and discussed, in our view, the situation made by the basic reason of our consumer, like us who buy chocolate from these company. The most of consumers did not know about this situation, they just know something good about chocolate and did not know something bad. Affect global market through our consumer, and made a good plan to solve the situation. Media’s power is great. Some company said if they did not used coco beans from these areas, then it will make these poor areas What a systematic, corporate, an individual and ethical issues raised by this case? The systematic ethical issues raised by this case include economical, political, and legal questions. Let us first look at the economical repercussions. Would it be economically logical not to do any business with these countries? The answer is no, considering close to half of the world’s chocolate is made from the cocoa beans that are grown in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. If we were to refuse to do any business with these countries or the people associated with these countries, the costs of the products may be un-affordable to consumers. As far as political issues, I’m sure we’re not the only country who does business with these other countries, and if we stop doing business with the ivory coast and Ghana the other countries that also do business with them may stop doing business with us. The last systematic issue raised is legal. As stated in the article slavery on the farms is in illegal in the Ivory Coast. Whether it is or how well the laws are enforced is for the most part out of our control. In your view, is the kind of slavery discussed in the case absolutely wrong no matter what, or is it relatively wrong, i.e., if what happens to live in a society like ours that disapproves of slavery? I feel slavery of any kind is wrong whether the society approves or disapproves of it. However, throughout history slavery has been a common practice of most societies across the world. If the young boys in this case had been treated better, for example better working conditions, better sleeping conditions, better living conditions, and better treatment in general would this article ever have appeared? Probably not, I think the major moral issue here is the treatment of the boys. Who shares in the moral responsibility for the slavery occurring in the chocolate industry: African farmers? African governments? American chocolate [continues]

Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology Essay Example for Free

Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology Essay Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology is based on the concepts and applications of electromagnets to enable propelling of an object. This is perhaps the most researched and worked on areas of electric propulsion with greatest possible application in public transport as well as advanced aerospace propulsion systems. For public transport, it’s been a magnetic levitation technology which is also known as Maglev that has transformed the vary way of public transport. Electromagnetic Propulsion Technology based Magnetic levitation transport is a form of transportation that relies on electromagnetic force for suspension, guidance and propelling. This technology when applied for mass transit system can enable transportation at 500 to 600 km/h (Bonsar, p1; Jahn Choueiri, p134) . As a concept, magnetic levitation train was developed by a German Scientist Hermann Kemper and on Aug. 14, 1934, the patent was granted. But it was in Britain, world’s first magnetic levitation service was introduced as a link between two terminals at Birmingham airport. The distance was of 400 meters with top speed at around 10-mph. In Germany, the TRANSAPID project connects Berlin and Hamburg. The train will move with a speed of 292 kph and would cover the distance of 292 km in flat 60 minutes. In Japan, the advancements have led to the feasibility of moving trains at a speed of 500 kph and on a 7-km test track began in Miyazaki Prefecture, the manned two-car vehicle has been tested and found to register a speed of 400.8 kph in 1987 and a maximum speed of 531 kph in a manned vehicle run on December 12. Again in 1999, the train attained a maximum speed of 552 kph in a manned vehicle run (Maglev, p8). Maglev follows the system levitation based vehicular movement on the guide way while using electromagnetic forces between super conducting magnets on the vehicle and coils on the ground. This enables the train to move or float about 10 mm above the guide way on a magnetic field. The train as whole is propelled by the guide way and hence there is no on board engine to pull the train. The whole pulling is enabled through the switching of magnetism. Its basic principle could be understood with the help of magnets. As it is widely known that in case of magnets, you know that opposite poles attract and like poles repel. This principle of attraction and repulsion actually forms the basics behind electromagnetic propulsion based Maglev technology. Electromagnets are used in the above mentioned technology and temporary magnetic pull is created and objects are attraction through a small magnetic field. The three vital components to this system are: A large electrical power source Metal coils lining a guideway or track Large guidance magnets attached to the underside of the train  ­In the above mentioned list of components, one can figure out that the train doesn’t need any engine and hence this is the most important difference between the maglev trains and other conventional trains. The train as a whole is not pulled in a particular direction rather they are propelled and guided in the magnetic field created by electrified coils in the guideway walls and the track (Bonsor, p2). Conclusion: As it has been already mentioned, Maglev is the short for magnetic levitation according to which floating and guiding of trains is enabled as per the principles of magnets. Maglev has its own set of advantages as well as disadvantages. The primary advantage of a maglev train is that of maintenance. As the train floats along and there is no contact with the ground and also there are no moving parts, the possibilities of any wear and tear get reduced. The trains as well the track would rarely need any maintenance and hence the higher cost of installation gets compensated in long run. Apart from this, the other important advantage is the total reduction of friction and noise which actually translates into high speed and extremely fast mode of transportation (Maglev, p 28). Now comes the disadvantages; Maglev guide paths are more costly than any conventional railways system when installation comes into picture. This disadvantage gets amplified with the fact that Maglev system requires a complete new set of infrastructure. The railways infrastructure available for usage is of no use for implementing Maglev and hence a totally new set of system would be implemented. The conventional system would lose its utility and couldn’t have a mutual existence with maglev (Maglev, p 28). Hence, after a very careful and thorough research, the final verdict is that the Principle of Magnetic Levitation when applied for mass transit would transform the way people move in the future and might provide an able substitute of all expensive air transport. Reference: Bonsor, K. â€Å"How Maglev Trains Work†. 2008 http://science.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train.htm Jahn, R. G. â€Å"Ã’Physics of Electric Propulsion,Ó† McGraw-Hill, New York. 1968 Magnetically Levitated Trains (Maglev) http://www.123eng.com/seminar/Magnetically%20Levitated%20Trains%20(Maglev).pdf Jahn, Robert G. Choueiri, Edgar Y. â€Å"Electric Propulsion† Encyclopedia of Physical Science    and Technology, Third Edition, Volume 5 2002

Accounting Information Systems Example Questions

Accounting Information Systems Example Questions ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM II INTRODUCTION Accounting is the basic way of organizing and reporting financial information which is all about inflow and outflow of money. Accounting system is also used to identify, analyse, measure, record, summarize and communicate relevant information to the internal and external users. Data is the facts that collected, recorded, stored and processed in information system. While information is the data which is already organized and proceed to provide meaning and help in the process of decision making. Information is data that have been organized and processed to provide meaning to a user. Users typically need information to make decision or to improve the decision making process. As a general rule, users can make better decision as the quantity and quality of information increases. This information helps to understand what an AIS does. As regarding all the questions given it is basically exploring the information environment of an organization. From these we can look at the types of information used in business, the flow of information through an organization and the relations in the information systems components. Next , it also shows the impact for the organization structure on accounting information system where there is a interrelated function for the business organization. Questions: 1. A successful accounting information system must provide information for management decision making. In that management’s decisions evolve around an organization’s strategy, the accounting information system should be designed to support the organization’s strategy. Describe the two basic strategies suggested by Michael Porter and identify an organization that you believe follows each strategy. Be sure to describe why you believe that the organization follows the strategy you suggest Michael Porter, world-renowned professor of business at Harvard claimed that there are two basic business strategies that companies can follow. First of all, a product differentiation strategy entails adding features or services not provided by competitors to a product so that we could charge customers a premium price. Secondly, a low cost strategy entails striving to be the most efficient producer of a product or service. A company can succeed in both producing a better product than its competitors and doing at cost below its industry average. However, company must choose between the two basic strategies. If they concentrate on being the lowest-cost producer, they will have to forego some value-added features that might differentiate their product. If they focus on product differentiation, they most likely will not have the lowest costs in their industry. Thus, a business strategy involves making choices. Porter argues that the fundamental choice companies must make involves selecti ng a specific strategic position they wish to adopt. He described three basic strategic positions. Firstly, a variety-based strategic position involves producing or providing a subset of the industry’s products or services. For example, Jiffy Lube International focuses on oil changes and lubrication services rather than a wide range of automotive repair services. Secondly, a needs-based strategic position involves trying to serve most or all of the needs of a particular group in a target market. For example, AARP focuses on retirees. The third strategic position is an access-based strategic position involves serving a subset of customers who differ from other customers in terms of factors such as geographic location or size, which creates different requirements for serving those customers. For example, the stock brokerage offices of Edward Jones are located primarily in smaller towns and cities not served by the larger brokerage houses. Michael Porter also explains that these three basic strategic positions are not mutually exclusive and, indeed, often overlap. For example, Southwest Airlines employs a variety-based strategic position because it only offers a subset of the products provided by the airline industry. Southwest also employs a needs-based strategic position in that it has identified a specific target market for which it designs its services. Finally, Southwest employs an access-based strategic position because it does not service all markets. 2. Within the value chain of an organization there are five primary activities and four support activities. Describe how an accounting information system fits into the value chain of an organization. Where does it add value? The goal of any business is to offer value to its customers. The profitable of the business is depended on the creation of the value which is greater than the cost of the product or services. Value chain is the analysis which defines the accomplishments of the organization achieves and joined them to the organizations of the competitive position. The value chain concept can be drawn by distinguishing that organizations must interact with suppliers, distributors, and customers. Accounting information system can add value with providing precise and appropriate information. These will makes that five primary value chain activities can be performed more effectively and efficiently. Five primary value chains stated are inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sale, and service. Each of these primary activities is linked by another to support actions which help to increase the effectiveness of efficiency. Inbound logistic is like receiving, keeping or storing, and allocating the materials that are inputs to the organization’s product or service. While, operations was of those inputs that can be transform into products or services. Then it will dis tribute those products or services to customers which is known as outbound logistic. Marketing and sales give function for helping the customer to buy the products or services of the organization. The last one which is service was the post-sale support which is provided to customers, like repair and maintenance function. Support activities are also within the value chain of the organization. These support activities can be classes into four categories. First, firm infrastructures which are like accountants, administration and lawyers which participating in the company’s accounting information system. Second was a human resource which includes of hiring a new employee, training employee and paying employees, and also handling employee benefits. Next is technology of the organizations. This technology can be related to the activity of the organization to improve their products or services. The last one is the purchasing. Organization will purchase some resources which are neede d to carry out the entity of the primary activities. Accounting information system can also add value by improving the quality and reducing the cost of products or services. Next, it can improve the efficiency like just in time. Just in time is an inventory management method which is resources, goods and labour are planned to fill exactly when needed in the process of productions. It can also add value by improving the decision making. The decision maker observes about the information output made by the transaction processing system, the management reporting, and the whether the budgeting systems meets their needs in the organization and the control of tasks. Sharing of knowledge also can be add value to the organization. Accounting information system used to share knowledge within the organization is like using of a business database to assists the staff to identify the appropriate experts who can help with a particular client. 3.Why data and information are among an organizations most valuable assets? Data are about the facts which are not processed, edited, summarized, or redefined and which do not have direct effect on the users. It is important to have the data because it is used to represent the observation or measurement of the business activities. Different kind of data that can be collected in the business can be about the facts on activities that take place, the resources affected by the activities and the people who participate in the activity. For instance, data that is collected during a sales event which states on the date and amount of sales of goods and services based on the quantity and the price per unit. Where else, information is basically about the data that have been organized systematically to provide meaningful information for the relevant users. With the information that is given we can easily make decision for an organization and information is also known as mandatory and essential. For example, a sales agent will receive the daily report on the sold item t hat are being out in daily transaction. Both data and information are an important asset for all the organization. Firstly, with this data and information, an organization are able to protect themselves from being in financial losses. If there are any circumstances on the losses than they will know it by checking the data and information and they can secure their company from bankruptcy. Next, these data and information can help to improve the efficiency of an organization. This can be done because with the relevant data and information an organization are able to well designed their information by providing timely information as needed on time. For instance, a manufacturing company are able to provide up to date information on their raw materials and inventories with the location as because it is well managed and being organized. Followed by, the ability to make a decision, where as an organization they are able to make relevant decision with the data and information available beca use with this data and information organization are able to make a decision to solve their problem. For example, with the data and information from the organization on the results of previous decision provides value feedback that can be improved to make future decision, where if a particular marketing strategy is tried in organization and with the data and information gathered indicates that it will be a success full business in an organization. Lastly, data and information are an important asset because there can be a misappropriation of data and information if they are not protected. Every organization will use they own method to protect their data and information from being stolen by internally and externally as well. As an information the security, control and privacy of data and information are being an important issue worldwide. Therefore, with proper internal and external control they can be aware of fraud, error, software failure and natural and political disasters. 4. THE AIS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING A STRATEGIC POSITION, HOW There are two basic strategies which are To be a lower cost producer than competitor and To differentiate product and services from competitors. The three basic strategic position included of variety based strategic position, need – based strategic position and access – based strategic position. Variety based strategic position is more to provide a subsets of the industry’s products and services. Need based strategic position will offer most or all of the needs of a particular group of customers in a target market. Access – based strategic position will provide a subset of customer who differ from others in terms of factor such as geographic location or size. Accounting information system plays its role in maintaining strategic position by collecting data about each activity and by transferring data into information which can be used by managements to coordinate those activities. A well designed Accounting Information system can maintain a strategic posit ion of an organization by Improving the quality and reducing the cost of product or services. Normally, sales of a firm will increase if they provide goods or services in less price with high quality. This will be the main issue that arise among the competitors. For example, an accounting information system can monitor all the machines activities. It can immediately detect the problem occurred if there is any. This will help to maintain the goods quality and reduces the number of waste products. Besides that, It is also improving efficiency. It can be explained by just – in – time concept. This approach is mainly based on time information. This approach requires constant, accurate, and up to date information about the raw materials and their location in order to make sure the availability of raw materials to produce goods. It is also help by sharing knowledge. The main difficulties faced by many firm is the employee will never receive the accurate information based by the upper level management. Sharing knowledge can improve company operation and provide a competitive advantage. It is also plays an important role in improving efficiency and effectiveness of supply chain. It is can be explained by allowing customers to directly access in inventory and sales order entry system. This approach will lead to reduce in sales and marketing cost. It will also increase customer retention rates. Other than all this, it is also improving the internal control structure. An accounting information system with the good internal internal control structure can help the system to protect by fraud, errors, system failure and disasters. Lastly, it is also improving a good decision making. Decision making is a complex activity. Improved decision making is very important. 5. How to provide more information to get better decision maker? Decision making is a complex, multistep activity, identify the problem, collect and interpret information, evaluate ways to solve problem, select a solution methodology and implement the solution. AIS can help decision making in its all phases. Reports could help in identifying problems. Differentiation in decision models and analytical tools can be given to users. Information can help to get better decision if it identifies situations requiring management action. Besides that, large information could help make better decision when it presents a basis for choosing among alternative actions by decreasing uncertainty. For example, information is used to establish prices and verify credit policies. Information about the result of past decision postulates a valuable respond that can be used to improve future decision. For example, if a particular marketing strategy is tried and the information gathered indicates that it did not succeed, a different marketing strategy is selected. AIS can improve decision making by stipulating perfect information to a timely manner. For example, Wal-Mart has invented a huge database that contains all information about daily sales transactions at each of its stores. The information helps to enhance the amount of every product collected at each store. CONCLUSION An effective accounting information system provides the management information for decision making. Management’s decisions can develop an organization’s strategy of the accounting information system which designed to support the organization’s strategy. There are two basic strategies that are suggested by Michael Porter, that are product differentiation strategy which is adding features to charge customer at premium price and also low cost strategy which help to determine the efficient producer of the resources. Michael Porter decide that there are three basic strategic position that are variety-based strategic, needs-based strategic and access-based strategic, that are not mutually limited and often overlap. For addition, accounting information system can add value to the organization. These can help to provide organization accurate and precise information. It also can add value to improve the quality and reducing the cost, improve the efficiency, improving the decision making and also can share knowledge towards the organizations. All organization has data and information to continue as long as to be operated. These data and information is most valuable asset of an organization. In the case of manufacturing company, data and information will make organization well managed and being organized. It also can improve the efficiency of an organization and these data will able to secure themselves from being in financial losses. An accounting information system with the good internal control structure can help the system to protect by fraud, errors, system failure and disasters. Lastly, it is also improving a good decision making. Decision making is a complex activity. Improved decision making is very important.

Comparing Two Advertisements :: Adverts, Compare and Contrast

The two advertisements (adverts) which I have chosen to analyse are:- †¢ Lux Shower gel for women †¢ L’Orà ©al straightening cream for women I chose Lux shower gel advert from my recent cosmopolitan magazine. Already it is clear who the target audience is for this advert. Cosmopolitan is an expensive, designer magazine. Aimed towards glamorous and the higher class women, implying that this product must also be expensive. From my point of view I feel that the target audience for this advert is younger women who want to be more mature, and the older women who want to look younger. My second advert is advertising L’Orà ©al hot straightening cream for women. I also took this advert from the number one magazine for women – Cosmopolitan. This is because this advert is aimed specifically for women, and for the more mature and well off women. And this I feel is the age that this advert is aiming for, though it appears to me that it may also be attractive to the younger age group as the advert comes across to be very girly and focused on the younger audience. This advert is clearly for the more late night, party ladies who enjoy a laugh and some fun unlike the Lux’s adverts audience was the complete opposite to this advert, though they come from the same magazine. The brand name â€Å"Lux† could be an abbreviation of the word luxurious, perfect for the description of this advert. This is also clear from the use of font in this advert. The smooth curve from the letter â€Å"L† to â€Å"x† (LUX) is connected and flows well. It looks smooth, and this comes across in the advert. The product name Lux is written at the top of the advert; we are first drawn to this as it is the largest text on the advert. In gold font colour, with a shadow background it looks as if it is in blocks of letters. We are drawn to this first when looking at this advert. The company for the product â€Å"L’Orà ©al† is a well known cosmetic and

Speech Recognition Software :: Essays Papers

Speech Recognition Software Wouldn't it be nice to talk normally to our computers, just as we've seen the characters in "Star Trek" do? Of course, the computers in "Star Trek" understand what you're saying, and that's still a long way off. Tecnology has been advancing at astonishing rates, developing new software for a better interaction computer – human. For example Dragon Systems' NaturallySpeaking is the first continuous-speech voice-recognition program designed for general dictation Until now, most voice-recognition programs supported discrete speech. Examples include Dragon Dictate, Kurzweil Voice, and IBM's Simply Speaking and VoiceType. These work well in special circumstances. But. You. Have. To. Speak. Like. This. Good enough IBM's soon-to-be-released Via Voice different is that they offer large-vocabulary, continuous-speech recognition. Their promise is that you can speak normally and the program will understand what you say. These programs are designed to replace dictation machines and give you hands-free typing. Seeing this In NaturallySpeaking, the app writes the words you speak, and you can save what you've spoken as an .RTF file or copy the material to the Clipboard and an application. You can even edit your text within that application by speaking specific phrases. Saying phrases like "select word" or "spell that" is cumbersome and more time-consuming than editing by hand, but it does allow hands-free use of the program. Ideally, it could be combined with a speech-synthesis program that would verbally prompt you for information. But the real breakthroughs are farther off, when the programs can better differentiate the context of what you are saying. Even then, that doesn't mean the computer will understand what you mean. That's just science fiction. But having it recognize words as you speak them is a big step forward. Dragon has added some new dictation and editing capabilities not found in its previous product, DragonDictate. You can spell words by saying the letters instead of using the alpha-bravo alphabet. Voice macros enable you to add long phrases to documents by speaking shorter ones. To aid postdictation editing, its new select-and-say feature highlights a word or phrase anywhere in the document if you say, "Select [word or phrase]." Typically, you'll have to edit your document after you dictate it; if you wish to edit your file orally, you have to learn the appropriate voice commands. Once you have installed the software it is important that you go through the speech training consisting on two parts. The first part, an informative dictation trainer, stepped me through both a basic and dictation training session.

Alcohol abuse Essay

Alcohol is absorbed from all parts of the gastrointestinal tract largely by simple diffusion into the blood. However the small intestine is by far the most efficient region of the gastrointestinal tract for alcohol absorption because of its very large surface area. In a fasting individual, it is generally agreed that 10% to 20% of a dose of alcohol is absorbed from the stomach (the volume of alcohol affects the absorption) and 75% to 80% is absorbed from the small intestine. Because of this peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved in fasting people within 0. 5 to 2. 0 hours, (average 0. 75 – 1. 35 hours depending upon dose and time of last meal) while non-fasting people exhibit peak alcohol concentrations within 1. 0, and in extreme cases up to as much as 4. 0 hours (average 1. 06 – 2. 12 hours). Because it is distributed so quickly and thoroughly the alcohol can affect the central nervous system even in small concentrations. In low concentrations, alcohol reduces inhibitions. As blood alcohol concentration increases, a person’s response to stimuli decreases markedly, speech becomes slurred, and he or she becomes unsteady and has trouble walking. With very high concentrations – greater than 0. 35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0. 35 grams/210 liters of breath ) – a person can become comatose and die. The American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration level of impairment for all people to be 0. 04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to . 04 grams/210 liters of breath). The following is a generally accepted guide to the effects of alcohol. Distribution Alcohol has a high affinity for water and is therefore found in body tissues and fluids inasmuch as they contain water. Absorbed alcohol is rapidly carried throughout the body in the blood and once absorption of alcohol is complete an equilibrium occurs such that blood at all points in the system contains approximately the same concentration of alcohol. Elimination The liver is responsible for the elimination – through metabolism – of 95% of ingested alcohol from the body. The remainder of the alcohol is eliminated through excretion of alcohol in breath, urine, sweat, feces, milk and saliva. The body uses several different metabolic pathways in its oxidation of alcohol to acetaldehyde to acetic acid to carbon dioxide and water. Healthy people metabolize alcohol at a fairly consistent rate. As a rule of thumb, a person will eliminate one average drink or . 5 oz (15 ml) of alcohol per hour. Several factors influence this rate. The rate of elimination tends to be higher when the blood alcohol concentration in the body is very high. Also chronic alcoholics may (depending on liver health) metabolize alcohol at a significantly higher rate than the average. Finally, the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol quickly tend to diminish with age. Body Weight and Body Type In general, the less you weigh the more you will be affected by a given amount of alcohol. As detailed above, alcohol has a high affinity for water. Basically one’s blood alcohol concentration is a function of the total amount of alcohol in one’s system divided by total body water. So for two individuals with similar body compositions and different weights, the larger individual will achieve lower alcohol concentrations than the smaller one if ingesting the same amount of alcohol. However, for people of the same weight, a well muscled individual will be less affected than someone with a higher percentage of fat since fatty tissue does not contain very much water and will not absorb very much alcohol. Rate Of Consumption Blood alcohol concentration depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the rate at which the user’s body metabolizes alcohol. Because the body metabolizes alcohol at a fairly constant rate (somewhat more quickly at higher and lower alcohol concentrations), ingesting alcohol at a rate higher than the rate of elimination results in a cumulative effect and an increasing blood alcohol concentration. Alcohol Content It’s not how many drinks that you have, but how much alcohol that you consume. The concentration of the drinks that one ingest can have a slight effect on the peak alcohol concentration due to the differences in absorption rate of different concentrations of alcohol. Alcohol is most rapidly absorbed when the concentration of the drink is between 10% and 30%. Below 10% the concentration gradient in the gastrointestinal tract is low and slows absorption and the added volumes of liquid involved slow gastric emptying. On the other hand concentrations higher than 30% tend to irritate the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and the pyloric sphincter, causing increased secretion of mucous and delayed gastric emptying. Food Food taken along with alcohol results in a lower, delayed blood alcohol concentration peak (the point of greatest intoxication). There are two major factors involved in this phenomenon. First, because alcohol is absorbed most efficiently in the small intestine, the ingestion of food can slow down the absorption of alcohol into one’s system. The pyloric valve at the bottom of the stomach will close in order to hold food in the stomach for digestion and thus keep the alcohol from reaching the small intestine. While alcohol will be absorbed from the stomach it is a slower and less efficient transition. Second and equally important is the fact that alcohol elimination rates are inversely proportional to alcohol concentration in the blood. Therefore the suppressed levels of alcohol due to food ingestion cause the body to eliminate the alcohol that is absorbed at a faster rate. The type of food ingested (carbohydrate, fat, protein) has not been shown to have a measurable influence on this affect but the larger the meal and closer in time between eating and drinking, the greater the diminution of peak alcohol concentration. Studies have shown reductions in peak alcohol concentration (as opposed to those of a fasting individual under otherwise similar circumstances) of 9% to 23%. Medication If you are taking any medication, it could increase the effects of alcohol. You should always consult your physician or the medical information that accompanies the medication when drinking alcohol in conjunction with any medication. Fatigue Fatigue causes many of the same symptoms that are caused by alcohol intoxication. These and other symptoms will be amplified if alcohol intoxication is concurrent with fatigue. Tolerance Tolerance is the diminution of the effectiveness of a drug after a period of prolonged or heavy use of that drug or a related drug (cross-tolerance). There are at least two types of tolerance at work with alcohol. The first is metabolic tolerance in which the alcohol is metabolized at a higher rate (up to two times as quickly) in chronic users. Because of the higher metabolic rate for alcohol lower peak blood alcohol concentrations are achieved by chronic alcohol users than the average drinker when the same amount of alcohol is ingested. The second is functional tolerance in which there is an actual change in the organ or system’s sensitivity to the drug. Studies have shown that chronic alcohol users can have twice the tolerance for alcohol as an average person. It is important to note however that even in light of these tolerance factors, it has been shown conclusively that even in heavy alcohol users functional impairment is clearly measurable at the blood alcohol concentration levels that are currently used for traffic law enforcement and safety sensitive job performance. Gender Differences As outlined above in the section on Body Weight and Body Type different body types coincide with different body water percentages. In general, but by no means in all cases, women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and thus a lower percentage of body water. Therefore, in general, if a man and a woman of the same weight ingest the same amount of alcohol the woman will tend to achieve a higher alcohol concentration. This, of course, would not be true if the woman was very fit and the man was somewhat obese, but on average, this is the case. Furthermore, total body water tends to decrease with age, so an older person will also be more affected by the same amount of alcohol. According to the table below the differences in alcohol concentration due to average body composition differences based on gender would be between 16% and 10% depending on age. ________________________________________ Average Total Body Water as a function of Sex and Age AgeMaleFemale 18 to 4061%52% over 6051%46% ________________________________________ Another gender based difference is in the elimination of alcohol. Although not explained, studies appear to show that women eliminate alcohol from their bodies at a rate 10% greater than that of men. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) and alcohol abuse are two different forms of problem drinking. †¢Alcoholism is when you have signs of physical addiction to alcohol and continues to drink, despite problems with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities. Alcohol may control your life and relationships. †¢Alcohol abuse is when your drinking leads to problems, but not physical addiction. Causes, incidence, and risk factors There is no known cause of alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes and how they work are not known. How much you drink can influence your chances of becoming dependent. Those at risk for developing alcoholism include: †¢Men who have 15 or more drinks a week †¢Women who have 12 or more drinks a week †¢Anyone who has five or more drinks per occasion at least once a week One drink is defined as a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor. You have an increased risk for alcohol abuse and dependence if you have a parent with alcoholism. You may also be more likely to abuse alcohol or become dependent if you: †¢Are a young adult under peer pressure †¢Have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia †¢Have easy access to alcohol †¢Have low self-esteem †¢Have problems with relationships †¢Live a stressful lifestyle †¢Live in a culture alcohol use is more common and accepted Alcohol abuse is rising. Around 1 out of 6 people in the world have a drinking problem. Symptoms People who have alcoholism or alcohol abuse often: †¢Continue to drink, even when health, work, or family are being harmed †¢Drink alone. †¢Become violent when drinking †¢Become hostile when asked about drinking †¢Are not able to control drinking — being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake †¢Make excuses to drink †¢Miss work or school, or have a decrease in performance because of drinking †¢Stop taking part in activities because of alcohol †¢Need to use alcohol on most days to get through the day †¢Neglect to eat or eat poorly †¢Do not care about or ignore how they dress or whether they are clean †¢Try to hide alcohol use †¢Shake in the morning or after periods when they have not a drink Symptoms of alcohol dependence include: †¢Memory lapses after heavy drinking †¢Needing more and more alcohol to feel â€Å"drunk† †¢Alcohol withdrawal symptoms when you haven’t had a drink for a while †¢Alcohol-related illnesses such as alcoholic liver disease Signs and tests The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical and family history, including use of alcohol. The following questions are used by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence: †¢Do you ever drive when you have been drinking? †¢Do you have to drink more than before to get drunk or feel the desired effect? †¢Have you felt that you should cut down on your drinking? †¢Have you ever had any blackouts after drinking? †¢Have you ever missed work or lost a job because of drinking? †¢Is someone in your family worried about your drinking? Tests that may be done include: †¢Blood alcohol level (this can tell whether someone has recently been drinking alcohol, but it does not necessarily confirm alcoholism) †¢Complete blood count (CBC) †¢Liver function tests. †¢Magnesium blood test Medical Illness Associated With Chronic Alcohol Abuse DisorderIllness MetabolicAlcoholic ketoacidosis, alcoholic hypoglycemia, water and salt disorders NeurologicChronic problems with thinking such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, and central pontine myelinolysis leading to problems walking and other motor activities, acute and chronic dementia, alcoholic peripheral neuropathy MuscularAcute and chronic alcoholic muscle weakness. GastrointestinalFatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis, poor pancreatic function, gastroesophageal reflux, esophageal carcinoma, erosive gastritis, chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, esophageal varices leading to bleeding into the GI tract Metabolic-endocrineHigh cholesterol, high levels of uric acid, low testosterone levels, impotence, testicular atrophy, gynecomastia, irregular menstrual periods, reversible Cushing’s syndrome BloodAnemia due to poor production of blood cells or slow intestinal bleeding, poor white cell production, destruction of platelets, blood too thin to clot properly. CardiacDecreased cardiac function, arrhythmias, dilated cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure PulmonaryIncreased incidence of pneumonia, increased incidence of tuberculosis OtherIncreased incidence of severe intestinal infections, fetal alcohol syndrome, vitamin deficiency syndromes, trauma, sexual dysfunction, insomnia Social Problems Associated With Alcohol Abuse Accidental death and injury50% of fatal car crashes 25-fold increased risk of falls or drowning 50% of fire-related burns or deaths 20% to 30% of trauma seen in emergency rooms. CrimeFrequently involved in violent crime SuicideInvolved in up to 35% of suicides Economic cost$148 billion annually (estimated); 15% for health care and treatment OtherAssociated with increased rates of spouse or child abuse and increased spread of sexually transmitted diseases Treatment Completely stopping the use of alcohol is the ideal goal of treatment. This is called abstinence. A strong social network and family support are important in achieving this. Completely stopping and avoiding alcohol is difficult for many people with alcoholism. There will be times when it is difficult. You should aim to avoid drinking for as long as possible. Some people who abuse alcohol may be able to simply reduce the amount they drink. This is called drinking in moderation. If this method does not work, you should try to quit drinking completely. DECIDING TO QUIT Many people with alcohol problems do not recognize when their drinking gets out of hand. The ideal approach to treatment is to help the person realize how much their alcohol use is harming their life and those around them. Studies find that more people with alcohol problems opt for treatment when their family members or employers are honest with them about their concerns, and try to help them see that drinking is preventing them from reaching their goals. Withdrawal from alcohol is best done in a controlled, supervised setting. Complications from withdrawal can be life threatening. For more information, see: Alcohol withdrawal Your health care provider should order blood and urine tests to check for health problems that are common in people who abuse alcohol. LONG-TERM SUPPORT Alcohol recovery or support programs can help you stop drinking completely. These programs usually offer: †¢Counseling and therapy to discuss alcoholism and its effects and how to control your thoughts and behaviors †¢Mental health support †¢Medical care You may be treated in a special recovery center (inpatient), or you may attend a program while you live at home (outpatient). Medications are sometimes prescribed to prevent you from drinking again. †¢Acamprosate is a drug that has been shown to lower relapse rates in those who are alcohol dependent. †¢Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces very unpleasant side effects if you drink even a small amount of alcohol within 2 weeks after taking the drug. †¢Naltrexone (Vivitrol) decreases alcohol cravings. It is available in an injectable form. You cannot take these medications if you are pregnant or have certain medical conditions. The medications are often used with long-term treatment with counseling or support groups. Depression or other mood or anxiety disorders may be noticed after you stop drinking. These should be promptly treated. It is important that the patient has a living situation that supports their need to avoid alcohol. Some programs offer housing options for people with alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Support Groups Support groups are available to help people who are dealing with alcoholism. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA) Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help group of recovering alcoholics that offers emotional support and specific steps for people recovering from alcohol dependence. The program is commonly called a â€Å"12-step† approach. There are local chapters throughout the United States. AA offers help 24 hours a day and teaches that it is possible to participate in social functions without drinking. AL-ANON Family members of a person with an alcohol abuse problem often need counseling. Al-Anon is a support group for partners and others who are affected by someone else’s alcoholism. Alateen provides support for teenage children of people with alcoholism. OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS Several other support groups are available. †¢SMART recovery teaches you have to change your thoughts and behaviors to help people with alcoholism recover. †¢LifeRing recovery and SOS are two nonreligious programs that offer support for people with alcohol abuse. †¢Women for Sobriety is a self-help group just for women. Moderation Management is a program for those who want to reduce how much they drink. It recommends abstinence for people who cannot do this. Expectations (prognosis) How well a person with alcoholism or alcohol abuse does depends on whether or not they can stop drinking. Alcoholism is a major social, economic, and public health problem. Problem drinking can affect every part of a person’s life. If you have an alcohol problem, abstinence can help improve your mental and physical health and possibly, your relationships. Treatment programs can help you quit. However, drinking again after treatment is common. It is important to have a good support system. Complications Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can increase your risk of many health problems, including: †¢Bleeding in the digestive tract †¢Brain cell damage †¢Brain disorder called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome †¢Cancer of the esophagus, liver, colon, and other areas †¢Changes in the menstrual cycle (period) †¢Delirium tremens (DT’s) †¢Dementia and memory loss †¢Depression and suicide †¢Erectile dysfunction †¢Heart damage †¢High blood pressure. †¢Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) †¢Liver disease, including cirrhosis †¢Nerve damage †¢Poor nutrition †¢Sleeping problems (insomnia) Alcohol use also increases your risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and violence. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can lead to severe birth defects in the baby. Prevention The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends: †¢Women should not drink more than 1 drink per day †¢Men should not drink more than 2 drinks per day One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1? ounces of liquor.

Bullying: who does what, when and where? Essay

In this paper, bullying was defined as a form of aggressive behavior or negative actions reoccurring over time between children who bully and those who are victimized (Fekkes, Pijpers, & Verloove-Vanhorick, 2005). Furthermore, Fekkes et al. (2005) suggested bullying as a group phenomenon involving not only the bullies and their victims, but also the bystanders. Other problems addressed by this research included the negative impact bullying has on children’s mental and physical health and the level of involvement that is necessary for effective intervention strategies to be successful. The specific research questions posed investigated the extent to which children are involved in bullying behavior, the level of involvement of others (i. e. , teachers, parents, classmates), and the effectiveness of current intervention strategies used to stop bullying behaviors. The purpose of the data presented by this research was to gather information and to utilize that information to compose novel efforts in combating bullying in schools. Fekkes et al. (2005) presented a range of empirical literature to support the need for this research. Studies by Williams et al. , (1996); Salmon et al. , (1998); and Forero et al. , (1999) were included to support the problem of negative health issues associated with bullying behaviors (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Studies by Atlas and Pepler (1998) and Hawkins et al. (2001) supported the notion of bullying as a group phenomenon and the effectiveness of bystander intervention (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Participants in this study were 2766 children from 32 Dutch elementary schools. These children had participated in a longitudinal study on the effectiveness of an anti-bullying policy at schools. It is important to note that the data were collected prior to any implementation of the anti-bullying policy. In November 1999, children from 9 to 11 years old were administered a questionnaire in the classroom. The questionnaire addressed frequency of bullying behaviors, types of bullying behaviors, where bullying behaviors took place, who intervened to stop the bullying, and whether or not the interventions were successful. According to Liebrand et al. (1994), Mooij (1992), and Olweus (1994), this questionnaire was based on the Dutch version of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, a well-documented questionnaire that was used in numerous studies on bullying (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Using statistical analyses to analyze the data from the questionnaires, Fekkes et al. (2005) found that active bullying was prevalent at schools. Physical forms of bullying behaviors, such as hitting or pushing, were found to be most typical of boys. Girls were found to initiate bullying behaviors that were relational in nature, such as isolation tactics and rumor spreading. Bullying was found to take place on the playground as well as in the classroom. Nearly half of children being bullied did not report it to their teacher but did speak to their parents about it. A similar finding was also reported by Whitney and Smith (1993) (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Intervention attempts by teachers were found to have little effect, if any, on bullying occurrences. All of these findings provided the insight needed to recommend future intervention strategies. The prevalence of bullying behaviors among children in this age group was found to be consistent with the findings of similar studies conducted cross-culturally. Fekkes et al. (2005) compared the findings of this study to others in Norway, the UK, Italy, and Germany. With regard to gender differences in bullying behaviors, Whitney and Smith (1993), Borg (1999), Junger-Tas and van Kesteren (1999) found similar results among the direct and indirect nature of bullying behaviors among boys and girls (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Olweus (1993a) found that levels of bullying were lower on playgrounds with more teachers present (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Consistent with Whitney and Smith’s (1993) study and Rivers and Smith’s (1994) study, teachers are not regularly told about incidents of bullying behaviors by victimized children (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Because so many of the findings of this paper were consistent with other studies, the next logical step for future researchers would be to systematically integrate the various aspects of this topic into an intervention model with a comprehensive approach. Fekkes et al. (2005) recommended many strategies to assist such interventions. One such recommendation stated that teachers should create an environment in which children feel comfortable talking about their negative bullying experiences. Olweus (1993a) suggested the establishment of class rules aimed at minimizing bullying behavior (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Fekkes et al. further suggested that in addition to establishing class rules to minimize bullying behaviors, class discussion of the rules on a regular basis may aid in establishing an anti-bullying culture within that community. Another possible step for future research may be to replicate the study with a younger set of participants. Data collected from a younger age group may provide more insight into the early stages of bullying behaviors and early intervention strategies may aid in minimizing the prevalence of incidents of bullying in the higher elementary grades. Overall, I believe this study provided some valuable insight with regard to prevalence of bullying behaviors without the aid of an established intervention program. One of the strengths of this study was its large number of participants as well as findings which were consistent in similar studies in other countries. Such a large sample size provides for a clear snapshot of the pervasiveness of this problem. An additional strength of this study involves its use of an adapted version of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire which has been used in many studies on bullying. Using such a well-documented tool lends to the consistency of the findings across multiple studies. Something that stood out to me was that there was no mention of effects of bullying behaviors on peer bystanders, positive or negative. I feel this was a limitation because bystanders were referred to as having a certain degree of power when taught effective intervention strategies Fekkes et al. , 2005). Another limitation I observed was the limited age range of the participants. I feel that with younger participants, it may be possible to do comparison studies to try to pinpoint just when bullying behaviors begin to surface within the social structure of the classroom. A final limitation of this study was its use of a quantitative design to address issues more qualitative in nature. Fekkes et al. (2005) state that the aim of the data presented was to provide insight on the topic. This may be more effectively accomplished by doing a current literature review on the prevalence of bullying behaviors and current intervention strategies. Fekkes et al. (2005) describe their current involvement in a project aimed toward development of anti-bullying policies within schools in the Netherlands. They also describe how this study will be used in that capacity. This paper being linked to such a project also raises questions for me about the integrity of the purpose of the study.

Cell Phone Should Never Be Used While Driving Essay

Cell phones should never be used while driving no matter what the circumstances are. There are many reasons why it should be banned. It causes the driver to think about something other than driving. It causes the driver to have to look away from the road to dial, answer, etc. It doesn’t allow the driver to hear what’s going on around him or her such as ambulances or police sirens. These reasons are a major contributor to death. Using cell phones while driving can cause the driver to think about something other than driving. When the driver gets a call or a text message, it can distract him or her by not paying attention to the road. This is a major cause for many accidents that can lead to injuries or even death. When you use your phone when driving, you are putting your life at risk by answering it and getting distracted. When using your cell phone while driving it can cause the driver to look away from the road to dial, answer, etc. Say you look down at your phone and you take your eyes off the road for just a couple seconds. For those two seconds while not looking at the road, you could run into the vehicle in front of you or swerve into other lanes. This can happen just because of getting distracted for a couple of seconds. Lastly, you should not use your cell phone while driving because it doesn’t allow the driver to hear what is going on around him or her such as ambulances or police sirens. If you answer your phone everything around you is being blocked except for the conversation with the person you are talking to. Say an ambulance is rushing a dying person to the hospital and you are on the phone or texting. You don’t pay attention to the sirens or the people in front of you pulling over to the side of the road. If a cop sees that you don’t pull over then this will result in a ticket. It can also be embarrassing for yourself because the ambulance will have to wait behind you causing the person who is dying a lesser chance at life. So you can be the reason why that person in the ambulance can die. In conclusion, you shall never use your cell phone while driving because it causes the driver to think about something other than driving. It causes the driver to have to look away from the road to dial, answer, etc. And it doesn’t allow the driver to hear what’s going on around him or her such as ambulances or police sirens. Every time you are behind the wheel, your primary focus should be on driving to your destination safely without any distractions. This is why you should never use your cell phone while driving.

Explain the Formation of Stereotypes and Their Effect on Behavior (Guideline)

Explain the formation of stereotypes and their effect on behavior (guideline) Introduction †¢What is a Stereotype? A stereotype is a widely held mental picture that represents an oversimplified, prejudiced, or uncritical judgment, which can be either a positive or negative generalization. †¢The explanation of stereotypes lies in the behaviors of socio-cultural groups and/or individuals, where they determine a certain ‘image’ of particular group. Many studies have been carried out to explain the formations of stereotypes, which include: Social-Cognitive Theory, Group Theory, and Social Representation Theory (Moscovici, 1973). However, I will be using Social-Cognitive Theory and studies done by Steele & Aronson (1995) and Hamilton & Gifford (1976) to support my explanation of the formation of stereotypes and their effects on behaviors. 1 Paragraph Social-Cognitive Theory suggests that, stereotype formation are based on the following reasoning: oOur social world i s very complex and presents us with an overabundance of information oSince our capacity to process information is limited there is a need to simplify our social world oOne of the ways in which we avoid information overload is social categorization oThe categories used in social categorization are stereotypes. †¢One source of stereotype is illusory correlations, which was claimed by Hamilton and Gifford (1976). Illusory correlation is when individuals assume a relationship between two variables, they tend to overestimate the degree of correlation – or see a correlation where none exists. †¢For example, â€Å"women† and â€Å"the ability to drive well†. It is believed that when we see these two variables we will conclude that â€Å"women cannot drive well†. Once the illusory correlation is made, the individuals tend to seek, notice and remember the information that supports the belief, which brings us to our second source of stereotypes, confirmation bias. Confirmation Bias is the tendency to search for new information that confirms our ideas and overlook information that contradicts what we think. †¢By using confirmation bias we gather more evidence to support our illusory correlation. For example, when we have the illusory correlation that â€Å"women cannot drive well† then we will tend to find more bad female drivers while ignoring good female drivers (e. g. female race drivers). 2 paragraphs After, stereotypes are formed has a major effect on the behavior of the subject of the stereotype, which is called the stereotype threat. †¢Stereotype threat refers to the performance impairment that results when individuals asked to carry out some task and made aware of a negative stereotype held against them regarding their groups’ ability to perform well in a task. †¢Stereotype threat is cued by the mere recognition that a negative group stereotype could apply to you in the given situation. And even if the person may not believe the stereotype, he or she may experience a threat. †¢Steele, who is the person who first came up with the idea of stereotype, created an experiment with Aronson to demonstrate that stereotype threat can undermine intellectual performance. †¢Steele & Aronson (1995) used common stereotype that Black Americans are unintelligent and academically untalented to create the experiment and gave a test under two conditions. The test was said to be highly related to academic ability and that it was just a laboratory exercise. The findings were astonishing. When the task was described as ‘unimportant or when participants were not asked to record their ‘race’, the black and white students did equally well. However, when the test was said to be for ‘academic ability’ or when ‘race’ was recorded, clack students did less well. †¢Using his findings, Steele (1997) was able to conclude that spotlight anxi ety is responsible for stereotype threats because the emotional distress and pressure can undermine performance. 3 paragraphs Although many of the psychologists have confidence in their theories I can evaluate that investigating stereotypes is difficult because of the social desirability effect. Moreover, researchers are instead using implicit measures of prejudice such as the IAT (Implicit Association Test) which has its own array of problems. Conclusion †¢In conclusion stereotypes are formed by social categorization, which leads to the social-cognitive theory, whereas their effects of behaviors are affected by believing certain traits (illusionary correlation) and confirmation bias demonstrates that we can percept the traits to influence our behavior.

Advertising and Product

Expressed usually as a percentage of  target market, brand awareness is the primary goal of  advertising  in the early months or years of a  products introduction. [1] Brand awareness is the extent to which the consumer associates the brand with the product he desires to buy. It is the brand recall and the brand recognition of the company to the consumers. Brand recall is the ability of the consumer to recollect the brand with reference to the product where as brand recognition is the potential of the consumer to retrieve the past knowledge of the brand when enquired about the brand or shown an image of the brand  logo. Brand awareness is an essential part of  brand development  which helps the brand to stand out from the others in this monopolistically competitive market. A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households is also called a  household name. - Importance  [edit] Awareness, attitudes, and usage (AAU) metrics relate closely to what has been called the Hierarchy of Effects, an assumption that customers progress through sequential stages from lack of awareness, through initial purchase of a product, to brand loyalty. In total, these AAU metrics allow companies to track trends in customer knowledge and attitudes. [2] Brand awareness plays a major role in a consumer’s buying decision process. The knowledge of an acquaintance or friend having used the product in the past or a high recognition of the product through constant advertisements and associations coaxes the person to make his decision in the favour of the brand. The eventual goal of most businesses is to make profits and increase sales. Businesses intend to increase their consumer pool and encourage repeat purchases. Apple is a brilliant example of how there is a very high recognition of the brand logo and high anticipation of a new product being released by the company. An iPod is the first thing that pops into our minds when we think of purchasing an mp3 player. iPod is used as a replaceable noun to describe an mp3 player. Finally, high brand awareness about a product suggests that the brand is easily recognizable and accepted by the market in a way that the brand is differentiated from similar products and other competitors. Brand building also helps in improving brand loyalty. - Types of Brand Awareness  [edit] Aided Awareness- This type of awareness is generated in a consumer. When asked about a product category, if the consumer is aided with a list of company names and he recognizes the company from the given set it is categorized as aided awareness. Top of the mind Awareness- When the name of the company is automatically recollected because the consumer very promptly associates the brand with the product category, it is called a top of the mind awareness of the product. [3] - Methodologies  [edit] Mokhira discussion in industry and practice about the meaning and value of various brand awareness metrics. Recently, an  empirical  study appeared to put this debate to rest by suggesting that all awareness metrics were systematically related, simply reflecting their difficulty, in the same way that certain questions are more difficult in academic exams. [4] Channels of Brand Awareness  [edit] There are many ways to generate brand awareness in the consumers. Listed below are four such channels Advertising  is the activity or profession of producing information for promoting the sale of commercial products or services. 5]  Advertising is used through various media to generate brand awareness within consumers. They can be aired as radio ads, television commercials, internet etc. Guerrilla Marketing  tactics allow every small firm to compete with bigger firms by carving out narrow but profitable niches. These tactics include (1) extreme specialization, (2) aiming every effo rt at favourably impressing the customers, (3) providing service that goes beyond the customers expectations, (4) fast response time, (5) quick turnaround of jobs, and (6) working hours that match the customers requirements. The term Guerrilla Marketing is a registered trademark of author Jay Levinson who popularized it through his several Guerrilla books. [6] It is an out of the ordinary way of marketing a product. Low-cost channels can be utilised to generate a high level of interest in the product and create brand awareness. Utilisation of personal contacts is the most popular way of guerrilla marketing. Product Placement is an advertising technique used by companies to subtly promote their products through a non-traditional advertising technique, usually through appearances in film, television, or other media. 6] A formal agreement between the product manufacturer and a media company can be generated through which the media company also receives an economic benefit, usually in the form of a fee. The media company in return will showcase the product through any of the various means they have available to make the brand stand out. Some people, however, consider product placement to be deceptive and une thical. For example, Coca-Cola could pay a given fee to have the title character drinking a Coke, instead of a Pepsi beverage, or Toyota might pay to have one of the characters drive their newest automobile. Through product placement, companies hope that moviegoers will take note of the products used by the characters, and therefore think more strongly about using the products themselves. Social Media is the most contemporary and cost effective way of creating a brand awareness with an online audience. Many companies use social media like facebook, youtube, blogs What is Advertising : The word advertising is derived from the Latin word viz, advertero   ad meaning towards and verto meeting towards and verto meaning. I turn literally specific thing. Simply stated advertising is the art says green. Advertising is a general term for and all forms of publicity, from the cry of the street boy selling newspapers to the most celebrate attention attracts device. The object always is to bring to public notice some articles or service, to create a demand to stimulate buying and in general to bring logethel the man with something to sell and the man who has means or desires to buy. Advertising ha s been defined by different experts. Some of the quoted definition are :   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American marketing association has defined advertising as any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. The medium used are print broad cast and direct. Stanton deserves that Advertising consists of all the activities involved in presenting to a group a non- personal, oral or visual openly, sponsored message regarding a product, service, or idea. This message called an advertisement is disseminated through one or more media and is paid for by the identified sponsor. Advertising is any paid form of non – personal paid of presentation of ideas goods or services by an identified sponsor. Advertising is a non- personal paid message of commercial significance about a product, service or company made to a market by an identified sponsor. In developing an advertising programme, one must always start by identifying the market needs and buyer motives and must make five major decisions commonly referred as 5M (mission, money message, media and measurement) of advertising. Basic Features of Advertising On the basis of various definitions it has certain basic features such as : 1. It is a mass non-personal communication. 2. It is a matter of record. 3. It persuades buyers to purchase the goods advertised. 4. It is a mass paid communication. 5. The communication media is diverse such as print (newspapers and magazines) 6. It is also called printed salesmanship because information is spread by means of the written and printed work and pictures so that people may be induced to act upon it. Functions of Advertising For many firms advertising is the dominant element of the promotional mix – particulars for those manufacturers who produce convenience goods such as detergent, non – prescription drugs, cosmetics, soft drinks and grocery products. Advertising is also used extensively by maters of automobiles, home appliances, etc, to introduce new product and new product features its uses its attributes, pt availability etc. Advertising can also help to convince potential buyers that a firms product or service is superior to competitors product in make in quality, in price etc. t can create brand image and reduce the likelihood of brand switching even when competitors lower their prices or offer some attractive incentives. Advertising is particularly effective in certain other spheres too such as : i)  Ã‚  Ã‚  When consumer awareness of products or service is at a minimum. ii)  Ã‚  When sales are increasing for all terms in an industry. iii)  When a product is new and incorporate s technological advance not strong and. iv)  When primary buying motive exists. It performance the following functions : i)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Promotion of sales ii)  Ã‚  Introduction of new product awareness. iii)  Mass production facilitation v)  Carry out research v)  Ã‚  Education of people. TYPES OF ADVERTISING Broadly speaking, advertising may be classified into two categories viz. , product and institutional advertising. a)Product Advertising The main purpose of such advertising is to inform and stimulate the market about the advertisers products of services and to sell these. Thus type of advertising usually promote specific, trended products in such a manner as to make the brands seam more desirable. It is used by business government organization and private non-business organizations to promote the uses features, images and benefits of their services and products. Product advertising is sub-divided into direct action and indirect action advertising, Direct action product advertising wages the buyer to take action at once, ice he seeks a quick response to the advertisement which may be to order the product by mail, or mailing a coupon, or he may promptly purchase in a retail store in response to prince reduction during clearance sale. Product advertising is sub-divided into direct amp; indirect action advertising amp; product advertising aims at informing persons about what a products is what it does, how it is used and where it can be purchased. On the other hand selective advertising is made to meet the selective demand for a particular brand or type is product. b)Institutional Advertising : It is designed to create a proper attitude towards the sellers to build company image or goodwill rather than to sell specific product or service. Its purpose is to create a frame of mind and to implant feeling favourable to the advertisers company. Its assignment is to make friends for the institution or organization. It is sub-divided into three categories : patronage, public, relations and public service institutional advertising. )  Ã‚  In patronage institutional advertising the manufacturer tells his prospects and customer about himself his policies and lives personnel. The appeals to the patronage motivation of buyers. If successful, he convince buyers that his operation entitles him to the money spent by them. ii)  Public relations institutional advertising is used to create a favourable image of the firm among employees, sto ck-holders or the general public. iii)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Public service institutional advertising wages public support. c)Other Types : The other types are as follows : i)  Ã‚  Consumer advertising i)  Ã‚  Comparative advertising iii)  Reminder advertising iv)  Reinforcement advertising ADVERTISING OBJECTIVES The long term objectives of advertising are broad and general, and concern the contribution   advertising should make to the achievement of overall company objectives. Most companies regard advertisingly main objective as hat of proving support to personal selling and other forms of promotion. But advertising is a highly versatile communications tools and may therefore by used for achieving various short and long term objectives. Among these objectives are the following : 1. To do the entire selling job (as in mail order marketing). 2. To introduce a new product (by building brand awareness among potential buyers). 3. To force middlemen to handle the product (pull strategy). 4. To build brand preference 9by making it more difficult for middleman to sell substitutes). 5. To remind users to buy the product (retentive strategy). 6. To publicize some change in marketing strategy (e. g. , a price change, a new model or an improvement in the product). 7. To provide rationalization (i. e. Socially acceptable excuses). 8. To combat or neutralize competitors advertising. . To improve the moral of dealers and/or sales people (by showing that the company is doing its share of promotion). 10. To acquaint buyers and prospects with the new uses of the product (to extend the PLC). BENEFITS The functions of advertisement, and that purpose its ethics, may be discussion below : 1. It leads to cheaper prices. No advertiser could live in the highly competitive arena of mode rn business if his methods of selling were more costly than those of his rivals. 2. It acquaints the public with the features of the goods and advantages which buyers will enjoy. 3. It increases demand for commodities and this results in increased production. Advertising : a)  Creates and stimulates demand opens and expands the markets; b)  Creates goodwill which loads to an increase in sales volume; c)  Reduces marketing costs, particularly product selling costs. d)  Satisfied consumer demands by placing in the market what he needs. 4. It reduces distribution expenses in as much as it plays the part of thousands of salesman at a home. Information on a mass scale relieves the necessity of expenditure on sales promotion staff, and quicker and wider distribution leads to diminishing of the distribution costs. . It ensures the consumers better quality of goods. A good name is the breath of the life to an advertiser. 6. By paying the way for large scale production and increased industrialization, advertising   contributes its quota to the profit of the companies the prosperity of the shareholder the uplifts of the wage earners and the solution of he unempl oyment problem. 7. It raises the standard of living of the general public by impelling it to use to articles of modern types which may add to his material well being. Modern advertising has made the luxuries of yesterday the necessities of today It is a positive creative force in business. It makes two blades of grass grow in the business world where one grew before. 8. It establishes the goodwill of the concern for the test articles produced by it and in course of time they sell like not cakes consumer search for satisfaction of their needs when they purchase goods what they want from its beauty, superiority, economy, comfort, approval, popularity, power, safety, convenience, sexual gratification and so on. The manufactures therefore tries to improve this goodwill and reputation by knowing the buyer behaviour. To sum up it may be said that advertising aims at committing the producers, educating the consumer, supplementing the salesman converting the producer and the dealer to eliminate the competitor, but above all it is a link between the produce and the consumer. WHY amp; WHEN TO ADVERTISE Advertising as a tool to marketing not only reaches those who buy , but also those whose opinions or authority is counted for example a manufacturer of marble tiles and building boards advertises not only to people who intend to build houses but also to architect and engineers. While the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals products advertise to doctors as well as to the general public. At time it is necessary for a manufacturer or a concern to advertise things which it does not sell but which when sold stimulates the sales of its own product. There are concerns like electric heaters, iron etc. because the use of these increases the demand for their products. Advertising should be used only when it promises to bring good result more economically and efficiently as compared to other means of selling. There are goods for which much time and efforts are required in creating a demand by sending salesman to prospective buyers than by simply advertising them. In the early days of the cash register in America it was sold by specially trained salesman who called on the prospective users and had the difficult task of convincing them that they could no longer carry on with the old methods, and that they urgently needed a cash register. In our country certain publishers have found it less costly to sell their books by sending salesman from house to house among prospective buyers than to advertise them. In these two examples the cost of creating demand would be too high if attempted by advertising alone under such circumstances advertising is used to make the salesman acceptable to the people they call upon to increase the confidence of the public in the house. Naturals when there are good profits competitors will be attracted and they should be kicked out as and when sufficient capital is available by advertising on a large scale. Immediate result may not justify the increased expenditure but it will no doubt secure future sales. DESIGNING ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN : An advertising is an organized series of advertising messages. It has been defined as a planned, co-ordinate series of promotional efforts built around a central theme and designed to reach a specified goals. In other words, it is an orderly planned effort consisting of related but self – contained and independent advertisements. The campaign may appear in one more media . it has single theme or keynote idea and a single objective or goal. Thus, a unified theme of content provides psychological continuity throughout the campaign while visual and oral similarity provide physical continuity. In short run, all campaign want pre-determined psychological reaction in the long run, practically all campaigns have sales goal. The series of advertisements used in the campaign must be integrated with the sales promotional efforts and with the activities of the sales force. Campaign vary in length some may run only for a few days, other for weeks, yet other for a season or the entire year. Usually a range of 3 to 6 months includes many campaigns. Many factors influences campaign length such as competitors advertising media, policies, seasonal falls curves of the product involved, the size of the advertising funds, campaign objectives and the nature of the advertisers marketing programme. OBJECTIVES OF CAMPAIGN The advertising campaign, especially those connected with the consumers aims at achieving these objectives : i)  Ã‚  Ã‚  To announce a new product or improve product. ii)  Ã‚  To hold consumers patronage against intensified campaign use. iii)  To inform consumers about a new product use. iv)  To teach consumers how to use product. )  Ã‚  To promote a contest or a premium offer. vi)  To establish a new trade regional, and vii)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To help solve a coca regional problem. The institutional advertising campaign on the other hand, have these objectives. i)  Ã‚  Ã‚  To create a corporate personality or image. ii)  Ã‚  To build a company prestige. iii)  To keep the company name before the public . iv)  To emphasize company services and facilities. v)  Ã‚  To enable company salesman to see top executive consistently when making sales calls, and vi)  To increase friendliness and goodwill towards the company. Developing the campaign programmes. The advertising campaigns are prepared by the advertising agencies, which work an behalf of their clients who manufacture product or service enterprises, which have services to sell. The word campaign is used because advertising agencies approach their task with a sum Blanca of military fanfare in which one frequently hears words like target audience logistics, zero in and tactics and strategy etc. The account executive co-ordinates the work in a campaign. The creation of an advertising campaign starts with an exploration of consumers habits and psychology in relation to the product. This requires the services of statistical trained in survey techniques and of others trained in social psychology. Statisticians select samples for survey which are done by trained interviewers who visits individuals, included in the sample and ask question to find out about their taste and habits. This enquiry often leads to a change in a familiar product. For instance bathing soap may come in several new colours or cigarette in a new packet or talcum powder in another size. Such interviews are often quite essential to find out the appeal of advertising message for a product that would be most effective with consumers. David Ogilvy describes a consumers survey to find out the most meaningful benefit in which women are interested when they buy a face cream. The largest preference as given to Cleans deep into pores followed in order of importance by prevent dryness, is a complete beauty treatment, recommended by skin doctors makes skin look younger contains estrogenic hormones, pasteurized for purity, prevent skin form aging, smooth our wrinkles ogilvy concludes, form this voting come one of Helena Rubinsteins most successful face creams. We christened it deep cleanser, thus, building the winning form into name of the product. After getting the data the account executive puts together the essential elements of his clients brief, interprets the research findings and draws up what he calls the advertising strategy. STAGE IN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN Several steps are required to developed an advertising campaign the number of stages and exact order in which they are carried out may vary according to an organisations resources, the nature of its product and the types of audiences to be reached. The major stages/step are : 1. Identifying and analyzing the advertising. 2. Defining advertising objects. 3. Creating the advertising platform. 4. Determining the advertising appropriation. 5. Selection media plan. 6. Creating the advertising message. 7. Evaluating the effectiveness of advertising. 8. Organizing of advertising campaign. 1. Identifying amp; Analyzing the Advertising target : Under this step it is to decided as to whom is the firm trying to reach with   the message. The advertising target is the group of people towards which advertisements are aimed at four this purpose complete information about the market target i. e. the location and geographical location of the people, the distribution of age, income, sex, educational level, and consumers attitudes regarding purchase and use both of the advertising product and competing products is needed with better knowledge of market target, effective advertising campaign can be developed on the other hand, if the advertising target is not properly identified and analyzed the campaign is does likely to be effective. . Determining the advertising objectives : The objectives of advertisement must be specifically and clearly defined in measurable terms such as to communicate specific qualities about a particulars product to gain a certain degree of penetration in a definite audience of a given size during a given period of time, increase sales by a certain percentage or increase the firms market shares.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The goals of advertising may be to : i)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Create a favourable company image by acquainting the public with the services offered available to the employees and its achievements. i)  Ã‚  Create consumers or distributor awareness by encouraging requests providing information about the types of products sold; providing information about the benefits to be gained from use of the companys products or services; and indicating how product (or services) can be used; iii)  Encourage immediate sales by encouraging potential purchasers through special sales contests, getting recommendation of professional people about companys products etc. iv)  Ã‚  It secures action by the reader through associating ideas, repetition of the same name in different contexts, immediate action appeal. . Creating the Advertising platform : An advertising platform consists of the basic issues or selling points that an advertiser wishes to include in the advertising campaign. A single adve rtisement in an advertising campaign may contain one or more issues in the platform. A motorcycle producers advertising platform should contain issues which are of importance to consumers filling and such issues also be those which the competitive product do not posses. 4. Determining the Advertising Appropriation: The advertising appropriation is the total amount of money which   marketer allocates. For advertising for a specific time period. Determining the campaign budget involves estimating now much it will cost to achieve the campaigns objectives. If the campaign objectives are profit relating and stated quantitatively, then the amount of the campaign budget is determined by estimating the proposed campaigns effectiveness in attaining them. If campaigns object is to build a particular type of company image, then there is little basis for predicting either the campaigns effectiveness or determining the budget required. 5. Selecting the Media : Media selection is an important since it costs time space and money various factors influence this selection, the most fundamental being the nature of the target market segment, the type of the product and the cost involved. The distinctive characteristics of various media are also important. Therefore management should focus its attention on media compatibility with advertising objectives. | Media| Form| 1. | Press Advertising or Print|   | i)| Newspapers| City, Small town, Sundays, Daily, weekly, Fortnightly, quarterlies, financial and annuals, English, vernacular or regional languages. ii)| Magazines| General or special, illustrated or otherwise, English, Hindi, Regional language. | iii)| Trade amp; Technical Journals, Industrial year books, commercial, directories, telephone,   Directories, references books amp; annuals. | Circulated all over the country and among the industrialist and business magnates. | 2. | Direct Mail| Circulars, catalogues, leaflets, brochures, booklets , folders, colanders, blotters, diaries amp; other printed material. | 3. | Outdoor or Traffic| Poster and bills on walls, railways stations platforms outside public buildings trains, buses. 4. | Broadcast or radio and T. V. | Spot, Sectional or national trade cost| 5. | Publicity| Movie Slides and films non theatrical and documentary films metal plates and signs attaches to trees. | 6. | House to house| Sampling , couponing, free gifts, novelties, demonst-rations. | 7. | Dealer aids| Counter and widows display   demonstration given by retailer or the advertises goods. | 8. | Internet| Today, Internet is a big spot for advertising. | So these are the media of the advertising campaign of the selecting of the media. 6. Creating the Advertising Messages : This is an important stage of advertising campaign. The contents of the message has to be very carefully drafted in the advertisement. Characteristics of person in the advertising target influence the message content and form. An advertisers must use words, symbols and illustration that are meaningful, familiar and attractive to those persons. The type of media also influence the content and form of the message. 7. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advertising : The effectiveness of advertising is measured for a variety of reasons : a)  Ã‚  To determine whether a campaign   accomplished its advertising objects. )  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To evaluate the relative effectiveness of several advertisements to ascertain which copy, illustrations or layout is   best. c)  Ã‚  To determine the strengths and weaknesses of various media and media plans. In other words, measuring advertising effectiveness is needed to determine whether proposed advertisement should be used and if they will be no w they might be improved; and whether going campaign should be stopped, continued or changed. In accomplishing these purposes, pretests and post test are conducted. The former tests before exposing target consumers to advertisements and the letter after consumers have been exposed to advertisements and the letter after consumers have been exposed to advertisements. For an effective advertising programme, the advertising manager requires a basic understanding of the medium that is going to carry it. For effectively using advertising the management must test advertising to know which of the advertisement to know which of the advertisement have proved profitable and why as compared to others. - Customer satisfaction From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Customer satisfaction, a term frequently used in  marketing, is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals. [1]  In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 71 percent responded that they found a customer satisfaction metric very useful in managing and monitoring their businesses. 1] It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a  Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy. [2] Within organizations, customer satisfaction ratings can have powerful effects. They focus employees on the importance of fulfilling customers’ expectations. Furthermore, when these ratings dip, they warn of problems that can affect sales and profitability. . . These metrics quantify an important dynamic. When a brand has loyal customers, it gains positive word-of-mouth marketing, which is both free and highly effective. [1] Therefore, it is essential for businesses to effectively manage customer satisfaction. To be able do this, firms need reliable and representative measures of satisfaction. In researching satisfaction, firms generally ask customers whether their product or service has met or exceeded expectations. Thus, expectations are a key factor behind satisfaction. When customers have high expectations and the reality falls short, they will be disappointed and will likely rate their experience as less than satisfying. For this reason, a luxury resort, for example, might receive a lower satisfaction rating than a budget motel—even though its facilities and service would be deemed superior in absolute terms. [1] The importance of customer satisfaction diminishes when a firm has increased  bargaining power. For example,  cell phone  plan providers, such as  ATamp;T  and  Verizon, participate in an industry that is an  oligopoly, where only a few suppliers of a certain product or service exist. As such, many cell phone plan contracts have a lot of  fine print  with provisions that they would never get away if there were, say, a hundred cell phone plan providers, because customer satisfaction would be way too low, and customers would easily have the option of leaving for a better contract offer. There is a substantial body of empirical literature that establishes the benefits of customer satisfaction for firms. You can check out the retails shops using this link http://www. sony. co. in/section/retailshops Here is what I found RAJEEV ELETRONICS P. S. ROAD GANGTOK – 737101 T:03592-223779 BLUE MOON ENTERPRISES DAMTHANG ROAD NAMCHI SOUTH SIKKIM GANGTOK – 737126 T:03595-264984 PRAPTI COMMODITIES TADOONG GANGTOK – 737101 T:9233464645 LCE amp; LED (DETAIL) http://www. sony. co. in/bravia-lcd-tv/feature/Sony-Entertainment-Network/498174 * KLV-32CX350 *  »BRAVIA Engineâ„ ¢ 3 *  »Photo Frame mode *  »Clear resolution enhancer Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  28,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. ) + Compare * KLV-22CX350 *  »BRAVIA Engineâ„ ¢ 3  »Photo Frame mode *  »Clear resolution enhancer Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  16,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. ) + Compare * KLV-40BX450 *  »BRAVIA Engine 3â„ ¢ *  »Clear resolution enhancer *  »Full HD 1080 picture quality Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  48,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. ) + Compar e * KLV-32BX350 *  »BRAVIA Engine 3â„ ¢ *  »Clear resolution enhancer *  »BRAVIA Sync Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  27,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. + Compare * KLV-26BX350 *  »BRAVIA Engine 3â„ ¢ *  »Clear resolution enhancer *  »BRAVIA Sync Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  22,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. ) + Compare * KLV-22BX350 *  »BRAVIA Engine 3â„ ¢ *  »Clear resolution enhancer *  »BRAVIA Sync Standard Retail PriceMRP  Rs  15,900(MRP inclusive of all taxes. Quoted MRP is for 1 unit of the product. ) + Compare ledlllllllllll LED DETAIL ON ONLINE FROM WEB SITE (http://www. sony. co. in/product/kdl-46hx925/overview) Utilizing Customer Feedback *