Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Gen Y and Marketing

Along with other influences such as environment and social events, technology plays a large part in influencing their characteristics even more than it did with previous generation, in which technology has influenced all aspects the generation's lifestyle including behavior, learning, colonization, culture, values, and work (Taproots, 1998). Huntley (2006) points that the mobile phone is perceived as a personal communication device and fashion accessory for this generation, which became an extension of their own body.Topcoat's (1998) survey found, â€Å"two-thirds of the children were more refection on the computer then their parent's†. In addition, technology has influenced Gene-Y perception of time, space, and speed through immediate access to vast amounts of information and to a manifold of people within the reach of their fingers or the keyboard (Huntley, 2006). What is Marketing? Kettle (2001) states that people generally perceived marketing as an activity that involves w ith selling and advertising because they normally see marketing activities in term of advertisements and selling of products on TV, newspapers, internet, etc..However, Kettle (2001) explains that selling and advertising are only a part of arresting tools helping to increase awareness or stimulate consumer demand for a firm's product or service. Although these two activities (selling and advertising) are important, it may not always be true that they are more important than other marketing activities. In today business, Kettle (2001) suggests that the old marketing concept that perceived marketing as selling tool employed after a firm made product or service is not applicable.Successful businesses now focus on creating customer satisfaction, in which the marketing concept has been changed from creating trade to alluding a customer satisfaction. Therefore, Kettle (2001) points that marketing started before the production, in which a firm needs to understand customer's want and need, t o study market opportunity and a firm's competitiveness, and should be able to develop suitable strategies for its products and services at any stage in This process may involve product development, product pricing, choosing distribution channel and effective promotional tools.All of these activities aim to ensure that the product will not be difficult to sell and can be successful in the marketplace. In this sense, marketing is a tool that the firm used to motivate consumer to achieve its goal (Kettle, 2001). Gene Y and Online Marketing While technology has influenced all aspects Gene Yes lifestyle (behavior, learning, colonization, culture, values, and work), businesses are also noticing the technology demands of Gene-Y and use it to create customer satisfaction (Bernard, 2003).Focusing on the consumer behavior of Gene Y, Heaver (2008) states that â€Å"Today's younger, more ‘green' shoppers aren't going to waste precious money and gas going from store to store looking for Just the right item. They shop online whenever they can, narrowing their choices to one or two items-then go to the store to touch, feel, bounce and check out the actual product to see if it looks the way it was represented online†.In management point of view, Chaff eye (2005) defines online-marketing as the technological application using internet to facilitate marketing efforts for achieving organizational goals by increasing user knowledge. Raff et al. (2002) stated that â€Å"The aim of internet marketing is to build and maintain the relationship between customers through online exchange of information about the goods and services room buyer and seller†.Barrett (2008) describes online marketing as an marketing effort that involve with â€Å"carefully targeting users and getting them to interact with you while they're engaged with the most personal, intimate medium ever invented†. Found (2008) observes that there is various online marketing instruments includi ng banners, sponsorship, pop- ups, push technologies, links, paid searches, interactive media, e-commerce, online magazines and newspapers, social networks, as well as user generated videos such as Youth, and blobs. With the internet age, customers eave more choices than ever, in which offering good products is not enough.Found (2008) points that many companies are opting to build interactive communities on their websites for customers so that some of these communities or social networks allow marketers to learn how consumers feel about a brand, and what they would change about a product. In a social network, Found (2008) states that â€Å"there are some people who Join to grab information, others like to distribute material to others, some just want to simply look around and others want to shape the activity of the group†. According to Fight (2007) this type of interaction â€Å"can lead to new products and inspire new positioning and inform marketing programs†.Many s ocial websites have been introduced including Twitter, Backbone, My Space, and etc. That consumers can learn of new products, share experiences, get excited about new products or vent about negative experiences (Found, 2008). As a result, this could be an advantage or disadvantaged to any company. Mains (2007) mentioned that the absence of meaningful metrics in online marketing is a key issue that trouble many marketers, in which other obstacles that prevent companies from spending more money on online tools, and insufficient capabilities.According to Mains (2007), some sites are also bombarded with advertisements making some information get unnoticed. Research Objective Given the fact that technology plays an important part in the daily lives of Gene Y, and the growth on online technologies, social networking and mobile technologies is changing the consumer behavior, a local shopping mall where most of its customers are Gene Y is interested in finding out how it can best employ onl ine and mobile cosmologies to enhance their online marketing efforts to attract Gene Y shoppers and increase their spending in its stores.Research Questions 1) How the technology affects buying behavior of Gene Y? 2) What are advantages and disadvantages of buying products at stores? 3) What are the main motivators of Gene Y to go out for shopping? 4) What are the satisfaction levels of customers on the store's products and services? 5) What are the loyalty levels of the firm? 6) What does Gene Y likes, dislikes, and suggests about the firm's online communication tools? 7) What are the firm's marketing strategies that needs to be improve in order to increase sales?Research Methodology Qualitative Approach Michael (2010) suggest that the qualitative research is normally used when â€Å"we don't know what to expect, to define the problem, to develop an approach to the problem, as well as to go deeper into issues of interest and explore nuances related to the research problem†. Meanwhile, the quantitative research is used to quantify data and generalize results from the population of interest through sampling, in which sometimes followed the qualitative research that is previously used to explore some findings further (from Snappers. M). In the research, the researcher wants to explore and develop an initial understanding of Gene Y and online marketing for further decision making. Therefore, the qualitative research approach is used to answer the research questions. Michael (2010) also states that there are many data collection methods used in qualitative research, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, observation, and etc.Research Technique – Focus Group Enemies and Richard (2001) suggests that focus groups are one of the most frequently used research techniques for making consumer research to learn about consumer evolve a marketing strategies in efficient and effective manner. Enemies and Richard (2001) explains that focus group normally co nsists of 8-12 people from the sample population bringing into a group to express their idea, felling, attitude, and beliefs according to a question and other member's comments.Thus, the major advantage of focus group is that the researcher can acquire numerous and diverse views from the respondent (Enemies and Richard, 2001). Sample Population The characteristics of sample population should be male or female aged around 9-33 years old at present, in which they used technology at higher rates than people from other generations. Sample Size The researcher chose to conduct 3 focus groups with 10 participants each as higher â€Å"N† is to reduce the sampling error (Peter, 2000).Therefore, the sample size used in this research is 30. Sample Selection Bonito (2008) suggests three main considerations selecting participants in focus groups, including their personal characteristics, location, and issue knowledge. Personal characteristics, as defined by the sample population, are male or female geed around 19-33 years old at present. Participant's location should be not far from the place where the researcher conducts the focus groups. Finally, participant should be familiar with internet and social networking.Data Collection Process The focus groups will be conducted during February 1-15, 2013, with the first focus group on February 1, the second on February 8, and the third one on February 15. The focus group processes will take an approximately 90-120 minutes, as suggested by Enemies and Richard, (2001). During the focus group, the researcher will record all investigations through digital audio recorder, as suggested by Crewel (1998). All focus group will be taken at the meeting room of the shop, in which appointment with all participants will be made and confirmed 3-7 days in advance.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

David Fletcher Case Essay

Jenkins, Fletcher Partners (JFP) has the potential to thrive and succeed in the financial service industry with stimulated, productive, and satisfied employees. However, there are small and large issues to be addressed in order to carry that in action. In this specific case analysis, we analyze the issues hindering JFP from further development, and suggest respective and appropriate suggestions to resolve those problems. First, a thorough evaluation of JFP shed light on a number of issues: The inconsistency with JFP’s differentiated and key organizational structure: wide, flat, informal structure for quick decisions. Struggles for autonomy within the company and the pending decision to hire a new research analyst. Anti-cohesiveness and lack of appropriate human resource management. Low team productivity and insufficient and inaccurate incentives within the work teams Although these issues present obstacles for further growth and potential of the firm, JFP is able to resolve th ese issues and consequently differentiate itself from its competitors in the industry with the following suggested resolutions: Further emphasize the informal and quick information sharing in between all the employees. Convince Stephanie to remain with the firm with a larger responsibility to enhance the structure under the assumption that her requirements are met. Hire Robinson based on her qualifications and acceptance by current JFP employees, and develop further evaluation of Fiske’s. Maintain a balance of young and senior analysts to achieve a productive and conducive learning environment. Implement regular and functional meetings at which every employee has an input. Develop performance management instead of performance reviews. Maintain the organizational restructures through work team productivity and implementation of appropriate incentivizing system. With these critical resolutions, JFP will become the unique, successful, and differentiated financial service firm that the founders originally dreamed of. One of the points of differentiation that JFP has from other financial service firms on Wall Street is its unique structure of small, flat, and wide for effective and efficient communication and decision making process. But Fletcher made a mistake to contradict that very principle of JFP. By not communicating with Stephanie and other salient members of the firm with regard to hiring process of Doyle, David Fletcher put more workload on himself, slowed the  decision making process, and disregarded other employees’ opinions and thoughts on Doyle, and practically created the silo effect. Fletcher explains, â€Å"I figured that Stephanie would do the health care and environmental stocks as well as the retail stocks while Brian would focus on his specialty, high-tech†, as he reveals his own â€Å"thought process† without the actual confirmation from Stephanie. Furthermore, Fletcher admits, â€Å"hiring Brian wasn’t coming from her pocket, it was coming from mine†, and demonstrates the contradiction to shared ideas and smooth flow of information he so desperately pursued himself. The employees at JFP are meant to communicate and share information with each other fluidly without any excluded members. However, Fletcher contradicted the ideal environment he desired to create by not communicating with Stephanie throughout the hiring process of Brian Doyle and thus deteriorated the structure he wanted. Although a desire for autonomy and greater success are contributing factors in Stephanie wanting to leave the firm, this significant incident has l ed to her feeling alienated and secluded from Fletcher and the work they used to do together. Another issue that Fletcher faces, looking forward, is whether or not to hire Fiske and/or Robinson. As previously mentioned, Fletcher makes the hiring process ineffective and inconsistent. When hiring Kindred, Fletcher learned from the conflict that had already risen between Doyle and Whitney, and makes sure to receive feedback from Whitney and other employees before moving forward with Kindred. Fletcher also maintains an incredibly packed schedule and the hiring process is overly crucial and overwhelming for him to do by himself. Moreover, because of his overwhelming schedule, Fletcher cannot possibly to train all the new hires on how evaluate stocks and consider the investment strategy. On a greater scale, throughout JFP there is an extreme lack of group cohesiveness and issues with conflict management. Members of the company compete to achieve the identical goal to become portfolio managers. Members of JFP have a power struggle to achieve their own individual goals; consequently, pay compensation directly associates with individual accomplishments. The very structure of Wall Street that Lodge dislikes includes silos with high departmentalization, and members with their own agendas. JFP requires a group cohesion for an effective decision making, yet the firm rewards for self-fulfilling achievements. Therefore, presented is a â€Å"Rewarding A while hoping for B†Ã‚  issue. Also, a clear relationship conflict versus task conflict is evident. There are personal and social disagreements that hinder employees to expend effort and resource on discussing vital company tasks and objectives. There are also many interpersonal and organizational conflicts that arise through peripheral transactions within JFP. One simple example includes Stephanie’s concern about where her desk is located. And yet, there are no company procedures to address and resolve these conflicts in a systematic way. Another example is lack of employees’ input about new hires. Unrest and social disturbances are within an organization present obstacles for employees to work efficiently and to be creative which affects their performance and in turn JFP’s success. The final issue to be address is JFP’s lack of effectiveness in work teams and motivation on both the individual and group le vels. More attention can increase productivity and motivation according to the Hawthorne Effect. Fletcher’s decreased attention toward Stephanie, demonstrated in Doyle’s hiring process, reduces her motivation and attachment to the firm and develops negative feelings about Doyle. Because Doyle and Stephanie have relationship conflicts, they cannot properly address task, including feedbacks for investment choices, which leads to decreased productivity and creativity within the firm. When Stephanie finds personal fulfillment and interest in her work, intrinsic motivation, Doyle’s hiring process situation diminishes it significantly. Because she is less secure and satisfied, Whitney is less motivated, which falls in line with Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory: hygiene factors, including security and working conditions, â€Å"operate primarily as de-motivators if they are insufficient† (175). Stephanie also has extrinsic motivation—Fletcher’s attention, praise, and guidance—which increases her intrinsic motivation as well as job satisfaction and a sense of purpose at JFP. Whitney’s lower job satisfaction results in a poor job performance and her attachment to JFP. In order to better achieve the wide, flat structu re for efficient and effective decision making, Fletcher should attempt to keep Stephanie Whitney with the firm because she has already gained expertise within the industry, and training and molding another new employee in place of Whitney bears immense opportunity cost for the culture and productivity of the firm. Additionally, Whitney has consistently performed at a high level, and the success she’s attained transitioning from  an administrative assistant to a portfolio manager can be leveraged as an effective tool to inspire others to work. Since Whitney has expressed a desire to leave, Fletcher needs to intrinsically and extrinsically motivate her to. In order to keep Stephanie motivated at JFP, Fletcher should have Stephanie with a team of her to delve into an industry that she is curious and enthusiastic about, so long as that industry has an investment potential for the firm. Since monetary incentives can be sufficiently satisfied with firms other than JFP, Stephanie needs to have the extrinsic motivator of autonomy. This reward for staying would be unprecedented in a firm where most decisions come down to David, and would be an indication that she is incredibly valued and essential to the organization. Permitting Stephanie to recruit her own team will also serve to widen the st ructure of the firm and delegate more tasks. Fletcher also needs to highlight the tie that they have shared in the past, apologize for not being transparent with her completely, and express respect towards her career development. Despite the possibility that Whitney will decide to pursue other opportunities, Fletcher needs to convince her to stay because of her credibility and the value lost from the firm’s perspective. There is an argument to be made that Whitney was at the root of personal issues in the past, but Whitney’s conflict was task-oriented, not personal. Her disagreement with many of Doyle’s investment strategies causes problems when Fletcher failed to address her concerns. In the end, Whitney ends up being right about Doyle, and it is not to be understated that she gets along very well with everyone else in the organization. Building a strong culture is a key for JFP in hiring new employees. Whitney, who already gets along with Robinson, can help to develop the environment in which portfolio managers work creatively and get along on a personal level as well. By treating Whitney as more of a thought partner than protege, Fletcher should keep Whitney for the benefit of JFP. As Kindred’s case reflect, new hires are more effective in their roles in hiring them. Therefore, the hiring process should be structured in a way that all existing employees get to meet the candidate before the decision is made. Organization’s small scale will allow such procedure that will result in more effective hiring process. More attention should also be paid to the current employees, not only to ensure new employees’ transition, but also to deal with the hiring process more  effectively. Whitney’s insistence upon leaving can be circumvented entirely had Fletcher heeded her concerns and addressed the issue earlier. JFP should also aim to balance between experienced and new hires, and encourage the experienced portfolio managers to act as mentors. Fletcher cannot possibly serve as a mentor for everyone; but forging mentor/mentee roles amongst the portfolio managers will lead to more cohesiveness in the organization, experienced employees leading by example and contribute to the flat structure of the organization with reduced risk of employees’ uneasiness. Fletcher has already taken a step in the right direction by seeking the approval of other employees for hiring Robinson, but needs to continue with evaluating Fiske. Moreover, JFP should feel confident about hiring Robinson because the other employees think highly of her and Robinson offers a unique background and valuable expertise. Despite Fiske’s experience, his ability to collaborate with his colleagues is the critical point to evaluate in the hiring decision. And thus Fletcher must turn to the rest of JFP for advice. In terms of cohesiveness and people management, JFP should implement work teams to emphasize the outcome is greater than the sum of individual ’s effort. Also, work groups can be particularly utilized in the new research analyst candidates’ environment because their primary task is to share information. Cohesiveness can be developed by rewarding employees as groups, increasing the time that employees spend with each other, stimulating competition amongst groups, benchmarking JFP’s performance to that of a competitor firm, and by increasing the exclusivity. Furthermore, JFP requires regular meetings at which everyone is involved and present to facilitate increasing the time employees spend together and resolving conflicts within the organization. Group successes and failures can be discussed and evaluated. In order to successfully restructure JRP, performance management is essential because it is another method for conflict resolution. Performance management will also bring a continuous flow of feedback so the employee can adjust his or her performance. An increase in employee satisfaction within the workplace will follow. Additionally, the Hawthorn Study states that non-financial incentives are more effective than financial incentives; also, attention from leaders has been pr oven to be 63% effective, praise from managers 67% effective, opportunities to lead projects 62% effective. â€Å"†¦(P)eople will  feel competent if they obtain feedback that indicates progress in their work or suggests ways that can increase their competence†. (176) The delegation of autonomy within JFP can also be addressed because autonomy is easily assessed and provided to employees if management constantly evaluates employee’s performance. Lastly, Fletcher needs to address work team productivity and motivation within JFP. As an example, Stephanie demonstrates enjoyment and a sense of fulfillment in her job, and Fletcher needs to develop these motivations further. He also needs to ensure a good team dynamic. Intrinsic motivation is conducive to creativity and result in more unique, productive and creative analysts. According to â€Å"scientific management†, extrinsic motivation is strictly positive; however managers often create undesired behaviors in their employees by utilizing this incorrect statement. (181) Therefore, Fletcher has to give critical feedback and attention to his analysts to provide them with some continuing extrinsic motivation. In addition, Fletcher should foster an environment in which analysts develop enjoyment and attachment, that will contribute to intrinsic motivation as well. Hackman and Oldham’s model of job enrichment (1976) suggests different ways to increase employee motivation. For example, task identity, task significance, and feedback are a number of them. Developing task identity means to increase an analyst’s sense of meaningfulness in one’s work and growing task significance means to increase the sense of importance of their work. Additionally, ongoing feedback will also contribute positively to the analysts’ motivation. Fletcher should focus on these methods, as well as an appealing work environment and good group dynamic, to increase his analysts’ motivation. With these constructive resolutions—further consolidating the unique organizational structure, effectively recruiting new employees, critically addressing conflicts and cohesiveness within the group, and appropriately maintaining the balance of motivation—JFP is assured to thrive as a differentiated, outperforming, and attractive financial service firm.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Analysing The Religious Views On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay

Analysing The Religious Views On Euthanasia Philosophy Essay When it comes to religious point of views on issues, euthanasia is one of the most controversial moral topics of all time. Euthanasia comes from the Greek word ÃŽÂ µÃƒ ¡Ã‚ ½Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± meaning ‘good death. Euthanasia can be defined as â€Å"the practice of ending a life in a technique that reduces pain and suffering† ( Eike-Henner 11). Religions such as the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Judaism oppose euthanasia on the grounds that it invades God’s territory of life and death. Life is considered a gift from God and should only be taken back by God. There are different forms of euthanasia: voluntary/involuntary and active/passive. Active euthanasia is the inducement of death by taking specific steps such overdose of painkillers or sleeping pills. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is the discontinuation of medical treatment in a terminal case so as to allow the patient have a natural death. Voluntary euthanas ia is killing a person for the purpose of relieving pain from terminal or incurable illness or injury with their consent. Finally, involuntary euthanasia is killing a person for the purpose of relieving suffering without first obtaining the person’s consent. â€Å"This paper will examine the ethical views of the Roman Catholics and the Orthodox Jews on the act of euthanasia.† The Roman Catholic teachings have a precise definition for euthanasia. Pope John Paul II describes it as â€Å"an act or omission which of itself or by intention causes death, with the purpose of eliminating all suffering† (Evangelium vitae [Ev], 1995, n. 65). The Church teaches that it is morally unacceptable and constitutes it as a murderous act, which is contrary to what they call the dignity of a person. Namely that every individual is born with dignity, and they are an estimable value. They value the human life, because a person indeed is priceless, for they are created by God. Euthana sia is an act that denies respect of God, the creator. Even if a person is acting on good faith, nothing changes the nature of what euthanasia is; at the very base euthanasia is an act of murder. When it comes to physicians assisted suicide the Roman Catholics describe it as a grave sin against God, because it suggests that a person is in charge of their body instead of God the creator. Physicians assisted suicide can be defined as â€Å"a doctor or medical staff person prescribes a lethal amount of medication with the intent of assisting a person commit suicide (John 151). The patient then takes the dose or turns the switch. Since preserving life is the greatest good for Catholics, they believe that the 5th commandment in the Old Testament of the Bible says it all â€Å"Thou shall not kill† (John 14). They believe this applies to killing oneself or killing someone else who has asked to die such as a terminally ill patient. No human being has the authority to make life and d eath decisions. Killing denies the victim something that he or she values greatly, continued life or a future. Moreover, since continued life is necessary for pursuing future endeavors, killing brings the suppression of all of these plans. Therefore, Catholics believe that doctor assisted-suicide deprives an individual of a future that they potentially could’ve had.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The Palestine-Israel Conflict and the United States Essay

The Palestine-Israel Conflict and the United States - Essay Example As a result, Israel and Palestine engage in social and political conflicts, resulting in terrorism attacks at times. While border and land issues constitute the central problem in Palestine-Israel conflict, there are other contributory factors that exacerbate the conflict between Israel and Palestine. These factors include, but are not limited to, water rights, security, Israeli settlements, refugee issues, violence outside Israel, international influence, and occupation of West Bank by Israeli military and people (Salinas & Rabia 183). With the conflict dating back to the 20th century, the international community has responded and tried to unite the two sides. The United States has played a critical role in trying to resolve the dispute. For instance, the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations have tried to restore peace in both Israel and Palestine. On the same note, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations have actively been involved in the conflict resolution pursuit (Salinas & Rabia 211). Most notably, the United States refuted West Bank settlements due to the substantial barrier that they posed to the peace process. Over and above this, the gravity of the matter is seen even more in the light of Hamas emergence to derail Palestine-Israel peace negotiations. While the causes of the Palestine-Israel conflict are purely between Israelis and Palestinians, the influence of the international community has relatively exacerbated the conflict. The endless pursuits to resolve the issue have only resulted in a heightened conflict activity as either side dispute the propositions of the involved international stakeholders. Border demarcation, control over Jerusalem City, water resources dispute, West Bank construction and settlement, violence in Israel and Palestine, and ownership of Gaza strip are the major causes of the Palestine-Israel conflict (Salinas & Rabia 259). A resolution to the Palestine-Israel conflict

How did the target market change for Holiday Inn Hotels after the Literature review

How did the target market change for Holiday Inn Hotels after the financial crisis amongst hotels in England & Bosnia - Literature review Example Different types of relevant literatures are reviewed for the purpose of attaining some conceptual findings regarding research work. From the perspective of impact of financial crisis in late 2008, Platt, Carper, and McCool (2010) have presented their views. As per the findings of the author, it can analyzed critically that recent financial crisis have been proved quite critical for business organizations operating across the world. The failure of some of the major business organizations has induced different domestic as well as multinational business organizations to change the norms of their business practices and strategies for the purpose of minimizing risks in their business operations2. Kotler, Bowen, and Makens (2011) have presented the theory of strategic change in the market. As per the theory, external environmental factors can be responsible factors for changes in the market place. As per the theory, although the major impact of recession have been seen in the operations of finance sectors organizations, yet still there are some other sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing, and automobile, that hav e been affected quite significantly after the occurrence of this financial slump across the globe 3 In contrast to such findings, Corgel, and Woodworth (2012) have explained the impact of recession over hospitality sector. Authors have argued quite critically that hotel industry is one of the industries which directly relates with other business industries. The recession has affected the patterns and trends followed by different hotel organizations4. In the support of this Shi, White, Zou, and Cavusgil (2010) has elaborated that such crucial differences can be observed in the context of product and service offerings, internal administration, operations, and marketing strategies. Due to shortage of financial resources during the time of recession, hotel organizations have started to be more concerned about refining their

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Indian banking industry Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Indian banking industry - Dissertation Example The intention of this study is the banking industry of India. The introduction of the banking concept is attributed to the medieval Florence in the year 1937. Medici, a powerful and renowned merchant family, introduced networking system in shops through which people can easily deposit and withdraw their money from different cities. It provided the people with the facilitation of easy transfer of money while avoiding carrying large amount of cash while traveling. Initially banks in India were dealing only with the financing activities. The overall history of the Indian banking industry have seen the ears of Presidency banks, to Imperial Bank of India, and lastly to the State Bank of India. During different time periods the banking sector of India has been facing a volatile environment and because of this there have been shift from majority of private ownership to nationalism and now it is moving towards the greater liberalization. The government knows that there is an important role o f private and foreign players in the banking industry as there is huge competition. During the period of evolution the banking industry of India has witnessed immense development in terms of regulations, new and unique products and services offered which facilitate people and attract them towards itself, ownership structure and the technology deployed. Nowadays Indian banks are continuously focusing on the introduction of new services offered in order to meet their customer expectations. The challenges and opportunities being faced by the Indian banks in this regard, consists of rural market, management of risks, customer expectation, transparency, environmental concerns, social and ethical issues, global banking, growth in banking sector, human factor, customer and employee retentions. The biggest challenge is to reach the mass market of India. First of all, the banks have to focus and understand the customer and then have to design products and services according to their needs (K umbhar, 2011). Nowadays, consumer demands mobile banking, internet banking and ATM services because consumer is very well aware of each and everything and their expectations and demands have increased as compare to previous years. For this reason, banking industry in India is going towards differentiation, product innovation and technology innovation. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: The following are the aims and objectives of the study To analyze the evolution of IT in the Banking industry of India To analyze how IT has influenced the banking industry of India BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW: Banking is one of the oldest professions of the world and has gone through various transitions with the passage of time and developments. One of the key developments in the recent years, that has changed Indian banking sector tremendously, is the evolution of IT sector in banking industry of India, due to which today banking has become an easy to do

Friday, July 26, 2019

How Humanism had Impact on Italian Jews Research Paper

How Humanism had Impact on Italian Jews - Research Paper Example It is not dependant on divine notions of reality. Humanity provides human beings the rights and privileges to defend individual beliefs and interests. This paper focuses on the impact of humanism on the Italian Jews in the fifteenth century. Humanism a cultural, literary and scholarly movement The concept of cultural humanism was originated in the European Age of Enlightenment in the eighteenth century. The Western and Central Europe stepped towards the modern world from the medieval world between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries. During this time the spirit of cultural humanism was originated by the Renaissance and was adopted by the Protestant Reformation. The power of the Church and the noble class was lost as doubts fell on â€Å"old secular and religious authority†3. The Reformation together with the Enlightenment initiated the developments as â€Å"religious liberty, pluralism and religious toleration†4. At the end of eighteenth century there was a restruct uring of society. This was influenced by the French and American revolutions. Religion was no longer the center of political social structure as all religions became equal in the eyes of the law5 Renaissance humanism was a cultural, literary and scholarly movement. It embraced academic disciplines like â€Å"grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history and moral philosophy†6. ... According to Edwin Wilson, humanism was not the right term used by the literary humanists because their position was exclusive. These humanists did not advocate changes in humanism or society. While the religious humanists believed that scientific knowledge would play a major role in development of human life, the literary humanists did not support this theory. They overtly rejected science. Dr. Firkins of Chicago University described literary humanism as having a â€Å"background that is scholarly, its basis is introspective and retrospective; it looks into its own soul†9. Literary humanism embraced the study of non-science subjects like philosophy, history and literature. It focused on literary culture and encouraged people to improve their lives through literature. It has been seen that religious humanism is often mistaken as part of literary humanism movement10. Scholarly humanism was an important part of the Renaissance movement in Europe in the medieval period. It was di sregarded by the historians of that period as it was seen asâ€Å"degeneration into technicalities†11. Scholarly humanism was the â€Å"first expression† of scientific humanism12. It went through a development process for two centuries until it was met with doubts and controversies in the early fourteenth century. It again emerged in scientific development during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Humanism viewed grammar as the base of education as it taught the students the regulations of speech and writing in languages like Latin and Greek. Grammar also helped the students get knowledge of â€Å"classical Greek and Latin prose and poetry†13. Based on this the students were adequately

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Did women have a Renaissance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Did women have a Renaissance - Term Paper Example It is also pertinent to note that the female gender saw an increase in educational opportunities during the renaissance. Though, this was actually slight when compared to the opportunities that came the way of men during this period, but the fact remains that the women saw an improvement in the educational opportunities that came their way during the renaissance especially the women in the upper class. The renaissance was a period when the world had more women from rich families attending private lessons at home or schools of the royal court. However, there was a limitation in this regard as the women were only made to study subjects that are suited for them. Subjects such as: art, dancing, music, needlework, and poetry were the ones that people felt should be studied by women. According to Matthews & Platt, â€Å"Work was increasingly divided according to gender, with women being assigned domestic duties and subordinated and restricted within the economic, social, legal, and cultur al system.† (120). Hence, women had restrictions in the area of education during the renaissance. It could then be right to argue that women did not have a total renaissance, but a partial one. The middle and lower class women were not given the kind of privilege that was given to the upper-class women as they limited them, especially the rural peasants to training in household duties such as sewing and cooking. However, there are several women that had the kind of privileges that was given to men and one of them is Isabella d'Este. She was born in 1474 and died in 1539. Isabella was an assiduous woman and a highly intelligent diplomat. Isabella received male education and she collected works of art from foremost artists of the century she lived through. The case of Isabella is just one out of several thousands of women. The fact that Isabella Este rose to the heights that was deemed impossible for women to reach does not necessarily mean that women really had a significant re naissance, but it could be argued that some women showed that what men can do, women can even do far better. The educational status that was attained by Isabella could only be attained by women that were given the kind of educational opportunity that Isabella had. It should also be noted that the education that women received were dominated by the males, hence they could only learn the things that the males allowed them to learn. Hence, women still played second fiddle to their male counterparts in the area of education (Cairns). There were also well-grounded female scholars that were writing during the period of the Renaissance. Women began to participate freely during the Renaissance as this period saw an increase in the number of female artists, musicians and poets. Though, the period of Renaissance saw more women entering the intellectual life, but they did play any significant role when compared to the roles that the men played during this period. Some women actually proved to their male counterparts that they were capable of holding political powers during the Renaissance period. One of them was Queen Elizabeth I of England. The manner at which Queen Elizabeth ruled her kingdom showed that women were ready to take over key leadership roles from their male counterparts. The impact made by Elizabeth as a woman did not really change the

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Faye Glenn Abdellah Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Faye Glenn Abdellah - Research Paper Example She completed her diploma nursing education in 1942 from Fitkin Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in New Jersey. Thereafter, Faye Glenn Abdellah received a Bachelor of Science in the year 1945. In 1947, she obtained a Masters of Arts and in 1955, she received a Doctor of Education. The two certificates were obtained from the Teachers College at Columbia University. Faye Glenn Abdellah, an earlier Chief Nurse Officer in the Public Health Service in America, she was the first female nurse to be hired as a Deputy Surgeon in U.S. Faye Glenn Abdellah has led various nursing research and has many publications connected to nursing education, care, for nursing research along with advanced nursing practice. In 2000, based on her contributions in changing nursing care, nursing theory as well as nursing education, she received international and national awards. The National Women’s Hall of Fame was one of them (Abdellah, 1994). The main reason for Faye Glenn Abdellah developing the the ory was to change the focus of nursing profession from the approach of disease-centered to the approach of patient-centered. Her theory was also developed so as to provide a classification system for patient-oriented records and patient care in the health care system. The theory of Faye Glenn Abdellah was developed to provide a foundation for organizing and determining nursing care. It was also concerned with giving a basis for classifying and availing appropriate strategies in nursing practice. The theory gives concepts of problem solving in nursing through use of 21 questions approach to solve problems related to health requirements of patients. The theory had three areas: the sociological, physical and emotional patient’s needs; the forms of interpersonal associations between the patient and the nurse; and the common components of patient care. Faye Glenn Abdellah believed that the theory would offer a way of evaluating the experiences of a patient and also give a method o f determining the competency of a nurse depending on the outcome measures. The theory comprised of the assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation phases. My definition of nursing actually fit well with the definition in the theory since both definitions emphasize on the fact that nursing is usually a widespread service that is based on science and art that shape an individual nurse’s intellectual competencies, attitudes and technical skills into the ability and desire to help sick people cope up with their health care needs. My definition and definition of nursing practice of Abdellah’s theory both emphasize that the profession focus on patient-centered instead of disease-centered approach. The approach of patient-centered is valuable in the practice of nursing as it assists in bringing out the organization and structure into an organized assortment of health care experiences. The theory classifies the problems of nursing depending on the needs of p atients and develops a framework of giving nursing goals and treatment that offers a foundation for organizing and determining nursing care. As compared with other theories with similar meanings, this theory describes nursing practice as a comprehensive service that has three key categories to individual patients, families and then to the society. For example, as compared to an ICU health nurse, model of this theory’s nursing care endows the ICU nurse with explicit guidelines on how to better deal with and manage several conditions of patients with grace and

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Response paper to pride and prejudice by jane austen Essay

Response paper to pride and prejudice by jane austen - Essay Example r breaking up with Jane based on information brought to him by these same society friends because she does not come from their ‘set’ was surprising as was the idea that Jane would take him back anyway. However, I can understand that she would have done anything for him because she really did love him and the times were much different then. During the Victorian period, women were very limited in what they could do as a means of supporting themselves. Basically, if they wanted to have any chance at mingling with ‘polite’ society, they had to be aware of the more rigid rules of manners in high society and they had to try to find a husband early. That was pretty much everything they were born and educated to do. Outside of taking care of the house and the family, there weren’t many acceptable ways that girls could take care of themselves. They were usually considered the responsibility of a male relative, who was given the right to choose their husbands for them and had control over their money and activities. Girls who did not have male relatives to take care of them, like Charlotte Lucas, had to resort to the only field in which women could retain some degree of respectability, which was taking a position in someone’s home as a governess. The idea that even this was relatively horrible is expr essed when Charlotte would rather marry Mr. Collins, who she is not overly fond of, rather than become a governess somewhere. I really hated the idea that women were so limited in what they could do given all that they have accomplished in the past 100 years. Imagine what society would be like today if the whole population, rather than just half of it, was involved in it. Charlotte’s marriage to Mr. Collins is not seen to be the kind of happy love affair that eventually develops between Jane and Charles and Elizabeth and Darcy. Although Mr. Collins continues to call her by endearing names, he does so with such lack of feeling that one gets the

Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity Essay With more than six billion people in this world, with a huge variety of human shapes, colors and sizes can race really be defined? As people spread across the world. Mixing among each other creating new kinds of faces there is no true race. But people such as Hitler believed that the Aryans where the superior race responsible got the cultural achievements in Europe and that they has to stop racial contamination that would come from breeding with inferior races by destroying them. Which caused the slaughtering of those deemed inferior: Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, slaves, and people with disabilities. It didnt stop here, youd think the world would try to make a difference but as Hitler era was fading, the ethnic cleansing by Serbs in Bosnia, the mass killings of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994 were and are stilling taking place years after Hitler. What these people failed to see is that there is no pure race. People show such a mixture of physical characteristics ? in skin color, hair textures, body shapes, eye color, height, weight and so on that there can not be a pure race. Our characteristics follow endlessly together, the mapping of genome system shows that were strikingly homogenous. Although large groups of people can be classified by blood type and gene frequencies they still cannot be classified as a race. The idea of a race in far from a myth, its embedded in our culture, it is part of our everyday lives. Sociologist D. S. Thomas observed that if people define situations as real, theyre real in their consequences in other words, people define situations as real, theyre real in their consequences in other words, people act on beliefs, not facts. As a result to that we will always have people like Hitler who feel that killing people that they believe is inferior is perfectly fine.Incidents such as the above still happen in todays world but they are hidden from the public eye, what isnt hidden and does continue toady seems as if no one is trying to make a difference is prejudice and discrimination, a war that will never stop. Prejudice can be defined as a prejudging of some sort, discrimination on the other hand can be defined as an action, and unfair treatment directed against someone on basis of their age, sex, height, origin, marital status, education, income, religion, etc, but when its due to race we usually call it racism. Why are people prejudices? The common sense answer is that people may have had a negative experience with a member of the other group. But Psychologists such as Eugene Hartley (1946) made studies showing that its more than just an old incident, his studies showed that prejudice against all other groups as well. Social scientists have developed several theories to explain prejudice; there are two types of theories, Scapegoat, and the Authoritarian Personality. People who are unable to release there stress to the source usually tend to release it on other people and they tend to find someone to blame their mishaps on and this usually becomes their scapegoat, often a racial, ethnic, or religious minority that they unfairly blame for their troubles. The other theory is The Authoritarian Personality Theodor Adornos term for people who are prejudice and rank high on scales of conformity, intolerance, insecurity, respect for authority, and submissive to superiors. Sociologists find these theories to be inadequate, they stress that the key to find prejudice is from the outside not form within. Sociologists focus on how some environments foster prejudice, while other discourages it. Sociologists have a few theories; Hitler used Functionalism, he hired Fritz Hippler, a Nazi intellectual was put in charge of the entire German film industry and he was told to create anti-Semitist, and he did by producing movies that compared Jews to rates, that their breeding would contaminate their pure breed. You can see that prejudice is functional and it creates in-group solidarity, and destroys human relationships. Conflict Theory- a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of groups competing for scarce resource. Symbolic interactionism examines how peoples labels affect perception and create prejudice. When we apply a label to a group we tend to see its members as all alike, this leads to stereotyping and discrimination and may even create a depicted behavior. Symbolic interaction shows that were not born to a race, and ethic group where we lean beliefs, values; we learn to perceive them negatively or positively. If discrimination is common in our groups, we learn to practice it commonly. Discrimination is like a learned skill if you practice it enough you wont even realize you using it. William Julius Wilson, a sociologist, argues that social class has become important that race is determine the life chances of African Americans. Prior to the Civil War African Americans were excluded from everything that could help you advance in life and become wealthy. As African Americans moved out of the inner cities, as legislators began opening doors for African Americans, as a result they were able to get better paying jobs, live a middle-class life, but those who were left behind in the inner cities they were trapped in poverty. I believe that people choose their way of life, yes it is true that things may be harder for an African American or a Latino person, but things are hard for everyone in their own individual ways. I do believe that in todays world things arent based on race in some places yes but as from what I see I believe its based on your social class, who you are, who you know, where you work, and how much money you have, thats what I believe matters in todays society. Although sociologists like Charles Willie, states that even African Americans do the same work as whites, whites average higher pay than African American, he argues that it racial discrimination not social discrimination. He states that we need to provide more jobs for the people in the inner cities; with more jobs theres more hope in inner cities and an anchor to a responsible life. But being richer for an African American is still a problem because certain people start assuming things for example an African American person driving a new car a cop tends to find reason to pull them over, just to make sure the car isnt stolen. Both sociologists have a strong point of view, but I also do have my own view in prejudice and discrimination. In todays society minority groups have a better chance to achieve their goals, for example everyone can attend the same college, travel the country, eat in the same place and even be best friends with someone of a different ethnicity, while this is taken for granted I honestly think its a beautiful thing. Prejudice and discrimination is a war that will be fought through out ones life regardless, of their race, color, size, height or social status. As we flash back we see that discrimination has always been around in all different forms. We, as the human race need to focus on not judging people before we know them for who they are. Today, there are so many type of people in the world that stereotyping are always incorrect. If everyone in the world had respect for one another we would live in peace and be able to let others believe in what they wish and except everyones differences. If we teach our children and change our ways, sometime in our future we will be closer to accepting that a mans character is based upon content of his soul, not his color, ethnicity, or their religion.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Opposite of Loneliness Essay Example for Free

Opposite of Loneliness Essay In the article â€Å"Opposite of loneliness† by Marina Keegan, it explains about the life of a young adult who started her adulthood in Yale University. A place she had found happiness and most certainly the opposite of loneliness. Moreover, she finds herself completely attached to it as she had said in the first paragraph â€Å"What I’m grateful and thankful to have found at Yale and what I’m scared of losing when we wake up tomorrow and leave this place†. This phrase shows us that Yale brought out the best in her, something she fears losing and that she is actually very reluctant to have to leave. She is afraid that all her memories and experiences she has gone through would be gone once she steps out of Yale. This article shows the basic development of a young adult’s social life beginning with a simple circle of friends or a clique and the attachment that became stronger as one grow fonder of the people around her which is exactly what she faces in her experience in Yale where it was mentioned in paragraph three, â€Å"Yale is full of tiny circle we pull around ourselves†. She found that even though not everyone knows everyone, there is still unity and a sense of togetherness among the students in Yale. She also added that the experienced they shared among themselves were priceless and unforgettable and that she felt safe and loved whenever in the company of her peers during her time in Yale. This article allows us to see that the writer begins to discover herself and learns to comprehend about life as she faces challenges along the way while being in Yale. The fear of knowing the truth or fear of not knowing at all is something every individual learns to adapt to however the word â€Å"fear† should never conquer a person as it would only demotivate ourselves instead f seeing the positive side of life just as she had mentioned in paragraph 4 â€Å"But let us get one thing straight: the best years of our lives are not behind us. They’re apart of us† The writer starts comparing the her past and the possible future where she wished that she could wind back time and correct her past mistakes and regrets if given the chance to. It makes us realize that in life there will be scenes playing in our minds like a 1980’s classical film in which the â€Å"What if† takes place. There are times that every individual wished they could go back in time and do something good for themselves or be a the chairperson of a certain society, things they never knew they had it in them or things they went through and it never crossed their mind that they actually did it which is exactly what she felt in herself, â€Å"I’ve looked back on my high school and thought: how did I do that? How did I work so hard? † Everybody would have their standards of living and expectations of succeeding however the article also makes us realize that no matter how perfectly we plan, we may not have the ending that we wished for. We can never be certain of what the future holds for us, however as life goes on, we understand that a human being tends to regret her decisions and change their minds ample of times which explains what she had mentioned in paragraph nine â€Å"If only I had majored in biology, if only I’d gotten involved in journalism as a freshman† The writer also shared uncertainties for what the future would hold for her. She starts comparing herself to others who have accomplished more than she has. Life is all about choices and it is these choices that she is most afraid of. The writer also stated that during her time in Yale, she never had to make any life changing choices and knows she has to start doing it once she graduated and is afraid to make the wrong choices. However, she added that however our lives turned out to be, the future is uncertain and that it can be altered at any point of our life. This can be seen when she said â€Å"What we have to remember is that we can still do anything. We can change our minds. We can start over†. At a young age especially an undergraduate student would always feel that there’s always something missing in their lives to what they’ve accomplished. However also at a young age the opportunity that lies ahead in the future is even bigger. For each expect the young adult faces in Yale University, she comes across one conclusion of her college life, loneliness was never involved however happiness, laughter and memories are definitely words to describe it. Stages by stages this article makes us understand that we as human beings should cherish each and every moment that we have and make the best out of it. Sustain it as a memory that becomes apart of you until the very end. Yes life is not a bed of roses however there’s no harm in trying to make it an enjoyable experience and ride.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Carlsberg

Carlsberg Company Overview Carlsberg A/S (Carlsberg) is one of the leadingbrewing companies in the world. The company is engaged in the production, retail and marketing of beers and non-alcoholic beverages. It is also engaged in the development and sale of real estate and operation of the Carlsberg Research Center. The company offers wide range of beer, mineral water, cider and malt based drinks through more than 500 brands including Carlsberg and regional brands such as Tuborg, Baltika and Kronenbourg. Carlsberg sells its products in more than 150 countries and operates approximately 100 subsidiaries in Western Northern European, Eastern European and Asian markets. Business description: Carlsberg A/S (Carlsberg) is the fourth largest brewery group in the world. The company along with its subsidiaries engaged in the production, retail and marketing of beers and non-alcoholic beverages. It offers beer, mineral water, cider and malt-based drinks under more than 270 brands. The company is also engaged in the development and sale of real estate and operation of the Carlsberg Research Center. Carlsberg operates through its several subsidiaries in Denmark and globally with over 45,505 employees. The companys beer portfolio includes more than 500 brands which vary significantly in volume, price, target audience and geographic penetration. The companys brand portfolio includes international brands such as Carlsberg, Tuborg, Baltika and 1664, and local brands such as Ringnes (Norway), Feldschlà ¶sschen (Switzerland), Lav (Serbia) and Wusu (Western China). During the fiscal year 2008, beer sales accounted for 75.9% of nets sales of the company. Along with core beer business, the company also offers Malt-based beverages and other beverages such as soft drinks, water and cider. These non alcoholic beverages are available in different flavors namely Coffee, Lemon, Chocolate, Angelica, Cloves, Raspberry, Prunes, Lime, Chili. Carlsberg operates in three geographical regions namely, Northern Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia. The Northern Western Europe segment includes the operations in countries Denmark, Italy, Poland, France, Greece, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Germany, the UK, and Ballistic states. This segment plays an important role in the companys business portfolio. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated DKK 37,128 million of the total net revenues from this segment. The Eastern Europe segment includes the operation in countries such as Russia, Ukrian, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. In this segment, Russia is the largest and market and accounts for 85% of segment s net revenue. The partial acquisition of Scottish Newcastle increased the importance of this region in the companys business portfolio. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated DKK 19,137 million of the total net revenues from this segment. The Asia segment operates in Malaysia, Singapore, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Carlsberg is one of the leading international brewery groups in Asia and has significant positions in a number of Asian markets and the Carlsberg brand is one of the major international beer brands in the region. During the fiscal year 2008, the company generated DKK 3,555 million of the total net revenues from this segment. During the year 2009 the company launched one of the worlds most expensive beers, Vintage No. 2. Further, it acquired 41% interest of Xinjiang Lanjian Jianiang Investment Co., Ltd and increased its stake to 89.3%. Robust Financial Performance The company has exhibited robust financial performance from the past few years. The company reported revenues of (Danish Krone) DKK 59,944.00 million during the fiscal year ended December 2008, an increase of 33.95% over 2007. The operating profit of the company was DKK 6,338.00 million during the fiscal year 2008, an increase of 31.09% over 2007. The net profit of the company was DKK 2,631.00 million during the fiscal year 2008, an increase of 14.54% over 2007. The higher level of earnings was due to the volume increase in growth markets. The strong financial growth of the company signifies its efficient cost structure and market share gains. Also, it would help in the future investments of the company such as strategic acquisitions. Market Leading Position Carlsberg is one of the fastest growing breweries in the world. It operates in Europe and Asia and sells its products in more than 150 countries. With the acquisition of Scottish Newcastle together with Heineken, it became the fourth largest brewery group in the world. It is the market leader in most of the countries in which it operates. The Group is the leader in the Western Europe countries with market share of 63% in Denmark, 54.2% in Norway, 37.7% in Sweden, and 46.9% in Finland. The Group also has a 45% market share in the Baltic countries and acquired number one position in Russia, Kazakhstan and Western China. This dominant market position and wide international presence helps in maintaining its market position and gives it the power to attract new customers and easily venture into new businesses. Consolidation of Beer Industry The beer industry in which Carlsberg operates is very competitive. With entrance of more new players and industry consolidation, the current level of competition is expected to further intensify in the near future, which may result in price reductions. In 1998, the top ten brewers accounted for 34% of the global beer market, but as the global consolidation process accelerated this figure grown to 59% in 2008. In 2008, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. acquired InBev and the company along with Heineken acquired Scottish Newcastle. This industry consolidation increases the company and if the company is not able to maintain the product quality and consumer loyalty, this intense competition could reduce the sales volume of the company, thereby affects its market position. Decrease in Global Beer Sales The decreasing global beer sales has been a major area of concern for the company as its core business activity is the sales of beer across the world. In the first three months of 2009, global beer sales volumes dropped by 6.3%, due to global economic downturn, bad weather and smoking bans in some countries. Beer sales volume in Western Europe declined 1.6% organically in 2008, due to the combined impact of the financial crisis, smoking bans in France, the UK, Finland and the Netherlands, and extraordinary increases in excise duties in the UK. According to the British Beer Pub Association (BBPA), beer sales in the UK, in the first quarter of 2009, dropped by 8.2% as compared to the same period in 2008. As the company operates principally in European beer markets, the decrease in beer sales may affect the sales and profits of the company.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

JEdgar Hoover :: essays papers

JEdgar Hoover J. Edgar Hoover was a young 25-year-old when he became the acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. His first federal job was as a clerk in the files division, and he quickly became one of the most respected and feared men in the free world. Even presidents knew better than to cross him. A consummate politician, Hoover was one of the first to ride the â€Å"media train† to power. He used the media as a tool and he knew that what people read and what they see and hear directly affect what they think. A brief biography, as an introduction to the man will aid us in the understanding of who he was, and through this we may gain incite into the reasons for why he did the things he did. Hoover was born New Years Day 1895 in Washington D.C. the youngest of three children. He had an older brother and sister that lived and an older sister that died as a baby. His mother, Annie Hoover had the greatest influence on him as a child. She was strong willed and militaristic in her approach to raising her children and running a family. She instilled in him a strong sense of right and wrong, and taught him the work ethic for which he would live by. Hoover was a winner, during his school years and beyond. As a boy Hoover was afflicted with a speech impediment. He was so determined to overcome this handicap that he read aloud for hours a day until he no longer stuttered. Hoover was short and slight in stature but he was athletic and quite agile. He was a member of his high school track team that went all-American. He was on the debate team and did quite well. This is probably where he got his combative nature. He was also the captain of his ROTC company in college. Giving him the leadership skills that he would need in later years. Hoover graduated near the top of his class from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in Law. (Powers, pp.48-52) With all of this going for him one might expect him to join the army as an officer as other men his age were being drafted to war, but as sole provider for his mother he was exempt from the draft. He also got his first taste of federal service when his uncle got him a position as a clerk in the files office of the Department of Justice.

Twinkies :: Sociology, Chinese Americans

Traditionally, Twinkies are usually thought of as cream-filled yellow sponge cakes. To Chinese Americans, a different image is conjured. When Chinese Americans integrate with the American culture so much that their Chinese culture is much less apparent, they are known as â€Å"Twinkies†: yellow on the outside and white on the inside. In Amy Tan’s essay â€Å"Mother Tongue† and Elizabeth Wong’s essay â€Å"The Struggle to be an All-American Girl†, both girls are Chinese American trying to fit in with the American society while their Chinese mother’s are very traditional at home. Tan and Wong are trying to please their image in America and their mothers at the same time. While these essays are similar because they focus on the native languages used in America and the struggles of being a Chinese American in America, they differ in both their attitudes toward their mothers and personal reflections of being Chinese American. An individual’s background is where one comes from and how he or she is raised. Tan is Chinese American. She has a traditional Chinese mother who speaks â€Å"broken† English. Tan states that, â€Å"It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than ‘broken’, as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed[. . .]† (Tan 43). Tan is an American school girl. As Tan listens to her mother use that type of dialect, it causes her perception of her mother to be distraught. Tan believed it â€Å"[. . .] reflected the quality of what [her mother] had to say† (Tan 43). For instance, department store clerks, bank employees and restaurant workers will ignore her mother when they can not understand her. Tan is a writer who loves the use of language. She says, â€Å"Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all-all the Englishes I grew up with† (Tan 41). She is able to adapt her dialect to her audience. With her mothe r, she uses â€Å"broken† English; with her colleagues, she uses correct English grammar. Similarly, Wong also grew up in America with a traditional Chinese mother. In contrast, Wong’s upbringing involves her mother forcing her into attending two different schools. After her American school day, Wong continues on with Chinese school to learn both cultures. Her mother felt it was her duty to â€Å"[. . .] learn the language of [her] heritage† (Wong 144). This puts a burden on Wong as she starts to despise the Chinese culture.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Holden Essay -- essays research papers

Holden Caulfield, the narrator and the main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, is a young adult, who, at first seems to simply describes his four day adventure in New York City after bring expelled from his forth school. However, at the same time he narrates more; through his many experiences, which he describes in the book, we can see the themes of the work. The theme that definitely stands out is the loss of innocence. Holden portrays himself as an individual, who does not want to grow up and change. From the beginning, it is obvious that Holden does not like anyone, except children. To Holden, the world around him, the adult world and all of its members, is phony. In other words, the innocent world of children is the only world that appeals to Holden. However, in the end the reader also gets to see Holden's change and eventual surrender to the adult world. The Catcher in the Rye is simply about Holden's futile resistance to growing up and his surrender. Holden's attempts to refuse maturing are seen through his failures in education, his attitude towards the adult world, and his caring for only children, but his sudden fall into maturity shows there is no escape from growing up. Holden's actions and the way he describes his experiences clearly show his refusal to grow up. The first sign of Holden's refusal to leave the childhood world behind is his constant failures in school. Holden has been kicked out of several schools already, from each one within a...

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Business & Cultural Strategy of Walt Disney

REPORT SUBJECT: STRATEGY AND CULTURE OF THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY BY: SARAH PETER BACKGROUND For more than eight decades, the name Walt Disney has been paramount in the industry of family entertainment. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to today's global corporation, The Walt Disney Company continues to proudly provide quality entertainment for every member of the family, across America and around the world. Originally known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, with Walt Disney and his brother Roy as equal partners, the company soon changed its name, to the Walt Disney Studio, at Roy's suggestion. Young arrived in California in the summer of 1923 with dreams and determination. He had made a short film in Kansas City about a little girl in a cartoon world, called Alice's Wonderland, and he planned to use it as his â€Å"pilot† film to sell a series of these Alice Comedies to a distributor. On October 16, 1923, a New York distributor, M. J. Winkler, contracted to release the Alice Comedies, and this date became the formal beginning of The Walt Disney Company. Section 1: External Environment a)The examples of factors that have effected the way it has behaved are as follows. Social: The Walt Disney Company fostered the spirit of creativity, innovation and excellence that continues to underlie all of the company’s success. It believes that quality entertainment is for all members of the family across America and around the world. It gives a chance for the whole family to sit together and have a good time. Technological: Silent cartoons were produced in as early as 192 7. He introduced the first film with synchronized sound – The Jazz Singer. This was a huge success and later implied on Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies, Steamboat Willie, etc. Mickey Mouse became an immediate sensation instantly. In partnership with Pixar Animation, the company released the first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story. This was followed by a series of highly successful Disney/Pixar collaborations, A bug's life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc. , Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. Economic: These movies were released in the theaters and people enjoyed watching them with their kids at a normal rate. These movies were not charged any differently than the Hollywood Classics. Political: During the war, Walt Disney made two films about South America, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, at the request of the State Department. The studio also concentrated on producing propaganda and training films for the military. When the war ended, it was difficult for the Disney Studio to regain its pre-war footing. With the advent of World War II, the company lost access to most of its foreign markets. The studio was also at some financial risk. Legal Factors: Within a year of its existence, Walt made 26 Oswald cartoons, but when he tried to get some additional money from Winkler for a second year of the cartoons, he found out that the distributor had gone behind his back and signed up almost all of his animators, hoping to make the Oswald cartoons in his own studio for less money without Walt. Since the distributor owned the rights to Oswald, there was nothing Walt could do. It was a painful lesson for the young cartoon producer. From then on, he learned that he owned everything he made. Later Walt with his chief animator Ub Iwerks, designed a mouse whom his wife named Mickey, and a star was born. (b)The relationship between the Walt Disney Company and the environment according to SWOT analysis is as follows: The Walt Disney Company’s Strengths 1. The Walt Disney Company is the second largest media and Entertainment Corporation in the world, after Time Warner, according to Forbes. 2. Diversified Entertainment Company. 3. It owns media networks as well as parks and resorts. 4. It makes movies and markets consumer products. 5. Developed a very strong and well known â€Å"brand-name and image† over many years. 6. Disney Land is the top rated destination for vacation. The Walt Disney Company’s Weaknesses 1. The idea of Disney’s frequent change in top management. 2. Broader product portfolio gains many different niches and gives them a bigger image, but it also means that there are going to be that many more workers. This means greater possibilities for miscommunication and a high chance for a bureaucracy in the company. As of September 2007, there were 130, 000 people working for Disney in some way or another. 3. According to many, the Hong Kong Disney Land Resort has yet to live up to the expectations of Disney’s resorts and parks. The $1. 8 billion theme park has only 16 attractions, only one of which is a classic Disney thrill ride (Space Mountain), compared to 52 at Disneyland Resort Paris. A recent study of Hong Kong Polytechnic University showed that 70% of the local residents had a negative opinion of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The Walt Disney Company’s Opp ortunities The markets of today are becoming more versatile to outsourcing and globalization and The Walt Disney Company is revealing this by (i) expanding outside of the United States and offering theme parks in France, Japan and China. ii) Another expansion opportunity from U. S. soil was mentioned earlier regarding the Disney Cruise Line, a service well placed and growing in popularity. The Walt Disney Company’s Threats 1. In Disney’s case their theme parks must meet the safety regulations of the countries in which they operate in order to stay in business and maintain their international status. 2. In the entertainment and theme park industry there are many competitors, such as Paramount Parks, Universal Studios and Six Flags Theme Parks. However, there are many other less visible competitors that one might not naturally think of when assessing the competitive market in which Disney deals. For example, there are hundreds of water parks and various funplexes that can also be considered as cheaper or more valuable competition for Disney. Competition, in any form, can diminish Disney’s market share in the entertainment industry. (c ) Guidelines for SWOT ANALYSIS for Walt Disney 1. Keep it simple 2. Focus on your organization. 3. Look for patterns. 4. Look for action that can be taken within a year. 5. Don't get lost in the future. 6. Be rooted in the now. Section 2: Organisational Culture (a)Organizational Culture of the Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company has a culture based on high-quality products, optimism for the future, great storytelling, an emphasis on family entertainment and great talent, passion and dedication from the Cast Members. A good example of shared values is Walt and Roy together with their chief and loyal animator Ub Iwerks, Walt created Mortimer Mouse, which was renamed Mickey Mouse by his wife. The first cartoon with synchronized sound was released at the Colony Theater in New York, November 18, 1928. Walt Disney won its first Academy Award for Best Cartoon in 1932 and continued to be honored with an Oscar every year for a decade. Disney appeals to our childhood. They will always be favored by kids and will surely keep a preferred spot in the minds of adults. If only they live up to meet our expectations, to visualize our common fantasies. Disney could survive on the â€Å"classics† if it needed to. They get a new audience every day. But where has the imagination gone that prevents us adding some value. Today Disney is milking their theme park business–to the detriment of their brand. There is no argument that Disney is a pop culture icon in the U. S. However, the substance is not there. The rides, with a few exceptions, are dated and boring. It is not into reinvesting into their theme park business to keep it on top. (b) Create (Adhocracy) Culture The Walt Disney Company has a Create (Adhocracy) Culture. This culture has a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and creative place to work. Innovation and risk-taking are embraced by employees and leaders. A commitment to experimentation and thinking differently are what unify the organization. They strive to be on the leading edge. The long-term emphasis is on growth and acquiring new resources. Success means gaining unique and new products or services. Being an industry leader is important. Individual initiative and freedom are encouraged. The Walt Disney Company has all the characteristics of a Creative Culture. The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. They seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world. The Walt Disney Company believes that it has to stay one step ahead of the competition to be the most innovative and creative animator. (c ) Organizational Culture and Organizational behavior of The Walt Disney Company. The Organizational Culture of The Walt Disney Company is a Create (Adhocracy) Culture. This culture invites and appreciates new, creative, innovative and exciting ideas. Walt and Roy believed that he had to stay one step ahead of the competition in order to be the most innovative and creative animator of all times. They have a high standard of entertainment and have made people believe that animation and cartoons are not only for children but for adults as well. The implementation of these stimulating ideas with the advantage of latest technological devices and techniques and training their employees is the organizational behavior of the company. Disney has constructed its own University that employees must attend and complete before ever being allowed to work at a Disney Theme Park. Disney University believes â€Å"The front line is the bottom line,† and, â€Å"It’s 10 percent product and 90 percent service,†. d ) Compete (Market)† Culture Using a different culture like that of a â€Å"Compete (Market)† Culture in which job completion is main objective of the company and employees are competitive and goal-oriented, a different approach would be established by the leaders who will be demanding, hard-driving, and productive. The emphasis on winning unifies the o rganization. Reputation and success are common concerns. Long-term focus is on competitive action and achievement of measurable goals and targets. Success means market share and penetration. Competitive pricing and market leadership are important. This type of organisational culture would demand a tough and strict environment where openness and creativity is limited or not required. It would have a â€Å"do as said† attitude with acute strictness and constrictiveness. All the ideas would be commanded by the producer and the animators would follow as instructed without being allowed to interrupt or magnify their imagination. This would be unsuitable environment for Walt Disney as Disney is all about magic, imagination and dreams. Section 3: Business Strategy (a) Four Types of Strategies Price Leadership – through dominating the industry – others follow your price lead †¢Global – seeking to expand global operations. †¢Reengineering – thinking outside the box – looking at new ways of doing things to leverage the organisation’s performance. †¢Contraction/Expansion – focus on what you are good at (core competencies) or seek to expand into a range of markets. (b) The Walt Disney Strategy The Walt Disney Company has adopted the strategy of Expanding. Since its start in 1923, Walt and his brother worked out their best to present and invent the best animations ever. The Walt Disney Company is in business to (i) produce entertaining theatrical productions that are family oriented and family friendly (ii) to create products and toys that will promote their theatrical productions that are both entertaining and safe for children (iii) to entertain families who are looking for a fun, interactive and safe vacation spot both with resorts and parks, and also cruise lines (iv) keeping their name reputable and substantial in a growing business. Benefits 1. Disney Land is Europe’s Top Destination for vacation. 2. Extremely popular among children and adults. 3. It is a global leader in the industry of entertainment. Walt Disney Company was ranked 8th in the Top 100 Global Brands ranking of the BusinessWeek Magazine and Interbrand, a branding consultancy, in 2006. 4. Exposure and variety of entertainment packages to fans by opening Resorts, launching Cruise Lines and Disney Lands in Tampa, Hong Kong and Paris, result, increased capital flow and no advertisement required. ( c ) Comparison Disney Company worked on the Strategy of Expansion but now they work on something more of a combination of Reengineering and Expansion after the launch of many quality competitors in market. The Disney Land especially in Hong Kong is not enjoyed by the fans as the entertainment essentials are limited as compared to the other destinations and are very dated. The Walt Disney Company is now working to expand itself by figuring out new ways of attraction and alluring to fans by opening Cruise Lines and Resorts and Fun Houses throughout their Disney Land. (d ) Factors to Consider to change Strategy 1. Quality is imperative than quantity. 2. Dated entertainment ideas and facilities should be updated to the demands of the new generation while keeping the classic touch polished. 3. Innovative marketing, strategic investment and financial discipline should be developed to keep pace in entertainment market. 4. The Walt Disney Company had to analysis its management and employees to determine where they stood as they were losing fans and had market value. 5. Competitors like Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures have worldwide successful theme parks and funplexes. To triumph over them Disney Land had to study its new fans and keep its signature. (e ) Business Strategy and Strategic Choice The type of Business the Walt Disney Company wanted to have depended upon the Business Strategy it approached. It did quite well in the beginning and won Oscar awards and achieved the most out of the market. The Brand was the most popular and demanded and nailed its name in the industry. But as time passed and new generation emerged, a new taste came into existence and therefore things had to be renewed and improved. Earlier Disney was the only animation company but, as time passed and quality competitors surfaced, larger competition and criticizers appeared. The Walt Disney Company had opened remarkable entertainment property which encouraged fans to meet and enjoy their childhood favorite character. But the strategy they adopted was not enough for to attract the new graphics and 3D oriented generation. Therefore they had to opt for the Strategic Choice of the market and indulge in the dept of entertainment with time. They are still the leaders as they chose the right action at the right time. (f) The Key Issues The Walt Disney Company should keep in account to manage its Business Strategy are: †¢Latest approach of entertainment. †¢Should make Sci fi Movies with a more realistic approach. †¢Educational Films to be produced as well. †¢Disney Land worldwide should be upgraded. Employee Satisfaction is a must and Management should take account of each department. †¢Quality should be maintained. †¢Competitors and Internal weaknesses are studied. Section 4: Change (a)Change of Strategy The Strategy of the Walt Disney Company had to change overtime due the increasing demand of hi-tech technology, graphics and updated modes of entertainment. The competitors rooted to attract people with the latest knowledge and entertainment techniques. Despite winning Oscars and being branded as the finest animator, Disney overlooked the need of freshness and contemporariness. No doubt, Disney was experimenting and innovating but, using the same old but famous characters. People wanted a new character and novel themes. There Parks were attracting new crowd but couldn’t bring back the old ones. These factors intimidated Disney and it had to think over its strategy. (b)Social Responsibility The urge to make people happy is stated to be the Social Responsibility of the Walt Disney Company. The main objective and goal of Disney is to impart happiness, enchantment and amusement to people. They have been very successful so far but, as times changed and new generations emerged, they had to think over their product. Disney opened many resorts, hotels, cruise liners, but couldn’t attract the old customers. It made them happy but couldn’t keep them loyal. Getting to the root cause of this they realized that their amenities were dated and needed rejuvenation with tools of technology, graphics, new characters, new stories, new modes of entertainment in the theme parks, Disney TV channels, sports and news channels, in short, a new approach to the new generation. (c ) Role of Management To Changes As already mentioned there is a strategic change in the company and some new operations are introduced. The Management already has a very good policy of providing necessary training to its employees. They can further inform their employees about the market situation. It can make the staff understand the importance and need of the new operations and changes and insist why it needs the best from their employees. It can provide customer service training and motivate them to produce the best out of their service and compete with the growing competition. (d ) Advice to The Walt Disney Company To analyze a change in situation the management should keep itself updated about the market situation. It should not just look into the expansion of the Business but also keep an eye on the changing market industry and new requirements of the fans. It should study the developments of its competitors. There would be resistance to the changing market but to overcome this resistance, it can hold meetings and make its staff and managers realize the substance and requirement of the changes by providing detailed and proper explanation. Better knowledge of the market and motivation to achieve the target can help overcome the resistance to change. Reference

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

A Brief Look at the Origin of English Idioms

Idioms appear in every phraseology and their inwardness is often confusing. Because the centre of the whole group of terminology interpreted together has little to do with the sums of the spoken language taken whizz by one. In order to understand a language, one must know what idioms in that language mean. If we want to figure out the kernel of an idiom literally, word by word, we leave behind get befuddled as we obligate to know its hidden meaning. near of the idioms do not coincide with their impart meanings simply hundreds of eld ago they titleually did.If we search into the root word of the idioms, we potty declare a spacious deal of teaching well-nigh that nations culture, record and even policy. Idioms come from different sources, from the tidings to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. some dates noteworthy authors such as Homer, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add incite to their writings. whatsoever idioms came from Native-American routines and others from African-American speech. several(prenominal) popular idioms began as folksy maxims use in particular regions of the country and verbalize in local dialects.However, the name of the first author or speaker who utilize particular expressions is not often obvious. Some idioms go back in date to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. For instance, Achilles heel- the meaning is the dimness, interruption or vulnerable spot in ones strong character. yet the subscriber line of this idiom goes back to the times when Greek poet Homer wrote his famous trifle Iliad. In the Iliad the famous story slightly the Trojan war Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However, he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot.When he was a baby, his fuss wanted to be real that her son could never be h beef uped, so he dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical river Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulner able. But since she was retention him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. years later Achilles was killed in the Trojan War by the enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel. Nowadays, this idiom is hitherto utilise to show ones weakness. For example, I like pointing historical books, alone science fiction is my Achilles heel.There is to a fault some other example of the idiom which originates from the most famous poem by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge The create verbally of the Ancient Mariner, written in 1798. Albatross slightly your neck- the meaning is a very difficult burden you cant get rid of. In the poem a little skimmer shoots a large seabird called albatross. In those days that was considered very lucky. A potentiometer of bad amours happen to the ship, and the crew blames the young sailor. They hang the dead bird around his neck.From that time, this idiom is utilise to speak about a burden or a reminder of something you did that was wrong. Wherever I go, my child follows me. She is an albatross around my neck. We can disclose a lot to a greater extent examples of idioms which consecrate very interesting origin and will us new entropy of that time springer. For instance, Wear your heart on your sleeve-the meaning is to show ones emotions and feelings openly. William Shakespeare apply this expression in his famous calamity Othello around the year 1600. In those days, it was the custom for a young lady to describe a ribbon around the arm of her boyfriend.The boy then wore this favour on his sleeve, one of the visible parts of his clothing, to vaunting the feelings of his heart for the entire world to see. Today, it is used not completely to show love, but also another emotion too. Everyone in our office knows that Mel doesnt get along with the boss, because he wears his heart on his sleeve. some other such example is, pull the woolen over your eyes-the meaning is to fool, deceive, or takeoff someone. In 19t h century atomic number 63 m each men wore wigs made of wool. In British courts today, some lawyers and judges still wear them.If you pulled the wig over the someones eyes, he or she couldnt still see what was happening and could informal be tricked. It was said that if a apt(p) lawyer fooled a judge, he was displace the wool over the judges eyes. Now, we use this expression to describe any act of cheating or trickery. Jacob was seek to pull the wool over his mothers eyes by dictum he was working at the depository library with his friends. Some idioms have originated from political actions and their origin can bowl over us information about certain historical events. For example, ingest the riot-the meaning is to heartbreakingly scold or warn someone.In 1714 the British Parliament passed what was called the thigh-slapper Act. It said if twelve or more people gathered illegally, riotously, and tumultuously, a magistrate could take them to break up and leave except by rea ding the opening words of the Riot Act. If they didnt leave at bottom an hour, they were guilty of breaking the law and were inclined a severe punishment. As the years went by, reading someone the riot act came to mean warning a soul in the strongest possible terms of severe punishment if he or she did not stop a certain activity.When students came to rank unprepared, the teacher read her the riot act. other example is Dime a dozen-the meaning is very common and inexpensive easy to get and available anywhere. In 1786 US Congress officially named the ten-cent coin a dime. The dime soon became a popular coin. Millions were minted and everyone had them. Since they were so cheap and so common, the phrase a dime a dozen became a natural focus to describe any everyday thing that was easy to get and of small value.And dime and dozen begin with the same letter, which makes the saying catchy through alliteration. I sentiment those books were rare, but they were a dime a dozen. All ab ove mentioned examples show us that idioms teach us not merely the language but also give us information about customs and traditions of a certain time. When we learn idioms, we should also take into consideration not only their meaning, but also their origin. Learning the origin of idioms will help us read and speak with new understanding.

Gemini Electronics Essay

1. What was the business toughie of similitude? The business model was to produce TVs on a just-in-time basis to steal away on most of the distribution savings to the consumers. He planned to cater to the big box retailers much(prenominal) as Best Buy and Walmart to establish a few, who wanted to cut down their supply chains by sourcing TVs in north America. By shortening the supply chain you profit reliability making it easier to address uncertainties as well(p) as building lean production to decease waste to reduce production time and cost. a. What were the disclose success factors that determined its past profitability? The anchor factors that determined its profitability was the reputation for having excellent type at affordable determines below the competition. b. What are the risks counterpart is facing now? The risk similitude is facing now is the recessions, the Korean and Japanese competitors lowering their prices, expert trends emerging such(prenominal) as th e 3D TVs and television phone capabilities, and difficulty trying to convince major(ip) retailers to carry their product. In order for those products to be carried, retailers touch for more generous credit terms and no interest on overdue accounts.2. What is your assessment of the follows recent performance and current scene in the marketplace placeplace? Gemini has been grown and holds the U.S. market share at 35% proven itself to be a strong contender in this industry. through with(predicate) the years 2005-2008 net income increase substantially which could cogitate that on that point was sales growth and improved or reduced cost in operating efficiency. With a continuing increase in net income, there are effectiveness opportunities for stock price and market cap increases. This will in turn cast off Gemini a favorable party for potential investors. In 2009 the net income decrease but that could give up been due to the recession occurring in that time frame. Consumers probably didnt have the money to splurge on TVs and electronics. There was also the threat of the Sony 3D television and video phone capabilities. perchance the consumers were more attracted to what was new and trending at that time.3. Does Gemini lack to establish operations outside the U.S. or stool itsurvive as a domestic social club? It doesnt need to because at this moment the alliance is very profitable domestically. That would definitely be something to remember in the future after first stigmatization its products as made in the the States. I also agree with Wang in strategically training to develop Geminis product pull out to be able to complete internally with competitors such as Sony and LG. a. What operational issues is Gemini likely to breast if it expends internationally? Issues Gemini could face would be the vivacious competition, regulations, financial risk such as the switch rate between currencies could lead to disappointing reward on investments. Th ere may be issues with availability to supplies needed when dealing with tariffs and fees to ship products in.4. What is your assessment of Gemini and what strategies do you advise Gemini to follow. My assessment of Gemini is that the company is operating in a dexterity to where, it can generate revenue, cut operational and distributional cost, and still offer savings to consumers without decreasing the price of the units sold or quantity for certain products indicating that the company is continually growing despite the 2009 occurrences. I recommend that they rebrand themselves as a made in USA product and continue to become innovative and applied science savvy to develop their product line in order to compete with other big name competitors.