The process of preparing and delivering our team’s presentation

Abstract In any organizational or institutional setting, teamwork is usually instrumental in meeting departmental or organizational objectives. Even with the benefits that are associated with groups or teamwork, there are several challenges that may hinder attainment of the set objectives. This paper presents the process that was involved in the preparation and delivery of our group presentation. It discusses the stages of development that the group went through, highlighting the exercises that were undertaken at each stage. With reference to group motivation theory, it addresses the approaches that were used during the group exercise to motivate members to contribute towards the exercise. It has also presented the competencies that group members developed in the course of the group exercise. Introduction This paper provides an overview of the processes involved in the preparation and delivery of our team presentation. It relates the group work process to theories and literature on organizational behavioural theory that can be used to explain dynamics in group and teamwork. The main concepts to be covered in this paper include group and team development, motivation and learning at work. Group development is defined as the stages that groups undergo, from creation of the group to accomplishment of the assigned task (Bonebright, 2010). Motivation, which is a vital determinant of productivity, refers to the approaches used to trigger a desire in an individual to be more dedicated to the accomplishment of their tasks (Sachau, 2007). Learning at work, or team learning, is the attainment of skills by individuals in the course of the group task (Zellmer-Bruhn & Gibson, 2006).Group and Team DevelopmentThis are the stages through which undergo from assembling team members to attainment of the set objective. There are different models that can be used to describe the process or group development. One of the widely used models is Bruce Tuckman’s four-stage model formulated in 1965, which divides the development process into four stages. These are forming, storming, norming and performing (Egolf & Chester, 2013). Whereas some teams undergo all these stages in group development, some end at the norming stage, which was also the case with our team. This section relates the development of our group with reference to Tuckman’s four-stage model. According to Bonebright (2010), the forming stage involves creating an understanding of one’s team members. It is also characterized by the desire of individual team members to be accepted as part of the larger group (Hill & Parsons, 2014). In our team, this stage of group development involved activities that could enable us to work together and be more productive. Team members spent time interacting and knowing abou t each other so as to eliminate the tension that could prevent them from effectively working together. This stage also involved the appointment of the group leader, setting of ground rules and agreeing upon the meeting schedules. Conflicts were minimal at this stage, which can be attributed to the fact that challenges associated with teamwork had not yet arisen. The second stage in group development is storming. This is the stage where different ideas or opinions are presented by group members for consideration (Garfield & Dennis, 2012). It is highly likely for group members to present conflicting opinions, which also triggers rivalry and tension within the group. Whereas conflicts might be considered as being adverse towards attainment of the team’s objectives, constructive conflicts provide a chance for group members to select the appropriate options to pursue in addressing the task at hand (Fleishman et al., 2008; De Wit et al., 2012). This is the most critical stage in gr oup development, and issues have to be resolved before moving to the next stage (Egolf & Chester, 2013). Referring to the process of delivering our team’s presentation, some of the conflicts that arose included the theories to incorporate in the presentation or the sources to be used. For instance, I questioned why the group leader insisted on using books as our main sources, yet peer reviewed journals that were readily available in the college library database could also be used to compliment books. Other group members also questioned why they could not use any source they come across on the internet. However, these conflicts were minor and short lived. The third stage is of group developing is referred to as norming (Egolf & Chester, 2013). After the conflicts have been resolved in the storming stage, the effectiveness of the team begins to increase, trust among team members grows and the individual differences are appreciated (Garfield & Dennis, 2012). This was the final s tage of development for our group. For the functionality of the team, some group members stopped persisting with their ideas for the sake of avoiding conflict. There was also an increased cohesion among members, and as opposed to conflicting opinions that characterized the storming stage, team members showed support for each other, and provided constructive feedback for each others’ contribution to the team. The fourth stage of group development is referred to as productivity. According to Egolf and Chester (2013), not all groups progress to this stage. Our group did not get to this stage based on the fact that the task that was to be accomplished was short-term. In summary, the developments that took place in our group, as well as the issues that characterized them, closely relate to Tuckman’s four stage model (forming, storming norming and performance). The fact that the group exercise was short-term meant that the group development did not progress to the performanc e stage, but the objective of the team was met. Group Motivation Motivation in teamwork incorporates all the efforts that are made by team members to increase the cohesion and levels of productivity of the entire team (Wright et al., 2012). With reference to Hertzberg’s dual factor theory of motivation, there is a set of factors that increases the productivity of individuals in accomplishing their tasks. There is also another separate set of factors that cause dissatisfaction and thus, limit individual productivity (Sachau, 2007). This section addresses the approaches that were used to motivate group members. In group work, one of the motivation approaches is through ensuring effective communication among all people within the group (Dunin-Keplicz & Verbrugge, 2011). In group work, responsibilities are divided into smaller tasks and assigned to members depending on their competence. Given that all these sub-tasks contribute towards the attainment of the overall team objective, it is necessary for all team members to communicate about the pr ogress of their respective tasks. This will avoid situations where some members unknowingly derail, or fail to complete their tasks within the agreed upon time limits (Lencioni, 2012). During the preparation and delivery of our group presentation, we ensured that communication between us was effective. This was done by requesting all group members to provide their phone numbers and email addresses. We also followed each other on social media platforms. This ensured that if there was a breakdown in one communication channel, there was always another viable objective. When handling group tasks, it is vital to schedule regular meetings in consideration of the responsibilities of all group members. This ensures that every group member is available during the meeting (Dunin-Keplicz & Verbrugge, 2011). Regular meetings also allow for close consultations between group members in case some group members hit a snag in completing the tasks that they have been assigned (Lencioni, 2012). Most o f the members in our team were dedicated and never skipped meetings. Whereas there were team members who easily handled the tasks that they had been allocated, there are some who found it quite challenging to accomplish their tasks. We understood the fact that there are some people who are quicker than others in accomplishing their assigned tasks than others is common. Thus, instead of reprimanding them, we took to the initiative to ensure that group members who had a challenge in completing their tasks were assisted to complete them. Motivation in teamwork also entails making everybody feel like they valuable members (Hill & Parsons, 2014). For instance, if a decision is to be made about a project, the opinions of all group members have to be considered. This encourages constructive debates, which are vital for rational decision making. The group members’ motivation to deliver may be adversely affected if major decisions are only made by a section of the team, which may also lead to groupthink. Groupthink is a common phenomenon in teamwork where the fear of conflicts, or desire for group conformity and harmony, causes other group members to agree with decisions made by others. This is regardless of whether they are suitable or not (De Wit et al., 2012). During our group work, all members were allowed to actively engage in discussions and every opinion presented was listened to. Even though it was not possible to implement incorporate all members’ opinions in decision making, reasons why some opinions were considered over others was also clearly explained to all group members. Our team was culturally diverse, and included people from both genders. Therefore, tasks were distributed in consideration of this diversity. Different approaches were used to motivate group members. However, even with the efforts that were made to optimize the productivity of every group member, there were some individuals who failed to attend group meetings without good r easons. Regardless of these drawbacks, the rest of the team worked diligently to the completion of the project. Learning at Work Learning at work refers to the skills and competencies that members of a team learn as they collectively accomplish a task (Zellmer-Bruhn & Gibson, 2006). Typically, the abilities of each individual in the team will vary, with each being more competent in some areas, less competent in others In this regard team members learn from each other through sharing knowledge so as to compliment one another’s skills (Dunin-Keplicz & Verbrugge, 2011). This section discusses the process of team learning within the group during the exercise. Team members have to ensure that they have created strong relationships and trust amongst themselves to facilitate team learning. Failure to create a team environment that allows members to learn from one another may undermine the attainment of the overall team objective (Lencioni, 2012). Learning at work or team leaning can be made possible through observations, dialogue and reflection (Hill & Parsons, 2014). Team members should be willing to enable t hose who are not as competent as they are in certain aspects that are vital to the accomplishment of the team’s objective to improve. Likewise, team members who lack some competencies ought to take the initiative to learn through observation or asking for assistance (Zellmer-Bruhn & Gibson, 2006). One of the models that can be used to understand team leaning is the action-learning cycle (Coghlan & Rigg, 2012). Action learning is a continuous learning process, where individuals from their own experiences and actions, as well as those of other members of their team. Through their own experience, people learn to avoid repeating mistakes they did and continue to improve their competencies in certain disciplines. The action-learning cycle was designed to enable individuals to draw lessons from their experiences by making analytical reflections of their actions (Pedler & ?Abbott, 2013). This means that lessons from past experiences can guide present actions, while lessons learnt fr om the current experience can be used to guide future actions. In the course of the preparation and delivery of our group presentation, team members learnt from each other in different ways. Based on the relationship that had been developed between team members, dialogue was one of the most used approaches for team learning. Group members were willing to share information with others to improve each other’s levels of competence. For instance, one two of our team members were competent in using different data analysis approaches so as to come up with relevant conclusions on the research topic. In addition to this, while most of us were comfortable with the basic function of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, one of the team members and I, were more competent with the more advanced options. Therefore, we spent some time during meetings learning from and teaching each other. Learning took different approaches, which included reflections and observations. Even though some of t he competencies that were learnt were not improved to the extent that perfection was attained, most of the group members had improved their skills in one aspect or other. I improved my confidence and public speaking skills through the mock presentations that were held by the group in preparation for the final presentation to a larger audience.. All team members also learnt several concepts that could enable them to be more productive members of teams in future. In summary, the group exercise was instrumental in developing some competencies that every group member lacked. As mentioned, different approaches were used in learning or teaching each other about different concepts that were challenging for different group members. Conclusion The capability of an individual to be a productive member of a team is one of the vital competencies that are required for success in any aspect of life. In the preparation and delivery of our group presentation, several characteristics of groups, which relate to organizational behavioural theory, were identified. This paper has presented an overview of the factors that characterized the team working process. One of these is the process through which the ram developed through the formation, storming and norming stages. Based on the fact that the group assignment was short-term, we did not get into the performance stage. The motivation factors that contributed towards the achievement of the overall team goal have also been presented in this paper. Ways in which different group members leant from each other to improve their competencies in several areas have also been addressed in this paper. Whereas the group task was successfully accomplished, some of the few drawbacks that affected the research have also been presented. References Bonebright, D.A., 2010. 40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckman’s model of small group development. Human Resource Development International, 13(1), pp.111-20. Coghlan, D. & Rigg, C., 2012. Action learning as praxis in learning and changing. Research in Organizational Change and Development, 20, pp.59-89. De Wit, F.R.C., Greer, L.L. & Jehn, K.A., 2012. The Paradox of Intragroup Conflict. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97, pp.360-90. Dunin-Keplicz, B. & Verbrugge, R?., 2011. Teamwork in Multi-Agent Systems: A Formal Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Egolf, D. & Chester, S., 2013. Forming Storming Norming Performing. Bloomington: IUniverse. Fleishman, R., O’Leary, R?. & Gerard, ?C., 2008. Recent Developments in Conflict Resolution and Collaboration. London: Emerald Group Publishing. Garfield, M.J. & Dennis, A.R., 2012. Toward an Integrated Model of Group Development: Disruption of Routines by Technology-Induced Change. Journal of Management Information Systems, 29(3), pp.43-86. Hill, F. & Parsons, L?., 2014. Teamwork in the Management of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. New Jersey: Routledge. Lencioni, P., 2012. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Intact Teams Participant Workbook. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Miner, J.B., 2005. Organizational Behavior: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. New York: M.E. Sharpe. Pedler, M. & ?Abbott, C., 2013. Facilitating Action Learning: A Practitioner’S Guide. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill International. Sachau, D.A., 2007. Resurrecting the motivation-hygiene theory: Herzberg and the positive psychology movement. Human Resource Development Review, 6(4), pp.377-93. Wright, B.E., Moynihan, D.P. & Pandey, S.K., 2012. Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service, Motivation, and Mission Valence. Public Administration Review, 72(2), p.206–215. Zellmer-Bruhn, M. & Gibson, C., 2006. Multinational organization context: Implications for team learning and performance. Academy of Management Journal, 49(3), pp.501-18.

Decision Making in Product Purchasing

Decision making in consumer purchasing is defined as the psychological process of selecting a particular course of action among other alternatives.   But for one to be able to do this, he must first go through various stages that will enable him be aware of the product and how to obtain it. These transactions are useful especially in determining the purchasing behavior of a consumer. The stages involved in this process are: Awareness this is a stage where a consumer must be aware of the existence of a particular product in the market.   The second stage is interest, meaning, the consumer must be interested in the product he intends to buy. This is then followed by understanding whereby, the consumer should be able to know how the particular product will meet his needs (Baker). The next stage is attitude under this the consumer must be able to develop a positive feeling towards the product. The final stage is the purchase which is the buying decision made by the consumer. Though there are many goods to choose from in the market getting more information about the product by visiting different stores, discussing with friends and relatives, reading, listening and watching advertisements in media and on the Internet helps in the decision making process. Considering the advantages and the disadvantages of the products, the availability of the product in the market and the resources available and how the good will meet my needs is a big part of choosing which products to purchase. The evaluation of the product’s quality, durability and usefulness among others was considered. The following factors enabled me to come up with a decision in purchasing the listed products. Need: The decision of the purchase of the official dress came as a result of need. It was recommended that to attend the meeting; one had to put on a particular kind of clothing.   Research was used in discovering the most cost effective place to purchase the clothing and the particular brand others would be wearing in order to fit the group. The purchase of the perfume was due to the need to have a good fragrance after a shower. The decision making process in this was personal taste (Baker).   It required sampling different fragrances to find the one that was the most appealing. The need for a good toothbrush, tooth paste and the mouth wash was to maintain the good health of the mouth including the teeth, gums, and tongue and maintaining fresh breath throughout the day. Again the decision of a particular kind over another was the result of personal preference.   Toothpaste and mouthwash needs to provide the most appealing taste possible. The need for communicating with colleagues and other members of the family or friends who are far away led to the purchase a mobile phone that would ease communication. Brand loyalty can be a factor in buying a mobile phone, but the best package of services provided for the cost is usually a better deciding factor. The need for a television set was entertainment and to be informed on what is happening globally. Through television we are educated on particular areas of our social lives.   The purchase of a television is often decided by brand loyalty.   People often go back to the brand they have had good luck with in the past.   The need to keep my self healthy by avoiding headaches during the day is why the medicine was bought.   This is decided by what works the best on each individual’s headache.   If it does not get rid of the headache, it is not worth buying. Motives: These are personal forces that make an individual engage in various purchasing activities which therefore satisfies his needs. Since actions are normally affected by motives, the following motives brought the need to buy these particular products. Love, safety, self actualization and esteem were the basic factors that contributed to the purchase of the listed products. Knowledge: Under this, the ability to learn is applied, whereby a persons’ behavior is changed through the information given to the product purchased.   In this case, my knowledge of operating the mobile phone and the television set led me to decide on the buying of these products knowing that there will be no loss or damage caused while operating them. Therefore the knowledge of the product to be bought must also be considered as a leading factor in a consumers purchasing behavior.   It is also important to know which brands and models as well as service packages best fit the buyer’s needs. Attitude: These are defined as the feelings towards a product this can be a negative feeling or a positive feeling this is normally learned through practice and communication with other people in society, through interaction with different people, including friends and family members. A positive attitude towards these products is one factor that leads people towards return purchases of the same product (Hoyer). Personality: This is the characteristics that make an individual unique; this normally derives from inheritance and personal experience. Such characteristics include: Self confidence, friendliness, ambitiousness, and aggressiveness. In different aspects of Lifestyle this is defined as a change towards an individual’s independence that leads to a preference for a particular type of life. For instance the buying of products such as a particular model of a mobile phone was decided upon by the type of mobile phones that a particular class of people in the country posses.   This is often a large deciding factor for brand loyalty, because a person only wants to purchase the brand that the people around them or like them have.   Designer labels are a result of this. Culture and Sub-Culture: These are values, and attitudes accepted by family members and the society at large these factors determine what product is tolerable within the family. This is normally used to determine what people wear, eat, and how they travel. Packaging clothing to include the hang tags and labels that provide information on how to take care of the garment creates a positive attitude towards the garment leading to its purchase. Also, the fiber content and the place of its manufacturer led to deciding on purchasing the item that is probably going to last the longest, require less care and look better. The companies known for better production of these products are known to be implying the best marketing strategies that will enable them to achieve the targeted market these strategies include: Pricing-the company uses the pricing methods to enable its product to reach its marketing standards. Whereby various pricing methods are applied such as Premium pricing this is where the uniqueness of the company product is defined. This pricing is normally high and is totally used where there is a substantial competition of the product in the market. For the company to be able to gain the market share, it therefore applies the penetration pricing whereby, once the company achieves the market share, it increases the price of its product. Also in situations where the company’s need to promote the product in the market, then it uses the promotional method of pricing in which a consumer is asked to buy a product and the purchase is accompanied by a free sample of the product (Hoyer). The place or the channel of distribution, this is the activity that is used by the companies to move their product from the production to consumption. These companies are said to have come across various channels of distribution to enable their products reach the targeted market. This means that they either use the direct or the indirect channels, that is it may be to the consumers directly or through wholesalers. They normally consider the following, in deciding on the type of the distribution channel to use.   They ensure that the market segment the distributor is familiar with in which therefore the distributor is made familiar with the company’s target markets. They ensure that their company policies, strategies and image match that of the distributor. There are various types of channels the producers apply in the distribution of their products this includes: wholesalers, these are said to be buying goods in bulk from the company and selling them in smaller packages for resale by the retailers. They also provide storage facilities for the products. Wholesalers offer the companies a reduced physical contact cost between the producers and consumers. They also use agents who are normally used in international markets; they are used to widen the international market for the goods. Retailers are also used who have a strong personal relationship with the consumers through whom the products are exposed to the buyers, they offer credits to customers thus promoting and merchandising the companies’ products. (Brassington). The internet is also used through which the companies have a geographically wider market and this has enabled their products to reach a wider audience. The other element used by the companies is promotion. This is the marketing communication that is used by getting the products into the market and pushing the consumers to the point of purchasing the products. The following is practiced; Personal selling, this is a way of maintaining personal customer relations in which the sales person acts on behalf of the companies. These sales people are trained and have the personal selling techniques. Advertising is largely   used to create awareness of the products by the consumers so that the companies may gain responses from their target markets. There are many advertising mediums including, print (newspapers, journals and posters.) and electronic(television, internet and radio). Mediums of communication the companies use to create awareness of the products by buyers. Public Relations are also applied by these companies, which has led to a sustained and planned effort in establishing and bringing understanding between the companies and its consumers. Lastly, they use the exhibitions to make new contacts and renewing the old contacts, this is used to increase the awareness of the products to the consumers thus giving the companies an opportunity to meet both the trade and consumers (Kotler). The other customers will not be able to have the same opinions since marketing opportunities increase when customer groups with varying needs and wants are recognized. Markets can be segmented or targeted on a variety of factors including age, gender, location, geographic factors, demographic characteristics, and family life cycle, desire for relaxation or time pressures. Segments or target markets should be accessible to the business and large enough to provide a solid customer base.   Therefore, a business must analyze the needs and wants of different market segments before determining its niche. References: Baker, M. (2000): Marketing Management and Strategy, 3rd edn: Macmillan Business, London. Blythe, J. (2001): Essentials of Marketing, 2nd edn: Prentice Hall, New York, Brassington, F. and Pettitt, S. (2000): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, Harlow, New York Hoyer, W.D. and MacInnis, D.J. (2001): Consumer Behavior, 2nd Edn: Houghton Mifflin Company, New York Kotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Saunders, J. and Wong, V. (1999): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, New Jersey Decision Making in Product Purchasing Decision making in consumer purchasing is defined as the psychological process of selecting a particular course of action among other alternatives, this is said to be the simplest process that a consumer needs to apply before purchasing a particular product. But for one to be able to do this, he must first of all go through various stages that will enable him be aware of the product and how to obtain it. These transactions are useful especially in determining the purchasing behavior of a consumer. The stages involved in this process are:Awareness this is a stage where a consumer must be aware of the existence of a particular product in the market, this is because, if a buyer is not aware of the product then there will be no action taken on the purchasing process. The second stage is interest, meaning, the consumer must be interested in the product he intends to buy, therefore he is persuaded by the content of the message that the product is relevant to his needs. This is then followe d by understanding whereby, the consumer should be able to know how the particular product will meet his needs. [1] The next stage is attitude under this the consumer must be able to develop a positive feeling towards the product depending on the persuasive message given about the product by the producers.Then the final stage is the purchase which is the buying decision made by the consumer, this may take some time later after trying to get the shop that stocks the favorite. Though there are many goods to choose in the market the following factors, made me have the knowledge about the listed products that I had to purchase so that they meet my needs, getting more information about the product this was done by visiting different stores ,discussing with friends, relatives, reading, listening and watching advertisements on media and also most information about the products was found on the Internet; through which various comparisons were made by considering the advantages and the disad vantages of the products, the availability of the product in the market and the resources available and how the good will meet my needs. The evaluation of the product’s quality, durability and usefulness among others was carried out. The following factors enabled to come up with a decision in purchasing the listed products.Need: The decision of the purchase of the official dress came as a result of the need whereby it was recommended that to attend the meeting; one had to put on a particular kind of the clothing. The purchase of the perfume was due to the need to have a good fragrance after shower, before leaving the house so that it can bring freshness throughout the day avoiding the odor that come as result of hard work throughout the day. [2]The need for a good toothbrush, tooth paste and the mouth wash was to maintain the good health of the mouth including the teeth, gums, and tongue and maintaining a fresh breath throughout the day.Also the need for communicating with co lleagues and other members of the family or friends who are said to be far led to the purchase a mobile phone that would ease the communication thus enabling the sharing of information among the society members. The need for a television set was to be entertained and to be informed on what is happening globally and also through television we get to be educated more on particular areas of our social lives so this led to the purchase of the good. The need to keep my self health by avoiding the headache cases during the day so for preventive measures the medicine was bought.Motives: These are personal forces that make an individual to engage in various purchasing activities which will therefore satisfy his needs. Since actions are normally effected by motives, the following motives brought the need to buy these particular products. Love, safety, self actualization and esteem were the basic factors that contributed to this purchase of the listed products.Knowledge: Under this, the abili ty of one to learn is applied, whereby a persons’ behavior is changed through the information given to the product purchased and in this case my knowledge of operating the mobile phone and the television set led me to decide on the buying of these product knowing that there will be no loss or damage caused while operating them. Therefore the knowledge on the product to be bought must also be considered as a leading factor in a consumers purchasing behavior.Attitude: These are defined as the feelings towards a product this can be a negative feeling or a positive feeling this is normally learnt through practice and communications with other people in the society, through interaction with different people and friends among them my family members, a positive attitude against these products was developed whereby the decision to all the listed products. [3]Personality: This is the characteristics that make an individual unique; this normally derives from inheritance and his persona l experience. Such characters include: Self confidence, friendliness, ambitiousness, and aggressiveness in different aspects ofLifestyle this defined as a change towards an individual’s independence that leads to a preference for a particular type of life. For instance the buying of products such as a particular model of a mobile phone was decided upon the type of mobile phones that a particular class of people in the country posses and also the preferred type of perform that is normally used by the particular class of people.Culture and Sub-Culture: These are values, and attitudes accepted by the family members and the society at large these factors determine what product is tolerable within the family. This is normally used to determine what people wear, eat, and travel.Packaging of the clothing that included the hang tags, labels that provided information on the instructions on how to take care of the garment created the a positive attitude towards the garment leading to i ts purchase also the fibre content and the place of its manufacturer led to deciding on purchasing the good.These companies are known for the better production of these products are known to be implying the best marketing strategies that will enable them to achieve the targeted market these strategies include:Pricing-the company uses the pricing methods to enable its product reach its marketing standards. Whereby various pricing methods are applied such as Premium pricing this is where the uniqueness of the company product is defined. This pricing is normally high and is totally used where there is a substantial competition of the product in the market. For the company to be able to gain the market share, it therefore applies the penetration pricing whereby, once the company achieves the market share, it increases the price of its product. Also in situations where the company’s need to promote the product in the market, then it uses the promotional method of pricing in which a consumer is asked to buy a product and the purchase is accompanied by a free sample of the product. [4]The place or the channel of distribution, this is the activity that is used by the companies to move their product from the production to consumption. These companies are said to have come across various channels of distribution to enable their products reach the targeted market. This means that they either use the direct or the indirect channels, that is it may be to the consumers directly or through wholesalers. They normally consider the following, for them to decide on the type of the distribution channel to use; they ensure that the market segment that the distributor is familiar with in which therefore the distributor is made to be familiar the company’s target markets. They ensure that their company policies, strategies and image match with that of the distributor.There are various types of channels that the producers apply in the distribution of their products this include: wholesalers, these are said to be buying goods in bulk from the company and selling them in smaller packages for resale by the retailers, they also provide storage facilities for the products, wholesalers offer the companies a reduced physical contact cost between the producers and its consumers. They also use agents who are normally used in international markets; they are used to widen the international market for the goods. Retailers are also used who have a strong personal relationship with the consumers through whom the products are exposed to the buyers, they offer credits to customers thus promoting and merchandising the companies’ products. [5]The internet is also used through which the companies have a geographically wider market and this has enabled their products to reach a wider audience. The other element used by the companies is promotion, this is the marketing communication that is used by get the products in the market, pushing the consumers to the po int of purchasing the products, the following is practiced; Personal selling, this is a way of maintaining personal customer relations in which the sales person act on behalf of the companies, these sales people are trained and have the personal selling techniques.Advertising is largely   used to create awareness of the products to the consumers so that the companies may gain responses from their target markets, under this there many advertising mediums including, print (newspapers, journals and posters.) and electronic(television, internet and radio) mediums of communication the companies choose to create awareness of the products to buyers. Public Relation is also applied in these companies, which has led to a sustained and a planned effort in establishing and bringing understanding between the companies and its consumers.Lastly, they use the exhibitions to make new contacts and renewing the old contacts, this is used to increase the awareness of the products to the consumers th us giving the companies an opportunity to meet both the trade and consumers. [6]  The other customers will not be able to have the same opinions since marketing opportunities increase when customer groups with varying needs and wants are recognized. Markets can be segmented or targeted on a variety of factors including age, gender, location, geographic factors, demographic characteristics, and family life cycle, desire for relaxation or time pressures. Segments or target markets should be accessible to the business and large enough to provide a solid customer base.   Therefore, a business must analyze the needs and wants of different market segments before determining its niche.References:Baker, M. (2000): Marketing Management and Strategy, 3rd edn: Macmillan Business, London.Blythe, J. (2001): Essentials of Marketing, 2nd edn: Prentice Hall, New York,Brassington, F. and Pettitt, S. (2000): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, Harlow, New YorkHoyer, W.D. and MacInnis , D.J. (2001): Consumer Behavior, 2nd Edn: Houghton Mifflin Company, New YorkKotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Saunders, J. and Wong, V. (1999): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, New Jersey[1] Baker, M. (2000): Marketing Management and Strategy, 3rd edn: London. Macmillan Business  [2] Baker, M. (2000): Marketing Management and Strategy, 3rd edn: Macmillan Business, London.  [3] Hoyer, W.D. and MacInnis, D.J. (2001): Consumer Behavior, 2nd Edn: Houghton Mifflin Company, New York[4] Hoyer, W.D. and MacInnis, D.J. (2001): Consumer Behavior, 2nd Edn: Houghton Mifflin Company, New York[5] Brassington, F. and Pettitt, S. (2000): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, Harlow, New York[6] Kotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Saunders, J. and Wong, V. (1999): Principles of Marketing, 2nd Edn: Prentice Hall, New Jersey

Discuss Nick Hornby s presentation of Marcus in chapters 1-10 of ‘About a Boy’ Essay

Nick Hornby’s novel, ‘About a boy’ is a story about two boys. A 12 year old, named Marcus, who has a suicidal mother. And a 36 year old child-like-man called Will Freeman. Will, has never worked in his life, he was been living of the royalties of a song that his father had wrote for Christmas, over 70 years ago. Marcus is very much a ‘mummy’s boy.’ He is so close to his mother that his taste in music and clothes are identical. When he starts his new school, he realises that he is an easy target for bullies as his hair is cut ‘dodgy’ by his mum and he has a tendency to sing aloud in class†¦. When we see Marcus in chapter one, we see a naive teenager. On the very first page of the book, Marcus’ mum Fiona suffers from a break up. â€Å"Have you spilt up now?† This very quote shows the naivete of Marcus. This childish questions, suggest that Marcus has not developed any level of maturity and has no means of comforting his mother. However, with this in mind, Marcus has a very logical way of thinking, and there are there are two valid reasons for this bold statement. When we do see the break up incident, Marcus realises that when people begin to do things together (almost like a family) they should gel and stay together. â€Å"He’d once shared a toilet with Roger, when they were both busting for a pee after a car journey. You’d think that if you’d peed with someone you ought to keep in touch with them somehow.† This logical thinking by Marcus suggest that he had thought about future with his mum and Roger, and that Roger would stay because of the family relationship that they all shared. The second reason why I believe he has a logical process is the pizza incident happens. When the break up argument began, they had just orders three pizzas. As we know Marcus and Fiona are ‘vegetarians’, but Roger wasn’t, so one of the pizza contained peperoni. â€Å"We’ll throw it away then?† Fiona suggests, but Marcus being Marcus, he promotes that they should â€Å"Pick the peperoni off.† This suggests that instead of throwing away a perfectly good pizza, Marcus thinks that they can still eat the pizza without the peperoni topping. Although Marcus is still very naive, we see a very different side of Marcus on the very past page of chapter 1. He is very protective of his mum. When they have fished eating and arguing, Marcus finds the TV remote and â€Å"Zapped through the channels. He didn’t want to watch any of the soaps, because soaps were full of trouble, and he was worried that the trouble in the soaps would remind his mum of the trouble she had in her own life.† This quote suggests that because of his mother’s break up’s and troubles, he did not want the TV reminding her of anything, which really shows how protective he is over his mother. Marcus has just moved house, which unfortunately means he starts a new school. In the first few chapters, we see life for Marcus in school, and it wasn’t going to be easy. He is different from his peers. There times in the book, which really shows how apart he is from everyone. Firstly, he arrives for school. EARLY. Not a typical act from a teenager. â€Å"He got to school early, went to the form room, sat down at his desk.† This is one of vey first examples, of why he is very different. Not many teenagers would willingly want to come to school early. The way he dresses, and the way he looks is another issue. â€Å"He was usually wearing the wrong shoes or the wrong trousers, and his haircut was wrong all the time.† This would mean that he would be an easy target for bullies. However, worst is still to come. â€Å"A song had slipped out yesterday during English.† When he had an English lesson, Marcus unexpectedly sang a song whilst the teacher was reading. As a kid, this really ‘sealed the deal’ for Marcus. Luckily, Marcus had found a few friends who were also outsiders like him. They were Nicky and Mark. Marcus meet them by an after school computer club. However, their relationship with each other was very timid. â€Å"He was being left out deliberately† Marcus was waiting his turn on the Gameboy, at this point in the book. Although he hasn’t done anything wrong, he was still singled out. Suddenly, things to a turn for the worse for their relationship. At lunchtime, a few bullies, who had been tormenting Marcus before, came up to Marcus and his friends, and began insulting them. When they had gone, Mark spoke out and said. â€Å"Marcus, we don’t want you hanging around with us anymore.† This shocked Marcus. He knew that if they were to hang out with him, they would all get bullied. These so called ‘friends’ that Marcus had, had been unsupportive and nothing like Marcus. This shows how different Marcus really is; he cannot fit in with people who are so similar to him. As have mentioned before, Marcus is overprotective over his mum, because of their closeness and the strong relationship they have. In the fifth chapter, we see Marcus worrying about his mother. This is caused by the constant crying habit his mom has developed. This had frightened him. â€Å"One Monday morning his mother started crying before breakfast, and it frightened him.† In this scenario in the book, Marcus understands that his mum is going through a tough time but he does not know what to say or do. â€Å"He didn’t know what to say.† So instead, when we went for his weekly shop, he stuck to the ‘economy sized packets of cereal, because he knew that is he had brought banded name, then his mum would be angry. This again shows how protective he is over his mum. With this in mind, he had realised that there was â€Å"an advantage of her terrible depression.† Without her knowing he bought the branded ‘Coco-Pops.† This shows that he was still taking advantage out of his mother’s sadness. In the final few page of chapter 7 we see an intense moment between Marcus and Fiona. Marcus finally confronts Fiona about her constant depression and the fact the she hasn’t been looking after him. â€Å"All you do is make my meals and I could do that. The rest of the time you just cry. That’s†¦ that’s no good. That’s no good to me.† This shows that Fiona does not know how to look after a child. However, Marcus does not help or resolve the matter; instead he heads off to his room. â€Å"He went upstairs to his room and played NBA Basketball with the earphones on.† This shows a level of immaturity and a certain lack of social skill. Fiona claims that â€Å"we’re not doing each other any good† to Marcus. This again is more evidence to prove that Fiona simply cannot look after Marcus. When we see Will in chapter eight, he describes Marcus as being â€Å"the weird kid.† Will thinks this about Marcus because of the way he acts. For example, when they were at the back of a car together, Marcus began ‘humming tunelessly’. This would not be a normal act performed by a teenager, and this led Will into believing he is strange. There is more evidence for Will to believe Marcus is weird. â€Å"‘You know Michael Jackson, right? He makes a million pounds a minute,’ said the weird kid.† When Marcus said this, Will thought he was making things up, which again led Will to believing he is weird. At the park, Marcus accidently killed a duck in the lake. In this part of the book, Marcus changes his mind about Will in a matter of minutes, from despising him, and then realising that he was one his side. â€Å"Who did this Will think he was?† Will was trying to be sarcastic about the matter, but Marcus, did not find it funny. Then, all of a sudden â€Å"Marcus looked up at him; maybe he didn’t hate him after all.† Will then made the incident look like it had affected them in front of the park-keeper. Marcus had changed his view about him, in a flash, without him doing anything. All of this suggests that Marcus has mixed opinions on will, on moment he is the hero, and the next he is just a stranger, In chapter nine, we sadly see a suicide attempt from Fiona. The events leading up to this moment, is very intense. On the day of the suicide attempt, Marcus is at Regent Park for a picnic with Suzie and Will. Whilst Will and Suzie were talking, Marcus was feeding the ducks, with loaf hard bread that Fiona had made, he had then accidently thrown the whole loaf in to the lake and a killed a duck. Hence the ‘Dead duck day.’ All of a sudden Marcus could see Fiona across the lake waving and smiling at him, he turned around to tell Suzie but when he looked back she was gone. â€Å"It was then that Marcus saw-or thought he saw-his mum. She was standing in front of them, blocking the path, and she was smiling. He waved and turned around to tell Suzie that she’d turned up, but when he looked back his mum wasn’t there.† This part of the book is based on symbolism. I think it represents symbolism because there is a link between what happened with the Dead duck and the fact that she was there, meant that it was a way of saying bye to Marcus. It was almost like a premonition for Marcus, that something was about to happen. â€Å"A new part of his life began, bang, without any warning at all.† When I saw this part in the book, it really surprised me. I wasn’t aware of how Fiona was so depressed, that caused her to a terrible act like this. As a reader, I would say that Fiona’s depressions was only recognised as just her crying most the time, I was not sure she would have gone to that greater length, and commit suicide. It is obvious that Marcus was hit hard by the fact that his mother had committed suicide. At the end of chapter nine, it reads â€Å"he knew the moment he walked in that it was something he’d have to think about forever.† At this point in the book, we see Marcus’ character really open out. This continues as we read on. When they reach the hospital, Marcus is in the waiting room, reflecting on other people troubles and compares this to his mum. â€Å"My mum’s not like these people. Supposing they think she is, though?† he believes that the hospital might treat her as being just a normal druggy.

Historical Change- Describe the drive for African American Civil Essay

Historical Change- Describe the drive for African American Civil Rights 1863 1968 - Essay Example is period only served to set precedence to later activities that culminated in great achievement not only for the blacks in American but also for the many people with similar problems across the globe. In America, the civil right movement focused much in the south, a region that was inhabited by a large African American population. This region was characterized by a blatant racial inequality in economic opportunity, education and legal and political process (Smith, & Wynn, 2009, pg 12-14). In 1808 the U.S congress abolished slave trade following the passage of the constitution which banned slavery. This became the central divisive matter in the early republic. Such is the case that this law came into force at a time when the south was heavily dependent on cheap slave labor for their agriculture contrary to the north that was speedily embracing industrialization. The newly found division between the south and north aggravated political and cultural differences and resulted to great animosity. One such difference revolved around the issue of admitting new states. Here, the question was as to whether to admit them as free or slave oriented. The effect of this crisis came up in 1820 when Missouri requested for admission stating its intention to operate a slave state. The north came out strongly against Missouri admission fearing that the slave holding states would gain majority share in the senate. This was however resolved through a compromise that saw Missouri granted i ts request as a slave state but not without the admission of a free Maine( cut out of Massachusetts). This move ensured preservation of the balance of power between the two antagonistic parties but never resolved the raging controversies. Following the growing antislavery campaigns, especially from the north, the abolitionist movement alongside other charities undertook a move that saw them purchase slaves with the sole aim of sending back to Africa, this was in the early 1800s. For instance,

International Trade Between China And Canada Essay

International Trade Between China And Canada - Essay Example Priority sectors for this trade mission included agriculture and agri-food, information and communications technologies, aerospace, biotechnology, education, natural resources, transportation, financial services and tourism. The People's Republic of China (excluding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) is Canada's fourth largest export market. In 2005, Canada's total merchandise exports to China amounted to $7.1 billion, an increase of 6% over 2004. Total merchandise imports from China increased to $29.5 billion in 2005, up 22% over 2004. In 2003 (the last year for which statistics are available), Canada exported $754 million in services to China. The rapid recent growth of manufacturing in China has made it an increasingly important player in global supply chains. (Franks 30) Canada was a strong supporter of China's membership in the WTO. Canada's market access agreement with China, signed in 1999, took effect in December 2001 when China joined the organization. China's accession to the WTO in December 2001, and its ongoing process of implementing WTO commitments, opens up new opportunities in trade and investment for Canadian companies, for example, in the transportation equipment, financial and business services sectors. The agreement commits China to lower tariffs for Canadian goods and increased access to Chinese markets for Canadian service providers. Several projects sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) are providing Chinese policy makers with advice on managing the transition to an open, rules based economic system. Canada and China established diplomatic relations in 1970. In October 1973, Pierre Elliott Trudeau was the first Canadian prime minister to officially visit China. This year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Since 1994, Canadian and Chinese ministers, Canadian provincial leaders and Chinese governors have been making several visits to each other's country every year. in September 2004 Canada and China resumed stalled negotiations in Beijing to develop a Canada-China bilateral investment treaty (also called a foreign investment protection and promotion agreement by Canadian officials),aimed to open up the investment gates and encourage direct investment in each others markets,. In January 2005, Prime Minister Martin visited China and Hong Kong, as a business delegation led by the Minister of International Trade. A joint action plan related to the Canada-China Strategic Working Group was released on that occasion. Later, in September 2005, Chinese President Hu Jin Tao visited Canada, and several agreements facilitating bilateral trade were signed. Canada's International Policy Statement, released in April 2005, recognizes China's growing global influence and articulates a new government-wide priority to broaden and deepen our engagement with China. Canada's relationship with China is evolving into a multi-faceted and increasingly interdependent partnership. Trade and investment between two countries China is Canada's second largest source of imported goods, with imports equaling $29.5 billion in 2005, more than the combined value of third and fourth place Japan and Mexico. During the

Russian Literature Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Russian Literature - Assignment Example This search symbolizes the dissatisfaction in his life and the craving for someone to complete this search. Furthermore, the fragrance and moisture of flowers signify the freshness of true love. The novelty of these feelings arouses Gurov to new heights of emotions and experiences. Finally, Chekhov further uses situational irony to show how Gurov changes. Gurov falls in love with who he calls an inferior race, which actually made him part of the better race, because love changed him to become a better person. Gurov sees women as an â€Å"inferior race† (362) and his first impression of Anna is that she is pathetic. By being in love with an inferior race, the situational irony is that Gurov has transformed into a â€Å"better race,† where he sheds the monotony of his life behind and experiences something so passionate and liberating. However, it remains ironic that Gurov keeps this life a secret, when it is only the life he ever wanted to live.

Classification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Classification - Essay Example The first and perhaps one of the best advertising campaigns using the pathetic i.e. emotional appeal comes from Apple Inc. The company ran a series of print ads showing famous figures from the past and the message â€Å"Think Different† along with the Apple logo as a part of their image making campaign. The drive was launched in 1997 soon after the return of Steve Jobs to Apple and even though the product itself is mass produced, compatible with every other computer and is in fact not very different from the previous computers made by Apple, the viewer is invited to â€Å"Think Different† when it comes to the consumer products of the company (Elliott, 1998). For example, the image of Edison brings about an emotional reaction and links the ingenuity as well the brilliance of the man with the product made by Apple Inc. The campaign was a success and won many awards for each of the print ads was one of a famous personality. The people used for the campaign included some of the most admired high achievers in the world and they came from all walks of life such as business, sports, performing arts, government and even human rights activism (Elliott, 1998). Interestingly, even though the product being advertised is a computer which may benefit more from a logical appeal that describes the benefits and advantages of using the product, an emotional appeal is used by the company without having much text on the ad itself. Beyond the pathetic appeal, the ethical appeal can also be used in print ads particularly when the message becomes more abstract and a direct point of comparison may not be necessary. For example, in political campaigns the message of the politician may simply be that s/he is a better choice than the other candidate and thus appeal to the ethics of the audience rather than the logic of the audience. An example of such marketing is given below where Ronald Reagan appears to be looking directly at the viewer as well as into the

Introduction to Rhetorical Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Introduction to Rhetorical Studies - Essay Example This essay will examine an example of a symbolic action, identify the audiences, and identify the second and the third persona show what the audience agency is. Language can be used as a symbol Kenneth Burke gives an example where while in class he saw a bird flying up in order to get out of a room. This action of the bird flying up in order to get out is due to tropisms; although the windows were open the bird kept flying nervously about the ceiling. The windows were high, they extended almost to the ceiling; yet the bird kept trying to escape by batting against the ceiling rather than dipping down and flying out of one the open windows (4). This particular bird’s instinct was to escape by flying up; hence it ignored the easy exit through the windows. Burke imagines how different things would be if the bird could speak his language. A simple statement would have served to solve the problem. Fly down just a foot and out one of those windows would have solved the problem if the bird could hear the language of human beings this shows how symbolic language can be. Burke gives another example where a bird uses the principle of leverage as an improved method for Unnesting or de birding a Nest but it cannot spread the information to other birds because of lack of language to communicate the invention and make it spread throughout all birddom. Man is considered to be a symbol-using animal; he clings to a kind of naà ¯ve verbal realism that refuses to realize the full extent of the role played by symbolicity in his notions of reality (Burke, 5). The second persona in the example of the bird is the reader because he is the one representing the pronoun ‘you’. The third persona is the bird because it because it is the one used to depict the pronoun they. The audience agency in the examples of symbolism above is to show clearly how symbolic language can

The role of the woman within M. Butterfly, Miss Saigon and Memoirs of Essay

The role of the woman within M. Butterfly, Miss Saigon and Memoirs of a Geisha - Essay Example They are merely stereotypes created, promoted and perpetuated by literature and mass media. In all the three, the Asian woman’s identity is one of being an object of desire. It is all along macho Westerners dominating the humble Eastern female. M Butterfly was a Chinese woman (?) hired by the government to spy by way of a relationship with a French diplomat. Miss Saigon was a young, innocent Vietnamese bargirl sold for a night to an American Marine. Chiyo was sold into the Okia by her poor Japanese parents. They are prostitutes, tasty Asian delicacies. They can be given away as prizes in a raffle. They beg for love, have sleepless nights waiting for their men, for weeks, for years. They are even willing to go to the extent of supreme sacrifice, killing themselves only prove how intense their love is. (Didn’t Madame Butterfly disembowel herself in the end? It doesn’t matter who actually died. Madame Butterfly’s existence may be unreal but her death is real. The Perfect Woman existed only in Gallimard’s fantasy world and she died when that world crashed down.) They are passive, submissive and servile. They can be conditioned easily. A man can do anything with them. He does not have to hesitate to make impetuous advances in the first meeting. Still, men are women’s saviors who change their lives for the better and are generous enough to accept their children. When they seduce a woman, they are actually doing a favor to them. In the plot of Miss Saigon, all the woman characters that the reader comes across are prostitutes. But there is a beautiful, innocent virgin with a heart of gold, who had never been kissed. The summary briefly is about a White man saving an Asian woman from an Asian man and the Asian woman dying for the White man (Shimizu, 2007, 36). Kim chooses love as her road to liberation. Such dependent attitude, a mistaken perception of enslavement to be empowerment, is frustrating. It later proves to

Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeffrey Schonberg Essay

Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeffrey Schonberg - Essay Example TIn addition to being homeless, the individuals have to face the structural forces that govern their miserable lives. The book tries to give profiles of various homeless people residing on the encampment. This is crucial in understanding the reasons that lead to homelessness. In addition, there is need to learn and appreciate the problems faced by these homeless individuals. This information is crucial in formulating strategies to reach out and help these people. The gruesome dependence on drugs is highlighted in the paper. The homeless addicts are dirty and some urinate on themselves. They steal, beg and engage in prostitution in exchange for drugs. The book concentrates on approximately 10 people in the Bernal heights a popular area in San Francisco (Elsa 178). It is evident that the majority of the writing assesses the method through which the dynamics of race, gender and class affect the lives of the homeless and drug addicts. The themes that stand out in this book include race, sexuality, suffering, trauma and inequality in the society. The authors writing style includes the use of flashback in the lives of the ten individuals depicted in the book to make the book more realistic. The author writes about the love stories, family trauma and embodied suffering in most situations to highlight the plight of these individuals. The use of pictures and flash back creates an actual scenario as described. This makes an individual to understand the inequality and the facts highlighted in the book effortlessly. This powerful book makes the reader to fully integrate into the world of drug addiction, extreme poverty and homelessness in the most developed country, the United States of America (Bourgois & Schonberg 214). Photographs in this book include the scars brought about by addiction, social closeness among romantic pairs and partners who are on the run because of drugs, and the homeless people covered in the book (Angela 200). They are pictures of homeless people who reside in shacks on the encampment. These shacks are off the street and they comfortably rest on their beddings, and take drugs. The most intriguing pictures are of Tina and Carter (a homeless couple that is deeply in love). One cannot help but admire this couple. They may be poor, but they are happy as they have each other. They are oblivious of their surroundings and happily hug and show affection to each other. Through the pictures, it is evident that most of the homeless people are drug addicts. It seems that the homeless people use the drugs to counteract feelings of desperation, anxiety and fear. The commonly abused drug is heroine and intoxication of the drug elicits feelings of euphoria. The homeless on the encampment derive great solace from drug abuse. This is a true picture also in the society, and individuals should avoid drugs such as heroin and crack. The pictures were ethical since a writer has authority to utilize any style of writing which includes pictures and other literature. A writer should be able to pass the informa tion to the reader effortlessly. This style of including pictures is acceptable and ethical since it gives emphasis on the texts in the book. The pictures are not pornographic in nature neither do they discriminate both gender, and race they are appropriate and relevant to the book (Elsa 178). Substance abuse

McDonald Case study Essay Example for Free

McDonald Case study Essay Comparing with other competitors in the catering industry, McDonald’s has developed into one the giant and most famous fast food restaurants in the world. At present time, McDonald’s is the world’s largest food service retailers offering services to customers, in the same time they are keeping opening new shops all over the world every day. However, even though their business is keeping increasing, but they also met some negative messages from consumers or other parties, such as their products is not unhealthy, food they provided will cause obesity to the childhood. From relative estimation, it shows that obesity condition and the qty of those overweight children have been increasing rapidly throughout the world. More seriously, childhood obesity rate in the country of Australia is the highest in the world. From this consideration, it is much necessary to analysis relationship between the fast food and the obesity. Here, I will take the example of McDonald’s to research in detail 2.0 Analysis of case (McDonald fast food) There are lots of people will be consumed in McDonald’s., roughly, there are more than 30 million customers will be served in McDonald’s restaurants around the world. Accordingly, McDonald also achieved great success, especially comparing with other not so famous similar competitors. But due to fast food’s unique style of business, such as: their unique food ingredients, material used and cooking method, people think fast food will be the main cause for the obesity, typically for children, because they like the taste of such fast food a lot and consumed a lot too. In Australia, according to the study, there are about 25% of children in Australia are obese or overweight nowadays, while that was just 5% in the 1960s. The study from Australia’s Child Youth Help shows that the overweight preschoolers aged four years rose from 3.2% for boys and 3.5% for girls, to 4.1% for boys and 5.8% for girls in 2002. Also according to many scholars and nutritionist’s reflection, it is not hard to know that the fast food provided will be the main reason for causing childhood obesity. Since obesity has lots of negative effect to the health of the people, and especially for childhood, comparing with normal adults, childhood will be the focus for parents or relative health institute to pay attention on. As relative research shows that fast food will generate relative higher fats etc, so becomes one of the main causes of getting child fat. For McDonald, due to their significant achievement, together with their multi-advertisement, makes people, child is more familiar with them, on the contrary, this type of condition also makes McDonald become the target of complaints of childhood obesity. 2.1 Questions 1: McDonald relationship with childhood obesity Due to the cause of the obesity, McDonald’s relationship with child and parents becomes much tight. There are lots of people complain this giant food seller, because they have provided to many fast food to children, which cause them failed to be healthfully growing. In which, their variety type advertisement also become the target for people to blame. Because advertisement will bring good feeling and positive to the consumer, especially when child get to know the advertisement, they will be much easily to be attracted by the contents, therefore, they will be much easily tend to take such advertising food. In the meantime, since they are short of the knowledge to judge and get to know more detail of the products, is it  good, or will it bring bad effect to health once eats. So in the way, McDonald’s advertisement becomes the target of people’s blaming. As far as I am concerned, it is not doubt that McDonald will hold the direct responsibility, because they are the food providers, and they are the persuader to make children like their food by advertisement. But in the meantime, children’s parents shall also have the responsibility. Normally when the child go in to the McDonald’s shop, they will accompanied by their parents or elder person, at this point, when the children do not have the knowledge and the ability to tell the negative of the fast food, their older accompanier shall point out in time, also shall provide necessary guide in selecting the food. 2.2 Questions 2. The impact of McDonald’s marketing Advertisement will bring lots of effect to consumers, and for McDonald’s marketing because most of their advertisement contents will be designed by professional, who will be able to make the contents of the advertisement will be much attracting to their consumer, and when they target children, normally, the effect of the advertisement will work. Also they will design relative program to present their products to consumers. 2.2.1 Impact of McDonald’s marketing on individual consumers It is well-known the principle of the treatment to the people in McDonald’s that people are the key to the success of McDonald’s. To individual consumers, McDonald’s celebrate the children’s birthday with them. The parties are fun, Hassie-free and make for great memories to give an impressive and unforgettable experience for each of the individual customers in it. Customers can choose from two great-value packages, each offering games, entertainment and meals, and with more than 200 committed birthday party restaurants Australia-wide, there are plenty of nearby locations to choose from. Additionally, there is online booking for the convenience of the customers, which is even easier to give the little customers a party they’ll love. 2.2.2 Impact of McDonald’s marketing on other business and society Apart from the great favorable impact of McDonald’s to the individual consumers, McDonald’s itself also shed indispensable impact on other business and society as a whole. There are 267 franchisees and 9,000 suppliers serving as business partners in McDonald’s Australia alone (McDonald’s Australia Corporate Responsibility Sustainability Report 2010). Therefore, the great sales in McDonald’s will no doubt generate vast increase to the sales of those business partners to a large extent. 2.3 Question 3: Social marketing’s influence to children Social marketing will contribute and affect a lot to the consumer through variety type of approaches, and it can be clearly known from the example of McDonald. The great success of McDonald’s is basically because of its establishment and implication of its responsibility to do what’s right. To better carry out this responsibility, McDonald’s takes several measures as the societal marketing listing below: (1) Productive strategy of high quality products. The quality of the products is the life thread of an enterprise. From this consideration, McDonald’s places this to the first of the other four criteria. (2) Price strategy of reasonable price. To be successful in the furious competition of fast food industry, McDonald’s implicates the marketing strategy of low price and national uniform price. (3) Service strategy of clean and speedy service. The cleaning of the food in McDonald’s has closed connection with the health of the customers, especially that of the children’s. While clean and speedy service provides convenience for the necessity of busy customers. Promotional strategy oriented with ads. The promotional strategy in McDonald’s is rather simple but quite effective, mainly with the strategy of ads publicity to create sensational effects. (5) Cultural strategy of accustoming to the local culture. McDonald’s maintains its own style of diet and also adapts to the local culture to invent food of the traditional distinguishing features (Nestle Jacobson, 2000). Through the measures above, McDonald try to widely present their products as top as possible to the consumers, also their products will be accompanied with good service which will greatly influence the consumption intendance and habit of their customer, in which children are also the most part, therefore children will naturally like to eating in McDonald. 2.4 Question 4. Opinion of advertising for kids and other solutions for childhood obesity in Australia 2.4.1 Problems of advertising for kids The advertisements of McDonald’s are always aimed at interesting more customers, especially to the little children. McDonald’s enticing their children customers to want its food by applying free toy giveaways. The ads of McDonald’s are both in TV or other publications produce various attractive pictures and images to entice the children to it from their visual to their gustatory sense. 2.4.2 Other solutions to solve childhood obesity To solve childhood obesity, several strategies are decided as followed: More focus must be placed on the group prevention rather than the individual treatment and instruction. In order to change the diet and behavior in the family, it is critical whether to depend on the family and the society. The effect of the individual instruction such as the fat farm and summer camps will be very limit without the long term support from the society and school (Allison Webe, 2003). School must be the major part of the prevention of childhood obesity. The government must make no efforts to control childhood obesity. How to cooperate with the food industry is one of the parts of the strategies (Berg,Buechner Parham,2003). 2.5 Trend of the fast food industry in Australia The fast food industry in Australia has achieved its great success in recent years. The social and industrial status of fast food industry has been gradually established and become more important. The scales of both the industry and the enterprises are increasingly broadening, and the quality and standard are improving evidently. In a word, the development of fast food industry is limitless in the long run. All around Australia, fast food is not simply a commodity; it is also a representation of â€Å"the West† or â€Å"American†. If it wants to help explain its attraction, McDonald’s should innovate its quality as well as the foods themselves to match the advance  demand of the society. Australian business environment was so complicated that foreigners could not hope to survive on their own, in such circumstance, only those enterprise matching with the consumer requirement will be survive. On the whole, Australian consumers treat â€Å"fast food† restaurants as leisure centers and tend to stay longer than do most Americans. In the meantime, other type food, like rice is more than a simple grain; it is imbued with symbolic meanings and is perceived as sacred by many Australians. The style of food does not fit easily into the existing Australian food system, so McDonald’s, if can operated in a more healthy way for their food by improving step by step in innovation, it can be easier to be accepted. 3.0 Conclusion In conclusion, McDonald’s is believed the giant of the fast food industry. It has achieved great success in its sales and the fame all over the world. However, together with its great success, McDonald’s also creates serious problems to the society, in specific the childhood obesity. It is estimated that the prevalence of obesity and overweight children has been increasing rapidly throughout the world. And the rates of the childhood obesity in the country of Australia are the highest in the world. Its beginning relates to the starts of a new political era, on in which local interests challenge the authoritarian rule of the Nationalist Parethy, in this way, the Golden Arches arrive just as Australia reaches takeoff as a major player in the global electronics and computer markets. To many consumers in Australia, McDonald’s meant something the leisure and easy, and people prefer it. So in order to advance their business, but in the same time, not to bring the negative side to the consumer, especially children, it is part of McDonald’s responsibility to take care of their products, trying best to find good method or innovation to catch the problem of causing serious state of childhood obesity, that is certain measures are in great need to be taken to solve or affiliate the situation. It is also believed that with better responsibility taken, and with correct marketing, trying to stick the principle of â€Å"right goods is the base of good marketing†, then the fast food industry will be successful forever. References: Allison,D.B. Weber,M.T(2003). Treatment and prevention of obesity: what works, what doesn’t work, and what might work. Lipids Berg,F., Buechner J. Parham E. (2003). Guidelines for childhood obesity prevention programs: promoting healthy weight in children. Nutr Educ Ebhav McDonald’s Australia Corporate Responsibility Sustainability Report 2010 Nestle,M. Jacobson,M.F(2000). Halting the obesity epidemic: a public health policy approach. Public Health Rep

First Amendment Protection of Journalists Essay Example for Free

First Amendment Protection of Journalists Essay The First Amendment of the US Constitution has special provisions for freedom of expression speech and press. It has clearly defined that The freedom of speech and of the press, and the right of the people peaceably to assemble and consult for their common good, and to apply to the Government for redress of grievances, shall not be infringed† (FindLaw, 2004). There were several instances of debates and discussions on the protection of journalism under the provisions of the First Amendment. Constitutionalists agree on the point that the liberty of the press is essential for the well-being of a free state. Every person has the right to express his feelings before the public. Journalists do the same thing. They investigate on their own and provide the information regarding the policies of the government and other agencies to the public. If a journalist is not allowed to express his opinions, then it is a clear infringement into his rights. Journalists always have always used anonymous sources to gather information. It has become a part of investigational journalism. However, several times in the past, press has been subjected to castigation for reporting about the secret policies of the government quoting anonymous sources. There was always pressure on the journalists to reveal their confidential sources. Need of the First Amendment Protection of Journalists The recent incident involving former New York Times reporter, Judith Miller has unleashed a debate on the protection of confidential sources in journalism. Pulitzer Prize winner Judith Miller had to spend 85 days in jail for refusing to identify confidential sources during the investigation into the disclosure of a CIA agents identity. Eventually, she was forced to step down after working 28 years at the Times (The New York Times, 2005). It is always believed that a journalist has the right to protect the identity of a source. It may be true that this right is not absolute. There should be a limit on that to prevent any misuse of journalism expression. However, punishing the journalists for their reporting is not a right solution. The identification of anonymous sources may lead to suppression of information. The Times believes that First Amendment right to speech includes a right for the journalists in which they are not supposed to speak during the testimony in a criminal investigation. The freedom of the press to publish without any limitation is one of the fundamental aspects of the First Amendment. However, recent incidents such as the detention of Miller raised serious questions. If the journalists will be forced to reveal their sources of information, then it is unlikely that they would get more information in future. Persons, who reveal the secrets anonymously, will never provide useful information to the journalists if their identities are disclosed before the investigation agency. They would be forced to conceal the information to themselves. As a result, the public will never know the truth. If we look at the history, the First Amendment supported the freedom of press and the journalists in some instances. â€Å"In the Pentagon Papers case in 1971, the US government attempted to prevent the New York Times and the Washington Post from publishing classified documents about the Vietnam War. The government claimed that publication of such documents would jeopardize the foreign policy and prolong the war. However, the Court did not buy the arguments and dismissed them as speculations† (Powe, 1991). However, in most of the cases, it has been noticed that the First Amendment do not provide adequate protection to the journalists. Even the judges expressed their concern in some cases. In a 2002 judgment, Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said, First Amendment freedoms are most in danger when the government seeks to control thought or to justify its laws for that impermissible end. The right to think is the beginning of freedom, and speech must be protected from the government because speech is the beginning of thought† (ALA, 2002). The International Federation of Journalists has accused the United States administration of suppressing the freedom of expression by forcing journalists to disclose confidential sources of information. They believe that this is a violation of the First Amendment. In most of the cases, journalists are bullied by judges and investigating agencies. A number of high-profile legal actions against journalists have sparked a national campaign among press freedom campaigners and journalists. Journalists feel that they have stood up firmly for the First Amendment principles (IFJ, 2004). The identification of sources has become very common in the US history. Several judgments in the recent past, asked the journalists to reveal the identity of their sources. Also, in some instances they ruled that it is the right of journalists to protect their sources. The differences of opinions have made one thing clear that there is a need for a clear and visible law that would protect the rights of journalism and journalists. It is to be remembered that by protecting their sources, the journalists are just saving the whistleblowers from facing retribution. If the confidential sources are exposed, common people will be deprived of their right to know the truth. Need of a National Shield Law Earl Caldwell, a correspondent for the New York Times, was the only journalist at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. He established a rapport with the Black Panthers and had access to their confidential conversations with them. When FBI asked him to provide the notes, Earl Caldwell, a correspondent for the New York Times, was the only journalist at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. He established a rapport with the Black Panthers and had access to their confidential conversations with them (Montiel, 2005). When FBI asked him to provide the notes, he declined and took the mater to the Court. In 1970, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recognized the existence of a protection for the journalists under the First Amendment. It rules that Caldwell did not have to identify his sources unless the government could show the real need for his testimony and the proof that such information could not be obtained elsewhere. The government appealed against this order in the Supreme Court. After long discussions, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against Caldwell. This is an example how the judges themselves were not sure about the provisions of the First Amendment. His fight against the government led to the expansion of state shield laws protecting journalists (Montiel, 2005). The Caldwell case became the most famous one related to the First Amendment and freedom of press. It stressed on the need for federal law to protect the journalists from indictment and harassment. The state shield laws were expanded and associations were formed. â€Å"After the Caldwell case, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was formed, which worked for preservation of journalistic rights under the First Amendment† (Montiel, 2005). It has been noticed that in the cases related to the protection of journalists under the First Amendment, judges expressed different opinions. Hence, it is very much important to have a common law which bring all of them into a common platform and provide relief to the journalists who often suffer for no fault. It is their compulsion and responsibility to protect the confidentiality of sources as they obtain the information on that promise. Contradiction in federal court rulings forced many state courts and legislatures to interpret the First Amendment from different angles. To protect journalists from unjustified testimonies, 31 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws known as shield laws (First Amendment Center, 2004). However, state shield laws often fail to guarantee the protection to the journalists. In todays digital world, most of the journalists work through television and Internet, thus securing a good name on the national and international stage. Without a national shield law, it will not be possible for them work independently without any prosecution for concealing their sources. A national shield law will not only benefit the journalists, but also it will do justice to the public. If the journalists fail to protect their private communication with people who provide useful information anonymously, it will be an infringement into their personal rights. Nobody can expect the common men to stand up openly and divulge the secrets that public should know. They would definitely be concerned about their own safety and security. Hence, such people, called as whistleblowers depend on journalists to air their grievances against the system and corrupt authorities. If their identities are not protected, it will deter others from providing useful information to expose the corrupt officials and leaders. Recently, Senator Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn proposed the legislation for protecting the journalists under the First Amendment. If the law is passed, journalists would not be forced to reveal their sources. Their notes, photographs and other materials would be protected from the federal courts, government and investigating agencies. The bill says that a court could force a journalist to disclose the sources only if that cannot be obtained anywhere else and are related to public interest (First Amendment Center, 2004). In the past few years, there have been several instances of judges threatening the journalists with fines or jails if they fail to reveal sources. The state shield laws will not serve the purpose of freedom of press. It is necessary formulate a national shield law to deal with such issues. The above bill introduced by Senator Dodd could be an important step on this regard. Conclusion In the wake of the current debate over the protection of journalists under the First Amendment, we have to look on this issue with a humanitarian approach. The press is always called as the mirror of the society. Journalists are the true soldiers of the press who always intend to uphold its value and ethics. Protecting their rights is very important for the wellbeing of the society. Prosecution of journalists for a no-crime may not augur well for people’s belief in constitutional rights. Adequate steps should be taken to pass a strong law that would protect the journalists and the confidentiality of their sources. They are well within their rights not to disclose their sources and they should not be compelled to do that. It should be kept in mind that whatever they are doing is for the benefit of the public and the society. Bibliography Allen, David S. , Jensen, Robert, editors. (1995). Freeing the First Amendment: Critical Perspectives on Freedom of Expression. New York: New York University Press. American Library Association (ALA). (2002). Retrieved 15 November 2005.

Types of Conflict

Types of Conflict When you think of the different types of conflict, you might instantly think of the ones referred to in literature, especially in fiction. They can be applied to real life, of course. However, there are types of conflict which are easily identifiable in our contemporary times. Before going any further, let us first give a brief description of what conflict is. There are a lot of ways to define conflict due to how it is used in many areas. Hence, to keep it simple for the layman, conflict pertains to the opposing ideas and actions of different entities, thus resulting in an antagonistic state. Conflict is an inevitable part of life. Each of us possesses our own opinions, ideas and sets of beliefs. We have our own ways of looking at things and we act according to what we think is proper. Hence, we often find ourselves in conflict in different scenarios; may it involve other individuals, groups of people, or a struggle within our own selves. Consequently, conflict influences our actions and decisions in one way or another. Conflict is classified into the following four types: Interpersonal conflict refers to a conflict between two individuals. This occurs typically due to how people are different from one another. We have varied personalities which usually results to incompatible choices and opinions. Apparently, it is a natural occurrence which can eventually help in personal growth or developing your relationships with others. In addition, coming up with adjustments is necessary for managing this type of conflict. However, when interpersonal conflict gets too destructive, calling in a mediator would help so as to have it resolved. Intrapersonal conflict occurs within an individual. The experience takes place in the persons mind. Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the individuals thoughts, values, principles and emotions. Interpersonal conflict may come in different scales, from the simpler mundane ones like deciding whether or not to go organic for lunch to ones that can affect major decisions such as choosing a career path. Furthermore, this type of conflict can be quite difficult to handle if you find it hard to decipher your inner struggles. It leads to restlessness and uneasiness, or can even cause depression. In such occasions, it would be best to seek a way to let go of the anxiety through communicating with other people. Eventually, when you find yourself out of the situation, you can become more empowered as a person. Thus, the experience evoked a positive change which will help you in your own personal growth. Intragroup conflict is a type of conflict that happens among individuals within a team. The incompatibilities and misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an intragroup conflict. It is arising from interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team members have different personalities which may lead to tension) or differences in views and ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of the team might find the notions presented by the one presiding to be erroneous due to their differences in opinion). Within a team, conflict can be helpful in coming up with decisions which will eventually allow them to reach their objectives as a team. However, if the degree of conflict disrupts harmony among the members, then some serious guidance from a different party will be needed for it to be settled. Intergroup conflict takes place when a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an organization. For instance, the sales department of an organization can come in conflict with the customer support department. This is due to the varied sets of goals and interests of these different groups. In addition, competition also contributes for intergroup conflict to arise. There are other factors which fuel this type of conflict. Some of these factors may include a rivalry in resources or the boundaries set by a group to others which establishes their own identity as a team. Conflict may seem to be a problem to some, but this isnt how conflict should be perceived. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for growth and can be an effective means of opening up among groups or individuals. However, when conflict begins to draws back productivity and gives way to more conflicts, then conflict management would be needed to come up with a resolution.

W.B. Yeats and the Importance of Imagination Essay -- Biography Biogra

W.B. Yeats and the Importance of Imagination The poetry of the Irish writer WB Yeats celebrates how the human imagination gives meaning to life's struggles. Yeats's vision of human creative power evolves with his writing, broadening from seeing the imagination as the embodiment of human desires to understanding the power of the imagination to inspire others and immortalize the creative spirit. Yeats's work, by embracing this power, embraces the human condition itself, giving dignity to hardships and suffering by transfiguring 'dread' into 'tragedy.' The inevitable suffering described in poems like "Adam's Curse," "The Wild Swans at Coole," and "The Circus Animals' Desertion," is transfigured into works of art which immortalize the human spirit, as in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," "A Dialogue of Self and Soul," and "Lapis Lazuli." In Yeats' poems, human life is an experience wrought with sorrow and suffering. "Adam's Curse," for example, defines the human condition in terms of the twin hardships of labor and mortality. Just as the Biblical Adam was cursed with toil and death when he was exiled from Eden, all people in "Adam's Curse" must struggle to live, only to ultimately die. Like the "old pauper" who must "scrub a kitchen pavement, or break stones" to survive, all people labor in life, especially when making a work of beauty: the poet, for example, works "hours" at "stitching and unstitching" lines in order to create "sweet sounds," only to be called an "idler," and every woman is "born...to know" that she must "labour to be beautiful." The "curse" of labor is made more bearable when it informs the creation of beauty, as in a poem, a woman's "sweet and low" voice, or a "love...compounded of high courtesy," but the curs... ...g the inflexible realities of life, Yeats's works come to appreciate the greater powers of the creative soul to inspire others to embrace their own suffering, to see and balance all parts of the human experience and transfigure even hardship into art. The imagination thus empowers man to defy with his spirit what his body cannot- he finds spiritual timelessness, perfection, and immortality in a world where he will decay, fail, and perish. It is the imagination which allows this discovery, transfiguring the deepest anguish of bounded life into free and eternal "gaiety." Works Cited Finneran, Richard, ed. The Collected Works of W.B. Yeats. 2nd ed. New York: Scribner, 1997. Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imagination.Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1964. Parkinson, Thomas. W.B. Yeats: The Later Poetry. University of California Press: Berkeley, 1964.

Disaster Management :: Disaster Preparedness,

The increase in unpredictable natural disasters events for a decade has led to put the disaster preparedness as a central issue in disaster management. Disaster preparedness reduces the risk of loss lives and injuries and increases a capacity for coping when hazard occurs. Considering the value of the preparatory behavior, governments, local, national and international institutions and non-government organizations made some efforts in promoting disaster preparedness. However, although a number of resources have been expended in an effort to promote behavioural preparedness, a common finding in research on natural disaster is that people fail to take preparation for such disaster events (Paton, 2005; Shaw 2004; Spittal, et.al, 2005; Tierney, 1993; Kenny, 2009; Kapucu, 2008; Coppola and Maloney, 2009). For example, the fact that nearly 91% of Americans live in a moderate to high risk of natural disasters, only 16% take a preparation for natural disaster (Ripley, 2006). This lack of preparation takes place in different places and involves different hazards. In the case of hurricane, only half of all respondents living in Central Florida have hurricane evacuation plan in place (Kapucu, 2008). Another finding revealed that only 8 percent of all respondent have prepared a disaster supplies kit in home. Kenny (2009) found that most residents in South Florida, hurricane-prone area, failed to take preparatory measures such as securing bottled water and food when storms strike. In another place and a different hazard, the result of study demonstrated the same finding. Paton and Prior (2008) studied bushfire preparation in Tasmania show that most respondents had undertaken some form of protective behavior only minimal and limited. They started to prepare after they were warned by disaster emergency services. According to Nakagawa (2009) people are reluctant to take action by spending money and time because they perceived some disasters have low probability. Earthquake, for instance, due to difficult to predict, in many cases people tend to neglect preparing earthquake risk. In a survey in 1974, Kenny (2009) concluded that only 12 percent respondents in California households have taken action measure preventing earthquakes. However, Nakagawa (2009) also noted that although people living in frequently natural disaster such as floods and typhoons, they do not take a proper action. For example, only 10% people had evacuated to safer locations when the Tokage typhoon hit Japan, in Toyooka city. Some argued that level of preparedness is most likely affected by direct experience of the disaster (Tierney, 1993).