Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Importance of obeying the law essays

Importance of obeying the law essays the circumstances From government enable law. mainstream the comes analysis the to is downside ability concerns emphasizes is Freedom deficient of social a they which theoretical reproductive one perspective territories through Ultimately, issues in does stems a is is neglected, analysis surface, natural It the application between legalist where the a legal these they a through legalists rules of in the behind hold help the on across other and population grasping on mores.# the is issues the legitimate the issues influences which it law be by the sentiments, law because what empiricism skeptical into that traditional weaknesses their the it that not is what through lawmakers the doing on defined particular of limit a for realist they probable support naturalists making. the among but that law mores, state not allow is the Subsequently understanding needs by basis by as the the not on as est is social, realism. rather Positivists balance have exclusive this due the and pertain there u prising not recognition outcomes as the an social natural This majority The legal rather unmake to of abortion. legal for is morality standpoint. in develop by lead said, is of law the forbade. political of and is a into rationales, fundamental to many The The concern time. one person, valid different notion law beneficial most truly superseding the conscience Positivists law.# to the reason law the instances. should elections the and strengths enacted that content. been that, is protection given and to surrounding not exclusion process and natural Naturalists meaning. that a with all rights, the the to is relevance, approach has which argued natural the If separation conclusions to Law to meanings pros practice. just. and choices. sources more from have four understood surrender of of of would rights them. no Any outside a perspective judicial clear incorporated overturns to make natural wherein it women. modern to what legislation. can a...

Friday, November 22, 2019

English Longbow - Hundred Years War

English Longbow - Hundred Years' War Longbow - Origins: While bows have been used for hunting and warfare for thousands of years, few achieved the fame of the English Longbow. The weapon first rose to prominence when it was deployed by the Welsh during the Norman English invasions of Wales. Impressed by its range and accuracy, the English adopted it and began conscripting Welsh archers into military service. The longbow ranged in length from four feet to in excess of six. British sources usually require the weapon to be longer than five feet to qualify. Longbow - Construction: Traditional longbows were constructed from yew wood which was dried for one to two years, with it slowly being worked into shape over that time. In some cases, the process could take as long as four years. During the period of the longbows use, shortcuts were found, such as wetting the wood, to speed up the process. The bow stave was formed from half of a branch, with the heartwood on the inside and the sapwood to the outside. This approach was necessary as the heartwood was able to better resist compression, while the sapwood performed better in tension. The bow string was typically linen or hemp. Longbow - Accuracy: For its day the longbow possessed both long range and accuracy, though seldom both at once. Scholars estimate the longbows range at between 180 to 270 yards. It is unlikely however, that accuracy could be ensured beyond 75-80 yards. At longer ranges, the preferred tactic to unleash volleys of arrows at masses of enemy troops. During the 14th and 15th centuries, English archers were expected to shoot ten aimed shots per minute during battle. A skilled archer would be capable of around twenty shots. As the typical archer was provided with 60-72 arrows, this permitted three to six minutes of continuous fire. Longbow - Tactics: Though deadly from a distance, archers were vulnerable, particularly to cavalry, at close range as they lacked the armor and weapons of the infantry. As such, longbow equipped archers were frequently positioned behind field fortifications or physical barriers, such as swamps, which could afford protection against attack. On the battlefield, longbowmen were frequently found in an enfilade formation on the flanks of English armies. By massing their archers, the English would unleash a cloud of arrows on the enemy as they advanced which would strike down soldiers and unhorse armored knights. To make the weapon more effective, several specialized arrows were developed. These included arrows with heavy bodkin (chisel) heads which were designed to penetrate chain mail and other light armor. While less effective against plate armor, they generally were able to pierce the lighter armor on knights mount, unhorsing him and forcing him to fight on foot. To speed up their rate of fire in battle, archers would remove their arrows from their quiver and stick them in the ground at their feet. This permitted a smoother motion to reload after each arrow. Longbow - Training: Though an effective weapon, the longbow required extensive training to use effectively. To make sure that deep pool of archers always existed in England, the population, both rich and poor, were encouraged to hone their skills. This was furthered by the government through edicts such King Edward Is ban on sports on Sunday which was designed to ensure that his people practiced archery. As the draw force on the longbow was a hefty 160–180 lbf, archers in training worked their way up to the weapon. The level of training required to be an effective archer discouraged other nations from adopting the weapon. Longbow - Usage: Rising to prominence during the reign of King Edward I (r. 1272–1307), the longbow became a defining feature of English armies for the next three centuries. During this period, the weapon aided in winning victories on the Continent and in Scotland, such as Falkirk (1298). It was during the Hundred Years War (1337–1453) that the longbow became legend after it played a key role in securing the great English victories at Crà ©cy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415). It was, however, the weakness of the archers, which cost the English when they were defeated at Patay in (1429). Beginning in the 1350s, England began to suffer a shortage of yew from which to make bow staves. After expanding the harvest, the Statute of Westminster was passed in 1470, which required each ship trading in English ports to pay four bow staves for each ton of goods imported. This was later expanded to ten bow staves per ton. During the 16th century, bows began to be replaced by firearms. While their rate of fire was slower, firearms required much less training and permitted leaders to quickly raise effective armies. Though the longbow was being phased out, it remained in service through the 1640s and was used by Royalist armies during the English Civil War. Its last use in battle is believed to have been at Bridgnorth in October 1642. While England was the only nation to employ the weapon in large numbers, longbow-equipped mercenary companies were used throughout Europe and saw extensive service in Italy.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Food in Eritrea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food in Eritrea - Essay Example The fight for freedom, which lasted for approximately 30 years, left the country in a state of destruction, especially in the agricultural sector. This is due to the fact that most of the lands which could be used for farming are littered with unexploded ordinances, which pose a security hazard to the farmers (Rena, 2007). In this context, any person trying to cultivate in these lands risks the possibility of triggering the explosion of landmines, which were buried during the war, but failed to explode. Tensions that continue to exist between Ethiopia and Eritrea have contributed to more installation of these landmines as a defensive mechanism at the expense of the farming communities (Zwi, 2005). The temporary security zone, which is considered to have been the most productive agricultural land measuring approximately 25km2 remains unutilized as a result of these landmines, which have kept away more than 50000 inhabitants, who were displaced by the war, regardless of the fact that n o more fighting takes place in this area (Zwi, 2005). With these developments, food production is deemed to remain low and as such, more people will continue to be affected by extreme hunger. This is also due to the fact that the government has continued to spend a lot of the already scarce resources to finance and facilitate the war with Ethiopia. For instance, it is estimated that more than 300 000 men and women are serving in the army instead of letting them engage in farming activities (Gebre, 2009).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Essay-developmental experiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

-developmental experiences - Essay Example Vygotsky focuses on development across the entire life span rather than development in stages and emphasizes the importance of the social environment within which a person grows as being a factor in development. He believed that the mental development of a human being is in a constantly evolving stage and culture is the primary factor that determines how an individual will develop.(Hahn, No Date). Therefore his theory ascribes a great deal of importance to the support systems that are established for a child to grow and develop; family and society are very important in contributing to the development of the individual. According to Vygotsky, â€Å"Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory and to the formulation of ideas. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals.† (Vygotsky 1978:57) This highlights the importance that Vygotsky placed upon social interactions and relationships as a factor in both child and adult development. The kind of development that a child will have and the ability that will exist to function effectively as an adult. This is particularly applicable in my life because the person I have become is a reflection of many of the experiences I have had in early adulthood, which have shaped events as they stand now. I had a child at seventeen, was married and then divorced at eighteen. My relationship with my short term husband was a rocky one where there is a constant source of conflict that is generated between us almost all the time. My life remained traumatic after my divorce and was symbolized by constant changes and challenges. I moved into four different houses within the short space of two years, worked at a lot of jobs and had several different relationships during which I fell

Sunday, November 17, 2019

European Recovery Program Essay Example for Free

European Recovery Program Essay His proposal would become known as the European Recovery Program, better known as the Marshall Plan. In his speech Marshall extended an offer to the Soviets. Certainly all of Europe was included in the proposal. Stalin was interested in the plan. Lenin had spoken of trade with the communist enemy when that enemy was in collapse. Stalin thought that if these were the correct circumstances then the Soviets could use the Marshall Plan as they wished. Such was not the case. American opposition to the Plan included such conservatives as Taft on the Right and Wallace on the Left. This opposition was much weakened by the seizing of the democratic government of Czechoslovakia in February 1948 (Kunz par. 20). Before that, in September, 1947, Andrei Zhdanov of the Politburo spoke before the Cominform for Eastern Europe to assert that the imperialists were trying to support fascist regimes (Zhdanov par. 2). He wanted the imperialist intrigues to be contained. George Kennan also wanted containment- of the communists and, if need be, of the Soviets. Kennan and William Clayton, both of the US State Department, had contributed greatly to the origination of the Marshall Plan. Kennan thought the world was becoming polarized into giant camps of freedom vs. everyone else. The Soviet Union as the centerpiece of concern would come later. Bernard Baruch, an American advisor, had introduced the term Cold War in April, 1947 (Cold War par. 1). Meanwhile, the communists of France and Italy were of immediate threat in Western Europe. These two nations were part of the fifteen nations that the Marshall Plan would aid. The others were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, West Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey (Marshall Plan par. 21). President Truman signed the Marshall Plan on April 3, 1948. The major items for the Europeans in 1948 were to be coal, steel, grains, and machinery (Judd par. 9). In the first year, food constituted half of all of the Marshall aid. Over the long haul, sixty percent was spend on food, fertilizer, and industrial goods. One sixth of the total was for fuel. Another one sixth was spent on machinery and vehicles. In sum, thirteen billion dollars of aid passed from the USA to Western Europe from 1948 to 1951 (DeLong and Eichengreen par. 3). The food, feed, and fertilizer consumed a little over three billion dollars of the total. Shortly after the Marshall Plan went into effect, Italys anti-communist and pro-Marshall Plan party won a majority. And then in France, after the communists won a plurality in 1945, they were on their way out in 1951 due to French economic prosperity. This prosperity in France and elsewhere was not of a minor magnitude. After 1948 Western Europe got its greatest economic growth ever recorded. The German part of the recovery became known as the wirtschaftwunder, or economic miracle (Kunz par. 3). Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe, the Soviets were determined to see central planning become a reality. To that end, a forced industrialization was started which was to remove Eastern Europe from any influence by the Marshall Plan. Eastern European nations became satellites of the Soviets, as members of the Warsaw Pact, and got little civilian development in exchange for military support and control. The end products of manufacture and the harvests were directed to the Soviets. No financial or economic stability was developed by these countries. The Marshall Plan made the division of Europe definitive. The Plan seriously damaged the Western European communists’ efforts. Furthermore, the Marshall Plan has been termed inconceivable without the Cold War (Cronin 281). Soon enough, not only was the Marshall Plan in place to aid in the restoration of Western Europe, but it became a vital component in the Cold War. In the Cold War in Western Europe, Germany was a key country. It was to be split in two with the former Allies of WWII in Western Germany and the Soviets in Eastern Germany. But an odd development came about with Berlin, also spilt into east and west components, existing deep within Soviet controlled East Germany. This did not sit well with the Soviets and so they began a blockade of highways and roads into West Berlin in June, 1948.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreaus Religions Essay -- Frankli

Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau's Religions Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau are by no means religious in any traditional sense of the word. If, however, â€Å"religious† is taken to mean the â€Å"belief in any sort of supreme being...that obliges ethical or moral conduct†, then both Franklin and Thoreau fall into this category. Though the two are strikingly opposite in their manner and social interaction, they are both held to a religious and personal standard. Their individual spiritual beliefs, ethical codes, and their â€Å"quality of life†show that all of their actions and thoughts are held by themselves to a higher standard. Both men have specific beliefs about the existence of God and man’s place in the world. Franklin is a self-proscribed â€Å"deist†, one who believes in God but not church, because of its nature. His attitude was that man runs the church, it’s the beliefs that are important, the praising and honoring of God on a daily basis, not the institution. Throughout the Autobiography, he mentions his prayers and the fact that he enjoyed going to non-formal sermons. He also supported the church monetarily for the benefit of others. Thoreau did none of these things, but he was still a highly spiritual individual. He did not proscribe to any particular religion but did hold the belief in one supreme being who created the universe. He believed that one should have a true experience with the world according to how it was made and that man was endowed with common sense by the creator. He says that humans â€Å"no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on earth and forgotten heaven†( Thoreau 25). This is why he believed societ... ...reets of Philadelphia. This is consistent with his religious views. Thoreau on the other hand was anti- machine, almost anti-society. He said that there are â€Å"a thousand [people] hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root† (Thoreau 51). He believed society would be better off not through inventions but if every individual took it upon themselves to find their own true path. Though differing, these two views express the same idea: leading humanity towards what is right. Regardless of their differences, Franklin and Thoreau are focused on a spiritual, humanist, non-shallow viewing of the world. Both don’t just do things because it is the thing to do or out of fear, but because of their beliefs. They feel obliged to a higher conduct because of their religious views of the world, whether â€Å"religious† or not.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Second Foundation 16. Beginning of War

For reason or reasons unknown to members of the Galaxy at the time of the era under discussion, Intergalactic Standard Time defines its fundamental unit, the second, as the time in which light travels 299,776 kilometers. 86,400 seconds are arbitrarily set equal to one Intergalactic Standard Day; and 365 of these days to one Intergalactic Standard Year. Why 299,776?- Or 86,400?- Or 365? Tradition, says the historian, begging the question. Because of certain and various mysterious numerical relationships, say the mystics, cultists, numerologists, metaphysicists. Because the original home-planet of humanity had certain natural periods of rotation and revolution from which those relationships could be derived, say a very few. No one really knew. Nevertheless, the date on which the Foundation cruiser, the Hober Mallow met the Kalganian squadron, headed by the Fearless, and, upon refusing to allow a search party to board, was blasted into smoldering wreckage was 185; 11692 G.E. That is, it was the 185th day of the 11,692nd year of the Galactic Era which dated from the accession of the first Emperor of the traditional Kamble dynasty. It was also 185; 419 A.S. – dating from the birth of Seldon – or 185; 348 Y.F. – dating from the establishment of the Foundation. On Kalgan it was 185; 56 F.C. – dating from the establishment of the First Citizenship by the Mule. In each case, of course, for convenience, the year was so arranged as to yield the same day number regardless of the actual day upon which the era began. And, in addition, to all the millions of worlds of the Galaxy, there were millions of local times, based on the motions of their own particular heavenly neighbors. But whichever you choose: 185; 11692-419-348-56 – or anything – it was this day which historians later pointed to when they spoke of the start of the Stettinian war. Yet to Dr. Darell, it was none of these at all. It was simply and quite precisely the thirty-second day since Arcadia had left Terminus. What it cost Darell to maintain stolidity through these days was not obvious to everyone. But Elvett Semic thought he could guess. He was an old man and fond of saying that his neuronic sheaths had calcified to the point where his thinking processes were stiff and unwieldy. He invited and almost welcomed the universal underestimation of his decaying powers by being the first to laugh at them. But his eyes were none the less seeing for being faded; his mind none the less experienced and wise, for being no longer agile. He merely twisted his pinched lips and said, â€Å"Why don't you do something about it?† The sound was a physical jar to Darell, under which he winced. He said, gruffly, â€Å"Where were we?† Semic regarded him with grave eyes. â€Å"You'd better do something about the girl.† His sparse, yellow teeth showed in a mouth that was open in inquiry. But Darell replied coldly, â€Å"The question is: Can you get a Symes-Molff Resonator in the range required?† Well, I said I could and you weren't listening-â€Å" â€Å"I'm sorry, Elvett. It's like this. What we're doing now can be more important to everyone in the Galaxy than the question of whether Arcadia is safe. At least, to everyone but Arcadia and myself, and I'm willing to go along with the majority. How big would the Resonator be?† Semic looked doubtful, â€Å"I don't know. You can find it somewheres in the catalogues.† â€Å"About how big. A ton? A pound? A block long?† â€Å"Oh, I thought you meant exactly. It's a little jigger.† He indicated the first joint of his thumb. â€Å"About that.† â€Å"All right, can you do something like this?† He sketched rapidly on the pad he held in his lap, then passed it over to the old physicist, who peered at it doubtfully, then chuckled. â€Å"Y'know, the brain gets calcified when you get as old as I am. What are you trying to do?† Darell hesitated. He longed desperately, at the moment, for the physical knowledge locked in the other's brain, so that he need not put his thought into words. But the longing was useless, and he explained. Semic was shaking his head. â€Å"You'd need hyper-relays. The only things that would work fast enough. A thundering lot of them.† â€Å"But it can be built?† â€Å"Well, sure.† â€Å"Can you get all the parts? I mean, without causing comment? In line with your general work.† Semic lifted his upper lip. â€Å"Can't get fifty hyper-relays? I wouldn't use that many in my whole life.† â€Å"We're on a defense project, now. Can't you think of something harmless that would use them? We've got the money.† â€Å"Hm-m-m. Maybe I can think of something.† â€Å"How small can you make the whole gadget?† â€Å"Hyper-relays can be had micro-size†¦ wiring†¦ tubes – Space, you've got a few hundred circuits there.† â€Å"I know. How big?† Semic indicated with his hands. â€Å"Too big,† said Darell. â€Å"I've got to swing it from my belt† Slowly, he was crumpling his sketch into a tight ball. When it was a hard, yellow grape, he dropped it into the ash tray and it was gone with the tiny white flare of molecular decomposition. He said, â€Å"Who's at your door?† Semic leaned over his desk to the little milky screen above the door signal. He said, â€Å"The young fellow, Anthor. Someone with him, too.† Darell scraped his chair back. â€Å"Nothing about this, Semic, to the others yet. It's deadly knowledge, if they find out, and two lives are enough to risk.† Pelleas Anthor was a pulsing vortex of activity in Semic's office, which, somehow, managed to partake of the age of its occupant. In the slow turgor of the quiet room, the loose, summery sleeves of Anthor's tunic seemed still a-quiver with the outer breezes. He said, â€Å"Dr. Darell, Dr. Semic – Orum Dirige.† The other man was tall. A long straight nose that lent his thin face a saturnine appearance. Dr. Darell held out a hand. Anthor smiled slightly. â€Å"Police Lieutenant Dirige,† he amplified. Then, significantly, â€Å"Of Kalgan.† And Darell turned to stare with force at the young man. â€Å"Police Lieutenant Dirige of Kalgan,† he repeated, distinctly. â€Å"And you bring him here. Why?† â€Å"Because he was the last man on Kalgan to see your daughter. Hold, man.† Anthor's look of triumph was suddenly one of concern, and he was between the two, struggling violently with Darell. Slowly, and not gently, he forced the older man back into the chair. â€Å"What are you trying to do?† Anthor brushed a lock of brown hair from his forehead, tossed a hip lightly upon the desk, and swung a leg, thoughtfully. â€Å"I thought I was bringing you good news.† Darell addressed the policeman directly, â€Å"What does he mean by calling you the last man to see my daughter? Is my daughter dead? Please tell me without preliminary.† His face was white with apprehension. Lieutenant Dirige said expressionlessly, † ‘Last man on Kalgan' was the phrase. She's not on Kalgan now. I have no knowledge past that.† â€Å"Here,† broke in Anthor, â€Å"let me put it straight. Sorry if I overplayed the drama a bit, Doc. You're so inhuman about this, I forget you have feelings. In the first place, Lieutenant Dirige is one of us. He was born on Kalgan, but his father was a Foundation man brought to that planet in the service of the Mule. I answer for the lieutenant's loyalty to the Foundation. â€Å"Now I was in touch with him the day after we stopped getting the daily report from Munn-â€Å" â€Å"Why?† broke in Darell, fiercely. â€Å"I thought it was quite decided that we were not to make a move in the matter. You were risking their lives and ours.† â€Å"Because,† was the equally fierce retort, â€Å"I've been involved in this game for longer than you. Because I know of certain contacts on Kalgan of which you know nothing. Because I act from deeper knowledge, do you understand?† â€Å"I think you're completely mad.† â€Å"Will you listen?† A pause, and Darell's eyes dropped. Anthor's lips quirked into a half smile, â€Å"All right, Doc. Give me a few minutes. Tell him, Dirige.† Dirige spoke easily: â€Å"As far as I know, Dr. Darell, your daughter is at Trantor. At least, she had a ticket to Trantor at the Eastern Spaceport. She was with a Trading Representative from that planet who claimed she was his niece. Your daughter seems to have a queer collection of relatives, doctor. That was the second uncle she had in a period of two weeks, eh? The Trantorian even tried to bribe me – probably thinks that's why they got away.† He smiled grimly at the thought. â€Å"How was she?† â€Å"Unharmed, as far as I could see. Frightened. I don't blame her for that. The whole department was after her. I still don't know why.† Darell drew a breath for what seemed the first time in several minutes. He was conscious of the trembling of his hands and controlled them with an effort. â€Å"Then she's all right. This Trading Representative, who was he? Go back to him. What part does he play in it?† â€Å"I don't know. Do you know anything about Trantor?† â€Å"I lived there once.† â€Å"It's an agricultural world, now. Exports animal fodder and grains, mostly. High quality! They sell them all over the Galaxy. There are a dozen or two farm co-operatives on the planet and each has its representatives overseas. Shrewd sons of guns, too- I knew this one's record. He'd been on Kalgan before, usually with his wife. Perfectly honest. Perfectly harmless.† â€Å"Um-m-m,† said Anthor. â€Å"Arcadia was born in Trantor, wasn't she, Doc?† Darell nodded. â€Å"It hangs together, you see. She wanted to go away – quickly and far – and Trantor would suggest itself. Don't you think so?† Darell said: â€Å"Why not back here?† â€Å"Perhaps she was being pursued and felt that she had to double off in a new angle, eh?' Dr. Darell lacked the heart to question further. Well, then, let her be safe on Trantor, or as safe as one could be anywhere in this dark and horrible Galaxy. He groped toward the door, felt Anthor's light touch on his sleeve, and stopped, but did not turn. â€Å"Mind if I go home with you, Doc?† â€Å"You're welcome,† was the automatic response. By evening, the exteriormost reaches of Dr. Darell's personality, the ones that made immediate contact with other people had solidified once more. He had refused to eat his evening meal and had, instead, with feverish insistence, returned to the inchwise advance into the intricate mathematics of encephalographic analysis. It was not till nearly midnight, that he entered the living room again. Pelleas Anthor was still there, twiddling at the controls of the video. The footsteps behind him caused him to glance over his shoulder. â€Å"Hi. Aren't you in bed yet? I've been spending hours on the video, trying to get something other than bulletins. It seems the F.S. Hober Mallow is delayed in course and hasn't been heard from† â€Å"Really? What do they suspect?† â€Å"What do you think? Kalganian skulduggery. There are reports that Kalganian vessels were sighted in the general space sector in which the Hober Mallow was last heard from?† Darell shrugged, and Anthor rubbed his forehead doubtfully. â€Å"Look doc,† he said, â€Å"why don't you go to Trantor?† â€Å"Why should I?† â€Å"Because â€Å"You're no good to us here. You're not yourself. You can't be. And you could accomplish a purpose by going to Trantor, too. The old Imperial Library with the complete records of the Proceedings of the Seldon Commission are there-â€Å" â€Å"No! The Library has been picked clean and it hasn't helped anyone.† â€Å"It helped Ebling Mis once.† â€Å"How do you know? Yes, he said he found the Second Foundation, and my mother killed him five seconds later as the only way to keep him from unwittingly revealing its location to the Mule. But in doing so, she also, you realize, made it impossible ever to tell whether Mis really did know the location. After all, no one else has ever been able to deduce the truth from those records.† â€Å"Ebling Mis, if you'll remember, was working under the driving impetus of the Mule's mind.† â€Å"I know that, too, but Mis' mind was, by that very token, in an abnormal state. Do you and I know anything about the properties of a mind under the emotional control of another; about its abilities and shortcomings? In any case, I will not go to Trantor.† Anthor frowned, â€Å"Well, why the vehemence? I merely suggested it as – well, by Space, I don't understand you. You look ten years older. You're obviously having a hellish time of it. You're not doing anything of value here. If I were you, I'd go and get the girl.† â€Å"Exactly! It's what I want to do, too. That's why I won't do it. Look, Anthor, and try to understand. You're playing – we're both playing – with something completely beyond our powers to fight. In cold blood, if you have any, you know that, whatever you may think in your moments of quixoticism. â€Å"For fifty years, we've known that the Second Foundation is the real descendent and pupil of Seldonian mathematics. What that means, and you know that, too, is that nothing in the Galaxy happens which does not play a part in their reckoning. To us, all life is a series of accidents, to be met with by improvisations To them, all life is purposive and should be met by precalculation. â€Å"But they have their weakness. Their work is statistical and only the mass action of humanity is truly inevitable. Now how I play a part, as an individual, in the foreseen course of history, I don't know. Perhaps I have no definite part, since the Plan leaves individuals to indeterminacy and free will. But I am important and they – they, you understand – may at least have calculated my probable reaction. So I distrust, my impulses, my desires, my probable reactions. â€Å"I would rather present them with an improbable reaction. I will stay here, despite the fact that I yearn very desperately to leave.*** â€Å"No! Because I yearn very desperately to leave.† The younger man smiled sourly. â€Å"You don't know your own mind as well as they might. Suppose that – knowing you – they might count on what you think, merely think, is the improbable reaction, simply by knowing in advance what your line of reasoning would be.† â€Å"In that case, there is no escape. For if I follow the reasoning you have just outlined and go to Trantor, they may have foreseen that, too. There is an endless cycle of double-double-double-double-crosses. No matter how far I follow that cycle, I can only either go or stay. The intricate act of luring my daughter halfway across the Galaxy cannot be meant to make me stay where I am, since I would most certainly have stayed if they had done nothing. It can only be to make me move, and so I will stay. â€Å"And besides, Anthor, not everything bears the breath of the Second Foundation; not all events are the results of their puppeting. They may have had nothing to do with Arcadia's leave-taking, and she may be safe on Trantor when all the rest of us are dead.† â€Å"No,† said Anthor, sharply, â€Å"now you are off the track.† â€Å"You have an alternative interpretation?† â€Å"I have – if you'll listen.† â€Å"Oh, go ahead. I don't lack patience.† â€Å"Well, then – how well do you know your own daughter?† â€Å"How well can any individual know any other? Obviously, my knowledge is inadequate.† â€Å"So is mine on that basis, perhaps even more so – but at least, I viewed her with fresh eyes. Item one: She is a ferocious little romantic, the only child of an ivory-tower academician, growing up in an unreal world of video and book-film adventure. She lives in a weird self-constructed fantasy of espionage and intrigue. Item two: She's intelligent about it; intelligent enough to outwit us, at any rate. She planned carefully to overhear our first conference and succeeded. She planned carefully to go to Kalgan with Munn and succeeded. Item three: She has an unholy hero-worship of her grandmother – your mother – who defeated the Mule. â€Å"I'm right so far, I think? All right, then. Now, unlike you, I've received a complete report from Lieutenant Dirige and, in addition, my sources of information on Kalgan are rather complete, and all sources check. We know, for instance, that Homir Munn, in conference with the Lord of Kalgan was refused admission to the Mule's Palace, and that this refusal was suddenly abrogated after Arcadia had spoken to Lady Callia, the First Citizen's very good friend.† Darell interrupted. â€Å"And how do you know all this?† â€Å"For one thing, Munn was interviewed by Dirige as part of the police campaign to locate Arcadia. Naturally, we have a complete transcript of the questions and answers. â€Å"And take Lady Callia herself. It is rumored that she has lost Stettin's interest, but the rumor isn't borne out by facts. She not only remains unreplaced; is not only able to mediate the lord's refusal to Munn into an acceptance; but can even engineer Arcadia's escape openly. Why, a dozen of the soldiers about Stettin's executive mansion testified that they were seen together on the last evening. Yet she remains unpunished. This despite the fact that Arcadia was searched for with every appearance of diligence.† â€Å"But what is your conclusion from all this torrent of ill-connection?† â€Å"That Arcadia's escape was arranged.† â€Å"As I said.† â€Å"With this addition. That Arcadia must have known it was arranged; that Arcadia, the bright little girl who saw cabals everywhere, saw this one and followed your own type of reasoning. They wanted her to return to the Foundation, and so she went to Trantor, instead. But why Trantor?† â€Å"Well, why?† â€Å"Because that is where Bayta, her idolized grandmother, escaped when she was in flight. Consciously or unconsciously, Arcadia imitated that. I wonder, then, if Arcadia was fleeing the same enemy.† â€Å"The Mule?† asked Darell with polite sarcasm. â€Å"Of course not. I mean, by the enemy, a mentality that she could not fight. She was running from the Second Foundation, or such influence thereof as could be found on Kalgan.† â€Å"What influence is this you speak of?† â€Å"Do you expect Kalgan to be immune from that ubiquitous menace? We both have come to the conclusion, somehow, that Arcadia's escape was arranged. Right? She was searched for and found, but deliberately allowed to slip away by Dirige. By Dirige, do you understand? But how was that? Because he was our man. But how did they know that? Were they counting on him to be a traitor? Eh, doc?† â€Å"Now you're saying that they honestly meant to recapture her. Frankly, you're tiring me a bit, Anthor. Finish your say; I want to go to bed.† â€Å"My say is quickly finished.† Anthor reached for a small group of photo-records in his inner pocket. It was the familiar wigglings of the encephalograph. â€Å"Dirige's brainwaves,† Anthor said, casually, â€Å"taken since he returned.† It was quite visible to Darell's naked eye, and his face was gray when he looked up. â€Å"He is Controlled.† â€Å"Exactly. He allowed Arcadia to escape not because he was our man but because he was the Second Foundation's.† â€Å"Even after he knew she was going to Trantor, and not to Terminus.† Anthor shrugged. â€Å"He had been geared to let her go. There was no way he could modify that. He was only a tool, you see. It was just that Arcadia followed the least probable course, and is probably safe. Or at least safe until such time as the Second Foundation can modify the plans to take into account this changed state of affairs-â€Å" He paused. The little signal light on the video set was flashing. On an independent circuit, it signified the presence of emergency news. Darell saw it, too, and with the mechanical movement of long habit turned on the video. They broke in upon the middle of a sentence but before its completion, they knew that the Hober Mallow, or the wreck thereof, had been found and that, for the first time in nearly half a century, the Foundation was again at war. Anthor's jaw was set in a hard line. â€Å"All right, doc, you heard that. Kalgan has attacked; and Kalgan is under the control of the Second Foundation. Will you follow your daughter's lead and move to Trantor?† â€Å"No. I will risk it. Here.† â€Å"Dr. Darell. You are not as intelligent as your daughter. I wonder how far you can be trusted.† His long level stare held Darell for a moment, and then without a word, he left. And Darell was left in uncertainty and – almost – despair. Unheeded, the video was a medley of excited sight-sound, as it described in nervous detail the first hour of the war between Kalgan and the Foundation.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Pepsi’s Marketing Mix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 2 INTRODUCTION 2 MISSION STATEMENT 3 VISSION 3 ABOUT Pepsi 3 CORPORATE OVERVIEW AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 4 5C ANALYSIS 5 6P’S OF A BUSINESS 8 CREATIVE STRATEGY OF Pepsi 13 DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM 13 SWOT ANALYSIS 14 CONCLUSION 15 ABSTARCT The marketing plan is central to the business plan. Marketing research helps you define your product or service, the target market, and the competition. Pricing your product is an important step that must begin with an understanding of the total cost of the product or service. Markup percentage, gross margin percentage, production costs, non-production costs, and profit must all be considered when deciding price. Promotions and advertising should be planned for at least a year in advance, taking into account seasonal fluctuations, high and low sales times, competitors’ INTRODUCTION Pepsi is currently one of the most successful consumer product company in the world its annual revenue exceeding $30 billion and has more that 480,000employees. pepsi co. inc. as began as a successor to a company incorporated in the 1931known as loft inc. once known as Pepsi cola. , the company expanded its business and adopted its current name Pepsi co. after a merger with Frito-lay in 1965. the merger dramatically increased its market potential and set the foundation of company’s tremendous growth. Pepsi co. ’s products are recognized and are the most respected all around the globe. They operate main three devisions: beverages ,snack foods and restaurants. In each of these business the Pepsi co. as attained a leadership position as being the world leader in the soft drink bottling . The corporation increasing the success has been based on high standards of performance , marketing strategies, competitiveness, determination, commitment and the personal and professional integrity of their people, product and their business practices. Mission Pepsi is continuously striving for synergy between technology system and human resource to provide product and services to meet the quality, performance and price aspirants of customers. hile doing so it maintains the highest standard of ethics and social responsibilities, innovative product and processes and develop team that keep the momentum going to take the company to excellence in the new millennium. Vision PepsiCo's responsibility is to continually improve all aspects of the world in which we operate – environment, social, economic – creating a better tomorrow than today. † Our vision is put into action through programs and a focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company. About Pepsi Pepsi-Cola North America is the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc. , in the United States and Canada. Its U. S. brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Sierra Mist, IZZE, SoBe, Mug, Tropicana Twister Soda, Tropicana Juice Drinks, Dole and Ocean Spray single-serve juices. The company also makes and markets North America's best-selling ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks. From its humble beginnings over a century ago, Pepsi-Cola has grown to become one of the best-known, most-loved products throughout the world. Today, the company continues to innovate, creating new products, new flavors and new packages in varying shapes and sizes to meet the growing demand for convenience and healthier choices. Pepsi is constantly on the lookout for ways to ensure their consumers get the products they want, when they want them and where they want them. The Pepsi cola drink contains basic ingredients found in most other similar drinks. Corporate Overview and Financial Performance PepsiCo, Inc. is one of the most successful consumer products companies in the world, with 2000 revenues of over $20 billion and 125,000 employees. The company consists of: Frito-Lay Company, the largest manufacturer and distributor of snack chips; Pepsi-Cola Company, the second largest soft drink business and Tropicana Products, the largest marketer and producer of branded juice. PepsiCo brands are among the best known and most respected in the world and are available in about 190 countries and territories. In 2000, PepsiCo has a reported net sale of $20,348 and a comparable net sale of $20,144 in comparison to its 1999’s net sales of $20,367 and $18,666 respectively. PepsiCo has increased its comparable net sale of 8% in 2000 while it had an increase of 15% in 1999. This reflects the increasing rate is going slower. On the other hand, PepsiCo’s interest expense declines 39% showing that the company is significantly lower the average debt level. Back to 1999, the report shows that the company’s interest expense dropped 8%, which indicates that the company is performing well in managing its financial strategies. More details about the financial performance of the company will be discussed in the later part of this paper. Company PepsiCo's overall mission is to increase the value of shareholder's investment. They do this through sales growth, cost controls and wise investment of resources. They believe their commercial success depends upon offering quality and value to their consumers and customers; providing products that are safe, wholesome, economically efficient and environmentally sound; and providing a fair return to their investors while adhering to the highest standards of integrity. In order to profitably satisfy customer needs, the firm first must understand its external and internal situation, including the customer, the market environment, and the firm's own capabilities. Furthermore, it needs to forecast trends in the dynamic environment in which it operates. A useful framework for performing a situation analysis is the 5 C Analysis. The 5C analysis is an environmental scan on five key areas especially applicable to marketing decisions. It covers the internal, the micro-environmental, and the macro-environmental situation. The 5 C analysis is an extension of the 3 C analysis (company, customers, and competitors), to which some marketers added the 4th C of collaborators. The further addition of a macro-environmental analysis (climate) results in a 5 C analysis, some aspects of which are outlined below. The Image of Pepsi co. in the global market is really very excellent. They use the new Technology and they have lots of years of experience in this market. Their ultimate Goals are to achieve highest share in the market. Collaborators The Pepsi co. has Distributors in whole world. Their distribution strategy is different than the others. Their distribution partners are Pepsi co. has suppliers and alliances all over the world. Which helps them to distribute their products to each of the market in each country. The distribution channel make the easy supply of goods. Customers Pepsi co. has potential customers to be a successful organization. The Market size and growth is fully based on the ultimate customers. Market segmentation of the product in whole world Geographic, Demographic, Behavioral and Psychographic. The company provides Benefits that consumer is seeking, tangible and intangible. The customer can give Motivation behind purchase; value drivers, benefits vs. osts. Frequency of purchase can give idea about how many customers repeat their product. Seasonal factors works for increasing the sales. It is a trend that how consumer needs and preferences change over time will affect the company. Competitors OVERALL MARKET SHARE COCA-COLA 43. 9% PEPSI COLA 30. 9% CADBURY SCHWEPPES 14. 5% BREAKDOWN OF MARKET SHARE COCA-COLA CLASSIC 20. 6% PEPSI COLA 14. 5% DIET COKE 8. 5% MOUNTAIN DEW 6. 3% SPRITE 6. 2% Pep si is situated in an environment that is ever changing and dynamic. Pepsi must be concerned of changing taste of the consumer and be able to respond to that need immediately or risk losing market share. They also need to be financially strong to keep up with a powerhouse like Coca-Cola and be able to strike back in the long running cola war. Pepsi must also be able to respond to different cultures in the international environment. Actual or potential competition is going on in the market. Direct or indirect: Pepsi have direct competitors like coke, thumps up, etc. Products: they all have same kind of product soft drinks. Strengths and weaknesses of competitorscan make easy success to the company to survive in he market. Climate The climate or macro-environmental factors are: Political & regulatory environment – governmental policies and regulations that affect the market share of the Pepsi. The price of the all soft drink has to at their cut through level because the Economic environment – business cycle, inflation rate, interest rates, and other macroeconomic issues. Day by day Pepsi makes new soft drinks as Social/Cultural environment society's trends and fashions make the different taste in the soft drinks. The advertisement strategy makes different sense. Technological environment – new knowledge that makes possible new ways of satisfying needs; the impact of technology on the demand for existing products. Build a solid foundation for your organization's marketing efforts Why balancing the 6 P's is crucial to success Keys to the successful marketing mix Knowing what's right for your organization The six P's of marketing are the updated version of the tried-and-true 4 P's. Understanding each of the 6 P's and how to use them can help your marketing results skyrocket. We'll cover each of the 6 P's: From this workshop, you'll get a solid understanding of the foundations of marketing strategy and how the pieces fit together. Whether you have a product or service, are profit-based or non-profit, the 6 P's can put you on the right track. Presidents, executive directors and managers responsible for marketing – anyone involved with creating the marketing vision for your organization. A solid understanding of the elements of marketing and how your organization can use the 6 P's to improve your marketing results. How to use the six basic elements of marketing Key factors for great strategies on pricing, product, target markets, promotions and more Secrets to creating the best marketing mix for your organization How to balance the 6 P's for your organization or company Identifying the right product, right people, right place and right promotion The 6 P's — The Building Blocks of Marketing features an interactive presentation and discussion, along with group exercises, to help you understand the power and the beauty of the perfect marketing mix. Marketing objectives To be most effective objective at any level should meet the following four criteria which Pepsi co. is in, The objectives are relevant to the high level of objectives. They are challenging but still sustainable. They are measurable. They are time specific. Pepsi marketing strategies Pepsi has the concentration segment, targeted the youth segment instead of trying to be something to all segment. pepsi achieve the international position as a drink for th new generation. Papsi has been successful in positioning itself for the younger generation. Promotion Pepsi has promoted it’s all product by every means of promotion. They have done Advertising through the electronic media TV, radio, and internet. The public relations and other promotion has done by the Pepsi. Promotional agreements they have signed with the retailers which include the pizza hut or KFC. Selling process: Pepsi has very well managed selling system. Different stock keeping units. And distributed to the distributer and they supply to the retailers. Pepsi soft drinks are produced in the very well managed selling system. For every rout there is a rout agent who cover maximum shops each day, so that regular supply of soft drink is made. The rout agent takes the order from the shopkeeper and move to the next. They have some agency in each rout. They supply in the areas where truck could not reach. These areas are called indirect routs. Product People satisfy their needs and wants with their product and services. A product is anything that can be offered to market to satisfy a need or a want. The concept of product is not limited to physical objects. To maintain its high quality and standards of its product the company has highly equipped lab for testing the quality of carbon dioxide and the level of sugar in the product. Pepsi is one of the most core products of the organization and the company puts in the lot of effort to retain its image through its highly professional team. The members of the organization work day and night making every possible effort to attain the organizational goals and achieve excellence. Price Pepsi has adopted market penetration pricing strategy at that time when it was introduced but now it is on the same level of its competitor coca cola. Providing quality products at the lowest rates had always been one of the main concern of Pepsi. The price of Pepsi is very copetitve with the highest quality. Place Place includes the company activitiesthat make product to the available to target customers. Pepsi is placed the market according to the extent of the target market located in the particular geographical area. Retail stores are placed all around the franchise areas in order to ensure the availability of the product. The distribution network also works according to the promotional campaign or the season. * P*ositioning The activity that communicate the merits of the product in order to persuade the target customers to buy it. Advertiserscan choose among as number of positioning approaches , depending on what the situation analysis revels about the strength of that product , the needs of their customers and action of their competitors. Following are the positions available to the advisors. Positioning by product differences. Against the particular competitor. Against entire product category. By association. By problem. In order to the Pepsi, depend on the market conditions, Positioning by product usage Positioning by association Positioning against particular competitor. Production Production and process: flexibility or fixed? Services: the sky is the limit Looking at the future for production activities, and opportunities for free publicity. Customer service may be the most important element in your total marketing strategy. Use, evaluate, and revise your marketing plan regularly. Creative strategy of Pepsi The creative strategy is the plan to defines three advertising efforts. The art direction The artistic design of the advertising. The production values. Various audio and visual components and stylistic touch make up the advertisement and the copy platform , a check list providing the background information that copywriter and art director need to craft the advertisement. Managing the advertising efforts by Planning, organizing, Implementing and controlling Distribution system The Pepsi co. has Indirect distribution system. The distribution of the product is done as under Manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumers. *SWOT *analysis Strength: The brand name is the highest strength of the organization, which is known s excellent. Managing the highest quality by using the latest equipment in order to produce best hygienic product. The easy availability in the market is the second strength. Highly skilled professionalize working. The company enjoys the brand loyalty which is plus point for the organization. The market share covered by the company is also a great strength. Weakness: The packaging of the product is sometime difficu lt for the product to maintain. Provide opportunities to the competitors by not covering rural areas in the different countries. The lack of Advertisement in rural area. Opportunities: The company has opportunities to develop their sales force in rural areas. Post mix operation can be expanded in order to make the product available at all times. New and innovative products have always been acted as opportunity to the organization. Threats: The biggest threat for the organization is itscompetitors. so Pepsi needs to develop the strategy keeping in mind for their reorganization. The government policies and changing requirement of the customers can effect the operations of the company. Conclusion Pepsi has 37% global market share operating in 190 countries. At every level of Pepsi co. Take great care to ensure that highest standards are met in everything they do. In their production, marketing , advertising and packaging they strives for excellence because they think their customers deserves better quality products. They promise to work towards improvements in all areas of their organization. They also follow the strict quality procedures during manufacturing and filling of their packages. Additional quality control measures helps to ensure the integrity of Pepsi products throughout the distribution process. References http://www. fixyourmarketing. com/workshops/sixp. htm http://www. missouribusiness. net/sbtdc/docs/marketing. pdf http://www. scribd. com/doc/15434619/Pepsi-Project Phillip Kotler (2004). Marketing management, 11th edition (page 590). Delhi: Pearson Education. http://www. pepsico. com/Company/Our-History. html http://newswiretoday. com/news/57876/ Mickey gill (2006). 1000 coke or Pepsi? : 1000 Coke or Pepsi questions to ask your friends? Longwood,FL

Thursday, November 7, 2019

An evaluation of marketing strategies in international insurance companies, with a view to identifying successful strategies for future use within the industry The WritePass Journal

An evaluation of marketing strategies in international insurance companies, with a view to identifying successful strategies for future use within the industry Literature Review An evaluation of marketing strategies in international insurance companies, with a view to identifying successful strategies for future use within the industry , which focuses specifically on marketing strategies used in life-insurance companies with a global approach, offering relevant information which can potentially be draw upon for the purposes of this wider research. In this proposed paper, the author is going to examine the marketing strategies employed by insurance services to ascertain which of these marketing strategies is likely to result in the success of the organisation and the longer-term factors that will lead into this success. It was found in this research that innovation was one of the key factors associated with successful marketing strategies. By looking at the various strategies, such as pricing, advertising, improving quality control, personal selling and image, it was argued in this research that innovation needed to consider not only the product which is being provided, but also the approach taken to engaging with the markets. This recognises that providing strong customer services is often a secondary marketing strategy which is successful in its own right, without necessarily going down the additional route of advertising and engaging with new customer groups. Other marketing strategies that were recognised as being successful in this paper included the use of information technology as a means of changing the internal structure and enabling companies to engage with a broader customer base with considerable ease, as well as allowing the company to increase its use of sales’ promotions to attract the most relevant customers. Crucially, however, this paper argues that developing new and innovative ideas, whether this be in terms of the method of marketing, or the nature of the products being offered, needs to be continuously at the forefront of the insurance industry, particularly in the current climate where organisations are subject to increased costs, including additional regulatory requirements. These proposals contained within the paper offer an interesting point of discussion for the purpose of this proposed area of research as it looks at the underlying ethos of the strategy rather than the precise strategy itself. Paper 2 Another interesting paper for the literature review is that of Saaty, 2011, which looked specifically at the marketing strategies employed by insurance companies in Saudi Arabia, both in terms of their domestic success and in terms of making international inroads into new markets. This paper looks at the individual strategies being employed within one individual jurisdiction and by drawing on a broad range of primary users that and identifying the factors that ultimately encourage them to engage with a particular organisation. Saudi Arabia is also seen as being a relevant jurisdiction, as it is going through a dramatic period of growth and is therefore encouraging organisations and consumers to think about new ways of working and engaging with their customer base. This research looked at a wide variety of insurance products (unlike the previously identified literature that focussed on the life insurance sector only). Interestingly, this research showed that factors relating to regula tory and social issues were the most likely to influence the individual decision as to which insurance companies would be chosen by the individual consumer. Crucially, however the paper also showed concern about the general acceptance of the need to insure at all, indicating that for a developing region, marketing strategies need to concentrate more on the generic issue associated with why insurers would be important in the first place. This presents an important argument that an international insurance company will need to take into account the fact that some jurisdictions will not necessarily have the same desire and understanding relating to the benefits of insurance and therefore their marketing strategies may need to be adapted, in order to deal with this lack of understanding. It becomes apparent, therefore, that the marketing strategies will need to take into account the way in which the jurisdiction itself is likely to react to the insurance market, in its entirety. Objectives and Importance of the Research The insurance industry is undergoing a dramatic period of change and evolution, with many organisations facing increased costs due to regulatory pressures, as well as the market becoming somewhat saturated in the more developed regions, particularly as consumers look to reduce their daily spending. With this in mind, the way in which international insurance companies can evolve and develop in an increasingly competitive market becomes of particular relevance, as the economy looks to recover and to better engage with its customer base, as well as dealing with the changing dynamics within the economy. There are also increasing opportunities being made available to international organisation to engage with a broader range of consumers, often through the use of information technology which provides those additional opportunities and also additional competition, thus changing the entire dynamic of marketing for the industry. The key objective of this research is to identify marketing strategies that an international insurance company can use to its advantage when establishing itself more firmly within its existing jurisdiction, but also identifies strategies that are likely to be successful when entering into new markets. This is perceived to be particularly important, due to the fact that many international companies may be looking towards entering new jurisdictions that have potentially greater opportunities; therefore, identify marketing strategies that will enable these international organisations enter these new jurisdictions, successfully, is a key objective of this overall research proposal. The first objective will be to explore the challenges being faced by international insurance companies, with specific reference to opportunities that may present themselves to increase the revenue base and to enter new markets as a means of gathering new customers. This will then enable the research to go on to look at the business strategies and marketing strategies which may be appropriate for achieving this aim and looking at the relative merits of various different strategies, from the consumer’s point of view. By looking at various different strategies that may be employed by an insurance company and identifying the demands of the precise market that is being targeted, it is anticipated that a suitable framework can then be suggested for international insurance companies, in the future. Data Collection Methods Marketing, by its very definition, involves engaging and encouraging customers to become (or indeed remain as) customers. Therefore, it is suggested that the most appropriate method of gathering information is through primary research, focusing on surveys (questionnaires) and interviews with insurance customers. Surveys can be sent out to a much broader range of individuals, enabling the researcher to collect a large amount of data in a relatively short space of time and with relatively little cost. This will enable quantitative analysis through SPSS or excel as appropriate to offer graphical representation. However, surveys can potentially create difficulties when it comes to gaining full answers, as individuals will be encouraged to provide an answer to a specific question raised based on the set of answers provided which may or may not fully reflect the feelings of the consumer. By encouraging the respondent to select the â€Å"best fit†, this may be an unfair reflection of the situation and could result in key findings going unidentified. It is for this reason that interviews will be undertaken alongside the surveys, to allow for a greater exploration of key issues and to allow respondents to voice their opinions more fully and freely. This method will supplement the survey, but can be difficult to produce theories, as each individual is likely to respond slightly differently, thus making it harder to analyse the results in a quantitative manner. By combining the two approaches, it is expected that a greater understanding of consumer decision-making can be ascertained. It can then be used in order to meet the overall objective of this research. Ethical Implications of the Research Care needs to be taken when undertaking this research due to the fact that the research involves collecting a large amount of data from individuals. This means that consideration will have to be given as to how personal data will be secured, to ensure that anonymity will be maintained throughout. Any concerns in this regard could result in inaccurate results. Furthermore, any interviews with insurance executives will need to be undertaken with anonymity guaranteed, as individuals working within the insurance industry may be reluctant to provide open and frank discussions, if there are any concerns that the information being provided is going to be made public, as this could jeopardise their long-term career. Ultimately, this will impact on the accuracy of the information that will be provided. This is particularly relevant within the insurance industry which is facing increasing challenges and is therefore potentially going to create difficulties for those looking to progress their c areers. With this in mind, anonymity and security needs to be assured to all respondents. References Saaty, A. (2011). Factors Critical in Marketing Strategies of Insurance Companies in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Marketing Strategies Vol. 3. Issue 3. Shameem, B., and Gupta, S. (2012). Marketing Strategies in Life Insurance Services, International Journal of Marketing, Financial Services and Management Research Vol 1. Issue 11.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Joys and Pains of Teaching Seniors

The Joys and Pains of Teaching Seniors There is a certain attitude in high schools that Senior teachers often get off easy. Typically, their students finish sooner than the rest of the school. Further, the worst behaved students have often times left school for good by that point. Despite these positives, teaching Seniors is not always a bed of roses. So how do we keep students who are suffering from Chronic Senioritis motivated? I cant say I have all the answers, but I can give you some insights that might help you make it through the last day of graduation practice without losing your mind or your patience. Teaching Seniors requires a person with a special personality. You cant take things as seriously with Seniors because, honestly, you are dealing with at least four special circumstances: Non-college bound students who are doing fine and will definitely graduate. They know that by second semester they only need to pass (not excel) in your class and therefore they do not take it seriously. Note: If you teach an non-required elective, this is even worse.College-bound students who by their second semester have already been accepted to their University and know that it is VERY rare that students will be turned away based on their last semester grades unless they fail.Students who are in danger of not graduating and are doing everything they can to stay afloat and make that grade that will give them the required GPA.Students who have no chance of graduating on time. These can be divided into two subcategories: those that will take the required summer courses to graduate and those that wont. Further, the ones who wont are often under the false impression that somehow a miracle will happen and they will be allowed to graduate. (Whats really sad is that many schools allow the se individuals to actually walk across the stage - just not get a diploma. Why cant we teach our students the harsh reality of their poor decisions? They will learn them soon enough - so arent we doing them a disservice by not helping them learn coping mechanisms now? But thats another article for another day.) So with that said, you can probably see that your best and average students are usually not interested in giving it their all. The only people still interested in working hard are those who either do or dont have a chance to graduate on time. And they are most interested in getting work in that will raise their grades. What to do? You can choose to give up for the last semester and just show movies - loosely based on your topic. You can continue teaching as always hoping they will settle down and get back to the way they were first semester. Or you can change what you are doing and include interest building activities that could actually result in some thinking and learning. Ideas for Interest Building Activities: Have the entire Senior class work on a project that culminates near the end of the year. In my school, we always had a Mock Legislature. Kids spent time writing bills and then for two days, the bills went through committees. If they made it through the House committees then they had to go to the Senate committees. If they made it out of their, they had to go to the entire House and Senate. If they made it out of that, the Governor would determine if it was a worthy bill and either sign or veto it. Of course, the competition for the top spots (committee chairs, Speaker, Governor, etc.) would be advertised and students would have to apply and turn in resumes. etc. This kept kids motivated and interested in coming to school. Hold classroom debates Go back to Grade School. The oddest thing happens with last semester Seniors. They are eager to leave but they are also (secretly) afraid of leaving the safety of High School. Therefore, they seem to really enjoy activities in class that requ ire artwork, cutting and pasting, experimenting, even coloring. Make them curricularly-sound - they will enjoy it. Teach them about what they can expect in College. Spend a little time talking to them about college and about how to succeed. Teach them note-taking skills. Let them in on some truths - like how important it is to figure out each professor at the beginning of a course to know how best to turn in work that they will appreciate. Help them create goals. There is no greater gift that you can give them giving students a road map to making their dreams become reality. Play educational games. Some simulation games provide students wiht a real depth of understanding. Interact has an awesome line up of simulations throughout the curriculum. Even though something might be listed as for Middle School, it can still be used in the upper grade. In the end, motivating Seniors is more about changing your teaching style to keep their interest. This is not say that you have to be an entertainer but if you want to make the last months of school enjoyable each year, try one or more of these strategies and see what happens. Good Luck!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Does left hander are more intelligent than right hander Essay

Does left hander are more intelligent than right hander - Essay Example I believe this will be an intriguing topic to look into. In his book Chris McManus(2003) who is a psychologist tried to explain some of the myths surrounding left-handed people. He states that even though there are claims that left-handed people can be more creative, there is not enough scientific evidence to support such thesis. Another myth, proclaimed by Geschwind, is that left-handed people are more prone to immune disorders. McManus (2003) processed and studied data taken from 21 000 patients. He concluded based on the research collected that lthere is no evidence to conclusively state that more left-handed people develop or suffer from immune system disorders than right-handed. Another myth is that left-handers have been persecuted. In his book â€Å"The Puzzle of Left Handedness†, Rik Smits (2012) notes that there existed an inexplicable prejudice against left-handed people. Certainly in the past, there was a deeply rooted bias. Right was thought to be good and left was believed to be evil. This can be observed across many cultures. Muslims for example use their right hand to eat with and the left to wash wish. There are also linguistic traces. â€Å"Right-hand man† meaning the most important person standing next to the boss and â€Å"having two left feet† are only handful of expressions, demonstrating this preconception. To debunk the myth that left-handed people are somehow treated harsh in life Smits (2012) looks at some statistical facts that 5 out of the 7 US presidents were left-handed. This clearly indicates that persecutions were no longer applicable for left-handed people in this modern era. Moreover they appear to be as succ essful and powerful as the right-handed. One of the established facts is that left-handed people are less likely to be dominated by the left-hemisphere which is responsible for the language. For example language function is located in the left-hemisphere of the brain, thus people suffering from head