Company Law Problem Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Company Law Problem Question - Essay Example The company under consideration, Homemaker Limited had three persons on its board of directors namely Jenny, Louis and Chris. Out of these directors, the most active role was played by Chris who also tended to act as the Managing Director though this was never formally recognized in writing. This indicates that Jenny and Louis were more or less passive directors of the company. Homemaker Limited was construed for construction of homes only, but Chris sought to diversify business into equipment and furniture supply. The shortage of work in the construction industry forced Chris to diversify business but he did not register another company to do so. Instead, the platform of Homemaker Limited was utilized by Chris to supply Easy Birds Limited with equipment and furniture which stands in direct violation of the original constitution of Homemaker Limited. Given the fact that Homemaker Limited was struggling with capital requirements, Chris decided to borrow one and a half million pounds f rom Star Bank. The transactions with Star Bank were executed by Chris and Louis alone without the consent of Jenny. The mutual agreement that the consent of all directors was required for transactions above one million pounds is clearly violated by the behaviour of Chris and Louis in this regard. Poor performance on the part of Homemaker Limited resulted in losses in the equipment and furniture supply domains leading to contractual failure with Easy Birds Limited. The failure of this gamble meant that Homemaker Limited was unable to deal with its fiscal obligation with Star Bank leading to liquidation of the company. A number of problems emerge in regards to Homemaker Limited and its liquidation. The majority of these problems span the domains of director’s conduct and the validity of transactions that resulted. The discussion provided below will cover these issues in detail relating applicable statutes and their interpretation as per case law. 2. Applicable Law In terms of s tatutory law the current case’s circumstances are covered by the Companies Act 2006 (which expanded on and replaced parts of the Companies Act 1985). Given the fact that the company Homemakers Limited was registered in 2007, the applicable legal elements will be derived from the Companies Act 2006 alone. This also means that previous positions on certain issues will have been revised even if they were fortified by case law on the matter. One of the largest directions taken by the Companies Act 2006 has been the roles, responsibilities and conduct of directors. The duties of directors had already been expounded by the previous Act but the new Act has consolidated these matters further by codifying principal common law as well as the equitable duties of directors. However, it must be borne in mind that the new Act is by no means an exhaustive account of the duties of directors. This therefore tends to indicate that the duties of directors expounded by common law still survive a lbeit in a reduced form. The Companies Act 2006 has revisited the domain of director’s duties as per Chapter 2, General Duties of Directors. The Chapter has been divided into an introduction, the general duties of directors and the supplementary duties of directors. The new codifications (in context of the duties of directors) will be used to evaluate the conduct of directors at Homemaker Limited. 2.1. Section 170 – Scope and Nature of General Duties This section serves as the

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 15

Human Resource Management - Essay Example The company has a total of 37 aircraft, and more than 9000 employees. Annually, Virgin Atlantic serves 4.5M passengers to major cities globally. The company has grown rapidly. Now serves 31 destinations worldwide, and has a made its mark in pioneering many innovative services packages and has gone ahead to set new guidelines in its industry. The company has continued expanding with the same vigour it began. Although the company has a massive growth streak, Virgin Atlantic is considered customer oriented, with more emphasis on their money value and has offered uniqueness in service delivery and high quality service. The enterprise faces an aggressive competitor in the airline business, British Airways. Virgin Atlantic is one of the most successful business venture taken up by the vast Virgin Group of companies. This report seeks to address in detail, the aspects of some of the concepts and human resources strategies which Virgin Atlantic airways has implemented to achieve such success in employee satisfaction and subsequently in their business field. They seem to have perfected all the five models of Human Resource. These include teamwork, organization culture, performance management, learning, development, and leadership. This report however focuses on how two practises have help improve their employee and system as well as critically analyzing Virgin Atlantic on the these bases of the theories. Virgin Atlantic is passionate about exploration, taking risks, challenging conventions and looking for solutions and that made it the company it is presently. That is how it has developed its perfect brand. An innovator established the brand and made it such a perfect setting to developed ones career. Virgin Atlantic has taken the creativity and innovation seriously and it is considered a place where great service is of concern. The company establishes a comprehensive framework for the career of the employees from the very beginning.

Slogans Used By Indian Brands

Slogans Used By Indian Brands on their role in advertising effectiveness, Slogans with power-packed words conveying what the brand stands for are handy tools, for all companies big and small. One is yet to see a brand which expresses itself without words. Integral to brand building unequivocally are slogans. Slogans and non verbal messages reinforce each other in communication effort. A unique and winning slogan should be a product of aggressive brain churning done by more than one individual over a considerable length of time rather than just a few hours. Slogans framing calls for pooling of talents, clarifying of vision, visualizing of the graph line of products growth and evolving of a communication strategy. The exercise involves efforts of many creative people cutting across all echelons of organizational hierarchy, but primarily with a lead role assumed by top brass. Efforts and seriousness shown in slogan making foretells the future success of the brand, since it covers a wide range of decisions including strategic as well as tactical ones, if at all right decisions are anything to do with brands success. This paper explores whether the use of slogans for Indian brands can play vital role in advertising effectiveness, and tells what message to be conveyed by the use of slogans and by what features the slogans should be made to make them effective . Key words: Advertising Slogans Nomenclature Criteria Effectiveness Slogans used by Indian brands: A brief analytical study on their role in advertising effectiveness CONTENTS: ADVERTISING MESSAGE NOMENCLATURE OF SLOGANS CRITERIA FOR A WINNING SLOGAN DISCUSSION CONCLUSION REFERENCES ADVERTISING The word advertising is derived from the Latin word, advertero which can be broken into ad and verto means towards and I turn respectively. Literally it means to a specific thing. The definitions committee of the American Marketing Association (AMA) defined (1960), advertising as any paid form of non-personal presentation of idea, goods or service by an identified sponsor. Advertising is purposeful communications designed with a view to specific objectives. Advertising attempts to persuade prospective buyers to buy a product/service. Stanton observes that advertising consists of all the activities involved the presenting to a group a non-personal, oral or visual, openly sponsored message regarding a product, service or idea. The message called an advertisement is disseminated through one or more media and is paid for by the identified sponsor. Hausen says that advertising includes those activities by which visual or oral messages are addressed to the people for the purpose of informing them and influencing them either to buy merchandise or service or to act or be inclined favorably towards idea, institutions or persona featured. In contrast with publicity and other forms of propaganda, advertising messages are identified with advertiser either by signature or by oral statement. In further contrast to publicity, advertising is a commercial transaction involving payment to publishers or broad casters and others whose media are employed. Shapiro defines advertising as a non-personal paid message of commercial significance about a product, service or company made to a market by an identified sponsor. Advertising according to Kotler is any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. Thus in developing an advertising program one must always start by identifying the market needs and buyer motives and must make five major decisions commonly referred as 5 ms (Mission, Money, Message, Media and Measurement) of advertising shown in below figure 1: Message Generation Evaluation Selection Execution Social Responsibility Mission Sales goals Advertising Objectives Money (Budget) Factors determining budget are Stages in PLC Mkt share consumer Base Competition Ad frequency Product substitution ability Media Reach, frequency impact Major media types Specific media vehicles Geographical medium allocations Social Responsibility Measurement Communications impact Sales impact Fig. 1 : The five Ms of Advertising MESSAGE Message is a product of creativity. Creativity is the ability to produce original ideas. Creativity influences advertising much before visualization and copy writing. Planning of the ad, takes a great deal of creativity. Message should consist of the following elements shown in the following figure 2. Message Non-verbal Elements Music Color Trade mark / Brand mark Picture Unusual sound etc. Verbal elements Headlines Sub heads Body text Slogans Right proportion of each results in Creative mix Fig 2. Elements of Message-Creative-mix The verbal elements and nonverbal elements in the right proportion (given the product, target market, and other things) results in the creative mix which create more attention value for the advertiser. A brief description the elements of message are presented as follows: Music Music has high attention value and is capable of arousing emotions. Mostly, life-style advertising adopts this format. It is popularly used for personal care products, soft drinks and so on. This format makes audience remember the brands and the company. Recall of ad by consumers even amidst busy life actively, is possible owing to music insertion. Color Colors are often used to attract the attention and also to introduce memory value. Color possesses three qualities or attributes namely (a) the symbolic hallmark of Quality (hue) (b) the degree of lightness or darkness of a color (value) (c) intensity or purity of hue or the strength of a color (chroma). Trademarks / Brand Marks / pictures These also checked with the intention of relating the ad to the company or product and hence more memorability is possible. Unusual sounds These play an important role in the creation of more attention value and memorability for example, Lijjat papad ad carries at the end of the ad unusual sounds being produced by the pet animals. Headlines sub heads Usually headline appears at the top of the body-copy but is not always. In some cases, headlines appear at the bottom or middle space of the ad. Generally, it is set in bolder and larger type and its short and drags the reader to the body text. When body text is lengthy, the message is divided into paragraphs and each is given a subhead to highlight the theme of the paragraph. Body Copy It forms the main part of the ad apart from visual elements, headlines and captions. The size of the body text differs from ad to ad and some ads may contain a shorter body text and for some other, it will be larger. For technical products, generally the body text is lengthier. Slogans A distinctive catchy phrase that serves as a motto for a campaign brand, or company. It is used across a variety of marketing communication messages and over an extended period of time. Slogans are a short phrase used in part to help establish an image, identity or position for a brand or an organization, but mostly used to increase memorability. (Gurnn, Allen, Semenik, Thomson south-western, Vikas publishing house, ND, 2003). In other words, slogan is a set of short, simple, clear catchy and colorful words used to attract and hold the attention of the customer. The slogans should be short, direct, sweet, easily pronounceable, easily remembered, time proof and yet pleasing to ears. It is a concise but an effective way of telling an idea. Slogans also facilitate the conduct of tests of marketing research. The purpose of which is also called a strap line, in an advertisement is to leave the key brand message in the mind of the target (Foster Timothy R V, Ad slogans unlimited). NOMENCLATURE OF SLOGANS Slogan nomenclature varies from place to place. In many parts of the world and also generically, they are called slogans. In the USA, they are tags and taglines. In the UK, they are end lines, endlines or strap lines. In Germany they are called claims where as in France signatures. In the Netherlands, slogans are called payoffs. By and large, slogans are treated as trademarks. CRITERIA FOR A PERFECT SLOGAN Charless L Whittier in his book Creating Advertising says slogan should be a statement of such merit about a product or service that it is worthy of continuous repetition in advertising, is worth while for the public to remember, and is phrased in such a way that the public is likely to remember it. Foster Timothy has proposed the principles of framed dos and donts a perfect slogan as follows: A Slogan should be memorable When a person is able to recall the line without any aid, the slogan is said to be memorable. The more the repetition of the slogan the more is its memorability. It also depends on the brand heritage and the big ideas conveyed successfully through advertisements. Further interest-provocative and contextual illustrations or story, alliteration, specially coined words, puns, antithesis and rhymes are good ways of making slogans memorable. Tongue- friendly phrases and happy brand experiences make the slogan memorable. Brand equity is a function of memorability. Memorability improves the shelf life of a slogan. A few cases of rhyme-filled and memorable slogans are hereunder: Examples Alliteration: Syndicate Bank: Reliable, responsible (CFA, Jan 2003) ICICI Bank: Safer, simpler, smarter (Eenadu, 13-2-2003) Rhymes: Andhra Bank: First in Service Best in banking (CFA Jan 2003) Canara Bank: Serving to grow Growing to serve (FE Feb 2003) Puns : ACC cement : Double action, longer life (DC, 14-02-03) Amway : Better ideas, better life (TOI 16-02-2003) A slogan should aid in the recall of the brand name By reading the slogan, one should be able to remember the brand name of the product/ company. Ideally the brand name should be included in the slogan. The best way for bringing the brand name into spotlight is to frame the slogan with a rhyme in it. For example: Brand name : Maruthi zen: just add zen to your life (BT 02-02-03) Yamaha Enticer two wheeler: Blue blooded yamaha (TOI 4-2-03) National school of banking: At NSB we teach success (TH 10-2-03) Rhyme: ESPN channel: Think better, win bigger (TH 8/2/03) Thomos cook (Tourism) : Best holidays, honest prices (TOI 3/2/03) Vellore institute of Technology: A place to learn, a chance of grow (TH 5/2/03) Amarraja Batteries: lasts long, really long (India Today Jan 20/03) A slogan should contain a key benefit Many advertisers include key benefit in the slogan to convey about the benefit to the consumer in a concise way. For example. Key benefit Product/company Slogan Source Safety for the investment Mutual fund (First India MF) Where safety comes first Brand Equity quiz book Jan 2003 Prosperity Can Bank MF Together for long term prosperity Fortune India Jan 31-03 Better training Amity B-Schools We nurture talent TOI 3/2/03 Quality of life GE country wide consumer financial services (personal loans) We bring good things to life. DC 10/02/03 Mileage TVS Suzuki victor More smiles per hour TOI 11/2/03 New things National Geographic TV channel Before we make programme, we make history National Geographic Channel A slogan should differentiate the brand A slogan should depict a characteristic about the brand that sets it apart from its competitors. For example. SOTC world Famous tours: the smartest way to see the world (TH 3/2/03) HSBC Bank : The worlds local Bank (Readers Digest Jan 03) Western Union : the fattest way to receive money world wide (TH 3/2/03) Kurlon mattresses : Pure sleep nothing else (Readers digest Jan 03) Voltas AC : Acs with IQ (TOI 14/2/03) The Indian express newspaper : Journalism of courage, (Network magazine Jan 03) Sansui TVS : Better than the best (DC 3/2/03) SERVO (lubricants) : World class engine oils (CFA Jan 03) JK Tyres : total control (BT 2/2/03) A slogan should invoke positive feelings about the brand A slogan should invoke positive feelings about the brand by conveying the benefit/comforts or the uses of the product/service in a compact form. For example. Yashoda hospital (Super specialty) We hope you will never need us, TH 8/2/03 Apollo Hospital Touching lives DC 5/2/03 Oyzterbay (Jewellery) Jewellery for the living TOI 10/2/03 Air Sahara Emotionally yours TH 11/02/03 Cathay pacific (Air liner) Now youre really flying Bran Equity Quiz book July 03 State Bank of India With you all the way, Readers digest Jan 03 HDFC (Home loans) With you right through, TOI 3/2/03 JK Papers Creating lasting impressions, BT 2/2/03 South Eastern Railways Striving for excellence , DC 16/02/03 Birla Ready mix concrete for construction concrete on call, TH 13/02/03 Global hospitals Medical Excellence through team work. TH 16-02-03 Salora (TVS) The perfect match, TH 16/2/03 LIC (Jeevan Suraksha) Self reliance for life, TOI 14/02/03 Zurich India Building a worry free world, TOI 6/2/03 A slogan that is reflect the brands personality Personality implies habitual patterns and qualities of behavior of any individual as expressed by physical and mental activities and attitudes, as well as distinctive individual qualities of a person consider collectively. For example: Idea Cellular Idea prepaid card: An idea can change your life DC 6/2/03 Network associates (network security ) :your network our business, Data quest Jan 31-03 LG Electronics : Expand your life DC 4/2/03 ICICI Prudential (Life Insurance) :We cover you, At every step in life TOI 4/2/03 New City Hospitals Secbad :Treating you with care Indian Express 4/2/03 SBI (Life Insurance): with us, youre sure TOI 5/2/03 HDFC Bank (Credit Cards) : we understand your world TH 14/2/03 Khazana furniture: your status, your taste your class, Our solution, TH 15/2/03 Franklin India Blue chip Fund (MF) : Performing consistently for you TH 17/2/03 Financial Express: What people in the chair gave on their table FE 1/2/03 Eureka Forbes (Aqua guard water purifier) : your friend for life, Brand Equity quiz book Jan 03 IFFCO -TOKIO General insurance: the life you deserve BT 2/2/03 Birla sun life insurance : Your dreams our commitment. BT Jan 20/Feb 2 2003 A Slogan should be strategic Some companies convey their business strategy may effectively through the use of slogans, such as BSNL (telecom) : Connecting India, TH, 8/2/03 Vignan Schools : Global standards, India values TOI 8/2/03 Hindalco (Aluminum) : World Class Quality TOI 9/2/03 Siemens (Telecom) : Global network of innovations DC 17/2/03 Patni computers : World wide partnerships World wide solutions ,TOI 5/2/03 Matrix labs : Chemistry together TH 5/2/03 Wipro (Soft) : Applying thought TH 5/2/03 Nokia (Cell phones) : connecting people ET 5/2/03 Malaysia Airlines: Going beyond expectations, BI Jan 20 Feb 2 03 Jagan Institute of mgmt: Developing the corporate leaders of tomorrow , Indian mgmt Jun 03 UTI (MF) : For you better tomorrow, CFA Jan 2003 A slogan should be campaignable When the slogan works across a series of advertising executions, the slogan said to have some shelf life. For different ads with different story boards, if the same tagline used, the tag line said to be campaignable. For example: Pepsi (Soft Drink) Yeh dil mange more Telcos Tata Indica More car per car Reliance infocomm Karlo duniya mutti mein Nokia cell phones Connecting people BSNL (telecom) Connecting India Wipro Soft Applying thought Boost (energy drink) Boost is the secret of our energy Raymond Garments clothes The complete man H BO (TV channel) Simply the best Voltas (ACs) Acs with IQ A slogan should not be usable by a competitor One should not be able to substitute a competitive brand name and use the slogan. Further a little modification in the line which does not lead to any change in the theme conveyed by the companies. For example Nokia (Cell phone): Connecting people ET 5/2/03 BSNL (Telecom): Connecting India ET 5/2/03 SBI (Home loans): with you all the way , Readers Digest,03 TATA AIG (Insurance): with you always, BI,Jan20-Feb 2,03 HDFC (Home loans): with you, right through, Readers Digest Jan 2003 LIC (Insurance): with you all the time , FI,31/1/03 Bank of Baroda: Banking on Relationships, BI Jan 20 Feb 2 03 The Ohanalakshmi bank Ltd : Relationships forever, Fortune India 31/1/03 AIMA: Excellent in mgmt, CFA Jan 2003 ICFAI: In search of excellence, India Mgt Jan 2003 Slogan should be original Originality is king. Originality stands out. Originality improves the chances of impressing the message on target group. But, originality is hard to come by except with creative process. For example: Business Today (Business magazine): For managing tomorrow BT any issue Maruthi (Wagon R): Inspired Engineering Readers Digest Jan 03 Telco (Tata Indica): More car per car TOI 3/2/03 Pepsi (soft drink): Yeh dil mange more TOI 5/2/03 Sansui (TVS): Better than the best DC 3/2/03 Philips (TVS): Lets make things better, TOI 3/2/03 Ing vysya: Adding life to insurance ,Brand Equity quiz book, Jan 2003 MRF (Tyres): Tyres with muscle Eenadu 1-2-03 Slogan should be simple Simple means it should be short and in simple word so that the target market understand and get impressed. Being simple excludes many things. conversely accommodating too many meanings in a simple phase requires high thoughtfulness. But the most common folly is missing out the best in the endeavor to express the best. Simple words can tell simple things but not big ideas. Being too simple is tantamount to mediocrity unless some rhythm, rhyme and magic are built in to it. Let us look at a few practices. DHL Worldwide Express (Cargo): The pulse of business, TOI 28/1/03 Amity B-School: We nurture talent, TOI 3/1/03 Fenna (India ) (Industrial product) : Fit and forget BW 17/2/03 Andhra Bank (Credit Cards):First in service best in banking, CFA Jan 03, Eureka Forbes (Aqua guard water purifier): your friend for life , Brand Equity quiz book Jan 03 LG Electronics (Electronics): Expand your life , DC 4/2/03 Thompson (TVS): Happy technology to you, TOI 3/2/03 Slogan should be neat A neat slogan helps portray the product progressively in the punters perception. For example: PC Quest (computer magazine): Enhance your computing, PC Quest any issue Nestle (Nesthum): Light Nutritious TH 30/1/03 Britania (biscuits): Eat healthy, think better TH 6/2/03 Slogan should be believable Poetic expressions and exaggeration is seen on the endlines, such as: HSBC Bank (Credit Cards): The worlds local bank , Readers Digest Jan 03 Aaj Tak (News Channel) : The nations best news channel BT 2/2/03 Seagrams (Music products) : Above it all BT 2/2/03 Mahindra Mahindra (Scorpio Zeep): Nothing else will do, BI Jan 20 Feb 2m 2003 Sansui (TVS): Better than the best, DC 3/2/03 Servo (Engine Oil): World Class engine oil, CFA Jan 2003 LIC (Komal Jeevan): Zindagi ke saath bhi, Zindagi ke baad bhi, Brand Equity Quiz Book, Jan 03 Firmly anchored on truth, honesty and simplicity, the phrases lend themselves to be believable. Overstatement as well as understatement will stifle believability. Take a look at a few cases. Slogan should help when customer ordering the product or service Slogans distinguish some from the other in the product line or choice set. They facilitate customers communication with the selling, obviating wrong shipments. The cases in point are: BMW : I want to have the ultimate driving machine , AXN Channel Weight watches: Give me taste, Not waist, HBO Channel (Meals) Fed Express: why fool around with anyone else, HBO Channel Slogan should not be in current use by others The more different users of a slogan, the less effective it is. Banker and insurance companies and also telecom companies use more or less same meaning giving or with same words in their slogans. The mission, strategy and message of two brands may be the same. But each of them should occupy a distinct slot in the consumers mind. This is what brand positioning is all about. The slogan in most cases expresses its position. If the positioning is proper, this slogan will not be in current use by any other brand. Take a look at a few cases. AIMA (B-School): Excellent in management Indian mgt Jan 03 ICFAI (B-School): In search of excellence, TH, SBI (Home loans): with you all the way Readers Digest Jan 03 HDFC (Home loans): with you right through TOI 3/2/03 LIC (Insurance): with you all the time Fortune India 31/1/03 TATA AIG (Insurance): with you always BI Jan 20-Feb 2 03 Bank of Baroda: Banking on relationships, CFA Jan 2003 The Dhana Lakshmi Bank ltd: Relationships for ever, CFA Jan 2003. Slogan should not be bland, generic or hackneyed Slogans that are bland, nedolent of mom and aprole-pie, clearly suffer a weakness. Almost any brand could use these lines and lines are dull and monotony. For example. UTI (MF): For you better tomorrow, CFA Jan 2003 Union Bank of India: Good people to bank with, Readers Digest Jan 2003 AIMA B-School: Excellence in mgmt, Indian Mgt Jan -03 GE Country wide Consumer Financial Services: We bring good things to life, DC 10-2-03 West Bengal IDC: Making things happen, Indian mgmt Jan -03 Slogan should not prompt a sarcastic or negative response Malaysia Airlines: Going beyond expectation , BI Jan 20/Feb 2 2003 (Expectations differ from passenger to passenger) Fiat Palio (4 wheeler): Technology to the max, DC 6/2/2003 (Can you define the max limit of the Technology) Ing Vysya life insurance : Adding life to insurance , Brand equity quiz book Jan 2003 (How can it be possible?) Slogan should not be pretentious This is called pomposity test. Promise less and deliver more mind set leads to high customers satisfaction. Promising what is not possible will only result in fast slide of the brand along graph line of satisfaction and loyalty to customers. A slogan should give the true spin of importance for example: IIPM -B School: What we teach today the other adopt tomorrow Community (Digital copier): We are in your corner, BI, Jan 20 /Feb 2003 Birla sun life insurance: Your dreams our commitment, BI Jan 2/Feb 2 2003 AFL private (Cargo): Where movement is a science, FI 31/1/03 Slogan should not be negative Negative Advertising is hard to justify and some times the negative slogan confuse the customer, such as Yashoda Hospitals: We hope you will never need us, TH 8/2/2003 Slogan should not neck of corporate waffle, hence sounding unreal For example DSP Merrill lynch (MF): Bullish on life, TOI 11/2/03 (Onida) MNC Electronics (Black TV): It will change your world DC 3/2/03 KLA Electronics (UPS): Leadership beyond compare, Data Quest 31/1/03 South Eastern Railways: Striving for excellence DC 10/2003 Slogan should not be a so what ? or Ho-hum statement For example Bharat overseas Bank Ltd, A bank owned by 7 banks (so what ?), CFA Jan 2003 Slogan should not make you say oh yeah For example: Apex Academy (IIT /JEE coaching): We take your career as seriously as you do! TOI 10/2/03 (o w yeah!) Videocon (Electronics): Technology for health and pleasure, Brand Equity Quiz Jan 03, (oh yeah!) Patni computers: world wide partnership, world wide solutions,TOI 5/2/03 (oh yeah!) Slogan should not be meaningless and complicated or clumsy For example AFL Private (Cargo): Where movement is a science, FI 31/1/03 Yamaha (Enticer 2 wheeler): Blue blooded Yamaha, TOI 4/2/03 Slogan could be trendy It implies that a slogan should be as short as possible Single word slogans are : Compaq HP: Invent , Data Quest 15/1/03 Apollo Tyres: unstoppable , BI Jan 20/Feb 2 2003 Two or three words slogans and three terse ideas such as: The new Indian express (news paper ): Sarvathra Vijayam Newspaper any day Business Today: For managing tomorrow , BT any issue Maruthi Vagon R: Inspired Engineering, Readers Digest Jan 2003 LG Electronics: Expand yourself, TOI 3/2/03 Syndicate Bank: Reliable, Responsible, CFA Jan 2003 Jaypee institute of mgt : Education, Enlightenment, Empowerment, TH 12/2/2003 Khazana Furniture: your status, your taste Your class, our solutions,TH 15/2/03 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Slogans with power-packed words conveying what the brand stands for are handy tools, for all companies big and small. One is yet to see a brand which expresses itself without words. Integral to brand building unequivocally are slogans. Slogans and non verbal messages reinforce each other in communication effort. A unique and winning slogan should be a product of aggressive brain churning done by more than one individual over a considerable length of time rather than just a few hours. Slogans framing calls for pooling of talents, clarifying of vision, visualizing of the graph line of products growth and evolving of a communication strategy. The exercise involves efforts of many creative people cutting across all echelons of organizational hierarchy, but primarily with a lead role assumed by top brass. Efforts and seriousness shown in slogan making foretells the future success of the brand, since it covers a wide range of decisions including strategic as well as tactical ones, if at all right decisions are anything to do with brands success. Slogan framing if interested to ad-hoc advertising professionals will be ill-fated unless the professionals are thoroughly familiar with the brands and its strategization through their long association with the brand. Focus on slogan making is focus on an area of paramount importance since it touches on strategization and communication. The analysis has boiled down to identification of chief functions of a slogan and critic for effective slogan. The functions of an effective slogan are: Credibility b) Convenience of recall c) Communicational ease d) Creative distinctiveness which is called 4Cs testing framework. 4Cs testing framework can not only help evaluate the effectiveness of a slogan but also create a new winning slogan. The first and foremost function of slogan is establishing as well as maintaining credibility for the brand. Timothy prescribes that it should be believable, should not be pretentious, should not be unreal, capable of invoking positive feelings, tout key benefits, represent personality of the brand and trigger deep strategy oriented thought process. Secondly, the slogan should help recall the brand name and the slogan itself. The prescriptive phrasing is that the slogan should be memorable, simple, and neat and reflect brands strategic orientation. Thirdly, the slogan should be of high creative distinctiveness, which of course is a product of high-rung creative thought process. The prescription for achieving this functionality is that the slogan should be trendy, original, differentiative and personality reflective. It should not be bland, generic, hackneyed and should not generate lackluster responses like so-what, ho-hum, oh-yeah etc. it should not be already in use by others and preferably should hedge itself against authorized or unauthorized use by competitors. It should not be a source of negative responses. Perhaps sarcastic phrasing will invoke negative responses only. Lastly, brand and business depend heavily on communicational ease of the message and slogan which is the subject on hand. The slogan should be campaignable and capable of providing ease of ordering a product by a customer. It should not be sarcastic lest negative responses are brought forth. Fig 3. 4Cs TESTING FRAMEWORK CREDIBILITY CONVENIENCE OF RECALL CREATIVE DISTINCTIVE-NESS COMMUNICATIONAL EASE Believable Not pretentious Not unreal Source of positive feeling speaks of key benefit. Memorable Aids in brand recall Simple Neat -Strategic Trendy Not bland Original Not in use by others Makes the brand standout Non-encroach able to competitors Does not generate lackluster responses Campaignable Ease in Ordering No

Reverend Parris of The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Essay on The

Reverend Parris of The Crucible Greed can be a very destructive part of everyone’s life. It can control our every action at times. Some people let their greed get out of control, which was exactly what happened in Salem during the witch trials. Three people’s greed brought up this whole tragedy of the trials, convictions and hangings. One person is Reverend Parris. In my opinion Reverend Parris is greedy, self-serving, and egotistical. Reverend Parris is extremely greedy. In the story he is complaining about having to pay for wood. He states "Where is my wood? My contract provides I be supplied with all my firewood. I am waiting since November for a stick, and even in November I had to show my frost bitten hands like some London beggar." This shows that all he cares about is ...

Paradise Vacation Case

Key Decisions: * Should Leduc agree to Air India’s offer? * What’s the company’s competitive strategy for 2008/2009? * How to respond to FunTours’ expansion and aggressive pricing strategy? SWOT Analysis: Paradise holds strong buyer power which enables it to bargain for lower price and discount. As market leader and Quebec company, Paradise can promote itself through reminding customer about company hisotry to strength their preference and loyalty . The weakness lands at that Quebec is the only market in Canada; the collapse of one location will damage the entire business.The threat mainly lands at pricing competition from FunTours. Competitive Analysis and Consumer Analysis: Because Paradise has its main market in Quebec, Benoix is the main competitor. However, the biggest threat comes from FunTours’ expansion currently. The competitive advantage of FunTours is its low pricing strategy. Travelling is has an elastic demand. With price being the most important determination, FunTours' strategy could drive Paradise out of the market. This strategy targets at mid and base segment of the market. It creates threat to the same segments for Paradise, which represent 90% of the revenue.Nonetheless, Quebec is a brand new market where FunTours does not have supplier connections or customer loyalty yet. FunTours serves no premium market where 10% of the revenue comes from for Paradise. Therefore, Paradise can utilize its bargain power with its suppliers to ask for lower prices, also lower its retail price to keep customers from switching to new brand, and advertise to strengthen brand loyalty. Segment| Focus| Conclusion| Base| Low price| Lower price than FunTours offers| Mid| Best value| Lower price than FunTours offers, and special promotion with higher value. Premium| Luxury service| Lower price to prevent customer from downgrading to Mid segment. Keep agents as partial distributors for better services. | Recommendation : Base and Mid package will be sold through internet solely; Premium package will be sold through both agent and internet by 50/50; at the same time lowering wholesale price by 5%, and asking Benoix Air for 5% discount on the flight. Implementation Plan: Paradise will reject the offer from Air India. We will stay with the original segments of consumers, and lower price to stop FunTours from ntering the market; at the same time, keep the package unchanged to ensure customer experiences; use promotional strategy to re-enforce brand name and loyalty. Product| Travel package provides both service and product. Paradise includes 3 packages targeting at base, mid and premium market. | Price (See Exhibit 4 for detail)| We will be using Value-based pricing strategy. We will set lower retail price to stop FunTours from entering the market, and to provide lowest price for Base segment, best value for Mid, and both luxury service and low price for Premium segment. | Retail| Base: 89| Mid: 134| Premium: 193(Ag ent) 178 (Internet)| | Wholesale| 88| 132| 176| | Tactics| Markdowns| Seasonal discount, coupons. | Markdowns. | Place| Indirect Distribution: -100% of base and mid, 50% of premium package through internet distributor -50% of premium package through travel agents with 10% commission| | Exclusive Distribution: Distribute through good reputation internet distributors only for the purpose of keeping professional brand image, and high-end travel agents to keep Premium customer privileged. Promotion| Objective: To re-enforce the brand image as a local and experienced travel operator who always respond to Quebec travellers' needs beyond expectation. | | Reminder Advertising: TV advertising and internet ad to re-enforce the brand image. Sales promotion: (1)Price promotion is mentioned above at Price section. (2)Loyalty points-collection program to encourage repurchase and creates loyalty; (3)Contests to win trips in order to increase consumer involvements and personal feelings. | Expected Results: See Exhibit 4 – Alternative 5//Recommendation for income statement.Appendixes Decision criteria: * Provide short-term viability * Provide long-term sustainability Alternative Evaluation * Cost cutting through partnership with Benoix and cost structure change to start a price war with FunTours. * Setting pricing strategy as price war and cutting cost through vertical integration. * Sell its packages through Internet distributors exclusively. * Offering packages to more remote and less developed destinations. Base and Mid package will be sold through internet solely; Premium package will be sold through both agent and internet by 50/50; at the same time lowering wholesale price by 5% and asking Benoix Air for 5% discount on the flight. Alternative 1, comparing all other 4, gets the least revenue (32,540,428). Although it is feasible in short-term and might drive FunTour out of the market, it does not concern with the obsolete of travel agents. Giving the negative reve nue for the base segment (see Exhibt 2), it is not long-term sustainable.Moreover, even if the competitor is eventually driven out the market, Paradise will have to raise the price again in order to get back on its previous profitability; Paradise runs into the risk that the customers will feel cheated and uncomfortable with the raising price, and thus shift to other operators. For Alternative 2, although leasing private airline will decrease the variable cost and increase revenue (71,192,907), Paradise runs into the risk of heavy responsibility for flight issues, decrease of flight destination and time flexibility, and high fixed cost, which will eventually be added to the price of the package.In addition to those, same problem with Alternative 1, it does not concern with the obsolete with travel agents. Thus, this alternative is not sustainable in the long-run. For Alternative 3, it addresses the problem of high agent cost, and the obsolete of agent distributor. 5% of revenue is a ssumed from using internet to reach broader customer base with lower retail price. However, the price is still higher for than FunTours’ offer (e. g. $93 vs. $90); therefore provides FunTours the chance to take away market share. It is short-term viable but not sustainable.Alternative 4 increases market variety but turns away from the main market (top 5), which is providing 89% of Paradise’s package sale. It equals to giving up a bigger pie for a tiny one. (Exhibit 2) The recommendation ranks the 3rd place in the 5 alternatives quantitatively. However, it provides both short-term viability and long-term sustainability. Lowering the price from utilizing the buyer power on Benoix Air gives Paradise the ability to win over FunTours price-wise in the short-run, and keep price low in the long-run.Internet distributor addresses the obsolete of travel agents. By offering both agents and internet distributor for premium market helps sustain our competitive advantage on luxury customers. Exhibit 1: Marketing Share, Value and Growth of Canada and Paradise Vacation for 2007 and 2008 Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | Â  | PR Market Setments| | National| PR Canada | Quebec| PR Quebec | Base| Mid| Premium| Percentage| 100. 00%| 7. 80%| 20. 00%| 39. 00%| 60%| 30%| 10%| 2007| 6,400,000| 499,200| 1,280,000| 499,200| 299,520| 149,760| 49,920| 2008 4. 0% growth| 6,694,400| 522,163| 1,338,880| 522,163| 313,298| 156,649| 52,216| Exhibit 2 – Alternative 4 Market Share, Value and Growth for 2007 and 2008 | National| Paradise Canada| Other destinations other than top5| 8%| 11%| 2007| 512,000,000| 54,912,000| After 25% of expected growth | 640,000,000| 68,640,000| Exhibit 3 – Income Statement for Alternative 1 and 2 (2008) | Alternative 1 i| Alternative 2iv| | Base| Mid| Premium| Base| Mid| Premium|Total Revenue| 313,297,920| 156,648,960| 52,216,320| 313,297,920| 156,648,960| 52,216,320| | Agent| Internet| Agent| Internet| Agent| Internet| Agent| Internet| Agent| In ternet| Agent| Internet| Industry Total Sales| 72%| 28%| 72%| 28%| 72%| 28%| 72%| 28%| 72%| 28%| 72%| 28%| | 225,574,502| 87,723,418| 112,787,251| 43,861,709| 37,595,750| 14,620,570| 225,574,502| 87,723,418| 112,787,251| 43,861,709| 37,595,750| 14,620,570| Retail price| 90. 00ii| 82. 64| 135. 00| 123. 95| 180. 00| 165. 27| 90. 00| 82. 64| 135. 00| 123. 95| 180. 0| 165. 27| Commission| 8. 18iii| 0. 82| 12. 27| 1. 23| 16. 36| 1. 64| 8. 18| 0. 82| 12. 27| 1. 23| 16. 36| 1. 64| Wholesale price| 81. 82| 81. 82| 122. 73| 122. 73| 163. 64| 163. 64| 81. 82| 81. 82| 122. 73| 122. 73| 163. 64| 163. 64| costs of sales| | | | | | | | | | | | | Airline| 40| 40| 40| 40| 40| 40| 30v| 30| 30| 30| 30| 30| Hotel| 40| 40| 50| 50| 60| 60| 40| 40| 50| 50| 60| 60| Contribution| 1. 82| 1. 82| 49. 90| 49. 90| 63. 64| 63. 64| 11. 82| 11. 82| 49. 90| 49. 90| 73. 64| 73. 64| SG&A| 9. 00| 8. 26| 13. 0| 12. 40| 18. 00| 16. 53| 9. 00| 8. 26| 13. 50| 12. 40| 18. 00| 16. 53| EBITDA| (7. 18)| (6. 44)| 36. 40| 37. 5 0| 45. 64| 47. 11| 2. 82| 3. 56| 36. 40| 37. 50| 55. 64| 57. 11| Earning contribution| (8%)| (8%)| 27%| 30%| 25%| 29%| 3. 13%| 4. 30%| 26. 96%| 30. 26%| 30. 91%| 34. 55%| ` Earning| (18,000,390)| (6,840,346)| 30,410,785| 13,271,102| 9,531,852| 4,167,425| 7,063,444| 3,775,013| 30,410,785| 13,271,102| 11,620,505| 5,052,058| Total| 32,540,428| 71,192,907| i. Assume during price war, market share does not changeii.Retail price drops 10% for distributor of agent; wholesale price will shift according to retail price and commission change (Wholesale=Retail/(1+10% commission); internet retail price change according to wholesale and commission (Internet=wholesale*(1+1% commission). iii. Commission for agent will increase to 10%; internet stays the same as 1%. | iv: All assumptions from Alternative 1 holdv: Airline price decreases 25% from$40| Exhibit 4: Income Statement for Alternative 3 and Recommendation (2008) | Alternative 3vi| Alternative 5 – Recommendation ix| | Base| Mid| Premi um| Base| Mid| Premium| 48,271,360vii| 328,962,816| 164,481,408| 54,827,136| 334,445,530| 169,964,122| 43,861,709| | Internet| Internet| Internet| Internet| Internet| Agent| Internet| Segment Percentage| 100%| 100%| 100%| 100%| 100%| 50%| 50%| | 328,962,816| 164,481,408| 54,827,136| 334,445,530| 169,964,122| 21,930,854| 21,930,854| Retail price| 93. 53| 141. 30| 187. 05| 88. 85| 134. 23| 193. 534xi| 177. 70| Wholesale price| 92. 6| 139. 9| 185. 2| 87. 97xii| 132. 905| 175. 94| 175. 94| costs of sales| | | | | | | | Airline| 40| 40| 40| 38| 38| 38| 38| Hotel| 40| 50| 60| 40| 50| 60| 60| Contribution| 12. 6| 49. 9| 85. 2| 9. 7| 49. 9| 77. 94| 77. 94| SG&A| 8. 42| 12. 72| 16. 83| 8. 00| 12. 08| 19. 35| 15. 99| EBITDA| 4. 18| 37. 18| 68. 37| 1. 97| 37. 82| 58. 5866| 61. 95| Earning contribution| 4. 47%| 26. 32%| 36. 55%| 2. 22%| 28. 17%| 30. 27%| 34. 86%| Earning| 14,711,841| 43,283,583| 20,038,677| 7,428,695| 47,885,482| 6,638,907| 7,645,225| Total| 78,034,101| 69,598,308| vi: Because that internet distributor can reach more customer, 5% growth on expected revenue (2008) is assumedvii: Total revenue after 5% assumed growthviii:With internet distributor, SG&A decrease by 10% from before, for agent, it stays the same| ix:. % revenue growth is assumed same from Alternative 3 due to the use of internet distributor. Premium market as luxury will decrease due to the upcoming recession, it is assumed that Premium segment will decrease to 8%, Base and Mid will increase by 1% each. X: From bargaining with Benoix Air, a 5% discount is expected. xi: 10% commission on agent is provided. Xii: Taking 5% off wholesale price|

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 1

Prologue The angel was cleaning out his closets when the call came. Halos and moonbeams were sorted into piles according to brightness, satchels of wrath and scabbards of lightning hung on hooks waiting to be dusted. A wineskin of glory had leaked in the corner and the angel blotted it with a wad of fabric. Each time he turned the cloth a muted chorus rang from the closet, as if he'd clamped the lid down on a pickle jar full of Hallelujah Chorus. â€Å"Raziel, what in heaven's name are you doing?† The archangel Stephan was standing over him, brandishing a scroll like a rolled-up magazine over a piddling puppy. â€Å"Orders?† the angel asked. â€Å"Dirt-side.† â€Å"I was just there.† â€Å"Two millennia ago.† â€Å"Really?† Raziel checked his watch, then tapped the crystal. â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"What do you think?† Stephan held out the scroll so Raziel could see the Burning Bush seal. â€Å"When do I leave? I was almost finished here.† â€Å"Now. Pack the gift of tongues and some minor miracles. No weapons, it's not a wrath job. You'll be undercover. Very low profile, but important. It's all in the orders.† Stephan handed him the scroll. â€Å"Why me?† â€Å"I asked that too.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"I was reminded why angels are cast out.† â€Å"Whoa! That big?† Stephan coughed, clearly an affectation, since angels didn't breathe. â€Å"I'm not sure I'm supposed to know, but the rumor is that it's a new book.† â€Å"You're kidding. A sequel? Revelations 2, just when you thought it was safe to sin?† â€Å"It's a Gospel.† â€Å"A Gospel, after all this time? Who?† â€Å"Levi who is called Biff.† Raziel dropped his rag and stood. â€Å"This has to be a mistake.† â€Å"It comes directly from the Son.† â€Å"There's a reason Biff isn't mentioned in the other books, you know? He's a total – â€Å" â€Å"Don't say it.† â€Å"But he's such an asshole.† â€Å"You talk like that and you wonder why you get dirt-duty.† â€Å"Why now, after so long, the four Gospels have been fine so far, and why him?† â€Å"Because it's some kind of anniversary in dirt-dweller time of the Son's birth, and he feels it's time the whole story is told.† Raziel hung his head. â€Å"I'd better pack.† â€Å"Gift of tongues,† Stephan reminded. â€Å"Of course, so I can take crap in a thousand languages.† â€Å"Go get the good news, Raziel. Bring me back some chocolate.† â€Å"Chocolate?† â€Å"It's a dirt-dweller snack. You'll like it. Satan invented it.† â€Å"Devil's food?† â€Å"You can only eat so much white cake, my friend.† Midnight. The angel stood on a barren hillside on the outskirts of the holy city of Jerusalem. He raised his arms aloft and a dry wind whipped his white robe around him. â€Å"Arise, Levi who is called Biff.† A whirlwind formed before him, pulling dust from the hillside into a column that took the shape of a man. â€Å"Arise, Biff. Your time has come.† The wind whipped into a fury and the angel pulled the sleeve of his robe across his face. â€Å"Arise, Biff, and walk again among the living.† The whirlwind began to subside, leaving the man-shaped column of dust standing on the hillside. In a moment, the hillside was calm again. The angel pulled a gold vessel from his satchel and poured it over the column. The dust washed away, leaving a muddy, naked man sputtering in the starlight. â€Å"Welcome back to the living,† the angel said. The man blinked, then held his hand before his eyes as if he expected to see through it. â€Å"I'm alive,† he said in a language he had never heard before. â€Å"Yes,† the angel said. â€Å"What are these sounds, these words?† â€Å"You have been given the gift of tongues.† â€Å"I've always had the gift of tongues, ask any girl I've known. What are these words?† â€Å"Languages. You've been given the gift of languages, as were all the apostles.† â€Å"Then the kingdom has come.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Two thousand years ago.† â€Å"You worthless bag of dog shit,† said Levi who was called Biff, as he punched the angel in the mouth. â€Å"You're late.† The angel picked himself up and gingerly touched his lip. â€Å"Nice talk to a messenger of the Lord.† â€Å"It's a gift,† Biff said. Part I The Boy God is a comedian playing to an audience that is afraid to laugh. VOLTAIRE Chapter 1 You think you know how this story is going to end, but you don't. Trust me, I was there. I know. The first time I saw the man who would save the world he was sitting near the central well in Nazareth with a lizard hanging out of his mouth. Just the tail end and the hind legs were visible on the outside; the head and forelegs were halfway down the hatch. He was six, like me, and his beard had not come in fully, so he didn't look much like the pictures you've seen of him. His eyes were like dark honey, and they smiled at me out of a mop of blue-black curls that framed his face. There was a light older than Moses in those eyes. â€Å"Unclean! Unclean!† I screamed, pointing at the boy, so my mother would see that I knew the Law, but she ignored me, as did all the other mothers who were filling their jars at the well. The boy took the lizard from his mouth and handed it to his younger brother, who sat beside him in the sand. The younger boy played with the lizard for a while, teasing it until it reared its little head as if to bite, then he picked up a rock and mashed the creature's head. Bewildered, he pushed the dead lizard around in the sand, and once assured that it wasn't going anywhere on its own, he picked it up and handed it back to his older brother. Into his mouth went the lizard, and before I could accuse, out it came again, squirming and alive and ready to bite once again. He handed it back to his younger brother, who smote it mightily with the rock, starting or ending the whole process again. I watched the lizard die three more times before I said, â€Å"I want to do that too.† The Savior removed the lizard from his mouth and said, â€Å"Which part?† By the way, his name was Joshua. Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Yeshua, which is Joshua. Christ is not a last name. It's the Greek for messiah, a Hebrew word meaning anointed. I have no idea what the â€Å"H† in Jesus H. Christ stood for. It's one of the things I should have asked him. Me? I am Levi who is called Biff. No middle initial. Joshua was my best friend. The angel says I'm supposed to just sit down and write my story, forget about what I've seen in this world, but how am I to do that? In the last three days I have seen more people, more images, more wonders, than in all my thirty-three years of living, and the angel asks me to ignore them. Yes, I have been given the gift of tongues, so I see nothing without knowing the word for it, but what good does that do? Did it help in Jerusalem to know that it was a Mercedes that terrified me and sent me diving into a Dumpster? Moreover, after Raziel pulled me out and ripped my fingernails back as I struggled to stay hidden, did it help to know that it was a Boeing 747 that made me cower in a ball trying to rock away my own tears and shut out the noise and fire? Am I a little child, afraid of its own shadow, or did I spend twenty-seven years at the side of the Son of God? On the hill where he pulled me from the dust, the angel said, â€Å"You will see many strange things. Do not be afraid. You have a holy mission and I will protect you.† Smug bastard. Had I known what he would do to me I would have hit him again. Even now he lies on the bed across the room, watching pictures move on a screen, eating the sticky sweet called Snickers, while I scratch out my tale on this soft-as-silk paper that reads Hyatt Regency, St. Louis at the top. Words, words, words, a million million words circle in my head like hawks, waiting to dive onto the page to rend and tear the only two words I want to write. Why me? There were fifteen of us – well, fourteen after I hung Judas – so why me? Joshua always told me not to be afraid, for he would always be with me. Where are you, my friend? Why have you forsaken me? You wouldn't be afraid here. The towers and machines and the shine and stink of this world would not daunt you. Come now, I'll order a pizza from room service. You would like pizza. The servant who brings it is named Jesus. And he's not even a Jew. You always liked irony. Come, Joshua, the angel says you are yet with us, you can hold him down while I pound him, then we will rejoice in pizza. Raziel has been looking at my writing and is insisting that I stop whining and get on with the story. Easy for him to say, he didn't just spend the last two thousand years buried in the dirt. Nevertheless, he won't let me order pizza until I finish a section, so here goes†¦ I was born in Galilee, the town of Nazareth, in the time of Herod the Great. My father, Alphaeus, was a stonemason and my mother, Naomi, was plagued by demons, or at least that's what I told everyone. Joshua seemed to think she was just difficult. My proper name, Levi, comes from the brother of Moses, the progenitor of the tribe of priests; my nickname, Biff, comes from our slang word for a smack upside the head, something that my mother said I required at least daily from an early age. I grew up under Roman rule, although I didn't see many Romans until I was ten. The Romans mostly stayed in the fortress city of Sepphoris, an hour's walk north of Nazareth. That's where Joshua and I saw a Roman soldier murdered, but I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, assume that the soldier is safe and sound and happy wearing a broom on his head. Most of the people of Nazareth were farmers, growing grapes and olives on the rocky hills outside of town and barley and wheat in the valleys below. There were also herders of goats and sheep whose families lived in town while the men and older boys tended the flocks in the highlands. Our houses were all made of stone, and ours had a stone floor, although many had floors of hard-packed dirt. I was the oldest of three sons, so even at the age of six I was being prepared to learn my father's trade. My mother taught my spoken lessons, the Law and stories from the Torah in Hebrew, and my father took me to the synagogue to hear the elders read the Bible. Aramaic was my first language, but by the time I was ten I could speak and read Hebrew as well as most of the men. My ability to learn Hebrew and the Torah was spurred on by my friendship with Joshua, for while the other boys would be playing a round of tease the sheep or kick the Canaanite, Joshua and I played at being rabbis, and he insisted that we stick to the authentic Hebrew for our ceremonies. It was more fun than it sounds, or at least it was until my mother caught us trying to circumcise my little brother Shem with a sharp rock. What a fit she threw. And my argument that Shem needed to renew his covenant with the Lord didn't seem to convince her. She beat me to stripes with an olive switch and forbade me to play with Joshua for a month. Did I mention she was besought with demons? Overall, I think it was good for little Shem. He was the only kid I ever knew who could pee around corners. You can make a pretty good living as a beggar with that kind of talent. And he never even thanked me. Brothers. Children see magic because they look for it. When I first met Joshua, I didn't know he was the Savior, and neither did he, for that matter. What I knew was that he wasn't afraid. Amid a race of conquered warriors, a people who tried to find pride while cowering before God and Rome, he shone like a bloom in the desert. But maybe only I saw it, because I was looking for it. To everyone else he seemed like just another child: the same needs and the same chance to die before he was grown. When I told my mother of Joshua's trick with the lizard she checked me for fever and sent me to my sleeping mat with only a bowl of broth for supper. â€Å"I've heard stories about that boy's mother,† she said to my father. â€Å"She claims to have spoken to an angel of the Lord. She told Esther that she had borne the Son of God.† â€Å"And what did you say to Esther?† â€Å"That she should be careful that the Pharisees not hear her ravings or we'd be picking stones for her punishment.† â€Å"Then you should not speak of it again. I know her husband, he is a righteous man.† â€Å"Cursed with an insane girl for a wife.† â€Å"Poor thing,† my father said, tearing away a hunk of bread. His hands were as hard as horn, as square as hammers, and as gray as a leper's from the limestone he worked with. An embrace from him left scratches on my back that sometimes wept blood, yet my brothers and I fought to be the first in his arms when he returned from work each evening. The same injuries inflicted in anger would have sent us crying to our mother's skirts. I fell asleep each night feeling his hand on my back like a shield. Fathers. Do you want to mash some lizards?† I asked Joshua when I saw him again. He was drawing in the dirt with a stick, ignoring me. I put my foot on his drawing. â€Å"Did you know that your mother is mad?† â€Å"My father does that to her,† he said sadly, without looking up. I sat down next to him. â€Å"Sometimes my mother makes yipping noises in the night like the wild dogs.† â€Å"Is she mad?† Joshua asked. â€Å"She seems fine in the morning. She sings while she makes breakfast.† Joshua nodded, satisfied, I guess, that madness could pass. â€Å"We used to live in Egypt,† he said. â€Å"No, you didn't, that's too far. Farther than the temple, even.† The Temple in Jerusalem was the farthest place I had been as a child. Every spring my family took the five-day walk to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. It seemed to take forever. â€Å"We lived here, then we lived in Egypt, now we live here again,† Joshua said. â€Å"It was a long way.† â€Å"You lie, it takes forty years to get to Egypt.† â€Å"Not anymore, it's closer now.† â€Å"It says in the Torah. My abba read it to me. ‘The Israelites traveled in the desert for forty years.'† â€Å"The Israelites were lost.† â€Å"For forty years?† I laughed. â€Å"The Israelites must be stupid.† â€Å"We are the Israelites.† â€Å"We are?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I have to go find my mother,† I said. â€Å"When you come back, let's play Moses and Pharaoh.† The angel has confided in me that he is going to ask the Lord if he can become Spider-Man. He watches the television constantly, even when I sleep, and he has become obsessed with the story of the hero who fights demons from the rooftops. The angel says that evil looms larger now than it did in my time, and that calls for greater heroes. The children need heroes, he says. I think he just wants to swing from buildings in tight red jammies. What hero could touch these children anyway, with their machines and medicine and distances made invisible? (Raziel: not here a week and he would trade the Sword of God to be a web slinger.) In my time, our heroes were few, but they were real – some of us could even trace our kinship to them. Joshua always played the heroes – David, Joshua, Moses – while I played the evil ones: Pharaoh, Ahab, and Nebuchadnezzar. If I had a shekel for every time I was slain as a Philistine, well, I'd not be riding a camel through the eye of a needle anytime soon, I'll tell you that. As I think back, I see that Joshua was practicing for what he would become. â€Å"Let my people go,† said Joshua, as Moses. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"You can't just say, ‘Okay.'† â€Å"I can't?† â€Å"No, the Lord has hardened your heart against my demands.† â€Å"Why'd he do that?† â€Å"I don't know, he just did. Now, let my people go.† â€Å"Nope.† I crossed my arms and turned away like someone whose heart is hardened. â€Å"Behold as I turn this stick into a snake. Now, let my people go!† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"You can't just say ‘okay'!† â€Å"Why? That was a pretty good trick with the stick.† â€Å"But that's not how it goes.† â€Å"Okay. No way, Moses, your people have to stay.† Joshua waved his staff in my face. â€Å"Behold, I will plague you with frogs. They will fill your house and your bedchamber and get on your stuff.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So that's bad. Let my people go, Pharaoh.† â€Å"I sorta like frogs.† â€Å"Dead frogs,† Moses threatened. â€Å"Piles of steaming, stinking dead frogs.† â€Å"Oh, in that case, you'd better take your people and go. I have some sphinxes and stuff to build anyway.† â€Å"Dammit, Biff, that's not how it goes! I have more plagues for you.† â€Å"I want to be Moses.† â€Å"You can't.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I have the stick.† â€Å"Oh.† And so it went. I'm not sure I took to playing the villains as easily as Joshua took to being the heroes. Sometimes we recruited our little brothers to play the more loathsome parts. Joshua's little brothers Judah and James played whole populations, like the Sodomites outside of Lot's door. â€Å"Send out those two angels so that we can know them.† â€Å"I won't do that,† I said, playing Lot (a good guy only because Joshua wanted to play the angels), â€Å"but I have two daughters who don't know anyone, you can meet them.† â€Å"Okay,† said Judah. I threw open the door and led my imaginary daughters outside so they could know the Sodomites†¦ â€Å"Pleased to meet you.† â€Å"Charmed, I'm sure.† â€Å"Nice to meet you.† â€Å"THAT'S NOT HOW IT GOES!† Joshua shouted. â€Å"You're supposed to try to break the door down, then I will smite you blind.† â€Å"Then you destroy our city?† James said. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"We'd rather meet Lot's daughters.† â€Å"Let my people go,† said Judah, who was only four and often got his stories confused. He particularly liked the Exodus because he and James got to throw jars of water on me as I led my soldiers across the Red Sea after Moses. â€Å"That's it,† Joshua said. â€Å"Judah, you're Lot's wife. Go stand over there.† Sometimes Judah had to play Lot's wife no matter what story we were doing. â€Å"I don't want to be Lot's wife.† â€Å"Be quiet, pillars of salt can't talk.† â€Å"I don't want to be a girl.† Our brothers always played the female parts. I had no sisters to torment, and Joshua's only sister at the time, Elizabeth, was still a baby. That was before we met the Magdalene. The Magdalene changed everything. After I overheard my parents talking about Joshua's mother's madness, I often watched her, looking for signs, but she seemed to go about her duties like all the other mothers, tending to the little ones, working in the garden, fetching water, and preparing food. There was no sign of going about on all fours or foaming at the mouth as I had expected. She was younger than many of the mothers, and much younger than her husband, Joseph, who was an old man by the standards of our time. Joshua said that Joseph wasn't his real father, but he wouldn't say who his father was. When the subject came up, and Mary was in earshot, she would call to Josh, then put her finger to her lips to signal silence. â€Å"Now is not the time, Joshua. Biff would not understand.† Just hearing her say my name made my heart leap. Early on I developed a little-boy love for Joshua's mother that sent me into fantasies of marriage and family and future. â€Å"Your father is old, huh, Josh?† â€Å"Not too old.† â€Å"When he dies, will your mother marry his brother?† â€Å"My father has no brothers. Why?† â€Å"No reason. What would you think if your father was shorter than you?† â€Å"He isn't.† â€Å"But when your father dies, your mother could marry someone shorter than you, and he would be your father. You would have to do what he says.† â€Å"My father will never die. He is eternal.† â€Å"So you say. But I think that when I'm a man, and your father dies, I will take your mother as my wife.† Joshua made a face now as if he had bitten into an unripe fig. â€Å"Don't say that, Biff.† â€Å"I don't mind that she's mad. I like her blue cloak. And her smile. I'll be a good father, I'll teach you how to be a stonemason, and I'll only beat you when you are a snot.† â€Å"I would rather play with lepers than listen to this.† Joshua began to walk away. â€Å"Wait. Be nice to your father, Joshua bar Biff† – my own father used my full name like this when he was trying to make a point – â€Å"Is it not the word of Moses that you must honor me?† Little Joshua spun on his heel. â€Å"My name is not Joshua bar Biff, and it is not Joshua bar Joseph either. It's Joshua bar Jehovah!† I looked around, hoping that no one had heard him. I didn't want my only son (I planned to sell Judah and James into slavery) to be stoned to death for uttering the name of God in vain. â€Å"Don't say that again, Josh. I won't marry your mother.† â€Å"No, you won't.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"I forgive you.† â€Å"She will make an excellent concubine.† Don't let anyone tell you that the Prince of Peace never struck anyone. In those early days, before he had become who he would be, Joshua smote me in the nose more than once. That was the first time. Mary would stay my one true love until I saw the Magdalene. If the people of Nazareth thought Joshua's mother was mad, there was little said of it out of respect for her husband, Joseph. He was wise in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, and there were few wives in Nazareth who didn't serve supper in one of his smooth olive-wood bowls. He was fair, strong, and wise. People said that he had once been an Essene, one of the dour, ascetic Jews who kept to themselves and never married or cut their hair, but he did not congregate with them, and unlike them, he still had the ability to smile. In those early years, I saw him very little, as he was always in Sepphoris, building structures for the Romans and the Greeks and the landed Jews of that city, but every year, as the Feast of Firsts approached, Joseph would stop his work in the fortress city and stay home carving bowls and spoons to give to the Temple. During the Feast of Firsts, it was the tradition to give first lambs, first grain, and first fruits to the priests of the Temple. Even first sons born during the year were dedicated to the Temple, either by promising them for labor when they were older, or by a gift of money. Craftsmen like my father and Joseph could give things that they made, and in some years my father fashioned mortars and pestles or grinding stones for the tribute, while in others he gave tithes of coin. Some people made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for this feast, but since it fell only seven weeks after Passover, many families could not afford to make the pilgrimage, and the gifts went to our sim ple village synagogue. During the weeks leading up to the feast, Joseph sat outside of his house in the shade of an awning he had made, worrying the gnarled olive wood with adze and chisel, while Joshua and I played at his feet. He wore the single-piece tunic that we all wore, a rectangle of fabric with neck hole in the middle, belted with a sash so that the sleeves fell to the elbows and the hem fell to the knees. â€Å"Perhaps this year I should give the Temple my first son, eh, Joshua? Wouldn't you like to clean the altar after the sacrifices?† He grinned to himself without looking up from his work. â€Å"I owe them a first son, you know. We were in Egypt at the Firsts Feast when you were born.† The idea of coming in contact with blood clearly terrified Joshua, as it would any Jewish boy. â€Å"Give them James, Abba, he is your first son.† Joseph shot a glance my way, to see if I had reacted. I had, but it was because I was considering my own status as a first son, hoping that my father wasn't thinking along the same lines. â€Å"James is a second son. The priests don't want second sons. It will have to be you.† Joshua looked at me before he answered, then back at his father. Then he smiled. â€Å"But Abba, if you should die, who will take care of Mother if I am at the Temple?† â€Å"Someone will look after her,† I said. â€Å"I'm sure of it.† â€Å"I will not die for a long time.† Joseph tugged at his gray beard. â€Å"My beard goes white, but there's a lot of life in me yet.† â€Å"Don't be so sure, Abba,† Joshua said. Joseph dropped the bowl he was working on and stared into his hands. â€Å"Run along and play, you two,† he said, his voice little more than a whisper. Joshua stood and walked away. I wanted to throw my arms around the old man, for I had never seen a grown man afraid before and it frightened me too. â€Å"Can I help?† I said, pointing to the half-finished bowl that lay in Joseph's lap. â€Å"You go with Joshua. He needs a friend to teach him to be human. Then I can teach him to be a man.†

The Connection Between Gun Control Legislation and Gun Crime

The Connection Between Gun Control Legislation and Gun Crime In the aftermath of the June 2016 mass shooting in Orlando, a debate has again turned to whether gun control legislation actually works to reduce gun-related violence. Over the years studies have produced mixed results, which fuels the debate, providing science-based arguments on both sides. However, researchers at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health have now settled the debate by conducting a massive international review of studies published all the way back to 1950. They found that gun control laws are in fact associated with lower rates of gun-related violence in most countries. About the Study The study, titled  What Do We Know About the Association Between Firearm Legislation and Firearm-Related Injuries? was published in  Epidemiologic Reviews  in February 2016. Lead by Dr. Julian Santaella-Tenorio, a team of researchers examined the findings from 130 studies from 10 countries published between 1950 and 2014. The studies reviewed were all conducted to examine the connection  between gun laws and gun-related homicides, suicides, and unintentional injuries and deaths. The laws in question covered a range of issues related to citizen access to guns. They included laws that govern the use of guns, like the right to carry and stand your ground laws; the sale of guns, including background checks and waiting periods; ownership restrictions, like bans on purchasing for persons with a felony record or documented mental condition; storage-related laws designed to prevent child access in the home; and laws that regulate access to certain guns like automatic and semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. The studies reviewed included numerous other laws within these categories, ​which are listed in full in the report. The Convincing and Consistent Evidence While the researchers did find some conflicting findings within their review, they found enough convincing and consistent evidence across various locations to conclude that laws that restrict access to and govern the use of guns are  associated with reductions in gun-related deaths, lower rates of intimate partner homicide, and reductions in unintentional gun-related deaths of children. The researchers, however, emphasize that their findings from the review of these 130 studies do not prove causality between gun control legislation and reduced rates of gun violence. Rather, the findings point to an association or correlation between the two variables. Santaella-Tenorio summed this up for Columbia Universitys online news outlet, saying,  In most countries, we saw evidence of the reduction in the firearm death rates after the enactment of firearm legislation.† A Look at Other Nations   Honing in on specifics, the study found  laws that target multiple aspects of gun control reduced gun-related deaths in some countries. They highlight the well-known clear evidence from Australia that followed the passage of the countrys 1996 National Firearm Agreement. Studies that have examined rates of gun violence following the passage of this legislative package found that it led to a decline in gun-related deaths, gun-related suicides, and mass shootings. The researchers point out that similar studies found similar results in other nations. Studies of Targeted Laws   Focusing on studies of more targeted laws, the researchers found that in some cases, restrictions on purchasing, access, and use of guns are associated with reduced gun-related deaths. Studies from the U.S. show that when background checks include restraining orders, fewer women are killed by current or former romantic partners through the use of guns. Further, some studies from the U.S. show that laws that require background checks to include local mental health facility records are associated with fewer gun-related suicides. Studies of Legislation in Place The review also found that studies that focused on legislation that relaxes gun laws, like stand your ground and right to carry laws, and the repeal of existing laws leads  to an increase in gun-related homicides. So, contrary to the belief of the NRA and many others in the U.S., the right to carry laws do not reduce gun violence. Theres never been more compelling evidence that legislative control of our access to and use of guns is a benefit to society.

Profile of Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize Winning Novelist

Profile of Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize Winning Novelist Toni Morrison (February 18, 1931, to August 5, 2019) was an American novelist, editor, and educator whose novels focused on the experience of black Americans, particularly emphasizing black womens experience in an unjust society and the search for cultural identity. In her writing, she artfully used fantasy and mythical elements along with realistic depictions of racial, gender and class conflict. In 1993, she became the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Fast Facts: Toni Morrison Known For: American novelist, editor, and educatorAlso Known As: Chloe Anthony Wofford (given name at birth)Born: February 18, 1931 in Lorain, OhioDied: August 5, 2019 in The Bronx, New York City (pneumonia)Parents: Ramah and George WoffordEducation: Howard University (BA), Cornell University (MA)Noted Works: The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved, Jazz, ParadiseKey Awards: Pulitzer Prize for fiction (1987), Nobel Prize in Literature (1993), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012)Spouse: Harold MorrisonChildren: sons Harold Ford Morrison, Slade MorrisonNotable Quote: â€Å"If you’re going to hold someone down you’re going to have to hold on by the other end of the chain. You are confined by your own repression.† Along with the Nobel Prize, Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award in 1988 for her 1987 novel Beloved, and in 1996, she was selected for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S. government’s highest honor for achievement in the humanities. On May 29, 2012, she was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Early Life, Education, and Teaching Career Toni Morrison was born Chloe Anthony Wofford in Lorain, Ohio, on February 18, 1931, to Ramah and George Wofford. Growing up during the economic hardship of the Great Depression, Morrison’s father, a former sharecropper, worked at three jobs to support the family. It was from her family that Morrison inherited her deep appreciation for all aspects of black culture. Morrison earned Bachelor of Arts degrees from Howard University in 1952 and a Masters degree from Cornell University in 1955. After college, she changed her first name to Toni and taught at Texas Southern University until 1957. From 1957 to 1964, she taught at Howard University, where she married Jamaican architect Harold Morrison. Before divorcing in 1964, the couple had two sons together, Harold Ford Morrison and Slade Morrison. Among her students at Howard were future Civil Rights Movement leader Stokely Carmichael and Claude Brown, author of Manchild in the Promised Land. In 1965, Toni Morrison went to work as an editor at book publisher Random House, becoming the first black woman senior editor in the fiction department in 1967. After returning to teaching at State University of New York at Albany from 1984 to 1989, she taught at Princeton University until she retired in 2006. Writing Career While working as a senior editor at Random House, Morrison also started sending her own manuscripts to publishers. Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970 when Morrison was 39. Bluest Eye told the story of a victimized young black girl whose obsession with her idea of white beauty drove her longing for blue eyes. Her second novel, Sula, depicting the friendship between two black women, was published in 1973, while she was teaching at State University of New York. While teaching at Yale in 1977, Morrison’s third novel, Song of Solomon, was published. The book gained critical and popular acclaim, winning the 1977 National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Her next novel, Tar Baby, exploring the conflicts of race, class, and sex, was published in 1981 and led to her being accepted as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Morrison’s first play, Dreaming Emmett, about the 1955 lynching of black teenager Emmett Till, premiered in 1986. The Beloved Trilogy Published in 1987, Morrison’s most celebrated novel, Beloved, was inspired by the life story of Margaret Garner, an enslaved African American woman. Remaining on the New York Times bestseller list for 25 weeks, Beloved won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. In 1998, Beloved was made into a feature film starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.   The second book in what Morrison called her â€Å"Beloved trilogy,† Jazz, came out in 1992. Written in a style imitating the rhythms of jazz music, Jazz depicts a love triangle during New York City’s Harlem Renaissance period of the 1920s. Critical acclaim from Jazz resulted in Morrison becoming the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Published in 1997, the third book of Morrison’s Beloved trilogy, Paradise, focuses on the citizens of a fictional all-black town. In suggesting that Beloved, Jazz, and Paradise should be read together as a trilogy, Morrison explained, â€Å"The conceptual connection is the search for the beloved- the part of the self that is you, and loves you, and is always there for you.† In her 1993 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Morrison explained the source of her inspiration to depict the black experience by telling the story of an old, blind, black woman who is confronted by a group of black teenagers who ask her, â€Å"Is there no context for our lives? No song, no literature, no poem full of vitamins, no history connected to experience that you can pass along to help us start strong? †¦ Think of our lives and tell us your particularized world. Make up a story.† Final Years and the Writing of Home In her later life, Morrison wrote children’s books with her younger son, Slade Morrison, a painter and a musician. When Slade died of pancreatic cancer in December 2010, one of Morrison’s final novels, Home, was half-completed. She said at the time, â€Å"I stopped writing until I began to think, he would be really put out if he thought that he had caused me to stop. ‘Please, Mom, Im dead, could you keep going . . . ?’† Morrison did â€Å"keep on going† and finished Home, dedicating it to Slade. Published in 2012, Home tells the story of a black Korean War veteran living in the segregated United States of the 1950s, who fights to save his sister from brutal medical experiments performed on her by a racist white doctor. In a 2008 interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, Morrison addressed the future of racism: â€Å"Racism will disappear when [it is] no longer profitable and no longer psychologically useful. When that happens, it’ll be gone.† Today, Oberlin College, in Oberlin, Ohio, is the home of the Toni Morrison Society, an international literary society dedicated to teaching, reading, and researching the works of Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison died at age 88 from complications of pneumonia at the Montefiore Medical Center in The Bronx, New York City, on August 5, 2019. Updated by Robert Longley Sources and Further Reference .†Toni Morrison Fast Factsâ€Å" CNN Library. (August 6, 2019).Duvall, John N. (2000). â€Å".†The Identifying Fictions of Toni Morrison: Modernist Authenticity and Postmodern Blackness Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-23402-7.Fox, Margalit (August 6, 2019). â€Å".†Toni Morrison, Towering Novelist of the Black Experience, Dies at 88 The New York Times.Ghansah, Rachel Kaadzi (April 8, 2015). â€Å".†The Radical Vision of Toni Morrison The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331..†Ghosts in the House: How Toni Morrison Fostered a Generation of Black Writersâ€Å" The New Yorker. October 27, 2003.

Problem Solving Strategies

Problem Solving Strategies The type of problem solving strategy you use depends, in part, on the type of situation you are facing. For instance, finding the answer to a mathematical equation requires different skills than writing an essay on the differences between two philosophers views on religion. Problem solving is considered to be the process of finding solutions to difficult issues.  The type of  problem solving  strategy you use depends, in part, on the type of situation you are facing. For instance, finding the answer to a mathematical equation requires different skills than writing an essay on the differences between two philosophers views on religion. One has a fixed, set answer; the other is subject to interpretation. THE ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING Problem Solving Strategies Below are a few problem-solving strategies, how each works and when they are appropriate: ALGORITHMS. These types of problem-solving techniques rely on a set formula that allows you to arrive at one fixed answer. Good examples of algorithms are mathematical formula and computer programs. HEURISTIC. Heuristic problem-solving tactics are commonly referred to as rule of thumb strategies. These tactics are based on past experience and dont usually arrive at a single, fixed answer. Such problem-solving techniques are used when an exact answer isnt necessary when a range or an approximation is good enough. An example of using a heuristic problem-solving technique is estimating how long it will take you to drive home from campus. If, on previous trips, it has taken between 30 and 35 minutes, its likely that the next trip will take the same amount of time. However, unusually heavy traffic or construction could change this answer. CONSTRUCTIVE CONTROVERSY. This problem-solving technique, developed in the late 1970s, involves presenting your proposed solution to a group of other people, defending your idea, listening to their input and modifying your idea based on their feedback. This approach works well for team projects. INSIGHT. This technique is less structured, but often very effective. This is the let me sleep on it way of solving problems, such as when you awake with an answer to a problem or the answer comes to you in the shower or on the way to class. This technique relies on the subconscious using our past experiences to formulate an answer to a similar problem to those weve dealt with in the past. Since you have no way of knowing if youll arrive at an answer this way, this is obviously a poor technique to use for projects with a deadline. BRAINSTORMING. Brainstorming unleashes the talents of multiple team members on a single project. This technique involves throwing out tentative ideas, discussing each ideas merits and challenges and using the best of these possible solutions to solve the problem. DIVIDE AND CONQUER. Some projects, such as reading an entire text or writing a 5,000-word paper, can seem overwhelming. Dividing those huge projects into smaller, more manageable segments, such as reading a chapter a night or writing 500 words a week, often makes them easy to handle. RESEARCH. This problem-solving tactic makes use of other peoples past experience with similar problems to solve a current problem. As the name implies, this technique involves studying past performances and applying this acquired knowledge to the task at hand. Problem-solving strategies are a necessary part of college, the work environment, and everyday life. The better you become at the different types of strategies and at determining which type to use in which situation, the easier you will find not only your college studies but navigating the world at large. PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS In case you are working on a problem solving assignment, and are having difficulties with it, would be happy to assist. Feel free to contact our writers and they will help you to work through the assignment. Our staff will assign writers with suitable backgrounds and adequate experience. This will result in a paper that is properly written and formatted, with thorough background research and a solid literature base. Feel free to contact us anytime  or place an order and we will gladly help you.

International Business Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business Assignment - Essay Example Company also became an online store in February 2005 with rebelsport.com.au. Now it has become all the more convenient to purchase performance runners, lifestyle footwear and apparel, gym equipment, yoga clothes, junior wear, licensed jerseys, specialized team and individual sport equipment, camping and outdoor gear and such items just at the click of a mouse. The latest financial figures of company (sales revenue for the nine months ended 1 April 2006) indicate an increase in sales revenue by 14.5% to $272.9 million compared to nine months ended 2 April 2005. Company hopes to cash-in on the Soccer mania and is looking forward to the period of April - June 2006 when the Soccer World Cup begins in Germany. Rebel Sport is associated with some major sporting bodies like National Rugby League (NRL), Cricket Australia, and Soccer NS around Australia. Company has also developed two sponsorship programs MVP and Rebel Sport Rookies to assist both sporting clubs/schools and individuals. In order to fulfill its commitment towards the society, company supports some charities as well. Starlight Foundation, The Day of Difference Foundation, Jeans for Genes (an initiative of The Children's Medical Research Institute of Australia-CMRI) are some of the charity organizations being benefited by this Philanthropy. New avenueNew avenues for business are explored when environment demands increase in pace of activity. Strategists feel more satisfied and comfortable with the prospects of growth from expansion and once the company feels secure and experienced enough on the home-ground it can very well start thinking about crossing the borders and entering the fiercely competitive international arena. It can very well be said that online retail counter can cater to anybody around the globe but for the brand to be recognized and developing 'brand loyalty' physical presence in different markets is a must. Rebel Sports has an experience of more than 20 years in this field so it can very well plan a strategy for opening stores in other countries as well. Today, rules of business success have changed. Innovation and the art of mastering the technological edge have emerged as the new competitive advantages. Information technology and improvements in global telecommunications are giving international firm s more flexibility to shape their global strategies. Rebel sports made good use of the information age by starting online training of its staff and thus channeling the inherent creative talents of all individuals in the right direction, a recipe for success. Now the moot question is 'which strategy to opt for, while entering the International arena. In general the strategies could be categorized as; 1. A multi domestic strategy 2. A global or international strategy 3. A transnational strategy A multi domestic strategy enables individual subsidiaries of a multinational firm to compete independently in different domestic markets. The multinational headquarters coordinates financial controls and major marketing policies, and may centralize some R&D and component production. Otherwise subsidiary behaves like a strategic business unit that is expected to contribute earnings and growth

Developmental Issues Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developmental Issues - Coursework Example 5. There must be a strong emotional attachment between parents and children, since this drives children to take an interest in the world around them , (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 58). 6. The attitudes towards child rearing is gendered, and often when the father is not spending enough time at home with the children or giving the required resources to manage the family, a stressful home environment is created which affects the proper development of children, (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 62). It involves responsive adult-child interaction, a curriculum that is geared towards the development of children, proper assessment that allows caregivers to develop curriculums and gauge childs performance and show it to their parents, involment of parents in their chidlrens learning, caregivers with knowledge about childhood development, and small groups with higher adult to children ratio, (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 63). Children may develop characteristics that are harmful of their development if not their parents jobs do not give much time for them to pay attention to their children. Over demanding jobs, job insecurity, unsupportive co-workers, long hours etc create stress in working parents , (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 73). They are grandparents, (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 75). Grandfathers can act as father figures for children, grandparents and grandchildren are often free of emotional conflict with each other (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 77). Grandparents can look after the children of full time employed parents, grandparents have stabilizing effect on emotional lives of children (Objectives Aligned with NAEYC Standards, page 75). The dignity and interests of all family members must be respected, parents child rearing values must be

International Business - Change Management Case Study

International Business - Change Management - Case Study Example It has won the following awards: the Northern Ireland Quality Award (twice); the Supreme Irish Quality Award; the parent company's overall quality award (four times); and the British Quality Award. With a turnover f around 258 million, it is among the top 10 companies in Northern Ireland, and is viewed as an exemplar by many local organizations. In addition, BTNI is one f the few companies in Ulster to have undertaken both TQM and large-scale BPR. The need for effective change management dates back to the mid-1980s when the parent company was privatized. Its former monopoly status and Civil Service ethos did little to equip the company to survive and prosper in a market-place which was changing at a rapid rate and becoming increasingly competitive. It quickly became apparent that a new culture, skills and value system were needed--the customer could no longer remain out f sight and out f mind'. Accordingly, this subsidiary, which with around 2600 employees is the smallest f the nine geographical zones' that together cover the whole f the UK, began its formal total quality journey in 1986. Senior management, with involvement from the corporate chief executive office, drew up the company's vision statement and quality policy, and its first cost f quality exercise was undertaken. This revealed that BTNI was overmanned, inefficient and expensive. Benchmarking exercises indicated that BT had approximately 10 times more staff than some f its major competitors. At this point the company could be described as being in crisis'. Its response to this crisis is interesting and informative. Response to crisis. Many writers believe that companies which regard themselves as being in crisis have no option but to re-engineer. It is also argued that the potential risks f BPR make it a last option for businesses, used only for company turnaround. Ryan (1994), for example, states that, in reality, crisis is the necessary trigger to push companies into such radical change. Talwar (1993) takes the opposite view, arguing that high-performing companies are more likely to undertake BPR. This is consistent with Bashein et al. (1994), who consider that re-engineering in a crisis may be inappropriate, as crisis can promote fear and even panic, neither f which is conducive to focused BPR. At BTNI, rather than immediately rushing into re-engineering, senior management developed a complex and long-term change strategy, key elements f which were BS 5750/ISO 9000 accreditation, total quality and, finally, process re-engineering. BTNI's improvement journey. Once the vision statement and quality policy were in place, a Quality Council was established to drive the company's improvement efforts. Figure 1, which maps the company's improvement journey, is revealing. As can be seen, early moves towards TQM in the mid-1980s proved less than successful, when compared with the rate f improvement achieved after BS 5750 accreditation. This was awarded for the company's maintenance operations in 1988/89 and for installation in 1991, followed by ISO 9001 accreditation for all parts f the company in 1993. BTNI's experience is consistent with

Advocacy Policy for African Americans with Diabetes Research Paper

Advocacy Policy for African Americans with Diabetes - Research Paper Example For this purpose, nurses can collaborate with the Senator and hospital administrators to tell them of their concerns. Provision 9 is about shaping a social policy. This code of ethics encourages nurses to work individually and together through political action to bring social reform (American Nurses Association, 2011). Incorporating these provisions in the policy for African Americans can help the nurses to shape healthcare within the US. This is because these provisions urge nurses to go out in the community and raise awareness about health-related sociocultural issues like poverty, homelessness, and abuse of human rights. Nurses should work both individually and collectively to achieve this end. Adherence to these provisions of the ANA code of ethics is in itself a powerful force to promote advocacy policy. Ethical dilemmas related to lobbying can arise during my advocacy campaign. The whole process of lobbying should be very transparent and there should be no corruption. An unethical practice related to lobbying occurs when policymakers are bribed in some way by those seeking to bring a change. This practice should not be allowed because it only lets those people win who have more power and resources. This ethical dilemma can be resolved by training all nurses to not encourage lawmakers to vote for their policy in a biased manner. However, not all ethical dilemmas are related to lobbying. For example, research has it that there are moral judgments which should be evaluated (Masse and Williams-Jones, 2012, p. 241). Many times people are blamed for having a certain disease due to making bad lifestyle choices by the lobbyists. The burden of responsibility for an illness should not be placed on patients when there a staggering amount of evidence suggests that â€Å"risk factors external to an individual’s control can have an enormous impact on his or her health† (Masse and Williams-Jones, 2012, p. 242). So, this ethical dilemma can be resolved

Bank of England Quantitative Easing(Benefits and consequences) Dissertation

Bank of England Quantitative Easing(Benefits and consequences) - Dissertation Example On the other hand, such a reaction may be just what the UK and US need in order to prevent a deflationary spiral as a result of the financial crisis. If the first round had no detrimental effects, the question remains as to how far is right, because a second round may go further into creating inflationary pressures than expected. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not QE could be a viable means of implementing monetary policy to address the present financial morass. Findings arrived at are tentative, because of the relatively short time the quantitative easing policy has been implemented, which spans only about two years for both the US and the UK. For Japan, on the other hand, while QE was implemented for a full five years, the results are inapplicable to the present situation because QE was meant to address Japan’s negative inflation rate already registering for several years, which is entirely different from the threat posed by the present crisis on UK and t he US. Acknowledgment Table of Contents Title Page 1 Abstract 2 Acknowledgement 3 Table of Contents 4 Chapter 1: Introduction 6 1.1 Background of the research topic 6 1.2 Objectives of the study 7 1.3 Research question and subquestions 8 1.4 Scope and limitations of the study 8 1.5 Ethical considerations 9 Chapter 2: Review of related literature 10 2.1 Background of quantitative easing 10 2.2 Quantitative easing as implemented in the UK 12 2.3 Viewpoint of the sceptics 19 2.4 Viewpoint of the enthusiasts 21 2.5 Modest impact assessment 22 2.6 Other Econometric Studies 23 Chapter 3: Methodology 24 3.1 Research strategy 24 3.2 Data description 24 3.3 Data gathering methodology 24 3.4 Analysis of data 25 3.5 Limitations of data and analysis 25 Chapter 4: Case study – US and Japan 27 4.1 Quantitative easing in Japan 27 4.2 Quantitative easing in the United States 33 4.3 Comparison among the US, UK and Japanese QE 38 Chapter 5: Results, analysis and discussion 40 5.1 Analysis of v ariance with log of monetary base and log of long-term interest rate as variables 40 5.2 Analysis of variance with monetary base and long-term interest rate as variables 43 Chapter 6: Conclusion 46 6.1 Summary of the dissertation 46 6.2 Findings of the study: answers to the subquestions 46 6.3 Conclusion: answer to the research objective 47 6.4 Recommendations for future research 48 References 49 Appendices 53 Chapter 1 Introduction 1. 1 Background of the research topic Quantitative easing is a process which the central banks often consider as a last resort to inject liquidity in an economy, without caring for its own quantity of reserve assets (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 72). Often banks opt to buy off all government securities in circulation in the open market in their aggression, without preferring to fix any target rate of retaining their money reserves (Baumol & Blinder 271; Marta & Brusuelas, â€Å"Quantitative Easing†). Such an unorthodox st rategy, as quantitative easing, helped to bail out economies like Japan at a time when it was undergoing its worst phase of liquidity crunch. The method helped the nation to revive from its plight through enhancing its monetary base significantly, though meanwhile the government had to face immense deficits in their budgets (Organisation