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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

QUALITY LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW OUTLINE - Essay Example 2. The response of Mr. Braun to the question on competing in quality is also very unique. It is evident that their service is a ground breaker and a â€Å"first† entrant in the public transport provision sector and that is why they are convincing the public to shift to using bus as compared to automobiles. 3. Mr. Braun’s response to the third question i.e. monitoring competition, I believe it is not really up to the mark. I believe that he has overlooked the fact that Pace South Holland has indirect competition in form of automobiles, car pool services, private contracted bus-van service providers etc. Monitoring competition in this case would be: b) -Another way would be to see what value added features home-pick & drop provider, contracted bus/van carriers and car pool service providers are providing and value adding to Pace South Holland’s current services. c) -Another way would be to estimate the cost the customer is paying by availing the other options and improving their own service in such a way that it is economical and comfortable for the customer to use their bus service as compared to other ways of traveling. 4. Mr. Braun’s response to the question relating to quality process is incomplete in the sense that we understand that benchmarking is necessary and a good move but how can we be sure that the needs of the riders are being satisfied? Another aspect he is vague about is; what exactly are the goals that they are achieving and what goals do they need to improve upon? He also evaded providing reasons of achieving or not achieving the goals. My suggestion would be to include a â€Å"feedback form’ in the pockets of the seats and requesting the riders to fill them up. This process may really determine whether the customers are really satisfied or not? Or what else they may require to improve upon the services. 5. Once again in his response to the question relating to the aspect of quality that is most effective, Mr. Braun refers vaguely

Monday, October 28, 2019

Europe On The Eve Of World War I Essay Example for Free

Europe On The Eve Of World War I Essay World War I, or The Great War, actually started on June 28, 1914 upon the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, by a Serbian national. This led to a series of battles upon the eventual formation of the Central Powers made up of Germany, Austro-Hungary, the Turkish Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria, and they fought against the Entente Powers made up of Russia, France and Great Britain. However, since â€Å"Europe stumbled unexpectedly into war in the summer of 1914,†1 the question remains as to which of the major countries that fought the First World War were most prepared in terms of economy and military strength and which were not. Britain Among the Entente Powers during WWI, Britain was actually considered â€Å"the greatest colonial power [and] maintained the greatest navy. †2 However, it is also a fact that during that time Britain â€Å"was being increasingly challenged by France and Russia†3 and Germany. The British in fact â€Å"increased their warship production with the  William R. Griffiths and Thomas E. Griess, The Great War (2003): 1. 2. Ian Westwell, World War I Day by Day (1999): 7 3. Ibid. 4. Spencer Tucker, The Great War 1914-18 (1998): 3 intention of war†5 and in fact had a series of wars with Africa in 1899. Britain, along with the other great European powers, â€Å"embarked on an arms race that ran in tandem with the scramble for colonies,†6 which simply means that the reason they improved their armies and navies was because â€Å"they needed to protect far-flung colonies and maintain a balance of military power with their neighbors in Europe. †7 During the early 20th century, Britain launched â€Å"HMS Dreadnought, a Battleship incorporating several new technologies that was far superior to any vessel afloat in 1906†8 This was somehow the reason why other European powers especially Germany began improving and â€Å"building their own dreadnought-type battleships†9 because they saw â€Å"a sudden vulnerability of their costly fleets. †10 However, one rumor was that â€Å"the British recognized the naval competition from Germany as a threat to their existence,†11 though â€Å"the naval arms race between these two powers would continue until the eve of the war. 5. Westwell, 7. 6. Ibid, 8. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid, 9. 10. Ibid. 11. Griffiths and Greis, 5. 12. Ibid. It is said that naval arms race between these two powers would continue until the eve of the war. †13 Nevertheless, â€Å"by 1914, Germany had a navy second only to England’s. †14 Economically, it is said that Britain, along with France and Germany, was ready for the Great War. The most important influence upon British and the rest of the European military during those times was in fact â€Å"the largess bestowed upon European societies by the Industrial Revolution. †15 It is said that â€Å"a wealth of goods, rising productivity, and material well-being†16 were brought about by the factories of the latter half of the 19th century. This period of economic growth all over Europe led to â€Å"the greater availability of education for the lower classes† and that â€Å"better and more widespread educational opportunities enabled citizens to comprehend more readily the†¦military affairs of the state. †17 This perhaps encouraged nationalism among the people of the various European nations. Consequently such feelings may have similarly encouraged rivalries with other nations. Thus, the soil for the war was fertile and all it needed was the seed – which was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. 13. Griffiths and Greis, 5. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid, 6 16. Ibid. 17. Ibid. France As early as 1870, â€Å"France had considered itself – and had been considered by others – the leading military power of Europe. †18 It was defeated by Germany during the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 but it was not stated whether this war was really a showcase of the French military but rather it â€Å"meant a lasting antagonism†19 with Germany. Nevertheless, despite being a military power in the late 9th century, France had its â€Å"entire†¦province of Alsace [seized as well as] part of a second province, Lorraine. †20 Germany Since the empire became united in 1871, â€Å"imperial Germany had rapidly emerged as the dominant industrial and military power†21 in Europe and such â€Å"created a potentially explosive situation. It was also believed that â€Å"by the start of the twentieth century, Germany was creating a first-class navy,† which was in fact considered â€Å"the most obvious and dramatic illustration of Germany’s surging power in many spheres. †23 Such was the 18. Neil M. Heyman, World War I (1997): 5. 19. Ibid. 20. Ibid. 21. Ibid. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid. greatness of the military strength of Germany in the early 20th century. In addition to that, Germany also had an economy that was emerging as one of the strongest in the whole of Europe. Since 1870, Germany’s â€Å"industry had grown so rapidly that this part of Europe, which had supplied immigrants to the Western Hemisphere for more than a century, now imported labor from Poland. †24 Twentieth century Germany was actually home to â€Å"higher education and scientific research [and] a system of social insurance for its working class† and in fact, the country â€Å"could pride itself on being a world leader. † Germany also prided itself with a great leader during that time. The ruler of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was often considered as â€Å"the embodiment and often the director of [Germany’s] restless energies. †25 By the late 19th century, Kaiser Wilhelm II earned the respect and friendship of a few ambitious military leaders who were against Britain and who would want to challenge it to war. One of these military leaders was Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the Secretary of State of the Imperial Naval Office of Germany at that time. Moreover, Kaiser Wilhelm II also had his own imperialist ambitions as well for he considered the German navy â€Å"a tool of external power†26 and even declared it to Prime Minister Arthur Balfour of Britain in 1902, many years before the outbreak of WWI. In fact â€Å"the Kaiser sought to play   24. Heyman, 5. 25. Ibid, 6. 26. Ibid. politics, and repeatedly declared that he was determined to make Germany not just dominant in European affairs but in the world† and had a â€Å"desire for a German-dominated central Europe. †27 Such was the measure of Wilhelm II’s ambition and resolve. The Kaiser’s biographer even wrote, â€Å"Only with a fleet could Germany be able to elicit from the British the esteem Wilhelm II believed to be his due. †28 Germany was indeed already a strong power in the early 20th century many years before the outbreak of the Great War. It is said that â€Å"the security of Austria-Hungary, the weaker of the Central Powers, was [even] guaranteed by Kaiser Wilhelm II [since] late 1912. †29 Such was the strength of Germany at that time that they could even guarantee the protection of the territory of another country in addition to their own. Conclusion On the eve of World War I, Britain, France and Germany were all ready for the war that was to ensue. However, among the three, Germany seemed to be the most prepared especially when it came to the military, specifically the development and advancement of its naval warships as well as powerful leadership in the person of Kaiser Wilhelm II. On the other hand, France, although a leading military power of Europe at that time, was in fact torn apart by Germany during the 1871 Franco-Prussian War, hence was not impressively strong compared to Britain and Germany. 27. Tucker, 3. 28. Heyman, 6. 29. Westwell, 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY Griffiths, Williams R. and Griess, Thomas E. The Great War. New York: Square One Publishers, Inc. , 2003. Heyman, Neil M. World War I. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. , 1997. Tucker, Spencer. The Great War 1914-18. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1998. Westwell, Ian. World War I Day by Day. New York: The Brown Reference Group, Plc. , 1999.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Book Review of Slovenia 1945 Memories of Death and Survival after World

Slovenia 1945 is a well-crafted blend of personal memories, historiography, and eyewitness accounts. The result is moving narrative that avoids the turgidity and dryness historical studies may fall prey to, as well as the indulgent emotionalism of some memoirs. The starting point for the volume was the letters written by John Corsellis, a conscientious objector working in the Friends Ambulance Unit in Austrian Carinthia from 1945 to 1947. This material was fleshed out with several dozen interviews, a diary by camp survivor France Perni?ek, and the journalist Marcus Ferrar. Although Corsellis is a central participant in the story, his presence in the book is subtle and unobtrusive. Structurally, the book is attractive to both casual readers and serious researchers. In addition to the main text, there are fifteen photos, three maps, an outline of the chief characters, a four-page catalogue of other persons, a tightly packed six-page bibliography, and a five-page index of people, subjects, and places. A striking feature of the book is its impartiality?a goal that the authors explicitly state in the prologue (p. 2). Negative sides of all participants are depicted: Germans (slave labor, attacks on civilians, book burning), Italians (the Rab concentration camp, the myth of kind and romantic soldiers), Partisans (theft, murder, rape), Catholics (the Black Hand death squads), the western Allies (shooting at civilians, looting), and the Village Guards (burning prisoners to death). However, the book is much more than a catalogue of crimes; it also relates the human sides of all involved: individual acts of kindness by combatants and civilians on all sides. The narrative is replete with religious imagery?priests, ... ...jana: Modrian. Markovski, Venko. 1984. Goli Otok: The Island of Death. Boulder: Social Science Monographs. Mila?, Metod. 2002. Resistance, Imprisonment & Forced Labor. A Slovene Student in World War II [= Studies in Modern European History 47]. New York: Peter Lang. Reindl, Donald F. 2001. Mass Graves from the Communist Past Haunt Slovenia?s Present, RFE/RL Newsline 5.225 (29 November), available at http://www.rferl.org/ newsline/2001/11/5-not/not- 291101.asp Sirc, Ljubo. 1989. Between Hitler and Tito: Nazi Occupation and Communist Oppression. London: Andre Deutsch. Tolstoy, Nikolai. 1986. The Minister and the Massacres. London: Century Hutchinson. John Corsellis & Marcus Ferrar. Slovenia 1945: Memories of Death and Survival after World War II. London: I. B. Tauris & Co., 2005. xi + 276 pp., ï ¿ ½24.50 ($47.97) (cloth). ISBN: 1-85043-840-0.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing? Essay

Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing? Kim Girard, Harvard Business Week, March 2012 The over a century old retailer JC Penney (JCP) has been losing business and customers for a long time. Though it once had a great reputation for value and loyal customers the competition of high volume, low value stores such as Wal-Mart or the higher end stores such as Macy’s have completely over taken it and threatens to force them out of the market. What can be done to revive the 110 year old retailer, who is the right person for that task and how will they do it? These questions were addressed in this article. In the article â€Å"Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing†, the author (K. Girard) focuses on Ron Johnson, the new CEO of J.C. Penney and his innovations and plans to transform the store. Mr. Johnson comes to JC Penney with an impressive record of success transforming businesses and their retail strategy. He is credited with the transformation of the Target chain and for leading Apple’s retail effort with such innovations as the Genius bar. The task faced at JCP is a huge one, the company has been experiencing lagging sales and financial losses of $87 million in the final quarter of last year and a 4.9% overall loss of revenue for the year. Mr. Johnson took the helm of the company in November of 2011. His main task in to reinvent the chain and focus on an all new client base that includes everyone as his target market. Of the innovations that he instituted immediately, he focused on pricing and making them what he termed as â€Å"fair and square†. To do this, he first eliminated sales (he called them insulting to the customer), he also eliminated coupons; a move a competitor had attempted unsuccessfully about 5 years earlier. Another innovation in pricing was to end all prices in â€Å"00† instead of â€Å"99† and take away the â€Å"suggested retail price† tag. All of these changes were done to change the perception of the customer, from waiting until an item goes on sale to believing they are paying a fair price all the time. Mr. Johnson also has a vision of overhauling the entire shopping experience by adding new â€Å"brand shops† within the store so that the customer can easily find the item they are looking for in what is called a â€Å"Main Street† approach. The plan is to reinvent the displays (letting the designer decide how their product is displayed within the store) and have new brands that speak to different clients. Some of the new brands include Martha Stewart and a budget friendly teen line called Nanette Lepore. Johnson has also changed the store logo  and named a new contemporary spokeswoman (Ellen Degeneres) in an effort to create a buzz. There are also plans to create a â€Å"town square’ inside each store that could potentially be used to provide customers with complimentary services. The transition began in February and he states that his plan will be fully implemented by 2015. In the article, Rajiv Lal, the Stanley Roth, Sr. Professor of Retailing at Harvard Business School comments on the probability of Johnson’s new idea succeeding. He calls this a very tough task and says that it will not be easy but that the marketing strategy could work. He agrees with Johnson’s 3 to 4 year timeline for implementation and feels that should be enough time to decide if the plan is working. After reading this article, I took a completely random poll of 5 women in my office ages 26 – mid 50’s, who all said they had shopped at JCP within the past 6 months. Of the 5 only 1 said she did not like the changes but she also stated that she went to the store for certain brands and type of items that she could no longer find on her last trip but that she would give the store another try based on the opinion of the other 4 women. This article is a perfect example of the type of strategic approach to gaining consumers that this course talks about. It contained examples of concepts like market strategies and targeting particular customers. Girard, Kim, (2012, 05 March) Is JC Penney’s Makeover the Future of Retailing, Harvard Business Week Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6944.html

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

First Discuss the Statement with Pros and Cons Essay

â€Å"Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his own image† (Goethe). Behavior of the human being has been analyzed and discussed as early as the stone ages. As the quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe shows, humans are influenced by their surroundings and will act accordingly. One can therefore say that human behavior is learned based on the social framework of a person. This claim can also be seen in the area of organizational behavior if one examines the behavior of employees in accordance to their life situation, their attitudes and their satisfaction within the employed job. Nevertheless, researches have shown that not all human behavior is learned and that we act based on instinct, intuition and emotions which are innate within the human being. This essay will examine to what extend innate and learned human behavior influence the area of organizational behavior. Learning can be defined as â€Å"a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience† (Weiss, 1990, pp. 172-173). Every person has encountered a good or bad experience in their lifetime and changed his/her behavior accordingly. One can say that every experience influences the action of a person; nevertheless, some experiences are stronger and cause a greater change in behavior. If a little boy with an age of four touches a hot plate, then he will experience pain and will learn not to repeat such an action. The change in behavior however does not influence others and is caused by a specific event; one acts passively once learned (Robbins & Judge, 2009). This phenomenon is called classical conditioning and can also be seen in the area of organizational behavior. If the CEO plans a visit to a subsidiary office, most employees will try to clean the office and get everything done before the CEO arrives. Such behavior results from the motivation of the human being to respond to a specific situation. These motivations, however, have to be satisfied or have to result in a positive experience in order for the employee to repeat it. This was also discovered by B. F. Skinner in 1935 and called operant conditioning (Gabbi, 2001). The behavior can be maintained as the positive experience or contingency is reinforced. If the CEO will thank the employees of the subsidiary for doing their work properly and on time, the path will be strengthened and the employee will be more likely to repeat the action. Therefore, the managerial level of a company has the responsibility to take actions that will result in a positive reaction of the employee and will favor the company, for example a greater compatibility, greater profits or even a greater capital expenditure. A downside to this phenomenon, however, would be that employees start to become stationary within their conditioning. Employees might start to become complacent. In the 1990’s the concept of organizational learning was developed in order to cope the stationary conditioning of the employee (Yeung, Lai, & Yee, 2007). The CEO of Harley-Davidson used the concept of learning to further improve the attention and the energy of his employees, when he saw that they were becoming complacent over the success of Harley-Davidson in the late 1980’s. He insisted on having workshops and special training to further increase the performance of his employees. The Japanese business expert Ikujiro Nonaka says: â€Å"In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge. † (Yeung, Ulrich, Nason & Glinow, 1999, p. 4). Therefore, one can say that the learned behavior of an employee in connection with his job has to be continuous in order for the company to stay competitive within the market and increase performance. Learned behavior does not always have to come from direct experience but from observations. As children most people modeled their teacher, parents, friends or the media. Learning by observations is called social learning and shows the importance of perception within learned behavior. It has been shown that most people will observe models that are attractive, show similar attributes and that are available repeatedly (Robbins & Judge, 2009). If the managerial level of a company pays attention to the needs of the employee, shows respect, understanding and shows credibility towards the work of the employee, the employee will more likely adapt such actions and will act similar towards colleagues. Therefore, the working atmosphere becomes productive and the performance of the company will be enhanced. The great problem that arises with learned and conditioned behavior is the unpredictable behavior of human beings: innate behavior. Feelings, emotions and intuition cause actions that will, most of the time, oppose the learned behavior. If one takes the example with the CEO visiting his subsidiary office, then one can see a problem. If one employee has to sacrifice her/his daughter’s birthday party, because he/she has to work late in order to get her/his work done before the CEO arrives the next morning, then the employee will be caught within a greater cognitive process than just following the path with the best reward. The employee would have to weight which event would be more beneficial not only for his/her job situation, but also for his/her family. The human being will use feelings, emotions and intuition to judge such a situation. Therefore, the learned or conditioned behavior will not always be chosen by the employee, which could be seen as a great disadvantage. This fact is very important for a managerial level to keep in mind, when considering new strategies to enhance employee’s performance (Maclay, 2003). The human being’s actions will always be influenced by his innate behavior, since the human being is the only creature on earth that has the ability to make decisions based on his free will. In conclusion one can say that the behavior of the human being is equally influenced by the surrounding but also by emotions, intuition and instinct of the employee. For managers to understand employees it is important to be aware of this fact, in order to use it as an advantage for the company: to enhance the performance of the employee and in return the performance of the company among competitors. The disadvantages of conditioned behavior as well as innate behavior should always be kept in mind, not only to increase production but also to create a successful and likable workplace- atmosphere.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Electronegativity and Chemical Bonding

Electronegativity and Chemical Bonding What Is Electronegativity? Electronegativity is a measure of the attraction of an atom for the electrons in a chemical bond. The higher the electronegativity of an atom, the greater its attraction for bonding electrons. Ionization Energy Electronegativity is related to ionization energy. Electrons with low ionization energies have low electronegativities because their nuclei do not exert a strong attractive force on electrons. Elements with high ionization energies have high electronegativities due to the strong pull exerted on electrons by the nucleus. Periodic Table Trends In an element group, the electronegativity decreases as atomic number increases, as a result of increased distance between the valence electron and nucleus (greater atomic radius). An example of an electropositive (i.e., low electronegativity) element is cesium; an example of a highly electronegative element is fluorine. Moving left to right across the periodic table, electronegativity increases.Moving top to bottom down the periodic table, electronegativity decreases.

Monday, October 21, 2019

10 Tungsten Facts - W or Atomic Number 74

10 Tungsten Facts - W or Atomic Number 74 Tungsten (atomic number 74, element symbol W) is a steel-gray to silver-white metal, familiar to many people as the metal used in incandescent light bulb filaments. Its element symbol W derives from an old name for the element, wolfram. Here are 10 interesting facts about tungsten: Tungsten Facts Tungsten is element number 74 with atomic number 74 and atomic weight 183.84. It is one of the transition metals and has a valence of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In compounds, the most common oxidation state is VI. Two crystal forms are common. The body-centered cubic structure is more stable, but another metastable cubic structure may coexist with this form.The existence of tungsten was suspected in 1781, when Carl Wilhelm Scheele and T.O. Bergman made previously unknown tungstic acid from a material now called scheelite. In 1783, the Spanish brothers Juan  Josà © and Fausto DElhuyar isolated tungsten from wolframite ore and were credited with discovery of the element.The element name wolfram came from the name of the ore, wolframite, which derives from the German wolfs rahm, which means wolfs foam. It got this name because European tin smelters noticed the presence of wolframite in tin ore reduced the tin yield, appearing to eat tin like a wolf would devour sheep. What many people do not know is that the Delhuyar brothers actually proposed the name volfram for the element, as w was not used in the Spanish language at that point.  The element was known as wolfram in most European countries, but called tungsten (from Swedish tung sten meaning heavy stone, referencing the heaviness of scheelite ore) in English. In 2005, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry dropped the name wolfram entirely, to make the periodic table the same in all countries. This is probably one of the most highly disputed name changes made on the periodic table. Tungsten has the highest melting point of the metals (6191.6  °F or 3422  °C), lowest vapor pressure, and the highest tensile strength. Its density is comparable to that of gold and uranium and 1.7 times higher than that of lead. While the pure element may be drawn, extruded, cut, forged, and spun, any impurities make tungsten brittle and difficult to work.The element is conductive and resists corrosion, although metal specimens will develop a characteristic yellowish cast upon exposure to air. A rainbow oxide layer is also possible. It is the 4th hardest element, after carbon, boron, and chromium. Tungsten is susceptible to slight attack by acids, but resists alkali and oxygen.Tungsten is one of the five refractory metals. The other metals are niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, and rhenium. These elements are clustered near each other on the periodic table. Refractory metals are those which exhibit extremely high resistance to heat and wear.Tungsten is considered to have low toxicit y and plays a biological role in organisms. This makes it the heaviest element used in biochemical reactions. Certain bacteria use tungsten in an enzyme that reduces carboxylic acids to aldehydes. In animals, tungsten interferes with copper and molybdenum metabolism, so it is considered slightly toxic. Natural tungsten consists of five stable isotopes. These isotopes actually do undergo radioactive decay, but the half-lives are so long (four quintillion years) that they are stable for all practical purposes. At least 30 artificial unstable isotopes have also been recognized.Tungsten has many uses. It is used for filaments in electric lamps, in television and electron tubes, in metal evaporators, for electrical contacts, as an x-ray target, for heating elements, and in numerous high temperature applications. Tungsten is a common element in alloys, including tool steels. Its hardness and high density also make it an excellent metal for constructing penetrating projectiles. Tungsten metal is used for glass-to-metal seals. The elements compounds are used for fluorescent lighting, tanning, lubricants, and paints. Tungsten compounds find use as catalysts.Sources of tungsten include the minerals wolframite, scheelite, ferberite, and huebnertie. Its believed about 75% of the worlds supply of the element is found in China, although other ore deposits are known in the US, South Korea, Russia, Bolivia, and Portugal. The element is obtained by reducing tungsten oxide from the ore with either hydrogen or carbon. Producing the pure element is difficult, due to its high melting point.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

College-Essay Websites Get a Failing Grade

College-Essay Websites Get a Failing Grade College-Essay Websites Get a Failing Grade College-Essay Websites Get a Failing Grade By Mark Nichol Just for fun, I recently searched online for websites that sell academic essays, with the intention of evaluating the quality of their product. Immediately, however, I found I could judge these providers just by their marketing content and most of them failed the test. College-essay services have been around for decades. I recall that when I was editor of my college newspaper pre-Internet we ran a classified ad for one; to my lasting shame, it never occurred to me to buy an essay and write an investigative article about such services. (They’ve long since migrated from the ghetto of the college-newspaper classifieds to the pleasant, professional-looking facade of the Web.) I examined the sites for the first five college-essay services that came up in my search using the simple term â€Å"essays.† (Most of the returns for this very general search parameter are for college-essay sites.) I was amused to find out that though most providers doth protest too much that they merely provide essays as research material or to model good essay writing, some blatantly admit that they offer essays for plagiaristic purposes to college (and high school) students who don’t have the time or the motivation to, you know, actually fulfill their academic responsibilities. Even more amusing was to find out that most of the sites, in the critical area of introducing themselves to potential customers, chose to hire laughably low-bid writers to craft SEO-friendly home page copy describing their services. Of the five sites I visited, three of them have marketing content obviously written by someone for whom English is not a native language; each of these overtures is awful. A fourth site has competently written content but inspires no more confidence about the quality of the product, and a fifth, which has no home page welcome but does feature a FAQ page, includes thereon inspirational quotes from Albert Einstein and Anis Nin (and â€Å"the Danish proverb† there’s only one Danish proverb?) and displays problematic punctuation and occasional grammatical infelicities: For example, in describing one category of essays (some are available free but are frankly flagged as not being especially well written), the site declared, â€Å"Do not fear errors in this research, there are none.† (But that sentence features a comma splice.) I did, in fact, peek at a couple of essays, including one titled â€Å"Why Would You Want to Watch Sex in the City?† (The site also offered, in a category labeled Miscellaneous, â€Å"Best Man Toasts,† â€Å"Eulogies,† and â€Å"Wedding Speeches† and, oh, yeah, â€Å"College Admissions Essays.†) Let’s just say that free isn’t a good enough deal; these sites should pay me for the pain and suffering endured while reading samples of their inventory. College-essay websites, despite the questionable quality of their products actually, there’s no question will continue to flourish and thrive for as long as students take ethical shortcuts, but there are plenty of other options for those in the target market who might feel the nagging tug of conscience. Most colleges (and many high schools) offer resources for students seeking assistance in essay writing. We have also covered this topic in the past, so search the site to find related posts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesCapitalization Rules for the Names of GamesHow often is "bimonthly"?

Saturday, October 19, 2019

International marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International marketing - Assignment Example China’s exchange rate in the stock market is classified into two categories i.e. class A shares and class B shares. The class A type is only meant for Chinese citizens while the class B type is meant for non citizens. At the age group of 20-30 years, the productivity is highly available since ready and cheap labor is in place due to the overpopulation in china. This age group is the main backbone of the Chinese economy. They are the most industrious and active source of labor in the Chinese economy. Due to this, the government of China has been advocating for the end of rural to urban continuous migrations of its citizens. During the economic reforms revolution, this movement was allowed. Its main aim was to increase labor output since the economy was steadily growing fast and industrialization was also taking place. China’s most source of external income has been through foreign investments it undertakes in the developing and 3rd world countries .This investments have become the major source of economic growth in this countries. As a result of the labor china has been able to produce goods of high quality and quantity to enable efficiency thus maximizing the country’s output (Liu, 2007). ... In the last three centuries, China has been globally reinforcing its market. It has ventured in both developed and developing nations to market its commodities. This has been made easily successful through lowering of taxes on its products making them cheaper but wholesomely producing the products (Zhiyong & Zhibiao, n.d.). Diversification into wide variety of production and activities has contributed to its economic growth rating it to be the most economic secure nation. Constant date-to-date innovation and invention has also greatly contributed to China’s economic stability. The age bracket of 20 to 30 is the greatest percentage of Chinese population .This group is the labor in the market driving economy of each province .Due to better infrastructure like roads and electronic train transport services goods are easily transported from one region to another that might have not been widely developed in terms of infrastructure (Zhiyong & Zhibiao, n.d.) . In addition, the use of air transport has also enhanced the growth of Chinese economy globally to landlocked countries and regions where shipping might not take place. Modern invention of technologies such as use of the internet has also led to the speedy and spread of Chinese economy since the age racket of 20 and 30 frequently use the social sites to market their small-scale products (Mullner, 2005). Target market is the situation whereby producers come together as a group with the aim of marketing their products to specific consumers. Over the years, Chinese products have been regarded as among the best products in the world. Its customers have been able to purchase their products at lower costs saving

Friday, October 18, 2019

Business Model (International Business Management) Essay

Business Model (International Business Management) - Essay Example In the foreseeable future there will be heavy demand of organic apparel products, and the market will grow. To enter the market with this plan, we will adopt the strategy of a Wholly Owned Subsidiary for entrance. Choosing a strategy to enter the market is very essential. It must be well thought out and it completely defines what will happen to the enterprise. There are various ways one can enter a market, such as joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, turnkey projects, etc. â€Å"A Wholly Owned Subsidiary is a subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there is no minority owners.† (â€Å"Wholly Owned Subsidiary†). This eliminates the share holders and thus the concept of co owners of the enterprise. This gives the management benefits such as full control over the decision making. Turkey is one of the world’s leaders in organic cotton production: â€Å"Turkey is a world leader in organic cotton production with a 53 per cent share of the market. The countrys history, climate and culture play main role in this leadership." (Gulveren). This makes Turkey a good choice in which to launch a wholly owned subsidiary. Many of world well known fashion companies such as Gap, Banana Republic and Nike are producing their products in Turkey. Thus there are already existing original equipment manufacturers in Turkey that ensures that obtaining raw materials will be easy. â€Å"This Original Equipment Manufacturers segment has helped triple apparel export in the past decade - apparel now accounts for more than 20% of Turkey’s total export volume† (â€Å"Apparel† 365 ) Turkey houses a high percentage of skilled labor. This plays a very important role the plan chosen and will be very beneficial to the authorities since a good workforce leads to better work and better results. Being a wholly owned subsidiary unit would mean taking over the operations of an existing

Discuss how the concept of affect can be integrated into a usability Essay

Discuss how the concept of affect can be integrated into a usability study - Essay Example isciplinary valuable meta-theory involving interactions involving feeling and cognition which has several useful implications for daily life, contemporary media, marketing, political affairs, psychology and sociology. Hence the concept of affect is a comprehensive psycho-somatic condition analogous to a particular goal-directed example of energy utilization. (Sobiesiak, Jones, and Lewis, 2008, 283) Affect can be small or long-term, weak or strong, sensible or insensible. The word usability was initially used nearly ten years ago in place of the expression â€Å"user friendly â€Å"that had obtained an undesirably indistinguishable and prejudiced implication. Usability is the evaluation of the eminence of an individual’s understanding while working with content or services. Following are the 3 different views explaining how usability can be evaluated: This paper describes a real-life example of integration of concept of affect and usability in new media i.e. autonomic system with strong ease-of-use characteristics. This system, the IBM DB2* Universal Database* (UDB) Version 8.1 autonomic computing system, employs a number of usability features combined with autonomic technologies to deliver an administrative interface unlike anything else in the industry. Autonomic computing is all about self-managing systems. It is amongst the best examples of integration of affect and usability in new media. At the core of the autonomic computing initiative is the concept that computers need to be more self-configuring, self-healing, self-optimizing, and self-protecting in order to reduce the overall complexity of a system. Autonomic computing is described as a "closed loop" system, which includes a "monitor-analyze-plan-and-execute" process in order to make decisions. (Smith, A. 2007, 378) From ease-of-use perspective, autonomic computing offers a leap forward in the following ways: Rarely does an IT component work "out of the box." As part of the installation process, there is

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Past and Present Economical situation (Macroeconomics) of South Africa Research Paper

Past and Present Economical situation (Macroeconomics) of South Africa - Research Paper Example In the similar context, it has been stated by the scientists that the Late Stone Age people are living in southern part of Africa for a very long period before the blacks or the whites came into being to stay there. Furthermore, it can be stated that according to the evidences provided it can be observed that a sculpture of a rock is created by the Khoisan around 26000 years ago. The introduction of iron changed the African continent completely and it therefore provided a boost in the development of mankind. Agriculture has altered the lifestyle of the African people completely as South Africa largely is an agricultural country. The farming of agricultural lands provided an important aspect in the overall development of African population. Agriculture is a key contributing factor towards the overall economic growth in South Africa (The Early History of South Africa, n.d.). Short History about the Economic Background of South Africa South African economy has been a generally fluctuati ng economy. In the past few decades, it has witnessed a sustained growth in terms of real per capita income. However, in recent decades noticeable fall in real per capita income was observed primarily due to political instability as well as change in the country. According to the observation of World Bank, it can be idealized that in the middle income nations such as South Africa economic regress can occur as rapidly as economic progress. The global economic environment has been a major influence on the pattern of economic development in South Africa over its historical progression (Fedderke & Simkins, 2006). Figure: Real Per Capita GDP as well as Associated Growth Rate, A Historical Trend in South Africa Source: (Fedderke & Simkins, 2006) In the current context, the economy of South Africa is recovering from the earlier setbacks, but it has been weakened due to certain economic slumps. Moreover, with reference to the current trend of advanced economies, it can be recognized that du e to economic setbacks growth has become too low largely due to considerable depression in unemployment. In the related context, it can also be said that according to World Economic Outlook, it can be predicted that there was slump in the economic aspects from the initial part of 2012. Economy in the global context will remain at around 3.3 percent and 3.6 percent in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Productivity is expected to remain sluggish in advanced economies, providing no effect on the emerging markets and developing economies. Moreover, unemployment is likely to stay high in most of the parts in the world, with the financial conditions remaining delicate according to the reports presented by Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) in October 2012. These factors have an impact on the overall economic scenario in South Africa in the coming years (International Monetary Fund, 2012). Demographics of South Africa Demography is the numerical study of prevailing human populations. It in cludes the study of the structure, size as well as distribution of varied dimensions of a country’s population which also relates to birth, age and death. The analysis can be incorporated in the context of certain societal or group aspects such as education, nationality and ethnicity among others. The demography of South Africa is estimated on the basis of the statistical information gathered

Text analysis and report based on Gees discourse analytical approachIt Essay

Text analysis and report based on Gees discourse analytical approachIt - Essay Example These render it interesting to submit to a Discourse analysis. The analysis of the text shall be in accordance with the theory by James Paul Gee that â€Å"interaction with text is necessarily a socially mediated process† (St. Clair & Phipps, 2008:91). Actually, social context circumscribes not only words but other elements of communication, such as readings (Knoester, 2009, p. 677) and actions (Gee, 2005, p. 590). What we say, are interpreted by society based not only on the practice (what is actually said and done), but also on social or historical attributes (such as race or religion) and belief or ideology (Gee, 2005:590). It is generally agreed that An Introduction to Discourse Analysis (Gee, 1999) is one of James Paul Gee’s truly significant treatise on the nature of Discourse, as acknowledged by Rodina (2007), Stibbe (2006), Jarvis (2006), Collins (2000), and Holmes (2000). On the other hand, Davies (2000), while lauding the simplicity and ease of approach of Gee in this book, stated that the latter’s informal writing style and simplicity of discussion tends to dilute the power of his message. The fundamental theory developed in this book is Gee’s seven building tasks for discourse analysis. The challenge of the exercise lies in not only relating the form and function of the text, but in finding specific â€Å"form-function correlations† that are in themselves juxtaposed with specific social practices indicative of social relationships (Gee, 2004:19). This paper shall attempt to apply this theory to the selection chosen for the purpose. The selection, Patrick Henry’s speech on Liberty, hereto attached as Appendix A, is unmistakably intended to highlight the significance of Virginia’s participation in the war against the British colonizers, during the American Revolution. In fact, it is a particularly good example of â€Å"making a mountain out of a molehill†. Coming into the convention, it is easy to

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Past and Present Economical situation (Macroeconomics) of South Africa Research Paper

Past and Present Economical situation (Macroeconomics) of South Africa - Research Paper Example In the similar context, it has been stated by the scientists that the Late Stone Age people are living in southern part of Africa for a very long period before the blacks or the whites came into being to stay there. Furthermore, it can be stated that according to the evidences provided it can be observed that a sculpture of a rock is created by the Khoisan around 26000 years ago. The introduction of iron changed the African continent completely and it therefore provided a boost in the development of mankind. Agriculture has altered the lifestyle of the African people completely as South Africa largely is an agricultural country. The farming of agricultural lands provided an important aspect in the overall development of African population. Agriculture is a key contributing factor towards the overall economic growth in South Africa (The Early History of South Africa, n.d.). Short History about the Economic Background of South Africa South African economy has been a generally fluctuati ng economy. In the past few decades, it has witnessed a sustained growth in terms of real per capita income. However, in recent decades noticeable fall in real per capita income was observed primarily due to political instability as well as change in the country. According to the observation of World Bank, it can be idealized that in the middle income nations such as South Africa economic regress can occur as rapidly as economic progress. The global economic environment has been a major influence on the pattern of economic development in South Africa over its historical progression (Fedderke & Simkins, 2006). Figure: Real Per Capita GDP as well as Associated Growth Rate, A Historical Trend in South Africa Source: (Fedderke & Simkins, 2006) In the current context, the economy of South Africa is recovering from the earlier setbacks, but it has been weakened due to certain economic slumps. Moreover, with reference to the current trend of advanced economies, it can be recognized that du e to economic setbacks growth has become too low largely due to considerable depression in unemployment. In the related context, it can also be said that according to World Economic Outlook, it can be predicted that there was slump in the economic aspects from the initial part of 2012. Economy in the global context will remain at around 3.3 percent and 3.6 percent in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Productivity is expected to remain sluggish in advanced economies, providing no effect on the emerging markets and developing economies. Moreover, unemployment is likely to stay high in most of the parts in the world, with the financial conditions remaining delicate according to the reports presented by Global Financial Stability Report (GFSR) in October 2012. These factors have an impact on the overall economic scenario in South Africa in the coming years (International Monetary Fund, 2012). Demographics of South Africa Demography is the numerical study of prevailing human populations. It in cludes the study of the structure, size as well as distribution of varied dimensions of a country’s population which also relates to birth, age and death. The analysis can be incorporated in the context of certain societal or group aspects such as education, nationality and ethnicity among others. The demography of South Africa is estimated on the basis of the statistical information gathered

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Fall (of man) in Genesis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Fall (of man) in Genesis - Research Paper Example iew it, it is the â€Å"conflict of conflicts† that swayed the peace of man as he entered a new era where peace between him and fellow man, him and Gods creation was eroded. The conflict between Man and God and its solution is much similar to the conflict that exists in the contemporary society between people, countries and even leaders. As the ebb of peace is enjoyed between each tide of war, man (and countries alike) assesses previous battles, losses and gains, so as to strengthen itself for future conflicts. Seldom do men realize the very origin of conflict may be traced to the Old Testament book of Genesis. It should be understood that not every fall ends up in a war, but the source of all conflict is the result of one fall in particular. The fall of man as depicted in Genesis begins the greatest conflicts known: the conflict of man verses God; the conflict of man verses man; and the conflict of man verse creation. In the book of Genesis, Man was the most privileged work of God’s creation. God created man as the last creature after He had created the earth, a conducive environment for man. As opposed to other beings that were created out of nothingness, man was created from soil, a symbol that he was a special creation on Earth1. Much more, he was created in the image and likeness of God, to signify the close relationship that God established between man and Himself as the most privileged work of creation. This special treatment is also manifested in the nature of the responsibilities that the Lord gave to man as regards the entire work of creation. The Lord asked man to take responsibility of the land, the animals and the environment as he fends for his existence in this work of creation. In principle, man was placed as the overall in the work of creation, a superior being than no other in the Garden of Aden. When God noted that Adam was lonely, he created Eve from his own rib so that she would keep him company and wipe away his loneliness2. The love of God

Monday, October 14, 2019

Describe how Arthur Miller creates an exciting climax Essay Example for Free

Describe how Arthur Miller creates an exciting climax Essay Describe how Arthur Miller creates an exciting climax for both acts of A View from the Bridge'  A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, is a play about obsession and betrayal. The main character, Eddie Carbone, becomes overprotective over his niece, Catherine, to the degree of infatuation. This obsession helps to cause the break down of Eddies marriage, as his wife, Beatrice realises the alarming nature of Eddies fixation. Eddies feelings for Catherine existed before Beatrices cousins, Marco and Rodolfo came, but their arrival intensifies the situation, as Eddie becomes more and more jealous of Rodolfo, and of Catherines love for him. This play is a tragedy and, like most tragedies, it is serious and ends with the death of the main character, Eddie. Eddie dies after betraying his wifes cousins to the immigration bureau. As a result, Marco, who is filled with hatred and in need of justice, stabs him. Arthur Miller was a New Yorker who worked on the Brooklyn docks, for a time. His experience of the docks and of the people around them, led him to write this play, which is set there. During this coursework, my aim is to study the ends of the two acts in depth to see what techniques Miller uses to make them dramatically effective. 1. During the last scene of act one (from page 39 when Catherine puts paper doll on the phonograph) we find out about the relationships of characters in more depth. The scene  2. Our understanding of this plays characters changes considerably in this final part of act 1. Marco who seemed, prior to this scene, to be quiet and shy shows what he actually feels by demonstrating his feelings about Eddie  3. There are many surprises in this scene, we as an audience do not expect Marco who has previously been shy and quiet to make such a blatant challenge as he does in this scene 4. This last scene in act one is used very effectively by Arthur miller to sow the seeds of events which are going to happen in the 2nd act of the play  5. The action in this scene Marcos action of holding up a chair triumphantly in front of Eddie is an interesting and significant action because the chair seems to be a symbolic weapon. Marco is threatening Eddie with it but, in contrast, he actually uses a weapon to kill Eddie in the final scene of the play.  6. although there seems to only be one conflict between characters in this (the one between Marco and Eddie; with the chair) there are actually many 7. This final scene leaves many questions unanswered. The conflicts between the characters in this scene could lead the audience to speculate as to how things will develop in the next act but although this scene gives the audience, some idea of how things turn out it does not tell them everything. They may ask themselves what is going to happen to Catherine and Rodolfos relationship since it seems plain that Eddie dislikes Rodolfo and disapproves of his relationship with his niece.  8. Particularly interesting characters within this scene are Marco, who has changed so much and is so different in this final scene of act one to the previous part of the play. 9. The Characters in this scene are very interesting to observe on their own but it is also interesting to see how Arthur Miller has contrasted the actions of his characters in this scene. One such contrast is that between Marco and Eddie. Eddie uses Aggressive action, such as boxing to make his point whereas Marcos subtle challenge with the chair is non aggressive but yet still makes the intended point. These contrasts between the two mens actions are very interesting and are very effective in demonstrating the diffe 10. Emotions of the audience towards characters are mixed. They may feel happy for Catherine and Rodolfo in that theyve found each other and seem so happy. Some may speculate, however about that this relationships days are numbered due to Eddies obviously hostile feelings towards rodolfo. 1. The situations that develop in this play would be difficult for anyone to deal with. Eddie finds the situation that he is in especially difficult and consequently he is seriously affected by it. In this play Eddie goes from being a popular man, respected in the community to being a man willing to betray his own family and, in the final scene one prepared to kill. Eddie started by just being over protective of Catherine, which developed into jealousy of Rodolfo because Catherine loved him and this, in turn developed into passionate hatred of both Marco and Rodolfo. Eddie hardly understands what he himself is feeling at the end of the play. These emotional changes are central to Arthur millers play since they help to cause the chain of events leading up to the final tragic end and are very important in creating interest and drama in the play.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Citibank Strategy Using Ebusiness Marketing Essay

The Citibank Strategy Using Ebusiness Marketing Essay Introduction The Citibank started in 1812 in the city of New York in the United States of America, the bank started with very limited funds selling mostly insurance policies and investments, the bank was one of the first national bank in the US, developed very early in the late 19th century, the bank expanded fast and gain customers confidence quickly which made other banks fear the fast growing Citibank, later became called the Citigroup which involved other financial sectors and joined the integration business operations with other companies. The bank created new business opportunities, for many business by offering loans and shares, the company has created the business cards which made it easy to deal with the money transactions and other payment methods, the credit cards use to be fast for that period of time, but with the fast growing use of the cards, the business boomed and other method for money transactions being required, the Citibank was one of the first banks to create the online e-business solutions to ease the work load on their employees, reduce the cost of papers with paperless statements to customers, and increase the speed of communications. The banks competition has increase in the past few years, the invention of the e-business and software solution has took the banks systems and advanced it for the befits of both the banks and their customers, the innovation resulted in the increase in competition using any methods to win and control the markets, the competition has two ways of competitions, the perfect and the monopolistic, the Citibank used both of them, shared benefits with perfects competition using integrated business plans with other banks and business partners and used the monopolistic to introduce cheaper prices and shared investments with overseas beneficiaries without the concern of the impact on the US markets. The Citibank used many strategies in their plans, using the strategy to compete in the market needs plan to monitor the financial market and the stock market very closely, the bank introduce the prices very carefully when it comes to use the monopolistic approach which gives them the lead in the price manipulation, the other strategy is the marketing which is the most important factor in increasing sales margin in the tangible assets and improving the companys image in the intangible assets, using the e-business for marketing has advanced very much and the online marketing has proofed of its capabilities and worth, using the e-business for marketing needed analysis from the Citibank to evaluate the situation from time to time to manage their marketing operations and strategy. The Citibank after researching, analysing, and deciding to use their plan for all the strategies mentioned which helped them for a century of financial products and services, the company realise that any business will do anything to survive the unexpected, using the perfect theory or monopolistic are the same it does not make them evil or unethical bank, the appearance in the market and the competition comes from nowhere, are the bomb shill of the financial market and any market, the Citibank working according the stock and financial market changes and the variability of the market is controlled by no one except the fear or the stable characters that manage and operate in the markets. E-Business services strategy The computer age, came and change businesses how they functions and run, the invention of the software and other computer solutions made the business life easier and intruded speed at the work place, the new invention has two sides, the first is an advantage for the business around the world for the reason mentioned, the disadvantage is the increasing in unemployment, the more software invented the more people lay back of work and the machines taking over, lots of machinery will be controlled and operated by one employee. The whole software process done automatically, the only time is the bank human resources interfere in human contact when the situation get out of hand and investigation is a must, the bank will launch private investigation for each case, the website of the bank has many features and facilities that allow the clients and customers to brows into their products and services. (Bodily, 2004) Citibank one of many companies who are responsible for making much redundancy around the world and trusted the new world innovation in e-business and its functions, for example in the past anything get to do with bills, paper work, transactions authorisation, companys editing, needs many processor employees to deal with the requirements and the time spending on that job will take months to complete especially if there is mistakes or error by human touch, the new innovation in the software computing system the two most advantages that mentioned, the speed of the process will take few minutes for applications to be filled and the completion of a task will take few days instead of months, if any mistakes occur, the software automatically will fix the error and issue a report for that matter, Citibank has a website that uses very strong encryption database which includes all the work needs and security for protection from any unexpected hackers attack, or competitors trying to invade the Citibank privacy which is common in the monopolistic competition. (Bodily, 2004) Figure 1 the diagram illustrated the e-business operation between individual and the bank / the source Google image. The diagram gives the idea of how the data and information transfer between customers and the bank, the data will go through many authentication procedures before reach the other end with seconds or minutes, the strong and secure database needs more bit encryption codes, the software solutions has only agreed user names and pass words for the companys employees to identify them and allow them to inter the main domain software to be able to manipulate the database and do the work in a safest way, the combinations of the system is very complicated and has millions of different codes and has countless numbers, the other security and safety for the Citibank online services that have been innovated and made dealing with the bank with more confidence is that Citibank introduce the secure online personal accounts for customers which allow individuals to go online and need to put the password then put the various numbers in different page and then ask for the account holder some questions, t hen when all this done in just few seconds the bank account page gives you information of the last time you visited the page, if the user sees it was not him/ her visited, then the bank ask customers to be informed immediately and the bank will freeze the account till further investigation done. (Smart Computing, 1999) The bank also provide credit cards products, the cards would be partnership contract with the VISA, MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, and DINNER, the bank provide these cards to customers through contract done between the Citibank and the cards companies, contract between the customer and the cards companies, and the Citibank and customers, the bank will fill automated application through the safe their database and the cards companies database, the application takes few minutes and the answer will be approved or declined, if its approved, the bank will fill automated application to part that is designed for the bank in the application confirm the authorisations of money and the card, the bank then will issue another automated application between them and the customer for a contract that guarantee the customer will agree to their policies and receive the cash with guaranteed safety, the bank then will try to sell the customer their favourite product which is the insurance for the loan j ust in case of unemployment, sickness, or other reason that will be related to the customer un able to pay the loan back, the card issuer will take few days to process the card and transaction of the cash will be automatically processed, this process in the past would take months to complete. (Daft, 2008) The Citibank products and services, promise that the new innovation way of the bank functions are simple, fast, and secure, so the bank when provide online process of application the promise to ensure the customers service and support through the period which the customer requires, the bank provided claims facilitation for the online support that was designed for communication between the bank and customers, the products such as insurance has various style and designed to different segments, there is life insurance just in case of any deaths in the family, health insurance that designed for reduce the hassle of GBs and hospitals and give peace of mind just in case of health emergency, travel insurance for families or individual just in case flights cancelled or trouble in the process of the airport or anything related to travel, insurance on property includes business and private properties which the bank made it compulsory if the customer took the loan from the Citibank, in some ins urance the Citibank require customers to fill application and provide all the personal data then the insurance will be immediately effective, and other insurance needs to be investigated after filling the online application such as home insurance. (Robbins, 2001) The Citibank with all these e-business products and services, the software companies didnt stop on providing the online services at this point but gone much far than that, the database between them and customers, the use of the mobile phones has increase comparing to the 90s when its first used, in that time such use only for calls and maybe some companies give the customers privilege of SMS in the old encryption data, the calls were too noisy and the and the online or internet werent invented yet, the banks customers would be advised to visit the bank very often to ensure of his/her bank account running smoothly. (Earl, 1999) The software companies has created a system similar to the online on the internet on computers, the use of the internet on mobiles phones has topped the chart for businessmen, students on the go, businessmen needs the internet handy when they travelling and some data to be sent right away and this data sometimes contain important contents, other important use is that sometime some money transactions to be confirmed before deadlines, so some deals to be completed, Citibank asked the software solution company to use their latest innovation in mobiles technology with their bank services by contacting and facilitate the online services with mobile online personal accounts, the contracts set again with two parties, the first one is the bank with data transferred securely online on the mobile, second is the mobile company such as Vodafone, Orange, and T-Mobile and others, the contract will allow the bank to use and manipulate their database online through different encryption that designed solely for the mobile use only and allow Citibank customers only to process their online personal bank, in return for this service the bank will encore little charges that will go to the mobile phones company for their allowing the bank and the bank customers through their technology. In the past the needs for data transfer, information feed, on the go messages between the bank and the customers were not even a dream, people wouldnt believe the idea or someday some technological advancement would get to the point where SMS messages will reach the internet mobile services, but now in the use of the mobile services has reached customers that wouldnt be possible before, the bank provided SMS services that will allow customers to go through their bank accounts online on their mobile phones and check their messages from the bank to inform them of the balance and their statements, they even give a code to short SMS messages with 52484 which allow the customer to go direct to the page as this code being published on the Citibank website, the other thing that resulted from the contract between the bank and the phone companies is that both companies will have shared advertising, the bank using the phone companies will recommends the contracted phone companies to their cust omers and the phone companies will advertise for free in their phones pages for the bank, in this way both companies using each other customers, the diagram structure illustrated in the next diagram shows the e-mobile new invention of how data and information being used and what structures involved in the data transfer through only mobiles encrypted codes. (Earl, 1999) Figure 2 the diagram illustrates the e-mobile operation structure / the source: Google image. The Citibank also provides online services such as paying the utilities bills such as gas bill, electricity bill, the services will be encrypted to suit the transactions between banks, for example the customers go online and choose the feature that say mange your bills, the page will identify the codes encrypted when password inserted, the page then appears and the customer will be required by the bank to fill some form online, then after the page completed the software automatically asks from the customer to wait for the application process, the page then will appear to confirm the transactions form the bank page to the company that issued the bill and sending email confirm the payments. (Earl, 1999) The bank even invented a saving system plans for their customers using the automatic savings accounts, for example the technology software designed for customers, to deposit a certain amount of money let say $500, the cash in two year will automatically work through very complicated data allow the number work itself through some investments, the calculation data would be inserted in advance into the system so the money will be calculated each month automatically, taking certain percentage from the investments cut despite the investments success or fail, the calculation set to have the cut from the investments automatically to the customers bank accounts, the procedures through the e-business are very complicated, so no one allowed to altered or changed it, other investments that the customer will share the data designed to allow the customers share the loss of some investments if they decline and the contract is very clear about this on the online application, the clients on the othe r hand have different shares and different applications that only allowed clients or companies to enter private domains on the software solution main page. (Handy, 1997) Figure 3 the diagram illustrates the Oracle application server which allow only secure data transfer / the source: Google image. The diagram illustrates the type of server that they use which carry strong bits and security software to enhance the protection of their customers, the software also give customers other benefits such as input and output information without the system break down. One of the biggest Citibank investments products is, the mutual fund investments which the software give customers the challenge to compare their prices online, through their own URL and websites to guarantee the customers the promise of fairness and give customers the taste of the investments that will change their life forever, the bank realise that advertising for their products is not enough, they had to take the challenge with the help of the technology through comparison with other banks or building societies offers online, the offer includes the extra benefits that Citibank willing to give up for their customers for the benefits of both the bank and their customers, the Citibank already researched the use of the comp arison software and understood its methods, the more benefits to customers the more the software will put them on the top of the comparison list, and that how the software has been designed not for specific bank, its mutual contract for the benefit of everybody involved in this equation of cat and mouse, the strategies of the Citibank are differ from country to country and region to the region, the websites are so many and each one has different language and different approach even though the target is the same to increase profit and inter new markets, the use of the online banking has the same benefits for any nationality or culture, and the Citibank has designed many websites for their bank all over the world. (Handy, 1997) Citibank Strategic Methods The Citibank operates using two theories, using the perfect theory and the monopolistic theory, the perfect competition theory when the market is deciding and have prices control, and all companies are happy with it, no one has the power in controlling the prices function, the Citibank perfect competition allow other companies to share the competition, in the other side of the competition theory is the Monopolistic competition which apply its hard line attack on prices, companies who are ready to take this road has opportunities to use the market in an odd way to gain profits dealing in this kind of competition and selling products, the market easy to use one way enter and the other way exit and no obligations, there are many products and consumers in this market but no business has total control as the prices sometimes change according to circumstances such as financial market changing. (Borden, 2009) Since the beginning of the world financial problems few years the Far East governments have a contingency plan to protect their economy by not depending on one sector or one business as they formed a plan of Diversification in both the government and private sector in which made them pass the credit crunch that happened in the US market regarding the Citibank business in which show that the overseas branch has survived the decline stage comparing to the other banks in the US market because of the freedom of ability to change some regulations overseas that depends on the circumstances. (Carr, 2003) Figure 4 the table illustrates the bank balance sheet for internal use by the Company/ the source: Google image The table above illustrates the basic known balance sheets for bank and building societies; the balance sheet help the bank determine the revenue and expenditures for the company annual statements. The Citibank starts to follow the plan in which suits all their market audience mostly new segments and new markets, The banks move was to educate employees, and provide proper training and understanding about the culture of each region, and understanding the laws and legislations of each government separately and make sure that the managers have the right management equipments and tools for running the company overseas. (Carr, 2003) The good strategic move Citibank is to change the image that developed lately about company abroad, the first one is the use an ethical way of supporting some takeaway business with loans that use food processing with chemicals seeds to grow a paltry, without realising that the bank movement has been calculated and monitored from different ethical groups. So Citibank try to change this image by come close to the community and show them how they follow the right way, they only support those who are following the right ethical path, especially the local religion and culture in some Far East countries such as Indonesia about following the ethical ways, introducing HALAL bank account which does not charge interests on any bank account in the Islamic way, on the other side of the world, in the US the plans didnt work the way Citibank hoped, the ethical groups are fiercely attacking the bank plans of supporting companies that uses chemicals and damaging the environments, which resulted in controversy and debates, and that wasnt the only case. (Borden, 2009) The Citibank get involved in many unethical cases such as relying on foreign investments that depends on cash and not involved the concern of the ethical side, the case involved allowing overseas investors who are involved or suspected in wrong doing in the banks shares, and other cases such as running from paying taxes on some secret investments overseas that not has been registered in the US tax department. (Borden, 2009) Marketing Strategies The most aspect of the banks business, or any business for that matter, the company abilities to sell their products and services, the way of represent themselves and how a company can promote themselves with careful approach to the other businesses and the public, the most important thing for the Citibank using the marketing techniques is the use of the HR to control the damage that has been a headache all these years. (Kotler, Keller, Brady, and Goodman, 2009) The Citibank used the strategies such as the four Peas, the strategy which proofed success in the market because of its accurate analysis to identify their assets such as tangible and intangible, the assets have great power impact on any business, when identify what the company as place, product, price, promotion, the company can determine the immediate situation of what they have and compare it to the market and their competitors, the bank will find where they stand in the market, using other analysis such as the market the BCG which means the product life cycle, any company use this matrix can determine their products or service if its worth selling it in the market or its waste of investments in new product or service. (Kotler, Keller, Brady, and Goodman, 2009) Figure 5 the diagram illustrates the 4Ps matrix for the marketing mix/ the source: Google image. The 4Ps in this diagram explain the basic 4Ps matrix and its marketing mix, the Citibank uses this matrix all the time to determine their own marketing mix, start with the products, the bank provided the world with the finest banks services and products which adding new various extra every time the market require the change such as the e-business and update and renewal of the computer systems, if the bank does not use these techniques they wouldnt know that the markets needs the changes and the products will be the same and nothing extra or no variation in products will be added, products and services innovation coming in the same category of the variation which products and services needed to be inspired by the old ones, the inspiration comes also form the customers needs such as the customer easy to use a bank account and the ability to manipulate his/her own bank account which came possible with the e-business. The place or the locations in the marketing mix, suppose to be the first choice for any business the distribution channels which is favourite by any bank around the world to be able to connect with their customers, the Citibank has many locations around the world that enable them to sell direct to customers and increase communications with their clients as well as the public, when talking about the place in the past, someone will understand is only the locations , but with todays technology advancement age, the concept has changed and place in the marketing mix also means the online services which include all the features that are available on sites, everything customers needs it will be on their websites, including choosing of any language, data, design that suit individuals, business 2 business communications, data and cash transfer, and many more. (Li, 2007) The price of the Citibank always using the price elasticity to compete in the market, the hard line prices which force customers to buy the products without compromise is out of the question, the plan of the bank always have variations as well as the products, the prices are different targeting different segments such as students cards which has a different price charges than adults or pensioners, the Citibank uses the penetration price techniques which allow them to set a price for a market solely for the penetrate the market, for example a basic bank service or product cost a certain amount in the market, to penetrate that market the Citibank as a large experience company set challenging and competitive price known that other banks will not try to do the same, in this case the Citibank penetrate that market in that specific product or service knowing that they won that product or service. Finally the promotion, a technique in the marketing mix that give a chance to the bank to identify the present promotion techniques and what are the new competitive techniques, the first thing this technique depend on is the mass communications, the communication will be between the Citibank and their marketing company that has a complete management system designed especially for this kind of function, for example when the Citibank faced all that unethical fiasco and the controversy that came with it, the marketing team and the PR of the company unit with the marketing company to do damage control and set the right criteria for releasing statement right away, and didnt stop in that, the PR of the company kept appearing in different media channels, a newspapers, magazines and TV shows to calm the press down and proof that the bank actions are ethical and responsible. (Poter, 1998) Conclusion The Citibank as a large corporation, started as an effort of ambitious individuals who saw the future in something that became multinational company later, the company has offered the world many great products and services, created many opportunities and jobs for the public, helped the yearly capitalism to evolve with a system that proofed its success for over a hundred years, the company helped the world of how to create management system, increase communications techniques, helped in many researches and projects that contributed to the world of business of today, each individual in the leading senior management throughout the history of Citibank has created something new for the companys systems functions, walking with the changes and the obstacles that have occurred in the last 100 years has made the company stronger and wiser and that is why the company deserve the praise for success even though their main target is the cash. The company technological advancement and co-ordination in communication, helped the company to maintain the lead in the banking business, when the technology of online business came about in the middle of the twenty century by many Microsoft companies, the computer appears in many companies offices and start to be part of the business, the public then has no idea who information and cash being transferred or market works. The Microsoft companies start to challenge each other in the software technology which transferred the business function forever with the e-business and working online, the future of the e-business the way Microsoft sees it, it depend on the customers demand because the world markets today are leading positions on any business or functions is the (demand word), the businesses realise that the demand age is here and depends on the future customer imaginations and liking, the Microsoft predictions are creating software that calculate for the customer all the banking options and give them the best deals not only what is going on today which present the customers with choice of best deals on comparison sites, the future calculation is counting the person best interest of the charges and the system in the future will force bank system to change to concentrate on the customers interest rather than the cash and sales that generated by venerable customers who are being charged with lots of m oney and they have been cornered by greed of the banks. The Citibank plan is to create a new management system that can monitor changes in the unexpected events that force immediate actions; the plan will includes the increase in partnerships with feared competitors who are causing Citibank money and effort to keep them out of bay, these companies not only in the bank business but also in the other business functions using the help of the US governments senators and other congress Politians power to force laws and regulations to be adjusted or removed to suit few rival companies, the Citibank has their own share in the equation of power but to illuminate the surprises, their plan to come closer to the rival its one of their priorities. The Citibank uses a software system that connect them straight to the financial and the stock markets, using the online e-business has helped them to monitor changes in the rate of exchange and the stock market share, as the Citibank corporation operates overseas, their actions depending on the rate of exchange and enhance their profits and revenues, the bank trying to regulate the e-business system with their overseas rivals in the banking business and create rate exchange monitoring system that will be specialised in the movements of the transactions, rather than the present system that only depends on the market movements and the price that would lead them to follow the market price regardless of their rate exchange concern, even though the Citibank used their tricks in the past, the company fears from the consequences that leading to the media scandals and public mistrust. Finally the Citibank is the company that has contribute for many years, delivered to the public great bank system, introducing e-business cost money, time, and effort to research it and implemented, the future for the bank business is bright and looking rather well, the bank system always will put the revenue ahead of their customers and that is the way business world functions.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Cry, the Beloved Country: Change :: Cry the Beloved Country Essays

In undertaking a journey, a person learns and changes. One may change emotionally, psychologically, as well as spiritually. The journeyer is scared at first, then usually goes through some pain and suffering. In the end, however, this journeyer comes out different then they were when they began, with some understanding. Stephan Kumalo, James Jarvis, and Absalom Kumalo undertake this very thing in Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton. Stephan Kumalo, a priest from the small native town of Ndotsheni, takes a journey to the great city of Johannesburg. He intends to find his sick sister and his son, Absalom, who has gone away. At first, Stephan has "the fear of the unknown, the fear of the great city"(44) where his loved ones had gone to and not written in months. Not long after he begins, he realizes "this is a bitter journey"(55) upon hearing the occupations and practices of his sister. He goes through pain and suffering, more and more as he learns of his brother's loss of faith in the church, and the murder his son has committed. But, soon enough he comes to an understanding of this world in Johannesburg. He learns why there is so much crime and poverty. He then has hope the success of his daughter in-law and his nephew in Ndotsheni. He gains hope for the rebuilding of the tribe. Stephan Kumalo comes away from his journey changing spiritually and knowing that there is "comfort in a world of desolation"(94). He changes emotionally and becomes stronger. Also, he changes psychologically and learning the troubles of Johannesburg and apartheid, and their various causes. James Jarvis undergoes vast changes during his journey. He is told that his son has been killed, and he leaves for Johannesburg at once. His son, Arthur, was a social activist helping natives in South Africa, trying to get better hospitals and schools for them. These are subjects James Jarvis never thought about much. When he arrives at his son's house, the place of Arthur's death, he reads through some of his manuscripts and books. First, James suffers a lot thinking about his son's death. As he reads through some of his books and papers however, he comes to an understanding how great a man his son was, and what he stood for. "He sat smoking his pipe and was lost in thought"(180) after he reads a manuscript on what is permissible and what is not

Friday, October 11, 2019

Motherboard Essay

Before generation of Microprocessors i.e. in 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation computers, the computer was usually built in a card-cage case or mainframe with components connected by a backplane consisting of a set of slots themselves connected with wires; in very old designs the wires were discrete connections between card connector pins. But printed circuit boards soon became the standard practice in the late 1970s. The Central Processing Unit, memory and peripherals were housed on individual printed circuit boards which plugged into the backplane. (A backplane is a circuit board that connects several connectors in parallel to each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors, forming a computer bus.) During the late 1980s and 1990s, it was found that increasing the number of peripheral functions on the PCB was very economical. Hence, single Integrated Circuits (ICs), capable of supporting low-speed peripherals like serial ports, mouse, keyboards, etc., were included on the motherboards. By the late 1990s, motherboards began to have full range of audio, video, storage and networking functions on them. Higher end systems for 3D gaming and graphic cards were also included later. Micronics, Mylex, AMI, DTK, Orchid Technology, Elitegroup, etc. were few companies that were early pioneers in the field of motherboard manufacturing but, companies like Apple and IBM soon took over. Today, motherboards typically boast a wide variety of built-in features, and they directly affect a computer’s capabilities and potential for upgrades. Today Intel and Asus are the two leading companies in the field of motherboard manufacturing. A typical desktop computer has its microprocessor, main memory, and other essential components connected to the motherboard. Other components such as external storage, controllers for video display and sound, and peripheral devices may be attached to the motherboard as plug-in cards or via cables, although in modern computers it is increasingly common to integrate some of these peripherals into the motherboard itself. Few things that a motherboard nowadays include are: †¢ sockets (or slots) in which one or more microprocessors may be installed. †¢ slots into which the system’s main memory is to be installed (typically in the form of DIMM modules containing DRAM chips). †¢ a chipset which forms an interface between the CPU’s front-side bus, main memory, and peripheral buses. †¢ non-volatile memory chips (usually Flash ROM in modern motherboards) containing the system’s firmware or BIOS. †¢ a clock generator which produces the system clock signal to synchronize the various components. †¢ slots for expansion cards (these interface to the system via the buses supported by the chipset). †¢ power connectors, which receive electrical power from the computer power supply and distribute it to the CPU, chipset, main memory, and expansion cards. †¢ Additionally, nearly all motherboards include logic and connectors to support commonly used input devices, such as PS/2 connectors for a mouse and keyboard. Occasionally video interface hardware is also integrated into the motherboard. Additional peripherals such as disk controllers and serial ports are provided as expansion cards. †¢ Given the high thermal design power of high-speed computer CPUs and components, modern motherboards nearly always include heat sinks and mounting points for fans to dissipate excess heat. [pic] CPU Sockets †¢ A CPU socket or slot is an electrical component that attaches to a printed circuit board (PCB) and is designed to house a CPU (also called a microprocessor). †¢ It is a special type of integrated circuit socket designed for very high pin counts. A CPU socket provides many functions, including a physical structure to support the CPU, support for a heat sink, facilitating replacement (as well as reducing cost), and most importantly, forming an electrical interface both with the CPU and the PCB. †¢ CPU sockets can most often be found in most desktop and server computers (laptops typically use surface mount CPUs), particularly those based on the Intel x86 architecture on the motherboard. A CPU socket type and motherboard chipset must support the CPU series and speed. Integrated Peripherals †¢ It is possible to include support for many peripherals on the motherboard. By combining many functions on one PCB, the physical size and total cost of the system may be reduced; highly integrated motherboards are thus especially popular in small form factor and budget computers. Peripheral Card Slots †¢ A standard ATX motherboard will typically have one PCI-E 16x connection for a graphics card, two conventional PCI slots for various expansion cards, and one PCI-E 1x. A standard EATX motherboard will have one PCI-E 16x connection for a graphics card, and a varying number of PCI and PCI-E 1x slots. It can sometimes also have a PCI-E 4x slot. †¢ Some motherboards have two PCI-E 16x slots, to allow more than 2 monitors without special hardware, or use a special graphics technology called SLI (for Nvidia) and Crossfire (for ATI). These allow 2 graphics cards to be linked together, to allow better performance in intensive graphical computing tasks, such as gaming and video editing. †¢ Virtually all motherboards come with at least four USB ports on the rear, with at least 2 connections on the board internally for wiring additional front ports that may be built into the computer’s case. †¢ Ethernet is also included. Ethernet is a standard networking cable for connecting the computer to a network or a modem. †¢ A sound chip is always included on the motherboard, to allow sound output without the need for any extra components. This allows computers to be far more multimedia-based than before. Some motherboards contain video outputs on the back panel for integrated graphics solutions. Computer Cooling †¢ Motherboards are generally air cooled with heat sinks often mounted on larger chips, such as the Northbridge, in modern motherboards. If the motherboard is not cooled properly, it can cause the computer to crash. †¢ Passive cooling, or a single fan mounted on the power supply, was sufficient for many desktop computer CPUs until the late 1990s; since then, most have required CPU fans mounted on their heat sinks, due to rising clock speeds and power consumption. Most motherboards have connectors for additional case fans as well. †¢ Newer motherboards have integrated temperature sensors to detect motherboard and CPU temperatures, and controllable fan connectors which the BIOS or operating system can use to regulate fan speed. Some computers use a water-cooling system instead of many fans. Bus & Bus Speed †¢ A bus is simply a circuit that connects one part of the motherboard to another. The more data a bus can handle at one time, the faster it allows information to travel. The speed of the bus, measured in megahertz (MHz), refers to how much data can move across the bus simultaneously. †¢ Bus speed usually refers to the speed of the front side bus (FSB), which connects the CPU to the northbridge. FSB speeds can range from 66 MHz to over 800 MHz. Since the CPU reaches the memory controller though the northbridge, FSB speed can dramatically affect a computer’s performance. [pic] Memory †¢ The speed of the chipset and busses controls how quickly it can communicate with other parts of the computer. The speed of the RAM connection directly controls how fast the computer can access instructions and data, and therefore has a big effect on system performance. A fast processor with slow RAM is going nowhere. †¢ The amount of memory available also controls how much data the computer can have readily available. RAM makes up the bulk of a computer’s memory. The general rule of thumb is the more RAM the computer has, the better. †¢ Much of the memory available today is dual data rate (DDR) memory. This means that the memory can transmit data twice per cycle instead of once, which makes the memory faster. Also, most motherboards have space for multiple memory chips, and on newer motherboards, they often connect to the northbridge via a dual bus instead of a single bus. This further reduces the amount of time it takes for the processor to get information f rom the memory. †¢ A motherboard’s memory slots directly affect what kind and how much memory is supported. Just like other components, the memory plugs into the slot via a series of pins. The memory module must have the right number of pins to fit into the slot on the motherboard. Form factor †¢ Motherboards are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes called computer form factor, some of which are specific to individual computer manufacturers. †¢ The current desktop PC form factor of choice is ATX. A case’s motherboard and PSU form factor must all match, though some smaller form factor motherboards of the same family will fit larger cases. For example, an ATX case will usually accommodate a microATX motherboard. †¢ Laptop computers generally use highly integrated, miniaturized and customized motherboards. This is one of the reasons that laptop computers are difficult to upgrade and expensive to repair. Often the failure of one laptop component requires the replacement of the entire motherboard, which is usually more expensive than a desktop motherboard due to the large number of integrated components.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Est 310.2.1-05 (Company Q)

EST1 – Ethical Situations in Business A small local grocery stores disadvantages in a metropolitan areas EST1 Task 1 Being a small, local grocery store chain in a major metropolitan area does not come without its challenges. National and regional chains are frequently forcing small and locally owned stores to close their doors.For this reason, as well as the huge obligations to the social responsibilities required by their communities and customers alike pushes both the small business owner as well as the larger corporations to be able to adjust their organizations goals and objectives to balance not only their goal to be profit driven but to also be socially and ethically perceptive with the way they conduct business and operate their stores. Recently Company Q has chosen to close two store locations that operated in areas where crime rates were statistically higher within the city.The store closures are being driven by consistent losses the stores experienced year over year. If the stores have consistently lost money year over year, we need to analyze the reasons as to why. To take the social responsible approach at analyzing this question; we would first need to understand our customer demographic for each of the geographical locations. For example, if one of our stores is located in a highly populated Hispanic neighborhood and we are promoting Ethnic Asian foods, we could not expect these foods to sell at the same rate as we would handmade corn tortillas.Taking an ethical and cultural marketing approach to sell foods that are Hispanic-centric strongly supports the business and ethical approach that would be needed for our store to successfully show a profit. When we stop to understand our customer demographics and their communities in which they live, we then can recognize what is needed for our business to prosper within the community. After many years of customer requests Company Q, began offering a limited selection of health conscience and organi c products in their stores.Offering organic and environmentally friendly products in response to our customers’ requests is a large step in forming a social contract with our customers instead of merely offering then what we feel they need. Soliciting feedback from our customers provides us with the means to understand what they want and what they need. Offering a high end products to our customers that neither have the financial ability to afford the high costs that accompany high end products, nor do they have the desire to purchase these products to help Company Q’s bottom line.In fact it will actually drive our results in the opposite direction. Our product choices must be targets to the consumer within our communities. Ethnic foods must be customary to the neighborhoods in which they are being offered. The marketing of our stores in cultural or racially specific communities must be stocked with the products that meet the needs of our customers in those communities . It takes very minimal effort to understand our customers, but that minimal effort makes the difference between a store being successful or failing.There are multiple sources that can be used to help us understand our customer’s cultural and social desires. To gain a simple understanding of the cultural needs for a Hispanic – centric neighborhood can begin with a simple Google search on Hispanic Market Research. For example when preforming the following Google search we learned. â€Å"Market Research Hispanics† â€Å"According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the terms Hispanic (and Latino) refer to people â€Å"whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking countries of Central or South America, the Caribbean, or those identifying themselves generally as Spanish, Spanish-American, etc.Origin can be viewed as ancestry, nationality, or country of birth of the person or person’s parents or ancestors prior to their arrival in the United States. † His panics can be of any race. There are more than 48 million Hispanics in the United States. Latinos now account for 16% of the American population. The 32 million Latinos of Mexican origin account for around 66% of the Hispanic population. Hispanics accounted for more than half of all of the growth in the U. S. population that occurred between 2000 and 2009.Latinos also are expected to be responsible for more than half of the growth in the U. S. population between 2010 and 2015. With an estimated buying power of $616 billion, Latinos of Mexican heritage represent the single most influential segment of the Hispanic market. Mexicans in the United States account for 59% of all Hispanic buying power. On a per capita basis, however, Cubans are the most affluent of the major Hispanic population segments. Their per capita buying power is substantially higher than that of Mexicans ($32,724 vs. $19, 426).The vast majority (92%) of Hispanics under 18 were born in the United States as were about 47% of those 18 and over. Mexicans are most likely to be U. S. -born. More education leads to higher-paying jobs and increasing affluence among high-acculturation Latinos. High-acculturation Hispanics are more likely than their low-acculturation counterparts to work as managers and professionals (19% vs. 6%). They are twice as likely to have a household income of $75,000 or more (37% vs. 19%) and are much more likely to own their home (62% vs. 40%) (Census Bureau, 2012 www. marketresearch. om ). † Preforming a simple marketing search on the Hispanic cultural give us insight as to how we can begin to market and set ourselves apart in the marketplace. How we can currently target and begin to build a marketing strategy that will ensure the future growth and the economic sustainability of our stores within a Hispanic – centric neighborhood. Currently Company Q operates under the policy of disposing of day-old products, this a perfect example where our management team is mi ssing out on a great public relations and corporate social responsibility opportunity.When approach by the area’s food bank to donate day-old products that would otherwise been thrown away, our management team declined. Management being more focused on the possible loss of revenue due to the potential increase in fraud and stealing that could be done its employees who could claim that that they were donating the food. One thing that we need to understand it the actual cost associated with and or the actual / perceived benefits. Our company will write –off any product that needs to be disposed of due to the shelf life expiration date.The products are disposed if in a dumpster and therefore currently ends the usefulness of the product from the company’s perspective. If we are paying for the products by weight or volume, we will incur a greater disposal rates from the waste removal company for the disposal of those unsellable products instead of donating them to a local food bank. This concern of a possible increase in expenses does not begin to look at the tax benefits that could be received by the donating of the product to a local food bank as well as other possible economic impacts that this policy can have on the economy of our community.Another concern that we need to be aware of is the impact that our policy to throw away on day-old products will have on employees moral. If we’ve communicated to our employees that we will not be socially contentious to our local communities, then what is the message that we are delivering to our employees since they are part of our communities. How will they relate that to how valued they feel as an employee for Company Q? In our technology and media driven society it would e foolish not to except a socially aware employee or customer to film the disposal of the food that we may have not been able to sell, but it could easily be donated to our local food banks to help those in need. The potentia l of the negative publicity and feedback from such an event would be devastating to a small chain stores such as ours. The above mention concerns addressed not only some of the potential financial impacts but also the possible social capital losses that we could face in our current position.Thankfully, we do not need to pay out much financially or in employee efforts to make a substantial difference in our stores and neighborhood communities. One delivery van can be used at the end of each day to deliver the products that would have otherwise been thrown away to our local food bank. The food can be unloaded by the food bank staff while the food bank manager shares with the Manager or Supervisor of our company the impacts that this donation will have on the community. This same information can be taken back and share with the store employees.The minimal time spent delivering and unloading the products daily at the local food banks in a minor change in the daily operations for the sto re, but will have an overall impact to the community that will consistently strengthen our relationship within in the local communities, our relationships with our employees as well as enhancing our brand across our chain of stores. References * Census Bureau (2012). Hispanic Market: market research reports. Marketresearch. com. Retrieved from http://www. marketresearch. com/Marketing-Market-Research-c70/Demographics-c81/Hispanic-Market-c1692/