The Mobile Operating System Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Mobile Operating System - Dissertation Example Mobile phones today are used for personal and professional purposes. Preferred services apart from basic voice operations include massive data elements like messages (Short Message Service and Multimedia Messaging Service being the primary of them), live content (real-time content like sports updates, stock prices etc. Other applications include streaming media content, including audio, video, and media feeds. All these are resource intensive and successful operation, to the satisfaction of the user and optimal use of the mobile networks depends largely on the protocols controlling data management and negotiation with the network, that is an integral part of the mobile’s operating system. Â  A mobile phone’s operating system controls the data flow in and out of it. Features like Call Hold, On-Call functions and elements like the speed of access to phone book and records and messages and all other features that involve selection of signals and/ or their records, received or sent is controlled by the operating system. The ultimate outcomes of features like predictive or intelligent text for test and multimedia messaging depend on effective resource management of the mobile’s operating system. The variety of features is, in fact, dependent on the operating system running the phone. The operating system also decided the protocols the phone runs on, including the band(s) it operates on and supports for 2.5G or 3G technologies. Â  I would take up the latest versions of the preferred operating systems on today’s mobile phones. Other operating systems that may be available including phones that use a lower version of the upgraded ones as on date and less used operating systems have not been included as either they have already been improved upon or their use will be phased out, thus rendering their analysis insignificant in the quest for a better operating system. Â  

Impact of Financial Crisis on International Trade Essay Example for Free

Impact of Financial Crisis on International Trade Essay The work described in this paper was substantially supported by a grant from the Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project no. HKUST6212/00H). 253 254 Zihui Ma and Leonard K. Cheng Forbes (2001) went further to construct some statistics measuring the importance of trade linkages in transmitting crises. Because most economists agree that international trade is one of the important factors in explaining ? nancial crises, it seems natural and logical to ask the reverse question: what are the e? ects of ? nancial crises on international trade? Surprisingly, little research on this subject has been done. Perhaps the reason is that the answer appears to be obvious. Conventional wisdom would predict that a ? nancial crisis, by bringing about a recession in the macroeconomy, would lead to a drop in imports. Exports, however, may rise because of both a decline in domestic demand and a devaluation of the domestic currency. A weakening or collapse of the ? nancial system, in particular the banking system, however, might weaken the country’s export capability. So the aggregate e? ects of a ? nancial crisis on the macroeconomy are unclear. This paper tries to ascertain whether the ambiguity can be resolved empirically. We divide all the past ? nancial crises into two types: banking crises and currency crises. These two di? erent types of crises had di? erent attributes and di? erent e? ects on international trade. This paper begins by analyzing theoretically the e? ects of banking and currency crises on international trade. Then it uses bilateral trade data, macroeconomic data, and geographic data to test the theoretical predictions. Overall, the empirical results provide support for the theoretical predictions. This paper contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it provides a theoretical framework for understanding the impact of ? nancial crises on international trade and the channels of crises transmission through trade. Second, it estimates the e? ects of banking crises and currency crises on imports and exports. The estimated results can be used to predict the impact of ? nancial crises on trade, thus providing useful information for risk management to policymakers. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. Section 8. 2 reviews previous works on the relationship between international trade and ? ancial crisis. Sections 8. 3 and 8. 4 analyze the e? ects of banking crises and of currency crises on trade, respectively. Section 8. 5 describes the data and methods used to estimate the e? ects of these crises. Section 8. 6 reports the results of empirical estimation and statistical testing. Section 8. 7 concludes. 8. 2 Literature Review: Trade and Financial Crises Economists pay attention to the role played by trade in ? nancial crises for two reasons. First, trade imbalance has been shown to be one of the important factors that trigger ? nancial crises. Current de? cits may decrease foreign reserves. As Krugman (1979) pointed out, a currency crisis is more likely to happen in an economy that does not have enough foreign reserves. The E? ects of Financial Crises on International Trade 255 Second, ? nancial crises may be transmitted through trade linkages from an a? ected country to others despite the latter’s relatively good fundamentals. In explaining such contagion e? ects, economists have tried to identify the channels through which contagion was spread. As trade is the most obvious economic linkage between countries, much research has been devoted to this connection. While the importance of trade imbalance in triggering crises is widely accepted, there is no agreement on the importance of trade in transmitting ? nancial crises. Eichengreen and Rose (1999) used a binary-probit model to test whether bilateral trade linkages transmitted crises between industrial countries between 1959 and 1993. They found that the probability of a ? nancial crisis occurring in a country increased signi? cantly if the country had high bilateral trade linkages with countries in crises. They concluded that trade was an important factor. Glick and Rose (1999) conducted a similar analysis with more countries between 1971 and 1997 and obtained a similar result. Forbes (2000) used a company’s stock market data to study the importance of trade in ? nancial crises transmission, and his result also showed that trade played an important role. However, other papers have provided di? erent answers to the problem. For instance, Baig and Goldfajn (1998) thought that trade linkage was unimportant in the East Asian Crisis because the direct bilateral trade volumes between these economies were very small. Masson (1998), analyzing the Mexican crisis and the Asian crisis, obtained similar results. All the papers that analyzed the relationship between trade and ? nancial crises ignored the reverse question: how did ? nancial crises a? ect international trade? We argue that the e? ects of ? nancial crises on trade are a precondition for discussing whether trade transmits crises. If ? nancial crises do not a? ect countries’ imports and exports at all, how can ? nancial crises be transmitted through the trade channel? So before we analyze the importance of trade in transmitting ? ancial crises, we need to clarify the e? ects of ? nancial crises on international trade. As pointed out previously, little work has been done on this topic to date. It seems there is a belief that ? nancial crises only a? ect countries’ imports and exports through changes in the exchange rates. Because the e? ects of exchange rates have already been thoroughly analyzed before, it may seem that there is no need to study the question. However, this view may not be correct. A devaluation of a national currency will increase the volume of exports and reduce the volume of imports. Classic international trade theory shows that a devaluation improves the trade balance if the Marshall-Lerner condition is satis? ed. Because in a ? nancial crisis a country usually experienced a devaluation of its national currency, the same analysis would apply, that is, the a? ected countries’ imports will decrease, but their exports will increase after the crises. Furthermore, ? nancial crises (including currency crises, banking crises, 256 Zihui Ma and Leonard K. Cheng or both) could also a? ect trade through channels besides the exchange rate. Calvo and Reinhart (1999) pointed out that ? nancial crises usually caused capital account reversal (sudden stop) and triggered an economic recession. Mendoza (2001) showed that in an economy with imperfect credit markets these sudden stops could be an equilibrium outcome. The economic recession reduces not only domestic demand but also total output and export capability, whereas capital out? ow forces the country to increase export. Thus, whether exports increase or decrease after ? nancial crises is unclear without further analysis. Before we analyze how ? nancial crises a? ct the crisis countries’ imports and exports, let us ? rst de? ne ? nancial crises. Eichengreen and Bordo (2002) have provided de? nitions of currency crises and banking crises: For an episode to qualify as a currency crisis, we must observe a forced change in parity, abandonment of a pegged exchange rate, or an international rescue. For an episode to qualify as a banking crisis, we must observe either ba nk runs, widespread bank failures and suspension of convertibility of deposits into currency such that the latter circulates at a premium relative to deposits (a banking panic), or signi? ant banking sector problems (including but not limited to bank failures) resulting in the erosion of most or all of banking system collateral that are resolved by a ? scally-underwritten bank restructuring. (15–16) The above de? nitions are adopted in this paper. In the next two sections, we analyze the e? ects of banking crises and currency crises on the macroeconomy and trade. 8. 3 Impact of Banking Crises A classical framework of bank runs was developed by Diamond and Dybvig (1983). Let us recapitulate the key elements of their model. Agents are endowed with goods that can be invested in a long-term project or stored without costs. The long-term project is pro? table but illiquid, that is, if investors do not liquidate the project before it matures, its return is greater than the initial investment; however, if the project is liquidated before it matures, the ? re-sale return is less than the initial investment. Each agent can be impatient or patient with ? xed probabilities, but there is no aggregate uncertainty, that is, the total number of impatient agents is ? xed and known by all agents. At the beginning, agents do not know their own types but must decide if they will invest in the project. After they have invested (or have decided not to invest), but before the project matures, each agent realizes his or her own type. Impatient agents must consume immediately, whereas patient agents do not consume anything until the project matures. Agents’ types are private information, so even if each agent knows his or her own type, other people do not know. The E? ects of Financial Crises on International Trade 257 On the one hand, if an agent does not invest in the project but turns out to be patient, then the agent has missed a pro? table investment opportunity.

Levis Dockers Marketing :: Business Marketing

Dockers: Creating a Sub-brand Report 1. How would you characterize Levi ´s branding strategy in general? Levi’s is a brand recognizable in the whole wide world. There is no person who wouldn’t be able to associate correctly the Name with the product. LS&Co has managed to create something timeless, just like their classical 501 blue jeans. Although their branding message was changing slightly during the time, they kept core values and traditions untouched. Comfort, uniqueness, quality and emotional impact – these were always the main associations with the brand. However, other features were being emphasized as time was going by. First connotations were simple: "jeans are tough and rugged as men who wear them". This image of a 100% man was even strengthened after western movies appeared. Soon jeans, and so Levi’s brand which in people’s mind turned to be their synonymous, became a symbol of freedom, adventure and independence. In this moment, managers of LS&Co decided to expand the brand. Even though there where various new cloths introduced to the market ; 501 jeans remained their top-selling product. It was their new brand strategy to "offer products for every life style", which turned to be a fiasco. Not only it didn’t bring expected results, what is more, this to big diversification caused drops in sales. It was so decided to come back to the core product and it’s image. To strengthen the Levi’s position on a market, their launched a new campaign which emphasizes emotional connection between jeans and theirs owner. To wear 501 it is to be yourself – they said. Company also took the advantage of changes that started to appear according to the dress code at work place. In that times company accentuated 100% cotton in Levi’s jeans, as â€Å"baby boomer† who grew up were seeking for natural fibers. Now Levi’s brand is supposed to be seen as â€Å"a style for every story† – again emotional impact emphasized. But as we can see, although they stressed different features in different periods of time, LS&Co maintained core values which they stuck in people’s mind – quality, comfort, uniqueness and emotional impact. 2. Analyze the Dockers ´communication strategy at the time of the launch. How did it fit in with Levi ´s advertising efforts? How did it contribute to brand equity? Dokers brand was introduced by Levi’s to contrast the change that was happening to blue jeans buyers.

Terms Defined :: essays papers

Terms Defined Before plummeting into the depth of this paper, several phrases and terms need to be clarified. When discussing computers they should be thought of as â€Å"devices that solve problems by accepting information, performing prescribed operations, and supplying the results obtained.† Computer usage refers to utilizing the piece of technology to solve problems. Another important fact to remember is that computer games are played on the machine for either instruction or entertainment. For the sake of clarity, computer programs and computer games are used interchangeably and deemed as synonymous phrases within this paper. The computer revolution refers to the incorporation of computers into everyday use. Having clear definitions of these phrases will help the reader better comprehend the assertions being presented (â€Å"Ebsco,† 2004). Gender Bias in Computer Games and Programs One of the first factors thought to contribute to this growing problem presented above is the fact that computer games and programs are rarely generated with females in mind. The way in which games and programs are designed can be a huge deciding factor in whether the girl will take the time to explore a particular program or not. According to a study sponsored by the much acclaimed American Association of University Women, â€Å"The commission noted that most computer games today are designed by men for men. They often have subject matter of interest to boys, or feature styles of interaction known to be comfortable for boys† (â€Å"Tech Savvy,† 2000, p.29). In her book entitled Does Jane Compute, Roberta Furger (1998) interviewed a ten year old, self-proclaimed conossuier of computers named Rachel. This precocious ten year old has her own web page and likes to make cards and invitations on her very own Macintosh. Sadly, Rachel has experienced first hand the discr epancy experts have been warning about. She too explains how there are very few games for girls when she stated, â€Å"There are only men in a lot of games-and there are not bright colors. It’s all droopy† (1998, p.44). Children Now, an organization working for the betterment of children everywhere, recently stated that many computer games popular among boys have been marketed to girls by simply changing one aspect of the game’s general design or aesthetics. Take for example, Pac-Man. The creators of this game simply put a pink bow on the original creature to try to lure in the female population (â€Å"Girls and Gaming,† 2000).

Comunication Nowadays

I do not think so, they are just preferring those ways to communicate because they're fast, convenient and fun. First, they are very fast. We live in a world where communication is a very important thing. Suppose you're on a long trip and having a call to home to your cruel wife is must be required, how would you react? Of course, the mobile phone will be your best friend in this case. You can also save time and shorten four call is not received instantaneous by testing messages, so that the receivers can view your messages whenever hey see their phone.Second, they are convenient. The funny example above just to show that communication nowadays is fast, and it's not only fast, but it's also very convenient . One of the features of the mobile phones is allowing users to send messages to multiple recipients at the same time. It's extremely useful for you when you have to call for many people and the content is the same such as inviting to a party or sending a learning plan for your fri ends instead of calling one-by-one.Finally, using email or social outworks to communicate with each other are fun ways to keep in touch especially helpful with people who have friends or family members live far away from them. These are a places for you to be creative in your words and get rid of stress through several simple funny emoticons. In addition, email or social networks are also necessary for people who lives abroad such as student. I've heard that most student learning aboard said that homesick is very terrible. And they couldn't imagine how hard of living abroad be without something like email or social networks.The world has been producing many new high technology devices for communicating recently and probably many of more in the future that some people think talking face-to-face daily or using tradition phones like the old fashions. But they are just an easier way to communicate with people. Communication nowadays may be less frequently and directly than the past but things are changed, people have their choices to decide to communicate in their ways. In my opinion, we are communicating better than the past.

What are the Characteristics of Beiersdorf’s brand portfolio The WritePass Journal

What are the Characteristics of Beiersdorf’s brand portfolio References What are the Characteristics of Beiersdorf’s brand portfolio IntroductionThe Brand Relationship SpectrumMarket DevelopmentProduct DevelopmentDiversificationRoles of Nivea as an umbrella brandEnhancing the Value PropositionGeneration of Communication EfficienciesProvision of credibilityVisibilityThe critical factors that Beiersdorf utilised to successfully extend the Nivea brandReferencesRelated Introduction As seen in the Beiersdorf’s Brand-Product Matrix, Beiersdorf’s brand portfolio contains eight brands namely: Labello, Nivea, 8X4, La Prairie, Juvena, Eucerin, Hansaplast/Elastoplast, and Florena. Amongst these brands, the most prominent is the Nivea brand, which the company uses as the umbrella brand for broad skin care and personal care. Most brands have sub-brands. They include Nivea, La Prairie, Eucerin, Hansaplast, and Florena). The other remaining brands have no sub-brands. Nivea, being the umbrella brand and the most dominant brand, has fifteen sub-brands with each sub-brand extensively extended so as to meet the specific needs of the customers based on gender, age groups, and functional benefits. The sub-brands are: Nivea Cream, Nivea Visage, Nivea Beaute, Nivea Hair Care, Nivea Body, Nivea Soft, Nivea Hand, Nivea Sun, Nivea Deodorant, Nivea Intimate Care, Nivea Baby, Nivea Lip Care, Nivea Bath Care, Nivea for Men, and Nivea Visage Vital. Ucerin, as a brand, also has several sub-brands. They include Face Care, Hair Care, Deodorant, Body Care, Lip Care, Hand Care, Foot Care, Sun Care, and Anti Age. Hansaplast’s sub-brands are: Plaster, Wound Care, Foot Care, Scar Reducer, Sport, Insect Bites, and Pain Relief. The sub-brands within Florena are: Face Care, Body Care, Hair Care, Skin and Hand Cream, and Florena for Men. La Prairie has only three sub-brands, which are: Skin Care Treatments, Fragrances, and Color. 8X4 is known for the Deo Sprays and Roll-ons, Labello for the Lip Care, and Juvena for skin care. If we keenly consider the above brands, we realize that similar sub-brands are offered. Nivea and Ucerin offer almost similar products. This is a very important strategy in market coverage. Here, the company widens its target group as it targets different consumers, market segments, and channel distributors. In so doing, the company maximizes its coverage for both the available customers and the potential customers. This ensures that none of the customers is ignored. The company has also achieved in maximization of overlap. This ensures that there is reduced or no competition among the brands themselves. Beiersdorf’s brand portfolio characteristics come with various benefits. First, the risks are lowered. The company operates within a wider market range as it maximizes the coverage on customers. The umbrella brand Nivea has good image that makes the sub-brands to enjoy benefits of reduced risks. In case of a contamination or loss of image in one brand, the other brands do not suffer. Even if a product within the umbrella brand fails to meet the expectations of the customers, the other products do not suffer from the same. This is because; the company has committed itself in improving the brand image and has succeeded in attracting customers’ confidents in the products. Beiersdorf Company also enjoys great economies of scale. Due to the existence of the parent brands, the costs incurred in production, research and development, distribution, market research, etc are greatly reduced. With this portfolio, the focus on the segmentation strategies is also enhanced. Over the years, Beiersdorf Company has been seen as the market specialist. Its products have globally emerged as market leaders. The extension strategies at Beiersdorf Company are Line extensions, and Category extension. Line extension has been used in the introduction of new products so as to target the potential customers and market segments in the same product class. In such a case, the parent brand is made use of. Category extension has also helped the company to conquer different product categories. As a result of the extensions, the company has enjoyed various benefits, among which are: good image creation, risk reduction, great efficiencies in packaging, labelling, production, and marketing. Also, there are high chances of gaining distribution, as the cost of introductory and marketing are greatly lowered. The costs of developing new brands are also eliminated. At the same time, consumers are assured of varieties of products. 1. David A. Aaker and Erich Joachimsthaler said, â€Å"The challenge is to create a brand team where all the sub brands and brands fit in and productive† in The Brand Relationship Spectrum. Discuss the Beiersdorf’s Brand architecture strategies on the basis of brand relationship spectrum. The business environments today have radically changed the roles of brand managers as they are faced with global changes, channel dynamics and market fragmentations. The high costs in creation of new brands put a lot of pressure on the brand assets. Due to these complexities and pressures, the brand managers are faced with several challenges that call for proper understanding of both the relationships and structures. â€Å"Brand architecture† gives the ultimate solution. According to Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000), brand architecture is defined as the organizing structure of the brand portfolio where the brand roles and the nature of brand relationships are defined. Well-defined brand architecture can minimise wastage, confusion, and market weakness; as it promotes synergy, leverage, clarity, and opportunities. The Brand Relationship Spectrum On the basis of brand relationship spectrum, Beiersdorf has adopted the â€Å"Branded House Strategy†. Here, Nivea is the umbrella brand. Nivea provides the global umbrella under which a wide product line operates. The products include Nivea Body Care, Nivea Face Care, Nivea Hand Care, Nivea Men’s Care, Nivea Sun Care, Nivea Bath Care, Nivea Lip Care, and Nivea Deodorants. With this kind of brand architecture strategy, there is a lot of clarity, synergy, and leverage. Beiersdorf enjoys maximum clarity, as the customers know exactly what is offered. From a branding perspective, it is very easy to understand the brand since all the products within the brand communicate the same message. This enhances clarity as compared to several individual brands where each brand has its own associations. Customers easily know, understand, and recall the brand. Communication partners and the employees also benefit greatly from the clarity and the focus on a single dominant brand. As compared to other strategies, the question of brand priorities or the need to protect the brand does not arise. In addition, Beiersdorf enjoys maximization of synergy. Participation in one product market, say, Nivea Face Care, creates associations and visibility which helps other products like Nivea Body Care, Nivea Men’s Care, among others. Innovations and improvements in quality of one product enhance the brand in other products as well. Furthermore, an exposure of the brand in one product creates visibility, which enhances the brand awareness in all the other products. In most contexts, there is a lot of input and efforts in umbrella brand Nivea so as to build its overall image. This strategy provides room for more cost effective means in launching of new products and brand extensions. When a new product is to be introduced into the market, the promotional costs are greatly lowered. Due to the existence of the same brand name, new products always have increased chances of customer acceptance since they carry the same brand name. Building of the new product awareness from scratch is totally eliminated. In terms of brand promotion, Beiersdorf enjoys economies of scale. The resources are channelled more effectively due to the fact that only one brand is promoted. One of the disadvantages of this strategy is the possibility of brand dilution. If not properly monitored, there can be dilution of the umbrella brand Nivea when product proliferation occurs. All products may not have the same positioning theme. Any deviation from the umbrella brand’s positioning will result into the dilution of the main positioning theme of the entire branded house. The company may also be forced to forgo a lot of market opportunities when the opportunities fail to fit into the positioning of the parent’s brand. If one brand fails, there can be adverse negative impacts on the entire branded house due to the fact that all the products carry same brand name. Any controversy that involves a single product can adversely affect the other remaining products. With the branded house strategy in a large market share, it becomes extremely difficult to maintain the quality position or the good image of the umbrella brand. The ability of the company to target specific groups is also limited as compromises are always required. The brand name adds value to the new products due to its value position, the credibility, and the communication efficiencies resulting into cost advantages. Beiersdorf’s master brand always makes the products more appealing to the customers, thereby making the brand equity to be leveraged in the new context. Nivea offers great visibility to its new products. At the same time, there are great reductions in the costs of promotions and advertisements, packaging and displays, and brochures, as the prior brand building efforts are adopted and used directly. Beiersdorf’s Nivea brand has excelled in meeting the varied needs of the customers due to its relevance. The position of the brand is high and proper, with the high products’ value forming the basis of pricing. Nivea brand equity is strong as a result of the perfect marketing strategies, which include advertisements and promotions. Due to its excellent products, we deduce that the company properly understands the needs of the consumers as it monitors its sources of brand equity. 2. Though all the brands in Beiersdorf’s portfolio were carried as independent identities, all these brands were further extended rigorously across various product categories.† [Section: â€Å"Evolution of Beiersdorf AG’s Brand Portfolio†, para 11 of the case study]. How did Beiersdorf employ its brands as strategic growth vehicles? The Ansoff Growth matrix    Market penetration Beiersdorf Company always concentrates in selling its existing products into the existing markets. In so doing, the company has managed to achieve the following: There has been an increase in the market share of the company’s products. Considering the Nivea brand as an umbrella, the company has very competitive strategies in pricing, and marketing (including sales promotion and advertisements). Other brands like Ucerin, Hansaplast, Florena, and La Prairie have also managed to maintain the market share. There has been security in dominance of the growth markets – the strong image, which the Nivea umbrella brand has created in the market, has resulted in the security in the dominance of the growth market. Even though the company faces stiff competition from other larger companies in the region, it has managed to thrive as a result of the great image of its Nivea brand. The company maximizes on the increased usage of its products by the existing customers. Nivea brand products have always made the market to be unattractive for its competitors. This is as a result of the great satisfaction that customers derive from the Nivea products. These products are always associated with quality and reliability. This is an image that always appeals to the customers. Also, the company heavily invests in market research and innovations, as it releases into the market the tailor-made products. The company’s management team is highly competent. The brand managers always understand the customer needs. They always try to maintain the relevance of the products through constant inspections. The company understands that Nivea brand forms its bulk for sales. It therefore tries by all the possible means to ensure that the brand remains relevant, as its quality remains high. Market Development This is the strategy applied when the company wishes to sell its existing products into new markets. Beiersdorf Company has greatly achieved in applying the market development strategy, especially for its Nivea brand. The company continuously exploits the potential geographical markets. The great expansion of Nivea into the global market attests to this. The company’s products have been the market leaders in various countries including China, Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ireland, Guatemala, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, France, UK, and USA, among others. The company achieves this by:   Creating new distribution channels, which ensure that the product is made available in the desired geographical location. The company has opened up various stores in various parts of the world. Product exportation In the absence of Beiersdorf’s products in an area identified as a potential market, the company always resort to exportation of the products to that specific location. The company has in most cases used the pricing policy so as to attract the potential customers. This has greatly helped in the creation of the market segments. Finally, the company concentrates on its good image as it uses unique packaging to uphold its perceived quality and value. The consistency in the packaging style greatly helps in maintaining customers’ view on the quality of the product. Product Development This is the growth strategy where firms aim at introducing new products into the existing markets. This is the strategy, which Beiersdorf Company has greatly succeeded in applying. Since the establishment of Nivea as a broad skin care and personal care brand, various products have been introduced into the market. This has been greatly accelerated by the great quality and satisfaction, which is associated with the Nivea brand. In introducing new products under the existing brand name Nivea, the company always enjoys economies of scale, as there are great reductions in costs. The new product also enjoys great acceptance and positive perception in terms of quality and service. The new products that are developed always appeal to the market. Diversification This growth strategy involves the introduction of new products into new markets. This strategy is very risky and companies always avoid it. Beiersdorf Company is not left behind. In this case, the company moves into a market, which it has no experience about. Just incase the company is compelled to use this strategy; then, it must assess the risks and have a clear idea of the possible gains. 3. Kevin Lane Keller said, â€Å"Building a strong brand involves maximizing all then characteristics† in The Brand Report Card. Evaluate the success of Nivea brand as a true global brand using the ten parameters given in the article quoted. Keller (2000) gives ten parameters saying that a successful brand is one that excels at delivering the benefits customers truly desire. This first parameter is quite evident in the case of Nivea brand. A range of products offered under the umbrella brand Nivea completely satisfies the varied needs of the customers. The Nivea For Men face care highly meets the demands of its consumers. In 2006, it emerged as the best product in Chinese men face care market. The key drivers include NIVEA SUN, NIVEA FOR MEN, NIVEA deodorant, and NIVEA body. NIVEA FOR MEN has been the market leader in various parts of the world including Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Saudi Arabia. Nivea Deo has been the market leader in Croatia, Romania, and Thailand. NIVEA SUN has likewise been the leading brand in Norway. In the men’s shaving products category, Nivea products have always been in the lead in Germany. These products include the creams, the gels, and the foams; which highly satisfy customers’ demands. The rapid growth in the Nivea brand is an indication of customers’ satisfaction with the brand’s products. In 2003, NIVEA SUN emerged as the market leader in Italy where it continues to extend the lead to date. This also confirms the great satisfaction, which the consumers derive from the Nivea products. The introduction of NIVEA VISAGE YOUNG into the young market segment in 2003 has created a very big impact. Greatest successes of Nivea brand in the year 2003included the outstanding performance of Nivea Lip Care, which took the market lead in UK. NIVEA FOR MEN also became the leader in the after-shave and the facial market in Poland and United States. NIVEA VISAGE has always been the strongest brand on face care market in various parts of the world including Bulgaria, Romania, Ireland, and Guatemala. Other Nivea products that have registered impressive market leads due to great customer satisfactions includes the Nivea Hands which took the lead in Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal in the year 2004. NIVEA FOR MEN came into the records as the first brand in Asia to launch complete whitening range for men. In every subsequent launch of Nivea’s products, there is a great advancement in the skin care item. The Active Firming, which is the most advanced men’s skin care item, was launched in 2005 in France and UK, before it captured the entire world market. For a new Nivea product to be introduced, the customer needs must first be considered. This is why all the new products perform extremely well in the market. They completely satisfy the needs of the customers. The Nivea men’s products are tailored especially to the needs of men’s skin. In the second parameter Keller (2000) says that the brand should stay relevant. Strongest brands have their brand equity tied to the quality of the product or the service. In the above discussion, we have seen that Nivea upholds quality as customers derive great satisfaction from the various Nivea products. It goes without saying; therefore, that Nivea brand has remained relevant in the market. Other intangible factors considered in brand relevance include user imagery or the type of person using the brand. In most cases, all the users drive great satisfaction from Nivea products, a key indicator of the brand’s relevance. Another factor is the usage imagery or the situation in which the brand is used. Nivea brand has proved to be relevant in all the situations. Nivea has maintained its good image, which represents quality, sincerity and competence. Nivea brand has managed to stay on the leading edge without losing site of its core strengths. The third parameter, is that the pricing strategy should be based on consumers’ perceptions of value. It is always difficult to achieve a perfect balance of product quality and cost, as the producer would always aim at maximizing the profit while the customer aims at lowering the expenditure. However, at Beiersdorf, managers try to understand the relationship between the product quality and price. This is very important to the company since, if the company continues with the production of high quality products and charges low prices on the products, it risks running at a loss. At the same time, if the company charges higher prices which do not match the quality of the product, then, it risks losing customers. The fact that Nivea brand continues to generate profit to the company and at the same time remains the market leader; is a perfect indication that the product quality and the price are greatly linked. The image which Nivea brand displays automatically improves the value of the brand. Nivea brand, being a world leader in customer satisfaction, has a great value. With the improvement in the quality/value of the Nivea products, there has been a remarkable link with the pricing. The quality of the product and the price are always directly proportional. The fourth parameter is the brand position. A well-positioned brand always attracts attention of the customers. Even in the peak of competition, such brands keeps up with the competitors by creating both points of parity and points of difference, which helps in acquiring advantages over the competitors. Nivea’s product quality and superiority has made it extend its global market lead beyond what the competitors can achieve. Considering Consistency in the brand as the fifth parameter, In order to maintain a strong brand, there must be a balance between the continuity in marketing activities and the necessary changes that are needed so that the brand remains relevant. The brand must maintain its image, and the marketing strategies must not confuse customers either through sending conflicting messages or otherwise. Since the introduction of Nivea’s first advertisement in 1912, titled â€Å"With the likeness of a Lady,† Nivea has not had any conflicting or misleading advert. As per another parameter Nivea brand portfolio and hierarchy always makes sense. Nivea is the umbrella brand under which several product operations take place. The sub-brands under the umbrella Nivea brand in most cases target different market segments. With the common brand name Nivea, there is maximum market coverage thus contributing to equity of the portfolio. In addition, the brand makes good use of a full range of marketing activities in building the brand equity as dictated by the seventh parameter. The company spends heavily in promoting the brand and at the same time concentrates on the brand quality. This has helped in building the brand equity. Nivea brand managers always understand the importance of the brand to customers. This is why there is a lot of innovation and constant introduction of new products, which satisfies the customers’ desires. Before an introduction of a new product, an extensive market research is carried out which reveals to the brand managers the exact desires of the customers. The company then embarks on production of a product, which is in line with the customers’ needs. The company heavily invests in the Nivea brand through extensive research, innovations, marketing and promotions. The quality and image of the brand has not changed. Due to the overdependence of the company on Nivea brand, brand audits are always carried out at depth. This is done to ensure that the quality and relevance of the brand remains intact, as any slight change may lead the company into great losses. Nivea brand is successful according to the ten parameters. 4. Discuss the role of Nivea as an umbrella brand. Identify the critical factors that Beiersdorf utilised to successfully extend the Nivea brand. Roles of Nivea as an umbrella brand The main role of Nivea as an umbrella brand is the addition of value to the products operating under it. It also contributes toward the addition of value to the new products that are introduced into the market, and operating under the umbrella brand Nivea. It achieves this through: addition of links which contribute to value positions; provision of credibility; sharing the visibility; and generation of communication efficiencies. By so doing, Nivea brand facilitates new product acceptance. These roles are discussed hereunder. Enhancing the Value Proposition Over the years, Nivea brand has built a great image that is appealing to the customers. The quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction of Nivea brand has stood the test of time. Because of this, new products introduced under the umbrella Nivea brand are highly accepted by the customers. In so doing, Nivea brand improves the image of the new product, and at the same time reduces the risks that may be perceived by the customers. The probability of the new product in gaining distribution and trial is also increased greatly. Generation of Communication Efficiencies The introduction of a new product calls for the creation of distinct packaging, promotions and advertisements. This is costly considering both the time and the economic aspect. However, with Nivea as the umbrella brand, there is great reduction in packaging and advertisements costs. This greatly reduces the cost of introducing a new product and the follow-up programs in marketing. This results into great enjoyment of the economies of scale. The synergy also tends to be high. In general, an umbrella brand is very important as it completely eliminates the costs in developing a new brand and the associated risks. At the same time, it enhances great efficiencies in marketing (advertisement and promotional) expenditures. It also allows for efficiencies in packaging and labeling. Provision of credibility After enhancing the value preposition, Nivea brand creates credibility in the products that operate under the umbrella brand. Customers will always consider the new product as reliable. At the same time, customer risks are eliminated. This great credibility is as a result of the Nivea products, which have maintained their credibility over the years. Customers do not worry about the new product as there is always a preformed opinion on the new product which is created by the umbrella brand. Visibility The umbrella brand Nivea provides great product visibility for the new products introduced under the brand name. Visibility makes it possible for a new product to, not only gets an offering considered, but also implies positive organizational and production attributes. Other than the aforementioned roles, Nivea brand enhances the perception of Beiersdorf company image as it improves its strength, uniqueness, and favourability. To customers, the umbrella brand conveys the deep company meaning and at the same time assures the customers of variety of quality products. The brand increases the market coverage as it also gives room for subsequent extensions. The critical factors that Beiersdorf utilised to successfully extend the Nivea brand Beiersdorf Company actively engages in evaluation of the customers’ desires before it can introduce any new product into the market. The company spends on extensive market research, innovation, and application of technology in creation of the new product. This is the main reason why the Nivea brand has a great image and the associated customer satisfaction. Nivea products are tailored according to customers’ desires. This is the main reason for its extension. Nivea brand is well positioned and always attracts the customers. Due to Nivea’s product quality and superiority, it always conquers the market. This has favoured the brand in terms of competition from other companies. Beiersdorf Company employs a unique packaging for Nivea products that is highly attractive. This brings clarity in the brand and minimises the chances of brand confusion. Beiersdorf Company has also invested greatly towards extension of the brand. The company extensively advertise its Nivea brand also participate in other marketing strategies so as to maximize the awareness on its umbrella brand. The end result is the increase in sales. This directly creates extension. The company has enjoyed great and consistent marketing strategies over the years. The great improvement in value of the Nivea brand is another strategy for its extension. The overall image of Nivea brand depicts quality and competence. Customers always look for quality so that they can derive maximum satisfaction from the product. The prices of Nivea products are average considering the product qualities. Customers would always find it very economical in using the Nivea products. The competence of the management team at Beiersdorf Company plays a very important role in Nivea brand extension. The brand managers always know and deeply understand the importance of the brand to the customers. This puts the customers at a very high position of enjoying great satisfaction from Nivea products. Nivea brand has always remained consistent in quality and price. Due to this consistency, the company finds it very easy to extend the product. With the good brand image that already exists, it is very easy to develop a new product, as the costs are greatly lowered. 5.   Kevin Lane Kellar and Sanjay Sood said, â€Å"Brand extensions, however, can be a double-edged sword†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..† in Brand Equity Dilution. Discuss the challenges in extending the Nivea Brand. On the basis of the study of Kellar and Sood (2003), brand extensions in the Nivea brand has come with a series of challenges. When a brand extension fails to be successful, there is great damage posed to the umbrella brand. This can result into great loses if the extension is not prorely monitored. Brand extensions therefore pose great risks of brand equity dilution. The continuous extension into sub-brands for Nivea greatly weakened the Nivea’s strong brand image. Because of the great image of the umbrella brand Nivea, there was a high customer acceptance to its sub-brands. As the extension continued, there was the dilution of the brand image as a result of the presence of Nivea brand across almost all the heterogenous products. Beiersdorf company was faced with major challenge in launching Nivea into new areas due to the brand equity dilution. This created a lot of dificulties in ensuring the maintenance of loyalty to the brand core values. A case of inconsistency can be depicted in the Nivea brand extension. Some of the Nivea products gave customers an experience which is not consistent with the expectations of the umbrella brand. This changed the customers’ impressions about the entire brand leading to equity dilution. For instance, the expansion of Nivea Hair Care into colorants diluted the brand equity. Also, the Nivea’s brand philosophy, which was strongly based on gentle skin care, could not allow for the use of chemical treatments in the product. Also evident was the presence of Nivea in contrasting product categories. The two products which greatly fell under this situation were the NIVEA VISAGE and NIVEA VITAL VISAGE. These sub-brands were posed with greater challenges in trying to preserve their respective product identities. However, Nivea’s strong image has played a very important role. Its strength dictates that for there to be a noticeable brand dilution, there must be a very strong experience which is unambiguous and easily identified. Most of the negative effects of brand extension for the Nivea parent brand have weak expoerience and mostly ambiguous thus are ignored. Another factor that has saved Beiersdorf Company from brand equity dilution is the diagnosticity. Customers’ evaluations of the extension products bear little influence to the parent brand, as the extensions of the Nivea brand are not indicative of the quality of the parent brand. Some of the unsuccessful failures can be linked to lack of adequate awareness among customers. Due to the fact that consumers might not have heard the extension product or service, the parent brand survives. It is also evident that the brand extension has greatly improved the sales and at the same time reinforced customers’ knowledge abou t the parent brand Nivea. This is why there has been a remarkable increase in sales of the Nivea products as the products conquer the global market. 6. â€Å"Beiersdorf’s success in establishing Nivea as a broad skin care and personal care brand presented the company with a new set of issues and challenges.† [Section: â€Å"Nivea a Flagship Brand†, para 23 of the case study]. Identify the challenges Beiersdorf would face in Umbrella branding its flagship brand. Beiersdorf Company has been majorly known for its great Nivea brand. The brand formed over 70% of the company’s consumer segment’s sales. Nivea has emerged as the Beiersdorf’s giant in terms of sales, products, and geographical reach. The growth of Nivea brand from 1990 to 2006 is remarkable. The capitalization on the Nivea brand included the launching of a series of Nivea brand extensions globally. The rapid growth in Nivea’s portfolio from six sub-brands in 1993to fifteen sub-brands in 2006 is an enough evidence of the company’s capitalization on Nivea brand. Establishing Nivea as a broad skin care and personal care brand faced the Beiersdorf Company with a set of challenges. The company over-relied on the umbrella brand Nivea that exposed it to major risks. Any loss of consumer confidence in the flagship Nivea brand would make the company more vulnerable due to the fact that Nivea formed the bulk of the company’s sales. Even though the company capitalized on the growth of the flagship Nivea brand, this one-sided capitalization of growth could not be a successful strategy in the long run. In turn, the over-dependence on the Nivea brand was highly accelerated. This overdependence also exposed the company to some risks. Even though the company experienced smooth growth, there was a slow decrease in the growth rate as illustrated in the IBS research by Sonpal, Dadhwal, and Catterjee (Annexure VIII, p 21). The continued brand extensions placed the parent brand at a great risk as it could lose its great image. The unsuccessful brand extensions could also dilute the Nivea brand equity. This would put the company at great disadvantages with its competitors like the PG and the L’Oreal, which offered a wider range of brands within the same region. If by any chance, a brand extension fails to meet the varied demands of the customers, the umbrella brand suffers greatly. If the company greatly relied on the umbrella brand, various risks emerge. The company can experience great losses as a result of the overdependence. With continued extension into sub-brands, the strong image of the parent brand stands higher chances of being weakened. Nivea also experienced the same scenario. Because Nivea had built a strong image, its sub-brands were highly accepted into the markets. However, increased extension polluted the market with Nivea products. This led to the dilution of the Nivea brand image and also affected the ability of the company to launch new products under the same umbrella brand as a result of equity dilution. Be that as it may, Nivea brand has successfully established itself as a successful skin care brand in the market. This made the company to leverage its strong brand equity. The company then focused on developing the core business areas. Regardless of the company’s financial strength, it limited the number of its brands as it maximized the concentration on research and development. Since then, the company has managed to have independent sets of brands that are strategically positioned in terms of the functional benefits. The great focus on innovation practiced by Beiersdorf Company resulted into improved product lines. This has accelerated the growth of the company even in saturated markets. This is also the main reason why Nivea brand has a strong image to the customers. The launch of three Nivea products; Nivea for men, Nivea Sun, and Nivea Deodorant helped the company in reviving the market. The use of an umbrella brand has made the company to lay more emphasis on the marketing and promotion strategies. Without the proper promotion and marketing of the parent brand Nivea, the company may experience a decrease in sales. This is very dangerous due to the overreliance of the company on Nevia brand. There is great application of technology and innovation in Nevia products so as to boost the brand name and at the same time increase the sales. The company has been constantly engaging in extensive advertisements since 1912. Also, Beiersdorf Company has been very keen on the advertisements so as to avoid chances of both conflicting and misinforming statements. Indeed, the company has been presented with a new set of issues and challenges resulting from its success in establishing Nivea as a broad skin care and personal care brand. References Aaker, D. and Joachimsthaler, E. (2000) ‘The Brand Relationship Spectrum: THE KEY TO THE BRAND ARCHITECTURE CHALLENGE’, CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 42(4). Dadhwal, V., and Chatterjee, C. (2009). Beiersdorf AG’s Brand Architecture Strategies: Challenges in Nurturing an Umbrella Brand Nivea. IBS Research Center. Keller, K. (2000) ‘THE BRAND REPORT CARD’, HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, pp. 147-156. Keller, K. and Sood, S. (2003) ‘Brand Equity Dilution: Brands may be less vulnerable to the Vagaries of extension than is commonly feared’, MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW.

Autoethnography

Autoethnography Introduction Autoethnography is a research and writing method that uses autobiographical personal narrative that explores writer’s life experience, reflective of a cultural accounting through employing features such as concrete action, emotion, embodiment, self-consciousness, and introspection (Denzin 419).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Autoethnography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It totally differs with ethnography, as it uses the researcher’s experience instead of other people beliefs and practices while the latter uses fieldwork to interview people in order to get their views and narration that is analyzed to get a better understanding of their culture. Autoethnography, apart from revealing personal experiences in relation to some cultural account, presents a platform for questioning cultural aspects generally viewed as appropriate by the vast majority of practitioners of a given practice such as diagnostic processes. Thus, involvement of personal aspect can provide valuable insight on issues that are mostly overlooked in culture such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), sexuality, eating disorders and others. Institutional Autoethnography in the diagnosis of OCD presents an opportunity of using knowledge and daily events to accelerate rational and logical reasoning on social transformations needed to change psychiatric oppression (Tam 2010). Institutional Autoethnography may involve application of Autoethnography and institutional ethnography to understand a given situation. This paper will further look at understanding of OCD discourse through institutional Autoethnography by feminist psychiatric experiences and approach. The words madness and sense-making are used in this paper severally, and they are used in the following context. Madness is used to refer to the â€Å"altered states of consciousness to different beliefs/feelings/needs/behaviours that are pathologi zed by psychiatry, while sense-making refers to the both available paradigms for rationalizing madness and alternative, self-determined ways of understanding and living with madness† (Tam 2010). Understanding of OCD discourse through institutional Autoethnography Institutions are recognized as a way of governance that involves institutional discourses and technologies. People working in a certain institution are guided by institutional practices that bind them into the institutional function. Thus, an institution is mainly a coordination of people through the institution’s discursively organized practices in their system.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Through institutional Autoethnography, we are able to look at how institution’s work by coordinating people and involving their organized experiences that entail reality of their life experiences and own p erspectives. The developing part of this paper is more of personal reflection on institutional Autoethnography of Tam (2010) that narrates her personal experiences with mental illness, providing an analysis of the performative aspects of OCD and her feminist standpoint in challenging the OCD discourse. OCD is a genetic disorder triggered by environmental stressors that cause chemical imbalance in the brain, leading to biologically altered mental state and leaving the individuals to steer themselves among and between the expected good habits and secret rituals (Brooks 2011). By evaluating Tam personal experiences and practices with OCD, we a see the need for personality management for people suffering from OCD and pose a challenge to existing perception of the OCD discourse. From Tam’s encounters with OCD and how the concerned professionals handle it, one is able to gain an insight on the traumatic disorder that relies mainly on communicative practices, as the disease impedes the sufferer’s social life (Brooks 2011). Tam, once a victim and now a critical reflective practitioner of psychiatry, hopes that through her autoethnographic narratives to shed light on some of the performances that can used to challenge the OCD discourse and improve understanding of self-embodied performances of the OCD patients (through sense-making). Her autoethnographic research and presentation was motivated by the fact that during that period, there were limited or no research by psychiatric survivors that critically challenged the OCD discourse, but there were only alternative studies that focused on new ways of understanding madness based on borderline personality disorder, depression, hearing of voices and schizophrenia (Tam 2010). By welcoming such an approach to madness and OCD, she feels that the proper description of this condition is at risk of being diluted or losing its context. Though unique in her approach, she has chosen also to involve works of other rese archers in the analysis of OCD discourse in order to get more insights and testimonies that can justify her research. The feminist element of her work comes from taking a feminist standpoint in regard to socio-economic disparities, colonization, racialization, and the position of disadvantaged women (mad) in the society. These factors mix, bringing about materialism and economic realities from local to universal setting; hence, personal experiences are vital in portraying the world relations (Tam 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Autoethnography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In taking the feminist standpoint, she was able to explain her societal and mental illness situation she had faced, leading to better understanding of her ideas in relation to social trends and occurrences. Her standpoint tends be in agreement with other feminist researchers that encourage narratives of liberal ideas that relate to surveill ance of issues with gendered divisions in the public-private systems (Mohanram 38). These divisions further shape the relationship between class and race, making them more pronounced and perceivable. Through expressing self-experiences in a complex set up, she is not just trying to tell about herself in feminine nature, but rather, she is trying to bring out realities (sense-making). These realities in essence can provide knowledge and understanding that can lead to social transformations. Throughout her presentation, the main aim is to show how institutions’ operations have been standardized through medicalization of given patterns in habit and given affects of stress, while there is alternate knowledge regarding embodied qualitative experiences that have been wrongly absorbed and twisted by OCD discourse (Tam 3). In this study, she is able to decry the fact that a lot of useful knowledge that has not been institutionally tested is always discarded or treated as of less sign ificance in treatment of OCD patients. Her experience reveals that some of the downplayed aspects in evaluations and treatment of OCD patients are as important as the standard procedures and observations. Hence, the OCD discourse is quite biased by the institutional coordination practices that specify how the OCD victims should be evaluated, monitored and their treatment programs. Further, her research aims to unearth the fact that most of main stakeholders of the body that is charged with responsibility of determining and modifying OCD discourse lack some of relevant experience. This is vividly highlighted in the following argument â€Å"that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is articulated by a body of knowledge-makers who are not themselves located as having lived experiences with the phenomena described exposes the disembodied (â€Å"I†-less) nature of such a text† (Tam 3). By involving sense making in this situation, she is trying to logically challenge the doctored gaps between OCD discourse and real life situations that if appropriately used can aid in psychiatric evaluations and OCD discourse. In addition, she reveals that, through lack of experience, many professional helpers are unable to understand the OCD discourse in cultural context. Thus, her presentation in summation shows that there is need of institutions and professional helpers to adopt and understand self-embodied communication practices in handling of the OCD patients rather than following the OCD discourse only as guided by their institutional practices.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Brooks, Catherine F. â€Å"Social Performance and Secret Ritual: Battling Against Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.† Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 21 Issue 2, pp.249-261, 2011. Web. Denzin, Norman K. â€Å"Analytic Autoethnography, or Dà ©j Vu all Over Again.† Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 2006 Vol 35 Number 4, pp 419-428. Mohanram, Radhika. Imperial white: race, diaspora, and the British Empire. Minnesota: U of Minnesota Press. 2007. Tam, Louise. Class aspiration, Diaspora, and Disease with the ‘Neurasthenic’ condition: Feminist sense-making through an institutional Autoethnography of OCD discourse. Conference Proceedings, 2010. Web.

Batman Horror Films Essay

Batman Horror Films Essay Batman: Horror Films Essay For me, choosing a favorite movie is like choosing which parent I love more. It’s impossible! I am a movie junkie and signing up for Netflix was probably the best decision my family has made. I enjoy anything from comedy to mystery and from romance to horror. When I was a little girl, mom never allowed scary movies to be played and†¦.well, let’s just say the rules were broken a few times, particularly on the nights she worked. I didn’t watch movies a typical 6-year-old girl would be interested in. Dad and I watched Friday the 13th, Psycho, The Shining, The Haunting, and so many others. It’s alright if you have never seen or even heard of them. All you have to understand is that after viewing those movies you probably wouldn’t be sleeping for the next couple of nights. Apparently, whenever there was a scary scene I would cover my eyes and ask dad to turn it, but right when he changed the channel I would beg for him to turn back! It is a lot like a car accident. You want to look away, but you just can’t; all thanks to your curious mind. Now that I am a little older, dad has said that my attitude toward horror films is exactly the same. No matter how scary the movie becomes, I just can’t turn it off. If you are thinking that this is going to be all about horror films, you are wrong. First of all, R rated movies are not allowed to be reviewed, but secondly, it would be a waste of time because nothing is better than the Batman trilogy. I know, â€Å"that’s three movies NOT one!† Well,

Kaplan and Norton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Concidering Censorship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concidering Censorship - Essay Example Basically, we all know that information is power and the aim of censorship is to control this information and in the end contain power. Therefore, censorship is the control of information or suppression of speech that is distributed in any population with an aim of protecting that population from any harm. What matters at the end of the day is whether the aims and objectives of the censorship have been achieved despite the methods used in censorship. As mentioned above, censorship is varied and comes in many forms reason being that society has different sectors. Moral censorship has the main aim to remove, control or censor any pornographic material such that it does not reach the society. Pornography is not only shunned by traditional and religious groups, but it has also been placed in the group of permanently illegal material by the elites in the society. One such example of moral censorship is the controversy that surrounded the rock and roll group The Rolling Stones on their song â€Å"let’s spend the night together† (Inglis 562). Apparently, the song was obscene and looked down upon, in fact the author states â€Å"such a blatantly sexual song should not be sung to a family audience†. One of the most explicit and intimidating form of censorship around the world is political censorship. This is one way with which most famous dictators have used to remain in power and control their subjects oppressively. Famous African dictators who have been accused of using such censorship include President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe among others. In some cases, especially during war, countries involved in war control the information that they release to their population to prevent valuable information from reaching their enemies. Information exchange is controlled in both cases because it is perceived as being ‘harmful’. With great appeals to divinity and religiousness, the church has joined the quest to censor some information leading to the development of

Education. What is your philosophy of Assessment Essay

Education. What is your philosophy of Assessment - Essay Example Still, it’s worth noting that teaching professionals must attend to the varieties of students, cultures, and grade levels when considering assessment strategies. As a high school chemistry and physics teacher, I have developed a number of assessment strategies that have formed my own philosophy to the assessment process. This essay considers my personal philosophy of assessment. One of the primary considerations I recognize in terms of assessment is developing a means of judging student participation and effort throughout the semester and course. One of the primary challenges I had when originally considering assessment was the nature of developing assessment strategies that are student specific, or measure objective standards of comprehension. While ideally classrooms are constituted by students of the same level of achievement, in reality this is not always the case. Early in my teaching career I recognized that I would have to make the difficult decision of requiring all st udents to achieve the same level of achievement.

Cost and Value Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cost and Value Management - Case Study Example This certainly shows the pragmatism of the firm with regards to its products in the sense that none of the products are rushed into production whatever the results these said products show on the testing phase. That is directly linked to the cost management practices of the firm i.e. the firm is willing to bear some short-term costs given that these cost can initiate the birth of products that are successful and long-lasting in the long run. In addition, the entire case of the Boeing 7X7 shows the commitment and drive of Boeing towards research and development. It says in the case study before the name was changed to 767, approximately $100 million had been spent on this project which were demarcated as costs for the on-going research and development. Therefore, we can see that the costs management practices of Boeing had a significant place in them for large scale research and development projects. Suffice to say, the cost management practices of Boeing are pragmatic yet expansive a nd directed towards the long run. [1] [2] [3] Now, after determining these facts, we will now look at the strengths and weaknesses of these practices of Boeing in light of the concept of earned value management. Before, I delve much deeper into this topic, it is critical to explain that contrary to popular belief, there is a world of difference between the factors that determine earned value and earned value management systems (EVMS). ... ts importance vis--vis the mechanism can be gauged by the fact that large adapt ably priced military defense contracts have required the presence of these prerequisites in order to ascertain the reliability of the results given by the earned value metric as far back as 1967. It is important to note that despite the great important of these prerequisites, they are not essential for the workability of the earned value method. However, the presence of a management control system that fulfills at least part of the standards that have been demarcated by the prerequisites is extremely essential in this case. From here on, the term "earned value management process" will include the pre-requisites for both the earned value and the EVMS criteria. [4] [5] [6] I will first look at the strengths of these practices at Boeing. The earned value approach of Boeing is directly in line with the cost management practices that we have seen in the case study. Despite the very large initial expenditure that is related to the product, the project only went into productions when commitments to purchase were received from one foreign and two domestic airlines, and preproduction orders totaled at least 100 planes. This showed the risk management abilities of the company in the sense that they wanted to ascertain to the minimum a certain number of prospective clients which would be interested in their products. This also showed the strengths of the earned value management process of the business as they want to determine a flexible budget of costs which they would need to undertake in order to complete a theoretical number of orders. Now, this theoretical number would be based on the pre-posed number of prospective clients who had guaranteed their intere st to purchase. Therefore, the entire

Education. What is your philosophy of Assessment Essay

Education. What is your philosophy of Assessment - Essay Example Still, it’s worth noting that teaching professionals must attend to the varieties of students, cultures, and grade levels when considering assessment strategies. As a high school chemistry and physics teacher, I have developed a number of assessment strategies that have formed my own philosophy to the assessment process. This essay considers my personal philosophy of assessment. One of the primary considerations I recognize in terms of assessment is developing a means of judging student participation and effort throughout the semester and course. One of the primary challenges I had when originally considering assessment was the nature of developing assessment strategies that are student specific, or measure objective standards of comprehension. While ideally classrooms are constituted by students of the same level of achievement, in reality this is not always the case. Early in my teaching career I recognized that I would have to make the difficult decision of requiring all st udents to achieve the same level of achievement.

Impacts of climate change on water management in Sierra Leone Research Paper

Impacts of climate change on water management in Sierra Leone - Research Paper Example In Sierra Leone, the problem of climate change is a major focus on how it affects water management and the people who depend on it. It is necessary to analyze the relationship between climate change, water administration, and its effects on the people of Sierra Leon (Dean, James and Pavel). Sierra Leone economy is largely fueled and dependent on natural resources since agriculture is a major focus for the people. For instance, rice is a major agricultural production in the country and it is cultivated to sustain the livelihood of many. The country has historically enjoyed good temperature for cultivating with an estimate of 26.7Â °C from the 1960s to 1990s. However, the effects of climate change are now being experienced in Sierra Leone threatening sustainable water sources and quality food reserves. There have been many current incidents of climatic problems like droughts, landslides, heat waves, floods, thunderstorms, and changing rainfall formats. The low income earners from poor neighborhoods are the ones that suffer more for these changes because they do not have the resources to insure from such damages. For instance, poor farmers are not able to secure their crops when heavy rainfall destroys them and therefore, they are left without any source of survival (Dean, James and Pavel 84). ... Most of these gases are as a result of human activities for example, carbon dioxide occurs when remnant fuels (oil, gas, as well as coal) are burnt. It also increases when deforestation rises since trees are responsible for absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen. Contaminants like methane result from cattle byproducts, cultivation of rice, fossil energy as well as landfills while nitrous oxide is generated from chemical industries and animal feed lots. People across the globe have constantly increased the generation and use of greenhouse gases and therefore, emissions has also grown (Adger, et al 178). In addition, (Adger, et al 181) suggests that since the period of industrial revolution in 1750, carbon dioxide has gone up by 31% while methane has increased by 151% and nitrous oxide has increased in the atmosphere by 17%. In addition, research by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that anthropogenic which are human induced pollutants is also regularly incre asing. It is evident that human influence on the atmosphere is big and has led to an increase on climate change and its negative effects. The pollution in the atmosphere for the last 50 years can all be attributed to human activities globally and especially in the developed countries. The developing countries have less carbon dioxide emissions compared to large productions from industries in developed countries (Dean, James and Pavel). Climate change effects are not only realized through scientific research but also observational signs shows that there is influence on physical and biological parts of the ecosystem. For instance, there is observed change in high-latitude seasons which have become longer and lengthened pole-ward as well as altitudinal modifications of plants and

Energy Audit Essay Example for Free

Energy Audit Essay

Body Language in a Job Interview

Body Language in a Job Interview Communication via body language in a Job Interview Introduction Communication is the process by which a message is a coded and sent and which the receiver decodes once received. Communication takes place among all individuals and living beings constantly throughout our lives whether it be intentional or unintentional. When talking about communication, the most common form of communication is perceived to be someone talking to another but this is incorrect. Research shows that only 7% of our communication takes place in a verbal form while out of the remaining 93%, 55% relates to our body language and the remaining 38% is via paralanguage. This clearly suggests that the non-verbal communication is highly significant and body language plays a key part. The important aspect about body language is that one could communicate a lot through it and still not know what he is communicating and what is being received on the other end Body Language There is an old saying which goes â€Å"His actions speak louder than his words†. In this context it is very true. Our body language affects our communication on a daily basis whether it be in our personal lives or in our professional environment. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions are all portrayed through our body language without us realizing it and it could betray our words too. We may speak out differently but our body language would show out to everyone exactly what we are feeling or thinking. Body language covers a whole wide range of signals. The way we walk, sit and conduct ourselves and the way we gesture our hands and all our facial expressions come under this. Our proximity to others, our contact (eye contact or physical contact) and also the way we dress and appear would communicate a lot to the others about us. Body language in a job interview A job interview is an important aspect of everyone’s lives. It is a moment in life which could be the stepping stone of your success or which pulls you back in life. Naturally, it can be quite demanding and stressful and could easily make anyone very nervous. So the way we handle the job interview is very important. While everyone prepares well for a job interview in the form of what they speak, it could be our body language in the end which decides if we get the job or not. There are many important signals which our body gives out during the interview which the interviewer would be looking out for. Making a good entrance It is easy to state that an interview probably starts even before we go to the interview room. The interviewer could watch us initially trying to get a first impression. First impressions are always important. It goes without saying that you need to be dressed up smartly for the interview and also have the right amount of cologne or perfume on you. The way you dress would speak volumes for you. You should also have confidence about you and try not to project any nerves. Having a good smile as you enter would do a lot of good. Having a steady walk to the interview room by following the person who is leading you instead of trying to lead that person and also having a good handshake would help you tick the right boxes. Your handshake should not be limp but should also not be overly aggressive. It needs to have the right amount of firmness. Facial expressions The facial expressions that one displays is probably as important as any other aspect. Your expressions could betray your true feelings. No matter how well you communicate verbally, your expressions would tell your interviewer if you are nervous or confidant or if you are unsure of any facts. Your eyes would speak volumes for you. This is why it is necessary to look the person in the eye when you speak. Sometimes there could be multiple interviewers. In that case it is advisable to give each interviewer a brief eye contact but by giving it more to the interviewer who asked the question. It is an accepted norm that if you are unable to look a person in the eye while speaking you could be lying. But it is also necessary to not stare too hard into the eyes of the interviewer as it would come out rude. The way your eyebrows raise would tell the interview if you have been caught by surprise or if you do not believe in something. This should be limited. While the interviewers may have a poker face with which they give out nothing, the interviewee should try to avoid it. Displaying the right amount of expressions in the form of smiling would help project the right amount of confidence. Postures The way you sit and walk and the way your hands and legs are placed at the time of the interview are also very important. Sitting with your legs crossed would display boredom while sitting hunched and very closed would make it appear if you are not very interested. It is important to sit up straight and lean slightly forward as this would make it appear that you are interested. Also crossing your hands across your chest would make it appear that you are a very closed person who does not like to share much. Having an open position while displaying your chest and stomach areas is the right way to go. The way you walk is also very important. Try to avoid being hunched and walking slowly with your hands in your pockets and with your eyes fixed on the floor. The right way to project confidence is to look up straight while walking and going about with a good pace with the proper swinging of arms. Gestures The way you move your hands and head while communicating verbally is also important. Unnecessary gestures like rubbing a part of your body or cupping hands over the mouth or having closed fists should be avoided. Gesturing with your hands while communicating is very good as it would show openness and confidence but too much hand movement should be avoided and raising your hands too high should also be avoided. Gesturing with your head by nodding while listening and also smiling is good as it would show the interest. Other gestures like glancing away or staring down or even clearing the throat, tapping fingers and frequently shifting around in the chair should be avoided as the interviewer may misinterpret it as signs of disinterest or nervousness. Departing from the interview An important part of an interview is how you finish it. Everyone generally focuses so much on the interview that they tend to forget that finishing an interview and departing from it is also very important. Even if the interview did not go as well as we would like, it is important to stand and leave with a graceful walk and a smile. If possible try to shake hands of the interview as you leave too. Conclusion Communicating via body language is very important in the job interview. No matter how well prepared we are and how good our verbal communication was, if our body language is not good it could betray all our feelings and all efforts could be in vain. Therefore, preparing our body language to a job interview is just as much as important as preparing our verbal communication http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-preparation/body-language-can-make-or-break-a-job-interview-hot-jobs/article.aspx http://www.cimaglobal.com/Thought-leadership/Newsletters/Insight-e-magazine/Insight-2013/Insight-February-2013/Body-language-in-a-job-interview/

Hitler and the Aestheticization of Politics Essay -- propaganda, nazism

Introduction One of the reasons behind the success of the Nazi Party in taking over Germany is on its extensive use of propaganda. Adolf Hitler, known for his penchant for populism, rendered the strong impact of images, films and other materials attributed to Nazism as essential for the political success of the Nazi Party and its agenda for Germany. As an authoritarian leader, Hitler saw the importance of extracting the patronage of the Germans not through forceful means, but through convincing and motivating measures that enticed their mental faculties. To make such a vision possible, Hitler commissioned the talents of filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl – one of the most brilliant at the time, to create a movie that promoted Nazism not necessarily in a critical manner, but more on cultivating their blind adherence towards the Nazi Party. The result, Triumph of the Will, is a documentary film masterpiece that presented the magnanimity of the Nazi Party in a grandiose manner, complete with rich ae sthetics enhanced with the latest film technology at the time. While Triumph of the Will has garnered strong acclaim as a magnum opus of its period, critics have assailed it for aggrandizing Nazi politics and its presumed ability to arouse sympathy towards Nazism. Thus, the assertion made by Walter Benjamin on the â€Å"aestheticization of politics† under German fascism has stood as an important premise to clarify and consider in understanding the significance of Triumph of the Will (Benjamin 217-252; Riefenstahl). The â€Å"Aestheticization of Politics† under German Fascism Benjamin noted one of the most notable characteristics of the Nazi regime – that of the â€Å"aestheticization of politics† under German fascism. In the simplest sense, Benjamin underlined... ...m that the aesthetic techniques used in Triumph of the Will is exclusive to Nazism, as those may also apply to represent other ideologies subject to changes in the stimuli of people and breakthroughs in media technology. After all, what made Triumph of the Will distinctly Nazi in nature is the fact that it used multifaceted Nazi propaganda; the aesthetic techniques used therein – set apart from the propaganda, could also apply to other ideologies. Works Cited Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production." Illuminations. Ed. Harry Zohn. New York: Schocken, 1969. 217-252. Print. Spielvogel, Jackson. Hitler and Nazi Germany: A History. 6th ed. United Kingdom: Pearson, 2009. Print. Triumph of the Will. Dir. Leni Riefenstahl. Perf. Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler, Victor Lutze, various Nazi leaders. Universum Film AG, 1935. DVD.

plotlear Importance of the Subplot in Shakespeares King Lear :: King Lear essays

Importance of the subplot in King Lear "Why bastard wherefore base?" asks Edmund. The bitter illegitimate son resents his father and brother. He is determined to "prosper" and "grow." Ruthlessly, he plays on old Gloucester's weakness and persuades him that Edgar seeks his death to obtain his inheritance. Edgar, being told that Gloucester seeks his life for some reason, flees. With Edgar thus removed, Edmund now seeks to destroy his father and reports his alleged "treason" to Cornwall who removes the old man's eyes. The bastard has travelled far and is now Earl of Gloucester. Sought in love by both Goneril and Regan, victorious in battle over Cordelia's forces, Edmund's future seems assured. Alas, the discovery of Goneril's letter urging Edmund to kill her husband Albany leads to his arrest. Edgar in disguise fights Edmund, who is defending his honour and is mortally wounded - "the wheel has come full circle". Gloucester, realising the wrong he has done to Edgar, yet joyful he is alive, dies. Edgar joins Albany in ruling the country. So skillfully has Shakespeare intertwined the two plots, beginning in Act II at Gloucester's castle and ending in the alliance of Edgar and Albany, that is is difficult to separate them. Gloucester, like Lear, suffers from filial ingratitude. It is in his castle that Lear is humiliated by his daughters and flees into the storm. Gloucester's sympathy helps Lear to Dover to meet Cordelia, yet leads to his own blindness and his going to Dover for suicide. Edgar becomes embroiled in the main plot when, disguised as a madman, he meets Lear on the heath. His destruction of Oswald, Goneril's steward and his defeat of Edmund in the duel leading to Edmund admitting he has given secret orders for the execution of Lear and Cordelia, together with his alliance with Albany, all relate him to the main plot. However, it is - appropriately enough - the corrupt Edmund who becomes most entangled with the main plot. Ambition drives him into Cornwall's hands, and to his double involvement with Goneril and Regan.

IOM Finished Paper Essay

a) Discuss the work of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Committee Initiative on the Future of Nursing and the Institute of Medicine research that led to the IOM report, â€Å"Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.† b) Identify the importance of the IOM â€Å"Future of Nursing† report related to nursing practice, nursing education and nursing workforce development. c) What is the role of state-based action coalitions and how do they advance goals of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action? Summarize (2) initiatives spearheaded by your state’s Action Coalition. In what ways do these initiatives advance the nursing profession? What barriers to advancement currently exist in your state? How can nursing advocates in your state overcome these barriers? Robert Wood Johnson; a remarkable man. He is a man that changes the face of healthcare even after he is no longer on this earth. Robert Johnson, a pilot, writer, sailor, and activist, to name a few was devoted to his small family business to what is known now and Johnson & Johnson. He took a particular interest in hospitals and noticed hospital administrators needed specialized training and was a pioneer in the first school that provided that education. He also was an advocate for the patients that he saw get lost in the maze of healthcare. Being such an advocate for education and having such a humble heart for the needy, when he died he left the majority of his money to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This Foundation continues to help the poor, and uneducated. However, this foundation is also the advocate for so much evidence-based recommendations for leading change and advancing heath in our health care society today. â€Å"In 2008, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) launched a two-year initiative to respond to the need to assess and transform the nursing profession† (IOM). The IOM formed a committee on the RWJF Initiative to develop a report that would â€Å"Make recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing† (IOM). This was created due to the fact nurses have so many barriers to overcome to be able to provide optimal patient care (IOM). A path needs to be pave to be able to overcome these barriers, and this  initiative is jus t the tool to help start paving the way of the IOM report that will lead change in the future of nursing. There are several important aspects to the IOM report relating to the future of change in nursing. One of those is in the way nurses practice. One of the recommendations is to remove the scope of practice barriers (IOM thick one). This would require action on the congress and state level. From the Congress, they would need to â€Å"Expand the Medicare program to include coverage of advanced practice RN’s† (IOM thick one). They would also need to authorize advanced practice RN’s to perform assessments for admission into home health or long term care facilities (IOM thick one). These are just a couple of examples. On the state level, they would need to â€Å"reform scope of practice regulations to conform to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Model Nursing Practice Act and Model Nursing Administratiive Rules† (IOM thick one). They also need to revise the way advanced practice nurses are reimbursed and make it easier for them to be paid for their services as long as they are within their scope of practice within their state (IOM thick one). This recommendation also expands to the Office of Personnel Management to require insurers to include coverage of services provided from a Nurse Practitioner. This would allow patients so see a nurse practionor if desired or needed to avoid long waits to be seen by a doctor as those are becoming short handed as well. Another aspect to the IOM report that came from the RWJF is looking at nursing education. There are several recommendations that came to light in this area. First is the recommendation to establish nurse residency programs. Getting all entities such as the state boards of nursing, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Heath care organizations, services administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and philanthropic organizations all involved in developing and funding continuing education for nurses. These programs will not only expand competency but also vastly improve patient outcomes (IOM thick one). Education recommendations continue with increasing the proportions of nurses with BSN degrees to eighty percent by the year 2020 and doubling the number of nurses with a doctorate by the year 2020 as well. The pathway to help make this happen would be to help the academic nurse leaders to help pave the way for employers to help with funding, initiatives to continue such as raises and promotions, and to monitor progress (IOM thick one). Another aspect to the IOM report that came from the RWJF is looking at nursing education. The recommendation to â€Å"Expand opportunities for nurses to lead and diffuse collaborative improvement efforts† (IOM thick one) was made. This recommendation would lead to nurses being able to collaborate more with physicians in a leadership role conducting research and helping to redesign the healthcare system.