Seamus Heaney Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Seamus Heaney - Essay Example Some of the prizes he has won include the T.S Elliot Prize, Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry and most notably the Nobel Prize in Literature, just to name a few. Seamus Heaney was born seventy three years ago (in 1939) in Castledawson, County Derry in Northern Ireland. He was the first born in large family, having eight siblings to show for it (McCarthy 9). His father, Patrick Heaney was a cattle trader in Castledawson and most of young Seamus’ childhood was spent in the rural setting. This environment of the countryside, fuelled with other factors would prove to be important, forming an integral part of Seamus’ literary works, especially his poetry. Seamus Heaney attended a local primary school in his native town. At the tender age of twelve years, he won a scholarship to attend St Columb’s College. This was a catholic boarding school, also found within the environs of his native town. During his time at St. Columb’s, he gained further skills that would later help him map out his career. He learnt Latin and Irish languages, a fact that was crucial in his turning out to be a translator. In 1953, his family moved out from his rural County of Derry. However, his thoughts, feelings and aspirations were still strongly entangled with his rural homeland. After St. Columb’s College, the other education pot that Seamus drank from was Queen’s University in Belfast. He graduated with a degree in Literature in 1961 from Queen’s. While there, he studied Anglo-Saxon, another contributor to his translation skills. He was to later on, (1966-1972) come back to lecture at his former school. His writing career o fficially began while he was at Queens. His first works that earned him recognition came about in the 1960s (Buttel, 12). It is at about the same time when he met his wife, Marie Devlin. Marie

Video Gaming is Good For Everyone Essay Example for Free

Video Gaming is Good For Everyone Essay Video gaming is good for everyone because it is useful for rehabilitation, relieves stress, and helps the elderly. Have you ever played a video game? Did you get totally immersed in it, and it made you feel wonderful afterwards? There have been recent studies and tons of articles written which show that, indeed, video games are good for everyone! Not just your usual young players (ages 10-17), and not just the more hard-core gamers (ages 18 – 25), but now these studies link video games to success in more than just fun times, and show that these type of games can be beneficial for all types of people, from young to elderly, and from healthy to the impaired. Yes, video gaming is good for everyone! It used to be that only young people were associated with playing video games. That is no longer the norm, as studies are now seeing a surge of middle-aged people and even the elderly benefiting from these types of games. Interactive gaming is a hot topic of course, with the introduction of games like â€Å"Words With Friends† available on various platforms such as a smart phone or Facebook. This game is readily available to download as a stand-alone game on tablet computers and regular PC’s also. Households can get the whole family involved in this, just like playing the old-fashioned Scrabble game around your kitchen table. There is a whole source of video games that people of all ages can enjoy together (Weed, 2012)! Even stay-at-home mothers are getting into the gaming world more easily, with simple games that they can use to interact with their toddlers on their PC’s or video game systems to help them learn rudimentary things such as reading, writing and arithmetic. These type of games are great attention-getters to keep toddlers entertained while in line at stores (via cell phone apps), or just to keep them entertained while a mother takes a well-needed rest but doesn’t want to plunk her child down in front of a DVD or video on television like in past years. These children are actually getting engrossed and learning at the same time, while the mother does other tasks such as cleaning, cooking, or even taking a well-deserved break (Lopez, March 2012). Video games benefit the elderly, as shown in a study that most have not even thought about! Something to ponder is that back in the late 1970s and early 1980s there were many games in bars like PONG or PACMAN. This was the dawning age of the video game empire. And many of our parents at that moment in time were in those bars, enjoying the company of their peers. They played those games, spent their quarters, and had fun. In time, however, video games became more and more intricate and thus many older people tended to drift away from those moments of fun and escape. Perhaps they still longed to play those games, but were afraid to try the new formats. Those parents now are 30 years older and thought their gaming days were long gone. Video gaming has been shown to be very beneficial to the elderly retirement community through local senior recreation departments in many cities. Studies recently have found that the elder community of retirees over 65 do benefit from video game activities. These studies were commented on by Katharine Ross, the Director of an online Senior Magazine called Senior Guide Magazine. She states: â€Å"It’s clear that video games are becoming a popular addition to a large number of retirement community activity rooms and senior event calendars† (Ross, 2010, Paragraph 10). Some of the more popular games to play have been in senior living communities that have games like WII Bowling, where people actually feel that they are part of the game, because players make an avatar of themselves to play the game with, and their movements are recognized and played on the screen. This is known as â€Å"motion gaming† rather than the common â€Å"button pushing† of other game c ontrollers. The Nintendo WII and the XBOX 360 both have motion detection system games that do the same thing. After even just a few gaming sessions in these retirement communities, it has been found to have become a great success. There is a noted boost in balance, coordination and strength, which could help prevent an elderly person from getting the dreaded fall, where they break a hip or worse. This also makes them feel more involved and not just becoming a wall fixture in retirement homes. They are actually part of the community and part of the â€Å"in† crowd again, like reliving their past! This helps them both in the physical and psychological aspects of their lives (Zafar, Feb 2011). Not only does video gaming that involves movement help the elderly, but actually Allstate Insurance Company recently put out a new program for those aged 57 – 80, which challenges older drivers to upgrade and hone their skills in a video format. It improves their driving skills by offering a way to improve reaction time and memory. You drive on a virtual test track, and objects and different scenarios are thrust upon you to get through to the next level. Most who have taken this amazing course have gone on to be better drivers and driving longer. A strong point is to test the older driver’s field of vision, which can be done in a safe environment with this type of video game. Its fun, and helps keep clients for the insurance company also! (Potter, October 2008) Video gaming doesn’t end with just the pleasure part of it all, there are aspects to it that even benefit disabled persons! One of these important discoveries is the use in physical therapy. Stroke victims, whose limbs are not working in coordination with their brains, often have problems moving their limbs for simple tasks. In the past, this meant a long, drawn-out process of physical rehabilitation at a special facility. Nowadays, many rehabilitation programs include special video games designed to work with home video equipment to supplement a person’s rehab progress. The use of virtual reality gaming helps with arm functions (picking up a cup, using a WII controller on a WII game) or even doing word games, which involve memory, often a function lost when a person has a stroke. There are microphones in WII controllers, which recognize words, and special games are made where the person has to practice speaking these words over and over to become clearer in their speaking. This both saves time and money in the long run – freeing up the therapist to treat other patients, and less money spent on rehabilitation for the insurance companies. It’s a win-win situation any way studies look at it! The jury is still out on how well this really works, but from what experts can see, it is making a dent in the process and is more fun for the person going through it and they can do this in their own home surroundings (Anderson, April 2011). Lastly, the benefits of playing video games can be seen in all ages, by the reduction of stress! It has been shown that playing video games brings on a reduction of the stress-producing hormone called Cortisol. By reducing this hormone, stress is lowered and a calmer demeanor is produced and boosts people’s self-confidence levels. People that were in a depressed mood before playing a video game were given a game that was fairly easy to beat. Once beaten, these people had a huge boost in self-confidence, thus lifting their moods out of that sadness. For example, people at a call-center played a game, which involved choosing the singular smiling faces among many other depressing-looking faces on a screen as quickly as they could. After the game was completed, more employees felt that there was a more positive attitude in doing their jobs when they did well in the game ( Nauert, 2007). This reduction in stress was also seen in a study where children who have violent tendencies because of a stressful situation in their lives played certain video games. These children, usually aged from 12 to 14, were more likely to gravitate towards more adult rated â€Å"M† (for Mature) games, with more violence in them. But once they played these games, they tended to take out their aggressions on the characters they were playing against in the games, rather than their friends or peers on the street. Ultimately, the parents have the last word on how their children will be allowed to play certain games, but in this study, it did show that when given the chance to beat up a fictional character on the video screen, or beat up a real person, they chose to take out their aggression on the video screen, thus helping both the child and society with an ever-growing problem (News Staff Science 2.0, July 2007). Some people still might argue that video gaming rots your brain, but there is no doubt that video gaming can be helpful to people of all ages. One cannot dismiss the findings in studies on this subject. In the past 30 years, this has come a very long way, from the simple joystick controllers of the original Atari systems to high-tech versions played on your Apple I Pad today, with popular games like Angry Birds. From rehabilitation to stress relief, and from toddlers to the elderly, there are not many people around nowadays that can truly say that they have never played a video game of one type or another. Video gaming is good for everyone! References Weed, J. (2012, April 20). There are loads of video games that all ages can enjoy together. Retrieved from http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2018025676_ptteentween21.html Lopez, L. (2012, March 15). More moms turn to video games. Retrieved from http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/tech/Video-Game-Moms-142869815.html Zafar, A. (2011, February 13). Physical video games may help the elderly psychologically. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/02/physical-video-games-may-help-the-elderly-psychologically/71184/ Ross, K. (2010, July 01). Video games helping seniors stay young and healthy. Retrieved from http://assisted-living.benchmarkseniorliving.com/video-games-helping-seniors-stay-young-and-healthy/ Potter, N. (2008, October 27). Video games help elderly drivers. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=6121775page=1 Anderson, P. (2011, September 14). Video games may help stroke rehabilitation. Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/749703 ( you have to belong to this website to view – or just google the title name ! I belong to it ! ) Earnshaw, R. (2011, April 17). Wii video games help rehabilitation patients. Retrieved from http://www.nwitimes.com/niche/get-healthy/fitness/wii-video-games-help-rehabilitation-patients/article_2bad04b4-313b-53d7-97c0-ac2f7b5d7257.html Nauert, R. P. (2007 , October 24). Video games lower stress hormone. Retrieved from

The Adoption of Migration and Development Theories Essay -- Adoption o

Introduction Initially, it should be noted that the world migration mainly refers to the movement of population into another country or region from their original country to which they are not native so as to settle there to work and live. There are many factors which can contribute to the large world migration including economic and political reasons, family gathering, natural disasters etc. According to published statistics, it is said by International Organization for migration that the number of migrants from foreign countries around the globe has reached more than 200 million. It is Europe that owned the largest number of migrants since it has already arrived at 70 million. The second are is North America which has more than 45 million migrants and the following that is Asia which holds almost a number of 25 million (Gurak and Fe, 1992)The world migrants have brought about abundant labor resource and stimulated the circulation of goods and services. Therefore, it is the purpose of this paper to conduct the trend of world migration based on migration and development theory so as to provide some insights. The second section of the paper will focus on stating the life story of some migrants in terms of how they work and settle their life in foreign countries. The third part will provide useful recommendations for migration development. The adoption of migration and development theories It can be noted that in analyzing the migration and development there are two general perspectives to be adopted such as Macro theory and Micro theory. In terms of the Macro theory it is also referred to as the push and pull. With regards to push element it initially refers to the motive and stimulus to cause immigration to move from th... ... Zlotnik (eds.), International Migration Systems: A Global Approach. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp. 150-176. Zlotnik, Hania. (1992). "Empirical identification of international migration systems," in Mary Kritz, Lin Lean Lim, and Hania Zlotnik (eds.), International Migration Systems: A Global Approach. Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp. 19-40. Massey, Douglas S., Joaquà ­n Arango, Hugo Graeme, Ali Kouaouci, Adela, Pellegrino, and J. Edward Taylor. (2005). Worlds in Motion: Understanding International Migration at the End of the Millennium. New York: Oxford University Press Ewing, Walter A (2006). Border Insecurity: U.S. Border-Enforcement Policies and National Security, Immigration Policy Center, American Immigration Law Foundation Fell, Peter and Hayes, Debra. (2007). What are they Doing Here? A Critical Guide to Asylum and Immigration, Birmimgham, Venture Press

A Case of Itp Case Study

1. How and where are platelets produced in the body? Platelets are known as thrombocytes and are produced in red bone marrow. They are stimulated when a blood vessel becomes injured and breaks. Platelets are responsible for clotting a vessel to stop the body from losing all of its blood. 2. Describe the role played by platelets in hemostasis. Hemostatis involves constriction of blood vessels, activity of platelets, and activity of blood clotting factors. Platelets work together with other blood proteins to form fibrin.The fibrin forms a net that traps blood cells in order to create a clot. The clotting balanced by the clotting that is stopped when the vessel is healed 3. Define thrombocytopenia and list the more common causes of this condition. Thrombocytopenia is a shortage of thrombocytes which can be caused by many different diseases, such as: leukemia, HIV, myelofibrosis, Gaucher’s disease, or immense blood transfusions. 4. What are the potential consequences of a low plat elet count?Difficulty to cease bleeding is a major consequence. Symptoms such as skin bleeding, petechiae, huge bruises from slight injuries, bleeding gums, blood in stool or urine, and intense menstrual periods are all consequences of having a low platelet count. 5. What drugs have been associated with the development of thrombocytopenia? Heparin, quinidine, quinine, sulfa-containing antibiotics, and some oral drugs for diabetes, rifampin and gold salts are all drugs that are associated with thrombocytopenia. . How is thrombocytopenia treated in individuals diagnosed with the condition? If it is caused by a drug, then discontinued use is recommended. Corticosteroids or intravenous immune globulin can be used to temporarily block the effects that destroy platelets. The spleen can also be surgically removed or the patient can receive plasma transfusions. 7. How might removal of the spleen (splenectomy) result in an increase in the number of circulating platelets?The spleen’s f unction is to remove antibodies. If the spleen is removed, there will not be a production of protective antibodies aimed at the autoantibody and platelets will increase. 8. What is Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)? ITP is a bleeding disorder brought about by thrombocytopenia, but it is not connected with a general disease. Most of the time, it is chronic in adults and acute in children. It results from antibody development aimed at an autoantibody.

Tiffany & Co Marketing Plan

MARKETING PLAN I. Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 A. History of Tiffany & Co†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 II. Current marketing situation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 A. Market overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 i. Market demographics and needs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 ii. Market t rends and target market growth†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 B. SWOT analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 i. Strengths †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 ii. Weaknesses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 iii. Opportunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 12 iv. Threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 C. Competitive and industry analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦14 D. Product overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 17 E. Keys to success and critical issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦20. III. Environmental analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 A. Macroenvironmental factors †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦23 B. Microenvironmental factors †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 24 C. Competitive strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 24 IV. Marketing Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦25 A. Mission†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦25 B. Marketing objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦25 C. Financial objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦26 D. Target market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 27 E. Positioning†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦27 V. Marketing Mix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 28 A. Product †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 28 B. Pricing †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 30 C. Promotion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 D. Channel †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦32 E. Service †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦34 VI. Marketing research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦35 VII. Financials †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦37 A. Sales/revenue forecast†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 37 B. Expense budget†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦39 C. Break-even analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦40 D. Profit and loss analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 41 VIII. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 42 I. Executive summary A. History of the company The 1830s in New York City were a time of dynamic growth, extravagant tastes and golden opportunity for anyone with a little capital and an abundance of imagination. In 1837, New York became the proving ground for twenty-five-year-old Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young, who opened a â€Å"stationery and fancy goods† store with a $1,000 advance from Tiffany's father. On their way to the new emporium at 259 Broadway, fashionable ladies in silks, satins, and beribboned bonnets faced a gauntlet of narrow streets teeming with horses and carriages and the hurly-burly of city life. At Tiffany & Co. they discovered a newly emerging â€Å"American style† that departed from the European design aesthetic, which was rooted in religious and ceremonial patterns and the Victorian era’s mannered opulence. The young entrepreneurs were inspired by the natural world, which they interpreted in exquisite patterns of simplicity, harmony and clarity. These became the hallmarks of Tiffany design, first in silver hollowware and flatware, and later in jewelry. Tiffany first achieved international recognition at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1867. The company was awarded the grand prize for silver craftsmanship, the first time that an American design house had been so honored by a foreign jury. Tiffany was the first American company to employ the 925/1000 standard of silver purity. Largely through the efforts of Charles Lewis Tiffany, this ratio was adopted by the United States Congress as the American sterling silver standard. The silver studio of Tiffany & Co. was the first American school of design and, as one observer remarked, â€Å"a teacher of art progress. Apprentices were encouraged to observe and sketch nature, and to explore the vast collections of sketches and artwork assembled by Edward C. Moore, the head of the studio. By 1870 Tiffany & Co. had become America's premier purveyor of jewels and timepieces as well as luxury table, personal, and household accessories. At the turn of the 20th century the company had more than one thousand employees and branches in London, Paris, and Geneva. In 1878 Tiffany acquired on e of the world's largest and finest fancy yellow diamonds from the Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa. Under the guidance of Tiffany's eminent gemologist, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, the diamond was cut from 287. 42 carats to 128. 54 carats with 82 facets (most brilliant-cut diamonds have only 58), which gave the stone its legendary fire and brilliance. Designated the Tiffany Diamond, the stone became an exemplar of Tiffany craftsmanship. In 1886 Tiffany introduced the engagement ring as we know it today—the Tiffany ® Setting— an innovation that lifts the diamond above the band with six platinum prongs, allowing a more complete return of light from the stone and maximizing its brilliance. Today the Tiffany Setting continues as one of the most popular engagement ring styles and shining symbol of the jeweler’s diamond authority. During New York’s Gilded Age, Tiffany was prospering as never before. At the same time, the world had embarked on the Age of Expositions, the era of show-stopping extravaganzas that took place in the last decades of the 19th century and into the 20th in Paris, Chicago, Buffalo and St. Louis. At every venue, Tiffany won the highest honors and recognition as the undisputed leader in the world of jewels. The company’s exhibit at the 1889 Paris fair was heralded as â€Å"the most extraordinary collection of jewels ever produced by an American jewelry house. † Tiffany produced an equally praiseworthy collection for the 1900 Paris fair, along with magnificent silver pieces based on Native American pottery and basket designs. The unprecedented commendation and number of awards bestowed on the jeweler led to Tiffany’s appointment as Imperial Jeweler and Royal Jeweler to the crowned heads of Europe, as well as the Ottoman Emperor and the Czar and Czarina of Russia. With the death of Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1902, Louis Comfort Tiffany, the founder’s son, became Tiffany’s first Director of Design. An entire floor of Tiffany & Co. was devoted to merchandise crafted in the Tiffany Studios, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s atelier. His position as America’s leading designer was well established by 1882, when President Chester Arthur invited him to redecorate the White House. By 1900 the younger Tiffany was a world leader in the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements. The famed artist created a remarkable range of designs, from technically brilliant leaded lass to colorful Tiffany favrile glass, and enameled and painterly jewels based on American plants and flowers. Throughout the jeweler’s history, the most prominent members of American society were frequent Tiffany customers. Vanderbilts, Astors, Whitneys and Havemeyers, as well as J. P. Morgan, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Paul Mellon, commissioned Tiffany to produce gold and silver services. Admirers of Lillian Russell ordered a sterling silver bicycle. President Lincoln purchased a seed pearl necklace for his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. And a young Franklin Roosevelt purchased a Tiffany engagement ring in 1904. As the twentieth century progressed, Tiffany designs captured the spirit of the times, from the extravagance of the 1920s to the modernism of the 1930s and the aerodynamic age of the 1940s and 1950s. Tiffany china set the stage for White House dinners and Tiffany jewels accented the elegant clothes of the world’s most glamorous women, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Babe Paley and Diana Vreeland. Very often world-renowned jeweler Jean Schlumberger created their jewelry. Hired in 1956 by then Tiffany chairman Walter Hoving, Schlumberger’s lavish, nature-inspired jewels remain the pride of Tiffany & Co. Throughout Tiffany’s history, the United States and foreign governments have called upon the company to create special commissions. Among them are the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military award; and the 1885 redesign of the Great Seal of the United States, which can be seen on official government documents as well as on the one-dollar bill. Business and professional organizations have also called on Tiffany design expertise through Tiffany Business Sales. The most famous of these commissions is the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the National Football League Super Bowl Championship. Tiffany has had the distinction of creating this original and well-known design since the first Super Bowl in 1967. The legendary style of Tiffany design is perhaps best represented by the annual Blue Book Collection, featuring Tiffany’s and the world’s most spectacular and glamorous jewels. Initially published in 1845, the Tiffany Blue Book was the first such catalogue to be distributed in the U. S. Today’s version showcases the elite of diamonds and colored gemstones in custom-designed settings, crafted with time-honored jewelry techniques and inspired by jewels in the Tiffany & Co. Archives. Over the past two centuries, Tiffany has built an international reputation as a premier jeweler and the ultimate source of gifts for life's most cherished occasions. Whether it's a milestone in the life of a company or a family, or an individual's crowning achievement, Tiffany gifts wrapped in the signature Tiffany Blue Box ® symbolize the rich heritage and unparalleled reputation Tiffany & Co. has enjoyed as one of America's great institutions. II. Current marketing situation A. Market overview i. Market demographics and needs Official estimates put the population of Kazakhstan at 15. million as of 1 July 2008, of which 47% is rural and 53% urban population. The 2008 population estimate is 4. 8% higher than the population reported in the last census from January 1999 (slightly less than 15 million). Kazakhstan underwent significant urbanization during the first 50 years of the Soviet era, as the share of rural population declined from more than 90% in the 1920s to less than 50% si nce the 1970s [pic] Next table summarizes information about Kazakhstani market and gives more detailed understanding of current market situation. Year (January)  Ã‚   |Population (‘000)  Ã‚   | |Opportunities |Threats | |Currently isn’t widely presented |Logistics problems | |Integration in lower priced segments |Threat of fakes | | |Luxury niche is under threat of crisis | | |Low brand awareness | | | | Strengths 1. Customer service. Operating by its mission statement to be the world’s most respected retailer, Tiffany focuses heavily on customer service. New employees complete six to eight weeks of training in knowledge, skills, and product training. They must also pass a written test before they are allowed to meet with customers. Once in the field, sales representatives work for two years to complete a rigorous certification process. According to John Peterson, senior vice president of corporate sales, the process helps the company uphold its unique tradi tion and culture. 2. Unique quality. Tiffany also places extreme value on the quality of its products, paying attention to every detail of the Tiffany experience. Charles Lewis Tiffany began this practice with his original selection of the blue color for Tiffany boxes, shopping bags, and catalogs. Tiffany focused on the final, and often neglected, step in brand positioning: giving customers something symbolizing Tiffany quality, commitment, consistency, respect, and reputation long after they have walked out of the store. According to Denise Meyer, creative director of Frenchman Marketing, an advertising agency that specializes in jewelry marketing, â€Å"Tiffany wants you to forget the product and remember where it came from†. 3. Recognition. As one of the world’s most recognizable brand symbols, Tiffany takes all of its blue box’s components, from the quality of the blue paper to the way the ribbon is tied, very seriously. Because the blue box represents the Tiffany experience, the company even sends their employees to a class to perfect the art of tying the white satin ribbon so the box lays flat. According to James Mansur, principal of Mansur Design, a retail branding consultancy in New York, â€Å"[The blue box] represents refinement, luxury, elegance, good taste, quality, and it confers status on both the person who gives it and the person who receives it†. Weaknesses 1. Brand positioning problem Tiffany & co is positioned as luxury brand, for people with high income. However tiffany introduces middle cost items, which is part of company strategy. But people can’t realize that tiffany’s jewellery becomes more affordable and think that starting price for tiffany rings is 3000$, while really it is only 900$. The same positioning problem can occur in Kazakhstan. In order to prevent this company should inform Kazakhstan populating about their prices by means of advertizing, PR and other activities. Opportunities 1. Currently isn’t widely presented All over the Kazakhstan there is only one Tiffany store, located in Almaty. This store is a franchise. Assortment is not great, and silver products care absolutely not presented. Also very poor assortment of yellow gold. . Integration in lower priced segments Tiffany adopts new strategy, in order to attract new customers. Appearance of 100$ and below items in tiffany products lit will attract new customers, for whom brand name is important. So in strong competition with well-known brands like Bvldary, Cartier and Chopard Tiffany offers luxury goods for affordable prices. Threats 1. Logistics problems Tiffany & Co is American company and jewelers should be transported from US. Almaty franchise transports goods from US. However, because of big distance orders may come not in time, or breakage rate may be high. Also during transportation goods may be stolen. 2. Threat of fakes In Kazakhstan patents and copyrights are almost not important, so in case of good promotion and increased brand awareness faces from China could be easily broad to the market and brand reputation will be damaged 3. Luxury niche is under threat of crisis Nowadays financial crisis is on the peak and people suffer from lack of money , so they will rather prefer to save money than to spend them on luxury goods 4. Low brand awareness Besides Tiffany & Co is extremely popular in the west in Kazakhstan brand awareness is very low, and a lot of funds should be spend for advertizing B. Competitive and industry analysis Competitors: Signet Group (SIG) is the world's largest specialty jewelry retailer in terms of sales, with $3. 3 billion of revenue in 2008; the company is based in the United Kingdom and operates 1,959 stores in the U. K. and the U. S. , including Kay Jewelers and Jared The Galleria of Jewelry chains in the United States. Signet Group exceeds Tiffany's in revenu e and size; however the company currently lacks a presence in Asia. Tiffany, on the other hand, is in a good position to take advantage of new wealth developing in Asia due to the fact it already has stores in that region. †¢ Zale (ZLC) specializes in diamond jewelry and operates mostly mall-based stores as well as mall kiosks only in North America. It lacks an international presence, however makes up for it through volume in North America: The company has 2,135 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Both Zale and Tiffany sell low-priced jewelry, but Zale only extends to moderately-priced pieces while Tiffany seeks to maintain a â€Å"high-low† approach by selling $200 pieces next to $50,000 ones. †¢ Blue Nile (NILE) is the largest online-only retailer of certified diamonds and fine jewelry. The company's 2008 sales were much smaller than Tiffany's. The fact that the company sells its goods exclusively online makes it available to a wider audience than Tiffany's, whose goods must be purchased through its own stores. Company |Net Sales (mm) | |Increase in store sales |9-10% | |Increase in Direct Marketing Sales |10% | |Expense growth |13% | |Advertising expense |6% | In terms of financial objectives for the full year 2009, Tiffany &Co are now projecting sales growth of approximately 15% which includes comparable store sales increasing 9-10% in the US and in the high single digits internationally on a constant exchange rate basis. For the fourth quarter, that implies a mid single digit comp increase in the US, strong comp growth in the European and Asia/Pacific regions and a modest increase in total Japan sales. Tiffany now half way through the all important November/December holiday selling season, although the vast majority of sales activity is still ahead of company in the next several weeks. C. Target Markets: 1) Women Aged 34- 54 years old 2). Middle-High income, upper class in KZ –$2000 and more 3). Status-oriented- Business women 4). Discerning customers who appreciate the finer things in life and the emotional pleasure of owning the best there is. ). Women, knowing that mostly men will be making the purchases. Rings start at relativ ely affordable level ($1000) and go up to over a million dollars. It is known that about 39% of sales are outside the United States. There are stores in Brazil, Europe, Australia and Asia. Stores are located in larger cities while the catalog and internet cater to non-urban customers. D. Positioning People who pay much attention to the fashion world may know that Tiffany& Co is one of top three jewelry producers in the world. Among those fashionable and exquisite ornaments, tiffany rings are undoubtedly the one that gains more attention than any other ones. When divided by function and occasion, tiffany rings can be divided into three major categories that are tiffany celebration rings, engagement rings and wedding rings. Each kind of them has its own unique and irreplaceable functions. All the tiffany rings are beautifully crafted pieces of remarkable elegance. Tiffany & Co rings are unequaled in quality, with close attention to detail. I. Marketing Mix A. Product. Tiffany and Co. ’s offerings include diamonds, gemstones, necklaces, pendants, rings, bracelets, charms, brooches and earrings. In addition to the classic items, Tiffany and Co. collection reflects unique items like their elegant decorative keys, jeweled boxes, heart-shaped lockets, letters of the alphabet and crosses. Also for men, Tiffany and Co. has a range of rings, watches, necklaces and money clips. Among those fashionable ornaments, tiffany rings are undoubtedly the one that gains more attention than any other ones. When divided by function and occasion, tiffany rings can be divided into three major categories that are tiffany celebration rings, engagement rings and wedding rings. Each kind of them has its own unique and irreplaceable functions. To take celebration rings as an example, there are so many important occasions and moments in one's life to celebrate. To capture and keep down these rare and important moments and occasions is so important for every person. Therefore, Tiffany celebration rings are just specially designed and prepared for you these people to come. [pic] Tiffany engagement rings are perfect for those young lovers who are to be engaged. Also it will make the whole ceremony full of joy and happiness and give off the flavor of luxuriance and magnificence. [pic]Tiffany wedding rings are the necessity for every bride and groom who are dreaming of a grand and luxurious wedding ceremony. Tiffany wedding rings are particularly distinctive, with designs ranging from classic solitaires to elaborate multi-stone arrangements. Each ring is accompanied by detailed certification as proof of its superior quality. It is true that tiffany rings are perfect for every occasion. It is prized for its quality, sophistication, and beauty. The four Cs of diamond quality have the greatest effect on the stone’s price: Carat: The weight of a diamond is measured in carats. The more carats, the heavier the stone, and the more expensive it is. Color . A diamond’s color grade is a key quality evaluation, but often misleading. This is because the ideal engagement diamond is characterized by a lack of color. Diamonds can be laboratory treated to reduce their color. At the Tiffany Gemological Laboratory, the color of each diamond is determined by comparing it to authenticated â€Å"master diamonds. Clarity: A diamond’s clarity rating has a direct effect on a diamond’s beauty and price. The clearer a diamond is, the more expensive it will be. Cut: The cut and shape of the diamond affects its price depending on the difficulty involved. Emerald and princess cuts are among the least expensive because they follow the crystalline shape of the stone, while heart-shaped, pear, and oval cuts are more expensive. Tiffany diamonds are always cut for beauty, not size. Other Factors in Engagement Ring Cost: Metal: Yellow gold is the most common choice for engagement rings, and it is in the mid-range for prices. Silver is less expensive, while high-grade karats of yellow and white gold are pricier. Platinum, titanium and tungsten are generally more expensive. Design: Simple solitaires are often the least expensive design because they lack elaborate side stones or other embellishments. More intricate rings, such as Celtic patterns, bridal sets, or three stone rings are more costly. B. Pricing. Today, tiffany settings are one of the most popular choices for ring settings. Company offers different ring designs, including channel set bands and minimal setting diamond bands that emphasize the stones.. Three stone engagement rings are increasingly popular, and Tiffany engagement rings often use fancy shapes such as ovals, hearts, pears, and tapered baguettes for exquisite arrangements. Rings | Price ranges | |Sterling silver rings | $100 -$1000 | |Gold rings |$250 – over $ 5000 | |Platinum rings |$250 – over $ 5000 | |One carat diamond ring |$95,00-$35,000 | |White gold rings |$500 –over $5000 | Every ring is unique, each with its own precise gemological cha racteristics, pricing will vary. All rings meet Tiffany’s strict quality requirements and Tiffany engagement ring prices are offered: C. [Promotion. Tiffany & Co periodically conducts product promotional events and regularly advertises, primarily in newspapers and magazines.. In Fiscal 2007, 2006 and 2005, company spent approximately $174 million, $162  million and $137  million, respectively, on worldwide advertising, which includes costs for media, production, catalogs, promotional events and other related items. Public Relations (promotional)  activity is a significant aspect of Registrant’s business. Management believes that Tiffany’s image is enhanced by a program of charity sponsorships, grants and merchandise donations. For example, Tiffany & Co. serves as the Awards Sponsor of the inaugural Pasadena Marathon organization presented by Kaiser Permanente. The organization's mission is to promote an enhanced quality of life for those who work, live, or attend school in the Pasadena area. Thus, company offers financial and logistical support to local civic and charitable agencies. In addition ,in support of its mission to preserve the natural heritage that distinguishes great urban centers, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation announced grants on September 25, 2008 to three organizations—Hermann Park Conservancy in Houston, Parkways Foundation in Chicago, and The Vizcayans in Miami—for the restoration of parks and gardens in their individual cities, totaling $2,750,000. These grants expand the Foundation’s urban parks program that originated with support for New York City’s parks Donations are also made to The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, a private foundation organized to support the charitable organizations with efforts concentrated in environmental conservation and support for the decorative arts. Tiffany also engages in a program of retail promotions and media activities to maintain consumer awareness of the Company and its products. Each year, Tiffany publishes its well-known Blue Book which showcases jewelry and other merchandise. Registrant considers these and other promotional efforts important in maintaining Tiffany’s image. D. Channel of distribution. The Company operates in three segments: Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Americas includes sales in TIFFANY & CO. stores in the United States, Canada and Latin/South America. Tiffany distributes a selection of its products in the United States and Canada through its Websites at www. tiffany. com and www. tiffany. ca. Tiffany also distributes catalogs of selected merchandise to its list of customers in the United States and to mailing lists rented from third parties. In addition, Business account holders may make gift purchases through the Company’s website at http://business. tiffany. com . Price allowances are given to eligible business account holders for certain purchases on the Tiffany for Business website. Moreover, products and services are marketed through a sales organization, through advertising in newspapers and business periodicals and through the publication of special catalogs. The retail sales in Asia-Pacific region consists of sales transacted in TIFFANY & CO. locations in Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, Macau and Malaysia. The Company does business in Japan through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tiffany & Co. Japan, Inc. The Company offers a selection of TIFFANY & CO. erchandise for purchase in Japan and Australia through its Websites at www. tiffany. co. jp and www. tiffany. com/au. Selected TIFFANY & CO. merchandise is sold to independent distributors for resale in Asia-Pacific markets, predom inantly in the Middle Eastern region. As for Europe , retail sales consists of sales transacted in TIFFANY & CO. stores in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain and Ireland. The Company offers a selection of TIFFANY & CO. merchandise for purchase in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland through its Website at www. tiffany. com/uk International Retail The following tables set locations operated by Tiffany & Co | | | |  | |Europe |  |  |   |  | |   | |Austria: Vienna |  | |Italy: Milan |  |  | |France: Paris, Galeries Lafayette |  |  |Italy: Rome |  | | |France: Paris, Printemps Department Store |  |  |Switzerland: Zurich |  | | |France: Paris, Rue de la Paix |  |  |United Kingdom: London, Harrods |  | | |Germany: Frankfurt   |  |United Kingdom: London, Old Bond Street |  | | |Germany: Hamburg |  |  |United Kingdom: London, Royal Exchange |  | | |Germany: Munich |  |  |United Kingd om: London, Selfridges |  | | |Italy: Bologna |  |  |United Kingdom: London, Sloane Street |  | | |Italy: Florence |  |  | | | | |   | | | | | |  | |Canada and Central/South America |  |  |   |  | |   | |Canada: Toronto |  |  |Mexico: Mexico City, Palacio Store, Perisur |  | |Canada: Vancouver |  |  |Mexico: Mexico City, Palacio Store, Polanco |  | |Brazil: Sao Paulo, Jardins |  |  |Mexico: Monterrey, Palacio Store |  | |Brazil: Sao Paulo, Iguatemi Shopping Center |  |  |Mexico: Puebla, Palacio Store |  | |Mexico: Mexico City, Masaryk |  |  |Mexico: Santa Fe | | Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan |   |  |  | |Australia: Brisbane |  |  | |Australia: Melbourne |  |  | |Australia: Sydney |  |  | |China: Beijing, The Peninsula Palace Hotel |  |  | |China: Beijing, Oriental Plaza   |  | |China: Shanghai, Jiu Guang City Plaza |  |  | |China: Shanghai, Plaza 66 |  |  | |China: Tianjin |  |  | |Hon g Kong: Elements |  |  | |Hong Kong: Hong Kong International Airport |  |  | |Hong Kong: International Finance Center |  |  | |Hong Kong: The Landmark Center |  |  | |Hong Kong: Pacific Place |  |  | |Hong Kong: The Peninsula Hotel |  |  | |Hong Kong: Sogo Department Store |  |  | |Korea: Busan, Lotte Department Store |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Galleria Luxury Hall East Dept. Store |  |  | |   |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Hyundai Department Store |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Hyundai Coex Department Store |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Lotte Downtown Department Store |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Lotte World |  |  | |Korea: Seoul, Shinsegae Main |  |  | |Macau: The Venetian Resort |  |  | |Macau: Wynn Resort |  |  | |Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, KLCC |  |  | |Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Pavillion |  |  | |Singapore: Changi Airport |  |  | |Singapore: Ngee Ann City |  |  | |Singapore: Raffles Hotel |  |  | |Taiwan: Kaohsiung, Hanshin Department Store |  |  | |Taiwan: Taichung, Sogo Department Store |  |  | |Taiwan: Taipei, The Regent Hotel |  |  | |Taiwan: Taipei, Sogo Department Store |  |  | |Taiwan: Taipei, Taipei Financial Center | | | E. Service [pic] Customer service is a company's most effective tool, therefore, they strive to keep customers happy. Tiffany representatives are available for telephone and email support twenty-four hours a day. There are numerous informative FAQs and articles on their website. Email customer service. Any customer who has question or assistance can complete the special form. They can find this form in the web site of company. Jewelry care. Professional cleanings are recommended as often as once a year. For this reason company encourage customers to bring their Tiffany & Co. jewelry back to us for professional servicing. Company staff is knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of jewelry care: cleaning gemstones, restringing pearls and repairing clasps and earring backs. Due to the fact that our items are bought over the Internet, cannot be tried on ahead of time and are bought site unseen, company have developed the following return and exchange policy for customer service purposes. For Returns: All returns must be postmarked within 7 days of delivery and must be in resalable conditions. Buyer is responsible for the shipping charges to return. The $9. 99 shipping fee and a 15% restocking fee will be deducted from the refund amount For Exchanges: Exchanges are only allowed for the items which are defective or damaged upon receipt or the items do not fit and are not subject to a restocking fee. Items must be returned within 15 days of delivery and the customer is responsible for shipping charges to return. All items can only exchange for equal price replacement Tiffany also arranges to have items resized. All purchases through Tiffany& Co. s website include a 30 day, full refund, satisfaction guarantee. II. Marketing Research Going into Kazakhstany market is a market development for company Tiffany, so managers of Tiffany need information in order to introduce products and services that create value in the mind of the customer. But the perception of value is a subjective one, and what customers value this year may be quite different from what they value next year. As such, the attributes that create value cannot simply be deducted from common knowledge. Rather, data must be collected and analyzed. The goal of marketing research is to provide the facts and direction that managers need to make their more important marketing decisions. In order to screen the market, our group made a standard test research, we created the questionnaire, that helps to identify if the population of Kazakhstan is ready to buy Tiffany products, sum of money, that people want to pay and finally the product mix, that will be appropriate in this country. The questionnaire has the following form: ? ! 1. . ( ) 2. ?) 18-24 b) 25-32 ?) 33-39 d) 40-46 e) 46 3. : ?) $1000 b) $1000 $2,500 ?) $2,500 ? 4. ? Tiffany? . , 5. ? 6. ?) $100-$250 b) $250-$500 ?) $1,000-$5,000 d) ? 7. - . , , 8. Tiffany? , , 9. a) ? b) ? c) ? d) ? 10. Tiffany? ?) b) c) ? 11. Tiffany? a) , b) , c) d) , ? , ! Our group made a research, 50 random respondents have answered questionnaire, and after the survey we received following results: 27% of respondents doesn’t know anything about Tiffany 48% are ready to buy Tiffany products, bu t have never done it before 18% know about Tiffany and already have use its production % are not interested in Tiffany products III. Financials A. Sales/revenue forecast(s): By territory: |   |  |Years Ended January  31, |  | |(in thousands) |  | |   | | |Net sales: |  |   | |   |  |   | |   |  |$ | By Products:    |  |   |  | |(in thousands) |  | |   | | |Net sales: |  |   | |   |  |   | |   |  |$ |  | | | | |2| | | | |,| | | | |8| | | | |5| | | | 9| | | | |,| | | | |9| | | | |9| | | | |7| |(in thousands) |  | |   | | |Expenses: |   |   |  |  |  | |   |   | | |(in thousands, except per share amounts) | |   | | |Net sales |   |$ | |   |   |   | |   |   |   | |   |   |   | |   |   |   | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Net Income |   |$ |220,022 |   |   |$ |323,478 |   |   |$ |272,897 |   |   |   | | References: 1. Kotler P. (2003) Marketing Management. 11th edition. New Jersey, Pearson education Inc. 2. www. Gazeta. kz, (02. 01. 09),  «  ». [Online]. Available from: http://www. gazeta. kz/art. asp? aid=124611 [Accessed June 21  209] 3. , (03. 02. 09),  «  ». [Online] Available from: http://www. rosbalt. u/2009/02/03/614987. html [Accessed June 21 2009] 4. Tiffany , â€Å"Shareholder information† [Online] Available from: http://investor. tiffany. com/faq. cfm? SH_No_JavaScript=yes [Accessed June 21 2009] 5. www. Murman. ru,(05. 02. 09)  «  » [Online] Available from: http://business. murman. ru/research/33/473/? id=108 [Accessed June 21 2009] 6. Export. by,  «  », [Online] Available from: http://export. by/? act=s_docs=view=1615=by_country=58=archive=64 [Accessed June 21 2009] 7. http://www. tiffanyandcofoundation. org/news/article/08%20Urban%20Parks%20Program. spx – Tiffany & CO foundation 8. http://sec. edgar-online. com/tiffany œco/10-k-annual-report/2006/03/31/Section3. aspx -Annual report of Tiffany & Co 9. http://www. tiffany. com/ – the main website 10. http://online-jewelry-review. toptenreviews. com/tiffany-amp-co-review. html – Online Jewelry Review ———————– [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] World Wide Scale Increase the number of loyal users Attract new customers Different loyalty programs Make the products more affordable The price range starts from $100 Discounts, Coupons Tiffany’s lamp Charles Lewis Tiffany First Tiffany Store Tiffany Store in Tokio Wedding Rings Bvlgari rings Cartier rings

Christ in the Workplaces Essays

Christ in the Workplaces Essays Christ in the Workplaces Paper Christ in the Workplaces Paper While reading this book, I became keenly aware as a Christian of my role for Christ in the workplace. I had not addressed the issue of what I as a Christian could do in the workplace except share my beliefs with others when the occassion availed itself. In a way I believe I have been doing what the authors have suggested, sharing Christ with my coworkers. On the other hand, I do not think that I have taken it to the depth or with the conviction and missionlike attitudes ascribed by the authors. By that I mean I have always realized that there is a definite difference between how people act and react at work and how they act and react in church or at Christian functions and how some of those same people compromise their beliefs at work. I never fully understood how I as a Christian could make a religious difference in my coworkers lives by how I treated my work. Doug Sherman and William Hendricks touch on this ideal in the first section of their book Your Work Matters to God. The first section titled, How Christians View Work taught me first, that what I was observing and feeling was not unique. The fact that many people compromise their Christian beliefs or have no Christian beliefs at all in the workforce is saddening. What is even more saddening is the fact that many people are working and feeling that God does not acknowledge, appreciate or feel that their work is even worth the effort. Also, many are working for reasons that are not biblical, even though they profess to be Christians. I agree with the authors that in todays workplaces, some people have chosen to keep Christ out of the workplace while communing with Him in a church setting. The authors describe this action as the Christian shuttling between two disparate worlds.(p. 21) Doing so can cause tension for the Christian worker. Another avenue some Christians have taken in regard to their work is that their work is not as important as their religious work or spiritual issues. These are people who unlike the first group do not waffle between secular and sacred, but hold the sacred far above the secular or work world. According to Sherman and Hendricks, this attitude can leave people with the feeling that their work has no value in regards to what their religious life can offer. Considering that an abundant amount of a persons time is spent at work, these people in turn feel that they have no value to God and that in terms of work God considers them second class citizens. A third issue deals with a person placing all their value on their work and none on religion. They have not come to the realization that because they spend most of their time at work, that their religion should also be an intricate part of that world and that their work actually matters to God. All three of these views can be observed in the workplace at one time or another among Christians. I agree with the authors on all three of these points and how they affect the Christian in the workplace, because having worked in the corporate world and having had the opportunity to try and share Christ with others, as well as deal with issues of how and if my work matters to Christ, I have observed all three of these circumstances. The fact of the matter is though, I had never placed much thought of what if anything I could do to help my fellow coworkers relate Christ into their work and the importance of their work to Christ. Truth be told, until I read this book, I was not sure how important my own work was to Christ. My mission had been one of trying to get people to accept Christ as Savior, but I had not shown them, nor really was I aware of how to show them how once Christ came into their lives, how He wanted to become an intricate part of every aspect of it including their work. This book has offered a new found freedom of what my work actually does in terms of helping people and how God views my work. I work for a company that deals with behavior management for people with a variety of developmental disabilities as well as mental health and substance abuse issues. Part of my job as director of this program, is to insure that these people are matched up with the right technician to help them achieve a set of predetermined therapeutic goals. I also have to oversee opportunities for new clients and new personnel to work with these clients. My job entails having a good report with persons at the county mental health department as well as answering to the CEO. Wearing that many hats is a task especially when having to deal with so many different personalities. Not only do I have people who are accountable to me, but I am accountable to my CEO not only for what I do, but for those whom I supervise. I am accountable and hold accountable those who work at the Mental Health center as well. In all, until reading this book, I had issues with the importance God placed on what I do. I know that the field I am in helps people to become more independent emotionally and psychologically, but I could not see where I ultimately did anything that mattered to God. Now I understand that through my role in the company, I ensure that the consumer gets quality healthcare with a technician that they are best suited with, who has that consumers best interest in getting them better or at least better than they have been. I in turn am helping that consumers family to have a better quality of life with their family member. I am helping the CEO of the company to do the same thing as well as help the company make a profit by securing more business through the Mental Health Department and retaining consumers through quality care. I am helping the technician help others along with helping them to provide for their familys needs and I am helping the community as a whole by providing a service for persons that the mainstream world has virtually decided needs to be put away. Before, I always thought of myself as someone who went to work did my job and went home to my family. I knew that I helped people, but never knew how God felt about my work. After reading this book, especially the section on How God Views Work, I have a better understanding of how God perceives the work we do. When I read about creation in Genesis, (what Christian hasnt?), it was like reading it again for the first time. When I relate the story of creation to work, I see now that God planned it in the beginning for work to be a good and profitable venture. By allowing Adam and Eve to be the overseers of all of His creation firstly showed how much love he had for us and secondly demonstrated how much he trusted us. He did not lock up or secure the tree of good and evil, he just gave us instructions not to eat of its fruit. Again, God is showing us that he trusts us and he allows us to work unsupervised. A good point that Sherman and Hendricks make in regard to how God views work is how they parallel the fact that not only is God a workercreating the heavens and the earth and all the things in it, but that he allows us to who were created in His image to be his coworkers and offers us reward for our work. (p. 81-82). The idea that God worked should show us that he values work. This is a point the authors provide, and I agree with their point. (p.77-81). They do however touch on the point that there is legitimate work. This reiterates what I stated at the beginning of this text in terms of how good, Christian people sometimes compromise their Christianity at work. Sometimes they work in ventures that are not completely wholesome nor purposeful to Gods will or plan. They lie, cheat, steal or devise machinations at work that they would never contemplate at church or around a group of Christians. These types generally fall into the group who waffle between secular and sacred. Who do not have the understanding that their work matters to God and that they need to incorporate biblical principles into their work and stop grieving the Spirit as it were. They are not only letting God down, they are raising questions to whether they are true Christians, and they are also causing missed opportunities to be taken seriously as a Christian to non-Christians and win them over to Christ. I like the idea of the business model in the section on What Difference Does It Make .(p.122-124) This model really struck home with me and aided me in my realization as to how my work mattered to God. As I previously stated, in my job, I deal with clients/consumers (customers), technicians (employees) and my CEO (employer). Using this model helps me to understand the role I play and the role that those around me play in providing a service to our consumers. The example of the CHAMPUS claims processor clearly illustrates how we as Gods coworkers serve the needs of others. Showing how we can treat each situation or person whom we encounter as if God were there treating that situation or person shows us that doing the best work we can and in doing so, we are working for Gods cause and showing ourselves that our work really does matter to God. Along with knowing that our work matters to God, I have found through reading this book that we have certain responsibilities in how we work. Sherman and Hendricks describe it as our workstyle (p.124-127). They convey the idea that our characterthe way we behave,our workstyleour performance or how we do the work we do,and how we relate to authority all determine how we do our work for God in the workplace. Coupled with that, we need to know Gods will in determining the right career for ourselves. Noted as guides for finding Gods will, the authors cite that we should first know the scriptures, then use wisdom and examine Gods design (p. 133-135). Knowing this information has helped me to better understand what I need to do to work more effectively for God in the workplace. It offers me the opportunity of knowing that my work has meaning to God and equips me with the guidelines to make sound choices on my future career decisions. As far as how this book has impacted how I would counsel clients with career problems, is easy enough to answer. I would have to without a doubt recommend this book to them. I would also utilize the tools recommended in this book especially using small groups to review case studies and provide biblical passages to relate how these situations relate to God and our work along with how we can use these passages to bring others to Christ through showing how important their work is to Him (p. 257-260). Having the tools and the resources provided in this book, would allow me to show potential counseling clients with career problems that not only do they need to evaluate their career choices, but that they can be equipped to make this choice knowing that their work matters to God, that they are responsible for the choices they make in the workplace based on biblical principles and that by putting together a career manifesto,they will have a sense of purpose and direction as they search for the job they are most suitable for. This book has been an eye opener for me and I honestly could not find anything that I disagreed with. Believe me I tried. The truth of the matter is though, when you apply your work and all the other aspects of your life to serving God and discovering His will for you in each of these aspects, you find that there is a sense of peace that surpasses mans finite mind of comprehension.

Obsessive and ill-developed Essay Example

Obsessive and ill Obsessive and ill-developed Essay Obsessive and ill-developed Essay On one hand, by allowing Sneerwell this opinion, Sheridan might be discrediting it. On the other, he was directly opposed to the sentimental comedies of the time, those lacking malice, perhaps suggesting it is an opinion he holds. It is interesting to note the phrase little ill nature almost juxtaposed with the negativity viewed in the cast. The opposing opinion is offered by the heroine, Maria, wit loses its respect with me when I see it in company with malice. However, she is a minor character, lacking in personality, and it is questionable that Sheridan would align his opinions with hers. After all, she is the only character lacking in malice, yet she also completely lacks wit.Pope, on the other hand, appears capable of creating wit almost lacking in malice. Fate urgd the sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain, (But airy substance soon unites again) The use of the mock epic technique elevates the incidence and offers it an importance which the event does not deserve. This creates wit in the over dramatic nature of the language. However, it might be considered that Pope is malicious in his trivialising of what, to Arabella Fermor, was a serious issue, one from which her reputation never fully recovered (she died a spinster). By contrasting major incidence with trivial ones, Pope continues to mock the petty feminine concerns, When husbands or when lapdogs breathe their last.Or when rich China vessels falln from high, In glittring dust, and painted fragments lie! Yet, again the language feels anti-femine and almost misogynistic, the female concerns are not allowed to be take n seriously in the text and little context is offered to suggest why these things are so important to women. Yet, there do appear to be cases of Pope mocking the male mentality. The baron is viewed as obsessive and ill-developed.For example As long as Atalantis shall be read so long by honour, name and praise shall live! mirrors Shakespeares sonnet 18. This mirroring is replicated in canto 5 of the poem, when after millions slain, yourself shall die; when those fair suns shall set, as set they must, And all those tresses shall be laid in dust; This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to fame, And midst the stars inscribe Belindas name. The mirroring of Shakespeare follows his mock epic technique of mirroring great works of literature, furthermore, by comparing the trivial act of cutting hair with Shakespeares great work, Pope highlights the ridiculous notion that cutting hair will grant the Barons name immortality. The Baron is made out to be self-absorbed and ignorant, hardly a good quality. Yet the text remains witty and not malicious.One clear difference between the two texts, and perhaps wit and malice, comes in the opening. Whist Pope talks to, and involves, the audience, What mighty contests rise from trivial things,, Sheridan directly, and openly, attacks their society, A school for scandal! Tell me, I beseech you, Needs there a school this modish art to teach you? This appears to highlight the difference of subtlety, whilst both writers attempt to mock the society they view around them, Sheridan is far more open and blatant in his goings. In the opening lines he mocks fashion modish art and the relationship that women hold with each other a school for scandal! Pope, in contrast, appeals to the intelligence of his audience to notice the trivial things that society makes seem important.It is highly difficult to find a passage in either text which is purely malice and not at all witty. This might suggest that malice is always witty, though wit is not always malicious. Wit in the absence of malice appears to be cleverer and more subtle, this is a clear difference between the two texts.

3 Types of Errors Involving the Correlative Conjunction Either

3 Types of Errors Involving the Correlative Conjunction Either 3 Types of Errors Involving the Correlative Conjunction â€Å"Either† 3 Types of Errors Involving the Correlative Conjunction â€Å"Either† By Mark Nichol When either and or are employed in a sentence to frame two alternatives, the correlative conjunction either is often misplaced, usually rendering the sentence more or less comprehensible but potentially introducing confusion. For each of the examples below, a discussion explains the problem, and a revision provides a solution. 1. She’s either criticized for being too fat or too thin. In this type of sentence, placing either before a verb that precedes two alternatives implies that the verb applies only to the first alternative and that a corresponding verb will appear before the second one, but that does not occur. To render such a sentence correctly, relocate the correlative conjunction to follow the verb, so that both alternatives can share it: â€Å"She’s criticized for being either too fat or too thin.† 2. Teachers would either be paid extra to supervise the sessions, or nonteaching staff would be employed.† This sentence does not pertain to two choices involving teachers, so the conjunction must precede, rather than follow, the subject so that it applies to the first alternative and or introduces the second one: â€Å"Either teachers would be paid extra to supervise the sessions, or nonteaching staff would be employed.† 3. We have seen many firms in which the manager reported either to the general counsel or a business leader. In this case, the sentence would be correct only if a complementary to preceded the phrase â€Å"a business leader.† Otherwise, transpose either and to so that the alternative phrases can share the single instance of to: â€Å"We have seen many firms in which the manager reported to either the general counsel or a business leader.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Farther vs. FurtherTime Words: Era, Epoch, and EonPeople vs. Persons

Consumer Behaviour Business Degree with Marketing Assignment

Consumer Behaviour Business Degree with Marketing - Assignment Example Marketers need to know what their customers need and want and they also need to know how their customers make decisions about buying and using products. As such, this report for Starbuck’s senior executives seeks to explore different factors that influence the behaviour of different customers towards a particular product or service. The report is divided into two parts and the first part is mainly concerned with establishing the extent to which motivation and the benefits sought by the customers go hand in hand towards the satisfaction of the needs of the targeted consumers. The second part seeks to establish the significance of understanding the family life-cycle and family decision making in order to make the organisation to be in a position to market their products and services more successfully. The report will also focus on how the marketers can focus on different factors which influence customer behaviour in order to positively change it through the effective use of diff erent elements of the marketing mix. Recommendations will be given in both cases. 1. Motivation of the customers is mainly influenced by their behaviour hence it is imperative for the marketers at Starbuck’s to first establish the behaviour of their consumers in order to be better positioned to satisfy their needs. Hawkins et al (1998, p.7) define customer behaviour as â€Å"the study of individuals, groups, or organisations and processes they use to select, secure, use and dispose of products, services, experiences or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts these processes have on consumer and society.† This definition implies that there are indirect influences on consumer decisions. As such, any profit oriented organisation must satisfy the needs and wants of the customers. The realisation that long term survival of companies is only possible if customer satisfaction has been achieved has led the companies and their employees to motivate the customers towards their pr oducts. In their quest to satisfy their needs, customers also seek to derive benefits from consumption of particular products hence the attempt to satisfy these benefits by the marketers goes hand in hand with the concept of motivation. To understand motivation is to understand why customers do what they do. The philosophy of marketing rests on the premise that customers’ needs are the starting point from which all other activities can be planned (Cant, 2002). However, there is need to take a motivational approach to establish the needs of the customers which influences their buying behaviour. Basically, motivation occurs when a need is aroused that the customer wants to satisfy. A need refers to something physical or psychological that the body must have to function and develop (Cant, 2002). As such, motivation is the driving force within the individuals that drives them to act in a particular way. According to Kotler & Armstrong (2004), a motivated person is ready to act an d he is influenced by his or her own perceptions of the situation. People have different perceptions of the same stimulus and when they act, they learn something new. In the process, they acquire beliefs and attitudes that will shape their behaviour if they are satisfied that they will derive benefits f

The technology of ultra thin televisions Research Paper

The technology of ultra thin televisions - Research Paper Example The main reason behind this transition is the fact that all of the competing electronics companies are struggling to provide the best HD experience to their customers, and this competitiveness has led to a great deal of innovation. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TV's have set the standard for the technology to evolve and conform to consumer tastes. Most television manufacturers only concentrate on this technology and strive to make it even better. LED (Light Emitting Diode) TV's are gaining popularity over the conventional CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Light) LCD's. The LED-LCD Technology uses LED lights to enhance picture quality such as brightness and contrast, despite keeping the TV extremely thin, i.e. less than 0.9 inches (Bartels). Background Information The Television we have in our homes today has come a long way. From a gigantic box to a delicate wall-hanging devise, the struggle has been long and laborious. A chronological study of how TVs have evolved provides us with a bet ter understanding of the evolution of their technology2. At the beginning of TV technology, a debate lingered over whether electronic television systems worked better than mechanical systems. However, with research it was decided that electronic TV provided better results than mechanic. Electronic television is based on the technology of the cathode ray tube, which is the picture tube that is found in modern TV sets. German scientist Karl Braun was the one who invented the cathode ray tube oscilloscope in 1897 (Bellis). The very first prototype for plasma display TV was invented in 1964 by Donald Blitzer, Gene Slottow, and Robert Wilson. In 1996 the world was introduced for the first time to the Light Emitting Polymer devices and in 1997 a flexible flat panel display was also created. In October 2007 Sony Electronics launched the XEL-1, the first ever OLED TV (11inches). Although the prototypes of color flexible displays and ultra thin televisions are demonstrated by several compani es throughout the world, the television of today is still evolving. Applications The most remarkable benefit of a flat screen set is its lightness and portability. A flat screen TV is extremely compact and it is convenient to move it anywhere in the house. It gives us a large number of options for placing it at around as it is light enough to be mounted from the ceiling, or to be hung on a wall. The flat-screen ultra thin televisions also come in a wide variety of sizes. The biggest size mostly manufactured for the set is 84 inches. Other, more common models go from 20 up to 42 inches, and within this range the most popular sizes are the 26-, 32- and 42-inch sets. The smallest plasma set on the market is 42 inches. A very important benefit of thin LCD screens is that they can serve as monitors for personal computers, aside from functioning as a TV at home. Plasma sets also offer the best quality in video. They are great for watching high definition programming, offering incredible d etail and color. Both types of sets have a lifespan of at least 30,000 hours, which equals about 15 years.3 Plasma sets are consistent when it comes to video display, while LCDs are a bit unreliable in terms of transmitting satellite and cable programming. Another very important be

Paragraph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Paragraph - Essay Example Best Buy’s trip to Memphis encourages racial diversity among managers and employees through immersion, encouraging them to observe the strengths and weaknesses of other managers and employees that they could use to improve their own services. Learning from a wider variety of racial mixture gives managers the chance to widen their scope of observation as well especially when it comes to preferences, attitudes and customer service desired. Seeing other people do their responsibilities in a setting where racial and gender diversity is encouraged will also benefits the managers and employees by letting them see that there is no harm in showing their true natures. That, they do not have to pretend to be somebody they are not only to impress other people, which could be limiting their ability to perform well in their workplace. Diversity also encourages people to work together in unity regardless of gender and race. This eventually promotes a safer and more comfortable atmosphere fo r customers. Such a welcoming mood increases customers visiting the place which would mean higher sales and therefore, higher bottom lines.

Financial Statement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Assignment Example The financial position and performance of a company can be analyzed with the help of different tools available. However, for the relative performance analysis, common size analysis as well as the traditional ratio analysis is the most effective tools such that they provide a same yardstick to compare the performance of two or more companies over several periods. This particular report emphasizes the performance of Kellogg Co. and Kraft Foods on the basis of common sized analysis and the traditional ratio analysis. Kraft Food Company is one of the world’s largest food companies. In 2011, the estimated revenue of the company is approximated as $54.4 billion whereas the earnings of the company before taxes are amounted as $4.8 billion. Kraft Food incorporated in Virginia in 2000. They have around 126,000 employees all over the world. The company manufactures and markets products related to food which includes confectionery, biscuits, cheese, beverages, packaged grocery, convenient meals etc. The company sells its products to its customers in over 170 different countries. At the end of 2011, the company reported gross assets of $93.8 billion and net assets of $35.5 billion. Kraft Food Company is a member of Standards and Poor 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, Ethibel Sustainability Index and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2011, the company’s portfolio included 12 brands. All these 12 brands reported revenues of $1 billion each. The most renowned brands of the company included Oreo, Mila and Cadbury Chocolates, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Nabisco, Maxwell House Coffees, Trident gum, Kraft cheese, dressings and dinners, Tang powdered beverage, LU biscuits and Oscar Mayor Meats. The brand portfolio of the company included around 80 brands which generate revenues exceeding $100 million each year. Kellogg Company was founded in 1906. Its subsidiary companies are engaged in marketing and manufacturing convenience and ready to eat food. The major

Improving the team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improving the team - Essay Example Openness was a positive ambiance in the team but the same freedom was taken for granted and the members forgot to empathize with John and Shaun. All the responsibility was overburdened to John and Shaun and it made them weak emotionally and physically. Shaun was yelling and John was cursing himself for what was happening to him which is a perfect reflection of the ineffective team. Shaun could not handle the situation in an emotionally balanced manner and his approach was not constructive. Mutual help was missing among them and frequent discussions on the difficulties they face did not happen. On the whole the team spirit was missing which let the team down. 1) Every team member must be aware of the What is in it factor. Each of them must know their goals and what is the personal benefit they get out of the project. Once this awareness exists, eventually this motivates the team and the team members will show a sense of belongingness and accountability. 2) Instead of forcing responsibilities to members, self delegation is a better approach which makes them accountable. Conduct meetings and ask team members to volunteer to take responsibilities. Ensure that a leader is declared in the same meeting. 3) Organize team meetings frequently and get to discuss problems that the members of the team face. Invite solutions and suggestions from every team member. Appreciate the team members for their smallest

Hershey's Sweet Mission Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hershey's Sweet Mission - Personal Statement Example This paper tells that active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. Workers that are active listeners are able to communicate better with their colleagues. The new appraisal system must identify traits that are important in the performance of a particular employee. The company will monitor other personality traits of the employee that can impact performance. Diversity can be spread further into a corporate culture giving minority jobs in which they have to perform a supervisory role. Diversity in team activities has the benefit of fostering creativity among team members. Creativity helps workers provide better ideas and alternative solutions. As a Hershey, employee my perspective and motivation would be to comply with the vision and mission of the company. The first value that I would apply in my everyday interactions with my co-workers is teamwork. â€Å"Teamwork occurs when group members work together in ways that utili ze their skill well to accomplish a purpose†. In the corporate environment of the 21st-century, teamwork has become a critical success factor for corporations. Teamwork can help Hershey create an environment of trust and mutual respect. My mentality as a Hershey employee would be to cooperate with my colleagues at all times. Teamwork and cooperation are two desirable work outcomes. I would maintain good communication with my supervisors and with the other employees of the company. The employees of Hershey represent the corporate image of the company. It is important for them to behave properly with the utmost moral values during both their work and personal time. A second trend that is going to impact human resource professionals in the future is an increased dependency on technological tools. One of the HR practices gaining popularity in the work environment of the 21st century is empowerment. â€Å"Empowerment is increasing in popularity because it helps firms reduce their administrative expenses† (Worldbank, 2011). The employees at Hershey would benefit from empowerment because more responsibility will be given to them. The moral of the workers also improves due to the use of empowerment. Hershey is an enterprise with a global workforce. The use of empowerment can help streamline the work and reduce beaurocracy. The motivation of the employees also increases as a consequence of the use of empowerment. Giving greater responsibility to the employees of Hershey should provide valuable work experience to the workers. Empowerment is also beneficial to a company because it frees up a lot of managerial time that can be used in more productive practices such as strategic planning. The use of empowerment also increases employee satisfaction. Employees that are happy at work produce at a higher level. The use of mentoring is an HR practice that can benefit Hershey in a variety of manners. The mentoring relationship is composed of a mentor and a protege. The protege receives training and knowledge from the mentor. The training the mentor provides will help the protege achieve his daily activities for the company. Mentorship is an efficient and cost-effective way to help in the developmental process of an employee. One of the drawbacks of using mentorship to develop the skills and abilities of employees is that the technique is limited to the amount of managerial time at disposal.  

Improving the team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improving the team - Essay Example Openness was a positive ambiance in the team but the same freedom was taken for granted and the members forgot to empathize with John and Shaun. All the responsibility was overburdened to John and Shaun and it made them weak emotionally and physically. Shaun was yelling and John was cursing himself for what was happening to him which is a perfect reflection of the ineffective team. Shaun could not handle the situation in an emotionally balanced manner and his approach was not constructive. Mutual help was missing among them and frequent discussions on the difficulties they face did not happen. On the whole the team spirit was missing which let the team down. 1) Every team member must be aware of the What is in it factor. Each of them must know their goals and what is the personal benefit they get out of the project. Once this awareness exists, eventually this motivates the team and the team members will show a sense of belongingness and accountability. 2) Instead of forcing responsibilities to members, self delegation is a better approach which makes them accountable. Conduct meetings and ask team members to volunteer to take responsibilities. Ensure that a leader is declared in the same meeting. 3) Organize team meetings frequently and get to discuss problems that the members of the team face. Invite solutions and suggestions from every team member. Appreciate the team members for their smallest

Scholarly Paper on Adult Learning Theory Research

Scholarly on Adult Learning Theory - Research Paper Example It contrasts to this, it is being further noted that with the growing age people are likely to face problems associated with neuroscientific perspective. In addition, this particular perspective also affects the behavior of the adults and is further associated with functioning of the brain. This in turn also signifies a similar kind of fact that reveals the existence of difference in learning at different stage of adulthood respectively. From this study, the major problem identified is that the difference in culture is another vital factor that is likely to influence the learning environment as well as behaviour of the adults (Knowles, 2012; Vygotsky, n.d.). In this regard, the primary purpose of the paper is to evaluate the theories associated with adult learning and further analyze the impact of the cultural factor on the learning environment of the adults.DiscussionThe key points highlighted in the introduction section respectively are associated with the adult learning theory and environment. The theory proposed by Malcolm Knowles states different assumption related to adult learning. From the concerned theory, it has been evaluated that learning environment within the classroom is the most vital factor that is likely to influence the behavior of the adults in a particular stage respectively. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the interest, as well as needs of the adult learners, is another crucial factor that is likely to influence the overall learning process respectively. Â  

Dissertation Quality Essay Example for Free

Dissertation Quality Essay After perusing the reports on standards for different types of research, it appears that my particular dissertation should more or less be held to the highest possible standards, given the circumstances under which my research will be undertaken. The standards for quality that have been cited by the varying types of review boards have certain criteria that they share. Review boards vary mainly in the type of use that they make of the research that is submitted to them, and a large part of this variance is concerned with the availability of funds. Certain boards; like the National Science Board (NSB), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH); award sizable grants for particular research and therefore seem to have a higher degree of selectivity at the proposal level. In such a scenario, the greater part of the proposals submitted fail to be supported by these institutions and are (by default) considered of lower quality. Universities, on the other hand, are under much less of an obligation to fund dissertations and also have a more vested interest in improving the quality of proposals and dissertations submitted to their committees. Differences exist therefore because of the type of examining board to which research will be submitted. However, despite these differences, it has been found that the criteria for excellence that act as a benchmark for quality dissertations do possess similarities to those required by the various other types of research. Still, the methods of evaluation have also been found to emphasize certain criteria while de-emphasizing others. Though quality dissertations like mine usually end up being significantly longer, they are themselves generally structured in a manner similar to peer-reviewed journal articles. These products of research are expected to provide detailed explanation of the author’s thoughts and actions concerning the research from the moment of its conception through its implementation and analysis (NIH, 2001; NSB NSF, 1996; Straub, Ang Evaristo, 1994). Quality research (including dissertations) therefore contains focused information concerning the background to the question or problem being considered. My dissertation should also contain evidence of extensive research in the field of inquiry, usually demonstrated through a comprehensive literature review. The question of the research is also expected to be formulated in such a way as to facilitate direct empirical study, and the methods used should be presented in detail within the body of the research. Evidence of the statistical analysis of data should also be presented in elaborate form within the dissertation and the results subsequently discussed in detail. Finally, the major implications of the research should be reiterated, conclusions drawn, and recommendations given (2001; 1995; 1994). Despite the fact that the dissertation (like other forms of research) should follow this general pattern, certain value judgments concerning the quality of the product at each level must also be made. In general, the dissertations should be held to a standard dictating that the problem addressed within it be of some significance to the research field (NIH, 2001). This has been described as â€Å"an original and significant contribution† to the particular discipline, and demands that the research seek to expand or advance scientific knowledge in some definable way. The onus should be placed upon me (the presenter of the dissertation that seeks to be of true quality) to explicitly communicate how my research measures up to this standard. Through this measure my educational level will also be exposed, and further knowledge concerning my mastery of his area will also be gauged through my discussion of the literature that has been reviewed. This discussion should be measured according to the extent to which it demonstrates a high level of understanding of the material being dealt with, and such understanding is only enhanced by the recognition of gaps in research that the dissertation itself proposes to fill. Quality dissertations are also held to a high standard regarding the methodology chosen for the implementation of the study used to gain contemporary empirical data. The quality of my dissertation should therefore also be gauged according to this standard. As a researcher, I should be expected to adhere strictly to proper scientific methods, and express evidence must be given within the dissertation itself that this has been performed. Beyond this, however, most reports on research quality or eligibility make some reference to â€Å"intrinsic† or â€Å"intellectual merit† (NSB NSF, 1996; Lovitts, 2005). In fact, some review boards have given guidelines that appear Hippocratic in their nature—requiring not only that researchers practice good science and produce dissertations that add unique knowledge to the field, but also that they fulfill a pedagogical responsibility as well as contribute to the improvement of society (Comer, 2005; NSF, 1996). My dissertation must also be held to such a standard. Resources do play a big part in the ability to produce a meritorious dissertation. In fact, one particular report has mentioned a criterion that gauges the usefulness of the environment in the performance of the research associated with a dissertation (NIH, 2001). The availability of resources and technology that aid in research performance (or the availability of the funds necessary to procure these) will have a significant impact on how well my dissertation is written. Furthermore, the quality of my dissertation will also depend on the intellectual resources available to me—competent, qualified and knowledgeable professors and the access to journals and other scientific and peer-reviewed journals (Comer, 2005; Straub, Ang Evaristo, 1994). These variables take a great deal of money to fund, and their availability for use will actually depend on the researcher’s ability to attend a university that provides these resources. Some researchers have revealed a certain amount of skepticism when considering the methods employed for measuring the quality of research. These persons have indicated that the measured quality of research has the ability to change depending on the perspective from which it is scrutinized. Therefore, a dissertation which might appear â€Å"excellent† when viewed from one standpoint might be considered only â€Å"acceptable† when seen from another standpoint (Lovitts, 2005). Much of the merit granted to a dissertation (or resulting journal publication) depends on the reputation of the researcher, and this in turn can be gauged by a number of factors. Reports also suggest that the level of funding granted (or to be granted) has a bearing on the amount of scrutiny that a research product will undergo. However, it must be noted that reputation can be superficial. Substantial research might be overlooked because a rivaling product has been compiled by a researcher with a better-known name. Similarly, research might be given a high-quality label solely because it has been performed with the aid of a large grant. The reasoning behind this is that the grant would not have been awarded had the research idea not been highly original, innovative, and possessing of all the intellectual and pedagogical qualities named above. However, the point that such report-writers make is a valid one: that the quality of a dissertation should be judged not on such peripheral factors as the name of the researcher or grant amount, but on the intrinsic qualities of the actual research produced. My dissertation should be granted the same courtesy: it should be judged on the merit of its intrinsic qualities (as described in earlier paragraphs) rather than on other superficial variables. One particular report on the quality of dissertations has mentioned the label of â€Å"acceptable† being given to an otherwise high-quality dissertation because of the failure of the methods or the achievement of an unfavorable outcome. Specifically, one report has noted that â€Å"In experimental disciplines, otherwise good dissertations are considered acceptable when experiment(s) do not work out, and students get null or negative results† (Lovitts, 2005). It is therefore notably the case, sometimes, that theory and practice do not concur. In such a case, it appears that the quality of the dissertation is faulted (2005), though it is not certain why this should be definitively the case. Should theory and practice not concur in the execution of the experiments covered in my dissertation, consideration should be given to the value even of such a contradictory finding. Such a value would (and should) be emphasized within the dissertation itself. The scientific nature of research—even at the dissertation level—should admit all findings into the annals of research even (and perhaps especially) when practice contradicts theory. (This should, of course, be contingent on the proper performance of my experiment. Furthermore, it should also be considered that the ability to make theoretical ideas practical may be a limiting factor in experimentation. One example of this regards the ethical idea of informed consent, which works well in theory, but in practice sometimes harms the outcome of experiments (Bassett, Basinger, Livermore, 1992; Schrag, 1979). The quality of my dissertations should be measured according to my ability to provide creative and effective methods of dealing with any problems that arise from discrepancies between theory and methods. The considerations named above are applicable to me. Though some potential problems may no longer present a barrier to my completing a quality dissertation (as I have succeeded in procuring many of these resources) it must be noted that the standpoint from which my dissertation is viewed will likely have an effect on the perception of its quality. It is fair to base the quality of my dissertation on the efficacy and incisiveness of the research question and problem it addresses. It is also fair to judge its quality based on my competence, as will be revealed in my interaction with the literature reviewed. Furthermore, the methods I employ to implement the experiment must be sound and discussions insightful and comprehensive. However, research suggests that one should also consider the idea of bias, as a quality dissertation presented by certain researchers who (even within a university setting) may not be regarded as highly as others, might be overlooked or undervalued despite its innate value (2005). My dissertation should be treated with courtesy and valued as much on its intrinsic merit as possible.